#this gem was a saved draft on my phone

[laxmiree]

[CN] MLQC Season 2 Chapter 54 Translation (Lucien's Route - Part 1)

⚠️  SPOILER ALERT  ⚠️

This post contains a VERY HEAVY SPOILER for the chapter that has not been released in EN yet! Feel free to notify me if there are any mistakes in the translation~

"Speaking of which, if there's a beautiful dream, would you like to stay in it with me?"

"A beautiful dream? Is it the kind where I don't have to go to work every day?"

"More beautiful than that—it's a dream where we can always be by each other's side."

Translation under the cut!

Previous Lucien’s chapter -> [Here]

[Background Info]

Please read Lucien's previous chapter first before this chapter jnsnjsdjd. Lucien might feel OOC if you don't.

Long story short, although the world already diverted from its original path of heading toward destruction caused by a comet, now the world is ascending to the fourth dimension and the rifts are the manifestation of it. The boys' each route is basically how they deal with it.

About me dividing it into parts- the S2 Chapter 54 is FULLY translated and released at once. Just for fun, I divided it like this so you can also choose and get bad endings just like in-game~

[Chapter 54-1]

In the office, I occasionally hear birds chirping outside as if they are singing in celebration of the arrival of a new day.

I type the last Enter key in the document, click the save button in the top left corner, and take a deep breath.

A client I've been pursuing for a long time finally showed interest in collaboration yesterday. However, they also presented additional requirements, requesting a draft proposal by noon today.

I'm working overtime with my colleagues, and we've finally put together a decent draft.

I asked Anna to send the document to the client's contact person and I massaged my sore shoulder.

Beside me, Kiki suddenly leans over and shakes her phone.

Kiki: Boss, I just discovered a hidden gem of a beverage shop! I heard their best-selling hot chocolate is especially delicious. Do you want to order takeout together?

MC: Sure, send me the link to check it out~

I open the store page, and the cover features promotional image of their best-selling drink. However, the packaging looks a bit familiar.

=Flashback Start=

Lucien: On the way to your company just now, I happened to come across a newly opened beverage shop.

Lucien: The staff recommended this "Orange Hot Chocolate", and I thought it might be to your liking. Do you want to give it a try?

He hands a steaming paper cup into my hand and passes on his warm scent with it.

MC: Wow- it's delicious! It has the refreshing fragrance of oranges and is quite sweet. But I can't keep something this good all to myself~

I raise the paper cup and bring it to him, Lucien bends his eyes to a smile and lowers his head. His hair gently falls amidst the dense steam and----

=Flashback Ends=

The sweet warmth from the memory gradually surfaces at the corner of my lips, and I shake my phone at Kiki.

MC: I'll pass for now; I suddenly remembered I have something to do and need to step out for a bit. Go ahead and order; it's on me!

As I speak, I walk towards the exit and pick up my phone to send a message to that person in my heart.

MC: "Professor Lucien, are you still in? I'll come over now to see you~"

Lucien quickly replied with two voice messages, accompanied by a sticker of a little fox looking dizzy while doing experiments.

Lucien: I just finished a task, now I'm pondering on how to capture a photo of the scenery outside the window that hints I miss you a bit.

Lucien: But I'm happy because you'll get to see it in person soon.

I reply to him with a smile while briskly walking in the direction of the beverage shop. I can't help but feel that this year's winter isn't as cold as it seems.

MC: Hello, give me two cups of "Orange Hot Chocolate," please.

Clerk: I'm sorry, but we just ran out of the ingredients for that beverage this morning. Can I offer you a different flavor instead?

MC: ...Oh, okay.

Feeling a bit disappointed, I point to the "Rich Winter Hot Chocolate" on the side of the menu.

MC: I'll go with this one.

The clerk starts preparing the drinks and hands me the two cups after a moment.

Clerk: Please be mindful of the cup's rim, it's hot.

MC: Okay, thank you.

I instinctively reach out, my gaze still fixed on the phone screen. With a muffled sound and liquid splashing in my peripheral vision, I abruptly snap back to reality.

MC: ...Oops!

I frantically try to catch the fallen cups, but it's too late.

The newly changed shirt takes the brunt of it, and the little mochi* beside me isn't spared either, now adorned with unsightly brown stains.

[T/N: The little mochi is a keychain that Lucien gave to MC in the last chapter]

MC: …..

Frustration and speechlessness well up within me. I impatiently grab tissues to wipe it, but the effect is minimal.

So, I quickly ran to the restroom, wetting the stained areas with water. Despite my persistent efforts, hot water successfully turned a few drops of chocolate stains into a large light brown patch.

Looking at my disheveled reflection in the mirror, I take a deep breath.

Forget it, who cares! Lucien won't mind anyway. Thinking so, I hastily walk out, only to be tripped suddenly—

I manage to grab onto the wall, preventing the third mishap of the day.

MC: ….

Why does it feel like I've been a bit unlucky since leaving the office...

Suppressing my dismay, I push open the shop door, and the cold wind hits me as the wet clothes turn stiff.

Without thinking, I quicken my pace. Let's just walk faster, get there a bit sooner, and see the person who can soothe all my irritations.

Fortunately, the way to the Bioscience Research Institute is smooth.

The elevator carries me up, and when the door opens, a somewhat familiar voice reaches my ears.

??: ...So, you want to activate it again.

It's Cyril's voice... How could he be here? I freeze when I see Lucien standing in the corridor not far away from Cyril.

Lucien: This is a necessary step to obtain the results.

Cyril: May we both achieve the worlds we each desire.

Cyril says this as he walks past Lucien towards the direction of the elevator. When our eyes meet, his cold gaze blinks, seemingly surprised.

Cyril: Didn't expect to see you here.

MC: ...Shouldn't I be saying that?

I can't help but make a sarcastic remark, but Cyril doesn't answer my question. Instead, he takes another step in my direction and speaks calmly.

Cyril: Have you made a decision about the matter I asked you last time?

Our conversation in the jewelry store flashes through my mind. I look into his clear eyes and shake my head.

MC: I still need time to consider.

MC: After all, the world in the dream is false. If there's another solution, I don't want to choose this method.

Cyril nods, his expression as calm as ever.

Cyril: I understand.

Cyril: But if you delay further, you might fall behind.

Fall behind... what does he mean?

I'm slightly taken aback. Before I can ask, Cyril has naturally walked past me.

His slender figure, accompanied by unhurried footsteps, quickly disappears into the elevator.

MC: Why does he never make things clear...

I glance back from Cyril's departing figure, and when I look up, I see Lucien walking towards me.

His gaze inevitably falls on the large stain on my clothes, then slowly moves to my face.

I thought he might ask what happened or say something comforting, but he just smiles lightly and speaks.

Lucien: I smell the scent of hot chocolate, but it's different from the previous one.

I blink in surprise. It’s as if the earlier worries have suddenly dissipated and I take a step closer to him.

MC: It's the Rich Winter Hot Chocolate~ from the same shop as the "Orange Hot Chocolate" you brought last time.

I open the bag, watching as Lucien takes out one cup and uses his other hand to push open the office door.

Meanwhile, a researcher comes out from behind the door. As they pass each other, Lucien's hand holding the cup inadvertently shakes a little.

The cup tilts ever so slightly, and a few drops of hot chocolate splash onto his cuff.

Lucien: Hmm... This is troublesome.

He walks into the office and fixes the glasses on the bridge of his nose in a slightly distressed manner.

Lucien: I'm not very good at dealing with these stains. Can you help me think of a solution?

He says it quite seriously as if facing a challenging problem. I can't help but laugh, feeling a softness in my heart.

The little thoughts I keep to myself never need to be explicitly stated; this person always understands them.

MC: Of course. But I just learned from personal experience that you shouldn't use hot water.

MC: Unexpectedly, both Professor Lucien and I are getting a bit of chocolate "favor" today.

Lucien: Hearing MC say that makes this small trouble seem kind of cute.

We exchange smiles, and he raises the cup, gently tapping it against the one in my hand.

Lucien: So, before dealing with it, let's toast to these cute little troubles today.

-

[Chapter 54-3]

Following Lucien's footsteps, we enter the laboratory deep in the corridor. Unlike the usual laboratories filled with the smell of disinfectant, the air here is surprisingly fresh.

Lucien skillfully takes several bottles of reagents from the shelf and places them on the table.

Lucien: If you want to deal with stubborn hot chocolate stains, there are actually many methods.

Lucien: The reagents in front of us can all address our current predicament at a molecular level.

MC: But using them to clean up little chocolate spills, wouldn't that be a bit wasteful?

Lucien: How about considering it as conducting a fun little chemistry experiment?

His words create a cascade of ripples in my heart, and I can't help but laugh, pretending to roll up my sleeves and stand up straight.

MC: Well then, Professor, please give me instructions~

The transparent bottles and jars in the laboratory reflect the cold light from the overhead lamp.

Under Lucien's guidance, I pour the reagents into the beaker, submerging the little mochi treated as the "experimental subject".

Its originally dull fluff becomes damp, and soon, a faint color begins to emerge.

MC: It works quickly!

Lucien: After all, it hasn't been stained for a long time. As long as we target the lipid-soluble pigments appropriately, solving it is not difficult.

After confirming the results, we also took care of the clothes stained with the hot chocolate spills.

I inadvertently turn my head and see a few scattered experiment documents on the nearby table.

MC: "The possibility of transferring perception through neural links"... Is this your recent research direction?

Lucien's gaze sweeps over the proposal, placing the stirring rod on the dark rubber tabletop.

Lucien: It's... a kind of unexpected gain.

Lucien: In a recent neuroscience experiment, we discovered a similar phenomenon, but it has been temporarily set aside for now.

My gaze lingers on the obscure experiment documents for a moment, then turns to Lucien's composed face.

Thinking about my recent overwhelming matters, I can't help but let out a "sob".

MC: Darn it, how come I don't have a brain that can multitask problems like yours...

I mutter wearily, and Lucien immediately strokes my head.

Lucien: (chuckle) It seems there is indeed a challenging problem troubling our Great Producer.

MC: Absolutely, a super-sized problem!

MC: I need to absorb some of Professor Lucien's intelligence energy to make my thoughts clearer too.

I rest my head on his shoulder, rubbing against it, and hear a soft laugh by my ear.

Lucien turns towards me, pulling me into his embrace.

Lucien: If that's the case, then you can absorb a bit more.

I "hmm" in agreement, and after a moment, I lift my head, looking at Lucien with a feigned look of grievance.

MC: Professor Lucien is so cooperative; he doesn't think I'm silly, does he?

Lucien is slightly surprised. He places a hand on his lips, his voice carrying a clear sense of amusement.

Lucien: Miss Producer, if you think like that, you're unfairly judging me.

Lucien: What I meant is, there's still a troublesome future waiting for us.

I lock eyes with Lucien for a moment, only then realizing he's referring to the troubles we faced in the rift before.

Being captured in the glass chamber in NW, the chaotic escape during the pursuit... scenes after scenes flash before my eyes.

After a moment of silence, I let out a deep sigh.

MC: Oh no, let's just not talk about this for now. Let me be an ostrich a little longer...

MC: Dealing with the troubles at hand is already more than enough for me to handle.

I suddenly pause in my words, realizing something.

MC: Lucien, what if there are other troubles in the world at that time point? Would NW not have the time to deal with me?

Lucien: For example?

MC: For example... I recently saw a terrifying vision.

MC: Our world will face countless disasters in the future, and everyone's lives will be in ruins.

Thinking about those devastating scenes, my voice unintentionally carries a hint of gravity.

Lucien: Is this what has been troubling you these days?

I nod with a hint of distress.

MC: I really want to find a solution, but I have no clue where to start.

MC: How could these disasters suddenly happen out of nowhere? I always feel like there's a missing key link in the middle.

The steady breath falls by my ears, Lucien seems to be thinking seriously, and after a moment, he speaks.

Lucien: Perhaps I can help you find that link.

I instinctively look up, inquiring with a hint of surprise.

MC: Do you already have an idea so quickly?

Lucien: Because the question you mentioned aligns perfectly with my previous hypothesis.

Lucien: Let's go, I'll take you to the laboratory.

The quiet corridor echoes with our footsteps. After turning several corners, we arrive at the entrance of a hidden laboratory.

Lucien raises his hand and enters something on the keyboard on the wall. Accompanied by a series of beeps, the massive door slowly opens before us.

After passing through several rows of intricate instruments, a wall of glass comes into view, enclosing a white, sealed space.

A rift silently stretches across a corner, its edges faintly shimmering. I observe for a moment, then hesitantly speak.

MC: Why do I feel like the shape of this rift is somewhat familiar?

Lucien: Because a few months ago*, we used it to enter NW.

[T/N: refer to what happened in the previous chapter]

MC: It's been so long, and it hasn't closed yet?

I murmur in surprise, but thinking about the recent influx of submissions regarding the prolonged duration of the rift, I decide not to inquire further.

Just out of curiosity, I turn my head and look at Lucien beside me.

MC: Is there a specific reason it was deliberately moved here?

Lucien: No, it just has an unusually long duration, no different from other regular rifts.

MC: So, do I need to do anything? Should I use CORE to close it like before?

With my previous experience, this doesn't seem like a challenging issue for me. However, Lucien shakes his head.

He then picks up a small glass orb-shaped device from the lab bench.

Lucien: This time, our goal is not elimination but addition.

MC: Addition? It can't be as simple as figuring out 1 + 1 equals 2 to find the crucial link, can it?

I blink with a bit of confusion, but Lucien doesn't seem inclined to provide further explanation, a mysterious smile playing on his lips.

Seeing him deliberately keeping me in suspense, I clear my throat and pout, then take the device from his palm.

MC: Alright, I'll listen to your explanation later~

I exhale deeply, invoking that familiar power within me once again.

The device in my hand trembles slightly. I lift my head seemingly in response. I look expectantly at the rift behind the glass.

The next moment, it suddenly enlarges before my eyes.

-

[Chapter 54-5]

The rift expands without any warning, like a wound suddenly torn open, stretching out before me and Lucien.

I pause for a moment, unable to help but softly exclaim, "Wow," swiftly turning my head to look at Lucien.

MC: Lucien, its area expanded so much in just an instant!

Lucien: Well, it seems our "addition" has worked.

Lucien: With this, perhaps the link you're looking for will soon appear.

As Lucien speaks, his inky eyes slightly narrow, there's a hint of cunning in his voice.

I lock eyes with him for a moment, unrelentingly leaning closer to him.

MC: No more teasing! What's the connection between this experiment and the "critical link"?

Lucien takes the instrument from my hand and places it back on the lab table, looking at me with an unhurried look.

Lucien: This experiment shows that the impact of CORE on the rift is actually bidirectional.

Lucien: Apart from closing, it can also trigger the expansion of the rift.

I contemplate his words for a moment, then ask with a hint of confusion.

MC: But what happens after the rift expands?

Lucien: The change in area is just the most apparent manifestation. In reality, the energy within the rift is also expanding.

Lucien: Once it surpasses a certain critical point, it spontaneously seeks a more suitable "outlet", no longer manifesting catastrophically.

Lucien: This way, the situation you're concerned about won't occur.

[T/N: Not gonna lie, I'm not sure how to explain this one except that it's similar to how the stars turn into a supergiant and then white dwarf once it runs out of fuel lol. Or once the rift is big enough it'll let go of the energy less chaotically. Anyway, it's just sci-fi don't think about it too deeply]

The question that had troubled me for a long time was resolved so casually. I blink my eyes, feeling a bit surreal.

MC: ...Is it really that simple?

Lucien: The essence of this issue is not as complicated as it may seem.

Lucien: But if the lady wishes for a more convoluted approach, I can certainly give it a try.

MC: No need! I trust Professor Lucien's discovery, of course~

The heavy gloom that shrouded my heart finally reveals a glimmer of hope. My tone lightens involuntarily, and with a touch of anticipation, I speak.

MC: What do we need to do next? I'll do everything I can to help~

Lucien's gaze shifts to the window, seemingly lost in thought for a moment. He changes out of his research attire and opens his mouth with a light smile.

Lucien: I do have an invitation.

Lucien: Next, let's go and see the snow.

After a simple drying process, I hold the small mochi keychain that has regained its fluffiness and whiteness. I follow Lucien down the stairs with light steps. As we step out of the Bioscience Research Institute, I blink in surprise.

Countless delicate snowflakes silently dance in the air—this year's first snow has arrived so quietly.

The snowflakes gently blanket everything around in pristine white.

I can't help but raise my hand, catching a few falling snowflakes. Lucien looks at me, and his eyes seem to soften a bit.

Lucien: You look particularly happy.

MC: Of course~ I've been looking forward to a scene like this for a very long time.

MC: This time last year, I was running around in a time loop, searching for dark matter...

MC: There was never enough time, and I never had the mood to stop and appreciate this scenery.

MC: Until spring arrived, we never had the chance to quietly watch the snow together.

He tightens his grip on my hand. Lucien seems to follow my lead, tilting his head upward, quietly gazing in the direction of the falling snow.

A few delicate snowflakes land on his eyelashes, softly melting away without a sound.

Through the warm night, I hear his gentle voice.

Lucien: (softly) Perhaps… this belated snowfall is a gift for us now.

The fine snowflakes soften the features of the person before my eyes.

As the snow gradually intensifies, pure white flakes float down from the distant sky, quietly tinting the boundless night in serenity.

Reluctant to part with such fervent snowfall, we return to the car.

Lucien casually turns on the radio, and light music immediately fills the car. Accompanied by the swirling snow outside, it feels like a scene from a crystal ball.

I rest my head on Lucien's shoulder, gently rubbing against it, unable to help but murmur with emotion.

MC: So beautiful... it's like a dream.

The sounds of the evening breeze wafting in through the window crack resembled a delicate and subtle white noise. The fatigue from staying up all night last night gradually surfaces.

The phone screen lights up for a moment, and the digital clock shows eight in the evening. I let out a gentle yawn.

MC: I can't believe I'm tired at this hour... blame it on the recent excessive overtime.

Lucien shifted, allowing me to lean more securely on him, and he spoke in a gentle tone.

Lucien: (in a very, very gentle tone) Have you been tired lately?

I nod and lazily begin counting with the fingers resting on my knee.

MC: I'm exhausted... there's a ton of tasks at work to push through, and I also need to figure out how to save the world.

MC: It either keeps me tossing and turning in insomnia or gives me a night full of nightmares.

Lucien: (gently) What kind of nightmares are you having?

I vaguely recall for a moment and make an exaggerated gesture.

MC: I've been snatched away by a dinosaur this big—

MC: And I've been flattened by this many project proposals—

MC: But you know~ After waking up, as long as I see the messages you send me, all those dinosaurs, all those project proposals, seems like nothing!

Lucien: (chuckle) Mm... I've had that kind of dream too. I wonder if the dinosaur that snatched us is the same one.

Lucien gently squeezes my hand, a hint of uncontrollable laughter in his voice.

I imagine the scene and can't help but burst into laughter as well.

Lucien: (laughs softly) Silly, next time, come knock on my door before you get snatched away by a dinosaur.

The snow outside falls gently, and Lucien speaks amidst the delicate melody.

Lucien: (murmur softly) Speaking of which, if there's a beautiful dream, would you like to stay in it with me?

MC: A beautiful dream? Is it the kind where I don't have to go to work every day?

Lucien: More beautiful than that—it's a dream where we can always be by each other's side.

MC: If there's such a thing I'm willing to dream it for eight lifetimes!

A low chuckle comes from above my head. His voice quietly melts into the night breeze, sounding like a casual sigh.

Lucien: What if I say, I hope never to wake up from this dream with you?

MC: That sounds good too. As long as I'm with you, anywhere is fine…

I blink my heavy eyelids and hear a soft laugh beside my ear. A warmth covers my eyes that I find a bit hard to open.

Lucien: (whispers gently) Get some sleep.

Lucien: I'll make sure to wake you up.

—--------------------------------------------------------

Winter seems to have truly arrived after that night's first snowfall.

With the dropping temperatures, a layer of frost forms on the branches along the river and roadsides. The news on the streets gradually shifts to reports about snow and cold prevention.

I pull my gaze away from the lengthy red light outside the car window and engage the handbrake.

The rift continues to quietly spread, casting shadows of various sizes throughout the city.

However, for some reason, the popularity of news related to the rift is steadily decreasing, and the submissions on this topic are dwindling.

Perhaps people have become completely accustomed to these rifts. Despite some lingering confusion, I do feel a sense of relief.

The green light in the middle of the road lights up, and I put away my phone. After turning a few corners, a spacious bridge suddenly appears before me.

...Strange, there were so many cars just a moment ago. How did it suddenly become so empty?

A hint of confusion creeps in as I carefully survey the surroundings, finding nothing unusual.

As I drive onto the bridge, I suddenly feel the wheels slipping. I instinctively hit the brakes, but the road in the rearview mirror shows no signs of anomalies.

Just as I fall into bewilderment, the throttle gauge on the dashboard spins violently.

The tires emit a harsh, squeaking sound as they uncontrollably move forward.

MC: What's happening...?

Before I can grasp the situation, there's a distinctly audible sound of shattering beneath the car. The next second, the car suddenly plummets.

MC: ....!

I struggle to push open the car door, but the resistance of the water turns my efforts into futility.

No matter how hard I pound and shove, the door remains steadfast. Only the icy water keeps pouring in through the window crack.

The air inside the car diminishes, and I strain to tilt my head upward, closing my eyes in a somewhat desperate attempt.

The world before me gradually fades into darkness.

Next Part-> [Here]

#mlqc lucien #mr love queen's choice #mlqc cn #mlqc spoiler #mlqc translation #mlqc #mr. love queen's choice #mr love lucien #mlqc xu mo #mlqc spoilers

[affinitystoryblog]

Affinity - Book 1: Connections Ch. 01 ROUGH DRAFT

Story: Affinity

Author: affinitystoryblog

THIS IS A WIP

Summary: Sinie's every day life is about to change when a mysterious transfer student shows up at her school...A girl who looks just like her. Csilla Beauchene is a classy, sweet, shy girl from the city that instantly connects with Sinie Castellano based on their shared necklaces that are imbued with magical properties. The girls must now find a way to awaken their powers and fight to save themselves from the evil hunting them down.

DISCLAIMER: This work is written in a simple formatted way that may be kind of hard to understand right now, but this story is going to be a webcomic so this is rly only written for me and my beta readers to understand. detail varies in areas. thank you!

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

Sinie wakes up from her sleep, recalling a dream she had moments ago. It was hazy, but the vision of a woman sitting at a throne weeping. Sinie didn't know what to do about this dream, so she brushed it aside like she did for a lot of her dreams. 

She sat up from where she laid and looked at her phone. 7:15 a.m. Time to get up. Slinging her legs over the side of the bed, Sinie got dressed, brushed her hair and teeth, and put on her favorite crystal necklace.

[focus on necklace, Sinie staring at it fondly, rubbing her thumb against the gem]

"Sinie! Breakfast is ready!" Sheri, Sinie’s mom, calls from downstairs

Sinie heads downstairs and sits at the table next to her little sister Anna. Anna is already stuffing her face with pancakes, eggs, and bacon, while their father, David, sipped on his coffee while reading the news on his tablet. Anna muffled a ‘morning’ with a mouth full of food.

[introduce david and anna]

“Oh, looks like we’re going to have a blood moon coming up.” David announced, his tablet screen on an article about an upcoming blood moon.

Sinie immediately perked up. “WHAT? WHEN?? YAY!!! I’ve gotta get my crystals and tell Granny!”

Sheri set a plate of breakfast in front of Sinie and sighed,  “Sinie, honey, you know I support your interests, but you also know how my mother…Overdoes it for her ‘holidays’.”

[introduce sheri]

Sinie furrowed her brow, “I think what she does is fun.”

“It’s dangerous and I don’t want you exposed to witchcraft.” Sheri said gently, pinching Sinie’s cheek.

Sinie sighed, sulked back in her chair and poked at her food. “It’s just a little magic.” She grumbled.

“Sinie.” Sheri said firmly without looking at her daughter. What she said was final.

[panel of an awkward silence while Sinie picks at her food, annoyed, while David awkwardly sips on his coffee and Anna has a funny welp face]

After breakfast Sinie walked out the door of her house and into town. She passed many shops before she met up with her best friend Daren. 

“Morning!” He greeted

“Mornin’!” Sinie replied cheerfully

[introduce daren]

The two walked to the nearby coffee shop so they could down some coffee and donuts on their way to school. As they walked in, the girl at the counter greeted them.

"Hey, it’s my favorite Sunrise students! What'll it be today?" The server asks them.

“Morning Daisy.” Daren greeted her back. “Any specials today?” He asked.

“No special deals per say, but we do have a new pastry available.” Daisy said, pointing to the display case where many delicious looking pastries sat. 

Daren and Sinie stared at where the cashier pointed. “It’s a German chocolate cronut topped with coconut shavings and two dark chocolate bars. It’s a bit rich, but the bittersweet flavors go well with coffee; iced, cold brew, or hot.”

“Hmmm…” Daren thought, staring at the cronut. 

Sinie was practically drooling at the sight. “Daren get one and split it with me!” She said excitedly.

Daren chuckled, “You don’t want one?” They asked in amusement.

Sinie whined, “You know what bitter chocolate does to my teeth! Also I really want a mochi donut.” She had pleading eyes.

Daren smiled at his best friend and playfully rolled his eyes. “Okay fine, I do want to try it. But that means you pay for my coffee.” He winked.

Sinie nodded and smiled.

The two made their order and waited for Daisy to prepare it. 

Soon she appeared with their order,

“Alright kids! I have three mochi donuts, strawberry, yogurt, and churro for little miss Sinie along with a cinnamon cold brew coffee. And for Daren, our new german chocolate cronut and his usual hazelnut macchiato with an extra espresso shot.”

Daren and Sinie smiled to confirm their satisfaction with their order, Sinie waving goodbye to Daisy with a smitten expression. They made their way to their esteemed private school, Sunrise Academy, Sinie sipping happily on her coffee. [draw hearts around her head] 

“You know she’s too old for you.” Daren said, teasing.

 “I’m a young woman.” Sinie stated through slitted eyes

Daren scoffed a little, “Sinie you’re in high school, she’s a senior in college. We probably look like babies to her.” He took a sip of his macchiato 

She nudged him with her elbow, “Don’t act all high and mighty just because you’re already 18. We’re both in high school.” She stuck her tongue out as he chuckled at her frustration.

The two friends arrived at school, joking and laughing alongside each other, carefree. They said their goodbyes at some point as they had two different homerooms. Sinie sipped on her coffee as she walked to her locker. Once there, she got her things around for her morning classes.

Then her vision was cast in black. 

"Sinie~ Guess who!" A high pitched, bubbly voice called out.

Sinie smiled. "Elise!" 

Elise released her hands from Sinie's eyes with a giggle.

[introduce elise]

The two then walked to their homeroom class together, talking about manga. As they entered the classroom a tall, thin girl approached them.

"My darling!" She cried

"My honey!" Elise replied

The two girls embraced and rubbed noses as Sinie smiled beside them.

[introduce Heather]

"Ahem" A harsh voice broke up the sweet moment. "Are you girls supposed to be displaying PDA in the classroom?"

"Sorry Mrs Terris." The two mumbled

"And Sinie, are you supposed to have that drink? Throw it away immediately." The teacher demanded.

Sinie pouted, but chugged the rest of her coffee before throwing away the cup.

"Everyone take your seats, class is about to start." Mrs Terris commanded the students

The bell rang, morning announcements going underway. As the homeroom started, Mrs Terris looked at the class.

"So, before we start, I have my own announcement. Miss Beauchene, please come to the front of the class."

[show a figure of a girl walking to the front, don't show face]

Sinie looked up to the girl now standing in front of the class, her eyes widened, setting her sights on her. 

[show face of girl]

It was like looking in a mirror.

Everyone then looked from the girl to Sinie, thinking the same thing.

"Please introduce yourself."

"I'm Csilla Beauchene, my name is the Hungarian spelling for ‘star’ but it’s pronounced as the name Sheila. I'm new to Sunrise, but I hope we can make a lot of fond memories together." She smiled kindly and bowed slightly.

Everyone looking at Csilla now looked at Sinie again, smirking.

"Wow, she's nothing like you, Sinie." A classmate said,

Sinie and Csilla then made eye contact, Sinie feeling her heart pound

"Thank you miss Beauchene. You may take your seat." Mrs Terris said.

Csilla took her seat once again, and class started. She was a bit far from Sinie, however Sinie was too excited. She had a doppelganger! Sinie began to write in her notebook, ripping out the section and folding it up into a small square. She handed it to Elise, who was sitting next to her, urging her to toss it to Csilla. Elise gave a thumbs up in acknowledgement. Csilla was still a little ways away from Elise, however the shot landed right on the girl's desk.

Sinie and Elise made a victory sign at each other.

Csilla looked in the direction of where the paper came flying, seeing Elise and Sinie looking at her with big eyes. [in this frame, you can see Heather staring at Csilla]

Csilla opened the note and it read:

"Doppelganger! Did you steal my face?" [a little doodle in the corner of a Sinie head with no face.]

Csilla glanced back at Sinie, then to the front of the class, making eye contact with Mrs Terris as the teacher turned around, still continuing with her lecture. Once eye contact broke, Csilla wrote a reply for Sinie, taking a hair band from her wrist and using it to launch the note to Sinie. 

It landed safely in Sinie's lap.

"SCORE!" Sinie yelled.

"Miss Castellano, care to explain why you're interrupting my class?" Mrs Terris asked unamused

"Uhh..." Sinie quickly picked up her phone which was placed on her desk. "A game?" She smiled nervously.

Mrs Terris stared Sinie down for a long time. She then turned back to the board.

"Make sure you study hard on your own if you want to space out during class. I'm not going to be the one your parents yell at when you fail." She wrote on the board.

Sinie sighed, then quickly opened Csilla's reply. It read: "I'm here to steal your identity" with another doodle of Csilla herself, a little lacking in quality compared to Sinie's doodle.

Sinie laughed to herself at this reply, liking Csilla's response.

[SCENE CHANGE] 

Sinie tried to get Csilla's attention all morning, however after that initial reply, Csilla seemed to ignore her advances. It didn't help that they didn't have all their classes together.

At lunchtime, Sinie looked all around the school for Csilla. She eventually found her in the quartyard, sitting on the grass with a homemade lunchbox. 

"Csilla!" Sinie called out

She approached Csilla as Csilla took notice of her. 

"Castellano?" Csilla asked

"Wow, no one but the teachers call me by my last name." Sinie rubbed the back of her head. "But hey! Wanna have lunch with me and my friends? We usually eat in the cafeteria."

Csilla looked down at her homemade lunchbox. She looked around to make sure no one else was watching, then pulled Sinie to the side. 

"Whoa hey!" Sinie yelped

"Shh." Csilla whispered. "I know this may be weird right now, but I have to talk to you."

Csilla takes a deep breath. 

"Would you believe me if I told you I've seen you in my dreams?"

Sinie gasped, bringing her hands to her cheeks. 

"We've never met before, but I know you. I've lived your life through these dreams, your father is a hard working accountant for a small company, your mother is a preschool teacher, and you have a little sister."

Sinie gasped louder, "Are you a magic fairy!?" 

Csilla chuckled and shook her head. "No, I just have a lot of weird dreams...I've recorded all of them in my dream journal."

"Wow! I have a dream journal too! I have a lot of intense dreams and I like to know the meaning behind them, so I jot them down."

Csilla smiled. Then she looked down at what Sinie was wearing around her neck and gasped. 

She then reached into her shirt and pulled out the same exact crystal on a different necklace. Sinie also gasped seeing this, her eyes wide. She took off her choker and held it up to Csilla’s necklace. The girls held their necklaces closer together, a ringing noise beginning to make its way into their ears and the crystals began to glow. 

Cautiously both of them looked at each other, then touched fingertips. 

They suddenly both got flashes of each other's lives in their minds, all of Csilla's memories flooding into Sinie's mind and vice versa. However, there were more flashes; of two women, a village of mysterious people, a giant tree in the middle of a grove, and one of the women crying on a throne.

Once the flashes ended the girls gasped and fell to the ground. They came to their senses and stared at each other, wondering what happened. 

"So..." Sinie starts, panting a little. "Lunch with me and my friends?"

Csilla smiled.

[SCENE CHANGE]

Sinie and Csilla walk into the cafeteria, Sinie scanning the room for her friends. Then she found a small round table that they were sitting at. She urged Csilla to follow her, and Csilla did. They approached the table.

"Guys! This is Csilla! Elise, Heather, you remember her." Sinie introduced, gesturing to Csilla.

Csilla waved sheepishly.

Heather greeted the girl with open arms as Elise pulled up another chair for Csilla to sit. 

"She's new." Sinie said to Daren.

Daren stared at Csilla for a long time in awe. 

"Don't they look so much alike!" Heather interjected.

"It's like I'm looking at twins!" exclaimed Elise.

"Yeah. Wow." Daren said, almost in disbelief.

"We also have the same necklace, check it out!" Sinie cried, displaying her own necklace.

Csilla was shy about revealing her necklace at first, but pulled it out. 

"Whoa! Sinie, I thought yours was one of a kind!" Elise cried

"So did I!" Sinie replied

"I've had this since I was a baby." Csilla started. "I used to ask my parents where they got it, but they said they found me with it."

"Found you?" Daren asked.

"Yeah, I was found on the street by my parents. I'm adopted." Csilla replied.

Heather, Elise and Daren looked at each other for a moment in disbelief.

"Sinie, you're adopted too, right?” Heather asked.

Csilla then turned to Sinie with wide eyes. "You are?" She asked.

"Yeah! I was in an orphanage until I was 6, then my mom and dad adopted me. I don't know who my real parents are." Sinie shrugged.

Elise then gasped really loud and lunged herself forward onto the table. 

"Could it be!? You two are long lost twins!?"

"Come on Elise, this isn't a movie." Daren said unamused.

"YOU come on! Csilla has the same one of a kind necklace that Sinie has, and Sinie has had that necklace for as long as we've known her." Elise said

"I've had it since I was born." Sinie chimed in.

"Plus you two look TOTALLY the same!" Elise said.

Sinie and Csilla looked at each other. They then looked down at their crystal shard necklaces, then back to each other. They stared for a long time. Csilla was the first to look away. 

"It's...possible. But how did we get so far from each other? I just moved to this town from the city where I've lived my whole life. Sinie have you been here your whole life?" Csilla asked

Sinie thought for a moment. "Yep! Sometimes I still volunteer at the orphanage I lived in, it's right by the downtown park."

"Sinie likes to play with the younger kids." Heather said.

"I see..." Csilla said, thinking.

"Well, either way it is weirdly coincidental but I don’t think it’s anything fantastical at work.” Daren said, taking one last bite of his lunch.

The bell then rang, signaling lunch was over. 

"NOOO!'' Sinie cried. "I spent so much time looking for you that I didn't get a chance to eat!!" she began to cry in Csilla's bosom.

"Please, let me have some of your home cooked lunch box!"

Csilla smiled pitifully at the other girl. 

"Come one Sinie, you can eat when school is over." Daren said, gathering his things from the table.

"But i'm so hungryyyy!!" Sinie cried.

"Yes we know, you're a growing girl." Elise said, putting her lunch tray into the washable dishes pile. "But youre gonna get in trouble if you eat in the hallway, and we have to get to class."

Sinie and co walked out of the lunch room, Sinie sulking.

[SCENE CHANGE]

The day went on as normal, Sinie waving goodbye to Elise and Heather after school was over and they were heading their separate ways.

"Sorry, I have to help out at home today. I can't hang out." Daren said with an apologetic look.

"It's okay! Tell everyone I said hi!" Sinie replied.

She then took off to look for Csilla, looking around the school grounds for her once again. She walked down hallways, checking every classroom she could. She walked past the staff room, peaking in. She then spotted Csilla talking to Mrs Terris. 

"Csilla!" Sinie called out loudly into the room.

Everyone in the vicinity jumped, and teachers jumped on the chance to scold Sinie for her behavior. Csilla said her goodbyes to Mrs Terris and came over to Sinie. 

"Is something wrong?" She asked

.

The two walked away from the staff room.

"Nope! I was just gonna ask if you were free today." Sinie chirped

.

"Well, my papa told me to come straight home after school today, but I don't mind playing hooky." Csilla smiled.

"You seem so prim and proper, you sure you wanna disobey your dad?" Sinie said

Csilla giggled. "I just like to have fun. So what's up?"

"Well...I was hoping you'd go somewhere with me. I think...we can get some answers."

"Answers?"

"About us." Sinie looked her in the eyes.

Csilla stared back, then nodded. She followed Sinie out of school and down the roads and streets. The two walked for a few blocks before they came into a small neighborhood.

"Are we meeting someone?" Csilla asked.

"Yeah!" Sinie replied. "You're gonna love her."

Csilla felt a bit nervous, but pushed those feelings down.

The two came up one of the homes' driveway

 [show house]

Sinie knocked loudly on the door. 

A large, old woman answered the door.

"Sunshine!" She exclaimed with her arms open. 

"Granny Witch!" Sinie cried, embracing the old woman.

[introduce Granny]

"I haven't seen you in a while, you grow more beautiful every day." Granny Witch smiled tenderly. 

The old woman then noticed Csilla.

"And who do we have here?"

"Ah, Granny, this is Csilla! She's new in town!"

Csilla curtsied and said her greetings.

Granny Witch whistled at her sophisticated greeting. 

"Hello Csilla. You can call me Granny if you like." She smiled, then turned to Sinie. "So what brings you to me sunshine?"

"Actually granny...we wanted to know if you could help us." Sinie said shyly

"Is someone bothering you two?" She asked.

Sinie giggled. "No, nothing like that. Besides, I think Elise and Daren would beat up anyone who messed with me." She said proudly.

"Actually, it's a little more...complicated." Csilla spoke, pulling out her necklace. 

Granny Witch looked closely at the crystal shard, then to Sinie’s choker.

. 

"Come on in, I'll make you two some tea."

Sinie and Csilla walked into the home, smelling of incense.

[show interior of home]

The two sit down on the couch, a small gray cat jumping onto Sinie's lap.

"Starlight!" Sinie exclaimed, petting the cat.

Csilla scratched under the cat's chin, smiling.

“A beautiful cat." She said tenderly.

"Do you like cats?" Sinie asked.

"My best friend is a cat." She said confidently, then suddenly felt shy, "I know that's kind of weird, but I don't really have any other friends."

"What?"

"All the other girls in my circle just kinda thought I was weird and stopped talking to me eventually." Csilla said nonchalantly

"That's so sad..." Sinie weeped.

“It's fine. Rosemary keeps me genuine company." Csilla smiled.

Granny then came into the living room with a tray of tea with cream, sugar, and lemon slices. She set them down on the coffee table in between the two rococo couches. 

"So, what exactly has you two troubled?" Granny asked after sitting down on the opposite couch.

"Granny, could we be lost twins?" Sinie asked suddenly. "I mean, we're both adopted and have the same necklace. Plus we look exactly alike! It's the only logical explanation!"

Granny thought for a moment. 

"It's possible, and seems like the logical solution, albeit a little far fetched."

"Do you know if we were ever separated at birth?" Csilla asked.

"I don't. When David and Sheri adopted Sinie, she was all alone at the orphanage. She had no other siblings...how were you adopted?"

Csilla explained her story.

"I see." Granny nodded. "May I see your necklaces?"

Sinie took her necklace off without hesitation, while Csilla hesitated a bit. She gripped her necklace and looked at Sinie. Sinie only smiled at her, convincing Csilla to trust her.

Granny took the two necklaces and examined them. she noticed the mysterious shine they seemed to emit. She then held the crystals close to her heart and was silent for a long time. When she finally opened her eyes she looked at the two girls.

"I cannot give you the answers you seek, however I will give you this: there are mystical properties about these gems. I noticed the power in your necklace long ago, Sinie, and to find out there is another piece to this crystal leads me to believe your meeting was nothing short of fate."

"Granny is sensitive to the mystics of the world. It’s why I call her ‘Granny Witch’" Sinie whispered to Csilla. 

Granny handed the girls their necklaces back.

"I don't know what exactly this means, but I think this may be the start of your destinies."

"Destiny?" Csilla asked.

"What that destiny is, I cannot tell you. But Csilla, you were brought to Sinie for a reason. And maybe that reason is about to unfold."

The girls stared in wonder at the old woman.

"Whatever happens, however, I want you two to do what you think is right and never lose sight of each other."

The two concluded their meeting with Granny, waving goodbye at the door and heading to the bus stop.

"Are you sure youll be okay not going home right away?" Sinie asked,

"I think this will be worth the lecture I'll get." Csilla replied. She then looked down to the necklace in her hand, "I never thought my necklace could have mystical properties."

Sinie held up her necklace to the setting sun, looking at the iridescent gem. 

"I never thought mine did either. I've never had magical power before."

"Aside from my weird dreams, neither have I." Csilla replied.

They reached the bus stop.

"You know your new address?" Sinie asked.

"Yes, I memorized it before we even moved. I think if I GPS it, I can work around the bus stops. I'll be home before you know it!" Csilla smiled.

.

Sinie smiled back and, just as they were about to say their goodbyes, an explosion came from around the corner. 

The two girls screamed as the smoke from the explosion began to fill the air. They covered their mouths, coughing from the smoke.

"What was that!?" Csilla cried

"I don't know, but we have to go!" Sinie replied. 

Then, before they could do anything else, the two were bound by ropes, crashing them to the ground. They looked through the smoke and saw two feminine figures walking towards them with ropes. As the smoke cleared, the two revealed themselves as two impish looking women.

The girls stared wide eyed at this. Fire appeared behind the women making her way towards them, only frightening the girls more. 

The imps stopped in front of the girls who were trembling. 

“Wow Calysta, that was much easier than we thought, these mortals are completely harmless.” The taller one cooed.

The chunkier, stout imp giggled. “They’re powerless, Myrtha! They have no magic!” She sang.

Myrtha clicked her tongue. “Tsk tsk tsk, looks like the mortal realm really does kill magic. All the more reason it deserves to go.”

Sinie and Csilla trembled, however Sinie tried to struggle free. 

“What do you want with us!?” She demanded.

“Oooh, she’s got spirit!” Myrtha cooed again.

She reached down to grab Sinie’s necklace.

“Don’t touch her!” Csilla cried.

Myrtha looked to Csilla with a bored expression. Then pivoted her way to face the girl. Csilla was trembling and terrified and had tears in her eyes. Myrtha grinned devilishly then stood up. 

“Well, this mission was way too easy and frankly, I’m disappointed.” She snapped her fingers.

From her side came another woman with a mask covering her face. She was completely silent as she crouched down to the girls and held her hands out to their chests.

Then, out of nowhere, a scimitar flew through the air and caused the masked woman to distance herself from the girls.  The masked woman looked at the sword and then to the other woman that appeared before her, standing in front of Sinie and Csilla.. The new figure stood there as the smoke cleared, the girls catching what she looked like; tall, wide hips, dark skin, and black hair tied into two buns with long side bangs hanging down. 

She turned to the girls, grabbing her scimitar first, then taking both Sinie and Csilla in each arm, picking them up and leaping into the air. The girls screamed as more rope flew at them. The new woman landed on a tall building, at least as tall as buildings were going to get in this part of town, and set the girls down. She cut the ropes binding the girls.

She said nothing as she grabbed both swords at her hips and took a battle stance. The two imps found them and threw more of their black ropes at them. The woman helping the girls let one of the ropes slither around her wrist then struck one of her blades into the rope to pin it to the ground, taking the rope in her hands and pulling Myrtha towards her. 

Myrtha yelped as she was yanked forward. She reached to her side and pulled out a sort of mini trident. She swung at the woman, but was immediately punched in the face and sent flying.

Calysta winced. 

"Yeah! Get her!" Sinie shouted.

"Sinie!" Csilla cried.

Calysta went to help out her fellow imp, fighting the woman on the rooftop. 

"Sinie, what's going on?!" Csilla cried

"I don't know, but it's awesome!" Sinie replied

"Awesome!?" Csilla cried again.

"I mean, it's scary ‘cause I think we were almost kidnapped, but we were rescued!"

Then, Sinie felt a tap on her shoulder. The girls turned around to see the third woman, the masked woman, behind them. She waved a little at them before giving a sort of “magic fingers” motion with her hands, her hands starting to glow.

Csilla winced in fear. 

“Uhhh, hey lady! We could use your help again!” Sinie called out to the woman who saved them, holding Csilla in her arms.

The woman was knocked back by the imps, her arms up in a block. She looked back to the masked woman who was about to use her powers on the girls, then back to her opponents. She then grabbed at Calysta’s ropes the imp flung at her and swung Calysta around, the imp colliding with her sister and the two flying into the masked woman, putting the three of them in a pile on the rooftop.

"Yea woohoo!" Sinie cheered.

The masked woman shoved the imps off of her, Calysta complaining that she could be more gentle. The masked woman stood up. She began to manifest glowing “needles” through her fingertips, the needles growing long and sharp at the tip of her fingertips. (picture this like claws) She lunged at the other woman, the woman putting up both her scimitars in defense. The two went at it, sparks flying between them. 

“Yeah!! Get her!!” Sinie cheered while Csilla covered her eyes in fear, peeking through her fingers.

Then, Calysta snuck up on the girls and grabbed Sinie from behind, Sinie crying out. Csilla shoved the imp off of her friend and dodged Myrtha from her side. The girls began to run around the rooftop in order to escape the imps. (draw this in a simpler, silly style)

“Hey lady, we could use your help again!” Sinie cried out

“Fight to protect yourself!" The woman shouted, not taking her eyes off her opponent, still evenly matched with her.

"Fight!?" Csilla cried.

"How do we fight?" Sinie asked.

"Use the power inside you! Your crystals!"

Sinie looked down at her necklace which was resonating. She gripped it in her hand, concentrating on the power. She felt pulsing through her veins. However, just before she could tap into that power, she heard Csilla scream.

Turning to the noise, she saw the imps had captured Csilla in their ropes. At the same time ropes came around her own body, and she collapsed to the ground. 

She began to wriggle around, struggling to free herself. She looked onto Csilla who was also on the ground, visibly trembling as the smaller imp crouched down at her side with a devilish grin. From her peripheral vision she noticed the lanky imp power walking towards her with an expression that made Sinie’s stomach sink.

“H-Hey! I tried but I could really use your help right now!!” Sinie cried, worry clear in her voice.

The warrior woman saw the two girls struggling, ready to be captured. “Shit!” She mumbled but in her distraction she was knocked to the ground by the masked woman. The masked woman slashed her claws at the other woman, however the warrior used her scimitar as a shield.  "Use your power! Fight!" She shouted amidst trying to ward off the masked woman.

"Sinie...!" Csilla had tears in her eyes now.

Sinie looked back down at her crystal necklace, it was glowing. She concentrated on the feeling she felt a few moments ago, and felt the power surge through her veins.

"I feel it!" She shouted.

"Feel it in your heart! You'll hear the words!" The warrior woman shouted back.

Sinie concentrated harder, and then suddenly her eyes were aglow, and she seemed to radiate light. breaking free of the ropes, a light suddenly surrounded her. 

[draw magical girl transformation]

Sinie looked down at herself, in a completely new outfit.

[full body view of her dress]

"Sinie..." Csilla gawked at her new friend in dazzling awe.

Everyone stood still for a moment in amazement (draw sweat drops on masked woman and myrtha and calysta with panicked expressions)

“She’s harnessed the power of her crystal…” Myrtha grumbled.

“Let’s just take the one who hasn’t yet and get out of here!” Calysta tugged on her sister’s arm.

Myrtha nodded, pulling a key from her bosom. She held the key in the air as it began to grow and sprout giant wings and grow into a long staff. The wings stretched out and had a sort of a galaxy pattern, as if the wings were a window to the universe.

Csilla looked horrified as Calysta dragged her closer to the portal.

"Don't just stand there, save her!" The woman shouted, taking advantage of the distraction she pushed the masked woman off of her.

"But how?!" Sinie cried, "I don't know how to fight!"

"Use your power!" The woman said back

"Sinie!" Csilla cried out to her friend.

Sinie balled her fist, then felt the energy of the crystal, it was still around her neck. she breathed in and out, summoning a sword from the crystal's light.

The imps began to retreat with Csilla, however Sinie was a fast runner, and caught up to them. With her sword she slashed at them, causing them to drop Csilla and dodge the attack. Sinie grabbed Csilla and took her to the other side of the rooftop. She then cut the other girl’s ropes.

"Sinie!” Csilla wrapped her arms around Sinie, Sinie holding her back. “What happened?" Csilla asked in awe.

"I don't know! But, Csilla, I think you can do it too!"

"How?"

"Feel the power in your crystal! Concentrate!"

Myrtha balled her hand into a fist and growled. “Grrr, this is so annoying! Why don’t you little heathens come quietly and we won’t make this any harder.” 

Myrtha’s shadow then began to twist and coil, taking form out of the ground and manifested into a dark shadow creature. 

Calysta giggled, “Oh are we going to beat them up?” She clapped, “Can I, Sissy, can I?” She asked excitedly. Her expression turned sinister as her eyes turned black and her aura manifested dark energy, forming around her body as armor.

Csilla looked horrified while Sinie looked amazed.

“Ready Csilla?” Sinie asked, looking down at the girl she had rescued.

Csilla’s eyes darted from the imps who were now using their own magic, to the women fighting each other, and to Sinie. She was terrified.

Sinie’s expression twisted into a sort of confused sadness. She shook her head, "I’ll fight them off while you figure it out!" Sinie said, charging at the imp sisters.

Unfortunately she was hardly any match for them. She was getting her butt kicked. (draw various panels of Myrtha and Calysta beating her up)

Csilla did her best to calm her nerves and concentrate on the power in her crystal. She began to sweat, her hands trembling as she held the crystal shard in her hand.

"Power....Feel the power..." Her voice also trembled.

The warrior woman glanced at Csilla who was struggling to harness her power, and in this distraction the masked woman knocked her weapons from her hands and kicked the woman to the ground.

Sinie was also not doing so hot, knocked to the ground, sword knocked out of her hands. 

“Enough of this!” Myrtha groaned. “You!” She pointed to the masked woman. “Get this over with.”

The masked woman walked over to Sinie and crouched over her, pinning the girl to the ground with her knees on her shoulders. SInie groaned under her (draw her beat up). Then the masked woman placed her hand over Sinie’s chest and began to extract a bright light, causing Sinie to scream out in pain.

The sight scared Csilla, but ultimately triggered a fight or flight response, in which case she chose to fight. “NO!!”  She cried, her eyes began to glow, as well as her body. a powerful light exploded on the rooftop.

[draw magical girl transformation]

[draw her looking elegant and cool with a full body view of her outfit]

Everyone was shocked, however Myrtha was particularly annoyed while Calysta seemed panicked. 

“Dammit!” Myrtha mumbled under her breath

Csilla then formed her own sword and in one swoosh created a blast of energy to knock down the masked woman and the imps. She walked toward Sinie and helped her up, the warrior woman taking their side, still on the defensive for the others.

"Whoa!" Sinie had starry eyes, "You look so cool!"

"Hehe thanks."

Csilla then looked serious and determined, pointing her sword to their attackers. 

“Sissy, I think we should report this…” Calysta whispered to her sister.

Myrtha clicked her tongue. She tapped her foot on the ground rapidly in irritation. “Abort mission. Report back to the goddess.” Her shadow creature disappeared back into her shadow while Calysta and the masked woman disarmed. Myrtha looked back as she put her hand on the staff, a slight smirk on her face. “Play again.” She said in a sinister voice

The three escaped, the wings that were still there swallowed up the three and then coiled into itself until it disappeared into thin air.

The three left on the roof hopped down onto the sidewalk, noticing people had gathered around a large fire in the park behind the bus stop, as well as a fire truck. Sinie and Csilla's magic wore off and they detransformed, causing the two to be very tired.

The warrior woman approached them. “You two barely managed to get out of that." She said to them.

Sinie pointed, "Hey you were no better! If it weren't for Csilla we'd all be toast."

The woman put her hands on her hips and glared at Sinie.

"Excuse me miss, but...what exactly just happened?" Csilla said, gripping her necklace.

The woman opened her mouth, but was interrupted by the voice of a man.

"Csilla?!"

Csilla turned to see her father getting out of his car and approaching her. 

"Papa?!" 

Her father ran up to her and hugged her close.

[introduce Richard]

"Young lady, why didn't you come home right after school? What are you doing so close to this fire?!"

"Um..." Csilla looked down.

Sinie looked back, hoping the woman would address Csilla's father, but the woman was gone. 

"Um," Sinie spoke up. "I’m sorry sir, but it's my fault..."

Richard glared at Sinie for a second, but once he saw how alike she looked to his own daughter he was taken aback. He began to stammer for words, but Csilla spoke up

"This is my friend, Sinie. We met today at school.” She then downcast her eyes. “I'm sorry Papa…I disobeyed you to come home after school and instead went out with a friend. I will take full responsibility." She hung her head.

Richard, confused more than anything, decided to let Csilla off the hook with just a scolding and offered Sinie a ride, away from the fire.

Sinie declined his offer, saying that she knew a way home that was away from the accident. 

Csilla went home with her father in his fancy car, while Sinie ran home to her own family.

[show outside of home]

She walked in the door, her sister immediately announcing her arrival. 

"Sinie?! Oh my god are you okay!?" Sheri cried, running up to her daughter.

"Yeah I'm fine. Why?" She forced a smile.

"Steph called me and told me there was a big fire on your route home from school. You didn't get caught up in that did you?"

Sinie figured she shouldn't tell her mom about all the things that just happened, and shook her head. 

"Your uniform is so dirty, are you sure you're okay?" Sheri asked, still frantic.

"Oh yeah, Daren and I were just, um, wrestling earlier is all." She smiled awkwardly.

Sheri sighed. "You're going to get in trouble for rough housing on school grounds one of these days young lady. And how many times have I told you not to dirty your uniform? They aren't cheap."

Sinie nodded as her mother went on, tuning her out. She looked down at her necklace. It no longer held that glow, but Sinie could still feel the power pulsating through it when she held it.

[end Chapter 1] 

#ocs #original story #original content #original writing #chapter wip #chapter rough draft #rough draft #wip #work in progress #magical girl #mahou shoujo #shoujo #magical powers #fantasy #miko writes

[survey--s]

644.

Are you disrespectful to a lot of people? No.

When was the last time someone called you pretty? I can't remember. That's not really a compliment I hear used very often at all these days.

Do you like the color pink? I do like pink. It's not my favourite but it is nice.

Are you in your pajamas at the moment? I'm wearing leggings and a t-shirt. I don't really ever wear pyjamas unless I'm sick.

On Facebook, do you have people listed as your siblings who aren’t really your siblings? No. I did back when it first came out, though.

Doesn’t it annoy you when couples post things to each other’s wall on Facebook that are all mushy and gross and NO ONE CARES? Hahaha it doesn't really bother me as such, but I do think it's a bit weird and it kind of screams insecurity to me.

Does your cell phone have a case on it? What color? Yeah, just a clear one.

So what do you think about Chris Brown now? He's always been a piece of shit and he always will be.

What was the last song you had on repeat? If He Wanted To He Would by Kylie Morgan.

Ever kissed someone your parents hated? Yes.

What do you think about your cousins? Nothing, really. I barely know them.

Do you think the name Sage is for boys or girls? For me it's just not a name, lol.

Do you have a favorite radio station? I don't really listen to the radio but if I do it's either Radio One or Rock FM, depending on what signal I can pick up.

Do you ever save things as a draft or a note in your phone so you can remember them later? Sometimes, yeah.

Do you use Sharpies often? No. We have loads but I just don't really have a use for them anymore.

What didn’t you get for Christmas that you asked for? I don't really ask for things for Christmas anymore.

Any weird fears? No, I don't think so.

Would you say that you’ve become more of a slut or less of a slut since a year ago? I hate that word.

Are you older or younger than most of your friends? Younger or the same age.

Does anyone you know exaggerate a lot? Sure.

What are your plans for your next birthday? Nothing yet and it's only two months away.

How are your nails? I just cut them this morning but they're just plain, really.

Your most recent ex says he/she hates you, you say? Good for you.

How is life going for you right now? Life is pretty good, I'm not gonna lie. I am tired though, last month was crazy busy and I was away all weekend and kind of feel as though I could sleep for a week, hahah.

Are you keeping a secret from someone who needs to know the truth? No.

Have you met anyone new lately? No.

What color are your eyes? Brown/hazel.

Look to your right what do you see? The remote, my phone, the dog under a blanket, the front door.

Are you drifting away from your best friend? Nope.

Would you feel hurt if your last ex was in a relationship? Nah, I'd just feel sorry for whoever he'd ended up with.

If given the chance, go back to fix a past regret or take a million dollars? Money, every time.

What’s more important, your pride or your life? My life.

Would the last person who texted you hurt you? I mean, I don't think it's possible for anyone you have any kind of connection with to never hurt you in some way, no matter how minor.

Your ex is sitting next to you with their new partner, what do you do? Ignore him.

Do you have a reason to smile right now? Of course. The kitten is being particularly cute.

Have you ever had to choose between two people? Yes.

Last thing you drank was? Dr Pepper. My latest addiction.

What did you do last night? Came back from Manchester, did a bunch of laundry, had a shower, watched the first two Shrek movies, played Gems of War and slept.

Where is your mother? I assume she's at home or at one of her exercise classes.

Have you had sex today? Nope.

Are you afraid of losing a boyfriend/girlfriend? No.

Do you have siblings? No.

Last person, you talked to in person? James.

Do you think someone’s thinking about you? No.

What made you the happiest today? Seeing all the dogs at work, they're always SO happy to see me and it never fails to make me smile.

What is your hair looking like right now? It's damp from my shower and tied up in a messy bun.

Is tomorrow gonna be a good day? It's just a normal Tuesday.

Are you currently wanting any piercings? Hmm, not actively but if I was in piercing parlour I'd definitely get something done, lol. Maybe my tragus again even though it was a bitch to heal up.

Are you looking forward to something as of right now? Getting a lie-in this weekend. Also Mike getting his new car, I guess.

Do you swallow gum when you’re done with it? Nope.

#survey #surveys

[20genderchild]

Songs you wish other ppl would listen to

dude I typed out almost the whole answer on my phone and then went to the YouTube app to get a link and tumblr refreshed and didn’t save a draft. let me try that one more time

the Gang of Youths album from last year was slept on, listen to in the wake of your leave or the kingdom is within you. Portra was a rare gem on my Spotify discover, listen to not to catch you by surprise and covered in the sediment. I am so glad De La Soul is finally on streaming because I’ve had Me Myself and I on repeat. and then listen to Publick Occurrences by Fully Involved bc Mark is my buddy.

#thank youuuuuu

[menuandprice]

Stopwatch 1127 Bar & Grill – Makawao, Maui, HI

Happy Hour at Stopwatch 1127 Bar & Grill – Makawao, Maui, HI

Updated 2/17/2023 by the Maui Happy Hours team

Happy Hour at Stopwatch Bar Maui from 3:30pm-6:30pm Daily

- $1 off well liquor and shots - $1 off wine - $1 off 12 oz draft beer mugs - $1 off domestic bottled beer *We stock our well with above-average liquor. —————————— Address: 1127 Makawao Ave, Makawao, HI 96768 Phone: [phone] Website

About Stopwatch Bar & Grill Maui

Stopwatch is a family-owned restaurant built in 1994 by Chris and Haru Arian. What started out as a sports bar has now transitioned into a fun, family-friendly restaurant, and bar catering to all sorts of hungry locals and visitors. They offer local beers on tap, fresh, local burgers, and great local classics. Located in Makawao in the heart of Upcountry Maui, Stopwatch is the perfect stopover after visiting the nearby sites. The world-famous burgers at Stopwatch are handcrafted using 100% grass-fed Maui Cattle beef, offering a mouthwatering farm-to-table experience. Stopwatch Bar & Grill has been a well-known favorite of Maui locals for decades and continues to bring delicious food and top-notch service in 2022.

According to these recent Stopwatch Bar & Grill patrons

“Great food, great service. Small Town bar and open kitchen. Was really nice.” Karen M., February 2023 “My Dad and his best friend have gone here for years. They’re both angels now so we cheers them whenever we go! Recently went with my Mom and pup to watch some football playoffs during happy hour. Good service, kind crowd, good pub food. Mahalo!” Laura P., February 2023 “Simple menu, good food, nice little private back patio, would definitely recommend it.” Jerome B., January 2023 “The food and service was great. Wife and I had the fish and chips and a happy hour beer. Good menu and good selection of beers and drinks. Save room for the mud pie!” Mike C., January 2023 “Great dive sports bar. Perfect spot to get wings and a burger to watch any game. Good crowd and fun bartenders. Highly recommend.” John C., December 2021 “Pleasantly surprised by this little dive bar. Good drinks and hurricane fries. The margaritas were great and the beer was cold. What else could you ask for?” Leesha S., December 2021 “This is a local dive with good food and cold beers at the right price. The back patio is cute but extremely limited in space. But this place deserves 5 stars as our waitress was excellent and went above and beyond!” Joben G., November 2021 “Our second visit to this fun, local spot with great food, Mango Cart on tap, yummy sandwiches and the sweetest waitress. And  the onion rings. Do yourself a favor. Some of the best onion rings I’ve ever had.” Gail C., July 2021 “Nice town (Makawao) off the beaten path. Gypsy tour guide shared little gems like this along the way. Murals on the back entrance wall of this restaurant. Amazing service. Our server took our orders perfectly, the kitchen delivered some of the best bacon cheese burgers I’ve had with a side of mashed potatoes, and the general feel of the pub was inviting.” Justy T., July 2021 Happy hour at Stopwatch Bar and Grill Maui is daily from 3:30pm-6:30pm, featuring discounted draft beer, bottled beer, wine, and liquor.

Want to make a comment or ask a question? Are you a fan of Stopwatch Maui? Tell us in the comments below.

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The post Stopwatch 1127 Bar & Grill – Makawao, Maui, HI appeared first on Maui Happy Hours. Read the full article

[teriwrites]

2022 Writing Wrap-Up

As we step into the beginning of 2023, I've taken my annual look back over my writing from last year. My collective document is saved and stored away for my record-keeping purposes, and now it's time to start looking into the work that was put in this year!

Like I do every year, I went into compiling my various bits of writing with the feeling that I had gotten just about nothing done over 2022, and, like every year, I was pleasantly surprised by what I found. With that, let's take a look!

Total Wordcount for 2022: 112,182!

As someone who felt that she'd spent almost none of her time writing this year, that's well above what I was expecting! I had my fingers crossed that I'd reached 100K, and I passed it!

2022 in general was a massive year for taking on personal projects, and that is especially true in my writing. Since fall of 2020, I had a steady project working in the background, even as I shifted my focus between other WIPs.

(And this is where, if you're one of my irl college friends that somehow stumbled onto my secret writing account, you lovingly click away before you spoil my overdue Christmas present.)

'Downstairs, 4 Hawthorn Rd.' was a novella I created as a loving testament to the time I spent in this shoddy college apartment. It's been a sort of passion project of mine, a challenge as I struggled through writing out of my usual comfort zone (do I Look like the kind of writing that works with contemporary realism? I wish, but no). With the first draft completed last year as my NaNo project, my goal for 2022 was to work through edits and formatting. The end goal being to have it printed and sent off to aforementioned irl college friends that shared our ridiculous apartment.

Not only did that mean a lot of my time was caught up in editing (which doesn't translate super well into a writing wrap-up), it also meant my first real attempt at formatting and designing a book myself.

Which was an absolute pain in the ass. But also 100% worth it.

As of 12 Nov., a couple copies of the book were ordered, and now they sit in boxes, waiting to be sent out (our Christmas gift exchanges always land sometime in January, it's fine).

While that book is undoubtedly the writing highlight of 2022 (and one of the overall highlights, for sure), I did, clearly, manage to fit in time to write about stuff Other than some silly college juniors.

So on to that!

Alright, this is the fun part of the wrap-up, where I shamelessly share a bunch of my favorite gems that I found while digging through my writing from last year.

Enjoy!

Their first meeting was happenstance, unceremonious, and would one day lead to a civil war halfway across the world.

(The Lies in the Legend)

Leaning forwards, until the security officer was blocked from view, Sienna hissed into the phone. "I want to know why. Why you think you're justified in doing what you're doing. What kind of person turns to such chaos and destruction. I want to know where the humanity goes while you waste away in that suit, and whether there's any point in trying to break you free. Or if you're corroded past redemption."

"Let me help you out," Clara said sharply. "Save your redemption for someone who wants it. I have not spent this much of my life building an empire to have it fall for something as fragile as forgiveness."

(Never Meet Your Heroes (AKA Meet Your Villains))

“You were hardly eager to learn at the onset, but that came with a little time and experience. And what you lacked in precocity, you made up for in promise. Your magic is powerful, Ghislaine. The arcane ley does not run strongly through Selniva, nor in Selniril. Most mages in our region develop glimmers, which they can fan into sparks. You have sparks, which one day might become flame.”

(The Lies in the Legend)

“You didn’t know I was the Princess.” She smiled, but it wasn’t kind. It was derisive amusement, bordering on cruel. “Who did you think you were kidnapping?”

“They didn’t specify by title,” Marroc muttered, then closed his mouth. He’d already said too much.

And the princess was sharp enough to pick up on it. “‘They’, huh? Who is it you’re working for?”

“Enough.”

“Nobody competent, if they didn’t even inform their kidnapper whom it was they were targeting.”

“I said enough.”

The princess grinned wider, dark eyes flashing menacingly. As though she were the one who’d captured him, and not the other way around. Marroc forced his expression to still, unwilling to show her how much the news had rattled him.

“So, where is it that my ignorant captor has taken me?”

Marroc threw out his hand, and the firewood caught into brilliant flame. This was enough to quiet the princess, but she had lost the air of begrudging deference that had settled Marroc’s nerves before. She was going to be a handful, which meant trouble for him. As though being forced out of his home and stuck living off the land in a cave wasn’t enough to deal with. 

(Snippets: A Rewrite)

We had emerged to the eastern side of the mountain, where a drastic slope descended below us into a massive valley. To the south, a river cut into the fields from some hidden path in the mountains. Beyond it, trees sparsely dotted distant cliffs, effectively cutting the valley off from the rest of the Silverpass. The valley itself stretched farther north along the mountain range, and, in the distance, I could make out the sparkling reflection off the sea. This wasn’t the Andrar Sea, which only separated the northern reaches of Sha from the island then called Virvia. This was the Aymnas Ocean, beyond which lay lands that only existed to me as those stories I’d created in my childhood.

But I hardly had a moment to think on that, because, within the valley — in fact, taking up most of it — was the sprawling metropolis of Isironoth.

It was impossible to process how vast the city was. Its serpentine streets were nothing more than a distant labyrinth. Buildings covered more territory than grass, many taller than anything I’d seen in Vihaule, much less Selniril. Only Ashinse could remotely compare, and to compare Ashinse to this colossus would be like comparing a child’s first attempts at writing to a master scribe’s manuscript.

(The Lies in the Legend)

- No more constant switching between ‘Pryderi’ and ‘Lord of the Undernell’. This isn’t a plothole, but it is kind of annoying

                    - my bad.

(Teri comments on her own comments on her book)

Vihaule was somehow nothing and everything I’d expected, all at once. People wandered through the market in hordes, coming in waves almost like the tide. If I’d thought the docks of Selniril were crowded, Vihaule’s primary marketplace was a stampede.

Yet what I had hoped for in Vihaule was something unfamiliar. Something so immensely different from my hometown that I’d be shocked into understanding the vastness and complexity of the world around me. And what I found was a larger, louder Selniril, without the calming backdrop of the Andrar Sea.

I was elated, and I was disappointed, and I’d never realized I could be both at the same time.

(The Lies in the Legend)

The faerie ring was still rooted in place, less than a stone's throw away. But at its center stood a strange man, looking at her with a beaming smile.

Winnie thought at first that the sun had broken through the canopy and shone down over him in a brilliant ray. But as she continued to look at him, it became clear that the man was entirely golden. A little like he'd bathed in liquid gold, and a lot more like he'd been carved from it.

Despite her reservations, Winnie found herself taking a few steps closer, trying to assess the strange, golden man.

"Well, hello," he greeted warmly.

Winnie wasn't sure what she envisioned the fae to be. They'd always been made out as dangerous, evil, cruel. Never as friendly.

"Hello," she said in return, feeling dumb.

(Beyond Alder Creek)

Berann was already at his peak by the time I arrived, mingling with guests. He was charming to those he didn’t know well, appropriately crass to those he did.

(The Lies in the Legend)

Ellie: Friendly reminder to not set anything on the kitchen heater bc it could burn

Avery: are you serious I’m gone one weekend

(D4HR Incorrect Quotes, Except It’s Literally Our GroupChat)

“There are those that will use whatever means necessary to convince you they are well-meaning enough, or innocent enough, or powerful enough that you must listen to whatever they tell you. But nobody — not me, not your friends, not even the Prince himself — should be above reproach in dire circumstances.”

That seemed a little ridiculous to me at the time — how could the leader of our entire sovereign nation not be ‘above’ what I, a mere trader’s daughter, thought was right? All of Sha was called to serve the Prince whenever they called, and I was sure that, if I was ever so lucky as to meet them, I would be faithful to their worldly wisdom.

I am sure that Prince Aloysia the Proud would laugh if she were ever to read these words.

(The Lies in the Legend)

"All that effort, keeping up with the guidelines for registered power holders," Clara continued, leaning back in her chair. "And when you actually do manage to bring in 'villains', as you call them, where's the appreciation? It's almost like they expect you to protect them, with nothing in return."

"It's doing good for its own sake, Clara. It's called altruism."

"Altruism is a lie." She raised a hand in defense, setting her chair back on all four legs. "Don't take it personally. There's nothing wrong with a little quid pro quo."

"And what do your victims get out of your crimes?" Sienna shot back, pressing forward until her breath was fogging up the glass. 

Clara suddenly jerked forward. Sienna flinched away, unable to hold the intensity in her gaze. "I provide them with a reminder that no amount of wealth or fame can strip them of their brittle humanity."

The intensity was gone in a moment, and Clara withdrew. Sienna was frozen in her seat, hand shaking against the receiver. "You're a monster."

With a wave of her hand, Clara dismissed her. "Don't pity the billionaire for losing pennies. I could never rob enough of a fraction of their wealth to even make them feel the loss. But the occasional chance to make them remember that they're not all-powerful benefits us all."

"And I suppose all that money you steal and gain from the black market goes straight to charities?" Sienna asked sardonically.

"Among other places."

(Never Meet Your Heroes (AKA Meet Your Villains))

“Arguing on behalf of Ayangaian colonialism, and you really expected for that to go in your favor?” Berann shoved me in the shoulder.

“I didn’t choose my topic!” I countered weakly. “And it’s not like I was going to make Athelyna argue in favor of growing their influence over Bayanbad. She’s been studying up on this stuff for half a decade!”

“That’s exactly why you’re supposed to make her take the pro-colonizer side! Challenge her a little!”

“It���s not technically colonialism, you know. Bayanbad practices its own independence, the ties to Ayangaia are really only there because they don’t have the economic power to stand on their own.”

“Ghislaine, listen to yourself. Anytime you have to say ‘it’s not technically colonialism’, maybe just stop there.”

I rolled my eyes. Berann Hylark was the closest friend I’d made in the Invocation Department, but he still drove me up the wall half the time. Anytime I felt we were settled into a comfortable rhythm, he’d make some smarmy comment that made me want to kill him. And before I could do that, he’d give me some reminder why we were friends in the first place.

(The Lies in the Legend)

Do you have any quirks, strange mannerisms, annoying habits, or other defining characteristics? 

I'm sure others would say I have. But you'd have to ask them about it. 

...Perhaps vagueness. 

(An Interview with Lady Ghislaine Agassi)

“Do you think your work will ever take you out of Isironoth?” Irimys continued, linking our arms like she used to.

I took a moment to think over the question. I hoped it might, but to indulge that particular dream by speaking it aloud felt too bold, like expecting it to happen would guarantee it never would. So I settled simply on, “Maybe someday, if I’m lucky.”

(The Lies in the Legend)

The transport burst out of the tunnel, though it was difficult to tell much of a difference between the tight cavern built into the asteroid and the open air beyond. There was no flash of light to reveal the day. The sun of the Mori Pascia system was distant, and the dome-like artificial atmosphere built around the city blocked most of the light that came through. 

Nocke caught Caani staring out the window from the corner of their eye. The urge to hiss a warning under their breath subsided as they turned towards her. There was no tourist curiosity in her gaze as she looked out to the sparkling city below, only the bored vacancy of a commuter. They plunged into another tunnel, and her expression didn't change.

(Astral Guard: Mori Pascia)

“There you are!” my father greeted when I arrived, personal carpetbag in tow. He hauled it into the front seat, where it fit snugly underfoot. “We want to make it to Vihaule early, so we can meet up with the scout of your caravan before you have to go.”

“Well, we’re not going to get there faster by waiting around so you can scold me.” I threw our blanket across our laps to retain more heat, and the cart shook as it began to push through the snow.

There were no good-byes as we passed through the town. Plenty of townsfolk had stopped by over the past couple of days, and a party had been held two nights ago. But, just then, the people of Selniril were asleep, and I passed through, ghostlike, with the pent-up nervous energy of anticipation causing my fingers beneath the blanket to tremble.

We were on the main road, sliding our way over the snow, when Emmyth turned to me. “Are you ready?”

Unlike at home, I gave myself one long look at the frost-covered houses, storefronts, and envisioned the unseen shoreline. Turning back, I looked to the inland road winding out before us, the start of my long journey to a new life. And I gave a single, silent, solemn nod.

(The Lies in the Legend)

Only once she regained control of herself did she manage to spit out, "You know."

"You'll find I know a great many things," the golden man said.

But Winnie didn't have time for his games. She took another step forwards. If she reached out, she could almost reach him. "Where have you taken him?"

His expression switched so quickly into something so vile, Winnie jolted back. His lips had curled into a snarl, his nose wrinkled, and from beneath his lowered brow, disgust rankled in his eyes.

"I had nothing to do with it!" he snapped so venomously that Winnie could almost feel the sting of it along her arms. "I don't take children."

(Beyond Alder Creek)

My visits to the other parties were short-lived. As nice as it was to catch up with old friends, the chasm between our lives was starkly apparent when faced with a sea of strangers they loved.

(The Lies in the Legend)

- Pixies

                    - yes.

(Teri comments on her own comments on her book)

“Students of the Invocation Department!” a voice rang out, and we all straightened instinctively.

There were still several minutes before our concentration was reached, and another couple before we were called to step forwards and show ourselves to the public as Invocationists. It was a moment that would define me, that would open the door to my future. Without that step forwards, I would not have gained the station to further earn the title of ‘Lady’, nor would I have gone on to work the deeds that inspired this book. In many ways, that single step was a defining point of my life.

In truth, I cannot remember it. I don’t remember what it felt like, what I saw, what I heard. Most of the day remains a vague blur, something too overwhelming to be processed then and too distant to be recalled now.

(The Lies in the Legend)

#writeblr #writing #my writing #writers of tumblr #teriwrites #writing wrap-up 2022 #my wips #very nano-novel heavy in this one #i didn't do a lot of short story writing in 2022 #but i think that's understandable lol #the labels are below the snippets btw #it saved weird so idk how clear that is

[justriver]

Nvalt name change to all note links

Nvalt name change to all note links install#

Nvalt name change to all note links update#

Rene: Merlin, how did you get started with Drafts? I brought that to Drafts to kind of enhance the capabilities to pass off that text you captured to, you know, OmniFocus, or to Things, or to a calendar app, or wherever that supported URL schemes. I had already been messing with that for my dictionary app terminology to kind of provide services with an app, because there wasn't a system dictionary at the time, and I started messing with URLs to give a convenient way to look up words from other apps, and it kind of grew with that. Rene: You got into those callback URL stuff that the kids loved. but with much more limited capabilities of iOS at the time. Rene: For me, it was like TiVo for text back in a time when Apple didn't make.I think there was no share sheet back when you launched it. You launch it, you type, and then later you figure out what you want to do with it, whether that's message it somewhere or send it to social media, or save it to a file, etc. The main goal of it was to remove the artifice, and the burden that came with so many other notes apps, where you had to make decisions upfront about where you wanted to save it, put it in a folder, or create a new note.Īll that stuff just goes away with Drafts. If you've got text you want to get out, you just start in Drafts and figure out what you want to do with it later. Just a place to jot down ideas, a post of notes for your phone that gives you one place to always start. The original purpose of it was to be the starting place for any text you do on your phone, or your iPad, or your watch. Drafts on the surface is just a quick capture note-taking app. Greg, could you tell us a little bit about Drafts to get us started? The contents of this show is to have someone who makes an app and someone who just uses the hell out of the app, and talk about it, and see where we can get with it, and see what pro-tips or hidden gems we can pull out of it. Rene: Also, because it would be just too easy to talk to you alone, we have a power user of Drafts on, someone who the audience may not be familiar, podcasters in general may not be familiar with. No specific order given.Greg Pierce: I'm great. I am glad you submitted the ticket, maybe we will see a bug fix, or they will ask for more details.Īpps used that hang during indexing. So if you find someone else also misreads it you may wish to re submit it again. But again thats just me and I am trying to say this is where I came from. To me, leaving nvALT out of the main body and title, and then putting this at the end would have been better. I might have went with something like Dropbox hangs indexing 1000's of text files from OS X app. No issue at all, simply saying maybe the name misconstrued the results. Set nvALT preferences to store files as text files in Dropbox folder So, I gave you details on its life cycle, maybe allowing you settle on some other app for 100%. Not mentioning the other app also in my opinion, seems to indicate your more inclined to use nvALT. Its name on the title seems to indicate your more inclined to use it. So as you specifically mentioned nvALT, I gave details on it. At the end you state switching to another app had no margin of improvement.

Nvalt name change to all note links install#

In you post you specifically state to replicate install nvALT and do xxxx. Often times small fixes are never mentioned, well that is when they do actually give us release notes. It might have bug fixes that can solve your issue. One further thing, I might suggest is trying the newest and greatest version of Dropbox if your not already running it. You might also report the issue to the nvALT GitHub page Lastly as this is primarily a user to user supported forum, You can try reporting the issue to Dropbox by submitting a ticket to I doubt, I would ever see your issue as I would only at max have 25 - 30 notes. I use to always use nvALT with Notesy quite a few years ago.

Nvalt name change to all note links update#

So to be honest, after 3 years I doubt it will get an update but Brett (developer) could surprise us. Which does include feature requests, too. It has over 247 open issues on its GitHub page. I honestly cant say if its an issue with Dropbox or nvALT, but nvALT, has not been updated since 2013 and it is technically still listed in a beta state.

#Nvalt name change to all note links

[thesimtraveler]

Me: *fangirls about Keanu Reeves in Cyberpunk 2077*

Mother: You do realise he is like the same age as your father and I, right?

Me:

#reira plays games #other than sims #reira plays cyberpunk 2077 #this gem was a saved draft on my phone #lol #nonsims #non sims #cyberpunk 2077 #keanu reeves #johnny silverhand

[luvlyrv]

Our Songs | Extra | Wendy x F!Reader SM!AU

Word Count: 1.4k

A/N: So happy to say this series is completely finished now!! Enjoy!! I'm moving onto more projects and hopefully can wrap up some one shots I've been working on. This is a different style from what I usually do since it is an extra, warning that the post looks really long because it's in bulleted style lol

Date: 9/1/21

Series Masterlist

after your confession with wendy you were stuck with an enormous burst of energy

you were on cloud nine, a seemingly never-ending high

you decided not to text wendy the day right after

you didn't want her to think you regretted anything but you also didn't want to seem too clingy

also it didn't help that just thinking about her was enough to throw you into cardiac arrest

you didn't receive any notifications from wendy either

it was a bit disappointing, but you assumed she was also trying to take in the shock of it all

trying to take your mind off of wendy you spend an entire day running around your house

you pick up your instruments and have the jam of your life

emotional highs are very good for your creativity it seems

you decide to record some things and save some drafts

who knows if it'll be useful in the future?

you worked till you felt dead tired and like you couldn't have another thought in your brain

even after you spent an entire day trying to exert your nervous and elated energy you were still hesitating on texting wendy when you woke up

but you missed her so much already

so you send a text asking her how she feels

she says she feels okay, and then asks about you

'yeah, i'm okay too'

your conversation was rocky

things weren't going as smooth as before

and it was evident that it was because the both of you had no idea how to behave

you took a deep breath before texting her your question

'so, can i take you on that first date?'

you see a bubble showing that she was texting

and then it disappeared

before showing up again

and disappearing

and- ugh! your heart was racing waiting for her answer

i mean, she liked you back right? so why would she say no?

'yeah, of course! :)'

whew, okay, looked like you almost made a big deal out of nothing

little did you know wendy was freaking out

she was a bit embarrassed at herself, acting as if she was a high school kid in love or something

it took wayyy too much concentration for her to type out something sensible

but she was excited for you to finally ask

you were also excited for her to say yes

your first date is at the downtown center

there was a festival and you were hoping to enjoy all the effort the artisans put into their work with wendy

you're walking with her through the numerous stalls set up

as the both of you admire the beautiful crafts set on display your hand reaches for hers

you feel the pressure of her hand squeezing back and you look at her

she looks at you and giggles

you didn't even realize what you were doing

'oh, i'm sorry. i didn't mean to do that suddenly.' you freak out and let go of her hand

you're worried that she was laughing at you and that she didn't want to hold hands

'it's okay! i thought it was cute'

she reaches out for you and you don't let go this time

instead you enjoy how happy she seems to be sharing this moment with you

and out in public too

later on you both go to the square where there were musicians

the sun was beginning to set, allowing for beautiful lighting and you appreciated songs you've never listened to before

wendy tugs at your arm while still staring at the performers

'i hope we can perform up there someday. together.'

you smile at her as she still looks on

'i think we will.' you assure her

finally night hits and you both call it a day

you walk her to her car and stop her

you kiss her forehead

'so, will there be a second?' you ask with a smile

you feel like you already know the answer

'i think that sounds great.'

life with wendy in it became easy

you guys seldom fought

and even when you did at least one of you would make something for the other

dropping it off at the doorstep and leaving an apology note

and after enough time of cooling down you would always come back to each other, talking out your problems from before

you personally felt like your work improved as well

wendy had become your muse

you sought to create tracks that would impress her

or that would be worthy of having her voice in it

and you felt like it was easier to write lyrics

because every experience with wendy created new feelings

feelings that you could hardly describe sometimes

when you guys decided to finally start working on your second collaboration you busted out the drafts you created long ago

wendy was impressed after sitting down and listening to your drafts

'woah, how many hidden gems do you have on your computer?'

'well, these ones in particular i made on the same day. the day after i confessed to you.'

you're both flustered

because it's easy to tell the kind of state you were in by the songs

wendy takes your hand and kisses it gently as your music continued to play

'you must think of me pretty highly, if the thought of me compelled you to make something so incredible'

you heat up at her cheesiness

'oh stop it.'

the two of you end up choosing a refreshing feeling/sound for the album

'cause you recharge me every time i see you!' she says

when you guys are almost done producing the album, that was when you went on the dinner date with wendy

the one where you guys would finally confess to the world

after recording and uploading the announcement video the both of you decided to turn off your notifications and avoid reading people's reactions

instead you guys opted to spend the rest of the day baking and then watching a movie together

the both of you decided that it would be stressful to engage with your audience right away, and that's why it took a full day for you both to check your phones again

both seulgi and yeri already knew about your relationship but they both flooded you guys with congratulations anyways

they just wanted you to know they were proud of your bravery!

besides them, both of your families already knew and didn't comment much

they'd already stated how they think you're good for each other when you guys had visited together

especially your younger cousin

cause apparently she's a big fan of wendy and is definitely not using you as a way to get close to her idol

and is definitely not bragging about her how cousin is 'super super cool and famous and is dating another famous person and i think they'll be rich someday!!! so get on my nice side!'

you're happy to see that a lot of fans are happy for your relationship

wendy just keeps telling you 'of course they are, who wouldn't for a cute ass couple like us?'

it was at that point that you guys had decided to save up and move into a nice place together

you guys had talked about future plans before

not only that, but you had been practically living together already

between all the dates that lead to seemingly indefinite sleepovers

and the recent collaboration that made you guys be stuck together

it was really you guys living at each other's place weeks at a time

when you guys move in you're grateful

because you get to experience all the little things from her even more

some nights when you're stressed she rubs circles on your back to help you sleep

when you guys shower together she takes her time to carefully wash your hair

it was those deeply intimate moments that made you the happiest

both of your careers were doing really well due to the reception of your second collab and all the media fuss that happened with your dating annoucement

you both still have solo careers and interact with other musicians

but along with moving in, you guys decided to become a duo and consistently create music together

in the morning when you share breakfast you always remind her how good life is and how thankful you are

#wendy x reader #red velvet scenarios #red velvet imagines #rv imagines #rv x reader #rv scenarios #gg x reader #kpop imagines #kpop writing #kpop au #son seungwan #girl group scenarios #girl group imaines

[mcheang]

Phone Hiatus

This is a draft inspired by the Victorious episode Phone Bet.

Mendeliev dares the class to go a week without using their phones. If they succeed, she will include an extra credit assignment. For those who don’t need that assignment, she will allow them to skip class. And to make sure some people (aka Chloe, Max, Sabrina and Alya) don’t give up so soon out of disinterest, Mendeliev makes this a group dare. You all pass, or you all fail.

If they fail, they have to waste a weekend helping Mendeliev set up another class project in the forest. It would be a buggy, sweaty trip.

Since Markov can be used as a phone, Mendeliev will be borrowing him for the week, and having him check to see if the kids were using their cellphones.

Computers are allowed for the sake of schoolwork and general info. iPads are not.

For some people, this bet was no problem.

Marinette sketches on paper and doesn’t spend much time in front of the screen except when watching Adrien coverage.

Adrien was living the Dream. No more calls from Nathalie. Though she did buy him an alarm watch to remind him of his appointments.

For others; they were dying.

Chloe lived for gossip. How was she supposed to check her channels if she couldn’t use her phone. How was she going to flaunt her wealth if she couldn’t access her blog? And she was about to collect a gem for her Miraculous Crush account!

Alya loved technology. And she constantly fretted about the chances of an akuma happening when she didn’t have her phone! And it’s not like she can record the battle on her laptop. There was the school digital camera but they would never let her drag it around with her for a whole week. And her father would never let her use his camera, knowing how she likes to run into akuma sites.

Max consoles himself with a video game, driving Alya and Chloe insane to see him tapping his fingers away at what could almost pass for a phone.

By the middle of the week, the latter group were a mess. Max misses Markov. Chloe’s fingers kept twitching. And Alya snaps at anybody who moves.

Mendeliev smirks. “It’s sad seeing you all like this. Are you sure you don’t want to just give up now and save yourselves the misery of the next few days?”

To tempt the weak ones further, Mendeliev flaunts their phones in her phone bucket.

Chloe snaps. She could hire people to do the grunt work, but she needs to text now! And her grades were stellar, so no worries about that.

The class stops her. Some need that extra credit!

Nathaniel: I knew the girls would crack first

Max: logically speaking, they were the ones most likely to lose us the bet.

Nino: and i don’t want to lose my chance at a better grade just because they give up so easily.

Alya: watch your mouth, boyfriend.

Alix: and you guys are just as desperate to use your phones as us.

Chloe: I doubt that.

Mendeliev: shall we change the bet? Instead of a one week deadline, the contest ends when one gender loses and the other wins.

Marinette: bring it!

Ivan: good luck, you’re going to need it.

A few hours later...

Marinette: what was I thinking?!!!!

Alix: you were defending women!

Marinette: yeah, without considering our odds. Max survives with video games while we have to handcuff Chloe and Alya!

Mylene: then it looks like we have to gain an edge

Rose: how?

Lila: simple, really. We just need to get Max to break.

Marinette: it’s time to see whether the gamer is ready for a rematch.

Marinette challenges Max to a game. She wins, he can’t play anymore video games. He wins, she will uncuff Chloe and Alya.

Marinette wins.

Max shrugs. He has computer games.

Except for once, Lila and Marinette are on the same team. Lila used her silver tongue to convince Max’s mother that it might be good for her son to spend time away from tech and enjoy nature at its best. He’s just exaggerating about the cons of Mendeliev’s project set up.

Max is cut off from any screen. He begins to twitch like Chloe.

The guys restrain Max as they try to figure out how to free Alya and Chloe.

Adrien offers. The guys agree; thinking Marinette will easily give Adrien the key just by asking.

But Adrien was just going to send Plagg over.

Plagg was happy to cheat.

Tikki caught him. What do you expect? The girls’ base is Marinette’s bedroom.

Plagg is sent home, bruised in the rear from where Tikki kicked him out. He claimed to have been mistaken for a rat.

Kim: ok, new plan. We lay out a temptation bait so strong, the girls will overpower their bindings by mere force of will.

Nathaniel: what kind of bait?

Kim: how about “Ladybug announces opening for new permanent hero? Chloé will go nuts thinking she has a shot. And Alya will fight anyone who stops her from reading the scoop.

Adrien: i don’t like that scoop.

Kim: got a better idea?

Adrien sulks. “No.”

The next day, before the boys could enact their plan though, Max lost the game.

Everyone’s phones had been returned to their tables and Chloé and Alya could be seen typing onto their phones. Max instantly sprang free and started opening phone apps.

Kim: What happened? The game isn’t over.

Marinette: oh yes it is.

Alix: you lost!

Ivan: what?

Nathaniel: how? None of us used our phones till today.

Chloe: true, but while Dupain-Cheng sabotaged my phone and Cesaire’s...

Alya: Max was the first one to use his phone.

Boys: WHAT???

The girls turned their phones around to show black screens. Or in the last 2 girls’ cases, their phone screen were covered with cardboard.

Kim: this is cheating. How did you even get the phones?

Marinette: oh, i just wanted to use them to test my hypothesis. Miss Mendeliev was willing to loan them for the sake of science.

Kim: and what hypothesis would that be?

Miss Mendeliev walked in. “Whether the prolonged absence of a constant would remove all trained caution once the constant was brought into sight.”

Kim: this isn’t fair. Miss Mendeliev, you should have told us about this.

Mendeliev: all’s fair in war. I honestly didn’t plan for this to be a gender war, but since you boys started it, I had to side with my own female species.

So while the girls got to enjoy extra credit or free period, the boys lost their weekend. Don’t worry, some of the girls volunteered to help them anyway

#miraculous ladybug fanfic #miraculous ladybug fic #ml fanfic #ml fanfiction #ml fic #miraculous ladybug fanfiction

[anguisette90]

2021 AO3 Year In Writing

tagged by: @laurabeatrix

I definitely didn't start this weeks ago when I was tagged and then not get a chance to finish it and completely forget about it until I went to check my drafts for something else. *cough* I'm also incapable of giving short answers, so I decided to do a "read more" and save any mobile users from a ridiculous amount of scrolling to get past my nonsense.

1. Number of stories posted to AO3:

7

2. Word count posted for the year:

260,927 words (though really only around 190K of that was written in 2021, a lot of it was written in 2019 or 2020 and I only got the courage to share in 2021, haha.)

3. Fandoms I wrote for:

The Dresden Files

4. Pairings:

Harry/Murphy, Harry/Lara, & (sigh) Harry/Marcone

5. Story with the most:

Kudos: 80 Floors Up (122)

Bookmarks: 80 Floors Up (21)

Comments: All's Fair(59)

6. Work I’m most proud of (and why):

Mm. I’m really pleased with how All’s Fair turned out. It’s the first story I’ve ever fully planned out and written methodically, with the knowledge that I’d be sharing it with people and so it needed to do story-y things. This is the first thing I’ve ever written that felt like I really had to work at it, but the end result is something that I feel is actually pretty well polished.

Runner-up shout out to The Detective & Miss Murphy though. I went into it with only the vaguest idea of when the Regency era even was and having precisely zero experience with either consuming or creating Regency romance books/shows/movies. I expected it to be a total disaster, and while it definitely is not the best thing ever written or even the best thing I’ve ever written, I think it’s turned out pretty well so far. Jane Austen I am not, but since @LauraBeatrix’s original inspiration for the conversation was Bridgerton, and Julia Quinn is also definitely no Jane Austen (which I know now, because I’ve read like four or five of those books at least, so thanks for that LauraB :P) I’ll take it. I also genuinely put more time and effort into research for this fic than I did for all of my college classes combined last year (8 of them? 9? A bunch) and while I’m not exactly proud of that fact, I’m not not-proud either.

7. Work I’m least proud of (and why):

I’m tempted to say 80 Floors Up because it is the fic I have put the absolute least amount of thought or effort into – it was a silly premise that I wrote in a single weekend including editing time. But it did turn out pretty good despite being somewhat ridiculous?

I guess I Caught Fire. Every time I look at it I feel like it’s missing something, like something’s off about it, but no matter how I poke at it I’m not satisfied.

8. Share or describe a favourite review you received:

It’s been a good year for reviews. Honestly, everybody is so sweet and supportive. I started 2021 kind of on the fence about whether to continue posting things and very insecure in my own writing but people have been so nice. I have genuinely cried from comments received several times this past year.

(Not that I have a folder on my phone with screenshots of comments that I flip through when imposter syndrome gets bad or anything. I’m not desperate for validation. It’s cool.)

But my absolute favorite review? Gotta be this lovely gem from @LauraBeatrix:

9. A time when writing was really, really hard:

I hit a snag in The Detective & Miss Murphy for a bit there where I had waaaaay too much planned content to fit into waaaay too few chapters, which was super difficult to work through.

I also have had a few instances (once for All’s Fair, twice for yet-unposted WIPs) where I’ve had to dwell on That Scene from midway through Battle Ground and that’s been a very different kind of difficult.

10. A scene or character you wrote that surprised you:

Harry and Murphy are constantly surprising me in The Detective & Miss Murphy because they never do quite what I expect them to do. I have whole scenes planned out and then one of them just says something out of nowhere, or does something crazy. You know what I didn’t expect at the start of writing a regency romance? That my hero and heroine would have a woman tied up in the heroine’s bedroom to get information out of her. Didn’t expect that to happen. Absolutely insane. I have no control over them.

11. A favorite excerpt of your writing:

This bit for All’s Fair keeps sticking with me and I’m fond of it: “I remembered when she’d been mine and I’d been hers. When we’d professed our love and when we'd acted on it. I remembered when I knew with all of my heart, mind, and soul that I belonged wholly and completely to her, that I would never love anyone the way I loved her. We were made for each other, in the sense that years of shared experiences and friendship had forged us into complementary shapes, worn and scarred but familiar and comfortable, fitting perfectly together.”

12. How did you grow as a writer this year:

I have definitely gained a lot more confidence in myself. Two years ago, getting an even vaguely critical comment on something would haunt me for weeks and make me question whether or not I should continue posting. Even at the beginning of last year, I frequently questioned whether or not I should bother sharing what I wrote, if I was just being stupid and arrogant to believe that other people would want to read it, etc. I'm not saying I've magically become immune to criticism or anything, but I'm at a place where I can get a negative comment, process the feedback (if there actually is any), and move on with my life without losing sleep over it. Which is progress.

13. How do you hope to grow next year:

I want to put more of a focus on original work in 2022 than I did last year. I still expect most of what I write to be fic, but I'm starting to entertain the idea that 15 year old me might have been right after all and I should try to become a published author.

I also want to invest more time in actually learning how to be a better writer. I've listened to TED talks and interviews and things like that here and there with authors I respect, and sometimes I pick up good advice, and sometimes I think the advice isn't for me, but I want to spend more time doing that this year. Writing, like any art imo, has a large instinctive component, but that doesn't mean you can't better hone your instincts with training.

14. Who was your greatest positive influence this year as a writer (could be another writer or beta or cheerleader or muse etc etc):

Last spring I stumbled across a post where some total strangers were discussing wanting to see fluff of Harry/Murphy. One person in particular had a specific request, I think she said she wanted to see Harry at another Murphy family reunion? I don't remember now. Whatever it was, I had this fic that had been sitting in my drafts since 2019ish and it sounded like just what she was looking for. So even though I thought it was kind of a poorly-written fic, I posted it on AO3 and shared it here, hoping maybe one or more of these people would see it. Even if it wasn't very good, I figured not-great content is still better than no content, right?

That very particular stranger was @laurabeatrix, who did see my fic, and had a ton of kind things to say about it, and has basically not stopped saying nice things about my fics since. She is my biggest cheerleader/muse/emotional support beta reader/tinfoil hat co-conspirator/3 AM rambling thought sounding board/all-around wonderful person. I can honestly say without exaggeration that at least half of what I've written this year wouldn't have happened without her, or at least wouldn't have been posted. Also, she made art for a fic that I wrote. Art. Like for real fanart. It's been months and I'm still kind of freaking out about that because seriously how cool is that?

15. Anything from your real life show up in your writing this year:

No current events from my life, though I've definitely drawn from my life experiences. There's a scene in Paper & Jewelry where Harry's watching Murphy use a step ladder to try to put baubles on the Christmas tree, which was directly inspired by my wife watching me nearly break my neck several times trying to string the lights on our tree a few years back.

Also, not sure if it counts but most of the time when I choose to set a scene in a specific place in Chicago it's because it's a place I've been and often have pictures I can reference. Several of Lara and Harry's dates in All's Fair are locations the wife and I have also visited together. Really wish we weren't living in plague times, because it's been way too long since we had a chance to get out there and I'm itching for it.

16. Any new wisdom you can share with other writers:

Share what you've written! I don't care what you've written. I don't care if its an obscure ship from an obscure fandom with a weirdly specific set of tags that you think only you could possibly care about. Someone wants to read it. You think it's bad? It's probably amazing, but even if it isn't, to be honest, who cares? If you liked the idea, or the dialogue, or the setting, or whatever enough to write it, someone else will like it too. It's easy to get caught up in the number of kudos, or the number of comments, but honestly, even if there's just one other person out there who reads it any enjoys it, you've still made an impact on the world, you've made that one person's day better for a few minutes (or hours, or if you write as much as I do maybe days) just by sharing your ideas, your art. Don't second-guess yourself.

And if you're writing for one of my fandoms, this goes doubly for you. Odds are if there's only one weirdo who is going to like your fic, I'm that weirdo, and I want to read it, lol (But seriously, you're better than you think. How do I know? Because I've never in my life met a writer who was as bad or worse than they thought. We all think that. It's okay. Just share anyway.)

17. Any projects you’re looking forward to starting (or finishing) in the new year:

Very close to finishing Detective and Miss Murphy which is both exciting and sad. I'll miss it but I'll be glad to have it wrapped up too.

After that, I've got a kind of dark post-BG longfic I'm working on, which will let me play with myths and deities, some of which we haven't had a chance to see yet in canon, and I'm both nervous and excited for that prospect. We'll see how it works out.

As always, I've got about two dozen other misc WIPs too, most of which aren't ready for me to talk about them yet, but I'm sure there' will be plenty of forthcoming fic for 2022.

18. Tag some writers whose answers you’d like to read:

As usual I'm not directly tagging anyone because I don't do that, but if you're reading this and you would like to provide your answers, consider this me, tagging you. I'd love to read your thoughts!!

[dt-canim]

*Inhale*

Darkwing Duck spoilers here(Prt 1 IDK I might talk about it more later)

just a weird mess of my initial thoughts and feelings

.

.

.

(I would want to do one of those keep reading things but I’m on my phone so I don’t know how to do it)

FENTON MADE ALL OF DRAKES GADGETS

they are friends

and of course Drake doesn’t know Fenton is Gizmoduck skdbdjnxajsnsjjsnd ahhhhh this fucking episode 

(“Darkwing this is Fenton I’ve been going over—“ “Yeah we’re kinda busy right now, can we call you back” “oh yeah sure Im flexible” Fenton, buddy stand your ground for me)

Also if Fenton made all of Drake’s stuff he also made an auto intelligence that is sassy, british, and Gandra sounding. wtf. this episode has me fucking ascending. I wanna draw these two now

Gos and Drake Yessss

they are partners now and it’s no adoption but we’re getting there

LP and Drake not the biggest shiper for them but they had really cute moments

Gos and Dewey banter. I loved it. Gos trying to understand Dewey’s catchphrases was pretty funny

Huey’s antics with trying to figure out Bulba and Bradford was awesome to watch. I can’t help it if I just love Huey in general

Dewey and LP is always great especially in the beginning when they’re trying to be all mysterious about what they were doing. also I love just how much Dewey knows about Darkwing duck now because of how much Launchpad makes him watch the show

(“Nice save” “We’re so good at keeping secrets”)

can I say again FENTON AND DRAKE. ahem sorry but I really adored their quick conversation about the ram rod. Drake was so willing to get Gos’ grandpa back I just ahhhhhhhhh

they talk on the phone because their friends, “between you me and the motorcycle, Fenton can’t stand him”(him being Gizmoduck.... of course)

also I spotted a bonkers(It was that weird police cat thing I didn’t watch the show but it’s from a 90s cartoon)

(this guy)

The DT 87 gag had me reeling

 Bradfords reveal being a part of foul has me hyped. also it looks like we got into Bradford’s motivations a little bit

(“oh I suppose you want to fly around in an umarked helicopter” “YES”)

edit* also this gem

(“why have dreams if they alter into nightmares!”)

I was afraid this episode was going to be a little bloated with how much they were trying to put into this hour but, everything seem to work out pretty great. Maybe all of the fearsome 4 was a tad bit too much but otherwise a wonderful episode. The only other thing slightly disappointing is that there’s no theme song, not even in the end credits. but still awesome episode

i’ll probably have more thoughts on a second viewing but for an initial watch it was one of the best episodes so far. because of course it would be (also I wanted to have more screenshots but I was watching this first viewing on Hulu and for some reason it won’t let me take screenshots) you have no idea how much more I’ve tried to say about this ep but I forgot some of it because Tumblr doesn’t want to save my drafts soo FUCK YOu TuMbLr

#ducktales #ducktales 2017 #my post #huey duck #fenton crackshell cabrera #huey dewey and louie #louie duck #dewey duck #drake mallard #gosalyn waddlemeyer #gosalyn mallard #lanchpad mcquack #scrooge mcduck #bradford #black herron #taurus bulba #lets get dangerous #im ascending #wanda #Tumblr is a dick

[theydontknowaboutusimagines]

Valentine’s Day Surprise - Harry Styles Mini Series (Part 2)

Part 1 

**

It was the next day and you needed to get out of the house. Even though it was freezing outside, you were headed out for a walk and to grab some lunch with Gemma. You layered up and put on your favorite winter boots before heading out the door. As you walked along the shops on your walk, they were all decked out in pink, red, white, and purple and other various Valentine decorations. 

Which of course brought you back to your conversation with Harry and how he wouldn’t be back for the holiday. Part of you kept telling yourself it was fine and that it wasn’t a big deal, but it still didn’t help the other part of you that thought it was a very big deal. Flowers, chocolates, and little teddy bears filled all the window displays and you couldn’t help but think of you and Harry exchanging Valentine gifts when you were younger. 

At school everyone would always make little cards with a small bag of candy to hand out to the class, but you and Harry always saved something special for the other. You laughed to yourself as you thought about the tiny stuffed animals he had gotten you or all the discounted chocolates you two would be eating together while watching your favorite shows. 

Maybe that’s why you putting so much into spending Valentine’s with him because it was something you two always did as children and now that you two were actually together... it would be even more special. But it’s not like you could do anything about it anyway, so it was better to just figure out a way to make a virtual date special. 

When you got to the restaurant, Gemma was already at the table looking over the menu. 

“Sorry, I’m late,” you said. “I got distracted on the way over.” 

“Oh, you’re fine. I was a little early,” she smiled, wrapping you in a hug. “So, how are you doing?” 

“I’m okay,” you smiled. “Good... just finishing up my book.” 

“Yeah? How’s that going?” She asked. 

“It’s uh... going,” you laughed. “I’m revising it again... hopefully this will be the last time before line edits.. it supposed to release at the end of October, so the sooner I get this finished, the better.” 

She nodded, “How are you and Harry doing?” 

“We’re great,” you smiled. “I mean as much as we can be with not seeing each other for a bit... and apparently it’s going to be even longer now.” 

“Oh, that’s right. He said he won’t be back until around March or later, right?” She asked. 

“Pretty much,” you sighed. “Which sucks on it’s own, but I’m also pretty bummed we won’t be together on Valentine’s Day. I know it’s stupid and petty..” 

“No, it’s not,” she said. “It doesn’t matter how commercial this holiday is, everyone still wants to spend it with their significant other or wants someone to spend it with. And this would be your first one together, so it’s even more special. I get it.” 

“He came up with an idea of having like a facetime date, which we’ve done before, but I don’t know... I want to make it special, but I’m not sure how I can. I don’t want to feel like it’s just another FaceTime date, you know?” You said. 

“Okay, I have an idea, but I’m not sure if it will work,” she said. 

“What is it?” You asked. 

“Harry can’t leave LA, right? Because he’s working and can’t travel back and forth, hence why you two are going to be apart,” she said. 

“Yeah,” you nodded. 

“Do you think you would be able to travel to LA instead? Maybe surprise him there and you two wouldn’t have to be apart?” She asked. 

You bit your lip, “I have thought about it, but I don’t know. What if he’s too busy and wouldn’t have time for me? I don’t want to be in the way.” 

“Babe, you’re his girlfriend,” she said. “You could never be in the way and if you were then you need to get rid of him because you don’t deserve that,” she joked. 

You giggled, “Do you think it would work though? Like, if I went, I would want it to be a surprise. Do you think you could help me arrange it?” 

“Hmm... I guess I could fit you into my schedule... you are practically family after all,” she smirked. 

“Okay, then let’s do it!” You smiled. 

**

Harry had been on the phone and looking over this calendar for well over an hour. He kept trying to find a tim where he could fit in flying to London and back, but even if he was able to rearrange some meetings, it didn’t seem possible. He sighed running his hand over his face trying to figure out what to do next. 

It would be a lot easier if he just asked you to fly out here. He would arrange everything and pay for it, but he felt bad asking you to do that. Plus, he was afraid it would be spending too much time trying to figure out how to get there, that he wouldn’t have any plans once he was there. 

He grabbed his phone because he knew he needed advice. 

“Weeeeellll, hello Baby Brother!” Gemma smirked. 

“Hey, Gem,” he said. 

“What do I owe this rare phone call?” She asked. 

“I call you all the time,” he defended.

“Yeah, yeah, anyway, what’s up?” She asked. 

“I need advice,” he said. 

“Of course, you do,” she said. “What did you do this time?” 

“Why do you always assume it’s because I fucked up?” He asked. 

“Because about 99.9% of the time, you have,” she joked. 

“Remind me why I love you again?” He asked. 

“Because I know too much,” she said. “Anyway, carry on with your question.” 

“I’m in LA and I’m going to miss Valentine’s Day with Y/N... and I’m trying to figure out how to get there in back in the span of two or there days and I can’t make it work,” he sighed. 

“Okay if you’ve already figured out you can’t do it, where do I come in?” She asked. 

“I don’t know,” he sighed. “I just... do you think it’s worth be moving everything around just to be there for a few hours compared to just having a long distance date?” 

“Well, I mean, would it be worth it to see you girlfriend in person compared to a seeing her via a screen, yes, but that is a lot of traveling,” she said. 

“I know, I want this to be special. Yeah, we’ll have other Valentine’s Days in the future, but this is our first one. We won’t ever get it back,” he sighed. 

“Okay, look at it this way, let’s say you decide to go to London,” she said. “And you’re exhausted from traveling or you’re worried about having only a small window of being there... that probably would ruin your time together than if you just stayed put, right?” 

“That’s a possibility,” he sighed. 

“How about this,” she said. “Instead of sending all your time trying to travel thousands of miles for a few hours, try spending time on making what you can do special. You could also postpone it until a time you can be together.” 

“I guess you’re right,” he sighed. “I really want to be there, but I’m not sure I’m going to be able to make it work.”

“Don’t beat yourself up about it, okay? Y/N understands,” she said. 

He nodded, “Thanks, Gem,” he said. 

“You’re welcome. You’ll get my bill in the mail,” she smirked. 

“Whatever,” he rolled his eyes. “I’ll talk to you later.” 

**

You didn’t know how you were able to pull it off, but with the help of Gemma, everything was planned accordingly. Plus, you ended up finishing the remainder of your draft, so you wouldn’t have to worry about working during your time there. Now, the only thing you had to worry about is what you are actually going to do once you got there. 

You didn’t want to plan the entire thing out because you weren’t sure what his side of things looked like, but you wanted to make sure other aspects were taken care. First up was gifts. You weren’t going to over board, but you knew you wanted to get something small and cheesy along with something a little nicer. 

This was your first Valentine’s Day together after all. So, a few hours before you were due to catch your flight, you decided to head out to the shops and find something. Luckily, most stores still had quite a few options to choose from or else you were fucked. You were at a tiny gift shop on the corner when you found a little teddy bear, just like the one you had been given all those years ago. However, it had one aspect that was very different, but fit perfectly. 

The bear was holding a heart that said, “I Adore You, My Valentine,” written on it and you knew Harry would love it. You quickly put the bear in your shopping basket before gathering a few other little random items such as chocolates and a candle you knew he would like. 

Just before you decided to check out, something caught your eye. It was a stand of bracelets that looked exactly like ones you use to make when you were younger and your mom bought you a bead kit. You smiled looking at the different ones until you finally saw one you loved. You grabbed it and headed straight to the check out. 

On your way back to your house, you passed by another shop, a lingerie shop to be more specific. You knew it was very cliche to make a purchase like that for Valentine’s Day, but sometimes cliche was exactly what you needed in life. So, you made your way inside and looked around before trying on a few different options and deciding to get a couple of them. 

Once you got back to your house, you added the things you just bought into your luggage and made your way to the airport. 

It was time to go see your man!

**

Harry was stressing big time over what to do. He kept trying to figure out some fun things to spice up the virtual date and make it special. He even tried to order flowers and gifts to send to you, but of course the majority of shops were already sold out. He had two days before the 14th and he needed to figure something out quick. 

“What’s going on with you?” Jeff asked as Harry paced around the room. 

“Other that royally fucking up Valentine’s Day, not much,” he sighed. 

“Why are you putting so much pressure on one holiday?” Jeff asked. 

“Because... you don’t get it,” Harry sighed. “This isn’t just one holiday. It’s the first one being with Y/N. We’re never going to get that back. Yeah, it’s cheesy and it’s not technically a big deal, but it is. We’ve spent so many years of our lives apart and now that we’re together, I don’t want to miss anymore occasions. When we were younger, we would spend Valentine’s together, eating all the candy we got at school and going through our cards. I remember getting jealous when she would gush over a card from another boy or if someone else got her a little something extra.” 

“We even went to a Valentine’s dance together when we were ten,” he laughed. “I remember she wore this really pretty dark red dress that had roses on it and we danced and laughed the whole night. She was actually the first person I awkwardly swayed side to side with at a school dance. So, that’s why I’m putting so much pressure on myself. We have all these amazing memories from our childhood and I want to make sure we have just as many now.” 

Jeff sighed, running his hand over his hair, “Okay, I feel like I’m in the middle of a romantic comedy on Netflix right now, but go pack a bag.” 

“What? Why?” Harry asked. 

“Because I’m taking you to the airport,” Jeff said. 

“For what?” Harry asked. 

“Because you’re going to London,” he said. 

“Really? How? I tried-” Harry asked. 

“I’ll take care of it. Now, just go. You get on a red eye in a few hours,” Jeff said. “I checked.”

“Why are you doing this?” Harry looked at his friend and manager. 

“Because you deserve to make those memories with Y/N,” Jeff said. “Now, go before I change my mind.” 

Harry smirked, wrapping his arms around Jeff, “Thank you, thank you, thank you,” he said. “I knew there’s a reason I kept you around.” 

“Ha ha,” He rolled his eyes. 

Harry laughed, shaking his head, before going straight to the room to get his bag. It was time to go see his girl! 

**

Uh-Oh... Part 3 coming tomorrow. 

I will say this, we’re about to get a Winter Storm in my area with ice and snow, and there is a potential I could lose power/internet, so I’ll keep you updated just in case I can’t post tomorrow. :)

#Harry Styles Imagines #Harry Styles Fanfiction #Harry Styles Fan fic

[tact-and-impulse]

Holiday fic for @shepherds-of-haven! Thanks for the deadline extension. I hope I’m not too late! More under the cut or on AO3.

midwinter depths

It all started with an innocent conversation, Lavinet asking what they were planning to wear for the Wintersun Gala. The confused, collective answer was: what gala? After some back-and-forth, it became apparent that the Diminished-majority members of the newest government agency had not been invited to the illustrious holiday celebration. The reactions were varied, but they eventually came to one conclusion. Couldn’t they host a competing, more inclusive, and most importantly, better party? Certainly not as fancy, but in terms of community outreach, it would be far superior.

Responsibilities were dealt, and by dawn, the Shepherds set out to prepare.

***

The bus was late. Croelle adjusted his hat and clenched his teeth. Another inconvenience, just the latest obstacle to his work. The shelter’s glass panes looked very fragile and tempting at the moment, but ultimately, he didn’t move from his current seat on the metal bench.

A tall woman approached the bus stop, ashen hair pulled into a high ponytail to reveal slightly pointed ears. Her hazel eyes glinted with the iladrin, and one hand carried a bag of groceries. She checked her wristwatch, which sparkled with miniscule gems, and stopped at the other end of the bench. A strong wintry gust blew past, rattling the shelter. Heavy silence descended upon them.

“If you’re waiting for the bus, you might as well walk to your destination.” He intoned.

“Excuse me?” Her polished voice was more amused than affronted.

“It’s been twenty minutes. I hope you don’t have anywhere urgent to be.”

“And why are you still here?” She retorted.

He lifted the brim of his hat, to look at her again. Pale brows, an aquiline nose, a thin mouth colored by dark mauve lipstick. Handsome, he supposed. “Are you a Shepherd?” He had dragged his line of sight away from her face to the embroidered hound on her coat.

She shifted her weight from one foot to the other. “Dragged into it, really. Speaking of which...” She handed him a blue and silver flyer, detailing games, raffles, and a potluck dinner. “We’re hosting a party tonight at our headquarters. Ten danars admission, though I’m not sure whether it’ll be enforced. It’s mostly for the rest of the Shepherds, and their friends and families.”

“Is that what your bag is for?” He turned his attention to her purchased items.

“Oh, I don’t cook for groups. But I was assigned to buy ingredients for punch and I’m very good at making vytas.” She rummaged through a variety of fruits, before removing a jar of honey and admiring the color in the weak morning light. “I’m picky about my ingredients. No alcohol though, to be palatable for Mages like us.”

“I’m not a Mage. And I don’t eat fruit.”

She tilted her head, stepping in his direction. He flinched, as her gaze ran over him in obvious scrutiny. “How are you still alive?”

This close, he was able to see her hair clip. Three birds in flight, carved out of lacquered wood. He evaded her question. “For the same reasons anyone else is.”

She didn’t respond to that, still analyzing and trying to puzzle him out. Definitely, this Mage was a strange one. He hadn’t heard of any such figure in the Shepherds, but he could always use his resources to find out. She pivoted away from him, putting her jar back. “So, are you going to attend?”

“I have work. Why? I’m not your friend or family. Are you desperate for my company?”

“No.” She easily replied. He refused to feel a twinge of disappointment. “I only want to make sure that my effort pays off.”

“You hate holidays, don’t you?”

Her slight smile became brittle. “Do you only ask questions and never answer them?”

A short, derisive laugh escaped him. “Part of the job.” Wait, what was he doing? Conversing, letting down his guard, still sitting here instead of headed to his next assignment. He might have suspected she was an Enchanter if it weren’t for the wristwatch. The pearly face bore the symbol of the Shifters, the points and curls in fine etching.

“And what is your job?”

“You’re a nosy woman.”

“I prefer ‘curious’.”

“There’s such a thing as being too curious for your own good.”

“I’m not particularly interested in being good.”

He grabbed her slender hand, and she emitted a startled noise as he pulled her towards him. He lowered his voice, speaking into one tapered ear. “Interested in being bad then?”

She was perfectly still for a moment, her pulse rapid under his fingertips, and then, she roughly pulled away. Her eyes locked him in a deadpan stare. “That’s another question, and for this one, I’ll follow your example and decline to answer.”

“Hmph.” Determinedly looking past her form, he spotted a van turning the corner, the Shepherds’ emblem on the hood to mark its status as a government vehicle. “There’s your ride.”

She followed his line of sight and blinked. “Oh. So it is. Would you like to come along? The driver’s my kin, and he won’t mind.”

“I’d rather not.” He scowled, standing and brushing himself off. “Goodbye.”

“Well, if your work allows it, feel free to stop by tonight’s dinner. I don’t have to remind you to try the vytas.” She pointedly lifted her bag and then laid a hand upon her lapels. “You can ask for me, Zoegea. And you are…?”

He grunted. “Croelle.” And with that, he walked away before the van arrived. Minutes later, he wondered how he could be so foolish to tell her his name. Just for that, he had to pry more information out of her. He crumpled the flyer in his pocket but it stayed there.

***

The smell of baking bread was one of the best things in the world. Trouble knelt down, to peer into the oven. The rolls were puffy and golden-brown, nearly ready to eat. There was something nostalgic about waiting and watching, like he was five again and his mother was cooking in their tiny kitchen.

A rustle of movement caught his attention and he met bright amber eyes as his partner mirrored his position. “Hey, so the mashed potatoes should be done soon. What’s next?”

“We should be good for now. Thanks, Senna.” He grinned.

“No problem! So, what’re you doing?”

“Just checking on the rolls. Best part of being on the team in charge of side dishes.” It was always enjoyable to mold the balls of dough in his floured hands. He splayed his fingers over the warm glass. “It takes me back to when I was a kid. My mum made her own bread.” Right now, the yeasty aroma of the dinner rolls was just like the one that permeated the cozy apartment of his childhood.

“So did mine!” She eagerly shared the similarity. “Not that the Westwood bakery’s was bad, but I always liked hers best.”

“Yeah, that’s how I feel!”

She rocked back on her heels, her tanned face flushed. “I actually remember my mom’s recipe, so I bake now and then. It’s not exactly the same though.”

“But it’s something. I couldn’t read before my own died.” His memory of her was vague. She had pinned her hair when washing other people’s clothes, her sleeves rolled up to her elbows. Her hair had been blond like his, but her eyes were a warm brown. Her voice was sweet though it was harder to recall now. Her scent was the easiest: clean linen and a touch of spiced apples. Other than that, he didn’t even have a photograph. “Wish I knew how she did it.”

“Maybe, we can figure it out. Or at least, get pretty close.” She suggested. “We can bake multiple batches and narrow it down from there, based on what you tell me.”

“Trial and error, huh?” He chuckled. “I like the sound of that! When should we start?”

“Probably sometime in the new year. When are you available?”

“Don’t worry about me; I’ll find the time. Just text me and I’ll be there. Do you have my number?”

“Yup, I saved it when you recruited me.” She flashed a thumbs-up. “I’ve just never had to text you before, because I keep running into you.”

“Hey now, you’re the Diviner.” He joked. “You’re not using magic to find out which bar I go to?”

“Trouble, you always go to The Burning Crown.”

“It’s the free drink Nessa gives me every time. Actually, I think I should probably switch it up. Too many fights break out in there, and uh, I’m trying to follow your advice.” If she hadn’t stopped him, his old gang would have been too glad to bring him down to their level. That wasn’t what a Shepherd did, and having her near was a good reminder.

“That’s great!” Her smile was wide and honest. “I know it’s hard, but I’m really happy you’re trying. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. You can do it, I believe in you.”

He coughed, as an excuse to stop staring. “Well, you’ve shown me that talking out of a brawl is an option.” Then, he winced. “Ah, shit, I gotta stand up again. My legs are killing me.” He stood, his thighs burning, and offered a hand to her. She grasped it, and as soon as she was upright again, she quickly squeezed.

“I don’t think I’ve had a Wintersun like this before. Today’s been so much fun.”

“Me too. It’s always fun spending time with you.”

She looked at him through her dark lashes, and he felt suspended in place. Then, with a sudden draft, Riel stepped in, carrying a clipboard.

“Are we on schedule?”

Trouble noticed she had let go, and he crossed his arms, pressing his empty hand against his body. “For sure, we are. Even though we won’t be serving until six tonight, we’ll be ready by then.”

“Parties usually start late, anyway.” Senna added, with a sparkle in her eyes.

Riel pinched the bridge of his nose. “And guests arrive early. Regardless, if you need anything from the supply team, tell me before five so I can accommodate you accordingly.”

“Understood!” A whistling ringtone began to play, and she removed her phone from her apron pocket. “Oh, good. I was waiting for them to call back. Sorry, this will be just a few minutes. But if not, I’ll see you later. And I’ll text you about our meeting, Trouble!”

“Looking forward to it!” He replied as she sprinted out.

Riel’s cool gaze shifted between Trouble and the swinging door. “A meeting?”

“Yeah, we’re going to bake bread together. Isn’t that nice? She’s a great friend.” In response, he gave such a long sigh, that Trouble demanded. “What’s eatin’ you?”

“Never mind.” He was already walking away.

“Oi! Just tell me!”

***

The knife moved easily in his grasp, as he sliced the parsnips. If the rest of his family could witness what he was doing, they’d be delivering the full brunt of their disapproval. Before today, he also thought he was better suited to security detail, but he had been convinced to join the rest of his friends. His squad insisted they’d be fine, Trouble had extolled the benefits, and a particular pair of deep brown eyes had been disappointed as the owner asked. “Are you not going to cook with us?”

Thus, here he was, preparing roasted vegetables for an impromptu party.

His partner for this task had her own tray, and she carefully sprinkled garlic salt over the halves of looked like miniature cabbages. When he brought over the parsnips, she glanced up at him. “Oh, you’re already done? Thank you, Blade!”

He stiffly nodded. “Do you need any assistance?”

“No, I’m okay. These are ready, so I’ll put them in the oven. You can get a drink.” A quick smile, and she was off to the adjacent kitchen. The storage room wasn’t as warm, and soundlessly, he crept out. He returned before she did, with two water bottles retrieved from the cooler in the hallway.

Wintersun was just another day, or at least, that was what he believed before. Now, far from the place of his upbringing, he was often out of his comfort zone. However, he didn’t mind learning more about the world, outside of the family business. And today had been very pleasant.

When Captain Enris walked past, he held out the extra bottle, nudging it against her hand.

She blinked. “Is this for me?”

“Yes.” He raised his brows. “Take it. You haven’t been hydrating.”

“It slipped my mind.” She admitted but accepted the water. From under her sleeve, her tattoo peeked out, the inky scrawl of Kettish script unconventional but poetic. She removed the lid and drank deeply; her mouth was red and gleaming.

He abruptly dropped his gaze. “You have the tendency to put yourself last. It’s not sustainable, so you should remember to look after yourself as well.”

Her laughter rang out, clear and crisp. “Ultan said something like that, a long time ago.”

She had never mentioned the name before. He tensed, the plastic bottle crackling in his grip. “Who’s Ultan?”

“He owned a little bookshop in Courtshore. I worked for him, after Drummond’s Point was…wiped out. It was my longest job, about two years, and I really enjoyed it. He, um, found some old magic books for me; that’s how I started learning magic.”

“He must have liked you.”

She hummed, considering the possibility. “I think so. He was a Norm but his late wife was a hedgewitch, so he always kept me safe. If anyone was suspicious, he said I was his granddaughter sent to live with him. I’m not sure if they really bought it though…”

He was a tiny bit happier that the connection was familial, although he was unsure how to feel, being compared to someone who was like her grandfather. He decided on tentative compliance. “Would you have stayed with him?”

“I don’t know. He fired me, you see.”

“What? Why would he? You’re…a good worker.” Damn, that sounded utterly inadequate. As if two words could describe how important her presence had become to the Shepherds.

“Well, I’m glad you think so.” She smiled. “But what he thought is still a mystery. He just gave me the week’s wages and told me I wasn’t welcome anymore. So, I just kept moving, and I never heard from him again.”

His anger on her behalf lingered but he kept his response neutral. “It’s his loss and our gain. I’m glad you’re here in Haven. It would not be the same without you.”

He was certainly not as eloquent as she was, but he hoped the Enchanter was more at ease. Her shoulders lowered a fraction, and she rested her back against the wall. “That’s kind of you to say.” Fondness colored her expression.

“Does it surprise you?”

She laughed again, and he welcomed the sound. “No, not at all! You’ve always been kind. Strict, but you truly care. You’ve never led us astray, despite how you’re not a big fan of Wintersun.”

“Was I obvious?”

“Compared to everyone else, just a little bit.” She pinched her fingers together. “But I noticed you’re not frowning as much. Are you having fun?”

“I’ll take the quiet now, before the crowds arrive.” He wryly answered.

“It’s close enough!” She set her half-empty bottle down and clapped. “Let’s finish seasoning the rest. I was thinking of having lunch afterwards; how about you?”

He deliberately paused. “That sounds agreeable. Do you have anywhere in mind?”

“Tallys mentioned a sandwich shop the other day. I can call ahead for pick-up.” She was already pivoting.

“Linaria.”

At the rare use of her given name, she immediately turned, lips parted.

“Let me see the menu first.” He grumbled.

With another giggle, she offered her phone. “The next thing we should work on is your pickiness.”

***

The free chair was inviting, and Chase took it, sliding over to the other person at the raffle table. “Hey, sunshine. How’s the sprain?”

“Better today, but not enough.” The newly incapacitated Battle-Mage scowled reproachfully at her left foot. “So I’m still stuck here.”

“You wanted to cook?”

“Even if I could, that’d be better than tearing up tickets.” She snorted. Her fingers pulled at the paper chain, twisting at the perforated end and depositing a fresh one in his open hand. She kept the other half, flicking it into a large glass jar. Valeriana had let her hair down, which was a first. Wine red and pin straight, it framed her face and grazed her elbows. She seemed more vulnerable, her features relaxed and youthful. He idly wondered who else had seen her like this. She must have sensed his regard, because her gaze shifted to him. “Did you need something else?”

“Nope, just hanging here and watching the rest of the hospitality team. Mostly, it’s Lavinet though.” The heiress had taken charge over the decorating business and she was ordering some of the newbies around to meet her standards. Embroidered white tablecloths, silver streamers, tea lights, and authentic pine trees for ambience. It all sounded magnificently meticulous, and he was trying to avoid her, just in case. “My side’s done with the party games.”

“Yeah? What have you got?”

“Elements, dreadnoughts, pin the tail on the ahfuri for the kids. We dug up some sui boards for the older folk. Anyone with spare change can play intrigue or Angels and Devils. And darts. Bet you’d like that.” As strong as she was, he knew she valued precision most of all. It was also what he liked about her, that she could run rampant on their missions given half a chance but opted for control.

He was interested in what she was like, if she lost it.

She leaned back in her seat, the motion steering him to the present again, and cracked a smile. “That depends on what prizes you have.”

“Ah, and like with all games, your prize is based on your stakes. Anything from chocolate truffles to plushy Shepherd hound toys to gift cards. Or I can always surprise you.”

“The bar is high.” She raised her brows but her eyes glittered at the prospect. Good.

“I’ll do my best, gorgeous. So...what has our dear organization obtained for the raffle prize?”

“You’ll have to win and find out for yourself.”

“Fair enough. Let’s hope this is a lucky one.” With a flourish, he brought the ticket to his lips in a light kiss and pocketed it. Then, he gestured towards the fall of her hair. “No bun or braids today?”

One hand tucked a stray lock behind her ear. “I want less tension for now, I’ll tie it back later.”

“Gotcha.” In the meantime, he’d appreciate the view.

“Caine asked me the same thing too.” The kid was eager to help out, and at the other end of the hall, he was stringing icy blue lights on one of the smaller trees. “He said it was nice.”

“He’s right, it suits you. You look lovely.” And he meant it, not even winking.

She held his gaze, about to bite back, but she paused. The moment stretched, before she quietly replied. “Thanks.”

His skin itched and he rubbed the back of his neck. Huh. She was attractive, it was hard not to notice since the day they met. It was only that she was a lot more so, because of how intimate her appearance was. It was lust, he decided, and he could deal with lust. Yeah.

“Well,” Chase cleared his throat and ruffled her hair. To his pleasant surprise, it was very soft. “I’m off to check on my people. Keep getting stronger, sunshine.”

“Uh…right.” Her dark eyes were wide, and he couldn’t look away.

“I’ll bring you a plate of food at dinner, and then, we can swing by the darts. Sound good?”

“Sure, I guess, mm.” She didn’t blush easily, but she was clearly flustered, blinking rapidly and tripping over her words. Cute. Her long eyelashes fluttered and he was transfixed.

Then, there was a clatter, and they both whipped towards the sound. Caine had dropped a third of his lights. Wincing, he called out. “Sorry!”

“Are you hurt?” Valeriana asked.

“No, I’m okay! How’re you?” He was giving them a trepidatious expression.

Oh. Chase was still touching her head. Slowly, he let go and forced a two-fingered salute. “We’re fine here! You’re doing good, little man!”

“I’ll see if I can help him out.” She muttered.

“You don’t have to, I’ll send a couple of my guys to check on him. Get some rest before tonight, alright?”

She didn’t seem fully appeased but she grabbed her ticket chain and reluctantly nodded, echoing. “See you tonight.”

“It’s a date. Later, Valia.”

If she protested at her shortened name, he didn’t hear it. He strolled along, starting to whistle. After making sure no one else was around, he glanced down at his hand and grinned.

***

The pressure cooker must have disappeared into an adjacent plane of existence. Red sighed as he closed the latest cupboard. “Nope, not here either.”

“Seriously?!” Alcea popped her head up, from behind the counter. Her golden curls bounced, her gray eyes brimming with dismay. “Damn it, where else could it possibly be?”

“At this point, I’m wondering if we should go to the nearest mall and buy another one.”

“Yeah, but we just bought this last week! Riel would throw a fit if we went back. Anyway, it should still be in the box!” She dove again and he smiled, leaning over the granite.

“Or we could always just do it the old-fashioned way. There are plenty of pots that no one else is using.”

“I guess we can.” She grouched. “It’d just be easier to make vegetable curry when we don’t have to be watching the stove the entire time.” She pulled away from the clutter of miscellaneous cooking utensils, and agonizingly rose to her feet. “Augh, my back!”

“Are you alright?” He rushed around to help, but she shook her head.

“Only out of shape, but I’m alive.”

“Good, because I still need you.” He grinned, hiding his relief. “Who else is going to taste test?”

“Uh, nobody, because that’s my job for today? A privilege of being on the entrée team.”

“Just one?”

“One of many.” She smirked. “But I’m not giving up on our missing item! I’ll send a text to the group chat.” She dug out her phone and her thumbs flew across the screen, her charm bracelet jangling with its trio of silver birds. As they walked through the corridors, he kept a close eye, ensuring she wasn’t bumping into anything.

Their allotted kitchen space was looking rather colorful. Onions, garlic, ginger, cauliflower, peas, cans of coconut milk. Jars of spices were lined up on one end, their labels in large print. And in the midst of the ingredients, an open book waited, displaying the pages of the recipe.

He rolled up his sleeves. “So, we’re making two batches: mild and spicy.”

“Yup. Oh! Should we ask Mimir for input on the latter?”

“If she ever shows, and doesn’t she have a high tolerance? Like, she inhales what would kill everyone else?”

“Right…maybe not.”

“It was a nice thought.” He squeezed her shoulder. Years ago in Capra, he wouldn’t have imagined this scenario.

They hadn’t been close then; they shared mutual friends, but he was only aware of her as ‘the other Conjurer who was always in the stacks late at night’. Conversely, she knew him as ‘the guy who tried to descend the university into Hael itself’, but mercifully, she didn’t blame him at all. In fact, the first thing she asked upon their formal introduction was how he did it. The rest was history. The Shepherds had inherited a massive library from a Mage, and on their coinciding off days, the two of them claimed a study room and filled a whiteboard with spell runes and equations. She was bright and vivacious and daring; his younger self had made ignorant mistakes, and now, he could add overlooking her to the list.

After plenty of scrambling and bitten-off curses, some of which were Elvish, their main dish was bubbling. She ladled a spoonful, blew, and sampled. Her eyes shut as she broadly smiled.

“That good, huh?”

“Don’t take my word for it. Come on, try for yourself!” She grabbed a new spoon, taking from the top. Holding the steaming mixture to his mouth, she ordered. “Open wide!”

He chuckled. “Sharing a privilege?” However, he accepted. It was delicious, fragrant with coconut and bold with delayed heat. He ran his tongue across his lips to catch any left.

Her gaze didn’t waver. “Nope, it’s a second to see you eat something I helped make.”

“I hope your expectations were met.”

“Exceeded, for the entire morning actually. I love working with you.” She was incredibly close, her cheeks rosy. He tilted his head-

“Hello?” A timid voice called, and they both spun around to see Shery, standing at the threshold. Her hands shook as she lifted a large, familiar box. “Um…I saw your text to the group. Were you looking for this?”

“That’s it! Thank you sooo much, Shery!” Alcea bounded forward, relieving the other blond of the pressure cooker. “Where did you find it?”

“On our side.” She pushed the nose bridge of her glasses. “It was behind one of the trash cans.”

“We really appreciate it.” Red smiled. “We’ll save a bowl for you later. Mild, of course.”

She seemed very reassured. “I’ll look forward to it, and I’ll hold some fairy bread for you two. See you soon.” Just as silently as she arrived, she hurried off.

He peered at the box. “I’ve never used a pressure cooker before. Have you?”

“Not for curry.” She conceded, lowering it to the floor for unpacking. “But here, let me show you the basics!”

Settling in for the explanation, he watched her animated face with pleasure. This was a privilege he would claim for himself.

***

The van slowed to a stop for the red light, so Ayla propped her feet up on the dashboard. “Think a lot of people are going to show up?” They’d been traversing Haven for a second round, buying additional supplies and plastering the last of the flyers.

“It’s cheap food and entertainment. So, probably a fair amount.” Her companion answered, sliding his hands around the steering wheel. His green gaze didn’t move from the road. “Are you inviting anyone?”

“Who would I invite? You’ve been in Haven longer than I have.”

He huffed. “Sure, I have a head start of six months, but I’ve been away on missions. Some of them were with you.”

“As if I could forget.” The light changed, and the van continued on its path.

She had hoarded every piece of information she learned about him. He was an Elementalist like her, but his skillset was well-rounded, with a preference for ice. The tattoo under his collarbone was of three birds, belonging to a species with a distinctive call, which his clan had taken for their own name as well. That song had not been heard in decades though, and he always shut down when it came to the fate of Vale. He couldn’t join the military because he was Diminished, so he had been a mercenary for a number of years. He liked his khav strong and bitter, and his toast just this side of burnt. Alright, the last bit was extraneous, but it wasn’t like she wanted to make him breakfast or anything.

“Hey, E.”

“Yeah?” He responded in kind.

“What’s eggnog taste like?”

“Did they not have any in the desert?”

“It has raw eggs, right?” She glanced behind her, to the milk jugs and egg cartons they had purchased. The other bags had remained stationary, teeming with chocolate, peppermint sticks, and whipped cream cans. “It would spoil in the heat.”

The corner of his mouth pulled into a half-smile. “True. Did you ever have custard?”

“Something like that, a milk and rice pudding my parents gave me once.” She remembered the little bowl in her hands, how she licked the spoon clean. Her mother and father, grinning as they watched her try the dessert for the first time.

“It’s similar, but more drinkable. You add cinnamon or nutmeg, and sometimes, alcohol. If you don’t like it, you can just stick to the cocoa.”

“I’ll try both.” She countered. “Do you add spices to the cocoa too?”

“Some people do. I like mine with cinnamon and a pinch of chili powder.” Interesting. Another thing she learned.

The car in front suddenly braked, and she swore. The van lurched, Erigeron’s solid arm bracing over her front. As they halted, way too close to be comfortable, his other fist slammed the horn. Up ahead, a couple scurried across the road. Noticeably, there was no pedestrian crossing.

“Tourists.” She scoffed.

“Too busy looking around them to care about anyone else.” He was still touching her, and he slowly pulled away, studying her face. “You okay?”

“I’m good.” Her pulse was elevated from the near hit. The intensity of his stare made her shift in her seat. “Thanks.”

“No problem.” He twisted around to examine the back, grimacing. “Hope nothing’s broken.”

“That would really suck.”

They started moving again, and she glanced at the speedometer. He must have caught her wary expression, because his rough baritone added. “Don’t worry. I’ll take it slow.”

Damn, that was really smooth. She fixed her gaze out the window, trying to think of icicles and snowstorms.

It was a matter of minutes before they parked at headquarters. As soon as he removed the key from ignition, a familiar figure entered the garage.

“Oh, wonderful. I was just about to call you, darlings.” Lavinet tossed her hair and marched out to meet them. “Have you procured what’s left on our list?”

“Sure did.” He grunted and removed his seatbelt. “Check for yourself before we bring them in.”

“No need, I trust you two.”

Unloading was going to take longer than expected; they would need multiple trips. Fortunately, nothing seemed to be leaking. Ayla took a few bags, but he stopped her from grabbing the next.

“You can go inside first.”

“I can take more.”

He firmly clasped her shoulder. “Nah, just come back. Everything will be here, and you must be cold.”

She was, but she nudged his side. “Hurry up, won’t you? Elementalists can still get sick.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Nevertheless, he smirked. Stupid, sexy, silver-haired Mage.

Lavinet held the door and joined her for a short distance, eyes glittering. “How was your outing?”

“O-outing?” She spluttered. “We were running an errand, that’s it.”

A lofty laugh escaped the other woman, shielded by a fur-lined glove. “You aren’t fooling me at all. I noticed those little touches. I expect every detail over appetizers, dear.” With a wink and wiggle of her fingers, the heiress glided off to her next task.

“Hey!” Her protest went ignored. Burrowing her face in her scarf, she redirected an air current to cool down. It wasn’t enough.

***

The door opened, and Halek glanced towards the direction of the noise. “You’re late-” He stopped, noticing that while the newcomer also had violet eyes, she wasn’t who he was expecting. Black hair was styled in a braided crown, with a finger’s width of white weaving down the left side. One hand gently closed the door, as she hastily ducked her head.

“Sorry, I’m not Briony. We switched last minute. I’ll be helping you instead.” She went to the sink, quickly scrubbing her hands.

“Well, I’ll take any help right now. What’s your name?”

“Kalmia.” She even pronounced it the way a Hunter would, the first syllable in the back of her throat. But she was a Mage, apparent enough from her eyes, and her hair color automatically disqualified her from being a pure-blooded Hunter.

“Are you a Battle-Mage too?”

“No, I’m a Healer.”

“That’s better. Briony means well, but she tends to break things and I need the stove today.”

The corner of her mouth lifted, as she turned off the faucet. “I read the menu. It does seem like a lot…”

“It’s why we’re the first ones in the kitchen.” The pot roast was going to take most of the day to cook, and the glazed ham was a new addition to his repertoire. But he was excited to try.

She joined him in peeling the carrots and potatoes, introducing herself. She had been adopted by Hunters in Maj; he vaguely recognized the town as a former refugee campsite. After they passed, she slowly made her way to Haven. Meanwhile, this was the first year he spent beyond the largest Hunter city, The Reach. She didn’t fawn over who he was, and perhaps, that could be chalked up to how distant Maj had been. Either way, he was secretly happy.

By five, the pot roast was keeping warm in the slow cooker, and he closed the oven door on the ham. “This will be ready in a couple hours.”

“And what’s next?”

“Next, I’m going to take a nap. You can do what you want in the meantime. I’ll be in the back.”

“Oh. Alright.” She looked around, hesitant. “Um, sleep well?”

His attempt at a nod was more of a head droop. “Later.” The nearest break room had a decent couch and when he stirred awake, he felt a little better.

And the kitchen hadn’t burned down. Kalmia was taking a kettle off the stove and acknowledged his return with a little wave. Her braid had been undone, her hair falling in waves past her shoulders. “I made tea. Would you like some?”

“Sure.” He yawned. When he sat down, a steaming cup was waiting for him. The liquid was a dark gold color, still spinning gently. Used to the blends their quartermaster liked to offer, he expected sugary sweetness. Instead, this herbal tea was surprisingly mellow, like chamomile at first, before giving way to a deeper bittersweet flavor. Complex and refreshing. “This is just what I needed.”

She beamed, hands wrapped around her own cup. “It’s one of my favorites from when I was living in Leore.”

He stared at her for a few moments, before remembering to look away. “You have good taste.” His phone suddenly vibrated and he scowled at the caller ID. He let it ring, watching as the inevitable voicemail notification appeared.

“Is it a spam call?”

“Worse. My fiancé. You know, Hunters and their arranged marriages.”

“You don’t like her.”

“No, I don’t. But the other choice is to condemn everyone at home, depending on more new Hunters.”

Her expression was melancholy, and barely above a whisper, she said. “If you’re trapped, it’s not a choice at all.”

The sentiment warmed him as much as the tea did. But there was also the ring of truth in her words and the strength of memory in her distant gaze. He wondered what had happened to her, who could have hurt her. If he wanted to, he could reach across the table and pat her shoulder. Pushing the thought aside, he refilled their cups. “I have a recipe for almond cookies. It’d go well with this, next time.”

“I’d really like that. Thank you.”

The implicit promise cut through the tension, and he exhaled. “I’m free whenever. In the past, I always liked Wintersun, because I have the time to cook, eat, and sleep. Or because it has ‘sun’ in the name.” Halek dryly noted.

“Oh, that’s right. I like Wintersun too. The hanging laurel especially.” She sounded wistful. “Probably because Kalmia means laurel. But you already know that.” She added, self-conscious.

“Mm. Did your parents want you to fly?”

She laughed, for the first time that day. She seemed almost surprised by it, and tried to answer him but her giggles kept breaking through. “Me, flying? As a baby?”

Happiness suited her better than sorrow, and he started to shake with repressed laughter too, at the mental imagery of a pair frantically running after a dark-haired infant drifting away from a farmhouse. He didn’t have to think of other traditions involving laurel.

***

The icing smeared in a runny white trail, drawing a groan from Briony.

“Come on!” She glared at the sugar cookie she was currently decorating, and then at the rest of the tray she had wreaked havoc on. She thought switching to the dessert team would be more fitting to her skillset and it was, until the baking was done. Somehow, all of her miniature Shepherds appeared awkwardly proportioned at best and hideous at worst.

“Everything okay?” The kind voice meant to comfort but she only felt more ashamed. Gentian’s recreation of Tangriel’s Tower was the most impressive cake she’d ever seen, with its fudgy center and raisin-lined battlements. Also...he was really cute in an apron, with his blue-black hair gathered into a bun for convenience. Really cute, even if she was kind of jealous.

“Oh, it’s just fantastic.” She grumbled. “How do you make everything look so tasty?”

“I don’t know?” He sheepishly shrugged. “How are your-oh. Well...they’re definitely original.”

“That’s one way to put it.” Yeah, her creations stood out, compared to the cake, Tallys’s individual servings of Elvish trifles, and Shery’s traditional fairy bread. “But they should taste okay! I think...”

Gentian reached for one of the smaller cookies, intended to be one of the few replicas of herself and topped with light pink frosting and violet sprinkles for her eyes. He took a bite; she held her breath. She tried not to stare at his throat as he swallowed.

“This was your first time making them?”

“Technically, yeah. Shery read the recipe I was using and said it seemed alright. I just followed the instructions and hoped for the best. I mean, I don’t remember baking anything before.” Briony nervously laughed. Beyond the past few months, she only knew her name and the password to her phone, which had been wiped clean. The Shepherds had found her in an underground fighting ring, where he slipped inside to recruit her. The glaring lights had targeted his figure when he stepped forward as her next challenger. Unassuming at first glance, but she immediately recognized he was a skilled fighter, just by how he moved. “Anyway, what do you think?”

He smiled. “I think if the rest of the tray is just like this one, you won’t have any left at the end of tonight. It’s delicious.”

“Really?!”

“Try one for yourself.”

She chose another doughy Shepherd, a navy-colored mess, and chomped it down before he could notice. It was slightly warm, the edges crispy. Vanilla and sweet icing filled her mouth. “Ah, it’s good! I need to save that recipe…it should be in my phone’s history.”

“If you need help tracking it down, I can help.”

“That’d be great! But didn’t you only see it during this morning’s meeting?”

“It was enough.”

Now, she was certainly confused. “You memorized it in less than a minute?”

Hesitantly, he replied. “I have an eidetic memory.”

“Eidetic?” The word was unfamiliar.

“Photographic is another word. I don’t forget anything I’ve seen or experienced once.”

“Wow, that’s amazing! That’s like the opposite of my problem.” That earned her a laugh, which was encouraging. She paused. “But if you don’t forget anything, that includes things you don’t want to remember, right?”

“Yes, that’s true.” He became quiet, his thoughts obviously far away. She’d seen him like this on occasion, especially around the Ket members.

She strode around the table and as his blue gaze drifted to her, she hugged him.

“Briony?” His soft voice had dipped low, and the vibration against her cheek made her heart flutter.

“You look like you needed a hug. And Wintersun is exactly the time for hugs. Well, so is Lovelace Day, but that’s not right now!” Lovelace Day was also a long ways off, and she imagined it would be nice to spend it with him. If he agreed. “Is this okay?”

“It is.” His hand touched between her shoulder blades, with the lightest pressure. She was about to hold him tighter when there was the distinct sound of a throat clearing. Immediately, they let go of each other. Tallys stood at the door, appearing spotless despite the day’s work.

“I was about to ask if you two had finished.” She gave them a very pointed look. “But it looks like you just started. See you around.” As she spun on her heel, she was definitely smirking.

“Oops.” Briony grinned at him. He was even cuter when he blushed. “She crept up on us.”

“I should have noticed though.” He sighed but smiled when he finally met her gaze again. His expression was gentle, without a trace of sadness. “Thank you.”

“No problem. If you’d like any more hugs, just let me know.” She spread her arms in offering.

“I’ll remember.” His tattooed wrist lifted, and he quickly tugged a lock of her pink hair, his fingertips brushing her cheek. While she was still processing that, he cited a need for more powdered sugar and headed out.

Alone, she pressed her hands to her burning face. Maybe, she could pass by him under the hanging laurel later…

***

The party lasted into the late hours of the night, and by the end of it, the Shepherds were exhausted and trudging during the cleanup. The leftover prizes were fought over, though most somehow ended up in Caine’s arms, and there was enough cake remaining to bring home, so no one was going to leave unsatisfied. The laurel branches had been plucked clean, petals stuck to sleeves and clinging to mussed hair. The unanimous consensus was that it had been a success, one final fun celebration together before they began anew. And really, that was what Wintersun was all about.

#shepherds of haven #havenholiday2020 #standard disclaimer that i'm sorry if i've made mistakes

[knoepfchen]

Wednesday, september and forever? 💖

hegel!! 💕💕 hello hello and thank you for the ask :3

wednesday: name a fic which you have posted which you think is underrated?

ohhh this is such a tough question 😅 i say this because i think anyone who writes fic for more than one ship will have this feeling that the work they put into a slightly rarer pair or gen fic is not appreciated as much as the stuff they post for more popular pairings. (yes, i’m trying to phrase this as diplomatically as possible, but i know you know what i mean^^)

that being said; this fic has been of the most research-intensive yet softest things i’ve written and when i re-read recently i noticed i had written it off because it didn’t get a lot of interaction, but i’m actually very proud of it as an andy character study.

september: share a comment or review which still warms your heart?

so fun fact, i actually have a little folder of screenshots of favourite comments saved on my phone so i can look at them when i feel sad, because comments are A GIFT, and i’ve also featured a few of my favourite “reviews” in my fic masterpost 😊

but my absolute, absolute favourite is this gem from @pinesboi on true lovers, strange capers, which makes me laugh every single time i read it:

forever: do you balance fic writing with original concept stuff?

only in the sense that i’m very bad at it 😅 i wrote a shoddy first draft of a novel last year that’s in desperate need of editing but that i’ve completely ignored in favour of writing TOG fic, although i’ve started sketching out another idea for an original thing these past weeks that i hope i’ll be able to dedicate a bit more time to this summer. (it’s just... hard, because there’s no feedback while you’re writing, and i always feel like i don’t know the characters even though they’re my own, so. yeah. we’ll see how it goes. if you see me posting fic, safe to say i’m not working on it, though^^)

(send me a time themed fanfic ask)

#my fic #rowdilya

[universallywriting]

Drive Home

Steven's breath puffed in the air as he came to sit beside her, feet crunching in the frost and pine needles. He was glad they'd planned it the way they did, just cold enough so the Rocky Mountains were dusted with snow. Specks of brown and green covered the mounds that swallowed up the horizon, towering and beautiful, almost touchably close and endlessly far at the same time. Pine trees circled close around them, boulders jutting up from the earth, and he came to sit down on one beside Connie with a smile.

It was odd up in the mountains. Occasionally hikers would pass them by, or a family of tourists, but off the more well-worn trails that was rare. It was still odd for Steven, who so rarely traveled, to see so many people pass him by that he didn’t know the names of. So often he felt like he should see Buck’s familiar deadpan face, or hear Jenny’s laugh from one of the people that passed him by.

But the only familiar face was Connie’s. The thermos of tea he had brought her was hot in the metal flask. When they drove lower, he would switch back to her favorite black teas, carefully measured with swirls of honey and just the right kind of milk to make her smile. But high up in the mountains, the water didn’t boil hot enough.

Just thinking of her face the first morning she’d tried to make them both tea at 10,000 feet was enough to make him smile. The weak brew had made her nose wrinkle up in confusion, baffled at her perfectly measured cup failing, before she burst into giggles and explained the correlation between how water boiled and the altitude.

She was so brilliant. He handed it to her, enjoying the feel of being stupidly in love and out in the world alone with her before murmuring, “How do you feel?”

"Small. But in a good way. You?" She took a deep breath of mountain air, looking over the landscape. He wondered if she felt the same as him, or if we-moved-a-lot Connie never felt that same warm loneliness.

"Same." He smiled and looked back out. Questions about wanting to see familiar faces could be saved for the road home when they were barefoot and bored. “Wish I had come to places like this more often. Oceans are beautiful but... Nothing makes you feel more like a speck than a mountain. It's comforting."

"Just another little person, running across a big marble." She nudged him softly with her free hand. "Gets a little too much when you really see the marble though. I think going out in space can make Earth feel a little too small."

Steven nodded. "Yeah. This is a good middle ground. Earth feels big. I feel small. I like it this way.”

“Why don’t we stay?” Connie asked lightly. “Drive around forever.”

“I could be happy getting lost in these woods,” he agreed, but there was no weight to it. There was no weight to her words either. They swept away in the breeze, tumbling down stone and needles and babbling brooks to the world beneath.

"Me too." Her fingers wrapped tight around the sketchbook in her lap, the cover digging into her skin just at the brink of hurting. "I'm, um... I'm done with it, by the way. With my portfolio. I’ll submit it in the morning."

"That's great!" Steven said, throwing his arm around her shoulders with an eager squeeze. His lips found her temple in a reassuring kiss, seeing the nerves in the stiff lines of her body. "I'm so proud of you. Did the landscapes turn out the way you wanted?"

She opened her sketchbook and Steven eagerly looked over her shoulder, never tiring of the contents. It started with the temple. The morning they left Steven had found her on the beach, wrapped up in a hoodie in the early dawn chill, sketching his home and occasionally sipping at a coffee that had gone cold, and though she had insisted it wasn’t important, he had happily delayed their start until she finished.

Connie flipped to fields of grain. Traveling the midwest had been much less exciting than he expected. Keystone had rolled by and their eyes had glazed over as everything seemed to be the same three trees and two rocks. They had burst into Buckeye and passed through Kansas and had mumbled incoherently about corn while the radio tried to keep them alive and driving. That night they had stared at Connie’s grain drawing with a ghostly horror, neither of them remembering when she had drawn the stuff.

She moved past a drawing of rolling grassy hills. In Nebraska, he had floated to the top of the RV with her. While she drew, he had read about the Great Plains on his phone. They had taken a moment, in warm breeze and isolation, to let tears hit their eyes and cries choke their lungs as they read about what happened to buffalo who had roamed there once. They had whispered about colonies of all kinds, and there was no one around to reassure them, so they took the time to mourn things that might have been.

They had done the same in sand dunes, or close to it. The sketch she passed held more memory than a picture, the grays of her pencil capturing more than just the desert, but him breaking down over Kindergartens sucking life from the earth. Another sketch just after, with a lovely pink flower blossoming on top of a cactus, and he could hear her voice reassuring, “Nothing’s as lifeless as you’d think.”

Connie paused on his favorite, the polar bear she had sketched from the San Diego Zoo. They had spent such a long day there, but when they got to the polar bears she had stopped and gushed about them. The Spirit Morph saga had inspired her to do research, and she rambled facts. Polar bears had terrible success rates, with only two percent of their hunts being successful, did he know? 

He really liked that idea. The largest bear of all, living in such a harsh environment, failed almost all the time. It fumbled and watched as victory slipped away, but it came back to try another day. It survived.

She finished on a sweeping mountain landscape, not too different from the one they sat in now. Connie set her phone next to it, a copy of her finished project next to the rougher draft. "That's the last one," she said quietly, pointing to the screen. "I think it turned out okay."

"It makes Earth look beautiful. I’d put it in a gem brochure," he reassured. “You chose a lot of amazing stuff.”

She bit her lower lip. “I hope so. I tried to choose what a school would think is best, not just the stuff I think is great. The stuff that shows skill, you know?

He kissed her cheek this time, saying, "Any school is going to be lucky to have you. You're amazing, Connie."

"I'm okay," she said, voice very practical about her own skills. Connie looked at him with a little laugh. "I don't know what's scarier - getting rejected or getting in. Mom was mad enough about the world US road trip gap year."

"She got over it! You know, after the meltdown." Steven said, wincing a little at the memory. He had sat behind her, trying to support her as quietly as possible while Priyanka and Connie growled and snapped at one another, each insisting on how the next year should be spent. And, at the end, the tearful apologies, the confessions of fear over the future… He had to admit that it was a relatable feeling, even if no one had fought with him.

"She'll get over this too. Come on. This is what you've always wanted. You're going to be an animator, Connie,” he said, and just saying the word made her eyes go a little wide with hope. 

He remembered her earliest drawings with him, rougher but already so much nicer than his own. He remembered her working through how to draw anime books, silly cat-eared characters with huge eyes. Steven remembered her fumbling beyond that, hours of Tubetube tutorials, crying at the tablet he got her for her birthday, the countless gifts of fanart for his favorite shows. He remembered trembling hands the first time she showed him a comic, with characters he had never seen, because she had snatched them from the air the way he grabbed music.

Steven knew he was tearing up again like he did every time he told her, but he could never hold it back. “It’s what you live for, Connie. It’s what makes you happy. You're going to tell stories."

Connie breathed again, taking in pine and chill and rocks older than even the Crystal Gems by orders of magnitude. The world was big and wide and old, the universe even more so, and usually that made her problems feel small. But nothing could swallow up the fear and doubt today. She took his hand tight in her own.

"This has been amazing. Driving across the country, seeing all these different parts of the world, pitstops to warps so we can see everything Earth has to offer. Steven, I..."  She looked up at him, shaking her head in disbelief. "These past ten months have been the best months of my life. Everyone said we were going to get sick of each other. Your dad gave us that speech about how it was okay to bail. Everyone thought we were going to mess this up but... I'd do this for another year if it wasn't for college."

He was careful not to jostle her phone or sketchbook from her lap as he lifted her hand and pressed it to his lips. "I loved this. I love you. No expectations. No scary future. No responsibilities. Just a big journey together.”

“I’m glad you loved it as much as I did,” she said with a smile.

“More than that. I needed it.” He laughed and shook his head. “Connie, I never could have asked for anything better than this. Everything at home was a mess. I’m so tired of all the work and responsibility and wondering what I’m going to do with my life. But this past year I just got to be with you and not be afraid."

"But now we have to go home," she whispered looking at the RV parked behind them. The place where they slept and ate. The place where they made stupid jokes and listened to terrible radio and podcasts. The place where they’d cried and kissed and worked through things they never thought they’d work through. But that was over now, and it loomed like a hearse. “We have to get in there and drive all the way back to Beach City. And then I... I have to wait to see if I get accepted.”

She laughed, cold and bitter, and took a hand to wipe at her eyes. He couldn’t see any tears falling, but Connie felt them stinging. “I’ve messed up on a lot of stuff, Steven. I know I seem smart, but most of it is from studying so hard. I’m not… special. I’m not talented. The odds are good they’re not gonna want me. And if they don't, I guess I'll go be a doctor or something. And, if they do, I..."

I’m screwed either way.

Steven shook his head hard. "You'll be an animator," he insisted. He took the thermos and set it aside, untouched, just so he could take both her hands in his. "You'll do exactly what you've been doing ever since I met you - telling stories. You'll finally get to be who you've always wanted to be."

She winced. "But my mom-"

"Who cares?" Steven said, barely holding back his temper. "We spent a year, just the two of us! You don’t need her to agree."

"Ten months," she corrected softly. "But, you're right. We did."

Steven didn’t like his temper. He didn’t like how angry he got. He didn’t like how easily he could drag Connie into it, drown her in it when they fused. He felt guilty about that. He worried about that a lot, that maybe his anger meant he wasn’t as good of a person as he liked to try to be. He loved Dr. and Mr. Maheswaran, didn’t he? His anger shouldn’t be so burning and flaring when all they wanted was for Connie to be safe.

But his feelings for her parents got tangled in his own, and when he started down that path he felt that little voice hissing that they should leave them alone, and that they could do things on their own, and for once they wanted to live their own lives and forge their own paths, and was it really so much to ask for unconditional support in that?

Steven took a steady breath to calm himself. "She should be in your life. The gems should be in my life. But nobody... Nobody gets to tell you what to do with it. It took me so long to figure that out. I didn't get that making other people happy and hurting yourself to meet their expectations aren't the same thing. I spent my whole life trying to be my mom. I didn't know what to do when I wasn't."

Connie nodded weakly. "I know."

He took her face in his hands, pressing her forehead to hers. "You're not your mom. You never have been. You don’t love rules and coloring inside the lines. You sneak candy into movies and find loopholes in the law and climb giant robots and... And you love books. And comics. And television. You love survival." 

Steven flipped back to the polar bear, gently tapping the page. "You drew this because of the warrior bears in the Spirit Morph Saga, because those books meant everything to you, and you want to make something like that for other people. That’s who you are. You want to inspire people like people who have inspired you."

She closed her eyes, trying not to cry. “I know. But I’m… I don’t know if I…”

“I’ve seen you capture Pearl on a page, and I can see all her determination and all her fear at the same time,” he whispered. “I’ve seen you draw your dad as a superhero, with a goofy flashlight and a big smile, because that’s who he was when you were small. You… You drew me, Connie.”

His thumbs smoothed over her cheeks as he took a shuddering breath. “You drew me the way you love me. It was just me, sleepy in our RV, and I looked peaceful and happy and I was looking outside and… and I could feel the way I love our stupid little rock. I was human and not human and I loved it, Connie. You made me feel so much.”

“I know, Steven. I know you feel the things I make but…” She whimpered, the tears he hadn’t seen before finally rolling. “What if I'm not good enough? What if I reach for Kansas and burn out halfway there?"

Steven hugged her tight, and let her bury her face in his shoulder. They were all alone up there, softly rustling trees holing them up from the terrifying landscape ahead. But there were such beautiful things below, pressed into the pages of Connie’s sketchbook, and it was time to face them all.

“I’ll pick you up.” His face buried in her hair, thoughts of their families fresh in his mind, and there was only one thing to promise, "I'll drive you home. And we'll all love you anyway."

#jamweek #steven universe #connverse #connie maheswaran #su fanfic