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xenoredux · 4 years

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Balto but its been rewritten 24 years after its release

Okay so here's the Balto rewrite lol. It's quite a bit different then The Actual Thing but the plot itself is much the same, as are the major beats of the story. I dropped a lotta goofy shit in there just because it made me laugh, but try and imagine this stuff happening as if it's from an actual 90s movie made by a studio on its last legs.

Some things to know going into it:

I cut out the live actions segments because they seriously didn't matter at all. Like, who cares. The plot is fine without them and I don't think that one line from Rosie at the end makes a huge difference. I guess it's nice to see the statue but even than it's like..... whatever

In my fantasy world, Balto was a standalone movie that didn't spark any sequels. Eventually I'll write out my version of the sequels if they'd actually been good, but in the universe of this rewrite for this film, a Balto "franchise" never existed, hence why the ending is sorta different

It's still a "historical" fiction that holds very little relation to the actual events. There's a touch more actual history in there, but c'mon. You're not reading talking dog movie fanfic to learn anything. Pick up a book if you care about the actual serum run and don't get on my juicy ass about it if some things remain inaccurate

Please also note that I didn't baby this as much as I should have, so some major plot elements that are kinda stupid are likely still in there (I'm not a good writer lbr). I don't believe this is necessarily "better" then the OG, I just tweaked some stuff that always pissed me off about it. I also re-included cut content I thought was more interesting and made more sense then what we ended up getting.

There's also a handful of fake screenshots throughout for shits and giggles, and I'll likely have at least one or two more to share later this month. Some links to past character designs are also provided for easy reference so you can make up scenes in your head but with Brand Spankin’ New Designz.

So here's Balto v2.0!

The year is 1925, and it's wintertime in Nome, Alaska. Two dogsled teams are participating in a race. A malamute named Steele leads his team against a powerful, but older and more experienced mutt named Wild Joe. Steele, despite being a decorated and much beloved champion lead dog, is a massive dick, and he snaps at a critical moment at one of Joe's teammates. Joe's team wipes out, his chances of winning are in shambles, and Steele is waaay in the lead.

A flare is shot into the air to let the enthused waiting townsfolk know that Steele's team has passed the race's 3 mile mark. Meanwhile, watching from his perch on the balcony of a house, a wolfdog named Balto excitedly bounds back and forth, unable to contain his excitement. He simply cannot sit still despite the protests of his closest friend Boris, an old Russian-Jewish goose who isn't a fan of all the excitement. Balto drags Boris around the roofs of the houses, ignoring his chiding all the while, until he can see the finish line of the race.

Back down on Earth, a young girl named Rosie is inside a woodworker's shop. She's receiving a gift she adores: a beautiful handmade sled, perfectly fitted to her size. The sled includes a harness in front that also perfectly fits her dog, a purebred copper Siberian husky named Jenna. Rosie's parents playfully lecture her to not lose the sled like she loses her other belongings. Almost as quickly as she receives the sled, Rosie and Jenna are trotting down the street in their new getup.

Jenna comes to rest in the race's sidelines among a group of other female dogs. The smallest of them all, a Pomeranian named Dixie, chides Jenna for allowing herself to be made a sled dog, even if it is in the spirit of make believe. After all, a canine of her slender frame and social standing shouldn't be performing manual labor. Jenna sighs at her friend's internalized misogyny and eugenics talk, rolling her eyes as if to say "oh you!"

Nor should someone of her persuasion be meeting up with any strays, Dixie continues while going on to show her racist side, for Balto and Boris have just plodded up to the group. The other girls scoff and huff at Balto's arrival, but Jenna and Rosie both are glad to see him. Rosie gives the wolfdog a hug, telling him to keep outta sight of The Parental Units. Just then, Steele's team rounds the corner, and Rosie waves her hat at them as if it's a foam finger and this is the most arduous baseball game in history. A sudden gust of wind picks up her hat and sweeps it into the path of the oncoming team. Rosie begins to panic and, while Jenna soothes her, Balto runs out alongside the advancing sled team to retrieve it.

Balto manages to snag and deliver the hat before Steele passes the finish line, which visibly upsets Steele. His owner speaks to the man who leads Wild Joe's team. He seems unimpressed with Steele's performance, enough so that Wild Joe's owner admits it's likely time that Joe was retired. The two imply that if a sled dog can't even outrun Steele, it's time for him to hang up his harness, even if he is wearing a bitchin' little number they speak in awe of called "A Golden Collar", a veritable necklace of medals awarded to sled dogs who have proven they don't suck. As one can imagine, this pisses Steele off something fierce. He gazes into the reflection of his face in his own golden collar, getting a bit of anger-saliva on it in the process.

The important thing, of course, is that Balto managed to save Rosie's hat. Jenna thanks him and playfully teases him about how nuts he'd have to be to do something like run alongside a car made of dogs, to which the quiet Balto just smiles. Rosie's dad isn't smiling very much, though, because all he saw was the town's favorite punching bag running wild with his daughter's hat. He swears at Balto and kicks snow his way, spooking him into running off down the street. Rosie's dad herds his child away, scolding her for playing with wild animals, while Jenna tries to follow her friend. Unable to recognize where he's not wanted, Steele blocks Jenna's path and starts flexing about his elite gamer/sledding skills. The other girl dogs can barely contain their ovaries around him, but Jenna just politely excuses herself as Steele begins spouting off insensitive remarks about "the howler from the cannery".

But Balto's not going home just yet. He knows exactly how to navigate the neighborhood and find his companion. Boris complains about the cold and how much he's walked around today, so he pisses off back to to their place. Balto simply shrugs and wanders until he finds Jenna again. He trails behind her, hiding in various places along the street as Jenna follows her masters home. Jenna talks passionately about how she'd love to do something big and hella just to show up guys like Steele. Balto encouragingly comments on how he's sure she'd be the best at whatever she did, and she smiles at him in a particularly heterosexual way.

Eventually the two part ways, and Balto decides it's time to go home. As he trots along, he notices a glove that Rosie dropped. He smiles and rolls his eyes as he picks it up and turns to head to Jenna's and give it back. Unfortunately for him, Steele's ego bruises like a banana and heals just about as well, so the meat-headed malamute has dragged along his team to harass the town's token minority once he was alone. The only dog on the team who seems against harassing someone for something they can't control is Star, Steele's smaller, weaker, more cowardly little brother. Steele jeers at Star for being too much of a puss to participate in the g-rated hate crime before rolling a barrel in Balto's direction. Balto's bowled over by it and falls face first into a bucket.

Steele's team howls with laughter, then literally howls in an effort to insult Balto. The words "howler" and "feral" are thrown around a lot as Balto struggles to free his face from the pail. He never manages to, and before Steele can harass him some more, his musher calls out for him and the rest of the team. Steele calls his men to his side and makes his way out. The only one who trails behind is Star, who gingerly pops the bucket off of Balto's head. The two stare wordlessly at each other for a moment, the stunned Balto dwarfing the underdeveloped Star, before Star gets too scared to stay any longer and books it. Balto looks around himself for Rosie's mitten, but he can't find it. He sighs and begins heading towards the harbor.

As Balto walks through the cannery, the other stray and unloved dogs take notice of him and begin jeering at him. Despite how pitiful-looking they are, almost all of them feel the need to tell Balto in livid detail about just how shit he is in comparison because of his wolf heritage. Those who don't jeer hateful words hole up and hide from him as he passes them by.

Boris takes notice of Balto returning home, and he goes to wave to him with his one good wing before noticing something peculiar on the hill by the shoreline: wolves! A small pack of wolves take notice of Balto. They even begin howling to him. It's clear that they're inviting him to join their DnD party, and for a tense moment Boris is afraid Balto will run after them. But Balto simply shrinks away, shaking his head. His shoulders slump and he makes his way to the wrecked boat he and Boris live on.

Boris attempts to cheer Balto up with some wAcKy SlApStIcK cOmEdY before having to realize that harming himself is increasingly silly ways will not cure Balto's bigotry induced depression. He slumps against Balto as the two notice a flock of geese flying overhead. Balto asks Boris what it was like in "the old country", and Boris soothes in the most Russian voice ever conceived what are likely concerns he's heard many times before by assuring Balto he came to Alaska for good reason because the old country sucked. He also assures Balto that the busted wing he has was the best thing that ever happened to him, because it meant he got to live in Nome and find that lonely wolfdog kid those several years back. Balto can't help but crack a smile.

When the sun has gone down, Balto begins to leave the hovel he calls home. Boris reminds him to be careful on his nightly excursion to find food, to which Balto merely smiles and nods. He pads past the sleeping cannery dogs and back towards town.

Meanwhile, Jenna is sitting outside of the hospital doorway. She watches as her masters lead Rosie inside. Rosie's gotten a nasty cough, and she makes an odd wheezing noise when she breathes. As mom and pop speak to the very busy doctor, Rosie gazes out the window at Jenna, waving and smiling at her. Jenna stands up excitedly, but feels her heart sink into her stomach as Rosie has the sort of coughing fit a Flintstone's chewable can't fix. Her parents come to lead her away from the window. Jenna tries her damnedest to find a way to peer inside from around the back. There is a window, but she's unable to reach it, even as she's standing on her hind legs.

Balto, dirty from digging around in garbage, spots Jenna's vibrant red coat from across the way. He calls out to her softly, and though she does acknowledge his greeting, she barely responds. This concerns Balto, and he comes to join her under the window. She explains that she wants to see in, and Balto allows her to climb up and stand on his back to do so. She obliges, too worried about Rosie's well-being to thank him, and gazes longingly inside.

She climbs down from Balto a beat later, saying how she wishes she could understand what was happening in there. Most of what went on was just the doctor talking. Balto pauses and thinks for a moment, and then tells Jenna he has an idea. He leads her around to the boiler room placed adjunct to the hospital where the doctor's dog, a St. Bernard appropriately named Doc, spends his nights. The two make their way inside.

Doc is in fact there, snoring like a buzz-saw on crack. Balto gently wakes him up, and at first he's both annoyed to be woken and offput by The Wolfdog being in his face, but when Jenna explains the situation to him he becomes much more amiable. He leads the two over to the crawlspace under the hospital, stating there's far too much of him to love to allow him to fit under with them. Balto and Jenna thank him and go inside.

The two creep through the creepy underside of the hospital until they find themselves under a grate beneath the doctor's desk. The doctor discusses with the nurses how the children of Nome have diphtheria, a fast acting, aggressive disease that causes fatal epidemics. The anti-toxin he was able to treat the first few cases with has run out, and without it, all infected children will surely die within two weeks' time.

Jenna is unsurprisingly distraught at the idea of her favorite person on the planet dying a slow, painful death, so she scrambles out of the crawlspace and begins crying. Balto follows close behind her to see that Doc has already begun to comfort her. He apologizes for bringing Jenna here, to which Jenna states she's glad he did. Aside from Jenna's gentle sobbing, all is silent for a moment. Suddenly, a loud crash can be heard outside. Everyone turns to see Steele and his dogs have come back to ruin another scene. Doc becomes upset at the sudden influx of uninvited guests crowding up his personal space, so he goes to alert the doctor and get them all the fuck outta there. Meanwhile, the team menaces Balto while Steele tries to impress Jenna by pulling Rosie's missing mitten out of his collar. He offers to walk Jenna home to deliver it to her family as the team, lead by a pitifully unintimidating Star, back a snarling Balto into the corner.

Jenna's obviously not interested in Dog Gaston's posturing, but she's also got an IQ higher then 6 and understands that he's not going to go away simply because she asks him to. As Balto watches from out the corner of his eye, Jenna flirtatiously backs Steele into the glowing red boiler. She mutters something about meatballs under her breath as Steele begins to howl and shriek in pain. The smell of burning dog ass and the cries of a defeated jock archetype alert people to the scene, and all the dogs begin to scatter. Balto and Jenna try to join the reverse flash mob, but Steele flings himself hard into Balto and forces all of them to stumble. Lanterns shine in the literal dogpile's direction. Steele refuses to get off of Balto, so Balto insists that Jenna get away. She forgets about Rosie's mitten, which Balto snags to keep away from Steele's posturing self, and the men finally descend upon the dogs.

Someone pulls Steele off of Balto, and he begins making as if he's injured, intentionally limping and stumbling melodramatically around. The men start to make a fuss about the wolfdog injuring the town's best runner when one of them, Rosie's dad, notices his daughter's missing mitten in Balto's mouth. He begins yelling and kicking at the dog, going on about how he's dangerous and he'd better not go anywhere near his child ever again. Balto tucks tail and barrels out of town, and all the men stroke a miraculously healed Steele to compensate for the trauma of being attacked by a dog half his size.

As Balto pounds pavement, he passes the telegraph office, wherein an important message is being sent. A request for more anti-toxin to treat the epidemic is being relayed, and in it are the details of why this situation is uniquely urgent: the Alaskan winter is doing its worst, bringing blizzards severe enough that ships and planes alike cannot manage to deliver the medicine. Nome's best bet becomes obvious: use a train to deliver the medicine as closely to Nome as they can, then set up relay teams of sled dogs to receive and deliver the anti-toxin.

The morning after the message has been sent, the town organizes a race to test which dogs in town have the highest stats in stamina, speed, and agility. Almost every husky in town is lined up to race... all except a very upset Jenna, who keeps insisting the other dogs make room for her. Some dogs look at her with concern. Others laugh. But most of them seem convinced that her place is here in Nome, keeping her people company and not chipping any of her nails. Dixie tries to lead Jenna away from the race, but Jenna's so pissed that she angrily stomps away from the race altogether.

Balto, who has been hiding around town this whole time, slips out of the shadows to meet her. She vents loudly to him about being disallowed to participate because of the snot-nosed chauvinists running the race. If Balto didn't know the depth of her conviction before, he certainly does now; she begins to cry angry tears over what will happen to Rosie.

Balto can't stand to see a grown womandog cry, but he's worried about what will happen if he tries to line up with the other dogs. Everyone believes he attacked Steele, after all. Nobody would tolerate him joining the race... at least, not while they're all there. He wordlessly slips away from Jenna, assuring her he has a plan. In a moment he's disappeared. The race is about to start, and Boris has hobbled into town. He goes over to Jenna and begins complaining about how Balto didn't come home last night. Jenna tells him it's a long story, but that she's sure he'll turn up again soon. Maybe. Hopefully.

The starting gun is fired off, and the dogs take off with the speed and accuracy of drunken Nascar drivers. Just as soon as they've all bolted, Balto boltos past the starting line right in tow, which causes some reasonable upset among the crowd given word of Steele's definitely-real-not-made-up scuffle with the wolfdog has spread fast.

Despite the jeering Balto is faced with, he continues on. By this point, Jenna and Boris have noticed him running, and they begin to cheer him on as they scramble to keep up with him. Turns out wolves and their relatives are pretty fast.

In contrast to the other dogs, Balto's saving grace isn't just his speed, but his ingenuity. Balto breaks off of the track as he begins advancing on the dogs in an effort to avoid their snarling and snapping at him. He shows his cleverness by traversing obstacles like frozen ponds, hanging pulleys, and crumbling wooden beams that bridge buildings, all while maintaining pace with the other dogs. Any townsfolk who are capable of seeing him are too impressed with his abilities to remember his alleged attempted dogmurder.

To the surprise of literally nobody reading this, Balto manages to cross the finish line before anybody else, which includes an especially tilted Steele. Unexpectedly, several townsfolk cheer for our parkour-loving protagonist, and Balto's face lights up in pleasure, having never experienced praise from basically any human person.

Steele and Wild Joe's mushers come around to give Balto the once over, discussing how he'd be an invaluable asset to any team. Joe's musher believes he'd made a good replacement for Joe now that that dog's been laid off of his animaljob. Balto ingratiates his coy self with a gentle tail wag, and Steele has literally never been more angry in his life. His ego as sore as a freshly kicked-in face, Steele looks around for some way to prove Balto is totes nasty. A toothy grin spreads across his face as he spots Jenna leading a hobbling Boris over, and he quickly rushes the goose and snags him up, carrying him away.

Balto doesn't like seeing his surrogate feathered father being doghandled, so he snarls and chases after Steele, startling the men. The men follow Balto, who is following Steele, who is following his own evil agenda. Steele tosses Boris off the nearby harbor, and the bird struggles to collect himself in the icy water. Balto rushes Steele, still snarling. This spooks Steele's musher, and he begins throwing rocks at Balto. The man tells the wolfdog to stay away from his animal, and he states to Wild Joe's musher why Balto would be useless as a sled dog: he can't manage to get along with other canines. He's too wild. The two men collect Steele and depart as Balto similarly collects Boris, who is little more then a honking popsicle by now.

As Balto begins carrying Boris home, Jenna stops him and asks what happened. Balto gruffly states that Jenna's master would be angry to see her speaking to him. After all, he doesn't get along with other dogs given how wild he is. Jenna is so surprised by her friend lashing out at her that she can't speak, and she watches solemnly and wordlessly as Balto and Boris make like Rosie's health and disappear.

That night, the relay teams are being dispatched. The electric cross hanging on the church steeple is turned on - the pastor says that so long as there's hope for the children, the light will stay lit and the electric bill will stay high - and a handful of teams are sent out, including Steele's. The sick children watch from inside the hospital. Jenna watches from her new favorite spot just under one of the hospital's front windows, her face contorted in worry. From his ship, Balto ignores Boris's cacophanic snoring as he watches the teams head out. He gives a sigh.

A day passes as the relay teams power through the awful weather. Steele's team receives the medicine from another team who just had it delivered to them by train. Now Steele's gang is intended to deliver the medicine once again to the team of a dog named Togo. Unfortunately, Steele's unwarranted self-importance prevents this, as he dislikes the idea of not being the guy to deliver the goods to town. He tells Star that he doesn't need to follow the rules of the relay - he knows the way home and he can do this himself. He intentionally ignores the path to Togo and drags his team helplessly onward, and none of them but Star are any the wiser.

The governor's dog calls a meeting in the boiler room for all the other dogs in town. It's been longer then the townsfolk expected it to take for the meds to arrive, and everyone is getting ants in their collective pants. Balto watches the meeting from outside a window to maintain some discreetness. Doc tries to calm everybody down once they begin panicking, but they're all too much in a tizzy thinking about what will happen to the kids to hear him. Suddenly, the rabbling of the crowd is halted when a sharp, reverberating bark cuts through the noise. Everyone turns to the door.

In the doorframe stands the tall, bulky silhouette of an unknown beefcake. The dog steps into the light, and Wild Joe finally announces his presence verbally and not just cinematically. He informs the dogs that he's had a lot of time to wander since being unharnessed, and tonight he wandered by the telegraph office. He's a gifted enough fella to understand Morse code and the hopeless sighs of an old man sending 1800s text messages, and he informs the dogs that Steele's team broke the relay chain. Nobody knows where they are, which means, more importantly, nobody knows where the medicine is. Wild Joe suggests that the dogs make peace with the passing of their childfolk before he steps back outside and disappears into the snowy night.

Whatever the dogs inside the boiler room are saying, Balto can't hear it. Not just because their voices are drowning each other out, but because he's stricken with too much grief to care. Rosie has only been getting worse. What's going to happen to her?

Meanwhile in the hospital, the doctor is managing as well as one can to explain to the parents of the sick children that their one hope of salvation may or may not be lost to the elements forever. This barely registers with the horribly ill Rosie who, despite being in the same room as a doctor forcing her parents to confront her mortality, is now too sick to lift her head from her pillow. In an effort to afford their child a sliver of comfort, Rosie's folks allows Jenna into her room. Jenna pads loyally over to her girl, and for just a second Rosie's eyes flutter open. "Jenna?" is all she can manage to wheeze out before passing back into unconsciousness. Jenna gloomily rests her head on her owner's chest, whimpering softly.

Balto pads through town. Nobody is really out at night anymore. They're all crowding the hospital to keep close to their children. Balto's main goal is to find Jenna, to discuss this horrible thing with her, but he's distracted as he passes by the woodworker's shop. The same jolly man who had made Rosie her bitchin' new sled was now hunched sadly over a new, much less bitchin', much more morbid project: tiny coffins, each no bigger then 4 feet tall. A small collection of them has formed in a corner of the room. Balto shakes his head and gasps, breaking out of a stupor he was not previously aware he was in. Something has to be done.

The morning sun is peaking out over the horizon when Balto begins to depart from his home. He trots down from the harbor and along the shoreline, aiming to enter the forest the teams left through. Boris is plodding behind him, slipping around on frozen patches of sea water and flopping around in puddles of slush. He's going on and on, trying desperately to convince Balto not to waste his efforts on a town of people who'd be perfectly happy if he were dead. Balto doesn't reply, instead flashing Boris a solemn look. His eyes light up with new intention, and he grabs Boris by the beak, dragging him along as the old goose honks angrily.

Balto releases Boris as the two come to the back of the hospital. Jenna, who had once again settled out front, hears the commotion of the intensely pissed off bird wailing and honking. Balto wordlessly releases Boris, and just before Boris can complain further, Jenna comes over to the two. She and Balto share one miserable, knowing look before Jenna begins to cry. She presses her face into Balto's neck, weeping softly into his fur. Another child is herded into the hospital by a concerned parent. The girl wheezes and shakes violently as the door closes behind her. Boris looks on, all anger having subsided.

Instead, he says in a very business-like tone that Balto needs to hurry up if he's going to find the lost team. And he shouldn't keep Boris waiting. Boris is an old man who hates waiting more then he hates traveling. Boris begins to waddle off back towards the forest, and Balto can't help but smile. Jenna presses the pause button on crying long enough to ask what Boris means, to which Balto states that neither he nor his old man can stand idly by any longer.

Jenna understands, and she insists that the two allow her to come with them. It pains her to leave Rosie, but the child is barely ever awake at this point, and inaction won't make the situation better. Balto's smile grows wider, and the three take off to find the missing team themselves.

Hours pass. The three haven't ceased their journey, nor does it seem they've given up hope. Boris certainly has got a lot to bitch about, though. And he does this loudly and frequently as Balto and Jenna lead the way, exchanging words. Jenna vents about how it's ludicrous that Steele, a gloryhound who loves the smell of his own farts, was even selected to do the relay given how hard he is to handle. Balto agrees, if a bit softly. Jenna interrogates him gingerly, asking what happened the day of the race. Balto admits that the townsfolk have gone even more sour on him as of late, and that he's been genuinely afraid to be around anybody now... except for Jenna, of course. Jenna reassures him with the same viciously heterosexual smile as before that she'll stand by him no matter what. Balto can't help but smile back.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the frozen over Hell that is Alaska, Steele is blindly trying to redirect his team onto the trail, but the trail has long gone from his sight. Star, exhausted and growing antsier by the minute, suggests turning around and going back; it's totally obvious now that they're lost. Steele buckles for just a moment before snapping at his brother about how he knows where he's going and, having just told the worst lie in history, begins running directionlessly through the blizzard.

Expectedly, this sends his team careening down into a gully he failed to notice on account of the whole reduced visibility thing. The sled tips over - though it seems the anti-toxin is still secured and unbroken - the musher falls out and hits his head on a rock, and the dogs tumble into a heap. Some of them are bruised. Some of them are worse. But nobody is dead, not even the flame dancing inside the musher's lantern. The only thing that looks dead is Steele's spirit. He stares wide eyed and panting as he realizes the team truly is lost. "What are we gonna do now, Steele?" Star asks hopelessly. Steele doesn't respond.

Night has fallen. It's cold as shit out in the forest, but the three musketeers haven't ceased their journeying yet. Boris, effectively feeding into every stereotype about old men ever, complains about how long this road trip has lasted. Neither Balto nor Jenna have the energy left to respond to him, so they don't. Boris gets huffy and says the kids can keep going if they want, but it's time for him to sleep. He decides to set up a nest on a large snowdrift, and Balto finally gets frustrated and turns to explain to Boris that there's no time to stop now. And then the snowdrift stands up.

A polar bear, hulking and powerful, is standing on its hind legs in front of the dogs. A screaming Russian goose is flapping around on the crown of its head, and the bear immediately begins trying to attack its winged hat. Balto leaps to his grandhonk's rescue, but the bear lands an easy hit on him and sends him flying. The goose isn't nearly as threatening as the wolfdog, so the bear turns to Balto, ready to tear him to pieces.

This understandably displeases Jenna, and she flings herself headlong into the bear to save her friends. She's more lithe and agile then Balto is, which makes it easy for her to dodge most of the bear's swings, but she's not as quick as Balto is, so she still ends up taking a pretty nasty blow to the legs. She flies across the forest floor and strikes Boris, knocking them both to the ground. Meanwhile, Balto's trying to deal with the bear situation on his own. He's not doing so hot, though, as the bear makes like a 90s sitcom bully and starts wailing on him. This sends Balto careening down a hill and across a frozen lake.

The bear quickly follows him. It doesn't seem to notice the ice below it cracking like splintering glass as it walks towards Balto, but Balto sure as hell does. And so do Jenna and Boris, who, despite their injuries, are scrambling to reach Balto before the ice gives. But they're too little too late. The bear takes another step and the busted ice snap crackle pops apart, taking the bear under as it shatters. Balto stumbles away from the gaping icehole that's growing larger and larger.

The bear is thrashing wildly around, foaming up the water and swinging its claws around in the air. Boris thinks fast and grabs Jenna's bandanna to toss out to Balto. As the bear struggles to grab both Balto and the edge of the ice, Balto snags hold of the bandanna and hangs on as his friends drag him from the freezing water. As Balto collapses to the ground, the bear's struggles begin to subside, and finally it drowns.

Balto is badly shaken, but ultimately unharmed. Jenna, however, bit total shit, and now that Balto is safe her strength has left her. Balto and Boris drag Jenna off the lake and lay her down. Balto lays down beside her, shivering hard from his time in the water. Without thinking about it, Jenna pulls herself on top of him, murmuring about how cold he is. Balto tries to argue she should go easy given her injury, but the two go silent instead, smiling gently at each other. Then Balto's eyes light up as he turns to Boris. He thanks the bird for not just saving him, but for coming along in the first place. Boris absolutely beams.

But his grin disappears when the dogs get up... and Jenna falls back down. Balto insists she's too hurt to continue the journey. After all, who knows when they'll find the team? Jenna tries to argue, but falters when Balto insists that without her help he'd be dead now, and he'd be devastated if something happened to her out here. Jenna asks Boris to take her back to Nome when she notices that he's waddled a short distance away. He's gazing intently at something, looking worried and guilty. Balto pads over to where Boris is staring into space to see what the fuss is about.

Turns out the fuss is about two hairy little things: twin polar bear cubs. One is slightly bigger then the other, though he may just be bigger boned then his brother. The two are huddled close to each other, whimpering and cooing. It's obvious they're very young, toddlers at most. "Oh no," murmurs Balto. The cubs gaze up at the two with wide, frightened eyes. Nobody has to guess what happened to their mother, and Balto feels himself overwhelmed with guilt too.

The cubs follow Boris closely as Balto goes back to Jenna. He tells her that he's sorry she can't continue the journey, but that she can help by keeping the bear cubs safe until they know what to do with them. Jenna agrees and the two smile warmly at each other. Jenna offers up her bandanna to Balto "to keep him warm" despite how small it is as Boris helps her onto a large tree branch. Boris begins instructing the cubs on how to help, going demanding grandad on them in record time, and Jenna wishes Balto good luck. Boris pulls Balto aside and, out of obligation to the source material, tells Balto that a dog cannot make such a journey alone... but maybe a wolf can. The group depart, leaving Balto by himself in the snow.

It's a snowy night in Nome. A somber mood hangs so thickly in the air that one can almost taste the chunky sadness. The streets are empty aside from one stray black mass. It's Wild Joe, makin' his way downtown. He passes the hospital and sees a child who is obviously ill but not in bed. Joe's face crinkles in pain as the child, a boy, coughs so hard he wracks his body in great tremors. Joe pulls himself away from the sight and, face to the ground, starts walking faster. In a moment he passes the telegraph office. His ears perk rhythmically to the beeps of the morse code. He whispers sweet nothings to himself like, "Cannot send more antitoxin. Weather too severe. Lost sled team only hope. Our prayers are with them."

Meanwhile, in a somehow less depressing part of the Alaskan tundra, Balto has finally caught sight of a glowing pink light. The wind is too hard for him to smell properly, but as he mounts a rise in the path, he can see clearly what rests at the bottom of the slope. It's the team! The pink glow is the light from the sled's lantern. Balto's so beside himself with joy that he throws himself headlong down the slope, previously unaware of how slippery the embankment really was. He only just manages to gain his footing at the bottom of the hill. The sled dogs look up at him in amazement, unfurling themselves from the miserable balls of fur they'd tried desperately to wrap themselves in. "Balto!" is heard in a wave of gasps.

Balto begins asking a slew of questions. What happened, is the musher okay, etc. etc. Everyone does their best to answer. Everyone, that is, except Steele, who has been sulking wordlessly since Balto arrived. Once he's gotten a satisfactory amount of info on the situation, Balto picks up one of the now empty harnesses on the sled and tells the dogs he can lead them home. Steele is none too pleased with this, and he steps on the harness, jerking it out of Balto's mouth. Steele insists the dogs will be able to find their way home by themselves - after all, he's leading them.

Everyone immediately becomes uncomfortable as the tension rises. Balto shrugs, assures Steele that he can do as he likes, but that the kids need the anti-toxin and they need it now. Balto knows the way back for certain, so he'd be happy to just take the medicine. Steele just about goes batshit at the suggestion, crouching over the crate of medicine like a wild animal, snarling at Balto. He threatens to rip Balto to pieces if he so much as tries to touch the crate. Someone tells Steele to lighten up, and Steele just about shits himself.

He flings himself headlong into Balto, telling him to get out and leave them be. In the scuffle, the medicine crate is tipped over, where it begins sliding down a tiny incline towards a cliff's edge. Balto eyes it nervously and tries to get to it, but Steele continually throws himself at Balto, snapping and snarling and threatening. The other dogs begin telling Steele to stop, that Balto isn't worth it. Star suggests that maybe just this once the howler might be useful, so the team might want to listen to him. Balto looks Steele dead in the eyes and tells him that children are going to die if everyone can't be all kumbaya for a second.

Steele sneers eerily and simple states that he doesn't care. And with that, he outright flings himself into Balto, tearing into him viciously enough to send him whimpering in pain. The fight halts for just a moment as Steele looks down at the wolfdog, who is now battered and bleeding. Steeles give a triumphant huff and bares his fangs before he notices something. The other dogs are advancing on him. They've stopped their gawking long enough to realize that Steele's intentions haven't just soured. They were never good in the first place. The medicine crate continues its gradual trip down the incline.

Steele is spooked by the dogs encircling him, and he demands they get away from him and back into their harnesses. Meanwhile, Balto, despite his injuries, has wormed his way over to the escaping crate of anti-death juice, finally securing it between his paws. Star turns and notices this, praising him. The other dogs gaze over at him too, finally realizing he's probably an okay guy actually. If Steele was angry before, he's furious now. He leaps over the hoard of dogs that had formed a tight circle around him and barrels at Balto and the medicine, screaming for the wolfdog to let it go. Balto quickly shoves the medicine away from the cliff as Steele snags him by the bandanna. The two dogs teeter totter on the side of the cliff before the bandanna rips in half. Steele unceremoniously falls off the cliff's edge, tumbling down into the valley below.

Balto cringes at the sight as Steele refuses to get up from his epic fail landing. Still, there's no time to lose. Balto hobbles over to the sled, surprised to find the other dogs are securing themselves in their harnesses. All except three, that is. One dog, a Chinook by the name of Kaltag, notices an especially icky wound on Balto's leg, and he uses what remains of Jenna's bandanna to wrap it. Another dog, a chow mix named Nikki, is placing the musher in the sled. The man's in rough shape, but he's still alive. Finally Balto takes his place at the head of the team, where Star is holding the harness up for him. Balto slips into it, and it fits like a glove. He takes a moment to breathe and marvel at the situation.

The dog sled takes off again. As it departs, a couple of white paws grapple their way up the cliff's edge. Steele hoists himself out of the valley. He's bruised all over, but he's alive, and he's none too happy. He wastes no time. He tucks the remains of Jenna's bandanna into his collar and begins rushing after the dogs. The guy may be bulky and injured, but he's full of enough rage adrenaline (ragedrenaline?) to overpower an elephant's higher thinking, and he's not slowing down til the sled has stopped.

It doesn't take long for Steele to catch up to Balto. He tells Balto to stop the sled and leave the team alone, but Balto insists Steele doesn't know the way. The other dogs all but tell Steele to fuck off given they've seen what kind of person he is, but Steele doesn't care. He pulls out a handy dandy trick he's been itching to repeat since the beginning of this summary and snaps at Balto's legs, tripping him up. Balto regains his footing quickly enough so as not to slow down the team, but oh no! A moment later, Steele snaps again, this time grabbing Balto's injured ankle.

The wolfdog can't recover so easily from that, and he falls over. The team goes tripping and spilling across the icy forest floor. Steele allows himself to fall behind and watch the destruction unfold. The team is barreling towards another cliff's edge, and Balto's meager frame isn't enough to cancel out the laws of inertia. Balto slides out of his harness as the other dogs try to stall their descent, finally bringing everything to a standstill as the crate of medicine teeters on the cliff's edge.

Balto dives forward and snags the crate, and the team praises him... seconds before the cliff's edge starts to crumble. As the rock breaks to pieces beneath his feet, Balto and the antitoxin fall into the snowy abyss below. "Aaaaaa," is how Kevin Bacon put it.

The next morning, everyone is abuzz is Nome. The people even pull themselves away from their sick kids in the excitement, curious to see what's happening. Something has arrived, though it's not the medicine. The dogs are equally riveted, huddled in the boiler room to discuss their own canine-centric news. Turns out Jenna returned home the previous night, aided by two polar bear cubs and a goose. The dogs prattle on excitedly, asking a weary Jenna all about her journey. But, in all honesty, they seem most concerned with how - and further, why - Jenna would ever be brave or foolish enough to pair with a howler while on a wild goose/dog/plot chase.

Jenna tiredly begins to explain what happened, why the goose and bears were there, etc. when a ruckus can be heard outside. The dogs all look up, but nobody gets up. Not yet. A few moments pass, and then the door, which has been only halfway open up to this point, swings open in full. Standing in the doorway is Togo's team, along with an exhausted looking Steele. Togo remarks that they found the dumb jock wandering delirious through the cold. He was just lucky enough to meander past their relay station. Togo shrugs and leaves the room.

Everyone immediately starts flipping shit again, asking a new flurry of questions so loudly they drown each other out. Finally, Steele breaks the silence by asking "Where's Jenna?" Everyone goes quiet and looks over at the token girl husky. Steele pads over to the middle of the room, looking at Jenna but speaking to everyone, as he explains in a voice so sincere it's sickening that his team died in the cold. Balto did in fact find him, the last dog alive, but all he cared about was taking the anti-toxin away. Balto never meant well, Steele asserts, his chest heaving with every passionate word. All he wanted to do was get back at the town for turning its back on him! Everyone gasps except Jenna and a stoic figure sitting in the corner of the room.

Steele says that Balto took the anti-toxin and, in a desperate effort to get revenge on Nome for never accepting his boorish, violent ways, threw it and himself over the edge of a cliff. The medicine, and presumably every bone in the wolfdog's body, shattered on impact. Why, Steele even tried heroically to stop Balto from this suicide mission by grabbing him by Jenna's bandanna, but... He punctuates his speech by handing Jenna the remains of her neckerchief. She gapes at it.

Steele says that this has been a tragedy for certain, but all the dogs must band together and be strong. Heck, he even generously offers to be a shoulder for Jenna to cry on in her time of need. Such a noble guy, that Steele. Except Jenna has a finely tuned 6th sense she uses solely to detect bullshit, and it's going crazy right now. She tells Steele to his face that she knows he's lying. Balto isn't violent. In fact, the primary reason he left to find the team was to save the children. To save Rosie.

The dogs in the crowd begin to murmur among themselves, but Steele casually states that it's such a shame the wolfdog managed to manipulate Jenna so efficiently that she honestly never saw him going feral, never considered his more selfish motives. Steele reminds the room of dogs that Balto attacked him several times before the relay teams were dispatched. Everyone seems a bit swayed by the reminder.

Everyone's trains of thoughts are prevented from actually leaving the station by the dog in the corner clearing his throat. Surprise surprise, the mysterious guy in the shadows was Wild Joe, resident lurker. Steele almost looks intimidated as the dog pads over to him. Joe basically goes off on Steele, detailing how it's hard to believe a dog who has proven himself violent for the sake of winning, is mysteriously the only dog out of about 15 to survive, and thinks himself a hero despite failing to bring back even one ounce of medicine. Everyone is silent as Joe and Steele glare daggers at each other.

Steele huffs at Joe and leaves the room, stating that he won't be insulted this way after having had such a traumatic experience. The dogs watch Steele go, then look at Joe and Jenna, then awkwardly begin to file out. There's nothing else of importance to be said, and damn has it gotten awkward in here.

When the two are alone, Jenna quietly thanks Joe for believing her. Joe snorts and states that he knows what Steele is like and he knows when he's lying. Then Joe tells Jenna plainly that he doesn't have much hope of the anti-toxin arriving, and that even if it did it's too late for his fallen boy. Taken aback at the realization, Jenna expresses sympathy for Joe, but encourages him to keep his chin up. Balto is a dependable dog who won't let the town down, because despite everything he's faced, he understands how important this is. Joe smiles for probably the first time in 50 years, then asks Jenna where the goose and bears she mentioned went.

That night, the electric cross on the church steeple turns off. Rosie's mother notices this from the hospital window, and her husband hopelessly wraps her in a hug. Rosie's condition continues to worsen.

While this is happening, Jenna abandons her post under the hospital window and leads Wild Joe to Balto's boat. Some of the dogs at the cannery ogle Jenna, but Joe sets them straight with a well directed glare and a scolding about the male gaze. Boris and the bear cubs are understandably shaken when they are met with a sentient hunk of muscle, but Jenna assures them that Joe is a friend. Joe makes himself comfortable in Balto's home and asks the goose if he can wait for Balto to come back with him. The two cubs remain anxious around the old dog, who playfully teases them by asking if they think he's gonna turn them into mukluks.

As all this is going on, miles away at the previously mentioned snowy abyss, the snow in the depths of the gorge begins to shift. In a few labored, measured movements, Balto manages to pull himself from the snowbank. He collapses exhausted back into the snow, realizing how dire the situation has truly become. God only knows where the medicine has fallen, let alone whether or not it's shattered. "Kids... Rosie... I'm sorry," is all he can manage to mouth as he begins to weep.

Soundlessly, a large mass moves across the snowy terrain towards him. The world is a void of white, and the figure is too, but when he looks up, Balto can just make out the dark features of a canine face. A majestic white wolf, large enough to dwarf any dog, is gazing down at him with vibrant amber eyes. The wolf howls, then pauses as if waiting for Balto to respond. He doesn't, instead shrinking away in embarrassment. The wolf gives him a strange look, then gazes past him for a moment, then finally withdraws, quickly disappearing from view.

Balto allows his eyes to wander. Suddenly, those wandering eyes widen. The medicine. It's sitting unharmed no more then 10 feet away. And after offering the cliffside its own glance, he believes it might be possible to get it back up.

Balto rises slowly but surely to his feet. He eyes the tracks the white wolf left behind as it departed. He reaches out a paw to touch one, and quickly realizes that his paw fits inside it perfectly. His shame melts away. He raises his head up high, nose aimed at the moon, and lets loose a howl.

As if by magic, the white wolf reappears in the fog. Balto continues to howl, feeling as if it's the most natural thing he's ever done. The wolf rejoins him, and it fills the air with its own howls. The blizzard rages on around the two, but for just a moment it feels as if the world around them shimmers with a newfound clarity.

Up on top of the cliff, the sled team is huddling close together. Their spirits all seem to have been broken by what they presumed was Balto's death and the lose of the medicine. The dogs straighten up, however, upon hearing... the howling of wolves? Everyone huddles in closer together, suddenly terrified. A second later, though, they realize the howling has stopped, effectively being replaced with the sound of shuffling snow. Wait, huh? Everyone peers over the cliffside.

It's Balto, very much not dead, and very much pulling the unharmed crate of anti-toxin behind him. The dogs yap with joy, cheering Balto on as he mounts the cliff. The moment he's within reach, several dogs lift him and the crate the rest of the way up. Balto collapses in the snow, absolutely pooped. He lies there for just a moment, beaming coyly as the dogs praise him for his feat. Is this what it's like to be respected? When Balto can stand again, the dogs go through the motions once more: musher in sled, lantern on crate, crate secured, Balto up front. And nothing can stop them now.

Well, they figure as much, anyway. But they're proven wrong a short while later. The team enters a deep valley, surrounded on all sides like a great white bowl made of high pale mountains. The air is eerily still. And then, breaking the silence, someone sneezes. The sound reverberates around the cereal bowl that is the mountain range. A moment later, a cascade of snowfall begins barreling down the steepest mountain. An avalanche! The team runs for cover in the nearest cave.

As the team enters the cave, the sled thumps loudly against the ground. The dogs hazard a look up as the tinkling sound of ice on ice becomes apparent. To their horror, they see a barrage of icicles begin to plummet down towards them. One severs the handles at the back of the sled, only inches away from the musher's head. Another slams down just beside the medicine crate, causing everyone to promptly flip shit. The team rockets forward as quickly as they can, just managing to clear the cave as the worst of the icicles shatters behind them. Okay, NOW it's gotta be over, right?

Dawn is just about to break. The cannery dogs are all struggling to rest in the cold weather. One of them, a shabby, long nosed creature, gently lifts an ear in his sleep. Some sort of sound is reverbing in the distance, so far away that it can't reach the true populace of Nome. But it's there, and it rouses him awake. Other dogs begin to take notice as well. On Balto's boat, the twin cubs follow Boris to the railing as they listen. The sound starts as a very low bellow, but soon it becomes clear...

Someone is howling. It's a foghorn! It's a train! No, it's... Balto!

Balto lets out another very primitive howl as he and the team advance towards the cannery. Everyone is overcome with joy. They're so close! The cannery dogs begin running to meet the team, eyes bulging in surprise. They didn't expect this because they really only skimmed the story up to this point. The sled team keeps pace, everyone acknowledging the cannery dogs with excited yips, as they continue towards town. Boris and the cubs climb out of the boat to greet Balto.

But the team is brought to a halt as a dog steps directly in front of the sled, unmoving. Everyone rams into one another, but at least the medicine isn't being flung off a cliff this time. The dog who stopped them is, of course, Steele. His bi-colored eyes shimmer menacingly as the sled's lantern's light reflects off of them. He says he's amazed that the dogs made it home, sarcastically giving Balto in particular a "Bravo". Very cute, very heroic.

But what does Balto expect to happen? Does he think all the townspeople are just going to accept that some guy they've always hated brought the medicine back? Balto has no idea what he's gotten himself into. His only choice, obviously, is to slip out of the harness and allow Steele to lead the team back into Nome. Now.

Wild Joe leaps out of Balto's ship, finally coming to see what all the hubbub was about. He pushes his way through the crowd of stunned cannery dogs and glares daggers at Steele, telling him that he never deserved to be the lead dog and now he's still so greedy for glory that he's holding up the cure for a child killing illness. Steele snarls at Joe, clearly not caring about his opinion. Then the other dogs in the crowd begin jeering "Yeah!" and "You tell him!" and various other cliches meant to show solidarity.

But the real surprise comes when the only dog who actually does slip out of his harness is Star. "Steele doesn't deserve credit for this!" Star spits at his big brother. "In fact, he doesn't even deserve the golden collar he's wearing! All he's ever done is boss everyone around. He's bossed me around since we were pups." Everyone's eyes drift towards Steele's neck. The golden collar and all the medals adorning it shimmer dimly. "You're the hero here, Balto," Star continues. "You deserve that collar. And you're gonna wear it."

He steps towards a stunned Steele, looking as frightened but unflappable as a weeaboo asking out a girl he likes, and lunges at Steele's throat. He yanks the collar off in one swift tug, stepping back and letting it fall to the ground at Balto's feet.

Everyone looks equally amazed at the sight of Star standing up to the guy who's shat on him his whole life. Balto looks at the collar before him, then at Star, then at Steele. "Thank you," he says awkwardly, "but he can keep it. It obviously means more to him then the kids do."

Now Steele is Peak Tilted. The team moves forward again, bypassing Steele and stepping on his collar as they do. Steele stands, chest heaving, for a moment's time before he loudly snaps "no" and drives himself at the team. He shoves cannery dogs out of the way left and right as he plummets towards Balto. Balto notices and comes to a stop beside a coal shoot. The team warns him to LOOK OUT BRUH and Steele flies at him, mouth agape and ready to bite. Just as Steele is about to land on Balto, Balto rolls over, sending Steele tripping over him in the process.

The coal shoot's hatch opens as Steele lands against the lever behind it. Steele tries to claw his way up out of the slowly opening hatch as the other dogs watch horrified. Balto tries to reach out to him, but it's too late. A load of coal drops down from another hatch above the ground. Hundreds of hunks from hell hit the hedonistic Steele as his grip slips. He screams as he falls down the shaft below, a 2 ton torrent of coal following right behind him. Eventually all that can be heard is the sound of stray chunks of coal bouncing around in the shaft. The sound fades as both hatches close. Steele is gone.

Wild Joe walks over, gazes at the closed hatch, and gives a low grunt. He laments on how it couldn't have happened to a nicer dog, then turns to Balto. He says that Balto can't stand around all day when he's got medicine to deliver. But first there's something he needs to do. Star was right, Balto does deserve a collar. And to make sure he has one, Wild Joe slips his own golden collar off his neck, effectively stripping naked in public, and puts it on Balto. Balto is awed. Boris comes up behind him and wraps a wing around him, complimenting him on his new look. Joe tells everyone to hurry into town, and so they do. Balto lets up a torrent of howls once more.

The team FINALLY enters town, and already a whole slew of townsfolk have gathered to see what's going on. They can't contain their relief and their joy upon seeing the medicine has honest to God arrived. Balto brings the team to a stop right in front of the hospital, and immediately the doctor and several other people pry open the crate. A wave of people descend upon the dogs of the team, petting and hugging them. Balto is no exception to this, as people he never expected to respect him begin rubbing his ears and stroking his back.

One of those people is Rosie's father. He hesitates for a second before stroking Balto's head, then leans down and wraps his arms around the dog's neck. Balto withdraws for a moment, but then allows himself to be held. When he's satisfied with the amount of wolfdog hugging he's done, the man coaxes Balto into the hospital, where the staff is already going about administering the anti-toxin to the children.

Balto is brought in to meet Rosie. It's been some time since he's seen her, and she's just been given her injection of the medicine. She's still too weak to lift her head, but she smiles at him all the same. She reaches out her hand to stroke his muzzle, and he licks her. "Balto," she cooes half asleep, "I'd've been lost without you."

She gives a sigh and begins to snore gently, and Balto considers this an appropriate time to head outski. As he turns to leave, he sees Jenna in the doorway, her face scrunched tight in a misty-eyed grin.

The two dogs throw themselves into each other, romping in the doorway. Jenna allows herself to weep, and even Balto's eyes get a little wet. Part of her had truly believed she'd never see her closest friend again. As the two pause and settle back down, she goes to git it and plants a kiss (or the dog equivalent of one I guess) on his nose. He returns the gesture and the two lean into one another. They sit in an embrace as the town continues its celebrating.

A year has passed. Balto, Joe's golden collar still adorning his neck, runs across the cannery harbor to the boat he used to live in. Boris can be seen teaching Luk how to sweep the deck with a poorly held together broom. Muk watches in amusement. Balto calls to Boris that it's time and that he and the kids are invited if they'd like to come along. Boris, overjoyed, leaps onto Muk's back and tells the cubs to pretend they're Paul Revere and hurry up. Everyone who lives in the cannery greets Balto as he rushes by.

Balto passes Dixie on the street as everyone hurries along. Dixie's owner is offput by the presence of the polar bear cubs hi hello what the hell, but Dixie nonchalantly asks Balto what all the fuss is about. Balto explains that it's time, and Dixie congratulates him. He continues his trek, and it goes very much like it did when he was competing in the trial race before the Great Race of Mercy took place.

Finally, Balto reaches the hospital's boiler room. Inside huddle a small crowd: Rosie, her parents, Wild Joe (who is looking a little green), Doc, the actual doc, and, of course, Jenna. Jenna's the center of attention, and she's clearly exhausted. But she's not so exhausted that she can't look up at Balto with a smile on her face. Wild Joe grabs the blanket that she's tucked into and pulls it off of her as Balto and his friends gaze over her.

A litter of 6 puppies whimper out complaints as they reorganize themselves against their mother's warm belly. They're sickeningly precious, squeaking and huddling together. Most of the little ones are varying shades of red like their mother, but the smallest newborn looks remarkably like her father. She lifts her tiny, trembling head and lets out quite possibly the smallest howl any living thing has ever uttered. Everyone chuckles, and Balto leans his head into Jenna's cheek. Their faces are awash with pride.

So there you have it, Balto But Not Balto But Still Balto. Happy 24th year of existing, you trashfire of a movie you. I genuinely love this movie more then I should, and this has been fun to work on. Later this month I'll dump some more Balto stuff here, but it's just about time for me to start a new project for this blog. Hope yous guys enjoyed the wolfdoggy content. Cheers.

#balto #balto words #balto draws #amblimation #rewrite #fanfic

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soldierallen · 5 years

Text

Married. 11

(Ya'll gonna beat my ass and I'm really sorry a lot has been going on please forgive me- also I don't know why the link says my name sorry about it.)

Featuring: Sebastian Stan, Henry Cavill, Chris Evans, Anthony Mackie, Chase Crawford, Morena Baccarin.

Part 10:

Pam

Henry had a secret, a big one. He knew some day she would find out but he didn't think twice that it would happen this early in their relationship.

I stare at these people as they talk my mind drifts every so often, once and a while a hand will squeeze my thigh and give me a look of calm, it's Henry.

God what would I do without Henry as I stare blankly at this all goody two shoed family in front of me who has no clue I did cocaine once on a guys back at a party, or that I've slept with so many people I'm lucky I didn't catch anything, all they know is that I'm their daugther who moved to the city to pursue her dream in journalism.

Henry knows, Henry knows everything he always did, However that question always pops into my dumb fucking brain... what about sebastian? Does he still think about me like I think about him? those thoughts flood my mind constantly what if I chose sebastian.. he will never not cross my mind and I hate it. I said I'm not in love with sebastian and I meant it.... right?

I hated doubting Henry but for some reason it just didn't feel right, he didn't feel right to me maybe I picked the wrong man again.

Henry slipped his hand underneath my dress inching closer to my underwear band which got my attention "well I think it's time me and Henry head home lot's of w-work to be done" his warm hand slipped closer and closer until she stood up he laughed to himself, he watched her saying goodbye to her family Henry shook the hands of her father her uncle and worthless brother

Her shity brother pulled her in for a hug with a whisper in her ear "you're kidding right? I know you don't love this guy be real for once in your life" he pulled away and she gave him a dirty look, he smiled devilishly walking away

she closed the door behind her as she pulled her suitcase out of the house as soon as that door closed she let out a nice grunt in frustration making Henry laugh kissing her lips so lightly his hand on her back he pulled away

"Henry we're having Christmas at your house this year" she smiled at him as he took both of their bags into the car it was snowing of course "you know I've always wanted to decorate and build a Christmas tree" he closed the trunk "why haven't you done it before?" She got into the passenger seat "Seemed stupid to do it alone" .

they were off back to the big city

it was almost 10pm

"Okay don't be mad at me but you are jobless so I opened that letter for you.." Henry said she was surprised that he even found it, "and?" She awaited for his reply as he stopped at a red light, "darling" she nodded her head "I knew it, I knew I wasn't going to get that stupid job" she looked out the window upset, "I'm sorry" he said lowly his hand on her thigh she just looked at it, unamused.

"I know whatever you set your mind to you will do amazing at it" he tried to cheer her up but she was stubborn, her stubbornness always overlooked everything else. He looked at her from the side of his eye as the light turned green, he hated seeing her sad he tried to loosen up however his side eyed stare was intense he wanted to know what she was thinking.

"Penny for your thoughts?" He smiled as he lit a cigarette next to her, she pushed back all her hair from her face

"seb that guy I've been -" she didn't want to say the word so he handed her a penny that was in his back pocket "fucking?" She nodded "yeah that, I like him but I'm kinda scared to - go for it you know?"

"I know what you mean, take a RISK darling if it goes south we'll deal with it" he stood up from the ledge of the fountain "I thought you QUIT?" she yelled "this is my reward for the last year of no smoking I needed one, thing's are rough this fine afternoon." She rolled her eyes and he walked away

She fell asleep in the car he every so often looked at her sleeping peacefully, When a text popped up onto his phone as he parked.

call me I have bad news. Chris E.

His heart picked up pace as he read it feeling his nerves settle in, he pressed call under Chris's contact

"What's going on" Henry pulled his keys out of the ignition opening his car door going to the trunk of his car

"Henry the kid, he's almost born and you haven't even mentioned it to y/n? Henry for God sakes this file goes in January you have to tell her" did I mention Chris is a lawyer?

"Chris she's all bent out of shape theres no fucking way I could tell her she's literally in shambles! I cannot spring this on her and I don't even know if the kid is mines alright." Henry said, however Henry knew deep down it was his kid he just wasn't prepared for it, Henry had kept this secret for months without letting y/n know he knew he would get an ear beating if she knew and now y/n's his girlfriend it just got worse.

Morena was an ex girlfriend of Henry's they met in college and never really lost connection until two years ago, and when she came back they started things up again and she broke his heart, this continued for months because the two would have sex frequently they just couldn't let each other go. Until a few months ago when morena had came out to tell Henry she was pregnant and Henry was the father, he couldn't face that not right now.. January is the due date and time is running out

"You have to tell her! You can't keep this secret the only reason I know is because she filed a lawsuit against you" he said warning Henry

"Well I can't have her find out right now" he pulled the suitcases from out of the trunk walking up the cobblestones into his home

"Henry's if it yours, you have to take responsibility you know that" Chris said as he sat at his desk looking at the file of morena's in front of his face as he clicked a pen a few times, it was Henry's he knew something in the back of his mind however he would never say that to him, Henry's not ready for that.

"I'll tell her after Christmas alright stop yanking my tail" he looked at y/n asleep still in the car as he went back to the cars trunk

"Do you want to lose her?" Chris said

"Of course not I finally got her" he said getting the last bag out of the trunk into his house, a huff came out on the other line

"Tell her now, don't wait anymore"

"I'll call you tomorrow" Henry said and they hung up, he scratched his head rubbing his face, and finally he crouched down his elbows on his knees and his mind racing like crazy he bowed his head putting his hands over the back of his neck

"Shit shit, how am gonna do this? I can't keep this from her" he whispered to himself he tried calming his breathing as he stood up "I'm so fucked"

he shook it off proceeding back to the car to get the women into the bedroom, he opened her door her body slumped & covered, her warm skin against his cold hands her head falling loosely into the nuk of shoulder he smiled down at her, I'm gonna lose her, she's not ready for this- hell I'm not ready for this.

He was distraught as he laid her in the bed removing her shoes socks taking his jacket off of her covering her with a blanket, he went into the bedroom's linked bathroom and brushed his teeth as he looked at himself in the mirror his eyes felt heavy he wanted nothing more than to sleep next to her, he was scared to the thought of losing her to a women he didn't love to a child he didn't want not with morena anyways.

He put his toothbrush back into it's holder washing his face, he grabbed a towel wiping his face in the mirror he hated feeling so much guilt. He laid down next to her his thumb caressing the back of her hand "I'm so sorry" he felt like he failed her - it's like he's living a double life a life he doesn't even know she's gonna leave me he thought maybe she'll finally be with who she wanted this entire time.

Sebastian.

The loud noises of machines ringing and people yelling cigar smoke in people's noses, a casino that's where he is, he threw dice he played slot machines, he did it all, but something was missing - her.

The void of not having her around was killing him slowly,

"Altantic city what the hell are we doing here?" She looked at the big green sign passing her above their heads, sebastian cracked a smile his sunglasses on

"Your shitty ex boyfriend is an asshole we need to have some fun" she looked at him with a funny look on her face "what" he asked "you're a fucking idiot" she laughed

"What again?" He said loudly this time "why is this going to make me feel better, two single twenty one year olds going to Atlantic city huh doesn't sound too exciting when were BROKE" she yelled he laughed hysterically "stan what the hell are you on" she asked

"LIVE A LITTLE FEEL SOMETHING" he said she nodded her head in disapproval "doll it's going to be fun trust me"

that night sebastian won over 1,000 dollars and they split it she loved him for that, almost fresh out of college with almost no money getting handed 500 dollars is a big deal.

he lost his best friend in the span of two weeks it was over Henry had won, but he knew Henry's secret, Henry was going to be a father and everyone knew, as sebastian played poker he folded leaving mid game. He knew it was stupid to even be here but he thought he could fill the void with gambling with drinking anything to get her off his mind, he finally knew how she felt when he said he didn't want her it felt like a punch to gut he wandered on the streets looking for anything to keep him off of her which was impossible

She told me she loved me and I blew it, i left her alone when she tried to help me i screamed in her face and told her horrible things.

Guilt

Henry and sebastian were both feeling guilty at the same time for two very different things but both relating back to her.. how could we disappoint our best friend like this.. treat her like that, she deserved more than a bunch of liars as best friends She deserved more than a bunch of guilty assholes as best friends, she deserved more - I'll get her more. He thought he got into his car and drove to only place he knew that would give her more.

"Elena?" Sebastian yelled loudly at the second floor window, it was quiet on their side of town, the window started to open "BlackRock?" She referred to his place of work "yeah is chase home?" "Yeah BlackRock but why?" She yelled back "you know that favor he owes me? well I need it now." she nodded her head and got chase "sebastian stan what do I owe the pleasure?" Chase said with a laugh it was 2am why was he here?

"Can we talk?" Chase nodded going to buzz him in, sebastian got himself prepared for what was about to happen.

It was the next day, she'd woken up a little earlier only to her to realize she awake at an ungodly hour for nothing, no work so why was she awake she made coffee and sat on the chair, God I could never do this stay at home mom shit this sucks - yeah working was hard but keeping busy is needed. She was quiet and lived alone most of her life to be honest she only did somethings in her past because of Sebastian, he was a risk taker while she was timidity.

"Henry I need a job" she felt his presence behind her she whipped around quickly, he smiled tying the belt on his robe a little tighter as he sat on the stool across from the island that stood in the middle of them

"I need to get a newspaper - wait do newspapers still exist" she said putting her cup in the sink and getting another one for Henry "yes sweetheart they still exist" he said lovingly as he looked at his phone "well I need one so I'm going to get dressed and get one!" She made Henry coffee and he kissed her over the counter

"Maybe I'll find something cute while I'm out" she winked, he felt butterflies in his stomach when she did that or was it just nerves about telling her he might be a father very soon..

she kissed him so sweetly he grabbed her butt very lightly getting a small chuckle from the girl, she got into the cab putting her bags in Henry watched her his mind running wild how was he going to tell her, she drove off and she put all her stuff away in her house the wall next to her thumped and a women calling out her neighbors name yelled, she really wasn't in the mood to listen to people having sex so she took off into that diner she usual goes to "June's" she ordered a coffee & a donut she wasn't hungry she just needed to order food to sit there on the spiny stool her laptop in front of her "elena GUESS WHAT newspapers exist!"

"You're an idiot! Hey darling hows life treatin' ya!" Elena said with a smile, elena was the women who she became very close to when she moved on this side of town "what do you think about men elena" she nodded "men ain't shit but my chase he's one of the good ones" she patted y/n's shoulder "I'd like to meet him one day"

"Oh you'll like him very philosophical like you" she laughed at even saying that word, "what's he do?" She asked "my chasey is a writer like you he writes for the newspaper" she wiped down the counter, it was mostly quiet a few people in booths it was early.

"Chase?" She typed his name in Google, "Crawford" she could've swore she heard a record scratch in her brain, "like THE Chase Crawford that writes for the New York Daily News" she nodded "why have you never told me that before" "you've never asked about my personal life sweetheart" her Brooklyn accented appeared heavily this time around I wondered why it still stuck after all these years when she hasn't lived there.

"So like - could I meet him one day?" She was beyond excited, he was a fantastic writer who knew absolutely everyone in the city because of interviews sources, and they usually worked for him he was more in touch with his business than y/n ever knew knowing Downey for so long she thought everyone could've been like that so she never got her hopes up

"Chase owes some guy that works at BlackRock a favor and he's overlooking some stuff for him so he won't be around until tomorrow night" she took out her notepad watching two guys walk in, "oh mr mackie! what brings you to this part of town" she spinned around on her chair greeting her best friend they hugged and his coworker I guess sat at their table whilst she caught up with Anthony

"So are we job hunting little lady?" Anthony asked "yes I need help!" She whined "I work with Chris I can't help you out in this field actually the four of us can't even help you out in this field!" He laughed and so did she, "I just want to start working again! It's so exhausting not doing ANYTHING!" she seemed stupid to complain

"Hey if you ever need a job in finance or law hit us up" he smiled hugging her "you were no help mackie" "I'm sorry" he shrugged going to his coworker.

After a while she came home, she saw a bouquet of sunflowers on her table. There was a note "I just miss you okay. Things are getting better slowly but surely." - Seb

"Why does he do such nice things for me" she was overwhelmed with love in her heart, why is he always there when I need him can he just go away.

she pulled out her phone "Sunflowers? Huh cheesy. you should've gone for something better like tulips oh or not get me flowers at all and actually visit me! I miss you too" She texted sebastian, he was in a meeting and his phone dinged all eyes on him "sorry" he silenced his phone but pulled it out of his pocket to see the text, he smiled and put back his phone, she puts a smile on his face how could he never realize how important she was to him, why did he do her so dirty? He thought he was in love. People do anything for love right?,

it was later that night

Someone knocked on the door, it was Henry "let's head out" he said

"Where are we going" she asked

"We have to talk about something important" she was scared to say the least, she wasn't understanding what was going on..

"Okay let me grab a jacket" she got her keys and her jacket and headed out they talked a lot he avoided for a while to not tell her but here it comes

"Sit" he gestured

"Okay where is this going?" She asked

"I have something to tell you and it's really hard for me-"

"Henry get to the point it's cold" they sat next to each other as their breath smoked and hands felt wet from how cold it was outside this afternoon..

"Please-"

"Henry just calm down it's okay whatever it is - I love you" she tried to reassure him, her nose turning a slight pink Henry's too but it wasn't because of the cold it was because of the heat circulating through his face he was just filled with nerves

"I want you to move in with me." He let out words that wasn't suppose to come out, his brain said other words not to say the words "I might be a father" He just dug himself a deeper hole.

"Henry -" she was in shock, but a good shock he was moving rapidly their relationship just kept going to places quick

"So?" He said his eyes looked so innocent his posture was soft and he was less stressed than before.

"Yes" they hugged tightly he lifted her off the ground slightly she loved when he did that "I can't believe you would ask me that!" She hit his shoulder "I want you more than ever"

"How did the research go?" sebastian asked sitting next to chase on his couch

"fantastic why have I never heard about her before??" He asked "shes been underneath Downey's belt since a few years she was the CD for two years and he dropped her" he drank from a glass almost gone of whiskey, sebastian drank a lot he quit for so long and then so much crap happened to him he picked the habit up again.

"I want her to work for the company, she knows what shes doing she's a great writer and a fantastic creative director can you call her"

"Call her..?" He asked.

"Yes call her like on a cell phone you press the buttons" sebastian gave him a death glare chase laughed hitting his shoulder in a joking matter

"Fine if you don't want to call text her be nonchalant about it, ask her if shes interested in a job interview", so that's what sebastian did and he texted her waiting for a reply on the other hand, y/n and henry had just got done making love for the third time in their relationship it was magic, but she was distracted through some of it seeing a text pop up from sebastian when they finished Henry said he was going in the shower and as soon as he closed that door she grabbed her phone

"Hey? You alright, I know you're going through a lot I'll be over to your place like i said tomorrow"

"You there?"

"Hey what do you think about a job interview I told my friend about your work and he's really interested in you."

"Hey seb, oh that sounds cool could you do that for me? That would be amazing I'll talk to you later luv ya"

"Who are you texting" he heard the text taps, as he walked through the door....does she dare even say his name - "Chris- he was asking about being a reporter or something I don't know" she deleted the texts and put her phone down.

"I'l see you tomorrow love you bye"

She felt as if she was betraying him but sebastian was her best friend it seems stupid to distance myself from him right? Also he has a job interview for me? This could be good for me!

Tagged @hiddlestonstansworld @lovely-geek @imcalledflorence @misz-adrii @escapistdreamer-wishfulthinker @someplxce @cuddlesforlashton @coffeebooksandfandomsohmy @weasley16 @ilovethewayyourheartbeats @vogueworthy-barnes @xeniarocks @thisismysecrethappyplace @racheo91 @gravedollie666 @inlovewith3 @supernaturaldean67 // if anyone wants to be untagged or tagged please leave a message ty♡ also I do not own any gifs or images of any kind.

#sebastian stan #imagine #sebastian #sebastian stan x reader #anthony mackie #chris evans #henry cavill x reader #sebastian stan fic #sebastian stan imagine #stan #henry cavill

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singingunderthecurtain · 6 years

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Baby Fever: Suho

Author: @julietsoddeye AU: Canon Genre: Slight Angst | Implied Smut | More Fluff Pairing: Suho x Reader Trigger Warning: idk, none! But everything is triggering to somebody, so what do I know??? But really, this is just a light story. SO NONE! Word Count: 1,352

Plot: Being a stern grandma, your mother never allowed your kids to do any chaotic and careless activity. That's why you were surprised to see one mess of a living room with a blanket fort set up.

Part of the Baby Fever series

A/N: YOOOOOOO, just a few days before my bias’ birthday!!! RIGHT ON TIME, YEAH!!! Happy birthday to the love of my life, KIM JUNMYEON!!! ♡♡♡♡♡

EDIT: I was told the original picture I used was indeed NOT Junmyeon, but a completely different idol LMFAO!!! So I edited. HUHUHUHU SORRY!!!

Everything is not going well for you tonight.

You should’ve been home from your business trip this morning! But your flight got canceled the last minute due to a faulty engine. You were thankful you’re safe and that the rebooking of the flight was free of charge, shouldered by the airline, but the stress it caused you and all the other passengers was not cute. At all!

Not to mention, the moment you landed, you found out one of your two luggage was shipped on a totally different flight. You have to stay another hour for you to have it arranged and sent to your house.

And when you got out of the damn airport, the taxi bay line was too long, the uber app was malfunctioning for some reason and no one was available to pick you up. So you opted for renting a car just for you to get home asap.

When you arrived home, the elevator was out of order. The repair team of your exclusive apartment building won’t get it fixed until the next morning since it was already almost midnight. You have to yank your suitcase nine floors up, what a drag, literally and figuratively!

You sigh out a big and heavy breath, the moment you stepped in front of your apartment door. Finally, you will be able to rest and have a break. You can’t wait to see your children, even though it’s already their bedtime, you just needed to see them peacefully dreaming tonight. You also cannot wait to see your husband tomorrow when he gets home from his overseas schedule.

You also have to apologize to your mother, although it’s not your fault that the flight was canceled, you know she will still nag you for taking too long. She loves you and your children, of course, but she was too strict for your children’s liking. And for your own liking too when you were young. But you now know she was only like that to you in the past to make you of what you are today, a strong and empowered woman. Although she’s softening as the children get older, she was still a little firm.

“Mother, I’m hom—”

Your silent greeting was interrupted by what met you when you enter your humble abode…

The whole living room area was in shambles!

Throw pillows, blankets, toys and everything else was scattered everywhere. You set aside your luggage on the corner of your home’s entrance where the shoe cabinets are located and picked up pieces of toys and other stuff as you make way inside.

Some of the multiple couches were rearranged and there in the middle of the room, set up, was a blanket fort.

Fairy lights of different colors decorated around it.

Just a small opening of the fort was in front of you when you stepped in further from the doorway of your home.

“Mother, where are you…”

You call out, loudly this time. And then a sharp ‘ssshhh’ from the inside of the fort hushed and made you freeze on your spot, bent at the waist midway as you were attempting to pick up a pillow on the floor.

“The children are sleeping.”

You heard the same voice, whispered this time and you didn’t recognize it at all.

Your heart loudly thumped inside your chest. A terrible dread and alarm are starting to creep from the top of your head, down to your gut. You grab your stomach as you feel it lurch with panic and terror.

Who was that?

What is happening?

Where is your mother?

How about the children?

Are they all alright?

The many questions swim in your head as you grab an expensive but still very obviously useless vase decorated on your home’s bookshelf. It was a gift from Junmyeon’s many travels, you thought it was ugly at first but Junmyeon insisted that it will look pretty once you arrange the shelf and he was correct. Both your and his mother complimented his ‘exquisite’ taste.

You were ready to hit and let the vase shatter on whoever it was under the fort. You were sure it was not your mother and the voice didn’t sound like her.

Maybe it was one of the creepy fangirls that still follow your husband around even though he’s clearly married already. Maybe they got in, tied and gagged your mother on a chair somewhere in the multiple rooms you have in your house. They probably played with your three children, coaxed them and got their trust and made a blanket fort exactly how they want, to rebel against their strict grandmother.

You can see the silhouette of the person crawling to exit the blanket fort from the small opening right in front of you. You ready the vase you were holding, raise it up your head and prepared to swing it down and smash the porcelain vessel on whoever it was.

The building tension from your chest suddenly drops when you saw who exited the fort.

“J-Junmyeon?!”

You lower your arms, hugged the vase on your left hand and clutched your chest where your heart was with the other as you slide down on the floor. Your back knocking a few books off the shelf when you slowly dwindle down with a loud thud when your ass hit the wooden floor.

“Babe, why are you hugging the vase?”

Junmyeon asked with a complete puzzled look on his face. His voice was hoarse and different sounding. Probably really strained from singing three nights in a row.

“Holy fucking dick!”

You whispered loudly as you close your eyes tightly, your heart still pulsating in very, very crazy beats.

“Language! The children might hear you!”

You felt the vase left your hold and you look up just in time to see Junmyeon putting the stupid ugly thing back to where it (really doesn’t, ugh) belongs. (Although you have to admit that the color of it goes well with the theme of your whole house. It’s just really ugly, okay!)

“I’m sorry. I thought some creep got in the house because your voice is different. I’m sorry.”

“Did I scare you?”

Junmyeon frowns apologetically down at you with the signature pout of his pink lips.

You extend both of your arms up and make grabby motions with your hands, and he understood immediately that you wanted to be held. So he reached down his hands and grabs you by your armpits to stand you up. Junmyeon immediately encircled his arms around your body in a tight and needy embrace, his face nuzzled in your hair and neck and he inhales your scent as if he hasn’t seen you in years instead of just weeks.

“I’m sorry if I scared you.”

Junmyeon finally spoke after a few moments of just hugging and breathing in each other.

“What happened to your voice?”

You asked when you both pull away from your much-needed embrace.

“I just unexpectedly strained my voice the last few minutes of the concert. Thankfully we are just about saying goodbye to the crowd then.”

He explains and he pulls you to the direction of your bedroom.

“Wait, where are the kids and my mother?”

You ask again as Junmyeon pushes the door closed and ticks the lock on.

“I requested to fly home early so I can surprise you. But you were not home yet. Mom’s home now. Has been since this afternoon.”

Junmyeon pulls you further into the room and sat you down on your shared bed.

“Oh,”

Was your only answer before he starts peeling his clothes off right in front of you.

“What are you doing?”

You screw your brows together in question.

“It has been weeks, love. I missed you so bad and so does my dick!”

“Junmyeon!!!”

You can’t help but giggle with how his cheeks were too red and his boxers tenting on the front, obviously very affected and untouched for weeks.

Aikie Masterlist | Michiko Masterlist | FIC RECS | FIC REC SIDEBLOG

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falling--in--place · 6 years

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I need a minute to vent.

My daughters biological father isn’t my ex husband (that’s a story for a different day), but he came into her life when she was one and a half. She is the only dad she has ever known. When X and I started dating, everything was fine. We move in together and everything was ok. There was some adjustment because he had never lived away from his parents, I had been on my own(ish {I had been in shelters}) for two years. It was fine though. I showed him how to do stuff, whatever. At that point I was 17 and he was 19.

Shit started out small right. Like, honey I miss you so much when you are with your friends. Awww, right? Fucking wrong. The guilt trips kept ramping up until I literally felt super guilty for doing anything without him. Whenever I was on the phone with my mom or my sister he would pout or poke me with stuff. Just act like a child that doesn’t know how to behave properly. It didn’t take long before I didn’t really have friends any more.

He convinced me to quit my job because he made enough to support us and that way I could spend more time with Naomi. It would also make sleep for him easier since he worked 3rds and I was usually on 1sts.

When he asked me to marry him that fall (three months before fall) I was trapped. I was financially dependent. I didn’t have friends. I felt alone. He had become lazy at home. Wouldn’t ever spend time with Naomi unless I made him. Threw literal fits (actually threw himself onto the floor, like a toddler) when I asked him if he could run to the store for me. Wouldn’t do anything around the house because “he had a job.” Like that was some divine gift he gave me. I said yes. We got married in October 2011. I was 21.

The wedding was perfect. He let me do whatever I wanted. I’m pagan, but have a lot of really Christian family. So I mixed traditions, all the pagan aspects seemed just a little quirky to my very Christian family members. Only my mom and sisters and husband to be knew the real symbolism. My cake was a pale yellow with orange decorations. The bottom tier was a circle, the second a star (pentagram for those that were looking). My dress was Forrest green and my mom made it for me. A good friend of my mom officiated. I assembled the words from a website that helped people have a pagan wedding without non-pagans getting outraged. It was perfect. And it was the 29th. As close to Samhain as I could make it.

I thought maybe things would get better. They did for a little while. Until they got worse. Until he was yelling at me for not cleaning well enough. Until he refused to do anything with Naomi even when I begged. Until he started spending more than we had and blamed me for the debt. Until he bought whatever he wanted but the $0.99 coffee I bought was the problem. Until he broke me as a person and I forgot how to function.

I stopped being a person. I had a child to care for and I couldn’t get out of bed. I couldn’t cook. I couldn’t clean. The house fell to shambles which caused more fights. He started to cook because I never got out of bed. He bitched about that too. All I ever did was log into an MMO my sister had dragged me to in 2012 and lay in bed.

Then I cheated. There was this guy in the video game. Super nice to me, treated me like someone of value. It was so nice. I started to feel more like a person again. We sent pictures back and forth sometimes. We texted a lot. I started getting out of bed more. I started living again. I was starting to feel like I could be ok, that not everyone would treat me like dirt while claiming to care. He caught me though. After several months... I forgot to lock my phone when I went to the bathroom. He caught me.

We fought. He broke stuff. He stormed out. Then he told me he wanted to work it out. I ended it with the guy. X started to treat me better. We talked a lot. It felt like he really cared. Until he didn’t again. Until his spending got even worse. Until I couldn’t take his presence any more. Until I threw myself into that MMO ever harder. Running a raiding guild with my closest friends in game. He still didn’t want me to work.

He was working from home for a tech company at that point. He started staying at work later and later. Hiding his phone. Whatever. I knew he was cheating. I didn’t care. Then he would stop trying to touch me. After I few months, I ended up getting even closer to my best friend. The guy I ran the guild with. We started dating. He was fully aware of my home life. Four months after that, X asked me for a divorce. He said it would be civil. We could work everything out.

Then he tried to screw me. I had to get a lawyer because he was trying to stick me with all the debt. I fought him in court until I was just sick of it. He had my power shut off when he moved out. Without telling me. Then when I tried to put it in my name. They told me I owed them $1600. My landlord called to tell me I was two months late in rent and they were going to evict unless I came up with the money in 30 days. He had opened several credit cards in my name and maxed them out. My credit is destroyed.

I gave up fighting because I just wanted him to go. He moved out of my house and into the girlfriends house. He had started paying her bills two months before he moved. That’s why mine were all in collections.

Fast forward. It’s been 2 years since he moved out. My daughter misses him. She texts him all the time. He makes empty promises about having her come visit. He tells her he will take her places and never does. He had a baby with this new girl. Naomi wants to meet her brother. She hasn’t yet. He PROMISED her that he would take her for a weekend this summer. Never happened.

I refuse to trash talking him to her. She will discover who is on her own. Maybe I am a terrible person, but I don’t want to be the bad guy here. And I have to soothe her broken heart every time he breaks a promise. I have to get over bubbly Facebook messages from the new girl about plans she wants to make with my daughter and try not to be bitchy since I know they won’t follow through. I just got a message from her. They are oh so concerned because there was a recall on some of Naomi’s meds, but they haven’t been concerned enough about her health to come see her. To talk to her in a regular basis. To FaceTime with her. To console her when our cat died.

I think I’m just being pissy tonight. I’m just fed up with him treating my daughter like she doesn’t count when she loves him to the moon and back. He doesn’t deserve her love.

#personal #ex husband hell #one of many reasons why i wont let people get close to my daughter like that again #fucking assholes #dont mind me i just got a facebook message from the new girl #i call her the new girl but they have a one and a half year old son together #i think i hate people for the rest of the night #venting #rant #long

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zrtranscripts · 7 years

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Season 6, Mission 28: Hot In Here

Over the Hills and Far Away

[motor rumbles]

NADIA AL HANAKI: [screams and laughs] Woohoo! Ah, this adapted bike is working like a dream, Five. Thanks for coming out to test it with me. I am running rings around you!

SAM YAO: [laughs] I can't believe Amelia managed to put that together for you, Nadia. Where'd she even get all the parts?

[motor stops]

NADIA AL HANAKI: It wasn't her! It was me. I designed it, put together a spec. I wanted something that would do a fast running pace and would go for days without a battery recharge.

Amelia just advised me on who to do swapsies with to get what I needed. These handlebars? Literally, it was a chain of about 18 swaps. I think that piece of moon rock from the science museum was in the chain somewhere.

SAM YAO: Oh, okay. Uh, well, you've tested it pretty convincingly on a variety of terrain there. Now you're halfway up a mountain and uh, yeah. Just about edging into Cleft Ridge Settlement territory. Uh, time to head home?

[comms shack door opens]

JANINE DE LUCA: Mr. Yao, a matter of some urgency. Which runners do we have in the field? Anyone near Barnabas Enclave?

SAM YAO: Um, well, yeah. Runner Five's out with Nadia near-ish there. What is it?

JANINE DE LUCA: Ah, Miss Al Hanaki, I see your adapted vehicle is working well. Excellent. I have a matter of the highest importance for you. Listen very carefully.

SAM YAO: [strong accent] You will say this only once.

JANINE DE LUCA: I will repeat it as often as needed, Mr. Yao, but time is of the essence. The Minister is planning an invasion of Abel Township. We learned that she was sending out invasion plans, but not precisely when or where.

Dr. Kitsnis, the defector from Muddleton, told us which of Sigrid's generals and aides had the weakest security at their homes. My Pit Viper assassins have been surveiling them since then. A briefcase which I believe contains the invasion plans has been delivered to the home of a General Victory in a village in Barnabus Enclave today.

SAM YAO: [laughs] General Victory? What, that's his actual name?

JANINE DE LUCA: He's a highly decorated war hero.

SAM YAO: So the assassins are picking it up from Victory's house?

JANINE DE LUCA: They attempted to gain direct access to the village, but they fell afoul of plain clothes Ministry guards and have been detained. They will free themselves without causing casualties, but it will take some time.

NADIA AL HANAKI: And time's what we don't have. Every day makes Sigrid more friends. We'll go in over the mountains, not by the main road. And then we'll have got ourselves one step ahead of Sigrid's plans. On it.

[motor rumbles]

SAM YAO: Well, that terrain looks rough, Nadia. Is your bike up to it?

NADIA AL HANAKI: I guess this is one way to find out. We've come over the crest of that first hill. Which way now?

SAM YAO: Right. Uh, right. Uh, you're heading for a little mountain village. You're going to need to cross the mountain pass by Cleft Ridge to get to it. That's the quickest way.

NADIA AL HANAKI: Quickest and also most dangerous?

SAM YAO: Uh, yeah, well, isn't that always the way? Uh, yep. There's a few shamblers. Rambler shamblers, in fact. Half of them are caught up on the barbed wire. Ugh. By the rotted look of them, they could have been there since the apocalypse.

NADIA AL HANAKI: Wow. You don't see many of those anymore. Just think, if we had Sigrid's marvelous medicine, we wouldn't need to run at all.

SAM YAO: Yeah, well, we're working on getting some more of it. After she worked with Dr. Kitsnis on updating the standard Junin 2 vaccine, Janine's agreed to let Veronica have a go at replicating the cure, but she'd need quite a few vials to analyze.

NADIA AL HANAKI: Still running for us, then, eh? Come on, Five. We can outpace them. Go!

NADIA AL HANAKI: We're halfway through the pass now. No sign of anyone from Cleft Ridge yet, so I guess we're lucky today.

SAM YAO: Yeah, never say that, remember?

NADIA AL HANAKI: You know, Sam, I have given up on superstition. I used to believe in it. Rabbit's foot, and all that. But it didn't do me much good.

I was an air traffic controller. A plane I was directing crashed because the pilot went zom. I fell in Lem. He died. I was falling for Owen. Ian shot him. I got shot in the spine. If anyone gets to say I'm having a lucky day, it's me, all right?

SAM YAO: [laughs] Yeah. That's fair enough.

NADIA AL HANAKI: Any day I don't get shot and no one I love gets shot, that's a lucky day. And so far, this is a lucky day.

SAM YAO: Yeah, I don't know why I still believe in all that superstition stuff, to be honest.

NADIA AL HANAKI: It gives you the illusion of control in a terrifyingly meaningless universe where the government of your country is against you, and your best hope is that the various untrustworthy grifters and ex-military spooks you know will use their powers for you and not against you.

SAM YAO: Mm, yeah. Yeah, that about sums it up.

NADIA AL HANAKI: It's a confusing world, Sam. I went to work with Amelia because I thought, I can trust someone who always puts her own interests first. And if I can't trust it, at least she won't let me down.

SAM YAO: Yeah. I hear she's, uh, really popular at New Canton.

NADIA AL HANAKI: Oh yeah! She's just got it working really well. No endless meetings, no more advisory committees. They wanted to put up a statue to her, but she said, "For God's sake, I'm not a populist dictator. If you want to do something nice for me, install a copper-lined bath in my quarters."

SAM YAO: [laughs] And did they?

NADIA AL HANAKI: They did!

SAM YAO: Oh yeah, it's weird, but I sort of miss hanging out with her a bit now. Zoe's got her to agree to try and get ANNIE to replicate the immune baby version of the Junin 2 vaccine, but she's still not talking to me directly.

Hmm... those zoms you picked up earlier haven't given up just yet. They seem to be actually kind of impressively agile at shambling on that loose shale. [laughs] It's probably the good quality walking boots on their rotten feet. Still, pick up the pace, guys.

[motor rumbles]

SAM YAO: All right, you've definitely lost those zoms now. One of them got caught on another one's crampons and now they're tangled up with a bunch of walking line. You're good.

NADIA AL HANAKI: Are we good, though, Sam?

SAM YAO: Ah, now, is this another existential question? I mean, what is good now in a world governed by fascists and isolationists and zombies?

NADIA AL HANAKI: No. Do you see that car up on the ridge? Do you not think it's going awful slow?

SAM YAO: Oh, what, do you think someone's following you?

NADIA AL HANAKI: Where are we now? Have we crossed into [?] Settlement?

SAM YAO: Mm - [paper rustles] uh, yeah. Yeah, you have. Yeah, well, just about.

NADIA AL HANAKI: They're Sigrid loyalists now. Were fence-sitting, but they signed up to her last week. Amelia has me kept up to date on all of this. Slightest change in the alliances means our runners are making trades in completely different spots.

SAM YAO: Well, do you think they know about the delivery of those invasion plans?

NADIA AL HANAKI: If they did, wouldn't just be one car after us. No. I think they might know we've come from Abel and Fort Canton, though. We'd be a good prize in a trade. And if Janine's assassins have been taken at the border, they're probably spooked.

Tell you what, Five. I'll keep straight on here, make some noise, make them think they’re still on our tail. You head up that wee path. See it? If you open the paddock gate, the sheep will stray onto the road, and that car will have no way through.

SAM YAO: Yeah! Well, good plan, actually. You organize your runners like that?

NADIA AL HANAKI: As she tells me, Amelia only picks the best. Go on, Five. Run!

[car horn honks impatiently]

NADIA AL HANAKI: Ha! Yeah, good luck with that, mate. Honking your car horn is well known to make sheep do exactly what you want them to. It's magic like that. The louder you honk, the more control you have over the minds of sheep. Common knowledge.

SAM YAO: [laughs] Were you always that salty?

NADIA AL HANAKI: I'm a realist, Sam. Might as well enjoy the simple pleasures while we have them, eh? It's a good, brisk day for a ride, we've an important mission, and I managed to get a very angry person stuck in a herd of sheep. If you head over that hillock, Five, we'll meet up.

[car horn honks angrily]

SAM YAO: Wow, that village looks really lovely. I mean, really, just like it would have done before the apocalypse. Look at it! Little tea shop, buskers. It's always so weird to see places this normal nowadays.

NADIA AL HANAKI: I guess if Sigrid has the cure, her idea is that it might be like this everywhere soon. Zombie bite no worse than a nasty cut.

SAM YAO: Yeah, except wouldn't we also all have to subscribe to her weird Wakened Land agenda? All right, so General Victory's house is that little one just at the end of the road, with the white trim on the windows and the shingles on the roof. Five, if you could just sneak in there, get the case open, you'll be golden.

NADIA AL HANAKI: Well, you're not going in via the front or back door, that's for certain.

SAM YAO: Why? What's wrong with the doors? Oh, is this a Fort Canton thing? You guys do have doors, right?

NADIA AL HANAKI: Look at this street. It's subtle, but there are people watching that house. See the guy eating strudel at the cafe? See the busker on the street corner? Don't you think it's weird that they have guns in their back pockets?

SAM YAO: Well, I mean, it is the zombie apocalypse. [sighs] Hmm, but yeah, I take your point. The busker's got an earpiece, too.

NADIA AL HANAKI: Five, I'll wait here, keep an eye on them. You'll have to go in via the roof. Head down to the end of the street, climb the trellis on the first house, and then run back along the roof. Go now!

NADIA AL HANAKI: No movement down here, Five. The spooks on the street are still watching me, not you.

SAM YAO: All right, Five. You're on the roof of the right house. You've got an emergency cam in your backpack. Clip it to your front. They haven't got a lot of battery, but it should help me get you in safely. [Runner Five unzips backpack, rummages, clips and activates camera]

Okay, if you lower yourself down towards the back of that house, there's an attic window half open. [window creaks and slides open]

You're in! Head downstairs. General Victory's office is at the front of the building, that room overlooking over the square. He'll be out enjoying the festival today, so the briefcase should be on the desk.

[sighs] If we do this right, you should be able to be in and out of there, unseen, in under 30 seconds. Oh, uh, someone appears to be laser cutting through the wall of that corridor.

[laser burns, wall collapses, glass shatters]

BRENT VALMONT: Legs! Oh, you do crop up in the most fascinating places! What are you doing here?

SAM YAO: Oh, right, it's the world's most enthusiastic billionaire.

BRENT VALMONT: I can hear you, Sam! I managed to source an Abel headset and had it coded to my ANNIE earpiece. Nice to chat, buddy! Long time, no see!

SAM YAO: Yeah, so you're outside the office of one of Sigrid's top generals, having just cut your way through a wall. Does this seem like a good time for a catch-up?

BRENT VALMONT: Oh, right, right. Yep, I [?] fine. I was actually here for some information. ANNIE told me there was a 98% chance that I'd be able to pick up a briefcase with some of Sigrid's plans in it without being spotted. I know I should have sent a drone or something, but I just miss the adventure! Are you here for that briefcase, too?

SAM YAO: [sighs] Obviously! Oh, just go and get it, and we can argue over dibs later.

[door creaks open]

BRENT VALMONT: There it is on the desk. By the way, a few Pit Viper assassins were detained at the border. ANNIE thinks they'll get the blame for this break-in, so we're all in the clear! Let's get a look at those documents, and then we can have some lunch, Five? Just press those two clasps at the same time.

[briefcase begins beeping]

SAM YAO: Uh, what's that beeping sound?

BRENT VALMONT: No idea. ANNIE, what's that? ... she says to look at the front of the case where it's, uh - oh yeah, there it is, there it is. It's asking for a passcode. We don't have a passcode, do we? No? No, no, I didn't think so. Always worth checking.

Right. Um, ANNIE says that the briefcase had a fingerprint check, and we tripped it. If we don't get this case de-alerted at one of the Ministry facilities within the next 30 minutes, it'll self-destruct... and spit out poisoned gas... and broadcast our location and what happened here to the Ministry! So that's uh, three ways we could be dead in the next half hour.

[briefcase continues beeping]

#zombies run #zrs6 #s6m28 #hot in here #zr transcript #zrs6 spoilers

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