#he went to the dark forest btw. for toying with the forces of life and death to achieve immortality. | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

peerless-soshi · 5 years

Note

Oh that's great, thanks for the reply :) Btw I'm that xiyao enthusiast from ao3 and I was wondering if you'd like to write something for my other less popular ships. So maybe 70/76 with fengqing or 41/94 for quanyin?

Rules: Send me two (2) tropes from this list + a ship and I’ll describe how I’d combine them in the same story.

QuanYin: First kiss + Hair Brushing/Braiding

Quan Yi Zhen hesitated, eyes dropping. Weird. He wasn’t sure what to do. Weird. He wasn’t sure what to do when shixong screamed at him, circled the room few times like a wind-up toy with no will in its moves, then sat down to get up again, cradling head in his hands. It was all too weird. He wasn’t used to seeing shixong lost, and the rareness of this situation made Quan Yi Zhen even more confused.

“Shixiong?”

“Why?” Yin Yu snapped. “Why did you save me? Why are you so stubborn?!”

Quan Yi Zhen understood one thing. Shixiong wasn’t happy about awakening in the Martial Palace of the West at all.

He was, in fact, angry. Very angry. His crossed arms and frown lines were giving a message: stay away from me.

It was like this: after he saved Yin Yu’s soul, Quan Yi Zhen lived on efforts, for years probably, to preserve his shixiong’s last breath and bring him back to life. None of gods knew why, or how, he was trying but who cares as long as shixiong came back.

Then it was like this: he made a choice to watch over Yin Yu’s body by himself. That demon – Red Rain Demon or something, he didn’t bother to remember stupid things – offered to help, but Quan Yi Zhen refused. No, it couldn’t be. He wouldn’t give up on Yin Yu, even if Yin Yu wished to hate him in return. It was fine. And for once, Quan Yi Zhen was patient. So patient. There had to be something, one thing, anything he could do to reward shixiong for all the moments when he had been irritating, disappointing, troublesome, himself…

And finally, it was like this: the Red Demon gave Quan Yi Zhen some advice as the nice prince followed them, an indulgent smile on his lips. Quan Yi Zhen liked him – sometimes the prince smiled just like shixiong. One of the things the Red Demon recommended was infusions, the other was pills bracing the spiritual energy, and then energy transmission… Quan Yi Zhen listened, and memorized. He could say that the prince was worried, but the vision of saving Yin Yu stole his attention away. Besides, could it be important?

“Yi Zhen?”

He bounced back to reality really fast. Yin Yu straightened, and Quan Yi Zhen saw him clearly. His face was exhausted and red, and his dark hair stuck to his brow in a sweat-damp strands. He looked a good deal older than before.

“Why?” Yin Yu repeated, slower this time. “You shouldn’t…” He cleared his throat. “I said what I had to say, and I did what I had to do. Things between us were over. But as usual, you had to interfere and…” His voice was hoarse with indignation, but not yet stripped of… gratitude, was it? Or shame?

Quan Yi Zhen was out of sorts. Their last conversation didn’t end well, this one was also swinging over a cliff. The art of speaking was one of many things shixiong had attempted to teach him, and had failed miserably. He couldn’t look into shixiong’s eyes, so he glimpsed the ajar window, and espied the darkening sky, dense and gravid with rain. It made him feel they were inside of storm even before the first drop burst forth. Thunders afar off, shixiong’s calm yet thunderous words in the room. After the battle with Jun Wu, they had taken the occasional black sky for a coincidence, because why wouldn’t they? Later they realized that without the emperor, the heaven was crumbling. Sometimes there were rain clouds, humid and lazy, and sometimes airy tufts of white snow shifting into flurries.

“Shixiong…” Quan Yi Zhen started, uncertain. And paused.

He felt a sudden stab of doubt: he couldn’t do it alone. What? What should he say for shixiong to stay? In the back of his head, his brain stopped and declined. Stupid brain. Stupid him. But he bit his lip and said what first came to his mind, “Shidi likes.”

Yin Yu’s eyes narrowed now, and a question reflected in them. “What do you like?”

“Shixiong!” Quan Yi Zhen responded. Is there any sense to ask such question? It sounded like there was something else worth liking beside shixiong.

Yin Yu stared at him. He shook his head in disbelief. “What did you just say?”

“Shixiong.”

“No, before that!”

“Shidi!” he said. And suddenly, it was as though his entire head was filled with emotions, all fear and blame, and if he didn’t shout it out he would explode. “Shidi likes shixiong! So shixiong, don’t be mad at me! Your shidi knows he’s incompetent and stupid, but without you, everything is even more stupid. Everyone else is stupid, heaven is stupid, your shidi is stupid, even fighting is stupid! Shidi is sorry, shixiong…” He turned to take a bow on the ground so violently that he hit his head, saw a burst of colorful sparks, left a crack on the floor and gave shixiong a little heart attack. The floor can be repaired. Then he folded his hands and went on, “Shixiong, please come back to your shidi. I can’t do anything without you. They make me do a lot of things that I don’t understand!”

If Yin Yu was shaking his head before, now his head looked like a windmill blow away in a storm; moving so fast it was one step away from breaking. Quickly, he ran to Quan Yi Zhen and knelt down beside him, putting hand on his shoulder. “What are you doing!? Get up now!”

“Shidi is sorry.”

There was a twist of uncontrolled worry on Yin Yu’s face, and when he realized it, his previous anger trailed off, then disappeared. He put Quan Yi Zhen on his feet, tenderly – he couldn’t help himself – and checked the scratch on his forehead. His finger was familiar, the pinching wound as well. So much like an older brother in cultivation, Quan Yi Zhen thought. As thought this gesture withdrew time, Quan Yi Zhen raised his head obediently, smiled, and he was a disciple again. And he was happier.

Yin Yu looked less happy. When he made sure Quan Yi Zhen was fine, his eyes flickered towards his clothes. He let out a huff of resignation. “Do you know how do you look like?”

Quan Yi Zhen knew what his shixiong saw: messy hair, dirty inner robes, the armor abandoned… somewhere. Quan Yi Zhen wasn’t sure where he had left it. His mind had been wrought with more important matters, so he couldn’t even recall the last time he had brushed his hair. As if to confirm his thoughts, Yin Yu reached out and picked a dry leaf out of a thicket of Quan Yi Zhen’s curls.

“You didn’t notice it?” he said, holding it up to show off its withered colors.

Truthfully, Quan Yi Zhen shrugged.

Yin Yu’s mouth actually fell open when he saw his shidi’s answer, but then his head hung. Impossible. It was impossible to expect more from Quan Yi Zhen. He was honest, and he was hated for it. He felt too free with himself to let others control him. And he was a little puppy lost in a big forest: he had his own world, so every step deeper into the brake of heavenly requirements made him undaunted, wilder, astray, and added more leaves to his hair.

“Sit down,” Yin Yu said, pointing slowly to the empty chair standing in the corner. His eyes stayed on it. The chair was brought here for Quan Yi Zhen to watch over him at nights. “Give me a comb. I can’t leave you like that.”

Quan Yi Zhen followed his instructions happily, fire in his soul; when he rushed out the room, he didn’t bother with opening the door but kicked it instead. It was so swift – a whistle of air and the hinges swayed and squeaked like black trees dancing outside. He made it in a second and he was back, sitting in an overly upright pose. Yin Yu walked up with a comb in his hair.

“You’re still such a child, Yi Zhen,” he said. It seemed as if he wanted to stroked Quan Yi Zhen’s head, a force of habit, but hesitated. There was his secret shame, and it has kept him away from shidi. “Do you even understand what you said earlier?” A small sigh escaped him. “Why do I ask? Of course you don’t understand. Talking about liking like a child… You must grow up and represent the heaven with dignity. It’s… your role now.”

“I don’t want it. And I like you.”

“Stop it,” Yin Yu said.

His tone was blunt, but it didn’t go hand in hand with his gestures. Quan Yi Zhen let his hair grow even longer once he had been left surrounded by worries, and it was wild and heavy now. Yin Yu gave it a little thought before he split his hair into thinner strands. The comb in his hand wailed, resisting.

They sank into silence filled by only comb strokes. There were so many things Quan Yi Zhen wanted to say, but even someone like him felt the weight of this moment and held his tongue. He only thought it was pleasant. A second or two it rested there: shixiong’s gentle hands, the feeling of being both seen and cherished. He had people who would help him. Sort of. But he didn’t want them, and they didn’t want him. Now his mouth curled with relief.

Yin Yu broke the silence first. “Again, I owe you something.”

“Me?” Quan Yi Zhen asked. “It is shidi who pays his debt. You saved my life. But even if you hadn’t saved me, shidi would have still tried to help shixiong.”

“Have you ever thought that I don’t want your help?”

“No?” Quan Yi Zhen said, sincerity in his voice.

Yin Yu didn’t answer, so he continued.

“Shixiong always said that shidi is irresponsible. Now I understand it and I’m taking responsibility for my actions. I brought shixiong back.”

“If you understood anything, you would take care of heaven’s issues, not me.”

“Shixiong is more important.”

“And that is why you’re such a child! Nothing can be more important than heaven to you!” Yin Yu growled in quiet ire.

He pulled too hard, and a small curl of hair stayed on the comb. Quan Yi Zhen hissed, unintentionally, and turned, rubbing his head. It wasn’t mean to be like this. No. He didn’t want to upset shixiong right after his awakening.

Yin Yu froze. There was an irritated sign, and a blush crossing his face. “You have no idea how many thoughts can appear in your head before… leaving. I don’t want to blame you, so…”

As he said it, Yin Yu’s eyes fell on Quan Yi Zhen’s face. What he found was, just like on that memorable day, the taste of tears and panic dancing on the surface of his gaze. Quan Yi Zhen looked terrible – thought, this “terrible” was still on the line of a childish call, so innocent, so colliding with their situation. Then a lightning struck, shaking the palace walls.

Yin Yu gestured to the window. “What’s going on here?”

“Everything goes bad without the emperor. The power in heaven is not stable,” Quan Yi Zhen explained, not hiding the bored tone of repeating after someone.

“And you decided to waste your time on me?”

Yin Yu laughed bitterly, but he bent over Quan Yi Zhen’s hair again, now combing it gently with his fingers. Quan Yi Zhen could feel him combing out knots when the teeth of the comb refused to cooperate, stuck between the curls like in a crown of tree. He was slow; one hair after the another, patiently, with care…

Quan Yi Zhen closed his eyes. “Wasted? What are you talking about? Shixiong knows best what to do. Who is as responsible as you?”

Yin Yu shook his head. He tried to stay teacher-patient, but it wasn’t easy. “I am a fallen god. I can’t help you. Just leave me alone and focus on your duties.”

“I don’t want duties. I want to be with you!”

Yin Yu let out a small breath. “Not everyone deserves what they want. Time to understand it.”

A chill snacked up Quan Yi Zhen’s spine. Piercing, so reminding. He thought again of the day shixiong was exiled, of laughs, and nights spent on empty sleeping. “No,” he said simply. “Nobody deserves this position more than shixiong.”

Yin Yu ignored him completely. He weighed Quan Yi Zhen’s hair in his hands and let it go. More pleased with his work, he wove a single long braid.

“Old days are gone. Nothing will change that. Besides, how do you imagine it? I am banished.”

Quan Yi Zhen’s eyes finally sparkled. “There is no emperor! Nobody can tell you to leave!”

He turned to face Yin Yu, his shoulders straight and hands clasped in his lap. His whole figure seemed to vibrate, like ignited, and Yin Yu looked dazzled by his smile. This enthusiasm was catching. It passed from his skin to Yin Yu’s when he grabbed shixiong’s wrist and stood up.

“You can stay here. That prince is here too, right?”

Yin Yu just looked at him blankly. “He worked for it. I don’t even have spiritual power.”

“I can help!”

The chain of events that followed that confession appeared to go together with the storm that surprised them. It was as strong, it was like bathing in icy rain: brought a shiver, quickened breathing. Quan Yi Zhen seized Yin Yu by his collar and yanked his face towards his. He struggled, but Quan Yi Zhen hold on, mashing their lips together in what looked less like kissing and more like… punching teeth.

Though shock should hit like a blow, in this case it crept over Yin Yu slowly as he made sense of what happened. Then he gasped and staggered back, glaring and weeping his month.

“What is… you…” he stutterer. “No! What was that?”

Oh. Quan Yi Zhen’s face heated. He guessed that shixiong was mad again, and he made a vague gesture, something on the verge of shrugging. “The transmission of spiritual energy.”

“This? This was just- Who told you that nonsense?!” Yin Yu shouted, clearly lost for his words.

Quan Yi Zhen’s brow creased. “That red demon and the prince. No, wait. Was it Old Pei?”

The Red Demon had recommended transmitting spiritual energy as one of the most reliable methods. Quan Yi Zhen put much effort in it and felt pretty proud. All of the times to fail, did he make a mistake now?

Yin Yu made a noise that sounded like the verbal equivalent of dying. “Chengzhu. Why?” he cried and looked at Quan Yi Zhen. “Just… don’t do it again.”

“Why?” Quan Yi Zhen wrinkled his nose. “I did something wrong?”

“You didn’t even put spiritual energy into it.”

But the rest of his words drowned in the sounds of attempted not-kisses, raindrops, thunders and screams I can help you.

#heaven official's blessing #quanyin #quan yi zhen #yin yu #tian guan ci fu #tgcf spoilers #my writing

73 notes · View notes

abdostoryblog-blog · 4 years

Text

Encounter

(yawn) … and another day started in my adventure! I can’t seem to remember everything I’ve done last night, but, boy, it did feel good having a bit of fun… however I still need to figure out where I am and all of the weird things happening to me, but waking up in another’s person bed is not the best way to do that. Apparently I spent the night inside Jarette’s tent, nothing in particular happened, but I can sense she has a thing for me ever since I met her yesterday near the Forest of Seclusion. With all these being said, we enjoyed a nice breakfast together, had some laughs and I went on my way as I haven’t finished dealing with Red Nose.

Giddy up and let’s go and visit Tiny Nose as he might have some info about Red Nose … wait, what is happening with all these names? Couldn’t they figure out better ones? Anyway, even though I saw my mother all my life taking care of her horses, riding one sure gets tiring at some point. Or maybe I am doing something wrong?

Managed to reach the Imp Cave where I did meet with Tiny Nose giving me some clues about what is going on. On my way out, I saw and met Uno, he is helping Edan with his research regarding this “black energy” or “black spirit” or whatever you want to call it. He was surprised seeing how well I am considering Red Nose was engulfed in all darkness and became the monster that he is today…

No world is peaceful enough unfortunately. And as much as I want to stop taking any lives, regardless of them being innocent or not, it seems like fate doesn’t let me do this. I guess this is how this world works, killing is something on a daily basis and I should start saying goodbye to the lost peaceful days of the past where I was avoiding somehow the harsh contact with reality. I can feel it in my blood, in my bones, the urge to fight and succeed. I was sent to kill a huge number of steel imps so I can learn more about their leader, Red Nose. There were other adventurers there, all slaughtering the imps, resulting in a massive bloodshed.

This Black Spirit seems more and more satisfied whenever I do killing jobs and I show off my strength … btw, when did I become so powerful?

Tiny Nose made its appearance and he was brave enough to tell me something important about Red Nose … The reason he was engulfed in darkness was because he also had a red nose like him and everybody was making fun of … that poor creature just wanted to have some confidence, but unfortunately he was weak and he got consumed by all the hatred …. The Black Spirit said he found a way we could summon and defeat him once and for all, so I activated the portal and tested my strength…

He was … huge! An immense monster, bursting of hatred and strength, blinded by darkness and killing everything in its sight! His huge hands were smashing the ground, one hit and you could die…. A showcase of power… a sad one though as he became like this just to stop being bullied… His soul has no rescue anymore, so I had to do my best to defeat him! I was amazed to see how fast my reaction skills were, how fast I was moving and slicing through his thick skin. Blood was splattering everywhere, you could hear his painful roar. He was not quick enough for me and that killed him. I almost ran out of breath at the end of the fight, still trying to figure out how did I manage this … how was I so powerful….

A Mysterious Knight appeared in front of me, not talking too much and just blessed me? How can I describe this sensation … God, I never thought I would ever use this term, “to bless”…. I felt like I could learn things faster, like my mind was more open and I was paying more attention to my surroundings.

This definetly makes 2 weird encounters, Red Nose and the Mysterious Knight.

Not far from this colossal battle, there was Cliff, waiting with the soldiers and congratulating me for everything that I have done … and then.. he said the magic words. He told me to go to Loggia Farm as there are more matters to attend there… my home, my place, my childhood, my mother…. I can finally reach them …. To be honest, I had no idea I was getting so close. But as much as I want to do this, I have to finish some business around here before I can move on. I promised yesterday to Incas, the Node Manager I would go to the place he told me to go – the Coastal Cliff – and look for his friend. Yes, I am going to do one more task before heading back home!

This is not my first time here. I knew this area, I used to come here when I was a kid, playing with my friends, looking at the vast sea, the mountains, all these shades of blue. It was always a calming scenery, a soothing landscape, and maybe today, more soothing than ever. I was feeling peaceful.

I met with Andrei, Incas’s friend, a friendly guy, a bit of a loner I might add, but he told me some nice stories about the area. He also asked for my help clearing an area of imps, just around his small little camp (oh yes, more killing!) so I did it.

I have to admit, the imps are not much of a challenge for me now, but I got scared when I saw a huge Stoneback Crab walking towards me and attacking me! That thing was huge and tough but I used some of my special moves and killed it…. Oh poor, crab, why did you have to attack me? I had nothing to do with you … I am sorry, it was just self-defense ….

After clearing the imps, I found a nice altar, hidden between some trees. Everything felt so calm, the details in the carved stones were amazing! I chose not to believe in any gods, I am my own God and I empower myself through the choices I make in life. I believe in a force, in a creating act, but I also believe we are all capable of manipulating it. These findings, these small little details make me stop and breathe. Feel the wind, hear the birds singing, hearing the leaves as they dance through the air. These moments make me feel more alive. I will surely remember this spot and I will visit it more often.

Now on my way back to Incas to tell him the news about his friend. We had a nice chat, had a beer in the ardent sun and was sent to meet Jamie in the Camp to let him now that the imps are becoming quite a big problem for trading.

I took a picture with him just for one reason: to definitely avoid him. He seemed a rude guy, although I think he is the brother of the blacksmith? I mean, I do not know for sure, but they do have similar traits. He told me he can’t do much for Incas and then he tried to offer me some Fried Vegetables … better said, inviting me for dinner.

His eyes were greedy. I freaked out a bit and left.

What a creep!

I took a last walk through the Camp before heading to Loggia. This time, it seemed like more adventurers were here. I met a lovely girl that showed me how I can dry things, like hides or food, so I thank her for that. I knew some of that stuff myself, but it is better to get more tips.

Fate toyed with me a bit and I saw one of the cutest guys ever around here. Pity he didn’t even look at me or reply. Oh well, glad I will soon be back home, sit in my comfy bed and start thinking about …. Damn, I need to be focused!

I also met another Lahn warrior, we had a nice chat, I told her about my mother and how she taught me a bit of her fighting styles. She didn’t tell me anything about her family, but she was nice enough to have a real chat! I wished her luck in her journeys and I hope I can meet her again!

Now back to Loggia, back to the past. I wonder what my mother is doing, I wonder what the neighbours and villagers around are doing, I want to know everything! Severo was so happy to see me coming back, he said everybody was worried about me, some would think that I was even dead! I was missing for 5 years, but somehow for me, it felt like only 2-3 days have passed. He told me that my mother always thought I am alive and that she would tell everybody that I will come back one day …. Well, this day arrived! I am back home!

Oh wait… she is not home? Guess she is in Velia with some business. I am going to help Severo with some tasks meanwhile, I have to help him finding some well polished soles? I will need a tanning knife for this, so I will be heading to Velia to get some. I don’t want to hang out there too much, I want to catch up with my mom first and then see my friends, but I do hope everybody is alright!

Not much has changed in the city! Same faces, a couple of new ones, but when I went to the merchant to buy the stuff I need, it was a surprise to see Zaaira over there! She used to be one of my best friends, we were always getting in trouble for “exploring” too much. We always liked to discover new things, we would always go together in the forests and around the farms. Sometimes we were even stealing grapes and try to make our own wine! I am glad I see her, not much has changed for her, she took over the business her family had so she can’t do all the things she used to do before. We had a nice bottle of wine over there (she closed the shop temporarly, all for me) and I told her I was heading back to Loggia.

We talked about the past and about our childhood, she asked where I’ve been all these years and I was honest and told her I had no idea what happened… I am still looking for the answers myself. She always thought I have the guts to do bold and daring things, otherwise we would have never been friends! And that is true! I mean … let’s say she was always the black sheep in our group!

I completely forgot that the holiday season was at this time, guess I got too tangled in my own problems. Hey, at least my return is a wonderful gift for everybody that knows me! I wouldn’t be able to afford buying presents too much anyway! I am currently still a poor adventurer.

Gathering that particular Well Polished Sole is quite a pain, but I am getting hides I can later process them and try to give them to the villagers here. I am sure they will put them to good use. Sometimes we have to kill in order to survive, and even though I believe in a communion between humans and animals, it is a necessary evil, to kill. The animals are restoring the balance anyway, with bears killing us in return.

I didn’t have any success in finding this rare trading item, but tomorrow is another day. It is getting darker and I really want to catch up with Itai(my mother). I took a picture with the “well of wonders” in front of our place. I always wanted to know what is deep down inside of it when I was a child. I thought there would be monsters and a treasure. Well, now it is a landmark in my pictures. Funny how aging up changes our way of thinking.

Entering my old house was … comforting. Most of the things were the same as I left, but I could see that there were more flowers, more fruits, more … everything! I guess my mother did pretty well while I was gone and didn’t give up on working. The smell of the wooden chairs and tables, the smell of the fresh strawberries was filling the room. It was not a big place, but it was home. It was always home. We never needed more, we had everything we wanted…. The stove was on when I entered, it is clearly that my mother was cooking ….

…and there she was, sitting on the bed, after a hard day of working. She is as strong as I remembered, imposing and beautiful!

She would never cry. I never saw her cry. But I could see how her eyes were getting wet when I looked at her. She was happy. I was also happy.

I was home.

I told her everything that I knew, what happened, how I do not remember anything… She told me about her struggles and how worried she was for me. But deep inside her heart she knew I will be fine and come back one day. She made quite some money with her farming and trading and I also found out my father left some “treasures” around… she will give them to me, to put them to good use. She felt proud and she told me I could be the warrior she never was … and it is funny, because 10 years ago I would never think about this. But now… I feel it!

I ate some of my favorite dishes, had some beers, it was joy in our house. We stayed up until late, we laughed and talked. I guess we both knew that I have a journey ahead of me and these moments won’t be shared so often. So we took our time to catch up. We both knew I was not a small girl anymore. We both knew I do have a future, and not just an ordinary one…

So thank you mom for trusting and believing in me.

I can now lay my head peacefully on my pillow, smell your scent and dream about the adventures of tomorrow.

#bdo #bdolahn #black desert online #black desert character creator #black #black desert screenshots #blackdesertonline #black desert remastered #meowlise #roleplay #story #storytell #adventure

0 notes

shadowrebel-17 · 7 years

Text

An Endless Journal - Second Entry

Entry 2

12/15/16

Hey Ellie.

I’m finally in my room… and what an upgrade! But… its why and how I got this upgrade that’s… hard to… put into words.

Guess I should start at the beginning.

First off, while on the plane, I had the strangest dream, there were these three nice looking guys in it. And no, it wasn’t that kind of dream… more… terrifying in the obscure way.

They were warning me of something coming or reaching for me.

The first was a soldier with floppy surfer hair, the second a chiseled black guy, but The last one, he was a dashing-yet creepy older guy who said

“You don’t understand, do you? But you will. In time.” And there was this big volcano and… that’s where I woke up.

But that’s not the weirdest part. The second guy? In my dream? He shows up for real walking down the aisle and Diego had the brilliant idea of shoving me into him THEN putting me on the spot.

I… well his name is Sean Gayle and he’s HOT and charming as hell, and tall, and apparently is the star quarterback for our university’s team (but I didn’t find that out ‘till later) so…. Yeah anyway my mouth moved before I could stop it, as usual. And I just blurted out that I had dreamt about him and all that… yeah not my best moment.

He didn’t seem to mind though. Definitely want to get to know him better.

Oh and apparently Diego filmed all of this, I have no doubt for blackmailing me into helping him on our finals… but I’d do that anyway.

So after that we noticed that the flight was taking longer than expected so I went up to check what was up with our pilot.

On the way met some of the other ten winners talking with our tour guide, Lila. Who might I add is… ok remember “tour guide Barbie” from Toy Story 2? Yeah that’s her. Perky and sunny as a Pina Colada. Great… now I want one.

Ok so anyway I go to ask the pilot and….. he’s totally asleep. Yep. Feet on dash, head on chest. And probably I would have flipped out if… if it wasn’t for the fact that I got distracted by the fact that HE was the beach-boy soldier in my dream earlier. Yep. Well… that and the fact of that southern drawl, blue eyes and that smile…

Oh yeah and apparently he gives nicknames to people that annoy him. So I’m “Princess”

Honesty, I… kinda like it. And because he seriously looks the part of a scruffy ranger I called him Aragorn.

Yeah and I may have a crush on him too… did I mention those eyes? He’s like, part Han Solo, part Aragorn, part Colonel Jack O’Neill from SG-1.

Anyway, right after that things got… scary like, frickin’ terrifying.

This big, black storm front hits, and throws me into a wall. And its bad. Like fire ball lightning and deafening thunder, Armageddon like bad.

I kinda got the sequence of things a little jumbled in my memory, honestly for the first half of it I just clung to a seat in shock, taking it all in ‘till Lila shook me out of it and helped me to a seat.

Somewhere in there the plane got hit and the engines died, people screaming and all that. All but one. There’s this girl with us, with a blue hoodie and she’s got a scar across one eye and has these dark eyes. There’s something off about her not like… bad just… she wasn’t afraid. if anything she looked… determined.

So yeah pretty much beside her it was Jake, he’s the pilot and Sean that kept their wits about them. The girl in the seat next to me, she… she looked worse then me at this point. About to have a panic attack. I cracked a joke like, a bad one, you know. The Cantaloupe one. Yeaaah… hey I did pretty good for short notice!

Anyway, I think it helped. Cause, like she laughed and started breathing again. And let me tell you… that laugh. Her grin. Okay yeah we helped eachother keep our nerves. She held my hand tight as did I in return.

Oh her name is Quinn and you have got to me her. Bright, bubbly, long sweeping red hair… looks like a Disney princess. And just as easy to be with.

Okay fine I like her too. A lot. Do I sound desperate?

Like… three people I’ve just met and I wanna spend more time with them? Maybe it’s the air here. Magical.

Okay I digressed. So somewhere after that Jake breaks us out of that storm and its as brilliant blue as it was before. Like… almost never happened. Except for the engines still being dead as you and I after that party Kaitlyn and her roomies threw last semester.

Honestly? Jake is one hellova damn good pilot. Like Tom Hanks in the movie Sully good.

He, without engines, got us on the ground AND parked in a hanger, coasting through it all. No one answered at the tower though. Which was spooky and it gets weirder later on.

But he got us down in one piece, and Oh My god this island is STUNNING! Green as an emerald gem from the air, caught a glimpse of crystal rivers and waterfalls on the way in and this big ol’ smoking volcano in the middle.

So on the ground got to meet the rest of the group better… had an encounter with one of the other girls while we were unloading our bags.

I.. may have been hitting on Sean. Like can you blame me? He reminds me of Kaitlyn’s friend Chris, with his gentle manners yet strength of character, wait.. heh, I think they are on the same team lol! Anyway he’s just… taller and so… how to… eh. Ok so anyway… back to what happened.

She, Michelle, lit into me for flirting with Sean, like straight outa Bad Girls Club. And well, there’s history with those two but they’re not together.

I… yeah that was rude but, hey, with what we’ve been through, frayed nerves and short words are forgiven. Anyway, we are ok with eachother now.

She and Sean ended up in an argument though. So I backed off from that. That’s when I found the first of several odd things. A honkin’ huge tranquilizer dart. (Yes honkin’ is a word. I’m from the Midwest remember?)

Whatever critter it was used on had to have been big. Or is really out of it.

I hope.

That’s also when I noticed creepy scar girl in the hoodie was watching and listening to us.

You know, Diego and I are also wondering about something. That there are Ten Students that won, yet not counting Jake the pilot and Lila the tour guide, we’ve got Sean Gayle, Michelle, his friend Craig (must be another football player judging from his jacket.) Grace who is one smart, sweet little lady, Quinn, and umm… the ivy league loudmouth, who’s name escapes me. [A scribbled in note of “Aleister” is apparently added later]

Then Zahra, emo-chick, that’s a petty name by the way, Raj, big playful fellow. He’s cool. Then Diego and I. That makes ten… she makes eleven.

What’s her story I wonder.

Anyway now the weirdness really picks up. There is no one here.

I mean NO FREAKING PERSON!

Besides us the whole place is abandoned. Its creepy. Like that ship, the Mary Celeste. Everything is in its place, half finished cups, luggage etc. Just… people.. gone. Very Twilight Zoney.

I’m still waiting for the You Tube prank folks to pop out.

Jake and I check out the control tower, empty like everything else but… there were these lights, in and on the forest and the air, like I imagine the Aurora Borealis to be like. Only saw them for a few moments in the air there. Not back outside. Now Grace had mentioned earlier this place as a very special ecosystem. So perhaps its like those glow-y plankton in the Pacific just, airborne. Anyway, it was magical. Aaaand yes I think I made Jake blush by holding his hand. .

Also found out he’s an ex-navy pilot. Some altercation with an officer.

Aaand made a fool of myself… heh, and I remeber it pretty well so here it is:

Jake: “Look, I’m from Louisiana, and if ferrying rich jerks around a couple times a week is the price I gotta pay for never setting foot back there, hell I’ll pay it. Been sleeping in a beach hammock in Costa Rica ever since.”

Me: “That sounds lonely”

J: “Uh yeah, that’s the appeal” (man that crooked grin of his… Though this time I wonder… if it isn’t forced.

Me: “I mean, I get wanting to get away for a little while but… don’t you want more? You know, someone to come home to… someone to listen to you… someone to hold you all through the night…”

I know! Gosh! I gotta think before I talk! His… response though… Looking back now I’m not sure if he minded my… blunder.

“You offering, Princess?”

Like… totally teasing me… right?

“what?! No- I.. I just meant.. in theory…”

Yep… damn… blew it.

“In theory, I wanted to be the best pilot the Navy had ever seen. In practice… well you cant beat a cold beer and a Caribbean sunset.”

We talked more as well… honestly didn’t take that long to check the tower in comparison.

I also quick checked out the beach with Quinn, Raj, Craig and Michelle too. Man… Quinn is not subtle. And that is not a bad thing… she um, gawd I’m blushing again, so we went swimming and she, considering what she went through on the flight was so, happy. I mean skipping and splashing and flirting.

She’s beautiful Ellie. That’s about all I can say at the moment.

She did have one down moment though. Referencing how she wasn’t always this way and that after last year she decided to make the most out of life. I wanted to ask more but she was too serious so… things got wet ;) (splash splash)

And OMG and there was this flying butterfy-seahorse! It… it was as bright and shimmering as that Aurora I saw with Jake. Only Quinn and I saw it before it flew away though.

Craig had buried the sleeping Raj in the sand.

Anyway, I wanted to unpack before it got much later so I could go exploring more so we all went back to the group and that was when we had found out just how devoid of people this place was. In Sean’s words. “Where the hell was everyone!”

After getting over the shock we dropped our luggage in the lobby and split up into groups to look around.

Seriously, this resort is beautiful. Stunning. A dream come true! … if it wasn’t so… so.. empty.

Jake said he’d go with Brain Trust (Grace, btw love his habit of nicknames, I might stick with it!) And look around the pool area, Zahra and Lila to the ballrooms, I went with Craig, Raj, Sean and Michelle to the restaurant. My stomach made that call.

Also noticed hoodie-girl was missing. Weird.

Anyway at the restaurant named Tortuga. (Cant hear that name without seeing Jack Sparrow lol) like the rest of the place, seems everyone left in a hurry. Even the credit cards were left on the table.

Sean pointed out that the Volcano was supposed to be dormant. That big thing out the window was definitely not dormant. Very steamy. Eagle eye there also spotted some kind of flashing beacon. Maybe a building or something near the mountain.

Anyway we went to compare findings with everyone else.

The pool didn’t have much other then being abandoned.

The ballrooms had been set up in some kind of retro-roaring twenties wedding.

Then… there was that big portrait on the wall. Aleister said it was Everett Rourke, the owner of the hotel. But damn… he was the last guy from my dream on the plane. The older guy with the creepy saying. Apparently he’s some kind of real life Tony Stark genius business man.

I don’t get something though… I get the feeling Grace is attracted to the snob, er Aleister.

She found something else though by the pool. By a damaged fence a foot long tooth! Man hate to see the animal that came from. Maybe that’s why there was that Tranq dart I found earlier.

So basically we are all now completely puzzled and worried and bewildered on what to do next.

And then freaky girl pops up behind me and says that its getting dark and we should all go to bed.

She says she was also looking around like us but wouldn’t share what she found… I think she trust me as much as I trust her… which ain’t much.

But she’s right. Oh and Lila at least knows her. Called her Estella.

So basically, hehe, consensus was (at Zahra’s provocation) to pick any room we wanted.

I snagged myself the honeymoon suit.

Just. Cause.

It has got the most amazing view! And its own hot tub! Candles, roses. The works. Aaand then Diego shows up and I almost mistake him for someone else. He’s not gonna let me live that down will he. Not telling him who I thought it was either cause then he’ll only make it worse! Or… better… heh. Love that guy.

Then he found this romantic note, with two different messages on it:

“I must see you one last time before tomorrow… Meet me at our spot in Neptune Cove. Midnight” and “I’ll be there.”

Oh my goodness I’m so tired… looong day. And it wasn’t over yet lol!

So basically I also got talked into going to a midnight impromptu pool party or “Raj Rage” as the big guy called it.

After all the drinks it’s a little fuzzy.. but I know Jake called Craig Drax, such a perfect fit! He also showed me that apparently he is quite thoughtful.

I… may have missed an opportunity with Sean but I saw Estella sitting alone up on the hill and well, I wanted to know more so excused myself a moment to go talk to her.

We… actually connected. Least… I think we did. I got the feeling that she’s been very hurt in the past and has little trust in people. Explains her attitude. Actually managed to get a smile out of her. Briefly. Before she left. Saying that the people in her life usually get hurt. And she didn’t want that to happen to me.

….. well okay then. That’s… confusing. But at least I’m getting to know more about her. She’s not so scary after all. Just… now I want to find out what hurt her in her past so maybe I can help.

Diego says I have a big heart and a big mouth. And that both get me in trouble. As you well know.

Anyway after Craig soaks everyone with a cannonball I go to get more towels…

Ellie, I don’t think I’ll ever forget what I saw. Something big with muscles and glowing eyes was staring at me from the bushes. With everything that had happened. I’m afraid I lost it. I screamed.

Sean, Quinn and Jake came over first but what ever it was it was gone. I’m not sure everyone believes me. Heck I’m not sure I believe me.

Kinda killed the party too. Which sucks.

Anyway at least this awesome huge bed makes up for it. Kinda.

Hopefully tomorrow we can figure out what’s going on.

G'night Ellie.

-S.

#choices stories you play #choices #playchoices #fanfic #fanfiction #mc #jake mckenzie #sean gayle #quinn kelly #estela montoya #endless journal

5 notes · View notes