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queer-whatchamacallit · 8 months

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I just rewatched 1x02 of The Bear, and took notes to get deeper into these fucked up silly guy’s heads, so here we go!!

Tw: workplace abuse, intentional emeto

The staff at EMP wear white tops, black pants, and a blue apron which Carm continued after his switch to The Beef

With both the “why?” bit and “Do you like working with fucking idiots?” “I’ll do better,” the only accepted response is that a mistake was made and it was their fault

“Do you like working with fucking idiots?” “I’ll do better.” “Say ‘yes Chef’” both serve to paint Carm as a fucking idiot and to show Chef as always deserving his respect

There’s a constant flip flop between absolutely tearing Carm to shreds and making him feel like dirt beneath Chef’s shoe for the problem that occurred and making sure he’s keeping work flowing at a rate and quality that’s acceptable to Chef (which it never will be)

I’m sure you’ve seen the “Chef saying ‘you should be dead’ was off screen so you can’t tell if it was actually Chef or if that was in Carmy’s head,” and I lean more toward the latter. I know it’s plausible (which is really fucked up), but I just like the narrative possibilities for Carm starting to hear Chef’s voice. It sounds different too. It’s whispered, but Chef had to be careful about who heard that one more than everything else, so idk

His eyes are kinda hazy through the whole thing, and when it’s over, he stalls for a second before blinking hard and brushing it off. He still sounds kind of off-kilter after though.

There’s a time skip I never noticed before where one moment, he’s desperately calling hands, and the next, they’re cleaning up after service. Maybe unintentional but maybe slipping in a little of that s1 unreality and showing that Carmy misses time sometimes

Marcus just loves messing with Richie, first his cologne and second “DeVry, we’re serious about success!!” and he’s so real for that

SYDNEY: [mocking laughter] <333

Carm doesn’t actually clean the floors with a toothbrush, he had a rag which feels… weird. His floor-cleaning toothbrush is such a staple in fics

He walks to and from work

On his coffee table, he has an ash tray, a mason jar of water, and some clutter I couldn’t make out

“YOU KILLED MICHAEL” on the order tickets is an interesting one. I’d probably tie this most easily to the train of thought that he wasn’t there, but he could have helped, and if he never left, Michael would still be alive. Maybe he thinks the pressure of having to deal with him as a kid contributed or that his success as a high end chef made Mike feel like shit by comparison, but idk, there’s a lot of ways you could go here

“That’s um… a lot of words.” We have a work day here and reading about managing his business is not fast and exciting and Carmy is a little blood-sniffing shark, if he stops moving, he’ll die. Fr kinda love him for this but am pissed at him for just shoving it back to Syd

“Is my hair on fire?” I had to look up a definition, but Carmy’s starting to wonder if he’s just totally fucked and if The Beef can make it out of this. It’s interesting to see him so unsure of whether he’s going to make it. “Not yet, no, but you need help,” just feels nice. It’s both sugar-coated and completely accurate

I love Ebra for just listening to T rant about how much she hates Syd, and later, he just fuckin rocks it when Syd calls orders out. Ebra’s one of my favs <33

Syd with her journal shows the first signs of her impatience and Richie interrupting her with the inspector I think finally flipped the switch of her just absolutely despising him

Them getting a C and seeing everyone go through the 5 stages of grief is so funny omg

Syd breaking up fights and stubborn idiot-proofing by getting the right caulk was so hot girl of her

“Fak, fix that fuckin sound.” I want to know what made the difference between this and the “I don’t mind it” alarm during the s2 Cicero meeting

“He’s a baby. Don’t get Carmen into trouble, y’know? I was a baby too once, Sydney. Nobody gave a fuck.” This is pretty self explanatory, but… yeah ouch

Carm’s willing to vent to Jimmy about work with the slightest encouragement. Might point to them having a closer relationship, or maybe Carm would vent about work to whoever will listen

“I asked you where you’ve been.” So he hasn’t seen Cicero or his mom since moving back, and I feel like him and Nat had at least texted or called before 1x01 but probably not seen each other, could be wrong on that though. So he just dove headfirst into the restaurant the second he got back to Chicago, and hasn’t even talked to the family he’s been self-isolating from for the past 5 years

I love Carm’s phone password being 11111

Edit: I’m watching this ep yet again, and the flowers on the table in the scene with Pete are the same from his cooking show dream in 1x08!!! Maybe tying in that he feels like his slow breakdown is being seen by everyone he knows, not just those connected just by cooking. Or maybe it’s connecting his conversation with Sugar to how he was also struggling especially hard at the time of the dream, but then, I feel like it would be in Sugar’s kitchen when they’re talking about it. Idk but I love this detail a lot

Sugar doesn’t seem to treat Pete super great :’(. She kinda pushes him away after he hands her the phone, and he instantly assumes that she’s telling him to shut the fuck up. She is the sibling trying hardest to change and be healthier, but she did indeed inherit that Berzatto temper and fast pace to the point of rudeness

Carm’s “Did you hear I apologized? :D” is so funny to me

Carm will vent to Sugar when something happens that’s more in the mental side of things. He wants to be casual about it, doesn’t want to think too hard into how deeply fucked he is, but he needed to talk to someone about almost setting his apartment on fire

Apparently he sleep cooks “sometimes,” and that wasn’t the only time

We know that the breathing difficulties started “sometime in New York maybe?” and I feel like crying out of nowhere is a little more recent, but the nightmares could’ve started at any time, or maybe he was saying New York for all 3, who knows

“I don’t want to bother you.” When considering who to tell what, he does consider his perceived burden on the other person

“I was throwing up every day before work… kinda dug it.” This quote has naturally festered in my brain for the past couple months because it says so much about him. He experiences stress nausea and maybe it became an intentional way of gaining control and consistency in an environment that fought so hard to make him feel faceless and powerless. It shows how far he is willing to go for this. He’ll do whatever it takes, including making himself vomit from anxiety. In his mind, it helps him become a better chef. Could also illustrate his likely connection between perfection and suffering. He kinda dug it. He felt like that self-destruction was necessary for him to excel. I could go on all day

He stayed there because “People loved the food. It felt good.” Here’s his stated motivation. His actual motivation is some messed up combination of that and lot of stuff he talks about in his Al-Anon speech: the excitement of being that good at something for once, just keeping going, hoping that one day, Mikey would acknowledge how good he was at it. People loving the food was confirmation that he was really fucking good at this. More than anything though, he wanted Mike to love the food

When the health inspector reveals that a pack of cigarettes was left by the stove, it doesn’t cross his mind that it was him. He was the CDC at EMP, he wouldn’t make a mistake like that, but he did, and now, this is just reinforcing how fucked everything’s gotten, especially himself. He’s just the type of person who leaves cigarettes by stovetops now

And yeah, that’s 1x02 - Hands all good and done!! Again, I don’t know how far I’ll get with these, but they’re very fun

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heroineimages · 6 months

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Excerpt from something I don't know what to do with yet

Fiddling with a story idea I had about a bi single-mom meeting her sometimes-friends-with-benefits bestie's new girlfriend and welcoming her into their social circle. No idea what I'll do with any of it, but it's a random idea I had inspired by several GL stories I follow.

"H-hey, um, Julia, C-Carmen asked me to come see if I can help," hailed a timid voice from the kitchen doorway.

I turned from arranging crackers on the tray to see Quinn cowering in the doorway, hugging herself. "Sure, hon!" I beamed, trying to adopt my most non-intimidating posture. I guessed Quinn to be no taller than 5'1" without her heels on, and even with them she was a good inch shorter than my 5'4".

"We need cheese grated for Carmen's signature cheesy garlic bread. There's a bowl already out," I added, pointing to it. "Cheddar is in the fridge, grate around a quarter of it. Pedro broke the grater attachment for Carmen's Salad-Shooter, and she keeps meaning to replace it, so you'll have to use the hand-grater in the drawer to the left of the stove."

"Okay, found it," Quinn announced quietly, holding the grater out to me as if I might not believe her claim, otherwise.

I think I see what Lonnie meant about her new girlfriend's self-esteem struggles, I observed silently as Quinn set the grater atop the designated bowl and started shredding cheese. I still wasn't sure why she was so nervous around me, but by now I suspected she was wary of the fact that Lonnie and I were best friends who used to fuck.

"So, um, Carmen mentioned that you and Lonnie were friends-with-benefits," Quinn finally confessed, glancing in my direction without ever really making eye-contact.

"Yeah! Though it's been a good four months since last time," I admitted, trying to reassure her. "Long before the two of you met, I promise."

"S-sorry," she murmured. I glanced over to watch her choke back a sob, tears forming at the corners of her eyes. "I didn't mean to t-take that away from you--" she started, trailing off, fighting off another sob.

"Sweetheart, I wish you wouldn't worry about that," I promised, slicing up Monterey Jack for the cheese-and-crackers tray. "Sure, Lonnie and I are occasional friends-with-benefits. But romance wasn't one of those benefits! We've been friends for I guess it's been over five years. We've had each other's backs when things got shitty for either of us, and she's like an aunt to my little girl.

"Sure, we've fucked quite a few times," I explained, gesturing with the cheese-slicer while she grated cheddar to melt over the garlic bread. "But that part of our relationship was never more than two friends having sexy fun together. I want her to find a terrific girlfriend! I want Lonnie to date someone who can fulfill her romantic needs and give her the kind of intimacy she's after. Sorry if this seems crude, but no matter how intense our sex-life was, it was never any deeper than that she's got a bod like a fucking amazon, and I have wicked-awesome hooters!" I set the cheese-slicer down and hefted my c-cups for emphasis.

Quinn giggled a little for the first time since I met her. "She does have a body like an amazon," she agreed, glancing at my chest before blushing and turning away.

"Right?" I laughed, glad to see her relaxing around me as I picked the slicer back up. "I could relate a lot better to that song by the Commodores after I met her! The point is, hon, I don't want you to feel insecure about Lonnie and me. Just treat my friend like the sexy warrior-queen she is, and I promise you and I will never have a problem, deal?"

"Yeah, okay, deal," she promised, setting the cheese down and offering me her hand on it.

I laughed and shook it. We lapsed into silence as we went back to prepping dinner. I had to laugh a moment later when I heard Quinn murmur, "She's the one, the only one, built like an amazon."

"Woo! Sing it, girl! Belt it out like you're on stage in Vegas!" I cheered, bumping my hip to hers as I swayed my booty to the tune.

"So damned glad to see you two getting along," Lonnie gave a sigh both exasperated and relieved as she entered the kitchen a minute later to the two of us giggling and singing "She's a Brick House."

She'd always hated that song.

#my writing #excerpts

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jillvalcntines-archive · 2 years

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❝ i don’t have nightmares when you’re there. ❞ Carmen and Chris!

Staying The Night Prompts

pairing: chris redfield x carmen lopez fandom: resident evil word count: 2.5k

As much as Carmen wished for the night to continue and turn into the morning without them noticing, the constant gaze to her digital watch over the door to her kitchen was impossible to resist. The movie playing in front of her was already forgotten.

It was September 30th and as every year during that time, her mind would no longer rest, running the memories in her mind like a movie in the theater, tormenting her with the ghost of her sister… of her colleagues. Innocent civilians paying for the hubris of a corporation that had seen the city as their big test field. And the nightmare repeated until it would end with herself joining the dead and awakening to be one thing: A monster.

Thunder and lightning took no break, ripping the sky apart and growling so loud, she thought it might shred her apartment into pieces next.

“You alright?”

She almost didn’t hear his voice over the loud thunder, as even the late night movie was hard to understand and she had turned the volume so loud, she feared her neighbors might follow the plot better than she did.

Avoiding locking her eyes with his, she stared at the tv, legs pressed against her chest and arms wrapped around them. Breathing hurt, but the lack of air in her lungs helped her not to think about it. To concentrate on whatever movie was running in front of her. A comedy, from the looks of it.

“Carmen?” Chris’ voice breached through her, laying over her skin like a warm blanket, but with the next lightning and the following thunder, it was ripped away from her again, leaving only the cold grip of fear behind.

Only as Chris stepped into her view did she dare to look at him. He had already put on his black jacket which was still damp from the rain as he had arrived at her apartment for their little drink. It was a tradition for them. If one of them were in town on the 30th, they would meet in their apartment and drink. They barely talked about that fateful night and she knew that Chris was the last one to ask, as Jill and Claire had told him exactly what had happened — and how much luck he had had back then.

But she knew Chris. He saw this turn of events anything but lucky, and always regretted it that he hadn’t stayed in Raccoon a little longer. That perhaps he might have helped a few more people. Chris Redfield and his savior complex, as she liked to say it.

Yet, tonight was different. It was already very cold, as if fall was catching up earlier this year and no one except them were in D.C..

Jill and Carlos were on a mission in Southern Chile, Leon was somewhere in Spain, Claire had begun working for TerraSave and tried finding more victims of Umbrella’s crimes and did her best to help them. So, it was just the two of them, but somehow the old feeling of loneliness and dread crept up in her body like the cold turning her blood into ice with every second that passed until it would succeed as soon as Chris would leave her apartment.

“I’m alright,” she answered a bit too fast, having already seen another question about her wellbeing leaving his lips. Chris raised his eyebrow and the car keys in his hands slipped right back into his jacket.

“See you tomorrow?” He asked and Carmen wished she could answer with yes.

“I took the day off,” she whispered back, voice barely audible, but she knew Chris understood her. He didn’t take his eyes off of her for a second and this time she met his gaze head on. It was as if he expected her to break into tears any moment… like a fragile little vase of glass that has to be handled carefully or she’d shatter.

But whatever her gesture had given him for signals, it was far from what she wanted, as she only saw in the corner of her eyes a soft nod, before he walked around the sofa and his hand fell onto her shoulder.

It was surreal how warm his touch was, reaching through her jumper and spreading all over her skin.

“See you on Monday then.”

It was painful not to stand up and give him a hug, as she always did when they said goodbye. Sometimes it was the only thing bringing her through some long nights, sometimes even weeks, before she’d see him again one morning with two cups of coffee waiting in her lab.

Carmen cursed herself for longing after his warmth as soon as he stepped towards her door. She was old enough to survive a damn night with thunder and lightning. It wasn’t different from any other night with a storm and yet, the pouring rain outside threatened to drown her as soon as he’d step over the threshold… and let her demons consume her. Ask him. It wouldn’t be the first time.

“Chris?”

She didn’t turn her head, only listening to his stalling heavy footsteps. She felt his eyes against the back of her head.

“Do you… do you need to be up early?”

Coward. She let her legs slip through her grip and the cold of her wooden floor ran right into her feet.

“I have a briefing around eight,” he answered and his voice got clearer and louder together with his steps.

“You don’t have to say yes, but—” Carmen sighed with a mute grunt. “Can you stay with me… for the night?”

Silence spread through her apartment with only the rhythm of the rain and the chaotic crashing of the storm rioting outside, but even a clear no from his side would have been better than whatever this silence was.

“I get if you want to go home and sleep in your own bed, but mine is pretty big and—” The hard contrast of the heat running into her head to the coldness in the rest of her body made her dizzy and Carmen expected for her brain to explode. “I just… I don’t have nightmares when you’re there.”

Even though she couldn’t see his face, her back still turned towards him and too much of a coward (too much of a broken little girl) to watch him shake his head, decline with a polite excuse and leave, Carmen quietly took a deep breath, but the following shallow breaths were impossible to quieten. They came quicker in a row and she already feared for Chris to witness another one of her attacks. It was just one of those nights. The ones which showed her clearly that no matter how much time would pass, they’d come for her and torture her, enjoying every little drop of her cold sweat when she’d wake up screaming.

Minutes passed (at least it felt as such) and Carmen feared he had left without a word, that she might have scared him away with her burdening request, but as she was about to turn her head to the door, Chris sat down beside her, free of his jacket and only sitting there in a dark blue shirt, as if he’d never intend to leave in the first place.

“You might regret that.” Carmen would have probably overthought his warning a hundred times before he could have explained it further, but the smile hiding in the corner of his lips was enough to keep any thought of hers at bay. “I was told I’m a blanket hogger.”

The laughter broke out of her without warning, echoing through her apartment, as if not one nightmarish memory had already burned into her mind and as she joined with a chuckle, every little fear inside her perished from existence. Untouchable for the moment, invincible.

“You can have your own,” Carmen answered between giggles and wiping off a tear from her cheek before going off to find another blanket somewhere in her wardrobe.

Chris turned off the tv, casting the rest of the apartment in darkness, before light led him into her bedroom. A room he had only seen twice and somehow felt forbidden to enter. It wasn’t big, as the bed took up much of the space, but the warm, orange colors reminded him of her former dorm room, as the same wall of picture decorated the left side. Most of the pictures were new. Many portrayed Claire and Carmen on their little vacation they had taken a few months ago through Europe. The right kind of adventure, as his sister had told him. Others showed Jill and Carmen in summer dresses from this year at Barry’s house or Carlos and her, doing silly faces and holding up carrots. The writing on the polaroid frame made him chuckle again: ‘Te quiero, hermanita. Stop annoying me into eating my vegetables.’

But one picture, right in the middle of her wall, caught his attention. It wasn’t a polaroid, but one of the bigger pictures pinned and Chris questioned if it might not actually be him on it, but someone who happened to look like him. It wasn’t a good picture, as it was a bit blurry and the bright sun at the horizon didn’t help with the quality, as the people were almost silhouettes, but he would recognise that wide smile anywhere. They didn’t look into the camera, both of their eyes hidden by sunglasses, but even behind the tinted glasses she was almost out beaming the sun itself, as he seemed to smile wide about something she had said.

Yet, he didn’t remember ever having taken this picture.

“It’s the only one I have of us.”

His eyes jumped to her, not having noticed that he had taken it from the wall, staring at it as if it was a riddle to solve. He looked at the backside. Vancouver, April 1999. The spring he has been visiting her in Canada… The same year they had survived another outbreak in another damn lab of Umbrella.

“I can’t remember someone taking a picture of us.”

“Moira took it. She was so eager to try out her new camera, but had no idea how to use it,” Carmen smiled. She still remembered little Moira grabbing after her new birthday present and shooting a picture of anything that got under the lenses. It had been only a question of time until she’d find a chance to take one of them, and even though Moira had been disappointed with how some pictures looked, she’d never forget the big smile on the little girl’s face, when she had told Moira how much she loved that picture of herself and Chris — only for Barry’s oldest to give it to her as a present.

Chris placed the picture back into its place on the wall, before looking at the thick blanket in Carmen’s arms, but she kept her eyes on the picture with nostalgia written in her eyes, but ultimately locking her eyes with him as he relieved her off the blanket.

“You had interesting hair back then.”

Chris’ head turned back to the picture and let out an exhausted scoff, as he understood what she meant. Back then his hair had been a bit longer and stood wild from his head in what his sister had called the ‘bad boy charm’. Nothing he had thought much about back then, but something inside him stirred awake as Carmen chuckled about his reaction. It drowned out any other sound from outside. Chris thought the rain had stopped for a second and the storm had passed as well, but when he turned to her bed and the window close to it, it seemed to have gotten worse, but he didn’t care.

The little sound of delight was just so innocent and addictive at the same time, he mentally called himself out to keep in check. “Another word and the other blanket will be mine, too.”

She kept her mouth shut, but the wide smile spoke enough unsaid words, which caused him to roll his eyes. This wouldn’t be the end of her teasing about his old hair style. But as soon as they had taken their turns in the bathroom, the storm had lightened with only a heavy rain remaining, but another storm was approaching Carmen’s stomach. In all her luck not to end up alone this night and imprisoned by her own mind in nightmares, she had forgotten that Chris had no change of clothes — which meant him without a shirt and in dark boxers only.

Nothing she hadn’t seen before after a nice day at the beach, but somehow in the soft orange light of her nightstand lamp in her bedroom, it reached her heart with illicit thoughts.

Chris didn’t look at her, when he joined her in bed, his eyes closed as soon as he lay down with one hand on his chest and arm behind his head, as if he was only about to take a little nap. Her bed was slowly encapsulated by his scent, a fresh citrus tone with something wooden in there and Carmen caught herself wishing for her pillow to hold on to it forever. It made her forget about the next day, about what had happened all those years ago, even if it was just for the moment.

Carmen turned off her light and the shadows of moving branches of the trees outside casted by the cold streetlamp light danced on her wall. She closed her eyes, not waiting for the shadows to play a trick on her, slowly turning into walking corpses in the dark corner of her apartment or waiting for a moan of the dead, as one sneaked into her home.

“You think loud,” Chris ripped her out of her horror, making her flinch, but the final smile was inevitable on her lips.

“Sorry, I just— it was raining that day. When I was at the RPD. I somehow expect one of those zombies crashing through the windows any second.”

“They’d have to jump real high to reach your window.”

Carmen’s giggle broke through without warning, imagining the zombies jumping in front of her window like an overexcited puppy and as she opened her eyes to look at Chris, they met his.

He had this laid-back smile, so free of worry that it was strange to remember his usually serious expression at work, where everyone only knew him as ‘Agent Redfield’.

“Thank you, Chris. For staying.” Her words were merely a whisper, but he heard them, nodding at her while his smile didn’t falter a bit.

Her heart had already decided before her head could have a say in it, as he spread out his arm and offered her his side. She didn’t even dare to look him in the eye as she snuggled close to him and thus ruined any other pillow for her.

Chris was tall and bulky, but her head lying on his chest and listening to his heartbeat was like a personal-written lullaby to her, as his perfume was filling her other senses and turning off any kind of dark memory.

She had already drifted off to sleep as Chris put a gentle kiss on the top of her hair and slipped into Morpheus’ arms, as well.

#misc: writing #story: city of the dead #ship: carmen x chris #oc: carmen lopez #userarklay #userchocobothis #usermandalhoerian #useraartyom #usercultistbase #usermontliyets #userapocalypsekid #userswordcoasts #usermorvaris #userthebisexualmandalorian #( and I am crying because this is so damn soft!!! )#( i have so no idea when to place this in the timeline <.< because i keep changing stuff so just see this a perhaps a little 'what if'#snippet but believe me it didn't take long for them after that to finally get their stuff going #they own me in a way i am not okay with but at the same time yes i am )#writing*

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shadeedee · 4 months

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Producers & MBS crossover fic- COSTUME COMPETITION: ROUND 2

Roger Debris was determined to win the costume competition this year. Last time Constance Contraire had beaten him and he wasn’t going to lose this time. Not to a toddler! Roger sat on his lavish sofa, laughing evilly. “Ah revenge. Sweet like candy and a dish best served cold like ice cream,” he said. Carmen smiled. “Oh Roger what great alliteration,” he said. “Thank you darling,” Roger said, and they both chuckled. Then he turned serious. “Guys! Bring out the costumes!” he bellowed. The production team rushed downstairs, with Kevin carrying a pile of clothing in his arms. “Here we are Mr Debris. The finest costumes of this year,” he said, placing them in front of Roger. Roger sat down in deep thought. He didn’t know which one to choose from. “Hmm. Decisions, decisions,” he said. It had to be a costume that would wow the judges and one that would have him as the winner. “Roger darling, we always win you know that. There’s no need to worry,” Carmen said. Roger stood up. “Carmen, you’re forgetting about last year! That stupid little girl and her idiot Benedict society beat me! I was left humiliated! My name in shambles! My dress in shreds!” he wept, and collapsed in his chair. Carmen took out a fan and waved it in his face. “There there darling yes you’re right i’m sorry i forgot. Not to worry. We shall get you a gorgeous gown! A splendid gown! One that has the audience gasping with amazement! It will be the talk of the town!” he said, happily. Kevin held up a golden sparkly dress with ruffles on the bottom. Roger’s eyes widened with glee. “Yes! That’s it! That’s the one! Now let’s add some shoes!” he cried, putting his feet into a pair of golden heels. “Oh Mr Debris! You look absolutely divine!” Kevin gushed. “LOVE IT!” the team cheered. Roger wiped a happy tear from his eye. He put on his wig and then added the makeup. Just gorgeous. Absolutely beautiful,” Carmen said. Roger smiled at him. “Aren’t i always?” he said, and they both chuckled. Roger knew he was sure to win in this dress. “The Benedict society doesn’t stand a chance against me now. And i’m going to send that little girl crying home to her papa!” he said, and they all laughed flamboyantly.

At the Benedict house, Constance scowled. She was getting a little soldier uniform put on complete with the hat and cane. “I look ridiculous,” she said. “Nonsense you look adorable! Mr Benedict gushed. “Do you remember your tap dance routine?” asked Kate. Constance huffed. “Yes,” she replied. “Just to warn you all, Roger Debris is going to be attending. He’s hungry for revenge,” Number Two said. They gasped. Mr Benedict held Constance in his arms. “Don’t worry my dear. Even if you don’t win you’ll still be as cute as a button!” he beamed. “Oh I don’t know about that,” a voice said. They turned to see Roger coming over to them, in his glamorous costume. Their mouths were wide with shock. Roger took one look at Constance’s outfit and burst out laughing. “Oh Carmen darling have you ever seen anything so ridiculous!?” he cackled. Carmen laughed with him. Mr Benedict glared at them. “How dare you insult a child like that. Have some respect,” he said. But Roger laughed in his face. “Pardon me old man, but i think i know mediocre when i see it, and that definitely wins the most mediocre costume of the year award!” he replied, laughing. Carmen clapped his hands, gleefully. Roger smiled as they all stared at his gown. “I know. Wonderful isn’t it? As golden as the sun is how i feel in this dress. And the blonde wig is just the icing on the cake,” he gushed. “You look like a big blonde pineapple,” Constance said. Roger glared at her and then whimpered. “Oh Roger darling never mind her! You look beautiful,” Carmen said. “That’s the last time you insult Roger Elizabeth Debris!” Roger cried, and he stormed off. Mr Benedict sighed. “Constance my dear that was rather rude,” he said. “Well he was mean to me so he deserves it,” she replied, and toddled away angrily. “A little firecracker that one,” Rhonda said. “Yes i see what you mean,” Mr Benedict said, sighing.

Roger made sure he was full up and well fed before the competition started. The chef placed a big plate of steak and chips on the table with plenty of spices and marinades. “Mmmmm. Yummy. Just what i ordered. Although, those chips will go straight to my thighs,” he said, sighing. “Never mind that darling. Tonight you treat yourself. We both do. And after you win tomorrow, we’ll both go out for some sundaes,” Carmen said. Roger clapped his hands, gleefully. The whole production team sat down with them to eat and Sabu came in with the drinks. “Tomorrow after Mr Debris wins, i bring the champagne,” he said. They all cheered. “Who does that little girl think she is insulting you?” Scott said. “She clearly doesn’t know who i am or what i’m capable of. Don’t worry. Tomorrow she’ll see exactly what i can do!” Roger replied, and they all chuckled. Roger took a bite of the steak on his plate. “Mmm! So juicy and tender!” he gushed. “Just like your ass,” Carmen said. The team hollered and whistled. “Now Carmen darling let’s not be too naughty at the dinner table. Save it for the bedroom,” Roger said and they both smiled at each other. “What’s for dessert?” Roger asked. “Chocolate mousse Mr Debris. Your favourite,” the chef replied. “Ooh so tempting and yummy,” Roger said, sighing with pleasure. Then his stomach gurgled. He moved to one side and suddenly let out a big, giant fart. The entire production team burst out laughing and Carmen’s eyes widened before he too burst into laughter. “Oh pardon me. Excuse my bottom,” Roger said, shifting around in his chair.

The next day was competition day. Constance showed up in her costume and so did Roger. “Knock em dead, darling,” Carmen said. “I’ll knock them dead alright. And i’ll win,” Roger replied. He smirked at the society. “Well if it isn’t the soon to be losers,” he said, chuckling. They glared at him. “He needs an attitude adjustment,” Kate said. Constance was first up on the stage and she did her tap routine perfectly and they loved her adorable soldier costume. Roger scowled from backstage. Now it was his turn. He strutted on stage like it was a fashion show and blew kisses to the crowd. The judges loved his dress. “Yes! There’s your winner right there!” Carmen hollered. The production team clapped and cheered. “I hate to say it, but he’s actually really good,” Number Two said. Next Roger began to dance and shake his butt to the crowd. The production team whistled and Carmen clapped with delight. When it was time to announce the winner, Roger was sure he would win. However, he didn’t. Neither did Constance. The winner turned out to be Kate who had entered her amazing circus routine. “This is an outrage! I always win!” Roger shouted. “Yes! You’re making a big mistake! We’re supposed to win!” Carmen cried. Constance was happy for Kate and handed her the competition trophy. “You deserve it, Weatherall,” she said. Mr Benedict was very proud of them both. “Well done girls! Excellent teamwork,” he said. Roger was furious. He was sure the competition was rigged. “I think there’s been some sort of mistake,” he said to the judge. “We’re sorry Mr Debris, but we wanted to give someone else a chance this year,” a lady said. “But Roger had the best routine and the best costume! He always does!” Carmen cried. Roger glared at the society. “You just wait. I’ll get even with you. Roger Elizabeth Debris never loses!” he yelled, and stormed off with Carmen strutting behind him.

Milligan hugged Kate. “I’m so proud of you, Katie cat,” he said. Kate smiled.

#the producers #competition #play to win

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cherrybarba · 3 years

Text

Dandelions - R.B.

Pairing: Rafael Barba x Reader

Rating: PG13

Warnings: BRIEF SMALL TINY MENTION OF SUICIDE (not main character) mutual but oblivious pining, crushing, FLUFF

A/N: all !!! the !!! feels !!!

Based on the song Dandelions by Ruth B

"Maybe it's the way you say my name.

Maybe it's the way you play your game.

But it's so good, I've never known anyone like you ."

The whole squad knew you and Rafael liked each other, that much was for sure. It was obvious, with the flirty banter constantly echoing between the two of you. In fact, they were sure that everyone knew, except the two of you. The looks the two of you managed to sneak at one another when the other's back was turned made the squad's hearts swell. The problem was, the two of you were convinced that the other was just being overly nice. How could you not? A new detective and the star ADA? It was asking for trouble and paperwork that you were sure that neither of you wanted.

That didn't change Rafael's slight obsession with you from growing with every waking moment. You had a heart of gold, and your genuine kindness was one of the things that made you an asset to the team. You had a way with victims, your pure sunshine convincing even the most stubborn of them to confront their abuser in court. He admired how much courage you gave these women to share their story.

You of course were no better, with your favoritism for the man. You brought him coffee when he stayed late, even dinner if you had enough time to grab it. His assistant, Carmen, had picked up on this and eventually she figured out that the two of you liked each other. She made a point to grab your number and to text you if the man was having a particularly harsh day, in which you would swing by with coffee for the rescue. The squad had taken bets one day, trying to figure out when and which one of you would finally crack and admit it.

Carisi had taken the long bet, committing to over 6 months from that point and that it would be Barba. Liv and Amanda, the hopeful romantics, wagered on Barba spilling in 2-3 months. Fin, to everyone's surprise, bet on you in 2 weeks, hoping the two of you would just bonk already. They each placed twenty dollars into an envelope that got tucked into Olivia's desk and not another word was spoken about it, until 3 weeks later.

"And I see forever in your eyes

I feel okay when I see you smile."

This case had been especially hard on everyone. The weight of it, however, had fallen particularly hard on you. You had pushed and pushed the victim to testify, convincing her that it would help assuage her pain. She ultimately had, but the defense had torn her to shreds on the stand. After leaving the courtroom, the victim drove home and threw herself off the roof of her building. You had lost it when you reached the scene, convinced it was your fault. Carisi had to hold you up and drive you back to the precinct to calm down, too afraid to drive you home to be alone. Barba obviously had seen the whole thing, his heart shattering at the cries leaving your body.

He had made a point to return to the precinct with Liv to discuss what they were going to do from this point forward. When he entered, he saw you cuddled into Carisi's side, sipping on coffee, wearing police issued sweats. Rafael's heart was set aflame at the sight of you snuggled close with someone who wasn't him. That was supposed to be his job, and here was Carisi stealing the light from him. He didn't even get a chance to fight the urge before he rushed over to you two.

"(Y/N), are you okay? You know this isn't your fault," he rushed out.

You sighed deeply, beginning to reply before Sonny cut you off, "(Y/N)? Since when are you two on a first name basis?"

"I'm okay, Counselor, thank you. I just didn't expect her to do that. I really thought I had gotten through to her in the hallway after her testimony. I told her that she had nothing to worry about," your voice trailed off as the tears resurfaced in her eyes.

Carisi began rubbing your back again, trying to coach you through another episode. Barba drank in the sight, his eyes narrowing in anger. If he disliked the man before this incident, the hatred was only intensifying by the second. He huffed before muttering that he'd be right back and marching off into Liv's office.

Your eyes crinkled in confusion, dismissing the man's weird behavior as stress from the case. But, Carisi knew better, because he knew exactly what was running through Barba's head at the moment. Carisi excused himself, claiming to need to use the restroom, leaving you in your lonesome. It wasn't a few more minutes before Rafael had returned from your boss's office before taking a seat next to you. Unbeknownst to you, the ADA and Olivia had not been talking about the case, but rather, you.

"(Y/N), talk to me. Are you really okay," he asked softly, turning to you.

"Well of course not. This is at least partly my fault. I pushed her to her limit and then forced her in front of Buchanan. I did this to her," you muttered out, tears streaming down your face.

Rafael reached a shaky and nervous hand out to you, beginning to rub your back with just the pads of his fingertips. His heart hammered in his chest, sure that you were going to freak out at him touching you. You, much to his astonishment, relaxed into his touch, allowing his hand to make full contact with your back. You were just as nervous as he was, hoping that you weren't crossing some sort of line with the older man. He moved again, this time to move your hair out of your face. You looked up at him through your eyelashes, making eye contact with him.

The moment seemed so right to you, with him staring into your eyes. You knew that if you didn't take the chance now, that you were going to end up missing it all together. You leaned in slowly, pressing a soft kiss to his lips, letting yourself linger for a moment before pulling away. The look of pure shock on his face was enough to make you jump to your feet, mumbling an apology before rushing off to the bathroom, bumping into Carisi on the way. He looked down at your figure on the ground before you got up again and rushed off.

When Sonny reached the squad room, he saw Barba sitting still in shock in the spot Carisi had previously been. Carisi stalked over to the sitting man, a fury in his eyes.

"What the hell did you say to her Counselor," he questioned urgently, worried about his friend.

This snapped the counselor to reality, finally, "Which way did she go, Carisi?"

"What do you mean? She ran off towards the restroom. What happened?"

With this the ADA took off, running in the same direction you did. Carisi's eyes widened as he realized what was going to happen. He turned on his heel, stalking off towards the Lieutenant's office.

"Lieu, (Y/N) took off, and Barba actually ran after her. I mean he really took off. I think it's happenin'," He giggled like a child.

Liv simply smiled and nodded, "I hope that it does. I may have tried to talk some sense into him. I am just so tired of watching those two pine for each other."

You were pacing in the bathroom when Barba reached you. You were borderline blubbering to yourself when he opened the door. His heart clenched again at the sight, knowing that you were beating yourself up even more now. He stalked over to you before grabbing your face and staring into your eyes. Tears welled up in them as they again twisted in confusion at the man standing in front of you. He had come after you?

As quick as he walked over to you, he leaned down, fully connecting your lips to his. Rafael desperately held you close to him, kissing you with such passion you thought you were going to pass out. When he finally broke away he stared down into your eyes again before peppering your face with kisses. You giggled softly as they tickled your face.

Finally he huskily whispered to you, "How long?"

Without even asking for context, you answered, "For a very long time, Counselor."

He smiled before breathing out a simple, me too.

"Here why don't we go talk about this in a separate room. Not to be that person, but the bathroom isn't really that romantic," You whispered to him.

He nodded and allowed you to lead him out of the restrooms, towards what seemed to be an interrogation room. You guys were so wrapped up in each other you didn't see the squad staring at you two with looks of mixed approval and shock. When you finally reached the room you turned to him and he immediately kissed you again. You chuckled into it, pulling him into you as you sat down on the table in the room. The kissing deepened, his grip on the small of your back tightening. You broke the kiss slowly, pressing another one to his nose.

"Counse-," you began quietly.

"(Y/N), I think we're past the point of formalities, you can just call me Rafael. Now, I have something I need to say before you do," He spoke with a tone of adoration, "I never thought that I would be able to have feelings for anyone after what my ex-girlfriend put me through. You really shook my life up, in the best way possible."

You nodded for him to continue.

"I think you are the one for me, cause it gets so hard to breathe when you're looking at me," he breathed out, a nervous quality in his voice, "I've never felt so alive and free."

"Well, Rafael, I feel the same," you smiled at the man, hoping to ease him into a calm state of mind, "When you're looking at me, I feel so happy."

He smiled at this and swooped you in for another kiss. You guys stayed in this embrace for a while, just basking in each other's presence. You almost didn't hear the soft knock at the door, you two springing apart and standing decently far away from one another. In walked Liv, a huge smile plastered on her face. She looked between the two of you knowingly, her smile widening as she took in the sight.

"You two do know that the whole squad watched you walk back here right? I just had to make sure you weren't 'confessing' on the table. Which you were," She chuckled.

A blush dusted itself over your cheeks, at the realization that indeed the whole squad had known about your crushes on each other. Rafael stumbled over his words for the first time, and Liv held a hand up to stop him, another chuckle leaving her lips.

"Don't even start Counselor, we knew long before this public display. You two really are extremely oblivious, did you know that?"

"Well, if I had known Olivia, I would've made my move a long time ago," the lawyer spoke.

She smiled cheekily before speaking again, "I won't keep you two. Just, don't have sex on the table please," with that she left the room.

You two shared a look, before sharing one more kiss and leaving the room behind her. You met the expectant faces of the squad, who all quickly turned to do something as the two of you walked in.

"Finally," Fin whispered to himself, neither of you catching him.

Just like neither of you saw Sonny slip the older detective an envelope full of money.

"And I've heard of a love that comes once in a lifetime

And I'm pretty sure that you are that love of mine."

#law and order svu #rafael barba #rafael barba imagine #rafael barba x reader #rafael barba x you #svu fanfiction #svu x reader #barba imagine #law and order fic #Spotify

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ginazmemeoir · 3 years

Text

for @gopikanyari - i couldn't draw them but i did write this fic.

tagging @taareginn @momo-all-the-way @dragonfairy1231 @aadyeah @weird-u @holding-infinity-and-a-book @aloomu @carmen-riddle @mango-pickle

Everything slows down. All I feel is my breath, the sweat trickling down my face, and the tension in my hand dissipating as I release the knife and let it fly. It strikes the dummy with a ‘thwack’, and I keep staring at it. Miss. Again.

My father didn’t consider educating his youngest child, a girl, in the art of warfare. So after getting married to five men, all brothers, in a strange twist of fate, having near death experiences in the forest and at my husbands’ home in Hastinapur, I decided to instruct myself. Swords made me feel confident, bows and arrows made me feel like a hero in an epic, but knives? They made me feel like a toddler playing pretend. And yet, Drona, my husbands’ mentor and father’s sworn enemy, insisted on teaching me in “the art of the blade”.

I lean against the wall, wiping the sweat off using a cloth, and head for a bath. As I exit, my maid Malti approaches me, her face writ with worry. “Um… uh… Your Majesty…” she stutters. I place my hand on her shoulder and calm her down, “What happened Malti? Something in your family?” I ask. Instead, Malti hands me a card. I take it from her, beaming at the seal – a dolphin encircled by a peacock feather – Krishna’s emblem. I greedily tear the elaborate wrapping, desperate for the kind of raucous and “unladylike” interaction that I only got with Krishna. My eyes skim over the letter’s contents, and my heart sinks. “Impossible,” I mutter, clutching the letter in my hand, “my husbands promised me complete fidelity. They cannot remarry again.” Malti, her voice trembling, then uttered the words which my feeble brain couldn’t read, “Your Highness, the invite was delivered by a member of the Dwaraka council. Prince Arjuna is getting married to Subhadra, Lord Govinda’s sister.”

The streets of Hastinapur are jubilant with celebrations, as their prince returns with his new bride. All over the city, repairs were done, and frivolous, expensive structures were erected, all in an effort to show the audacious wealth of the Kuru empire. The cheerful, flower and gold bedecked exterior hid the internal deformities. Suyodhana’s maternal uncle, Shakuni, or as everybody called him in the land – the snake – fumed at what had transpired (from what I gathered Suyodhana was to be wed to Subhadra, who had eloped with my husband); King Dhritarashtra boiled in silent anger, while Queen Gandhari taunted and cried out her distress every now and then.

Arjuna arrived on the gates of the palace, his new bride at his side, followed by my other husbands (his brothers) and Krishna. Both bride and groom were bedecked in the finest of clothes and jewels, looking like overstuffed dummies. Even from here in my balcony, I could clearly see the bride’s discomfort in wearing the heavy jewellery and silks preferred by the Hastinapur royalty even in the scorching summer. All the ceremonies and rituals were performed with due tradition, thus amounting to an hour or two, and then only did the entourage enter the palace. I hurry down to meet the party, when I see the newlyweds walking towards me. Anger floods every pore of my body. Had I had my way, I would have scorched the palace with the same fire from which I was born. What kind of man is this cruel, taking his second wife to meet his first? Disgusted I slam the door on their stricken faces, and bury myself in my misery. Was I never destined to be happy?

The years pass by, and an unlikely bond forms between Subhadra and I – the kind of bond shared by mothers. It took six pregnancies to break the barrier between us, and she had approached first. That would always be a guilt I would carry – that I hadn’t extended my hand earlier, blinded by pride and anger. Soon, awkwardness gives place to an unlikely friendship, with her teaching me the various wonders of the world she had seen on her various trips; Greece, China, the Golden Isand of Lanka, she had seen it all. Meanwhile I taught her how to wield a sword , and helped her navigate the tricky waters of politics and party throwing. It was a rare, pure friendship – one spent wearing a cotton sari under a scorching sun, eating mangoes with sticky hands and giggling, one I had never experienced before.

I walk towards my palace. Or, not my palace, since Duryodhana owns it now. Nothing is left, not even my pride and dignity. My dishevelled appearance, torn sari, entangled hair and bruises make for a frightening appearance apparently, stunning everybody into silence. I don’t feel human anymore, just a husk slowly inching its way before it collapses, for my soul was stripped along with my clothes in that den of gamblers and cowards. I seethe with a burning hatred against my husbands, pretentious motherfuckers cowering behind their false dharma and “code of chivalry”, which conveniently vanished when they took multiple wives and yet made me marry all five of them against my will. I want to rage and burn and destroy and drink the blood of Dushasana and use Duryodhana’s skull as the cup. I thought my city, this magnificent city of Indraprastha, loved me the same way I loved it. And yet, in my darkest hours, none came to stop what followed, except perhaps Vikarna, a brother of the man whom I didn’t consider human. Subhadra was in the guava orchards with Abhimanyu, when she saw me. She quickly put him down, and rushed towards me, trying to cover me with a scarf, as if I cared anymore. She took me inside, and drew a bath for me. That day, I scrubbed my skin raw till it turned red and almost tore my hair from my scalp, trying to rid myself of Dushasana’s filthy touch. She then gives me some khus, which I drink gingerly, my tears mixing with the sweet green concoction. At first, she looks stricken, unable to believe what had transpired. Disbelief gave way to pity, which gave way to anger. “It’s useless Subhadra. Nothing is left. And I will make sure, that nothing will be.” I console her. I see the fear in her eyes then. Good. People had forgotten who I was, but I’d make sure I’d remind them in the years to follow. They blamed me for what had happened right, that I was too weak or too proud? Well then I’d like to prove them right. I am Draupadi. Paanchali. Yajnaseni. Born from fire, born to wreak havoc, born to change the fate of this cursed land of Jambudweep, where the roll of a dice values more than a person.

The 13 years that follow are spent in agony. Twelve years of wandering in the forest, facing arrogant saints and malevolent creatures. I keep wondering of Subhadra and my kids. When she had heard the news, she had slapped an unsuspecting Arjuna, and taken Abhimanyu and my kids with her to Dwarka, safe and secure, forbidding him to show her his face until he proved himself worthy. Arjuna soon parted ways with us in the forest, going off on some adventure, finding new beauties to marry and accumulating more powers for the war to follow. I meet Hidimba in the forest as well, Bhima’s first wife. I envy her freedom and her life. And then comes the dreaded year of agyaatvasa – living in the shadows, for fear of recognition. Yudhishthira becomes advisor to King Virata of Matsya, Bhima a cook, Nakula the master of stables, Sahadev a shepherd and I, the mighty Draupadi? A hairdresser. How cruel life was, making the woman who kept her hair unkempt and open as a reminder of her revenge, a hairdresser to a queen. Arjuna also returned, but as the eunuch dancer Brihannala. Even here, peace eluded me as the queen’s brother Keechaka turned his perverted gaze towards me. But this time, I had enough. And so I invite him to a secluded spot and then have his skull crushed by Bhima.

It’s the time of war. Vultures and hyenas gather in the fields of Kurukshetra in anticipation of the feast to follow. I reside in the camp with the other ladies and children of the house. I am unable to recognize my own kids at first, how quickly they’ve grown and how much they have changed. They greet me with the same love and respect, but something has changed fundamentally in our relationship, a cherished bond that would never be the same. Subhadra is there by my side, making me live their childhood through their mischievous stories and their life at Dwarka, and yet my mind wanders to our six sons – wearing their armour and lifting their weapons, barely on the cusp of manhood and yet already thrust into a war that isn’t their own. I stopped believing in gods long since, and yet I pray to any that might exist with a shred of mercy in their heart towards me – let my children live.

Abhimanyu’s mutilated corpse greets us on the thirteenth day of war. His body looked so gruesome, even Yamraj would have shuddered. Subhadra’s wails pierce through the sky, reverberating more than the clang of metal and steel. She reaches for Abhimanyu’s body, hugging him close, with his head on her lap, embracing her son for a final time before the fires engulfed him. I am too shocked, and Subhadra too bereaved, to either comfort or be comforted. There is no sermon, no balm, no magic for this loss. His loss permeates into every single cell of our being, and stays there. Subhadra cries the entire night, her eyes red from crying, consuming neither food nor water. I stay by her side all along. The other ladies comfort his wife Uttara, in the final month of her pregnancy, devastated by the destruction of her own small world before it could begin. Finally, when dawn breaks, and her body is devoid of tears, does Subhadra arise, but she’s not the same. She goes with the Pandavas to cremate her only child, and returns back. She utters not a single word, conveys not a single emotion. She doesn’t rage like fire – she is instead like the oceans near her home. A turbulent storm rages within, which the calm face doesn’t give away.

I come back to my tent having exacted my revenge. The sound of Dushasana’s arms being ripped off, his skull cracking open echo in my ears. My hair drip with his blood, my face smeared with sweat. I thought I would feel victorious, at peace now that I had avenged myself, avenged Abhimanyu’s death. But then Subhadra gazes at me, and a single gaze is enough to communicate everything in my heart. Is this who I am now? What more atrocities would be committed in this war?

The war has come at an end, as Duryodhana lies dying in agony, his thighs shattered. I go with everybody to cremate the fallen and pay my respects to Grandsire Bhishma, as he too draws his last breath upon his bed of arrows and leaves this world. All the bodies are collected in a massive mountain of rotting half eaten flesh, and cremated. The fire blazes high, an inferno reaching for the skies, taking the souls of everybody within it towards Indra’s court, which receives anybody who dies fighting. The flame reminds me of my own birth, which seems like a lifetime away. I return back to camp, weary from all the death that surrounded me, and am instead greeted by a fresh nightmare. My brother Dhrishtadyumna’s head hangs at the gate, his decapitated body beneath him, hands closed around his sword even in death. I rush in to find everybody dead – physicians, maids, cooks, attendants, charioteers, guards, everybody. I enter my sons’ tent, fearing the worst and that is when I see their corpses. They were still in bed. Sleeping. They were supposed to ride out tomorrow to Indraprastha, their true home. They were supposed to grow up and live their life far away from court or war. They were planning to finally visit the fabled Palace of Illusions, swimming in the Mirror Lake, plucking fresh fruits from the orchards. Sutasoma intended to devour all the books he could lay his hands on. Prativindhya wanted to try wine. Srutakarma wanted to learn pottery and sculpting. Shatanika wanted to try make up, while Shrutasena wanted to learn music and painting. My children were robbed of their lives and their futures in their sleep. Now I truly knew the meaning of loss. I would rather die a thousand times over just so I could bring them back. I collapse, the last thing I hear is Subhadra shouting my name. I don’t feel the ground as I fall.

It is in this hell on earth does Subhadra’s daughter in law Uttara give birth. She screams in pain as she tries to push her child out of her womb, the last child of a massacred dynasty, when the room suddenly fills with a scorching white light. It disappears as suddenly as it arrived, and everybody immediately figures out what happened. The Brahmastra, the strongest weapon in the universe. Aimed directly at Uttara’s womb and her unborn child. It is an unspeakable crime. The death of his grandnephew makes Krishna goes insane, and for the first time in my life, I see him become the angel of death. He picks up the babe, and proclaims, “If I have been a truly righteous human, let this child come to life.” The child, a boy, gasps and cries, strong and powerful. I have stopped believing in miracles, but this is one I admit. Subhadra reached for her grandson, and cradles him in her arms. Her tears drop on his forehead, as she smiles at him. As she hands the baby to me, there’s an understanding in our eyes. An agreement. A promise. Never shall this child know suffering. Never shall this child know pain. He will have what we could not. He will have a childhood, a future, a life.

We make this oath to ourselves. Sisters, united by pain, suffering and hope.

#draupadi #subhadra #paanchali #panchali #mahabharat #mahabharata #india #hindu mythology #mythology #story time #vasu

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be-bi-do-crime · 3 years

Note

Sooo i saw you review someones carulia fic befpre so uh heres mine, if i could have some pointers?🥺For context; its supposed to be an angst to fluff comcerning how Carmen & Jules make up following the ACME interruption..

Carmen POV:

The rain relented for no one, not even for those who were in mourning. It was a single drop and a million all at once, thundering down in sheets ftom a confident stormy sky. Carmen Sandiego shivered, the tiny droplets assaulting every shred of skin she had dared to leave exposed.

Her red-brunette hair was drenched a shade darker, now existing as a thick, sopping mass glued to the back of her feverish neck. Carmen’s cheeks were ice cold and slick with water, aside from two thin trails of tears with fading heat.

That was one plus side of being out in the storm, she supposed. It was easy to cry in the rain.

In Carmen’s hands were an arrangement of Peonies and Hydrangeas, the water hammering at their petals. They had been Shadowsan’s suggestion and she took it, because, how the hell would she know what kind of flowers Dexter Wolfe preferred?

The makeshift grave had been Shadowsan’s idea, too. Apparently it would give her closure. Carmen admitted it did, to some extent, help to have some way to mourn her late father. But the fact that she knew his body wasn’t anywhere near his headstone dulled any respite it might have provided.

They had chosen a grave in Poiters, France. It was the only place the team frequented aside from San Diego, and it held the only funeral home that agreed to not ask questions about birth and death records.

Team red hadn’t visited the place in months what with her falling out with Julia and ACME, until today. It was the anniversary of his death, after all.

Carmen’s hands quivered as she lowered the flowers to the wet earth. Tension pulsed in her veins with a thousand emotions flooding through her. She was so, so angry! At the world, at Shadowsan, at Chief, at everyone for taking away what could’ve been a beautiful life with family she now knew nothing of.

She wanted to hurt someone, to scream. And so she did. A guttural roar escaped Carmen’s rouged lips, disappearing into the night. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her erratic breathing. When she looked down, she realized she had crushed the flowers.

Not caring anymore, Carmen plopped down against the headstone, the mud squelching beneath her. Tears began to flow beyond her control and she let them, for once allowing herself to truly feel all the hurt she kept pent up inside in favor of her suave exterior.

Her fingers dug into the earth, and she flung a fistful of mud into the rain. Carmen was tired of running from everything, tired of chasing her past, tired of hiding from the people she cared about.

Maybe the earth’ll open up and swallow me, she mused. Or better yet, maybe I’ll get struck by lightning.

Carmen sighed, moving her back to rest against her father’s grave. “Oh, dad.” She whispered softly. “I’m so sorry.”

The lady in red began to relax despite the rain, curling up in a fetal position and feeling sorry for herself. It wasn’t like Zack, Ivy, Player, and Shadowsan were here to see her so vulnerable, after all.

The sound of two feet approaching caught her attention, their light tread a very familiar sound.

No. It couldn’t be-

The lady in red looked up, her hair strewn haphazardly and her eyes red from crying all while every inch of her body was drenched.

“Miss Sandiego?” There stood Julia Argent with a sky blue umbrella, a mix of horror and concern painted over her delicate features.

“How many times have I told you Carmen is fine?” Carmen whispered as usual, only this time the flirty playfulness was amiss. Her voice was hoarse and raspy, not a sliver of emotion present as she stared dead ahead, right through Julia.

“I’m.....sorry.” The petite woman replied, stressing the underlying meaning.

“What are you doing here, Agent Argent?” Carmen asked tiredly, refusing to call her Jules any longer.

Julia flinched, as if the missing nickname was like a blow to the gut. “Please, you don’t have to be so formal. But, um, I live here, remember? So I think I I should be ask you that.”

“I was just passing through.” The lady in red stood, refusing to meet the other woman’s eyss.

“Where are you going?”

“Anywhere but here.” Carmen said coldly. She couldn’t believe she had ever been stupid enough to begin to trust Julia, much less begin to fall for her. “It’s a long walk to the train station.”

For once, she thought she had someone who believed in her, someone who was on her side wholeheartedly.....and yet...

Stockholm.

“Carmen, you won’t be able to find your way in this weather.” Julia said tentatively, pity filling her beautiful doe eyes to the brim. “Please, um, my apartment isn’t far from here. You can stay until the rain calms down.”

A dark, humorless laugh escaped the Latina’s lips. “What, do all you ACME agents bunk in the same place or something?”

“Excuse me?“

“So they’re waiting for me then,” Carmen continued, her anger and feelings of betrayal peeking into a tirade. “I bet they all have they’re guns propped up at the door already in place. I think I’ll pass, Jules.“

Carmen spit her nickname out like some vile insult she was hurtling at an enemy.

Julia sucked in a sharp breath, sadness touching her features. “Carmen,“ The petite woman began, pleading “I know you won’t forgive me for what happened in Stockholm, but I promise you I didn’t know.“ She paused, waiting for some form of acknowledgement, no response. “I-I told Chief to back off and let me talk to you, she-she said it was okay! I had no idea they were moving in. Please, please Believe me.”

“Oh yeah?“ The woman in red whispered, her voice barely audible over the downpour. “And what if I don’t?“

...

And thats all i have sooo far---

AIJSIDKDKJDKFJDJJSJDFJ OKAY THIS IS LATE BC I WAS NOT IN THE EMOTIONAL HEADSPACE TO DECONSTRUCT THIS BUT. ANON HOW DARE YOU? I AM IN IMMEASURABLE PAIN

i’ll just add notes as i go, thank you for allowing me to read this and offer pointers :D

your descriptions are so good omg!! i love the first sentence SO much?? “the rain relented for no one, not even for those who were in mourning” PHEWWW that’s poetry

i’d say the only thing about the following descriptions is that you don’t have to describe everything, if that makes sense? like, you can leave it as just “a stormy sky” for example. descriptions are amazing, but too much of anything can be harder to read and get your point across!

“it was easy to cry in the rain” anon WHO let you hurt me like this!!!

i feel like if i look up those flowers i will cry so i’m not going to but. shadowsan knowing what flowers to bring is just.... help i’m in pain

NOT THE GRAVE BEING IN POITIERS GOD GIVE ME STRENGTH

instead of “so, so, angry” you can say furious, and replace the exclamation mark with a period. it makes it more solid (if that’s the right word...?)

it’s probably a tumblr formatting thing but italicize the words when it’s her inner thoughts for better distinction!

CARMEN RECOGNIZING JULIA’S FOOTSTEPS

“a mix of horror and concern painted over her delicate features” i’m in LOVE with this wording??

REFUSING TO CALL HER JULES ANY LONGER@,#)&()&)&&)&:&:; LORDDDD

NOT THE. NOT FUCKING STOCKHOLM ANON?? me: brings it up 24/7 and then me when anyone else brings it up: WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS

THE ANGST IS KILLING ME

side note, don’t refer to characters by their race/ethnicity, go with the thief, lady in red, the other girl etc

probably a typo but **their instead of they’re!

“AND WHAT IF I DON’T?” I AM INCONSOLABLE ANON I AM SO SCARED TO READ THE FULL THING WHEN YOU’RE DONE BUT I ALSO CAN’T WAIT AHHHHH THIS ANGST IS SOOO GOOD

thanks again for the submission 🥺💕 i hope my notes were okay!! this was such an emotional journey to read and now i’m going to be fueled by stockholm angst all day when writing <3

#asking carmen #gun mention #death mention

12 notes · View notes

ren1327 · 3 years

Text

Sweater Weather Ch.7

Ben sipped the caldo slowly, enjoying the slight spiciness that seemed to warm him from inside out.

“This is really good.” He said and Carmen smiled.

Bumpy barked from beside him, eating some dogfood mixed with shredded chicken and broth from their soup.

“Kenji, I had no idea you could cook so well.” He praised.

Kenji blushed and smiled.

“I’m so glad you’re not actually sick!” Carmen said. “Now I can be as loud as I want!”

“Carm…”

“It’s fine, Kenji. Let her hang lose before we meet at the hotel.” Ben said, sipping his atole.

“You really like that.” Kenji remarked.

“It’s a corn drink. A corn drink.” Ben said. “With chocolate.”

“I still can’t believe you’ve never had a real tamale.” Carmen said. “Mama is gonna freak. We always make a bunch for New Year’s.”

“Like an assembly line.” Kenji said.

“Dad. Hates it.” Carmen said. “Doesn’t like sticky things, but he’s always on masa duty since his spreads are always so even.”

“He gotta work for his food.” Kenji said. “He eats the most aside from your truly.”

“How are you not overweight?” Ben asked, raising a brow.

“Fast metabolism plus weights and swimming.”

“Perfect body.” Ben scoffed. “Even have the perfect shape for a swimmer.”

Kenji blushed. “So, yeah! I can eat like, a dozen tamales myself!”

“I wish I could see it.” Ben said.

“Y’know Ben…” Carmen said with a smile. “You could stay past New Year’s.”

“I mean, I could, I don’t have much to do but stay on top of classes.” He said with a blush.

“So it’s settled!”

“What’s settled?” Ben asked.

“Carmen.” Kenji started before she hopped up and took hers and Bumpy’s empty bowels.

“Gonna walk Bumpy and go shower!” She called and Kenji sighed as Ben finished his rice.

“Sorry.”

“Don’t be. I really like her and…” Ben shrugged. “I could stay.”

“Ben, you don’t have to feel—”

“I like it. I like your family and I like yo—” He snapped his mouth close. “I…”

Kenji walked around the table to kiss Ben’s cheek. “I like you too.”

“This doesn’t fix anything.” He said coyly, gently pushing him back as he stood.

“No, of course not.” Kenji said and hugged him close. “Sorry!”

He pulled away.

“I…”

“I’m not fragile, Kenji.” Ben said.

“But still, I use to shove you and your ex…”

“Is long gone.” Ben said. “But on the subject of exes?”

Kenji sighed. “Let me clean the dishes fist, okay?”

“Alright. Want me to wait in the living room?”

“Yeah. I’ll be there soon.” Kenji said and left him at the table.

Ben was poking at the fireplace when Kenji came in, the flames high and warming the room.

“Nice.” Kenji said. “I can never get it going.”

Ben smiled and sat on the sofa; Kenji next to him.

“So?” Ben asked.

“Right to it.” Kenji said with a grimace. “Okay. So…what do you want to know?”

“Brooklynn. What happened between you two?”

“Nothing.” Kenji said. “And I mean it how I say it. There was nothing.”

Ben blinked up at him.

“I really liked her, at first. We were more popular and well liked and we both thought we were attractive and…I did like her. We went out and for me…I just wanted a girlfriend to say I wasn’t single. Birthdays, holidays and just little anniversaries were fine and cute. And I liked things like kissing and being held but then, on our one year…she said I love you.” He stared at the fire. “And I couldn’t say it back.”

He closed his eyes and say her. Young and smiling, her green eyes widening as she realized he wasn’t answering.

“It’s okay.” She said. “You don’t have to say it yet.”

“And then we had sex. We were each other’s first and to me it was like ticking a box of things I had done and she said it again and I…I lied to her.” Kenji whispered. “I think she could tell. But she couldn’t handle it. She kept smiling and hugging and kissing me. She would tell me everything and we would talk but I never really…I never opened myself like she did.”

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“…okay. What do you want for dinner?”

“Our second anniversary came up and she wanted us to get our own place together and go to the same university…I didn’t.”

“Why don’t you want to go with me? They have an athletics department. Or engineering…whatever you chose, I’m sure they would have something for you to work on your career.”

“I don’t want to leave Carmen.”

“Okay. But if we go t Hammond U together, we could get our own place a-and maybe—”

“Brooklynn, I don’t want to go to Hammond U.” Kenji snapped. “Please stop asking me.”

“Kenji, I want to go!”

“Then go!” He yelled. “We have cell phones, and I can go visit! Why is this such a big deal?”

“…We’ve been a couple for two years. Don’t you want to be with me?” She asked. “Don’t you want to get married and have a family after all this?”

Kenji bit his lip and swallowed.

“Oh my god…You…you settled with me. You don’t love me; you love having a girlfriend!” She yelled, face red, too red around the cheeks. “I can’t believe…”

“Brooklynn, I do care about you—”

“Do you want to marry me?” She asked, eyes filling with tears. “Because I want to marry you.”

“I…I don’t know…”

“Kenji, why are you with me if you don’t want a future with me?” She asked and he couldn’t answer.

“I’m sorry…” He said, feeling like she was the wrong height, her face too sharp, her eyes too green. She wasn’t who he wanted to wake up next to. And she could see it in his face.

“No. I’m sorry. I’m sorry I was so desperate to be with you, I never cared about myself. Well, I know better. You will never love me. Not how I love you.”

She sobbed and took off her rings, the necklace he got her for her birthday and her charm bracelet.

“No, keep them—” Kenji begged.

“I don’t need things!” She yelled. “I needed…I needed a boyfriend. Get out of my apartment.”

Kenji took them with shaking hands.

“I’m sorry—”

“Get out!!” She yelled.

“And I left…” Kenji said. “I grabbed my things and drove to the airport. I was going to go back to Seattle and settle in the cabin for a bit, but I just chose the next flight out of Cali. And I ended up in India. Took out as much cash as I could carry safely and found one of those spiritual retreats all those people with mid life crisis take. I didn’t take it seriously enough and so I bummed around a community of hipsters from the US. Did some work there, ran out of money, used the last to get home after four months of ignoring everything around me.”

“And now?” Ben asked.

“I…” Kenji’s voice cracked, and he chuckled, tears gathering as he licked his lips and looked into the flames. “I don’t like…me.”

Ben turned to him as Kenji used his shirt collar to wipe his face.

“I don’t like who I was, who I am. I just…I hurt everyone. I hurt you, I hurt Brooklyn and being away from Carmen hurt her too and I…” He sniffed. “I don’t know how to fix me, so I don’t hurt anyone again.”

“I think you’re doing pretty great right now.” Ben said and Kenji scoffed.

“It took balls to come back and come see your family and admit what you did.” Ben said. “Being honest is one of the bravest first steps someone can take with themselves.”

“So says the fake boyfriend.”

“So says the real friend.” Ben retorted and took Kenji’s jaw in his hands. “I am your friend Kenji. And I hated who you were, but…I really like who you’re becoming.”

“And who am I becoming?” Kenji whispered.

“Real.” Ben said and hugged him tightly. “Now cry it out.”

Kenji sniffed. “I’m gonna snot up your shirt.”

“I can steal one of yours.” Ben said and Kenji laughed.

“It’s okay, Kenji.” Ben said. “You can become better.”

“Thank you.” Kenji whispered and sobbed. “Thank you.”

Kenji drank down the last of his water, his eyes puffy and red as Ben came back in one of his old sweaters.

“How are you feeling?” Ben asked.

“Like my head is full of buzzing bees.”

“You cried a lot. Food can help.” Ben said.

“Dessert is in the fridge. The chocolate in the ceramic bowls.”

“Okay.” Ben said and left, only to return with two bowls and two spoons, both with a heavy amount of whipped cream on top.

“Carmen must have gotten to them earlier.” Kenji said, noting how stiff the whipped cream looked.

“Pudding?”

“More of a chocolate custard. Pots de Crème. Made with Mexican chocolate.” Kenji said.

“How are you not a chef?” Ben asked.

“Don’t like being told what to do.” Kenji said.

“Not true. I boss you around plenty.” Ben joked. “But for now, I suppose I can cater to you. What do you want right now?”

“Feed me chocolate and tell me I’m pretty?” Kenji asked and Ben burst out laughing.

Kenji sat up and took a bowl.

“What would you do, if you could do anything?” Ben asked with a smile.

“Anything?” Kenji asked. “Geeze…um…I don’t know. What could I do with my limited repertoire?”

“Model.” Ben said with a shrug. “Cook. Um, maybe be an interpreter. Or even an actor.”

“Really settling in my looks.” Kenji teased.

“They’re good looks.” Ben said.

“Thank you, but these are only for my fake boyfriend—”

“Oh my gosh, this is so good!” Ben exclaimed around a mouth of custard.

“Uh…it is?” Kenji asked. “I mean, of course it is!”

“Kenji, you have a gift.” Ben said as he took another bite.

“Well, if your bookstore has a café, I can…can always help out there.” Kenji said with a blush.

Ben looked up at him with wide eyes and Kenji felt his heart hit his ribs.

“You would…you would be okay working with me?” Ben asked.

“Yeah. I could observe too. Maybe we could make the back area a café and have the study rooms and computer lab area around there too.” Kenji said.

“Y-Yeah!” Ben said. “The front desk could be a resource area too.”

“Lots of pamphlets!”

“Yeah, and if possible, we can have an open area in the back. Like a community garden.”

“I think maybe a small area with benches and a fountain?” Kenji asked. “We could get another area or build a small kitchen and indoor dining area. I was thinking two stories, but I think I saw a building with some land near downtown San Antonio—”

“San Antonio?” Ben asked.

“Unless you want to stay in Cali.”

“No, it’s just…I thought you’d be more okay with being in Cali.” Ben said.

“You want San Antonio.” Kenji said. “So I can settle there since we have a little place there too. The downtown area would be best anyway. And I know there’s more kids who need help there.”

Ben smiled and took another bite. “Settle?”

“Settle with the house. I want to work with you, Ben. I want to help the kids who are hurting. Maybe we could help the ones who hurt them too.” Kenji said.

“I think that’s a great idea.” Ben said and put his empty bowl on the side table.

Kenji put his own bowl down and smiled, pulling the other close, Ben resting his head on Kenji’s shoulder.

“And would you settle with someone?”

“No. I’d date someone I know I could love.”

“And how could you tell?” Ben asked.

“Can’t you?” He asked and Ben blushed when he placed a hand on Kenji’s chest, feeling the thud of his heart.

Ben looked up at him and Kenji’s eyes met his. He pulled Ben into another kiss, the smaller man climbing onto his lap and wrapping his arms around his shoulders. Kenji pulled away and rested his forehead against Ben’s before chuckling.

“What?” Ben asked.

“You taste like chocolate.” Kenji said and kissed him quickly.

Ben laughed and laid his head on Kenji’s shoulder. “I don’t want to be angry anymore.”

“I don’t either.” Kenji said. “Hey, Ben?”

“Yeah?”

“I like you, date me?” Kenji asked.

Ben pulled away, face pink with his blush. “I... you…”

He laughed and covered his mouth.

“Okay. Okay.” He said. “I like you too, Kenji. Let’s do it. Let’s date.”

“And?” Kenji asked.

Ben rolled his eyes. “Maybe we can be boyfriends.”

“Yes!” Kenji said, pumping his fist.

“You’re such a dork.”

“You like this dork.”

“I do.” Ben said with a laugh and kissed Kenji again.

#jw sweater weather #kenji x ben #kenben #kenjamin #wildcity #japanese-mexican kenji #let me have this #thank you guys so much #camp cretaceous sweater weather #camp cretaceous fanfic

13 notes · View notes

ask-de-writer · 4 years

Text

DARING DO and the ADVENTURE of the X'IBIAN VASE! : MLP Fan Fiction : Part 17 of 21

Return to the Master Story Index

Return to MLP Fan Fiction

Daring Do

and the Adventure of the X'ibian Vase!

De Writer (Glen Ten-Eyck)

And

Carmen Pondiego

Cover Art by

Doctor Dimension

52630 words

Writing begun 08/26/15

//////////////

Users of Tumblr.com are specifically granted the following rights. They may reblog the story. They may use the characters or original characters in my settings for fan fiction, fan art works, cosplay, or fan musical compositions, provided that such things are done without charge. I will allow those who do commission art works to charge for their images.

All sorts of fan art, cosplay, music or fictions is actively encouraged.

///////////////////////

Robber and Overthrow were scanning the two passes that the maps showed as the only approaches to ancient Hong Wa. Their binoculars showed only narrow, stony notches with no vegetation at all.

“Any luck, Robber?”

“No. It is hard to be sure of details with all the heat shimmering but nothing the size of a dromedary has showed up at all. I wonder if something has happened to them?”

Tyranny was crouched behind one of the MT81 quick fire cannon, pretending to aim and fire up the gorges.

Overthrow shook his head sadly. “He was a sharp and prudent lawyer before he got this obsession with the Heart of Discord and world domination. Look at him. He threw away the firm’s entire capital on this one throw of the dice.

“He does not even seem to understand that we need to capture them all ALIVE, if we can! Daring Do, especially. I overheard him last night. He was muttering to himself about torturing her to death. That is bad enough. He was not even thinking about the fact that only she has any actual chance of FINDING the Heart of Discord.”

Robber agreed glumly as he sweated under the merciless X'ibian sun. “I would have given up. I can’t. If this does not work, we are bankrupt. I don’t want to start over from nothing.”

Overthrow sat on a stone and asked, “Taken up mind reading, Robber? Those are my thoughts, exactly.”

Tyranny was laughing in a twisted fantasy. “Just wait until they show their heads! These guns will tear them to shreds!”

Robber stepped up behind Tyranny and pulled him away from the weapon. “Fine! Blow them to pieces! THEN HOW ARE WE GOING TO FIND THE TOMB?”

Tyranny blinked several times. In a puzzled voice he pointed out, “That nearest necropolis is the oldest of them. We just go down there and look for the marker. Im Farst was an emperor, so the marker on the grave must be huge.”

In the gentle voice reserved for trying to reason with a child, Robber suggested, “Think it through, Tyranny. If it was that simple, one of the many previous expeditions would have found it. Besides, IT IS NOT A GRAVE. It is a BIG tomb. Somehow, it was hidden so well that over the ages, MILLIONS have been spent trying to find it. NOPONY ever has.

“Daring Do must not be harmed. SHE is very sure that she has solved the problem. She is not the only one. BOTH Celestia and Luna are backing her expedition. THEY are sure that she is right.”

From the low stone ridge off to the left of them, a rifle boomed, echoes bouncing back from the ancient wall of Hong Wa. Dirt flew up about two feet from one of the ammunition boxes. A second shot blasted from a different part of the ridge. The bullet made a screaming whine as it ricocheted from a stone near the tripod of one of the guns.

Before either of the partners could stop him, Tyranny leaped to one of the MT81s and began to blast away along the ridge, swinging the weapon on its mount like a fire hose! The noise was a deafening, rolling thunder!

The bits and chunks of rock flying from the ridge told of bad aim. He was not even hitting near the crest where his opponents had to be.

Robber simply clubbed him down and hurled him away from the gun. Taking the handles, he waited until the next rifle shot’s noise and smoke revealed where to shoot. He sent an economical three round burst at the spot. It shattered stone and threw up dirt right on target. He waited quietly for the next shot to reveal the location of a shooter.

That shot came quickly, and Robber’s return fire splintered stone there too. Not hearing their other MT81, he spared a glance. Overthrow was bleeding from a leg but worse, the gun’s ammo box was a shattered ruin. Single shells were thrown about like nine-pins when a strike is rolled. Overthrow was attempting to clear the wreckage and feed the weapon single bullets.

There was another shot from the ridge! Robber aimed and fired. His gun blasted once and clicked. His ammunition box was empty. He raised his hooves and stood well back from the useless MT81.

He saw that Overthrow was following his example. Tyranny was frozen with terror. Dromedaries were coming across the ridge. Robber recognized the advance method and shook his head. Somepony had trained these fighters.

Seven dromedaries under arms, accompanied by two ponies with rifles and one horse with a wicked looking sword came up and seized the three.

A large dromedary bared a sword and held it in a threatening position. Robber had read enough to know that was a bad sign with X'ibians. The dromedary mare spoke mildly enough. “I am Sang He. This could have been an interesting fight if that idiot,” she pointed to Tyranny, “had not wasted your ammunition. You used what you had very well.”

Robber shrugged, “Not a lot that I could do to stop him, in time. He was ‘playing’ gunner when the first shot was fired. I knocked him off the gun as swiftly as I could.

“This whole expedition has been his idea. He thought that we could just go to the necropolis and dig up relics of Im Farst.

“The whole expedition was not too bad, financially. He bankrupted us, buying old manuscripts of the earliest X'ibian Empire. He thought that those relics would be fabulously valuable and allow us to recover our huge expenses. There is only one problem. We made a foray into the nearby necropolis. It is the wrong age entirely.

“Then he thought that maybe we could force Daring Do to reveal the location of Im Farst’s tomb. That was another piece of stupidity on his part.

“Here at the last, Overthrow and I were following him because we had no other choice. I mentioned that we are bankrupt? If it helps any, I was shooting only in defense.”

Sang He regarded Robber with mild disdain. “You told us only some of the truth. You are after a single relic. The legendary Heart of Discord. Daring Do was dispatched, not to prevent you from it, but to study and preserve the rest of the tomb.”

“She wasn’t to prevent us from getting the Heart of Discord?”

Daring Do, a bit of wind whipping her mane impressively, inquired, “Do you have any idea at all how old the Princesses Luna and Celestia are? They KNEW Im Farst and the Dragon Queen. They do not want the tomb of a friend despoiled for a single relic.”

Tyranny leaped on what Daring Do had said. “So! They gave you a map to the tomb! If you don’t hand it over right now, I will …” He hit the ground with a thump and a cloud of dust flaring out in all directions! Overthrow, leg wound still bleeding a bit, knocked him down and was sitting on him.

From his perch on Tyranny, he offered, “Excuse this, please. Our senior partner is more than a tiny bit unhinged. It did not show until we were committed to this business.”

Jeremy giggled. “It sure showed when he was shooting! Are you SURE that he is on YOUR side?”

Daring Do glanced skeptically at the three. “I had in mind allowing you to help us to excavate the tomb entrance as soon as we find it. You must realize that any three thousand year old guide or map will not be too accurate today. Even some hills move in that span of time. We will have our work cut out for us, just to locate the tomb and determine the correct method of entry.”

Tyranny, from his place flat on the ground, demanded, “What is so complex about it? Once we find the tomb, we just dig in and get what we need!”

Daring Do looked down incredulously. With all seven dromedaries doubled up with laughter and Soree giggling, she pointed out, “In my career, I have opened thirty eight significant ancient tombs. Every one has had at least two lethal traps that still functioned.

“Now I am certain that it will be YOU digging in, when we find the entrance!”

Robber chuckled sourly, “Tyranny, are you even beginning to grasp how stupid you are sounding?”

Daring Do shrugged. “Let him up. I have had to deal with grave robbing idiots before. “Mister Tyranny, you will not be allowed to enter the tomb at all. When we locate the artifact or any complication connected with it, you will be informed. If you try to enter without our specific permission, Sang He and her Dromedaries will shoot to kill without warning, is that clear?”

Tyranny regained his feet, snarling, “How can we possibly trust YOU?”

That caused Daring Do to double up laughing. When she regained her composure, she replied, “Not only are you still alive when we could have easily killed you, we are allowing you to stay with us. Consider, you are bankrupt. You cannot buy enough of fuel or supplies to get home but we are taking you in.

“It is we who have no cause to trust you!”

Soree went to Kanya Ama and asked, “May I get out the stove and fuel? We are now past our noon meal, due the presence of certain venomous insects.”

Kanya Ama knelt and allowed Soree to open her big pack panniers. Soree got out the stove, charcoal, and rice with dried vegetables already chopped and mixed in, needing only cooking to make them a meal.

Jeremy and Sehang Shu joined her in preparing the meal. Sehang Shu quietly offered, “Jeremy, you were very courageous in this event. Without your lead, we could have been killed.

“My given name is Shu. I wish that you would use it from now on.”

Lifting his eyes from the task of measuring the noon rice, Jeremy questioned, “I have made many mistakes of understanding so far, due to both prejudice and not grasping what I have been presented to study. From my reading, that offer has more meaning than simply letting me call you by your given name. Is that correct?”

Shehang Shu nodded, her face serious. “That is true, Jeremy. It is an offer of more than simply friendship.”

Jeremy returned to her the bow of one of low station to one of high. “I would be most honored, Shu. If I may say so, I have rarely ever met one that I respect more.” He hesitated before giving her a gentle hug.

Her return hug lifted him a good half meter off the ground!

She let him down and suggested with a giggle, “We can follow this up later. Just now, your lunch needs to be fixed!”

Soree grinned ear to ear as she commented, “We had better give you seconds, Jeremy! You are going to need your strength!”

Tyranny wandered close and demanded, “Never mind messing with the servants! When will my noon meal be ready?”

Tyranny promptly discovered two things about dromedaries. The first was that they can deliver a full power kick from any angle, using any leg. The other was that full power for a dromedary is very powerful indeed!

He picked himself up, cautiously, checking for broken bones. He had landed two meters away from where Shehang Shu’s hoof caught him. He snarled, “That is it! You are fired! Get out of here!”

That was met by a sudden clacking sound as all seven of the large bore dromedary rifles that Daring Do gave the herd were brought to bear and cocked, safeties off. He was surrounded by a herd of grim faced dromedaries staring down the sights of their weapons.

Sang He said in such a gentle voice that it took a moment for the meaning to penetrate, “You will abase yourself. Grovel before Shehang Shu and beg her for your life. If you do not, we will destroy you.”

Tyranny turned to Daring Do, who was staring in consternation at a sheaf of papers, and demanded, “Do something! Your servants are in revolt!”

Daring Do gave him a pained look. She patiently explained, “There is nothing for me to do. They are being very forbearing in allowing this conversation before firing.”

She pointed sweepingly to the desert horizon about them. “If you examine your surroundings with the utmost care, you might notice a tiny detail. You are not in Equestria. Equestrian law does not run here. What Sang He’s herd is about to do is TOTALLY LEGAL HERE.”

Tyranny’s brows drew down in puzzled shock. “All of this over firing a servant?”

Daring Do pointed out, “In the first place, NOT YOUR SERVANT! In the second place, not my servant, either. Sang He’s herd was engaged for their known and proven expertise in all aspects of the documentation, conservation and proper handling of antiquities.

“They have worked with me before. They are partners splitting a twenty percent share of the value of the total find as assessed by consultation between my Royal backers and the X'ibian Provincial Department of Antiquities. If the expedition fails, they will receive an already agreed to per diem.”

He gestured at the herd, with unwavering guns aimed at him. “These crude beasts, expert at anything? Ridiculous.”

There was another clacking of a rifle being cocked and brought to bear. Jeremy had joined the herd in steady, utterly calm aim at Tyranny. Soree was off to one side, out of the line of fire, sketching the scene into her notebook!

Daring Do observed, “Your mouth is digging you a grave that you will not get. By custom, your body will be put into an exposed location for desert scavengers to eat.”

It slowly percolated through Tyranny’s consciousness that what he was hearing was perfectly serious. He got down to his belly, head extended toward Shehang Shu. “Please spare my life! I did not understand what I was doing.” He frowned in concentration and added, “I am not sure that I do now. I will do my best to understand and behave.

“I am a scholar of the ancient form of your language. Perhaps I can assist the work coming by that means.”

Shehang Shu gave a millimetric nod from the Bow of one of highest station and slung her rifle. She pulled her sword and held it in a low guard position, edge toward Tyranny.

In a voice so cold that it should have frozen him, she stated, “We are on the same road. We ask no thing of you and you, none from us. The path is all that is shared.”

She sheathed her sword and turned her back on him. The others all released the cock and slung their rifles too. Even Jeremy turned his back on the shivering Tyranny.

Soree and Jeremy returned to fixing their delayed noon meal.

Daring Do stirred the still shuddering Tyranny with her hoof. “We need to talk about this translation. I told you, back in your office in Canterlot, that your X'ibian translation was near hopeless. It does not seem to have improved.”

That got Tyranny’s attention. “Nonsense. I have even used your lexicon of X'ibian Ideograms! I got every one exactly right!”

Daring Do nodded briskly. “You did. You also totally missed the meaning! All references to Dromedary are superlatives. They are the epitome of beauty, grace, elegance and deep thought. They are NEVER negatives or symbols of clumsiness, stupidity or ugliness.”

Incredulous, Tyranny gestured at the herd and exclaimed, “Impossible! Just look at them!”

Jeremy had quietly joined them and said, “Yes, just look at them through THEIR EYES. Didn’t you know that the whole X'ibian first Empire was founded and carried on by dromedaries? Im Farst, whose tomb we are seeking, was a dromedary.

“His wife, the legendary Dragon Queen, named Wisdom, was actually a dragon, as the X'ibians understood such creatures. We hope to find out more about Wisdom herself, in the exploration of this tomb, assuming that we can find it.”

Tyranny, ears stinging from the multiple rebukes, snapped, “What about HER MAP? How could you fail to find it unless you are really stupid?” He pointed dramatically at Daring Do, who yawned.

Sehang Shu loftily informed him, “If you were a student, you would be removed from the class. I believe the term I want here is flunked.

“You were informed already that landmarks can change a great deal in three thousand years. You have failed to consider the information given you.”

Jeremy quietly added, “Besides, Doctor Do does not have a map. That was a conclusion that you jumped on and have accepted without question since. That is faulty reasoning that not even the military of any nation will accept. I am amazed that you, as a lawyer, would be guilty of such a basic failure of logic.”

Daring Do agreed, “I do not have a map. I do know how to find the tomb. It will not be easy. We must begin inside the Hong Wa.”

Overthrow cautiously inquired, “If the tomb is outside the city, why do we need to begin inside it?”

Robber acidly pointed out, “If Daring Do has no map, she has a chain of clues that begin inside the city somewhere, obviously.”

Sang He politely herded Daring Do away from the lawyers. “Doctor Do, your delayed noon meal is now ready. Why you would wish to associate with such low creatures as they is beyond me.”

Daring Do chided gently, “My friend, do not discriminate with them because they are ponies.”

“I did not. I have placed them in the station that they have earned by their behavior. We honor you and those you have brought, because you and they have earned our respect. Those back there have gone so far the other way that I am glad that we did not shoot.

“Scavengers are a needful part of the ecology of the desert. I would not wish to poison them with that creature’s carcass.”

<==Previous Next==>

Return to the Master Story Index

Return to MLP Fan Fiction

#DARING DO AND THE ADVENTURE OF THE X'IBIAN VASE #part 17 of 21 #MLP Fan Fiction #Written by De Writer and Carmen Pondiego

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modernsocialmediaau · 4 years

Text

miss movin’ on

February 27, 2015

It's the first official day of the Reflection Tour. It's been a month since they've started rehearsals and yet the girls still very unprepared. The pressure is truly on, this isn't another tour of opening for something up, instead its their first headlining tour. Moment before the meet and greet the girls are in their own universes doing whatever helps them calm down. Normani, Ally and Lauren are just leaving catering and heading to the meet and greet. Dinah has the fun job of finding Camila to take her to the meet and greet. Dinah isn't surprise to find the shorter girl fixing her to be sure she looks good.

" Girl you ready? " Dinah asks while Camila fixes her hair. Camila feels weird having it parted on the left or right, seeing that it's usually in the middle. While she fixes her hair Dinah repeatedly taps her foot outside the door louder and louder to get Camila's attention. She does get her attention but she gets a giggle.

" In a second, this doesn't just happened you know, " Camila jokes, walking out of the dressing room following Dinah to the meet and greet.

" Girl whatchu talkin about we got a whole team dedicated to help us with all......this. " she says making a circle around her face, and lightly tapping her chin indicating the perfection that is her hair and face.

" Hush up. " Camila giggles linking their forearms together trying to catch up to the other girls.

Camila still hasn't gotten use to the idea of screaming fans and adoring gifts, being a former fan girl she sympathizes with the fans.

" CAMILA! CAMILA! CAMILA! " some girls shout and she smile and waves at them

The girls start with a couple of acoustic performances, a few questions and then onto meet and greets. Their first fan is a girl named Emily who greets them in tears. She goes into Camilas arms for a hug and Camila being the sweetheart that she is, couldn't have been happier to squeeze her with love.

" O-my hands are shaking. " Emily said as she laughs hysterically not fully grasping the situation unfolding in front of her.

" It's alright we'll shake along with you, " Camila jokes and starts shaking while the other girls follow

" I love you so much, " she cries into her arms as they give her one of the warmest group hugs

" Oh we love you, " they surprisingly respond in unison.

" So what would like us to do babes? " Lauren asks smilingly wrapping her arm around Emily, making her almost faint. Anyone can tell she is weak in the knees. Lauren always has that affect on people.

" Can we pretend to make it rain? " she laughs at herself,

" With what tho? " Dinah asks

" Oh-uhm-I already prepared this. " she takes out fake money and shreds of green paper, " Ay! " we all cheer.

" Yes! Girl you are ready!! " Mani cheers as she evenly hands out the slips of paper or fake money

" We didn't choose the thug life the thug life choose us. " Camila says earning weird looks from Ally, Normani, and Dinah while Lauren and Emily laugh

" Ready 1,2,3 " the photographer and onto the next fans.

About 30 minutes within the meet and greet, Camila decides to act cute by holding Lauren's hands and let one of her legs pop out. As soon as that shutter clicks the screams got louder, a few aw's, and they start screaming a name everyone recognizes.

" CAMREN! CAMREN! CAMREN! " they continue to cheer after the two girls left Camila whispers to Lauren, " Camren? " Camila hasn't thought about this in a while, she simply can't remember. Lauren shifts uneasily away from Camila, which the younger found odd.

Camila looks at the others girls, Dinah gives her an I-got-no-clue, Ally gives her a sorry-I-don't-know-either, and Normani gives her nothing it's like she didn't hear the younger girl. Ever since the unspoken incident between the two girls, the other girls have tried to ignore it as much as Lauren and Camila have.

" Lauren? " Camila asks snapping her out of her thoughts

" Sorry Cam-Camila, " she stutters,

~~~

After the meet and greet Camila takes it upon herself to search up Camren. She knows its a ship name but who's... While the hairdresser fixes her hair she investigates on her phone. They're were Tumblr tags,

This memory has been so repressed that she forgot all about her crush on Lauren back in the old days.

Oh right.

Now she remembers, Camren. That same name that gave her hope, Camren. That idea of Lauren actually finally saying she loved her back, Camren. At the same time, the same lie that tore her down every single day of her life until she realized. Camren wasn't and will never be real.

" Lauren! " Camila says catching her attention. The older woman looks up from her phone and gives her a surprise look.

" Look, " she hands her the phone and watches as Lauren scrolls through the tag. Lauren knows this feeling all too well, after Camila's cold shoulder she often would look through this tag to remember how fun they were together.

" Weren't we cute? " Camila jokes trying to lightly tread over the subject. Seeing that Camren has been rather cruel to both of them.

For Camila, In the beginning it was hell because, she was in love with the green eyed girl, but she didn't know how to approach such a sensitive topic. And of course the fans started to notice which scared her even more, to the point where she stopped, because she feared of the delusional confrontation that Lauren might've come with if they'd kept going.

" Super " she says boringly. They both use to love the idea of their friendship, because it was just such a rare experience but, not now.

" Right, no wonder they were screaming that, " Camila laughs at herself while Lauren simply agrees, still holding something back,

" Are you okay? " Camila wonders

" Yea. " she fakes a smile

" You're a horrible liar, Are you sure? " Camila turn to her making the hairdresser a little annoyed. Camila apologizes and turns back around while still giving Lauren full eye contact through the mirror. Camila knows, she has no right talking to her as if icing her out never happened but that was the only way to get over her. The only way for her to move on, and the idea of her knowing that there was even a " her " to move on from, is unbearable for Camila.

" Yeah Camila, just tired you know, " Lauren fakes,

" It's the first day of tour, " Camila say making her lightly chuckle, taking themselves by surprise. Camila hasn't really heard her laugh or chuckle like that in a while.

" Well you know me, working hard or hardly working, " that was the last thing Lauren says before leaving hair and make up.

Camila simply nods trying to understand that they can no longer talk to each other how they use too.

As Lauren is walking out of the room, she feels anxiety coming on. She knows she's got to find Normani, she walks pass 5 dressing rooms 3 different hallways until she finally she's the tall dark skin goddess that is Normani.

" Normani! " Lauren screams making her jump and look at her worriedly

" What? Whats wrong? " she says while as they held each other's forearm dramatically

" Camila, she's-talking to me? " Lauren mutters, Lauren knows how crazy that sounds but the reason for this anxiety is that last time this happened things went too far. For one thing Lauren almost lost her mind trying to get answers as to what she did to Camila, making her ignore Lauren. Secondly, Lauren almost told her she loved her. Still love.

" Oh. " her eyes popped open and began to worry along with the raven hair girl. Normani's has been Lauren's rock through this whole experience she knows every single thing that has happened.

•••

" Alright girls can we run it from the top for Better Together? Make sure you're in sync and one with each other. " Sean snapped at the girls trying to bring them back. They were in the middle of rehearsing and putting together their opening act for Demi's Neon Lights Tour. Not only that, 2 weeks from now the tour starts and so does finishing their first official album, so everything is pretty hectic.

" Lauren? " Normani clapped getting her attention, Lauren was the only one left seeing that the rest of the girls were in their position. Lauren released a small huff and weak smile before running to her spot. She watched Normani give me a questioning smile, and Lauren just shook it off and got her head in the choreo.

After rehearsals the girls were cleaning up, seeing that Lauren didn't usually make a mess of things she finished rather quickly so she decided to talk to Camila.

" Hey Camz, " she lightly tapped her shoulder, Camila quickly shuttered away. Ouch. Lauren thought to herself.

" Hi Lauren, " she says coldly, Lauren shook it off and just continued to smile.

" The Notebook and Chill tonight? " She jokes hoping she'd finally crack a smile at her.

" I-uhhm-I can't--because I've-Uhm-I've got plans. " she struggled to finished.

" Oh, alright. " Lauren sighed almost reaching towards her for a hug goodbye.

" Yeah, maybe next time? " she let out a fake smile before walking away from their short and meaningless conversation. " Sure. " Lauren whispered. Lauren felt the formation of tears come but she doesn't let them out yet, not here not now. She let out a sniffle and quickly gathered the tears on her index finger letting them go, that's when she felt a familiar gesture of comfort. Which was Normani wrapping her arms around her and asking;

" Can you tell me now? I've watched the same thing unfold over 100 times in 3 months, maybe it's good to finally talk about it? "

Seeing the tour started here in LA the girls decided to simply stay until the start of tour. The girls stayed at their usual hotel with our usual sleeping arrangements only this time Normani and Lauren shared a room.

After the release of their EP and promo tour Camila's been so cold, it's like after they got signed they hung out less and less. And even if they did it wasn't for more than 5 hours, Lauren understands that she's got her own life outside of the band but this isn't how it use to be.

And at the mention of our ship name Carmen it's like she's disgusted, which doesn't make sense because they created Camren.

" What's going on Lo? " Mani wondered as they entered our hotel room. Lauren placed her bag down on the floor, and plopped down on her bed faced down. She let out a groan before she felt the tears fell and the song of sobs began.

" Lauren? " Normani questions lifting her shoulder and turning Lauren over, " Okay you're worrying me, please tell me what's wrong? " she then sits Lauren up and pulled her into a really really tight hug.

" Lauren please tell me what's wrong? I gave you space and waited for an explanation for but now I could careless. This isn't you, for the past 3 months I've watched you approach Camila then come back here and mope. Please tell me what's happening. " she practically begged making Lauren cry even more.

" I'll grab you some tissues and water and I'll be right back okay, " she stood up from my bed and walked away to grab what she said she would while Lauren grabbed the pillow behind her. She brought the pillow to her chest and watched Mani come walking back to her with the items.

Lauren used a couple of tissues to clear her nose and drank some water to wet her super dry throat.

" Lauren? " she asked once more. " Camila hates me. " Lauren states making her scoff not believing older girl, but seeing that Lauren started to cry again she knew it was serious.

" Where'd you get that idea? " she rubbed her shoulder and brought Laurens head on her shoulder.

" She won't talk to me, she won't even acknowledge my presence. " Lauren cried into her shoulder, " Shh...shh...that's a bit ridiculously isn't it? I mean you and Mila are like best friends. " she explained trying to convince Lauren other wise.

" Are we? "

•••

" Okay what about? I think we've established your love for her, " Normani jokes trying to lighten the mood

" Camren. She knows! Mani she knows! SHE'S FINALLY FIGURED IT OUT! "Lauren say almost breaking into tears shocking Normani. Her eyes widen and gives Lauren a quick hug before saying

" Hey, hey, hey listen to me let's go on the bus okay, " Normani drags Lauren out as tears began to pour. Normani makes sure that she's one facing the crowd while Lauren hides behind her.

They left the stadium and found their way to the bus, thankfully there was no one there. They walk to the back of the bus since they know that's where they would get the most privacy.

" Tell me what happened? " she asks sitting across from Lauren

" Didn't you hear her question earlier? "Lauren ask hugging my knees to my chest

" Yes, but I tried to act like I didn't hear it, and it hasn't really come up in months specially from her side. So it was weird," she answers

"Yea but now I'm getting flashbacks about those horrible months with her giving me such a cold shoulder. And now it's even worse because it's like she's trying to play some fucked up game. Where she'd gained my trust again, figure out what I'm hiding, then ice me out again because of said secret. " Lauren starts to get louder and paces around the room

" Hold-hol-hol-hol-hold one! Wait a minute! She doesn't actually know? " she interrupts me

" Well-no, " Lauren answers, Normani sighs loudly

" Listen to me honey, maybe she finally realized that what she did was wrong and she's just trying to rekindle your friendship okay. Just don't act suspicious during the subject, " She advised

" But that's what I'm worried about, what if she questions me about it. " I began to sob again. She stood up and walked to my side

" Don't give her a reason to read into it. Okay, don't give them a reason to think my that you know somethin-"

" But I do. " Lauren interrupts

" Yes and only you and I know about that. " she smiles comforting Lauren

" What if she finds out, I can't take another ice cold Camila. I like how everything is and I've accepted it. " Lauren explains while Normani sits sarcastically laughing, Lauren looks at her not getting what was so funny about what is said.

" Are you serious? " she stood back up

" What? "

" You like how everything is? Are you serious? HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLY ACCEPT SOMETHING SO UNNECESSARY! Listen to me you don't deserve this okay, she should have given you an explanation. I seriously thought that during that last month of Neons Lights Tour everything would be back normal again. I didn't think it could get any worse, never did I ever imagine that she could do it again. Not only that as soon as you almost confessed you love she wave around the idea of her and Austin. It's as if burning you twice wasn't enough for her. I love Mila as much as the next girl but that's not how she should've handle the situation. " she paced while Lauren disappointingly agrees

" I didn't think it would be this bad Mani, I really didn't. It's just a crush. " Lauren sobs

" I know, I know. But you still need to know the truth.This is how Camren should've been handled, not ignored." she caresses Laurens hair comforting the crying girl

" Well I can't tell her! You saw how she acted, about this Mani! " Lauren defends herself

" Alright I see your point? But it's just a crush and you're not a lesbian " Normani says

" Who isn't a lesbian? "Camila walks into the back scaring Mani and Lauren

" Uh, Rebel Wilson " Mani quickly answers, trying to cover Camila from seeing a post cry Lauren. Lauren quickly wipes her eyes and fans her face.

" Oh that's a bummer, " she smiles

" Hey are you okay? " she asks popping her head to the side to look past Mani. Mani moves to the side and looks at Lauren with an act-normal look before she exits to the bunks

" Yea just really nervous, " Lauren say caressing my hands

" Why? You've performed so many times before? " she laughs and sits down next to Lauren. Lauren shifts a little more to the left to get some space between them, but that only made Camila come closer.

Come on Lauren! Act normal! She thought to herself.

" Well it's our first official tour where it's just us, you know, " Lauren says looking at her

Lauren has seen a lot in her small life but nothing is as beautiful as Camilas. She found them to be so simple and cute that she could stare at them all day. Some might say that brown is plain and boring but not hers it's like every time Lauren look in them she can see all the amazing things she can do. Lauren's mom always said if you ever fall in love with somebody don't fall for their looks but fall for their eyes because the eyes are the only thing that lasts forever. They are so mesmerizing, and her hair her perfectly curly light colored hair falling on her shoulder we're just killers. For Lauren If looks could kill, she would be dead.

" Lo? " she surprisingly says, Lauren hasn't heard that in a while " Yea? " Lauren weakly smiles

" I said, it won't matter what happened we're all in this together. " she smiles holding Laurens hand.

" Right, well I have to get my make-up done again, so I'll see you later. " Lauren gets up from the couch and leaves the bus

When step step foot onto the pavement someone grabs her arm and pulls me to the front of the bus.

" Mani what the hell? " Lauren say

" What happened? " she asks eagerly

" Nothing, now seriously I have to get my make up done again. " Lauren plainly answered

She nods her head and they make their way back to their dressing room. This is going to be one long and interesting tour.

A/N Guys I hoped you liked the first chapter please vote and comment I'd love feedback questions anything.

Here are some helpful tips for the future: (•••): Flashback (---): Next Scene (*Words*): Phone Call

#Camren #Camren fanfic #Camila cabello #camilacabello #Lauren Jauregui #laurenjauregui #please don't be offended Lauren #Normani kordei #normanikordei #dinah jane #dinahjane #allybrooke #ally brooke #fanfic #lovestory #nonau #non au

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iestyn-crowe · 4 years

Text

In Years Past

March fifteenth. It was two decades ago today, but he remembered it in such vivid detail. He found himself back on the ship, which had become significantly quieter in recent weeks. Desmond was visiting family in Elwynn, Em had vanished entirely, Inron and Cynthia generally spent the daytime below deck. After what the musician had told Iestyn, though, he couldn’t be certain that he was there at all. He still wouldn’t chance his usual venture to the bilge, just in case he passed by them on the way-- he couldn’t hide nor explain the mournful expression on his face and he didn’t want to try. There was only one person on the crew who knew everything, so he mustered the energy to knock on the door to his quarters.

March fifteenth. It was two decades ago today.

Carmen pulled the door open and wordlessly beckoned his first mate inside. The damned thing looked like he was on the verge of tears and he had anticipated his arrival. Rising from a dish on the desk was a wisp of smoke, evidence of the unfinished cigarette that he had twisted upon it for the sake of the lad. He wouldn’t light another while he was here. The captain made his way back to his seat, sitting down with a quiet grunt and turning back to the invoices and contracts he had been working on before the interruption. To anyone but Iestyn that may have seemed callous, but he appreciated the lack of staring as he crawled onto the bed and laid down. He managed to look just like the lost child he had pulled from the water all those years ago, and in many ways he still was.

A comforting silence had fallen between them, accented only by the soft scratch of quill on parchment while Carmen worked. Iestyn closed his eyes, taking a deep and shaky breath to fight the sting of tears.

Two decades ago today had been a dark, dark day, but it had brought the brightest light he had ever seen into his life. He remembered being told to leave the room, he remembered reentering hours later to see his mother in bed, staring silently at the wall. Her face was still wet from tears but she was too exhausted to sob anymore. There was blood-- entirely too much of it for this sort of thing. His ears pinned back and he looked around for the midwife, but it was just them.

“<Momma…? Is there a baby?>”

She gave a weak nod, though her gaze didn’t move from the spot on the wall. When she spoke, her voice was raspy and raw from the cries he had heard from the other side of the door, “<For now. … Outside.>”

The child didn’t know what that meant, but it made his blood run cold all the same. He ran out as though somehow he could help. They tried to keep him away, really, but he ducked and weaved through the arms that attempted to shoo him until he managed to see her. She was… small. Too small. He didn’t know the proper size for a baby, exactly, but even he could tell that something was very, very wrong. Her arms and legs were like brittle twigs curled close to her body and her skin was a deep, bright red. The hands held above in a desperate attempt to heal overshadowed her completely. She could have fit in one palm. That’s what he remembered before he was picked up and carried back to his mother, too stunned and confused to fight or complain this time.

They had said she probably wouldn’t live to see morning. Even if she did, every day was going to be a struggle. The idea that she would see a twentieth birthday was laughable at the time, so how could he still hold it against his mother? How could it still pain him so much?

“<Would you like to name her?>”

“<... Why bother?>”

In years past, he had seen her celebrate. He had seen her cook a feast entirely too large for the household she lived in. He had seen her give away flowers from her garden to friends and strangers alike, always happily chirping that it was her birthday and she wanted to spend it making people smile. That was the best present anyone could give her, anyways. She loved making people smile.

This year, he couldn’t risk the visit. If he went anywhere near her again…

Iestyn rolled over, taking a shaky breath and pulling a pillow close to cling to. He just needed a moment-- but the sound of a notification on his communicator had his ears pinning back. Even Carmen glanced over his shoulder. He wasn’t certain if he should be proud or worried that the thief had become so sociable lately, as it usually ended in either a new crewmate or a downward spiral.

He winced at the brightness of the screen, reading the message with some difficulty after wiping his eyes on his sleeve. It was from Leon.

I seem to have accidentally made a small cake. If you’re so inclined, feel free to help me dispose of it.

It got a broken laugh from him. He hadn’t meant to tell anyone the significance of the date, but there had been so much on his mind that it spilled outward on Poetry Night. Of course the bloody Gilnean would reach out, that man’s heart was so big that it only fit in his chest sometimes. In all others, he wore it on his sleeve. Iestyn laid the communicator back face down, running his hand through his hair. He wasn’t going anywhere and he knew it. No one could see him like this.

In retrospect, the communicator was a much more welcome interruption to his melancholy than the soft scratch at the door that followed. He glanced at his captain, knowing full well that he never had any visitors. Besides, that didn’t sound quite like a knock. Carmen stood reluctantly to open it, finding a crow waiting on the deck with a rolled up letter attached to its leg. It wasn’t Lenore and the seal on the parchment matched the tattoo on Iestyn’s forearm, something that was enough cause for alarm for his brow to furrow while he untied it. The Guild didn’t usually contact their master at sea unless it was extremely urgent, and in their line of business, urgent matters never meant something good.

Iestyn had thrown his legs off the side of the bed, an expectant look on his face when his captain returned to the quarters. He handed him the letter silently, still sealed. He knew better than to meddle in his affairs, even if he was interested in doing so. (He wasn’t.)

The thief tensed in recognition of what appeared to be an official report from his thieves, opening it with a conflicting sense of impatience and hesitance. As with all those from his guild, the letter was written in an encrypted language-- Thieves Cant-- and took a moment to decode even for the man himself.

Master Crowe,

We regret to report that our team has lost sight of our person of interest as of the of tenth March, two forty-eight post meridiem.

Her last known points of contact were two Ebon Blade knights due south of Sindragosa’s Fall. One, a high elf identified as Scout Vanlaris Brassvale and the other, a human identified as Scout Isaac Riley. She had inadvertently left the company of Corporal Allivarin Blackmorrow the week prior due to poor weather conditions. As per our orders, we had no intentions of interfering unless in a matter of life or death.

We regret to report that interference, in this case, was necessary.

The person of interest found herself separated as well from the knights, drawn away for unknown reasons. She brought with her her feline companion. Our scouts followed her into the blizzard but were unable to maintain consistent vision on the target. When it became clear that she would succumb to hypothermia if left unsheltered, we moved in.

The cat was recovered, but the person of interest was nowhere to be found.

We will continue our search and send updates as the situation unfolds.

He read it several times over, heart rising into his throat and racing to match his thoughts. They lost her? They lost her. Five days ago-- and he was just now hearing of it? His jaw set and hands trembled with the barely restrained desire to tear the paper to shreds. Carmen watched him with brow arched. The closest thing to worry that ever crossed the captain’s features often looked more like mild intrigue.

“... I need to go to Icecrown. Now.”

((Mentioned: @mremaknu))

#this is REALLY long #hold onto your hats mates this is gonna be a rough week #drabble

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infernorp · 6 years

Photo

name: claude babin

age: thirty

gender and pronouns: cis male, he/his

loyalty: neutral

occupation: heir

criminal occupation: none

faceclaim: rhydian vaughan

Some say the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. You've found, in your experience, that it's quite the opposite. Offer nothing but the best intentions served on a platter handcrafted from the silver spoon which you were born with tucked delicately away under your tongue, and people will lay down their jackets on the pavement at your feet, offering their very lives in exchange for one good deed. Of course, that's not why you do it. No, you've always felt that you were perfect, and this was just a way to reflect that. Not a desire to be perfect, but a knowing that you already were. And on the occasions when you did muss things up, well. You were only trying your best, no one can fault you for that, and so you walked away from the wreckage without a scratch on you, not a single consequence on the horizon. You live in color and bright bubbling jazz, in polka dots and moonbeams. The purpose of your existence is simply to shed light on everything you touch. To save everyone. To fly, to touch the heavens, to walk on water. Maybe not so simple after all. You can't save them all, especially not the ones who don't want to save themselves, but that's a hard lesson to learn, and it's one that hasn't quite sunken in yet.

Your father was retired before you were in high school, but some of your most vivid memories are those of him coming home from the hospital at the most unusual hours, looking thoroughly exhausted but proud of himself. One morning his pager alerted the family of the hospital's need of him while you were all sitting at the breakfast table, and you looked at your father with wide eyes and asked, voice quivering, why he had to leave just then. He smiled and put his hands on your shoulder, kneeling to look at you in the eyes. 'If I don't save whoever needs me, who else will?' Your ambition was never to be a doctor like your father was, but those words stuck with you. You're perfect, yes, but this is the only thing you have to offer to the world besides a pretty face. Statues are nice to look at, but they serve no practical purpose. You want to do something, and if you cut yourself to shreds picking up the broken pieces of the people you meet as you become, then so be it.

acquaintances: christine daae, lea jammes, and xavier carmen

friends: baylen moreau and zhu lau

disliked: dulce vilaro, edmond ledoux, erik destler, jacqueline mifroid, and madalene giry

ANNABELLA CHANEY, PHILIPPE CHANEY, AND RAOUL CHANEY

You grew up alongside the Chaney family, and while Raoul and Philippe are some of your closest friends, part of you can't help but wonder how Annabella and Philippe can stomach being so stoic all the time. Still, it was fun making the occasional trip out to see Raoul during his travels, going barhopping all over the world, though you can't say you entirely approve of his lifestyle choices either. All things considered, though, they're both like your brothers, Raoul considerably moreso, if only because it's much easier for you to be a guiding hand on his shoulder to at least attempt helping him navigate his life with as few drunken stupors as possible. But you do appreciate the whole family, for all they're worth to you, now and the childhood memories you keep so fondly tucked away.

LISETTE SORELLI

You were raised to be charming, not sincere, and yet somehow you ended up both. It's for these reasons that Lisette confuses you. She's charming, sure. Charismatic and beautiful, but cold. Talking to her is like admiring a porcelain doll on a shelf. It's nice to look at, but gives you an uneasy feeling and it's altogether utterly inhuman. Dealing with her is an unfortunate necessity for your time with Meg since Meg sadly refuses to see you off the books or the clock, so you try and keep your dealings with Lisette as short as needed. You can't shake the feeling whenever you speak with her, though, that she'd like to sink her hooks into you. You don't know her story, but you certainly have the money and status that you can tell she craves. It makes you shudder to think of, and you're certain you can't hide the way your lip curls when she comes onto you.

MEG GIRY

You were born a lover, not a fighter, but what if the one you love demands that you fight her before she'll believe you truly want her for who she is? You look at Meg like she put the stars in the skies, like she has the stars contained right there in her eyes, and she can hardly meet your gaze. The only time you get to spend with her is when you're paying for it, but somehow you don't mind. It's incredible, really, that you don't see anything wrong with it. You'd throw all the money you're worth at her just for one night to call her your own, but Meg isn't one to be owned. Maybe she was once upon a time, but back then, before the world ripped her to shreds, before she needed to be saved, would you still have wanted her? Is the appeal in Meg herself, or in a girl who you look at and see a damsel in distress, a maiden who needs to be rescued? 'You're not my knight in shining armor,' she tells you one night, pushing you away with tears in her eyes, 'I can save myself. I don't need you.' It should be enough to make you leave, but it only makes you want her more. You choose to believe that she's lying, that she can't save herself, because it's easier than thinking that maybe she needs someone but just doesn't want you.

THIS CHARACTER HAS A FLEXIBLE FACECLAIM AND IS TAKEN BY CHARITY

#rhydian vaughan fc #bio roleplay #lsrpg #au rp #lsrp #a #m #n #claude #connection:meg #connection:lisette #connection:raoul #connection:annabella #connection:philippe #t

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