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in-ei · 2 months

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Ninternia: The Ultimate Elemental

Chapter 5: True Friendship

Soran woke up in the moss-covered stone nest the siltharaa had given him, and rubbed his eyes, yawning. It had been a long night. After they'd met Pythius at the doors under the falls, he'd welcomed them into his home: the subterranean world called Erdan. Apparently, humans had imprisoned him, and the rest of his snake like kind called siltharaa deep underground centuries ago. Soran hadn't even thought to ask why they were locked up. I mean, it was a bunch of snake people who he'd set free, and were probably grateful to him, what could go wrong? If they gave him a bunch of scaly servants, or took over the world with him on their side, who was he to complain? They'd be doing his job for him.

Crawling out his nest-bed-thing, Soran took a look around the room. They were deep below the surface, so the whole space was carved out of smooth, grey stone. Light came from some brightly glowing, swirly stuff on the walls and ceiling. Various mossy blankets, pillows, and carpets were around the room, lying inside bowl-shaped chairs made of a surprisingly tough, spongish material.The door was made of the same spongy stuff, with a metal handle, and crystal window allowing you to see into the hall without letting anyone see in. Shadow was leaning against the wall next to it. She hadn't noticed that he'd woken up yet. She was staring at a small knife she was holding with a strange, captivated expression on her face.

"Where'd the knife come from?" Soran said, not bothering to ask if she was okay or even say a simple 'good morning'.

"What knife?" Shadow asked, pushing off the wall and straightening her cape.

"The one you're- well, were holding," he said, confused as she held out her empty hands.

"Not sure what you're talking about, but we should get out of here. We don't want to overstay our welcome."

"But we just got here!"

"So? I don't trust these guys."

"You don't trust anyone."

To his surprise, a strange look passed over her face, and then she went rigid.

"Fine," she said coldly, "Stay with your new friends. I'm out of here"

She turned and stormed away, slamming the door behind her

"Shadow, wait! Where are you... going," Soran finished in annoyance because by the time he'd reached the hall, she was gone. Sighing, he set off down the corridor he thought led to the surface, hoping to cut her off before she got there Then again, it had been late, he'd been tired, and it had been a really long hike.

Wait.. Why am I doing this?

Coming to a stop, he frowned. He was a villain, why was he chasing after disobedient henchman? To see if she was okay? To say sorry? What for? No evil mastermind would ever apologize, not to mention, he hadn't done anything wrong, had he? If she was upset then that was her problem. It had nothing to do with him. There was no reason to check up on her... Right?

This was what Soran had told himself his whole life, and he'd never doubted before. It was he the AVA way, the only way he knew. If it wasn't your problem, there wasn't any reason to care about it. It made sense.

Yet.... As he turned to walk back their, no his room, Soran couldn't shake the sense that he was doing the wrong thing, no matter how hard he tried.

A sharp knock on the door started Soran out of his brooding He wasn't sure how long it'd been since Shadow'd left, it was hard to keep track of time down there, but it felt like it'd just happened, yet way too much time had passed all at once. Since returning to the room, all he'd done was pace and think.

"Come in!" he said, coming to a halt and trying to look imposing, but he couldn't stop fidgeting. As usual.

At his invitation, Pythius opened the door and slithered in, masking all contempt for the little boy looking at him so imperiously. Soran, in contrast, didn't even try to hide his disgust when he set his eyes on the purple and white scaled siltharaa. He hadn't been a fan of snakes ever since some of his classmates had hidden one in his bed.

"Why are you here?" he asked.

"I sssimply wanted to see how you and your friend are doing." Pythius hissed smoothly.

"I... we're not friends," Soran muttered, ducking his head slightly, "and anyways, she left."

"Did ssshe now?"

"Yeah... we sort of fought a little.... I, um, told her she, uh, wasn't any good to me if she didn't follow orders."

"Well done. You'll make a wonderful villain sssomeday"

"Of course I will! I found this place after all."

"Ah yesss, but, if you don't mind me asssking, how did you find usss?"

Before Soran could answer someone stormed into the room and grabbed Pythius's neck, pinning him against the wall. It was a man, one of the tallest and most intimidating Soran had ever seen. He was dressed in flowing black robes, complete with a hood, heavy boots, and a strange mask that covered the top half of his face, then slanted down either side of his nose. How he saw through it, Soran didn't know, but if its only purpose was to unnerve, it accomplished it well. The part of his face that was visible, the only skin showing, was paler than Shadow's, almost colorless. And if all that didn't scare you, the two long, curved, swords on his back certainly would.

"I told you to leave him out of this," he said coldly. His voice wasn't overly deep, but it seemed to hold the weight of centuries. It sent shivers down Soran spine but... it also sounded strangely familiar.

"He hasss the map," Pythius gasped.

"Then get it then release him. He has no part in this."

Letting go of the shake, he began walking out the door, but not before turning toward Soriano for a second.

"You should've never come here," he said, and, with that, the man left, leaving both the boy and the snake staring after him.

"LET GO OF ME!!" someone shouted, snapping them out of their trance. Straightening his cape, Soran glanced curiously at the door. He knew that voice...

And he was proven right a few seconds later when five ragged siltharaa draged an angry Shadow into the room. The snakes shoved her in his direction, then quickly put as much space between her and them as they could without leaving the room.

Switching her focus to him, she said, "Did you send them after me?"

"I-"

"You can't order me around like a servant. I've put up with it so far, don't ask me why, but I'm done now, okay?"

"Sheesh, calm down. I didn't send them. You wanted to leave, why would I waste my precious time on stopping you?"

She didn't seem to know what to say to that.

"If I may," Pythius interrupted looking amused by their interaction, "I sent the guards to get you. When heard you were wandering around the tunnels, I had make sure you didn't get lost."

Soran watched as Shadow gave Pythius a skeptical look "So five of them to drag me, a ten-year-old girl, here."

"Yess well, I asked them to guide, not drag. I assure you, I will talk to them about how they treated you, though I sssusspect they did sso with reasson," he said, returning her gaze.

"Do I look like I could remotely hurt them?"

"No..."

"Glad we agree on something. Now, what do you want?"

"Nothing more than to reunite you with-"

"Yeah, yeah, cut the fancy talk will you?" Shadow said tiredly, "I saw your partner leaving. He didn't seem all that happy, but he did look human. I happen to recall you telling us that we were the first people to set foot here in centuries. Not sure what you're up to, and frankly, I don't really care either. I don't speak for Blondie, but I don't trust you. Deal with it."

Soran stared at her, shocked. He hadn't thought about that, yet she made a good point, but... Pythius was a cool guy. He saw potential in Soran, something no one else did. He looked to the snake, hoping for an explanation.

He was disappointed.

"Well played Ssshadow. Sssoran would do well to listen to you," he hissed, "but as it.... ssieze them!"

Soran backed up as three of the guards approached him, but before long, he had his back against the wall. A rush of fear hit him as he looked at them with wide eyes, but he also felt betrayed, and... a little guilty. He was the one who'd thought Pythius was a good guy. He was the one who'd insisted on going on this crazy adventure. It was just that... he'd thought the snake had actually believed in him, something no one ever had done before.

Suddenly, one of the guards stopped advancing. A Somewhat surprised look flitted across his face. Then he crashed to the floor, a knife buried deep in his back, blood dripping from the wound. Soran, stunned, snapped his head up to see Shadow, two guards on the floor behind her, hand extended in front of her as if she'd just thrown something. His eyes flicked to the knife and back to her hand.

"Just so you know, I was going easy on you earlier," she said, a smirk dancing over her lips as the two remaining guards charged her. Soran took one look at the blood pooling at his feet, and threw up. Turning away from the fight, he crouched behind of the bowl-chair-things and pulled his cloak around himself, trying to calm down, but there was too much adrenaline running through his veins.

When the shouts died down, Soran peeked around the chair, curiosity overpowering horror, and saw five shakes lying still and a ragged, bloody, and panting Shadow holding a mid length blade against Pythius's neck.

"I underessstimated you," the siltharaa said, appearing strangely relaxed.

"Common mistake," Shadow replied, equally calm. Before they could say anymore, the door slammed open yet again. Soran jumped at the sudden intrusion, but neither the snake or girl appeared surprised as another six siltharaa entered now trashed room.

"Nice of you to join us," Shadow said, not moving, "I'd give you the same welcome I gave your friends, but I'm a little tied up right now. No hard feelings?"

One of them grabbed Soran roughly, despite his attempt to dodge him, "Release Pythius or your friend gets it."

"Who said he was my friend?" she asked, adding pressure to the knife. A crimson drop made its way down Pythius's neck Soran fought the urge to vomit again. To his surprise, he also felt sharp stab of guilt, but the more he thought about it, the less startling it became. He didn't feel betrayed by her like he had with Pythius because.... he didn't deserve her.

As one of the siltharaa raised a heavy sword above his head, preparing to strike a final blow, Soran met a pair of evergreen eyes with his own inky black ones.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, wishing that he could somehow convey exactly how much he regretted what he'd done with those two, small, simple words, but he had to apologize, even if it was the last thing he ever did because... even after how he'd treated her; ordering her around with no regard for how she felt, she'd stayed right by his side, something not even his parents had done. He closed his eyes, waiting for the cold kiss of the blade, feeling the turmoil of his emotions as if it was burning him from within, and the sensation was intensifying.

"WAIT!!" Pythius screamed, causing the siltharaa to fumble with his sword a second before it came down. In that second, a shockwave of brilliant energy emmitted from Soran, throwing everyone but him and Shadow against the wall.

He stood there, feeling the usual energy that raced through his veins, never letting him sit still, increase tenfold. Then, without warning, the charge left his body, leaving him feeling more drained then he ever had in his life. Collapsing to his knees, he met Shadow's eyes one final time.

"Go," he whispered to her, hoping she knew what he meant and why. A wordless communication passed the between them, a sense of understanding unparalleled by anything he'd felt before, almost like they could read each others thoughts. Then the moment slipped away and he fell, his head crashing into the stone. The last thing Soran saw was Shadow turning and running, never looking back. As darkness overcame his vision he heard her nearly silent foot falls fading, whether from her getting further and further away, or from him slipping farther and farther from consciousness, he didn't know.

#ninternia #soran zhong #shadow kaida #ninjago fanfiction

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aeoki · 11 months

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Magic Lantern - Mysterious: Chapter 6

Location: Seisou Hall (Madara, Wataru, Subaru and Sora’s Room) Characters: Sora & Subaru

TL Note:

Paisen is “senpai” (upperclassman; senior) backwards.

< That night. >

Sora: ~......♪

Subaru: And so?

Sora: Huh? What’s up, Sparkling Onii-san?

Subaru: You can just call me Subaru-paisen[*] instead, you know? I mean, I’m calling you Soran, anyway.

Sora: Sora hasn’t heard of that nickname before!

Subaru: I did it because it’s kinda sad to see you treat me like we’re not close~ …Anyway, what happened after that?

Sora: What do you mean?

Subaru: I was kinda involved in it, right? So I got curious about the details. What happened afterwards?

Did anything change with “Switch”? With Natsume? Was the strange mechanical part I dug out with you useful?

Sora: That turned out to be a magic lantern, apparently?

Sora looked it up afterwards, but it’s something like a projector~? Which means it’s a device that can play movies and stuff!

Apparently, things like that were thought of as magic back then and if you could control the magic lantern really well on stage, it counted as a proper “performance”~

It can project something that you shouldn’t be able to see in front of you with a bright and shiny light! It seems people thought of it as a device that could show you pretty dreams?

Movies and TV wouldn’t exist today without the magic lantern, so maybe idols wouldn’t be as popular as they are now too?

No, maybe the concept of idols wouldn’t have been born in the first place.

Subaru: Ohh? Singers, dancers, actors and comedians definitely would’ve existed, though.

Not that I’d know if an “idol” was a result of those things.

Even now, an idol is a vague concept most people would find it difficult to answer.

Sora: HaHa~? Does that mean Sparkling– Uh, Subaru-paisen doesn’t know the answer to that question, either?

Sora thinks you’re the closest there is to the embodiment of an “idol”, though~?

Subaru: I get that a lot. I also think it’s mostly true and I’m working hard to make that a reality, but being able to put it into words is a whole different story.

That’s why I found myself in trouble back then… Someone asked me what an idol was back in the summer.

Sora: Someone?

Subaru: That weird but cute kid from “ALKALOID”. I wonder if he ended up that way because Hokke~ raised him without any heavy burdens or a care in the world.

No, I wonder if this is what it’s like to have kids…? I think Natsume and Blue-senpai are definitely doing a lot – They’re always watching you with the same sort of feelings.

Sora: Hmm? Sora is causing trouble for Senpai and Master~? Sora is doing his best to avoid that as much as possible, though?

Subaru: How come?

Sora: Well… if Sora causes trouble for them, they won’t like Sora anymore.

Subaru: Is that true?

Sora: Maybe… not?

Master~ and Senpai both treasure Sora, of course – Sora believes they won’t hate Sora if Sora causes some trouble for them, though~?

But even so, Sora is scared. Sora has always been treated like the black sheep. People said Sora’s a weird kid and that Sora is an alien.

Subaru: Is that also why the two of them are a bit hesitant towards you? Do they just circle and watch you like a satellite because they’re afraid they’ll annoy you if they get too close?

Sora: …………

Subaru: If someone did that to me, I’d be sad though. Anzu’s been kinda like that to me recently – She’s been avoiding us for some reason.

Sora: But… that’s because your position and environment have changed, so it can’t be helped, right?

Master~ and Senpai are doing everything they can for “Switch” to grow stronger. They probably doing that because they don’t think anyone will save them if they’re not strong.

Master~ is working at Yumenosaki and Senpai is working at ES… They’re currently trying to make their power… their magic stronger.

Subaru: Why did you correct that to magic?

Sora: Setting the mood is very important~? Anyway, that’s how things are so Sora is fine!

Sora is a bit sad right now, but things will work out soon enough! It’s always worked itself out that way!

Subaru: Really? Didn’t you also say that during “Next Door”? You mentioned words like someday and surely, right?

I don’t really want to poke my nose into other people’s affairs like Eichi-senpai does.

But as someone watching from the sidelines, it just looks like you guys are going around in circles, repeating the same thing over and over again.

You’ll walk out then come back and it repeats forever. While it may be true that Natsume, Blue-senpai and you are working hard in your respective places to become stronger.

But the sense of distance hasn’t changed. You’re all leaving the same amount of space between each other and it shines in a sad way. It could shine even brighter if you guys were closer together – don’t you think that’s such a waste?

Sora: …………

Subaru: No, it’s fine. If you guys are happy with that, then that’s fine.

But when I heard Natsume, who insists on being alone, personally decide to make a unit…

I imagined a different sort of future for you guys. Isn’t he just doing the same thing over and over again too?

He’s just spread out the net that he so hated of his own accord~

Blue-senpai is the same too. It feels like he’s returning to how he was back in “fine”.

I wasn’t that involved in the war, so I don’t really know the details, though.

Natsume and Blue-senpai are reverting to their old methods.

I’m sure they’re doing that because they’re used to it, so they’re good at doing that sorta thing. I understand they can’t help but act like that unconsciously.

But you’re still a blank canvas. You don’t know what their old methods are – you’re a kid from the new generation.

I had hoped that maybe you would be able to change something, though.

I figured you could be the one to guide poor Natsume and Blue-senpai in the direction of happiness.

But did I overestimate you, Sora Harukawa-kun?

Sora: …………

← Previous Chapter ᠂ ⚘ ˚⊹˚ ⚘ ᠂ Next Chapter →

#magic lantern

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rome-okami · 4 years

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#isshiki kosame #sorane appare #appare ranman #appare ranman!#anime gifs

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that-soccer-guru · 3 years

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You really captured ronnett, soran, and so'hara in one picture...

Look here. O'Hara is way behind Sonnett, Rose is up ahead, the only one walking with Sonny is Lindsey and THAT is the way I chose to look at that picture.

HAVE I NOT SUFFERED ENOUGH?

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13uswntimagines · 4 years

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A Little Luck, a Little Courage and a Protective Streak (Lindsey Horan x Reader)

Request: lindsey horan imagine where during the game r keeps getting fouled and linsey goes after the player who keeps fouling her girlfriend??

Warning: Slight language/ homophobia

Authors note: Hey dudes, there might be a hint of Soran at the end, because I just couldn’t help myself. Let me know what you think, or if you have any requests or if you just want to say sup. I hope you enjoy!

You glared up at the sun as the coursing pain ran down the side of your leg. You had known that going against your previous team, The NC Courage, was going to suck, but you hadn’t thought it was going to suck this much.

You and Hinkle didn’t have a great past, hell she had tried to end your career on many occasions, but you had thought that between Crystal, Sam and Abby you would have been safe. But instead of staying in her very avoidable left-back position, she had taken to following and fouling you across the field.

You had spent more time laying on the pitch then trying to score, and it wasn’t even the first half hydration break yet. It seemed that Courage was going to retain their first place spot by incapacitating the Thorns, literally.

“You alright babe?” Lindsey asked, jogging up beside you and extending her hand to help you to your feet. She shot a glare over your shoulder at Jaelene Hinkle, as she assisted you to your feet.

“Fine, just a bruise,” You grumbled into her shoulder as she wrapped a protective arm around you. You felt fist clenched behind your back as Hinkle passed the two of you, sending a wink your way.

“If she tackles you when you’re nowhere near the ball again, I’m going to lose it,” She huffed into your ear, and a shiver went down your spine. You smirked against her neck. Was it the time to play this game, no, but nothing was going to stop Hingle Jingle from being an ass. So you might as well make the most of a shitty situation, you were always a bit of a brat.

“How’s your hip?” You inquired, running a hand lightly over the body part in question, veering over to skate over the edge of her bottom. Her hand grabbed yours with lightning precision.

“Don’t get smart with me,” Lindsey growled, her eyes flashing dangerously. You smirked back.

“What, you going to punish me, Daddy?” You hummed, batting your eyelashes at the woman, who just halfheartedly rolled her eyes at you.

“I think Mrs. Daniels is doing that enough herself.” She said sternly, raising her eyebrow and sending you her best ‘behave’ glare.

“You’re no fun,” You wined, pouting dramatically.

“Whatever you say, babe,” Lindsey smirked, placing a chaste kiss on your lips before jogging off to her spot.

“You guys are fucking disgusting. At least there aren’t any fans here for you to corrupt,” Hinkle said from where she was marking you 8 feet away, and though you knew it was childish, you stuck your tongue out at her and laughed at her glare. She had nothing on Lindsey.

——

Apparently, your sassiness had not been well received, because Hinkle seemed to get even more aggressive with you particularly after the first half water break. Lindsey did what she did best and sent you a beautiful cross, placing the ball directly at your feet, where you did what you do best and fired at the goal. However, you missed Sam Murphy’s diving save because were again brought to the ground by a very late tackle.

“Fuck,” You yelled out, grabbing the ankle that Hinkle had just taken out. You rolled on your stomach, holding the offending appendage and resting your head on the hot turf.

“Shit, you ok?” Sam’s voice broke through your internal monologue as a warm hand began to rub circles onto your back, encouraging you to turn over again. You complied with a groan, barely catching a glimpse of blond hair as your girlfriend sprinted past you.

“Stay the fuck away from her,” Lindsey bellowed, getting very close to Hinkle’s face.

“Just doing my job,” The woman smirked at your very irate girlfriend.

“Your job my ass, you’re fucking targeting her,” Lindsey snarled, stepping nose to nose with the errant defender.

You and Sam shared nervous looks. Sure Lindsey wasn’t opposed to getting cards, but this was a little excessive.

“Maybe I am. What are you going to do about it?” Hinkle spat back, shoving you Blond Middy backward. You watched in horror as Lindsey’s jaw clenched and she rose to her full height, taking a menacing step forward. Sam stood from her kneeling position next to you and rushed to wrap her arms around Lindsey’s middle before she could rip Hinkle's head off.

“How about I shove my cleat so far up your stuck up-“ Lindsey snarled, fighting against Sam’s hold. You knew that if you didn’t step in, your girlfriend was going to put Hinkle in the hospital.

“Linds?” You said quietly, but it was enough, her head snapped towards you, her eyes softening. Her entire being relaxed as you approached her, Sam relaxing as well.

“Watch it,” Lindsey threw over her shoulder before stepping into your embrace.

“You ok babe?” She questioned, holding you at arm's length, and looking you over. Taking in the way you favored your left leg. You rolled your eyes at her.

“Yeah, but we need a goal before you get arrested and she gets put in the hospital,” You grumbled under your breath.

Lindsey’s eyes darkened “Don’t even joke about that,” she muttered. You sent her a half-hearted nod, you weren’t joking considering that was where this whole thing was heading.

You glanced behind your girlfriend watching as the courage reset their defense, a smile stretching across your face as an idea hit you. A crazy idea that would render the Courage's backline useless.

“Send me a Volley?” You smirked, bumping Lindsey’s shoulder. Her wide blue eyes snapped to meet yours.

“You’re joking?” She said with a halfhearted chuckle.

“Nope.” You grinned back, watching the wheels turn in her head. “Unless you’re scared. I’m sure Sonnett would do it if she was here, what until she-“ You started with a taunt.

“I’ll do it, just don’t miss,” She interrupted, her eyes turning hard, her face stony. You and Emily were the pranksters of the group, and you were always making fun of Lindsey for being responsible. Bringing up your other girlfriend was always a sure-fire way to get Lindsey to try whatever crazy plan you had. Even this crazy crackpot plan.

“When do I ever,” You winked, jogging off to your position, but not before you heard her mumble a “Cocky little shit,” under her breath. At least you were her Cocky little Brat.

——

The ball was perfect. You watched as Britt sent the ball to Lindsey who kicked it high. You were standing just outside the penalty box, when you kept up, slamming your foot into the ball in a perfect bicycle kick, despite the body slamming into your own.

The next moment, you were laying on your back, staring at the sky and very confused as to how you got there. You placed a hand in your swimming head, rubbing your nose which had begun to throb. Your eyes widened when your hand slipped through a sticky substance on your face, your cheek stung. You placed your sticky hand on the ground in an attempt to sit up, only to be held down by gentle hands on your shoulder.

“Hey Y/n, try not to move alright?” Sam’s voice was quiet compared to the pounding in your head, her blurred face moved into your line of vision.

Lindsey was furious. Storming across the field when she saw Hinkle's knee landing solidly on your face. You crumpled to the ground, while the left-back stood up with a satisfied smirk, dusting herself off.

“What the fuck is your problem,” Lindsey roared as she got in Hinkle's face, shoving her backward.

“Just-“ Hinkle started, only to be stopped by another rough shove.

“Don’t give me that bullshit, you could have killed her,” Lindsey growled, advancing in the defender.

“I wouldn’t be so lucky, at least then she wouldn’t be able to spread your disease,” Hinkles smirked. Which both of you out of commission, Portland would be done for. The ref came sprinting over, already reaching into his pocket. It was too little too late for the card to actually matter, considering you had already been hurt.

“Now you pull out a fucking card” Lindsey spat in his direction, shrugging off the yellow he held towards her. She rolled her eyes as she turned to where the medics were helping you sit up.

“Babe,” she said hesitantly, placing a hand on your back as the Medics decided you could walk off the field. Your face was stained red, and Lindsey couldn’t tell if it was from your nose or the gushing cut on your forehead.

“I guess we’re both sitting out?” You mumbled groggily and disappointed. The only reason why the Chaos Cup was remotely enjoyable was because you got to play footie.

“Let’s get you stitched up first before you try convincing Mark to let you play, alright?” She said rolling her eyes. She was going to kill Kelley for teaching you that real players didn’t come off the pitch.

The Medics helped you stand, and Lindsey supported you as you made the way towards the bench, Sophia coming in for you and Morgan coming in for Lindsey. Mark nodded as you passed him and walked (were carried) towards the first aid room. You were almost there, hobbling along when you froze. You turned to look at your girlfriend.

“Did I score?” You asked, excitement leaking into your tone. It would be worth it if your Hail Mary scored. Lindsey rolled her eyes. Hinkle had almost killed you, and she had almost killed Hinkle, and all you were worried about was your shot. She sent you a halfhearted nod.

“I wonder if Sonnett will post about it on the Pride Stan account?” You smiled wide. Emily was for sure going to post about how great of a shot you just made. The world didn’t know that the three of you were a thing, but they for sure knew that Emily loved to complement all your crazy goals, even if they were supposed to be standing the Courage tonight.

“You two trouble makers are going to be the death of me,” She grumbled, and you laughed.

“But you love us” you singsonged, and Lindsey’s cheeks lifted automatically.

“I do. I really, really do.”

#uswnt x reader #uswnt imagine #uswnt imagines #lindsey horan x reader #lindsey horan imagine

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inquisaetor · 3 years

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green hue is no longer radiating from her palm at the current moment, but power can still be felt humming through her veins. IT TERRIFIES, CONFUSES, & BRINGS ABOUT CURIOSITY . she no longer knows what she is truly capable of. at least hitting things with a blade made sense. perhaps elohra would have been more suited to wield such an ability. a thought that keeps replaying in her head, but upon giving further consideration, she realizes that would mean her sister would have been at the conclave. events of that night were still HAZY, but a gut feeling warns that something had gone terribly wrong. that this was just the beginning.

gaze lingers upon the expanse of weathered palm, anxious for something to happen, and only giving up after SEVERAL MOMENTS OF STILLNESS. she stands from the bed she had been given and pulls on an intricately embroidered cloak. fingertips glide over the threads, appreciating the craftmanship. the door then suddenly swings open and a frown nearly appears on her lips. A MOMENT OF PEACE ENDED TOO SOON . though it swiftly turns into a smile upon seeing the familiar curves of her best friend’s face. “ my, my soran. i could have been indecent. “ a playful timbre rings through her voice. “ but as it turns out, you have PERFECT TIMING . “

the palm that does not possess the anchor presses against his chest, pushing him lightly back out the door before he could even fully come through the threshold. “ i believe within a day we are going to be travelling to the hinterlands. cassandra will likely come. i doubt she will allow us to do anything without her supervision... along with varric and solas. what do you think of them? “ TRUST HAS BEEN LIGHTLY GIVEN TO THOSE WITHIN THE INQUISITION . opinions of humans built into her within personal experience and upbringing making it hard to give over her life so completely. however, whilst they fought for a cause she believed in, then she would remain. it helped that soran was present. WITHOUT HIM [ ... ] SHE WOULD BE TRULY LOST . that is the way it had almost always been.

“ i think we deserve a drink. “ she leads the way towards the tavern. the way people’s eyes flock towards them did not go unnoticed. many of these people had viewed her as a murderer and now they seem just as cautious and confused as she was about herself. the only one she positively knew did not view her as some type of MONSTER was walking beside her. “ you know, apparently there are rumors circulating about the two of us according to lady montilyet. she would not share what exactly they were though. “

♡ , @ehlvaen .

#ehlvaen #main v .#i am so excited !!

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dimitrescus-bitch · 4 years

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Wings (Soran One Shot)

“Linds, scoot over,” Emily groaned as she felt her girlfriend pressing up against her. “It’s too hot for you to lay so close to me.”

“I’m on the edge of the bed,” Lindsey grumbled back. Emily scoffed and turned around.

“Um, Lindsey, I think there’s a bit of a situation,” Emily said and Lindsey sat up. She looked in the mirror and immediately screamed. “It’s not a big deal babe.”

“Not a big deal! How many people do you know wake up with wings?” Lindsey asked and Emily couldn’t think of a single person. It was an utterly ridiculous thing to happen and neither of them had a clue as to what could have led to it happening.

“Not a lot, actually zero, but that’s besides the point. We’ll figure this out together because I promised that I was always gonna be here for you. Also, this is cool and we can go flying together,” Emily said and Lindsey flopped onto the bed. “Can you move them?”

“How?” Lindsey asked and Emily shrugged. “This is awful, my soccer career is over.”

“Nah, soon wings will be all the rage,” Emily said. Emily wasn’t too worried about this, Lindsey would have it handled and even if she didn’t, Alex was shady as fuck sometimes and probably knew how to take care of it. “We’ll get this taken care of, I swear.”

“You keep saying that, but I don’t know how the fuck we’ll do it,” Lindsey said. Emily let Lindsey vent to her for a couple of hours before the two of them did research on this. Apparently Lindsey wasn’t the first person to wake up with wings, but everybody else claimed that they’d just dreamt it. They went on some big quest, but Lindsey’s wings weren’t a dream and she didn’t have some big quest to go on. However, Emily didn’t stop searching until Lindsey had dragged her away.

“Maybe we’re close,” Emily said, yawning.

“It’s late and I woke you up early. Let’s get to sleep baby,” Lindsey said. “Thank you for helping me today. I couldn’t have done it without you. I think sometimes I forget how amazing you are.”

“Yeah, yeah you do,” Emily said as they settled in for bed. Lindsey held Emily as she fell asleep and then fell asleep herself. In the morning when they woke up, Lindsey was sitting on the couch with her coffee and without her wings. “Dreamquest?”

“Nope, life changing realization I guess,” Lindsey said and Emily nodded.

#soran imagine #soran imagines #soran #lindsey horan x emily sonnett #rpf

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whydoiwrite · 3 years

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yo, hi, hello, hey there, ‘sup.

fancy giving me your top songs? maybe by how they relate to individual football players, or woso ships, or whatever you want. I’m not fussy, but I am interested because from what I’ve seen so far, I like your music taste!

hope you’re having a good day ✌️

A taste of some songs on my list to write to that I also LOVE right now + how I hear them:

Talk You Out Of It (Soran)

Love Your Love The Most (Sohara)

Why Don’t We Just Dance (Ronnett)

Black and White (Sohara)

Nobody But You (this belong with One Beer)

The Difference (Ronnett)

Lay Me Down (I don’t know, I just really like it)

An Evening I Will Not Forget (Kellex)

Million Reasons (Sohara)

Forever To Go (Haven’t even thought about it really, I just wake up with it in my head every damn morning for no apparent reason)

Better Than You’re Used To

Faded Away (this is the Kellex that I started)

Better Together (Sohara)

Remind Me (O’Horan)

#I’m having a great day thanks

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not-the-tie-youre-looking-for · 4 years

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Alphabet Squadron: Shadow Fall

⚠️ Spoiler warnings for the Star Wars novels Alphabet Squadron and Alphabet Squadron: Shadow Fall. Surprisingly, spoiler warnings for the series finale of Star Wars Rebels as well. ⚠️

Alrighty, to start this off, Saskia Maarleveld is apparently no longer the narrator for the Alphabet Squadron books; Carol Monda has taken that place. I wasn’t a fan of her narration style, and after about two chapters I gave up on the audiobook and got the hardcover at my local bookstore instead. Now that that’s off my chest, lets begin!

As I began to read, I was starting to wonder if maybe I should have re-read the first book before reading the sequel, but the characters do a very good job recalling the events that went down through conversation rather than exposition. I’ll probably reread the prequel afterwards anyways, but it did help my brain catch up to what I was reading.

Hera Syndulla. Hera freaking Syndulla. She has a pretty big presence in this first half of the book, and it shows through the battles that occur and what other characters say about her. She’s one of my favorite Star Wars characters, so whenever she was given the spotlight I had my full attention on her!

“Yet Syndulla wasn’t finished. She shook her head gently and amended, “I have to decide what [taking down Shadow Wing is] worth. That’ s my responsibility as a general, and I promise you I will do the very best I can.” This takes me way back to Rebels during the Battle of Atollon and the Battle of Lothal; Alexander Freed writes Hera very, very well.

“Syndulla took a sip of caf. Six cups and two thermoses stood guard around the room.” When I read this I did a double take. “Hera Syndulla is a caf addict” was not a headcanon I thought would be confirmed in this book, but here I am, pleasantly surprised.

However, I soon experienced some serious emotional whiplash, as in this same meeting, Hera, Quell, and Adan discuss various methods of attack on Troithe when Alexander Freed decides to hit me in the heart with THESE lines:

Finally, the general nodded and drew up. [...] ”We wipe out the shields, bombers decimate the enemy before they can retreat to the bunkers. The timing will be challenging but I don’t see a way to make it easier. Not unless someone’s got a Jedi hidden away.”

No one spoke up.

“I can dream,” Syndulla said, and her smile was sadder than Quell would have expected.

And then, a bit later, these lines:

Quell had met the captain, though she couldn’t recall his name. He’d been younger than she’d expected, aware of the peculiarities of the campaign and insistent that Syndulla understood the cost in lives⁠—but never refusing an objective. Never asking why they were taking the capital in such a manner.

Be back, gonna go cry real quick...

Hera also seems to have created an outdoor work area that I got a real kick out of; it seems very Hera, and for whatever reasons reminds me of the crew of the Ghost hanging out in the cargo hold in Rebels:

General Syndulla spoke with the quiet authority that Yrica Quell had become accustomed to, sitting cross-legged on the hull of the Lodestar half a dozen meters from the nearest maintenance hatch. The general had made a camp of sorts, with a blanket spread on armor plating, a heat rod glowing to one side, and a spread of datapads around her like a fortune-teller’s cards.

It’s also kind of funny but also kind of sad that the moment Hera leaves, things just kind of... fall apart?

Switching back to Shadow Wing’s POV of Hera, they see her as the face of the destruction on Pandem Nai. It’s quite disconcerting to see a group of Imperials want to target Hera’s battle group as a means of revenge for Pandem Nai. ⁠

When Soran Keize is training with some of the pilots of Shadow Wing, he plays holos of Hera in the Ghost, reminiscent of the simulators Sabine was in at Skystrike Academy.

Lots of mentions of Vanguard Squadron from the new video game Star Wars: Squadrons. The game takes place in some locations in the Bormea sector, including the Nadiri Dockyards and Sissubo. About 3/4ths of the way through part one of Shadow Fall, Hera leaves the battle group to join them, which also accounts for her cameos in the game.

I had totally forgotten that Quell had last her X-Wing and astromech droid at the Battle of Pandem Nai, but she keeps one of her droid’s chips as a necklace on her neck. Thought that was pretty cute tbh.

After almost every mission, Wyl Lark records what went on in said mission and addresses those recordings to Blink, a TIE pilot in Shadow Wing he had a conversation with in the last book. When his finishes his recording, he deletes it. I’m interested to see where it goes...

When some of the pilots are hanging out together, Quell ends up telling stories of Vader, and I gotta say, he’s made to sound like a ghost story, Pretty creepy if I’m being completely honest.

And finally, the mentions of Admiral Rae Sloane. I know her better from A New Dawn, as I read the first Aftermath book and was not really impressed with the writing style. She also shows up in Star Wars: Squadrons trailer. Seems like Hera will meet back up with her after her early rebel days on Gorse. I’m looking forward to possible meetings between the two in either Squadrons or Alphabet Squadron. In any case, I’m going to be adding the Aftermath Trilogy back onto my reading list, along with A New Dawn. Hopefully I’ll actually be able to get through Aftermath....

Well, those are my main thoughts on part one of Alphabet Squadron: Shadow Fall. Look forward to part two soon!

As always, stay safe!

#star wars rebels #hera syndulla #yrica quell #wyl lark #rae sloane #alphabet squadron #alphabet squadron shadowfall #shadow fall #star wars #star wars squadrons #not the post youre looking for

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fierceawakening · 4 years

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Well ergh.

I’ve been trying to update the sidebar page about my novels and stories and it’s been breaking, so I’m going to redo it here for some new folks who might be interested.

Content warning for violence and sexually explicit content applies to all works.

Elysium, short story collection, published by Supposed Crimes:

A girl encounters a beast.

A man invites a vampire in.

A woman calls a storm

A cyborg walks into a magic-only bar.

An eldritch horror falls in love.

Elysium is a collection of five erotic short stories that span space and time by Alexa Black, also writing as A. M. Hawke. Men loving men and women loving women are represented.

As Alexa Black (wlw themed):

The Outcasts, novel, published by Bold Strokes Books:

Sue Jones is a spacebus driver from a nowhere colony. Yearning for adventure, she pilots a shuttle into uncharted regions—and crash-lands in a harsh world. Kara is an alien whose people are Outcasts who have been banished to this world and survive in Rings above the storm-swept surface.

When Kara rescues her and brings her to the Rings, Sue soon learns that the Outcasts believe humans belong on the surface. As Sue discovers her protector’s secrets, Kara struggles to keep Sue safe and her own feelings at bay. Can love bridge the gap between worlds and heal the deepest of wounds?

Steel and Promise, novel, published by Bold Strokes Books:

Courtesan Cailyn Derys serves the passions of the noble classes—but she’s never served anyone like Teran Nivrai. Everyone whispers about the reclusive noblewoman, indulging her penchant for cruel passions on a private, hidden planet. She’s even modified her body with retractable steel claws. Drawn by curiosity, Cailyn can’t resist a meeting. Is Lady Nivrai the demon everyone whispers about, or have gossip and scandal made a monster of her?

Sex and pain draw Cailyn in, but the loneliness Cailyn sees in everyone’s favorite villain keeps her there. When the ruling Councils decide to use Teran’s gift for inflicting pain—and her claws—against their enemies, will Cailyn discover that the monster is real?

As A. M. Hawke (mlm themed):

Salvation, novel, published by Supposed Crimes:

Famed gladiator Malek the Destroyer has spent years secretly plotting a revolution against the oppressive Senate that rules his planet. Popular victors who have retired, left the city of Dis, or even apparently died in the arena have secretly trained as Malek’s revolutionary army.

But Malek’s revolution won’t stand a chance if only one city fights it. He reaches out to Soran, leader of the one autonomous city left on the planet, Aerix. Soran leads a caste of Skyknights, starfighter pilots famed for elaborate body modifications that make them nimble fighters and grueling training as soldiers and fighter pilots. Malek invites Soran to Dis to secure an alliance—and to tempt him with promises of power.

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extpursuedbyabear · 4 years

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get to know your mutuals!! when you get this, it means someone wants to know more about you, so list 5 things about yourself you want your followers to know. they can be as simple as your age or as complex as your deepest fear, as long as it’s something you’re comfortable with sharing. when you’re done, send this to 10 people you want to get to know better!!

this is so cute, thank you iman 💕

1) i LOVE tea, specifically blends w/o caffeine - my particular favourite is rooibus and i make myself a cup with milk, vanilla, and honey every morning :) there's just something special about warm drinks idk i find them really soothing

2) when it comes to thinking about where i want to live in the future, i fluctuate btween 2 polar opposite moods: owning a cute appartment or a small house in a big city/just outside of one OR going completely off the grid, living by the sea in a small house or on a house boat - there's literally no in between

3) i love discovering new music/artists, making playlists, and sharing them with others ! i have like 30+ playlists (i have to clean them up i know) and i'm really enjoying soran, charlotte cardin, and arlo parks rn :)

4) ever since i was a child, i've been fascinated by the ocean, which i think partly results from the fact that finding nemo was the first movie i saw in theatres, and i was even set on becoming a marine biologist for awhile but i also don't know how to swim ???

5) i went down a rabbit hole watching skateboarding videos during the early phase of "quarantine" and now i really want to learn how to skateboard, but not like flips or anything bc i'm too afraid of getting hurt and making a fool of myself in public, just like....how to glide down the street/sidewalk yunno

* and a bonus fact bc i'm really indecisive and can't stick to rules: i know how to play multiple instruments (piano, guitar, and alto sax) and i grew up listening to classical music but i can't do math to save my life which is weird bc apparently music improves one's mathematical skill but i guess tht didn't happen with me lol

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v-thinks-on · 4 years

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Generations - Part 1

Note: This is the beginning of a nine-part saga that I’ll be updating every other week for the next few months. Ever since I first heard about Kirk’s death in Star Trek: Generations I’ve had plans to fix it, and now that I’ve finally seen the movie (and some of Star Trek: The Next Generation), I’ve finally been able to put those plans onto paper. Without further ado, I give you my version of what happens if Kirk simply doesn’t die at the end of Star Trek: Generations.

Captain James Kirk struggled into awareness with a groan. Everything felt fuzzy and distant; the over-bright lights, the dull ache that permeated his entire body - what had he gotten into? Even his bond with Spock had faded away so much he could barely feel it. He struggled to remember where he was and what was going on. He’d had the strangest dream, and before that… Was he still on the Enterprise-B, in their sickbay?

He tried to reach out to Spock, for some semblance of order in all the uncertainty, but there was nothing. His heart leaped into his throat, suddenly beating much faster. Spock couldn’t be dead, he would feel it.

He forced his heavy eyelids open despite the searing bright light.

“Captain Kirk, you’re finally awake,” a woman said from just on the edge of his vision.

He tried to prop himself up on an unsteady arm to get a better look at her. She was attractive, with bright orange hair, in her forties, if he had to guess, watching him with a worried, almost nervous expression. She looked like a doctor or nurse in scrubs over a strange uniform that he recognized from somewhere, but on her chest was a pin with the Starfleet insignia. His first thought was an alternate universe, but somehow that didn’t quite sit right.

"Not so fast, Captain," she cautioned, her hands out to help him lie back down.

Despite his protesting muscles, he still had a little pride, enough to carefully lower himself onto his back without any assistance. Her exasperated expression suggested he was hardly her first stubborn patient, but she didn't interfere. Once he was settled, she stood next to him so he could see her clearly without straining his neck.

"I wouldn't be on the starship Enterprise, would I?" Kirk asked, not entirely serious just in case.

She answered with a faintly bemused smile of her own, "Not quite. This is the United Starship Farragut. I'm Dr. Beverly Crusher."

Kirk's eyes widened a little in surprise. It was quite the coincidence - if it was one - waking up on a ship that shared its name with the first starship he'd ever served on, whose crew had been ravaged by a sentient gaseous cloud that Kirk, as a young Lieutenant, had been unable to stop.

"I see," he remarked at last, as lightly as he could.

"How much do you remember?" the doctor asked gently.

"Other than waking up in the nicest sickbay in the Federation?"

Dr. Crusher seemed amused if not convinced. "Your reputation precedes you, Captain."

"All good, I hope. And you can call me Jim.” A little more darkly, he added, "I'm retired now anyway."

Her expression quickly changed from exaggerated annoyance at his teasing to something more serious, almost pitying. "You've traveled a long way in what must seem to you like a very short time. It may come as a bit of a shock."

He nodded for her to continue.

"Do you remember the launch of the Enterprise-B?"

"Yes."

When she continued, she spoke very carefully, "According to our historical records you died saving the ship from a gravimetric distortion."

"But I take it I'm not dead," he said with just a touch of mischief.

"Yes." She gave him a somewhat weak smile. "According to Captain Picard, you were stuck in a 'temporal nexus.' To you it may have seemed like just minutes, but" - she hesitated - "You were in there for almost 80 years."

Kirk nodded along almost blindly. It hadn't been a dream, then. He remembered Captain Picard and an incredible place that wasn’t quite real. Maybe that could even explain whatever had happened to his bond with Spock, he only hoped it hadn't broken. Just a few years after Spock’s death had almost been enough to drive him mad, he couldn’t imagine what eighty years would do, even to a Vulcan.

"It's 2371 now," Dr. Crusher said.

That was about 80 years. "I guess I have a lot of catching up to do," he said with half a smile.

"Let's worry about getting you a clean bill of health first. You took a bad fall while fighting Soran" - she glanced at him to check if the name was familiar.

He nodded. He could remember the man Picard had taken him out of the Nexus to fight, who had been desperate to return to it.

"Your bones are mostly healed," the doctor continued, "But you should take it easy for a little while, which shouldn't be too hard. Right now, the Farragut is just taking the crew of the Enterprise back to Earth, since our ship was destroyed in the attempt to stop Soran."

Kirk couldn't help but smile a little at the coincidence that another starship called Enterprise had been destroyed in exchange for the life of another old captain. "It wasn't the Klingons, was it?"

"Strangely enough, yes, the Duras sisters" - she attempted to clarify, "Rebels against the Empire." At last she said sympathetically, "A lot has changed in eighty years."

Kirk nodded. “I’m sure it has.”

"If you need anything or have any questions, just ask," Dr. Crusher said, a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"I don't suppose I could have a computer terminal?"

"Of course. You must have a lot of questions."

Dr. Crusher soon returned with a PADD, much sleeker than the ones from his time on the Enterprise. "You can use this to access the computer library. I also noticed your record says you're allergic to Retnax, so I replicated these for you." She handed him a pair of standard reading glasses.

He accepted the glasses much more reluctantly than the PADD, but he thanked her with a smile all the same.

Once Dr. Crusher had moved on to her next patient, Kirk put on the glasses and turned to the PADD. "Computer, status of Captain Spock."

"Did you mean Ambassador Spock?" it replied with the same feminine voice the computer had when he started as a captain.

Kirk smiled. He couldn't say he was surprised by Spock’s promotion. He wondered if the Federation wasn't also at peace with the Romulans now that Spock had something to say about it.

"Yes," Kirk said. "Status of Ambassador Spock."

He was alive - Kirk let out a breath of relief. The computer listed pages and pages of accomplishments; conferences and treaties, but no mention of what he was currently doing.

"Current location of Ambassador Spock," Kirk attempted, but it turned up no answers.

Spock couldn't be dead, he would feel it - wouldn't he? Maybe Spock was missing like Kirk had been for all those years - eighty years - or on some classified mission. Kirk would find out one way or another, if only he could somehow let Spock know he was back.

The computer, at least, seemed to hold no answers. So, instead, he alternated between sleeping - he was still recovering after all - and looking into who else was still around.

Dr. McCoy had retired to Georgia and was still living there today, if his Starfleet record was to be believed. Living to 140 wasn’t the strangest thing listed, and Kirk had been there for a lot of the other things, so maybe it wasn't so surprising he'd lived so long. He would be surprised to see Kirk again.

Scotty, as it turned out, had disappeared like Kirk had, in his case due to a transporter malfunction not long after the launch of the Enterprise-B, and had also been rescued by the Enterprise-D just a few years ago. Apparently, he'd hardly aged either. Now, he was travelling the galaxy in a modified shuttlecraft.

Kirk was reading through Scotty's reports - including plenty of commentary, of course - on all the places he had visited when he was interrupted by Captain Picard.

"Captain Kirk, Beverly told me you were awake," the captain said as he stepped over to Kirk’s bed.

Kirk put down the PADD and pushed himself upright. His body was still sore, but he was feeling much better. "Please, call me Jim," he said, once he was comfortable.

"If you're certain." A little less awkwardly, Picard asked, "How are you doing?"

"Good for a man who was last reported dead," Kirk said with a grin. "I see you rescued my chief engineer from a similar predicament."

"Your chief engineer?" Picard asked. His eyes widened as it dawned on him. "You mean Montgomery Scott? I forgot he served on the Enterprise at the same time you were there. And you both..." he trailed off. "It's an incredible coincidence."

"I'd say, but stranger things happen in space."

Picard shook his head in bewilderment.

"I don't suppose you've had a chance to meet Ambassador Spock too?" Kirk asked as lightly as he could.

"Oh, yes, he was your First Officer, wasn't he?"

Kirk nodded. "Do you know where he is?"

Picard's face fell. "I'm sorry, that's classified information. I would have to check with an admiral."

Kirk waved it off - he was sure he'd have a chance to ask for himself.

Picard hesitated before changing the topic - "Do you know if Antonia…?" He left the question hanging.

"Antonia?" Kirk asked, frantically trying to remember the woman that belonged to the name.

Picard looked dumbfounded, as though it should have been obvious and the name sounded familiar, like something from a dream… And then it clicked and Kirk couldn't help but give a silent chuckle.

"I never really knew an Antonia," Kirk said at last.

"But you said you almost married her," Picard protested.

Kirk shook his head. "I might have married Edith or Ruth, or maybe even Carol, and I even spent a month married to Miramanee, but I never knew an Antonia."

Picard hesitated again. At last he admitted, "What I saw in the Nexus wasn't real either."

Kirk nodded. After a moment’s pause he smiled and said, “Thank you for getting me out of there. I wouldn’t have thought to try and free myself.”

“I needed your help more than you needed mine. I wouldn’t have been able to defeat Soran on my own, so thank you.”

“We can call it even,” Kirk suggested.

Picard nodded in agreement. “You really put up a fight out there.”

“It’s all in the swing,” Kirk suggested with a wry smile.

“I think I’ll stay on the bridge, if it’s all the same.”

Kirk let out a sigh and leaned back a little against the pillows he was using to prop himself up. “There’s nowhere better.”

"Captain Kirk." A beautiful young woman who he had seen making the rounds through sickbay stopped by Kirk's bed. She had a pleasant accent, though he couldn't place it. "It's nice to meet you, I'm Counselor Troi."

Kirk removed his reading glasses, set aside the PADD, and sat up a little taller to face her properly. "Nice to meet you, Counselor, what can I do for you?"

"I just want to see how you're settling in. You've been through a lot in what may feel like a very short time," she said, as though in an attempt to pacify him.

Kirk nodded, but gave nothing away.

She continued, undeterred, "I am also half Betazoid and therefore have some empathic abilities. I can sense that you're uncomfortable about something."

An empathic counselor, that sounded almost as annoying as a Vulcan, and at least a little intriguing. For an instant, Counselor Troi detected what seemed to be a clumsy attempt at a telepathic broadcast of mischief and affection underlaid with a mess of other emotions that she didn’t have time to analyze, all coming from the old captain. It didn't seem to be directed at her, but she couldn't detect its intended recipient. And then it was gone.

Kirk shook his head and gave her a smile. "Those abilities must come in handy as ship's counselor," he remarked.

"They are very useful," she acknowledged, "But there's a lot more to the job." She turned her attention back to Kirk's psyche; "Eighty years is a long time. How do you feel about this sudden disruption in your life?"

"What is, is, what will be will be."

Troi could sense that it was like a familiar joke that he was using to deflect her questions. It was a strange use of Vulcan philosophy, though that would explain the attempted telepathy.

"You have an interest in Vulcan philosophy?" she asked.

"A little. Mostly just a good friend who happens to be half-Vulcan." He smiled to himself at the thought and Troi felt a wave of affection.

"You are referring to Ambassador Spock?"

Kirk nodded.

"You seem to care very much for him," she stated the obvious. "How do you feel about having been away for so long?"

"I would feel better if I knew where he was," Kirk replied with a pointed look.

"I sense you are concerned," she said, clearly intending him to elaborate.

However, he took an alternative, "I'm not very familiar with Betazoid telepathy. You can sense all the emotions of everyone in this room?"

She nodded. "It's similar to your sense of hearing. The closer someone is and the stronger the emotion, the more it affects me."

"You experience it too?"

She nodded. "Yes. Do you have a particular interest in telepathy?"

"It's a useful ability," he said, avoiding his primary interest altogether.

"It is." After a moment’s consideration, she said "It was nice meeting you, Captain Kirk," and held out a hand to shake.

"Likewise, Counselor," Kirk said with a smile.

"I look forward to talking with you again," she said and moved on to the next patient.

"You're all clear," Dr. Crusher declared, finally allowing Kirk to sit up and slide off the examination table.

"Thank you, doctor," he said, though he was too stubborn to accept the proffered arm. "It's been a pleasure."

She gave him a look, but the trace of a smile ruined the effect. "You're free to walk around, but be careful, your bones are still fragile while they finish healing. No strenuous activity for a few weeks at least. And I want you to come in here at the first sign of any trouble. Understood?"

"Yes ma'am," Kirk said.

"Good, then you're clear to go."

Kirk had just one more question; "I don't suppose you know anyone who could give me a tour of the ship?"

She smiled. "I think I know just the person." She pressed the Starfleet insignia on her chest, that also served as a communicator. "Dr. Crusher to Data, are you busy right now?"

"No, I am not doing anything urgent at present," a somewhat stilted male voice replied over the intercom.

Data turned out to be a humanoid, with unnaturally white, almost grey skin and bright yellow eyes. His hair was as even as a Vulcan's, but more closely cropped.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Captain. I reviewed your record in preparation for giving you a tour," Data said as he led Kirk away from sickbay, down a long brightly lit corridor, with white walls lined with black and brown panels. Data spoke in a very matter of fact way. Kirk may have even been able to believe he wasn't capable of lying, if he thought it was possible.

"Nice to meet you." Kirk held out a hand and Data took it with a firm, almost cold grip. "You can call me Jim."

"Very well, Jim," Data replied awkwardly, but his voice did not drop despite his hesitation.

"So you're an android?" Kirk asked as they continued down the hall.

"Yes," Data said. "I was created by Dr. Noonien Soong."

Kirk froze, his eyes wide. "Dr. Noonien Singh? Khan?" He readied for a fight he knew he could not win.

"No, Dr. Noonien Soong,” Data replied, as though it was a simple misunderstanding, “A famous cyberneticist of this century. I assume you are referring to the infamous tyrant from 20th century Earth who, similar to yourself, fell into a stasis and was reawakened in the 23rd century?"

Kirk could still picture Spock trapped behind the glass, dying before his eyes while he could do nothing to stop it. Spock had come back, he’d made sure of it, and they had renewed their bond years ago, but without Spock's reassuring presence in his mind…

Kirk swallowed and forced himself back to the present.

"No relation?" he confirmed.

"None," Data said. More hesitantly he continued, "I am sorry if I caused offense."

Kirk waved it off. "My compliments to Dr. Soong. Are there many other androids in Starfleet?"

“No,” Data replied sadly. “I am the only one.”

Kirk gave a sympathetic nod. “Stuck on a ship full of illogical humans?”

“Illogical?” Data asked, his head cocked to the side in confusion. “I do not find my colleagues’ behavior particularly illogical, human or otherwise. Rather, I admire the human capacity for emotion.”

“Do you?” Kirk asked, his eyebrows rose in surprise. “You don’t seem to be lacking any emotions yourself.”

Data grinned as though it was a great compliment. "Thank you, sir- Jim. I have been trying to be more human for many years, but I only recently installed a chip, which has allowed me to experience human emotions."

“How are you liking them?”

"They are very inconvenient at times," Data acknowledged, "But I believe I am beginning to master them."

“Really?” Kirk said with a wry smile. “You’re doing better than most humans already.”

“No, I still have much to learn,” Data insisted.

Kirk nodded in understanding - they all had a lot to learn.

Meanwhile, Data had led Kirk onto a turbolift, which opened on the bridge. Dark metal had been replaced by soft light browns, and the whole room looked larger, crowned with a bright domed ceiling, but for all the changes, it was unmistakable. They stayed to the side by the lift as not to disturb the officers at their stations. It looked like a shift of younger officers had replaced the normal bridge crew for the time being. They all stood as Kirk entered, but he hastily waved them back into their seats and they obliged.

His eyes wandered from station to station as he tried to take in the whole room, but his gaze was inexorably drawn to the con. It was a larger drop than he remembered between what had once been the science station and the central dias - it would have been harder to glance over his shoulder for a silent conversation with Spock. But in the center, there was not one chair, but three, with sitting space for more.

“How many captains can one ship have?” Kirk mused, his voice low enough that if Data was human, he would have barely been able to hear.

“Typically, only one,” Data replied, clearly confused by Kirk’s question.

Kirk just waved it off. He let out a sigh as his attention shifted from the unfamiliar trio of overly comfortable chairs in the center, to the viewscreen ahead. The stars raced by as they traveled incredible distances at an unfathomable speed. His heart seemed to soar, as though trying to escape his chest in a desperate bid for freedom before he was trapped back on Earth, even if it was by his own design.

The view seemed to hold him, preventing him from turning away and continuing on the tour. But he had retired years ago - it was already too late. It wasn’t his.

Finally, he tore himself away and forced himself to return to the turbolift, Data at his heels.

“Is something wrong, sir?” Data asked as the doors closed behind them.

Kirk sighed again and shook his head. “It brings back memories,” he said at last.

“You did not like serving aboard starships?”

“No,” Kirk said with half a smile, “The opposite.”

“You are unhappy because you were reminded of something you enjoyed?” Data clarified, dubious of the whole train of logic.

Kirk nodded. “Do you have any regrets, Mr. Data?” he asked as lightly as he could, with an almost challenging lilt.

Data seemed to consider the matter as the turbolift came to a stop, and they stepped out into another corridor. “I regret not stopping Soran from taking Geordi,” he admitted at last. “I regret pushing Dr. Crusher into the water and generally not understanding my crewmates’ jokes. I regret not feeding Spot promptly.”

“Spot?” Kirk interrupted Data as he began to ramble.

“My cat,” Data said.

“You had your cat with you on the Enterprise?” Kirk’s eyebrows rose a little in disbelief.

“Yes. I was very happy to see that she had survived the crash. She is currently in my quarters here, on the Farragut.”

Kirk grinned. He wondered if Spock would have wanted a cat if regulation had allowed it - of course, he got no answer. “Why a cat?” he asked aloud.

“They are common pets among the families that lived on the Enterprise, and I concluded that caring for a pet might enable me to become more human.”

“There were families on the Enterprise?” Kirk could hardly imagine it, let alone understand why with all the dangers they encountered exploring the galaxy, even without going into combat. As though to prove it, the Enterprise had just been destroyed, no doubt killing dozens of civilians, if not more.

“Yes,” Data replied, as though it was perfectly logical. “According to Starfleet records, that was not the case on the first USS Enterprise or the Enterprise-A.”

Kirk shook his head. Maybe things had calmed down in the intervening century, but he doubted it. Still, it wasn’t his place to argue, instead he asked, “What has having a pet cat taught you about humanity?”

“I have learned many things from caring for Spot, and Spot herself has proven to be an able teacher at times. Ever since installing the emotion chip, she has evoked in me a wide variety of feelings; joy, annoyance, even fear for her wellbeing.”

Kirk couldn’t help but ask, “And you never considered getting a dog?”

“No, It would be impractical to keep one on a starship.”

“I suppose you’re right,” Kirk acknowledged a little reluctantly.

“You prefer dogs to cats?”

Kirk nodded.

“I have noticed that my human colleagues occasionally engage in a debate as to which is a superior pet. I have never understood the reasoning” - Data paused in consideration - “Though I now find that I am inclined to favor cats on a purely emotional basis.”

“It’s probably just that, for the most part,” Kirk admitted with a smile. “When I was growing up, we had a dog - Butler was his name - and I couldn’t imagine a better pet.” He shook his head. He could only wonder why he had gotten so nostalgic all of a sudden.

“I see…” Data seemed to consider the information. “I will have to examine these feelings further.”

Data soon led Kirk through another doorway, into long, low room, lined with computer terminals, plus a large table in the center for more, all displaying ship’s specifications. At the far end of the room was a giant glowing column that could only have been the warp core.

“Welcome to Engineering!” a young man declared, with a broad gesture at the room around him. He had a visor over his eyes that Kirk could only assume was like a tricorder that left his hands free to work. “So, that’s where you’ve been, Data.” He grinned at the android and then turned to Kirk. “It’s an honor to meet you, Captain Kirk, I’m Geordi La Forge, Chief of Engineering of the USS Enterprise.”

“Nice to meet you,” Kirk said, and they shook hands.

“What brings you down to engineering, sir?” La Forge asked.

Kirk waved it off. “You can call me Jim. Mr. Data was just giving me a tour of the Farragut.”

“I take it you’ve already been to the bridge.”

Data gave a sharp nod.

“What about Ten-Forward?” La Forge suggested. “Or whatever they call it here. Riker said he might check it out since he doesn’t have much to do.”

“What’s ‘Ten-Forward’?” Kirk asked.

“Sorry, sir,” La Forge said. “That’s just what we call the ship’s bar - it’s on the tip of the saucer, deck ten.”

“The ship has a bar? A lot has changed in eighty years.”

“Oh yeah, the old Constitution-class ships were a lot more minimalist, weren’t they? We studied them in engineering track at the academy.”

Kirk smiled. “They were nice ships, but you’re right, they weren’t made for comfort.”

“Geordi, would you care to join us?” Data asked.

“Sure,” La Forge said. He led the way out of engineering without taking off the visor. “They don’t really need me here, I’ve just been hanging around since I don’t have anywhere else to be. I’ll be glad to be back on duty, that’s for sure.”

Kirk nodded in understanding. “It’s never the same being on someone else’s ship.”

“I didn’t think I’d miss the Enterprise so much, but now that she’s gone…” La Forge trailed off.

“I have also developed some affection for our late starship” - Data seemed a little surprised by the realization. “Perhaps that is why there have been so many starships with the name Enterprise.”

“I wouldn’t command another,” Kirk said.

“With all due respect,” La Forge said with a smile, “Captain Picard would give you a run for your money.”

Kirk shook his head. “He doesn’t have to. I’m retired now.”

“Funny thing, I met Captain Montgomery Scott - you knew him right?”

“He was my chief engineer,” Kirk said with a touch of pride.

“Well, that’s what he said too; that he was too old,” La Forge continued. “Did everyone in your time retire so young?”

Kirk shrugged. “Eventually you have to step out of the way and let the younger generation take over. One day you’ll understand.”

La Forge just shook his head. After a moment’s thought, he redirected the conversation with a grin, “Did he really say everything would take longer than he actually needed?”

“He told you about that, did he?” Kirk said, his lips pursed in mock annoyance. “To be fair, I always needed things done in half the time, so it probably evened out.”

“I do not understand why it would not be better to have the accurate times.” Data’s forehead was scrunched up in confusion.

Kirk smiled at him. “As Spock would say, it’s just an example of human illogic.”

To his surprise, Data exclaimed, “Why does Ambassador Spock reject the humanity that I seek? It frustrates me.”

“Why do you want to be human?” Kirk countered gently.

“As an android, my purpose is to be an artificial human,” Data explained.

“If Dr. Soong wanted to create another human, there’s a much easier way,” Kirk remarked with a wry smile.

“There’s something in the challenge of it - Dr. Soong was a scientist, wasn’t he?” La Forge suggested. “And I think he succeeded pretty well.”

“Thank you Geordi, that is very kind, but even with the emotion chip, there is still much I do not understand about human behavior,” Data said.

“There’s a lot we humans don’t understand about ourselves,” Kirk said.

Before the conversation could continue, they came upon a pair of double doors that opened into a dimly lit room, crowded with Farragut officers on their off shift and Enterprise crew members with nowhere else to be. Against the near wall was a bustling bar. One of the bartenders, a woman dressed like no Starfleet officer Kirk had ever seen, in a brightly colored dress with a wide disk of a hat, was watching him with a piercing gaze that made him wonder if she was telepathic. But at last she turned away.

Kirk shook off the peculiar feeling and let his eyes wander around the room. Amidst the crowd of standing officers, he could make out a few square tables where the lucky - or high ranked - were sitting. A young man at a nearby table glanced over and jumped up to greet them with an eager, almost wry grin. He had an easy confidence that almost reminded Kirk of himself when he was in his prime, but for some unfathomable reason, he had elected to grow a beard and moustache - Kirk could only assume it was the fashion of the times.

“Data! Geordi!” the young man exclaimed as they waded their way through the crowd to meet him in the middle. He was significantly taller than Kirk had expected. “And you must be Captain Kirk,” he concluded once they arrived, and held out a hand to the captain.

“You have me at a disadvantage,” Kirk said as they shook hands.

“Commander William Riker, First Officer of the USS Enterprise-D, at your service, sir. I’ve read about all your adventures, and I’m sure there are plenty that didn’t make it into the history books.” He flashed Kirk a knowing smile.

Commander Riker waved Kirk over to the table, where he had been sitting with, of all things, a Klingon in a Starfleet uniform. Riker introduced him with a wave - “Lieutenant Commander Worf.”

Worf stood and Kirk shook his hand as well.

“Worf…” Kirk trailed off - the name was familiar from somewhere. Suddenly, he remembered. “I didn’t realize Klingons lived so long - you don’t look like you’ve aged a day,” Kirk exclaimed. “I don’t think I ever got a chance to thank you for defending Dr. McCoy and I in that trial, though I know it was really just for show.”

“Sir?” Worf asked, in a very low, gruff voice.

Kirk’s face fell. “The trial over the death of Chancellor Gorkon right before the Khitomer Conference. I could have sworn we were defended by a Colonel Worf.”

“Colonel Worf was my grandfather,” the lieutenant commander explained, unamused.

“I can see the family resemblance,” Kirk attempted with a somewhat sheepish grin.

“Thank you, sir,” Worf said, still completely straight-faced. “I have been told that my grandfather was an honorable man.”

Vulcans were known for their stoicism, but Kirk could swear many of them hid a sharp sense of humor behind their logical mask. This Klingon, however, seemed entirely humorless, even more so than any of the other Klingons that Kirk had met over the years, but Kirk was hardly an expert in reading them.

Once Kirk had been properly introduced, Riker ushered him into a chair despite his protests. The others crowded around the table, and he caught several other officers watching him with eager, wide eyes. They all looked remarkably young, or maybe Kirk had just gotten old.

Suddenly, a young woman who must have been an ensign piped up - she somehow reminded him of Chekov, though there wasn’t really any resemblance - “Did you really kill God by crashing the first Enterprise in the center of the galaxy?”

Kirk took a moment to process the question while all the officers tittered eagerly around him.

“It’s about time you humans did away with your gods,” Worf remarked, “We Klingons slew ours eons ago.” Kirk had no way of telling if he was serious, but his tone remained unchanged.

“No,” Kirk said at last, “We didn’t really kill God, and we certainly didn’t do it by crashing the Enterprise in the center of the galaxy.”

“You did destroy the first Enterprise though, didn’t you?” La Forge asked.

“There is record of a court case-” Data began to explain.

“And according to the reports, you encountered some sort of god in the center of the galaxy,” Riker cut in.

Kirk carefully chose which question to answer. “It called itself god. But it only took a few disrupter blasts to destroy it, so it can’t have been that all-powerful."

“Your ‘god’ is even weaker than that nuisance, Q,” Worf proclaimed.

“Don’t get me started on Q.” Riker leaned back in his chair and explained to the confused captain, “He’s an ‘all powerful’ alien from something called the Q Continuum who drops by every so often to play his tricks on us. He’s not that different from some of the things you encountered.”

Kirk recognized the description - “Like Trelane? He could manipulate matter and energy at will and used it to dress up as an 18th century squire and toy with my crew until his parents put a stop to it."

“Unfortunately, Q doesn’t seem to have any parents to speak of,” Riker said. “The Continuum took his powers away once, but it didn’t last.”

“You also met the ancient earth deity, Apollo, is that correct?” Data asked.

“Yes, apparently the ancient Greek gods came from outer space,” Kirk said with a grin.

Worf crossed his arms over his chest. “You humans have too many gods.”

“At least Apollo wasn’t much harder to beat than the thing at the center of the galaxy. We just had to hit him in the right place to knock out his power source,” Kirk said.

“But then when did you crash the Enterprise?” La Forge asked, trying to go through the years in his head.

Kirk sighed. “That’s another story.”

The ensign took the opportunity to ask, “What about that old NASA probe that tried to destroy Earth? Didn’t you get rid of it by stealing whales from the Klingons?”

“Such weak animals would not survive long on Qo’nos,” Worf declared.

“Old NASA probe?” Kirk asked. “You mean V’Ger - Voyager?”

The ensign nodded.

“It was a different probe that wanted to talk to the whales, from another galaxy, I think. And we got the whales by going back in time, not asking the Klingons.”

“Can you really go back in time by sling-shotting around a star?” La Forge asked.

Kirk nodded. “It’s a little risky, but it does the trick.”

“Intentional time travel is also against Starfleet regulation,” Data said pointedly.

“Just hypothetically,” La Forge insisted.

“You’ve never gone back in time?” Kirk asked with a grin.

La Forge shook his head. “I know the theory, but I’ve never had the chance to try it.”

“We have entered into multiple time loops,” Data corrected him.

“Naturally occuring?” Kirk asked.

“Yes,” Data replied, “One of which produced an alternate universe.”

“I take it that’s why time travel is against regulation? Though there are other ways to get stuck in alternate universes.”

“I thought that was just a rumor that the old transporters could drop you in another universe,” La Forge exclaimed.

“Just under the right conditions,” Kirk said. “They could also split a person into their good side and their bad side if you were caught in the wrong storm.”

La Forge shook his head in disbelief.

“It is not quite the same phenomenon, but we entered a space where thought and reality combined,” Data remarked.

“Did you really meet President Abraham Lincoln?” Riker cut in.

“No,” Kirk said, a tad regretfully, “Not the real one. We did get to meet Jack the Ripper on Argelius II - he tried to frame my chief engineer for murder.”

“What was he doing there?” Riker asked.

“Apparently he was actually an alien ghost that fed on fear,” Kirk explained.

Riker grinned. “I was going to offer to show you the holodeck, but you’ve seen it all.”

“There’s always more to explore,” Kirk said with a glance toward the wall of windows, looking out on outer space.

“Anyway, you have to be careful with the holodeck,” La Forge said. “The holograms can be pretty real.”

“Especially if something goes wrong,” Riker added.

Before anyone else had the chance to speak, the Starfleet insignia on Riker’s chest beeped and he pressed it to pick up a call.

“Picard to Commander Riker,” the captain’s voice sounded over the communicator, “Admiral Brackett is on the line from Starfleet command. I want all the senior officers and Captain Kirk in the conference room as soon as possible.”

“We’re on our way, Riker out.” He pressed the insignia again and the communicator turned off with a beep.

#v writes #Star Trek: The Original Series #Star Trek: The Next Generation #Star Trek: Generations #Spirk #Generations

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