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p1harmonyofficial · 3 years

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[📰] K-Pop Rookies P1Harmony Are Writing Their Own Coming of Age Story

By Crystal Bell

K-pop group P1Harmony debuted three months ago with their audacious single "Siren," and member Jiung is already dreaming of the perfect solo vacation. The 19-year-old singer wants to emphasize that this is a trip he'd like to — no, needs to — do alone, when he can safely do so. ("You need to bold the word 'alone,'" leader Keeho adds in English, a knowing glint of mirth in his eyes. "Put it in italics too.") So, more about this excursion: "If possible, I want to go to a foreign country," Jiung tells Teen Vogue from an office in Seoul, South Korea. He doesn't have a specific place in mind, just somewhere new and exciting and, most importantly, a place where he can be alone to freely organize his thoughts without any other responsibilities.

It sounds like a lyric ripped from the pages of his notebook, or the plot of a coming-of-age movie his 17-year-old groupmate Intak would enjoy: a young man on a voyage of self-discovery, chasing a feeling to a faraway land to escape his adolescent ennui. For now, however, it's just a lofty resolution for the new year.

"I also want to travel alone because I've never done it before," youngest member Jongseob, who recently turned 15, enthusiastically offers in Korean. Jiung, always one to help the younger sort out his feelings, is quick to quash the teenage rapper's theoretical plans. "That's not very realistic," he says. "You're too young to travel alone." Undeterred, Jongseob carries on: "Then my goal this year is to drink more milk."

"He wants to grow taller, but I don't think milk helps that much," Keeho comments, shaking his head while his teal quiff stays firmly in place. "I heard that's a myth."

Technically, they're not wrong. Unaccompanied minors can't travel internationally without a parent's formal consent in South Korea, and there's no proven scientific correlation between dairy and height. But spoken aloud, this interaction sounds more like playful goading among good friends. It's a testament to Keeho, Theo, Jiung, Intak, Soul, and Jongseob's comfortable dynamic as a group that the copper-haired youngest just earnestly smiles through the minor sting of his hopes being swiftly dashed.

For all of the training that goes into a K-pop artist's career, perhaps the most vital lesson is learning how to symbiotically coexist in close quarters with someone who is unfamiliar to you. Like most things, it is a process. Harmony isn't achieved overnight, especially among six teenage boys who have differing definitions of the word "clean." Cultural differences present unique challenges, too. When Keeho left his home in Canada to pursue his musical dreams as a trainee at FNC Entertainment in Seoul, he didn't have much trouble fitting in. Or so he thought. "He was funny," Jiung says in retrospect. "But I don't think we were able to communicate well." It wasn't that they couldn't understand what Keeho was saying — the soulful singer grew up speaking Korean with his family — but rather they couldn't understand him.

"Everyone would be stressed out, and I would be like, 'Guys, relax. Why are you stressing out over this?'" Keeho says animatedly with his hands. "They couldn't understand why I was so relaxed. How could I not care about anything? And I couldn't understand why they were always so stressed about things. It took a while to get on the same page."

That's where communication comes in. "The key is being honest," Jiung explains. "We have a lot of talks." These regular conversations allow the members to resolve potential issues before they spiral into larger, more disharmonious problems. Keeho is refreshingly open about this. "We're always stuck together," he adds. "We live together. We see each other 24 hours a day. Seeing anyone 24 hours a day, you'll eventually be, like, ugh, get away from me, but because we communicate so much, that [feeling] is reduced." Establishing rules and boundaries also helps. "We have a basic rule that you clean up the mess you've made," Jongseob says from where he's perched behind Jiung. (This rule is especially important to methodical Jiung.) And then there's vocalist Theo, the eldest member who also takes on the role of the group's even-keeled mediator because he's a good listener, and he likes giving advice.

"I'm not very opinionated," the blonde says. At 19, he's a few months older than Keeho but harder to read. He's both lighthearted and enigmatic. "I'm not good at expressing my feelings," Theo explains. "But the members are really good at expressing themselves and their emotions, so I'm learning how to open up because of them." According to Keeho, Theo is "bad at being serious," adding, "We'll have to have a serious talk, and he won't be able to take it. He's always trying to lighten the mood. He's the comedic relief."

Keeho makes a habit of describing the members' various idiosyncrasies in fervent detail. It's a very leaderly thing to do, to make sure that everyone feels understood. Occasionally, he also jumps in to help interpret their answers into English, or to encourage others to speak. Soul, who is half-Korean but was raised in Japan, could be described as a quiet person: an introvert who wears a lot of black, listens to metal, and has a particular obsession with massive skull rings and accessories. But he's also acutely perceptive. He'd rather listen and observe than be an active participant in the conversation. "I like when the rest of the members are discussing an idea," he says quietly in Korean (he's still learning the language). "I like watching them talk." It's not that he's not involved, but as Keeho puts it, "He's always supporting us silently and observing us." For Soul, it's more fun to sit and watch.

You can get a sense of these dynamics as they unfold on the last track of the group's debut EP, Disharmony: Stand Out. It's a skit, or audio recording of the members — then, just trainees — as they talk candidly about their dreams to perform and contemplate the implications of such aspirations. "I work hard here for the debut, but when I go to school, I wonder, 'What am I doing here?'" Intak says on tape, recalling how strange it feels to not have the same priorities as his classmates who are all preparing for their college admissions. Theo quells his concerns, telling him how lucky he is to already be working toward his dream. "That's a cool thing," Keeho adds, as Soul silently listens in the background.

While his peers prepared for their academic futures, Intak was spending his evenings dancing, rapping, singing, and writing lyrics, while also stunt training alongside his groupmates and preparing to become a… movie star. A few weeks before the release of their album, P1H: A New World Begins hit theaters across South Korea in early October. The first K-pop origin story to hit the big screen, the feature film introduced P1Harmony and their sci-fi lore to the masses. Long story short: After a deadly virus spreads chaos and violence around the globe, six boys with extraordinary gifts are humanity's only hope for survival. The filming experience was invaluable for the artists, who until that point had only ever studied music and performance. "Acting training really helped with my facial expressions," Intak says. "I learned how to portray my emotions on stage." Keeho agrees, adding, "We got very friendly with the camera."

Singers who rap, rappers who sing, dancers who act — the boys of P1Harmony forgo clearly defined roles in favor of being versatile and, well, good at everything.

As for their music, Disharmony: Stand Out is a snapshot of Gen Z unrest, simmering with angst ("Siren") and bucking wildly, vibrantly against convention ("Nemonade"). Teenage turmoil has been fueling the K-pop industry since the very beginning, and there's a certain nostalgia to P1Harmony's no-holds-barred approach. Members Soul and Jongseob both credit B.A.P and their hard-hitting style with inspiring them to become artists, with Zelo influencing Jongseob to pursue rap in elementary school. You can hear those more aggressive, hip-hop-tinged influences on Disharmony, as well as softer, more lyrical R&B flourishes ("Butterfly").

"We wanted to convey feelings and situations that are not harmonious," Jongseob says. "We want to say don't be afraid to stand out and to say what you want to say — speak your truth, and do it with courage and confidence." Despite his age, the young rapper carries himself like a veteran. By all accounts, he's earned the title, having won the competition series K-pop Star 6 at age 12 in 2017 and competed in YG Treasure Box less than two years later. These experiences, he says, helped him feel more comfortable performing. By the time he came to FNC, he was already a prodigy with the confidence and flow of a performer twice his age.

"There are so many people, our age especially, who aren't always able to speak courageously and confidently," Keeho adds. "So we wanted to encourage everyone, especially ourselves, to never be afraid to say what you want to say."

And they practice what they preach. All of the members are credited lyricists on the album, with all six collaborating on the roaring hip-hop track "That's It." Part cypher, part vibes, "That's It" is teeming with boyish swagger and possibility. "Even though it was the first time all six of us worked on a song together, surprisingly we were all on the same page from the very first meeting, and it came together quickly," Jiung recounts, adding that each member wrote their own verse. "It was fun," Keeho chirps.

That creative energy is also channeled into their performances. "Because we do take part in a lot of the songwriting, we also want to convey that in our dance," Intak explains. Though he's part of the group's rap line, his first love was dance. He started taking lessons as a child. "My mom is a dancer, so she's where I got my love of dancing," he says. As such, he's well-versed in conveying emotion through motion. "We always have an idea of how we want to portray these emotions with our bodies," he says. The members choreograph their own center gestures. These movements are a small but significant part of any performance, because this is where their charisma and individuality shine brightest.

"I wanted to become a singer because I wanted to perform onstage," Theo says. "So being able to be on music programs performing on real stages, surrounded by bright LED lights and visual backdrops, I feel like a main character. When all of the lights are on me, I feel like a star."

Unsurprisingly, even when he's offstage, he's still singing. He even likes to call his friends and take song requests. "I like to sing to my friends through the phone," he says. "I'll sing anything they want. I play piano for them, too. They're very open to listening to me." Next to him, Keeho adds, "My friends would not want me to sing to them." (The internet respectfully disagrees.) Meanwhile, Jongseob turns to making music and writing lyrics in his downtime. It's a great way to relieve stress, he says. These days, Intak turns to animated films to ease his mind. He's a fan of Studio Ghibli films, and he really likes the Japanese manga characters Doraemon and Shin Chan.

"I watch a lot of coming-of-age stories about these innocent kids who are in the process of becoming adults," he explains. "I get inspired by watching them. I don't want to lose that innocence, so watching those animations make me feel youthful." It's hard to imagine Intak without his boyish sensibility. It's seeped into every social media post and YouTube vlog (or, #PLOG). Yet, as an artist, as a teenager, it's an unusual phenomenon to be perceived by thousands of fans before having the clarity to perceive yourself. It's something no amount of Miyazaki or training prepares you for.

Initially, Theo had a hard time opening up on camera. The mere thought of it made him nervous, but the more he did it, the easier it was for him to parse his own feelings. "I'm not very good at expressing emotions like thank you and I love you," he says. "But it's a lot easier to express those feelings now because I feel them so sincerely. I can say thank you for loving me [to fans] because I truly mean it."

"There are people from all around the world who leave me messages, and that makes me so happy," Intak says. "It drives me to do more and to give more to them."

And there will be more to give. Disharmony: Stand Out was just the beginning, and Keeho already has some very big goals for 2021. At the top of the list? "Rookie of the Year, come on!" he says spiritedly of the K-pop industry's coveted award. "It's definitely possible. I'm manifesting it right now." He also wants to make more music, maybe release more covers. "We want to come back a lot," he smiles. "I'm thinking [of] at least three releases next year."

Then there are more personal goals, like Jiung's solo travels. "I want to take better care of my mental health," he adds, noting that it starts with a more positive mindset. "I want to be a better person overall." Intak wants to, for the first time in his young life, maintain a consistent routine for a healthier lifestyle. That includes getting enough sleep when there aren't any schedules. ("He could sleep, but he chooses not to," Keeho jokes.) After monitoring his fancams, Theo has decided that he wants to build more muscle. And Soul hopes to go home to Japan to see his dog, a Frenchie named Mochi.

As for Keeho, in true Libra fashion, he wants to maintain a sense of balance: "I want to stay true to myself," he says. "I don't want to be like, oh, the fame is getting to me. I don't want to change. I want to stay grounded and stay thankful and be grateful, always. I also want to make some more money." He laughs, then adds, "I can't lie!"

No, he can't. Honesty is the key to harmony, after all.

#p1harmony #ot6 #t:news #era:disharmony : stand out #210123

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booksandwords · 3 years

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The Librarian's Vampire Assistant 2 by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

Series: The Librarian's Vampire Assistant #2 Read time: 2 Days Rating: 4.5/5

The quote: “Please. Try to stop squirming. This is supposed to be a family-friendly mystery novel.” “What?” “Never mind. We all knew it would turn R-rated at some point.” — Michael Vanderhorst & Miriam Murphy

This is a book with a hell of an ending. It concludes the storylines started in 2, lines up 3 with a bang. It definitely encourages people to keep going. I should have guessed at least some of the endgame but didn't, it's set up well. The players were al there, the signpost are there to be seen but will only make sense when everything comes together. There are some moments of serious darkness including Michael attempting suicide (look it makes perfect sense in context). That is a spoiler, I will not hide it because I need it where it can be seen.

This is a book for two kinds of people. Those who like supernatural fiction and booklovers. Both the main characters Miriam and Michael are booklovers, Miriam is an almost stereotypical librarian intelligent, shy, clumsy and with a hoard of books. This book adds to what is already known of their characters. Michael is a dichotomy. He is deadly, old and always put together but he as a streak of loyalty to those who show loyalty to him and a strong set of principles. All wrapped up in a mess of humour and slightly confused feelings about his librarian. As the pov for the reader, we get an idea of his personality he's slightly sarcastic and highly amusing. But the way he describes himself is funny... "The deed of a four-century-old vampire with the face of a twenty-year-old. And the body of an underwear model."; "athletic build, six feet one, thick dark hair, and charmer of a smile."; "crossing my muscled arms over my very muscled chest. I was a university student who enjoyed exercise and boxing on the side for money before Clive saved my life from the flu. To this day, I still enjoy working out.". I always forget how young he presents as and I can't get over that. Michaels coding feels at least initially like it is sitting somewhere on in the aroace spectrum. But it's not that simple and it is even more complicated by the end. Michael's confusion over the bond he has with Miriam is still unexplained it's something I guess we will find out at some point. I see Miriam as a booklovers protagonist, as a librarian she has what so many consider a dream job (which is mine), she has a house full of rare books and first editions. One of the best exchanges in this book is “Which was your favorite?” “That’s like asking a musician to tell you his or her favorite note. A true booklover doesn’t have one.”. That is such a booklover response and I'm pretty sure I've made a similar answer at some point. She is stronger and more perceptive than she appears. Her love and trust in people is fantastic.

Lula is just a straight-up badass woman. Smart and more than able to hold her own against the men. Viviana is far behind Lula in the badass stakes but where Lula is physical and very obvious, Viviana is the brilliant assistant/ lawyer to Michael, loyal and efficient. "While I cannot argue with Viviana’s rage, I am shocked by it. I have never seen her claws and teeth. Of course, Aspen had forced Viviana to become a vampire and then used her child as leverage." She may have been blackmailed into her vampiric state but she is determined to make the most of it. I never want to see her truly in anger.

It must be said that while The Librarian's Vampire Assistant books stand alone or at least Mimi Jean claims they do and she does reiterates the characters, circumstances and some of the lore. These are all built on through the books as necessary. I like Mimi Jean's lore, especially this quote about sunlight. "We simply hate the hell out of it, similar to how cats hate baths, children hate bedtime, and men hate listening. Vampires. Hate. Sunshine.". Book 2 does build heavily on book 1 even if the circumstances are explained it definitely makes more sense if you know what is going on coming in.

I'm finding this with an annotated quote dump.

“Oh really? How about story time, huh? I see that glint in your brown eyes when you think you’re about to scare the children. Of course, you end up boring them to sleep, which is why the moms all love you. I think they’ve started a fan club.” — I love this line. Michael and kids is one of the cutest things

"I am a man. On the rare occasion I do not know something, I wing it. Hasn’t failed me yet." — No comment I just need it in this review

"“Didn’t your parents leave cash reserves?” She shakes her head no. “They spent their money on books. Every last dime.” She shakes her head no. “They spent their money on books. Every last dime.” My kind of people." — I mean yeah mine too. But damn Miriam got a bit screwed on getting the ability to care for her amazeballs collection and her library.

"Mr. Nice is a giant ball of crazy wrapped in an impenetrable blanket of crazy and dipped in dazzling crazy sprinkles. — I mean this is a fair point. He is A LOT.

"As a collector of literature myself, I have never seen anything like the items in her home. It gives me a solid book-boner merely thinking about it. First. Editions. Mmmm…” — Michael... Micahel I love it.

"She is right. She never will be ready. This beautiful, delicate little flower would wither in my world. She is meant to live a human life filled with books, story times, and love." — This is so soft and pretty and loving. I like how Michael talks about Miriam.

#the librarian's vampire assistant #mimi jean pamfiloff #book review #read 2021 #ktreviews #tw torture #i really do relate a bit to both michael and miriam it's the book thing and the librarian thing

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mrssarablack · 3 years

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1. What’s your sexual orientation?

Heterosexual.

2. What are you obsessed with right now?

Hmm, I really don't know. I have my usual things that would qualify but my "obsessions" but they don't often consume me to a high degree, so I have a hard time dubbing anything I like a full blown obsession.

That being said, it's probably tiktok. The obsession of the moment, I find myself on the app entirely too much because it's just a fun party and oh the things that lead to little research dives are fascinating. Mostly it's the musicians that get me. I love creativity and am forever amazed by the collaborations and straight magic people make in the time allotted... but it takes up way too much of my time when it really shouldn't. I have better things I could be doing.

3. Ever done any drugs?

Yup.

4. What piercings do you want?

None. My ears are pierced to the degree I like and I don't really desire anything else to be pierced.

5. How many people have you kissed?

Enough.

6. Describe your dream home.

The house I live in outdoes anything I could possibly come up with. I'm very happy with my home, but I'd be happy most anywhere. If I'm honest, I'm a bit Aladdin-like when it comes to living arrangements. My dream home list, if I only considered myself, is the very low bar of a roof over my head that has a beautiful view. Bonus it has a pool but it's not a requirement.

Clearly, where I live outdoes that by a longshot and I'm very lucky to have the things I have. I'm not unaware of that fact.

7. Who are you jealous of?

There is no way for this not to sound like a humble brag in my head, but no one. I've never been the jealous type. There's so much unnecessary energy in wanting what someone else has and jealousy is a negative you just don't need in your life. It's much better to focus on your own joy and not worry about what others are doing.

8. What’s your favorite show to binge?

Schitt's Creek

9. Do you watch porn?

I have.

10. Do you have a secret sideblog?

No, I don't.

11. If you could teleport anywhere in the world right now, where would you go?

I don't know, I'm good, but somewhere warm and with a beach, I guess?

12. What’s one of your fantasies?

I really only have one and that's of my mother apologizing for what she did.

13. Do you have/would you get your nipples pierced?

Nope.

14. How would you spend a million dollars?

I probably wouldn't.

15. Are you in a relationship?

Yes

16. Do you follow porn blogs?

No, but I'm pretty sure some have followed me...🙄

17. Are you angry with anyone right now?

My mother. It ebbs and flows between anger and indifference. Depends on the thoughts I'm having surrounding the why of it.

18. What tattoos do you want?

I don't want any.

19. If you could change your name, would you? What would you change it to?

Maybe? But probably not. I don't particularly like my name. It's kind of dull, if I'm honest, but at the same time it's my name and I don't have a replacement in my head for it. So, I'm Sara and I'll forever be Sara. It's alright.

20. What is something you’re obsessed with?

I already answered this, but I suppose my general obsession is pokemon. I like the games and the lore. The whole thing is fun and I enjoy it a lot.

21. Describe your best friend.

She's like sunshine. She's bubbly and sweet. Anna has optimism for days. She can be a little naive but people also see naivety in what is actually her stubbornness. She won't give up on people even if she should. She sees good in almost everything but she isn't unaware that bad exists.

And because of this her kindness shines. She'd help a stranger without hesitation or a need for anything back. She very much is a person who would stick her neck out to save a life. She brings out the best in people and makes it look effortless. She is kind and caring but has a determination that can tackle damn near anything that becomes an obstacle. Anna's a force to reckon with and not many people realize this truth.

22. Tag someone you think is hot.

@nikolascblack

Did you really think I'd pick someone else?

23. Who are five of your favorite bands/musical artists?

This list alternates with moods. I love so many bands and artists. But right now the top five are:

Nikolas Black

AJR

The Beatles

Ok One Rock

P!nk

24. What are three places you want to travel?

I really am that person if given the chance to just pick a plane and go I'd probably take it. I just want to experience all the places so here are the first regions that came to mind...

Italy (like all of it)

Spain/ Barcelona

South of France

25. Describe your perfect Friday night.

It's getting warmer so, right now, it's an evening with Nikolas on our back patio. Fire up the grill and enjoy a meal outdoors. Maybe spend some time in the pool. End the evening with a warm blanket and a cuddle.

26. What’s your favorite season?

Summer. My skin may take issue with the sun but I like it best when it's warm and sunny and being outside.

27. What’s your pet peeve?

When I am listening to music… I probably don't want to talk to you. Leave me alone. I do not like when I'm interrupted when my music is on.

Also, if I'm doing art or sewing … be aware I might get snippy if you choose to interrupt my flow. I like reaching stopping points before I'm asked to change gears.

28. Who is the funniest person you know?

Probably Jakub. He's the king of one liners and his sass gets me.

29. What’s the most overrated movie?

I'd say Avatar, was not impressed by space Pocahontas….

30. Tag someone you want to talk to but have been too shy to message.

... um... I'm not really the shy type. If I wanna get to know someone.... I'm going to be friendly to them and start a conversation.

31. Do you like paper books or ebooks better?

Paper books but I do register I read more electronic ones. The library system is nice in that format… when I actually finish a book. I don't read that fast so I have like 3 waitlisted at any given time three or four times over just so I can finish it … 😅

32. If you could live in a fictional world, what world would you pick?

Pokemon?

33. If money was no object, what would your wardrobe be like?

I dislike questions that make me feel like I'm bragging. Or that could be seen as such but my wardrobe wouldn't really change because my boyfriend allows me to use his funds from time to time to have the nicer clothing items I like. Which sit right alongside my jeans I got from TJ Maxx. Legitimately, it probably wouldn't change at all.

34. What’s your coffee order?

Cold brew or if it's cold I typically, latte it's usually a hazelnut

35. Do you have a crush on anyone?

No.

36. Do you still have feelings for any of your exes?

I don't. Most of them were pretty shit people. So, yeah… nope, I don't think much on them at all really.

37. Have any tattoos?

38. Do you drink?

Occasionally

39. Are you a virgin?

Heh… no.

40. Do you have a crush on any of your mutuals?

Nope

41. How many followers do you have?

Um… I have no idea. Not many that's for sure.

42. Describe the hottest person you know.

I did this once. I'm not going to objectify him again. So instead:

43. What’s your guilty pleasure?

True crime documentaries or horror movies. I do not watch them often. Nikolas isn't into it and I'm not going to be the ass that takes the tv and makes him watch something he doesn't like. So, I save it for when I am alone.

44. Do you read erotica?

I have but I don't seek it out. Typically the erotica I have read has been tucked away in a romance novel and was far more than I expected it to go from the synopsis or anything before that point.

45. What’s the worst date you’ve ever been on?

I have to go with the one where it was clear he asked me out as some sort of revenge date. His ex-girlfriend was at the location with friends and he kept looking over at her trying to see her reaction. It was bad and I dismissed myself as quickly as I could.

46. How many people do you follow?

Again, I don't know. I know it's mostly friends and artists or designers but I'm too lazy to look up the number because I don't care.

47. If you could marry any celebrity, who would you pick?

This guy right here:

48. Describe your ideal partner.

There's a theme here...

49. Who do you text the most?

Anna? Our friend text line is usually an all day back and forth.

50. What’s your favorite kind of weather?

Sunny and warm. Weather that screams "beach day"

#sara reynolds #random questions #bored #been a while since ive done this #oc #roleplay

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bigbadwolf-16 · 3 years

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anyway heres the thing for wolf and i am SO sorry if the readmore doesnt work oof this bitch long

slightly modified it

Name:

Wolf-16

Age:

Mentally twelve, but roughly Dark Age old.

Race:

Exo

Call signs/alias:

Wolf. One syllable, easy.

Pronouns:

He / Him

Class:

Hunter

Preferred subclass(es):

Gunslinger, but he’s handy with Void and Stasis. Never got the hang of Arc.

Ghost's name:

Serenity, but she reluctantly answers to Red sometimes.

Their Vanguard:

He came late to the party and properly joined the Guardian ranks sometime after Tallulah died, but he was closest to Cayde-6, rip.

Fireteam name:

Foxtrot Uniform Charlie Kilo (former) Maelstrom (former) Exodus (current)

Fireteam teammates:

In Foxtrot: Liz Cabrera, King-3, Armani-7 In Maelstrom: Amelia-9, Atticus Maav In Exodus: Puck-13, Aera-9, Emmanuel-7

Favorite legendary weapon:

Dire Promise IKELOS SMG Seventh Seraph SAW

Favorite exotic weapon:

Ace of Spades Riskrunner The Lament

Favorite exotic armor:

Sealed Ahamkara Grasps The Sixth Coyote St0mp-335

Are they offense, defense, or support:

Generally offense, he’s blindingly fast and is a crackshot with any weapon you put in his hands.

Do they prefer being close, mid, or long range:

He prefers mid to long, but ends up getting in close more often than he’d like. The agility kind of nerfs his ability to take a lot of damage all at once, so he goes airborne the second he gets surrounded.

Do they lean more "Element of Surprise" or "Upfront and Aggressive":

A bit of both! He’ll pull a surprise attack and jump in to get his hands dirty if he has to, which makes him a pretty good distraction if there’s a lot of enemies looking for a bullet sponge, but he prefers a little bit of distance if he can get it.

Strikes, Gambit, or Crucible:

Getting him into strikes takes a lot of perseverance, honestly. He’ll do them if Zavala can actually hold him down long enough. Hunters are elusive as hell anymore, and the amount of times he’s been back to the Tower or even within the City’s walls since the Red War can be counted on one hand.

Crucible is also kind of a gamble. Serenity doesn’t like him doing it because he gets ruthlessly competitive and tends to favor Stasis which gets... ahhh, intense...

He fucks super hard with Gambit, tho. If he’s anywhere near the City, he’s probably playing Gambit because the Drifter won’t give him the good stuff until he does.

Who was their mentor:

If anyone was, it was probably Serenity and only insofar as teaching him how to be fucking normal. It hasn’t worked very well.

Who are they mentoring:

He went through a brief stint where he mentored Atticus. He couldn’t teach him any Warlock things, of course, but other stuff like no-scoping an Acolyte or picking locks? Absolutely.

What ship do they have:

After Forsaken, all of Cayde’s stuff was pretty much left alone, but Wolf asked the Vanguard if he could take the Queen of Hearts and they let him.

What is their Sparrow:

Blood in the Water

Favorite Ghost shell:

Serenity picks her own shells. When they met, she pretty much had the Rust Punk shell after the one she was created with got messed up pretty badly. The new one didn’t stand up very well against the elements.

Wolf keeps a handful of them in the ship so that she can go between them and her favorites are Wisteria Orbit and In Fine Omnium, but she goes back to her old one occasionally if she doesn’t want to get the others dirty.

Favorite color:

Red, but sometimes purple.

Favorite food:

Any kind of spicy ramen and shawarma.

Least favorite food:

He doesn’t like anything with a bitter taste and there are a lot of veggie-based things he just genuinely cannot stand the thought of.

Favorite Pre-Collapse music:

He discovered classic rock and hasn’t looked back once.

Favorite place in The Last City:

Before the Red War when he spent more time in the city itself, his apartment. It was small and pretty cozy and also loaded with his hauls from various jobs. He’d sit in the window and play video games on his off days and just chill with Serenity for hours.

There was also a bar he’d frequent with his old fireteam (and sneakretly sometimes with Cayde) where they pretty much knew everyone who worked there by name. It’s the one place he never got kicked out of for causing a ruckus.

Favorite NPC(s):

Cayde and Wolf hung out a lot when either one of them had the time. These days, if he’s anywhere near the Tower, it’s only to see Amanda or Banshee.

He also likes to kick it with Devrim, Variks, and Failsafe. Osiris finds him frustrating at best, but he and Crow are kind of a package deal at this point.

Least favorite NPC(s):

He finds Rahool kind of dry and nerdy and has nothing but bad things to say about Hideo.

Favorite patrol location:

The EDZ. It’s more or less his home now and he knows every square inch of it by heart.

Least favorite patrol location:

Anywhere on Europa or the Moon. Europa he’ll at least go to without being dragged, if only just to say hi to Variks or Elsie and check up on how things are going, but after the Lunar Incident he won’t step foot on the Moon unless Eris requests him specifically.

5 things your Guardian likes:

Glimmer, babeyyyy!! Also food, bad jokes, going real fast, and springtime.

5 things your Guardian dislikes(this can be anything):

Handling trauma in a healthy way like normal person, having to be responsible for people, being told what to do, big open spaces, and waiting.

Your Guardian has to rest. What is their living space like:

Wolf can and will sleep just about anywhere and in pretty much any position. His old apartment in the City was destroyed during the war, and he just never went back, so now he knocks out in whatever place has enough cover or is out of the way enough he won’t be found.

Does your Guardian have any casual wear?:

Lots. He usually goes for a more urban style, so lots of huge hoodies, joggers, chunky sneakers, snapbacks, that kind of thing. He generally only wears armor when he’s actively working.

What hobbies and/or skills does you Guardian have:

Outside of Guardian stuff, he’s picked up a handful of skills over the years. He can rap and sing and figured out how to autotune his voice/mimic others, he’s pretty good at woodcarving and making little things out of scrap metal, and even if his designs are intentionally tacky he’s good at custom paint jobs for jumpships and Sparrows.

As for hobbies, that mostly consists of exploring. He’s got a lot of patrol areas memorized, and does a lot of urbex in places that aren’t very thoroughly mapped because he likes finding pre-Collapse artifacts and seeing places not very many others have. Mostly for selling.

He also does a lot of gambling, but whether or not he’s any good at it is arguable.

What would your Guardian's lore book be called:

Sixteen Wolves

Where was your Guardian reborn?:

Somewhere in the humid and shitty swamp that used to be Houston, Texas. It was tough going for a while, but they eventually traveled all the way to what would eventually be the City.

What were they wearing when they were reborn:

Rapidly disintegrating work gear from, presumably, some kind of security job.

What was their reaction to being reborn:

Confusion and alarm, but he warmed up to Serenity pretty quickly, so it wasn’t too bad after the initial shock.

What was their reaction to their first rez:

Very surprised until Serenity explained what had just happened. After that, all bets were off.

After being reborn, did they meet friendlies first or hostiles:

Like many, the first sentient form of life he met was hostile, but it wasn’t aliens. His first run-in with other people was a group of survivors who had a lot of mistrust regarding the Risen and he didn’t want to fight them, so he took off.

Who was the first other Guardian they met?:

He definitely doesn’t remember, but it probably wasn’t a pleasant encounter.

Did your Guardian get reborn with, or find, any indication of their past life? If so what do they have/found:

Exos get the luxury of at least knowing their name, but Wolf found his etched into a corner of his chest plate in cool letters. He didn’t remember anything from his past life beyond random glimpses if he dug hard enough, and nowadays those glimpses are pretty rare and extremely vague. There’s never any memory fragment that’s enough to really grab onto, so he tends not to bother with it.

How did your Guardian get their name(if they didn't rez with past life mementos):

Exo thing! He doesn’t remember if it was just some kind of moniker or part of his actual original human name, but Wolf sounds cool so he’s not worried about it.

Going back to your Guardian's lore book, what would be some quotes or passages from their book:

The Hunter dove for the ball and caught it, whipped it back across to his companion with a well-practiced flick of his wrist and tumbled. The Warlock caught it a bit more gracefully and without getting dirt on his clothes.

“Do you ever think about home?”

“What do you mean?”

The Warlock shrugged, tossing the ball back and forth between his palms. “Home. You know. Where you’re from. Your people, I mean. I think about the Dreaming City a lot. I don’t remember how it used to be, but... I like to think maybe I had family there once. Someone to miss me when I was gone. Dreadful to think of how it’s been destroyed...”

“Hm.” Wolf considered the question, then it was his turn to shrug. “Dunno. Guess we don’t really have one.”

“You must have something, Wolf. Exos had to come from somewhere. Everyone has a home.”

“Y’all might have a home. All we got’s a graveyard.”

Does your Guardian have a significant other:

He’s had a handful over the years. He’s still friends with Liz, not that anyone can tell because all they do is fuck with each other and cause trouble when they’re together. He and Amelia were a thing briefly but that one had to be called off to preserve their friendship because, even though they’ve known each other for decades and get along surprisingly well, they are very, very different people.

The last one was Cayde, and that didn’t end well for anyone. Cringe culture is dead, don’t @ me.

Did your Guardian go explore first before going to The Last City? If so, where to:

That was kinda the name of the game back then. The City was just a dinky little encampment and Wolf was on a completely different continent, so by the time he actually got there it was a dinky little town with not much to explore. He ended up breezing through a few times before anyone even really realized he was a Risen. The section of the wall he helped build is actually still there.

What was their reaction to first seeing The Last City:

A little bit surprised, honestly. He already knew there were a lot of little camps and small towns scattered around, but he hadn’t expected to find any that were that organized and so full of lightbearers and mortals, just working side by side.

Is your Guardian a part of a clan:

Yes! He’s part of the Exodus Family.

Does your Guardian's clan have a back story? If so, what is it?(if you want to or able to share):

Not much that I’m personally aware of, just cus my friends and I haven’t talked about it at length, but basically everyone is an Exo and having a fairytale/biblical theme is pretty common. Like. Puck is an obvious one. Wolf and Serenity are a little bit Little Red Riding Hood themed, only insomuch as Serenity having an affinity for red shells and Wolf thinking he’s all big and bad and tough.

(He’s not, he’s a baby.)

If your Guardian would have a quote as a flavor text for a weapon and/or piece of armor, what would they be:

I have a couple of these actually, all inspired by some really good quotes I’ve seen.

Wolf Moon’s Chase (Exotic) “Don’t look back. You’re not going that way.” A hand cannon with a wolf head grip and the Howlin’ Wolves perk; Successive precision kills gradually reload the clip and boost Super energy regen even if stowed. Missed shots have a chance to track enemies and explode.

Last Man Standing (Exotic) ”I was always taught that if you shoot for the Moon and miss, the vacuum of space will suck out your eyeballs. Failure is not an option. Go kill ‘em.” Chest armor with the Knock ‘Em Dead perk: Low health massively boosts damage, resilience, and mobility for a short amount of time.

Bad Blood (Legendary) ”The strength of the pack is the Wolf. The strength of the Wolf is the pack.” A Hunter’s cloak with the Vermilion Stripe down one side and a moon shattered into three pieces on the back.

If your Guardian has had any interactions with any civilians, Eliksni, Cabal, Vex, Hive, Taken, Scorn, Rogue Lightbearers, or Iron Lords/War Lords tell us about it!:

Wolf’s been around a while and he’s seen a lot of things, so let’s dig into this one.

He’s not as well known in the City except by name unless he’s wearing his wolf mask, but he drops in at the Farm pretty often and he’s on good terms with everyone there. He does a lot of supply runs for them and will stick around if they’re shorthanded to help with upkeep or defense if there’s a lot of hostile activity in the area. In general, he doesn’t interact a whole lot with mortals unless they’ve been out on the front lines like Devrim or Suraya. There’s way too much cultural and social disconnect there and he doesn’t have the patience or really even the language to try and explain to them that he, even as a Guardian and Old Light, is just as human as they are and while he may be immortal and have crazy cosmic superpowers given to him by a mysterious and sentient white spheroid, dying hurts and the trauma every Guardian walks around with just is not worth it.

Where Eliksni are concerned, he tends not to initiate fights with them. If they shoot first, all bets are off, but for the most part he has a lot of respect for what they’ve been through and can relate to feeling lost and completely adrift with no identity. He helps rebels on Europa either fight back against Salvation or escape to Earth to join the House of Light. He’s made a lot of friends that way.

Cabal he has a lot of respect for as well, for similar reasons. They lost their home to the Hive and are trying to survive in the best way they know how, even if he doesn’t agree with their politics. He doesn’t know what’s going to happen with Caiatl, but he’s trying to maintain hope that her empire and humanity will eventually reach an understanding. They’d be unstoppable as allies.

He doesn’t fuck with the Vex. Even before things came to light on Europa, even being near them made his brain itch and one of his biggest fears is being infected with some kind of Vex virus that’ll turn him into one of them and spread to other Exos or Ghosts, almost to the point he’d prefer to avoid them altogether.

He is terrified of the Hive. I’ve mentioned the Lunar Incident before, and the trauma of it caused such an intense meltdown that it forced a reset. Unless Eris Morn specifically asks him personally to go to the Moon for any reason, he doesn’t go anywhere near it. He can deal with them in other places like the Reef or on Earth, but the combination of Moon + Hive just scares him to death.

Taken and Scorn both are kind of a wobbly thing for him. He feels bad for what happened to them, but knowing that it can’t be reversed and that just killing them is a mercy makes it easier to deal with them. With Taken and anything relating to them, the spatial distortion they cause kind of overwhelms his processes if he’s dealing with it for too long and can make him feel a little sick, but that usually subsides once he’s gotten some distance. (Scorn are just... Oof. On the one hand, he kind of feels like they’re not too dissimilar to lightbearers just in that they were brought back from the dead and now won’t stay dead, but he always wonders if they’re suffering or if they even know where they are or what they’re doing. It’s just incredibly sad to see them like that, and the same goes for the Wrathborn.)

Rogue lightbearers? He kind of is one. He didn’t join the Vanguard until long after the City was established and before that he was just kind of doing his own thing being a thieving little shithead. It was Amelia who encouraged him to do it, and he’s shaped up a lot since then and become a lot more sympathetic toward other people. He still has that wild edge and always plays it fast and loose with the rules, more so than even most other Hunters, so he’s always butting heads with Zavala about that. In general, he doesn’t think much of them unless they’ve genuinely gone bad and are actively out there hunting and hurting other people.

Warlords/Iron Lords, uhhh. He was friends with a Warlord back in their day, but he didn’t pay them much mind outside of that. As far as he was concerned, if they stayed out of his way and he stayed out of theirs, everything was fine because other people’s problems weren’t his problem and he had no intention of getting tangled up with all that shit when he had a free pass to do all the petty crimes he wanted. He’s always thought the Iron Lords were stuffy and holier-than-thou, but he does kind of respect what they did back then and he might rip on Lord Saladin, but he understands his perspective on things. That kind of survival instinct and total victory or death philosophy, like... ya know. Wolf grew up in different times, too, and back then it was genuinely kill or be killed and you couldn’t trust anyone not to stab you in the back over scraps. He gets it. He may not always agree, but he gets it.

Does your Guardian have any unconventional allies or connections(By Vanguard standards):

Definitely. It didn’t start with Crow and Spider of course, but they’re a pretty good example. As a Hunter, he is connected. He knows a guy for everything you can think of and most of that knowledge is very under the table kind of shit. If the gains are good, he’ll partner up with just about anyone and his only hard limit is probably wholesale murder and not necessarily even because he isn’t comfortable with it. It’s a lot of mess, and a lot of potential to get his ass into really deep trouble he’d rather avoid.

He’s got a lot of Eliksni and Cabal buddies out in the system, most of whom he met in some makeshift prison or while trapped somewhere. More than once it’s been a situation of kidnapping where he just accidentally became friends with his captors.

One of his best friends for years was an Eliksni vandal out on the Tangled Shore, so he has absolutely no issue with having unconventional allies.

(Plus, like. With the system in total fucking chaos, you’re gonna need all the friends you can get. He’s dumb but he’s not stupid.)

How does your Guardian feel about themselves or others using Stasis:

Wolf has mixed feelings about Stasis. With Exos being pretty much literally born of Darkness, he has a natural affinity for it but being such a sensitive dude makes it very easy for the Darkness to manipulate him through. Any time he uses Stasis, he gets weird and a little bloodthirsty, so he tries to only use it when nothing else is working. He’s got a lot of willpower, but you can only hold out for so long when someone’s promising you salvation, peace, and power after the sort of life an Old Light has to deal with. Fear and trauma are very easy to appeal to when everything is looking increasingly more bleak all around you.

As far as other people using it, he’s still very “not my circus, not my clowns” about it. The only time he’d take issue is if someone was using it like legitimately trying to RTL someone he cares about.

Did they run The Last Wish raid? How did they react to seeing a live Ahamkara a.k.a Riven:

I’ve only done parts of it myself, but if he has met Riven he definitely almost short-circuited. I think anyone would if they met a supposedly extinct magic space dragon for the first time.

Did they run The Deep Stone Crypt raid? How did they react to the Crypt and seeing Exo Eliskni:

It was harrowing to say the least. Everything on Europa has been a nightmare, just from his own standpoint as an Exo. He goes through phases where he thinks that being one is the greatest thing ever because you’re faster, stronger, and tougher than anyone else, but at the same time, like. Look at what they have to deal with.

And all the secrets that came out as we learned more about Exoscience and Clovis Bray? Yikes, dude. Any time he’s not feeling cheeky or neutral about it, he just feels this weird sense of shame and guilt. Why would anyone want to be an Exo? Why would anyone willingly hand over their peace of mind and their security in their own identity like that? Most Exos don’t know who they were before, some don’t even know who they are now, and all because they got too close to the truth or their fundamentally unsustainable existence backfired again and they had to completely erase everything and start over.

Seeing Atraks was like watching a car crash knowing you wouldn’t be able to do anything to stop it. All these people seeking that out, wanting to make themselves or their allies into Exos just to be top notch unstoppable war machines when they don’t even slightly understand what it’s really like to live inside a completely foreign body is something he just can’t wrap his head around. He tries not to think about it too hard.

Is your Guardian from D1? How did they react to seeing Taniks alive once again:

He has his own beef with Taniks, but like. If he kept being killed and revived in shittier and shittier conditions, he’d probably be really pissed off too.

Where did they go and what did they do during The Red War:

The Red War kind of spelled the end of him transiently living in the City proper. His apartment was in one of the residential areas that got leveled, and he just never went back once the dust settled.

He did what he could to help, but his main concern was just keeping Serenity safe. He’d never admit it out loud in mixed company but if it came to having to choose between her and a handful of mortals, he’d choose her every time. She’s been the one constant in his life since he was revived and he couldn’t imagine having to try and carry on without her.

It really brought home just how much abuse he could take before his body would quit on him, and he almost didn’t make it through the whole thing. He’s way too reckless now to survive long without his Ghost, but it brought them a whole lot closer together.

For the most part, he teamed up with other Hunters to scout for safe exits and round up survivors, and when the Vanguard left to take care of business he stayed to help keep his lil classmates on task. After that he stayed at the Farm for a while dealing with the whole self-repair and maintenance deal, and he spent a whole lot more time out in the field when it was over.

Here are some characters that are either polarizing or have created a strong enough mass emotion within the community. What opinion does your Guardian hold on each of them >>>

Osiris, First Warlock Vanguard, originally exiled:

Wolf likes Osiris. Anyone who’s reckless, stubborn, uncouth, and a little bit feral is always going to be someone that Wolf likes and wants to be friends with. They get along for the most part, but because focusing doesn’t even make the list of Wolf’s strong points, Osiris can get exasperated with him pretty quickly when they’re going over some kind of batshit strategy and Wolf is over there in his corner texting. Osiris has no idea how he’s survived this long and has definitely said as much to his face. Wolf isn’t so sure either.

Eris Morn, Bane of the Swarm:

He’s a bit intimidated by her. She was kind of the catalyst for one of the most traumatizing events of his life, so being around her now still makes him feel a little bit weird and very nervous. Despite that, he still respects and trusts her immensely and will always come if she needs him.

They’ve taken time since All That Mess to talk to each other and she’s incredibly remorseful over what happened, but Wolf doesn’t blame her for any of it.

She has a very unique perspective on the Darkness and the Hive what all of this shit means, and he generally will trust her word over someone else’s when the topic comes up. She’s got a lot of wisdom in that crazy head of hers and they have a bit of a shared experience when it comes to being trapped in a Hive nest.

Cayde-6, Sixth Hunter Vanguard:

Lemme roll out the simp wagon for this one, ahem.

Wolf adored Cayde. Before The Dare, he joined in on Cayde’s little crew every so often for jobs and over time they got to know each other about as well as anyone can know Cayde or Wolf, and Wolf ended up falling for him pretty hard between all the snarky banter and watching him in action. They did some casual messing around and I’m sure anyone with eyes could see how bad he had it, but he never got the gumption to really confess and never tried to actually pursue anything beyond casual fun.

Cayde’s death absolutely destroyed his entire world. He’s seen plenty of death and his fair share of RTLs, but none have hit him as hard as that one. He spent a little while just immobilized by grief until it morphed into anger because, honestly, I don’t think any Guardian handles loss very well, and he decided after the memorial service to hunt down Uldren regardless of the cost.

The whole thing caused a bit of a rift between himself and his old fireteam and the Spider got a few good laughs out of calling him ‘Killer’. He doesn’t remember a lot of it now due to his reset around Shadowkeep, but he still gets flashes, and he definitely still blames himself. If he could have gotten there just a few minutes sooner, he knows Cayde and Sundance could have survived.

Ikora Rey, Second Warlock Vanguard:

Mad respect for Ikora Rey, especially when she low key high key supported his revenge mission. She has a unique way of being shady about things that Wolf really likes, and they don’t have much in common but he’s enjoyed working with her any time he’s gotten the chance.

When he has things to report on that he knows Zavala won’t like, Wolf goes to her first since she knows best how to soften the blow, and when he has the forethought to even bother, he runs strategies by her to get input. She’s the best Crucible player in history and he kind of sees her as a Warlock that thinks like a Hunter in a lot of ways. In the absence of Cayde, she’s the Vanguard he answers to the quickest.

Commander Zavala, Second Titan Vanguard:

Wolf and Zavala have a tense relationship. They don’t agree on most things and any time you put them in the same room together it inevitably devolves into some kind of argument about the best course of action to take on anything. Wolf’s story has him kind of lined up to be promoted to Vanguard because of experience and technicalities on the Dare, and while it’s not entirely up to Zavala, he does have a lot of sway as the Vanguard Commander. Wolf could not be less interested in the seat if someone was holding a gun to his Ghost.

He’s intentionally unprofessional as hell any time he has to work with Zavala directly and tends to go out of his way to use very unconventional methods that he know Big Blue won’t approve of, because he’s a child. Being petty is the spice of life, and Wolf is still mad that Zavala forbid him from going after Uldren. That he does remember.

With all of that said though! He does respect Zavala. You wouldn’t know it, but he truly does. The guy has the weight of the entire Sol System on his shoulders and never once has he complained.

Saint-14, legendary Titan, First Titan Vanguard:

Wolf is very fond of Saint and Saint is probably one of the few people left who has a way of getting Wolf to slow down and just take it easy for a while. Before Wolf dipped out for good, he’d sometimes just track the guy down to spend time with him and listen to his various wisdoms.

These days, he still calls him up sometimes to shoot the shit and check in on things and he always asks Saint to tell the pigeons and the Colonel that he said hi.

Lord Saladin, Iron Banner handler, One of the last remaining Iron Lords:

Wolf clowns on Saladin a lot but he does understand his point of view when it comes to survival. I’ve mentioned it before, but Wolf “grew up” in the same time period and gets where the intensity and giving no quarter comes from, because back then it really was a life or death decision with way more immediate consequences. Table politics are kind of lost to him and the turning tide between humanity versus the Eliksni or the Cabal is calling for a more open and foreward-thinking willingness to take that risk in allying with them against a common enemy. Wolf’s a quicker learner though, and spending as much time as he has with both has taught him that, in a lot of ways, they’re just like us. They had their homes taken and destroyed, they’ve lost loved ones in droves, and they’re struggling to hang onto a thread in the only way they know how.

Wolf hopes that Lord Saladin will come around and let go of his dated worldviews, because the old ways aren’t what’s going to win wars anymore. Things are far, far bigger than us versus them now and Wolf has a feeling that humanity is gonna need more resolute leaders like Saladin to survive what’s coming.

Lord Shaxx, Crucible handler, Hero of Twilight Gap, living megaphone:

Don’t leave Shaxx and Wolf alone together unless you want complete and utter chaos to unfold. Any time they get together, they get rowdy, and no piece of furniture is safe from having one of them suplexed or dropkicked into it. Shaxx is kind of like a cool uncle to Wolf and they have been known to test new weapons on each other.

The Crow, New Light, Ex-Enforcer to The Spider:

Whoof. When Wolf first met Crow, he was absolutely gobsmacked. Of all the things running through his head, the biggest question he had was why. He almost shot Crow on sight, but he hesitated for some reason. It took a long time for Wolf to warm up to him and in that time he was uncharacteristically quiet and a little cold. Serenity managed to get him to keep his stupid mouth shut, and he’s glad he listened for once.

I think just spending all that time with him hunting Wrathborn, just being a team and really going through it together, was what brought Wolf closer to him. Learning about what Crow was dealing with in his personal life, everything he was going through just as a consequence of existing. Wolf opened up over time himself and once he worked through that big C6 obstacle, he found himself really endeared to both Crow and Glint.

These days, Wolf would probably consider Crow one of his best friends. He’s taught the kid a lot of old Hunter tricks and they hang out a lot, to Glint and Serenity’s immense relief. Crow is like the little brother he never had.

The Spider, The Shore's Only Law, founder of "House" Spider:

He may or may not have low key threatened Spider before he left the Tangled Shore with Crow. From day one, even as someone who is by default insufferably cheeky, the amount of disrespect. Ooh, bitch.

Spider calling him Killer (especially around Crow) got under his skin so fast, you would not even believe, and it was all Wolf could do not to leap across the room and strangle him to death any time they had to do deals.

As far as Wolf is concerned, if he never sees the Spider again, it’ll be too soon.

Uldren Sov, Prince of the Reef, Master of Crows:

Khhhh, hoo boy. The hate. The Frothing Hatred he had for this little man. Wolf had never in his life wanted someone dead as badly as he wanted Uldren Sov dead.

Being friends with Crow and his 16th reset has softened that a lot, and he’s learned a few things about Uldren that have made other things make a lot more since sense then, but. Yeesh.

Mara Sov, Queen of the Reef, Queen of the Awoken, Ex-Kell of Wolves:

Very mixed. He never dealt with her directly, but Wolf has a natural aversion to any form of leadership just by nature. That she cornered the House of Wolves into subservience doesn’t help, but on the other hand, if she hadn’t been at war with them, things would have turned out a lot different for humanity at Twilight Gap.

Variks, the Loyal, founder of House Judgement:

Speaking of shifty motherfuckers.

Wolf definitely likes Variks and his reset between Shadowkeep and now has conveniently erased the memory of knowing Variks had a hand in Cayde’s death.

He does what he can on Europa to help Variks get Salvation rebels to safety if they just want to get the fuck up out of there and is happy to do knife tricks for him when he asks. Variks has made a lot of questionable decisions, but it’s all been done for what he believes is the good of his people, and Wolf can respect that.

Mithrax, the Forsaken, Kell of Light, founder of House Light:

Hasn’t met him, but he’s heard... a lot. With Mithrax being the Kell of the House of Light, Wolf is hopeful it’ll be a good step in the right direction toward uniting humanity and Eliksni. He’s pretty sure they’re both doomed if they can’t at least fight alongside each other temporarily.

The Exo Stranger/Elizabeth "Elsie" Bray, Granddaughter of Clovis I and Sister to Ana Bray:

Wolf is incurably nosy, so he finds Elsie pretty frustrating. She’s full of secrets and never hangs around long enough to explain what the hell she’s talking about or what her end goal is, but she’s been invaluable on Europa. Once she finally opened up a little bit and started actually telling him important things, he found her a whole lot easier to get along with and it helped to have her around when he was discovering a lot of things on his own about where Exos came from.

Eramis, of House Salvation, Kell of Darkness:

He... gets where she was coming from, in a way. She was angry and desperate and that kind of thing is easy for the Darkness to take advantage of. He can’t rightly blame her for grabbing onto anything she thought might save her people, even though it’s ended in yet more trauma for them.

Eramis isn’t someone he’d go out of his way to try to be friends with if she was ever freed from Stasis, but he would hope she’d more or less see the Light and realize that her methods needed some serious rethinking.

Empress Caiatl of the Cabal Imperial Empire:

Wolf has a lot of respect for Caiatl. She watched her home burn down around her and has used that pain to fuel a cause he thinks is pretty noble. Humanity has been at war with the Cabal for a long time now, and both sides have suffered incredible losses because of it. He thinks that trying to mend that and join forces is a good idea, but for once he’s kind of with Zavala on something: They shouldn’t have to swear fealty or subservience to a foreign empire to have their support against a threat that’s coming for both.

He’s holding out hope that if they show their strength against her greatest warriors, she’ll understand that Guardians and humanity as a whole are more beneficial as equals, not cannon fodder. It only takes one Guardian to decimate an entire Cabal squad, after all.

The Darkness is fast approaching. How is your Guardian handling it:

He’s... handling it. It’s been getting harder in recent years to just not think about things which has been his entire motto since he was first revived. More and more he’s having to confront head-on the things that scare him the most, and there’s only so much running away you can do before you run straight into a corner and have to choose between extinction and fighting until you draw your last breath.

Wolf isn’t a pacifist by any means, but it’s just one of those things where he’s starting to realize his way of living just isn’t sustainable with the system in such chaos. The Hive used to be just another threat he had to deal with every so often, but now they’ve become the Big Bad that are outpacing even the Vex in terms of imminent destruction of several species all at once. His biggest hope right now is that humanity, Eliksni, and Cabal can all set their differences aside, at least long enough to try and put up a defense against the Hive and the Darkness. If they can’t, then... well, they won’t have to worry about it for very long, at least.

And finally, does your Guardian have any advice for any New Lights:

Be good. Be understanding. Tell the people you love that you love them every single chance you get, because you never know what could happen out there. Don’t treat everyone as your enemy, because you may find friends in strange places, and how you treat someone may be the difference between waking up dead and surviving to see morning, but most importantly; Don’t look back. You’re not going that way.

#w16 #i need a meta tag for all this stuff oogh #meta

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berjhawn · 4 years

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In My Head - Ch. 2 - On My Way

Warnings: arguing; a little angst ; mentions of sexy things but other than that nothing really lol

Pairings: Geralt X Reader x Bucky ; Bucky X Reader x Geralt ; Geralt x Reader ; Bucky X Reader

Summary: Girl dreams about boy, girl meets boy, chaos ensues.

A/N: I hope you enjoy this short little series. I love the witcher so much that i have bought the games and even the books so i can learn all the lore. please let me know what you think. I’ll be uploading a part a day until the end should be at most 10 parts.

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“So, are you sure this is all going to work?” I ask as I lay in what felt like a dentist’s chair, my head hooked up to s shit ton of wires.

“Uh no,” Tony answers and I let out a worried breath. “If not, the worst thing is you get a nap.”

“That doesn’t sound too bad.”

“More like a coma.” Hank adds and my eyes widen in fear.

“Tony! What the fuck!”

“You have nothing to worry about, it’ll work.” Tony reassures me but the damage is already done.

My heart races in my chest as I look up at Natasha who was standing beside me her hand holding mine. She gives it a squeeze and I take a deep breath.

“I need a drink.” I say as I close my eyes.

“You’d think we’d have had enough of those these last few days.” Natasha replies and I glare at her.

“They were all justifiable.” I argue and she smirks.

“Of course, they were.” She condescends making me roll my eyes.

“Don’t patronize me, not now when I could end up in a coma.”

“You’re right, sorry.” She replies offering me a friendly smile.

“Okay you ready?” Tony asks and I groan aloud.

“Can I say no?” I ask.

“You can but I’ll still run the program.”

“Let’s get this over with.” I state and then two seconds later I hear the machine start to whir.

Closing my eyes, I am instantly pulled into a familiar sight of Geralt and Jaskier sitting next to a fire. Geralt cleaning his swords while Jaskier tunes his lute. Roach glances my way for a moment her ears perking in alertness, then back to her patch of grass.

“Why must we camp out here, when there is a perfectly good pub down the way?” Jaskier asks as he sets his lute aside.

“Because they don’t like me.” Geralt replies and I shake my head. I move over to sit close to Geralt and observe him cleaning his swords.

“Do you think you’ll be able to rest tonight?”

“Probably not.” Geralt answers as he examines his sword for spots he might have missed.

“How many days has it been now?”

“Too many to count.”

“You know, I had a thought after our conversation last time.”

“Don’t tell me.”

“This girl you see in your dreams, the one you refuse to tell me the name of, have you ever thought that she might be real?” Jaskier asks shrugging his shoulders.

Geralt’s eyes find the bards as he stares silent for a moment.

“I mean you’ve had to have seen her somewhere before.” He adds. “Either that or your so dissatisfied with your sex-capades that you’re creating this dream woman as someone to satisfy your desires.”

“Jaskier, shut up.” Geralt demands.

“Have you ever, you know?” Jaskier insinuates making a motion with his hand causing Geralt to punch him hard in the arm. “Ow, that hurt, but I’ll take your angry outburst as confirmation.” Geralt punches him again.

I bring my legs up to my chest as I examine Geralt. I examined every feature of his face and my heart clenches.

“Why do I see you when I close my eyes? Why couldn’t I be normal? Why couldn’t I have just had a normal life with Bucky?” I ask as tears fill my eyes. “You’re someone I can never touch. Someone I can never be with, and yet I can’t help but want you. What horrible thing the fates have done to me.” Reaching up I wipe the tears from my eyes. I feel someone squeeze my hand and I am instantly brought back to my world.

Opening my eyes, I look around to see that I am back with Natasha and I let out a heavy sigh.

“Did it work?” I ask.

“Of course, it did, I had a hand in making it.” Tony calls and I smirk. “The portal is stable and holding.”

“Guess it’s time.” Natasha adds and I nod. “Let’s hope everything goes well.”

“I agree,” Steve calls from the other side of the room as Natasha starts unsticking the wires from my head. “Let’s get this over with.”

Thor and Wanda come in the room dressed like they were from the continent. Thor was wearing his normal Asgardian robes, which surprisingly fit in with Geralt’s worlds sense of fashion. Wanda was wearing a simple burgundy maids dress, her hair flowing down to her shoulders. Wanda smiles as she hands me my clothes. I didn’t want to wear the dress but I knew it would be the best thing to wear there. Something that wouldn’t draw too much attention.

I walk over to a nearby closet and after a quick change I come back out I see Thor offer me a smile as he says, “You look lovely (Name),”

“Thank you, Thor, you look amazing as always.” I reply making him chuckle.

I run my fingers over the ties on the front of my black maiden dress. It was a little tight and left little to the imagination, but it would suffice, as long as it wasn’t cold as shit. I look over at Steve who is watching me closely and I gulp down a breath of air as I walk over to him.

“How is he?” I ask worry filling my eyes.

“He’s messed up, but once this mission is over, I’m sure he’ll be back to his old self.” Steve replies knowing full well who I asked about.

“Steve, I truly care about Bucky.”

“I know you do,” He adds a sad smile filling his lips.

“I’m doing this mission to protect the people of earth. Not to find Geralt.”

“I don’t question your motives (Name), I asked you to do this mission. I know what the risks are. Let’s just finish this mission and who knows maybe while you are over there you can figure out how to stop your dreams.”

“I hope so too, I’m tired of it all. I just want a good night’s rest, and to put this all behind me.”

“Good luck, I’ll look after Buck.” Steve says holding his hand out to me.

“Thank you,” I reply taking it and giving it a quick squeeze.

“You ready?” Thor asks and I nod. “Then let us be off!”

I wave at them all before taking both Thor and Wanda’s hands. I finally look at the portal to see clearly the land I had dreamed about for so long standing before me. Thor goes first, fearless as always; followed by myself and lastly Wanda. When we are through, I glance back to see everyone else giving us reassuring glances and I blow out a breath of air.

“Stick together, the people here aren’t that friendly; and they hate anything that’s different.” I announce letting go of Thor and Wanda’s hands.

Will Continue in -

#Berjhawn #berjhawn writes #bucky x reader x geralt #bucky barnes x reader #Bucky Barnes #Sebastian Stan #winter solider x reader #james buchanan barnes #bucky barnes fanfiction #marvel x witcher #marvel x reader x witcher #geralt of rivia #geralt x reader x bucky #geralt x reader #geralt fanfic #fanfiction #x reader insert #x reader #in my head

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beerecordings · 4 years

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Selkie Night

Yeah hi so you know how I was apologizing like six hours ago about how I hadn’t had any writing for you lately? well then this happened because i can’t phucken sleep dudes ahhhhh

ANYWAy it’s okay because I got this written in like three hours. and i actually kind of love it??? dude i mentioned my selkie Chase headcanon ONCE (1nce) today and then this sidelines me out of nowhere. i’ve literally never planned to write anything about this it was just like “hehe what if Chsae.... were SELKIE” but anyway here it is and it kind of rocks my socks off I love it. as a side note, I did take some liberties with selkie lore. don’t know what the most common beliefs are, these are just based on the stories I know of. I think most selkie stories are about falling in love with humans, but in this one Chase and Stacy are both selkie.

trigger warning for some mild suicidal ideation, okay? but don’t even think about fussing at me about the nudity in this fic it could not possibly be less sexual. There is an abrupt start tho lolll

And HEY -

I hope you enjoy :) Thanks for reading, my friend.

He tears off his clothes as he runs, pulling his shirt over his head, tugging his pants off mid-stride, stripping until, by the time his bare feet are pounding against wet sand instead of dry, he is naked except for the coat he carries.

The wind rushes across his head, stroking back his downy hair warmly, and the sandy earth beneath his feet is calling to him – stay, stay, brother, child, on this side of the water, where the men make their homes, and the tide keeps its distance. Here you have made your dwelling for so many years. Here you have spoken, loved, eaten, drank. Here you must stay.

No, no. It doesn't matter. Nothing matters but them.

“Stacy!” he screams, as his feet find the harsh plastic of the dock. “Stacy! Sorcha! A chuisle mo chroí!”

He runs, runs, runs towards the end of the dock, runs towards the roiling black waves of the ocean, pulling his coat over his shoulders. Ah, its weight on his back! Its warmth! How long has it been? Tears streak his face like stars the night sky, and then he is at the end of the dock, and he does not stop, he does not pause, does not allow himself even a moment of doubt before he leaps, graceful as a swan, and his body curves beautifully into a dive he has performed a thousand times before, and when he plunges hands-first into the frigid expanse of the great dark water, he is no longer a man.

Ah, to be a seal again!

For a moment, Chase can only dive on, deeper into the water, the suddenness of the transformation leaving him, as always, momentarily numb, momentarily taken over, the thoughts of a man doing their best to drift out of his head. He twitches his long whiskers and swims down through the water, now comfortably cool against his smooth, heavy skin and fat, and no longer so dark with eyes as dark to match. His black-and-white-dappled body cuts easily through the waves, carrying him farther, farther out to sea, away from the noise and the light and the smell of men, away from the other part of himself. Ah, he drifts. He drifts.

He is far away now. Far away from men. As if he is not one of them.

Focus, Chase, something in his head insists, and he shakes his snout, heading back towards the surface of the water for a breath of air. Focus, Conchobhar.

Bottling out of the water, he peers around in all directions, snuffling at the air for a smell of his mate and his puppies. He turns his head West and takes off again, swift as a seal, determined as a man. One broken heart sitting in the middle of his chest, no matter the form he takes.

The cliffs of the next town over appear off in the distance as he swims, bringing with them plentiful places to rest. Scattered across rocks and outcroppings, he smells for signs of his family, the vibrations in the water warning his whiskers if anything stirs that might be them.

A familiar smell – Sorcha? Pups?

No. Other selkie, a trio of them, mixed in with the seals. Maybe they have seen them.

He barks an anxious greeting from a few feet away, enough to rouse them with worried barks to answer him – predators? Hunters? Boats? Is all well, brother? Is all well?

Despairing, he yelps back at them. No predators. Just pain. The seals snuffle back to sleep, but the selkie are alerted, pushing past the others to slip into the water with him. Soon, they are circling him in friendly greeting, barking. He does his best to swim with them, exhausted by his grief. Eventually, he pulls back his hood from his head, and he is a man again, kicking his legs in the water, keeping his head afloat with ease. He was, quite literally, born swimming, and with his coat on, he will not be cold for a long time.

“What's the matter, brother?” asks a brown-skin selkie, drawing back her hood and surfacing with lengths of long, unkempt hair floating lovely on the water around her. It has been a long time since she was a woman. “Do you need someone to swim with?”

“Here is a place of safety,” offers a second, a man twice Chase's size, with a smile warm as the beach in the summer. “Would you like to come lie down?”

“Please,” he croaks. His voice is the backbone of a fish, fragile and thin. “My mate has taken her coat back from me and come back to the water with my children. Please, have you seen her?”

The other selkie exchange worried looks.

“Perhaps we ought not to tell you,” frowns the third selkie, circling Chase slowly, her hands cutting through the water. Her white body gleams in the moonlight on the surface of the ocean, covered only by her heavy seal-skin coat. “If she took her coat back, I wouldn't guess that she wants to be reunited with you.”

His tears mix with the salt of the sea. “I know, I know. But I have to see her again. I need to understand. Please, my heart is shattered. If she wants to go, I have never kept her coat from her, but I have to see my pups again.”

“Look, he is to be trusted,” insists the first, swimming closer to Chase's side and touching the coat wrapped around him. “If she was afraid of him, if he were to hurt her or her babies, she would have stolen his coat, so she would have been safe from him. Isn't that so? She has given you a chance to see them again yet. Poor brother, don't cry.”

“We did see them,” offers the second, pointing out farther up the coastline. “Or I would guess that was them. A grey-coat female with a pair of pups alongside her. She ought to be careful. It can be dangerous territory out there where the black-and-whites roam. No humans, though. They can't get their boats out there because the water's so shallow. Not good fishing for them.”

“Yes,” breathes Chase, simultaneously relieved and exhausted by the news. “Yes, that sounds like them. That sounds like somewhere she would go.”

He reaches for his hood again, turning towards his family. “Thank you so much. I'm sorry to have woken you.”

“It's nothing, brother.”

“We look out for our own. We're glad to help.”

“Yes, we can sleep any time. Life is good here. Hey, listen.”

Chase is already a seal again, but he pauses, his great dark eyes turning back to them.

The others all have pity in their eyes. Pity and worry and warmth.

“If you don't find her,” calls his brother. “Or if she won't have you, you can come back here, okay? We live well. The water's never too cold and the fish are never too fast. The smell of men will wash off you in a little time, and next season more of our sisters and brothers will come to see us, and you can settle down again with new pups. Okay?”

Chase doesn't know how to answer that. He knows it is not something that can be. There is no other family for him than one he loves now. There is no other home for him than that which he built amid men. But he gives them a sharp, grateful bark, turning his smooth body back into the waves.

“Don't swim alone,” he hears one call, as he slips away.

Ah, but he had almost forgotten the brotherhood of selkie.

Knowing that he is headed towards them invigorates him, and he remembers soon enough his old speed. He was always small for a seal, he knows, but he is quick as the froth on the waves, cutting through the water with the speed of a motor on the back of a man's boat and the familiarity of a creature who has belonged to the ocean since the day his mother bore him. He almost loses himself in it – it's so easy to start thinking like a seal again, to be distracted by fish and exciting waves building up in the distance, to snuffle against the sand looking for shiny shells, to find a safe rock to drag himself onto and fall asleep on in full seal form, abandoning the guise of a human. It's true, he could give up everything he's built for so long now and crash back into the familiar arms of the ocean. Live among his real people instead of pretending to be human every day.

But the thought of them always brings his focus back.

The moon is dipping down by the time he finds them, but still the darkness surrounds them, and not even the earliest fishers are rising from their sleep. And there she is on the water, as perfect as the day he met her. Silver in the moonlight.

He knows she feels his vibrations coming from a mile away, but she does not turn or stop, only continues her slow, gentle swim back towards the shore. Speeding up beside her does nothing to change her either. He recalls his pace and finds his rhythm beside her, and the two of them are all but floating through the waves, caught in the exact same tide, side-by-side.

It's almost like the old days. They were so young. Too young, maybe. Most humans would say so. He didn't know that at the time, but she did, and still she took him in, called him her own. Gave him her coat on the day of their wedding without hesitation and kissed his when he handed it over, like it was holy, like it was sacred.

His freedom. His being. His love. All of it held there in her arms.

She promised to protect it, and he, in turn, fell to his knees at her feet, and clutched her coat to his chest, and swore to her on everything that he was, in a tongue not fully human, that no harm would ever come to the seal-skin in his arms.

She cried for love of him. He kissed her with salt on his face. He never meant anything more than the promise he gave her that day.

But here they are.

The silence between them has gone cold.

He gives a rough, desperate bark, begging her to say anything, to do anything, to give him anything. She offers a small chirp and nothing else, until at last they are lying side-by-side on the shore of the beach.

He draws his hood back first. Finally, she pulls hers back too.

Long black hair, heavy with water, piles in the sand at her head. Huge dark eyes stare at him in the darkness. Her moonlight flesh is familiar to him. He could reach out and touch her, but he won't. She no longer wants him. He will never touch her again. Not her skin, not her coat, perhaps not even her children.

Tears course down his cheeks.

“I'm sorry,” she whispers. “That I left so suddenly.”

“Fuck,” he answers eloquently, wiping tears from his face. “Fuck, Stacy. How could you have just – how could you just – and to take the kids – I got home and their coats were gone and I thought maybe someone had stolen you, I didn't – without even telling me...”

He trails off, swallowing back another sob. He wishes she weren't so calm. Hell, he can't even tell if she's paying attention. She's already drawing her mind away from the land. Giving herself back to the ocean.

“My name,” she murmurs. “Is Sorcha.”

He sighs, sitting up and shaking his head. “Okay,” he says. “You picked Stacy for yourself when we moved into the world where the men live, but sure. Sorcha.”

“And yours is Conchobhar.” She stares up at him. “Or it was, when I married you.”

He rubs at his beard, tamping down a frustrated hurt that burns like fishing netting around his chest.

“I like Chase better.”

“I know,” she says. “We no longer want the same things.”

“That's – Sorcha, that's supposed to be something you figure out when you're married, not something you leave them for. Not something you take their pups away for. How could you do this to me? You don't – you don't understand how much this hurts.”

He's crying in earnest now, clutching his coat close around him.

“Maybe I could have stayed,” she says. Her voice is velvet waves and he hates it. Where's her ferocity gone? Her passion, her laughter? Does she only have velvet for him now? “But Hunter and Saoirse... that wasn't I wanted for them. To never know who they really are. I couldn't watch them suffocate on the land like that anymore.”

“We could go out to sea more often,” he tells her, and he knows he's begging, but he doesn't care, not anymore. “Every weekend, if you wanted! I can move us even closer to the ocean soon as things start going back to the way they were with my work.”

“Every weekend,” she laughs. “When I was a child, we spent the whole summer and winter in the water. Half the year, Conchobhar, and not the safest or easiest times either. We lived as we were meant to live. Truly in this world. Truly in the water.”

She takes a deep breath and gets up, stepping back towards the water, letting her calves be swallowed up again. “And you, how long did you spend at sea before you even touched a human being? Oh, your work – you're so funny to me, sometimes, that a creature who didn't touch so much as a boat radio until he was at least fourteen chooses to live his life working with cameras and computers.”

Chase can't help but snort out a laugh, shaking his head. Well, she's got a point. He didn't speak anything but an antique Gaelic til he was twelve, and his first contact with a human was nearly getting shot by some pissed-off fisherman. When they were human, they were human with other selkie, and that was all there was. That was all he needed.

“I found what I loved,” he says.

“Attention,” suggests Sorcha flatly, her back to him now. “Money. Approval from strangers. Time with your cameras instead of your family.”

She may as well be a pissed-off fisherman. He's at the wrong side of her gun and, fuck, but he doesn't know how to take blows like this.

“I know I haven't always been perfect,” she says, surprising him. “I realize now that when you began to struggle with – with the depression, I should have done more than ask you to come out to sea. I was thinking of myself, not you, thinking of how scared I was and what I would do and what I needed, and – Chase, that was wrong of me. I know you need real help. I'm sorry I didn't help you get it. I hope you are getting it now. I still want what's best for you. Really, I...”

There's some emotion out of her, at least, but nothing like the crashing ocean she used to be.

She's really made up her mind, isn't she?

She's really gone.

Here on the beach, he's lost her.

He wonders how close the killer sharks he was warned about swim, and the thought makes him laugh. Maybe he should hold off on impulses like that until she's done apologizing for ignoring him the time he confessed to her that he couldn't help but want to die, resting his head on her stomach while she stroked his hair and promised him everything would be okay, a baby wrapped up in seal-skin asleep on the mattress beside them.

“I can't live like that anymore, Chase. Can't be away so long. Can't let my pups be away so long. I was happy to go with you to live like mostly normal human people. I was happy to help you follow your dreams. But you've lost your sense of reality. You've lost your sense of yourself. And somewhere in the hunt for what you want, you pushed me and Hunter and Saoirse under the waves behind you.”

“Fuck, Stacy – Sorcha, please, don't say that. I love them so much.”

She turns to him, fair as a star, shining in the moonlight. She's like something out of a storybook, he thinks, and not just because of the shape-shifting.

“I know,” she answers. “But not enough to change.”

And if there's truth to that, well. He doesn't have an answer. And if it's false, then what can't be changed is her mind, and she is lost to him.

“We're heading North,” she says. “Unless you're coming with, you won't be able to find us again for some time.”

“Will you be back next season?” he manages.

Turned away from her now. Can't meet that light in the eyes.

“Yeah. Yes, of course. We'll come by.”

“You swear it?”

“Yes.”

“You've broken your promises before.”

“I know.”

“Can I see them one more time?”

She turns towards the water and her gaze allows Chase to see them at last – two little bodies circling sleepily around beneath a rocky outcropping, safe as pearls in the hiding spot their mother found them.

“Yeah,” she says. “If you go with your coat on. I've always wanted them to see you with your coat on. She's starting to look just like you, you know... When was the last time you saw her with her coat on?”

He is already slipping away, wearing his seal form again.

Hunter is afraid of the disturbances in the water at first.

It's bigger than his mother, whatever's coming. It's fast and it's headed right towards him.

He pokes his head up out of the water, chirruping anxiously for his sister. She comes up after him, curious, floating lazily around on the water, and then, a moment later –

She lets out a high-pitched seal yip and streaks through the water towards her father.

Chase pushes their faces together in a kiss greeting and circles with his little girl, stunned by how easy she keeps up, by the shine on her healthy young coat, and Sorcha is right, it's just like his own, dappled black and white, with the blond patch on her tiny, whiskered snout.

Hunter zips past him a second later, barking and bumping into him again and again, a tiny chunk of seal blubber and affection. Chase bursts into yelping laughs and breaches with his pups, splashed again and again by Hunter slapping his fin on the water.

Tiny arms wrap suddenly around his neck and Saoirse is there with her hood drawn back, giggling and kicking in the water, her coat around her shoulders. Chase draws back his hood too and carries her to the rocks, scooping up Hunter too, and clutching both of his children as tightly as he can to his chest, kissing at their soaking hair, at their beautiful little faces, at first one hand, then the other, with all ten tiny, tiny almost-human fingers.

“I love you,” he whispers, again and again. Hunter buries his face in his collarbone, stroking at the ends of his hair. “I love you. I love you. I love you.”

“I love you too, Daddy!” Saoirse sobs, and it's only when he realizes that his daughter is crying just from hearing him say it that maybe Sorcha was right about everything after all.

He has to let them go.

He crumples to his knees on the sharp stones of the outcropping, and the last part of his heart shatters clean in half.

The moon stares down at them. She's a tired old stone and she's watched a great many tides come and go, just like this one. He’s not the first seal to die beneath her gaze.

“Chase?”

The clean sand of the beach washes up its morning collection of shells and rocks, and with it comes a young man in a red hoodie, with a backpack thrown over his shoulder and utter terror in his eyes.

“Chase?” he repeats, louder. He's the second person today to sprint down this beach, shouting for the person he's lost.

“Chase, are you here? Man, please answer me! Chase, you're scaring me! Chase Brody, hello?”

Swearing under his breath, Jackie continues down the white expanse of the beach. He'd be ticked to have to be out here running around at six in the morning under most conditions, sure, but when he came home last night and found Chase's room empty – and worse, his coat gone –

“Chase!” he hollers, tears burning in his eyes. “Chase, Chase, where are you? Don't be gone, bud, please don't be gone...”

He knows he's been suicidal. He knows he's been acting reckless. He knows. But just – please, God, don't let his friend have just disappeared, don't let him just be gone. Jackie will never know if he went back to the ocean or something worse, and he can't bear that, he can't –

“Chase!” he cries, relief flooding down his chest. “Chase, is that you?”

A moment later, he's afraid again. The little figure on the beach, curled up beneath a black and white coat, does not move when he calls his name.

“Hey, hey, buddy, are you with me?” Jackie falls to his knees beside him, and, oh, thank God, it really is Chase, little blond tuft poking out at the top of his hair and all. Jackie presses his fingers beneath his chin, searching for a pulse.

“Jackie?” mumbles Chase, blinking open reddened eyes.

“Oh, Chase,” breathes Jackie, scooping him up into a hug so tight Chase's coat might just decide to become one with his skin again. “Holy shit, Chase, I was – you scared me a little, haha, you were just gone, and I was scared you might have done something stupid, or – or – oh, I don't know. It doesn't matter now. Are you okay?”

Chase sniffles and drags his coat in close again, trying his best to push himself up on shaking arms. His face is as white as moonlight, his lips blue as blood from sleeping on the cold beach without blubber to keep him warm. His knees are soaked red, scored with deep cuts.

“Poor guy,” soothes Jackie nervously, trying to be gentle, pushing his wet hair out of his eyes. Chase has told him that being in his other form can be like a whole different mindspace – maybe, in his head, Chase is still out there at sea. “Chase, can you hear me okay? Are you alright?”

Chase just shakes his head, squeezing his eyes tightly shut.

“Oh, buddy. What happened?”

“Stacy,” he chokes out, in a voice raw with crying. “T-took Hunter and Saoirse.”

“Took them? You mean someplace other than staying with her sister?”

Hot tears course down Chase's cheeks, watering the damp sand beneath his head.

“Took them out to sea,” he whimpers, hiding his face in his hands. “Took them out to live like real Selkie, like she always wanted.”

A cold sort of horror hurts its way down Jackie's chest.

“Shit... Chaser, I'm sorry. I'm really sorry, man.”

Sniffling, Chase stares with reddened eyes out at the ocean and shakes his head, biting down hard on his lip.

Jackie rubs his shoulder patiently for a long few minutes. Focus on that, Chase. Try to calm down.

The tide draws closer and closer, sighing against the sand. Seagulls circle lazily overhead, searching for scraps. This world he used to know so well is still in harmony, like it always was when he was young.

It just doesn't need him anymore.

Maybe he was the one that walked away from it, but he doesn't know how to go back now, and, with his wife and his heart-lights gone, all the ocean has done to him is take.

“There's something I want you to know,” he croaks out, turning to meet Jackie's eyes.

“Yeah, man. What is it?”

“My real name,” he says. “Is Conchobhar.”

There's a slight pause from Jackie above him, but his voice is still calm when he speaks. Calm and sympathetic. Trying so hard to be there for him. Everybody always is, and he's always too broken to be fixed by it.

“Okay, Conchobhar,” he says. “Is that what you want me to call you now?”

Chase licks at the salt on his dry, cracking lips, huddling down under his coat.

“No,” he whispers finally. “Just wanted you to know. Just... wanted someone to remember.”

Jackie's hand claps down on his shoulder again. “Okay, buddy. I'll remember. Course I will.”

“Thank you. Jackie. Thank you. I don't deserve a friend like you, I don't deserve – I'm such a mess, and a screw-up, and I think I'm losing it, man, I think – ”

“Hey, hey, sh, sh, Chase, it's okay. It's okay. We're going to figure it out. We're going to figure this out, I promise. We can talk all you want when we get home. But first order of business is getting your naked ass off this beach before the tourists show up, okay?”

Chase laughs shakily, reaching up to clutch at Jackie's hand on his shoulder. Ah, but even the touch of him is different. His hands belong to the earth. His hands belong to mankind.

Chase is going back with him.

“I brought you clothes since your coat was gone, figured you must have gone swimming. Here, get some pants on. There you go. Fuck, aren't you freezing? Here, a shirt, and why don't we tuck that coat away, you aren't exactly inconspicuous. Don't want anyone starting any rumors about selkie in this area, man... Imagine what the fans would say. Bro Average, more like... fuck, I have a seal pun on the tip of my tongue, I can't find it. Come on, so. Poor bud. Come here, I'll help you. You're exhausted.”

Chase lists obediently against his friend's chest, letting Jackie wrap a reassuring arm around him. He can almost feel Jackie's anxiety, can almost feel Jackie's fear, but the thin cloak of humor and steadfastness he wraps around it is grounding, and he doesn't want to look through the curtain right now.

“We're going to look after you,” Jackie promises, once they're inside a cab and heading back to his place. Chase is slumped against the glass of the window, his eyes squeezed tightly shut. “Me and Marv and Henrik. And you can finally meet my buddy Jameson. Remember I told you about the demi-fae I've been getting tea with? You're going to love him, guy's an absolute legend.”

“Mmh.”

“You can stay with me and Henrik long as you want, yeah? Forever, if you want to. Going to go home and patch up these poor knees of yours and get you all warm and dry. You'll tell me everything that happened and we'll get it all worked out. Yeah? We'll all look after each other. And we'll all be healthy and cared for and safe, how about that?”

And if Jackie's voice cracks a little on the word 'safe,' and he suddenly has to look away with those last words, well, Chase doesn't care. He lets Jackie drone on as enthusiastically as he can manage, watching his friend's leg bounce nervously on the seat beside him as the empathetic grief rows over Jackie's chest. The ocean slips along past the car, visible over high green hills, sparkling like diamond in the sun.

Chase turns away from it.

His heart is broken.

He doesn't want to be Selkie anymore. All it's brought him now is hurt.

He goes back to Jackie's place and falls asleep in his bed before Jackie is even finished tucking him in. Jackie brings his backpack in and sets it in his own room, almost forgetting about the seal-skin coat tucked away inside, already focused on getting his home ready to keep Chase safe and well and recovering.

Chase doesn't ask for it back.

#mythology au #selkie chase #tw suicidal ideation #chase brody #writers of jack #bee writes #k i'm going to bed lmao #selkie

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chaos-societies · 4 years

Text

Episode 6, The Seven Chaos Princes’ Crowns

Fire was burning all around. It was inescapable. The distant sound of rushing water was not of comfort however. Waves flooded the scene and there were no means of staying afloat. It became impossible to breathe. The shadow of a man was letting out hearty laughs all the while.

“Past…Future… ”

The words cut through the chaotic event. They were clear and soothing, but there was an air of concern in the voice.

“The plant for creation, the plant for destruction... They’re waiting for the controllers.”

A light began shining. It wasn’t clear where it came from but it was blinding. Suddenly there was no more drowning, no more inferno.

“The servers are the seven chaos…”

…

Amy’s eyes slowly creaked open as a ray of sunlight had slipped between the closed shades of the window and landed right upon her face. She rolled out of the sun’s piercing brightness and let out an accompanying grown. “Five more minutes…” She mumbled mindlessly.

After a decent bit, Amy moseyed out from the bedroom and joined Sonic who was already in the kitchen stirring up some breakfast. “Sleep well?”

Amy let out a yawn. “Yeah…” She said without much conviction.

“Oh come on Ames, don’t lie to me. You were tossing and turning all night!” He quickly flipped the contents of the skillet before placing it back down on the stove. He moved over to the table where Amy was sitting and slid a cup of coffee in front of her. “Tell me, what’s up. More dreams?”

“Yeah…” It seems that was as much of a response she was capable of at the moment, at least until she woke up more.

The two discussed them more over breakfast. Amy told Sonic how Chuck comforted her about these dreams of hers and she made sure to remember as much as she could in case anything from them came to fruition. She even wrote some of them down and started her own dream journal. The one from the night prior for sure being noted as the new voice was surely telling some important information about ‘creation’ and ‘destruction.’

The world outside was moist after a light rain during the early morning. The sun was out but clouds occasionally obscured it and gave the air a cool brisk feel to it. The two walked around the wood surrounding the main village. The faint sound of waves mixed with the rustling of leaves in the wind. The two came across a ring of mushrooms and made sure to go around lest walk through. They discussed many things, mostly around the speculation of the recent events – Stark Ruins, the library in Cap, their run-in with the Reds from Rockbase, Chuck’s concern something menacing was afoot. They pondered what could be; evil spirits coming for vengeance, a forewarning of death. Nothing of their speculation was of the positive nature.

Meanwhile, Chuck was reading more from the Stair na Seacht at his place of study in his hut. The cool moist air battled the warmer sun as the two took turns pouring in through the window overhead. Birds were singing outside and the ambiance added peace to Chuck’s focus.

“Come ere spires…blocking…light? Blocking sun?” He looked over to another book and scanned some pages, turning them with a slow pace as he searched the text. “North the South city of trade…” He stopped reading a moment and thought aloud, “The South city of trade…”

Chuck stopped and looked out the window to see the trees. He thought of anything to avoid what he knew was inevitable if he were to find out what mysteries were starting to reveal themselves. But his concern for what may transpire outweighed his desire to keep those closest to him from venturing out in the world outside the haven of South Island. He let out a heavy sigh.

Outside, Sonic and Amy were walking back from their excursion. Knuckles and Rouge were off talking under an oak tree. Tails was sitting around with his nose deep in another book of some sorts.

As Sonic and Amy came around to the main area of the village, Chuck walked out of his hut in good timing. He looked over at Sonic with a non-verbal message that he needed to speak with him. Sonic said some words to Amy and they split as Sonic walked to join his uncle.

“Sonny boy. Enjoy your morning?”

“So far, what’s up Chuck?”

“I’ve been reading and trying to decipher the Stair na Seacht. I haven’t gotten far but there is a passage that uncovered something nearby. It doesn’t say much but something close is much more manageable than anything if it may bring more clues to what may be going on.” He explained.

“Another adventure!?” Sonic asked enthusiastically.

Chuck smiled behind his bushy mustache. “I knew you’d take pleasure in the prospects of possibly another trek into the wild. Despite my concern for your well being.”

“Uncle Chuck, you’ve done so much for us here. And you know we can keep our own. If there is anything we can do to help out your research.”

“There is.” He said quickly. He began to walk and Sonic began to follow. “There is not a lot of definitive phrasing in the book. It’s almost entirely written in riddles it seems, although I can’t tell if that’s intentional or just so old that what it tries to describe and explain was based on limited information of the world at the time.”

“What kind of riddles?” Sonic asked inquisitively.

“Some of it is plane information…mostly lore and ancient beliefs and mythos. Other parts be like directions to pieces of a puzzle that it didn’t even intend to create. It’s got me arsed if I weren’t lying.”

“So what do you need from me?”

“You and the gang, don’t you forget. Not only do I fear this involve the lot of you, you all have a tight nit that surely come in handy in a pinch. I need you to go north again, to Cap and even a bit past. I will have to owe Eiméar more for your visit a second time but–”

Sonic took the chance to make jest, “She was kind but I think we may have put up a nerve on her while we were there.”

“Oh I’ve not a doubt you did you kook.” Chuck answered with a chuckle. He got back to the topic at hand. “The book mentions a place. I think it refers to somewhere at the base of the Sléibhte Scáthaigh north of Cap. If you can’t find anything, don’t mingle about as it doesn’t define a precise location. But it talks about something there, a text or message of sorts. I couldn’t determine exactly. But it was under a chapter referring to the emergence of ancient calamities with the talks of fire and flood. I think it’s relevant based on the runes you saw at Stark Ruins. Might give some extra clues, whatever it is there referring to. And…it wouldn’t hurt to investigate as it will still take some time for me to study the book further.”

“Chuck, you know we’re your guys for the job!” Sonic said with a bounce of his words.

“Ha!” Chuck laughed a bit. “Oh I know you are lad.” His cheery tone at Sonic’s response faded back to emotions of concern as his deepest fear still lingered on his mind; the world could be consumed with darkness and he wouldn’t care so long as he knew Sonic and the rest of his friends and all those in South Island were safe from harm. But he knew there was much at stake and feared it directly involved those he was trying to protect. “Go grab your crew. I’ll let you all decide on when you want to make this journey. The last one was more trying on you than I had ever hoped it to be.”

With that, Sonic departed and bolted off to join the others. Tails was the first one he told as he wouldn’t even consider going anywhere without his best friend and ‘little bro’ as he says. Next was Amy who showed a fair share of concern but also intrigue at the prospect of uncovering more of the world’s secrets. Her dreams were definitely a factor in wanting to know more as well. Knuckles acted annoyed as he would with even the simplest of requests but took the opportunity to give Sonic some slagging saying he saved them last time and they could use his help. Rouge felt similar in the sense of watching out for the group, not so much in the poking fun at them part.

They decided to give it another day or so before heading out. Knuckles took this time to go back to Angel Island. Nack and Bean made jest on how Knuckles was leaving his own chapter of Reds for the Cyans but he was used to this with how much of his time was divided between the two factions of the two Societies. Mighty and Ray were supportive and wished him luck as they knew the dangers of the Greater Area since they too helped rescue the Cyans from their not-so-friendly Rockbase brothers and sisters on their journey back from Cap the last time. Bark was silent as ever.

The time came for the group to depart and was once again sent off by Chuck and Vanilla. The rabbit innkeeper, always the mother, even prepared another care package for them.

The journey to Cap was much like their first, uneventful. A good thing too. They arrived again in the market and were lucky no one remembered their faces based on their last scuffle with the locals. They are a rambunctious crew but were smart and learned quickly. They didn’t want to draw any attention or break out any of their ‘abilities’ as Chuck put it. But that didn’t stop their gaze at the goods and merchandise. Knuckles was particularly fascinated by the hustle of the city. He was too used to the quiet life of Angel Island – the village at South Island was sometimes even too much for him. He would moan and scoff at every Mobians that bumped into him which was a lot based on his larger stature as they walked through the crowded streets.

“Psst, miss.” A voice called out. Amy stopped and turned her head. “Yes you! Lovely pink quills you got.” An older lady called. “I ‘member the days my quills were so well kept. What’s your name lass?” The lady was an old hedgehog covered in a shroud and had many chains beads and pendants hanging from silver wire adorned on her head and shoulders. She had a few gemmed rings and long hanging earrings.

“Um… Amy?”

“Amy, lovely. Short for Amelia?” Amy didn’t respond and continued to stare inquisitively. She looked back at the group who stopped and noticed Amy fell behind. They stood with similar curious looks as to why she stopped. “Ah, no matter.” The gypsy continued. “I can tell you’re special.”

Amy turned back to the older hedgehog. “What?”

“Dreams is it?” Amy was stunned. “Come now, I only wish to help.” Her words were warm and sincere. Amy turned back to Sonic and the others and raised a finger for them to wait a moment for her. She slowly but cautiously followed the gypsy back behind her booth and into a small dwelling.

Amy passed many odd trinkets and oddities as she continued back. The place had a warm earthly glow to it and plants were all around in pots on the floor and hanging from the ceiling. Not too far back, as the place was rather small, the gypsy was sitting at a table. On the table was a cloth with a delicate design and repeating patterns. On top the cloth was a hookah.

“Aye, no need to be alarmed. Tis as much I can say for an old hag pulling a stranger off the street.” The lady said as Amy took a seat. The lady grabbed a hose from the hookah and drew in a large inhale of the substance. She offered it to Amy but she kindly shook her head mostly not even knowing what the thing was. “I saw your lot walk by and must say you are a peculiar bunch.”

“How so?” Amy asked, trying to keep as many words to herself.

“Strong energy coming from the lot of you. Not only that, I remember you all brought quite a stir to these parts a few moons back.” She explained. Amy’s curious yet cautious expression was washed away with a pang of fear. “No need to fret lass. I don’t mind a good show every once in a while. Just happy to catch your lot back through here. Now, last I wish is to intrude but you’ve got something on your mind, something heavy.”

“You seem to already know.”

“So you’re plagued by some dreams. Foreboding yet shrouded in obscurity. I have something to help.”

“Why?”

“Why what lassy?” The lady said as she took another toke of the hookah before standing up and walking over to a shelf full of odd pieces.

“Why are you helping me? If it’s tokens you’re after I don’t have much and am less willing to give them to you. I need them for other things.” Amy explained.

“Ah, though that’d be normally what I’d ask for. Not this time.” She came back with a small box and opened it up to reveal a deck of cards. “On the house this time. However if you ever stroll through and wish to take a gander at me lot then I’d be happy to fulfill those wishes.”

Amy took out the deck of cards and scanned through them. They weren’t any normal cards she had seen being played by the locals in the tavern or out in the street. They each had separate pictures on them, trees, symbols, imagery. “What are they?”

“Tarot cards my dear. To help you translate the messages the world sends you.” She sat back down and grabbed the hose of the hookah except did not take a drag just yet.

Amy continued to look through the cards but then turned to the gypsy with a raised brow. “You never really answered. Why do you want to help me?”

“As I said, I sense a great deal of energy coming from your crew. I sensed it back at your last visit and that was just from watching you tussle around with the street folk. I too have dreams sometimes. And I’ve been waiting to come across you all again. I believe I was told to help you and that is all. I don’t make it a habit to quarrel with the will of the world.” Finally she took a long drag from the hookah and whisked out a heavy cloud of vapor.

“Is…is there anything else you know?” Amy placed the cards back in the small box and rested her hands on it.

“It is not my place, nor yours, to ask questions to the ether. But only receive their answers. This was all I know about you and for both our sakes it may be better that way. Now, I’m sure your friends want to know where you slipped off to ey?”

Amy arose out from the lady’s dwelling to see everyone there waiting for her.

“Ames, what was that about?” Sonic asked.

“I…don’t really know.” Amy answered as she held the box in her hand. She slipped them away in her small pack.

“Probably just some desperate merchant trying to sell her something. Don’t fall to these guys’ scams there girl.” Rouge said as they all started to walk off. Meanwhile the gypsy peered out from behind a curtain in the only window of her home and watched with curiosity as they left.

They made it back to the library and walked in. It did not take long to find Eiméar again, slaving over the task of sorting the books in the magnificent study. “Hello Miss Eiméar.”

They were now back in her living quarters once again drinking tea as she set up for their short stay. “I knew I’d see yer lot soon but I shant have expected this soon.” Eiméar said as they sat. “That coot decided to have you bother me yet eh?”

“We won’t be staying long, no longer than last time. Just two nights.” Rouge explained kindly. “And we again appreciate your hospitality.”

“Well if that old hedgehog keeps his word I won’t complain. As long as you stay out of trouble this time ‘round, that clear?”

“We’ll keep to ourselves.” Rouge answered once more.

“And you got a new lad with you this time. What’s your name?” She said to Knuckles as he stood off to the side.

“The name’s Knuckles. It’s nice to meet you ma’am.”

“Knuckles, well geez, ah could have placed a bet on that one with those sluggers of yours.” She motioned down to his fists. “Another friend or are you some bodyguard of sorts.”

Knuckles smiled and glared over at Sonic to which he just rolled his eyes in response to Knuckles’ leer. “Maybe a bit of both.” Knuckles answered through a grin.

“Aye. Well, what be it dis time?”

“Chuck wants us to look at some place north of here. Said it should be at the base of the Sléibhte Scáthaigh.” Sonic stated.

“The Stair na Seacht is pretty cryptic Sir Charles says. But he said there may be something there that could fill in the gaps to his studies. Maybe in a cave or a hollow. Know of anything?” Amy asked.

“That I do. There’s an old cave I’ve been told up there with old carvings on the walls. Typically an old smugglers den so best be careful if yer plan to be ‘sploring any. Could that be it?”

“Possibly!” Tails answered. “Do you know anything else about the place?”

“Afraid not. Never been meself. Just heard ‘bout it. Not too far though and quite noticeable I’ve been told, but best go in the morning before the sun is past high. They don’t call em the mountains of shade for nothing.” She looked over at Knuckles again. “And best bring your bodyguard of sorts too. It’s abandoned I hear now but ya never know.”

The morning came quickly and the group set off to see this place. They initially ventured east to hit the base of the Sléibhte Scáthaigh and paralleled it north. There was nothing of particular interest for a good distance. They scanned out to the west in the open area before the mountains rose out from the land like towers but also checked directly at their base in case it was hidden before the sudden cliffs.

“Look!” Tails shouted as he was flying high above the rest for a better vantage. “I think I see something!” He zoomed down to their level and dropped down stirring up a little sand as he landed. “There is an outcropping of rocks and boulders not too far from here. Looks out of place, could be what we’re looking for.”

“Great job buddy! I’ll go ahead and scout it out to see and to make sure no one is around.” Before any objection from the crew Sonic sped off in the distance. It took not even a full minute for him to return. “I think he’s right! There is a sizable opening in the rocks. Didn’t see anyone around either.” Without another word he zoomed off again. Tails quickly sped off to join him. Knuckle and Amy ran as quick as they could in the looser ground and Rouge fluttered alongside them.

They reached the structure and saw it to be exactly as Sonic loosely described, a cave with an opening big enough for the tallest of Mobians to walk right in. They made their way down the entrance. Tails dug through his small pack and grabbed a flashlight. It flicked on and they ventured down. The light wasn’t entirely necessary however as a short bit past the entrance was the darkest part. Natural light began to illuminate the burrow through openings in the ceiling.

Soon they came into a decent sized room, one slightly bigger than any of their huts back at South Island. Closer to the hallway that was the entrance was some crates covered in sand and dust. They seemed abandoned and forgotten but the group took note not to stay long in case their owners made a return.

[x]

The sight beyond that was strange and mystical but beautiful. The light from the high sun poured down through the openings and glistened along the yellow and red rocky walls. It was surprisingly moist there and small puddles were scattered on the cave floor until they grew in size where they reached a small pool at the end of the cavern. The grotto there had two large very out of place trees arising from the pool. They arose tall through a large hole in the ceiling. They were amazed they couldn’t see the trees from outside but figured they may have been shielded by other taller rocks that jut out around the place.

One tree was an ash tree, forked into two halves. Intertwined with the ash tree was a white fir that rose up strong. In the pool were some reeds as well. The fact that all these trees were found in a cave was surprising. The water there must have softened the ground to make for a strong root system and the sun shining through must have been sufficient to keep the trees alive but the less than ideal environment surely stunted their growth.

“Hey guys, there’s something along the lines of what Chuck was thinking I think over here?” Knuckles was over by the wall and pointed to some carvings and etching there.

“Ogham!” Tails shouted as he and the others moved over to investigate. Sure enough, a series of lines with hatches and marks were all over the walls of the cave. There was too much scattered around to take note of all the etchings but they examined them nonetheless.

“Surely we won’t be able to write all these inscriptions down for Sir Charles, there are just too much!” Amy pointed out.

“He told me that more than often the writing was used more to inscribe names for memorials or markers for tribes and boundaries. There are a lot of random inscriptions. I don’t want to miss anything but maybe many of these are like that.” Tails said.

“Kind of like a ‘Sonic was here’ thing?” Sonic said half joking as he scratched his finger over some of the carvings.

Tails gave a chuckle. “Probably. Let’s try and see if anything sticks out.”

“There’s something over here.” Amy called out as she was over closer to the trees. “There seems to be more structure to these. Not only that…” She signaled everyone over, “runes!” There were only a few but the symbol ᚦ was followed by the laguz ᛚ that they knew from Stark Ruins. Then again with the first, followed by cen ᚳ and above both was the symbol ᚫ.

“There’s one on the tree too.” Rouge pointed out. On the white fir was an aged engraving, hardly made out but appeared to be another rune, ᛇ.

Surrounding the runes Amy found was a long vertical line of ogham inscriptions that appeared more like text than the others which just resembled single words.

“If anything let’s write these down for Sir Charles.” Amy suggested. They did so and stayed a little while taking more looks around. They wrote down things here and there that they thought might be of interest. The sun that illuminated the grotto was now passed and little light was shining through the ceiling. They took this as time to make their leave and head back to Eiméar. It was early afternoon and with how close to the Sléibhte Scáthaigh they were, the sun was already starting to fall behind the mountains to the east.

They made it back to Cap with no trouble and divulged to Eiméar what they had found. She again told them that though she was familiar with every text in the library, she wasn’t so familiar with all their context and that Chuck would know more. She also suggested Chuck hand them some transcript to readily read runes and ogham if they were to be out doing more of Chuck’s ‘research.’ They made sure to suggest the same to Chuck once they got back.

The day had past and they settled in their own ways for their trek the next day. Tails was running about in the library picking up and reading books of interest. Rouge dragged Knuckles to the market and they promised not to cause any trouble. Sonic and Amy were talking together over tea.

“So she just…gave these to you?” Sonic asked as Amy had the tarot cards sprawled out in front of her.

“Yeah, it was…odd. She said she knew we were special. Also recognized us from our fights in the market last time. She somehow knew I was having strange dreams. I couldn’t say no to taking them especially as a gift.” She explained.

“As long as they aren’t ‘cursed’ or something.” Sonic said in his typical manner of unserious humor.

“No, I think she was sincere. I just am not entirely sure how to go about using these things. There is a placard describing each of the cards but… it’s still a bit confusing.” She was focused hard on trying to remember the cards and their descriptions and the different meanings behind them and how to read them.

Later that evening Rouge and Knuckles returned and Tails was back with a tired brain. The crew went to sleep and awoke to get ready to travel back. They gave their regard to Eiméar once again and thanked her for her hospitality. She now was surer than ever she would see them again and this time expected it to be soon.

Thankfully the journey back was much less exciting than their last trip from Cap back to South Island. They made it home with enough time for Chuck to not grow any concern. He met with them at once on what they had found.

“After last time I was concerned about setting you out again but I guess you have proven that you don’t always run into trouble.” He said with a smirk.

“I told you we were the guys for the job!” Sonic said proudly.

Chuck shook his head lightheartedly. He looked at the notes they made for him and studied them. “You said these were carved in the wall of a grotto?”

“They were. It was weird, in the middle of the barren land north of Cap, here was this little cave with two large trees growing in the rock!” Amy exclaimed.

“Two trees huh?”

“Yeah, an ash and a white fir were growing together. Some reeds too in the pond surrounding them.” Tails continued to explain.

“An ash tree, a white fir and reeds…?” Chuck seemed interested.

“Yeah. And then a BUNCH of ogham inscriptions on the wall.” Sonic spoke up. “Too much for us to write but Tails said you said most of ogham was used for names and markers so we only wrote down a few. But there was one in particular.”

Chuck cut him off. “The one by the runes?”

“That’s the one.”

“Hmm…” Chuck started stroking his mustache as he did when in deep thought. “Cen and laguz like you saw at Stark. And what seems to be thurisaz before them and ansuz above them.”

“Yeeaahhh… Sure.” Sonic said unfamiliar with the seemingly foreign language his uncle was speaking.

“There was another carved into the fir. It was faded but it should be there on the notes too.” Rouge added.

“Ihwaz.” Chuck said all the while writing down his own notes and flipping through a book in doing so. The group sat patient and with intrigue, with the exception of Knuckles who was in the corner chewing on a stalk of grass. “Interesting…” He said aloud as he continued to investigate.

It took a moment before he finished up and turned back to the group. All of their ears perked up simultaneously with interest at what he had to say. “The thurisaz is a rune meaning giants or strong ones, often in association with a conflict. Ansuz quite literally meaning ‘the gods’ and you already are familiar with cen and laguz, fire and water. So these tell me something about giants or gods of fire and water, possibly in some conflict.” He looked up at Amy as he and her were likely thinking the same thing – her dreams seemed to show some stalemate battle between the two forces. He continued, “And the ogham, seacht anord flaith coróin. Seven Chaos Prince Crown.”

“Seven chaos prince crown? I mean, I get the first half Chuck.” Sonic called out.

“There is an old legend saying the Lords of Seven each wore a crown that had a different shard of chaos bestowed upon them. I don’t know much more beyond that in terms of their significance. But these Lords were said to have immense power.” He answered.

“And the rest of the ogham? Any more hints from that old dead language?” Tails insisted on knowing more.

“Hmf,” Chuck scoffed, “dead language. It’s not just dead, and much less a language in the way we use the common tongue. It’s ancient. Found only in old text about ancient times and myths. I had forgotten entirely about it until you came across it at Stark Ruins. But you were right in that it seems the other inscriptions were nothing more than names and markers. An ‘I was here’ kind of thing.”

“Ha! I knew it.” Sonic said gleefully as he was softly elbowing Amy.

“Shh!” She shushed him so Chuck could continue.

“Why was the ogham in Stark in the common tongue then? And also the rune in the tree?” Rouge asked.

“Ah, well that is another mystery. Maybe whatever forces did that horrific deed at Stark knew who ever would stumble across it would only know the common tongue. But then again, why even make it ogham…” He said more so as a question to himself. “As for the tree, it was ihwaz or yew. Odd to label the tree as if anyone wouldn’t recognize the kind of tree it was. But the yew and even the ihwaz was a symbol in lore of death and resurrection.”

“From Chaos comes creation and creation ends with destruction.” Amy muttered.

“Yes, but creation also come from destruction.” Chuck mused. “And endless cycle of death and rebirth. You should all know this from our,” Chuck and Knuckles made brief eye contact, “from your respective ceremonies. One of the few beliefs all Societies have in common.”

“What of those crowns you mentioned?” Knuckles finally spoke up. Though stoic as he liked to be, he couldn’t help but also be intrigued by the information.

“I think there might be more to them than just ornamental pieces associated to folklore. I only know of one currently in existence and even then there is speculation on whether it is in fact one of the Lord’s crowns or just an ancient artifact from a time long passed. Last I heard it lay locked away in secret in a museum in the city of Westport, many many hundreds of miles from here.” Chuck further explained.

“If it’s locked away in secret, how do you know of this thing?” Sonic asked.

“Because I’m the one that found it.” They all froze in perplexion. “But that is a story for another time. I will need to read the Stair na Seacht more to see if this trail of crumbs is worth following. Go get a pint of gat at the tavern and rest up from your journey. I’ll let you know if I uncover anything of worth.” They all got up and moved out the door. “Amy, a word if you don’t mind dear.”

Amy looked at Sonic and he gave her a shrug. She’d join them shortly. Chuck moved over to the sink and began washing his hands. “I know you and I are both thinking similar thoughts.” He finished rinsing his hands and turned to further explain. “Whether from ancient myths or omens of future, your dreams are connected to this vast riddle we’ve been investigating and exploring. Fire and flood…” He paused, “I fear something of the sorts may come to transpire. And a human you said?” Amy nodded. “I think we need to find these ‘crowns’ before whatever man in your dreams does.”

#ooohhhh it's getting good if I do say so myself #chaos societies #episode 6 #seven chaos princes' crowns #sonic au #sonic the hedgehog #miles tails prower #amy rose #rouge the bat #knuckles the echidna #uncle chuck #sir charles #just wish there was an extended version of 'Natural Cause' so it could play though the end of the chapter while reading & not end short

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agent-yolk-writes · 5 years

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Friends Like You and Us - Venom!Reader - Ch. 4

And we’re back! First AO3, then Quotev, now finally Tumblr! Good thing for post resets.

In today’s episode, we jump straight back to the present to meet the last member of the B-Team. Venom has a plan for once, the Reader is Absolutely Done(tm) physically and emotionally, and what Aunt Mary doesn’t know who her nibling is bringing into their apartment while she’s on a business trip won’t kill her...yet.

(Nibling is the gender-neutral term for niece/nephew, the more you know)

Note: If you’re using this to teleport to the AO3 version I would like to give a heads up that the italics for some reason stop working when the Reader meets Peni. I don’t know how to fix it, so it be like that sometimes. Enjoy!

Previous Chapter | Start from the beginning | AO3 version

...

Indeed, it did get weirder.

You didn’t realize that the hunt for your next meal took so long. The sun just...got ahead of you. The shadows in this creepy part of the city started stretching, covering everything in its path. You thought your eyes were playing tricks when you saw another pair of Spider-man’s white eyes in the darkness behind Ham. The tingling sensation faded as the shadow started moving, revealing that it was an actual goddamn person.

Despite being a self-proclaimed ‘superhero’ for almost a week now, you aren’t getting paid enough for this.

You rubbed your eyes expecting this weird dizzy spell would go away, but upon opening them again they were still standing there staring at you.

“Don’t worry, I get that all the time.” Ham commented. He eyed his taller companion and nudged him on the thigh. “C’mon man, you can’t just stand there menacingly forever.”

“...”

Should I just go or-

“You got some nerve stealing the glory of someone else’s hard work.” Great, he also sounds familiar. Is this some reunion you didn’t get the memo for?

“Well you certainly can’t leave them here to waste!” You rebutted as you stood up. “Someone’s gotta clean up, and it might as well be us.”

“There’s no us in this, missy.” He rebutted.

“That’s not what I-Ugh, whatever!” You shook your head in your heads in frustration before looking back at them. “Look, we’re not going to get anywhere bickering like this.” You motioned your hands to the two. “You guys are out of place, clearly. Let’s discuss this somewhere else before-“ On cue, the sudden wail of police sirens announced their presence as they block off the only ground entrance out of here. Venom instinctually covered your ears to block out the loud sound. “...that.” You sound of your croak almost sounded not human.

The two looked at each other. While you were right that this isn’t the ideal spot for an interrogation, you’re still not in the clear of their suspicions.

“Alright. Let’s skedaddle then, but you’re not out of the hot seat yet, missy.” The brooding spider detective said, shooting a spider web and letting it pull him up. You couldn’t help but groan, he speaks like a dad in a cartoon.

Ham nudged you deeper into the alley. “C’mon kid. It’s quieter up top.” You could feel Venom trying to dig your heels into the dirt, but at this point, it was too dangerous.

Spider-Ham, also known as Peter Porker, was in fact not a pig at first. According to him, he was the spider bitten by a radioactive pig that later became his aunt. He told you not to think about it too much. In his world, everyone has been anthropomorphized into an animal. He works at the Daily Beagle where they work him like a dog trying to sniff out the latest scoop. He was just finishing a fight with a mad scientist lobster before he got snatched between dimensions. The more he talks, the more vocal your thoughts are trying to figure out where have you heard his voice before. A thought passed somewhere about what you might look like in his world.

His black and white companion was Spider-Man Noir, also known as Peter Benjamin Parker, who lived in a monochromic version of Earth in the 1930s. He used to investigate stories for the Daily Bugle and during that time a spider that resided in an exotic statue from Africa escaped and bit him. After the betrayal and death of his mentor Ben (“Not to confuse ya with my uncle Ben, who also bit the dust.” He explained.), he decided to become a P.I. and fight Nazis along the way. You liked this guy already, and yet he also sounds so familiar.

To think just half an hour or so, you were about to metaphorically throw hands and eat heads…

And we still didn’t eat them.

Yea, I’m a bit disappointed too. I’ll make it up later.

Those poor criminals, wasted. Handed to the police before you could even nibble on a finger. If Venom starts to act up like a grumpy child, it’s on them. After the small buzzing in your ears died down, all you’re left with is that dull throbbing in your head that you get with migraines and hunger from both you and your companion. It’s not your fault the universe slapped a literal man-eater on you.

Then again, after the whole exposition dump they piled on you, you felt a little guilty sprinkling your truth with little white lies on top. By the way your companion was treated by his not-so-friendly superhero, you could only assume that it’s mutual throughout the alternative universes. Better play it safe and claim you built your suit out of some nanotech that was laying around...somewhere. You even ‘pulled down’ your mask as a sign of trust.

You regained your focus when Venom used your limbs to jump between buildings to catch up with the eccentric duo. You haven’t really kept in touch with the whole lore of superheroes. They didn’t involve you, so you didn’t get involved. It wasn’t going to be the end of the world if you didn’t reblog five different gifsets of the same skit Tony Stark was in on Sunday Night Live. If they’re taking you to some secret spider cave, then it’s news to you.

Speaking of which,

“Sooo,” You decided to break the ice. “Where...exactly are we heading to?”

“Our own little Hooverville.” Noir answered. “It ain’t much, but it’s the best we got at the moment.”

“Plus we already have someone guarding the helm while we searched for more folks like you!” Ham added.

“You’re telling me there’s another one of you guys?” You held your hands up and counted the total number of spider heroes, not including yourself.

“And together, we make quite a ragtag bunch.” Ham continued on. “Who knew you could make a robot shaped like a spider?”

“Don’t forget the fact it’s small enough for that kid to get in and out with ease and her fingers still intact.” Noir added.

“Who...is this…’person’ you’re talking about?” You questioned, trying not to assume to worse.

“Don’t worry, she’s a sweetheart.” The detective added. “She’s got spunk for someone her size.”

Oh god, Venom.

What?

If this is an actual child I swear-

“Welcome back!”

You had to give your eyes a good rub to process what you were seeing. In front of you was indeed a small mecha shaped like a spider. The red and blue metal pieces clash together but at the same time was fitting for something like it. The small figure that was tinkering one of the robot’s legs when you arrived. As they stood up and you finally get a good look at her, you wanted to go apeshit over the fact that, indeed, it’s an actual child piloting a robot. You’ve seen like two movies that basically told you why it’s a bad idea for a kid to pilot a destructive machine in the first place.

You can tell by her appearance alone that she too is from another universe. You couldn’t describe it, but her dimensions seem...rather flat? No, that’s not the right word. Whatever it is, Ham has it too. You thought it was just Ham being Ham up until now since, after all, he's a walking, talking, crime-fighting pig you see in cartoons.

“Hey kid, hope there weren’t any scuffles while we were gone.” Noir was the first to greet her as she ran up to him.

“Nope! It was quiet as a mouse.” Was her response. She peered around his brooding form and met your eyes. Her eyes managed to grow even bigger as she approaches you excitedly.

”Hello! You must be the one we were sensing!” She grabbed your hand, giving it a nice shake. “I’m Peni Parker, and that over there is my robot SP//dr!” As if on cue, SP//der’s faceplate lit up and gave a friendly wave. Out of politeness, you waved back while ignoring the spidey-sense going off threefold.

Peni Parker...Peter “Noir” Parker...Peter Porker...Not to alarm anyone, but you think there’s some kind of pattern going here, and you’re the outlier. Well, at least Gwanda is with you for this one.

”H-Hello, Peni…” God, why are you acting so awkward all of the sudden? ”I’m (First Name), hero name TBA.” You shot your arm out awkwardly, letting the small girl take the reins in the art of the first handshake. You wonder if she can sense your weirdness with that firm grip of hers.

“So, now what?” Ham was the first to break the silence before it got weird. “We’re basically sitting ticking time bombs until we figure out a way to get back home! New kid!” He pointed at you, making you jump at the sudden action. “You got anything new to contribute?”

Shit! Shit! No one told me this was a quiz! Vee!

...We have an idea. Cover us.

Huh?! You have a-

Venom assumed control of your body, shrugging off your backpack to find your phone. Your phone? What could there possibly be on your...Oh! You have...some sort of an idea on what he’s doing! Maybe.

“Actually,” You started, bracing yourself like you’re stalling for time on an in-class presentation. “I heard a rumor the other day online…” Subtly, Venom pulled back the tendrils over your thumb so your phone can scan your print. “Somebody on a high-rise took a picture of the area-passwordiscapitalqwerty-where Spider-Man died. Can’t guarantee that-yesallcaps-you’ll see the body with this quality though.” Now if you can only find said photo if the mods of that subreddit didn’t remove it first. Ugh, this public wifi sucks ass. Who's hoarding it at this hour?

It doesn’t help that your hand is visibly shaking as your phone struggles to detect any pressure from your sweaty appendages and three sets of eyes that are on you expectedly aren't making this any easier. To make sure karma knows it's laughing at you, your phone slipped out of your grip at the most inopportune moment. Your case had taken some beatings in the past, but you know for sure by the sound of the landing that it was time for it to be replaced. You just stood there frozen, wondering when the panic attack kicks in.

Instead, your tingling skin is your only warning before your muscles went out of control. It felt like you were being ripped from the inside out and then being ripped outside in twice fold. The pained garble coming out of your mouth was either coming from you or Venom. It was tough to see with your spotty vision, but it looks like your newly befriended companions were going through this too in various states of pain.

After a few seconds, the out of body experience ended. You know immediately that trying to get up quickly will kick you in the ass right after.

You good, buddy?

Peachy.

Figured.

When you patted around and found your phone, you couldn’t help but grimace at the sight of new cracks branching over your screen.

”Son of a bitch…” You couldn't help but swear out. ”You know what? This would be better if I did this at my place, yeah?” Digging your hands into your face you inhale, waited, and exhale slowly. When you looked up, they were still staring at you with concerned eyes. “What? It’s my first week on the job, can you give me some slack?”

While you knew your aunt was a few hours away somewhere upstate you couldn’t help but pray that she doesn’t decide to come back home in the darkness of the night. If Penn Station was closer, maybe you could’ve caused some delays on the Amtrak. Didn’t help that you now have guests sheltering in your apartment clearly not built for four heroes of various sizes that had to get inside through the window. You hope no one in the next building over calls the police. You all even put a tarp over SP//dr, much to the dismay of the robot, to make sure it doesn’t end up on your social media timeline later on. At least Mr. Davis wasn’t there when you unlocked the door manually.

“It’s nothing much, but it’s the best I can do. Make yourself at home.” You didn’t need to say that twice. Almost instantly they go around poking and observing whatever they can. “Can I...get any of you something to drink?”

“An egg cream for me.”

“I’ll take some juice, please!”

“Rum and coke. Shaken, not stirred.”

You have no idea what an egg creme is, there’s only vegetable juice in the fridge, and there’s certainly no alcohol in this apartment. You’ll make it work somehow.

Keyword: somehow.

Do pig-spiders even need to get drunk in the first place? According to Google, egg cream is just a fancy way of saying milkshake. How old are these people exactly?

#spiderverse #spidersona #x reader #spiderman into the spiderverse #spiderman into the spiderverse & reader #spiderman into the spiderverse x reader #spiderverse x reader #venom x reader #venom & reader #venom symbiote x reader #venom symbiote/reader #venom/reader #reader insert #my writing #friends like you and us

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terraclae · 6 years

Text

Speaking Dually

Lore pings: @yuushanoah-fr @cityofinoue

[Lore Directory]

Atlas checks out the bathhouse and happens to run into Dmitri. Everyone is in their bipedal forms as usual.

Atlas felt ethereal pacing towards the baths of the inn. There was the smell of smoke caught on him he wasn’t sure of whether it’d wash out. Arodan had told him he’d come later so Atlas went ahead hesitantly in a towel that might as well have been a mantle with how big it was. He stuck his head into the bathhouse part and found the large marble bath decidedly empty. Well, save for someone sitting right in the middle with their head popping out just above the water. Atlas slowly slid into the hall and closed the door behind him. ‘Am I intruding?’

The person spoke initially but since their mouth remained underwater nothing but bubbles came up. They surfaced sputtering. ‘No, not at all.’ Dmitri shot up from the water, coughing. When he composed himself he flashed Atlas an awkward little smile. ‘This is a public bath sooo…’

‘That doesn’t mean I couldn’t potentially be walking in on something.’ Atlas said. He walked to the edge of the bath, furthest from Dmitri. He dropped the towel and slid in. Just basking in the immediate warmth did a lot to soothe his direct stress. The smell of herbs and soap did a lot to calm his nerves deeper down. ‘So, I’m guessing Sachi is not available today?’

‘No, we’ve made an agreement of sorts actually.’ Dmitri’s head stuck out just above the water. ‘He… Brought up the fact that someone walking around with smoke lining their edges might be a little intimidating. He doesn’t want to get us into trouble so he says he’ll switch with me when we are not somewhere closely watched by a lot of people.’

‘So you’ll be hanging around a lot?’

‘It seems so.’

Atlas paused, then smiled. ‘Well that’s fine. It’ll be nice to have another friend among us.’ And hey, if you’re comfy around us then maybe you can stick around once we separate Sachi from you somehow.’

‘Oh, I’m pretty comfortable already actually.’ Dmitri answered with a blissful little smile. ‘Call me soft if you will but I am already very thankful you’ll have me.’ He sat up straighter so his shoulders rose from out of the water. ‘... Atlas?’

Yes?’ Atlas leant against the edge of the bath and saw Dmitri move closer until he was at a still very much respectable distance. ‘What’s up dude?’

‘You don’t like Sachairi very much, do you?’

‘Sheesh, that’s kind of a complicated question.’ Atlas hissed, sliding under the water up to his chin. ‘But yeah, I guess I don’t like him, why the question? You’re not going to tattle on me right?’

‘Call it merchant’s honor I guess, that I won’t.’ Dmitri hummed. ‘I just had a sort of hunch seeing how he looks at you sometimes. So… Why?’

‘Well, you know, people just get crushes sometimes.’ Atlas started, and immediately started to trail off. ‘Ever had a crush before Mitya? Since I see you flirting with that boyfriend of mine.’ Atlas held up his hand and gesture vaguely. ‘I’m not opposed to my lovers having multiple lovers but I prefer to know if something is going on.’

‘I haven’t entertained the idea of crushes in a long time, and I’m not romantically interested in Arodan.’ It was Dmitri’s turn to hold up both hands, shaking his head. He was a little red, but whether this was from a fluster or the bath water wasn’t certain. ‘You had a crush on Sachairi once though?’

‘At the time he seemed handsome you know? It, it seemed appealing to just lie in those arms for a bit.’ Atlas said, his eyes drifting off nervously. He definitely was red because of his embarrassment. ‘Thing is, at some point you just start to fall out of a crush because the habits you once adored become threatening. I thought the grumpiness was cute at first but after a while it seemed like no one was as dedicated to making himself unhappy as Sachairi was.’ He sighed. ‘I felt bad for Raz for having to put up with that. He’s nicer now but I can’t shake the sentiment… Why am I telling you this?’

‘Because I asked you. Maybe because I have a face you came to know as him.’ Dmitri said. He crept closer yet again. With a brief glimpse he made visual confirmation with Atlas that it was okay to sit next to him. ‘... Atlas, it doesn’t sound like you have let go despite that it was a long time ago. Stop me if I’m wrong.’ Atlas only nodded in agreement. ‘So, ask yourself, why do you hold on?’

‘Because maybe something is wrong with me. It’s… I fall in love easily, Carmen once told me. But it’s hard for me to tell whether it’s infatuation or love.’ He rolled his head backwards. ‘With Dan it just happened in one rapid swoop and before I knew it I had told him I loved him and all that, it just blabbed right out and I rolled with it somehow.’ He dragged a hand down his face. 'I told him I had only loved one more person before but I hadn't mentioned all the cases of infatuation.'

'So, what made Sachairi dislike you in return?' Dmitri asked, propping his head comfortably on his hand. 'Did he figure out?'

'Nope. I grew indifferent an distant to him for a long time and he took it very quickly that I thought he was a freak, I guess.' Atlas answered, annoyed. He couldn't particularly consider Sachairi as a changed person except for one particular moment. 'Raz still spoke to me but he didn't know how to mediate between us, I shouldn't have done that.'

'He wanted to?' Dmitri asked. He leant forward a little to listen better. 'Was he like that?'

'Perhaps, he just... ' Atlas gestured limply then dropped his hands. 'Raz was a lot of things and probably just wanted to prove who he was. He couldn't be nonbinary back home because that wasn't convenient back home, with his fiancee he couldn't be stubborn, excitable, social, you know? It was pretty miserable and he didn't ever want to go back.'

'Oh. That makes sense.' Dmitri frowned, mulling over the story before he understood it in full. 'You know, I'd love to meet him someday. Not because Sachairi is so lyrical about him but y'know… He was and still is part of your group. I'm interested in all of you.' He straightened up. 'Also Atlas, we are getting off topic.' He gestured at Atlas. 'So. Arodan?'

'What about him?'

‘Well, how do you feel about him? What’s makes you want to have him around and let go of past hurts?’

Atlas didn’t know what to say then. There was something stirring in his chest and head that he couldn’t quite explain in words, no words were light and sweet enough for that. Even if he knew how to act smooth and charismatic this was not something he could speak of easily. Softly he spoke. ‘I guess… Everything about him. It’s a childish sentiment since I haven’t been with enough people in substantial relationships and yet something binds me to him and it makes me want to make his life brighter. He makes my days worth living and he’s gotten better since I met him so I want to return the sentiment.’ He continued to speak fondly. 'He's kind of snippy and self sacrificing but it's gotten less and I am very thankful for that.'

‘That’s love alright. That feels right.’ Dmitri hummed happily, a big smile on his face. ‘I don’t even have to know what a truly good relationship is like, just the way you speak about him is kind of magical.’

‘It’s the herbs.’ Atlas sank into the water, completely flustered. ‘My head ain’t there so now I’m turning in a big mushy pile, thanks Mitya.’

Dmitri said nothing but slowly his hands found Atlas face and guided him back from out of the water. It was a strange gesture so Atlas couldn’t help but be a little confused by it, staring wide eyed at Dmitri. ‘Atlas. You know this is a good thing right?’ Atlas nodded. ‘Look, you’re doing great so far. Take that from a relative stranger, Arodan definitely loves you too.’ Atlas nodded yet again. Dmitri knew that only because he definitely saw it written in Mimir. ‘Also Mitya?’ Dmitri asked, quirking one eyebrow.

‘I’m a nickname kind of guy.’ Atlas responded, nodding for a third time. ‘I know a lot for a lot of names. Should I stop calling you that, is it-‘

‘No. I think it’s rather cute.’ Dmitri said through a chuckle. He smiled mischievously and leant against the edge of the bath, letting go of Atlas. ‘It is a little bit of an honor getting one from you.’

‘Okay wildcard, are you flirting with me now?’ It lightened the mood significantly and Atlas didn’t mind it. ‘I don’t think there’s anything you can dish out that will particularly fluster me.’

‘Well, I wouldn’t call this a very appropriate venue to hold a friendly flirting contest in.’ All it took for Dmitri was to momentarily glance down and at Atlas’ eyes again. ‘Don’t you think?’

‘Fair enough.’ Atlas stammered, smiling impishly. He didn’t need to be made aware of the place right now. He turned when he heard the door open. Arodan finally shuffled in. Atlas could now imagine how he must have looked like shuffling around in his towel. Arodan looked almost fluffy in it. Atlas’ heart swelled just because Arodan was present. ‘Yo, Dan. Finally brave enough to come in?’

‘I know this is a separate part and there’s only two other guests as far as I know but well…’ He shifted on his feet, until they brought him to the edge of the bath. ‘It feels a little embarrassing.’

‘It’s just us Dan, it’s fine.’ Atlas pat the side of the bath and flashed Arodan a warm smile. Dmitri took the situation as his cue to leave and in a way Atlas appreciated the gesture. Some privacy to just sit and talk with Arodan would be nice. ‘Nothing’s gonna happen.’

‘Have fun you two.’ Dmitri hummed, creeping out of the bath. He gave Atlas a thumbs up as he did and winked at Arodan as he stared before retrieving his towel and leaving the room entirely. Arodan stood there for a moment then shot Atlas a long hard look. Atlas grinned and Arodan returned the smile, dropping the towel to get into the bath. Atlas quietly swam over to him.

'So, what did you two exactly speak about?' Arodan dared to ask, allowing himself to soak in the herb infused water. He felt more akin to a soup vegetable at the moment and it must be the weariness. 'Did he flirt with you too or something?'

'Yep, and it was cute.' Atlas hummed. He settled next to Arodan and relaxed with his arms behind his head. 'How odd, I thought I was going to be very suspicious around him but he's pretty well natured, isn't he?'

'He sure is.' Arodan whispered. He felt insecure at the statement until Atlas put an arm around him. It was then Arodan became a little too aware of the contact and he froze. 'Atlas, you're a dork, you know that right?'

'A huge dork with a very handsome boyfriend.' Atlas boasted. He then promptly giggled and withdrew his hand to stifle it. 'And finally I'm a dork who has some semi-alone time with you.'

'We have tonight too, you know?' Arodan answered, scrubbing his face. He felt as he was washing the filth of a month from his face and it very well could be. When was actually the last time he looked after himself? 'A lot has happened lately. Even now circumstances seem dire and yet… I can't help but relax. Is that selfish of me?'

'That makes the two of us.' Atlas said, closing his eyes. 'We'll get Paramo back. But thinking about it, we can't do that if we're at the end of our mental and physical capacities, ya know?' Atlas tilted his head back further. 'We have to think this through or it isn't going to go well. The Stratus folks haven't made up their minds either.' He sighed. 'We all changed in some way.'

'Fair enough.' Arodan responded. 'You know what's returning back to normal though?'

'What?'

'You.' Arodan turned to Atlas whose eyes had slid open with new surprise. 'You're speaking like you used to. It's not as serious and grim as it was on the boat.'

'Is it weird?'

'It's nice and I didn't mind that you were like that.' Arodan whispered. His head rested sideways on the edge of the bath. 'We all we're different on that boat, be it stress or paranoia. That's not our fault.'

Atlas nodded gently and leant forward to kiss Arodan's temple. 'True.' He whispered against it. 'You know, I'm thinking we really could have played checkers by the bath right now if I had brought my set.'

'This is a bath y'know.'

'Your point is?' Atlas said, grinning. 'It's not as if it's made of wood and can rot.'

'My point is-' Arodan took Atlas by his wrists and pulled him along to the middle of the bath. 'We could also just sit and soak for a while. Talk.'

'Yes?'

'Atlas, I like your company.' Arodan finally said, situating the both of them in the middle. 'So just your presence is enough. Let's sit for a while.' Arodan said, his smile just visible above the water. 'Let's go slow, okay?'

'You know I can do slow.' Atlas warmly said. He took to basking in the heat of the water in a similar way to Arodan. Where Arodan's crests dropped in relaxed manner his ears did and together they were blissed out for a while, holding each other's hand under the water.

#my lore #fr #ch: Atlas #ch: Dmitri #ch: Arodan #the first part is emotional baggage and the second is like #Atlas and Arodan being a little cute because they deserve good things after all that has happened #also Dmitri is getting kinda comfy but so far hes only playful #short chapter I guess

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gaming-rabbot · 7 years

Text

Rabbot Reviews: Night in the Woods

Painfully relatable, wonderfully colorful, delightfully charming, and exasperatingly existential.

Imagine a much tamer BoJack Horseman, with a colorful flourish and sense of nostalgia reminiscent of Hotline Miami, mixed with the millennial Scooby-Doo gang vibe of Oxenfree. Also imagine if Life is Strange felt less artificial with its blatant farce of an attempt at understanding hip kid lingo, and that Firewatch actually bothered going somewhere with its thriller esque setup and plot hooks.

That’s a jumbled mess of words, but also a perfect descriptor for the subject of this review: Night in the Woods.

Night in the Woods stars the unassuming Mae Borrowski, a 20 year old college dropout who has returned to her podunk, middle-of-nowhere, boring town, where nothing good ever happened to anybody, least of all Mae.

Upon return, she’s met with passive-aggression spiced concern from parents who honestly just want to know what their only child is going through, and friends who all either already have or are in the process of growing up and moving on in life. Thus, her return meant to ease her back into the comforts of nostalgia and something resembling normalcy only seem to cause her more anxiety and strife.

Also the crushingly slow and depressing realization that life has no meaning and nothing we do in the universe actually matters. But hey, one thing at a time, right guys?

Last call for a (mild) spoiler warning.

The very first thing to note is that Night in the Woods is a certain type of game. And if you grit your teeth and practically feel your blood boil at the very thought of this type of game, first I might suggest seeing a doctor, but second and more importantly, NitW more than likely will not change your mind about this type of game.

I am referring, of course, to the ever-fun and totally-never-controversial-topic, the walking simulator. Where things like failure states scarcely show their faces, and gameplay mostly takes a backseat to narrative.

And by backseat, this sometimes means a bus. A very long bus.

I’ve talked about it before, but nobody reads my reviews, so I’ll say it again: I personally have absolutely no qualm nor quibble with the existence of this new and befuddling genre of video game. At least, not at face value. When the only thing a game is properly offering is a narrative, then I won’t hold that against the game, so long as said narrative can deliver. Not like Firewatch or Life is Strange, where the lack of an actual game further hampers the lack of a good or wholly competent story.

Besides, variety is the spice of life, my friend, despite what certain YouTube personalities will tell you. And a diverse offering of games means a diverse offering of self-proclaimed “gamers,” which goes on to mean the industry can only grow and get better as a whole with market expansion. You know, the only good part of capitalism; more media getting produced to the point where that incredibly niche thing you always wanted to see get made, well, finally getting made.

You know the one.

More to the point, I ask that narrative heavy games deliver. And deliver Night in the Woods did, with a fairly agreeable amount of competence.

It is at this point in the review, where the review has yet to actually begin, that I’d like to announce that I had been looking forward to this game for three years, ever since I first laid eyes on the Kickstarter trailer.

(Which, by the way, this game was funded via Kickstarter, so take that extra tidbit for what you will. I know it’s a touchy subject after things like Mighty No. 9.)

After which point, however, the game experienced something like three or four release delays, which speaks to me of a dev team possibly severely underestimating how long it takes to actually make a game. Or overestimating their own capabilities? Who knows.

Part of me worries that I can’t be objective, though. The game seemed to have won my heart long before I’d ever get to see a finished product. Could I have been blinded by my bias?

No. The answer is no.

Almost entirely for those aforementioned, nigh-constant release delays. Couple that with Infinite Falls putting out not one, but two mini games set in universe, instead of, oh I don’t know, the game people paid them to make? In an ounce of fairness, I’ve come to retroactively appreciate said mini games, as they do add to the lore.

And I’m a sucker for lore.

Perhaps I’m being petty, and somehow retroactively less petty, but my bias and unconditional love and goodwill slowly faded in direct relation to every year after the originally announced release date I had to wait. And as I sat down to start, and even as I completed the game, I asked myself: was it worth the wait?

Mm. Yeah, pretty much.

Okay, I should probably slow down. Maybe give some kind of buildup before spilling the final thoughts all out like that.

One of the first things you notice about Evening in the Forest, aside from how humorously long it takes to actually see all the characters in the woods at night time, is the screen constantly saturated with lots of orange, red, and brown. The fall colors are heavily emphasized, not merely because that’s the season the story takes place in, but the colors are exaggeratedly warm, so to match the cozy comforts the protagonist, Mae (remember Mae?), is seeking to feel deep down in her guts again.

But rather than that being the case, Mae’s hometown immediately feels cold and unfamiliar, which the game emphasizes by instead starting you off on the outskirts in the dead of night mostly by yourself. And the game world is introduced with lots of dark colors, mainly blues.

It’s easy to tell that color-play was set to be a key design aesthetic early in development.

This is matched and mirrored as even the primary cast are color coded in much the same way. Mae’s parents who forgot about her first night back are both dark, ash gray; cold. Gregg gives Mae the most excited welcome back of the crew, and he’s a ruddy orange; warm. Bea is distant at first, making undercutting jabs at Mae’s character, and she’s a muted teal; cold. Finally, Angus is friendly enough, if a tad mellow, and he’s the brown bear (who’s also a bear, ha (bam, super funny, original joke)); yeah, pretty warm.

The next to overkill levels of clear-cut color-play give the game a sort of story book vibe, which is further highlighted by the simple shapes that make up the models and the cartoonish proportions all the characters have; e.g., eyes make up a third of the real estate on any given face, which can sometimes be as tall or wide as the body it’s sitting on.

The bright, saturated, vivid colors of any given background, the color coding of warm and cold characters, the toony looks; it all drives home to evoke that very same feeling of familiarity and nostalgia Mae is seeking at the start of the game. As though to remind the player of simpler, more innocent times. It’s waking up on a Saturday morning at a young age to watch cartoons, that sort of thing. It’s the charming bait that demands your attention first. And the player, much like Mae, finds the hook a lot less charming with the panged stings of being proverbially stabbed by a cold and indifferent reality.

Reality tends to set in on this game like a sack of bricks. I found myself saying “that got a little too real there for a sec” so often, I figure it may as well be on the box.

(Well. You know. If the game had a box.)

It’s around this point, after the main cast is thoroughly introduced, that the game starts to really pick up. The pacing is solid enough; I never felt complacent, like I was waiting for the next bit of plot to happen. It’s slow exactly when and where it needs to feel slow. And for the rest of the time, the game is throwing sudden Guitar Hero segments at you.

When chatting with a friend about this, he admitted he found Mae’s movement speed plodding and felt it dragged the pacing down too much. It’s not something that bothered me, but I can see where there’s a case for it.

Here’s where the more “gamey,” for lack of a better term, side of the game comes in. At various intervals, the game will introduce a brand new mini game with its own self-contained set of mechanics. There’s a lot of variety here, and for the most part, they never outstay their welcome.

The only properly recurring one is the bass-playing segment. And though it’s possible to fail these (very possible in the case of the Pumpkin Head Guy song), the game will carry on regardless. In a way, Night in the Woods does actually have failure states, but the player doesn’t lose any progress when it happens.

Then the gang finds a severed arm!

Around that part, though, the game introduces a game within the game, in the form of a game on Mae’s laptop by the name of Demontower. And what a pleasant surprise, it’s a decent all around top down slash and dash, action affair. The amount of effort that went into it is shocking, considering it could’ve easily just been a cute little one-off gag. But no, it’s a completely legitimate game, with a full tale, its own set of mechanics, and several decently challenging boss fights punctuating each randomized level.

It’s the kind of thing I’d pay maybe ten bucks for (usd), but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel the value of my purchase with NitW go up a bit, considering there’s basically two games for the price of one here. Plus it might just placate one who finds dialogue heavy games dull. Who knows, but it’s a stellar addition either way.

I also adore that the developers wasted no opportunity to try and enhance their story, as they even worked symbolism relevant to the story at hand into the miniature side game on Mae’s laptop. The very first boss of any Demontower run looks remarkably like a certain muted teal gothic gator girl.

But, and here’s the kicker: this boss doesn’t do anything, and dies in one hit.

Surely it’s a reference to Bea’s semi-combative nature toward Mae at the start, and how easily that folds away when she remembers their shared history. It’s a really unnecessary metaphor they didn’t have to include, but it stuck with me that they even did. Although, in the interest of fairness, I feel I must admit it’s not exactly subtle.

In fact, it’s about as subtle as that severed arm I mentioned earlier, then stopped talking about.

I did this to draw comparison the somewhat noticeable lull between traumatic and supernatural events. Because while I said the story beats in of themselves never felt too far apart, I have to admit, again in fairness, that it seems to take a good while for the payoff of things like this. I will say though, payoff does come in due time, and NitW more or less sticks the landing well enough.

Take the backstory of Mae beating a kid’s face in with a metal bat during her little league game, for example.

To be perfectly frank, I figured the game would never have any kind of payoff for this at all. This or the actual reason why Mae came home from college. The cynic in me is alive and well, and I fully believed the writers would take the easy route and leave it all up to the imagination. But no, they actually explain it all, and explain it fairly well.

Mae has a mental thing where she rarely loses touch with reality, seeing only basic shapes where actual things and people are supposed to be. And a statue at college made up of basic shapes caused a mental relapse in her psyche, sending her spiraling into extremely self-destructive habits she couldn’t break herself out of. I’m certain there’s a proper term for this, but I’m not well read enough to know what it might be.

Effort like that put into creating a solid trunk for the rest of the story to branch off of is grand. And a relief, after dealing with games like Firewatch, where the backstory is so inconsequential, it’s picked out of a seemingly random assortment of vague synopses so as to snugly slot in any old referential dialogue between the bread of real plot.

In that regard, Dusk in the Trees fits nicely on the same shelf of Oxenfree.

Now that I think of it, both games are on that same shelf for a lot of similarities; the gaggle of young adults having complex relationships filled with strife and friction, the overt metaphor of them struggling to deal with supernatural elements where said supernature stands in for the responsible adulthood they’re on the precipice of, branching dialogue options used to explore character relations, the heavy and pervasive sense of nostalgia on the air like so many flitting dust particles in an old abandoned barn at sunset, etc.

Not that I mind having a couple eerily similar games, though. They’re a couple of the only games I’ve ever been able to relate to on such a deeply emotional and personal level. And I feel like that’s kind of the big foundation at the bottom of it all; relatability and realness to keep you grounded amidst all the severed arms, and ghost stories, and murder cults.

Whenever I watched Mae talk to her mom, I felt twinges of chills. Because I could almost swear I’d had those exact conversations with my own mother. We snark at each other in much of the same sarcastic way Mae and her mom do. I’ve even felt similar pressure Mae has about her education and how she’s going to handle the entire rest of her life.

It… hurts. It actually sort of hurts just how relatable this all is.

When walking down the main drag through Possum Springs (the ingame town), deja vu washed over me time and again. The urban decay of old businesses that never seem to last, the new franchised ones that seemingly cropped up from nowhere, the random animal people walking by who remarkably resemble random human people I’ve walked by in my own small, nothing special hometown; it all felt entirely too familiar.

It’s truly astounding how a game where the main character dreams about meeting god, and it’s not absolutely clear whether it actually happened, somehow managed to feel this real to life.

I’ve often commented on how relatability is not the end-all, be-all of good storytelling, let alone good character building. Though it does help, it’s better when the characters are this fun, charming, and sincere. And I feel like the writers really nailed that aspect, instead of relying on all the chest clutching of players like me who felt they’ve been there before.

Whatever smaller qualms I have with the story at large, I can’t deny how hard Infinite Falls got me to fall madly in love with this cast.

This game found me at I feel the perfect time in my life. It’s the angsty teen to young adult adventure I always wanted to see in a video game. This is my “that incredibly niche thing you always wanted to see get made, finally getting made.” And if you’re anything like me, then the story will resonate with you too.

Honestly, I can’t recommend this game enough. It’s not as perfect as I make it sound; there are a few grammar mistakes and a couple graphical issues. But if you can look past that, and gameplay ultimately not being the point, you’ll find a pretty solid, genuine-feeling story.

#rabbot reviews #video games #review #Night in the Woods #mild spoilers #long post

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crayvexador · 7 years

Text

In which Lexa opens a secet chat room for Malcolm and her. based on this headcanon

characters: lexa, malcolm, mention of crayton & ella

ships: mention of craylexa

words: 2087

@officialpittacuslore

During the past week, Lexa spent her sleepless nights building a private chat room for Malcolm, her new ally, and her.

Line after line of code, she planted countless pages filled with message boxes that couldn’t be closed, flashy advertisements for doubtful products, and if by any chance the person who attemped to get into their secret chat hadn’t turned off their computer yet, a virus Lexa developed herself would wipe out the motherboard.

After she finished encrypting the room, and tested her hiding method on one of her old computers, she leaned back in her wooden chair, exhausted because of the tiring work that was writing code, and stretched her arms above her head. Every night it happened, for the last five days. She had kept Malcolm in the back of her mind in the morning and afternoon, searching for signs of the Garde, and returned to him in the evening.

The idea had occurred to her when she was driving back to her safe house from his home. She thought that if every person who was around her was in danger, it would be better to keep her distance, without losing that important ally. Earth’s setting sun painted her in an orange light as she decided the idea would turn into reality.

Privacy was an aspect she had always excelled in. Back in Lorien, when she created programs not for keeping herself safe from the Mogadorians, she had watched a lot of people without them knowing. She gathered precious information some people wanted to keep away from the crowd’s eyes, or release it for them to see, all for the right price. Her programs gave her money for rant, or for food. Without the will to bring Lorien’s corrupted society out in the light, she would have fled the capital, breaking any connection she had with Lorien.

Nevertheless, she persisted, and her stubbornness eventually lead to the message one of her programs picked up in the night of Lorien’s destruction, the list of the nine Garde children and their Cepans. She remembered how her heart skipped a beat when she read Loridas’ name, the proof she had waited for had come, only to find herself flying a ship our of her planet.

In Yellowhammer, the small cabin she had turned into her guarded safe house, she stepped towards her computer, her blood was hot with determination and excitment. Going through news sites and sketchy blogs in hope to find any clue about the Garde children- and delete any mentions of it around the internet- wasn’t as eventful as she first thought it would be. But her new project brought passion to her heart and gave her a new goal to achieve.

She had lifted her laptop’s display screen, that shined into life and revealed a background picture of a field filled with red flowers, a view she only assumed the humans considered as calming. The silly landscape photos never failed to make her roll her eyes. They were nothing compared to Lorien’s breathtaking mountains, clear seas or ancient caves.

Nothing could ever compare to Lorien, she thought.

She had entered the new password she made last night, like in every night, a combination of letters and numbers another program of hers prepared. Her computer unlocked and the last window she had opened took her sight.

It was Crayton, holding his Garde’s hand, smiling at in front what seemed to be an airplane that had just landed. Nostalgia and longing washed over her, and she found herself missing both of them.

Ella looked like a different person, tall with the same auburn she had when she last saw her. It was long, resting on the way down her back. Lexa guessed little Ella was five years old now, give or take a year. She was dressed in pink rain boots and a purple coat with fur surrounding the hat that covered her floral dress.

Crayton, who was leaning over as he walked with Ella, was wearing a pale blue shirt and a dark pair of jeans. A navy colored jacket protected him from the cold. It was the first time in five years she had seen him, since he took Ella and left. He almost looked the same, except that he grew a little larger, got stronger. His eyes changed as well. In the year and a half they spend together on the ship with Zophie, she noticed the way his eyes became cloudy when he was worried. Although the picture was taken from a distance, she could see through his eyes he was no longer scared. Somewhere during those five years, he became sure of himself.

Lexa knew what she needed to do, but she couldn’t let him go yet. She wanted to get a hold of his computer- she had done it in the past, to other people- and reach him. Talk to him. But because it wasn’t an option, not even in her wildest dreams, she clicked on the picture and hit “print”.

It was a foolish action, even selfish, she told herself as the printer sucked a blank page from one side and drew Crayton’s details on the other. All aside, she couldn’t help herself. She reasoned with her logical side as she hanged the picture the shelf above her. So I won’t forget their faces, she thought.

She closed the picture and activated her program, deleting the page, the picture from the uploader’s computer, and any other mentions of it across the web. The program destroyed any trace of it, until she was the only one who could look at it.

Now, in the moment she finished building her and Malcolm’s chat room, she could finally see the room as he would see it. At first sight, she wondered if she should have made it more impressive. The chat was nothing but a white page with a typing box in the lower part of the screen. The messages were placed in the middle, with a scrollbar in the right to view older messages and a button to send a picture.

In addition, there was a round button next to the “send” button, with a red exclamation mark on it. After ten minutes, every message would be deleted automatically, but this button allowed to do the same, without the wait, in case of danger.

Thinking the room was ready to go, she look for the sticky note with Malcolm’s email she had written before they met at his house. Her desk was messy, full of prints and papers. Once she found his email, she logged into her email account, and sent him a message.

“Tell them the ship in Egypt is wrecked.” she wrote, repeating what she told him in person, and added the direct link to the chat. It could only be opened from his computer.

Like every one of her steps in the internet, the message would delete itself once Malcolm closed it. Now she could only hope he would realize it was her who was sending it.

An hour later, while she was spinning pasta around her fork, her computer buzzed. It was the sound she put in the chat room, when a new message was received. She put her bowl down on the table, rose up from her couch and rushed towards her laptop.

I did. The message said.

As happy as she was Malcolm managed to get inside the chat, she had to make sure it wasn’t somebody else. Her fingers were hovering over the keyboard, thinking of an answer.

Can you send a picture? Need to know it’s you. Button next to the text box.

A few seconds passed in silence, until the chat beeped again, followed by a picture of Malcolm. He was sitting in front of a desk, she could tell, because his chest was blocked in the picture. He had a grey plaid shirt and his face was serious.

Can you do the same? he sent, and she almost wrote back she was the one who made the chat, so it was obviously her.

However, she didn’t argue further. Peeling the square shaped sticker she put over the built in camera, she pressed the photo button and a window opened up. She tried to smile gently, making a friendly face. Malcolm was scared enough when she showed up in his door, asking about Pittacus Lore and the Mogadorians.

The picture uploaded and she braced herself from seeing her awkward face. Not that bad, she thought.

We better not to use names here. I made this page impossible to reach, although we’re the only people with a direct link to it. But you can never know. she replied.

How did you get my email? Malcolm asked.

Lexa’s cheeks heated up, feeling as if getting Malcolm’s email account was wrong.

I was... looking around. she typed back.

Another moment without an answer. She could only imagine Malcolm leaning in his chair, rubbing his forehead as he sighed, because an alien hacker found his email account. She would have shrugged in response, saying “what could I do?”

So shall we begin?

Six years later, Lexa stood in front of the second Loric ship, in awe. It was much bigger than the ship she flew with Crayton, Ella and Zophie. It was dark gray, and its sharp edges shined in the sunlight. Rocks cracked under her combat boots that got covered with sand.

The desert wind of Dulce Base blew on her face as she marched forward. With each step, her ability to believe grew smaller. It was really it, the ship, her ship. Maybe she didn’t flew it, but as the only living Loric pilot, it was hers by right.

She got close to the door and touch the surface of the ship. The area might have been hot, soaking the heat that raised from the ground, but the ship was cold when Lexa put her hand on it. A feeling in her chest told her those Mogadorian bastards didn’t find a way to enter it. Why would they? It was pure Loric. The complete opposite from them.

Shouting in Mogadorian language caused her to stop the reunion moment she had with the ship. Lexa turned around to see Mogs soldiers running to her, ready to shoot. She took out two guns from the back of her pants, protecting her ship.

In less than two hours, she returned to Yellowhammer for one last visit. She took everything she needed, computers, stucks of papers in case they would come in handy, every decive she had purchased during her time on planet Earth.

She was right, the Mogs hadn’t got a hold of the inside of the ship. She lost them after a flight of thirty minutes, when she found the right set of keys to make the ship invisible.

She stopped running around the house, thinking if she took everything. Quietly muttered a list of what she carried into the ship, she hoped something she forgot would come up. Then, she opened her eyes, to see the shelf overhead her table, where the picture she printed of Ella and Crayton was.

Taking the yellowing page in her hands, she took off the piece of paste that held it with caution, afraid to tear the picture. Carefully grasping it, she rushed to the door and grabbed the remote control that she left.

Inside the ship, Lexa flipped a switched and the engines roared to life. The sound of them working, prepared to take off, was like music to her ears. The remote control was still in her hands as she sat in the pilot seat, feeling freeer than she ever was.

She was twenty meters in the air, floating over Yellowhammer. It wasn’t her home, not anymore. While she twisted the remote between her fingers, she told the cabin goodbye. A place greater than this was waiting for her.

She pressed on the button and Yellowhammer exploaded beneath her. Fire burned out the roof and the walls, turning them into ashes. No one would know what secrets she kept here, the life she had lived.

Satisfied, put her legs on the dashboard and opened her laptop.

The Egypt ship might be gone, she wrote to Malcolm, a smirk on her lips, but I got the first one.

#AAAA #lorien legacies #lexa #malcolm #crayton #ella #craylexa #fanfiction

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