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gezinus · 2 years

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America’s most remarkable kid died in Newcastle, Utah

In the heart of flyover country, surrounded by dusty roads never driven by the power brokers of America, a small group of mourners sits on folding chairs in a town hall that has seen better days.

They are here to remember a 14-year-old boy.

The men wear jeans and white T-shirts — in solidarity with the boy whose own wardrobe included little more than that. Some of the women are in church dresses and others in jeans. There’s a smattering of cowboy hats and ball caps, boots and flip-flops. They recite The Lord’s Prayer in unison. They murmur soft assent when reminded of the boy their community has lost. They smile as a video shows highlights of his short life, accompanied by the strains of Bobby McFerrin — “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.”

Outside, the sky over Escalante Valley, Utah, is blinding blue and cloudless, promising no rain as it has for nearly a year. There are two Escalantes in southern Utah — the spectacular color country of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, and this one in Iron County, equidistant from St. George and Cedar City. Here, dust blows across fields lying fallow. Single-wide trailers dot the landscape looking as if the trucks that towed them there ran out of gas before they found a final resting place for someone’s home. Surrounded by low hills and mountains in the distance, this Escalante — the other Escalante — sits on an aquifer that is draining, and farms that are running out of water.

If anyone was going to save this world, it was Kevin Cooper.

But on a hot day last June, at nearby Newcastle Reservoir, Kevin drowned in a kayaking accident at a friend’s birthday party. At 14, he had just published his autobiography. He was making plans to expand his 350-acre farm to buy up surrounding farms to convert to regenerative agriculture. He was saving money to build a house for his parents and another for his autistic older brother. He was polishing a movie script and a series of children’s books teaching business literacy for kids. He was looking for a celebrity to endorse his line of luxury toiletries made from the milk of his goat herd. He was breeding heritage turkeys. He was writing guest essays for notable bloggers higher up the political food chain. And, in his spare time, he had the task of grading the road to his farm using the John Deere tractor he bought new for himself for his 11th birthday.

All of this is true.

Also true is that Kevin was the only member of his small family who was not disabled. His parents, Billy, a disabled veteran, and Tina, who is partially blind, are just beginning to fathom what their future will be like without the boy who had that future in his hands. They never wanted to rely on him, but there is no getting around the fact that Kevin had big dreams for the whole family and for rural America, and a list of accomplishments behind him that most adults don’t pull off in a lifetime.

Billy and Tina Cooper, parents of Kevin Cooper, hold hands at their home in Beryl, Utah, on July 15, 2022.

Before his death, Kevin encountered social media followers who were skeptical about his story. And his parents understand. “Honestly, if I hadn’t lived through it, I’d probably feel the same way,” says his father Billy.

Kevin, who went by “Cole Summers” online, took on the doubters with a video on his Twitter account. He gazes into the camera with the desert landscape of his ranch behind him and speaks with the tone of someone who is inconvenienced by having to state the obvious: “I really am a 14-year-old home-schooler. I’ve been studying business since I was 6. … I am who I say I am.”

His Twitter account caught the attention of journalist and blogger Bari Weiss who had made headlines when she quit her job as opinion editor at The New York Times in 2020, saying the vaunted newspaper had drifted into a politically correct orthodoxy that ignored the real lives of real people. Weiss started a blog, “Common Sense,” that featured her own opinions and guest writers. In April, Weiss saw “Cole Summers’” Twitter video, “I am who I say I am,” and was “completely floored” by his online story. She asked him to write a column for “Common Sense.”

Kevin fired off the essay under the name Cole Summers, explaining his background, his passion for “unschooling,” his plans for regenerative agriculture and his faith in young people. “It isn’t that my generation isn’t capable,” he wrote. “We just need the freedom, encouragement and empowerment to show what we can do.”

The essay was in Weiss’ inbox when she got a private Twitter message from Billy. Cole Summers was really Kevin Cooper, and he had died. Weiss published “Cole’s” essay on June 21, 10 days after his death, and wrote of him, “In his short life, Cole managed to cultivate two qualities that are rare, even among most adults. He was at home in the real, physical world and he took great pleasure in it. And, he was completely unafraid to try.”

“His parents are just beginning to fathom what their future will be like without the boy who had that future in his hands.”

Another who discovered “Cole Summers” on Twitter was Hannah Frankman of the Foundation for Economic Education, a nonprofit foundation focusing on teaching young people principles of entrepreneurship and economics, and promoting home-schooling. Frankman, too, was working on a story about Kevin as an unschooling success story when he died. Frankman read Kevin’s memoir in one sitting and called it, “the most compelling story of home-schooling possibility I had ever read.”

I went to Iron County to document this remarkable American story — a story that burned bright like the sunsets in Beryl, Utah, until suddenly it dipped beneath the horizon and slipped into a memory.

A tire swing hangs from a tree in the yard of Kevin Cooper’s family in Beryl, Utah, on July 15, 2022.

In the little community of Beryl, at the heart of the Escalante Valley, most folks didn’t know about Kevin Cooper until he died. He didn’t want fame or excess riches, only the means to help those around him. And he didn’t want attention drawn to himself or his reclusive family. He insisted that his family give up their smartphones when he learned how easy it was to track their data.

Living under the radar is one of the things that draws people to towns like Beryl. Folks are expected to mind their own business. Which is not to say neighbors don’t help one another, but many don’t ask. The Coopers don’t talk about extended family. By Billy’s account, he was injured in a training accident when he first joined the Navy at age 18. He has undergone numerous surgeries and battled the Veterans Administration bureaucracy in the 30 years since then, but he doesn’t want to talk about that either. On good days he can navigate around his home with a walker. On bad days he is in a wheelchair that doesn’t fit through the doors of his home.

Other than that, he figures the details of his life are nobody’s business.

Billy is proud of never taking any money from his more successful son. Just a hint of embarrassment creeps in when he describes how the family was often so poor that Kevin was the one who provided all the Christmas gifts. Kevin loved doing that, often starting in the fall working on homemade gifts for everyone.

Kevin was 4 and the family was living in the Salt Lake area when Billy and Tina launched a search for a new place to live. Their parameters were simple; it had to be the cheapest single-family home in Utah, preferably with some land. That led them to a bank foreclosure sale of a double-wide trailer off the beaten path in Beryl, with a rundown barn and five acres for a garden and animals. It was Kevin who would begin the transformation of that modest landing place into a model for the future of rural America.

When asked how they raised a boy like Kevin, Tina responds quickly, “We didn’t.” Both parents agree that at times Kevin raised them and his brother, and at times they were all growing up together. A friend once remarked, “You guys aren’t even raising him; you’re just kind of the audience watching him raise himself.”

A young Kevin Cooper is pictured in a family photo.

At 3 and still in diapers, Kevin was “helping” to change tires on the family truck. Billy had loosened the lug nuts and then handed the wrench to Kevin. As he pulled off each lug nut, he tossed it aside. Tina and Billy took a picture of the toddler at work and said nothing, letting the scattered lug nuts teach the lesson themselves. Kevin had to scramble to find them after they rolled in various directions. He never again changed a tire without meticulously stacking the lug nuts where they could easily be retrieved. In his autobiography entitled “Don’t Tell Me I Can’t,” (by “Cole Summers”) Kevin called this his first “me do it,” moment. He was 4 the first time he helped take apart a truck engine and rebuild it.

“You guys aren’t even raising him; you’re just kind of the audience watching him raise himself.”

When Billy had setbacks from multiple surgeries, it was Kevin who helped wait on him, acquiring a lifelong habit of bringing drinks to anyone who looked thirsty. Tina does that now for visitors in the summer heat, as she is reminded of the countless little things about Kevin that are gone. Billy explains, “Most people can’t wrap their heads around how much of our lives revolved around him. I do not diminish anyone’s experience with losing a kid, but there is no time that we don’t expect to see him somewhere. … We started letting him kind of take over running the family when he was 10.”

As Kevin watched his parents struggle with their financial and physical challenges, he slipped easily into the role of caregiver. “He was completely and totally aware that he was the only one in the family who could live independently,” Billy said.

And as long as Kevin wasn’t doing things that endangered himself or risked the meager family finances, his parents figured they could follow his lead. “There was a limit to how far the consequences of poor choices could be, so we just started letting him make a lot of our day-to-day decisions,” Billy said. Eventually their standard became, “What do we do today to help support or assist you with what your goals are?” Billy was physically limited, but he became Kevin’s research assistant, often pre-reading a book for Kevin to determine if it was worth the boy’s valuable time.

There was one paramount family rule: If Kevin asked, “Why?” his parents would never say, “Because I told you so.” They always tried to help him figure out the “why” of things, even when his mind outpaced theirs. Although Kevin hated the word, “prodigy,” his parents realized they had someone special on their hands.

For Tina that happened early, “when I believed I was no longer smarter than him.” Billy adds, “When he was 10 years old and buying a house, you know you’re not raising the most average kid.” In a crowd of adults and children, Kevin would place himself where he could listen to older folks. “Kevin treasured trying to learn from men in their 90s,” says Billy. He thought learning from his own experience was nonsense. “It takes too long and you screw up too much,” Kevin would say. “I want to figure out what everybody else already learned and get a good head start.” After a Cub Scout trip to a senior care center, he came home and complained to Tina, “All we did is stand there and sing. I didn’t even get to interact with anybody.”

A young Kevin Cooper is pictured in a family photo.

Kevin was more than simply home-schooled. He was part of a movement called “unschooling,” in which the child is allowed to design the curriculum. In the beginning, the Coopers were happy to home-school using standard curriculum because Billy and Tina were both around to supervise. But the standard curriculum became irrelevant when 6-year-old Kevin discovered the instructional videos of billionaire investor Warren Buffett. As Kevin told the story in his memoir, he asked Billy, “Daddy, how do people get rich?”

“I wouldn’t know,” Billy replied. “Go watch some videos on YouTube about Warren Buffett or something.” And so Kevin did, diving deep into the online world of Buffett and his No. 2 at Berkshire Hathaway, Charlie Munger. He watched their videos over and over again, trying to absorb their business philosophy. Munger was Kevin’s favorite, and Munger’s book, “Poor Charlie’s Almanack,” was his Bible. Billy and Tina broke the bank to buy it for their son as a birthday present. The doorstop of a book, at 548 pages, retails for $62. Many buyers made it a bestseller, but few took to it like Kevin, who re-read it every year. Later he followed the writings of Elon Musk and Bill Gates, but Munger and Buffett remained his heroes.

At the age of 8, after a few years of packaged home-school curriculum, Kevin asked his parents if he could design his own lessons. Seeing no harm in the experiment, they agreed. His focus was always on business. He called it “entrepreneurial unschooling.” When friends told him they were memorizing the state capitols or names of rocks, Kevin would try to interest them in corporate tax law and the principles of wealth building.

His curriculum of choice was by no means well-rounded. Even in business, he saw no need for math as long as he had the internet to calculate for him. And, as for state capitals, “If I ever become a truck driver or run for president, I’ll make sure I learn the whole map,” he told his parents. “I’ll know where I’m at.” His spelling and grammar lagged behind grade level. He consistently misspelled the word “business,” and stumbled over the pronunciation of simple words. But, as long as his parents knew what he was talking about, he didn’t care. Later, when opportunities came to publish his thoughts, the written word became more important to him and he found mentors to help him polish his communication skills.

With the lessons of Berkshire Hathaway ringing in his ears, Kevin launched his business empire at the age of 7 by selling rabbits for meat. His parents fronted him the first five rabbits and helped him remodel the old barn behind their house as a rabbitry. Soon, according to their account, Kevin was selling his rabbits to restaurants in California, using a traveling broker to deliver them. His parents still aren’t sure how he figured that out. By the time he turned 8, he had formed a limited liability company (LLC) that was bringing in about $1,000 a month.

With his parents’ OK, he used funds from a loan, and an insurance settlement related to the rabbits, to buy 350 acres of fallow land near his home for $130 an acre when he was 9 years old. And thus was born his passion for regenerative agriculture.

“When he was 10 years old and buying a house, you know you’re not raising the most average kid.”

The Coopers’ neighbors in rural Beryl never knew it, but Kevin had been sizing up their farmland for years, assessing which families had children who would continue farming and which may be looking to sell. According to Billy, Kevin was particularly interested in land that had been lying fallow for years, not because of any government soil regeneration program but because the owners couldn’t make it work financially as the Escalante Valley aquifer was slowly depleted by persistent drought. Kevin had quickly figured out that without reliable rainfall, leaving land fallow was not a way to renew the soil. It was, however, the way to create a dust bowl, which was fast becoming the norm around Beryl.

Utah water law is complicated and controversial, but Kevin learned enough to know it was a deeply flawed system. Hay is a $490 million-a-year business in Utah, making it the state’s No. 1 cash crop. That amounts to only .2% of the state’s gross domestic product but it uses 68% of the state’s “diverted” water, according to a recent study by Gabriel Lozada, associate professor of economics at the University of Utah. Diverted water is that which is taken from natural sources such as rivers and aquifers, and not replenished in full after it is used.

Nearly one-third of Utah’s hay crop is sold overseas, the majority of that going to China. Those overseas sales stuck in Kevin’s craw. He knew that farmers around Beryl were under a state-mandated program to reduce their draw on the aquifer, and it didn’t make sense to him to continue with a business model that was doomed. He didn’t blame the farmers who were just trying to make a living. “He knew you couldn’t fix the problems if the farming stayed at the very bottom of the value chain,” says Billy. “I learned what a value chain was from him.”

Kevin focused on 7,000 acres of neighbors’ land, some fallow and some under cultivation but using far too much water by his standards, not to mention fossil fuels to power farm machinery. He figured he would need $12 million to buy the land and a total of $50 million to implement his scheme to regenerate the soil by planting 13 varieties of low-water plants suitable for grazing by wildlife and small meat-producing livestock such as turkeys. By his calculations, his plan would reduce groundwater use on those 7,000 acres by almost a billion gallons a year. That’s only 10% of the annual overdraw from the Escalante Valley Aquifer — the amount not recharged. But Kevin believed in the power of his example.

Could a mere boy raise $50 million and spark a regenerative agriculture movement in his little corner of the American West?

“Don’t ever take ‘can’t’ as the answer unless you’ve verified that it is against the law or against the powers of physics,” Kevin wrote in his memoir. People told him he couldn’t own land, couldn’t have a vehicle titled in his name, couldn’t have his own checking account, couldn’t contract with lawyers and accountants and realtors, and couldn’t flip a house. He made it his business to prove them all wrong.

Kevin Cooper operates his John Deere tractor on his farm in Beryl, Utah.

At times Kevin’s life resembled the party game where someone starts with a paperclip and keeps trading up until they land a big-ticket item. The proceeds from a 7-year-old’s rabbit venture led to a 9-year-old’s purchase of a 350-acre ranch. Then Kevin discovered the wealth of information in county property and tax records, including the concept of “lawyers’ liens.” A lawyer who is owed money from a client can put a lien on the client’s property to get paid when the land is sold, just like a tax lien. And lawyers’ liens can be bought and sold. Kevin found one such lien languishing in the Iron County property records and bought it for half the value from the lawyer who had forgotten it was there. Kevin doubled his money when the property sold within a few weeks.

His next purchase was 20 acres of land for $100 an acre from a woman who had no interest in paying the taxes on her late husband’s weekend camping spot in the sagebrush. He turned that $2,000 investment into a $20,000 trade with a well-driller. The man, who Kevin described as “a skinny cowboy with a big handlebar mustache,” wanted the land and Kevin needed a well on his farm so they traded.

For his 10th birthday, Kevin gave himself a house. He found a piece of property about seven miles from home and contacted the owner — an elderly woman who had turned down all offers because no one would promise to preserve the unlivable, 700-square-foot, two-bedroom shack on the land. Her father had built the house and she couldn’t bear to see it torn down. But she also couldn’t fix it, and didn’t want to keep paying property taxes. Kevin struck a deal; in trade for the deed to the land, he would pay her back property taxes and her expenses to come to Utah and clear out her father’s possessions from the house. And he promised that he, a 10-year-old boy, would personally restore the home. It took two years, countless YouTube tutorials and some mentoring by kindly contractors, but he did it for $10,000. When Billy put down his foot and refused to let Kevin do the electrical work himself, Kevin found an electrician to walk him through it.

“Don’t ever take ‘can’t’ as the answer unless you’ve verified that it is against the law or against the powers of physics.”

While working on the house, Kevin financed a brand new shiny green John Deere tractor for $50,000. His parents say that as proud as he was of that tractor, it wasn’t his favorite possession. That honor went to the red 1976 Chevy pickup truck he acquired when he was 8. A neighbor came to Billy asking for help with a valve job on another truck. Billy had recently fallen and injured his back, but Kevin jumped in. He offered to fix the truck in trade for the Chevy. It didn’t run, and even if it had, Kevin didn’t have a license to drive it. It sat on blocks in the Coopers’ yard as parts were cannibalized for other family vehicles. Tina said Kevin would lean on it and dream about all he would do with it someday.

With all of his investments, Kevin socked away the loan payments, tax money and operating funds in the bank and never took out any money for himself or his family until he knew his financial obligations for the year were covered. And like any teenager, if he needed pocket money, he would do chores for the neighbors. His parents said his idea of fun was to hire himself out after spending a long day of digging post holes for five miles of fencing on his ranch or laying a half-mile water line from a solar well to his goat paddock.

Work was Kevin’s idea of fun. He never saw a movie in a theater or a ball game in a park. In the middle of the night, Billy might hear the sound of a soda can being popped open, and a desk chair rolling across the floor. For most teens, that would signal a video game in process, but in the Cooper home it meant Kevin was pulling an all-nighter writing a book. His idea of TV bingeing was to record episodes of CNBC’s “The Profit” and play them back, hitting the pause button to analyze the failing businesses and try to come up with solutions before the host could suggest them.

He couldn’t understand why his peers, and even adults, spent so much time scrolling their phones. Once when the Coopers were hosting company, Kevin and his parents noticed that the other family was scrolling instead of talking. Kevin leaned over to Billy and only half-jokingly whispered for him to unplug the Wi-Fi.

Kevin had finished his house flip and was in the process of saving money to drill a well for the house when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020. He had learned from his billionaire business heroes to pivot quickly and not look back, so he sold the house without the well, reducing its value by half but still doubling the $10,000 he had put into the flip. From that sale, he began investing in turkeys to raise for meat and graze on his regenerating ranch land.

Kevin Cooper’s prized red truck, which has been cannibalized for parts to keep other family vehicles running, sits at his family home on July 15, 2022.

The Coopers survived 2020, and then 2021 dealt them a series of setbacks. Billy needed more surgery. Their water heater and air conditioning died. The fuel pump on the family’s Suburban, their only working vehicle besides the John Deere, went out. Billy and Tina refused Kevin’s offers of help until he told them his company would buy the Suburban and fix it. It was enough money for them to do the house repairs. They only agreed when he pointed out that the SUV was primarily used for Kevin’s businesses anyway.

And then, after 14 months without rain, the well that supplied their house went dry. For nine months the Coopers hauled water by the barrel for their household needs. One day Kevin caught his brother using the washing machine for one shirt. He chided his brother and then ran around the house scooping up other laundry to add to the load. They finally saved up money to drill a new well and Tina remembered that day as one of Kevin’s happiest. He danced around slathering himself in the foam generated from flushing the new well. Tina took a picture, and the image from that day plays like a video in her head. Kevin wrote that the nine months of hauling water taught him to “keep getting back up no matter how many times life knocked me down.”

Kevin was irrepressibly happy, as in the family video of him smiling over his shoulder into the camera and dancing to a mental playlist in his head as he shoveled gravel from a truck bed on a blistering summer afternoon. He was the kind of happy that Billy said could grate on the family when they just wanted to take a day to wallow in their misfortune. “Circumstances change, let’s change with it,” Kevin would say when the family fortunes hit a bump.

Now, Billy says, “We’ve been telling ourselves that a lot.”

Kevin was growing savvy with social media. In 2021 he launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise $100,000 to build an accessible home for his parents. He failed, raising only $920, but as with all of his setbacks, it was just another learning experience. “If I can’t earn it, I’m going to build it,” Kevin said, and began gathering scrap lumber and studying building codes for adobe construction. The video that Kevin made for that fundraising campaign is a poignant window into his mind.

In the video he carries on an imaginary conversation with Billy while trying to push Billy’s wheelchair through narrow doors in the double-wide trailer. “Want to go sit on the front porch, Dad?” (“Thunk” as Kevin bumps the chair against the door frame.) “Want to go get a drink of water, Dad?” (“Thunk.”)

In a second video, heavy with irony and analysis beyond his years, Kevin exposes the labyrinthine VA bureaucracy that makes Billy ineligible for an accessible house. In short, he would need to lose the use of another limb, not just the one broken in his basic training accident, later made useless by necrosis.

Billy and Tina can’t bring themselves to say much about Kevin’s faith or where their son might be now in the pantheon of after-life theories. They considered themselves Christians and kept a Bible, a Book of Mormon and a Quran in the house. They do know Kevin would want them to pick themselves up and move on with optimism.

That will be hard. They don’t have a running vehicle; Kevin had been working on that problem. A friend started a separate GoFundMe campaign to pay funeral expenses and help them get a fresh start.

Until his death, Kevin’s parents were unaware of the extent of his holdings or the business affairs they will have to settle and bills they will have to pay. They have avoided the heartache of turning on his computer and seeing him come alive again in his books in progress, his correspondence with experts, his meticulous bookkeeping and his outsized dreams. Their immediate need is to sell Kevin’s assets and then find another place to live where they can function without him, nearer to shopping and doctors and services for their 17-year-old autistic son, maybe someplace with a little land so they can keep a garden and some chickens, and a home Billy can navigate in his wheelchair. Billy and Tina hope to carry on Kevin’s work in some way.

But for now, it’s hard for them to even open the door to his room. And harder still is it for them, when asked, to reflect on the last sentence in his memoir: “As wild as it is to have done enough unique things by age 14 to be able to write an autobiography, the truth is, I’m still just getting started.”

Kevin Cooper “brain mapping,” as his parents called his writing process.

Bron: Hacker News https://www.deseret.com/2022/8/22/23309244/cole-summers-died-newcastle-utah-warren-buffett-charlie-munger-bari-weiss-unschooled

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americangirlstar · 3 years

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Now that both Courtney books are out and I’ve read and processed them both, I do want to say that I think they’re the least well-written of any of the AG books, but not through any fault of their own- let me explain.

(Note that for this discussion I’m ignoring the Doylist criticisms- Courtney and 3/4 of her friend group being white again, the lack of gay discussion in-text in regards to the HIV crisis, etc. These are valid complaints and concerns, but not what we’re talking about right now.)

The Problem with the Current Book Length

I think the main problem with Courtney stems from the fact her books are so short. American Girl has literally been doing the stupidest things in regards to their books lately, almost as if they’re trying to sabotage them on purpose. First they remove illustrations in 2015- when their target audience is about nine years old. I don’t know about you, but when I was six and getting into American Girl, the illustrations were the highlight for me. Not because I had no attention span and loved pretty pictures, but because it showed me firstly what the girl’s life was like, whether it be 1760s wilderness or 2001 Chicago. It was like stepping into their world, really helping you get into their heads, which was basically what the dolls were supposed to do, to let you know that girls like you exist throughout time and space.

As well as that, the illustrations were free advertisement. I can’t tell you how excited me and my sisters were as children to go to the American Girl place and look at the doll displays, shouting that that’s the dress Felicity wears to the ball! or look, Josefina’s goat looks exactly like the book! AG cut that from 2015 to 2020, as if they were trying to appeal to an older audience- while at the same time changing all the doll outfits, accessories and marketing to appeal to a younger demographic.

Now, this isn’t about the illustrations, as Courtney got those- it’s about what they did to the historical characters after the Illustration Outrage™ happened. See, they’d condensed the historical six-book format into two books- not necessarily a bad idea, parents would be more likely to buy two books for their kid than consider buying six. However, they then claimed that if they put illustrations back, they would have to abridge the books- literally my nightmare.

First of all, American Girl, we know for a fact you can fit all six books plus illustrations into ONE VOLUME, let alone two. You’re just being cowards here and trying to nerf your own stories for... some reason.

So that meant a lot of important things got cut- Rebecca’s Chanukah story, Melody’s cousin’s house search, Maryellen’s Christmas adventure... all things important to the girls’ histories and character.

The Problem with Courtney’s Writing

Now, Courtney was the first doll to be released after the abridging began, meaning her books were released, in their entirety, just as short as the abridged stories. So it basically means she gets four books while the others get six- and unlike the others, Courtney doesn’t even have mysteries or short stories to pad out. (And honestly, looking at her book’s amount of content, I’d even argue that she basically got two while everyone else got six, but I digress.)

The problem with her books isn’t that they have an author writing them poorly (I really feel like her author was doing the best with what limited time she had), but in how cramped American Girl made them. Because, well, Courtney has to deal with a lot in such a short amount of words.

Let’s compare her to Julie, for instance- Julie pretty much has a new 70s thing every book. In order: feminism, rising divorce rates, San Francisco’s Chinese culture, environmentalism, the country’s bicentennial, anti-bullying and deaf acceptance. And adding to this, we also have her own personal journies through her parents’ divorce and move, her basketball team, her friendship with Ivy (and later Joy), overcoming her fear of horses, student council, detention... It’s a lot, and yet her books don’t feel rushed or forced at all. It’s just a year in the life of a girl going through a lot of new and sudden events, and how she grows and changes throughout them. She may not be as deep a character as Addy or Kirsten, but not every girl goes through the trials and tribulations they do, and it’s a good series overall.

Courtney, meanwhile, does feel rushed and forced, because of the short timespan. Instead of fitting everything into a six-book format- or even at two-book format that is the same length and content as the six-book- everything has to be fit into two short books. Everything Courtney has to cover includes the topics of divorce and stepfamilies, feminist and technological advancement, the Challenger explosion, the HIV crisis, Hands Across America, and the founding of Pleasant Company. And in Courtney’s own journey, she has to cover her learning to stand up for herself, her relationship with her stepsister and Tina’s own character development, her mother running for mayor and how that affects her, how much she misses her Dad after he moves, her friendship with Sarah (note on that later), her basically getting hate-crimed after standing up for her friend... that’s a LOT of stuff, and I didn’t even include the non-AG 80s product placement they shove into her collection.

But without the longer format, everything is pushed together to its detriment. Tina’s development and Maureen’s mayoral candidacy are two plotlines that are literally dropped and almost completely ignored in the second book. The Challenger and HIV issues were handled decently, but the Challenger only lasted a few short chapters, and the HIV topic was not as informative as it could be, leaving out several things like Reagan’s refusal to treat it for so long, and its effect on the gay community. Honestly, the HIV scare was more shifted to focus on the mob mentality of a new and scary disease- which, while needed right now, also ignores many of the bigotry-related reasons it became an epidemic. Pleasant Company’s inclusion feels forced in, and I think was the only resolution she had to her Dad plotline?

And don’t get me started on the Sarah plotline- every Girl of the Year since Kanani- sans Isabelle and Luci- has had the story of “oh no I’ve been ignoring my friend and now they’re mad at me :(” and it’s SO old. Seriously, I counted the contemporary dolls that have had that storyline, and it’s thirteen*. Thirteen times we’ve covered this issue- almost all of it in quick succession- and now we have to deal with it in a historical character book while much more important things are going on! Yes, it sucks when a friend ditches you while you’re being attacked and bullied for something you’re standing up for, but once again, with how much is happening in such a short book, it just feels like a forced-in plotline that we’ve seen a billion times, and with their falling-out happening mainly due to the attention Courtney was given Isaac, it serves to make Sarah seem closed-minded at best and bigoted at worst- it’s clarified that she’s not, she’s just scared and upset with Courtney, but when you put those events so close together, it leads the reader to lump them together and get the impression that, you know, Sarah is a worse person than she is.

*Full count: Nicki (book 2), Chrissa (book 2), Kanani (2), McKenna (1 iirc?), Saige (both books), Grace (2), Lea (3), Gabriela (1 and 3), Tenney (2), Z (1), Blaire (1), Joss (1) and Kira (1).

It’s a bit weird, too, that Courtney’s... what’s the word? Vibe? with her how her story is written and marketed Is closer to the Contemporaries than the Historicals. Am I the only one feeling this? My best explanation for it is that the author, Kellen Hertz, had only written contemporary books for American Girl before- the third Lea Clark book and all four Tenney Grant books, both of which contained the Friendship Issues™ plot. I’m not at all saying she’s a bad author- I honestly love the way the Tenney books are written- and I’m not saying she couldn’t write a historical book, but it’s clear American Girl didn’t ask her to change up her style or content from what she’d done for them before, as well as giving her way too much to cover in such short books.

Conclusion

Honestly, this conclusion should be obvious- American Girl needs to expand their books again. Whether they simply allow the books to be unabridged, or go back to the six-book format, Courtney's books are too cramped to tell an effective story, let alone the poor abridged girls.

The other girls were given six-book length, so if they went back to that length or format, Courtney would have to be rewritten, at least a little- and that’s okay! There’s a lot of things that could use expansion or connection, such as her Summer trip with her Dad that was given basically one sentence in the text. Her growth with her stepfamily could be acknowledged- and honestly? I think that if these books were expanded, her mother’s mayoral arc should either continue through the books, or Maureen should become mayor before the book 2 arc. I’ve mentioned this before, but having Maureen as mayor (or even still a candidate) would put a lot of pressure on Courtney to be perfect so that nobody can say “look at how awful this woman is for doing politics instead of raising her family right”- which means that when the Isaac stuff happens, it has even more stakes for Courtney and her family. Does her Mom still support her with her own reputation on the line, and what does that say about Maureen’s character, how does it affect Courtney and the D’Amicos... that’s all fascinating stuff that was completely missed out on.

And if she was turned into a six-book format- honestly, here’s how I’d do it, just off the top of my head. It would involve a bit of event shuffling, but honestly I think it would work!

Meet Courtney - pretty much the setup for everything happening, her starting to get her Crystal Starshooter plans and her mom’s campaign beginning.

Courtney Learns a Lesson - her relationship to Tina, culminating in the Challenger incident.

Courtney’s Surprise - we move the founding of Pleasant Company over here, since Molly’s basically her Christmas Present. We’ll probably need an additional plotline- maybe similar to Julie, she can have a story on spending the holidays in different places.

Happy Birthday Courtney - end of summer, aka meeting Isaac and her trip with her Dad.

Courtney Saves the Day - Beginning of the HIV arc, ending at her presentation to her class.

Changes for Courtney - Continuation of the HIV arc as things get worse for her and Isaac, ending where Friendship Superhero ends.

Is that a perfect sorting? Probably not, I came up with it in ten minutes. But would it give Courtney space to breathe and more time to explore everything happening to her? Probably!

The tl;dr of this is honestly that American Girl are absolute cowards right now, and need to expand their books back. Their abridging is only harming their stories- which, as Courtney herself points out, are the reason girls got into their company in the first place.

#courtney moore #american girl #american girl dolls #american girls #1986 #negativity #mine #americangirlstar

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valwentinefics · 3 years

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First Impressions - Helmut Zemo x Reader (Pride and Prejudice AU) Part 1

The news of a new inhabitant of Netherfield Park has your family excited to meet the rich and single man Mr. Barnes at the upcoming ball. While there you come face to face with his friend, the Sokovian Baron named Helmut Zemo, who seems like he’d rather be anywhere else.

A/n: First part woo! This part was mostly based on the 2005 movie, the next part will follow the book more. I also won’t be doing such accurate lines in the future unless you guys tell me you want me to, I just felt like I should in this to set things up better. I’m also just slapping in marvel characters where I can, I hope you guys don’t mind!

Series��Masterlist

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife. This opinion was held by the community for the newest inhabitant of Netherfield Park, despite not knowing his opinion on the matter, and the mothers in each of the surrounding families had their hearts set on ensuring that one of their daughters would be the one to stake their claim on the man.

Your chilly hands held a weathered book as you entered the small house, abandoning the crisp and fresh spring air for the warmer indoor air that always seemed to smell slightly of flour. You often read outside while walking, a way to enjoy your hobbies of walking and reading as well as relax in the quiet spring air without your often giggling horde of sisters to interrupt your thoughts as they were doing now.

Your eyes looked to the group of girls gathered outside the door to your father’s study, ears pressed against the wood. You gently bonked your sister Natasha on the head with your book when you saw her straining to hear whatever conversation was happening in the room.

“It’s not polite to eavesdrop Natasha.” You scolded your older sister who’s beautiful face turned to a pout at your words. Although you were only the second child you often felt as if you were the oldest.

“Y/n this is different! Mother says Netherfield Park has let at last. It has a young, wealthy, and single inhabitant!” She protested, making you hesitate your retort.

Normally you were not one to indulge in your mother’s gossip about men, but the news piqued your interest. It was no secret to you or your sisters that your family was not doing well when it came to money. With your father aging more by the day and a cousin you hardly contacted set to inherit the property and everything on it once he died, things were not looking good. It was due to this that your mother was frantic when it came to setting up her daughters with suitable husbands. You sighed and pressed your ear to the door, knowing your mother was likely to attempt to set you or one of your sisters up with this newcomer, you were hoping to figure out some things about him before she did.

“How does his fortune affect our girls?” You heard your father, Mr. L/n, ask. You knew he knew the answer, your father was an intelligent man, he just found great enjoyment in pushing at your mothers buttons.

“Mr. L/n!” Mrs. L/n’s exasperated cry could be heard clearer than anything else that had been said earlier. It was as if she wanted the whole world to hear of her plights. “You know it matters because I intend to marry one of them to him!” Marriage seemed to be the only thing on your mothers mind, it was as if she was put on the earth for the sole purpose of getting you and your sisters a husband with good connections.

“Does the man get a choice in this?” You could hear your father chuckle and you had to bite back your own.

“The odds are in our favour with the amount of daughters we have, he very well might fall in love with one of them, which is why you must go see him at once!” Mrs. L/n pleaded, earning a sigh from Mr. L/n.

“You and the girls can go, or you can send them by themselves. Perhaps the latter will work out better, for you are as handsome as any of them. This Mr. Barnes may like you the best of the party if you are in attendance.” He flattered her. You knew it was a mix of sincerity and a way to distract her from her nagging. If nagging was something people could compete in, your mother would likely be world renowned for her skill.

“My dear, you flatter me. I have had my fair share of beauty, however it is nothing extraordinary now.” Mrs. L/n paused for a second before seeming to remember her mission. “But Mr. L/n, You must visit him! Think of our daughters!”

The door opened, causing your sister Peggy to nearly fall to the ground, caught by your other sister Carol. The greying Mr. L/n smiled at the group of girls gathered outside the door before walking past them, chased by Mrs. L/n.

“Mr. L/n! Mr. L/n! Are you listening to me?” She called out as she followed him.

The older man paused, turning around to look at his wife and daughters who had followed them both. “I don’t see why I must go visit Mr. Barnes for a second time.” A sly grin spread onto his face.

“A second time?” Mrs. L/n gasped. “Oh, how could you tease me? Have you no compassion for my poor nerves?”

“On the contrary my dear, I have the utmost respect for them. They are my old friends, I’ve dealt with them countless times over the years.” He teased, earning an eye roll from his wife.

“Will he be attending the ball tomorrow?” Spoke up Sharon, excitement clearly shown on her face as she looked at your father expectantly.

“I believe so.” Mr. L/n replied, sitting down and watching as your sisters exploded with joy, chattering loudly about what they would wear and pestering him with questions about what the man was like.

You couldn’t help but smile and find yourself excited for the event. It had been a while since you last attended a ball and you looked forward to looking good and getting to see the strange new man. Netherfield Park was an amazing property, and you had heard many good things about the library of the place. The new tenant Mr. Barnes was likely to be an avid reader because of it, and if he was perhaps you could find a friend in him.

A friend was all you were interested in. Whenever the topic of marriage came up you found yourself zoning out, much to your mothers dismay. Men were either too cocky or too daft, and always too easy to figure out. You wanted someone with substance, someone intelligent enough to keep his cards close to him, whose character you couldn’t figure out as easily as the rest. It would take characteristics like that for you to even begin to grow interest in a man, and even then only the deepest, truest love could persuade you into the chains of matrimony.

The jovial air of the ball made a smile appear on your face as you stood in the corner of the room with Natasha and Wanda Maximoff. Wanda was your very close and trusted friend despite being seven years older than you. Your mother often would go on rants about how you would end up just like her, an unmarried burden to your parents at twenty seven, but you ignored it. Your eyes were trained on the dancing people, your foot slightly tapping to the sound of the music until it suddenly stopped. Your attention snapped to the entrance of the room, spotting three newcomers, two men and a woman.

“The man with the blue eyes is Mr. James Barnes and the woman is his sister Miss. Rebecca Barnes.” Wanda explained, noticing you and your sister’s confusion. Her father had brought her family to Netherfield to introduce themselves earlier.

“And the man with the bad attitude?” You asked, examining the man accompanying the two. He didn’t seem too happy to be here. He was extremely put together, not a hair out of place and his posture exuding importance. His brown eyes looked around the room, making those who they landed on wonder what they did to deserve the piercing look.

“Baron Helmut Zemo.” Wanda explained. “He comes from Sokovia, rumors say he owns about half of the country.” Your eyes hardened, assuming his reason for being so unimpressed with being in the room must have something to do with his wealth and not wanting to be around so many common people.

“The miserable half of Sokovia clearly.” You scoffed, unable to rip your eyes from him. He would have been attractive if not for the ill temper he seemed to have.

Wanda and Natasha laughed at your comment, the music soon resuming once the group made their way to the other end of the room. You couldn’t help but stare at them, your attention mostly on Baron Zemo as he spoke to no one, despite the Barnes siblings who he had come with mingling with others.

You felt a hand grab your arm and you turned your head to face the person, realizing it was your mother. “Y/n, come, I must have you and Natasha introduced to Mr. Barnes.” She said, hauling you away to the other side of the room as you gave Wanda a pleading look, although you knew she could do nothing to stop your determined mother.

“These are my daughters, Natasha my eldest, and Y/n the second. I have others but they’re already dancing.” She introduced you and your sister. You looked at the group, taking great effort to stop yourself from staring at the Baron, instead examining Mr. Barnes.

Mr. Barnes was certainly handsome with his dark looks. He was well built, clearly a man who went outside quite a bit, and his striking blue eyes were filled with kindness but had a small darkness within them, despite that you read him as a kind and gentle man who worked past his past mistakes. His eyes stayed primarily on Natasha, and you couldn’t blame him. Natasha was always the most effortlessly stunning sister, but when it came to balls where she put effort in her appearance, she blew everyone away.

“Mr. Barnes, are you liking it here in Hertfordshire?” Asked Natasha, her eyes stayed on him as well. You allowed yourself to glance at the Baron while the two conversed, finding the man standing still and talking to no one, instead looking away from your group and watching the dancing crowd with an unreadable expression.

“Very much.” He replied. You turned your attention back to the conversation to not appear rude, Mr. Barnes was giving your sister a charming smile.

“I’ve heard the library at Netherfield is one of the finest in the country.” You added to the conversation.

“It fills me with guilt, I’m not a very avid reader.” You had expected this from his athletic stature. “I prefer being outdoors. I mean, I can read, and I’m not saying you can’t read outdoors.” He began to ramble, seemingly embarrassed. Despite his kindness he didn’t seem to be too good when it came to socializing, either that or Natasha’s beauty was distracting him as he hadn’t taken his eyes off of her even when you had spoken.

“I wish I read more but it always seems as if there's other things to do.” Natasha spoke with a smile, saving Mr. Barnes from his awkward state.

“That’s exactly what I meant!” He smiled, making Natasha smile in response. You knew they would get along well which would delight your mother.

You felt the warmth of someone's stare, turning your head to see Baron Zemo looking at you. Your eyes locked with his deep brown ones for a few moments, wordlessly trying to figure him out. You heard Mr. Barnes ask Natasha for a dance, and she accepted, leaving you with the Baron.

“Do you dance much, Baron?” You asked, hoping to ease the tension between you two by initiating a conversation.

“Not if I can help it.” He looked away, not seeming to be too pleased with being spoken to. The awkwardness of the moment threatened to consume you. You silently watched your sister dance for the duration of the song before heading to Wanda once it ended.

“What’s wrong?” She asked

“Baron Zemo is a dreadful conversationalist. He seemed so irritated with me just asking him a question, I can’t stand-” You were cut off with a shush, Wanda gesturing to where the Baron and Mr. Barnes were standing nearby, not noticing you two.

“I’ve never seen so many beautiful women in one place in my life.” Mr. Barnes spoke to his friend.

“You were dancing with the only beauty in the room.” The Baron replied with a scoff.

“She was gorgeous, but what about her sister? Y/n I believe was her name. She seemed intelligent, she asked me about the library. Maybe the two of you would be a good match” He nudged the Baron who sent him a look. Their dynamic was odd, and Y/n couldn’t help but wonder how such a kind man became friends with a man like Baron Zemo.

“She’s tolerable, but isn’t handsome enough to tempt me.” He replied, the two walking away to where Miss. Barnes was. You didn’t care about Baron Zemo’s opinion, but you couldn't help but be offended at his remark.

“If he liked you, you’d have to speak with him. Count your blessings Y/n.” Wanda tried to cheer you up.

You forced a convincing smile. “I wouldn’t dance with him for all of Sokovia anyways, let alone his miserable half.”

Your joke made Wanda laugh, but your insecurities began to creep through. You had to forcibly stop yourself from dwelling on the Baron's words. He was pompous and judgmental and not worth your time. You looked over to him briefly and saw him looking unimpressed with everything around him. Was that really the man you would let spoil your fun night? He was the most disagreeable and unpleasant man you’ve ever had the displeasure of meeting, and you couldn’t stop yourself from wishing you would never have to encounter him after this night.

You stood up, determined to make the best out of the night, and headed to find a partner to dance with. You didn’t want to give the Baron the honour of haunting your thoughts. However, it was hard to keep him out of your mind when as you got in place to dance you felt the prickling of his stare on your back.

Taglist: @killeromanoff @ay0nha @thesuitkovian @pedropascallovebot @trelaney @hibiscusgardenia @dxnxdjarxn @naivara-duneimith @hiraethmaximoff @farihafangirls @aisling1985 @literatureandqueen let me know if you would like to be added or removed!

#zemo #helmut zemo #helmut zemo x reader #zemo x reader

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babypandawrites · 3 years

Text

Allies, Pt. 11

The Siege of the North, Part One

Pairing: Sokka x F Reader Warnings: General War Things, Injury, Getting Knocked in the Head Word Count: 2,625 Summary: With the Fire Nation launching a huge attack on the Northern Water Tribe, and Zuko trying to take the Avatar, things do not go well.

Note: This is honestly one of my... worse chapters- but we can pretend its not :’) I was struggling a lot with some of the parts and ended up having to make them super rushy so sorry about that- Also! I have made a poll relating to the story that I would appreciate you guys answer! I’ll be tagging post relating to the series with #book one allies ! And on an absolutely unrelated note, support the ATLA Fan Musical Project! The team working on it is super talented and all the songs they’ve put out so far are amazing! Katherine Lynn-Rose is one of the leading team members and has some of the songs up on her YouTube channel, along with a link to the ATLM discord server! Which you guys should totally join, it’s super chill and supportive!

-Navigation- | -Atla Masterlist- -Last Part- | -Allies Masterlist- | -Next Part-

Taglist: @boomeraangin | @brokennerdalert

“So, this is where you’ve been spending all your time.” “Huh?!” The sudden voice startled Y/n, causing her to lose her balance from where she stood on a raised stool. Sokka slid behind her and caught her by wrapping his arms around her torso. Though with her feet still resting on the stool, it left her in kind of an awkward position. Chuckling softly, he helped her get on her feet. “Sorry, didn’t think I’d catch you off guard.” “It’s fine, thanks for the catch.” Getting back up on the stool, Y/n grabbed the small rag she had tucked into her waist band, and used it to wipe down the top of a cabinet. “When did you get a job?” Sokka poked around one of the clothing racks as he asked. “Why did you get a job?” “The day after we got here and to make money, obviously. Kind of the point of a job.” “Getting a job when we’re basically honored guests, makes sense.” Walking back over to her, he gently nudged the stool with his foot. “This thing doesn’t seem very stable.” Looking at him with a glare, she smacked him in the shoulder with the rag she held. “It’s not, so maybe don't do that when I’m standing on it!” “Sorry.” Sighing, she went back to wiping down the cabinet, this time going for the top shelves. “And it’s not like I have anything better to do. I can only talk to Momo and Appa for so long until I start to feel like I’m going crazy.” “Nothing better to do? You have friends, three of them, one of them standing right here!” He pointed to himself. “You guys are always busy. Speaking of which, don’t you have an activity to do with Princess Yue?” She tried to ignore the weird knot in her stomach at the thought. Sokka looked at her with a blank expression. “You're never going to let me live that down, are you?” Laughing, Y/n hopped down from the stool. “Nope.” “And for the record, I already saw Yue today…” She raised an eyebrow at him, when he trailed off with a saddened tone. “You alright?” “I’m fine. Just- It didn’t go well. I don’t wanna talk about it. How much longer are you gonna have to do your job?” “Few more hours.” Sokka let out a groan, as he turned to walk to the door. “Guess I’m hanging out with Momo today.” “I’m sure he could use the company.” Y/n tossed the rag she had into a bin. “Oh no.” She was about to go into the shop’s backroom, but stopped at hearing Sokka. Turning, she noticed he had frozen in the doorway. Furrowing her eyebrows she joined him at the door, looking over his shoulder. “What is it?” He kneeled down, and scooped up a handful of darkened snow. “Soot.” Eyes widening, she jumped over him to get outside. Ash was falling from the sky rather than snow, and was starting to coat the ground. She held her hand out, gulping as ash started to gather in her palm. “Fire Nation.” “Yeah, and by the looks of it, there’s a lot of them.”

The pair had joined Katara and Aang at the citadel, the group currently sat on the building’s ground with their backs leaned against the wall. “The day we have feared for so long has arrived. The Fire Nation is on our doorstep. It is with great sadness that I call my family here before me, knowing well that some of these faces are about to vanish from our tribe. But they will never vanish from our hearts. Now, as we approach the battle for our existence-” Chief Arnook raised his arms up. “-I call upon the great spirits! Spirit of the Ocean! Spirit of the Moon! Be with us!” He lowered his arms. “I’m going to need volunteers for a dangerous mission.”’ Sokka stood up from the ground. “Count me in.” Katara looked at her brother with an expression of shock and worry. “Sokka!” Y/n shared the expression. “What are you doing?” Several other men stood as well. “Be warned. Many of you will not return. Come forward to receive my mark if you accept the task.” The volunteers began to form a line in front of the Chief, each receiving a marking on their foreheads with a red paint.

A tense silence settled across the air, as the Northern Water Tribe awaited the Fire Nation's first attack. Several warriors lined up along the top of the tribe's wall, Y/n and the rest of her friends stood with them. The wait was nearly suffocating. A singular Fire Nation ship could be seen in the distance, but there were bound to be more out of sight. Gulping, Y/n’s hands clenched into fist. This was going to be a full scaled attack on a very powerful tribe, it would really be like nothing she’s had to face before. And honestly? It was kind of horrifying. After a brief moment of waiting, the ship catapulted a huge fireball at the tribe's wall, crashing right through the middle of it. Several people were thrown back from the impact, along with the ice and debris from the wall. Y/n pushed herself from the ground, dusting the snow off her clothes, just in time to see more fire balls come over the city walls.

Thus started the relentless attack on the Northern Water Tribe.

As nightfall came upon them, the Fire Nation’s attacks stopped. Neither side had yet to win, and Y/n was sure that the attacks would continue at sunrise when firebending would have more power. “They’ve stopped firing.” Yue said, as Y/n joined her and Katara on the citadel steps. “For now.” She added. When Appa flew in from the distance, Katara pointed at him. “Aang!” The three ran down the citadel steps, to meet him at the plaza. Appa landed on his belly, clearly tired. Aang slid down from the bison’s saddle, sitting on the ground. “I can’t do it.” Aang dropped his head into his hands. “I can’t do it.” “What happened?” Katara asked. “I must have taken out a dozen Fire Nation ships, but there’s just too many of them. I can’t fight them all.” “But, you have to! You’re the Avatar!” Y/n shot a glare at the Princess for that comment. “I’m just one kid.” Aang buried his head into his arms, as Katara sat down next to him to comfort him. Kneeling to his side, Y/n reached out to rest a hand on his shoulder. Eventually, the four gathered into one of the citadel’s rooms, moon light shone through the window. “The legends say the moon was the first waterbender. Our ancestors saw how it pushed and pulled the tides and learned how to do it themselves.” Yue explained, as she looked out at the moon. Katara nodded along with her words. “I’ve always noticed my waterbending is stronger at night.” “Our strength comes from the Spirit of the Moon, our life comes from the Spirit of the Ocean. They work together to keep balance.” Aang perked up. “The Spirits! Maybe I can find them and get their help!” “How can you do that?” “The Avatar is the bridge between our world and the Spirit World. Aang can talk to them!” Katara explained, answering Yue’s question. Yue smiled hopefully. “Maybe they’ll give you the wisdom to win the battle!” “Or, maybe they’ll unleash a crazy amazing spirit attack on the Fire Nation!” Aang widely opened his arms as he spoke. Though the look Katara and Yue gave him caused the boy to clasp his hands behind his back. “Or wisdom. That’s good too.” Y/n leaned closer to Aang, putting a hand next to the side of her mouth to whisper secretly. “I thought it was a good idea- You should ask the spirits about a crazy amazing attack on the Fire Nation.” Aang grinned at her, whispering back. “I will.” “The only problem is, last time you got to the Spirit World by accident. How are you going to get there this time?” “I have an idea, follow me.” The three followed after Yue, as she led them to a courtyard behind the citadel, then to a wooden door. “So is this the way to the Spirit World?” Yue let out a quiet laugh at Aang’s question. “No, you’ll have to get there on your own-” She pushed the door open. “-But I can take you to the most spiritual place in the entire North Pole.” Entering through the door, the group found themselves in an oasis of sorts. Unlike the rest of the North Pole, it wasn’t cold and covered in snow- It was rather warm actually, and there was a landing covered in grass. At the back of the chamber was a waterfall, which flowed into a long pool of water. Two wooden foot bridges led to the grassy landing.

Aang ran across one of the bridges, laughing. He landed on the grass, rubbing it fondly. “I never thought I’d miss grass this much!” Joining him on the landing, Y/n breathed out a laugh, slipping her coat off. “Ah- This is the kind of warmth I’ve missed.” It didn’t seem possible somewhere so warm was in the North Pole but- she wasn’t going to complain. This was great! Shortly after them, Katara and Yue walked onto the landing as well, Katara smiling as she also took off her coat. “It’s so warm here! How is that possible?” “It’s the center of all spiritual energy in our land.” Momo skittered up to the pond, trying to grab the two fish that swam in it. One was black, the other white, they swam in a circle around each other. The three girls watched the lemur, before he ran away from the pond. “You’re right, Yue. I can feel...something...it’s so… tranquil.” Aang sat down in front of the pond, his legs crossed. Closing his eyes, he closed his hands into fist and put his knuckles together to meditate. Y/n moved to stand with Katara and Yue, as the Princess whispered. “Why is he sitting like that?” “I think he’s meditating.” She whispered back. “Yeah- he’s trying to cross over into the Spirit World. It takes all his concentration.” Katara added, also whispering. “Is there any way we can help?” “How ‘bout some quiet?!” Aang turned to look at them. “C’mon guys! I can hear every word you’re saying!” Cringing inwardly, Y/n mumbled a quiet sorry as the boy went back to trying to meditate. After a few moments, Aang’s eyes and tattoo’s started to glow white. Both Yue and Y/n looked at him in wonder. “Is he okay?” The Princess asked. “He’s crossing into the Spirit World. He’ll be fine as long as we don’t move his body. That’s his way back to the physical world.” Y/n nodded in understanding at Katara’s words. “Neat..” Yue started to walk away. “Maybe we should get some help?” “No, he’s our friend. Y/n and I are perfectly capable of protecting him.” “Yeah, we got this.” “Well, aren’t you big girls now?” Zuko’s voice suddenly echoed softly through the area. Gasping, Y/n turned to the source of his voice, along with Katara. “No!” Zuko walked over one of the bridges towards them. “Yes! Hand him over, and I won’t have to hurt you.” Katara and Y/n both took on fighting stances, as Yue ran away from the trio to not get caught in the crossfire. Zuko launched forward, sending several blasts of fire their way. Katara pulled water from the pond and used it to block the attacks, eventually shoving him backwards and knocking him to the ground. Y/n didn’t drop her guard and was ready to jump in if she needed to, but she decided to hold back for now since Katara was handling things pretty well. Honestly, much better than she would be able too. “I see you’ve learned a new trick. But I didn’t come this far to lose to you.” Getting up, Zuko fired another blast at them, which Katara easily blocked. She sent a stream of water at him, knocking him backwards again, before freezing the water beneath him. Katara raised a sphere of water from the pond behind Zuko, and encased him in it before freezing him entirely. “You little peasant. You’ve found a master, haven’t you?” Zuko’s words were muffled by the ice. Right after he stopped talking, the ground started to shake as the ice started to glow yellow and orange. With an explosion of fire, the ice shattered, freeing Zuko who immediately ran at Katara. Watching the two fight with a close eye, Y/n moved to stand closer to Aang- Just incase Zuko pulled something sneaking and tried to grab him. Which he did try to do. Slipping behind Katara he tried to grab Aang by the collar, but before he could Y/n grabbed his arm and twisted it before she raised a leg up to kick him back. Before he could recover, Katara blasted him with a jet stream of water, knocking him much further away from the three. She bent a huge wave of water that pushed Zuko at least ten feet up one of the walls, before freezing him in place.

When Zuko’s head drooped in defeat, Y/n and Katara shared a satisfied look of victory. At least until, the sun started to rise. Y/n expression fell, realizing what that meant for them. Zuko’s head snapped up with a look of determination as the sunlight reached him. He breathed steam, enough to melt the ice that was holding him in place. Sliding down the rest of the ice, he charged at Katara and fired a blast at her. Caught off guard, she was only able to block it partially, and got thrown back into the gate’s post- causing her to be knocked out. Y/n rushed to Aang, standing between him and Zuko, taking on a fighting stance. Zuko breathed out a chuckle as he approached her. “Do you really think you can beat me?” “I’ve done it before.” “I’ve learned a lot since then. More than you ever will.” He shot a large blast of fire at her. Pressing her palms together, she thrusted her arms forward and dispersed the flames to go around her and Aang. Zuko ran at her as she did, grabbing her by the shoulder and shoving her aside. Y/n tumbled to the ground, but made a quick recovery and rushed forward as Zuko grabbed onto Aang’s collar. She threw a punch at his face, which he ducked under, elbowing her in the gut before shoving her backwards again. Leaving Aang for a moment, Zuko stood in front of her, as she started to get up. Her gaze snapped over to Aang for a moment, he was just left to lay on the ground. Instead of trying to attack Zuko, she attempted to jump towards Aang. Before she could get too far, Zuko gripped onto her hair and yanked her back. Gritting her teeth, Y/n reached back to grab his arm, heating her palms to burn him. “I’m not letting you take him!” “I’m afraid you don’t have a choice.” Zuko spoke through gritted teeth, yanking her head back again, before shoving it down to collide with his knee. Her grip on his arm loosened, as her vision started to dot black. Arma falling limply to her side, she collapsed to the ground, when Zuko let go of her hair. “Your decisions have made you weaker, but mine, they’ve made me stronger.” On the verge of unconsciousness, Y/n watched as the Prince grabbed Aang and threw him over his shoulder. “No…”

#avatar the last airbender #atla #avatar the last airbender x reader #atla x reader #reader insert #sokka x reader #sokka x y/n #sokka x you #team avatar #slowburn #book one allies

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sfb123 · 3 years

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Sapere Aude - Part 8A

Book: The Royal Heir

Pairing: King Liam Rys x Queen Riley Brooks

All characters belong to Pixelberry.

Catch Up Here

Series Description: I developed a theory of what I think will happen in TRH Book 4, and I was encouraged by some very lovely people to turn my theory into a fic, so here it is. Basically, Riley is recruited to join the Via Imperii, this series will follow her as she joins them to try and bring them down from the inside, and all of the drama and bombshells she learns along the way. Sapere Aude is Latin for “dare to know” it seemed like an appropriate title.

Rating: M -MATURE

Warning: Adult language, smut (🍋🍋🍋) and other adult themes.

Word Count: 4,049

Notes: I know I’ve sucked at updating and posting. I hit kind of a personal slump in my writing, there was a lot of self-loathing involved. I really struggled with writing chapter 9, and I eventually had a revelation that it was likely because I wasn’t done exploring everything that happened in chapter 8, so I’ve made a sub chapter. We follow Liam when after he leaves their quarters and get into his thought process in dealing with the bombshell that was dropped on him.

And yes, you read that rating right, my lemon tree has had its first bloom. I really stressed myself out over this, so I hope it’s worth the time I spent trying to convince myself that I was doing a good job, not to mention the time my friends had to spend (see below) to boost my ego.

Thank you so so much to @txemrn for reading a couple of snippets for me and being the cheerleader I needed when I was feeling really down on myself and my work...even though I was supposed to be the one giving YOU a peptalk!

And a super special thank you to my fairy smutmother @jessiembruno. You listened to me complain, and doubt myself, and a million other things multiple times a day while I was trying to find my way, and you never once came off as annoyed or frustrated. I am so lucky to be able to call you a friend.

Finally, thank you so much @twinkleallnight for my UPDATED moodboard! She took it upon herself to update it to better reflect the feel of the story, and she did a kick ass job!

Tags: I’m officially rocking my new tag list. Everyone is listed below as well as in the comments for safety. If you’d like to be added or removed, let me know!

“Liam, where are you going?”

“I need to take a walk. Gather my thoughts.”

“Do you want me to come with you?”

“No, I need to be alone right now. You stay here, I’ll be back shortly.”

Before she could stop him, Liam was out the door. He knew she just wanted to be there for him, but he needed to be alone. The royal quarters, his home, his sanctuary, suddenly felt so small. He was suffocating there, he needed to get away, to breathe.

“Your majesty?” Bastien stopped him.

“I’m fine, Bastien, just going for a walk. Please stand down.” Liam tried to keep his tone and expression neutral, but it was obvious to Bastien that something was wrong. He bowed to the King, following orders and remaining at his post.

Liam continued walking through the palace, unsure where he was going, he just needed to get out. He found himself walking through the gardens, approaching the maze. One of his mother’s last projects before her passing...or rather, before she abandoned him. It was always a special place for Liam. Growing up, he would often go there to hide out when he was feeling lonely, or missing his mother more than usual. It was one of his favorite spots on the grounds, possibly in the world. How would he ever be able to look at this space the same again? It would serve as a constant reminder of the insurmountable betrayal he had faced at the hands of the woman that gave him life.

As he walked the familiar path through the maze, he considered his options. Perhaps he would burn it to the ground, and salt the earth to prevent any attempts at regrowth. Would that make him feel better? Would it take away the pain?

Likely not, but it would feel good to know that I took something away from her that she cherished so dearly. A metaphor for what she has done to me. My memories of her, her kindness, her generosity, they mean nothing anymore. Because, to her, I meant nothing. I couldn’t have. If I did, she wouldn’t have left.

He continued his journey, getting lost in his thoughts. He would look back at his childhood memories, trying to remember something, anything, that could ease this moment for him. Nothing came. His mind then wandered to the relationship he could have had with Thomas, his brother. He had another brother this whole time. All those times when Leo had run off to god knows where, he wouldn’t have had to be quite as alone as he was. Sure, he had Drake to keep him company, but Drake wasn’t a prince. He didn’t have the same expectations, the same limitations, that Liam faced. He could have had someone else by his side that understood all of it.

How was he supposed to feel about Thomas now that he knew the truth? His first instinct was anger, but he quickly rejected that. It wasn’t his fault that they were kept apart their whole lives. He was suddenly very curious about Thomas’s life.

What was his childhood like? How did he feel when he learned that he was also royalty? Has he ever wanted to say anything to me, to come forward? Would I have believed him if he had?

Even though he wasn’t supposed to know any of this, he hoped that things would get to a point where he could talk to Thomas, and ask those questions. Ideally in a casual setting over drinks, and not an interrogation cell.

Liam soon found himself in the center of the maze. As he took in his surroundings, his mind kept racing back to his childhood. The picnics with his mother, the games of maze tag with Drake.

I wonder if Thomas would have liked to play maze tag with us, had he been around.

He felt a sudden calming come over him at one point. When he took a look around, he realized that he was standing in the exact spot where he and Riley had landed when he inadvertently tackled her the night of the masquerade ball. The night he learned she had traveled halfway around the world just for a chance to be with him, because she felt what he was feeling after just a few hours together one night in New York. Even now, all these years later, he still felt the same butterflies in his stomach thinking of that moment.

Wistfully, he walked a bit further, to the spot where they stood the night of his coronation, where he had finally managed to say those three words he had been feeling since the moment his eyes met hers. He smiled as he replayed the memory of her saying it back to him. He was fairly certain at the time that she felt the same way, but to hear those words fall from her beautiful lips, he had never felt a high quite like that in his life. His mind then wandered to the events that those words led to, another moment he had long dreamed of. Physically expressing the love they had just declared. He felt his heart start to race thinking of their first time together. All of the sudden, anger quickly replaced all other emotions, as he remembered that there was a tape of that moment. A tape that was recorded, and held, by her group. He quickly searched the area, digging his arms through the hedges, looking for anywhere a camera might be hidden. He came up empty. Given how long it had been since the recording, it made sense that they had likely removed their surveillance from the area.

Another reason to be rid of this maze once and for all. Another reminder of the deceit. Only this time it’s worse, they brought Riley into it.

Liam needed to move on from the center of the maze, so he continued walking, finally coming across the wishing well. The wishing well his mother had told him about when he was a child.

Can you take back wishes? I wished so many times that my mother would come back to me, for her death to have been a misunderstanding. Well Liam, you got your wish, now look at you. How many other wishes have I made that will come back around to bite me in the ass?

His mind began to wander again. This time, to the night of the Homecoming Ball. The night Riley was officially presented as the Duchess of Valtora, and more importantly, his fiance. They both made wishes that night, he remembered his wish: to never let fear dictate his choices, the way his father did.

He let fear dictate his choices because of the loss of his wife. Had he known what truly happened, things would have been different. Perhaps he wouldn’t have interfered with my choice during the social season. I could have been with Riley all along. The way things were always supposed to be. I know we ended up together, and the struggles made our bond that much stronger, but there was a very real chance that I could have lost her forever, I almost did, over his choice.

Thinking of Riley reminded him of her reassurances that night, she was so confident in his ability to be a good King. She believed in him from day one, and never faltered in that. Even when he didn’t believe in himself, thinking of Riley, and her faith in him gave him the strength to continue on. To be the best man, and King he could be. To make his Queen proud.

In that moment, Liam had an epiphany. This maze was so much more than his childhood and memories of a mother that betrayed him. This maze was about the love he and Riley shared. It had played a paramount role in their story. When he looked around, he saw memories of them, their stolen moments, their heartfelt confessions. He couldn’t get rid of this maze, if he did, he would be destroying a piece of his heart.

From this moment forward, this maze is not about her, not about the lies that she raised me on. It is about the love and support I have shared with my soulmate. This is where our love, much like the flowers that adorn these hedges, blossomed.

Riley...my heart, my world, my Queen. She gave up her life, her freedom, to be with me. She left her family and friends, her job, everything, for me. She has dedicated her life to my country, she has taken on my responsibilities. What have I done in return? I’ve put her in this impossible position. I’ve put her in harm's way, yet again, for the good of Cordonia. A country had never even heard of before I came in and turned her life upside down.

He needed to get back to her. Walking back toward the palace, he started considering how she might be feeling in that moment. He had been so caught up in his own mind, that he didn’t stop to think what all of this was doing to her. She had to deliver devastating news to the man she loved, and his reaction was to abandon her. His heart sank as he approached their quarters, he felt so small. He entered their bedroom, overwhelmed with shame for the way he had left her.

Of course she’s still awake. She probably stayed up worrying about me. I was so selfish to just leave her like that.

He kept his head down, too ashamed to look her in the eye, and walked straight into his closet to get ready for bed. His mind working overtime, trying to find the right words, but nothing came. He exited the closet and walked toward the bed, hoping something would come to him.

Finally, Riley broke the silence in the room.

“Liam…” She said barely above a whisper, he turned his head and looked at her for the first time since arriving home. “I’m sorry.” She placed her hand gently over his.

She thinks I’m mad at her. She’s blaming herself. How does she not understand that she is the only thing keeping me from going off the edge? I’m the one that dragged her through all of this, and she’s apologizing to me. I don’t deserve her love.

He was overwhelmed with anger at himself, and heartbreak for his wife. “Riley, you have nothing to apologize for. I am the one that wanted you to do this. You did nothing wrong. None of this is on you.” He tried to smile, but he knew it was unconvincing. He could feel the sting of tears beginning to well up in his eyes.

“Fine, but you’re not allowed to blame yourself either.”

Even to this day, after all of these years, it astonishes me how she can see right through me like that. I’ve had years of training to hide my thoughts and emotions, that training proved useless when it comes to Riley.

“What you just said, telling me you were the one that wanted me to do this. I know you Liam Rys, better than anyone. You’re thinking about how you brought all of this on yourself.”

It’s the truth. None of this would have happened if I hadn’t talked you into joining.

For the second time that night, Liam couldn’t bear to look his wife in the eyes. She was right, but so was he. Liam felt the firm, yet loving touch of Riley’s hand holding his chin and lifting his gaze to meet hers. There was a fire in her eyes, unlike any he had seen from her before.

“This is all on them, it’s the Via Imperii’s fault. That’s why we’re going to take them down. Together. Just like Anton, just like Auvernal, just like Barthelemy, just like any other enemy that has ever, or will ever come our way. We are the King and Queen of Cordonia, Liam and Riley Rys. We are a force to be reckoned with.”

Liam was taken aback by the determination in her statement. He knew she was strong, she had been his rock since the day they met, but this was so much more than that. He didn’t know it was possible, but he felt his love for her grow.

Awestruck, he took the hand she had planted on his chin in his, and brought it to his lips, kissing it softly. “You always know just what to say, love.”

“Years of diplomatic training. I need to be prepared for every possible scenario.” She winked at him.

He couldn’t help but chuckle at the comment. She made it seem so easy to turn his mood around. It was something he would never understand, but always be grateful for.

God, I love this woman.

Riley smiled and leaned into him. “C’mon, let’s try to get some sleep. We can circle back to this nightmare in the morning, start working on a plan.” They both laid back onto the bed, and into each others arms.

In the middle of the night, Liam’s eyes shot open, his heart pounding in his chest, worry overcoming him. He needed a moment to get his bearings, turning to his left to make sure she was still there. She was.

He had been dreaming, a nightmare, technically. Riley was gone, he wasn’t sure where she had gone or why. All he knew was he felt empty, broken, more so than he ever had before. He watched Riley as she slept, a single tear rolling down his cheek. He thought back to his family, the people that were supposed to be there and care for him above all else.

His mother, who had lied to him from the second he was brought into this world. She was his benchmark for love and support, but it was all fake. Because of her, he lived his life based on false ideals. Then he met Riley, she showed him what love and support truly was.

Leo, he was a great brother growing up. He made sure Liam got to have fun, and took the heat when it would get out of hand. However as he got older, his priorities changed, and he was around less and less. When he finally abdicated the throne, he placed the weight of the world on Liam’s shoulders. The bright side to that, was that becoming the Crown Prince, and having a social season, brought Riley into his life. She helped him believe that he truly could carry the weight that was thrust upon him.

His father, a King above all else. As hard as Liam tried to break through that wall, it was duty and his country above all else. That never mattered to Liam though, he still looked up to his father and held him to such a high standard. Until it was uncovered that he attempted to destroy his son’s one chance at true happiness. Despite his attempts at ruining her name, and putting her in harm’s way, Riley stayed and fought. She fought for herself, and she fought for their love. She forgave him for his actions, something Liam was never fully able to do. And when Liam mourned his loss, she was there by his side, holding his hand.

Riley, his bright spot in all of the darkness. His constant source of goodness and joy. In all of that pain, Riley was there. Who would be there if she left him? He would have nothing, he would be nothing. He felt a tightness in his chest at the thought of losing her. He reached his hand out and gently stroked her arm, needing to touch her.

He saw her eyes slowly start to flutter open.

She’s cute when she’s tired.

He watched as she lifted her hand and ran her fingers through his hair. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply.

“Hey, are you ok?”

He unsuccessfully tried to swallow away the lump in his throat before answering. “Please don’t leave me, Riley.”

Liam watched as she sat up in bed, a confused look on her face. “Liam, never. I love you, you’re stuck with me for life.

He knew she meant it, but he also knew these things weren’t always under their control. “I just…there have been so many people that said they cared about me, and then left. Losing them was so hard. But if I lost you Riley, I don’t know how I would be able to continue on. You are the most important part of me, my everything. I don’t exist without you.”

A sadness overtook Riley’s face, Liam felt horrible for making her feel that way. He looked down before feeling her hands on either side of his face, her thumbs softly stroking his cheeks. “Liam, I promise you with all my heart, and everything I am, that there is nothing on this earth that could take me away from you. My husband and my daughter are the greatest joys of my life. A world without the two of you is not a world I would ever even want to think about.”

In that moment, all Liam could think about was being as close to her as he possibly could. He desperately needed to feel her body tangled with his. He surged forward and kissed her with everything he had. It was a kiss loaded with love, longing, and need. He lowered Riley from her seated position and rolled on top of her.

“Show me.” He whispered.

“Yes, my king.”

He shuddered at her words. Pinning her hands above her head, he slowly rolled his hips into her so that she could feel just how desperate he was for his wife. Riley closed her eyes and moaned at the sensation.

Liam’s mouth moved to her ear, nipping at the lobe before saying in a commanding, yet tender tone, “Open your eyes Riley, I want you to see everything I am going to do to you.”

Riley’s eyes opened as she met Liam’s hungry gaze. “Yes, my king.”

“Good girl.” He kissed her deeply, removing one hand from hers and slowly moving it down her body, traveling the familiar curves that drove him crazy time and time again.

Liam’s lips moved away from hers, treading across her jawline and down her neck. Riley hissed at the feeling of his teeth running along her tender skin. “Liam, calm down. You’re going to leave marks.”

“Good, they will serve as a reminder that you belong here, with me.”

Riley freed her wrists from Liam’s grasp and brought his face to hers. “Liam, I don’t need a reminder, I’m right here and I’m not going anywhere.”

He silenced her with a searing kiss. One hand traced the curve of her breast as the other traveled downward, rubbing her center through her panties. “You’re so wet for me already, love.”

All Riley could do was groan in response. She felt his lips return to her neck, as his hands traveled to the hem of her tank top, he gently lifted the shirt over her head and deposited it on the floor. His mouth continued its descent, kissing her shoulder and quickly moving to her breast, taking the nipple into his mouth, slowly circling it with his tongue. He kissed across her chest, paying the same attention to the other breast.

The quiet moans and whimpers coming from his wife were the encouragement Liam needed to continue moving south, kissing down her torso until he was met with the waistband of her panties. He paused and looked up at her.

“Liam, please.” She whispered, desperate for him to remove the lacy barrier.

He gave her a wolfish grin before taking them between his teeth and quickly dragging them down her legs. Once they were removed, he lifted her foot and softly kissed the inside of her ankle, his lips moved at a painfully slow speed, resting her leg over his shoulder as he moved closer to her wanting center.

As soon as Riley felt Liam’s breath on her glistening core, her own breath hitched. Liam heard it, and it satisfied him to know that in that moment she needed him just as much as he needed her. He tantalizingly licked up the length of her slit until he reached her sensitive nub.

She gasped as he began sucking and licking, his tongue moving in calculated circles. He knew her body inside and out, he knew just what to do to her to get the reaction he wanted.

Riley’s hands quickly found their way to Liam, running her fingers through his hair and gripping tightly guiding him exactly where she needed him. The pressure caused Liam to moan into her, Riley felt the vibration against her body and trembled.

Sensing that she was close to her release, he slowly slid one finger inside of her, and curled it slightly. She bucked her hips and moaned Liam’s name, that was all the invitation he needed to add a second finger.

“Yes Liam, don’t stop.”

He looked up at her with an unmistakable mix of lust and adoration. “Never, Riley.” Before continuing his efforts, causing Riley to plummet over the edge, loudly moaning his name. He worked through her release, savoring every second of her ecstasy.

As she started to come down from her release, Liam kissed a path up her stomach, positioning himself on top of her. Once they were face to face he kissed her deeply.

Their tongues intertwined, and Riley’s hands drifted to the front of Liam’s pajama pants, palming his hardness through the fabric eliciting a deep groan from him. Riley smiled into the kiss, moving her hand into his pants, wrapping it around his length and pumping slowly.

“Mmm...are you ready to take all of me, love?” He asked as he thrust into her hand.

Riley nipped at his bottom lip before responding. “Yes Liam, I need you.”

He quickly removed his pants, lining himself up with her entrance. Pressing his forehead to hers, and looking deep into her eyes, he eased himself into her carefully, desperate to feel every inch of her. He paused for a moment, allowing her to adjust before slowly rocking his hips against her.

As they moved together, Liam began sucking and nibbling on Riley’s earlobe. Riley whimpered in response, her hands running up and down his muscular back. She wrapped her legs around him and dug her heels into him, urging him to move faster. He complied, and almost immediately, he felt her walls starting to clench around him.

“That’s it Riley. Cum for me, love.” He locked eyes with her again, bringing one hand to her cheek to ensure she held his gaze through her release.

Riley’s back arched as she lost control, the muscles in her body tensed, and she screamed out in pleasure. “Oh god Liam, yes!”

Watching and feeling Riley come undone was all Liam needed to push him over the edge. He thrust into her one last time with a guttural groan as he filled her with his seed.

They laid still for several moments, Liam resting his face in the crook of Riley’s neck, breathing in her scent as his breathing slowly began to return to normal. He then removed himself from her and laid on his back, pulling Riley to his side. She rested her head on his chest, and he responded by planting a gentle kiss on the crown of her head.

“Are you feeling better?” She tilted her head up to look at him.

He stroked her cheek and smiled softly at her. “Much. Thank you Riley.” Their lips met in a brief kiss.

“Good. Now please try to get some sleep, we’re going to have a lot to figure out in the morning.”

“Of course. Riley?”

She looked up at him, eyelids heavy. “Hmm?”

“I love you, so much.” He kissed her on her forehead.

She smiled and leaned into him, placing several light kisses on his chest. “I love you too, Liam. Always.”

He let out a content sigh and tightened his arms around his wife as they both drifted off to sleep.

Permatag:

@anjanettexcordonia @athena-penrose @choicesficwriterscreations @cordonia-gothqueen @cordoniaqueensworld @gabesmommie1130 @gkittylove99 @hopefulmoonobject @hopelessromanticmonie @iaminlovewithtrr @jessiembruno @kat-tia801 @khoicesbyk @kingliam2019 @lucy-268 @marshmallowsaremyfavorite @mile9213 @mom2000aggie @pixie88 @queenrileyrose @secretaryunpaid @sweatyrysconnoisseur @texaskitten30 @theroyalheirshadowhunter @twinkleallnight @txemrn

Sapere Aude:

@burnsoslow

Liam x Riley:

@jared2612

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andypantsx3 · 4 years

Text

in cinders | 4 | machinations

pairing: Todoroki Shouto / Reader

length: 24,362 words / 9 chapters

summary: You’re just trying to fairy godmother your best friend into a happily ever after. If only the prince would stop hanging around and cooperate.

tags: cinderella AU, prince!Shouto, romance, misunderstandings, reader-insert

warnings: aged up characters, eventual smut

Kamiko was a nightmare the next morning.

She draped herself obnoxiously all over the kitchens, declaring to anyone who would listen that she had overheard a provocative rumor as she changed Countess Asui’s bedwarmer that morning. When asked, she would refuse to share, claiming it was too big to spill until everyone was gathered for the morning meal.

You let out a disinterested yawn as you rolled out the dough for Rikido’s famous morning buns. This was your favorite of your duties when you couldn’t be with Ochako, rolling out pastry crusts or--when it was for bread--shaping the dough into various knots and boules. Rikido didn’t yet trust you to mix the dough itself, but you liked kneading it and setting it into the ovens early in the morning. Leaning into the warm stone of the ovens and letting the yeasty scent of baking bread wash over you was a good way to wake up in the winter months, particularly after nights like the one before.

You hadn’t slept well, after everything. In the middle of the night you’d awoken, feeling Prince Shouto’s fingers at your sleeve. You’d sat up in bed, your blood pulsing in your ears, and stared into the darkness, listening to Ochako’s heavy breaths.

It occurred to you that you should have made her stay longer. The little time you’d spent at the ball, you’d taken too much of the prince’s attention and not nearly enough had been dedicated to her. It had been clear from the moment he’d set eyes on Ochako that he’d found her beautiful, looking her over and complimenting her necklace. Then she’d possibly run from him in shyness, and you swooped in to complicate the whole evening, sticking your foot in your mouth and almost blowing your cover.

If only you’d kept your head and forced her to stay behind, she could have asked him to a dance for real.

You gnashed your teeth, the fantasy of Princess Ochako fading before your very eyes. How were you to spend your days languishing in her chambers with a good book, calling on Kamiko for increasingly more unnecessary things now?

Finally, the swell of servants in the kitchen seemed to satisfy Kamiko’s appetite for theatrics. She stationed herself at the head of the meal table, tapping her fork on her glass to call for attention.

“I’ve heard a very interesting rumor,” she announced, and every pair of eyes snapped to her. Despite yourself, yours did too.

“Lady Asui overheard the prince last night at the ball. Apparently, he was looking high and low for a maiden who’d caught his fancy.”

Your heart skipped a beat.

Kamiko continued, unwary of your inner turmoil. “He described her as a lady of unusual tastes, and from what he could tell, quite pretty.”

“Welcome, Lady Uraraka. I must compliment you on your choice of jewelry. Your necklace is quite unique and beautiful.”

Your heart shuddered back to life, pounding heavily in your chest. A warm feeling like hope blossomed within you.

Ochako. He was looking for Ochako.

The sound of your heart pumping in your chest seemed to drown out the rest of what Kamiko was saying, and you bit your lip to hold back a smile.

This was your chance to make it up to Ochako.

As discreetly as you could, you slipped out of the kitchens, bounding down the staircase to the small room you shared with her. You let yourself in, finding the room empty, and leaned down to dig beneath her mattress. Finally, you felt what you had been looking for, pulling back with her ribbon necklace in hand.

You stowed it in your apron and made your way back to the kitchens, your plan singing in your veins. There was no way for someone like you to access the prince directly, but there was a shortcut to lead him down into the kitchens and straight to Ochako.

Kamiko was still holding forth at the table when you returned, though she spared a moment to toss you a nasty glance.

You let it roll off you and you retrieved the morning buns from the oven.

You made sure to watch Rikido carefully after he returned from his breakfast, pretending to peel carrots as you stealthily observed him plating up the prince’s breakfast. None but Rikido was allowed to touch the royal family’s trays before they were carried up to their quarters, as he trusted no one but himself to arrange the food pleasingly and deliciously. But even he couldn’t watch the trays forever.

In the spare minute between when Rikido turned his back and the servers came to call, you crept surreptitiously over to the counter, tucking Ochako’s necklace carefully out of sight beneath the large morning bun on Prince Shouto’s tray.

Then you returned to the sink, picking up your carrots to begin shucking for real.

The servers came to pick up the trays, and for the next half hour you waited excitedly, watching Ochako scrubbing out pans in the corner. In only moments, you were sure, the prince would sweep into the kitchens and take her into his arms. Then they would be married, and Ochako would live happily ever after.

Only, it wasn’t the prince who turned up in the kitchens.

The door smashed open, and a squadron of the king’s guard poured into the room. Behind them, Captain Katsuki Bakugou himself stalked into the room, blood-red gaze sweeping the occupants. He exuded raw power at close range, and you understood immediately why Kaminari had been so scared to leave his post the night before.

“Everyone who touched the prince’s food this morning, line up against the wall,” he growled. The entire room stood frozen, staring at him.

“NOW!” He yelled, and like a dam breaking, everyone rushed to obey. In mere seconds, Prince Shouto’s waiter, Rikido, and another kitchen girl were up against the wall, everyone else backing away to the other side of the room. You stood frozen at the sink, too terrified to move.

Captain Bakugou turned his crimson gaze on you. “You, girl. What do you do?”

You stammered, “I clean, and I--I help bake the pastries.”

He gestured with his sword. “Up against the wall.”

You moved to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the other kitchen maid. The king’s guardsmen stepped up to you and the other servants, and one grasped your shoulder in an unyielding hold. Then you were moving, being led out of the kitchens and up into the bright light of the castle.

Your stomach twisted like the series of halls and stairways you were ushered through.

Why had the prince sent the commander of the guard? Wasn’t he supposed to be in love with Ochako? Why hadn’t he come for her?

Before you knew it, your small group was standing before the door to the prince’s apartments. You’d never been this deep in the palace before, and everything seemed to dwarf the cramped hallways of the servants’ wing. Even the door you stood before was twice a man’s height and almost as broad across.

Captain Bakugou rapped firmly on the door and it opened inwards.

You were tugged in by the strap of your apron and thrust to your knees with the other kitchen staff.

The prince’s chambers spread out before you, so large they could fit the kitchens three times over. You looked to be in a sitting room, peppered with low tables and couches overstuffed with bright pillows. A large, ornate writing desk sat against one corner, covered in papers. On the far wall, a series of double doors lay open, leading deeper into his apartments. You caught a glance of a four postered bed deep within, covers dripping off the sides to lay crumbled on the floor like they had been kicked off in haste.

Prince Shouto himself sat on one of the couches, looking as though he’d dressed in a hurry. He was accompanied as ever by Izuku Midoriya, and at his right sat Lady Camie Utsushimi and one of her ladies-in-waiting you didn’t know.

“This is unnecessary, Bakugou,” the prince sighed in his soft tone. “It was a necklace.”

The captain snarled. “It could have just as easily been poison.”

The prince closed his gray and blue eyes. “But it wasn’t.”

Bakugou scoffed. “They try anything funny and I’ll run them straight through.”

You shivered on the floor. You felt miserably sorry to the other staff on their knees beside you, threatened with death here on the hardwood because of a stupid choice you’d made. Of course the royal guard would work themselves into a frenzy over something in the prince’s food. Why hadn’t you thought this through?

Prince Shouto turned to the four of you, holding up a familiar pink pearl necklace. “I found this on my tray this morning. I believe it belongs to a lady I met at the ball last night. I promise you no trouble if any of you come forward with information.”

If ever the time to speak up were to come, it would be now. But found yourself holding your tongue, eyeing Captain Bakugou’s sharp sword.

You looked up into the faces of the prince’s companions. Lady Utsushimi’s eyes were wandering carefully between the faces of the staff, and she seemed to stop in surprise when her gaze flicked to you.

You felt yourself stiffen under the guardsman’s hands.

“Please,” the prince continued. “She has a companion who I must find. She seemed rather insistent that I talk with the lady to whom this necklace belongs. Did she ask any of you to place this on my tray?”

Your heart leapt into your throat. He was talking about you. Dear god, he was talking about you.

What had you done to make him so keen to find you? Had it been the rough way you spoke to him or the stomping on his toes? Did he guess that you were a servant acting above your station? What was he going to do once he found you? Was Captain Bakugou here to deliver the prince’s justice upon you?

A silver ribbon appeared in the prince’s clever fingers. “Last night, she was wearing a blue dress with these about her sleeves. Camie tells me she might go by Lady Ito. Have any of you seen her?”

You looked up into his handsome face, feeling sick. Please don’t say Kamiko’s full name, please don’t say it. Not in front of the staff.

“Your highness,” Rikido’s shaky voice came from beside you, “I was the last to touch your tray. The fault of this is mine. I will accept any punishment you see befitting of my inattention.”

In the corner of your vision, Bakugou’s sword hand twitched. Rikido was going to get himself killed!

Before you could think, you had shot to your feet. “Please, it wasn’t him! It was me!"

Then the reality of your words washed over you and you quickly backpeddled, "I mean - I was the last to touch your tray. I - I sprinkled more sugar over your bun while his back was turned. But I swear, none of us were asked to add this to your tray!”

The prince’s cool gaze turned on you. You stared back, heart hammering.

If you made it through this alive, you were never trying something this stupid again.

His eyes wandered over you slowly, and you felt your face burn. You hoped your mask had covered enough of you last night that he saw nothing familiar to him. You hoped the sight of you now, covered in flour and carrot shavings, was enough to throw off any suspicions.

“Tell us, why should the prince believe you?” Lady Utsushimi’s attendant spoke up. Her tone was high and cruel. “It’s clear that one of you must have done it.”

You swallowed. You pitched your voice a little lower to hide it, now that the prince’s attentions were on you and you were thinking a little more clearly. “If I touched the tray while Rikido’s back was turned, there’s no reason why someone else couldn’t have done the same. Perhaps they were laying in wait.”

The lady sniffed, but Prince Shouto held up a hand.

“If I’m to trust your word, I’d like you all to swear to it,” he said.

You nodded, and other kitchen staff quickly did as well.

“You swear that no one asked you to add this necklace to my tray?”

Your voices blended together as you answered, “I swear it, highness.”

I wasn’t asked. I added it myself.

After that, the purpose seemed to drain from the prince’s lean form, and he waved a dismissive hand. “I’m sorry to have interrupted your morning. Captain Bakugou, please return them to the kitchens.”

Bakugou made an angry noise, but the guardsmen picked your fellow servants up off the floor to their feet and ushered you to the doorway. Your blood rushed in your veins as you stepped back through the massive doors, staring fixedly at Rikido’s back ahead of you.

As the doors closed, however, you swore you could sense a pair of eyes boring into your back.

#bnha #bnha x reader #todoroki shouto x reader #todoroki x reader #fanfic #todoroki shouto #boku no hero academia

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themadauthorshatter · 3 years

Text

MAJOR TIME AND EPISODE JUMP IN THE NINJAGO PG-13 TOUCH-UP UA!

We're jumping ahead to season 2 because I'm impatient and want to fix Misako; I WLL NOT HAVE THIS WOMAN BE CALLED A BAD MOTHER IN THIS UA!!!!

We're mixing episodes because we're starting with Lloyd watching school kids playing kick ball before he continues training with the ninja, which he is getting better at. When he's done, he leaves to go back to watching the kids play.

The ninja all get the jist that Lloyd's not himself. At all. He's more withdrawn after training and lessons, he's spacey, and he's just not all together.

Zane opts to talk to him, but Jay beats him to it, ruffling Lloyd's hair and telling him he's getting stronger by the day.

Lloyd thanks him and goes back to watching the students, particularly one that is getting picked up by his dad.

Now it's Kai's turn to ask what's going on. Lloyd repeats it's nothing, and leaves, though he gives one last glance at the father and son as they're approached by a woman, the man's wife and boy's mother; it is one of the worst reminders of who he is and what the dynamic of his family is.

The ninja debate on this, Zane seeing the family and understanding that want of Lloyd's, having personal experience with the whole "outliving his family" thing, but he's not going to go and talk to him about it because they've already bugged him enough.

Cue the serpentine and Garmadon being spotted at the museum and reviving the grundle, which I'm renaming the Valciraptor because this is PG-13 Ninjago now.

Garmadon wills it to life with the mega weapon, which is the 4 golden weapons mixed with the 4 silver fang blades, but only has it target Kai, Jay, Cole, and Zane, shreds and scraps of their clothes, gloves, and armor to lock the Valciraptor on them and not on Lloyd, which Skales is starting think is tedious.

The ninja still 'stop' the resurrection of the Valciraptor, ensuing in a small little fight against Garmadon before he flees, and the serpentine generals leaving with the golden sarcophagus.

The ninja all give chase, but Zane, for once, is the fastest, stopping them just as they try attempting to get underground through a manhole.

He sighs at not stopping them, but secretly pats himself on the back for catching them before they could damage the artifact.

"Zane? Zane! Wait up!"

Zane has a moment of, 'wait a second,' before turning to the rest of the ninja, who are half his size, stumbling in their oversized clothes, and talking in higher, more youthful voices.

While they freak out over being kids, Zane can only suffer from a sudden existential crisis because he was now the oldest and must look after them.

Zane spots a cop car speeding toward them and, with a fantastic idea, races back around the corner they all just came from as the car stops infront of Kai, Cole, and Jay, Jay shouting they're the ninja when the cops ask, "What are you kids doing out, stealing from the museum?"

Cue Zane sprinting back around the corner, purposely misnaming each of the younger ninja as he embraces them all, saying he's been worried sick and thanking the officers for finding them; the three rascals wandered off again.

"Wait, these are YOUR children?"

"Yes. Hayden-" Zane gestures to Jay. "-has quite the habit of wandering off. And Nyle and Juniper-" Gestures to Kai and Cole. "-are good enough to keep their eyes on him."

"Why didn't you stop them first?"

"With all due respect, have you ever tried leaving a conversation with a more well off parent about our children wearimg the same costume, Officers?"

The cops nod at each other begrudgingly before the officer that has been silent speaks up, "Well, we suspect they stole the golden sarcophagus from the history museum about a block away."

"My children are 9 and 7 years old. How could they even LIFT such a heavy piece of gold? If you still do not believe me, check the security cameras."

They do. And it is shown that the children are innocent; the camera they watch from shows black and white footage and hides the foot chase between the ninja and serpentine. What it does not hide is the Valciraptor bones growing ligaments, muscles, veins, and skin, shaking where it stands, and then stomps away.

The cops excuse the family, saying it's a new animatronic they're working on, to ease a frightened Jay and Kai.

The team leaves, Cole on Zane's back for a change, and Jay panics, asking what they need to do. Kai isn't as freaked out, saying they're safe as long as there's light.

Cole tells them to calm down and focus befor asking Zane if he has any more ideas.

Cut to Lloyd taking a break from training and reading a comic book and overhearing Wu and Nya as they worry about where the ninja are. Before they can elaborate more, the phone rings, which Nya answers.

"Hello? Nya? It's Zane."

"Zane? Where are Cole, Jay, and Kai?"

Zane, dressed in normal clothes from a bag he keeps in a hidden pocket of his gi, looks over at Jay, Kai, and Cole as they all watch him, Jay staring off as he sits, Cole leaning against the wall, and Kai pacing back and forth. "Well... We are in the city, but we have a small problem."

"What's happened? Tell us everything," Wu replies

Cut back to Nya, Wu, and Lloyd, where we hear Zane through the phone.

"Garmadon brough back a Valciraptor, a beast that supposedly feasts on humans. He has made sure it targets us the most, but we will need to stop it before it preys on anyone else in the city."

"Why can't you just stop it?" Lloyd asks; Nya put Zane on speaker.

Cut back to Zane, who winces and kneels down, holding his phone out for Kai to talk into, though he does say as a joke, "Remember, son, speak nicely to others."

"You'd better be glad I'm a kid right now, Zane!" Kai snaps as he takes Zane's phone. "Sensei? Nya? Lloyd!?"

Cut back to The Bounty, where Nya and Wu are flabbergasted and Lloyd fights back a smile and laugh.

"Is... Is that you, Kai?" Nya asks.

"Yeah, and- HEY!"

"NYA, SENSEI, GARMADON BROUGHT BACK A VAL-CAR-SOMETHING, WE ALMOST GOT ARREDTED, I DON'T WANT ZANE TO BE MY DAD, WE LOST THE THING GARMADON BROUGHT BACK, AND I NEED SOMETHING WITH CAFFEINE IN IT! I'M LOSING MY MIIIIIIIND!" Jay shouts at the top of his lungs before Zane takes his phone back and picks up a now emotionally melting down Jay.

"We've had a long night," Zane sums up as he stands. "What do you advise we do, Sensei?"

"Do you know anything about this Valciraptor?"

"Yes. It is nocturnal. And it seems to be vulnerable to light."

Wu is quiet for a second before replying, "Stay in the light, then, and find out as much as you can." He turns to Nya and Lloyd. "Nya, Lloyd, ensure you join them the minute you find them."

They agree, though Lloyd giggles out a quip about the ninja needing protection, which gets an, "I heard that," out of Kai, a desperate cry for an energy drink from Jay, and an agreement and "Be careful," from Zane, and the call ends.

The group of Wu, Nya, and Lloyd set out, Wu going to the tea lady for something he KNOWS will help and Nya and Lloyd looking for the ninja.

Cut to a gag of Zane hanging up, Cole sighing at how the call went, Kai groaning, and Jay whimpering that he just hopes they bring a soda.

Cut/Time jump to Lloyd and Nya walking around the city as they try to find the ninja. They're quietly observing, until Nya talks about the comic Lloyd was reading, noting how he used to read it a lot before, but recently he hasn't, which is strange because she thought he loved the series.

He tells her that he does, but lately all he can think about is Garmadon and facing him in battle. The training doesn't help and, thinking back on before he became the Green Ninja or even found the serpentine, all he'd ever wanted was to be a normal kid with a normal family. Granted he's more than happy to be with Wu, Nya, and the ninja, but he sees other kids with their parents and he can't help but feel jealous. He doesn't say this word for word, but Nya gets the point.

They find the ninja at a library, Zane and Cole being the only ones actually doing research on the Valciraptor while Kai comforts Jay, who just got done crying.

Thankfully, Nya saves the day with a sports energy drink and Lloyd winks as he shows the back pack he has contains weapons for the ninja, which had been dropped during their freak out.

Nya calls Wu and tells him she and Lloyd found the ninja, but Zane informs them that he can't exactly find anything on the Valciraptor, save for the most basic knowledge, so they're at a loss for information.

That is until Lloyd notices a teen reading the same comic book series he has been, and tells Wu to meet them at the comic book store Doomsday Comics when he finds the tea they need.

Cole tells him to focus and Lloyd replies that he is, and knows someone who can help them.

The call ends as Wu arrives at the tea shop went to th o get the Traveler's tea, the owner jabbing that she hopes he's not going anywhere anytime soon because she's out of stock. He tells her he needs Tomorrow Tea, which she does to look for. Wu looks out the window and silently prays for the ninjas' safety as dusk approaches.

With the ninja and Nya, they arrive at the comic store, where they meet the owner Professor Doomsday, which is what Lloyd calls him, as he was the only teacher at Darkley's that was actually nice to him.

The professor is impressed by how healthy Lloyd looks now, compared to his school days, but Lloyd talks business, asking about the Valciraptor, and if what he taught about it was true.

Turns out this beast was loosely related to dragins and used to be a thorough replacement for assassins and was used more for fighting rebellions by tyrant leaders. It didn't hunt only ninja, it feasted on anything it could get its claws on, especially after consuming its target.

Zane isn't exactly listening, because it's completely night out now and the street lights are dim as hell.

Cole notices Zane slip out of the shop, but is stopped by a girl, who tells him her friend thinks he's cute.

Outside, Zane spinjitsu changes into his gi just as the Valciraptor stomps around the corner and growls at him. He glanes at the other ninja, Lloyd, and Nya still inside the shop, and then unsheathes his shurikens. "Let's dance, you poor excuse of a dragon."

He races forward and leaps to the Valciraptor, which snarls at him at comes close to biting him in half. Zane kicks off it's muzzle and lands on a street light, tapping it to try to get the light back on.

It only makes the beast angrier.

In the store, Doomsday notes that it's strange how Lloyd's friends want to learn about such a dangerous and mature subject concerning the Valciraptor, and Jay asks, "What if we were to say that it was brought back?"

Cue Zane being thrown through the window and the Valciraptor chasing after him; the comic book shop is pretty big, about the size of a Barnes and Noble shop.

Cole asks if he's okay, but Zane goes right back to fighting off the beast, which doesn't work because it bites his leg and slams him down twice before throwing him against the wall.

The other ninja change, not as well as they'd like to, Lloyd included, and Nya leads everyone out of the shop and into the street.

The fight gets serious as the ninja can barely ude their spinjitsu and Zane is knocked unconscious and almost becomes a popsicle before Cole pulls on its leg and it kicks him away. Jay and Lloyd are up to the plate as Jay tries something he hopes works, disassembling the lights in a didplay to make a replica light sword toy a become to scare the Valciraptor as Lloyd makes and energy ball and Kai attacks it with scissors.

It knocks away all three of them, making Jay lose the super bright light sword. The Valciraptor sniffs at Lloyd before turning to the ninja.

Good thing Wu arrives with the Tomorrow Tea and Nya, in a panic, throws it to the ninja, which Lloyd catches, until it falls out of his hands and into Zane's. Just as he opens it, Kai stops him, realizing that it will also age Lloyd up along with the ninja and Valciraptor. Lloyd shouts to use it anyway, but every ninja objects, Kai, Jay, and Cole wanting him to still have his childhood and not miss out on it and Zane begging him to not throw his life away, and that such acts are too unfair, even for a boy of Lloyd's upbringing.

The Valciraptor, pissed beyond all reason, tears the sword out of Kai's hands and goes gor a snap. Lloyd, acting in the heat if the moment, snatches the tea and shouts, "Nothing in my life was ever fair! What's the difference NOW!?" as he throws it right into the Valciraptor's jaw as it shuts, shattering the tea instantly and making it wither, age, and dissolve right then and there.

It also restores Kai, Jay, and Cole, Cole checking on Zane, who's okay, even though he's a little concussed.

In the sudden silence and ash, Wu asks almost silently, "What about Lloyd?"

They dig through the ash, and Jay gasps at finding him.

Lying unconscious is Lloyd, who has aged up to either 16 or 17. He has grown taller and thinner, lean like Zane, his hair is very long, and is now at a point to where his gi now fits.

The "episode" ends with Cole carrying Lloyd as the team goes back to the Bounty, Doomsday asking Wu to promise he'll take care of Lloyd, as he couldn't back at Darkley's. Wu promises and the episode closes as they leave.

The next episode starts from Lloyd's perspective as he wakes up, greeted by the ninja, Nya, and Wu. He's still sore from the instant growth and winces as he sits up and examines his hands, especially noticing that his feet touch the ground. He asks what happened, but stops and puts a hand on his throat, surprises by the new pitch he now has.

Despite everyine telling him to take it easy, Lloyd gets up and walks very stiffly to the bathroom mirror, where he sees himself and the result of throwing the tomorrow tea at the Valciraptor.

He's literally speechless, examining his face, hair, and body as he realizes what he's done in order to save his friends.

That doesn't stop Kai from saying as gently as he can that they tried to warn him. Lloyd asks very sharply if they would rather have him sit back and watch them die, and Kai barks that he, actually, shouldn't have been in the shop when the Valciraptor yeeted Zane through the window, that he should have followed Nya.

There's more arguing and Lloyd tries to do a stand off, but his legs give out from under him and send him to the ground.

Pins and needles race through his limbs as Zane and Cole help him stand up, Wu elaborating that Lloyd needs time to adjust to his new body, and maybe his mind too because he aged from 7 to 16 in the span of a couple minutes and now has to get used to the teenage hormones that are no doubt going crazy.

"But what about the serpentine and my dad?" Lloyd asks as Zane keeps one of his arms over his shoulder. Cole affirms that he's not fighting or leaving the Bounty until he gets better. Kai mutters that he also needs a haircut, tugging his hair for more emphasis.

Wu assigns Zane as the caretaker for Lloyd and assigns Nya to join the ninja, as they've spotted a small group of serpentine in the outskirts of the city. Kai and Jay object, but Wu tells them that Nya needs the training and Zane is more experienced in taking care of someone medically, which will help Wu exponentially.

Nya gets an old, plain black ninja gi and her own weapons before heading out with the team, leaving a very sulky Lloyd with Zane and Wu, the former helping him to the shower.

He holds onto Lloyd's hands and walks backwards, practically leading an wobbly legged teenage Lloyd to the shower. The last few steps, though, he lets go, which leads Lloyd to catch himself on the door frame before he falls.

"What was that for!?"

"I didn't mean to be cruel, nor do I intend to be. If you wish to find your father in a hurry, then this is the fastest way I can think to help you adjust."

Lloyd nods and takes his shower, struggling to stand every now and then, but getting stable on his feet. Zane's waiting for him, when he's done, with a pair of scissors. With a look at how long his hair is, Lloyd shrugs in slight defeat, "Make me bald."

Zane snickers and gets to work, having SOME experience from helping Nya and the other ninja.

With the ninja and Nya, they're successful in catching two of the five snakes, these two being a Fangpire and Hypnobri, and demand to know why they're in the city.

The Fangpire pulls an uno reverse card and demands to know what happened to the Valciraptor and Lloyd.

Nya asks why it matters, since Garmadon has the megaweapon, and the Hypnobri accidentally spills the tea that the megaweapon is "acting out" in a sense, not obeying its master's wishes and even starting to crack, which we see in a cut to Garmadon as the snake talks/narrates.

Garmadon commands the weapon to speak to him, but it only shows his reflection and grows cracks into it.

Cut back to the ninja and Cole asking what Lloyd has to do with it. Neither of the snakes know, but they need to find and retrieve Lloyd or Garmadon's going to get two new wallets.

Cut back to the Bounty after the ninja and Nya finish interrogating the snakes, where they see Zane walk out with Lloyd, who's getting a little better at walking and now has an awesome new hairdo. They all have to admit he looks pretty good, but get back on track with explaining what they learned about the megaweapon and Garmadon trying to find Lloyd.

Wu deduces Garmadon has practically abused the weapon's power and it's at its limit and tells a growingly stressed Lloyd he must stay on the Bounty, no matter what. Lloyd, however, isn't listening as he comes to his own conclusion: the snakes must have seen him use the Tomorrow Tea against the Valciraptor, but didn't see the monster die or him grow. They reported to his father, and now the final battle must begin NOW.

"This is all my fault."

Cole tells him it isn't, as the final battle was alway going to happen and Lloyd should really calm down because his hands are glowing with energy that his little body couldn't exactly make use of before.

With a shout, the energy blasts outward, knocking back the ninja, Nya, and Wu, just a little bit because he energies himself a shield. No one's thrown off the deck of the Bounty, Llyod just shoves them back a little too hard without directly touching them.

Zane determines the increase in power he now has and asks Wu if power is somehow connected to one's emotions, which he says can be the case.

Lloyd apologizes for almost throwing them overboard, which they accept as long as he doesn't do it again(he never will), and Wu tells him that his emotions and his powers are like different streams that go the same way; they're going to to seperate and hard to see together, but when they meet and converge into a river, they'll be united and strong. If it doesn't make sense, I'm so sorry, I'm not good at being a wise mentor. Lloyd is about to protest, but nods and agrees.

With the power of Process of Elimination, the team comes to the conclusion that Garmadon and the serpentine are probably at Ouroboros, all things considered.

They head there, their dragon following, which has totally been here the whole time, it just hunts and whatnot and comes back, though the ninja instruct it to stay with Lloyd once they reach the city.

During the flight, which takes a couple days, Cole finds Lloyd reading a book Zane lent to him, a fictional one talking about mature subjects like the societal underworld, politicians involved in and protecting people from it, and the society itself blind to what's going on. Forgetting Lloyd's sudden physical growth, Cole tells Lloyd that he's a little young to be reading a book like that. Lloyd, however, says he's tried reading it before, about a week ago, but barley understood it. Now he's starting to, proof that his mind is slowly catching up with his body. Cole takes a seat next to Lloyd as the younger admits that since his sudden growth, he's been seeing more of the world, kind of like before when he was younger, but there's more to see now, like he's a fish in a tank that's left the decorative house it stayed in only to find it is now noticing the tank is really the ocean for the first time, and is about to swim and explore it all.

Cole puts an arm around him, pulls him close, and assures him that he doesn't have to explore this ocean alone, that he has Wu, Nya, Zane, Kai, Jay, and himself(Cole) with him, as they are his school, if they're still using the fish analogy.

Lloyd thanks him, resting his head against Cole's shoulder, and admitting tearfully, and wuite self deprecatingly, that even with how much bigger he's gotten, he still has a lot of growing to do. Cole assures him he'll grow pretty quickly, knowing Lloyd.

They arrive and head out, the Bounty a good distance away as to not attract attention. Lloyd tells them to be careful, which they do, as long as he promises to stay put, Kai offering to buy him candy if he does, which Lloyd does not find funny at all.

Cole, being smart, offers that if they aren't back in thirty minutes, he can join in the fight, which Wu reluctantly agrees with, to calm his nephew.

They leave, Zane looking back and gesturing for Lloyd to remain out of sight as he stands on the deck.

Lloyd instead crouches and then sits down, examining his hand again before one of the dragon's heads rubs against it, so he can give ot pets. He chuckles as he does. "Guess I'm finally taller than Brad," he says to himself.

Back with the team, they arrive and enter in secrecy, watching from a close enough distance as Garmadon tries to make the weapon work as the serpentine return from searching for Lloyd and the Valciraptor, which they report is dead while Lloyd is purely missing. Garmadon groans and calls them all useless before pacing and turning to his last ditch effort: using the weapon to summon Lloyd to him.

Wu has none of that and spinjitsus his way into the center of the arena Garmadon and the serpentine have gathered, knocking out and away a few snakes and a general or two.

The rest join in and the battle begins, Garmadon and Wu duking it out, with Garmadon demanding, "Where is he hiding!?" as Wu snarks back, "This battle is between us!" while the ninja and Nya fight against the snakes, which are coming at them in very overwhelming numbers.

Cole and Zane are fighting back to back and doing fairly well as Zane hopes Cole was serious about that "thirty minutes" thing, because goodness help them if he doesn't show up.

Funny Zane say that as we cut to a sort of TV, Viewer prespective of a montage/jump cut extravaganza that cuts between Lloyd and the ninja fighting, quiet, slightly humorous, kinda bored soinding music playing for Lloyd as he rests his head in his arms on the table and looks at the clock to see only five minutes have past. He leans back with a sigh and blows some hair off his forehead as he taps a finger. Cut loud, kind of desperate, fighting, action music playing with Wu kicking Garmadon away and doing some wicked staff attacks that knock away Skales and the Fangpire general. Garmadon gets back up and the two have one of those weapon colliding glare offs as Garmadon seethes, "You stole my family once, I will not let you do it again!" He pushes Wu back and slashes at him, Wu dodging and asking, "You really think he will be safe back among the serpentine!? Not even you can protect him from them, and you LEAD them!" Garmadon shouts, "ENOUGH!" and lunges at Wu. Cut back to Lloyd, who's leaning against the railing on the bow of the Bounty and having a staring contest with Shard, who blinks, making Lloyd smirk at the victory. He checks the time on his phone and finds that seven minutes has past since the team left. CUT to Jay as he's thrown into frame by Skalidor before Zane dropkicks him for old time's sake. He helps up Jay, who thanks him, and they tag team Skalidor, who hisses at tail whips Zane and right hooks Jay. CUT back to Lloyd, who's balancing on the railing with the dragon watching, each head knowing what stupidity this 7 year old in a 16 year old's body is going to cause. He quickly switches feet ans his foot slips, making him lose his balance and fall to the dirt. The camera would linger on where he was standing as he hisses in pain and groans, "Ow." CUT to Cole as he wrestles the Hypnobri general to the ground and smashes his fist into his face, knocking the snake out standing back up in time for a Constricti to land on his shoulders and choke hold him. As he fights it off, Kai and Nya take turns fighting off Skales and an assortment of snakes, Nya even getting a few good hits in with her chakrams as she dryly remarks that she should've left ninja-ing to the boys. Cole throws off the Constricti and shouts, "Wherever Lloyd is, he better get here now!" CUT to Lloyd chewing on his nail as he's crouching on the ground, occasionally looking at the dragons through the corner of his eyes, like his eyes move but his head doesn't, and looking at the arena at the center of the city. He does this a few times before checking his phone again. Fifteen minutes has past and he can't take the suspense anymore as he climbs back onto the Bounty, quickly changes, and runs to join the fight, though the dragon trots after him in time to see him stumble a little. He saddles up and flies there instead, as he'll need all the energy he can get. (Thank goodness that's over.)

The ninja, Nya, and Wu are surrounded and back into the center of the arena, all of them bloodied, bruised, and worn from fighting, the snakes and Garmadon swarm in, ready to deliver the final blow, Garmadon having figured out he can create a killer lightning storm that doesn't TECHNICALLY go against what the weapon does.

Too bad Lloyd drops in super hero landing style and uses earth powers to knock the snakes back, and accidentally make the team fall. Garmadon remains standing and points the weapon at him, demanding to know who this tall, teenage, powerful ninja in green is; for anyone who says he should know his son is the green ninja, Garmadon doesn't know Lloyd threw away 9 years of his life to save the ninja, and it's kind of dark out, so he can't really see his eyes.

Lloyd stands up, stumbling a little, but still stands, gesturing for the team to stay back as he rises. He and Garmadon have a stare off before Lloyd gets into a defensive stance.

Garmadon laughs, remarking that this warrior is here in Lloyd's place, probably because they hid him somewhere. Lloyd's shoulders drop, because he's right there, but Garmadon interprets it as the ninja's plan being foiled, remarking that it was clever of them, but it was still stupid. He also can't help but thank Wu for keeping Lloyd away from the battle.

Before he can say more, Skales charges, clocking Lloyd with an upward swing from his staff into Lloyd's jaw, knocking him down. He shouts if THIS is Ninjago's hero, an amateur who's all bark and no bite? Lloyd kicks him back for that and stands as he picks up a sword one of the snakes dropped, holding it up as much as he can despite the weight. The snakes laugh, and Lloyd gives a 'bitch, really' face and throws the sword at Skales, which bangs into his staff and scares him.

"I'm not here to play games!" Lloyd shouts before pointing to the megaweapon. "The weapon's on its last legs. Use anymore of its power, and theres no telling what could happen!" Garmadon scoffs, retorting, "You expect me to just hand it over that easily?"

The serpentine back away, some even pulling the team back with them as carefully as possible. Lloyd notices and realizes what's about to happen.

Soon it's just Lloyd and Garmadon. Tv perspective, the camera would be above the now open ring as the two circle each other from far away, spinning counter to them. It cuts to a perspective behind Garmadon's boots as he walks, steady footed with Lloyd in the background of the frame trying to be tough, but still kind of stumbling. Cut to the same perspective, but behind Lloyd's less sure feet with Garmadon stalking in the background.

From where the team stands, Jay asks to no one in particular if the two aren't really going to fight, considering what the team knows. Upon hearing that, Wu has an 'oh, SHIT' moment, and tries calling out to Garmadon to not fight.

Too late, because he takes a swing at Lloyd, who barely dodges in time and gets a punch into the cheek that sends him back into the ground.

Garmadon shouts for him to get back up, that if he wanted a fight, then he'd get what he wanted, as he was the so-called green ninja. Those words, minus the green ninja bit, trigger a very unpleasant memory for Lloyd, one where an older boy yelled at him and beat him up for being the son of Lord Garmadon. He's snapped out of it with a kick to the face from a serpentine; he was unconsciously crawling away.

Garmadon shouts for his opponent to man up and stop being a coward and Lloyd shakes his head before standing up.

This time, Lloyd apologizes to his father and races towards him, using a trick he picked up from training with the ninja: he sends some lightning in Garmadon's direction, which he blocks, before sliding and kicking his feet out from beneath him, making Garmadon fall as Lloyd kips up, one that he's been practicing and celebrates pulling off prematurely. (Again, 7 year old in a 16 year old's body)

Garmadon gets up with a cool sweepy motion and kicks the back of Lloyd's knee before kicking him HARD in the face, enough to make his nose bleed.

He laughs that NOW this is a good fight, and asks very tauntingly where it's been in the first place, as Lloyd struggles to his feet as he holds his nose. He throws apologies and martial arts to the wind as he shouts and left hooks Garmadon close to the eye. Garmadon has none of it and uses two of his four hands to grab Lloyd's hands before returning the punch to its sender, kneeing, and kicking Lloyd away once more, but not without a surprise blast of ice to the megaweapon, freezing it to uselessness.

On his back, Lloyd fights tears as Garmadon shouts at him for getting in the way, being no better than the ninja and always trying to ruin his plans. Lloyd, barely able to keep it together, bites that what he's been told is true, that Garmadon really is evil.

Garmadon kicks him numerous times for that, in the face, ribs, and arms, shouting he doesn't know anything about what he's had to do for his son.

Lloyd crawls back and throws his hood off, revealing himself for everyone to see, those who don't know, at least.

All that rage and battle adrenaline Garmadon had immediately gets washed away by horror as he sees and recognizes the green ninja's face, even though he's bleeding, starting to bruise, and has tears streaming down his face.

Silence washes over the entire arena; not even Skales has something dry to say.

Garmadon and Lloyd stare at each other, the father struck with guilt and horror as his son glares at him as he doesn't bother trying to stop his tears, even backing away when Garmadon reaches out for him.

"L-Lloyd? How?"

Lloyd rolls onto his front and pushes himself up, grunting out, "The Valciraptor. I used tea to make it age into nothing but bones. Kai and Jay and Cole, the weapon made them turn into kids." He stands very slumped over and holding his side and turns around to Garmadon, who puts the pieces together, and glares at Wu.

"You... You fools! Look at what you've done to MY SON!"

"All Sensei did was bring the tea to our location," Lloyd replies as he takes a breath and straightens, wiping his eyes and meeting his father's gaze head on. "I wasn't going to let you take my family away from me."

Those words put a SPEAR through Garmadon's chest and opens the teams eyes, especially when Lloyd turns to them and smiles to say what he said was true.

Garmadon trembles as emotions flood him. He's beaten and attacked his son, turned his ENTIRE family against him, and has ultimately proven that the evil from the great devourer's venom has truly shaped who he is.

But he still has the megaweapon. With a shout, he smashes the bottom part into the ground, commanding the weapon to turn back the clock and to give him back his son, to give him back his boy and give him the power to destroy those who've taken everything from him.

The weapon cracks even more and begins to start working, but a panic reaction from Lloyd takes care of that:

The teen's eyes go from their usual red to green, and then gold as he shoots a blast of energy at the weapon just as it too blasts at him and the team. Despite a little back and forth, the gold and green blast overwhelms the megaweapon and it is destroyed in Garmadon's hand, leaving nothing but the fang blades and the now permanently dormant golden weapons.

The gold and green energy blast morphs into enery tentacles as Lloyd slightly hovers off the ground. Before they can do anything, he drops to the ground, the energy fading and everyone still alive. Garmadon's eyes lock onto the unconscious Lloyd and he drops to his knees, only watching him as his own tears fall from his eyes

The team silently collect the fang blades and the weapons, though Zane chooses instead to carry the unconscious Lloyd on his back.

As they leave, the serpentine all back off, giving them room to leave. Skales does try telling them to attack, but Garmadon weakly grabs his arm. "No. That's enough. Let them go."

The episode ends as the team reaches the Bounty and Lloyd cries as quietly as he can, which Zane notices. Kai asks if Lloyd's okay, but Zane says that Lloyd's just having a bad dream, as he did get triggered earlier, and will be okay when he's in bed. Kai shrugs it off, and Lloyd thanks Zane, who smiles sympathetically as the episode closes.

NEXT EPISODE: We start with a another jumpcut montage, but it's not crazy like before. Somber-ish music playing as we switch from Garmadon, who's leaning against a table while dealing with a major shame-over from fighting with Lloyd. The serpentine watch him closely, but are too scared to ask what their plan of action is now. Cut to Lloyd as he lies curled up in bed with the blankets over him. He's still physically and mentally beaten up by what happened in Ouroboros and would rather stay in bed than talk about it. Tv perspective, the camera would be on a tired and drained Lloyd as he hears and feels his bed creak slightly behind him as someone sits down. It cuts to show it's Wu, who has some bandages on his face from the battle and is silent for his nephew's sake. He goes to put a hand on Lloyd's shoulder, but Lloyd sits up and removes the blanket. They stare at each other before Lloyd hugs him, Wu returning the hug and rubbing the back of Lloyd's head. Cut to Garmadon staring at the sky, with Skales and some lower ranked serpentine watching him. One brave soul gulps and approaches him, offering some water, because he's been standing and staring for hours on end. G-Dog politely turns down the free drink and returns to standing and staring. Zoom in on Skales glaring him down as the serpentine quietly agree that since the fight, Garmadon's been about as useful as a water in a spray bottle used against a house fire. Cut to the ninja as they train on the deck, Nya included, all of them stopping when Lloyd walks out and awkwardly shrugs as he forces a smile.

As he warms up, Jay checks in on him, maybe we can have a visual gag of Zane doing something cardiovascular by running between where the deck meets the front and back of the ship behind them as they talk.

Jay asks if Lloyd's feeling any better, all things considered, including that he hasn't left the bunk rooms in a week, and Lloyd says he's fine, not as good as he'd like to be, but fine as he is. Jay then asks about what happened with the megaweapon, more specifically when Lloyd did the cool hovering thing, to which Lloyd responds that he still can't remember what he did or the events slightly prior, even though he's tried remembering and repeating what he did, though he does ask if they've had luck with the weapons and fang blades.

Kai pauses from his spar with Cole to say they've still had no dice. The elemental weapons are dead and there's no bringing them back. Behind them, Zane sprints around them, on a mission to get in as many laps as he can.

Lloyd deflates at the fact that Wu was right about the weapon being at its limit, but continues warming up.

Nya, from her place on some sort of mini obstacle course, relays that she and Wu did some digging and noted that the weapons had certain reactions when placed beside certain weapons; the scythe looked less like dead stone next to the 'earth' fangblade, the one used in the trophy for the talent show, there was a defined red edge to the sword next the the 'fire' fang blade, etcetera. Lloyd, who switched to doing push-ups, wonders what it could mean.

Kai jokes that maybe it has to do with Garmadon getting the fangbaldes and making THEM into another megaweapon, but Cole quite literally kicks his ass for this, which sends Kai to the deck with a surprised yelp. Cole ignores the glare from Kai as he says whatever the change is, it's most likely important. He also apologizes for how messed up his blood family is, concerning what Lloyd said about them being his family. When Lloyd flinches away, Jay tries to lessen the words by saying, "Hey, at least you still have Sensei. A-and your mother." Lloyd shakes his head at this and admits, "I wouldn't know. I've... never met her. I mean, I remember her, but... something happened. And I never saw her again."

The ninja ans Wu are dead silent, but Kai gets up to continue his spar with Cole, and try to steal the rank of leader, only for Zane, who's been running this entire time, to surprise leap onto his back and send him back into the deck, Kai shouting, "No! Not again!"

The ninja laugh, and Lloyd lets himself chuckle, Zane saying to him as he holds a wrestling Kai, "Regardless, Lloyd, I believe we should be able to make up for what you've lost, if you'll allow us." He nods and says he does, thanking Zane as Kai breaks free.

Too bad the moment's broken by an alarm going off, Wu informimg them that venom from the great devourer has been found at anither museum in Ninjago City, one that's bigger and more expensive to go to than the one where the Valciraptor was revived. They all head out, even Lloyd, who figures he could use the change of scenery.

Quick cut to Garmadon sulking, but a Hypnobri saying they found the ninja at sea, and that they overheard Lloyd admitting he was apologetic about what happened with the weaopn. Garmadon, too desperately, commands that they get there immediately, missing and smirking Skales, who nods a 'well done' to the Hypnobri.

Back with the team, they make it to the city, the dragon and Bounty hidden a top a building as they arrive, carrying the fang blades with them along with the dead elemental weapons for safe keeping, and because they missed using the weapons.

Turns out the venom, like before, has given life to some of the museum's exhibits, but instead of bobbleheads, it's extinct creatures that used to hunt in Ninjago before humans were a thing, creatures like sabertooth tigers with cobras for a tails, bears that stand tall as giraffes and are long as hell rather than squat and fat, maybe a mini Valciraptor and Treehorn, and all sorts of nasties that makes the hair on even Zane's arms stand on end.

As the museum's director explains the situation, Lloyd stops and notices a painting of a crowd, maybe a battle in a village, and the camera would zoom in on his face, more specifically eyes because his face is hidden, as he stares. TV perspective, the director's voice fades into a crowd screaming in terror, particularly a woman screaming for her child to stay with her before the child himself screams for his mother.

A tap on the shoulder from Zane snaps him out of it, the white ninja asking if he's okay, which he semi-lies about. They rejoin the group and find the beasties, each person taking on one: Cole gets the monster long giraffe bear, Kai gets a large, wolf sized doberman with a long long and snake head and a bat head, Jay gets the sabertooth, Zane has to deal with treehorns agian(he looks at them with a glare, pulls off his hood, and lets a very scary, psychotic smile grow on his face because these things are the size of pitbulls.), and Lloyd is left to a cheetah-horse hybrid that spits acid at him, acid similar to what we have in our stomachs to digest food.

Each creature is oddly colored and had grown a stoney patch with veins of the devourer's venom pulsing all theough their bodies.

Where are Wu and Nya during all this? Well, Nya saw a woman almost get nommed on by one of these creatures, but the woman threw NYA out of the way and dealt with it herself with a blade hidden in her research scroll. Another beast comes running, but just as she goes for her blade again, Wu saves the woman as Cole takes care of it, apologizing for being a bad driver. Wu asks if she's alright, the camera on him, and he gasps at who he just rescued, even though she would've been just fine.

Cut to the ninja each fighting off their respective monster and winning, though when they hear shouting from Zane, they find him panting in a room full of dust and stone bits with a smile on his face. They're all terrified, but Jay's the only one brave enough to say Zane's lost it, which Zane responds to by throwing a recreated treehorn bit at him.

Lloyd isn't as successful as the cheetah-horse keeps knocking him back with it's front hooves and going for a bite, though he does well enough to get a few kicks in and block it woth his sword. It snags his collar instead and shakes him into a wall, which makes him see stars, before it goes for a bite and Lloyd gets in a killing blow with a sword. It falls, and he lies on his back, worn from the fight and not noticing the mini, great dane sized Valciraptor bites his hood and drags him back, making Lloyd choke. He's dragged awsy from his sword and his powers aren't exactly working right now, so he's left flailing and kicking to try and break free.

Thank goodness a blade pierces the Valciraptor and a boot stomps in it, destroying the creature. I hope you remembered that woman Wu saved, because she helps Lloyd to his feet as he coughs and thanks her.

The two meet eyes and the woman gasps, the team rounding the corner with Wu at the lead. Lloyd has major déja vu as the woman holds his face, tearing up as she examines him, asking if it's really him.

Wu speaks up to Lloyd that he probably wouldn't remember, as he was a CHILD when it happened(there's being a child, like a little kid, and then there's being a CHILD, like a 2 or 3 yesr old) and a crowd that heavy would have been too overwhelming for a three year old to handle. The ninja are flabbergasted and Lloyd backs away, a look of 'it can't be' on his face before he runs, overwhelmed by what's going on and not turning back when the woman calls for him and starts to give chase before Nya stops her, saying he just needs a lottle bit of time. Jay apologizes for breaking the moment and asks who this woman is, considering how skilled she is for being Wu's age.

Wu states that this is Lloyd's mother, the woman taking the wheel and introducing herself as Misako.

Cut to Garmadon and the serpentine generals as they fly a fang-copter over the water, Garmadon looking and asking for where Lloyd is. Skales replies, "Right HERE!" and shoves hin into the water below, where he falls and resurfaces to see them fly away. He calls them bastards and traitors and swims in a random direction, hoping it's right because damn him, if it isn't. Skales and the other generals bid good riddance to bad rubbish and the other leaders decide Skakes would maje a great leader. He ddoesn't disagree.

Back at the museum, the team has split up in search for Lloyd, the groups being Wu and Cole, Zane and Misako, and Jay, Nya and Kai, who's joining so Jay doesn't do anything suspicious. Zane catches Misako up on the series and tells her what's happened. She's not too happy about the fact her son fought his father one on one and got his ass kicked or the fact that he thought it was a good idea at 6 years old to befriend a bunch of snakes, but knowing what happemed and what he's been through, she can't exactly throw in her two cents. Zane admits that she's back in Lloyd's life now, and the two of them can catch up personally.

They find Lloyd sitting with his knees to his chest near a bottomless pit, which is restricted from entering to the public, and Misako quietly sits beside him. Zane stays back, but sneakily grabs some rope in case they fall.

After a few minutes, in which the rest of the team arrives, Misako carefully puts a hand on Lloyd's head, apologizing to him as he meets her eyes. Turns out he's been crying and he sees that her eyes are tearing up very much so. Out of misunderstanding, and a broken heart, he asks why she left him. Misako quickly hugs him, crying that she held on as much as she could, that she should've carried him rather than led him by hand as he was only three years old at the time. He thinks back to that painting and remembers more clearly as Misako weeps it was an attack and they should have left as soon as it began rather than sit and wait for Garmadon. Lloyd remembers vaguely how his father was back then as well, and says almost bitterly that his father hasn't changed a bit.

Misako pulls away and gets a closer look at him, asking how he got so bug if only four years have past. Zane's the one to spill the tea, the Tomorrow Tea that is, and Kai tries joking about it, stealing my spilling the tea joke, which earns him 'drop dead' eyes from Lloyd and Misako.

Whatever doubts they had about Misako vanish instantly.

Lloyd has one more question, though: Where was she while he was in Darkley's, even when he was thrown out?

Misako gives Wu 'How could you!?' eyes and then hugs Lloyd again.

She looked everywhere for him. The bus he was put on headed toward Ninjago city while her bus headed toward Jumonakai village, the two locations essentially being like Maine and California. She looked in every orphanage, boarding school, refugee camp, and anywhere else she could think, going from village to village to try and find him. She never really found him, but she found out about the serpentine and the dark island.

We get the explanation from before about the Overlord, his indestructible army, and that HE'S the one Lloyd needs to take down, not Garmadon, though they all move rooms so no one falls in the bottomless pit.

The ninja collectively shudder at this, and then Misako notices the fang blades, asking about them and the dead weapons. Lloyd drops the megaweapon and fang blade bomb and Misako realizes that the great devourer is gone with a capital G, which is bad because it could've been a last resort. She also remembers something she learned, when Lloyd talks about the weapons reacting to the fang blades. She holds the nunchucks with the fangpire blade and everyone is surprised to see the weapons merge into a cook buton sai mix that can be nunchuck-y with the push of a button. Lloyd asks how it's possible, since the weapons lost their power, and Misako explains that things don't really die, they just become something else, something more powerful. This is a voice over as we see a giant stone warrior come to life with help from the great devourer's venom.

Cut to Jay taking back what he said earlier, because Lloyd's mom is a badass. He's not exactly paying attention, instead asking Wu and Misako why they didn't find him earlier or why Misako hadn't joined the team earlier when Lloyd was first brought on the Bounty. Wu explains that he had called Misako to fill her in, and Misako was on her way, choosing to travel by foot between bus rides because she was tired of getting cat-called by other men and having a sore rear from sitting for nearly four hours straight. She at first started the research to cope with what happened, but it became a hobby and "safety net" for when she couldn't find Lloyd. If that doesn't paint a clear picture that Lloyd is, was, and always has been her first priority, I don't know what does

The stone warrior interrupts the moment, shocking EVERYONE. It takes a swing and they all dodge it, Misako throwing Lloyd out of the way as she flips back and readies her blade again. Lloyd isn't about to lose his awesome mom, so he leaps off the wall and kicks out the warrior's knee, making it fall.

They run to a 'party' room, one that's proper for fighting, and the duel begins, the ninja unsheathing their weapons and each one merging his with a corresponding fang blade after seeing their weapons fail where Jay's succeeds. Cole's scythe mixes with the Hypnobri blade, making it a staff sword on one end and a wicked double bladed scythe on the other, Zane merges his shurikens with the Constricti blade, giving him a staff that his shurikens can be removed from that turns into a bow with ice and venom arrows, and Kai merges his sword with the Hypnobri blade, at girst complaining that his weapon is the same before seeing it is every pyromaniac swordsman's dream when the sword becomes something of a whip that spews fire when it slashes and cracks.

They do more damage to the warrior, Lloyd getting in aome good hits with his powers, which he keeps in check as Misako fights with him and commends him for doing well in battle.

Good times end when the ninja are thrown off and Lloyd remembers the bottomless pit.

He shouts for everyone to give him at least five minutes and ahouts for Nya to follow him, which she does, as the rest keep fighting.

Even though they do well enough, the stone warrior follows where Lloyd and Nya ran, the remaining team trying to stop it.

Cut to it finding and charging at a meditating Lloyd, Misako crying for him to move because he's right infront of the bottomless pit. As the warrior swings, Lloyd falls back, and the warrior falls with him, having lost its balance from swinging at him.

Misako and the ninja are all quiet, Misako fighting tears as Nya says that all Lloyd told her to do was move the rope around the pit and keep her distance, and that she didn't know he'd do this.

Misako sees a glow from the pit and gasps as Lloyd hovers back out of the pit, looking very much like how he did before when he destroyed the megaweapon to protect his uncle and friends. He touches the ground drops to his hands and knees with a sigh, looking back at the pit and laugh-cry about his plan working as Misako hugs him and slyly pulls him away from the pit.

The others are equally glad, though Cole threatens him that if he does something like that again, he's keeping Lloyd in a harness on his chest to keep an eye on him.

They try to laugh it off, even though Misako gives him murder eyes, and all leave the museum, Lloyd sheepishly asking Misako if she's coming with them.

Upon seeing the 'please say yes' in his eyes, she hugs him and agrees that she'd be more than honored.

The episode ends with the team welcoming Misako on the Bounty, and a cut to an unconscious Garmadon floating on his back and washing on the shore of the dark island, exhausted from swimming and plotting on how he can get back at the serpentine. From a first person POV shot, a figure watches him rest, hissing out in a distorted voice, "Ah. He's perfect."

#ninjago #ninjao jay #ninjao cole #ninjago zane #ninjago kai #ninjago lloyd #ninjago rewrite #slight violence #angst #emotional damage tw #daddy issues #reanimated animals tw

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theydontknowaboutusimagines · 3 years

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This Christmas - A Harry Styles Christmas Series (Part 7)

Two life long friends. Secretly in love. Home for the holidays. Will they risk everything by telling the other how they feel? Or will they spend another year loving from afar?

Read these first Prologue Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6

“So, how’s the family?” Jeff asked.

Harry sat on his bed, holding his phone in front of him as he chatted with his manager over facetime, “Mum’s good. Gem’s coming up tomorrow, I think.”

“Well, that’s good,” he said. “What’s it like being back home.”

“It’s uh… just what I needed,” he smiled.

And he meant what he said. Being back home and being with you was exactly what he needed.

“What happened,” Jeff asked, raising an eyebrow.

“What do you mean?” Harry asked.

“You have that look on your face,” he said. “The one where something happened and you’re not telling me.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he said.

“Except you do,” Jeff said, “Now, tell me.”

Harry rolled his, “Fine, if you must know. I’ve reconnected with an old friend during my time here.”

“A friend, or a friend,” he said.

“The latter,” he sighed, dramatically.

“So, then you’re seeing someone?” He asked.

“Technically, yes,” Harry answered. “We’re taking things slow.”

“Good,” he smiled. “You need someone special in your life.”

“She’s definitely that someone,” Harry whispered.

“Wow, you’re making fabulous progress,” your agent said. “I’ll say I was a little worried about you heading home, but it seemed to work some magic.”

“I guess you can say that,” you smiled.

“Have you thought of a title, yet?” She asked.

“Um… no I haven’t,” you sighed.

“Well, we still have time,” she said. “Oh, one more thing before we get off here.”

“Okay,” you said. “What’s up?”

“The producers should have the final cast list by the New Year,” she said.

“Really?” You smiled.

“Yep,” she nodded. “They’re finalizing the screenplay soon and it’ll be sent over for you to look at it.”

“Oh, wow,” you said. “I was expecting that.”

“Hey, when they came to us we told them we wanted as much input as we could have,” she said.

“That’s true,” you said. “I’m really happy with everything so far.”

“Me too,” she said. “So, if everything is okayed soon, filming should start by the spring.”

“I can’t believe this is actually happening,” you smiled. “I never thought… I never thought one of my books would be made into a film.”

“Well, you better get used to it, love,” she said. “If this one goes well, then I’m sure your other’s will be made soon after.”

“Thank you again for everything,” you smiled. “I really wouldn’t be able to do this without you.”

“Hey, I’m just your voice. You bring the magic,” she smiled. “I better let you go.”

“Okay, talk to you soon,” you smiled.

Later that night, you were getting ready for a Christmas party. You were invited by a friend to meet up at a local pub for a little get together. You told Harry about it and since it was a mutual friend group, he was happy to join you. It has been so long since you’ve done your hair and makeup and worn actual clothes and not just different forms of pajamas.

You went into the house where Harry was waiting. You smiled seeing him dressed in a t- shirt and a pair of trousers with a cardigan over top.

“You look beautiful,” he smiled, helping you into your coat.

“Compared to how I’ve looked the past few days, I believe it,” you joked.

“You always look beautiful,” he said.

“Not possible,” you said. “Everyone has their off days where they look gross.”

“True, but to be you’re always beautiful,” he smiled.

“Yeah, you just haven’t seen me trying to meet a deadline and I’ve literally not showered in like a few days, my hair’s a mess, and my clothes have stains on them because I didn’t bother changing them,” you said.

“That uh… sounds scary,” he winced.

“Ready to run for the hills, yet?” You raised an eyebrow.

“Not even close,” he smirked, opening the door for the two of you to head out to the car.

When you arrived at the pub, most everyone was already there. Harry placed his hand on your lower as you two walked inside. As soon as everyone saw you, they all shouted and rushed over to hug you two.

“The gang's back together!” One of them shouted.

You laughed, shaking your head, even though it was true. It had been ages since everyone had been back home, you were always missing someone, but that night everyone was there and it was just like old times. Throughout the night, you and Harry had gotten separated as you two were talking to different sides of the group.

“Man, Y/N is looking fit,” one of the guys said.

“Yeah, she is,” another said.

Harry sipped his drink as he waited to see where they were going with this.

“I can’t believe you broke it off with her,” one of them added.

“I know, I know,” he sighed. “I fucked up.”

“Wait, you dated Y/N?” Harry asked. “When?”

“You didn’t know?” They said.

“No,” he shook his head.

“Yeah, we dated almost a year, about two years ago,” he said.

“Was it serious?” Harry asked.

“I mean, it was more casual than serious,” he told him.

“Interesting,” Harry said, looking over at you.

“Why don’t you go over there and see if there’s still feelings there. You seemed to be very satisfied when you were with her,” the friend smirked.

“I might,” the guy said. “She looks like she could use some tension release.”

That’s it. Harry had heard enough. He downed the rest of his drink and pushed through the group he was talking to. He was pissed. He wasn’t sure if it was the thought of those guys who were supposedly his friends talking about you like that, or if it was because he was jealous that someone else was not only talking about you, but had been with you like that. Oh and then there was the whole, you failed to tell him you dated one of the guys you grew up with.

“Hey, Harry,” you said.

“We’re leaving,” he said.

You furrowed your eyebrows, “What? Why? We just got here.”

“Yeah, we’ll if we stay here much longer, I can’t promise I won’t shove my fist into someone’s face,” he said. “So, either we leave or I push someone across the pub.”

“Um, excuse me,” you said, pulling him to the other corner of the pub. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

“Why didn’t you tell me that you and Graham were together?” He spat out.

You sighed running your hands over your face, “Because that was over two years ago. I didn’t think it mattered and it’s not like we’ve really been on the topic of discussing our exes.”

“But he’s not just an ex! He’s our friend! Someone I’ve been spending time with!” He snapped.

“Oh you mean someone else you’ve spent time with over the past six years, but couldn’t ever spend time with me!” You snapped.

“Seriously? You’re throwing that back up in my face? We’ve been over this already,” he snarled.

“Because you’re yelling at me because you’re jealous that someone had the fucking balls to ask me out and actually be with me. We both have exes. We both have past relationships. If this is how you’re going to react at the thought of someone else being with me, then fuck you! I might have been in love with you for my entire life, but I didn’t just wait around for you to finally want me. And I know you weren’t waiting around either because all of your past relationships are posted over the fucking internet for the world to see!” You snarled back.

Harry jerked back at your words.

“Yeah, maybe I should have told you about Graham. But you want to get jealous over that because you might occasionally spend time with him and let’s be honest. You’ve never spent any one on one time with him, ever. You’re not that close to him. But for me, all I have to do is google your name and the first thing I’m going to see is everyone you’ve ever been linked to in the past ten years. I’ve had to deal with that for a fucking decade and I’m always going to have to deal with that. But you? You can’t handle my ex just because he happens to be in our childhood friend group? You’re right, you should leave, but I’m staying. I’ll get my own ride back,” you sniffled.

“Y/N, wait,” he said, reaching out for you as you walked past him.

A few hours later, you got out of the car and walked the long way around to the tiny house. You honestly don’t know why you stayed after your fight with Harry because you were miserable the rest of the night. It also didn’t help that you kept throwing back shots. You pulled your coat around you tighter as you walked through the backyard. You were exhausted and realized you really needed to pee.

You groaned knowing you would have to go into the house and you seriously debated on just finding a tree somewhere and be done with it. But it was too cold for that, so you snuck yourself inside. You didn’t want to see Harry, not yet. You were still annoyed and upset over what had happened. In a way, you both overreacted, but both of your feelings were valid.

You knew if you found out he hooked up with someone from here, you would probably be just as upset and jealous. But it still didn’t make it right. You got to the bathroom, sneaking inside, and being as quick as possible. Afterwards, you washed your hands, barely turning on the water, and drying them off before heading back outside.

However, you were stopped by the voice of the very person you didn’t want to see at that moment.

“Can we talk?” Harry whispered from his doorway.

“I think we’ve done enough talking for one night,” you mumbled.

“Y/N, please,” he begged. “I don’t want to end the night like this.”

You sighed, “Fine,” you said, pushing yourself into his room.

“Are you drunk?” He asked.

“Hard to tell,” you said, jumping onto his bed. “I had a few shots… some food and some water… so I’m probably like 80% drunk right now.”

“Lovely,” he mumbled.

“Hey, you wanted to talk,” you pointed at him. “I had every intention of still being mad at you.”

“Which you should be because I acted like an asshole,” he said.

“Acceptance is always the first step,” you giggled.

“Bloody hell, you’re a giggly drunk,” he shook head.

“I would love to confirm that, but I don’t have enough experience,” you giggled.

“Maybe we should hold off on this conversation,” he sighed. “You need to sleep this off.”

“Ugh, fine,” you said. “Fucking make up your mind.”

“Where are you going?” He asked, when you started getting up off the bed.

“To my room,” you said.

“You’re not sleeping out there like this,” he said. “You’re sleeping in here.”

You rolled your eyes, “I’m a big girl, Harold,” you said, poking him in the chest.

“You’re a drunk girl and I don’t trust you out there by yourself,” he said. “You’re staying in here. If you don’t want me to sleep in here, fine. I’ll go to the other room.”

“I don’t even have clothes! I’m not sleeping in this outfit,” you whined.

“Then borrow some of mine,” he said, pulling some out of his suitcase.

“Your mood sure has changed,” you mumbled.

“It’s because I realized I overreacted,” he sighed. “You were right. I was jealous and upset because… I don’t want to think or picture you being with someone else. I know you have a past and I’m sorry I let it get to me… I just…”

You groaned, “I don’t feel so good,” you quickly got up from the bed, racing towards the bathroom where you empty all of your stomach contents into the toilet.

Harry sighed, following and sitting down beside you, holding your hair. When you were done, you leaned against the wall, wiping your mouth with the wet washcloth Harry had given you.

“The thing with Graham…” you sighed. “That only happened…”

“Hey, you don’t have to justify yourself,” he said.

“No, I need you to know,” you sighed. “It wasn’t serious with him. It was never serious with anyone. I tried to let myself, but I was never fully into the relationship. The only reason I got with Graham is because he was there…. I knew him… and he didn’t want anything serious either.”

“What do you mean by he was there?” Harry asked.

“I went… I went to one of your shows,” you whispered. “I thought maybe… maybe if you saw me there, you would have to talk to me. I texted Gemma, seeing if she would be there, and she told me she was. She was going to get me backstage and everything to surprise you. But-”

“But what?” He asked.

“You were with her,” you whispered. “Your ex. You seemed so happy and in love. You looked at her the way I always wanted you to look at me. My heart broke into a million pieces because up until then I really thought maybe we had a chance. Even if it had already been a few years since we spoke. So, instead ruining that, I just… left. Gemma tried to stop me, but I kept going. That was when she realized I was in love with you.”

“Gemma knew?” He whispered. “Gemma knew you were there and never said anything to me.”

“I asked her not to,” you told him. “She felt horrible for omitting the truth from you, but I told her it was for the best.”

“Maybe it was,” he admitted. “I don’t know how I would have reacted seeing you there.”

You didn’t respond other than wiping fallen tears from your eyes. Harry scooted over to sit closer to you.

“I wouldn’t get too close,” you mumbled.

“I don’t care,” he whispered, pushing hair out of your face.

“We can’t change our past, right? We can’t go back in time and do things over, but we can do whatever it takes to make sure our present and future are what we want them to be,” he whispered.

“I’m sorry I yelled at you,” you mumbled.

“And I’m sorry I yelled at you causing you to yell at me,” he whispered.

You laid your head on his shoulder, “I’m sleepy.”

“Then let’s get you back to bed. We can finish this in the morning,” he said.

He got up from where the two of you were sitting on the tiled bathroom floor. He reached down, picking you up like it was nothing, and carried you into his bedroom. You wrapped your arms around his neck, leaning your head against his chest, as he carried you. You placed you on his bed before getting the clothes he had picked out for you and handing them to you.

He turned around while you undressed yourself before pulling his clothes over your body. Once he knew you were finished, he looked down at you.

“Stay in here,” you whispered.

“You sure?” He asked.

You nodded, pulling the blanket down for him to join you.

“Mum’s probably going to kill me in the morning,” he mumbled, wrapping his arms around you. “Or throw a box of condoms at my head.”

You giggled, “Those might come in handy one day if you’re lucky.”

“Is that a promise?” He smirked.

“Guess you’ll just have to wait and find out,” you said.

He laughed, shaking his head before planting a kiss on your forehead. “I love you,” he whispered.

“I love you, too,” you whispered back before closing your eyes and falling into a drunken sleep.

SORRRY Again for the super late update. I hope to have Part 8 posted tomorrow at an earlier time. :)

#Harry Styles Imagines #Harry Styles Fanfictions #Harry Styles Fanfics #Harry Styles Fics #Harry Styles Christmas Series

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monkey-network · 3 years

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Crash Bandicoot the Series Episodes

52 Episodes; To stop N Tropy and Cortex’s Plan Z that puts reality in jeopardy, Crash and Coco must travel between dimensions to gather crystals necessary. Along the way, the duo meets familiar faces and it’s a guess of whether they’re friend or foe. Then again for Crash, an enemy’s just a friend you haven’t made yet.

Method of the Marsupials: Spelunking down an ancient temple, Coco slowly feels inferior compared to Crash’s spontaneity always lucking out. Then again, Crash has never been one without his sister.

The Titanfields and Mucoltants: A chase after a baby mutant leads to a universe where two different clans have been feuding for generations and it’s up to the Bandicoots to finally put an end to it, or make the fighting feel different.

Crash Cultivation: Our siblings split up momentarily and Crash’s adventure involves helping a farmer confront a curse that prevents anything from growing on his land.

In My Element: Coco’s adventure is a puzzle room, literally a room full of puzzles she has to solve to get out. She’s having a blast, but comes to realize that the joy could be endless.

Breakfasticoot: Taking a break from gathering the crystals, Crash decides to go into the morning wilderness to get his sister breakfast in bed. Needless to say, it isn’t easy for our unbreakable hero.

Tense Theory: In order to get the next crystal, Coco needs to show that she can relax like her brother.

Tales as Old as Tiny: The Bandicoots encounter Tiny Tiger, depressed and very lacking in muscle. Crash wants to help, leading to the two entering the wildcat’s mind.

Minuscule Madness (Part 1): The Bandicoots reach a dimension that has everyone in it out to kill them. The problem is that the “everyone” are too small to be noticeable by the duo.

Minuscule Madness (Part 2): Crash’s body has been invaded by the small people and Coco must figure out how to save her bro before he dies or the small people die first due to Crash’s surprisingly volatile insides.

Jake and the Crashman: Crash is split from Coco and is thrust into a noir story involving wumpa fruit, cars, and a hidden conspiracy.

War the Game: Crash and Coco face off against a supercomputer possessing a crystal where losing will mean the end of that world, the heart and mind of our Bandicoot siblings truly at unity this episode.

Coco Kaijuu: The next dimension our siblings enter have them transformed into giant monsters and while Coco wants to be peaceful towards the civilians, Crash is having fun with his new form which unleashes a force trying to stop them.

Rip Roo Ca-Choo: Ripper Roo is alone after his original defeat from Crash, rejected by Cortex and with no direction. He then sees Crash again and becomes determined to exact his revenge.

Crash the Bachelor: A hopeless romantic Skunk finds love when Crash is the one being that isn’t driven away by his putrid stench. And while Crash enjoys being friends, our bandicoot doesn’t care about getting closer.

Tawna Comes to Tango: Dimension hopping Pirate Tawna shows up to help our Bandicoots win the crystal at a casino but her love of risk soon gets in the way.

Bookbrain: Our new trio visit the library where a crystal’s hidden and the former two decide to get Crash into more advanced reading. Crash loves it at first, but when the three discover the comic book section, it’s a challenge to keep that and Crash separate.

Animal House: Crash, Coco, and Tawna have to strengthen their teamwork to face a chicken, a monkey, and a shiny jellyfish in order to get the crystal.

Ghostdusters: Tawna doesn’t believe in ghosts, but a trek through a haunted house suddenly has her scared sneezing. The three try to make their way in and out, but finding the crystal will mean cleaning things up.

Crashket Ball: A game so complicated for Tawna and Coco leads to Crash helping them understand things his way.

Why Love Him: Tawna is separated from her friends into another dimension and stumbles across a dejected Crash that’s been through what she went through long ago in her dimension. She tries to cheer him up, and comes to realize what she saw in him originally.

The Messiness of Music: Our trio have to confront N Gin in a music contest in three days but instruments aren’t their forte, Crash and Tawna can’t and won’t sing, and Coco is overwhelmed in making the best song. However, music doesn’t have to be flawless to feel good.

Crashcading Fury: Crash wakes up angry and on destructive rampage for the next crystal. A scared Coco and Tawna do what they can, desperately trying to get their more cool, easy-going buddy back.

Lunchtime: Crash, Coco, and Tawna have the chance to relax and get sandwiches and the Komodo brothers are sent out to kill them.

Ahoy Baby: A young group of aliens claim Tawna as their mom and she joyously comes to teach them how to live her way.

The House of N (Part 1): Knowing the trio’s progress, Cortex comes up with the idea of bringing multiple versions of himself to come up with ideas in stopping them.

The House of N (Part 2): A battle of the one true Neo Cortex ensues, leading to our main scientist at odds with himself of where everything went wrong.

Aku Uka Alone: Uka Uka and Aku Aku mentally link and argue over the faith they have in their hero/villains.

Dream Reaper: In this silent but musical episode, N Tropy sends a villain capable of killing people while they’re dreaming to the trio, only for our villain to underestimate all three’s imaginative capabilities.

Pace and Test: Crash is challenged to a simultaneous physical and academic exam for a crystal which is where his sister and bestie put their all into making him the best of both worlds.

Ferally Feud: Crash and Tawna get into an argument, leading Coco to try moderating and sees why she loves them both.

It Takes a Bandicoot to Save a Village: Former chief Papu Papu asks Crash to help rebuild his village after Cortex’s meddling might force them to leave the island.

Crate Minds Think Alike: Cortex manages to weaken the trio to the point where they can’t bash crates anymore, leading to them pushing each other to get stronger in the real way.

Dial D for Dingo: Meeting up with an old chum at his “established” restaurant, the Bandicoots take a stand when health inspectors have come to shut down the place by ANY means.

Two Times Tropy: While Cortex is out, N Tropy and his female alternate are working on repairs but are ignorantly making things worse with their constant ego stroking.

Crash The Banditoon: The trio reach a blank dimension where things feel different, more animated and that’s saying something. Crash isn’t complaining though.

Juicy Juiced: A special wumpa Crash finds gives the trio enhanced ability but at the cost of sleeping for days. So they keep eating it in order to come up with an antidote to null the effects at the risk of an eternal sleep.

Lab Rat Revolution: The trio arrive at a place populated by a majority of Brio’s rejects and helps them get revenge.

Wayback Brio: An encounter with N. Brio has him and Coco stuck in a cavern. While Crash and Tawna figure out a way to their freedom, the two inside are forced to rewalk their former relationship.

The Skinner (Halloween Special): Crash is possessed by an evil spirit that’s known for desiring the skin of its victim, unbeknownst to Tawna and Coco though, an unstable spirit can’t control an unstable body.

You’re a Bad Man, Dr. Cortex: Cortex arrives in a dimension where he’s the leader of the world, only this version is a good guy. Naturally he replaces the other Cortex and tries to spin the world into his image, but is conflicted that he’ll destroy a utopia he technically made himself.

Nurse Bandicoot: Coco catches a high fever after a trip through the arctic dimension, and the others do what they can for her. Crash surprisingly takes things slow while Tawna is frantic in making things better.

Do Mursupials Dream of Magic Sheep?: Crash suddenly gets nightmares and it affects him while awake. One night, a figure appears in his dream and the two adventure to found out how to resolves these bitter feelings.

Cocomotion: A trip to the future has Coco visit a successful version of herself. As such, it’s the age old case between future versus family.

Crunched Kindness (1/2 Hour Christmas Special): Infiltrating Cortex’s castle, the trio frees a disheveled Crunch Bandicoot and helps him see the beauty of the world.

High School Bandicoot: The Trio are stuck in a video game dating sim where Crash has to win in one go or get deleted forever.

Fishing for Crystals: A fish eats a crystal, a bigger fish eats the little and so on, forcing our heroes to fish differently in the effort to get it back.

Continue?: Crash finds himself alone in a dreary world where it turns out he's dead. He meets a little possum girl and her big bodyguard as they help him uncover a way back to life.

The Trials of Crash Bandicoot: Crash is framed for multiple interdimensional crimes in space court, all of which are Cortex’s doings, and while Coco and Tawna play defense, everyone he’s encounter over the series comes to either his aid or prosecution, and Cortex has something up his sleeve, Crash himself is seemingly out cold during everything.

The Dimmer of Hope: After the events of the previous episode, Cortex has all the crystals and the trio’s banished to the end of the universe. All feels lost, so all that’s left to do is reminisce of the adventures the three got to have.

The Dimensional Dance (Part 1): Cortex and the N Tropys have everything set for multiversal domination but argue over how they want to do things. Meanwhile the trio get back to reality and figure out a way to destroy the crystals.

The Dimensional Dance (Part 2): Crash has absorbed all of the power of the reality machine to make a universe in his own image. Tawna, Coco, the N Tropys, and Cortex are aware and find out that this won’t be stable for much longer and have to save Crash to reverse the effects.

The Never Ending Story (Series Finale): Crash is alone again, not dead, this time in a plane outside all existence and, given the chance to speak for the first time, reflects on his life and everything he got to have to a being he’s familiar with.

#crash bandicoot #coco bandicoot #tawna bandicoot #crunch bandicoot #neo cortex #n. brio #crash bandicoot 4 #crash 4 #video games #cartoons #long post #fake episodes #fanfiction #dumb

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officialinuyasha · 4 years

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Analysis on Sesshoumaru and Rin's relationship

Sesshoumaru and Rin's relationship to almost all in the Japanese fandom as romantic when Rin comes of age for that time period. Not only do those fans see them as what Americans call it a "Canon" couple but they are well aware of poly-amorous relationships widely accepted back in that time and era. Like how Inu no Taishou (Touga-Ou) had two wives. Where Sesshoumaru's mother was well aware of the human wife and was unphased nor appeared to be jealous. Only hinting Sesshoumaru's taste in humans (about Rin) like his father with Izayoi.

Western Culture VS Eastern Culture

Atleast 20% of the American fandom in my group while it was closed (that means members only) voted SessKagura when I ran the poll in 2019. It was 64 votes and Sesshoumaru romantic with adult Rin had 126 votes.

In a Fanpop poll SessRin had 61% and SessKagura had 39%

While I ran the poll again in 2020 as public and shared it across multiple Western fan groups which is less genuine data I had to check each profile to ensure the votes were genuine (haters tend to happen in any given anime coupling) They are able to vote even though they weren't members. This time I specifically labeled it "Romantic" or "Parental". The results within just a few hours were what I had expected. The romantic portion still surpasses the parental choice.

American Fandom VS Japanese Fandom

The American fandom majority is mostly accepting of Rin being with Sesshoumaru of age. However, the fraction that is more towards him being parental is far more than what the Eastern fandom thinks.

Two administrators of a 13,000 plus members group called Sinosphere (Eastern culture) have both spoken to me about the differences in views.

One stated (Esther Xiao) "I have never heard of this issue ever until I joined the American fandom. I've known about the gift that Rin recieves at the end of the series as an act of courting."

The second admin Hiroyuki said the Japanese viewed Sesshoumaru and Rin easily as a couple of when of age. Courting being much differently than Western and the fact of it's time period.

"Contemporary courtship in Japan is more subtle than dating in the United States. The blossoming of a relationship from friendship to marriage can take years. The relationship begins as friendship, with dates taking place only in public places, typically with groups of friends present. Public displays of affection are frowned upon. The next stage is dating only as a couple, which is done discreetly. Women typically withhold displays of extreme affection and proclamations of love until she deems her suitor is sincere. When the relationship enters the stage of magkasintahan, which means the status of boyfriend and girlfriend, the couple typically makes an announcement to friends and family members, with the suitor asking for parental permission to pursue the relationship.

The man typically brings gifts when visiting the family.”

Source: https://datingtips.match.com/courtship-japan-13196896.html

Sesshoumaru stops by to visit Rin and Kaede, often giving her gifts. The kimonos are gifts representing courtship. Kaede’s is Rin’s family

An extra unaired episode was released on an audio CD only in Japan when you pre-ordered the Final Act. Where Sesshoumaru proposes to Rin. It takes place right after the Final Act’s last episode and it’s called “The Day After Tomorrow”

Rin, are you finding life in the village okay?

No one is bullying you, right?

Are you wearing the kimono that I gave you last time?

If you ever find yourself in danger, sad or depressed, no matter when, as long as you call this Sesshomaru, I will instantly run to your side.

Even if we are far from one another, as long as you call my name, I will immediately fly to you. If not shouting, you can whistle loudly or silently.

There is no distance between us, our hearts are tied together. The power of trust will win over any fear. And that affection between us is also what makes our hearts more abundant and enriched.

Therefore, you can just be yourself right now. There is enough time for me to look forward in you finding your feelings for me. Prior to this, take care of yourself……

About the CD - No, it does not have a Satire label on it from what we looked at. It just says Asatte which means Day After Tomorrow. If you want to consider it bloopers that’s up to you. But yes, the producers and animators ship them. It is an officially licensed disc.

"Canon"

To Westerners, Canon was a term invented by the Bible.

"a collection or list of sacred books accepted as genuine" To Westerners nothing else is canon except Manga.

In Japan, including the Dragon Ball Z timeline and continuity - Westerners argue that anything in their perspective that is canon is law and real/what happens. The creator of the series himself, Akira Toriyama never used these terms when it came to GT, in fact anything Westerners argued "Canon". Akira Toriyama would state that it would be apart of a side story.

"If you are able, along with me, to enjoy watching the original Dragon Ball's grand side-story Dragon Ball GT, you will be pleased."

Source: https://www.kanzenshuu.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5411

Still very much considered genuine by the Japanese just in a different continuity.

In Japan, Canon is not a term used. If something happens in an anime series it still happens regardless separate reality or not based on storyline. Unless a creator decides to make something in the future that erases the event from a timeline.

Even when Akira Toriyama was re-desigining Broly to fit into the Super series, here’s what he had to say -

“I went ahead and watched the movies from back then, and I felt this could be quite interesting once I rearrange some things. I got right to work trying my hand at a story that incorporates him into the Dragon Ball Super series.”

Source: https://comicbook.com/anime/2018/07/09/dragon-ball-super-movie-broly-canon-akira-toriyama-anime/

Star Wars Canon arguments...

Here's where American perspective on Canon fails. If a creator sells of the rights for anyone to use their character in an agreement they are allowed to twist the perspective on story reality. Disney bought the rights to Star Wars and the creator has absolutely no say whatsoever. Disney decides what is "Canon" and what isn't. That is why Americanized "Canon" is solely based on perspective.

Let's be real here, if something is officially licensed and approved it is still apart of continuity in one way or another no matter how you slice it.

Westerners and Easterners see the world differently

Source (Thanks Mod Esther for supplying)

https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn7882-westerners-and-easterners-see-the-world-differently/

“There is plenty of anecdotal evidence suggesting that Western and East Asian people have contrasting world-views,” explains Richard Nisbett, who carried out the study. “Americans break things down analytically, focusing on putting objects into categories and working out what rules they should obey,” he says.

By contrast, East Asians have a more holistic philosophy, looking at objects in relation to the whole. “Figuratively, Americans see things in black and white, while East Asians see more shades of grey,” says Nisbett. “We wanted to devise an experiment to see if that translated to a literal difference in what they actually see.”

The researchers tracked the eye-movements of two groups of students while they looked at photographs. One group contained American-born graduates of European descent and the other was comprised of Chinese-born graduate students who came to the US after their undergraduate degrees

Each picture showed a striking central image placed in a realistic background, such as a tiger in a jungle. They found that the American students spent longer looking at the central object, while the Chinese students’ eyes tended to dart around, taking in the context"

By rules that some Westerners are raised to follow when it comes to Sesshoumaru and Rin: If you save someone at a young age they are automatically considered your child regardless by blood. Rin was only with Sesshoumaru for one year and with Kaede for three years.

They are also not thinking of the Japanese culture or time period.

Nisbett hopes that his work will change the way the cultures view each other. “Understanding that there is a real difference in the way people think should form the basis of respect.”

Respecting the time period and Japan's culture. Kagome teaches us that in the series.

In the series Miroku proposes to many young girls even Koharu when she was age 11 in Chapter 147 and Episode 41. But she comes back as a 14 year old.

At first Sango and Kagome were mad thinking Miroku was perverted with her when she was 11. But he tells them that nothing happened between them. They believed him. Sango was also furiously jealous of Koharu!

Kagome states "Things were way different back then.” Stating her respect for the time period and culture.

Ayame was the same age as Rin when Kouga proposed to her when she was 8 years old. She grew up, and they got married.

InuYasha is 200 and Kagome was 15. She became 18 then they married.

Rumiko Takahashi’s Fire Tripper - There’s time traveling back in forth from Feudal Japan to Modern Era. The boy Shu was brought in with her family and the girl was sent back in time with him where he thinks that’s his little sister. Then as she’s older she’s back in time once more, he wants to make her his wife then realizes she must be his little sister. But she says they aren’t because they are not related by blood. They get married. Pretty much an the same type of pairing.

Age of consent in Japan.

As you know Rin is 8 years old when she is first introduced into the series. 3 years go by and she is 11. Had been living with Kaede for 3 years since Naraku had been defeated. InuYasha states that it's up to her to decide on "what she wants" in the final chapter.

In the proposal Sesshoumaru states that there is enough time for her to decide.

Age of consent in Japan is 13

https://www.ageofconsent.net/world/japan

Back then once you hit puberty that was your adulthood. The world was a much more dangerous place and you had to mature, fast.

The audio episode is officially licensed and produced by the same staff that made the anime but that isn't the only supporting evidence we have that it's accepted by not only the creator and producers.

We actually have the official Adult Rin design.

The character designer and animator for the InuYasha series posted these official artworks of Adult Rin and Sesshoumaru

Rumiko Takahashi wrote strict rules to the animators to follow for each character on what you can/cannot do with them. One of them being, Kagome's skirt must always be covering her underwear.

When you work for a company and produce things you must represent the characters properly so you are not sued. There are rules Rumiko Takahashi gave the animators to properly represent her characters.

To the Japanese, and many Easterners. Sesshoumaru and Rin, InuYasha and Kagome, Ayame and Kouga maturing together - Falling in love with eachother is not an issue.

To a fraction of Westerners it’s led to hate and dis-respect to the time period and Japanese culture. However, even if you don’t like it - Shouldn’t mean you should disrespect one another over it.

Just to answer any questions. Yes I like Kagura and Sesshoumaru, or Adult Rin and Sesshoumaru, Kohaku and Rin. But I can care less who he or she ends up with. I don't even care if they really did end up being father and daughter figure. But from how I see it right now from what we have Kaede adopted Rin. If that's different I'm absolutely accepting of it. I also did tons of research, polls, and asked real Eastern Sinosphere members about how they feel and think about it!

All we know right now for fact that the production team like them as a couple and the kids are half demon.

What do I not condone is the name calling and the people who go out of their way to attack others. I think it's absolutely wrong to hate on eachother over a series we should all be family about. I don't go out of my way to search people's blogs to attack them. There are ships I don't like but I never go and attack them for it. Why would I take away from THEIR happiness?

I hope that clears anything up. Thank you for reading!

#inuyasha #sessrin #sesshomaru #sesshoumaru #rin #inukag #kouga #anime #manga #japan #japanese #rumiko takahashi

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ilovesamheughan · 4 years

Text

Herself is fun like no other! 😂

Diana Gabaldon's Foreword to Clanlands Reveals Behind-the-Scenes Stories from the Outlander Set

Here's your first look at the introduction to Sam Heughan and Graham McTavish's new book.

BY DIANA GABALDON

NOV 3, 2020

outlander season 2 2016ED MILLER / STARZ

Well, in The Beginning . . . there was a man in a kilt.

I’ve always figured that if there’s something you want to do, you should start doing it, and if it’s the right thing, the universe kind of comes out to meet you. So, I started writing a novel about a man in a kilt, and the universe brought me a television show.

I’ve been indirectly responsible for a lot of strange things since I wrote Outlander – from:

. . . five seasons (so far) of a hit TV series

. . . the names of dozens of purebred dogs, racehorses and housing developments

. . . thousands of babies named Brianna or Jamie (no one has ever, to my knowledge, named a child ‘Murtagh’, which is puzzling . . .)

. . . Lord John Grey’s Tea

. . . symphonic band compositions

. . . a musical

. . . a Scottish woolen mill specialising in tartan

. . . a marvelous pair of cookbooks

. . . three million knitted cowls

. . . dozens of female fans who lower their trousers at book signings to show me ‘Da mi basia mille’ tattooed on their tailbones (as my husband remarked to me, ‘Well, how many people can say,“Kiss my ass” in classical Latin?’)

. . . a 72% increase in Scottish tourism (as Visit Scotland was kind enough to tell me), and

. . . an excellent whisky called ‘Sassenach’

But this book may be one of the strangest, and definitely one of the best!

I’m deeply honoured that Sam and Graham have asked me to write the foreword to one of the most interesting, unusual (to put it mildly . . .) and hilarious books I’ve read in a long time. I’m not quite sure what you’d call it, but then I’m used to not being able to describe my own books in twenty-five words or less, so this is probably not a problem.

To start with, it’s a buddy book. Two good friends banter (and bicker) their way across the Scottish Highlands, risking life and limb in that casual way that makes men attractive. Why? Well, because they’re both Scottish and they have both been a large part of Outlander (not just the television show, but the whole weird phenomenon), have realised that they are Scottish (wearing a kilt every day for two years will do that to you), and want to find out where their heritage came from and what being Scottish actually means (aside from being born liking whisky)

It’s also a road book. (Think Jack Kerouac, but with fewer drugs, more paragraphs and no sex. Well, almost no sex . . .).

Our two friends are in fact making a television series about several historical locations in the Highlands. Accompanied by a small film crew – including a talented makeup artist and a drone operator – they visit spectacular historical locations in the Scottish Highlands to learn the true history of some of the best-known massacres, fights, betrayals, beheadings, and other typically Scottish recreational activities. This is the story of that journey, accomplished via an aged Fiat camper van, tandem bike, kayak and any number of other improbable modes of transport that only make sense to people suffering from testosterone poisoning.

And on their way, they talk. Not only to each other, but to themselves. In some of its phases, the book is a twin memoir. Each man recalls his life as an actor – in bits – because every actor (like every writer) pretty much makes it up as they go along. Which means a lot of the stories are of the kind that are only funny to the protagonists with twenty years’ perspective, but are endlessly entertaining to the spectators.

These reminiscences include a good many stories from the Outlander set, as well. I’m only on set myself intermittently, but I do recall the day in Season Two when Sam’s horse – which he was preparing to mount – decided to take its mother’s advice and relieve itself before setting out (there’s reason why most costumes are made in multiples). And another occasion during Season Two wherein Graham was required to ride a mechanical horse (as the director said to me, ‘It looks like shit, but you won’t be able to actually see it on film’)

The mechanical horse was carried on the back of a truck, followed by another truck with a camera, and Graham was supposed to leap into the mechanical horse’s saddle while moving (supposedly jump-ing from another horse). This being television, they filmed the scene many, many times to ensure enough footage to get the effect they were after. When they finally stopped, Graham staggered downhill from the road where they’d been doing this, pausing by me and Anne Kenney (brilliant writer of the other episode in that block of filming) to say, ‘I’ve just been having a conversation with my balls. They said, “We’d really rather you didn’t do that again”’. And staggered on, muttering, ‘I knew I should have worn a cup this morning . . .’.

And finally, there’s the actual history of the ‘clan lands’, woven through this tale of a journey. The travelers reach the most interesting/famous/relevant Highland locations, where they do learn what their history and heritage are, assisted by some of the most colorful inhabitants of those places.

So, you’re actually getting four books in one! (A real bargain . . .).

But the most important part of this book is the friendship between its authors, that colours and illuminates every page.

I was both intrigued and immensely entertained by the story, but also touched on a personal level. One of the most unexpected aspects of the whole ‘Outlander phenomenon’ is the amazing way in which it seems to draw people together. People read the books and watch the show – and they want to talk about it. So, they form fan groups and book clubs and Facebook forums, and deep, lasting friendships, all because of a shared love of a story.

I will always recall one woman who brought me a book at a signing, who told me that she lived alone, had been alone for many years, seldom got out and had no family – but that she’d become attracted to the story, found others who felt likewise, and who invited her to go with them to book-signings, premieres and conventions. ‘Now I have friends!’, she said. She cried, and so did I.

I hope you’ll feel that sense of friendship in these pages.

A final word, since this book is all about returning to one’s roots: Some years ago, one of my novels won the Corine International Prize for Fiction, and I was invited to go to Germany to accept the award. This was rather a Big Deal for the German publisher, and they took advantage of my presence to have me interviewed by the entire German press corps; newspapers, magazines, radio, television, literary journals, you name it. By the end of the week I was sleep deprived and a bit glazed over when I met a nice gentleman from one of the literary journals.

Delightful man, he went on at great (and flattering) length about the books. He loved my narrative drive, my characters were tremendous, my imagery transcendent!

So I’m sitting there in a pleasant daze, thinking, ‘Yes, yes, go on . . .’, when he suddenly said, ‘There is just one thing I wonder: can you explain to me, what is the appeal of a man in a kilt?’.

Well, had I been totally conscious, I might not have said it (then again . . .). Anyway, I looked at him for a moment and said, ‘Well . . .I suppose it’s the idea that you could be up against a wall with him in a moment.’

<ahem>

A few weeks later, home again in Arizona, I get a packet of interview clippings from the German publisher, and on the top is the interview from that journal. The publisher had attached a Post-it note, saying, ‘I don’t know what you said to this man, but I think he is in love with you!’.

A man in a kilt. A very powerful and compelling image, yes . . . And now you have two of them . . .

Pour yourself a good dram, open the covers and enjoy yourself!

Slàinte mhath!

Diana Gabaldon

Scottsdale, Arizona

August, 2020

#sam heughan #clanlands book #diana gabaldon #grahammctavish

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pit-and-the-pen · 4 years

Text

Sun

For the first story in the Space:Atlas inspired series. I felt like I couldn’t not do Draco for Sun just because of the obvious thing of how bright white his hair is, but after I listened to this song this idea popped into my head and I’m a sucker for soft Draco.

Sun: “With golden string, the universe was bathed in light. Our once barren world brought to life. We may fall in love any time we open up our eyes. I guess space and time takes angry things, violent things and makes them kind.

Draco Malfoy

Requested: Nope.

Word Count:2100

Taglist: (This is my first time doing this, feel free to let me know if you wanted to be un/added) @thoseofgreatambition @misguidedmalfoy @ickle-ronniekins

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You never really saw yourself getting close to Draco at all. He’s hard to get to know and has a strong tendency to push anyone that might want to help him away. It wasn’t easy to get close to him. And I faced a decent amount of shit because of it

“Y/n, him and his whole family are evil.”

“Why are you becoming friends with death eaters?”

That's all you heard once people started seeing you two anywhere near each other and it really grated on your nerves. It’s not his fault what family he was born into. It was either this or get killed, you didn’t blame him for the things he couldn’t control.

That was around your third year and over the years you two just naturally slipped into something more than friends. It was comfortable and easy to be around him. Little by little you started chipping away at the cold exterior he constantly showed and found a boy that more than anything wanted to be something more. More than a Malfoy, more than a death eater. Just more.

So when he started pushing you away your sixth year, you got concerned. He started avoiding you in the hallways, ignoring you when you would call his name. Would literally turn around if he saw you in the hallway.

Finally after what felt like weeks you caught him in the hallway. You didn’t miss the way he flinched when you grabbed his arm.

“Are you going to tell me what the hell is going on with you?”

You were met with only silence.

‘If there's someone else, just tell me please. I can’t keep running after you. I.. I just can't Draco.”

Again nothing. He finally met your eyes and it cut you down to the core. The amount of hurt and fear that was in them made you want nothing more than to take him in your arms and never let go. So you did just that. He was stiff at first. Trying to fight any feeling.

After a few seconds though, he just melted. He held onto you like you were a life preserver. He started to shake and you knew he was crying.

“I’m so sorry y/n” He croaked out.

You pulled back just enough to see his face and to say he was wrecked would be an understatement.

“You deserve someone so much better than me. You always have to worry about what’s going on with me.”

With that you grab the sides of his face. At first he won't meet your eyes but eventually that’s all he can look at.

“Draco. You are everything I want…”

He cut you off.

“No. Just stop. I can’t do this anymore. I can’t risk you being in danger because of what I am, what my family is.”

With his words, you can feel your heart breaking. Every breath seems to be getting harder.

“I know you care about me. But I can’t stand the thought of something happening to you just to get back at me.” At this point you were holding back tears, a few brimming in your eyes. You try to choke them back

“Please. I can help..”

“No.” he interrupts you again. “I’m in this for life. If I am damned to do this. I’m not dragging you into this with me.” He takes a steadying breath. “I can’t see you anymore. I can’t keep holding you back.” He grabbed my hands and pulled them off of his face. You let them drop to your sides. You didn’t even put up a fight. Too shocked at what this had turned into. “I don’t think I’ll ever stop loving you. But I can’t afford to love anything. It’s just something else they can hold over my head.” He leans down and kisses my forehead and turns to walk away.

Your hand acts on its own as it grabs at his left sleeve. “Don’t push me away. Please Draco.”

He shakes his arm out of your grasp and you can't help the tears that spill over. The world seems to have started spinning backwards. Somehow you manage to not collapse into a ball and sob like you wanted more than to do.

You were suddenly violently angry. If everyone would have just minded their own damn business Draco would never have gotten it into his head that he didn’t deserve you. As if someone has to be deserving of love, like it’s not something everyone deserves. Between the friends that always begged you to get rid of him and the boys that shamelessly hit on you while he was standing right at your side. Fuck this. You think to yourself as you stomp off to the Great Hall.

Once you walk in you storm up to the Ravenclaw table and slam your books down right in front of your friends. They all flinch, looking up at you like you’ve gone crazy.

“What the blo…” One of your friends started.

“Well you guys got what you wanted finally!” You all but scream interrupting them. More tears started to spill out of your eyes, you quickly wiped them away. “Draco just broke up with me. All because you lot just couldn’t accept that I was happy.” The whole hall starts to slowly quiet down to listen to the spectacle that was happening.

“You somehow made someone feel that love was too good for them! Are you bloody happy now? You guys won. Merlin.” Something in you breaks and you can’t help the sobs that suddenly start to wreck your body. The friend closest to you reaches her hand out to place over the one that was still resting on the table. You quickly jerk it away from her.

“Don’t touch me. You all make me sick.”

You picked up your boks again and all but ran out of the hall.

After that day, things just seemed to get worse. Draco was your distraction for the heavy air that had been hanging around the castle lately. Everyone was just holding their breath waiting for something to happen, no one knew what but even Hogwarts couldn’t escape what was happening.

A few times in the halls you had run into Draco, he would hold your glance for a second or two but he never acknowledged you. That honestly hurt more than anything, it’s like you suddenly didn’t exist. Years of trying to get to know him had been for nothing. Hogwarts had never felt lonelier. After that day in the hall, you still were barely even talking to your “friends”. Nothing more than little grunts or nods.

Weeks went by until the snap everyone had been waiting for. It seemed to echo through the halls, students finding out almost the second it happened. Dumbledore dead. Death eaters in the castle. Everyone seemed to be making their way out to the grounds while you only had one thing on your mind. Finding Draco.

You follow the crowd out of the castle, having no intention of seeing your now dead headmaster. Mourning would have to wait, right now you needed to see Draco, just to know he was okay. Somehow you manage to slip past the large crowd and can hear people laughing and cheering just a little further ahead.

That's when you see it, his hair always makes him stick out like a sore thumb. It’s like you’ve been trained to just hone in it. He seems to be by himself. At least separate from the group ahead.

“Draco!” Something possessed you to yell and he turned around. A small part of you is just relieved to see that he actually can still hear you. He goes white as a sheet when he realizes it's you. He spares a quick glance over his shoulder before he runs over to catch up to you.

Having him in front of you, you can’t help it. You throw your arms around him and suddenly feel tears burning in your eyes.

“Are you mental? What are you doing out here?” He scream-whispers to you.

“I just had to make sure you were okay. I had to see you one more time.” You say as you let him go.

He just stares at you like you’re crazy. Maybe you are. Right now you don’t care, you just care that he’s in front of you. Talking to you. Right now you feel happier than you have in months.

“You have to get back to the castle.” He barks at you

You open your mouth to argue but he stops you

“This isn’t a game anymore y/n. Just once listen to me, please. Get out of here, go back to the castle.” Never in all of your time knowing Draco have you heard that level of desperation in his voice.

You can only find the strength to nod. He visibly relaxes at this.

Right before you’re about to turn to run back, he grabs your arm and pulls you tight against him. His lips finding yours with an urgency that knocks the wind out of you. Your teeth clash together and his hand laces into your hair. It’s rough and perfect. But just as soon as it started, it’s over and he’s pulling away and pushing you, gently, off of him.

“Now I can let you leave.” He mutters.

“I love you.” You gasp out as someone calls him from the group ahead.

“I love you too. Now please. Get out of here now.” He pleads at you one more time. You nod one last time and turn to head back to the castle. You risk one last glance back at him and find him staring after you. Someone calls his name one more time and he turns and heads off towards whoever called him.

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He never had felt so helpless in all of his life. There was no way to stop the flash of green light as it barrels towards her. Every nerve in his body feels like it was being set on fire. The fear doesn’t even have time to register on her face as it hits her square in the chest and she collapses to the ground. Just like that. The little spark of light in his life is gone.

His feet work on their own as he runs out of the safety of his mother's arms towards the girl he loved with every ounce of his being.

He knows it’s no use but he can’t help screaming her name as he shakes her shoulders. Hoping that this is just the worst prank she has ever pulled on him. That it miraculously missed her. But as he stares into her blank eyes, he knows she’s really gone. A sob gets caught in his throat and he raises his wand. If she was gone, then there was nothing holding him back. If she was gone, he was going to take everyone else down with him. Aiming his wand at whoever dared to take her from him

He woke with a yelp. The bedroom was pitch black. His arms instantly wrapping around the girl sleeping next to him. She stirs awake

“Draco?” Y/n whispers. Her hands wrapping around his arms. He tries to slow his breathing. She’s here, she’s safe right next to him.

“What’s wrong?” She’s turning on the lamp next to their bed.

“Nothing. Just a bad dream. That’s all.” He’s trying to keep the smile off of his face when she turns to face him.

“What did I ever do to deserve you?” He nuzzles into her neck and her giggle instantly relaxes all of his tense muscles from the awful dream.

“You exist. That’s enough. That’s always been enough Draco.” She somehow manages to get out between giggles. Suddenly she’s on her back underneath him. Smiling up at him like he’s some prize. Even after all of these years it’s still hard to believe someone like her, someone as sweet and good as her could ever want someone that’s had to do so much bad. He really is one of the luckiest people in the world to have her. He makes sure to tell her that every time he gets a chance. Y/n always just waves him down. “We aren’t our parents' shortcomings, love. You’re allowed to be happy even. You were just as much a scared kid as the rest of us. Just got dealt a bad hand.” She would always respond, a serious look on her face.

Maybe someday he would be able to believe it, but until then, things were perfect the way they were.

Her pulling him down to her lips snaps him out of his thoughts. Yeah. Things were perfect for once in his life.

#draco malfoy #id say im sorry but im not #space: atlas seires #harry potter #character death kinda???#angst #draco malfoy deserves better #draco x y/n #im using the term series very loosely because they're all different

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