#pretty sure I blasted ‘run boy run’ on a loop while drawing it

[purplerose244]

Thinking journal for season 12 Prime Empire 😎😎😎 (2/2)

Here we go with the next part! I really hope we get some major big plot twist at some point, because it's all really cool but I need something to really change from good to GREAT

For now, let's focus on the next episodes!

It's the 17th of April and here we go!

GENERAL

I feel like there's little time to really pull up something, I don't know. Like, what plot twist could happen now that there just half season left with only Unagami/Dyer's identity and maybe Scott's past as mysteries? There's little space for more plotlines, that's what I think

Overall fighting scenes, character designs and game backgrounds are AWESOME!!

Let's see how it goes, maybe I'll be surprised. Wouldn't be weird for Ninjago to pull a bomb last episode 😅

ONE STEP FORWARD, TWO STEPS BACK

ZANE AND PIXAL FINALLY!!! IT'S DETECTIVE TIME!!! 😎

Okay, so there is a photo, and there is a friend. As I thought, Dyer might not be Unagami at all, I feel like there's a lot of backstory coming along. I wonder if Scott has a part in this... WHERE IS SCOTT 💙

Ah, of course Kai would spend his credits on an avatar, I should've known, my flame babe can be such a dummie sometimes I mean why would you even do such a thing as buying an avat-

NEVER MIND I LOVE IT 😍😍🔥🔥 I thought him being blonde was going to bother me, I actually kinda like the change. Still prefer my baby brunette, but it's really cool as well. The best of this season are definitely the characters designs

Was that "let's fight an ogre mission" a hint for next season? I wouldn't be weird, but it's been a while since I've seen forshadowing for new season in this show

HECK YEAH THE DANCING EPISODE!!! I was waiting for this, Jaya is so cute while they are on the dancefloor 😍 They have chemistry 😘😘😘

I like the implication that Nya was really bad at dancing before Jay, like Kai covering his eyes because he cannot handle her sister not being perfect at something 😛

And Cole being the dance expert, that little tango moment with Kai I bet made many lavashippers super happy 🖤❤🖤❤

THE TRIPLE TIGER SASHAY ALL THE WAY FROM SEASON 1-2 ABSOLUTELY YES YES YES!!! AND HE DIDN'T ROAR, HE STRAIGHT UP SAID "NO ONE PUTS COLE IN A CORNER" I'M DYING!!! With this and Nya's 'catch me', I expect so many Dirty Dancing AUs from this 😂👌

JAYA BEING AWESOME HECK YEAH ❤💙❤💙

JUST LOOK AT THEM!!! Nya better say I love you back soon, like Kai and Skylor are a little behind, Zane and Pixal already said it, Jay can't stop doing it, come on girl it's your turn! 😎😎

RACER SEVEN

SCOTT IS BACK YES!!! 😍😍😍💙💙💙

Okay, I think my theory won't happen 😅 Feels like there are not enough episodes for a good reveal, and it doesn't seem like Scott is that influenced by Jay. My last idea is that perhaps he has spent so much time in the game like Jay said (POOR BABY 😭) that he doesn't remember. Maybe the moment he will come back, we will find out that it is Jay's brother/twin, I mean he still has those dragon and lightnings drawing on his back... yeah I like this theory a lot, gonna hold on to it!

So Scott is indeed a person trapped in a game, at least that's confirmed 👍

Also he's got some major issues, the poor thing, and I think there is some special reason behind him not wanting to race besides having just one life.

HERE IT COMES

OH MY GARMADON 😂😂😂 Okay, okay, it's actually better than I expected really. The scarf is cool, and so are the golden tattoos, the suit and the golden sleeve. It's just the mohawk that will take time to get used to, it's not even bad, just weird 🤷‍♀️

Racer Seven is so cool! Always nice seeing a new female character in this show that is not a love interest. I do love Nya, Pix and Sky to death, but I love variety too 💪

Really, really nice the piece of all Racer Seven's crashes! Impactful and sad, a never ending loop that she wants to break through from. That's the heavy stuff I like!

Okay, ready for the race! And I'm... scared? Like, a lot of they guys have one life?? KAI HAS ONE LIFE?? 😱😱 I hope for the best I guess 😅

THE SPEEDWAY FIVE-BILLION

Might be my favorite episode yet

Seven is SO COOL, it's another reason why I'm sad these episodes are so short! I really would had liked see her more, truly have her bond with the guys

Soooo... I guess since Scott's been in the game for 30 years it's safe to assume he's not Jay's brother/twin. To be fair it's really hard to tell a LEGO person's age😅 At this point I guess he could be either Dyer's friend, even if it sounds unlikely, or... idk, still think he could have a connection with Jay. Maybe he's like... an older brother? Libber had him a long while ago?

NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! WHY DID SCOTT HAVE TO DIEEEEEEEE??? 😭😭😭 Just when he was getting more involved, come on! He even said he wanted to try that hero stuff, I love him! WE WILL SAVE YOU MY TECH BABY!!!

Cole getting a ride from Kai, this season has some pretty good lava material ❤🖤❤🖤

I've got some major Ninjaball Run vibes from this, that brings me back 😂 Even the no rules thing is there, come on, there has to be a little bit of inspiration from it!

Still don't know what I think of the rats, kinda seems useless and annoying, gonna be honest. But it's a nice race, exciting with nothing big happenin-

Kai and Cole sacrifice for Jay

I KNOW I THOUGHT ABOUT IT BEFORE BUT I'M NOT OKAY WITH THIS!!! MY FLAME BABE AND MY ROCKY BABY!!! 😭😭😭😭 WHY PEOPLE KEEP DYING IN THIS EPISODE???

I so, so enjoyed how they did it. Like, one look between them to realize that yes, this is it, Jay is the expert and needs to go on. This is the end of our race... AAAHHH!! (Infinite shipping potential too)

Omg Nya screaming her brother's name and Jay his best friend's name, while Lloyd looks so devastated (those masks are actually kinda espressive, I really like them). Wow. This is the angst I needed, finally👌

YES SEVEN WON!!! HECK YEAH GIRL!!! SO HAPPY FOR HER!!! Also Okino in the background being happy, nice touch!

And now they are three... it's gonna end up with only Jay huh. I... I'm not ready actually, my heart 😢 They better all hug when this is all over!!!

STOP, DROP AND SIDE ROLL

I CAN SEE THEY ARE KEEPING THE FEELS FOR LAST APPARENTLY??? 😭

The music of the old school section was actually very nice, reminds me of the past, I kinda hoped The Fold were going to release some game themed songs. Been a while since I have one of those 😍

Lol, explaining the side scroll games was actually pretty cool

YES THEY ACTUALLY ACKNOWLEDGED THE AIRJITSU!! Maybe they will remember they can used it, right Cole? The ladder scene? YOU CAN FLY???

OMG NYA ACTUALLY SAID CICLON-DO JUST HOW CUTE IS THAT!!! All the way from my favorite season Possession, Jay's definition of airjitzu that I actually still kept in one of my fanfictions 😂

Okay the design of the temple of madness is REALLY cool, you can immediately tell it's from an old videogame. Gives me the double vibe the googles for the first 3D movies used to give me 😂

Also look at this

THIS IS ADORABLE!! 💙💚💦 Really old style videogame 😂

And there we go!! Harumi!! Since I saw her in the set I was wondering what she was going to be, maybe an avatar or an NPC of some sort... THIS HURTS WAY MORE!!! And of course pure heart BABY boy Lloyd doesn't feel good fighting her, he had a crush on her! AND HE FREAKING SAW HER DIE!!! It's really sad that he still hopes for her to be good...

The fighting scenes are really, REALLY good! So fluid and active! This fight was really pleasant to watch, not gonna lie 💜

NOOOOOOOOO!!!! NOT MY GREEN BABY BOY!!!! I KNEW IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN BUT STIIIIIIL!!! 😭😭😭

Okay, down to three members. Remaining Zaptrap and water godess... omg Nya will totally die first and at that point Jay will go completely nuts. I'm both scared and DYING TO HAPPEN!!! ANGST FINALLY!!! THIS IS THE STUFF!!

Got some major Skybound feeling, like when it was only Jay and Nya... will Nya finally say I love you back?? I HOPE SO ❤💙❤💙

With the three keytana now, what will happen? I'm actually curious now, this is the exciting stuff I need! And yes I do realize it's a little weird that for getting hype I need my faves to die 😅

NINJAGO CONFIDENTIAL

OMG THEY ACTUALLY DID A DETECTIVE THEMED EPISODE BLACK AND WHITE I'M DYING 😂😂😂

The Weekend Whip with sax, never thought I needed this in my life 😍

Bet Brent had a blast recording this

Okay this is the third Chima reference I see, they better throw some Nexo Knights hits as well next season! Come on, it's about freaking knights!!!

This is not what I expected when they said there was going to be an episode with only Zane and Pixal but I'm sure as HECK not complaining 👌

Oh, seeing Pixal joining in so normally is so beautiful, I really wish we could have her even more often

Dareth's karaoke bar! From Sons of Garmaron! Also him guessing first try because the ninja really do get post in other dimensions very often 😂 Gotta love them indeed

Pff Zane narrating and getting stopped every time because of it, how I missed this naive little nindroid

So the bartender Tony is the friend? That's it? A little easy really, hoped for more... still calling him Milty is cute 💕

Buddy's Pizza from season 2!!! This season is killing me with references and I LOVE IT SO MUCH 💜💜💜

So, the mechanic is free again (the Kryptarium dudes should really learn how to do their job right 😓), Zane is kidnapped, and Pixal has a fedora that makes her possibly even cuter. I have emotions

AH!! KNEW IT!! UNAGAMI IS NOT DYER!! FREAKING CALLED IT!!... kinda expected really, but still called it 😅

So Unagami was the first name of Prime Empire and is also an AI that got crazy and was shut down, but now is back after programming the game itself and wants to get to the real world?... I'm down with it

So I'm guessing we won't get much of a Scott backstory... Eh, let's see how it goes!

THE PRODIGAL FATHER

I was seriously confused by why those dudes wanted to kidnapped Wu, but it made sense later. Still come on sensei, you're a freaking half god or something, pull yourself together 🤦‍♀️

Very nice that Pixal is the one to bring up the argument about feelings and AI. So very nice to have her in this!!!

I THOUGHT ZANE WAS GOING TO TAKE A BREAK FROM LAST SEASON, WHY ARE THEY MAKING HIM SUFFER AGAIN??? 😭

Oh finally the backstory of Unagami I'm really curious about what happened in the past and what exactly brought the shut down of Prime Emp-

I LITERALLY CARE ABOUT NOTHING ELSE BUT THIS BEAUTIFUL GAMER BOY IN REAL LIFE!!! 😍😍😍😍😍

So Scott was the first beta tester, Milton asked Unagami to make the experience as exciting as possible, and that ended very badly so the game was shut down and THEY LEFT HIM INSIDE FULLY KNOWING HE WAS THERE??? I HATE DYER NOW!!!

Although it is really interesting knowing a tech genius like him, until now we got Dr. Julien and Cyrus Borg that were plenty open about the idea of AI with feelings as meaningful as humans'. While he doesn't get that, they are only machines for him and that's the reason why he doesn't understand how much Unagami is mad and filled with need for revenge.

This is why I want more than 11 minutes, the themes of this season are really, REALLY cool. I would have loved more introspection and development.

I guess Scott being Jay's brother is officially debunked 😅 Although I am curious about the life he left behind, since he was stuck in that game for 30 years. He still has those lightnings on the jacket I don't understand...

DON'T YOU DARE LET ZANE BE DESTROYED AGAIN PLEASE I STILL CRY WATCHING "THE TITANIUM NINJA"!!! 😢😢😢😢😢😢

The portal is open, Zane might get destroyed, Unagami wants revenge, Jay and Nya are the only one left and I'm pretty sure Nya will be killed as well leaving only Bluebell so there's THAT. So yeah, this is actually pretty cool!

Two episodes left. Okay Ninjago season 12 Prime Empire, wow me 😎

THE TEMPLE OF MADNESS

This felt a little simple if I'm gonna be honest. I felt like the last mission before facing Unagami was a little basic, with nothing really exciting. Still liked it, but this is probably my least favorite episode 🤷‍♀️

Of course, put Jay is a sushi restaurant-themed level and he will kill you with puns 😂 I love this prankster

Again, the fighting scenes are dope. Definitely one of my favorite things since they changed the animation. You lose something you win something 😙

Wooo, Jay saying that he had trained for years just for kick his butt was actually cool! Bluebell is unleashing!

"And that's how we roll!". You rock we roll, am I right 😂

AH!!! CALLED IT!!! TOTALLY CALLED IT!!! MY POOR BABY BLUEBELL 😭😭

I wish Nya said that she loves Jay back though! Freaking come on girl, he is your yang!!! ❤💙❤💙

Unagami is not Dyer, he wants to get to the real world, I'm actually kinda curious about the confrontation that is about to happen... ALSO THERE BETTER BE LOTS OF HUGS WHEN THIS IS OVER

I... genuinely forgot about the dragon medallion 😅 Eh, I love dragons so I'm fine with it. Well, let's see how it ends!!!

GAME OVER

Wow, I actually love this ending?? A LOT?? After last episode I didn't have much hope, but after seeing it I gotta say, it was really great 👌👌

Thanks for not dying on us again Zane, much appreciated

Jay taking charge is quite rare and when it happens you know things are about to get crazy 😂 It was really nice seeing how sensible he could be, telling that Unagami wasn't evil after all, that he needed closure and answers

I know I miss the animation peak we reached with SoG and Hunted, but I gotta say the atmosphere of the city with the lightnings and the gray sky was really awesome. Very cool.

Pff, that part with the elevator though, reminds me of the one in season 1 that made me start watch Ninjago ✌ Also it's always Borg's Tower indeed 😂

OKINO KICKING BUTTS HECK YEAH LOOK AT OUR RONIN GO!!!

And wow. WOW. I didn't expect Jay to drop the I'm adopted bomb on us, I think I never heard him talk about it since Skybound (that technically never happened so 😅). It was SO good seeing him sympathize with Unagami because he was also left with no explaination. His desire to know, along with the hope that the past is the past, but they had a good reason for. Also he freaking said he didn't have the chance to ask because Cliff is dead and I 😭😭😭😭

And here I melted, because we finally see the situation for what truly is, the way Jay also sees it: Unagami is a kid, a child that doesn't understand how the world works, that just wants to make his father proud but got rejected instead. The confrontation was actually touching, I really wish we had more time for that. Even a little resistance from Unagami, another fight, and a finally reconcilliation with Dyer.

MY NINJA BABIES ARE BACK I MISSED YOU GUYS SO MUCH!!! ❤💚💙🖤💦💎

Could you seriously be cuter than this?? ❤💙❤💙 I wished for more hugs but I'll settle for this I guess 😍

Okay, very nice to see Seven and Okino out there and deciding to live their lives in Ninjago, nice to see some others like the rats going back to Prime Empire. As Unagami said, he gave them a choice, it's up to them at this point

But I'm sorry, WHY ARE WE NOT GOING TO TALK WITH SCOTT??? That guy's been trapped inside the game the longest, not even a "Hey bud, you're alive, cool cool"? I know I've been overbearing about how much I love Scott, especially since I had all those theories about him (still don't know why he has lightnings on his jacket and hat, is it just a style thing? Idk), but come on! Well I guess if he's happy I am 🤷‍♀️

Is that his girlfriend or something? After 30 years? Or maybe she got trapped with him a while later? Or maybe that's his... mom? Look, we all know determine the age of LEGO characters is hard, give me a break please 😅😅

Overall, very nice ending, it brought everything together quite nicely. I'm satisfied, yes!! 💜💜

FINAL THOUGHTS

As I said, the episodes' lenght I really think gets in the way of making this an excellent season. There is so much that could be explored more, the choice matter, all the amazing characters, and the AI feelings stuff from the latest episodes. There is room for more, I wished we got that

The characters though were really amazing. Between Scott, Okino, Seven and Unagami himself, there were very different personalities with very different dreams and thoughts, that made this ride much more interesting

Fighting animation was 👌👌👌

Comebacks from past seasons were 👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌👌

Maybe it didn't really focused on Jay as much until the end? Yeah it was about him, but we got to see his sensibility and his past only last episode. He loves Nya, he likes videogames, of course but there's more about him than meets the eye! Wished we saw that, but in general it was nice seeing him first line again 💙

I liked this season. It has flaws, but I enjoyed many parts and at the end I was left satisfied 👍

Just... wasn't Jillian supposed to be in this? Or is it next season? She said a mom was going to come back, I took for granted it was going to be Edna. I'm curious about next season now... FINALLY A COLE SEASON EVERYONE!!! 🖤🖤🖤

Thank you for leaving notes to my last rant, this helps me not jump excitedly every time a new episode comes out 😅 Well then, that's all from me!! Have a nice day everyone!! 💜💜💜

#ninjago #lego ninjago #ninjago season 12 #ninjago prime empire #prime empire #spoilers #ninjago spoilers #jay walker #ninjago jay #kai smith #ninjago kai #kai ninjago #nya smith #ninjago nya #cole brookstone #cole bucket #ninjago cole #zane julien #ninjago zane #lloyd montgomery garmadon #lloyd garmadon #ninjago lloyd #ninjago scott #ninjago unagami #unagami #pixal borg #ninjago pixal #master wu #ninjago wu

[ts1989fanatic]

Taylor Swift is the millennial Bruce Springsteen.

If there were any doubts about this, they should have been dispelled by her latest release: the haunting Folklore, which filters the exact kinds of story-songs Springsteen excels at through Swift’s modern, orchestral-pop aesthetic. The album has been one of the best-received of her career, but then, the response to essentially everything she’s produced since her 2010 album Speak Now has involved critics grudgingly being dragged toward having respect for her skills.

The overlaps between millennial Swift (30 and born in 1989) and baby boomer Springsteen (70 and born in 1949) — both of whom are among the best songwriters alive right now — are considerable beyond their songwriting prowess. But comparisons, by necessity, must start there.

Both musicians love songs about a kind of white Americana that’s never really existed but that the central characters of which feel compelled to chase anyway. They use those songs to tell stories about those people and the places they live. They’re terrifically good at wordplay. Both are fascinated by the ways that adolescence and memories of adolescence continue to have incredible power for adults. Both are amazing at crafting bridges that take already good songs to another level. And both write songs featuring fictional people whose lives are sketched in via tiny, intimate details that stand in for their whole selves.

For example: The opening lines to Springsteen’s “Thunder Road” (“The screen door slams / Mary’s dress waves / Like a vision she dances across the porch / as the radio plays”) tell you everything about that woman and the man observing her.

Similarly, the opening lines of Swift’s “All Too Well” (“I walked through the door with you, the air was cold / but something ‘bout it felt like home somehow and I / left my scarf there at your sister’s house / and you still got it in your drawer even now”) tell you everything about this doomed relationship and the nostalgia both people involved in it still feel, compressed into a tiny little stanza.

Springsteen released “Thunder Road” when he was 25; Swift released “All Too Well” when she was 22. Both songs continue to stand as touchstones for who the artists were at that point in their lives.

But leave this comparison aside for a moment. What’s most interesting about drawing this connection are the ways in which the overlap between Springsteen and Swift’s styles can tell us about how our culture treats art made by men versus art made by women — and art made by baby boomers versus art made by millennials.

Springsteen and Swift each entered the music industry as young wunderkinds with lots to prove. Springsteen’s first album — the loose and rambling Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J. — was released when he was just 23. He had been playing in bands all around New Jersey for most of his teens, and signed a record deal with Columbia Records at 22.

He was expected to become an acoustic folk singer in the vein of Bob Dylan, at a time when the music industry was uniquely preoccupied with finding the “next” Bob Dylan. Springsteen quickly flaunted those expectations, assembling a group of musicians who would go on to be known as the E Street Band, in the name of creating a sound that captured a massive, orchestral blast of rock. Springsteen would finally perfect this sound on his third album, 1975’s Born to Run, and he’s been a global superstar ever since, even decades after reaching his pinnacle with 1984’s Born in the USA.

Swift’s rise was slightly more meteoric. She released her debut album, Taylor Swift, when she was just 16, and it featured songs that she had written as a freshman in high school. Swift broke into the industry via country music, and her country-ish second album, 2008’s Fearless, won her the Grammy for Album of the Year.

Just as Springsteen shirked folk in the name of rock, Swift’s sound quickly shifted away from the girl-with-a-guitar country archetype and more toward pop. By her fourth album, 2012’s Red, she had largely left country music behind.

(A fun game: If you line up Swift and Springsteen’s album releases roughly by how old they were when they recorded them, you’ll find surprisingly similar career trajectories. For instance, Born to Run and Swift’s 2014 album 1989 were released when their respective artists were 25. Both broke the artists through to even wider acclaim than they had before.)

Yet the two artists’ backgrounds are quite different, which may explain the different ways in which they’ve understood American political divides. Springsteen grew up in a blue-collar family in New Jersey, while Swift is the daughter of a former Merrill Lynch stockbroker who could afford to move the entire family to Nashville, Tennessee, when his daughter showed a talent for songwriting.

Springsteen’s songs have always reflected growing up in a world where poverty is just a lost paycheck away, even as he’s become incredibly rich. Swift has no such perspective. Her songs take place largely in a wistful world where money is rarely an object. And the artists came of age in very different political climates, too.

But the political divide has narrowed in recent years. Swift has taken a recent turn toward more political topics — particularly social justice issues involving the mistreatment of women and LGBTQ rights. That turn stems from her struggles to differentiate herself as an artist in an industry that routinely turns young, beautiful women into disposable products, wringing out of them a few years of hit singles and then tossing them aside. Her embrace of the ways her growing sense of (extremely white) feminism helped her attain more artistic control over her image has slowly but surely led to a greater understanding of the yawning disparities inherent to the US. She is more tapped into the ways that power is unequally distributed throughout American society and increasingly speaks out to that effect. (She’s still pretty lousy at confronting class issues, though.)

But even with all of their similarities as songwriters and increasing similarities as explicitly political artists — and even with all of the awards they have won and records they have sold — there’s still a knee-jerk insistence that Swift is either too self-obsessed or too much a creation of the music industry, while Springsteen went from being rock’s heir apparent to an elder statesman with only a few bumps along the way. And the reasons for that disparity go well beyond any artistic differences or similarities they might possess.

The most obvious difference between the reception of Springsteen and Swift is also the most obvious difference between the two of them as people: He is a man, and she is a woman.

Swift didn’t exactly discourage listeners from constantly parsing her lyrics to figure out which of her famous exes she was singing about early in her career; she even hid hints in her liner notes to help fans decode her clues. But the degree to which she was written off, for years, as a fundamentally unserious and self-involved artist reflects the ways in which domestic and romantic concerns are written off as unimportant when women talk about them.

By comparison, Springsteen has so many songs about teenage boys crushing on teenage girls, but few people try to figure out who he’s talking about when he mentions the almost mythical “Mary” in songs throughout his career. Perhaps it’s because he wasn’t dating famous people as a teenager, and perhaps because it’s sadly still too common to think a man singing about an adolescent crush has more artistic merit than a woman doing the same thing.

Even in the wake of Folklore’s release, many corners of the music-discussing internet insist upon talking about the album more in terms of Swift’s male collaborators — namely Aaron Dessner of The National and Justin Vernon (a.k.a. Bon Iver), both indie-rock royalty — than in terms of her own talents, even when, say, Dessner does a whole interview with Pitchfork talking extensively about Swift’s preternatural songwriting talents. The idea that Taylor Swift has somehow been “created” by someone is one that seems to persist, regardless of how much control she has over her own image.

But the ways in which people doubt Swift’s talent, or her control over her image, reflect larger questions about how baby boomers remade pop culture in their image versus how millennials continue to do.

Baby boomers were born into the era of radio’s dominance over American airwaves, and television entered their lives during their childhoods. The presence of these mass media influenced how much pop culture boomers could be exposed to, pushing into hyperdrive the artistic loop of influence becoming creation. American popular art exploded and proliferated as a result.

Whether that explosion led to the rise of rock and pop music or the invention of the cinematic blockbuster, baby boomers took the popular forms their parents adored and accelerated them toward something more raucous and purely entertaining.

The dominant new medium of millennials’ lives was the internet, which arrived when we were still very young. And a major element of internet culture is remix culture. From the earliest days of the “information superhighway,” jokes that mashed up disparate elements of pop culture — now we’d call them memes — were incredibly common, because the central idea of the internet has always been many people iterating on an idea rather than one person releasing that idea into the world.

Inherent to this kind of remixing is the idea of transforming something, often something disreputable, into something else. Thus, many of the greatest millennial artists work in forms that have previously been written off as unworthy — like, say, pop music — because the gatekeepers in those areas weren’t as likely to be aging baby boomers whose taste was ossifying. (This progression is not all that dissimilar from what the boomers did to the popular culture they were born into.)

Millennial artists grew up amid the splintering of the monoculture and, therefore, feel less of an obligation toward it than older generations might. When all you’ve known are niches, it’s better to try to find a niche that appeals to you and explore it as much as possible, then hope enough people come along for the ride.

Swift’s eagerness to collaborate with other artists who really excite her isn’t a uniquely millennial trait: Artists have been doing this since artists have existed. That she is only too happy to spread that credit around (even as her increasingly well-known “voice memos” that show her coming up with the central ideas behind her songs center her authorship first and foremost) is a testament to how millennial artists feel comfortable with both celebrating their influences and revealing how their art gets built, brick by brick, often thanks to the work of other people.

This is not to say that all baby boomer or millennial artists operate exactly the same way as Springsteen or Swift. Both artists write music that is equal parts heartbreaking and fun, evocative, and ephemeral. They’re constantly searching for their version of an America that does not exist, while not forgetting to make sure that we all have some fun in the one that does.

The impulse they share to tell stories about average Americans searching for meaning amid a crumbling world is a natural one for artists in the US. Yet Springsteen has so often been celebrated for doing just that, his rugged vision of a fading nation and talent for making national crises deeply personal treated as authentic and brilliant.

By comparison, Swift is often derided for how she digs into the ways personal apocalypses visit themselves onto the rest of reality, making her something like Springsteen’s inverse. The struggles she faces are deeply rooted in biases against women, the genre of music she operates in, and her generation. It’s worth reexamining the notions that drive this disparity in the two artists’ reception, if nothing else.

Perhaps we take Springsteen more seriously than Swift because he’s a man, or because all the great rockers of his generation have been venerated by time and nostalgia, or because his influences were men like Chuck Berry and Woody Guthrie instead of Shania Twain, Patsy Cline, and a litany of contemporary collaborators. But one of art’s great pleasures is finding the ways in which artists of different generations talk about the same topics across the span of years.

Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift craft their impeccable story-songs utilizing the tropes of very different musical genres. But they’re equally good at crafting songs built to both sing loudly on the freeway and accompany a flood of tears in the wake of some new heartache. Different as they might be, Springsteen and Swift are always talking about the same thing — all of the ways that every new day, no matter how promising, carries within it the potential to bring about the end of the world all over again. Until then, though, let’s sing about it.

ts1989fanatic all of that just to Tell us something swifties have known for years, the music industry is sexist and misogynistic DUH!!!

[rcris123]

“Did you see that kid Kieran?” Arthur asks Dutch next day; asked the others too, no one knew a damn thing, but all of ‘em said something of Kieran being scared the O’Driscolls been stalking him.

And there’s an idea already forming...

“No.” Dutch replies, then, letting his book down: “Why do you care?”

Kieran van Der Linde is what that boy said once when the three of ‘em went fishing, but there’s more than just mere sympathy:

“If the O’Driscolls took ‘im then they know we’re here and they’re gonna blast us all to hell.”

“You really believe he ain’t just run off?”

“If he ain’t run off ‘till now, why’d he do it?” A pace away. He’s trying to convince Dutch go let them have a look – or maybe he ain’t needing no permission; him and Sebastian are enough to take down the lot of ‘em. “Besides he was still a prisoner.”

Dutch laughed: “Where you even getting these ideas from, my friend?”

Arthur shakes his head, scoffs: “Well... thanks anyway...”

“I need you to stay strong, Arthur.”

More and more those words feel somehow empty, like he’s bringing them up just so he has the last word. But Dutch’s always been like this, why is he only now taking notice of it? Was it Blackwater? Was it Isaac? Was it Sebastian and Isaac? Who the hell knows... But this doubt’s starting to itch inside him and more and more he’s feeling like he’s tearing this place apart and the reasoning behind it is as vague as a pang inside his chest and a ‘It ain’t right’ dangling inside his skull. It feels like it’s all become a chore, suffocating like this goddamn swamp and how goddamn good it felt to get out and do fishing with the kid, Sebastian. What fun they had catching that monster o’a sturgeon.

A sigh, ‘cause he’s still wanting to find out what the hell happened to that Kieran boy. He loves these people, Dutch, Hosea, John, Charles, Lenny, Sean, the women, everyone. He always did it all for them. Why stop now?... And he’d mount up, but instead just ends up giving scratches to Ghost. The bullet wound doesn’t seem to bother her all that much anymore.

If he were to go, Isaac’ll have to come with him.

“You know I saw a couple of them O’Driscoll Boys runnin’ around.” That’s Sadie’s voice.

“Oh, really?” Arthur turns around

“Yeah.” She even climbs in the saddle. “No one seems to care when I get out of camp so I followed them around a bit. Seems they’re holed up in some abandoned town in Lemoyne.”

His face lights up.

“Can you tells us-”

“I’m riding with you, Arthur. I can’t forgive them, you know that.”

“And Kieran?”

“Boy’s harmless. A bit whiny, but harmless.”

“Okay.” Arthur rubs his chin. “ ‘kay. You wait here, I’m gonna get some people.”

“The two of us is all we need.”

“I know, but my heart ain’t letting me.”

Sadie snorts: “You’re one sappy old man.”

“Very funny.” Arthur beckons as he gets back upstairs; Sadie’s got her charm about her, never once sounding truly mean spirited.

Inside Sebastian was still asleep; man barely got any rest last night, tossing and turning, breaking into cold sweat. He even managed somehow to scratch a scab away. It bled. Isaac found himself something to read, legs to chest, on the floor against the dresser by the bedside.

“Mornin’.”

“Mornin’.” His son greets back with a thin smile.

“Got any breakfast?”

Isaac shakes his head and places the book on the dresser behind him.

“Get downstairs and eat somethin’, Isaac. Pack some for the road too.”

Boy gets up: “Where we headed?”

“Getting that kid Kieran back.”

Isaac’s eyes grew wide: “Ain’t that official business?”

A look at him, a sigh: “No.”

It’s a bit too much o’a request for a boy like Isaac but his childhood’s fast coming to an end and no matter how much he tried keeping him clean from outlawing and gunslinging, the noose’s getting tighter by the day and he’s much rather know his son can fight than lose him ‘cause he ain’t been enough a man to teach him.

Maybe he ain’t ever been much of a man to begin with, all queer like he is – he heard Tilly insulting Bill like that once. She knew, they all knew, and now Arthur ain’t no different.

“Okay.” But his son still trusts him; and that’s enough.

Arthur sits on the edge of the bed, compelled to run a hand through the rough hair on the side of Sebastian’s head, lean in, whisper something for good morning.

“Good mornin’, you stubborn ol’ buck.” He did just that in the end.

“I’m middle-aged.” Sebastian muses, a smile drawing on thin lips.

“And I’m a grandparent.”

A snort. A flutter of brown doe eyes, then an inhale as Sebastian tries to turn on the other side:

“Good morning to you too.” A stretch, then a grunt and the man rolls back to face Arthur: “What you up to?”

“Finding that boy Kieran. I want you to ride with me.”

“Always.” It’s soft the way he says that and once more Arthur finds himself running fingers through the rough hair on the side of the man’s head.

“Managed to catch some sleep?”

As hand threatens to let go Sebastian catches it into his own; holds it.

“Not really...”

“What kept you up?” A sigh; he looks away and Arthur squeezes his hand. “Talk to me, would you...”

A huff, a tug of the arm closer: “I’m afraid... That they gonna take it all- and then I remember I have nothing left anyway...”

“That ain’t it, Sebastian.”

“If this counts-“ another tug of the arm. “If this is me having something how do I know it ain’t gonna end up the same. You. The kid. Why are these fucking things up again-” He growls, suppresses a sob, the closes his eyes and exhales with difficulty.

“Sebastian...” And the man draws him closer in. “You gotta trust ye’rself. And you gotta trust this poor ol’ fool’s luck, ‘cause he ain’t died just yet.” It’s absent minded again how he touches the medallion, ‘cause it dangles heavy from the neck, and Sebastian catches that.

Looping an arm around Arthur’s back the man props himself up with yet another groan.

“I ain’t seen anyone more stubborn than you.” Arthur speaks up again.

“Yeah. Me either...”

He liked that: looking at him. He’s handsome and not deserving the shit this world gave him.

“Now let’s get that kid Kieran.”

“Yeah.” Determination grows on Sebastian’s features.

 Downstairs they couldn’t help running into Sean; boy’s been frantic trying his best to keep up with camp chores and whatnot, but somehow still ended up sleeping somewhere in some uncomfortable pose. He ain’t gonna question that. And maybe that was for the worst ‘cause now Sean tagged along with them and the moment he saw Isaac there lad knit his eyebrows and felt like he swore on Christ and the Virgin Mary not to let any harm come to the boy. And that’s just hoping trouble ain’t finding Sean first.

But Sadie ain’t protested so it’s the 4 of them and the kid that set out and for now he ain’t as scared as he could be.

The road takes them past Caliga Hall, towards the Kamassa River, they follow the water’s bend, until he recognizes the Eris Fields to their left, and further up ahead he remembers that bridge: took towards the Marshes, Bluewater were they called? Sadie rode hard the entire time. Sean tried talking, maybe ‘cause he ain’t doing good in the silence, but silence’s what he got.

“If we’re lookin’ for a spooky place that one’s pretty much fittin’ the description.” Sean spoke again.

It looked like an abandoned town. He’s passed here before, he remembers that collapsed church, the graves. Isaac read them all –all died 1893, just a month after it was all built. And at that moment Isaac looked at him:

“Ain’t this?-”

Sadie jumped down from saddle: “We take it from foot here.” She took her gun.

“We sure there’s O’Driscoll’s there?” Sean wasn’t all convinced. “It’s lookin’ pretty quiet for the lot of ‘em if you ask me.”

“There still looks to be guards out.” Sebastian intervened. “Look. There.”

A man in the characteristic green, slumped over with what looked like a riffle for support. He ain’t looking at all lively. Something felt off.

“Me and Sadie go up ahead.” Arthur said. “Sean, Sebastian, you hang back for support in case there’s more o’em coming from behind-” Sean almost protested. “Don’t want a word of it, Sean. Isaac, you too, go with ‘em.”

His son picked out the riffle that was now stored on Big Sir – it previously belonged on Ghost.

No turning back now; Sadie already went up ahead. It’s with big steps that Arthur follows behind, one pat on the revolver’s bed, synching his movement for a quick draw. Hands quickly return to holding the Repeater.

It’s Sadie that shoots first; there was no opposition from that guard except one panicked jerk up. Body falls. She rushes inside. Arthur takes one more glance back at the other three before heading in himself. There’s already gunshots. A scream from Sadie. Guns blazing, there’s already 2 dead inside. Arthur adds another to the count.

“There’s more in the other room!” Sadie shouts, and indeed O’Driscolls pour out.

One’s shot right in the doorframe; the one behind stumbles over it. He meets the same crude fate with a bullet to the head. Arthur took care of the 2 other left in that main room.

There’s gunshots outside now too. And a muffled scream for below the floorboards. Kieran? Sadie caught that too: her gaze darts downwards.

“Guess he’s in the cellar-” Arthur speaks but he ain’t getting to finish that.

Sadie rushes by him joining the gunfight outside. A peak out: there’s at least 13 of them. But he ain’t sure about the rest of ‘em.

They gotta hold out.

“Com’on.” Arthur psyches himself up while darting past the battlefield.

There’s a few stray bullets that try to get a hold of him. Better luck next time. He searches for the entrance to the cellar- Another O’Driscoll jumps out, knife in hand. Arthur darts back; the tip of the blade cut his vest. Arthur ducks and tackles the other with force to the ground. Man swats the knife, before dropping it on impact. Fists come raining and the O’Driscoll ain’t moving soon, face a pool of blood.

It’s only now he notices the rashes on the man’s skin. The fact that he had a gun he ain’t used... Heart sinks. He turns the downed O’Driscoll’s face with the tip of his boot as he stood up, the sin looked like that of a carcass and that can’t all be his doing...

He gotta find that Kieran soon, that if these bastards ain’t eaten him alive, or worse yet, left the job half finished.

There’s the cellar. He blasts the lock open with the sawed-off shotgun and dashes inside. There ain’t no light down there and Arthur’s feelin’ like it takes too goddamn long until he fumbles the lantern alight. There’s growling around him.

And when he shines light into the room he sees no less than three O’Driscolls drooling and clattering their teeth, hogtied with rope, as if they belonged in an insane asylum. And then there’s Kieran, bound and gagged with an arm bleeding. When seeing Arthur boy struggles against the restraints.

“I gotchu now, stay calm.” Kieran relaxes onto the chair as he goes to cut off the rope and take the gag out.

One glance is spared for that wounded arm: someone gnawed at it. Jesus Christ! Poor bastard... And as soon as he’s free Kieran clutches that arm against his chest with his other one. A hand on the back to guide him out. The gunshots stopped.

“Th-thank you, Arthur.” Kieran mutters on the stairs.

“Don’t you worry ‘bout it.”

“Y-you saved my life...”

“You saved mine once before, it’s the least I could do.”

“I... Thank you.”

Arthur pats the boy on the back: “It’s okay, kid.”

“Arthur!” That’s Sean calling, he came running. “Sebastian’s calling for ya’.”

Arthur strides forward, letting go of Kieran, then before he forgot turns to them: “Sean, help him up on Big Sir, would you.”

“Sure.”

When he reaches around the house, Sebastian was buzzing from place to place like an angry hornet while Sadie stared at the barn doors. They were sealed shut and it read: STAY OUT PLAGUE. A hand rushes up to cover his mouth and rub his beard. Christ. So a plague is what caused them undead.

He goes to meet Sebastian, whose head was in the ground, deep in thought; man wanted to shake Arthur off when he put his hands on his shoulders.

“Look at me.” Arthur tells him quietly. “Sebastian-”

“That Cajun was right.” Sebastian growls, muscles releasing the tension they were holding before. “If only I was here back then-” Arthur holds him firmer. “Joseph might still be-”

“Shshsh...” Hand switch from cupping the man’s shoulders to cupping his face, but Sebastian grits his teeth and grips Arthur’s collar between his fists.

“You don’t get it. I let this happen. It’s my fault-”

“You ain’t lettin’ it happen again.” His voice raises only to meet Sebastian’s volume.

“PA!” Isaac shouts from somewhere, and his attention’s fully focused on that now; and so’s Sebastian. “Com’ere a moment!”

They both rush to do so.

There’s more writing on the walls of that home: BEWARE RUVIC, though he ain’t sure if that’s an C or a K ‘cause half of it is missing’, the other smudged off at the corner. He also ain’t sure if RUVIC’s two words or one. Arthur takes out his journal and the engraved pen from his satchel to start drawing it. The blue lines hold out better.

“You think that’s a name?” Isaac asks.

“Could be.” Sebastian muses. “Or some abreviation.”

“From what?”

“Don’t know.”

“We gonna find that out.” Arthur scratches his beard again, “But first we gotta take Kieran back. Those undead took a bite outta him.”

Isaac’s mouth hangs open, while Sebastian’s scrunches shut.

“He’s on your horse, Isaac, you can go on ahead.”

Boy nods, springs up and sprints away.

Sadie hands back and so does Sean:

“So what the hell’s this all about?” Sean speaks up.

“It’s some disease.” Sebastian says, mounting up. “It turns people idiots and deranged.”

Isaac’s off already, Kieran holding onto the boy for dear life ‘cause Big Sir sprung straight to a swift gallop.

“So they lose the ability to speak and go wild like animals?” Sadie asks.

“Pretty much.” Arthur chimes in. “Saw a couple of ‘em chained up in the basement next to Kieran.”

“And they gain a taste for human flesh.” Sebastian elaborate further.

“Jesus!” Sean and Sadie alike.

“Ain’t sounding like it’s anythin’ natural.” Sean throws out his opinion.

“Are people even capable of doing that?” Sadie ain’t fully convinced.

“If RUVIC’s anything to go by,” Sebastian starts. “I’d say it’s a human. Or a bunch o’em.”

Sadie sighed: “Then it’s a good thing we got rid of ‘em, I say.”

“Yeah.” Sean chimed in.

 The road back feels faster, mind’s a’gallop, runnin’ to catch some coherence before it goes entirely insane. It ain’t no wonder such things are making Sebastian toss at night. They tortured him once before and now came for seconds. And for that man’s sanity and the hope that the world ain’t entirely gone to shit they gotta find some reason to this – the man, or men, behind it all.

And for that they gotta set out again.

Only their welcome back ain’t one reserved for victors.

“What you done now, Morgan...” Micah cackles from where he was leaned on a tree, sharpening something with a knife.

He ain’t replied, but Dutch glared at him as if he just murdered a gang member. He can’t stand it, and soon neither can Dutch:

“Did I tell you you can go fetch him, Arthur?” Tone’s low and scolding.

“I told you why.”

“Not that you were actually going through with it?” Dutch stepped forward, eyebrows drawn together. Arthur squared his shoulders. “What the hell happened to you, Arthur?...”

“Could ask the same of you, Dutch...” They’re measuring each other up with glances. “What happened to taking care of folk?”

“And what happened to loyalty, son?...”

“Been loyal, Dutch. Always.”

Dutch slowly backs away as if he’s letting Arthur have this, but no, now he spoke louder: “Then don’t you trust my judgment!?”

“Well, me and Sadie felt different.” Arthur retorts.

“Then what next!? You gonna feel different and put a gun to my head, Arthur?”

“Now that ain’t true.” Sean butts in. “Ain’t you heard him, he cares for folk. It’s why we all went to get that other Irish bastard. Can’t stand the focker but I ain’t standing Micah either ‘n Arthur busted that walkin’ shite outta prison anyway.”

Dutch’s scowl could have murdered on its own. Arthur holds Sean back before either of ‘em draw or throw a punch.

And in all o’ this Hosea was quiet. But Sadie wasn’t:

“Unless you wanted to fight diseased, half dead, feral O’Driscolls I’d say we did you a favor.”

“The what?...” Now Hosea spoke up.

“Yeah.” Sadie continued. “The bastards that came and took Kieran were more dead than alive.”

“Found 3 of ‘em chained up in the basement growling and drooling like animals.” Isaac chimes in.

Dutch’s eyes grow wide.

“Ain’t you seen the bastards bit chunks of that boy’s arm off?” Sadie continues.

“... I guess in that case... thank you.” Hosea at least had the dignity to accept defeat. Dutch didn’t, just stood quiet where he was. “Arthur... Maybe you should keep an eye out for that.”

“Already on it, me an’ Sebastian. Found this person, RUVIC, his name on the walls where Kieran was held.”

“Okay...” Hosea sounded half terrified. “I’ll see if I can poke my nose into it too.”

“Thank you, Hosea.”

#arthur morgan #red dead redemption 2 #rdr2 #rdr2 tag #rdr2 fanfic #kieran duffy #isaac morgan #sebastian castellanos #sebthur #and zombies #and :3c ruvic

[the-million-mile-mountain]

It All Lies Here (chapter 2)

“The deed’s been done,” Lindsay crows, dropping a bundle of photos on Trevor’s desk. Trevor looks up from his phone, spreading the pictures out with a hand; the drug dealer Lindsay had been sent to rough up is in every one of them, in increasing stages of dismemberment. There’s one near the bottom of the stack with Lindsay and Meg both taking a selfie in front of the victim, blood pouring down his face while they flash peace signs.

“Good work,” Trevor says, collecting the photos and shoving them into a drawer. “Were the cat ears really necessary though?”

Lindsay just shrugs with a grin. “You know Meg.”

“Somehow I doubt it was Meg.”

Lindsay turns on her heels with a cackle, and Trevor watches her go, a smile on his face. It’s been a while since Lindsay has truly enjoyed herself, whether it be on or off jobs. It had been a month or so after the Fakes had all passed before Meg had managed to do anything more than glare. Lindsay hadn’t so much as laughed until after that. And now, almost seven months after the fact, things finally seemed to be returning to normal.

“Hey ‘Fredo,” Trevor says, not even looking up as his boyfriend enters the room; he can identify various international criminals by voice alone, so he is more than capable of knowing what his partner’s footsteps sound like. He yanks gently at Alfredo’s collar as he comes close, tugging him down into a quick kiss. “We still on for dinner?”

“Yep, got us a table down at that sushi place you love.” As Alfredo’s eyes crinkle around the corners and his lips split into a grin, Trevor can’t help but think about how much he’s missed this. The typically rambunctious and lively man has just returned to normal after months of grim nonchalance and crying in private. Trevor draws idle patterns on the back of Alfredo’s hand, breathing in his cologne.

Alfredo chuckles, pulling his hand away and smacking Trevor lightly upside the head. “You’re going soft,” he says, his eyes crinkling around the edges.

“What can I say? I’m a romantic at heart.” Trevor blows a kiss in Alfredo’s direction, throwing in a dramatic wink for good measure.

Alfredo merely chuckles again before reaching into his pocket. “Oh, this came in for you.” Alfredo hands over an envelope, empty of return address and addressed to him only by the first name.

“Probably a death threat. Or worse, a bill.”

“One can only hope,” Alfredo says with a shrug, making his way to the door. He pauses at the entrance, turning back to Trevor for a moment. “You coming with us tomorrow?”

Trevor pauses for a moment, glancing down at the photo in the corner of the desk. Geoff and Jack smile back at him, their arms looped around each other as Jeremy and Michael wrestle in the foreground. He can just barely see Ryan and Gavin in the back, mere blurs as the Vagabond chases the Golden Boy around with a fairly large wrench. The photo looks to be near the beginning of the Fakes’ reign over Los Santos, their faces still beaming in the sunlight. The spot they had been standing then, a peaceful area near the top of Mount Chiliad, is where the former B Team had placed their empty graves. The only bodies they had been able to recover had been burnt beyond recognition, and Ryan’s corpse had been destroyed by the cops, so there had been nothing to put in the ground. Still, their resting place is relatively humble as compared to how the crew was in life.

“I think I’ll come along this time.” He owes it to them, after all; after spending weeks too buried in paperwork and crew politics to properly tag along, it’s probably time to visit their graves.

Alfredo beams, nodding quickly before zipping out of the office. Trevor leans back in his chair, grinning a bit in fondness and he twirls the envelope in his hands. It’s heartening to see the members of his crew in such good spirits. It’s taken a long while for everyone’s smiles to return, his own included. The original Fakes had been closer than family to everyone on the B Team, and Trevor had known them since he was a mere teenager. Sometimes he’ll still expect Geoff to text him or Jeremy to show up at his door, a half-formed plan for destruction on his lips. Trevor rips the envelope open, smiling fondly at the photo on his desk. Maybe one day he’ll be that kind of family for someone else.

The paper tumbles out of the envelope, and Trevor can’t help the sinking suspicion that rises in his stomach as he reads it. It’s just a time, date, and location. No name, no location of origin, nothing aside from the three sentences. There’s something about the letter that strikes him as familiar, though. Trevor holds it close, squinting at the handwriting, the paper, the ink, the wheels in his head turning.

“Alfredo!” Trevor squawks, and the other man’s face appears in the doorway after a moment. “Change of plans. Something just came up.”

 ..:..:..:..:..:..:..:..

 When he pulls up to the park, Trevor isn’t really sure what to expect.

A letter, a date, and a set of coordinates. That’s all that it took to drag him halfway across the world. A simple piece of paper, the whiff of a wild goose chase, and he suddenly finds himself at a small public park. It’s mostly abandoned, seeing as the sun is just about set, but it’s not cold enough out to warrant anything more than a light jacket. There’s a soft glow coming from the street lamps on the corners as Trevor climbs out of the car, stuffing his hands into his pockets to avoid the chill. His fingertips brush the edges of paper, crinkled and fraying with wear, and suddenly Trevor is much more unsure than ever. It’s more than the contents of the letter that have summoned him at a moment’s notice.

It’s the handwriting. Crooked, slanted, near-impossible to read if it hadn’t been for his years of experience.

Trevor stalks silently a bit further into the park, taking a seat on a bench close to the entrance. He pulls the note out of his pocket once more, squinting in the low light, as if his location will suddenly change the contents of the letter like in the movies. Trevor shakes his head, letting out a long sigh. This isn’t the movies, he knows this. It’s real life, and people don’t just up and come back from the dead, even if a mysterious letter shows up months later with their handwriting. Before now, Trevor would have been certain he could tell Geoff’s chicken scratch from anyone else’s. But here, halfway across the damn planet and freezing his ass off, Trevor knows it’s hopeless. Geoff’s dead. No letter will change that.

He stuffs the paper back in his pocket, shaking his head again. He is about to head for the car, already planning on blasting the heater, when a voice stops him in his tracks.

“Hey, Trev.”

Trevor freezes in place, his heart beating too fast, his mind suddenly blank. In any other life, he would recognize that voice in an instant; it’s gravelly from years of use but still warm, and you can practically hear the smirk. It’s a voice that used to comfort Trevor, the voice belonging to the first person who ever showed him any kindness.

Trevor turns, slowly, to face the source of the sound, and there he is. His hair is more salt than pepper at this point, and he’s bundled up in a couple different jackets, but it’s him. There’s no mistaking it. Geoff slouches against the bitter cold, his nose red, his eyes fixed on Trevor’s.

And suddenly Trevor isn’t Trevor anymore. His mind closes down, his back straightens up, and a plastic smile forces its way onto his face. It’s a transformation he’s more than familiar with; with cold eyes and a smooth voice, hair slicked back and fingers wrapped around the handle of a knife, he becomes the man who now runs Los Santos, the new Kingpin. A calm voice that knows which questions to ask, a cheerful façade to put his enemies at ease. It’s a persona that comes almost too easily for Trevor, but it’s automatic now, a way to hide his shattering heart behind a placid grin.

“Long time no see!” Trevor says brightly, and nothing feels real. Geoff looks too far away and too close at once, and his limbs no longer feel like his own.

Geoff’s mouth opens and then closes, his eyes crinkling in confusion. Trevor notices his hands slips out of his pockets, empty for now. “Yeah, I guess. How…how ya’ been?”

“Oh just fine,” Trevor says, and the lie is too sweet, too sing-song. But that plastic smile stays in place, and he has to fight the rising lump in his throat. “You’re looking pretty good yourself. For a dead man and all. How are the others doing? I’m just going to assume that they’re here too.” Trevor hopes they’re not, that this is some sort of trick played by one man, not a deception pulled by his entire family.

Geoff flinches back, his mouth pressed into a thin line. “Yeah, they’re all okay,” and Trevor’s heart sinks even further, but Geoff continues. “I know it’s a lot to take in, sorry ‘bout that. There’s a good reason, I swear.”

“Oh, now that’s something I have to hear.” Trevor crosses his arms, narrowing his eyes. “Please, regale me with the ‘reason’ you decided to not only leave us without so much as a goodbye, but also fake your goddamn death on the way out. I’m sure that there’s a perfectly reasonable explanation for that.” Venom drips from his lips, and Trevor can feel the shock wear off, feel the reality begin to sink in.

In front of him stands his mentor, his teacher, someone he considered a father. In front of him stands a dead man, a man who should be nothing more than the grave marker he helped erect. And for what? All that grieving, all those tears, just so Geoff can pull a 180 and shout ‘psyche’? So they can write this all off as one big prank and be done with it? Go back to the way things used to be? Lindsay cried for weeks on end. Meg refused to speak to anyone for two months. Alfredo literally worried himself sick over keeping his team safe in the field and was forcibly isolated himself while at home, and for what?

For nothing.

“Look, Trevor,” Geoff starts, but Trevor cuts him off with a wave of his hand.

“Whatever you’re about to say, you don’t have to. You’ve already done enough.” The words cut deeper than Trevor intends, but he doesn’t care.

“Look, Trev, I’m sor—”

“Sorry!” Trevor barks out a laugh, sharp in the evening air. “Like ‘sorry’ is going to fix anything. Sorry won’t fix jack shit, Geoff, you know this better than anyone. You’re always the one who told me that saying sorry means nothing if you don’t prove it. And this is how you prove it? By sending me a cryptic letter, by asking me to meet in a dog park halfway across the planet? Yeah, seems real sorry to me.”

Geoff’s face hardens. “We didn’t have a choice. There were—”

“Like shit you didn’t have a choice!” And the façade is cracking now. His voice breaks, his vision wavers, his hands ball into fists, and he’s past the point of caring anymore. “You could have chosen to stay! You could have chosen to let us help! You could have chosen not to let us all think you died! To let us mourn! What I don’t get,” he says, taking one, two, three steps closer until he’s face-to-face with Geoff, “is why you chose to leave.”

Geoff’s mouth opens and closes, the words caught in his throat, and a hysteric sort of giggle bubbles out of Trevor’s mouth. “No answer now, huh? Cat got your silver tongue, or have you finally run out of excuses?”

“Hey, listen, I was just trying to protect y—”

“Protect us!?” Trevor’s hands fist in Geoff’s jacket, and he hates the way his voice warbles. “You died, Geoff! You died seven months ago! You left us all behind, you abandoned me and the others, and you expect it to be fine!?”

The tears start to spill in earnest now, rolling down his cheeks until he can taste the salt. His arms don’t feel like his, his vision is foggy, and he’s tired. So tired. Months of mourning, of grieving, of missing his family have left him numb to anything but the sadness, the anger, and now it’s all spent. Trevor can do nothing but stand there, hands balled in Geoff’s coat, tears running down his face.

It’s hesitant, it’s slow, but Geoff’s hands reach up to Trevor’s shoulders, and soon Trevor is sobbing openly into Geoff’s shoulder, the older man holding the younger one tightly as they both cry. Geoff mumbles little “I’m sorry”s into Trevor’s ear, and Trevor almost lets himself believe it. He wants to so badly, wants to go back to the way things were, wants his father back.

“Why?” Trevor finally croaks out, his voice sore from screaming. He pulls away from the embrace, wiping his tears away. “I just wanna know why.” His energy is drained, his anger is gone, and Trevor feels mask façade of the Shadow slip away until he’s just Trevor again. Scared, alone, desperate Trevor standing in front of the man he considers a father.

“It’s a long story,” Geoff says, wiping away his own tears.

Trevor gestures weakly back to where his car is waiting in the parking lot. “Well I’ve got some time and a heater,” he offers. Geoff simply nods, following Trevor back to the safety of the rental car.

 ..:..:..:..:..:..:..

 It’s a story that many people in Los Santos are familiar with: decades-long rivalries, petty turf wars turned into blood feuds, conspiracy and espionage that threaten to topple empires. And Geoff had been a part of the city’s criminal underground for most of his life, having made quite the number of enemies along the way.

Two years ago, Geoff had caught wind of a certain old rival who had it out for him and his crew. But not just anyone in his crew would satisfy this enemy; they were after him and his partners, all six members of the inner circle. To anyone else it would look like a power move, trying to cut off all six heads of the snake to render the Fakes powerless. But Geoff had known better: it was a personal vendetta, one that would only be resolved with blood. And, if this rival was going to have their way, there would be a lot of it.

Had it been ten years ago and had Geoff been ten years younger, it would have been no problem. But he’d gotten older, gotten complacent, and the two years since the challenge was issued had been hard-fought and barely-won. The letter about Ray had been the tipping point; if the infamous Brownman could be brought down, it was only a matter of time before the other followed suit. And with the rival hot on their heels, that moment was more likely to come sooner rather than later.

He’d wanted to tell Trevor and the others, wanted to loop them in on the plan. But this rival was cunning and knew about all of their tricks seemingly before they’d even pulled them off. Secrecy was of the utmost importance if everyone, including the B Team, was to make it out alive. They could be looped in later, but “killing” the Fakes was the top priority.

It had been hell, watching Trevor and his crew mourn for those long months. It had been torture watching them think they were burying a friend, a member of the family. But it had been a necessary sacrifice, an evil they couldn’t do without.

And now the time has come to correct that mistake.

 ..:..:..:..:..:..:..

 It takes the better part of two hours before the story is told. It’s mostly thanks to Trevor interrupting here and there, as well as Geoff getting side-tracked in the retelling, but at the end of it, Geoff breathes a sigh of relief. There are deep circles still under his eyes and his cheeks are still a bit gaunt, but the tension from his shoulders seems to slip away as he fixed Trevor with a look that can only be read as hopeful. A wordless question, begging Trevor to understand, to forgive.

Trevor leans back for a moment, huffing out a sigh of his own. Before this, everything had been straight forward, simple. Not good by any stretch, but uncomplicated at least. And now, the situation was neither of those things. A small part of him, an angry, bitter part, wants to hold onto the hate welling up in his chest. The feeling of heartbreak, of grief still unresolved, of absolute betrayal. He wants to take all of that, everything he’s had to go through, hell, everything his team has had to go through, and throw it all back in Geoff’s face.

But then he looks at the man. The same man who took Trevor off the streets when no one else would give him the time of day. The same man who taught him how to hold a gun, how to throw a punch, how to take a hit. The same man who shaped Trevor into the person he is now, the one who gave him not only a family to come home to but a home to begin with.

This man, Geoff, who, despite making what Trevor may consider to be the most selfish decision he’s ever heard, made it on their behalf.

And yeah, Trevor’s mad. He’s upset, furious at the idea that this family could lie to his face and think it’s okay. But, on the other hand, he understands why they had to do it. Protecting the ones he loves has always been Trevor’s main goal, and risking everything for the people who love you…it’s something he can understand.

Trevor sighs again, rubbing a hand down his face, and damn that jetlag is kicking his butt right now. “It won’t be easy telling the others.”

Geoff relaxes, a nervous sort of smile working its way onto his face. “Yeah, I can’t imagine it being simple. We’re planning on telling everyone back in the states eventually, but it’ll take some time.”

“Why me?” Trevor asks, and Geoff cocks his head a bit in confusion. “Why’d you tell me first? Not that I’m not glad, but…you know…why? Why not Matt, or Barbara?”

“Wasn’t even a choice,” Geoff says, and the answer is so instant that Trevor is a bit taken aback. “You’re the head of the Fakes now, if I told you and you thought it would be a bad idea to tell everyone else, we wouldn’t have. Besides, we trust you a lot more than you know. You’ve been through a lot, Trev, you’re a damn good leader. I trust your judgement.”

Trevor isn’t sure if it’s pride or not swelling in his chest, but he lets the smile slide onto his face all the same. “You know Meg’s probably going to kill you,” he says after a moment.

Geoff rubs the back of his neck, a nervous laugh falling form his lips. “Yeah, I kinda figured.”

“We’ll burn that bridge when we come to it,” Trevor says, clapping Geoff on the shoulder.

“Sounds good to me,” Geoff replies, putting a hand on Trevor’s arm, grinning more widely than Trevor’s seen a very long time.

 ..:..:..:..:..:..:..

 Trevor’s known Lindsay, Meg, and Alfredo for years. They’ve gone on countless jobs, shared countless secrets, each been there for the other when the world stood against them. Trevor know that given a thousand opportunities, a thousand lifetimes, he would never trade any member of this team. He trusts them with his very life, and knows for a fact that they feel the same.

But still, in this moment, he’s terrified of them.

Alfredo sits beside Trevor, both hands shoved up against the car’s dashboard heater as he shivers. Coming from the more heated areas of the west coast, Alfredo isn’t exactly used to Alp-like climates, and though Trevor thinks two jackets and a scarf is a little overboard, he couldn’t talk Alfredo out of the ridiculous getup if he tried. Meg lounges in the back seat, idly flipping through her phone as she cards her fingers through Lindsay’s hair, the blond woman snoring loudly as she lays splayed against the brunette.

He knows them all almost better than he knows himself, knows that they trust him implicitly. Still, he can’t fight off the ball of anxiety in his stomach, the notion that maybe this is a bad idea.

“So you wanna tell us why we’re here?” Alfredo asks, eyeing Trevor out of the corner of his eye, and there’s no avoiding the subject anymore.

“Yeah, you didn’t really give us a lot of warning,” Meg accuses, not looking up from her phone.

Trevor takes a breath; he’d been expecting this. He hadn’t taken the time to explain the letter to the crew before taking off in a rush to Switzerland just a few short days ago. Of course, it had been equally as confusing when he’d insisted Meg, Lindsay, and Alfredo accompany him on a spontaneous voyage across the world at a moment’s notice, but they’d still trusted him. Steffi had only been slightly irritated when he’d asked her to keep an eye on everything for a few days, agreeing only when Trevor had promised her a brand new car. It’ll probably buy them a week or two before she insists they come back; Trevor just hopes that’s enough time.

He runs a hand down his face, sighing heavily as the road takes a sharp turn right. “Meg, you might wanna wake Lindsay up. You all need to hear this.”

Meg eyes Trevor suspiciously, but still reaches over to shake Lindsay gently. The other woman snorts in surprise, rubbing at her eyes and yawning. “What’s going on? We there yet?” Lindsay mutters, huddling further into Meg’s side for warmth.

“That’s actually what I wanted to talk to you guys about.” Trevor pauses for a moment, checking the GPS before turning onto a side-road, the car lurching from side to side on the uneven dirt path. “I’m sure you’re all curious about why we’re in the Swiss Alps.”

“You could say that,” Alfredo mutter, shoving his hands closer to the heater.

“Well, you all know that I got a letter the other week.”

“And that was reason enough to haul our asses halfway across the planet?” Meg gripes, rubbing Lindsay’s arms soothingly.

“Seeing as Geoff wrote the letter, yes.”

The stunned silence in the car is deafening, and he can feel three pairs of eyes boring holes into his skull in shock. Meg’s mouth is hanging open, Alfredo’s eyes are wide as saucers, and Lindsay is sitting straight up, her back stiff and her mouth set grimly.

“That’s…not possible,” Meg says, and Trevor has to avoid looking at her directly in the rear-view mirror.

“Trev, are you…okay?” Alfredo asks, putting a hand gently on Trevor’s shoulder, his gaze laden with concern. “There’s no way Geoff could have written that. He died seven months ago, remember?”

“Look, I was just as confused when I read it. But it’s his handwriting, no doubt.” He reaches into his jacket pocket, tossing the letter to Alfredo. The younger man scans the page, his eyes flicking between the page and Trevor’s face. Lindsay snatches the paper from Alfredo’s hands after a moment, and Meg scans the words desperately over her shoulder.

“It’s just…coordinates. It’s not exactly the map to El Dorado,” Lindsay said, a bit of skepticism leaking into her tone.

“Wait, is that why you disappeared for a few days? You were following this—this wild goose chase?” Meg snaps, waving the paper in the air in irritation, her voice sharp and accusing, but Trevor can notices her bite her lip, her eyes darting back and forth. Meg is more of a realist than anything, and even now Trevor can see her trying to quash the rising hope.

“Actually, yes,” and Trevor’s almost impressed that his voice is so calm. The road ahead of him evens out, the dot on the GPS gets ever closer, and there’s three more miles. Just three more miles, and the trust Trevor’s team has in him will be tested. After all, Trevor’s the leader of sorts, and his decision to trust the former Fakes, to actually forgive them after everything, will probably have some mixed reactions at best. But it’s too late to turn back now. As the cottage looms into view, the only thing he can do now is just cross his fingers and hope for the best.

The GPS beeps in triumph, announcing their arrival, and honestly Trevor doesn’t know what he was expecting. Maybe a parade, a tearful reunion, something to that effect knowing the former Fakes’ penchant for the dramatic.

Instead, it’s just Geoff sitting on the porch, a mug of coffee in his hands, the steam swirling around his moustache and stubble too long to be called stubble anymore. He’s bundled up in a coat, but a pair of bunny slippers peek out from underneath his pajama pants. He seems unperturbed by the arrival of his new guests, merely raising the mug in greetings before turning and shouting something towards the interior of the house.

“What’s going on?” The voice is small, soft, scared. Lindsay puts a hand on Trevor’s shoulder, and he can see the tears in her eyes. He glances back at Meg, something hopeful and at the same time furious in her eyes. Alfredo’s mouth is open in shock, the words almost stuck in his throat. And, honestly, this is probably the best reaction that Trevor could have hoped for.

“There’s something you need to know,” is all Trevor says, opening the car door and stepping out into the snow.

 ..:..:..:..:..:..:..

 It takes nearly three hours to get the whole story out, this time due to Meg’s impatient interruptions and Lindsay’s frantic questions. Geoff takes his time addressing both, seemingly just relieved that they’re even sitting at the dining table having this conversation. And, if Trevor is being honest, he’s surprised at how well his team is handling the news. It had taken nearly fifteen straight minutes to get Meg to stop screaming and kicking, and he’s pretty sure Gavin is going to be nursing a bruised jaw for at least a week. Lindsay had merely stood there wordlessly for a good long while, eventually breaking down into both crying and berating the former Fakes in turn. And Alfredo had merely flung his hands in the air, proclaimed “Fuck this shit!” and tried to trek his way back to the main road on his own. Trevor had needed to collect him halfway down the driveway. Even now, listening to the story, he’s largely quiet, glancing at the others around the room as if they will disappear any moment. Trevor’s just glad that they’ve stayed this long; it had taken a lot of restraint to let Geoff explain himself the first time, and their tempers are tend to be much more volatile than his.

“So…yeah,” Geoff says at the end, shrugging with all the nonchalance in the world. “That’s how it all shook out. Sorry for not telling you guys sooner; it was really shitty, but it was the best way to keep everyone safe.” Meg snorts derisively, folding her arms and leaning back, but no one seems to pay her any mind. They probably all expected her to either cuss them all out or simply walk away; the fact that she’s even here is a miracle. Lindsay puts a comforting hand on Meg’s arm, although Trevor doesn’t miss her gnawing at her lip.

When Meg stands up suddenly, stalking towards the front door with her hands balled at her sides, Trevor’s not really surprised. Hell, he’s impressed she’s managed to stay sitting for so long. Lindsay follows soon after, glancing between her girlfriend’s retreating form and the former Fakes before following Meg outside. Alfredo merely sits next to Trevor, but his back is too rigid, his eyes too wide.

“If you’ll excuse us, I think we all need some air,” Trevor says, his voice much calmer than he feels as he grasps Alfredo’s hand, leading him away from the table. He sees Gavin start to reach out, whether to comfort or stop them Trevor can’t tell, but Ryan puts a hand on his shoulder, keeping him in place.

When Trevor and Alfredo step onto the porch, Lindsay and Meg don’t even look up. Meg is curled into herself, arms wrapped around her torso as Lindsay rubs soothing circles into her back. Lindsay looks so much wearier in the afternoon light, the bags underneath her eyes so much heavier than they had been that morning. Even Alfredo is unsettlingly still, his eyes fixed on the mountains in the distance, the life gone from his face.

Trevor leads Alfredo to the bench where the others sit, taking a seat next to Lindsay. The afternoon is starting to fade from the sky, but the air isn’t so cold as to be unpleasant. The hills are starting to lose their green colour, and Trevor can begin to see why they chose this place to escape to. It’s beautiful, secluded, and there’s enough room for them to do pretty much anything they want without being disturbed. It’s quite the place to escape to.

“I’m not dreaming, am I?” Alfredo asks, and his large brown eyes are still fixed to a point in the distance. His hands are shaking in Trevor’s, and Trevor gives them a little squeeze.

“Not quite,” Trevor responds.

“Seven months.” Meg’s voice is quiet but filled with poison. “They left us for seven months. We thought they were dead seven fucking months, and now everything is supposed to be fucking dandy.”

“You heard them, Meg,” Trevor interrupts, and three heads whip around to stare at him. “They were just trying to do the best they could. It sucks, yeah. But they’re fixing it now.”

“How can you be so calm?” Lindsay asks, her words tinged with hysteria. “They lied to you, to all of us, and you’re just okay with it all?”

“I’m not okay with it. Not by a long shot. But I get where they’re coming from.”

“That sounds an awful lot like you’re taking they’re side,” Meg snaps, shooting upright and whirling around to face Trevor. “How could possibly think that what they did was the right thing!?”

“Because I’d do the same thing for all of you.”

Meg’s mouth open as if to respond, but she merely tips her head in confusion. “Think about it. They were in the middle of a fight they couldn’t win, at least not with them all surviving at the end. And if it were me, and I had to choose between winning a fight and keeping all of you alive, you bet your ass I’d do what I had to to make sure you survived.” He squeezes Alfredo’s hand harder, and Alfredo puts his other hand on Trevor’s shoulder.

Lindsay sputters for a moment, shaking herself. “But they—”

“What they did was shitty,” Trevor interrupts, putting his spare hand on Lindsay’s arm. “And if you don’t want to forgive them for it, I won’t blame you. But you all heard the same story I did, and I can’t fault them for trying to protect the ones they love. I mean, that would just be hypocritical of me.” He smiles wryly at the three of them, holding in a sigh of relief when Lindsay’s eyes lose a bit of the steeliness in them, when Meg relaxes her shoulders just a touch.

“Yeah, but they were still idiots to hide this from us,” Lindsay mumbles.

“No one’s debating that,” Trevor replies with a grin.

“And I’m still angry,” Meg snaps.

“That’s to be expected. And I’m not saying that anyone has to forgive them right this instant. But maybe you can all think about it?”

A silence hangs over the group, and for a moment Trevor isn’t sure whether this was a good idea or not. Perhaps it would have been easier for all of them to have stayed ignorant of the truth, for them all to believe that their family had all died so they could just move on. Heaven knows it would have been the simpler solution; staying in Los Santos, safe in their penthouse and only worrying about the day’s business like normal, suddenly seems a lot more appealing than sitting tense on a porch in the mountains.

But suddenly, Meg stalks back towards the door, throwing it open and stomping inside. Her heavy footfalls can be heard retreating back into the house for a tense moment before voices filter out, hers sharp and the others subdued. Lindsay’s eyes dart from the door to Trevor and back, and she gnaws once more at her lip before following Meg inside. Trevor can actually hear her hug someone, and judging by the resounding ‘oof’ that comes out of them, she isn’t letting go any time soon.

Trevor peers back at Alfredo, the younger man still firmly on the bench, one hands still clasped in Trevor’s and the other picking splinters out of the wood. And, for a moment, Trevor wonders if he misplaced his worry. He’s been most concerned about Meg, what with her propensity to resort to anger. He had been certain that either she or Lindsay, kind-hearted Lindsay who got attached so quick and got hurt just as easily, would be the one to keep an eye one during this whole ordeal.

But now, looking at Alfredo, Trevor isn’t so sure. Yes, Meg and Lindsay had taken the Fakes’ deaths hard. Meg had refused to do anything besides scowl and kill for weeks, and Lindsay hadn’t dared to smile or laugh until after Meg had calmed down. But Alfredo’s grief had broken Trevor heart, mostly because he hadn’t seen it. The light had been sucked from Alfredo’s eyes, and the time he hadn’t spent locked in his room, grieving in private, had been tense to say the least. Alfredo had run himself ragged in the field, desperate to make sure that none of his team got hurt. He’d gotten into more scrapes in that time than he had during the rest of his criminal career, and the entire time he had insisted on patching himself up, never coming to the other for help, never letting them see his hurt. As hard as Trevor had taken the news of the Fakes’ deaths, Alfredo’s withdrawal had hurt him the most. It had taken a couple solid months to get Alfredo to open back up, and suddenly the idea that Alfredo may disappear again sends a spike of panic into his gut.

“Are you okay?” Trevor asks, bringing one hand up to cup Alfredo’s cheek.

Alfredo doesn’t react for a moment, still as stone, and Trevor is about to pull back when Alfredo turns his head, a small smile on his lips. “Yeah, I think I am.”

“You sure?”

A beat of silence, a deep breath. “I mean, I’m as okay as I can be right now. But I’ll get there.”

Something heavy slides off of Trevor’s shoulders, and he grabs Alfredo by the shoulders, pressing their lips firmly together. The kiss lasts just a second before Trevor pulls away, his grin mirroring his partner’s.

“Yeah, we will,” Trevor responds, grasping Alfredo’s hand and tugging him back towards the door and stepping inside.

Inside the cabin, Trevor can see Meg, her arms gesturing wildly as she lectures Geoff and Jack, Geoff silent in the face of her ire and Jack with a bit of a bemused grin on her face. Lindsay has one arm around Ryan and the other around Michael, and Trevor can’t tell from this distance if she’s crying to trying to talk their ears off, but they don’t seem to mind either way. Alfredo lets go of Trevor’s hand, making his way towards Gavin and Jeremy, and both men’s faces light up when they see him approach.

Trevor simply leans against the wall, appreciating the view. He isn’t sure if this will last; if Meg’s goodwill will extend past this one meeting, or if Alfredo’s hesitance towards people he once called family will ever dissipate, or if Lindsay will be able to fully trust any of the original six. He’s not entirely sure if anything will be okay again after this.  But, as he listens to the idle chatter, watches both of his family reunite, Trevor is certain of one thing.

Everything is okay right now.

And that’s all that really matters.

..:..:..:..:..:..:..

And here’s chapter 2! I hope you enjoyed it, and I’ll be putting chapter 3 up here in a minute. As always, my inbox is always open, and my AO3 is MillionMileMountain if you wanna stop by. I hope you enjoyed this!

#ah ot6 #fahc ot6 #fahc ryan #fahc jeremy #fahc gavin #fahc geoff #fahc jack #fahc michael #mogar #kingpin #golden boy #rimmy tim #vagabond #it all lies here #fahc trevor #fahc lindsay #fahc meg #fahc alfredo #i don't know if theres any specific triggers in this one #but there's a lot of angst #so let me know if you need anything tagged

[fearofaherobrine]

Roleplay Server Log #390

"Mirabellla Hunting, Grinny's Dinner, Dino in Town, Hide and Seek, Visitation”

[Mirabella] Wanders near the shore, following the faintest trail of loneliness, she normally wouldn't have gone this far from her children, but she was in need of food-

[Mb] is sulking quietly on the shore, and doesn't hear her approach. Celine is nowhere around and he throws a cobble into the water with a plunk.

[Mirabella] Stiffens at the sound and looks around nervously-

[Mb] Let's out the faintest little huff of air, the bit of loneliness is coming from him and it hangs over his demeanor like a small dark cloud.

[Mirabella] Moves a bit closer, drawing the emotion towards her to feed, but she won't get to close. To be fair she's also never really had to hunt for food like this before either

[Mb] Is just wallowing in the emotion since he thinks he's alone.

[Mirabella] She's silent but does gasp as she feels a burst of power from Splender who is in the village-

[Mb] Shoots up and looks around, then up and up. He floats up off the ground and hovers near what would be her eye level. - Humph. I'd offer to fight you, but I hear you people just use sneaky disortion blasts.

[Mirabella] - I...  I didn't mean...

[Mb] What? I like to fight. But getting zapped in the first few seconds isn't any fun.

[Mirabella] Backs off alittle, MB's loneliness having disapated since he noticed her presence-

[Mb] What's wrong with you? You look like you could swat me.

[Mirabella] - I...  I should be going- She quickly turns around

[Mb] Flies in front of her and settles on the ground again- Surely you ain't scared of me?

[Mirabella] - Ah...- Shrinks back a little

[Mb] Why are you sneaking around anyway... From what I've heard you're welcomed here.

[Mirabella] - I...  I was simply...  Looking for food...- Her voice gets quieter as she speaks

[Mb] Food? Just raid someones garden. Or fuck, ask anyone in the castle. Half the server can copy shit and just hand it out like candy.

[Mirabella] - That...  Is not what we feed off of...

[Mb] Oh you're a demon thing right? Is it something weird?

[Mirabella] - Ah, well...  I feed on...  Loneliness...

[Mb] Goes quiet - And you found my ass... - he looks at his feet- Well fuck... I guess that's the way it fucking goes. When the kiddo is of playing... aw who am I kidding...? You don't care. Why should anyone give a shit anyway....

[Mirabella] - You have...  A child?

[Mb] Shifts uncomfortably - She's a tween... A bitty dragon. But smart as a little human.

[Mirabella] - I see...  If you don't mind, I should be returning to my children...

[Mb] Hmmph. - He suddenly perks and looks up at the sound of wingbeats.

[Celine] Dives out of the sky and bowls him over in a big hug, wrapping him in her wings and rolling over and over in the sand- Master!

[Mirabella] Takes a quick step back out of fear-

[Celine] Stops rolling and licks Mb's face playfully- I missed you!

[Mb] Is licked- Cut it out Celine!

[Mirabella] Knows there's no chance of feeding now-

[Celine] Leans on her front claws- Hello! You're pretty. How come you don't have a face? That's a little spooky.

[Mirabella] - I...  I'm a slenderbeing...

[Celine] Oh like Splendy? He's so nice!

[Mirabella] - Yes, he is one of my sons

[Celine] You're his mom? Whoah. Hey... wanna see something neat? - She fumbles in her inventory a little and pulls out a beautiful flower bloom. - Lie gave me a flower. Have you met her baby yet?

[Mb] Ho boy....

[Mirabella] - No I have not, my kind give off an energy which might harm so small of a child

[Celine] Oh... well she's really cute!  

[Mb] Is obviously resigned to just letting the little dragon chatter happily.

[Mirabella] - I see, well, I must be going

[Celine] Okay. It was nice to meet you Slendermom!

[Mb] Mouths while thumbing at the dragon 'Celine'

[Mirabella] - A pleasure to meet you too, Celine

[Celine] Huge grin and some happy tail thumping that sends up a decent sized cloud of sand under the spiked block on her tail.

[Mirabella] Walks away-

[Alexsezia] Is outside fishing with a slight frown-

[Grinny] Is pacing on the bed inside, he's hungry and irritated-

[Alexsezia] Pulls up a clownfish and scowls at it, before throwing the line back in the water.

-The other cats are avoiding Grinny because of his bad humor.

[Grinny] Finally slinks out into the main room and jumps into a window to glower at Alexsezia-

[Aqua] Is rolling about in the waves-

[Alexsezia] Pulls up a regular fish and tosses it over her shoulder-

-several cats in the yard scramble to rip it to bits playfully-

[Grinny] Yowls-

[Alexsezia] Looks back worriedly- I'm trying!

[Grinny] Scratches at the glass-

[Aqua] Chases a sea dragon towards Alexsezia-

[Alexsezia] Gets soaked as the dragon splashes towards shore trying to get away- Dammit!

-Glass schreeching noises-

[Aqua] Trills-

[Alexsezia] Wringing out her hair. She sits firmly back down and tosses the line in the water again-

[Grinny] Pops the glass and a flood of cats comes out the hole pushing Grinny along with them-

[Alexsezia] Gods dammit.... - she's suddenly surrounded by cats.

[Grinny] Growls as he gets closer- Food.  Where is it?

[Alexsezia] I'm working on it. - she gestures towards the pole - I have plenty of chase but no lobsters left.

[Grinny] Swats at another cat- Then hurry up!

[Alexsezia] Gets a tug and pulls up another regular fish. She tosses it backwards and the other cats tear it apart too. - I can't hurry. Jerking the line around just scares the prey away.

[Grinny] Growls and jumps off of Alexsezia's back-

[Alexsezia] Yelps in pain and drops the pole- Why??? You're a cat! You know you have to be patient to catch food!

[Grinny] - No I don't, you humans are supposed to provide it

[Alexsezia] Picks up the pole again - Well I have regular fish, chicken and beef. Pretty sure you won't eat that though.

[Aqua] Swims up near the shore-

[Grinny] Irritated tail flicks-

-There's bit of a ripple as a very big shape swims up alongside Aqua-

[Alexsezia] Peers suspiciously-

[Aqua] Noses the hook of the pole, looking for treats-

[Alexsezia] NO! Don't mess with that!

[Herabrine] Bumps Aqua from below so Alexsezia can pull the pole back-

[Aqua] Is surprised and splashes-

[Grinny] Hisses as he gets wet-

[Herabrine] Churgling at Aqua - The gist seems to be fish for watch out for hooks!

[Alexsezia] Pats Grinny with a carpet square-

[Grinny] Attacks Alexsezia's hands-

[Aqua] Loops around Hera-

[Alexsezia] Tosses the fiber square on top of him instead- You're being an ass!

[Herabrine] Is suprised and pops up in the middle of his coils like a slippery piece of soap-

[Aqua] Nudges Hera-

[Grinny] Angry cat is angry-

[Herabrine] Shifts and hovers over the water- You be careful!

[Alexsezia] Huffs at Grinny in annoyance and dips her scratched up hands in the cold water- Hera!

[Aqua] CIrcles Hera from below-

[Herabrine] Hmm? What?

[Alexsezia] Any chance you could scare up some lobsters for me?

[Herabrine] Looks down into the water- Maybe?

[Grinny] Yowls-

[Alexsezia] Someone's being picky...

[Herabrine] Ah, got it. - She dives straight down into the water with a hard splash.

[Aqua] Chases after Hera-

[Herabrine] Skims around the bottom and forces a small wave with several lobsters crashing up on the shore-

-Other cats scatter and leap away from the water and little snippers-

[Grinny] Focuses on the lobsters before attacking them-

[Alexsezia] Well let me boil them first! They're kinda pinchy!

-Crunch-

[Herabrine] Smiles- Gross. I don't think he minds.

[Alexsezia] Walks around and puts the other lobsters in a bucket- Sheesh...

[Grinny] Tearing the lobster apart-

[Aqua] Squirts Hera-

[Herabrine] Hey! - She lifts up a skinny tentacle of water and squirts Aqua back-

[Aqua] PLayful noises-

-Lots of splashing back and forth-

[Alexsezia] Regards the destroyed lobster- Did it taste good at least?

-A bit of lobster goes flying through the air-

[Alexsezia] You're a mess.

-Even some of the other cats have stopped to watch Grinny savage the crustaceon.

[Grinny] - Give me another

[Alexsezia] I'm going to cook it first. That can't be good for you. At the least I don't want you to barf everywhere.

[Grinny] - Little late for that don't you think?

[Aqua] Squirts Alexsezia-

[Alexsezia] Darn it! I was just getting dry. -She hustles inside to boil the lobster-

[Herabrine] Regards the cat- Little griefer.

[Grinny] Starts following and then it dawns on him, he's outside, he can cause even more chaos-

[Alexsezia] Is mixing up the cooked lobster with chase and other goodies, it's making a rather enticing smell from inside the open door -

[Grinny] Wavers with indecision-

[Herabrine] Is still playing with Aqua but shoots Grinny a look - I've seen that face before. Gk makes it when Sweet Alex starts baking treats. He wants to go run and annoy people, but the temptation is too strong.

[Grinny] - Oh shut up you bitch

[Herabrine] Better a bitch then a pussy. - She sticks her tongue out at the cat and changes back into her Guardian shape before plunking back down into the water-

[Grinny] Would attack her if she wasn't underwater-

[Alexsezia] Has finished the plate of food and walks by the door to put it in it's usual spot. She calls from inside - Grinny? Dinner?

[Grinny] Gives in and heads inside, but uses the still broken window to get in-

[Alexsezia] Backs off so he can eat and goes to fix the window.

[Eliza] Is sitting in the shade of Lies giant tree weaving her silk into a large piece of fabric-

[Chester] Staggers by in her range of sight. He's smiling and obviously a little dizzy.

[Eliza] Frowns a little- Chester?  Is everything alright?

[Chester] Smiles rather stupidly and hicupps- Eliza! You're so pretty.

[Eliza] - Oh dear, did you...  Did you have alcohol?

[Chester] Nods a little too fast- Yep! Sammmmmm gave me a drink.

[Eliza] - How much?

[Chester] Moves his hands around in a noncommital way and then just gives up- More then one?

[Eliza] - I see, well enjoy the feeling for now, you may regret it later

[Chester] I mostly feel dizzy...

[Eliza] - Then come rest by me

[Chester] But I think I'd rather dance! Everything seems to be moving anyway. - He does a few steps to one side and then the other, kind of stumbling but still relatively graceful. It's like he saw a bird doing a mating dance and is trying to drunkenly imitate it.

[Eliza] Sighs and fires a bit of her silk to draw Chester closer to herself- YOu're going to hurt yourself...

[Chester] OH NO! I'm caught! - He makes a show of ineffectively scrabbling-

[Eliza] Simply shakes her head and parks Chester down next to her before returning her attention to the fabric she's weaving-

[Chester] Nuuuuuuuu. - He's dramatically flopped.

[Eliza] - You're fine, just rest, it's a pleasant day and there isn't much to do

[Chester] Flips upside down with his spider legs in the air and his arms flat and wide. His human fingers brush what she's working on- this is sooooft.

[Eliza] - Thank you, I'm hoping to replace ENdrea's clothes with this cloth

[Chester] Just making her something nicer or did her stuff get wrecked?

[Eliza] - Well, one of my jobs has always been to provide clothes for the generals when in their human forms.  It has been some time since I replaced hers

[Chester] Awww... that's nice. - He takes out a bit of yarn and plays it around his fingers until it's a slightly lopsided cats cradle.

[Eliza] - Careful to not get yourself stuck

[Chester] Wiggles his fingers until he has a sort of rope with a loop around each thumb. - Hmmm....

[Eliza] - Are you okay?- She reaches for a nearby chest which is full of dyes

[Chester] I'm good! No problems here! - He wiggles around and now the braid is around one wrist like a friendship bracelet - Um...

[Eliza] Begins applying the dye to the fabric, turning it a lovely shade of royal purple-

[Chester] Ohhhh , can you make it a second color too? Fade-y like? Steve taught me a word... ombre!

[Eliza] - Yes, I can, but that is not my plan for this piece

[Chester] Is very focused on her face and it's obvious he's just lost in watching her work and talk to him- what's it gonna be?

[Eliza] - A new dress, and then I will also need to make her a cloak.  I know water does not effect her much in her human form, but it does rain here often, and I want to make certain she's happy

[Chester] Can you make it waterproof??? That's neat!

[Eliza] - Well yes, our silk does repel water

[Chester] Twiddles his feet - I feel silly... you should let your hair down.

[Eliza] Laughs a little- Not right now, I need it out of my way while I work, perhaps later

[Chester] Twiddles his feet at her some more- But I want to play with it. Your hair is lovely.

[Eliza] - Chester...  I have to concentrate

[Chester] Scoots over closer and hugs her thorax with his feet, she's warm and fuzzy- Okay... I'll be as quiet as a silverfish.

[Eliza] - You do realize that they are not usually quiet, correct?

[Chester] Tries to make a silverfish noise and just suceeds in spitting a little on the tiles under them-

[Eliza] Smiles at him and continues to work, she's long since used to young spiders crawling all over her to learn how to work their own silk by watching her-

[Chester] Snuggles up close, his eyelids look a bit droopy and his glasses slip down his nose a bit-

[Eliza] Reaches over and takes his glasses off for him, setting them atop the chest next to her-

[Chester] Soft snores into her shirt hem-

[Eliza] Continues her work, eventually covering Chester with her finished fabric for the time being-

[Chester] Snuggles up and mumbles into the fabric- I love you Eliza....

-There's quite a bit of psychic disturbance and some screams coming from the village-

[Lie] Flinches as she feels it and glances at her husband who sighs and starts pulling his clothes back on to go investigate-

[Steve] Has Aether and is outside the wall. Which now has a big hole in it-

[CP] Lands near him having just flown over- The fuck is going on and why do you have my daughter?

[Steve] TLOT's in damage control mode. He sent me out so Aether would be safe.

[CP] - What happened?

-more screams-

[Steve] I... uh...

[CP] Long exasperated noise and heads into the village-

-Lots of kids and Testificates running-

[Jaam] Come running forward with a cake in one hand-

-A large head full of teeth emerges from behind a building. The Testificate is knocked down and screams as the Fruitcake patterned t-rex steals the dessert from his hands -

[CP] - Are you fucking serious?

[Yaunfen] In their dragon shape, but trying not to step on anyone- Bad Fru!

[TLOT] Is trying to do his weight trick but the animal is moving too fast to be easily caught-

[CP] Just goes for a nut shot on Fru-

[Fru] Licks the screaming Testificate and then makes a BLA! face before standing up again. The shot glances off one leg- mrr?

[CP] - Fuck off!

[Yaunfen] Keeps trying to corral Fru with their long body, but the dinosaur just steps over them-

[TLOT] Just help me get him out of the village!

[CP] - Fine!- He spawns some rope and manages to snag Fru-

[Fru] Just tugs it hard and the lead breaks-

[Yaunfen] Tries shoving them with their blunt horns-

[CP] - You know...  I could still be fucking my wife you know!

[TLOT] Shouts back- It's not like I decided to ruin your day on purpose!

[Yaunfen] Sorry Big Fire!!!!

[Fru] Sticks head in the window of the gay bar and shatters it-

[Yaunfen] Fuck!

[CP] - Oh for fucks sake...  Can we just not? [Ding Ding] Goes barrelling past mooing-

[Fru] Stomps over to Cp and licks him, looking for more sugar-

[CP] Punches Fru-

[Fru] Is punched. It kinda sounds like someone hitting a bag of coathangers and has the same relative effect. The dinosaur roars at Cp and basically covers him in somewhat sticky spittle.

[Yaunfen] Is trying to pull the dino by the tail and having no luck-

[TLOT] Is just trying to keep his villagers out of harms way now-

[CP] Sets himself on fire-

[Fru] Curious noise, and then just walks past Cp to stick their nose into the flower shop-

[CP] - TLOT...  Deal with the fucking dino

[TLOT] WHAT DO YOU THINK I'M TRYING TO DO??? PEOPLE COME FIRST.

[Yaunfen] Does a bull run at Fru and knocks them sideways towards the hole in the wall-

[Fru] Scrabbling to get up-

[CP] Panics, knowing his daughter is in that direction and bolts towards her-

[Steve] Is farther down the path and ready to bolt for Markus's house if the rex comes towards him-

[CP] Relaxes a little seeing his daughter is nowhere near harms way-

[Fru] Stumbles around a bit and nearly steps on one of the skeleton riders trying to get out of their way-

[CP] Flies up and launches himself at Fru's back to knock them out of the village-

[Fru] Is shoved forward and stumbles back out onto the path toward's Lie's house-

[Steve] Makes a dead run for Markus's house-

[Notch] Pokes his head outside- What the hell is going on? HOLY SHIT. IS THAT A FRUITCAKE MONSTER????

[Lie] Threw on one of CP's spare shirts- [Aether] Starts crying-

[Yaunfen] Runs out after them- Fru heel!

[Steve] No! Don't cry Aether!

[TLOT] Stomps out of the village and transforms in a billow of bedrock fog. A vast enderdragon emerges from the cloud and roars a challenge at the dinosaur-

[Fru] Mrrr???!!

[Yaunfen] Don't hurt him please!

[TLOT] Charges the dino and grabs it in his paws before headbutting them rather violently-

[Lie] Teleports to her child-

[CP] Moves to place himself between his family and the dinosaur-

[TLOT] Wrestles with Fru and gets them in a headlock-

[Steve] Sorry Lie, she got scared!

[Notch] Runs out to help-

[Fru] -Huge roar-

[Lie] - That's not surprising!- She takes her baby and cradles her, trying to calm her

[Yaunfen] Dancing around unhappily, not sure what to do.

[Notch] Tries his Fus on Fru, yelling at the top of his lungs-

[TLOT] Freezes in place and then thrashes sideways because it hurt his ears too-

[Lie] Looks around for a clear spot and spawns a bunch of her purple flowers which smell like chocolate away from the group-

[Fru] Excited sniffing!

[Mix, in chat] What is all that racket??!!

[Notch] Sorry TLOT...

[TLOT] Clutching his head with his paws.

[Yaunfen] chat- Fru's being bad!

[Fru] Goes for the flowers and chomps them up before spitting them back out in irritation- RRRRRAAAAAA!

[Mix] Pick Fru up like I showed you???

[Yaunfen] chat- Too big!

[Mix] Did Fru grow????

[Yaunfen] YES.

[Mix] OH OKAY. WHERE ARE YOU GUYS, I'LL  BRING HELP

[Yaunfen] By the village!

[Mix] Okay I'm coming, keep Fru busy!

[TLOT] Shakes off the headache and pounces on Fru, the two roll into the pen of honesty blossoms and crush the fence.

[Chain chomp] Gets loose and flees towards Cp with a lot of unhappy barking-

[Blake] Has heard the commotion and is also barking wildly-

[Yaunfen] Okay....

[CP] Goes to check on Lie- Take Aether inside, it's safer

[Lie] - I know, just, help TLOT deal with this.  Are you coming with me Steve?

[Steve] Yes please. I don't think I can be much help here since we're not actually trying to kill it.

[Lie] - Notch?

[TLOT] Gets kicked and swats Fru across the nose-

[Notch] I'm coming.

[Lie] Leads them inside, shushing Aether while CP turns his attention back towards Fru-

[TLOT] Swats at the dino with his wings, he's trying to knock them out-

[Yaunfen] very upset-

[Mix and MA]  - Come running,  MA has his staff out. -

[TLOT] Bites at Fru. They're just trading blows like boxers now-

[Mix] Hi TLOT! -Pulling some of her rock candy blocks out, knowing Fru likes them- Let Fru come here, please?

[TLOT] Backs off with a huff, still growling-

[Fru] Sniff... sniff... SNUFFLE!

[Yaunfen] That smells good....

[Fru] Advances on Mix with open jaws and overly sweet breath.-

[Mix] - a bit shaky but standing tall and holding the rock candy to Fru- Hey buddy....

[MA] - Standing beside Mix with his staff out incase Fru doesn't stop. -

[Fru] Grabs the whole block and slobbers on Mix in the process- NOM

[Yaunfen] Sneaks over - can I have one?

[Mix] Yeah, you like those right? - Pats Fru's chin with her hand and starts stepping back, popping another block into her hand. This one's green, still very sweet- If you want, Yaunfen. Where do you want Fru? Because I can tell not here.

[Yaunfen] Takes the block and licks it- I don't know... they broke out of their pen.

[TLOT] Angry dragon loaf- Somewhere not my village.

[Yaunfen] Big Fire could build something. Mada says they like big builds. No lie.

[Mix] -gets another block out to lure Fru with - You'll need somewhere really big. Fru is still gonna get bigger.

[MA] I'd say it has... Two? More growth spurts? Unless it was a runt then maybe three? - scrunching face in thought-

[CP] - We could put it in the cage, just tnt a path to it

[TLOT] roars - Fuck no! My whole world is in there!

[CP] - But I really don't feel like building, besides you can probably build a pen faster

[TLOT] Growls-

[Yaunfen] But you're so good at it! Mada said your office alone was huge!

[CP] - Yeah, but I'm tired...

[Yaunfen] Tiny sad whine-

[CP] - Besides, it just needs stronger walls most likely

[Fru] Lots of slurping like it's eating a giant jawbreaker-

[Blake] Barks at Fru-

[Chain Chomp] Sits on Cp's foot.

[CP] - How about this, as soon as you actuallt figure out what sort of walls it needs, then you can come talk to me

[Mix] For walls... I think it's iron? Is that what was in the King's place? - looks at MA questioningly-

[MA] Yeah it was iron to keep him in there.

[TLOT] Annoyed tail lashing- what about the desert? There's a clear spot beyond the gym. Before you reach mix's area

[Yaunfen] Iron...? That's so... Ugly and cold...

[Mix] Ah yes i can see Fru every morning. I can feed Fru if you want.

[MA] I know. We usually covered it with stone in a pattern.

[Mix] Hmmm... But it might need to be iron from your seed Yaunfen...

[CP] - It would have to be from TLOT's, anything that comes from Yaunfen's seed Fru can eat. Besides, the mod originates from TLOT's seed

[Mix] But the variant is candy based. Mmm. Maybe we should get both...

[CP] - Mix up the ingots? I don't know if that will work.

[Mix] Maybe use half and  half blocks? Use some of both in each wall and see what lasts?

[CP] - We could try, but what do we do with Fru in the meantime?

[Mix] Fru should be content for now, just find somewhere open and keep some sugar stuff to keep them busy.

[TLOT] You could do a checkerboard pattern with both types. - he's calming down but still annoyed. There are a few Testificates that have crept up behind him and are peeking at Fru from behind his massive wings.

[Fru] Happy cooing noise and the sound of them sucking on the very hard candy.

[Yaunfen] holding a block in one paw and licking it occasionally- I just don't want them to be sad...

[TLOT] At Cp. - We're all painfully aware that you want to fuck your wife, Cp, but that doesn't make the things that need to be done go away.

[CP] Groans and sets himself on fire-

[Fru] Wanders over to the greenhouse and sniffs around the roof-

[TLOT] Simmer down hot stuff

-assorted Testificate gasps- [Basquet] Shouldnt we have put him out?

[CP] - Hold on a sec- He goes off in the direction of the bay

[TLOT] He's fine

[CP] Returns and throws somebody down. It's Stevie, and he takes maybe half a heart of damage from the fall-

[Stevie] - Why!?

[Notch] From the window- don't throw your brother around!

[CP] - Oh shut up!

[Stevie] - So what's my brother trying to push off on me now?

[Yaunfen] Hi Stevie!

-Friendly Testificate waves-

[CP] - You'd just be doing something you're good at

[TLOT] Toothy grin- it's one of the things Steves are best at...

[Yaunfen] blowjobs?

[TLOT] shush.

[Stevie] Turns bright red- What!? No! Yaunfen, I don't do that!

[Mix] Find things they shouldn't?

[MA, under breath] You definitely did a lot of that...

[CP] - You need to go digging

[Stevie] Very suspiciously- For what and where?

[Mix] Iron.

[Fru] Notices Stevie and stomps over to sniff him. Still drooling around their huge teeth.

[Stevie] Ice spikes in defense-

[Mix] Hey!! Don't do that. Fru's just smelling.

[Stevie] - It's terrifyingly huge!

[Mix] And? Half the things i grew up near could have killed me by stepping on me. Fru is friendly for now, if hungry and curious.

[Stevie] - Yeah well I didn't grow up with that stuff!

[Mix] ...Mmm... fair, I guess.

[CP] - Just go to TLOT's seed

[Stevie] Looking at TLOT- Is my brother somehow going to be tormented during this?

[TLOT] Well considering that you can't fly, he'll likely get stuck assembling the raw materials you find.

[Fru] Dodged back from the ice spike but then curiously bites one off. They immediately spit it back out though, as it is not actually a Popsicle  with any flavor.

[CP] - I'm not helping you dig if that's what you're getting at

[Stevie] - Where's Lie?

[CP] - Why?

[Stevie] - So I can get her to tell you to go with me

[Yaunfen] She's in the house with Aether.

[Stevie] Bolts for the house-

[CP] - Get back here!- Chases after him

[Yaunfen] go Stevie! Go!

[Stevie] Scrambles into the workroom but is tackled by his brother-

[Lie] Is sitting near the lava with Steve and Notch. She's feeding Aether who is still a little fussy but covered by a blanket as she suckles-

[Steve] Points at Lies boob- I always wondered what those were actually for.

[Notch] -Sighs- Please do not flatten your brother either.

[Lie] - The same thing as all female mammals?  Producing milk?

[CP] - Oh shut up

[Stevie] Is trying to escape his brother-

[Steve] Yeah, but you don't have grab cows and suck on them. You just use a bucket?

[Notch] Do I have to seperate you two?

[Lie] - Steve?  Calfs drink like this from the moms

[Stevie] - He's trying to send me somewhere!

[CP] - Oh it's perfectly safe!

[Steve] I've never been much for keeping cows... chickens are easier.

[Notch] Wait, send you where?

[Aether] Finishes and fusses-

[Lie] - Oh alright, just hang on and I'll burp you

[CP] Is clamping a hand over Stevie's mouth to prevent him from saying more- It's nowhere too dangerous!

[Notch] Just let him talk.

[Steve] Oh! TLOT says he'll go with anyway.

[Lie] - CP, let Stevie go- She covers herself and puts Aether against her chest, lightly bumping the babies back to make her burp [CP] Grumbles but does back off- [Stevie] - They want me to dig up iron on TLOT's seed?

[Steve] It's not a big deal. It's not much more dangerous then here.

[Stevie] - I filled that one city with snow...  And last time we went there were giant things that could kill us

[Steve] No one minded. A lot of them had never seen it before. And that was that one chunk, that's not normal.

[Stevie] - Still...  That's why I'd prefer brother come too, so I can concentrate on digging and he gets the fighting out of his system

[Notch] Sounds fair to me.

[Steve] Smiles - Come on Stevie. I thought you liked mining with me?

[Stevie] Thumbs at his brother- Yeah but if he's making me do this then he should participate too

[Aether] Burps and spits up a little-

[Steve] Well yeah, we can both bring our brines! It's safer that way.

[Notch] Helps her blot the baby-

[Aether] Burbles and reaches a hand out towards Notch-

[Lie] - Aww, do you want Farfar?  And CP?  You should go, a bit of murdering things would probably be good for you...

[Notch] She wants me to hold her? -He looks touched.

[Steve] Thumbs at Lie - there you go, you even got permission.

[CP] Aggravated noises-

[Lie] Holds Aether out to Notch- You'll be fine CP, Aether and I will be here when you get back

[Notch] Takes the baby and coos at her.

[Steve] Come on Stevie, it'll be fun!

[Stevie] - Fine

[CP] Is grumbling-

[Aether] Happy noises!

[Notch] Very happy-

[Steve] Yes! Oh! Cp, you should bring your black tools, I never see you use them.

[CP] - How about no

[Steve] aw man...

[Stevie] - Actually, the last time I genuinely saw him use them was...  Damn, how long ago was that? [CP] - After Aurum's passing

[Steve] Stevie... you know Aurum is still around right? I just saw him this morning. Actually, seeing Aether put him in a really jovial mood.

[CP] - You mean that old fucker knows about her now too!?

[Stevie] - I...  Never met him before...

[Steve] Well yeah... we were in the forge. We figured the heat would keep Aether happy. And if you want to meet him, go ask Tungsten or Drillby in the village.

[Notch] Someone got warm and sleepy like a little kitten, yes she did!

[Stevie] - Okay?- He doesn't understand Aurum's significance

[CP] - So are we going to fucking go or what?

[Lie] - That...  Actually raises a good point Notch...

[Steve] He's the guy. The one that made Cp's obsidian stuff. He's a super old Testificate. I mean old, like even for a dead guy.

[Stevie] - Okay then.  Surprising that brother ever actually befriended one...

[Steve] He's funny, kind of an old perv too.

[CP] - Why don't you both shut up [Aether] Plays with the front of Notch's shirt a little-

[Steve] You should have seen his face when he found out Cp had a wife...

[TLOT] Can be heard giggling outside because he's listening.

[CP] - I said shut up!

[Lie] Goes over to CP and gently pulls CP into a kiss- Calm down, once your done with this we can have a nice meal and cuddle

[Steve] Awww.

[Yaunfen] Is keeping Fru entertained outside and the two run past-

[CP] - Fine, lets go get the stuff for the god damn fucking cage

[Steve] That's the spirit!

[Sally] Is playing hide and seek with Splender and Slender and she's run over by Lies place to find a hiding spot-

[Francis] Makes the smallest grunt of suprise as Sally runs into his legs at full force- rrrk?

[Sally] Oof!- She looks up- Oh hi big piggy!

[Francis] isn't sure if she'll understand so he keeps a friendly tone- you're a bit small to be running around alone. Do you need help?

[Sally] Doesn't understand- Can you help me find a hiding spot?  I'm playing with Papa and Uncle Splendy!

[Francis] I see... Okay. - he decides to lead her to the bathhouse and shows her a spot behind a trunk near the door - Moth is swimming in one of the pools and gives him a curious look. - just keep the little one away from the lava.

[Moth] Understood.

[Sally] Giggles and ducks down behind the trunk- Thank you!

[Moth] Watches her curiously for a little bit and climbs out of the water. She turns away to shake off and slips on a robe before walking over- I hope you haven't chosen a hiding spot that's too good. We wouldn't want your guardians to be upset...

[Sally] Looks up- Sorry, I don't know what you're saying...

[Moth] Just sighs and sits down next to her. She fusses in her inventory and offers Sally a cookie instead.

[Sally] Her face lights up and happily takes it- Thank you!

[Moth] Just a smile and a nod

[Splender] Is teleporting about, searching for his quarry but for the most part avoiding Lies place to not upset the baby-

[Moth] Catches sight of his sparkle trail outside and makes a little surprised grunt.

[Splender] Teleports around a bit, genuinely getting concerned that Sally may be hiding at Lie's place-

[Moth] Is unnerved by the slender so close to the house and indicates them to Sally-

[Sally] Giggles- I'm playing hide and seek with him!

[Moth] forgets the child can't understand her- Oh dear... Maybe not so close to the baby? Emp could really hurt her. - her tone is one of obvious worry-

[Sally] - It's okay!  He always finds me!  He's really good!

[Moth] Indicates that the child should stay put and goes outside to find a mob that can speak common.

-Unfortunately most of the mobs are busy at the moment and the generals are having a meeting- [Splender] Worried noise and wonders if he should get Slender-

[Moth] Gets frustrated and waves at Splender-

[Splender] Spots them and waves back-

[Moth] Ventures closer to him and speaks quietly- Can you understand me?

[Splender] - Do you need something?

[Moth] -facepalm- She waves her hands around to indicate 'female' and 'small' and then shades her eyes like she's looking for something.

[Splender] - Ah!  Yes!  I am looking for a child right now!

[Moth] Points at the bathhouse.

[Splender] - Oh dear...  I...  I can't go there right now...

[Moth] Spreads her hands, like she's at a loss.

[Splender] - I don't wish to risk leaving any traces of emp where it could effect the baby...

[Moth] Both hands open and forward and then points at the ground like 'stay here'. She backs off and heads for the bathhouse again. Looking around inside for the little girl.

[Sally] Is still in her hiding spot-

[Moth] Taps her lightly and then holds her arms open for a hug-

[Sally] Shakes her head- I can't!  Splendy might see!

[Moth] small swear word. And then goes back outside. She stands in the doorway for a long moment and then climbs onto the roof. She looks around from the higer vantage point and searches the sky with narrowed eyes. There's a bit of movement high above and she pulls out a torch before waving it wildly in the air.

-There's a bit of a grumpy roar and Gk flaps down and lands in the yard with a huff. -

[Gk] Oh, it's you. What you want?

[Moth] There's a little girl hiding inside who can't understand me and a Slenderbeing looking for her who also can't understand me and doen't want to get closer to the house because of the baby.

[Gk] Taps over to the door and squeaks it open with his head, tasting the air with his tongue- Sally?

[Sally] - Shhh!  I'm hiding!

[Gk] Swishes his tail a little- Yeah, I know. You're hiding too close to Lie's house. Splender won't come any closer because his waves might hurt Aether.

[Sally] - Awwww, but I found a really good spot!

[Gk] Yeah... but he can't find you here so.... stalemate. I guess you won?

[Sally] Finally comes out with a pout-

[Gk] Why so glum?

[Sally] - Because I thought I had a really good spot!  But now we can't play...

[Gk] You can play, just play in a different spot. Why don't you go play in the castle? That monstrosity was made for hide and seek.

[Sally] - But Splendy said we could only play one round!  Then I have to take a bath...

[Gk] Meh... baths. I'll ask him myself. - The big dragon saunters up to Splender, his face is actually level with his. - Hey Splendy. The kid picked a spot too close to Lie's house. You should let her hide somewhere else since this was out of bounds.

[Splender] - Oh dear, I was worried she'd done that...  Well, I suppose one more round can be arranged, just so long as brother doesn't find out

[Gk] Well I ain't gonna tell anyone. - He gestures with a wing at Moth, who has climbed down and walked over near one of his feet. - And neither of you can understand her nether-talk. This is Moth by the way.

[Splender] - Greetings!

[Sally] Is still in the bath house-

[Gk] So just yell for her, I know your big bro is pretty loud.

[Splender] - Sally?  Come here please!  We need to restart our game!

[Sally] Finally comes out and runs over-

[Gk] There you go.

[Splender] - Thank you for the help GK!- He takes Sally's hand and starts leading her off-

-Night falls softly and the shadows creep across the desert. The moon sails serenely across the sky as Ma turns uneasily in his bed. His dreams are troubled and leave him feeling nauseated and unsure. He recoils under the sensation of being watched and wakes with a sudden start. The house seems darker then it should be. The mobs seem distant and muffled but everything else magnified to an uncomfortable degree. A drip of water here, a torch suddenly crackling more then it should. A few stray particles in a shadow, too small to be anything he knows. and then, a soft knock on his front door-

[MA] - Shudders in his bed after waking up so suddenly. He extends his hand toward his lamp and the thing lights up dully. He almost doesn't hear the gentle knock on the other side of his home. He slides out of bed and throws a shirt on before padding through the building to the front door. - Coming...

-He opens the door a little bit -

[Doc] is standing outside with a somewhat vacant look. The only light is the pale  glow of hir eyes. Xe's weaponless despite the night and the mobs are curiously absent considering  the ripe opportunity to strike. - ...

[MA] Doc? Why're you here?

[Doc] sounds bad, like hir glitch is worse then usual- I heard you found something on TLOTs seed...

[MA] Uhh.... - thoughtful look- Yeah actually... Why do you ask?

[Doc] May I... Have it?

[MA] I don't know Doc, it made TLOT pretty sick when it was out? What if you get sick too?

-there's a certain thickness in the air and a hot wind like something large breathing...-

[Doc] That's a chance... I'll have to take... If it makes him sick I need to study it. He is one of our strongest brines.

[MA] - is a bit sleep foggy so he doesn't notice much off. - You for sure? It made him pretty sick... - hesitant -

[Doc] Seemed to get closer without moving- yeeesssssssss.

[MA] - backs up a bit, unnerved - If you're sure... I put it away, I'll go grab it. You can... Come in if you want... - steps back and leaves the door open a bit for hir before going to retrieve the item-

[Doc] Smiles in a really unnerving way and pauses at the threshold before stepping deliberately over it -

-The entrance way is cluttered with knick knacks, including a string of shiny gemstones hanging along the ceiling. A few bookshelves along one wall with a few ratty old books. MA is digging through a chest near the door to the next room, throwing several odd things around. -

[Doc] Seems to be in a bit of a trance and touches things idly, just exploring their surfaces. The room seems darker then it should be as well-

-They've left the door open behind them as well, and stand silhouetted in the moonlight. Just eyes in a shadow.

[MA] Hmmm... Let's see... Not this... This? Yeah. - He pulls the white object out of the chest.- Doc? Here it is.

[Doc] Hir eyes sparkle and xe takes it greedly. There's no reaction, they merely nod and turn to leave.

[MA] - grabs Doc's coat gently absent-mindedly- Be safe out there, Doc...

[Doc] Stops short as their hand contacts the fabric, a crackle rippling across what's obviously a skin as empty as a fresh Steve. The head of the figure turns slowly all the way around on the shoulders to face MA. The voice is wrong and gutteral.- why did you have to do that? We were having such a peaceful... transaction... - Suddenly the darkness seems to leap forward with icy tendrils out of every crack and shadow. It blinds the Alex as even the texture clips through his fingers. He's falling, screaming soundlessly into a cold airless void as his very soul is torn apart in the center of a black hole. And then...

-He wakes with a start in his own bed. It's morning.

[radioactivedelorean]

Forduary Week 2: Science

The smaller bundle of logs and flame looked up at Ford curiously, decided the man was a threat and ran off into the woods. The larger one sat down in the grass and curled up slightly. The flames burning on its legs gently blackened the blades of grass it was sat upon. Ford sat cross-legged three feet away, eagerly drawing in his journal with a quill and ink. He’d been wondering why the flowers in his front garden had been on fire recently, and why the wood around his porch was charred. He’d found these little creatures in the woods not far away this morning. He had tried to touch one, but had instantly regretted the idea as the flames burned his skin. His left hand bandaged up, Ford instead decided to keep his distance as he studied them.

These little creatures, which he had heard the locals call “scampfires” (Ford had thought that was a rather appropriate name), seemed to be comprised of six or seven logs, varying in size for each creature, which constantly burned. The first time he’d seen one, he had thought it was a normal campfire, left by some careless hikers. He’d taken a bucket of water to put the fire out, only to find the fire missing and nothing but burned grass and soot-coated dirt in the clearing where he’d last seen it. Barely an hour later, he’d found a family of them in the dirt outside his house. Leaving the water behind, Ford had rushed inside to get his journal and a pen. By the time he’d returned, however, they had moved on.

This time, he’d brought out a load of scrap paper and twigs and left them in a pile at the edge of the woods to the west. He’d waited on his front porch, journal and quill in hand, until the little scampfires had emerged. Ford had learned quickly enough that they fed off paper, wood and anything else that was particularly flammable. Carefully, he had risen from his seat on the porch steps and had sat gently beside them. This is where he was sitting now, eagerly sketching the creature in front of him and writing down any information he could about them in the pages of the journal.

He’d already filled two whole journals with drawings and notes on the mysterious creatures in Gravity Falls and was well on his way to completing his third. The golden six-fingered hand on the front reflected the scampfire’s light and sparkled gently. Ford had spent many rainy afternoons in New Jersey sat in his bedroom, drawing and designing all sorts of creatures, from dragons to unicorns to pixies. Since arriving in Gravity Falls, Ford had been utterly surprised by the sheer variety of creatures he had encountered. He’d also realised that only a small handful of his childhood creations were accurate. He’d been elated at first to find out that unicorns were real, until he’d encountered one. It had been arrogant, egotistical and rather rude, something which had taken Ford by surprise. All the myths he had read in books as a kid had been wrong. They couldn’t see into the future - they could barely tell the time!

Ford snapped out of the memory to find something hot burning his shin. He yelped and jumped to his feet, having found that the younger scampfire from earlier had settled at his feet and its flames had been gently burning the ankle of Ford’s trousers. Ford patted the flame out and gave the little scampfire a sharp glare. “That hurt, you know,”

The little creature crouched away from Ford, resembling a kicked puppy, before retreating to its parent. The man had no idea how to determine the sex of these creatures and wasn’t entirely sure he wanted to know. He would likely get some nasty burns in the process of finding out. He had no idea whether they reproduced sexually or asexually either - something else he wasn’t particularly comfortable with trying to find out. They were rather fascinating little things, though. He didn’t know how they responded to rain, snow or wind, common things which usually put fires out. Curious, Ford got up and picked up the bottle of water off the porch step and brought it over to the larger scampfire. Unscrewing the cap, he turned the bottle upside down and poured some of the water on the creature. The larger scampfire awoke with a start, hissing violently at Ford before taking its offspring and retreating into the forest.

“Remarkable,” Ford muttered. Their flames weren’t put out by water! The way it had hissed reminded the man of the way a cat hissed, perhaps while being threatened or after having its tail stepped on. Quickly grabbing his journal and pen, he scrawled down some more notes before closing the book and going inside.

-------------------------------------------

“Urgh, what the hell is that noise?” Ford groaned. It sounded like some sort of music coming from the woods by his bedroom window. He’d been having a rather pleasant dream - involving running his own academic research centre and earning more than enough to support his whole family. What was even better was that, in this dream, Stan had never ruined his project and the twins were living happily in a large house by the sea in California. Hauling himself out of his warm cocoon of blankets, Ford scrambled for his glasses in the dark while simultaneously trying to get his slippers onto his feet. Once he could see properly, he turned the lamp on his nightstand on and got up, wrapping his coat around him and grabbing his journal and a pen.

Walking out into the cool night air, Ford immediately started to shiver. It was late autumn and the nights in Oregon were cold at the best of the times. He really hoped that whatever was making that noise was worth him leaving his nice warm bed for. Using a flashlight to see through the darkness, he headed towards the source of the noise. As he drew nearer, the music became clearer - it seemed to be an endless loop of that horrible “Danny Boy” song. No doubt it was going to be stuck in his head for a considerable length of time after tonight.

Climbing over some tree roots, Ford found the source of the noise. At first, it appeared to be a tiny centaur. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that it seemed to be some horrific hybrid of a leprechaun and a unicorn sitting down on the earth in front of him. Sitting cross-legged in the damp grass, Ford took out his journal and began sketching the creature. It had a sickly sweet smile on its face and its eyes looked like something out of one of those Japanese animated television shows - unnaturally large and sparkling far too much. Its horn seemed to be the main source of the irritating music.

As he drew, Ford noticed the creature getting up. It walked over to him and started chewing on his jacket sleeve. He yanked his arm away quickly and the creature padded off to sit down again, still playing that horrific music. It was beginning to drive Ford insane, so he quickly finished his drawings and notes and got up, heading back to his house. That thing really wasn't worth leaving his bed for. Sure, he'd found something new to document in his journal, but it had been utterly disappointing.

--------

Ford continued to fidget uncomfortably, swiftly trying to get home. “Note to self,” he muttered under his breath. “Go before I leave the house.”

Why did he have to drink all that water? That, on top of the cup of coffee he'd had before he left, meant that his bladder was pretty damn full. Sure, he could just stand behind a tree, unzip his pants and relieve himself like that, but Ford figured he was more civilised than that. That was the sort of thing he and Stanley used to do as kids, if they were down by the beach and either couldn’t wait or couldn’t be bothered to go home. He was an adult now. He could hold it. His house wasn't that far away, anyway.

At least he thought it was. Had he taken a wrong turn back at that clearing? He'd wandered much further into the woods today than he ever had before and now he was regretting it. Not only was he most likely lost, he needed the bathroom. Badly.

Stepping over a set of large tree roots, Ford came across a clearing. In the middle of the clearing was a small wooden structure. An outhouse. He’d been through this clearing multiple times before and that had never been there before. It looked oddly out of place there, but right now it was a blessing. Almost running over to it, Ford yanked the door open and went in, closing the door and locking it behind him.

Once he had relieved himself, Ford opened the door again, expecting to be greeted by the forest again. What he didn't expect was the hot, dry blast of air he was met with when he stepped outside. Looking around, Ford came to the conclusion that he was certainly not in Gravity Falls any more. As he turned back to where the outhouse had been, he was shocked to find that it had disappeared.

He was now stranded in the middle of who-knows-where.

The first thing Ford thought he should do, instead of wander around aimlessly, was to try and find a road. Over to his left, he could see something move towards him, kicking up dirt as it went. A car. Instantly, Ford was running towards it, his arm out to try and flag it down. “HEY! HEY! STOP, PLEASE!”

By the time Ford had reached the road, the car had passed him and was long out of sight. He sighed in frustration and looked in the direction the car was traveling. At least he'd found a road. Sticking his hands in his pockets, Ford followed the car. It must have been going in the direction of civilisation. His best option was to follow it. Maybe he could reach a town and hitch a ride back to Gravity Falls.

After nearly three hours of walking, his shoes were full of sand and dust and he was very thirsty. He'd drunk all the water he'd had before, while he was still in the woods. He regretted that decision greatly, as now he was parched. There was sand in his hair and down the back of his shirt. His feet ached tremendously.

Ford perked up at the sound of a car behind him. Turning round, he stuck his arm out into the road. “Hey! Stop, please!”

He must have been spotted as the car came to a halt just beside Ford and the six-fingered man sighed in relief. It was an old pickup truck, rusted with age. The driver, a man around Ford's age with dark hair, leant over. “What the heck are you doing all the way out here on your own?”

Ford ran a hand through his disheveled hair. “It's a long story… I'd seem crazy if I told you.”

“Hey, mate, I live in Gravity Falls. I'm used to crazy.”

“You live in Gravity Falls?!” Ford exclaimed. “I live there too, in a house in the woods.”

“Well hop in, I'll give you a ride back.”

“Thanks,” Ford grinned, opening the door and climbing into the passenger seat. “Sorry about all the sand and dust.”

The driver waved him off. “Don't worry about it, the car's ancient anyway.”

Ford sighed in relief as the driver started heading up the road in the direction of Gravity Falls. He caught a glimpse of his reflection in the mirror on the back of the sun visor. His skin was dusted with sand, most of which was stuck in his hair. He shifted uncomfortably in the chair. The sand down the back of his neck was immensely irritating to lie against.

000000

After that ordeal, Ford had decided to stay well away from those mysterious outhouses. He'd found that the one he'd used, in the clearing, had disappeared. They seemed to move location daily and were never in the same place twice. He had no idea how they were doing that and quite frankly he didn't really care all that much.

Ford was walking through the woods two days after that incident, still on the hunt for any more clues as to the answers behind the Grand Unified Theory of Weirdness. His journal was clutched in his left hand. He stopped suddenly, hearing strange growling and muttering sounds coming from behind a tree. Tucking his journal into the inside pocket of his jacket, Ford carefully walked around the tree.

The creature responsible for the noise seemed almost human. It was crouched over something, muttering and sniffing at it. As Ford stepped closer, he stood on a stray twig. It snapped beneath his foot and the creature turned around. Its eyes were a shocking white against the dark shadows obscuring its face. It seemed to almost smile at Ford as it quickly dashed forward, sharp teeth and claws bared. Ford barely had time to react as it sunk its teeth into his right shoulder, its claws shredding his skin and clothes. The man cried out in pain and staggered backwards, punching at the creature as hard as he could. He managed to dislodge it from his shoulder and took off running in the direction of the town centre. His hair whipped him in the eyes and his shoulder throbbed agonizingly. Blood started soaking through his jacket, staining the fabric red. He could hear the creature’s grunts and hollers as it followed him.

Almost slipping over as he sprinted towards the road, Ford instantly headed for the nearest building he could see - the recently-built Dusk 2 Dawn convenience store. He knew that the creature would most likely follow him inside, but it was the best chance he had at escaping. A car was within a hair’s breadth of hitting him as he ran across the road, the horn blaring in his ears. The creature jumped clean over the car, still clawing at Ford’s heels.

Ford rushed through the doors of the convenience store and slammed them shut behind him, pulling on the handles to prevent the creature pulling them open from the other side. Ford was desperately out of breath and considerably pale, blood still dripping off his shoulder and clothes and hitting the floor. The creature scratched and snarled at the glass doors furiously, but eventually gave up on chasing its prey and retreated into the woods.

“Are you alright, hon?”

“Huh?” Ford looked over to the cashier’s desk to see an older lady giving him a worried expression. The lady had silver hair and wore a nametag simply reading ‘Ma’.

“Are you alright honey? You’re bleeding an awful lot there,”

Ford looked at his shoulder, the burning pain suddenly becoming much more prominent. “Oh! Yeah, y-yeah I’m fine. I’ve had worse.”

“Are you sure? I can take you out the back and get you fixed up, if you want. You’re bleeding all over the floor there.” ‘Ma’ walked over to him.

Ford staggered away from the doors, his mind whirling and spinning in a nauseating fashion. “I’ll be alright. I’m awfully sorry about the mess.”

“Now, now, don’t mind that.” A new voice said. An elderly man came out from behind a row of shelves. The man was around the same age as Ma and wore a nametag that read ‘Pa’. Ford mentally concluded that the couple were married. “Go on, go with Ma now and get yourself patched up. I can clean up the mess.”

“I-If you insist,” Ford followed the woman to a door at the back of the shop marked ‘Staff Only’. Ma led him down a hallway and into a room on the left, where there was a box of medical supplies on the countertop.

“Take a seat, sweetie, and take off your jacket and shirt. I’ll need to get a good look at that injury.”

Ford did as instructed, slipping the jacket off his shoulders and unbuttoning his shirt. The injury seemed much worse now that it was properly exposed, but it wasn’t as deep as Ford had first thought. There were two round lines of small puncture wounds, forming the shape of a jaw, surrounded by about an inch-wide margin of torn and shredded flesh. It was still bleeding slightly. A third, smaller circle of puncture wounds was just above his elbow, where the creature’s claws had dug into him.

“What was that thing, anyway?”

“That? The locals here call them ‘killbillies’, which is a rather amusing name if you ask me. They don’t like coming anywhere near town for some reason. The modern technology scares them away.” Ma pulled over another chair and sat at Ford’s right side, holding some disinfectant wipes in her hand. “Now, this is going to sting, so just brace yourself.”

The chemicals burned Ford’s skin, eliciting a hiss of pain from him. He dug his fingernails into his palms, biting down on his tongue. It felt like a dozen tiny white-hot knives pricking his flesh. He knew the burning sensation meant that it was working, but it was still very uncomfortable. He looked up to see Ma studying him curiously. Specifically, his hands.

“Have I seen you somewhere before?”

“I think so, I’ve come in here several times before for supplies.” Ford replied. “I’ve lived here for about six years now.”

“Whereabouts do you live, then, hon?” Ma asked.

“618 Gopher Road,” Ford replied. “It’s in the woods on the outskirts of town.”

“Oh, you’re that elusive scientist the townsfolk keep talking about. You know, you’ve got quite a reputation around these parts.” Ma started sterilizing a small sewing needle and a length of fine thread. “A lot of folk have been wondering what you’ve been up to.”

“I’m studying the weirdness of Gravity Falls.” Ford said simply. He wasn’t entirely comfortable with explaining everything to this lady, as nice as she seemed. He wasn’t even going to mention his Muse, just in case. He hadn’t told a single living soul about his Muse and he would like to keep it that way. Who knew how the townsfolk would react to hearing that the man was getting help from an omnipotent, all-powerful dream demon from another dimension.

“Well, there’s plenty of it around.” Ma chuckled, putting a hand on Ford’s chest to hold him steady. “Try not to move too much, your shoulder needs stitching up.”

Ford nodded and remained dead still. He flinched ever so slightly as he felt the woman tie a few loops of thread through one end of his wound before carefully sewing her way up the rest of it. He was surprised at the small and precise stitches she was making. “How’d you learn to do that?”

“I’m old, dear. I’ve picked up several tricks in the past. I’ve lived through a war, after all.” Ma replied, her eyes intently focused on her work, yet they cast a quick glance at Ford’s hands every so often.

Ford folded his hands in his lap, feeling much more conscious of his extra digit all of a sudden. He was pushing thirty and still felt the need to keep them covered up. In reality, they probably weren’t all that noticeable. Only those who really picked up on things like this noticed them. Unfortunately, during his childhood, that had meant Crampelter and his goons. Here, though, nobody had particularly noticed his hands. He’d usually kept them hidden in his pockets every time he went into town. It had become a habit by now.

Ma gave his shoulder a gentle pat when she had finished her sewing. “There, all sealed up. I’ll just wrap some gauze over it to keep it clean.”

“Okay. Thank you for your help.” Ford smiled.

Ma waved it off. “No worries, dear. I couldn’t let you go out like that. You may have passed out before getting home. What did you say your name was?”

“Oh, Stanford. Stanford Pines.” Ford held out his hand for her to shake, but regretted it, realizing he’d just put all six of his fingers on display for her to see. Before he could take his hand away, Ma had grasped it and was shaking it.

“Well, Stanford, it’s lovely to have properly met you. I’m Maggie, but most people just call me ‘Ma’.” She adjusted her nametag. “My husband out there is called Patrick, but people call him ‘Pa’,”

Ford nodded. He instantly folded his hands in his lap again after Ma had released his hand. He hoped she hadn’t noticed his fingers. Idiot! Of course she had! She’d shaken his hand! There was no way she didn’t notice them. Maybe she won’t say anythi-

“Say, Stanford?”

Shit. “Yes?”

“I don’t mean to be rude or nosey, but why do you have six fingers?”

Ford felt his heart skip a beat. Honestly, that was the nicest way anybody had ever asked him about it (he was used to hearing things like “What’s wrong with your hands?” and “Are you a mutant?”) but it was still an uncomfortable question. “I was born with a birth defect. Six fingers on each hand.”

“That’s remarkable. And you can move the extra ones just as well as the others?”

“Yeah,” Ford wiggled his fingers to prove it. “It makes using a piano slightly more difficult. It helps with shadow puppets, though.”

Ma couldn’t help but laugh as she wrapped some bandages around the gauze on Ford’s shoulder. She frowned as she noticed that Ford’s expression had fallen. He looked almost ashamed. “I’m sorry, dear. I shouldn’t have laughed. I’m sure you were teased about it as a child, weren’t you?”

“Unfortunately so,” Ford sighed. “It was just the sort of thing that everyone knew about, and everyone picked on me for it.”

“Did you have any friends at school who stood up for you?”

“Not really,” Ford looked at the floor, keeping his hands folded and his sixth fingers hidden. “Only one. My twin brother.”

“That’s very good of him to stand up for his brother.” Ma smiled, tying off the end of the bandaging to keep it from coming undone. “There, you’re all done.”

“Thanks.” Ford stood up and pulled his shirt on again. It was still torn and bloody but at this point he didn’t have anything else to wear. He had plenty of other clothes back at home anyway. He put his jacket back on and dug in the pockets for his wallet.

Ma pushed Ford’s hand away as she saw the wallet. “Now, you put that away. I don’t want any sort of payment. We in Gravity Falls help each other out, no matter what. I wouldn’t dream of charging you any sort of fee for being attacked by one of those horrid monsters.”

“Are you sure? I’ve used your equipment and supplies, I feel it’s only right to-”

“Nonsense!” Ma cut him off. “They weren’t being used by anybody anyway. You’ve been a perfectly polite gentleman and a joy to talk to. Please, don’t give me any money.”

“If you insist,” Ford couldn’t keep the grin off his face as he tucked his wallet back into his pocket. He headed out the door back towards the main part of the shop. Before he went through the door, however, he felt a hand on his forearm and stopped.

“Now, listen here dear.” Ma spoke quietly and gently. “No matter what people say to you about your hands, you are no less than they are. In fact, I am sure you are far more polite, eloquent and caring than most of them could hope to be. Don’t let anybody tell you you’re a freak, or a mutant or whatever other horrible things people call you. You are a perfectly valid and unique human being who is going to achieve great things. Don’t let anybody tell you otherwise.”

Ford subtly wiped his eye, feeling himself tear up. “Thank you, for everything.”

“No problem, dear.” Ma led him back into the shop and waved to him as he left, returning to her post at the cashier’s desk. “Please, come again!”

Ford waved goodbye to Ma and Pa and headed back towards his house, through the woods and out of sight.

--------

My entry for Forduary Week 2: Science.

AO3 Link

#forduary #stanford pines #ford pines #gravity falls #gravity falls weirdness #science #ma #pa #gravity falls journal

[nezzfiction]

STRQ Team Chapter 3 - Becoming The Hunted

Series Synopsis: This is not the fairy tale of hopes and dreams. This is a tale of legacies, of predecessors. Of those that came before, who fought and offered their strength to those who would come after. Before Team RWBY, there was STRQ Team. Summer Rose, Taiyang Xiao Long, Raven Branwen, and Qrow Branwen. Through the actions of these four special individuals, some of noble cause and some borne of infamy, the gears of fate will be set in motion for the World of Remnant. And the future as a whole.

Links to read the series: Ao3 or FF.net

Or hit the jump below:

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Becoming the Hunted

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Great.

Now, we can die together.

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From a nearby cliff, the Vice Headmaster of Beacon watched the entrance test commence.

Though she had initially taken the spot so she could overlook the Emerald Forest, the actual exam hadn’t really begun due to one simple fact. The students who were supposed to be hunting their potential Mentors in the woods, had not even entered the woods yet. They weren’t given the chance, because of the massacre currently underway at the starting line.

“That man loves to do things his own way…” Caliburn chuckled. “It does weed out the really weak ones, I have to say.”

The Professor looked on, as her colleague acted in complete opposition to his assigned role as “prey”.

Athos Bleu spun wildly, decimating multiple students at a time. The great musket, the size of a polearm, he wielded one-handed like it was a simple whacking stick. There was a strange blend of grace, but also a berserk quality, to his movement. And while he continued to blast through his opponents with a finessing power, he casually took sips from the wine barrel in his right hand.

Once or twice, the students tried to surround him. They shouted to one another, trying to combine forces. Only before a single wave of Athos’s rifle sent them all ragdolling through the sky.

“Ah,” Professor Caliburn squinted. “The smarter ones are finally using the other students as decoys to run into the forest. Can’t say it’s the most honorable thing, but as they say—run away, find honor another day.”

She watched more and more students trickle into the woods, looking more like deserters than hunters. But there was no helping it, she supposed. Trying to “hunt” Athos was tantamount to suicide. Better to test their luck catching the other professors.

“Looks like another year goes by without Athos taking any apprentices.”

Caliburn was about to divert her attention to the forest, when she spotted something peculiar still near the starting grounds.

“Huh. It’s that cheeky brat from before…”

…

“—So, you done weeding out all the lambs?”

Before Athos, a swordswoman and her brother got up from sitting on the grass. Apparently, they had been waiting for the field to be cleared, before making their move.

“You’re either very dumb or very unlucky to have stayed behind,” Athos commented. “Probably both.”

“You’ll regret it, if you take us lightly~♪” Raven smiled.

The Professor stared hard at the twins for a moment.

“…Seems more like you’re the ones making light of me. I can see you have a violent streak in you. But you’re not stupid, despite everything. Mind explaining why you believe this was a stroke of genius on your part?”

“Three things,” Raven held up her fingers. “One, I think if we take you down, we basically prove that we don’t need to go to this stupid school.” She curled her ring finger down. “Two, or we just kick up too much trouble to be taken on here or anywhere.” She curled down her trigger finger, only leaving the middle up, as a rude gesture.

“Peh,” Athos smirked. “Big words, girl. If you wanted out so badly, you could’ve just stayed still and let me knock you out.”

“Which brings me to number three. I don’t lie down for anyone.”

“…You’ve got spunk, I’ll give you that.”

“…”

“Are we ready, then?”

“……Wait.”

“What?”

At that moment, Raven’s eye’s glinted with a different nature. Something sharp and deadly lingered in her gaze.

“Who are you, anyway?” she asked.

“Athos Bleu,” the Professor replied shortly.

“Are you the best Huntsman here?”

“Hmmm,” Athos scratched his bristly beard in thought. “I wouldn’t say the best by a long shot.”

Just then, the Professor’s form disappeared. When his figure became visible again, the sword of his bayonet collided hard with Raven’s drawn katana. The force of their locked blades sent whistling gales through their surroundings.

“……But I’m pretty sure I’m the strongest.”

Matching Athos’s bloodthirsty grin, Raven brandished her own sense of thrill.

“I guess, there’s actually one more reason I stayed here, then!”

“Oh, yes? And, what would that be, little bird?”

“My warrior spirit beckons me to fight you!”

Their two blades separated, and a blinding trade of attacks followed. Every swing of Raven’s sword was met with another one from Athos. The sounds of crashing pressures continuously tore at the atmosphere. Every collision, resulting in its own pocket calamity.

Raven’s instincts worked at a blistering pace. Each spike of intuition sent synapses fire directly to her sword hand. Her Semblance revealed the fatal flaws in Athos in blaring scars, before immediately disappearing. Her opponent was unlike anything she had ever seen. And it brought her a mad kind of joy.

My Way is the Way of Blades.

My Path is the Path of Warriors.

My Will is the Will of the Strong.

She chanted inwardly, as conscious thought dissipated into purest action.

If the Devil appears, cut them down.

If the Buddha appears, cut them down.

Her cognition of time blurred into obscurity. Faster or slower no longer existed, rather everything blended into a single moment. Life and death were no longer separate concepts, but a weave of fibers constructing her every muscle.

I am the Blade of Destruction.

My Blood Sings the Song of War.

Raven’s sword moved faster than she had ever moved it. The Destiny of meeting such a strong opponent drove her swordsmanship to greater heights. A private emotion surfaced for the one called Athos.

We were meant to meet.

But at the same time, we never should have met.

I feel that in my bones.

The two continued to clash countless times. A strange resonation between two souls locked in mortal strife. Like fates tied their swords together with a common thread, drawing them together again and again.

The Soul is Fury.

The Heart is Fury.

Raven continued to let her consciousness slip into the draw of her katana.

I am the Death in All Things.

I am Destiny.

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X  X X  X  X

.

Qrow couldn’t believe what he was witnessing.

Athos was probably the strongest fighter he’d ever seen in terms of pure strength. Which made it even more surreal to see Raven match him blow for blow. It was like watching two deities contesting through the use of their mortal avatars.

Raven had asked him to stay out of their duel ahead of time. His sister liked to challenge strong opponents one on one. She said it was to hone her warrior spirit, but Qrow never really bought into that reason…

That is, until this very moment.

He watched Raven attain a swordsmanship that bordered otherworldly.

And just as suddenly, Qrow saw his sister wince. Briefly, but surely, her constitution wavered. An unmistakable break in her concentration appeared.

…

You’re not bad, girl.

Athos couldn’t help but be impressed by Raven.

A shame you’re not used to fighting like this.

In response to Raven’s swift and precise slashes, Athos leaned into the brute force of his attacks. Pure physicality combined with his lengthy combat experience was winning out the contest of wills. And he could sense the desperation growing in his opponent’s outlook.

In another time, I would’ve gladly taken you on as an apprentice…

He sighed inwardly.

Damn.

Booze is getting to me, if I thought that.

Athos drew a slash from a haphazard angle, causing Raven to put all her strength into blocking it. The resulting shockwave cut condensed Aura through the earth and parted the clouds above them.

He had ruined Raven’s train of focus by forcing an abrupt pause to their duel. Athos observed as more conscious thought returned to his opponent’s psyche. Fatigue wearing her down, as adrenaline faded away.

“NO!”

Raven’s Aura flared once more, understanding exactly what Athos was trying to do. Sheer will was the only thing keeping her from falling.

“You have my respect, young Branwen. I’ll answer you in kind. One warrior to another.”

Athos let go of the wine barrel he was holding, and with both hands, grasped his rifle. He breathed renewed life into his posture. Aura overflowed, as he pressed harder into Raven’s guard, but still, she did not break.

“…Death or Defeat,” he muttered solemnly. “Which do you prefer?”

Raven only answered back with the same challenging grin their duel started with.

“They are both one and the same!”

“Well said!”

Athos drew back his rifle overhead. He pulled the trigger, and the downward swing exploded with all the force he could muster.

“—Whew! That was waaayyyy too close!” a young girl exasperated.

“—Are you alright?” asked a concerned young boy.

“—Hey, sis!” Qrow shouted.

Before Athos could deal the final blow, three figures locked themselves to his musket. Summer’s chakrams looped around it from his left. Qrow’s scythe hooked it from his right. And clasping the blade of his bayonet with his barehands underneath, was Taiyang.

Raven stared at the three, not sure whether she was more surprised, angry, or ashamed.

“““RAVEN!””” the three shouted simultaneously, prompting her to move.

“Damn it!”

Her sword pierced the empty space between their bodies, right for Athos’s neck. But a roaring whirlwind sent them all flying up into the air. The Professor shook off the four with a single swing.

As the four reached the peak of their ascent and held there, Athos appeared just above.

Thunder cracked, as the Professor spiked them down into the dirt.

*Cough, cough.* “—You guys still alive?” Qrow called out.

“—Not for long!” Taiyang also coughed. “Are we really going to keep fighting this guy?”

“—We don’t have a choice. Incoming!” Summer warned.

As soon as his big toe touched the ground, Athos dashed towards them with a furious speed.

“Uh, you! You’re Taiyang from the year above, right?!”

“Yeah!”

“Okay! I’m Summer.”

“—Is this the time?!” Qrow shouted.

“Tai, take care of Raven! Me and Qrow will keep him off you!”

“Alright?!” Taiyang acknowledged with a panic.

Does she know what my Semblance does?

He went to where Raven fell. The girl was close to losing consciousness, and he could sense her Aura fading.

Taiyang ripped off his oversized sleeves to reveal a long strip of tattoos surfacing along his arms. He set his palms across Raven’s abdomen, channeling new vitality into the girl. He watched the same tattoos trace the girl’s skin, confirming he was replenishing her Aura and health with his own.

…

“Do you think you can hold him, for like, a second?!” Summer asked.

“Are you kidding me?!” Qrow cried. “I think he’s about to run right through us!”

“Kay, I believe in you!”

“Wha? Damn it!!!”

Qrow took his position at the front with a defensive stance. Like trying to stop a wild charging beast, he held his scythe horizontally across. The impact of taking Athos’s blow sent his feet digging tracks into the dirt. The young man was only barely able to withstand it.

“Hm. Not as strong as your sister, but you have guts,” Athos complimented. Then, sent a vicious steel-soled boot to the younger Branwen’s stomach.

Qrow catapulted across the field, skipping off the ground, before finally resting in a crater.

Athos was about to pursue, when he felt an eeriness in his surroundings. A ringing of chimes resonated all around him. The white hooded form of Summer’s danced in his perimeter, fading in and out, like some haunted apparition.

Leaning on his intuition, Athos swung his musket where he thought her next position would be.

Summer’s chakrams spun like buzzsaws. The rose and vines decorating her round blades, gave the impression the Professor was fighting rings of bramble. Each time their weapons clashed, Athos felt his movements slow.

Something in Summer’s Semblance warped the Professor’s perception. When he realized what was happening, it was too late. Every time his rifle made contact with Summer’s chakrams, a thorny chain latched his weapon to the ground. Not only his weapon, but almost as if waking from a dream, the recognition of his limbs being bound was taken to effect.

“Tai! Qrow!” Summer called out.

Taiyang stopped his treatment of Raven, and peeled off for the immobilized target. Likewise, Qrow shook off the damage, before taking off towards the Professor like an angry bird in flight.

I see, so her Semblance is that far developed.

Athos measured his situation with a calm mindset.

She can tap into the Never Realm to such an extent.

Then, the best way to fight through this is…

As his three opponents drew close, the Huntsman dropped his rifle. Then, with a sped-up motion, drew multiple matchlock pistols from under his cape. Three rounds fired rapid succession, so close within each other, they almost sounded like they were shot at the same time.

Three separate guns fell, each fired once. At the same time, two bodies tumbled across the ground.

That’s one less than I expected.

Taiyang continued to bolt towards Athos. The bullet aimed for his head was caught in the palm of his hand. He channeled the energy and impact of the round through his Semblance. His hair blazed bright, as his hat flew off in the middle of his dash. More tattoos printed across his skin.

Taiyang threw a flurry of palm strikes once he was within range. But to his surprise, Athos reflected his combo with deft dexterity—grabbing his wrist on the last thrust.

Hm. Should have realized Summer’s Semblance lessened.

An easy mistake to make.

But an amateur mistake nonetheless.

Athos stepped on the bayonet of his rifle, making its butt-end pop up off the ground.

You’re lucky it wasn’t the other end instead.

Taiyang felt immeasurable pain shoot through his groin, when the rifle stock struck him between the legs. His body locked up and he timbered flat onto the ground. The boy couldn’t even defend himself as a callous fist struck him, like being caught between a hammer and anvil.

And then, there were three.

Athos tipped the point of his hat, before turning around.

“RAHHHH!!!” Qrow roared. His scythe tilling the ground, as he ran.

Once the boy was within a certain distance, he slashed his blade up to spray his opponent with dirt and rock. But, as if taking no mind to it, the muzzle of a musket extended to him. Through the tidal wave of earth, the Huntsman’s aim never wavered, nor did its barrel.

A great bang rolled over the hills and through the Emerald Forest.

Hm. The least talented of the four.

A lot of heart, but not much else…

…Reminds me too much of D’artagnan.

Athos cursed himself deeply, before returning to the matter at hand.

Now, for the other two.

He blinked once, and found Raven assaulting him from the front, Summer attacking at his back.

Won’t work this time.

Hidden behind his cape, Summer couldn’t see the stock of Athos’s rifle shove towards her. A trace of Aura made the blunt force that much more impactful, as she was clocked straight in the face.

And, you. You’re barely even standing.

Athos grabbed the slashing katana barehanded, right before it made contact with his neck. Raven had seen the use of Aura Skill countless times in Vacuo. The Professor’s proficiency ranked with some of the best.

Crap! she cursed herself. Not enough to take you down, huh.

Raven punched her katana’s hilt to break the blade loose from Athos’s handle. Once free, she ducked around the Professor’s rifle swing to scoop Summer off the ground.

“Hey! Tell me you’re not out cold!” she yelled.

“…Nooo,” Summer groaned. “But I’m definitely hearing stars~”

“You don’t hear stars. You see—Never mind.”

Raven continued to brace Summer’s shoulders, and together, they supported each other’s weight.

“Can you do that thing from before?” Raven asked.

“What thing?”

“The thing, when you took my pipe! Back when we first met!”

“Ugh…! Yeah. Maybe. Not exactly.”

“Okay, that was two answers too many! Which is it?!”

“It doesn’t work all the time!”

“Are you freakin’ kidding me?!”

“SORRY!!! I’M STILL IN TRAINING, YOU KNOW!!!”

“Un-freakin’-believable.”

Raven and Summer noticed the bodies of Qrow and Taiyang slightly move where they lay.

“Great. If we were gonna get this wrecked, I think I would’ve preferred dying alone.”

“Hey,” Summer whispered. “Say, I could do the thing. What were you thinking?”

“I’ve got one move left in me,” Raven answered. “But it’s a sure-kill, if you can get me in range and in a blindspot.”

“Why do I feel like you’re putting up a really good front?”

“Cause I am…! But also, cause there’s a chance you and I got this. You and me. We can take him down.”

Summer felt the other girl’s intense stare, and derived courage from it.

“Alright,” she nodded. “I’ll get us in place, but if he’s this good, I doubt we’ll take him by surprise.”

“Yeah, true,” Raven winced tiredly.

“Wait a second. If he’s this good, just maybe…”

“What? What do you have in mind?”

Without answering her, Summer took out her chakram, and began reflecting light at Qrow and Taiyang. At the same time, Athos made his dash to put an exclamation point on the battle.

Qrow and Taiyang were barely cognizant enough to understand Summer’s light signal.

D-E-C-O-Y

The two boys flared their remaining Auras for nothing save superficial appearance. But the move prompted Athos to briefly split his focus. Due to his veteran experience, he made sure to assess any unexpected threats, no matter how unlikely. And in that sliver of an opening, Summer made her move.

(((*Ring*)))

A ghostly chime resounded the area.

Summer and Raven faded from Athos’s view like a haze, then reappeared from above.

As the pair fell, the Professor thrust his rifle up.

All of them, betting their lives on the next movement.

…

Two events happened simultaneously.

As Raven unleashed her most powerful technique, the sounds of two ear-piercing clashes resounded. The power released from the collisions warped the atmosphere, and even reality itself. And when Summer and Raven tumbled to the ground, they saw Professor Caliburn and Professor Ozpin were the ones to deflect the sword technique.

At the same time, when Athos was about to shoot his rifle, Professor Myrddin had one finger looped around the trigger and another hand clutching the hammer.

The Headmaster grinned slightly.

“I believe the test has concluded for these four.”

.

X  X X  X  X

.

 “When do you think this dog and pony show is gonna be over?” Qrow side-mouthed his question to his sister.

Raven only shrugged with indifference. Her focus was solely on the girl standing to her far-right at attention. Summer Rose appeared as stiff as a board.

She’s cute…

And dangerous.

There’s more to her Semblance than meets the eye.

Summer could feel Raven’s eyes on her. A stare like she could see right through everything. It made her even more nervous than she already was. It also made her chest hot with a tenseness she was unfamiliar with.

“Rav—”

But before she could call out to her, Headmaster Myrddin approached them. Summer, Taiyang, Raven, and Qrow stood in a line, on the stands of the auditorium. Each of their faces projected on the screen above.

“It is my pleasure to recognize these new students of Beacon Academy,” Myrddin voiced. “Henceforth, you will be known as STRQ Team. With your Mentor, Professor Athos Bleu.”

As the Headmaster introduced the new team to a round of applause, his hand extended to Athos last. The veteran Huntsman only spat, and took long gulps from his flask. His teeth bared with a look of disdain.

“—I won’t train them.”

The raspy words incited countless murmurs among those in attendance. STRQ Team, also looked at the man with crooked gazes.

Athos only turned with a swish of his cape. His staggering steps resounded awkwardly as he exited the hall.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Huntsman, or a Professor, so drunk off his ass,” Qrow commented.

“I get the feeling, this is just the beginning of a long string of unexpected crap to come,” Raven huffed.

“Hey, at least we’re on the same team, right?” Taiyang smiled uncertainly.

“Right…” Raven replied. “Sure thing, Tai.”

Summer looked to each of her new teammates down the row. Taiyang, the boy who was smaller than her, but much stronger than his appearance let on. Raven, the cool tall beauty, with a deadly skill and temper to match. Qrow, a lanky teenager, who liked to act tough, but was softer on the inside.  

A mixed bag of oddities, she thought, with her perhaps the oddest of them all. Even so, there was a strange chemistry beneath it that made Summer let out a childish snorting laugh. It elicited similar smiles in her comrades. Their thoughts probably one and the same.

Yeah.

This Team’s either going to do great things,

Or greatly terrible things.

#rwby #TEAM STRQ #Summer Rose #qrow branwen #raven branwen #taiyang xiao long #STRQ Team #rwby fanfiction