#and then the queen just goes ‘oh zombies? alright’

[hisbutler-problematic]

what i really love about black butler is they said what if there was one little boy and for some unknown reason absolutely unhinged occult stuff ALWAYS happened around him

they try to play it off by being like “oh he’s a phantomhive, they deal w all kinds of stuff” but then they make it very clear that this little boy is the only one who has to deal with shit like demons and shinigami and werewolves and zombies, etc

like no one is super surprised when he’s like “oh just another day dismantling the zombie factory” but there’s also a distinct “wtf do you mean zombie factory” air to it

queen: there’s witches and werewolves in germany that you have to deal with ciel: why the fuck do i have to go to germany (his only problem w that sentence)

and then the little boy has the audacity to be like “tbh don’t really believe this witch and werewolf thing :/“ to his DEMON butler

#kuroshitsuji #black butler #our ciel #im obsessed w this little dude ngl #remember that time he said ‘i’m not interested in the occult’ right in front of his demon butler with whom he holds a demon contract #hes so fucking funny #the overall attitude towards his everyday is hilarious honestly #imagine rolling up to buckingham palace and being like. hello your majesty it turns out the problem was zombies #completely straight faced #and then the queen just goes ‘oh zombies? alright’ #and it’s not just ciel it’s not just the queen #lizzie heard ‘corpses’ and freaked out but got over that FINE. #there are bigger problems to deal with than moving corpses. how will i stay CUTE through all this!! #shes right tho #also shout out to her family for hearing ‘you need to go for their heads’ and questioning nothing and just being like ‘cool tnx 4 the info’ #like. what the fuck were the phantomhives involved in BEFORE ciel ever brought a demon into all this #sky posting

[chryzure-archive]

Apologies for going off-fixation lol - to make up for it tell me more about Chrysi and her new bf 👀👀

AAHHHH, I HAVE! SO MANY THOUGHTS!!! My apologies if this is all over the place because... Mordred, my beloved.

So at the end of the series, Mordred ends up being exiled from Camelot (which... fair. It was very merciful that he wasn't killed in the end), so he goes to the island of Avalon, where a lot of other exiled witches live. Most of them are women, and so Mordred becomes their protector of sorts.

Chrysi ends up there for reasons I haven't totally figured out, but I want her to have been essentially kicked out from her own kingdom by her sister after she, uh, accidentally brought back all the dead from a graveyard. Oops.

She and Mordred get along. She makes him laugh and he's intrigued by her, and she thinks he's cute! And smart! But she doesn't let herself like him because she knows he's still not over this other girl (she didn't know the other girl was Queen Guinevere, but that's neither here nor there. Yet.)

Obviously they grow closer as they live side by side in Avalon. All the other witches and girls there love Chrysi, and they all think Mordred should start pursuing her instead of still being caught up on Guinevere (what is it with Chrysi and her men with fixations on their past relationships <//3 she has to break them in like a wild horse). During this time, Chrysi quickly gains a reputation for being clumsy / bad with magic. Every time she tries something new, something will explode. All the time. (Mordred’s all like “So what was it that got you kicked from your old place? Too many blown-up torches?” “I brought a legion of the dead back to life on accident” “Oh.” He’s still not sure if she was joking.)

Eventually, I want there to be a horror aspect, similar to magical / supernatural zombies showing up. Chrysi’s the only one that knows how to take care of them, so she… essentially tears them apart and sends them back into the ground headfirst (so they can’t scratch their way up). Ten she makes new protections around Avalon and Mordred’s like “Wow… soulmate right there? Wow!!!” 

Buuuut unfortunately, these creatures showing up means Chrysi has to go back to her home kingdom and make sure her sister isn’t doing everything Chrysi told her not to. Spoiler alert: she is. 

Anyway, Chrysi tries to sneak out of Avalon in the middle of the night, only for Mordred to be at her back door when she’s heading out. Chrysi just barely manages to avoid cursing him out, fortunately. 

Turns out Mordred guessed what she was doing because for the past couple days, she’d been going around and giving ppl some gifts and being all grateful to them for taking her in and all—and he rightfully guessed she was trying to leave. Well, too bad, because now he’s pledged himself as her knight and she has to take him with her. Excellent. 

Chrysi doesn’t really want to argue with him (though they do. They do argue quite a bit.), so she ends up bringing him along. It’s handy to have someone that can talk to animals (which btw!! Mordred can commune with animals!  It makes me all fluttery inside + you know Chrysi’s annoying him with “Can you speak to my cats? Can you tell them I love them? Please? Pretty please?”) and someone that’s half-fairy and also can do magic. I love them together. 

So they set out to the coast, where Chrysi hopes to catch a ship (Mordred… does not like the ocean all that much, I choose to believe. I like to also believe that he gets somewhat seasick. All because of a throwaway line in the book.). Along the way, Mordred teaches her how to fight. He quickly finds her to be really good (not as good as him, but that’s alright—she’s best with a quarter staff and he can tell she might be his equal with that weapon) and he also finds her to be?? Really scary with a bow and arrow? Okay, he’s handing over his heart already, she’s earned it. 

They get very… close on this journey. Lots of them sleeping close for “warmth”, then intermittently waking up to watch the other sleep and marvel at how pretty they are. Anyway, they aren’t in love. (Keep telling yourselves that.)

When they get to Chrysi’s kingdom, Mordred finds Chrysi’s essentially a princess (what the fuck!!!) and also a feared and powerful magic being—occasionally called “Death’s Bride”, “Angel of the Crossroads”, “Queen of Nightmares”… Mordred’s like “Who the FUCK have I been traveling with?? And kissing?? HUH???”

He also meets Jacks, who is obviously in this universe because I love how dedicated Jacks is to Chrysi even when they aren’t together, and he decides it will be very funny to irritate Jacks from then on out. 

This is where drama happens and, while I have many scenes planned, most of them aren’t coherently linked together. There’s lots of the undead coming back and eating ppl, lots of ghouls, but Chrysi pretty easily takes them down. Her main concern is who is causing all this?? She can only stop the symptoms, but she’s not able to discern the root of the issue—which bugs her. 

To add to her issue with tracking down what’s causing all this, her older sister is deliberately making things more difficult for her. Lots of political intrigue happens at the same time, and Mordred’s suddenly really glad he made himself Chrysi’s knight bc he can be with her all the time. Jacks is also trying to be around Chrysi all the time and he finds Mordred’s presence really fucking annoying. It’s awesome.

OH, ALSO! This kingdom is full of magic, in direct contrast to Camelot. Mordred’s actually… really fascinated by it. Chrysi likes showing him all her favorite places (a hallway where all the walls and ceilings and floors are made of stained glass, her cave garden that her brother kept up while she was gone, the springs that are inside the castle with a waterfall coming in from the top to keep the water levels up… Mordred thinks he loves it here.)

I really enjoy them…

OH, ALSO I HAVE A MODERN AU WHERE THEY’RE DUMB COLLEGE STUDENTS AND ALSO THEY PLAY DND TOGETHER AND MORDRED LIKES TO BE A MODEL FOR CHRYSI WHENEVER SHE DRAWS!!! I just want to bring that up :3

#.asks #m.filly✨ #s.chrysimordred #i should explain more abt mordred at some point. but sldkfjsdlkfjslkfjgslkdfj SO HARD #he’s so many things. he acts like he’s the villain bc everyone expects him to be #and there’s a part in the novels where he pretends he was trying to manipulate guinevere so she wouldn’t feel bad when he got possessed #AND I THINK HE SHLD DO THAT WITH CHRYSI—ONLY FOR CHRYSI TO LOOK AT HIM WITH TEARS IN HER EYES AND SAY ‘why are you lying to me? you’re lying #bc she knows him so well… i jst think. they are neat. #do i have to make a new main f/o segment of my carrd? idk. i jst think mordred is neat :)

[supercorpkid]

Extraneous Variable 3

Error: n3

Supercorp, Kara Danvers x Daughter!Reader, Lena Luthor x Daughter!Reader, Alex Danvers x Niece!Reader, Kelly Olsen x Niece!Reader

Word Count: 3120.

“What the actual fuck!”

“LANGUAGE!” Kara scolds Alex, pointing at you. “My kid is here!”

“Well, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but WE ARE KIDS TOO!” Alex runs to the front of the mirror, and you get out of her way. “This can’t be true! I’m gonna kill Brainy!”

She marches to the door looking like she will absolutely kill him. You wonder if you should do something, but Brainy can protect himself, besides you’re not a superhero anymore. You look at your moms. Kara and Lena are staring at each other, so shocked, nothing leaves their mouths.

“Moms?”

Kara seems to be the first one to come down from her shock. “I’m you! I’m about your age!”

“Yep! We’re one in the same.” You agree with a big smile. Alex is close by, yelling at Brainy to reverse this mess. You try to ignore her.

“That’s so cool!” Kara holds Lena’s hand, who still hasn’t said a word. “Love, I’ve always wanted to know you as a teen. Hey, now we can say that we have! And, YAY, I’m going to kiss you as a teen.” Kara’s face goes towards Lena’s, who sleekly moves away. “Lena!”

“Nope.” Your mom finally lets out. “You’re her. I’m not doing that, it’s weird.” She points at both of you and sits on the chair that is closest by. Her hands cover her face, and she lets out an exasperated sigh. “I told you not to mess with alien tech. Look what you've done.”

“I didn’t do this! It was Brainy.” You defend yourself, pointing at him instead.

“In my defense, I’m just trying to undo the mess you made.” He also ignores Alex for the sake of defending himself.

“Well, you’ve made more messes than I have now.”

“Only if we look at this numerically.”

“How else would we look at it?”

“You star-”

“STOP IT!” Lena yells, making everyone in the room flinch at the sound of her teen voice coming out so loud. “Both of you, stop it! I have a damn company to run and how the hell am I supposed to do that looking like a teenage girl?”

Kara opens her mouth, but before she has a chance to speak, Lena snaps at her again.

“Kara, I swear to GOD if you say ‘language’ right now, I’m going to curse in five different languages!”

“Someone’s a moody teenager.” Alex mutters and you hold your laugh, biting your lip, knowing damn well not to add into Lena’s moodiness.

“I think I can-” Brainy starts.

“NO!” Alex slaps his hand away from the piece of tech. “Do not touch that again.”

“But-” He tries.

“NO!” Kara yells protecting the tech with her own body. “I’m scared you might turn someone into a zombie next and they’ll come for me.”

“In that case, you don’t have to worry. Zombies eat brains, so you’re safe.” Alex looks at Kara and you look to the other side trying to hide your laughter again. Aunt Alex as a teen is way too funny.

“Hey!” Kara interjects.

“I just have to-” Brainy starts again.

“NO!” It’s Lena who says it this time. “You heard them! Step away from the alien tech. Actually, can we all get out of here and leave it for the kid to figure this out?”

“You know, you can’t call me ‘kid’ anymore. I think I’m actually older than you are, right now.”

“And I am actually still your mother, so you better find a way to reverse this, or you will be in deep-deep trouble, young lady.” Lena says and you drop your head low. Why is she still so scary even looking younger than you?

“But if the 12th-level intellect can’t find the solution, what chance do I have?”

“Well, you have the motivation.” Lena smiles at you, blinking her big green eyes at you. “Find the solution, don’t get grounded for messing with alien tech when I specifically told you not to.”

“Touché.”

“But how is this even possible?” Kara says, counting something on her fingers. She looks around confused. “We’re not all the same age, yet-”

“I have neither the time, nor the crayons to explain this to you.” Alex says and this time you can’t hold your laugh anymore. You wheeze out a laughter and Kara furrows her brows at you in response.

“You don’t know, do you?” She asks Alex, who denies with her head.

“No idea.”

“Ok, that’s it. Everyone out of this lab. Let’s all wait upstairs.” Lena points outside and you watch Brainy, Alex and Kara leaving with their heads hanging low.

“But I need help.” You mumble, but are left unanswered. You don’t know if they didn’t hear you or are just choosing to ignore you for the sake of Lena not yelling at them.

“So, we’re not gonna kiss?” It’s the last thing you hear before the door closes behind them.

“KARA!” Actually, that’s the last thing before you find yourself all alone in your lab with the alien tech in front of you.

It’s not that you’re scared of it, but yeah, being a baby and then a boy wasn’t the best experience in your life. Now your moms and aunt are teens. One is moody, the other is a sarcastic queen, and the other one is… Just… Kara.

You: Need help. Brainy turned our moms into teenagers.

Jamie: WHAT! OUR moms? This is gold!

You: Yeah, well, Lena is still scary as a teen, so I need a solution ASAP. Help. Please?

Jamie: Don’t know how I can help, but yeah. Sure. On my way now.

Jamie shows up some time later. You try to fill her in on what’s going on. She can’t stop laughing. Seriously. She can’t be stopped.

“I’m serious!” You roll your eyes at her reaction. “This is bad! Really bad.”

“I know. I wish we had popcorn.” She jokes, grabbing her phone in her pocket and going to the lab door. “Come on, I gotta see this with my own eyes.”

“Jamie.” You try. She ignores you, still going to the elevator.

“You said they’re at Lena’s office, right?” She’s already inside the elevator when you decide to follow her. She smiles satisfied when she sees you. “Relax.” She says pushing the button for Lena’s floor. “We’ll say we need to assess the situation, or like, whatever.”

“Fine. Just be aware, your mom is a savage.”

“Oh, I’m counting on it. I’m going to film the whole thing. Whenever I say something she doesn’t like, I’ll use this video as proof I’m not as bad as she was.”

You two sneak into the top floor, but there’s no need. Your mom’s assistant was sent home. Lena probably didn’t want to explain how she was turned back into a teenager. You open a little crack on the door and Jamie sneaks in her phone so she can film them.

Brainy is no longer with them, so right now only the three of them are in the office. Lena’s on her chair, still doing some work even as a teen. Alex is on the couch and Kara is impatiently walking from one side to the other.

“Seriously Alex, what do you think? I could wear Superkid’s suit, and no one would know.” She asks, looking at Alex waiting for a response. It doesn’t come. “Alex?”

“There’s no need to repeat yourself, I ignored you just fine the first time.” It’s what Alex says. You and Jamie try not to laugh out loud.

“Rao, you’re the worst teenager ever!” Kara complains, throwing herself in the chair in front of Lena. “Lena. Hey.” No response. “Lenaaaaaa, do you have any snacks?”

“Kara, I’m trying to work.” Lena shots her down, making Kara roll her eyes.

“Why? We’re teens. We’re not supposed to work. Besides, it’s not like anyone can hear your voice or see your face right now. Am I right, Alex?”

“I stopped listening, so why don’t you stop talking?” It’s what Alex answers. You seriously have to cover your mouth not to make any sound.

“You’re not funny. Just very cruel.”

“Yes, well. It keeps me young.” She winks at Kara. You and Jamie laugh so loud, Kara stands up in one motion, grabbing Jamie’s wrist -the one with the phone still filming- and you watch your cousin being lifted over Kara’s head. She struggles trying to put her feet back on the ground.

“It looks like we have company.” Kara says finally putting Jamie back on her feet, and you get up from the floor and go inside the office too.

“I thought I told you to reverse this!” Lena says, looking at you. You shrug.

“Well, I needed to see how you’re all thinking.” You lie, trying to justify yourself. “Momma doesn’t seem to have changed at all and you’re still working, but aunt Alex seems to have turned into a teen completely.”

“I have not.” She stands up, crossing her arms. “It’s just nice to annoy Kara. Now, I would very much like to return to my old body.”

“Me too! Lena doesn’t even want to make out with me anymore.”

“Oh, dear God.” Lena gets up, going to her cocktail bar and pouring herself a glass of whiskey.

“What are you doing? You can’t drink! You’re not old enough!” You tell her and she looks at you with wide eyes.

“Yes, I am! I’m a forty-six woman in a teenage girl’s body!”

“Well.” You take the glass of whiskey out of her hands. “When I was a sixteen-year-old girl in a baby’s body you fed me baby food, so I guess we’re respecting that rule. That means no drinking for you.” You look at Kara. “And no, you cannot use my super suit and go save the world, because, like I told you, Superkid doesn’t exist anymore. Now, be nice and go buy us some snacks.” Then, you turn to Alex. “And you, stop giving Kara a hard time or I’ll call your wife and have her come and babysit all of you. Now, if you can excuse us, the older ones must figure out a way out of this mess.”

“She’s your daughter alright.” Kara mumbles, looking at Lena and you shoot her a warning look.

Kara follows you and Jamie out of the office and into the elevator. Jamie looks at both of you with a weird expression.

“I thought one was more than enough.” Then she agrees with her head, looking away. “I was right.”

“And you’re Alex’s daughter alright.” Kara steps out of the elevator when it gets on the ground floor and you hear Aly talking to her.

“Hello, Miss Luthor-Danvers! It’s good to see you.”

“Oh, um, yeah! It’s me!” Kara says and you look at Jamie rolling your eyes.

“You know what? The sooner we finish this, the better.” You push the button for the underground level, and it doesn’t take long for you and Jamie -kind of- start working.

You absolutely hate the fact that you started messing with alien technology in the first place. You should’ve listened to Lena when she told you not to touch it. Kara comes in and out with food, Jamie takes several naps next to you, but you keep working.

“Ok, honestly. That’s enough.” Jamie gets up, holding your arm. “We’re going home. They’re not going to die being teens for a day. I mean, you didn’t die being a boy, so they’re cool.”

“Lena told me to find the solution.”

“Yes, well. She said, ‘find the solution’ not ‘find it today’. So, we’re leaving.” Jamie sighs, tired. You look at the clock and agree with your head. “Let’s take our teens home.”

And despite protests, you all go home. It’s funny that none of them can drive, so Jamie is the one left driving all of you around in Lena’s fancy car. You can tell Lena is not enjoying the ride, but there’s not much she can do about it.

“And here we are.” Jamie says, stopping in front of your house.

“Why are our lives so goddamn weird?” It’s how Alex says goodbye, and you look at Jamie raising an eyebrow.

“Good luck with her.” You slip out of the car and follow your moms into the house.

“Well, I’ll go watch TV.” You hear Kara’s voice, and she makes her way to the living room. You look at Lena who just shrugs.

“Meh, guess I’ll do that too.”

“Ok, no.” You follow Kara and turn off the TV. She interjects, but you ignore. “You’re going to take a shower, and Lena is going to help me with dinner.”

“I don’t wanna.” Lena says, throwing herself on the couch and you breathe deep.

“Ok, come on. You guys are not actually teens. Stop being annoying!” You take the control out of Kara’s hand again, when she motions turning the TV back on.

“And you’re not our mom, so stop bossing us.” Kara complains. You breathe deep one more time.

“I wouldn’t have to boss you, if you would just act your age, young lady!” You hear yourself saying that and your eyes widen. “Look at what you’re making me say! My God, I hate myself right now.” You toss the control back at her. “Do whatever you want, I don’t care.”

You still go to the kitchen and get started on dinner. How dare they make you be the responsible adult in the house? They only look young. They’re not actually young. Right?

Jamie: Why does my mom keep acting like a young brat? Isn’t she supposed to be like 50 but look younger?

You: Maybe? My moms are also being immature right now.

Jamie: Do you think their minds are catching up to their body?

You: Maybe???

“Mom!” You call but hear no answer. “Lena!”

“Ugh, what? Can you just leave me alone for like a second?” Lena’s voice comes a while later.

You run to where they are. They’re sitting on the same couch holding hands.

“What’s going on here?” You ask and receive rolling eyes as an answer. Those little weasels!

“God, you’re so annoying for a teen. Are you sure you’re not a 60-year-old woman?” Lena says and you bite your tongue not to answer her. “We’re holding hands, ‘cause this one apparently needs human contact to survive.”

“Well, aren’t you a ray of pitch-black as a teen?” You go back to the kitchen and finish the dinner. But they’re awfully quiet in the living room, so you make your way there in silence to see what’s going on. “Wow, that’s a big kiss!”

You interrupt them, like Kara once has done to you and Maya. They are breathless and flushed and are now shooting daggers at you.

“Dinner is ready.” You say but none of them move. They’re really starting to annoy you. “Did you listen?”

“We’re choosing to ignore you.” Lena says and you close your eyes, breathing deep a few times. Come on, you’re not that annoying as a teen. She’s the worst.

“Get up, come on.” You make your way towards them, hold Kara’s arms and make her stand. “Come eat, and then we’re going to sleep. I can’t stand you both anymore. Go on, Kara. Don’t make me say it twice.”

At that she obeys. Lena still rolls her eyes at you once more, before getting up and going to the kitchen table. You thought it would be a lot more fun having your moms being your own age. You felt like they would understand you, but instead they’re so self-centered it is impossible to hold a conversation. There’s no doubt, their minds are catching up to their bodies for sure.

“Hey, hey, hey.” You stop them, before they run out of the kitchen. “You two are not sleeping together. And you still have to do the dishes and clean the kitchen.” You smile, actually excited you get to say that to them. “Go on.”

You don’t even care about the rolling eyes, and the mumbles under their breaths. You’re sitting while they do all the work. You get now why Lena likes bossing you so much. It is fun!

You don’t let them sleep together. You already saw way too much when you went to the living room earlier. So Kara’s stuck sleeping with you, and the moody teen gets to sleep alone in the other bedroom.

It’s early when you wake up. Jamie, Kelly and teen Alex show up at your house sooner than you’d like.

“Ok, I’m going to the lab, you stay here and try to wake my moms up.” You tell Kelly and look at Jamie who grabs the car keys at your signal. “You might have to hire an exorcist for Lena.”

“Can’t be worse than this one.” Kelly points at Alex with her head, who rolls her eyes in response. You fight the urge to roll your eyes at Alex and leave with Jamie.

“Do we roll our eyes that much?” You ask her and she agrees with her head.

“Not anymore. My God, that shit’s annoying!”

You go back to the lab, and surprise! You can’t do it alone. But since Lena’s not around – physically or mentally – you call Brainy, and he shows up a while later to help you.

“Ok, this time, I think we actually got it.” He says and you agree with your head.

“After we undo this thing, I swear to Rao I’m breaking this machine into a thousand pieces.” You look at Jamie. “Ok, call your mami. Time to bring them back.”

It’s not long until Kelly shows up with three moody teenagers fighting behind her. She looks as done as you imagine you would with their bullshit. You pray to Rao this works. You’re done with this tech, and this nonsense all together.

You shove them inside your lab. Show Kara which button to press – she’s the less annoying one – and the rest of you wait outside.

“You did it!” Kara says, opening the lab door, excitedly. You look at them looking normal again and breathe relieved.

“Thank Rao.” You hug both of your moms, while Kelly and Jamie hug Alex. “You two were terrible teenagers.”

“Well, you handled us very well, babygirl.” Lena kisses your forehead. “I love you guys. But, um, I have to go to work.”

Lena leaves in a hurry. Kara, Alex and Brainy also excuse themselves running out of your lab back to their jobs, and you find yourself alone with Jamie.

“Hey. Help me with this?” You give her a piece of wood and point at the alien tech. She nods with a big smile.

Bye, bye weird situations alien tech put you through. Hello, weird situations your life puts you through.

Notes:

Once again thanks @oncemoonie for this fun prompt. I had too much fun with this series.

#supergirl #kara danvers #supercorp #supercorpfamily #lena luthor #supercorp daughter #kara x lena #kara x reader #supercorp fanfic #lena x reader #alex danvers #kelly olsen #reader insert

[isbus]

The City

Summary

Adam begins his adventure at the main spot for Greedy demons.

Chapter 2: All Bets Are Off

“What else do they have here?” I ask before regretting my decision as I knew, they have everything... don’t they? I groaned as he started listing off things such as clubs, restaurants, museums, casinos, wait, casinos? That sounds fun! Let’s go to the casino! I hope I’ll see King Dice or someone like that! “Let’s go to the casino!” 

“Which one? The Bettigan Casino is the most popular but if you want the least popular then...” he trailed off as I fake-snored. “Soo... you want the Bettigan Casino?”-I nod-“Alright, basic bitch casino it is.” He took my hand and dragged me out of the club to the packed streets, looking for bright lights and loud sounds as if he was a zombie. “This way, sidekick.”

Sam walked over to the right and over through an alley filled with moans, and groans, and lascivious noises just to be in front of a very bright building that was covered in multiple different lights. We entered through the velvet doors and saw multiple crazy sights- beautiful people playing outrageous games, many creatures with instruments playing on a stage, and people watching the music being played. 

“Wow... this place is huge!” I shake Sam with excitement and energy. I could hear Rock It For Me by Caravan Palace being played by the band but it quickly ended and soon Trouble by Cage the Elephant started. A girl with blonde hair and a red dress with a card skirt began to sing. “What should we do?” I was out-of-my-mind excited. 

“Haven’t you been in a casino before?” he asked, sounding curious as if the sights were new to him as well. 

“No, I died at 19.” I say matter-of-factly. He groans in response. 

“Shit, I died at 21 and didn’t get a chance to go to a casino so... I guess we’re both fucked on the thought of doing something here...” he looked down at his shoes before hearing the clicks from the shoes of someone who stood over him. He looked up when seeing his shadow overlapped by another man’s shadow. 

“Hello there, I’m Spade Clubs, but please, call me one or the other.” He smiled with pearly white teeth and pale rose lips. He had a brown quiff, a blue vest, dark blue slacks, a green club tie, a club mark next to his mouth, a green and blue top hat, and dark forest green dress shoes. His smile, which was directed towards Sam, suddenly became a grin when seeing me stare. “Are you curious, Adam?” 

“How do you know my name?” I ask. He chuckles back at me and pushes my fringe aside to look at me in both of my eyes. 

“I can see your horns, Adam.” I stare into his club and spade pupils as his face gets close to mine. He immediately backs up and laughs. “I’m kidding! I know it because I have my own Dead Encyclopedia!” I look awfully scared as he asks what’s up. 

“Oh, you got me, that’s all.” I felt the top of my head for safe measures. He laughs some more at my reaction, making me sound a little irritated at his annoying laugh. I bet some girl in the audience thinks it’s sexy. I laughed along with him before continuing to talk. “So, What should we do here?” I ask. 

“What do you feel like doing? Playing games? Listening to music? Having fun?” He whispered the last question just to wink. 

“None of that, we’re not fags!” Sam tried to defend before saying another word. “You’re not gay, right?” I shake my head. 

“I didn’t say you had to have me, you could have Diamond if you wanted to. But that’s not the point... you can do anything you want down here including eating broccoli soup with belladonna leaves! So, do what you wanna do, eat what you wanna eat, play what you wanna play, and so on and so forth.” His hands done weird gestures as he spoke about what happens down here. He laughed after he was done explaining. “So, I’ll help you out with what you can do down in Mr. Bettigan’s Casino of Fun and- well- fun!” 

I smile as he begins to push us towards a table by a window. We sat down and watched as the star of the show sing the final parts of the song. She vocalized at the end before exiting the stage. I noticed Spade walk over to the backstage but I couldn’t tell what was happening from there. Suddenly I saw them both walk out from backstage and walk towards our table. Women were vocalizing and once I looked on the stage, I saw a bowl of clam chowder sat on a stool behind the microphone. 

“How do you do? I see you met my faithful waiting-man.” She sung to the beat. I noticed that the clam chowder, as anyone would expect, wasn’t singing. She smiled. “Alright I’m done with the jokes. I’m Diamond Hearts. What’s your name? Isn’t it Adam Vil?”

I nearly shouted in rage from how pretty much everyone I met knew my name. “Yes, how’d you know?” I asked, sounding a tad annoyed.. 

“Oh, this is simple, it goes a little like Spade-told-me-everything.” She laughed. “Now, what would you like to do? Eat, drink, play, or all of the above?” I was hungry so I told her that I wanted to do all of the above starting with food. Spade moved over to the a door which I presumed lead to the kitchen and came out with menus in the crook of his arm. Diamond took one from Spade and then passed it over to me. Spade gave the other one to Sam while looking over at Diamond with a sincere smile. 

“Touch the button in the middle whenever you’re ready to order and I’ll be rushing to your table in a matter of time.” He directed his smile to us before strutting over to the entrance where he began to wait for the next people to enter. I pulled up the menu that was handed to me and searched the menu for something that suited my fancy. 

Sam on the other hand, looked over the menu then put it down with the speed of Usain Bolt. He looked over at me as I gave him a questioning stare. “What? All I want is a bottle of whiskey and some chicken tenders.” He nearly shouted. Spade heard that and rushed over to our table. 

“Didn’t I tell you that you have to press the button? But never mind your mistake, I presume you’re ready to order?” He asked sounding kind to cover up his anger. “You,”-he pointed to Sam-“ordered whiskey and chicken tenders; couldn’t forget that for the world. So, Adam, what would you like?” He looked over at me— was his spade pupil always on the left side? 

“I want vodka and Salisbury steak with mashed potatoes.” I simply stated while Sam glared. 

“Oh! How exciting and different that is! I’ll get my cooks to make it the best just for you as you ARE the prince of Hell.” He giggled like a girl then ambled over to the kitchen. I stared at Sam as he glanced back at me from time to time.

He sounded irritated as he asked me the most boring question. “What?”  

“Nothing but one question; why whiskey and chicken tenders?” I didn’t know what to ask so I just asked a question that was in the back of my head and should have not been asked. It was awkward cause I knew what his response was, “Why should I tell you”, or “It’s because my family liked it”. But I never would guess anything like what he said. 

“I ate that when I died,” I assumed that his food was poisoned or something until I was fully aware of why their was a noose around his neck and a shirt that said ‘Beer Pong Champ’ in black sharpie on the blank canvas of a shirt. “Before I killed myself, I was drinking and eating that same meal. But then I got so drunk, I must’ve hung myself.”

My heart was tugged at as he spoken about his death. “That’s depressing...” I mumbled. I thought about my death and realized that we had similarities. "Wait," 

"What?" He quickly responded. 

I thought about it some more before continuing the conversation. "I had a friend when I was alive who committed suicide while intoxicated. Could that have been you?" I looked at him in the eyes. 

"I- Maybe... But my Adam didn't know his dad- Wait. That explains everything! No wonder we get along so well!" He reached over the table with his arms out for a hug. I rejoiced in my head and done the same as him. Our arms wrapped around each other as we smiled.

When we were in the middle of said hug, we heard someone clear their throat. "Hot food and cold drinks are here!" We stopped hugging, sat back down, and looked to see Spade with a tray of food. "Thank you." He smirked with a singy-song voice. Spade sat the food down in our respective areas along with the drinks towards the tops of our knives. 

"Thanks, Spade!" We both conveyed to him. 

He laughed since we were synchronized when speaking. "It's nothing as long as you pay the bill." Spade howled with laughter. "Now let me leave you two lovebirds alone." He began to walk away before we could start protesting against his words. Sam shook his head. 

"Never really liked the king, or the queen, or any of the card demons. They're all just bad people." Sam mumbled under his breath. 

I was very confused. "Who and what are you talking about?" I asked him like if I didn't know I was gonna die... again. 

Sam glared at Spade as he sashayed away. "Don't you know? He's the king of black cards, Diamond is the queen of red cards, there's two more but they don't go with the suits. They're just jack and joker. The people who run this place are card demons. They suffer from the sin of greed. Like Spade's death; he used to bet his life for a abundance of money." 

"Wow... I didn't think of that..." Then I started to think of the other sins. 

If they suffer from the sin of greed then there must be at least six other sins to deal with in my venture through The City... 

"Uh, hello? Ya there?" Sam snapped me back into reality with his rough voice that makes me- wait. I nearly said something I might regret... oOpS 

"Oh! Uh.. yeah just thinking." I responded awkwardly. 

"Don't think to much; those demons of Lovers Land really like a man who can think without his dick." He laughed. I didn't laugh until I came to realize that maybe the demons there might be strippers. I bet they work at a club like 'Satan is my Daddy'. 

"Haha, yeah." He was really funny for a guy with such a tragic backstory. Although, that makes sense since that one comedian said something about funny people being depressed and stuff. I can't remember the exact quote. But instead of dwelling on his sadness, I decided to eat. 

Once he remembered that he had food, after seeing me dig in, he took a few bites. "It seems they put a little bit of hearts hormones on my chicken tenders..." he told himself. 

"Of course we did!" Spade loomed over Sam and smiled with closed eyes. Suddenly opening them to see his pupils switched from what we were used to. "What better way to knock out the prince of Hell's friend?" That sincere smiled changed to a sinister grin. 

"Good thing that chef of yours put in only one shot." Out of fucking nowhere, the glass shattered leaving us with, surprisingly, no cuts? Once our eyes opened from the shock, we looked over to our right to see (insert LoZ Chest Opening Music here) a man with messy blonde hair, a decorative mask, and a Vega-like* costume. 

"Prince Adam," He began, his words muffled by the mask since it had no mouth holes. "It's time to meet your fate... AGAIN!" He shouted while drawing his sword, a blood stained katana. 

"Who in (censored)'s name are you?!" His eyes, which you could barely tell, widened. 

"How dare you speak the un-lord's name in vain?! No wonder the king sent me here to kill you... again." You could barely tell but he began glaring at me. "I wonder how many cuts it'll take for the Devil's son to officially die..." 

Sam throws a bottle down to get the guy's attention. "I bet you won't be able to cut him at all!" 

The man, about to cut me, stopped at the word 'bet'. "What are you going to give me in return?" 

"This!" He holds up a hand grenade which was covered in rust and had an upside down cross. 

It was clear that he wanted it, by the way he stared in awe. "The 'Unholy Hand Grenade'?! How did you get your hands on that?!" 

"Does it matter? It's yours if you manage to slice him at least once." Sam winks at me. 

"Did you just wink at him?" 

"Of course not. Why?" 

"I swore you did..." 

"If you keep it up I won't give you it." 

"Ugh!" The man rushes towards me with his katana. "Give me everything you got, Adam!" He begins by jabbing at me, which I avoided by backing up. I tripped over a table, but I immediately got behind it. Once I thought I was safe, he stabbed through the round table. If I was any closer, it would be through my head. 

I thought he would pull it out and try stabbing in a different area of the table, but he actually lifted the table with his sword. What is his sword made of?! 

I tried running away but, before I could, he grabbed my shirt. Then I remembered Sam's wink. I thought quickly about what it meant, then I saw him about to slice my neck. My first instinct was to put my arm in front of my neck. 

I looked at my arm, and there was a deep, bloody, cut. I was about to scream in fear and pain, but I realized something very weird. There was no pain. I didn't feel the cut or anything. I might be imagining things, but, it looked like it was beginning to close up. 

"I did it!" He shouted. "Now, give me that Unholy Hand Grenade and I will end this!" 

Sam slightly grins. "Alright," he starts taking the pin out. "I will." The masked man's mask falls off and shows his terror. 

"NO! PLEASE, NO!" He yells in a plea. Once the pin was nearly out, a man with blonde hair, a yellow shirt and sneakers, and a jacket with pants (both black), snatched the hand grenade out of Sam's hand- pin and all. 

"Yoinked!" He grins. "Buh-Bye!" He throws his hand down as if he thrown a smoke bomb, then yellow smoke filled the room, and he was gone. 

Everyone who was still here, coughed and gagged on the smoke. People opened the windows to air out the yellow fog, and saw something that kids shouldn't see. Where the man was standing when he 'Yoinked' the Unholy Hand Grenade, was a mini slot machine which had a dancing stick figure*. 

"Damn. My most expensive item." He looked down. 

I quickly changed the subject. "Sam, where are we going next, anyway?"

- NOTES -

*1: Vega is a character from the Street Fighter franchise who I inspired the Masked man Jack O. Trades off of. 

*2 The Dancing Stick figure is a reference to Henry Stickman (GET DISTRACTED)

#the city #tw cursing #demons and angels #original fiction #original story #religious references #pop culture references #song references #second chapter #original characters #funny jokes #bad jokes #sex jokes #fucking hell #literally #isbus

[9hwa9joong]

My Top Songs [2020]

Hi all!

As 2020 comes to an end (thank whatever higher power there is), I wanted to share a list of my favorite songs! (the following are songs RELEASED this year) (I’ve included a list of songs that I heard this year, but weren’t released in 2020, after it). These are mostly korean/chinese.

Alright, this is in NO particular order, just my favorites. I’ve mostly included one song from a group/solo act and added their other great releases in description. It is mostly music that I listened to, so if your favs are not here, feel free to rec me good music! ENJOY!

(the list ended up becoming quite long, so read under the cut)

Black swan(orchestral version) by BTS

BTS had a great year musically. 2 korean albums, 1 japanese and lots of solo stuff. My most played songs are Dynamite (listen, she did what she had to do), Stay Gold (if gold had a sound, this would be it), Black Swan, Blue and Grey (i live for melancholy), Life Goes On (spring day’s successor), Filter(park jimin is a threat), Friends (my feels!), Louder than bombs (TROYE SIVAN), UGH (murder music), 00:00, Moon (jin solos are beautiful always) and Your Eyes Tell (honestly, show me one bad japanese single, i dare you).

Ghosting by TXT

I got into TXT a lot more this year, as opposed to being a casual listener that I was last year. Many people say they have a no-skip discography and I believe it’s true. My most played songs were Blue Hour (i ADORE this song), We Lost the summer, Wishlist, Can’t you see me (the song that made me a stan), Fairy of Shampoo (ethereal), PUMA (choi yeonjun is a threat), Eternally (an ATTACKK!) and their f2020 cover.

Answer by ATEEZ

Ateez is another group i really got into this year, mesmerized by their performance abilities. My most played : Star 1117 (i’m very soft for this song), To the Beat (a true bop), Inception (holy jongho vocals), One day at a time and Good Lil Boy (does hongjoong ever have a bad rap verse?). Their Black Cat Nero cover also blew me away!! (i’m lowkey obsessed).

God’s menu by Stray Kids

I’ve been keeping an eye on Stray Kids ever since hellevator came out and this is my favourite song by them, so far (yes, i had a heart attack when i first saw Hyunjin). Most Played : Back Door (the beat drop gives me life, the choreo is probably my fav), All in, Easy (do they ever have a bad chorus?), GO LIVE (the beat??!! killer), Another Day (i am a slow jam hoe) and My Universe.

Pacman by eaJ   

I didn’t think it was possible to love him more after day6 but Jae’s solo music has proved me wrong. Yes, i love Pillows (with Keshi) to bits but pacman is my first love. Most Played : It just is (Seori and their golden vocals), LA TRAINS (vocals!!!), Pinocchio (the mv is adorable, the beat is so fun), 50 proof (the vibes man, it's the VIBES) and TRUMAN.

Left & Right by Seventeen

Another group with amazing releases this year, I’m slowly getting into Seventeen more these days. Most Played : Fallin’ Flower (so beautiful, the vocals), 24H (the beat change?!!???), 17 (Joshua, DK and Pink Sweats) and HOME;RUN (this is a brand of fun that is entirely their own).

Not by the moon by GOT7

I am no stranger to GOT7, i’ve liked their music for years now but this is one of their more lyrical releases this year and i adore when GOT7 does this type of music. Most Played : Poison (jackson opens it and the vibes are immaculate), Last Piece (the way the vocals flow into the rap) and Thank You, Sorry.

So Beautiful by DPR IAN

This is literally the first song i’ve heard from this artist, please rec me more. I also adore No Blueberries with DPR LIVE and CL.

Eight by IU, Prod. SUGA

IU is an indisputable vocal queen, and her music always comforts me greatly so when i heard she was having a song produced by Yoongi, i promptly lost my shit. It was everything I expected and more and embodies sorrow and pain with great grace. Give you My Heart from the ‘Crash Landing on you OST’ was also a loved song this year.

Cry for me by TWICE

How do i talk about the queens? TWICE is the group i go to when I want fun music with good vibes but this song has such bad b*tch vibes that i am in love. Most played : More & More (a bop), Don’t call me again, I can’t stop me (i love the way it flows), Handle It (the vocals??? How pretty this song is???) and Say Something (seriously, eyes wide open is an amazing album).

Criminal by Teamin

Where do i start with Lee Taemin? I love almost all his solo stuff. He grabbed me by the neck ever since ‘Move’ and hasn't let go. Criminal is SO taemin that i don't think anyone else could have delivered the concept with such grace and grit. Most Played : 2 Kids (the chorus is so good), Clockwork, Idea (i love the vibe) and Pansy (i'm a ballad hoe).

Maria by Hwasa

Listen, i loved Twit when it came out but i love Maria as her sound so much more. Most Played : I’m bad too (feat. DPR LIVE) (i love the beat, the vibe and the flavor), LMM and Orbit from ‘The King: Eternal Monarch OST’ (as soon as her voice comes in, i loved the song).

Breath by DEAN, Rad Museum, Mokyo

I’m not aware of many DEAN releases this year, please feel free to rec me if I missed any.

Dear my friend by Agust D ft. Kim Jong Wan (NELL)

D-2 was everything expected from the second mixtape off Agust D and yet it brought a fresh wave of singing and melodies, once again proving the man’s production genius. This song is so reminiscent in it’s lyrics and still so real, its my favorite off the record.Other songs I loved : People, Deachwita and What do you think? (i DID love the complete mixtape though).

Given - Taken by Enhypen

Yes, I watched  I-LAND. Given-Taken was a better debut then I expected at first. 10 months (the chorus and beat) and Flicker off their debut album were also played a lot. 

I just want to stay with you by Zion.T

The King: Eternal Monarch was a much awaited drama for a lot of people and it’s OST is one of the best ones this year. Zion.T’s amazing vocals really did an amazing job of expressing the love in the story. Other songs I really liked from this album were Gravity by Kim Jong Wan and the Hydrangea Instrumental by Lee Geon Yeong.

The purge by Jay Park, pH-1, Woodie Gochild, Sik-K, and others.

H1GHER: RED TAPE is my hype album of the year. All artists involved did an amazing job. Seriously, get yourself some bomb ass beats, as a treat. Other loved tracks : Telefono Remix (Woodie Gochild is great at his flavour of delivery), Closed Case and The Arrival.

Soul by Lay (zhang yixing)

Yixing’s album LIT was his best project till date, no arguments. He’s really evolved into such a refined musician, especially with how well he merges traditional chinese instruments into Hip Hop/RnB beats and I adore the vibe of this album. Although the album is great entirely, Soul is my favourite for how softly and prettily it flows. Other loved tracks: Eagle (the BEAT), Fly, Boom (bops on bops on BOPS) and Call My Name.

100 ways by Jackson Wang

It is astounding how well Jackson has formed his own style of music ever since starting off with Papillon. He’s also sort of come into himself as an artist and it has birthed some great music. Other loved tracks : Pretty Please (i love the vibe of the song!) and Should’ve Let Go (ft. JJ Lin).

SUGA’s interlude by Halsey 

Idk how else to explain it but Halsey and Yoongi have great music synergy. There’s something about their song/lyric writing that matches very well and needless to say, I adore the song. Blueberry eyes by MAX is also another great Yoongi collab.

In Your Time by Lee Suhyun

It’s Okay to not be Okay had an OST that was dreamy, gritty and very fairytale-esque, much like the drama itself. Among a bunch of great songs, this one is my favourite. Other loved songs: You’re Cold by Heize (always delivers!), Breath by Sam Kim (OST angel), Hallelujah by Kim Feel (chills!), In Silence by Janet Suhh (literally how angelic is her tone??), I’m your Psycho by Janet Suhh (it’s creepy in a dreamy way) and Brother | Her World | Through the dark Tunnel of time | Butterfly - all amazing instrumentals by Nam Hye Seung and Park Sang Hee (seriously, go listen to the album).

By my side by Junny

Another great discovery towards the end of the Year, Junny has vocals for DAYS and admirable delivery. Other loved songs: AURA ft. pH-1, edge (this is so hypnotising in it’s beauty) and I will. Please feel welcome to educate me more about this artist!!

Make a Wish by NCT

NCT always provides bops and NCT U is my favourite sub-unit, for their unique style of music, so when they came out with this song I was ready and they delivered! Most Played : 90’s Love  (the old boy band theme was so well done), From Home (i’m a sucker for slow songs), Nectar (yes, i adore WayV’s music), MAD DOG by NCT 127 and Kick It by NCT 127 (this is the flavour of NCT i LOVE).

Zombie by Day6

Day6 has always been in my daily otations and as always, they put out good music after good music. I loved both the original Korean and the English versions of this song (they do rock well, what else is there to say?). Other loved songs : Tick Tock (oh the vocals, the way the beat moves!), Love me or Leave me, Day and Night... actually the whole Album is great, go listen to ‘The Book of us: The Demon’.

Fearless by Ma Di [other chinese songs]

Chinese songs have been a surprisingly pleasant addition to my daily rotation. Fearless from the “Go Ahead” OST takes the top stop because of how well it embodies the struggles of stepping into adulthood, the melody and MaDi’s amazing vocals. Other Chinese songs I loved: Praise for Red Plum Blossoms by Xiao Zhan (the perfect welcoming of spring paired with  such expressive vocals), Remaining Years by Xiao Zhan (Joy of Life OST) and his OST for the Oath of Love.

 ____________________________________________

The following is the list of songs I heard in 2020, but were not released in 2020. Please let me know if you like them, or if you know other similar music! (I know, I know, I’m late to the game) Enjoy!

DEAN - Sometimes I hear Howlin' in my head 

Zhang Jie/Zhang Bichen - Simple Wish 

Li Ronghao - If I were Young

JJ Lin - What I Miss

Ateez - Mist | Twilight | Wonderland | Say my name | Thank you 

Stray Kids - voices

Seventeen - Trauma

Loona - Hi High

Day6 - Shoot me 

GOT7 - You calling my Name 

RADWIMPS - Is There Still Anything That Love Can Do?

Baekhyun - UN Village

Taemin - Goodbye | want

Aquillo - Silhouette

Talos - To Each His Own

Cigarettes after sex (literally everything)

__________________________________________________

I know this was long, if you read it till the end, I hope you all enjoyed it still.

Have a smooth year in 2021,

-love, c.

#top songs #top songs 2020 #BTS #TXT #ateez #stray kids #eaj #eajpark #jae park #seventeen #got7 #dpr ian #dpr #dpr live #cl #iu #min suga #yoongi #min yoongi #agust d #twice #taemin #lee taemin #hwasa #DEAN #rad museum #mokyo #enhypen #jay park #ph-1

[genius11rare]

AH ChitChat Notes 3 22 21

Chitchat 32221 with Jeremy , michael and matt ft disembodied voices of lindsay and maybe kaden , gus in chat and joins

Jeremy: Kaden spoke up because of donuts earlier… Michael: Jacks time is over now… but he will be on stream later. Jeremy: oh yeah schedule. Slight last minute changes doing Fall Guys first cuz S4 came out… me michael  lindsay and matt did a letsplay in it earlier today … gus will be doing fall guys this stream (eyyy)... oh yeah and i wanna impersonate what jack does. Matt: do it. Jeremy: and if you're watching on the site we can see your chat like FatHippoHippo wrote BET in all capitals … yeah i just wanted to get into the spirit and be like “what would jack do, what would he think is funny” and that was it. Lindsay: alsoone of those WWJD bracelets from the 90s What Would Jack Do… (matt: ive repurposed them) Jeremy: so how are you doing? Lindsay: good weekend i guess , just telling Matt we watched Big Hero 6 yesterday (Jeremy: aw hell yell) still an awesome movie , kids loved it. Jeremy: where they scared of - idk if he has a name the kabuki villain… *looking it up* apparently its Yokai… guess they never really say it cuz that's generic. Lindsay: that's VERY generic. Michael: IVE GOT TO TAKE THIS CALL *facecam becomes void* Jeremy: ok spoiler alert for Big Hero 6 but just looking at the wiki… it makes an audacious claim. It says “professor robert calahan OR ALSO BETTER KNOW as his villain name Yokai”... is it? Lindsay: well its based on a comic right so i guess canonically he has a name…. But to answer your question No they werent scared … anyway something we noticed upon rewatching is that 2 characters before a MAJOR event happens to the fistbump… but DON'T do the explosion… like oooohhh foreshadowing. Michael: not really foreshadowing if they keep doing it throughout the movie , if anything its foreshadowing that like… hell… whats the robots name - baymax learning it… not really foreshadowing the building explodes (gen notes MAJOR EVENT) … what blew my mind was that movie has a post credits scene. Jeremy: oh yeah was it like with the dudes father. Michael: Fred yeah! Remember remarking upon them entering the house theres a portrait of the dad and i just went “his dads just Stan Lee… just a portrait of him” Post credits scene and guys talking to painting and - wasn't paying attention but he like hits his head on it and the wall opens up to show a superhero room with paraphernalia everywhere and Stan Lee walks in like “son we got a lot to talk about” Jeremy: Chat asking about if i watched the wrestling PayPerView… remember how i updated you last that the guy died in the ring after being set on fire (Michael: lemme guess hes a zombie now) - yep exactly last night a hand reached up and grabbed someones leg , he came out of the smoke with a melted messed up mask so yeah…. Hes a furry (i think?) zombie clown Michael: hey wait a minute let me read the chat , someone named Gus said “whoa no idea there was a post credit scene”  “what is a fastfood restaurant combo wish would open” Lindsay: Miss my KenTaco Hutt… Michael: idk im usually just in the mood for SOMETHING , not looking to combine , only time is when i want a certain food and they don't have the same sides i want other places have . like Sonic is amazing for sides , apps and drinks… don't care for entrees , but if i could get Sonic sides at McDonalds or Taco bell or something.. Jeremy: guess in the same vein id combine Dairy Queen with a lot of places (Matt: i was about to say) to get a BLIZZARD with whatever. Matt: that's how it usually goes anyway , you get the food , you drive by the Dairy Queen and get a desert - you don't get the food at Dairy Queen cuz why - just why Lindsay: i mean theres icecream but there isnt really fastfood places for other deserts… like theres not really a Cake or Cupcake place (Matt: not yet *tilts head at camera like “you know what i want”* ) there IS the cupcake ATM Matt: alright checking the google… Michael: Matts checking the driving distance. Jeremy: another questions whil matts looking up cakes (Matt: oh i already have it) nevermind then. Conware asks “what is your fave controller for console and whats fave controller you own” Jeremy: Idk really… i know for a while everyones was the Elite 2 Michael: yeah just most comfortable. Matt: well that's like a specialty type… if its a stock one then the switch pro controller is pretty good. Michael: i mean i also have this 8Bit do SNES bluetooth controller thing , love it Lindsay: i love the nintendo switch controller grip… makes it feel like it curves comfy around your palms Jeremy: the XBOX sea of thieves one is great (Matt: i was about to say…) got a glow in the dark skull in the middle , RT is like a gold tooth , is partly see through Matt: and it comes with some exclusive stuff for Sea of Thieves Lindsay: yeah like Motion Sickness. Matt: i got one that's just a donut. Lindsay: gave me an idea… you know how theres Pez Dispensers (matt: heard of them) yeah and how you don't really even use them right you just eat the candy and play with the thing  ( *matt nods approvingly* yeah about right) what if we invent a controller where every once in a while it opens up to give a snack. (Matt: yeah like everytime you get an achievement, Jeremy: yeah i did good! Just go up to the controller and eat it) “You Are Good Boy” Matt: be funnier if it just throws at you “everyone have a fave seasons and followup do you like seasons where you grew up or where you are now?” Jeremy: i mean springs probably my fave its easy to be outside , not boiling hot nor snow everywhere… great time to camp and fish , falls cool with changing colors… texas is like “do you want REALLY hot or hot?”  Michael: i do really like Fall on the East Coast but its like - yeah i miss it and its nice to be there when it happens where its light jacket weather. I used to wear sweatshirts all the time - i don't bother with long sleeves in texas cuz i know im taking it off within 30 min…  never knew about the Water Cup thing until i lived in texas where restaurants just HAVE water cups… blew my mind its free  - because people will drop dead . noticed they just have this seperate stack of clear cups which is i guess like “i BETTER not see any soda in that cup THAT'S  A WATER CUP!”. I don't like it when its 105 degrees but i do like being able to just wear Tshirts most of the year and not dealing with snow Lindsay: i like Fall the most cuz like its blend of i guess i embrace the basic bitch stereo types of fall , want my pumpkin spice latee but ALSO i know halloween is coming and ive said before how THAT'S like my religious holiday so like… i come alive. Matt: probably fall , maybe winter. I don't go out much but fall is like the right amount of cool but not TOO cool. Jeremy: over the weekend me and kat went to a town called rockfort (i think?) which is like right on the ocean , the weather was a little cold for it , like 50 maybe and the sea breeze made it chillier… im not really a beach person just more water. You say beach and you think  like Boogie Boarding Bros (Michael: whoooaah boogie. Lindsay: beach volleyball) yeah .. id reather be on a rocky shore than a sandy beach. Michael: youd rather be like a mermaid sitting on the rocks *jeremy laughs loud* is that what you're saying Jeremy: yeah Matt: attracting sailors to their DOOM Lindsay: i gotta send you a link but theres this one TikTokker i guess that i watch that talks about that an eastern european beach she went to and was like “i cant wait to go on my beach outting yeah!” and she gets there its rocky , really windy , noones there and goes “ooh its really cold” Matt: depends the kind of beach to me… for me East Coast beaches SUCK *jeremy nods yep* its water you cant see anything in its terrible Lindsay: that's also texas beaches , all brown. Matt: its just one of those things where you get in the water and your like “ok… at anymoment i could be attacked by everything around me”  Michael: well that can happen on land too matt (Gen Notes WELCOHME TA JOISEY!!!) (paraphrasing jeremy here) Jeremy: theres this guy who flys a drone out over beaches into the ocean , and he released the footage… apparently due to there being a lot less people now theres just Great White Sharks that go relatively close to beaches now… there are times where hes filming people playing and like 10 ft away is a fucking shark ya know just swimming. And cuz they're really far away hed be like “id see it , film it , then go to a lifeguard and show it like “oh btw…” “ Michael: so you know 2 hours ago someone may have been eaten. MattL he should put a speaker on the drone to like announce the sharks like HEY! DEATH OUT THERE!. Lindsay: “whats that Dronie? Theres a shark in the water?!?” Jeremy: and it was funny seeing that behavior where everyonce and a while a shark would be swimming then someone would do something near it not seeing the shark and the shark just goes “fuck dat” and swims away MattL god dude…. So close to death *gus joins* Lindsay: oh you're the guy who was like Texas beaches have Tar Gus: oh yeah i grew up in texas and i thought all beaches were like that just “oh you don't sit on the tar”

#text #gen notes #ah #achievement hunter #chit chat #chitchat #march 2021 #michael jones #jeremy dooley #stream #live stream #notes #idk what else to tag #qna #for later

[pact-mom-kyrie]

Hey after a year I wrote a thing. I called it “Brooding nerds“ because is about Alesso (sniper, priest of Grenth) being broody after the event of Hall of Chains. He got some weird powers because hey, he had been dead once before, in Queensdale. He feels alienated. Fron his brothers, from the guild, from everything. So his brother Enzo (mesmer, nerd) goes to talk to him.

Shout out to @disaster-bi-canach for always being there. I mention her main Sinéad here. Go and read all her stuff. Is really good.

Also HAPPY FANFIC DAY!!!

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The nights on Istan were cold, or at least the wind blowing up Champion’s Dawn made him feel like it. The little town was gleaming under the moonlight, pretty like a painting with Churrhir cliffs beyond. 

This was the ancient homeland, thought Alesso. Or at least part of it. He was not knowledgeable enough about the story of Zephaniah, he has bearely heard the story of his ancestor, the man he had only known as Zephare. The only thing he knew for sure was what Koss had said to him: “Another touched by the gods?! By Dwayna, never knew a child of Zephaniah could get this pale, huh?”

Somehow it hurt. But he didn’t say anything. Koss seemed like the kind of nosy grandpa he had never known. Salva noticed though and glared at the old man. Somehow the judgmental gaze of sweet, kind Salvatore made him feel guilty, or at least act like it.

It felt nice, but it was not enough to make him feel better.

That was the reason behind him being sit down, brooding on his own in a cliff, reaper-forged rifle by his side. He had given the excuse of going up just to shoot any awakened that dared come close to the town. But there were none, otherwise, he would have seen them walking through the plains or the breach… that was kilometers away.

Such accuracy was unnatural.

“The eyes of a god” Maesta said while they were in the Priory. He only thought it was about the fact that now they shone like embers, but he realized soon enough that it was something more terrible than that.

When he shot an awakened soldier.

From the cliffs.

With his eyes closed.

“Now you’re just fuckin’ cheatin’ partner” Exclaimed Johnny, his voice a mixture of anger and excitement. 

Alesso knew that yeah, he was cheating. But he couldn’t stop it. He had been dead twice, and that allowed him to gain some weird boon, and it felt extremely weird. After all, who else could say they had held a tiny bit of that kind of power?

All of sudden, a portal appeared by his side, and from its glimmering depths, a figure appeared. Tall and aristocratic.

“Good evening, little brother, nice weather for alienated brooding isn’t it?” Lorenzo has managed, after all their years as adventurers, perfected the art of princely sneer. Alesso glared at him, but could only mumble a weak curse. Years ago, he would have said “Yeah, fuck you”, and close himself up. But not now. Not like before.

“Don’t you have an entire observatory to read? Or did you run out of paper for interviewing zombie grandpa?”

The mesmer almost laughed, but he just gasped as if scandalized “Don’t call Koss Dejarin like that, young man” he faked the intonation of a scolding mother “he is not your grandpa!”

Alesso snorted, his devilish laughter barely escaping his lips “So you’re accepting he is a zombie, right?”

“Well, to be honest...” Enzo got lost in thought for a second, half-joking, half-serious “Awakened have peculiar characteristics, and have different needs from other types of risen-type creature, so they belong to their own category in Howard’s classification of unde-”

“You fucking nerd” The sniper rolled his eyes, huffing slightly “Whatever, tell everyone I’m ok, just thinking of stuff and… stuff”

The redhead sighed deeply and sat down, looking slightly distraught. “Oh no, I came here because I am worried, you little twerp. You’ve been way too quiet and sullen. That is not normal”

“What is normal then?” Claimed Alesso, wiggling a bit far from his brother. He was slightly scared, not ready to face any of his siblings, and tried to mask his fear with annoyance.

It wasn’t working.

“You being with us, smiling when no one looks, competing with Johnny over shots, praying for the fallen of Elona, just...” Enzo looked down, into the town “not like this, not as if we still were the same idiots running around Queensdale”

Alesso winced. Queensdale. It had been five years, it used to feel like a month ago, and now it felt like yesterday.

“Gyro behaved the same when I came back this time. He checked my pulse, he looked at my pupils, almost asked me for a blood test, as if he believed I was… as if I am-”

“You are not dead, Alessandro Zeppeli” The voice of Enzo broke a bit as if he was trying not to sob “You re here, with us. Still the same fool that tried to wrestle a spider queen, still the same child that broke into the home of Thomas Silvertogue to learn how to be a spy”

Those words felt like a knife stabbing his heart. Lorenzo was not the kind of man who broke easily, even if his emotions were there for everyone to see. It was not simple nostalgia, but a sort of awed reminiscence, and Alesso could not help to feel it too. 

“I’m scared” He murmured. It would have been better if he didn’t remember the last time he had said that. The sight of the ashes of Commander Steinbrecher in an urn, the greatest hero of all Tyria, had sunken his heart into the abyss of terror.

“I know” Enzo replied softly “The letter you gave me. Maesta… she wrote about everything”

Alesso lowered his head, feeling smaller. Silent in his own uncertainty. He had a snarky comment ready, but he felt too tired to say it. He was tired of hiding his thoughts behind the words of an asshole.

His brother sighed “You didn’t read it” It was not a question “You had a letter from a noble of Kryta, an agent of the Shining Blade, and didn’t even peek under the seal, knowing it may have some valuable intel. Thank you”

“What? She is my friend. Besides I don’t know if she had enchanted it or something” the thief tried to explain, not ready to show how much he cared about their relationship “Also I don’t wanna read the correspondence of someone whom actually thinks you are hot enough to fuck”

Lorenzo scoffed, no doubt rolling his eyes. “There were no details of that kind if you are interested, dear brother. Actually...” His tone changed to a more solemn one “She was asking for an explanation about… the way I said goodbye in Lion’s Arch”

The sniper raised his gaze. That was not a good memory, if anything, it was extremely awkward to remember Enzo being a jerk towards anyone, more so the woman he loved. “Did she break up with you via letter? I mean you mocked her for being emotional...”

“I am perfectly aware of what I did and I am ready to face punishment for my actions” Once more, the princely manners return “but that is not the point, as a matter of fact, the letter made me realize that we have something in common”

“That we deserve a slap for being assholes in serious moments?” Alesso raised an eyebrow, cringe clawing his heart. Enzo looked surprised, not ready for such a display of painful self-awareness.

“No, not that. Maybe a bit of that, but this is something completely different. Something we cannot… solve, so to speak” Enzo looked above them, gazing at the starry sky, “She wrote you were given a portion of Grenth’s power. As well as she did, but since you’ve been to his realm twice, your abilities got… stronger”

The eyes of a god. The reason for his accuracy, his eyes changing, now gleaming in the darkness. 

“Here is the question, Alesso: do you think you’re the only one who has felt the power of a god running through his blood?” It was a serious question. Way too precise. He would have expected it from Salva, or from Commander Sirhasi, but not Lorenzo. Then again, he had the bad habit of underestimating Lorenzo.

“I think so. I am the only one who has been so close to the gods...” he stated with unnerving confidence “Damn now I feel like an arrogant little shit”

“Well you arrogant little shit!” the mesmer exclaimed joyfully, opening his arms “You are SO wrong I could write a whole treatise on how wrong you are. But since I love you so much, I will give you a short version: I have felt the power of a god too, and it was fucking awful”

And so, Alessandro Zeppeli, a descendant of the house of Zephaniah, Lightbringer of the Order of Whispers, opened his mouth and gasped like a fish out of water. Because he had no idea what his brother was talking about.

“W- what? When? Why?!” He almost yelled, more confused than ever. He looked all around him, somehow waiting for someone to appear, to confirm it was all a joke at his expense.

“Do you remember the battle in Lion’s Arch against the minions of Zhaitan?” 

How would he forget that? He had spent days with Ihan and Joseph cleaning the city, trying to heal his sadness with risen’s blood. Until Commander Sirhasi asked if he was alright and he ended up crying like the child he was into the norn woman’s bosom.

“Yes, that face tells me that you do” Enzo whispered. Maybe lost in his own memories of those awful times. “Steward Gixx told Magisters Irene and Gialinn to help him with a relic of Balthazar. He thought that someone had to wield its power and since it was a human god...”

“It had to be a human, and there were no other nerds close to you” he muttered.

“Yes. I had to carry a part of the spirit of a god of fire, fury, and mass murder. As powerful as I felt, it was not a good experience. I thought nothing of it later, just a weird experience in an extremely hard time. Until Balthazar returned..” he lowered his head, while Alesso put the pieces together in his head.

“Whatever remained of the fucker within you, resonated with him, then” The sniper stated, only understanding the implications a second later “So your behavior, the fire that sometimes escaped from your illusions… that was Balthazar...”

Enzo nodded “Yes. One time I spat molten embers, one night I cried fire, and sometimes I just wanted to kill someone. Anyone. And I hid it all from everyone but my colleagues of the Priory”

“Well shit, even I didn’t saw that coming, except the part when you almost scared Cesare to death, of course,” Alesso looked at his brother, making him recoil slightly “Did you use your illusions to hide? Because you are good, but not that good”

“You rude prick. I happen to be that good” Lorenzo sneered “I was scared of any of you realizing it, I didn’t want you t think I was going to join the Zaishen or something like that”

Alesso moved closer to his brother “I get it... but if there was anyone of us who would have joined that prick, it would have been anyone but you” he saw the mesmer smiling, moved by his trust “After all, the stick in your ass wouldn’t let you bend the knee towards that monster”

“Fuck off” the strange laughter of Enzo pierced the night, sounding like a weird harpy in the cliffs “The point is: you are not alone, dumbass. Your god loved you. Maybe all that happened is sad, and I cannot imagine how you feel about it but...” He sighed and hugged Alesso from the side “You are still out little brother. The one who creeps us out because he looks a lot like dad. You’re part of the best and strongest guild in Tyria. The weirdest guy of the whole Pact...”

Now it was the turn of Alesso to laugh, like a tiny devil mocking Champion’s Dawn “I get it, you old cheesy geezer” He returned the hug, and felt his loneliness fading away “Thank you, really”

“I know, I am amazing. You are welcome” The fake pride of Lorenzo was even worse than his stupid smile, and he knew it “No, but in all seriousness, it is alright. You can tell me every time you feel bad about your existential crisis, at least regarding your godly issues. You’re my brother, and we are very similar....”

“Ew. Don’t remind me that. Makes me wanna hide under a rock” Alesso broke the hug, stood up, and took his rifle before looking up to the sky, smiling “Maybe Grenth is gone but... I feel I can still carry his will as long as I am with you, my family... bunch of losers” 

Lorenzo also stood up, stretching his back “You better. Without you, we wouldn’t be as good as we are. Also, I wouldn’t be able to fulfill my main familial obligation without you”

Knowing what kind of obligation he was talking about, Alesso sneered and said a single sentence. “To keep Cesare humble? Alright. Seems all this ‘Hero of Three Nations’ thing has started to go to his head, do you have a plan?”

The redhead smiled, malice covering his face “Oh yes, it includes portals. Lots of portals” he stated while opening one by their side.

“I may have an idea, but you lead the way”

The two brothers entered the shimmering pond of light, and for a moment there was nothing but peaceful silence in Istan.

Until the shriek of a heroic guardian pierced the night.

#Them Boys #Alessandro Zeppeli #Lorenzo Zeppeli #My writing

[prissy-andrews-is-that-bitch]

Evening Stars

I finally did it!! Here's the first chapter of the fanfic I said I would write, thank you so much @delphinelacroix @pauciloxuent and @bleuaceofsparrows for being my betas! I'll post this on ao3 but first I want to figure out the tags I want to use.

<><><>

Chapter I

It’s around midnight, and they’re still talking.

princess_cordelia: I can’t believe we talked to each other for the whole day, it’s already midnight!

the_good_doctor: Well, I guess I lose track of time when I’m talking to you.

Anne can’t control the smile on her face. Whoever this guy is, he always knows the right thing to say to make her smile.

princess_cordelia: I’m getting really tired, I think I’m going to go to sleep. Goodnight, talk to you tomorrow.

the_good_doctor: Nooooo, don’t leave me alone in the dark of the night.

princess_cordelia: I’m not leaving you, I’m going to sleep. You should do the same, don’t want you looking like a zombie in school tomorrow morning.

the_good_doctor: If you say so… Goodnight, sleep well

princess_cordelia: You too

She turns her computer off and goes to sleep, wondering who could be on the other side of the screen.

It all started around a month ago when she went to the Queens University website and saw that she could talk to other future students. So she decided to create an account to make new friends and possibly a kindred spirit. Unfortunately, it didn’t go that well. Most of the people she talked to weren’t that interesting and some of them weren't exactly looking for a friend.

Until one day, when she found this profile of a boy who seemed pretty interesting to talk to. Anne eventually found out that they go to the same school. The only problem is that she has no idea about his identity. The accounts are created under a username and for some reason, she never bothered to ask who he was.

-----

Anne is at the library studying with her bosom friend Diana. Miss Stacy gave them a lot of homework and they were using the extra time to study.

“Have you heard about Jane’s Halloween party?” Diana asked as she gave up on her math homework

“Isn't Halloween still two weeks away?” Anne answers, not looking away from her notebook.

“I mean, it is, but everyone is already talking about it.” Diana moves closer to her friend, lowering her voice, “Do you think your prince charming is going?”

Anne can feel her cheeks getting as red as her hair and starts to really regret telling Diana about her mysterious penpal.

“He’s not my prince charming.” She raises her head. “And to answer your question, no, we haven't talked about it.”

Diana checks the time on her phone. “I have to go, or else I'll be late for my piano class. We'll talk about this later.” She gets up and gathers all her stuff.

Anne hugs her friend goodbye “Have fun at the piano class.”

“You know I won't. I'll text you when I'm done.”

Anne ponders going home too, but she knows she's more productive in the library than at home. And there is still a lot of undone schoolwork.

A few minutes pass when she feels someone touching her shoulder; it’s Gilbert Blythe, her academic rival. “Do you mind if I sit here? There aren't any other free chairs.”

Anne looks around and notices he’s right; the library is, in fact, crowded with people. Avonlea has a really small library.

She moves her stuff to the side. “Sure.”

Anne doesn't really know what to think of Gilbert. When she first met him, she completely hated him because once he made fun of her hair. Which led Anne to hit him in the face with a big binder.

However, things are different now. They aren’t exactly friends, but Anne now allows herself to have a conversation or two with Gilbert.

“So,” Gilbert starts as he unpacks his stuff. “Have you studied for tomorrow’s geography test?”

Anne freezes, oh no.

“Don’t tell me you forgot about it,” the boy says, holding back a smile.

“What? No, of course I didn't.”

She did, in fact, forget about it. But there's no way she's letting Gilbert Blythe know that.

“I just realized how late it is, Marilla told me to be home before dinner,” she lies.

“If you say so. See you tomorrow then,” Gilbert says.

“See ya,” Anne says while dashing out of the library. Green Gables isn't that far from there so she can easily walk between the two places. Well, in this case, run between the two places.

Five minutes later she arrives home, heading directly to her room. The redhead starts studying, only stopping once because Marilla insisted that she had to eat dinner. Anne got almost no sleep that night, only closing her eyes one hour before she had to wake up. She guessed one hour of sleep is better than none.

The day felt more like a year. The test didn't go that bad but obviously the lack of studying was noticed. When she gets home the first thing she does is go straight to her bed and sleep.

She sleeps for hours until she wakes up hungrier than ever, so she goes downstairs as quietly as possible to have some of the dinner leftovers. When she comes back to her room she checks her phone and notices that she has a text from the Queen's boy.

the_good_doctor: Hey, is everything alright? You haven't answered any of my texts, did I do anything wrong?

No, no, no, Anne wants to apologize for worrying him. In person would be the best way but she can’t do that given to the fact she has no idea who he is. She decides to write an e-mail instead. So she begins:

“I'm so incredibly sorry. I didn't mean to ignore you for two days, what happened was that I forgot I had a test today so I spent yesterday night studying, I hardly got any sleep. So today when I got home the first thing I did was go to bed, I just woke up. By now you are probably already asleep, but I hope you forgive me. You didn't do anything wrong, I should've said something. Sorry I worried you.”

Yeah, that'll work. It's almost 1 am, he'll probably only see it in the morning.

Or so she thought because a few minutes later she gets a text from him. What the heck is that boy doing this late at night?

the_good_doctor: A lot of people seem to be forgetting about their tests lately. Anyway, I'm not mad, I was just worried. So what are you doing up so late?

That’s a weird thing to say, how many people does he know that forgot about the test dates?

princess_cordelia: What do you mean? Also, I should be the one asking that question. I slept for the entire afternoon. It's obvious I can't sleep now, so what are you doing up so late?

the_good_doctor: Ignore it. Okay, fair enough, I was actually about to fall asleep, you were the one to wake me up, but honestly, I don't mind waking up if it’s to your texts.

princess_cordelia: Don’t be ridiculous, I’m sorry I woke you up.

the_good_doctor: It´s fine, don´t worry about it. How was your day?

And just like that, they talk until it’s almost 3am and they both decide it’s better to go to sleep. Even if neither of them wanted to stop talking, it was too late and it started to get difficult to keep their eyes open.

In the morning Anne overslept, waking up to Marilla’s voice demanding her to get out of bed to which she reluctantly obeyed.

The weekend ended three times faster than it started and suddenly, much to Anne’s despair, it was Monday again.

#awae fanfic #awae #anne with an e #anne with an e fanfic #my fics #shirbert au #shirbert #shirbert fanfic

[embrassemoibebe]

being best friends with madison montgomery:

warning(s) ― Mention of child abuse (forced into acting too young), mention of sexual assault, and death.

additional notes ― Spoilers for coven. Madison is a very tough individual due to everything she’s been through (but we love a strong Queen) so I decided to make it childhood friends because I think she’d open up more than she did with Zoe. 

You two met through beauty pageants

At first, Madison didn’t like you because your the competition but after you overhear her mom you comforted her and gave her cupcake

So she was like, fine you can hang out with me

But secretly she was really happy to have a friend who understands the trials she goes through

Your moms getting along so their “yeah, you two can have a sleepover”

Having sleepovers and pillow fights and eating a bunch of sweets then getting in trouble

Eventually, you two compete in duo pageants together

Which made Madison enjoy pageants a lot more and she found herself, shockingly, not getting jealous if the judges preferred you. Because she was having too much fun to not be happy.

But her mom wasn’t happy and tried to turn Madison against you, and forced you two to stop working together. For a while, she isn’t allowed to see you but you do another pageant that she was doing and the two of you hang out again.

Your the only person allowed to call her Maddy and Mads.

You get worried when she becomes a teenager and starts partying

The change is quite obvious to you. While she was a stressed child she still had some joy in her, but it seems nonexistent now. Unless she’s on drugs or drinking.

You try your best to convince her to cut back but she makes it pretty clear she isn’t going to stop. 

Being a good friend though, you try your best to stop paparazzi from embarrassing. And when she gets hungover and throws up the next day you hold back her hair. 

Eventually, though, you get fed up and the two of you fight. And both of you are yelling and Madison upset but then she starts talking about how much pressure is against her and how no one understands and how she just wants to feel something.

So you comfort her and remind her that you had the same childhood, you just didn’t make it to Hollywood and tell her not to close you out again. 

And she doesn’t.

Until her powers surface but she kinda has to hide that.

You find out though because she isn’t at rehab and also Madison probably drops “not so subtle” hints.

Eventually, you find out because Maddy tells you.

“Jesus fucking Christ, Y/N, read between the lines. I’m a witch!”

Being at the party when she gets raped

You and go with Zoe and Kyle to find her. When you see her you immediately run over and push that dick off of her and grab her, cover her up, and get her out of there.

“Wh-What’s happening?”

“It’s gonna be okay, Maddy, I promise.”

When she flips the bus you don’t stop her.

You take her back to the boarding school and get a washrag and try to clean her up. 

She slaps away your hand “I just wanna take a shower.”

“Madison... you know you can talk to me.”

“What’s there to say? I got drugged and then I got raped. Not much to dis-”

“Oh fuck off. I know you, Maddy, that whole ‘nothing bothers me’ act isn’t gonna work. So when you're ready to be honest and talk to me... I’m here.”

She takes her shower and your waiting outside for her. She asks you to stay and before you two fall asleep she reaches over and takes your hand. She opens up to you and you hold her hand and comfort her.

“Y/N/N, thank you. You know I’m not good with the sappy bullshit but... thanks.”

And you nod “Always.”

Being included in the craziness that was reviving Kyle

Que, you attempting to talk sense into Madison about how mixing up body parts as if Kyle is a pie probably isn’t a good idea. But she’s headstrong and is just like “Come help me find a good dick.”

When it doesn’t work you and Madison decide to leave and get some food. 

And then you two find out it did work and he’s practically a zombie and mixing body parts wasn’t a good idea.

“I told you, Montgomery!”

Trying to help rehabilitate him but when he gets angry Madison immiedetly is like ‘you wait outside’ because she isn’t letting you get hurt.

You probably tease her for caring about you and she just glares but does nothing, also she smiles when you look away.

A true testament of her love!

Side note: You guys tease each other and fake fight a lot

Madison loves you but she's still very sarcastic and also refuses to admit her love for you

So expect her to be just as bitchy and sarcastic with you, and people from the outside probably think you hate each but it’s just how you communicate. 

“Bitch, don’t be dumb.”

“That dress - and I’m not saying you - but that dress is hideous. You look like a twelve-year-old boy who is really bad at math and goes on his father's boat every Sunday, and is plotting to kill him.”

“Thanks for the specification, Maddy. I don’t know what I’d do without knowing that.”

“Probably look like shit.”

But also, your her bestie so she constantly compliments you and builds you up

“Your ass looks perfect in that dress, I told you it would!”

“(sigh) You know why we make a perfect team, Y/F/I, we’re both brains and beauty. Unstoppable, really.”

“Don’t cry, alright? They don’t deserve your tears. You are so much better than them. Your pretty, your smart, clever, kind... I wish I was more like you - I know I don’t say it a lot - but I do. You’re the best, Y/N.”

Oh, and if anyone dares to insult you or try to hurt you, Madison will kill them. Like literally, murder them and she isn’t going to feel bad at all because how dare they hurt you. 

Not hearing from her for a while and finding out that she’s dead from Zoe.

Crying and vowing to get her back. So you help Zoe find her body (crying again when you find her body) and being there when they resurrect her.

Staying with her and talking to her about how much changed and telling her how upset you were. Madison opening up about what it was like to die and how it was after.

“Y/N be honest. Do you think I’m a bad person? Do I deserve to go to hell because... I think I do.”

“Madison, listen to me,” you look her in the eyes “You’ve done bad stuff. I’ll admit that, I know that and you two. But everything you’ve been through is why you’ve done it. It doesn’t excuse it but it’s the truth. You are the strongest person I know. You don’t deserve to go to hell - the world has fucked you over too many times to get one in after you die and if you die again and go back there. I will go to hell, raise it, and bring you back up to the surface with me. Because I am with you forever, to hell and back.”

Keeping that promise (and she does too) and being with her through everything, no matter what.

And she’d do it too. 

Because even though sometimes you two fight, don’t talk, or don’t get along. She still loves you no matter what.

Your the only person she doesn’t lash out against when she finds out Kyle and Zoe are falling in love. Because that’s all she really wants - love, and she knows you’ll give it to her.

Then she dies again and your like “what the fuck. i had one job.”

Que you trying to bring her back but then being told everything she did during The Seven Wonders test.

And once again your like “what the fuck. madison, you bitch, you had one job”

So your like, okay maybe we should leave her there for a little, and when she comes back you’ll be right there next to her.

Forever, to hell and back.

This was low key hard to write because she does so much bad shit and so much happens in Coven, then she dies twice. But I think it was good. If you liked this you’d probably like some of the other stuff I’ve write so check out my page.

Request are closed. Taglist is open.

masterlist

#madison montgomery #madison montgomery hcs #madison montgomery headcanon #ahs coven #american horror story #american horror story coven #ahs #coven #witches #best friends

[iicewitch]

☕ real boy

a playlist for @stevenrcgers​ link to playlist: here tracklist and favorite lyrics below

1. blood, sweat and tears - bts   Peaches and cream, sweeter than sweet Chocolate cheeks and chocolate wings But your wings are wings of the devil In front of your sweet is bitter bitter 2. brainchild - everything everything A good thing Now you think about it, don't you make it real? The bad thing, maybe it's a feeling I don't want to feel But love is all you need to know But love is all you need to know

3. dumb dumb - red velvet

Like a mannequin Everything is so awkward I should just act like I do normally But whenever I see you, I act so stupid Like my little brother’s robot Everything is so awkward What do I do? I think I’m broken I forgot even how to breathe 4. the zombie song - stephanie mabey And I'd try not to bite and infect you because I'd respect you too much And that's why I'd wait until we got married Oh, and our happiest days would be spent Picking off all your friends and they'd see A love this deep won't stay buried

5. real boy -  lola blanc Every time we touch your hands are colder, colder There's no beating coming from your wooden chest Frozen grin, a mannequin When I get closer I can see the strings there underneath your vest 6. who do you want to be ? - oingo boingo Who do you want to be today? Who do you want to be? I think I'll be a teddy boy, I think I'll be a hunk I think I'll be a tough guy and I think I'll be a punk I might just be a fashion star all dressed in frilly rags Or perhaps, I'll cross the other side and walk around in drag! 7. under my skin - jukebox the ghost I can fit two people under my skin Yeah, I can fit two people under my skin And I will prove it if you will listen You crawled up in there, you joined me within I can feel your heart beating under my skin And the beating of your heart is making me bleed from within 8. mr. capgras encounters a secondhand vanity: tulpamancer's prosopagnosia - will wood and the tapeworms Damn, I thought you’re not your imposter. You’re so sure you’re not gonna get caught! Dead in your own skin, but you didn’t choose what you were born in! And another man in your repertoire, ready in your head and fed upon your memoirs Still the same rules apply from the birthday to the mourning What you feel and what you do; are those things really you? And if not, then what is?  9. breaking out - the protomen If you can hear my voice outside these walls (If you can hear me) If you can hear me sending out this message tonight Then break the silence, send a signal back (If you can hear me) I'm coming, all I need is a little guiding light...

10. roaring 20s - panic at the disco Maybe I'm overjoyed, maybe I'm paranoid Designer me up in straight jackets My tell-tale heart's a hammer in my chest Cut me a silk-tied tourniquet This is my roaring, roaring 20's 11. evelyn evelyn - evelyn evelyn We grew up closer than most Closer than anything, closer than anything Shared our bed and wore the same clothes Talked about everything, spoke about so many things 12. looking glass - the birthday massacre A boyish notion of false emotion These words are spoken despite my love A fool's devotion was set in motion My eyes are open now

13. play dead - the birthday massacre Thinking hurts and thoughts don't rhyme To those of us who've never tried To find a face behind our lipstick smiles And as our pretty faces die Our broken hearts will wonder why The makeup just won't hide the scars of time 14. lets fall in love - mother mother There's a game in the world A little bit of cat and mouse With the boys and the girls And if I had to ante up I'd bet on the birds 'Cause they don't have to walk around With the boys and the girls 15. o my heart - mother mother And I pour my heart a new foundation But it don't set hard it just stays shaking And I scratch my name I scratch my name in But it don't set hard it gets mixed back in Oh my heart, it's a fish out of water  16. body - mother mother Take my teeth, tear through my cheeks And take the nose go and dispose Oh would you go dispose, just go dispose 'Cause I've grown tired of this body A cumbersome and heavy body 

17. touch up - mother mother I am a makeover queen A swan out of duckling Ugly duckling you're drowning In makeup (in makeup) My makeup (my makeup) Has washed off 18. roman holiday - nicki minaj Take your medication, Roman Take a short vacation, Roman, you'll be okay You need to know your station, Roman Some alterations on your clothes and your brain

19. replicant - they might be giants You've got his eyes Same exact smile All that he has All this will be yours  20. happy days - GHOST Oh, it’s painful My heart is quite a mouthful I’ll tear it out for you I’ll be the sacrifice for you Y’know, things could go exactly how you want it I’d be exactly how you want me Use what’s left of my soiled personality I’m all yours, I’ll do anything 21. girls on film - duran duran 'Cause the crowd all love pulling dolly by the hair By the hair And she wonders how she ever got here As she goes under again Girls on film (two minutes later) Girls on film Girls on film (got your picture) Girls on film  22. nobody - mitski And I know no one will save me I'm just asking for a kiss Give me one good movie kiss And I'll be alright Nobody, nobody, nobody 

23. TT - twice I feel like crying, I don’t feel like myself This isn’t like me at all I love you so much Think I’m all grown up now I’m free to make my own choices, but why Why can’t I have it my way The more I try to push you away The more I’m drawn and attracted to you baby 24. in every dream home a heartache - roxy music Your skin is like vinyl The perfect companion You float my new pool De luxe and delightful Inflatable doll My role is to serve you Disposable darling Can't throw you away now 25. the moss - cosmo sheldrake But have you heard the story of the rabbit in the moon? Or the cow that hopped the planets while straddling a spoon Or she, who leapt up mountains, while whistling up a tune And swapped her songs with swallows while riding on a broom 26. green - todrick hall Green! Is a way of life And the millions would kill to see their name up in the lights For the green is okay tonight But be careful what you wish Because you might get what you like 27. guy.exe - superfruit Oh I, wish I could synthesize a picture perfect guy Oh I, oh I Six feet tall and super strong, we'd always get along Alright, alright Oh, he'd pick me up at eight and not a minute late Cause I don't like to wait, no Kind and ain't afraid to cry or treat his momma right 28. the dismemberment song - blue da kid  Well once upon a time that's where the clock begins And right after the end Well, that's right where the plot thins And I've got no angel to keep me in line! So I'm taking your narrative and I'm making it mine! 29. me!me!me! - teddyloid I’ve worked hard for myself - What have you done for yourself? When you notice the scattered pieces of the mirror You’ll realize I wanted you to notice Is this still going on? Is this still happening? Even though I’d been waiting for you Even though I loved you 30. alone together - fall out boy My heart is like a stallion, they love it more when it's broken Do you wanna feel beautiful, do you wanna, yeah I'm outside the door, invite me in So we can go back and play pretend 31. get busy living or get busy dying - fall out boy This has been said so many times that I'm not sure if it matters But we never stood a chance And I'm not sure if it matters If you are the shores, I am the waves begging for big moons I'm mailing letters to addresses in a ghost town  32. hi it’s me - ashnikko When I'm with you I have amnesia, I'm weaker than before My stupid brain thinks that I need you, I'm eager to hurt more My best friend thinks that I'm a dumbass My dumbass should be a little more cautious I slip up, I text you, I forget That you were so so disrespectful 33. i’m poppy - poppy Welcome to the new world, I'm your internet girl Open up and you'll see, everyone is happy I like your technology, can you put it on me? The future is so pretty, we're living in harmony 34. idola no circus - neru Come, let’s dance all night in our naked bodies We know, we know your true nature Again putting on a fake face, You’re just like a pierrot ! It’s time to put a mask, a mask On your unsociable faced 35. shine - casey lee williams But baby, it's time to make up your mind I think that tonight is when our stars align Honey, it's time to leave the doubt behind Take my hand 'cause you and I are gonna shine 36. one thing - casey lee williams I was nowhere, I had no one, I felt nothing Lost without a voice and on my own Then a candle's flame brought a brand new name But now you've stolen everything And I'm all alone 37. sweetest cure - hugo What the hell am I s'posed to be Choose a world over me Sitting pretty in my mess On the phone I can't confess Word's out somehow You're the sweetest cure I never got to tell you 38. bang bang bang bang - sohodolls Teacher says that I've been naughty I must learn to concentrate But the girls they pull my hair And with the boys I can't relate Daddy says I'm good for nothing Mama says that it's from him Manic sister thinks I'm cracking Brother says it's in my genes 39. helpless - phillipa soo One week later I'm writin' a letter nightly Now my life gets better Every letter that you write me I'm helpless! He's mine, that boy is mine! Look into your eyes And the sky's the limit, I'm Helpless! Helpless! Down for the count, and I'm drownin' in 'em 40. lifeboat - laurence o’ keefe Everyone's pushing Everyone's fighting Storms are approaching There's nowhere to hide If I say the wrong thing Or I wear the wrong outfit They'll throw me right over the side 41. chase the morning - sarah brightman In you is a world of promise We have both been kept in bondage But you can learn from all my failures Let your life be your dream Integrity, honesty, its too late for me Don't look back till your free to chase the morning 42. no reason - leslie kritzer Everything, everything happens for a reason Be a beacon of light in the world Put a little "alright" in the world There are spiritual guides above Look up and see 'em Perception is reality Just listen to the melody the universe sings 'Cause everything, everything happens for a reason 43. i love play rehearsal - stephanie hsu I love play rehearsal 'Cause you are equiped with directions and text Life is easy in rehearsal You follow a script so you know what comes next Anywho, the point that I'm getting to Is sometimes life can't work out in the way It works out in the play 44. your song - elton john And you can tell everybody this is your song It may be quite simple but now that it's done I hope you don't mind I hope you don't mind That I put down in words How wonderful life is while you're in the world 45. the party goes with you - lindsay mendez And when we're dancing nose to nose Darling do you suppose, darling do you suppose This party could be just us two, and I your wife? Oh, oh, the gayest party, sad but true It's true The party goes with you The party goes with you 46. half jack - dresden dolls It's half biology and half corrective surgery gone wrong You'll notice something funny if you hang around here for too Long ago in some black hole before they had these pills to take it back I'm half Jill and half Jack 47. the secret - pierces Got a secret Can you keep it? Swear, this one you'll save Better lock it in your pocket Takin' this one to the grave If I show you, then I know you Won't tell what I said 'Cause two can keep a secret If one of them is dead 48.  connect - claris My heart awakes in order to depict the future Even if I come to a halt on a tough road The beautiful blue sky always waits for me Therefore I'm not afraid I won't be disheartened anymore no matter what happens 49. simple and clean - hikaru utada Hold me, whatever lies beyond this morning Is a little later on Regardless of warnings, the future doesn't scare me at all Nothing's like before 50. mountains - message to bears  And we could run away Before the light of day You know we always could The mountains say, the mountains say And we could run away Before the light of day You know we always could The mountains say, the mountains say

#gene's playlists

[romioneflufffest]

Sitting Here

Title: Sitting Here

Creator: @insufferableknowit-all 

Prompt: The Burrow, middle of the night

Description: It’s the night before the seven-Potter plan to retrieve Harry from the Dursley’s, and Ron Weasley can’t sleep. How could he, when everything is about the change? Lucky for him, the one person in the world who is able to calm him down, also can’t sleep.  

Rating: G-PG

Warnings: N/A

It was the middle of the night and Ron Weasley could not sleep. 

How was he expected to? It was the night before everything was going to change. In less than twenty-four hours, he'd be flying on a broom disguised as his best friend. Seven of them would be disguised as it best friend. And despite reassurance from all the members of the Order, Ron thought the plan was absolutely barmy. 

Of course, he wouldn't dare say that aloud, and especially not in front of Hermione. Every second word from her mouth over the past few weeks had been laced with worry and doubt. "What if something happens to us?" "Oh, you know that Harry is going to absolutely hate this plan." Ron tried his best to reassure her, but that was proving rather difficult, because 1) It was Hermione Granger, the queen of worrying, and 2) He was starting to doubt the plan himself. 

Ron knew that he needed sleep. His body was practically begging for it - he had spent the entire day bidding his mother's housework, and then was persuaded into a Quidditch match with his brothers and Ginny in attempt to distract themselves from worry. He had even enjoyed some of the chores during the day – along with Ginny, he taught Hermione how to de-gnome a garden, which resulted in the Weasley siblings laughing hysterically, mostly at Hermione's offense. 

Hermione. His chest warmed as he thought of her, the way she tried to keep her expression stern while he and Ginny were laughing, the way she tripped and stumbled into his arms after one of the gnomes nearly bit her finger off. Ron had been savoring the past few weeks. He knew that once Harry arrived, everything would be different. Not that he didn't want Harry to arrive - he knew that the wizarding world was breaking at the seams, and they had a job to do - but the hours he'd gotten to spend with Hermione, alone, had felt sacred. And soon, they'd be gone.

"Ron?" He almost thought he was imagining the sound of his name, but then Hermione's voice squeaked again. “Ron?” Slowly, she nudged his bedroom door open. "I can't stop worrying about tomorrow," she whispered, her voice barely loud enough for Ron to hear. 

He was worried too. But he knew if he admitted that to her, it would only make her worry increase exponentially, so instead he sat up and patted the spot next to him on his bed. "C'mere."

Her eyes were damp, just barely, and her hair stuck up in more directions than usual, likely due to sleepless tossing and turning. She sat cross-legged on his bed, her skin just inches away from his, and then pulled her knees to her chest. 

"Were you asleep?" she asked. 

"Nah."

"Are you worried too?"

Ron didn't want to lie to her, so he simply shrugged, and tried his best to smile at her without giving himself away. "'M alright."

Hermione sighed. "I'm sorry, I didn't want to bother anyone, it's just, you're the only one who...who can calm me down." Even in the dark, Ron could see her cheeks turn pink. He scooted towards her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, trying to ignore the burning feeling in his ears. 

“It’s gonna be okay,” he told her, and he meant it. He meant it with every ounce of his being, because if there was one thing he could say for sure, it was that he would make sure things were okay. For her. 

Hermione shook her head and sniffed. “I don’t mean just tomorrow. I mean…everything. Even if tomorrow goes to plan, what happens next? With…with the horcruxes, and V-Voldemort – oh, don’t wince every time I say his name, Ronald– and even if Harry defeats him, what…what about my parents? What if I made a mistake?” 

Hermione began crying in earnest, though she tried her best to wipes the tears with the hem of her shirt. “Here,” Ron said, grabbing an unfolded shirt off the ground and handing it to her, “Use this. It’s clean.”

She stared at him for a moment, something in her eyes that Ron had never noticed before – was it affection? He couldn’t tell – and then she took the shirt from his hands and used it to dry her eyes. “You should really invest in a handkerchief. Or at least some tissue.”

“Only you would find a way to chastise me while I’m comforting you,” Ron smirked. Hermione giggled in response, and Ron added, “You know, I’m sure I’ve got a handkerchief somewhere. Just gotta dig it out of my mess. I’ll find it, just for you.” He squeezed her shoulders and winked at her (which surprised even him), and she shook her head and smiled, then leaned against his shoulder. He was glad she couldn’t see how red his cheeks had turned. 

“I wish we could just stay here,” she whispered. He wasn’t sure wheether she meant here as in the Burrow, or here as in with him, in his room in the middle of the night, but either way he replied, “Me too.”

“It’s all going to change after tomorrow, isn’t it?” she whispered. 

“Probably,” he said. He turned towards her and took her hands in his. “But I’ll tell you what. I promise you, if I make it out of this madness, we can stay here all we want. We won’t have to be anywhere, or do anything, and you can come in here and sit with me like this. Er, I mean, you know. If you want to.” Silently, he cursed his burning cheeks. 

She squeezed his hands and smiled, then suddenly, her smile turned to a frown. “What do you mean if youmake it out?”

He grimaced. “Well, you know…you’re better at magic and stuff than me, and if anything happens, I’ll…you’re more…more important, right?”

Her frown turned into a glare. “Don’t you dare say you’ll sacrifice yourself for me in this war, Ronald Weasley.”

“Erm – ”

“How would you feel if I said I’d sacrifice myself for you?”

“That’s not the same!”

“It’s exactly the same! And you know it!”

They glared at one another for a few very long seconds, and then Hermione flung her arms around Ron’s neck and buried her face in his shoulder. “Nothing will happen to either of us,” she whispered, although her voice shook with worry and Ron knew better, “We’ll get Harry tomorrow – even though I think the plan is absolutely ridiculous, it’s really not safe, and – ”

“Your point?”

“Right. And…and we’ll make it out of this war, with Harry too, and then we’ll come right back here and everything will be okay.”

Ron wanted to believe it. He needed to believe it. “The first step in all that is probably to get some sleep,” he whispered. 

She laughed and released him from her hug. “I’ll get you some tea,” he said quickly, because he was afraid of what would happen if he sat there, looking into her eyes, any longer. He was afraid that he might kiss her, and if he kissed her, then he could throw out all hope of being any use during the war. He was already hopelessly distracted. 

By the time he came back to his room with a piping hot cup of tea, Hermione had already fallen asleep, curled up on his bed. He pulled a blanket over her and climbed into the camp bed that had been waiting for Harry. He fell asleep to the sound of Hermione’s quiet breathing. It was the only thing that could calm him down. 

 Several months later:

It was the middle of the night when the Weasley family finally returned home. The house was empty and quiet, yet loud with grief. Around every corner was a memory of someone they lost in the battle. Slowly, members of the household dispersed – George walked straight to his room, like a zombie. Percy paced in the kitchen, trying to put together something to eat. Arthur took Molly by the arm and led her upstairs. Their sobs echoed through the thin walls. After hours of talking, eating, and crying, Ginny bid Harry, Ron, and Hermione goodnight. The three friends hadn’t left one another’s side since the battle. They shared a bond that nobody else could understand. 

Harry fell asleep instantly – he had already slept in the Gryffindor Common Room the day before, but that had been no cure to the exhaustion that had accumulated from months on the run. Ron and Hermione sat, late in the middle of the night, listening to Harry’s snores from the camp bed. “Don’t know how we survived eight months in a tent with this,” Ron whispered. 

“I don’t know how you shared a room with him for six years,” Hermione whispered back, and they tried their best to stifle their giggles. 

Hermione snuggled into Ron’s chest and closed her eyes. He buried his face in her hair and let her curls tickle his nose. “I told you we’d come back here,” he whispered into her ear. 

“Hmm?”

“That night, before we went and got Harry. I told you, after it all, we’d come back here and just sit for as long as you want.”

“Are you trying to turn this into an I-told-you-somoment?”

Ron smirked. “I can’t let you have all of them.”

“Well…can we do more than just sitting? Here?”

Ron didn’t even care how red his face had turned. He kissed her on the lips, and then added, “Maybe when Harry isn’t snoring below us.”

She laughed and kissed him again. “We’re okay,” she whispered, the statement still unfamiliar after the horrors of the last months. 

“We are,” he said, “And we will be.” And he meant it.  

#romione #ron and hermione #romione fluff fest #romioneflufffest #fic #submission

[bladekindeyewear]

Boots Reads Homestuck Epilogue(s) Part 12 - Candy Page 18

==>

Time to see what all the fuss was about Page 18.  We’re with Jane... that might not be good.  Especially given Lollipop proximity.

Jane scoffing at troll genocide again.  :(

Gamzee seems more woke than Jane here.

GAMZEE: sO yOu SaYiN yOu NeEd DiFfErEnT sHoEs FoR yOuR hUmAn DiCkS aNd WhAt NoT?

Pfffff

Jane narrows her eyes at the disingenuous buffoon.

I dunno, he sounds like he’s being pretty goddamn ingenuous right now.

It’s not the first time they’ve had this conversation?  Are they black with each other or something??

What’s more likely is he’s attempting to get a rise from her. To get her a little hotter under the collar. To put her in a certain mood.

Oh my gosh she’s genuinely black for him, hahahahah

GAMZEE: AnD AlL I EvEr bEeN TrYiN To dO Is gEt yOu rIgHt tOo, WiTh mOrAlS AnD GoOdNeSs, AlL fIlLeD uP iNsIdE yOu As TiGhT aS yOuR tAsTy HoE bAlLoOnS aRe WiTh HuMaN mOo JuIcE.

Jesus christ that’s not the kind of metaphor i want to be hearing from canon

or anyone for that matter

JANE: No! I’d rather die than touch your disgusting clown baton ever again.

....yyyeah, context is showing she’s PROBABLY super Black into this.  Still, pretty jarring to see a clear consensual “NO” right in the middle of things.

Quit calling her a dairy queen!!! D: D: D:

Oh god they named the baby Tavros.

Alright, there’s some grade A discomfort in this scene, which I’m enjoying, really.  I can see why they singled out page 18.  I could traumatize some people with some of these paragraphs out of context.

HOO HOO HOO, THIS LITTLE PIGGY WENT TO THE DARK CARNIVAL!!!

Eeeeuugh

JAKE: Anyway whats up with you? Hows life with davekat going? JADE: oh its great! im really glad i just went for it JADE: all of us together... it really is the best of every world

God damnit Jade why are you obliviously torturing them????????

You could’ve been REALLY GOOD for them both if you just FUCKING LISTENED TO THEM AND RESPECTED THEM INSTEAD OF SITTING ON THEM.

JADE: theres no way me and dave could have a regular baby together because im... JAKE: Whats wrong? JADE: well lets just say that after all the sburb stuff its done some things to my body JADE: like merging with bec mostly

Oh my FUCKING GOD please don’t canonize this.  This didn’t need to be spelled out so-- D:

jesus

D: D: D:

This... is actually making my stomach roil again????

like

not because id object to-- i mean, it’s one thing to deal with

FAN SCENARIOS

ISOLATED divergences from canon where she has to deal with that and its kind of hilarious, but can be safely ignored when it comes to her character arc as a whole

but once its CANON????????   D: D: D:

suddenly you can’t IGNORE the full import when you’re done with, like, an RP or something, of the psychological struggle she would be forced to deal with given an abnormal biological situation.  Instead of thinking “Oh, that could be pretty painful to deal with! Let’s explore it temporarily for fun” it becomes “Oh, that would be painful to deal with and you have to think about her having to deal with all the complications of that whenever you hear about her LITERALLY FOREVER.”  D:

andrew i know you couldnt resist because of how funny and practically-xenoprogressive it was but whyyyyyyyyy did you have to canonize that WHYYYY

Now instead of a fun joke thought it also has to be SAD FOREVER

AAAAAAAA  D’:

i dont know why this would be the line thats crossed to upset me

Rose surrogate?

JADE: no jake, dave wouldnt be the father in this scenario!

Pffffff.  Andrew’s just diving RIGHT into the, er, doggy fanfics here.  I should... TRY to lighten up about this.  Try.  D:

(...wait, shit.  Knowing my friend, THIS whole bit is why they alluded to this page.  God damnit.)

[[ EDIT:  askshenhibiki said:

Now that you read Candy 18, flash back to Meat when Roxy is talking about gender... and look at Jade's reaction looking at "where her hands rest on her lap". Yes, Meat hinted at that "mix" too.

Ah, let’s see...

ROXY: and so i got to thinking ROXY: what even is gender ROXY: amirite lol? JADE: oh yeah JADE: that makes sense i guess........

Jade looks at where her hands are folded in her lap. Bites her lip. She has her own concerns about this, her own thoughts. Reasonable thoughts, I’d say. But I’ll refrain from any further comment. I’m staying away from this subject, from now on.

...yeah, guess Dirk at least had the decency not to spring all that on us before Jade got the opportunity to do it honestly. ]]

Guh, back to Jake suffering in his sad, trapped scenario.  I hope THAT gets at least resolved by the end of this.  Someone save Jake from this, because it looks like he’s not really that capable of saving himself?

==>

Dammit, Jade, I’m cringing at these descriptions of your intrusion.

Oh wow, John went for the mustache.  Guess we knew that from, like, his stuffed statue oldself?

Jade doesn’t pick up on the obvious subtext in the conversation, however, because she’s been willfully undermining the subtext in her own personal life for nearly a year now.

D:  D:  D:

Seriously, Jade, how is what YOU’RE doing any better than what you were frustrated at seeing THEM doing, avoiding the real feelings and truth of anything even if it was conspicuously on body-language display?

KARKAT: THE NEW ADMINISTRATION IS CRACKING DOWN ON CERTAIN KINDS OF INTERSPECIES ADOPTION LAWS.

It’s like Andrew wants us deprived of even a happy imagined future for Earth C on top of everything else!!!  What the hell! >:(

Is this about politics?  Is Andrew just venting his anger that the Orange Guy is going to get away with ruining everything forever??  Because as understandable as that is, he could at least give us some imaginary happyfutures to look forward to.

Reading on... Hm, yet another intentionally-misused fridging reference.

KARKAT: HIS RELATIONSHIP IS A FLAMING WRECK OF AN INTERSTELLAR WARSHIP HURTLING TOWARDS THE PLANET AT TERMINAL VELOCITY WITH THE ENTIRE CREW BRUTALLY SLAUGHTERED UPON REENTRY, SHOVED STRAIGHT DOWN THE CHAGRIN TUNNEL AND THEN IMMEDIATELY SHAT OUT THE OTHER SIDE, THUS FLOODING THE ENTIRE FUCKING NEIGHBORHOOD WHEN IT CLOGS UP THE LOAD GAPER.

Yep, that triangle’s fucked.  Wonder if the conversation’s going to transition to the CURRENT triangle’s problems...

...yeah, John using the R word there isn’t far from the fucking truth from the looks of things.

JADE: maybe that would work for a few days, but one thing i learned from dating around a lot in my youth is that no ones going to leave a bad relationship until its THEIR idea to leave

She takes in a shaky breath and shuts her eyes. Her hair spills around her face when she leans forward to put her chin on her knees. Dave and Karkat exchange a look that is equal parts confused, miserable, and desperate.

Oh SHIT.  Is JADE going to be the one to finally vocalize about the problems here???

Something else comes hurtling out of the hole in the sky, too fast for Jade to catch. It hits the ground with a clap of green lightning. The collision sends a geyser of dirt, rock, and vapor into the air. Dave flash-steps to shield Karkat. Jade doesn’t move, taking the brunt of the explosion face on, using her abilities to warp the energy around her so that she’s a mote at the center of the storm. When the dust clears, she’s the first to jump in the crater, trailing smoke behind her.

There’s a body at the center of it. The torso is bloody, tangled, and curled into a fetal position. Its shoes are missing, but otherwise the outfit is quite familiar to her: it’s a dead ringer for her old Witch of Space uniform. Jade touches the body with the toe of her shoe, and then gasps when it rolls over to reveal its face.

JADE: its... JADE: ME???

Okay what the FUCK.  It sounds like there’s going to be some context for that postscript after all.  Something to bridge the gap between when that 16-yo Jade falls into the singularity and when Aradia goes off with her through a wormhole

I’m going to guess up front that this happens BEFORE the postscript... this younger version of Jade fell into the black hole and came out in THIS alternate timeline, possibly rather changed by the experience.  But then again, the way the sky opened up... actually, couldn’t that be just a “natural” manifestation of the black hole abilities encouraged by Calliope or done by the singularity alone, followed by later in the Postscript this Jade actually getting control of it??

And... reading on, from the sound of it, her eyes aren’t black yet, either.  Sounds like that’s to come, before the postscript.  Question being, is it alt!Callie black eyes, or some black-hole-powers visual manifestation?  Wait, never mind, I misread; this teenage Jade-corpse has NOT opened their eyes yet, so they couldn’t possibly tell, and the stuff about them “shaking” was about the adult Jade standing over her.  Never mind.  Let’s see which timeframe this Jade came from.

Also STOP TRAUMATIZING ADULT JADE ON SCREEN ITS NOT OKAY IM SICK OF IT ANDREW

==>

Page 20...

Stop letting babby not!Vriska bully babby not!Tavros.

Hm... same stupid tooth poison?  No, Jade didn’t get hit with a tooth... so it’s more getting hit with shards of spacetime and spiraling down a black hole.  Also whatever alt!Callie did to just barely keep her alive.

Hm, so the Heart stuff falls apart if you’re too separated from the mass-whole at Light’s center?  That’s certainly a hypothesis at least.

ROXY: sounds like its time for another funeral lmao

ROXY WAKE THE FUCK UP AND STOP BEING A VAGUELY ROXY-LOOKING LMAO-ZOMBIE.  WHERE THE FUCK DID REAL ROXY GO.

And where the fuck is Calliope anyway, she’s just being left in the dust and nobody’s even talked to her from the looks of it.

Hm, cut apart by political differences, this group...?

ROXY: woah ok karkat i get ur all fired up about politics and stuff but lay off gamz ok

ROXY WHO REPLACED YOUR FUCKING BRAIN WITH A BLOCK OF CHEESE

ROXY YOU’RE MY FAVORITE CHARACTER PLEASE GIVE US AN EXPLANATION FOR WHY YOU’RE ACTING NOTHING LIKE THE COOL SMART PERSON WE READ ABOUT.

JADE: dave what the FUCK did you say to him downstairs?

Oh my god you asshole don’t blame DAVE for this >:(

ROXY: this time next week well corpse party like its the end of the world!

I don’t want to think this has anything to do with Aradia, but we DID see her in that postscript bit...  And, I mean, what the hell could she even do??  It’s not like this Roxy is just Aradia in really convincing cosplay or something.

==>

She leads John and Jake into the building and down the center of the nave, humming happily to herself the entire time. An equally effusive Calliope trails behind her, carrying a bouquet of purple flowers.

Well there’s Callie. What is WITH these hypnotized motherfuckers.  I need a revelation on these shenanigans STAT.

What is with people being bathed in light here?

each time we witness death, we fall in love in with the important people in oUr lives all over again.

Calliope is gazing at Roxy with glassy eyes. She sniffs as she plucks the last petal from her rose. A breeze washes through the cathedral from the crack in the door at the end of the room, brushing the petal off-course and causing it to get stuck in Roxy’s over-sprayed hair. Calliope reaches out with a visibly shaking hand to remove the plant offal, but she does not draw back. Instead, she lets her hand graze down the side of Roxy’s face and cup her cheek. Roxy puts her own hand over Callie’s and holds it.

Uhhh.... huh.

So.

If Roxy was just lying to herself, then............ WHY??????

John tilts his head and squints at the image in front of him. Hmm.

Is John realizing he’s in some sort of fanfic drawn by another character, hence all the people in serene lightbeams at tender but unjustified moments?

Everyone whips their heads around to see, of all people, Aradia hovering in the foyer

Pff

(...I hope Aradia didn’t come here, like, from the postscript.  Where the “action” she talked about might have just been this corpse party.  Because that would be pretty fucking lame.)

KARKAT: MAYBE FUCKING NEPETA IS ABOUT TO POUNCE FROM BEHIND THAT GROTESQUE STATUE OF THE HUMAN SUFFERER T-POSING OVER THERE.

Pfffffffffff

The description of Human Jesus we all had in our hearts, but were too afraid to voice.

Alright, now we see the body we took our eyes off of.  Is it going to get back up, or did it escape earlier?

since nobody was willing to dislodge the huge, otherworldly shard from her chest

My damn god, people.

...alright finally, everyone’s talking.

JANE: Agreed. I’ve always felt that Kanaya has done an exemplary job of providing a model for compassionate, empathetic behavior, which others of her kind would do well to follow.

JANE STOP BEING A XENOPHOBIC BASTARD

CALLIOPE: please. roxy gathered yoU all here for a reason. CALLIOPE: at least listen Until the end. CALLIOPE: after that yoU can argUe all you want.

...Huh.  Huuuuhh.  What the fuck is all this for.  Are you saying ROXY caused this? Or...?

Okay I like this reinforcement she’s making in her speech about how different changes can influence how all of this unfolds, gives me hope that maybe these two cliffhangers aren’t all we’re going to be left with and we’ll be able to at least think of an IMPLIED future different from them if we wanted to like we thought about the seemingly-infinite-possibility original ending of Homestuck that I’d rather have been stuck with than this oh god breathe boots

okay there’s the labor going into good distraction

alright corpse get back up

JADE: i am not jade.

Right, so like the black eyes in the postscript suggested this is more just a... vessel for alt!Calliope now?  To give HER a future beyond the one she sacrificed for that black hole business?  And between alt!Callie’s became-the-black-hole nature and Jade’s Spacey Green Sun connection that’s been singularified, she has access to cool Black Hole powers?  And is gonna do cool shit with them in implied future adventures we won’t see while Aradia gleefully watches the carnage?  Huh.

The congregation watches her go, but no one moves to help her, or even looks in her direction. In her wake, she leaves a primal, echoing wail.

Oh my god why wouldn’t they have just a brief discussion or something IT’S NOT THAT BAD  D:

JADE: and while i cannot say the same thing for the rest of you, JADE: i, at least, am exactly where i am meant to be.

Well fuck.  So she just disconfirmed this timeline as... something.  Relevant, possible, I dunno.

JADE: and i have entered this body to protect your world.

Okay that’s good.  So thanks to alt!Calliope these side timelines where things unfolded differently MAY be preserved.  Pretty fitting given alt!Callie’s origins.

.......unless there’s some other stupid interspecies civil war threat that she’s going to be fighting too, here, when the political situation falls apart.  Dammit.

==>

Terezi talk Terezi talk

-- JOHN EGBERT sent TEREZI PYROPE the photo “ghostrain.jpg” --

TEREZI: WH4T TH3 4CTU4L FUCK JOHN: it started a few days ago. the sky above the capital of the troll kingdom just cracked open and ghosts began raining down everywhere.

Oh my GOD.  So alt!Callie kind of “saved” all the doomed ghosts that got swallowed up in the black hole by redirecting them all to THIS UNIVERSE and timeline???????

That’s pretty interesting!  Heck my stomach’s even calming down!

they can’t even be judges! TEREZI: G4SP

Yeah that’s pretty terrible!

...yep, the resistance WOULD put him in charge.  I had a feeling it may have ended up in that direction in Candy since it wasn’t in Meat.

--oh FUCK YOU Jade for splitting up what he had with Karkat before they could sort it out!!! You did the OPPOSITE OF HELP and neither of them are going to end up happy thanks to you! D:<

PFFF wow, John’s so concerned about babby not!Tavros’s living situation that he’s considering legit kidnapping.  That means things must be pretty fucking bad.

--okay Calliope’s still out and about with Roxy instead of being cooped up in her room like in the other timeline, that’s good.

Pff, trying to redeem Ghost Eridan in front of Ghost Feferi.  Yep, that’s Gamzee.

GAMZEE: fIrSt, A LiTtLe RiGhTeOuS sPlAsH oF tHe NaNnA nEcTaR tO cLeAnSe ThAt DaNkNeSs FrOm YoUr SoUlS...

Gamzee takes out a baby bottle and flicks it, covering them both with little drops of milk, as clergy does with holy water. He then takes a swig from the bottle himself before returning it to his codpiece.

Jesus.  Fucking.  Christ.

I don’t want to believe that what’s in that bottle is what he’s making it sound like it is, but OF COURSE it is.  Why would it be anything else.  I bet there’s not even any Lifey hypnosis going on, it’s just the literal stuff.

The crowd falls silent as they raise their heads to watch a drone ship pass by overhead.

Jegus fuck stop going whole hog condesce janey

ROXY: lmao you worry too much ROXY: janeys got her head on straight shell show you yet

ROXY.  WHERE DID YOUR BRAIN GO.  I MISS IT.  YOUR BRAIN WAS THE BEST FUCKING PART OF YOU.

Touching photo.

Alright lemme post split.  I haven’t gotten as far as the last post plowed through since I’ve been typing so much... ah well.

#Homestuck #Homestuck Epilogue #Upd8 #Homestuck Liveblog #bladekindeyewear #BlastYoBoots

[faveficarchive]

The Amazon Way

By Barderella

Pairing: Ephiny/Solari, Eponin/Terreis, Gabrielle/Ephiny, Xena/Gabrielle

Rating: Mature

Synopsis: Some Amazon drama, lots of fluff, a bit of tragedy, this story is great for anyone who just wants to zone out to a little romance.

Ephiny peeked one eye open to the harsh morning sunlight. Groaning, she closed it tightly. 'Never again! I swear it!' she thought to herself as she remembered her drunken escapades of the previous evening. She rolled over to the edge of the bed, fully intending on standing, but her body just wasn't cooperating with her brain right then and she fell back onto the bed with a sigh. Her right arm fell across her eyes as she tried to take deep breaths to clear her fuzzy head. 'Ok, one more try...' With a grunt she hauled herself up into a sitting position and was rewarded by the room spinning out of control. Gripping the bed until her knuckles turned white, she waited for the feeling to pass...which it did, and she shook her head to clear it more. "OW OW OW OW OW!!!!! Eph, you know better than to do that!" She said aloud as the throbbing became almost unbearable. She raised her arms over her head and stretched, feeling numerous muscles begin to argue relentlessly with her to not do that. "Twenty summers, and it feels like eighty sometimes, geeesh!" she thought amusedly. Finally, she managed to stand without her knees feeling wobbly and worked her way over to the washbasin in her small hut. She poured some fresh water in and briskly splashed it on her face, feeling the cool liquid begin to break through the cloudiness in her head. Finishing with that, she ran her fingers through the tangled mass of shoulder length, blonde curls, found some clean leathers, and slipping them on headed out the door to Old Cervexa's hut to procure some herbs for her rebelling stomach.

***

Solari and Eponin sat on the bench outside the healer's hut awaiting their turn for herbs when they noticed Ephiny's hunched over form making its' way across the courtyard.

"Soli...hey...look over there..." said Eponin pointing Ephiny's way.

Solari turned her eyes to see a very hung-over looking blonde amazon trudging up to them. She averted her gaze as Eph practically fell into the spot next to her on the bench, leaned back against the wall of the hut and covered her eyes with her arm.

"Uhhhhh hey there Eph...one too many ciders last night eh?" commented Eponin with a following snicker.

"Oh! And no thanks to you!" snapped Ephiny. "Or your zombie-lookin' little friend over here either!" she jerked her free thumb in Solari's direction. "And to think I call you two my friends. Why did you let me drink so much?? You know how I get!!!"

"But Eph, I didn't realize how much you had til it was too late anyhow." shrugged Eponin. "Besides...you're sooo much fun when you've had a few. You really do some crazy stuff...it's great!!"

"Yeeeeaaaahhhh..." interrupted Solari. "I especially liked your rendition of 'The Dance of the Three Veils'...it was very...ummm....uhhhh...shall we say, inspirational?" She and Eponin burst into helpless fits of giggles.

Ephiny was about to retort when the door of the hut flew open and poor Pony was grabbed by the ear by Cervexa the Healer herself...

"What's with all this racket out here you whippersnappers? Can't ya see there's sick people in here?" She wrenched the ear she was holding so that the face turned her way. "Yep...just as I thought! Been partakin' of the spirits again have ya? Well I've a good mind to just leave y'all out here to suffer!!" She gave them all a warning look as she dragged poor Ep by the earlobe into the hut, "No more noise ya hear??

Quiet

!" She disappeared into the hut, slamming the door loudly behind her.

Solari and Ephiny turned wide eyes from the door to each other. They both began shaking with silent giggles which went on for about a quarter candlemark. Eph cleared her throat and casually glanced over at Solari, who was now watching the action over at the practice field. She was really beginning to notice things about her friend lately. Things like her eyes, her smile, her body....'

Whoa

wait a minute here Eph...her body???' She quickly looked away, but found herself looking back a moment later. She took her time, carefully studying the young woman sitting next to her. 'Yeah, and I'm liking what I see...' she thought as a wry grin unknowingly edged up the corner of her mouth.

She cleared her throat again. Leaning over towards her friend, she spoke softly so as not to bring Cervexa flying out the door to thrash them. "So Soli....you liked my dance huh?" Her breath tickled Sol's ear and she whipped her head around, only to come face to face with Ephiny.

Before she knew it, she was frozen in her spot and staring into very mesmerizing hazel eyes. "U-u-u-mmm..." she stammered. "W-w-ell, y-yeah I did what's wrong with that?" Solari couldn't remember when her stomach had felt this funny. She watched as Ephiny smiled at her and moved a little closer on the bench.

"So do you think I dance good?" whispered Eph, her eyes taking in all the reactions she was causing in her friend.

Solari's heart felt like it was going to pound right out of her chest. "Yes." was all she could manage to say.

"I'm glad you like it." She inched even closer.

"I do..." admitted Soli. Eph's lips were a scant distance from her own. "Very much."

"How much?" replied Ephiny.

"This much..." said Solari as she brought her lips against Ephiny's. She felt arms pulling her closer, and she moaned softly as she did the same. Oooooh, she had wanted to do this for so long, and now it was happening. She traced the contour of Eph's lips with her tongue. So nice. She deepened the kiss and felt one hand reach up to tangle itself in her hair and another slide down her back. She slowly pulled away and just stared at her friend.

Ephiny's eyes were still closed, so she reached out and touched the side of her face. "Hey..."

The blonde slowly opened her eyes, and found intense blue ones staring back at her. "Hey yourself." She smiled. "Wow...I had no idea you knew how to kiss like that."

"Did you like it?"

"Oh yeah...very much." She grinned slyly as she turned Solari's own words back on her. "So much I can't wait till you kiss me again." Their lips met in a second kiss, and Ephiny's world exploded into an array of swirling emotions. 

"ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT! BREAK IT UP!!!" Cervexa stormed out of her hut, shoving a very suprised looking Eponin out in front of her and grabbing Solari by the ear, dragging the young woman off the bench to stand next to her. "I swear! You young ones! Always makin googily eyes at each other. WELL DIDN'T YOUR MOTHERS EVER TEACH YOU IT AIN'T RIGHT TO BE DOIN THAT IN PUBLIC?" She stumbled towards the hut door, with Solari in tow, mumbling something to herself about what they must be adding to the food lately.

Ephiny managed a weak smile at Solari before she disappeared into the hut with Cervexa. Noticing Eponin's eyes on her, she turned to face her. "What?"

"Oh nothing...nothing." replied Ep. "Except..."

"Except what?"

"Well uuuhhh, what are you going to tell Terreis?" Said the weaponmaster-to-be.

Ephiny's eyebrows scrunched at the thought. "Damn. I forgot about that." She caught a stern stare from her friend. "Don't give me that look Pony! I'll handle the Princess just fine."

"I'm not sayin ya couldn't Eph....I'm just sayin she ain't gonna like it much that you picked Solari over her. You know she's had her eye on you for a while now..."

"I know, I know. But I like Soli. She's just going to have to understand is all." replied Ephiny.

Eponin laughed out loud. "Understand? Understand??? She's gonna understand alright....so much I bet she goes straight to the Queen and gets you demoted!"

"Melosa wouldn't do that would she? Oh my....no no. DAMN! Pony...shit what am I gonna do?" Ephiny stared hopelessly off into the distance.

"Eph, Eph...don't worry. Yer ol buddy Eponin is here, and I got a plan."

***

Ephiny sat across the table from her friend and just rolled her eyes. "You can't be serious! That will never work Pony, you aren't giving Ter's intellect any credit at all here."

Now it was Ep's turn to roll her eyes. "I swear Eph, you are so negative! Where do you get it from, yer momma? This will work I promise!"

"Sure...sure. And just how am I supposed to make her think I'm not good enough for her? Hmmmm??" questioned Ephiny with an annoyed look.

"Well, there's a number of ways...you could be the village bully..." One look at her not so brawnily-built friend told Eponin that route was out of the question. "Or you could pretend to hate old people, I know she's fond of em..." Ephiny shook her head. "Hmmm ok, how about you become the biggest tease in town? You could really sleaze around....Yeah! She would hate that!" Ep leaned back in her chair, tipping it on two legs, put her feet on the table and crossed her arms, all the while sporting a smug look at her own brilliance.

"You want me to be a tramp?" Ephiny's shoulders shook violently as she laughed. "Oh yeah, that's a good one Pony!" More laughing. "Everyone knows me! You think they would believe that?" Her shoulders began shaking once again.

Eponin's smug look turned into one of defeat, and a pout began as her bottom lip edged out just a smidge. "Aw Eph....why won't ya even just try it? I mean, what do ya have to lose here? Come on! She likes you because you're considerate and caring. All ya gotta do is carry on like a woman possessed, and before ya know it...POOF! She'll lose interest! Then you and Solari can have yer fling in peace." She held her breath as she watched her friend ponder this latest argument.

"Well..." Drawled Ephiny.

"Excellent! Excellent! I knew you'd see it my way!" She raised her arms in the air and began clapping wildly at Ephiny's obvious agreement to her idea. Forgetting the chair was balanced precariously on two legs, she fell over backwards, crashing to the floor and emitting a loud grunt.

This was more than Eph could handle right then, and she doubled over holding onto her stomach for dear life. "P-Pony...you ok?" She stood and peeked over the opposite edge of the table and found her friend in a heap on the floor, trying to disentangle her legs from the chair.

"Not one word Ephiny. Not

one

word! Or I'll pummel ya, got me?"

All that did was cause Eph to laugh even harder. (if that was possible) She fell back into her own chair, praying to Artemis that she wouldn't bust a gut.

A rap came from the doorway as Solari entered the hut. She stopped in mid step as she witnessed Ephiny laughing hysterically, arms wrapped around herself in a death grip, and Eponin trying to stand with a chair attached to her backside. "What the?" She watched as Ep once again tried to pull her derriere from the chair unsuccessfully. "Forget it, I don't want to know." She giggled as she pulled another chair up next to Ephiny. Turning to the blonde, she held a small bag out to her. "Here, I brought you some of those herbs for your head Eph, considering you were gone when Cervexa got done prodding me." A tinge of hurt began to show upon the brunette's features.

Ephiny reached out to take the herbs from her. "Soli, oh I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to just leave you there like that...really." Her eyes softened as she caught the look in Solari's eyes, and she reached over to place her hand atop a smaller one. Solari looked up at the touch and smiled.

Eponin had finally managed to disengage herself from what would now on be known as 'The Trained Attack Chair', and was repositioning it so she could sit down again. "No no no, Solari, it was my fault, I dragged her back here." She put her elbows on the table and propped her chin up on her fists. "See, I know you guys got a thing for each other Sol, but that don't mean you can just ignore everything else ya know."

"Such as?" replied Solari, raising an eyebrow.

"Such as Terreis." she said emphatically.

"Oh, yeah well I guess that kinda slipped my mind." replied Solari, finding a very interesting design on the table to look at.

Eponin blew out an exasperated breath. "Soli, don't you know what this means?" She turned narrowed eyes upon her two friends. "A scorned Amazon Princess, whose sister happens to be Queen, and said Queen adores her baby sis so much that she gives the Princess almost anything she wants. This could really mess up Eph's chances at getting into the guard." She sat back. "Not to mention yours as well." She crossed her arms again. "It's pretty much a known fact that Terreis has her mind set on joining with Eph ya know..." She watched Eph swallow so hard she almost had to go check to make sure her tongue was still in there..

Now Solari....well...she was speechless. Eponin was right and she knew it. This could cause major problems for them both, and they didn't even realize it til now. "Aww centaur farts Pony! How are we gonna fix this? It's not like this was a planned thing you know..." She stole a look at Ephiny and sighed.

Eponin grinned broadly. "I was hopin you'd ask that Soli." And with that she began to relate her plan to her friend....

***

"It ain't such a bad idea Eph..." commented Solari as she pulled an apple out of her pack and began munching away contentedly. "Besides, it's not like you have any other options right now."

Ephiny kicked a stone, sending it shooting down the forest path ahead of them. "I know, I know, but come on Soli! There is no way in Tartarus that anyone in the village is going to believe I have all of a sudden turned into a hormone-raging, woman-chasing tramp!" She reached the stone she had kicked earlier and sent it flying down the path again. "Besides, either way I lose. If I do nothing, I end up having to join with Terreis, and if I go with Pony's crazy idea, and it works....well, then the whole village thinks I'm a floozy. This is a no-win situation."

Solari stopped munching on her apple. "Gee thanks Eph..." she said, a look of hurt beginning to paint her classic features. "Nice to know where I stand in all this." She quickened her pace, striding ahead of her friend to hide the tears that were by this time barely restrained.

Ephiny sighed. 'How come everything I say lately comes out sounding like a merchant's spiel at the market?' she thought as she hurried to catch up with her friend. "Soli, wait - wait up..." She placed her hand on her friends' shoulder, stopping her progress and gently turned her around so she could look into her eyes. "I didn't mean it the way it sounded...really." She brought her hand up to trace the contours of the brunette's cheek. "Look at me." Solari slowly brought her eyes up to meet the blonde's. "You mean a lot to me." A pause and a soft sigh. "And despite the fact that I absolutely hate the way I have to go about remedying the situation, I'll do it. In fact I'll do whatever it takes if it means I'll be able to be with you in the end." She cocked her head to one side, looking into the blue eyes that were now setting her soul aflame every time she did. "I'm sorry darling, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. That's the last thing I would ever want to do." She reached her other arm out and drew her friend into a sincere embrace.

Solari rested her head against a strong shoulder, bringing arms up to wrap around her friend's waist. "Do you really mean that Eph?" she asked softly.

Ephiny pulled her head back just enough to study the emotions on the young woman's face, and their eyes met again. "Yes." she replied. "I don't ever want to hurt you. You're everything to me."

A weak smile showed itself on the brunette's face as she sighed and once again rested her cheek on Ephiny's shoulder. "Thank you." she replied. "That means a lot." She paused, then added, "I feel the same about you."

Ephiny felt the arms around her waist tighten in emphasis to her companion's words and smiled, breathing in the now familiar soft scent of lilacs that seemed to be everywhere Solari was. She tightened her own arms around the young woman as she spoke. "Do you?"

Fingers slowly traced a circular pattern along the small of Ephiny's back. "Yes....for a long time now."

"How long?" inquired the blonde, running her fingers through dark tresses.

Solari chuckled softly as she pulled her head back to meet amused hazel eyes. "That is a loaded question Ephiny." She smiled at her friend. "Does it really matter?"

"No, but I'm curious to know." she replied, an eyebrow raising as she took in the hearty blush that was now coloring Solari's cheeks.

"Umm...." She rolled her eyes and looked away. "I think I realized it around the last harvest." Her eyebrows furrowed as she thought harder. "It might have been longer for all I know."

Ephiny's jaw hit the forest floor in amazement. "Soli, you've liked me for almost a year and you never said anything? How come?"

Solari rolled her eyes more dramatically this time. "You're kidding right?" A shake of blonde curls was her answer, and she took a breath before continuing. "Terreis made it pretty obvious to everyone that she intended on courting you, and I was afraid to say a word. I most certainly didn't want to bring the anger of the princess down upon myself."

"So why are things different now Soli? Why did you pick this time to kiss me?"

"Aw Hades, Eph!" The blush began creeping back into her face. "I only have so much willpower ya know!" She giggled. "And you weren't makin it very easy one me puttin your lips that close to mine..."

"Ooooh, I see....so it's all my fault?" said the blonde with a chuckle.

"Yes...all your fault."

"Hmmmm...so if I were to do this..." She brought her lips a hairsbreadth away from her friend's. "Then it would be my fault again?" A sly grin appeared at the corner of Ephiny's mouth.

Solari felt a strange warmth beginning inside as her eyes fixed on the invitation before her. She brushed her lips softly across Ephiny's. "Mmmmm yes...all your fault." She looked up into those gorgeous hazel eyes and was reduced to a pile of jello in a matter of seconds. "Gods Eph, do you have any idea what you are doing to me right now?"

"Probably the same thing you're doing to me." Whispered the blonde, her hands reaching up to tangle in the darker locks. "You're making it very hard to be a respectful amazon Solari." She smiled.

The brunette's blush went from pink to three shades of purple in a matter of seconds. She cleared her throat before she spoke. "Am I? I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry darling. In my opinion, you're worth the wait." She punctuated her words with a kiss that made Solari lose all sense of time.

"Good gods, Ephiny." Said the brunette as they pulled apart. Air seemed to be a precious commodity at that moment, and Solari tried to get some in as she mustered her courage to speak again. "Maybe I wouldn't mind you being a little disrespectful if you kiss me like that all the time."

"Hmmm, is that so?" replied the blonde, the insinuation hitting her right in her core. She gasped at the intensity of the feeling, wondering if this was what everyone alluded to when they referred to unbridled passion. 'Oh yeah, this has to be what they mean.' She pulled her friend even closer and looked deeply into those amazing blue eyes. "I'll kiss you like that anytime you want me to Soli; just say the word."

"Please..." she replied, desire now clearly evident in her features and body language. "I want you so badly Ephiny..." Her hands moved of their own accord and settled over her friend's rear. She squeezed softly, pulling closer and pressing her body tightly against the blonde's own. "Please..." she said again.

Ephiny groaned and brought her lips against Solari's in a passionate kiss. Tongues intertwined and hands roamed freely, exploring every inch of each other. They fell to the ground, Ephiny's lips seeking the soft skin of her soon to be lover's neck, and hands finding their way beneath the suddenly encumbering top Solari was wearing. Her breath was coming faster and her head was spinning trying to keep up with the emotions that were flooding her senses. She tugged at her lover's article of clothing. "This," she managed between gasps for air, "has to go." 

Solari nodded her head and raised herself up a bit to allow Ephiny to remove the annoying garment. Her breath caught as she stared unabashedly at her friends body. "Solari....sweet Artemis...." she gasped as in turn, her top was being raised and removed...slowly...so agonizingly slowly she thought she would die of anticipation. Then hands were beneath her skirt and making their way up her thigh in an altogether extremely teasing fashion. She closed her eyes to the sensation, intent on feeling everything this moment had to offer.

"Make love to me Ephiny; make me yours." breathed Solari into her lover's ear. "I want it to be you. I've always wanted it to be you Eph, and no one else."

Ephiny's heart seemed to be caught in her throat, making it hard to do anything, especially talk...but this sudden admission by her friend required an admission of her own... "Gods Soli...you mean you've never...."

"No, never. I was waiting for you."

Ephiny swallowed hard. "Me either." Another swallow. "I'm not sure I know what to do."

Solari pulled the blonde to her and their bodies slid against each other, sending tendrils of pure, sensual pleasure through them both. "Trust me, you are doing just fine." Ephiny's lips once again attached themselves to her neck, and she sucked in her breath in response. "Oh yeah, just f - fine..." Her lips moved lower across her collarbone and into the hollow of her throat. "Oh gods." She breathed as those lips suddenly were teasing her nipple, and hands roamed lower.

By this time, Ephiny was completely into what was happening. She forgot about her nervousness, and her inexperience, and concentrated instead on the soft, guttural sounds coming from her partner. She dipped her head lower, wanting to run her lips over every part of Solari's body. Gods this woman was beautiful beyond anything she had ever laid eyes on. She ran her fingers up her friend's sides and down again, feeling the gooseflesh pop up, and thrilled to the feeling of hips moving against her chest. 'Well, it's now or never.' She thought, and scooted lower, her fingers tracing paths along the inside of Solari's thighs. She felt trembling hands wrap themselves in her hair in encouragement.

"Eph, please...oh gods, please..."

That was enough to cast her final fears of incompetence to the wayside, and she softly ran her fingers along her lover's most private of places. She brought her head down to take the place of her hand and was almost slammed into unconsciousness by the feel beneath her tongue. Solari's hips jerked in response, making her think for a moment she had done something wrong, but to her surprise, hips began rocking against her relentlessly, sending her to dizzying heights she had never thought possible. She watched the expressions on her lover's face, thrilled that she was the one responsible for it all. She gently pushed her fingers just inside and hesitated, not sure if she had the right to take this from her friend.

"Do it."

Their eyes met and held and Eph pushed in all the way, feeling the muscles clench around her. Solari cried out and a tear made it's way slowly down her cheek. "Soli...you ok?"

"Y-y-yes....don't stop now..." Came the plea, and who was Ephiny to deny it? She gently began her administrations again, and now it seemed more intense...more sensual the way Solari's legs wrapped around her. Then she felt inner muscles tightening, and heard the short gasps of breath from her lover.

"Oh my gods..." Uttered Solari as her world exploded into a thousand different sensations. Her back arched and she held onto Ephiny for dear life, wondering if she was going to live through this or not.

When the shaking finally subsided, Ephiny crawled up her new lover, bestowing sweet kisses on every inch of flesh along the way. Solari reached for her and drew her into her arms.

"Was that..."

"Yeah, I think so."

"Wow. I did that for you..." A huge smile broke across Ephiny's features.

"Yeah...I'll say. Boy did you ever..." They giggled as an involuntary shudder shook her again.

"Was it ok?"

Solari took the head of blonde curls in her hands and kissed the lips she found there with every ounce of passion she had in her. She then flipped her lover over, and pinned her arms over her head. "Oh yeah....more than ok."

Ephiny gulped audibly as Solari lowered herself down upon her.

"Don't think you're going anywhere anytime soon there Eph....we're not finished yet." She was about to help the blonde divest herself of that annoying leather skirt when they heard a twig snap a short distance away...

Ephiny shot up to a half-sitting position, accidentally throwing her partner off her and onto the ground. She grimaced when she heard the thud, and mumbled a quick apology as she fumbled for her clothes. Finding them, she threw her top over her head and took off towards where the sound had come from. She reached a line of high bushes, and peering behind she found a set of footprints.

Solari had found her own clothes and ran up to her friend. "Was someone here?"

"Yeah." replied Ephiny with a scowl on her face. She reached over to a leaf and pulled something off of it. She held the strands of long red hair up for Solari to see. "Terreis."

Ephiny's long strides were eating up the ground. She had long since left a huffing and puffing Solari behind, and was racing headlong towards the village. Rounding the last turn in the path, she saw the princess fling open the door to her hut and rush inside, slamming it closed behind her. "Aw rats!" She pumped her arms harder trying to draw out some last reserve of speed, until she came skidding to a halt in front of Terreis' hut. She just stood there for a moment trying to figure out what to stay when she heard a loud crash come from inside, followed by two more crashes and a clang. Swallowing, she tentatively knocked on the door frame.

"Terreis, it's me Ephiny. We need to talk."

"Go away Ephiny! I have nothing to say to you."

"Please Ter...let me explain - "

"Explain?" was the reply, followed by a very hurt sounding laugh. "There's nothing to explain...I think what I saw explained quite enough thank you."

She heard the choked back sobs, and with a wrenching gut she opened the door and slid inside, only to be greeted by a dagger whizzing past her ear and embedding itself in the door frame. Her eyes whipped to where the knife was still shaking from it's impact with the frame, then over to where the princess had secluded herself in the corner of the room. "Hey! Ter, now that was close!"

"The next one won't miss Ephiny. Leave me alone."

"I can't. We need to talk this out."

"Like I said, there is nothing to discuss."

Ephiny took a deep breath before continuing. "I never intended to hurt you ya know..."

"Yeah? Well guess what? You did. And what hurts the most is that you felt you couldn't even be up front with me about it." A sigh. "Instead you run around behind my back and go sleep with her." This time she couldn't stop the tears from falling, and she buried her face in her hands.

"Now just you wait a second here!" Replied Ephiny. "It's not like you and me were ever an item. You seem to be forgetting that."

Terreis's hands moved away from her tear-streaked face and her eyes shot up to confront the blonde's. "But you knew how I felt about you Ephiny!" More tears came. "You knew and you did it anyhow..."

Eph sighed. "Yes I knew....but honestly Ter, have I ever returned those feelings?" She crossed the floor to kneel down beside the Princess. "Have I ever once told you I felt the same?" Her question was answered by a reluctant nod of a head. "Then how can you justify what you are doing to me right now? Yes, I was wrong in not telling you first, because I knew how you felt for me, but then again I knew this is the reaction I would get!" She stood and began pacing the floor as she spoke. "It's not like I planned on hurting you, and it's not like I planned how I would feel for Solari! I can't control who I fall in love with." She stopped in mid-pace, realizing what she had just admitted.

Terreis's head fell forward as the words echoed in her head. "So you are in love with her then." She sniffled and wiped at her eyes.

"I...I....I guess I am..." Her eyes met the princess's. "I really didn't know myself Ter...honest."

"So there is no chance for me at all then?" Forlorn green eyes peered at her from under swollen lids.

Ephiny's conscience was having a helluva grand time messing with her now. But she knew she had to end it here. "I can't see into the future Ter, but as of right now the answer is no." She crossed the floor again, knelt down and took a small, trembling hand into her own. She raised it to her lips and brushed a gentle kiss across the knuckles. "I do care for you...just not in the way you want me to I'm afraid."

Terreis cleared her throat. "I'm sorry I acted so childish."

"It's ok....we all have our times." Ephiny stood and reached down to the redhead. Her forearm was grasped and she hauled the princess to her feet. "Friends?"

Terreis looked warily at Eph before finally answering. She nodded her head. "Yes...ok. Friends."

Ephiny's face broke into a wide smile. "Thank you."

"For what?" replied the princess.

"For not killing me with the dagger."

Terreis returned the smile. "Oh....well actually I was aiming for you, I just missed." She turned towards the door of the hut, and heard the gulp behind her. As she exited, she turned back and added with a wink. "Just kidding." And she was gone.

Ephiny made her way outside into the sunshine, feeling like there was nothing in the world that could ruin the euphoric feeling inside of her at that moment. She was now free to pursue her relationship with Solari, and not have to worry about the consequences. Ah, life couldn't be better. She made her way across the compound towards her own hut, where she was hoping to find her new love waiting for her.

The procession made its way slowly towards the village, flanked by two score Amazon warriors in full attire. As it reached the central square it slowed, being met by the Queen and her guard.

"Who is it Eph?" asked Solari as she bounced up and down to see over the heads in front of her, all the while muttering curses pertaining to her Sardinian heritage.

"I can't see!" Whined Eph as she tried to push her way to the front of the crowd. "Pony...c'mere!" Her friend trotted over in response. "Get on your knees." she ordered.

"Wh-what? Ephiny!" Eponin shot a very scared look Solari's way, then back to Ephiny. "What for?"

"Just do it - hurry!!" Losing her patience with her fer friend, she grabbed Ep and pushed her down. She climbed on her shoulders and cried out, "Take me up!"

"YOU are crazy Ephiny! Get off me!!!"

"Pony, come on! I just gotta see who that is!" She batted her eyelashes at her friend.

"Aw Hades, why ya gotta play so dirty? Ok." Eponin struggled to get to her feet with the added weight of her friend upon her back.

"Higher...higher! Eponin...please?" begged the blonde, and was rewarded when she finally got her eyes above the feather line in front of her. Melosa had dismounted and was walking forward towards the visitors. Ephiny's eyes squinted and she quickly brought her hand up to shield her eyes from the bright sunlight, nearly toppling them over backwards.

"Cut out the jigglin up there Eph!" yelled Eponin. "I ain't no trick Pony you know!" Giggles came from Solari's direction. "Oh put a horseshoe in it already Miss Fancy-Leathers!" she commented in the brunette's general direction while desperately trying to keep her cargo in the upright position. "If you hadn't kidnapped Eph, we mighta made it here earlier." Ephiny shifted again, and Pony barely caught her footing as she stumbled for her center of balance.

"Don't be jealous of me because you can't get a date Pony!" Solari snickered under her breath.

Eponin's face turned a brilliant shade of angry right then, "Why I oughta - "

"Stop! Stop you two!!" Hollered the blonde from her perch above the crowd. "Melosa is walking out to meet their leader..."

All movement and bickering stopped and Ephiny's eyes tracked to the lead horse. The rider swiftly dismounted and began to walk forward towards the queen.

"Well?" inquired a very impatient Solari.

Eph squinted some more. "He's wearing some kind of drape over his face, I can't see him. He's tall though, and looks quite imposing." She craned her neck as Melosa and the warrior stopped a foot away from each other. She watched closely as the rider began to remove his head covering. "He's taking it off..."

Eponin and Solari looked at each other excitedly as the anticipation of the moment grabbed them by their britches and yanked hard.

The warrior kneeled before Melosa, fully removed the item blocking the blonde's view, bowed a dark head, and softly placed a kiss upon the back of the queen's extended hand. "By the gods!" gasped the blonde.

"What? What? Eph come on...tell!" Whined Eponin from beneath her.

"It's a woman!" yelled Ephiny as the entire village sucked in a collective breath and simultaneously turned to stare at her. No sooner were the words out before she clapped both hands over her own mouth. The woman's eyes snapped to meet hers, and she felt the power...the strength...the pure magnetism that emanated from behind them. She was spellbound by them. One of the warrior's eyebrows rose and an amused smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.

That was enough for Ephiny.

Her eyes rolled up in her head, and she toppled over backwards, taking poor ol Ep with her.

"Eph! Blasted woman! Off me NOW!" cried Pony as she struggled to get out from under her friend's dead weight. She finally managed to disentangle herself and rolled Ephiny over. "Hades! Solari, go get some water!"

Her friend ran up. "Why? Is she ok?"

"Oh yeah, she's ok...she PASSED OUT is what she did." Ep replied as she began patting her friend's cheek. "Eph. Eph! Wake up ya big dummy!" She was rewarded by movement from the blonde and turned to holler to Solari she didn't need the water after all, when suddenly a pair of hands were around her neck and dragging her down. Before she could react, soft lips were on her own and kissing her very thoroughly. Ephiny whispered softly against her lips, "Solari..." and pressed her lips to Pony's again.

Eponin was in shock. She couldn't move...she couldn't breathe...she couldn't stop it. (Now mind you all, our beloved Pony is a bit on the shy side, and had never kissed a woman in her life.) She felt the lips slowly pull back and she sighed sadly. She glanced down, just in time to see Ephiny's eyes glance up to meet hers. Their eyes went wide with surprise as they realized what had just happened, and they let out a yelp as they scrambled apart as fast as they could.

"Pony! What are you doing?" said the blonde, still backing away.

"Me? No, no, no, Eph...you kissed me."

"I did not."

"Did too."

"Did not. Would not. Could not. Wasn't me."

"Yes...it was. But...don't worry. I know you thought I was Solari when you woke up." She sighed. "It's ok."

"Oh yeah now I remember." said Ephiny, shaking her head to clear the cobwebs. "Oh my gods."

"Eph, hey come on! Was it that bad?" said the young warrior, dropping her eyes and looking a little hurt.

"No Pony....the woman..."

"The woman?" Eponin's brows scrunched up. "Oh yeah, the woman! Who was it? What happened? And WHY did you pass out??" She offered her arm and helped her friend to her feet.

"I don't know who it was Pony," Replied the blonde. "but I'll tell you one thing..."

"What's that?"

"She has the most incredible blue eyes I have ever seen."

***

"Shoot Eph, I wanna know who that was now....if her just lookin at you made you faint dead away, she's really got to be something..." stated Eponin as they trudged across the compound towards the dining hall.

"Pony...all I can say is holy Zeus! It was like being smacked in the face with a hammer..." Ephiny's hands were gesturing wildly now. "I felt completely exposed to that gaze...so unsettling."

Their conversation was interrupted as Solari came trotting up carrying a waterskin. "Oh...I guess you're ok then sweetheart?" She tossed the skin to the wayside.

"Yes...I'm fine. Just threw me for a loop is all. I didn't mean to blurt that out, and then to have that gaze turned on me? I swear it was the most intense stare I have ever been on the receiving end of!" Catching the sudden shift in Solari's mood at that sentence, she smiled warmly at her lover and snaked an arm around her waist, pulling her closer. "Aw Soli, don't get your leathers in a bind, you know I only have eyes for you." And with that she placed a soft kiss on the brunette's cheek.

"Well good, because for a moment there I thought you might be getting the lusties for the Warrior Princess." Replied her partner with a relieved look.

"The Warrior Princess?" Blurted Eponin. "The Warrior Princess? Xena? Oh my Gods! What's she doing here?"

Ephiny turned to her now stammering friend. "You mean you've heard of her Pony?"

"Gods yes! Have you been locked in a closet Eph? She's only the most feared warlord around. In fact, I heard she killed two hundred men with her own hands during the battle of Corinth!"

Solari's eyes were now wide with amazement. "You're kidding! Wow...a woman warlord, how cool."

Ephiny's brow was furrowed in thought. "Hmmmm, yeah, I think I remember hearing something about that. Question is...what's she doing here?"

"Oh, she's here to see Melosa." stated Solari offhandedly.

"And just how do you know all this Solari?" asked Ephiny.

"I heard some of the guard talking about it."

Eponin trotted a few paces ahead of the group and turned to walk backwards. "Melosa? Well, that would explain why we have never been attacked."

Ephiny's eyebrows shot up drastically. "Pony, are you implying that Melosa and Xena are...well...you know...lovers?"

"It would make sense Eph..." interjected Solari. "And to be honest, if what Pony says is true about her battle prowess, I'm certainly all for it."

"Agreed." Ephiny's attention was caught by a wildly waving Terreis, who was seated on a shaded bench near the dining hall. "Uh oh, look over there." She jerked her head toward the redhead. "We are being summoned."

"Rats!" said Eponin. "Just when I thought this was going to be a good day."

"Now now, Pony, calm your feathers down. If anyone should be annoyed it's me." stated Ephiny as they neared where the princess was seated.

"I know, I know...she just makes me nervous is all..."

Solari smacked Eponin in the back of the head. "Well get over it!"

"Easy for you to say..." she mumbled as they came to a halt in front of Terreis.

"Princess..." Ephiny bowed her head in acknowledgment to the title.

"Ephiny, good to see you." Her gaze flitted from one to the other, coming to rest on Eponin. "Pony...just the person I wanted to see."

Eponin gulped audibly. "Me? What did I do?"

Terreis broke into light laughter. "Nothing Eponin." She paused momentarily, then stood and walked up to a completely confounded Pony. "I was just wondering if you might join me for dinner in the Queen's hut this evening?"

Ep took a moment to glance behind her to see if Terreis had been talking to someone else. Seeing no one, she turned back to the princess, a flush beginning to creep up into her cheeks. "Um, are you sure you want me to accompany you? I'm sure there are others you would like to take." She suddenly found her boots very interesting. "Why me?"

Terreis smiled warmly at the now furiously blushing amazon before her. "Come with me," She said, holding out her hand, "and I'll be more than happy to explain."

Ephiny and Solari looked at each other and grinned. "Go on Pony..." said the blonde as she turned her attention back to the other two women. "We'll save you some lunch."

Eponin took a deep breath. "Ok." She reached out and tentatively placed her hand in Terreis' still extended one. As they began to walk away, she shot a look over her shoulder to her two giggling friends. "Help!" she mouthed, and then they were gone.

"I don't believe it." stated Ephiny, letting out a held breath.

"Me either. What's up with that?"

"Haven't a clue. All i can say is..,Yahoo!" Ephiny swept her lover into her arms and began dancing across the courtyard.

"Eph...Eph! Come on! People are starting to stare...."

"I don't care Soli!" She dipped the brunette and kissed her lips. "She's outta my hair...." She began giggling as she hugged her girlfriend. "I am so happy I could kiss a centaur!"

"Eww...Eph honey, if you do that, I will never touch those lips with any part of me ever again!" Solari shivered at the thought. "Yuck!"

"I'm just kidding Soli...hey, let's get some lunch."

"Lead on darlin, lead on. I'm famished!"

***

Ephiny awoke to the sound of rapping on her door. She wrapped her arms tighter around her lover and ignored it. More insistent rapping. "Alright, alright! I'm coming!" She regretfully released the warm body she was wrapped around and rolled over to the edge of the bed.

"Who is it honey?" inquired a sleepy voice from under the blankets.

"Don't know, haven't got to the door yet." The knocking came again, louder. "I said I'm coming! Geeeesh! Can't a person get any sleep around here?" Wrapping one of the blankets around herself, she stumbled groggily to the door and opened it a crack.

The door burst open and an extremely disheveled Eponin came barreling in. Ephiny took one look at her friend's wild hairdo and burst out laughing. "Pony...was there a windstorm or something?"

With that comment Solari sat up and rubbed her eyes. "By the gods Eponin, what happened to you??"

"What happened? What happened? I'll tell you what happened!! She attacked me! That's what happened!" She threw herself into an empty chair and pouted. She pointed at Ephiny. "This is all YOUR fault!" She said, "You had to go and dump her didn't you?"

Ephiny closed the door and crossed the room, taking a seat next to her friend. "Whoa, whoa Pony, slow down here. You're blaming me because Terreis is after you?"

"YES!" She crossed her arms and snorted her displeasure at the situation.

Ephiny chuckled. "You should be thanking me Pony. You could do a lot worse you know."

"Oh yeah....so you say." she blew out an exasperated breath. "She was all over me! I practically had to beat her off with my chobos!!"

Solari slid up behind Ephiny, and bending down she encircled her arms around her lovers' neck. "Pony, can I ask you something?" she said.

"Oh I guess so Soli...what is it?"

"Do you think she's cute?"

"Well...well...yeah, maybe...she might be semi-good-looking, in a redheaded sorta way..."

"Hmmmm.....then what's the problem?"

"Aw shoot Soli! Why ya givin me the third degree? Ok, maybe I'm just nervous...is that what you were getting at?" Her bottom lip poked out even more as the conversation continued.

"Well....um, have you ever been with a woman Pony?"

Eponin's eyes went wide and she looked away. Ephiny and Solari both exchanged knowing smiles.

"Ok..." Said the brunette. "You don't have to answer that one. But if you haven't, and you're worried about anything, you know you can talk to us Pony. We're your best friends, and we'll always be here for you."

"Awwwww, all you guys do is poke fun at me."

"Only because we love you Pony." said Ephiny noticing something she didn't before. "And just because you have a big hickey on your neck doesn't mean we'll make fun of you." She began giggling, and Solari joined her as she looked and saw it too.

Eponin had had enough. "I come to you guys to help me out, and all you can do is joke around! Thanks a LOT!" She stood and dashed out the door, leaving her two friends sitting there feeling like complete jerks.

"Hmmmm..." said Solari. "I think we messed up."

"Yeeeeah...I'd better get dressed and go fix it."

"Good idea. I'll wait for you here."

"Gee Soli, thanks for the moral support." She pulled the brunette into her arms and gave her a long kiss that left Solari speechless. "But I still love you." She grinned as she released her lover to find some more suitable clothes than the bedcover she was presently wearing. She dressed hurriedly and with a quick peck, she rushed out the door after her distraught friend.

***

Ephiny strode purposefully across the courtyard, eyes darting back and forth in hopes of spotting her friend. 'If I'm gonna find me a Pony, I'm gonna have to think like a Pony....where would I go if I was Pony and I was really upset?' she thought as she walked on. She really felt bad for making fun of Eponin. 'Of all the stupid things to say! Sometimes I wonder how she puts up with me at all!' Her brow creased in thought as she continued out of the village and down a path leading into the forest. "Artemis!" she called out into thin air..."Help me find her please, and I promise I'll make more trips to your temple!" She laughed out loud at herself. Imagine her - Ephiny - asking a goddess for help. Absurd! She didn't need help. After all she was one of the best trackers in the village.

Two candlemarks later, she was still wandering aimlessly through the woods, having lost Pony's trail a candlemark before. "Guess she doesn't want to be found." she sighed hopelessly. Finding a nice log, she sat down to think. Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of children's laughing, coming from somewhere to her left. "Children playing this far from the village? That's odd..." She thought, and rose to investigate.

She came to the edge of a small clearing and saw three little girls playing tag. One of them was chasing the other two, and they were taunting and teasing her every time she missed them.

"Nah nah...you can't catch me!" yelled the little blonde headed girl. She stopped dead in her tracks and waited until the dark haired girl with the ponytail was almost upon her, then she ducked under the stretched out arm and dashed away to the other side of the clearing.

The girl with the ponytail stopped running and bent over trying to catch her breath.

"Pony...what's wrong? You out of breath already? Gods, you couldn't catch a blind cyclops!" said the third little girl. Ephiny's breath caught in her throat. 'No, can't be!' she thought.

"Awwwww Soli, come on, that's not fair! I'm ALWAYS the tagger! Why don't you or Eph be the tagger for once huh?"

Ephiny's eyes went buggy as she realized what she was watching. She pinched herself just to make sure. "Ouch! Ok ok, i believe it geeeesh!" She turned her eyes once again to the scene playing out before her....

"Pony, it's not our fault you can't play 'Rock, Parchment, Dagger' worth a dinar! You lost, so you are the tagger. Live with it!" replied her younger self, stamping her foot in annoyance. "Now come on, and let's keep playing!"

The young Eponin's eyes fell to the ground, and Ephiny knew her feelings were hurt. 'Boy was I rotten to her when we were younger or what?' she thought. She watched as lil Pony stood up and walked away from the clearing, leaving her friends behind.

"Pony come back! You can't quit!" said her young self. "If you don't come back and play now, we won't play with you ever again!" Ephiny shook her head at the heartlessness of her own words. Her eyes followed the retreating form of Eponin slipping into the forest. She made a quick decision. Silently she got up and started to trail the girl. She heard the mocking laughter coming from the clearing, and saw Pony turn her head at the sound. "Oh my gods...she's crying!" thought Ephiny as she saw the tears rolling down that cute little face, and silently cursed herself for being so cruel to her friend all those years ago. 'Damn!'

She followed Eponin for about a half candlemark, and slowed as the girl slowed down ahead of her. She stopped completely, ducking quickly behind a tree as Pony looked around to make sure no one saw her. Satisfied she wasn't followed, she slipped between two large boulders set at the bottom of a small hill and disappeared from sight.

Ephiny jerked awake, and found herself reclining not so comfortably against the log she was sitting on before. 'Wow, I must have dozed off' she thought. Then she remembered her dream. 'Gods...that was a weird one.' She stood up and brushed off her leathers, and as she was doing so, it hit her. "That's where she is!" She took off running into the forest.

***

It took her awhile but she found the entrance to the cave. 'I sure hope you're in there Eponin, otherwise I'm going to feel like a complete dork!' She brushed a stray curl behind her ear and slowly slid between the boulders. She came into a narrow passageway that looked like it went on for at least thirty paces, then turned sharply to the right. Silently she crept along the corridor til she came to the corner. Her ears picked up the muffled sniffles and her heart wrenched inside her chest. 'Damn! Why can't I do anything right? Just once!' she scolded herself. Peeking her head around the corner, she saw Eponin sitting against the far wall, head hung low, knees pulled up to her chest and her arms wrapped around them. Carefully, she stepped out where her friend could see her. "Hiya Pony."

Eponin's head snapped up and she jerked in surprise. "Ephiny! Wh-what are you doing here?"

Eph slowly closed the distance between them. "I came looking for you."

Pony snorted. "Why bother? Unless of course you're just here to make fun of me some more..." She hung her head again.

"No, that's not why I'm here." She stopped next to her friend and took a seat next to her on the floor. "I'm here because I was a real jerk to you, because I treated you bad, because I don't take you seriously enough most of the time, and because I owe you an apology." She sighed. "Although I'm pretty sure an apology isn't good enough to fix all the damage I've done since we were kids."

Eponin raised her head to regard her friend. "You really mean that Eph?"

"Hades yes I mean it." She met Eponin's even gaze. "Pony, I am so sorry for anything I've ever done that caused you pain. You are my best friend in the whole world, and Gods know I never intentionally meant to hurt you." A tear squeezed out from her eye as she spoke, and Eponin reached over to brush it away.

"It's ok Eph. I know you didn't mean it." She took a breath and composed herself. "But even though I know it, it still hurts sometimes. I forgive you." She smiled at the blonde.

Ephiny's face broke into a wide smile, and she pulled Pony into a big bear hug that had the woman gasping for air before she let her go. "I love you Pony."

"Love you too, Ephie."

"Don't let anyone hear you call me that ok?"

"Ok Ephie." A wry grin accompanied the comment.

"Damn you to Tartarus, Pony. Let's go get some dinner ok?"

"Ok. Hey....how did you find me anyhow?"

The blonde's forehead creased as she tried to think of how to answer that. "I sorta ran into three little girls playing in a clearing, and they had seen you pass by earlier." Ephiny hoped she was lying convincingly enough. There was no way she could explain how she did it, she just did.

"Wow, what were they doing all the way out here in the woods? It's too dangerous for them to be out this far!" Replied Eponin.

"Well I didn't ask them why they were there, they just pointed me in your direction and I was gone. I really needed to find you Pony, I was worried about you."

"Awwww Eph, thanks. You're the best friend any amazon could have." She smiled warmly at her friend as they began the trip back to the village.

A whispered "You're welcome...." was carried along the breeze, unheard by the two friends as they made their way home.

***

"So, did you want to talk about Terreis? I promise I'll listen this time." said Ephiny, glancing over at her friend as they walked along the forest path together.

Eponin laughed a little. "Well, I'm not really sure what I wanted to talk about....It's just all so strange to me."

"What's so strange about it? The fact that you like her?"

"No...no, just the opposite." Pony's eyes drifted to the ground. "I mean, why would she like me?"

"Oh come on Pony....you can't be serious!" replied Ephiny in a surprised tone of voice. One look at her friend's face told her she was indeed being truthful.

Eponin shrugged. "Eph....we all know I'm not you or Solari. Let's face it, I'm basically pretty average."

"Average?" A chuckle. "Pony, you are FAR from average!" She was rewarded with an incredulous look from her stoic buddy. "Do you know how many of us wish we had your talent with weapons?" Ep shook her head no. "Well it's true! And aside from that, I think you're quite lovely." An even more incredulous look followed that comment, "And I'm not the only one that thinks that either. It's quite obvious Terreis thinks so as well."

Eponin's eyes were quite wide at that moment and her mouth hung slightly open. "No way Eph..."

"Way."

"Really?" "Yes really. Pony, you have these awesome big brown eyes, and a great smile....not to mention a damn killer body!" Ephiny smiled warmly. "Granted, your shyness and all-around generally stoic attitude makes it a bit hard to approach you most of the time, but there are quite a few ladies around who wouldn't think twice about spending some time with you." She rested her hand on her friend's shoulder as they approached the last turn in the path before the village.

"Wow." replied Eponin. "I never knew that." Her eyebrows drew together in thought for a moment. "I guess I may have been spending a little too much time with the sword huh?"

A laugh escaped the blonde. "A little? Pony, if anyone needs to find you, we always know to look at the practice field. You're always there!"

"Alright, alright...point made Eph." She sighed. "So ummm, about Terreis..."

"Yes? What about her?"

"Ahhh geeez Eph, this is sorta hard to say..."

"Pony, I'm your friend...you can tell me anything."

"Ok...well, ummm, shoot. Eph?" Eponin looked shyly at her friend. "Soli was right. I've never been with anyone before. And to be quite honest here, I'm sorta scared I won't measure up."

Ephiny's heart opened to her friend at these words. "Well, all I can say is I don't think Terreis has either Pony." She reached out and wrapped her arm around her friend's shoulder as they approached the village. "I didn't have a clue either, aside from the scrolls I had read in the library..." Her voice lowered drastically. "And those don't even come close to what it's really like."

Eponin turned another wide-eyed look on her friend. "Really?"

"Yeah...it's so much more wonderful than anything that could ever be put into words." She smiled. "All I can say is if you don't feel comfortable, then don't do it. But if you really do like Terreis, and I suspect you do and just aren't admitting it, then I would say don't worry about it and just go with your heart."

"Hmmmm...maybe you're right Eph. I mean...I do like her. She's just so...so...aggressive!"

Ephiny couldn't help it as she burst into laughter. Eponin shot her a grimace. "Ok ok....well, if you want my advice..."

"I do...I do! Please...anything...."

"Alright, I had the same problem at the beginning with her, and what I did was sit her down and tell her how it was gonna be...you know...my feelings. And I explained she couldn't be like that with me. After that she calmed down a lot."

"Huh. I guess it couldn't hurt to give it a shot."

"No...couldn't hurt at all. And besides, if she continues Pony, you can always dump her." 

"Dump her? Gods Eph...and have to go through the worry you had to go through? That's like the career-kiss-of-death!”

Ephiny laughed again. "Naaaaah, it only seems that way." She grinned at her friend as they passed through the gates into the village. "It passes. Besides, I think you two make a great looking couple."

Eponin's face turned a lovely shade of red, the blush covering every inch of her exposed skin. "Awwww, well maybe I should give her a chance then huh? I mean....she likes me and all..."

"Exactly!" replied Ephiny. "Go for it."

"Ok I will!" She smiled. Thanks for listening Eph...you're the best." She gave the blonde a fierce hug. "Well, I'm gonna go look for my girl then..." A quick smile, and she was gone.

"Well...." thought Eph. "I sure hope you can handle her Pony." She giggled as she made her way across the compound to find her lover.

***

Eponin picked her way through the crowd to the Queen's hut. Since it was midday, she knew Terreis would be there, going over the proposed treaty with the warlord Xena. Reaching her destination, she rapped on the door frame.

"Enter." came Melosa's voice from inside.

Pony pushed open the door and walked in. "My Queen." said Eponin, bowing her head.

"What is it Eponin."

"I wish to speak with the Princess." Her eyes raised and found Terreis' own green ones looking at her. Eponin smiled.

"Certainly. We were almost done here anyways." The look didn't go unnoticed by Melosa. "You are excused Terreis."

"Thank you my Queen." She walked over to Pony. "You wanted to see me?"

"Yes. Would you care to join me for a walk by the lake?"

"Oh yeah, that would be wonderful! It's such a lovely day too."

"Alright then..." replied Pony, holding her arm out to the princess. "Shall we?"

Terreis slipped her arm through the brunette's and placed her free hand over the one attached to Pony's arm. "Lead on." She gave the arm a slight squeeze.

Eponin's face broke into a wide grin. "Your wish is my command." She lead the way out into the sunshine and across the courtyard.

They walked in relative silence until they reached the lake. Rounding a curve in the path, Terreis saw a blanket laid out along the shore, along with two wineskins and a basket. "Looks like someone had the same idea as us Pony.." she looked around but saw no one. 

Pony led Terreis over to the blanket. "Please, sit."

"You mean this is your stuff?" the princess's eyes widened a bit in disbelief.

"Yes, this is my stuff." she grinned. "What? Did you think I was completely naive or something?"

Terreis cleared her throat. "Ummm...no...no, I just didn't think - "

"That's the problem Ter...you think too much. Please sit.." said Eponin, gesturing for her to do so.

The princess sat down, stretched her legs out in front of her, and leaned back on her arms. She patted the blanket next to her. "Join me."

Eponin seated herself next to Terreis and reached for a wineskin. Grabbing it, she held it out toward her friend. "I brought this for you. I thought you would like it."

The redhead accepted the wineskin and uncapping it, took a long pull. Her eyes lit up as she recognized the flavor. "Strawberry wine? Pony, wherever did you get this?"

"Ahem...well, I had to escort on a recent trip into Athens. We were allowed some free time until the traders were done for the day, and I was just wandering around when I saw this merchant with a table full of wineskins." Glancing at her friend, she saw she had her undivided attention and continued..."My skin was lookin sorta raggedy, so I decided to get me a new one. I asked him 'How much?' He said 'Twenty dinars.' " Terreis's eyes went buggy at the price of the skin, and Eponin went on with her explanation. "I know, but then he told me what was in it..." Her eyes met inquisitive green ones. "I um, knew you liked it...so I got it for you." Now her eyes swept over the ground, a little embarrassed since she wasn't used to expressing herself.

Terreis was totally taken aback. She gazed at this flustered warrior and couldn't help the warm smile that appeared on her face. "You are so sweet..." She reached out and touched the brunette's arm. "That's the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me."

Eponin tried to hide the heat that now rose in her cheeks. "Aw...wasn't nothin."

"Yes it was something." Her hand reached up to push the hair out of Pony's eyes. "You're something..." She leaned over and softly placed her lips over Eponin's. Pulling back, she added. "Thank you for the wine."

Eponin swallowed. "You’re welcome." She couldn't take her eyes from Terreis's. "Beautiful..." her words barely a whisper, but the princess heard it.

Now it was Terreis's turn to blush. "You think so?"

"Absolutely." replied Eponin. "I still have some trouble believing this is real though."

"Believe it." was the reply.

Eponin looked at the redhead. Maybe this was what Ephiny had been talking about. Hmmmm. All she knew was that right then she wanted to be closer to Terreis, that she wasn't feeling insecure anymore. Something about this Amazon princess was pulling her deeper and deeper towards a place she was quite unfamiliar with, and she was running towards it with open arms. She reached out, grasped one of Terreis's hands, and raising it to her mouth brushed her lips softly across the knuckles. She heard the whisper intake of breath from the princess and looked deeply into her eyes. "I care for you very much. Please....may I kiss you?"

"Yes." was the only reply.

Eponin leaned forward, stopping just before their lips met, her eyes searching Terreis's for any sign that this was yet another dream. Satisfied this was indeed real, she brought her lips to meet the princess's own. A chill ran up her back as their kiss deepened, and her arms reached out to draw Terreis closer to her. When she felt arms slide around her as well, she thought she would surely die from the touch alone.

Terreis was shocked at the intensity of emotion flowing through her. Sure, she had liked Ephiny, but it had never done this to her. She moaned softly as Eponin's lips left hers and began to move down her neck to the hollow of her throat. One hand reached and tangled itself in dark hair as she lowered her head to trace her tongue around a sensitive earlobe. "I want to be with you Pony." she whispered.

Eponin stopped her ministrations and raised her head to meet those entrancing green eyes. "That's good...it would've been horrible if I was the only one thinking that..." She smiled. A thought and her face grew somber. "I just hope I don't disappoint you...." Her eyes broke away and found an interesting patch of flowers a short distance away.

Terreis reached out and turned Pony's eyes to meet her own. She looked deeply into them and spoke. "You could never disappoint me."

The kiss blew Eponin's last resolves to shreds. Now unafraid of her inadequacies, she let herself go....letting the feelings course through her and sweep her away to a place she was sure only lovers could go."There you are Pony!!"

Eponin stopped dead in her tracks when she heard the voice behind her. Turning slowly around, she saw Solari gesturing wildy for her to wait up. 'Oh no...here it comes...' was the only thought she had before Soli was upon her.

"I have been looking everywhere for you this morning! Where were you?" blurted Solari, a bit breathlessly.

Ep turned and began to walk towards the bath hut. "Um, I had some things to take care of Soli, that's all..."

"What things? Pony, you knew we were supposed to spar this morning." She held out her arm for Eponin to see, "See what sparring with Ephiny gets me?" She blew hair out of her eyes. "I can't concentrate around her!"

A small chuckle escaped the swordmaster. "Sorry..." She grinned. "I guess I lost track of time." A sly smile unknowingly spread across her face.

Solari did not miss that smile. "Pony...."

"Hmmmm?"

"What is it you're not telling me?"

"What do ya mean?"

"You're hiding something....you have that look on your face..." 

"Me? Nah, I got nothin to hide Soli."

There it was again. This time Solari recognized the grin. "Sure ya don't...sure ya don't. Then explain to me why your skirt is on backwards."

"What?" Eponin's hands and eyes went to the skirt and then realized she'd been had. She raised her eyes to meet laughing blue ones and glared defeatedly. "You don't play fair Solari."

"I play to win." She put her arm around the swordmaster's shoulder and they continued towards the bath hut. "So..." she grinned. "You gonna tell me all about your little tryst with Terreis, or are we going to have to play 'Dunk The Pony' until you do?"

Eponin chuckled. "Ok, ok I'll tell you!" She rolled her eyes as she opened the door to the hut for Solari. "Women! Geeesh..."

***

"So they spent the whole night and most of the morning together! Can you believe it?" related Solari as she tore a hunk of bread from the still warm loaf.

Ephiny leaned back against the wall and stretched her legs out under the table. "Sure I can."

The brunette stopped chewing, and a look of surprise crossed her face. "Huh? What do ya mean 'sure I can'?"

"Just what I said." Eph crossed her arms across her stomach. "I mean, come on Soli....haven't you ever noticed how Pony always got flustered around Terreis?"

"Yeah...so? And that's supposed to mean exactly what?" retorted Solari through a mouthful of food. "She gets flustered at the drop of a hat. The only time she doesn't is when she's got a sword in her hand or something."

"Exactly. And do you remember the time you were sparring with her, and Terreis showed up one morning?" Solari shook her head affirmatively. "Wasn't it you that made the comment afterwards that something really must have gotten into her leathers all of a sudden?"

"Oh yeah, I see what you're getting at." She pulled off another piece of bread and added a good sized slice of cheese to it for taste. "You're trying to say that she liked Terreis way back then aren't you?"

"Yes. It seems pretty obvious now. After the fact I mean."

A complete look of shock spread itself across Solari's face. "Good gods Eph! You mean she's been in love with the princess all this time? Wow." The look changed from shock to utter amusement and a wide grin lit her features as another thought made itself present in her mind. "Now I understand why we didn't see her til this afternoon...."

"Oh?" She giggled. "And that's funny why?"

"Well, Pony must have been making up for all that lost time!" She couldn't hold it back any longer, and burst out into full blown laughter. Ephiny joined her and soon they were both holding their stomachs from the pain. "Talk about pent up sexual frustrations! She's been saving forever!"

More laughter, so loud they were beginning to draw the attention of almost everyone in the food hut. Suddenly, Ephiny had a revelation...."Oh my gods!"

"What?" replied Solari between giggles and gasping for air.

"Do you realize no one has seen Terreis yet today?"

Solari's laughter stopped completely, and her eyes met the blonde's. A very serious look came over her...so serious it even stopped Ephiny's giggle fit. A moment passed before Soli said anything....

"Do you think she's dead?"

That was it for the both of them. Ephiny fell off the bench laughing while tears flowed freely from Solari's eyes as she struggled to maintain a semblance of control. She finally gave in and doubled over, nearly joining her lover on the floor.

"Either that...." blurted the blonde between gasping for air and laughing, "Or we have seriously underestimated Eponin's prowess in the bedroll!"

Quite a few moments passed before they could stand up, albeit wobbly-kneed and all, but they managed. "C'mon Soli, let's get out of here. I think we have a Princess who is in dire need of a serious wake up holler." said Eph, grabbing her friend's hand and heading for the door.

"Sweetheart, have I ever told you just how much I love your devious mind?" replied Solari, allowing herself to be led away.

"I guess you're rubbing off on me Soli..." grinned the blonde as they stepped outside into the sunlight.

"Hmmmm..." replied the brunette.

Ephiny's eyebrows shot up as she caught the change in her friend's tone of voice, and she blushed furiously. "Soli! You are so bad!"

"That's not what you said last night..." stated the brunette in a sultry, low voice. "In fact, I quite recall the sentence...'Oh Solari, baby...you are so good' Or was I hearing things?" She linked her arm through Ephiny's as they continued walking towards Terreis' hut.

By now poor Eph was three shades of purple, with a tinge of magenta mixed in. She cleared her throat and leaned over to whisper in Solari's ear..."After we're done interrogating Terreis, you are sooo going to get paid back for that one dear..."

"Ooo, I can't wait." said her lover with a wistful look in her eye.

"Oh...but you're going to." stated Ephiny matter of factly.

Solari gulped. "You wouldn't!"

Her only answer was a sly grin and a very devilish look from the blonde.

Solari gulped again. "Uh oh."

***

Ephiny and Solari crept silently up to the window of the Princess's hut. Simultaneously, they peeked eyeballs over the sill and were rewarded with the sight of Terreis laying on her stomach, sprawled wildly across her pallet. Ephiny cocked her head as she viewed the mess in the hut. "My my, will you look at that..." she whispered as she pointed at three different spots on the floor. Solari's eyes followed Eph's gesture and she choked back a giggle. "Skirt there, top there, boots over there....Gods! How did her bracers get up there?" She pointed to the sconce on the wall. "Forget I asked, I don't think I really want to know..."

"Eph....hey look over there. Isn't that Pony's regiment sash?"

"Why yes it is Solari." A devious thought came to her as she studied the sash. "Wait here...and above all else, be quiet!"

"What are you gonna do?" whispered a now extremely intrigued Solari. 

"You'll see. Be right back!" With that she slipped away from her lover and crept around to the door of the hut. Ever so carefully, she pushed the door open and slid into the room. Terreis's soft snores almost made her giggle out loud, but she managed to stifle them as she dropped to all fours and inched slowly towards the sash. She caught sight of Solari's wide-eyed look peeking over the window sill, and almost busted out laughing again. 

She waved at her lover as she reached for the item, causing Soli to have to duck down and cover her mouth with her hand to keep from laughing herself. She tucked the sash into her belt pouch and was just about to leave when another, even more devious idea struck her. Oh yes, this would be the mother of ALL practical jokes! Her attention was drawn to the window where she noticed Solari peeking into the room again. A sly smile stole upon her face, and she put her finger to her lips to make sure Soli wouldn't utter a sound. This was going to be hard enough to pull off without her giggling partner getting her caught in middle of doing it.

Looking around the room, she spied what she needed to put her plan into action. Stealing over to the desk, she grabbed a quill and the ink bottle, and moved stealthily over to the bed to stand on Terreis's blind side. (just in case she woke up) She glanced over to the window to find Solari's mouth hanging wide open in complete disbelief. She grinned as she uncorked the bottle and dipped the quill into the dark blue liquid. 'They must have really drank a lot last night....this is almost too easy!' She thought to herself as she scribed some letter's on the back of the princess's shoulders. Ephiny froze in mid-stroke as Terreis stirred in her sleep. "Oh Pony, that feels so nice..." It was everything Eph could do to keep the laughter from escaping her. 'My my Eponin, I never knew!' she thought amusedly to herself as the princess stilled and returned to her nap. She resumed her writing. A few more strokes and she was done. Capping the bottle, she strode over to the desk and replaced the items exactly as she had found them, being careful to wipe the excess ink off the tip of the quill. Then she silently exited the hut.

She made it exactly five paces out before her arm was grabbed and she she was being dragged off into the main courtyard.

"BY THE GODS EPHINY!" squealed the brunette as they got out of earshot of the hut. "Have you completely lost every last bit of your mind?" She stared into her lover's eyes. "I can't BELIEVE you did that!!!" She began giggling. "I'm so proud of you darling!" And with that she slapped her partner on her back, almost knocking her off balance. "I couldn't have thought up anything more delightfully evil myself!"

Ephiny chuckled. "Well....it was just one of those spur of the moment kinda things Soli." She grinned and leaned in to whisper in her lover's ear. "And it doesn't end there...." She pulled out the sash and waved it in front of Solari's face. "This....." she beamed at her brilliance..."is going to come in very handy. Follow me..."

She walked back over to Terreis's hut and ceremoniously hung the sash on a nail above the door.

Solari just stood there grinning. "You are so so bad Ephiny." She entwined her arm with that of her lover's as they walked away. "Have I told you lately how much I adore your devious side darling?"

"Yes, but I love hearing it." She cast a look at the brunette walking at her side. "I believe we have some business to attend to on the other side of the village, do we not?"

Solari glanced up to see the gleam in Ephiny's eyes. "Oh yes...business. Lots of it too. Could take a long time to sort through it all...."

"Yes....we'd better get to it then..." replied the blonde with a smile. Their pace quickened as they made a bee-line towards their hut.

***

Terreis woke about mid-afternoon. Sitting up, she stretched and noticed a tight feeling in her shoulders. "Wow, maybe I can get Pony to take care of that for me later." She grinned to herself as she remembered the events of the previous evening. "Since it's her fault and all." Smiling she looked around her hut. "Holy Zeus!" She chuckled at the mess. "Who would have ever thought Eponin could be so wild!" Another grin as she found her skirt and slid it up over her hips, fastening it with the belt she found lying ten feet away. "Not that I minded one bit though." Finding her top, she slid that over her head, noticing again the tight feeling across her shoulders. "Definitely have to find Pony to take care of this." She slid into her boots as she found them, and glanced around for her bracers. "How did that get up there?" she wondered as she pulled the second one off the sconce on the wall. "No matter." Another giggle as she tried to straighten the muss of red locks falling across her shoulders. She walked out the door and into the sunshine, squinting at the brightness of it and headed towards Pony's hut.

She felt eyes on her as she crossed the square, and heard quite a few giggles and chuckles as well. But when she turned around to see what the fuss was about, the giggling stopped. "That's strange..." she thought. She turned around and continued walking, passing by three members of her sister's guard. There it was again! They were giggling! She turned in a huff to confront them....

"WHAT is so funny this morning?" she fumed at them, stopping them dead in their tracks and eliciting a very scared, wide-eyed look as well.

"N - nothing my Princess." replied one of them. "Our apologies for disturbing your walk."

Terreis turned and stomped off. "Some people!" she thought to herself.

She reached Eponin's hut and knocked. "Come in!" came the reply from inside.

Terreis opened the door and strode in. Pony was sitting at the table sharpening her sword, but put it aside when she saw it was her princess. She stood and met her lover midway across the room, slinging her arms around her and bestowing a very sensual kiss upon her lips.

"Mmm...." said Terreis as she pulled back to gaze into the brunette's eyes. "I sure could get to liking that on a regular basis Pony..."

Eponin blushed shyly and cleared her throat. "Count on it." she replied. "So what are your plans for today Ter?" She turned and led the princess to a chair. "Have a seat."

"Well, I woke up with stiff shoulders Pony..." Her eyes met Eponin's. "I was hoping you might be able to fix that..." A seductive smile moved onto her face and her green eyes twinkled mischievously.

"Well..." Replied Pony. "Personally I can't think of anything I would rather be doing Ter, than letting my hands roam all over your body." Her lips twitched into a sly grin. "Maybe you'd like to get a little more comfortable over there on the bed....you know, that way I can have an easier time getting those nasty kinks out.."

"Oh yes, definitely." replied the redhead. She stood and crossed the floor to the pallet.

Eponin watched as Terreis slowly began to undress. Her eyes followed every move as her lover disrobed before her. She gulped unconsciously. Her appreciative gaze was interrupted when she noticed what seemed to be some kind of writing along the back of Terreis's shoulders. She walked over just before the princess was about to take off her top. "What's this Ter?" she asked.

"What's what?"

"This writing on your shoulders."

"What are you talking about?" replied the princess as she craned her neck to look.

Pony got close enough to finally read what was inscribed there, and her eyes went wide. "By the GODS, they are gonna pay for this!"

"Who? What? What does it say?" inquired a now very exasperated princess.

"It says..." and a chuckle escaped her throat despite her efforts to keep it in.

"OUT with it Eponin! Come on!" Now Terreis was getting quite angry at the thought of someone in her hut while she was asleep.

"It says......" Pony cleared her throat. "Property of Pony." Now she began giggling at the thought of her lover walking in public with that on her back, for all to see. Silently she thanked her two mischievous friends.

"WHAT?" She looked at her girlfriend. "No way!" Eponin shook her head affirmatively. "Please tell me it wasn't you who did this Pony." This time Eponin shook her head no. "Then who did?"

"Oh, I have a good idea who did it Ter. And don't worry..." She grinned. "We'll get them back I promise you." She turned Terreis around toward the light from the window and took another look at the words written on the Princess's back. She smiled thoughtfully. "It does have sort of a nice ring to it though..."

Terreis snapped her head around. "Oh you think so huh?"

"Yeah...maybe I do."

"So you think I should leave it on?" She noticed the suddenly panicked look fly onto her lover's face. "Uh-huh. Ok, let's get it off then."

"Ok, come over here by the basin." replied Eponin, taking one last look at those words. "I do like the idea of you being mine though." She commented as she began scrubbing at the ink.

"Really?"

"Yes." She felt the flush begin to creep up her neck again.

"Ok."

"Ok?" A surprised look stole over the brunette's features.

"Yes...ok. I want to be yours." replied Terreis sincerely.

"Gods..." Replied Pony. "I don't know what to say to that!" Her brow furrowed as she retreated into her thoughts, scrubbing harder than she realized.

"Ow! Hey!" yelped the princess. "Take it easy Pony, I sorta need my skin..." 

"Oh yeah, I'm sorry." She softened her ministrations. "I just....um....aw Hades!"

"What? You can talk to me Ep. Don't be afraid..."

"Well...." the brunette paused in her scrubbing. "I just am afraid some people will think I'm with you because of what I can get out of it..." She hung her head. "That would be so not true Ter..."

The princess turned around to face her friend. "I know that Pony. After all, it was me who started this..." She smiled. "I don't care what they say...I just want to be with you."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Wow. Alright, you can be mine then." She met those beautiful green eyes and stared into them. "And I'll be just yours." Her smile lit up the room.

"Deal." replied the princess. "Is it all off yet?" She tried to look over her shoulder to check.

"Well, most of it is...it's ink, we need a special herb to draw it all out."

Terreis grimaced. "Guess we need to go see Cervexa huh?"

"Yeah. I'll go with you."

"Alright, let's get going then." 

As they walked across the courtyard on their way to the healer's hut, they passed by the princess's own. Pony glanced over at it and noticed her sash hanging above the doorframe. "Uh...Ter?"

"Yeah?"

"Look over your door."

She glanced at it, turned away, and then did a quick double take. "Lemme guess; Ephiny and Solari."

"Yup."

"Paybacks are a bitch." commented the princess, and with a flip of her red hair, proceeded towards Cervexa's place.

***

The summer sun was beating down on the Amazon village by the time Ephiny opened her eyes. "Oh, and here I swore off the cider for at least a month! When will I learn?" She casually shut them again, feeling a little sluggish in the early morning heat. She felt Solari toss a bit in her sleep and opened her eyes again. Glancing over, she couldn’t help but smile to see her lover sprawled with her head and part of her upper torso hanging off the end of the pallet. Chuckling, she gently eased away and stood up. "Wake her or not wake her?" she said out loud. "Hmmmmm...yeah wake her!" Bending over, she stood just out of arm's reach of the dark-haired beauty.....

"SOLARI! WAKE UP! WAKE UP! WE'RE BEING ATTACKED!" yelled Ephiny quite close to her lover's ear.

"Huuuuuh? Whhaaa? GOOD GODS! I'm up...I'm up! Where's my leathers?? WHERE'S MY SWORD?" yelped Soli as she threw herself into the air, just narrowly missing a dodging Eph.

The blonde exploded with laughter as she watched her friend scrabbling to find her clothes. So engaged was she in her mirth that she failed to see the light go on above Solari's head, and also failed to see her grab the bucket that was sitting right next to where she had landed after her frantic leap from the pallet. In one quick toss, Ephiny was drenched from head to toe with water, and it was suddenly her lover that was doing the laughing.

"Heh, that'll teach ya." She said as she walked back over to the bed and sat down, giggling at the expense of her tormentor turned tormented.

Ephiny just sat there watching the water drip off her and onto the floor. "Yup. Very good. You got me." She turned her hazel eyes upon the brunette and graced her with a great big smile. "I guess I should know better than to try and get one up on the 'Queen of the Jokesters' huh?" She stood and walked over to the pallet.

"Oh no, you are not sitting down here all drippin wet like that curly...." Eph made a face at the pet name. "We really need to go get a bath and get to the practice field for drills before Melosa makes us pick herbs for Cervexa for a week."

Ephiny sighed. "Yeah, guess yer right" She flexed her arms, then stretched, popping her vertebrae back into alignment.

"Ewwwww! Stop that! You know that sound makes me cringe Eph..."

"Sorry honey. Well let's get cleaned up then. I'm sure we smell like a wine cellar right now."

"After you my dear..." said Solari as she stood, sweeping her arm out in a gesture for her friend to go first.

"Oh no, after you..."

"No, I insist...after you." Soli gave her lover a shove towards the door.

"You are such a bossy woman Soli, why do I stay with you?" retorted Ephiny as she allowed the brunette to steer her outside.

"Because of my exotic good looks and the fact that I am so good in bed. Haven't we discussed this before?" Grinning, she tossed her arm over Ephiny's shoulder as they crossed the square towards the bath hut.

"Why yes...yes we did come to think of it." Eph planted a kiss on her lover's cheek. "Doesn't hurt that I love you to death either."

Solari's smile lit up her face. "You always say the sweetest things Ephiny. I love you too."

They reached the bath hut and were quite pleased with the fact that it was unoccupied for a change. Entering, they locked the door behind them and shed their clothes.

"Yes, oh this feels so good...." said Ephiny as she slid into the warm water. "Ahhh..."

"Doesn't look bad either..." drawled Solari as she let her eyes roam over her love's body. She slid closer so as to be able to gaze into those hazel eyes she adored so much. "I could just drown in your eyes Ephiny..." She smiled as the blush began to color the blonde's cheeks.

"You could?" replied a semi-stupified Eph.

"Ooooh yeah...and your lips..." She licked her own sensuously . "I think they were made just for me to kiss..." She leaned in closer, hearing the gulp from her friend. "I burn for you Ephiny....I want you...."

"Then take me, I'm yours." replied a now very flushed blonde warrior.

"Oh I intend to....right now in fact."

Their lips met in a crushing kiss, Solari's hands running the length of her lover's body and back up. They were well into some extremely passionate lovemaking when Ephiny's head shot up.

"What was that?"

"What was what? I didn't hear anything." replied Solari as she ran her tongue along a sensitive earlobe.

"I swear I heard something outside."  This time they both heard it.

"Hades balls!" cursed the blonde as she hurriedly exited the pool and headed for the door. Reaching it, she grabbed the handle, only to have it come off in her hand.

"Son of a Bacchae!!"

"Uh oh..." said Solari, as she caught up to her friend at the door. "This sorta stinks huh?"

"Sorta?" Ephiny's brows creased as she tried to put the handle back on. "We're going to be late if we don't get out of here."

"Hmmmm....well we could bust it down." offered the brunette.

"I'm afraid we're gonna have to. Come on let's get a running start..." They took a few steps back and linked arms. "Remind me to hurt those two little troublemakers later, ok honey?" Said Ephiny as they leveled themselves for the door.

"Believe me dear, I WON'T let you forget!" replied Solari. "Ready?" Eph shook her head. "On three...One...Two....THREE!"

They made a mad dash for the door and crashed into it with such force that it flew outward and landed 5 paces away. Skidding to a halt they both looked at each other with big grins on their faces. But alas, their grins turned to frowns as a bucket of blue ink dropped ceremoniously on top of their heads.

"Argh! Eponin!" bellowed the now tie-dyed blonde. "You are gonna pay for this!"

Ephiny's tirade was interrupted by a fit of giggles coming from her partner. "Soli! How can you be laughing at a time like this!!!" she blurted.

"Awww come on Eph....it isn't that bad." She giggled some more. "Besides, you look sorta cute in blue..."

Ephiny threw up her arms in surrender and turned back towards the hut. "Women! Can't live with em, can't run em through!" she fumed. "Come on Soli, we gotta get this junk off us before it sets into our skin." She grabbed her chuckling lover by the arm and led her back into the hut.

Two silently guffawing forms were huddled together behind the bushes across the courtyard, watching all the action. As Ephiny and Solari made their way back inside to scrub off the ink, they slid from their hiding place and made a beeline for the Princess's hut. Once inside, they finally let loose the laughter they had been holding in for quite a length of time, each holding on to the other for support.

"We did it!" blurted Eponin between howls and hoots. "We did it!"

"Yep! Told you they would pay darling." replied Terreis as she plopped down into a chair.

"That was the most AWESOME thing I have ever seen Ter! You are so smart!" She bestowed a kiss upon her girlfriend's lips. "Thank you for helping me get them back."

"Anything for you Pony." She smiled sweetly. "You aren't alone anymore, and you will never have to be the brunt of anyone's jokes ever again as long as I am around."

Eponin's smile could have blinded a cyclops right then. "Really?"

"Yes, really." replied the redhead. "In fact, there's something I've been wanting to ask you if you have a minute to talk before you head off to the field..."

Pony sat herself in the chair next to her princess. "Sure. Is there something you need? I can get it for you.."

"Yeah, there

is

something I need." Terreis turned her eyes to meet Eponin's brown ones, and the brunette swallowed at the seriousness she saw there.

"Oh...serious chat...ok I can do that," Replied Pony as she settled back into the chair and crossed her arms. "Lay it on me. I can do it!"

The Princess smiled as she looked at the young woman sitting next to her. "Well..." started Terreis a bit hesitantly..."We have been seeing each other for a couple months now, right Pony?" The warrior shook her head yes. "So...ummm....I was wanting to ask you exactly how you feel about me...I mean...right now, how do you feel now that some time has passed?" Terreis bit her lip as she nervously awaited an answer.

"Hmmm..." Pony's brows creased in thought as she pondered the question. Looking her lover straight in the eye, she replied. "I love you. More than anything Ter....don't think I would like it much if something bad were to happen between us."

The breath Terreis had been holding finally escaped her lungs. "Whew! I'm really glad to hear that Pony because," She untied the braided leather shoulder sash that signified her rank among the tribe. "I want you to wear this." She held it out in offering to her lover.

Eponin's face went completely pale as she realized what she was looking at. Raising her eyes from the sash to Terreis's, she honestly still could not believe this was happening to her. She swallowed what seemed to be some kind of lump in her throat, and her voice was just barely a whisper as she tried to get something out. "Me?" was all she could muster.

Terreis looked upon her flabbergasted companion, and a warmth crept itself into her heart such as she had never known before. "Yes you." she replied.

"You sure?"

"Yes. Please say you will, or you'll break my heart..."

Eponin felt tears welling up in her eyes. "Gods Ter, I don't ever want to do that." She reached out a shaking hand and grasped the hand that held the mark of a princess. Their eyes met. "Yes, I'll join with you."

Terreis felt her own tears begin to stream down her face, and didn't care at all. She raised herself out of the chair and stood in front of her lover. Bending down on one knee, she carefully reached out and tied the sash to the left shoulder strap of Eponin's leathers. As she finished, she left her hand on top of it and looked deeply into her warrior's eyes. "I love you. Now let the world know it too."

Their lips met, and everything else faded away as they professed their feelings for each other through the language of their love.

"I haven't seen our two pranksters yet Pony." Stated Terreis as she glanced around the practice field. "They're late for drills...you know what that means..." A wry grin tweaked the corner of her mouth.

Eponin turned to smile at her lover, then resumed searching for the perfect practice staff. "Oooooh yeah....hehehe..." She found a suitable piece of wood and stepped back to check the balance. She suddenly became a whirl of motion, whipping the staff around her like it was the easiest thing in the world to do.

As Terreis watched her lover warm up, she was again in awe of how at home with weapons Eponin truly was. The staff became a blur, and the princess couldn't take her eyes from the sight. So mesmerized was she that she didn't see the tye-dyed, blonde mass of curls making a beeline for the swordmaster.

Ephiny grabbed the closest staff and headed straight for Eponin. Just as Ephiny was bringing her staff to strike at Pony's unprotected back, the brunette ducked and rolled to the right, causing Ephiny to overbalance and stumble forward. As she planned, Eponin quickly got to her feet and brought her staff around to shove the blonde forward, face first into the dirt. She quickly placed her boot lightly on the back of Eph's neck to hold her down. She staked her staff into the ground next to her friend's face, casually leaned on it and looked down. "Didn't anyone ever tell you not to make so much noise when you attack there Ephie?" She snickered.

"LET ME UP EPONIN!" Ephiny struggled to rise, but Pony put a little more pressure on her neck and shoved her back down again.

"Hold on there, where do you think you're goin?" She cocked her head a bit so she could look into her friend's eyes.

The blonde struggled a bit more, but finally just gave in to Eponin's greater strength and obviously superior position. "Damn you to Hades, Pony!" She frowned. "You are gonna pay for that little stunt of yours at the bath hut!"

Eponin let a chuckle escape. "Is that so?" Now she laughed a bit. "And I suppose you thought I would just let you get away with painting my girlfriend's back while she was sleeping?" She laughed even harder. "That's a good one Eph!"

The blonde sighed. "Alright, alright, I guess I can't blame you for being a little angry." Eponin removed her booted foot and held out her arm. Eph grasped the proffered forearm, and, standing up, brushed herself off, sending dust flying everywhere. This quickly dispersed the small crowd that had gathered to watch the short-lived fight.

By this time, Terreis had recovered her senses enought o come rushing over to the swordmaster. "You ok, Pony?"

"Ayup." She replied as she let her arm wrap itself around the redhead's waist. "Eph here is lookin a little blue though..." 

"Very funny Pony....very funny." Suddenly her eyes fell upon her friend's left shoulder and her eyes bugged out. She looked from Eponin to Terreis, back to Eponin and then back to the sash that now adorned Pony's leathers. "Is that....." was all she could say.

Eponin cleared her throat. "Ahem....ummmm yeah, it is."

"Wow! Hey that's great!!" She suddenly ran up to the pair and drew them both into an amazingly strong bear hug.

Eponin cursed as she was suddenly being squashed like a bug. "Eph! You blasted woman! Let me go, yer makin a spectacle!" She finally managed to extricate herself but couldn't do much to save her lover, as Ephiny now wrapped her free arm around Terreis. Finally, Ephiny loosed the princess and stepped back.

"I can't believe it! When did this happen!" The blonde's words came out so fast even Terreis had a hard time getting all the words. Just then Solari came bursting onto the scene in a blue-tinged huff, using her lover to stop her forward progress.

"Eph! What happened?" Huffed Solari as tried to get some air into her strained lungs. "You shouldn't have taken off on me like that!" (A small crowd was now gathering again....after all, two tie-dyed amazons tend to draw some attention...) Ephiny just pointed at Pony's left shoulder, and now it was Solari's turn to go buggy.

"What...when...where...how..." she blurted. 

Amusement danced in Terreis's green eyes as she replied. "Ummm, well I sorta asked her this morning." Now her eyes cast down and she blushed before looking back up to her friends. "She said yes, so..."

Eponin saw that same look in Solari's eyes that Ephiny had had just before she was made to feel like the grapes at the bottom of a wine squashing barrel. Shutting her eyes she willed herself to grin and bear it, since after all this was one of her best friends, and especially since Terreis seemed to be thoroughly enjoying it. She sighed as now two sets of strong amazon arms were wrapped around her and her betrothed. 'Not so bad...' she thought to herself and hugged back. 'Not so bad at all!' She sorta rather liked this warm feeling that was running through her at the moment...yeah, it was definitely an ok thing.

Their moment of congratulations abruptly ended as Solari turned and saw the Queen standing not two feet away, with her arms crossed and looking extremely perturbed.

"Do I have to be present at all training sessions in order for any training to actually get done?" inquired Melosa as she stared directly at her sister.

Terreis was about to open her mouth to reply when Ephiny stepped forward and bowed her head. "Permission to explain, my Queen."

"Granted. Proceed. And don't forget to include the explanation as to why you are blue this morning..."

Ephiny caught the giggle that escaped Solari and shot her a glare before she proceeded. "Well, you see...." She hurried through the explanation, and by the time she finished, the Queen was trying very hard not to chuckle herself.

"My my....Eponin I am very proud of you." She turned and stood directly in front of the brunette. "That last show of your skill only reinforces the fact that I have made the right decision then."

"Decision?" asked Eponin curiously.

"I was going to wait for the ceremony this evening to announce it, but I guess now is as good a time as any." Melosa looked directly in Eponin's eyes. "Eponin, it is with great pride for me to inform you, that you have been selected as the tribe's Weaponmaster." She smiled warmly as she watched Pony's jaw hit the ground.

"Really? Me?" she swallowed audibly. 

"Yes. Tonight you will be officially recognized." replied the Queen as she turned to go. She stopped in mid-turn and added..."And by the way, congratulations to you both." She smiled as she walked away.

Terreis rested her arm over Pony's shoulder. "I guess we have her blessing huh?" She giggled. "And you! Congrats! Oh Pony I am so proud of you!" She then threw her arms around her lover's neck and kissed her soundly. Their kiss was interrupted by the slapping of hands on Eponin's back, and the sound of many voices congratulating both them and Eponin for her promotion.

Pony found Terreis's eyes and she mouthed "I love you," Which was returned with a huge smile and twinkling green eyes. 'Can't get any better than this..' thought the weaponmaster as she continued to be hugged and pounded on the back by a now increasing number of her peers. 'But I swear my arm is gonna fall off if this goes on much longer.'

Time passes, and things change...for better or worse. Terreis took Eponin as her consort, and they were both very happy. Solari's flirting finally became too much for Ephiny to bear any longer, and they ended up going their separate ways. More time passed. A war with the centaurs was becoming more of a reality every day, and the Amazon Nation was preparing itself. "My Queen, the rut in the floor will soon be three feet deep if you keep that up," Ephiny shifted in her seat as she spoke, and patted the chair next to her. "Please rest for a few moments, you will not do any of us any good if you pass out from exhaustion." Melosa stopped her pacing and turned to the captain of her guard. Sighing, she responded, "Ah Ephiny...as always you are right." She walked over to the chair and seated herself. "I'm just so on edge...this war seems imminent, and I just can't seem to do anything to stop it." She sighed. "They want our best hunting ground, and if we give that up, the nation will suffer." Ephiny turned to face her leader. "I know you are doing everything in your power to keep this from happening my Queen, but sometimes there is nothing we can do." She folded her hands on the table. "Despite our best efforts, it seems some things are just meant to be." A knock sounded on the door frame. "Come." called Melosa. Eponin moved the curtain aside and entered. "My Queen...the centaurs have sent a messenger." she said, bowing her head. "A messenger?" The hairs on the back of Melosa's neck were standing straight up. "What is the message." "They wish to make us an offer." "An offer, how quaint." The queen stood and crossed her arms. "State the offer." Eponin unrolled the piece of parchment she had been holding and began to read. "I, Tyldus, King of the Centaurs wish to open negotiations with the Amazon Nation in respects to the hunting ground on their east border. I would be pleased to meet to discuss this issue on neutral ground, each bringing one negotiator and three guards. Follow the path to our shared west border, we will be camped there for two nights. I hope to bring about a peaceful solution to this affair. Signed, Tyldus." Melosa sighed and turned to Ephiny. "What do you think?" "I think it's a trap." "Me too." added the weaponmaster. "That makes three of us. Question is what do we do about it." She sent up a silent prayer to Artemis, in hopes that the goddess would do something to help them. War was not what she had in mind for the nation during her rule, but it looked like there was no other way if this turned out to be the trap she thought it was. She raised her eyes and prayed...'Artemis, what am I to do? Send me a sign...anything....let me know if this is for the best in the end.' 

*** "Then it's decided." Melosa whipped around to face her sister. "No, it's not." Her hands went to her hips as she closed the distance between them. "I will not allow you to go Terreis. It's too dangerous." The redhead's eyes rolled. "My Queen, you cannot go. You know that if you do, something could happen. You belong ruling our tribe, not I." Her eyes cast down to the floor for a moment. "I cannot let that happen...I won't let that happen. It is only right that I should go." Melosa was doing everything she could to control her anger right then, and she raised a shaking finger to her sister's face. "You..." she hissed..."Are NOT expendable. Don't act as if you are!" "I am a princess of the Amazon Nation. It is my duty to do this." She crossed her arms as she regarded the queen. "You cannot let the fact that we are sisters stand in the way of doing what is right by the nation. What would that look like to our tribe?" Melosa could not argue that point. Indeed, if she refused to let Terreis go to meet with the centaurs, it would look like she was coddling the princess. She knew that would not be the best answer for this situation. She glanced up into those sparkling green eyes that were beseeching her to do the right thing. Sighing, she gave in. "Alright, but you take only our best with you." "Your choices?" "Ephiny, Eponin and Solari. Take it or leave it." replied the queen. "Agreed. We'll leave in a candlemark." Terreis turned to go, but was stopped by a hand on her shoulder. "You know I don't like this one bit....please be careful..." The queen pulled her sister in for a hug. "I love you sister, be well and good luck." Terreis winked at Melosa. "You know I will." She smiled and was gone. Melosa just stood there for a moment, trying to figure out why she had this really sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. "Nope...don't like this at all...." She sat down at her table and put her head in her hands. *** Terreis closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Letting it out slowly she stretched her arms over her head. "Ah...Pony, isn't it such a great day?" Eponin lifted her head from where it had been drooping in misery from the heat of the afternoon to gaze at her wife. "If you call riding along with a sweat hut on your back a great day, I guess I would have to say yes." She reached down to peel up a corner of her skirt and flap it wildly, trying to get a breeze going. Glancing ahead, she noticed Ephiny's head snap to one side, then the other. The signal for silence was given, followed by the one to move forward slowly. Terreis and Eponin dismounted silently and crept forward, careful not to snap any stray twigs. As they reached Ephiny and Solari, the blonde pointed through the bushes and down the path. Pony's eyes narrowed as she spied the warrior and her companion. Cocking her head to one side, she listened for a moment, then pointed up. Into the trees they went, taking positions on either side of the forest trail. "What was that thing hanging back there from the tree?" Asked the small blonde as she tried out her new walking stick. "No trespassing signs. This is Amazon country." said the tall, dark warrior beside her." "Amazons..." Excitement began to creep into the blonde's voice even as the warrior pulled her sword out of the sheath attached to the saddle. "Do you think we'll see any?" Eponin gave the signal to fire the warning shots. Eight arrows landed in the ground at their feet. "Almost certainly." replied the warrior, spinning her sword in her hand and plunging it blade first into the ground. She clasped her hands over her head. "Gabrielle..." She said quietly as she motioned with her eyes to follow her lead. The blonde followed suit, and before they knew it four heavily armed amazons were dropping down in front of them. One came forward and spoke. "You know the Amazon symbol of peace." she said. "We'd like safe passage through your hunting grounds." replied the warrior woman, as the blonde's eyes went wide with awe and wonder. The Amazon pushed back her mask and regarded this duo. Her guard did the same. "My name is Terreis. You know the Amazon ways and yet you're not one of us." She glanced at the blonde. "And you're really not one of us." "Hey..." she replied. "Don't judge a scroll by its paper!" 

This made Terreis chuckle. Ephiny spoke up. "They invaded our territory. We should take them to see Queen Melosa." Terreis eyebrows knit together in thought for a moment. "Ephiny's right. We have to let Melosa decide. Don't worry, she's fair." Eponin relieved the warrior of her sword, and as she did she made sure the warrior caught her glare as she backed away to stow them on her own mount. "Going to see the Amazon Queen..." bubbled the little blonde. "This is fantastic! I'm so excited...I wonder what she's like?" Terreis couldn't supress another chuckle at that comment. "Reminds me of myself a few years ago..." she said to no one in particular. Deciding she wanted to speak more with this young woman, she hurried to catch up. *** "I want to read philosophy, and learn about history and science. But they didn't consider me a normal girl." The blonde blushed at her statement. "Philosophy and history are some of the first things taught to amazon children." replied Terreis. "Really?" "It is a man's world Gabrielle. Not because it should be...but because we let them have it. It's based on a woman's weakness." "Yeah?" "The Amazon world is based on truth.." continued Terreis as they stopped walking. "On a woman's individual strengths." "I'm all for that! I've always considered myself a single-minded person." replied Gabrielle. "Of course...if I got married, I'd have to ask my husband if it was ok..." The Amazon Princess turned a hard stare on the little blonde. Gabrielle chuckled nervously. "Heh, that was a joke.." Terreis's eyes softened and her face broke into a smile as they began walking again. Ephiny was on point, and couldn't help but to turn around and look at this warrior woman every time she had the chance. She was just so beautiful....and dangerous. She stopped next to a tree and let the warrior pass by. As the warrior walked by her she spoke. "Something about me you find interesting?" she said nonchalantly. "Yes." replied Ephiny with a seductive tone in her voice. "Wanna tell me?" "No." "Then stop staring at me before I take your eyes out." Said the warrior in barely controlled anger. They stared each other down for a moment before they both heard the noise. A crackling sound from just ahead and to the right. "Gabrielle!" The blonde came rushing over. "What is it?" At that moment the sky began to fill with arrows. Ephiny yelled as loud as she could. "To the trees! To the trees!" The warrior noticed one of the Amazons drop her sword in her scramble to get out of sight, and she picked it up quickly...just in time to ward off a volley of arrows that certainly would have hit Gabrielle. Suddenly there was a scream as an amazon fell out of the tree, and thumped loudly to the ground below, an arrow protruding from her chest. "Terreis!" yelled Gabrielle as she sprang into action, racing over to the fallen Amazon, and shielding the princess from any more arrows. As the volley stopped, the warrior ran over to see about the amazon's injury. Xena grimaced. The arrow had pierced her lung. "Don't try to move her..." she warned Gabrielle. "I'll check to see if it's clear." The blonde shook her head, and the warrior ran off into the forest. Eponin was the first one to the ground, and couldn't move from where she stood. So in shock was she, that the only thing she could manage was "No...no...no..." over and over. She sank to her knees, able only to watch as half of her soul began to slip away. "Terreis!" shouted Ephiny as she hit the ground running. Solari bolted over to catch Eponin before she fell over. Eph skidded to a halt beside her fallen princess and friend. Terreis knew her time was short, and she needed to get this out before she passed over. She gasped. Looking at Gabrielle, she spoke haltingly..."You tried to save me..." "No...don't talk." replied Gabrielle, trying to keep her quiet and calm til Xena returned. Terreis continued. "What you did...only an Amazon would do....for another Amazon..." A wave of pain rolled thru her body and she grimaced. "I want you to take...my right of caste." Ephiny's face registered complete shock. "Terreis!" The princess met Gabrielle's eyes and pleaded..."Please!" "A - alright, I'll take it..." stammered Gabrielle. "J-just don't...don't..." Her sentence was cut short as Terreis let out her last breath. She looked questioningly up to Ephiny, who's only expression was one of confusion and disbelief. Solari had finally gotten Eponin to her feet and they came up behind Ephiny. Eponin was clearly distraught. "This can't be real," She said softly. "She can't leave me..." Ephiny placed her hand on her best friend's shoulder in support. "She isn't gone Pony...she'll always be in your heart." Eponin's eyes began to well up with tears, and she bit her lip as she tried to maintain her dignity in front of her fellow amazons. "Um...yeah...of course you're right." she sniffed and straightened up. "Let's get her home." Gabrielle turned questioning eyes on Xena as she returned, and the warrior felt the pressure of finding the right thing to say. But nothing seemed right at the moment. All she could do was look back as if to say "I'm sorry..." Gabrielle allowed the Amazons to take Terreis from her, and watched solemnly as they gently placed their princess on the back of her horse. Leading their own horses, they slowly began their trek back to the amazon village. *** "Aw gods Eph! Why me??" Eponin could barely keep the tears back at this point. "Of all the people you could pick for this, why me?" She sniffed. "Why now?" Ephiny sighed and turned a sad look on her friend. "Pony..." She spat out her next few words..."She is an Amazon Princess whether we like it or not." A pause, then in a calmer tone... "She has to have the best training, and that my friend, is you." Eponin's chin dropped onto her chest. "Alright, alright. Send her to weapons hut. I'll meet her there." "Done. Is there anything else you require?" Eponin shook her head no. "Ok then, as soon as Melosa and I have a talk with her, we'll send her by." "Can't wait..." Ep mumbled under her breath. She sat there for a moment, pondering what horrid crime against the gods she must have done to deserve this. 'I lose my wife to a centaur's arrow, and now I have to train her successor?' And then the tears came. Her shoulders shook violently as the pain and loss finally found a release. After a few long moments, she realized she still had a job to do. Wiping the tears away, she walked over to her basin and splashed some cold water on her face to try to bring down the puffiness that used to be her eyes. "Wouldn't look good for the Weaponmaster to look like a weak-willed crybaby now would it Ep?" she said to herself. Shaking her head sadly, she opened the door and walked out into the bright sunshine. She shielded her eyes with her hand and headed off to meet her new pupil. *** "My Queen....you know I was the next in line for right of caste!" Ephiny's voice was sounding quite whiny at this point and Melosa was beginning to get aggravated. "Captain, need I remind you of Amazon law?" She cast a stern look toward the blonde walking beside her. Seeing the hurt on her face, the queen's demeanor softened a bit. "I do understand Ephiny, but you know the laws as well as I do. It was Terreis's wish for Gabrielle to have her right of caste...even though we don't understand it, we have to abide by that wish." Eph's shoulders sagged. "Ok, but I don't like her. She has no skills!" "And that's what we have Eponin for. Ah, there she is now," said Melosa. "Let's go have a little chat with her." Ephiny rolled her eyes as she followed behind her queen. 'This is turning out to be the worst day I have ever had...' she thought as they crossed the compound. 'And if it gets any worse, I'm going to have to run myself through just see if it's all real.' She sighed as she spotted the new princess across the courtyard. 'Well at least Xena is leaving her alone for now. Thank the gods I don't have to deal with her hanging over my shoulder and getting in my business.' By the time she and Melosa reached their destination, a scowl had planted itself firmly across her features. "Gabrielle," she called out. 

The bard turned around at the sound of her name. Seeing the queen approaching, she thought it the most opportune time to get some questions answered. "So are we going to talk about this Right of Caste thing?" She sounded just a bit perturbed about being left in the dark for so long. (just like a bard eh? Always needing to know things yesterday or sooner hehe) Melosa stopped before the blonde. "With her dying wish, Terreis bestowed all her rights and possessions to you." stated the queen nonchalantly. "And her position." Gabrielle seemed a bit shocked by this news. "Wait, you mean...I'm an Amazon?" "Terreis was my true sister...the next in the royal line." A pause. "You're an Amazon Princess." Turning to Ephiny, she continued. "Make sure she's taught." With that she walked away, leaving Gabrielle in a state of confusion and disbelief. All Ephiny could think of at the moment was tearing this poor excuse for an Amazon limb from limb. She took a breath and tried to relax, but all she managed was to purse her lips in anger and frustration, and glare coldly at the little blonde. Summoning all the strength of will that she could muster, she spoke. "Follow me." "Where are we going?" asked Gabrielle as they headed towards what looked like a weapons hut. It took all of Ephiny's self control not to turn around and beat her to within an inch of her life. In fact, just the sound of her voice was irritating her beyond anything she had ever experienced before...even more than sand in her breeches. "I'm taking you to Eponin. She will be your teacher." "Eponin? Which one is she?" asked the bard. Eph stopped so quickly that Gabrielle slammed right into her backside. "Oooops...sorry...heh" stammered the bard. The captain turned around and affixed a cold stare upon her smaller charge. "She...was Terreis' consort. She has agreed to train you despite the obvious futility of this endeavor." She turned to continue walking, but Gabrielle's next words stopped her dead in her tracks... "Now you just wait a minute Ephiny." She walked right up to the captain and tried her best to stand taller as she spoke, like she had seen Xena do so many times. "I didn't ask for this...all I was doing was trying to save her." She raised her left hand and stuck her index finger right in Ephiny's face. "And I don't need the likes of YOU making this any harder for me than it already is!" She lowered her arm. Ephiny was fuming at the insolence before her. "Then you..." This time it was her finger in the bard's face, "shouldn't have taken Terreis' right of caste before you knew what it entailed!" "Oh...as if I had a choice." The bard blew out a frustrated breath. "Need I remind you she was dying? Need I remind you that there was no time to discuss the logistics of the situation?" She crossed her arms. "Put yourself in my boots, Ephiny. What would you have done?" She pushed past the captain and walked the last few yards to the weapons hut and entered, leaving Ephiny standing there with mouth hanging open and contemplating the words she was left with. "Yup..." said Eph to no one in particular. "I'm a centaur's ass." She began heading towards the dining hall, scowling all the way. Even though she still didn't like Gabrielle, she had to respect the way the girl had stood up to her. Deciding to reserve her judgement of Xena's companion for a later date, she changed direction and headed back the way she had come...towards the Queen's quarters. *** Gabrielle was happily chatting away to Solari and Eponin as Ephiny strode purposefully in. "Come....now." she said, a cold edge in her voice. The blonde gave her an admonishing look. "I'm sorry...you must have me mistaken for a pet." she said, shaking her head. Ephiny rolled her eyes. "Would you come with me?" She rephrased. Gabrielle shook her head. "That's better!" and stepped down off the dressing pedestal. As the bard walked toward her, she caught the "Oh gods thank you for saving me" look from Eponin, and could only wonder what kind of torture this was for the poor weaponmaster. Nonetheless, she knew they had their jobs to do. "From birth, every amazon is taught to use weapons...pick your first weapon." she said as calmly as she gestured toward the array on the wall. Gabrielle stepped forward and began to peruse the assortment. "No, i don't like swords..." she commented as she passed them by. "Can't hit the side of a cyclops with a bow and arrow..." Then she saw something that caught her eye. "Ah what's this?" she inquired as she picked up some sort of ornate stick. "That's a fighting staff." said Ephiny as she took the weapon from the bard. "Eponin?" She turned and tossed the staff to the weaponmaster, who promptly began an impressive display of spins and attack maneuvers. Gabrielle was in awe, shaking her head up and down in respect. "Your training begins now." said Ephiny matter-of-factly. "Eponin, take her outside and make sure she knows how to use the staff." "As you request." replied Pony as she motioned for the bard to follow her. "No Gabrielle, counter-sundial-wise!" snapped Eponin, her patience growing slim as the small blonde clobbered herself in the head yet again with the training staff. "Ow!" The bard blew her bangs out of her eyes. This was tough, but she was loving every minute of it. 'I'll really have something to show Xena when she comes back!' she thought to herself as she reset her staff to the beginning position. 'Maybe she'll finally respect me a little.' She watched intently as Eponin demonstrated the move yet again. She began the kata and was almost all the way through before she lost control of a spin and clunked herself right in the noggin for the umpteenth time. Eponin scowled. Gabrielle noticed the look of frustration on the weaponmaster's face. Leaning on her staff, she cocked her head at the brunette. "Eponin...can we talk for a moment?" Now this was not something Pony was expecting, but she did manage to look semi-composed. "Whatever you wish Princess." The bard frowned. "First of all..." she said as she leaned her staff against the nearest hut, "I'm really not comfortable with the 'Princess' thing, so you can just call me Gabrielle." She smiled warmly at Eponin. "Yes Prin...errrr I mean, Gabrielle." Pony raised her eyes, meeting her trainee's, and was instantly drawn into the warmth coming from this little bard. She smiled back. "Good! Now that that's out of the way..." She closed the distance between them and took a spot next to the weaponmaster. Eponin held her breath. "I just want you to know that I truly appreciate you teaching me all this." 

Eponin's eyes went wide with astonishment. The bard gestured to the weapons leaning next to them. "I know it must be so hard for you to do this..." Gabrielle held up her hand before Eponin could speak. "Please...let me finish." The brunette shook her head. "Thanks. Anyways..." The blonde moved to stand in front of her teacher. "Ephiny told me that you were Terreis' consort. I know how strange you must feel at having to see me dressed in her clothes, and having to teach me how to fight...but I want you to know that I will do my best not to shame her memory." She placed her hand on the weaponmaster's shoulder. "I'm sorry for your loss. Know that in my heart I understand. So please try to bear with me during this learning process. I'll try to make it as easy as I can for you, but by now I'm sure you can tell I have never done this before." Eponin watched as the blonde chuckled at her own incompetence. 'Amazing...' she thought. 'She's just amazing.' "I can tell..." replied a grinning Pony. "But I think we can work through it." "Excellent!" gushed the bard. "Shall we try it again?" "Sure Gabrielle." Eponin reached for her staff. "Assume the position!" This got another chuckle out of the bard. "Alright....I can do this...Again!" Eponin went through the kata once more, and Gabrielle watched intently. She began the maneuver...only a couple more swings and she would be through it without a hitch...CLUNK!..."Ow!" yelped the bard as she rubbed her head. As she looked up, she saw Ephiny approaching. "Oh great!" she said aloud. "Here come the critics!" Pony couldn't help but laugh at this latest remark. No matter how she tried now, she couldn't dislike this blonde bard. Sighing, she turned to meet Ephiny's greeting. The captain strode up and pulled the weaponmaster in close for a private chat. "Report." "She's not bad..." replied Pony with slight shrug. "A little rough..." then leaned in closer and whispered, "She's better than Jalana." This earned an elbow to the ribs for Eponin, but she still caught the slight smirk upon Ephiny's lips. Ephiny turned to Gabrielle. "So how are you doing with your training?" "It's sorta fun when I can keep it going." replied the young bard. "Gabrielle, war is not a game!" Ephiny threw up her hands in frustration. Gabrielle gulped audibly. The captain paced for a moment, then grabbed her staff and walked over to a nearby horse. What followed was a lesson Gabrielle wouldn't soon forget...one where she finally realized the levity of her present situation. Ephiny finished and walked back over to her. "Still fun?" inquired the blonde. Gabrielle shook her head no. "Good." She turned to the weaponmaster. "See that she is bathed before you bring her to lunch." "Yes Captain." replied Pony. As Ephiny sauntered off she turned to the bard. "Ready for some grub Gabrielle?" The blonde chuckled. "Oh boy am I ever! I'm starved!" Eponin laughed heartily. "Alright, let's go then." She gestured ahead of herself. "After you." "Thank you." smiled Gabrielle as she headed off to the baths with Pony in tow. 'I really like it here...' thought the bard as they crossed the compound. 'I wonder if Xena wouldn't mind staying here for a little while...' *** "So it's a regular thing for women to partner with women here?" asked the bard between mouthfuls of stew. Eponin grinned broadly. "Yes Gabrielle. Although there are some amazons who do partner with men occasionally." She popped a carrot into her mouth as she scrutinized the princess. "That's interesting." replied the bard. Then a serious look came over her face. "Can you tell me about her?" Eponin stopped in mid chew. She looked up to find innocent green eyes looking at her. She managed to swallow her bite of stew and leaned back in her chair. "Alright." she sighed and her face softened momentarily. "Terreis was the most wonderful person I have ever met. She always believed in finding a person's good points, despite what you might see on the outside." She took a drink of cider before she continued. "She was everything to me...my friend, my confidante, my wife, my lover, my hero..." A tear slowly made its' way down Pony's cheek. "I loved her more than life itself." Her shoulders sagged and she slid a bit down in her chair. Gabrielle was crying right along with poor Pony, and went to sit next to her. Circling her arm around the weaponmaster's shoulder, she began to whisper comforting words. Eponin shifted in her chair and leaned into the embrace, beginning to sob uncontrollably into Gabrielle's shoulder. The bard held her till she felt the sobs begin to subside, pulling back a little to see if Pony was ok. Eponin looked up at her through puffy eyes. "I'm sorry Gabrielle..." The bard smiled warmly. "There's nothing to be sorry for...I'm just glad I could be here for you." Eponin smiled back. "Thank you." Her eyes caught a movement near the entrance to the hut. "Ah...there's Ephiny.." "Oh great!" huffed Gabrielle. "What?" inquired the weaponmaster. "Haven't you and ol Eph made friends yet?" Gabrielle shook her head. "Nope...she hates me!" Pony had to laugh at this one. "Hates you?" She laughed some more. "On the contrary Gabrielle! I have only seen her act like that towards one other person..." The bard in her couldn't resist asking the question, "Who?" "Delia." "Who is Delia?" asked the blonde leaning in closer to Eponin. "Delia was my consort." replied a voice from over her shoulder. Gabrielle jumped three feet in the air, so startled was she by Ephiny's voice. Chuckling to herself, Ephiny took a seat on the other side of Gabrielle. "Why were you talking about her?" Her gaze went from Gabrielle to Eponin and stopped there. Eponin's eyes cast down and Ephiny knew she had her culprit. "Pony...Spill it, or we will soon be finding out if the old saying of 'You can lead a horse to water' is true." Ephiny crossed her arms and waited for an answer. "Pony?" stated Gabrielle. "Did she just call you Pony?" She turned towards the weaponmaster and found her muttering silent curses at the captain behind her back. "Yeah, yeah...ol EPHIE here plastered that nickname on me when we were in training." Eponin grinned now that she had successfully turned the tables on her friend. "Ephie?" repeated Gabrielle. "She called you Ephie!" And with that the bard doubled over in laughter. Eponin and Ephiny looked at each other and nodded. Ephiny spoke.... "Excuse me...Gabby?" And now it was the two amazons who were doubled over in laughter while Gabrielle sat there with a stupefied and thoroughly hilarious look on her face. It took a moment for the bard to realize what had just happened here. She smiled. Then she giggled. Then she was laughing with them, and before long they were pointing and calling each other by their nicknames and laughing more. Eponin finally stood and said, "Sorry to break up this little party boss, but I got a staff lesson in a half candlemark." She cast a wink Garbrielle's way. Ephiny smiled. "You're excused Pony." and they were all giggling again as the weaponmaster left. The silence between the two grew quickly. Eph cleared her throat and smiled awkwardly at the bard next to her. Gabrielle smiled back and Ephiny felt something strange happen to her....she felt her dislike for this woman leaving her in a rush. She let it go, and felt it replaced with a warm glow down in her gut. She cleared her throat again. "My Princess, I was wondering..." Gabrielle cocked her head at the blonde. "Wondering what?" Eph was finding it real hard to get some actual words out at the moment, but somehow she did, "Um..." "Yes?" asked the bard, raising an eyebrow. "I-I was wondering if you might like a tour around our territory this afternoon?" The look on Gabrielle's face took on one of barely veiled suprise. "You want to show me around?" "Yes." replied Ephiny. "You personally?" she asked, a slight upward twitch to her smile. Eph gulped. "Um...yeah...if that's ok with you?" "I think that would be nice Ephiny. Ok." She stood and brushed a few stray crumbs from her skirt. "I'll see you after my lesson then?" She smiled as their eyes met. "I'll be there." She was entranced. "Until then..." replied the bard as she turned and walked slowly towards the door. Ephiny's gaze stayed upon Gabrielle until she left the hut, and she sat there wondering what had just happened. "I'm losing it." she snuffed into her drink. Taking three long gulps, she sat back in the chair and pondered the situation. Had she just made a date with Gabrielle? She honestly wasn't sure. She admitted that she did want it to be one though...but maybe Gabrielle wasn't like her! She snuffed into her drink again, chuckling at herself. What kind of idiot amazon was she anyways? She swirled the cider around in her mouth a bit as an image of the blonde bard came to her mind. She swallowed and smiled to herself. She was the idiot amazon who had a date with the princess, that's who she was! She pushed her chair back from the table, stood and headed towards her hut. "Well if it's a date, then I'd better go prepare for it." And the people who saw a happily whistling Amazon Captain crossing the square had to look twice, since they couldn't believe their eyes. :)

Ephiny stopped at the edge of the practice area, and watched Eponin put Gabrielle through a pretty tough kata routine. She raised her eyebrow as every single swipe from the weaponmaster was blocked and returned by the little blonde. The captain watched in amazement as Gabrielle improvised and reversed her motion, effectually taking Pony's legs out from under her. She stepped onto the field as Gabrielle was muttering apologies to her teacher and approached her. "Princess." Gabrielle had just stood up and was helping the scowling weaponmaster to her feet. Hearing Ephiny's voice, she turned to greet her....and was shocked at what she saw. The captain was in full uniform! Her armor shined in the bright sunlight, giving her an almost glowing aura to her already dynamic personality. She didn't even know about the smile that had made it's way onto her face. "Ephiny! Hi! I was wondering where you were!" Ephiny stopped before Gabrielle and bowed. "I had to be presentable if I am going to be escorting the princess." She stood and gave the bard a sly half-smile. Eponin chuckled and shook her head. "I think I'll just be heading on over to the bathing hut now." She said between giggles as she slipped away practically unnoticed. "Yeah...see you later Pony..." replied Ephiny, while waving to no one. Her eyes were firmly attached to some quite mesmerizing green ones at that moment. Suddenly she remembered why she was there, and shook her head to clear it out. Gabrielle couldn't take her eyes off those hazel ones either. She was now in firm belief that Eponin had been right, that Ephiny might really have a thing for her after all. 'Well let's just be sure...' she thought to herself. "So..." she said. Ephiny finally seemed to shake herself clear of her wayward thoughts as the bard's voice got through to her. "Ahem...yes. Um, I believe I was going to show you around our land?" she said, glancing around nervously. "Yes you were." replied the bard with a shy grin. "Shall we then?" Ephiny looked at the small blonde and smiled back. Holding out her arm to the bard she said, "With pleasure Gabrielle." Gabrielle slipped her arm through Ephiny's and they set out across the courtyard towards the city gates. ***

"So where did Xena go earlier?" inquired Ephiny as they trekked up a rise. Gabrielle glanced at her companion. "She went to have a talk with Tyldus." Ephiny's head whipped around in shock. "Tyldus?" she swallowed. "Is she crazy? He'll kill her on sight!" Gabrielle had to giggle at this. "Ephiny...when you hang around Xena as much as I have, you come to accept some things." She smiled. "One, if Xena says she'll be back, she'll be back. Two, if Xena says don't worry about her, you don't worry about her." The bard stopped walking and turned to her new friend. She leaned over as if in confidence and whispered..."But I've learned you just don't let her know you worry anyways." She grinned and started walking again. Ephiny's brow furled at this seemingly revealing information the bard had uttered. 'Hmmmm, she worries about that warrior huh?' She decided it was time to be a little more forward. "Speaking of Xena my Princess...." "What about her?" replied the bard, a bit surprised at this new turn in the conversation. Ephiny made sure there was a definite hint of innuendo in her next chosen words, "Might I inquire if I could be in any danger from her?" "Danger?" Gabrielle was a bit surprised. "From Xena?" "Yes." "Why would you be in danger from Xena?" She cocked her head a bit. Ephiny threw her arms up in the air. "Gabrielle! Are you kidding me? If I'm stepping on Xena's toes with you, you had better tell me now before I'm one dead amazon!" "Stepping on her toes?" Gabrielle's brow furrowed in thought. "OH!" She began giggling. Ephiny gave the bard a look of complete exasperation. "How can you laugh at something as serious as that?" Honestly, maybe she had the blonde pegged wrong all along! "I'm sorry..." replied the bard as her giggles died down. "I guess I just didn't expect that!" "Huh?" replied the captain. "Maybe I'm missing something here..." Ephiny looked directly into those green eyes. "Aren't you and Xena lovers?" Astonishment lit Gabrielle's face. Then she burst out laughing....so hard in fact that Ephiny thought the bard was going to bust a gut. "Wait...you're not?" "NO! No!" Gabrielle was trying to control her giggles while she spoke. "Whatever gave you that idea?" she asked, wiping her eyes. "It's not just my idea Gabrielle..." Ephiny shrugged. "Everyone thinks that. You travel together, you do everything together...and I myself have seen the way she looks at you when you aren't aware." With this the captain turned her eyes away. "She most certainly does not!" laughed the bard. "She doesn't even know I'm alive!" She looked over at her friend, and her tone became serious. "You, on the other hand, seem to see me." Ephiny let their eyes meet again, and she couldn't deny it anymore! She was a goner...a hopeless case....mere putty as she stood before this woman. "I see you Gabrielle." she said allowing her emotions give her voice. "I see you." She repeated as she took a step closer to the bard. Gabrielle had only a minute to realize that this was "it". She was finally going to know what it was like to kiss a woman! She had fantasized so many times about Xena kissing her, but the warrior had always ignored her advances, or pretended not to notice them. Now here was a beautiful amazon warrior standing before her, practically begging to do just that. "Kiss me Ephiny." "Are you sure?" whispered the captain as she moved closer, running her fingers along the bard's cheek. "Yes." she whispered back. Ephiny ran her fingers up along Gabrielle's neck and into the tangle of blonde locks that fell gracefully about her shoulders. She sighed. "You're so beautiful, Gabrielle." She ducked her head in to brush her lips across the bard's own. "Xena has to be crazy not to want you." Their lips met softly and Ephiny was surprised to find herself being kissed back so readily. Sparks seemed to jump between them, and she felt a long-forgotten fire begin to burn inside of her. She deepened the kiss, and the fire burned hotter. 'Oh my gods!' she thought as she let the feeling carry her. Air...air! Wait! She pulled back, and was surprised to hear an almost inaudible whimper from the bard. She couldn't speak....she couldn't move. "Well." said the bard. "That was certainly something Ephiny." She began to fan herself. "I thought this was the eve of the tenth moon cycle, not the seventh!" Ephiny ran her hand under the bard's chin. "It is." She smiled. "So you felt it too?" "Gods yes!" She wrapped her arms around Ephiny's waist and drew her close again. "It felt very good." The captain smiled. "So does this mean I get a second date?" Gabrielle slapped her companion in the stomach as she pushed her away. Looking up at the sky she proclaimed, "It's getting a bit late. We had better be making our way back Captain." She cast a sly smile Ephiny's way, turned, and headed back the way they had come. Ephiny just stood there for a second before she had to hurry to catch up to the bard. "Wait! Gabrielle! I do get a second date don't I?"

Gabrielle was jolted out of her musings at the sound of Ephiny's voice..."Huh? What was that Ephiny?" she turned her head towards the blonde as they walked.

Ephiny sighed. "I've only called your name three times now Gabrielle..." She chuckled. "Mind elsewhere?"

The bard shook her head. "Yes it was." A pause. "It was on that kiss."

"Really...hmm..." Replied her captain. "Does that mean I do get another date then?" She quickly crossed her fingers behind her back.

Gabrielle smiled wryly. "So this was a date then Ephiny?"

The blonde gulped audibly. Dropping her eyes, she replied..."Well I was hoping it was." She kicked a stone in the path and sent it skipping twenty feet ahead.

"Well then...." replied the bard as they reached the city gates. "That puts things in a whole different light then..."

Ephiny swallowed again. "Meaning?" she asked as they reached the door to Gabrielle's hut.

Gabrielle scrunched her eyebrows together, as if in deep thought. "Meaning..." she said softly, stepping closer to the captain. "That I can do this..." And she brought her lips to Ephiny's in a soft kiss. After a moment, she broke the contact and stepped back.

Ephiny's eyes were still closed. She chuckled. "Eph...hey..."

The blonde opened her eyes and blinked. "Wow." She blinked again. "Gabrielle, if you kiss me like that all the time we may have a scandal on our hands." She thumbed for Gabrielle to look over her shoulder, and when the bard did, she gasped. The whole courtyard was staring at them!

"Oh my gods!" Gabrielle gasped and turned three shades of crimson. She buried her embarrassment in Ephiny's shoulder and began to giggle uncontrollably. After a few moments, she got herself under control, and with a smile she gently kissed the blonde's cheek. "See you later Ephiny..."

"Definitely, Gabrielle." She gave the bard's arm a last squeeze and slowly began walking backwards away from her. "Goodbye for now..." She smiled, turned and strode away. The gathered crowd parted to let her through, and Ephiny heard the whispers begin as soon as she passed by. She chuckled to herself as she reached her own hut. Going inside, she walked over to her armor chest. Pulling out her tracking gear, she slipped out of her best and replaced it with the soft brown leathers she loved so much. "Time to go pay Calliopis a visit methinks..." She slipped her shoulderpiece over her head and fastened it securely. "OK Ephiny, now best you keep your mind on the job at hand!" she said out loud to herself. Chuckling, she left her hut and headed towards the jail, her every thought on a certain strawberry blonde bard...

***

Ephiny sighed as she strode through the forest on her way to the sight where Terreis was murdered. Her visit with Phantes only served to prove he didn't kill her Princess. Now she had to find out who did before an innocent person was punished for the crime, and Ephiny would not be able to live with herself if she let that happen. But she needed proof to convince her sisters....

"Well here I am. Where to start..." She noticed some dung on the ground and bent down to take a closer look. "Hmmmm...hay sprouts." She scrunched her eyebrows together. Her thoughts were interrupted by a figure moving nearly silently through the forest. She quickly lit into the nearest tree and made herself unnoticeable, waiting for the intruder to make themselves known. They came into view shortly...it was Xena! "What is that bitch doing here?" she thought. She watched as the Warrior Princess bent down at the same pile of dung she had taken a sample from, then watched her move slowly around the area. scanning the ground. Her foot slipped and it snapped a small twig..."Damn!" She cursed herself.

"I'm not here to play games Ephiny." said Xena. "Come out before you make me hurt you." Xena coiled up and leapt into the same tree Ephiny was in.

"Well it's now or never." thought the blonde as she dropped down onto the same limb Xena was perched upon. Pulling her shortsword, she faced off with the leather-clad warrior in front of her.

"Don't do this Ephiny," Growled Xena menacingly. "We're on the same side..."

Ephiny's eyes narrowed. "Well your reputation makes that a little hard to believe..." She twirled her sword, let out a war cry and charged the brunette.

Xena sighed as she parried two quick slashes and a thrust, let out her own warmcry and flipped over the blonde's head, landing neatly behind her. "Ephiny, stop...we have to talk..." She parried another slash, this one to her legs.

"I have nothing to say to you Xena!!" She thrust forward, intending to gut the warrior.

"Then I will have to MAKE you listen!" She parried yet again, twisted the blonde's sword up and out of her hand, flipped over her and landing behind her again gave the woman a swift shove in the rear with her boot. She watched sadly as Ephiny plummeted out of the tree, trying to grab a branch on the way down. She managed to, but just as quickly as she grabbed hold, it snapped and she fell with a hard jolt face first onto the forest floor below.

Turning over slowly, she was trying to get her bearings when a centaur came out of nowhere! He raised his sword in triumph as she tried to scramble away backwards. Just as the centaur was about to slice and dice her, Xena dropped down onto the animal's back and disarmed him. A bit shocked, Eph's hand closed around her crossbow, and quickly arming it, fired it straight at her enemy. She was shocked yet again when Xena caught her bolt out of mid-air...two inches from that bastard's chest even!

Xena jumped off the centaur and ran to Ephiny. "Come on!" she yelled.

Ephiny realized she had better move here and FAST, since the centaur had just found his sword. She took off after Xena, and was swooped into the trees before she knew it, Xena following. They watched as the centaur grunted in exasperation and galloped off.

As they dropped down out of the trees, Ephiny swallowed her pride. "Thank you." A nod was all she got in return. She decided to tell the warrior what she had found, since she saved her life and all that. "Um, Xena..."

"Yes?"

"I was checking the ground here for clues, and look what I found..." She lead the dark-haired warrior to the pile of manure. "See this?"

"Yes I did..." Xena smiled. "The hoof prints around it show these were horses, not centaurs that ambushed your princess. The weight is clearly on the back hooves, while centaurs carry their weight on their front hooves." She crossed her arms.

"Ummm yes, I suppose you’re right. But I was referring to the hay in the manure.....centaurs don't eat hay."

"Very true." stated Xena, a small grin edging the corner of her mouth. She was darn impressed with this small blonde Amazon warrior. "Well, we best be getting back, there isn't much time before the execution..."

"Indeed. Let's go then." said Ephiny.

***

"But I can't kill him!" Gabrielle had been trying to reason with Melosa for about a quarter candlemark by now. "Please, you have to understand!"

"There is nothing to understand Gabrielle. Terreis's dying breath made you her successor, and her avenger. You cannot dispute Amazon law." Melosa crossed her arms as she lowered herself into a chair at her writing table. She looked intently at this little blonde, who was her heir to the throne. Oh yes, she did understand Gabrielle's situation, but if she did not adhere to the laws, she would be questioned and possibly cast down from her throne. "Gabrielle, if you don't kill him, you will be considered a traitor and you will die right along with him."

"Gods!" gulped Gabrielle. "Isn't that a little harsh? What about instead, kitchen duty for a moon?"

"I'm sorry my Princess, but you have no choice in the matter. You either do it, or you die." She let her look soften for a moment as she rose and walked to stand in front of the bard. "If it makes you feel any better, I do understand, I just can't do anything about it." Sad green eyes looked up into hers, and she felt herself feeling absolutely guilty as Hades. But, she could not back down. "I'm sorry Gabrielle."

The blonde sighed softly. "It's ok. I guess I'll just have to do it then..." She frowned. Turning, she walked out of the Queen's hut to go prepare for the ceremony. It was almost dawn now, and her mind wondered where Xena was. "I hope you're safe." The thought then crossed her mind that she missed the warrior. What would she do if something dire happened to her friend? "Oh my...Xena come back soon. I'm beginning to worry." Would she ever see those sparkling blue eyes again? Wait.....sparkling? What made her think of that? She saw the eyes again, and the warm smile that always seemed to be just for her. "I can't leave her and stay here to be princess...I just can't!" She sighed. "They will have to understand...I hope." She reached her hut and went inside to clean up some, her thoughts firmly on a certain Warrior Princess.

The edge of Terreis's sword rested against the flesh over Phantes' heart. Gabrielle's hands and arms were trembling all the way up to her elbows with the strain this was having on her psyche.

"What's going on here?" came a low growl from behind the crowd. Said crowd parted to allow the Warrior Princess passage to the dais.

"We're executing a murderer Xena...I thought you knew that." Stated Melosa in a growl of her own as the raven haired warrior stepped forward.

"Thank the gods. Xena..." said Gabrielle under her breath as she lowered Terreis's sword.

"Phantes isn't the murderer." stated Xena matter-of-factly to the Amazon queen. Reaching into her belt pouch she pulled out a ball of something. "Here is the proof."

Gabrielle reached out and took the proffered mud ball and rolled it around in her hand.

"Take a look at that piece of dung from the ambush site..." she gestured at the clod the Bard was now bouncing in her hand. "It has hay in it. Centaurs don't eat hay Melosa."

Gabrielle's eyes widened in shock and she dropped the dungball in record time. "Thank you! Thank you very much!" She shook her hands free of any dung remnants. "Eww...ugh!"

Melosa's eyes grew narrow. "That doesn't prove anything Xena, only that a horse was there. Centaurs are smart animals, they wouldn't leave traces of themselves lying around to incriminate them!" She gestured to Gabrielle. "Kill him NOW."

Gabrielle's eyes implored Xena to help her. 'Gods be damned, how does she get herself into these things?' thought the warrior as her mind raced for a way to extract her bard from this situation with as little blood as possible. Her mind latched onto an old scroll she had read while in the company of Cyane and her tribe of northern Amazons. 'That's it!'

Xena straightened and settled her most imposing, arrogant, dangerous and deadly look onto the Queen. "Melosa!" She shouted over the murmuring crowd..."I demand the challenge!"

The Queen's head whipped around like a slingshot. She laughed. "You cannot make the challenge, you are not Amazon royalty!"

Xena's eyes went to the bard, praying Gabrielle would get the hint.

The bard caught the strange look from her friend and glanced a second time to make sure this was what Xena wanted her to do. A subtle nod of the warrior's head gave her the courage to speak up. "She's not, but I am. I demand the challenge!"

"You? Gabrielle, surely you don't want to fight me to the death!"

"Not really." Replied the bard.

Ephiny's voice cut above the excited throng's noise. "Gabrielle....choose your weapon. Or....choose your Champion..." She rolled her eyes in Xena's direction a few times to emphasize her point.

Realization dawned on the bard's face even as she shouted. "Xena! I choose Xena!"

Melosa couldn't help but smile at the lengths this warrior would go to in order to protect her friend's blood innocence. 'Admirable. A far cry from the Xena I once knew.' "A good choice Gabrielle." Turning to the warrior, "Choose the weapons."

Xena narrowed her eyes. "Chobos."

"Very well." Melosa turned to Epinon. "Get them now."

"Yes my Queen." Eponin bowed before hurrying off.

Gabrielle ran to Xena's side as the Queen prepared for battle. "Where have you been?? I was worried sick! You could have at least sent a messenger..."

"Not now Gabrielle." Xena cut the bard off in mid sentence. "Fight now, talk later. Ephiny!" The Captain appeared next to her. "Anything I need to know about her style?"

"Yes. Watch your knees, she likes low attacks, and most of all her right side is her blind side..."

"Right, thanks." replied the warrior.

Eponin walked up and presented Xena with her set of chobos. She tested their weight and ran through a quick kata with them. Satisfied these would be good enough she turned to face her adversary.

Gabrielle walked beside her as she moved forward into battle. "Remember...her blind side is her YEOOOOW!" howled the bard as she flew back from the warrior. As she walked past Ephiny, she said in a low voice..."If anything happens to me, get Gabrielle out of here." Ephiny shook her head ok and the battle began.

Gabrielle watched in awe as the battle moved onto a tower lookout post, and then back to the ground, each warrior seemingly having the advantage at different times. But then Melosa left her right side open and Xena battered her back with a flurry of kicks and punches to her midsection...finally landing the Queen flat on her back on the ground. The warrior launched herself into the air and landed on Melosa, pinning her shoulders to the ground with her knees. "Don't make this to the death Melosa..." she said, barely out of breath, "I need your help..."

The Queen's eyes softened in acceptance of her situation. She shook her head ok, and Xena stood up, offering her forearm to the former Queen. Melosa took it, and was raised effortlessly to her feet. They looked at each other for a moment, until someone yelled..."All hail the new Queen!" The village collectively bowed to one knee, and Melosa bowed her head. Gabrielle couldn't take her eyes off of Xena. Then she felt eyes on her from behind her. Turning, she saw Ephiny looking at her, and as their eyes met, the bard saw the single tear glistening on her cheek. 'This is not good,’ thought the bard. Her thoughts were interrupted by the army of Centaurs now paused at the gates to their village.

Again, Gabrielle watched as Xena expertly avoided confrontation by throwing down her weapons. The Amazons all did the same...so Gabrielle did too! She watched as the warrior disclosed the traitor and somehow managed to forge an alliance with the centaurs to fight their common enemy. She was in awe...Xena was...well...practically radiating power! The bard basked in this, and was swept away by the magnetism Xena emitted when she commanded. Before she knew it, she found herself armed, and cavorting wildly across the countryside in a chariot pulled by two centaur warriors. Ephiny put her hand on the bard's shoulder. "Gabrielle..."

She turned. "Yes, Ephiny?"

"I know this isn't the time or place to be discussing this, but...I need to know..." she swallowed hard. "We won't be having a second date will we?" She averted her eyes.

Gabrielle sighed. How to explain this? "I don't think it would be a good idea Eph." she said. "I'm not going to be staying..."

Ephiny let out the breath she had been inadvertently holding. "I thought as much." Her eyes tracked to the tall, dark-haired warrior in the chariot in front of them. "If she ever hurts you Gabrielle, I will kill her."

Gabrielle's eyebrows practically flew off her face. "What???" her mouth went agape for a moment. "You mean Xena?" Ephiny shook her head yes. "Eph! You have got to be kidding!" Ephiny shook her head no. "Come on! She has no interest in me!"

"I see the way you look at her Gabrielle. And I see the way she looks at you, when she doesn't think anyone else is looking." She sighed. "I can see it all over your face Gabrielle...you are in love with her whether you know it or not." She turned to face her Princess. "And far be it from me to expect you to ever look at me like that. I am happy as long as you are, my princess."

Now the bard was stymied. Was she in love with Xena? To be truthful, she wasn't sure at all what love felt like...allbeit she knew it wasn't love with Perdicus. She stole a long look at the figure in the chariot ahead of them. She took in the long, raven hair blowing in the wind, noticed the beautifully chiseled profile...the muscles tensing and rippling with adrenalin. "She's beautiful." said the bard into the wind. Ephiny just shook her head and they rode into battle in silence. 

***

It was a short battle, but then most battles are when the Warrior Princess is involved. She's just that damn good.

Gabrielle looked over her shoulder at Xena when the ceremony was over. "Xena..." she queried.

"Yes?" replied the warrior in that low tone that made the bard's stomach do flips.

"Does an Amazon Princess beat a Warrior Princess?" She looked again over her shoulder with a goofy grin on her face.

Xena leaned in close..."Do you really wanna find out?" A sly grin crept into her words.

Gabrielle gulped. Damn those blue eyes were just melting her! "Ummm..."

Xena grinned and leaned in even closer. "What's wrong Gabrielle...harpy got your tongue?" She turned the bard around to face her. Xena knew she was flirting with danger here, but her blonde friend had started it after all. She watched as Gabrielle continued to be rendered speechless by her intense gaze. She hadn't intended to let the blonde see how deep her feelings ran, but the moment was here whether she was ready or not. And right now, she couldn't stop it.

Now poor Gabrielle could think of nothing but how close Xena was to her, and her knees gave out from the intensity. Xena reached her arm around the bard's waist and caught her before she could reach the ground, Gabrielle's arms instinctively reaching out to hold on to her rescuer. She looked deeply into those twin pools of blue. "Xena..." she whispered.

Xena's free hand came up to gently brush the blonde's cheek. "Gabrielle..." She closed the distance between them and softly pressed her lips against the bard's. Gabrielle's hands slid up the back of Xena's neck to tangle in her hair, sending gooseflesh up her back. Too soon, they had to come up for air...

"By the Gods Xena..." whispered Gabrielle. "That was incredible."

"Yes it was." she replied as the bard settled her head onto the warrior's shoulder and hugged her.

"Let's not wait another two years to do it again, ok?" said the bard with a slight giggle.

"Ok." replied the warrior. Her eyes took in the horizon, and the setting sun. "We best get a move on if we're going to find a nice secluded place to camp for the evening bard." added Xena with a mischievous glint in her eye.

Gabrielle shook her head in vehement agreement. Grabbing the warrior by the wrist, she began propelling them through the shocked crowd at breakneck speed. "What's the record time for saddling a horse?" she asked as she practically dragged Xena towards the stables.

"I don't know, but I'm sure you're gonna break it..." replied Xena under her breath as the bard dragged her along. She laughed wholeheartedly for the first time in a long time, and decided this was good. It was a very, very good thing.

END

#xena #xena warrior princess #xena/gabrielle #xena/gabrielle fanfiction #ephiny/gabrielle #eponin/terreis #ephiny/solari #mature #author: bardarella #fanfiction #femslash

[musicfeedsmysoul12]

Hey, I recently found your blog and I love your writing! Is it okay if I ask for some headcanons of Daughter of Hephaestus!MC from that one L&L/PJO crossover post? I know that it was it’s an older post.

OF COURSE, IT IS. Old posts or not, I definitely have ideas. I am super pumped people like my writing. Like… it super motivates me to keep going.

Alright, given that this is about a specific MC, I’m naming her… *looks up Greek Heroes* Atlanta. Atlanta Copperfield. As well, we’re going to have some general headcanons before going into the other ones.

LONG ASS POST

General

Atlanta fought in both wars. She’s not the best smith of the cabin or anything, but she was really good with armor and weapons. 

All Hephaestus kids have a Spark that lets them build amazing things. It’s part of their gift from their dad.

Has one of those enchanted belts you can put anything in

Is wicked strong. Like scary, scary strong.

Is semi-immune to fire- not like Leo but can withstand very high temps.

Has a lot of scars from the battles and has a hard time being anything but a fighter.

Left camp due to her PTSD and hatred of herself as she did have to kill siblings during the war. 

May or may not secretly hate the Gods.

Does love her dad but in a very distant way. 

Her mother died protecting her from a monster when she was six. She really hates Hyrdas. 

Witch Queen spell went wonky and the soul latched onto baby Atlanta. Her body changed to match the WQ appearance but no one really notices because God Genes are WEIRD. Seriously- her sister has purple hair. It’s weird.

Atlanta fully accepts she’s in a whole new world because she is used to weird shit.

Reiner

Reiner shows Atlanta around and she just freaks about the not so great armor some of the guards are wearing. Insists on making new ones for them. He shows her to the smithery.

Atlanta becomes a huge help in the castle. Reiner finds himself often sitting with her in the evenings as she designs things. The two build a strong friendship this way.

Thing is the generals don’t realize she looks like the WQ for a while. Mostly cause Atlanta isn’t thin and with long hair hanging down. She’s quite muscular and has her hair in a bun or a ponytail like 99% of the time.

They only figure it out when Atlanta lets her hair down while going for a walk with Reiner in the village, who all now know Atlanta isn’t the WQ cause she’s so nice and builds stuff for them.

Everyone ships her and Reiner. It’s adorable.

Demigods have super quick relationships because most die by like thirty so she is down for a wedding. Yep, oooh, can she make armor for them as their wedding outfits?

Atlanta being semiposessed by the WQ is really fucking scary cause of her demigod blood making her more sturdy and her Spark.

Now, it turns out the Gods are watching and when she gets possessed also get worried because even they feel the WQ is a big fucking deal. Soooooooo… they come to that world. 

Yep, Gods appear in Reiner’s castle and don’t care they see them. (Zeus may actually like the fact they believe)

Atlanta loses her Spark to protect it from the WQ until she is either free or dead. Atlanta as well goes into a heavy depression and is very much a zombie during this time because a Spark is part of her soul.

Reiner is literally the only thing keeping her from giving in.

(Wow this is getting long) Being free gives her Spark back and she throws herself into building weapons and armor. It actually takes Solaire yelling at her to have her realize that Oh shit, Reiner is not acting like himself because she was in a giant fog of working.

Big fight with her and Reiner. Both are really bad at acting like adults with their work because he was worrying over her thanks to Ryland and she was worrying over him…

Atlanta is fucking scary with a shield. She is very strong and can even knock down a wall thanks to a strange metal that appeared in her belt one day. She thinks it might be an apology from her dad…

She totally takes him to Camp while in her original world before they leave. Sophie comes to now that she remembers. Chiron likes him and with his help they create a stable portal.

Her siblings approve.They do make them recite a blessing for Hera and jump over a fire but that’s it. They’re married.

Atlanta makes him a crossbow that is enchanted to shoot fire or ice arrows. 

August

August totally thinks she’s the WQ for five minutes and then she starts ranting about his sword.

Nope, no longer WQ, now she is a sword buddy. They get along fantastic after that.

Atlanta doesn’t run off beginning season2, instead, she stays because running off would be stupid. 

Atlanta dislikes sword fighting. She’s good at it and likes swords but she’s wicked strong so she likes to try and have her fighting resemble that. 

She ends up making a wicked heavy sword that lets her smash all she wants. August is appauled.

“Look, I used to ride a pegasus. Horses do not have wings. That is why i suck at this.” “No, you are simply bad at it because you are to stiff-” “I RODE A FLYING HORSE. OF COURSE I AM STIFF.”

August’s mom loves her when she ends up like fixing everything in their inn because her hands just won’t stop. Asta is like “Marry that woman.” August blushes.

The Gods come to yell when they’re in council. Apparently this is her quest and she must defeat the WQ because *some reason*. Her Spark is removed for a year as punishment for letting her gain a body.

It’s awful. August is terrified for her, she’s a zombie. He prays to the Gods, begging. Eventually Hep is like: fuck this and gives her back her Spark early. Just in time for battle.

Atlanta brings Sophie to the Camp. They all pitch in but still Sophie has to stay for now. She hates it but now knows other magic people!!

Atlanta also brings back necter and stuff but still ends up cursed in the end. 

August Dad is eh about her. Heard rumors but didn’t believe until she lifted a tree off him and did some pretty cool stuff.

Also again, let her at the broken stuff. She’s good at it.

When August’s sword breaks she offers to make a new one but like… for some reason she can never make the right one. it’s super frustrating for the both of them and she is wicked upset about it. And then they meet Aisetha.

“I could make a better sword.” “No you cannot.” “I’m making one that talks to.”

Aisetha does let Atlanta make the armor to it’s wishes but it does look badass so fine.

These two fuckin hate each other, it’s the best.

The wedding has traditional vows and Chiron, as well as a bunch of siblings, come through a portal to party.

Saerys

Saerys does not think this girl is the WQ. It’s obvious she uses physical strength and the WQ is pure magic.

Atlanta does not go to his room in the beginning- she knows this shit is real. But she and Saerys bond over being really strong and soon they end up having contests with picking shit up.

Atlanta picked up Saerys who was picking up Reiner once. 

Atlanta fixes everything still. Also builds random shit everywhere. Eventually, she has to stay with Saerys in his room cause Ryland and Solaire get annoyed when she takes stuff apart.

She can’t help it. Literally. She actually confesses she’s a demigod to Saerys because she feels alone here without any siblings. She may have left camp but she had called them. 

Saerys gets being alone.

Atlanta ends up dropkicking Lennox out of town after she gives everyone a speech about his armor and how they’re all idiots for not realizing it was WQ general armor.

Atlanta isn’t affected by Saery’s heat or strength in Turbo Mode and can hold him down. 

Dying at the hand of the Witch Queen but being brought back removes half of her Spark. She has a harder time making things and thinking. Saerys is there to help though.

Saerys and Atlanta spar a lot.

Chicago also brings them to find the camp and Saerys realizes they will be in danger no matter where. 

The demon gods team up with the Greek Gods to bring Saerys back to life and restore the full of Atlanta’s soul. This also reveals that Atlanta is a demigod to everyone.

Atlanta’s Spark is twisted a little and talks now to her, urging her to create and build weapons. Like messed up weapons of mass destruction.

Saerys and Atlanta struggle a lot with the demon souls possessing Saerys- it’s hard to control them when you also have a nutjob Spark yelling to build things.

At least the stupid Souls like her now, thanks to the Spark giving them ideas.

They warn the Camps about the WQ maybe invading and they get ready.

Atlanta whispers a wedding blessing when they pass each other the rings because they’re already married demon style. Let’s do it demigod.

Altea

Okay, like Saerys she figures that Atlanta is not WQ quick thanks to Atlanta being shit with any magic that is not building things.

Atlanta is given scrap metal because of her need to build things. She doesn’t realize she’s making jewlery with one person in mind until she makes a pretty pair of pink earing and oh.

Atlanta’s crush on tiny Altea is hilarious. Everyone does given Atlanta is the type to give pretty things to her object of affection. Altea is very happy.

Only once did Altea ever agree to be picked up by Atlanta in battle. Never again. Very undignified!

“But fun.” “Stop it my raven.”

Altea meets her family in Chicago and they figure that Iris Messaging still works in the other world afterwards so they chat a lot.

Atlanta’s demigod status is revealed to Altea in Chicago and the two worship Hep and like Athena and stuff but it’s revealed to everyone when Hep comes to give her this special metal so she can make a sword for herself to fight the witch queen.

Atlea compares the Spark to Magic.

Meeting Mireille and finding out Altea’s a princess makes Atlanta feel scruffy. Sure, she’s a demigod but… princess. She’s just a smith.

Altea makes sure she doesn’t feel that way for long. 

Atlanta makes a ring for Altea as a proposal thing. She loves it.

seeing her go fully Magical Girl Mode makes Atlanta fall for her all over again.

Meeting her family is hard, given she is very much a smith, but they do warm up. They also Iris Message some friends so that the Queen and King realize they’re telling the truth about Atlanta being from another world and the demigod stuff.

Lional now wants to learn to smith. Atlanta just wants him to stop poking at the fire.

Iseul

Okay, Iseul does not think she’s the WQ because she doesn’t have the right feel.

Atlanta may have punched him once in annoyance.

they may end up in a fight a few times. They just irritate each other to much.

Their first kiss is during a fight. Everyone was betting on it.

Atlanta’s Spark goes into haywire at seeing the bow Iseul has because she has SO MANY IDEAS

Iseul loves it. Every bit. He is always bragging about this girl to everyone in the village when she goes to get fun stuff to play with.

Imohn ends up liking her when she comes up with an arrow that when fired goes into a dragon made out of fire.

atlanta and Iseul are the worst together. Seriously. No, do not… Atlanta, do not make that! Iseul says it’s okay! NO!

The whole demigod thing comes out when the Gods come during a council meeting to yell at Atlanta for letting the WQ out. She points out she did not know what would happen and no one said this was a quest.

Zeus is not pleased but she lives. Barely. Her Spark is taken from her and she falls into a deep depression.

Iseul is struggling to help her and get his mother to accept her. It all really goes to shit when Ishara ends up in a coma without accepting Atlanta.

Atlanta manages to fight through the depression and help Iseul. They wake up Ishara who accepts her. She also gets her Spark back because that was a lesson she had to learn.

 “It was a fucking shitty lesson.”

Chicago is nuts. “How on earth… you were supposed to be created only a few years ago!” “Go bug Chiron for that… or maybe like Hecate or something.” Camp is a nightmare.

Magnus is horrified the rumors of her being a demigod are true. Ha, fuck you buddy.

“I’m pregnant!!! OH! I HAVE IDEAS FOR THE NURSERY!!!” “NO ATLANTA!” “YES MY LOVE!”

Just these two idiots are awful.

#love and legends #love & legends #august falke #reiner wolfson #iseul idreis #altea bellerose #saerys #writing prompt #percy jacson

[housebeleren]

War of the Spark New Commanders

It’s now that time. Time to figure out if I feel like turning any of these new Legendary Creatures into Commander decks. And since the *ahem* Rules Committee decided not to allow Planeswalkers as generals, I’ll have to be content with just the creatures. (I mean, c’mon. Really?!)

With that, let’s get started. There are some goodies to review.

Let’s start with Dragon Daddy Niv. Honestly, I’m really digging this design. He’s a 5 color general, but actually makes use of those 5 colors unlike certain other generals I can mention. *coughNajeelacough* This design also makes you have to think about deck design in a very interesting way, since you’re incentivized to put as many 2 color cards in the deck as possible. I went right ahead and put him at the helm of my Superfriends deck, because he’s a pretty strict upgrade over Jodah. And I typically draw 2-3 cards off casting him in that deck, so I feel pretty good about that choice. Overall, I really love the design for Niv-Mizzet Reborn, and I can imagine a wide range of decks being built for him.

Okay, now let’s get this out of the way, because this is obviously the Legend that got the most initial attention for EDH, and rightfully so. This is fantastic new design space for Boros, which is a notoriously difficult color combination in the format. And the possibilities are endless. Sure, you can throw all kinds of cantrips at Feather and dig deep into your deck, but there’s also fun stuff you can do with cards like Aurelia’s Fury, that can target multiple targets. And forget about it once you have Zada on the field. Then it just gets insane. I look forward to seeing all the different options people come up with, and I’m also just happy that Feather finally got a card.

Aside from being some absolutely gorgeous art, Roalesk packs a lot of action for 5 mana. For one, he’s huge just on his own. But the fact that he can spread the love on ETB and when he dies is just fantastic. That said, I definitely see Roalesk as a supporting player, and not so much as a lead. He’s a great inclusion in Ezuri, Claw of Progress decks, and I can also see builds of Atraxa being very interested. That deck has access to numerous ways to retrigger both the ETB & death abilities, so this could be a powerful proliferate engine if done right. Every general needs a lieutenant, right?

I like Storrev. I really do. I truly wish there was a format that really wanted this. But, alas, in Commander we have Meren of Clan Nel Toth, and I just don’t think Storrev is going to supplant her anytime soon. Maybe some Meren or Karador decks will find space for her as some added redundancy, but I’m not holding my breath. (Which is good, because a Zombie Elf Wizard is likely to beat me at a breath-holding contest.)

Another absolutely gorgeous piece of artwork, our final Gold Legend is... wolf tribal? Huh, I guess that’s a thing? This is definitely a Standard card, and I don’t really see this making any waves in EDH unless they come out with a ton of sweet wolves in the upcoming sets. I will say, between Tolsimir & Arlinn, this does give me some optimism that there will be wolves in the Fall set. Because wolves tribal in Standard is totally a deck I would play.

Alright, let’s tackle the gods next. Oketra, while an absolute monster of a beating in Limited, and a Standard powerhouse, doesn’t strike me as all that potent as a Commander on her own. Now, will Varina decks potentially be interested in this? Why, yes they will. And potentially any other creature-heavy go-wide decks might be down. But Oketra is definitely built for the 99.

Blue mages everywhere collectively nerdgasmed when Kefnet was previewed. I think there’s no doubt that Kefnet will likely have the largest impact on Commander from cards in this set. There’s already talk of him supplanting Teferi as the mono-Blue general of choice for CEDH, and that’s no easy feat. But honestly, this is exactly what every Blue deck wants to do! I’ve already slot him directly into my Aminatou deck manipulation build, where he goes infinite with her plus any extra turn spell. As the headliner or in the chorus, Kefnet is going to be an EDH staple for years to come. And that’s to say nothing of the impact he’ll have on Standard.

I’m glad not all of the gods are instant hits. Bontu is great, make no mistake. And there will definitely be Big Black decks that want this. But I don’t think she’s going to be an auto-include, and I also don’t think there are many good reasons to run her as the Commander of a deck over some of the better mono-Black options. Bontu is a clear role player in several builds. I, for one, will probably slot her right away into my Gisa & Geralf deck. And I suspect many will do the same.

Doing this slightly out of order, which is difficult because one compulsion is telling me to keep all the God-Eternals together, while another compulsion is telling me to do all 5 gods in color order. It’s rough up in here.

I guess every family needs a disappointing sibling, right? It’s crazy to think that a card like this could be a “disappointment,” but in the world of EDH, this reads like a mediocre Craterhoof impersonation. I’d honestly rather run End-Raze Forerunners more often than this, because the Trample is just so. relevant. I think there’s potential for Standard, and he’s undoubtedly a bomb in Limited, but that’s about the long & the short of it, from what I can see.

Ilharg is fun, and totally reminds me of Etali, Primal Storm, except for the part that they’re not actually that much alike. Okay, they are both 6/6 mono-Red Legendary creatures with an attack trigger, so that’s kinda similar. That said, I think Ilharg really wants to be a supporting cast member in a multicolor deck, with Green in it at the very least. You really want to power out huge creatures with ETBs with this guy. Again, Craterhoof comes to mind. It’s like that card is good or something.

Let’s keep going on this mono-Red train. New Neheb is fun, and a nice callback to the previous version. That said, I do think Neheb, the Eternal is probably a stronger general, as this version has the potential to get brick-walled by good blockers. Basically, the likelihood for this Neheb to fail seems greater than I’d like. Who knows, though. I could be wrong, and Dreadhorde Neheb could be the new hotness.

The string of “not quite as good as their previous versions” continues. Again, I do kinda love this design. But it’s really hard to compete with Double Trouble Krenko from before. Maybe they want to be in the same deck? But even that seems like a bit of a stretch.

Tomik is family and we never turn our backs on family, hon! You ride that gargoyle off into the sunset, you fabulous queen you. Also, I can’t be the only one who thinks it’s a bit on the nose to have the confirmed gay (and suspected top) and-I-quote “tie it into knots”? I mean, I could’ve told you Ral was into some kinky shit just from looking at him (e-stim much?), but apparently they’re just super about this life on Ravnica and I am here for it hennnnnny. 

Oh, the card. Yeah, stick to Legacy with this one. If your playgroup is literally all Frog Monsters & DaddyCats, sure. Knock yourself out. Or maybe Tomik will do it for you? Maybe if you beg good.

I always wondered how they would make a Fblthp card, and well... now I know. The little guy’s actually pretty good, doing his best Elvish Visionary impersonation, only better, because if he gets super duper lost, he finds himself an extra card on the way. Sure, yes, he combos with Proteus Staff in a deck with no creatures as a strange build-your-own Divination on a literal stick. But honestly, that’s not enough reason to run him as your Commander. Prove me wrong, bitches. Because, honestly? I’d love to see that.

The unfortunate thing is that, as much as I was happy to see a Massacre Girl card, it’s really unfortunate that there’s no Hekara in this set, given the role she played in the novel. (And the fact that miss not-Hekara here didn’t appear at all.) It just underscores how many missed opportunities there were in the coordination between the novel & the set. 

Anyway, not-Hekara is a super cool design, and will often be a pretty clean board wipe on a stick. Honestly... I could see her having a place in some Black decks that want this effect often, since recurring your board wipe over and over is a pretty strong line of play. It’s Staxy, but I’m kinda okay with that. Not a slam dunk, but a definite option for decks that want her.

Aaaaaand lastly, the goodest of boys is... a good boy. That’s about it. He’s fantastic in Limited, and I highly recommend playing him often, and with great enthusiasm. But yeah, there’s not really any EDH potential here, except maybe in the strangest of jank Ezuri decks. And that’s a stretch, for sure. If it doubled the counters, then I could see it more, because that would get out of hand really quickly.

So that’s basically it. All the Legendary Creatures of War of the Spark. Who are you running in your Commander decks?

#MtG #mtg commander #war of the spark

[margridarnauds]

A, F, G, M, S, T, V

THANKS AVERY. 

A. If you could rec a piece of music to accompany one of your fics, what would you pick? Why?

 Yakety Sax for Goosefic. 

Alright, seriously? It’s totally not like I have a playlist or something stored anywhere, because that would be insane, right? 

Illuminated by Hurts - Ah, Ça Ira. “Time waits for no one/So do you want to waste some time/Oh, oh, oh, oh/Tonight?” AKA “Ronan realizing that he might not make it back the next day and trying to get Laz to come to bed and reconcile with him, not necessarily because he wants to SLEEP with him, but because he wants his boyfriend there with him. “Swim with your sorrows/And try delusion for a while/It’s such a beautiful lie” Lazare frantically scribbling out his justifications on the paper, even though he has to KNOW that Artois’ going to abandon him and it’s going to be worthless.��“Suddenly my eyes are open/Everything comes into focus/Blinding” GENERALLY I get Laz vibes from this line, with him gradually realizing how important Ronan is to him and that some part of him WANTS the new world that Ronan was, but the last few lines also work for Ronan’s (unstated, in-text, but there in canon) decision to charge in front of du Puget, realizing that he HAS to save Olympe from being orphaned like he was. 

Either Dream of Sky (Dancing Line OST) or Forbidden Friendship (HTTYD OST) - Le Cri. Both of them have that sort of tentative, new feeling where things start out so soft and with that kind of innocence but as time goes on, it becomes so much MORE. 

I’ve Seen Hell (North and South OST)/Ashes (Celine Dion) - Pour la Peine. I’ve Seen Hell is one of my go-to Period Drama songs, but I LOVE how it has that bleak feel while also not being COMPLETELY bleak and miserable, there’s that idea of PUSHING through in spite of it. And Ashes also kind of has a similar vibe, as far as openly asking how...there can be any GOOD after that kind of devastating tragedy (even though a part of me will always seen Ryan Reynolds doing interpretive dancing to it, tbh). Ashes is much more...RELIGIOUS in bent than Solène generally goes with, but I think it WORKS as far as that general feeling of despair and abandonment that she starts off with “Every word shot down in flames/What’s left to do/With these broken pieces on the floor?/I’m losing my voice/Calling on you” 

Wicked Game - Personally, I favor it for A Pressing Matter, though it really works for Peyronan in general. “What a wicked game/To make me feel this way/What a wicked thing to do/To make me dream of you” AKA “Peyrol’s ENTIRE thought process when he realizes that, against his own judgement, he’s gotten attached to Ronan and that that’s a MAJOR weakness. 

F. What stories are you planning for the future?

I have. So many WIPS that I’m DYING to release soon. One is very obviously the Fairy Tale AU, which I’m very pumped about. There’s the one that’s just called “Madame Roland is a Lesbian” that I’m excited for. At some point, I’m going to have to expand the Abomination and the Verse it encompasses, stretching from where we start off in the Beauce in 1777 to at LEAST the early 19th century, possibly into the 1840s. 

Between the Waves is going to get a LOT more added to its Verse, hopefully. I already have at least two WIPS that are partially finished and give a little bit more context to things that are happening in the next few chapters, one from Olympe’s perspective on the pre-canon events that stretches to the post, one from Artois’ on some of the events of PLP, and I either have an Afterlife AU, a Reincarnation AU, or both to wrap it up, possibly with us ending up where we began. (No, not on Marat’s printing press.) I’ve also toyed with fleshing out a little more about how Peyronan got to where we see them in A Pressing Matter, to round out the series. Either way, though, I do intend for this to end up being a VERSE, not necessarily just one or two stand-alones. There’s a lot that’s...going to pop up here or there that I INTEND at least to expand on. I rarely like to leave things HANGING like that. 

There’s also the Peasant Lazare AU which, even though it’s basically a laughing stock among my friends IRL at this point, is still very important to me and I’ve never fully given it up. 

I’m definitely going to expand the Ripples in the Rockpool Verse, HOPEFULLY dipping more into the historical events that are happening around this time and a little more on how the OT3 ended up where they get to be in Back on the Shore. 

There’s a Vampire AU that I’ve been toying with back and forth, and I STILL haven’t given up on The Zombie Apocalypse AU, though I’d like to focus on that one more when I have a fewer WIP count and I can more thoroughly outline it. Also @lehetsz-kiraly and I have toyed around with a Superhero AU that I would 100% like to see get off the ground, and I also am totally planning on toying with the TN crossover as time goes on. I obviously have no idea....WHEN or HOW, but it’s somewhere nebulously on my To-Do list. 

And, of course, the Disneyworld AU. One day, I will finish it. 

G. Where do you think you grew the most this year?

Honestly, I think the drabble challenge was a GREAT opportunity to throw myself into a variety of things that I NEVER would have considered before. I’ve gone from EXCLUSIVELY writing 1789 and Irish Mythology stuff to really working with anything that really vibes with me, which has been VERY exciting. And, between Le Cri, A Pressing Matter, and Back on the Shore, I’ve gotten several things that I’ve been talking about and tossing around for YEARS on the page and out there in some form or another. I’m still going to stick around 1789, of course, that’s still my BABY, but I really got the chance to work with a lot of things I’d have never normally have thrown myself into and had the chance to toy with my style in a way that I normally wouldn’t. 

M. Meta! Have any meta about a story you’re dying to throw out there?

Oh God, there’s ONE THING that I WANT to write the meta for but SPOILERS. That I don’t even know if it’s SPOILERS anymore. (I should honestly get into the habit of asking people “SO WHAT DO YOU THINK’S GOING TO HAPPEN NOW” like a thirteen year old who’s just uploaded their first Wattpad fic, but alas). But, since I’m working on PLP at the moment, have this: 

No, she gets no sleep tonight, her eyes locked on the bayonets as they gleam in the moonlight. She lays and waits and thinks.

Several hours later, a shot rings out in the dark. All the demons of Hell break loose, the only thought on Solène’s mind being that of another night, another volley of shots.

They mean to massacre them all.

The Queen has changed the King’s mind again and they will all be killed.

Every part of her knows it, screaming in her mind as they make their way for the Queen’s quarters, all else, all other thoughts disappearing.

A panicked voice asks them what they think they’re doing and another voice, she doesn’t know if it’s hers or one of the women with her, replies, “We’ll cut off her head, rip out her heart, fry her liver, and that won’t be the end of it!”

They are done with this, done with the queen, and they will take whatever they can get.

They have endured too much pain at this point to just curl up and die.

This wasn’t a fight they wanted to begin, but if it was a fight they needed to survive the night, they could give it to them.

They could give and give and give as they had always done, all of their lives.

A few guardsmen try to stop them, but they disappear beneath the wave of bodies flooding the palace. One of them breaks free, runs and pounds on the door, his bloodied hand staining the expensive, gilt wood as it slams against it before he’s tossed aside. “Save the Queen!”

A door slams ahead of them as they reach the room, the room itself is deserted, except for one woman who rushes in front of them all.

“I am the Queen!”

Solène recognizes the voice even before she can see her in the light of the torches, still wearing the clothing that she’d worn the night before, and she freezes.

So, for this section, I ripped a LOT from the historical record, as far as the threats the women made on the life of Marie Antoinette, the guard slamming on the door, the shot in the dark panicking the mob, BUT I also actually did look up at least one article on mob mentality to try to understand HOW someone would get involved with something like this. And the first thing I focused on was the INDIVIDUAL getting pushed aside in favor of the group. And the main way I ended up TRYING to get that to show through was in Solène’s reaction. 

At first, she starts off as a singular: “She lays and waits and thinks” “The only thought on Solène’s mind,” etc. But then, immediately AFTER that, as the panic sets in, she becomes a PLURAL, “They mean to massacre them all” “They will all be killed,” “they are done with this” “they have endured too much.” And it really reaches its height when they enter MA’s chambers, as she doesn’t even know WHO is speaking. It could’ve been her, it could’ve been the woman by her side, likewise with the guard who’s severely hurt (also, the “wave” of bodies, going back to the overall theme of water that’s there in PLP). She doesn’t know, because at this point, they’re one whole body acting out at the same time.  (There’s one brief point where Solène becomes a “her” again, but it’s only to say that her brain is NOT necessarily...its usual self, “all other thoughts disappearing,” which repeats what she’d also said when the shot first went off; she’s very much acting on INSTINCT here.) 

When does she become Solène again? When Olympe runs in front of her. She and Olympe are not a Thing per se, not at this point, even though Solène’s recognizing that she’s “a little bit in love with her,” but Solène does care enough for Olympe that she was able to be snapped out of it. In the chapter that I currently have sitting in my drafts and that SHOULD be published in the next day or so, there’s a bit where Olympe questions whether Solène would have continued on if she hadn’t been there. Solène says that she doesn’t know, because to HER this unlocked a part of herself that she didn’t really know was THERE, the kind of radicalism that she tends to associate with Ronan and the other revolutionaries (ESPECIALLY Maillard, who is kind of Ronan-By-Proxy here as a vanqueur of the Bastille who is ultimately ineffective when it comes to Solène’s complaints.) Personally? Even though I fully leave it up to interpretation, and everyone’s free to say “No, you’re wrong,” I wrote it with the idea that Solène probably would have done a Hell of a lot more harm had Olympe not been there. 

This is also fully intended as a parallel to Peyronan. (”NO, RACHEL, PEYRONAN ARE A THING? I HAD NO IDEA! THE SPOILERS!”) Both Peyrol and Solène had the same choice in this chapter, at its core: Their goal at hand, or the person they love. Peyrol let the army and his loyalty to the Monarchy get the better of him, Ronan ended up paying the price for it, and, as we see both at the funeral and at the trial at the beginning of the chapter...Laz is BROKEN by it. Solène doesn’t realize why he’s broken and even doubts that he is, because she doesn’t have the perspective, but...LOOK at him. He is not doing Well. He didn’t gain anything from what he did. In a snap-second decision, he chose his career and decades of indoctrination over Ronan, and he ended up losing both. Solène chose to break out of it and save Olympe, even if she was personally endangered by it. It doesn’t mean that one loved their person more than the other one, but it DOES mean that they get very different results. There’s a climb to the light for Laz as well, I’m not going to just...LEAVE him, but it’s going to be much, much longer than Solène’s. 

S. What’s the sexiest thing you wrote this year?

I’ll be honest: I know I have (2) Official Smut Fics to my name now, but I honestly don’t FEEL like anything I’ve written’s particularly SEXY so much as Describing Sex. This isn’t me being a Pretentious Literary Author who Does Not Write Porn, oh no; it’s that I genuinely don’t believe that what I write...qualifies as “sexy”. That being said, despite being only 100 words, “Honey Plunged Into Water” is probably the sexehiest. Which is hilarious because it’s also the kind of thing I would NEVER have written otherwise. There is one...unpublished fic for A Passage Through the Light that features Madame Roland/Marie-Anne that is....very, very gay and is probably honestly the sexiest thing I’ve ever written even without them actually doing the do. 

T. Themes, motherfucker, do you have them? What are they?

Earn Your Happy Ending, the question as far as the difference between society and what someone’s been conditioned to be like VS the individual, uncertainty, unease, that question of how much you really CAN know someone else, that general feeling of the calm before (or even during) the storm and how people can find intimacy then. There’s a lot of the gothic element there as far as the past, and the people who were THERE in the past, never really being...GONE from the narrative. Like, one way or another, they have the tendency to come back, whether it’s as a literal ghost or whether it’s just their skeleton buried underneath a tree somewhere. 

V. Which story was the most viscerally pleasing to write? Tell us your narrative kinks.

This is painfully predictable, but I THOROUGHLY enjoyed every second of writing Forgiveness. To this day, it’s probably the ONE piece of Peyronan stuff (besides Fowl Play!) that I’ve written where I’m, like, 95% happy with the final result, which is REMARKABLE for me. I really, really loved getting to WORK with their relationship and what makes it WORK at the heart of everything, the progression of it, the gradual increase in intimacy, the way they come to have that moment of “We’re in this one TOGETHER,” and an ending that’s HOPEFUL even though there’s still the ever-present promise of the Revolution in the background. All of that is a LOT of what I tend to like in my Peyronan to begin with, so it was really fantastic to just get that all out on the page. It’s one of those moments where I just want to gesture all over the page and go “THESE TWO LOVE EACH OTHER SO MUCH” even though they still have their bickering and their petty little moments. 

Another one that’s a WIP but that I feel’s far enough along to actually TALK about is the Fairy Tale AU (It has a name, but I tend to feel like announcing its name is jinxing it and I DO desperately want to get it out soon) and...it’s not my usual writing style, it’s not my usual way of doing things. There are some things that I do there that I wouldn’t necessarily do in a usual, realistic fic because it’s a FAIRY TALE that’s being given the 1789 treatment. It was really, really interesting to get to work with some of my favorite fairy tales, see some of the ways they’ve been told and retold throughout the years, especially looking for the ones that focus on commoner protagonists, elements of the gothic and dark fantasy mixed in there with the light. I’m not really that USED to getting to go wild, so it’s been a lot of fun to have one project where the research is less on the minutiae of 18th century life and more on...like....the similarities between the Italian and the Breton versions of The Travelling Companion folkstory. 

#janetcarter