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lolottes · 1 year

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Good ok a story idea where we are terrible with Danny. So I read ideas of the king/prince taken prisoner by his own people, the halfas are hyper fertile compared to the classic ghost, the classic man in white who captures him and experiments with him, vlad loses control of events ,that his obsession is love then turns into family, the justice league who summons a ghost king to fall on a Danny more than hurt than hurt, the Martians using mind reading to prevent disaster and establish communication, the young justice who is entrusted with Danny... Yes all of this combining

Danny makes a very big fight and ends up weakened, a hunter shot hits him directly in the core, he is taken to the ghost zone in an area where the time is strongly distorted so that very little time is spent in humans compared to time immence that a healing of nuclei needed, he is entrusted to Lunch lady and box ghost because lunch lady is the best to feed a human and boxi is extremely talented to return to the human world where he is not really seen as a real threat, moreover these two already share a lair for a while so they will cohabit without problem

The drugs to regenerate Danny's core are working well, very well, too well... lunch box born.

The ghost couple who have been looking for a child for a long time now are ecstatic and the news spreads quickly, very quickly, children born in the ghost zone are rare and difficult to have, many ghosts are in the same situation as boxy and lady lunch...

And then... lunch box is exceptionally powerful, more than its two parents combined... Even if the two ghosts would try to hide Danny's involvement. The timing is too obvious... it goes back to the observer

Danny's recovery, even far from the far frozen, is really going well, and even if the birth of lunch box was a weird thing, but he lived more weirder thing and everyone is happy. Danny returns to the human world not even a day later. And he comes back healthy and with a more positive view of live in the Ghost Zone.

There are still several big fights but not to the point of hurting Danny's core again but this last one takes the habit of recovering in the very distorted temporal area and the place somehow becomes his unofficial haunt.

Then Danny reveals himself to his parents by accident, it goes wrong, his friends try to free him but get caught, Danny is transported to the men in white. There is a new release attempt, his friends barely escape from the attempt..

He has decided to bring out the heavy artillery. The pharaoh's scepter is out, Sam uses the fenton peeler, some ghost helps. This time it works but Tucker dies during this, Sam is badly injured and eventually dies from his injuries.

The men in white recover pieces of the peeler and connect the rescue to the fenton.

Fenton work falls, the place is looted, the parents fenton already disown dies or is imprisoned, it is not very clear when Danny learns. .... he only has his sister, his sister who takes him alone in the zone without worrying about the risks for herself, his beloved sister, his last anchor...

Danny is in a comatose state and Jazz uses everything she knows to avoid problems and even learn more, especially about the true laws of the area. The observers are curiously useful but do not know them and their passive jazz has no real reason to suspect them

The observers are ecstatic, they manage to make this miserable human learn the rules of succession and they have just finished trapping the crown and the ring for the abobination!!!

Clockwork, there is closely watched but manages to put the justice league on the trail of the destruction of a government center, then on the secret department which was the reason for the targeting. Ensuring that no big attack hits Amity ville is already a little more complicated... But now that they are there with zatana and constantine present to investigate FW, he can let Vlad's attack go. Thanks to this, they discover halfa, discovering that the identity of Phamtom after that is not so hard, discovering that he saved their world several times alone either. Getting them to learn for the coronation is much harder though and he can't do it until it happens.

The coronation arrives, Jazz and Danny go there being told that it's the best way to unify the ghosts to counter the men in white while spanking them to stop harming the living. But the argument that we use observers to make Danny fall in love with the idea and the fact that it will legitimize jazz's safe place in the ghost zone. Jazz she thinks that the acquisition of royal artifacts and their ability to amplify the power of their bearer will make that no more human weapon will hurt her little brother. Jazz is not wrong....

The coronation is done in a small committee, a heavy cape is put on Danny's shoulders, keeping him on the ground during the event... it will never be taken away from him. The crown is placed on his head but instead of the flame ice filling on it and fixing it on his head, nothing is alarming and it's rather pretty... the crown ice is powered by Danny but not controlled by him and can cover much more than the top of his head. When they have to put on the ring he hesitates... but we promise him that it's not a rage ring anymore, that's not a lie

As the JL/JLD searches vlad's properties the ground shakes. They thus find the secret underground which was only accessible normally with ghost intangibility. But once discovered, thanks to deadmen, it is easy to use magic to circumvent this kind of problem. There he finds a jazz fenton who is no longer really a teenager just entering adulthood but above all who is dying on the ground, many vials of unknown substance on the ground while the traces indicate that she has somehow sort of crawling on some sort of mini spaceship that snuck through Vlad's portal to try and find something. She asks to save her brother in a last breath before losing knowledge. She showed her arm where she is tattooed with a circle of family invocation confirms once again the identity of Phamtom. By studying uthe ectoplasmic green tattoo, it seems to change automatically. Jazz is brought in but dies on the way to the watchtower.

They poisoned jazz, the observers poisoned jazz and only give him his medicine to not succumb to it if he keeps calm and quiet. He would do anything for jazz, the only one who loves it, for his big sister, for the last human, no, the last person who can be trusted. There is no way that the ghosts don't know what's going on, it's at least the 3rd child that exists with "his help". But it's for jazz, so he shuts up, if he's wise enough he leaves it with her...

It's been 2 children since he has seen jazz....it's her children numbers how many? he stopped counting when it moved the dozen...

The justice league on carefully preparing the circle of invocation modified from the family circle of jazz, now frozen in his death. The circle glows directly after it is finished, not a word or gift put in place, it briefly ignites before the flames become salagtites and frost devours the place. A supernatural blizard rages and shatters the salgtites into dust which coalesces into a hunched figure on the ground, two solid, glowing green eyes open and seem to stare directly into their souls.

Martian Manhunter steps forward and the blizzard stills, causing the room to transform from a storm to a suspension of small star-like crystals as the lights come back on with the receding frost and the temperature returns to normal.

Danny calls himself, he opens his eyes temporarily curious, only jazz knows the sigil he chose as equivalent to Phamtom, but it is clearly not jazz. Actually it's not jazz... it's... justice league? why now? he can't leave otherwise.. they have jazz, he can't leave.... As he is about to close his eyes again and deny the invocation a voice resounds in his head "They don't have your sister" He stops and concentrates on the advancing figure. "she came to us so that we can save you" pearls of tears flow while her real body is covered with frost preparing for the trip then in a breath he is done with his prison which has never really been golden. He doesn't even leave a snowflake behind him. He barely gets up from the circle when the cape covers him almost entirely, the crown grows larger on his head and his neck is frozen in the ice which continues to crawl on his body. The ring shines and all motivation escapes him as he collapses to the ground.

Martian Manhunter and others rush to grab him but he falls so fast, the cape pulling him to the ground. The ice slapping on the ground makes the station vibrate by the force of the shock. But this ice doesn't even have a small crack unlike the now deformed ground. Constantine swears violently by already taking out various tools and zanata has started casting various spells against the artifacts. the Martians informs the league about the altering mental state of their young guest.

When news of the King's escape breaks out, Danny's villains are confused. How's that for an escape? Danny's haunt has always been Amity Park. It is normal for him to leave the infinite realm. It was already strange that he stayed so long on his recovery island where the old castle was moved, they thought it was because there was no active king for so long. But now....

It takes several days and a lot of coffee to remove the curse on the crown and then even more time for that of the ring. But Danny's mind is now free and he panics, WHERE'S THE JAZZ! his calls and pleas for his sister resound again and again in a phantom height which denies any isolation or obstacle

Martian Manhunter is still the one to intervene as Danny panics at anyone else's approach. The Martians quickly inform them that the young king is somehow terrorized to be approached by humans especially in a medical environment and is left alone with him even if the JLD is just on the other side of the door or the glass. After many efforts and telepathic speech, the young adolescent finally calms down. .. until it is revealed to him the death of his sister

A cracking sound echoes throughout the Infinite Realms and all its subjects. The king's sister is dead. The sister who was under the protection of the observers after the coronation. The investigations (can be discreet) of the young king's acquaintances and the declaration of escape quickly replaced by a declaration of disappearance or abduction... The ghost people have many questions and the pain and dismay of their king resonating in them and the last taste. Dani recently back in the ghost zone most of the regulars of amity park and many citizens go to the castle and the council of observers who find themselves overwhelmed. Dani's core guides her into the council's basement. Accompanied by Embers Kitty and Jonny, Elle comes across almost forty young children who resemble her on a fundamental level. They are his children... but no... they are the children of his original. Dani isn't a fighter, so people forget about her, but she's barely below Danny in terms of raw power even though getting into it knocks her out.

A second echo from the king echoes beneath the council's location, this time in fury. A royal order is shouted to bring down the observers resounds in all.

The trio stare wide-eyed at Dani before she walks up to the kids and starts hugging them, everyone rushing towards her. They were like her, born of Danny but without consent, she won't leave them alone, she promises them in a low voice. the trio look at each other and nod, Jonny and Embers go back to inform people of the situation, the prince has been used, raped (even if not physically because useless with ghost biologic logic, it's still rape for me) Kitty pauses a hand on Dani's shoulder as the Phantoms cry now in an all too big group hug. But the question is that they leave Phantom and his family alone again, king, superpowered ghost, protector of amity park or whatever, it's just a human teenager doubling up as a ghost child.

The presence of two royal echoes, the Devastation of Mourning and the Fury of Betrayal, had another effect... A Dan breaks out of his prison. He doesn't know who's making him feel all this again, but he's not going to just stand still and take it. CW lets him pass. that is permission enough for him. He will first go to the source of anger.

So it was that a Dan who had just sensed the royal order moved in a straight line across the realm like a meteor slamming into the Watcher's Council building already there. half destroyed in the uprising of the people. It was not long before they were beaten until they retired to their pits at the hand of a Dan, a third king saluted by the people as he sent an echo informing of the fall of the observers. He didn't really understand the reaction of the ghost crowd or of his royal statue recunnued by his last but didn't delay more than that. Returning to the source of the second echo by cutting through the walls.

This is how Dan and Danny meet for the first time. Recognition then non-recognition passed in their eyes. Then Dan looked at the children, These children!!! not his children but definitely HIS family!

A violent echo of family claim over the group and Dan joins the giant hug and begins to talk to Dani (and kitty who is standing at a distance because wtf is this danny not danny who restrains his oppressive aura at 0%?!? (in fact if he represses part of it well) since when Danny is also powerful for Dani then this guy can unleash so much power then repress it just as fast in Dani's case) Dan understands the situation a little better, this Dany also experienced betrayal, the loss of his fear then again the betrayal then the loss of jazz... that's a lot.... he won't be able to manage everything.. .and with His children... no, Danny cannot go wild... Dani and he must find him while taking care of His children. Danny's echo is missing and his location is unknown, just not in the ghost zone... They are going to need help... And he's the only "adult"...he was an adult who has an obsession with family. Neither he or Dani like the idea but they have no other idea so... Vlad

Meanwhile, on Danny's side (and DC characters), right after danny sends the first echoe, ik starts crying uncontrollably, wail escapes and goes wild, John Jones has no choice but to phase shift him out and call in the Green Lanterns for backup. the small group finds itself in a catastrophe in the void, the lantern going together to maintain an air bubble around the children. For all of them, this seems to last for hours until Danny runs out completely and becomes has its human form and falls into a half unconsciousness.

There follows a very long mental discussion where Danny has no filter but also little coherence. The league must take a decision. They can't send him back to the realm of infinity, neither can they imprison him or put him in a comma just because of his power he's innocent worse he's one of them, a hero, a very very traumatized child hero with a lot of trust issues. They'll keep him in the station, in a room right against the void of space, and watched over by at least a Martian and a Green Lantern.

Danny wakes up with Miss Martian at his bedside and becomes attached to her immediately; not human not ghost and redhead, "winning" combos. Megan finds him adorable especially when he begins to follow her like a second shadow. The others find it a little disturbing the speed of it but Danny does not have another crisis and he speaks through the mental links to the Martians, then to the other through them then becomes verbal with the Martians and shortly after with the members of the young justice who visits him and Megan. in short, several litle arc of character to learn to trust again

Meanwhile other Vlad escapes/disappears. We don't talk about it to Danny and we don't hear about Vlad anymore. Even his money somehow disappears. The ghost attacks have been organized and meticulously target the buildings of the men in white only. But since they didn't call for help, no deaths were recorded and they were already on the JL's blacklist. They look away while watching for a possible development of the situation

Now the bulk of the healing period and Danny's return to normal with a lot of little character arc that I'm not going to describe because it's gods already super long

Danny finally comes down to earth and is installed in Mount Justice and follows Megan's daily activities except for missions and school. returning to the watchtowers during school time, he makes up for his absence there with a bespoke Bat-approved program. But he becomes extremely nervous with each YJ mission especially if Megan is on the front line, he is surprised on several occasions hacking the communications to follow the progress of the mission or in tinkering trains of the armaments for the team (he quickly secured mt justive and the ghost watchtower and give ghost weapons to any hero he attaches to, it became the sign of Danny's attachment, if he loves you and accepts you he gives you a sci-fi weapon). The only thing that seems to calm him down is when we finish taking him to force him into first care and then to emergency care, which is becoming more and more complicated. It still takes a long week and a lot of insistence from Danny for him to be allowed to help on a small mission. It's going well and the importance of the missions increases

Then a more public mission arrives and what remains of the men in white, amity parkeur know that Danny phantom is "alive", them and ghost but above all the new and large Phamtom family living in a huge mansion bought by vlad under a brand new identity, now know it's the JL/YJ who have Danny.

On the side of the Phantom family, it is going well. Vlad, after a period of adaptation, blossoms into being the grandfather/uncle of an army of children who have no liking over him and who let themselves be drowned in gifts and affection. They have so many different centers of attention! He uses and abuses doubles almost continuously. Suffice to say that he has a lot to learn to be able to follow everyone's passions, he no longer has a second to himself to even think of being a bad guy. And he would change his situation for nothing in the world!!!

Dan is a bit similar without the cascade of gifts, he is everywhere all the time, he named all the children so that their initial remains DP (because he finds it funny, Dani approves, Vlad is appalled but has to help offer more from name to D') With Danni he also organizes the volunteers for the raids on the men in white as well as the last faithful to the observer, who was barely countable on the fingers of his hands, almost everyone hating them without saying so, but hiding in the ghost zone is easy. It's Dani the most absent from the house. She does a lot of little running to the right and left so as not to appear on radar, spies and infiltrates the facilities of the men in white and prepares the assault of Dan's team, taking advantage of her appearance as a lost child / children thorough streets.

Many of Amity Park's usual ghost to see become honorary uncles or aunts. Boxy and lady lunch feel guilty that it all started with them but we took the situation head on, lady lunch cooks for everyone, boxy makes enthusiastic speeches about how to be a scared ghost and help Dani Finding supplies for children and building a network of parents of ghost children to help with ghost education, he is the first ghost to realize that halfas don't have the basic knowledge of ghost culture at their fingertips creation and decided to change that. Skulker is the one who stalks the faithful to the observers with Dan, the two become strangely very good friends (Skulker is also the only enthusiast to hear about the "good old days" when Dan killed everyone) Technus was the most versatile all-rounder, he is the one who moved money and created a vast network of bank accounts around the world, who organized the random programs to choose the places for the next food shopping, technological equipment and the many gifts. He eavesdrops on the MiW's electronic communications, participates in the raid to prevent things like emergency calls, and erases all traces of ghost activity. It is also fun to equip the games room with a multitude of video games and films even if his notion of what is ok for such and such an age is more than wobbly. Ember takes care of musical awakening and lullabies. She is also part of Dan's attack team. But she especially loves being part of the cool aunt and uncle group that sneaks in the sweets lady lunch disapproves of, with kitty and johnny. Kitty likes to take care of the youngest children but doesn't like having to be the time-out manager because neither vlad nor dan are able to resist her kids (and they know it) and is one of the few ghosts allowed to raise the voice over them. She is johnny love to teach them old slang and biker slang. johnny is much more absent because with Dani he is the main person in charge of the supply being one of the rare ghosts to be able to completely hide his ghostly side, that's his bikes we put him in the role. Moreover with his speed and Shadow at his side allows him to easily escape. He does it to complain too much time we leave it to him and kitty time and money for dating. He also had fun customizing the children's bikes with them and Youngblood behind the backs of "responsible adults". Youngblood is generally forbidden around the Phamtom/Masters mansions, if he is allowed it is under strict surveillance. But he infiltrates regularly, it is indirectly he who allowed the security of the manor to be so good. Amorpho passes from time to time but rarely and especially to relegate the information he has picked up right and left, he does not like to take risks or be at the manor and children but is part of himself who had quickly put away their side and accepts to take any direction on or seek information which is already a lot being really not a fighter. Fright Knight eqt the last but not the least strange uncle of the family, and Dan's trio of friends. In Danny's absence he considers him the king for orders but his equivalent for the rest. It is he who organizes the bulk of the forces for the attacks and who prevents the inhabitants of the kingdom of infinity from coming to earth to return to search for their king. When informal he is a tired man who likes to drink but bemoans the inability to get drunk.

(Clockwork is too busy keeping things going to be part of the family. Frostbite is the family doctor but stays far away so no family either. Princess Dorathea helps deal with the civil disorder but stays in the Phantom Zone. Cujo is Cujo. And I don't know what to do with Pandora, surely one of the civil calm helpers who occasionally helps in the raid. walker and wolf are too busy with their own thing I guess, one from the chaos of the ghost zone and the other from being a fugitive)

But now that the revelation that Danny is with the justice league is spreading, the balance of this more than chaotic royal family is called into question. Dan killed them all and had fun doing it, Vlad is already a criminal and will be sent back to prison directly so .... remains Dani, who is not keen on getting on the radar and losing his anonymity which is its greatest strength and treasure. But it's for Danny, she needs to at least check he's okay, tell him that she and her future evil as well as her worst enemies and most of her regular fighters are taking care of her unwanted children and her rauyaume just as little wanted and that he can stay having fun with his great friends and recover, they take care of the MiWs, don't worry .... yep it's not going to be easy

At amity park we don't know what to think, Phantom abandoned them? He's been missing for over a year now. Why did he never come back? ect Only the huntress intervenes to remind them that when Sam trucker jazz and she asked for help to save "their hero" they barely marched with a few banners for at least 2-3 days before returning to their lives. He owes them nothing and even she continues to care for some of the animal ghosts alone since never receives anything from them, hardly any thanks from time to time are rare. As if someone who fights ghosts for them is their due. But now that there is hardly any more attack is that small, she will leave, they have years to learn to defend themselves alone

The men in white are angry, the league is hiding Phamtom from them! They should have delivered to them from the beginning! Bad luck for them a case against them has been in preparation for a long time, moreover with deadman there is a prejudice that dates from before the ecto-act. They find themselves fighting for survival against the Phamtom/Masters family, fighting for funding and now in a legal fight with the league. Suffice to say that they are in agony

Dani therefore thought about how to contact the league. She can't get on their satellite, space is big and ignoring their security isn't exactly polite. Showing up at the hall of justice would really not be discreet and the MiW still persists so no. The SOS line to the league... that seems inappropriate. Plus they never showed up at Amity Park so that line of communication must have been compromised years ago. No, she's going to have to go to one of them in person. She should go to one without great capacity so that they are less afraid of being shadowed. hmmm. So she'll go to Batman! Besides, she's been wanting to visit gotham for a long time~

So we have a Dani who hangs out in Gotham, meets the town's ghost, then waits on the edge of a random rooftop who was advised by Lady Gotham. insert here the trope of encounter between Phamtom and bats

Now we have the conclusion of the story with the end of the men in white, the reunion of Dani (who does not say roof to Danny yet but whispers to him that she still has too much to tell him, she will come back) formalization of Phamtom as a leaguer. The reunion of Danny and Dani V2 without an audience this time. The visit of the Phamtom/Masters manor. Apologies from the ghost rogues for not understanding the observers' schemes. Forgiveness half given and the beginning of Danny's reconnection with ghost culture. A crowning of Danny accompanied by Dani and Dan who obtains the same rank as him. etc.

Perhaps a concluding arc with an end-of-the-world event where the presence and power of the royal trio Danny Dani and Dan is revealed. maybe with Vlad and the kids if we spend enough time. Let the phantoms come out of the phantom zone to help, in battle, to evacuate civilians and reconstruction or all three. Let everyone have their little moment.

Even conclude with Dan joking that fighting them is almost as much fun as killing them. Because even if he's a happy dad, he still has big problems in his head. Let the whole league look at each other and realize what they could have faced if they had made the wrong choices.

Then give the final words to CW who sighs with relief that he can finally take a break.

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r-rook-studio · 1 year

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The Week 1 #City23 Update: Nottingham and Cape Crescent

So I started this project over on Cohost, but I'm going to switch to posting my public updates here on Tumblr.

Around the time I kicked off work on this, I saw this semi-viral Tweet, and while it might be half joking, it's pretty spot on for what I want to do in #City23.

Cape Crescent, ME

A paranormal investigation originally called Lunaris, I swapped that out for something that sounded more like New England. I don't make my own maps and I'm not going to start, so I'm making a fictional reinterpretation of Ogunquit, ME for this.

During planning, I'd set up a few factions, and a few concentrated areas (as well as doom clocks, which I'll be setting up later), including a benevolent society that organizes the town's werewolf, a local sinister occult society, a private paranormal research foundation with government grants, and a Tourism Board that represents the non-paranormal people of the town.

During this first week, I focused on locations and the NPCs in them that would—at first glance—be part of the Tourism Board, but I made sure each one had at least one tie in to some other faction.

Bishop's Diner, where Olivia Bishop, the owner, is wary of of the Ghost Bay Research Foundation and it's projects in the bay, and the short-order cook Carson Caine, is the estranged son of the necromancer who runs the occult society.

Clifftop Motor Lodge, where the owner, a friendly recluse who rarely comes into town, is secretly funneling supplies to one of Ghost Bay Foundation's projects.

Old Main General Supply, a grocery, hardware, and gas station where the owner Micah Redding runs the Benevolent Society for the local werewolves. His son Clay, one of the wolves, is friends with Carson Caine, and they often commit petty crimes together.

Nottingham

For Sherwood and games with a similar OSRish vibe, Nottingham is a chance for the outlaw band to come out of the woods and into the town. I pulled factions and locations from historical Nottingham, including the Whitefriars (Nottingham's old Carmelite friary), Lenton Priory (the French Cluniac monastery that actually sent monks to engage in banditry), the Sheriff (a royal appointee who lived in the King's Nottingham castle), and St. Mary's Church. As I go, I'd like to come up with some guilds or other lower-powered secular/street-level authorities to represent groups of typical citizens. During this first week of #City23, I focused on an inn within the walls: The Three Foxes, an inn whose owners need to realize it's a nexus of the tunnels and caves of underground Nottingham.

Most of this week was adding NPCs:

Claire Jarry, the owner, who came to Nottingham from Rouen for reasons she won't discuss. She knows how to navigate the tunnels under the inn to make her way to the Priory and the large parish church of St. Mary, and uses her access to blackmail the clergy.

Clove Jarry, Claire's oldest son, who transitioned and left town to become a highwayman. Clove and his wives frequently visit the inn when they come to Nottingham via a secret tunnel that leads under the town's walls to a forgotten smuggler's cave in the wood. Clove's mother and brothers know about the tunnel.

Ronan Jarry, Claire's middle son and likely heir.

Vital Jarry, Claire's youngest, is a seductive con artist and crook who's found a tunnel that leads to the cellars of Nottingham Castle, and is planning to steal from the sheriff even if it brings the sheriff's wrath down on other criminals and outlaws.

In addition, there's a customer, Colman, who's a sturdy man who can drink most others under the table. A generous sort, he often escorts people home after they've had too much, but no one's noticed yet that some of those people have yet to be seen again.

I've also started documenting some treasures.

Ronan possesses an amulet whose central stone is made from a hard, amber-like resin that contains the souls stolen and trapped by the cruel Bishop of Hereford. He entrusted the amulet to his mistress who surrendered it to Clove. The bishop's mistress has gone into hiding and both she and the bishop want the amulet back.

Colman possesses an "amulet"—really a poorly painted image of an unnamed saint on a simple leather thong. If the saint's image is fed enough of a living person's blood, it will keep a dying person alive indefinitely.

(Sorry, there are enough +1 arrows in RPGs and Robin Hood deserves better.)

Making Progress and Giving Myself Room

In the first nine days of 2023, I've gotten 5 entries for Nottingham and 6 for Cape Crescent. That's not too bad. It's been a rough start to 2023, and some of the health issues my parents are facing are making it look like it'll keep being stressful. Working on #City23 has been, in many ways, a lifesaver, though I'm giving myself space to take breaks as I need to.

#city23 #dungeon23 #ttrpg #tabletop rpgs #tabletop roleplaying

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mysticcat98 · 2 years

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Just give me a chance

chapter two: The sexy busboy

Being a government-paid assassin has its advantages, for example that you can travel in first class, which was quite appreciated being a trip of almost 11 hours from Seoul to the United States. They had called you for a mission which had entrusted you to end some white traffickers, a job that you had successfully done on your own.

After those endless hours of flight, you finally arrive at the airport, go through control, look for your bag in which the wait is much longer than the flight itself, added to the extremes that always generated you to lose it, it never happened to you but you were always with that fear. Miraculously you see your luggage leave the cabin with the others, pick it up and go to the escalators.

Your face was the typical one of someone who has traveled and gone through 3 stops, you were a disaster, poorly rested and in need of a shower. But this expression of exhaustion and bad humor changes when you see the figure of your sister in the distance. He was the same as always, with his typical half smile which he only showed with exception and his black outfit, he was never one to wear bright colors, he casually wore dark colors but most of the time he lived with black.

You approached her giving her a big hug, in which she responded instantly "We have a lot to talk about" she said and then guided you with one arm around you towards the parking lot while with the other she carried your heavy bag.

Over the course of his drive home he was telling you and bringing you up to date about your new assignment, it seemed like something out of a sci-fi novel, but as long as the pay was good you didn't really care. -So-you began to drawl-it's just the two of us with all this

-We are six

-Great, less work for me-she just gave you a smile-does any of them have an extraordinary ability?

"Extraordinary ability?" I ask curiously.

-Yes, you know, like I can decapitate heads with a single blow or shoot from meters away without failing or I don't know something extremely cool

-Well only one in the team can do all that

-Really?

-Yes, his name is Vigilante

-Vigilante? And his real name?

-Secret identity

-What nonsense, but do you know his real name?

-That's how it is

-And you're going to tell me-it sounded more like an affirmation than a question

-Of course not, it would not be ethical

-You talking to me about ethics? What did you do with the real Emilia?" You joked, surprised by her sudden and unexpected response. "Are you an alien butterfly?"

-Shut up-she said gracefully hitting your arm softly-and puts on some music

-Okay alien copy of Emm-Checking the glove compartment you found several cd's of bands that certainly were not to your sister's taste-And these? Van Hallen? Metallica? wow do you have High Voltage by AC/DC?

-Ah those, Adrian lent them to me, he wanted me to start listening to ´´good music´´

-Well, Adrian has good taste. Is he your boyfriend?

-That?? I wouldn't even go out with him, he's weird

-As if you weren't- You decided to keep looking finally finding one of his old TLC albums, you put it in the player making the song baby-baby-baby sound

The rest of the trip was spent singing out of tune each of the songs on the album, it was not your favorite music genre but they reminded you of your childhood with Emilia, singing and dancing together with her mother since that cd was hers and now yours .

After four hours of travel they finally reached Evergreen, it was quite picturesque with its roads full of pine trees, the air was totally different from that of Gotham, the streets almost uninhabited, without any kind of noise from car beeps, ambulances, Insults from the drivers, basically there was no chaos…just calm.

-We'll go to dinner with the team first and then we can go home, okay?

You just diverted your gaze from the window and nodded already hungry, tired and wanting to die in your bed.

Upon entering the place you noticed that it was a family restaurant, which made you doubt why a meeting of butterfly killers would be in a place like this, you were expecting something more, seriously?, but you didn't care anymore, your stomach was already growling. You were absently observing the place until you were called to land by your sister who pointed you to a group sitting almost at the bottom.

You to all this you just stayed almost attached to her without knowing how to act, you hated meeting new people but there was no other and you had to put your best face and attitude

-People- I greet with the characteristic gesture of her approaching the group- she is my sister T // N, the professional killer that I told you about

-Hey-you managed to say with a half smile and a joking tone as if to break the ice a bit and give a good first impression-it's not that big a deal either

-A pleasure Y//n, I'm Leota, this is Chris and John You only saw them but no trace of that vigilante, your eyes wandered the place curiously in search of him, but nothing

"So? That Watcher?" You tried to ask with total disinterest but your sister managed to stifle a laugh to which you only managed to fulminate her with a completely red look remembering her conversation in the car.

"I'm sorry," she managed to say, "He's… busy."

With total disappointment, you sat in your respective place next to Emilia and Chris, you reviewed the menu for a long time while every so often you looked up to answer questions from the team. After almost fifteen minutes of looking up and down at the paper you felt someone approaching the table, you were still waiting for what to choose.

So girls? Do you know what you're going to order?" the man said, addressing the two of you.

-I know, fifteen minutes ago

-Shut up grumpy-you manage to say annoyed by his mockery towards you, a response that made several laughs jump out added to that of the waiter-just give me five more minutes

-Adrian, I present to you my unbearable sister, Y//N this is Adrian, a friend

When you looked up you saw him… god… he was perfect, curly black hair, wide smile, green eyes and a great body, you were speechless.

-Hello insufferable sister of Harcourt, it's a pleasure to finally meet you

You couldn't stop smiling, you were already trying hard to get that stupid smile off your face, you didn't want to look weird and even more so with that cute boy-Hey, you're the one with the records, right?

"So you finally heard them?" He turned to her smugly.

-Yes of course

-It was to be expected-He returned to you-But I hope that Y//N has good taste, not like you

-Don't be smart and bring my order if you want me to leave you a tip

-Excuse her, she's on her days

"He always is," you heard Chris say but he quickly fell silent when he noticed Emilia's ascetic look directed towards him.

-Would you give me a few more minutes?

Luckily for you, he only gave you a tender smile -Okay, I'll give you five more minutes, if at that moment you don't decide I'll help you- I point my finger at you playfully-okay?

"Okay," you replied awkwardly, then watched him walk away.

By the time he came back you had already decided on some waffles with a strawberry milkshake, a choice to which your older sister responded with ´´it´s not time to eat that´´ but you just ignored her by returning the menu to Adrian, for a devil, even his name seemed pretty to you

At the end of your ´´dinner´´ you went to the bathroom before deciding to go home, on the way you almost bumped into the pretty boy, except for his quick reflection so as not to crash into you

"Hello," you said awkwardly.

-Hey, what did you think of the waffles?

-Very good

-In that case the next time you come to eat here I will ask you for a couple to take away

-That would be great, Emm is not very skilled in the art of cooking

-Haha, and what are you good at?-I raise a eyebrow followed by a half smile describing her as sexy or someone who is flirting Following his attempted flirtation you were willing to double down.

-In the art of talking to pretty waiters and asking for their number

-Oh, in that case I feel flattered, give me your arm-you complied with her request, seeing how she took a pen out of her pocket and passed it through your arm-here it is, I await your call

-Do not doubt it

"Okay, we're talking" he greeted and then turned around and walked away from your side

-Goodbye-you whispered with your eyes fully focused now on her incredible back, you wondered how it was possible for a busboy to have that physique

Leaving the place you saw in the parking lot only your sister leaning outside in the car, from a distance you directed a sign of triumph raising your arm to the sky-I have her number! I'm incredible!

-Okay Romeo, just get in the car

#vigilante x reader #vigilante x oc #love history #pacemaker #killer reader #league of shadows

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ottertastic95 · 9 months

Text

Casper x Original Female Character

It was an unusually humid April night in the outskirts of Frankfurt, and she couldn’t wait to close up and go home to have a cold shower. The fan was on and the air conditioner too, but that doesn’t mean much in Germany where effective ACs are considered a crime against the planet. Even though she somewhat agreed with this, Cat couldn’t help but long for one right now. It was half one in the morning, and she just wanted to start cleaning before a group of drunken students came in looking for a nightcap. The regulars, all men, were still sipping at their Pils and Weinschorles, making conversation with the owner about the state of the nation and smoking like chimneys. Cat sighed whilst preparing the pernods the students had ordered, hoping they wouldn’t stay too long. She wanted to go running tomorrow but always found it hard to do after a long night. Granted, the occasional glasses of white wine didn’t help her in that regard, but after 10 pm a drink made the evening flow faster. Margie wasn’t home, she spent more time away for work at the moment. Cat didn’t blame her. The death of Werner, her beloved husband, had come as a shock, and the lack of support she had received was puzzling. Werner had always talked so enthusiastically about his work and his “Jungs” – Some of them came around for dinner from time to time. She enjoyed their company, especially Casper’s. He was quite a lot older than her, well-built and very handsome. Cat had stolen many glances at him on numerous occasions, but having been only sixteen when they met, he kept his distance, at least romantically, but he must have known she liked him and was flattered. He was kind, and with time even taught her a thing or two about woodwork, a passion of his. Before he left with Werner and the boys, he had given her a book on hut-building. It was a fancy that they shared, to live off the beaten track and make a home there. “Maybe, when I’m back I can show you a thing or two…” he said. Cat was head over heels for him at that point. She blushed, thanking him, and their hands touched as he handed her the book, and he bent down hesitantly and gave her a hug which she returned warmly. “I’ll miss you,” she said, slightly stumbling over her words “Bis bald, Katze” he smiled. “Time will pass faster than you think”. Oh, Casper…She hadn’t seen him in almost two years now. His absence at the funeral had hit hardest of all the boys. Neither Margie nor Cat knew the reason behind it. This whole project in the States had been very hush-hush from the jump, Cat had assumed it was top-secret and government-related, but Margie claimed not to know any more than Werner had told them both. The project was taking forever and Margie was getting lonely, but Werner more so. Their telephone calls, though infrequent, left her increasingly longing for him to return. When Margie, rather suddenly, announced that instead, she would be visiting him in New Mexico, Cat was thrilled for her, and slightly envious because she desperately missed Casper. They had little to no communication, only two calls together with Werner and Margie on speakerphone, the last one being a month ago.

Margie had entrusted Cat with the house and the ever-playful Bärchen. Yet, shortly after Margie's plane landed, Cat received a distressed call. Werner and Margie had had a confrontation, triggered by some mysterious incident at the construction site, and Werner would not be joining her in Jemez Springs.

In an effort to provide some comfort, Cat set about preparing tea and scones—a homage to her British roots. Margie's return was somber, her anguish evident, though its depth and origin remained elusive to Cat.

A week's uneasy quiet was shattered when somber-faced men—lawyers, Cat guessed—arrived. Though she wasn’t part of the conversation, a cold dread settled in her heart. She knew Werner was gone. Margie later confirmed the grim news, but details were scarce. The enormity of the loss hit Cat hard; Werner had been a father figure since she'd come under their care.

The subsequent days blended into one another—a swirl of police visits, legal consultations, and hushed conversations. Cat sought to anchor Margie during the storm, but grief had created a chasm between them.

What exacerbated their sorrow was the stark absence of Werner's colleagues at the memorial. The weight of their omission was felt deeply, and when a mere package—sent by Casper—arrived in place of his presence, it was a salted wound. While a part of Cat still yearned for the solace of Casper's embrace, anger now bubbled within her. His silence in response to her letters, and the discovery of his abrupt move, amplified her heartbreak. There were nights she cried herself to sleep, memories of their shared moments playing in a loop.

Yet life, with its relentless pace, pushed forward. Channeling her anger, Cat turned to pounding pavements and blaring Rammstein. Their latest album echoed her turmoil, providing an aggressive outlet for her emotions.

She had joined the pub just before Werner’s departure and found herself at a crossroads. While a part of her wished for destiny to chart her path, the more pragmatic side knew she had choices to make.

Cat's linguistic abilities were among her most cherished skills. Fluent in both English and German due to her upbringing, she also picked up Spanish during a youthful sojourn in Spain with a previous foster family. However, when faced with major life decisions, Cat found herself riddled with uncertainty. Margie, sensing her potential, nudged her towards higher education, leading Cat to embark on a teaching degree.

Yet the rigidity of academia was a stark contrast to Cat's free spirit. Though she enjoyed certain aspects, she grappled with deadlines, feeling out of place in a structured world. Werner's untimely death only intensified her feelings of disconnect, and she took a hiatus from her studies, unable to concentrate amidst the grief.

Jolted back to the present by her name being called out, Cat realized her boss was indicating that the students wanted to settle their tab. Relief washed over her. The end of her shift was near. As the last of the regulars departed and the owner locked up, Cat performed a quick cleanup. Pouring herself one last glass of white wine for the road, she hopped on her bicycle. As the chilled night wind brushed past her, she lit a cigarette, the music from "Reise, Reise" filling her ears.

Navigating the dimly lit, almost desolate streets of Frankfurt, she eventually reached the familiar road leading to her home. Choosing to savor the final notes of the song, she dismounted and walked the last stretch, her steps aligning with the rhythm. As the song concluded, she slid off her headphones, only to get her fingers caught while parking her bike. Cursing under her breath, she locked it up, mentally chiding her occasional clumsiness.

The enveloping silence of the night, now uninterrupted by music, felt both oppressive and comforting. Yielding to temptation, Cat settled on the patio, pulling out a beer she had taken from the pub. As she expertly rolled another cigarette, the soft rustle of leaves and the distant hoot of an owl were the only sounds accompanying her solitude.

She felt an unsettling sensation – the prickling awareness that she wasn't alone. She rose, her every sense heightened as she moved cautiously towards the garden's edge. The atmosphere grew heavy with tension, and the night's stillness was almost suffocating. Every instinct told her she was being watched.

From the corner of her eye, she glimpsed a tall silhouette slowly emerging from the shadows. Panic tightened its grip on her, and she cast about for something, anything, that could be used for defense.

Then she heard her name. "Cat..."

She turned, and as the dim glow from the nearby streetlamp illuminated his face, her heart caught in her throat. It was Casper.

Time had weathered him. He looked worn, with untamed hair cascading around a face that held deep, sorrowful eyes. But even in that fractured moment, the connection between them was palpable.

Cat's emotions surged. All the pent-up pain and confusion melted away as she rushed into his embrace. Casper hesitated briefly, but then he held her close, their hearts in sync, beating together in the silence of the night.

His voice cracked with emotion. "I'm sorry," he whispered, brushing a tear from her cheek with a gentle kiss.

She wanted to unleash a storm of questions, but his finger pressed softly against her lips. "Not now," he murmured. "There's so much I need to explain, but not here. Come with me."

She hesitated, thinking of her responsibilities. "Bärchen? What about him? Margie would never understand if I just disappeared."

He looked down, shame flickering in his eyes. "He's safe, with Fritz and Barbara. I've made arrangements. We'll call Margie. I just... I couldn't face her yet. I needed to see you first."

The intensity of his gaze made her heart flutter, but reality pulled her back. "Let me grab some essentials," she said, thinking of her glasses and contacts. "Wait for me inside."

He nodded, stepping inside as she quickly packed. When she returned, she found him in Werner’s office, looking out of place amidst its austere surroundings.

In the dimly lit room, Casper sat at Werner’s desk, cradling an old slide rule in his hands. Inscribed on it were the words, “In Liebe, Deine Jungs.” Cat's gaze shifted from the memento to Casper, questions swirling in her eyes.

“Was this your doing?” she inquired, her voice soft with uncertainty.

He nodded, the weight of memories evident in his lowered eyes and slumped shoulders. There was a palpable sense of pain emanating from him. Sensing this, Cat gently moved closer, wanting to offer some comfort. He took a deep breath and returned the slide rule to its resting place on the shelf.

She took a moment before asking, "Casper, why... why did none of you attend the funeral?”

A storm seemed to pass over Casper's face, shadows deepening in his eyes. "We... we didn't make it back in time. And even if we had," he hesitated, his voice edged with bitterness, "they wouldn’t have wanted our presence."

Confused, Cat pressed, "Who’s ‘they’?”

“Later,” he responded abruptly, breaking the tension by reaching out to stroke her cheek. Holding her hand, he led her outside, moving stealthily to avoid the pools of light from the streetlamps. A few blocks away, an old camper van awaited. Opening the passenger door, he guided her in before slipping into the driver's seat and igniting the engine.

She ventured, “Where are we going?”

His voice, hoarse from emotion, replied, “Black Forest, near Villingen. Familiar?”

“That's... quite a distance,” Cat began, but Casper interrupted, his grip on her hand tightening. “I promise, I'll explain everything."

Silence ensued as the van roared down the road. Under the soft glow of the dashboard, Casper's weariness became evident. The once vibrant spark in his eyes now seemed smothered by concern, and his entire demeanor spoke of exhaustion.

Mustering up courage, Cat whispered, “I missed you.”

He glanced at her, those deep brown eyes now filled with a mix of anguish and warmth. “And I you,” he murmured.

The alcohol she had consumed earlier began to make its presence known, adding to her dizziness. She reclined in her seat, the world outside a blur of passing vehicles. Casper drove with urgency, the speedometer pushing 150 km/h as they raced towards Villingen...

Cat stirred, her eyelids fluttering open to reveal Casper's face softened by a rare smile. "Rest well?" he asked. She yawned and stretched her limbs. "I didn't mean to fall asleep on you." He chuckled, casting her a playful sidelong glance. "Well, I had some light snoring for company."

She blushed, readying a playful retort, but he winked, "Just teasing. You looked like you needed it. Tough day?"

Following his gaze out the window, she realized they were now off the motorway, navigating a narrow dirt road canopied by trees. "Where are we?"

"We're close," he assured her, slowing the van as a rustic hut emerged from the shadows.

A memory fluttered to the forefront of her mind: a book Casper had gifted her two years prior. She could still hear Werner's playful voice, teasing them: "Turteltäubchen." Lovebirds. Despite Casper's seniority, Werner had never objected to their closeness. His parting words echoed, “Mach dir keine Sorgen meine Liebe. Ich bring ihn bald zu dir zurück. Es sind nur acht Monate.” Don’t worry, my dear. It’s only eight months, I'll bring him back to you soon. The pang of the memory made her heart twinge.

Casper parked beside the hut, breaking her reverie. As she emerged, stretching, he retrieved a flashlight from the trunk, playfully greeting her, “Na, Katze?”

The inside of the hut was warm, its cozy ambiance accentuated by the glow of dying embers. As she stepped in, feeling the warmth envelop her, Casper pointed to a door. "You can shower there if you'd like. I have some shirts and things if you need them. I know this is all unexpected."

After a refreshing shower, during which she washed away the evening's stress and odors, she donned one of Casper's shirts, which hung on her almost like a dress. She found him by a window, a glass of what appeared to be whiskey in hand. The minimalistic hut felt warm against the night's chill. Casper's smile was welcoming, but the heaviness in his eyes was inescapable. Drawn to him yet unsure, she hesitated, waiting for what would come next. Before Werner and his boys left, Cat had yearned for those moments of solitude with Casper. Yet the unfolding events and unanswered questions made her tread lightly in his space.

She approached him as he stood facing the wall, his broad, athletic silhouette obscuring her view. Reaching his side, she recognized the old photograph. It was Werner, with his boys – including Casper, Udo, and Kai. She had never warmed up to Kai, always finding him a bit overbearing. His numerous and clumsy advances, especially after a few drinks, had tested her patience.

A particular evening came rushing back: the night the men had descended on the pub for a Feierabendbier. While she was downstairs changing a keg, Kai had cornered her in a sudden, unwelcome ambush. The weight of his intent and the reek of alcohol made her heart race. He lunged for a kiss, but she sidestepped him, shouting,

Spinnst du? Lass mich los!" she protested. Kai chuckled, releasing her just slightly, "Komm schon, Süße. Du willst es doch auch." But as he closed in, Casper intervened, positioning himself protectively between them. "Lass sie in Ruhe!"

Kai's mocking laughter echoed in the dim basement. "Nur weil du dich nicht ran traust, heißt nicht, dass andere die Chance verpassen." Casper's face reddened, his anger palpable. In a swift movement, he pushed Kai into a stack of empty kegs. Regaining his balance, Kai smirked, "Ist ja gut, ich gehe ja schon," before making his way back up.

Casper turned to Cat, his concern evident. "Are you okay?" A mix of embarrassment and gratitude filled her. She nodded her thanks, directing her focus back to the task at hand. "Look out for your back. Lift with your legs," he advised, demonstrating with a full keg. As she flushed, a hue rivaling her fiery hair, he grinned, gently guiding her with a hand on her back as they ascended the stairs together.

Neither ever acknowledged that encounter. But now, as she watched him gaze at the photograph—a window into a past now distant—it resurfaced in her memory.

Gating at the picture, his eyes held a storm of emotions: devastation, rage. Not knowing the right words, she simply intertwined her fingers with his. “I’m so sorry.”

His distant look broke. “How about a nightcap?” he offered.

Cat nodded. She settled onto a well-worn leather sofa, its vintage charm inviting despite the wear. Casper began pouring whiskey into two glasses.

“I’ll let Margarethe know I'm away,” she murmured, pulling out her phone. “Is that alright?”

“Of course," he replied. "Just avoid mentioning you're with me."

Hey Margie! Alles gut bei dir? Ich bin unterwegs. B ist bei Fritz und Barbara. Sprechen wir bald? x

“How's this?” she asked, tilting her screen towards Casper as he took the seat opposite her.

He scanned the text, then gave a curt nod of approval. After sending her message, Cat stashed her phone away and wrapped her fingers around the glass he offered. Taking a delicate sip, she murmured her gratitude. "Thanks."

His gaze dropped, discomfort evident in his eyes. Silence stretched between them, but she couldn't help her own curiosity. She yearned to understand what had burdened his soul, the secrets he carried.

“Casper…” she started gently, “You don’t owe me any explanations. Just know that being with you right now, after feeling so isolated... it means everything. Margie’s been distant since the accident.”

His body tightened, a shadow of pain crossing his face. “Cat,” he whispered, caressing her cheek, his gaze piercing into hers, "What I'm about to tell you must remain between us. It's a matter of our safety.”

She swallowed hard, her heart pounding, “Okay, I understand.”

He took a deep breath, each word heavy with sorrow and revelation. “Werner’s death—it wasn't an accident like we were told. He was murdered. Either directly by our contractor or at his behest."

Cat was left speechless, the weight of his words settling deep within.

Cat's fingers trembled, her eyes glistening with tears and confusion. She tried to wrap her mind around everything he was saying, but it was overwhelming. Casper, his voice a gravelly whisper, pressed on. “The project we took on, it was top secret. The men behind it are merciless. If they even had an inkling that I'm revealing this to you...”

She bit her lip, struggling to find her voice, “Is that why you're fleeing to Austria?”

“Partially,” he said, his eyes troubled. “I fear our phones might be monitored. Their reach is extensive. We were carted into a desert, threatened, warned of dire consequences for speaking up. It's the reason I never dared to call, fearing they might target you or Margarethe. But tonight... tonight, I couldn't bear it any longer. I needed to see you.” His gaze met hers, a storm of longing and fear evident in those deep blue depths.

She swallowed hard. “But why? I thought you were engaged in a covert government project, not... this nightmare.”

He sighed heavily. “Werner tried to sneak away, to steal a brief moment with Margarethe. He had every intention of returning, but they killed him in cold blood.”

Remembering Margarethe's tearful recounts of that fateful day, she whispered, “If she had reached the hotel, would they...?”

Casper's voice wavered, “I don’t know. We're enmeshed in a sinister web, blinded by the allure of wealth.” He lowered his gaze, weighed down by guilt. “We can't approach the police. Without concrete proof, we're sitting ducks, vulnerable to their retaliation.”

As the truth of his words began to crystallize in her mind, Cat’s heart ached for the pain he must’ve endured. “Did you truly understand the gravity of this assignment?”

His response was filled with regret. “We believed we did. Werner was convinced that six months of this job would set us up for life.”

A myriad of questions swirled in her mind. She took a deep breath, trying to process everything. Seeing him again after so long, his vulnerability juxtaposed with the steadfast strength she had always admired, left her torn. There was a magnetic pull between them, undeniable even amidst the peril they discussed.

Casper, seemingly attuned to her thoughts, whispered, “We can't share any of this with Margarethe. Given Werner’s fate, she's likely under their surveillance. That’s why I had to see you in person, and not risk a call.”

As their eyes locked, the weight of unspoken emotions lingered heavily between them, a yearning so palpable, it threatened to consume them both.

Cat absorbed his words, each syllable carrying the weight of their shared longing. "What comes next for us? Are you truly safe?"

Casper's deep eyes locked onto hers. His gaze, deep and unyielding, searched her eyes. "I've amassed more than I could ever need. With no family ties binding me, and you in a similar position... I wish for us to journey through life together—if that's what you want." His voice, although laced with uncertainty, held a fervour that made her heart race.

Tentatively, he reached up, his rugged fingers tracing the curve of her cheek, sending a thrill down her spine. Her hand, almost instinctively, rose to rest on the solid warmth of his chest, fingers lightly caressing the weave of his navy jumper. Overwhelmed by the intensity of the moment, she dropped her gaze.

But Casper, sensing her unease, gently turned her face back towards him. With a tenderness that stole her breath, he bent down and pressed his lips to hers.

Their first embrace was electric, hearts racing and senses on fire. The earthy musk of his scent mingled with the gentle brush of his soft lips and the scratch of his beard. Drawn irresistibly closer, she pressed herself to him, the faintest of sighs escaping her lips. In response, he scooped her up effortlessly, breaking the kiss to trace a fiery path with his lips down to the nape of her neck.

Carrying her to the futon in the room beyond, he gently laid her down. As he hovered above her, they paused for a moment, drinking in each other's features as they adjusted to the room's dim light.

He guessed that she was still innocent in the ways of love, now at the cusp of adulthood. Even though she was younger, the intensity of his feelings hadn't faded since he left for New Mexico. Pain clouded his eyes as memories of the past year's events loomed large. Feeling his distress, Cat shifted, inviting him to lie beside her. They nestled close, legs tangled, their silence speaking volumes.

Her fingers traced gentle patterns on his chest, and the rhythm of his heart lulled her. They shared a kiss of comfort, devoid of urgency. He sensed her hesitancy earlier and didn’t want to push. More importantly, he wanted her to know he hadn't brought her here for mere physical intimacy. The depth of his tenderness shone in his eyes, and she felt a bittersweet ache in her heart. "Let us rest."

He tenderly kissed her once more, his gaze filled with an overwhelming tenderness that threatened to shatter her fragile heart. "Let's rest now," he whispered softly. The day had been an arduous journey, filled with moments of uncertainty and passion.

With a graceful movement, he rose from the bed to dim the cabin's lights, casting a warm, intimate glow across the room. Returning to her side, he lovingly draped a soft, cozy blanket over her, cocooning her in warmth. They nestled beneath the sheets, bodies entwined, finding solace in each other's embrace as the tranquil stillness of the night enveloped them. In that moment, as they held each other close, their worries and cares faded away, and they surrendered to the gentle embrace of sleep.

Cat awoke, her heart heavy with the fear that the events of last night were nothing more than a dream. She hesitated for a moment, keeping her eyes tightly shut, as if to stave off reality. Finally, she summoned the courage to open her eyes, and the unfamiliar surroundings confirmed her suspicions. This wasn't her own room. A sigh escaped her lips, and she groaned inwardly, realizing she'd left her contacts in overnight.

Blinking through the slight blur, she took in the rustic details of the cabin. Casper's presence lingered, his scent still wafting from the bed linen. She buried her face in his pillow for a moment, relishing the remnants of their passionate reunion, still in disbelief at the speed with which it had happened.

With a determined resolve, Cat decided to freshen up and change. She left on Casper's shirt, paired with her own shorts. The cold water splashed on her face helped alleviate the faint headache from the night before. As she dressed, she heard noises emanating from outside. Unable to locate Casper within the cabin, her curiosity got the better of her, and she ventured outdoors.

The cabin was nestled amidst densely clustered trees, their leaves filtering the sun's rays, casting a magical, dappled light on the surroundings. Casper, still in the same clothes as the night before, was hard at work chopping wood. Cat couldn't help but admire his stance as he gracefully maneuvered the axe, cutting through wood with precision.

Slightly enamored, Cat approached him sheepishly. He turned at the sound of her footsteps, and her cheeks flushed at the sight of him. "Morning," she greeted, her voice betraying her self-consciousness. Casper responded with a heartwarming smile, his pallor less pronounced than the previous day.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked, his eyes conveying a hint of the unspoken connection between them.

Cat nodded, feeling a mixture of emotions about their passionate night together. Casper paused in his wood-chopping and suggested they have some coffee. "I don't have much left here; we can grab breakfast on the way."

Recalling Casper's words from their drive the night before, she asked, "So, what's our next stop?"

Casper stopped what he was doing and leaned on the axe handle, meeting her gaze. "I've already sold this place. My neighbor, a few miles away, bought it. He wants to rent it out to holidaymakers. I was just trying to leave things in order." He nodded toward the pile of firewood he had been working on. "Next stop is Austria. Near Prebersee, to be exact."

Cat was unfamiliar with the place, and she hoped Casper would provide some context. Inside the cabin, the aroma of brewing coffee filled the air as Casper busied himself with the preparations. Cat noticed her phone displayed a missed call from Margie. She met Casper's apologetic gaze as she shared the notification with him.

"I'm sorry, Katze," he said softly, his voice laced with regret. "Perhaps we should wait a little longer and find a less risky way to contact her. We might come up with something later." His suggestion felt like a balm to her anxious heart, and she blushed, wishing circumstances were different.

Cat composed herself and spoke, her voice steady, "I actually like your van… you can see the night sky through the window. Should we be hitting the road?"

Casper checked his watch and noted it was nearing noon. "Yes, it's about time," he replied with a nod. "We'll make a stop in Munich. From there, we can decide whether to stay for a day or two or continue driving."

Cat attempted to inject some levity into the conversation, asking, "For some Bier und Brezeln, perhaps?" She felt a twinge of self-consciousness but was rewarded with a warm smile from Casper.

"For you, anything," he replied, his eyes reflecting the genuine affection he held for her.

Cat was waiting patiently looking out a window. Suddenly she felt him embrace her from behind, his frame engulfing her much smaller statue, his arms around her waist, leaning into the crook of her neck, kissing her. “Thank you for coming with me”. She quivered under the sensation of the warmth of his body around hers, leaning her head back he deepened his kiss, gently biting her earlobe. Cat turned her head so as she could kiss him back. Casper open his mouth slightly and bit her lower lip, sending a new electrical sensation through her. He kissed her deeply, gently opening her mouth and their tongues entwined. It was an explosion of passionate emotion, she felt light-headed, seeing fireworks through her closed eyes as she let him explore more of her body. Ever so subtly she moaned, she had never imagined this ever coming true. Then, ever so gently, he spun her around, and gave her one sweet kiss, stroking her face. “Was machst du nur mit mir?” he whispered softly. She turned scarlet as he kissed her forehead, taking her into his arms. They remained this way, breathing in each other’s scent, still winded from the arousal of this encounter. “We should go” he uttered warmly, smiling at her obvious inner protest. “We have all the time in the world.”

They swiftly cleaned up and packed their belongings, leaving a considerate note for the new owner of the cabin.

They journeyed for approximately three and a half hours, making a quick stop to grab sandwiches along the way. The drive alongside the picturesque Lake Constance was nothing short of mesmerizing. Cat had never experienced such a profound sense of freedom before. She put on a pair of sunglasses, lowered the window, and relished the cool breeze as they headed towards Bavaria. Glancing at the tape deck, she smiled at Casper and asked, "May I?"

Casper grinned in agreement. "Go ahead." She pressed play, and the distinctive sounds of Frank Zappa's "Overnite Sensation" filled the car. "You're still into Zappa?" he asked.

She nodded, her eyes on the road ahead. "This is still my favorite album of his." As they continued down the scenic route, they shared the view and the music, occasionally intertwining their hands. Cat felt an urge to explore their budding romance further, but her experience was limited to some clumsy kisses during teenage party games. Since falling for Casper, she hadn't entertained the thought of anyone else; all she desired was him. It still felt like a dream.

By 4 pm, they arrived in Munich, and Casper opted for a hotel. "We can spend a night outdoors soon, though. I know a great place." He smiled, stealing a kiss and gently squeezing her thigh. The hotel was a beautiful, sunlit establishment overlooking a serene garden. Casper suggested she could call Margie from the payphone across the street.

As Cat pondered what to say to Margie, she spotted a few young women across the street wearing Dirndls. Of course, it was September, and the Oktoberfest season was in full swing. An ideal excuse for a longer absence quickly formed in her mind.

Ten minutes later, she returned to the hotel. Casper had just finished showering and was casually wrapped in a towel. Cat tried not to blush, knowing it was a futile effort. Casper stood at an impressive 6'3" with a physique honed by his outdoor work. He noticed her admiring glance but didn't mention it as he began to get dressed.

"What did you tell Margarethe?" he asked.

Cat recounted her story, saying, "I told her a friend hooked me up with a limited-time waitressing job here. Hard work and good pay, you know. She seemed to believe me and told me to have fun."

Casper nodded in approval. "Good idea. Should we grab a drink once you're ready?"

Cat agreed and headed to the bathroom to prepare herself. After a refreshing shower, she applied just a touch of makeup and donned a semi-backless blue dress with comfortable sandals. Her hair was still slightly damp when she finished getting ready, and Casper was lying on the bed, his gaze fixed on the ceiling. He smiled when he saw her.

"You look lovely," he said, rising from the bed and approaching her. He kissed her briefly and took her hand in his. They decided to stroll into the Altstadt, passing landmarks like the Siegestor and Residenz, and eventually making their way to Schäfflerstraße, heading toward the Frauenkirche.

They walked in contented silence for a while, soaking in the warm sunshine and each other's company.

They came to a halt outside the church, its onion-domed towers soaring into the sky. Cat squinted against the sunlight, admiring the architectural marvel before her. "I like its onion towers," she remarked, her regret evident. "Damn, I wish I'd brought my camera. It's been a while since I took some snapshots."

Casper, his fingers gently tracing her now-curly hair, dried by the sun, offered a reassuring suggestion. "Maybe we'll find something here," he said. "There are quite a few vintage and camera shops around here."

Her face lit up with excitement. Cat had a modest yet cherished collection of film cameras and was always eager to discover new additions. "Should we take a stroll through the park?" she proposed.

He slipped his arm around her, and together, they ambled along, taking in the vibrant tapestry of people and sights surrounding them. Children played with boundless energy, while some young adults engaged in a spirited game of flunky ball. Cat observed Casper as he chuckled at one of the players, who had inadvertently sprayed beer out of his nose. To any casual onlooker, they appeared to be an ordinary couple relishing a weekend bathed in sunshine. The gravity of the secrets he had revealed to her had yet to fully sink in. The notion of Werner, killed while on a covert and likely illicit construction project, felt absurd, nonsensical, and unreal. Simultaneously, it added a poignant intensity to their present circumstances.

She couldn't help but wonder how her absence would be perceived by M and the other boys. Even though she knew they wouldn't cross paths again, the uncertainty lingered. Every time she thought of Werner, a sharp pang of grief pierced her heart. He had been a gentle, kind-hearted soul—perhaps too good for this world.

As they reached the end of the park, they continued to walk a bit farther until they arrived at Marienstraße. "Should we grab a drink somewhere?" Cat suggested, her eyes scanning the street for a suitable bar.

"I thought you'd never ask," Casper replied with a playful grin.

Cat's gaze settled on a cozy pub on the street corner named Landhaus. They chose to sit outside, and Cat took the initiative to head inside for their first round of drinks. "I owe you that much," she quipped. Stepping into the pub, she was greeted by its rustic charm, enlivened by hops hanging over the bar.

"Zwei Dunkle, bitte," she requested from the bartender, who promptly poured two dark beers from the tap. Carrying the drinks back to their table, she found Casper rolling a cigarette. Setting down the beers, she took her seat across from him. "Prost," they toasted simultaneously, their eyes locking in accordance with the German tradition.

Cat took her first sip, savoring the dark, semi-sweet, toasted flavor of the beer. It served as a welcome refreshment, and she hoped it would help her feel less self-conscious around Casper. Playfully, she remarked, "You have a mustache," causing him to laugh and wipe away the foam from his upper lip.

Curious to learn more about his experiences since his return, she ventured, "So… what have you been doing since you got back?" She watched his gaze shift toward the bustling road, where tourists and Saturday shoppers moved about.

He began to share, his voice tinged with introspection. "When I first got back," he started, "I was drinking heavily. Mainly, I stayed at the cabin in Villingen. I didn't have to work, so I worked on fixing up the cabin whenever I had the energy. After a while, I sought help at church. I went to confession, something I hadn't done in years. It helped me find my way back to the light. The priest was kind and suggested I make amends wherever I could, as long as it wouldn't hurt anyone. That's when I sent the slide rule." Cat listened attentively, her interest piqued.

"And I was missing you, of course," he continued with a warm smile. "I thought you might have found someone else in the meantime, someone closer to your age."

His playful wink earned him a teasing kick under the table, but her laughter was cut short when his hand ventured beneath the table to squeeze her knee gently. A surprised squeal escaped her lips.

"Still so ticklish," he observed with a grin, his fingers gently stroking her leg, sending goosebumps cascading down her body. "Well, then I managed to pull myself together again," he continued. "Enough to buy this new property in Austria. It came with a shed and an old hut. It's still a bit bare, but I think you'll like it. We'll have plenty to do without getting bored for a while. I believe you'll bring a special touch to the place, just as I hope to make it a true home." He reached out, taking her hand and planting a loving kiss on it.

"Na, wen haben wir denn da?" A familiar voice suddenly intruded upon their intimacy, causing Cat to jump slightly and their hands to separate. They both turned toward the street to see Kai standing there with a mischievous grin on his face. Casper's expression immediately shifted to one of defensiveness and suspicion.

"Lasst euch von mir nicht stören," Kai continued, approaching their table and placing a hand on each of their shoulders. He reeked of alcohol. "Ich hätte nicht gedacht, dass du irgendwann mal die Eier dazu haben würdest, Casper. Glückwunsch." He winked at Cat, then continued in a teasing tone, "Hast du ihr schon deine Briefmarkensammlung gezeigt oder eierst du noch rum?"

Casper got up, giving Kai a slight push. "Das reicht jetzt. Du bist betrunken. Hau ab, bevor ich es mir anders überlege."

Kai chuckled but distanced himself slightly. "War doch nur ein Witz, entspann dich. Was macht ihr eigentlich hier?"

"Sind nur auf der Durchreise," Cat replied cautiously. "Und du?"

"Mein Bruder heiratet," Kai explained. "Als ob mir eine gute Party entgehen lassen würde." He gawked at three buxom young women in figure-hugging dirndls who had caught his attention.

Seemingly sobering up a bit, he turned back to Casper and Cat, scrutinizing them with narrowed eyes. They knew he must be trying to determine whether Casper had been truthful about Werner, but even Kai understood that discussing it here in broad daylight would be foolish.

"Lass uns mal bei Gelegenheit mal schnacken, Casper. Stimmt deine alte Nummer noch?" Casper nodded, and Kai continued to study them intently. Suddenly, he snapped back into his usual boisterous self, clapping his hands together. "Tja, dann lass ich euch mal wieder allein... viel Spaß euch beiden," he grinned before turning and walking away, whistling as he strolled down the street.

Casper looked serious again, and Cat felt a lingering sense of embarrassment at having been caught in their moment. "What are the chances... asshole," Casper muttered more to himself than to her, finishing his drink. He headed inside for the next round.

For a brief moment, Cat felt as if someone was watching her. Across the street, a man in a grey suit and sunglasses stared in her direction. He had a moustache and a voluminous head of hair streaked with grey at the top. She blinked twice, attempting to focus, but by the time she did, the man had vanished into the crowd. Chalking it up to paranoia, she smiled at Casper as he returned with more drinks. However, he looked concerned once more.

Kai had seemed relatively normal, considering, whereas Casper appeared weighed down by the past. She knew he couldn't talk about it, especially not here. Instead, she ordered two glasses of brandy, sat down next to him, and kissed him. The Dutch courage seemed to work, and he relaxed, returning her kiss, the taste of brandy lingering on their lips.

They stayed for another hour, enjoying a meal, then left in time to watch the sunset from the shores of the Isar, grabbing a Wegbier for the road.

#better call saul #casper #lalo #original character

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w-ht-w · 1 year

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Sam Altman

He was a formidable operator: quick to smile, but also quick to anger. ... Altman’s early aura of consequence,

his ability to see people as chess pieces and work out their lines of play. ... “Since Sam can see the future, we want him to tell us what’s coming.”

“Sam is not particularly religious, but he is culturally very Jewish—an optimist yet a survivalist, with a sense that things can always go deeply wrong, and that there’s no single place in the world where you’re deeply at home.”

Altman makes a list of goals each year, and he looks at it every few weeks. It always includes a taxing physical objective—a hundred-mile bike ride each week; fifty consecutive pull-ups—and an array of work targets.

He was always precocious and efficient. As a child, in St. Louis, he grasped the system behind area codes in nursery school, and learned to program and disassemble a Macintosh at eight. The Mac became his lifeline to the world. “Growing up gay in the Midwest in the two-thousands was not the most awesome thing,” he told me. “And finding AOL chat rooms was transformative. Secrets are bad when you’re eleven or twelve.” When he came out to his parents, at sixteen, his mother was astonished. She told me, “Sam had always struck me as just sort of unisexual and tech-y.” After a Christian group boycotted an assembly about sexuality at his prep school, John Burroughs, Altman addressed the whole community, announcing that he was gay and asking whether the school wanted to be a repressive place or one open to different ideas. Madelyn Gray, Altman’s college counsellor, said, “What Sam did changed the school. It felt like someone had opened up a great big box full of all kinds of kids and let them out into the world.”

Altman recoiled from venture capital. “You’re trying to find a company that will be successful with or without you, then convince them to take your money instead of somebody else’s, and at a lower price,” he said. “I didn’t like being oppositional to the entrepreneur.” Leery of tech’s culture of Golcondan wealth, in which a billion dollars is dismissed as “a buck,” he decided to rid himself of all but a comfortable cushion: his four-bedroom house in San Francisco’s Mission district, his cars, his Big Sur property, and a reserve of ten million dollars, whose annual interest would cover his living expenses. The rest would go to improving humanity.

Altman felt that OpenAI’s mission was to babysit its wunderkind until it was ready to be adopted by the world. He’d been reading James Madison’s notes on the Constitutional Convention for guidance in managing the transition. “We’re planning a way to allow wide swaths of the world to elect representatives to a new governance board,” he said. “Because if I weren’t in on this I’d be, like, Why do these fuckers get to decide what happens to me?”

Under Altman, Y Combinator was becoming a kind of shadow United Nations, and increasingly he was making Secretary-General-level decisions. Perhaps it made sense to entrust humanity to someone who doesn’t seem all that interested in humans. “Sam’s program for the world is anchored by ideas, not people,” Peter Thiel said. “And that’s what makes it powerful—because it doesn’t immediately get derailed by questions of popularity.” Of course, that very combination of powerful intent and powerful unconcern is what inspired OpenAI: how can an unfathomable intelligence protect us if it doesn’t care what we think?

Altman worries that [Y Combinator’s] very potency has become problematic. ... warning that some founders had grown cocky and entitled. ... “It’s bad for the companies and bad for Silicon Valley if companies can stay alive just because they’re YC. It’s better for everyone if bad companies die quickly.”

To keep your employees aligned, he wrote, it’s vital to have definite tasks and goals, to communicate them clearly, and to measure them frequently,

“If you believe that all human lives are equally valuable, and you also believe that 99.5 per cent of lives will take place in the future, we should spend all our time thinking about the future.” His voice dropped. “But I do care much more about my family and friends.” He asked me how many strangers I would allow to die—or would kill with my own hands, which seemed to him more intellectually honest—in order to spare my loved ones. As I considered this, he said that he’d sacrifice a hundred thousand. I told him that my own tally would be even larger. “It’s a bug,” he declared, unconsoled.

The immediate challenge is that computers could put most of us out of work. Altman’s fix is YC Research’s Basic Income project, a five-year study, scheduled to begin in 2017, of an old idea that’s suddenly in vogue: giving everyone enough money to live on. Expanding on earlier trials in places such as Manitoba and Uganda, YC will give as many as a thousand people in Oakland an annual sum, probably between twelve thousand and twenty-four thousand dollars.

The problems with the idea seem as basic as the promise: Why should people who don’t need a stipend get one, too? Won’t free money encourage indolence? And the math is staggering: if you gave each American twenty-four thousand dollars, the annual tab would run to nearly eight trillion dollars—more than double the federal tax revenue. However, Altman told me, “The thing most people get wrong is that if labor costs go to zero”—because smart robots have eaten all the jobs—“the cost of a great life comes way down. If we get fusion to work and electricity is free, then transportation is substantially cheaper, and the cost of electricity flows through to water and food. People pay a lot for a great education now, but you can become expert level on most things by looking at your phone. So, if an American family of four now requires seventy thousand dollars to be happy, which is the number you most often hear, then in ten to twenty years it could be an order of magnitude cheaper, with an error factor of 2x. Excluding the cost of housing, thirty-five hundred to fourteen thousand dollars could be all a family needs to enjoy a really good life.”In the best case, tech will be so transformative that Altman won’t have to choose between the few and the many. When A.I. reshapes the economy, he told me, “we’re going to have unlimited wealth and a huge amount of job displacement, so basic income really makes sense. Plus, the stipend will free up that one person in a million who can create the next Apple.”

“Someday, YC will be hundreds of times larger than when I took over.” Much could go wrong, he noted, but, really, “I don’t see how anyone can stop us.”Altman’s regime has left some people at YC nostalgic for the homey camaraderie of the early days. One YC stalwart told me, “Sam’s a little too focussed on glory—he puts his personal brand way out front. Under P.G., we had a family feel, and now it’s all institutional and aloof. Sam’s always managing up, but as the leader of the organization he needs to manage down.”

When I asked Altman about this critique, he said, “I absolutely could do a better job at managing the organization—it was my chief weakness at Loopt, and I still have some learned helplessness about it. I don’t want to do weekly one-on-ones and let’s-talk-about-your-career-paths. But I think it’s O.K. to have a little mess at the organizational level if we’re making the big decisions right, since those are the ones that bring us all our returns.”

More generally, he observed, “The missing circuit in my brain, the circuit that would make me care what people think about me, is a real gift. Most people want to be accepted, so they won’t take risks that could make them look crazy—which actually makes them wildly miscalculate risk.”

(1)

Altman’s talent lies in understanding what people want. “He really tries to find the thing that matters most to a person — and then figure out how to give it to them,” ... “That is the algorithm he uses over and over.”

a partner ... who worked with Mr. Altman as a board adviser to OpenAI, said it was like he was constantly arguing with himself. “In a single conversation, ... he is both sides of the debate club.” (2)

“Why is he working on something that won’t make him richer? One answer is that lots of people do that once they have enough money, which Sam probably does. The other is that he likes power.”

“He has a natural ability to talk people into things,” Mr. Graham said. “If it isn’t inborn, it was at least fully developed before he was 20. I first met Sam when he was 19, and I remember thinking at the time: ‘So this is what Bill Gates must have been like.’” (2)

Mr. Altman is not a coder or an engineer or an A.I. researcher. He is the person who sets the agenda, puts the teams together and strikes the deals. As the president of “YC,” he expanded the firm with near abandon, starting a new investment fund and a new research lab and stretching the number of companies advised by the firm into the hundreds each year. (2)

He resolved to refocus his attention on a project that would, as he put it, have a real impact on the world. He considered politics, but settled on artificial intelligence. He believed, according to his younger brother Max, that he was one of the few people who could meaningfully change the world through A.I. research, as opposed to the many people who could do so through politics.

“Under Sam, the level of YC’s ambition has gone up 10x.” ... by precipitating progress in “curing cancer, fusion, supersonic airliners, A.I.,” was trying to comprehensively revise the way we live: “I think his goal is to make the whole future.”

Altman, ... had his own warning for the timid: “Democracy only works in a growing economy. Without a return to economic growth, the democratic experiment will fail. And I have to think that YC is hugely important to that growth.” (2)

a fairly focused person with a high level of concentration. “He is mildly introverted because he spends hours and hours of continuous work on technology issues, which requires a certain type of isolation.” But at the same time he is extroverted enough to be able to create his own companies in which he has contact with investors. He is very astute in business models. He has a peculiar mix of attitudes about him.

Altman is “the typical very smart young man (he is one of those who thinks through each sentence before saying it) who calmly admits that what they are doing will have a brutal economic impact, but that ‘everything will be fine’”.

His philosophy does not focus so much on moving fast, but rather on producing products that are a bit imperfect but that over time will be adopted by society. This includes people, institutions and governments. Let them adapt: feeling technology as something practical.

“I understand why educators feel what they feel (…) And I think this is just the new we’re going to try to, you know, do some things in the short term and there may be ways to help teachers be a little better for detecting any text from a GPT-like system. But honestly, a determined person is going to pull through and I don’t think it’s something society can rely on. Now we are in a new world”, argued Sam regarding the impact of ChatGPT in education.

His great argument ... is that “humans will adapt” to these new advances, which is why he is constantly innovating. (3)

I’ve learned that I can’t be very productive working on things I don’t care about or don’t like. So I just try not to put myself in a position where I have to do them (by delegating, avoiding, or something else). Stuff that you don’t like is a painful drag on morale and momentum.

It’s important to learn that you can learn anything you want, and that you can get better quickly. This feels like an unlikely miracle the first few times it happens, but eventually you learn to trust that you can do it.

You have to both pick the right problem and do the work. There aren’t many shortcuts.

I try to prioritize in a way that generates momentum. The more I get done, the better I feel, and then the more I get done. I like to start and end each day with something I can really make progress on.

I generally try to avoid meetings and conferences as I find the time cost to be huge—I get the most value out of time in my office. However, it is critical that you keep enough space in your schedule to allow for chance encounters and exposure to new people and ideas. Having an open network is valuable; though probably 90% of the random meetings I take are a waste of time, the other 10% really make up for it. ... most meetings are best scheduled for 15-20 minutes, or 2 hours. The default of 1 hour is usually wrong, and leads to a lot of wasted time.

I have different times of day I try to use for different kinds of work. The first few hours of the morning are definitely my most productive time of the day, so I don’t let anyone schedule anything then. I try to do meetings in the afternoon. I take a break, or switch tasks, whenever I feel my attention starting to fade.

I don’t think most people value their time enough—I am surprised by the number of people I know who make $100 an hour and yet will spend a couple of hours doing something they don’t want to do to save $20.

Also, don’t fall into the trap of productivity porn—chasing productivity for its own sake isn’t helpful. Many people spend too much time thinking about how to perfectly optimize their system, and not nearly enough asking if they’re working on the right problems. It doesn’t matter what system you use or if you squeeze out every second if you’re working on the wrong thing.The right goal is to allocate your year optimally, not your day.

I think it’s good to overcommit a little bit. I find that I generally get done what I take on, and if I have a little bit too much to do it makes me more efficient at everything, which is a way to train to avoid distractions (a great habit to build!). However, overcommitting a lot is disastrous.

Don’t neglect your family and friends for the sake of productivity—that’s a very stupid tradeoff (and very likely a net productivity loss, because you’ll be less happy). Don’t neglect doing things you love or that clear your head either.

Finally, to repeat one more time: productivity in the wrong direction isn’t worth anything at all. Think more about what to work on.

(4)

1. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/10/10/sam-altmans-manifest-destiny (2016)

2. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/31/technology/sam-altman-open-ai-chatgpt.html (2023)

3. https://time.news/sam-altman-the-genius-behind-chatgpt/

4. https://blog.samaltman.com/productivity

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bystander3 · 2 years

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My favorite canon fact from Lord of the Rings:

"We have heard tell that Legolas took Gimli Glóin's son with him because of their great friendship, greater than any that has been between Elf and Dwarf. If this is true, then it is strange indeed: that a Dwarf should be willing to leave Middle-earth for any love, or that the Eldar should receive him, or that the Lords of the West should permit it. But it is said that Gimli went also out of desire to see again the beauty of Galadriel; and it may be that she, being mighty among the Eldar, obtained this grace for him. More cannot be said of this matter."

-- Appendix A, The Return of the King

This is wild. The idea that Legolas took Gimli with him into the West, to the blessed realm of Valinor beyond the sea (basically the Elf equivalent of the afterlife) is BONKERS. That shouldn't be possible. It breaks all the rules of the universe. And Professor Tolkien knows this, because he's the one who wrote the rules in the first place.

I can't stress enough how big a deal this is. For so many reasons:

1. The last time someone tried to enter Valinor without permission, it nearly destroyed the world.

When the last king of Numenor (the great island nation where Aragon's ancestors came from), sailed an armada into the West to try to steal eternal life by force, God broke and reshaped the world to stop it from happening. God ripped Valinor out of the earth and hid it, which sunk Numenor beneath the ocean in a giant tidal wave like Atlantis, and then he took the rest of the earth, which used to be FLAT, and bent it into a round globe, so ships would always sail in a circle back to where they started. Only elf-ships can find the hidden path which continues in a straight line, where the flat earth used to be, up and out of the atmosphere of the curved earth to reach the ancient West of Valinor. So yeah: kind of a big deal. The Powers-that-be take that shit seriously.

2. Dwarves were not part of God's original Plan.

So, in Tolkien's world, there are many "gods" with a lower-case "g", but only one GOD with a capital "G". The all-seeing, all-wise creator of the world is Eru Iluvatar: The One, the Father-of-All. The great Powers entrusted with governing individual aspects of the World day-to-day are the Valar. The Valar are not technically gods; they are actually created beings more like archangels, but in practice they function almost exactly like the pagan gods from Greek or Norse mythology. Tolkien's world is ultimately monotheistic at the top level, but with that old-school polytheistic flavor in the middle bits.

Elves and Men are the Children of Iluvatar. They were the two races of thinking, speaking beings planned from the beginning and created solely by Iluvatar himself. The Dwarves were not. The Dwarves were made in secret by Aule the Smith, the god of crafting (like Hephaestus or Vulcan), without getting permission from Iluvatar first. Iluvatar allowed the Dwarves to exist and put souls into them, but insisted they had to wait for their turn, after the awakening of Elves and Men, before they could awaken into the world.

Elves believe that when Dwarves die, they turn back into the earth and stone from which they were made. However, the Dwarves believe that they will sleep beneath the earth until the End of the World, and then finally Iluvatar will make them honorary, adopted Children and they will help Aule rebuild the world after the Last Battle.

All of that is a long way of saying: Only Elves are allowed entry into Valinor. Men are forbidden to set foot there, even though they are Children of Iluvatar. If Men can't, then Dwarves definitely can't.

The idea of Legolas rucking up to the shores of Aman in a rowboat with a living Dwarf onboard, and then just looking Mandos and Manwe in the eye and saying, "Hi I'm Legolas, this is my friend Gimli: He goes where I go. Let us in." -- It's mind-boggling. I love it.

Within the rules of the cosmology, there's no rational explanation for why that should be allowed, other than Tolkien wanted it that way. I think Tolkien just liked Legolas and Gimli's friendship so much he couldn't bear to separate them, and just thought, eh, I can break my own rules this once, to give them a happy ending. I love it.

#The Lord of the Rings #J.R.R. Tolkien #Silmarillion #Legolas #Gimli #appendices #Valinor #Aule #Valar #dwarves #elves

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winterfieldfrontiers · 2 years

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My fan plot to Sonic The Hedgehog 3

This is my draft for Sonic The Hedgehog 3, Loose Adaptation from Sonic Adventure 2 from wikia Idea: https://movieideas.fandom.com/wiki/Sonic_The_Hedgehog_3:_Shadow_of_The_World_(2024_films)

Plot

ACT 1

Stone enters a lab in a G.U.N. uniform. He searches around before discovering information about Project Shadow, before deciding to type in the password M A R I A. The tube slowly moved upward, revealing the body of a black hedgehog with its eyes. Stone realized that this was a project Commander Walters talked about in Green Hills after Sonic defeats Dr. Robotnik before he disappeared.

Dr. Robotnik said to Stone at Mean Bean Coffee that he wanted to be like the grandfather who died in the experiment with his granddaughter Maria, he show his grandfather's diary about a Classified Project named Shadow and the password is Maria's name, Stone was slightly surprised to see a creature similar to Sonic. Before Shadow introduced his name in a cold tone. and deals with giant robots and takes stone escaping from the dark area, a remote island outside the San Francisco coast, he bombs the golden bridge and then disappears.

Several weeks after Sonic defeated Doctor Robotnik and being family with Tails, Knuckles, Tom and Maddie Wachowski, But soon the news channel reported on the situation that an explosion occurred on the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco news reports that a large number of people were injured. But most of them are government officials. before revealing the footage in a dark shadow figures confirmed that is sonic the hedgehog, which shocked everyone on the table because it is very similar to sonic, He tried to decline. An army of soldiers who used a sonic shock gun to faint. Tails and Tom tries to intervene but was aimed at the gun Maddie said that Sonic never attacks people. The commander said if The whole family is in their way, they will be in danger. before putting taking sonic out to the helicopter. Tom and Maddie think they can drive along to save Sonic. But Tails said he would signal to Knuckles. He soon appeared in front of them, he’s yelling that the Master emerald had disappeared. A Lady bat invaded and swooped from him after worked together. when he learns that Sonic has been captured, he’s being worried. Tails tried to signal a request around the universe but not working until there was a signal coming from San Francisco. and probably a Mobius, made the decision to go to San Francisco. But Tails and Knuckles stops Tom and Maddie. They entrusts Tails and Knuckles to help Sonic. Tails and Knuckles use biplane named Tornado and set off for San Francisco with Knuckles.

After escaping from the city, Stone starts his revenge, he let shadow out to make chaos, blaming Sonic for being a criminal, they are in a secret base within the Egyptian pyramids. with Robotnik in the normal condition, He was saved by using the ring he had stolen from the Knuckles. Teleported to the pyramid and ordered Stone to follow the G.U.N organization. Suddenly, Rouge, the Bat Lady, appeared innocently, asking to join. She said she knew it was in the black area in the depths, six more pills, but the other one was still in San Francisco. Shadow then lands in San Francisco again and gets to the government safe lock. while a revived Sonic defeats all the G.U.N. people on the helicopter before using helicopter fragments down from the sky into San Francisco. Sonic soon escaped their hunt. he has attacked Sonic and realized that the main culprit of the story. He fights with Shadow. But Shadow uses Chaos control escape and left Sonic for G.U.N.

Shadow returned to base with the first emerald. But there were still 6 emeralds left. Knuckles and Tails arrived at the coordinates. Before revealing an apartment called Zillow, the couple pressed the doorbell before meeting a pink hedgehog with Magic power, Rosy The Rascal or Amy, who is mobians, who is fascinated by divination magic from the talents of her innate powers. until she discovered that Her soulmate is on Earth, Sonic, so she uses the ring to arrive at the earth. so she uses the ring to arrive. and lurked in San Francisco for almost a year and followed the story of Sonic but did not dare to approach because she was not confident in herself since she was on earth She tries to sell Maddie's apartment. But Maddie rejected her. Amy shows off her medium and magic power. She was shocked because she saw The moon shattered in half after being shot by something. including where Sonic was imprisoned. Prison Island, but soon, G.U.N observing robots attack Amy's apartment but they escape with Tornado to the Prison Island.

ACT 2

Shadow began to visualize the memories of the golden-haired girl who died before his eyes. Now he's on the island. He contacted the Robotics and Stone that he would hurry to complete the mission. But then Amy approaches Shadow. calling him "Sonic", but strangely, Amy knows it's not him. Robotnik is going to attack Amy. But Tails intervened, both of them using their fighting gear to match the battle. Meanwhile, Rouge and Knuckles meet again and Knuckles asks Rouge what's her motive, but Rogue is so seductive, makes knuckles lose. She seized the opportunity to escape to the safe in time. Knuckles takes Amy to prison. where Sonic has been trapped. Sonic greets Amy in a friendly way. Amy uses a hammer to knock out the G.U.N. along with Knuckles, she's smashing security robots.

Sonic looks at her with fascinating eyes, She introduced herself with excitement to sonic before telling him about Shadow. The black hedgehog was very similar to him. Sonic separates Amy and Knuckles, and goes to meet Shadow in the woods behind the prison. They meet, arguing for a while. They fight with each other. But soon the island that had been equipped with bombs began to work. Even though I knew I could get all the gems, I got stuck in it. Shadow then uses Chaos Control from Emerald to help her out. While Amy comes to the rescue of Sonic before the island explodes.

Tom, Maddie and Wade came to Tim's grave. and meet Crazy Carl, who revealed the fact that the reason he called Sonic. blue devil Because he had met a black devil before when he was working as a government soldier on a mission 50 years ago, where Tim was working at the time. He had seen Tim shoot a young girl with no choice. Before the super-secret creature Shadow that looked like Sonic fell, and was salvaged by the government at the time to be kept in the remote prison island of San Francisco. Tom consoles Carl. but heartbreakingly understands the meaning his father used to say on the rowboat Maddie comforted him. while Wade was stunned to the point of doing nothing. Crazy Carl felt like he had freed himself from the secret and told Tom to do the right thing. Don't make the same mistake as his father, Tom and Maddie and Wade contact Randall to help them get to the organization to find a way to tell Commander Walters the truth about Project Shadow.

Shadow questions what's his goals to do for the world at the Space Colony ARK. Rouge comes to thank Shadow for helping her out from the island. But Shadow refused. He just needs Chaos emerald. He now has all emeralds, enough for Robotnik and Stone, to use the Eclipse Cannon to destroy half the moon. An announcement to the world, that if the government did not give up, He will destroy the whole world in 24 hours, Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, successfully reconciled with the G.U.N organization. because Tom and Maddie, Tails, therefore, used a tracer. until found in Pyramid in Egypt. Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, and Tom followed them and ask Maddie to stay with Rachel and Jojo. because he didn't want her to risk her life. she encouraged him to do what he need to, They Used the ring to appear in front of the secret base in the Pyramid, but soon it turns into a rocket. all hurry up Before it arrives at Space Colony ARK.

Amy uses her tarot card. The result is a half chance. The world may be destroyed But Sonic dies first. Sonic doesn't care. He has to end the whole thing to protect the world and be a hero. He attacked the Robotnik and Stone. but ailed, being held captive with only one chaos emerald and was released into the atmosphere with explosions, Amy's shocking. Tails' crying, with regret and fearless death, battles the Robotnik and Stone to avenge Sonic together with Amy. Rouge and Knuckles battle up again in the energy chamber where Master Emerald resides. But Rogue almost fell into the lava. Knuckles helped, saying that his friend taught him to take responsibility for the life of a hero.

Impressed, Rouge returns to Master Emerald and tells Knuckles that Shadow will destroy the world according to Maria's wish and tell knuckle to run. Before meeting Shadow who intends to go to the canon, prepare to destroy the world, knock her out after knowing that she's a spy. Sonic survived because it was able to use the Chaos Control from a single emerald. appeared in front of Shadow, Shadow pours out a grudge against the humans who have taken away Maria's future and everyone who tries to create a better world. Shadow tries to persuade Sonic to join him. But Sonic refused. The two of them fought evenly. Robotnik gets in their way and takes chaos emerald from Sonic to the core energy.

ACT 3

Robotnik and Stone got all 7 chaos emeralds pressed the energy, ready to attack. but It became the last video where Professor Gerald Robotnik, who can use the power of science and space-time, teleported to Mobius and collect Chaos Energy from mobians. used to develop into "The Ultimate Lifeform" as the government's need for weapons. But the government is afraid of power. So they ordered the destruction of the project and the people involved. Maria is a young girl with Neuro-Immune Deficiency Syndrome and the granddaughter of Robotics. Died along with some of the people in the project. And the project is kept secret for 50 years ago. a countdown clock leading the ark station to crash into the world, everyone is panicking, Robotnik and Stone were shocked. Because both the people of the ark and the world will die when the collision is successful.

Amy cries because she can't see the future and do anything until Tails comes to console her that she does it with her confidence. But Sonic didn't give up. gather everyone to part ways to stop the Ark, Amy raised her hammer and smashed the robot in anger. Show off her power with Rouge. While Shadow is in the hall with Tom. Tom confesses that his father killed Maria. Makes Shadow angry and beat Tom, Tom explains that his father didn't mean to do this. He tried to do the right thing. His father has passed away. He could not atone for the crimes his family had committed. But Shadow can protect everyone. Shadow heard of Maria's promise in his memories,

Shadow burst into tears and gave the injured Tom a rest. before running after the Sonic and friends. What awaits them all is the Shadow Project's prototype "Biolizard". which is an important energy source of the Eclipse Canon all cooperates, But the Biolizard used the Chaos Control to take control of the cannons to accelerate the crash. All Desperate, Sonic doesn't give up. Sonic begs Shadow to join him. Unbiased Shadow decides to use the 7 Chaos Emeralds as a super sonic and super shadow dash into space and use his ultimate power to stop the Biolizard. Ultimate power out from shadow Until he's falling into the atmosphere.

Sonic returns to the station. Dart hugged Tom, regretting that Shadow had fulfilled his promise but didn't take his own life and he's trying to save him. Tom promises him to be a good father and hero. Tails, Knuckles and Amy is relieved to be able to save the world. Robotnik questions about His Grandfather's motive if he wants to destroy the world, but Tails tells him that we can only protect ourselves by working together. But the government will hunt down the Robotnik and Stone, they accept the truth and escape, leaving Tails relieved. Rouge invites Knuckles to travel the world with her. Knuckles agreed. Amy doesn't have an apartment till it's fixed. So Tom tells her to live with Rachel and Jojo. Sonic admired her courage in saving his friend, thanks her, Amy falls in love with Sonic and hugs him tightly, Sonic forbids her to say that it's too early to be in love. he'd rather live like a child. And called Amy a best friend, Amy is delighted. Sonic Tails, Knuckles, and recovered Tom is back in the World.

Maddie was proud of Tom and said she was going to have a son. He looked at Sonic with a smile. Before deciding to name his unborn son "Shadow Wachowski", the shadow who protects the world, Sonic, Tails and Knuckles accept happily, while Tom decides to work with G.U.N. He will be the hero to protect his family and the world and never make a mistake. as his ancestors used to do. he's still in Green Hills with Maddie, Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Commander Walter Hand the Olive Garden gift card to Wachowski, Join them for a meal at Olive Garden. They all Commemorate the sacrifice of Shadow the Hedgehog, the hero who kept the world alive. Even if half of the moon disappeared.

Sonic The Hedgehog 3

Mid-Credit Scene

In the forest behind Green Hills, a gray hedgehog who was able to use psychic powers suddenly appeared. Along with the figure of a purple cat with flames. They're Staring at Green Hills with suspicion Before the picture cuts into Green Hill, when it remains only the ruins of the action of something in the future. the gray figure snapped and determined that He has to deal with the root of all problems,

"Sonic the Hedgehog."

Sonic The Hedgehog 4 won't be an adaptation of SONIC 06 but will be an original story with materials from 06.

Cast

Voice cast

Ben Schwartz as Sonic the Hedgehog: An anthropomorphic blue hedgehog who can run at supersonic speeds. He wishes to use his powers to be a hero and save lives, but is too immature and reckless.

Colleen O'Shaughnessey as Miles: "Tails" Prower: An anthropomorphic yellow fox who can fly with his two tails and quickly becomes Sonic's best friend.

Idris Elba as Knuckles the Echidna: An anthropomorphic red echidna warrior with superhuman strength. He is the sole survivor of the echidna tribe after they were wiped out by the owl tribe.

Karl Urban as Shadow The Hedgehog: An mysterious anthropomorphic black hedgehog associated with a secret government experiment called Project Shadow.

Anna Kendick as Amy Rose: An anthropomorphic pink hedgehog associated with Wachowski to save Sonic and have mysterious about her origins

Scarlet Johansson as Rouge The Bat: An anthropomorphic bat, a beautiful treasure hunter.

Tom Holland as Silver The Hedgehog, an anthropomorphic hedgehog hailing from two hundred years into the future.

Jenny Slate as Blaze The Cat, An anthropomorphic cat from an alternate dimension

Live-action cast

Jim Carrey as Dr. Robotnik, a mad scientist and Sonic's archenemy. who disappeared after losing to Sonic in Green Hills

James Marsden as Tom Wachowski, the sheriff of Green Hills, Montana and Sonic, Tails, Knuckles's adoptive father.

Tika Sumpter as Maddie Wachowski, Tom's wife and the local veterinarian of Green Hills who is also Sonic, Tails, Knuckles's adoptive mother.

Natasha Rothwell as Rachel Handel, Maddie's older sister who dislikes Tom due to the events of the previous film. She’s Randall’s wife

Adam Pally as Wade Whipple, the deputy sheriff of Green Hills and Tom's friend.

Shemar Moore as Randall Handel, Rachel's husband and an G.U.N. agent.

Lee Majdoub as Stone, a former government agent who is Robotnik's obsessively loyal assistant.

Tom Butler as Commander Walters, the former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who is now the founder and leader of the military organization G.U.N.

Melody Nosipho Niemann as Jojo, Rachel's daughter and the niece of Maddie and Tom.

Robert De Niro as Professor Gerald Robotnik, a human scientist and the grandfather of Maria Robotnik and Dr. Robotnik. A world-renowned scientist who is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest scientific minds of all time

Mckenna Grace as Maria Robotnik, a young human, the granddaughter of Gerald Robotnik and the cousin of Dr. Robotnik.

Paul Rudd as Tim Wachowski, Tom's late dad.

Frank C. Turner as Crazy Carl, a human that lives in Green Hills and was the first person on Earth to be onto Sonic the Hedgehog, but he might know something about what’s happened in 50 years ago.

Sarah Surh as Sarah, a former G.U.N. Mean Bean Agent from three weeks ago, now she’s working to arrest Sonic by Commander Walters’s command.

Running time

153 Minutes

Budget

$150 million

#sonic movie 3 #Sonic The Hedgehog 3 #sonic the hedgehog #shadow the hedgehog #tom wachowski #maddie wachowski #Miles Tails Prower #Knuckles the Echidna #rouge the bat #rosy the rascal #amy rose #Wade Whipple #doctor robotnik #agent stone

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catohphm · 3 years

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A True Friend for a Werewolf

Hi everyone, here’s the third in a series of drabbles that shed some light on my MC, Cato’s relationships with the canon characters of HPHM. I’ve written pieces for Talbott and Badeea. It’s Chiara’s turn now. For a while, we didn’t know what house she was in. She was revealed to be Hufflepuff in the sixth year. Chiara’s life and personality are defined by her biggest secret: she’s a werewolf. Very mysterious, she is. But unlike Talbott, she also faces social rejection and shame if her status is disclosed, not just government interference. In time, Cato grows to build a very close friendship with Chiara based on trust and a vow to look out for each other and keep their secrets safe. Just beware, this post is longer than the others as I provided some background and more details to help build the foundation of their bond. Enjoy!

Chiara Lobasca was born to an affluent family. Her father was an arithmancer and her mother was extremely skilled with memory charms. Due to her knowledge of the spells, she was employed by the Ministry as an Obliviator, responsible for solving violations of the secrecy laws by wiping the memories of muggles who were aware of the incident, as well as knowledge of magic in general.

As a young child, Chiara ran afoul of the infamous werewolf, Fenrir Greyback. She was bitten by him and became a werewolf too. He attempted to recruit her for his army, which sought to take over the wizarding world as revenge for oppression against their kind. Fortunately, her parents were able to stop him and send him packing before their daughter could be influenced by him. Chiara, aware that she got lycanthropy from her encounter with the cruel Greyback, was extremely scared that he had gotten very close toward taking her away from home and doing who knows what to her. Sheltering their daughter, they chose to keep it private that she was a werewolf, knowing of the large negative stigma and laws that would make it hard to live with her condition.

The Lobascas managed to live stable lives for some time afterwards, but the expenses of procuring Wolfsbane potion to help Chiara get through her transformations put strain on the family’s finances. She eventually befriended a neighbor named Selina, who wasn’t intimidated by hearing she was a werewolf. They were good friends until the former saw Chiara after she transformed. Selina was horrified and never talked to her again out of fear. Her memories were wiped by Chiara’s mum so she wouldn’t have to live haunted by the memories. It was from this incident that Chiara became a more guarded person, being very cautious over who she let into her circle.

She was sorted into Hufflepuff upon arriving at Hogwarts. Her secret meant her life and she understood that if it went out, she’d be in great danger. Chiara’s greatest fear was the fact she was a werewolf becoming known at school. Inside though, she remained the sweet, goodhearted individual she was before she was infected with lycanthropy. Between classes, she would help out Madam Pomfrey with work in the Hospital Wing, her dream of becoming a healer. It was there she first met Cato.

While Chiara found the Ravenclaw boy to be a kind soul who valued people, they remained only acquaintances for a while because of her previous experience with her former friend. They said “Hi!” or even waved to each other when they passed in the halls, but Chiara tried to avoid conversation as much as possible. Cato wondered why she was like this, but he had a feeling that she had something she didn’t want to share, so he respected her choice. It was early into their third year that they got closer.

Cato, Penny and Chiara were all in Herbology when a boggart emerged from its hiding spot. It took the form of a werewolf. Hearing Penny’s shouts, Chiara ducked under a table and fled from the greenhouse when the boggart was repelled. Her memories of Selina finding out she was a werewolf were triggered by the incident. As a result, she became less like her usual self and isolated herself more from her peers. Both they and her professors caught on this and grew worried. Penny was concerned too, and she sought her best friend Cato to try to speak to her roommate and find out what’s going on.

He was advised by Penny not to mention her to Chiara, as she is worried that her encounter with the boggart may create a rift between them. Cato was worried too, as he hadn’t seen Chiara in the hospital wing much after the ruckus in the greenhouse. He first questioned Madam Pomfrey on her whereabouts. She suggested he look in a cupboard down the hallway she uses to store medical potions and other supplies separate from Snape’s classroom so that students wouldn’t touch them during classes.

Cato went to the cupboard, quietly muttering "I hope you're in there, Chiara." A door opens and her, recognizing him by his voice, ushers him in and quickly shuts the door. Chiara explains that she has to tell him something, needing someone outside of her house that she can be able to trust with the information. He learns of a rumor that she overheard about a first year who was attacked by a mysterious white creature in the Forbidden Forest which was believed to be a werewolf. The victim is believed to be a Gryffindor named Pippa MacMillian as she was reported absent from Astronomy the night the attack took place. Hearing this made Chiara desperate. Afraid of what could happen if people started thinking she was the creature, Chiara wanted to tell somebody she knew who could be able to help her solve the mystery.

Together, she and Cato sought out Pippa, who couldn’t recall anything the moment she was attacked in the woods. With the help of a memory potion, she was able to explain that wasn’t sure if her assailant was actually a werewolf. Claw marks on the arm prompted the assumption it was a lycanthrope. Chiara was very relieved to hear this. The three of them dispelled the rumors with Penny’s help, who was also happy to learn the good news. Cato and Chiara became friends after the case was solved. They talked more, especially when they were assigned together in classes such as Herbology. She was still careful with how deep the conversations got, but entrusted Cato with her secret, knowing she could depend on him.

Eventually, their bond would be put to the test. Chiara introduced Cato to an acquaintance of hers, another werewolf named Remus Lupin. She revealed how she shared some of the wolfsbane potion she received from the school to aid in his plight. Lupin was poor and had to keep moving and changing jobs every once in a while to prevent people from finding out he was a werewolf. He stopped accepting wolfsbane from Chiara as it was now time for him to keep moving on. Before leaving, he reminded her that the full moon would be out that night.

That night, Cato and Chiara were playing gobstones, where they opened up a bit more about each other’s lives. She quickly left after remembering Lupin’s warning about the Full Moon. Urgently looking for a safe place to transform, a greatly worried Cato followed her to the Training Grounds. She was about to tell him to run. But it was seconds before she shifted into her werewolf form. Instead, she told him to not let her hurt anyone. As she transformed right in front of Cato, he covered his eyes with his hands, tripping and falling on the ground. When he looked back up, Chiara was now a large werewolf with white fur. She was menacing, but there appeared to be some hesitance in her motion. Cato pulled out his wand, got up and with it behind his back, he called out at her “This is not who you’re really like Chiara! Remember, you’re my friend! You can count on me!” Chiara pauses for a moment, halted by what he just said, but then becomes aggressive. He calls out “I’m sorry! I have to make sure you don’t hurt yourself or anyone, for you! Cato casts Flipendo but the jinx misses and the transformed Chiara strikes him, knocking him back to the ground. His arm is now hurting from the hard blow, but he remembers the Banishing Charm he had learned from Charms a few days ago. Teeth-clenched from the pain of his arm, Cato aims his wand at the werewolf as she closes in to him, his eyes now brimming with tears. He mutters out “Depulso” in a stressed, worried tone. A mass of bluish-white energy explodes from the tip of his wand, blasting the werewolf Chiara several feet away from Cato.

She gets back up on her feet and stares at Cato. A twinkle gleams across her eyes and she makes out a weak smile, before turning away and running back toward the Forbidden Forest to wait out the rest of the night. The morning after the fight, Cato joins Chiara in the artifact room to catch up on the night before. She, although surprised, thanks him for standing by her and not running away when she turned into a werewolf. She then explains why she was keeping her distance all this time, recalling the incident when her neighbor found out what she looked like as werewolf and asked her mum to Obliviate Selena so that she wouldn’t have to live in fear. Chiara was then reluctant to make friends as she didn’t want to harm others through her lycanthropy. Now confident enough to face her fears, she fully opens up to Cato.

He presents her a photo he recovered from the Training Ground after the fight. It was a beautiful color photo of the sun setting over the Black Lake, with Hogwarts Castle in the foreground. Chiara lets Cato keep it as gratitude for his help, and tells him that Lupin gave it to her. The photo was taken by Lupin’s friend James Potter, both of whom were part of the Marauders during their years in school. Cato learns from Chiara that the message of the photo is “The morning will always come.” They immediately give each other a big hug, Cato still holding the photo in one hand. She remarks “This is for not giving up on me. Thank you, Cato!" He answers “Anything I can do for my friends. They’re like family to me.” Chiara then said “I’ll always be able to make it through even the darkest night, so long as I have the support of my friends.”

They were best friends after those events, and continued to be so well into adulthood. Eventually Cato would retire from the high-adventure lifestyle of curse-breaking, looking for a more stable job he enjoyed that could also support his wife Penny and their two sons. He was hired as a healer at St. Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. Working with Penny and Chiara, Cato and they would often reminisce about their past adventures in school and as young adults. He continues to keep the photo Chiara gave him back in Hogwarts as a token of their friendship.

#cato reese #chiara lobosca #hphm chiara #hphm #hphm mc #hogwarts mystery #hogwarts mystery mc #harry potter hogwarts mystery #hphm headcanon #hphm headcanons #hphm friendship #hphm jacobs sibling #jacob's sibling

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sseizonsha · 3 years

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Biohazard: Infinite Darkness

At First Glance

Good morning to everyone. It’s been a long time since we’ve had new content for Leon Kennedy-related material, and I have risen from the ashes to observe, to poke and prod and lay flat this soft, tender meat beneath the microscope.

Netflix’s Infinite Darkness officially dropped a trailer, and while of course the series doesn’t focus on one character, I will be approaching its content as it pertains to Leon Kennedy and his experience alone.

Do be warned: I tend to be long-winded. It’s my recommendation that you sit down with some Jim Beam, a mimosa, or some strong coffee (all of Leon’s favorites) and get comfortable.

With this in mind, let us begin.

The Interrogation

We open the tailer on an interrogation, the man in question sitting on the left, sweaty, compromised. Leon stands the one in power and in control--ever the good cop so to speak--as he asks gently, “Wanna talk about it?”

When we fade to black, we hear a voice say, “Every night I have the same nightmare.”

The soldier is a man named Jason. He details his nightmare and we see his memory in action as it happened, before the trauma and the events which led him to this moment. When we return to the interrogation, Jason’s position is shot on the right side of the screen. Leon sits on the left, having taken the position of confession, of vulnerability.

“I remember...people screaming.”

The difference between Leon’s experience and Jason’s? Leon’s nightmare never truly ends. We know this based on external sources, true, but as Leon details his nightmare, we are given the series’ current events as they happen AND as they directly relate to Leon’s details: The Capitol Building, the power outage, the infected undead opening its eyes and another rising to sit up.

“We watch it spread. And spread.”

We watch Leon through the darkened halls of an unknown labyrinth, an unnamed facility. It matters not, really, the details of the time or place. Both Leon and the soldier alternate between telling the same story, the same experience, but it is Leon who is there to witness, to fight, to survive.

“It’s terrifying.”

We drop into black.

(This scene also supports the meta post in which I detail the way Leon hears the confessions of the inevitable dead before they move on. He is entrusted with secrets in ways few others are, and he carries the entire weight of them on his shoulders. This interrogation is yet another confession. I suspect Jason will not live.)

Later in the trailer, we see Leon and a man whose profile strongly resembles Jason’s. This time, the other man sits to the right, not standing but slightly elevated in a position of confidence and power. He is surrounded by weapons and his hand creeps closer to a firearm. Leon sits at the left side of the screen, and the camera angle leads us to believe that he is looking up, that he is not in the position of advantage here.

Viewing Leon in Shades of Grey

I have never made the time to write a full essay on my belief that Leon works with the government not for the government. He receives orders but often ignores them for what he believes is best for the situation and all parties involved. Leon operates largely out of his own moral principles and sense of obligation--and this is plainly evidenced throughout Leon’s career.

“We cannot allow anyone to interfere with peace and prosperity.”

As the government gives a press release regarding threats to the United States, the person splayed dead center of the screen during this line is Leon Kennedy. He wears a suit, its color scheme monochromatic. He is, at his core, good (white shirt), but always surrounded by and cloaked in the government’s corruption, in corporate greed (the black jacket).

He wades through a place enveloped in darkness but stands surprised and enlightened. As the look of recognition, perhaps, or understanding, breaks across his face, so too does light beam into the picture from out of frame.

“What are you here for?” “That’s classified.”

Leon has forgone the suit and tie and sits in a leather jacket, all black. The room he occupies is dark, dank, full of smoke and guns and tension. He faces a threat of a man head-on.

The unnamed woman lingers out of sight, she is wrapped almost entirely in shadow. Like Leon, she appears to be wearing all black. In direct juxtaposition to Leon, who faces his threat in full view and full danger, she has her back turned to the scene but is no less aware, no less in control. We assume that this is Leon’s ally going forward.

Speaking of allies....

Claire Redfield

There is something significant to be said for Claire Redfield’s introduction. We are trapped in a claustrophobic facility and pursued by the undead when the image of Leon falls into obscurity. The singular piece that pulls him--and us, the viewer--out of total darkness is the sound of her voice.

The following scene is full of light: Claire Redfield smiling, swathed in warm shades of brown and red unlike the harsh, cold Emergency floodlights of the previous imagery.

She is both safe, and a safe place for Leon.

Claire is only ever open and truthful and honest with him. She tells him as much as she can in the short time we are given, and Leon, the agent privy to secrets and classified resources he cannot--by law and by duty--share with the one person he cares about most, merely says, “I gotta go.”

“Don’t do anything stupid.” (I will later write a headcanon on Claire and Leon and their habit of parting ways. Someone shoot me a reminder.) He doesn’t tell her to stand aside and do nothing---Leon respects her far too much and knows her far too well to ask that of her. He merely reminds her not to be reckless and leaves her with his blessing.

“Do you know where the root of terror comes from? It starts with fear.”

The trailer climaxes with this quote, depicts Leon running toward Claire, hands reaching out. It starts with fear. As it did with Raccoon. With the outbreak 7 years later. The Rockford Island Incident.

It starts with fear, yet once again, Claire and Leon find themselves at the end of it.

#leon kennedy #resident evil #resident evil infinite darkness #infinite darkness #claire redfield #meta.#biohazard commentary | ooc.

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tolstoyamericanrevolution · 3 years

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The Seixas Brothers; Jewish Patriots

A family of Portuguese origins and first generation colonial Americans- The Seixas family had a powerful influence on the Jewish communities of New York, Rhode Island and Philadelphia- particularly through the eldest two surviving sons. Moses & Gershom.

Being of Portuguese origin the family were Sephardic Jews. Sephardic Jews being Jews from Iberia and later the Middle East, post inquisition. They had different customs to the modern culturally dominant Ashkenazi Jews, Jews from Northern and Eastern Europe- an elder contemporary of the Seixas brothers would be Moses Mendelssohn who was a Berlin based Ashkenazi Jews who helped the cultural integration and gaining of civil rights for Jews in Germany then Prussia.

Religious customs between the two groups differed significantly particularly in language with Sephardic synagogues mainly being in Portuguese or Ladino when not speaking Hebrew. The Sephardi Jews also were seen as more refined and educated than the Ashkenazi Jews, as well as wealthier, in internal community dynamics. Hence the saying that the Sephardic Jews were the descendants “of Poets and Philosophers” see Judah Halevi or Maimonides as examples of a Sephardi Poet and Philosopher, from Spain and Egypt respectively. In Europe these communities were often segregated from each other, internally, seeing inter community involvement outside of business as distasteful. This included prayer & marriage.

The situation for American Jews were quite different. The community of the Seixas brothers was small roughly 2,500 people barely a tenth of the population. Practising it was Sephardic due to the influence of the Dutch Jews, yet it was majority Ashkenazi in cultural and ethno-religious make up. Leading to a community that was small, spread out, cultural mixed and frankly too modern for the European rabbinical practises.

Now; to the Seixas brothers themselves. Born and raised in Rhode Island by Issac Mendes Seixas; born originally in Portugal and raised in London by Abraham and Abigail Seixas who were Marranos (Jews converted to Christianity, who continued to practise Judaism in secret due to the Inquisition) and Rachel Levy born in London, she was an Ashkenazi Jew related to the important Levy-Frank’s family. Her marriage caused such an uproar that many Sephardi members avoided it. As you can see like many Sephardic Jews their marriages were from across the world, and like many York City Jews they began the intermarriage of Ashkenazi and Sephardi. You can see more of their records in the image of the family register attached below.

Sexias family register

The ideologies of Moses and Gershom were shaped by the world around them, Great Britain had one of the most lenient policies towards Jews however this included the fact that they could not attend university, own property in the form of land or practise the law. The Jews rights bill in England would not come til the mid 19th century. Anti-Semitism was often seen in the writers of the day including Voltaire and English politicians. The Seixas brothers were of Portuguese origins which conducted the inquisition that oft burned Jews alive for either not converting or being secret converts, post expulsion. In the 18th century this continued in Goa, India & Brazil.

Russia conducted pogroms, which devastated the Jewish community until the early 20th century (although Soviet Anti-Semitism was by no means better post 1920s). This was also the era of the Pale of Settlement in which Eastern European Jews were restricted to modern day Belarus, Lithuania and Ukraine unable to trade or live in any main city without a letter. Prussia, had begun the process of integrating Jews, however both sides were extremely cautious of the other.

The Middle East was mixed, on one hand it was more tolerant than Europe with Thessloniki being named the Shabbat City as it was mainly dark on Friday nights due to observance. Yet; Jews were also mistrusted in the Ottoman Empire having to be identified by dress often a yellow hat or a type of shoe (this identification also existed in different forms in East Europe). Religious persecution varied from region to region.

This was the time where Proto-Zionist thoughts were beginning, but it was mainly aimed at integrating in the current society. The idealogy popular among the American Colonial Jews (those with Wiggish leanings) was that the new state would allow for religious and economic freedoms in which they could be active, equal citizens of a country founded on the right of man to govern himself over a Christian or Muslim Monarch whose country saw them as deplorable. This is a bit of a history lesson but essential to understanding the context, in which these first generation Jews acted in who were likely spurred on by the revolutionary ideals and attitudes of the time, as well as their own.

Moses was born March 26th 1744 and married Jochebed Levy also of Newport. He was a merchant, operating from the city and a proud follower of the patriot cause, his main influence being post the war in his encouragement of Washington to uphold the religious freedoms promised. He frankly; asserted it, rather than requesting it.

Moses was a civic and religious leader, being an educated man who was apart of the Freemason’s in Rhode Island. He believed such institutions allowed natural brotherhood between men, no matter their background. Moses later became leader of the King David’s Lodge. He was also the warden of the Touro synagogue in Newport, one of the oldest in the country, founded in the 1760s. Warden was a civic leadership role in a religious community. He often spoke at community sermons, including reading his letter to Washington in 1790 aloud to the man and the community. He also wrote letters addressing Washington as a fellow freemason. Outside of religious and civic duties he also post war co-founded the Rhode Island Bank.

"a Government, which to bigotry gives no sanction, to persecution no assistance – but generously affording to All liberty of conscience, and immunities of Citizenship: deeming every one, of whatever Nation, tongue, or language, equal parts of the great governmental Machine." - Moses Mendes Seixas in his famous letter to Washington.

An interesting detail on Moses’s religious involvement, despite not being Hazzan like his brother, is the fact that in the 1770s he was entrusted by the Newport community to be the Mohel; The man who preforms circumcision on the eighth day of a Jewish boy’s life. He received instruction only by letter, and circumcised his own son successfully. It shows how well trusted he was in the community and also how Jewish communities in America often divided duties among each other due to the lack of Rabbinical influence and population.

Moses’s letter to Washington 1790

Last but not least, Gershom. I know the most about him due to what is avalible on his life, I have to admit this post is quite long so I will do a seperate one going into more detail about the younger brother.

Gershom Mendes Seixas was born a year after his brother and became Chief Hazzan of the New York community synagogue at the early age of 23. Despite being young for a role which was the nearest they had to Rabbi, he was voted unanimously which demonstrates the breadth of knowledge and charisma the man had. Hazzan, as Jews canted their songs, tended to lead the singing and the reading of the Torah in synagogue, especially without a Rabbi.

As a Hazzan he was simply revolutionary. Not just in his politics. He was the first Jew to have a sermon in America in English, with the majority of his sermons from there onwards being in English. He pressed for the reconciliation between England and the Colonies, however his tone notes a man who clearly saw England in the wrong and the Colonies as having bargaining power over their overlord.

From the start he was an interfaith leader, many of his friends being Tory Christians, he resumed many of these correspondents post war with those who remained. In 1776 he was extremely active, including writing a prayer in Hebrew for the reconciliation of the colonies, as referred above. When invasion of New York by the British came near, his emotive words convinced the entire congregation to board up the doors of the Synagogue with many leaving the city. During this time, his wife Elchalah suffered a miscarriage. He escaped to Connecticut with some of his followers, bringing the religious ceremonial items with him including the scrolls.

With the take back of Philadelphia he was offered the role of Hazzan there which he served until 1784, there he actively argued against Protestant lawmakers who proposed changes to the constitution such as ensuring that only Christian’s could follow it and that it was impossible for those of other faiths to comprehend, like his brother he civilly fought these matters stating that it was "unjust to the members of a persuasion that had always been attached to the American cause and given a support to the country, some in the Continental army, some in the militia, and some by cheerfully paying taxes and sustaining the popular cause."

He would be present at Washington’s inauguration as apart of the significant fourteen religious leaders that supported him, he was the only Jew.

Post the war he would continue to actively be involved in Jewish ceremonies, having an annual Thanksgiving sermon back in New York where he returned afterwards. He became the first Jewish member to be elected a trustee of Colombia collage. He would also create a Jewish charitable organisation in 1802 called Hebra Hased Ve Amet.

To this day descendants of both brothers serve as leaders of America’s remaining Sephardi community.

Portrait of Gershom Mendes Seixas 1784

#turn washington's spies #turn amc #American revolution #revolutionary history #Jewish history #Gershom Mendes Seixas #Moses Mendes Seixas #The Seixas Brothers #my American jewish history rants #please enjoy #this means a lot to me #if you have any information feel free to add #also I did totally listen to the old man's back again as I wrote this #turn washingtons spies

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greenflower21 · 3 years

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“I Sleep and Dream of Snow” (orginally on my Ao3 profile) * Contains Spoilers for season 3 of “Attack on Titan”

The winter will be rough this year , thought Levi as he gazed out the foggy window onto the gray surroundings. The first snow was yet to come, but he doubted it would be far off. Wind was already screaming down from the mountains, sweeping across the sheltered valley where the small cabin nestled under the barren trees like skeletons in the mountain’s shadow. This was the same cabin where he had hidden with his new squad, a few months previously, before Queen Historia had claimed her throne, before they had regained honor for the scouts, and before retaking Shiganshina.

So much had happened, it was hard to believe only a few months encompassed the biggest changes to their world within the walls. A new Queen, a new squad, and now a new commander as well…

Levi’s eye twitched slightly as he thought of Erwin’s lifeless body, still in Shiganshina, blue eyes once so full of dreams, an icy fury that looked ever onwards, now just a memory. He shivered there before the window, the threat of winter already creeping into his bones.

“We can’t always carry our fallen comrades home, but we can carry their memories.”

The words he had spoken to a grieving soldier had echoed too many times in his head this past year. He was used to loss, but the words now sounded almost mocking, his memories laughing atop the mountain of bodies, lifeless eyes whose gleams were already fading from his mind. The cold ache had settled even deeper now, refusing to recede, winter’s cruel whisper brushing against the boundaries of his body and mind. He shivered again, whether from the cold or from the lingering echoes in his head, he couldn’t tell. The echo was turning into a headache now, dull pain behind his eyes making his limbs feel leaden and heavy, not helped by the bulky ODM gear that weighed him down under his cloak.

A shout from outside jolted him from his thoughts. He stepped away from the window calling out as he went, “Commander Hange is here! Get ready!”

A few shouts of “Yes sir!” echoed clumsily from upstairs.

Levi walked outside, his shoulders tensing uncomfortably when he was met with a chill wind. “Jean!” he called to the tall boy in the lookout tower, sandy-brown hair tousled by the wind. “Is it Commander Hange?”

“Yes Captain,” replied Jean. “They appear to be alone.”

Good, thought Levi. Good that no more than necessary see this. Too many soldiers and government officials resented Levi’s decision to save Armin instead of Erwin. Why was a timid boy’s life more valuable than their esteemed and experienced commander? And why had that pivotal decision been entrusted to an underground lowlife like Levi?

At first they had thought to keep the specifics of Shiganshina a secret from the populace, but that was impossible. That idiot Floch didn’t know how to keep his mouth shut. Levi was glad at least that he had stayed behind to recruit more MP’s into the scout’s ranks instead of coming here with the rest of Shiganshina’s heroes. Isolating as it was out here, he was glad not to hear the endless complaining, making his guilt over Erwin’s death all the more painful.

Not that it isn’t painful already, he admitted as Armin’s small figure came slowly outside, followed by Eren, Mikasa, Connie and Sasha. Armin’s blue eyes were watery in the chill wind, blue and full of hope, just as Erwin’s had been long ago.

“Hey Connie! It’s your watch now!” said Jean, hopping down from the tower, wrapping his cloak tighter around himself.

“Ugh, fine,” said Connie, walking over towards the wooden tower.

“No,” said Eren, “I’ll take watch, you can go with the others Connie.”

“Um...okay…” said Connie, confused.

Levi furrowed his brow as he watched Eren climb up into the watchtower. Why does he want to be on lookout duty so badly? Probably just sulking. Eren had been in a bad mood ever since the memorial ceremony. He was sullen and withdrawn around the others, even with Armin and Mikasa. Levi shuddered. It's probably nothing. Not everything is a threat, he’s a teenager, they’re like that most of the time.

“How far is Hange?” asked Levi as Jean sauntered up beside him.

“A couple miles,” he replied. “They should be here soon.” Jean lowered his voice to a whisper, glancing back at Eren, “what’s up with him?”

Levi frowned, still uneasy but apathetic. The last thing he needed was to fuel Jean and Eren’s rivalry. They were good friends but sometimes even the faintest animosity could become irritating to be around. I’m too tired to deal with their childish antics today.

Sure enough, Hange’s steed galloped down the narrow path and jolted to a halt.

“Levi!” they exclaimed excitedly. “It’s good to see you looking cheerful as always.” Their hair was messy from the wind, and they hastily brushed it away from their face where it had tangled in their glasses and knotted under their eyepatch..

Levi grunted in reply. “I see you came alone.”

Hange nodded. “Now, are we ready to start?”

They glanced over at Armin, whose blue eyes were wide and unblinking. He looked incredibly nervous. Levi couldn’t help but notice how he tried to hide his shaking hands under his cloak.

Eren on the other hand, was expressionless beside him, green eyes downcast. Mikasa eyed him worriedly, but he paid her no notice as he walked over to the watchtower.

“Let’s go then,” said Levi, leading them down toward the cliff face where they had tried this same experiment on Eren earlier that year.

Levi pulled his cloak tighter around his shoulders, shivering still. Dark clouds were gathering at the top of the mountain. Levi narrowed his eyes concernedly, “Hange, I don’t like the look of those clouds.”

“Hmmm,” they said, narrowing their eyes. “We’ll have to hurry then.”

“Are you sure we shouldn’t just wait?” Levi replied.

“If it snows we won’t be able to do this again for awhile, and I can’t be away for too long. Besides...” they added, their voice rising to the pitch that Levi recognized as a signal that a theory was forming in their mind.

“What?” he asked, not sure if he was going to regret it.

“I’m interested to see how cold weather will affect the transformation, and if it rains or snows or whatever it does, it might have an impact on the titan steam….” they trailed off, clearly mulling over possibilities in their mind.

Levi sighed and glanced back at the squad. Sasha, Connie and Jean were chatting distractedly in the rear, Mikasa walking solemnly in front of them, glancing occasionally through her shadowy curtain of hair, backward towards where Eren sulked in the watchtower. Armin looked even more terrified than he had before. His eyes darted back and forth cautiously, like blue rippled under a sudden wind.

Levi slowed a bit to allow the boy a chance to catch up with him.

“Sir,” he squeaked, startled to see Levi beside him, looking away quickly. He knew that Armin also carried the guilt of Erwin’s sacrifice. The fault was far from his though, but Levi could understand how apprehensive he probably was. He had a large legacy to carry on his shoulders, and nearly the whole army blaming him for it.

“Don’t worry Armin,” said Levi earnestly. “Hange knows what they’re doing, you’ll be fine.”

“Th-thank you sir,” stuttered Armin, “i-it’s not Hange I’m worried about sir, it’s…”

“You have a lot of expectations to live up to,” finished Levi.

Armin hung his head. “Y-yes sir.”

Levi sighed again. “At the end of the day, it was my decision to make. You’re young, you have a good head on your shoulders, give it a chance to dream. That was what Erwin did best…” Levi stopped, for he could see the cliff face looming up ahead.

“Here we are!” said Hange, running ahead to look down.

Armin gulped. Levi gave him a reassuring nod, and they followed Hange to the cliff edge.

“Positions everyone!” said Hange. They all obeyed, leaping to their vantage points on the clifftop.

“We have to hurry,” pointed out Levi, glancing up at the clouds uneasily.

Hange nodded. “Yes. Ok Armin, we’re ready when you are!”

Armin nodded, pale and shaky. He closed his eyes, and took a run towards the cliff edge. He jumped off the side, ODM gear on.

Levi braced himself. Did it work? He wondered as a few silent moments passed. But he quickly retracted that thought, because a loud bang resounded upwards with a steam blast.

“Hange!” He shouted. “Can you see anything?”

“No!” they replied, eyeing the steam dangerously, the thrill in their eyes unmistakeable.

“I can’t hear him!” shouted Jean.

“It’s only steam, no titan,” added Sasha.

“Armin!” shouted Connie, “Can you hear us?”

Levi could see Mikasa perched on the edge, looking as uneasy as Levi felt. She was doubtless wondering why Eren didn’t want to see his best friend transform into the colossal titan for the first time, but equally worried about Armin below.

A loud boom sounded behind them. Levi smelled rain as a cold blast of wind slammed into him, almost sending him off balance.

“Hange…!” he shouted, a tone of warning creeping into his voice.

“I hear it,” Hange replied. “Armin!” they screamed. “Armin where are you?”

There was no reply, only more thunder as the steam rose from the ground.

Levi felt a few drops of cold rain hit his face. Not quite cold enough for snow yet but it still stung like blades of ice.

“Armin!” cried Mikasa, craning her neck to see through the layers of steam. The rain was getting heavier, sizzling as it struck the ground below.

“There!” shouted Sasha. Levi looked where she pointed, seeing a patch of red where the rain was clearing the steam. He narrowed his eyes and squinted to see better.

“It’s too hot to cut him out,” said Hange, “We need to let the rain cool it down first.”

Damn this would have been a great moment for Eren to stop acting like a moody brat and come help us out.

Levi frowned. “Was this your plan all along?” he didn’t even try to hide the annoyance in his voice.

“...Not exactly, but it is working in our favor now,” they replied, watching the steam clear below, revealing more of a pitifully misshapen red titan, miniscule in size in comparison to the colossal titan that had broken down Wall Maria.

“Armin,” croaked Mikasa nervously, about to leap down. Levi placed an arm in front of her. “No. It’s not safe yet.”

She hung her head, resigning herself to the truth in his words.

“Look! Commander, Captain!” Connie shouted.

“It’s Armin! He’s emerging!” added Sasha.

“Right, I’m going to retrieve him,” said Levi. It was dangerously hot down there, only he had the necessary speed to grab the boy quickly and get him out.

“I’m coming too!” insisted Mikasa.

“Fine,” grumbled Levi. She can manage, and it might be helpful to have an extra set of hands if we have to cut him out.

“Be careful!” said Hange, absentminded, meaning that their thoughts were clicking mechanically in their brain.

Levi and Mikasa leaped down, weaving between bilows of steam carefully. He could see Armin’s yellow hair glinting dully in the red mist of steam and drizzle.

They landed on the body, where the rain had cooled the surface enough so that he could cut Armin out. Armin’s eyes stared blankly upwards, red marks beneath them, tears welling in those pools of blue.

“Help me cut him out, quickly!” said Levi.

Mikasa sawed at the sinews with her blades while Levi lifted Armin out from the steaming carcass. His cloak had completely burned off, leaving only his thin shirt, burned and tattered in several places. The ODM gear was still trapped inside the titan.

“It’ll be damaged beyond repair; leave it behind” said Levi, sensing Mikasa’s thoughts.

“Right,” she nodded and focused on cutting Armin’s legs free.

The rain was coming down hard now, icy cold and stinging as it danced violently in the wind.

Mikasa finished cutting the sinews, and they leaped upward against the cliff-face with their gear, Levi carrying Armin’s limp form under one arm. They made it to the top, where the others were waiting anxiously.

“Wh-what happened?” asked Sasha concernedly looking at Armin.

“We can theorise later, let’s focus on getting out of this rain!” said Levi, removing his own cloak to wrap around Armin.

Damn this rain is cold.

“Hange come on!” They were still staring over the cliff edge thoughtfully.

“What?” They said. “Oh, right, let’s go!”

They all walked quickly back to the house, Armin being carried by Levi as the rain grew icier around them.

Levi was thankful in that moment for the titan heat radiating from Armin’s body. His face and hands were numb from the cold, and his clothes were becoming soaked through.

They made it back to the house.

“Eren!” shouted Hange, “Get inside! You won’t be able to see in this weather anyway.”

Eren leaped down from the watchtower, still brooding. Seriously, what’s up with him?

They all stumbled inside, dripping wet, slamming the door behind them.

Sasha let out a long sigh, “I’m soooooo hungry!”

“Ugh I’m too cold to be hungry,” complained Jean.

Eren ignored them and went straight over to the hearth to start building a fire. He half glanced at Armin, a pained expression in his eyes, avoiding Mikasa’s stare that followed him like a shadow as he placed logs in the fire.

Levi placed Armin down into a seated position in one of the chairs by the fire, removing his cloak and hanging it by the door. Armin’s tattered clothing had luckily remained relatively dry under the protective wool.

As everyone else hung their cloaks, Levi noticed that they, too, had avoided most of the icy rain.

Hange shook their head, scattering a few droplets and walked straight over to Armin.

I need to get out of these wet clothes, thought Levi. He shivered, his shirt stuck tight against his body, hair dripping icy water into his eyes.

“Captain you’re soaked!” exclaimed Sasha as she carried the kettle to the stove.

“Hmph, I hadn’t noticed,” he grumbled dryly.

“Someone needs to get some dry clothes for Armin,” said Hange.

“On it!” said Connie, sprinting away.

Levi stood, almost dazed, looking at how Eren was building up the fire. Something was definitely off with him, and he worried that it was something more than just teenage angst.

“Uh, Captain, are you ok?” asked Jean’s voice behind him.

“Hmmm…?” Levi blinked. “Yeah I’m fine…” his words were slow; numb along with everything else.

“You really should take those wet clothes off captain,” said Mikasa, arriving beside him carrying some blankets from upstairs.

“Hmmm, yeah…” he shook his head hazily and walked slowly towards his room.

His hands were stiff as he undid the buttons and endless belt loops that attached the ODM gear to his body. When that weight left him, he swayed slightly, dizzy with the release. He finally managed to remove the rest of his soaking wet clothes, which had stuck to his skin like ice, wondering if he would ever feel warm again.

He came back to the main room, wearing dry clothes, but still shivering. Sasha, Connie and Jean were laying out teacups and bread and butter on the table. Eren still stared moodily into the fire, ignoring the rest of them, while Mikasa sat next to Armin, wrapping him in a blanket and Hange scribbled in their notebook.

Mikasa stood and walked over to Levi. She handed him a blanket and he took it from her gratefully, hands numb and shaking. Not caring about anything else in that moment except warmth, he sat down in the chair between Armin and Hange, close to the fire.

Armin didn’t appear hurt, but there was a look of utter dejection on his face.

“It’s ok Armin, Eren had trouble his first time too! “ reassured Mikasa. “Right Eren?”

Eren turned at his name. “What? Oh yeah…” he quickly turned back around to stare at the flames.

Hange sighed quizzically, looking up from their notes. “It seems that mood clearly plays a role in one’s ability to transform. Eren always had trouble if he was feeling nervous or apprehensive, or unsure about something.” Hange directed their statements at Eren, but he didn’t look back in their direction.

“You’d better figure it out soon kid so we can get the hell out of this freezing cold bunker,” said Levi shakily, then he sneezed, quiet enough so that only Hange heard it. They narrowed their eyes at Levi skeptically but didn’t say anything.

“You have to be sure of yourself Armin. You have to envision the future you dream of, and you have to take hold of it with all your strength. If you hesitate, it’s all for nothing.” Eren’s voice sounded far away, even though he only stood a few feet away from Levi. It was the most he had heard the boy say for weeks.

“Well, yes…” said Hange, breaking the uncomfortable silence. “In less solemn terms than Eren just put it, you need to have a clear goal, and you need confidence!”

I know what’s wrong, thought Levi. It’s Erwin’s shadow. It’s still too tall for him to reach. That same tall, blue-eyed shadow echoed in Levi’s mind too. He knew what it felt like to be tasked with making someone’s life meaningful after they were gone.

Armin only sighed and shook his head. “I know, you’re trying to help and I appreciate it, I really do, but… I can’t help but wonder every day if you made the wrong decision Captain.”

Armin’s sad blue stare rose to meet Levi’s cold gray eyes. For a second, he thought he could see Erwin’s icy gaze, filled with stone cold-determination, but then the shadow faded to leave behind ripples in the terrified boy’s face.

“I didn’t make the wrong decision,” said Levi, trying to make his voice sound certain. “This is what Erwin would have wanted.” As he said this, he could almost see Erwin’s shadow again, nodding to his words behind Armin’s face.

Levi shivered and sneezed again, wrapping the blanket tighter around himself, feeling suddenly very tired. The feeling had started to sneak back into his limbs again, but now they were heavy with a dull ache that was settling deep into his whole body.

“Tea’s ready!” said Sasha.

Levi sighed and stood shakily to walk back over to the table, leaving the blanket behind. He poured himself a cup and sat down, still shivering. He held the cup in his hands, letting the warmth spread upward through his fingertips.

He was almost aware of the others clattering about chatting and eating all around him, but they were like shadows in the corner of his vision. I’m still so cold. Why can’t I get warm?

Hands shaking, Levi lifted the cup to his mouth, letting the hot liquid warm his insides. Someone pushed a plate towards him. He glanced over to see that it was Hange.

“You should eat,” they said, buttering a piece of bread for themself and sitting down beside him.

Levi ignored the bread and focused instead on drinking the tea in slow sips, willing it to make him stop shivering so visibly.

“The rain is turning into sleet,” observed Sasha, looking toward the window.

Levi looked and saw sheets of white slamming against the glass.

“Looks like you’ll need to stay the night here commander,” said Connie.

“Yes I suppose you’re right,” replied Hange. “I really did underestimate this weather didn’t I?”

Within the hour, the sleet had turned into snow, and it rattled relentlessly against the window panes.

Leaving his bread untouched, Levi washed his teacup and then wandered back over to the fire. Armin had fallen asleep, the red titan marks on his face already starting to fade.

“We should put him in bed,” said Levi, bending down to pick him up. His arms felt unusually weak though, which was strange. Why do my bones feel like they’re filled with ice. I hate rain...I’m too stiff to lift even this scrawny teenager!

“I can do it,” said Eren’s voice behind him.

“Go ahead,” said Levi, glancing at him sideways. Eren lifted one of Armin’s arms over his shoulder, and Mikasa rushed over to help. Together they carried their friend up to bed.

Levi sighed and edged closer to the fire. I hope I’m not this stiff tomorrow, there’s so much to do around here…

“You alright?” Asked Hange, kneeling down next to him. “You seem tired.”

He shivered again, picking up his discarded blanket from earlier. He avoided their question and said, “where will you sleep? With the rate of that snow outside, it looks like you might be stuck here for a few days at least.”

“Don’t worry about me! I always figure it out,” they replied. “Besides, I want to stay up a bit later to study my notes anyway.”

Levi nodded in reply and glanced over to the table where Jean, Connie and Sasha were still chatting. “Hey, make sure you clean up that mess when you’re done,” he remarked. Normally he would stay and do it himself, but Hange might have been right. He was tired. Even where he stood, he struggled to keep his eyes open. He would have to trust them to clean it properly, just this once…

“Captain can I have your bread?” Asked Sasha.

“Hmmm…? Yeah, fine…” he muttered, walking blearily towards his room. He sank onto his bed with a strange heaviness, shivering under the blankets, and let sleep take him.

When he was gone, Sasha exclaimed in a shocked whisper, “what? He never says yes! This is my lucky day!”

“Sasha you’re getting crumbs everywhere. We need to keep it clean or the Captain will freak out!” protested Jean.

Connie chimed in with, “Hey! Won’t you share?”

When the two had divided the bread between them, Jean remarked, “don’t you think it's weird though, Captain Levi never goes to bed early?”

Sasha was too immersed in her bread to hear him.

Connie shrugged. “I don’t know, it’s been a pretty long day, I wouldn’t worry too much.”

Jean frowned, looking out the window where the show was swirling out in the dark. “I hope you’re right.”

***

Levi woke groggily. His throat burned and there was a heavy weight in his chest that made every part of his body ache. He groaned and got out of bed, shocked when he had to sit down again because a wave of dizziness almost sent him reeling.

He sighed, and that sigh turned into a dry cough that made his head throb.

Damn it, he cursed to himself. He made the decision to ignore his body screaming in protest, and put a clean shirt on with aggressive determination, preparing to go downstairs. This is nothing, I’m just chilled from yesterday, I just need to wake up a bit. He coughed again as he went carefully down the stairs.

Hange had woken up sitting stiffly in the chair by the fire, notes open across their lap. The coals had died down to ash. Someone had thrown a blanket across them at some point, they weren’t sure who. They yawned, stretched, and stood, looking out the window.

Well, looks like I won’t be making it back to HQ anytime soon. Snow was piled almost up to the window panes, the inside of the glass covered with frost. They shuddered and put a log on the dead fire, attempting to blow some life into it.

The kitchen had been tidied from the night before, but it was nowhere near spotless. A few crumbs still littered the floor where Connie and Sasha had battled over the captain’s bread.

He won’t be happy.

While they waited for the fire to grow, they pondered their notes again. Something was definitely holding Armin back...they had a feeling it was the pressure. The poor boy had Erwin’s whole legacy to uphold. Damn it Levi, I can’t believe you put him in this position.

Hange heard light footfalls on the steps accompanied by ragged breathing that stopped suddenly and was replaced by a rough, hollow sounding cough.

That doesn’t sound good…

“Where is everyone?” asked Levi hoarsely as he slowly walked into the room. “Lazy kids, just because it’s snowing doesn’t mean they get a break.” He looked out the window, noticing the empty watchtower blurred by the blinding light of the heavy snow on the ground. “We should get someone on lookout duty-” he ended the thought abruptly as he shook with coughing again.

Ignoring Hange’s eyebrows rising in concern, he went outside to fill the kettle with snow, shocked when he opened the door to see that it came all the way up to his shoulders. He cursed under his breath and shivered, filling it quickly and slamming the door shut. He put the kettle on the stove, his chest burning, unable to stifle the shaky cough that shuddered through his body again.

“Levi, I don’t like the sound of that cough,” said Hange, not hiding the concern in their voice.

“It's nothing,” he retorted. His eyes stopped, noticing a few crumbs on the floor where the scouts had been sitting the night before. Damn it, I thought I told them to clean up… He sighed in annoyance, but it came out as a cough, more painful than the last one.

“Levi….” began Hange. “Don’t worry about the crumbs, and don’t worry about the lookout! The snow will be too thick to see anyway. Besides, no one will be out stalking us in this weather.” They took a moment to look at his face, which was shadowed by the usual dark circles, but they were deeper today, and he was pale, his dark gray eyes glassy and distant.

He ignored them and went over to get the broom in the corner. He swept the crumbs away and started to make tea.

Hange shook their head. He was too stubborn. When the kettle boiled, they sat down together to let it brew.

“Are they seriously all still asleep?” Levi asked, shocked at how raspy his voice sounded. He was grateful for the warmth of the cup in his hands. He let the steam float up to his face and briefly relieve the throbbing in his head.

Hange shrugged, “Not everyone is an insomniac like you.”

He glared at them and shook his head. “Any epiphanies in your late night research?”

They took a deep breath. “Armin won’t be able to control his titan ability until he can escape the pressure of Erwin’s sacrifice.”

Levi nodded, “well he’d better figure it out soon-” he broke off, coughing again.

Hange opened their mouth to say something, but at that moment Mikasa came downstairs, followed by the others.

“Armin is still asleep,” she said as she sat down beside Hange.

“How is he?” Hange asked.

“He seems fine,” Mikasa continued, “the titan marks have faded at least.”

“Good, good…” Hange nodded, pouring themself another cup of tea.

Levi shot Sasha, Connie and Jean a subtle glare as they sat down at the table. “I thought I told you to clean up after-” but he broke off again, another rattling cough shaking his chest.

“I’m so sorry captain!” said Sasha, eyes wide.

“Wait, uh Captain Levi are you ok?” Asked Connie tentatively.

He was barely aware of their responses, and he didn’t catch the worried glances that shot between everyone seated at the table. He ignored them and sipped his tea in frustration, willing his hands to stop shaking, hoping that the warm liquid would subside the deep chill that was making his whole body ache.

He started feeling progressively worse throughout the day. He tried to keep himself busy, ignoring the pain in his head by sweeping the rest of the floor, assigning odd tasks to the scouts, and pointedly ignoring the way they were all looking at him.

Jean, Eren and Mikasa managed to clear a way to the stable to check on the horses. Hange decided that they didn’t need to bother with clearing a way to the watchtower. No one would be able to find them in this snow anyway. Levi narrowed his eyes uneasily, but Hange out-ranked him, so their word was what the scouts followed. He knew they were probably right. It was too cold out to keep watch safely, and there was no point staring at gray fields of snow for hours with no real threat.

He glanced out the window, half expecting more snow to start falling from the gray skies. He still remembered the first time he had seen snow. Mesmerized and terrified at those sparkling white drops that froze on impact, and looked like stars turned to dust. Farlan and Isabel never got to see snow. It almost seemed like the gray sky itself was scattering cold ash for all those who had never gotten to gaze at its beauty.

While the others cleared the snow in front of the door, Sasha and Connie chopped vegetables for soup, and Armin slept for most of the day. Hange tried to be useful around the house, hoping that everyone at HQ wasn’t too worried about them. There was no helping it though. It was hard enough to clear a path to the horses, forget trying to clear it all the way to the road. Hange was starting to get worried though, worried about Levi.

His cough started sounding worse as the day went on. At one point, Hange caught him staring out the window, shivering and gazing at something in a distant corner of his mind that only he could see.

“Levi,” they said gently, “come away from there, it's too cold!”

He didn’t respond, so they placed a hand on his shoulder. He flinched slightly, but didn’t protest when they guided him over to sit by the fire.

It should have warmed him, but he still shivered weakly, spots dancing before his eyes, almost like it was snowing inside the fire.

He was aware of Hange looking into his eyes, “Levi…” they said quietly, placing a hand on his forehead.

He started to brush them away, “what are you doing?”

“You’re burning up!” exclaimed Hange.

He sighed again, he hated other people fussing over him, but regretted it instantly because it sent him into another painful coughing fit.

“Levi, I’m worried about you,” said Hange, “you’re not well!”

Levi knew they were probably right, he wanted nothing more than to curl up in a ball in front of the fire and stay there forever, but he couldn’t possibly go rest; there was still too much to do, too much to think about, Erwin’s shadow was watching him, he needed to do it justice…

Erwin’s shadow walked down the stairs, but it was much smaller than Erwin. “Er, hello Commander, Captain,” he said.

Hange stood, “ah, our colossal awakens!”

Levi was puzzled. Erwin was tall, yes, but he was no titan, what was Hange talking about.

Hange noticed that Armin looked bleary-eyed from sleep, but otherwise fine. They were worried about Levi though. He looked at Armin with a pained, almost confused expression. He’s delirious…

“I’m so sorry,” said the small boy standing there with Erwin’s eyes. Yes, not Erwin, Erwin is dead Levi, get it together.

Levi opened his mouth to speak, but he couldn’t because his whole body was racked by shaking as he coughed again.

“Captain! Are you alright?” gasped Armin.

“He’s not,” said Hange. “Levi, I need you to go back to bed, and yes, that’s an order!”

Levi regarded them with dark gray eyes, misted over with a feverish glow. Too weak to protest, he stood up shakily and began to walk toward the stairs. Why is Hange giving me orders, he thought, confused, Where’s Erwin? He stumbled and swayed where he stood. The whole room spun, and lights danced in his eyes, turning into shadows as he fell.

Armin and Hange reacted quickly. They caught him as he collapsed so he didn’t hit the floor.

“What happened to him?” Asked Armin, his voice high pitched with concern.

“What’s going on?” asked Sasha, peeking in from the kitchen, Connie close behind. They must have heard the commotion and come to investigate.

“I need you to bring me some cold water and a clean cloth,” said Hange.

Sasha’s eyes widened as she saw the unconscious Levi in between Armin and Hange’s arms. “Yes sir!” she disappeared into the kitchen to do what Hange asked.

“Connie, can you help me bring him upstairs?” said Hange.

“Yes sir,” said Connie, running over to take the captain’s limp form from Armin, who sighed with relief. He still hadn’t quite gotten his strength back from yesterday. “Armin, can you go check on our soup?” Armin nodded and wandered into the kitchen, glancing over his shoulder as he watched Connie and Hange carry Levi’s unconscious body between them up the stairs.

They placed him down on his bed. His eyelids fluttered slightly but he didn’t wake up. He was shivering weakly, but a thin gray sweat was coating the surface of his skin, sticking his dark hair to his head.

Sasha came back with cold water and a few dry kitchen towels. Hange took one from her and dipped in the basin, placing the cool cloth on Levi’s pale forehead.

Sasha and Connie lingered uncomfortably in the doorway, watching as Hange unbuttoned Levi’s shirt, which was plastered to his body with sweat.

“Is he going to be ok?” Asked Connie in a whisper.

No one answered him.

“Do you need anything else?” asked Sasha, breaking the tense silence except for Levi’s ragged breathing.

“No,” replied Hange, “just let the others know where I am, and keep that fire burning.”

They nodded and went back to the kitchen, leaving Hange alone sitting on the edge of the bed, looking more worried than the scouts had ever seen them.

They found Armin standing dazed before the pot on the stove, stirring mechanically, unfocused and clearly worried.

“This is my fault,” he whimpered. He looked up at Sasha and Connie, alarm in his eyes. “He gave me his cloak yesterday, and he must have gotten too cold, and now…” he looked like he might cry.

“No, Armin, it’s not your fault!” said Connie reassuringly. “He would have done the same for any of us, you had no idea that your cloak would burn off, or that the rain would be that cold!”

“But the experiment failed…. I failed! I’ll never live up to Erwin’s expectations.” Armin sank down in a chair at the table, utterly defeated.

“You need to stop blaming yourself Armin,” said Sasha, taking over at the stove-top, pouring a handful of herbs into the broth. “The decision was never yours, and you’re trying your best!”

“You just need to get used to it,” added Connie. “You’re only human so don’t beat yourself up!”

Armin sighed, looking toward the stairs with an expression of anguish. I really hope they’re right.

“I’ve had enough snow to last a lifetime,” complained Jean, entering the door, and hanging up his cloak, followed by Mikasa and Eren.

“At least we’ve cleared a path to the stable now,” said Mikasa.

“It only took us three hours,” grumbled Eren.

Jean sighed and sat down at the table. “What’s with you guys? You look like someone just died.”

Armin looked at the floor and Sasha stirred the pot on the stove awkwardly.

“Well…” said Connie, “It’s Captain Levi, he’s really unwell.”

Mikasa’s eyes widened in alarm. “Is he alright?”

“I thought he didn’t look too good this morning…” added Jean.

“What happened?” asked Eren.

“I guess…” said Armin, “the cold yesterday must have gotten to him, he just collapsed right in front of us!”

Seeing Armin’s worried expression, Mikasa said, “He’s humanity’s strongest. He just needs to rest for a few days, he’ll be fine.”

Her tone didn’t sound convincing enough though, and the room fell into a tense silence, the only sound Sasha’s wooden spoon scraping the bottom of the pot.

***

A few minutes after Sasha and Connie left, Levi’s eyes fluttered open weakly and he stared up at Hange, looking very confused. He tried to sit up, but he was seized by another painful coughing fit and was forced to sink back down onto the pillows, shaking.

“Shhh,” said Hange, pushing him down and drawing the blanket up to cover him.

“Hange what happened?” he asked weakly, his voice hoarse and strained.

“You fainted,” they replied, readjusting the cloth on his forehead. “Connie helped me carry you in here.”

He coughed again.“Damn it, how did this happen, I can’t-” but he couldn’t finish, his chest shaking with echoing tremors. He moaned softly and closed his eyes.

“Just rest,” said Hange. “You don’t have to worry about anything.” His eyelids flickered and closed as he settled into an uneasy sleep, wheezing gently and still shaking.

They watched his chest rise and fall for a few minutes, then replaced the cloth on his forehead, already lukewarm with the heat from his fever. When they were sure he was really sleeping, they quietly closed the door and went back downstairs.

***

Levi slept fitfully the rest of that day, and all the while, the snow still fell outside. Hange went back to check on him a few hours later, but he was still deep in a feverish dream, shivering beneath the blankets, chest rising raggedly and hair plastered to his head in lank strands.

Hange felt his forehead again. The fever was still high, possibly even higher than before. This worried them; they had never seen him this sick in all the years they had known him. They were trained as a field medic, first aid and emergency battle operations etc., but they were certainly no doctor. If this didn’t get any better soon….well, they just had to hope it would. Travelling would be impossible for at least the next few days.

For now, they kept the fever controlled by replacing the cloth on his forehead intermittently.

A soft knock on the door sounded and Mikasa entered the room, carrying a steaming cup of tea. “How is he?” she asked, setting it down on the table.

Hange’s brow furrowed. “Fever is still high and he’s struggling to breathe.” they watched the erratic rise and fall of his chest uneasily.

“Maybe steam will help,” said Mikasa, bringing the teacup close to Levi’s face.

“Good idea!” Hange observed, lifting his head slightly so he could inhale it.

He spluttered and coughed, then gasped weakly, but it did seem to give him some temporary relief.

“We need more steam,” said Hange.

“On it!” said Mikasa, turning to leave.

A few minutes later, she returned with the kettle and an empty washbasin.

They lifted Levi’s head again and held the steaming water up to his face. He gasped, then breathed in and out, coughing. He leaned back on the pillows, still shaking, but he breathed more easily, at least for a little while.

***

Levi dreamed of blue eyes following him. “Erwin, what do you still need from me?” But the blue receded into gray, drowning in snow.

“Wait!” cried Levi, “Where are you going?” but the blue eyes disappeared, and he heard nothing but his own voice, reverberating back at him.

He wandered in a directionless fog, steps heavy, his body aching with weariness as he trudged onward.

A roar resounded behind him and he flinched as something flew through the air. It landed at his feet in the mist and he almost screamed. Lifeless eyes underneath tousled red hair stared back at him. Isabel….

A familiar laugh echoed nearby. Farlan? He turned around, but the laugh faded and turned into a scream before disappearing into the fog completely.

He sank to his knees, utterly defeated. He could hear voices calling out his name, and they all flashed before his eyes.

He saw Gunther dangling from his mangled gear, half of Eld’s body strewn across the forest floor, Oluo’s head sawn off, and Petra... Oh Petra.

She called to him, but he couldn’t stand. His legs wouldn’t lift from the damp ground, and the mist suffocated him, drowning their voices until they disappeared. He was sinking into the ground, and then he fell, plummeting downward through tunnels of darkness until he landed with a thud in a dirty puddle, no stars here; it reeked of the underground.

A tall man with a face shielded by a black hat turned to look at Levi, lying in the muck, but he shook his head and walked away, until Levi could see him no more.

The puddle enveloped him like a blanket, and there was a woman in a white dress standing over him. Her black hair flowed down her back like rainfall on a window on a moonless night, and her cold gray eyes looked down on him lovingly. She brushed lank hair out of his face with pale fingers.

“Mother?” he croaked.

“Shhhh Levi, you’re safe now.” her voice was soothing, and he believed her, he let his eyes close, and darkness settled over him.

He wanted to stay there forever, but voices started to plague him again.

“Let me rest, please,” he begged.

“Levi. You must not regret your decision,” and there were blue eyes looking at him from the shadows again.

“Erwin…” he whispered.

“Do not regret. Fulfil your promise.”

“I’m so tired Erwin…” Levi protested. He wished that the blue eyes would close and leave him be. The woman in the white dress was still there, but she too, was fading, her hands translucent and eyes empty.

“No, don’t go!” he begged.

She grasped his hand one more time, and then disappeared into the shadows.

“Remember your promise,” said Erwin, but it wasn’t Erwin’s voice. Armin Arlert looked at him with sincerity in the mist, “Please stay with us Captain!”

“Please…” but he wasn’t sure whose voice it was pleading with him now.

“I promised…. I remember….” whispered Levi, and then he sank into shadows, many voices still echoing in their tendrils of mist around him, utterly incomprehensible.

***

The snow stopped falling after two days, but it showed no sign of melting. The scouts were trapped here until they could find a way to clear a path to the road, which was still several miles to the west of their isolated location.

Hange was getting increasingly more worried about Levi. He had been drifting in and out of consciousness, and the fever, like the snow, showed no signs of abating. Mikasa had been clever with the steam; when his breathing became too laboured, they brought a basin of boiling water to his face, and it seemed to instill a temporary respite to his pained struggle.

But he also wasn’t getting any better. Hange worried that he would need stronger medicine than whatever meager supplies they had here at the cabin; honey and hot water could only do so much. But in this snow, it would be impossible to go in search of anything.

Hange cooled Levi’s burning forehead with the wet cloth, listening to the erratic rise and fall of his chest with concern.

“You should get some rest,” said Armin, entering the room softly behind them. “I can stay with him for awhile.”

Hange nodded, knowing he was right. They didn’t like the thought of leaving him, but they felt their eyelids drooping heavily. They stood and stretched, then went to the bed they had set up down the hall. “Wake me if there’s any change.”

When Hange left, Armin sat down by the Captain’s side. His face was pale, his cheeks hollow and his dark hair dull and plastered to his face by sweat. A few incomprehensible words danced on his parched lips.

Armin felt an overwhelming sense of guilt as he looked at his sick captain. This is my fault. If only I had been able to transform properly, he wouldn’t have needed to give me his cloak. Better still, if I had died instead of Erwin. Erwin was a colossal human, even without the titan ability. I am nothing…

“No… don’t go…” whispered Levi feverishly in his sleep.

Armin inhaled sharply. “I’m right here Captain!”

“Erwin… no… let me rest, please…” his face twisted with grief and anguish, “can I go? The promise… I can’t…”

Armin’s eyes widened in alarm. He grasped Levi’s frail, sweaty hand in his own. “Please, stay with us captain, please!” begged Armin. He wrung out the cloth and dampened it again in the cold water, placing it on Levi’s burning forehead.

“I promised… I remember…” whispered Levi, coughing weakly in his sleep.

Armin heard the door open gently behind him as someone else walked into the room. He turned around, surprised to see that it was Eren.

“How is he?” he asked, still hovering in the doorway.

“Not good,” Armin shook his head.

Eren looked down at the ground and slowly walked over to lean on the edge of the table by the bed.

“Eren,” began Armin in a quiet voice. “Why couldn’t I transform?” A faint tremor of despair had crept up into his gentle tone.

Eren shook his head uneasily. He knew Armin would ask him this question. It was part of the reason why he had been avoiding the others this whole time. The strange sensation he had felt when he touched Queen Historia’s hand- well, he couldn’t shake the heavy weight of this immense secret he carried. He couldn’t shake the guilt, for being partially responsible for Commander Erwin’s death, and the legacy that Armin now had to fulfil. All he had wanted was to see the ocean, but this? I can see how tormented he is, the amount of anguish this is causing him, and it’s all my fault.

Eren hadn’t wanted to watch the experiment. He didn’t want to watch his friend suffer like that, a suffering that he knew all too well.

When Eren didn’t answer Armin’s feeble question, he sighed in resignation and looked away. It seemed even his best friend had lost faith in him.

The two boys were so wrapped up in their own thoughts that they nearly didn’t notice how quiet Levi had become

Eren noticed first. “Wait, Armin, something’s wrong.”

Armin shot up in alarm. Levi’s chest had stopped rising and falling, and the familiar pained breaths were silent.

“Captain Levi!” shouted Armin, shaking the captain’s frail body.

“I’ll get Hange!” said Eren, running out the door.

“Please hurry!” said Armin.

Armin lifted Levi, rubbing between his shoulder-blades vigorously. His skin was still emanating dangerous amounts of heat, which in this moment was actually a good thing, because it meant his body was still trying to fight, trying to live…

“Please Captain Levi,” begged Armin as he rubbed up and down, willing the breath to come back into his lungs.

The door banged open and Hange sprinted over to the bed. “Good Armin, keep rubbing. Levi!” they cried urgently, placing two fingers on Levi’s neck, where a very weak pulse was thankfully still fluttering. His lips were starting to turn blue.

Eren came into the room, carrying a steaming kettle. He poured it into the basin and handed it to Hange, who lifted it in front of Levi’s face.

Armin could feel the heartbeat weakening under his fingers, almost to nothing. A few tense moments followed, and then they all nearly jumped up in alarm as Levi gasped and coughed. He struggled for breath as his whole frame shook, but Armin lowered his shoulders with relief. That was close, too close.

Hange shook their head solemnly, reapplying the cold cloth to Levi’s forehead. “He’s not getting any better and there’s not much I can do for him without some stronger medicine.”

“But we’re trapped here…” said Eren.

Hange furrowed their brow quizzically. “Your father was a doctor wasn’t he Eren? Do you have any idea what he would have used to treat something like this?”

Eren thought for a moment and shook his head. “My father didn’t tell me much about what he did-he made all his medicines down in the cellar, where I wasn’t allowed. I think he planned to teach me one day, but he never got a chance…”

Think! Armin, Think, he begged himself. You can’t let the captain die. If he dies it's your fault. There has to be a way we can clear that snow and find him some medicine…?

He stood up suddenly, an idea forming in his mind.

“What is it?” Asked Eren.

“That’s the face of someone who’s just come up with a hypothesis,” remarked Hange observantly.

“We need a way to clear the snow so we can somehow get to a doctor or an apothecary…” began Armin, “and we know that titan steam can melt it, so what if I transform into a titan, clear the way enough for someone to make it to the main road, and from there ride to the nearest town where there’s bound to be someone that has what we need!”

“A brilliant idea Armin!” replied Hange excitedly, “But can you do it?”

“There’s also the risk that someone could see us, we don’t want to alarm civilians,” pointed out Eren,

Armin added, “that’s why it would be better to just get the medicine directly from them rather than bridging a doctor here- we don’t want too many people asking how on earth we cleared the snow away- you know what he needs right Hange?”

“More or less,” Hange agreed.

Armin continued, addressing Eren. “You and Mikasa will spot me as I transform, and cut me out and bring me back here while someone-probably Sasha because she knows the terrain around here the best- rides on.”

“But what if it’s too hot to get close?” wondered Eren.

“Then you can transform too, and take me down.”

Eren sighed, looking slightly uncomfortable, but then he nodded. “Okay.”

“Hmmm,” said Hange, “It’s risky, but…” they looked gravely at Levi’s shuddering form beside them, “I don’t think we have a choice.”

Eren stayed with Levi while Armin and Hange went downstairs to brief the others. The plan was this: Armin would transform and clear away the snow, and Mikasa and Eren would follow at a safe distance to retrieve Armin when he had finished.

Sasha and Connie would ride to the nearest village with a note carrying written instructions from Hange, to be shown to the closest doctor they could find. Trost would be ideal, but it was too far to ride quickly on the icy roads. Hange would have gone themself, but they didn’t dare leave Levi’s side now.

Jean sat with Levi while Hange went to the roof with Armin, Mikasa and Eren to execute the plan.

Armin didn’t feel nervous for once. He was ready to repay Captain Levi for saving his life back in Shiganshina. He would make them all proud. He would honor Erwin’s memory.

“Are you ready?” asked Hange.

Armin nodded.

“Remember to jump outwards so that the house doesn’t catch on fire,” they reminded him.

Right, don’t screw this up.

He took a deep breath, and leapt off the roof, slitting his palm with a knife. Electricity rippled through his body, and suddenly he was very tall. He looked down and could see snow down below, melting at his feet.

“Armin!” someone shouted. “Get away from the house!”

Dazed, he turned around, seeing Hange, Eren and Mikasa standing on top of the roof, edging away nervously.

What am I doing? Confusion clouded his mind. It's so hot in here…

“Armin! Go! You have to save Captain Levi!” shouted Connie from the stable. Armin looked down at Connie and Sasha, edging cautiously backwards, horses stamping impatiently. That’s right, I need to clear the way so they can go and find medicine for the Captain.

Armin shook away the fog and stepped forward, surprised at the heavy thud his feet made when they hit the ground, snow sizzling upon impact. I have to save Captain Levi. That thought propelled him forward as he plowed through the deep snow, the path clearing as he went.

“Good, it’s working!” Called Hange. “Sasha, Connie! Make sure you wait until we retrieve Armin before you ride!”

“Yes Commander!” shouted Sasha.

“Eren, Mikasa, now it’s your turn!” said Hange, turning to the two scouts beside them on the rooftop.

“On it!” Said Eren, breaking into a run and biting his hand as he jumped off the roof.

As he transformed down below, Mikasa leapt onto his shoulder with her ODM gear engaged.

Mikasa observed Armin’s colossal making its way through the trees. It was still much smaller than Berthold’s titan, smaller even than Eren as he pounded through the melted snow after him. Despite its size though, it was accomplishing what it meant to.

They followed at a safe distance for about ten minutes. Please let no one be on the road, thought Mikasa, anxiety thrumming in her chest. This was not a sight that she wanted just anyone to see.

“Eren, we’re getting close,” warned Mikasa.

Eren grunted in reply, and he sped up behind Armin.

Armin seemed to be aware of his surroundings, because Mikasa heard a loud crash up ahead as the colossal titan sank to its knees.

Mikasa sprinted off of Eren’s shoulder and zoomed ahead to scout out the road. Armin’s titan body had collapsed, steaming in the snow, and the road, still snowy but clear enough to ride stretched south toward Trost. No one else was in sight, so Mikasa breathed a sigh of relief as she assessed whether or not it was safe enough yet to retrieve Armin from the carcass.

The steam was too thick for her to see anything though. “Eren!” she shouted. “I need your help!”

Eren rumbled towards them and reached his hand into the steaming body, pulling Armin out, cradling his in the giant hand. The body immediately disintegrated, leaving more steam behind.

“Quick!” said Mikasa. “We need to get out of sight before anyone sees us!”

She leapt onto Eren’s shoulder and they sprinted back to the house, Armin lying unconscious in Eren’s arms.

When Hange saw them returning, they called down to Sasha and Connie. “Go! Hurry and come back as soon as you can!”

“Yes Commander!” They both shouted in unison, and galloped away down the path that Armin had cleared.

Mikasa leapt onto the ground, and Eren gently placed Armin down. Hange joined her and they carried him between them inside to give Eren enough space to transform back again. Mikasa was about to go back outside and help Eren in, but he stumbled in on his own, and immediately collapsed into a chair by the fire.

Armin’s eyes fluttered open where he sat in the other chair where Hange and Mikasa had set him down.

“Did I do it?” he asked feebly.

Hange knelt down in front of him. “Yes! You’re a hero Armin! Erwin would be proud.”

At this Armin could no longer control himself; he shuddered and tears fell from his eyes.

“Armin,” began Eren.

“No, I’m okay,” he stuttered. “I’m just so relieved!” He glanced at the staircase. “I just hope we’re not too late…”

Hange and Mikasa shooed Eren and Armin to bed to rest, and then Hange went to relieve Jean.

“You look like you could use some rest too,” said Mikasa, noticing the lines of exhaustion tracing Hange’s good eye.

Hange shook their head stubbornly. “No, I’ll stay with Levi until Sasha and Connie come back.”

Mikasa didn’t argue.

***

Jean and Mikasa tried to keep themselves busy, taking turns on lookout duty. Mikasa couldn't focus though, no matter what mindless task around the house she assigned herself. Levi would almost be proud at how tidy the place looked. Too restless to think anymore, she filled two teacups and went out to sit with Jean in the watchtower. She climbed up and sat beside him in the cold as they both stared out over the muddy, mangled path that Armin had plowed through what had been deep snow earlier that morning.

“Thanks,” muttered Jean, taking the cup gratefully from her in his shivering hands.

They sipped their tea, eyes fixed on the horizon for any sign of Sasha or Connie coming back, tension in the air as the time trickled by slowly.

“It’s weird seeing the captain this vulnerable,” said Jean absentmindedly. “He’s humanity’s strongest soldier you know? Something about seeing him like this just feels...wrong.”

Mikasa only nodded in reply. He spoke exactly what she felt.

“What will we do if he dies?” Continued Jean. “I mean, we need him. He can’t die!” she could hear the panic creeping into his voice.

Mikasa had no answer for that. She said instead. “I can take over lookout duty for now, you should go inside and get warm.”

He nodded grimly, “Maybe I can finally convince Hange to take a break.” He left, taking his empty teacup with him and leaving Mikasa alone in the tower. She stared into the gray abyss of broken trees, trying not to imagine the worst.

***

Hange was exhausted, but they refused to give in to sleep. Levi needed them now more than ever. The fever refused to drop and his breathing became weaker and weaker as the minutes ticked by.

“You can’t leave me Levi,” they whispered, grabbing his pale hand. “These kids need you, the world needs you, I need you. ”

They bent their head down and didn’t try to stop the subtle tears that fell from their eyes. Levi shivered weakly in his sleep. Hange moved their hand up to his chest, so they could feel the fluttering of his heartbeat under their touch. It was so weak, like a baby bird, so they cradled it there, willing it to stay and learn to fly.

***

There was a small bird chirping in the mist. Levi followed the sound of its voice and saw it on the damp ground, wings too small and weak to fly, crying out in a terrified high-pitched chirp.

He sank to his knees beside it. Isabel would have tried to save you… but it seems all I can do is die with you...

He lay down on the cold ground, letting the mist cover him.

He heard someone calling his name.

No...be quiet. I’m tired, just let me sleep please…

He closed his eyes and saw many faces beckoning to him. They were speaking but he couldn’t hear them. Isabel and Farlan waved to him. “Come with us!” they seemed to say. Oluo, El and Gunther called to him, but they were too far away for him to hear, and then there was Petra, smiling reassuringly.

“I can’t hear you!” he protested. The woman in the white dress from before, Kuchel Ackerman, reached out her hand, and he tried to grasp it, but there were Erwin’s hard, blue eyes, shaking his head.

“I need you,” said someone’s voice.

Levi tried to ignore it. He blinked and shook his head. Petra and the others were walking further away from him now.

“No! Take me with you!” he begged, but the mist stifled his voice, and no noise reached them.

The woman in white still beckoned to him, but her shape was blurry; he couldn’t see her face anymore.

“Remember your promise,” echoed Erwin’s voice.

“But Erwin, I can’t…. I’m too tired… Please! Take me with you!” He begged his mother, protesting Erwin’s last orders that rang in his ears even through the sifling mist. But Kuchel drifted back, out of sight, and the mist thickened, leaving him in shadows, the bird still chirping weakly beside him.

***

Mikasa shivered in the watchtower, her eyelids drooping. Please hurry, she silently willed, eyes fixed on the horizon. It was almost nightfall now, and the dusk glare cast a dusty glow on the path of mud, snow and broken trees. She considered going inside to wake up Eren or Armin to relieve her, or Jean. No, I have to stay, I have to keep watching. She knew despite her exhaustion she wouldn’t be able to sleep, so she stiffened her jaw and looked forward, eyes peeled for any movement on the darkening horizon.

Jean opened the door to Levi’s room gently, careful not to make too much noise. Hange had fallen asleep next to him, one hand lying on his chest. Jean could see it gently rising and falling, which brought momentary relief. He thought about waking Hange, but they looked so peaceful there, he figured it was better to leave them be.

Levi’s face was gray like shadows in the snow, and he coughed weakly in his sleep. Jean quietly tiptoed over to the bed and replaced the cloth on his forehead, careful not to wake the sleeping commander. He exited the room and peeked in at Eren and Armin who were both still fast asleep, before going downstairs to start another kettle. As he was filling it with snow from outside, he heard Mikasa shout.

“I can see them! They’re coming down the road!” The shaky desperation in her voice was apparent as she looked at Jean by the door. He almost dropped the kettle in relief. Finally.

Hange woke upon hearing Mikasa’s shout from outside. They sat up, surprised that they had fallen asleep, hand still across Levi’s chest that shuddered under their touch. Are they back? They stood up frantically and peeked out the door.

Jean was standing at the bottom of the stairs, halfway in the door, and Armin and Eren must have woken with the noise, because they both blinked drowsily into the hallway, observing intently.

“Mikasa spotted them!” said Jean. “They’re almost here!”

Hange breathed a sigh of relief and glanced back into the room at Levi’s sleeping form. “Just hold on a little longer,” they whispered.

Sasha and Connie leaped off their horses with urgency, not even bothering to take them to the stable before going inside. Sasha reached protectively into the satchel on her back, its precious contents bundled in her scarf. She and Connie had ridden without stopping until they came across a village. They knocked urgently at every door until someone could direct them to a doctor.

A grey-eyed man with foggy glasses opened the door, looking at the two of them with confusion. “Dr. Friedman?” asked Connie politely.

“Yes?” he said, raising an eyebrow.

“We are here on urgent military business, here is a notice from our commander,” said Sasha quickly. She thrust Hange’s note into the doctor’s hands.

“I suppose you’d better come in,” he said, ushering them inside.

They lingered just beyond the doorway while the doctor’s watery eyes scanned Hange’s instructions.

“I see,” he said, looking up at them gravely when he had finished.

Sasha and Connie both returned his glance, desperate and unblinking.

“So, it sounds like it is a quite serious chest infection, high fever, difficulty breathing, yes?” mused the doctor, walking over to a cupboard and taking out some bottles and a scale.

“Yes sir,” said Connie, shuffling his feet on the floor.

Sasha fidgeted with her hands behind her back. Please hurry.

After what felt like an eternity later, the doctor pressed a bottle of something into her trembling hands, along with a written note for Hange.

Connie hastily paid him and muttered his thanks.

Sasha nodded clumsily in gratitude, and they rode off quickly, Dr. Friedman watching them go with his brow furrowed. He was silently wondering why on earth the instructions in the Commander’s notice had said no doctor was to come to their location, only to send medicine. No matter, he thought, going back inside.

Now Sasha and Connie blundered into the house, not even stopping to remove their cloaks as they trundled up the stairs, meeting Hange in the entrance to Levi’s room.

“Good work you two,” said Hange, taking the bottle gingerly from Sasha. They lingered anxiously in the doorway as the one-eyed commander scanned the instructions scrawled on the note. They nodded and went over to Levi’s side.

“Can one of you get me some water?” asked Hange, opening the bottle and looking inside.

Sasha muttered a hurried, “yes sir,” before sprinting downstairs and returning speedily with a cup of cold water. Jean entered the room behind her, with the kettle that had just boiled. Mikasa, having abandoned her post in the watchtower, hovered outside in the hallway, joined by Eren and Armin, still in their nightclothes.

Hange gently lifted Levi from the pillows so he was sitting semi-upright. “Jean, can you hold his nostrils shut?”

Jean pinched Levi’s nose while Hange cautiously measured some of the tonic into the lid of the bottle and poured it into Levi’s mouth. They gave him some water to ensure that it went down. His chest shook slightly, but he was too weak to cough, of which Hange was glad for once, because it meant that the medicine had a chance to enter his body.

“Hopefully this will bring the fever down, and clear the infection,” said Hange after they had laid his head back on the pillows, keeping him upright so that he could breathe more easily.

“Now what?” asked Connie, still standing in the doorway.

“Now we wait to see if it takes effect,” Hange replied in a whisper, brushing some of Levi’s damp hair back from his forehead.

Hange was so exhausted that they almost didn’t notice Jean’s steady hand on their shoulder. “Commander Hange, you should really get some rest, we can look after him.”

Hange glanced backwards to see all of the scouts standing in the doorway, worry etched deep on all of their faces. They smiled slightly. If Levi ever finds out that this many people were in his room at once, watching him sleep…. Well who says I ever have to tell him?

“Okay,” they said, standing and walking towards the door. Jean had already replaced them at the bedside, cooling Levi’s forehead again.

“Thank you, all of you for your help. I know the Captain will be deeply grateful when he wakes up. He likes to pretend like he doesn’t need anyone, but I know him better than that. He needs all of us, just as much as we need him…” Hange trailed off and sighed, looking once more at Levi’s sleeping form. They weren’t sure if they imagined it, but he already looked more at ease. Too tired to hear the scouts bashfully respond to them, Commander Hange walked to their bed, with limbs heavy, and was asleep within minutes.

By the next morning, Levi’s fever had dropped a considerable amount, and his breathing seemed to become less labored. The medicine thankfully seemed to be taking effect.

The scouts worked diligently to clean up the house the next day, ensuring that every corner, every surface, and anything beyond was tidy and spotless. They kept the kettle boiling, fire roaring and lookout manned. They would be fine.

The snow outside also started to melt on its own, signalling that Hange would have no choice but to return to HQ soon. They had already been away for far too long, and they had accomplished what they had come here to do, though not necessarily in the way that they expected. Knowing this, they decided to depart the next morning, after they were sure that Levi was really on the road to recovery. It made them uneasy, leaving Levi before he had regained consciousness, but they also felt reassured that he was in good hands.

Levi’s eyes fluttered open slowly. He felt warm, a heavy blanket on top of him. He stared upwards into shocked blue eyes. Erwin…? But then he blinked. No, it was Armin, who looked at him wide-eyed with an expression of pure relief.

“Captain! You’re awake!” he exclaimed, and placed a cold hand on Levi’s forehead.

“What are you doing?” he coughed, trying to sit up.

Armin pulled his hand away, breathing with a sigh of relief. “Fever is gone. You really scared us Captain!”

Levi groaned, sinking back down into the pillows. “What happened?”

“You had a fever sir,” stuttered Armin, “you were unconscious for about four days, we were really worried!”

Unconscious for four days? He thought in alarm.

He was aware of the door creaking open softly, and Hange entered the room, beaming. “I thought I heard right!” They exclaimed, rushing towards the bed and ensnaring Levi in a crippling hug. They broke away, muttering apologies when he started coughing again, his chest still echoing with the hollow sound, but no longer gasping for breath like he had been.

Hange felt his forehead just as Armin had done and smiled to feel that it had indeed cooled to a normal temperature.

“How are you feeling?” asked Armin gently.

Levi closed his eyes tightly for a second, opening them slowly. “Better now that you’re not crushing me anymore.” His voice was still hoarse. The fever had broken, but he was far from well. His face was pale and drawn, and his eyes were glassy and distant, carrying more shadows than they had before.

“You have Armin to thank for saving your life!” said Hange.

Armin shifted his eyes to the floor, looking embarrassed. “Well I…”

“Come on, give yourself some credit!” said Hange, slapping him on the shoulder with a little too much force.

“Oh…?” replied Levi, raising an eyebrow weakly.

“He transformed and melted all the snow so we were able to find you some medicine,” said Hange.

Levi widened his eyes as much as the strain in his head would allow, impressed. “Thank you Armin, it seems I owe you a great deal.”

“It wasn’t just me,” protested Armin. “Commander Hange rarely left your side, Sasha and Connie were the ones who ran to get the medicine, Eren and Mikasa retrieved me, and Jean made sure you stayed alive while we were gone: we all helped each other. You don’t owe me anything Captain. We’re a squad and that’s what we do. We need each other; at least, I couldn’t have done it alone.” Armin averted his eyes after his outburst of sincerity.

Levi nodded in cool agreement. “It seems I chose my squad well. Erwin would be proud.”

“I’m heading back to HQ in the morning,” said Hange, “but I feel better leaving, knowing you’re in very good hands.” They smiled at Armin.

Armin looked down at the floor again, not sure if he should believe the captain’s, or the commander’s words.

Levi shuddered and coughed again, wondering why he was still so tired if he had really been asleep for four days as Armin had said.

“We should let you rest,” said Hange softly, noticing his eyelids begin to droop with heaviness.

Too exhausted and weak to reply, Levi allowed himself to sink down onto the pillows, and within seconds, he was asleep. Hange adjusted the blankets once more before they quietly left the room with Armin.

Levi slept most of the next day, consistently and without strange dreams this time. Hange peeked in briefly before they left, careful not to wake him. They hadn’t ever seen Levi sleep this soundly before. However quiet they tried to be though, he still blinked awake and said hoarsely, “where are you going?”

Even when he’s sick he’s still the world’s lightest sleeper…

“I have to go back to HQ now,” Hange said. “I’ve already been away too long, and the snow is clearing, so I don’t really have an excuse anymore.”

“Good,” grunted Levi, “I’m starting to feel like one of your experiments.”

Hange laughed. “You’ll be in good hands here, try not to miss me too much.”

He nodded and then coughed. “Seriously though, Thank you Hange. I really do appreciate it.”

Their good eye widened. “What’s that? Captain Levi expressing his appreciation for me ? Do you have a fever again?” They felt his forehead just to be sure, grinning sideways when it was revealed to be cool and dry.

He shrugged weakly. “Armin was right, maybe we do all need each other.”

Hange smiled at that and said, “No cleaning when I’m gone, no training, no unnecessary exertion- you’re still very weak so I’m ordering you to stay in bed and let the squad take care of you.”

He rolled his eyes slightly, but muttered a quiet, “yes commander,” so Hange was able to leave satisfied.

The medicine and instructions were left on the bedside table for the scouts to administer. They all waved to Hange as they rode away down the muddy path through the broken trees.

Sometime in the evening the day Hange left, there was a soft knock on Levi’s door. He grunted, waking up slowly and sitting up, still a little shaky.

Mikasa came in with a steaming bowl that she set down on the table. “I brought you some food,” she said. “I mean- I don’t know if you’re hungry but you should probably eat something.”

“Thank you,” he said hoarsely, starting to try to get out of bed, but his muscles wouldn’t obey, and he laid back down, feeling drained as if he had just faced a titan headlong. Where is all my energy? I’m supposed to be humanity’s strongest soldier, but I can barely even lift my head.

“It’s ok,” reassured Mikasa, “Don’t try to get up. You’ve been very sick sir, so it’ll be awhile before you can get your strength back.”

Levi avoided her eyes as she brought the bowl closer to him. He tried to take it from her, but she withdrew when she noticed his hands trembling. “I’d better do it,” she said in a soothing voice.

Utterly defeated by the humiliation that he was too weak to even lift his hand to eat, he allowed Mikasa to feed him the warm broth. He wasn’t aware of it tasting like anything, but he could feel it warming his body and soothing the tremors in his chest.

He wanted to stop halfway through the bowl, but Mikasa looked at him sternly and made him finish the rest, “The only way you’ll get stronger is if you eat.”

The soup made him feel warm and sleepy. Mikasa’s face was blurring before his eyes. “Rest now sir,” she said, drawing the blanket up to cover him, but he didn’t hear her; he had already closed his eyes and sunk into sleep.

Levi woke the next day to dim light coming through his icy window panes. The soft glow came from the west, signalling that it was sunset. Did I really sleep all day?

He gingerly climbed out of bed. His muscles screamed in protest, and he still coughed roughly as he stood. Hange had ordered him to stay in bed, yes, but his body was stiff and achy, not from the feverish chill in his body anymore, but from lying in bed for 5 days straight.

Shakily, he put a clean shirt on and wrapped a thin blanket around his shoulders. He didn’t know where his jacket was and he didn’t have the energy to look for it. The house was still cold, but he was certain now that this was from the frost on the windows, and not from fever.

He stumbled out of the room, holding on to the wall for support.

“Captain, what are you doing!” Exclaimed Sasha from behind him.

He turned his face to see her eyes, wide-eyed with concern.

He coughed, “I need to get out of that room, I need some air.”

She was next to him in an instant, offering her arm for support, which he reluctantly took. “Commander Hange said-”

“Don’t worry, I won’t try to clean or do anything strenuous, I just want to go downstairs,” he croaked.

Sasha looked uneasy, “but Captain Levi…”

He narrowed his eyes at her and she nodded, allowing her to take hold of his shoulders and help him downstairs.

Levi almost gasped out loud when he saw the downstairs. His eyes widened in surprise. “What...it’s completely spotless!” Every surface had been dusted, cleaned and polished.

Sashsa blushed… “Er, we cleaned a bit while you were asleep.”

Levi allowed her to guide him into the kitchen, which was immaculately clean, not a smudge nor crumb in sight. A pot of soup boiled invitingly on the stove. He actually admitted that he found himself hungry, unlike yesterday when he had forced himself to eat to appease Mikasa.

The others were milling around the kitchen, setting the table and getting ready to eat together.

“Captain Levi!” They all shouted in unison.

“Enough already,” he grumbled, as Sasha helped him into a chair. “You can’t be that happy to see me.”

“Sir, shouldn’t you still be in bed?” asked Armin nervously.

“You still look a bit pale…” remarked Mikasa. She also noticed that he had visibly lost weight. His clothes hung loosely around his shoulders and his cheeks were hollow on his face, dark circles etched deeply below his eyes.

Levi glared at them both, “So? What is it to you?”

Well at least he has his attitude back, that’s a good sign, thought Eren.

Sasha poured him a bowl of soup and set it down in front of him. He nodded to her gratefully, trying to stifle the slight shaking in his hands as he lifted the spoon. Damn it, I can do this myself... His efforts weren’t enough to completely hide his struggle though, based on the expression of concern that they were all shooting in his direction. He ignored them and instead took another look around the room intently. “I have to say, I am impressed, I’ve never seen it this clean in here; I couldn’t have done a better job myself.”

They all widened their eyes and ate their soup, too shocked that Captain Levi was complimenting them to actually say anything. “Th-thank you Captain?” said Jean hesitantly.

They all stared nervously around the table, and it was Sasha who finally broke the silence. “We were just so worried about you sir!”

“We thought you were going to die!” added Armin.

“Uh yeah… it was really unsettling having you out of commission,” said Jean.

“Please never scare us like that again Sir!” cried Mikasa.

Eren didn’t say anything but nodded vigorously in agreement, his green eyes directed across the table with determined intensity.

“Relax, it’ll take more than a stupid cough to kill me,” said Levi, ending his sentence in annoyance as he actually started coughing.

He ignored their looks of concern and said, “So, did anything interesting happen while I was asleep? I mean, besides Armin turning into a titan and Eren not being a sulky teen anymore and ignoring the rest of us.”

Eren scowled. Sasha giggled softly and Armin and Mikasa both averted their eyes.

“Pretty much sums it up sir…” said Jean, clearly trying not to laugh.

Just at that moment, the door opened with a gust of chilly air and Connie trundled in from the watchtower. He hung his cloak and said, without turning around, “Eren it’s your turn on lookout!”

He walked into the kitchen and broke into a huge smile when he saw Levi. “Captain!” He exclaimed, “Welcome back!”

“Thank you Connie,” he replied, his voice husky.

Eren stood up, eyes downcast and went to take up his post outside. Okay nevermind, he’s as moody as always.

Levi tried to help them clear away the dishes after they were all done eating, but Mikasa firmly stopped him. “Sorry sir, but Hange strictly ordered us not to let you clean.”

“Did they now…?” he sighed. There was no point fighting back over a few dishes, besides, he didn’t have the energy anyway.

Instead, he succumbed to sitting in front of the fire, subtly watching them clean up. He could hear Sasha and Connie splashing dishwater at each other, Jean complaining when it accidentally struck him, and Armin’s light footfalls as he swept the floor, Mikasa’s hands wiping down the table in smooth, polished motions…

The noises were comforting; the sound of their laughter and rhythmic working brought a warm feeling into his chest.

Someone brought him a cup of tea, but his eyes were already starting to become heavy. “Thank you,” he murmured, smiling slightly, and then feeling warm and content, he allowed himself to rest.

“I’ve never seen him look this relaxed!” whispered Mikasa, who had put down the teacup.

“Shhhh,” said Armin, covering him gently with a blanket.

They diminished into the kitchen, leaving him there with a peaceful expression on his face.

Levi slept soundly and dreamed of snow, but this time no blue-eyed shadows followed him, and he was able to watch glittering white flakes dance, laughing peacefully as they fell.

#whump #hurt comfort #levi ackerman #sickfic #attack on titan #levi #sick levi #fanfiction #levi squad #survey corps #hange zoë

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