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fiveisnumber1 · 3 years

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Timeless - Five Hargreeves x Reader

Main story parts:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29

_________________________

Pt 29 - Sir Reginald and the Kids of the Round Table

You watched as Five disappeared and Luther walked out of the building with Diego trailing behind. You continued to face towards the downstairs area as you mumbled,

"Great."

From behind you, you can hear Allison question curiously,

"Number Zero, huh?" Allison

You turn around to look at her, annoyance written all over your face. You didn't want to deal with the conversation like this, let alone at all.

"It wasn't my choice. You think I wanted to be reduced to a number? I didn't care in the slightest that zero came before one." You replied, "I'm a person with a name, not an experiment and I made sure he followed that."

"So you are dear old daddy's favorite. Y'know I always kind of figured so. Never understood why though since you're the exact opposite of what he wanted his children to be." Klaus says with a drunken laugh

"Hell if I know. Our relationship has always been...complex." You state as you cross your arms over your chest

You couldn't quite grasp if they were just curious about the revelation or if they were actually upset by finding out their dad had called you number zero. Even if Luther was done with his dad, he still seemed to care a lot about it and unfortunately, they all still had their issues with their father so you had no clue how they might feel. You hoped it was just curiosity because you had never wanted to be zero and you really couldn't think of a circumstance in which you would accept such a name. It would have to be the only option left to agree to such a thing but Five and you all were going to stop the apocalypse so it wouldn't be a worry. You stand around awkwardly as a silence looms in the air over those of you who were still in the apartment. Wondering if and when the rest of them would come back, you all waited for a bit. After a few moments though Klaus broke the silence and said,

"This had been nice but you know, I could really go for some tacos right now. Allison?"

"Tacos? Shouldn't we wait?" Allison questioned

"You know those guys. I mean, it could take forever for them to bro it out. Vanya, tacos?" Klaus replies

"Is there any way that tacos are gonna cause the end of the world?" Vanya asks

"I mean, there's only one way to find out, right?" Klaus remarks

"Sure is." Allison chimes

"Let's go!" Klaus exclaims

"Where are you guys going? We need to figure out how to stop the...apocalypse" You tried to exclaim but it was no use

You stood at the top of the balcony as you watched them leave. You were starting to understand how Five felt dealing with his siblings. From behind you, you hear a voice say,

"I've missed you all...so much."

Ben.

"If it means anything, I missed you too." You state as you turn back around looking in Ben's direction

He turns his head to face you and replies,

"It does."

He looked at you and you cocked your head to the side slightly, intrigued at the sight before you. You realized what had felt off about him earlier. You hadn't quite noticed it because when he sat on the TV stand he was so far away but with him up close you realized, you could see him. Clearly. Before when you saw him he was more so just a giant blob of moving particles. Sometimes you could make out a head or arms but it was like static on a TV, no picture was clearly there. But now everything was so defined. It was as if the static had cleared and now you could see him in high definition. You could see his hair, his face, actual appendages like hands and fingers, and...ghost clothes? The point was he looked more like a person. He was still just a bunch of disturbed molecules but now he looked real. All that visualization practice with Charlie finally paid off. Slowly, you approached the seat he was sitting in and leaned down so you were face to face with him. Ben looked back at you confused. You were so close and he didn't know what was going on.

"Are you okay?" Ben asks concerned

You pull back and stand up straight.

"Stand up, Ben." You command

"What?" Ben questions

"Stand up."

Ben hesitantly stands up. You had never been so demanding with him before and he was highly confused about why you were so adamant about him stand up. He looks at you silently as you tell him,

"Lift your arms up, like this." You demonstrate to Ben

"T-pose!" Charlie exclaims

"Correct, but not in this instance." You say turning your attention to Charlie before turning back to Ben "Just trust me."

Ben looked at you and although he was confused there was a genuine look in your eyes. Unlike his siblings, you were trustworthy, you had never done him wrong. Slowly, Ben raised his arms like you had instructed before he got his arms up fully you wrapped your arms around his torso. You were hugging him. It wasn't a perfect hug because he wasn't solid, and if you held him too tight your arms would go through him, but you could feel the barrier of molecules where his back was and tried to balance your arms there. It took a second for Ben to register what was going on but once he did he carefully wrapped his arms back around you. This was the first hug he had gotten in years. He couldn't remember the last time someone held him but at this moment he forgot that he was a ghost and for the first time in years he felt like a person. Ben leaned more into the hug as he took in every second of it. He had wanted this for so long. He tried to wrap his arms around you tighter to bring you, the only other person who could see him, closer. But as he did so his arms went through you and he remembered a glaring fact.

He was still dead.

Although he was disappointed by the reality of his existence and the façade of normalcy he felt a moment ago, he held on anyway. With the way things were going he didn't know if he'd get this ever again. After a bit, you pulled away and shot him a smile. You wondered if Klaus was kind to his brother with no real autonomy but you also hoped that Ben was kind to his evidently struggling sibling. You looked around the place and saw that no one had returned as of yet.

"Hmm. Five would've been back by now." You comment

"Unless he ran off to do something," Charlie retorts

"Good point. I'm going to go take a look around outside real quick." You state before turning to Charlie "Charlie talk to Ben while I'm gone."

"Where is he? I can't see him like you can." Charlie asks

You use your arms to gesture to the space before you where Ben was standing. Charlie approaches albeit confused but tries his best to stand in front of him. With that, you start to walk away to head outside to look for Five but as you do Charlie calls out,

"Wait! He can't reply. What do I talk about?"

"I don't know, Russian Literature?" You shoot back

"That's a big no-no in my house. Y'know with my dad working for the government and all."

"Right. 1960s anti-Russian sentiment. Uh, just talk about something he can relate to then." You reply as you walk away

Charlie turns to Ben and the last thing you can hear is him asking,

"Do you want to hear about my shitty dad?"

With that, you walk out to try and find Five but he would be nowhere to be found. After seeing Lila on the roof he immediately started to chase after her. One, because he absolutely despised her and wanted her dead but also because he didn't want her anywhere near you or his family. If he played along with her little chase game he could get her further from you and his siblings. Five follows close behind as Lila continues to run, leading him away from the main part of town towards the industrial sector. Five keeps his distance as he follows her to what looks like an abandoned paint warehouse. He hides behind a wall as he sees her grab a small plank of wood and smash open the window of a door, letting herself into the building. Cautiously, he trails behind her. Looking into the building he makes sure the coast is clear before spatial jumping behind Lila. Lila turns on her heel to look at Five. He shoves his hands into his pockets and with a sarcastic smirk on his face he questions,

"What's your game, crazy lady?"

"Who cares? You said if you saw me again, you'd kill me." Lila comments

"Oh, I remember." Five states

"Well, come on, big talker. Let's get this done." Lila taunts

"All right." Five replies

Spatial jumping Five attempts to attack her from behind but somehow Lila anticipates his movement and roundhouse kicks him in the jaw knocking him backward. Five grabs his jaw and attempts to get up while Lila runs away. Five chases her down a corridor of the abandoned warehouse, spatial jumping in front of her stopping her in her tracks. He then rushes her, jumping into the air to kick her but she leans back and dodges his attack. Landing on his feet Five immediately spins backward to kick her and lands a hit on her jaw. The two of them go blow of blow landing some hits on each other and missing others. Taking a few steps back Lila jumps over a large piece of concrete and Five follows. Looking towards where she should be Five finds nothing. He stops in his tracks but then hears,

"I'm waiting."

Five looks over to where the voice came from and there across the room stood Lila. He looked at her confused. How did she get over there so quickly? That didn't matter. Five jumped over to where she would be but once again she was nowhere to be found.

"Fed up yet, Five?" Lila mocks

Five turned to where the voice came from and there she was standing across the room again. Five stopped for longer and stared in her direction. The confusion and frustration of this situation built up inside of him. Looking around Five finds a pipe on the ground. Picking it up he spatial jumps over to where Lila was standing but instead of hitting her, he hits an electrical box. Turning around he sees her behind him and as she lifts one of her legs up to kick him he sweeps the other one out from under her making her fall to her back on the ground. Five then step on her neck keeping her in place. Through a choked voice Lila comments,

"You're better than I thought."

"And you are entirely average." Five belittles before calling "You can come out now."

Five can hear the familiar clacking of heels on the floor behind him. The Handler.

"Well done. You figured it out." The Handler says

"Well, it wasn't very hard. She fights like every one of you Commission drones." Five retorts, his focus still on keeping Lila down

"Hmm. No matter, here we are. Together again. I've gotta ask...did you miss me, you little shit?" The Handler questions

Five looks at her. His expression filled with subdued anger. There's a silence in the room except for the distorted laughter of Lila from the floor.

"You've got a good nose." The Handler comments

"You know, planting her in a psych ward, taking advantage of my simpleton brother, that was smart." Five replies sarcastically as he presses his foot down harder on Lila's throat causing her to struggle

"Well, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree." The Handler states as she looks down at Lila

Five's head whips towards the Handler.

"She's your..." Five starts to question

"Daughter. Yes. And she's my only one, so I'd appreciate it if you didn't crush her windpipe." The Handler answers

Lila continues to struggle but Five reluctantly lifts his foot off her throat letting her go free. She gasps for air as she stands up and makes her way to her mother's side. She then slowly approaches Five getting in his face and states,

"I am so going to enjoy killing you someday."

"Lila, darling, would you give us a minute, please?" The Handler requests

"Yes, the grown-ups need to talk." Five adds with a cocky smile

Lila looks to her mother in hopes that she changes her mind but to no avail. Lila rolls her eyes and walks away to the other side of the room annoyed, angrily flipping a piece of metal so that it clatters to the ground. When Lila is far enough away Five takes a step closer to the Handler and in a low voice asks,

"What is it you want?"

"Do you like jazz, Five?" The Handler asks back

"I'd rather lick a cheese grater." Five retorts

"Aww. Jazz is like a beautiful woman. Complex, emotional, hard to please. She doesn't just give it to you...she makes you work for it." The Handler explains as she walks around the room

Five places his hands in his pockets and turns on his heel to face her. Keeping his distance he replies,

"I have no experience with the type of woman you're talking about so I'm really hoping that you're going somewhere with this analogy."

The Handler walks back over to him and with a smile adds,

"Under my leadership, the Commission would sound more like...jazz."

"And what about the board of directors?" Five questions critically getting up in her face

"Well, that's where you come in." The Handler replies tapping his nose with her pointer finger

Five takes a step back away from her and cocks his head to the side. In a firm tone, he states,

"Nope. No, it isn't."

The Handler walks around Five to the space behind him and elaborates,

"In exchange for the assassination of the board, I'm willing to get you, your family, and that girlfriend you love so dearly out of this timeline and back to 2019 where you belong."

"And what about World War III that's due to kick off in just a few days?" Five inquires turning to look at her

"Once you, your girlfriend, and your siblings are gone, that goes away."

"And the apocalypse when we get back to 2019?"

"That too."

Five leans in looking at her critically. The cynic in him was screaming about the nonchalant nature of her statements. This was a woman who would do anything for power so Five knew there was some type of plan she had in her head. In a lowered voice Five angrily criticizes,

"I distinctly remember you telling me that that apocalypse had to happen, that it was supposed to happen."

The Handler walks around Five once more so she is directly behind him. As she walks she explains,

"Back then I was toeing the company line, but once I'm in charge..."

The Handler then presses herself up against Five's back leans in closer to his ear. Five didn't like how close she was and tensed up as he felt her against him.

We can riff." The Handler whispered in his ear

Five took a step forward putting a small amount of distance between the two as he stated,

"Jazz."

"Exactly." The Handler replies as she walks in front of him again

Five turns and walks away from her scratching the back of his neck. Taking a breath he turns back around to face her, a sizable distance now between them. Looking at the Handler, Five questions,

"What about the board of directors, hmm? I mean, nobody knows who they are."

"Correct. But once every fiscal quarter, they get together for a board meeting."

"Where?" Five asks looking at her curiously

"The question is when. They meet somewhere in the timeline but never in the same place twice. The exact location and date of these board meetings is the most closely-guarded secret in the Commission."

Five looks around, an unsurprised smirk appearing across his face. He turns away for a second as he comments,

"But you know where it's gonna be, don't you?"

"Would I be any good at what I do if I didn't? Listen Five, don't think about it as killing the board for me, think about it as getting to live out the rest of your newfound life with (Y/N)."

With the sound of your name leaving her mouth and hitting his ears he quickly turns on his heel to face her. A wave of adrenaline and anger coursed through his veins as he flashed closer to her. He stared her down with malicious intent as he demanded,

"How do you know her name."

"Oh calm down Five. I work for the commission how could I not? Truly, your love story is one for the ages, don't you think?" The Handler remarks in a cheery yet malevolent tone

She walks towards him that facade of kindness and charity not fooling him in the slightest. As she walks around him she details in that false-kind tone,

"Two best friends fall in love at a young age before being separated for years on end. You witness her death and swear to go back and prevent it with only some book and a necklace to remember her by. How sweet."

As she comes back to stand directly in front of him she comments,

"I bet you're wearing that necklace right now, aren't you?"

Indeed he was. Hiding under the shirt his academy uniform was the locket you had given him all those years ago. Unconsciously, when she mentioned it he brought his hand up to cover where it rested as if trying to protect it from her. Trying to protect you from her. Five lets out an angered huff before commanding firmly,

"You leave her out of this. Whatever game you're trying to play is between you and me."

"Fine. But remember, doomsday's right around the corner, and the way things are going, I'm your only option to save her."

Five takes a step towards her and looks her dead in the eyes.

"Not yet you aren't."

And without another word, he flashes away. He was going to get you and his family out of here and he was going to do it without her help.

You on the other hand had gone outside to look for him but he was nowhere to be found. As you turned and walked back towards Elliott's place you mumbled to yourself,

"Hopefully it doesn't take him four years to get back."

Teleporting yourself inside the building you can hear Charlie say,

"And then when I was ten my mom died and my dad hired a nanny to take care of me instead of you know doing it himself. Because he sucks."

"I wish you could hear me because you are so right!" You can hear Ben yell back

You smirk a little at two of your friends hanging out and bonding over shitty dads. You still couldn't relate but it was funny to hear them so passionate about it. Transporting yourself upstairs you tell the two of them,

"Can't find him."

"Well, the good news is he's like a boomerang. He always comes back." Charlie replies cheerfully before adding "I don't blame him though. That family meeting was shit."

"He has a point. It was so bad." Ben comments

You plop down on the couch across from the two of them and ask aloud,

"When was the last time we actually had a good family gathering?"

"Our 13th birthday party," Ben answers just a little too fast

He wasn't wrong though. Granted, you had never been to a family gathering again until Reginald's funeral but from that experience, you were sure that there were probably plenty of awful gatherings before as well.

"I guess it was better than it could've gone though. It was mainly a lot of arguing and only one murder attempt this time." You comment

"You base how well a gathering goes on how many attempted murders there are?" Charlie questions

"Partially," you answer

"I say this with the utmost respect but y'all are fucked up." Charlie states

"Yeah. I know." You reply nodding your head

You kick your feet up on the coffee table trying to find some type of relaxation after all of the mess that had occurred. It had felt like a week's worth of activities was shoved into less than 24 hours. If only you could put a stop to this whole apocalypse mess. You lean back more on the couch and as you do so Ben asks,

"So you've been living with my dad in this time?"

"Yup. I didn't choose it though, it was more of just a domino effect of events. Dropped in the alley, found by mom, who was an actual person in the '60s surprisingly, we met your dad, human mom adopted me, human mom started dating your dad, and then we just permanently moved in with him." You explain "But it's alright, I typically just hang out with Charlie and we avoid people most of the time so it's been fine. Right, Charlie?"

"It's decent," Charlie says with a shit-eating grin

Ben gets a laugh from Charlie's impersonal response and you roll your eyes.

"Okay, wow." you respond sarcastically before turning to Ben and asking "What have you been up to Ben?"

"Reluctantly following Klaus and his cult around for the past 3 years because I had nowhere else to go."

"You know I'm both surprised and not surprised that Klaus started a cult." You respond

"From what you told me it seems pretty on-brand for him (Y/N)," Charlie says

"Well, he rolled the highest charisma stat of the family." You responded

"Huh?" Ben questions

"Don't worry about it. It's not important. Just an old D&D reference that my friends would get." You reply to him, your voice dropping off

You missed your friends. You missed a lot of things from 2019 but the experiences and memories with them are what you missed most of all. You loved being with Charlie and you wouldn't trade his friendship for anything but it was the little things like weekly D&D or going out and wrecking criminals or Wii Just Dance competitions that you wished you had back. You had to get out of this timeline at some point so you hoped you'd see them again.

"So where have you been staying now since you've been back in Dallas, Ben?" Charlie questions somehow forgetting he can't hear the response

"The cult has a sprawling estate in the more affluential part of Dallas. It's been pretty abandoned but we're all back now." Ben answers also forgetting that Charlie can't hear him

Charlie and Ben stare at each other in silence waiting for someone to say something. You snap out of your thoughts and burst out laughing realize what was going on. It was even funnier because while you could see Ben looking back you knew anyone else viewing this would see Charlie just staring off in the distance. Through your laughs, you chime in,

"Charlie, you can't hear him, remember?"

"Oh right," Charlie replies with a small chuckle

"Anyway, he's living in the abandoned estate near our houses. I guess it's not so abandoned anymore though since the whole cult is back."

"Oh, so that's whose cult lived by us. Small world I guess." Charlie says

"It must be interesting living with a cult." You remark

"It's a mess," Ben replies

"A mess? It can't be that bad can it?" You question

"You should stop by and visit tomorrow. See it for yourself." Ben suggests

"Well, we'll have to see where the day goes tomorrow given the...everything." You explain gesturing vaguely

You were about to say more when you suddenly felt a quick flash of disturbance. It was a familiar feeling and knew exactly what it correlated to. Turning your attention towards the downstairs portion of the building you called out,

"Five, is that you?"

After an unfortunate encounter with the Handler, Five was in a poor mood, to say the least. But there was just something about the sound of you calling his name that made him feel a bit better. A small smile came to his face and he spatial jumped once more up to the top part of Elliott's building. He saw you sitting on the couch and asked,

"How did you know I was back?"

"I can feel the disturbance of your spatial jumps. Feels like the back of my neck got flicked."

"Ah, I see." He replies

He then walks over to the couch you were on and sits right down next to you. Wrapping one arm around your shoulders he pulls you closer and places a soft kiss on your temple making you blush.

"Where did you go, Five?" Charlie questions

"Unfortunately, I had a run-in with Diego's crazy girlfriend and found out her mom is my former boss." Five explains

"So she wasn't just some random girl. She was a plant." You comment

"Yes. She was trying to get to me the whole time." Five adds

"Of course Diego would be the type to fall for a plant," Ben said sarcastically

You rolled your eyes but he had a point. You loved your brother dearly and in many cases, he was very tactile and smart but when it came to women and his emotions he had some room for improvement. As you all sat there you could hear the phone ring from the other room. Charlie promptly gets up and goes to answer it.

"Hello? Oh hi. Yes, I can put her on the phone." Charlie says before calling a bit louder "(Y/N) it's for you."

You were curious as to who could be calling you so you got up from the couch and headed into the kitchen with Five following along behind you. Taking the phone from Charlie you place it to your ear and say,

"Hello?"

"Oh, (Y/N) sweetie it's so good to hear your voice! Charlie had called last night but said that you had gone to bed already. I was so worried about you. Are you doing alright?" Your mom asked

"Yes mom, I'm doing alright," you responded

"Oh thank goodness. Listen, Charlie's dad said it's safe for the two of you to come back home." Your mom added

"Oh, okay. I'll let him know. We'll be back soon." You reply

"Okay, sweetie! I love you!"

"Love you too Mom."

You hang up the phone and turn around to look at the group of people behind you. Focusing your attention on Charlie you tell him,

"Your dad said it's safe for us to go back home."

"Oh." Charlie says "That's unfortunate."

"Very." You reply with a sigh

Everything was moving so fast. You had just gotten your boyfriend and you barely got to spend any time with him. Sure you two had a few sweet moments together but with the looming threat of the apocalypse again you didn't know how many more you'd get and when. Your poor mother though. She probably stayed up all night worried about you. You didn't want to prolong that worry because it wasn't something she deserved. You turn your attention to Five and place a hand on his cheek.

"I swear we never get enough time together," you say as you look into his eyes

Five wrap his arms lightly around your waist and looks at you with love in his eyes.

"No time is ever enough time with you, ma chérie."

"Perhaps you're right," you comment

"I know I am." He jokes

You roll your eyes at him. Even in the most chaotic of times he always managed to make your heart skip a beat.

"Well, I better head out then." You state

Five leans down and places a kiss on the top of your head, holding you closer in the process. Oh, how you loved this boy. Tilting your head up you placed a peck to his cheek before slowly leaving his embrace. Gently, you pull your hand back from his cheek and see how he leans into your touch. You smile at him,

"I'll see you soon my love."

"As soon as can be." He replies

You and Charlie then started to make your way out of the building with Five following the two of you until you reached the door. You looked back at him one more time before finally exiting and making your way to Charlie's car. The two of you get in the car and Charlie drives the way back to your house. When you arrive, you both exit the car and head inside. You had barely stepped through the door when your mom threw her arms around you pulling you into a tight hug in the same manner as when you came home after your car being shot up only a few days before. Your poor mother having to deal with so much stress about your safety in only a few days' time. You wouldn't wish this on anyone.

"I'm so glad you're okay, sweetie." Your mom exclaims

"Me too, mom." You reply

From the corner of your eye, you can see Reginald approaching you all. You let go of your mother and turn to face him along with Charlie and your mom.

"I see that you managed to bring her back safely," Reginald says to Charlie

"Yes. Not a scratch on her, sir." Charlie states

"Very well. It's pleasant to have you back at the manor (Y/N)." Reginald states

"Thank you." You reply flatly

You all stood there for a second but you didn't want to be there much longer. Trying to make a quick getaway you start to walk towards the stairs but look back at the others saying,

"I think I'm going to change out of this gala dress and into something more comfortable so I can relax after such a day of tension. How about you go home and do the same Charlie and then we can all have dinner together."

"Sure, that sounds like a good idea. I'll be back." He says before leaving the manor and heading to his car

You continue to walk while looking towards your mom and Reginald and accidentally bump into Marie causing her to drop a piece of paper on the ground. Bending over you pick up the paper as she profusely apologizes to you. Quickly, you skim over the paper and see what it reads.

From the Office of Sir Reginald Hargreeves

To My Pursuers:

I, Reginald Hargreeves, request the pleasure of your company for a light supper on the 20th of November, 1963, at half-past seven o'clock.

1624 Magnolia Street Dallas, Texas

You knew that location and you had a strong hunch of who those pursuers that were being addressed were. Looks like you knew what you were doing at 7:30 pm tomorrow. You hand the letter back to Marie and accept her apologies saying that you were not paying attention to where you were going before heading upstairs to your room. The rest of the night went on without a hitch and as usual, Charlie slept over for the night. The two of you stayed up late as you discussed the events that had occurred in prior days and how the dots were starting to connect together. You also detailed the letter you had read and your plans for the following day.

That was not a smart decision though as it led to both of you sleeping in significantly late. By the time you two woke up, it was already the afternoon. Trying to make sure you were able to do everything you wanted to do, you both quickly got ready ate a small meal, and sped off down the road towards Klaus' cult estate. Both of you had wanted to see it in person and wondered what went on behind the closed doors. And you were already invited by Ben to see the chaos of cult life so why would you turn such an invitation down. As you approached the driveway to the estate Charlie slowed the car down. Turning into the driveway Charlie carefully approached the building. Once you were close enough to it you stepped out of the car and walked the short distance to the entrance as you did so a woman in loose blue clothing and a flower crown noticed the two of you and smiles.

"Hello, friends! Are you here to meet the prophet?" She asks in a kind voice

"Why yes, we are." Charlie states

"A spirit of your prophet invited us to come today." You add

"How lovely! Please follow me." She instructs

The two of you look at each other before following the woman inside the house and down a corridor. As you follow her you see lines of people kneeling on opposite sides of a door. Some are playing tambourines while others hold baskets in their hands. Suddenly, the doors to a room open and you watch as Klaus walks out of the room in only his underwear. That was not a sight you ever thought you would have to see and yet, you did. The followers who held baskets in their hands threw flower petals at Klaus. Whatever was going on had barely even started but you could see why Ben had called it a mess. You and Charlie approach a little closer and see a large room filled with people in blue clothing sitting on the floor. You and Charlie give each other a side-eye glance before looking back at the scene before you;

"Okay, thank you. Sit down. My name is Klaus, and I am an alcoho...Sorry, that's the wrong meeting." Klaus starts

Klaus lets out a nervous laugh but the group is unfazed. You watch as the followers look on with eager eyes as they listen to every word he says. Realizing he needs to say something Klaus continues,

"Uh, in my walkabout, I did a lot of thinking, searching, ruminating, and there's something that I'd like to share with all of you. I'm a fraud. Yeah, I- I've been lying to all of you from- from the start, and, uh...I'm a complete and total fraud." You can see Klaus look over to Ben after finishing his statement and Ben giving him back an acceptable nod. The crowd murmurs to themselves but not long after one man stands up from the crowd and looks around at the others. "Me too. I- I'm a fraud too." The man says

"What is going on?" Charlie whispers to you

"I don't know." you reply quietly

The man approaches Klaus and knees before him continuing,

"I'm the worst kind of fraud. I- I am a fraud to myself. But your scriptures say, As long as I know how to love I know I'll stay alive."

"He used the song I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor as his "scripture" to these people. I bet he did, I bet he stole it." You comment quietly to Charlie

Right after you finish your statement to Charlie, Klaus replies to the man, "But that's not scripture. Okay? That's a song lyric by disco diva Gloria Gaynor, and I stole it!"

"Called it." You state

The crowd murmurs the name Gloria Gaynor to each other in confusion as they wait for Klaus to speak more. Klaus didn't know what to say though and you could see him cracking under the pressure of trying to admit his falseness to the group.

"Look, eh, you guys don't wanna follow me. I can't lead you anywhere. I'm not a guru, I'm not a messiah, I'm...I'm a...fraud! And I don't know what I'm doing up here. I- I don't. I'm just, you know...making it up as we...You- You people should all just...go back to your families." Klaus rambles

The man who had kneeled in front of Klaus before could be heard crying. Letting out a sigh Klaus approaches the man, places his hands on the back of his neck so he will look at him, and in a hushed tone states, "Keechie...Stop, stop, stop, stop. Look, look, look at me in the face, okay? It's okay. It's okay, though. Listen. Everything is gonna be okay. Okay?" "I understand." The man replies

"Good," Klaus says "When we admit our own fraudulence, only then can we experience true humility." The man continues "No, no, no, no, no, no! That's not what I meant. It's not what I meant." Klaus exclaims turning to the group

All the members one by one stand up exclaiming aloud how they are a fraud. You look across the hall and see Ben there standing with a shocked face. As Klaus climbs up the few stairs to stand in the archway again the lady who had brought you into the house approaches Klaus and says,

"Prophet, two visitors have come to see you."

Klaus takes a look in your direction and sees you and Charlie standing there. Opening his arms wide he exclaims with a smile on his face,

"(Y/N)! Come here!"

Reluctantly, you approach him and bring him into a hug. It was quite awkward given the fact he was only in his underwear but yet it was kind of sweet. Even with all the stuff he had done and was currently doing he was still the same Klaus you knew as a kid. You could hear as the crowd of followers went from exclaiming their fraudulence to quiet whispers.

"What brings you and your friend here (Y/N)?" Klaus asks

"We were invited by a spirit of yours," you answer

Klaus takes a look over towards Ben before replying,

"Must've been the pushy and annoying spirit that dragged you here."

"Prophet, who is this (Y/N)?" Keechie asks

"Ah. (Y/N) is my...soul sister..." Klaus lies "We have walked similar paths in life, seen similar things, and although we were physically separated as children our souls are intertwined."

There are oohs and ahhs that come from the crowd of people in the room before you and from behind you, you can hear Charlie trying to stifle laughter. Turning to look at him you shoot him a death glare. This was not entertaining.

"Oh soul sister to the prophet, do you have wisdom of your own that you can bless upon us?" Keechie asks as he kneels before you

"Oh jeez..." You mumble pinching the bridge of your nose "what did I get myself into?"

"Klaus, don't put (Y/N) through this." Ben comments from the sidelines

"Uh..." Klaus says "Hey soul sister, do you have anything for them?"

"Oh my god, Klaus," Ben complains

From behind you, you can hear Charlie start a slow chant,

"Knowledge. Knowledge. Knowledge."

You whip towards him and exclaim,

"Charlie!"

He does not stop though, instead, he just continues to chant and encourages the followers until all of them are chanting,

"Knowledge! Knowledge! Knowledge!"

"Fine!" You exclaim

All the people in the room quiet down and look at you intently. Taking a deep breath you wrack your brain for something to tell them. Completely bullshitting this whole ordeal you take a page out of Klaus' playbook and start to quote a song lyric,

"If you're lost...you can look, and you will find me. Time after time. If you fall...I will catch you. I'll be waiting. Time after time."

You then turn to Klaus and simultaneously you both repeat,

"Time after time."

When the two of you finish there is an uproar of cheers. People excitedly repeat the "knowledge" that you had blessed them with to themselves and to each other. These people were so brainwashed, it was ridiculous.

"What the fuck..." You say to yourself

"Yeah, I know." Klaus responds "How about I go put on some clothes and give the two of you a tour?"

"Why not? I guess..." You reply confused

Klaus goes and puts clothes on but as he does so many of the members of his cult come up and bow before you or touch you. it was odd, to say the least, and you definitely wanted it to stop. When Klaus came back out with his clothes he told the members to disperse as he took you by one arm and Charlie by the other showing you around. the estate was nice, but every time you ran into a member they'd look at you and Klaus in odd reverence. After what felt like forever you and Charlie decided that it was time to leave and never come back. You said goodbye to Klaus and waved goodbye to Ben, although you were sure that you would see them quite soon. Making your way back to Charlie's car you saw another person walking up towards the estate building. You can see Charlie's expression change from neutral to surprised.

"Hey, Dave." Charlie greets slightly confused

"Oh hey, Charlie. How are ya?" Dave asks

"Doing pretty well. How about you? The hardware business treating you well?" Charlie replies

"It's going well. I'm actually joining the army. Shipping off in about a week." Dave answers "But who's this Charlie? Your girlfriend?"

"Oh no she has a boyfriend already. This is my close friend (Y/N). (Y/N) this is Dave, we went to high school together but he was a grade above me. He was one of the only people who was nice to me." Charlie says

You extend your hand out to shake his and he grabs your hand shaking back.

"I haven't seen you around before are you new to the area?" Dave asks

"Oh, I dropped into Dallas about four years ago. I live with my mom and her partner down the road." You explain

"Well, it's very nice to meet you (Y/N). It's unfortunate we didn't get to meet sooner, but hopefully when I get back you, Charlie, and I can all talk and get some floats down at the diner." Dave says in a cheerful tone

This poor boy. He's so sweet and innocent. You just met him and you wished you could stop him from going off to war. Especially since he was probably head to Vietnam. It was an unnecessary war. All of the proxy wars were bullshit but you couldn't do much about it. You put on a smile as best as you can.

"That sounds lovely. I look forward to it." you comment "But we must get going, I have a family dinner to attend to, and I really don't want to be late."

"Alright, well it was nice to see you Charlie, and nice to meet you (Y/N). Hope you have a nice dinner." Dave says

"Thank you." You respond

"Thanks, Dave," Charlie adds

With that Dave heads off towards the mansion and you and Charlie head towards the car. When the two of you get into the car Charlie comments sarcastically,

"Oh, I dropped into Dallas about four years ago. Real clever."

"Shut up and drive." you retort

Charlie rolls his eyes with a smirk on his face and pulls out of the driveway heading towards the hotel where the dinner would be taking place.

While you were headed towards the Southland Life hotel, Five had already arrived. He looked down at his invitation to make sure he was at the right place but once he had done so he headed towards the entrance and inside the building. Making his way up an ornate staircase he looked around a bit before finding the elevator. Calling the elevator, the doors opened and Five stepped inside. He looked at the panel of floor buttons before pressing one of them and waited for the doors to close. None of his siblings had shown up. He was going to have to deal with the old man alone. He was prepared to do so...somewhat. But still he had hoped for him and his siblings to go together to confront him. Five stared off as the elevators started to close trying to build up thr confidence to face his father after all these years. He wished you could've been there by his side, but you had no reason to be invited, you weren't a "pursuer". Right as the door were about to shut and hand comes in to bring the doors back open.

"Wait up." Diego says entering the elevator "Hold it." Allison adds "Hey, everyone." Klaus greets drunkenly

Vanya enters the elevator silently as Luther follows quietly saying, "Excuse me."

Five looks around at his siblings. They all came. Five faces forward and a small smile appears.

"Good. We're all here." He says

Five's face returns to a neutral expression as the elevator doors finally close and they head up the floors to where they would be meeting their father. As they do an awful smell starts to spread within the elevator. "Oh..." Allison says

"Oof." Five complains as he pinches his nose closed

"Luther!" Klaus exclaims

"Oh, my God." Vanya comments "Sorry, I'm nervous." Luther apologizes

When the doors open to the floor everyone rushes out trying to get away from the toxic environment inside the elevator. Walking into the tiki bar where they were meeting the siblings catch their breath and take in some clean air. As they all make their way around the table in the center of the room Five turns to his siblings and says, "All right, when Dad gets here, I'll do the talking, okay?" "Got a few questions for him myself." Diego responds

"Hey, we don't wanna scare him off. He might be able to help us stop doomsday, get us home." Five retorts annoyed "No, we need to figure out why he's planning to kill the president."

It was ridiculous that he was still continuing on with this whole "Dad is going to kill Kennedy" thing. Could he not give it up for a day? For an hour? Of course not. That would require some form of critical thinking, of which he had none. "This is a matter of life and death, you imbecile." Five chastises "Okay, yeah, maybe we should take turns talking. Yeah?" Vanya suggests picking up something from a nearby table "Here, whoever has got this conch shell gets to talk." "Vanya, we don't have time for a debate, okay?" Five replies already frustrated at the group "Maybe I should lead. We all know I'm a better public speaker than the rest." Allison suggests grabbing the conch from Vanya "Okay, Daddy's girl." Diego comments sarcastically "Oh, jealous, Number Two?" Allison retorts "Hey, no more numbers. No more bullshit." Diego demands as he approaches Allison "Uh, Diego. You don't have the conch." Luther mentions politely

Diego gives Luther a smile before grabbing the conch from Allison's hand. Once he fully has it though he quickly proceeds to throw it at a wall smashing it to pieces. "Classic." Allison comments, rolling her eyes

As the siblings argued upstairs you had just arrived at the building. Charlie had parked around the back so you wouldn't been seen by anybody who may have arrived for this meeting. Before you got out of the car Charlie questions,

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

"I should be there. Whatever is happening is important and I should know about it." You reply

"This is going to be a family gathering but with Reginald. I can only assume it will go worse than the events of yesterday. Do you really want to deal with that?" Charlie asks confused

"No. But I feel I need to be there. This an issue for all eight of us."

"Okay but how are you going to get in unnoticed? You weren't invited after all." Charlie inquires

You step out of the car but lean down so you can look at him through the window.

"I'll just go in invisible. I'll only reveal myself if necessary."

"Alright. I'm going to go park a block away on North Griffin Street. Come find me after." Charlie says before adding "Good luck."

"Thanks. I'll need it." you respond

You stand up and watch Charlie drive away for a bit before turning to face the building. You take a breath before turning invisible and making your way inside. Taking the back entrance you head up towards the lobby and press the button to call the private elevator. You had been here plenty of times before for various meetings and parties that Reginald had to attend so you knew your way around pretty easily. Any regular person would take the main one but in a side hallway there was a special one used for grand entrances. Thinking that everyone must already be up there you knew that you could get in relatively unnoticed by using this elevator. When the doors open you stepped in and turned around, but as you were about press the close door button Reginald walked in to the elevator.

Shit.

You sucked in your breath quickly and covered your mouth trying to be as quiet as possible. You couldn't be found out. Not like this at least. Quietly you moved to the left of the elevator and tried to stay out of the way. Reginald reached for the button to the tiki bar floor and soon enough the doors closed and the elevator start to rise. When the elevator doors open Reginald quickly storms out of the elevator pushing through the private entrance doors. Still invisible you slip out of the elevator and through the door. As you enter the tiki bar you can see the shocked faces of all the Hargreeves children present. It had been a long time since any of them had actually interacted with their father. You head over to a seat near the table as you watch the scene unfold before you. Reginald approaches the table that the rest of them were surrounding and takes a seat. Once most of the Hargreeves had sat down as well he criticizes,

"Not only have you burglarized my lab, set my chimp loose, conned your way into the Mexican consulate, repeatedly stalked and attacked me, but you have, on numerous occasions, called me..."

He is cut off by Klaus though who sits down with a drink and greets, "Hey, Pop. How's it hangin'?"

Reginald looks over at Klaus annoyed before finishing his statement,

"Dad."

He looks back to the group and continues, "My reconnaissance tells me you're not CIA, not KGB, certainly not MI5, so who are you?"

There are a lot of deep breaths and looks off to the side. Saying they were his kids was probably a more difficult task than it looked from the outside. You could see your boyfriend shifting nervously in his chair as you then realized this was the first time he was face to face with Reginald since he ran away. Quietly, you approach him and place a gentle hand on his shoulder. You can feel him jump slightly as he turns his head back to see what was there. He looks confused for a second as he sees nothing but you squeeze his shoulder reassuringly and he realizes that it's you there with him. You just couldn't be seen. As no one continues to answer Five turns back to face his father and speaks up for the rest of the group, "We're your children. We're from the future. In 1989, you adopted us all and trained us to fight against the end of the world. Called us the Umbrella Academy."

You notice as Klaus drunkenly raises his martini glass after Five mentions the academy. What an odd thing to cheers. Then again you went and saw the cult that Klaus ran and compared to that it wasn't as odd. "Why on earth would I adopt six-" Reginald starts to question but is cut off by Allison

"Seven." Allison corrects "One of us isn't here."

"Dead. One of us is dead." Diego solemnly adds

Five reaches up and places his hand on top of your invisible one. To others it just looked like he was touching his shoulder but really he was reaching to you. He was glad that he had you there with him. From not too far away you can see Ben sitting at a table behind Klaus. "Dead, yes, but I'm here. Klaus!" Ben exclaims to him

Klaus turns to what looks like empty space but is really where Ben is and says, "Yeah, ba-ba-ba-ba-ba-ba."

"Tell them I'm here!" Ben demands "Enough of that now." Klaus retorts

Reginald and the rest of the Hargreeves look on at Klaus' unexplained behavior. When Klaus turns back around Reginald looks at the group once more and harshly asks,

"Regardless, what would possess me to adopt seven ill-mannered malcontents?" "We all have special abilities." Five elaborates "Special? In what sense?" Reginald inquires "In the superpower sense." Luther adds

Reginald sits up straight, a stern look on his face as he critically remarks,

"Called me old-fashioned, but I'm a stickler for a pesky little thing called evidence. Show me." "Everybody wants to see powers all of a sudden..." Allison complains taking a sip from her drink "We're not circus animals, okay? We're not gonna bounce balls on our noses and clap our hands like seals for your amusement." Luther retorts

Immediately, Diego pulls out one of his knives and throws it forward redirecting it so it just barely passes Reginald and lands in a wooden post across the room. You could tell by the look on Diego's face that he was frustrated. Reginald looks down at the notebook he had brought with him and starts to jot down notes. All of the Hargreeves lean in to try and see what was being written down. "What are you writing?" Diego asks "You are zero for two, young man." Reginald taunts

Quickly, Diego stands up and tries to make his way over to but Five flashes in front of him. Putting his hands up to hold Diego back he whispers to him, "Stop!"

"Now that is interesting," Reginald states as he looks on surprised

Diego sits himself back down and you decide to go sit at the bar. From the way things were going you felt it could get messy and you didn't want to be a part of that. "All right, uh, quick rundown. Luther: super strength. Klaus can commune with the dead. Allison can rumor anyone to do anything." Five starts to explain as he heads back to his seat "Except she never uses it." Diego jabs

Allison turns angrily to Diego and rumors, "I heard a rumor you punched yourself in the face."

As the rumor said Diego punched himself in the face. "Aah! Damn it!" He cried out

Allison slurps on her drink and gives him a pointed look even if he wasn't looking back. Five uses his hand to gesture to Reginald his point about Allison's power. Reginald then turns to Vanya and questions, "And you?" "Uh, maybe we don't take Vanya for a test run," Luther interjects "Oh, yeah, that's probably not a good idea," Klaus adds "It's fine. I can handle it." Vanya replies

"Handle it? Last time you handled it, you definitely blew up the moon." Allison states

Vanya doesn't listen though and instead picks up a spoon from the table and brings it back. Her siblings watch on as she brings it forward to hit it against her cup. "No, Vanya, don't!" Five exclaims

Vanya does not stop though and hits the cup causing a soundwave to ring out. Focusing the sound energy on the plate of fruit in front of her she causes it to explode. The fruit splatters onto everyone, except you since you had walked away. But although you didn't get hit with the fruit you did get hit with the soundwave. Doubling over from the pain of the disturbance the soundwave had created bite your tongue not trying to make any immediate sounds to alert the others to your presence. You would only become visible if it was necessary. Taking some quiet breaths, you sit on the bar top and are able to get back to normal and focus again. "Oops," Vanya says softly as everyone wipes the fruit off of them "That was impressive." Luther comments "Look, we know that you're involved in a plot to assassinate the president," Diego explains getting up from his chair

"You were recently hospitalized, isn't that correct? You still appear to be suffering from delusions of grandeur and acute paranoia." Reginald rebukes "Am I? Explain this." Diego retorts as he pulls out a photo of Reginald and shows it to him "That's you. That's two days from now on the grassy knoll at the exact spot the president's gonna get shot."

Reginald takes a glance at the photo before looking back up at Diego and commenting, "Well, I suppose you've solved it. You've single-handedly unearthed my nefarious plot."

You can see a slight glimpse of hope in Diego's eyes but it's cut short as Reginald ridicules,

"Is that what you want to hear? You fancy yourself a do-gooder? The last good man who will save us from our descent into corruption and conspiracy? This is a fantastic delusion. The sad reality is that you're a desperate man, tragically unaware of his own insignificance, desperately clinging to his own ineffectual reasoning. More succinctly, a man in over his head."

From the bar, you watch as the light in Diego's eyes slowly starts to fade and is overtaken by sadness and disappointment. Slowly he sits down more and more as Reginald's words cut deeper. You had seen them look on his face many times before, it was the same expression he would take as a child after Reginald harshly criticized him. Anger began to rise in you as you saw the trauma of his time in the academy and the feeling of not being good enough take over him. When Diego sits back in his seat he looks directly at Reginald and stutters out sadly, "You're wr-wrong."

Reginald ignores this though and starts to continue,

"Furthermore-"

You were done with this man and his mistreatment of your brother. Nobody talked to him like that. Not on your watch. Quickly, you whip out a knife and throw it in the direction of Reginald having it land in the spot on the table in front of him. The group all looks at the knife in shock.

"Enough." You yelled

They all turn to look at you. Jumping down from where you were sitting on the bar you slowly walk over towards the table.

"That was a warning, so I'd choose your next words carefully. I have nine more of those on my person and if you recall my 20th birthday" You firmly state "I don't miss."

Everyone was shocked to see you there, but most of all was Reginald.

"What are you doing here? You weren't invited to this affair." He demands

"Oh Reggie, I think it's highly important for me to be here." You say in a sarcastic tone

"How did you even get in here?" He questions

"I took the elevator with you." You explain "And then I sat around here for a while."

"Impossible. I didn't see you." He retorts

"You know Reggie, for someone who touts his intelligence you really can't put two and two together can you?" You sneer "Whatever do you mean?"

"I really have to spell it out for you, huh?" You say as you take steps closer to him "I'm. One. Of them."

"Oh really? So what can you do then?" Reginald asks in an insulting tone

"I can do a lot of things."

"Well go on then." He requests

You then start to explain your powers to Reginald. He didn't deserve an explanation but you did want to shove your abilities in his face.

"Well, there's a plethora of things I can do. You already know I can go invisible." You say as you make yourself disappear

"I can jump from place to place on a whim." You continue as you hop to different spots around the room

I can go through things and things can go through me." You add as you walk through the tables and walls around the room

"I can make things denser or lighter. Luther catch." You say as you throw him a glass

He catches it but is immediately pinned down to the ground and can't get up. You walk over to him and pick up the glass before turning back to Reginald.

"I can change the state of matter of an object." You explain as you turn the glass into a liquid and smoke before turning it back to normal and placing it on an adjacent table

"Hell, I can make things blow up by just thinking about it enough." You add with a smile as the glass blows up behind you

"I can create fire and water and smoke out of practically nothing. And I can see and feel disturbances in the world. I can do just about anything and you know why?" You ask rhetorically

"Why?" Reginald asks as he vigorously writes down notes

"Because I can control the things that make up this entire world. Molecules." you finish before adding "Was my demonstration to your satisfaction, sir?"

"Perhaps. Though, I am appalled that you were living under my roof for years and said nothing of your abilities."

"Why would I tell you about my abilities? You work with government. I wasn't about to be sent away to the MK Ultra project or used as a weapon of war. Now, let me get a drink before we really jump into things." You state walking over to the bar

"Absolutely not. What have I told you about drinking?" Reginald calls

"Yeah yeah, your mind is like a gold statue alcohol will only dull the brilliance, yadda yadda yadda." You mock "I'm still getting a drink."

"No." He demands firmly

The Hargreeves look back and forth between you and their father. The conversation between the two of you was contentious and yet there was something off about the way Reginald talked to you.

"And why not Sir Buzzkill?" You retort

"Because I'm your father and you'll respect my wishes." He states

And there it was. Reginald saw you as his kid. The way he was talking to you was odd because he was talking to you...like a parent. All the real Hargreeves children look on in shock. Their eyes wide and their jaws dropped at what he has said. There's a lull of silence before you burst out laughing.

"HA! You're not my dad. I have a dad. He's dead, but I have one." You say in an amused tone

You then head towards the bar and start looking through the drinks as you complain,

"Just because I live with you or you're dating my mom doesn't make me your kid. You tried to do this before, numbered your kids one through seven based on how much you liked them pretty much, and then were like you're number zero because it comes before one. No. I'm not a number. I'm not your favorite kid. I'm not your kid at all. I'm (Y/N)."

When you finally find something good, you grab a glass and start to pour it as you continue,

"Furthermore, If I were your child, I would've turned out like those sitting before you. The closest you'll probably ever get is the unfortunate title of father-in-law."

There's silence once more as everyone takes what you said in. You take a sip of your drink as Reginald looks on taken aback.

"You..." he inquires confused "are partnered with one of them?"

Grabbing your drink you walk over towards the table as you say,

"Yes I am and I don't appreciate that comparison type tone you used when saying that."

You continue to walk and go stand behind Five, placing a hand on his shoulder once more. You take a sip of your drink before adding,

"Honestly I'm surprised you're not happier. A woman of my stature coupled with one of your sons? And might I add, he's the most competent of your sons.”

"Hey!" Diego exclaims

"When you decide to leave JFK alone I will reconsider." You reply

"Look, forget about the president. We have a catastrophic war coming in five days. We need to figure out how to stop it." Five interjects

"War? Men will always be at war with each other." Reginald replies

"No, this isn't just some war. I'm talking about a doomsday. The end of the world." Five elaborates "Well, you're the special ones, aren't you? Why don't you band together and do something about it?" Reginald suggests

You all stare at Reginald but as you do you solely hear Ben yell out, "All right. Screw it."

Ben then runs and jumps into Klaus' body causing his arms to go up in the air and his body to start shaking. He was possessing him. You had no words for the given situation but the others did. "Is he having a seizure?" Allison wonders "Overdosing probably," Diego suggests "Should we do something?" Luther questions

"Klaus! Now is not the time. What are you doing?" Five questions

Klaus, or rather Klaus' body turns towards Reginald. It looked like a struggle though.

"I'm..." Klaus' voice says "Out with it, boy." Reginald commands "...Ben!" His voice forces out

Immediately after he falls to the ground and starts gasping for air. You can see Ben's passed-out figure next to him. Reginald looks on disgusted before stacking his papers and commenting, "Well...thank you for coming. I've seen about enough."

Reginald then gets up and starts to walk away from the table but Luther slams his hands down, stands up, and rips his shirt open exclaiming,

"Look at what you did to me. Look at it!” "Oh, shit. Why?" Five complains as slouches back in his chair

How did his siblings manage to completely mess up everything again, like it was the only thing they knew how to do. Downing more of your drink to deal with the progressively awkward nature of the situation you stood next to your boyfriend's side. Five reached up and took your hand in his. If none of his siblings were going to support him at least he knew he had you. Reginald looks at the scene before him before turning to Five and asking, "You in the culottes. A word, in private?"

He then walks away from the table and goes to sit over at the bar. You and Five look at each other as the rest of his siblings make their way to the elevator to leave. As Diego passes you let go of Five's hand and grave Diego's wrist stopping him in his tracks. He turns towards you and you can tell he was still upset from what transpired earlier. Without saying another word you bring him into a hug. No matter how upset you were at his actions you weren't going to place that above your love for your brother. Diego held you tightly, you were the only one who stood up for him when his father was beating him down. You were the best sister he could've asked for. From the elevator, Luther can be heard calling,

"Diego let's go.”

Diego pulls back from the hug and looks at you once more before silently turning and leaving. You hear the sound of the elevator door close and all that is left is you, Five, and Reginald. You turn to Five who is getting up to head over to talk at the bar and he turns to you.

"Just give us a moment." Five states

"Are you sure? I can pretend to leave and stay." You suggest

"No, darling. I need to do this myself." Five replies

You look at him softly and bring a hand up to his cheek. He places his hand on top of yours holding it in place as he gives a kiss to your palm. He then closes your hand up into a ball before gently holding it on the space above his heart.

"I'll meet you down in the lobby." Five says quietly

"Okay." You whisper back

Five lets go of your hand and the two of you split, him walking over to Reginald at the bar and you walking toward the main elevator. As you press the button to call the elevator up you hear Reginald call out behind you,

"(Y/N) I expect you home promptly.”

You let out a huff as you turn to face him.

"Fine...just don't get mom involved in this. She's already gone through so much with me." you softly ask of him

"I will not get your mother involved. Not even I want to place that stress on her." Reginald responds

"Good." You say nodding your head, a far-off look in your eyes "...good”

The doors to the elevator open and you reluctantly enter it. You press the button to the lobby floor and as the doors close the last thing you see is Five taking his seat next to Reginald. You hoped he would be okay being in front of him without you.

"You seem to be the sensible one, or as described, the most competent of the bunch." Reginald comments

"That's because I'm the oldest. You know, technically, I'm older than you right now."

Reginald looks at him slightly confused but when a bartender appears and places a bottle of brandy on the counter he offers,

"Cognac?"

"Just a smidge." Five says with a half-smile "The other night you quoted Homer at me. Why?" Reginald questions "You forced us all to learn it as kids. In the original Greek, no less." "You know, your dear companion called my coworker and ignorant ass in ancient greek the first time I encountered her." Reginald states

"Sounds about right. She has a sharp tongue and an independent mind, I admire it." Five explains, an amused smirk rising to his face as he thought of you.

Reginald slides him a glass of cognac and the two of them give silent cheers before taking a sip. Five places his glass down and his tone changes to a more serious one,

"This world ends in five days if we don't get out of the timeline."

"Worlds end. Paleozoic, Jurassic, and so on."

"We can do something about this one." Five states

"Man's greatest flaw: the illusion of control." Reginald retorts "I need your help. All right? You're my last sane option. Otherwise, I gotta make a deal that I really don't wanna make. What do you know about time travel?" "In theory?" Reginald asks

"In practice."

"I know it's akin to descending blindly into the depths of freezing waters and reappearing-" Reginald starts

"As an acorn. Yeah." Five finishes unenthused

"What transpired when you tried traveling before?" "I botched it. Big time." Five complains

"How?"

"I jumped too far forward in time. Accidentally brought (Y/N) with me and she got stuck 11 years in the future. Then I jumped without her and got stuck in an apocalypse for 45 years. Then I jumped too far backward, except this time I brought everyone with me." "Maybe your appetite is disproportionate to the size of your abilities. Start small. Seconds, not decades." Reginald suggests "Seconds? Look, no offense, but I need a bit more time for what I'm trying to accomplish." Five remarks "So much can change in a matter of seconds. One could overthrow an empire." Reginald starts before pausing for a second "One could fall in love. An acorn doesn't become an oak overnight."

"I was really hoping you had more than that." Five admits

"I'm sorry I can't be of more help." Reginald apologizes "I'm sorry, too. I gave you such a hard time as a kid. I didn't know any better."

Reginald looks over at Five before raising his glass and saying,

"No skin off my teeth, old man."

The two of them sit in silence and when Five finishes his drink he gets up and leaves. Taking the elevator down he finds you in the lobby. When the doors open you quickly make your way over to him and wrap your arms around his neck pulling him into a hug. Five holds you close but pulls back to look at you. Something was off about him.

"Did everything go okay?" You asked

Five looks away from you and off in the distance.

"Yes but..."

"But what?" you inquire softly

Five lets out a sigh and looks back at you. This was not the situation he wanted to be in at all. In a solemn tone, he answers,

"If I'm going to get us out of this timeline I need to go make deal with the devil."

"Well then, you lead the way and I'll follow you out." you reply "Just promise me something.”

"Anything."

"Don't turn around until you're sure we're all in the clear." you respond

Five pressed his forehead against yours as he held you close.

"Of course my love." he whispered

You tilted your head up towards his and place a soft peck on his lips before stepping away.

"I'll see you soon," you said

Five quietly nodded his head in response and with that he flashed away to go play some jazz with the devil in hell.

________________________________

Taglist: @xplrreylo @joebob15274 @insatiable-ivy @fruitsaladtree @angelpeachamber @academy-umbrella @lizziel1410 @ir3neeee @faith-quake @aliens-with-colas @sunsetcurve-1995 @lady-celeste25 @im-dead-and-hurting @nerdypinupcrystal @cherry-ki-d @anapocalypseinmymind @vicassa @2cuteforyourlies @taylorsmakingfuckingmacandcheese @n1ghtsh4d3-67 @cheshire-salvatore-mikaelson @shadowycreationcupcake @emily-hargreeves @metor-showers1994 @fivehargreevesforthewin @rinko-san @supernovavision @cicilisthebest @flickbix @hi-v-juice @magykal-777 @zosiaduda @thethirdwheelfriend @mysticracoon @isnt-it-loverly @officiallydarkgeek @lady1505 @always-the-very-worst @tinypandagirl @libidinexx @lemongrabbuns @itwasallred @deadandoverit @shlokage @keksi249 @theoriginalkat @we-stan-fiction @bi-idiot-fanfics @annnagennnie @izzyjojo4 @megasimpleplan4ever @flowertoty @grabthemoneyandletsgo @itsametaphorbriansblog @vanillacaramelhoney @satvaldiva @disaster-magician @margotsfandoms @emily-b-m @bluechildrenlickmytoes @soft-slytherin-sweetie @oceanspray5 @im-here-for-fanfics @thebloodrobin @freestarlight @starcurrent @lilacs-lavender @moatsnow @give-the-boy-a-hug @narikyuwu @whenyouregrungeaff

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zeskiverse · 4 years

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Fong’s a key element to Sarawat and Tine’s relationship: An essay

I talked about Fong’s actions confusing me after Tine confessed feeling shaken by Sarawat, but after revisiting all the episodes released, I compiled a bunch of moments Fong helped Tine with his feelings and played a wingman like a best friend would. Even when he tried to do the opposite.

Yep, this is LONG.

1. The whole fake dating idea

I know asking for Sarawat’s help is Ohm’s suggestion, but it’s Fong to sow the seed of a fake relationship in the other three’s brains. They all share that one brain cell and we know it.

2. Pushing Tine to partake in Sarawat’s interests

They don’t have Sarawat’s number or LINE or anything other than his email. And after Tine essentially asked Sarawat for a one night stand (unknowingly, but... yeah) seeing Wat in person seems the way to go. It sorta makes sense if like them you believe the whole plan makes sense, I reckon.

3. Encouraging Tine for the audition

Yeah, he totally fell asleep after promising not to, but he was there for support. And to sleep on Ohm’s arse, I guess.

4. Questioning Sarawat’s actions and motivations

Tine’s so sure Wat didn’t play along with the plan in front of Sarawat’s “fans” because Wat cares too much about reputation. But Fong casually brings up there’s a clip on the INTERNET of Sarawat-Tine doing a kissy pocky challenge.

5. Kicking Tine in the face

This one wasn’t completely safe for Tine, I suppose. But it led to Sarawat being all tender and taking care of Tine PLUS giving Sarawat some time alone with Tine since Man had to come collect a drunk Fong.

(That face caress melted my heart.)

6. Asking the real questions

That time Tine wanted to believe Sarawat made an IG (that only follows him) and has a phone full of pics of him as part of their plan. I am Fong’s expression during this scene. Always pointing out the flaw in Tine’s logic, even though he’s part of the dumb squad himself. No one else can be both bright AND dumb. He has my whole heart.

7. Wondering about Sarawat’s feelings in all this

Here we have Ohm and Phuak poking fun at a panicked Tine’s involvement with Sarawat, and my boy Fong is all “what about HIM, though? he did left a cute note for you, bro” because Tine sure is leaping through hoops to explain why Sarawat slept at his place for someone who isn’t hiding anything.

8. Real talk about jealousy

I mean, it wasn’t the BEST advice, but again, when do their plans ever sound good? At least he got the idea through Tine’s stubborn skull. Even better is the rest of the conversation from this scene that’s shown after Tine realises he’s the one who’s jealous when girls swarm on Wat.

(I’m just unsure what kind of lakorn he’s watching that love gets proved easily.)

9. (Unknowingly) rubbing salt to the wound

Tine most likely invited him to play with him and get his mind off Sarawat and Earn. The betrayal to have his BFF ask about his rival (at least in Tine’s head) in love when all he wants is peace. Tine was so not amused.

10. Reminding Tine of his obligations

Phuak and Ohm all about getting Tine to drink and party with girls to celebrate Tine’s “freedom”, and my boy Fong is “yeah, what about the club you worked so hard to get in though???” despite agreeing with all the partying with girls and whatnot. By far the most reasonable in this group, I swear.

11. Bringing Sarawat up when Tine would rather NOT

Let’s not forget that this comes after Tine “broke up” with Sarawat. Let’s also not forget that this moment triggers Tine’s curiosity about why the hell Wat would keep such a important fact from him. It could be Ohm or Phuak to bring up the photo but it wasn’t any of them. My boy Fong again pushing Tine to apply some logic and seek answers.

12. Confronting Tine (since Tine won’t do it to himself)

He’s taking no prisoners. Asked why Tine couldn’t look him in the eye, asked what Sarawat told Tine, and even threatened to ask Sarawat himself if Tine didn’t talk. There’s friends and then there’s BEST friends.

13. Pointing out the obvious (and showing support)

I still don’t think it makes MUCH sense for him to be “against” Tine and Wat’s relationship, but at least he’s honest about what he’s seen. He’s witnessed Sarawat all worried about Tine (to the point that Wat disregarded his own injured knee) and he’s like “This dude is good for you. I didn’t see it that much before but I do NOW.” Admitting you’ve been wrong is growth!

14. Dropping metaphors like a KING

Even after Tine lies about “hating” Wat, Fong notices Tine’s jealousy right away. Not only does he point out that Tine should be used to Wat’s popularity (even though Sarawat pays no attention to anyone else), but he’s also “my dude, if this is the guy you HATE but even know his favourite drink, MAYBE you should hold on to the things you like and don’t lose something good. Oh and this in NO WAY relates to that guy over there that you HATE so much :)”.

15. Giving Sarawat insight on Tine’s thought process

This one somehow feels as important to me as #14. Why? Because as somebody that was never aboard with the whole really clueless!Tine trope, this scene solidifies for me the idea that Tine was simply lying to himself. Tine was intimidated by the thought of somebody like Sarawat (super popular around Uni and with hundreds of fans throwing themselves at his feet) liking him. Even before realising he also has feelings for Wat he kept denying it and looking for—going as far as creating—reasons for Sarawat flirting with him non-stop be a joke.

It also goes hand in hand with how Tine confronted Wat once he learnt about them meeting at that Scrubb’s concert a year prior. When Tine argued with Wat he was mainly angry that Sarawat accepted the fake dating plan to “play with his feelings”. Now I ask how could Sarawat play with Tine’s feelings if Tine felt nothing for him...

And just for the sake of argument, let’s check the times Fong acted against that relationship.

1. Suggesting Sarawat should stop ‘helping’ Tine

This one made sense in that Tine hadn’t told his squad about Wat’s feelings for him yet. Since the whole plan was to keep Green away and we hand’t seen Green in some time, it all seemed to make sense. It had the opposite effect, as Green appeared again and Wat almost kissed Tine (again) and only made Tine more curious about how genuine Sarawat’s feelings for him are.

2. Becoming a human barrier between Tine and Sarawat

This one was funny because Fong tries to shelter Tine’s eyes, but Tine still tries to peek and even seems frustrated that the guys stop him from seeing a shirtless Wat. Little do they know that Tine already got front row ticket to the “Sarawat expo” some time ago.

3. Setting Tine up for a possible confession

I mean, if Wat’s team lose that means he’ll stay away from Tine, but if Wat’s team win THEN Tine is pretty much already in a relationship. I know Fong came up with the bet sure that Wat’s team would lose, but that was risky. Double edged sword, really. Plus, it made Tine bail on a pretty girl, go root for Wat AND revealed that if Wat leaves Tine alone then Tine won’t do the same for Wat.

Oh, Fong. You sweet, misunderstood cupid. You’re valid even when you’re wrong. ❤

In conclusion: Fong plays an important role in making Sarawat and Tine’s relationship bloom even when he thought he was doing the opposite. I accept no one else to be Tine’s best man.

#zeskiverse #2gether the Series #spoilers #[this is a Fong appreciation post]#[I always knew I loved him]#[but then it hit me like a wall of bricks]#[LMAO]

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pocket-luv101 · 4 years

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Across Time || Chapter 23

Fandom: Servamp Ships: KuroMahi (main), LawLicht (side) Characters: Kuro, Mahiru, Hyde, Licht

Summary: Mahiru falls into a well and is taken to a new, fantasy world. He comes across a half-blooded cat demon trapped in a tree. After he frees Kuro, he helps him collect the shards of the sacred jewel. (KuroMahi, InuYasha AU)

Ch.1 || Ch.2 || Ch.3 || Ch.4 || Ch.5 || Ch.6 || Ch.7 || Ch.8 || Ch.9 || Ch.10 || Ch.11 || Ch.12 || Ch.13 || Ch.14 || Ch.15 || Ch.16 || Ch.17 || Ch.18 || Ch.19 || Ch.20 || Ch.21 || Ch.22 || (Ch.23) ||

“It was great to see you again, Uncle Toru. I’m sorry that I wasn’t able to come back as often as I said I would. There were a lot more complication than I thought there would be. I have so much to tell you.” Mahiru sat with his uncle at the table with a cup of tea. He didn’t want to leave without speaking with him briefly. His uncle would likely be confused if he woke up to find his cupboard of instant ramen emptied. “Two people have joined us to help collect the jewel shards. They’re good people even if they’re unconventional.”

Mahiru told him about the demons they fought. He tried to keep the more dangerous battles vague so his uncle wouldn’t be overwhelmed and worry about him. “You said there was a version of me in the past. Are you able to speak with your mother too? She died when you were young. It must’ve been difficult for you to get closure since you weren’t able to say goodbye then. You must’ve had a lot of questions for her.”

“Mother has already passed away in that era. Even if she was alive, I wouldn’t be able to ask her the questions I had when I was a kid. Your appearances may be the same but you’re different people.” Mahiru tried to keep his disappointment from showing but he wore a tiny frown. When he saw the concern in his uncle’s eyes, he quickly added: “It’s doesn’t bother me. I’m an adult now.”

“You might think I’m being unreasonable. I know you’re strong and all grown up. I can’t help but worry about you running into fights with demons though.” He had adopted him after his mother’s death and raised him as if he was his own son. Toru took out a photo from his wallet and held it out to Mahiru. “I promised your mother I would take care of you.”

“You don’t have to worry, Uncle. I have Kuro with me and we’ve made a lot of friends on our journey. You’re there to help me in the edo period as well. I’d like to think I inherited my archery skills from you. One of these days, I need to show you how well I can shoot now.” Mahiru reassured him. He looked down at the photo of his mother holding a young toddler.

“It sounds like you’ve gotten a lot closer to Kuro.” Toru glanced to where Kuro was sitting on the couch and glaring at the roomba. His behaviour was like a cat and the sight caused Mahiru to chuckle softly. “I hope he’s more intimidating to other demons than he is with our roomba.”

“He saved me more times than I can count. Kuro is a pacifist but he’ll fight to defend the people he cares for. It’s a trait that I admire.” Mahiru took a sip of his tea. Kuro offered to wait in the living room so he could have time alone with his uncle. He was being considerate and his kindness made Mahiru smile. “We’ve started dating but we haven’t had a chance to go out on a proper date. Maybe after this is over.”

“What are you planning to do once you’ve completed your task?” He asked but Mahiru couldn’t answer him because he didn’t have an answer. Kuro had become important to him and Mahiru couldn’t simply go back to his old life without him. Then again, it would be complicated to go back and forth between their two eras. He hadn’t been able to give it much thought since he had to worry about other things.

“Well, it would be nice to take Kuro a movie theater. I want to see what kind of reaction he would have to it.” Mahiru looked down at the photo and thought over his uncle’s words. His eyes widened when he noticed a small detail in the picture. “This necklace! It’s the same as the one in Misono’s vision and the secret to defeating him. Uncle, do you know what this necklace is?”

His outburst caught Kuro’s attention and he walked into the kitchen. They were both a little confused when Toru fell silent. A furrow formed between his uncle’s brows when Mahiru pointed to the necklace. “That red pendent? But that’s…”

“Misono said that it could be the key to defeating the spider demon. I don’t know if it’s the same one but they’re remarkably similar. I was going to ask the Toru of the past about it but this might be it. Do you still have the necklace, Uncle?” Mahiru asked. He didn’t know why his father would be secretive about the necklace. “It might not be the same but I want to check.”

Toru let out a heavy sigh and walked to the living room. They followed him to the memorial they had built for his mother. He opened a drawer and pulled out the necklace. “Your father gave your mother this necklace. He said that it was a family heirloom. She never wore it when they dated but, after you were born, she wore it every day.”

“It’s beautiful.” Mahiru took the necklace into his palm. “The pendent is shaped like an arrowhead but it looks fragile. What is it made of?”

“I always thought that it was simple silver and gold like most jewellery.” He answered. Kuro leaned over Mahiru’s shoulder to study the pendent. He didn’t find anything strange or unique about it. He wasn’t the most knowledgeable about artifacts and sacred items. Hopefully, someone will recognize it when they take it back to the past with them.

“This belonged to my father before he gave it to Mom?” He stared into the red pendent. Mahiru rarely thought of his father but there were still questions he had. He met his uncle in the past and he knew his mother also lived in that time. Could he meet his father as well?

“This is a phoenix amber.” Licht told them when they returned and showed him the necklace. He held it up to the sun and the translucent stone refracted the rays. “There are small nicks on the stone so someone shaped it into a triangle rather than forming naturally. Phoenix amber holds magical properties but we rarely use it in weapons. Mahiru, can I see that arrow you made with the tree?”

Mahiru didn’t know what he intended to do but he passed him the arrow. He broke off the stone arrowhead and then tied the pendent to the tip. “I don’t know as much about making weapons as my friend but he told me a lot about sacred stones. Shot a demon with this phoenix amber and they’ll be consumed by flames.”

“The Thousand Years Old Tree can manipulate time. What will happen if those two abilities are combined?” Mahiru asked as he took the arrow back from him. He rolled the wooden shaft between his fingers. “This can be the weapon that Misono told us about but I don’t know. In the memory, she simply wore it as a necklace. Should we go back to the inn to speak with Misono about it?”

“I think it’s best if we avoid Touma and people connected to him until we’re strong enough to fight him. That means we can’t kick every demon we pass, Angel Cakes.” Hyde said pointedly to the demon slayer. For his comment, Licht shoved him off Kirara’s back and lightly nudged it forward. “Hey, don’t leave me behind!”

“I don’t know why Kirara let you ride her.” Licht glared at him. He had to question why he let the demon sit behind him. He told himself that the journey would be more difficult if Hyde had to walk. Kirira turned around and licked Hyde’s hair. He was surprised by how attached his pet had become to the oni since he had trained it to fight demons.

“Can we go a mile without you two fighting? We won’t buy snacks at the next stop if you two don’t behave.” Mahiru warned them and waved the arrow at them. He replaced the sacred arrow into his quiver and tucked it into a hidden pocket. He knew he had to use the arrow sparingly. “I sense a shard ahead of us. What’s in that direction, Kuro?”

He glanced over his shoulder to Kuro who had a map. Instead of reading the map, Kuro sniffed the air. “I smell salt water. We’re approaching the sea. I hope a sea demon doesn’t have the jewel since none of us can fight well in the water. Hyde, you said that there was an island we should visit. Is it nearby?”

“It’s close to the coast so we’ll be able to get a jewel shard and the ability to break a barrier at the same time. Our luck might be improving finally.” Hyde told them as he climbed back onto Kirara. “Misono said Touma has a barrier around his castle. I don’t know how much we can trust that mirror demon but Touma is the type of spider who keeps himself hidden behind a barrier while other does his work. During my travels, I heard of an island of bat demons who can create barriers.”

“They’re the guardians of a remote island. My family visited their nest once but we decided not to kill them. The bats are peaceful and they stay on their land.” Licht recalled. “They have the ability to create and manipulate barriers but I doubt they’ll teach us how to break them. None of us has the same powers as a bat demon.”

“The tessaiga does.” Hyde words confused Mahiru and Licht.

On the other hand, Kuro lowered his foot to the ground and forced the bike to a stop. “No.”

Tension thickened the air around them as Mahiru looked between the brothers. He didn’t know why Hyde’s suggestion was upsetting to Kuro. It was rare that Kuro became angry or argued with others. The brothers were mending the past rift between them and Mahiru didn’t want them to fight again. Kuro rarely used the sword after he used it to stop his father.

Mahiru tried to reason with Hyde. “I know the tessaiga is strong but it’s made from a nekomata’s fang. How can it use a technique only bat demons know?”

“The tessaiga has the ability to absorb its wielder power to become stronger. You have seen it, Mahiru. Kuro can use shadow and ash with the tessaiga but Tsubaki turns the blade red with blood. For me, the tesssaiga becomes gold and it can create spikes.” Hyde explained.

“So, the tessaiga will gain the ability to control barriers if a demon bat holds it. I don’t think we should give the sword to a stranger though. Kuro’s mother made it.” Mahiru understood why Kuro wouldn’t agree with Hyde’s plan. He stayed silent behind him and Mahiru placed a comforting hand on his back. He could feel how stiff he was beneath his palm.

“I wasn’t suggesting that.” Hyde corrected him. “As you know, the tessaiga will always revert back to a dull blade once we stop fighting. Our father found a way to permanently use a demon’s unique power. Tessaiga’s wielder must kill a demon and let the blade absorb their blood. I don’t like the thought of killing someone either but we’ll be able to save more lives by defeating Touma.”

“No.” Kuro repeated firmly. Before he met Mahiru, he never thought he would use the sword again and sealed it away. Then Mahiru showed him that he could use the power to protect others. He decided to only use the tessaiga for the sake of those he loved. The guilt and pain of killing his father still affected him and he never want to experience it again.

Silence fell between the brothers but Licht could see that Hyde wanted to say something else. He bit his tongue out of respect for his brother. He didn’t know if they had the time to search for another way to destroy the barrier. Each day Touma’s web grew and they would be caught soon. He looked down at the wind tunnel he was cursed with. He didn’t want something similar to happen to his family.

“Let’s focus on finding the jewel shards for now.” Mahiru broke the silence. He understood Hyde’s urgency to stop Touma but it wasn’t right to pressure Kuro to relive something painful. “We’ll deal with Touma’s shield later. There must be another way past it rather than brute force. Between a priest, a monk and a demon slayer, we have a lot of knowledge about barriers.”

Their attention was drawn away when they heard a group of people ahead of them. Mahiru stepped off his bike and walked it towards the noise. A parade of people was walking across the beach with a palanquin. He could see a faint glow through the curtain, a shard. The people appeared to be human and he hoped they wouldn’t have to fight anyone.

He overheard a few of the villagers nearby. “Do you think the child sacrifice will appease the sea demon? The storms have been worsening every night. At least this is our chance to be rid of that demon child.”

After he heard those words, Mahiru dropped his bike and ran down the hill to the beach. The person in the palanquin was most likely the child they said would be sacrificed. He couldn’t let the child be taken. He thought he could stop the villagers by offering to fight the demon for them. “Please stop! You can’t sacrifice a child.”

“What? Who are you?” The man leading the group paused at the sound of Mahiru’s voice. They stopped long enough for him to stand in front of them and block their path. A few of the men gave him a glare while others stared at him in confusion. Mahiru stood with his back straight and he ignored their distrust. “Get out of the way.”

“I heard you were planning to give a child to the sea demon but that’s barbaric! It’s wrong to abandon a child, let alone sacrifice them! You’re all adults so you should be protecting vulnerable children.” Mahiru knew that the feudal era was much different from his time and they had their own beliefs and traditions. He had to rescue the child though. “My friends and I will deal with that sea demon for you. Just let the child go.”

“One man cannot defeat the sea demon. We need to take the sacrifice to the temple before the sun sets or else there will be another attack. Get out of our way!” The man tried to strike Mahiru but Kuro grabbed the staff before he could be hurt. “A demon! He must be working with the sea spirit!”

The people started to panic and they dropped the palanquin in their haste to run away from Kuro. He sighed and ignored their reaction to walk to the carriage. Mahiru was already next to the palanquin and he parted the curtain. The child appeared unhurt by the fall but she didn’t try to leave the box. He spoke in a gentle voice, “It’s okay, Little One. We’re not going to hurt you.”

The girl held a red orb in her hands with a coral inside. He could see that a jewel shard was placed in a crack on the orb’s surface. Mahiru knew the jewel shard was important but he was more concerned with helping the child. He held out his hand to her. “The villagers are gone so you can come out. I won’t let them give you to the sea demon to be sacrificed.”

“Can you tell us more about the sea demon? With those villagers gone, there’s no one else to ask.” Kuro stood next to Mahiru. He could see that the child was half demon. “Where are your parents?”

“Papa!” She cheered the moment she saw him. Kuro and Mahiru were both confused as she jumped towards him. He caught her so she wouldn’t fall and she smiled up at him. “Shiro knew you would come back for her, Papa.”

“Papa? I don’t know who you confused me for but I’m not him. Your parents are probably worried so let’s go find them.” Kuro tried to place her on the ground but then she began to cry. She refused to let him go and clung to his leg. He awkwardly patted her head and hoped she would stop. He didn’t know what he should do and looked to Mahiru for help.

Mahiru knelt next to the girl and placed his hand on her shoulder. A barrier suddenly came between them and he was forced to step back. Due to the sand, he lost his balance and he fell backwards. Kuro started to go to Mahiru to help him but he was stopped by the barrier. He felt a light tug on his jacket and he groaned slightly. He looked back to the child. She had a right grip on this clothes. “Papa, don’t go again. The human will hurt you.”

“Mahiru won’t hurt me.” He said but she shook her head frantically. Since he was half demon as well, he could imagine why she was wary of humans. Kuro laid his hand on the barrier. He was surprised by the strength of the barrier and he knew he wouldn’t be able to break it easily. Mahiru placed his hand over Kuro’s on the barrier. He was searching for a way past the barrier as well.

“Are you trying to steal my Papa?” She stood between Mahiru and Kuro.

Kuro sighed and thought of what he should say to make her lower the barrier. He knelt in front of her and said: “If I’m your Papa, that man is your other dad. While I was away, I married that man. He makes the best food so you’ll like him.”

He waited to see her reaction and he hoped that the believed him. The barrier disappeared and she ran to Mahiru for a hug. “Papa number two!”

“Well, this is going to be troublesome.” Kuro said as he stood. “What are we going to do now?”

#servamp #kuromahi #lawlicht #sloth pair #greed pair #servamp kuro #mahiru shirota #servamp hyde #licht jekylland todoroki #fanfiction

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atopearth · 4 years

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Final Fantasy VII Remake Part 3 - The “Death” of Avalanche (Ch 12-14)

Seeing an extended version of the Avalanche members’ dying is going to be terrible. I think the fact that Wedge calls Cloud “aniki” is so cute, so it’ll be sad that this is the last time we’ll hear it. My heart kinda broke for Biggs tbh. Seeing him entrust the future to Cloud, and for him to think about the Leaf House orphanage kids even during his dying moments was saddening. I remember being so surprised at Ms Folia (the orphanage teacher + Honeybee dancer) saying that the one who taught her everything and inspired her to be who she is was Biggs. I knew he had a big heart and cared for everyone, but it was nice that they added in all these other little things about him. I don’t know if I’ll be able to handle Jessie’s death tbh. It’s going to be heartbreaking!!

Aerith going to save Marlene is something I looked forward to seeing, and I think it showed really well how gentle of a heart Aerith has, and how self sacrificing she is. Especially when she encouraged Wedge to not give up and allow himself to have regrets for not doing more. I like that the Shinra soldier Wedge passionately convinced into opening the gates to leave Sector 7 for everyone to escape was the newbie soldier that was kinda in training and couldn’t be mean to anyone (when you talked to him before this). It’s understandable that he would be the one to go against orders. Nice to see Tseng! He looks pretty good. On the other hand, Rude interfering with Reno so that his gun would miss Tifa was hilarious. I love that they kept the idea that Rude likes Tifa, I guess they’ll be keeping the idea that Tseng likes Aerith too then! Elena liking Tseng is something expected though since it’s a big part of her character imo haha. Btw, I’m glad that Reno recognised how tasteless it was to have to do the pretend act that this whole destroying Sector 7 thing was done by Avalanche. Anyway, Aerith convincing Marlene to come out and leave with her was adorable~

It was hard to see Jessie go again, especially when she talked about how she kinda “deserved” it considering the amount of people she killed with her bombs, which was something that always stuck with me in the dialogue of the original. Despite Jessie’s hopes for the future and everything, she knew what what she was doing involved the deaths of a lot of people, innocent and guilty alike, she always felt terrible about it, but she wasn’t as soft as Tifa to think about giving up on it. She took those burdens with her to achieve what she needed to, so it’s heartbreaking that she had to die thinking that. It was saddening yet cute when Cloud said Jessie owed him a pizza, so she can’t die haha. It’s too bad that it’ll never happen. Sometimes I wonder if the reason they all like pizza is because of how Barret refers to the plates above them as a “pizza”, so they like to eat them up hahahaha, nah just kidding, pizza is good, everyone loves pizza.Seeing Reno and Rude tag team fight was so cool! I loved how Reno still had that skill that puts you into the triangle barrier to kinda immobilise you. Otherwise, Reno is so difficult for me to handle lolll, I suck fighting against him. And Rude hits Tifa when you control her!! Although he kinda just does a light chop to her, not sure if it’s specific to her but it was kinda cute lol because it honestly seemed like he was taking it easy against her compared to other battles when we faced him. Seriously though, I think it’s so annoying how those “ghosts” always interfere at crucial moments, it’s like, it wasn’t in the original game and it’s honestly unneeded here. The truth is that Cloud and them were unable to stop the plate from falling regardless of whether those ghosts were there or not, it’s annoying to make it seem like they could have stopped Rude if they weren’t there, when in reality, it shows (in the original) a much crueller way of looking at things when you try your best but you’re still too late. We don’t need no supernatural phenomenon to make it seem like it’s at fault and that’s why Cloud and them failed! Yes, I rolled my eyes when they appeared because at this point, I’ll admit that I’m sick of them. It’s like how they ruined Aerith and Cloud’s first meeting with them! I only wanted sweetness and curiosity towards a flower girl, not mystery with these supernatural things I don’t care about! Sigh!

Anyway, seeing Tifa and Barret broken over not being able to save their home and its people was saddening. Maybe it’s nostalgia or whatever, but I think it hit me harder in the original though. Btw, it’s kinda funny but understandable that instead of Tseng flying near the explosion to kinda show that they’ve captured Aerith etc, Tseng tells them through the screen haha. Gotta protect the Ancient! Oh, and Sephiroth honestly appears way too much, I honestly don’t remember him being so apparent, I know they’re really just the numbered black robe guys, but I feel like back then it was mostly just Cloud feeling the effects of something, but not being very clear on what it is. Now we’re just stuck with an overbearing Sephiroth zzz, yes there’s such a thing as too much Sephiroth. I guess it’s nice that it kinda explicitly tells you through them that Sephiroth thinks/believes/insists he’s got Ancients’ blood running through him, so he’s the rightful ruler of the planet though. Really though, with the plate falling, you can really understand the helplessness and fear of the people under the plates (through the NPCs talking in the background), it’s like, wow, they can actually fall and destroy everyone?! It kinda shows that regardless of how great Shinra is in giving people “better lives”, Shinra is also essentially in control of their lives. Oh yeah!! And Cait Sith!! Did not expect to see him! It felt weird without his white doll (since I used to think the white doll was him until I realised there was a cat on top lmao), but it was nice to see how *spoilers* Reeve tried to do something about Sector 7 in both forms. Seeing Cait Sith devastated at the sight was pretty saddening. But I have to admit, imagining Reeve controlling it and making it fall to the ground is funny yet interesting loll.

Omg, how old is Tseng?! Aerith is like this little kid and he’s an adult already?! I never realised there was such a big age difference.. Anyway, kid Aerith is adorable. Elmyra’s story is always saddening to hear, but I think the original showed it a bit better, mainly the train station part. I remember in the original, you could really feel the sadness of Elmyra through the contrasted happiness of the people beside her at the train station who were overjoyed at seeing the people they were waiting for come home to them. And it slowly shows how nearly everyone who was waiting there was able to reunite with their loved ones, everyone except her who waited every day there. I feel like she even asked the train station attendant if there were any more trains or people too. Her taking in Aerith healed her and herself, so honestly, I’ve always been happy that they both had each other to lean on for so many years. But yeah, otherwise, seeing Ifalna (HD) and everything was nice. It’s interesting that Aerith needs to be willing to go to them in order to help with their quest in finding the Promised Land, because how exactly do you make her willing?? Hahaha. I mean, she just did it for Marlene so she’s not exactly “willing”. It’s so weird that they didn’t bother adding the line where Barret asks Elmyra to take care of Marlene for him. It’s like, you can’t make him a “caring dad” and not even say something like that before he leaves lol! It’s important!

Okay, I’m glad Wedge is alive, but at the same time, I have mixed feelings towards it haha. It’s nice though, gives Cloud and them more hope I guess. We should all thank cats, they save lives apparently~ On the other hand, Aerith appearing in Cloud’s dream was…very interesting. Like, it was nice, but at the same time weird loll. Especially when she told him that if they seemed like they were attracted to each other romantically, it probably wasn’t real. I honestly didn’t need that, especially when I feel like the Tifa fanservice coupling is everywhere and more apparent than with Aerith imo. I felt like the romance with Tifa was more vague in the beginning for the original. Anyway, Cloud was right, Aerith can’t just one-sidedly say all that and just leave, he should have his say too, especially since these are his feelings! And tbh, although Tifa and Cloud are super comfortable with each other and rely on each other, I feel like a lot of the times, they feel like trustworthy friends more in the remake imo. I think what solidifies (for me) how much Cloud cherishes Aerith was when he said he’d take her home again (lmao) after she showed him the way to Sector 7, enough concern over her safety with Don Corneo that he would cross dress, and his reaction when Aerith shows up with the extravagant red dress. He was so stunned at how beautiful she was! To be fair though, I was pretty stunned too, until I realised I better take screenshots lmao. Overall though, Cloud is constantly saving and taking care of all the girls, it’s kinda crazy. Like, I know he may be Prince Charming but c'mon! Only Tifa gets to be cool whereas the other girls get saved wayyyy too much whether it be from random falls or whatever. I also feel like Elmyra stopping them from going to save Aerith felt more like an unnecessary plot delay to squish in the Wedge part, but oh well lol, time for Shinra building time! Can’t wait to see Red XIII!

Or not, I’m stuck doing side quests lmao. Those pull ups were more annoying than squats zzzz, but they were okay I guess. Didn’t take that long to win the pro. The most annoying thing was that letting the pull up timer go on (when I obviously failed) was faster than the stupid loading screen when I press give up lol. Mireille being the Angel of the Slums was expected I guess, although I was never curious anyway haha. Kyrie is kinda cute but annoying lol. Kinda sad that I don’t actually get to ride on a Chocobo though….like I found all those lost chocobo and yet I don’t actually get to ride them? T_T Wow, I can’t believe the behemoth horn was used for medicine!! What kind of medicine are they making??! It was a hassle to kill that guy! Lmao tonberry is as cute and deadly as it usually is! Kept stabbing me lol! I know I could have probably thrown magic at it, but I thought it was hilarious to see it stab me lmao. The Colosseum battles were pretty easy, I was kinda worried but all good! Whack-a-box was super easy for the hard mode btw! I was like ohh noo when I saw hard mode thinking it’ll take me a while like the pull ups but dang, third time was the charm! Smashed it!🥰 Hmm, pedometer materia was interesting…lol, super easy to get the 5000 steps since I had to look for those annoying chocobos, but yeah I guess it was worth it! AP Up would be useful. I’m glad the side quests didn’t take too long because I really started considering just dropping them lol.

I’m glad they delved more into Leslie’s backstory, but I guess it was expected since he was the only pretty boy out of all the lackeys lmao. I found Leslie really endearing though, mainly because of his looks and how kind he was to keep warning Cloud and Aerith that they shouldn’t go to the audition haha. It’s saddening that his fiancee was chosen by Corneo and now she has disappeared. I kinda liked how his story interlinked with Cloud and Aerith though. Tifa told Leslie that the flower pendant his fiancee gave back to him before she left meant “we’ll meet again” in flower language, and that’s the flower Aerith gave Cloud, so it’s nice to see how Cloud linked that, and sorta renewed his resolve into finding her asap. It’s nice to know that rather than focusing on finding Corneo to exact his revenge, Leslie is now instead looking for the girl. Good that he’s got his priorities straight. She’s much more important than revenge! Hope we get to see him actually find her in the later parts or something~

Overall, not much to say about these few chapters. I think the running up the stairs/pillar part to save Sector 7 + Wedge, Biggs and Jessie were pretty faithfully done, and it was done pretty nicely too. It felt just as annoying with the monsters/soldiers, whilst being just as saddening with seeing the death of the Avalanche members lol. My only gripe with it was the Whispers popping up ruining the whole mood of the event, it really made it seem like Cloud and them could have changed the outcome that ended up happening but was stopped for “reasons” beyond their control, so they shouldn’t feel too bad about it kinda thing, it just changes the whole “feel” of it. Anyway, the changes with Wedge being alive and the “dream” with Aerith are things I have mixed feelings about. Wedge being alive really, as I kinda said before with the pillar, it changes the mood and atmosphere of everything. Like, it’s not terrible, but what solidified a lot of my feelings towards Avalanche and the dropping of the plate in the original was done with the impact of the deaths of our Avalanche members because they’re the main people we’re familiar with. Anyway, gotta love how (aside from Biggs and Jessie) a lot of the people we’ve seen are alive and well, and lol even the item shop etc people have good stock! Kinda miss the days in the original or in other older JRPGs where shops would follow the story and be lacking in supplies or whatever during times of disaster etc. Anyway, that’s just me being picky as usual lol. And yes, I’m starting to see how A LOT of the scenes involve Cloud and the others saving each other, mainly Cloud saving all the girls, and it’s nice but honestly overdone considering the amount of scenes where it happens. This time around, the changes (from the original) are half half to me, not better, but not exactly terrible I guess. Anyway, now that I’m going through this and reading my thoughts again, this was probably the point when I started thinking about whether I liked the remake for what it is or was I really just banking in on the hype and nostalgia of a favourite game? Honestly, it’s mainly the latter (sadly).

#final fantasy vii remake #ffvii remake #ffvii

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sometimeswritingsometimesdying · 5 years

Text

1: Summarize your WIP in 10 words or less.

A prophecy says four boys save the world. It’s wrong.

2: Post a line from your WIP with no context.

“Rich may have gotten a concussion while we fought a dragon today.”

3: Does your WIP have a title? If so, explain its significance. If not, what are you calling it for now?

For now it’s called “The Four Magicians (Plus one more)”

4: Describe the setting of your WIP.

it’s not very well developed for now, but basically it’s a magical world with many forests and mountains. I’m also thinking of adding some sort of kingdom system, since that was the original idea.

5: Search for the word “knife” in your WIP. If you find it, paste the line and explain the context.

nope! no knifes in this one

6: Search for the word “dream” in your WIP. If you find it, paste the line and explain the context.

none

7: What are you most proud of?

Definitely the characters. I really like the different personalities and backgrounds I gave them, and how they interact with one another

8: What is your biggest challenge?

describing things, probably? Because I already know what things look like and what I want characters to look like I have a hard time showing that to the reader

9: How would you describe your writing style?

Very narrative, sort of? That’s how my teachers have described it

10: How would you describe your WIP’s narrative style? (1st person, 3rd person, multiple POVs, single POV, alternating chapters, etc.)

3rd person because I HATE 1st person

11: Which character do you have the most in common with?

probably Eric, because, I too, am a nerd who tries too hard but somehow is still considered a bit cool by others, and, I too, fall for the cute one in my group of friends

12: Which character do you have the least in common with?

probably Oscar, since he’s very closed off and doesn’t like to talk about himself a lot, which is the opposite of me.

13: Your characters are stranded on a deserted island. What happens?

Rich and Oscar bicker, Eric tries to find a way to get back to safety and Sam and Adrien try helping Eric

14: Have you chosen birthdays for any of your characters? If so, when are they?

No, but Rich is probably a Gemini

15: Do you know your characters’ MBTI personalities?

nope

16: What would your characters be for Halloween?

Rich would be a dragon hunter, Oscar would be a dragon, Adrien would also be a dragon, but, like, a cute one, Eric would be the other dragon hunter, and Sam would be some kind of storyteller for the other four. Adrien and Sam probably came up with the idea

17: Does your WIP have any themes or motifs?

The main theme (or motif) would be that your background doesn’t define you

18: What’s easier, dialogue or description?

dialogue, 100%

19: Post a picture or gif that describes your WIP.

it may not describe my WIP perfectly, but it describes what I did to the characters

20: Post a brief excerpt.

It’s definitely not my best piece of writing, but it’s all I’ve got

After effectively killing the dragon (more like burning it to a crisp) they all walked back to their dorm. They were all tired, not only because of the fight but also because Shiloh had insisted on using the new spells, which take an incredible amount of power, even for Rich.

“Another Dragon. That’s the fourth one this year!” Oscar said.

“Well, yeah, but what do you expect? The school is situated between a mountain range and a forest, next, we’ll have to fight goblins.” Eric responded.

“Ugh, can’t they just make a magic barrier or something around the school grounds?” Rich complained, dramatically draping himself over Sam.

“They could, but it takes a lot of magic, Rich,” Sam says. Over the years, Sam and Rich had grown close and they came to consider each other brothers. Meanwhile, Eric and Sam had been constructing and creating machine after machine, putting them around their dorm to supposedly make their life easier, keyword there is ‘supposedly’. Speaking of Eric and Sam’s machines; “Eric the coffee maker broke again.”

“Oh, not again! I must have put ten spells on that thing!” Eric said turning to Rich, who was trying to make coffee. “Maybe if I lubricate the cogs…” Oscar made his way over to the four of them.

“What if you re-arranged the coils?” Eric hummed, pondering the suggestion.

“That… might actually work. Give me a couple minutes.” Rich walked over to the couch where Sam was already sitting. He threw himself on the couch with a groan.

“I’m bored, I want to do something!” Oscar raised an eyebrow.

“You literally just killed a dragon, and you’re bored?” Rich turned around and glared at Oscar.

“Yes, Oscar, I am.”

“Well if you want, we could go to the library all together later.” Sam offered. Rich groans again.

“But that’s boooooring.” Suddenly Rich’s face lit up, and a grin spreads across his face.

“Oh, no, what is he thinking now?” Oscar mutters. Rich looked back at Oscar.

“I’m thinking that we are going to town tonight!”

“You do realize that it’s against the rules to go out on school nights?” Just as Oscar’s thought left his mouth there was a knock at the door, and Eric went to answer. He came back with Adrien, who was wearing his usual clothes and cape, fancy just enough to make him look like some kind of prince. Adrien hadn’t changed much since they had met him, their first class with Shiloh, and had become friends shortly after an incident that happened after that very class.

…

Adrien always tried to understand others. He really did. He tried to understand why Shiloh brought him to her class. He tried to understand why the other kids laughed at him. And he tried to understand why the other boys glared and scowled at him. He really did try, but he just couldn’t understand them.

As he skipped down the hall, he started whistling a tune that was stuck in his head from a couple days. He was wearing his favorite skirt, which always put him in a happy mood, with his magic cape, or so Shiloh called it. He thought about the lesson he had just escaped, which Shiloh had dragged him to. She had promised the young wizards were nice and would have been his friends, but once he arrived they had seemed quite wary around him.

He was still lost in thought when someone grabbed him by the hood of his cape, effectively choking him.

“Well, well, well. Look who it is.” Adrien recognized the voice. It was Kyle’s, from his homeroom class, but he was not the one who had grabbed him since he was now standing cross-armed in front of him. Adrien squirmed and struggled to be let go, but to no avail.

The first hit came out of nowhere. Before Adrien could protect himself, Kyle had hit him hard in the stomach. It took him a moment to register what had happened since spots were dancing in his eyes and Kyle and his friends were calling him names and shouting insults at him, but one thing he heard loud and clear, was his name being called.

“Adrien!” It was a voice he did not recognize, and it was followed by at least four pairs of footsteps. He was suddenly thrown to the ground, and in a frenzy he turned around and ran for it, ignoring the aching throb near his stomach.

What he didn’t know, was that Eric was the person who called out to him. Blaze had told them it would be best to go see how their younger friend was doing and had caught Kyle just as he was about to punch Adrien again.

“Sam, go call Shiloh, Oscar, Rich, hold them off.”

“With pleasure,” Rich said, grinning. He called his magic to him and was suddenly backed up by a wave of blue. Meanwhile, Oscar had lit a flame in his hand. Then Eric took off to find Adrien.

“Oh, look at the little prodigies! They think they’re so powerful!” Kyle mocked. At that Oscar enhanced his flame, and Rich’s wave started advancing before Oscar cut him off. Kyle’s eyes were wide and scared, and he looked frozen in place. Then he ran off, leaving his friends and dignity there.

It took Eric a little while to find Adrien curled up in an obscure corner of a corridor. When they had been introduced to Adrien, he had seemed so shy, yet friendly, nice, and trustworthy. He had been a couple years younger than the others, but Eric didn’t mind since he too was two years younger than them. Although he had mostly sat off to the side or behind Shiloh, Eric had noticed his white hair, his light blue dress, and the freckles on his face. Meanwhile, the other three had snickered and laughed behind him, but now he understood why he had been so reclusive. He had been scared they would make fun of him.

He walked over to him and sat down at his side. He wasn’t too good at comforting others, but he’d try.

“Hey, Adrien.” He whispered.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have caused you trouble.” He mumbled, his head still in his arms.

“You didn’t cause us any trouble, we’re glad we could help.” Adrien lifted his head with a hopeful expression.

“Really?” Eric smiled and nodded.

“Did they do anything else?” He seemed to falter for a moment, then spoke up.

“Well, they always call me names.” Eric bit his lip. How do you respond to that?

“You know, they call me names too.”

“But why? I mean you seem alright…” Eric chuckled. This guy really was insecure!

“Well, they are scared of me, because I’m more intelligent than them.” He stopped for a moment, picking his words carefully. “And they’re scared of you because you’re more courageous than them.”

“No, I’m not,”

“Yes, you are. It takes a lot of courage to be different.” Adrien looked back at him wide-eyed like he couldn’t believe he had said that. Then, Eric wrapped him up in a hug.

“Thanks.” Before Eric could add anything, they heard footsteps down the hall. Soon enough, Shiloh and Sam were frantically trying to understand if Adrien was hurt, and Rich and Oscar were recounting how they made Kyle runoff (with added sound effects). By then, Adrien was feeling much better and thankfully wasn’t hurt.

That was only the beginning.

…

Adrien still looked like a male version of Shiloh, just younger and with freckles. He had messy light blond hair, silver eyes, which sat well on his soft face, was rather tall, and had a bubbly personality, which all of them enjoyed, although he used to be persuaded by Rich way too easily to execute dangerous plans of his (They all remember the hair incident.)

“Hey, guys, what are you talking about?”

“Rich may have gotten a concussion while we fought a dragon today.” Rich gasped dramatically.

“I did not, and since I’ve got another friend to back me up on this, Adrien, what do you think about sneaking out tonight, you know, all together?” Adrien seemed to falter a bit at the question, after all, Shiloh is his sister, but he’s never been exactly as mature as her.

“I don’t see why not, as long as we don’t harm anyone.” Rich’s smile grew.

“I mean, if Adrien’s in, I’m in too,” Eric said.

“Well, it would be fun,” Sam added. “But how exactly will we sneak out? None of us know how.”

Oscar sighed and walked to the couch.

“I guess I could lead the way.” Everyone’s eyes widened.

“Wait- are you serious?” Oscar nodded. “How do you even know how?”

Oscar shrugged. “I’ve had my amount of adventures, plus Blaze, Isaac, and Will used to sneak out all the time.”

“Speaking of Will, we should probably not go to his place. Blaze and Isaac might be there.” Eric said.

“Well, where should we go then?” Asked Sam. Oscar smirked.

“Oh, I know just the place.”

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theundergrounddog · 6 years

Text

Kenny Omega at DDT (Part 2)

Interviewer: “How was it for you adjusting to the Japanese culture?”

Kenny: “Uh well… I was lucky that I sort of had a good introduction to DDT. I mean I made that YouTube video of the anywhere match where I’m wrestling around my cottage and DDT fans are kinda wacky so before even like arriving to DDT they were already really excited to see me. So I sort of had that little bit of buzz. The adjustment was really easy to do in ring and in the match. The more difficult adjustment was adjusting to the actual culture and the food and the language and that was sort of like, you know a really long slow process.

Cause I mean it’s… you’re on your own to learn the language, you’re on your own to figure out to eat properly and maintain your diet and maintain your conditioning and that took about three years to balance it all out and to get to like a level in my Japanese where I could converse and sort of survive.

So yeah, the matches and stuff, that was easy. It was the other stuff, the after/before match type of things, the time when I wasn’t wrestling that was most difficult.” Under the Mat (podcast) 2014.21.04

(Quick disclaimer: I just want to make it clear that translation-wise I’m operating on google translate and common sense only. I cannot speak or read Japanese. If you can and you notice any issues where the meaning is drastically off, I would really really really like to know! Thank you!)

Kenny has 9 matches on his first tour in Japan however, 6 of these were during the beer garden shows which were over and done with by the 10th of August.*

At the same time, Kota was working other promotions aside from DDT including competing in Pro Wrestling Noah’s Junior Heavyweight tag league near the end of the month. This despite perhaps not being at 100% health-wise. There are reports on the blogs of him going to hospital to get checked out after his match with Kenny. The story is that he hit the back of his head when taking the Michinoku driver to the chairs and doesn’t remember the match clearly after that. Given that my main source for this is Takagi’s blog, he may be slightly exaggerating it for kayfabe’s sake however this wasn't the only place I saw the rumor that he was made to go to hospital after the match.

Kota works a match on the 9th for K-DOJO 3 days after his match with Kenny but doesn’t wrestle the final night of the beer garden shows on the 10th. He is at the show, but he just takes part in a comedy skit and works at the shop rather than doing the tag match originally advertised.

(Source)

Kenny has a street fight against the president Takagi himself! Unfortunately, apart from the Kenny vs Ibushi match and the tag match he had before that, none of the rest of Kenny’s matches from this tour are available online as far as I can find.

(Source) (Source)

Afterwards:

After the match (which Kenny loses) Takagi calls him “the best foreigner” and promises to call him in one year. The crowd chants ‘please come back’. And Nakazawa translates a promo from Kenny for them.

Kenny: "My wrestling career was so blessed to contract with WWE so that I could finally join ROH and finally come to DDT. Whatever anyone says DDT is the best company, with the best wrestlers and the best fans, as long as you want to see me, as long as Mr. Takagi asks me, I will definitely come back because this is where I am." (source)

So now the bulk of the wrestling was over. Kenny stayed in Japan for another three weeks, but only performed on three more shows.* One on the 17th in Nagoya, one on the 27th at Shin Kiba 1st ring again for another promotion called Great Pro Wrestling and one on the 31st at Korakuen Hall.

Tagaki’s promise at the end of the beer garden show hopefully eased Kenny’s mind a little but his initial concern to prove his worth so that DDT would bring him back was not unfounded. DDT was a small promotion. They didn’t have a huge amount of money to spare flying in and hosting talent from across the world.

The dormitory where Kenny stayed was in a quite run-down state. Matsui, one of the DDT refs, actually writes on his blog that he was impressed Kenny stayed there the whole time without complaining. It was in an industrial area outside of the center of Tokyo. The residents were mostly elderly with little or no English and they often crossed the street to avoid him. When he got lonely, he used to go talk to the staff at the local convenience store. It was a 45-minute bike ride to the closest internet café. (If you want to know more about this, the Japanophiles documentary is probably the best thing to watch. The other tidbits of information are scattered about on various podcasts and shoot interviews.)

Michael Nakazawa was a busy guy who appears to have been holding down multiple jobs, but he still finds time to hang out with Kenny often during his stay.

From his blog entries, it’s clear that Kota and Kenny’s connection was more or less instant. The day after the beer garden shows end, Nakazawa and Ibushi take Kenny to Akihabara and they play arcade games.

Ibushi vs. Omega, rebound match suddenly broke out! (August 12th)

“It's a game though. (^ _ ^;)

Today we have come to play in Akihabara in a group of three.

A splendid O Mega revenge with an initial D! Happy.

Silent Hill played alongside teaming together. I heard that I have not seen Silent Hill's gun shooting in the USA. You are pretty enthusiastic.

Even so, both of you are considerable gamers .... There is no language barrier in the game. That’s a relief. (^ O ^)”

From an interview with Kenny in November 2008 (August 17th -ish)

“-Then, if there are memories etc in DDT?

Omega: There are lots of memories and it is difficult. If I had to give one, I guess it's the hot spicy challenge with Ibushi. We went to a restaurant in Nagoya. There was a Russian roulette pizza in that shop, and one of the 6 piece pizza had hot sauce on it. Me and Ibushi are poor at eating spicy foods and can not eat them at all, but decided to do the challenge because it would be funny.

Eating with us was a rookie from Nagoya. He ate first but there was nothing. And then we ate, but there was nothing at all. Why?

'The truth is that mine was hit.' The new guy turned white, the Russian roulette pizza was over. But then it's not fun, right? So Nakazawa passed a spicy sauce to Ibushi, and Ibushi made the sauce for my pizza. In return I put sauce on Ibushi’s pizza, but I slipped and put it all over (laugh) But, for the time being, I handed it to Ibushi and decided to eat that pizza quickly.

Then it's hard to do anything! The two of us drank water, I put ice in my mouth, but I still felt like drinking water. Ibushi cried tears it was so spicy. So, Ibushi wiped the tears with his hands, but his hands actually had hot sauce on and so more and more tears flowed. So, both of our tongues are still burning, I asked for ice cream, but my tongue was still burning, still continued drinking water and then it took a long time to settle out. That was a good memory.”

Kenny’s match on the 17thwas a triple threat with Kudo and Masa Takanashi which Kenny actually won! Kota has a match with Dino in the main event. Can’t find either match online but the latter looks like its pretty standard fare for a Dino vs Ibushi match i.e. a copious amount of non-con kissing and heavily dick centered offense.

Ibushi wins but the Extremeparty recapper still notes some concern over his physical wellness.

Today's Ibushi & Kenny Omega (22nd)

The events of this day were recounted in both Nakazawa’s and Matsui’s blogs.

Nakazawa: “We joined with Mr. Matsui and Mr. Ibushi, who didn’t play at Noah today, we went to Ikebukuro. When people went to America with ROH before, people who became indebted people are connected, but the barbecue has become a treat for everyone. Well I have not eaten such good meat after a long time Nobunashima ....

Street brothers Kenny and Ibushi-san were playful while eating ice-cream. Good relationship. In this case you do not need an interpreter anymore.

What close friends you are, before they leave the office, they say they say "Hado-ken!" Or something like a fireworks that happened to be sandwiched with both hands and shoot it with you. Ah Ibushi I'm burning a hand. f (^ _^;)”

Matsui: “Tonight, Ibushi and Michael were invited by the mother who took care of me during the expedition of ROH. Ibushi, Michael, Kenny, and me got to eat meals.

It was delicious!

Also moved to the shop that they are doing.

Despite the fact that Kenny did not drink a single drop, he sang English songs for a long time without giving up the microphone, and it made me drink.

Love song sent to Ibushi was sweet and painful.

So, now we will return.

Kenny wanted to stop by the arcade,

"If you play now, the train will be gone!" I said in Japanese.”

Kenny Omega Night (August 24th)

Ibushi’s Noah matches start on the 23rd. Meanwhile, Kenny and Nakazawa hold the first Kenny Omega Night at Dropkick! He squishes the grapefruits with his bare hands apparently. They play street fighter with customers + other DDT wrestlers.

Then they play strip street fighter. Which goes badly for Michael.

They do a little Q&A with Michael translating:

"The reason that I came this time was to fight Ibushi. The fight against Ibushi was the most important match. I did not expect it, but after fighting we got along well. I want to do a rematch with Ibushi when coming next time, but, only if Ibushi has the same idea, it is possible we could tag. "

"It's boring to stay in the dormitory, I’m a rarity in Adachi-ku so it is not very pleasant. It’s not like that in Akihabara or Shibuya. I like all Japanese food, but I have to ask Michael and Matsunaga to explain all the menus. I was surprised by the Moss Burger Rice Burger. How does rice replace the buns? I thought it was delicious when I ate it. I had an image of Japan as the advanced country of technology, the impression has not changed since coming. "

There is more strip-Streetfighter and Michael loses again.

Yesterday appeared in the S Arena! (August 27th)

Nakazawa:“Yesterday, Mr. Ibushi & Kenny appeared on the S - Arena on Samurai TV, so I was present as an interpreter. I wonder if I can translate properly. It's my first time to interpret something on TV. It is not bad usually as usual.

However, it was a big pinch before recording. We were meeting at the studios at half past eight, but no one had come yet. Well Kenny I know was at Great pro's match at Shinkiba from 7 o'clock before this recording, but Ibushi-san was late for no reason as usual (lol). What should I do if they never turned up? He was not upset but upset. Actually, Ibushi-san arrived after broadcasting had begun. f (^ _^;)

If you were watching the broadcast yesterday, you will understand, but there are not any words such as the language barrier, they are really good friends. They are is about the same age, and wrestling is a person who can respect each other, both of them are fond of games, they cannot drink alcohol or spicy food. They like the streets, and like indies. I guess there are things that germinated through fierce fighting and sympathies that they both feel.”

“After that, we went to eat Okonomiyaki by three people, we cooperated together and breathed in briefly and baked over with one more thing! Another photo was baked by Kenny: Smiley Okonomiyaki It was my first taste & mischievous but it seemed like it was.

Kenny's last match in Japan for the time being is 8.31 Korakuen convention, please come and watch! Without business, Kenny Omega once I'm looking forward to hearing from you soon.”

The match Kenny has before going to the TV station on the 27th is a bit of a mystery. It’s for a promotion that isn’t DDT called ‘Great Pro Wrestling’(?) but it was in the Shin Kiba 1st ring which was the same place the beer garden shows were held. I didn’t find out about it anywhere the rest of the match recaps are, but from our old friend Griffon591! The match was against JOM Taro but I’m struggling to find much information on it. Griffon591 did however take some really cute photos of Kenny standing about.

Before Korakuen (August 29th-30th)

Everyone is busy in the run up to the big DDT show at Korakuen Hall. Kota is also in the middle of the NOAH Junior Heavyweight Tag League at this point, fighting guys such as but not limited to: Daniel Bryan, Davey Richards, Kenta/Hideo Itami and Taiji Ishimori.

(source) (source)

Matsui: “Yesterday I made a mozzo in my office, and I drank with Kenny and others. I nearly missed the last train.

It looks like Kenny managed to learn how to get back to the dorm from here by train.

Korakuen is nearly here so today I stayed at the office for a while. There was one meeting and two meetings. I will return from now. The office has always had a high population density in the production of DDT. About 9 o'clock, Ibushi, Kenny and Michael came to the office, but of course he was playing.

However, the way of Ibushi and Kenny's communication is quite creepy. Words are hardly exchanged, communication is measured only with a smile. Surely, I wonder if there is something known only to crazy people.”

DDT Summer Vacation Memories (August 31st)

The big Korakuen Hall show finally comes and Kenny has his last match of the tour was against HARASHIMA.

(source)

Promos after the match:

HARASHIMA: "Kenny Omega! Your last trick, it worked ... Damn, I lost, as you know, Kenny will return to Canada at the end of the game, but I will not allow running away. We will play with this DDT ring!"

Kenny: "HARASHIMA-san, Thank you. Korakuen Hall, DDT, DDT fans, This is my dream. And my dream has come true. For you fans, I gave 100%, I gave everything in every match I had in DDT."

“(He did not have an interpreter this time, but chose language that was easy to understand.)”

There’s also much amusement from Yukihiro Abe (another DDT wrestler) that Kenny has the [for private use] copyright warning on his gear.

Kenny’s knee was apparently injured during this match but it’s not so bad that he doesn’t keep wrestling on it.

Saying goodbye (September 1st-3rd)

Kenny leaves on the 4th but it looks like he probably says goodbye to Ibushi on the 1st. This makes sense considering Ibushi’s Noah matches. He has one on the 2nd and one on the 4th both of which are outside Tokyo, so maybe he just wasn’t coming back in between.

Matsui: “Today, slowly to the office from the evening.

I was thinking that I would normally take a day off but I decided to go in because Kenny is coming by.

Kenny is going to return to Canada on the 4th.

We may meet again tomorrow or the day after tomorrow but we may not meet with everyone so we took a photo.

He wasn’t selfish, even though he lived in a dorm for a long time he did not complain, but it was a truly wonderful foreign player who performs great in the ring (even on the street).

Good bye Kenny.

Until the day we meet again!”

Nakazawa: “Since from today Ibushi-san has matches with Noah, campground, SEM and so on, we will have a memorial photo with everyone as this is probably the last chance we can meet with all of you. Mr. Ibushi must also be missing. It will come back again soon.”

Nakazawa (in a later blog entry): Kenny says, "It is a funny thing, as returning to Canada comes closer, it becomes a bit sad every time people say: "Kenny, today is probably the last day to see you before your return." Yesterday is really something I (almost?) cried, I rarely get such a thing. I finished playing games at the arcade and it's about time to go home and say goodbye to Ibushi. I came back to sleep with an attitude almost incomprehensible because it was difficult to cry.

See you! (September 4th)

Nakazawa: “Yesterday was the last chance to see Kenny. Today I work in the gym so I cannot go to the airport to see you off ... I'm sorry.

At night I went for dinner with Mr. Matsui and Inokuma but I had my two-shot taken at the end. Double Hadoken! (Why naked and in the station premises)

We shook hands and hugged and parted. It was a busy month after Kenny came, but it was fun. I am really looking forward to seeing you again and again. There are also opportunities to have a match against you next time. See you!”

And that’s the end! Spoilers: Kenny does come back in January 2009 and many more times after that. Lots of cute shit happens then too. Go out onto Michael Nakazawa’s blog and discover it for yourselves.

*I say at the start that Kenny had 9 matches, but earlier this week I thought he only had 7 so there could easily have been more. I was going off cagematch’s results and then found the mystery 2 with blind luck lol.

#golden lovers research tag #Golden Lovers #Kenny Omega #kota ibushi #ddt #this is so long #i'm so sorry #also if there is something you want a source for and i missed it #you can ask #also the bit about saying goodbye to ibushi just kills me #and i really want a real translation of it

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15001700tt · 6 years

Text

Movie Nights

Junmyeon x @peachangkyvn

A/N: or reader insert if you want

Supernatural AU, Werewolf, vampire and witch AU

Word count: 2,553

Little something I did so I can get creativity back!

its also inspired by Suho’s ice cream truck by @tsucheri

Moving out is supposed to be the best experience ever, considering that most people move out to go to another city, looking for a job, adventure, and freedom from the past and the parents. But not this case, I moved out and stayed in the same town with the same past and the same friends. The streak of adventure didn't come from my surroundings,. It came from me and my selective friends that I've decided to keep. I admit moving to another city was tempting but not as tempting as my dream apartment and dream job. Which is funny because usually, that's somewhere else other than your hometown. Nevertheless, it's my life and I am content.

I have kept the same group of friends that I can with the exception of those who moved away, and it's not like I didn't make new friendships, I made plenty. My neighbors are the sweetest. My apartment building is built so that three apartments were on each floor. On my left, I had a cute college couple that is barely home but when they are, never fail to invite me over to dinners. And on my right, an old classmate from high school that is very shy.

His name is Kim Junmyeon, his shyness didn't seem to be a barrier between him and people, he had quite a lot of friends. So when he bumped into me the day I was moving in it was no surprise that he would greet me and act like we're closer than we really were. But after a while, I got used to it, because to be honest, he was just really friendly.

I got introduced into his group of friends and they welcomed me with open arms, they called it ‘ a fresh breath of estrogen’. Like I mentioned he's friends with a lot of people but his closest were 8 men who seemed more like overgrown puppies than anything.

But there was one thing he didn't share with his friends, our movie nights on Wednesdays. It was the middle of the week and somehow both of us have that day free with his busy schedule and mine. But a month after I moved in, he invited me to a movie. And I the tradition stuck. Usually, it was at mines, but if he was practically lazy, we would spend it at his.

It was purely platonic from both ends, except a little detail. In high school, I had a huge crush on him and we weren't that close to even have a conversation beyond greetings. I am a grown woman now and those feelings disappeared.

The movie nights continued, now its been almost two years and the tradition is still upheld, except now its once a month since it was getting harder with their ever-changing schedules and work. Junmyeon never really misses them but there are times where he does, and those times that he does miss, the next day he looks like a complete wreck.

It happened again so I decided that maybe his immune system is getting weaker as he exhausts himself more at work. I made him some porridge and packed some medicines before making my way next door. It was around 8 at night. Before I could even knock I heard a couple of voices inside that sounded strangely like Chanyeol and Sehun.

“What do you mean?” he hissed.

“They’ve been circling your apartment building for the last couple of nights”

“so they already know that I am here”

“They can smell her on you, it won't be long before they figure it out,” Sehun stated back.

“You really have to tell her, it's getting more dangerous as the years pass, and now the damn danger is right outside your door,” Chanyeol adds in.

“But it's not even possible, tonights a full moon which means that my scent should overtake hers” he paused. His head turned to the door, his eyes widened.

I ran back into my apartment before he could open the door. My heart was beating erratically as I tried to take a few breaths to calm it. I have no idea what they meant but they sounded serious and they're never that serious and they weren't making any sense anyway.

I tried to push it far away from my mind as I can. I decided that I’ll just sleep this off.

“You know, when I said I can help you with anything, I really didn't mean it like this” a voice hissed into the night as they sneaked into her apartment.

“I never thought I’d have to do this. I thought I had enough time” another snapped back

“You had more than 6 years you dumbass!” they sounded strangely like Minseok, Junmyeon, and Sehun.

Just do it so we can get out of here in time.” a new voice sighed, Chanyeol. A snap was heard in the silence of the night. And then another one.

“It's not working.” Minseok sighed.

“What do you mean?” Chanyeol and Sehun whispered.

“There's a block between her memories and my magic, somethings wrong” he frowned.

“You said this would work if she’s sleeping” Junmyeon stated

“That’s how it works, but somehow it's not working for her.”

“Maybe I am not completely sleeping.” I turned and opened my eyes fully. The four men jumped away from my bed.

“Uhh, I can explain” Junmyeon stuttered. Sehun glanced at his watch, he nudged Chanyeol.

“What the hell are you guys doing?” I snapped.

“Uhhh were very sorry, well explain later, but we have to go” Chanyeol hurried and dragged the three other men out her front door.

“Oh no, you don't” I ran out and slammed my front door and throwing open his.

“You're explaining now.”

“You can't be here.” Minseok ushered but I wouldn't budge. My eyes were glued to the sight in front of me. Junmyeon, Chanyeol, and Sehun turned a sickly yellow before collapsing in the living room. Junmyeon laid on his couch while the tall men laid on the ground as they started to groan in pain.

“Wh-whats happening to them?” I stuttered. Normal people don't turn yellow in a span of three seconds. Minseok glanced at the clock and sighed.

“3 minutes before midnight” he murmured.

“Why is that important, they need help” I scrambled to my own apartment. I looked for any painkillers but couldn't find any, damn I need to buy some. I discarded the thought and went to get some towels and ice-cold water.

When I made my way back to the apartment, Minseok sprang up to his feet.

“You're back!” his confused voice rang in my head. I am back, in the danger zone, oh well fuck it, they need my help.

“Help me turn Chanyeol over,” I ordered him as I made my way to Chanyeol’s side to roll him on his back.

“Ohh I wouldn't touch him right now,” he warned. “He's in a lot of pain, he's also not in his right mind he mig-” he was caught off by the sound of feet entering the room. Baekhyun, Jongdae, and Jongin. They looked shocked to find me here with a towel in my hand near Chanyeol.

“Fine,” I mumbled and pressed the cold cloth to the back of his neck instead. I made my way to Sehun and pressed a cloth to his forehead and did the same with Junmyeon.

“Shes not freaking out” Jongin whispered to Baekhyun, he nodded as he observed me.

“I can hear you” I turned to the pair. A rapid knock broke our intense stare off before I went to get it. It was Kyungsoo and Yixing who looked frazzled and in a hurry and not happy to see me at all.

“No no you cannot be here” Yixing rasped out. Kyungsoo gently pushed her inside and closed the door behind Yixing.

“They made their way to the living room where the rest were.

“They know she's here.” Kyungsoo filled them in as the sick boys groaned.

“What is going on?” I tried to ask but they weren't really listening to me anymore.

“YO! Who knows I am here?” their heads snapped to her direction.

“Bad people really bad people” Yixing stated.

“Shes not freaking out” Kyungsoo murmured.

“Yeah, I am confused too” Jongdae answered. Minseok rolled his eyes before turning to me and baring his very animalistic fangs at me and changing his normal brown eye color to a blood red.

“Vampire” he pointed at himself and then pointing towards Jongin and Baekhyun “The same thing” before pointing toward Kyungsoo and Yixing and Baekhyun and saying

“Shapeshifters” my eyes were wide t this point.

“These three are werewolves, I am guessing,” I said in the most casual voice I can muster. I paused before continuing, “I am guessing with the full moon and all”

“You're smart” Baekhyun winked at me, immediately Minseok hit his arm.

“You're not human are you?” he said as he gave me a pointed look. I cringed. This is why I didn't want to move, but I am regretting that choice now.

“I am a descendant.” I sighed as I revealed my past.

“What the hell is that?” Jongdae asked.

“She has witch genes in her blood but she’s not a witch” Kyungsoo explains.

“I can make potions though, it's cool” I murmur as I rotate the cold cloths on the heavy breathing Junmyeon. His eyes were turning a slightly golden, I brushed my hand against his hot skin.

“I am his mate aren't I?” I state, silence overtakes the room. They all nod their heads in silence.

I bite my lips before mentally searching for the list of things I need to be able to at least help Junmyeon.

“Have you called Hyo Gun and Sang-Soo yet? I can only help Junmyeon at this point” I stated as I stared at the stoic boys in front of me, I guess they were expecting this.

I checked my watch 12:50

“Yes, they're on their way” “what do you think you're going?”

“I have most of the ingredients but I am missing some, some I am going to the convenience store keep an eye on them,” I said in a hast as I went to open the door.

“You can't, bad people are outside.” Yixing reminded me,

“Why do you think they haven't broken in yet?” I questioned, “I have a spell protecting the building and on me., ill be fine” I assured.

“I thought you said that you can't cast spells,” Kyungsoo asked

“I am half witch half descendent” I explain, “my mom was a full witch while my dad is a descendent.” nice all the secrets come out tonight. I glanced back at Junmyeon he still looked sick but was now passed out.

“I'll be fine” I assured again before walking out. I planned to go to the 24-hour convenience store for some meds and the ingredients for the healing potion I am making. As I arrived I already sensed the bad aura the three guys hanging in the back had. I kept my cool and went through the isle that I needed and gave them no attention, as they clearly knew who I am. My phone gave a shrill ring. I hastily picked it up with the bag in my hands.

“Where are you?” Baekhyun asked.

“I am almost done, I making my way back after I pay.” I glanced at the cashier and then eyed the three men. I sighed this isn't going to end well.

“I might be late” I stated before hanging up and not bothering to hear Baekhyun frantic response. I went to the register and paid for everything and started to make my way home again before noticing two things, the three men were following me, and I got a message saying that the girls are waiting for me so I wouldn't have to walk alone. I decided that if I am going to use my powers tonight I’d rather it not be in front of the sweet girls. I sighed again, I hate this. Well not my powers, the part where I damage their egos and accidentally kill them.

I set down the bags and turn to face them. I keep my face as blank as possible. They don't try to hide the fact that they are werewolves and morph right away, greenish-yellow eyes stare at mine as they stalk towards me. I feel my body already starting to prepare itself for the next spells and castings. The one in the middle is the one that goes first, a binding spell keeps him locked in his position. One of the left snarls at me, I feel offended so I blasted that one with an energy spell. The right one growls and charges towards me at full speed and I didn't have time to deter him off his track so I just put up a protection spell around me. By now the left of recovered and was snapping his jaw at me.

I don't want to play any more games so I just cast a revocation spell. The left one slowly and painfully turns into a human before dying. The right one witnessing what I just did, snapped his jaw at me and charged, this time I can see the fear in his eyes. I cast a force spell that knocks the wolf out of the day and into a nearby tree and knocks it out. The one in the center is still bound and looks very much scared. I smiled and cast a banishing spell so he can never come here again, taking one look at the knocked out wolf and the one trembling in front of me I cast forgetful spells on both of them before picking up my bags once more.

I met up with the girls and went up the apartment complex. The boys scrambled to get up. I looked at the watch to see how long it took me, 2:30 AM wow. Sang-Soo and Hyo Gun make their way straight to the two boys, while I stay back and settle in the kitchen to make the potions I need for him.

“How long does it usually last?” I asked, so I can get the measurement for the pinewood right.

“Until 4 AM” Jongin responds.

“Why do you have blood on your face” Baekhyun stated.

“Ran into a couple of omegas, they attacked me, I defended myself” I shrugged as I wiped it off. A growl rang through the air, I hurriedly went to sit next Junmyeon.

“I am here, not my blood” I reassured him, his eyes were still yellow.

“I'll kill them” it was between a growl and a snarl.

“You can't do that, I already did” I whispered. He didn't seem to be in as much pain anymore since he had the power to look shocked.

“What?” I demanded softly. “only one, there were three”

“We’re going to have a long chat” he gasped out as he went into more waves of pain.

“Fun” I rolled my eyes. I headed back into the kitchen. Once I finished the potions I needed, I made my way back into the living room.

“Great, I guess we're going to have our movie night with company.”

#exo #exo-writers-net #junmyeon #suho #halie writes #exoot9

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fairest · 6 years

Text

DIDN’T GO TO TWITTER YESTERDAY - September 12, 2018

Find your country.

In the American food court of O’Hare’s Terminal 3, eating my bean & whole egg burrito from Burrito Beach, I thought, the Viet Cong were the Dirt Bag left of their time.

Except the Viet Cong knew how to kill red state Americans.

(At that time red states were blue, weird.)

The only thing the Dirt Bag left knows how to do is put two pictures side by side on a timeline.

But there is hope.

Maybe once, in the past, all the Viet Cong could do was tweet, too.

Maybe it’s only the beginning for the Dirt Bag Left and at the beginning there is only talking, organizing.

Right now it’s still the Truman years.

Dewey defeats Truman, Clinton defeats Trump.

Right now it’s still the French colonizing the American mind (all these poems hurt my feelings and all the Marx bullshit) and in 50 years we will find the right American words and we will remember how to die.

Project for an extremely online leftist: Google Image Viet Cong & Google Image Dirt Bag Left and place the images side by side on Twitter.

I have this note here: On the airplane, the milf reads her thriller.

I have this note here from long ago: a male pilot who misses his flight reading a romance novel.

Find your country.

Today, my wife’s 34th birthday, I saw a young man sitting on the curb, coming to the end of a novel.

The streets smelled of a rain that had passed over.

The farmer’s market band was singing: find. your. country. find your. country.

My wife was holding our son.

We were warmed by the cool sun, my honesty.

What my honesty has done to my perception, how it has allowed me to see things which I could never look at, because someone else was looking.

I asked my wife, is that The Corrections or The Adventures of Kavalier and Clay? And my wife said, it’s The Corrections.

Writers always look at the books people are reading.

In fact it’s one of the only things a writer can do.

It is hard for me to edit my novel during this outpouring because the characters in my third person omniscient novel live to deceive themselves, but here, for this waterworks, I am admitting myself (admit one) in the first person.

I was watching the farmer’s market band and thinking to myself, musician is the only honorable profession, everyone else is a scab.

How can you face yourself, sitting there looking at Visio and TweetDeck, when you could just as easily pick up that guitar and strum.

I can still see the couch where I finished The Corrections, a cheap college couch, I cried on the last page.

I only remember one sentence, it’s the only sentence I almost remember from a Franzen novel: ‘she was going to make some changes in her life’.

It comes at the very end. It’s about the character Enid Franzen. Chip Franzen’s mommy.

The novel ends on a note of supreme, mainstream hope, an almost Bellovian hope.

Nothing says hope more than making changes.

Hope: One day Mr. Sammler goes to bed with the right papers.

Who was the Tolstoy of the Jews?

Franzen the Great. Our last great male Jewish novelist.

It was also the couch where AbercrombieAnnie1983 (the best screw[s]of my life) told me she had herpes, and I said so I can’t see you anymore (I can’t fuck you anymore) I can’t love you anymore (I won’t fuck you with a disease).

I can still smell Annie’s pussy and now you can too. It wasn’t odorless like Kardashian pussy, it had a focused smell.

I used to write things like that in MFA school and people would look at me with hatred, disgust, like they were my grandmother, so I tried to stop doing it.

Style is what you are trying to stop doing?

All of that was in my head for different periods of time and different amounts of headspace, standing in the cool sun listening to the farmer’s market band run through the changes for Find Your Country, on my wife’s birthday.

My wife is a the one.

That’s not a typo, my wife is a ‘the one’.

It took Karl Ove 240 or so pages to leave his wife, go back to his MFA school, propose love to his mistress or some girl he used to know in college….

It would take me eleven million words to leave my wife.

It’s just hard to imagine.

When I see my wife’s friends I think, you gals have aged. When I see my wife she looks the same as she did the day before I met her.

As a good man (I am a good man, my father is a great man, my grandfather was an OK man, his father was a bad, bad man) I searched long and hard for a the one and when I find a the one my memory was erased.

Even AbercrombieAnnie1983 (in 2001) is gone.

It takes 5-7 generations for the badness of man to reach full flavor.

For best results, drink 3 to 4 generations per day.

I read a clearly engaging essay yesterday by Charles Finch … who I know in real life … hi Charles ... but he is not the Charles I mentioned yesterday ... who said ... critics are bitter people … about Karl Ove and it reminded me how part of Karl Ove’s Q&A … like when an indie bookstore talks to Karl Ove … what they Q&A about … is that he “gave up” on art.

Like he “gave up” on art the way Henry Miller gave up on art when he broke the sound barrier of the autobiographical novel, but like Andy told me that time in Vilnius, nobody reads Henry Miller anymore, Stuart, and I added in my own head, not even me.

Miller once said it got to the point of madness where no matter what I said about the man I could have easily have said the exact opposite.

Although I’m back in New York … that’s why I was at the airport this morning thinking about the Viet Cong … and I always bring Aller Retour New York in my bag when I come back, although I haven’t opened it for 12 years or so, and I didn’t bring it this time, I brought Eros the Bittersweet instead, which got Burrito Beach red salsa sauce on it and now is kind of fucked up.

Karl Ove fits easily into Algren’s criticism of Henry Miller: the problem with Karl Ove is that he thinks he thinks.

Much more than Miller himself does.

That’s my problem. I think I think.

This reminds me a lot of David Frum.

I feel like I made fun of David Frum the last few days but I don’t know David Frum.

Making fun of people you don’t know is for people who go to Twitter.

I didn’t go to Twitter yesterday.

Sorry David Frum.

Thought about tweeting yesterday:

At the Tribeca Target, my wife said even the mannequins are fat now, and I told her she should tweet that. I’m not going to tweet it’s insane that Tribeca has a Target.

I came to this sentence in Charles’ essay, which gave me a painful pang of recognition: writers who leave more questions than they answer.

I thought to myself, am I a desperate amateur who thinks he thinks and leaves more questions than I answer?

I wrote a humor piece … the only literary criticism possible for me … since literature is hilarious … about Karl Ove … this was like five years ago … I wrote it in Managua … because Dario is boring in English … it was about why Karl Ove is famous … because people like to say ‘Karl Ove’ … you know … like the Seinfeld joke about salsa … that people only like salsa because they like to say salsa … you know I’d been to parties … and people said Karl Ove … but when they said Karl Ove they didn’t mean Karl Ove … they meant themselves … like when they say David Foster Wallace they don’t mean David Foster Wallace … they mean themselves … I did a search for the unpublished article a few moments ago … I was going to send it to HTMLGiant or The Awl at the time … I must’ve erased it … if you’re interested, I’ll leave a broken link to it in show notes.

Giving up is something only men can do.

I have this note here: something only men can do.

I have this note here: A list of verbs from mammals before humans that humans can also do but it’s just the kind of “good writing” with “strong, interesting verbs”: crawl, pounce, slither, wag, others? Use them during editing process.

Women are not allowed to give up.

Men are allowed to give up when they want to harness creativity.

That Picasso line … it took me a lifetime to learn how to paint like a child … if a woman said that she would be laughed out of the salon.

Don’t paint like a child, grow up, paint like a man.

Sometimes I wonder if female writers are burning up, they have ten thousand words to go, and they look over at their husband, and he’s fast asleep.

I don’t give up.

I am trying pretty hard right now.

I detest creativity.

I am uninterested in the expanding of my mind I want a long, drawn out compression that lasts longer they I could with AbercrombieAnnie1983.

Creativity takes me always from behind.

It’s weird my president is mad at Nike, they make a shoe called Air Force One, then again he likes his own plane.

Creativity takes a step back for a moment, long after I am miles ahead.

I am scared of creativity.

American writers spend a long time being afraid of advertising.

It takes an American writer 900,000 private words before they can say to themselves: fuck advertising.

The Charles Mingus composition Myself When I Am Real, how does it go again, is it a vamp or a romp? Is it a song, or a book?

For the longest time as a child I would think to myself, I am not creative enough.

I believe in God, saints, angles—the triune stumbling block to creativity. But I don’t believe in fairies, goblins, witches, Batman, the ruling class, late capitalism, planets with more than one moon … Luke Skywalker’s farming planet … I never believed that shit.

If a woman gave up on art man would say, cool have a kid.

I have a note here about men’s bodies that make my cock move: the young falafeltarian waiters wear tight white polos. Does a man still starch a polo these days? My fantasy: their nails clipped in half-moons.

I wrote my wife a card for her birthday.

Happy birthday my love. The wine was dark. The food clean. The service sucked. The conversation spoke to us. There will never be another you.

I wrote her a card from our son, too.

I am scared to die for my country.

My son might not be.

I wrote it out with my right hand to be cute (editor’s note: the desperate amateur who thinks he thinks asking more questions than he can answer is, IRL, a lefty).

Writing the card backward was a notable experience.

I fucked up cute all words except the word Mommy.

I write mommy almost if not equally well with my right hand as with my left.

Maybe it’s because I have so much hope.

I have so much hope for the world, my son, my wife, my mommy even though she is old.

My mama’s got cancer in her breast, don’t ask me why I’m motherfucking stressed, things done changed.

I hug my wife, between us our son.

Find Your Country.

Hold your influences close.

Hold your closest influence closer.

#OG #Diary #Twitter #September 12

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ygygygygu · 3 years

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Yes, we can ask anything now

Ariat, which has been around for 16 years, has dressed individual Olympic riders before, but never the entire team, which competes in Hong Kong. "It's very significant for us to be on the world stage," Cross says. "At least one of our riders is blogging during the event it gives us a stage to talk to top riders around the world.". A Fairfax County jury has awarded Performance Motor Racing, LLC $7.5 million dollars in legjobb kutyaruha esőkabát a conspiracy to llantas 4x4 online injure business action. The suit arose from a sponsorship agreement between Scuderia Maranello Motorsports, Inc. And Performance Motor Racing, LLC to fund two Ferrari 550 Maranellos in the GTS class of the American Le Mans Series, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He did a good job fending the questions off, but clearly the press is reaching a new level of candidness and boldness at least in the questions they are asking. Talking to a press interviewer later I asked about this. She said, "Yes, we can ask anything now, except we can't question the basic legitimacy of the leadership." This may seem to Americans like not much progress in a country where Congresspeople can shout "You lie!" at the president in the State of the Union Address without consequence, but it is a new level of press freedom in Iran.. I have some advice for those people at AEG/Staples Center who are slugging it out with another faction for the right to smučarski kombinezon hlače build a new football stadium in Los Angeles. Let them have it. And steal their thunder by building, instead, a fabulous polo field! Yes, you heard me, a polo field, a large (300 by 160 yards) grassy open field the size of nine football arenas, surround it with comfortable bleachers. She said the wait was likely the result of the government wanting to approve several changes at once. Lillooet, Cowichan Lake and Nanaimo are among the bands to revert to traditional names. The band adopted the Tk'emlups brand in 2009 and doesn't intend to alter its logo at this time, said Gottfriedson. Farm Bill. Law, claiming that it violated their rights under the WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT). (See here also.). The plastic bracket / roller is secured to a metal profile attached to the lights using a steel bolt szemüveg csúszásgátló and square plate. The bolts showed signs of rusting that may have contributed to the degradation of the plastic bracket / roller. The bracket / roller supports the weight of the three aluminium lighting units which are joined together. The panel is a thin, square plate with four long solar strips. It can be detached from the pack and stored when not needed. It has a standard USB output, which connects to a power adapter that doubles as a 2200mAh battery unit, meaning you can charge up whenever you have the chance then use the stored juice neve e sale amazon when needed. Mitsubishi UK MD Lance Bradley reckons there's good news here, though. He says: "Battery pack costs have halved in the past three years, and they're now a fifth of llantas 4x4 online what they were sac camelbak lobo 10 years ago. By the time these cars are out of warranty drk gumicsizma sütétkék and, more importantly, by the time their battery packs start failing replacement costs will almost certainly be significantly lower than they are now."He continues: "What's more encouraging, though, is the fact that it's highly unlikely a whole pack will need renewal, as it'll simply be a question of replacing any dead cells inside, cutting costs even further. Application most of these ideas previous to readying to produce your images or maybe end up with all of them unveiled, and get ready for the text beneficial from comparable along with pals, involving particularly an incredible task one does!Focus for you to facts, interest along with commitment are usually Versace the majority of differentiating pieces. The wrist watch series get ready the manufacturer name methods, this preciseness involving Europe watch making as well as the elegance of Italian top quality jewelry. Many people combine Physical exercise exactness layout using Italian language model. Get a plate and put a little percentage on the plate. Its low rise slim fit skinny leg Diva wash five pocket design is 98% cotton, so you can bet it comfortable in almost any weather. Than an Acetic acid is then applied to the affected area. The company gave a modest outlook for the second quarter of fiscal 2014 as its top line growth and profits will be impacted by the integration of newly assumed businesses and the timing of investments in strategic growth initiatives. Moreover, it reported weak comparable stores sales growth nike sb prod x in the first quarter. These results and forecasts did not go down well with the company's investors and led to a more than 8% drop in its stock price.. Injuries My most serious adidas goalkeeper jersey injury happened playing against England last May, when I had a bad fall and broke my hip. But I've had a few: I've broken my nose a couple of times. This was the worst, but I was quite lucky that it took me 12 weeks to recover and I haven't had pain from it.. Hands up if you can remember the Vietnamese restaurant that was once on the corner here? We've always loved The Duxton, even more so since its refurb. A good crowd, of all ages, is always guaranteed. Try the main bar, or head up to The Loft, and, when you get tired early, order fish and chips from Flatheads and head home.. Television satellite dishes are everywhere and openly evident now, even in small towns. In the not too distant past the police were raiding households and destroying them. I asked one gentleman outside his home about his satellite dish, and he said that a kid in the neighborhood was manufacturing them and selling them to the neighbors.

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frmartinshomiliesandreflections · 3 years

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23rd May >> Fr. Martin’s Gospel Reflections / Homilies on John 15:26-27, 16:12-15 for the Feast of Pentecost, Cycle B: ‘He will lead you to the complete truth’.

Feast of Pentecost, Cycle B

Gospel (Except USA)

John 15:26-27,16:12-15

The Spirit of truth will lead you to the complete truth.

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘When the Advocate comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who issues from the Father, he will be my witness. And you too will be witnesses, because you have been with me from the outset.

‘I still have many things to say to you but they would be too much for you now. But when the Spirit of truth comes he will lead you to the complete truth, since he will not be speaking as from himself but will say only what he has learnt; and he will tell you of the things to come. He will glorify me, since all he tells you will be taken from what is mine. Everything the Father has is mine; that is why I said: All he tells you will be taken from what is mine.’

Gospel (USA)

John 15:26–27; 16:12–15

The Spirit of truth will guide you to all the truth.

Jesus said to his disciples: “When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me. And you also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.

“I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.”

Reflections (3)

(i) Feast of Pentecost

When you look around our parish church you will find that there is no shortage of images: statues, paintings, stained glass, carvings and plaster moulds. They are mostly images of Jesus, Mary and of the saints. The Holy Spirit, whose feast we celebrate today, does not easily lend itself to imagery. One traditional image of the Holy Spirit is the dove. That is drawn from the gospel accounts of the baptism of Jesus. However the language of the evangelists in that passage is very tentative; they simply say that the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus like a dove, in the way that a dove might descend. There are two other images of the Holy Spirit in this evening’s first reading. There again the language is suggestive rather than descriptive. Luke says that all who gathered in one room heard what sounded like a powerful wind from heaven and that something appeared to them that seemed like tongues of fire. It is not said that there was an actual wind and fire at Pentecost. There is something about the Holy Spirit that does not lend itself to any kind of concrete representation, because the Holy Spirit cannot be seen as such. Yet, the Holy Spirit is profoundly real.

There is a great deal in our universe that is real but is not visible to the naked eye. We may need a microscope or a powerful telescope to see it. What we see with our eyes is only a fraction of our physical world. The Holy Spirit is part of the spiritual world, and so is beyond the range of scientific instruments. Yet, there are helpful ways of imagining the Holy Spirit. In today’s second reading, Saint Paul, uses an image drawn from nature; he refers to the fruit of the Spirit, which is the visible expression of the Spirit in someone’s life. We may not be able to see the Holy Spirit, but we can see the impact of the Spirit in a human life, just as we cannot see the wind but we can see the impact of the wind on people and objects. Paul is saying, ‘wherever you find love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustfulness, gentleness and self-control, the Spirit is at work’. The Spirit becomes visible in and through these qualities, these virtues. The person who possessed those qualities in abundance was Jesus because he was full of the Holy Spirit, full of the life of God. The Holy Spirit is essentially the life of God, and God’s life is a life of love. It is that divine life, that divine love, which was poured out at Pentecost, initially on the first disciples and then on all believers, including ourselves here this evening. Saint Paul expresses it very simply in his letter to the Romans, ‘God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us’. That Spirit of God’s love works within us to bear the rich fruit that Paul speaks about in today’s second reading. The ordinary, day to day expressions of goodness and kindness, of faithfulness and self-control, of patience and gentleness, are all manifestations of the Spirit that has been given to us by God. The spiritual, in that sense, is not something other worldly; it is humanity at its best, at its most loving.

We have an example of humanity at its best in today’s first reading. On that first Pentecost, there was a wonderful communion between people from all over the Roman Empire. They were united in hearing in their own native language the preaching of the first disciples about the marvels of God. In spite of differences of language and culture there was a profound communion among them. Wherever we find such communion of heart and spirit today among those who are strikingly different from each other, there the Holy Spirit is at work. Unity in diversity is the mark of the Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit. In the gospel reading Jesus points out another role of the Spirit in our lives, and that is his role in the service of truth. Jesus declares that one of the Spirit’s roles is to lead us to the complete truth. Whenever someone has a genuine openness to truth, a willingness to search for truth, even when it challenges our convictions, there the Spirit is at work. Full truth is always beyond us; we never possess it completely. In John’s gospel Jesus declares himself to be the truth and he is always beyond us; we never fully possess him in this life. One of the roles of the Spirit is to keep leading us towards Jesus the complete truth, and to give us the courage to witness to his truth. In the gospel reading Jesus says, ‘the Spirit of Truth shall be my witness’, and then he immediately says ‘and you will be witnesses’. It is the Spirit who gives us the courage to witness to Jesus, his teaching, his way of life, his values and attitudes. We need the courage that the Spirit of Truth gives us today more than ever.

There is another role of the Holy Spirit, which Paul expresses very succinctly in one of his letter, ‘the Spirit helps us in our weakness’. Whenever weakness, in whatever form, overcomes us, the Holy Spirit is given to us as our strength. That is why we can pray to the Holy Spirit in the lovely words of today’s sequence, ‘Heal our wounds, our strength renew, on our dryness pour they dew’.

And/Or

(ii) Feast of Pentecost

As soon as we emerge into the light of day at birth we begin to communicate with those around us. The crying of the new born baby is an initial attempt to communicate. As new born babies begin to grow their efforts to communicate become more articulate. They begin to speak their first words and before long they start to shape phrases and then to put sentences together. The ability to communicate in writing comes later, through their schooling. Children learn to communicate reasonably quickly. Before they have reached the age of twelve, most children will have acquired the basic communication skills of speaking and writing.

Yet, we know from our experience that the challenge to communicate well is a life-long one. As children move into the teenage years, they can struggle to communicate with others something of what may be going on within them. As they become aware of depths within themselves, they often don’t find it easy to communicate from out of those depths, even with those to whom they are closest. Children can have a wonderful openness and spontaneity, but they tend to loose that as they move into their teenage years. As teenagers move into their adult years, they can form deeper relationships with people and in that context a deeper form of communications becomes possible. Hopefully, as adults we can all find someone with whom we can communicate at a deep and personal level, in the knowledge that we will be received and understood. Yet, we are all aware that, in other ways, we do not always communicate well as adults. At the most basic level, we may be given information to pass on to others and we fail to do so. At another level, what we think we are communicating and what people actually hear can be quite different. What is very clear to us may not be so clear to others and, therefore, may have required much more by way of explanation than we had realized. At another level still, we can communicate one thing but actually, in our heart of hearts, believe something else. When we say what we don’t mean and don’t say what we mean, the consequences are invariably chaotic. People don’t know where they stand, and there is a breakdown in trust and cohesion.

When the Holy Spirit came upon the first disciples of Jesus on that first Pentecost, according to Luke, they received an ability to communicate in a way they had never communicated before. There were Jews present in Jerusalem from all over the Roman Empire of the time. They would have spoken a great variety of languages and yet, they were able to say, ‘each of us hears the disciples in our own native language’. The Spirit at work among the disciples broke down the language barriers that are normal obstacles to communication. The Spirit gave the disciples a new gift of speech; they were enabled to witness to the marvels of God in a way that people from other cultures and language groups could understand and receive. Luke would have us believe that one of the signs that the Spirit is at work is when there is real communication between people about the marvels of God, when something of the good news of what God has done for us in Jesus is proclaimed in a way that is received by others.

The Spirit of God comes to help us to communicate with each other about the Lord, to build communion in the Lord. One of the roles of the Holy Spirit in our lives is to help us to communicate the Lord to each other. St. Paul had this same understanding of the Holy Spirit. In today’s second reading he states that ‘what the Spirit brings is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustfulness, gentleness and self-control’. These are qualities that we associate with the Lord. The Spirit comes to form these qualities within us so that by living these qualities we can communicate the Lord to each other. Whenever we display any of those qualities, we are communicating the Lord to one another and the Spirit is at work among us. St. Paul was convinced that we cannot communicate the Lord to each other without the help of the Holy Spirit. As he says in his letter to the Romans, ‘the Spirit helps us in our weakness’. It is because we are weak that we need the Holy Spirit. We need to pray, ‘Come Holy Spirit, fill our hearts’, if we are to communicate the Lord to each other.

We can only communicate the Lord to each other if we know the Lord ourselves. It is the Holy Spirit who helps us to know the Lord – and to know him not just with our heads but with our hearts. This is the message of St. John in today’s gospel reading. The role of the Holy Spirit is to lead us to the complete truth, to lead us to Jesus who is the Truth. The Holy Spirit, according to that reading, takes from the Lord and tells it to us. The Spirit communicates with us about the Lord, leading us into a deeper communion with him. We need the Holy Spirit if we are to come to know the Lord and, so, communicate the Lord to others in what we say and do. Because the Holy Spirit is so necessary to us in our Christian lives, the Lord is not slow to share the Spirit with us. Pentecost is not a once off event. The Lord continues to pour out the Holy Spirit on all those who ask for this gift. On this feast of Pentecost, we ask for a fresh outpouring of the Spirit on each of us, so that we, like the first disciples, will be able to communicate the Lord to each other today.

And/Or

(iii) Feast of Pentecost

We appreciate it when people are truthful with us. None of us likes to be deceived. We can be very understanding of people who fail in some significant way, if they acknowledge it and are open and truthful about it. But if they pretend that all is well when it is not, we feel cheated. We can sympathize with weakness, because we know that there but for the grace of God go any one of us, but we are irritated by deception and pretence.

A double agent is someone whose real loyalty is in direct opposition to his proclaimed loyalty. On one occasion, Jesus’ opponents accused him of being a double agent. Although Jesus proclaimed himself to be an agent of God’s power, his opponents declared that in reality he was an agent of Satan’s power, ‘by the ruler of demons he casts out demons’. His public self was not his real self; he was a deceiver, they claimed. There was, of course, no conflict between who Jesus publicly claimed to be and the person he was. He was a man of truth, or as we might say today, a person of integrity. Indeed, according to John’s gospel, Jesus was truth itself; he says of himself, ‘I am the truth’. Jesus also says in that same gospel, ‘if you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free’.

Pentecost is the feast of the Holy Spirit. Today’s gospel reading from John’s gospel refers to the Holy Spirit as the ‘Spirit of Truth’, and declares that one of the roles of the Holy Spirit is to lead us to the complete truth. The Holy Spirit leads us to Jesus, the truth; the Spirit works in our lives to keep us truthful, as Jesus was truthful. The more open we are to the Spirit, the more of a single agent we become, the greater harmony there will be between who we proclaim to be and who we are in reality.

That quality of complete integrity does not come to us overnight. Jesus speaks of the Spirit as leading us towards the complete truth. We are always on the way towards being fully truthful people. At every step of our life’s journey, we look to the Spirit to lead us towards the complete truth, towards a completely truthful life style. When we come to Mass on a Sunday we not only proclaim the gospel; we also proclaim ourselves to be gospel people. We do that knowing that there is a gap between the proclamation we make and the daily reality of our lives. The gospel we proclaim is a very high ideal, and the Christ we follow is always beyond us to some extent. We will always be straining to reach the values of the gospel. In that sense, being a Christian is a strain, what Paul calls, straining forward to what lies ahead. Being a Christian involves tension, but it is a healthy tension, one keeps us on our toes and gives us something worthwhile to aim for. Yes, we fall short and we miss the mark, but as Paul reminds us, ‘the Spirit helps us in our weakness’. The Spirit is given to us to empower us to keep journeying towards the truth, especially in the times when we are painfully away of the gap between the person we feel called to be and the person we are in reality.

At the first Pentecost, the Spirit was given to those who were painfully aware of that gap. The disciples had only recently deserted the very one they had set out to follow with great enthusiasm in Galilee. Yet, it was to such people that the Spirit was given, and given repeatedly. It is to such people – people like us - that the Spirit is given today. The Spirit is always given to those who are very aware that they have not yet reached the complete truth. All that is asked of us is that we recognize our need, and implore the coming of the Spirit in our weakness. The Sequence before the gospel captures that attitude beautifully, ‘Heal our wounds, our strength renew, on our dryness pour thy dew; wash the stains of guilt away’. That is a very appropriate prayer for the church to pray in these days. It is the prayer of people who know they have a long way to go, but who have not given up, because they know the Lord has not given up on them.

As a people who, with the Spirit’s help, are trying to journey towards the complete truth, we need to be open to truth, wherever it is to be found, even when the truth is painful. The recent Ryan report contained many painful truths. Our hearts have gone out to all those who have been the victims of institutional abuse. There is much to be learnt from the truth in that report. We all have a long way to go on our journey towards embracing what the gospel calls ‘the complete truth’ On this feast of Pentecost we implore the Spirit to come afresh into our lives and to lead us closer to the complete truth, closer to the Lord who is the truth, so that his truth may find expression in the way we think and speak and relate..

Fr. Martin Hogan.

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dfroza · 3 years

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(A new covenant of grace)

is the treasure revealed in the True illumination of the Son

Today’s reading of the Scriptures from the New Testament is the 8th chapter of Hebrews:

So let me sum up what we’ve covered so far, for there is much we have said: we have a High Priest, a perfect Priest who sits in the place of honor in the highest heavens, at the right hand of the throne of the Majestic One, a Minister within the heavenly sanctuary set up by the Lord, not by human hands.

As I have said, it is the role of every high priest to offer gifts and sacrifices to God, so clearly this Priest of ours must have something to offer as well. If He were on earth, then He would not be a priest at all because there are already priests who can offer gifts according to the law of Moses in a sanctuary that is only a copy and shadow of the heavenly sanctuary. We know this because God admonished Moses as he set up the tent for the Lord’s sanctuary: “Be sure that you make everything according to the pattern I showed you on the mountain.” But now Jesus has taken on a new and improved priestly ministry; and in that respect, He has been made the Mediator of a better covenant established on better promises. Remember, if the first covenant had been able to reconcile everyone to God, there would be no reason for a second covenant. God found fault with the priests when He said through the prophet Jeremiah,

“Look! The time is coming,” the Eternal Lord says,

“when I will bring about a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah.

It will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors

when I took them by the hand

and led them out of slavery in the land of Egypt.

They did not remain faithful to that covenant,

so,” the Eternal One says, “I turned away from them.

But when those days are over,” the Eternal One says, “I will make

this kind of covenant with the people of Israel:

I will put My laws on their minds

and write them upon their hearts.

I will be their God,

and they will be My people.

In those days, they won’t need to teach each other My ways

or to say to each other, ‘Know the Eternal.’

In those days, all will know Me,

from the least to the greatest.

I will be merciful when they fail,

and I will erase their sins and wicked acts out of My memory

as though they had never existed.”

With the words “a new covenant,” God made the first covenant old, and what is old and no longer effective will soon fade away completely.

The Book of Hebrews, Chapter 8 (The Voice)

to be accompanied by these closing lines in The Passion Translation:

For here is the covenant I will one day establish with the people of Israel:

I will embed my laws within their thoughts

and fasten them onto their hearts.

I will be their loyal God and they will be my loyal people.

And the result of this will be

that everyone will know me as Lord!

There will be no need at all to teach their fellow-citizens or brothers by saying,

‘You should know the Lord Jehovah,’

since everyone will know me inwardly,

from the most unlikely to the most distinguished.

For I will demonstrate my mercy to them

and will forgive their evil deeds,

and never remember again their sins.”

This proves that by establishing this new covenant the first is now obsolete, ready to expire, and about to disappear.

The Book of Hebrews, Chapter 8:10-13 (The Passion Translation)

Today’s paired chapter of the Testaments is the 14th chapter of First Chronicles that continues with the reign of King David in Israel:

Hiram (king of Tyre) sent messengers to David with cedar trees, masons, and carpenters to build a royal palace, acknowledging Israel and David’s political influence in the region. Because of the expanding power of Israel, David realized the Eternal had selected him as king over Israel to provide for His people. At Jerusalem he took more wives and fathered more children. These were the children born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet, Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, Elishama, Beeliada, and Eliphelet.

When the Philistines heard about David’s ascension to the throne of all Israel, they prepared to attack him. But David heard about their movement and sent his troops to attack them. As the Philistines raided the valley of Rephaim, David asked for God’s guidance.

David: Shall I fight the Philistines? Will You assure me a victory?

Eternal One: Fight them, and I will ensure a victory.

David defeated the Philistines at Baal-perazim, so named because “God broke the enemies with my hand as rushing waters break through barriers.” The Philistines abandoned their gods there, so David ordered the idols to be burned.

The Philistines raided the valley again. Again David asked for God’s counsel.

Eternal One: This time do not attack them directly. Circle behind their forces and attack from their rear coming out from the balsam trees. When you hear marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then go out to fight. I will have already attacked the Philistine army before you arrive.

David obeyed God’s command, and he defeated the army of the Philistines from Gibeon to Gezer. David was famous among his neighboring nations, and the Eternal made all other nations afraid of him.

The Book of 1st Chronicles, Chapter 14 (The Voice)

my personal reading of the Scriptures for Wednesday, january 13 of 2021 with a paired chapter from each Testament of the Bible, along with Today’s Psalms and Proverbs

A post by John Parsons about maintaining hope in an unbelieving world:

When Moses proclaimed the good news of God’s forthcoming redemption for Israel, the Torah states that the people could not listen because they were “short of breath” (Exod. 6:9). Interestingly, this phrase (i.e., mi’kotzer ru’ach: מִקּצֶר רוּחַ) can also mean “lacking in spirit,” as if in a paralyzed state of hopelessness. But how did the people become so downhearted? Had they forgotten the promise given to Abraham (Gen. 15:12-14)? Had they disregarded Joseph’s final words (Gen. 50:24-25)?

According to some of the sages, part of the reason for their “shortness of breath” (besides the cruel bondage and hard labor imposed on them, of course) was that the Israelites miscalculated the duration of their 400 year exile, and therefore they began to lose hope. When members of the tribe of Ephraim tried to escape from Egypt some 30 years before the time of the redemption, they were all killed by the Philistines, and many of the Israelites began to believe that they would remain as perpetual slaves (Shemot Rabbah, 20:11). They became “short of breath” and could no longer receive the message of the Holy Spirit...

Indeed, life in this evil world can be suffocating at times. And though we may not be under the oppression of a cruel Pharaoh, we are affected by the "princes of this age" who spurn the message of the Messiah's redemption and love, and we are still subjected to bondage imposed by taskmasters who defy the LORD and who seek to enslave us by means of lies, propaganda, and threats of violence... The devil is still at work in the hearts and minds of many of his "little Pharaohs" that govern the world system... The Scriptures make it clear that we are engaged in genuine spiritual warfare: "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places" (Eph. 6:12).

It is evident that one of the central purposes of God's redemption is to bestow freedom and dignity upon his people. As the story of Pharaoh reveals, God does not take kindly to oppressors, dictators, and other megalomaniacal world leaders who deny the truth and who therefore seek to enslave (or kill) human beings created in His image and likeness. Just as God judged Egypt for its oppression and violence, so He will one day break the "rulers of this world" with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel (Psalm 2:9-10). The victory is found in our faith, just as the people of Israel believed; "and when they heard that the LORD had visited the people of Israel and that he had seen their affliction, they bowed their heads and worshiped" (Exod. 4:31).

To help us “catch our breath” during this time of waiting, it is important to remember that the LORD redeems us so that we may become His children and therefore be clothed with everlasting dignity... Our redemption makes us heirs of the Kingdom of God and citizens of heaven. We must never regard ourselves as slaves - not to the State, not to the bankers, not to fear, and not to religion (Gal. 5:1). God gave up His Son for us so that we could be made free to live with honor as his dearly loved children.... All the threats of the world system - economic, political, religious, social, etc. - are ultimately made empty and vain by the glorious redemption promised to us in Yeshua our Savior.

So don’t let the world system destroy or impugn your hope, chaverim... If the devil can’t seduce you with illusory hope or counterfeit joy, he will attempt to oppress you with fear and doubt. Fight the good fight of faith and refuse to succumb to despair. Run the race before you with endurance (Heb. 12:1). Look up, for the time of your deliverance draws near... God redeems us for the sake of His love and honor... It is the “breath of God” that gives us life and courage to face this dark and perverse world (John 20:22). May you be filled with the hope and strength that comes from the Holy Spirit. Amen! [Hebrew for Christians]

https://hebrew4christians.com/

1.12.21 • Facebook

Today’s message from the Institute for Creation Research

January 13, 2021

The Righteous Word

“Righteous art thou, O LORD, and upright are thy judgments. Thy testimonies that thou hast commanded are righteous and very faithful.” (Psalm 119:137-138)

The writer of the book of Hebrews called God’s Word “the word of righteousness” (Hebrews 5:13). Nehemiah declared that God had “performed thy words; for thou art righteous” (Nehemiah 9:8). Those two concepts merge in the beauty of the Word. “For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth” (Psalm 33:4). The written Word is righteous; the cause of the Word is righteous. That theme pervades this stanza of Psalm 119. Several synonyms describe this characteristic of the Scriptures.

The Lord is righteous, and therefore His judgments are upright. “Good and upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way” (Psalm 25:8).

God’s Word is very pure (Psalm 119:140), like refined gold. “The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times” (Psalm 12:6).

Because the righteous acts of the Lord have everlasting consequences, the “law is the truth” (Psalm 119:142)—“the righteousness of thy testimonies is everlasting” (v. 144).

Since the psalmist dedicated his heart and life to the clarity of God’s Word, righteous jealousy consumed him on behalf of God because the enemies of the Lord forgot His Word (v. 139). Furthermore, even though he felt “small and despised” (v. 141) and trouble and anguish surrounded him, he still delighted in understanding God’s righteous commandments (v. 143).

May the Lord God strengthen our resolve this day to be “doers of the word, and not hearers only” (James 1:22). HMM III

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romancatholicreflections · 6 years

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20th May >> Fr. Martin’s Gospel Reflections / Homilies on John 20:19-23 for Pentecost Sunday, Cycle B: ‘You too will be witnesses’. Pentecost Sunday. Gospel (Europe, Africa, New Zealand, Australia & Canada) John 15:26-27,16:12-15 The Spirit of truth will lead you to the complete truth Jesus said to his disciples: ‘When the Advocate comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who issues from the Father, he will be my witness. And you too will be witnesses, because you have been with me from the outset. ‘I still have many things to say to you but they would be too much for you now. But when the Spirit of truth comes he will lead you to the complete truth, since he will not be speaking as from himself but will say only what he has learnt; and he will tell you of the things to come. He will glorify me, since all he tells you will be taken from what is mine. Everything the Father has is mine; that is why I said: All he tells you will be taken from what is mine.’ Gospel (USA) John 15:26–27; 16:12–15 The Spirit of truth will guide you to all the truth. Jesus said to his disciples: “When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me. And you also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning. “I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.” Reflections (3) (i) Pentecost Sunday When you look around our little church here in Clontarf you will find that there is no shortage of images: statues, paintings, stained glass, carvings and plaster moulds. They are mostly images of Jesus, Mary and of the saints. The Holy Spirit, whose feast we celebrate today, does not easily lend itself to imagery. One traditional image of the Holy Spirit is the dove. That is drawn from the gospel accounts of the baptism of Jesus. However the language of the evangelists in that passage is very tentative; they simply say that the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus like a dove, in the way that a dove might descend. There are two other images of the Holy Spirit in this morning’s first reading. There again the language is suggestive rather than descriptive. Luke says that all who gathered in one room heard what sounded like a powerful wind from heaven and that something appeared to them that seemed like tongues of fire. The evangelists do not say that there was an actual dove at the baptism of Jesus, or that there was an actual wind and fire at Pentecost. There is something about the Holy Spirit that does not lend itself to any kind of concrete representation, because the Holy Spirit cannot be seen as such. Yet, the Holy Spirit is profoundly real. There is a great deal in our universe that is real but is not visible to the naked eye. We may need a microscope or a powerful telescope to see it. What we see with our eyes is only a fraction of our physical world. The Holy Spirit is part of the spiritual world, and so is beyond the range of scientific instruments. Yet, there are helpful ways of imagining the Holy Spirit. In today’s second reading, Saint Paul, uses an image drawn from nature; he refers to the fruit of the Spirit, which is the visible expression of the Spirit in someone’s life. We may not be able to see the Holy Spirit, but we can see the impact of the Spirit in a human life, just as we cannot see the wind but we can see the impact of the wind on people and objects. Paul is saying, ‘wherever you find love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustfulness, gentleness and self-control, the Spirit is at work’. The Spirit becomes visible in and through these qualities, these virtues. The person who possessed those qualities in abundance was Jesus because he was full of the Holy Spirit, full of the life of God. The Holy Spirit is essentially the life of God, and God’s life is a life of love. It is that divine life, that divine love, which was poured out at Pentecost, initially on the first disciples and then on all believers, including ourselves here this morning. Saint Paul expresses it very simply in his letter to the Romans, ‘God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us’. That Spirit of God’s love works within us to bear the rich fruit that Paul speaks about in today’s second reading. The ordinary, day to day expressions of goodness and kindness, of faithfulness and self-control, of patience and gentleness, are all manifestations of the Spirit that has been given to us by God. The spiritual, in that sense, is not something other worldly; it is humanity at its best. We have an example of humanity at its best in today’s first reading. On that first Pentecost, there was a wonderful communion between people from all over the Roman Empire. They were united in hearing in their own native language the preaching of the first disciples about the marvels of God. In spite of differences of language and culture there was a profound communion among them. Wherever we find such communion of heart and spirit today among those who are strikingly different, there the Holy Spirit is at work. Unity in diversity is the mark of the Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit. In the gospel reading Jesus points out another role of the Spirit in our lives, and that is the pursuit of truth. Jesus declares that one of the Spirit’s roles is to lead us to the complete truth. Whenever someone has a genuine openness to truth, a willingness to search for truth, even when it challenges our convictions, there the Spirit is at work. Full truth is always beyond us; we never possess it completely. In John’s gospel Jesus declares himself to be the truth and he is always beyond us; we never fully possess him in this life. One of the roles of the Spirit is to lead us towards Jesus the complete truth, and to give us the courage to witness to his truth. In the gospel reading Jesus says, ‘the Spirit of Truth shall be my witness’, and then he immediately says ‘and you will be witnesses’. It is the Spirit who gives us the courage to witness to Jesus, his teaching, his way of life, his values and attitudes. We need the courage that the Spirit of Truth gives us today more than ever. And/Or (ii) Pentecost Sunday As soon as we emerge into the light of day at birth we begin to communicate with those around us. The crying of the new born baby is an initial attempt to communicate. As new born babies begin to grow their efforts to communicate become more articulate. They begin to speak their first words and before long they start to shape phrases and then to put sentences together. The ability to communicate in writing comes later, through their schooling. Children learn to communicate reasonably quickly. Before they have reached the age of twelve, most children will have acquired the basic communication skills of speaking and writing. Yet, we know from our experience that the challenge to communicate well is a life-long one. As children move into the teenage years, they can struggle to communicate with others something of what may be going on within them. As they become aware of depths within themselves, they often don’t find it easy to communicate from out of those depths, even with those to whom they are closest. Children can have a wonderful openness and spontaneity, but they tend to loose that as they move into their teenage years. As teenagers move into their adult years, they can form deeper relationships with people and in that context a deeper form of communications becomes possible. Hopefully, as adults we can all find someone with whom we can communicate at a deep and personal level, in the knowledge that we will be received and understood. Yet, we are all aware that, in other ways, we do not always communicate well as adults. At the most basic level, we may be given information to pass on to others and we fail to do so. At another level, what we think we are communicating and what people actually hear can be quite different. What is very clear to us may not be so clear to others and, therefore, may have required much more by way of explanation than we had realized. At another level still, we can communicate one thing but actually, in our heart of hearts, believe something else. When we say what we don’t mean and don’t say what we mean, the consequences are invariably chaotic. People don’t know where they stand, and there is a breakdown in trust and cohesion. When the Holy Spirit came upon the first disciples of Jesus on that first Pentecost, according to Luke, they received an ability to communicate in a way they had never communicated before. There were Jews present in Jerusalem from all over the Roman Empire of the time. They would have spoken a great variety of languages and yet, they were able to say, ‘each of us hears the disciples in our own native language’. The Spirit at work among the disciples broke down the language barriers that are normal obstacles to communication. The Spirit gave the disciples a new gift of speech; they were enabled to witness to the marvels of God in a way that people from other cultures and language groups could understand and receive. Luke would have us believe that one of the signs that the Spirit is at work is when there is real communication between people about the marvels of God, when something of the good news of what God has done for us in Jesus is proclaimed in a way that is received by others. The Spirit of God comes to help us to communicate with each other about the Lord, to build communion in the Lord. One of the roles of the Holy Spirit in our lives is to help us to communicate the Lord to each other. St. Paul had this same understanding of the Holy Spirit. In today’s second reading he states that ‘what the Spirit brings is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustfulness, gentleness and self-control’. These are qualities that we associate with the Lord. The Spirit comes to form these qualities within us so that by living these qualities we can communicate the Lord to each other. Whenever we display any of those qualities, we are communicating the Lord to one another and the Spirit is at work among us. St. Paul was convinced that we cannot communicate the Lord to each other without the help of the Holy Spirit. As he says in his letter to the Romans, ‘the Spirit helps us in our weakness’. It is because we are weak that we need the Holy Spirit. We need to pray, ‘Come Holy Spirit, fill our hearts’, if we are to communicate the Lord to each other. We can only communicate the Lord to each other if we know the Lord ourselves. It is the Holy Spirit who helps us to know the Lord – and to know him not just with our heads but with our hearts. This is the message of St. John in today’s gospel reading. The role of the Holy Spirit is to lead us to the complete truth, to lead us to Jesus who is the Truth. The Holy Spirit, according to that reading, takes from the Lord and tells it to us. The Spirit communicates with us about the Lord, leading us into a deeper communion with him. We need the Holy Spirit if we are to come to know the Lord and, so, communicate the Lord to others in what we say and do. Because the Holy Spirit is so necessary to us in our Christian lives, the Lord is not slow to share the Spirit with us. Pentecost is not a once off event. The Lord continues to pour out the Holy Spirit on all those who ask for this gift. On this feast of Pentecost, we ask for a fresh outpouring of the Spirit on each of us, so that we, like the first disciples, will be able to communicate the Lord to each other today. And/Or (iii) Pentecost Sunday We appreciate it when people are truthful with us. None of us likes to be deceived. We can be very understanding of people who fail in some significant way, if they acknowledge it and are open and truthful about it. But if they pretend that all is well when it is not, we feel cheated. We can sympathize with weakness, because we know that there but for the grace of God go any one of us, but we are irritated by deception and pretence. A double agent is someone whose real loyalty is in direct opposition to his proclaimed loyalty. On one occasion, Jesus’ opponents accused him of being a double agent. Although Jesus proclaimed himself to be an agent of God’s power, his opponents declared that in reality he was an agent of Satan’s power, ‘by the ruler of demons he casts out demons’. His public self was not his real self; he was a deceiver, they claimed. There was, of course, no conflict between who Jesus publicly claimed to be and the person he was. He was a man of truth, or as we might say today, a person of integrity. Indeed, according to John’s gospel, Jesus was truth itself; he says of himself, ‘I am the truth’. Jesus also says in that same gospel, ‘if you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free’. Pentecost is the feast of the Holy Spirit. Today’s gospel reading from John’s gospel refers to the Holy Spirit as the ‘Spirit of Truth’, and declares that one of the roles of the Holy Spirit is to lead us to the complete truth. The Holy Spirit leads us to Jesus, the truth; the Spirit works in our lives to keep us truthful, as Jesus was truthful. The more open we are to the Spirit, the more of a single agent we become, the greater harmony there will be between who we proclaim to be and who we are in reality. That quality of complete integrity does not come to us overnight. Jesus speaks of the Spirit as leading us towards the complete truth. We are always on the way towards being fully truthful people. At every step of our life’s journey, we look to the Spirit to lead us towards the complete truth, towards a completely truthful life style. When we come to Mass on a Sunday we not only proclaim the gospel; we also proclaim ourselves to be gospel people. We do that knowing that there is a gap between the proclamation we make and the daily reality of our lives. The gospel we proclaim is a very high ideal, and the Christ we follow is always beyond us to some extent. We will always be straining to reach the values of the gospel. In that sense, being a Christian is a strain, what Paul calls, straining forward to what lies ahead. Being a Christian involves tension, but it is a healthy tension, one keeps us on our toes and gives us something worthwhile to aim for. Yes, we fall short and we miss the mark, but as Paul reminds us, ‘the Spirit helps us in our weakness’. The Spirit is given to us to empower us to keep journeying towards the truth, especially in the times when we are painfully away of the gap between the person we feel called to be and the person we are in reality. At the first Pentecost, the Spirit was given to those who were painfully aware of that gap. The disciples had only recently deserted the very one they had set out to follow with great enthusiasm in Galilee. Yet, it was to such people that the Spirit was given, and given repeatedly. It is to such people – people like us - that the Spirit is given today. The Spirit is always given to those who are very aware that they have not yet reached the complete truth. All that is asked of us is that we recognize our need, and implore the coming of the Spirit in our weakness. The Sequence before the gospel captures that attitude beautifully, ‘Heal our wounds, our strength renew, on our dryness pour thy dew; wash the stains of guilt away’. That is a very appropriate prayer for the church to pray in these days. It is the prayer of people who know they have a long way to go, but who have not given up, because they know the Lord has not given up on them. As a people who, with the Spirit’s help, are trying to journey towards the complete truth, we need to be open to truth, wherever it is to be found, even when the truth is painful. The recent Ryan report contained many painful truths. Our hearts have gone out to all those who have been the victims of institutional abuse. There is much to be learnt from the truth in that report. We all have a long way to go on our journey towards embracing what the gospel calls ‘the complete truth’ On this feast of Pentecost we implore the Spirit to come afresh into our lives and to lead us closer to the complete truth, closer to the Lord who is the truth, so that his truth may find expression in the way we think and speak and relate. Fr. Martin Hogan, Saint John the Baptist Parish, Clontarf, Dublin, D03 AO62, Ireland. Email: [email protected] or [email protected] Parish Website: www.stjohnsclontarf.ie Please join us via our webcam. Twitter: @SJtBClontarfRC. Facebook: St John the Baptist RC Parish, Clontarf. Tumblr: Saint John the Baptist Parish, Clontarf, Dublin.

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shanastoryteller · 7 years

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my what a guy, gaston!

okay so i know i already did one of these for beauty and the beast (for fuck's sake shana write about some new fairytales why are you like this) but i listened to sam tsui's cover of a tale as old as time and OH BOY, OH MY HONEY OH MY DARLING

okay, so in the very early stages of the original beauty and the beast, gaston was an aristocrat. that eventually got scrapped, but oh what if it didn’t

so say gaston is the son of someone very high up in the royalty chain, someone who’s parents are important enough that he spends an awful lot of time at the castle? and our prince adam isn’t really down with this whole ~being a prince~ thing, he’s a brat, like so many other kids are brats (but these kids don’t get turned into beasts by random witches, like i’m sorry but i’ll never not think that beast didn’t get the short end of the stick there) and so he spends the least about of time possible parading about with a crown on his head. he likes going outside, like riding his horses and playing in the woods, and all sorts of other things that make his parents shake their heads and despair at the inability to have another child, because their son is a small disaster.

and here comes gaston, who’s older and more long suffering. gaston in naturally dramatic, okay, he likes being flashy and fun and loud, all the things the son of a noble shouldn’t be. so by the point he meets adam he’s listened to his parents, folded himself up nice and tight into this quiet boy who just doesn’t want any trouble. adam loves trouble. if he can’t find it, he invents it.

so he grabs onto gaston like glue, and gaston is irritated, but he’s the prince, he can’t say anything or his parents will kill him. so he lets adam keep dragging him out horseback riding and hunting and rock climbing and all sorts of things little noble boys aren’t supposed to do. they spare, and no matter that gaston is bigger and older he never wins, adam always ends up pinning him to the ground with his arm to his throat and he’d more irritated about it if the prince didn’t look so delighted every time he won. adam loves all the animals that he’s not interested in eating, and gaston tries to point out that it’s a little weird how thrilled adam is to take down a deer when two minute later he’s trying to entice a wolf to come closer so he can pet it, and also holy shit adam that’s a wolf what’s wrong with you

adam loves his staff, the people who do their best to reign in this little terror but don’t try that hard, because the thing about bratty kids is that they’re rarely brats all the time, as an adult you swing between wanting to strangle them and finding them so adorable and charming your chest hurts. so mrs. potts indulges him, likes the way he’s only ever really patient while he’s playing with her son chip when he’s snuck into the kitchen to beg her for some extra cookies. lumiere and cogsworth are his tutors and spend more time arguing with each other than teaching him, and he’s delighted by that.

and so adam is this loud, exuberant little prince who slowly but surely picks at gaston’s barrier until gaston almost feels like himself again, and adam doesn’t do what his parents did. adam doesn’t make fun of him for how much he cares about his hair, about how he hates dirt under his fingernails. as long as gaston keeps following him into dangerous situations, adam doesn’t care about much of anything, and gaston loves him for it.

and gaston’s on the cusp of teenagerhood when he realizes he loves adam, the prince, this is awful and he immediately has a panic attack over it, he’s to be lord and adam is to be king, it will never work, oh, and adam probably doesn’t like boys, and – oh my god, all those schoolyard taunts about him being gay we’re right this is a nightmare.

he’d freak out about this properly and probably go charging to the castle to confess his love in true embarrassing 12 year old fashion – except his parents set him down, pale, and say, “they’re gone, they’re all gone, the king and queen were found dead and the prince is gone and now a monster lives in the castle.” and of course gaston takes this to the most logical conclusion – a beast broke into the castle, killed the love of his young life, and now he’s claimed the castle for his own.

this is gaston’s defining moment okay, this is the point where he snaps and never goes back. he rebels against his parents, refuses to fit himself back into the mold of the perfect son, tries to live his life like adam would have wanted him to. that means being exactly who he is and damn the consequences. he focuses on his hair and his clothes and his looks, he pursues hunting because it reminds him of adam, because so much of their friendship took place in the woods, covered in mud and laughing. he pursues hunting because, one day, when he’s the very best he’s going to go the castle and kill the beast that killed adam. and his parents are furious about all of this and they disown him in favor of his young siblings and he just. doesn’t give a shit.

so he moves to the town, and everyone loves him, of course they love him. he’s loud and arrogant, but – he’s not cruel. he’s beautiful and brings in more pelts and meat than any other hunter and gaston doesn’t miss the days of being a young lordling in the slightest. but girls keep throwing themselves at him and he doesn’t know how to keep refusing either outing himself or hurting their feelings, so he goes to belle. belle, who is every inch as pretty he is. belle, who is smart and quiet and kind in a reserved sort of way. if there’s anyone who won’t judge him, it’s her.

so he goes to her, and tells her the truth – that he only likes men, that he’s not interested in advertising the fact, and asks her to pretend to be his lady. and belle, kind sweet belle, agrees. she does it out of sense of duty to help those in need, because nothing she knows of gaston says she will enjoy this. but she’s proven wrong, because gaston was raised to be a lord of course he’s educated, just because he doesn’t really care about any of that stuff doesn’t mean he doesn’t know it. and belle can speak with him like she can no other, because gaston has more formal education than anyone else in this village. and to their surprise, gaston and belle become friends, become the closest of friends, and gaston hasn’t known this closeness since adam, although it’s different because he loves belle but he’s not in love with belle.

and one day belle and her father are out traveling and sudden snowstorm forces them into the castle. belle knows there’s some sort of monster that supposedly lives there, but it’s either the castle for refuge or dying of cold outside, so into the castle they go. and instead of a hideous monster there’s adam, the beast. he’s rude and gruff and calls them twelve kinds of idiots for getting caught in a snowstorm in the first place. he offers them a room before sulking back into his study, watching the last petal threaten to the fall from the rose.

the castle is so excited to have guests, to have a young girl that may be their saving grace, and beast doesn’t know how to tell them that he likes girls well enough, but the only person he’s ever loved is a prickly, stuffy little boy who used to wring his hands together whenever they went looking for wolves. the storm doesn’t abate, and belle and her father stay. beast likes belle, likes how much she loves his library and the courteous way she speaks to all his staff even tho they’re all furniture, and he wishes he could love her, she is a woman that deserves to be loved. but he can’t.

back in the village, gaston has had it. the beast took adam from him, and he wont allow that thing to take belle. he rallies the villagers and goes marching to the castle, determined to save belle and her father, determined to kill the thing that killed adam.

so they storm the castle and he and the beast fight. belle and her father rush forward to stop the rest of the angry village men, and belle is screaming at gaston to stop, that things aren’t as they seem. but he’s mad with bloodlust, with revenge, and he’s about to take the beast’s head off with his axe when the beast lunges and pushes him to the ground, pinning him with an arm to his throat. and the muscle memory is so sudden and visceral that gaston freezes and stares at the snarling beast and whispers, “adam?”

and the beast blinks, and pulls back a little, and goes …… “gaston!?”

literally everyone is so confused, but they only get more confused when gaston throws himself at the beast and there’s a rush of magic as the last petal falls and the spell is broken. gaston sees beast for who he really is, loves him wholly and completely in the way only children can, and the curse is broken.

so gaston goes from having the beast in his arms to having a man, and he kisses him, outing himself in front of the whole village and not caring in the slightest. “i’ve missed you,” adam says, reaching out a hand to cup gaston’s cheek.

his staff are people again, and the cloud of darkness that had fallen over the castle is lifted. the old and irritable third cousin twice removed who’d been running the country is more than happy to hand it back over to adam, so happy in fact that he doesn’t question anything about this incredibly weird situation.

gaston and adam were children with a children’s love, but as adam gets his castle and kingdom up and running again, gaston is there. and their love deepens, and strengthens, and becomes something much more real and true than it ever was before. and gaston knows he can’t keep this, that adam will need to take a queen and gaston won’t be able to be with him after that.

except no one told adam that, because he goes to belle who just, never left the castle because she likes it and it likes her and her two favorite people are here. and also they’ll pry her from that library over her dead body. “hey,” adam says, “so, i’m kind of the king now.”

“i noticed,” belle answers, and doesn’t look up from her book.

adam considers closing it, but also considers that he likes his hands attached to his wrists. “want to get married? we’ll need to produce an heir or two, but beyond that you’ll get all the books you want and a whole country to boss around.” one of the things adam had quickly learned was that belle loved bossing people around.

belle doesn’t look up from her book. he hadn’t honestly expected her too. “okay. I’m dating plumette. im going to keep doing that.”

“nice,” he says, because plumette is a lot prettier now that she isn’t a feather duster.

so adam find gaston and tells him that he’s marrying belle, and gaston’s whole heart breaks but it makes sense, adam and belle make sense together, and he wishes he could make himself hate either of them but he can’t because he loves them both. but then adam is talking about how belle will have the rooms next to theirs, and gaston should probably stop paying rent for his house in the village, he lives in a literal palace, come on now.

and gaston figures out that adam is planning to stay with him, that belle is his wife and queen in name only and and gaston will continue to be the one in his heart and in his bed. adam is talking about how they all really need to sit down and do something about the redistribution of tax revenue, and they should probably do it before the wedding because otherwise their subjects will only show up to throw fruit at them. gaston cuts him off by pressing his king and love of his life against the wall and kissing him breathless.

cogsworth and lumiere walk by and pause mid-argument to wolf whistle at them before continuing on their way. gaston and adam end up having to hold each other up as they laugh so hard they can’t breath.

and everyone lives happily ever after.