#i just looked up 17 year cicada wondering and it's all here
Text
wait;; hello??? ;;
#beautiful perfect timing#i just looked up 17 year cicada wondering and it's all here#17... no– 221 year chance of it being the same year i happen to wonder about 17 year cicadas again....#;_;
0 notes
Text
Egotober 2022 Day 28: Guests in the Garden
Summary: Virgil is out on his front lawn late one night when he sees a familiar face.
Prompt: Purple
Characters: Virgil, Ranboo
Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31
Virgil didn’t like to take nighttime walks, they made him nervous. Nevermind the fact that they lived in a good neighborhood, by Logan’s design when he, Roman and Patton had picked the place. Or the fact that Virgil was in fact the scariest thing that lived on the neighborhood. Old habits die hard, and Virgil was a very nervous person.
So he was only planning on stretching his legs, hearing the cicadas, and enjoying the crisp chilly night air. He was in his patchwork black and purple jacket, just calmly relaxing on his lawn. But down the street he recognized a face walking around down the street. A tall lanky black and white figure who was very fair from home. Upwards horns gleaming off the lamppost light. He was about forty-five minutes by car, away from home.
Still nervous, but more nervous for the eighteen-year-old walking around down a street that could have a rogue alligator lurking around.
“Hey,” Virgil called out but his feet stalled at the edge of their little lawn.
Fortunately Virgil didn’t have to stray out of his yard because the figure turned to look at Virgil and the anxious Side saw the distant gleam of purple light from his eyes turning Virgil’s way.
The Side waited for Ranboo to walk over. He was in what looked like soft dark purple pajamas that seemed to make his eyes glow brighter.
“You’re far from home,” Virgil told him, hands deep in his pockets.
“Yeah, I sleep teleport sometimes when I’m stressed,” Ranboo said.
Virgil tried not to look Ranboo in the eyes, knowing how bad it distressed him, pulling his hood over his head and down his eyes. But he’d caught a glimpse of those purple eyes.
The anxious Side had never heard Ranboo talk in anything like English. But He wasn’t around him twenty-four-seven so maybe he had before, Virgil wasn’t sure. Not worth calling him out on it when he didn’t need to. He’d probably talked like this with lots of people.
“You okay? Virgil asked.
Ranboo nodded, then looked at the house. “How are the others doing?”
“They’re alright,” Virgil said, knowing he would have lied either way.
“You know, a lot of people are a bit afraid of him, but I think all of you guys are alright,” Ranboo said.
“Thanks,” Virgil said.
“For a long time I thought he was going to cause trouble but you all seem to be doing alright,” Ranboo said.
“You ever encountered something like us before?” Virgil asked.
Ranboo paused.
Then he shrugged his unnaturally boney shoulders. “No. Don’t know. I don’t have a lot of memories from before I joined the Server. I don’t know if I have or not.”
Maybe it was that Virgil was naturally suspicious, maybe it was because he was on edge because he was outside at one AM. Or maybe it was because he’d spent years living with Janus and knew every single one of the Side’s tells.
But Ranboo was lying. Or at least it seemed like he was lying. And this wasn’t a good thing to lie about.
“Did you really sleepwalk over here?” Virgil asked.
Ranboo didn’t answer him at first, looking down the dark street. “Maybe I’m still sleepwalking. Maybe I’m not.”
“What do you mean?” Virgil asked.
“You ever have a dream you thought was real?” Ranboo asked. “I have, I have those a lot. So as far as I know I’m still dreaming.”
“Oh,” Virgil said, disarming him a little bit. “You need a ride home? I can’t drive but the other Sides can.”
“Nah, I can get home,” Ranboo turned to start walking down the street. “I can teleport, and besides it’s a dream. I’ll just wake up in my bed.”
“Okay,” Virgil said. And then in a cloud of frothing purple magic, Ranboo was gone and Virgil was left alone on the street.
Making Virgil wonder if he was actually asleep. It certainly explained him being out on the front lawn at an absurd hour of night. So he decided to go in.
As the Side turned around, Ranboo watched Virgil go back into the house, his eyes still glowing in the darkness as Virgil locked the front door again.
He’d had plans but when Virgil had spotted him in the area, Ranboo had decided against it. Ranboo had needed a specific tracking spell put under the welcome mat. To make sure Ranboo knew who was coming and going from the house.
East to track, easy to report.
But they were eventually going to find it and while he could have pinned it all on Dream; now Virgil had physically seen him. So Ranboo might have to get someone else to do it anyway.
So in one teleporting blink, Ranboo opened up a portal on top of himself. When he opened his eyes he was in the closet storage of the Bee ‘n Boo bed and breakfast. Then Ranboo walked upstairs to his living space. Tubbo and Michael were still asleep when Ranboo got there, cuddling around each other.
Ranboo cleaned off his feet and snagged a glowing light purple vial. He swirled the liquid around before downing it and setting the vial on the table so he could go to bed and literally forget what he’d tried to do tonight.
No sense in remembering what he wasn’t supposed to anyways.
#Egotober2022#Superhero AU#Masks and Maladies#Virgil Sanders#Ranboo#c!Ranboo#poor life choices#late night visitor#magic
1 note
·
View note
Text
A Little in Love
Summary: Having broken off your engagement for an arranged marriage with him, your relationship is in shreds. As you and Gojo begin as friends again, he wonders if he ever fell out of love for you. Has he?
Notes: Gojo Satoru is good-looking, all powerful and beyond good at his job. I’ve always wanted to explore something he struggles with
Gojo Satoru x reader
Multi-fandom Masterlist || HQ Masterlist || Ao3 version
Genre: ANGST AND PINING, exes to friends to ??, commitment issues lol (wc: 1.3k) tw: mention of blood, infedelity-ish
“Are you sure you’re not in love with them?”
That question wipes the smile off Gojo Satorou’s face.
Tonight’s dinner was unexpected. You ran into Shoko Ieri, Jujutsu Kaisen’s resident doctor and Gojo Satoru just as your work day ended. One thing led to another and the three of you ended up in a soba place not too far from Jujutsu Tech. When you excused yourself to use the washroom Ieri-san grabs the chance to ask the burning question on her mind.
“So what’s the answer? You’re awfully quiet.”
“We’re not engaged anymore. That ship has sailed.” he waves his hand dismissively.
Ieri rolls her eyes. All throughout dinner, Gojo was teasing you, offering you food, playing light pranks at you just like he was when you were teenagers. The way he looked at you was enough to tick any off about how he feels.
She retorts, “You can try again now that you’re adults. You’re allowed to make a go at a love match.”
Gojo’s relationship with you is…complicated. You two were arranged to be married when you were children, but had broken up as teenagers.
Gojo looks contemplative, his hands clasped together.
“I’ve thought about it.” he sighs, “And I think about it every time we meet, but—I don’t think I’m the type to commit and they need a commitment type. It’s not a match.” Ieri scowls on your behalf.
During your time at Jujutsu Tech, he simultaneously wanted to give your relationship a shot but hated the restrictions set on him. In the end, it was all too much. Both of you begged your families to break off the engagement.
Your teenage years with him were confusing. Were you really in love or those feelings fabricated by the arranged marriage? If the marriage wasn’t a love match anyway, why did it hurt to see Gojo flirt with someone else?
Gojo remembered one of your early confrontations when you were 16 and he was 17.
“It’s difficult to be engaged to you.” you expressed, exasperated.
When you started school at Jujutsu Tech however, something changed. Gojo didn’t want to be seen around you. He was always flirting with others behind your back. You can’t even have a proper conversation with him alone.
During your second year, you finally stood up to him.
“No, it’s not.” he rolled his eyes, “You don’t even have to pretend that you like me.”
It worried you that he definitely couldn’t be faithful and it hurt you that he couldn’t even spare time to properly talk with you.
You sighed and looked left and right. It’s had been ten minutes. You were still standing outside his dorm room and he has not intention of letting you in.
“It’s not about that!” you exclaimed, annoyed, “I know you don’t like being engaged to me, which is fine—“
“It doesn’t sound fine,” he snorts, crossing his arms. He tries to drown the sound of your voice from the surrounding cicadas.
“—if you weren’t such an asshole,” you continued, “But can you at least treat me with more respect. Everybody knows we’re engaged. Neither of us want to be in arranged marriage so all I’m begging you to do is to —“
He shrugs, “No promises.”
He could see anger light beneath your eyes. Out of the darkness of the night, a silver flicker brushes by his side. You were seething, despite being barely illuminated by the light of the corridor bulbs.
You had drawn out a dagger at him. You! His kind, patient fiancee. It happened so fast he almost didn’t dodge.
“I missed on purpose. Don’t you get complacent.” you muttered, turning away.
Gojo was surprised to see tears running down your face. You’ve never looked so upset. It catches him off guard.
“I’m sorry,” was all he had to utter. He wasn’t even sure you heard him because you had already begun walking away. You had drawn the blade, but in reality it was you that was hurting and he the trespasser.
He shakes his head at Ieri and continues, “I don’t want to hurt them again. It was bad enough when our engagement fell apart.”
He didn’t mean to hurt you then of course. It was harsh to expect commitment out of a teenager who wasn’t ready, but you were still in pain.
Ieri sizes him up in the dim lighting of the diner. Gojo likes to be in control. He likes to be the one to set traps. It’s interesting to see him be the captive for once.
“You haven’t answered my question.” she presses.
Gojo’s fingers tense up.he gives in just a bit, “I’ll always be a little in love with them. Maybe because I was obligated to for so long.”
“And that’s not enough though, because they deserve more” he quickly adds.
“Can’t you change? Sounds like you’re afraid to try.” she sighs.
Gojo is quiet once again.
“Don’t wait for them to be in love with someone else before you realize that you want to be with them. I’d hate for you to be too late.” she warns, glancing towards you as you walk back to the table.
He looks away from Ieri. You sit back down in front of him.
He feels his heart swell and hurt at the same time. You’ve always represented a jumble of contradictions for him: someone to love and someone who represents traditions he hates.
“Did I miss something?” you ask, sensing the tension.
“No, nothing.” he denies, his voice purposely lightening to cover his mood.
“Well, why does everyone look so serious?” you perkily ask.
Gojo briefly glances at you. His shoulders relax and he sits back into his seat. After all these years, it’s still so easy to be swayed by your bright eyes.
“I was just about to call for another drink.” Ieri clears her throat.
“Me, too.” he adds.
You look at him carefully, a tinge of worry in your eyes. You don’t say anything though. Not now. This is between you and him. It’s a matter outside of your friendship with Ieri.
“You can have my drink.” you offer to him, eyes locked onto his.
Sensing your stare, he turns back at you, glad that his bandages cover his vulnerability. He’s not sure he can take it if you saw how deeply conflicted he was about his feelings. As he continues to look, recognition dawns on him.
In another universe, you could be married right now. You’d be having dinner, just the two of you, sitting across each other like this. In another world, maybe you wouldn’t have known each other at all. This moment feels like purgatory. He’s somewhat in love, just a little and you’re not his in a way that feels real.
You push your drink into his hands. Ieri looks away to give you a semblance of privacy. Gojo finally takes the drink.
It feels strange for the man who has everything, to know he only has a little bit of you.
------------------------------------------------------------
General taglist: @itstheee-ha-chan@kaizumi@holaaaf@glxar@francxsca
Series Taglist: @kageyamakock @gucci-froggy @cherryonigiri
I wrote this as a follow up for another Gojo x reader fic who used to be engaged. Check it here. This is 2/4 so let me know if you’d like to be tagged in the rest of the releases! 😊
Part 1 || Part 2 || Part 3 || Part 4 || Part 5 || Part 6 || Part 7 || Part 8
#gojo x reader#gojo x you#gojo x y/n#gojo satoru x y/n#gojo satoru x gender neutral reader#jjk gojo#gojo satoru x reader#jjk x gender neutral reader#jjk x reader#jjk x y/n#jjk x you#satoru gojo x reader#satoru gojo x you#satoru gojo x y/n#gojo angst#jjk angst#jjk scenarios#jjk imagines
432 notes
·
View notes
Text
You might be hearing noise about the eminent emergence in the United States of Brood X cicadas in 2021. “So what?” you may ask. “Cicadas are found everywhere. How else would the trees scream?”
Cicadas are found globally, you’re right! Their sing their head-splitting songs every summer in both hemispheres. But those are annual cicadas. Brood X is part of a uniquely eastern North American species group known as periodic cicadas. They belong to the entirely appropriately named genus Magicicada. Unlike annual cicadas, who stay underground as nymphs for a year or two before emerging as adults to scream their butts off, mate, and die, Magicicadas stay underground for 13 or 17 years. They are some of the longest-lived insects!
The easiest way to differentiate periodic cicadas from annual cicadas is 1) geography - are you not in Eastern North America? then it’s not a periodic cicada - and 2) eyes - Magicicadas are black-bodied with ominous red eyes, while all other cicadas in Eastern North America have green and brownish eyes.
Periodic cicadas are already wild - I mean, living underground for 13? 17? years??? A PRIME NUMBER??? IN MY NATURE????? - but their species complexes are a confusing jumble of specific epithets that are befitting the orgies they have when they emerge as adults.
See, when periodic cicadas emerge as adults, they don’t just pop out every few hectares like annual cicadas, creating a gentle chorus of song to accompany the graceful sway of the meadow grass; period cicadas emerge EN MASS, millions per hectare, at least one adult cicada per square meter. They form dense aggregations in the trees after crawling out of the ground, molting, and then starting to scream. The males are doing the singing with their butts: The first section of their abdomen has a pair of vibrating structures of ridged membranes called tymbals and the rest of the abdomen is hollow and amplifies the song. Females do not have tymbals, so they cannot scream. Both sexes have hearing organs on their abdomen called tympana (which I have totally never confused for the tymbal and grossly embarrassed myself in front of other entomologists, nope, never) to find (or avoid) the songs of the males.
Cicada songs are unique to the species, which is useful, because multiple species can emerge in a given year. Millions and millions of bugs popping out of the ground, all screaming, and the only way to figure out who is mate with is the specific way the butt vibrates. Sounds like a challenge. These mass emergences are called broods or year-class (designated by Roman numerals), and this is where the real craziness comes in.
There are three species groups in Magicicada that have distinct endings to the specific epithet (-decim, -cassini and -decula), and each groups has a least two members. We know of seven species, four with a 13-year life cycle, and three with a 17-year life cycle. Each species is more closely related to other members of its own species group (the distinct endings of the names) than to others with the same life cycle (13 vs 17). In other words, the 17-year Magicicada septendecim is more closely related to the 13-year Magicicada neotredecim than it is the 17-year Magicicada tredecassini! How the FUCK did that evolve??
Remember, cicada may live for a long time as nymphs, snug underground, sucking on tree roots, but the adults only live for a season: Scream, fly, fuck, die (not a bad life, tbh). The year you emerge, that is the year you mate. What weird selection pressures and epigenetic carry-overs can make a subset of a population suddenly switch from 13 years as a nymph to 17, or vice versa??? You can’t just be off by a year, emerging early or late, because that screws up the benefits of primes. Because of how bizarre the situation is - I mean, prime numbers, honestly - it’s generally assumed that Magicicadas neatly avoided predation as a selection pressure by utilizing that prime-number system: Predators have a pretty difficult time synchronizing to a weirdo cycle like that. Predators do take advantage of the mass emergences, because, fuck yeah, abundant protein. (This includes humans too: Take off the wings, legs, and heads, batter-dip, and fry. There are cookbooks for them!) But that doesn’t explain the shifts back and forth from 13 to 17. Most entomologists that specialize in cicadas think it is likely climate-driven, which is a bit ambiguous, but ecology is fucking hard and nailing down any one or few of the multitude of environmental variables that drive anything is a fundamental challenge of the science (she says from experience >_>).
Now, given there are only so many species and there is a distinct cycle to their emergence, we can predict who comes out when. There are 12 broods of 17-year cicadas (with five year-classes containing no cicadas), and 3 broods of 13-year cicadas (with ten empty year-classes). Most of the year-classes contain a mixture of 13- or 17-year species, with a couple exceptions. Brood VII contains only one 17-year species and 13-year Brood XXII has all but one of the 13-year species. This means that we can also get overlaps! In 2024, Brood XIII (17-year cicadas) and Brood XIX (13-year cicadas) will be emerging together!
Brood X, coming out this year, is a big fucking brood. Some broods are small, isolated to state-sized or smaller regions. But not Brood X. Here is the map of their emergence. Solid symbols are certain records; hollow are suspect historical records.
(Map taken from the excellent magicicada.org.)
Billions of bugs!
THE TREES ARE ALIVE WITH THE SOUND OF SCREAMING!
A fuck-fest of vibrations!
Birds and cicada killer wasps and squirrels and snakes and frogs and people feasting on the screaming fruits of trees!
And then....
Silence.
For the next brood that should come out in 2022, Brood XI, was last seen in 1954.
Brood XI was a small 17-year brood, isolated to southern New England, and the only study that has looked at the Brood XI extinction suggests that it was driven by climatic shifts as opposed to the only obvious anthropogenic influence to affect cicadas (deforestation and fragmentation), but the timing is weird and coincides with other major insect population declines for the area. Brood XI is one of two broods to go extinct (the other is Brood XXI from the Florida panhandle). Pour one out to remember what we have lost.
So, my fellow USAians, I give you something that is uniquely American. Something we can take pride in. Something found no where else in the world. Something that truly makes our continent great. Embrace them. Love them. Our backyards hold unique wonders.
#cicadas#american pride#brood X#insects#cicada#periodic cicadas#the trees are screaming again#extinction
462 notes
·
View notes
Text
Texts
(On A03 here)
15 November 2018
[To: Phones]: Just you wait. Imma find you yo.
[To: Phones]: Ill bring you back.
[To: Phones]: You gotta hang in there
16 November 2018
[To: Phones]: That Reaper did something dammit. Its like only me an Shiki remember you.
[To: Phones]: But dont worry once I get ya back well fix this.
[To: Phones]: Gonna scour Shibuya till I find out whats goin on.
17 November 2018
[To: Phones]: You better be alive Phones.
[To: Phones]: Ya know what I mean…
18 November 2018
[To: Phones]: AARGH
[To: Phones]: Aint no sign of any Reapers. They gotta be here.
[To: Phones]: Ill figure this out
20 November 2018
[To: Phones]: Aint stopped searching. I know you out there
[To: Phones]: I can feel it yo. You can too right?
[To: Phones]: We still synced I know it.
22 November 2018
[To: Phones]: still looking
[To: Phones]: Are you even getting these
[To: Phones]: Aint matter…
[To: Phones]: Your number ain’t showin as disconnected. Thats something.
13 November 2018
[To: Phones]: I guess this ain’t a normal Reapers Game. Youd be back now…
[To: Phones]: Not like any of us expected it to be.
25 November 2018
[To: Phones]: Had a weird dream.
[To: Phones]: Like I was figthin by your side again. But I aint know where it was.
[To: Phones]: Not Shibuya.
29 November 2018
[To: Phones]: Still nothing. Aint gonna stop me.
[To: Phones]: I miss you… (unsent)
1 December 2018
[To: Phones]: Still looking.
5 December 2018
[To: Phones]: Raining. Skating in the rain kind of sucks.
7 December 2018
[To: Phones]: Had that weird dream again.
[To: Phones]: I know that means you still out there.
10 December 2018
[To: Phones]: You better be hanging in there.
[To: Phones]: I aint think it was gonna take this long.
[To: Phones]: Even if ya got screwed over like our Game… you should be back by now right?
[To: Phones]: They really pulling some shit.
[To: Phones]: I can’t stand it yo.
15 December 2018
[To: Phones]: It actually snowed a bit. Weird.
[To: Phones]: Maybe one day Ill learn to snowboard.
17 December 2018
[To: Phones]: Had to take a family holiday photo ugh.
[To: Phones]: If the Reapers is looking for more ways to torture people
[To: Phones]: That’s one of them.
20 December 2018
[To: Phones]: It’s COLD. I hope it aint like this where you are.
23 December 2018
[To: Phones]: Dont think Im giving up yo.
[To: Phones]: Had that dream again.
24 December 2018
[To: Phones]: Rhyme made like 300 Christmas cookies.
25 December 2018
[To: Phones]: Merry Christmas
[To: Phones]: I ate too much
17 December 2018
[To: Phones]: Dammit where ARE you.
1 January 2019
[To: Phones]: New year new chances to find you.
5 January 2019
[To: Phones]: You holdin up?
10 January 2019
[To: Phones]: Still cold.
17 January 2019
[To: Phones]: Shiki and Eri’s are gonna try selling their stuff
20 January 2019
[To: Phones]: IM GONNA FIND YOU DAMN IT
[To: Phones]: I can still feel it. I know you there even if you aint get these.
23 January 2019
[To: Phones]: You got Partners again? I hope you ain’t alone…
[To: Phones]: It’s been so long
[To: Phones]: But these are still going through…
[To: Phones]: And I can still feel you. I know thats what this feeling is.
27 January 2019
[To: Phones]: Aint giving up
[To: Phones]: I miss you. (unsent)
[To: Phones]: You should be here by now (unsent)
1 February 2019
[To: Phones]: Shiki and Eri’s stuff is really takin’ off.
12 February 2019
[To: Phones]: Sorry school and shit getting to me
[To: Phones]: Even if I aint check in Im still here
[To: Phones]: And still looking
20 February 2019
[To: Phones]: You better be kickin Noise and Reaper ass yo.
3 March 2019
[To: Phones]: Rhyme is really into computers now
[To: Phones]: I ain’t understand shit.
[To: Phones]: At least she aint talk like Tabooty
17 March 2019
[To: Phones]: You better be ok.
27 March 2019
[To: Phones]: I totally aced a test today!
29 March 2019
[To: Phones]: That dream…
[To: Phones]: Where ARE you (unsent)
5 April 2019
[To: Phones]: Still looking
12 April 2019
[To: Phones]: Thought by now I’d track down at least one Reaper yo.
[To: Phones]: Aint like Pixie Chick blends in
20 April 2019
[To: Phones]: Damn it Phones where the hell are you
[To: Phones]: Shibuya feels like its moving on
[To: Phones]: Its just wrong yo.
27 April 2019
[To: Phones]: I know there’s Reapers in the RG
[To: Phones]: I swear I’ll find ‘em and make 'em talk.
5 May 2019
[To: Phones]: Is this hopeless? (unsent)
[To: Phones]: Well I guess we know who’s got the higher Noise Erased count now.
20 May 2019
[To: Phones]: I think I’ve memorized every side street and alleyway in this city.
[To: Phones]: When you back Ill be able to show you around blindfolded.
2 June 2019
[To: Phones]: HOT.
13 June 2019
[To: Phones]: People really love Mr. Mew
[To: Phones]: Shiki an Eri might be getting an actual shop to sell stuff in.
24 June 2019
[To: Phones]: I want to go to the beach.
[To: Phones]: You ever gone there?
[To: Phones]: Can’t imagine you in trunks.
[To: Phones]: akljf;ds
5 July 2019
[To: Phones]: How you holdin up
18 July 2019
[To: Phones]: Who decided hot and sticky was a good temperature for anything
29 July 2019
[To: Phones]: I aint giving up you better not either.
1 August 2019
[To: Phones]: Rhyme is scary good with computers. She said something about hacking. Should I be afraid?
17 August 2019
[To: Phones]: Guess who fought a cicada.
22 August 2019
[To: Phones]: The hell is with these dreams.
5 September 2019
[To: Phones]: I ain’t know how many times Ive walked the same streets.
6 September 2019
[To: Phones]: Dont think that last text means I given up. I aint.
20 September 2019
[To: Phones]: This city has changed so much. So many new places.
[To: Phones]: Can’t wait to show you.
1 October 2019
[To: Phones]: How many Noise you beat by now?
10 October 2019
[To: Phones]: Everyone wants to go to Shibuya Halloween this year.
31 October 2019
[To: Phones]: THIS WAS A BAD IDEA I AIN’T NEVER SEEN SO MANY PEOPLE.
[To: Phones]: It took 45 minutes to leave the station and get across the Scramble.
[To: Phones]: We were all bullied into wearing Mr. Mew costumes.
[To: Phones]: Rhyme wants me to clarify that only I was bullied.
7 November 2019
[To: Phones]: Really hoped with all those Halloween vibes that maybe something would turn up.
[To: Phones]: All that stuff about ghosts and shit.
[To: Phones]: Still nothing.
20 November 2019
[To: Phones]: I ain’t giving up.
1 December 2019
[To: Phones]: It’s December again…
19 December 2019
[To: Phones]: You really gotta see all these lights
[To: Phones]: One day.
20 December 2019
[To: Phones]: No escape from Family Holiday Photos.
24 December 2019
[To: Phones]: Too many Christmas cookies.
25 December 2019
[To: Phones]: Merry Christmas kick some Noise ass.
1 January 2020
[To: Phones]: This will be the year.
1 February 2020
[To: Phones]: Ok so maybe it wasn’t the month. But it’s still gonna be the year.
4 March 2020
[To: Phones]: Im sorry I couldnt find you sooner (unsent)
[To: Phones]: This is takin longer than I thought.
17 March 2020
[To: Phones]: You got this.
1 April 2020
[To: Phones]: Aint giving up.
1 May 2020
[To: Phones]: Sorry… school and shit.
[To: Phones]: Dont worry though. Im still here.
[To: Phones]: I know you are too.
1 June 2020
[To: Phones]: I hope its cooler wherever you are.
1 July 2020
[To: Phones]: Even CAT hasn’t done anything in months. I wonder what happened to Mr H.
1 August 2020
[To: Phones]: Still get those dreams once in a while
[To: Phones]: Do you…
1 September 2020
[To: Phones]: Fall again…
1 October 2020
[To: Phones]: Ok this year we’ll be prepared for Shibuya Halloween.
31 October 2020
[To: Phones]: Ok ain’t no way to prepare for that.
[To: Phones]: One of these days you gonna suffer with us.
1 November 2020
[To: Phones]: I will find you. No matter how long it takes.
1 December 2020
[To: Phones]: December again…
[To: Phones]: Damn it.
[To: Phones]: Please be alright.
1 January 2021
[To: Phones]: OK THIS YEAR. I KNOW IT.
[To: Phones]: I wonder what you look like now.
[To: Phones]: Will I recognize you? (unsent)
10 January 2021
[To: Phones]: Fuck. College is next year…
1 February 2021
[To: Phones]: Gatto Nero is gonna get a shop in 104! Can you believe it?
1 March 2021
[To: Phones]: Rhyme says she working on something. Iono what that means…
1 April 2021
[To: Phones]: That dream again. Something feels different yo.
1 May 2021
[To: Phones]: Somethin’s weird. Aint had a feeling like this in a long time.
[To: Phones]: Hang in there.
1 June 2021
[To: Phones]: Pins are getting popular again. Even Gatto Nero’s getting’ in on it. You outta see these designs!
1 July 2021
[To: Phones]: Rhyme says she close to a breakthrough. I aint know on what but she says its gonna help.
27 July 2021
[To: Phones]: Something is definitely goin down yo. You feel it too?
[To: Phones]: We close, I know it.
[To: Phones]: This time fo sho.
[To: Phones]: You comin home.
33 notes
·
View notes
Text
Bad dreams
Mark continues to have bad dreams about his father, about the fight. Even as a 24 year old he anxiously awaits the day his father would come back to take humans and the earth. Eve understands and listens to him.
Best friends to lovers kind of , I may continue this as a series! Let me know if you'd like a slow burn roommates to lovers 🥺✨
*****
"Mark?" Mark stirred in his sleep, sweat pooled at the top of his brow and tears stained his red cheeks, he grunted and mumbled words but she couldn't understand any of them. Eve hesitantly shook him awake. Mark's eyes opened wide as he screamed and sat up. He was hyperventilating, he felt trapped and like his chest was going to implode. His breathing felt hard and ragged, he wanted to puke, he wanted to cry, he needed to scream.
The room was enveloped with the sound of cicadas and the summer breeze blew the curtains slightly. Mark's ragged breathing was the only other thing heard in the room.
"I heard you talking and moving in my room… do you need anything?" Eve hesitantly explained as she sat slowly on the bed next him. He stood, sat, with his knees to his chest and his hair in his hands. Eve didn't want to push him, so once again, the room dove into silence.
After a few minutes of silence, Mark's quiet voice spoke up "Can you stay with me tonight… please?" His voice broke as he spoke, Eve wrinkled her brow and nodded to herself. "Yes, of course" her voice matched the crack of his.
Mark took a long deep breath and laid back on his bed, his fingers were interlaced on top of his stomach as he stared at the ceiling. Eve hesitantly laid next to him as both stayed in silence.
"Do you want to talk about it?" She looked at him, his eyes were frozen on the ceiling and a small frown was visible on his lips. She awaited his response and appreciated his features and sharp jawline. Her heart ached seeing Mark so troubled, this had happened before, every week even.
They had moved in together a few months ago, they needed a place to stay and Mark's mother had made sure to push him to move out. She didn't want him to worry anymore, he deserved his own space and his own house, he was 24 and although he still worried, he finally gave in and moved in with Eve, as friends, obviously. Or so he told himself.
"I still feel going through that subway train… I still see the expressions of horror, the bodies disintegrating in my hands… his face haunts me" a tear streamed down the side of his cheek and onto his ear.
Eve gulped dryly at his statement, not quite knowing what to say to make him feel better, to remedy the situation. She couldn't say anything, really.
"I know…" she simply said and looked back at the ceiling. "I'm sorry I can't help…" she croaked out. Mark hummed "You help plenty…" he smiled sadly. Their eyes met for a brief period and small smiles were exchanged. But quickly their eyes were back on the ceiling and frowns back on their faces.
"Would it help to go for a late-night fly?" She wondered out loud, a hopeful hint in her voice. They usually went flying together to relieve stress, to have fun, to pretend that the weight of the world and every single life on planet earth was not on their shoulders.
"You know, maybe it would" he said softly. Eve smiled and pushed herself off of the bed, excitedly standing in front of the big window. "Then what are we waiting for?" She exclaimed happily, flying out the window. Mark shook his head. Maybe it was okay to go flying in pyjamas, it's not like anyone is awake and outside on this side of the world. He got up and without a thought also flew out the window. His cat stretched on the bed as now he had the bed all to himself.
Mark easily caught up to Eve, flying side by side. She was wearing an oversized t-shirt and some flowy summer shorts, he smiled.
"You're getting slower" he teased as he took lead, leaving Eve a little bit behind him. Eve shook her head and smirked as she flew faster and ahead of Mark. What was just a relaxed fly around the city soon turned into a race to the tallest building in the city.
Eve arrived before Mark, she smugly sat on the edge of the building, some cars moved around beneath her feet, the city felt awake even at 4 in the morning on a summer night. It felt good to feel the breeze in her hair. Mark landed harshly on the roof behind her, not startling her at all.
"You cheated." He said as he let himself drop and sit next to her.
"Nah, you're just slow" she mocked him which Mark reciprocated with a small laugh. The air between them still felt a bit tense… his dream was still in the back of their minds.
"You know… I… I wish he would come back.. like normal. Like when I was a kid and he loved me and mum. I wish… time could just go back… in a sense…" Eve turned to look at him, a crinkle in her brow and sadness in her eyes as he played with his hands in his lap, staring and the huge drop under them.
"I don't know how to make it stop. I know he is going to come back and I'm not ready. I'm not ready to face him. To face his people. I'm... weak. I've failed so many times and-"
"You never failed, Mark." Eve interrupted him. " You almost gave your life if it meant saving us time. You fought harder than you ever could. No 17-year-old should go through that. " He looked at her and she just looked at the horizon, not making eye contact with him.
"You're the bravest person I've met. You're kind and thoughtful. Fucking up is human." Eve said. Mark nodded, he understood what she meant. "You're not weak. You don't have to do this on your own. I'm here. The guardians are here. You're the bravest person I've ever met." Her voice became small and shy by the end of her statement.
"Thank you, Eve." He said. She looked at him and he looked back, their gazes meeting for longer than usual. "Anyway… I-.. we should get home… last one there is a rotten egg." Eve said nervously as she let herself drop and flew away quickly. Mark laughed and flew after her, breaking the sound barrier as he flew into the horizon.
***
This wasn't really proof read so forgive me , I wrote it while high as well . ❤️
#mark grayson#mark grayson x atom eve#mark grayson x eve#atom eve#invincible#nolan grayson#invincible season 1#post canon#aged up Mark Grayson#invincible animated series#invincible imagine#invincible finale#best friends to lovers
23 notes
·
View notes
Text
HOLY. MOLY.
This has to be the Lóng-est chapter I’ve written so far! It took me almost two whole days to complete!
Please enjoy the fruits of my labor as we all see what Tang gets up to next!
AO3 Link
<Previous | First | Next>
Scattered Cicadas - Chapter Seven: Scaled Siblings
Tang wakes up in Mei's mansion.
----------
Tang woke from the usual dream signaling the start of a new cycle when his alarm went off. With a sigh he sat up and reflexively clapped his hands. He blinked a bit in surprise when the lights turned on in response. He quickly put on his glasses and looked around.
The room he was in was not one he recognized. It was much larger than he was accustomed too, being the same size as either of the apartments he usually lived in. The opulent decorations also screamed wealth and old money to Tang, something he certainly never had.
As he climbed out of the king sized bed, Tang began to suspect where he was. The amount of green accents and jade adornments everywhere made it fairly obvious.
He was in the Lóng family’s mansion.
Shivering a bit as he rubbed his bare arms, (apparently this version of himself slept shirtless), he quickly made his way over the huge mirror that was standing upright in between a fancy dresser and antique armoire. He needed to know what was going on.
Tang’s mouth hung open when he saw his reflection.
He was young.
He was buff.
Tang gaped at his own body for a few moments. Sure, the scholar had never technically been out of shape in most timelines, but dang he had never been this fit before either.
Blushing in embarrassment once he realized he had just been staring at himself for over a minute, Tang did his best to refocus.
(But damn did he look good.)
He was much younger than usual as well. If the scholar had to guess, he’d say he was only a few years older than MK and Mei now.
He really needed to find out what was happening.
Tang took a breath and began his remembering ritual.
“I am Lóng Tang. I am the current heir to the branch of the Lóng family descended from Huánglóng, the Yellow Dragon.”
What the hell?!
Tang rubbed his temples as he felt a headache coming on. He thought being Tripitaka had been confusing enough, but this was on an entirely different level of unexpected. He needed to keep going or he’d get stuck on this single fact for much too long.
“Every family descended from a dragon traditionally takes on the name Lóng. Even though we aren’t tied by blood, all the Lóng branches consider each other family and treat each other as distant relatives.”
Fascinating, but that didn’t really help ease his confusion much. Next detail.
“I’ve been living with my aunt, uncle, and cousin, who are descended from Ao Run, the Dragon King of the West Sea, for the last four years.”
Well that explained why he was in Mei’s mansion.
“I’ve done so at the request of my aunt and uncle, who are hoping that by setting a good example, Mei will learn from me, grow out of her childish pursuits, and become a proper heir.”
What. The. Hell.
Tang searched his memories thoroughly. There was no way Mei’s parents would have said such a horrible thing to him directly.
He came up with no concrete evidence of his aunt and uncle having ever implied that they found Mei lacking in any way. It seemed this version of himself had simply made that assumption himself.
Tang rolled his eyes. He certainly knew how dangerous making assumptions could be. He needed more information to get a better conclusion.
“Luckily for Mei, I find her to be fun and do my best to act as a buffer between her and her parents. She introduced me to her friend MK back in my first year living here, and he quickly befriended me once I began sharing stories about the Monkey King with him. We all like to hang out at MK’s adoptive father’s noodle shop whenever we all have some free time.”
Tang smiled in relief. At least some things never changed.
“Right now, I should be making my way to the mansion’s training room for my daily workout before heading to my job at the city library.”
Tang blinked as he finally checked the time. 5:17 AM. Eurgh. He should not be feeling this energetic this early.
With a resigned sigh, Tang pulled out a set of exercise clothes from the ridiculously nice dresser and got dressed.
He had always heard exercising was a good way to help clear your head when you had a lot to think about. At least, that’s what a lot of martial arts fiction implied. He hoped that it worked the same in practice.
----------
Tang had never felt so in control of his own body before. The way it seemed to flow from one movement to the next as he began some warm up sets was extremely satisfying.
Just as satisfying was the fact that he was trained in martial arts in this timeline. He never had a real desire to fight, but just knowing how to defend himself was a bit reassuring with what he knew would be coming in the future.
He let his mind wander a bit as he let his muscle memory lead him through his pre-workout routine.
This cycle had broken Tang’s previously held conventions on what he had come to expect within these timelines. He had originally categorized them into five types.
The ones where there were no changes to the original timeline.
The ones where there were only small, relatively insignificant changes.
The ones where new events outside of the ones in the original timeline occurred.
The ones where he was the immortal Tripitaka instead of just his reincarnation.
Finally, there were the ones that combined any number of changes from the previous three types.
Tang moved on to a second, more difficult set as he pondered on this shift in perspective. It was obvious this was a new, sixth type of cycle he simply hadn’t encountered before. This one had completely rewritten his and Mei’s background, making huge alterations to their past that would surely affect the coming future events.
Tang felt a shiver of fear creep down his spine but kept his form steady.
Now that his personal history was almost completely unrecognizable, what did that mean for the “No Interference” rule? It didn’t seem to apply whenever Tang himself didn’t know what the outcome of events could be. So with him having an altered life, did that mean the outcomes of the events he knew of would have been altered as well? Could he get more involved than before now as he never knew what those outcomes would have been? Perhaps he couldn’t directly affect the outcomes, but surely he wouldn’t be punished for offering a bit of backup and support now that he could provide it.
Right?
He smoothly moved onto his final warm up set as another complication occurred to him.
This wouldn’t be the only cycle that would drastically change his and his family’s past. Like the other variants, now that he had experienced one, more would begin to show up with increasing frequency as time went on.
What worried Tang was that they would also share the unpredictability of the others. The vast amount of probable changes were too numerous to even begin guessing what might happen until a cycle began and he could remind himself of his history within it.
He supposed that there was nothing he could do about that until those cycles actually happened, so there was no real point in fretting over it now. He let his worries go as he finished his warm up and took a deep breath.
Tang felt good.
Better than good, actually, he felt energized. Charged up, so to speak. It was exhilarating.
With a grin, Tang focused on the part of himself that was dragon in origin. The energy that swirled within him was powerful; a strange mix of wild strength and immovable sturdiness.
He let warm power fill him as he held out his hand. In a flash of golden-yellow light, the young scholar summoned his family’s own sacred weapon to him. Tang examined it in awe.
Dàdì Zhī Yá.
Fang of the Earth.
It was a masterful work of art.
The magical guandao had been a gift to his ancestors from Huánglóng himself and, just like Mei’s Dragon Blade, seemed to be made entirely out of jade.
It wasn’t the same green jade however. It was made up of three other types of the precious mineral.
The intricately designed blade was a bright yellow jade, matching the color of the scales of its creator. The shaft of the weapon was a rich brown jade, symbolizing the element of Earth Huánglóng was associated with. Finally, the connector for the shaft and blade and the counter-weighted capstone at the butt of the shaft were a deep black jade. It was said to represent the color of ink as Huánglóng had supposedly gifted the knowledge of writing to mankind.
The only part of the weapon that wasn’t made of jade was the royal purple silk tassel that hung from the connecting piece near the blade. It complimented the earthy colors of the rest of the guandao rather nicely.
Tang took the weapon in both hands and got into the proper stance to begin his drills.
He had earned the right to wield the Fang of the Earth roughly six years ago according to his memories and had practiced diligently with it ever since.
Being chosen to be worthy of possessing it had forged a sort of connection between him and the guandao. Normally, the weight alone should have made it impossible for him to lift it, but the connection allowed him to hold it with little difficulty. He had still struggled a bit with how heavy it was despite that, but the years of training had helped him gain the strength and muscle to wield it with incredible precision and control.
Simply being able to pick it up wasn’t the only benefit to being connected to his family’s sacred weapon. It seemed to bond with the dragon energy within him, allowing the scholar to summon it to his side at will. The only drawback was that his hands had to be completely free to do so.
He wondered if the Dragon Blade worked similarly for Mei back in his original timeline.
Tang swung the guandao around skillfully, thinking about his cousin in this cycle.
Lóng Xiǎojiāo. Mei.
The young woman was an endless fountain of optimism and positivity. She had a passion for life and its experiences. Riding her motorcycle was just one of the ways she connected to her innermost self and channeled her enthusiasm for existence.
She was fiercely loyal to her friends and family. She may not be formally trained in a fighting style, but if you hurt her precious people you’d face her wrath.
Mei was generally cheerful and outgoing in most aspects of her life. The single exception had been her relation with her family and their legacy.
Tang frowned as he continued his drills.
In the original timeline, Mei had constantly been under the pressure to behave properly. At least she had until the Dragon Blade had been stolen and she unlocked its power. By embracing being a part of her family despite their differences and by being herself, she had become a worthy successor to her clan’s lineage.
But that was still four months away according to the current date. This was certainly the earliest he’d even woken up before the original events.
His presence here wasn’t helping matters. While he and Mei had become good friends, he couldn’t help but feel that she thought she was constantly being compared to him by her parents.
Again, he had no strong proof about whether that was the case in this cycle. It was just a suspicion he had.
Tang hummed to himself, trying to think of some way to fix this problem while slashing downwards with the Fang of the Earth.
He couldn’t do anything overt that could change things so that she accepted her place in her family too early. He was sure that violated the “No Interference” rule despite the changed history.
Perhaps he could try subtly raising Mei’s self confidence? But how could he go about doing that?
Tang twirled the guandao around him before ending his first set.
As he looked down at his own family’s legacy and heritage, he couldn’t help but think that learning to use the weapon had made him more sure of himself over the years.
Tang blinked.
Huh.
Perhaps he could use that.
He started into his next set of drills, already brainstorming about what he would need to make his plan work.
----------
Tang was certain his earlier suspicions about Mei’s parents were, thankfully, completely wrong. The dinners they shared as a family proved to him that they loved their daughter completely. They just didn’t see eye-to-eye on some things.
He was also able to get their permission and help with the idea he had. That showed how much they actually cared considering the things he had asked for weren’t something people only obsessed with their image and wealth would agree to.
It took nearly three weeks to prepare but he was finally ready.
“Uncle, do you remember that issue we discussed a few weeks ago,” he asked at dinner that evening.
“Oh, is it ready?”
“Yes Uncle.”
“Wonderful! Mei darling,” his uncle addressed the young woman, who eyed him warily.
“Yeah dad?”
“Tang here has come up with a bit of a surprise for you. Would you be willing to join him in the training room after dinner so that he may share it with you?”
“Uhh… I guess so,” Mei agreed hesitantly, glancing over at her older cousin.
“Don’t worry. It’s a good surprise,” Tang reassured.
“It’s also one we support and gave our full permission for,” Mei’s mother added. “Listen to what your cousin has to say and try not to dismiss it right away, dear.”
Tang winced a little as Mei glared down at her plate.
He clamped down at the growl that wanted to roll from his throat at the slightly tactless comment. Dragon instincts had been interesting to deal with these past few weeks. Especially the protective ones.
Dinner finished soon after and Tang led Mei to the training room.
“So what’s this big surprise you’ve got for me,” Mei asked, slouching as she looked around the room.
“Don’t sound too excited now,” Tang drawled as he pulled out a wrapped package.
“I don’t know. Something that has my parents' full support sounds soooo cool,” Mei snarked, earning a snort from the scholar.
“Trust me on this. You’ll like it,” Tang said, slowly unwrapping the item. “How would you like to learn how to wield a sword?”
“Wait, what?” Mei straightened her posture in surprise. She gasped when Tang finally unveiled what he was holding.
A replica of the Dragon Blade.
“Wha- But- How?!” Mei gaped at the sword. It wasn’t an exact copy, but it had the same dimensions as the original.
“Your parents allowed me to commission a copy of the Dragon Blade so that I can begin teaching you how to use it.”
That had been a bit of a hard sell. He had to agree to only go through a smith of their choice and all schematics of the blade had to be destroyed afterwards. But they had gone through with it, at least once he explained it was for Mei’s benefit.
Mei’s expression flickered between several emotions before settling on anger.
Uh oh.
“Oh I get it! This is because I’m ‘undisciplined’ isn’t it,” she bit out, a growl rising in her voice. “I need to be reined in! Taught how to be a dignified heir to the clan like you, right?!”
“No! That’s not-” Tang took a breath. He wouldn’t get through to her if he started yelling too. “That’s not what’s going on here, Mei.”
“Oh? Well it sure looks like it is to me!”
“Will you please let me explain?”
“Ugh!” Mei threw her arms in the air before crossing them and looking away in a huff. “Fine! But once you’re done I’m out of here.”
“That’s okay. No one said you had to go through with this if you didn’t want to,” he reassured. That seemed to make some of the tension ease out of her.
“First, this was my idea, not your parents’. The only thing I needed permission from them was to make this replica.
“As for why... I just wanted to spend more time with you is all.”
“Huh?” Mei looked up at the nervous scholar. “But we hang out all the time!”
“Yes, but that’s usually with MK as well. Not that there’s anything wrong with that,” Tang hastily added at her sudden glare. “I love the kid, really I do!
“But we don’t really do anything that’s just for the two of us. Since I enjoy training with a weapon, I thought it could be something we could share?”
Mei had her brows furrowed in uncertainty.
“But… Why go through the trouble of making a copy of the Dragon Blade then? Couldn’t you just teach me how to wield a guandao as well? That is the weapon you actually know how to use.”
“I suppose that’s a fair point,” Tang conceded. “But what about when you claim the real Dragon Blade for yourself? Shouldn’t you know how to properly use it when that happens?”
“When I-” Mei’s breath caught. “You think I-! I’m not-! My parents would never-!”
“Mei, Mei!” Tang placed a hand on her shoulder and gave a comforting squeeze. “Take a breath. In and out.”
The young woman took a few deep breaths, calming herself. Then she stared into Tang’s eyes, looking for any deception.
“Do you really think mom and dad would ever let me use the blade?”
“I’m not sure what they might do.” That was a slight lie, but he couldn’t force her into a realization about her family too early. He was pushing it as it was just by telling her he thought she’d get the blade.
“But I do know you. You’re optimistic. You’re funny. You’re loyal. You’re incredibly brave. I’m sure that just by being yourself everything will turn out.” That was not a lie. His cousin was all those things and he admired her for it.
Mei, who had tears in her eyes, launched herself at him and pulled him into a hug. Her grip was powered by her dragon strength, but luckily for Tang this time, he had his own so he wasn’t crushed in the embrace.
“Thank you Tang.”
“No problem, Mei.” He held her for a moment before pulling away and asked, “So does this mean you want to learn swordplay?”
“Heck yeah it does!” Mei pumped her fists into the air. “This is going to be awesome!”
“Good.” Tang gave a mischievous smirk. “Then I expect you to be here bright and early tomorrow morning.”
Mei froze in her celebrations.
“Uh… How early, exactly” she asked nervously.
Tang’s grin was filled with too many fangs as his eyes sparkled with humor.
“5:30 sharp.”
“NOOOOOOOO!” Mei’s dramatic cry of horror and slump to the floor made Tang burst out in laughter.
Who knew teasing a younger relative could be so much fun?
----------
Tang grit his teeth as he slashed through another bull clone with Fang of the Earth.
It was finally the day of Demon Bull King’s invasion and the group had just returned from the volcanic ring where MK had seemed to perish. They were fighting their way through the army of bull clones in an attempt to get to the center of the city where Demon Bull King was.
What they were planning to do once they reached him, Tang still had no clue no matter how many timelines he lived through.
Tang dodged a strike from his left and countered with a quick sweep of his guandao.
There were definitely way more clones than there were originally. He supposed that this was whatever higher power that controlled the cycle's way of balancing out his ability to actually help out.
He dispatched the group of enemies surrounding him and looked around.
There was Pigsy who was beating away clones with a loose pipe. Sandy stood next to the chef, deflecting any attacks that came their way with two trash can lids. Where was-
Tang’s pulse quickened when he heard Mei scream.
He searched frantically, dodging or redirecting the strikes coming his way when-
There!
Mei was backed up against a building, surrounded by clones. She was holding a gash on her arm and the broken remains of her training sword lay at her feet.
She looked scared.
Tang could feel it as his eyes narrowed into slits and a menacing growl tore from his throat. With a roar of fury, he leapt into the air towards Mei.
He let his power loose, manifesting an avatar of his dragon form behind him as he filled the Fang of Earth with golden-yellow energy.
“STAY AWAY FROM MY SISTER!”
He landed in front of Mei and shouted in rage as he stabbed the ground with the guandao. A shock wave of power spread through the earth around them, causing it to spike up to stab any clone it passed.
The energy dissipated once all the bull clones in the area had been destroyed. Satisfied they were safe for the moment, Tang swiftly turned around and began checking over Mei.
“Are you alright Mei?! What am I saying, of course you aren't! You’re bleeding! Let me see that.” The dragon scholar fussed over the young woman, inspecting the wound before tearing off the hem of his robe to serve as a bandage.
“Did… Did you just call me your sister?” Mei’s eyes were wide as she stared at him.
Tang froze for a moment. Had he?
Oh. He supposed he had.
Well that explained where the fondness and protective feelings he had developed for her over the course of their daily training came from.
Tang finished tying off the bandage before looking at Mei.
“Is… Is that okay,” he asked nervously. “Because if you aren’t okay with it I won’t call you that again- oof!”
He was cut off by Mei launching herself at him and hugging him tightly.
“Of course it's okay you goof!” He could hear her sniffles as she fought back tears.
“Oh! Well… That’s, uh, good,” Tang relaxed into the hug as his nervousness melted away.
Mei snickered and pulled away, giving him a blinding smile.
“Come on, big bro. We’ve got a city to save!”
Tang felt his own face light up as he picked up Fang of the Earth and followed his sister to regroup with Pigsy and Sandy.
He knew they were no match for Demon Bull King and would have to wait for MK’s arrival to defeat him, but right now Tang felt like he could take on anything.
----------
Tang grew accustomed to being able to help in fights. They had all been scaled up in scope so that while his support was useful, it was never the tipping point that could change the outcome into something different.
The cycle moved on swiftly.
He celebrated with Mei and her parents when she obtained ownership of the real Dragon Blade.
He fought in their resistance when the Demon Bull King invaded a second time.
He did his best to be there for MK when the signs of his stress began to show.
All too soon, the day of training in the desert came.
Lady Bone Demon’s attack was just as brutal as ever.
However, when he and the rest of the group jumped to attack her once MK got caught, Tang instinctively dodged out of the way of her retaliation.
Before he could think of the potential consequences of attempting to change the outcome, he began to slash downwards with the Fang of the Earth.
Only to be stopped dead in the air when the Mayor grabbed the blade with no effort.
Tang felt dread crawl up his spine as the demon smiled nonchalantly at him. Flashbacks to that early cycle triggered in his mind, causing him to freeze up.
The Mayor casually ripped the guandao from Tang’s loose grasp, tossing it over his shoulder like a discarded piece of trash. Then he punched the dragon scholar with enough force to launch him back onto the ship.
Tang could only assume the events continued as normal from there.
He was too busy having a panic attack to notice.
Years of training and experience and still he was powerless against that man! He vaguely acknowledged he had started to cry at some point.
“Tang! Big brother! It’s okay. He’s gone. We got away.” Mei was holding him as he sobbed.
“M-mei?”
“I’m here, big brother. We’re safe.”
Tang began to breathe deeply in order to calm himself. He wanted to be composed when Wukong showed up with MK so as not to worry them too much.
He hugged Mei fiercely before pulling away.
“T-thanks, little sister,” he said with a shaky smile. She just smiled back and helped him to his feet.
As he leaned against the younger woman, Tang couldn’t help but feel extremely lucky to have gotten to know her like this.
She was fierce, loyal, brave, and kind.
She was the best sister someone could have ever asked for.
----------
Welcome to the Golden Dragon Tang AU!
This is my own personal creation, and most of the prominent details (minus Tang knowing the future from timeline jumping) are laid out in this chapter. If I got any of the details about the Yellow Dragon wrong I apologize! I'm not a mythology expert.
A guandao is basically the Chinese equivalent of a glaive; a short sword mounted on a 1-2 meter pole. I may get around to drawing Fang of the Earth at some point. Also please forgive me if the Chinese for the name is wrong for I am but a humble google translate user.
In case you haven’t noticed, a few of the chapters have been dedicated strictly to character studies of the other members of the Monkie Kid crew through Tang’s perspective. Mei’s just happened to occur at the same time as my really long debut of the cool AU I had made up! Also does anyone have some good fanon names for Mei’s parents? I was dying never referring to them by name.
And yes, Tang does still have some issues with the Mayor. I’m sure that won’t be too relevant in the future.
Thanks for reading! Let me know what you thought and see you next time!
#Ink Writes#Monkie Kid#Scattered Cicadas#Golden Dragon Tang AU#Tang#Tang Monkie Kid#Mei#Lóng Xiǎojiāo#Mei's Parents#MK#Pigsy#Sandy#Demon Bull King#The Mayor#Sun Wukong
9 notes
·
View notes
Text
(On A03 here)
15 November 2018
[To: Phones]: Just you wait. Imma find you yo.
[To: Phones]: Ill bring you back.
[To: Phones]: You gotta hang in there
16 November 2018
[To: Phones]: That Reaper did something dammit. Its like only me an Shiki remember you.
[To: Phones]: But dont worry once I get ya back well fix this.
[To: Phones]: Gonna scour Shibuya till I find out whats goin on.
17 November 2018
[To: Phones]: You better be alive Phones.
[To: Phones]: Ya know what I mean...
18 November 2018
[To: Phones]: AARGH
[To: Phones]: Aint no sign of any Reapers. They gotta be here.
[To: Phones]: Ill figure this out
20 November 2018
[To: Phones]: Aint stopped searching. I know you out there
[To: Phones]: I can feel it yo. You can too right?
[To: Phones]: We still synced I know it.
22 November 2018
[To: Phones]: still looking
[To: Phones]: Are you even getting these
[To: Phones]: Aint matter...
[To: Phones]: Your number ain't showin as disconnected. Thats something.
13 November 2018
[To: Phones]: I guess this ain't a normal Reapers Game. Youd be back now...
[To: Phones]: Not like any of us expected it to be.
25 November 2018
[To: Phones]: Had a weird dream.
[To: Phones]: Like I was figthin by your side again. But I aint know where it was.
[To: Phones]: Not Shibuya.
29 November 2018
[To: Phones]: Still nothing. Aint gonna stop me.
[To: Phones]: I miss you... (unsent)
1 December 2018
[To: Phones]: Still looking.
5 December 2018
[To: Phones]: Raining. Skating in the rain kind of sucks.
7 December 2018
[To: Phones]: Had that weird dream again.
[To: Phones]: I know that means you still out there.
10 December 2018
[To: Phones]: You better be hanging in there.
[To: Phones]: I aint think it was gonna take this long.
[To: Phones]: Even if ya got screwed over like our Game... you should be back by now right?
[To: Phones]: They really pulling some shit.
[To: Phones]: I can't stand it yo.
15 December 2018
[To: Phones]: It actually snowed a bit. Weird.
[To: Phones]: Maybe one day Ill learn to snowboard.
17 December 2018
[To: Phones]: Had to take a family holiday photo ugh.
[To: Phones]: If the Reapers is looking for more ways to torture people
[To: Phones]: That's one of them.
20 December 2018
[To: Phones]: It's COLD. I hope it aint like this where you are.
23 December 2018
[To: Phones]: Dont think Im giving up yo.
[To: Phones]: Had that dream again.
24 December 2018
[To: Phones]: Rhyme made like 300 Christmas cookies.
25 December 2018
[To: Phones]: Merry Christmas
[To: Phones]: I ate too much
17 December 2018
[To: Phones]: Dammit where ARE you.
1 January 2019
[To: Phones]: New year new chances to find you.
5 January 2019
[To: Phones]: You holdin up?
10 January 2019
[To: Phones]: Still cold.
17 January 2019
[To: Phones]: Shiki and Eri's are gonna try selling their stuff
20 January 2019
[To: Phones]: IM GONNA FIND YOU DAMN IT
[To: Phones]: I can still feel it. I know you there even if you aint get these.
23 January 2019
[To: Phones]: You got Partners again? I hope you ain't alone...
[To: Phones]: It's been so long
[To: Phones]: But these are still going through...
[To: Phones]: And I can still feel you. I know thats what this feeling is.
27 January 2019
[To: Phones]: Aint giving up
[To: Phones]: I miss you. (unsent)
[To: Phones]: You should be here by now (unsent)
1 February 2019
[To: Phones]: Shiki and Eri's stuff is really takin' off.
12 February 2019
[To: Phones]: Sorry school and shit getting to me
[To: Phones]: Even if I aint check in Im still here
[To: Phones]: And still looking
20 February 2019
[To: Phones]: You better be kickin Noise and Reaper ass yo.
3 March 2019
[To: Phones]: Rhyme is really into computers now
[To: Phones]: I ain't understand shit.
[To: Phones]: At least she aint talk like Tabooty
17 March 2019
[To: Phones]: You better be ok.
27 March 2019
[To: Phones]: I totally aced a test today!
29 March 2019
[To: Phones]: That dream...
[To: Phones]: Where ARE you (unsent)
5 April 2019
[To: Phones]: Still looking
12 April 2019
[To: Phones]: Thought by now I'd track down at least one Reaper yo.
[To: Phones]: Aint like Pixie Chick blends in
20 April 2019
[To: Phones]: Damn it Phones where the hell are you
[To: Phones]: Shibuya feels like its moving on
[To: Phones]: Its just wrong yo.
27 April 2019
[To: Phones]: I know there's Reapers in the RG
[To: Phones]: I swear I'll find 'em and make 'em talk.
5 May 2019
[To: Phones]: Is this hopeless? (unsent)
[To: Phones]: Well I guess we know who's got the higher Noise Erased count now.
20 May 2019
[To: Phones]: I think I've memorized every side street and alleyway in this city.
[To: Phones]: When you back Ill be able to show you around blindfolded.
2 June 2019
[To: Phones]: HOT.
13 June 2019
[To: Phones]: People really love Mr. Mew
[To: Phones]: Shiki an Eri might be getting an actual shop to sell stuff in.
24 June 2019
[To: Phones]: I want to go to the beach.
[To: Phones]: You ever gone there?
[To: Phones]: Can't imagine you in trunks.
[To: Phones]: akljf;ds
5 July 2019
[To: Phones]: How you holdin up
18 July 2019
[To: Phones]: Who decided hot and sticky was a good temperature for anything
29 July 2019
[To: Phones]: I aint giving up you better not either.
1 August 2019
[To: Phones]: Rhyme is scary good with computers. She said something about hacking. Should I be afraid?
17 August 2019
[To: Phones]: Guess who fought a cicada.
22 August 2019
[To: Phones]: The hell is with these dreams.
5 September 2019
[To: Phones]: I ain't know how many times Ive walked the same streets.
6 September 2019
[To: Phones]: Dont think that last text means I given up. I aint.
20 September 2019
[To: Phones]: This city has changed so much. So many new places.
[To: Phones]: Can't wait to show you.
1 October 2019
[To: Phones]: How many Noise you beat by now?
10 October 2019
[To: Phones]: Everyone wants to go to Shibuya Halloween this year.
31 October 2019
[To: Phones]: THIS WAS A BAD IDEA I AIN'T NEVER SEEN SO MANY PEOPLE.
[To: Phones]: It took 45 minutes to leave the station and get across the Scramble.
[To: Phones]: We were all bullied into wearing Mr. Mew costumes.
[To: Phones]: Rhyme wants me to clarify that only I was bullied.
7 November 2019
[To: Phones]: Really hoped with all those Halloween vibes that maybe something would turn up.
[To: Phones]: All that stuff about ghosts and shit.
[To: Phones]: Still nothing.
20 November 2019
[To: Phones]: I ain't giving up.
1 December 2019
[To: Phones]: It's December again...
19 December 2019
[To: Phones]: You really gotta see all these lights
[To: Phones]: One day.
20 December 2019
[To: Phones]: No escape from Family Holiday Photos.
24 December 2019
[To: Phones]: Too many Christmas cookies.
25 December 2019
[To: Phones]: Merry Christmas kick some Noise ass.
1 January 2020
[To: Phones]: This will be the year.
1 February 2020
[To: Phones]: Ok so maybe it wasn't the month. But it's still gonna be the year.
4 March 2020
[To: Phones]: Im sorry I couldnt find you sooner (unsent)
[To: Phones]: This is takin longer than I thought.
17 March 2020
[To: Phones]: You got this.
1 April 2020
[To: Phones]: Aint giving up.
1 May 2020
[To: Phones]: Sorry... school and shit.
[To: Phones]: Dont worry though. Im still here.
[To: Phones]: I know you are too.
1 June 2020
[To: Phones]: I hope its cooler wherever you are.
1 July 2020
[To: Phones]: Even CAT hasn't done anything in months. I wonder what happened to Mr H.
1 August 2020
[To: Phones]: Still get those dreams once in a while
[To: Phones]: Do you...
1 September 2020
[To: Phones]: Fall again...
1 October 2020
[To: Phones]: Ok this year we'll be prepared for Shibuya Halloween.
31 October 2020
[To: Phones]: Ok ain't no way to prepare for that.
[To: Phones]: One of these days you gonna suffer with us.
1 November 2020
[To: Phones]: I will find you. No matter how long it takes.
1 December 2020
[To: Phones]: December again...
[To: Phones]: Damn it.
[To: Phones]: Please be alright.
1 January 2021
[To: Phones]: OK THIS YEAR. I KNOW IT.
[To: Phones]: I wonder what you look like now.
[To: Phones]: Will I recognize you? (unsent)
10 January 2021
[To: Phones]: Fuck. College is next year...
1 February 2021
[To: Phones]: Gatto Nero is gonna get a shop in 104! Can you believe it?
1 March 2021
[To: Phones]: Rhyme says she working on something. Iono what that means...
1 April 2021
[To: Phones]: That dream again. Something feels different yo.
1 May 2021
[To: Phones]: Somethin's weird. Aint had a feeling like this in a long time.
[To: Phones]: Hang in there.
1 June 2021
[To: Phones]: Pins are getting popular again. Even Gatto Nero's getting' in on it. You outta see these designs!
1 July 2021
[To: Phones]: Rhyme says she close to a breakthrough. I aint know on what but she says its gonna help.
27 July 2021
[To: Phones]: Something is definitely goin down yo. You feel it too?
[To: Phones]: We close, I know it.
[To: Phones]: This time fo sho.
[To: Phones]: You comin home.
#Why did I feel COMPELLED to do this?#This was my morning.#SUFFER WITH ME#cut for length#🍛Muse || Beat#:D
3 notes
·
View notes
Text
Change - Ch. 1 | S E V E N
Pairing - Bill Denbrough x reader
Word Count - 4,475
A/N - it’s been a bit hasn’t it? I’m so sorry for the semi-long wait! it’s getting near the end of my basketball season so I’ve been busy with senior night (which went great but was very emotional) and trying to wrap the season up while also juggling the mounds of homework my teachers have thrown at me. anyways, here’s an update for you all! I really hope you like it! and for those reading Wonderwall (my Steve Harrington rewrite) I’m currently working on an update for that as well!
if you all would like to be added to the tag list, let me know!
C H A N G E
Change Series Masterlist
* - * - * - * - * - * - * - *
S E V E N - Pictures
* - * - * - * - * - * - * - *
Y/N was silent as she held onto her cousin's arm, standing close to him due to the bit of fear coursing through her body. Her eyes flickered over the missing poster in front of her, the name Edward Corcoran and the words 13 years old standing out almost as much as the thick bold letters spelling out missing.
Edward had been her age, a kid just like her and all of the other members of the Losers' Club. What had happened to him was still unknown, but Y/N couldn't stop thinking about that clown that not only her, but Bill, Beverly, Stan, and Eddie had seen as well.
"They say they found part of his hand all chewed up near the standpipe," Stan muttered as he shuffled awkwardly where he stood. His words made Y/N gulp and she gave him a questioning look as to why he would say something like that as she let go of his arm. Stan only gave her a look in response, confused by what she was doing.
"He asked to borrow a pencil once," Ben commented, and Y/N felt like she might be sick. Something about knowing that they had known Edward made the situation that much more real. After all he was a boy that had used to walk the same hallways as her cousin. He wasn't the first one to disappear like this and it didn't seem like he was going to be the last.
A commotion coming from the steeet caught Y/N's attention and she turned her head to lock eyes on Richie who was currently playing one of the band kid's instruments while the kid desperately tried to wrestle it out of his hands. The corners of her lips tugged up ever so slightly as she watched Richie, her eyes then flickering over the parade going by before a movement out of the corner of her eye had her turning back to the others.
Bill was walking towards the flyer and he hesitated before gently lifting the paper up to reveal another missing flyer for a girl named Betty Ripsom. Bill sighed before letting his eyes flicker over to his friends, his gaze instantly locking with Y/N's.
"It's like she's been f-f-forgotten because Corcoran's missing," Bill said, his words making Y/N frown slightly and look to her feet while Bill hung his head and put Edward's flyer back down.
"Is it ever gonna end?" Stan questioned.
"What the fuck, dude?" Richie's voice could be heard yelling out in frustration as the band kid tore his instrument away from the boy before running away.
"What are you guys talking about?" Eddie asked as he came up behind Y/N. The girl jumped in surprise and Eddie flashed her an apologetic look as he licked one of the ice cream cones in his hands.
"What they always talk about," Richie replied in annoyance as Eddie handed the boy the other ice cream cone.
"I actually think it will end, for a little while, at least," Ben told them.
"What do you mean?" Beverly asked, everyone's eyes now on the young boy.
"So I was going over all of my Derry research and I charted out all of the big events. The Ironworks explosion in 1908. The Bradley Gang in '35 and The Black Spot in '62. And now kids being. . ." Ben trailed off as his gaze fell on Bill. He quickly looked away and sighed as he said, "I realized this stuff seems to happen-"
"Every 27 years," Ben, Y/N, and Bill all uttered in unison, Y/N and Bill both making eye contact as those words left their mouths.
It was silent as the group stood there before Y/N shook her head and whispered out, "Shit." All eyes turned to the girl who put a hand to her head almost in pain before she turned and began to walk away, the action causing them all to look at her confused.
"Y/N?" Bill called out, his voice soft and filled with concern.
"I. . .I just need to sit down," Y/N replied with a wave of her hand as she walked down the street. The others all shared a look before quickly following after her, not wanting her to be alone.
Before long, the group had ended up sitting down at a park bench set up in the middle of town. Beverly, Stan, Mike, and Ben all sat on the green bench while Richie, Eddie, and Bill were seated on their bikes. As for Y/N, she was sitting on the ground by Bill's side.
She was resting her head against Bill's leg, something that hadn't gone unnoticed by Bill or Stan, and was pinching the bridge of her nose as she tried to wrap her head around everything that she had been told over the past couple of days and everything that she had witnessed since she got here.
Derry was definitely a little stranger than the last time she had been there that was for sure.
"Ok, so let me get this straight. It comes out from wherever to eat kids for like a year and then what? It just goes into hibernation?" Eddie finally asked
"Maybe it's like. . .what do you call it? Cicadas. You know, the bugs that come out once every 17 years," Stan suggested while Y/N removed her hand to scrunch up her nose and look to her cousin.
"I don't think it's that," Y/N muttered with a shake of her head. Cicadas and kids going missing were not the same thing at all.
"My grandfather thinks this town is cursed. He says that all the bad things that happened in this town are because of one thing. An evil thing that feeds off the people of Derry," Mike explained.
Y/N's stomach grew queasy again and she let out a soft groan as she laid back against Bill's leg, the boy reaching down to brush some of the hair out of her face almost automatically before the two shared a small smile.
"But it can't be one thing. We all saw something different," Stan pointed out.
"Maybe. Or maybe It knows what scares us most and that's what we see," Mike suggested.
"But I don't. . .I don't fear my father," Y/N argued.
"Did he do or say something that scares you?" Mike asked, wondering if it wasn't Y/N's father that scared her but something else that he might've done or said.
Y/N's face fell at that and a flash of pain flickering across her face before she looked down, the sudden realization of what fear her father was supposed to represent hitting her harder than she had expected. For one of the things she feared most in the world was being the reason her parents split up and for being the reason her family wasn't a family anymore.
It didn't take much for the others to know that she had realized what her fear was, but Eddie knew she wouldn't want to talk about it and was quick to speak up, "I-I saw a leper. He was like a walking infection." Everyone's gaze turned to him and Y/N gave him a thankful smile which he returned.
"But you didn't. Because It isn't real. None of this is. Not Eddie's leper or Bill seeing Georgie or Y/N seeing her father or the woman I keep seeing," Stan insisted, the others all looking down as they tried to believe Stan's words. For it was better to think that they were all hallucinating than to know that something out there was changing into their worst fears.
"Is she hot?" Richie suddenly asked in pure curiosity that made Stan scrunch his nose up in disgust and glare at his friend.
"No, Richie. She's not hot. Her face is all messed up," Stan explained with a tad bit of aggression while Richie frowned. "None of this makes any sense. They're all like bad dreams."
"Nightmares," Y/N whispered, her face pale as she ran a hand through her hair. By now she was thinking of all of her fears and what It could do to her that she was more frightened now than she had been five minutes ago.
"I don't think so, I know the difference between a bad dream and real life, okay?" Mike told them, the seriousness in his voice making them fall quiet.
"What did you see? You saw something too?" Eddie asked.
"Yes," Mike muttered, his head falling as his eyes glazed over as if he were seeing the memory before his very eyes. "You guys know that burnt down house on Harris Avenue? I was inside when it burned down. Before I was rescued my mom and dad were trapped in the next room over from me. They were pushing and pounding on the door trying to get to me. But it was too hot. When the firefighters finally found them. . .the skin on their hands melted down to the bone."
A heavy silence fell among the group and Mike let his eyes flicker over each of them before firmly saying, "We're all afraid of something."
"Got that right," Richie said causing Y/N to look to him.
"What about you, Tozier? What are you afraid of?" Y/N asked, her voice soft as she looked to the boy. He glanced down at her for a second before sighing and looking back at the stage behind them which had a clown on stage.
"Clowns."
- - -
Bill let out a small sigh of frustration as he struggled to keep the blueprints on the wall from moving as he pinned them up. Before he could yell at one of his friends to help him, a small and gentle voice said, "Here, I'll help."
Bill didn't even have time to blink before Y/N was sliding up beside him to hold the paper up while he was able to pin the blueprint to the wall. Once it was secure, the two brought their arms down and looked to each other. "Thanks," Bill whispered before the two smiled softly at each other.
"Okay, lovebirds! If you aren't going to fucking kiss then sit down!" Richie exclaimed in slight amusement and annoyance, a few chuckles escaping his lips at the sight of Bill and Y/N blushing a deep red before they walked away from the blueprint.
Mike pulled the door to Bill's garage down while Eddie flipped on the projector that Bill had him set up. The Losers then all crowded around the projector while Bill put a slide in. Y/N and Bill locked eyes for a split second before Y/N quickly turned away and sat down beside Eddie on the floor, the boy sending a small smile in her direction which she quickly returned before they looked to the blueprints which had a projection of an old Derry map on top of it.
"Okay. Look. That's where G-G-Georgie disappeared. There's the Ironworks and the Black Spot. Everywhere It happens it's-it's all connected by the sewers and they all meet up at the-" Bill began as he pointed towards the spots marked on the map.
"The Well House," Ben said in surprise.
"Well House?" Y/N questioned, not knowing what they were talking about.
"That's the house on Neibolt Street," Stan explained, his voice shaking slightly as he spoke.
"You mean that creepy-ass house where all the junkies and hobos like to sleep?" Richie questioned while Eddie began to panic. The boy quickly pulled his inhaler out and took a hit before breathing heavily beside Y/N. The girl frowned and was quick to put a hand on Eddie's back, gently rubbing up and down his back in a comforting manner and helping the boy to calm down.
"I hate that place," Beverly admitted. "Always feels like it's watching me."
Eddie was finally able to calm down enough to sit back up straight and he leaned into Y/N's touch slightly, seeking the sisterly comfort she seemed to be giving him and that he used to receive from her when they were younger.
"That's where I saw It," Eddie told them. "That's where I saw the clown."
"Tha-tha-tha-that's where It lives," Bill concluded, the statement being enough to make Eddie use his inhaler once again.
"I can't imagine anything ever wanting to live there," Stan muttered.
"Guys," Y/N said in warning as she noticed Eddie's panicking state, but the boy was already jumping to his feet and turning to look at his friends.
"Can we stop talking about this?" Eddie asked. "I-I-I can barely breathe and-and-and Y/N's not even able to calm me down like she always does. It's summer. We're kids, I can barely breathe. I'm having a fucking asthma attack and fuck doing this!"
Eddie turned around and quickly grabbed ahold of the blueprint map that Bill and Y/N had just put up and ripped it off the wall. "What the hell! Put the map back!" Bill yelled while Eddie shook his head.
Y/N sighed and quickly got up from her spot before walking over to the boy. "Eds, it's okay," Y/N assured him while the boy watched her wearily.
"Woah! Woah! Woah! How come she gets to call you Eds without you biting her head off?" Richie complained.
"Because she's not an asshole like you!" Eddie exclaimed while Richie frowned and muttered something under his breath.
It was at that moment that the projector flickered on and off, the slide changing to a blank one and causing the group to look to Bill who was staring at the projector confused. The projector did the motion again and a picture of Georgie and Mr. Denbrough appeared in the place of the map. Although this time everyone had noticed that Bill hadn't been the one to change the slides.
"What happened?" Bill asked confused as the slides moved again, family pictures of the four Denbroughs appearing before them. "What's going on?"
Eddie slowly began to back away while Y/N merely looked at the pictures in confusion before looking back at Bill. "Bill, what's happening?" Y/N questioned.
"I don't know," Bill shook his head as Mike came over and tried to stop the projector only to find that he couldn't. His eyes then flickered up to the screen and he muttered, "Guys. . ."
Y/N turned back around and watched as pictures of Bill and Georgie appeared on the screen before there was another family picture of the Denbroughs. Although this time it began to zoom in on Georgie in the picture with each click of the projector.
"Georgie," Bill muttered before the projector began to move faster.
"Uh. . .Y/N," Stan said in a panicked voice as he noticed that his cousin was still so far away from him.
However, everyone fell silent and seemed to become mesmerized as they watched the picture suddenly shift view over to Mrs. Denbrough. For a moment it seemed as if her hair was moving with each click of the projector and it didn't take Y/N or the others long to realize that it was moving with each click.
The hair quickly covered his mother's face before slowly starting to move away. With each click, the new face began to be revealed and Y/N felt her breath hitch in her throat once she realized the clown was suddenly coming into view.
It was like she was frozen in terror, the only thing registering in her head was her friends yelling out as they desperately tried to stop the projector.
"What the fuck?"
"It's It!"
"What the fuck is that?"
"I don't fucking know!"
"Turn it off!"
"Yes, turn it off!"
Mike was the one to react and he quickly kicked the stand the projector was on, sending the projector tumbling to the ground. The picture appeared again only the clown was now gone and all that was left was the empty background of the picture.
Y/N was breathing heavily as she finally blinked out of whatever trance she had been in. Her body was shaking as she looked back at the others with wide eyes only to find them all looking behind her with wide eyes before Bill looked to Y/N in fright and yelled out, "Y/N, get away!"
Y/N felt her whole body tense at that and for some stupid and unknown reason she decided to turn around only to find that there was nothing there. Her shoulders relaxed slightly and she went to turn back at her friends only for the clown suddenly to appear out of no where, it's body now ten times bigger and crawling out of the projected image.
A scream fell from Y/N's lips as the clown turned to look at her and she heard Stan cry out her name among the scream of the others. That was enough to have her moving and Y/N tried to scramble away only for something to grab onto her leg.
Y/N quickly slammed into the ground and turned only to find that It had ahold of her leg. Another scream left her lips and tears were filling her eyes by now as she felt an immense pain in her leg.
It let go of her for a split second and Y/N tried to crawl away as best as she could while It just watched her in amusement. She didn't know what her cousin or her friends were doing at that moment, but for a split second she thought that they had left her and that she was going to die.
Y/N was crying as she crawled across the floor only to get trapped in the corner of the garage while It stared directly at her, his hand outstretched in her direction as he went to grab for her.
"Y/N!" Bill's voice yelled out before he was suddenly grabbing onto the garage door and flinging it up, allowing the light to pour into the garage. The clown disappeared almost immediately and the last thing to be heard was an ear piercing scream from Y/N as she huddled more into herself in the corner of Bill's garage.
Once nothing came for her, Y/N allowed her eyes to flicker open only to find the garage was now empty. This alone was enough to make her break down and Y/N began to sob as she hugged her knees close to her body, the others all standing there breathing heavily as they tried to process what had just happened.
Bill was the only one unfazed and shoved past Stan who was staring at his cousin with wide eyes, a look of pure horror on his face as he had almost seen his best friend die before his very eyes and hadn't been able to do anything about it.
Bill was in front of Y/N in seconds and the girl didn't even hesitate before lunging forward and into Bill's arms, the boy holding her tight while she cried into his shirt. He tucked her head under his chin and cradled the back of her head against his chest as he gently rocked her back and forth, whispering softly to her that she was okay while she cried in his arms.
"It saw us," Eddie whispered once Y/N's cries has quieted. She was still holding onto Bill tightly, the boy having not loosened his grip at all either, but the two turned their gazes to Eddie who was gripping onto his inhaler. "It saw us and It knows where we are."
"It always knew," Bill muttered, those words making Y/N quiet once again. Bill looked down at the girl and his mind was instantly made up on what had to happen next. He gave the girl one last squeeze and even kissed the top of her head before reluctantly pulling away from her, ignoring the heartbroken look in her eyes as she desperately tried to keep hold of him.
Bill stood up and glanced at Stan who took the hint and rushed over to his cousin before helping her up onto her feet. Bill was just about to walk out when he heard a hiss from behind him that had the boy turning around to see Y/N turn her leg for them all to see. He, along with all the others, paled at the sight of two long scratches down the back of her leg, blood rolling down her leg and making Eddie stumble back slightly from the sight.
"Shit," Richie muttered, his eyes filling with concern as he looked at Y/N and gulped.
Y/N's injury only seemed to fuel Bill's rage and he shook his head before storming out of the garage with a new purpose. "Let's go," Bill demanded.
"Go? Go where?" Beverly asked.
"Neibolt," Bill explained and, not wanting to admit his feelings for Y/N and how desperately he wanted to kill that clown for harming her or his brother, added, "That's where G-G-Georgie is."
"After that?" Stan asked appalled as he held his cousin up steady beside him. "After Y/N just got hurt?"
"Yeah, Y/N's hurt and we should help her. Besides it's summer, we should be outside. . ." Richie said.
"If you say it's summer one more f-f-f-fucking time," Bill muttered before letting his eyes flicker over his friends. Each one of them obviously wanted to stay right where they were and it made Bill even angrier than he already was. But then his eyes had landed on Y/N and his face softened ever so slightly as he noticed the utter pain in her eyes as she tried to limp forward and to him.
Shaking his head and knowing that not only would his friends not come, but that he couldn't allow Y/N to face that clown again, Bill turned around and grabbed his bike before beginning to bike away.
"Bill?" Y/N called after the boy, shoving Stan's grip away from her as she desperately tried to limp forward as fast as she could just to stop the boy from leaving by himself. "Wait!"
But Bill was already gone.
- - -
It took a minute for Y/N to convince Stan to let her on to his bike and another few minutes of convincing Eddie to allow her to leave with only a bandage lazily thrown over her wound, but the group was eventually biking after Bill side by side until they reached the Well House. Y/N could see Bill walking up the old stairs and her eyes widened before she yelled out, "Bill!"
Bill turned around in surprise, his eyes locking on Y/N who struggled to get off Stan's bike before she limped over to the stairs as fast as she could, wincing as she did. "Bill, you can't go in there," Y/N pleaded as she reached the stairs. "At least not alone."
Bill looked to the girl with surprise still evident on his face but it quickly washed away once he heard Beverly cry out, "This is crazy." Beverly and the others were behind Y/N in seconds and Bill frowned as he looked at the group.
"Look, you don't have to come in with me, but what happens when another Georgie goes missing, or another Betty or another Ed Corcoran or one of us? Are you just going to pretend it didn't happen like everyone else in this town? Because I can't. I go home and all I see is that Georgie isn't there, his clothes, his toys, his stupid stuffed animal but he isn't. So walking into this house for me. . .it's easier that walking into my own," Bill told them, his voice steady although he had tears in his eyes.
Bill then turned and finished walking up the stairs while Y/N watched him go with a sad look on her face. Her leg was on fire, but she didn't care at the moment because all that mattered was Bill.
"Wow," Richie muttered.
"What?" Ben asked.
"He didn't stutter once," Richie pointed out.
No one made a move to go after the boy and Y/N glanced at her friends before shaking her head and limping over to the stairs. It was a struggle to get up the stairs, but now that the adrenaline was coursing through her body and the initial pain of the injury was gone, it was bearable enough for her to be able to get through the pain for this.
Bill heard the footsteps before he could get to the door and he turned, his face softening at the sight of Y/N limping up the stairs. He didn't even hesitate before going over and holding a hand out for her. She took it and he helped her up the rest of the stairs before she stumbled slightly into him. Bill was quick to steady her and the two stared at each other in silence before Y/N gave him a small nod and whispered, "I'm with you."
Her words were enough to make Bill smile and his heart couldn't help but skip a beat as his feelings for the girl grew even more. He couldn't even find it in himself to tell the girl she couldn't come, for the way she looked at him dead in the eye and the seriousness of her voice was enough to tell him that she really would be by his side through this all, that she wouldn't let him do this alone even if she was hurt.
Y/N eventually tore her eyes away from Bill and looked to the others almost pleadingly and it didn't take much more than Bill's words and Y/N's pleading stare to have them start moving toward the stairs.
"Wait!" Stan cried out, instantly stopping everyone in their tracks. "Uhhh, shouldn't we have some people keep watch. You know, just in case something bad happens?"
Y/N didn't blame her cousin for not wanting to go into that house. After all, a small part of herself was telling her to grab her cousin and get on his bike before pedaling far away. But something was stopping her from doing so and she actually found herself wanting to go in there and kill that clown herself.
"Wh-Wh-Wh-Who wants to stay out here?" Bill asked and everyone in the group except for Bill, Beverly, and Y/N raised their hands. Richie was the first one to notice this and sighed as he lowered his hand.
"Fuck."
* * *
Permanent Tag List
@marvelismylifffe @purplelittlepup @amberkay284 @blogforhoes @artlovingbre @the-story-of-the-tucks @you-s-suckbowers @thisismythirdblogandihatethat
Series Tag List
@starshininginthedark @luckygirl144 @tinycolorwhispers @deviantly-gayy @jacinta-lexianne @foxykatniss123 @nightbu-g @kielemarie @princessserena23 @spiritsent @scamanderhoney @pheonix-nin @aphrcditeee @wednes-day-addams @lxdyred @spiderw1tch @rosi3e @taestheticwonnie @witch-of-all-things-soft @cedricisnotonfire @theamandarenee @hawkxyes @mysteryartisticwriter @winterphoenixsposts @motleyfuckingcruee @frozenhuntress67 @tenderlyunlikelyexpert @70sgubler @welcome-to-derry @queenmizusposts @loisers
#it chapter one#it chapter two#it imagine#it x reader#it movie#ben hanscom#ben hanscom x reader#beverly marsh#mike hanlon#mike wheeler x reader#stanley uris#stanley uris x reader#richie tozier#richie tozier x reader#bill denbrough#bill denbrough x reader#bill denbrough imagine#eddie kaspbrak#eddie kaspbrak x reader#pennywise#x reader#reader insert
152 notes
·
View notes
Text
I was tagged by @theleavesoflorien to answer a few questions that dig a little deeper. thank you darling!! (this is literally months old oops) 💛
1. Do you prefer writing with a black pen or a blue pen?
both really, i don’t have a preference
2. Would you prefer to live in the country or in the city?
country! i hate cities so much! i grew up visiting my grandparents farm all the time growing up! although instead of the country preferably a seaside town such as the one i live in. it’s not too busy but not far away from everything.. plus i couldn’t part from the sea!
3. If you could learn a new skill, what would it be?
picking back up painting, continue learning norwegian (don’t look at me like that marianne i keep saying i’m learning it but i’ve been so slack asdfdsasdf), get back into marimba
4. do you drink your tea/coffee with sugar?
tea with sugar is so gross! i only drink herbal teas. my favourite is spearmint
5. What was your favourite book as a child?
the harry potter series!! and the rainbow magic books asdfgfdsa, the princess diaries series, anything roald dahl, anything dr suess, captain underpants lol, hairy maclary, mr mcgee and the biting flea asdfdsadf soo many i was such a loner as a child and literally read every single book i could find
6. Do you prefer baths or showers?
showersss
7. If you could be a mythical creature, which one would you be?
a mermaid so i can live my h2o fantasy adfasdfds or a dragon 🐉
8. Paper or electronic books?
paper always! i love the smell and i would love to have a giant bookshelf filled with books one day! i read on my phone for fics of when i get a free ebook but my right eye is so blind it’s like bitch no stop please lmaoo
9. What is your favourite item of clothing?
all my flowy boho cotton blouses and pants! and my fave blue jeans and grungy tshirts
10. Do you like your name? Would you like to change it?
i used to wish it was a little more unique like shortening it to ren/wren instead of lauren because i had 4 other lauren’s in my grade at school 😂i was literally friends with two lauren’s asdfgfdsa
but in the end i do love my nicknames lozz,lozzy, lozza so it’s not so bad!
11. Who is a mentor to you?
my mother and my grandfather! my grandfather is my biggest inspiration 💛seeing all that he has achieved and his views and mentality on life.
12. Would you like to be famous? If so, what for?
nooo thanks. the only famous i would want to be is for activism/humanitarian/environmentalist stuff but even then i wouldn’t want to be super famous and known?
13. Are you a restless sleeper?
nope! once i’m out i am out! i love my sleep and do everything i can to ensure i get the best sleep ever! now if you’ll excuse me i’m off to listen to harry’s calm meditation 😂
15. Which element best represents you?
fire and air
16. Who do you want to be closer to?
my brother! i feel like i don’t see him as often anymore what with his work and living in seperate houses. he is my best friend so i miss just always having him near me all the time.
17. Do you miss someone at the moment?
no one so much as just not seeing my family as often even though i do see them every week. i just want a big family holiday to spend time with them. and i’m missing some of my mutals atm who are busy lately 😞
18. Tell us about an early childhood memory.
i blocked out so much of my childhood eeep ummm probably visiting my grandparents farm, riding horses, my grandfather driving us around on a trailer on the back of a tractor, collecting cicada skins with my brother and starting a collection of cool bugs, stealing berries off the mulberry bush ahaha, finding snake skins (why did we like collecting skins wtf asdfd)
19. What is the strangest thing you have eaten?
snails? crocodile? i don’t even know ahaha (snails are amazing btw yummm i used to eat them all the time in vanuatu growing up)
20. What are you most thankful for?
my family, my health, the beautiful country i live in, the friends i have made on here 💛so many things
21. Do you like spicy food?
yummmmmm yes! just not super duper spicy i can’t handle that asdfgfsa
22. Have you ever met someone famous?
no i don’t think so? wait patty walters from as it is i got a pic and a hug from him <3 other than that no i don’t think so i mean i’m in the middle of nowhere asdfdsa woohoo australia
23. Do you keep a diary or journal?
i kept a super embarrassing diary at 12 but apart from that nope! like seriously that diary haunts me i don’t know what happened to it please for the love of god i hope it got thrown in the trash asdfdsa the CRINGE
24. Do you prefer to use pen or pencil?
pen!
25. What is your star sign?
sagittarius sun, capricorn moon, libra rising
26. Do you like your cereal crunchy or soggy?
CRUNCHY! wtf who is eating soggy cereal you are seriously disturbed asdfgfdsa
27. What would you want your legacy to be?
this is so tough ummm just bettering humanity and the environment idek
28. Do you like reading? What was the last book you read?
yes!! i was the loner kid in school who sat in the library at lunch reading all the books asdfgfdsa. the last book i read was the raven king by maggie stiefvater because LIBBY got me totally obsessed with this series god dammit what have you done to me and i am currently reading call down the hawk which is a sequel to the raven king (dammit libby asdfdsdfdsa)
29. How do you show someone you love them?
i always seem to cater to them with acts of service? so like cooking for them etc.. just doing stuff for them and looking after them in general? idk how to describe it. also sweet little messages and notes and cuddles! oh BOY will i tell you how much i love you in a birthday card or message asdsa like i will bring a tear to your eye baby just made my grandpa cry with his bday card asdfdsa
30. Do you like ice in your drinks?
crushed ice mmmmmm
31. What are you afraid of?
losing my family, never travelling, being stuck/tied down
32. What is your favourite scent?
the ocean, rain, books, sea breeze, wet grass, coffee, lavender, clean sheets, spearmint
33. Do you address older people by their name or surname?
mostly their name? i mean i feel like where i live in australia it’s pretty chill and not so formal? i even call my grandparents by their first names adfgfdsa mainly because my grandma did NOT want to be called grandma
34. If money was not a factor, how would you live your life?
OH BOY! i would be travelling non stop! i would literally never come home, i would be travelling around the world, living overseas etc... literally i would just be living on a boat sailing around greece or wherever. omg how i would love to do that :(
35. Do you prefer swimming in pools or the ocean?
it depends. i would say the ocean (i love her so much) but also i was a swimmer for over 10 years so i love the pool too. i love sitting on the bottom of the pool, it’s so calming
36. What would you do if you found $50 on the ground
keep it but if i knew whose it was i would return it
37. Have you ever seen a shooting star? Did you make a wish?
no :( hopefully one day
38. What is one thing you would want to teach your children?
i’m not having children
39. If you had to have a tattoo, what would it be and where would you get it?
maybe a quote/word or something on the back of my arm above my elbow idek i have an entire tattoo board on pinterst asdfdsa even though i know i would never get one i am too indecisive
40. What can you hear right now?
i’m listening to a pop punk playlist on spotify
41. Where do you feel the safest?
at home with my family
42. What is one thing you want to overcome/conquer?
my procrastination habits omg i am the worst!! certain family relations
43. If you could travel back to any era, what would it be?
dinosaurs mate, straight up, jks jks... no but really dinosaurs would be soo cool though, or maybe ancient greece?
44. What is your most used emoji?
💛✨😂
45. Describe yourself using one word.
more than one came to mind so giddy, optimistic, cheerful
46. What do you regret the most?
not travelling heaps after school ( i mean i was broke but still i should have worked more *sigh*) travelling looks really bleak now thanks to covid :(, losing touch with 3 certain people from high school i suck at staying in touch with people i am such an introvert 😞
47. Last movie you saw?
enola holmes and i loved it so much!
48. Last tv show you watched?
the mandalorian
49. Invent a word and its meaning
wobmap - intense affection and wonder for nature and the world
asdfgh what even
i tag: @pridesobright @sunflower-vol14 @rnbziamau @dailylouis @boobear-harold @princessparkhl @rosegoldeyelids @echoedsparks @angelharry (it’s been a while my secret santa pal ahaha hello!) and whoever else want’s to do this please feel free to say i tagged you! :) feel free to ignore
15 notes
·
View notes
Text
Makes Perfect
~1400 words of Rabbit Lightning being 17 and gay in a barn. This is the first fic i’ve written in... a While. But here you go. It’s pg-13, no warnings.
(read on the AO3 here if you’d rather)
----
In Redd’s uncle’s stable at around half past seven in the evening, as the light’s going all slanted and golden through the gaps in the wooden walls and the horses snuffle in their stalls, Lohn watches Redd bite his lip.
All week, Redd’s been biting his lip. Worrying at it, fiddling with his sleeves and pulling them down over his hands even though they ain’t really long enough for that. His shirts have been getting smaller quicker lately, and he’s been holding Lohn’s eyes even less than he usually does. No-one ever called Lohn observant, but he pays attention to Redd. He knows something’s up.
The issue is that they don't, like. Talk. About their feelings. But Lohn manages to get it out of Redd anyway, through a careful combination of waiting until they’re on their own in their usual hideout and acting like it ain’t no big deal, and he’s pretty proud of that, thanks. He’s sure his charming wit played a part in it too.
Redd’s worried about prom. Specifically about embarrassing Barbie, his foot-shorter date, at prom, what with the dancing. And all.
“I’ll step on her feet. ‘r somethin’. Put my hands in the wrong places and that.”
Lohn narrowly doesn’t say the first thing that comes to mind, which is yeah, probably, because Redd is kinda clumsy. It’s not his fault – anyone’d be unsure where their limbs were if they were growing an inch each a week. Instead, he says the next thing that comes to mind, which is:
“Practice. You just gotta practice, is all. ‘s like anything. Guitar, rodeo, handwritin’...”
He’s sure he’s right. Dancing’s practically a sport, and everyone’s always talking about the vital nature of practicing that.
Redd’s eyebrows crease and he opens his mouth to respond, but Lohn’s gotten to his feet. He’s watching himself, as often happens, as if from afar. Wondering what the hell he’s thinking, but unable to stop himself.
He holds out his hand, and it – doesn’t feel like he’s offering a dance to Redd, not in Lohn’s head. Feels like he’s offering a whole lot more. His heart thunders in his throat as he waits for Redd to take it.
Redd’s got a dusting of pink over his nose. But he blushes pretty often – it’s probably just his embarrassment still, his pale skin showing that so easily, always.
He takes Lohn’s hand, and Lohn has an entirely unwarranted and over-the-top reaction to the size difference between their palms, how Redd’s fingers overshoot his own by half an inch. It’s not like Lohn’s got small hands (he ain’t small anywhere, thanks), it’s just that Redd’s, well. Very big.
Lohn’s suddenly quite warm in this here stable.
The little portable radio Lohn’s granddaddy had given him a few years ago is playing some scratchy country western song where it’s sitting on a crossbeam, and Lohn reaches over to turn the volume up a bit. He’s sure the horses in their stalls enjoy a little Merle every now and then.
“Now, uh. I ain’t an expert, exactly, in this…” he starts. If this were anyone else he’d insert a brag here about the ladies not having complained before, at all, if you know what he means. But this is Redd. So.
“But as I understand it, it’s pretty simple. Gotta take it a step at a time.”
Redd nods, the little furrow between his eyebrows meaning, Lohn knows, that he’s listening. He’s concentrating. Lohn swallows and puts Redd’s hand on his hip, and congratulates himself, inside, for being so cool about it.
“I’ll be the, uh, Barb, in this scenario.”
That gets him a little twitch of a smile from his twitchy friend, and, gosh, a half-smile shouldn’t mean this much to him. Be cool, Lohn, be cool.
Lohn starts by stepping back slowly.
“Look at my feet. Try to, uh, mirror them. Like if I put my foot back like-”
He slides his heel back over the gravelly dirt floor of the stable and imagines the town hall their prom’s gonna be in, squeaky floorboards and tinny speakers, everyone watching. What would they think if they saw them dancing like this, there?
“You follow. Slow, like.”
Redd nods and tries it. The way he stops dead after moving his foot once makes Lohn crack up a little, and Redd’s worried look turns into a smile, too. He knows Lohn ain’t laughing at him. It’s always with him, with Lohn.
Lohn guides them into the next step, Redd’s heel sliding back this time, Lohn following, unable to take his mind off the warm pressure of his friend’s hand on his waist for a second.
“And that’s it!” Lohn declares. “You just do that over and over again, alternatin’ feet. There’s a twirl sometimes, but no-one knows what they’re doing with those. Like… one, two. One, two, one- yeah, that’s it, mind my feet, one, two, one, two, you’re a natural Redd, I dunno what you were worried about –”
Redd’s foot lands straight down onto Lohn’s and makes him yelp and stagger, clutching tight onto Redd for balance.
When Redd’s foot slides off of his (“Sorry,” Redd mumbles) they’re very off-balance, but Lohn is kind of. Okay here, Redd’s upper arm clutched in his own and the breath of Redd’s concentration washing over him. He laughs, almost winded.
Despite this hiccup, they continue.
They’re still swaying with a decent rhythm together when the song ends, and there’s silence above the cicadas.
Lohn’s – gay. He’s just freaking gay, never mind that he likes girls too, he’s Gay right now and if Redd asked him to run away with him, elope to San Francisco or France or wherever, he’d agree in a heartbeat.
(Not that this feeling on Lohn’s behalf is a very unusual occurrence, but it’s stronger in this moment than it has been for a while, knocking him off his figurative feet. Redd’s breathing a little hard, he’s holding Lohn close and delicate, like he holds his rabbits. It’s a lot to deal with.)
There’s a beat, two beats, and a new song starts on the radio. Redd says “Reckon I got it.”
“Yeah,” Lohn says, throat dry. This, he knows, is when Redd pushes him away, realising that Lohn is too much in all the wrong ways.
“D’you think she’ll want to – to kiss, after?”
Redd’s biting his lip again.
“Uh, well, maybe.” Lohn’s heart is in his throat, and his throat is dry. “I mean, Barb’s kissed guys before, I know that, I’d say it depends –”
“I ain’t never done that, either.”
And, well, Lohn could have guessed that. Would have put money on it, even., But all he can think of right now is that this can’t be happening. He can’t truly be able to open his mouth and say (or croak):
“That’s just practice, too.”
“Yeah?”
Redd’s voice is real quiet, real breathy. His lips look soft as hell, not that Lohn’s staring.
“Uh-huh.”
Lohn feels his hand come up to cup the back of Redd’s head. He should stop this. This can’t happen, this isn’t allowed.
“You start off slow,” he says, just as quiet as Redd, and then he’s leaning up to brush his lips against Redd’s. He feels Redd’s hand tighten on his waist, as if clutching for balance like Lohn had earlier, and his head is buzzing, his lips are electric where they meet Redd’s (Redd’s!!), and he’s more alive than he’s ever been, probably.
He feels rooted to the ground and reaching up like the tallest tree to the sky all at once. He can feel the warm evening air around them, as if it’s pressing them together, cocooning them from everything, making this safe and possible. The cicadas are a part of this too, droning outside, the wood of the building around them an integral piece of this moment. Hell, even the horses, watching them.This ain’t his first kiss, but Lohn’s never felt like this before, and it might actually make him a poet. It’s that good.
He hears himself say ‘Rabbit…’ and his heart warms at the well-worn ‘Lightning’ he gets in return. And then Redd’s pulling him in, and they’re kissing again.
Prom’s in a week. In seven days Lohn will watch Redd do this dance with Barbie, who he likes, who’s fun to hang out with and pretty and gentle with Redd, who deserves it. They might even kiss. Lohn will be there too, stag unless he manages to convince some girl to accompany him, melancholy over what he can’t have.
Or maybe not.
They draw back for breath and Lohn ain’t never seen that look in Redd’s eyes before. It makes him want to sing.
#rabbit lightning#rhink#fic#rohn#mine#it's been 8 years#i'd like to thank the academy#my partner#and randl for being so Inspiring
25 notes
·
View notes
Text
A Firefly Shines on Summer
The sun shines bright and through the glass of my class. It leads me to enjoy the beautiful panorama. The poppies which planted on the schoolyard of Westminster School were blooming. Surely it happened because this season was going in mid spring.
“It was a bright, breezy day.” I muttered. Then, someone patted my shoulder. I turned to the source of sound. The pretty girl stands up in front of me.
“Rick, do you want this marshmallows? Daddy brought me it and I can’t spend it all.” She said with her cute smile and handed me a packet of mashmallows.
“Yep, thanks.” I replied. I take a marshmallow and continue my reverie.
Oops, maybe I forget to introduce myself. Ok, my name is Richardo Carpenter, but some people call me Rick. A girl who gave me marshmallow was my stepsister, Lianne Kidy but I called her Lynn. Yeah, my daddy and my mommy had divorced when I was 5 years old and I prefer to stay with my daddy than my mommy. Actually, the problem was because of my mom’s dissatisfaction about my dad’s job which was about a technician who worked inside while my mom worked at the biggest company in London as secretary. Certainly my mom’s salary was more than my dad’s. So, she decided to leave us and married with another man. It made my dad’s broken heart. But he tried to move on and he fallen in love again with a widow who came from Wales and has one daughter. Finally, my dad got married with her. She becomes my stepmother and also her daughter becomes my stepsister. Precisely, Lynn is my older step sister because Lynn was 7 years old at that time. My stepmother really loves my dad. It doesn’t matter with my dad’s job because it’s usual for her. Because of she came from Wales, a country which the family life require for women work outside of the home and men stay at home, precisely she choose my dad as her husband. Anyway, my stepmother is a reporter. She had ever interviewed David Beckham, my favorite footballer.
“Rick, this is your book. Thanks!” Lynn returned my notebook that she borrowed yesterday.
Lynn is my classmate now. It’s not common because I’m younger than her. It happened because I had selected class acceleration so that’s why I could be Lynn’s classmate. Most of my friends said that I’m genius. Lynn often borrowed my notebook because something that I write on it is easy to understand. Furthermore, I can take care of Lynn anytime. So, I am in the 2nd grade of Senior High School at 15 years old and Lynn is 17 years old. It seems that Lynn loves me as her little brother and so do I because when I was with her several times ago, I understood about what’s the meaning of love. Yeah, I have found my love.
The bell is ringing. The sounds startled me and woke me from my reverie. Now is 12.00 am and surely the break time is enough. Then, a guy who wears a shirt comes to my class. He is my teacher who teaches about chemistry. His name is Stephen Munkler, but I and also all students called him Mr. Steve. He is the youngest teacher in Westminster School. He is 22 years old. He is the best alumnus of the bachelor degree in University of Westminster and also alumnus of the master degree in University of Cambridge. He explains about the lesson. He occasionally smiles at Lynn and also me. Furthermore, Steve is our childhood friend. Our first meeting was in Sherwood Forest since 10 years ago. I and Lynn were playing darts at that time. When I threw a dart, it missed stuck in the tree. Steve took the dart for us and we introduced ourselves. Since then we make a friendship until now.
“Rick, Mr. Steve asked me to answer the question. Can you help me?” My desk friend whispered to me.
“What is the question?” I asked.
“What is the name of (NH4)3PO4 ?” he continued. I whisper my answer to him.
“Ammonium Phosphate, Sir!” He answered the question loudly.
“Exactly! Your answer is perfect, Rick!” Mr. Steve complimented me. I think he knew the person who has answered his question. I grin.
Now, it’s time for lunch. I choose legumes and afternoon tea for my lunch. I spend my lunch time at the canteen. Suddenly, a guy comes to me.
“Do my homework now!” He shouted me. He puts some books on my desk.
“I don’t have time for doing your homework. Sorry, I can’t.” I replied and bring my food and beverage to another table.
But, the guy prevents me to go and then he hits me until I can’t move. He will hit me again but Lynn comes to me. As I thought, Lynn was hit by him and she falls on the floor. Then, Mr. Steve and The Principal of Westminster School come to us. The principal punished the mischievous guy. Meanwhile, Mr. Steve and I accompany Lynn to health room.
“Take care of Lynn.” He said to me.
“Sure.” I promised.
Then, he leaves us. I treat Lynn’s cheek which full of bruises, and so she does.
“What a nice guy he is!” Lynn said enthusiastically.
“I think so.” I replied.
“Yeah, that’s the reason why I crazy about him since we met at the Sherwood Forest. I think I really loved him. Kyaaa...” She said.
“W-what?” I gave response to her statement. I’m shocked. I didn’t expect!
“Ugh, I let the chance slip, unfortunately. Don’t tell to the others, Rick! Keep the secret, please!” Lynn begged me.
I nod and agree to keep Lynn’s secret. I don’t know why my heart’s broken. It’s hurt me a lot! How about Steve? Does he love Lynn likes she loves him too? I couldn’t think clearly. I can’t imagine about it. My brain was controlled by this pain.
Recently, I am lost an idea to make something that I must do. This morning, my dad comes to my room with a smile.
“Congratulation, Rick! You are choosen to participate in a student exchange to Indonesia this summer.” He said enthusiastically.
“What? How can it happened?” I’m confused. But actually I’m happy to hear that.
“Mr. Steve recommended you to the principal and then he approved it.” Lynn who came behind of the door explained about how can it happened.
“We will have a party to celebrate this good news. What do you think, Rick?” My stepmother suggested.
“I think it isn’t necessary. But thanks for think about it.” I replied with a smile.
“Oh, what happened with you Rick? Do you have some problems? We will help you to solve it together.” My stepmother calmed me.
“No problem. I’m just tired.” I lied.
“Just take a rest!” They said. Then, they leave me alone in my room.
“Hm... maybe if I take the choice to participate in a student exchange, it helps me to make my pain disappear.” I thought.
The end of spring is coming. I feel the different atmosphere in this night. Tomorrow, I must go to the airport to flights to Indonesia. Therefore, I want spend this end of season in England. I go to Sherwood Forest, the place where I express my feelings. I want to tell what I feel now. I don’t know to whom I want to tell, maybe the atmosphere understand what I feel.
I stand up under the tree which was surrounded by the fireflies. The fireflies shine bright like a diamond and fly to me. I catch one of them and then release it.
“Hey, do you know the place where the fireflies cry? They’re somewhere in the branches of this darkening forest. It seems you assumed that I’m your little brother. Even if I’m the only one daydreaming about you, you wouldn’t hear it. It’s a sad story, isn’t it?” I shouted.
I see the darts plastered on the trunk of tree. I take it and threw the dart. I missed it but I do it reapetedly. My eyes looking straight for a darts.
“Before the season finishes, I will go and fly somewhere. Just you being here beside me is painful. It’s a fleeting love.” I continued my words loudly.
I’ve lost my way, the forest of my heart. I wonder, at least turn your face this way. But, I just can’t tell you about it because...
“Hi, Bro! What are you doing here?” Someone’s voice really startled me. I turned to the source of sound. Oh, he is Steve!
“Ah, Sir. I just want to play for a several times here.” I answered. It’s just an alibi.
“Oh. You want to say goodbye to this place, right?” He guessed.
“Exactly. It gets quiets if I’m not here. I’ve heard a thing said. The fireflies... the distant sky... But, tomorrow that you always think is lonely will be different to today. Isn’t it?” I guessed about what does he think about.
“Hahaha... Yes, of course I and also Lynn will be lonely in this forest without you.” Steve justified.
“Stop! Don’t talk about Lynn!” I thought. However, I just wry smile to hear that.
“Err... about Lynn... Umm... I just want you to know that I love her.” He said.
His words totally startled me. I just wanted you to discover a small thing, an unrequited love, I thought. But my hopes were disappeared since he told that he loves another one. Steve and Lynn love each other but they don’t realize it and I accidentally break their relationship.
“But I can’t tell her because I think she was falling in love with another guy.” He continued his words.
“No! You’re wrong! Lynn really loves you too, Steve!” I thought. But I can’t throw my voice because I don’t know what I want to say. Afterwards, I hear the cicada’s voice and it helps me to say something.
“A firefly which can’t throw the voice is more pathetic than a cicada. And you look like the firefly, Sir.” I said without looking at him.
“What does it mean?” He asked.
“It means that if the fireflies fall in love, then they will be silent because they can’t do anything. It’s different from the cicadas. They can tell their feelings to their love because they can threw their voice.” I tried to give a quote for him.
“You must tell Lynn about it, I mean. I’m sure that she loves you too.” I suggested.
Then, I decide to go home because I must prepare some things that I want to bring for tomorrow. Steve doesn’t know that his words hurt me a lot. And yeah, actually my feelings are different from my words. I’m a coward with the affection defense.
1 month later...
I study in Indonesia and now I’m spending my holiday in a small island in Indonesia. I really enjoy the summer. My handphone is rang. I got one e-mail from Lynn.
I and Steve are spending our holiday in Wales. Enjoy your holiday in Indonesia, Rick! I read the email and see the picture that she sent for me.
I guess that they go to Snowdonia National Park, the biggest park in Wales. They make a special relationship since 3 weeks ago and I was happy to hear that good news. I’m smile, not a fake smile. I swear! I don’t know when the pain was disappear. Yeah, my love for Steve, a forbidden love, was disappear.
I’m so happy to spend my holiday here. This is because I can move on from my heartbreak. It just like a firefly which shines bright and fly away on summer. I feel free without my love. Yeah, maybe love is never quick enough and I’m incomplete in the middle. But I’m sure that I’ll be born anew with another love.
1 note
·
View note
Text
What’s the Rapture? Find the Answer in the Bible
By Xiaojin
In a hot afternoon, cicadas were shrilling unceasingly among the trees. Scorched by the heat, the trees and flowers at the roadside were all having their heads down listlessly.
In a residential block, Wang Na forced herself to stay awake and continued, “The Bible says, ‘Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord’ (1 Thessalonians 4:17). From the state of the brothers and sisters in the church and the world situation we can see that the last days have come. The prophecies of the Lord’s return have basically been fulfilled. Therefore, the Lord should return soon to bring us into the kingdom of heaven. At that time, we will all meet the Lord in the air. We should have faith in the promise of the Lord.”
At her words, the co-workers looked at each other helplessly. Then some of them lowered their heads and flicked through the Bible absently, some shook their heads slightly and gave a little sigh, and still others whispered to each other.
“Despite what you said,” said Sister Li blankly, “now the brothers and sisters all become passive and weak because it takes so long for us to welcome the Lord’s return. Disasters are getting worse and worse everywhere and the four blood moons have already appeared, but we are still not yet raptured at this critical juncture. How can we not be weak and anxious?”
Brother Zhang nodded and took up the thread of the conversation, “Alas! I agree. The catastrophe is coming, yet we are not raptured. So wherein is the problem? Well. Sister Song, you have been at other places and rarely come to our co-worker meeting. What do you think of this?”
Song Jiayin looked at everyone and said earnestly, “Thank the Lord! I used to have the same confusion: The Lord Jesus once said: ‘Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away’ (Matthew 24:35). Today, the prophecies of the Lord’s return have practically come true. Many brothers and sisters in the Lord are preaching that the Lord has returned. Since the Lord has come back, why are we not yet raptured? With this doubt, I, burnt with anxiety, sought here and there, and finally knew the reason for that. As it turns out, ‘being raptured’ is not what we think—being lifted into the air.”
As soon as her voice subsided, a heated debate began in the sleepy room immediately. All the other people started speaking.
Wang Na cast her eyes toward Song Jiayin and said solemnly, “Jiayin, we who believe in the Lord should go according to the Bible. That we will be lifted up into the air to meet the Lord does have its basis in the Bible. Since you say that to be raptured does not mean to be lifted up into the air, then is there any biblical basis for it?”
Everyone all turned their eyes toward Song Jiayin.
She looked at them, and said with a smile, “Is this idea that to be raptured means to be taken from the earth into heaven truly the will of God? Now, let’s study some scriptures. Revelation 21:2-3 say, ‘And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.’ Revelation 11:15 also says, ‘And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.’ From these predictions, we can see since in the words ‘the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven,’ it says that new Jerusalem is ‘coming down from God out of heaven,’ surely it will be on earth. We all know that ‘new Jerusalem’ means God’s kingdom. That is to say that God will establish His kingdom on earth. The words ‘the tabernacle of God is with men,’ ‘he will dwell with them,’ and ‘The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord’ in the prophecies also adequately prove that we will ultimately live on earth, and God’s kingdom will descend upon earth rather than being in heaven. If attaining rapture refers to being taken up to heaven as we think, then won’t our desire of entering into the kingdom of heaven be in vain? And how will these prophecies of Revelation come to pass?”
Brother Zhang said as he thought, “‘the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven,’ and ‘the tabernacle of God is with men,’ these scriptures all imply that God’s kingdom will come on earth. God’s words are expressed so clearly, how come we didn’t get anything out of it before? Obviously, God will come to the earth to establish His kingdom, and yet we insist on pursuing to be raptured up to heaven. This goes against the Lord’s words.”
Song Jiayin went on, “That’s right! Since God created man, He always carries out His work on earth. From start to finish God’s intention is for us to live on earth rather than in heaven. It is clearly written in the Bible that mankind’s ancestors Adam and Eve originally lived in the Garden of Eden on earth. After they committed sin, they were driven out of there. Anyway, they still lived on earth. This being the case, God’s work of saving mankind is also, of course, carried out on earth. For example, in the Age of Law God issued forth laws and commandments to guide mankind’s life on earth; during the Age of Grace, the Lord Jesus became flesh and completed the work of redeeming all mankind, allowing us to carry out His will and follow His teachings on earth. All of this work was done on earth. Besides, the Revelation also prophesies that the wonderful future destination that God has prepared for those of the human race that remain will still be on earth.”
Sister Yu hurriedly put down the cup in her hand and said with emotion, “Indeed. That’s the way it is. In the past, I just wondered how we could be lifted into the air since we were mortal beings with heavy bodies. Today, I feel much more enlightened inside after such a fellowship.”
What the brothers and sisters said made Wang Na frown. She couldn’t stop thinking about the communication of Song Jiayin.
“Jiayin,” said Wang Na, “everything you said does make sense, but the Bible very clearly records that Enoch and Elijah were raptured up to heaven. How can this be explained?”
Facing Wang Na, Song Jiayin said in honesty, “About this question, Acts 8:39-40 says, ‘And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing. But Philip was found at Azotus: and passing through he preached in all the cities, till he came to Caesarea.’ These verses say definitely that Philip was caught away by the Spirit of the Lord. According to our concept, he was certainly raptured to heaven by the Lord. But in fact, as the verse says, ‘Philip was found at Azotus,’ and he spread the gospel in all the cities, carrying out the Lord’s will on earth. From this we can see our belief that ‘Being raptured’ means being taken from a low place to a high place, or being caught up from earth to heaven is all our notion with no basis in the truth. The Lord Jesus said, ‘And no man has ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven’ (John 3:13). Lord Jesus is the only gate to the heavenly kingdom. So, in our faith we must use the Lord’s words as the standard. If Enoch and Elijah were raptured up to heaven according to our understanding, how do we explain the word of the Lord Jesus then? Which is correct, our notion or the Lord’s words?”
The objective Wang Na had been pursuing for many years began to waver in her heart. She asked herself constantly: Is my view about attaining rapture I have held for all these years indeed wrong? After a fierce battle inside, she asked Song Jiayin, “Jiayin, if our understanding of being raptured for so many years is wrong, then can you tell us what its true meaning is?”
Song Jiayin hurriedly took out a notebook from her bag and said, “I can’t explain it clearly. However, I copied a passage of the words, which has communicated it very plainly. Let me read it for you. ‘“Being caught up” is not being taken from a low place to a high place as people imagine. This is a huge mistake. Being caught up is referring to My predetermining and selecting. It is targeted at all those I have preordained and chosen. Those who have gained the status of firstborn sons, the status of My sons, or My people, are all people who have been caught up. This is most incompatible with people’s notions. Those who have a share in My house in the future are all people who have been caught up before Me. This is absolutely true, never-changing, and cannot be refuted by anybody. This is the counterattack against Satan. Anyone I preordained shall be caught up before Me’ (‘The One Hundred and Fourth Utterance’). ‘Being raptured’ is not that, as we think, we’ll be lifted up into the air at a stroke when the Lord returns, but means that we can follow the Lamb’s footsteps, accept God’s new work, and flock in front of His throne. This is just as in the end of the Age of Law; when the Lord Jesus came to work, those who recognized God’s voice from the words of the Lord Jesus and accepted His salvation were raptured. Their being raptured was mainly because they could hear God’s voice. Likewise, the Bible prophesies, ‘And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom comes; go you out to meet him’ (Matthew 25:6). ‘Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me’ (Revelation 3:20). So today, in the last days, when the Lord comes back and utters His words, if we can, like the wise virgins, actively seek His footsteps, recognize His voice, and accept His return, we will be able to follow His footsteps. Then we are truly raptured.”
Sister Li said happily, “So the true rapture refers to our following the footprints of the Lamb, and accepting God’s new work. Now, I finally get it.”
Brother Zhang said thoughtfully, “Yeah. I’ve really gained much today. If we go according to our imagination, then no matter how many years we wait, we will gain nothing. The Lord Jesus has said long ago, ‘However, when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself’ (John 16:13). When the Lord returns, He will utter more words and express the truth. As long as we can focus on hearing His voice, recognize the voice of the ‘Bridegroom,’ and accept His new work, then we will be taken up before His throne. Now we finally have a way of attaining rapture.”
Song Jiayin and the co-workers all smiled.
1 note
·
View note
Text
Season 3 Episode 1: The Magnificent Seven
Season 3 only has 16 eps?? Was it during the writer’s strike? *googles it* Yup. I remember that strike. I stopped watching a bunch of shows during that time (like Grey’s Anatomy). Also, it has dawned on me recently that Rob Thurman’s Cal Leandros series has the same feel as Supernatural. No wonder I like both this show and her books. Man, I want the next book in the series to come out and I don’t think it ever will... I may just have to content myself with re-reading them :(
- Oh hey! I know Oak Park, IL! I’ve been there!
- Dude. Crazy looking purple storm incoming your way with the lights flickering and crap. What the hell are you still doing outside?? RUN BACK INSIDE!
- Woah, the demons just descended on Chicago.
- HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! Sam got kicked out to the car so Dean could have a little sexy times. LOL! At least he’s a good sport about it. LOOOL!!! “Polling the electorate.” OMG SAM YOU ARE SUCH A NERD I LOVE YOU! And Sam just saw something he never wanted to see. LOL! Twins?? Well Dean, at least you’re making the best of your year...?
- Dean is always eating. How does Jensen not gain weight?? Urgh, cicadas. They make the worst noise. We get them a swarm of them in DC usually every 17 years. Hate them.
- Ew. The fuck happened to those people?
- Tamara and Issac? A hunter married couple! Er... Sam...? That is likely an insensitive question, how did you get started. How did YOU get started Sam? Oh, right, a Demon made you drink its blood and then pinned your mother to the ceiling, slashed the stomach/uterus, and set her on fire!
- We’re not teaming with the damn fools that let the Devil’s Gate open in the first place. LOL! It’s fair. Also, Scooby-Doo reference! And we all already know Dean was into Daphne.
- Who was the blonde woman? Was that Mary Winchester? That sort of looked like Mary...
- Uh huh... Subtle way to wage war. Influencing people to do crazy shit and attack one another.
- OMG DEAN! YOU ARE SUCH AN ASSHOLE! I love you.
- No, I don’t think that’s Mary. But she’s after Sam. Or at least the boys in general.
- Who the fuck are you, Isaac? Han Solo? “I love you.” “I know.” Goddamn famous last words. Gonna get yourself fucking killed or mind controlled and you’re gonna end up killing Tamara. I hope not, but that’s what I can see happening.
- Well shit! IT’S A BAR FULL OF DEMONS! I wonder what time they serve happy hour.
- I KNEW IT! MIND CONTROL LIKE ANDY! OUCH! Death by Drano sucks. Oh crap! Dean and Bobby can’t go in there! They’ll be mind controlled too! Only Sam is immune!
- THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS!!!!!! You nabbed yourself envy. And gluttony made Isaac drink the Drano. And sloth made the family stay seated in front of the TV. Oh come on, Dean! I guess before Bobby even said anything! As soon as he said seven, a light bulb should have clicked!
- I don’t like that they left Tamara by herself with the Demon. What if it enters her? You don’t know what they’re capable of. I suppose it’s inside the Devil’s Trap so it shouldn’t be able to break free and enter Tamara... Oh, nm. Tamara is harsh!
- LOL! I love how they know what’s coming because of the radio just randomly turning on.
- Oh, that is just mean! What sin would that be...? Oh, you stupid woman! I mean, I can’t really blame her cause that’s harsh. But still.
- LOL! Fat dumb and stupid. Dean, you really let yourself be cornered by Lust? Sam gets himself Pride.
- Wait... I’m sorry... Hold please. Back up, rewind. “You’re Sam Winchester. That’s right. I’ve heard of you. We’ve ALL heard of you. The prodigy. The Boy King. Looking at you now I gotta tell you, don’t believe the hype. You think I’m gonna bow to a cut-rate poor piss human like you?” EXCUSE ME??? BOY KING??? PRODIGY??? WHY WOULD DEMONS THINK THEY HAVE TO BOW TO HIM???
- “You’re fair game now, boy. And it’s open season.” WHAT?!?!?!?!?! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN FAIR GAME NOW?? GODDAMN IT THIS SHOW JUST KEEPS RAISING QUESTIONS!
- The lady is back! AND SHE HAS A KNIFE THAT KILLS DEMONS??? I AM NOT KIDDING! SHE JUST FUCKING DISAPPEARED! WHO THE HELL IS HERE??? HOW DOES SHE HAVE A KNIFE THAT KILLS DEMONS???
- AHA. Sam has finally reached his breaking point. Except that he doesn’t know that the deal stipulates that if Dean tries to weasel himself out of it then Sam dies immediately. Which is why Dean is NOT pursuing avenues to save himself. And now Sam knows. “We trap the crossroads demon, trick it, try to welsh our way out of the deal in any way, you die, okay? You die. Those are the terms. There’s no way out of it. If you try to find a way, so help me God, I’m gonna stop you.” “How could you make that deal, Dean?” ;________; Awwww!!! Sam sounds absolutely heartbroken!!!!
- “Cause I couldn’t live with you dead. Couldn’t do it.” DEEEAAAAAN!!!! “It was selfish. I’m okay with that.” “I’m not.” “Tough. After everything I’ve done for this family, I think I’m entitled. Truth is, I’m tired Sam. I don’t know. It’s like there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.” “It’s hellfire, Dean.” “Yeah, whatever.”
- “You’re unbelievable” - Truer words have never been spoken, Sam.
#supernatural#first time watching#season 3#sam winchester#dean winchester#dean is on the highway to hell#sam needs fighting lessons#who is the woman with the demon killing knife??#boy king?
2 notes
·
View notes
Text
Tarawera 2020 ✨
"So Emma, how does it feel to have so many people you care about running this weekend?".
In an immensely thoughtful few seconds, Nico zoomed right into the heart of everything.
We were in Rotorua to run Tarawera. Friday had been filled with festivities. Saturday was to be the big one. We had a rare few minutes chilling at our shared house of dear friends, in between one activity to another.
It had been a whirlwind of a week. A week previously I had hopped on a plane to see my sister in Perth - and more specifically, her with her newborn wee girl. Winnie was 11 weeks when I visited. She's perfect. We had precious days together just being, and besotted by this tiny niece. After four days: back to Wellington. Sleep. Drive up to Napier. My brother had arranged for all of us to see Elton John at the Mission, in particular for my Mum. Spectacular. It was a colourful rainbow of joyfulness and festivities - no black t-shirts to be seen - and we immersed ourselves in the warmth and music and drank it all in from the grassy field. Then a through the night drive from Napier to Rotorua, arriving at 2am. Sleep. Up again. The weekend was ready to begin. A few of us headed down to the expo and squeals of enthusiasm welcomed people from far afield, with a particular highlight being Marieve from Canada. We leapt and hugged and exclaimed that this could barely be real. It was a feeling that was to continue. Family had shone bright that week. Treasured friends radiated that same meaningful brightness.
Its been three weeks since that weekend. I keep trying to write a race report. When I think of the weekend the numbers and details fade away. It's the feels that stay with me. Love. So much love. Highs. The highs that were stratospheric. Lows. When I hear someone had to quit from the event, or when my heart falls to my feet with worry for someone else who's not doing well. Thankfulness. For all the helpers. Bewilderment. At learning to accept help. And then: more love.
No pain. No pride. No rah rah rah I'm amazing. I read a book about ultra running this week. It missed a point. It was about pushing and striving and being hard. But nothing of what it means to build a family of people who gravitate toward these same meaningful journeys we go on. And that's the real story I want to tell. Nor is the photo of a medal or a jump or a selfie. It's of a torn up hand, raw; holding two gifted daisies in wonderment from two cheering kids.
(Here's the disclaimer that you're going to need a coffee, an Ultra IPA, or a big swig of electrolyte to last the distance on this read. Settle in!)
Friday was magic. Zooming around the race check in and expo and seminars and friends was like a trail running Disneyland. I could feel myself getting nervous for Chris and for Rachel, both in for the big dance of 💯 with me. Marieve called BS on my thinking: "Hey! You're racing tomorrow! Look out for you too!". She settled my mind for the better. Strong friends know to look out for strong friends. We found quiet oases of time. We had prepared a lot back in Wellington, and this helped gift us spare hours and relaxing. Bed. Early. Reasonable sleep -- never excellent the night before -- and we woke before the 3.50am alarm.
Saturday started with a series of familiar steps. Shower. Coffee. Bircher muesli. Whispered conversation. Our bags for the day re-checked. Out the door we went. In the dark we walked the fifteen minutes to our 5am bus. The drive reminded us the scale of the journey ahead of us. Winding roads took over an hour to the start line. It rained. We were grateful for this: not too hot, and the first rain for this scorched town since Christmas. The start line was a colourful blur of people, many focused on toilet logistics. We assembled on the start line. We were ready. We look into each others eyes, Chris especially, and with Rachel, we grasp each other with meaningful words. We set off.
I was calm. It was surreal, being back in this field, where I had been three times previously. Always a finish line to amazing days. This time was the beginning. We wound ourselves around fields and the trail. Two figureheads were clapping and cheering on the edge of a high up field: Paul, the race founder / beautiful human and Kerry, previous winner / coach extraordinarre / comedian and these guys are two of the biggest hearts around. Both have been gateway drugs for us into trail running and I admire them immensely. "Hey Paul! Hey Kerry!" I yahooed up at them. They both returned with a HEY! EMMA! and Kerry yells "Right folks, run with her today, she's the cheeriest runner around!". On we weave in this dreamlike but focussed state. They are new trails we're running when we get past the fields. Beautiful. I see great whirlpools of deep water alongside the weaving track. It's going to be warm today but we're still comfortable. We get into the foresty road after 5 or so kilometres. I'm excited about this section. My legs start moving more easily, eager to settle in to some happy miles.
And then. Kilometre 9 or 10. On a piece of gravel barely the size of a fingernail. I'm flying. I go down. I'm up and running again before I dust myself off. The guys around me got a fright, as much as I did. "I'm getting the fall out of the way for today!" I jest. Adrenaline keeps me going. It stings. My sunglasses are done for, the front of my clothes dusted up. I wash myself off a bit at the next aid station. This is a return of a shakiness that's bugged me since the end of last year, a previous fall on a trail. It's ok. I recalibrate. I'm feeling ok and I know I'll be fine, alongside the need to be careful.
Kilometres 10 through 35 tick along happily. It's flowing and beautiful. Never boring. The light is already rising over the trees. My phone is purposefully tucked deep inside my bag. I absorb it all instead. The flowy paths. The cheer and vibrancy of the aid stations. The banter. People ask me sometimes what I do not to get bored when I run. So many hours! They say. But this was all encompassing. Connected. I dove into conversations in my mind that I needed to have, and occasional ones with trail friends.
At kilometre 35, Tarawera Falls, it gets a bit more technical, and again going through Tarawera Outlet. It is magestic at the Falls. Those deep, dark whirlpools. I run past one amazing vista after another. At the fifth or sixth jaw dropping viewpoint I relent. It's time to get a picture. The trail running fairies will give me demerit points if I don't capture this magic. And so I do. On we go. Each of these aid stations is such a lift. People! Colour! A hive of activity and people looking deep into your eyes offering help.
Through Tarawera Falls to Humphries Bay to Lake Okataina, kilometres 35 to 58, is the most technical of the day. Gorgeous, tricky, playful trail. I'm slower than usual here. I charge my watch during this section; biffing it into my bag in it's entirety with the charger. I hear it chirrup with each kilometre. But I don't need to see the pace. People are slowing, tired, grumbly sometimes. One person behind me audibly swears every time she hits a tree root. Which is very often. Loudly. Distracting. I zoom on a bit to get ahead. I'm ticking along and managing energy all ok. I realise here that my time goals have galloped on. I won't hit the number I had in mind. And that's ok. I make peace with it. The day is more important. Later I reflect on this: was I not hungry enough? How much more could I have done? But I'm at ease. It's ok. I settle in. I'm more than half way, relaxed, and I've still got some work to do.
I see the sign indicating an aid station up ahead, cruising into Okaitaina at kilometre 58. For the people that have run Tarawera: we recognise this aid station sign in a nanosecond. It is magical. The simplicity of red lettering on white background simply saying 'Aid Station, 200m' brings with it floods of endorphins, a feeling of possibility, and the knowledge that people will be on the other side of that sign. I am floating now, skipping along the end of the trail as I reach it. There's something more here though. A megaphone. A women in a wedding dress yahooing at me through the megaphone. Hallucinations??Nope. This could only be Lesley, spectacularly inspiring fearsome badass lady and coach extraordinarre Lesley! We each leap and embrace and squeal and then she runs in her wedding dress to help me with what I need, talking to me through the megaphone the whole time. What do I need? How am I feeling? Hurry the heck up she says, we'll sort you right out! In a blur of joy I'm getting my stuff, being covered in sun lotion by a lovely lady. ("This reminds me of looking after kids", she says with handfuls of sun lotion and I say it must be my childlike glee). I see a really special colleague at my left elbow, who's supporting a friend. I ask how her day is doing, how her friend is doing, and before I know it I'm being chased right out of the aid station by Lesley. Chop chop she says, get right out of here! On I go to chase the next hill, the last 2 minutes a blur of people and wondrousness and noise and hilarity. That was the first aid station all day of supporters (alongside volunteers) and I realised even more then how much I valued their company.
I head into Western Okaitaina Walkway. The next section is the longest of the day, 16-17 kilometres. It will be a slog. Except it's not. Not too bad. I had literal nightmares after I ran this twice the first year, the first ultra ever and in a tropical cyclone, an apocalypse of mud that was neverending. I would wake for years later being right back there, skiing in ankle deep sludge. I'd remember the feeling of standing in the shower afterwards, all my clothes on and even shoes, the mud still stuck on me. Now? It's a beautiful winding trail. Birds chirrup as do cicadas. There's dense bush and flowy trail. Sure, it takes work. But it's special. And I'm grateful for the tree cover and a reprieve from baking sun. It could be hotter, or more barren. I get it done.
Afterwards someone says to me: you couldn't have a constantly negative attitude running ultras, could you? The positivity must help. And it does. Positivity alongside realism. Sometimes you get tired. You problem solve. You keep on. You're in it for the big picture. You embrace the ups and downs. I realise here what I've got Chris into, and Rachel too, each running their own days behind me. I feel guilty. They'll be so tired. It's so long. I'm tired too. I'm doing the maths on the course and I'm already seeing it will run a little long. But there's work to do: I focus on keeping my feet flowing and running within my abilities. I recognise some of the trail, and always find new bits I'm seeing as if for the first time. Each brings with it sets of memories. And onwards I go.
I reach Miller Road, after 17k through the up and over of Western Okaitaina Walkway. "Heck am I happy to see you!" I exclaim, and I'm not the first that day to say so. I fill myself up with ginger beer, being careful to keep things simple with food, I'm getting closer to the finish line now (at 75k) but there's still a long way to go. I see a couple of running heroes waiting for a friend of theirs: one heckles me, one heckles him for heckling me and with kindness. It feels good to run downhill on the gravel road. I belt it a little bit. These legs still work. My mood has stayed mainly high for the day. There'll be wobbles every so often. But all solvable. I see so much of the beauty. I feel so bloody lucky to be out here. The only thing I have to do is keep moving.
I come into Okaitaina campground where we camped last summer, and on next to the magnificent new boardwalk around the lake. My feet have been scratching at me. You don't mess around with these things: if it's almost a problem now it will be a problem in a few kilometres and then a Very Big Problem a few kilometres after that. I had meant to change my socks at Okaitaina before I sped out of there like a racecar in a highly tuned pitstop (led by Lesley in a wedding dress). I have spares in my bag. So I take a seat at the next opportunity, peel off my shoes and socks, wipe off my feet, and luxuriate in the ridiculously amazing fresh socks. Plus a quick message to Chris (I love you and I hope you're having an amazing day and here is where I am and things are good) and my friend who'll be waiting to join me (I'm running late I say, I'll be there as soon as I can!). A selfie is a must to a group of girlfriends. And: all this takes 7 minutes. Seven. The best. Could I have kept on without it? Of course. Might it have bitten me later by not changing? Likely. Was it worth it for my mind? Hell yes.
Off I zoom (lol - off I creak) further around Lake Okaitaina, then Okaitaina township, then into Tennant's Track, then on to Blue Lake. I'm always in awe of the thousands of hours volunteers are investing into the event. And so many marshalls sitting on corners are doing exactly that through here. I notice and I thank them and I keep on. Tennant's Track is pretty cut up and rooty, and there's lots of concentrating happening. I pop out near Blue Lake - and there are supporters! - yay! Maybe it's 20 kilometres to go now, and this is all feeling more possible. Around Blue Lake I go, maybe slower than ever, with a highlight being when I hear Stu Milne at my elbow. "Gidday Emma!" he says, as he speeds into view. Holy shit! my blurred mind exclaimed, Stu - you're winning the miler?? It wasn't far off: he was the pace runner for the first placed 100-mile runner, and the two of them floated along these smooth delightful trails at a speeding pace that I'd run a fast 10 kilometres in.
I come into the Blue Lake aid station, again to familiar faces, and again so grateful for the people that give up their weekends to help us in ours. There's a photo Julia took of me coming in here and I'm full beam, OMG PEOPLE and in realising the end is nigh. I know the trail from here and I am already looking forward to seeing more people I love. The sun is low as I run through the Redwoods. The light is very special. It's paradise. Still very hard. But there's no doubting it's special here. I look down at my watch and I know that there are more hills to come. But on we go. We got this. Bending around corners and over hills. Onwards. Through here there is a cluster of three people, of an adult and two kids. Each kid gives me a single daisy. Great job! they say. I almost lose it in a flurry of emotion. I high five them and thank them hugely. I promise to carry the daisies with me. They are in my palm for a long time, and then in my pack pocket. These are the things I remember.
On and on deep into the Redwoods. And then. We're getting there. The aid station is further than I remember. Now I can see the cars and hear the music with the people. With this there will be 7 kilometres to go. I am already anticipating seeing Kate's face, her energy as we run together for that last bit, what it means to share that time after she's been waiting. I get there. I see her! But hang on: there are more people. Abi is also going to run. Jaime, Nico, Richard and Julia are all there too. What's happening?? They are there to cheer and yahoo, especially. This lifts me so high that I feel like a whole new person, a new day, a new run. Off we set in our trio. "Tell me everything about your day!! How are you?? I can't believe you're here after already running the 20 today!!" I say, I want to know everything and hear everything and drink in their own achievements of what they've done. (Also fun tip: asking questions is a super great way of getting your breath back a tiny bit). Along we gallop, them steering me in the right direction and cautioning me of all the various bumps and dangers and mile markers of how far to go. I feel cocooned and accept the help. I feel like the luckiest ever.
There's more.
Lindsay and Mel are on a corner. They leap up and down. They have their running shoes on. They are here to join us. We are now a fivesome.
The sun is reaching the lake now and the water is ablaze with pink, reflecting the glowing skies. The light is otherworldly. It's like a storybook. And with these Queens. The best.
Michelle joins us in a field. All these people have already crushed a race of their own - and are running, again, a quietly planned flourish to end this shared day. We're collecting people! Then Mal. Jaime. Nico. The pace is getting faster and faster, we're almost there, and faster still when they tell me the beer tent is closing. (Jokes. But it helped). Nine of us round the corner into the finishing chute. We're there. I leap over the finish line and in the background you can see people. The crew. My loves. Hands held up high in cheers. We did it.
Kerry is on the finish line commentating, a book end to the day. He was there at the beginning and here he is on the finish line. I thank him. This is not a day of sleep for him, nor much even in the month prior. He's a cornerstone to many peoples journeys and has been part of mine in recent years. We share words. I thank him for making friends on that bus all those years ago on the first Tarawera: You think you've come for a run, he said, but you are going to stay for the people.
Around the corner into the aid tent I go and I want to zoom right out to hang with these cherished people (and to lay horizontal in the grass). Want do you want to do now? I say. And I realise there's nothing else to do. Nothing we have to. But to be. And they spoil me like heck, with those minutes and those hours following being about sharing in the day. Of all our days. I get a shower. We go out for dinner. I get a nap. We go back out to that majestic last aid station.
My voice is scratchy from so many hollers and cheers at the 2am cheer party. This is the final aid station where we spend over two hours. I see Marieve in her last few kilometres, and Rachel, and then Chris. CHRIS! We run the end of his day together too, a story all of it's own, and a very meaningful one. He finishes. We leave the finish line as the sun comes up. It's been more than 24 hours since we woke the day previously.
What a day it had been, in between.
It's never about the day. It's about everything that comes before it, and the learnings, and the relationships that flourish to make it what it becomes. That's what keeps us going back. And that - I don't say this lightly - changes lives.
0 notes
Text
Ai Yazawa End-of-Book Notes 1-21
So at the end of every volume of NANA, Ai Yazawa has a brief paragraph about the manga or just some introspection about her life. They give great insight into the series and I think only a few are found on the scans of NANA online, so I thought I’d share them all!
Volume 1
The creator, Ai Yazawa, told us, “I created this story so that it could be enjoyed as a stand-alone and, at the same time, have a complete ending that could be connected to an ongoing series. I hope you’ll look forward to the future of the two Nanas!”
Volume 2
A note from Ai Yazawa: “I had thought that if the two Nanas met each other, they would probably be constantly fighting, but they seem oddly friendly. What’s up with that?! It’s one of me (not so) seven wonders (ha-ha).”
Volume 3
Since childhood, the artists I’ve looked up to haven’t been writers and illustrators, but mostly musicians. Music provides me the most emotional effect and excitement. If there was no music, I don’t think my creative juices would boil. Music is that important to my life.
- Ai Yazawa
Volume 4
I realized one day that there are hit songs with the same names as the main female characters, NANA, JUNKO, and SACHIKO (the kanji for JUNKO is different, though). It’s not that big a deal, but I sometimes just hum the melodies longingly.
- Ai Yazawa
Volume 5
In the initial drafts, Nana’s band was a rockabilly band like the Stray Cats. But due to various circumstances, I didn’t keep it that way. But if they were rockabilly, Ren, Nobu and Shin would have had pompadours. And Yasu too?
- Ai Yazawa
Volume 6
When I was a child, I used to take piano lessons. Even after I stopped taking lessons, I bought sheet music I liked and continued playing. I’ve had my hands full for several years now, but one of these days I’d like to learn how to play jazz piano, which I’ve wanted to do for years now.
- Ai Yazawa
Volume 7
I had an opportunity to interview a group of professional musicians. I showered them with questions, but they answered willingly, and it was very helpful. I was having problems balancing the fictional world of manga-like simplicity and gorgeousness with a sense of reality. But I realized again that what’s important is the humanity of the characters.
- Ai Yazawa
Volume 8
When I was in high school, there was a cool girl in my class who was a lone wolf. I was really into a foreign New Romantic-type band then, and when she asked me one day, “Do you want to go to their concert together?” I was overwhelmed. My heart fluttered more than when I was with my boyfriend (☺). Have you had a Hachiko experience like that? - Ai Yazawa
Volume 9
One day, I realized I had to write a bonus story. I was talking to my editor about it (Let’s do a story about the history of Trapnest!) when Naoki swooped down triumphantly, shouting “Then I’m the star!” The day will come when he gets his place in the sun. You really don’t know what’s going to happen next in this manga! ☺ - Ai Yazawa
Volume 10
Natural disasters can’t be prevented, but man-made disasters don’t have to occur. That’s what I think. I didn’t end up writing real world events into the Nana story, cause there are people who would have been deeply affect by my retelling. I wouldn’t be able to keep it ambiguous enough, and I didn’t want to just brush over the issue irresponsibly. I hope you all understand. - Ai Yazawa
Volume 11
The 2001 Chofu City Hanabi Festival was really postponed ‘cause of typhoon and was rescheduled for Oct 27. When I was taking photos by the Tama River, an old man started talking to me and told me that “the fireworks festival that as cancelled is going to be held soon.” The entire fireworks arc was born that way. A uniquely precious encounter. It came out of this chance encounter with that man. Thank you very much. - Ai Yazawa
Volume 12
Nana is expanding into other media! Since I believe it’s my duty to concentrate on my work, my policy is to get involved as little as possible. (Sorry!) The way the creators are developing this work is so passionate, I’m overwhelmed by it. I have to do my best along with Blast, so people don’t say this manga is worthless and that the publicity is the only good thing about it. - Ai Yazawa
Volume 13
Before the shooting of the movie began, I accepted and offer to rite the lyrics for the theme song. I did this to thank them and hoped it would be a song of encouragement. I had my doubts, ‘cause I was worried it might not turn out how they wanted. But the heartwarming work of HYDE, the composer, cheered me on. The live-action NANA movie is filled with director Otani’s (and many others’) love for Nana. I was very moved by that. So please watch the movie and feel their love too. - Ai Yazawa
Volume 14
I confess. The seven characters I find easiest to draw (as pictures and as characters) are Kudo from Search Weekly, Hachi’s father, Kawano from Gaia, Matsuo from Gaia, the guard Yamagishi, Ginpei Moroboshi, and Mitsuru Narita. I’ve been a manga for 20 years. Lately I’ve been wondering about myself as a shoujo mangaka. ☺
- Ai Yazawa
Volume 15
In the small garden of the house I’ve been living in for over ten years, I have encountered many living beings. Stray cats taking naps, intimidating praying mantids, lizards shining iridescently, a jet-black leech with a head shaped like a hammer, long thin flatworms, and snakes. A perfectly shaped cast-off cicada shell has turned into a fixture for three years because I didn’t want to take if off the window screen. When I’m busy, I want to move to a condominium in the heart of Tokyo, but I feel at home in this place.
Volume 16
I talked before about wanting to make Blast a rockabilly band. The other day, the editor of Tenshi Nanka Ja Nai pointed out, “Ms. Yazawa, you said you wanted to do a rockabilly band story before you began Ten-nai.” I don’t remember that at all, but I had the idea that long ago?! Nowadays, I really have the urge to draw a comedy manga: What if Blast was a rockabilly band? ☺
Volume 17
I don’t particularly like talking about my age ☺, but maybe because of my age or not exercising enough or the curse of the Demon Lord, I can’t overexert myself anymore. I’m going to get a thorough physical checkup for the first time in my life. It’ll take two days, including an overnight stay, and they’re going to check all my internal organs thoroughly. How frightening. I should have the results by the time this volume comes out in Japan. Please pray that I won’t be thrown in the hospital. Not for my sake, but for Nana and the others!
Volume 18
Hello. They found something wrong with me during the thorough physical checkup I mentioned in volume 1. I went to the hospital, I gave up smoking for a while, and in the end, I had an operation. I’m finally getting better. I apologize for making people worry. During my hospital stay, the beautiful nurse inserted a painkiller suppository as if it was nothing and told me “I’m a big fan ♥.” I was really embarrassed! ☺ Thanks for taking care of me. Thank you!
Volume 19
Hello. I wrote in the last volume that “I’m getting better,” but as soon as I wrote that, I had to call an ambulance and was forced to suspend the series, so the release date of the new volume was set back. I’m really sorry to keep you people waiting! For those of you who waited patiently, thank you so much. It’s a rare thing for me, but I took a break like a human being, and so this time I was able to recover completely. From now on, I’ll my best but won’t push myself to the brink of collapse. Please watch over Nana-san and the others from now on as well!
Volume 20
Hello. Because of the way the story turns out, I thought it would be inappropriate to joke around with bonus pages at the end of the volume. I figured we could do without them sometimes, that they’re just bonus pages, so I took the plunge and did away with them completely this time. But I’m feeling super anxious ‘cause it seems like somethings missing. It looks like I can’t be a stylish mangaka who can play the game with just the main story, someone who doesn’t need to throw up a smoke screen with the extras.
Volume 21
Hello, Yazawa here. With this volume, no matter what scene I was drawing, I as heartbroken. I had a hard time, and it took longer than usual to draw. So it was such a relief when Satsuki appeared. Somehow the panel with Satsuki and Yasu together felt especially soothing. I never envied any of Yasu’s girlfriends or Nana, whom Yasu protects, but I’m totally jealous of Satsuki, whom Yasu’s taken under his wing since she was a baby.
#nana#ai yazawa#if you noticed any typos tell me!!#i hemmed and hawed over posting these all separately or not#i decided not to for the sake of everyone's dashes#i also have so much I want to say about what she said... but again#i worry about people's dashes lol#i admit i got a lil emotional once i got to volume 17#just knowing how things turn out with her health#what a gracious woman though#i hope she's learned jazz piano in the passed 7 years like she mentioned wanting to do#i feel so much love for her right now#i scream#my nana feels
813 notes
·
View notes
Last Seen Blogs
niallsgoldhoop
niallsgoldhoop
messinheaven
Butter-flies
miss-maam-ava
Miss Ava
olwrat
Zaunite loser
ritasanderson
Can i get you a ladder to get off my back?