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the7thcrow · 2 years

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Not all that Glitters is Gold -> 02

series pairing: (fem) princess!reader x wooyoung x san x seonghwa. eventual polyamory.

series masterlist | prev chapter

Part Two: a thrice stolen necklace, two scorpions, and a lie.

series rating: 16+

series genre: action and adventure. romance. angst. fluff. suggestive. fantasy au.

series warnings: character death, blood and violence, weaponry, injury, suggestive content, mxm content, elements of misogyny, language, monsters. (will only be using chapter specific warnings for things not included on this list.)

summary: as a princess fleeing a royal assassination attempt, you have no choice but to put your trust in a band of three thieves in order to reach the kingdom of kuroku alive. however, amongst magic, deceit, and the bounty hunters that are hot on your trail, you realize that you might have stumbled upon a relationship far more complicated than what meets the eye.

chapter details beneath the cut ->

chapter wc: 10.1k

extra chapter warnings: arachnophobia.

summary:

Your neck feels abnormally bare. Naked, the last part of your home falling into the grasp of a thief.

“There,” you whisper, shifting your attention back to the map, not looking the elemental in the eye. “Happy?”

Woo chuckles before slipping the necklace into his back pocket. “Actually, I am.”

You aren’t sure what sort of place you were expecting the three men to bring you to, or if you had any expectations at all, really. The bizarreness of the situation enough to leave you with little to no idea of what their living arrangement may look like.

Out of anything you could have guessed, however, you certainly weren’t expecting it to be so… pretty.

A small cottage, located in the heart of a meadow about an hour's walk from the river, it’s shocking at how well-tended it appears. The grass is nicely trimmed, colourful flowers growing within moss beds in such a purposeful way that you’re certain they were planted. Ivy crawls up the house's fine stone-walls, that same stone creating a pathway that has led you upwards towards the cottage for the last mile or so. It appears worn, ages older than any of the men around you, and you can’t help but wonder how they may have stumbled upon such a spot.

“This is your home?” You ask. A dumb question, but you can’t help but let at least a little bit of your disbelief show.

“Don’t sound so surprised, Kuroken,” Woo cuts back quickly, his tone sharp rather than playful.

If there’s one thing you’ve learned from the walk here, it’s that Woo doesn’t trust nor like you. At all.

You’ve spent most of the trip listening as the three men bickered amongst themselves, Woo and Seonghwa seeming to take the lead in the argument, clearly being on opposite sides on the issue of taking you to Kuroku. San remained mostly silent, only joining in every once in a while to tell Woo to shut up and calm down, both suggestions clearly lost and meaningless to the elemental.

“I don’t understand what you don’t get, Woo,” Seonghwa had sighed, the blonde’s tone exasperated as he called upwards towards the man, who had made a point of walking about three strides ahead of the rest of your group. “We need the money and she needs help. Why do you have such a stick up your ass about this?”

“Aw, I’m sorry Seonghwa,” Woo called back, sounding anything but sorry. “I forgot how much you like to play hero. You’re right, let’s just dedicate weeks to helping some tramp we met in the woods. What a fantastic idea!”

If you weren’t lying through your teeth, you’d surely take offence to that comment.

“Woo, calm down,” San would warn, tone more annoyed than anything else. “We can talk more about it when we get back to the house. Can’t you just lay off for now?”

“Make me.”

Upon entering their home, you’re once again shocked by the beauty of it all. Gorgeous hardwood furniture stretching from the living space to the kitchen, as well as fine antique vases and china filling multiple cabinets.

It makes you wonder how exactly these men could ever need money.

“Make yourself at home,” San calls upon entering, gently shutting the door behind him as the comment earns a pointed huff from Woo. Unable to help yourself, you take a walk around the living room, eyes wandering amongst the many beautiful decorations.

You can hear the men’s hushed voices wafting in from the kitchen, hiding themselves behind a cabinet door as they talk about what you imagine is exactly what they plan to do. You would go eavesdrop, the conversation certainly revolving around you and the details most likely something you should want to know, but your attention is quickly pulled elsewhere.

The necklace immediately catches your eye, stationed on top of a wardrobe, a large shimmering sapphire embedded in the center. Diamonds surround the center jewel, as well as make their way up the neckline, reaching all the way up to the silver clasp in the back. It’s gorgeous, as well as undoubtedly worth a pretty penny, a one of a kind piece that is meant for royalty.

And you’re entirely certain that it is made for royalty, because it once belonged to your mother.

You lift the piece of jewelery up in your palm, heart immediately pounding with not only shock, but anger.

This was your mother’s favourite piece of jewelry before she passed. A piece that she wore to countless ball’s and celebrations, on every special occasion. Something she would ask you in particular to wrap around her neck rather than her laundresses. Something she promised to give to you when you were old enough to get married, that you had simply assumed was being held onto by the castle staff until your wedding day.

Clearly that was not the case, and you're immediately stuck by the question of how in the name of the gods these men possibly got a hold of it?

Your gaze shoots upwards, darting around the room as the realization dawns on you. The vases all suddenly familiar, the china a design you recognize quite well, having eaten on similar plates countless times before.

It’s all stolen. Stolen from your kingdom, from your family, from you.

Grip tightening around the necklace, you storm into the kitchen, all rationality and restraint lost in the moment’s fury. The men all immediately hear you enter, stepping away from the cupboard and looking at you with equally confused glances.

“This is stolen,” you say, lifting up the necklace that is clasped tightly in your fist. “You’re thieves.”

“Yeji-” Seonghwa begins, but Woo quickly cuts him off, taking a step towards you.

“So?” The elemental interjects, smirking. “What does Libaiyan wealth matter to a Kuroken, anyway?”

You swallow down any cheeky remarks that rest on the tip of your tongue, clutching the necklace tighter. “It’s not about Libaiya,” is the statement you decide on, wrinkling your nose in disgust. “I just didn’t expect you all to be criminals.”

“Criminals?” Woo laughs, rolling his eyes at the statement. “What’s criminal is that one family could own all this shit in the first place.”

You’re about to cut back, but San is quick to put a hand on Woo’s shoulder, although his gaze remains firm on you, the eye that is not covered by a leather eye-patch unblinking as he studies you carefully.

“Calm down,” San states, and you’re not sure if he’s addressing you or Woo. Perhaps both. “We need to sell all of this to survive, alright? If it makes it any better, I can promise you the royal family never even noticed it was missing.”

The statement comes as a surprise to you, any angry retort momentarily forgotten as you realize that he’s right. You never did notice it was missing.

A strange feeling curls in your gut, one that reminds you slightly of shame, and you decide to momentarily swallow your pride. Nodding to San, the man lets out a sigh, walking over to the kitchen table and taking a seat as he does so.

“Good,” he breathes, before reaching into one of the cupboards behind him and pulling out a roll of paper. Spreading it across the table, you’re quick to recognize it as a map, one that covers the entirety of Burovia.

“Feel free to take a seat,” San says, assumingly to everyone as his good eye remains fixed on the map in front of him. You and Seonghwa both move towards the table, but Woo continues to lean against the counter, arms crossed.

“If you want to stand there and brood, go do it in the living room,” San states without looking up. After a moment of silence, Woo moves, exiting the kitchen without another word. You don’t currently have a very high opinion of the man, but frankly, you at least expected him to stick around for what’s going to be a considerably important conversation. You know you can be petty - everyone can be - but even you aren’t that petty.

The thought is silenced however, as Woo enters back into the kitchen, an extra wooden chair in hand that he sits down beside you.

Resting his elbow on the table, the elemental places his chin in the palm of his hand, almost making a point of looking disinterested.

San, however, is satisfied. After taking a moment to smooth out the map, which stretches across the entirety of the table, he places a finger down on a spot near the north end of the map.

“This is where we are now,” he states, the area surrounded by forest, Libaiya less than a centimeter north. “And this,” he continues, trailing his finger across the map slowly, eventually stopping still at a castle labeled Kuroku, “is where you want us to take you.”

You blink at the map, at the vast distance he has just displayed that covers well over half of Burovia, and your heart sinks in your chest. Realistically, you’ve always known it was a long journey, having seen it on countless other maps during your childhood tutoring, having never been permitted the journey due to the distance yourself.

But viewing it now, with the plan of traveling there on foot, and secretly at that… Well, Woo might have been a little too generous to say the journey would only take a couple weeks.

“It’s far, yes?” San says pointedly, and all you can do is nod in agreement. He sighs, mouth drawing in a tight line as he considers his next words carefully.

“It’s a long journey, especially considering we have to come back this way as well. This isn’t something we can afford to do out of the kindness of our hearts,” he continues, that knot of shame and guilt beginning to form in your stomach once more.

“Which is why we need you to assure us that your father is going to pay well,” San asks, and you finally look up at him. His gaze remains firm, calculating, and it feels as though he can see right through your lie.

It’s paranoia, because clearly he cannot, as his posture settles into relaxation as you speak.

“He will. I promise,” you assure, trying to show as much false sincerity in your eyes as possible. San smiles gently at this, lips barely curving upward as he leans his elbows onto the table, threading his fingers together as he goes back to analyzing the map in front of him.

Woo, however, is not quite as satisfied.

“Prove it,” he says, earning a glare from San, although the man doesn’t make an attempt at quieting him. Perhaps he is also interested in some verification.

“Excuse me?” You counter, and Woo simply smirks.

“Prove that he will make it worth our time,” he says with a shrug, and before you can interject with the obvious question of how exactly you’re supposed to do that, he continues. “An advanced payment of sorts, perhaps?”

“I don’t know if you can tell,” you reply, biting your cheek to settle the frustration making its way into your tone. “But I’m not exactly carrying any gold on me.”

“Hm,” he hums, and for a brief moment you think he’ll drop the matter, until he suddenly reaches his hand out towards you. You attempt to move away, but unfortunately aren’t fast enough, as Woo grabs hold of your necklace. “But you are carrying a diamond.”

You’d forgotten about your necklace, a piece of jewelry you were gifted as a child, a birthday gift from both of your parents. You’ve worn it so often it might as well be considered a part of you, as much so as any arm or leg. Your laundresses used to beg you to take it off, to let them dress you in something more appropriate for the high-class parties and events you were attending.

You always declined, the comfort and familiarity of the necklace was something you could hold onto when everything else around you began to change. Especially after your mothers passing.

Which is why for the first time, the elemental leaves you shaken, mouth hanging open but no words coming out.

“Yeji, you don’t have to-” Seonghwa begins before he is quickly cut off, this time not by Woo, but by San.

“No,” he says quietly, expression unreadable. “I think that’s a fair idea.”

Woo’s eyes flash with triumph, his smirk growing a little wider as if to say: “Gotcha.”

You manage to swallow the protest that arises in your throat, as it doesn’t appear you have much of a choice. Reaching behind your neck, you unclasp the necklace. Trying not to let too much of your disdain show, you drop it into Woo’s palm, eyes not leaving his own.

Your neck feels abnormally bare. Naked, the last part of your home falling into the grasp of a thief.

“There,” you whisper, shifting your attention back to the map, not looking the elemental in the eye. “Happy?”

Woo chuckles before slipping the necklace into his back pocket. “Actually, I am.”

A moment of silence passes before San speaks.

“Alright,” he says quietly, a weak attempt at easing the tension that now hangs in the air. “You’re free to get some rest as we plan the route, the sofa in the living room is quite comfortable.” You’re certain it is, considering it is most likely somehow stolen from your castle, but you refrain from making any more unnecessary cheap shots.

“We’ll be heading off tonight, best to leave at dark. We’re not on the best of terms with Libaiyan soldiers, as you can imagine,” San continues. You consider letting them know that there are no more Libaiyan soldiers to fear, but you realize that might not be in your best interest, so lest they decide that the black-clad men aren’t anything to worry about and that it’s safe for them to remain on the main path. You need to stay hidden, and you’ll do what it takes to remain that way.

So you take up on San’s offer to rest in the living room, the sofa - begrudgingly - as comfortable as he had stated. You don’t sleep of course, despite the way your head continues to ache from the rather gracious contact it made with a tree the previous night.

You could use some sleep, surely, but you don’t trust these men enough to allow yourself to be unconscious in their own domain.

Besides, the conversation they're having in the living room is an important one, and you’re not such a fool as to let yourself miss it.

Amidst the occasional bickering, you hear talk of mountains. Of deserts and grand forests, of towns you’ve only heard the names of in passing. The men speak of the monsters you may encounter, and what they may need to bring should you be unlucky enough to face them.

And as you stare up at the strange cottage’s ceiling, the gorgeous stone keeping you company as the beams from the setting sun stream in through the many window panes, a feeling stirs within your chest. A little part of you, one that you have long since buried under duty and expectations, rustling awake.

It immediately makes you feel guilty, to all those who aren’t as fortunate as yourself to be alive. Most of all to Mingi, who gave up everything to help you escape.

But the feeling is there all the same, the smallest, yet also undeniable inkling of excitement.

A life spent within the palace walls is all you have ever known, and up until last night, it was all you were ever going to know. Once married you’d move from one palace to another, from your father’s kingdom to your husbands.

Which would be good. Comfortable, certainly. Not something one should ever complain about, unless they wish to appear unbearably spoiled.

And yet, a part of you can’t deny that seeing at least some of the world - of the unbelievable beauty of Burovia you’ve been told about since you were a child - is a fraction of something to look forward to. Even if filled with monsters, thieves, and the rather substantial lie you’ve found yourself caught up in, it is still an odd formation of a childhood dream.

Of the fantasy you had long since discarded.

Against your will and judgement, you must have fallen asleep at some point throughout the evening, as you wake to a hand on your shoulder shaking you gently.

Eyes flying open and immediately sitting upwards, you’re greeted by a head of bright blonde hair and a warm smile.

“Sorry for startling you,” Seonghwa says softly, removing his hand from your shoulder and stepping back to give you some space. His accent sits heavily on the “r’s” of his speech, and you once again find yourself wondering where he might be from, unable to place it. “But we’re leaving now, if you want to follow me out to the back.”

Still blinking the sleep from your eyes, you nod as you sit up from the couch, muscles aching as your feet pad quietly against the living room floor. You could have used a longer rest, body clearly not used to such rigorous activity, but unfortunately the time to recover isn’t a viable option.

Seonghwa picks up the lantern in the kitchen, holding it out in front of him as the two of you make it towards the front door.

However, as you make your leave, you catch sight of something on the kitchen counter. Your mothers necklace, the gleam of the sapphire visible even in the darkness that fills the house.

Carefully, while ensuring the Seonghwa’s attention is focused in front of him, you swipe the necklace from the counter, slipping it into the pocket of your tattered trousers.

After all, it’s not technically stealing if you’re just taking it back, right?

Seonghwa doesn’t seem to notice, as you successfully slip out the door behind him, which he closes with a soft “click.” It’s dark outside now, the cottage that was once beautiful in the daylight now holding an eerie quiet. Unable to see anything beyond the woods thicket, you find yourself sticking close to the lantern’s light as the two of you make your way around the house.

You’re surprised to see a stable located at the back, tiny compared to the one at the castle, but surely suitable for the three men alone. Through the open door, you spot San securing a bag of supplies to a horse, and you're relieved to know that you won’t be making the entirety of the journey on foot as you expected.

Perhaps you really will be over and done with this lie in just a few weeks after all.

“Hey, she’s awake,” Seonghwa calls as the two of you make your way into the stable. San turns, a small smile on his lips as he nods to the man next to you, before shifting his attention over to yourself.

“We only have two horses,” he explains, motioning to the one beside him before pointing across the stable at another horse, one that Seonghwa is now currently fastening a bag to. They’re both a warm honey colour - although San’s is slightly darker than the other - as well as a good deal smaller than the majority of the horse’s you had back at the castle.

“Which means you’ll have to ride with one of us,” San continues, raising up the lead for the horse that he clutches in his palm. “I’m probably the most stable of us all, so if you want you can ride with m-”

San however, doesn’t finish the thought. Woo, who you hadn’t even noticed was also in the room, walks between the two of you. Without a word, he takes the lead from San’s hand, before beginning to exit the stable, horse following behind him.

After a moment spent in silence watching the elemental walk out, San sighs. Rolling his good eye, he draws his lips together into a tight, frustrated line. “Alright, or instead you can go with Hwa.”

Ignoring the obvious shot at you from Woo’s end, you frankly prefer riding with Seonghwa, knowing that the most compassionate man is the backbone of securing your trip to Kuroku. You’re aware that the decision to play on both the man’s kindness and gullibility is not the most morally sound, but you are also not gifted the courtesy of being able to care.

Giving San a half-smile, you make your way over to Seonghwa. As you watch him finish tying his second bag of supplies to the horse’s side, you can’t help but notice how utterly empty your hands are. You don’t hand him a bag, as there is simply nothing to give. Your only belongings being the clothes on your back and Mingi’s cloak, even your necklace having been taken from you. Although, you suppose the current weight in your pocket is a sort of replacement.

“Hi,” Seonghwa says as he notices you. It’s a little cute, the way he greets you, even if having just departed a moment ago. With a wide smile and big innocent eyes, he really is too sweet for his own good.

Too bad you’re the one who is going to abuse that fact.

“Are you ready to go?” He asks, rising up from his crouched position and smoothing out the wrinkles in his clothing. Granting the man a nod in response, you make your way over to the horse, prepared to lift yourself up. Seonghwa however, places a hand out to stop you.

“Here, let me,” he says kindly, before falling down onto one knee, granting you a place to step. You know that he’s just being nice, a considerably noble gesture, but bile rises thick in your throat.

It’s exactly what Mingi did, back at the stable. Before your enemies found you.

“No,” you blurt out, voice both choked and raspy. You step around him, and you’re certain you seem a tad insane, as you stare at his knee with wide eyes and shaky hands. Swallowing hard, you divert your attention back to the horse, attempting to steady yourself. “I can…I can do it myself.”

“Oh, alright,” he says, albeit a tad awkwardly, rising up to his feet and taking a step back to give you space. Moving forward to lift yourself up onto the horse, you're thankful now for its shorter height, as it makes the job far easier than expected. Although you must admit, as you struggle slightly to swing your leg across onto the other side, some extra help may have been nice.

Once you’re seated, Seonghwa takes hold of the horse’s lead, gently pulling you outside of the stable. As he moves to shut the door behind you, as well as blow out the lantern that hangs in the doorway, it’s immediate how you feel the weight of the darkness settle around you. The tree’s loom tall and ominous, everything within a few feet in front of you shrouded in shadow.

Letting out a shaky breath, you attempt to ignore the fact of just how much of this new world remains unknown.

Scooting backwards so that Seonghwa can hop on in front of you, you can’t deny the sense of relief you feel to have someone close, especially someone who you’re certain has a better grasp on the dangers that may lie ahead than yourself. You make the decision to clutch onto the back of his tunic as you begin to trot forward, to play into the helpless charade you’ve crafted, as well as perhaps for your own tiny glimpse of security.

“You good?” San calls to him, before trotting backwards to meet the two of you. Woo sits behind him, gaze disinterested. Although, as his eyes meet yours, you don’t miss the way his hands wove from their position on San’s shoulders to his waist.

The elemental is already something of an enigma to you, but it’s this gesture in particular that seems utterly bizarre.

“Yeah, we’re good,” Seonghwa answers as San moves closer, pulling the horse up beside you. Pulling back the thick woolen jacket he wears, he reveals his belt, which is laden with a series of different blades. Observing them for a moment, he eventually seems to settle on a small dagger with a rather extravagant amount of engravings in the handle, before removing it from its scabbard.

“Here,” San says, extending the blade outwards to you. Surprise settling across your features, you glance up at him, trying to find some semblance of insincerity, an indication that this may be some sort of test. However, you see nothing of the sort, as he elaborates. “We don’t know what kind of creatures we may run into within the inner circle of the forest, it’s just a precaution.”

Hesitantly, you reach out to take the dagger, but it’s clear that not everyone in the party holds the same level of faith in you. Woo pushes San’s arm down, looking at the man with an almost comedic level of incredulity.

“Have you lost your fucking mind?” He spits, gaze filtering back to you, nose wrinkling in distaste. “Give her a knife so that she can slit Hwa’s throat while we ride, why don’t you?”

“What service would that possibly do her, Woo?” San cuts back, and this time there’s an extra edge to his voice, an indication that his patience towards the elemental may finally be wearing thin.

Instead of replying, Woo instead swipes the dagger from San’s grasp, shoving the weapon under his own cloak and out of reach.

“Why are you being such a brat about this?” Seonghwa snaps, and the anger in his tone is almost shocking. “It’s not your throat at risk, so get a grip, would you?”

It’s this remark in particular that seems to erupt the group into a fit of bickering, and the realization dawns on you that keeping your identity a secret may not even be the greatest challenge of the journey.

Keeping them from killing each other may prove to be just as difficult.

Woo is in the middle of an especially long-rant about Seonghwa’s hero complex when you cut him off. “You know what, it’s fine,” you state, tone blunt. “Keep the damn knife if it bothers you that much.”

“Yeji, are you sure-” Seonghwa begins, but you wave him off, shifting your attention back to the forest ahead of you.

“It’s fine, let’s just go,” you reply. You can feel San’s gaze on you, as he sits silent and unmoving for a moment. You wonder what he might be thinking.

Finally, he speaks. “Alright,” is all he says in response, before shifting the horse around and taking the lead once more. Woo’s gaze does not meet your own as they move ahead, as your group finally begins to make their way along the trail leaving the cottage and back into the heart of the forest.

As Seonghwa calls aloud for the horse to begin moving faster, your grip involuntarily slides from his shirt onto his shoulders. Doing your best to remain steady, you allow yourself a moment to take in a deep breath of air. Darkness of the forest whirling past you and the wind blowing cool against your face, you know that this, right here and now, is only the beginning.

Amidst the end of it all, of everything you’ve ever known, it is only the beginning.

It’s after a few hours of riding that the forest begins to change. Even in the darkness, you can notice the way the shapes of the tree’s transform, the once tall and straight trunks twisting into strange warped curves. Spindling around one another in a nonsensical fashion, it looks like something out of the storybooks you would read as a child, the sort of dreary domain that only accompanies a villain’s lair.

You try to pretend that your heart isn’t racing, that your hands don’t tremble slightly as they clutch against Seonghwa’s shoulders. You’ve never been afraid of the dark, but you suppose the difference may be that you always knew what was lurking within the dark back at home in the castle. Sometimes it would be Mingi sneaking into your room for a late night stroll about the corridors, or sometimes the countless soldiers stationed for your very own safety, but it was never something dangerous. It never held the risk of the unknown that you feel right now.

“Get a hold of yourself,” your mind scolds, embarrassed at the thought. “Mingi didn’t die for you to whimper over some trees.”

Still, you can’t help but wish you would have fought harder to hold onto that knife back at the cottage.

Upahead, San’s horse begins to slow from the even pace you’ve kept up since leaving their home, settling into a trot. You assume the man to be only giving the horse a break, but as you watch the way his gaze begins to dart around the woods, expression wary, an eerie chill passes through you.

Seonghwa also seems to take note of the change in atmosphere, settling into a pace only slightly quicker than San’s in order to catch up to the man.

“Everything okay?” Seonghwa calls, to which San answers by irritatedly shushing him. After another moment of cautious trotting, San stops entirely, before lifting himself off the horse and onto the ground.

“Do you hear that?” He whispers to the both of you, hand reaching up over his shoulder to settle on the hilt of his sword, although he keeps it fastened to his back.

Amidst the quiet of the woods, all you can hear is the sound of each of your breathing, as well as the clicking of the horse’s hooves as they seem to nervously shift in place. Woo lights a fire in the palm of his hand, lifting it in the air to grant yourselves more than just the darkness. Although the small light is not much, it gives you a better view of your immediate surroundings. Of course, this is nothing more than tree’s and the shadows that lurk between them.

You’re about to tell San that no, you can’t hear anything and would frankly like to keep moving, when you catch it. A faint, barely discernible but undeniably there, rumbling hiss.

It carries throughout the forest, sounding far away but also uncomfortably close all at once. Similar to the wind in its overall sound, but far more alive. You don’t miss the way Seonghwa tenses, and you’re certain he hears it too.

“San, I think I see-” Woo starts in a whisper, but the elemental is quickly cut off by his own scream.

In a flash of movement, a dark shape hurls itself out of the woods. Roughly the size of a large dog, you watch in terror as it makes contact with Woo, throwing the elemental off the back of the horse.

Hurtling the man into the darkness of the forest, you watch as the area around you quickly awakens with both light and warmth. A pained screeching sound leaves the creature’s mouth, as you imagine Woo scolds it with his flame.

With the light of the fire now granting you a better understanding of your surroundings, you’re able to see the characteristics of the beast, although you almost wish you couldn’t.

The monster has a grotesque black body, insect-like in its apparent exoskeleton, with eight thin and nimble legs, as well as large pincers emerging from the area surrounding its mouth, each roughly the length of your forearm. A long tail with a razor sharp point moves back and forth, some sort of odorous yellow liquid dripping from the point. If you had to describe the monster, you’d label it a horrifically enlarged scorpion, only far, far more terrifying.

The beast scuttles away from Woo, who struggles to get back up to his feet, wincing as he clutches his shoulder. However, the monster is only momentarily fazed by the fire, as it’s quick to return its pursuit.

Woo stumbles backwards, reaching his hands forward to let out another blast of fire, although this time the scorpion is prepared. Launching itself to the side to avoid the flame, it crawls along the bark of a tree-trunk, long legs moving at lightning speed as it creeps up into the dark of the forest canopy and out of sight.

Seonghwa hops off the back of the horse, before digging into one of the large bags secured to its side. From it he pulls a compact crossbow, as well as a quiver stashed with a handful of arrows.

“Wait here, alright?” He rushes out, and you only manage a nod in response before he takes off after San, who has now removed his sword and followed Woo into the forest. You consider following them, but you’re not a fool. There’s absolutely nothing you could do to help at the moment, no weapons nor powers of your own to fight with, and you’re certain Woo wouldn’t miss the chance to “accidentally” scathe you with one of his flames.

You hear another pained shout from Woo, and you imagine that the creature has once again dropped itself down from its hiding place within the trees. You aren’t completely sure, of course, as the fight only brings the men deeper into the forest and out of your line of vision. However, you are not completely left in the dark, as the forest alights again and again, a result of Woo’s gift.

As the shouts between the men and the creature’s strange screeching sounds slowly become further off, the quiet of the area around you only increases. The fact that you are alone settling within your gut, as you attempt to calm the anxiety building in your chest.

“You’re fine,” you think, although you don’t quite believe it. “The danger is with them, not here.”

Closing your eyes, you take a deep and steadying breath. This breath, however, catches in the back of your throat, as you hear a sound come from behind you.

“Sssss.”

You know exactly what lurks within the trees before you even look over your shoulder to check.

Shakily, you turn around, and even in the dark it does not take long for you to find the source of the noise. A second beast, almost double the size as the first, lurking only a few paces behind your horse. You realize that it does not only have pincers - as saliva drips from its open mouth - but a series of teeth aligning its gums, each not much longer than the length of a nail but quite obviously sharp. Taking step after step, each movement slow and calculated, its nimble legs drag across the dirt path, a scraping noise following each motion.

“Seonghwa…” you breathe, but you know he’s not there. The three men’s shouts are now barely audible, the other scorpion’s sounds almost a whisper compared to the screeches of before.

“Ssssss,” the beast hisses again, taking another step closer. A strange clicking noise emits from the creature, and you aren’t sure if it’s coming from its mouth, or from somewhere within its massive stinger that swings back and forth behind it.

You’re about to kick the horse into motion, when suddenly the beast stops, and you watch as it settles back onto its hind legs. It’s ready to pounce, you’re sure of it, and you have only a split second to make your next decision, which could very well be your last.

“Seonghwa!” You shout at the top of your lungs, voice breaking slightly from the sheerness of the scream. At the same time, you throw yourself sideways, falling off the back of the horse. The rocks of the path dig into your arms as you crash into the ground, and you can only hear as the monster flies over top of the horse behind you, screeching as it does so.

Without another second to think, you’re up and on your feet, rushing towards the men’s fading shouts. Unfortunately, the creature is quick to follow.

Tearing through the woods, you're hyper aware of each and every one of your footsteps, doing your best to avoid any rocks or roots that may risk tripping you up. After all, if you fall it’s game over.

The inevitability that the beast is much faster than you almost immediately becomes clear. You don’t risk checking, but you can feel its presence only a few paces behind yourself, the strange clicking noise horrifically close.

In a flash of instinct, you grab hold of a tree branch to your left, using it to swing yourself sideways and off the path. It accomplishes what you hoped, as the beast continues to rush forward, however it throws you off the direction towards possible help.

“San! Seonghwa!” You scream again, as the beast quickly regains its stride in chasing after you once more. You can only hope that by some miracle they might hear you and grant some much needed assistance.

However, the beast appears done with this game of cat and mouse, and it lets out another blood-curdling screech. You feel its legs press up against your back before you even realize it has pounced, shoving you face first into the forest floor. Lifting up your head and pulling your face from the dirt, you manage to rotate yourself around, so that you now have your arms and hands to fend the creature off with.

Although you’re not certain if this is much better, as you’re now brought face to face with the beast. With utmost of ten eyes, and those massive pincers only a few inches away from your skin, the adrenaline rushing through you quickly morphs into blind terror. The beast's saliva drips down, the liquid burning painfully hot against your skin, although you don’t have the capacity to worry about that right now.

Instead, your focus shifts to its stinger, moving like a snake as it rises up and into sight. Straining your head to the side, you just manage to miss the sharp tail as it strikes, embedding itself into the ground where your face had been only mere seconds prior. The beast shrieks, in what you could only title displeasure, as it struggles to remove the point of its tail from the forest floor.

You can’t help but think that now more than ever, with the beast trapped and belly on display, it would help to have the dagger San had to attempt to give you earlier. Sword skills be damned, it doesn’t take a combat specialist to drive a knife upwards.

However, with no knife to speak of, you remain trapped and helpless beneath the beast. Given the circumstances, Woo’s little tantrum that you had previously only found irritating, may actually be the death of you.

The scorpion seems to give up trying to remove its tail from the ground, instead advancing on your face with its pincers and teeth. Raising your arms to defend your face, its pincers scrape against the skin of your forearm, causing you to let out a sharp yelp of pain.

However, that pain is nothing compared to when its teeth break contact.

Its sharp fangs sink deeply into your arm, and your vision immediately blotches white. You’ve lived a rather pampered life, physical pain not something you’re well acquainted with. But as far as pain may go, you’re certain that this is undeniably up there.

Letting out a wail of agony, you attempt to rip your arm free from the creature’s mouth, but it’s no use. You only hear as its stinger rises up from the ground beside you, finally free, and as you watch it come up above your head, you know that this is it.

You had a good run, you suppose. At least fortunate enough to make it out of the castle and have an extra day of torment before death claims you. Closing your eyes, you accept the inevitable, hoping that at least expecting it might somehow make it less painful.

Yet, the final blow never comes. You hear the creature let out a strange gurgling noise, before hot, odorous liquid shoots across your face. Peeking an eye open through the grime, you are greeted not only by the teeth of the monster, but also San, who stands with his sword sticking through the top of the creature's head.

Ripping the blade upwards and back through the scorpion’s head, the beast falls limp on top of you, jaw now slack enough for you to pull your arm out of its mouth’s clutch. You can’t help but let out a whimper as you see the many holes aligning your skin, blood pooling from the series of open wounds.

San shoves the beast sideways, and in its lifeless state it simply tumbles over, rolling into the forest’s underbrush. He’s quick to sink down to his knees, placing a hand on your shoulder to gently pull you upwards, into a seated position.

“Are you okay?” He asks, and in response you simply lift up your arm, which is now coated in red, skin barely visible. Although he attempts to hide it, you don’t miss the way his eyes widen at the sight, mouth parting open slightly.

You’ve never really understood the concept of shock before, how the mind could possibly shut down in a dire situation. But as you stare at the wound, it’s strange how utterly nothing you feel. You’re somewhat aware of the tears that begin to stream down your face, but even they seem far off, a memory rather than a feeling.

“It’s alright,” San whispers, although he doesn’t sound so sure himself. Placing his sword onto the ground, he tears the sleeve off his shirt, before wrapping it around the many wounds. “You’re okay.”

Footsteps follow up behind you, as well as a fit of heavy breathing. “Is she…” you hear Seonghwa's voice begin to ask, although he immediately trails off, most likely at the sight of all the blood.

You shift around, meeting the blonde’s eyes for a moment, which are full of concern. However, your attention is quickly pulled to Woo, who stands there with a shocked expression, hand clutching his shoulder.

It’s funny how quickly the numb feeling twists into a blind sense of utter rage.

Pushing yourself up to your feet and ignoring San’s protests while doing so, you storm towards the elemental. Woo opens his mouth as if to say something, although you don’t give him the chance.

You’ve never slapped someone before now, but as your palm stings at the contact with Woo’s cheek, you almost wish you had. Because the feeling is so fucking satisfying.

“Did you get what you wanted?” You spit, as the elemental holds his own hand up to his cheek, eyes wide in surprise. “I almost died, aren’t you happy?”

“Yeji-” San calls from behind you, walking over to stop you from advancing on Woo once more. However, you ignore the alias as you pull your wrist free from San’ grasp, and it’s not exactly an option for him to try and grab the other one.

“You think I knew this was going to happen?” Woo retorts, and all you can manage in response is a laugh, although there’s no humour to the sound.

“Yes!” You scream, and Woo actually takes a step back at the sheer volume of the noise. “Yes, because San clearly expected it earlier. So I’m fairly certain you did know, unless you’re really that much of a fucking dumbass.”

Woo’s hands twitch at his side, and you wonder if he’s considering using his gift on you. However, even he must deem the gesture low, considering he’s a solid part of the reason you were almost killed.

“We’ve been on this journey countless times, and seldom have we ever run into anything like this,” Woo says through gritted teeth, his cheek beginning to turn a bright shade of red. “So no, I didn’t know. I’m sorry.” He says the last word louder than the rest, but it doesn’t sound anywhere near sincere. He should grovel after what he did, apologize and beg for forgiveness, and yet he has the audacity to yell at you?

Leaning in closer, so that your faces are only a few inches apart, you keep your voice low when you speak. “You’re really lucky I don’t have that knife right now.”

Woo doesn’t respond to this, but the corner of his lip curves upward, into the faintest hint of a smirk. Stepping backwards, you walk towards Seonghwa, ready to make your way back to the horse and out of these god-forsaken woods.

However, you can’t refrain from casting a glance over your shoulder back at Woo, to find that he’s still staring at you.

When your eyes meet, his gaze only says one thing: “I know you want me dead, but you’ll only ever get the chance if I don’t kill you first.”

The fight with the scorpions leaves you all with a rather quiet night. Having ridden on horseback for another few hours with little to no extra trouble, the four of you managed to successfully make it out of the inner circle alive.

Having taken a moment earlier to set up the two tents, you’re now all gathered around a crackling log fire, the silence feeling more comforting than edged for once. Now that the adrenaline and shock of your fight with the creature has worn off, you’re extra aware of just how tired you are. Eyelids heavy and body sore, you’re fairly certain that the rest of the men feel the same, and that even though the sky has begun to lighten with what will soon be the rising sun, it will be time to go to sleep soon.

However, amongst the tiredness, there is also pain. The numb feeling having disappeared entirely, your arm aches, blood having completely soaked through San’s make-shift cast. It doesn’t appear that the creature broke any bones, lucky considering the depth of the bite marks, but the wounds hurt like a bitch nonetheless.

“When do you want to head out?” Woo asks suddenly, the first time he’s spoken since your argument earlier. He’s seated next to San on a log, knee bouncing up and down restlessly as he chews on his inner cheek.

“Relax,” San answers simply, gaze not leaving the flames. “We’ll head out after we all get some sleep, the gods know we could use it.”

Woo says nothing to this, and you can’t refrain from getting in an extra cheap shot.

“What, nothing to whine about?” You chide, accompanied by a mean laugh and a raised eyebrow. “Figured you would want to run us all to exhaustion, die that way instead.”

Woo still doesn’t respond, although at this his eyes lift upwards to meet yours. Staring from across the crackling log fire, his expression is unreadable, although his face is cast by a dark, orange glow. You don’t miss the way his fist clenches in his lap, the fire sparking higher, even if only for a moment.

He stands up, although he continues to hold his pointed stare. “I’m going to bed,” he says sharply, and you expect the elemental to storm off to the boys tent, maybe even put out the fire in spite before he does so.

Except he doesn’t leave immediately. Instead, he leans down to place himself in front of San’s face, before planting a firm, lingering kiss against the man’s lips. Settling his hand on San's shoulder, he pulls him in even closer, and you’re certain the immense shock you feel reads blatantly across your face.

Fortunately, Woo is too busy to notice it. After another few seconds, he pulls away from San and walks towards the tent, disappearing behind the flap without another glance nor word.

You look at Seonghwa, who seems to be pointedly avoiding your gaze, before shifting your attention towards San. The man blinks, appearing almost as caught off guard as you feel as he stares into the fire. Although, you can swear that even through the yellow and orange hues the flames cast over his skin, he almost appears to be blushing.

After a thick moment of silence, you decide to speak. “I’m sorry,” you start, awkwardly clearing your throat. “I didn’t realize, are you two together?”

At first San doesn’t say anything, taking a moment to run his hands through his hair, and letting out a deep sigh. It’s strange, for the first time since you’ve met the more-so quiet and stoic member of the trio, he appears almost flustered.

“Things with Woo are…complicated,” San starts, finally meeting your eyes. He shakes his head, giving a small, slightly embarrassed smile. “But if you want an easy answer, then no, we aren’t.”

Now left with more questions than answers, you open your mouth to speak, but San is quick to rise to his feet. “I’m going to go to bed too, long day,” he says shortly, stretching his arms above his head and letting out what is a little too dramatic to be a real yawn. “You two should probably go to sleep soon, you’ll want to be refreshed for tomorrow.”

“G’night,” Seonghwa answers simply, as San follows suit after Woo, disappearing into the boys tent.

Now left alone, you turn to Seonghwa, hoping to ask him for the backstory behind what exactly just happened. However, you find that he’s already watching you, a small smile lacing his lips.

“It’s not my place to talk about it,” Seonghwa says simply, and you understand that he’s closing the door on the topic entirely. Fair enough, you suppose. You’ve never been one to indulge in your friends' secrets either.

“Do you want me to clean that?” He asks. As if sensing your confusion, he points to your cast. Handing the bloodied arm over to him before you even really consider the offer, he’s gentle as he unwraps the make-shift bandage.

What you’re greeted with makes your gut clench.

The bite marks are deep and gashed, both fresh and dried blood surrounding the many wounds. The marks sting now that they are greeted by the open air, and you manage to swallow down the bile that arises in your throat.

Leaning over to grab his waterskin, Seonghwa gently pours some of the drinking water from the small leather pouch over the wound. The burning sensation that takes over your arm is nothing short of excruciating, and you can’t help but let out a gasp of pain, scrunching your eyes shut.

“I know,” Seonghwa says softly, voice barely above a whisper as he pours more water. You attempt to pull your arm away, but he holds it in place. “But we don’t want it to get infected.”

Beginning to wipe the area with the fabric of his own shirt, you let out a shaky breath. However, as he reaches for the waterskin once more, you know you can’t go on like this.

“Talk to me,” you rush quickly, letting out another pained wince as he pours more water over the wound. Amongst the blood, you also see dirt and grime leave the area, and you know that even if painful, it’s working. “Take my mind off it.”

“Alright,” he says softly, r’s curving with the lilt of his speech. “What do you want me to talk about?”

Saying the first thing that comes to mind, you ask the question that’s been bugging you since you’ve met him. “Where are you from?” You ask, choosing to look up at his face rather than the monstrosity that is your arm. “Your accent, I’ve never heard it before.”

It’s true, and as a royal, you’ve met countless different people from all over Burovia. All from different kingdoms and towns, some attempting to court you and some only desiring some pleasant conversation. And yet, none of their voices quite match the man sitting before you.

“Maralya,” he says, and a wave of embarrassment passes through you when the name is entirely unfamiliar. When you merely hum in response, he chuckles deeply. “It’s alright if you haven’t heard of it, most haven’t. It’s not on many maps.”

“What’s it like there?” You ask through a pained grimace, as he once again dabs the area clean with his sleeve.

“It was… nice,” he settles on after a short pause, the ghost of a smile fluttering over his features. “It’s directly on the east coast, quiet and very small, so everyone knows everyone. Lot’s of fishing and swimming all year round, it doesn’t snow there.”

“The east coast…” you begin, considering the statement. “There must be a lot of Mainland blood.”

“You’re right, there is,” Seonghwa’s smile grows wider at this. Although his eyes remain focused on your arm, you can see them fill with a sort of brightness. Nostalgia, perhaps. “I’m sure I have some too. That’s sort of what the accent is, a bit of Mainland mixed with our own.”

You’ve met a few people from The Mainland, although it is rare for them to visit Burovia. A far greater span of continent and a few weeks journey by seafare, their ways seem far different compared to your own. Politics less complex and kingdom’s less divided, as well as no gifted to speak of, it’s an entirely different way of life.

Seonghwa's voice suddenly strikes you as a whole new kind of compelling, a bridge between two peoples that are almost entirely separated, but conjoined in an off-map little town that few have even heard of.

Mimicking what San had done earlier, Seonghwa tears his other - as well as far less bloodied - sleeve from his shirt. However, as he begins to wrap it around the wound, he blinks, and for a moment you see a glaze to his eyes, shining brighter in the firelight. Tears dwelling, but not permitting themselves to fall.

“Are you alright?” You ask, tone concerned. However, Seonghwa simply laughs, shaking his head to himself.

“I’m fine,” he chuckles, wiping at his eyes. “It’s just not something I’ve talked about for a long time.”

You decide to leave it at that.

Seonghwa stands up, although when he opens his mouth to speak, no words come out. Eyebrows drawing together and mouth settling into a frown, he gently turns you around, so that you are facing away from him and towards the woods.

“Did you hit your head?” He asks quietly, and you feel his fingers dust against the back of your skull, creating a stinging sensation that causes you to wince.

“Yeah, but not today,” you manage as he pulls his hand away. “It’s from the other night.”

“Yeji, this looks really bad,” he chides, voice full of both concern but also reproach. Sitting back down next to you on the log, he rips another section off his shirt, this time from the bottom that runs along his waist. Pouring the remaining water onto the makeshift cloth, he motions for you to face away from him once more. “You should have told me.”

“It should be fine, right?” You ask nervously, as he places the fabric against the wound, doing his best to be delicate as he wipes away the dried blood. If you thought the water on your arm was painful, then this is an entirely different story.

Seonghwa takes a moment before replying. “Yeah, it should be fine,” he says, before letting out a sigh. “Still, you should have told me so I could have stitched it. Now it looks like you’re going to have a pretty gnarly scar.”

Frankly, walking away with only a “gnarly scar” based on the previous night’s events is undeniably a lucky break, so you can’t even bring yourself to feel regretful.

Still, you indulge the man. “I’m sorry,” you say gently, and it's as if you can hear the smile that ghosts over his lips, the tension easing almost immediately.

“Next time just let me know,” he replies, and although you know he doesn’t mean any harm, your stomach curls at the thought that there may almost certainly be a next time. It’s not overly surprising, considering only a day into the journey you’ve earned yourself a shredded arm and a bloodied skull. However, now that you’ve tasted the pain that the trip may harbour, you’re no longer as eager for more.

But this is only the beginning, and as Seonghwa finally pulls the cloth away from your head, the fabric completely coated in the remnants of dirt and dried blood, you finally begin to consider that Kuroku may not be where this journey for you will end.

Instead it may be in some place far closer, with a shallow grave rather than a kingdom, and quite possibly a bloody demise.

Frustrated. Upon entering the tent, that’s the best word San can think of to describe his current state: frustrated.

“What the hell was that?” He says, tone not outwardly furious, but rather cold and annoyed. Confused, but not overly pleased about it.

As expected, however, he receives no response. Woo lays with his back turned, blanket brought up high so that only the top of his head is showing. If someone didn’t know better, they would think he were asleep.

But San knows better. He knows Woo.

“So what, are you trying to mark me as your territory, or?” San asks, crossing his arms despite the fact that Woo can’t see him. Frankly, he doesn’t care. He’s just so damn frustrated.

When the elemental speaks, his voice is muffled by the blacket, although there isn’t an inch of sleepiness to his words. “Don’t know what you’re talking about,” Woo replies, because of course he does. Because of course that’s what Woo would say, ever the deflector. Ever the denier. Ever the anything but actually telling San what is going on in that thick skull of his.

San lets out a deep sigh, flopping down onto his own blanket laid out along the tent’s floor. Eyes staring up at the darkness of the tarp, his foot taps anxiously. So much pent up anger, and nothing to do with it, because Woo won’t want to hear it. He won’t even listen.

“Sometimes, you make me so fucking frustated,” he breathes, and when greeted with no response, he pushes further. “I swear, one of these days I’m going to jab out my other eye. That way, at least I won't have to see all your bullshit.”

“Do it then,” is all Woo replies, which causes San to let out another frustrated groan. No longer granting Woo the courtesy of a response, he rolls onto his side, completely facing away from the elemental.

Complicated. That's what he used to describe what was going on between him and Woo: complicated. However, the word just doesn’t seem to do their situation justice. What he should have said instead was a bloody full-on nightmare.

Frankly, San thinks Woo is the complicated one. Woo is the nightmare, not him. Woo is the one who likes to make things more difficult than they have to be, who never says what he means or means what he says. Who can’t commit to him, but some nights will act like he might.

San knows why, he’s not an idiot. It’s simple, really.

Because whatever feelings Woo has for San, call it love or lust or companionship or whatever, they are not reserved for solely him.

No, instead whatever place San has within Woo’s heart, he also shares it with someone else. These feelings being something that the elemental refuses to admit to whenever he brings it up, brushing San off as both crazy and delusional.

But San is many things, and crazy and delusional are not amongst them.

He can hear the culprit's voice from outside the tent. Soft and kind, innocent and genuine in a way that San’s is simply not. With a pretty accent, and a brightness to it that could light up even the darkest rooms. A voice paired to a man as equally as perfect, that draws people in without even trying, almost magnetic.

San can’t hate him. He could never hate him, even if he tried.

Rolling over onto his back so that he’s once again facing the roof of the tent, he takes a deep breath, attempting to calm himself down. To start thinking rationally, because really, he can’t even blame Woo for the way he feels. It’d be far too hypocritical.

He closes his eyes, listening to the voice outside the tent. Too quiet to hear his words, but the softness is present all the same. Lulling him to sleep.

Perhaps everyone might be a little in love with Park Seonghwa.

~~~~

next chapter.

298 notes · View notes

fishylife · 3 years

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Thoughts on Street Dance of China 4 episode 2

(Aka Fishy is screencapping shows again. I’m screencapping straight from Youtube so sorry for the shoddy cut off screencaps but blame Youtube for having their player bar cover the video. I’ve never understood that because it’s always in the way.)

(Also Episode 2 part 1 is really just “How many times can Han Geng and Henry hug” and the answer is “as many times as they want”)

- Not really sure why Henry chose Anissa and Tuzi for the 2 vs. 2 battle, especially since Anissa was really not confident about it :( I felt really bad for Anissa because she seemed super nervous!!!!! I just hope that she doesn’t lose enthusiasm and that she can continue to enjoy the rest of the competition v.v

- Kelo and Uwa were extremely impressive though. Like, the way they move together is so awesome and cool.

- Among the dancers, Xiao Jie is actually really good at speaking. No wonder he gets interviewed a lot, because he’s able to describe the dancers to us layfolk, but he is also very smiley and entertaining.

- How dare Yixing be this cute 😤😤😤 He’s definitely far more relaxed when he’s just a spectator, that’s for sure. He was laughing at all the jokes and awkward moments and generally so much more animated when just part of the sidelines.

- Henry covering his mouth because he was enjoying Xiaohai’s performance was pretty cute too, not gonna lie.

- I liked San’er from episode 1, so I was cheering for him when he participated in the 3 vs. 3 battle lol. But it was really interesting to hear the conversation when Wang Yibo asked his team why San’er lost the battle. Ye Yin and Liangliang told him that to the judges who are old school, they care less for explosiveness, and more for actual skill, and while San’er’s performance might’ve looked really exciting to the average viewer, that’s not what the old school judges look for.

- So apparently Lil Kev plays a lot of mind games, and we saw that during his battle against Bozi. So he’s like...the Brad Marchand of breaking lol.

- Are...are we gonna comment on this hug between Poppin’C and Xiaohai? Lmao

- What are they being so cute for. (Also don’t @ me but Bunta is....really cute)

- Is it just me, or did we get fewer behind-the-scenes practice clips this time for Han Geng vs. Henry compared to Yixing vs. Yibo? Particularly for the 5 vs. 5 battle.

- Dimple alert. (Sorry I know this is a Han Geng vs. Henry battle but Yixing just looks so freaking cute today)

- Han Geng.....has a really soft and gentle voice (it is simping hours up in the fishy house okay). He speaks particularly quietly during his one-person interviews and his voice is so pleasant to listen to in those clips.

- Henry was talking about how he wanted to do that move with Poppin’C where they’d lean back on each other’s knees and do a wave with their arms. For some reason that move struck me as something that was very Henry like. He just strikes me as the kind of guy who uses a lot of waves and smooth-looking moves in his dances.

- Also lol @ Henry being “non fatigue!” That Ontario French curriculum at work.

- Han Geng and Henry trash talking each other except it just turns into a walk down memory lane about how Han Geng used to take care of Henry.

- Don’t even act surprised, y’all knew I was going to screenshot this.

- Kitty is amused.

- Of course Han Geng would end his routine with a big ol’ hug. What a huge softie.

- I did think that Han Geng and Xiaohai were kind of a rough duo because even if they were in sync, it was hard to tell because of the height difference. Actually, I spent a lot more time focusing on Han Geng, especially towards the end when the rest of the team crowded around them and he was visibly one of the taller ones.

- Henry’s move where he stood on Poppin’C’s thighs was super cool!! His performance was just super fun to watch. I felt like I was having a good time along with them haha.

- Please sir, may I have more hugs?

- I think Han Geng and Xiaohai’s second performance was better because it relied less on being in sync performing the same actions. However, at this point, Poppin’C and Henry have kind of created a specific brand (TM) for themselves, like they are so uniquely charming to watch, so they have firmly won me over Han Geng and Xiaohai’s team.

- Running into a hug? Are you kidding me, Lau Hin-wah???

- More

- Not only is this show cashing in on the Suju/Suju M fans, it is definitely going to pull in new fans with the Han Geng/Henry ship lol.

- Yixing spinning to get up.

- It is just so goddamn natural for them to be so close to each other. Also Han Geng said that his waist is feeling iffy from that popping ^^;; Old man joints

- Lifting Han Geng’s shirt to look at his patch...

- One of the dancers on Han Geng’s team was crying because he made a mistake in the 5 vs. 5 battle and Han Geng is like why are you crying? And gave him a playful slap on the shoulder.

- Why is that the ads done by the dancer contestants are so much more entertaining than the professional ads (the ads with mainstream celebrities or with professional actors).

- Henry’s written the pinyin on top of the Chinese names of his team members. Better safe than sorry, you know?

- Lmao how dare they bully Tengzai and Shitou by making them talk XD

- I think that when Henry assigns his team members to certain battles, he is thinking more about the combination of styles, rather than the skill level or synchronization. When he assigned Anissa and Tuzi to the 2 vs. 2 battle, he wanted to try out the East vs. West approach, but the opposing duo of Kelo and Uwa had a lot more history together and were obviously better as a collective unit. When it came to Chen Mo and Waiwai, he was interested in seeing a waacking duo. In theory I think I know what Henry was trying to imagine, but I think it is difficult to have a really intense waacking duo because it’d be hard to synchronize very high speed arm movements. In the end, they went with some moves that were simpler, and I think that’s why they lost out to Tengzai and Shitou. That being said, Henry did win his first battle against Han Geng. I think it’s just the 2 vs 2 battles that are his weakness. The 3 vs. 3 battles are really just individual battles, and the 5 vs. 5 battles are usually made up of dancers who are used to routine group dances as opposed to solo or duo dancers.

- A quick word about the judge Icee. His name in Chinese is 王冰冰. The 冰冰 part is self explanatory enough (冰 means ice), so where does the 王 come from? I read somewhere (I forgot where), but apparently his wife’s surname is 王, so he just took on her surname for his Chinese name. Don’t know how true that is, but I think that’s cute.

- So often I see Bunta and Ibuki having fun and cheering on other people, whether it’s their own team members or dancers on other teams.

- Less than a second flashback of Zitao from a previous season v.v Please producers...let us have a LayTao reunion....please....I beg....

- The 5 vs. 5 battle between Yixing and Henry’s teams was pretty fun to watch, probably because the song was so hype lol.

- The leader battles between Yixing and Henry were really entertaining too though.

- The first piece of music for Henry and Yixing’s leader battles was very very cool. Like, it was just a nice piece of music to listen to, and I think that the kind of music it was gave way to rather creative interpretations. Henry and Han Yu went for a more story-based approach, whereas Yixing and MT Pop focused more on an aesthetic. I preferred Yixing and MT Pop’s performance here.

- Henry and Han Yu also had a pretty solid performance for the second song. As for Mingming and Gumball, they didn’t really perform “together,” because they were both doing their own thing, but their individual performances were interesting. (Also let us acknowledge, nothing gets Yixing turnt like KRUMP XD He was so into the performance haha)

- I was so caught up in the euphoria of Henry/Han Geng that I forgot that Henry and Yixing also had a past history, but I think their friendship probably mostly existed off screen. They were from different groups after all, but we also know how low key Yixing has always been. Even if they were bffs we never would’ve known. I also remember on Back to Field, Yixing said that Henry helped him install and set up his music software, so they probably have some kind of rapport on the music side. But yeah, it just seemed like Yixing was rather formal about it all, calling Henry his 哥哥/前輩. And Henry seemed to look at Yixing like his son lol. He was like oh look at Yixing and how far he’s come, etc.

- Xiao Jie said that he’d battled Hilty & Bosch 14 years ago, which means that Xiao Jie isn’t that young, which may be why he’s so chill lmao. Anyway, Xiao Jie is a very entertaining dancer to watch, and he worked well with Shen Zihao. But of course, HB are formidable themselves as well and their chemistry is just too too good. And they’re just incredibly clean dancers.

- Yibo went over to Han Geng to scope out who he was going to send out for their battle. Xiao Jie tried to warn Han Geng about this but he was too late and Yibo already made his attack. But the entire interaction between Yibo and Han Geng was so lols because it was so strange lmao. Yibo was straight up like “who are you going to send out during the battle?” And Han Geng kept thinking that Yibo was trying to play mind games and use that to gleam other information from him. So Han Geng’s answer ended up being really confusing too, he was like “if that’s what you’ve decided I’ll follow your lead.” The thing about Han Geng is that he is too senior for Yibo to clown on, so he is actually being serious, and Han Geng is trying to keep things light haha. (I think Yibo would totally be his normal gremlin self to Yixing and Henry, but Han Geng is like the next tier up from them both.)

- LMAO Aki-san calling out Tony-san for being older than him XD And Tony Gogo was like what have I ever done to you??? I love Aki-san hahahaha.

- Okay Aki-san vs. Nelson was pretty awesome, but SO WAS BORIS vs. ZYKO???? Holy crap that was sooo much fun to watch because like....human bodies can bend that way? And Boris and Zyko aren’t small guys, so it was insanely awesome to watch.

- Side note, Boris’ Mandarin is pretty good. I looked him up and on his Instagram he says he lives in Shanghai, so it makes sense that his Chinese is good enough for everyday communication. In one part of the show he was instruction Yibo on dancing and like, he was not stuttering at all.

- Wait, Han Geng says that he’s known Yibo for 10 years :o So I just looked him up and it turns out Han Geng has been with Yuehua Entertainment since 2010, so I think the math makes sense. Wow, how time flies. He always such a dad though, he’s always like, the top priority is fun and happiness!!! And honestly, he’s right. Like, what is this show if not just a huge dance showcase more than an actual competition?

- Physically impossible for Han Geng not to hug his didis.

- I love that in a dance party full of dancers, some will still choose to slow dance like this.

- Of course Henry will come and praise his gege. (ft. Nelson in the right lol)

- Yo I love Rochka. He’s one of the chillest guys there.

- The kids’ performance was cute :3 Their little jumpsuits uwu

- Also one of the kids was Shitou’s daughter and it was absolutely hilarious how he still introduces her in the most monotonous and neutral voice and he was like “please give her some encouragement” in the most low energy voice ever XD The b-boying kids were super legit though. Oh and apparently Xiao Jie’s son was one of the dancers too :3 Somebody was like “yo Xiao Jie isn’t that your son?” and he was like “lol yeah.” XD Aren’t they cute?

#thinking out loud #cvariety #street dance of china #screencaps

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strawberrymilkloadingscreen · 4 years

Text

Giving Up the Ghost Chapter 1 (Rise TMNT) (Donnie x Black&Female! Reader)

“Holy shit they’re turtle demons.”

You hadn’t believed April when she said that the demons and ghosts you were obsessed with lived in her tiny apartment. Every time you’d gone over in the last year and a half there hadn’t been that sort of itchy energy that you associated with demons, or the more groggy and cold one that came with ghosts. In fact, she didn’t live in a building considered a hot haunting zone online, her entire block was ghost free, and even the little sub place she was working at didn’t have a lick of phantom energy.

April O’Neil was as normal as could be.

However, there wasn’t anything you could say to refute the very clear evidence in front of you. Four gigantic turtles with weapons were crowded in your friend’s living room, yellow paint splattered on them, April, and the walls.

April scratched her head and ended up smearing hazard yellow paint through her cherry red curls. “Heeeey. What’re you doing here?”

“Me? Can we start talking about them?”

“Them? Psht! They’re just-“

A turtle in blue set a hand on her shoulder. “It’s okay, April. Talking about secret hobbies is embarrassing, but coming clean will do the body good. Like milk.”

“Leo…”

“The truth is that we’re… cosplaying.”

You rolled your eyes at that. “Seriously? That’s the best thing you can come up with? Even without my token I can practically see the energy coming from you.”

“Human girl say what?”

“She probably means the trace bits of mutagen from the oozsquitos in our blood.” A purple one muttered. “Which, I mean, is fair and accurate. Better question is how she can see anything since looking at her she’s obviously a normal everyday human.”

“WHOOOA!” You leaned back as an orange clad turtle got eye level with your chest. You weren’t sure when he got there, and that part concerned you more than a little. “What’s that!”

“What’s… Oh.” You plucked up the gem that had a perfect hole in the middle of it. “It’s the token. It lets me see ghosts, demons, but not 5’3 turtles dressed in neon orange.”

“It’s a great color. Is that violet or lavender?”

“I dunno? What are you?”

“Well I’m a warm shade of green with-“

The largest turtle plucked the smaller orange one up with one hand, and easily set him with all the others. “We’re mutants that are turtles… And ninjas. So don’t say a thing or we’ll make you disappear.”

“Isn’t that Hypno’s thing?” The one in blue wondered.

“Leo I’m trying to keep her from spilling our secret, annnd she’s fainting.”

You were in fact fainting into a pile of pure excitement and worry onto April’s paint splattered floor. The last thing you saw was April’s baseball bat, and four flinching turtles trying to get out her glitter encrusted door…

_______________________________________________________________

You ended up waking up on your front porch with a bottle of vodka tucked under your arm. You weren’t sure if it was April’s way to say sorry, or if it was to give your landlord and other passerby the idea that you passed out drunk. Either way the booze was welcome as you made your way out of the muggy summer heat and into the ice cold of your apartment. Your roommate’s cat, Xena, meowed at your return and followed you about as you took off your boots at the door. You went to the counter and pushed aside empty Chinese takeout boxes and mail to make room for the vodka.

With that task completed you quickly stripped, and tossed out the paint encrusted clothes in the trash, before cramming yourself in the shower and scrubbing hard. “How was I not robbed and murdered?”

Probably because you looked crazy. A Ouija board shirt and some booze was enough to make a handful of people back away from you; a wonderful lesson that college parties and your small town had taught you. The wet paint was probably another great deterrent. Whatever the case you were thankful enough not to get mad at the splotches that wouldn’t scrub off your dark skin. You quickly hopped out and towel dried before pulling on some comfy clothes and going back into the kitchen.

You paused beside a large tank sitting on top of some stacked books. With a groan you popped down on your knees and peered inside, a soft smile curling on your lips as you watched the turtle sitting on a pastel rock. “Hey Venus. Comfy?”

“Awe, are you talking to your turtle?” Your skin jumped and you quickly stood rod straight. “Hey don’t get jumpy on me now. Just me.”

��I mean it’s normal to get jumpy when around a walking talking garbage disposal.”

“I’d be offended if it wasn’t true.”

You rolled your eyes and grabbed the bottle of vodka. “What are you even doing here, Ricky? Jessie won’t be back for another week.”

“Forgot my phone charger here last night.” He waved the blue device around. “Oh, by the way, there was another haunting out at my Ma’s. Said she saw the pots moving. Think you could take a look?”

Ghosts… Wait, that was why you went to go see April. You’d seen some new ghost documentary on a streaming service, and you’d made plans with her to see it. When you got there…

Turtles.

Well, the red one said they were also ninja. That sounded utterly ridiculous, but you weren’t inclined to argue with demons or ghosts. Not that you had met that many, four in total including the ones today, but you’d read enough materials to know that it would be stupid to do so! Old ladies out in China Town though…

“Sorry Ricky, but I’ve got my plate full. Can you tell her I’ll try to make it some other time?”

“No prob. Pretty sure she’s just lonely and making up stuff to get some visitors. Should really go out there and scrapbook with her again now that I think about it.” He slicked back his blue hair. “Anyway, I’m heading out. If Jessie calls tell them I want some nudes”

“…No.”

“How about ‘I love you’.”

“Better.”

You waited until you heard the soft click of the door and snap of the lock before you went over to the cabinet and popped open a soda. You took a good swig before adding a splash of the vodka, and going back to the living room. Xena decided to take over your legs, but you couldn’t complain as you grabbed your laptop and began to do what you did best. Blogs were examined, newspaper articles scanned, and plenty of folklore was cracked open between sips of your boozy treat.

There were plenty of things for ninja that would come up for New York City. Everything from comic-cons, movie sets, and even a few historical events for museums. You were getting something similar for turtles as well. A new friend donated to the zoo, a fundraiser for conservation, and plenty of art meant to beautify the city.

However, when you entered the terms for humanoid turtles that’s when things were getting sketchy. Strange photos out outlines in a fish and ladder market, far more convincing ones during the hippo turtle meme a few years back, and a shaky video of black blobs ziplining down to a rooftop pool.

The more that you saw them the less you were convinced these things were demons or ghosts. Some type of cryptid maybe? Aliens? However, the term ninja made you lean more towards monsters, to be more specific kappa. Turtles that would drown their victims, rip orbs out of asses, and had a strange love for cucumber. You ended up falling asleep with Xena asleep on your keyboard and the new knowledge armed in your brain.

That was why you found yourself standing outside April’s, now non glittery, door the next morning. You had a basket hanging off your arm, and your cellphone fisted in your free hand. You kicked at the door, and only moments later it was ripped open by a still yellow streaked April.

“Oh it’s you…”

“Don’t get all excited to see me.”

The two of you stood in silence for a long moment, nervous smiles on both your faces and the air thick with tension. You took a deep breath and held out the basket full of sake and kappa.

“Here!”

“What is it?”

You looked away, your teeth sinking into your bottom lip until it stung. “Well, you had kappa in your house, and I wanted to give that as a peace offering. I dunno how you managed to meet kappa of all things in NYC, but I’m not gonna judge… Or tell. Especially that last one.”

April stared at the basket for a long moment, before looking at you with an equally bewildered look. She held up a single finger, before pulling her phone out of her pocket and tapped something out on it. “Wha-? You think they’re monsters from Japanese folklore? Girl, you really went all out with that vodka, huh?”

“I dunno what they were. One minute I was in your house, and the next it’s a mess and you have huge ass turtles in there. Isn’t that just the most interesting thing to ever happen!”

“Ahhhh not really?”

“Well, I guess you’re used to it. That’s fair.”

April gave a soft sigh before opening her door up all the way, and gesturing for you to come inside. “Look, I think the two of us are gonna have to have a long talk. Want some coffee?”

“Only if you’ve got whipped creamer.”

“Don’t you know it.”

You followed her into the apartment and your nervousness melted away. "So how'd you meet them?" "Well it all started when I was a kid thanks to a sad sad trolling attempt..."

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youllallriseintheink · 3 years

Text

Prison Cell, chapter 2

This is a story taking place in an AU where the studio became the sketch dimension before most of the sacrifices were made. While this AU will have an emphasis on horror, especially in the later chapters, I also want to show the resilience of some of these characters.

---

"Can I be the one to go down there?" Susie asked.

"No," Abby answered firmly. "First we need to decide what we're going down there for. And I'm sorry, but I don't think it's going to be a rescue mission. I don't trust you not to turn it into one. Beyond that, though, whoever it is, it has to be someone at least somewhat nondescript. So, not you- you're pretty well-known, and your size alone is pretty distinctive. And not me, either- there are no other black women in this studio, so there definitely aren't any who are loyalists. And not Henry- he's a wanted man. Any volunteers?"

In the end, Jack was chosen for the first mission. He was fairly forgettable in appearance, and the one of the two people down there who knew him well wouldn't be one to call him out. Of course, the other was Joey Drew, but he was nonetheless the best candidate.

After Jack had been assigned, there was a brief discussion about where to hide Henry, they found someone to replace Norman as the projectionist, and a circuit of people were chosen to keep watch of the elevator at night so that no one would be attacked.

---

The next day, Jack put on the loyalist robes, traded his hat for a mask, and headed down in the elevator. The first lower floor that the elevator stopped at was at the old breakroom. Two men were there, playing pool in uniforms but no masks. It was strange how normal it looked. Jack figured that the masks must have only been for specific uses, including any visits to the upper floors. Hopefully he didn't stick out like a sore thumb.

"Hey," he said to them, trying to disguise his voice somewhat, "I have to check on the prisoners. I'm covering for a buddy. But he forgot to tell me where they are. Can you help me?"

One of the men gave him a funny look. There were a thousand things that could have given him away. Maybe all loyalists already knew where the prisoners were kept. "Floor 3B. Take two lefts. You can't miss it."

Jack thanked them and left.

Floor 3B was the second-to-last one, and it opened in a nondescript hallway. Once he’d followed the directions, he got to what looked like an unremarkable row of office doors. They looked like that, but Jack could hear someone crying within them, and could smell human waste. This was, undeniably, the place. Jack tried a few doors and found them to be locked. So, after checking to make sure that there was no one else nearby, he tried talking to the people within them. There were six prisoners in total. One of them was Emma LaMonte. Four of them had been a part of a small insurrection early on. Their stories broke Jack’s heart. One of them, Lacie, had been left with a broken leg that they had done nothing to treat. It had set incorrectly and was now a permeant cause of pain and poor mobility. Another of them, Shawn, had been fed ink. The final prisoner was also a surprise.

“Allison? I thought you were a loyalist.”

“I was, but I wasn’t very good at following the rules. Tom caught me breaking a pretty big one. He doesn’t want me to end up dead. So, he dragged me in here, and told the others that I’d done something less severe. Something that would get me locked up a long time, but not killed. I get treated better than the other prisoners, and Tom comes to visit me and take me around most nights like I’m a free person, but he still doesn’t trust me not to get myself killed. I know it’s only temporary, though.”

“Temporary?”

“Well, Tom says that Joey is working on a way out for all of us. I hope that’s true. But I’ve been in the dark pretty much since the beginning.”

Jack nodded. “I’m real sorry this has happened to you. Can I ask what you were doing? Oh- and do you know where there might be more prisoners?”

“I don’t know about other prisoners. But as for what I was doing- I was visiting the outside without permission. I actually did it several times before I got caught. If you want to do it, the portal is on floor 2B.”

“Okay. Thanks again,” Jack said before leaving.

The portal was not hard to find. A door like any other on floor 2B was in fact marked with the word, “portal.” Someone had left their keys in the door. Jack pocketed the keys and went in.

The inside of the room had, in addition to many typical janitorial supplies, a rack of small vials of dark, nearly-black liquid, a set of post-it notes, and a set of instructions. The instructions read,

Step 1: write where you want to go on a note and stick it to a door.

Step 2: pour a vial of blood at the base of the door.

Curious as to how specific one had to be and how far the door’s powers extended, Jack wrote “China” on a note and poured out a vial. He opened the door, and on the other side was wilderness. Perhaps this was the very center of China. After being stunned for a moment at being able to see greenery and smell fresh air for the first time in months, Jack realized that, since the portal worked, there was a much better way he could be using it. Giddy, he wrote down his old address and repeated the ritual. The door opened to a closet in his own house. He could hear his dog barking and the voice of one of his kids, and for a moment he considered abandoning the studio and everyone in it.

Then the door shut, and opened again. Jack was roughly pulled through it, back into the supply closet.

“What were you doing!?” a woman yelled at him. Then, her voice dropped to a whisper. “Okay, give me back my keys and don’t tell anyone I forgot them, and I won’t tell anyone that you snuck a trip through the portal. Got it?” she was clearly just as frightened as he was.

“I won’t tell anyone. But could you please just let me have this? Just for ten minutes. Please?”

The woman appeared to mull this over. “Sure. But seriously- you can’t go through there dressed like that. Here, I’ll hold your mask...” the woman reached for his mask.

Jack backed up against the wall. “Actually, I changed my mind. But don’t worry, I still won’t tell anyone.”

“Wait... you seem familiar...”

Jack opened the door and scrambled to the elevator, not looking back to see if she followed.

---

“Okay, so the good news is that we know that the insurrectionists are alive,” Abby began after Jack had returned back and composed himself enough to report his findings. “And now we know about the portal. That’s very interesting. The bad news is that the prisoners are being kept in awful conditions, and they’re probably going to suspect anyone who’s wearing the mask in public places from now on. I guess the best thing to do is use someone who looks specifically like someone from down there. So, try to remember how the people down there looked. And thank you, Jack. That was very brave of you.”

Jack nodded and left Abby to her work. Planning an insurrection was difficult, and especially so on top of directing the art department. Shortly after Jack left, there was a knock on her door. It was Susie.

“Susie! Hi! did you get that list I asked for?”

Susie smiled. “Yep. Went to every department. There’s a good dozen or so people who are ready to hit the demon with an ax!”

Abby smiled back. Susie had been a big help to her. “Great! I’ll assign them floors.” hopefully the gambit would pay off. Hopefully they weren’t just throwing good fighters away. The forced blood extraction might have been frightening and violating to the people who received it, of whom there were more than a couple, but who knew when the insurrectionists might need their best fighters? If the demon just dragged them away anyhow, then this wasn’t the best use for them. Of course, being a leader in these times meant making a thousand decisions like that with limited information and hoping that things turned out for the better.

---

Days wore on. The guard system on the elevators had lasted all of a single night. The demon, finding a guard on each floor, had taken to eviscerating one of them. By the time the other guards arrived, the demon was standing over a corpse that appeared nearly inside-out. The demon scurried back to the elevator, and left before anything could be done to him.

The missions went poorly as well. Security had increased after Jack had nearly been found out. While the insurrectionists had managed to map out the lower floors (save for the very basement, which was sealed off), and found out that a great many of the loyalists were sick of a mysterious disease that caused blackened, shiny skin, they were unable to steal keys, free the prisoners, or access the portal again. After two weeks of no progress and three deaths, two of which had been killed after having been found out, Abby called the rebellion off. She felt it was what was best for everyone’s welfare, and since the loyalists had banned wearing masks on the lower floors, going undercover had become immensely more dangerous..

Susie continued to bring people together for meetings. She was not organized and dominant as Abby had been, and her meetings tended to be chaotic. The people were angry and had been emboldened. One night, a man stole a uniform and snuck down to the lowest levels. He killed a man with a knife and injured another before being imprisoned. The next day, Sammy came to the music department and escorted Susie to the basement.

"Where are you taking me?” Susie asked as Sammy clicked the elevator button to bring her to the lower floors.

“Don’t worry. No harm is going to come to you yet. This is something that Joey Drew is explicitly allowing. He knows that he needs to stop this rebellion, so he’s going to use sticks and carrots. And, well, this is the carrot.” Sammy’s face was unreadable.

They went into the room labelled “portal.”

“The first thing that I’ve been asked to do is tell you why all of this is necessary. Susie, your blood can open the portals to the outside. There were only six people in the entire studio with the right blood properties to do that, and your rebellion killed one of them last night.”

Susie nodded. “What I’ve never understood is why you don’t just let everyone out. I mean, you have a portal.”

Sammy took off his shirt, revealing a black growth that had spread across his chest, stomach, and shoulders. “If I spend more than a day or two out there, I will get sick and die. The same is true of everyone who was in the room when the ink machine exploded. Some of us are too deformed to even be allowed through the portal anymore. Joey is looking for a way to cure us so that everyone can be free. And until then, he needs your blood.”

“That doesn’t explain why he’s keeping everyone else.”

Sammy cringed. “That’s probably his own selfishness- wanting to maintain his studio the best he can. He’s not exactly as sane as he used to be. But... you’ll find out about that soon enough. For now, Susie, I’m supposed to give you your carrot. We have some money to spend, and I’ve been given permission to take you anywhere in the world you want for the day and send you back with an offering of gifts.”

Susie thought on this. “What if I told you that I wanted my gift to be Norman?”

“You’ll find out about him tonight. He’s a part of the bargaining.”

Susie’s face lit up. “Okay, wonderful!”

The two of them spent a day in Paris together. Afterwards, Sammy sent her back with two first-aid kits. One of them was fully stocked and then some, as it contained much of the contents that had been in the other one. The other they had emptied. Anything from it they couldn’t pack into the first box had been abandoned on the street, and they had filled the box with knives.

“Please promise me that you won’t use these unless absolutely necessary. Joey doesn’t want it to come to war, but if it does, there is a lot he could use against you. The loyalists could poison you with ink, or they could refuse you access to any resources and starve you into compliance. And thankfully, we don’t have guns, but if things ever escalated, we could get them, and you couldn’t. So, please, for own safety, only use these for self-defense.”

“I won’t let anyone know about these. But I'm not sure I can control them. Angry people that feel like they have nothing to lose are... really hard to lead.”

Sammy went quiet.

“Something wrong, Sammy?”

“Well, I told you that we were planning on using sticks and carrots, right? Well, Joey- if I can still call that thing “Joey”- is about to give you your stick. He wants to crush the rebellion with shock and awe. And I’m scared that he’s just going to make everyone angrier.”

Susie didn’t know what to say to that. “It’ll be okay, Sammy.”

“I sure hope so,” he replied, starting to cry.

Finding the portal again was easy- it was right where it had been at the beginning of the day, in some supply closet in some department store. A loyalist checked over what Susie had brought back, but Sammy had made sure that the person to do so would be another sympathizer, so they were let go. They stepped onto the elevator again. “Alright. Time for the stick. I’m supposed to deliver you to the very basement. I’m sorry.”

#Bendy and the Ink Machine #susie campbell #sammy lawrence #abby lambert #Jack Fain #Story: prison cell #my fanfiction

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queenofheaven82 · 3 years

Text

PART IV -- Dance Parties and Broken Hearts

Thanksgiving came a few days later. It slipped up so quickly Lacey nearly forgot about the holiday until the day before, when her mom suddenly yelled, "It's snowing! Finally! And for Thanksgiving!"

Thanksgiving had never been a particularly big holiday for the Primmers. Her mom usually ordered a turkey and fixings from a nearby grocery store in lieu of cooking, and mostly they sat in front of the TV watching football with Stuart as they ate. But this year, Darlene seemed to have something different on her mind.

"I found some autumn china at the Dollar Tree -- can you believe it?! -- and that's what we're using this year. At the table. With my old goblets I got at my wedding shower when I married your dad."

Lacey swallowed. Why didn't Mom know by now that mentioning her dad around her was a huge mistake? She reached up under her hair to finger a small strand, willing herself not to pull.

So Thursday came, and as snow came down in sheets outside the townhouse window, Lacey's mom spread out a tablecloth at their rarely-used dinner table and worked on some very well-done place settings. Stuart's usual cheerful personality was dampered slightly by the fact that it was Davy's mom's turn to have him over the holiday, but Lacey could tell he was trying for the sake of everyone else to keep his spirits up.

Her mom also went through the trouble to put the takeout in serving dishes, so Lacey almost felt like she was having Thanksgiving at a totally different house. But it was nice.

Just as they were sitting down to eat, however, the doorbell rang. Ariel, ever nosy, jumped up first and made a dash for the door.

Stuart's brow furrowed. "Who could that be?"

A moment later, they found out. Max followed Ariel, who rolled her eyes at Lacey, into the dining room.

"Hey! What's doin'?" he inquired enthusiastically, coming over and giving Lacey a forehead kiss. "My old man's in a mood, so I thought I'd just come over here. That okay?" He took off his scarf and coat and draped them across the back of Lacey's chair.

Lacey was speechless. Max rarely liked coming to her house. To what did she owe this?

Her mom looked none too happy. "Well... come on in, then." She stood up and grabbed a paper plate, evidently short on the dollar tree china, and pulled over a stool from the corner of the kitchen.

"Thanks Ms. P." Max wedged himself between Lacey and Halen. "So how's it goin?"

Stuart could always be counted upon to be polite. "Ah, very well! Nice to have fresh snow on Thanksgiving, isn't it?"

Max loaded his plate up, and shrugged. "Yeah, I guess. I think the same thing happened last year."

Lacey wanted to melt into the floor.

"So I hear you played a good game against Eden Hall a couple weeks ago, scored quite a few goals. Congratulations," Stuart passed the yeast rolls.

"Banks was taken out, so that helped alot." Max ate a fork full of green beans.

"Adam Banks? I'd bet. He's a tough one to go up against, isn't he? Davy says hardly anyone stands a chance."

"Yeah, well," Max smirked. "I think he's losing his edge. Orion benched him halfway through the game because he was skating like a forty-year-old. Maybe he's preoccupied with girl problems."

"Watch it," Darlene remarked. "I'm getting there, Max."

"Girl problems?" Ariel asked, smiling.

Darlene gave her a look. "No, smartypants. Forty."

But Lacey had zoned out of the banter. She wanted to say something, she just wasn't sure what yet. However, her mom afforded her the opportunity.

"That boy is probably just like his dad. Full of ego. Maybe being benched will take him down a knotch or two," Darlene muttered.

Lacey set her fork down gingerly. "I don't think Adam should be blamed for what his dad's like, you guys. And maybe something's genuinely wrong with him that caused him to not be at his best. We really don't know that much about him."

Max stared at her a moment. "Well, you apparently know enough to call him 'Adam.' What's with that? He's always been 'Banks' to everybody else."

Lacey felt her blood pressure rise slightly. "Well, his name is Adam. And I'm pretty sure he's a human being before he's a hockey player and Phil Banks's son."

The table went quiet. Everyone stared at her in disbelief except for Stuart, who ducked his head down, continuing to eat.

"I'm... just saying, I guess, that if he was benched, something might really be wrong. So we could show a little compassion." She looked at Max as she said this.

Max turned wordlessly back to his food and began to eat again, but more slowly this time. Lacey fidgeted with her napkin and slid to the edge of her chair, wondering why she'd bothered to say anything if it was going to disrupt the entire dinner. She squeezed the napkin hard.

After a few minutes of silence, Stuart stood up and left the room. Lacey wondered for a moment if she'd upset him, too, even though to her memory he'd never said one bad word about Banks.

But the reason he left became clear after a moment. "Hey. I think I hear something," she heard him call from the living room. "It's coming closer. Anybody else hear it?"

Ariel and Halen paused their eating and looked up at Lacey, who couldn't suppress her own smile.

"Oh God, not now, Stuart," her mom rolled her eyes. But it was too late.

Suddenly the dramatic intro chords of Poison Arrow by ABC sounded throughout the house.

"Alright, Girls! Let's see some dancing!" Stuart called in.

Quick as lightning, the twins jumped up, giggling, and ran into the living room, followed by Lacey. Stuart's dance parties and the girls' enthusiasm over them were infectious.

"What the--?" She heard Max questioning behind her.

Stuart grabbed Lacey's hands as soon as she entered the living room and began twirling her to the beat of the synth pop. She laughed. "This isn't a twirl song, Stuart!"

Ariel and Halen were leaning in, singing into one another's faces:

"Who broke my heart? You did! You did!

You think you're smart? Stupid! Stupid!

Shoot that poison arrow to my heeeeart!"

They danced around in no specific style, jumping up onto the couch and grabbing remote controls and the cordless phone to use as microphones. Lacey couldn't help laughing at their antics while dancing with Stuart.

She happened at one point to spot Max in the doorway staring at them all with a furrowed brow as though he couldn't understand what the big deal was.

"Stuart's British dance parties," Lacey laughed breathlessly after it was all over. "He springs them on us sometimes."

"Ugh, I feel like I'm gonna hurl," Ariel winced.

"I guess you do!" Lacey's mom called from the kitchen. "Dancing in the middle of Thanksgiving dinner..."

Stuart's actions blessedly lightened up the tone of the rest of the meal, but Max remained quiet despite having filled his plate twice more. After the pumpkin pie her mom had bought frozen from Publix, Max stood. "Thanks Ms. P, that was awesome. Lacey, walk out with me?"

Lacey stood, sensing something in Max's tone she wasn't sure of. She put on her scarf and coat, pulling the fur-lined hood up over her head before heading outside.

"Babe..." Max took a deep breath. "I don't know what's been into you lately, but it's weird. You just haven't been yourself. And, I mean, I don't know what to make of you taking up for Banks all of a sudden after the way his dad has treated your mom. How is it you know him? Seriously?"

Lacey felt her ire rising. "I don't, Max, good grief! He came into the cat shelter earlier in the week to bring in kittens, and just... we talked some. He's not the jerk you say he is. But it's not like we're best buddies or anything."

"Oh, okay," Max quipped. "He brought in cats, so now he's suddenly this standup guy. You're obsessed with damn cats, so no wonder."

"So what if he was a standup guy? How does that threaten you? I have as much right to think him decent from our conversation at the Cat's Cradle as you do to think he's a jackass just because he's a better hockey player than you."

The moment she said it, she knew she'd made a mistake. Max tightened his jaw and narrowed his eyes.

"Okay. I don't get what's with you, but you know who you've been reminding me of lately?" Max leaned in. "Loosey Lacey from middle school."

Lacey's mouth went dry and she felt her insides tremble with rage. For a moment, she couldn't speak.

When she finally did, she knew she couldn't take it back.

"Go. Just go. And Max? Don't come back."

Max's expression changed to one of surprise.

"It's been coming for awhile now, so let's just end this, okay?" Lacey turned to go back inside.

"Oh. Alright," Max threw his hands up. "I tell you the truth about yourself and you wig out and decide to throw the whole thing in the trash can."

"It's not just what you said, Max," she whirled around. "It's about your ego. Everything is always about you. It's about you pushing me to have sex. It's about you wanting to tool around at State while expecting me to sit here waiting for you. I just... I want something different."

Max stared at her for a long while. "Okay. If that's what you want, it's over. But with all your issues, Lacey? Good luck finding anybody else. Unless you want to give Banks a go. You seem pretty taken with him."

Lacey shook her head slowly. "If anybody's obsessed with Banks, it's you, Max. You can't stand to have any competition, can you?"

With that, she turned and went back into the house, wiping angry tears. She made her way back into the dining room, trying to look nonplussed, but everyone was quiet as she took her seat again and she sat staring down at her plate.

"Lacey?" Stuart spoke gently. "Did it not go well?"

"It's done," Lacey finally spoke.

Awkward silence perpetuated until she heard the sound of chair legs scraping linoleum as Stuart got up and came around to put his hands on her shoulders. With that, she began to cry again..

It wasn't so much that she was devastated at losing Max, but the fact that he called her someone she believed she no longer was -- someone she hoped she would never be again. It hurt down to her bones to remember that frightened girl, and why she had become that. Worse yet, she worried Max was right: that girl never left.

Lacey stood up and fell into Stuart's arms, hot tears spilling down her cheeks.

"He's a falling leaf, Lass. They're a dime a dozen. You'll recover and find an even better lad, I just know it."

She held onto Stuart tightly -- the only man she'd dared to consider a father, and the only man who had ever thought her to be good enough just like she was.

************************************

Adam had done Thanksgiving with his parents, plus Travis, who was in from Chicago. He and his brother had never been particularly close, so he knew it probably wouldn't bother him for Adam to return to Eden Hall that evening instead of spending the night at his house. Several of the Ducks did the same, feeling in many ways closer to their team members than they even did their biological families. And some, like Mendoza and Portman, had too far to travel and had just stayed. So they'd all planned to meet back at the dorm after family activities, except for Julie, who had opted to spend the night at Connie's.

"Red hair," Portman stretched out on the couch in the day room. "You get a woman with red hair and green eyes, you know she's gonna have that sassy edge. So make it that, for me. Red hair, green cat eyes and a sweet a-- oh wait, can't say that word. It would hurt Kenny's pure ears."

The guys laughed and Kenny Wu turned red, rolling his eyes.

"Banksie, your turn."

They all looked over at Adam, who had known this question would come around to him eventually. "Let's see." He looked at the ceiling. "I don't really care what color it is, but long hair for sure. And brown eyes."

"Brown?" Charlie turned around to him, interested. "Let's think who has brown eyes. Maybe we'll finally narrow down who Adam's got a radar for," he smiled at his friend.

Adam shook his head. "No, I guess I was just thinking..." he reached over for the bag of Frito's. "Shipley's girlfriend has big brown eyes, and they're kind of... hooded in the outer corners. Reminds me a little of chocolate drops," he added, thoughtfully.

He should have counted on the whole room cracking up the minute he said the last part.

"Oooh, 'chocolate drops.'" Tyler tossed his dirty overshirt at Adam. "Banksie's a romantic, you guys. Come on, we always knew it!"

Adam caught the shirt, smirking as he threw it back.

"Whoa, whoa. You got your eye on Shipley's girl?" Luis's eyes went wide. "That the latest play you've got against the Rockets?"

"Well here's the question, when did you ever see Shipley's girl up close?" Goldberg inquired.

Adam shrugged. "She volunteers at a cat shelter. I had to take a couple of them over there after they were left at my dad's rental property on Green Street. I just recognized her."

"You been talking to Max Shipley's girlfriend?" Fulton was incredulous.

"No! I just said she has nice eyes. Jeez," Adam replied, feeling mildly defensive for some reason. "And by the way, her name's Lacey."

Averman whistled. "Classy."

"She is pretty," Guy remarked. "Can't deny it, even if she is a Rocket groupie."

"Yeah, we'll be sure to tell Connie you said so," Portman chuckled. "But nah, nah, I hear you. Nice full lips, too. Like, just enough."

"Alright, alright," Adam smirked again, trying to ignore that last part. "Averman? Let's hear yours."

Not that Adam didn't legitimately want to hear what kind of girl Averman might like -- it was bound to be entertaining -- but his thoughts turned inward. Obviously he wouldn't make a play for Lacey, but even just thinking about it for a minute was a little disconcerting.

And this was why Adam didn't date or allow himself to even think very seriously about it. Everything he had was going toward being good enough for the NHL draft. And that meant no distractions. Plus, what Travis had always told him might be right, even though he hated hearing it: when it came to girls, Adam was a little shy. He wouldn't know exactly how to go about pursuing one. Charlie had done a much better job of this with Linda, and he'd felt a little envious at the time.

But no reason to think about all that right now. Lacey Primmer was just another pretty face, and not his. Meanwhile, it was time for bed... and the IcyHot he'd filched from his mom's medicine cabinet. She didn't use it anymore, so he didn't feel too guilty.

He had been out of Percocets for days, even though he'd tried hard to ration them. The next few days, he'd have to do whatever it took to roll out of bed and move normally, despite the constant, agonizing pain that had overtaken his entire body like a cancer.

#adam banks #mighty ducks #trichotillomania #1990s nostalgia

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thesaltyoceanwaves · 5 years

Text

Bewitched - from “Nice Guy Adrien the Musical” AU

AU is by @lenoreofraven

Ao3

Warning now that this fic (as is the AU it’s based in) isn’t exactly Adrien-friendly, so if you don’t like that, I’d ignore this.

Also, I chose to pretty much ignore everything in s3 after Chameleon, but Dragonbug will still be here.

“Your blackened intentions are so obvious. I’m not so innocent anymore. Why did you change? Unforgettable. You are really a bad, bad boy.” - Reason to Become a Witch, NS Yoon-G

-~-~-~

As of late, Marinette has begun to see the irony in her inheriting powers based on being lucky. Not that she never had any doubts concerning the Ladybug Miraculous, but considering the events of the past few weeks, she’s not sure how anyone could connect her to the concept of good fortune.

First, there had been Lila. Lila, who promised on her very first day back to make Marinette’s friends and classmates turn against her. At the time, Marinette didn’t take her threats too seriously. She didn’t have time for Lila’s petty little drama and ambitions for popularity, and yet she had to keep a sharp eye in case she tried pulling a fast one on Marinette’s friends.

That day came when Lila had to give her mythology report. The girl begged and begged Ms. Bustier to allow her to choose something from Italian mythology, under the excuse that she was “sharing her culture” with the rest of the class. From the way she smirked, Marinette instantly knew she had ulterior motives.

“Il Malocchio,” she said, making her voice tremble, “Or the evil eye. It’s said that anyone who is swallowed by envy will receive a glare of judgment from higher forces and be cursed.”

Of course, Marinette knows that this isn’t true. She wasn’t 100% caught up on her Italian mythology, but her grandmother taught her that the “cursed” one was the subject of envy, not the one suffering from it.

One glance over at Adrien reminds her to take the high road. And so she suffers in silence.

“And the way to tell if someone has been cursed is…” her eyes fall on Marinette and she gawks. “Oh. My. It seems our class president has had an awful encounter with misfortune.”

She snorts. “And how can you tell?”

“Well, I happen to be related to Professor. Occhiodestro, an incredibly respected expert on mythology and witchcraft in Italy. He had me study in his seminar at age ten, and learn how to study people’s auras. And according to my reading, Marinette, yours has been infected with a black eye, the sign of Malocchio.”

Of course her classmates were quick to start gossiping. Even Alya shot her a concerned glance.

“Thankfully, the means of breaking the curse are easy,” Lila explains, “The first step is admitting to your source of envy. So Marinette, tell us, who is it that you envy?”

“I’m not envious of anyone,” Marinette spits, “If anything, I’m annoyed you’re dragging me into your presentation to make an example of me, especially without my consent.”

Lila, of course, was not satisfied with this answer. She pouted and cried, making the class study Marinette with raised eyebrows. Just like when Lila first returned. Only Adrien offered an apologetic smile.

But that wasn’t the end of it. When the class wasn’t looking, Lila went out of her way to arrange for “pranks” to make it seem like Marinette was actually cursed. Tripping more often. Water spilling from above and drenching her. Interfering with girl group activities and rearranging the plans at the last second, making it seem like Marinette “forgot” and then forging evidence that Lila did sent the text to her and Marinette should have received it.

Looking back on it though, all of that was to be expected from Lila. She’s not even sure why she’s disappointed.

But then there was Alya. Story-chasing, stubborn as hell Alya. The same reporter who preached “fact-checking” only to give Lila a pass because her stories were so amazing and gave her another chance to be close with Ladybug. It wasn’t enough that Alya already knew Ladybug, got an interview with Ladybug and even worked with Ladybug. No, she had to continue posting interview after interview with Lila gushing about her “best friend” with no inkling of self-awareness of what she was doing.

And of course, once Lila’s pranks started becoming relentless, Alya started entertaining the possibility that Marinette really was cursed.

“Ha, maybe that’s why you still can’t confess to Adrien! I’m sure if you just broke the curse like Lila said, everything would be better!”

That comment annoyed her for many reasons. But one was for a reason that, while obvious on the surface, came to be for different reasons.

She tried desperately hard to fight back the tears in her eyes as she walked away from Master Fu’s. The conversation had been long and hard, but it was time for her to take a real break from being Ladybug. If her trip to China made her realize anything, it was how much more refreshed and light she felt when she wasn’t in constant contact with Chat Noir. And she hated that realization because it used to be the opposite. But lately…

Turning into the park near her house, Marinette is cut off with the sudden arrival of the cat hero, plopping down behind her. She doesn’t have to look to know that his face is glowing with a proud smirk.

“Princess! Wow, your hair looks so beautiful down!” he reaches forward to touch her shoulder, and she instantly shudders, especially as he gestures to turn her around, “The only thing that could be more beautiful is… you’re crying?”

Great. No, this is it. It’s finally time to put an end to this. Sniffling, she rubs away the rest of her tears, and stares him straight in the eye.

“M’lady, what’s the matter? Who did this to you?”

“You did,” she says, her voice somehow even. “You made me upset.”

His face falters, and he crosses his arms over his chest. “What are you talking about? I’ve done everything I could to make you happy. I’ve been the perfect gentleman! If anything,” he pouts, “ You’re the one who’s upset me. Why can’t you see how ridiculous you’re being? I mean, I love you and you love me . Why do you have to continue to insist on pushing me away?”

Because, she thought bitterly, you’re my third strike out.

He wasn’t even supposed to know about her feelings, but of course, Liar Rossi struck yet again. Part of her plan included getting Marinette to spill out her feelings for Adrien by accident, having him secretly listen in on it the whole time. It led to an awkward conversation afterward where he basically rejected her. It sucked at the time, but she accepted it and was ready to move on. The Chameleon incident had already somewhat soured her feelings toward him anyway, so perhaps this was for the best.

But then the reveal happened. A reveal that wasn’t supposed to happen and a reveal that left her caught entirely off guard. It was so much for her to process, and she wanted to sit down as she reconciled the actions of the two personas.

His eyes lit up when he realized it was her, and she had no doubt in her mind that he wasn’t weighing the same thoughts as her. His feelings were reciprocated! So of course, when he went to ask her out again , he was truly confident that she wouldn’t say no again! They could finally become Paris’ Power Couple, both in and out of the costume.

Weeks ago, she never would have thought of turning Adrien down.

“Well, since there’s no secrets between the two of us anymore, I think we can finally make it official, don’t you think?”

“I don’t think so.”

The pause that settles over them is the most awkward experience she’s ever had around him. More awkward than her stuttering, more awkward than her fumbling over her words, and even more awkward than her trying to avoid his line of sight as she innocently went about her business.

“I’m sorry, I don’t think I heard you right,” he laughs, “What did you say?”

“I said , I don’t think we should date.”

“But… you like me.”

She’s slow to respond to this. “I do.”

“So then what’s the problem?”

“The problem is that this all happening so fast.” She frowns. How can he be so calm about all of this? “Now knowing that you were Chat Noir the entire time, it puts a lot of your actions and behaviors toward me in a new light. And because of that, I need some time to think.”

“What is there to think about? We’re in love!”

“Everything!” she exclaims, trying to bite back hot tears. Damn, why did she have to get so caught up like this now? Tikki stares at her with her own tearful eyes, silently begging her to calm down. “W-Whether or not this relationship is right for me, what’s healthy for me… You knew about Lila, all the lies she told and yet never did a thing about it. In fact, you told me to do nothing and insisted that it wasn’t hurting anyone! All the while, she targeted me specifically and threatened me in the bathroom!”

“But-”

“Or how about how you treated me after I rejected you, multiple times ? I only had to do that because you felt like your feelings were more important than mine and you couldn’t let it go after the first time! You even sulked during akuma attacks, like when the entire city was frozen over!”

“But-”

“And I know you’ve flirted with multiple girls, like Rena Rouge and me before you found out who I was. Which, if that’s who you want to be, whatever. But I don’t want a boyfriend that leads other people on, even as a joke.”

“Marinette…”

She turns her back to him, lowering her head. “I don’t hate you. I still really like and care about you. And I know you have good in your heart. You’ve proven multiple times that you’re worthy of the cat miraculous. But that doesn’t make you perfect for me. Sorry Adrien, but I think we’re better off just as friends for now.”

Those hot tears come back in full force, and now she’s hissing through her teeth. “ I rejected you! Multiple times! I told you that I don’t want to be your girlfriend, Adrien!”

“You don’t have to keep saying that!” he yells back, grasping her by her shoulders, “I know you only think that because of them ! You just can’t see it, because you’re afraid to love-”

“No!” she cries, pushing him away, “It’s because I wasn’t interested in you! It’s because I thought you and I weren’t going to work!” Her fingers curl inward and god she doesn’t think she’s ever shook as much as she is right now. Even with all the years of Chloe bullying her or all the crap Lila’s been tossing her way lately, she’s never felt such rage. “We��re not even dating, and yet look at what you’ve done! I lost Alya and I lost my desire to ever see you!”

“Don’t blame this on Alya,” he harrumphs, “She’s only acting that way because you refuse to see reason. I’ve given you so many chances to see the truth, but you’re only refusing to because you’re bored of me or because you’re too lazy.”

Lazy? Her? How can he stand there and proclaim his love to her and then go on to say such awful, untruthful things about her? The worst part is that she knows he’ll just expect her to forgive him, or better yet, have her apologize for how wrong she was for just not putting in the effort for them.

The only thing stopping her at this point from cursing his name and telling him to go straight to hell is the fact that she could be targeted for an akuma. If only Tikki were here to back her up.

When she finally manages to recompose herself, even just a little, she makes sure her glare is hard and that he sees it. “Stop being so damn selfish. I stopped hanging out with you because you made me uncomfortable. I had no clue what you’d be willing to do and that made me feel unsafe.”

He returns her glare, only to falter. Following his gaze, she realizes what he’s so horrified of now.

“Y-Your earrings…” he gasps, “Don’t tell me… H-Hawkmoth-”

“No. They’re safe. You’ll be meeting the new wielder, whoever they are, soon.”

His jaw drops at this, and she has to admit, part of her feels really bad about all of it. It’s not as if she wanted everything to get to this point. “You’re leaving me?”

If it hadn’t already, her heart would have broken into pieces.

But she’s done pitying him.

“I’m not yours to keep.”

A moment ago, he was on the verge of tears. It seems he managed to successfully swallow them down though, because now he starts laughing. “So you got bored of being a hero too, huh? God, how selfish can you be? You’re gonna leave Paris in danger because of a couple of bad days or a silly miscommunication? And after everything I’ve done for you...”

All of what he says she knows is just projection. None of it is true. But maybe, she hopes, that by him saying all that, getting it off his chest, he’ll finally stop and leave. Finally, she can be done with this and move on.

He sighs, planting his hand on her shoulder yet again. “It’s okay. I know it’s just a phase. But we’re going to get through it-”

She lets out a hard screech. “This isn’t a phase !” Taking a moment to wipe away her new tears, she sighs before she begins again. “I did this because I thought you’d leave me alone.”

“Bugaboo, you know I could never leave you alone. I’m practically your knight in shining armor. The yang to to your yin. We complete each other.”

“Chat, please-”

“No! Not until you tell me why you did it and you apologize for making me feel this way!”

“What other choice did I have? You broke up one of the most important friendships I’ve ever had, you kept getting in the way of relationships I was trying to build with other people, you keep messaging me from new accounts whenever I block you… what do I have to apologize for? I’m so done with apologizing for things that aren’t my fault!”

“You have to apologize because you made me do those things!” he sniffled, actually sniffled. “I only wanted to treat you like the princess that you were, and make you feel safe.”

“I didn’t need you to make me feel safe. I needed you to listen to and respect me.”

“And I didn’t need that from you?”

“I think that’s quite enough of your obstinance, Chat Noir.”

Relief overtakes Marinette as she realizes who that voice belongs to. The new red superhero drops down, standing in front of Marinette and regarding Chat Noir with a hard stare. Judging from the features of the suit, she’s decided to take both Tikki and Longg for this confrontation, even if it’s overkill.

“An imposter Dragonbug,” he hisses, “What are you doing here?”

“First off, you will refer to me as Ryukōun,” she fires back, “Second, I’m here by request of the Master to protect her.”

“Well, you don’t have to worry about that. She’s purrr-fectly safe with me.”

“Correction, I’m here to protect her from you. And if you insist on continuing to act the way you are,” she takes a step forward, getting right in his face, “I’ll have no choice but to protect Plagg from you as well.”

“You dare threaten me?” he hisses, “I earned my claws! You’re nothing but a rookie hero that had to use two kwamis to stand a chance against me!”

“I don’t need a kwami to stand up to you,” she retorts, “And I’ll have you know between the time you started harassing her and me intervening, I fought off four akumas targeting her because of the stress you’re causing her.” She backs off, placing a hand on Marinette’s shoulder and studying her expression. As a calm overcomes her, Ryukōun smiles briefly. Returning her attention back to Chat Noir, however, her frown is back in full force. “This is your last warning, cat.”

Huffing, he raises an eyebrow, “How do I know you’re not an akuma?”

“Because the only one hurting anyone here right now is you.”

No experience in the past few weeks had been as terrifying as seeing Chat’s face contort with such rage as he lunges for Ryukōun. Gasping as he launches himself towards them, she doesn’t have enough time to jump out of the way. Thankfully, the new dragon-bug hero shoves her out of the line of fire. She finds herself frozen on the ground, watching the fight as it breaks out.

“Marinette, get going!” Ryukōun shouts.

Her first instinct is to run toward her house, but she knows that if things go wrong, Chat Noir will only show up there and refuse to leave. And she doesn’t want to imagine just what he’d do at that point.

Where can she go? Where can she be safe? She runs and runs, trying to think of solutions. Tikki once said that figuring out solutions to your problems would keep her from being akumatized, and she’s well aware that she’s pushing her luck at this point.

But what solution does she have at this point? And really, hadn’t her luck ran out by now?

She stops in an alley, huffing and puffing and shaking. Staring down at the ribbons that used to carry her pigtails, she only barely manages to catch a glimpse of the purple butterfly as it possesses her.

“Bewitched. I am Hawkmoth. For too long, you have been cursed with responsibility and cursed with unfair expectations. Too many cruel and nasty people have trampled your heart, taking advantage of your kindness, even heroes like Chat Noir. But I can give you the power to curse them back, force them to see the error of their ways. And all I ask in return is for Ladybug and Chat Noir’s miraculouses. What do you say? Do we have a deal?”

It’s selfish that she would even consider this option. Hawkmoth has hurt countless people at this point, even if the damage was mostly reversed.

Even now, being offered what it is she should want, Marinette finds herself cursed with bad luck. Perhaps Lila hadn’t been entirely lying this entire time.

She can’t help but laugh. He doesn’t realize it, but Hawkmoth is going to pay. All of them will pay. Lila for her manipulations. Alya for her disloyalty. Adrien for his false and ugly heart.

She doesn’t utter a single word as she allows for the akuma to take over.

The process is simultaneously terrifying and liberating. Like a snake, she sheds her previous skin of nervousness, exhaustion and ire. And now, she embraces her new power, and the previous feelings of resentment and bitterness she was previously forced to swallow down. She always had to be the good guy and not let her feelings get the best of her? Well, whoever thought that would pay the price for expecting such a thing from her!

Damn, what a weight she had been carrying. She smiles, for what feels the first time after long, hellish weeks.

“Hawkmoth, if I may give you a suggestion? Allow me the rest of the evening to plan my attack. By tomorrow morning, Chat Noir will no longer have his miraculous.”

“That sounds promising. And tell me, what about Ladybug?”

She smirks. “She’s not going to be a problem.”

Adrien finds himself simultaneously dragging himself to school and also being too excited to get there and confirm that Marinette is alright. Last night’s confrontation wasn’t supposed to end with her disappearing into the night, and him spending all of that time looking everywhere desperately for her. Even when he tried checking her bedroom, there was no sign of her anywhere.

The school yard is full of students laughing and chatting without a care in the world. A group of his own classmates, the girls mostly, crowd over Lila, no doubt telling them about her wonderful trip to Nova Scotia she’s going on next week. They practically fawn over every word, and he can’t help but kick himself. If he had done something about Lila all those weeks ago, would Marinette be at his side now?

He doesn’t bother to hide the dirty glare he shoots them all. How can they all be so carefree and innocent, while he has to deal with the toil of a stubborn love? Why couldn’t their relationship be as simple and Ivan and Mylene’s, who currently sit at a bench, cuddling and watching videos on their phone?

Looking to the left of them, he spots Nino and Alya standing off from each other, deep in conversation. The couple may not have been in the best spot right now, but at least they had each other. He’d do anything to trade spots with them right now, if it meant he got to call Marinette his girlfriend.

Dragging himself over to them, he barely manages to mutter a ‘good morning.’ The two of them exchange concerned glances with each other.

“Dude, you look like hell,” Nino comments, “Didn’t sleep well last night?”

“I had a fight with Marinette,” he answers abruptly.

“Oh, Adrien,” Alya sighs, “I’m sorry about that. I don’t know what’s gotten into Marinette lately. I’m sure she’ll come around.”

He shoots a smile at the journalist, not sure that it’s convincing. Still, how exactly can he explain to her that Marinette ended up running away the previous evening because of that damn Ryukōun?

Nino, on the other hand, doesn’t seem so sympathetic.

“You’re still going on about this?” Nino asks, crossing his arms over his chest. “Dude, I think you’ve crossed some serious lines. You’re not just scaring Marinette anymore. You’re scaring me too, man.”

“Come on, man,” Adrien laughs, patting his shoulder, “You and Alya know what it’s like to be crazy mad in love, right?”

“Neither one of us have ever done the sort of shit you’ve done,” Nino argues, “We’ve always respected each other’s boundaries. Dude, if this is what you’re willing to do just courting her, what are you going to do once you start dating her?”

He doesn’t have to say anything for Nino for him to understand that what he just said was a mistake. Adrien didn’t think he had it in him, but he’s sure he just emulated a dirty look befitting of his father.

“Are you accusing me of something Nino? Because you’re my friend, and I would hope for better from you.”

“It’s because I’m your friend that I’m saying all this.”

A silence falls between the two of them, and for once, Adrien isn’t sure what to say. Why, he asks himself, can’t people just let these kind of things go? Why is it that everywhere he goes, someone always finds something to criticize him for? All of them are just like his father, trying to keep him under their control. He just never would have expected this sort of behavior from his own best friend.

What sort of friend would do that, especially a friend that hated his father?

Shrieks from the girls’ group interrupt them before they can exchange any more words. He looks up at the top of the building and wishes he hadn’t.

“I hope you all had a good morning,” a raspy, and yet familiar voice snickered, “Because it’ll be the last time any of you know good fortune.”

Oh no.

Descending from above the school ground and at the top of the stairs, is none other than Marinette. He ought to be relieved to see his lady love recovered, but seeing her now, his heart sinks.

The most notable aspect of her outfit is the complete starkness of it - there is no trace of color to it, just black and white. The only color that pops out to him are her bluebell eyes, which have now taken an icy tone.

The next thing he notices are all the spiked accessories. A choker, two rings on one hand, three on the other. There’s also the dozens of chunky bracelets on her one wrist. Even the witch hat atop her head has spikes at the base of the cone.

Her top is a white button up shirt with a camisole underneath. One of the sleeves is rolled up to her elbow, threatening to drop, while the other hangs freely at her wrist. The hem is curved at the bottom, and hangs freely over her black biker shorts, cut off just a bit over the knee. Underneath the shorts are a pair of black and white striped leggings. To finish it all off, she dons a shiny pair of black military boots, taking powerful, marching steps down the stairs.

With all eyes on her, her face breaks into a grin. A wicked grin that he’s only ever seen in his nightmares, and it’s enough to break his heart. Who could have done such a thing to his lady, his princess?

“M-Marinette?” he barely manages to say.

Her smile disappears, replaced only with a hard glare. No, this can’t be his Marinette!. His Princess, his Lady was too smart, too strong, too good to be tainted by that Hawkmoth! Oh, if only that Ryukōun hadn’t gotten in his way! Strong, protective arms would have been wrapped around his lady, gentle fingers ready to shed away her tears, and his lips, always ready to bless her with thousands of kisses, silencing her fears with a gentle whisper.

And despite this information, he can’t help but tremble under the gaze of his possessed love.

“I am not Marinette. I am Bewitched,” she says, “And to those who cursed me…” her gaze falls upon Lila, then back to him, and that wicked smirk of hers returns, “Well, allow me to return the favor.”

#miraculous ladybug #ml salt #ml salt fic #nice guy adrien #nice guy adrien au #nice guy adrien the musical #alya salt #adrien salt #akumanette #akumatized marinette #chameleon salt

119 notes · View notes

timetrickster · 5 years

Text

Living W/ Immortality: Episode 3: Altair & Vega

EXT. FINN’S HOME

It’s been 3 weeks since what happened that night. Ever since LUCIAN had attacked WAN SHI TONG’S Library. FINN sits down at the table for breakfast with his MOM and ERIN’S had gone silent ever since that night. MOM looks at him knowing something’s wrong.

MOM

You’re silent. That’s never a good sign. What happened?

FINN

I’m fine mom.

She sits down next to him and looks him in the eyes.

MOM

No, you’re not.

FINN is silent after the truth in that simple statement cut deeper inside both hearts.

MOM

You boys have been silent for weeks and if there’s anything that I know about my own boys. Your silence means you’re facing something, but you don’t want me to worry.

FINN is silent and looks at his hands. He puts his headphones on then looks through his phone to play the next song. He presses on a song and plays “King Of The Clouds by Panic! At The Disco. FINN decides to leave and MOM doesn’t do anything to stop him. FINN slowly walks far from view from his house.

He murmurs the words to the song.

FINN

Some days I lie wide awake ‘til the sun hits my face. And I fade, elevate from the Earth. Far away to a place…

He stops in his tracks, as he looks around him for a bit in silence. Suddenly LUCIAN appears in front of him.

LUCIAN

Boo.

He starts to freak out falling backward. Holding his head with both hands and guarding his face.

FINN

It’s not real. It’s not real.

He repeats to himself. Suddenly flash images of LUCIAN appear in his mind. He breathes heavily and tears fall down his face. His head shakes and heats up from the pressure of all the things overwhelming him. He clenches his teeth showing this face of mixed emotion, fear, and anger.

FINN screams in a rage then punches a hole in a random wall. He breathes heavy breaths before realizing what he’s done.

FINN

Crap…

He tries to budge his arm out but it’s stuck. The song stops at “

FINN

Really?! I have super strength and I can get my arm out of a stupid stone wall?!

SERENA shows up all of a sudden and notices FINN.

SERENA

Hey, Finn… uh… you okay? Did you punch my wall?

FINN still awkwardly having half of his arm through the wall.

FINN

No… I touched a piece of the wall and it made a hole and my arm fell in.

SERENA

Uh… ok… I’ll believe you for now, but you need help?

FINN

Yes, please.

SERENA laughs and pulls on FINN’S other arm and gets out of the wall. His right arm now covered in stone dust.

FINN

Thank you…

(looks at his right arm covered in dust)

Crap.

SERENA

You’re welcome and are you okay?

FINN

I guess I’m fine. Also, Hey.

SERENA

What do you mean by that? And Hi!

FINN

Just something happened last night that set me off and… I don’t know how to deal with it.

SERENA

Do you want to talk about it?

FINN shows reluctance, fearing that she wouldn’t understand the world of magic and the fact he’s an immortal with a 2nd personality in his head.

SERENA (cont’d)

It’s okay. You don’t have to talk about it. Maybe when you’re ready?

FINN nods ‘yes’.

SERENA

Okay then. Wanna walk to school?

FINN

I’d love that.

FINN smiles and they start walking together.

SERENA

Got any new oldies songs for me to listen too?

FINN

Uh… Yeah, let me… you know what, I’ll let you choose it.

She looks through the playlist labeled “Time”

SERENA

Time?

FINN

It’s a collection of songs that resonate with my vibes. Songs from now to the 50s.

SERENA laughs at him.

SERENA

You’re adorable.

FINN

Ok, no more songs for you.

FINN tries to grab his phone back and struggles with SERENA

SERENA

Please… I’m sorry.

FINN

Fine.

He lets go of the phone.

SERENA

Yay!

She scrolls through his playlist and presses on one song. The song, “Say Say Say” by Paul McCartney plays. The song plays as the two walks together to school and spends the entire day together. The song plays through a slow montage of scenes with them all together. In classes, at lunch, hanging around the campus.

CUT TO:

END OF THE SCHOOL DAY.

The song ends at Hook 2. It’s now the end of school and the two are walking together again.

SERENA

I’m fucking tired dude.

FINN

Same…

SERENA laughs at something.

SERENA

I did love Mr. Braistch’s class today. Best teacher ever.

FINN

Did he make another racist joke? Or did he throw another insult at Waipahu again? Wait… don’t tell me, Chinese or Filipino? Either one it’s fuckin hilarious.

SERENA

He picked on Steven and said “When China takes over America, I’d be the one white guy to help with capturing Americans.” then said, “Steven when you become the general of Ewa Beach, don’t forget about me. I helped.”

FINN laughs at the story.

FINN

Oh god. You know one time, he told the Filipinos in the room that he loves their president.

SERENA

What’s wrong with that?

FINN

The current president of the Philippines started a war on drugs and said anyone would be killed on sight even holding drugs.

SERENA

Wow… yeah, that’s dark.

FINN

I know… I’m probably going to hell for laughing.

SERENA laughs at what he said then touches FINN’S shoulder.

SERENA

Aw. You’re already going to hell.

She breaks into laughter again as well as FINN.

SERENA (cont’d)

I’m kidding, you know I love you girl.

FINN

Fuck you, dude.

He jokingly says. SERENA is still laughing. FINN gets a little bitter and had this angry face. Then keeps walking.

SERENA Aw. I’m sorry. Come here.

She stops him and holds out her arms and FINN was still bitter and shakes his head. He keeps walking. She laughs at him being bitter and still bothers him for a hug.

SERENA (cont’d)

Please…

FINN

No.

SERENA

Please. PLEASE please please please please, please! If you don't give me a hug I'm gonna DIEEEEE. If you don't hug me I'm gonna start crying. Please. Please. Please. Please. Please. (making a song out of it) oh-baby please please PLEASE! Oh-baby, please. That was 'Please' by Serena with Finn on bass.

FINN finally stops being bitter as he finally gives in. Still holding a bitter face but smiles a little after accepting the hug.

SERENA

Yay! Thank you. I’m sorry.

FINN

(He laughs for a bit)

You’re welcome. I forgive you but bass? Really? Bass?

SERENA does an evil laugh. It makes FINN smile.

FINN

You’re weird. I like you, dude. Wanna hang out tonight?

SERENA

I’d love to. What are we doing? Arcade again?

FINN

I was thinking of heading to the park and doing some star gazing… I don’t know why but I’ve wanted to try it out and it doesn’t hurt to try something new.

SERENA

I like that idea. Are we gonna go by the benches?

FINN

Sure… better than laying in the grass. See ya soon.

He waves bye to her as she leaves.

ERIN (V.O)

I’m impressed. You actually didn’t freak out and over think.

FINN

Thanks, Erin. Erin? Hey! Where’d you go? You’ve been silent for weeks.

ERIN (V.O)

Just needed some time to think. After the whole Lucian thing, I just needed some peace. You know?

FINN

Yeah. Good to have you back bud.

ERIN (V.O)

Good to be back. Again, you actually asked Serena out, once again I’m impressed.

FINN

That’s a first.

FINN enters his house and rushes to his room to get ready for his stargazing date with SERENA. Reprise “Just The Two Of Us” by Grover Washington Jr. plays. Picks up 3rd Verse. Shows a montage of both FINN & SERENA getting ready for the stargazing date.

FINN & SERENA

I got to get ready!

CUT TO.

NIGHT. EWA BEACH

The song keeps playing in the background. FINN leaves the house and walks to the park with a bag of food in hand.

ERIN (V.O)

Food? Drinks? Clever.

FINN

Thanks, dude.

ERIN (V.O)

What are you planning Evers?

FINN smiles.

FINN

Nothing, why?

ERIN (V.O)

You have that specific smile on your face. The smile that tells me you have a plan or created something amazing. Come on Evers! TELL ME!

LUCIAN/NARRATOR (V.O)

How adorable… the immortal two faced dumbass finally found love. Well… hopefully, if the author figures out how to do that in the next few scenes when I try to take him and his romance. Along with the other two background immortals. The author’s a bit unpredictable… which I admire.

The song keeps playing. FINN is slowly walking to the park. Other people are out playing by the playground and other sports-related activities. Meanwhile, these two laid out a blanket over a park table and both sit down on the table top. Song finishes.

FINN

I brought us dinner from Chum Wah Kum.

He holds a plastic bag with two plate lunches inside, along with utensils and napkins.

SERENA

Aw, thanks!

She grabs her plate lunch out of the bag and begins to eat and look at stars.

SERENA (cont’d)

They’re really pretty tonight.

FINN

I used to do this from time to time. I’d sit on my roof and use a telescope. Watching the stars glow in the ocean of space. It was beautiful in the silence of the night.

SERENA

Holy shit, that last sentence was poetic as fuck.

He laughs a little.

FINN

I’m not a poetic dude.

SERENA

Stop lying, I know you are! Mr. Artsy!

FINN

Nah…

SERENA

Oh come on, you’ve done so many artsy stuff. I’ve seen you draw, paint, make short films for media club, write stories, take photos and edit them. I heard you wrote a poem for that one girl.

FINN

Uh, she rejected me by the way. But yeah, kinda left that guy behind.

SERENA

Oh damn, my bad. Well, she doesn’t deserve you, if you took the time and patience to write that girl a poem.

FINN

I know… I know.

SERENA

And what made you leave being Mr. Artsy behind?

FINN

Self-Judgement, being hypercritical, literally everything where I worry about myself and what people see come from me.

SERENA

But why?

FINN

Lost myself for a while… fell away from who I used to be.

SERENA Well, whenever you feel ready to come back to Mr. Creative, I’ll be waiting for you.

FINN

Thank you. Can we look at stars now?

SERENA

Yes, please!

They both lie down on the tabletop and look at the stars. The song “Lights Down Low” by MAX plays in the background as the gaze at random stars.

SERENA

What now?

FINN

Just look at the stars. Sorry, haven’t done this in a while. Forgot all the star systems and all that.

SERENA

It’s fine. You can point out whatever and make it up along as we go.

She points to one constellation.

SERENA (cont’d)

What’s that one?

FINN

That’s the constellation of Sagittarius.

SERENA

See you do remember something!

FINN

Yeah but that one’s my zodiac so I remember that one.

SERENA

What’s are those two?

She points to two different constellations. FINN looks at them and instantly recognizes them.

FINN

Altair and Vega… There’s actually a love story between the two. I don’t know if you want to hear it.

SERENA

Tell me!

FINN

Uh okay.

(He laughs a little then gets into this narration style voice)

I’m trying to remember but Altair and Vega were deeply in love. But we're separated by the celestial river of the Milky Way. But on one special day a year, Vega’s tears would call upon all the magpies in the world and the would form a bridge so they could spend one night of happiness together.

SERENA was astonished by the story. FINN smiles a bit awkwardly.

SERENA

That’s beautiful.

LUCIAN/NARRATOR (V.O)

Uh! Boring!

Both FINN & SERENA hear LUCIAN’S voice. Record scratch sound effect plays and the song stops at 1st Chorus.

LUCIAN/NARRATOR (V.O)(Cont’d)

I will admit, it was a nice romantic story that you gave. But the author really likes to elongate the scenes.

Several shadowy figures appear before them. Only showing red glowing eyes. They grab FINN and attempt to grab SERENA but he manages to free her from their grip before they disappear in a flash.

CUT TO:

INT - ANCIENT TEMPLE

FINN wakes up in some sort of an ancient temple. He looks around, find two monsters guarding a doorway. ATHENA & TAVEN bound and stuck to the walls of this circular dome room. LUCIAN was on the other end doing some weird shit.

FINN

(Intensely worried)

Erin?

ERIN (V.O)

(Intensely worried)

Yeah?

FINN

(Intensely worried)

What do we do?

ERIN (V.O)

(Intensely worried)

I have no fuckin clue.

Tags: @cometworks, @cookiecuttercritter, @coloursintheblur

9 notes · View notes

vegajoyce · 4 years

Text

Oily Cat Spray Portentous Diy Ideas

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Cat Spray Bottle Meme Karen

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0 notes

ars-simia-animus · 4 years

Text

What I Can Afford is Yours

Chapter 4: “The Angel of Doubt Comes to Visit”

Summary:

Peter can’t bring himself to look at the petty gift he tried to make for Tony. With Mr. Jameson determined to take out his insecurities on Peter, Peter is becoming more aware of the significance of his friend’s generosity compared with the harsh “fairness” on which his life is dependent.

Read more after the break........

The lovebird, or what was left of it, remained on the hearth; Peter had no desire to even look at it.

True to his sense of integrity, he woke a little before seven and washed his face, neck, and behind his ears, just as May had taught him. The fresh water was a pleasure to feel on his tired skin. It enlivened him enough to scrounge for breakfast before he tended to his duties. He toasted bread over the fire and he snatched an apple from the cupboard. When he bit into it, he felt his lip re-split.

Peter was reminded that he wouldn’t be paid for today’s work and he felt foolish and humiliated all over again— and very angry. None of these emotions could be reserved exclusively for Mr. Jameson; he was very decidedly embarrassed and angry at himself. All that work, all the loss, and failure— but mostly, the insufficiency— invoked such a feeling of frustration that it sat like a physical thing, like ulcer, inside him.

He slugged along most of the morning, through tunnels of rage, shame, and sorrow. Mr. Jameson didn’t appear that morning, which was a mercy. Most likely, he was trying to forget Peter existed until he needed him to do something. Even angry, Peter was far too diligent and in love with the art of ceramics to be lazy. He worked hard despite his exhaustion and was just as mindful, though not as inspired as he was any day.

Before lunchtime, Tony entered the workshop door, calling hello. Peter was so amazed to see him a third day in a row that he forgot to feel ashamed or irritable; he just smiled. “Hello, Mr. Stark!”

Tony returned the smile, stepping forward, until his eyes drifted down Peter’s face. His mouth went taut. Then, he locked an intense gaze with Peter, visibly filling his lungs.

Peter interpreted the grinding of Tony’s jaw and realized sharply that his lip must look pretty bad. He opened his mouth, but Tony charged toward the door that led into the shop. “Mr. Stark, wait!” Peter grabbed for his shoulder, to no avail; so, he leapt in front of him and tried to block his decisive strides. “Wait, sir, please! I need this job!” Tony halted, Peter’s hands on his coat front.

“Please.” Peter breathed, relieved that he’d stopped Tony. “I’m grateful that you would worry over me, sir, but, I need this job. And if you… well, I would certainly lose it.”

Tony gave a slightly pained expression then composed himself. He sighed. “Any other injuries?”

Peter averted his eyes. “No, sir, I’m really just fine!” Peter insisted. He moved back to the pottery wheel as nonchalantly as he could manage. “This is just how young men learn, you know.” Mr. Jameson had said this often; there was a twinge of bitterness when Peter repeated it. He ignored the look Tony gave him. “I wish I had known you would be here; I could have finished your order first, sir—”

“Hold that thought, Mr. Parker.” Tony said, retreating from the workshop door, into the frosty air.

Peter tried to understand where he’d gone. He filled the absence with miserable thoughts and almost wished Tony wouldn’t return. He wanted to be alone.

He peered at his reflection in the window and noticed the inflamed purple under his lip. Admittedly, it was an ugly sight. Peter hadn’t been concerned with it until now.

Tony did return, holding a handkerchief full of snow. This he pressed to Peter’s lip and instructed: “Keep this on a minute.” Peter began to protest, but he deflected, taking off his hat and walking away. “I wasn’t planning to drop in today, but I had to check the progress on a little construction project of mine in Queens—“

“In Queens?” Peter asked. “Oh! My borough.”

“Also, there were some legal papers Pepper asked me to pick up. I thought I would say ‘hello’ while on this side of the river.”

“Are you and Mrs. Stark planning another children’s home? We could sure use one over there.” Peter remarked, lightly. He was beginning to appreciate the cold of the handkerchief on his bruised lip.

“No,” said Tony, “but it’s not a bad idea.” He took a deliberative breath, seeming to have something to say. “I think I would like my order delivered, if that doesn’t trouble you.”

To be honest, it did; the Starks lived on a large estate on Manhattan Island. It was one of the few on the island with grounds. In this weather, the three-hour trek would be miserable. He would need to cross the bridge… He wondered which would be less hectic with traffic since he would need to take a cart.

The order (50 decorative tiles) would be too heavy to carry. (He disliked driving carts; he’d rather push the little rickshaw that Mr. Jameson never used than hitch up a horse.) Also, he would need to go down the avenues where proper ladies and gentlemen called for him to do tasks for meager compensation. That would prolong the journey. He loathed the anxiety of turning them down and hearing their scathing retorts.

However, Peter would have rather had his tongue nailed to the floor than admit any of this. After all, Mr. Stark came so far to visit him and he had no obligation to Peter. If he, a customer, asked for a delivery then Peter should oblige.

“Of course, Mr. Stark.” Peter said.

Tony removed some money from within his coat pocket. He handed it to Peter. “For the trouble.” Then he drew another long breath. “Pepper has asked that I invite you over; she’s been wanting to see you.”

“Oh!” Peter exclaimed, lowering the handkerchief of snow. “I still have the bird encyclopedia she lent me.”

Tony took Peter’s hand and replaced the handkerchief. “Bring it when you deliver the tiles. Was it useful to you?”

“Yes, very! I created several stencils for china using the gorgeous drawings in it. One I used for your tiles— the, um, the lovebird.” He ended sadly, trying to disguise it.

“Ah, yes, Pepper and her lovebirds.”

“Yes, sir.” Involuntarily, his eyes strayed to the hearth.

“She’ll want to hear all about your stencil designs,” Tony said and gave him a warm expression.

Peter stammered a little. “I didn’t mean not to have returned her book by now.”

“That’s not why she wants to see you, kid. You’re not in trouble.” Tony scoffed. “There’s no hurry to come.” He put on his hat again, slowly migrating to the outside door. “At least not for you; I, on the other hand, am expected to fetch these legal papers post haste. She’s eager to look at them.”

Peter tried to return Tony’s handkerchief but Tony just shook his head.

He paused, his back to Peter, who, with a frown, realized he was looking toward the hearth, where the little failed figurine had been abandoned. Tony turned to him, interrupting any further awkwardness for Peter. “Send a messenger when you’re ready to deliver the order and I’ll send Happy with the carriage.”

“Oh no, sir—“

“Don’t argue with me, Pete. I hope to see you soon. Goodbye!” Tony said, then was gone.

Peter did not send a messenger when the tiles were finished. He wrapped them in cloth and gently laid them in two strong crates. a canvas tied over the top of each. He retrieved his muffler, gloves, and hat and stuffed them into his coat pockets. The coat, he slung over his arm.

He’d eaten lunch and planned to return in time for the dinner Mrs. Jameson would prepare. A plate of dinner was provided in his apprenticeship contract, along with money specifically to buy food for his breakfast and lunch. Peter knew that most apprentices, especially ones in their fourth year with a master, as he was, were given better terms; but, May had had a very difficult time negotiating his contract. Mr. Jameson was a barterer and “half a bulldog in nature,” as May said. May was also tenacious and shrewd; she continued to push Mr. Jameson nevertheless.

Peter was the one who wore her down, however. He was eager to begin ceramics work and too naive to appreciate the need for a contract that would protect him. At mercy to his bad luck, Peter found that Mr. Jameson was not very deserving of trust; the second-hand clothes his master provided needed mending (and may well have belonged to the man 20-30 years earlier), his wages were fixed for his first five years at 55 cents a week, and “opportunities for advancement” was merely a phrase on paper.

Peter went down the little hallway to the back entrance of the shop. He wasn’t allowed to be seen, but he gave a quiet knock, and after a few minutes, Mr. Jameson entered the hallway. “What is it, boy?” He said, though not as gruffly as expected. “Well? What, are you going somewhere?” His master indicated Peter’s coat.

Peter held out the money Tony had given him. “We have a request for delivery, sir. I have all other orders filled and ready. I will continue my duties when I return, but will not likely be back before six this evening.”

“Now hold your horses, Parker.” Mr. Jameson griped. “You schedule deliveries now? And handle transactions?” He shook the fistful of cash in Peter’s face.

Peter steadied himself. “Mr. Stark’s order is ready and he asked that it be delivered.”

“To Manhattan?” Jameson erupted. “Damnit, Parker! What makes you think you can spend the entire day running one errand?” Then his face restructured in a look of realization. “I see. You think you can shirk your responsibilities because your day’s wages are forfeit, do you? Stark can’t bail you out so easily.”

Peter had expected this. “No, sir. I planned to make up my hours missed tomorrow.”

“On the Lord’s day?” Mr. Jameson snorted indignantly. “I suppose someone like you wouldn’t know any better, but I won’t allow it. ‘As for me and my house…’” Jameson broke off— maybe because he was bored of his own spiel or maybe he forgot the rest of the verse— and glared at Peter. “You’ll finish your tasks then you’ll go.”

“There won’t be any more orders for the weekend, sir. And I can easily postpone firing and glazing.” Peter reasoned. “I can’t so easily postpone delivery until after dark.”

“I’m not interested in a debate.” Mr. Jameson said. “I am your employer; I decide what your duties are and in what order they’re to be completed. No one else.” Mr. Jameson’s tone carried its oppression into the silence that followed. Then he snapped: “This is a ‘yes, sir’ moment, Parker.”

“Yes, sir.” Peter said lowly.

“Shop closes at five tonight. Run your errand for Stark then.” Mr. Jameson ground his teeth on his cigar. He counted the money in his hand then eyed Peter. “Is this all he gave you? Did you keep any back?”

Peter flushed in rage, but answered evenly. “Yes, sir. That’s what he gave me. I believe it is the usual charge for delivery.”

Mr. Jameson clucked his tongue and turned away. “I just can’t put anything past you.” He disappeared into the shop.

Choking on fury, Peter returned to the workshop. His entire right cheek was sucked between his molars as he tried to control himself. Any feelings of being pathetic or poor vanished; he stood now, shining with righteous indignation.

He looked around the workshop. Here were all his tools, his materials— his house items, where he slept and washed, were in the corner— and his many artworks, in every stage of creation, lined on the shelves. This space was his. Why shouldn’t it be? Mr. Jameson hardly made ceramics anymore. Peter designed, crafted, and fired everything that went into the shop.

He marched to the shelf of ceramics that were shop-ready. Ready for Mr. Jameson to claim. Ready to be priced. Ready to be sold to someone who had money, someone higher than himself.

Peter let the bitterness of that last thought fade. He was happy that another person could find beauty and value in his work. It was so difficult, especially after all his effort to understand the craft, to pour out his passion in making a piece and then relinquish it. But, after a while he learned to let the work and the sliver of himself indwelling it to leave him. It lived on in another’s world and that was satisfying in itself.

Standing now before his vases and china and figurines, nonetheless, Peter wondered if he truly had no rights to them. He just wanted one. It wasn’t even for himself. True, Mr. Jameson purchased the clay, components, and fuel for the kiln. Peter was under contract to him. But, after four years, and meager compensation, surely Peter had earned one vase to keep as his own.

The Jack-in-the-Pulpit vase caught his attention. He had succeeded; it was elegant, sleek, like Tiffany glass. Using an iridescent glaze, he made its delicate stem lush green and the blooming hood he brought to a faux gold, refiring until it was right. Mr. Jameson would fetch a handsome price for it and he would make his eight percent. That was the way of things: not generous, but fair according to the terms.

As he stared at the creation, he felt a soft sensation touch his brow. It enveloped his head and blurred his thoughts like liquor beclouds one’s vision. He was reminded of the Angel of Death whose spirit touched the firstborns of Egypt and they never awoke again. Maybe there was also an Angel of Doubt whose spirit was settling on him now.

Then Peter saw the vase adjacent to the Jack-in-the-Pulpit. He’d also used an iridescent glaze for this one, but it was opalescent and he had adorned the porcelain body with an underglaze painting. The scene was of dozens and dozens of midland hawthorn plants and a large marbled-orb weaver. It was certainly the best rendering of the spider he’d ever managed.

The vase was stylized, but was an amphora form, highly decorative, with a wide middle and delicately tapered bottom that led into a gilded base. The two handles were also gilded with iron treated and polished to look golden. Peter had fashioned it after the Sevres vases of thirty years ago. His was not so skillfully and wonderfully created, but it had challenged him and he was satisfied— no, he was proud of it.

What was that word emblazoned by your tongue just now?

Peter took the vase in both hands. Mr. Jameson had not yet seen it. With his soul as quiet as a grave, he carried it across the workshop to the corner where he slept and opened his basket of linens and swathed the vase deep within the sheets, concealing it completely. Then, he refitted the wicker lid and returned to the kiln to begin a new firing schedule.

The heat had its own smell and he thought it matched perfectly how he felt.

#What I Can Afford is Yours #Amphora

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huffletiika · 7 years

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i bet my life for you

Can you believe I’ve been all morning trying to come up with a name for this OS? xD! anyway, a little bit late, but here is my prompt for the third day of Lutteo Ficweek. Again, thanks to Mandy @deliverychicafresa for proof reading it. I owe you my life! And and big shoutout to the no killer squad.

Day 3: “My friend bet me 20 bucks that I wouldn’t walk up to a random underclassman and ask them to senior prom and I’m about to be 20 dollars richer and, no, that doesn’t invalidate the question, you’re actually really cute”

{read more fanfics}

Matteo rolled his eyes at his best friend, asking himself why he chose such an idiot for such a privileged status, when Gaston had a special talent to embarrass him in front of everyone.

“You know? You could have shout it a little bit louder, I believe the people in China didn’t hear you,” he said with a tint of sarcasm in his voice, and Gaston started laughing, putting his arm over his shoulders.

“Sorry bro, it’s just… I can’t believe the most popular guy at school doesn’t have a date for senior prom, when there’s only one week left, and I’m pretty sure there’s no girl at this school who would say no to go with you,” Well, there was an answer for his question, the guy had too much faith in him. “I mean, what happened?”

“I just forgot about it,” he answered.

“How do you forget about senior prom? I mean, there are thousands of posters announcing it,” their other friend, Ramiro, said as he joined them on their walk outside the Blake. “And most of us already got a tuxedo and a great limousine to impress their dates when picking them up.”

He wasn’t surprised about Ramiro having everything planned already, he himself was kind of extra sometimes, but the other guy would take the crown. Matteo was sure he had even asked his date the color of her dress just to make sure to get a tie of the same color.

“Last year I had a girlfriend who practically reminded me about prom every day, telling me what I should wear, and what I should do for it to be the perfect night for the most perfect couple of the Blake. This year I don’t have a girlfriend, so I didn’t pay much attention to the dance, until now that you mentioned it,” he remember last year’s dance: it had been the most boring night of his life. Yes, he got the crown as the dance’s king, but Ambar spent almost all the evening talking with her friends, going to the bathroom to fix her makeup, and making him pose for everyone’s pictures. Everyone’s. At the end of the night he only wanted to throw himself on his bed and die.

“Well, that’s… understandable.” Gastón said, with a nod, but the other guy was far from leaving the topic.

“So, what are you going to do?” he asked. “Go alone to prom? Stay at home? Because if that’s the case, there would be real possibilities for me to get the crown this year.” The guy was very paid of himself, but again, wasn’t he himself like that as well? Matteo laughed, shaking his head, and looked around not staring at anyone specific. Truth be told, he would stay at his place during that night, but it was his last prom, and he wanted to enjoy it with his friends as he didn’t know how much time they would have to see each other being at the university.

“I don’t know, to be honest. I guess all girls from our class already have a date, or have been threatened by Ambar, and I didn’t get a tuxedo, or a big car to impress.” He shrugged.

“And what about an underclass? I mean, I’m going to prom with Nina, so it’s no big deal,” Gastón suggested, and he laughed.

“You are going with her because she is your girlfriend, which is more than logical,” he replied. “If I go and ask a random underclass girl to go to senior prom with me, everyone is going to think I just ran out of possibilities and went in for a desperate act. And Matteo Balsano never goes for a desperate act.” That might sound like him being too paid of himself, but it was true, he never did something moved by desperation, everything he did was perfectly planned.

“I believe Matteo the-perfect-prospect Balsano is afraid of being rejected by an underclass girl,” Ramiro mocked, with a devilish smile. Matteo frowned at him.

“I’m not afraid,” he answered, his chill long time gone. “I could invite any girl in this school to go with me to prom if I wanted, and she would say yes,” maybe, just maybe, he shouldn’t have said that. Ramiro’s grin got wider.

“Prove it,” his friend said, as they found a bench to sit at the park next to the school, and started to change their shoes into skates. “20 bucks if you invite an underclass girl for prom.”

“Matteo doesn’t need to prove you anything,” his best friend came to his rescue, and that’s the second reason why he had such privileged status, he always got his back. “Don’t you have better things to do than wasting your money on bets you will surely lose?” Ramiro rolled his eyes.

“I’m talking to Matteo, not to his minion.” He looked back at him. “What do you say?” This time it was Matteo’s turn to roll his eyes. He wasn’t going to fall into his games, he was better than that. It wasn’t even about having a date for prom or not, it was about his pride, he wasn’t going to invite an underclass girl for the prom as if he had run out of options and it was his last chance.

“Ramiro, I told you, I won–” his line of thought got interrupted when he saw two girls walking towards them. One of them was his best friend’s girlfriend, and the other… he didn’t remember having seen her at the school, even if she was wearing the uniform. How was that possible? They already were in the second half of the school year, and she was so beautiful he would have noticed her immediately, and never ever forget about her. “Who’s that?” He asked, and his best friend raised his sight from his skates, to find both girls now closer to them. Gastón smiled.

“You mean the girl walking with Nina?” he asked in a teasing voice, before standing up.

“No, I’m talking about your girlfriend,” he replied sarcastically, without taking his eyes off the cute girl. “Come on, bro! Who’s the girl with your girlfriend?” he asked again, and the boy shook his head.

“I don’t know, maybe one of Nina’s classmates? Let me ask.” The guy finally said, before skating towards his girlfriend, and hugging her as soon as he got in front of her.

Matteo didn’t take his eyes off the girl, who looked at the couple with a soft smile for a couple of seconds, and then looked away a little ashamed when they both kissed. That was the moment their eyes connected, and he felt as if the big bang had occurred inside of his chest, because even from that distance he had never seen a more beautiful green than the one he saw on her eyes. The girl held her gaze on him for what seemed like minutes, but then looked down, as if suddenly she had realized what she was doing. The couple finished their public demonstration of affection, and Nina introduced her friend to her boyfriend, before giving him a goodbye kiss, and waving to the boys sitting on the bench.

“So…?” Matteo asked, as soon as his best friend went back to the bench.

“So what?” his friend replied, a bright smile located on his face.

“Who is the girl who was with your girlfriend?” he was losing his patience. “Please, tell me you didn’t forget to ask.”

Ramiro started laughing, before standing from the bench, doing some tricks on his skates.

“Oh, no… no. I didn’t forget.” Gastón took his backpack. “The girl’s name is Luna, she’s Nina’s classmate, and new at school. It looks like her parents got transferred here to Buenos Aires for work, or something like that. Nina told me she was going to her house to help her catch up on their classes,” he put his helmet on. “Shall we go skating now that the interrogation is over, bro?” he asked, with an amused smile on his face. Matteo knew the meaning of that smile.

He stood up and put his helmet on, taking his backpack and skating towards Ramiro, who was doing the moonwalk on his skates. Such a smug.

“You know what?” He told to the guy, palming his shoulder. “I changed my mind. Get ready to lose twenty bucks, dude, because I’m going to invite an underclass girl for prom,” a cocky smile appeared on his lips, and then he started skating with his friends towards the ramps. He had made the resolution to take Luna as his date to prom, and Matteo Balsano always gets what he wants.

“Who?” Ramiro asked, with curiosity.

“I will give you a hint,” Gastón replied instead of him. “I believe our friend has signed himself to a mission to land on the moon.” Both guys laughed and Matteo sighed. His best friend’s pun’s torture had started.

Next day he found her on his way to his first class, she was struggling with storing her books on her locker, and he went to help her as the gentleman he was. That’s his specialty: rescuing damsels in distress. One of her books fell open on the floor, and he bent over to pick it up, offering one of his best smiles when he handed it to her.

“Thanks…” she said, attempting to take her book back, but he moved it away from her reach. She gave him a confused look, as if she was trying to figure out his intentions. “What do you want?” the question came out from her mouth, and his smirk became devilish.

“Introduce myself, of course,” he said, leaning against the lockers.

“I know who you are, Matteo Balsano, I’ve heard about you,” she said, crossing her arms. “And, don’t take it personal, but I don’t think you are one of the people that I should meet here at school.” Why did he feel like she had nailed a dagger right on the middle of his chest? He ignored the feeling, and laughed as if she had told him a joke.

“How do you say those words and expect me to not take it personal?” He raised his eyebrows, and put her book above the height of his own head when she tried to reach it for the second time. “At least give me a chance to prove you that I’m not as bad as the urban legends tell. For example, going to senior prom with me,” he dropped the bomb, and expected any response except the one he got. She started to laugh.

“You are joking, right?” she said in the middle of laughter, shaking her head. “Why would a guy like you want to go to his senior prom with a girl like me? I mean, is there a hidden camera?” she looked around, trying to find said device. He rolled his eyes.

“Why wouldn’t I?” Matteo asked, kinda triggered.

“Well, first of all, you don’t even know who I am–”

“Which, in my humble opinion, is totally rude when you seem to know everything about me,” he interrupted her, and she continued talking ignoring his words.

“Second, because you seem like the kind of guy who prefers to date a Victoria’s Secret model rather than… well,” she pointed to herself, from head to toes, as if that made her point very clear. “And third, because I’m from an underclass, and I’m pretty sure it would be more suitable for you to go to your dance with a girl from your class, taking into account the status you hold,” she gave him a sarcastic smile, before closing her locker. “Now, can you give me back my book? I have to go to class,” she demanded, extending her hand in his direction.

He wasn’t giving up so easily.

“I’m being serious, I want you to go to prom with me,” he said. She sighed.

“Look, snob… even if I wanted to go with you to your prom, which I don’t, I can’t. My cousin would hate me more than she already does for dating her ex-boyfriend, and I don’t want more drama in my life. Having to leave my country, and moving here to Buenos Aires, is already too bad to have Ambar Smith putting my picture next to yours on her dartboard,” he felt her words as a cold water bucket.

“Ambar is your cousin?” he asked, still in shock.

“And that proves my point: you know nothing about me,” she shook her hand, hurrying him to give her the book. “Please, Matteo. I don’t want to be late to my classes.” He did as she said, and then stared at her back while she walked through the hallway to her classroom, feeling a complete idiot for the first time in his life.

He sent a killer look to Ramiro.

The guy was laughing at him and his failed attempt to invite Luna to senior prom, and he wasn’t in the mood to deal with him… he had been rejected by a girl. Leave it, he had been rejected by the only girl he liked since he broke up with Ambar, who is also his ex-girlfriend’s cousin. If that’s not bad luck, then what? Now he knew who she had heard all the bad things about him.

“I still can’t believe she is Ambar’s cousin,” Gastón said, with a surprised grin. “I was expecting the eclipse to happen between the two of you, Nina told me she is a really nice girl, and you seemed to be very lunatic about her,” he frowned at his best friend, how many puns did he have about the moon? He had been talking about said satellite all day, nonstop.

“Accept it, is the end of an era, there’s a girl at this school who is able to reject Matteo Balsano,” the other guy mocked, having so much fun with the situation and pissing him off. “Since today, and forever, I declare myself her fan.” Matteo had enough, and threw one of his fries to him. That just made the other guy laugh even louder.

“Why are you laughing, anyway?” his best friend came to his rescue. “In case you forgot, you owe twenty bucks to Matteo, so if I was you I’d be paying out,” he tapped the table.

“I owe him nothing, the girl said no.” Ramiro frowned.

“Of course you do! The bet was asking her for the prom, not getting her to accept his invitation, so technically he fulfilled the bet.”

Matteo smiled proudly at his best friend. Maybe Luna rejected him, but at least he had managed to beat Ramiro, and it was very satisfying. And, second thought, not everything was lost with the girl. He was already considering going to talk with her, asking her for a chance to prove her wrong about everything she thought about him, win her heart. He couldn’t allow Ambar to harm his chance to be with the girl he liked.

“So, it was all a bet,” a female voice behind his back sank all the hope he had gained. “That makes sense,” he turned around to find the girl standing there, staring at him with a grimace, and her arms crossed. He swore under his breath.

“Now I remember I had something to do over there,” Ramiro said, before performing one of his best acts of escapism. Matteo didn’t blame him for taking the chance. Gastón tried to say something, but the girl stopped him with a vexed look.

“If you leave right now I won’t tell Nina how you and your friends have fun at the expense of others,” she threatened him, and the poor guy just sent his best friend an apologetic look, before leaving the table.

Matteo sighed. If he wasn’t as worried as he was for his own safety he would have applauded the person capable of getting his best friend to flee from the place. However, knowing that he would be the girl's next victim, he could only freeze in place.

His possibilities to date with the girl went to zero.

“Look, this is not what it seems, I can explain it,” he begged. Yes, Matteo was begging for the first time in his life, and he would do it a thousand times if that would make her forget about the bet he made with his friend.

“Go ahead,” she said, looking very annoyed. “But nothing you say would make me change my mind about what I heard, so I wouldn’t waste my time.” He knew he was screwed.

“Look, I made a bet, but it was a very stupid thing to do, and that’s not the reason why I invited you to prom,” he was trying to choose the correct words, because he knew a misstep would be the end of him. “Truth be told, I was thinking about not going at all until I saw you on the park with Nina. As you may know, my relationship with Ambar didn’t end very well, so I preferred not to think about these kind of things.” She looked taken aback.

“Why did you change your mind when you saw me?” she asked, uncrossing her arms. That was a good sign, he hoped.

“Because I thought you were actually really cute, and I still believe it, although you could be plotting my death right now,” a soft blush appeared on her cheeks, and he could detect a glimpse of a smile picking out at the corners of her lips. “Besides, nothing you said in the lockers is true.” He continued. “First of all, I may not know you well, but that’s what I was planning to change during senior prom. Second, I don’t care if a girl has long legs or shiny blonde hair, what I’m looking for in a girl is authenticity, and that's something you have plenty of… and you’re gorgeous, so you would beat any Victoria’s Secrets model in a blink. And third, I don’t care about any status, if I want to go to my senior prom with the girl I like, who cares if she is from an underclass? I would be an idiot if I didn’t invite you just because of that.” she was speechless.

“You… like me?” she stuttered.

“Yes, I do,” he wasn’t going to deny it. “I thought it was clear from everything I already said to you, Luna,” he couldn’t help tease her a little, and then noticed it has been the first time he had called her using her name. She seemed like she noticed this as well, but didn’t say a word about it.

“What about my cousin?”

“I understand if you worry about her, but I am willing to put up with the devil itself if it means we can spend time together, so it’s up to you… I will respect the decision you make, even if it is not the one I want to hear,” he shrugged. “But I know Ambar, and I would never let her interfere with my decisions, not anymore. If she decides to get angry, then that's her problem, not yours. You can’t deny things to yourself just to please her, because then you will give her control over your life, and that’s what she really wants,” he didn’t know where all that speech had come from, perhaps from everything he had kept for himself after breaking up with her. Luna looked down, her hair covering her face, but he got to see a hint of a smile growing on her face.

“And what about the bet?” she asked then, looking up to him, making him get lost in her gorgeous green eyes. He thought about it.

“I don’t care about it, I had forgotten the stupid bet until Gastón mentioned it, so I’m not even thinking about charging my reward anyway,” he said, and she laughed.

“Charge it, it would be nice if we use that money to go for fast food after the party,” she said, and his eyes lightened up. “Unless… the fact you are 20 bucks richer already had invalidated the question, and you don’t want to go with me at all,” she teased.

“No, it doesn’t invalidate the question,” he responded quickly, containing himself from running and lifting her in his arms. “I told you, I only want to go if I do it with you so, if you won’t be there with me, I don’t care about going at all.”

The pink tone went back to her cheeks, and he loved it.

“If that’s the case, I don’t want you to miss your senior prom, so yes… I will go with you,” he could be jumping from happiness in that exact moment. “See you later? I need to go back to class,” she said, but didn’t do anything to leave, she just stood there looking at him with a bright smile.

“Yeah, yeah… I have to go to my classroom as well, or the guys will freak out thinking there had been a murder here,” he said, and both of them laughed. “Shall we?” he asked, pointing at the school door, and she nodded, walking next to him.

Not even Gaston’s stupid puns could spoil his day now.

#lutteoficweek #Soy Luna #Lutteo #Lutteo Fanfic #Luna Valente #Matteo Balsano #Soy Luna Fanfic #Written by Me

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feuillesmortes · 7 years

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This is a continuation of this fic inspired by @harritudur and @queenbessofyork’s wonderful flatmates au.

You all know the drill, enjoy it and have fun! (I certainly did writing this)

“I’m going to kill you.” Henry muttered under his breath. His hand reached into his pocket to answer his buzzing phone. A new text from Rodrigo reminded Henry of the last two he left unanswered since the day of the Sunday roast at his new place.

Wtf Tudor? Since when Maud is your gf?

Henry unlocked his screen to read the new text.

Well are you going to fix this mess?

Rodrigo was one of the few people to whom Henry had presented his childhood friend Maud. The Spaniard had met her on the occasion of her first visit to their flat, a time when Lizzie wasn’t living with them yet. Henry sighed and read the text aloud to Maud. She only laughed heartily. “You should be thanking me, you old sod!”

Henry was helping his friend with her suitcase as they entered Euston station. Maud was about to get her train to Cardiff after spending a week visiting. She had promised Henry she would drop by his place during her leave from work and not only had she kept her promise, during that time she had somehow managed to fuck up his entire life.

“Excuse me, but I don’t exactly see how you helped me. At all.”

Maud wasn’t paying attention to him; she was too entranced checking her train tickets to listen to him, or at least pretended to be so. Once they found the right platform for her train Henry chose to bring up the subject again. “This is some sort of retribution, isn’t it? For that time I laughed at you falling down a well.”

Her eyes came alive with mischief, but she still managed to feign an innocent smile to hide her excitement. “Oh, interesting. So you do remember that lovely episode after all. Not gonna lie to you, I loves it when I get to see you embarrassed. It’s something that sadly doesn’t happen very often.”

Henry Tudor and Maud Herbert had been friends since he couldn’t remember. As his mother built her career as an important business woman in the entrepreneurial scene of the 90s, Henry was often allowed to stay at Maud’s house. Her mother was a teacher at the school they studied together in Wales, and Henry spent many times working on school projects under her supervision. In fact, Henry spent so much time in her house that he considered the Herberts like a second family. Once her father had jokingly asked him if he would marry his daughter when they grew up, but Maud and Henry could only laugh at the idea. Maud was a sister to him; the sibling Henry never had.

“For fuck’s sake, Maud!” Henry sighed heavily. “We were ten! Are you ever going to let it go?” Henry remembered quite well he had to buy her two lollies as an apology at that time.

Maud only raised an eyebrow at him. “Woah there, butt. Don’t be tamping. I did that because I genuinely wanted to help you. Okay?”

Henry crossed his arms. “Explain me how faking you were my girlfriend would help anything.”

She simply shrugged. “I went with my gut. I had to test the waters and see how she felt about you. Trust me, that was some quality research.” As Henry rolled her eyes, Maud threw away the bubble gum she was chewing and took a serious stance to face him. “Harry, look. Do you like this girl?”

It was not the first time he was confronted by the idea. Lately Henry asked himself the same question. He often caught himself thinking of Lizzie for the most absurd reasons. Once he passed by a shop and saw a specific china piece Lizzie had always wanted to buy for her tea set. He hated that he knew that. He hated how often he thought about the way she tucked her hair behind her ears, or how the smell of her perfume filled the hall before she headed out for uni. Henry once even caught himself wondering if he could make her laugh by nuzzling the spot on the nape of her neck where she had a birthmark. That unbidden thought had startled him greatly. Maybe he was turning mad. The fact that Lizzie was frankly gorgeous didn’t help a thing, though.

“I don’t know. I guess I’m intrigued by her.”

Maud made a face. “Come on, Harry! I’m not being funny, you fancy her. I’d be shocked if you didn’t cause that girl is beyond fit, totally lush!”

Because Maud had been in a five-year relationship with Percy, Henry easily forgot his friend was also into girls. When Henry came back from France Maud had a new haircut, a fierce dragon tattoo and was openly bi. As much as his time in France had been a life-changing experience, a part of Henry would always regret he wasn’t around to see his childhood friends coming into their own.

At that moment Henry tried to summon his most unimpressed look. “You don’t know Lizzie. She’s as much annoying as she is pretty.”

Maud didn’t give him a chance to try, though. “I know the princess sort of girl is not usually your type, but think! There must be something more about her. Don’t deny it. You knows it, bruv. And consider this- ”

Maud kept talking and talking. She could have this nonchalant way of stating her opinions by pushing argument after argument, and making it that much harder for Henry to disagree on anything. Henry just wanted her to stop talking, for fuck’s sake.

“Alright, alright! I might fancy Lizzie! So what?” Did he, though? Why admitting that felt like exposing a weakness?

“So what? So plenty! I’m not letting you sleep on this one.”

Henry quickly pointed out to the fact that Lizzie had a boyfriend, though the excuse sounded weak even to his own ears. Yet only thinking about Charles was enough for Henry to feel his blood beginning to boil. There was something foul about that Frenchman that could not be justified by his nationality alone.

“You sad arse! You will need to find another excuse, cause I’m sure Lizzie has feelings for you. She might not know it herself, but she does. I saw the way she looks at you.”

Henry doubted the concept very keenly. Surely Lizzie does have feelings for me. Feelings of annoyance and frustration, that is. As Maud spoke on, Henry narrowed his eyes at his friend. “What exactly are you suggesting, Maud the matchmaker genius?

She grinned and mischief shone once again in her eyes. “Why, a balcony scene, of course! I won’t accept nothing less than that. Now come give me a hug cause I’ve got to go. Off I go to our lovely Wales! By the way, when will you visit? Mum is always asking about you.”

“God, I’m so sorry! Tell her I’ll visit my uncle during the holidays and then I might drop by.”

“I won’t be making promises for you, Harry. You can tell her that yourself. Hand me your mobile so I can type her number.”

Henry instinctively clutched his phone at her suggestion. Maud looked innocent enough, he could grant her that much. Yet Henry had always been too distrustful to simply let people have a chance to go through his phone like that. He took a second glance at his friend to decide whether she could be trusted; instead he was promptly rushed by Maud pointing at her watch. He grudgingly handed her his phone, but only too soon came to regret his decision. Maud looked exceedingly satisfied with herself for some odd reason.

Henry had an inkling suspicion. “Maud, what are you doing?”

“Relax, mate.” She grinned. “I’ve just sent Lizzie a text.”

“A WHAT!?” He snatched back his phone. Hélas! It was too late. He blankly stared at the text on his screen for a few seconds, disbelief overwhelming his voice. “I need to talk to you? Seriously, Maud? Fuck off!”

Maud curtsied. “My job here is done.”

Henry could only glare at her for a full minute, fuming as he was, before he could address her again. “Why? Why do I even trust you with my phone in the first place? Off with you now! Get lost!”

Maud grabbed her things and headed out to the platform before turning to wave him goodbye. “You still owe me a fiver, Harry. Next time you’ll buy me a pint as a thank you.”

Henry scoffed, but waved back anyways. “Not happening! Don’t forget I’m a heartless miser.”

Henry heard her giggling softening down as she left. As he watched Maud getting aboard her train Henry got his phone out of his jacket and unlocked it again, a new resolve settling in his mind. He typed a text to Rodrigo:

Yes. I’m fixing this mess.

#henry x lizzie #modern au #flatmates au #sorry this took so long #henry vii x elizabeth of york #twp fic #my fic

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kittymonks-fanfiction · 5 years

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Genderswapped Nations Review - Chapter 3

Welcome back to Genderswapped Nations, the fanfic where kids can trip over couches, phase through locked doors, and get brainwashed by the British flag when they’re kidnapped and held hostage by a German extremist looking to get his ass kicked by his friends. Last time, we found out that the American girls who were kidnapped are going to be let loose into Europe if their ‘gender bends’ don’t come to Germany within a day to pick them up. Prussia, the kidnapper, still seems not to have a plan besides pissing everyone off and making himself less bored. Let’s see if we learn anything new about that plan in this chapter!

Chapter 3: Prudence and Planes

This chapter title is almost alright, but ‘Prudence’ is the name of a character we’ll be meeting later and isn’t in reference to the trait of prudence…which isn’t good, because this fic could use some more prudence. Seriously, what must’ve been going through twelve-year-old me’s head when I put all of those sexual assault jokes in the last chapter??

“You’re kidding!” Francisca claimed.

Oh yeah, the last chapter ended off with the countries showing up at Germany’s doorstep to get the girls. I wonder how long the gap in-between these chapters being uploaded was. I think it would be funny if Francisca, here replying to something Ariana said at the last chapter, took like a month to answer her. They just sat there for a month before Francisca gasped and cried, “You’re kidding!”

“I’m not kidding, they’re really here!” Ariana said. “If you don’t believe me, come see for yourselves!” All of the gender swaps followed Ariana into Francisca’s room, and let them look out the window.

They…let themselves look out the window?

“They really are here!” Felicity exclaimed.

“But they’re so much older than us,” Kierra said.

Just in case you forgot that these gender bends of adult nations are, in fact, human children for some reason.

“Right,” Allison said. “But they look exactly like us, besides that!”

Just then, another gender swap walked into Francisca’s room. The gender swap had a hat covering their hair, and was wearing sunglasses. “Who are you?” Kierra asked the new gender swap.

“I’m Prudence,” the new gender swap introduced.

Oh great, this is just what we needed; another character to add to the mix. The other girls have barely been developed yet! All we know is that Felicity, Allison, and Francisca are stupid, Alexis is shy, Iscah is weird, Louella is bossy, and Ariana’s a Mary-Sue. Every other trait the characters may have is just ‘implied’ because they’re gender bends of characters that should be well known to the intended audience of this fanfic.

Whose human name starts with ‘Pru’, though? Hm, I wonder…

“I don’t see your gender swap out there,” Louella said. “Maybe they didn’t care.”

Whoa shit!! That’s a crazy rude thing to say! What if Germany wasn’t there, Louella? Then what? What if that’s actually Prudence’s swap and not yours?

And apparently Louella can read the narration that called Prudence a gender bend because otherwise she’d have no reason to assume that Prudence is a gender bend.

“I actually have something to tell you about the men out there,” Prudence said.

“Hm?” Ariana asked.

“They aren’t the real nations. They’re different people dressed up as the countries.” Prudence said.

“You mean like Santa Claus?” Felicity asked.

“Yeah, sure.” Prudence responded.

And they just…buy this? These guys look exactly like the girls, but older and male. It would be different if the girls looked more like their canonical Nyotalia appearances, but like I keep saying, they just look like their counterparts with boobs and (occasionally) longer hair! What are the chances that there could be any other troupe of people that look exactly like them?

“That can’t be true!” Louella shouted. “They look exactly like they’re supposed to! They can’t be fake!” tears developed in her eyes. “They can’t be…”

“But they are,” Prudence said.

“No they aren’t! China even has a panda!” Yiesha stated.

That’s a terrible verb to use. It would have been more apt to use ‘objected’, ‘argued’, or even ‘exclaimed’ if you want to stretch it a bit (though admittedly that verb was used for something Felicity said earlier). ‘Stated’ makes it sound like she’s calmly giving Prudence this info, which she isn’t. It’s an observation in the form of an exclamation, not really a statement.

“Fake panda.” Prudence said.

“But who would do that? Bringing up the feelings of a little girl looking for her counterpart just for laughs… That’s cruel!” Francisca cried.

“I know.” Prudence said. “I suggest running away.”

“How would that solve anything?” Kierra asked.

“Yeah, and Prussia would come looking for us anyway.” Allison said.

“Believe me, he won’t.” Prudence said.

And responses like these just make it obvious that Prudence is a jerk who shouldn’t be trusted. Because yeah, if it wasn’t obvious, this girl is an antagonist…and a pretty crappy one at that.

“I agree with Prudence,” Alexis said. The other gender swaps, excluding Prudence, looked at her as if she was invisible until now.

She probably was, but that’s beside the point. Why does Alexis agree with what Prudence is saying? Prudence is saying that the guys down there are imposters, so they should break out as soon as possible—why that wasn’t the swaps’ plan from the start, I don’t know—and leave. That was Prussia’s plan! All evidence points to him wanting these girls to be let out into the wild to fend for themselves so he can dick with everyone and Alexis is the only one who knows this, so why is she so apt to go along with what Prudence is saying? If anything, the others should be agreeing to leave and Alexis should be the speaker of the Cassandra Truth she never told everyone—that being that Prussia wants them to leave and this wears-sunglasses-inside-and-wears-a-cap-to-cover-their-hair weirdo is probably on his side if she’s pursuing the same outcome!

“If the real countries didn’t want to come see us themselves, then they must not care very much. And I know how that feels far too well. And anyway, I bet our gender swaps are only interested in us so they can make us into their slaves.”

In that aspect I can see what she means—she doesn’t want to get taken by a bunch of random men after being kidnapped because they could be child traffickers—but what does claiming the countries are fakes have to do with that? You can have Alexis say that they should escape on the grounds that these strange men could be dangerous, but don’t word it like “We shouldn’t go with them because they didn’t care enough to come themselves which means that we won’t be happy with them”. That’s what’s written there and that doesn’t make sense. It would have been much easier to claim that the men were dangerous…but as you’ll see later, there’s a reason why that explanation wasn’t used.

The girls looked at Alexis, astonished, until Louella spoke up. “Yes, Canadia’s right.

Do I need a counter specifically counting all of the times that Canada has been mistakenly called ‘Canadia’? It’s happened at least once a chapter now and it’s quickly getting old.

-ALEXIS ABUSE +1

If they didn’t care enough to get us in person, than we can just leave. They’ll have to deal with it, for not coming in person.”

This becomes comical later when we find out what their next plan after escaping is. Just wait, it’s really great.

Some of the gender swaps started saying negative things about the plan, before Louella said, “It’s decided! We’re doing it. We still have fifteen minutes for conversation, and during conversation, the doors are unlocked.”

Well Jesus Christ, now Louella is kidnapping a bunch of girls against their will!

“We could leave using the window in my room,” Allison suggested. “It’s at the very back of the house, so those fakes wouldn’t see us!”

“Sounds like a plan,” Kierra said. “And I like it.”

“So, let’s go!” Allison exclaimed. “I’ll tie together all of our bedsheets, and we’ll climb down!”

But…I guess apparently Allison and Kierra are pretty submissive? Either that or, somehow, the possible smartest person in the group thought this was a good idea from the start (Kierra, I mean). I can see Allison wanting to bust open a window and run off without thinking much about a plan, but not Kierra.

Ariana looked to Prudence. “Prudence, are you coming?” she asked.

“No,” Prudence said. “My gender swap called me personally and told me he’d meet me here in person.”

“Who is your gender swap?” Francisca asked.

“That’s not important, plus you’ve only got ten minutes now!” Prudence said, grabbing Francisca’s bedsheet and tossing it to Allison. “So gather the other bedsheets and get moving!”

And…Nobody finds this suspicious? Shouldn’t they be questioning where Prudence got a phone from if she was kidnapped as well? Not to mention how eager she is to brush her counterpart’s identity under the rug! Seriously, has no one caught on to this shitty hat-and-glasses disguise yet?

The other gender swaps nodded, and they all got their bedsheets and gathered in Allison’s room, where Allison tied together the bedsheets and rolled the makeshift rope out of the window after tying one end to her bedpost. “Let’s go,” Allison said. With that, the gender swaps one by one climbed out the window, with a firm grasp on the bedsheet rope. Prudence stood in Allison’s room and watched the other gender swaps go. She smirked.

Oh big shocker, Prudence was evil the whole time. But I really question why they didn’t do this in the first place if it was an option. If they had just done this and went to the police before being brainwashed, all of the upcoming nonsense could easily have been avoided.

The nations, who were in fact real,

I find it hilarious beyond words that past me felt the need to remind the reader unless they, too, were convinced by Prudence’s masterful ability to lie.

stood at Prussia’s door until the red-eyed nation opened the door. “Hello,” Prussia greeted.

“Where are our gender swaps?” Germany immediately questioned.

“Patience, patience. I’ll get them.” Prussia said, closing the door.

“Wow I need to grab some Adderall off of the shelf for you West, you clearly need a chill pill”

“I hope we came soon enough,” France said.

“Yeah. I can only imagine a girl me getting caught by another country,” America said.

Well yeah, no shit, you can only imagine that because you don’t have any idea what this girl looks like or if she even exists. This line just annoys me.

Prussia opened the door again, and the nations were surprised to see he didn’t have anyone with him. “They aren’t here anymore.” He said.

Germany questioned, “What did you do to them?”

“Me? I didn’t do a thing to those girls.” Prussia said, trying to sound innocent.

“We know you’re lying, dude,” America said.

But…why would Prussia try to make himself sound suspicious if he didn’t actually do anything to them? He could just say ‘Oh shit they escaped!!!’ and cause the same response minus the ‘everyone wants to punch him now’ side effect.

“I’m serious! Come look,” Prussia said, opening the door so the countries could come in. Prussia led the countries to the living room that the girls used, and showed them each room was empty. But the nations couldn’t make out where all the bedsheets had gone, until Germany found them tied together and hanging out Allison’s window.

“See, I told you so,” Prussia said. “They left on their own.”

You didn’t tell them shit dude, you just said ‘they aren’t here anymore’ and then acted needlessly shifty just to piss them off.

“Well, then, we have to find them!” England said.

“Go ahead,” Prussia said. The nations climbed down the bedsheets one by one, and couldn’t see their gender swaps anywhere.

The situation is so dire that the nations couldn’t possibly go downstairs and use the front door like normal people!!

“Come on, they could’ve gotten far by now!” Germany said. The nations followed him as he ran away.

And it’s just…really funny seeing the opposite of ‘they couldn’t have gotten far’ used here. “WATCH OUT MEN, THEY’RE LITTLE GIRLS. GOD KNOWS HOW FAR THEY’VE GOTTEN ON THEIR LITTLE GIRL LEGS.”

Prudence walked up behind Prussia as they left. “How’d I do?” Prudence asked, taking her hat and sunglasses off to reveal long white hair and red eyes.

“Better than I thought you’d do.” Prussia said.

That reveal is completely pointless considering how obvious it is that Prudence is Prussia’s gender swap. She was the only person in the building besides him that wanted the girls to wander off into the wilderness, she hid her appearance from the start, and she was acting suspicious when it would have been easy not to be. And it already included her smirking after they left! With that reveal, it’s just redundant to reveal again that she’s a bad guy.

And now that I can finally mention it, how come Prudence’s name comes from Prussia’s country name rather than his human name? The only other person to suffer from a name that doesn’t make sense in this context is Alexis, but even then hers is just supposed to be similar to Allison. Her name should be Gillian or something, a name that could actually come from Gilbert.

Meanwhile, the gender swaps had already made it to the airport the nations had gotten there from.

I guess I did say that it was relatively close, but I’m sure that grown men who know the terrain would be able to catch up to a bunch of lost teenage girls way before they’d be able to, oh, I don’t know, get on a plane to America and escape home or something.

“How much money does everyone have?” Louella asked. Ariana whipped out ten dollars, Allison pulled out two, claiming ‘I used the rest of it’,

I thought that joke was a big ‘TAKE THAT’ back in the day because the U.S. is in debt, but so are a bunch of other countries so ehh. It’s a big one, sure, but that’s not even a good way to tell that joke. It would be a lot more topical if Allison had money but Yiesha demanded to have it since she loaned Allison ten bucks to buy food earlier.

all of the other gender swaps brought out fives and tens, but Iscah pulled out fifty dollars. After no one wanted to question how Iscah had gotten fifty dollars,

That had better damn well not be a joke about prostitution. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was. I mean, it could have always been obtained by means of larceny or extortion (from Allison?) but it wasn’t said so I can’t label it as innocent right away.

they pooled their money together and found they had just enough money to send each of them to their respective countries

Not only does this prove that they’re GOING TO THEIR COUNTERPARTS’ COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN in order to avoid them, it’s also stupid because they have, what, $100 USD between them and they’re able to afford nine plane tickets in Germany? This has to take place in the past because that’s impossible.

(Except Alexis, who had to ride with Allison and take a bus to Canada)

Oh great, you just had to add that extra potshot.

-ALEXIS ABUSE +1

Ariana walked to her plane, the remaining countries who’s planes were not yet departing (Louella, Felicity, and Kierra) waving to her.

Where is Louella flying? Is she just going to board a plane in Berlin…in order to fly to Berlin again and back to the building she just escaped from??

“Bye,” Ariana said was she boarded the plane. She sat in a seat,

As opposed to…a geometric cube?

and nobody was sitting beside her. She looked out a window to see Germany and the other nations not far from the airport. “Those fakes probably just want to take us back so they don’t get in trouble,” Ariana thought, as the plane took off.

Yeah, they want to take us back, so instead, we’ll take ourselves back! Take that?

The nations finally made it to the airport, and Louella, Kierra, and Felicity were already gone.

“They’re gone!” Italy said.

“They probably assumed we wouldn’t be coming, and just flew to our countries to see us.” Germany said.

Is this some kind of Twilight Zone story? In what universe would that be the first assumption that everyone jumps to??

“The gender swaps should have waited a little longer, and then they’d be able to meet us,” France said.

“I bet it was America’s gender swap. She probably said, ‘If they aren’t coming to us, we’ll go to them!'” England said.

“No, it must have been yours, England! She must have said, ‘If those bloody countries won’t come to see us, then we’ll go see them!'” America said.

Orrrr they just left because they were kidnapped children and wanted to go home??

Then all of the countries were blaming each other’s gender swaps for coming up with the idea to leave, until Germany said, “What about Prussia’s? Maybe she tricked them into thinking we wouldn’t come!”

“Yeah, it was probably Prussia’s gender swap!” America said.

But who said that he has one?? You didn’t see one there and you assume that Prussia would mention something like that, so why does Germany magically know exactly what’s going on?

“Well, if they’re already on planes, then we need to buy tickets now!” China said.

“Agreed,” Japan said. So each of the countries bought tickets and got in planes to their separate countries.

They’re going to kill the ozone layer with all of these plane rides. They’re just lucky that, in the minutes after the that planes all left coincidentally at the same time to go exactly where all of the swaps (minus Alexis) needed to go had already taken off, there were more planes lying in wait for them.

Well, there’s another chapter of Genderswapped Nations out of the way. Next time you can come back to expect Ice Town times nine, the emergence of Plastic Man’s gender swap, and some of the worst terroristic threats you’ve ever heard in your life.

(CANADA/ALEXIS ABUSE COUNTER=5)

#hetalia #hetalia axis powers #fanfiction #fanfiction review #kittymonk's fanfiction reviews #fanfic review #writing review #genderswapped nations #genderswapped nations review #my old writing

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sarahinzhuhai-blog · 7 years

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Week 2: I can't think of a title

Friends, family, strangers, what’s poppin? Week 2 in 中国 has come to a close and it was a wild one. This blogging on Sunday thing is really great for my procrastination-loving heart, and really bad for actually remembering things, so bear with me. You might notice this is getting posted on Friday, and not Sunday. Well, that’s because of some ~~fun~~ circumstances that you can find out about in next weeks post! Sorry! // 周一（zhōuyī，Monday): Monday started off without a dictation, because 车老师 is a wonderful person who doesn’t believe in weekend homework. Class was, as usual, an information overload, but still fun. We played a new game in class (where people have a verb or noun on their head and you have to ask questions, etc to make them say the word or do the action). Another thing: in Chinese, there is a particle, “了”， that has always confused me (it has many different uses, and I’m not sure when to use it and when not to). So I decided to ask my 语伴. This turned into a conversation with 车老师, the TAs, other 语伴s and on Tuesday, another professor. The question asking went an extra half hour into lunch and then I ended up eating with 车老师， one of the TAs and my 语伴。 I didn’t leave my question asking behind in America, I guess. I was very tired all day because I was up so late blogging the night before 👀…oops. At the end of the day, instead of meeting with our 语伴s (yǔbàn，language partner) for 30 minutes, we met for community service. The project they have selected for us to do this year is to help raise awareness about and reduce plastic bag usage and waste, which is a huge problem in China. To give you some context, Zhuhai is considered one of the cleanest cities in China, but the beaches are riddled with trash. It’s shocking. The plan for our projects was, on Monday we would write a survey and have our 语伴s help us translate it, on Tuesday we would go out and survey people on campus, on Thursday we would plan out our "propaganda” campaign and later in the month we would go out and talk with the public and get people to pledge to change their actions (with the pledge varying with each groups different approach to the issue). My group is me, Richa, Zack and Garrett. Monday was pretty rough. I was really tired and irritable, and I felt like a lot of responsibility was falling on me but I felt that way because I wasn’t sharing responsibilities….anyways, Richa and I talked afterwards so we’re all good now. We finished using the questions and I took the bus home with Matthew after hitting up the supermarket with Matthew and Anthony. // My sister had four of her finals today, and she said they went well, so I went out to dinner to celebrate with my mom and sister. It was so, so good. Pork, goose, noodles, vegetables, fried rice, watermelon, guava...all delicious! It was my first time trying goose, and I have mixed but mostly positive feelings. // Afterwards, we went to 笑笑’s friends house. I got to meet the friend, her little 9mo brother, the mom, dad, and grandparents. I held the brother (who was SO CUTE and very fascinated by me), talked a little bit with the family, helped the mom translate a work email, got a tour of the house, ate lychees and gave my little sister and her friend a ballet lesson. It was so much fun, and definitely lifted my mood from earlier in the day. I walked home in high spirits. // 周二（zhōuèr，Tuesday): Tuesday was the 4th of July! I told my mom in the morning and she offered me a white rabbit candy, which I thought was pretty funny but thoughtful at the same time. Got the 了question figured out at the beginning of lunch (I’m so grateful that literally everyone involved in the program is so willing to help). After lunch, we played a version of Monday’s game with all verbs (it was sort of a mess, a lot of English was spoken, but we had a good time). Chris, BBC and Queen Isabel joined us for that–-in the end, it boiled down to people forcing Shayley to take a selfie with them. I was eliminated early in the game when I flashed a peace sign. // Community service was very interesting. It started off with Grace and Emily getting us all watermelon to celebrate the 4th, which was very thoughtful! Since we are still in the thick of monsoon season, the weather continues to alternate between rain so hard it could flash flood up to your ankles (this happened to my 语伴）and hours of sunshine. Consequently, we decided to survey people who were inside major buildings on campus rather than walking around. My group picked the library. Since only half of the 语伴s came to help with the day's activities, Outing and Chris had to help another group, so learned how to say “traitor" in order to tell Outing how betrayed I felt. // Surveying people was fun, but a challenge…we split our group in half, so Garrett, me and my 语伴 formed one team. We interviewed about 8 people (could have been 9 if the police officer had agreed), and unless we were asking the simpler questions, I couldn’t understand a lot of what they were saying…but I got the gist, and the gist was that most of them were aware of the problem and did some things to cut down on their waste (some more than others…one guy was just totally unaware), but often didn’t have convenient access to recycling services. This is definitely a problem I have run across these few weeks. That being said, we don’t have the means to change city infrastructure, so my group decided that our focus would be encouraging people to use reusable bags and bottles, cutting down the waste at the source (it’s common for people to use 1-2 plastic bottles a day here). // After community service concluded, we were originally planning on going to a Starbucks by the beach and seeing the lovers post office (a famous site here), but the rain cancelled those plans so we settled on KTV instead. Unfortunately, the canteen KTV was closed, so Chris took us to a KTV in the middle of nowhere (aka Huitong, I think) near the edge of campus. On our way there, Alec and Anthony blasted music out of the speaker they bought at Gongbei. The most memorable moment of the walk was dancing to YMCA on the median (and everywhere else tbh we listened to the song like 20 times) and getting filmed by a police officer who thought it was funny. Also practicing my angry Chinese and making a guy who walked by laugh. KTV was really fun--we sang lots of American songs (we belted out Party in the USA more than once) and had a blast even though the program didn’t appear to have any song from after 2010. There was no Lana del Rey, so BBC and I sang Adele instead. While I did enjoy myself, my fun was sort of ruined by the fact that I was in the middle of having what I would describe as not-quite-an-anxiety-attack-but-getting-there because of a dog that we passed that was in really, really bad shape. I won’t go into the details again but I’m constantly frustrated here by the low standard for animal care and the lack of humane societies, etc…I understand that it’s not a priority at the moment but that doesn’t make it any less saddening, frustrating, etc. Queen Isabel and several of my friends (shoutout to Grace, Lexi, Josh, Alec and BBC...y'all are the best) helped me through it and I still managed to enjoy the evening. I had a few McDonalds fries (which was concerning because I had told my parents I was going to eat a full dinner), and Chris helped me and Alec call a cab to get home. // Once I arrived home, my mom brought out some mussels (? Some sort of shell thing) and told me that I had to eat it right now or it would go bad. So we had mussels, apples, bread and milk. A very confusing dinner but very good nonetheless. My sister asked me if I wanted to watch a certain TV show and at first I didn’t know what she was talking about, but then I realized it’s actually a show I watch online in the States and got h y p e d // In the middle of the show, my mom yelled really loud and then my sister started yelling too. At first, I was really confused but I soon found out that my sister was one of three in four hundred to get 100% on her exams. Then I started yelling too. I understood a few things my dad said for the first time (which surprised BOTH of us) and generally had a good evening. My dad told me I should call my actual mom and dad every day, so I called my actual parents before bed and ended up staying up super late again. Oops (are you seeing a pattern here?). Anyways, it was a roller coaster of an evening but everything turned out alright! // 周三（zhōusān, Wednesday): Classes were alright as usual. We’ve started “learning” song lyrics during the after lunch class. Oh yeah, one thing I forgot to mention is that I found out two of the TAs (one of whom I was very intimidated by before) are big kpop fans! They played a song on Tuesday on the projector (车老师 commented that the only kpop group she knew was BIGBANG), which was already a bop, but on Wednesday I found out that Ruby and I are both major BTS fans (specifically, I described them as my favorite group on the planet and she agreed). I did one of the dances I learned for her (she filmed it 😂) and she then immediately added me on multiple social media platforms. You can make fun of me all you want, but Kpop has been the common interest that allowed me to bond with many people here (we’re talking 30-50% of all the Chinese people I have made friendships with). Anyways, after having a fun time in class (we also did calligraphy practice today), we headed to culture class. This week we learned 空竹（kōngzhú， aka Diabolo aka Chinese Yoyo). The class was the most fun after I accepted that I was going to do terribly and focused on having a good time and getting a solid grasp on the basics. My group was Garrett, Sydney, Abigale and Outing as our 语伴（so I stopped calling him traitor). By the end of class, I was definitely still in the bottom 3 but I could do several tricks. After class, Alec, Maya, Garrett and I went to McDonalds at the transfer station (which is waaayyy better than McDonalds in America) and got green tea soft serve. It was really good (especially knowing that, just like on America, McDs ice cream machine se are perpetually broken here), but Garrett said he would never order another matcha flavored thing in his life. Afterwards, we took the bus home together...Maya took the wrong bus. // Feeling content, I got home to an empty house. My mom came home briefly, and imagine my surprise when she pulled out two pieces of apple pie and offered me one. Oops, not a good day to have a gigantic ice cream after school (and a small one at lunch). So I had the pie, then she made dinner (I’m confused about the order too…) and left again. // I decided to give my friend 朱明亮 a call and we talked for the better part of an hour. It was so nice to actually be able to speak and understand Chinese…maybe it’s the accent in Guangdong or maybe I’m just bad at Chinese but I never know what people are saying and it’s incredibly frustrating (I especially can’t understand guys..maybe because of the lower register). While we talked, I practiced my left hand chopstick skills...we don't need to talk about how that went. After the conversation, I practiced piano for Saturday (more details on that in a sec), did my homework (sort of) and went to bed. // 周四（Zhōusì, Thursday): Thursday’s classes were hard. We covered a LOT of grammar points and it was a lot to take in. This whole week was a lot to take in in terms of course material…this class moves almost 3x the pace of my normal class at school. Since this weekend's cultural excursion would be a visit to Guangzhou, the TAs gave us a class on the history of Guangzhou and some cool places to visit there. Then they presented the stamp winners for the week. This week, stamps were kept in a public place, so I got a little more competitive. My efforts paid off, however, because I got that #1. // After class, it was time for community service again. My group wrote our campaign, Chris helped us create a slogan and we designed t-shirts. Since our group wasn’t focused the whole time and we talked a lot about what we were doing, we haven’t actually translated the elevator pitch to Chinese but that’s okay. Also, I definitely didn’t write the wrong character in the slogan on the back of the shirt...I don’t know what you’re talking about. Zack got w o k e about plastic pollution in China and our final slogan is: “笑笑改变，大有不同 - Cleaner Zhuhai, Brand New City” (Translation: “A small change can make a big difference"which is already apparently a phrase charged with environmental connotations according to Chris, so that’s good). After community service, Maya and I definitely didn’t go do ballet in a studio on campus. Nope. I definitely wasn’t instructed to keep that on the DL (which is equally fun to say in Chinese, as it turns out). Other things that definitely did not happen: 1) being super out of shape and barely being able to do a grande plié 2) Having a really awkward conversation when two university students who were actually supposed to be there came in to use the room. After not-dancing, Maya took the wrong bus so she could ride with me, and I headed home to practice piano, pack up for Guangzhou, and otherwise prepare. // 周五（zhōuwǔ，Friday）: On Friday morning, we met up at the hotel and took the bus to Guangzhou. I tried to sleep a bit on the way there, but the scenery outside was really cool (SO different from the US omg) and the kids sitting in the back of the bus were blasting music (YMCA made a comeback), but the music was good so I can’t complain. My favorite was when they played "Empire State of Mind” but sang “Guangzhou” every time Alicia Keys said New York. Our first stop was the American Consulate in Guangzhou. After getting through security, we entered the building and I immediately felt like I was in America again. Maybe it was the super strong AC. Maybe it was the bathrooms (which not only had the first western toilets I had seen in two weeks but TP, soap and paper towels. I literally did a celebratory dance. There were several witnesses). Maybe it was the diplomat who spoke with us’ southern accent. Or maybe it was the fact that technically we had returned to America (apparently the consulate is considered American territory? According to Anthony). Anyways, after speaking with a Foreign Service Officer about his job, the role of the US embassies in China and of the Guangzhou consulate in particular, we bid our farewells. Leaving the consulate and returning to daily life in China was a weird and unexpected shock to my system. I don’t know what happened inside that consulate but it was like a weird mindset shift. Anyways, soon enough I was back to normal. Our next stop was a restaurant called Panxi. This was, no exaggeration, the most amazing restaurant I’ve been to in my entire life. Not because of the food (although the food was good), but because of the building itself. We entered into a courtyard where there was a waterfall (not a baby one but like 14+ feet) flowing into a koi pond, lanterns hanging from the wooden roof over the walkways, and several pathways leading to different rooms where we could eat. Our room was not only overlooking a pond, but appeared to be over the pond. It was absolutely gorgeous, and I had a great time chatting with friends as we watched the monsoon rain pelt the surface of the water. We also watched construction take place on the building, and construction is terrifying here. They use bamboo scaffolding, and it seems really unsteady and no one uses harnesses, even if three stories high. I have seen this in both Zhuhai and Guangzhou and it is very impressive but very nervewracking. // After lunch, we went to two museums–the Thirteen Hongs museum and the Liwan museum. The former was a museum that talked about the history of the Thirteen Hongs, which were a group of businessmen/companies that were the only ones licensed to do business with foreign countries during the Qing dynasty (the last dynasty before the Republic of China). They did their trading out of Guangzhou, and the museum was full of items that were traded,old maps, information, paintings, everything you can imagine. Guangzhou has a history of combining East and West (because of the Thirteen Hongs situation, I think), and this manifested itself in very interesting ways. One of the most interesting things I saw at the museum (although everything was absolutely stunning; the intricacy and care that went into every product was overwhelming) was a shell carving that had been done by a Chinese artist of the Last Supper and other Biblical scenes. Guangzhou also has a much higher foreigner population than Zhuhai (I saw more there in two days than in my entire time in Zhuhai). The second museum, called the Liwan museum, was a replica of a typical Xiguan house, which were a group of people that often did business with/interacted with foreigners. As such, several architectural elements included Western components. That being said, a lot of the house was built with traditional Chinese beliefs (and some specific to Guangdong/Guangzhou, e.g. Things related to how words sound in Cantonese), which was very interesting. Afterwards, we were given time to explore this very pretty little area of town. Richa and I paired off and saw a shrine, traditional opera, passed by a beautiful lake (which had some boats underwater that were clearly there on purpose but for no apparent reason), several vendors, and met some people who were very excited to say Hello to us. We also might have gotten followed briefly but 没关系。We were supposed to get dinner on our own, but we didn’t realize where we were supposed to go (up this one road) so we quickly walked over there, got 包子 and milk tea (I was very proud of us for successfully ordering both in Chinese and surviving when the 包子store owner tried to hold a conversation with us…I have a feeling neither of us were understanding each other but that’s pretty standard for my conversations here so I’m not worried about it). After, we rode the bus to a ferry stop by the Pearl River and were given time to walk around. Grace, Maya and I walked together. The experience started off by me getting yelled at at full volume by a old guy on a bike with some baskets because I didn’t realize I was in his way. Some bystanders found this hilarious, I did not. After our walk up and down the river, we ran to make it back on time and got on the ferry. The ferry was ~awesome~. We got to see the lights of the city at night (and on the water), and got to go up close to the Guangzhou tower (which is the seventh tallest building in the world, apparently). It was absolutely gorgeous (I’m not doing it justice with my words here). Also, after helping these people take a picture, they asked to take a picture with me which is the first time I’ve been asked for a picture in China (yay?). I also got to talk to Grace a lot which was really nice, she is very similar to me and I enjoy her company. After the ferry, we headed to the hotel. For this trip, I roomed with Tully. Before room checks, after a failed attempt to go to the roof, we all met up in Garrett’s room. Matthew was spooked because the room across (next to?) his and Josh’s was room 444 (which is, like, the worst and most unlucky number possible here…I’m actually surprised the hotel has one) and then their lights went out, so he was doing martial arts. It was very intimidating. Josh, Maya, Anthony and I then spent the hour stretching (or in Josh’s case, struggling and suffering) and goofing around. The stretching was prompted by Katie showing all of us that she is RIDICULOUSLY flexible (after which I encouraged her to take up ballet), which made Garrett look physically pained just from watching. After curfew, Tully and I talked, which was mice because I don’t see her or talk to her a lot, and we went to sleep without showering because the room was kinda gross. // 周六（zhōuliù，Saturday): Saturday was just as wild as Friday, if not more so (which I didn’t think was possible). The first order of business was breakfast. Fully, David, Abigale, Shayley, Maya, Reyna, maybe Zack (sorry I forgot) and I went to a local shop to eat 肠粉 (chángfěn），a Guangdong specialty. It’s a dish that they make by pouring out rice batter (that’s definitely the wrong word) in a thin layer on a sheet, adding veggies and/or egg and/or meat and then cooking it (I think they steamed it). Then they roll it all up and cover it with a sauce. I had the veggie one and some chocolate bean milk thing (as far as I know) and it was very delicious. Then we were off to a local elementary school. They gave us an orchestra performance using traditional Chinese instruments and these kids were crazy good. They were between ages 7 and 11 and they had been selected to join this orchestra. Saturday was their first day of break but they all seemed happy to be there. After a few traditional songs, they let us go up to kids and have them teach us how to play. I tried out the guzheng (which was super cool), the erhu (which I was terrible at but had fun with) and another instrument whose name I forget right now (you use hammers to hit strings and I was very very confused and bad at it). Most of the kids I talked to were practicing an hour or more a day, and were very very good. One kid who stood out was a guy who could play both the hammer+strong instrument and a Chinese drum. When they went around and introduced all the instruments to us, kids did solos on each instrument and he did the drum-it was stunning. He played so quickly and precisely!!! Then, it was time for us to perform for them. I played the Rachmaninoff Prelude (a shortened version), but I sort of botched the performance and I’m not sure why. Then we all sang the chorus of “对不起” (the song about our Chinese being bad) and the kids played more traditional music and a western classical song adapted to their orchestra (which was really cool). After, I was feeling kind of crappy about my performance when we went down to the bottom level and goofed around on the playground before taking some pictures with the kids and heading out. Imagine my surprise when one kid asked for my autograph, and then suddenly a group of kids all wanted me to sign things and give them my WeChat username. That was quite literally my 15 minutes of fame! // After heading out, we spent a few minutes in a square nearby (some of my new elementary school friends were there) and then headed to lunch. Lunch was not as good, which was probably not helped by the fact that there were several older guys smoking inside. This is one of the things I’ve had a lot of trouble getting used to here–there are a LOT of smokers here, and while I often see signs inside that say no smoking, I also have gotten used to seeing ashtrays inside those very same rooms. The toilet experience there was….unpleasant, and then we were off to a tea house. // As we got off the bus and began to walk to the tea house, rain was POURING. I was wearing my rap jacket (I forgot my umbrella at school, oops) and by the time we entered the tea house, my entire lower half was drenched. I spent the first few minutes awkwardly wringing out my dress and using tissues to attempt to dry myself off. // This teahouse was very different from the one my mom took me to; rather than one table, it had three stories, multiple side rooms, and many many many different kinds of tea (for a significant price). One of the coolest things was getting to talk to the owner about his company (he also owns a tea bank and apparently a mountain? I heard he rents the mountain? Not super clear), getting to see this big wood fourpostbed-looking thing that people would drink tea at from the Qing dynasty, and getting to have a conversation (entirely in Chinese) with one of the ladies about the different tools used at the table. The latter was a bit stressful because I couldn’t understand a lot, but I had to help my friends. We got the gist of what was going on, so all was well. Afterwards, we headed down for the tea ceremony. I have always thought of drinking tea as a quiet affair, but there were three guys there who were really loud and an absolute RIOT. One of them really hit it off with Alec and Isabel, and I will cherish the memory of them all loudly yelling 干杯(gānbēi，cheers, coincidentally one of this weeks vocabulary words) and making everyone on our half of the gigantic wooden table toast (and then them taking selfies together), which I’m pretty sure isn’t traditional tea protocol 😂 After tea, they gave us each a bag that had information and a teacup in it (!), which was super generous, and we were swept back onto the bus. // A few hours later, we were back in Zhuhai. Everyday Zhuhai feels more and more like home, so I am getting more and more sad at the thought of having to say goodbye. But returning to Zhuhai didn’t mean my excitement was over for the day. My sister had a piano recital, and I was in charge of getting myself there. My mom had sent me directions for which bus stops to take, and the first ride went perfectly. But then, there were no busses coming any time soon to my intermediate stop, so I had a problem. My mom told me to take a taxi, and if I couldn’t figure it out, to ask someone at the station to help me. No one was at the station. Now, in case you were wondering, here’s a list of things I have never done: 1) Taken a taxi by myself 2) Completed a taxi transaction in an unfamiliar place in the middle of China 3) Completed a taxi transaction in Chinese. Well, I’m proud to say that I managed to do all 3, and I even had a conversation with the driver about how long he had been driving, how long he had been in Zhuhai, how long I had been in China, etc. He helped me find my building, and my journey was complete! My mom was very proud/impressed/surprised that I had successfully navigated (I was a little concerned at how surprised she was), and I was greeted with a good old fashioned fast food dinner of French fries, a chicken sandwich and soda. That was a little bit of a shock to my system (the first "American” meal I’d had since I arrived) but a welcome taste from home. After, we headed upstairs to watch the recital. //The recital was my little sister and a bunch of high school students, and some of these kids were really good. One girl was 15 and played 4 songs, including a full sonata and the Revolutionary Etude. I was floored by her talent. At the end of the show, I ended up befriending her and a few other students. I’m excited to have some friends that are around my age! I goofed around on one of the pianos outside during intermission (aka poorly played Rachmaninoff and Chopin) and some people started filming me…not because it was really good, just because I’m a 外国人 . I don’t mind, it’s just a little odd when people take pictures of you/film you without ever talking to you or asking permission. // 周日（zhōurì，Sunday): After the excitement of the past few days, Sunday was a welcome rest. I woke up a little later than usual and my family and I went out to 早茶(zǎochá）, which translates to morning tea but is actually like lots of small dishes that you can eat for breakfast or lunch or in our case, brunch. We had 早茶 in this really cool restaurant where the top floors were hotel rooms and the bottom floors were like hotel rooms but for eating. Each party gets its own room with a table and very nice bathroom. The bathrooms had western toilets, toilet paper AND soap so the restaurant definitely got my stamp of approval. Okay, back to the food. We had everything from red bean buns shaped like pigs (which were SO CUTE) to squares of what looked like super fancy layered jello (I would say the flavor but I have no idea what the flavor was). It was very delicious but my stomach got a little overwhelmed by how many sweet and oily things there were. When I declined sugar in my warm milk drink, my mom declined it for me first and told my dad (in Chinese) that I was afraid of getting fat and so I wouldn’t want any. I retorted that I was not in fact afraid of getting fat and that I just didn’t want sugar in my drink. I think she thinks this because I don’t eat a lot, but I DO eat a lot (I was literally never hungry the first week because I am constantly being fed or having more food put on my plate). Confusing remarks aside, I had a really nice meal and this was the first time our whole family sat down at the same table to eat together, so I enjoyed the morning. Then, my dad, sister and I took the train that goes alongside the road home, which was very nice and a fun new experience. // After getting home, my sister and I both worked on homework. She asked me to help her translate the English text she was reading into Chinese, but my Chinese wasn’t good enough so I was pretty useless there. Her homework and mine made me so tired I fell asleep (that’s my homework strategy in America too…I’m a consistent student). After I woke up, Maya and I decided to meet up to hang out in TangJia. I took the bus over and had a really nice time walking in the park and goofing around on all the exercise equipment with her (despite the weird looks we got from some police officers). It was also nice to have a long, peaceful conversation with a friend after such a whirlwind of a week. I came home for dinner, watched TV with the fam, and started writing this blog post!// Okay this last part is going to be a little TMI, so if that’s not your thing, catch you next week. For you brave souls, I have a few more comments to make. 1) Being a girl and dealing with all the bodily functions that come as a result of that is Not A Fun Time in China. It’s annoying and inconvenient and has made me like squat pots less. 2) Having some stomach emergencies during your sisters piano recitals intermission and then running out of tissues in the land of no-TP-in-public-restrooms is an experience you won’t and can’t forget. // Okay, that’s it for this week! ✌️️

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kingofthewilderwest · 7 years

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HTTYD ask meme. Thanks for the prompts!

4. The chicken is not amused. What did you do wrong?

My poetry was good. Too good. It was better than Tuffnut’s. No one is allowed to trump Tuffnut. I was thrown in prison.

15. Suggest a new dragon species. What does it look like? What are its powers? etc.

I think a dragon with dragonfly wings could look really fun. The dragon has four wings, all long, elliptical, and translucent. It buzzes and flies quickly. Maybe this is a dragon that spits acid. Hehe, I don’t know, there are so many possibilities!

17. Any underappreciated dragon species you want to give a callout to?

Death Song. I don’t know that this dragon is necessarily underappreciated, but I could talk a long time about this thing. The Death Song is interesting in many respects - from its insect-like appearance, to its adaptations to trap its prey in amber, to the fact that its primary food source is other dragons. The design on this dragon I find very unique and cool. Give it up for the Death Song!

19. The dragon riders can visit anywhere in the world, any place in history. Where would you suggest they go?

I feel like this is such a stereotypical answer, but I want the dragon riders to go to China. When in China exactly, I don’t mind... there are many centuries of possibility and many different dynasties where I think the dragon riders could have great experiences. China has such a long, wonderful, enormous respect and story for dragons. I think Hiccup would love to see another civilization that pays dragons respect - a culture that in fact often sees dragons as protectors.

22. What do you think the dragon riders are like as old women and men?

Hiccup mellows out by his older years. He’s someone who has found tranquility and peace of mind. There’s a sense of confidence and wisdom in his faded green eyes, an individual who has gained this from his many years of successful and revolutionary chiefing. Hiccup holds himself still with a sense of humble pride even when his back starts to stoop. He has many stories to tell, and he will recount them to many people who are willing. “There were dragons when I was a boy...”

Astrid has mellowed out a little, too. She’s still got a fierce sparkle in her eye, and will crack a few comments to the others in her tribe about picking up their axe and tackling the problem head on. But that gentle, sympathetic side which has always been a part of her has grown monumentally. It almost makes it more powerful to be around Astrid, now that she has it. There is also a sense of calm confidence about her; nothing will shake her up.

Snotlout is probably the most crotchety out of the group when he reaches old age. He’s going to grumble about anything and everything, down to the weather being slightly chilly. He’ll keep pretending he’s as fit and strong as ever, still stubborn about admitting weakness: “I hate the weather outside. Not that it makes my joints hurt, they don’t hurt, but they probably make someone’s joints hurt. I don’t like it. It should be sunny.”

Ruffnut and Tuffnut are still a duo. They spend more time apart than they did as youths, but it’s still more often than not you’ll see them together. They’ve maintained a chipper attitude in their later years. They’re very likely to sit about the Great Hall, cracking jokes (some very inappropriate for younger ears), but there’s also a little more maturity that you can sense behind them. I have a weird sense that they might be a little more spiritually involved in the tribe in their later years - not quite the level of Gothi - but still pretty knowledgeable. Especially about Loki. It’s always going to be Loki for them.

Fishlegs adores children. He’s enthusiastic about having them gather around him - on his lap, sitting on his shoulders, pulling at his hair - and he’ll tell them everything and anything in an enthusiastic voice. He becomes quite the teller of stories of dragons he’s discovered or adventures he’s had. Fishlegs has become a great historian for the tribe. He’s recorded much in books and has so much knowledge in his mind. Almost everyone enjoys spending time with him.

37. Favorite track in the HTTYD or HTTYD 2 OST?

Definitely Dragon Racing. It’s a suite of all the well-known themes from the first HTTYD movie, arranged together in an extraordinarily energetic and well-organized rondo form. Not to mention it’s got superb instrumentation! I listen to this song and all I ever want to do is jump up and dance. Sometimes I do!

45. Have any HTTYD OCs?

Ish. I’ve made a few suggestions for children of the dragon riders. The one I’m the most enthusiastic about and sold on is Katja Kari Haddock, one of the children of Hiccup and Astrid. She’s an adventurous spirit and has a bit too much of her father’s impulsivity.

56. Suggest a DreamWorks Dragons episode plot.

I would do anything for them to take “How to Cheat a Dragon’s Curse” and turn it into a RTTE episode. Sure, people could say that it’s similar to Buffalord Soldier... but just think... that book in all its unfettered glory as an episode! I think it’d work really well! Fishlegs is dying from the sting of a Venomous Vorpent. Ruffnut and Hiccup have to get a potato from an extraordinarily wild group of dangerous Vikings (we could make it Astrid and Hiccup, but I think Ruffnut’s a great fit for this episode, and I’m all for entertaining and unique team duos). It’d just be such a funny and entertaining adventure.

58. You have to give each of the dragon riders awards. What awards do you give everyone?

Hehehehe I forgot I’d talked about this.

65. Let's be mean. How do you think each of the dragon riders will die?

Ohohohohooooooo let’s go.

Tuffnut is the first to die of their friendship group. He dies in that gray area between middle age and old age. His body doesn’t hold up well from all the ridiculous things he did in his younger years, and it gives out on him. Tuffnut collapses in his house one day; they aren’t able to save him. Ruffnut is very withdrawn for a few weeks following, and stays quiet for a few months after, but she is at a point in her life where she can handle the loss of her twin with pretty good fortitude.

Snotlout dies next a few years later. It’s an accident with a dragon. There was a rowdy monstrous nightmare that Snotlout was trying to calm for one of the younger individuals of Berk. The monstrous nightmare didn’t mean any harm but... well... it got scared... and accidents happen.

I imagine Hiccup and Astrid both die of old age, fairly peacefully, fairly painlessly. I wrote one story where Astrid, in her old age, gets sick and dies before Hiccup. Hiccup is there at her bedside as she draws her last breaths. It’s an illness that would have been easy to recover from in younger years... but now, it takes her life.

Fishlegs dies in his old age. Maybe it’s a heart attack - the Vikings wouldn’t know with their medicine.

I imagine that Hiccup and Ruffnut live the longest. Hiccup dies in his sleep. Ruffnut slowly watches her health fade, she gets more and more fragile, until it’s time to go to Valhalla.

68. What made you fall in love with How to Train Your Dragon?

I don’t remember, weirdly enough. You’d think I would... it came out when I was in high school... but I don’t remember my specific reason. I remember enjoying Toothless acting like a kitty and the music being stupendous the first time I left the theatre. My love of HTTYD was something that renewed itself in 2014 with the approach of HTTYD 2. I know I fell in love with HTTYD 2 because of the powerful bittersweet and relatable emotions it conveyed... that was powerful and I ate it up.

70. What is the BEST thing (to you) about HTTYD and its franchise?

Its message of hope. How to Train Your Dragon, both the books and the movies, goes through some gnarly events. But even through all the darkness and danger, there remains a certain enchantment and sense of hope throughout the stories. HTTYD retains a magic... a dream... an image of flying freely on the back of a dragon. It gives us a sense of inspiration. Our spirits are uplifted when we see the dragons fly. When we see Hiccup save the day. When we enter the world of Berk and dragon-riding Vikings.

#long post #httyd ask meme #ask meme #meme #blabbing Haddock #ask #ask me #cobaltqueen #seabloods #awesome anonymous friend #anonymous

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zizliine · 6 years

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Hello TUMBLR! It’s been a super long time since the last time I type things on a blog. I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time, sometimes I just jot my removable pen on a random note that always gone, or on a memo app that tend to deleted accidentally. So I decided to share my thoughts on this platform, idk what would it be, but I’m sure it’ll be healthy for my mental lol.

There is a loooot of things I have in my mind. I always have this roller coaster brain, juggling up and down.

DECEMBER 2015 - I GRADUATED! I was one of the best student you can say. Graphic design. After my graduation, there is a lot of things happened. I do regret that up until this early 2018, I still don’t know what to do with my life. Since I was a kid, I always love doing tons of things, you know it if you’ve been followed me through my junior high school blogs. I used to aim to be a multitalented someone, independent woman, and self-sufficient.

It happened mostly on being someone who is talented on doing a lot of things, "Jack of all trades, master of none”. I keep jumping on wanting to be a graphic designer, interior designer, chef, business owner (clothing store and cafe mainly), Muay Thai fighter, youtuber, makeup artists. Its crazy.

JANUARY 2016 - So this is what happened, after my graduation. My dad hospitalized, he was diagnosed with Hepatitis B at first (early 2016) and the other hospital said he got Hepatitis C afterward. Me and my mom went back and forth accompany my dad, to Kuching, Malaysia, to Singapore too. I guess it took only 6 months for him to recovered and free of the virus, THANK GOD. Because of that, my grandma was sent to Jakarta to stay and treated with my uncle, because we were busy taking care of my dad (for 3 months).

MAY 2016 - Then my Dad bought a new house, we were so busy designing the house. My dad assigned me to communicate with the interior designer, and I kept looking for design inspiration that match with my family’s taste. I always consider others, always want their taste to be contributed to the house. I want the touch of us, in every part of the house. My sister was capable of choosing the look and feel of the house, the way she wanted. My bro and my parents only told me they want “Hotel” theme, which is sleek and clean, specifically brownish n warm tone just like Marina Bay Sands hotel. The construction started around May 2016.

During that time, my dad kept going back to Singapore for a following check up, I am soo grateful that my boyfriend always had my back, up until now. Idk what to do if I don’t have him, I wasn’t that strong :)

JUNE 2016 - My lovely Auntie taught me how to bake eggtart, and it was a really good experience cos I LOVEEE EGGTART! It was my grandmother’s recipe. The outer crisps was damn good. I modified the recipe by adding some grated cheese and grounded almond. My family was proud of me and really loving the tarts. I baked a lot during that time, I gave it away for my friends and family (including my boyf’s grandma, and she sent me a pumpkin egg tart too)

JULY 2016 - Its the Hari Raya Holiday again, so my family went to Singapore again. I brought the egg tart that I baked 3am in the morning for my boyfriend’s family, I choose the best ones and hand carry them to Singapore lol. We went to the zoo, I remember how I was super influenced by Mathilda, Leon The Professional’s clothing style. On 4th of July, I was invited to Emilie’s 4th Birthday, she is my boyfriend’s cousin.

NOVEMBER 2016 - I was texted by someone, I was shocked at first, but she became my best friend now. She contacted me to become a model for her clothing store, I was with my other friend, who turned out to be my boyfriend’s cousin too. We had fun at the photoshoot, we played with makeup too. After that, I told them how I enjoy making lace choker, then we started our first business together, Dixi Choker, but it only last for a while lol.

DECEMBER 2016 - The three of us are three musketeers, we went everywhere together, it was a great time. There was a lot of great event we had, going to Jessandra’s bday party together, had Christmas dimsum & went to the church on Christmas Eve, it was really great. Then in the end of year, I bleached my hair to blonde! I had awesome time. My family went to Singapore again to spend our New Year. 30th December, me and my boyfriend went to Art Science museum, we happily bought the NASA tshirt as a couple lol. On the 2nd of January, my fam supposed to go back to Indo, but the plane had trouble so we postponed the flight, and went back the day after, just the day before my birthday.

JANUARY 2017 - On the 5th of January, my best friend Klara and Jessica surprised me at King’s Restaurant, I wasn’t expected that at all. These two girls are really sweet that I guess, I opened myself to them the most. You know, it is not easy to get close to me. I have such a cold heart. Just like cold turkey in the cold storage lol. I had a lot of Star Wars gift too from my friends and my boyfriend!

We held our grandmother’s 85th birthday party on 11 January. I forgot when she went back, but we gather all her relatives, her siblings and had our dinner at Restoran Gajahmada. She carried her peached shaped pao, very happily. She really loves pink, so we dressed her all in pink. “Dadu”, is how she named pink. I miss her so much as how I look at her pictures. During my house construction, we took our grandma with her wheelchair to visit the house too, she was so happy and resists to go back to our old house lol. She’s so funny. On January 27th, we fly back to Singapore again for Chinese New Year & go back again on 31th of January.

FEBRUARY 2017 - Klara, Jessica and me went to Kuala Lumpur for farewell trip because Jessica was going to pursue her study to New Zealand. It was a very sad moment tho, but so memorable. I’ve never really go anywhere with friends before, I did, but for a study tour to Taiwan when I was in senior high school. It’s because of the school, lol. So we had a really good time you know, we went shopping and had so many photoshoots. Cafe hoping and culinary mostly, play dress up and make up.

MARCH 2017 - On 15th of March, Jessica fly to NZ. I am not a type of person who melts easily, who cry easily in front of people cos I am trained to hold my tears as I always want to look strong. But I’m dying inside, I miss her a lot. When she was around, she talked to me a lot, maybe she does it to other of her friend too, but I listened to her as she is my only friend. She shared me her secrets, we had a lot of deep talk and quality things. You know, I’m into deep talks and building deep connections. The next day, my friend from Korea, Ji Eun (She is actually my older sister’s classmate, and her bro was my classmate, so we got so close) visited Pontianak. We had empek2, ice cream angi, and she boughts some DVD contained Indonesian Folklore animation, then we had our dinner at KBAB, played monopoly deal together with my sister.

I took my Ielts class with Klara, we had 3 months of course. I was actually disappointed with my results lol, but its okay cos the score is above the requirements.

APRIL 2017 - Me and my fam went to informa a lot to buy furnitures, it was a great experience cos it was the first time we move lol. We decide together for our garden design too. It felt great, after 3 years away from my family, we had a lot to catch up. On Easter (16 April), I went to church with Linda, accidentally met my boyfriend’s auntie and cousins. Then on April 29th, me and my family went to Singkawang. We had great time, such a wonderful road trip. This is what I love the most, when we usually have our holiday in Singapore, my dad is always busy at the casino, stucking his nose up to those machine lol. I was always busy with my boyfriend too. So this little trip helps a lot you know. Its an awesome go-getter.

MAY 2017 - My english teacher since I was in high school, the one who help my IELTS when I was going to Singapore came back to Ponti after she Moved to US with her husband. We had a great lunch at Saung Kedah. Then on 22nd of May, My boyfriend visited Pontianak! With the whole pack, his parents, his twins, lil bro and older sis. I spent a lot of time with his family. I was invited to his parent’s Anniversary, and her grandma’s new house blessing (24 May). It was a great opportunity. On 26th of May, me and bf went for a movie together, it was our first time watching movie together in Pontianak. We watched Pirates of the Carribean lol. Then I took him and his grandfather to Ice cream Angi, and we went to fix his portable wifi too. I dragged my boyfriend to Kopi Aming too, his first time trying my favourite coffee in Ponti.

JUNE 2017 - We moved to our new house! I was so happy organizing our house, especially my room. I made drawer separation system by using pretty cardboard and turned out pretty well. It was the time when I was all crazy about plants too, disgustingly obsessed. It was a bad obsession I can say, until I bought a lot of gardening stuff, seeds, and hydroponic system. It was also the time I tried to import stuff from China, started my online business clothing store. I bought my ringlight too, oh GOD I spent a lot of money. On 25th June, My family went to Singapore again. I guess it was only me, mom and dad. I went to Ikea and daiso a lot to buy organizing stuff. We went to Universal Studio for the first time (we went twice for the Halloween Horror Night, but never for the day rides lol). I introduced him the Pork Bun too, the one I had when I was in Hongkong.

JULY 2017 - It was when I went so deep into gardening. Had my pretty marigold flowers blooming from seeds. Then my Auntie came back from Jakarta and taught us to make Pizza from Pan, sweet potato purple doughnuts, and Biji Salak. It was so great. Then my cousin introduced me to Sims 4, and I was impulsively bought the game from tokopedia. Which is a huge regret now. I hate myself when I got into games, I could play it all day long until I neglect my life. That is how fast I get addicted into things.

My dad always pet a specific fish, its Red Parrot Fish. He really love it, but everytime we move the fish, from house to house, they always get stressed out. The older and big fishes died slowly. One by one, then he got new ones, I guess almost 20 fishes lol. I got myself succulents too, and I got some for my sister. I also bought a lot of IKEA furnitures, sent them through an container expedition sent by ship cos it costs so much if I use the regular one. I had fun in assembling the furnitures too. I went crazy in buying plant seeds too lol.

On July, my boyfriend visited ponti again. We surprised our friend Shella with other friends too. As usual, when my boyfriend come to ponti, we always have Ice Cream Angi with his Akong. His Akong loves Ice Cream so much. Then me and my boy went to Shinjuku, a Japanaese Yakitori Street Food. We had kaloci, tausuan, and pentol as a closing of our dinner lol. At night, we tapao Bakmie Atie for Ama. The morning before he go back to Sg, we initially wanted to have tiammie for breakfast, but the store was closed, so we ate Bakso in front of my complex, and I drived him to eat some Tua Ce Ie too. He love it so badly. (25July)

I sold my first clothing piece on 27th of July. I was so happy lol. During this month, I spent my day promoting my clothing store and taking care of my plants.

AUGUST 2017 - My auntie came back again, we made some handmade noodles and sponge cakes. I took pictures of her recipe books as she told me to. I spent my time with my Senior High School friend too, as he is a photographer, I asked him to help me to take pics for my clothing store. I asked Anggi and Michelle (my niece) to be the model.

26th August, is when my Grandma passed away. I was torn apart. I hate myself so much that I did not spend more time with her. I spend more time with my boyfriend’s grandparents a lot more than with mine. I was so sad that I lose her. It my first time to lose someone who is so close to me. She was buried on 1st of September 2017.

SEPTEMBER 2017 - We visited Singapore again. I forgot what it was for hahaha. But mainly I just had fun with my mom and boyfriend. We had nice dinners so many times. We went to China town to buy some jerky beef, and as usual my main restaurants to go in Sg are Genki Sushi, Tanuki Raw, Mcd, Menya Musashi, Kanshouku, any Kbbq or Hotpot restaurant. When I went back to ponti, I always limit my food intake lol.

OCTOBER 2017 - We held my sister’s birthday too, I bought her mangoo cheesecake. She was happy, and me and my friend surprised her for the second time at Tyga per Ampat too.

NOVEMBER 2017 - I prepared my bro’s bbq party. I made him sate taichan, bbq chicken, sauteed potato (4NOV). My housemate when I was in Singapore visited to Ponti too, they are originally from Batam & Medan. We surprised Brenda’s bday party too, twice (6NOV). First at Botani, followed a BBQ party at William’s house. I was still in a journey to lose some weights, so I bought a lot of granola during that time. I bought an expensive muay thai punching bag too. CRAZY. I always made a bold move in spending my money. (18Nov) I did see results, my waist are smaller. I visited Jakarta on 19th November, mainly for my acne treatment. Then I had nice dinner at Kintant with Gris, and Shaburi with my mom. The rests are random KBBQ, random Indo food with my cousin.

DECEMBER 2017 - I only focus doing muay thai and losing weight, I did some intense classes, follow kayla itsiness and strict with my diet. I made my weight planner, it was crazy. I bought protein powder from my protein, I was really focus in making myself feel stronger and energetic. I determined to be healthy so I can focus better. THEN MY FAMILY FLY TO SG AGAIN TO SPEND OUR NEW YEAR! hahahhaa.. its always like that.

JANUARY 2018 - So from 28 Dec to 6 January, 9 days spent in Singapore. Me and my whole fam spent times in Singapore, then my Fam went back first on 1st of January. I stayed at Derrick’s home. I accompanied him to school, sitting at the cafe and read Girl Boss book. Then on 3rd of January my dad and mom came to Sg again to pick me up! Hahahha that is how my dad spoil his 23 years old daughter. I’m old alr but he is still super protective. He was actually fly from Ponti-Jkt to had his dental surgery, but he decided to pick me up. I want to extend my day in Sg cos I want to spend it with my boyfriend. I don’t wanna be in Ponti for some reasons. It feels like I’m getting old but I have no where to go. I know its my hometown, but it feels strange somehow. I am weird, its hard for me to get along with people here. I hate those eyes staring at me with the thoughts I predict they wud say. I know it might be only in my mind. But I hate myself enough already, those questions asking me about what’s my career now, what am I working now is depressing. I need time with myself. I just want to be with someone I feel safe with, which is my boyfriend. I feel so calm whenever I am with him, might be the reason why I want to be with him forever. I am anxious every time, talking to him was the greatest feeling ever. He always giving me positive feedback and encourage me. It was great.

So I went back to ponti after that, and my parents went to Sg again. My mom was on cruise trip to Thailand & Sg.

FEBRUARY 2018 - My cousin from my Dad’s side had his wedding, somehow we didn’t go there even though they were waiting for our presence. Its kinda pressurize me when I have those thoughts abt ppl asking me what I am doing. So I decided not to go by that reason. And chosing nice dresses on not-so-confident-me is stressful too. idk why i stress everything over small things. Btw we surprised our mom too, she had her birthday! Then again, my dad and mom fly to Singapore again. Kinda bad decision tho, cos Jipek suddenly passed away. He is my best uncle on earth. I love him so much eventho I never show it when he’s alive. He taught me gardening, asked me to eat rose petals, drenching rose plants with crazy tons waters, he pet an orang utan, taught us how to draw, and a lot of things.

So yeah, idk what else to write. There are a lot of memorable things, even though I feel I did not achieve something during this past 2 years, at least I learnt a lot. I always wonder what if , what if I continue to work or just continue my study in Singapore during 2015-2018. But I wouldn’t be as close as this with my family, I won’t have time to catch up with my grandma, I wouldn’t be there when my Ama left. I feel like God sent me to Ponti to have golden time with my family. I was way too harsh with myself when people asked me why am I still in ponti doing nothing. I cursed myself everytime people asked me things abt my future. Guess what? I am okay. I learnt a lot.

- I lose 2 of my favourite people, but I was there before they gone.

- I was there to help my mom taking care of my dad and ama. So she was not alone.

- My dad bought a house and need me to help with the design.

-I learnt muay thai and made some connections with them.

-I got new close friends, Klara and Jessica, and Gerry too hahah.

-I got close to my bf’s grandparents.

-I participate in makeup competitions and started few videos on my chanel, its growing but slow hahha

-I learnt a lot abt gardening

-I hang out a lot at a coffee shop, and make some friends.

-I started my online shops and struggled!

-I did some organizing at my new house which is a great thing I guess?

-I cook a looooooot for my family, thank God they love it.

-I fly to places without my parents (hongkong with sisters) and kuala lumpur with my besties.

-I did chalk drawings at a cafe with Linda and Jeff.

-I work with 5 clients on graphic design (Rutos, Achiang, Shica, Cloud Vape, Cokoer) Some cv design for friends, and some i dont really remember lol.

-I catch up with hair dying experiment again with my mbak and myself! I permed and bleach my hair too lol idk whether its smth special to mention or not.

- I did makeup for people too and earn money for it!

Its crazy how time flies, but it was not for nothing. God has been good to me.

During 2015-2018 (disgusted with myself how i spend my time but you know, its not bad at all! )

So now its 2018 guys! There is a lot more to come. I realized when I try to do graphic design freelancing, it was really hard to manage my time, to make my income constant, pricing my work, to talk with clients and everything. I was alone to do it all.

It was hard to run an online business alone, order stuff, talk to clients, design, market my stuff, branding, send the stuff.

I know i can grow through makeup, cos I can see it is my passion now. But I need to prioritize what I need now. I need to earn money. Real money. So I decided to take my path and take a turn. I’ll be mentally stable in Singapore, working with a good amount of salary, and constant too.

All i need to do is just to play safe right now. Cos hell yeah ofc, I need money. I just need to save up. I need to be good in saving money, as what ppl say, to earn is easy but saving is hard. I need a stability, I need to anchor myself on something I am sure about. I need commitment. I need something to hang on. Which is what I have and certified is graphic design.

So now I am planning to revamp rebuild my portfolio, cv, resume and cover letter. I will target myself to apply some jobs in Singapore before March. Hopefully I’ll get some interviews. PLEASE GOOOODDDD! HELP ME! Hehee.

If not, (worst case scenario lol) I’ll take some courses, online and in school. I want to specialized in UI & UX. Then on early march, I will go to Jakarta with my sister and mom, she had an art exhibition. I wanna grab new laptop for me to work better.

But yeah currently I’m working on my works, and trying to sharpen my skills, get into my workflow, and learn some more skills on share skills ! WISH ME LUCKKKKKK <3 <3

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