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chaoticspacefam · 3 years

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🖊🖊 for Ni'kasi and an oc of your choice 👀

Thanks for the ask, Pinky! apparently my brain has decided “gush” means “throw lots of random fun facts at everyone” today so here we go! Here’s your favourite tomato gal! :3

-She and Saarai were always twins and I’d always intended for them to be close, and the bare-bones basic premise of how I wanted their relationship to work was “Saarai is the brawn and Kas is the brains”. While this is still true, it did evolve ever so slightly in that Saarai is now also the (more reliable) moral compass. Kas isn’t particularly Dark-sided, but she’s not Light-sided either, she’s inherited a lot more of mom’s “I will do what I have to to get a job done even if that means I have to kill a bitch” attitude XD

-When I first came up with the idea for the twins, Kas’s name was originally going to be “Jen” which is the High Sith word for “hidden, or in shadow” (”Saarai” is the High Sith word for “Truth”, for reference ;) ) ; so their names joined together would have meant “Hidden Truth”. I don’t remember where Ni’kasi came from because it isn’t an “actual” Sith word nor does it have particular meaning (though I might try to make one up, we’ll see :P), but the very first time I went to write down solid bios for them I ended up writing “Ni’kasi” instead of “Jen” for her and it’s stuck ever since then.

-Initially, Kas’s colour pallette was a lot lighter, which you can see in all of her screenshots up till now (cause I forgot to change her when I changed the design earlier this year oops :’D) and also in this art piece I ordered of her last year, here:

(art is by @/cerculor on deviantART)

and the twins were very darn near close to being identical, but I decided that I actually rather liked their dad’s more purple-ish skintone earlier this year and that it was a shame neither of the twins looked a bit more like him, so I changed Kas up a bit and gave her dad’s skintone, jaw spurs and eye colour. She’s got mom’s red-tinted hair and (mostly) mom’s ridge/browstalk structure though :D

-Great with her own kids and direct blood relatives (e.g. nieces, nephews, grandchildren), but kinda iffy with other, random children. She won’t hurt them but she’s very much D’leah’s child in that respect, she’s very “Sith-y”, and liable to be abrasive, unsympathetic and so on. Generally not the sort of presence you’d want around your kids... there will definitely be tears hahahaha

-The scar on her eye was originally going to be caused by D’leah in the same fight that she gets Saarai’s nose, when Ni’kasi got between them to try and break up the scuffle, but I retconned that instead when I re-thought some stuff about that so now she gets it from the Inquisitors after they figure out who killed Ty’s dad and come after them.

-This is also how Kas ends up in the slave pens, after they kill D’leah they throw Ni’kasi into slavery (which is a bit of plot armour/oversight on the Inquisitors part, I admit but shhh XD) and figure y’know “she’s never gonna get out of there again”. A lot can happen, and be forgotten, in 60 odd years tho so eventually they do throw her back into the Academy much to Kas’s surprise.

-She has a lot more scars other than the one on her eye, just that most of them are on her back, or the back of her neck, so you generally can’t see them (I haven’t drawn a scar ref for her yet, it is also on the to-do list lol)

And we random-rolled Aria for this one, so more Tiny Sith nonsense!

(art is by @/ocellifera on deviantART)

-Aria’s hairstyle and general appearance actually came about because it was based on my second-favourite “portrait” choice for the PC in KOTOR II. She wasn’t how I saw my version of the Exile looking, but I really liked the design (including the little blonde fringe streak) so I decided I wanted to do something with it! <3

-We don’t get to see it much because usually when I draw her she’s back with the Sith and fully into the “Dark side” portion of her story and therefore her eyes are amber, but here you go, a nice glimpse of Aria’s natural eye colour! As mentioned on Myla’s ask, she has heterochromia as well, though her grey is “lighter” than Myla’s as she inherited the grey from dad and the brown from mom (yes I know technically it doesn’t work like that but basically I couldn’t decide which one I liked better so instead of agonising over the choice I went “one of each, problem solved” XD)

-Aria was actually the very first SWTOR-era OC I made, very closely followed by her dad, Roan, and then Vano, then her mom when I worked on her backstory, and followed by everyone else haha. I created her for an RP on an RP site that got a couple of posts in and then died/my partner ghosted me for whatever reason (I’ve never found out nor does it matter really), I was disappointed because I really liked Aria and didn’t get to “do much” with her, so I recycled her when another RP popped up, used that to build her backstory and prompt me to start the Subterfugeverse and then threw her into the Zephyrverse AU RP with my buddy k-christine once she got back in touch and we started RPing again :D -Aria gave me the most trouble (other than maybeee Saarai) in terms of finally nailing down what her sexuality was. I had no idea what she’d be at all when I first made her, other than I knew this binch wasn’t straight hahaha. So first, I defaulted her to bi, but then that didn’t seem to fit her much (I didn’t know pansexuality was a thing at the time), then during my self-projection phase I considered leaving her as just a lesbian but she wasn’t happy with that either and eventually I figured out pan is a thing and she started jumping up and down and screaming HELLO YEAH THAT ONE!! at me. The only thing that was for sure obvious to me was that she’s demiromantic, because while she can get around and doesn’t care who with (insert “will fuck anything (humanoid) with a pulse” joke here), the romantic feelings often attached to that for other people take a long time to develop for Aria.

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hockeytrashgoblin · 4 years

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Ice Cold ~Part 3

A/N: Hi all! An update tonight and expect one tomorrow too! I’ve been writing like crazy and I really hope you guys are enjoying so far and will in the future too! It gets a little angsty in a few parts. I’m sorry for making Auston a bad guy again. It’s just a character though, I really do like him quite a bit. He’s just the easiest one to make mean. I think it’s how serious he always seems to be. I dunno. I promise to write a cute one of Auston after this is all done and that Max Domi one will also be finished soon I hope! I lost all inspo on that one but I’m getting back into it! Anywho I hope you enjoy this part!

"Hey (y/n)! Wait up!"

"Oh for fuck sake.." I mumbled to myself before turning around. "Hi Peter."

"How have you been? I haven't talked to you in a couple weeks."

"Yeah good, I've been good. Super busy, what with unpacking and getting settled into a new area and all. Work stuff."

"That does sound busy."

"It is."

"Too busy to answer a text?"

"Peter cut it out."

"Alright, alright sorry." He said putting his hands up in surrender. He still had a smirk on his face and it creeped me out. Not the smirk I wanted. I kept walking towards the entrance of the building and he just kept following.

"Can I help you with something?" I asked with an edge in my voice.

"So Nylander huh?"

"What about him?"

"Kind of a pretty boy, isn't he?"

"I guess. What does it matter?"

"I keep having to write articles about you two."

"Okay..sorry?" I had seen the articles. They were disgusting, objectifying me at every turn and insulting William. There had been 3 in the last two weeks following times we had gone on dates.

"Don't be sorry I just want to know are you guys a thing? Are you dating? Fucking? What's the story?"

"What's the story? That's all I am to you right now is your inside scoop of a fucking juicy rumor filled story?"

"What no! That didn't come out right!"

"You know what? You can just go fuck yourself Peter." I opened the door to leave but he grabbed my arm.

"(Y/n) wait-"

"Don't talk to me right now and absolutely do not touch me. Ever." I said ripping my arm from his grip and storming away through the snow to union station. The whole subway ride I just stewed in my anger. Who did Peter think he was? Asking me who I'm fucking or if I'm fucking to write in an article for the world to read. As if it was anyone's business in the first place. It was dark by the time I got off and started my 15 minute walk home. I felt really uneasy though so I took out my phone to make a call.

"Hi sweetheart, on your way home?" William answered on the first ring. I felt more comfortable immediately.

"Hi, yeah I just got off the subway. I felt really uncomfortable though for some reason so I called you to talk while I walk. I hope that's okay?"

"Of course that's okay! I like that I make you comfortable enough that you'd call me."

"You make me feel very comfortable. What's the sound?"

"Come on- wanna say hi!- just let me-"

"It's just, ow fuck, Kasperi."

"Oh tell him hi for me."

"Hi (y/n)! Come visit me!"

"Kas shut up!" I heard a loud thud and then it was quiet. "Sorry about that."

"It's okay. I like him, he's funny."

"He's a fan of you too. He likes that you make me happy."

"You're so sweet. I'm glad I make you happy because you make me happy too."

"That makes me so pleased. Your happiness is most important to me."

"Well you make me happy so just keep doing what you're doing." I said opening my door and locking it behind me.

"You're home now?"

"Yes."

"Did you lock the door?"

"Yes I always do. I don't feel safe without it."

"Good."

"What do you mean good?" It was quiet except for rustling. "William?"

"Sorry love I'm just worried about you. You had a bad feeling and I just want you to feel okay. Feel safe."

"You make me feel safe. That's why I'm talking to you. I'll probably be fine, I just need to calm down." I said as there was a crash outside my place.

"What was that?"

"You heard that too?"

"Yes what was it?"

"I don't know..something outside. I don't wanna check."

"Good don't. Stay locked in your house. I don't trust this at all."

"William I just heard it again.."

"Would you be okay with me coming over?"

"Yes."

"I'd feel better if you weren't alone."

"Me too."

"I'll be there in a few minutes."

"How?"

"I'm already on my way actually. I'll explain when I get there."

"William there's something at my window." I said, panic rising in my voice.

"I'm coming sweetheart. This is me I'm knocking on the door right now let me in."

"Okay." I looked through the peephole and opened the door for him, quickly locking it behind him. "Hi."

"Hi cutie. Nice pajamas." He said smirking at me.

"Shut up I was getting ready for bed."

"No they're cute, I quite like them."

"Thank you." I said falling into his arms for a hug. "Thank you for coming."

"Of course. I wouldn't just leave you alone like that."

"I was scared.."

"I know (y/n), its okay. I'm here now, nothing will harm you. If anything I will harm someone else."

"So why were you already on your way?"

"You didn't forget about that huh?"

"Nope." I said laughing with him.

"Morgan told me I should. That it would be a smart idea."

"Why?"

"He's..special." William said slowly.

"Don't suppose you'll elaborate on that?"

"He's what I guess you'd call a psychic almost? Maybe like a fortune teller?"

"So he can see the future is what you're saying?"

"Yes."

"That is pretty special. Is he any good?"

"The best, honestly. I've never met someone who is right about so many future predictions."

"How does it work?"

"I don't really think it's my place to tell you everything about it."

"Just one more question?"

"Depends. Go ahead."

"Is it just broad? Like the whole world."

"He gets stuff like that and also he can focus on a smaller scale and get stuff for a single person."

"Did he see something bad for me?"

"Not necessarily. He saw something bad but knew that I was going to come over and fix it."

"I'm glad you came to fix it." I said hugging him again. "Sorry I'm being so touchy..I'm just relieved and I kinda always do that."

"Don't be sorry my sweet girl." He said holding the sides of my face giving me a kiss on the forehead. "You're tired. Do you want to lay down?"

"Will you come too?"

"That might not be the best idea."

"Please? I won't try anything, I swear. I just want you close by.."

"Hey that's okay. I didn't think you would make advances and even if you did they wouldn't altogether be unwanted. I just didn't want you to feel any pressure. I'll be as close as you want me."

"Come on then." I pulled him by his hand towards my room. I flipped the comforter up and gestured for him to join me in my bed. He laughed and got it with me. I cuddled up into his side. "Is this okay?"

"This is so nice. I love this."

"Okay good."

"How was work today?"

"It was pretty good until the end."

"What happened?"

"Peter stopped me after work."

"I don't like him." William mumbled playing with my hair.

"Uh yeah fucking me neither."

"What did he want?"

"He's been writing articles about us and wanted me to give him the exclusive details so he could publish them first."

"That's gross. I don't like his articles. I don't like the way he talks about you."

"Me neither. It doesn't feel good."

"What we do has nothing to do with him. Our relationship is ours alone."

"Is that what this is? A relationship?"

"Oh I'm sorry I didn't mean to say that out loud."

"It's okay if that's not what you want.." I said quietly.

"No silly girl, that is exactly what I want. I want to be with you. I just wanted to bring it up differently."

"Be with me like a boyfriend kind of thing?"

"I wish you wouldn't be so insecure (y/n). You have no reason to be like that with me. Yes I want to be your boyfriend. I would be so lucky."

"So are we officially together then?"

"Yes, lovely."

"Okay good." I said smiling, giving him a small kiss that he returned eagerly. When we broke apart I was out of breath. "Wow."

"Yeah.." he said giggling, making me laugh too. "Of all the things my hands have held, the best by far is you."

"Aww William! That is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me."

"I'm going to say nice things to you forever." He smiled and gave me another smaller kiss.

"Oh yeah about the relationship only being our business, Amy knows most of the business. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. The boys are very aware of everything too. Probably more so."

"You guys are pretty close huh?"

"They're my brothers. Auston, Morgan, Kas, and Mitch. We have a bond like no one else's I promise you that. I love those guys."

"I'm glad that you've got such great friends. It's sweet how you talk about them."

"They're great people. I know you think Auston is awful but he really isn't."

"I don't think he's awful William. I think he hates me. It's different."

"It's silly. I'll admit he's not too fond of this situation but it has nothing to do with you. He wouldn't like me to be with anyone."

"He'd rather you be alone?"

"Yes."

"That doesn't seem very nice."

"Auston thinks I'm too trusting. He doesn't trust anyone. Mitch is with someone and it's a complicated situation. Morgan has someone and it's slightly less complicated. Me, Kappy, and Auston are usually alone. It's easier that way."

"How come?"

"There's just a lot of secrets that's all. Things we can't share that make it hard to be with us."

"Well I don't like secrets much."

"I don't think I'll be keeping many from you, if any. Morgan said-" he stopped himself and shook his head. "Sorry. I know it sounds weird to go off what Morgan says."

"Not at all. I'm never gonna judge anyone on what they think or believe. If Morgan is right all the time it makes sense that you'd put that kind of faith in him."

"You're so incredible." He murmured with his warm eyes looking at me. He leaned in and kissed me. I broke it to yawn though and he laughed. "Let's sleep, yeah?"

"I don't wanna though."

"Why not? You're tired."

"I want to spend more time with you. Talking to you. I don't want to sleep."

"We have all the time in the world (y/n). Just go to bed so you're not tired tomorrow."

"Will you be here when I wake up?" I asked softly.

"You think I'd just leave in the middle of the night?"

"I hope not but I don't know."

"I won't leave unless you specifically ask me to."

"Well I'm not going to ask that."

"Then I will be right here when you wake up. Get up and I'll turn off the lights." I groaned making him laugh as he got up. He turned the light off and crawled back into bed behind me, spooning me, pulling my back close to his chest.

"Goodnight William."

"Goodnight lovely." He kissed my neck and settled to go to bed. I fell asleep so fast.

#nhl imagine #nhl story #maple leafs #hockey imagines #william nylander #william nylander x reader #mitch marner #kasperi kapanen #auston matthews #morgan rielly #toronto maple leafs #hockey story #hockey imagine #halloween #vampire

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anihan-spills · 5 years

Text

Girl in the Mirror (Part V)

V. Catherine and Sienna

Catherine and her family sit facing the television as they eat breakfast. The black and white monitor showed a big man in a barong behind a podium. The television voiced, “As of the 21st of the 6th month, I sign Proclamation No. 1081, placing the entire Philippines under Martial Law—”, before the statement was cut off short. She sat glumly before the television was turned off by her father.

“Marcos is getting all the news lately.” Mr. Lamanya said, shaking his head, as he stood from the couch to walk to the dining room.

He was greeted by Mrs. Lamanya, who placed the plate of scrambled eggs on the table. “And soon, there will be no news.”, she says glumly.

“Political drama…” Catherine sighed.

The mother placed three empty plates for her family. Mr. Lamanya was the first to sit and to get a spoonful of scrambled eggs and rice on his plate. Catherine entered the room and grabbed the brown leather jacket on the chair that stood in front of an empty plate. As she left, Mrs. Lamanya stared at her daughter with concern.

“Honey!” Mrs. Lamanya exclaimed, “Don’t sleep on your breakfast!”

“I need to work,” Catherine replied, going back to kiss her parents before bidding goodbye.

Mrs. Lamanya frowned and held Catherine’s shirt. This made Catherine groan. “And where is your so-called work?”

“At Mulat Theatre,” Catherine replied glumly.

“Oh!” Mr. Lamanya chimed in, “That’s where Sienna’s play is!”

“Y-Yes…” Catherine sighed.

“Oh! So no wonder!” Mrs. Lamanya chuckled, “You’re going to interview her! That’s so sweet! No wonder you got the assignment. Both of you have been best friends for such a long time—”

Mrs. Lamanya was cut off by the sound of the loud knocking on the door. The mother frowned as Catherine went to the door. The tension grew as she jittered, turning the doorknob, only to see Titoy. The blockmate waved his hand in enthusiasm.

Catherine, with a walkman in her hand, trots on the street with her friend.

“How are you, man?” Titoy asked his friend to initiate the conversation.

“I’m fine! I’m fine!” Catherine replied back. “We’re off to Mulat today?” “Yeah,” Titoy answered. He turned to face Catherine, looking tense. “You good?”

“I-I’m fine,” Catherine answered, taking a deep breath.

“Oh, okay!” Titoy smiled, “I was hoping I could interview the three main actors while you could interview... Sienna?”

“Sienna?” Catherine chuckled uneasily, “You know her and I kind of hate each other now, right?”

“Yeah, but why?” Titoy shrugged. “Wasn’t she—”

“She’s reckless! And she doesn’t know when to keep her mouth shut!”

“Like you so do?”

Catherine sighed and looked away.

Titoy laughed and punched Catherine on the arm. “Come on! I’m just joking! Anyways, there’s a party later tonight. You wanna go? Y’know maybe meet boys? Men, maybe?”

“I’m not kissing anyone tonight.” she laughed.

The two continued on.

Catherine and Titoy walked into the theatre. They saw the whole cast entangled in a catastrophe — Sienna was angry.

“No! That's not how you do it!” Sienna shouted in rage. “That's not how the scene goes! Look! It says: "Is this a dagger I see before me?", not: "Is this a small sword I bought in they goddamn toy store two weeks ago!" You are him! The treacherous ruler! And if only I could say his name right now, I would! What would the people who are gonna interview us gonna say when they're going to come over here later and they see us like this, huh!?”

“Sienna, we’re here,” Catherine said.

Sienna turned around to see Catherine and Titoy staring blankly at her, obviously appalled by her behavior. Sienna stomped away after saying: “Take five!”

The whole cast would look at each other, making murmurs that would only talk about Sienna's outburst. Catherine tried to run after her before ending up in the middle of nowhere — specifically some dark place backstage. She continued to walk slowly before chancing upon the mirror. She admired it slowly before chuckling. “Wow, don’t you look pretty.”

And of course, hearing pretty, I’d appear before Catherine, smiling. I appeared… too sudden. “Hey! you do too!”

She stared at me. She just stared. Then a single moment passed. She closed her eyes and fell down on the floor.

Let’s say about five, maybe ten, minutes later, she groaned, waking up. She looked around at her surroundings before sighing. She sat up straight and looked at the mirror once more. “Gosh…” she muttered, “Am I dead?”

“I heard all college students are,” I said, making her turn and stare. I noticed her becoming light-headed again, so I interjected. “Allow me to introduce myself. Hi! I’m Lucy. I’m the girl in the mirror.” She continued staring before voicing, “So I’m not dead?”

“Uh, I hope so?”

She fixed herself in a more comfortable position. She asked, “What are you? Who are you? Why are you there?”

“That’s a long story.” I chuckle, “Maybe another time?”

“No, it’s okay.” Catherine smiled, “I can handle it.”

This made me blush. “A-Are you sure?”

“Yeah! Go on. I’m telling you, I can handle it.”

I breathed in and released. “Well, my first owner was Alberta — snarky and very, very smart. She loved the stars and the planets and all that, but she wasn't really allowed by her parents to do so. She wasn’t really allowed by society to do so. One day she helped this guy on his scientific paper and I… never knew what happened after that. Maybe she successfully snuck out? Maybe she went to the convent? Maybe she was burned at a stake? One thing's for sure, I will never see her again.”

“Woah…”

“Then there was Eugenie — confident and very, very beautiful. Her mother died very young. After that, she went looking for her father. One night, she met an American soldier to sneak her in the base camp. She met a man who she knew was her father, but the man denied everything. I never knew what happened to her next. Maybe her father took her in and accepted her? Maybe she was imprisoned? Maybe she was caught and killed? Another thing's sure, I will never see her again.”

“Gee…”

“Last, there came Maria. She was reserved and very, very, very simple. Sadly, this simplicity of her hid the abundance of her problems. She only told me she was raped by her father’s Japanese comrade. She continued to be advanced on multiple times. The man even proposed to her in front of her father, so she had no choice but to say yes. One day, she met a slave and helped her escape that night. I never knew what happened to her next. Maybe they ran off to a far-off place? Maybe they were seized, throwing the slave but saving Maria? Maybe they were both killed? Then I know, I will never see her again.”

“Wow, you’ve been here for a long time, haven’t you? Maybe even before the Spanish period, you’ve lived.”

“A long time doesn't mean I've learned a lot. Sometimes, you'd wish you'd have more.”

“Well, what else would you do?”

“Get to know where the people I knew ended up, I guess.”

“Gee, I never knew something would happen such as that. Ironic for me. I'm a writer. I'm supposed to be looking at different perspectives and different stories. But at that one time I failed to do so, I lost my best friend. At that one time, I chose to be silent. At that one time, I chose to be a coward. Then I told myself I'm so sick and tired of politics. Maybe I was just so sick and tired of not taking a stand.”

That moment, Titoy entered, jumping around giddily. “Uy, Cathy! There’s a party later?”

“Tonight?” Catherine frowned, “Isn’t there curfew?”

“Sleepover party!” Titoy smiled, “Sige na! Sienna will be there!” Catherine exhaled and turned to the mirror, only to frown when she saw me gone. She sighed and turned to Titoy, nodding. “I’ll go.”

The walls of the room were draped in neon, and almost psychedelic, colored embroidery. Catherine held a red cup of juice in the corner, staring at everyone with disbelief. She was the only one immune to Rey Valera’s “Kamusta Ka” And in the corner of her eye, she sees a girl with flowing brown hair. She knew her well. It was Sienna. After a single moment, their eyes meet. They stared from the opposite sides of the room. A tear exited Sienna’s eye. Catherine took one step toward her friend, but Titoy stood in front of Catherine. “Hey!”, he smiled. Being the mettle she was, Catherine pushed Titoy away and continued walking slowly towards Sienna, eventually leading herself outside.

She saw Sienna walking under the dim streetlights whose circles touched each other at one point of their circumferences. Sienna’s head was bowed low, hands were in her jean pockets. Catherine breathed in, summing up the confidence to run up to her friend. Eventually, they did. Each step made Catherine’s heart beat faster. Sienna looks behind her, and as she saw Catherine run up to her, she decided to spare herself for fun. Sienna ran faster. They were like two children playing tag late at night. Catherine eventually caught up to Sienna, making her friend fall. They gave off one last laugh before the two looked up and saw two soldiers holding rifles. Their hearts skipped beats.

“What are the two of you doing here late at night?”, a soldier asked from behind. Catherine and Sienna jumped, startled by this. The soldier grabbed Catherine’s arms and held her back as Sienna was done the same.

“Teka…” one of the soldiers smirked at Sienna, “Ikaw ba si Sienna Magdangal? Yung komunistang mandudula?”

“Hindi pagiging komunista ang paglalaban ng demokrasyang tinanggal ng pangulo niyo!—” Sienna shouted back. She was interjected, however, when she was slapped by one of the soldiers.

Catherine looked around, hoping she could figure out an escape on time. Then, she thought of something — something she thought she would never do.

“I know what we could do before we throw them out to jail.” Another soldier chimed in.

“Really?” Catherine voiced out, grinning. “Come closer. I’m going to tell you something.”

The soldier smiled and went up to Catherine. Catherine went up closer to him and kissed him. This made Sienna and the other soldiers drop their jaws. A second later, the soldier flinched, pulled away from Catherine, and screamed.

The soldier that held Catherine lose his grip. She punched the two soldiers, taking their guns from them. Catherine pointed those two guns at the soldier holding Sienna. The soldier apologetically let go of Sienna. Catherine smirked. And the two ran away — off to a dark alley to catch their breath.

Catherine and Sienna looked at each other before smiling. Those smiles eventually turned into laughter.

“I never knew you had the power to do that!” Sienna punched Catherine’s arms, laughing once more.

“I never knew I had it either!” Catherine admitted back.

Sienna placed her head on Catherine’s shoulder. Sienna sighed. She reached for Catherine’s fingers and played with them for a bit before smiling. “You know, I’ve been taking unprofessional therapy from someone. She helps me with a lot of things. My family who doesn’t believe my ideals would add up to shit, worries about my job, and like... saying I'm sorry to you. Especially if I wasn't able to understand why you wanted to—”

“No! I'm sorry! I wasn't able to adjust for you. Politics, business, and the economy can get pretty stressful — especially now. I guess I have to learn to accept that — especially if I want things to change.” Catherine sighed. She looked away and continued, “Life is a party. Sometimes, we get to be decoration. But by the time we somehow, miraculously get out and become the moving sculptures we are, we'll make sure to watch each other so that none of us will break. I’ll watch over you. I’ll protect you.”

“You will?”

“Yeah! Duh!” Catherine exclaimed before smiling softly at Sienna, “I love you.”

Sienna smiled. “I love you too.”

Catherine stared at her in disbelief — the good kind. Then, a thought passed her mind. “Where do we stay for the night?”

“I think I know.” Sienna grinned. She looked at the open side of the alley that revealed the Mulat theatre standing as a savior.

The two held hands as they walked to the backstage. Sienna stopped in front of the mirror. Catherine raised a brow before Lucy revealed herself.

“Finally!” Lucy smiled, “Operation Get-Sienna-Back-With-Catherine is successful!”

Sienna chuckled. Her amazement contrasted with Catherine’s shock.

“H-How did you?—” Catherine asked before being interjected.

“She’s my unprofessional therapist.”

All that’s well ends well.

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voyages-extraordinaires · 6 years

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C:R ~VE~ Chapter 6

I look at the folded piece of paper in my hand. I don’t know when, but sometime during our embrace Nemo had put it in my pocket.

“He made sure I saw,” Barbicane said with a proud smile. “Nemo’s a weird guy, but he can be sneaky when he wants to be!”

I can’t help but feel a little conflicted when I hear this. Our first time touching, and it was a ploy. No, I shake my head. Besides, how long did he hold me? How long did we stay touch, palm-to-palm? In the end, all that matters is that he communicated safely with us and we will get him out. I should not be selfish, not with someone I care about. A dear friend.

Speaking of communicating with us…

“What did he tell you?” I asked. “When he kissed you?”

Barbicane’s jovial expression quickly falls. “P-Please don’t remind me of that, Polly-chan… I was so worried I’d have to wipe his weirdo lipstick off me!”

He rubs his cheek with an expression of pure agony on his face, but he stops when he sees the look on my face. “A-Anyway, he just said ‘tonight’. Not giving us a lot of time, but it’s better to act quickly if Victoria-chan has convinced herself that Nemo’s some kind of rebel prince.”

I unfold the paper and look down at it. He has surprisingly neat handwriting, even if he does accentuate it with little drawings of stars.

A.–

Sponsor will drop off ship tonight, specs below for

I M P E Y B A R B I C A N E. This is so cool!

“Why did he write my name like that?” Barbicane squints over my shoulder.

I will take you to our M Y S T E R I O U S I S L A N D. There we can have lots of fun!

“Is… is that a drawing of himself winking?” Cardia asks.

I suddenly regret letting the two of them read over my shoulder.

X O X O,

–N.

I hear Barbicane begin to chuckle, and he winks knowingly at me. “Lots of fun, huh…? Wow, a bold love confession! His bravery is motivating me, too!”

Barbicane suddenly gets down on one knee and takes Cardia’s hand.

“Cardia-chan, my angel! Will you have fun with me on a mysterious island?!”

Cardia initially doesn’t respond. Finally, she glances at Impey and says, “I think your definition of ‘fun’ is different from Nemo’s…”

“H-Hey hey hey! Don’t say that I’m worse than that pervert! That stings, Cardia-chan!”

I knew that Cardia was right, but I was surprised to find that I felt disappointed when I heard her say it. Of course, the discoveries that will be made on our voyage will be lots of fun. Being with someone who is as passionate about science as I am will be fun, even if our favorite subjects are different.

But, I’m shocked at how I was hoping that there was more to it, with that cute little drawing he did.

What kind of ‘fun’ was I hoping he meant…?

…….

I’m so ashamed that I don’t even flinch when Barbicane plucks the paper from my hand.

“Let’s see, ship ship ship… ohh-hooo! Looks like we’re going to be getting a pretty good one! This sponsor Nemo got ahold of isn’t messing around! We’ll be sailing through the sky in no time!”

My stomach drops.

“When you say ‘ship’…”

“Mm-mm!” Barbicane closes his eyes, imagining the metal curves. “A gorgeous, gorgeous airship will be our getaway chariot!”

It’s rather hard to put into text the sort of noise that comes out of my mouth at this point. It isn’t a happy noise, that’s for certain. I sit down on a chair and stare at the ground.

“Hm? What’s wrong, Polly-chan?” Barbicane puts a hand on his hip. “Worried about being held captive like a cute princess by the scary airship captain, Nemo? A~aahh! I’ll rescue you, Cardia-chaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!”

Cardia looks at Barbicane. “If Aronnax is the one being kidnapped, why would you talk about rescuing me?”

“Ho ho ho! Because Polly-chan would only resist to save face, of course!” He strikes a pose that almost reminds me of Nemo. “Oh no~ how horrifying! Please be gentle with me!” He gives a thumbs up. “So that would give me lots of time for a super love rescue for my angel! All’s well that ends well, right, Polly-chan?”

“I have no idea what you just said,” I reply.

Cardia ignores Barbicane and looks at me. “Do you not like flying?”

I nod and take a deep breath.

“I have no specific reason for it, and my fear makes no logical sense,” I say. “I just hate the sight of the ground getting smaller…. and the only thing that separates you from falling into that eternal blue is a thin piece of metal.”

“And science!” Barbicane flicks down his goggles. “If you want, I can explain how airships are put together and what makes them tick. I can eeeeeeeeeven taaaaaaaaaaalk liiiiiiiiiiike thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis if it’ll make you feel better.”

“…. Never do that again,” says Cardia.

“I appreciate it, Barbicane, but I think I’ll pass,” I say. “All I have to do is take my sleeping draught before take-off and I’ll be in dreamland in about an hour.”

I stand back up.

“Doesn’t help quell the anxiety beforehand, though.”

I shake my head and dismiss my worries with a wave. “Seems silly to be anxious about that while we’re plotting a jailbreak!”

“That shouldn’t be too difficult,” says Impey. “Just have to sneak an explosive in and ka-boom, no more cell!”

“Just sneak in an explosive,” I repeat.

“Impey and the others do things like this often…” Cardia states flatly.

“That’s a little worrying,” I say.

“Are you surprised at this point?” asks Cardia.

I think about it for a moment.

“Not really.”

—–

Stealth has never been one of my skills. It’s a little unnerving to see the beautiful man in front of me weaving in and out of shadows like he belongs there. When Barbicane told the Count about our plan to rescue Nemo, he had simply smiled and said, “Oh, how fun!”

So now we’re walking through the grounds of Buckingham Palace. It’s strange how easily we are able to get around, but the Count is moving with the experience of someone who’s done this many times. I think I would be too frightened to ever ask him what his hobby is.

“Count, there’s a guard ahead!” I hiss.

“Yes, I know,” the Count just smiles as he walks up to him. Before the guard can comprehend what’s going on, he falls to the ground unconscious.

I didn’t even see the Count move. He just looks back at me with a smile and gestures for me to enter. I run past him and the Count follows in case there are more guards inside.

Of course there are more guards inside.

“My, my,” says the Count. “So many.”

At that moment, there’s a crash and smoke fills the room.

“Aronnax, go on ahead! San and I will hold them off!” I hear Frankenstein’s voice amidst the smoke.

“Thank you!” I call out to them before running in the other direction.

It’s hard to navigate through the smoke, I have to grope at the walls and pray I’m going the right way. How do they make it look so easy?

Eventually I make it to the door and open up into the cells.

“Nemo!” I yell.

I’m greeted with booming laughter.

“It’s time, it’s time, it’s tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiime!”

There’s another explosion, and I see a warped cell door go flying across the hall.

“Fwahahahahahahahaha!!” A familiar silhouette steps over the rubble from the blast and stands triumphantly.

“H-How did you…?” I trail off.

Nemo’s teeth glinted.

“Did you reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaally think that my resources were limited to a few mere scraps? Why, Professoooooooooooooooor, I’m insuuuuuuuuuuuulted!” But the wide smile on his face showed me that he was anything but insulted. In fact, he balanced one of his feet on the rubble and leaned back in mad laughter.

“I could have escaped aaaaaaaaaany time I wanted!” he shrieked. “I stayed put like a good boy so that I could triuuuuumphantly return and show that I’ve surpassed the greatest mind of Steel London: Isaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaac-sensei!”

I’m stunned. I just stare in surprise as he continues to laugh.

“But I’m afraaaaaaid their change of plans forced me to action! So I must go, for my sun is setting over Steel London and dawning above the deep bluuuuuuuuuuuuuuuue!”

He thrusts out one of his hands.

“Noooooooow, Pauline Aronnax! Come with me on the joooooourney of a thousand lifetimes!”

I swallow and gingerly reach out to take his hand. However, his eyebrow twitches and he pulls his hand back. He steps over the rubble and stands in front of me, so close that fine strands of his hair brush my cheek.

My heart is pounding.

“I’m afraid, with these developments… the terms of our promise have changed,” says Nemo.

A bolt of coldness runs through me. “W-What are you saying?”

The grandeur of the scene is ruined by him biting his lip and shifting his weight—he’s nervous.

“If you go with me,” he starts. “You’ll likely be branded as a criminal by the British Empire.”

He reaches out and takes me firmly by the shoulders. “I—I wanted you to know, before we left—there’s still a chance! If you…”

His voice darkens.

“If you reject me now, you’ll likely be able to go back to the way things were. You could go back to Paris, you could go back to your studies and work. No one would have to know that you assisted me.”

His grip on me tightens, and I can’t stop myself from whimpering from the pain.

Is this a reminder of just how dangerous he is? A glimpse of the madman who built a battleship to cover the sky in darkness?

I try to seek out his eyes hidden behind his goggles. Even this close, they’re completely obscured.

For some reason, I suddenly recall the conversation that I had with the university’s headmaster, and I say the same words:

“It’s too safe for me here.”

Nemo’s expression falls in shock, his mouth slackens and he lets go of my shoulders.

“What…” his voice is higher than usual. “What are you saying?”

“I’m going with you,” I say. “Nothing will make me change my mind.”

He looks like he’s trying to process what I just said.

“Discoveries require risks,” I continue. “The greatest discoveries require the greatest risks. Besides that…”

I feel my face redden as I look down at the ground.

“I don’t want to go on this voyage with anyone but you, Nemo.”

I hear him make a confused noise.

“I don’t think anyone else could make me feel so happy about what I’m doing, about the science I’m pursuing. You … you love science so much. Being with you makes me feel like there’s so much left in the world to be discovered. By us.”

I hold out my hand.

He looks down at it, then looks back up at me. I try to reassure him with a smile.

He slowly reaches out for me, and we’re finally palm-to-palm again.

The only bars around us now are open, and we look at one another for what feels like an eternity.

Both of us move at the same time, closing the space between our bodies—

“Aronnax! Impey is coming in with the airship!”

Frankenstein is standing in the doorway, the Count not standing too far behind.

“MYYYYYYY ETERNAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL RIVAAAAAAAAAAAAAL! VIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICTOOOOOOOOOOR FRAAA---”

“The prisoner’s escaped!” guards pour in from the door on the other side of the hall, interrupting Nemo’s passionate greeting.

I keep a hold on Nemo’s hand as we begin running for the door with the others. I don’t ever want to let go of him. We were so close to holding each other again.

Surely this passion is the beauty of science!

… At least, that’s what I wish I was thinking.

As we escape from Buckingham Palace, I realize that I’m losing the battle against my own feelings. But thinking it, acknowledging it… Nemo and I are companions who will go on a great journey in the name of scientific discovery.

I can’t sully the beauty of that by admitting to myself that I’m falling in love with him.

The airship is waiting for us, hovering above as Frankenstein and the Count hold off the guards that seem to be pouring in from all directions.

“Ahoy there! Everyone ready to go, then?!” Impey’s voice is broadcast through the air.

I find it hard to move as I realize that we’ll be boarding that thing and sailing and plummeting and tossing ourselves through the unforgiving sky. My body becomes even more rigid when I see a rope ladder dropped down from the ship.

“Miss Pauline, it was a pleasure to make your acquaintance,” says the Count.

“Don’t forget us if you ever find yourself in Steel London again,” says Frankenstein. They turn their backs to us to fight the guards who run to stop us.

I yelp when I feel an arm wrap around my waist and lift me.

“Hee hee hee! Noooooo time for being sheepish!” Nemo hoists me up and grabs ahold of the rope ladder, sandwiching my body in-between him and the rope.

I can feel the rise and fall of his breathing. It’s calming, even if only a little.

The airship begins to rise into the air.

“O-K! Reel us in!” Nemo yells upward.

The ethereal boy standing above the airship trapdoor looks down at us and narrows his eyes.

“Sister… if we were to drop them, we would be rid of so much noisiness.”

My throat goes dry. I can’t even scream at the horror that fills my core at that terrifying joke.

I feel Nemo lean in close to me. “Close your eyes and concentrate on your breathing.”

The ladder vibrates and then is slowly reeled in by someone turning a crank.

“Finis, this is no time for that!” I hear Cardia yell to her brother.

“In and out…” Nemo continues. “I won’t let my precious friend fall, so just keep on breathing.”

It still feels like an eternity before I feel Cardia grab ahold of me and pull me inside the airship. As soon as I’m inside I collapse to the ground in a heap.

“Hoooooooooooooooo! It feels so gooooooooooooood to be back in the sky!!” I hear Nemo’s joyous shriek.

“Pipe down back there!” shouts Barbicane.

“Get away from that steering wheeeeeeeeeeel!” Nemo cackles. “Out, out, ouuuuuuuuuuuuuut!”

“You should show a little more gratitude to the genius who rescued you!”

I feel the ship lurch as Nemo grabs the steering wheel away from Barbicane.

“I’m going to be sick…” I murmur into the floor.

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