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diana-andraste · 19 days
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Cover art for Ficciones (Fictions), Jorge Luis Borges, c. 1940s-50s
To a cat
Mirrors are not more wrapt in silences nor the arriving dawn more secretive; you, in the moonlight, are that panther figure which we can only spy at from a distance. By the mysterious functioning of some divine decree, we seek you out in vain; remoter than the Ganges or the sunset, yours is the solitude, yours is the secret. Your back allows the tentative caress my hand extends. And you have condescended since that forever, now oblivion, to take love from a flattering human hand. You live in other time, lord of your realm — a world as closed and separate as dream.
Jorge Luis Borges, trans Alastair Reid, 1977
A Un Gato
No son más silenciosos los espejos ni más furtiva el alba aventurera; eres, bajo la luna, esa pantera que nos es dado divisar de lejos. Por obra indescifrable de un decreto divino, te buscamos vanamente; más remoto que el Ganges y el poniente, tuya es la soledad, tuyo el secreto. Tu lomo condesciende a la morosa caricia de mi mano. Has admitido, desde esa eternidad que ya es olvido, el amor de la mano recelosa. En otro tiempo estás. Eres el dueño de un ámbito cerrado como un sueño.
Jorge Luis Borges
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ijustkindalikebooks · 2 months
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“Stories, like people and butterflies and songbirds' eggs and human hearts and dreams, are also fragile things, made up of nothing stronger or more lasting than twenty-six letters and a handful of punctuation marks. Or they are words on the air, composed of sounds and ideas-abstract, invisible, gone once they've been spoken-and what could be more frail than that? But some stories, small, simple ones about setting out on adventures or people doing wonders, tales of miracles and monsters, have outlasted all the people who told them, and some of them have outlasted the lands in which they were created.” ― Neil Gaiman, Fragile Things: Short Fictions and Wonders.
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John Carnell (editor) - New Writings in SF5 - Corgi - 1971
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white-sun-ou · 6 months
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An acquaintance?
Hello reader. You got into my original universe, where I create pictures and write fictions about my characters. I want to try blogging about it in Russian and English, so now we're going to get acquainted!
In the "white sun" universe there are three main characters and a lot of minor ones. It all started when my friends and I decided to play D&D with a modern setting, that's when my main character Issi Ninak appeared. I will write separate posts about each of the characters in more detail later!
Pictured here is Issi when he was a teenager. Welcome to the "white sun"! ***
Знакомство?? Привет, читатель. Ты попал в мою оригинальную вселенную, где я создаю картинки и пишу фанфики о своих персонажах. Я хочу попробовать вести блог об этом на русском и английском, так что сейчас мы будем знакомиться! Во вселенной "белого солнца" три главных персонажа и множество второстепенных. Всё началось с того, что мы с друзьями решили сыграть в D&D с современным сеттингом, тогда и появился мой главный персонаж — Исси Нинак. Подробнее о каж��ом из персонажей я напишу позже отдельные посты! На картинке Исси, когда был ещё подростком. Добро пожаловать в "белое солнце"!
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I wrote my thesis largely on short stories from this book by Borges. It was amazing to reread them in his city.
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pani-puri-pavilion · 2 months
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That urge to get talli and fall in someone's arms>>>>
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stories-me · 1 year
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Potential Character for Mrs. Kelsey and Tumblr 12/8/2022: 
 Viv, Orc Fighter-Turned-Barista: 
 Appearance: (See above). 
What she’s from: Legends and Lattes. 
What she might be in: Something for Dungeons & Dragons, I guess. 
Background: 
Originally a professional adventurer (specifically a fighter), this Orc ultimately decided to retire and find a new vocation. She ultimately discovered coffee, and decided to open a café (never mind that most of her area of the world had never even HEARD of coffee before). 
Since then, her café (dubbed “Legends and Lattes”) has grown, gaining two other employees and finding new recipes for the customers (the idea to “ice” coffee came from a student at the nearby wizarding academy mentioning that he wasn’t all that interested in “hot drinks”). 
Although there are criminals in her neighborhood, she’s hesitant to actually fight, fearing that it would ruin her retirement. 
How she is like me: 
We don’t exactly want to fight others (or, in my case, lash out at others), and we both want to do some good stuff. I want to one day write a novel, and I try to stop myself from lashing out with calming strategies like Prana Breathing and petting Smokey. 
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alwaysthefool · 26 days
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(I don’t write all of these, but would like to know most people’s preferences!)
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stevesorgasmicriffs · 1 month
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i love the trope of “rockstar with a damaged, troubled past (usually family/marriage related) now years later as an old(er) man finding and rediscovering joy through the utilization of modern technology and enjoying simple pleasures that the rest of us take for granted, almost as if they’re rekindling their childhood unfairly lost, easily gotta be one of my faves
*bonus points if they also fit the looks like they commit acts of violence but acts like a cinnamon roll trope*
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iamnmbr3 · 11 months
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Me when I’m reading a story and everything seems to be going well and the plot seems to be winding down but then I check and see I’m still far from the end:
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xyzspacious · 2 months
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I read and love mangas, comics, fictions,... Thank you wonderful story tellers in writing and drawing. Wish every little boy and girl in good time or life hardship have enjoyment and betterment of inspiring story books.
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lupinusalbus · 1 year
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Whitewashing of DT in Fanfiction
I don't read a lot of fanfiction, although there are a few I've enjoyed thanks to the references I've seen on this site. But I recently have looked at a couple of Jon/Dany fics which rewrite season 8. I was curious, so I took a look at them.
In these pieces, Dany has been totally transformed into a sympathetic character by making some changes from S8 such as:
Changing her motive for being in the North with Jon from what was presented in her ambiguous conversation with Sansa in the library at Winterfell. In fanfiction Dany's motives are being presented as "selfless." Her lines about her ambition for taking the iron throne are softened and deleted.
Sansa is presented as being grateful to Dany for coming North. Their relationship is friendly and cordial, with Sansa happy that Jon has "found someone."
Dany is apologetic to Samwell Tarley for executing his father and brother. She tries to gain Sam's sympathy, explaining that she was mistreated by her brother and sold to a warlord.
When the truth about Jon is revealed, Dany is grateful that she is "not alone anymore" as a Targaryen.
Sansa thinks Jon only needs time to "come to terms" with his sexual relationship with Dany. Then all will be well between the two of them.
I skipped around a lot, but DT usually survives King's Landing, and she and Jon end up ruling together. I don't think any of this is ever going to happen in the books. As much as I disliked some of the show's twists and turns, there's no way that D&D would have changed the ending from GRRM to this extent.
Something I find really interesting is that all of this acknowledges that the character of Sansa is very key to the Jon/Dany plot. It is necessary for Sansa to either be made into a ruthless, vindictive villain, or else for her to be totally sympathetic to Dany in order for these "fictions" to function. I think it likely from what was presented on the show that Sansa is going to reveal Jon's identity as a way of destabilizing Dany and of protecting Jon from himself. Jon will choose Sansa and the Starks. That "thread" from the show strikes me as being very authentic. The consequences for Jon and Sansa are something they will both have to grapple with.
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visionsofmagic · 2 years
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― desired supe [chapter 3]
[previous chapter] [next chapter]
a/n: a long time passed since the last chapter, so, sorry for delay. also please let me know about your thoughts of the story in comments section!
enjoy the story!  
love. rose <3 [requests open for star wars (obi, and ani especially), the boys and dc as well!]
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summary of the chapter: you join to the new seven but it’s look like you will have hard times in both the boys and seven’s team. also, Butcher have a plan about Victoria.
word count for the chapter: 2.6k
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  All of the eyes turned to the door to see their first new member for Seven. Their dirty, judgmental and ambitious eyes ran all over your body, making you shiver in disgust. Even if you were a supe, you didn’t like being a supe and you never liked other supes either. So, looking their eyes with a fake smile on your face was nothing but disturbing. You had to remind yourself that this was a mission and you had to act as the plan.
Keeping fake but warm smile on your face, you said, “Hi. I am Y/n, your new member. It’s nice to meet with you all.”
‘No it is not’, you said to yourself. Looking at their faces made your stomach crumble. They looked so bad. Anyone could understand their pride and greed by just looking their faces. They felt like Gods of this world, like they could do anything they want. Even if they didn’t show greed and pride as much as Homelander shows, you knew that they had same features as Homelander but they couldn’t show it because everyone in this room knows how Homelander will treat them if they make him less superior than themselves. Fear of Homelander ran in their veins, bloods and brains. Fear of making Homelander mad at them. You pitied them; not because they had no power as supes, but because they used their powers to kneel before Homelander. Their choices were bad. They could be a team to take down Homelander because Maeve showed that Homelander wasn’t a God, he could bleed and he did. If they were not dumbass, they could take down him before these things happened.
Moving away from your own thoughts, you saw Homelander was looking at you directly, his elbows resting on desk to hold his head on his united hands. If he had not a bad personality, you could say he was looking handsome and gentle but a little bit.
While his eyes burning your skin, the woman whose name is Ashley as Butcher said five days ago smiled widely. “Welcome to the Seven.” Her tone sounded sincere but her eyes looked opposite. She turned to Homelander who is keeping looking at you directly without caring others’ opinions on him. “You could not be expected to choose anyone other than such a good candidate for the Seven, sir.”
You cringed as Ashley called Homelander with ‘sir’ title but your focus was on something else; Homelander chose you to be new member. You knew that he had last decisions of every situation but you didn’t expect him to accept you as a new member of the team by himself. After talking with him five days ago, Ashley came to his side and told him that there was an urgent situation to look at. Homelander left you without saying a single word making you and the boys think that your job didn’t work on him. After that day, some time past and a few people called you from Vought to tell you that you accepted to the team, making all of you surprised because you didn’t expect that. With his arrogant smile, Butcher said, ‘I knew that they will accept you. This bastard just loves praising and you gave him that.’ To you, and you knew he was right. Homelander just wanted a person right beside him who will praise him. He needed that, especially after had so many humiliating moments in the past months.
Homelander didn’t respond Ashley and continued to looking at you. You didn’t know why but his eyes began to burn your skin. You couldn’t decide whether feel disturbing emotions or scorching ones because even if you didn’t want to admit, this man knew how to make you both uncomfortable and excited at the same moment.
The fish guy looked at Homelander, and gulped. It was not a secret that he was the person who licks his feet the most. The boys told you how this guy followed Homelander’s orders without thinking twice. Before he can jump into words, fastest guy on the planet turned to you, “A-Train. Welcome.” He looked so broken. His voice was so low that if you were not a supe, you couldn’t hear him. His voice was low because he was tired, mentally, not because he was afraid of Homelander that much.
Deep smiled at you, to your surprise. He looked so silent before A-Train welcomed you. He needed confidence to welcome you like A-Train did without being afraid of Homelander’s respond. He got his confident after A-Train’s little talk and Homelander’s silent attitude to the boy. “Welcome to our team Ms. Y/n.” You nodded to him. “Thank you to all of you.”
Homelander’s silence made Deep’s confidence increase. He stand up with his new confidence. You clearly saw marks of lust in his eyes. This guy was a pervert, as Annie said to you. She said he fucked a octopus. Also, you knew how he treated Annie when she came here for the first time. It was disgusting, and you told Annie that you will make him suffer in pain more than other members. You didn’t show any of your feelings about him to look like you didn’t give shit but you were ready to take him down if he would try anything disgusting on you. When Deep stepped in front of you, he showed his hand towards you to greet you, a smirk took place in his face. “It’s pleasure to meet with new members, especially gorgeous ones like you.” You didn’t want to greet him by touching him but you had to act. You looked at him with a little smile. You were about to greet him when you heard Homelander’s dominant voice right behind you. His body wasn’t touching you but you felt an overwhelming feeling from his built body towards you. ‘He is fast’ you thought.
“Deep.” He sounded so dangerous even if he was smiling a little. The whole room tensed with his voice. Ashley and A-Train stretched where they are like Homelander’s visible anger was for them. “I will be pleased to hear that your attitude towards Anni is not the same towards our new member, Y/n.” Deep gulped. Some sweats appeared in his forehead. He lowered his hand immediately. His lustful smile turned to a regretful and tense one in a moment. You could see his shaking hands, fast beating heart rhythms, and building nervous inside his body systems. “Definitely not, sir. I am not that person anymore. Everyone knows that, right?” He turned to Ashley and A-Train who are watching the whole situation in tense while holding their breaths. He needed a back-up, clearly but they were not going to give him any.
“I don’t care what person you are, Deep.” Homelander’s voice was calmer this time. “I just care what personality you display in front of our new member.” Deep nodded. “I will do my best, sir.”
“I hope so.” This was last warning for Deep. Then, Homelander turned to others. “Leave.”
Everyone in the room rushed to the door after Homelander’s order. You watched them disappearing one by one, after looking at you with a little concern. They had a little bit humanity inside them, but it was not enough. Even after their leaving, Homelander stayed in his feet, right behind you. It was like he tried to dominant you with his posture but your heart beats showed that you were not scared of him. Both you and Homelander knew that. You wondered if this made him angry or excited. After a silence, you turned to him. His piercing eyes were looking directly at you.
“I should leave too Mr. Homelander.” You said to him with an innocent voice. He smiled, “I told you to call me without Mr. title.” You nodded, “My bad, Homelander. I will be careful next time.”
You kept looking at his eyes directly for a few seconds. Your aim was to show him how you felt around him; brave and confident, not afraid of him. You nodded to him while smiling. You turned to the door to leave room but Homelander’s now a little bit irritated voice made you stay in your place. “I didn’t give you permission to leave.”
He wanted you to obey him, respect him and most importantly, know that he was superior.
But you wanted him to know that you didn’t do any of these things. He chose you to join and from now on he would know your importance in the Vought. With a smirking you turned to him, “And I didn’t ask for one.”
He was shocked. It was all over his handsome face. He didn’t except you to go against him and your calm heart beats were not helping. You turned your steps towards him. You stood right in front of him and your right hand placed in his face that burns the skin you touch, taking advantage of his stunned posture. Now, he looked more shocked. It was like no one touched him in this way and as gentle as you. Curiosity about how his life went and what he's been through so far has gripped him to make him turn this awful person ran all over your mind.
“Let's be sure about one thing,” Your eyes met with his blue ones, “I am not taking order from anyone.” You smiled. “I am here to stay beside you, not behind you or under you.” Your forefinger caressed his cheek, “Don’t forget this, Homelander.”
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  “You really did that!? Oh mon Dieu [oh my god] – ” Frenchie’s surprised tone filled the room, making you chuckle.
“You are really amazing Y/n.” Hughie smiled widely, pointing you to Annie who is staying beside him. Both looked at you with happiness in their eyes. “Right Annie?” Annie nodded to him, “Right.”
M.M. said, “I would like to see his face too.” to you. “It would be more fun than seeing that disgusting Herogasm event.” Annie nodded to him in agreement while Frenchie looked like M.M. betrayed him, “Oh mec [oh man], you are really have not good taste.”
Then, Kimiko made some hand movements to Frenchie and they began to talk separately from you. Hughie and Annie did the same and M.M. turned to job he was doing before your arrival. That one person who listened you but didn’t say anything stayed in his chair, doing his same paper works. After others turned to their own business, you didn’t see any harm to sit with that certain person. He was a hard person to adjust but you really wondered his thoughts because most of the time, his speech affected you in a good way, making you think with other aspects of the situations.
His eyes didn't stop on you even when you sat on the chair directly opposite him. His job that he was working on was not important to your knowledge. It was a mystery why he wasn't looking at you directly. “I feel like you began to regret to bring me here.”
Your question made him smirk, “I don’t regret anything honey.” The fact that he continued to use the nickname he gave you was also an indication that he continued to sympathize with you. So, you didn’t pay attention to his full of ego reply. You smiled warmly for the first time in this day. It was real one. He made you feel calm to your surprise. You and Butcher became more friendly thanks to your times in the flat. It looked like your personalities matched even if they were completely different. Even Annie told you how she was surprised to see Butcher show some good sides of him that much to a person rather than Hughie.
“Then why are you trying to avoid me?” You asked.
“I don’t do that either. You are just dreaming these things by yourself.”
You shrugged, “Whatever you say.” Then, a peaceful silent occurred between you and your attention turned to his face features. His swarthy face, filled with stubble, was marked by a grin that might appear at any moment. He showed this grin a lot. However, there were also visible traces of how he was broken. Unlike Homelander, his broken traces touched the depths of your heart. Butcher looked more human than Homelander even if they tried to hide them. Butcher was trying to bury the hurt side of him because of the past events, while Homelander was hiding the pain of never fully understanding what breaking soul is. These two men looked so alike even if they would deny this.
“I know how good-looking I am but if you will continue looking at me, please do that another time. I have a job to do.” Both of you knew that there was no job for him to do, but his cheeks turning slightly pink and the sweating of his hands showed the effect of your gaze. He tried to hide this with his sassy sentences. To tease him, you said, “You looked so confident in that elevator but you want me to stop looking at you. It’s strange.” With a smirk. It took him to understand what you are referring to. After realizing, he turned to you for the first time after you came to flat. He dared you to look anything else but his eyes with his posture. Leaning back against the back of his chair, he looked you up and down shamelessly. It was time for your cheeks to turn pink. This man had no shame but unlike Deep’s lustful and disturbing looks, Butcher’s eyes made you feel good.
He accepted your teasing by returning it to you, “If you want, I can turn into that day for an instant honey.” You shook your head negatively, “I didn’t say I want it.” Your voice was defensive. He used your trick on you, you didn’t like it. Butcher really was harder than Homelander to dominant.
“You didn’t say you don’t want it, either.”
He really was making your core shiver. It was intriguing how he affected you this way, except for all the other people. He was new in your life but he sure took a damn place in it.
When you were about to say something, Hughie came to your sides, a nervous smile placed in his innocent face, “I think you should look at this.” Three of you went to the couch, staying in front of the TV. Others already took their places in the couch before you. Hughie sat on the arm of the chair, right next to Annie. You and Butcher stayed behind the couch, on your foot. A reporter’s tensed face was on the TV and just behind him, Vought’s capital letters was visible. “According to the information I got from our channel, many protesters have already started to set up camp in front of the Vought building. They want Homelander to pay what he is done to a man months ago.” They showed crowded this time but reporter continued to talk, “You can clearly see how many of them.” Then, camera turned to other sides and another crowded came to the scene with their banners inside their hands. “And ‘the Protectors of Homelander’ as they call themselves came to defend Homelander’s rights – “ “Like he has rights.” M.M. is interrupted the reporter and all of you nodded except Butcher who is listening the news carefully.
“Vought hasn't made a statement yet but we know that new president candidate Victoria Neuman will make a seminar tomorrow.”
After his last sentence, Butcher said, “We have to deal with her.” In an annoyed tone. All of you agreed again in union. Then, Butcher turned to you, smirked, “I have a plan.”
This was going to be bad, you knew it.
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<3
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isavedyouthewaltz · 11 months
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'You have two faces,' she said, astonished. 'That's not allowed. You can only wear once face at a time.' -Tove Ditlevsen The Faces
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fieriframes · 1 year
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[Karolina, meat pierogi! Perhaps we are all fictions, father, in the mind of God. You feel like you're in a piece of Europe.]
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adder24 · 1 year
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Wreckage
Part 1| Part 2| Part 3|Part 4|Part 5|Part 6
Rating: 15+ Because cussing and gore Authors notes: This is some original fiction that I have wrote and been developing for 20+ years. Welcome to the world of reapers
Summary: To say open season being declared on the reapers was the worst thing to happen to them, is a pretty underwhelming statement. To say Open season being declared was more of a shit storm, is a little more accurate.
Warnings: More blood people!
This is available on Wattpad so if you are a member or have an account, please, I encourage you to leave a comment :) Tales from the reapers scythe Wattpad link
Tagging mutuals but please do tag on, reblog, comment, whatever you need to do :) Story beneath the cut.
@nuggsmum​ @untilthe12ofnever​ @the-boneyard-rider​ @littletime67​ @bonnie131313​ @scnewztown​ @bliphany​ @wholesome-dragon-lady​ @plinkitee​ @imnotrevealingmyname​ @imelopsittacus​ @sunrise68​ @stingalingaling​ @mother-of-a-murder​ @izhunny​ @littlefreya​ @nuggsmumreads​ @myfriendtheurbanlegend​ @reeselivesforeverinmyheart​​ @frenchfrostpudding​ @hellostickerdoodle
To say Open season being declared on the reapers was the worst thing to happen to them, is a pretty underwhelming statement. To say Open season being declared was more of a shit storm, is a little more accurate.
Adder and Lee managed to get the boy to safety, staying out of sight when the family he knew answered the door but it still didn't stop every single reaper in the world having a bounty on their heads. The Banished relished every moment of it. Of course the finger of blame was being directed towards Lee and Adder and as usual, Adder was taking his frustrations out by violent means. More barrels were damaged, more walls cracked and Lee was exhausting every option he had in order to calm him down, nothing was working and Lee feared the beast within would be making a permanent residence.
So Lee resorted to something obscure, a means to put all of that pent up aggression into something productive. A project if you will. See what you didn't know about Lee, is that the man has a love for American muscle cars. We're talking about Plymouth Barracudas, Mustangs, Impalas, Chevelle 454's, Dodge Challengers and Chargers. It was a passion he shared with Adder and he knew the other man's favourite car, one that always stopped the man dead in his tracks whenever it rode past.
A ninety sixty eight Dodge charger RT, specifically in black.
There was no way Lee would be able to get one brand new, so he went one better, he found one at the bottom of the hudson, paid someone to retrieve it and brought it back to the warehouse and boy was it in a state.
It had clearly been in the saltwater for some years, The paintwork had been stripped from the body, the body itself was rusty, brittle and crumbling away, the chassis had seen better days and as for the seats and furnishings, well they were just rotten, smelling, disgusting and destroyed. To add to all the problems, the once loud and proud V8 engine was seized, silencing the beast altogether; It was a sad sight to see, one that would make a car enthusiast's heart sink but Lee was sure it was in good hands, despite the fact none of them had an ounce of mechanical experience.
"She just needs a bit Love" Lee said proudly
"A bit of love? Lee she's practically dead" Adder retorted
"Well if she is dead, she will rise like a Phoenix from the watery grave" Lee replied happily
"How? We have no experience with these things." Adder asked
"No but there are reapers who do. I know one and he does amazing Greek food too." Lee replies as he pats his shoulder happily "Will help you focus that anger into something productive"
"Just looking at it is making me angry and you know what....I'm gonna wash it, make it slightly less of a tip"
"There you see, it's working" Lee replied cheerily
"You're not funny Lee!"
How they would find time to fix it up was beyond Adder's understanding but if he made a start on the car, it would be a small step in the right direction. Washing it would be therapeutic, ridding it of all the gunk it dredged out of the Hudson would be a fresh start, a new beginning for the beast's rotting corpse. Symbolic in a way but Adder didn't really think about that, he just wanted to clean it up and get rid of the river pong that lingered around the car.
It took him hours, cleaning it down, scrubbing it to within an inch of its life and working his job as a reaper but it was done and Adder felt a sense of satisfaction when it was no longer stinking of the Hudson. The thing was, once Adder got going, he didn't really know when to stop. He was up till the early hours of the morning, stripping out the seats and the interior before collapsing on his bed at four in the morning and waking up again at nine when he could smell bacon being cooked.
It was a smell that could quite literally wake the living dead but as Adder rose from his bed and made his way to the kitchen, he sensed a sullen atmosphere around Lee. Something had happened while he was burning the midnight oil.
"You'll burn yourself out if you are not careful," Lee said to him softly. "Did you sleep okay?"
"Yeah...slept like a log. Is everything okay Lee?"
"More reapers were attacked during the night by hunters, souls are becoming lost because these attacks are either disrupting the judgement process or they are stopping reapers from getting there in time. The balance is being rocked by these inconsistencies and I don't know how much longer we can keep it stable" Lee replied quietly
This sombre Lee unsettled Adder, he was used to the jovial, happy go lucky Lee that always had a way of cheering Adder up, not this Lee, the Lee that was looking defeat in the face and quietly accepting their fate. The hunters wanted blood for the family that was almost vanquished by the Banished but somewhere down the line, wires were crossed and their bloodlust was directed at the reapers, not the white eyed monsters that plagued them.
"Who was the family the Banished almost wiped out?" Adder asked
"The Woodman family, Hunters that were held in high regard, very respected and had a very long history of hunting, losing that kind of knowledge and that threat has an affect"
"Then we need to prove our innocence" Adder suggested, determination In his voice.
"And how do you suggest we do that? Do you think the Hunters will spare you a minute to plead?! They want blood Minari, not excuses or stories. Blood!" Lee snapped as he slammed down the fish slice "When the lead hunter speaks they listen. Why do you think reapers have been working in groups right now?"
"Well I'm not going to sit around and let this witch hunt go on, we have been given a bad name since day one and I have been seen as cursed since I stepped into this life. One way or another I am going to clear our names!" Adder growled in retaliation.
"So what are you going to do? Hmm? Bait yourself? Jasper Lockheart takes every chance he gets to bring down his prey. He gets a chance with you he will take it and he won't be gentle" Lee warned
"Then so be it" Adder replied angrily as he grabbed his scythe and headed to his first call of the day.
It left Lee frustrated, he knew the dangers the hunters possessed, especially Jasper but Adder was at breaking point and he was not willing to listen. He was determined to put things right and although Lee admitted it was a sign of a good leader, he was also worried it would get Adder into trouble. He was going by experience of course, remembering when he was in Adder's position, always striving to prove a point and ended up making mistakes, getting into fights or finding himself in some kind of trouble, yet his master didn't interfere, he allowed him to have his space and to make those mistakes, so that Lee could learn from them and this was exactly what Lee was.doing with Adder. Adder Angry was never a good idea but if he learned how to control that rage, Lee knew he would make an excellent Leader one day and it would help him have better control over the beast within.
Lee went about his own duties that day, providing support for Puma, of all reapers. The man still cursed him for making Adder a reaper but the finger of blame wasn't completely directed at Lee and Adder, the hunters had their share of the blame too. The topic all day was how this all stank, how the facts didn't seem to add up and that the Banished, the reapers worst enemy, had mastermind this to slow the reapers down. It Thoroughly pissed Puma off,
"Something stinks about all this" Puma grumbled as they walked towards Times Square, squeezing through crowds of people "You heard the man tell his son to not hunt us, you heard him forgive us and yet they still want our blood. Pisses me off" He growled
"And Adder is determined to prove our innocence" Lee replied
"How? He's gonna go knock on their door and do a reenactment in the form of Ballet? Come on Lee you know the hunters, they're pig headed and stubborn" Puma asked annoyed
"And so is Adder, he's determined." Lee Iterated
"No offence but does he have a death wish? Jasper Lockheart isn't a hunter you mess about with. If he can take a shot, he will and he will make you suffer great amounts of pain. I heard the shit he does to his prey, it ain't nice"
"That's the least of my worries right now Puma, the balance is becoming difficult to maintain, Adder is becoming more and more angry at the world and the Banished are growing in numbers. Maybe Adder has the right idea... if we prove our innocence we can at least call a truce with the hunters, maybe use them to help" Lee suggested
The suggestion caused the lightbulb to turn on in Puma's head as he paused and looked at Lee, wagging his finger at him.
"You know that ain't a bad idea! If we can hold counsel with them we can work this plan." Puma replied excitedly
"One problem." Lee replied
"Adder" Puma interjected
"We need eyes on him, we need to stop him doing something stupid while we try and resolve this amicably"
"I can get my guys to keep tabs, alert me when they see him, can even use Siren to lure him" Puma mentioned as he approached a hot dog stand and ordered two. "You know Siren has a way with the opposite sex, it's why she got the name"
"I remember when I first came here, I lost everything, was starting again, finding my way and you sent her in to size me up." Lee replied with a smirk as he took his hot dog "She almost had me"
"Yeah but she underestimated you, told me that the Samurai were a different breed. Had no clue what she was on about till I met you and you kicked my ass." Puma replied as he bit into his food
"And we have had an odd relationship ever since" Lee chuckled
"Damn straight"
You'd think it would be straight forward, that Adder would be that angry he'd get seen and Lee and Puma could conduct a counsel with Jasper. You'd think that wouldn't you? Well it didn't happen like that. Adder didn't want to be found and he made sure to stay out of the way. There were no sightings of Adder the whole day, Puma even sent some teams out to see if they could find him but there was nothing, not even breadcrumbs to say he had made an appearance. Like I said, if Adder didn't want to be found, he'd find ways to stay out of sight.
He'd been out all day, he never returned for a hot meal or to soak in the old tin bath to ease aching limbs. Instead it was meals on the go, taking fruit from stalls when the opportunity arose and drinking from water fountains. Basic survival means while he dodged contact with other reapers and now that the sun was setting, he could make his way to Central park and wait.
He knew Lee was against his plan, he knew that this plan could get him killed but if he didn't try, a fate worse than death would be waiting for them all.
He set up camp within the wooded area near the Bethesda fountain and waited patiently for midnight. He watched as the steady stream of people passing through slowed down and turned into a trickle before it became eerily quiet, the only sound being that of the water cascading down from the intricate fountain.
Adder checked his watch, noting he had five minutes to move into position. He grabbed his scythe and made his way to the fountain, making sure he could be seen clearly, baiting himself for the Hunters. He hoped they would aim their weapons at him and let him talk, he hoped they would be understanding to some degree and he hoped they wouldn't be hostile.
Hope was all he had but the hunters didn't really see it that way. Puma was right about Jasper. He saw a chance and he took it. Out of nowhere Adder was hit in the chest with a bolt from a crossbow. The short stubby arrow was black with red fletchings and Adder was about to take it out, till he was hit again, causing him to scream out in pain as another bolt struck his shoulder. His scythe dropped from his grip and bounced on the ground and in that time, the bastard known as Jasper had shot him another two times, one in the left thigh and one in the right, stopping Adder in his tracks.
Jasper got a kick out of watching Adder fall and as Adder lay there, exposed, vulnerable and in tremendous amounts of pain, Lockheart's hunters emerged and surrounded the fallen Reaper. His scythe was within reach but as he went to grasp it, a boot stepped on his hand, breaking bones and causing Adder to growl in agony.
"They say a reaper can be undone by his own weapon" Came a gravely southern drawl voice, "Always wanted to test that theory myself"
Adder managed to turn his face to the voice and was greeted with the face of Jasper Lockhart. Scarred, weathered and emotionless. He tipped the peak of his stetson to reveal the piercing icy blue eyes and the deep scar on his forehead, caused by a beast wanting his head. His beard was as white as snow, trimmed and tidy.
"The other thing they say about the scythe is that it can burn those that are not its assigned owner" Jasper gruffed as he pulled on some thick, black, industrial welding gloves. "So I came prepared"
He picked the scythe up with ease and gazed upon the blade, smirking a little as his eyes darted back to Adder.
"Why did your people kill the Woodmen Reaper?" He asked calmly
"We didn't!" Adder growled as he managed to yank out one of the bolts from his thigh, the bones in his hand healing and snapping back into place at a fast pace "We noticed our scythes reacting to the slaughter, we knew something was off and went to where the Scythe led us. When we got there, the Banished were taunting the Father and the small boy, who we saved...we were just too late for the others"
"Reapers are deceptive. You expect me to believe this tall tale of the banished? What even are they?" Jasper replied as he began to circle Adder.
"They are the reapers who followed the path of myth and lore...the ones who deceive, kill when they shouldn't and get greedy. Only unlike Myth and lore, they have white eyes, no pupils nothing...just an empty white gaze"
"Huh" Jasper said as he stopped in front of Adder "Can't say I've come across any" He said calmly
There was a brief moment, a moment where the steely blue eyes of Jasper held Adder's gaze. A moment where the man became unreadable, a moment where Adder dropped his guard.
Jasper had swiftly hooked the scythe into Adder's chest and slowly dragged the blade from his left shoulder to his right hip; For Adder it felt like an intense burning sensation, like he was being ripped open by a searing hot blade as blood oozed from the deep trench that carved into his chest.
"A reaper harmed by his own scythe is their own weakness, like superman and kryptonite. You become weak..almost mortal" Jasper said calmly as he eyed up the blade. "Sure I could take your head off if I wanted to...but I want you to suffer like you made Rick suffer."
"It wasn't us" Adder replied through gritted teeth, fighting the pain and trying to fight back the beast within.
"Lies. His last words condemned your kind" Jasper growled as he prepared to swing the scythe again.
Another blow would have put Adder at the door of his ancestors, his time as a reaper short lived but good old Lady luck stepped in, smiled and spared Adder in the most unlikely way. Lady luck came in the form of the man who made it clear he didn't like Adder, the man that would have happily started a fight in the middle of a busy Central Park.
Puma.
Adder didn't see what happened, he was too busy with his own fight to focus on what the other reaper was doing but he did hear his scythe drop to the ground, the blade bouncing a few times before finally settling. It allowed Adder to summon it while Puma and Jasper exchanged heated words.
"Ask the boy who saved him!" Puma growled "Or are you scared that your little fairytale about us is about to be blown wide open?"
"Only if you prove your ghost story about the white eyed nasties to be true" Jasper growled as he got right up in Pumas face and attempted to stare the man down.
"Take the subway line that runs under Brooklyn bridge, you'll get your proof. Oh and make sure you aim for the head and turn the bastards to ash" Puma replied, eyes still fixed on Jasper's.
"And if they are not there?" Jasper asked
"Oh they will be there...the starving ones always go there." Puma growled as Jasper began to back away, a smirk on his face.
"Know this...if you're lying to me reaper, we will make all of your lives a living hell" Jasper replied calmly
"Used to it!" Puma spat.
He watched as Jasper quietly ordered his hunters to walk away before looking back at Puma, a smirk etched on his lips.
"Don't fancy his chances" Jasper taunted before walking away.
As much as Puma wanted to rip the man's head off his shoulders, he had to restrain himself for the sake of the balance. He turned his attention to Adder and gently studied the trench left in his chest.
"Another blow like that and we'd have lost you for good" Puma gruffed "Not out of the woods though, we need to get you to a place of worship, get some holy water into that wound"
".....Lee.....where is Lee?" Adder groaned as he screwed up his face with pain.
"Left him at the other end of the park. Ain't got time to be worrying about that, we gotta move. Times ticking Adder." Puma ordered as he draped Adder's left arm over his shoulder and helped Adder up.
How Adder's innards didn't fall out at that point was a miracle but that wasn't Adder's concern. He was losing blood, severely injured and best up and yet his concern laid with the beast within that was fighting its way to the surface and Adder was in no state to fight it back. He needed Lee.
"GET. LEE!" Adder growled as blood started to ooze from his mouth.
"Alright...alright I'll get Lee but time is not on your side Adder." Puma replied as he helped Adder onto a bench, concerned with the amount of blood that was pouring out of his body.
"...It's not on your side either." Adder warned weakly, slumping to the side and struggling to keep awake.
He watched as Puma faded out, watching the whisps of black smoke circle in the air before disappearing. Once he knew Puma was out of sight, he laid himself across the bench, staring up at the stars as he tried to keep focus.
"You need me!" Said a deep voice from the shadows.
Adder smirked as he closed his eyes "Oh you talk now?" He asked himself, knowing the voice.
"I can buy you time" it growled
"At what cost? What do you want in return?" Adder asked before coughing up some blood.
"Polars head!" It barked.
"You'll get it... when I let you...if I let you...if we make it" Adder replied as he looked at his blood soaked hand.
"We will make it" It snarled
"You can't do anything!" Adder growled before screaming out in pain.
He then felt something placed over his chest, hands applying enough pressure to stem the bleeding, he then felt someone carefully take his scythe from his hand before he felt he was being lifted off the ground, carried like a child in distress. Adder clung onto them but he could feel his strength leaving his body with every passing second.
"Hold on Minari" He heard Lee say calmly
He wanted to tell Lee that the beast within wanted to bargain, wanted to break free in exchange of sparing his life but his body didn't give him the chance, he felt himself go lax before blacking out, falling into the silent black abyss. It felt like his soul was floating in a state of limbo, oblivious to what was happening around him. Quiet, eerie and cold but that would soon be gone when he heard something breathing in his ear.
"Wake up!" It snarled
Adder's eyes flew open, his breathing rapid as he tried to figure out his surroundings. He was laying on something flat, it was smooth like marble and cold to touch, above him was a bronzed canopy with turquoise inlays in the ceiling. The metal work, detailed and intricately put together. He then started to move his head around, noticing stained glass windows, high vaulted ceilings, benches, extravagant crosses and an Organ. He was in a place of worship and as he tried to figure out where he was, his thoughts were interrupted by hurried footsteps coming towards him.
"He's awake!" He could hear Lee say
"Lee... Where am I?" Adder asked weakly, wanting to get up.
"Stay still Minari, save your strength," Lee replied.
Puma rushed hurriedly alongside Lee, carrying a bowl filled with water in one hand while the other was gloved, holding Adder's scythe. Together they approached where Adder was laying and before Adder could protest, Lee quickly soaked some clean rags in the water and began to bathe the wound across Adder's chest.
For a moment it felt like the water was doing nothing to the trench that lay across Adder's chest but within seconds, Adder could feel the wound beginning to burn, like the wound was being cauterised by a searing, white hot poker. He gritted his teeth, tried to bite back the pain but it intensified, causing Adder to scream and flail his arms around. Puma was forced to restrain him as best as he could while Lee worked.
"It's holy water Adder, it's doing its job" Puma said hurriedly
"It feels like fucking bleach!" Adder growled as his body arched and squirmed
"It's clearing the poison from your blood" Lee replied
"Poison?! He struck me with my own scythe! There was no poison!" Adder snapped
"When you are struck by your own weapon, your powers become restrained, limited as a means of punishment. Your blade turned against you, will poison you and the only way to rid the poison or curse is to come to a place of worship and clean the wounds with blessed water." Lee replied, still cleansing the wound.
There was a chance that Adder could curse some more, maybe even take the lord's name in vain a few times but all that came out of his mouth were screams of agony, wailings and choked back groans. He managed to stay conscious throughout the ordeal but by the end he was tired, the fight all but left him while Lee carefully wrapped the now cleansed and closed wound.
"Like many mortals who are cut deep, you will carry a scar as a mark of your mistake, This is a lesson Minari. A lesson you must learn about self control and restraint. You could have died tonight had we not come looking" Lee scolded as he placed the blood soaked rags into the now empty bowl.
"Hey take it easy on him Lee, he did what he had to" Puma replied, defending Adder.
"Says the man who believed him to be a curse." Lee replied
"Yeah you got me there but he put his life on the line to clear our names. You could say it was stupid, sure but at least he was willing to do something about it."
Lee wasn't always wrong but when he was, it was always a bitter pill to swallow, especially hearing it from a man who wasn't exactly the number one fan of his apprentice.
"Time will tell if he made the right choice or not. Let's get you home Minari, you need to rest, heal and learn to not be so headstrong" Lee said softly as he carefully helped Adder to his feet, draping one of Adder's arms around his shoulders while he wrapped one of his own arms around Adder's waist, supporting him.
"How are you gonna teach him that?" Puma asked as he handed Adder his scythe.
"By working on our little project," Lee replied with a smile.
Project Charger, as Lee would call it, would be the distraction Adder would need during his down time and the lesson of keeping a level head. Let's be honest, even the most experienced mechanic can still find a way to lose their mind when a car just refuses to work. All that aside, while Adder is laid up and made to rest, the hunters decided to take Puma up on the opportunity to encounter the banished. They took the subway, they went on the line heading towards Brooklyn and as Puma predicted, they were there.
The hunters thought it would be a trick, so they sent a small team of three experienced Hunters that had nothing better to do and out of that team, only one barely made it out alive.
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