#i bet that other lady is glad she's sterile

[negrowhat]

These hoes don't care about their kids do they? Just want to be the HBIC... to a dude that got them both pregnant at the same time. Wild.

#kids are a necessity to stay on top #a chess piece #i bet that other lady is glad she's sterile #ep 1 #khun chai lb

[vidalinav]

Queen of Monsters: Chapter 4

I still don’t really have an official summary for this, since every one I write makes me cringe, but alas... Azriel is in the chapter for a brief moment and more of Cassian’s POV!

Bet you didn’t think I was going to meet my Tuesday/Wednesday update deadline! I for sure didn’t think so. 

Chapter List, General Masterlist

~

“Rhys wants a detailed report in two weeks.” Azriel noted, setting the box of this week’s supplies on the counter. Cassian eyed it with impatience, his stomach rumbling at the prospect of food. He’d hoped Nuala and Cerridwen had missed him enough to put a dessert or two in the contents. Maybe a few extra steaks for dinner this week. Mother knows he’d missed Velaris’s food.

Azriel rolled his eyes as he stepped back from the table, giving a wide girth for Cassian to trample past. It was such a Mor-like thing to do, Cassian wanted to ask if he’d been spending more time with her now that he was gone but thought better of it. No sense in touching on subjects that might make Azriel run back quickly when Cassian wished he’d stay longer.

He was not ashamed to say he’d missed his brother.

“He says that we’ve given the clans enough time making a ruckus, and it’s about time they remember who their high lord is.”

Cassian huffed a laugh at the words. Leave it to Rhys to be dramatic even in messages.

“What does little Rhysie want me to do about it then?”

Azriel shrugged, his wings rising slightly as if they too didn’t know what to make of Rhysand’s command.

“I’d like to imagine that’s up to you, but who knows what he’s planned.” Azriel spoke, his words strait-laced and dismissive. “Rhys says he wants Kallon dealt with before the Rite this year.”

“No shit, but why does it have to be so soon? It’s not like I’ve been sitting on my ass.”

Cassian understood the urgency, of course. The longer this went on, the worse the situation would be and right now it was on attainable levels. Rhys called for civility. Cassian would abide of course and so would Azriel whether he liked it or not, but Cassian knew exactly what Azriel would have done in his place. So Cassian was not surprised at his nonchalant tone.

“With the games coming up, Rhys thinks that this will be the perfect time to stop any more speak of rebellion. He’s giving you twelve days—”

“You just said two weeks!”

“He thinks the momentum will give you an edge.”

Cassian rolled his eyes and was about to tell Azriel exactly what he planned to give Rhys, but Azriel straightened. His shadows twisting around his arms. Not being one to take any of Az’s suspicions lightly, Cassian braced himself for the unknown threat.

Well, until he heard the door slam shut.

Nesta walked past them, those braids of hers tucked into a wool hat. Her nose was red, and her cheeks were blushing.  But her eyes were as callous as the moon.

Cassian stepped towards her without a thought, “I left a cup of tea on the table.”

Cassian watched as Azriel lifted a hand in greeting and Nesta nodded slightly, but to him, she did not acknowledge. The gesture made his temper flare and one of his wings rose to cover Azriel in her line of sight.

Nesta jeered, her head cocking slightly before she dismissed him with a cold turn of a shoulder.  

Azriel tilted his head towards the female who headed for her room, the door shutting with a soft click.  “I take it it’s not going well.”

Cassian grunted out a reply. No, it had not been going well, he wanted to say. It had been far from well. A fucking disaster.

Azriel sensing the mood change, started opening the box. “Elain made sweets for her and packed a few books.”

“And Feyre?”

Azriel shrugged. “I didn’t open the box. Elain just caught me before I left and told me to bring them to her.”

Liar, he wanted to say. Like those shadows of his hadn’t told him exactly what was inside and who exactly had packed each item. But, Cassian decided against arguing about it.

“And how are the sisters doing?” He asked.

Az shrugged. “As well as they can, I suppose. As well as all of us.”

“That’s not very specific.”

Azriel pulled out a box of sweets and Cassian grinned, swearing he’d find gifts to repay Cerridwen and Nuala’s kindness.

“What do you want me to say? I’ve barely been at the house since you've left. Mor’s been in between her estate and the human lands. Rhys is always with Feyre doing something or other..”

Something or other, indeed.

“Glad to know you’re all empty without me.” He said, only half joking.

Azriel gave him a mocking smile.

Together they pulled the rest of the contents out of the box. Steaks, luckily, had been included. Along with breads, spices, notes, and candles. There were things for Nesta, too. Books that Nesta probably wouldn’t read and clothes that she definitely wouldn’t wear. Because she hadn’t the last few weeks her sisters had sent them over.

It seemed that Nesta was set on making all of them pay for bringing her here.

Azriel took a deep breath.

“Advice?” He asked softly.

“For me or for you?” Cassian grumbled. Az only gave him a look.

He knew what that meant.

“Ask her to go with you.” Cassian groaned at the idea, but Azriel silenced him, “or the next time I come, I’m going to make sure this box is filled with everything you hate.”

Cassian slapped a hand over his eyes but conceded. He thought of all the ways Nesta could learn how to castrate him in the next 24 hours. She already knew where he slept.

A terrible fucking disaster, he thought.

~

It always seemed to snow in Illyria. Sleeping mountains under blankets of sterile white. Nesta wanted to grab the pots from the kitchen and bang them as she stomped around. Wake up, wake up, she wanted to yell.

Giants, Nesta imagined shouting. Sleeping, slumbering giants made of stone. Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!

But Nesta did not yell the words from the living room hallway and they did not blink their tired, beady eyes. In fact, the snow seemed to come in harder as she watched from the window. A reminder, she thought, that only the dead and the dormant remained in Windhaven’s eternal winter.

Nesta swiped the glass, her hands scrunching at the cold. The puffs of her breath clearing patches of frost. She could just envision her feet sinking to the ground. One step and then another. Her body shuddering at phantom shivers.

“I can take you to town if you want.”

Nesta stood taller at the rough tone.

“I thought you left already,” She heard herself say.

Cassian’s footsteps pressed into the spines of the floorboard and it creaked as he stepped. Nesta could only close her eyes. The vision of legs… and arms… and severed heads and white—white like bone and snow and bloodless faces and the outline of his eyes as he lied beneath her.

Nesta curled her hand on the window, the urge to push through the glass almost too much.

“I was waiting for you.” He replied, a thousand pieces of glass scratching at his throat. She could hear the tapping of his foot and Nesta wondered if that was what he always sounded like in the morning. Rough from heavy sleep.

She didn’t want to look at him and try as she might Nesta wanted to resist, but her eyes moved and her shoulders moved, and just like all of the other times, her body looked without permission. Her hands itching to touch him as he stood plain in Illyrian leathers. Nesta dug her nails into her palm.

She hated him, Nesta reminded herself. She hoped he suffered.

But half of her brain wanted to chastise her for such a thought.

No, you don’t, it argued.

His hair was tied in bun at the base of his neck and a belt sat at his waist. His leathers fit well, Nesta noted, because she could see the outline of his muscles indented in the fabric and… he was tall. He had always been tall but he stood looming and heavy in front of the hall that led to the front door.

Hulking size was right.

She finally met his gaze and Nesta was annoyed to find that bright, unwelcome gleam and that small tilt of his brow. As if he knew exactly what she was looking at and was satisfied that she’d indeed liked what she saw.  

Nesta wanted to grab one of the brown accent pillows and throw it at his head.

“You should have just left,” she fumed, his figure stepping back only slightly as she brushed past him heading toward the dining room.

Nesta took her coat and her gloves from where she had placed them on the table.

The gloves reached her elbows and every time she put them on, she thought of those days where her problems were reduced to something as small and meaningless as becoming a proper young lady. All of that pompous, poshness wrapping around her fingers like silk.

“Nesta…”

She paused at her name from his lips. Such a soft word in that tired sigh.

“I don’t want to fight with you.”

Nesta laughed at that, something terribly cruel settling in the pit of her stomach. Something she felt in her chest, that burned her lungs and made her whole-body tense up.  

If only he knew how much she had yearned for their arguments when she was locked in that so-called House of Wind. It had seemed like a tower then, but Nesta had been no princess and Cassian was no prince.

That anger his words caused made her do strange things and she prowled towards him, noting the way he sized her up. His wings growing taller and taller. She raised a brow, as she set a hand on his chest. Her head lowering as she stared at him through her lashes.

He stared at her lips, and Nesta could smell that firewood scent. It brought back memories she did not want to remember.

Nesta could feel the heat of his hands as he settled them at her waist.

“You don’t want to fight?” She teased. “Well, I do.”

Nesta laughed, the sound stark and wicked to her ears.

“You want me to play nice? I won’t.”

“You want me to behave like those sycophantic fools in Velaris. I would never. I am not your lover, I am not your Night Court companions, I am not those idiots that fall at your feet.”

Nesta pulled away, noting the way his eyes hardened where hazel pooled into white. His nostrils flaring as he breathed harshly.

“You are nothing, Cassian.” She hissed. “You have never been worth my time.”

She watched as he swallowed, his eyes cold and unfeeling.

Then he was gone, brushing past her and stalking towards the door with loud steps. A giant in a small house. But he looked back, towards her. Her own breath coming out in silent pants.

“At least, I have a family to go home to.” He spoke, and Nesta clenched her fists. “What do you have?”

Blood rushed to her face, her ears and Nesta stalked towards him, as he pulled the door open and let the freezing air in.

You did this, she wanted to screech, the phrase tasting like blood in her mouth. Nesta wondered when she had begun to hunger for the taste. But she let the words fill her. Her body wanted all of its nourishment.  

This is your fault, Nesta wanted to sing, the sentence tasting sweet on her tongue. You failed us, she heard whispered in her ears. Feyre. Elain. You failed me.

But Nesta didn’t say those words out loud and couldn’t even if she tried. Cassian twisted back, taking a breath as he said, “I’m leaving for Ironcrest in a few days.”

“Don’t come back,” she spit, even if the words sounded foolish to her. This was his house.

“I hope you rot there,” Nesta corrected.

Cassian didn’t look at her, but she could see how his shoulders dipped even if the rest of him staid positively still. But he pulled the knob at last, stepping through the door that lit like a beacon in sterile, placid white.

He looked back only once, and Nesta couldn’t name exactly what she saw in that gaze, but she knew what he saw in hers.

“Don’t forget your scarf.” He said, and Nesta raged at every syllable.

The door shut with a click and just like that Nesta was alone. The whirring wind louder than all of her thoughts. Nesta pulled her coat tighter around her, the fabric suffocating her in fur. But she left the scarf on the chair. She didn’t want to touch it at all.

She watched his figure from the window, felt the boom of his wings as he left and only then did Nesta step outside to feel the chill soak into her skin.

Wake up, Nesta whispered.

~

Ira reminded Nesta of Amren most days. She tried to pinpoint exactly what it was, between the harsh, often critical words to the pragmatic way they both talked.

Ira, though, for all her knowledge, did not invite her to learn more than what she taught, and she seldom answered any of Nesta’s questions like Amren had indulged. Nesta was reduced to cutting up bandages, to clean up duty, to dusting old books handwritten in that language she could not pronounce. It was dull work, tedious work, but Nesta didn’t complain… most days.

Today was no different as Nesta entered the tent to pick up the mop and bucket she’d left there yesterday. But Ira, anticipating her routine, held a hand out in her tracks.

“I need you to go collect these.” She said, handing her a piece of paper with names scribbled in neat cursive. Nesta grazed over the list. “You know what they look like don’t you?”

She nodded her head, the images appearing in her mind between pages and ink. Rose hips and chickweed. Black walnuts, pine, and chicory. She could see the list so clearly; her eyes having studied the pages for weeks.

“Good. Take this before you go,” she took a chain tacked to the wall. One lone bead hanging from the metal. “Our stock is running low and that seems to be the perfect time for Illyrians to start hurting themselves and getting into all sorts of accidents.”

She placed the chain in Nesta’s hand and it laid flat in her palm, the black clay cool against her skin.

A symbol was carved into the center and Nesta yearned to know what it meant. She wanted to ask the female, but she shooed her off.

“Get going. We don’t have all day, do we?”

Ira gave her a look of impatience, shuffling around the expansive tent without so much as a glance, busying herself with collecting herbs and material.

“Where would I go?” Nesta asked lightly, her lips pursing at the lack of knowledge.  

“Where would you expect to find plants?” She asked derisively. “You think the kitchens will have them? Maybe the blacksmiths?” The female sighed, shaking her head as if the idea of Nesta exhausted her. “Go to the forest, past the training fields. Show them the medallion and the guards will let you in.”

“You want me to go into the woods. I thought no one was allowed there.”

“You ask too many questions” Ira snapped.

Without further explanation, Ira grabbed the gloves and the scarf from her own chair, shoving them in her hands. “Off you go.”

Nesta refrained from sneering as she picked up the basket, the forest already taking up space in her mind.  

~

Against the entrance of the forest, stakes of wood crossed in a line of X’s. Nesta couldn’t see where the barrier ended or began, but the trees stayed tucked behind common lines.

Windhaven was surrounded by forests, one bleeding into the next, and she found it odd that the Illyrians had tried to contain them. Fences and guards… She half wondered if all the security was made to keep Illyrians out or… something else in. For what was stopping anyone from sneaking all the way through? She, herself, had walked past those damning woods every day.

She looked towards the skies, the color pale and ashy grey. Nesta wished to reach up, wipe a finger along the surface until baby blue shown beneath, but she traced figures instead. The Illyrians flying high above as their shadows played with the sunlight.

Two males stood tall and lean beside the entrance, and Nesta stared as they shuffled at her perusal. Walking towards them, she took the emblem and squeezed it tightly in her fist.

The taller of the two, looked past her and she studied his features. His eyes were a deep shade of brown and his golden skin was lightly dusted with freckles. He was large too, not quite as large as Cassian, but he was strong and muscular and Nesta might have had her eyes on him if she’d been someone else. Someone she hadn’t been in a long time, though she yearned for somehow.

“No one is permitted past these lines. Get back!” The male called out. The other raised a sword in front of the entrance as if he thought she might run through. Nesta wanted to scoff at the gesture.

She noticed the way they eyed her. Not with the subtly of soft sheets or the images of playthings and allure, but with a dark look. A cautious look. As if they didn’t know exactly what would pounce at them if they squirmed.

Interesting.

She smirked softly as they stilled, stalked slowly as they rose in height for every inch lost in distance. Each of her steps a question as to what she was going to do to them. Oh, to have so much power over those who feared her.

Nesta laid out her palm, the emblem pressing against her skin.

“Your healer is requesting I go get supplies and you are standing in my way.” She said coyly.

The male to the left only glanced at his comrade, the bridge of his nose dipping in a silent language that Nesta could imagine meant you deal with this. She pulled the chain back, the emblem falling from her hand as she let it dangle between her fingers. She tilted her head as the male on the right shirked back, sinking into himself in answer. Nesta wanted to laugh.

“You seem to think I have all day,” She taunted, rolling her eyes, but the males did not part. They kept looking at each other, going back and forth and Nesta’s patience wore thin as she tapped her foot.

“For Mother’s sake, one of you follow me in if it makes you feel better!”

But the male to the right, at last lifted the sword from the entrance, unblocking her way. She scrambled past before he changed his mind.

The two closed off the entrance as she became enclosed around trees, and Nesta distantly heard the pretty one grumble something about her lacking manners. Nesta scoffed. Manners of Brutes, she decided.

Nesta surveyed the area.

It was uncommonly dark in these woods where light escaped between fingertips. The forest tops splitting into veins, the trees pulsing. Nesta looked at the note again, though she already memorized it.

Good thing, too, since she had to squint at the paper to see. Even with fae sight, she could barely make out the words.

She set the list back in the basket and sighed.

Nesta looked towards the clearing of rock and roots, spotting the chickory stalks as she walked closer. Nesta knelt to her knees, her hands brushing off snow. She plucked the roots from the ground, digging until it was easy to pull and setting it in the basket.

She’d found the pine on the evergreens, of course. An easy conquest, and sooner than later she had most of the items checked off.

The only thing left was the rosehips… She hadn’t found the rosehips.

Nesta didn’t know how far she’d gone searching for them. Before she knew it, she was circling the area and everything had looked the same to the last 30 minutes. She could barely see the sun.

Nesta shivered as the air seemed to grow colder in the dark, and she pulled her scarf closer to her. Her teeth chattering louder than anything she’d heard thus far.

It was quiet in these woods. Nesta heard her feet crunching beneath her with every step. But in her last attempt, she spotted the vibrant color tucked into wood. Stark against snow, it gleamed red and Nesta reached for it. Twisting her arm between branches where the rosehips had barely brushed her fingers. She tried again and still could not pull off more than a few.

She crouched low, aiming to some at the roots of the evergreen. The front of her dress was already soaked with snow.

Her palm brushed against the branches and it was only then that Nesta realized she was alone in the forest. She was alone in the forest and it had been quiet, and it had been dark. But it had not been this dark, and it had not been this quiet.

Nesta could feel the hair on her arms rise, shivers dancing along her spine like fingertips trailing up her neck. She scrambled to move, but she felt her body lock up and Nesta inhaled slowly as she heard a branch snap.

Nesta closed her eyes, squeezing her lids together as if the sound might disappear again, but she heard another snap a little farther away and she blinked awake. Her hands pushed off the ground without a second thought and suddenly her body was moving.

The sky grew darker still, the trees creaking as they twisted.

Nesta ran into that darkness, ran until she saw the gleam of swords and the wings of two men who would not be happy to see her.

~

“Did you grab everything?” Ira questioned as a way of greeting. She held a mortar in her hand, crushing contents that made a thick purple paste. Nesta sniffed at the smell.

She set the basket of herbs on the table as she rattled off the list. “I could only find a few rosehips, so I’ll try again tomorrow.”

Ira didn’t so much as look up from pounding away at the concoction.

“I can come back in the evenings after my shift in the kitchens is over,” Nesta continued, pulling out the plants and plucking away at the dirt.

Ira lifted her head. “You never work late.”

“I can,” she admitted, biting her lips. “For the next couple of weeks anyways.”

Ira lifted the pestle until the purple mucilage fell like paint from a brush. Pursing her lips, she eyed her squarely, and Nesta straightened at the look.

“I don’t need you in the evenings.” She drawled.

“Oh,” Nesta remarked, her fingers tracing the needles of a pine branch. “Well, if you need me though, I am free.”

“So, you’ve mentioned.”

Nesta twisted the branch in her hand, the sap sticking to skin. The scent was strong and she wiggled her nose at the smell. “I could start taking inventory… or making list of people we’ve seen.”

Ira slammed the mortar on the table and it rattled so loud, Nesta jumped.

“Illyrians.” Ira corrected firmly.

“What?”

“Not people. Illyrians.” The female clarified, rolling her eyes, groaning as she continued. “I’ve heard you use that word so often. We are not human. And what is this free business? You’ve been firm about that schedule of yours since you’ve gotten here. A fact I find odd since you were the one who begged for a job.”

“I did not beg!” Nesta insisted, dropping the rosehips, the red scattering on the tabletop.

Ira waited for her to explain, and Nesta felt unnerved to be watched by the female who began tapping her fingers nails on the counter. One sharp flick after another.

Nesta tried hard not to twiddle her thumbs… or bite her lips like she wanted to when she got nervous. She’d knocked that habit when she was young. It was strange, she thought, for it to come out now.  

“Cassian—you know I live with him.” Nesta began to explain.

The females mouth soured. “The general—yes.”

Nesta nodded her head in agreement, “He’s going away for a while and… I don’t have anywhere to be and I have all of this time. I can work a bit longer.”

“Where is he going?” She asked abruptly.

The question caught Nesta by surprise, but she repeated the name he’d told her that morning.

“He’s going to Ironcrest.” The Illyrian echoed, reaching out a hand to grab a bottle. Nesta watched as she began to spoon the purple contents into the vial. “Marvelous. When you go, you can pick up something for me.”

Nesta’s body tensed. “But I--”

“It’ll save me a trip in the spring.” She admitted. “I’ll get you a list before you go. It shouldn’t be too much trouble.”

At Nesta’s look, Ira quipped a brow. “You asked for extra work, didn’t you?”

~

The walk back was prettier than she’d expected it’d be. The stars seemingly brighter when they were not hindered by city lights and people’s dreams. Nesta had always wondered what made up the night skies.

She distantly remembered discussing the idea under blankets and sweet giggles. Elain jumping on the bed to declare that stars were hopes manifested, all the accumulation of people’s wants and wishes. Feyre with a laugh shook her head. No, stars were the friends of the moon, she said in that innocent way of hers. So many to shine, so that the moon would never be lonely.

Nesta had not said anything. She was far too logical for that. She needed to research more—find every word hidden in anthologies, alphabetized by S for star or perhaps A for astral planes, or C for constellations… celestial… cosmic… She couldn’t find an answer that satisfied her without proof so she laid back, her head hitting the pillow as her father smiled waxing crescents.

The stars are made of fire, he’d said, tucking the girls in one by one. Feyre at her right and Elain at her left because they still never wanted to sleep alone. It is why they shine so bright and it is why they will keep on shining—like the flickering flame of a candle. To light our way in the dark.

Nesta had held onto those words.

Her father had wanted them to fall asleep to pretty answers, but the questions had danced in her mind, rattling like jumping beans in all corners. How would the stars burn? She wanted to ask. If they were indeed made of fire like her father had said, what caused the fire for they were not made of wood? And if they did burn what would happen when the fire ran out as every fire had before?

But her father, seeing her look, had merely kissed her forehead. A good night to stop those sleepless, ceaseless thoughts of hers and all that would beat across her mind until she was satisfied with an answer.

Nesta couldn’t imagine the stars being made of fire now when they glittered like moving silver in kaleidoscope colors. She didn’t understand how Velaris could be named the City of Starlight, when the residents didn't see this view. Nesta was sure they’d agree had they stood on these mountaintops and snowy plains.

She’d gotten use to the trek, as long as it was. Learned to be excited for it. A moment where she could be by herself, thinking nothing at all.

But Nesta was not alone tonight, where the stars blinked their beady eyes above her. They watched her… and something else did too.

Nesta looked to the unmarked path, the halfway point between Windhaven and the cabin. Too long to run in either directions, she thought.

Standing in the middle of the snow, a cat sat lazily in her way, blinking at her with bright blue eyes. Its fur was orange. Long, and thick. With puffs of white at the chest, and Nesta didn’t know what to make of the creature, whose tail swished back and forth. A curling finger, she imagined, coaxing her forward.

Nesta looked beyond it and then looked behind herself. Too far indeed.

She tried to shoosh it away, flapping her hands forward and hissing at it. But the cat blinked softly, tilting its head at her as if she were the one that didn’t belong, not itself who appeared out of thin air.

Nesta decided then to walk around it. It was just a cat, she thought.

Just a cat, just a cat, just a cat. She repeated.

Only when she’d past it, it’s body twisting to look at her, only when she was sure she was far away, did Nesta turn to survey it again. She jumped as the cat stood beside her.

Nesta stepped once more, and she watched as it did the same. She stopped and it stopped. She walked and it walked. Nesta made motion run, but the cat picked up speed, running alongside her.

Nesta gave up trying to shoosh it away, but that didn’t stop her from watching every swoosh of its tail and counting every time it tried to rub against her. The cat simply trotted in step.

When she reached the cabin, Nesta noticing the lights, rolled her eyes, slumping forward as she kicked up the snow. The cat meowed as the snow hit its face, but Nesta paid no mind.

Cassian was standing in the door frame, his stance wide and open, and she remembered that time across the wall. Her knee hitting the most sensitive parts of him. Nesta doubted she could get away with it now, but he was asking for it she thought, with that stance alone.

Hulking, indeed.

Nesta looked back to the cat, wondering exactly what it thought about this male who stood in their way, but when her gaze finally landed on the snow beside her, the cat was gone. She twisted around, combing the field and the forest surrounding, and nothing. Just as the cat appeared, it had vanished. Into thin air.

Cassian squinted his eyes at her, wanting to see what she saw. Nesta had to restrain herself from grumbling, thinking of orange fur and blue eyes.

Coward, she thought.

~

Nesta looked back to the pathway and Cassian squinted his eyes to see what had caught her attention. He watched her as she shook her head and looked back at him. Her once serene face swiftly changing to that You are dead look.

“What were you—”

“Is there a reason you're standing in the doorway like a psycho?” She hissed. Cassian stepped away from the door, Nesta brushing past him. He had to try to maintain some figment of composure as he caught a whiff of her scent. Fresh air and lavender.

She caught Azriel’s gaze and Cassian could feel the uneasiness rise. Her eyes squinting at the sight of the two of them conversing in the kitchen, entering her space, pushing the limits she had set in their time here. Azriel hadn’t left like she probably hoped, a reminder that she could not run from any life she’d left behind.

Cassian drifted in front of her, meeting that murderous look.  

“I’m leaving for Ironcrest in a few days,” He repeated as he had that morning. Nesta tilted a fine-groomed brow. “And since you don’t want to come with me, Azriel is going to stay with you until I get back.”

“Who said I didn’t want to go?” She voiced flatly. Cassian met her stare, the blue of her eyes a sterile, pale color.

He looked back at Azriel slowly, unsure and a bit confused. His brother merely lifting a shoulder.  

“You said this morning that—”

“And now I’m saying I’m going with you.” Nesta said quickly, her words ringing and loud. “Is that not clear? Or are you going to say I can’t?”

Cassian gulped his impatience down, his eyes closing for a moment and the opening again. Who was this female? He wanted to ask aloud as Nesta crossed her arms.

Her cheeks were still red from the cold, her neck still flushed from the heat of the house and perhaps all of that anger that seemed to simmer in her veins, coat her skin, keep her alive, he thought, because he’d not seen her live without it.

In another time, it might have been fun to see all the parts of her that bloomed that pretty red, but now... it was starting to eat away at him in ways he couldn’t satisfy.

“We leave the day after tomorrow,” He managed to grit out, his teeth rattling with restraint.

Pleased with the answer, Nesta took one last look at him, gave one last look to Azriel behind. As if she dismissed them from her presence. As if this was her castle to do so.

She stepped lightly away and when Cassian heard the click of her door slamming shut, he let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. Cassian sighed, his wings falling in exasperation.

Azriel simply laid a hand on his shoulder and shook his head.

~

Tagged:  @my-fan-side  @ekaterinakostrova  @anastasia-orlov @lord-douglas-the-third @autumnsletters @soitsgorgeous @sjm-things @courtofjurdan @rogertaylorsfalsettogivesmehives

Cassian and Nesta’s relationship is very slow in this fic as with any fic that I have ever written. I just don’t think they can really get together without a whole bunch of scenes in between, maybe whole books even. Authenticity is the game I play always. Also, I wanted their narratives to sound different, so that’s why Nesta’s is sometimes a lot more introspective and descriptive than Cassian’s may be, which may change a little bit as the story progresses. 

I’ll edit this later too, my priority was just posting it...

Comment, like, reblog, ask to be tagged etc if you enjoy this fic and you are anxious to get another chapter! We’ll be in Ironcrest in the next one and maybe we’ll see some Illyrian celebrations... and perhaps Cassian and Nesta start the process of becoming not enemies!

#nessian #nesta archeron #cassian #acosf #acotar #acomaf #acowar #acofs #qom #vidalinav

[novembermurray]

Gentle Hands - Part II

Read on AO3

Rating: Teen (Some description of injury, death, and violence)

Pairing: Din x Omera

Summary: While working with Fennec Shand on a favor for Boba, she shares a sliver of her backstory with him. It sparks a memory of a similar tale he heard from anther woman... Maybe it really is a small galaxy after all.

(A continuation of my submission for Mandomera Week - previous part here!)

“I think that’s the last of them,” Fennec said, brushing blood and sand off her gloved hands and jumping down from the back of the pick-up speeder. Piled on the bed of the vehicle were the varied corpses of half a dozen slavers that— until a few hours ago— had been terrorizing the southern Dune Sea. 

Din looked around at the emptied camp around them, a handful of tents and scattered crates baking under the twin suns amid the endless sand, checking for any last body they might have overlooked. What Boba Fett wanted with the bodies of the criminals who defied his recently established rule, Din wasn’t sure and wasn’t inclined to ask. He’d come to Tatooine out of his early— and blissful— retirement as a favor to Fett, not to get involved. 

“On to the next location?” Din asked wearily. They’d already hit two, leaving two more to clear out before they met back up with Fett and Vanth at the Palace.

“In a moment,” Fennec replied. “First, come sit down over here.” 

She waved him over to a pile of crates where there was an open med kit strewn across a tattered blanket on the sand. Fennec started scavenging through it, ignoring the large wet red circle of sand right beside her knee. 

Din groaned and followed, plopping himself down on a crate beside Fennec.

“I saw your shoulder was bothering you still,” she said, gathering a few packages and a bottle of disinfectant. Her gaze flickered over towards his left shoulder where his flight suit was torn and a white bandage showed over the recently cauterized knife wound from the previous night.

“It’s fine,” Din said. 

“Sure. But Boba would feel bad if you lost an arm over this little favor. Let me have a look.”

Din’s incredulity must have shown in the tilt of his helmet or Fennec was telepathic because she rolled her eyes.

“Yes, really. I know a thing or two about first aid. Don’t live as long as I have in this business without it.”

“You’re not that much older than me,” Din said. 

“That’s the most personal detail you’ve ever shared with me,” Fennec said, somehow managing to make it sound mocking.

She sat on the other end of the crate and got to work pulling off the bandage without waiting for Din’s permission. He hissed at the relieved pressure and the heat of her gloves against the injury. He glanced over to see his skin beneath was an angry red around the cauterized line of the knife wound. 

“Yikes,” Fennec hissed. “That’s infected. I’ll probably have to cut it open and drain it.”

“Do what you need to do.”

“Predictably all the pain killers are gone from that pack,” she informed him.

“Had worse.”

“Figured. Hold still.”

Din pulled his own vibroblade out of his boot and handed it to her wordlessly. He tried not to grit his teeth too hard and gripped his knee with his right hand as he braced for the pain. Fennec was not a gentle nurse, that was for sure. But she was at least fast and efficient, slicing open the burned edges of the wound and diligently flushing it with antiseptic. Din was reminding himself how to breath and blinking back tears and spots of black from his eyes when Fennec ripped open the suture pack and started threading a hooked needle.

“Better not to burn it shut again in case the infection is deeper. I’ll bandage it up good and tight to keep the worst of the sand out till you’re back to the Palace.”

“I can do that,” He said, somewhat breathless. Fennec just smacked his hand out of the way. 

He turned so his HUD gave him a decent view of what she was doing on his arm. He’d long ago lost the nausea that came with seeing his own flesh pulled and pinched by needles and worse equipment. To his surprise Fennec was making neat and precise work of stitching the gash closed. 

“You’re pretty good at that.”

She made a huffing noise and pulled a rare wry smile. “My sister taught me. She’d be pretty exasperated to see what I’m putting those skills to use for now. She was trying to teach me to make baby clothing or something.” 

“I can’t imagine that,” Din said with a chuckle.

“‘Mera was that kind of person,” Fennec went on. “Always helping someone and always nagging  me.  She’d say ‘What are you gonna do when you’re too old and too slow, Fen?’ Know what I said? ‘I guess I’ll die.’” Fennec tied off the last stitch and snipped the thread. “But then I didn’t. Woke up with a stomach full of metal. Now…” She opened a sterile bandage pack and started wrapping Din’s arm. “I don’t know, maybe I do need a retirement plan after all. Seems to be working out well for  you .” 

“Certainly has its benefits.” Din said thinking of the cool Sorgan breezes, a nice bath to wash away the days of sweat and strong skillful hands rubbing tension from his shoulders. Something else was tickling at the back of his mind though, distracting him from his imaginings, a vague memory of a conversation… a name… a hint of a story…

“Oh yeah?” Fennec said, raising one eyebrow. “Want to help me win the bet I have with Boba? Tell me these  ‘benefits’ have a name, maybe a pretty face and a warm bed.”

Din sighed, more out of habit than actual exasperation. Every time he came to help Boba out Fennec would needle him about who he spent his off-time with. She didn’t say exactly what the bet was, but Din wasn’t gonna take away her amusement by giving her an easy answer.

“Alright.” Fennec stood up suddenly, grabbing her rifle from the sand. “Let’s get on with it before those corpses start to stink worse than they already do.”

“You know, you could try it out,” Din said, following her towards the speeder. 

“What?”

“Retirement. Come with me after this job, just for a week or two.” 

“You’re not serious,” Fennec said, looking back at him incredulously. 

“I am.”

Fennec turned around to stare him down straight on. “What? You’re gonna take me back to your love nest and introduce me to your lady friend?” 

Din hesitated before answering simply, “yes.” He walked away before Fennec could recover her usual stoicism from the shock he left her in. 

“Maybe I’ll take you up on that,” She said, climbing into the speeder beside him. Din smiled under his helmet because he knew she was hooked. 

He set the Mudhorn down in the field just south of the village he had cleared for just this purpose. It was only large enough for his little star-hopper to land, close enough no one could make land-fall without alerting the village, but far enough away there would be time to prepare if anyone unfriendly used it. Fennec looked around the forest she could see out of the view port, then over at Din with an expression that said more succinctly than words: ‘Really? Here? Of all the places in the galaxy?’ Din suppressed his chuckles and headed down to get his bag from his bunk. 

His helmet’s audio sensors picked out the sound of running feet approaching before he saw the small figure darting through the trees down the path from the village. He picked up his pace ahead of Fennec down the boarding ramp and reached up to pull off his helmet. Behind him, Fennec’s steps faltered and halted. He thought he might have been able to hear her jaw dropping.

“Din-buir!” Winta squealed as she burst into the clearing at full tilt. 

“Win’ika” Din greeted her with a wide smile, stepping forward to scoop her up as her arms latched around his shoulders, heedless of the hard beskar pauldrons. She squeezed him just as hard as he squeezed her. “I missed you!” He said, running a hand over her dark hair. 

Winta pulled back and scrunched up her face with concentration. She tripped a little over the words of her reply in the unfamiliar language: “Ni briikase gar yaimpa.” (I’m glad you’re home.)

Din’s eyes grew wide with surprise. “Ori’jate, ad’ika. (Very good, little one.) Gar ru’cuyi hibira’la. You’ve been practicing.” He repeated the last phrase in basic for her. 

She grinned at him with pride, nodding. Then her eyes flickered over his shoulder and she leaned around in his arms to look at his guest. 

“Did you bring a friend?” She asked. 

“Not exactly,” Din replied, shifting her onto one of his hips for easier carrying, as she showed no intention of letting him go yet.

“Winta! What did I say about running ahead?” Omera’s voice called from the tree line. She jogged into the clearing looking slightly winded, but her anxious expression melted into joy seeing her daughter and husband.

“I knew it was buir’s ship,” Winta argued. 

“Yes, but that doesn’t mean it’s…” Omera trailed off as her eyes too flickered from Din to the figure still standing frozen on the boarding ramp of the ship. Omera’s jaw fell lax and she took two slow, dazed steps forward. Fennec walked down the ramp at the same hesitant pace, her eyes locked on the other woman. 

“Fen?” Omera breathed her long lost sister’s nickname.

“Hey ‘Mera.” Fennec said, the clear lump in her throat ruining her usual casual demeanor. “I didn’t know—” 

Omera didn’t let Fennec finish, bounding across the space between them to envelope her sister in a tight embrace. Slowly and stiffly at first, Fennec’s arms came up to hold Omera back, then took a firm hold of the other woman’s rough spun dress and gripped her back just as tightly. 

“Come on,” Din whispered to Winta. “Let’s let your aunt catch up with your momma for a bit.” 

“Aunt? I have  another  aunt?” Winta asked. 

“I’ll tell you all about her,” Din offered, starting toward the path back to the house. Well, all the child appropriate parts at least, he amended silently. 

“She’s so cool looking,” Winta whispered against Din’s shoulder, unabashedly watching Fennec and her mother disappearing between the trees. “Is she more or less scary than Aunt Cara?”

Din chuckled and bounced Winta on his hip. He loved his daughter truely; she had her priorities straight. Winta didn’t question the existence of her new aunt, but skipped right ahead to the important questions.

“Like, who would win in a fight?”

#my writing #the mandalorian #mandomera #din x omera #fennec shand #fanfic

[artificialqueens]

Girls Interrupted, Chapter 1: The Institution: 1, Katya: 0 (Vatya) 1/2 - Maeve

AN: Hi, everyone! I suppose this is my debut as a fan fiction author, and I’m super nervous. I never thought that I would be a writer, myself, but when I suggested a Vatya fic outline, some of you lovely people encouraged me to give it a try. ConCrit is always welcome! I tried my hardest, and I hope you enjoy! EEK!

August air is like a woman in heat: wet, warm, and not in the mood to do favors.

The short walk from her baby blue Beetle to the cafeteria doors left Katya sweating like a hooker in church. “Part-time-clown working a corner in the Red Light District” was a solid look, but Katya was beginning to doubt that it was the right choice for the first day of the new school year. The fabric of her long-sleeved dress clung to her skin uncomfortably.

If the funfetti doesn’t cover my sweat stains, I’m suing, Katya thought.

She tried to smooth down the sheer fabric out of habit. Katya took a deep breath before throwing open the glass door and bracing herself for a head-on collision with nostalgia. White floors, harsh light, kitchen clatter—too much for a Wednesday.

It’s an A/B day. First period: English, room 316. She repeats the mantra again and again in her head. If she loses the thought, she’ll never be able to find her way back.

Pussy, she chastised.

Katya’s bright red combat boots plunk across the linoleum and up three flights of rubber stairs. She might apologize for shattering the silence if anyone else were around, but the English corridor remains silent.

She, In her loud dress and noisy shoes, looked very out of place.

Mother, I’ve breached a sterile environment.

The white walls and white floors seemed to stretch for miles in either direction. Katya had forgotten how sad the white looked without students against it.

Mrs. McPhee’s door, like all the other doors, was an unremarkable brown. Katya stared into it and tried to reconcile the empty canvas with the image of the imp of an english teacher described by the upperclassmen . No dice. Perhaps her friends were exaggerating their hatred for the woman behind the unassuming door. It would be nice to think the best of  people, but she knew she lived in a time when that didn’t happen often. People suck; get with the program.

An eternity later the bell rang and Katya got to her feet before the horde could pull a mufasa on her. The unremarkable door swung open, revealing a short woman with a tight face and copper hair.

This could be trouble, an alarm flashed in her mind.

However, her body did not have time to trigger a fight or flight response. The older woman flashed Katya a bright smile, taking in her first student of the year. Mrs. McPhee enthusiastically extended her hand for Katya to shake.

“Hi there! I’m Mrs. McPhee! It’s so nice to meet you!” She all but chirped.

Katya snapped out of her thoughts and accepted the gesture. “I’m Katya. It’s nice to meet you too,” the teen delivered the customary response before Mrs. McPhee ushered her inside.

“Feel free to sit anywhere! I need to run to the copy room and grab a few things for class today. There’s an ice breaker activity on the tables that you can get started on,” she said before ducking out into the hall.

Someone’s had their morning coffee, Katya quipped, the corners of her mouth turning up in a small smile.

Familiar faces began to fill the chairs at the tables, but Katya had yet to find one she’d spoken more than a sentence to. The presence of her long time crush, Trixie Mattel, in the seat across from her did nothing to quell her growing anxiety, either.

A frantic Mrs. McHale returned with arms full of papers shortly after the end of the passing period. Katya could hear the eyes rolling at the sight of her. Cue the secondhand embarrassment.

Copies of the syllabus made their way around the room. Katya tried desperately not to wince as her English teacher introduced the “phone spa” where phones would live during class.

It wasn’t hard for Katya to become lost in her own thoughts once again.

Is there going to be a project on the summer reading? Is my copy of All the Light We Cannot See—which I’ve annotated the crap out of—going to be of any use to me at all?

The blonde was fucked if they were going to have to do an in-depth analysis of the text. The only thing she could remember about it was that the girl, Marie-Or-Something, was blind. And that only stuck with her because of the cackling fit she had on the floor when her mom asked her why she chose the book. And, of course, it was stupid. It was too hilarious that a book with a title about not being able to see the light had a protagonist who was blind, and thus, literally could not see the light.

The thought brought a smile to Katya’s face even now. It was unlikely that Anthony Doerr intended to make an ironic joke about a blind girl, but Katya liked to believe that humor wasn’t dead. Was it terrible? Yes. But come on, she literally couldn’t see the light. Because she was blind. Katya snorted at the mental picture that formed and immediately covered her mouth. Scanning the room, Katya determined that she hadn’t drawn any attention to herself. That was, until she caught Trixie Mattel’s unimpressed gaze.

Go figure, Katya scowled, I bet she thinks I’m keeping squirrels in the space between my ears. The teen could feel her cheeks flush beet red in embarrassment. She darted her eyes down to the syllabus, suddenly finding classroom procedures intriguing.

Fuck! Shit. She thinks I’m a freak, and she’s going to tell all her friends. Everyone will stare. You’re an embarrassment, a fool a—

Lady luck chose the opportune time to smile down on Katya, for it was an A/B day, and that meant classes were much shorter. The shrill bell sounded over the loudspeaker and silenced her pleas to be wished out of existence.

Katya’s second period was library aide. It was the perfect opportunity for her to get ahead on homework when she wasn’t needed. However, she knew full well that she’d spend the hour and a half people watching and reading obscure works.

The library was empty this morning and she cou;d take a moment to compose herself. Mrs. Slay, the librarian, gave her a brief runthrough of her duties and explained library procedures. Afterwards, she released Katya to her own devices.

Katya had never actually spent much time in the school’s library. The harsh, fluorescent lighting did nothing to make the room look cozier. Dozens of tall wooden shelves framed large areas along with some extra shorter shelves of books.

Katya trailed her fingers along dusty spines, hoping that a title would catch her eye.

Her third period class, theater, was on the first floor. A lot of people found it weird that a self-identifying technician was still involved in normal theater classes. Katya began her career on the stage, though. Her stage fright and lack of singing and dancing abilities were not about to stop her from growing as a performer. She promised herself that she’d audition for the play this year.

Ginger was waiting for Katya in their usual seats when she entered the black box. The blonde smiled at her best friend, taking a moment to look over the other faces in the space before joining her long-time companion.

Unfortunately, another year had not flushed out the riff-raff. Katya scowled, new year, same bullshit. The blonde shared a knowing glance with Ginger.

Rolaskatox—the inseparable trio of  Roxy, Alaska, and Detox—remained front and center. Sharon and Jinkx camped out in the back, and Tammy sat awkwardly on her own with Raja and Manila nearby. Pearl and Trixie gossiped to their left.

After Ms. P, the theater teacher for juniors and seniors, passed out the syllabus, they gathered in a circle. Playing stale warm-up games never failed to put the majority of the class in a pissy mood. It was no secret that half of the room hated the other half of the room; times when they were all forced to work together were toxic.

The second activity Ms. P had put on the agenda for that morning was not any better: duet scenes. The oblivious woman thought it would be a fantastic idea to assign partners at random for the scenes. Katya’s heart jumped in her throat when their teacher called Alaska Honard’s name along with hers.

Alaska had long, silky golden hair, soft pink lips, and big doe eyes. She was easily the tallest girl in their grade (and quite possibly in their school). She had legs for days, and they looked stunning under that short green cheer skirt in Katya’s opinion. And most of the student body’s opinion. Alaska might have been the nicest girl on the cheer squad, but Katya was sure that this encounter could still be fatal.

Katya hesitantly approached Alaska, who had yet to stop chatting with Roxy and Detox, and cleared her throat.

“Um, Alaska, I have our scene…If you want to go work on it…” Katya trailed off, digging the toe of her boot into the black floor.

Three pairs of eyes turned to look at her. She could feel the eye roll and once over from tweedle dee and tweedle dum. Instead, she focused on the tight smile the blonde in the middle gave her. Alaska nodded and followed her out of the black box.

The two girls made their way to the anti-lobby in without a word. Neither of them knew how to break the silence between them.

It was Katya who bit the bullet “Look, Alaska, I know you’re not thrilled about being my partner. But I care about the work I do in this class, and I know you do too. So can we just—”

“I’m sorry about them,” Alaska cuts her off. The confusion and shock is visible on Katya’s face, and Alaska feels the need to further elaborate. “Rotox…they’re rotted cunts sometimes. I think you’re a great actress, and I’m actually pretty glad to be working with you,” Alaska confessed . She ducked her head, and a long, golden lock fell into her eyes. Katya had to clutch the fabric at her thighs in order to resist the urge to brush it behind the taller girl’s ear.

“Okay then,” Katya breathed a sigh of relief, “Let’s get this show on the road.”

Katya could not believe the success she’d had on her scene with Alaska in theater. Maybe cheerleaders—well, certain cheerleaders—weren’t so bad after all. Katya was feeling optimistic as she made her way back up to the third floor for biology.

Are all biology classrooms supposed to reek of formaldehyde? Katya wrinkled her nose in disgust. There were tables made up of four desks clustered in front of the whiteboard at the front of the room. The back half of the room contained lab tables and equipment. Katya figured they would not be spending the majority of their time in there. Again, not wanting to draw attention to herself, she slipped into an empty desk near the back of the room. Their teacher, Mrs. Yates, shuffled around marking students present—to save time, Katya supposed. She finished moments before the tardy bell rang, and the students quieted as she took her place at the front of the room.

Mrs. Yates opened her mouth when the door slammed open. The culprit was captain of the cheer team, Violet Chachki, or what Katya swears, must be the devil in high heels. Satan made eye contact with a startled Mrs. Yates and lazily flashed her a small slip of paper. Hot pink: Coach Calhoun’s signature color.

“You must be Violet Chachki!” The friendly woman greeted. “Why don’t you take a seat next to Katya in the back?”

The gentle instruction wasn’t an option for Violet. The only empty seats left were at Katya’s table. Katya felt as though Mrs. Yates had just declared it open season on quirky blondes with questionable fashion sense. Dread pooled in her stomach; she was too young to die.

Similarly, Violet visibly recoiled at the idea of sitting next to some theater clown. Violet’s withering gaze focused on Katya, but she was certain it wasn’t her that the fuming brunette was plotting to crucify. Katya pitied whichever of her bimbo cheerleader friends forgot to save her a seat.

Violet chose the desk across from Katya. The blonde didn’t resist the opportunity to take a magnifying glass to the untouchable girl, herself.

Violet chachki was stunning. If looks could kill, the school would be a cemetery by now. She was a dark horse, a vixen, a black widow, the kind of beautiful that hurts you if you get too close. A girl like that did not belong here. Katya watched in awe as Violet’s manicured hand brushed long onyx strands back into place.

Unfortunately, Katya was no Double O Seven, and it didn’t take Violet long to pick up on the attention she was getting. The same painted fingers removed themselves from dark, silky waves and ventured closer to Katya’s face. They snapped suddenly, and Katya almost fell out of her blue plastic chair.

She only had a second to recover when Violet spat venom at her. “Hey, Bozo the Cunt, has the lack of oxygen in your tiny car affected your ability  to function, or are you just simple?”

“Bozo the Cunt”? That’s new. Mother, I’ve made a name for myself. Katya brought her eyes up to look at Violet. Her failure to provide a timely response did her no favors and the she-demon’s ruby red lips curled into a snarl. If Katya could feel her legs, she would be running to the nearest place of worship.

“Quit staring at me, freak,” Violet hissed. Katya met violet’s piercing eyes with her own sheepish blue ones.

“I-I uhm…Sorry. You look nice today?” Katya offered with shrugged shoulders. She wouldn’t buy her excuse either.

The brunette rolled her brown eyes, fishing her sparkly red phone from her bag and leaving Katya to pick at her hands.

Mrs. Yates saved Katya’s cuticles when she passed out materials for the students to make makeshift nameplates for their desks. Katya was a sucker for crafts. She wasted no time in writing her name in thick, red letters. A large, yellow sickle and hammer ran through the center of the page and black Russian characters accented her work of art. Katya was proud of herself. Capping the black marker, she took a risk and peeked at Violet’s handiwork.

Violet chose a clean and classical look for her own sign. V I O L E T was spelled out in deep purple, looping script.

Katya sighed. It was going to be a long year if the ice queen froze her out completely. At least Katya enjoyed biology.

After everyone was finished with their nametags, Mrs. Yonkin passed out an ice breaker activity designed to help the students get to know everyone at their table. Unfortunately, it was an activity where you had to interview a partner, and Katya’s partner was clearly unwilling.

“I don’t see why we have to talk,” Violet complained. “Trade papers with me so we can fill out our own answers. I’m tired of working with people that are not myself.”

Katya couldn’t help but feel a bit insulted. It wasn’t like she had herpes or something. They didn’t even have to share their entire life stories with each other; a favorite color is as generic as it gets. If the bitch wanted to be difficult, Katya sure as hell wasn’t going to make it easy for her.

“Look, Princess, I don’t know anything about science other than it’s really good for you,“ Katya bit back, “But I haven’t done enough crack to melt my brain. Do you honestly think people would believe that you could produce chicken scratch like this?” The blonde gestured pointedly to the top of her own page where she had scrawled out her name. Violet pinched the bridge of her nose.

“Oh and I’m also not bad at science. It was a joke, A bad one,” Katya tried to assure the frustrated girl in front of her. Her words of comfort did little to change her new partner’s mood, though. She tried again, “What’s your favorite color?”

#rpdr fanfiction #katya zamolodchikova #violet chachki #trixie mattel #alaska thunderfuck #vatya #high school au #lesbian au #slow burn #fluff #angst #enemies to friends #enemies to lovers #drama #maeve #girls interrupted #concrit welcome #tw anxiety and depression

[oops-prow-did-it-again]

Pokémon Black: The Novel (Chapter 2 - Nicknames)

Find the prologue and more info about this series here

Find chapter 1 here

Find this series on AO3 and FFN for a better reading experience

--------------

“Are you sure you’re okay with us leaving it like that, Mrs. Whitacre?” Cheren asked in concern. He had his hands pressed together and he looked up at Hil’s mother with soft, deep blue eyes. “Really, Bianca and I don’t mind staying to help Hil clean.”

Hil was leaning against the front door with his arms crossed. He didn’t care that it made it rather obvious he was ready to leave. Snivy was still curled around his neck and again, it was staring at his mother intently.

“It’s fine, Cheren, really,” his mother answered briskly. “Please, y’all just go thank Aurea—I mean, Professor Juniper. She’ll be thrilled to see you.”

“Okay… Well, thanks for having us over,” Cheren told her in a soft tone. Hil felt Snivy nuzzle against his chin and he pressed back a little bit in acknowledgment. Cheren turned to look at Bianca standing behind him in the living room, and then cast a look at Hil. “Ready?”

“Of course! I’m excited to get to talk to Professor Juniper again!” Bianca exclaimed. She danced over to Hil and narrowly scooted past him as he opened the door for her. “I’ve been able to visit her a few times before, but this time—I just still can’t believe she actually gave us some pokémon!”

Cheren muttered something after her and Hil thought he heard his mother call his name above their ruckus, but he ducked out the door and swiftly pulled it shut behind him. A perfect display of having not heard her at all.

Nuvema Town was a quaint, respectable place; a small neighborhood, yellow-green with soft, short grass, its pride hinged on the modest research lab at the far end of the main road. Most of the surrounding area of the town was thick forestry, though a path of dense grass marked the continuation of the road beyond Nuvema. Hil knew that if one were to follow it, they’d come to Accumula Town, and beyond even that, Striaton City. That was as far as he’d ever traveled, anyway. Cheren and Bianca had already started down the road, headed toward the research lab at the end of the row of homes. Hil fell into place behind them as they talked. This was their usual dynamic. Cheren and Bianca always had something to talk or bicker about while Hil interjected with the occasional comment from the peanut gallery. Not that it bothered him at all. He liked the snickers and jokes that came from his unexpected remarks.

“You know, once Oshawott learns Water Gun, your Tepig will be nothing for me, Cheren!” Bianca beamed.

“Until I get a Grass-type of my own,” Cheren taunted in response, adjusting his glasses. “Catch a few Vine Whips with that Oshawott and tell me how that goes.”

“Kinky,” Hil chimed in with a knowing grin, like it was his cue.

“Gross!” Bianca laughed as she regarded him with bright eyes.

“What, I just didn’t know Cheren was into that,” Hil shrugged facetiously.

It was Cheren’s turn to shoot him a look now. “I am not!”

“Hey, hey, no judgments here, man,” Hil snickered. Cheren was so easy. Snivy huffed from Hil’s shoulders and he would have bet money it was its way of laughing. “Noodle doesn’t mind either.”

Cheren groaned and his shoulders sagged. Satisfactorily broken, he trudged on and decided discretion was the better part of valor when dealing with Hil. He didn’t get any peace from Bianca, however, who had nervously decided to try her hand at some risqué jokes in the same vein as Hil’s. He tuned her out. Her lack of experience showed painfully in her awkward taunts.

Cheren cut her off once they finally reached the deep green, concrete porch of the Pokémon Lab by loudly banging his fist on the door. “Professor Juniper?” he called.

Bianca fell in place next to Hil. She still had that Oshawott in her arms, clutched against her chest in a smothering hug. Oshawott still just looked happy to be there, a broad, unknowing smile scrawled across its round face. It was only Cheren that had put his new friend back in the Poké Ball for the walk, citing that he didn’t trust it not to run off just yet. Hil had to agree that Tepig had seemed rather… temperamental. When the doorknob clicked, Hil felt Snivy give a start on his shoulder. He reached a hand up and rubbed its head gently to relax it.

The door swung open and there stood a younger lady dressed in a pale green, open labcoat. A white tank top and green skirt covered her underneath that. She pressed her left hand against her forehead to shade her eyes from the sun and she squinted at them. “Oh, Cheren, Hilbert, Bianca!” she exclaimed and jumped back, spreading her arms wide in a cheerful welcome. She stepped to the side and gestured for them to come inside. “Please, please! We’ve been waiting for you three!”

Cheren glanced at Hil as he listened to Professor Juniper and entered the building. He had a dastardly smirk plastered on his face. Hil knew it was because his shoulders had noticeably arched at being called by his full name and his right eye maybe twitched a little. He hated that name. Hil liked to think he generally didn’t anger easily but being referred to as ‘Hilbert’ a few times in the same day was a surefire way to rev him up. His father had always asked him why he hated it so much and every time the response was the same. “It’s the name of an old man,” he would whine. “Like, Hilda in school says her great, great uncle is named Hilbert. Then they all jokingly call me ‘Bert.’ It’s awful!” Then his father would laugh and tell him not to mind what other people thought. Ironic, Hil thought bitterly, but he took a deep breath and banished those thoughts, relaxed his shoulders. No need to get angry at her, she probably doesn’t know. Seems Mom didn’t tell her, Hil talked himself down.

“We’re always happy to expand the number of trainers out in Unova!” Professor Juniper was bubbling as she led them through the lab. Hil noted the sterile white walls and pale blue tiling that made up the floor. Translucent glass walls divided up the laboratory and computers lined the walls. Various people in buttoned-up labcoats brushed past and wandered about the lab floor. A few stopped to notice the young trainers and waved encouragingly at them but couldn’t stop to talk due to their work. “I was ecstatic when your mothers said you were all ready to head out,” the professor continued.

“I’ve been ready!” Bianca proudly boasted, puffing out her chest a little despite the Oshawott still clinging to her. “No matter what they say!”

“I’d been asking for years,” Cheren added. “Though, the extra years of school didn’t hurt.”

Hil had also eagerly asked for years, ever since he was ten, to head out on a journey around Unova. At the time, he had just been excited like any other kid to see the big world outside the three towns he had been to thus far. His parents had both adamantly refused. His father insisted he needed the extra schooling to better understand the world. His mother fretted about the idea of letting her son wander the region alone at such a young age, especially with news coverage of a group known as ‘Team Plasma’ picking up over the years. Hil hadn’t paid much mind to her panicking over them. All he knew was that they had gone around to most of the major cities in Unova and pled for people to consider their ideology of ‘liberating’ pokémon. Whatever lunacy drew them to the conclusion pokémon needed liberating… he had no idea.

He kind of wished that was still the reason he wanted to go out. It had been a painful conversation to have with his mother when she had insisted he go traveling Unova when just a few months earlier, when he first turned fourteen, she had still been against it. The complete turnaround on her position was yet another strange attempt at hers of trying to ‘reach him.’ Maybe his contempt for her attempts was a little undeserved and she was just genuinely trying, but he just wished she’d stop. Her efforts made it feel like they’d never get past it. “I’m really excited to get out there, too,” he said a little louder than he intended to, in a bid to shut the thoughts up. He knew better than to linger on those thoughts, he chided himself silently.

“Well, I’m glad! My only condition of course is that you take a pokédex and let it scan as many pokémon as possible!” Professor Juniper continued to explain. She paused in front of a desk stuffed in the far corner of the lab that had a laptop with enough cords running out of its rear to make it a fire hazard, Hil was pretty sure. He raised a brow at it as she flipped open the lid and the laptop’s fans gave a beleaguered hiss as they whirred to life. She typed something rapidly as she spoke to them again. “All you have to do is hold it up at a pokémon, whether they’re wild or not, and it’ll take in as much as it can. Of course, if you catch them, it can scan the Poké Ball and tell you—and us—way more! But even just scanning and meeting pokémon is fine.” She smiled up at them warmly.

“I want to meet as many pokémon as I can, fill out as much as I can!” Bianca nodded vigorously.

“I have to admit, I’ll probably only catch pokémon I think I will actually train,” Cheren said slowly, “I just… don’t like the idea of having a bunch in Poké Balls all the time, and I’d rather focus on just a few at a time.”

Hil just shrugged. He had no idea what he was going to do yet.

“Of course!” she said. She then abruptly stood upright and clapped her hands together. “Dear me, I almost forgot, how could I! How are you all getting along with your new partners, anyway?” she asked sweetly. Her eyes locked onto Hil’s Snivy and she chuckled. “I’m going to guess well.”

Hil rubbed Snivy’s head and it trilled in agreement. “The noodle’s cute,” Hil answered dryly. And I already consider it a best friend, Hil almost added.

“Oh! Did you nickname it already?” Professor Juniper asked excitedly. “That’s great! Nicknames really bring people closer to their pokémon, you know!”

“Oh, I…” Hil blinked. He hadn’t quite deliberately decided on a nickname, he had just been jokingly calling Snivy ‘noodle’ because of its serpentine body. He decided explaining that wasn’t worth it due to how excited Professor Juniper seemed to be. He just swallowed and then nodded. “Yeah, Noodle. I think it’s funny.”

“That’s adorable!” Professor Juniper beamed. “He sure seems to enjoy it!”

Hil noted that his Snivy was male. He had thought it was but hadn’t had any desire to check and make sure. He decided he’d just take the professor’s word for it. He tilted his head some to look at Noodle, who was looking up at Professor Juniper lazily. “You cool with that, Noodle?” Hil asked teasingly. Noodle yawned and he snorted. “Guess that’s a yes.”

Cheren’s sigh caught Professor Juniper’s attention and she looked at him quizzically. “I assume you have Tepig, if they have Snivy and Oshawott. Is everything okay with it?” she asked, genuine concern in her voice. Cheren blinked at her and then nervously shook his head.

“Oh, no, Tepig’s great,” he nodded, “he’s just… very… hard-headed. I didn’t trust him not to wander off if I kept him out the Poké Ball.”

“Oh, whew! I was worried you got saddled with one you weren’t a fan of,” she breathed. She looked to Bianca then. “Oshawott seems to have really taken a shine to you! So cute! Have you thought of a nickname at all?”

Bianca stuttered like she had been put on the spot. “O-oh! No, not… really… I was thinking to wait until I got to know him better before I gave him a name,” she explained. Professor Juniper nodded approvingly.

“Okay, well, that’s enough of me rambling at you, I’m sure you’re raring to get out there!”

Hil honestly would have just loved to take a nap. Going to Striaton City and back really had drained him and he balked at the idea of traveling some more that day. Though, he supposed he could always stay at the Pokémon Center hostel in Accumula Town. It wasn’t like he had to go all the way back to Striaton City. Just far enough to not have to stay at home.

Professor Juniper whisked open a drawer from that desk and grabbed three red and black, rectangular devices. She handed one to them each and proudly crossed her arms after. Hil inspected his pokédex by flipping it around some, and then tapped on the screen. It lit up and a sleek menu appeared. He tapped on a button that read ‘Pokémon’ and it took him to a blank map of Unova. Alright, fair enough, he thought with a flicker of amusement. Haven’t exactly scanned anything yet.

“Thank you very much, Professor,” Cheren said as he slipped the pokédex away into a pocket of his bag. He then dipped his head at her respectfully.

“Me too! I mean, thank you too!” Bianca puffed in a harried voice.

Hil stuffed the pokédex into his jacket pocket. The idea of scrutinizing every one of Unova’s wildlife was a daunting thought but he supposed he could at least scan pokémon he happened to come across. “Yeah, that seems like it’ll be really helpful,” Hil tried to sound as genuine as he could.

She looked at them thoughtfully for a moment and then waved her hands at them. “Okay, okay, enough of me yammering at you. I’m sure you want to go. Thanks for stopping by! Be sure to go talk to your parents again real quick if you’re heading out right away, let them know!”

Cheren, Hil, and Bianca all nodded at her. “Of course,” they said in poor unison. Cheren thanked Professor Juniper again and then took the lead, strutting back toward the entrance of the lab. Bianca’s feet skidded from under her as she tried to catch some purchase on the smooth tiles and catch up to him. Hil rolled his eyes at her spastic display and followed, shooting Professor Juniper behind them one last glance. She waved at him and Hil awkwardly waved back. As he exited the lab with his friends, it finally dawned on him.

He was actually going to be leaving home, and he would be gone for a long time. No longer would he come home to the suffocating silence, prying questions, and depressing tales of his mother and father back on their own journey through Unova. Sure, he still had his Xtransceiver and his mother had his number, but… he could surely spin up some excuses to not answer… As the thoughts ran through his mind, he heard Cheren say they should go tell their parents some final goodbyes before heading off for Accumula.

“You guys go ahead, I already told Mom bye when we were there,” Hil said quickly. He gave an almost crazed grin at Cheren and Bianca. Noodle shifted from his position around Hil’s neck and reclaimed its throne atop his head. Hil, distracted momentarily, looked up at him and laughed. “I’m trying to be serious here,” Hil told him.

“You? Serious?” Cheren snorted and crossed his arms. “If you ever start acting serious, I’ll believe aliens exist, since they’ll have had to have abducted you and swapped your brain to make that happen.”

“Very elaborate insult and very weird flex, but okay,” Hil teased and stuck out his tongue.

Cheren just waved him away. “Okay, okay, go on ahead. Bianca and I will just say our goodbyes then.”

Hil winked after him. “You got it, Daddy, thanks.”

Cheren threw his head back. “Why, Hil?” Cheren groaned. “Just why?”

Bianca just laughed raucously as they started back down the road through Nuvema. “He called you ‘daddy!’” she practically squealed between gasps for breath. “He’s right, you do act like a dad!”

“I really don’t think that’s the joke he was making, Bianca,” Cheren muttered defeatedly.

#pokemon #pokemon black and white #pokemon black #pokemon white #pokemon black 2 and white 2 #pokemon black 2 #pokemon white 2 #pokemon bw #bw #black and white #natural harmonia gropius #n #hilbert #cheren #bianca #professor juniper #juniper #nuvema town #snivy

[cilldaracailin]

Under Pressure

This story can be found on AO3 here: http://www.archiveofourown.org/works/23570293/chapters/56548318

25

“Your emotions are the slaves to your thoughts, and you are the slave to your emotions.”

“You know the back of your t-shirt is all blood Robyn.” Joe had been completing a few extra test’s on Taron, recording vitals as he went, pleased to see that Taron’s pulse had returned almost to normal and the oxygen had immensely improved his breathing, when he noticed the dark red splotches on her shoulder. “Is that from Taron?”

“No that is actually my blood.”

“Do I need to check you over too? A head injury and now blood too?”

“Remember when I was telling you about my smart mouth earlier?” Joe nodded as he checked Taron’s IV bag. “Yeah I didn’t learn after the first time and was pushed up against a broken glass shelf.”

“Jesus Robyn.” Joe stopped what he was doing and turned to look at her, Robyn’s eyes still on Taron’s. “Any other hidden injuries I should know about?”

“Well… Might have got a few knocks off Frankie, the guy who robbed the store, when I made a dash to try and open the back door.”

“He hit you?” Asked Joe.

“Got one to my left cheek and one to my stomach.”

“Bastard.” Cursed Joe. “If you excuse my French.” He added. Satisfied that Taron was stable, warm and getting substantial pain relief, he sat down beside Richard with Robyn to his right. His concern for the young women, who seemed to have endless energy to burn, was growing as more details of the happenings inside the 7/11 came to light.

“Seriously Robyn?” Asked Richard. “You really are a magnet for danger.”

“In fairness I do tend to bring most of it on myself.” She admitted still focusing on Taron, her hand resting on the foil blanker over his chest, her own breathing falling time with his. “Only I can be blamed for what I did in the store.”

“We would still be in there if it wasn’t for you. Taron would be still under that shelf bleeding.” Spoke up Richard.

“Seems like you took a lot of risks in there, maybe some you didn’t need to take, resulting in those injuries you picked up. Mind if I take a look at that shoulder?” He asked as he pulled off the gloves he had on and put on a fresh pair.

“No go ahead and I don’t regret what I did in the store. If I hadn’t of argued and bargained and gave those smart remarks, the outcome would have been much different. I can take a bruise or two.” Robyn moved back a little so Joe could reach her but she could still reach Taron’s hand. It was a connection she felt she needed to keep with him.

“Or two.” Repeated Joe, seeing the blue and purple blemishes on her cheek as she turned her face for a moment as she moved to sit closer to him.

“I will just have to pull my t-shirt over my head.” She explained. “You won’t be able to get to my shoulder otherwise.”

“You sure that’s ok?” Asked Joe knowing she was sitting in an ambulance with three men.

“Well it was Taron and Richard who cleaned my shoulder so they have already seen my back and you’re a paramedic so I’m good to do this.” Robyn let go of Taron’s hand and pulled her t-shirt over her back and under her chin just as she had done before, taking his hand once again, feeling a little squeeze from him.

“Richard you cleaned her shoulder?” Asked Joe as he saw the same style of plasters on Robyn’s shoulder that he had seen on Taron’s forehead.

“Well Taron did but I put the plasters on. I had already helped Robyn with Taron’s head so I just copied what she did though she did explain as we went along.”

“Again, I commend your first aid skills Robyn. Bet the boys were surprised to have to use a sanitary pad.”

Robyn could hear Richard laughing behind her. “It was a definite first.”

“I will take these plasters off before I remove the pad.” Explained Joe as he started to lightly pull at the brown plaster. “You been out in the sun by any chance Robyn?” Asked Joe as he couldn’t help but notice how red her shoulders were.

“How did you guess?”

“You’re Irish, yeah?” He watched as Robyn nodded her head. “Pale Irish skin tends to burn. The sun in Florida is very dangerous and that sunburn is quite red and raw.” Joe carefully pulled the plasters from around the sanitary pad that Richard had put on her shoulder. 

Robyn winced as Joe pulled the last bit of plaster from her shoulder, feeling the sting as he carefully checked the scratches on her back.

“That one at the edge is going to need a stitch or two Robyn. It is a little deep. You said you were pushed against a glass shelf?”

“Yeah, pushed into it and then lifted a little too.”

“That would definitely cut into your skin” Said Joe as he examined the longest scratch. “What did you use to clean this out?”

“I made up a saline solution. Every cut and graze we cleaned were wiped with that salt water, on Taron and Richard too.”

Joe shook his head as he pulled a clean sterile wound dressing out from the drawers beside him and covered the wound on Robyn’s shoulder. “Once again Robyn you surprise me with your first aid tricks.” Joe sealed off the dressing with some surgical tape but took a look at her scorched shoulders, feeling the heat off them even through the glove on his hand. “You need to be very careful around the sun. You are going to feel that for a few days. We can get you some aloe vera gel in the hospital which will take the sting away. You can pull your t-shirt back down.”

“My skin was brown.”

“Well it’s red now.”

“Believe it or not, I actually have been careful.” Robyn fixed her t-shirt. “I was taking advantage of my last evening that I got to spent on the beach and just happened to fall asleep while doing it.”

“Do you always have an answer back for everything?” Laughed Joe.

“Why yes of course. You can see why I get into trouble sometimes.”

“Absolutely.” Joe turned to Richard. “Let me give you a quick check too.”

While Joe completed some tests on Richard, Robyn turned her attention back to Taron, who looked almost peaceful with his eyes closed and carefully took his hand again. She knew Joe had told her she could breathe and relax and she was more than grateful that Taron was now in the safe hands of professionals but she was still feeling the adrenaline running through her blood, especially after giving Taron CPR. It was the first time she ever had to use that skill and at the time she didn’t even think about it, but just did it and she had managed to get Taron breathing again and breathing again quickly. She could feel the ache in her shoulders and she knew she would have a bruise on her right hand from the pressure she had to use for the compressions on Taron’s chest. She could also feel a slight shake in her hands, one that hadn’t had the chance to appear until now as she was running on built up energy.

She felt someone take her left hand and looked to see Joe crouched down beside her.

“It’s ok to feel like this Robyn. Now that you are sitting and thinking, it’s just the effects of the traumatic experience you have been through. I’m starting to get a picture of what happened in that store and it is ok for you to feel overwhelmed and a sudden flood of emotions. It is natural. You have never had to do CPR before, have you?”

Robyn shook her head.

“It was probably a little easier as you don’t actually know Taron but that does not make it any less of a distressing experience. You did it brilliantly Robyn. You got him back breathing in a minute and that is not something I come across very often and you haven’t hurt him. Of course, he will be sore from the compressions but I am sure you are feeling it too, right?” He looked to her hand to see the bruising on the back of her hand. “You do bruise easily, don’t you? What you did, many people don’t have the balls to do even with their training but I have a feeling you just did it, without question. It’s not easy to do. You have someone’s life literally in your hands and believe me, even the professionals feel shaky afterwards. I will get someone to talk to you in the hospital, if you would like, just to talk through what happened but trust me, he is alive because of you and not just the CPR. Just don’t push the emotions to the side. It’s really important that you don’t do that. You’re going to be fine. That strong independent woman I see before me will just be more determined than before after all of this.”

“Thanks Joe.” Robyn felt him give her hand a rub between his two gloved hands.

“I have been there Robyn; many times, and it doesn’t get any easier. Just think about why you did what you did. You did it to save his life.” He gave her fingers a light squeeze and stood up. “I am going to check his vitals again.” He moved closer to Taron. “Good. He is getting some colour back and pulse is much stronger. We will be at the hospital soon. Hugh would have already called our case in so the doctors will be ready to take Taron in when we arrive.” Robyn nodded glad to be able to see for herself that a little pink tint had filled Taron’s previously paled cheeks, her hands steadier than before, so thankful for the paramedic for giving her a little encouraging pep talk which she needed badly. “And you and Richard will have to be checked over too by the doctors.”

Again, Robyn nodded not looking to Joe but keeping an eye on Taron’s closed eye lids as they fluttered and she automatically moved to brush her fingers through his hair, happy to see his face relax into her touch. Without thinking she started to gently hum, words soon following as she softly sang. “Blue jean baby, L.A lady, seamstress for the band, pretty eyed, pirate smile, you’ll marry a music man…”

She stopped when she saw Taron open his eyes, green tired eyes looking to her. He lifted his right hand and started to move the oxygen mask from his face but Robyn placed her two hands on his stopping him.

“Ah ah ah Taron. Don’t move, chicken. You need that.”

He shook his head at her and taking her hands away from his, she let him move it himself down to his chin. “You’re cheating.” He whispered. “We said no singing until I could hit the high notes.”

Robyn could only smile at his own little smirk, the tiniest of glints in his eyes and she took the mask from his hand and placed it back over his nose and mouth. “We can settle this later. No more talking.”

“Cheater.” Said Taron through his mask.

“You have no idea. Reverse phycology champion too.”

“Morphine has kicked in then Taron.” Commented Joe as he watched the verbal exchange between the two, accepting the nod he received from the young man. “How’s the pain?”

Taron pulled the mask down from his face again. “Still there but nowhere like it was.”

“Great. We’re nearly at the hospital. Leave that mask on and just rest.”

Doing as he was asked Taron put the mask back on, inhaling the fresh air into his lungs, the relief he felt from it almost unbelievable. He also knew the morphine he had been given was also the reason why he felt a little like he was floating but he would take floating over sinking in pain. It was the first time he had been somewhat aware of what was going on around him, words, sentences and voices drifting through his head before this, and the first time a single nudge didn’t cause a ripple of pain to travel through him. He had been vaguely aware of the paramedic speaking to Robyn beside him and he also knew she hadn’t let go of his hand once since he had been brought into the ambulance, in the same way that she had held his arm in the 7/11 and it was a touch of protection that he was very quickly getting used too. He had also very much cherished the verse of Tiny Dancer she had quietly sang beside his ear, her voice melodious, enjoying the easy banter she let him have with her over their singing. He couldn’t help the small sigh that left his lips, as something else he was getting used to was the feeling of her fingers running so lightly through his hair, the tips of her fingers massaging his scalp gently.

“Ok we are just pulling into the ambulance entrance now.” Joe double checked that Taron was ready to be transferred from the back of the ambulance and into the hospital. “We are going into the A&E department. Robyn they are going to take Taron straight to have a CT scan which will check for any internal injuries and concussion and then he will get an X-ray for his chest for those ribs just to be sure they are not broken. The doctors will then take a look at his arm and just clean him up. You won’t be able to go with him Robyn.”

“Yeah I kinda figured that.”

“You and Richard will go and get check out by a doctor. Is there any way we can contact Taron’s family to let them know what has happened?”

“They took our phones at the 7/11 and we haven’t gotten them back.”

“I am sure Officer Edwards will sort that out for you.”

“I won’t be able to go and see him once all of his tests are done, will I?” Asked Robyn sadly. “I am not family.”

“I think due to the circumstances Robyn, you will be able to see him. I would really like to get in contact with his family though. I will try and touch base with the Officer at the scene and see if he can bring your phones over here. Just so we can get his medical history.” The back doors of the ambulance opened. “Robyn can I get you and Richard to leave first and then we can get Taron out.”

“Yeah of course.” Robyn stood up and looked down to Taron, whose eyes were now open, looking wide at her. She gave his hand a squeeze. “Joe and Hugh are going to get you out of the ambulance. Richard and I will be out here waiting for you.”

She let go of his and, feeling Taron grip her fingers a little before he actually let go and she took Richard’s hand again as he helped her down the steps of the ambulance and the two stood to the side while the paramedics moved the stretcher out of the door and onto the ground, Hugh once again holding the IV line up.

“We can all go together and then the doctors will bring Taron to CT.”

The group walked into the doors of A&E, immediately met by a doctor in white coat and two nurses in blue scrubs.

“Hey Joe, is this Taron?” Asked the doctor.

“Yeah Steve. This is Taron and his friends Robyn and Richard.”

“Hey, I am Doctor Hart. So, Joe…”

“He was caught under a falling shelving unit from which many glass candles fell on top of him, the shelf itself not actually landing on him. He is responding well to the oxygen and we started an IV as he had no fluids. We also gave him some morphine which has helped with the pain but he is still in quite a lot. Bullet wound to the right arm, which I haven’t touched as it was bandaged and I didn’t want to open it and stop any blood clotting that had already started. He has badly bruised ribs and a deep head wound from a glass candle, possible concussion. He lost consciousness and stopped breathing for about thirty seconds before CPR was administered. After one full round of compression including two breathes, he regained consciousness and was breathing with a good pulse. He was out for about a minute. He has been alert in the ambulance, more than likely exhausted.”

“Ok great thanks Joe, we got it from here. Family been contacted? Medical history?”

“I am going to work on that now. Their phones were taken from them in the store so I am going to ring the cop’s station and try and get in contact with the Officer so I can get the phones and we can call his family. As far as his friends know, no allergies.”

While the paramedic and the doctor had been talking, Taron had been transferred to a hospital trolley bed with help from one of the nurses and two more doctors, while the other nurse was writing down on a fresh chart for Taron what Joe had been saying. His IV was hung on the bed, the oxygen mask removed from his face and the foil blanket pulled from his body.

Robyn could see the panic starting to build in Taron as his eyes flickered back and forth to all the people who were surrounding him and moving him, an upsetting groan leaving his lips when he was pulled from one bed to another. She moved beside him quick, making sure she was in his eye line.

“Shh its ok Taron.” She placed a hand on his chest, getting a quick flashback to earlier when she was pumping his heart, but shook the image from her head her other hand finding his. “Hey it’s ok.”

Taron felt pain building once again as he was jolted from one bed to another uncomfortably, his body shivering as the blanket was tugged off him but there was Robyn beside him, her hands warm on his cold body, her words soothing him.

“This his girlfriend?” Asked Doctor Hart as he came to stand beside Taron with Joe.

“No this is Robyn. She was the one who gave him CPR and kept him awake over the past few hours.”

“Hello Robyn. Doctor Hart.” He held out his hand to shake Robyn’s which she did. “We are going to take him for his CT now and his X-ray and get him cleaned up. While Taron is getting checked out, you and…”

“…Richard.”

“You and Richard will be seen by a doctor too.”

“Can I see him when he is done, please?” Robyn looked to the doctor. “I know I am not family but I have been with him since he was caught under the shelf.”

“Once he had been thoroughly examined and he is settled in a room, then of course you can. I will make sure you get to see him.”

“Richard too?” Asked Robyn.

“Yes, Richard too but now we really need to help Taron, Ok Ruth let’s get him to CT.”

The nurse who was holding Taron’s chart, clipped it to the bottom of the bed and with one of the other doctor’s help, started to push the bed towards two double doors down the corridor.

“No wait, wait, Robyn!”

It was such a heart-wrenching cry that Robyn didn’t even have to ask the doctor and nurse to stop pushing the bed, they did it automatically, Taron trying to get to his elbows, but falling back in pain as his upper right arm gave way in protest. She was by his side in seconds, her hands on his shoulders, pushing him down gently.

“Shh Taron, don’t move. You are going to pull our your IV. Taron you need to go and get your CT scan done. The doctors are going to bring you. Doctor Hart is going to go with you and look after you.” She could see that fear in his eyes once again. “You are in the best hands now Taron and when you have had all your scans and your arm has been seen too and you are on that cosy bed, I will come and see you. We have a singing deal remember? I am not letting you break that deal.” She placed two hands on his face and bending down, left a soft kiss on his forehead. “You are going to be just fine. It’s one more hurdle to cross but believe me, this one will be the easiest. I will see you soon. Ok.” Taron swallowed and nodded, seeing the promise she made in her eyes. “Ok. The doctors will take you now.”

Robyn ran her right thumb over his left cheek before she stepped away from the bed, Ruth and the other doctor along with Doctor Hart taking Taron through the double doors and out of her sight.

“You really have a way with people, Robyn, with Taron. He really is in the best hands.”

“Yeah I know that. He has just been through a lot and it’s just going into the unknown.”

“Without you.” Added Joe. “Taron has had you with him, by his side all night and suddenly you are not there.”

“So, these two need a check over too Joe?” The other doctor who had helped to move Taron onto the bed stood with the small group.

“Yes, please Phoebe. This is Robyn and Richard. Both need a check over. Richard has a few cuts on his arms from glass and he has had a bump to the head too. No concussion though.”

“Ok Richard this is Jenny.” Phoebe introduced the other nurse. “She is going to go and double check those cuts so if you want to go with her, Jenny you can to room three.”

Richard turned to look at Robyn, finding it just as uneasy as Taron at being separated from each other.

“When you guys are finished, there is a waiting room through the double doors and you can wait there until you can go and see Taron.” Explained the Doctor, seeing the apprehension in their body language at they looked to each other. “You can both wait together.”

“Go on Richard. I will see you in the waiting room.” Assured Robyn, feeling her own relief at knowing she didn’t have to wait alone and that she could sit with Richard.

Richard took a step to Robyn and engulfed her in a hug, gently rubbing her back, avoiding her shoulder, pleased to feel Robyn hugging him back just as tight.

“See you in the waiting room.” He said as he let her go.

“If you want to follow me Richard.”

The nurse turned to walk left down the corridor and Richard followed her.

“And Robyn here,” Continued Joe looking to Phoebe. “She will need a stitch or two in her left shoulder and has had a knock to the head, no concussion either. She had also had a blow to the face, that’s left a bruise. Robyn also gave Taron CPR.” Joe raised an eyebrow to Phoebe, hoping Robyn hadn’t noticed. “And she had a bruise on her right hand that could do with some ice. Robyn also mentioned getting punched in the stomach too and she spent too much time in the sun yesterday and needs a lot of aloe gel on her shoulders.”

“Thanks Joe.” Phoebe had quickly caught onto Joe’s raised eyebrow. As well as a doctor, Phoebe was a trained councillor and the signal she got from Joe meant Robyn needed a little pick me up. “Ok Robyn, if you want to follow me, we are going to go through the double doors, to exam room six.”

Before she left, Robyn turned to Joe and held out her hand for a handshake. “Thank you for everything you did for Taron.”

“You had better thank yourself too Robyn. You saved him.” Joe shook her hand. “Look after yourself. No more smart mouthing ok?”

Robyn smiled. “Yeah ok.”

“I am going to try and get your phones back. I will ring the cops and go from there”

“Thank you.”

Robyn watched as Joe walked away from her and out the A&E doors back to the ambulance.

“Robyn do you want to come with me and I have a look at you?”

“Yeah of course.”

Robyn followed the Doctor through the double doors and into examination room six beside the doors on the right. That adrenaline that had been keeping her on her toes had deflated and she suddenly felt drained as she took a seat on the bed in the room that the doctor directed her too, her thoughts constantly on Taron.  

#Taron Egerton #Taron Egerton Fanfiction #Richard Madden #Angst #Hospital #Blood and injury #paramedics #friendship

[elliotthezubat]

DEATH CITY DAYS CHAPTER 44

Vulcan! god of the forge!

Yukio: "Stocking--good work as well. I marked the answers you got wrong." stocking: thanks. 7_7; Yukio: "Hey, chin up--you'll get this in time." stocking: *she nods* Yukio: "For now, here's everyone's homework--and I will be in my office for the next hour." stocking: ... um, yu-*ahem*, mr okumura? you have a moment? Yukio: "Hmm? Sure, Stocking. What's up?" stocking: *looking around* im gonna assume you know about me being what i am? owo; Yukio: "..." *smiles, nods* "Hard not to, given family ties." stocking: right, haha ^^ well, about today's lesson, i think i have some familiar understanding with it. Yukio: "Oh, really? About Elementals, or Galatea?" stocking: the second one. Yukio: "Really? How are you familiar with the idea?" stocking: i guess, looking back, almost my whole life. i actually have a doll at home, a stuffed cat to be exact. Yukio: "Oh? And this doll..." stocking: a galatea, im assuming. from what my mom told me, she sealed the soul of a demon inside it. i guess she told her to watch over me...and she has. Yukio: ._. "Um...Has this demon ever given you problems?" stocking: not really. i think before dad found me, she was my guardian angel...as ironic as it sounds, haha ^^ Yukio: "...Huh. So, what is the degree of movement your doll is capable of?" stocking: she rarely does. Yukio: "Does she speak?" stocking: sometimes. Yukio: "Ah. Have you been able to keep her behaved?" stocking: yes. you can thank mom for that, haha! Yukio: *smiles* "That's good. If you were able to handle that demon, it may indicate your skills with other ones." stocking: thanks. Yukio: "Anything else you wanted to ask?" stocking: not really. i'll just be going now, wouldnt want to distract you from your work, haha. Yukio: *smiles* "Any time I'm in office hours, if you have a question, my door is always open." stocking: thanks. *goes back to the classroom* Shima: *trying to talk up Izumo* izumo: *not even listening* stocking:...wait, isnt rin in this class? shiemi: he is, but he's sick today. stocking: oh. Shima: "--and that's why I don't eat grapefruit anymore!" izumo: -_-; as much as i'd _looove_ to stay and listen to you yammer on about lord knows what, i actually have things to do, that are far more important. later. Shima: D: -elsewhere- Touma: "Welcome to the team." natsuna: great. tinker: welcome aboard! Jun: "..." *friendly smile...even as he looks askance at Touma* mitsuba: nice to meet yo- natsuna: *goes to pack her luggage* mitsuba: D8< hyakuya: additude much? C3 member: is the really risa's sister? Jun: "We can help you get acclimated, maybe with a short training exercise--" -door shut- C3 member: jeez... member 2: it makes ya wonder how much risa's death affected her... Touma: "..." Jun: "Well, give her time. If she wants to talk, she will." -elsewhere- Victor: "Darn...Need to sterilize this beaker." -elsewhere- Hibana: "How's it going?" gabriella: so close now. Hibana: *smiles...holds her hand* -elsewhere- Mr. Tsubaki: "You seem to be coming along well with your...change of life. How are you, Reimi?" reimi: i'm doing fine. ^^ Mr. Tsubaki: "...Well, then...Maybe it is time that I...head elsewhere...?" reimi: if that's what you feel is best... Mr. Tsubaki: "...I don't want to leave...I just worry that if I stay in one place so long, I put people at risk. And I have no idea where I would go..." reimi:.... Mr. Tsubaki: "..." *reverts to fox form...sits next to Reimi* reimi:....looks like it might rain soon... Mr. Tsubaki: "..." *nods* "That...tends to happen around me." -elsewhere- Belkia: *in front of the hospital* o_o "...I can do this...I can do this..." naho: you got this! *thumbs up* Belkia: *gulps, clutches the fruit basket...heads up to the room...* "Um...Hi." ayami:.......*she stares at him* Belkia: "...I brought fruit." ayami:....thank you... Belkia: "..." *sits down* "...How does an apple sound?" ayami:.... naho:.....*hug* ayami: ?? naho: i thought that would help. Belkia: "...Um, yeah, Naho is good at hugging...Um..." *hugs Ayami* ayami: *teary eyed* i dont...deserve your kindness.... Belkia: "Just...It's just what people should do." ayami:....could you...take me home.....with you....? Belkia: .\\\\\. *looks at Naho* naho: uhhhh..... >->; Belkia: "...Maybe you can stop by for a visit...a short visit?" ayami: i wish i could....though i'll...have to go back...to the hospital...im staying at... Belkia: "...How long did they tell you to stay at the hospital? Maybe...we can help you get out." -elsewhere- Shamrock: *wearing bunny ears* "..." tsubaki: lost a bet? Shamrock: "...Yes. Damn Lavender...And I thought it may be something for Himawari." tsubaki: i see. lavender: ^w^ Higan: *photo snap* Shamrock: -___-;; himawari:....*faint smile* Higan: "D'aw...See? She's smiling." tsubaki: ^^ Shamrock: x\\\\\- "...Glad to see you smile, Himawari." lilac: zzzz..... *still asleep on the couch* Sakuya: *puts blanket over Lilac* Black Star: *cringe* "Ah! That peroxide..." otogiri: what have we learned? Black Star: "Watch where I leap...and be faster when crossing a rooftop." otogiri: -_-; honestly... you shouldnt be reckless. it's bothersome. Black Star: "If I wasn't reckless, how would I learn new skills?" *smiles* otogiri:...*sigh* there. *finishes bandaging his injuries* Black Star: *smiles* "Thanks, Doc! You are great at this stuff." otogiri: years of experience. Black Star: "It shows...Um...Ever consider working at a hospital?" otogiri:.....*silent* Black Star: "...Just an idea..." *looks away* -elsewhere- liz: *worried* stocking: im home! Patty: "H-Hey, Stocking..." liz: mind talking to kid? he's in one of his depressive moods again... Patty: *nods* Kid: *curled up in the corner of the bedroom* stocking: say no more. *she knocks on the door* kid? im home...sorry im late. Kid: "St-Stocking?" *weak smile* stocking:....*hug* i was out longer than i thought i would be. class ran late. Kid: *nods, hugs* "I-I know. I'm sorry...I missed you..." stocking: its ok...im here now. Kid: *holds onto her* "I'm glad...I...hope you had a good day." stocking: it was nice. Kid: *smiles* "That's all that matters..." *rests his head against her arm* stocking:....come on kiddo, lets get you to bed. Kid: *nods, yawns* "Okay..." stocking: i love you kid. dont forget it, ok? Kid: *smiles, kisses her cheek* "I love you, too...and I will never forget..." -the next day- Kid: *shifts in bed...* -elsewhere- shinra: happy birthday rel! Relan: .\\\\\. "Th-Th-Th-Th-Thank you..." iris: we got you cake! mikami: enjoy. ^^ Relan: TT___TT "Thank you all...This cake looks *sniff* delicious..." shinra: ^^ Relan: *tries some of the cake...* "...Mmm! Delicious!" -elsewhere- Yohei: *holding up a burnt waffle* "..." chie: aww. Yohei: "That didn't turn out like I wanted--" Kepuri: "That is why you need my new invention: WAFFLE MACHINE!" *holds up a Frankenstein's monster device* mana: i believe its called 'the toaster'. -elsewhere- Sakuya: "Good morning." naho: zzzzzzz..... Sakuya: "??? ..." *hugs Naho* naho: u///u Sakuya: "Need five more minutes?" naho: *nod* Sakuya: "Okay. I'll be here..." -elsewhere- Lawless: "Just five more minutes..." -elsewhere- Tsukiyo: "Good morning!" fang-hua: *yawn* Tsukiyo: "Sleep well?" fang-hua: yeah. Tsukiyo: "That's good...Ready to eat?" -later, elsewhere- Kid: *doing sit-ups* liz: *timing him* Kid: *continues until--* "URK!" o___O "Cramp!" liz: easy there! Kid: *eases himself to lie back down* "Darn...Over-exerted myself..." liz:..... Kid: *steadies his breath* "I-I'm fine...I think I have to stop there, though..." stocking: ......*soft hug* Kid: Q~Q *soft hug* stocking:....its ok kid, just let it out.... Kid: "...Ow...My back hurts..." stocking: do you need a nurse? Kid: "I think I just need to lie down..." stocking: did you want to stay home for today? Kid: *nods* stocking: ok. Kid: *whimpers, as he sits up and tries to hobble to his room* stocking: *supports him* should i give you a back rub? Kid: "...I would feel better with one..." stocking: ok. -and so- stocking: *rubbing his back* how is that? Kid: "Hmm...Better. It hurts more to the left..." stocking: *rub rub* Kid: =\\\= "Right there...Thank you." stocking: no problem... Kid: "...You are so kind..." stocking: d'aww... Kid: "I wish I could repay you..." stocking: maybe one day. Kid: "..." *sad frown* stocking:....*kiss* Kid: *small sob, as he kisses back* stocking: kid? are you ok? Kid: "I-I'm scared. I don't want to disappoint anyone..." stocking: *pets his head* Kid: "I'm sorry..." *whimper* stocking: it's ok. we're all here for you... Kid: *nods, crying* stocking:...*holds him close to her chest* Kid: *holds onto her, crying but his breathing calming down* stocking: i love you. Kid: "I-I love you, too..." stocking: *rubs his back* Kid: "Mmm..." *his breathing slows down, as he closes his eyes* stocking: *soft smile* Kid: "Zzz..." stocking:.... Kid: *asleep, small talk in his sleep...* "I love you...I want to m...m..." stocking: ? Kid: "...ma...zzz..." stocking:....*small smile and kisses his forehead* Kid: *smiles in his sleep, rests more comfortably* -elsewhere- Mr. Tsubaki: *in fox form, curled up in the corner* Mr. Tsubaki: *sigh* "So lonely..." -elsewhere- Belkia: "Well, here we are..." naho: and here would be....? Belkia: "The best magic shop in the city! I need some new tricks, so..." naho: ah. Belkia: *goes inside, gasps* "Look! The cut-a-lady-in-half box!" *rubs the outside* "Such sheen..." -elsewhere- Higan: "How does this look?" *holds up a painting* tsubaki: it looks wonderful. ^^ Higan: "Thank you. I tried my best to match the colors." -elsewhere- Jacqueline: "Oh, hello, Mio." mio: sup Jacqueline: "How has your day been?" mio: good. Jacqueline: *nods* "I was about to bake some banana bread. Would you like some?" mio: *shrug* Jacqueline: "Well, it should be tasty--I've been working on this recipe for some time..." -elsewhere- Victor: "Good day, Maki!" maki: heyo. Victor: "How is today going?" *he's holding a box* maki: good. what's in the box? Victor: "Oh, some supplies, equipment, office supplies..." *there is an action figure poking out of the top* maki:...i see. Victor: *notices his action figure--blushes, hides it, smiles again* "Yep...Just slowly getting my work-station put together...Heh." maki: ah. Victor: "What are you up to? Training?" maki: yep Victor: "...Nozomi ever train with you?" nozomi: not really. the commander, tamaki, and shinra have though. Victor: "Huh. How did Tamaki and Shinra do?" -elsewhere- Johannes: "Hi, Doctor Fire!" itou: yo! Johannes: "How's it going?" *he's holding a notepad* itou: doing well. just got some spare parts. Johannes: "Ooooo...What are they for?" itou: fixing the generator where im staying, and i need to fix up a few joints on my mech suit. Johannes: *shiny eyes* "...Mechsuit? Is it here?" itou: not here, but it is at an associate's house. Johannes: "Neat...I'd love to see it some time." -elsewhere- Benimaru: "Happy to see you recovered, Reimi." reimi: im glad too. Benimaru: *nods* "...You do look a bit pale, though. Sunlight may help replenish your Vitamin D." reimi: it feels tingly when i go out. ^^; Benimaru: "...Maybe you should ask your kitsune doctor for an ointment for that." reimi: maybe, haha ^^ Benimaru: "...May I ask for advice?" reimi: 'bout what? Benimaru: "Is Kirei allergic to any flowers?" reimi: i dont think she is.... *griiiiin* Benimaru: -\\\\- "Thank you. I know what to get now." -elsewhere- Jun: "How are you, Natsuna?" natsuna: just fine. Jun: "If you ever need help with this new work, just let us know--we want to help." -elsewhere- Lawless: *in a bubble bath, with a rubber ducky* =w= licht: he's been in there for half an hour. Guildenstern: *knocks on the door* "You've been in there long enough--some of us need the bathroom as well." Lawless: *looks at his fingers* "...My fingers aren't prune-y yet!" licht: *kicks down the door* out of the tub. now. Lawless: o\\\\\o "Eek!" *covers his chest with his hands* "No! Get out!" licht: *grabs him and tosses him out of the bathroom* Lawless: *flies by, with soap suds covering him* o\\\\\o "So embarrassing--!" *CRASH* romina: ow. *wince* kranz: *tackle'd* oof! what on earth?! Lawless: "...Ah, crap, I'm naked..." *puts on his glasses* "Ah, that's better!" -w- julian:....*facepalm* Lawless: "Well, I'm going to towel off now. Remember to flush when you're done, Guildenstern." Guildenstern: -_-;;; "Put on pants..." -elsewhere- Arthur: *holds up a pair of cat ears* shinra: let me guess, tamaki? Arthur: "How did you know?" *looks over them* shinra: i just have a hunch. Arthur: "..." -\\\\- "So cute in them..." shinra:....you got it bad. Arthur: "Yes, I do...She is so beautiful, elegant, always lands on her feet--" -CRASH- tamaki: ow! *she fell face first* Arthur: "It's like I can hear her sweet voice next to me..." shinra:... -_-; Arthur: *then spots Tamaki* "Oh! Let me help you up..." tamaki: thanks.... Arthur: "Anytime, m'lady..." *helps her to her feet, still holding her hand...* tamaki:..um...you can let go you know. Arthur: "...!!! Oh, right!" *lets go...still holding the cat ears* tamaki: those for me? Arthur: o\\\\\o "...Do you like them?" tamaki: *she puts them on him*... shinra: *snerk* that's a good look for you, boyle! Arthur: o\\\o "Sh-Shut up, Shinra..." *looks at Tamaki* "Um...Do you like them on me?" -elsewhere- Black Star: *all patched up, playing a video game* "Come on, blue shell..." sayaka: hmmm you got this! Black Star: *heading towards the finishing line* "I AM...NUMBER ONE!!!" sayaka: aw. -he won- Black Star: "WOO! Yeah! Another victory for the great and powerful Black Star!" tsubaki: ^^; Sakuya: *unenthused* "Ha-zah." *throws up confetti* kilik: thanks for having us over. tsubaki: it's not a problem. Black Star: "Yeah, good to see you! How has this week been?" sayaka: good fore the most part. i think i may finally have that creepy doctor off my back! Black Star: "Jeez, that guy is still following you?" Sakuya: "Want us to tell him to back off?" sayaka: actually, and fingers crossed, i think he found himself a girlfriend his age! HUZZAH! Sakuya: "...Kind gross idea, but congrats on avoiding him." naho: yeah, that guy was weiiiiird. otogiri:......................... Black Star: *notices Otogiri* "???" otogiri:... nothing. Black Star: "...Hey, Otogiri? Want to play?" otogiri: im fine. Black Star: "...Okay." -the door opens- naho: we're hooome~! Belkia: "Papa's got a brand new bag of tricks!" otogiri: thrilling. Sakuya: *waves at Naho...perplexed by Belkia* -minutes later- liz: we're here! tsubaki: hey guys! stocking: *siiiigh* hey. Sakuya: "Hey, all...Yo, Stocking? You okay--" Belkia: *pushes Sakuya away* :3 stocking:..... -___________________________________-; naho: sakuya!... D8< WHAT THE FUZZ, BELBEL?! Sakuya: *just lying on the floor* |: Belkia: "I have a new magic trick!" *holds out a rose to Stocking* stocking:.....oi! old geezer, you have a lighter? Higan: “Yeah I-....darn, where did it go? I just had it a moment ago...” lavender: here. Higan: “Thanks Lav.” ^^ *hands the lighter to Stocking* "Please make it quick." Belkia: :3 "Nya?" ^^; stocking:... *sets the rose on fire* *returns the lighter to higan* here. Higan: "Thanks." ^^ Belkia: "..." *smirks* "All part of the trick, my dear..." stocking: eh? *POOF* stocking: WHAT THE FU- *The rose is replaced with...a lollipop* Belkia: "For you, Sugar Princess." stocking:......ok, first of all, how dare you. Belkia: :3 "Eh?" Sakuya: "...Well, you better hide, Bel." -POW- Belkia: *REJECTED* D: *knocked to the floor* stocking: knowing you, you probably put some weird drug in it. Belkia: "N-No drugs...I'm a vampire, not evil..." stocking: ..... *glaaaare* Belkia: D: *scampers behind Naho* "PROTECT ME!" naho: >n< Sakuya: *chop* "Stop using Naho as a human shield. I'm sorry, Stocking--just ignore him..." Belkia: "OUCH! That's my ear, Sakuya!" stocking: it's fine. Kid: *standing back, fuming, an aura around him* Belkia: o_____o;;;; "I have to go make tinkle now..." *runs* stocking:.... *sigh* sorry kid. *hugs* Kid: -\\\\- Black Star: "...Yeah, so, how are you all doing?" Patty: "I have a wart!" *holds up her finger at Black Star's face* Black Star: "...Okay." -elsewhere- Benimaru: "...For you." kirei: ah.. *blush* thank you, benimaru. Benimaru: "..." *nods* -\\\- "I-I hope you...like...the plants you currently hold in your hands..." kirei: ^^ i do. *kisses his cheek* Benimaru: -\\\\\- "I...have a strong amount of love towards you..." kirei: *smile* i love you too. Benimaru: "..." *holds her other hand* -elsewhere- Mr. Tsubaki: "..." *sad face* reimi: jealous? Mr. Tsubaki: "..." *nods* TT_TT "I miss her..." reimi:...that girl? Mr. Tsubaki: "My Blossom...Tsubaki Nakatsukasa..." reimi: ...maybe you could visit her? Mr. Tsubaki: "...And my family...How do I face them after leaving them behind...?" reimi: ..... Mr. Tsubaki: "I couldn't bring them into my...what I was doing...and I left them in her care...They must hate me." reimi: you dont know that. Mr. Tsubaki: "...I'm afraid to find out..." reimi: knowledge is power over fear! Mr. Tsubaki: *surprised* "Oh! Um...Yes, that is true..." *sighs* "Maybe I can...try...tomorrow..." reimi: do your best. Mr. Tsubaki: "..." *nods* "Okay...I...will go tomorrow...I need to steel my nerves..." -elsewhere- Burns: "Line up." -soldiers in line- pearl: *gulp* dia: ... ruby: OuO; Karim: *stoic* foien: ? Burns: "After our last five responses to emergencies, I think you all have gotten soft...slow...weak. Therefore, we're running additional drills." dia: understood. ruby: even the sisters? OuO Burns: "Every. One." Karim: -_- pearl:....oh. Burns: "We begin with jumping jacks. I will lead..." *pulls off his jacket--and is now standing shirtless* dia: *unphased* -a few soldiers are like 'WOOOOOAH'- Karim: -_______- foien: *has his shirt of as well* Karim: "...Why are you--?" foien: what? it's warm out. Karim: "...True enough. But in a fire drill, you won't get to strip in the middle of a real-life situation." dia: unless your name is tamaki kotatsu. Burns: "..." *snort* "BEGIN. JUMPING. JACKS!" -elsewhere- Hibana: Q____Q gabriella: she's so precious. -a child size being is in the tube- Hibana: *nods* "I never thought I would love something so much..." *holds Gabriella's hands* gabriella:....*tearful smile* Hibana: *nuzzle* -morning- Kid: *kitten yawn* stocking: morning kiddo~<3 Kid: *smiles* "Good morning...Feel better?" stocking: much. you~? Kid: "Quite..." *smooch on her cheek* -later- Kid: "What are your plans today?" stocking: maybe take it easy today. Kid: "Oh? Sounds like you are progressing with the exams." stocking: *she nods* the next exam will be later on. Kid: "Would you like to go out?" -elsewhere- tsubaki:...... Shamrock: "??? Tsubaki?" tsubaki: yes? Shamrock: "Sorry, you seemed lost in thought. I was asking whether you wanted tea." tsubaki: y-yes.... Shamrock: *makes some...* "...Really pouring outside..." *Someone is outside...listening...* tsubaki: it sure is... Shamrock: "...Rain tends to make me gloomy...Reminds me of...of..." tsubaki: *she nods and pats his back* its ok. Shamrock: "..." *nods, reaches for her hand* "I miss him...We all miss him..." tsubaki:....so do i.... Shamrock: "..." *bites his lip, nods* "I wish he was here..." tsubaki:...*she nods* Shamrock: "...He didn't get to see Himawari returned to us...Or how happy Naho is...Or how safe everyone is...It's not fair..." Mr. Tsubaki: *outside, in fox form, listening* Q~Q lavender: hey, he'll be back when he's done with whatever he's doin. Higan: *nods* "He did what he knew was best for us...He knows we can hold out just a bit longer..." lilac:.... naho: yeah, we're not gonna give up on him just yet! Sakuya: "Yeah. If he's going to be strong enough to be away from us, to handle whatever on his own, then we can handle this together." Mr. Tsubaki: TT~TT tsubaki: *she smiles* right. Mr. Tsubaki: *whimper...his paw along the window...* tsubaki: ?? lavender: what's up? tsubaki: i thought i heard something... Mr. Tsubaki: *ducks...* *A paw print is along the window...disrupting the pattern of raindrops* *A paw print* tsubaki:....i'm going to go check it out. Mr. Tsubaki: o___O *hiding in bushes...but shaking so much that the bushes shake* tsubaki: *opens the door and looks around* Mr. Tsubaki: *huddles close to the wet ground, trying not to make a sound* tsubaki:........*she closes the door* Mr. Tsubaki: *slinks away...pawprints on the mud after him* Shamrock: "Anything?" tsubaki:....i think it was just a squirrel. Sakuya: "Huh...In this rain? That's rough." tsubaki: poor thing... Higan: "..." *sighs* "Maybe put out a bird feeder for squirrels?" -elsewhere- Mr. Tsubaki: *soaked, in human form, returned to Asakusa* T_T reimi: ah! you're drenched! you'll catch a cold! Mr. Tsubaki: "I'm f-fine. I just need to--to--AH-CHOO!" reimi: ^^; Mr. Tsubaki: "...Could you bring me a towel?" -and so- Mr. Tsubaki: *sitting in bathtub* =_= "...So warm..." -elsewhere- Tsukiyo: "Stupid rain..." -elsewhere- Tool: "Aw, what a colorful outfit, Io." ^^ io: hehe! saki: ^^; Tool: *snaps a pic* "Good selection." -elsewhere- Lawless: "Let's see how he likes having his bathroom time interrupted..." licht: *singing in the shower* Lawless: *readies his phone, and...picks the lock, enters quickly into the bathroom...filming...* *smirks* licht: *still singing in the shower* Lawless: ("Oh, this is great: beautiful voice and naked Licht...I mean, what?") *keeps filming* licht: *still singing* Lawless: ("This is going to be such great blackmail...and that song will be great to listen to...and tonight I can watch this anD OH MY GOD WHAT--") licht: *hasnt noticed him yet* Lawless: *glances down* o\\\\\o "Holy shit, that's impressive." licht: did you need something, hyde? Lawless: "...That dick?" -he got wrecked- Lawless: *smashed against the floor...the bathroom rug over him to hide the body* licht: -_-; Lawless: ("Thank goodness the video was backing up to the cloud...Now, I just play dead...") -elsewhere- Karim: "...I think everyone's muscles are still aching." pearl: TT.TT Burns: "And what do you do when you have an emergency back-to-back?" *sigh* "Fine. We'll skip drills today. But everyone must be in attendance for dinner--to keep moving and fed." foien: .... Burns: *nods, turns away* Karim: "...Pearl? May Foien and I get you anything?" foien: is it possible for me to get the evening off? i was hoping to make plans. pearl: wa...water..please.... Karim: "...I would clear it with the Commander. I imagine he would want you here, but maybe he can be convinced..." *smiles at Pearl* "Water it is. Be right back..." -elsewhere- Arthur: *in cat ears and a cat tail...* shinra: lost a bet. tamaki: yes. yes he did. Arthur: "...I will be the first Cat Knight Warrior." *dramatic pose...with a kitten paw pose* "Meow." shinra:...*cracks up* Arthur: -\\\\- "You just wish you looked as good as I did...and at least I didn't have to wear the _other_ parts of the outfit..." tamaki: dont tempt me. Arthur: o\\\\o "B-But you would look better in it..." tamaki:...*drags him into the other room* shinra: yikes. Arthur: o\\\\\\\o "Oh no..." -elsewhere- Kid: "Catch it, Shiori!" shiori: ah! *caught the ball* Kid: "Yay! Toss it to Stocking!" -elsewhere- Kepuri: "Cute dress, Nea." nea: thanks~ Shinoda: *adjusting his suit* Kepuri: "??? Dressed up for an occasion?" nea: just enjoying a date~<3 Shinoda: "Don't wait up~" Kepuri: -_-;; "Not planning too..." akaderu: -_-; Kepuri: "Wasn't planning to stay up for you..." *looks at Akaderu* "Been a while since our last date night." akaderu: yeah...maybe...you'd like to see a movie tonight? 7///7 Kepuri: *smiles* "That'd be great. Any genre you had in mind?" -elsewhere- Gopher: "Would you like a cupcake?" kotone: *nom* Gopher: -w- "Tasty?" kotone:... ^^ Gopher: "That's good." -elsewhere- Wes: *looking outside the window* soul: looking for something? Wes: "Nothing in particular. Just looking at the clouds...Pretty overcast." -at the hospital- ayami:...... Belkia: "Knock knock?" ayami: *she glances at the door, smiling a bit* Belkia: *small smile* "How are you holding up?" ayami:....feeling....better now... Belkia: *nods, pulls up a chair next to her* "That's good...They treating you well here?" ayami:....*nod* Belkia: "..." *reaches for her hand* ayami: *blush* Belkia: "You'll be out of here in no time...and you'll feel better soon. I'm counting on that." ayami: t...thank you. Belkia: *small smile, pats her hand* "Anything you want me to pick up for you?" -elsewhere- Arthur: o\\\\\o shinra: *snickering* Arthur: *trying to cover himself* "T-Tamaki!" tamaki: *snapping pics* isnt payback a bitch? Arthur: Q~Q "Wh-Why me?! I just thought you'd like this outfit!" -elsewhere- Mr. Tsubaki: *small smile* "I feel better now..." reimi: that's good to hear. Mr. Tsubaki: *nods* "...I would like you to meet them, some day..." reimi: maybe someday. Mr. Tsubaki: "Yes...I suppose I should return to work..." -elsewhere- Shinoda: "This is nice..." -elsewhere- Victor: *humming* -elsewhere, on a train somewhere- Spirit: "Looking forward to this?" sachiko: *nods* yeah. Spirit: *smiles* "I hope it is a good visit..." sachiko: yeah, it'll be good to get a nice vacation. Spirit: "Plenty to do in the area, a departure from Death City..." ???: mr albarn? Spirit: "??? Oh! Stocking!" sachiko: hey kiddos. heading our way? stocking: as a matter of fact, yeah. Kid: "A vacation, following Stocking's work on entrance tests." sachiko: how nice. where you two heading? Kid: "An inn in the countryside." *holds Stocking's hand* sachiko: is it the Halliger Hotel? stocking: actually, yes, yes it is. sachiko: same here! Spirit: "Huh--quite a coincidence! It looks like a really nice inn." Kid: *nods* "I thought the exterior was almost symmetrical." sachiko: ^^; stocking: a long way from the station though. lets hope it doesnt rain. -and so- stocking: i just had to speak up. -_-; Kid: ^^; "It...has to be a coincidence." Spirit: -_- sachiko: well, we're here now. Kid: *passes out umbrellas* "Do we want to risk walking to the inn, or try for a cab?" -and so, arriving at the inn- Kid: *shiny eyes* '"So cozy..." sachiko: it has a really homey feel to it. Spirit: *nods* "Good view of the surrounding area. And the meals advertised sounded delicious." -inside, it has a very country home feel, and a lone worker is at the desk- worker: ah! Spirit: "!!!" Kid: "...Um... 'Ah'-llo?" worker: oh...s-sorry, you just startled me is all... stocking: *chuckles at kid's joke* Kid: *nods* "We have reservations for this inn. One is in the name of Death and Pheles." worker: ah, i see. you'll be on the 2nd floor in room 208. the 1st floor is currently under renovations. Spirit: "And the reservation for Albarn?" Kid: ("Renovations?") worker: yes, you'll be in 211. Spirit: "Thank you." *smiles, as he hands a keycard to Sachiko* -elsewhere- Kepuri: *cuddle* =w= akaderu: this is nice. Kepuri: "Very...Good idea." *holds his hand* akaderu:...*smiles* Kepuri: *rubs his hand* "So strong..." akaderu:.... *bluuuush* Kepuri: *chuckles* "You turn as red as the food you eat." *smooch* -elsewhere- Jacqueline: "Kim, on your left!" kim: HYAH! monster: *SCREECH* Jacqueline: "Fire!" *flame blasts out* kim: hasta la vista, mother fucker. -KO- -the monster goes down, and a soul is left- kim: hell yeah! how many does that put us now? Jacqueline: "Past 90, I think..." kim: getting close now... Jacqueline: *takes in the soul, then reverts to human form, smiles* "Good work." kim: couldn't have done it without you. *pats her back* Jacqueline: *blush* "Th-Thanks...Um...I guess we better get home..." -elsewhere- Relan: [lol. had to be embarrassing] shinra: [no kidding XD truly arthur's shining moment.] Relan: [didn't know a 'shining knight' could do it without any armor. or a stitch of clothing] shinra: [XD XD XD] iris: [^^] Relan: [hee hee. hey, u see the new vine of buttons?] iris: [yep! so cute!] Relan: [thanx! how does this week look for u? still going to that volcano person's workshop?] shinra: [tbd. but for the most part, alls good] Relan: [stay safe, you two. i heard crazy stories about that person] shinra: [can and will do.] Relan: [love u both] -elsewhere- Lawless: *looking around...looks at his new phone...* romina: hey. Lawless: "!!! Um...H-Hey?" romina: ya'll doin alright? y' been on edge lately... Lawless: "Just...thinking about things. Desires, hopes, dreams. The future..." romina: ah. i see. anythin in particular? Lawless: "...Relationships?" .\\\. romina: ah... got yer eye on a special somebody~? Lawless: "Some...bod...ies..." romina: go on? Lawless: "...Maybe...Someone I've worked with for a long time? And someone who has a lot in common with him? And someone else that...reminds me of someone I used to know?" .\\\\\\\\\\. romina: oh? Lawless: "...Licht...Soul..." romina: ...ok the first one was obvious, but the second one is a surprise. Lawless: .\\\\\. "D-Don't tell anyone...This is embarrassing." romina: i do solemnly swear i wont tell a soul. Lawless: "Thank you..." -elsewhere- Shamrock: *looking out the window...* "The rain..." naho: it's really coming down... Higan: "Where else would it go?" naho:......... -______- boo. lavender: *snerk* Higan: ^^ Shamrock: "...Best bring in some of the plants before the rain ruins them...Lavender, can you check on Himawari?" lavender: right. Shamrock: *puts on a parka, steps outside, brings in a few plants* "Wonder why the heavens opened up like this now..." lavender: you can just say 'its sure raining a lot'....like a normal person would. Shamrock: x_-; "I'm trying to describe the emotions this downpour fills inside of me." Higan: "Like a work of art...in words..." *already completed a painting of the rain outside* naho: ...... -.-; Shamrock: "...Show off." Higan: "Yes, I am." Shamrock: x_-;;;; "I'll make tea..." *spots Himawari* "Oh..." *wave* himawari:...*tiny smile* Shamrock: *smiles* "I got some ginger tea...Would you like some?" himawari:...*nods* Shamrock: "Coming up for everyone..." Higan: "And bring out the fancy cookies." -and so- tsubaki: we're home! Black Star: *shakes rain off his hair* "Man, came down hard...How's everyone doing?" naho: doing good! Shamrock: *nods* "Tea? Cookies?" Black Star: *takes five cookies* "Already on that!" tsubaki: some tea would be nice. Shamrock: *pours some for both Tsubaki and Black Star* "Here you are." tsubaki: thank you. ^^ Black Star: *sips* "Hmm...A little spicy." Kid: Higan: "Some of us like it spicy." *eyebrow wiggle* lavender: 7w7 naho: EWWWW GROSS OLD MAN! Higan: "What? I meant the ginger...Lavender likes it spicy, too. Very tasty." naho:...oh. OwO;;; nevermiiiind....*slumps in her seat* otogiri: on the subject of speaking without thinking it through, belkia still isnt home ye- Sakuya: *pats Naho's back* *DOOR BREAKS OPEN* Belkia: "We're here!" Black Star: D:< "NOT ANOTHER DOOR!" otogiri:...'we'? Belkia: "Come on in! They don't bite...usually." ayami:....h-hello.... tsubaki: o-o naho: !!! otogiri:....please tell me this is some joke. Belkia: "What? She was locked in the hospital so long, I thought she could stretch out her legs for a walk over here...I mean, walking from the hospital to the taxi, then here...By the way, Tsu, I need money for the taxi." otogiri:....excuse me a moment. *she goes to her room....and screams* naho: O_O lavender: holy shit. ayami: >~< tsubaki: ._.; lilac: Q_Q -elsewhere- metsu: ?! Jeje: "...The shit?" Johannes: "!!!" Q~Q "...Big sis?" metsu: ??? Johannes: "..." *crying* "WhY AM i crYING SO muuuuuuCH?!" metsu: !! ... *pap pap* Jeje: "There, there..." metsu:.... Johannes: *clutches Jeje* "Wh-Wh-What is happening? Why do I feel--feel--..." *collapses* metsu:...we should get him to an exam table to sleep. -in asakusa- Mr. Tsubaki: "...A disturbance..." reimi: in the force? Mr. Tsubaki: "Hmm? No, not in the Fire Force--among my subclasses." reimi: gotcha Mr. Tsubaki: "..." *gulps* "They must be...in trouble..." reimi: GO CHECK ON THEM! -at the house- otogiri: ok....im good.... Belkia: O_______________________________O Black Star: ._. "You sure?" otogiri:...yes.....*drinks tea straight from the kettle* Shamrock: "Um, excuse me, but that is unsanitary--" ayami: *hiding behind belkia* s-scary.... otogiri: *calm glare* Belkia: *pats Ayami's shoulder* "Sh-She's fine...once you get to know her..." *nervous smile at everyone* ("...What the fuck, man?") lavender: that's great and all....but what are we gonna do about the girl you just kidnapped from a hospital? Belkia: " 'Kidnapped'? That's such a harsh word. I just...took her out for a temporary leave?" otogiri: and that makes it _better_? Belkia: "...Yes? I left a note back at the hospital from her doctor--" otogiri: oh no. -at the hospital- doctor: O___O what the dickens?! NOTE: "Please excuse Ayami. I took her out for the day to get fresh air, Vitamin D, those fish oil capsules. Signed: Dr. David Copperfield, MD Esquire" doctor:...WHO THE F*CK IS DAVID COPPERFIELD?! Nurse: "Oh! That hunky magician? He's so hot!" doctor:...what? -at the house- Belkia: "So, that's Tsubaki--our mommy. And that's Black Star--the new dad we don't really like. And that's Shamrock--the dad who is pissy. And that's Higan--the cool dad." Black Star: *glare* Shamrock: x_-; Higan: “Aw, I’m flattered.” ayami: ... tsubaki: ^^ ayami: who are...t-the others? Belkia: "The dyspeptic one is Sakuya, the tiny one is Naho, the thin one is Lilac, the sexy one is Lavender, and the quiet one is Otogiri." Sakuya: "...Who the hell you calling 'dyspeptic'?" lavender: damn right. naho: eh? lilac: i-is that...bad? otogiri:....... ayami: it's....nice to...meet you all. himawari:....?? Belkia: "...Oh! Duh! Himawari! Say hi to Ayami! You two will have a lot to talk about!" himawari:...h...hello.... ayami: h-hi.... -mass sweatdrop- Belkia: "...See? One whole word. PROGRESS!" Shamrock: *already by Belkia's side* "May I speak with you?" Belkia: "Hey, how did you--" Shamrock: *pulls Belkia by the ear to the kitchen* Belkia: "OW OW OW OW OW!" ayami: ahh! p-please dont hurt him! Shamrock: *smiles politely* "No problem. 'Daddy' just has to teach Belkia some manners..." *tug* "Like not making fun of Himawari..." Belkia: o_o; "...OoooooOOOOooooo...You like her, huh?" naho: *sweats* Shamrock: o\\\\\o Black Star: "..." *face-palm* himawari: ?? Shamrock: O\\\\\\O;;; "..." *lets go of Belkia's ear, dropping Belkia on the floor* "...I have to dry the ice cubes, excuse me." *turns--and walks into the wall* "...Ow." lilac:.....?????? Belkia: "...Ayamin? Could you help me up?" Shamrock: "...If I just stand here, maybe everyone will go away..." ayami: *lifts him up* Belkia: -\\\\- "My ear hurts..." ayami: *kisses his earlobe* Belkia: o\\\\\o "...I don't know how to feel about any of that." lavender: dang, she doesnt hold back! Sakuya: "No kidding." -_- naho: daaaang! tsubaki: oh goodness... Black Star: "...Get a room." Belkia: o\\\\\\\\\o ayami: oh my....doing _that_...with belkia-sama.... ahh...i dont know if my heart can handle it! <3 >///////< Belkia: o\\\\\\\o "...I AM FEELING CONFLICTED!" Shamrock: "WOULD YOU JUST RETURN HER TO THE HOSPITAL?!" Belkia: "I WILL WHEN YOU ADMIT HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT HIMAWARI!" Shamrock: D: lavender: oh this is getting good. Higan: *passes popcorn* Sakuya: -____- "..." *takes some popcorn* Black Star: *fuming* "Tsubaki...Negotiate, please." tsubaki: now now, lets calm down you two. naho: CHILL OUT! *CHOP* tsubaki: O.O; Belkia and Shamrock: *collapsed unconscious on the floor* Black Star: "..." *pats Naho's shoulder* "Great work!" *thumbs up* naho: ^o^ *high five* lilac:....*pokes shamrock* um..... ayami: Q~Q *holding belkia* Higan: *sigh* "I'll get Shamrock in bed. Himawari, mind watching him until he wakes up?" himawari:...i'll...do that. naho: aww...he sleeps like a little baby... Shamrock: *small breathing...* "Zzz..." Black Star: "Um...Do we let Ayami stay over, or return her to the hospital?" Higan: "Ah, let her stay the night. What problem could she cause?" -and so- Belkia: "Mmmm..." *blinks his eyes* "Where am I?" ayami: zzz.... Belkia: "...!!!" O________O ("WHAT JUST HAPPENED?") ayami: *hugging his arm close* mmn... Belkia: "...Um...You awake?" ayami: *opens eyes* Belkia: "...Um...Hello. You are...here...with me." ayami:...*hug* Belkia: o\\\\\o "Um...Are you okay?" ayami:....*nods* Belkia: "..." *lifts up the blanket* -she's still in her hospital clothes- Belkia: "...Um...Are you warm enough?" ayami: i...am now.... Belkia: "...Those clothes don't look very warm." ayami:...*lifts his shirt and rubs against his chest* s...so muscular.... Belkia: o\\\\o "Th-Thanks? I do try to keep fit..." -elsewhere- Kid: "Comfy beds..." stocking: yeah. this is nice. Kid: *smiles* "I can't wait to try the breakfast..." stocking: same here. *laying down* Kid: *hugs her* stocking: mmm~<3 Kid: *kiss on the cheek* stocking: U///U Kid: *closes his eyes* "I have wanted...this break for so long..." stocking: yeah. its nice. just the two of us~<3 *drags a finger up his chest* Kid: *shiver* "Y-Yes, it is..." *lets out a soft moan* stocking: oh~ getting turned on~? Kid: *small smirk* "It's hard _not_ to be when I'm with you..." stocking: oh you sly dog~ *kiss* Kid: *smooch...holds her hips* -elsewhere- Arthur: *pouts* nozomi: ?? Arthur: "Stupid outfit...Stupid Shinra..." nozomi: what happened? Arthur: =\\\\\= "I wanted to surprise her...and I was the one in the outfit instead." nozomi:..oh. Arthur: *nods* "Embarrassing..." -elsewhere- Mr. Tsubaki: *arrives outside Tsubaki's house...* tsubaki: *still awake after everyone else went to bed* Mr. Tsubaki: "..." *approaches the window* tsubaki:...!! Mr. Tsubaki: ._.;;; *paws at the window* tsubaki: *opens the door* Mr. Tsubaki: *enters, wiping his paws and shaking off some water...looks up at her* "...Hello." tsubaki:....*weak smile* Mr. Tsubaki: "...Tsubaki...Are they okay?" tsubaki: yes....they're asleep right now... Mr. Tsubaki: *sigh of relief, before he starts panting* "Th-thank goodness...I ran as fast as I could, sensing something was wrong...with...them..." *collapses* tsubaki: !!! Mr. Tsubaki: "So tired...My legs..." tsubaki: *picks him up and lets him rest on the couch* Mr. Tsubaki: *calms down, breathes a bit better* "Th-Thank you...This is a comfy couch..." tsubaki: *she smiles* Mr. Tsubaki: "Are you sure they are okay? Otogiri? Naho? Sakuya?" tsubaki: yes. -she explains what happened- Mr. Tsubaki: "Oh, my...W-Why was Otogiri so upset? And Belkia and Shamrock?" tsubaki: well, lets say belkia brought home a gift from the hospital. ^^; Mr. Tsubaki: *tilts his fox head* "...Not another dead bird?" tsubaki: no.... -she explains the situation with ayami- Mr. Tsubaki: o_O "...Belkia is going to expose us all..." tsubaki: i'm trying my hardest to keep everything under control...but it does get hard...still, i have to try. Mr. Tsubaki: "...I didn't mean it like that...I-I'm sorry. I know you are doing your best..." tsubaki:....*she smiles* Mr. Tsubaki: "..." *resumes human form...lays a hand over hers* "I'm sorry I am not here..." tsubaki:...*awkward hug* Mr. Tsubaki: .\\\\. *awkward hug* "...Thank you..." *pat pat* tsubaki:...... Mr. Tsubaki: "???" *looks at her...gulps...nervously smiles* tsubaki:...*tiny smile* Mr. Tsubaki: *leans in closer...* tsubaki: ah- Mr. Tsubaki: *tiny smooch* tsubaki: *flustered* Mr. Tsubaki: .\\\\. "S-S-Sorry...Heh." *nervous smile* tsubaki: .////////. Mr. Tsubaki: "...W-Was I...bad?" tsubaki: no. not at all! Mr. Tsubaki: *sheepish* "Th-Thank you...You were great...Your lips are soft..." tsubaki: *flustered* Mr. Tsubaki: "..." *puts an arm around her shoulder...* tsubaki: ah... Mr. Tsubaki: "Is this...okay?" tsubaki:....in other circumstances, it would be... Mr. Tsubaki: "..." *nods, pulls back his arm...inches away from her, keeps his hands to himself* "I understand." tsubaki: .....i love him...and you. Mr. Tsubaki: "..." *nods, looking at the floor* "I love you, too..." tsubaki:....i really do wish things were different, and you could be here with us... Mr. Tsubaki: *sniff, wipes his eyes* "I can't...put everyone at risk..." tsubaki:...*she nods* Mr. Tsubaki: *covering his hands over his face* "I want them to be safe...I want our family to be safe..." tsubaki:...i know...*hug* Mr. Tsubaki: *just lets her arms stay on him, as he cries and tries to calm down* "P-Please, stay safe...Keep everyone safe..." tsubaki: i will. Mr. Tsubaki: "Th-Thank you...I am tired..." tsubaki:....i take it you arent able to spend the night? Mr. Tsubaki: "...Tsubaki, I am so exhausted, I don't think I could get back to Asakusa...not without...*yawn* some rest...May I stay here, at least for a bit?" tsubaki:....ok. Mr. Tsubaki: *smiles...as he resumes fox form...* "Thank you..." *yawn...* tsubaki:....*nods* Mr. Tsubaki: "Zzz..." -in the room- Mr. Tsubaki: =w= ("Such a comfy, big bed...") tsubaki: zzzzz..... Mr. Tsubaki: *leans closer in fox form against her...his tail hitting Black Star* tsubaki: zzzz.... Black Star: *grunts, talks in his sleep* "N-No, Tsubaki, that itches...Ah...Ah...Ah...CHOO!" Mr. Tsubaki: "!!!" tsubaki: zzzz..... Black Star: o_o "YOU?!" Mr. Tsubaki: "...Who, me?" tsubaki: zzzz... Black Star: "!!!" *covers Mr. Tsubaki's mouth* "Shh. I'll yell at you in the morning..." Mr. Tsubaki: -_- tsubaki: *shuffling in her sleep* zzzz.... Mr. Tsubaki: "..." *smirks, as he carefully goes to Tsubaki's side, turns into human form...pulls the blanket over both of them* Black Star: "!!!" *inches closer to Tsubaki, holds her* tsubaki:.... =w= zzzzz.... Mr. Tsubaki: *smirks...yawns, closes his eyes...* =w= Black Star: >___< ("So...this is it, huh?") *hugs Tsubaki, closes his eyes* ("Please, don't leave...") tsubaki: zzz.. *leans towards black*star and hugs him* Black Star: -\\\\\- *smiles as he hugs back* Mr. Tsubaki: *pout in his sleep...* -early morning- Mr. Tsubaki: =w= "Zzz..." Black Star: *snore* tsubaki:......*kisses black*star* morning... Black Star: -w- *yawn* "Good morning, Tsubaki..." tsubaki: *she smiles and hugs him* Black Star: *hugs, patting her back* "Sleep okay?" tsubaki:......*hugs tightly, seeming sad* Black Star: "??? Are you okay?" tsubaki:......*awkward glance at mr tsubaki....kisses black*star* Black Star: "!!!" -\\\\- *soft moan* tsubaki: *teary eyed* Black Star: *pulls back, looks at her* "Tsubaki? Wh-What's wrong?" tsubaki: am i...a bad girlfriend? Black Star: "...No." *holds her* "You're the best..." tsubaki:...*silently cries* Black Star: *strokes her back* "Please, don't...I love you...I'm not mad at you..." tsubaki: i..i know....im....im just....im mad at myself... Black Star: "Please, don't...This is fine...It's fine..." *strokes her back* "I love you." tsubaki: *whimpers into his chest* Black Star: *closes his eyes, stroking her, letting her release her concerns* Mr. Tsubaki: "..." *rests a hand along her shoulder* tsubaki: *hic*......!! Mr. Tsubaki: "Blossom...I...I'm so sorry..." Black Star: "..." tsubaki: ....... Mr. Tsubaki: "...I'm sorry for doing this to you..." tsubaki:...... Mr. Tsubaki: "I just...I love you and I...I...I don't know what to do." Black Star: "...I think that's one of two things we agree on..." tsubaki:....... Mr. Tsubaki: "...It is morning. I feel better now. I...should leave." *kisses lightly on her cheek* "I love you." tsubaki:...*no reply* Mr. Tsubaki: "..." *downcast, as he nods to Black Star, reverts to fox form...and goes for the door, opening it to exit the bedroom...* -later- Black Star: *gently rubbing her shoulders* "I'm sorry..." tsubaki:......... Black Star: "..." *hums lightly, as he holds her* "It's going to be okay..." tsubaki:........... Black Star: *kisses her cheek* "I love you...I don't want you to feel badly because of someone like me..." tsubaki:....*hugs him* Black Star: *holds her in his arms* lilac:...is she...ok? tsubaki:...yeah...just...not feeling well... Black Star: "...Want to nap? I'll make you something to eat..." tsubaki:....*nod* Black Star: *nods* "Lay down...I'll make you something..." Belkia: *yawn* ayami: zzzz... Belkia: *looks at her* ("...Conflicted...") -elsewhere- Spirit: *smiles* "Good morning." sachiko: morning. *kiss* Spirit: *smooch* "Sleep well?" sachiko: *she nods* Spirit: "Same...The beds are really comfortable...for many things." sachiko: 7w7 Spirit: *hugs* "So wonderful to be by your side." sachiko: hehe~ Spirit: *traces his finger along her arm* "So, what would you like first? Step down for breakfast? Shower?" sachiko: breakfast, im starving. Spirit: "Sounds good..." *picks up her robe* -and so- Spirit: "Mmm...Yummy!" stocking: ^^ sachiko: not bad at all! Kid: "Well done." *wipes some strawberry juice from his lip with a napkin* -elsewhere- Shamrock: *groaning* "Ugh, my head...Feels like someone chopped me...Where am I?" himawari: *asleep next to him* Shamrock: "..." *slowly remembers* x\\\\\. "..." *lies back down...* -and so- Shamrock: "Sorry, all, for over-sleeping." Belkia: .\\\\. naho: it's all good. Shamrock: "I should have been up earlier to make breakfast...Also, where is Belkia's friend?" ayami: good morning... Belkia: .\\\\\\\\\. Shamrock: "Good morning. Did you sleep well?" ayami:... *nod* Shamrock: "...Well, then, you will be returning to the hospital?" Belkia: "!!!" ayami:....i dont...want belkia..to get in trouble... Belkia: "..." *pats her shoulder* "I'll bring you back, then." -elsewhere- Mr. Tsubaki: "...I'm back." reimi: welcome back! Mr. Tsubaki: *smiles* "Thank you...How are you?" reimi: well, some strange people came by earlier...i think they called themselves 'see three'? Mr. Tsubaki: "...Oh no..." reimi: something wrong? Mr. Tsubaki: *closes a window, pulls Reimi away from any entrance or exit* "Do not go with them." reimi: they actually left half an hour ago. Mr. Tsubaki: "Do not trust C3, do not go with them, if they try to take you, get away--do you understand?" *has his hand on her arm* reimi:....r-right. Mr. Tsubaki: *inhales...* "I'm sorry...They are dangerous. They have...harmed so many vampires...I don't want you hurt." reimi:.... Mr. Tsubaki: "..." *sighs* "I am so glad you are safe." -elsewhere- Jun: "Nothing out of the ordinary. Just flame beings." yumikage: yep. mafura: ~? Jun: *looks at Mafura* "Never seen a flame being?" mafura:... *shakes head* Jun: "They can generate fire along their bodies...some unfortunate individuals are corrupted by it, turning into monsters." mafura: O.O mitsuba: yeah, there was a kid in my old class that just caught fire one day...it was pretty fucked up. Jun: *sighs* "I wish we could help them...but some brigades, like the one in Asakusa, are rather standoffish." yumikage: no shit. tsurugi: their commander's good lookin though~ yumikage: SHADDAP! >n< Jun: "Okay, you two--enough of that teasing." *smiles* "Go finish paperwork." -elsewhere- Belkia: "Well...here you are." ayami:...*hug* Belkia: "..." *hug* "You're going to be fine, okay?" ayami:...*she nods* Belkia: "..." *tilts his hand under her chin, lifting it up* ayami: *smooch* Belkia: .\\\\. "..." >\\\\< *smooch* ayami: =///////////////= hehehehe..... Belkia: *pats her head* "I'll be back tomorrow, okay?" ayami: i would...like that. Belkia: *nods* "Same...I'll bring a new magic trick..." -elsewhere- Black Star: "Otogiri...I don't know what to do." otogiri: about? Black Star: "...Tsubaki is dealing with a lot...I'm worried for her." otogiri:...maybe we should take her on a vacation someplace? Black Star: *nods* "I think that would help. I'll ask here where she may be interested...Any suggestion?" naho: maybe we can visit some place far off? Sakuya: *nods* "Somewhere overseas. Think she'd be interested going back closer to home in Japan?" otogiri: perhaps. it might help. Black Star: "...I'll ask her, let her decide..." -elsewhere- Kid: *shiny eyes* "Those mountains..." sachiko: *snapping pics* Spirit: *posing so that, with perspective, it looks like he is holding up the mountain* sachiko: ^u^ Spirit: "Hee hee..." stocking: its nice out. Kid: *nods* "Look at that stream..." stocking: *she has a net out* Kid: "??? You see something?" stocking: some fish. Kid: "Ah...What are you looking to catch?" stocking: salmon. Kid: "Ah...Want some help?" -elsewhere- Tsukiyo: "Hola, Kabuki!" kabuki: ?? Tsukiyo: "How's it hangin'?" kabuki: quite well. Tsukiyo: "Awesome! Hey, what did those weird men in black people ask you?" kabuki: just about the new doctor, but i told them he wasnt in...also im pretty sure they were wearing white. ^^; Tsukiyo: *pouts* "It was a figure of speech...And why would they be interested in the doc? Did you tell them he's a kitsune?" kabuki: i didnt say anything else. Tsukiyo: *pats his head* "Good boy!" kabuki: ^^; Tsukiyo: "You on break? I was going to get a soda." -elsewhere- Relan: "?!! You all look...exhausted." mikami: *pant pant* t-training.... ryuuko: easy now, i dont want you to faint... Relan: *pulls up a chair* "D-Do you need to sit?" mikami: *sits down* Relan: "What kind of training?" -elsewhere- Lawless: "Yo, Soul." soul: sup Lawless: "Hey, you busy? I was going to get some lunch." soul: not at the moment. is licht with ya? Lawless: *nods* "He's around...kinda has to be..." soul: right, haha. Lawless: "...So...shall we?" soul: uh, sure, why not? Lawless: ^\\\^ "Cool..." -elsewhere- Arthur: "Hold on...I'm still packing my belongings..." tamaki: this place is like, walking distance -_-; Arthur: "Can never be too prepared...But I am ready." tamaki: -_-; Arthur: "Let us depart! Which way?" -elsewhere- Hibana: Q~Q gabriella: she's precious! child:..mama! Hibana: "She just her first world!" >w< hanako: *hug* Hibana: "D'aw..." *hug* "Mommy and Mommy love you..." hanako: ^^ -elsewhere- Benimaru: *irritated* "I do not appreciate outsiders intruding on our home..." kirei: *rubbing his shoulders* Benimaru: -\\\\\- "A-Ah~! ...Th-Thank you...B-Be careful around those C3 people..." kirei: i will. Benimaru: *nods* "And please keep an eye on Reimi...I have a bad sense about having her near those C3 people..." kirei: *she nods* Benimaru: *sigh, laying back* "That feels good..." -elsewhere- Lawless: "How's the milkshake?" soul: not bad. Lawless: *nods* "Yeah, I think they're tasty...Want to try the caramel?" *holds up his cup* soul: im good. Lawless: "Nah, dude, try it!" *pushes the cup to him* soul: alright alright, jeez. Lawless: ^\\\\^ *hands the cup to him...* soul:....?? you ok? Lawless: *quick nodding* "Excellent!" soul:...al...right, i guess? Lawless: "May I try your chocolate?" soul: sure, you can have it. Lawless: *his hand reaches out for it...touches Soul's hand* soul:...uhhhh.... Lawless: *touches a bit too long* o\\\\\o "AH!" *his hand moves quickly* licht:..... soul:. uhhhhhh..... o___o; Lawless: "W-Wow!" *falls back in chair...onto the floor* licht:...so graceful. -_-; soul: you ok? Lawless: "...I fell on my bottom." soul:.....need help? Lawless: *nods, holds out his hand* soul: *helps him up* Lawless: "Th-Thanks..." *now standing, awkwardly...* "...I'll sit again." -elsewhere- Kid: "Any luck?" stocking: i caught a few! Kid: *claps* "Yay! I'll mark it in my book of caught fish..." stocking: *she smiles* Kid: "What will you be doing with these fish?" stocking: hey guys! wanna cook them? Spirit: "Sounds tasty!" Kid: *nods* Spirit: "Sachiko? How 'bout you?" sachiko: i'll get the fire started! Spirit: *smiles* Kid: "I'll get the pan..." stocking: thanks! Spirit: "I can help prep the fish..." *transforms his hand into a scythe blade* -elsewhere- Akitaru: *staring at a bag of popcorn in the microwave* "Please...Hurry up...Pop up already..." -sneak sneak sneak sneak- misora: HI COMMANDER! 8D Akitaru: O___O "EEK!" *jumps up, clutches his chest* "Y-You frightened me!" misora: sorry about that~ ^^ Akitaru: "It-It's fine...How are you?" misora: just wanted to see how you all were doing. we're gonna be heading to the 1st brigade for a short while. Akitaru: "The 1st? You'll be meeting with colleagues there?" misora: i think so. Akitaru: "...Well, enjoy. Let me know how the meeting goes..." misora: alrighty~! Akitaru: "..." *Popcorn explodes out of the microwave* Akitaru: o_O; "...NOW YOU COME OUT?!" -elsewhere- Black Star: "..." naho: doin ok? Black Star: *shakes his head no* "Not when Tsubaki has been dealing with all of this..." naho: hmmm... Black Star: "...Why do you all go along with him? I'm sorry to be that rude, but...just haven't had the best interactions with that guy." naho:....he saved our lives. you know, it was hard for me at first too, seeing as belkia bit a whole chunk out of my neck. but mr tsubaki saved me. Black Star: "...He's hurt a lot of people." naho: .... Black Star: "Even us meisters and weapons are assigned who we kill...Naho, I'm scared for Tsubaki around him." -elsewhere- mikami: *walking through the halls of the 3rd* Giovanni: *wheeze* mikami: ah! c-commander! you startled me sir! Giovanni: "I get that a lot. Come. I have an assignment." mikami: f-for me, sir? Giovanni: *nods* "Come. I have to brief you on our target." mikami: r-right sir! Giovanni: "What do you know about Vulcan?" mikami: v-vulcan? f-from star trek, sir? Giovanni: "...No. The inventor. Never heard of him?" mikami: n-not really sir, s-sorry... Giovanni: "He is an exceptional mechanist, able to draw upon fire abilities to create wondrous machines...and we need him here." mikami: i-i see... Giovanni: "And I couldn't think of a more perfect candidate than you--to represent us to Vulcan to recruit him, to let him know what our brigade can offer to him..." mikami: m-me, sir? b-but w-wouldnt you want to ask someone...s-stronger?..l-like ryuuko? Giovanni: "I think...you've been hiding some potential, Mikami. You just need someone to...draw it out." mikami: um... Giovanni: "I need you to show Vulcan the reasons why we need his skills on this team...I know you have the intelligence, respectfulness, and persuasiveness needed to convince him to join." mikami: i-i'll try my best! Giovanni: *wheeze* "Excellent." -elsewhere- Tsukiyo: =w= "So tasty..." fang-hua: i'm glad you like it! Tsukiyo: "Thanks! You are going to make someone very happy, Fang!" fang-hua: maybe....h-hey! just what do you mean by that? >///< Tsukiyo: *smiles* "I mean that many people like a partner who can cook well~" -elsewhere- Yohei: "Okay?" chie: yeah. *smiles* Yohei: *smiles* "I got something for you..." *holds up a movie* chie: aww. *smooch* Yohei: ^\\\^ "And a movie needs..." *holds up popcorn, candy, and snacks* chie: i love you! -at the 8th- tamaki: so we'll be heading to vulcan's workshop first thing in the morning? Akitaru: *nods, eating popcorn* "Yep! We finally got the details figured out: who's going, where his newest workshop is, how to approach him--" tamaki: i volunteer me and nozomi! Akitaru: "Excellent! And Shinra, Arthur, and Iris can join you." Victor: *standing next to Tamaki, holding up his hand* tamaki: *gives him a glare* maki: sorry victor, we still need you here to do research. Victor: D: *slowly lowers his arm, gets sheepish* nozomi: ^^; Akitaru: *hands Shinra a file* "Here is what we know about Vulcan. Read up on him to be ready for this meeting in the morning." shinra: right. Arthur: "Hazzah!" *holds up Excalibur* Akitaru: "And bring no weapons with you." Arthur: -3- -early morning- Arthur: *in a suit of armor* maki:...go change into something else. Arthur: *pouts* "Fine..." Takeshia: *shakes his head with disapproval* "So, Shinra, did you read the files?" shinra: yes. the workshop is someplace on the outskirts of 'industrial town' district. Takehisa: "Good. Be cautious, as Vulcan is an imaginative inventor with dangerous approaches to scare away interlopers." shinra: noted. Akitaru: "Just remember: even getting him to say 'hello' is an accomplishment." *pats his back* shinra:...right. tamaki: you guys ready to go? Arthur: *returns in casual attire* "Ready." *...his fly is down* shinra: uh,... you may want to zip up...just saying. *points down* Arthur: "???" *looks down* "!!!" *zips* o\\\\o -and so, after arriving at the industrial town district bus stop- nozomi: alright, now we just need to head to the outskirts of the district... shinra: wow, death city is surprisingly huge... Arthur: "A bit of a walk..." *bishie sparkle* "But I can walk it!" -minutes later- nozomi: *pant pant*.... iris: are we...there yet? shinra: s..so...soon... Arthur: *marching proudly* ^W^ "Tamaki, isn't this brisk?" tamaki: do you even _know_ where you're going? Arthur: "..." *looks at the map...then turns it upside down* iris: i still have the GPS on my phone....it should be down this block. Arthur: "Ah...You lead, then." -there is a path with metallic parts on the sides. there is a sign that reads 'Scrap Path' as well as a sign with safety precautions- tamaki: it should be on the other side of the path. shinra: alright! let's go! Arthur: *walking...looks down the path, pointing to a building* "Look." -the 5 walk along the path until they reach a facility decorated in animal parts- Arthur: "...Eclectic." iris: wow...i knew elephants were big, but i didnt thing they were _this_ big! shinra: actually, i think that's just for decoration. tamaki: *looks at the bull skull*...creepy. nozomi:...um....h-hello? -no answer- Arthur: *looks at the door...sees a door bell button* nozomi: hello?! Arthur: *pushes the button...* shinra: ...*looking around*.. *notices something*...soda cans? *As Arthur pushes the button--a flame shoots out of the bull skull* -the others back away- tamaki: WOAH! nozomi: eep! shinra: holy- Arthur: "!!! How dare you, vile cur! We are here on a mission! I am Arthur Boyle, of the 8th Fire Br--" tamaki: ARTHUR SHHH! Arthur: --igade!" shinra+tamaki:... *FACEPALM* *A whirring sound is heard behind the door...* *The door inches open* Arthur: *smiling* "See? He is letting us in to talk..." nozomi: what's that noi- *A hand appears...with a can of soda* Arthur: "Oh! A delicious can of 7-Down Soda--" *BONK* shinra: oooh. ouch. tamaki: O_O nozomi: AH! *ducks for cover* shinra: h-hey now! we just want to tal- -KO- shinra: X-X tamaki: HEY! WHAT'S THE BIG IDE- -CAN'D- tamaki: O__O WHY YOU MOTHERFUCKER!! GET OUT HERE AND SHOW YOURSELF YOU SON OF A BITCH!! Arthur: X___X nozomi: m-m-miss tamaki! please calm down! PA System: "You Fire Brigade assholes can go back home! No solicitors! No interruptions! Back off or get twice as much pain!" *The hand appears again, with a much larger can of soda* tamaki: WHY YOU LITTLE- IF YOU DONT GET YOUR ASS OUT HERE RIGHT NOW I'LL RIP OFF YOUR BALLS AND SHOVE THEM RIGHT UP YOU- ??: um...excuse me.... tamaki: eh? shinra: ?... !! ah! PA System: "..." *the hand goes back into the door, which shuts after it* Arthur: "...forehead bandage..." *collapsed on ground* ???: oh! *looks at shinra* you're that person who saved me from that flame monster. shinra: right, that was so long ago, but it feels like only a few months ago.... tamaki:.... c..cute.... Arthur: *sits up* "Owie..." ???: *knocks on the door* master? i got you the parts you wanted! *The door opens...a hand reaches out...* ???: "I told you not to call me 'Master.' I'd rather you just call me 'You Little Shit.'" *the hand takes the bag and shuts after it* tamaki: GET BACK OUT HERE YOU LITTLE- Arthur: "WE HAVE QUESTIONS FOR YOU--" PA System: "LEEEEEEEEEEEAVE!" shinra: come on man! throw us a bone here! NOT LITERALLY! *Door opens...the hand appears...with a can of soda listed as "Dr. Bones"* shinra: we'll just go now! -the 5 flee into the junkyard- shinra: well, this isnt going well. ???: i-if it helps, i'll listen to what you have to say. Arthur: "I have bumps on my head..." iris: oh, thank you...um.. ???: my name is yu. shinra: oh thanks...yu! *chuckles at his joke* Arthur: -___-; "Even brain damage doesn't make that joke funny..." tamaki: what's that vulcan asshole's problem anyway? yu: he's really proud of his work. it's been something passed on for generations. tamaki: why does that remind me of something? shinra: and how do you play in all this? yu: i'm a student of his. i really enjoy working with machines and such, and i really admire mr vulcan's work, but as of late i'm more like an errand boy. tamaki: that doesnt explain the hostility. Arthur: "Maybe he has intestinal distress from drinking so much soda..." yu: as you may have figured, mr vulcan is often contacted by the special brigades and haijima, but he refused to listen to them. so as a result, haijima put a barricade around his suppliers, so i often get sent to scrounge parts for him. nozomi: you're doing your best, i can certainly understand that. *smiles* yu: t-thank you miss...but still, he seems to have other reasons for hating the brigades and haijima, but he doesnt seem to tell me...he doesnt tell me a lot of things... Arthur: "..." *looks at Tamaki and Shinra* shinra: you sure you cant get us in? yu:...i-i'll do my best! i owe it to you for saving me. *he opens the door* *The door is not locked...* nozomi: oh, a pitching machine? Arthur: -____-;;; "It was...the entire time..." shinra: neato. iris: ^^; -BWAP- shinra: ACK! Arthur: "What on Earth--?!" ???: YOU WANT ANOTHER ONE YOU LITTLE SHITS?! tamaki: is that a robot too? Arthur: "!!! An ogre!" shinra: tamaki, you go check it out! tamaki: WHY ME?! Arthur: "Because she's a woman--I think." -POW- tamaki: *fist steaming* Arthur: X_X shinra: arthur....do you EVER _THINK_ BEFORE TALKING?! Arthur: "...I'm dead. I can't even think." ???: woah, nice punch kid. i was about to deck him myself. Arthur: T_T ("So happy to be helpful...") shinra: *holds up a magnet* please dont beat us up. ???: what are you doing with that thing? shinra: robots are weak against magnets! i saw it in a movie! -PUNCH- ???: I'M HUMAN, MORON! shinra:...ow ???:...friends of yours, yu? yu: sort of, they saved me a while back from that flame monster. Arthur: *sits up, nods* ???: so then... *headlock* WHAT DID WE SAY ABOUT BRINGING BRIGADERS HERE?! yu: owie! nozomi: p-please miss! we dont mean trouble! Arthur: *hiding behind Tamaki* tamaki: -___-; -something is heard in the junk yard- nozomi: eh? iris: ?? ???: "Ba-da-da-da, da-da-da, dum-dah-dum..." shinra: ???? shinra: *goes to investigate* ???: h-hey! ???: "Ba-ba-ba-dum--" *clang, bang with the wrench against the engine* shinra: im guessing that's vulcan? ???: the one and only Vulcan: *twirls the wrench like a drumstick--before slamming it on the bottom of the engine, sending it flying through the air...towards Shinra's head* shinra: *dodges it like bullet time...it pwns tamaki* tamaki: OW! FUuuuuuuuuuugck... Arthur: D: "TAMAKI!" shinra: oh...that sounded bad. tamaki:...shinra....you're dead....X-X Vulcan: *looks up...* *removes headphones and his mask* "...Crud-apples." nozomi: O.O;; oh dear. iris: um...h-hello... ^^; shinra:....hi? *nervous smile and wave* Vulcan: *wipes the grease off his hands and onto his pants...* "Hey. Sorry about that. I--" *then notices the engine...which is running* *shiny eyes* "THAT CAT-GIRL'S HEAD WAS THE KEY! Airborne collision with her cranium made the machine come alive!" *picks up Tamaki* "Thank you, tiny cat person!" tamaki: X____X ???: .....*siiiigh* i'll get the medkit. Vulcan: "???" *shakes her* "...Shit. YUU! DIG ANOTHER GRAVE!" nozomi:..m-mind if we...c-come in? yu: eh? shinra: ANOTHER? Vulcan: "??? Oh, sure. We'll need some time to hide the evidence." nozomi: e-ehhhh?! iris: O___O Vulcan: "HA HA HA! Just kidding!" *tosses Tamaki into Shinra's arms, reaches for Nozomi's hand...coating it in grease* "I'm Vulcan! How you doing?" nozomi: a-alright sir... shinra: may we come in? OwO;;;; tamaki: -___- iris:...um...arthur? Vulcan: "Huh? Oh, sure. You caught me at a good time--that machine is now working! So, this calls for sodas!" *claps his hands* "YU! WE'RE GOING INSIDE! GET THEM TEA!" yu: r-right away! Arthur: *picks up a crowbar...approaching Vulcan from behind with it, clenching his jaw* "Just...one...hit..." iris: ARTHUR! Arthur: "!!!" *hides it behind his back* tamaki: dude relax, im not dead!....but i have a headache. Vulcan: "???" *looks behind him, doesn't notice the crowbar...shrugs, goes inside* Arthur: "I should have brought medicine...Miss Ogre Robot Woman, do you have medicine?" -BONK- -an hour later- shinra: and that's basically what's going on... Vulcan: "...Yu? You bring out those cans of tea yet?" yu: here you go. Vulcan: "Thank you..." *tosses the can with all of his strength* "GET OUT, YOU FIRE BRIGADE MONSTERS!" iris: eek! shinra: ACK! Arthur: "!!!" *holds the crowbar like a baseball bat* "The shining knight will protect you all!" *SWING* -SPLASH- Arthur: -_____- tamaki: *drenched* =~=; Arthur: "...This is the worst day in a long time..." tamaki: it could be worse. ???: hey, what's all the noise down here? [[a female voice, different from the other]] Vulcan: "...Huh. I managed to...'extinguish' a firefighter? ...BWA HA HA! That's pretty funny!" nozomi: eh? t-thats- Arthur: "???" -a woman comes down the stairs- nozomi: d-dr itou! karin: zozo! *ruffles her hair* been a while, kiddo! Vulcan: "??? Doc? You know these Fire Brigade jerks?" karin: well, i know this one right here. she's one of my old students, as well as my goddaughter, haha! shinra: actually, i think nozomi mentioned a 'dr itou' when she first joined up. Vulcan: "...Oh, shit, Doc. Sorry. At least I didn't hurt that one...too badly." karin: jeez, shoot first talk later...you and lisa are perfect together, haha! shinra: lisa? yu: the lady from earlier. shinra: ah. Vulcan: -\\\\\- "Uh-huh...So, Doc, I was just kicking these Fire Brigade monsters out. Can I do that to the non-godchildren ones?" nozomi: p-please sir, at least give us a chance! shinra: i realize you have had trouble with other brigades, but the 8th is different, really! Vulcan: "...How? 'Cause you don't have on the goofy uniforms? Or the nun's outfit?" *looks at Tamaki* "Are you the nun?" karin: jeez, at least throw them a bone, and not the 'mr bones' cans either. tamaki:... no. that would be iris. iris: *wave* tamaki: she has the cross and everything! Vulcan: "...Huh. You look like a friendly nun." *looks at Karin* "Fine. I'll give them a few minutes to sell me. But if they piss me off, they're gone. Have a seat...Thank goodness I installed those ejector seats into the couch cushions." shinra: right... owo; karin: good luck. come on, zozo. we got a lot to talk about. nozomi: r-right. -they do their best to explain the situation- Vulcan: "Oh, so his royal highness wants a recruitment drive? And your commander wants me?" tamaki: we think it would help us, seeing as we're kiiinda the underdogs right now. shinra: (thinking: i think that guy is technically part of city council rather than a king... -_-; ) Vulcan: *sips on his can of tea* "I can hear that. I have to do four times the amount of work to stay ahead of the Brigades, now that Haijima shut down my supply lines. So, you know what I think of your underdog story?" shinra: that you feel bad for us and want to help us out the best you can? *forced smile* Vulcan: "...I think your brigade needs to learn some self-reliance rather than coming running to me with your problems." tamaki: hey! we're doing the best we can, alright?! if you dont at least try helping us, our dear sister here...she's gonna cry. do you want her to cry? cause if she cries, then you'll feel like an asshole. iris: *puppy dog eyes* Vulcan: "...I-I have nerves of steel. Y-Your tears can't motivate me..." iris:...*sniff* lisa: VUL! Vulcan: "Wh-What, Lisa?" lisa: you-know-who is back again... Vulcan: "..." *grabs a shirt, puts it on* "I'll go talk to him..." karin: how about i handle him for ya? gives me a chance to practice my piloting! shinra: ??? nozomi: *looks out the window* ah! shinra: ??? !!!!! (thinking: thats-...) Giovanni: *wheeeeeeeeeeeze* Vulcan: "...Sure you want to talk to him, Doc?" mikami:.....*glances at the window* shinra: *backs up* !!! karin: pssh, doctor birdbrain doesnt scare me. Vulcan: "Alright. Show 'em what you're made of, Doc." karin: as for you kiddos, you can head home, we'll give you a raincheck! shinra: ok! lisa: take the back exit. tamaki: alright. -outside- mikami:....*shaking* Giovanni: *wheeze* shinra: ...... tamaki: come on, lets go. Arthur: *nods* shinra:...i still want to talk to mikami.... Arthur: "...What, now?" iris:... shinra: we're not sure when we'll get another chance. nozomi: .... Arthur: *groan* "Make it quick." -vrrrrrr- shinra: ?? mikami: eh? -a mechanical suit charges- mikami: EEK!!! -she runs- Giovanni: *stands still, looking at the suit* -it stops a few feet away from him- -the lid comes off- karin: eyy, whats up doc! sorry about that, haha. mikami: *running still* shinra: psst...psssst! mikami: ??? *glances* ah! shinra: *makes a hand motion to say 'come over here'* mikami:.....*looks back at giovanni* Giovanni: *slowly walking back from Karin* "Such a nuisance..." Iris: *waves at Mikami* mikami:.....*she goes over to them* shinra: you ok? mikami:...y-yes...just....startled.... Iris: "What brings you here?" Giovanni: *trying to get away from Karin's machine* mikami: t-the commander...wanted to recruit someone named 'vulcan' karin: ah, she dont bite. not unless i give the commands. but she isnt in operation at the moment. what brings you do this neck of the woods? Iris: "!!! He wants Vulcan?!" tamaki: shhh. mikami: y...yes..... Giovanni: "You know very well--*wheeze*--I came to speak with Vulcan." shinra: hmm... karin: ah i see. actually, he's not in right now. Iris: "...I...um...am not sure Vulcan seems to want to speak with him..." Giovanni: *wheeze* "A likely story. Where else would he be but here? He sends that gopher to gather his supplies...and now has you as his mechanized guard dog?" karin: me? i'm just watchin over things while he's out. shinra: that guy....he seems kind of suspicious...no offence. mikami: i-its ok....i dont think...ryuuko trusts him either.... Iris: "...And Relan?" mikami: i think he might be...scared too... shinra: *grips fist* tamaki: *aHEM* shinra: right...we wanted to talk to you about that dream you had. mikami: eh? Iris: "You...had a pretty difficult experience with those dreams..." mikami: oh...r-right...it's....hard to explain....i dreamt that i was surrounded by flames...but they didnt burn....and i saw a lot of other people...people i didnt know, but...it felt like i did....and then...i saw mr kusakabe. shinra: just like in my dream. mikami: his feet....they were all charred and boney.... shinra: !!... Iris: "Oh, no...You both..." mikami: ??? shinra: mikami...have you ever heard of anything called 'adora link'? mikami: adora link?....i think i....heard the name before.... {GET AWAY FROM HER!} ...... Iris: "...Mikami...There may be something you both share on this..." mikami: eh? shinra: this may sound weird, but i think we both have whatever this 'adora link' is...i still dont understand it...and to be honest...it scares me, a lot. but i want to know the truth... mikami:.... shinra: whatever this is....we'll find out. are you willing to help us? mikami:...i....i'll try.... shinra:...hey. *pats her shoulder* you're gonna be ok... mikami:...t-thank you....ah! i-i should go now. i'll tell relan you said hi! shinra: *smiles* Giovanni: "Unhand me, you pathetic excuse for a mad scientist!" karin: alright alright! jeez. that aint gonna change the fact that he aint in. so try later, bu-bye~ Giovanni: "Hmph..." *wheeze* "Good day to you, you lunatic. Come along, Mikami...Mikami?" mikami: ah! r-right here sir! >.< Giovanni: *wheeze* "Let us go...We will return when Vulcan is back..." mikami: r-right... Iris: *waves at Mikami* mikami: *faint smile* tamaki: *pulls iris back down as not to be seen by giovanni* Iris: "Umph!" Giovanni: "???" *looks behind...sees no one* "...Where were you, Mikami?" mikami: d-down the path...i was startled..s-sorry! Giovanni: "Hmph. Never leave me abandoned again...We will discuss more when we return to headquarters. Come along." mikami:...r-right.... Iris: *hidden* "...Why is that Commander so interested in Vulcan?" nozomi: well, the commander did say that a lot of brigades have tried recruiting him. shinra: something about that guy....it gives me the creeps. Arthur: "Hmm...His mask seems familiar..." Iris: "...We return to the 8th to update the Commander?" tamaki: he was the guy from that meeting of the commanders... shinra: seems like a good plan. Arthur: "I know that--I just think I've seen that...beak before..." Iris: *nods at Shinra* "Okay...Nozomi, did you want to say goodbye to your mentor first?" nozomi: *looking at her phone* well, the mask does resemble that of a plague doctor....hmm? oh! right... -later- Akitaru: *pacing* "I hope they get back okay..." -the door opens- shinra: we're back! Akitaru: "Oh, good! Are you all okay?" shinra: yeah. nozomi: *nods* tamaki: for the most part. Akitaru: " 'Most part'? What happened?" -they explain all that happened- Akitaru: "...Well, I wanted you to get Vulcan to say 'hi' to you...Sounds like he said a lot more than that..." shinra: well, at least it was something. Akitaru: *nods* "I think you should be persistent--go back to talk with him again soon." shinra: alright. we'll bring head protection! tamaki: and a towel... -_-; Arthur: -____-;;; Iris: ^^; "At least you can shower off..." Victor: "???" tamaki:...thanks. nozomi: it was nice to see dr itou again. Victor: "Oh, you ran into her there?" nozomi: *she nods* we...discussed a lot about what has happened... Victor: "..." *small smile* "Good you at least got to catch up." nozomi: r-right... .///. tamaki:...i have an idea. if things dont work with vulcan...maybe we can recruit dr itou! Akitaru: "Hmm...Nozomi, tell me a bit about Dr. Itou. What are some of her specialties?" nozomi: she's quite knowledgeable about flame humans, and she's also a skilled technician. she even built her own mech suit. we even got to see it! Akitaru: "Wow, a mech! Yes, we should talk to her as soon as possible! Maybe when you go back to Vulcan, you can talk with her..." nozomi: right! Akitaru: "In the mean time, take the rest of today off...Oh, Tamaki, you kinda got a mark on your forehead--" tamaki:....i. noticed. Akitaru: "Maybe someone should--" Victor: "I can patch you up! I made some new ointment in the chem lab!" tamaki: .....is serina in? Victor: D: "...Yeah, she is..." *mopes* nozomi:...*pap pap* maki: you better hurry, they're gonna be heading out soon. Victor: .\\\\. Takehisa: "Where are they going?" maki: they were going to be doing some work over at the 1st for a few days. Takehisa: "...Hmm." Arthur: "...With Burns? Yuck." tamaki: tch-.... Akitaru: "Hey, let's not act like that...They'll be back soon, I'm sure..." -elsewhere- Kid: *sigh of relief* stocking: finally home. *nuzzles* Kid: *smiles* "Happy to be..." stocking: =w= Kid: "How do you feel?" stocking: nice. *nuzzles into him* Kid: *pats her shoulder* "I'm glad we had this time away..." *smooch* stocking: mmn~<3 Kid: "What would you like to do now?" stocking: *whispers into his ear* Kid: o\\\\\o "...Yes, definitely..." stocking: 7w7~<3 Kid: "Um...You change...I'll lock the door and get what we need..." stocking: ok then~<3 Kid: *locks the door...goes under the bed and pulls out a box...* -elsewhere- Higan: "So beautiful..." lavender: sure is. naho: *shiny eyes* tsubaki: enjoying yourselves everyone? Higan: *nods* "This was a great idea..." naho: thanks for taking us to the flower viewing! tsubaki: *she smiles* Shamrock: "Look at this one..." himawari: ah... Sakuya: "The violets are coming in nicely..." naho: *shiny eyes* pretty... lilac:...*soft smile* -elsewhere- Hibana: *holding up camera* "Say, 'Hello'!" hanako: hi mama! gabriella: awwww! Hibana: ^^ "So smart." *waves* "Hello, Sweetie!" hanako: hehe~ ^^ Hibana: *smiles at Gabriella* "She has your intelligence." gabriella: aww... >w< Hibana: "Now, open up, sweetie..." *holds up the bottle* -elsewhere- Joker: "...Still nothing interesting from Victor..." ivy: this is idiotic, the only reason we sent him is because the 8th doesnt know his face... Joker: "Oh, excuse me that this is a slow process. You have a better idea?" -elsewhere- Spirit: "Happy to see us, Izumi?" izumi: *hugs them* you bet! Spirit: "Hee hee...We missed you, too." sachiko: were you good for the babysitter? izumi: *nods* liz and i had lots of fun! Spirit: *smiles* "Thanks for doing this, Liz." liz: no problem. happy to help. ^^ Spirit: "We'll write out the check for you...Got time to stay over for dinner?" -elsewhere- Kepuri: "How was your night?" nea: wonderful~ and you guys? Kepuri: "Same." ^^ "Some nights staying in, for a film, can be comfy..." nea: *she nods* mono: eh.... Kepuri: "??? What's up, Mono?" mono: dates are way overrated. nea: that's cause you were never on a date...or were you? mono: NO! Kepuri: "??? Hey, dating's not for everyone...I mean, if it's that you're aromantic or something, that's fine. But if it isn't that, you should get on out there...Plenty of people who would enjoy your company, and maybe you would enjoy theirs." mono: .... 7////7; Kepuri: "Maybe try a dating site? Or maybe we can introduce you to someone?" mono: i dont trust those kind of sites. chances are im gonna meet some creepy lolicon who wants to lock me up and keep me for a sex slave! Kepuri: o____o "...Maybe hang around a coffee shop? Or we could have a girls' night out..." mono:....maybe... Kepuri: ^^ "Great! How about this weekend? And we can take you out to get you a kickass outfit..." mono:...fine then. nea: great! Kepuri: *claps her hands together* "Yay! I can't wait to try my new makeup robot on your face! We'll bring out your best features!" Assi: *overhearing from around the corner* o\\\\o -elsewhere- Benimaru: *walking through Asakusa* hinata: hiya! Benimaru: *siles* "Hello, Hinata. Where is your sister?" hikage: SNEAK ATTACK! Benimaru: "Ah!" *laughs* "Hey there!" -elsewhere- Vulcan: "Thanks for your help, Doc." karin: no probs. Vulcan: *hands her a soda* "...That Giovanni twit will be back again. And probably those 8th Brigade punks." karin: ....i still think maybe we could give the 8th at least some fighting chance. lisa: is this because of your student? karin: call me biased all you like, but i have a gut feeling we can trust them. Vulcan: " 'Fighting chance'..." *small smirk* karin: hmm.....*a light comes on over her* a-ha! i got it! Vulcan: "??? What you thinking?" karin: i have a plan; for a while, i'll join the 8th! scope things out! lisa: karin, are you sure about that? Vulcan: "..." karin: nozomi sure trusts them, but it doesnt hurt to get a second opinion. Vulcan: *sigh* "Be careful. You haven't seen what Brigades are capable of..." karin: i will be. Vulcan: "..." *small gulp of his soda* "...Shit." -elsewhere- Kid: *shudders* "Ah~" stocking: *shuddering and panting* f...fuuu.....*her legs are trembling* Kid: *trying to relax her legs* "K-Keep it together..." stocking: nnng...~ Kid: "Shall I release you...?" stocking: n-not...not yet.....m...more...please.... Kid: *smirks* "You said the secret word..." *he straddles her* "Now say how hard you want it..." stocking: please master, take me hard! Kid: "As you wish..." *he puts himself into her--and thrusts hard* stocking: *moans loudly* Kid: *continues to thrust, as he pinches her nipple* -elsewhere- Mr. Tsubaki: *applies a bandage to a child's skinned knee* "There you go." child: thank you mr! Mr. Tsubaki: *smiles* "You're welcome." *turns to depart...* -elsewhere- Assi: *pacing in his room* mana: you ok? Assi: *shakes his head "no"* "I-I-I d-d-d-don't want her to get hurt by someone..." mana: ?? Assi: "I don't know what to do...If she goes out, and someone tries something on their girls' night--WAIT! Mana! You're a girl!" mana: thanks for pointing out the obvious here. -_-; Assi: "This is perfect--you can go on Mono's girls' night out and make sure no man puts the moves on her!" mana:...and you're involving me in this, because? Assi: "For Mono's safety. Obviously. Totally. Only. Not because I like her or anything." mana:....riiiiight. Assi: "So...Will you do it?" mana:....alright, but i dont go cheap. Assi: "...How much?" mana:...*writes something down* here. Assi: *takes it...* "...!!! R-Really?" mana: *nods* Assi: Q~Q "O-Okay, fine...It's a deal." mana: a pleasure doing buisness with you~ Assi: TT~TT "The things I do for love..." mana: AHA! Assi: "I MEANT THAT RHETORICALLY!" -elsewhere- Tsukiyo: "Clear your schedule this weekend, Fang-Hua!" fang-hua: eh? Tsukiyo: "We're going out this weekend! Clubbing!" fang-hua: oh boy. Tsukiyo: *holds up a dress* "Check this out! Tight, right?!" fang-hua: it...sure is... *sweatdrop* Tsukiyo: *nods* "Thanks! And here's yours!" *holds up...* fang-hua: i.....see.... *sweatdrop* Tsukiyo: *nods* "I found a few fun clubs, too. Can't wait to introduce you to some people!" -elsewhere- Relan: Q~Q shinra: [you ok rel?] Relan: [giovanni seems really upset with everyone] shinra: [yikes.] ..... [want 2 come over 4 a bit?] Relan: "..." [yes] shinra: [ok. u want to spend the night?] Relan: *looks around* "..." [yes] shinra: [ok. looking forward 2 seeing U. <3 ] Relan: *wipes his tears, smiles weakly* [same. b right there] -and so- Relan: *hug* shinra: *hugs* hey rel! tamaki: he even brought his pet rat? Relan: -\\\\- "H-Hey..." Buttons: *glares at Tamaki* tamaki: ?? what? Relan: *whimpers a bit, hiding behind Shinra* buttons: *hides behind wheel* shinra: hey, its ok rel... nozomi:...*looks at relan's luggage* Relan: *sniff* "Y-Yeah..." shinra: hungry? Relan: "...A little. Buttons could use something, too..." shinra: alright then. -later- Relan: "Th-Thank you..." shinra: any time. *hugs him* feeling better, rel? Relan: *nods* "I'm sorry...Just been stressed." shinra: it's ok...i'm here, iris is here... Iris: *smiles, holds his hand* "We care about you..." Relan: *nods* "It just felt a little bad this week..." shinra:....*holding his other hand* Relan: *sniffs* TT_TT "I love you both..." shinra: we love you too, rel. Relan: *hugs both of them* Iris: *pat pat* -elsewhere- Kid: =w= *hug* stocking: *still panting and shaking* Kid: "Too much?" stocking: uehuehue~.... Kid: *kisses her cheek* "Thank you..." stocking: =w= Kid: *hugs* "Mmm...You are so soft and huggable..." stocking: ahh~ Kid: "And..." *small kiss along her lips* "You have an amazing way with your tongue..." -elsewhere- Tool: *yawn* io: zzzz... Tool: *smiles at Io, then at Saki* "So cute..." -elsewhere- Black Star: "Feel better?" tsubaki: *nods* Black Star: *smiles* "Hey...Don't let this stuff weigh you down, okay?" tsubaki: r-right. Black Star: *kisses her forehead, hugs her* tsubaki: *smiles* Black Star: "Let's get some sleep, okay?" -morning- stocking:...... *SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAM* Kid: "Wh-What?! Stocking? What's wrong? I--" o\\\\o stocking: WHAT THE FUCK?! WHY ARE YOU IN OUR ROOM?! Amaimon: "Big Brother and his wife wanted privacy, and I don't like sleeping alone." *lifts sheets* "...Kid, where are your pants?" stocking: WHY _OUR_ ROOM?! Amaimon: "...Because you are family." stocking:...... well you arent wrong. Amaimon: -\\\\- "...I'm lonely." stocking:...what do you want us to do about it? Amaimon: "May I sleep over a few nights?" stocking: why a few? Amaimon: "I don't think Mephisto or Felisia are going to let me sleep with them for a few nights..." *whispers* "I think your dad is in heat." stocking: O___________O OH MY GOD WHY WOULD YOU SHARE THAT WITH ME?!?! Amaimon: "I thought you should know in case he was busy and couldn't take your calls. Also: demons go into heat. I think. I don't know. Your dad may have been messing with my head." stocking: i would rather not know. im just going to spend the rest of the day trying to unhear that... Amaimon: "...But I usually don't wake up for another 26 minutes--" stocking: -__-; Kid: "...Stocking? Permission to kick out your relative?" -later- Kid: *trying to adjust his tie* "Darn the luck..." stocking: need any help? Kid: *meek nod* stocking: *adjusting his tie* Kid: -\\\\- "...I'm sorry." stocking: it's fine. *kisses his forehead* there you go. all evened out. Kid: *smiles* "You're so perfect." stocking: hehe~ Kid: *holds her hand* "Well...time to face today." stocking: ^^; Amaimon: *outside their door* "Hello? Are you decent?" stocking: yes uncle. Amaimon: *opens the door* "Oh, good." *waves* "Hello. I am now going to sleep in your bed for a few hours. Then eat all of your food. And use up your hot water." Kid: -_-;;;; "...We need to pawn him off onto someone else." stocking: yes. Kid: "Tell me, Amaimon, what do you look in companionship--" Amaimon: "Gamers. I want them." stocking: anything else? Amaimon: "They have to like candy. And arcades. And sleeping in bed. And watching a lot of TV. And chips." -and so- kyouko: you're leaving a demon at a monestary? Rin: "This...is asking quite a bit..." stocking: please, we dont know where else to send him. Rin: *sigh* "The things I do for family...Well, we got some room, so--" Amaimon: *leaps into Rin's arms* "New Daddy." *snuggle* kyouko: *sigh* Rin: -_____-;;; "Let's...just get him in his room already." Amaimon: "I want chips. And to play Smash Bros." kyouko: i got pocky. Amaimon: "Yay." -elsewhere- Relan: "Zzz..." shinra: zzzz.... Iris: *yawn...* shinra: morning. Iris: "Morning..." *notices where she is* "...Oh." *looks at Relan* Relan: *yawn, blinks his eyes open...small smile* maki: morning kiddos~ shinra: morning. Iris: .\\\. "M-Morning..." Relan: *small wave* maki: breakfast is ready. we're making omelettes. Relan: "Oh...That sounds tasty. N-Need any help?" -elsewhere- Sakuya: *brushes hair out of Naho's face* naho: >///< Sakuya: "Hee hee..." -elsewhere- Mr. Tsubaki: "Okay, I'm ready to meet patients..." -elsewhere- Kepuri: "So excited, so excited..." nea: well, how do you like your dress? mono: it's...nice... nea: hehe~ it's very high quality. Kepuri: *nods* "We have good taste when it comes to bringing out your best features. And now...makeup." *holds up what looks like a torture robot device* mono: O-O;;;;; Kepuri: "This will do your makeup--but don't move, or you'll get blush on your eyeballs." nea:.... ^^; why dont we just put it on her normally? Kepuri: *pouts* "What is not 'normal' about increasing proficiency with advancements in robotics?" *sets down her robot* "But fine...We'll do it the neanderthal way...Have a seat, Mono." -elsewhere- Vulcan: *looking over one of his machines in the backyard* "Hmm...Why won't you work?" -elsewhere- Johannes: *smiling widely* metsu: you're in a good mood, doctor. Johannes: *nods* "All is right with the world. I have a new doctor friend, and I figured out a new use for dollies!" metsu: do i dare ask? Mikuni: *from upstairs* "WHY ARE MY DOLLS LIVING IN SIN?!" metsu:....do i even want to know? Johannes: ^^ "I just want his dolls to find happiness with each other..." Mikuni: *runs downstairs* "I'M GONNA KILL YOU!!!!" Johannes: "...Huh. People just don't appreciate creativ--" *PUNCH* metsu: *already getting an ice pack out* Johannes: D: *crashes into the sofa for a soft landing...then books from the shelves above land on his crotch* ._. -elsewhere- Benimaru: "Kohana." fang-hua: yes? Benimaru: "Tsukiyo told me you are taking this weekend off." fang-hua: is that a problem? Benimaru: "Not at all. I think you deserve a break, and getting out for a social gathering will be good for you." fang-hua: oh....you sure? Benimaru: *nods* "...And I would like you to keep an eye on Tsukiyo." fang-hua: i will. Benimaru: *smiles* "Thank you. And have fun." -elsewhere- Relan: "Th-Thank you for the m-meal..." maki: glad you liked it. ^^ Victor: *looking at Relan from all angles* "Hmm..." Relan: ._____. shinra: *aHEM* Victor: "???" Iris: "Maybe...You could not do that?" ^^; Victor: "...Okay." *sits next to Nozomi* nozomi: *pink in the face* Victor: "...Oh. Nozomi? How is your day starting?" nozomi: g-good. .////. tamaki: *glare* Victor: ^^ "Great. Looking forward to working with you on new samples I just received." *glint at Tamaki* nozomi: ah, i see. Victor: "Hey, let's make it fun--whoever finishes last cataloguing all samples has to buy the other one lunch!" nozomi: oh! um...o-ok! i'll do my best! Victor: "I'm sure you will--" *takes her hand, shakes* "May the best person win!" nozomi: r-right... .///////. Victor: *lets go, smiles, heads to the lab* "Better hurry~" -elsewhere- Emine: "Will you be joining the others on the girls' night out, Lin?" lin: not sure yet. chie: i'm gonna be staying here. i feel sick... Yohei: *frown, as he holds her hand* "I'm sorry..." -elsewhere- Wes: "Babysitting went well?" liz: yep. Wes: *smiles* "I should've guessed. You're great at that..." *kiss on the cheek* liz: *smiles* Wes: *holds her hand* "Have you...um, considered...having children?" liz: O///////O w-wha-whu-what? Wes: o\\\\\o "I...just was curious....I didn't mean something now but, like, in the future?" liz: oh! right..m-maybe... Wes: "Y-Yeah, maybe..." *nervous smile* "Heh." -elsewhere- Lawless: *sitting in shopping cart...inhales...exhales* "Okay...You got the camera ready?" romina: locked and loaded! julian: *in another cart* Q~Q Lawless: "First one to reach the bottom wins! ON YOUR MARKS...GET SET..." julian: TT^TT i dont want to die agaaaain! Lawless: *speaking quickly* "You won't die because a little trip down the stairs in a shopping cart never killed anyone--GO!" julian: *SCREAMING LIKE A LITTLE FLUTE* Lawless: "WOO! WOO! Down we go!!! Yay!!!!" *One shopping cart hits a pebble on the stairs...* julian: D8> -KO- julian: OH! oW! *whines and cries in pain* romina: D8 SOMEBODY GET HIM SOME ICE! Lawless: *crashed against the pavement, gets up* "Julian! Where does it hurt?" julian: *high pitched* everywhere! TT~TT Lawless: "...Crap...Um...Blood?" -later- licht: ... Lawless: o___O;;; "I'm not a witch--I can't be drowned--BUT GET ME OUT OF THIS LAKE!" licht: he was a good man...oh who am i kidding, he was an idiot. Lawless: "I'M NOT DEAD YET!" -elsewhere- Kid: *sigh* "At least that distraction is behind us." stocking: ........ Kid: "??? ...I'm sorry. Are you okay?" stocking: yeah just.....the mental image wont go away... *excalibur face* Kid: *shudders* "No kidding...I think we need to get rid of that image..." *pulls out the phone* "Maybe some photos of kittens and puppies?" stocking: yes. yes please. Kid: *smiles, pulls up a slideshow* "Aw! This one is so sleepy!" stocking: awww! so cute! Kid: *flips to another one* "??? Does this one look familiar?" stocking: hmmm. the bell is cute though. Kuro: *on video, rolling on his back, pawing at dangling toy* Kid: *nods* "Indeed..." -elsewhere- Victor: *busily working through samples* nozomi: *trying her best* Victor: "How's it coming along on your end?" nozomi: i'm just about done now... OW! *papercut* Victor: "!!! Oh, dear...Papercut?" nozomi: y-yeah... *getting bandaids* Victor: "Here, let me help..." nozomi: ah... Victor: *holds her hand, as he adds ointment* "That'll help so you don't scar..." nozomi: *wince* >////O Victor: "And now, the bandage..." nozomi: thank you... Victor: "Any time you need me..." nozomi: .... ./////. *Timer goes off* Victor: "Oh! Um...Who won our race?" nozomi: ah! um....oh no! i got distracted.... Victor: *smile* "Call it a draw and just share a meal?" nozomi: i....i would like that. .////. Victor: *nods* "Same..." *pats her shoulder* "We're on break, so let's eat!" nozomi: r-right. Victor: "You like fries? Can share some..." -elsewhere- Shotaro: "Hey, Mono! How's it going?" mono: alright. Emine: "...Want makeup help?" mono: im fine thanks. -_- Emine: "You sure? Because it looks like your face could use it." mono: *GLARE* Shotaro: "Aaaaaaand good and bad deeds complete! Let's go, Emine--" -LOUD YELLING- mono: FUCKING RUN THEY HAVE GUNS!! Shotaro: "AAAAAAAAH!!!" mono: THISISBADTHISISVERYBAD!! -elsewhere- Tool: "...You hear something?" -elsewhere- Relan: *sigh* shinra: doing ok? Relan: *nods* "Just thinking..." shinra: about what? Relan: "About Mikami...and Commander Giovanni." shinra:..... *listening* Relan: "I don't want her to have to deal with him without more friends there...but I'm scared what he may do..." shinra: that is pretty scary to think about. Relan: *nods* "...Maybe, if next week...something happens...I could ask for your help?" shinra:... *he smiles* any time rel. we're here for you, 101%! Relan: *sniff, hugs* "Th-Thank you..." -elsewhere- Hibana: ^^ "We're parents..." maki: *JAWDROP* hanako: ?? gabriella: that's right! Akitaru: "...Huh." Arthur: "...Tiny baby." hanako:...*points to oubi* mommy, is that the big ugly gorilla you always complain about? Akitaru: *angry gorilla face* Hibana: *nods* "Yes, that is, sweetie." hanako: Q.Q *hides behind hibana* maki: commander please calm down! Takehisa: "...So you two had a child." gabriella: yep! maki:....she's 4...? gabriella: only a few days old. maki: HOW?! gabriella: cloning tank. maki: oh. Victor: "Any negative consequences to cloning tanks?" Hibana: "..." *looks around* "...Well? Why are you standing here? We were here to drop off Hanako for you to babysit her. We haven't had some alone time for awhile." maki: eh? OwO tamaki: why us?! Hibana: "I don't know anyone else to babysit. And some of you probably need the training." iris: we'll do our best, sister. ^^ Hibana: *pats Iris's head* "I know you will...because if Hanako is at all hurt, I'm castrating Shinra." iris: D8 shinra: WHY ME?! tamaki: because you're an acceptable target. shinra: Q____Q Hibana: "Consider it training before you dare think about putting a baby into my Iris~" iris: sister! >////< Hibana: *picks up Gabriella in her arms* "We'll be back in two hours. Say bye-bye, Hanako! We love you!" hanako: *wave*....*looks up at shinra*...big brother! shinra:....*teary eyed and hugs her* im going to protect this child with my life. iris: ^^; Relan: "O-kay..." ^^;;; -elsewhere- Kid: *smooch* stocking: mmm~<3 Kid: "Feel better?" stocking: yeah. Kid: *nods* "Just a bit longer before True Cross makes your job official?" stocking: yeah, hopefully. Kid: *pats her back* "I'm sure..." stocking: *she smiles* Kid: *smiles* "When you become a teacher...I'll get you the best apple...a caramel one." stocking: awww. Kid: "I'm sure your students will bring plenty of apples..." stocking: *she smiles* Kid: "Just imagine how in awe they will be of you..." stocking: =w= Kid: "...We have a future ahead of us..." stocking: *she smiles* Kid: "And...I want to see you in that future..." stocking: *blush* Kid: *holds her hand* -elsewhere- Shotaro: "It was so scary!" Emine: *nods* mono: *whimpering* setsuna: *hugging them* it's ok..you're safe now... Shotaro: "What even was that?" mono: i think we interupted a mafioso meeting... Q_Q Emine: "I have no idea how we came upon them..." setsuna:... chie: oh my god...at least you're alright... mono: one of them has a scary shadow monster that cut through the floor! Q_Q Yohei: o_o "Oh no..." chie: .... Yohei: "I may have encountered them before..." chie: you have? Yohei: "Let's just say, when you've worked with both criminal and governmental enterprises, you meet a lot of people, make a few friends...a lot of enemies." chie: ...... Yohei: "And if they knew all of you..." chie:..... mono:...*trembling* Shotaro: "..." *smiles* "Then I'll just send them a message not to hurt us!" nea: i'll send a call to my family. i know these mafia types better than anyone~ Shotaro: "...That's an even better idea!" Shinoda: "J-Just be careful..." -elsewhere- Belkia: *dressed as a jester* "Hi...Ayami." ayami:...*small chuckle* Belkia: *smiles* "I'm glad to see you...How you doing?" ayami: feeling...better. Belkia: "Any updates from your doctors?" ayami: i'll be...leaving soon....b-back to...the psyche ward... Belkia: "...I...don't want you to have to go back there." ayami: eh? Belkia: "Maybe I could do something to help? Sign off on you to put you under supervision elsewhere?" ayami: i wish, but it isnt that simple... Belkia: "..." *holds her hand* ayami: *blush* Belkia: "I...could talk to them, ask them to listen..." -elsewhere- Hibana: "Ah..." gabriella: this is nice. Hibana: =w= "I never realized parenting would take up so much time..." *smooch* gabriella: ^^ Hibana: *snuggle* "Love you..." -elsewhere- Mr Tsubaki: *humming* -elsewhere- Anya: *writing a letter* tsugumi: who're you writing too? Anya: "Mother and Father...about the next year here." tsugumi: ah. Anya: "You will be staying to continue your studies?" tsugumi: *she nods* Anya: "..." *smiles, hug* "I'm glad." -elsewhere- Akitaru: -_-;;; "This child certainly takes after _one_ of her mothers..." hanako: lets go! shinra: TTwTT; *he's stuck as the 'horsey' role* Arthur: "Ride that horse, Brave Knight Hanako!" hanako: XD Akitaru: "The charity of the 8th can go too far sometimes..." Takehisa: "His poor back." iris: ^^; Relan: "...Maybe it's good prep for parenting?" maki: perhaps. Relan: "Hanako? Maybe you'd like a snack?" hanako: *nod* Relan: *smiles* "Let's get you some apple slices...Do you know whether you have a peanut allergy?" -elsewhere- Shamrock: *enters the room...and his eyepatch was bedazzled...* otogiri: let me guess, belkia and/or naho? Belkia: "Both. Arts and crafts day." ^^ otogiri: i see. naho: we bedazzled him! >u< Shamrock: x_-;;;; "I had nothing better to do." himawari:..*tiny smile* Shamrock: "...I'm a shimmering Shamrock...." *smiles at Himawari* -elsewhere- Shotaro: "Yohei! I found this great part at the landfill! But then some small kid with a forehead bandage stole it from me!" Yohei: "...So you didn't get the piece? So much for your good deed. Guess you're cursed now." Shotaro: D: mana: but he did get this for you. *points to something in showtaro's pocket* Shotaro: "Oh, right!" *pulls out an old watch* "Shiny!" Yohei: "..." *smiles* chie: good job you guys! Shotaro: "Good deed, then?" chie: *she nods* -elsewhere- Benimaru: *looking at a small doll in his hand* reimi: whatcha got there, commander? Benimaru: "One of the children made it for me..." *it looks a bit like him* "...The eyes are wrong." reimi: still, its not that bad. Benimaru: "No, I suppose not...How are you?" -elsewhere- Jacqueline: "Relaxing..." kim: sure is. Jacqueline: *smiles* Good to have some time off, especially before the move..." -a few days later- Patty: *marks a date on the calendar* "Just a bit longer..." liz: next month, can you believe it? Patty: "And then we say goodbye to school..." *sniff* stocking: think of it more as 'starting a new chapter of our lives'! Kid: -\\\\- "Y-Yeah..." -elsewhere- Belkia: "Did Tsubaki and Black Star get us tickets for their graduation? 'Cause I already got the bucket of tomatoes!" lilac: you need...t-tickets? Sakuya: *shrug* "Some graduations give out a limited number of tickets so that no one student's family takes up more seats and ends up preventing other students' families from attending." Shamrock: "I doubt any of us will be excluded by the maximum number of tickets." lilac: o-oh... Sakuya: "We should think about a graduation gift for them..." naho: maybe get a pool? Sakuya: "Oh, that'd be something awesome...How to pay for it?" -elsewhere- Akitaru: "??? Nozomi, who is this?" nozomi: ?? karin: hey zozo! nozomi: eh? dr itou! what brings you here? karin: i'm the new recruit, kiddo! Akitaru: "...You are?" karin: the name's karin itou. researcher and technician! Akitaru: "...Oh! The one who recommended Nozomi!" karin: the very same! Akitaru: "And you want to join the 8th? I mean, you have so many inventions that I didn't think you'd join us." karin: well, i figured i'd give you guys some help, see how things are here. Akitaru: "Well, with your talent, I'd be a fool to turn down the invitation!" karin: awesome!...is there space in the garage? i need someplace to park my mechsuit.

#death city days

[harrison-abbott]

Straw and Clamour

On the train platform, Laine’s Dad even manages a hug. Hasn’t seen his lad in four years, and he was nineteen when he went away. Dad speaks about football and Laine’s little sister during the ride home.

 After miles of countryside they arrive to their hometown. At the house, Mum delivers superbly; red-faced and crying, she holds her baby; how smart Laine’s soldier’s uniform is. Even Danielle, his sister, is a little emotional. It surprises Laine but touches him also. Last time they were together they still hadn’t developed from basic sibling dislike.

 The nuclear family fidgets in the living room, not knowing how to edge community forward. Mum has made dinner and they’re all summoned to the table like the old days. Laine wishes he could remove his military gear when he sits down, but he suspects they want him to keep it on.

 “Here’s to our son!” Dad announces with a raised glass. “Proud to serve his country.”

 When Laine drinks his ale, its flavour and sprite seem to re-define his situation. He’s been in the desert for nearly half a decade and now he’s back – presumably to live permanently – in little-England. The earthly zap of a local ale at least offers some kind of bridge between the two worlds.

 None of them ask Laine about the army as they eat. Why would they? After food, they lounge in the evening summer garden, drinking. Danielle has become a character, has moxie; Laine teases her about her boyfriend. His quiet humour mimics his Dad’s, who in turn circuits around Mum’s extroversion. They all get drunk. It’s fun to pretend.

 Laine is the last one to fall asleep that night. That’s when his first dream comes.

 He’s in the back of the jeep, pounding rounds across the sand. A farm-boy comes up to the jeep whilst Laine is firing, holding a balloon. Laine can’t hear anything apart from the boy, and he can’t see what he’s shooting at. The boy’s face then merges with the oval balloon, and he screams before the balloon explodes.

 Laine wakes up not knowing where he is. Dehydrated, he goes downstairs to the bathroom. Everything is just as sterile in the house as he left it. Yet nothing is tangible, real.

 As he surfaces again by proper morning, Mum is in the kitchen waiting. She has breakfast ready, but the first thing she says to him is:

 “So, you thinking about getting a job? Your Father said you could help out at the Butchers’ with him?”

 Laine nods and says this sounds good. He’d like to chill out a bit for the next few days, and see Robbie his old friend.

 “Oh, of course you can, babe.”

 He walks out into the town in the morning to see what’s changed. Nothing has, really. One person – an old woman he’s known since he was a kid – greets him in the street. She’s probably forgotten he was away in Afghanistan, maybe developing dementia. Laine doesn’t take it badly. Somehow, he doesn’t want to go into the newsagent, though, where he’ll definitely be recognised. Doesn’t want the fame, so he decides to circle around and go home again. But suddenly something jumps on his back and wraps his neck.

 Laine nearly flips the body on his back up and over, ready to knock it out, before he realises it’s Robbie – his best mate.

 “Lainey! You bastard!” Robbie’s laddish essence looming, and they embrace with real brotherhood.  

 “How are you, my man?”

 Laine gazes at him.

 “Well, don’t just look at me: speak!”

 “Jee, Robbie. It’s actually you. You look so …”

 “I look great, right?”

 He looks overweight, smells of alcohol. But Laine nods; Robbie brightens him.

 “I was going to come surprise you at your house, Lainey. But I want you to come down to The Mayflower tonight, okay? I’ll have the old group there: we’ll through you a party. You coming?”

 “Definitely, I’ll be there.”

 “8 pm. Bet you never had any parties over there in rag-head country; we’ll show you a good time! I got to head over to work, man, but see you later on!”

 Laine watches him lollop away into the town, his smile waning. He turns and looks out over the countryside beyond the town. Navy hills and hooker’s green woodlands zap in non-colour; the cattle are minute and terminal on the fields. There were never any such colours in the desert; there was no structure to the land.

 ***

 He’s smug in aftershave as he walks into The Mayflower tonight. A flurry of whiskey shots beforehand was supposed to make Laine less nervous: it’s made everything worse. He’d half imagined flags or some corny ‘SURPRISE’ gag; instead he’s met with Robbie doing another mock rugby-tackle on him. It’s a jest but the force winds Laine’s lungs, annoys him. Robbie’s already drunk, as well.

 “It’s Private Lainey – come sit with us at the table, boyo!”

 “Can I get a drink first?”

 “Yeah, yeah, I’ll come with you.”

 The clashing pop music is so loud Laine can’t hear Robbie’s voice. His friend’s physique has sagged, his hair grown grey in parts, and he’s only 23. He gets Robbie a pint. Robbie wants to drink quickly, and recommends they get shots. The heat gives him a little spark, and he looks back to where Laine’s friends are.

 “Hey, Robbie: I don’t know most of your mates. But, isn’t that …” and here he sees a lady who delved his history, once, “isn’t that Carla – the girl from our school?”

 “That’s her, yes my man.”

 “Wow, she’s still hot as hell! How’s someone like you hanging out with her?”

 “Wo, wo, Lainey. That’s my bird! Carla and I have been going out two years now!”

 At first Lainey thinks he’s joking, then the embarrassment seeps in that he’s not. He blushes but it’s too orange in the pub to notice.

 “Ha, ha, well done Robbie! Sorry for saying that she’s hot …”

 “No, no I took it as a compliment. Come, mate, let’s go.”

 Laine keeps his chin down in his shirt as he follows Robbie to the table. The men are all crush-and-no-movement handshakes and the women wave and giggle as Robbie toasts the soldier returning home. Apparently not all of them have been told he’s a soldier, and there come the wows and oh gosh, the army exclamations and conversations clatter apart.

 “So are you leaving the army?” one very drunk woman asks Laine.

 “Well, no. The war is actually over …” Laine laughs.

 “Which war?”

 “Afghanistan …”

 He can’t look at Carla, who’s sitting opposite with Robbie. She has her hair curled and blinks a lot. Five minutes in a bar and he’s already had a jolt of fancy, erotica, dejection and now envy all snatched together with spirits and beer. And can already feel himself beginning to get angry. God, these people probably didn’t know England was at war …

 But someone invites him up to the bar and by another few he can enjoy himself. Eventually he’s playing pool with one lad and makes sure to beat him exactly well. When they leave the pub he’ll vaguely remember Robbie pulling him away from the bartender. He’s shouting at the man for some reason and the anger seems perfectly overpowering. The friends are a bit silent for a while when they walk home but Robbie cheers them up.

 The party will continue at Robbie and Carla’s house. They put on a CD from the mid-1990s and take cocaine lines whilst Laine falls about deliberately. His nickname is Trooper, tonight, and everything he does seems to conjure a laugh from the others. After one final fall he busts his shoulder in and decides he should sit down for a while. Robbie helps him up onto the sofa and he falls asleep.

 He sees the black plumes across the countryside; they stagger up monstrous above the hazy lands. He’s in his gear, again, waiting for his battalion. The sky’s growing darker behind the burning oil, and there’s another army there, resurfaced. They’ve regrouped since Laine’s Division left, and they must be stopped … But Laine’s men aren’t coming, they’re too slow. He loads his weapon up and begins to tread the land, pitching towards the smoke, the enemy …

 There’s sweat across his forehead when he wakes up. He’s alone in the living room apart from Carla, who is standing over him.

 “Hello, Carla.”

 “Hi, honey. I think you had a bad dream; you were saying strange stuff.”

 He sits up as she sits next to him on the sofa. Pizza, vomit and bottles across the floor. Small-eyed, polystyrene Carla is watching him, smoking a cigarette. She gives him one.

 “Was a fun night …” he tries. He should be drunk but the adrenaline within sitting next to Carla channels him.

 “Yeah, Robbie knows how to throw a party … They’re all upstairs sleeping.”

 “What time is it?”

 “Like 3 a.m.”

 “I really missed you guys when I was away.”

 “I know Robbie did too. He talked about you a lot.”

 He wishes she wouldn’t mention Robbie’s name. Laine remembers Carla; she was in his year then; lots of boys had liked her, yet she had that elitist popularity/coveted beauty which separated the possibilities of countless males. He’d never even spoken to her before. All kinds of fantasies were ricocheting.

 “What was your dream about?” she says.

 “Was a nightmare. About the military. It gets a bit crazy out in the desert … Plays with your head a bit.”

 “So, were you in, like, combat?”

 “Yeah …”

 “You ever, shoot anyone?”

 Laine doesn’t answer.

 “Sorry, that was a mean question!”

 “No, no … It’s just hard for folk back here to understand.”

 “You could always go and speak to a councillor or something.”

 “It’s nice just talking to you.”

 Laine leans across and strokes her hair. Carla drops her eyes and moves away slowly.

 “But are you not glad to be back?” she says.

 “Uh hu …”

 Laine thrusts himself over and kisses her on the cheek. Carla winces, and steps up away from the sofa.

 “Sorry, Laine, I think you’ve got to go to bed. I’ll see you another time, okay?”

 She’s leaving the room already as Laine calls out:

 “Please come back … I didn’t mean to …”

 She shuts a door upstairs. Humiliation combined with confusion. Was what he just tried wrong? Was it instinct, to want to kiss a beautiful woman? Laine feels lethal, now, as he finds his coat, arming himself with a half-empty whiskey bottle. He gets to the front door and hurls out into the fresh morning air, dark and balmy.

 Laine sups down gulps of the liquor, wondering how to get back home. He chooses a direction, but then a voice calls to him from above. It’s Robbie, protruding from a window.

 “Lainey, where are you going?”

 “Home.”

 “In this state? Why don’t you stay here for the night?”

 Laine begins walking. Robbie calls again. When Laine won’t stop, Robbie comes downstairs and rushes out to him on the street.

 “What’s with you, Laine, you look upset …”

 “I’m good. You want to come a ride with me?”

 “Where? We can’t drive like this.”

 “Anywhere. Up to the hills.”

 “We could take the bikes? Cycle up?”

 “Let’s do it.”

 They cycle up past the town border and through the pine tree roads, with nothing to energise them save alcohol. Laine hoots and laughs with his old friend. Something’s going to be destroyed tonight. They pass a chain of the rich houses which lie on the outskirts, manors with long gardens. Laine halts his bike by one of the driveways, and motions for Robbie to keep quiet in the gloom.

 “Robbie!” he whispers. “Do you see that Mercedes? The little yellow one?”

 “Yeah I see it. That’s worth like four grand …”

 “You want to jack it?”

 “What do you mean?”

 “Steal it. I learned how to boost wires in the Army.”

 Robbie enjoys the crazed expression on his friend’s face. It seems like a terrific idea.

 After hiding their bikes in the trees, they quietly open the gate, leaving it wide. Laine instructs him to keep a look-out, whilst he finds an ample boulder. He doves the driver’s window in and the car alarm begins shrieking. Robbie wants to bolt away, but someone can’t not watch. Laine remains nonchalant, busting the wire-box open with a fist, fiddling therein. The night hoods their criminality; they’re invisible tonight.

 Lights are turned on inside the manor; someone’s shouting and a dog howls. Everything happens quickly – the engine sparks and purrs and Laine reverses out the drive, nearly knocking Robbie over; he yanks open the passenger door. Laine rams the accelerator and then they’re fluming through the dark roads, the beam of the headlines slicing the hills apart.

 “Woo-hoo! That was brilliant, Lainey!”

 Laine grins, mindlessly shooting ahead. Broken glass layers his seat. Robbie holds onto the roof, pretending he’s not afraid. The roads are silent, and soon they’re already miles from town. Laine’s keeping the speed around 60, and the engine’s too loud to hear Robbie hollering at him to slow down. The trees then fall away as they lunge further up the hillside, and then the road veers left in a sharp turn.

 “Watch out, Lainey – there’s a drop coming up!”

 But Laine keeps hurtling forward.

 “Laine! Make the turn, else we’ll go over the cliff!”

 Robbie drags the wheel sideways and the car pirouettes, its trunk careering into the fence above the cliff. Laine sits there laughing with the car stopped, Robbie watching him incredulously. Robbie turns the engine off and puts the keys in his pocket. They’re in darkness on the hill.

 “Laine, get out the car, come on.”

 Robbie pants outside. The flashy car is wrecked by the back-side. Laine steps out and looks out distantly over the layered fields. He’s stopped laughing, only stands looking, at what, Robbie can’t tell. The thrill has vanished; Robbie’s scared of Laine; when he started shouting at the bartender earlier was scary, but this car theft is complete madness. They aren’t just mischievous boys, now.

 “What are we supposed to do with this, Laine?”

 Laine breaks from his stance and inspects the fence where the car impacted.

 “Well, we have to put it over the hill.”

 “Why?”

 “Why’d you think? ‘cause our DNA’s in it. Got to burn it up.”

 “But they’ll find it …”

 “They’ll find it anyway. Help me move it back down the road.”

 They roll the thing manually a number of metres back where they’d come. Laine asks Robbie for the keys.

 “What are you going to do?”

 “Put a brick on the accelerator, let it drive itself over the edge. Old-fashioned style. Find a rock or boulder or something.”

 Robbie dutifully finds a slab by the roadside and lugs it over. I’m technically a criminal he thinks, as he hands it to Laine’s calculating frame. Laine gets inside the car again, and Robbie madly expects him to drive off the cliff with the car. Laine is thinking the same thing. He positions the boulder just above the pedals, and alights, shuts the door. “Stand back, Robbie.” He thrusts the boulder down and the car jerks forward, zooming askew, spluttering ahead against the fence.

 There it snags, the bonnet jolted upward, wheels spinning in the air. Both men watch, transfixed. The back wheels push it slowly, and then the balance lop-sides, and plummets from view. They hear nothing until a distant smash and rumble.

 Laine believes he sees a flare illuminate the panoramic fields, if only in an instant. That and the funk of gasoline burning. Perfect. Robbie sees and smells nothing.

 ***

 After three days of working with his Father in the Butchers, Laine knows he must work elsewhere, must do something else with his life. Dad teaches him to hack the meat in the back-room. White sinew and muscle, pulpy red carcasses hanging on hooks. He can’t face the customers in the front room. Dad is the affable community man, not his son. Laine asked his Dad not to tell people he was in the army. This hurt his father, because it was only through pride that he told, but grew cautious of Laine’s insistence, and now respects it.

 Dad’s also noticed Laine’s strange moods, of late. He’s pretty sure the lad has nightmares, each night. A few nights ago he came into Laine’s room, finding him screaming on his bed, naked, with his eyes closed.

 It’s the Wednesday since Laine robbed the car with Robbie last Friday night. Laine works solidly, with method. Only his silence bothers his Dad. But this night Laine comes to him with a brighter air.

 “Hey, Dad. I appreciate you taking me on here. But I think I want to get into football again. Maybe do some coaching. At schools, maybe … What do you think?”

 Dad ponders.

 “Hmm. Well, you always were a pretty good player yourself. A lot of teams were looking at you, but you decided to go to the army instead. They’ll respect your profession, your history. Yeah, son, that sounds like a good idea. What do you have to get for it? You do training?”

 “I already have the football training. I got to get this certificate to work with kids. But that shouldn’t be difficult.”

 Dad nods, smiling a little. Well, this is a relief. Laine being a football coach: that would work.

 “Go for it, son. You can finish up for today and head home. I’ll see you later for dinner.”

 Laine walks out into town. It’s early evening. He takes his usual route down the back-street which is quieter than the main square. Music is on full-volume through his headphones, and he’s happily imagining what football-coaching could be like, when something roughly jumps on his back. Once again, it’s Robbie.

 “Robbie, what’s up?”

 Robbie swings a punch at Laine’s face. Laine just dodges it, quickly realising that his friend is not play-fighting. He swears; Robbie stands before him, panting, shoulders vibrating.

 “What’s with you, Robbie – what is this?”

 “How dare you go near Carla like that?” he comes towards Laine and propels another fist. Laine dodges it again, and takes hold of Robbie’s body-weight to knock him over. He skids on the concrete, and makes to rise again, but Laine’s holding his palms up.

 “Mate, mate – I don’t know what you’re on about! Carla, what?”

 “She said you tried to kiss her!”

 This is the first time Laine has remembered that.

 “That’s not true at all: why would she tell you that?”

 “She’s no liar.”

 Robbie stands up again, wiping gravel from his hands. He smells of old alcohol again. But he threatens Laine; they’ve had fights before, but not like this.

 “Laine. You’re my old friend. But ever since you’ve come back from Afghanistan you’re totally different. You’ve gone crazy.”

 “Of course I’m different, Robbie. What’d you think I’d be like? Still like you? Why would I want that?”

 “What about that shit with the car? You know the police are looking for us.”

 “Shut up about that. They’re looking for some car-jacker, not us.”

 “I was that close to turning you in earlier, after I head you kissed my girl.”

 “Why would you do that considering you stole it with me? I can easy tell them where your bikes are in the woods.”

 Sheer rage by Robbie.

 “I can see how stupid you are, Robbie. You’re actually attacking me because you think I did something with Carla! How long have we known each other?”

 “You’re not the same Laine. And, you got it: I am breaking our thing. If you rat me out to the cops, I’ll rat you out.”

 “I can see how stupid everyone is in this town.”

 “But you stay away from my group, okay?”

 “Okay …”

 “Watch your back. Your commando moves can’t keep saving you.”

 Robbie walks away.

 ***

 A St. George Cross flag wavers above his Father’s Butchers. The town-square is overlooked by the Edwardian white-plaster and black-beams, the thatched roofs which oversaw the same English fields, turning in centuries; where bluebottle flies fumbled dazed in warmer summers, whence the clouds were not as erratic, the rains moderate, and a tempest for straw-and-clamour writers to head the world.

 Nowadays, the Empire is different, yet the peoples are just as unperturbed. Soldiers are cast from the alleyways of the countryside as they were upon great ships long ago, to rape and reap the distant lands, far beyond the license of this small island.

 Laine steps off the bus by evening into his hometown, which he’s grown to detest. He’s taking classes in the city to secure his coaching certificate. It shouldn’t take long, really; he has a moderate knowledge of football, and the legal box-tick is pending but should come through soon. Mostly he just wants to leave this town. He walks back home in the wispy heady air.

 Nothing has happened since he stole the car, three weeks ago. He goes to the city college in the morning, returns at night. Now and then helps with Father in the butchers, hacking the meat. The nightmares stopped as well, a while ago. The police ruled the car-jacking as an attack conducted by foreigners. Many of the townsfolk took this literally, as some Polish pair of men who stole the car for no reason. How they came up with Poland, or even misinterpreted the Police report as meaning foreign nationals, bemused Laine, but at least he wasn’t going to be caught.

 The bus station is about a mile out of town, where thin pavement takes you down an allergic road as cars rip by by any speed they choose.

 It’s around 9 pm and the sun is by its last douse, calming the green-needle woods by apologies for fume and chemical.

 A car races up from the horizon with a billow of dust, morphing from the heatwaves. Laine watches it with his headphones in thinking why’s it going so fast at this time of night? And from the town? and as it gets closer he takes his music out. The car approaches, slows, but then crosses over to the other side of the road, and stops a few metres in front of Laine. Three men are inside. Two of them wear masks. One of them doesn’t: that man is Robbie.

 Laine twirls his headphones around his iPod and takes his bag off. He hadn’t expected things with Robbie would be over. He wonders who the goons in the car are … Are these Robbie’s new loyal brothers? The fickle, typical fable of soul-brother-turned-to-foe amazes Laine, but he’s also ready to join in. He’s already flexing his knuckles as the men come out the car. Looking around, there is nobody else for miles.

 “Ho, ho, there, Lainey boy!” Robbie’s trying to sound cinematic.

 The men’s masks are made from football-scarves; one has a balaclava, probably taken from an old Halloween costume drawer. Laine’s manhood is straining here: this is a slight to his four years of grinding shelling; the dead children; the lizards scarpering through the hard mud and sandy rock; the insurgents blowing themselves up, hollering chants from a text most of Laine’s boys didn’t know the name of; Laine’s boys blowing them up, with scattered aim, collateral damage, mistake upon mistake of things they didn’t have to report themselves for. Robbie’s jealous insecurity really has no comparison.

 “Anything you want to say, Lainey?”

 They crowd around him in a square. The situation seems fairly decided.

 “Robbie, I didn’t touch your girl. Is that what this is even about? Why would she even say something like that, huh? I’m leaving in a few weeks from this town. You won’t even see me again. Why don’t you and your lads just leave.”

 “Big tough army lad returns home and thinks he can grab another man’s girl?”

 “You know nothing about the army, Robbie. What’s it you’ve been doing since I’ve been away anyway? Drinking beer with these lads? Who are you anyway – take off your masks. I don’t want to fight you.”

 One of them lunges at Laine. Some square pelt to under the cheek-bone which he lets himself catch. The move that never works; Laine cuffs the attacker up by the jaw-bone, flattening him in the road with an ominous thunkk of the skull on the concrete.

 “Just leave me alone!” Laine yells, but they’re all rushing him. Limbs of England, white flesh, pink spirits, groomed in salt diets, where many a chip-shop promenade casts each the kingdoms of counties, to let the peasants grovel by their tight-legging’d superiors, oh, to let rip those bulge-breasted corsets, to sediment caste and genocide alike, for all the cornfields and oak-brilliance to return again, reforming the definition, encasing the page.

 What are nations within the scrap of five young men? One’s already knocked out, and three others are reduced to ravenous creatures with teeth, claws and lazy windpipe-intentions. But they have rage, and at one moment they have Laine on the floor, freely kicking him in the face. Laine imagines what intentions they have in their violence. Odd, how, if he were them, and didn’t have the experience with the Afghanistan War, he would have kicked with the same mindlessness.

 By a glimpse he sees the opportunity to dent a kneecap in – he does so with his boot, and that person falls over with a cracked bone by the sound of the agony. He sits up, and as another of the masked men comes forward, tips the body up and hurls it over. Laine merely stands up as the last one poises on-guard.  His face is bloody; one of them tore his jacket collar, but the other masked man looks the more afraid despite not having a face.

 “Would you just leave it?” Laine says.

 The masked man backs away; the one he just threw away behind him isn’t getting up. The kneecap Laine cracked belongs to Robbie, who holds it, an embarrassed infant, looking down.

 Laine steps forward and brings his heel down on the kneecap, suspended as videogame-glee-kill for him to break further, which it does. Robbie bawls. Laine’s victory was never in question. His three attackers didn’t come close.

 Laine looks out over the fields. The sun is just about down. That doesn’t matter. Even when it’s fully up, and even now that the modern sun blazes England like it’s never done before, it will never be the same as the desert. The hills and fields are flat, yet the crops are tame, and laced synthetically; even the farmers have lost their art.

 Robbie stops crying, and the sun buckles under the horizon. Laine wishes he could jump up to the diamond stars, the first few shining, to live by different lights, where people can’t exist. He hasn’t thought anything similar since he was a boy.

 ***