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in the past two decades , nonequilibrium work relations @xcite , including the jarzynski equality @xcite and the crooks fluctuation theorem @xcite have attracted a lot of attention .
these two nonequilibrium work theorems together with other exact relations concerning entropy production in arbitrary far - from - equilibrium processes , collectively known as fluctuation theorems @xcite , have shed new light on our understanding of nonequilibrium thermodynamics beyond the close - to - equilibrium regime .
the validity of the classical version of these relations has been tested experimentally in various systems @xcite . in recent years
, the quantum version @xcite of these relations has also been proposed and studied extensively @xcite . in the quantum regime ,
the so - called two - time energy measurement approach has proven to be effective . within this approach quantum work performed by a thermally isolated system
is determined by two projective energy measurements . on the other hand ,
the analysis of the characteristic function , i.e. , the fourier transform of the work density @xcite , has opened new , alternative avenues to experimentally test quantum work theorems @xcite .
previous studies of quantum work relations have been mostly focused on single - particle quantum systems , such as , dragged harmonic oscillators @xcite , parametric harmonic oscillators @xcite , a single particle in a time - dependent piston @xcite , two - level systems @xcite , and the parametric morse oscillator @xcite .
however , the interplay of quantum work and quantum statistical properties , e.g. , the fermi - dirac statistics or the bose - einstein statistics have not been fully explored yet ( but see refs .
interference @xcite of identical particles will undoubtedly influence the thermodynamic properties of many - particle systems .
the difference between the bose - einstein distribution and the fermi - dirac distribution for identical particles in single - particle eigenstates can be interpreted as a manifestation of the
static " effect of the interference .
furthermore , in nonequilibrium processes , the transition probabilities between many - particle eigenstates for bosons and fermions exhibit interference , as well .
this effect can be regarded as the dynamic " effect of interference , which profoundly influences the work distribution in nonequilibrium processes . in this article , we extend our previous studies @xcite to multi - particle systems .
we will show that for noninteracting particles , the transition amplitudes between many - particle eigenstates can be constructed from the transition amplitudes between single - particle eigenstates . from these
we obtain the work distribution for arbitrary far - from - equilibrium processes . in practice , however , we will see that for fermions the work distribution function is relatively easy to compute , whereas for bosons , the work distribution function is mathematically more involved .
our findings will be illustrated by two exactly solvable examples identical particles confined by a quantum piston and by a harmonic potential .
for these model systems we will highlight the significant difference between bosons and fermions at low temperatures . on the other hand , in the limit of high temperatures and slow driving we will rediscover the work distribution function for classical particles @xcite .
only recently , a correspondence principle " for work distributions @xcite has been proposed , which indicates that the quantum distribution converges towards the classical distribution in the semiclassical limit @xmath0 .
motivated by this result we demonstrate analogously that in the high temperature limit @xmath1 , the work distribution functions for both bosons and fermions converge towards that of classical distinguishable particles , which has been previously seen in the single particle case @xcite .
in other words , we demonstrate that in the limit of high temperature , @xmath1 , the quantum work distribution obeys a correspondence principle " in the quantum statistical sense independent of the nature of the particles ( in contrast to the correspondence principle " in the quantum mechanical sense , where @xmath0 is required ) .
finally , we emphasize that we restrict ourselves to noninteracting , spinless identical particles and the nonrelativistic regime .
in particular , the particle number is conserved which corresponds to a canonical ensemble .
similar systems have also been studied by nakamura and his collaborators in refs .
@xcite , but for grandcanonical ensembles , and their focus has been on averaged quantities rather than on fluctuations . the paper is organized as follows : in sec . [
sec : work ] , we construct the work distribution for multi - particle systems undergoing nonequilibrium processes .
our findings are illustrated with a 1d box system and a 1d harmonic oscillator , and we numerically compute the work distribution . section [ sec : conv ] is dedicated to the convergence of the quantum work distribution for noninteracting bosons and fermions in the limit of high temperature .
finally , sec .
[ sec : con ] concludes the discussion with remarks on various properties of the work distribution .
in the study of quantum processes operating far from thermal equilibrium one of the key quantities is the work distribution . to the best of our knowledge ,
previous analyses of multi - particle systems have been restricted to quasistatic processes @xcite , classical distinguishable particles @xcite , compression of an infinitely large piston @xcite , or sudden quenches of spin chains @xcite .
in particular , analytical results for the work distribution are only known for classical particles @xcite , whereas the effect of quantum interference is yet to be explored . in the following
we will explicitly construct the quantum work distribution , @xmath2 , for systems of many noninteracting particles ( identical or distinguishable ) , while special focus will be put on the effect of interference on @xmath2 .
to this end , we have to evaluate the transition probabilities between many - particle eigenstates @xcite , first . in a second step
we will illustrate our findings numerically for two simple model systems , namely a 1d piston system and a 1d harmonic oscillator . consider a system of
@xmath3 noninteracting identical particles ( either bosons or fermions ) in a 1d potential .
let us denote the multi - particle eigenstates at the initial and the final instants of a process by @xmath4 and @xmath5 . here
@xmath6 and @xmath7 denote the initial and the final value of a _ work parameter _ with @xmath8 and @xmath9 ; @xmath10 ( @xmath11 ) is the quantum number of the single - particle state and @xmath12 ( @xmath13 ) is the occupation number of the particles in the @xmath14th ( @xmath15th ) eigenstate .
commonly @xcite , the system under study is initially prepared in a thermal state at inverse temperature @xmath16 , which corresponds here to a canonical ensemble .
then the initial probability to find the system in state @xmath17 is given by @xmath18 } , \label{probability}\ ] ] where the partition function @xmath19 reads @xmath20 } .\ ] ] here we observe the first effect of the quantum statistics .
for fermions we have @xmath21 , @xmath22 , due to the pauli exclusion principle , whereas for bosons @xmath12 can be an arbitrary positive integer with @xmath23 .
the total number of particles , however , is conserved in either case , and we have @xmath24 . finally , @xmath25 denotes the @xmath14th initial eigenenergy .
after the preparation of the system a projective energy measurement is performed .
then , the external control parameter @xmath26 is varied according to some protocol with @xmath27 and @xmath28 , and the total system evolves under unitary dynamics . at @xmath29 a second projective energy measurement is performed , which induces the system to `` collapse '' into a final multi - particle eigenstate @xmath30 @xcite .
the work performed during one realization of this protocol is given by @xmath31 and we denote by @xmath32 the transition probabilities between many particle eigenstates .
thus , the work distribution , @xmath33{\right\rangle}\ ] ] can be written as @xcite @xmath34 . \end{split } \label{workdistribution}\ ] ] the latter expression clearly indicates that to calculate the quantum work distribution expressions for the transition probabilities are necessary .
luckily this quantity has been studied extensively in recent years @xcite , and we will here briefly review how to construct the transition probabilities for distinguishable particles , @xmath35 ( @xmath10 and @xmath36 denote the quantum number of the initial and the final states of the @xmath37th particle , respectively ) , as well as for bosons and for fermions , @xmath38 , @xcite .
if the transition amplitude between single particle eigenstates can be expressed as @xmath39 , where @xmath40 is the unitary evolution operator corresponding to the schrdinger equation @xmath41 , the transition probabilities between multi - particle eigenstates can be written as @xcite @xmath42 where the matrix element @xmath39 occupies a block of size @xmath43 . due to the conservation of the particle number we have as before , @xmath44 .
furthermore , @xmath45 and @xmath46 in eq .
( [ transitonprobability ] ) correspond to fermions and bosons , respectively . for fermions
the transition amplitude is equal to the determinant of the matrix ( [ transitonprobability ] ) , whereas for bosons , the transition amplitude is given by the permanent @xcite . generally , to compute the transition probabilities merely the transition amplitudes between single particle eigenstates @xmath39 are necessary .
however , we will see shortly that , in practice , the calculation of the permanent , the case of bosons , is much more involved than the calculation of the determinant , for fermions .
we now can proceed to compute the quantum work distribution for specific many - particle systems . for the sake of simplicity
we will continue our discussion for two analytically solvable examples . for single - particle systems
analogous studies include the 1d piston system with a moving wall @xcite and the 1d harmonic oscillator with a time - dependent angular frequency @xcite .
the paradigm system in statistical mechanics is undoubtedly the classical ideal gas confined by a piston .
quantum particles in an infinite square well can be considered a quantum analog .
the dynamics of a single particle in this `` quantum piston '' has been studied extensively in various contexts , see for instance refs .
@xcite and references therein . when the piston is pulled or compressed at a constant velocity , analytical solutions to the transition amplitudes between the initial and the final energy eigenstates @xmath47 can be obtained analytically @xcite .
specifically , for a quantum piston expanding at a constant velocity @xmath48 from an initial length @xmath8 , @xmath49 , a set of independent solutions to the time - dependent schrdinger equation can be written as @xcite @xmath50 \phi_{j}(x,\lambda(t)),\ ] ] where @xmath51 and @xmath52 is the mass of the particle , @xmath53 is the @xmath54th eigenenergy and @xmath55 is the @xmath54th energy eigenstate of a particle in an infinite square potential @xmath56 a general solution of the time - dependent schrdinger equation takes the form @xmath57 where the time - independent coefficients @xmath58 are set by the initial wave function @xmath59 for initial conditions @xmath60 these coefficients are ( setting @xmath61 and @xmath62 ) @xmath63 and the time evolution matrix elements to the state @xmath64 at the final instant @xmath29 become @xmath65 substituting the transition amplitude ( [ amplitude ] ) into eq .
( [ transitonprobability ] ) we obtain the transition probabilities between the multi - particle eigenstates in the piston .
we plot numerical results of the work distribution for the case of two or three identical particles in figs .
[ fig : piston_2_slow]-[fig : piston_3_fast ] . for the sake of clarity we plot the cumulative distributions , @xmath66 rather than the quantum work distributions @xmath2
. in all figures
we compare the results for distinguishable ( boltzmann ) particles ( red lines ) with those for fermions ( black lines ) and for bosons ( blue lines ) .
we start with the case of slow expansion in fig .
[ fig : piston_2_slow ] with @xmath67 .
we observe that in the limit of low temperature the work distributions for bosons and for distinguishable particles are identical .
this can be understood by noting that ( i ) at @xmath68 both bosons and distinguishable particles occupy only the single - particle ground state , and ( ii ) at @xmath68 the transition probabilities between many - particle states for bosons and for distinguishable particles are identical ( all the transition probabilities for distinguishable particles , which correspond to the same state for bosons , should be summed up ) .
we also observe that in the limit of low temperature , the work distributions for bosons and for fermions differ significantly due to the static interference of identical particles . at intermediate temperatures , e.g. , from @xmath69 to @xmath70 ,
the work distribution function for distinguishable particles locates between that for bosons and that for fermions .
in contrast to distinguishable particles , there is an effective attractive " interaction among bosons , while there is an effective repelling " interaction among fermions . as a result ,
fermions perform more work than distinguishable particles on the piston during an expanding process , while bosons perform less . by further increasing the initial temperature , the cumulative work distribution functions become smoother and smoother , and the work distribution functions for bosons and for fermions show a tendency of convergence . in the limit of high temperature ( e.g. , in fig . [ fig : piston_2_slow ] @xmath71 can already be regarded as the limit of high temperature ) , the work distribution functions for the three kinds of particles collapse onto the same curve . in figs . [
fig : piston_2_intermediate ] and [ fig : piston_2_fast ] all parameters are the same as those in fig .
[ fig : piston_2_slow ] except that the speed of the expansion of the piston is higher .
we observe that the faster the speed of the expansion the faster , i.e. , at lower temperature , the convergence of the work distribution functions for the three kinds of particles .
notice that the convergence depends on both the work protocol and the initial temperature , and that the convergence is generally not uniform . in fig .
[ fig : piston_2_fast ] ( fast protocol ) for the typical " values of work , the convergence is faster than that for the work values in the tails of the distribution .
however , in fig .
[ fig : piston_2_intermediate ] ( intermediate protocol ) this is not the case . in fig .
[ fig : piston_2_intermediate ] we can see that for the `` typical '' values of work , the convergence is slower . in fig .
[ fig : piston_2_slow ] ( slow protocol ) the convergence is approximately uniform . in figs .
[ fig : piston_3_slow]-[fig : piston_3_fast ] we plot the cumulative work distribution for the case of three identical particles at low temperatures .
the difference of the work distribution functions between bosons and fermions for three particles are more prominent than those for two particles .
it can be inferred that , with the increase of the particle number , the distinguishability of the work distributions of bosons and fermions at low temperature will becomes even more significant .
this can be understood by considering that , at low temperature , the system will stay in a state close to the many - particle ground state . for bosons and fermions
the ground states are a bose condensate and a fermi sea , respectively . by further increasing the particle number ,
the complexity of the calculation of the transition probabilities between many - particle eigenstates increases exponentially with the particle number .
also , with increase of the temperature , the number of eigenstates , which will be visited during the work process , increases dramatically . therefore , we restricted ourselves to two and three particles and to rather low temperatures .
however , from the work distribution functions for three particles at @xmath72 , @xmath69 and @xmath70 ( see figs .
[ fig : piston_3_slow]-[fig : piston_3_fast ] ) , one already observes the tendency to converge by raising the temperature . as a second case study of pedagogical value we analyze the 1d harmonic oscillator . specifically , we consider the hamiltonian @xmath73 where @xmath62 is again the single particle mass and we identify the work parameter with the angular frequency , @xmath74 .
this system can be solved analytically , see for instance @xcite , and has been developed as the prototypical example in quantum thermodynamics @xcite .
it has been shown that the single - particle time evolution operator can be written in position space as , @xmath75 where @xmath76 and @xmath77 are solutions of the classical , force free equation of motion , @xmath78 with @xmath79 , @xmath80 and @xmath81 , @xmath82 . from the latter
the single - particle propagator can be obtained in energy representation by evaluating @xmath83 where @xmath84 , ( @xmath85 ) are the instantaneous eigenstates of the time - dependent hamiltonian @xmath86 .
the result is a rather lengthy expression @xcite , which we summarize in appendix [ sec : appd ] . in figs .
[ fig : harm_2_slow]-[fig : harm_3_fast ] we plot the cumulative work distribution for the linear quench , @xmath87 generally , the same features as those in the case of the 1d piston system can be observed : in the limit of low temperature , the work distribution functions for bosons and for fermions differ significantly , while for high temperatures the three distributions converge . also , one may notice that in the 1d piston system the cumulative work has contributions in both negative and positive values ( see e.g. figs .
[ fig : piston_2_intermediate]-[fig : piston_2_fast ] ) . the negative ( positive )
value of work corresponds to the trajectory " of jumping from a higher ( lower ) energy state to a lower ( higher ) energy state . in the harmonic oscillator
, we also see that the cumulative work has a tiny tail for the negative values ( see third line of fig .
[ fig : harm_2_fast ] ) , but it is much less prominent than those in the piston system .
this is due to the present choice of the quench protocol ( see also fig . 3 of ref .
. one can expect that if we properly choose the initial temperature and the quench speed , that the tail for negative value will become more prominent ( see figs
. 1 - 2 of ref .
@xcite ) .
an interesting feature to note is that the interference seems to play much less of a role for the harmonic oscillator than for the piston . in particular
, the work distributions for bosons , fermion , and distinguishable particles start converging at much lower temperatures .
this can be understood by noticing that the energy levels of the harmonic oscillator are much denser than the ones of the square well potential .
thus , interference effects are `` smeared out '' already at finite but low temperatures .
at low temperatures the thermal distributions for bosons and for fermions significantly differ .
this is due to `` static interference '' expressed by the fact that the many - particle eigenstates can be expressed in terms of a determinant ( for fermions ) and a permanent ( for bosons ) in the second quantization formalism @xcite .
note that the pauli exclusion principle states that two identical fermions can not occupy the same single - particle state , while for bosons there is no such a constraint . at high temperatures , however ,
the thermal states for bosons and for fermions become indistinguishable , which can be interpreted as a consequence of the static correspondence principle " in quantum statistical sense for @xmath1 . as we discussed in sec .
[ sec : work ] the transition probabilities between many - particle eigenstates for bosons and for fermions ( [ transitonprobability ] ) can also be expressed in terms of determinants ( for fermions ) and permanents ( for bosons ) @xcite .
this effect can be interpreted as a `` dynamic effect '' of interference , which is independent of the initial temperature .
it is thus neither obvious nor ad hoc clear whether the work distribution functions for many bosons will converge towards that of many fermions at high temperatures . in the previous section
, we discussed the numerical results for the quantum work distribution in two simple model systems .
our numerical results strongly suggest that at high temperatures the work distribution functions for both bosons and fermions do converge to that of distinguishable particles . in the following ,
we propose semi - heuristic arguments to show that this numerical evidence holds true for arbitrary potentials . to this end
, we will make use of the representation of the work distribution in terms of its characteristic function @xcite .
the characteristic function of the work distribution for a many - boson system @xmath88 and a many - fermion system @xmath89 can be expressed as @xcite @xmath90 where @xmath91 is the initial thermal equilibrium distribution with the partition function @xmath92 furthermore , @xmath93 describes the hilbert space of the many - boson / fermion system with the work parameter equal to @xmath6 ; @xmath94 describes the hamiltonian of the many - particle system in heisenberg picture with the work parameter equal to @xmath7 and @xmath95 is the hamiltonian of the many - particle system in schrdinger picture with the work parameter equal to @xmath6 . after a straightforward calculation
the characteristic function of the work distribution for a system consisting of many bosons or many fermions can be expressed as the characteristic functions of a single particle system ( see appendix [ sec : appa ] ) @xcite @xmath96^{k}\right\}}\right]^{\nu_{k } } } { \sum_{(1^{\nu_{1}},2^{\nu_{2}},\cdots , n^{\nu_{n } } ) } \frac{n!}{1^{\nu_{1}}2^{\nu_{2}}\cdots n^{\nu_{n}}\nu_{1 } ! \nu_{2 }
! \cdots \nu_{n } ! } \prod_{k=1}^{n}\left [ \pm { \mathrm{tr_{\mathcal{h}_{s}^{\lambda_{0}}}}\left\{{\exp{\left(-k\beta h_{s}^{\lambda_{0}}\right)}}\right\ } } \right]^{\nu_{k } } } , \label{derivation}\ ] ] here @xmath97 and @xmath98 represents the hamiltonian for a single particle in heisenberg s picture ; analogously @xmath99 is the hamiltonian for a single particle in schrdinger s picture ; @xmath100 denotes the hilbert space of a single particle system when the work parameter is equal to @xmath6 ; @xmath101 describes a cycle notation , which corresponds uniquely to a permutation @xcite ( @xmath102 means that there are @xmath103 @xmath37-cycles , @xmath104 , and @xmath105 .
the definition of @xmath37-cycles can be found in section 1.1 of ref .
@xcite ) .
equation ( [ derivation ] ) constitutes one of our main results .
it is further tested and verified for the ideal quantum gas in appendix [ sec : appb ] . for convenience ,
we rewrite eq .
( [ derivation ] ) in the following form as a weighted average of some characteristic function - like terms @xmath106 where @xmath107 are temperature - independent values ( see appendix [ sec : appa ] for details ) and @xmath108^{\nu_{k}}}{\left [ { \mathrm{tr_{\mathcal{h}_{s}^{\lambda_{0}}}}\left\{{\exp{\left(-\beta h_{s}^{\lambda_{0}}\right)}}\right\}}\right]^{n } } , \end{split}\ ] ] @xmath109^{k}\right\ } } } { { \mathrm{tr_{\mathcal{h}_{s}^{\lambda_{0}}}}\left\ { { \exp{\left(-k\beta h_{s}^{\lambda_{0}}\right)}}\right\}}}\right]^{\nu_{k}}. \end{split}\ ] ] in the high temperature limit , the dominant contribution in both the numerator and the denominator of @xmath110 ( see eq .
( [ rewritten ] ) ) stems from the trivial identity permutation , which is @xmath111 in cycle notation .
if we keep only the leading term in both the denominator and the numerator , the characteristic function ( [ rewritten ] ) can be simplified to read ( for details please see appendix [ sec : appc ] ) @xmath112^{n}. \label{asymptotic}\ ] ] the latter expression is exactly the characteristic function of the work distribution for distinguishable particles .
thus , we have demonstrated that , in the high temperature limit , the characteristic function of work distribution functions for both bosons and fermions converge towards that of distinguishable particles , and hence to each other . since there is a one - to - one map between the work distribution and its corresponding characteristic function @xcite
, we conclude that in the high temperature limit , the work distributions for bosons and fermions converge .
this conclusion can be understood intuitively : firstly , in the limit of high temperatures , for most of the many - particle eigenstates , usually a single - particle state is occupied by at most one particle , and the occupations of bosons , fermions and distinguishable particles in the single - particle states become similar .
accordingly , the distributions of the multi - particle eigenenergies ( [ probability ] ) for three kinds of particles become similar .
this is the so - called
static " correspondence principle in the quantum statistical sense .
secondly , for a given finite - speed work protocol , if the average velocity of the particles in a high - lying multi - particle eigenstate is much higher than the speed of varying the parameter , the process can be roughly regarded as a quasistatic " process . in the thermal state of infinite temperature ,
all energy eigenstates have equal probability .
that means for a given finite - speed protocol , for most of the initial eigenstates ( sampled from the thermal state at the infinite temperature ) , the processes can be regarded as quasistatic processes .
thirdly , if the dynamic process is a quasistatic process , the work value usually can be assumed to be proportional to the initial eigenenergy ( at least it is true for the 1d piston and the 1d harmonic oscillator ( [ proportionality ] ) ) , and thus the work distributions will share the same properties as the distributions of the multi - particle eigenenergies ( [ probability ] ) .
based on these observations , one can infer that for an arbitrary finite - speed protocol and in the limit of infinite temperature the work distribution functions for three kinds of particles converge .
it is worth emphasizing that this result does not depend on the specifics of the model , and , hence , holds for any system of many noninteracting , identical particles .
in this paper we have studied the effect of indistinguishability ( quantum interference of identical , noninteracting particles ) on the quantum work distribution .
we have found that the work distribution can be computed from the time evolution matrix for single particles .
then , the transition amplitudes between multi - particle states are given by the slater - determinant ( for fermions ) or the permanent ( for bosons ) .
generally , the computation of the permanent of a matrix is much more involved than the computation of the determinant despite the apparent similarity of the definitions @xcite : in particular , the determinant obeys several algebraic rules and symmetries , e.g. , the product rule @xmath113 and the invariance under unitary transformation , which allow the determinant to be evaluated in polynomial time . for a @xmath114 matrix ,
e.g. , the elementary gaussian algorithm needs @xmath115 operations @xcite . although the permanent has a similar structure the omission of the alternating sign makes all the difference , and all known strategies for an efficient evaluation of the determinant fail for the permanent . in general , a permanent can only be computed in exponential time , even when applying ryser s algorithm @xcite the most efficient algorithm known to date .
therefore , the development of both exact and approximate algorithms for computing the permanent of a matrix is an active area of research . for our problem
this means that the computation of the work density for fermions is much more feasible than for bosons .
the exponential increase of the complexity of computing the permanent limits the study of the work distribution to at most 25 bosons @xcite .
this restriction might be lifted by a novel development in the field of quantum information known as boson sampling a shortcut to quantum computing @xcite . in this technique
the bosonic distribution is obtained from interfering photons in a random optical network . however , practical applications of boson sampling are still under active research @xcite .
our expression for the characteristic function ( [ derivation ] ) is valid for both quasistatic and nonquasistatic processes . to the best of our knowledge ,
previous studies have been restricted to classical distinguishable particles @xcite , quasistatic changes @xcite , and the infinite piston system @xcite . for the sake of completeness
we , thus , briefly show how the expression for quasistatic processes @xcite can be obtained from our general formula .
for very slow driving one can assume that the energy levels remain almost constant .
thus the characteristic function for bosons / fermions , @xmath110 , can be written as @xmath116^{\nu_{k } } } { \sum_{(1^{\nu_{1}},2^{\nu_{2}},\cdots , n^{\nu_{n } } ) } \frac{n!}{1^{\nu_{1}}2^{\nu_{2}}\cdots n^{\nu_{n}}\nu_{1 } ! \nu_{2 } !
\cdots \nu_{n } ! } \prod_{k=1}^{n}\left [ \pm \sum_{i=1}^{\infty } { \exp{\left(-k\beta e_{i}^{\lambda_{0}}\right ) } } \right]^{\nu_{k } } } , \label{quasistaticprocess}\ ] ] and analogously for distinguishable particles @xmath117^{n}. \label{diagonal}\ ] ] we further assume the quasistatic work to be proportional to the initial eigenenergies @xmath118 which is justified , for instance , for a particle in a 1d piston or in a 1d harmonic potential . for this kind of systems we also can assume that each eigenenergy can be written as a power of the quantum number , and we have @xmath119 under these assumptions the numerator of the characteristic function for a single particle can be approximately expressed as @xmath120 where @xmath121 is the heaviside step function .
specifically , if the system is a particle in a 1d piston , the quasistatic work distribution becomes @xmath122 for @xmath3 distinguishable particles , the work distribution function can be obtained by replacing the @xmath123 with @xmath124 and due to the additivity of the gamma distribution we obtain @xmath125 the latter result coincides with the expression for quasistatically compressing ( or expanding ) @xmath3-particle gas inside a piston , which was previously derived in ref .
@xcite .
the discussion of the convergence in sec .
[ sec : conv ] can be generalized to the high temperature limit for any given protocol .
in particular , in the high temperature limit , for an arbitrary finite - speed protocol , most initial preparations of the system will undergo approximately quasistatic evolution , which can be recognized as a special realization of the quasistatic limit .
we have seen in the above discussion that quantum interference effects the structure of the work distribution .
it is worth emphasizing , however , that the quantum jarzynski equality @xcite and the quantum crooks fluctuation theorem @xcite remain valid as the validity of these two nonequilibrium work relations does not depend on the details of the model or the quench protocol , cf .
appendix [ sec : appb ] . also note that even if the initial @xmath3-particle states occupies many different single particle states ( as is allowed for both bosons and fermions ) the average work will be identical , and only the distribution differs .
this is due to the particles being noninteracting but interfering @xcite . in summary
, we have studied the interference of identical particles and its influence on the quantum work distribution function in nonequilibrium processes . to this end
, we have applied the results for the transition amplitudes between many - particle eingenstates @xcite . at low temperatures ,
the work distributions for bosons and for fermions significantly differ due to the interference of identical particles , and the larger the particle number , the more prominent is the distinction between the work distributions for bosons and for fermions . in principle , the work distribution function for many bosons or many fermions can be evaluated as long as the transition amplitudes between single particle eigenstates can be calculated . in practice , however , the work distribution function for bosons is computationally much more involved than fermions due to the complexity of the computation of the permanent of a matrix . as a case study
we have numerically calculated the work distribution function for two and three identical particles in the 1d piston and 1d harmonic potential , and have demonstrated our theoretical findings . in the limit of high temperature ,
the work distribution functions for bosons and fermions converge , and we have given a heuristic analysis for this observation by utilizing the representation theory of the symmetric group as well as a qualitative argument based on the static correspondence principle " and the quantum adiabaticity .
therefore , our study suggests a dynamic correspondence principle " of work distribution functions in the quantum statistical sense .
htq gratefully acknowledges support from the national science foundation of china under grant 11375012 , and the recruitment program of global youth experts of china .
sd acknowledges financial support by the national science foundation ( usa ) under grant dmr-1206971 , and by the u.s .
department of energy through a lanl director s funded fellowship .
the parametric harmonic oscillator with hamiltonian has been extensively studied in the literature . for the sake of completeness we summarize in this appendix several expressions that were used to compute the plots in fig .
[ fig : harm_2_slow]-[fig : harm_3_fast ] , and we also a correct minor typographical error that appeared in a previous publication @xcite .
the single particle transition matrix has been derived in ref .
@xcite @xmath126{\omega_0\omega_{\tau } } \sqrt{\frac{n!\,m!\,\zeta^n { \zeta^*}^m } { 2^{n+m-1}i\sigma^{n+m+1}}}\\ \times&\sum\limits_{l=0}^{\min{(m , n)}}\frac{[-2 i \sqrt{2/(q^*-1)}]^l}{l!\,[(n - l)/2]!\,[(m - l)/2 ] ! } \ . \end{split}\ ] ] according to the selection rule @xmath127 , @xmath128 runs over even numbers only , if @xmath129 , @xmath130 are even , and over odd numbers only , if @xmath129 , @xmath130 are odd . the explicit expression for the matrix elements
@xmath131 then reads for even elements @xmath132{\omega_0\omega_{\tau}}}{\gamma(\mu+1)\,\gamma(\nu+1 ) } { _ 2 f_1}\left(-\mu,\,-\nu;\,\frac{1}{2};\,\frac{2}{1-q^*}\right ) \end{split}\ ] ] and for odd elements @xmath133{\omega_0\omega_{\tau}}}{\gamma(\mu+1)\,\gamma(\nu+1 ) } { _ 2 f_1}\left(-\mu,\,-\nu;\,\frac{3}{2};\,\frac{2}{1-q^*}\right ) .
\end{split}\ ] ] we have here introduced the hypergeometric function @xmath134 @xcite in order to simplify the sums and write the matrix elements @xmath131 in closed form . @xmath135 denotes the gamma function .
we further introduced the complex parameters , @xmath136\ ] ] and where @xmath76 and @xmath77 are solutions of the classical , force free equation of motion , @xmath137 with @xmath79 , @xmath80 and @xmath81 , @xmath82 .
the characteristic function of the work distribution can be obtained by using the representation theory of the symmetric group ( see section 4.4 of ref .
@xcite ) . from eq .
( [ characteristic ] ) it follows that the characteristic function for a many - particle system can be expressed as @xmath138 using the representation theory of the symmetric group , we further have @xmath139^{k}\right\ } } \right]^{\nu_{k } } } { \sum_{(1^{\nu_{1}},2^{\nu_{2}},\cdots , n^{\nu_{n } } ) } \mathcal{m}_{(1^{\nu_{1}},2^{\nu_{2}},\cdots , n^{\nu_{n } } ) } ^{b / f } \prod_{k=1}^{n}\left [ { \mathrm{tr_{\mathcal{h}_{s}^{\lambda_{0}}}}\left\ { { \exp{\left(-k\beta h_{s}^{\lambda_{0}}\right)}}\right\ } } \right]^{\nu_{k } } } , \end{split } \label{a2}\ ] ] where the equality sign holds only for non - interacting many - particle systems , and @xmath140 is a group comprised of all permutation operators on @xmath141 .
the elements of the group are denoted by @xmath142 , and @xmath143 is the transposition number of @xmath142 ; @xmath107 is the number of permutations belonging to @xmath101 type , which has been studied in combinational mathematics and satisfies @xmath144 and @xmath145 substituting eqs .
( [ a3 ] ) and ( [ a4 ] ) into eq .
( [ a2 ] ) we finally obtain the characteristic function . before concluding this section , we would like to point out that the relation @xmath146 holds true even when the particles are interacting . here
@xmath147 is an operator of multi - particle system .
in this appendix we derive the equation of state of the ideal quantum gas inside a piston from the characteristic function ( [ derivation ] ) .
this derivation is used as a self - consistent check to support the validity of eq .
( [ derivation ] ) . for a 1d piston system
we define @xmath148 and @xmath149 as the ratio of the work over the initial eigenenergy of the system for the forward ( @xmath150 ) and the reverse ( @xmath151 ) process . by making use of eqs .
( [ quasistaticprocess ] ) and following the procedure from eq .
( [ diagonal ] ) to eq .
( [ workdistributionprime ] ) we can obtain the work distribution for bosons or fermions undergoing the quasistatic process , and it can be checked that the work distribution function satisfies the crooks fluctuation theorem @xcite @xmath152^{\sum_{k=1}^{n}\nu_{k } } } { \sum_{(1^{\nu_{1}},2^{\nu_{2}},\cdots , n^{\nu_{n } } ) } \frac{n!}{\prod_{k=1}^{n } k^{3\nu_{k}/2 } \prod_{k=1}^{n } \nu_{k } ! } \left [ \pm \frac{\lambda_{0}}{\lambda_{t } } \right]^{\sum_{k=1}^{n}\nu_{k } } } \ , { \mathcal{p}}_{b / f}^{r}(-w)\,{\exp{\left(\beta w\right ) } } , \label{crooks}\ ] ] where @xmath153 is the thermal wave length @xmath154 from eq .
( [ crooks ] ) we obtain the difference of the free energy ( the jarzynski equality @xcite ) of the quantum gas by utilizing the crooks fluctuation theorem @xcite @xmath155^{\sum_{k=1}^{n}\nu_{k } } } { \sum_{(1^{\nu_{1}},2^{\nu_{2}},\cdots , n^{\nu_{n } } ) } \frac{n!}{\prod_{k=1}^{n } k^{3\nu_{k}/2 } \prod_{k=1}^{n } \nu_{k } ! } \left [ \pm \frac{\lambda_{0}}{\lambda_{t } } \right]^{\sum_{k=1}^{n}\nu_{k } } } .
\end{split}\ ] ] since @xmath153 is very small in the limit of high temperature @xmath1 , the second leading term should come from the @xmath156 type permutation , thus @xmath157 can be approximated as @xmath158 now we fix @xmath6 and replace @xmath7 with @xmath159 . when the system is in the thermodynamic limit , the free energy difference can be evaluated with the bernoulli approximation , @xmath160,\ ] ] where @xmath161 ( @xmath162 ) is the particle density . in the following
we calculate the pressure of this system by utilizing the thermodynamic relation @xmath163 @xmath164 for a @xmath165-dimensional system , the equation of state of the quantum gas inside a piston can be obtained in a similar way @xmath166 this equation of state ( [ b7 ] ) agrees with the result derived from the grandcanonical ensemble formulation @xcite .
the derivation of the equation of state of ideal quantum gases is an evidence supporting the validity of the characteristic function of the work distribution function ( [ derivation ] ) .
in fact , we have also checked that the first three virial coefficients of the quantum gas are exactly the same as those obtained from the grand canonical ensemble formulation in the thermodynamic limit , which further convinces us the validity of eq .
( [ derivation ] ) .
firstly we write the expression of @xmath167 @xmath108^{\nu_{k}}}{\left [ { \mathrm{tr_{\mathcal{h}_{s}^{\lambda_{0}}}}\left\{{\exp{\left(-\beta h_{s}^{\lambda_{0}}\right)}}\right\}}\right]^{n}}. \label{d1 } \end{split}\ ] ] a special case for eq .
( [ d1 ] ) is @xmath168 .
also , we know that @xmath169 as long as the hamiltonian has a minimum eigenvalue @xmath170 ( ground state energy ) , we can introduce a non - negative definite hamiltonian @xmath171 . by using eq .
( [ d2 ] ) , eq .
( [ d1 ] ) can be written as @xmath172^{\nu_{k}}}{\left [ { \mathrm{tr_{\mathcal{h}_{s}^{\lambda_{0}}}}\left\{{\exp{\left(-\beta \tilde{h}_{s}^{\lambda_{0}}\right)}}\right\}}\right]^{n}}. \label{d4 } \end{split}\ ] ] for any permutation @xmath173 , from eq .
( [ d2 ] ) we can easily get @xmath174 . since all eigenvalues of @xmath175 are nonnegative we also have @xmath176 combining these facts , for any permutation @xmath173 , we have @xmath177^{\sum_{k=1}^{n } \nu_{k}- n}\\ & \le \left [ { \mathrm{tr_{\mathcal{h}_{s}^{\lambda_{0}}}}\left\{{\exp{\left(-\beta \tilde{h}_{s}^{\lambda_{0}}\right)}}\right\}}\right]^{-1}. \end{split}\ ] ] as long as the system contains infinitely many energy levels , @xmath178^{-1}$ ] will approach zero in the high temperature limit @xmath179 .
recalling the fact that @xmath168 , we finally prove that @xmath180 in addition , we can prove that @xmath167 is a monotonically non - decreasing function with respect to @xmath16 by directly analyzing the sign of @xmath181 @xmath182 here @xmath183 from eq .
( [ d2 ] ) and the fact that @xmath184 must be a non - decreasing function of @xmath185 , we conclude that the right hand side of eq .
( [ d7 ] ) is nonnegative .
so far we have shown that in the high temperature limit the only non - vanishing term in eq .
( [ rewritten ] ) is the term containing @xmath186 .
we can further prove that @xmath187 , which is equivalent to @xmath188 ( @xmath189 and @xmath190 ) in the representation of the operator @xmath191 , with @xmath192 being the complete set of eigenvalues .
it seems that we prove the convergence of eq .
( [ rewritten ] ) to eq .
( [ asymptotic ] ) since the dominant term in the numerator in the high temperature limit is the term containing @xmath193 . there is , however , one problem in the above derivation . in the high temperature limit , @xmath194 is probably zero for any nonzero value of @xmath195 , from which we can extract no information , despite we know the convergence relation in the sense of absolute value .
for example , in the limit @xmath1 , the function @xmath196 is trivially zero for any nonzero @xmath195 .
thus , we suggest to use @xmath197 as a function to demonstrate the convergence of work distributions of three kinds of particles , because it is probably nonvanishing for almost any value of @xmath198 in the high temperature limit , and this is the reason why we proportionally enlarge the range of the horizontal axis in all the diagrams as the temperature increases .
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methane
( ch4 ) is considered a desirable alternative
for energy - related applications because it burns cleaner than gasoline
and diesel fuels , and it is widely available in many countries in
the form of natural gas . currently , methane - containing
natural gas is mainly stored as compressed natural gas ( cng ) at pressures
greater than 200 atm within tanks that require an expensive multistage
compression .
although cng vehicles already
exist in some countries , it is notable that these current cng tanks
are heavy , expensive , and potentially combustible .
a possible alternative to cng is adsorbed natural gas ( ang )
where the gas is stored as an adsorbed phase in a porous solid at
lower pressures .
however , porous materials that
are commerically available today ( e.g. , activated carbons ) do not
have sufficiently high storage capacities for ch4 at low
pressures . in response to these
environmental issues and technological challenges ,
the scientific and engineering communities have reported a number
of novel porous materials , called metal
organic materials ( moms ) ,
which have been demonstrated to be strong candidates for applications
in gas storage and separation .
moms are solid crystalline compounds that are synthesized
from metal ions ( or metal - ion clusters ) and molecular bridging ligands .
the building block approach allows for the possibility to create a
large number of mom structures . as a result , a variety
of moms with different pore sizes , dimensions , chemical functionalities ,
and topologies have been synthesized .
most moms of
interest contain three - dimensional structures that include uniform
pores and channels that can be used to sorb guest molecules , such
as h2 , co2 , and ch4 .
a subset of moms have been shown
to display remarkable potential for industrial applications in co2 capture / storage and separations .
in addition , a number of moms
have the capability to store large amounts of ch4 at near - ambient
temperatures and high pressures . indeed , some moms have already been
demonstrated to surpass the old u.s .
department of energy ( doe ) target
for on - board methane storage , which is 180 v(stp)/v under 35 bar and near - ambient temperature .
note , this target was recently modified to 263
v(stp)/v under the same conditions , and
currently , no mom surpasses this value for methane storage .
recent studies have shown that there are
several factors that influence
gas uptakes in moms .
for instance , moms that contain open - metal sites
or amine functional groups were shown to exhibit high uptakes and
initial isosteric heats of adsorption , qst , for various gas molecules .
however , some of the disadvantages of moms that have
these chemical functionalities are that they can interact with water ,
which hinder these materials for industrial applications in gas separations ,
and there can be high energy costs associated with activating and
regenerating the material .
porous moms that contain
saturated metal centers ( smcs ) are a promising alternative to the
aforementioned moms .
these materials rely on strong physisorption
interactions between the sorbate molecules and the framework rather
than , e.g. , metal sorbate coordination .
in addition , these
moms are beneficial in the context of activation and regeneration
as well as displaying remarkable water stability . pillared square
grids that contain primitive cubic ( pcu ) topology and moms with mmo topology are examples of porous moms that contain smcs .
diamondoid
( dia ) networks are one of the earliest examples of moms
that are designed via a crystal engineering approach that do not contain open - metal sites or amine functional groups
but have controllable pore sizes .
they are based upon 4-connected
tetrahedral nodes and linear linkers that form a three - dimensional
net .
diamondoid networks are amenable to fine - tuning
with regards to both pore size and chemical functionality .
the pore
size of these moms can be tuned through linker length and/or interpenetration ,
while the functionality can be adjusted by introducing functional
groups on the linker .
it is noteworthy that moms within this platform
have the tendency to interpenetrate , which results in a 3d framework
with one - dimensional pores .
the degree of interpenetration can often be controlled
through the choice of solvent used to synthesize the mom .
the more
highly interpenetrated structure results in a framework with smaller
pore sizes .
it consists of a
7-fold interpenetrated net of co ions coordinated to
4-(2-(4-pyridyl)ethenyl)benzoate ligands ( figure 1 ) .
the highly interpenetrated network of this mom as well
as the nonpolar nature of the linker contributes to narrow one - dimensional
hydrophobic pores .
indeed , the pore limiting diameter ( pld ) of this
mom was measured to be 5.28 .
the pld embodies the accessible
pore size of the material and it is obtained by measuring the longest
diagonal of the channel and subtracting 3.5 corresponding to
van der waals distances .
although there are other synthesized diamondoid
moms that contain smaller plds ( e.g. , dia-8i-1 and dia-5i-3 ) , dia-7i-1-co
is the smallest member that is porous and can be used to sorb guest
species .
thus , dia-7i-1-co is a mom that is of interest to experimentalists
for its gas sorption and separation properties .
this mom is also of
interest to theoretical chemists to study the effects of pore size
on gas sorption through subsequent modeling studies and to assess
the selectivity achievable through such a platform .
experimental
studies have shown that the initial ( zero - coverage ) qst for co2 for dia-7i-1-co is approximately
30 kj mol .
this co2qst value is greater than most
moms that contain open - metal sites , such as hkust-1 and various rht - metal organic frameworks , as well as pillared square grids that contain
inorganic fluoroanions .
it is notable that
the aforementioned moms rely on metal sorbate interactions
and physisorption with inorganic fluoroanions , respectively , for co2 sorption . in dia-7i-1-co , only narrow hydrophobic channels
exist within the mom , so the high qst for
co2 in this compound must be attributed to a strong physisorptive
interaction with the constricted pores .
experimental studies
have also demonstrated that dia-7i-1-co has
a high uptake capacity for ch4 at low loading .
moreover , the initial qst value for ch4 was shown to be very high through
experimental measurements . indeed , depending on the empirical fitting
method used
, the initial ch4qst value was found to be in the range 22.528.0 kj mol for dia-7i-1-co . applying the virial method on the experimental ch4 sorption isotherms yielded an
initial qst value of 24.0 kj mol .
this value is considerably higher
than those found for ch4 sorption in covalent organic
frameworks ( cofs ) and moms with open - metal sites .
in addition , a literature
survey of moms with high qst values for
ch4 reveals that the aforementioned value for dia-7i-1-co
is currently the highest of all moms synthesized thus far .
note , although the mom pcn-14
was originally shown to exhibit a ch4qst value of approximately 30 kj mol at initial loading , recent studies
have demonstrated that this mom exhibited an initial value of 18.7
kj mol .
( a ) scheme
showing the assembly of the tetrahedral node in dia-7i-1-co .
( b ) shifted c - axis view of the 2 2
2 unit cell system of dia-7i-1-co .
atom colors : c = cyan , h = white ,
n = blue , o = red , co = silver . in this work ,
we use grand canonical monte carlo ( gcmc ) methods
to investigate co2 and ch4 sorption and separation
in dia-7i-1-co .
simulated sorption isotherms and qst values for both sorbate molecules are presented and
compared to the corresponding experimental results .
it will be shown
that good agreement with experiment for co2 and ch4 sorption is obtained for dia-7i-1-co .
further , insights into
the reason for high uptake capacity for ch4 in this compound
at low loading will be obtained .
it will be demonstrated from a theoretical
point of view that moms with narrow pore sizes are beneficial for
gas sorption at low loading .
although without further considerations ,
e.g. , chemical modifications / decorations , moms may only exhibit selectivity
based on size and hydrophobicity .
the hydrophobic character
of dia-7i-1-co contributes to the mom s
stability in moisture as well as its remarkable stability under practical
conditions .
the fact that this mom is stable in humid environments
makes it advantageous over moms with open - metal sites or amine functional
groups for industrial applications in gas separations where the presence
of water vapor must be dealt with .
however , because dia-7i-1-co has
high affinity toward both co2 and ch4 , the capability
of this mom to separate co2 from ch4 in gas
mixtures , such as biogas or natural gas , will be rather limited .
indeed ,
it will be shown through ideal adsorbed solution theory ( iast ) and gcmc calculations that dia-7i-1-co has a
low selectivity for co2 over ch4 .
this method entails constraining
the chemical potential , volume , and temperature to be constant while
allowing the particle number and other statistical mechanical quantities
to fluctuate .
the simulation involves
the random insertion , deletion , and movement of sorbate molecules
with acceptance or rejection based on a random number generator scaled
by the energetic favorability of the move .
the average particle number
was calculated numerically by a statistical mechanical expression
based on the grand canonical ensemble .
the chemical potential for both co2 and ch4 was determined for a range of temperatures through the peng
all simulations were
performed in a rigid 2 2 2 unit cell system of the mom
as shown in figure 1b .
a spherical cutoff distance
corresponding to half the shortest system cell dimension length was
used for the simulations .
the total potential energy of the
mom sorbate system was
calculated as the sum of the repulsion / dispersion and electrostatic
energies through the use of the lennard - jones 126 potential
and ewald summation , respectively .
note ,
in previous work , our group focused on the importance of explicit
many - body polarization interactions for simulations in moms .
however , dia-7i-1-co is a mom
that contains constricted hydrophobic channels , which causes van der
waals interactions to dominate as the sorbate molecules interact with
the framework in a confined space .
similar findings were
observed for simulations in other moms that have narrow pore sizes .
control simulations in dia-7i-1-co revealed that , when included ,
polarization contributes to less than 7% and 4% of the total energy
for co2 and ch4 sorption , respectively , and
does not significantly alter the sorption isotherms and associated qst values .
thus , only van der waals and electrostatic
interactions were considered for the simulations in this work .
further ,
long - range corrections were applied to all terms of the potential
due to the finite size of the simulation box .
the long - range contribution
to the lennard - jones potential was implemented using a previously
reported procedure , while long - range
electrostatic interactions was handled by performing full ewald summation .
the mom force field for dia-7i-1-co consists of lennard - jones parameters
and atomic point partial charges on all atoms of the framework .
the
lennard - jones parameters for all c , h , and n atoms were taken from
the optimized potentials for liquid simulations all atom ( opls - aa )
force field .
this force field contains
parameters that are specific for atoms in aromatic systems , which
this mom contains . for co and o ,
the lennard - jones parameters were
taken from the universal force field ( uff ) .
the partial charges for the atoms in dia-7i-1-co were obtained from
quantum mechanical calculations on several fragments that were taken
from the crystal structure of the mom . a comprehensive detail of this
procedure can be found in the supporting information .
nonpolar potentials of co2 and ch4 were used
for the simulations in this work ; they are denoted co2-phast and me - phast , respectively .
more details of the sorbate models used in this
work can be found in the supporting information .
note , preliminary simulation results were also performed
using
the trappe potentials for the respective sorbates in
dia-7i-1-co . while the trappe ch4 model gave similar isotherms
and qst values to the me - phast model ,
the isotherms for the trappe co2 model are qualitatively
different than experiment and the co2-phast model .
only
the results for the co2-phast and me - phast models are shown
in this paper ; the reference to the trappe potentials was made to
report the aforementioned observation . in gcmc ,
the qst values are calculated
based on the fluctuations of the particle number , n , and total potential energy , u , in the mom
sorbate
system through the expression1where k is the boltzmann
constant and t is the temperature .
this is in contrast
to the qst values that are derived experimentally ,
as these values are typically determined through a finite difference
approximation to the clausius
clapeyron equation . for gcmc simulation of binary mixtures
of co2 and ch4 in dia-7i-1-co
, the simulations
were performed in the ideal
gas limit where the fugacities were equal to the partial pressures .
further , the selectivity of one sorbate molecule relative to another
was calculated by the expression2where xi and xj are the
mole fractions of components i and j , respectively , in the adsorbed phase and yi and yj are the mole fractions of components i and j , respectively , in the bulk phase . for all state
points
considered , the simulations consisted of 5
10 monte carlo steps to guarantee equilibration ,
followed by an additional 5 10 steps to sample
the desired thermodynamic properties .
all simulations of co2 and ch4 in dia-7i-1-co were performed using the massively
parallel monte carlo ( mpmc ) code , which
is currently available for download on google code .
figure 2 shows
the co2 and ch4 sorption isotherms for experiment
and simulation in dia-7i-1-co
at 298 and 273 k. it can be observed that good agreement with experiment
was achieved for simulations of co2 and ch4 sorption
at both temperatures for the entire low - pressure range considered .
note , it can be seen that , for both sorbate
molecules , the simulation slightly oversorbs the experimental results
in the very low - pressure region ( below 0.20 atm ) at both temperatures .
this could be due to the fact that it takes some time for the co2 and ch4 molecules to diffuse into the one - dimensional
channels in this mom in experiment at low loading .
in gcmc , only the
random insertion , deletion , and movement of sorbate molecules are
performed , so the effects of transport and associated kinetic phenomena
are not an issue .
the difference between experiment and simulation
at low pressures could also be attributed to the choice of van der
waals parameters that were used for the mom .
as explained in the methods section , the lennard - jones parameters for
all mom atoms were taken directly from known general purpose force
fields .
the small pore sizes afforded by dia-7i-1-co cause van der
waals interactions to dominate for gas sorption in this mom .
thus ,
the type of repulsion / dispersion parameters used for the mom will
affect the overall potential energy of the mom sorbate system .
it might be possible to obtain better agreement with experiment at
low pressures by using lennard - jones parameters that are acquired
through electronic structure methods .
low - pressure co2 and ch4 sorption isotherms
in dia-7i-1-co for experiment ( circle ) and simulation ( square ) at 298 k ( co2 = cyan ; ch4 = red ) and 273 k ( co2 = green ; ch4 =
blue ) .
it is important to emphasize that
the ch4 uptakes in
dia-7i-1-co are rather high at low pressures . at 1.0 atm ,
the experimental
ch4 uptakes in dia-7i-1-co are approximately 1.07 mmol
g ( 23.97 cm g ,
33.08 cm cm ) and 1.58 mmol g ( 35.39 cm g , 48.84 cm cm ) at 298 and 273 k , respectively .
note , cm cm refers to cm of sorbate
uptake per cm of mom .
these uptakes are comparable to
the corresponding values that were calculated through simulation .
further , these values are among the highest of reported mom materials
for ch4 sorption under these conditions .
though dia-7i-1-co has high uptake for ch4 at
low pressures , the low surface area of the mom limits ch4 sorption at higher pressures . as such , dia-7i-1-co does not surpass
the u.s .
department of energy ( doe ) target for on - board methane storage
( 263 v(stp)/v under 35 bar and near - ambient temperature ) .
however , dia-7i-1-co could still be useful for ch4 storage
applications at low pressures ( under 5.0 atm ) .
figure 3a shows the gcmc - calculated qst values for the co2-phast potential
compared to the experimental qst values
for co2 in dia-7i-1-co .
the former was determined using
eq 1 , while the latter was determined by applying
the virial method to the experimental
co2 sorption isotherms at 298 and 273 k. it can be seen
that the experimental qst values for co2 in dia-7i-1-co are relatively constant at about 30 kj mol as the loading increases .
the theoretical qst values show a similar trend , with values
of approximately 31 kj mol across all loadings .
thus , there is very good agreement between the experimental and simulated qst values for co2 .
the fact that
the qst values for co2 are
nearly constant for all loadings indicates that there is only one
type of binding site for co2 in this mom .
sorbate
interactions do not play a significant role in the energetics for
sorption in this mom .
this is in contrast to some other existing moms
that exhibit increasing qst behavior with
increasing loading for a particular sorbate , thus indicating favorable
sorbate sorbate interactions within the material .
isosteric
heats of adsorption , qst ,
for ( a ) co2 and ( b ) ch4 plotted against uptakes
in dia-7i-1-co for experiment ( black line ) and simulation ( red circles ) .
the experimental qst values ( taken from
ref ( 39 ) ) shown here
for both sorbates were calculated using the virial method .
the experimental and gcmc - calculated qst values for ch4 in dia-7i-1-co are shown
in figure 3b .
further ,
these values are in good agreement with those calculated from gcmc
simulation , as the simulated qst values
for ch4 are roughly constant at approximately 26 kj mol for virtually all loadings considered .
thus , both
the virial method qst values and simulated
results predict the presence of only one type of binding site for
ch4 in this compound .
note , the experimental qst values for ch4 in dia-7i-1-co have also
been calculated using different methods , including the langmuir freundlich
equation and the clausius
in addition , in this work , the experimental ch4qst values were also calculated by fitting the
experimental ch4 sorption isotherms at 298 and 273 k to
the dual - site langmuir freundlich equation ( see supporting information ) .
three - dimensional histogram
showing the sites of co2 sorption ( blue ) in dia-7i-1-co :
( a ) a - axis view ;
( b ) shifted c - axis view .
atom colors : c = cyan , h = white , n = blue ,
o = red , co = silver . implementing the other fitting methods on the experimental
ch4 sorption isotherms resulted in higher initial qst values , with values of 27.3 , 26.7 , and 28.6
kj mol for the langmuir
however , it can be seen that the qst values that were calculated using these methods decrease sharply
with increasing loading
. nevertheless , both the experimental ( considering
all fitting methods ) and simulated qst values are within the vicinity of each other across all loadings .
in addition , both experiment and simulation predict that the initial qst value for ch4 is quite high in
this compound . indeed , the initial qst value for ch4 in dia-7i-1-co is currently the highest
out of all moms synthesized thus far .
examination of the full
three - dimensional histogram showing the
sites of co2 and ch4 sorption in dia-7i-1-co
reveals that there is indeed only one type of binding site for the
respective sorbate molecules .
the sorbed gas molecules are essentially
localized within the center of the one - dimensional hydrophobic channels
in this mom ( figure 4 ) .
inspection of the modeled
structure for co2 and ch4 sorption in dia-7i-1-co
reveals that the sorbate molecules can make a favorable interaction
with the organic linkers within the confined space of the pores ( figures 5 and 6 ) .
this sorption site
is clearly dominated by van der waals interactions , as the sorbate
molecules can interact with multiple portions of the framework simultaneously
in this region .
evaluation of the energetic contributions for co2 and ch4 sorption from simulation confirmed these
findings , as it was found that van der waals energetics contribute
to over 85% and 99% of the total energy for co2 and ch4 sorption , respectively .
further , the combination of
the narrow space and the hydrophobic
nature of the pores explains why the ch4 uptakes and qst values are so high in this compound at low
loading .
although there are other porous moms that contain even smaller
pore sizes , such as members of the sifsix series and the mmo net series , it is notable that these materials are much less attractive toward
ch4 .
this is because these compounds contain polar moieties
through the use of sif6 and mo4 ( m = cr , mo , w ) groups , respectively ,
which have lower affinity for ch4 .
thus , a key discovery
observed in this study is that the decoration of the pore walls with
nonpolar c
the confined region within the channels is the sorption
site for all co2 and ch4 molecules in dia-7i-1-co ,
which explains why the gcmc - calculated qst values are relatively constant across all loadings for the respective
sorbate molecules .
note , although the sorbate molecules interact with
this mom primarily through van der waals interactions , the small contributions
from charge
quadrupole interactions were important for enhancing
mom sorbate interactions in the case of co2 sorption .
it would be expected that the introduction of polar functional groups
on the organic ligand would increase electrostatic interactions even
further during sorption .
this alteration would result in enhanced
binding strength for co2 molecules , but also decrease affinity
for ch4 , thus increasing separation capabilities .
molecular illustration
of the co2 sorption site in dia-7i-1-co :
( a ) top view ; ( b ) side view .
atom colors : c = cyan , h = white , n =
blue , o = red , and co = silver .
figure 7 shows the gcmc - calculated
selectivities
of co2 over ch4 within a binary mixture of 50:50
co2/ch4 and 5:95 co2/ch4 in dia-7i-1-co at 298 k and pressures up to 1.0 atm . these mixtures
mimic the composition of biogas and natural gas , respectively .
the
calculated values are compared to the corresponding selectivities
that were determined by implementing iast on the experimental and simulated co2 and ch4 single - component sorption isotherms .
the binary mixture simulations predict that the selectivity of
co2 over ch4 slightly decreases with increasing
loading for both mixture compositions in dia-7i-1-co .
a co2/ch4 selectivity of 3.5 and 3.1 was calculated at 1.0
atm through the gcmc simulations for the 50:50 co2/ch4 and 5:95 co2/ch4 mixtures , respectively .
in contrast to the binary mixture simulations , iast calculations on
the experimental and simulated isotherms show slightly increasing
selectivity with increasing loading in dia-7i-1-co for the pressure
range shown .
this difference in the shape of the selectivity plot
can be attributed to the fitting parameters that were used to calculate
the selectivities using iast or that iast is inadequate here due to
the disparate sorbate interactions and/or the sorption mechanisms
in the confined space .
iast is a very useful qualitative guide for
mof sorption studies , but it is difficult to predict a priori when it will be quantitatively effective and what exactly breaks
down when it fails .
indeed , it was conceived as a framework to calculate
activity coefficients that were subsequently found to be order unity .
molecular illustration of the ch4 sorption
site in dia-7i-1-co :
( a ) top view ; ( b ) side view .
atom colors : c = cyan , h = white , n =
blue , o = red , and co = silver . calculated selectivities of co2 over ch4 as
determined through ideal adsorbed solution theory ( iast ) calculations
on the experimental and simulated single - component sorption isotherms
in a 50:50 co2/ch4 ( experimental = black circles ,
simulated = blue circles ) and 5:95 co2/ch4 mixture
( experimental = red circles , simulated = violet circles ) in dia-7i-1-co
at 298 k and pressures up to 1.0 atm .
the selectivities calculated
from grand canonical monte carlo ( gcmc ) binary mixture simulations
( 50:50 co2/ch4 = cyan squares , 5:95 co2/ch4 = magenta squares ) are also shown .
it can be observed that the experimental iast selectivities
increase
slightly with increasing loading until about 0.30 atm .
afterward ,
the co2/ch4 selectivity remains relatively constant
as the pressure continues to increase for both mixture compositions .
iast calculations on the experimental isotherms predict a co2/ch4 selectivity of 4.1 and 4.0 at 1.0 atm for the 50:50
co2/ch4 and 5:95 co2/ch4 mixtures , respectively , in dia-7i-1-co .
the simulated iast selectivities
for both mixtures are higher than the corresponding experimental iast
selectivities at all pressures , and the increase in the selectivities
within the low - pressure region is still noticeable .
the selectivities
for the former are higher than those for the latter at all pressures
possibly because gcmc simulations of single - component co2 and ch4 sorption in dia-7i-1-co predict notably higher
uptake than experiment for the respective sorbate molecules in this
loading range at all pressures considered up to 1.0 atm .
the simulated
iast selectivities are relatively constant starting at approximately
0.30 atm , and a value of 5.3 at 1.0 atm was obtained for both the
50:50 co2/ch4 and 5:95 co2/ch4 mixtures .
note , the iast selectivities for both experiment
and simulation at low loading were found to be in good agreement with
the selectivities that were obtained based on the ratio of the henry s
law constant for the respective sorbates in the low - pressure region .
using henry s law , the co2/ch4 selectivities
based on the experimental and simulated isotherms are 3.7 and 4.2 ,
respectively . for all methods of the calculating the co2/ch4 selectivities , it can be seen that the selectivities
are slightly higher for the 50:50 mixture compared to the 5:95 mixture ,
especially at low loadings .
these results suggest that the material
can separate co2 more efficiently if a greater concentration
of co2 is present .
it can be observed that the simulated
iast selectivities and the
binary mixture selectivities are in good agreement with each other
at very low loadings for both mixture compositions .
however , the selectivities
that were calculated by applying iast on the simulated sorption isotherms
are notably higher than those that were calculated through the binary
mixture simulations across most of the considered pressure range .
thus , even though both methods involve simulations of co2 and ch4 in the mom , the fact that the iast - calculated
selectivities are different from the binary mixture selectivities
suggests that the former may be a consequence of the dependence of
the fitting parameters / models that are used .
it also is true that
iast , while often a reasonable guide , can fail quantitatively , especially
in some of the most interesting systems that involve strong , heterogeneous
interactions . nevertheless , the iast- and gcmc - calculated selectivities
are within the vicinity of each other for all pressures considered
to within joint uncertainties .
overall , the results from the binary
mixture simulations and the iast calculations predict that the selectivity
of co2 to ch4 in dia-7i-1-co at 298 k and 1.0
atm ranges from 3.0 to 5.5 , which is quite low compared to most other
mom materials under this condition .
indeed , this can be attributed
to the fact that dia-7i-1-co has high affinity toward both co2 and ch4 .
in conclusion ,
a computational study of co2 and ch4 sorption
in the 7-fold interpenetrated diamondoid mom , dia-7i-1-co ,
was presented .
the simulated sorption isotherms and qst values reported herein for this mom were in very good
agreement with the experimental measurements for the respective sorbate
molecules .
the presence of narrow channels in dia-7i-1-co results
in a strong interaction between the co2 molecules and the
framework .
indeed , the qst for co2 is approximately 30 kj mol for dia-7i-1-co ,
which is comparable to most moms that contain open - metal sites or
inorganic anions .
further , the hydrophobic nature of these narrow
channels corresponds to a high affinity for ch4 .
gcmc simulation
predicts that dia-7i-1-co has an initial ch4qst value of approximately 26 kj mol , which is comparable to the values that were derived experimentally .
the initial qst value for ch4 is currently the highest out of all mom materials reported thus
far .
moreover , the ch4 uptake in dia-7i-1-co at 298 k and
1.0 atm is one of the highest among reported mom materials .
thus ,
dia-7i-1-co seems to be a good prototype compound for low - pressure
ch4 storage applications .
the three - dimensional histograms
showing the sites of occupancy in dia-7i-1-co reveal that there is
only one type of binding site for co2 and ch4 , which is essentially localization within the hydrophobic channels .
overall , this study provided theoretical insights into how moms
with extremely narrow pore sizes have enhanced binding strength for
certain gas molecules . in the case of dia-7i-1-co ,
the presence of
constricted hydrophobic channels within the mom is responsible for
the increased uptakes at low loading and initial qst values for co2 and ch4 and for
a relatively constant high sorption affinity at all pressures considered .
although dia-7i-1-co has high sorption capacity for co2 and ch4 , the fact that the mom has high affinity toward
both of these gas molecules implies that this compound has limitations
for industrial applications in co2 separations , such as
biogas treatment and natural gas cleanup .
for example , iast and gcmc
calculations predict that the selectivity of co2 over ch4 will be very low for dia-7i-1-co .
fortunately , this study
has also provided insights into creating variant structures for improving
the selectivity of one gas relative to another .
for instance , it would
be expected that the replacement of the ethylene group ( c = c )
in the organic linker of dia-7i-1-co with an azo group ( n = n )
would increase the binding strength and selectivity toward co2 and also decrease the affinity toward ch4 , as
this alteration would introduce polar functionality within the channels | pubmed |
the acquired neuropathies include the acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy ( aidp , guillain - barr syndrome ) and the chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy ( cidp).1 the purpose of this manuscript is to review the history of development of knowledge about guillain - barr syndrome ( gbs ) from the time landry described the first such use in 1859 to the present .
two landmark publications have established the clinical basis of the gbs.23 although similar cases may have been described before , octave landry2 is credited with the first reported case of what later came to be known as the gbs . in 1859 ,
landry described a neurologic condition characterized by ascending motor paralysis with poor prognosis that he referred to as ascending paralysis . although literature reports emphasize the ascending type of motor paralysis , landry originally described three types of presentations in ten patients .
the first part of his historic article was devoted to a description of one patient with classical ascending type of motor paralysis without sensory signs or symptoms . in the second part of his article ,
landry discussed nine other patients with three types of clinical picture : 1 ) ascending paralysis without sensory signs and symptoms , 2 ) ascending paralysis with concomitant ascending anesthesia and analgesia , and 3 ) progressive generalized polyradiculoneuritis .
landry searched for antecedent and associated conditions in exploring the etiology of the new condition he reported .
the paucity of facts makes it impossible to study the etiology of this process , but the circumstances in which it developed can be noted.2 the circumstances he observed included convalescence from acute illness , background of menstrual difficulties , exposure to cold , and convalescence from childbirth . in one case with menstrual difficulties , leeches applied to
the vulva led to recovery . in another case , menstrual difficulties during a moral crisis were followed by acute ascending paralysis .
he left academic pursuits4 to manage an institute of hydrotherapy for the treatment of the nervous disorders .
fifty seven years after landry 's article was published , guillain , barr and strohl,3 in 1916 , described a condition similar to that of landry , with two distinctive features : i ) better prognosis , 2 ) unique cerebrospinal fluid findings of increased protein with no increase in cells .
their paper described two french soldiers whose clinical picture was similar and consisted of ( 1 ) motor difficulties , ( 2 ) areflexia , ( 3 ) preservation of cutaneous reflexes , ( 4 ) paresthesias with slight impairment of objective sensations , ( 5 ) muscle tenderness , ( 6 ) slight alteration in nerve conduction , ( 7 ) remarkable increase albumin in the absence of cellular ( albuminocytologic dissociation ) .
their paper was published in the bulletin of the society of medicine of the hospital of paris .
it is believed , however , that the authors performed a spinal tap either to rule out an infectious process , or because spinal taps were fashionable5 having been described by quincke 25 years earlier , in 1891 . in spite of the similarity to what landry described earlier ,
no mention of landry is to be found in guillain , barr , and strohl 1916 article .
guillain even resisted identifying his cases with those of landry 's claiming that his disease was benign whereas landry 's had a poor outcome . in an article published in 19196
guillain and barry referred to landry's type paralysis when they reported a fatal case of acute polyneuritis with albuminocytologic dissociation after typhoid vaccination .
there are different versions of why strohl 's name was dropped from such publications , they include the fact that he was a radiologist with broad ranging medical interests7 which made him less credible as a neurologist , his origin from alsace,8 and his youth,9 having just graduated from medical school .
the clinical picture of what came to be known as the gbs was thus well established in the early part of the twentieth century . in 1978 , and in response to demands for more definitive criteria for the diagnosis of gbs following the epidemic of this condition in association with influenza vaccination in the usa , the national institute of neurologic communication disorders and stroke ( nincds ) criteria were established.10 furthermore , as more cases were reported , variants of the gbs were reported .
variants are classified according to the prevailing modality of clinical picture ( pure motor , pure sensory , pure dysautonomia ) , region affected ( bulbar - appendicular ) , temporal course ( relapsing , chronic).11
three landmark papers established the pathology and patho - physiology of gbs . in landry 's original cases,2
the focus on spinal cord and peripheral nerve pathology characterized pathologic reports from the 1860 's through 1880 's , when it was established that gbs is definitely a neuropathy.12 further studies characterized the neuropathy as an inflammatory one .
studies out of europe appearing in the french and german literature between 1930 and 1966 recognized the inflammatory nature of the pathology .
in contrast , studies in the usa between 1936 and 1949 emphasized the edematous nature of nerve pathology.13 in their classic paper published in 1949 , haymaker and kernohan14 proposed that nerve edema led to myelin sheath breakdown , that lymphocytic infiltration was a late occurrence as part of a reparative process . in 1955 ,
waksman and adams15 reported on an experimental model of gbs , experimental allergic neuritis ( ean ) , in which they emphasized the inflammatory nature of the pathology .
they described perivascular infiltrates of mononuclear cells in nerve roots , spinal and peripheral nerves and suggested that this reaction was an autoimmune response to myelin products .
subsequently ean has been produced by the injection of peripheral myelin , one of the myelin basic proteins ( p2 ) , peptides of p2 , as well as galactocerebroside component of peripheral nerve myelin . in 1969 , asbury16 reported that as in ean , human nerve pathology in the gbs was characterized by perivascular ( perivenular ) monocular inflammatory infiltrate and adjacent segmental demyelination , and that contrary to haymaker and kernohan14 observations , edema of the nerve root was not a major feature of the pathology ; furthermore , they reported widespread distribution of inflammatory infiltrates including the nerve roots , sensory ganglia , cranial nerves , plexus and peripheral nerves . in spite of the delineation of pathology in the gbs , the exact immune mechanism leading to demyelination
it is however believed that gbs is induced by both cell - mediated and antibody - mediated immune responses ( cellular and humoral ) , and that the two responses are interdependent .
treatment of the original cases of landry2 consisted of massages with volatile liniments ( turpentine , quinine ) , electric stimulation and substantial nourishment .
guillain17 later prescribed antiseptic remedies , rubs with colloidal silver , electrotherapy , warm baths and irradiation .
the mainstay of current therapy consists of supportive care ( management of airway and respiratory infection , maintaining fluid and salt balance , safeguarding blood pressure and cardiovascular function , adequate nourishment , prevention and treatment of bed sores , dealing with anxiety , anger and depression , and effective rehabilitation ) .
the importance of attending to the psychological aspects of the illness is brought out in personal accounts of gbs written by physicians1820 afflicted by the disorder . until recently ,
the first report on the use of plasmaphoresis came out of hammersmith hospital in 1978.21 the beneficial effect of plasmaphoresis was confirmed by the guillain - barr study group in the usa in 1985,22 and the french cooperative study in 1987.23 besides confirming the guillain - barr study group findings , the french cooperative study showed no benefit of fresh plasma over albumin solution .
plasmaphoresis was shown to be particularly effective when given early in the disease and in severely affected patients .
beneficial effects include shorter duration on the respirator , shorter recovery time , and greater overall improvement .
in contrast to plasmaphoresis , steroids in conventional doses have no place in drug therapy.24 there are anecdotal reports of benefit with high dose intravenous steroid therapy .
possible adverse effects of the use of steroids such as increased incidence of recurrent disease have been reported.24 although cytotoxic drugs have been used , there are not enough controlled data on their usefulness .
reports on the use of polyunsaturated fatty acid diet are anecdotal.25 such diets presumably act by inhibiting in vitro lymphocyte function .
they were first used in the treatment of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy in 198726 and in gbs one year later in 1988.27 a randomized trial28 comparing intravenous immune globulin and plasma exchange showed that intravenous immune globulin is at least as effective as , and may be superior , to plasma exchange .
the exact mechanism of intravenous immunoglobulin action in gbs has not been established with certainty .
possible mechanisms of action include a non - specific effect on natural killer cells , induction of higher activity of non - specific t - suppressor lymphocytes , inhibition of macrophages , and inhibition of antibody production.29 the use of protein - a immunoadsorption ( paia ) has been recently reported in two patients with good results.30 pair presumably allows selective removal of immunoglobulins from plasma .
the use of two other modes of therapy3132 ( cyclo - oxygenase inhibitors , and oxygen radical scavengers ) has been limited to experimental animal models of gbs .
the generally good prognosis emphasized by guillain , barr and strohl in their original contribution has been confirmed in subsequent reports . in spite of the expected good outcome ,
approximately 3 - 6% of patients die and about 10 - 15% are left with permanent deficits . of the many predictors of poor outcome reported in the literature , the following have been confirmed in several studies : fibrillation potentials on emg early in the disease process , marked early reduction in compound muscle action potentials ( cmap ) , plateau period of more than ten days before the beginning of clinical improvement , and the need for ventilator support . | pubmed |
Glee 1. Chapter 1
Today was a new day for sixteen year-old Lyric St. James. Today was the day her parents were making her and her younger siblings to start school in the town of Lima Ohio. Lyric, who was born and raised New York, was quite nervous that they were moving.
There were only seven times Lyric even remembered visiting Lima and those were only to visit the Schuesters and the Puckermans. Her parents hated Lima with a passion and moved to New York the week after her mom graduated from high school. Lyric knew that there were only three reasons her parents would go back to that tiny little town. The first reason would be that some one died, the second some one was drastically sick, and the third was if one of their children caused or got into enough trouble that they felt the need to change their location.
And the reason they were moving to that dreadful town was due to the third reason. Lyric had gotten into a lot of trouble, was caught coming homing way past curfew and slightly drunk, and with the newest discovery. Her parents let it slide at first but after the third time her parents decided they were moving. And now they had been living here for two months, the summer was about to end and she had to start her junior year of high school She had yet to tell her brothers that she was the reason they were moving to Lima. While she was still a little upset about not living in New York she knew this was what was best for her family.
Lyric knew it had been hard for her parents, her mom especially, to give up their eighteen year broad-way careers. Rachel and Jesse, Lyric's parents, were not only performing on broad-way but they were award winning recording artists and acting in movies. While they could record and act anywhere in the world, New York was the only place that was Broad-Way.
Rachel was not retiring or ending her career after Jesse convinced her not to. Jesse told her she can fly to New York whenever and perform, for the month long rehearsals and an additional month or two of performing, they would see if a close family friend could watch the children for that time. Of course they hadn't told Lyric that yet, deciding that before Rachel or Jesse returned to New York for work they would take a few months off and focus on their family.
It was nine am when Lyric came down the stairs to see her parents cooking breakfast for her and her four younger siblings.
Lyrics Point Of View
"Babe, I just got off the phone with Mr. Schue and he said if we want while we are there we can coach Glee club seeing as he is now the principle." Rachel sounded so excited talking about coaching the club. But then again if it weren't for that club my parents wouldn't have met and fallen in love. See Mr. Schue was my parents Glee Club coach, when my mom was sixteen and a sophomore in high school at Mckinley High, Will Schuester decided to bring back Glee club. My dad didn't come into the picture until after sectionals.
"Are we doing it Ray?" I heard Jesse ask.
"OF COURSE JESSE!" Rachel's voice rang through out the kitchen.
"yay you and daddy singing for a school that is way below you!" I said with a smile they knew I was joking.
"Lyric, I know you don't want to move but its your actions that have brought us to this decision." By the tone of voice she had you could tell she wasn't in a great mood. I bet Airie was up all night that or my brother was.
Before I continue with my oh so sweet day I should probably inform you of the people who create my family. There's my parents Rachel and Jesse, high school sweethearts who brought their love to New York and created a family and very respected careers.
They've been together for twenty-three years, they started going out when my mom was fifteen today she's thirty-eight and my father is forty. After seven years together (15-22), four years of college (17-21), three years of marriage(19-22), and a year of Broadway performances, my mom found out she was pregnant with twins. Seven months after finding out she gave birth to a daughter and a son. My mother named the boy and my dad named the girl, Richie William St. James and Lyric Wendella St. James. Richie was named after the singer of the very first song my parents ever sang together, Hello by Lionel Richie, and his middle name comes from William Schuester my parents Glee coach. As for me I was named after the most meaningful part of a song, the lyrics, and my middle name is the main female vocal character in Spring Awakening, the first Broadway show my parents ever saw together and the first Broadway show my parents performed on Broadway together.
Two years after my brother and I were born, my mom gave birth to another son, Lennon Noah St. James. Lennon comes from John Lennon of the Beatles my dads favorite band and Noah comes from a friend of my parents from high school Noah Puckerman, who my mom says is one of the sweetest guys she ever met and is a good guy as he has taken care of his daughter, Sarah, who was a result of a teen pregnancy. A year after Lennon, mom gave birth to another boy Tyson Kurt St. James. Tyson comes from Tyson Ritter of the All American Rejects, who's song Gives you Hell, brought my mom to the music store the day she met my father, Kurt comes from another friend of my moms from high school Kurt Himmel who my mom says is a strong man, she says she believes he is strong because he came out of the closet at fifteen in their small town, a lot of people gave him a hard time for it but he held his head high and walked everything off.
The next child didn't come for a while later, my youngest sibling, my baby sister Airebella Quinn St. James was quite a surprise when my mom found out she was pregnant. At the age of thirty-seven my mom found out she was pregnant with Airie. My mom believed after the birth of Tyson, twelve years earlier, she was done having kids. She focused on recording CDs, filming movies, acting on Broadway, being a wife to my father, and a mom to us kids. But twenty months ago my mom found out she was pregnant, and she was the happiest I had seen her in months. Ten months ago after a family dinner my mom went into labor and gave birth to Airie.
Her first name Airebella comes from a play my mom was performing in when she discovered the pregnancy. Her middle name Quinn comes from my moms best friend in the world Quinn Fabray-Puckerman. Quinn and my mom weren't friends in high school until junior year, Quinn was the blonde cheerleader who everyone wanted to be. But a little bit into her sophomore year Quinn found out she was pregnant, and to top it all off she lied to everyone about who the father was until she was sixth months pregnant. She gave birth a little bit after summer break. The father of her daughter, Noah Puckerman, called Rachel the day Quinn went into labor saying he needed someone strong to be there since neither of their parents where going to be there. Rachel arrived shortly after and went into the room in which Quinn and Noah were staying in. Quinn wasn't to thrilled at first to see Rachel but then Rachel started talking and Quinn realized she had been to harsh to Rachel through the years. Noah was to scared to be alone in the delivery room with Quinn so Quinn asked Rachel to go in with them for the birth. Rachel was there when their daughter Sarah Rachel Fabray-Puckerman was born. After that Quinn became best friends with Rachel.
Mom still says how strong Quinn was in high school. Not only for being a pregnant teenager or putting up with everyone's crap, including Rachel's, but for the fact that she didn't give up her daughter. Quinn's parents kicked her out when they discovered her pregnancy, so she moved in with Noah and his mom, but after Sarah was born she needed somewhere else to live to protect her own sanity. Rachel offered Quinn a room at the Berry household, a room that was big enough to be an apartment for the young mom. Quinn got up every morning and helped make breakfast and spend time with her child. Rachel always says she most admires Quinn's strength and determination. She talks about how Quinn went from queen bee to glee, and how much Quinn loved glee. That's why Airie's middle name is Quinn, for strength in hard times and determination that gets you everywhere.
But my family doesn't end there, a few months after my mom had Airie I myself found out I was pregnant. My son Grayer Jesse if it's a boy or Stephani Rachel If it's a girl St. James will make his or her entrance into the world in about five months.
~flashback ~
I was dating this guy for almost two years, lets call him Austin, I loved him more than anything in the world. Austin was the son of one of my parents choreographers, we grew up together and naturally at fourteen we decided to start dating. I discovered I was pregnant a few short months before my sixteenth birthday. I told Austin that I was pregnant I thought he would be happy, we were going to be a family. I remember the day I told him.
I had just walked into his house and said hi to his parents and proceeded to walk into his room. Not something out of the ordinary, seeing as I had been doing this since I was five.
"Hey beautiful" Austin said as I walked into the room, two of our friends, Tony and Jonah, were there as well. Austin came over and kissed me, shortly followed by the boys jumping up and giving me hugs and Jonah offered me the chair he was sitting in and I took it.
"Austin I need to tell you something" I felt like I was in a clichéd teen movie at this point.
"What's wrong Lyr?" his voice was low and sounded like he was ready to hear bad news. Which in a way he was, nobody no matter what they say wants to be fifteen and telling their significant other that they are going to be a parent in a few months.
"Its something that needs to be said in private babe" the look in Jonah's eyes was an understanding look he was about to grab Tony and leave at that moment.
"Anything that you're going to be saying the boys can hear!" I knew this tone of voice was one of anger and pain, it's the voice he had when he found out his parents were getting divorced. "Its not like they aren't going to find out soon about whatever you're going to say, because I don't keep secrets from our friends and neither do you." He was right about everything he said but I didn't want to tell the boys yet because I wanted to see Austin's reaction first.
"FINE!" I was getting aggravated now "YOU WANT THE BOYS TO KNOW SO BADLY?" MY anger was out, the anger that I get from two overly dramatic parents.
"YEAH I DO!" Austin was angry now to even though he has no right to be.
"I'm pregnant Austin" there I said it. I'm fifteen years old and a mother to be. I looked up at Austin now to see his reaction. He had a look on his face that was hard to tell what he was thinking. The next person I looked up at was Tony, one of my two best friends from birth. Tony was like my brother and I loved him dearly, I wanted to be able to sit down and talk to him privately about the pregnancy. Then I looked at Jonah, my other best friend since birth, this is not how I wanted to tell them. I had it planned, I was going to take them out to dinner like we do every Thursday while our parents are at rehearsal, and tell them there.
"I don't care what you want with the baby all I know is I am keeping him or her"
The whole room was eerily quiet for the time being, no one said a word or moved anything. I decided I needed things to cool off so I started to walk towards the door so I could leave and tell my parents. I wish I could say he stopped me and we lived happily ever after but that's not the truth.
The truth is I went home that night in tears, my beloved boyfriend displayed the wrong emotions when I revealed my pregnancy. When I got home that night my dad was making dinner and my mom was in the nursery with a seven month old Airie. It was around eight when I arrived home, which means my parents had only been home for about two hours. My mom walked out of the nursery at that moment and went into the kitchen and kissed my father. She had her arms wrapped around his waste and he turned around wrapped his arms around her and just looked into her eyes as if she was the only woman in the world, which to him she was.
I then took a moment to look at my mom, at thirty-eight years old she could still pass for a college freshman. You wouldn't know that she is a mother of five, let alone the fact that she had just had a kid less than a year ago. My mom stood about five foot five, long black hair that went just bellow her chest. She had the prettiest brown eyes that she could use to get anything she wants, her skin was a nice tan color. I realized how much I looked like my mom at that moment. Her eyes were looking directly in my fathers eyes in a loving way. They were speaking in their own language. My dad once told me about how everyone thought my mom was this crazy person in high school, but my dad knew that she was just daydreaming about how famous she would be. My dad says I'm just like her in that aspect.
I looked at my dad next his brown slightly curly hair makes everyone go crazy for him. His eyes were a nice brown that went perfect with my mothers. His smile was the next thing I noticed, his smile is probably my favorite thing he gave me. Someone once asked him why he smiles so much and he looked at them and points at my mom and goes she's the reason I smile.
After a few more minutes of watching my parents love grow stronger I decided this is when I had to say something.
"Hey mom and dad" I walked into the kitchen and my mom turned in my dads arms and looked at me.
"hello princess" my dad said as my mom came over to me to give me big hug, shortly followed by my dad.
"Could I talk to you guys?" I knew my parents were a little surprised. I was a daddy's girl and mama's little angel, while we were a generally close knit family, I was always the one to open up but lately I was a little distant.
"Of course Wendella" that made me smile daddy always called me Wendella when he was in a good mood.
We went and sat down in the family room my dad sat down and pulled my mom under his arm not that my mom objected, this made me smile that after twenty-three years they still acted like love struck teenagers.
"Daddy, Mommy please don't hate me" this made them look worried.
"Wendella we could never hate you baby" My mom said with a very worried maternal look in her eyes. "what is it?"
"I…I'm pregnant" my voice broke at that moment and I looked up at my parents. In that second there was only one place I wanted to be and that was in my daddy's lap with my mom stroking my hair and wiping away my tears.
My mom jumped up and ran over to me and gave me a hug shortly followed by my dad.
"Rach, go lay down in her bed and get her over with you." I heard my dad say in between my tears he kissed my forehead.
"come on baby lets go lay down." My mom is the most gentle woman and I cant believe how well they are taking it.
"I'm sorry mom" I said
"Baby it's okay." Mom makes everything better.
"You're not mad?"
"Lyric, I'm not going to lie to you, I am a little disappointed in you but I'd be a hypocrite if I told you that I wasn't doing the same thing at your age, I mean look at aunt Quinn and uncle Noah, Sarah was born when they were sixteen and they are doing amazing things." My mom always knew what to say to make me feel better. "What did Austin say when you told him?"
"He didn't say anything, I walked out after five minutes of him not talking. Jonah and Tony were there when I told him"
"So basically your best friends are there kicking his ass?" Mom was good at making me laugh especially since its probably accurate.
"maybe, all I know is I thought he would have said something."
"Sweetie boys are dumb, they don't always know what to say or do."
"Daddy does."
"Hun daddy doesn't always know. There have been times in our lives when he screwed up big time." I love mom she doesn't lie and expect me to think my daddy is perfect but she lets me with certain things but not this. "Your dad is an amazing man, don't get me wrong, but he's not perfect."
"What was daddy's reaction when you told him you were pregnant?"
"lets see I was twenty-two when I found out I was expecting a baby. When I found out I was pregnant I was so scared, your daddy and I had been married for three years, and together for seven, but I was still so scared that he was going to leave me when he found out."
"Why?"
"Because we had only been on Broadway for a year and were going to wait until I was twenty-five to have kids. But the day I told your dad was after a long rehearsal for _Spring Awakening_. We left the theatre and headed over to a restaurant to have our date night. We had been sitting down and waiting for our food to come out and daddy looked over at me and asked me why I was so quiet I told him I was thinking and that I had news for him. He asked me what the news was but was interrupted by our food coming out. The waitress left and he turned back to me and again asked what I was thinking. I told him I was imagining what our children would look like, he looked me directly in the eyes and said they will have your black hair, my smile, your nose, our eyes, and your heart. I smiled and told him that I couldn't wait to find out. He told me that he couldn't either and that he believed I would make an excellent mother and him the best father ever. I decided that that was the best time to tell him, I looked up at him and said I have news and he said well you've already told me that Rach," mom paused and smiled to herself "I looked up into his eyes and said" she was cut off by another voice.
"She said "I'm pregnant Jess"" my dad had a huge grin like he was reliving the moment again. "If I remember correctly I was speechless for a few minutes. But then called the waitress over and ordered your moms favorite desert, the triple chocolate mocha cake and got up and grabbed your mom and kissed her."
"You also screamed my wife's pregnant! At the top of your lungs." My mom completed the story as my father walked over and wrapped both my mom and I into his arms.
"Babe you have to decide what you want to do in regards to your pregnancy"
"Daddy I've decided I want to keep the baby." At first I thought my parents would be mad, but they looked at each other with a small smirk growing on both of their faces.
"I knew you would." My mom said "However sweetie, there will be a lot of changes around here."
"We expect you home by five pm everyday unless you call or ask first. No partying, and no breaking curfew."
"I know, actually mom dad I was wondering about something."
"what is it Lyric?" my dad asked
"You always said that if something like this were to ever happen we would move to Lima. Don't get me wrong I'm a new Yorker and I love it here. My friends are here, your work is here, our whole lives are here. But Richie, Lennon, and I have all started getting in trouble. Richie sneaks out and drinks with friends, Lennon is doing bad at school, drinking and staying out past curfew, and I've done the same and I'm pregnant now to. I think maybe we should have a change of scenery. You can go back and help with Glee club like you've always talked about and the three of us can join Glee. This way we can get away from the New York life."
My parents looked baffled and looked back at me and then at each other.
"Are you sure about this Lyr?" my dad asked
"Yes daddy, I think this is a needed change."
"okay sweetie I'll start looking at houses in the morning." My mom said with a smile on her face. "You are being very responsible and mature, you my dear are already thinking about your baby."
The next day I met up with Jonah and Tony. They actually told me congratulations and that they believed I would do well. They also said that they would help raise the baby. But then I told them I was moving to Lima, Ohio and my mom had already found a house. We were moving in two weeks, the boys already talked about when they would start visiting.
~end flashback~
that was two months ago, I was three months pregnant when we left New York. Its been two months since I've spoken to Austin. Two months since my world was turned up side down. Tomorrow I start my Junior year of high school.
In the two months we've been in Lima, I've made some really good friends. Noah and Quinn Puckerman live next door to us. Besides their twenty-three year old daughter they had a sixteen year old, a fifteen year old, a twelve year old and a four year old. Carter Puckerman looked just like a teenaged Noah, carter had become Lyric and Richie's best friend. He had convinced Richie to try out for the schools football team, since Carter was captain he could get Richie on the team.
Besides Carter, Richie and I had become friends with Tiara Goldman, Ashley Braverton, and Adam Hudson. All of them were members of the Glee club, all of them accepted us right away. But Richie and I still hadn't told them that I was five months pregnant.
~First Day of School~
I woke up at five Am the next day, thankfully enough the morning sickness had gone, but you could see that I was pregnant. I went into my closet to pick out an outfit that wouldn't show my pregnancy. All of my clothes however, didn't fit right or I didn't like. So I went into moms closet and saw that mom still had all of her maternity clothes. I was happy that my mom had really good fashion sense. All of the clothes looked like any other regular close that I would wear.
After fifteen minutes of deciding what I was going to wear, I found the cutest Blue flow tank top, a black jacket that looked great with it, a black skirt that was exceptionally cute and the black heels tied the whole outfit together. I then took a shower, curled my hair under, and did my make up.
I then went down stairs to make breakfast for her family. At five thirty, a few minutes after I started breakfast Airie woke up. I decided that since I was going to be a mom in a few months I would get Airie up. I turned the oven off and went up stairs to get Airie ready. I gave her a bath, brushed her hair, picked out clothes and got her dressed, and went down stairs with her in my arms. I pulled her high chair over to the kitchen and got her some toys she could play with while I made pancakes, bacon, and eggs. I had it all ready at six AM and waited for my family to wake up. While waiting for them I got the rest of my school stuff and put it by the door. I set up everyone's plates and poured orange juice as I heard them moving about upstairs. I went into the cabinet and got out a bottle for Airie. At six twenty my family came downstairs.
"Airie you are lucky you don't have to go to school yet. Yeah lyric wishes she could just stay home all day with you princess." Airie was giggling and smiling
my parents were grabbing things from other rooms and so were my brothers I picked up my little sister and started singing.
"Hey girl its me, I just called to say hi, call me when you get this, haven't talked lately, so hard to find the time, give the boys a big kiss tell them I miss them by the way I miss you two, I was thinking just today about how we used to play Barbie dolls, make up, tea parties, dress up, I remember how we'd fight make up and laugh all night wish we were kids again, my sister my friend, oh yeah before I go I met someone think I really like him. I was just wondering if I'm jumping the gun and walking on a limb invite him home for Christmas meet the family, seems like just yesterday you brought home oh whats his name he had been drinking what were you thinking, after dinner he past out we can laugh about that now cuz we've learned a lot since then, my sister my friend. Do you think you could come and see me sometime soon, we could just hang out like we used to. Its late and I should go but I cant hang up the phone until I tell you what I don't tell you enough. Even though at times it seemed we were more like enemies, I'd do it all again my sister my friend, oh my sister my friend,"
by the time I was done singing everyone was eating breakfast and there were some people there who weren't my family, the Puckermans' had joined us for breakfast. They all started clapping when I finished singing.
"Wow Lyric you sound exactly like your mother." My Aunt Quinn said.
"That is why you should join Glee club." The past two months everyone had been telling me to join and I hadn't told them I had made up my mind and I would join.
2. Very SORRY AUTHOR PLEASE READ
Heyyy guys I'm sorry I haven't updated in forever. But in the next few weeks expect atleast 2 more chapters.
The past few months have been crazy in May I dislocated my knee and tore a whole bunch of things in my knee so I had to have surgery, while y4ou would think I would have time to write during recovery I couldn't because of school work and traveling. My sister graduated a week after I hurt my knee and the week I got back from MA I went into surgery and then we started preparing for finals. And then finals came.
I am well aware its been forever since I updated but I promise you for the next 3 weeks I will have atleast 2 new chapters a week
For A New Day- I will have chapters 2 and 3 up by next Wednesday
For A New Life- I will have Chapters 2 and 3 up by next Thursday
For A Victims Voice- I will have chapters 6-8 up by Monday at the latest.
For Welcome Home Veronica Mars- I will have chapters 3 and 4 up by Tuesday
Thanks guys
Please review with any direction you'd like to see me go in for these stories
End file.
| fanfiction |
Mass Effect So Maybe We Break Down Somewhere Around I'm Sorry
**So Maybe We Break Down Somewhere Around "I'm Sorry"**
Shepard puts her hand in the center of his back and shoves.
"That's it?" she demands, as he stumbles and catches himself on the steps. Zaeed and Grunt fall back to the half-burnt shell of a nearby shed. "That's the last thing you're going to say to me, you son-of-a-bitch?"
Kaidan snaps up, furious.
"What the hell was that for?" he shouts.
"You don't get to walk away from me! You don't get to say that shit and then just walk away like we had nothing, like we were _nothing_!"
She shoves him again, both hands flat on his chest, and knocks him right to his ass. Maybe her new strength surprises him, because he stays there, staring up at her.
"I love you, Kaidan, and maybe a general _how've you been_ wasn't the best opening, but seeing you threw me, okay?"
She drops her shotgun and kneels, air and energy forced out on impact.
"I _love_ you, Kaidan," she says again, and her voice breaks. "I'm sorry. I tried to find you. I really did. Anderson stone-walled me, but you were first thing I thought of, the first thing I asked him about."
The adrenaline has drained too quickly, and she starts to cry, blubbering really, face pinching up all ugly. She slides her legs around with difficulty, collapsing into herself like a dying star of heartbreak. All she can hear is her own hiccupy sobs, her armored fingers swiping ineffectually at her nose and cheeks.
"Everyone keeps saying _two years_, and I don't know what that means, and I don't know how to tell anyone. I still feel like we were just together, you were just falling asleep next to me and we'd won and everything was so perfect and _ours_ and—and..."
She gasps around tight lungs, around a heart suddenly much too large for her constricted chest.
"Shepard..."
His hand threads through her dirty hair, palm cupping the back of her head, pulling her face up. He uses a piece of gauze to clean her face a little, and then leans in. Their lips touch, and she's still at first, waiting for the blow, waiting for him to snap away and the whole house of cards to crumble around her.
But he's still there after three seconds, and she closes her hand over his, tilts her chin up, and tentatively opens her lips. He responds instantly, one hand tightening, the other traveling to her cheek, tracing with his thumb all the familiar angles and curves, tongue pushing against hers. She's never willing to give up the high ground, hands on his shoulders, pushing him back down onto the stairs, sliding her hips against his as she straddles his thighs.
She feels the prickle of his biotic field against her own, the mismatched tango of power and control sparking along her spine. He pulls away for air, briefly.
"I missed you," he whispers.
"I missed you."
"Hey, you want us to wait in the shuttle or something?" Zaeed calls. "Not that I mind the show, but krogan's gettin' a bit bored!"
"Why don't you fight him?" Grunt grumbles. "What sort of female gives into a male's advances without a little bloodshed?"
She doesn't turn, burying her face against Kaidan's neck, throwing an obscene gesture over her shoulder.
"Don't ever walk away from me again," she says into his skin, and he shivers.
"I won't."
End file.
| fanfiction |
Independent Consulting - Get off the Employment Merry Go Round and Work for Yourself
It's often said that it takes a special kind of person to work for themselves. Truth is, it takes a special kind of person to work for someone else: an ability to confirm to a rigid schedule, meet the expectations of others, and put our own desires on hold.
As an Independent Consultant, you work for yourself, set your own structure, your own hours, and your own work style. You prosper or perish because of what you do, not what someone else does. In this session on Independent Consulting, Jim Connell, the President of the Society of Independent Consultants, will review prerequisites, advantages, disadvantages, and resources for launching your career as a consultant.
Come ready to consider the Independent Path.
Jim Connell has been a successful consultant for over 15 years. He helps organizations understand and manage their data. In addition to his expertise in database applications and development, he also holds graduate degrees in Education (MA), School Psychology (Ed.S.) and Finance (MBA)
Jim is the President of the Society of Profession Consultants (SPC), a non-profit New England-based resource organization for consultants who represent diverse disciplines and work in multiple industries. The Society was established in 1986 by consultants for consultants to create a dynamic peer network.
The SPC network supports the growing community of professionals committed to developing successful independent consulting practices that responded to business community needs.
6:00-6:30pm: Registration, light dinner, networking
6:30-7:30pm: Workshop
7:30-8:00pm: Optional networking
Microsoft New England R&D Center, 1 Memorial Drive, Abigail Adams Room, Cambridge, MA
We appreciate Microsoft New England Research and Development Center donating the use of their event space.
Members: $25; Non-Members: $40 | slim_pajama |
Community resources and intentional partnerships are an important part of the work we do at YEAH Philly. Check them out below.
211 General Resource Directory/Search: https://www.pa211.org (General Resources)
Youth Arts Self Empowerment Project: http://www.yasproject.com (Youth Art & Legal)
Youth Sentencing and Reentry Project: https://ysrp.org (Youth Legal)
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program: https://www.dhs.pa.gov/Services/Assistance/Pages/LIHEAP.aspx (Utilities)
Behavioral Health Crisis Intervention: https://dbhids.org/about/organization/office-of-mental-health/behavioral-health-crisis-intervention-services/24-hour-mental-health-delegate-line-215-685-6440/ (Mental Health)
Share Food Finder: https://www.sharefoodprogram.org/find-food/ (Food)
Covid 19 Emergency Rental Assistance: https://phlrentassist.org (Housing)
Free Legal Assistance: https://clsphila.org (Legal)
Village of Arts and Humanities: https://villagearts.org/ (Youth Art)
Work Ready Employment: https://www.workready.org (Youth Employment)
Fab Youth Philly: https://www.fabyouthphilly.com (Youth)
Youth Work Permit Process: https://www.philasd.org/cte/about/working-papers/ (Youth Employment)
Uplift Center for Grieving Children: http://upliftphilly.org (Youth Grief Support)
For additional resources, Our Digital Resource Guide is Coming Soon
Our Digital resource Guide is Coming Soon
Our mission is to engage, educate, and ensure that vulnerable students, who are currently involved in or were formerly involved in the child welfare or juvenile justice system, learn, heal, and grow into caring, confident, competent citizens of the world.
Beyond The Bars is a 501(c)3 student-driven music and career skills program that is dedicated to interrupting the cycles of violence and incarceration while helping our students recognize their immense potential and bright futures.
The PSPCA rescues animals from cruelty and neglect, rehabilitates them medically and behaviorally, and places them with new, loving families. We bring our mission to life through the lifesaving efforts of our Humane Law Enforcement division, in-house Shelter Hospital, low-cost veterinary services, behavior and enrichment program, humane education, and placement of abandoned animals in loving forever homes.
Share Food Program leads the fight against food insecurity in the Philadelphia region, by serving an expansive, quality partner network of community-based organizations and school districts engaged in food distribution, education and advocacy.
Philadelphia Works, Inc. develops and manages smart workforce solutions that respond to business needs and increase economic opportunity for all Philadelphia residents. | slim_pajama |
I write this in the run up to Brexit Dday. Whether you are remain or leave, the uncertainty of Brexit is a reality. Community Supported Agriculture has potential benefits however that apply to any uncertainty, manmade or otherwise.
First some challenges facing horticultural businesses in the run up to Brexit, and in particular to the threat of a No Deal Brexit.
· Labour –Solutions may be found in time but there are widespread fears that securing the necessary workforce when we have left the Union will be more difficult.
· Availability of Produce – with no trade barriers, gaps in UK supplies can be easily met with imports of a wide range of products all year round. With barriers it may be harder to source the range of produce that is currently on offer.
· Pricing – The flipside of a global supply of produce is continual downward pressure on prices. As a result, many mid-size growing businesses have disappeared. We now see a polarisation between larger and larger businesses that use scale to meet supermarket demand, and a proliferation of very small-scale operations that supply specialist high value products direct to local customers. At both ends of the scale tiny margins are a real threat to business sustainability.
Here are some thoughts on how Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) might offer a Brexit proof business model, but firstly what is the CSA model?
Consumers, often described as CSA members, are closely linked to the farm, and provide support that goes beyond a straight forward marketplace exchange of money for goods. They might have invested in the farm or business or share the costs of production. They may instead accept a share in the harvest or providing labour.
The most common produce for CSA farms is vegetables, but anything can be produced with the CSA model for instance eggs, poultry, bread, fruit, pork, lamb, beef and dairy produce. CSA farms are even developing around woodlands for firewood and more recently fish.
Farmers receive a more stable and secure income and closer connection with their community, and consumers benefit by eating fresh healthy local food, feeling more connected to the land where their food is grown and learning new skills.
CSA helps to address increasing concerns about the lack of transparency, sustainability and resilience of our food system. It is one of the most radical ways that we can re-take control and ownership of our food system.
The proposition of consumer and producer sharing risk and reward may not seem particularly attractive in an environment where food is cheap and plentiful. Why pay money up front or commit to a long-term arrangement with a farmer when you can pop to the shops or login to your favourite online retailer and get what you want whenever you want it.
Imagine instead a situation where lorries are delayed, or tariffs are high. Prices may shoot up. Importers may seek easier markets. Having a guaranteed supply of food (weather permitting of course) begins to make a bit more sense.
Beyond the practical, being a CSA member brings a whole range of social benefits. Opportunities to join in with farming, learn more about how your food is produced and perhaps even improve your physical and mental health.
While the CSA business model is still in its infancy in this country with 100 + CSA farms, new ones are starting all the time. You can find out your nearest one here. In USA and France there are thousands of CSA farms, helped perhaps by not having a developed organic box scheme market. In these and other countries many CSA farms are even supplying into cities and feeding urban populations.
While I accept of course that the CSA model will not suit all farms or farmers, it does offer a genuine vision for transforming our relationship with food and a way of shaping a future proof food supply.
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Why is the Precautionary Principle so vital?
by guarantee 3775136 (England & Wales). | slim_pajama |
dermatomyositis ( dm ) is an idiopathic inflammatory myopathy with progressive , symmetrical weakness of the proximal muscles and characteristic cutaneous manifestations such as poikiloderma .
the etiology and pathogenesis of dm remain unknown ; however , in recent years , some researchers have shown that the cause of dm may be related to an autoimmune response induced by a viral infection or a paraneoplastic syndrome .
in particular , dm has been strongly associated with breast , ovarian , lung , pancreatic , gastric , and colorectal cancer , as well as non - hodgkin 's lymphoma . however , dm associated with hepatocellular carcinoma ( hcc ) has rarely been reported [ 2 - 7 ] . here , we report a case of dm associated with hepatitis b virus ( hbv)-related liver cirrhosis and hcc with a review of the current literature .
a 55-year - old male visited our hospital complaining of progressive weakness in his bilateral arms , hips , and thighs .
he had difficulty combing his hair and was experiencing dysphagia and erythematous changes in the skin ( his face and a ' v ' on his upper chest and neck that had developed 3 weeks earlier ) ( fig .
1 ) . a physical examination revealed a heliotrope rash with bilateral periorbital edema and poikiloderma on the upper chest and neck .
serum laboratory tests revealed the following : white blood cells 9,720/mm , hemoglobin 13.6 g / dl , platelets 98,000/mm , creatine kinase 16,440 iu / l ( normal range , 0 to 190 ) , lactate dehydrogenase 994 iu / l , aspartate aminotransferase 717 iu / l , alanine transaminase 139 iu / l , total bilirubin 1.4 mg / dl , albumin 2.2 g / dl , alkaline phosphatase 119 iu / l , and prothrombin time ( activity ) 55% .
hbv surface antigen was detected , and the hbv dna level was 7,380 iu / ml . no antibodies against hepatitis c virus were detected .
igm antibodies against epstein - barr virus , cytomegalovirus , and herpes simplex virus were not detected .
tests for other autoantibodies , including anti - dsdna , anti - ribonucleoprotein , anti - sm , anti - jo-1 , and anti - scl70 , were all negative .
electromyography showed a small number of polyphasic waves with a normal interference pattern in all muscles tested .
a muscle biopsy of the right upper arm showed a sparse lymphocytic infiltrate around the blood vessels and negative immunofluorescence pathologic findings , compatible with dm ( fig .
the patient 's levels of carcinoembryonic antigen , carbohydrate antigen 19 - 9 , and prostate - specific antigen were normal , but he had elevated levels of -fetoprotein ( afp ; 448.8 ng / ml ) and proteins induced by vitamin k absence - ii ( > 500 mau / ml ) .
liver dynamic computed tomography ( ct ) revealed a 6.5-cm sized arterial enhancing mass in hepatic segment 7/6 ( fig .
we diagnosed the patient with hbv - related hcc based on his status as an hbv carrier , elevated afp level ( > 200 ng / ml ) , and typical radiographic findings ( e.g. , arterial enhancing features on liver dynamic ct ) .
optimal management procedures for hcc such as transcatheter arterial chemoembolization could not be performed because of the patient 's poor general condition .
after steroid therapy , the patient 's skin rash , muscle strength , and dysphagia showed slight improvement , and his elevated muscle enzyme levels returned to the near - normal range .
however , his underlying hcc progressed rapidly : the size of the cancer grew up to 11 cm with portal vein thrombosis and multiple lymph node metastasis .
an association between malignancy and dm has been widely reported in the literature with incidences ranging from 3% to 35% .
possible mechanisms include paraneoplastic syndrome , a compromised immune system , common carcinogenic environmental factors , and cross - activity of immune reactions against the tumor , all of which transform into an autoimmune syndrome as a consequence of cross - reactivity with skin and muscle antigens .
levine suggested a model of paraneoplasia focusing on common autoantigen expression and immune targeting between cancer tissues and muscle tissue in myositis .
one of these so - called myositis - specific autoantibodies recognizes mi-2 antigen , a component of the nucleosome remodeling deacetylase complex .
recent data examining the immune recognition of mi-2 antigen suggest that patients with cancer - associated myositis develop humoral immune responses against different regions of the molecule , as compared to the responses of those with myositis alone .
proposed that anti - mi-2 antibodies may be cross - reactive with hcc . in our case
, there was another possibility - that the patient 's dm was caused by other infectious agents .
therefore , we tested for various infectious agents , including echovirus , adenovirus , coxsackie virus , influenza , human immunodeficiency virus , and human t cell leukemia / lymphoma virus , which are known to cause myositis , and all tests were negative .
antibodies that attack a virus or virus - enzyme complex could cross - react with a homologous area of host proteins and result in autoantibody production ( i.e. , a cross - reactive phenomenon ) .
a test for anti - jo-1 antibodies was negative , but anti - mi-2 antibodies were not examined in this case .
six patients with dm associated with hcc have been described in the literature including the present case ( table 1 ) [ 2 - 7 ] .
these results suggest that dm in patients with hcc is a risk factor for advanced hcc .
dm has been noted to improve after the treatment of cancer , with recurrences of muscle weakness taking place after relapse of the malignancy , further suggesting a paraneoplastic origin .
unfortunately , we could not manage the hcc in our patient because of his poor general condition and hepatic function .
there was a previous report of improvement in dm without corticosteroids after the resection of hcc . in our case
dm may be caused by hcc , especially advanced hcc , and/or a chronic hbv infection .
therefore , hcc might be considered a cause of dm if no other etiology can be determined . | pubmed |
the current acceleration of the universe is widely accepted through various independent observational data , as supernovae ia @xcite- @xcite , cosmic microwave background radiation @xcite-@xcite , the large scale structure of the universe @xcite-@xcite , cosmic shear through gravitational weak lensing surveys @xcite and the lyman alpha forest absorption lines @xcite .
the well known standard equivalent theories , the general relativity ( gr ) and the tele - parallel theory , are the first theories used for explaining the acceleration of the universe , including the existence of the dark energy as a new component of the universe @xcite-@xcite . another way of explaining this acceleration of the universe is modifying a standard theory , @xmath11 or @xmath2 . in this theory
we are interested to the modification of @xmath2 , getting the so - called @xmath0 theory of gravity where @xmath1 denotes the torsion scalar . instead of the levi - civita connection in the @xmath11 ,
the @xmath2 and @xmath0 are based on the weitzenbock connection .
note that in @xmath0 theory of gravity , new scalar degrees of freedom appear , constraining the consideration of the torsion scalar into dynamics way as effective new scalar field , instead of the torsion scalar in @xmath2 defined by the pressure and the density inside the stars . in the theories based on the curvature scalar , the semi - classical approach to quantum gravity
is often used where the higher and logarithmic terms are included in the action because their relevance for the strong field regime in the interior of the relativistic stars @xcite-@xcite .
neutron stars probe high baryon densities where baryon density in the stellar interior can be of the order of magnitude beyond the nuclear saturation density @xmath12 k@xmath13 @xcite . in this paper , inspired by the fact that in dense medium the strong nuclear force play a crucial role , we consider the effect of corrections to the @xmath2 action involving terms of power - law and exponential in @xmath1 on the observational features of the neutron stars and quark stars with suitable equations of state ( eos ) . for the neutron stars
, we consider the polytropic eos and the sly eos , while for the quark stars , we assume a simplest eos in the so - called bag model . in this way , tolman - oppenheimer - volkoff equations are established from the generalized field equation in @xmath0 .
first we consider diagonal tetrad and fall into the constraint where the algebraic action function is reduced to the @xmath2 one .
since the goal is to introduce correction terms to the @xmath2 theory , we consider in the second step a non - diagonal tetrad through which the previous constraint fall down . according to our results it comes that for some values of the input parameters @xmath14 , @xmath15 , @xmath16 and @xmath17 , structures of relativistic stars , both neutron and quark stars , are able to be found within @xmath0 theory of gravity .
the paper is organized as follows .
the section @xmath18 is devoted to the generality on @xmath0 gravity and the generalization of the tov equations within diagonal tetrad fashion .
the tov equations are still developed in the section @xmath19 but within the non - diagonal fashion ; then the structures of the relativistic stars , both neutron and quark stars , are analyzed through numerical integrations of the field tov equations .
our conclusion and perspectives are presented in the section @xmath20 .
the action @xmath21 of @xmath0 gravity , is given by @xmath22,\end{aligned}\ ] ] where @xmath23 is the matter lagrangian density assumed to depend only on the tetrad , and not on its covariant derivatives ; @xmath24 is the determinant of the tetrad and @xmath25 a generic function depending on the scalar torsion .
the variation of the action ( [ fla1 ] ) with respect to the tetrad leads to @xcite @xmath26f_{t}+ \frac{1}{4}\delta^{\nu}_{\mu}f=\frac{\kappa^{2}}{2 } \mathcal{t}^{\nu}_{\mu},\end{aligned}\ ] ] where @xmath27 is the energy - momentum tensor .
we consider that the matter content is an isotropic fluid , such that the corresponding energy - momentum tensor reads @xmath28 with @xmath29 , @xmath30 the four - velocity and the unit space - like vector in the radial direction .
the parameters @xmath31 , @xmath32 and @xmath33 denote the energy density , the pressure in the direction of @xmath34 ( normal pressure ) and @xmath33 the pressure orthogonal to @xmath30 ( transversal pressure ) , respectively . in an isotropic case , one has the equality @xmath35 . in order to get solutions describing stellar objects
, we assume a spherically symmetric metric with two independent functions @xmath36 and @xmath37 both depending on the radial coordinate , as @xmath38 according to this metric , the field equation can be decoupled as @xmath39\frac{f_t}{2}&=&4\pi\rho , \label{fla5}\\ \left(t-\frac{1}{r^2}\right)\frac{f_t}{2}-\frac{f}{4}&=&4\pi p_r , \label{fla6}\\ \bigg[\frac{t}{2}+e^{-\beta}\bigg(\frac{\alpha''}{2}+\left(\frac{\alpha'}{4}+ \frac{1}{2r}\right)(\alpha'-\beta')\bigg)\bigg]\frac{f_t}{2}-\frac{f}{4}&=&4 \pi p_t,\label{fla7}\\ \frac{\cot\theta}{2r^2}t'f_{tt}&=&0,\label{fla8}\end{aligned}\ ] ] where the prime denotes the derivative with respect to the radial coordinate @xmath40 .
the torsion scalar reads @xmath41 from the conservation law for the stress tensor , i.e , @xmath42 , one gets @xmath43 in the usual cases , i.e , with an isotropic fluid , where @xmath44 , and setting @xmath45 , one gets @xmath46 . by taking into account the trace of the field equations
, one gets @xmath47f_t+f=4\pi(\rho - p_r-2p_t).\end{aligned}\ ] ] in order to get the tov equations , it is suitable to replace the metric function by the following expression @xmath48 for the following considerations , it is convenient to adopt dimensional variables @xmath49 and @xmath50 with @xmath51
. then , from ( [ fla12 ] ) one can extract @xmath52 then it is easy to get stellar structures .
it is important to note here that some asymptotic flatness are required as the radial coordinate evolves , that is @xmath53 by making use of([fla9 ] ) , ( [ fla10 ] ) within the condition of isotropy @xmath44 and ( [ fla13 ] ) , one gets in terms of the mass , the pressure and the energy density , the following tov equations @xmath54f_t+\frac{1}{4}f-4\pi
\rho=0 \label{fla15 } \\
\left[-\frac{\alpha'}{r}+\frac{2\alpha ' m}{r^2}-\frac{1}{2r^2}+\frac{2m}{r^3 } \right]f_t+\frac{1}{4}f+4\pi p=0,\label{fla16}\\ \bigg[-\frac{2}{\rho+p}\left(\frac{1}{r}\frac{dm}{dr}-\frac{6}{r}+ \frac{11m}{r^2}\right)\frac{dp}{dr}+\frac{4}{(\rho+p)^2}\left(\frac{2m}{r}-1 \right)\left(\frac{dp}{dr}\right)^2\nonumber \\ -2\left(\frac{2m}{r}-1\right ) \frac{d}{dr}\left(\frac{1}{\rho+p}\frac{dp}{dr}\right)-\frac{2}{r^2 } \frac{dm}{dr}-\frac{2}{r^2}+\frac{4m}{r^3}\bigg]f_t+f-4\pi \left(\rho-3p \right)=0 . \label{fla17}\end{aligned}\ ] ] in order to solve the system ( [ fla15])-([fla17 ] ) , we need the expression of the algebraic function @xmath0 , an explicit form of the equation of state @xmath55 , and some initial conditions on the mass @xmath56 and the pressure . as initial conditions for the mass and the pressure one can assume @xmath57 and @xmath58 , where @xmath59
. from the equation ( [ fla8 ] ) two cases can be distinguished , i.e , @xmath60 or @xmath61 , where @xmath62 is view as the cosmological constant .
let us first work with the realistic case , that is @xmath61 .
in this section we consider a non - diagonal tetrad , in order to escape the constraint leading to the linear form of the algebraic function @xmath0 .
we chose the non - diagonal tetrad as @xmath63 the tov equations in this case read @xmath64f_t+\frac{1}{4}f=4\pi\rho\label{fla20}\\ \frac{1}{2r^3}\sqrt{r(r-2m)}\bigg[2(\alpha'r+1)\sqrt{\frac{r-2m}{r}}-\alpha'r-2 \bigg]f_t-\frac{1}{4}f=4\pi p_{r}\label{fla21}\\ \frac{1}{4r^2}\sqrt{r(r-2m)}\bigg[(\alpha'r+2)\sqrt{\frac{r-2m}{r}-2}\bigg]t ' f_{tt}-\frac{1}{8r^3}\bigg[4r(\alpha'r+2)\sqrt{\frac{r-2m}{r}}\nonumber\\ -2\alpha''r^3-\alpha'^2r^3 + 2\alpha'm'r^2 + 4\alpha''mr^2 + 2\alpha'^2mr^2\nonumber\\ -6\alpha'r^2 + 4m'r+10\alpha'mr-8r+4m\bigg]f_t-\frac{1}{4}f=4\pi p_t\label{fla22}\end{aligned}\ ] ] where @xmath32 and @xmath33 mean the radial and tangential pressures respectively . in this case , the trace of the equation of motion leads to @xmath65t'f_{tt}+\bigg ( \frac{\alpha'm'}{2r}+\frac{\alpha''m}{r}+\frac{\alpha'^2}{2r}-\frac{3\alpha'}{r } \nonumber\\ \frac{2m'}{r^2}+\frac{11\alpha'm}{2r^2}-\frac{4}{r^2}+\frac{4m}{r^3}- \frac{\alpha''}{2}-\frac{\alpha'^2}{4}\bigg)f_t+f=4\pi \left(\rho - p_r-2p_t \right)\label{fla23}\end{aligned}\ ] ] in this rebric we will still work in the frame of mit bag model where the simple equation of state for quark matter is ( [ fla18 ] ) . here
, we will distinguish two models , the power law and exponential models . in this subsection
we assume the algebraic power - law action function as @xmath66 where @xmath14 is real constant and @xmath16 a real number with @xmath67 and @xmath68 , such that @xmath69 and @xmath70 .
the exponential action function is assumed as @xmath71 , with ( @xmath72 and @xmath73 ) such that @xmath74 and @xmath75 .
the structure of neutron stars has been developed in other kind of modified gravity , namely the @xmath76 gravity @xcite-@xcite . in our case
we will explore the observable features such as the mass - radius relation of the neutron stars . in order to solve the generalized field equations it is needed the relation between the energy density and the pressures .
we will assume for simplicity an homogeneous matter content such that the tangential and radial pressures are equal , and equations of state will be assumed for the neutron stars driving the information of the matter inside the star .
two types of equation of state are considered : the simpler polytropic eos and a more realistic sly eos @xcite .
_ polytropic eos _ as simpler polytropic equation of state , we assume the following one @xmath77 with @xmath78 by making use of runge - kutta method we numerically solve the system formed by the equations ( [ fla20 ] ) , ( [ fla21 ] ) and ( [ fla25 ] ) through an integration from the center to the surface of the star .
we assume that the density at the center of the star is increased from a non null value @xmath79 , fixed to @xmath80 , called nuclear saturation density .
the numerical results are presented and the deviation from the @xmath2 theory of gravity can be seen for large values , both positive and negative , of the parameters @xmath14 and @xmath15 for the power - law gravity and exponential gravity , respectively . the evolution the mass - radius diagram for neutron stars within polytropic eos are represented in fig @xmath81 for power - law correction and fig @xmath18 for exponential correction to the @xmath2 of gravity .
, for instance @xmath82 ( left diagram ) ; for the case @xmath83 , for instance @xmath84 ( middle diagram ) and for the case @xmath85 , for instance @xmath86 ( right diagram ) .
for the three diagrams , the representative of the @xmath2 are the black ones @xmath87 .
the red , magenta , blue and green curves are plotted for @xmath88 , respectively .
the graphs here are related to neutron stars within polytropic eos for power - law correction to @xmath2 . ] , for instance @xmath82 ( left diagram ) ; for the case @xmath83 , for instance @xmath84 ( middle diagram ) and for the case @xmath85 , for instance @xmath86 ( right diagram ) .
for the three diagrams , the representative of the @xmath2 are the black ones @xmath87 .
the red , magenta , blue and green curves are plotted for @xmath88 , respectively .
the graphs here are related to neutron stars within polytropic eos for power - law correction to @xmath2 . ] , for instance @xmath82 ( left diagram ) ; for the case @xmath83 , for instance @xmath84 ( middle diagram ) and for the case @xmath85 , for instance @xmath86 ( right diagram ) .
for the three diagrams , the representative of the @xmath2 are the black ones @xmath87 .
the red , magenta , blue and green curves are plotted for @xmath88 , respectively .
the graphs here are related to neutron stars within polytropic eos for power - law correction to @xmath2 . ] , for instance @xmath89 ( left diagram ) and for the case @xmath90 , for instance @xmath91 ( right diagram ) . for both diagrams ,
the representative of the @xmath2 are the black ones @xmath92 .
the red , magenta , blue and green curves are plotted for @xmath93 , respectively .
the graphs here are related to neutron stars within polytropic eos for exponential correction to @xmath2 . ] , for instance @xmath89 ( left diagram ) and for the case @xmath90 , for instance @xmath91 ( right diagram ) . for both diagrams ,
the representative of the @xmath2 are the black ones @xmath92 .
the red , magenta , blue and green curves are plotted for @xmath93 , respectively .
the graphs here are related to neutron stars within polytropic eos for exponential correction to @xmath2 . ]
_ sly eos _
this type of equation of state characterizes the behaviour of nuclear matter at high densities and is expressed as @xmath94\nonumber\\ + f_0\left(a_{11}+a_{12}\xi\right)\left[a_{13}\left(a_{14}-\xi\right)\right]+ f_0\left(a_{15}+a_{16}\xi\right)\left[a_{17}\left(a_{18}-\xi\right)\right].\end{aligned}\ ] ] here the parameters @xmath95 and @xmath96 are defined as in ( [ fla25 ] ) and the function @xmath97 is defined by @xmath98 the values of coefficients @xmath99 can be view in the table @xmath81 @xcite .
i & @xmath99(sly ) & i & @xmath99(sly ) + 1 & 6.22 & 10 & 11.4950 + 2 & 6.121 & 11 & -22.775 + 3 & 0.005925 & 12 & 1.5707 + 4 & 0.16326 & 13 & 4.3 + 5 & 6.48 & 14 & 14.08 + 6 & 11.4971 & 15 & 27.80 + 7 & 19.105 & 16 & -1.653 + 8 & 0.8938 & 17 & 1.50 + 9 & 6.54 & 18 & + as in the previous case , we assume that the density at the center of star evolves from a critical @xmath79 to the total density at it surface . the deviation from the @xmath2 is presented for the both power - law gravity and the exponential one for different values of the parameters @xmath14 and @xmath15 .
the evolution of the mass - radius diagram for neutron stars within sly eos are represented in fig @xmath19 for power - law correction and fig @xmath20 for exponential correction to the tt of gravity .
, for instance @xmath82 ( left diagram ) ; for the case @xmath83 , for instance @xmath84 ( middle diagram ) and for the case @xmath85 , for instance @xmath86 ( right diagram ) .
for the three diagrams , the representatives of the @xmath2 are the black ones @xmath87 .
the red , magenta , blue and green curves are plotted for @xmath88 , respectively .
the graphs here are related to neutron stars within sly eos for power - law correction to @xmath2 . ] , for instance @xmath82 ( left diagram ) ; for the case @xmath83 , for instance @xmath84 ( middle diagram ) and for the case @xmath85 , for instance @xmath86 ( right diagram ) .
for the three diagrams , the representatives of the @xmath2 are the black ones @xmath87 .
the red , magenta , blue and green curves are plotted for @xmath88 , respectively .
the graphs here are related to neutron stars within sly eos for power - law correction to @xmath2 . ] , for instance @xmath82 ( left diagram ) ; for the case @xmath83 , for instance @xmath84 ( middle diagram ) and for the case @xmath85 , for instance @xmath86 ( right diagram ) .
for the three diagrams , the representatives of the @xmath2 are the black ones @xmath87 .
the red , magenta , blue and green curves are plotted for @xmath88 , respectively .
the graphs here are related to neutron stars within sly eos for power - law correction to @xmath2 . ] , for instance @xmath89 ( left diagram ) and for the case @xmath90 , for instance @xmath91 ( right diagram ) .
for both diagrams , the representatives of the @xmath2 are the black ones @xmath92 .
the red , magenta , blue and green curves are plotted for @xmath93 , respectively .
the graphs here are related to neutron stars within sly eos for exponential correction to @xmath2 . ] , for instance @xmath89 ( left diagram ) and for the case @xmath90 , for instance @xmath91 ( right diagram ) . for both diagrams ,
the representatives of the @xmath2 are the black ones @xmath92 .
the red , magenta , blue and green curves are plotted for @xmath93 , respectively .
the graphs here are related to neutron stars within sly eos for exponential correction to @xmath2 . ]
a quark star is a self - gravitating system consisting of deconfined @xmath100 , @xmath101 and @xmath102 quarks and electrons @xcite .
these deconfined quarks are the fundamental elements of the color superconductor system . in the comparison with the standard hadron matter , they lead to a softer equation of state . in the frame of the so - called bag model ,
a simple equation of state is obtained for quark matter @xcite @xmath103 where @xmath104 is the bag constant .
the value of the parameter @xmath105 depends on the mass @xmath106 of the strang quark . for the radiation
, one has @xmath107 and the parameter is @xmath108 , and for more realistic model where @xmath109 , the parameter is @xmath110 .
the parameter @xmath104 belongs to the interval @xmath111 in the unit of @xmath112 @xcite .
the evolution the mass - radius diagram for quark stars are represented in fig @xmath113 for power - law correction and fig @xmath114 for exponential correction to the tt of gravity .
, for instance @xmath82 ( left diagram ) ; for the case @xmath83 , for instance @xmath84 ( middle diagram ) and for the case @xmath85 , for instance @xmath86 ( right diagram ) .
for the three diagrams , the representatives of the @xmath2 are the black ones @xmath87 .
the red , magenta , blue and green curves are plotted for @xmath88 , respectively .
the graphs are related to the quark stars with the polytropic correction to tt . ] , for instance @xmath82 ( left diagram ) ; for the case @xmath83 , for instance @xmath84 ( middle diagram ) and for the case @xmath85 , for instance @xmath86 ( right diagram ) .
for the three diagrams , the representatives of the @xmath2 are the black ones @xmath87 .
the red , magenta , blue and green curves are plotted for @xmath88 , respectively .
the graphs are related to the quark stars with the polytropic correction to tt . ] , for instance @xmath82 ( left diagram ) ; for the case @xmath83 , for instance @xmath84 ( middle diagram ) and for the case @xmath85 , for instance @xmath86 ( right diagram ) .
for the three diagrams , the representatives of the @xmath2 are the black ones @xmath87 .
the red , magenta , blue and green curves are plotted for @xmath88 , respectively .
the graphs are related to the quark stars with the polytropic correction to tt . ] , for instance @xmath89 ( left diagram ) and for the case @xmath90 , for instance @xmath91 ( right diagram ) . for both diagrams ,
the representatives of the tt are the black ones ( @xmath115 ) .
the red , magenta , blue and green curves are plotted for @xmath93 , respectively .
the graphs here are related to neutron stars within sly eos for exponential correction to tt . ] , for instance @xmath89 ( left diagram ) and for the case @xmath90 , for instance @xmath91 ( right diagram ) .
for both diagrams , the representatives of the tt are the black ones ( @xmath115 ) .
the red , magenta , blue and green curves are plotted for @xmath93 , respectively .
the graphs here are related to neutron stars within sly eos for exponential correction to tt . ]
the structures of neutron and quark stars structures have been analyzed in this work in the framework of @xmath0 , @xmath1 being the torsion scalar .
the main goal here is searching the deviation of mass - radium diagram of both neutron and quark stars of the modified gravity , view as correction terms to the @xmath2 , from corresponding diagram of the @xmath2 .
the first has been establishing the tov equations for @xmath0 theory .
the fundamental fashion here is assuming the non - diagonal tetrad from which any constraint can occur about the choice of the algebraic action function .
therefore , we assume two interesting cases as correction terms ; the power - law and exponential terms , including the parameters ( @xmath14 and @xmath16 ) and ( @xmath15 and @xmath17 ) , respectively .
our analysis are based on the numerical integration of the system formed by tov equations and the different eos , the polytropic and sly eos for neutron stars and a suitable eos for the quark stars .
our results show that for some values of the input parameters in the neutron stars case , for both polytropic and sly eos , the deviation of the @xmath0 terms from the tt is obvious for the beginning and the intermediate values of the radius .
however , in some cases and for large values of the radius , the correction terms do not have effect on the evolution of the mass , with respect to the @xmath2 case . in the quark stars case
, it appears that for any value of the radius , the deviation of the @xmath0 theory terms from the @xmath2 is obvious .
* acknowledgments : * a.v.kpadonou and m.j.s.houndjo thank _ ecole normale suprieure de natitingou _ for partial financial support .
m.e.rodrigues expresses his sincere gratitude do ufpa and cnpq for partial financial support during the elaboration of this work .
a. g. riess et al .
( supernova search team ) , astron.j . *
116 * , 1009 ( 1998 ) , arxiv : astro - ph/9805201 [ astro - ph ] ; s. perlmutter et al .
( supernova cosmology project ) , astrophys .
j. * 517 * , 565 ( 1999 ) , arxiv : astro - ph/9812133 [ astro - ph ] .
s. nojiri and s. d. odintsov , phys . rept .
* 505 * , 59 ( 2011 ) arxiv:1011.0544 [ gr - qc ] ; econf c * 0602061 * , 06 ( 2006 ) int .
phys . * 4 * , 115 ( 2007 ) ] [ hep - th/0601213 ] ; arxiv:1306.4426 [ gr - qc ] .
m. b. baibosunov , v. t. gurovich , and u. m. imanaliev , soviet journal of experimental and theoretical physics * 71 * , 636 ( 1990 ) ; a. vilenkin , phys . rev .
d * 32 * , 2511 ( 1985 ) ; g. m. shore , annals of physics * 128 * , 376 ( 1980 ) . | arxiv |
for the effective treatment of manic depressive disorders , administration of lithium salts was approved by the us food and drug administration in 1970 and they have been used widely since then .
contrary to the low lithium concentration in normal sera , lithium is toxic in high concentrations and yet is ineffective for treatment if the concentration is too low[24 ] .
thus , it is important to maintain the blood serum concentration at relatively narrow therapeutic levels and it is apparent that accurate and precise measurement of lithium in manic patients sera is vital in order to assure adequate and safe treatment .
initially , flame emission spectrometry ( fes ) and flame atomic absorption spectrometry ( faas ) were used to determine blood serum lithium concentration[57 ] . in the late 1980s , ion selective electrodes ( ises ) were developed for lithium , and recently a colorimetric method was developed . in the present work ,
we aim to compare and evaluate lithium measurement in 3 different analyzers : fes , faas , and ise .
the instrument was calibrated with li working standards ( 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 g / ml ) made from li stock standard solution ( 1g / l ) .
manually diluted ( 1:20 ) pool control serum samples were then aspirated into the air / acetylene flame where neutral li atoms absorb light emitted from the li hollow cathode lamp at 670.8 nm . the standard solutions and
all the sera dilution were in kcl 2 g /l to suppress the interfering substances .
a calibration step was performed for the li configuration using the manufacturer 's suggested procedure .
fes : the ( fes ) instrument was a ciba - corning 480 , which was equipped with an automatic diluter .
the instrument was calibrated with multical standard ( 1.5 mmol / l li concentration ) solution and neat pool control serum samples were introduced to the instrument .
other necessary chemicals and solutions used in the analysis were of a grade suitable for trace metal analysis and were purchased from merck co. de - ionized water ( d.i - h2o ) was used for the reagents preparation .
the quality control serum material used for the evaluation procedures was seronorm - trace elements serum ( sero as asker - norway ) .
we performed within - day and day - to - day precision studies on three analyzers by reconstituting and pooling ten seronorm trace elements serum vials quality control material . within - day
precision was determined by analyzing a pool serum over three analytical runs ( n=12 ) on the same working day .
day - to - day precision was determined by analyzing aliquots of pool serum ( n=10 ) on 10 consecutive days .
for recovery studies in the three systems , we determined the concentration of the pool patients serum in triplicates .
mmol / l ) was added to the equal volume of pool serum and percent recovery was calculated . the linearity study on each system
was determined by assaying the neat pool serum 3 times , performing dilution by a factor of 2 , and assaying again .
for the lower detection limit of each system , a sample at the lower concentration was run 20 times , and then mean and st were calculated .
16 patient serum samples , for which li determination had been requested , were assayed with analyzers .
the samples were first analyzed with faas , and then underwent further analysis by another two systems on consecutive days .
the instrument was calibrated with li working standards ( 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 g / ml ) made from li stock standard solution ( 1g / l ) .
manually diluted ( 1:20 ) pool control serum samples were then aspirated into the air / acetylene flame where neutral li atoms absorb light emitted from the li hollow cathode lamp at 670.8 nm . the standard solutions and
all the sera dilution were in kcl 2 g /l to suppress the interfering substances .
a calibration step was performed for the li configuration using the manufacturer 's suggested procedure .
fes : the ( fes ) instrument was a ciba - corning 480 , which was equipped with an automatic diluter .
the instrument was calibrated with multical standard ( 1.5 mmol / l li concentration ) solution and neat pool control serum samples were introduced to the instrument .
other necessary chemicals and solutions used in the analysis were of a grade suitable for trace metal analysis and were purchased from merck co. de - ionized water ( d.i - h2o ) was used for the reagents preparation .
the quality control serum material used for the evaluation procedures was seronorm - trace elements serum ( sero as asker - norway ) .
we performed within - day and day - to - day precision studies on three analyzers by reconstituting and pooling ten seronorm trace elements serum vials quality control material . within - day
precision was determined by analyzing a pool serum over three analytical runs ( n=12 ) on the same working day .
day - to - day precision was determined by analyzing aliquots of pool serum ( n=10 ) on 10 consecutive days .
for recovery studies in the three systems , we determined the concentration of the pool patients serum in triplicates .
mmol / l ) was added to the equal volume of pool serum and percent recovery was calculated . the linearity study on each system
was determined by assaying the neat pool serum 3 times , performing dilution by a factor of 2 , and assaying again .
for the lower detection limit of each system , a sample at the lower concentration was run 20 times , and then mean and st were calculated .
16 patient serum samples , for which li determination had been requested , were assayed with analyzers .
the samples were first analyzed with faas , and then underwent further analysis by another two systems on consecutive days .
the instrument was calibrated with li working standards ( 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 g / ml ) made from li stock standard solution ( 1g / l ) .
manually diluted ( 1:20 ) pool control serum samples were then aspirated into the air / acetylene flame where neutral li atoms absorb light emitted from the li hollow cathode lamp at 670.8 nm . the standard solutions and
all the sera dilution were in kcl 2 g /l to suppress the interfering substances .
a calibration step was performed for the li configuration using the manufacturer 's suggested procedure .
fes : the ( fes ) instrument was a ciba - corning 480 , which was equipped with an automatic diluter .
the instrument was calibrated with multical standard ( 1.5 mmol / l li concentration ) solution and neat pool control serum samples were introduced to the instrument .
other necessary chemicals and solutions used in the analysis were of a grade suitable for trace metal analysis and were purchased from merck co. de - ionized water ( d.i - h2o ) was used for the reagents preparation .
the quality control serum material used for the evaluation procedures was seronorm - trace elements serum ( sero as asker - norway ) .
we performed within - day and day - to - day precision studies on three analyzers by reconstituting and pooling ten seronorm trace elements serum vials quality control material . within - day
precision was determined by analyzing a pool serum over three analytical runs ( n=12 ) on the same working day .
day - to - day precision was determined by analyzing aliquots of pool serum ( n=10 ) on 10 consecutive days .
for recovery studies in the three systems , we determined the concentration of the pool patients serum in triplicates .
mmol / l ) was added to the equal volume of pool serum and percent recovery was calculated .
the linearity study on each system was determined by assaying the neat pool serum 3 times , performing dilution by a factor of 2 , and assaying again .
for the lower detection limit of each system , a sample at the lower concentration was run 20 times , and then mean and st were calculated .
16 patient serum samples , for which li determination had been requested , were assayed with analyzers .
the samples were first analyzed with faas , and then underwent further analysis by another two systems on consecutive days .
with respect to the precision studies of seronorm serum control material , the within - day precisions ( cv % ) were less for faas ( 1.5% ) and fes ( 0.90% ) than for ise ( 1.9% ) .
the results for between - days precision of cvs were less for fes than for faas and ise ( 1.3% versus 2.2% & 2.3% ) , table 1 .
table 2 shows the recovery of added lithium ( 2.0 mmol / l ) for three systems .
table 3 shows the results obtained for linearity and lower limit of detection ( lld ) for the analyzers .
precision assay evaluation for seronorm - trace element control serum recovery of lithium added to pool serum linear regression analysis for linearity studies descriptive analysis for patients serum paired samples statistics for patients serum lithium
lithium carbonate salts have become an increasingly important substance in the treatment of manic depressive disorders[1310 ] , and its relatively narrow therapeutic range has caused laboratories to monitor their serum concentration carefully .
the purpose of the present study was to compare and evaluate lithium measurement in three analyzers : fes , faas , and ise .
our obtained results indicated lower between - days percentages of cv for fes than for faas and ise ( 1.3% versus 2.2% and 2.3% ) using seronorm serum control material .
the result of within - day precision was higher for ise than for fes and faas as well .
however , it was higher for ise than for fass and fes ( 103.4% vs. 96.2% and 94.6% ) .
in addition , we obtained a higher average lithium concentration for patients serum samples ( n=16 ) measured by ise than for faas and fes , and paired t - test results revealed a significant difference ( p < 0.001 ) for patient sera analyzed with faas and ise . in summary , our obtained results indicated higher values for ise than the other two analyzers .
these findings are in agreement with those of serdarevic , who also observed higher results using ise than aas and dry - slide technology .
we conclude that even though ise determination is precise and easy , its accuracy may depend on other interfering factors such as interfering ions and selectivity of the electrode membrane .
furthermore , our results are in agreement with levy and kate , who indicated that the two flame methods fes and faas compared quite well and were precise .
we conclude that the choice between the two flame methods for patients serum lithium determination is arbitrary and that the fes analyzer is a more attractive alternative for lithium determination than faas due to its cost and ease of use .
we report a higher result for ise than the other two analyzers , and summarize that the choice between the two flame methods for patients serum lithium determination is arbitrary .
the fes analyzer is a more attractive and routine alternative than faas due to its cost and ease of use . | pubmed |
MAKING STRIDES IN ENTERTAINMENT FOR THE DEAF COMMUNITY
August 14, 2015 The Waynedale News Staff
On August 22nd the Deaf Community throughout northeast Indiana will once again be offered an opportunity to present and enjoy a live performance on stage at Arts United Center as Fort Wayne welcomes the American Sign Language Comedy LIVE with Peter Cook and Wink. The arrangement of this performance by DeafLink, a division of the League for the Blind & Disabled, Inc. (d/b/a The League), Fort Wayne, is another example of the strides being made to create all-inclusiveness for the Deaf Community.
Since DeafLink's new start at The League (2006), more accessibility to the arts, communication, and social entertainment (The Fort Wayne TinCaps games, Three Rivers Festival, etc.) have created avenues of accessibility. DeafLink has spearheaded and collaborated these efforts throughout northeast Indiana.
According to Garth Sponseller, DeafLink Director, "The viability of these links for the Deaf Community has contributed to an increased awareness of an overlooked population that longs for the same rights and opportunities as anyone else; disability rights are civil rights which, essentially, are human rights.
A couple of examples of gaining access to communication in the workplace or with a healthcare provider is the use of an interpreter (effective communication), or having the use of a public videophone in places like the airport in order to call loved ones upon arrival/departure or calling a taxi through an interpreter for transportation."
As a result, these extraordinary opportunities now provided for the Deaf Community have opened up an entirely new world of accessibility. In addition, DeafLink provides sign language interpreting services, case coordination, advocacy and self-advocacy skills, public education and more. DeafLink, initially established in 1990 has roots as deep as the Americans with Disabilities Act which celebrated its 25th anniversary this year.
"Our heart is at work to provide access and equal opportunity for all people," adds Sponseller. "We at DeafLink and The League work to provide a no-barrier society that includes all people, community living and services, employment, transportation and more.
A good example is the fact that we recently established the DeafLink Community Series; the series includes Deaf community meetings and trainings, interpreter professional development, and community events such as the Peter Cook and Wink with LIVE ASL Comedy show that will take place on August 22nd at the Arts United Center."
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Fifty Shades Trilogy 1. Chapter 1
_**Okay, so I wanted to update my other stories, but this idea kept popping up in my head and just wouldn't go away... so in order to get it out of my mind I wrote the first chapter down. **_
_**A little warning, this story is going to be sad (better keep a box of tissues close while reading it, lol) and I am not sure if there will be a HEA in the end, but I will try my best to get them there... There will also be another of my favorite book characters showing up around chapter three or four... maybe you can guess who it is...**_
_**And lastly, since I have five stories I need to finish, I won't update this story until at least two of them are complete, which will probably be by the end of the month... so this is more like a preview ;-)**_
_**Ana **_
Three months. It's been three months since I last saw Christian Grey; the man I fell in love with; the man I have given my virginity. They say people do anything to be with the one person you truly love... well apparently six strikes with a belt were enough to make me leave. Leave the man I love and to realise that I was not as special to him as I thought to be.
For the first couple of days I felt like I had entered a new universe, one of eternal darkness, where the ocean was made out of my tears. And the pain, I never thought that getting your heart-broken could cause this amount of pain. It was and still is making me physically sick. Just thinking about that day and how I left. I should have stayed... maybe we could have worked things out. And all of this maybes and what ifs are stuck in my head, torturing me.
Kate thinks I am depressed and that I need to get out and find a new guy. But I know that is not what I need and it wouldn't be fair to start a new relationship just to get over a broken one. Besides, I can barely muster up the strength to get out of bed and work every day. Even thinking about making an effort to go out sounds exhausting and I am just not ready to do it.
I think I have aged years in the last couple of months. Looking in the mirror I hardly recognize the pale woman with dark circles and hollow cheeks staring back at me with her way to big blue eyes. Kate is forcing me to eat at least a bit every day, but most of the time I just stare at the food and eat nothing at all. What keeps me going are some vitamins and energy drinks, though they are making me jumpy.
I have lost so much weight that I went down from size four to zero and even clothes in size zero are slowly getting too big for me. It's pathetic, what I have become since the day I have left Christian and the worst part is that I have brought this on myself. He didn't want me to leave, but I had made up my mind.
I prayed that he would contact me. An email, a phone call, just some pathetic acknowledgement of my existence, but nothing happened. Days turned into weeks and weeks into months and I had to come to terms with the fact that Christian had moved on. At some point about four weeks ago I was ready to swallow my pride and beg him to take me back, but last-minute I couldn't do it. I was to afraid that he was going to reject me and I know it would have made me feel even worse. I've heard his voice over and over in my mind "You can leave any time, but if you do that's it. There is no way back"
And so I tried to move on, focus on my new job at SIP, but it's hard. I was supposed to go to conference in New York shortly after I started and I thought maybe by seeing a new town at least for a little while it would help me. But just my luck, the trip got cancelled. We are going next week instead, but I have to get through today before and I have no idea how to make it.
Today is Kate's 23rd birthday and because she is engaged to Elliot now his family insisted to throw a huge party for her. I tried to tell Kate I couldn't make it, but she is the only friend that I have, I can't miss her birthday. Even if it means seeing Christian and going through hell because I know he isn't effected by our break up. He probably had a new sub the second that I left never even wasting a thought on the stupid little coed that fell in love with him.
At least that thought makes me angry; angry is good, because I don't want to reduce myself to a blubbering mess once I have to see him tonight. No, I will not be weak. And with that thought in mind I take Kate up on her offer to go to a beauty salon to get pampered for tonight.
After a day of getting beautified and having been dragged through endless boutiques I again don't recognize the girl I see in the mirror, but this time it's because I actually look nice. I am wearing a gray cocktail dress, black high heels and my hair falls all the way down to hips in big glossy curls. The dark circles under my eyes are gone and by some miracle there is actually some color in my cheeks. Still, I can't hide how much weight I have lost, but at least being super skinny is in right now.
On the way to the Grey mansion I try to convince myself that this is going to be a nice evening, that I am going to enjoy myself. I need to think positive. Maybe Christian won't even show up, maybe he has too much work to do to make it. And maybe, just maybe I can survive this evening without having to see him.
Arriving at the Grey Mansion we are greeted by Christian's parents and Mia.
"Ana, it's so good to see you again." Dr. Grey gushes and I give her a warm smile before Mia grabs my wrist and drags me with her in the garden where a huge tent is placed for the party.
"So, Christian is coming a little late, do you think you guys can work things out?" she asks and I sigh.
"Mia, I think he has moved on and I ... it's complicated, please I don't want to talk about Christian tonight." I plead and she pouts, but just when I am about to say something I see her exchanging looks with her mother.
"Wait, is that why Kate insisted for me to be here tonight, so I could see Christian again?" I ask and Mia looks caught.
"Well, it's just... Elliot and Kate think that you are depressed and Christian is more grumpy than ever, so we all thought maybe the two of you just need a little push." she murmurs and in this moment all I want to do is leave. But I can't it's Kate's birthday. I have to stay for her.
"Mia, I don't want to fight about this... just look, Christian hasn't contacted me since we decided not to see each other again and I guess that is very telling... so please leave it be."
Thirty minutes later we are all seated in the tent and I keep looking at the empty chair next to mine. I am seated at the family table with all the Grey's and Kavanagh's... well minus one Grey, namely Christian, who hasn't arrived yet. Maybe he is not coming at all, I think to myself when the first course is served. But just when I take the first spoonful of soup I catch a glimpse of Mia and she is staring open-mouthed at something behind me. She looks like she can't believe what she is seeing and I turn around and my world stops.
He is here, Christian is here... and he is not alone. He is walking towards the table all smiles holding hands with a very beautiful brunette in her mid twenties. She is smiling brightly too and suddenly he stops, looks down at her and kisses her softly. I feel sick, this can't be happening. This woman can't be just a sub... and then I see it. While they are kissing her hand is resting on his chest and he isn't even flinching.
I want to look away; see anything but the sight in front of me, but I can't look away. If I thought the last three months were hell, then I have now entered a place that is worse than hell. How can he allow this woman to touch him and I couldn't. I feel the tears burning in my eyes and I am sure that there is a look of utter disbelieve and horror on my face. Oh God, please let this be a nightmare. I want to wake up now, this can't be happening.
But it is happening and I am awake and before I know it they have arrived at the table.
"Christian darling, I had no idea you would bring someone with you tonight" Grace says, her voice showing her disbelieve.
"Well, I thought today would be a good day for all you to meet my girlfriend. Michelle and I have been seeing each other for almost three months now, so it is time to make it official..."
I can't listen to this any further, so I excuse myself and leave the table, somehow managing not to let the tears fall until I am in the privacy of one of the stalls in the portable restrooms.
They have been seeing each other for almost three months... that means he has started to date her almost immediately after I've left him. No wonder he never contacted me... he was busy with his new girlfriend... and she can touch him. Just thinking about it makes me cry harder. I would have done anything if he would have allowed me just once to touch him, yet he didn't and it seemed so easy for him to let her touch him.
I guess now it is crystal clear that I was the only one in love. All of his promises to try for more, the gliding... just everything was just him trying to get me to sign his damned contract. He never saw me for more than a new toy and now he has found love...
After what feels like ages I leave the stall and make my way to one of the sinks where I quickly fix my make up, but I look a mess. Shit!
"Do you need help, I have some make up, your mascara is smeared." I turn when I hear a woman say this and freeze. It's her, Christian's girlfriend.
"No, it's okay, thank you."
"Please, let me help you, I'm good with make up." she says and shit she seems to be really nice.
"Okay" I murmur and she gestures for me to come closer. While she fixes my make up she smiles at me.
"I saw you at the family table, are you a Grey or a Kavanagh?"
"Neither, I am Kate's roommate and best friend."
"Oh, I see. I hope you don't mind, but Chris insisted that I take your seat. It was the only free one left."
"Chris?"
"Christian, I like to call him Chris, reminds him not to be so awfully stiff all the time." she giggles and I try to smile, but I am sure it looks more painful than anything else.
"So, is it okay if I sit where you sat earlier?"
"Sure" I murmur. _By all means, take my seat, after all you already took the love of my life, do you need anything else? Maybe my shoes or hey, you could have my broken heart and kick it around for a while... great now I am sounding like a bitter old hag..._
"Thank you, so you are perfect again, I'll better get back or else Chris is going to worry" she gives me a big smile and leaves. I have no idea what to do. I should just leave, after all I don't even have a place to sit anymore, it couldn't be more obvious that I don't belong here. So, I decide to tell Kate that I am not well, I just need to leave, I will never make it through an entire evening of watching Christian with his new girlfriend.
I leave the restroom and take the deep breath, praying to find the strength to go back to the tent even if it is just to tell Kate that I am leaving. I can do this. I take a step in the direction of the tent when I hear foot steps behind me.
"Miss Steele?"
I turn around see Taylor and smile. "Hi Taylor, it's good to see you again"
"Miss Steele, I need you to follow me." he says all business and I frown.
"Why, what is going on Taylor?"
"Mr. Grey has asked me to remove you from his parents property, I am to remind me that after your relationship has ended you are not to come anywhere near him or his family, it is all part of the NDA you have signed. He is not going to press charges this time, but he wants me to tell you that this is your one free pass and that as soon as Miss Kavanagh is married to Mr. Grey's brother, this also applies to her."
I feel like someone has just pulled the rug from underneath me. How can he do this to me? Kate is my only friend and kicking me out from my best friends birthday party... I have no idea what I have done to deserve this.
"Miss Steele, do you understand what I have just told you?" Taylor asks and I nod slowly not able to hold back my tears.
"Good, then please follow me."
"That won't be necessary, Taylor, I can see myself out. And you can tell your boss that kicking someone who is already lying on the ground is a really classy move" I hiss through my tears and start to walk towards the gate. I have to force myself to keep moving, because I know if I stop even for one second my legs won't support me any longer and I will just fall to the ground and cry. I can't humiliate myself like that and I won't, not here, not where Christian could witness to what he has reduced me.
Once outside I just continue to walk without even knowing where I am going and when I finally look around I have no idea where I am. The street is empty, but in the far distance I can see a truck coming closer with way more speed then it is allowed here and for a moment I think to myself how easy it would be to just lie down on the road and wait for the truck... wait for all the pain to just go away ... to end it all...
_**So, let me know what you are thinking ...**_
2. Chapter 2
_**OMG... I have no idea what to say, 120+ reviews and so many pm's that I am still trying to reply to all of them. So, if you haven't gotten a reply so far, don't worry, I'll reply it just takes some time... **_
_**I have to admit, that I posted the first chapter merely because I was in the mood to post and I didn't really think about an outline, as most of the times the plot comes to me as I am writing the story... but I did give this story a lot of thought in the last couple of days and for those of you who were worried about the outcome of the story... don't worry, this story is going to have a HEA for Ana and Christian.
**_
_**I also decided not to wait until two of my others stories are complete to fully get into this one. I can't promise regular updates, but I will try to post once a week for now...**_
**Ana
**
I feel like I am sleepwalking as I take the first step towards the street. There is nothing left inside of me, just this overwhelming pain and just as I am about to step into the middle of the road, I feel strong arms around my middle and I am pulled back to the sidewalk.
"Holy fuck, Ana. Didn't you see the truck? And what are you doing here?" I stare up at Elliot and I have no idea what to tell him, so I just continue to stare blankly at him.
"Christ, okay, wait I need to call Kate, everyone is looking for you." he says takes his phone out and calls Kate.
"Kate... I found her... I don't know Kate, something is not right. She hasn't said a single word... Yes, I'll bring her back to my parents home." he hangs up and because I have no idea what else to do, I just follow him back, but stop outside the gate when I see Taylor. Of course, he is going to make sure that I won't enter the property again.
"Come on, Ana." Elliot tries to get me to follow him, but I am rooted to the spot. And then I see Elliot's parents and Kate walking towards us.
"Ana! Oh my gosh, you scared me, I couldn't find you anywhere, why are you out here, come on. You are missing dinner and you need to eat, if you lose any more weight there won't be anything left of you." Kate says grabs my wrist and of course the moment I have set foot on the property Taylor blocks the way.
"Miss Kavanagh, I need you to let go of Miss Steele's wrist. She is not welcome here and I've already told her s..."
"Excuse me?! Correct me if I am wrong, Taylor, but this is still my home, right?" Mr. Grey asks and he looks mad.
"Yes, Sir. But your son gave me instructions to remove Miss Steele from the property and..."
"Enough, I'm not listening to this, Miss Steele is our guest, my son doesn't get to make the decision whom my wife and I can invite into our home and quite frankly Taylor, kicking my guests out makes me question if you are still welcome here, now if you'll excuse us" he says wraps one arm around my shoulder and leads me back into the tent.
"Don't worry, Anastasia. You are Kate's best friend..."
"Not much longer" and with that the tears start again. Mr. Grey stops and looks at me.
"What do you mean?"
"I ... could I talk to you, privately for a moment. I could use your advise as a lawyer."
His brows shoot up, but he nods and leads me into the house and into his study.
"Please, have a seat, Anastasia. Can I offer you something to drink."
"No, thank you" I murmur and sit down in one of the club chairs.
"So, Anastasia, why do you need my advise?" Mr. Grey sits down behind his desk and I take a deep breath. I can do this.
"When I started seeing Christian he asked me to sign a NDA. At the time I didn't put too much thought into it. I just signed it without even reading it. And today he let me know through Taylor, that because I have signed the NDA I can no longer come here and that once Kate has married Elliot, I have to end my friendship with Kate, too. I had no idea that this could happen when I've signed the NDA. Kate is my only friend, she is like a sister... I ... I ... sorry" I sob and try to compose myself.
Mr. Grey gets up from his chair kneels by my side and hands me handkerchief.
"Please, Anastasia, you don't have to cry. There is no such thing as a NDA that could keep you from going to certain places or being friends with Kate. I have no idea what my son is playing at, but I won't have it. I would like to know why your relationship ended, but if you answer me it could be a breach of the NDA, so I won't ask you. But is there anything else that Christian did to you?"
He looks at me kindly and I nod. "He gave me a car for my graduation, when we decide not to see each other anymore, I gave him the car back and he gave me a check for the money Taylor got for Wanda."
"Wanda?"
"My old VW Beetle. Last week I decided to bank the check, but at the bank I was told that the check bounced. The check was way too high for what Taylor could have possibly gotten for my old car, but I need at least what he got for my car."
"Of course, please wait a moment." he leaves the study and I cringe when he returns with Christian who looks as if he is ready to spit nails.
"Why the fuck is she still here, Dad?"
"Anastasia is still here, because your mother and I invited her to celebrate Kate's birthday. We already know that you told Taylor to remove her from the property, but I'm not having it, Christian. This is my house and I am the one to make the rules in here. Now, have you told Anastasia she couldn't be here or stay friends with Kate, because of a NDA you made her sign?"
"Well, look at that. You know I could sue you for even mentioning the NDA" Christian hisses at me.
"No, you can't and I'm warning you, son. Do not threaten the girl in my home. She can mention the NDA all she likes, as long as she doesn't go into the details thereof or into details of your relationship. Christ, have I raised you to treat women like that?"
"She nothing but a none good lying bitch, but by all means, let her stay; Michelle and I wanted to leave anyway. Oh, and Anastasia... you are going to regret that you even showed up here tonight." and with that he storms out of the study, nearly knocking over Elliot who was just about to come in.
"Fuck, what crawled up his ass and died? Dad, I had about enough with him, ever since Kate and I returned from Barbados, Ana is a complete mess and now he is acting like a jerk, and this Michelle... yeah, fat chance that she is his girlfriend. I've been at his place at least three times each week since Barbados, but this girl wasn't there once. I have no idea what his deal is, but I am about to knock some sense into him."
"Get in line, son. Good Lord, the way he acted tonight reminded me of his teenage years. But another thing, Elliot, you have a lot of knowledge when it comes to cars, right?"
"Sure, why Dad?"
"How much do you think is an old VW Beetle worth." _oh no, I don't think like where this is going.
_
"Depends, a collector would probably pay a couple thousand bucks."
"Good, I'll write you a check, Anastasia. Say five thousand dollar?"
"No, please, I can't take money from you, Mr. Grey."
"Yes, you can Anastasia. Believe me, this is not the first time I had to deal with a mess Christian made. You need a car, it is not safe for a young, beautiful woman like you are to walk or take the bus all the time. I won't take no for answer, so you better take the check."
I nod and take the check, but I feel terrible about it. Maybe, I'll just return it later. Back at the party I try to make a happy face for Kate, but I know I am failing miserably. I don't want to ruin Kate's birthday, but around 11 pm, I excuse myself and take a cab home.
At the apartment I quickly change into my pj's and get into bed, hugging the inflated Charlie Tango balloon to close. But as I lie there and think about today I get really angry. He called me a lying bitch and basically threatened me in front of his parents. And I have done nothing wrong, for three months I have been miserable without him and I had so many hopes for tonight, but they were all crashed.
Seeing Christian with another woman... and he allowed her to touch him. Actually, if Elliot is right and this was just an act to hurt me it's even worse. He told me I was the one woman he wanted to have more with, yet I couldn't touch him and this random woman can... maybe he allowed her to touch him, because he knew how much it would hurt me. That's just cruel. And here I am, thinking of what I could have possible done to anger him like that.
But I come up empty. For the last three months all I have done is being at home or work. So, why is he acting like this... or maybe he lied to me right from the start... maybe he is a sadist and finds some sort of sick pleasure in seeing me hurt and inflicting pain on me this way. After all I have left him because I couldn't take his punishment, maybe he just isn't done with me and making me miserable is how he is getting his kicks now.
Well, if that is what he wants, then he succeeded, because I have never felt this miserable in my life. Still, I'm hanging on to him, clinging to the balloon he has given me imagining it was him and in this moment, I decide this has to stop, I can't live like this, I was considering to kill myself over him tonight... I just need to stop this or else I will end up killing myself.
I get out of bed and find a duffel bag in my closet, I take the balloon, Christian's jacket, two pairs of boxer briefs and his sweater out of my chest of drawers and stuff it all inside. Looking through my room I see the picture of Christian and I from graduation. I printed it from the internet and framed it, so I could at least look at him. I take the picture and put it in the duffel bag. The last thing that has to go is his damned contract, it's still hidden under my bed, and I need it gone, too.
After putting on a cardigan I make my way into the kitchen and take a lighter out of one of the drawers.
"Hey Ana, still up?" I jump when I hear a voice and scowl at Ethan who just came into the apartment. He is still staying with us, because the building that houses his apartment is undergoing renovations and he can't move in until the end of the month.
"Yes, can I borrow your car?"
"What? It's the middle of the night, where do you need to go at this hour?"
"I need to get rid of some things, please Ethan, I don't want to walk." I plead and he sighs.
"Fine, but I will drive you, I don't want you to go out alone at night" he gives me his best _take it or leave it _look and I sigh.
"Okay"
"Good, where do you want to go?"
"Well, I am not sure, I need to burn some things." I murmur and Ethan smirks.
"That must be a girl thing, well, you are lucky I know exactly where Kate used to burn all the things she got from her ex boyfriends. Do you have everything?"
I look around and see those darn Tess books, but I can't burn them... they are just too expensive and rare, no I know exactly what I am going to with them.
"Yes" Ethan takes the duffel bag from me and after driving for 25 minutes he stops at park. We walk for another ten minutes until reach a picnic site and Ethan empties one of the metal waste bins. Good think I gave back the Audi, no way I could have burned that car too, I think to myself and start to light each of the pages of the contract first, before I add the boxer briefs, the sweater, the Charlie Tango balloon and jacket along with Taylor's handkerchief.
I look at the picture of Christian and I one last time and throw it into the fire. This is it, I have erased almost every memory of Christian Grey that I have. Hanging on to it as if he would come back one day is just not healthy. I need to get over him, even if it breaks my heart, but he is not the man I thought he was. He is cruel and mean, but... No, I have to stop this, I can't try to come up with excuses for his behavior... not after tonight.
And as I watch, what I called my Christian Grey collection, burn I am starting to feel a little lighter. Not much, but I don't feel like I am going to break any second anymore. There is just one more thing to do... and hopefully after that I can finally end this chapter of my life and start a new one...
_**Two days later
**_
Today is monday and I have to hurry, because I have to be at SeaTac in about an hour, but there is something I need to do first. As I arrive at my destination I sigh, how things have changed since the last time I have been here. But I need to do this, I just can't keep this books and I don't want to face Christian again... ever.
So, I take a deep breath and enter Grey House through the revolving glass door. I make my way to the reception desk where a beautiful blonde woman is smiling brightly at me.
"Welcome to Grey Enterprises Holdings, how may I help you?"
"I need you to give this back to Mr. Grey. He has sent me those books and I don't want them." I place the books on her desk and her mouth pops open.
"You ... umm ... are you talking about Mr. Christian Grey?"
"Yes, so can you give him those books or give them Taylor and he can give them to Christian." When I refer to him by his first name the young blonde looks almost faint and I want to snort. _Get a grip, he is not Lord Voldemort, so I can say his name as often as I want.
_
I am just about to say something to her when I feel him. Fuck, Christian is here. I don't even need to turn around to know that he is here. And sure enough someone comes to a halt right behind me.
"What the fuck are you doing here?" he hisses into my ear and I have to fight the urge to cringe from the venom in his voice. Instead I take the books and turn around.
"I am here to return these books." I thrust the books against his chest so he has to take them and for a second we stare at each other, me heart-broken and he full of hate. I need to go, I can't be around him, not anymore it's just to painful. So, I turn around, leave Grey House and get into the cab that is waiting for me outside.
"We can go to SeaTac now" I tell the driver and as he pulls into traffic I look back one last time and see Christian standing outside of Grey House. If only things could have been different, but as it is I have to get over him and I know that New York is going to be just what I need to take a step closer to becoming my old self again...
_**I know many of you have requested Christian's POV, but for now this story is about Ana. Christian will show up once more in chapter 4 or 5, but after that I will focus on Ana and it will take about 5 to 10 chapters before Christian is going to be back in the picture... so you'll have to wait a while for POV...**_
_**You can find the link to the pinterest board for this story on my bio page :-)**_
3. Chapter 3
_**Just to give you all a little hint, Elena had nothing to do with what happened, she is not feeding Christian lies or anything like that...**_
_**SPOILER ALERT: So, because this chapter might trigger bad memories for some of you, I am going to give you a heads up, about what is happening in this chapter. For those of you who don't want to know, just go on and read the chapter. **_
_Basically, Hyde is going to drug Ana and tries to rape her, but is stopped last-minute. For those of you who want to skip this part, just read until they leave the restaurant and continue after the POV changes..._
_**Ana
**_
I love New York, I love the lights of the city, the energy, all the people hurrying from one place to another and even the crazy traffic is absolutely fascinating to me. I guess it is pretty obvious that I am here for the first time, because most of the time I am just looking around wide-eyed and completely over excited.
Jack has been great these past three days. When I started to work for him I was a little anxious, because he seemed to always stand too close and he gave me the chills, but with time I got used to his demeanor and I realised he does that with everyone. Even though we had a lot on our schedule he made sure that I could do some sight-seeing, we visited the Empire State Building, the Times Square, Ground Zero, took the ferry to the Statue of Liberty and yesterday he surprised me with tickets for the musical Mamma Mia! at the broadway. It was absolutely amazing and I found myself humming all the songs from the musical on our way back to the hotel.
Today, we decided to just have a nice dinner, to celebrate a very successful time in New York. Jack found this nice italian restaurant just around the corner from our hotel and for the first time in three months I have managed to eat a full meal.
"So, Ana. I hope you've enjoyed New York." Jack says with a smile.
"Yes, and I have to thank you so much, Jack, you've made this trip so special. It was the best time I had in a long while."
"I'm glad, but I do hope you are not thinking about moving here. I saw Alice Brinkley talk to you. She is known to collect the best people to work for her publishing house here."
He is right, I did talk to Alice Brinkley, the owner of Brinkley Publishing, which is one of the biggest and well-known publishing houses in New York. We got into a rather heated discussion about a book that was just published. To me it is complete garbage and I said that out loud, not knowing who she was or that it was published by her publishing house. I was so embarrassed I wanted the ground to swallow me up, but to my utter surprise she really did listen to all my points and agreed with most of them. In the end she offered me a job as junior editor. She has given me a week to think about her offer, but even though this is a great chance I don't think that I am going to take the job. Moving to New York alone, I am not sure I can do this.
"Don't worry Jack, I am staying at SIP. After all, Seattle is where my best friend lives and it is close to my Dad."
"That is good to know" he says though something about the way he smiles at me that doesn't sit right with me. But I push the thought aside and excuse myself to use the bathroom.
As I look into the mirror over the sink I smile. New York really does agree with me. For the first time in what feels like forever I have color in my cheeks and because I have slept very well for the last couple of nights the dark circles under my eyes have magically disappeared. If it wasn't for the fact that I am way too thin, even for my liking, I would even go so far as to say that I am looking beautiful tonight.
I love the dress that I am wearing, I found it at Bloomingdale's and with almost two hundred dollars it is probably the most expensive article of clothing that I own, but it is lovely, with some ruffles, thin straps and I love the color, it's a light peachy color that goes very well with my coloring. For a brief moment, I am thinking about taking Alice Brinkley up on her offer. After all, Ray would be happy for me if I would follow my dreams and make a career in my chosen field; and Kate... I know she would be sad if I decide to leave, but she is going to marry Elliot next spring, so she is starting a new chapter in her life and maybe it is time for me to do the same thing.
And I know deep down that it is Christian who is the reason for me wanting to stay in Seattle, him and this silly hope that I have, that one day he will come around and we can start over... but is this really enough to let a job offer like this pass? I don't know, I decide to talk to Kate as soon as I am back tomorrow morning. If she tells me to take the offer, I will.
With this decision on my mind I return to the table where Jack is waiting for me.
"I've ordered a some more wine for us, I hope you don't mind, Ana."
"No, that's fine. Let's make a toast. To New York!"
"To New York."
A little later Jack and I leave the restaurant and I think I had one too many glasses of wine, because I am not quite steady on my feet and my vision is kind of blurry.
"Are you alright, Ana?" I hear Jack and blink at him.
"No, I think I had too much wine, sorry Jack, I don't usually have more than one glass of wine."
"Oh, that's fine. I'll help you to your room."
"Have I already told you that you are the best boss ever?" I slur.
"Oh, you have no idea" he chuckles and back at the hotel I can barely hold myself up as we are riding up to our floor in the elevator. In the hallway Jack has to support me or else I wouldn't be able to walk anymore. What in the world is going on? I have never felt like that, not even when I got shit faced and drunk dialed Christian... hmmm Christian... maybe I should call him now... nah, he wouldn't care and I have Jack to help me.
Once in my room I flop down on the bed and try to kick my shoes off. Damn, the have straps. Clumsily, I manage to reach my ankles and unstrap them. Oh, why is the room spinning and who on earth put the blinking lights on. I try to get my eyes to focus and stare at what looks like a naked man in my room.
Why is there a naked man in my room? Oh my god, it must be Christian, maybe he did change his mind.
"Christian?" I try to make out what he is doing, but it is so hard to keep my eyes open... wait is he setting up a camera?
"Christian, what are you doing? Is that a camera?" Oh man, talking is so hard, I feel like I have something stuck in my mouth that is making it almost impossible to get the words out.
I squint my eyes to see what is going on and as the man comes closer to the bed I realise to my horror that it is not Christian, it's Jack.
"Jack, what are ... you ... doing?" Oh no, I am going to pass out, I can feel it...
"I am going to do what I wanted to do since the day you came in for that job interview, Ana. I have waited for three months for the right time to come" he hisses and leans over me while he grabs my dress with one hand and just rips it apart, leaving me in nothing but my panties in front of him.
"No... I don't want this... leave me alone" I beg, I need to fight him... need to stay awake and the last thing I remember before everything turns black is me letting out a blood curling scream and Jack's fist hitting my temple...
_**Gideon's POV**_
_Damn it Cross, look at what you have done now. _Here I am at the hotel room I reserve solely for fucking and I can't stand the girl I have brought here. The sad truth is, I just couldn't face another lonely evening at my apartment. I just needed to get out.
"Hey big boy, don't you want to play?" I look at the naked woman on my bed and scowl at her. Christ, how the hell did I not notice her fake tits, they look like she could crush coconuts with them, not my type at all. _Think Cross, how the hell can I get her out of here.
_
And right that second I hear it, a loud absolutely terrified scream from the room next door and it is followed by guy yelling to shut the fuck up. That's all I need, I run into the hallway get my master keycard out of my jeans pocket and open the door.
The scene in front of me has pure rage running through my veins. On the bed is a passed out girl, her dress ripped apart and on top of her some naked guy trying to remove her panties. With two giant steps I reach the bed and grab the guy by his hair pulling him off her. He tries to land a punch and I knock him to his ass with such force that he flies across the room.
"What the fuck, that is my girlfriend, asshole" he yells at me while clutching his now broken nose.
"Come again? That girl is passed out and you ripped her clothes apart, asshole. You better not move one fucking muscle before the cops arrive." I grab my phone and call Angus.
"Angus, I need the cops and an ambulance at the hotel, room 4701. Some asshole tried to rape a passed out girl. And get over here."
"Yes, Mister Cross." I hang up and take a blanket to cover the half-naked girl all the while I keep my gaze fixed on the asshole on the floor.
Fuck, that girl looks young, maybe 19 or 20, my bet is that the asshole drugged her. Unbidden memories of my childhood flood my mind, but I push them aside, I need to focus on the guy, if he makes one move to run I will probably kill the bastard.
After a few more minutes the cops and paramedics arrive. I watch them check on the girl, but she hasn't moved on bit since I entered the room. Since her vitals are stable they put her on a stretcher and leave the room with her to bring her to the nearest hospital. I nod at Angus, and he knows I want him to find out where they are taking her.
"Mr. Cross, we need to ask you a couple of questions." one of the cops says and so I recall for them what happened and they ask me to leave the room so they can save evidence. I tell them that I will wait in the manager's office if they need me and make my way downstairs where I find Angus.
"Mr. Cross, the young woman was brought to Bellevue Hospital Center, her name is Anastasia Steele, she is 21 and from Seattle. Apparently, Miss Steele was here for a book convention with her boss Jack Hyde, which is the man who attacked her."
"Fucking asshole. Angus, please go to a close by store and get some clothes and toiletries for Miss Steele. I don't want to invade her privacy by going through her belongings, but she will need a change of clothes."
"I'll be back soon, Mr. Cross."
"Thank you, Angus." he turns to leave, but halts for a second and looks back at me. "I've taken the liberty to tell the young lady in your room, that it would be best to leave, as you have other things to deal with at the moment." without waiting for my reply he leaves. This man is worth his weight in gold, at least now I don't have to deal with that woman.
Two hours later the police has left the hotel and Angus has bought some things for Miss Steele. I decide to stop by tonight. I am a huge benefactor of the hospital, so it is no problem for me to get into Miss Steele's room. Though, the nurse told me that she was heavily drugged and would probably sleep until the next morning.
In the room I place the bag with clothes and toiletries Angus has bought for her on the chair in the corner and look at the young woman, but what I see is shocking. This can't be... I mean how could this be possible... it has been what? Maybe twenty-two years, but this young woman looks just like my mother's sister. I haven't seen my aunt Carla since I was a small boy, before my Dad passed away and everything turned to shit, but Miss Steele looks just like her, the resemblance is uncanny. Could she be her daughter? Could this young woman be my cousin... a part of my family?
I decide to leave her for today and come back when she is awake in the morning. That is going to give me enough time to find out if I am slowly going crazy or if this woman really is my cousin.
_**Ana's POV**_
Oh my god, my head hurts so much, I am actually afraid to open my eyes. I try to remember how I got to bed last night, but all I remember is having dinner with Jack. Oh crap, did I get shit faced in front of my boss? I will myself to open my eyes and what I see is even more confusing... why am I in a hospital? I look down at myself and there is a IV-line attached to my left hand, I'm in a hospital gown and I have literally no clue why I am here. I look around and see the button to call a nurse. I push it and wait for about a minute until a nurse in her late fifties comes in. She looks very kind and smiles at me.
"Hello Miss Steele, my name is nurse Betty."
"Hi... umm ... why am I at the hospital?" I ask and she sighs.
"I will call the doctor, please wait a moment" and with that she is out of the room and I have to wait again. This is crazy, how can I not remember that I ended up at the hospital and I try to force myself to remember, but as I do my stomach churns and I just manage to reach for the cardboard bowl on the nightstand before I have to throw up.
"Nurse Betty, please get some water for Miss Steele" I hear a female voice while I am still dry heaving.
"Miss Steele, I'm Dr. Maitland, I am going to inject something into your IV line to help you with the nausea." she says calmly and I nod. I don't care what she is giving me as long as it makes the nausea go away.
"My head hurts" I croak between two dry heaves.
"I'm sure it does, you have a concussion Miss Steele, you'll get some pain relief once the nurse returns with your water."
I nod and lean back in the bed as the dry hieves stop. "How did I get here."
"You don't remember?"
"No, I remember having dinner with my boss, but after that I can't remember a single thing."
Dr. Maitland sits down on the edge of the bed. "You were brought into the emergency room last night around 9 pm. It looks like your boss put some sort of drugs into something you drank or have eaten during dinner. We have taken a sample of your blood and the lab results should be in this afternoon. From what I could find out the police arrived at your hotel after the owner heard you scream and came into the room, only to find you unconscious with your boss undressed in the room..."
Oh my god, I feel sick all over again... has Jack raped me... this can't be happening... how and why can't I remember?
"Did he ... rape me?" I choke the words out and I want to cover my ears afraid to hear the answer.
"No, he didn't. Like I said the owner came in before your boss had the chance to rape you. You were still wearing your underwear when you were admitted and there are no signs of sexual assault on your body. All in all, you have been very lucky, Miss Steele, I have seen many cases were the victims of these drugs didn't manage to call for help..."
"Call for help?"
"You managed to scream, which alerted the hotel owner, who was in the room next door at the time. He entered the room with a master-key and saved you."
I nod, still trying to really comprehend what happened. Jack drugged me... but how did I get the concussion? I can't even think straight, this is all just confusing me. So, I am glad when the nurse returns so I can have some water, take something for my headache and minutes later I am asleep again.
When I wake the next time, I feel slightly better, but then I realise that it is after 12 pm, which mean it is 3 pm in Seattle and Kate is at the airport waiting for me to pick me up.
To my relief I find a phone on the nightstand and dial Kate's cell phone.
"Kate Kavanagh?"
"Kate, it's me, Ana."
"Where the heck are you, Ana. Did you miss your flight?"
"No, well yes. I am at the hospital, they want to keep me here until tomorrow and..."
"Hospital, oh my gosh, what happened?"
"I'm not really sure, a doctor told me that Jack drugged me and tried to rape me and..."
"What the fuck, which hospital? I am taking the next flight."
"Kate you don't have to..."
"Anastasia Steele, do not tell me to stay here in Seattle while you are in a hospital in freaking New York all alone. Which hospital are you in?"
"I don't know I..."
"Look, I need to get a ticket, I'll call this number as soon as I have landed."
"Okay, thanks" I can't help it, I start to cry.
"Hey, don't cry, you are setting me off, too. I'll see you soon, Ana" Kate hangs up and I just sit in my bed and cry like a baby. Here I was thinking that New York was the best thing for me and now I am in the hospital after being drugged by my boss and nearly raped by him. I guess that makes it official; my life sucks!
And in the middle of me celebrating my own little pity party there is a knock at the door.
"Come in" I call out and quickly wipe my tears away. When I look up there is a man carrying a beautiful flower bouquet. He is tall and very handsome, but as I look into his eyes I gasp and so does he, because it is like I was looking into my own eyes. He clears his throat and takes a step closer.
"Miss Steele, it is good to see you awake. I am Gideon Cross, I own the hotel you stayed in."
"You saved me" I murmur and he nods.
"I brought some flowers" he says and places the vase on the nightstand.
"Thank you, but you really didn't have to come here, Mr. Cross."
"Please call me Gideon, and actually I had to. Your mother is Carla Mae Wilks, right?"
"Yes, well her last name is Adams now, but how do you know who my mother is?" This day just gets more and more confusing.
"When I saw you yesterday, you reminded me a lot of my aunt, I haven't seen her since I was a little boy, so I wondered if you could be her daughter. My aunts name is Carla Mae Wilks, your mother."
"But... I don't understand, my mother always told me that she doesn't have a family, her parents died before I was born and ..." I hold my head in my hands when the room starts to spin again and I hear Mr. Cross call for a nurse.
"Miss Steele?" I look up and see nurse Betty at my side. "The room is spinning."
"I'll get Dr. Maitland, try to lie back down and take deep even breaths, it takes a while for the Rohypnol your boss gave you to get fully out off your system, those are common side effects, but I am sure you will feel better soon." she leaves the room and I try to take a couple of deep breaths.
"Look, I am going to leave, you need to rest. I shouldn't have brought this up now, so I apologize, I leave you my card, call me if you need anything or if you want to talk about what I've told you." I nod and he places a business card on the nightstand and leaves.
When I am no longer dizzy I take the card and look at it.
Gideon Cross
CEO of Cross Industries
Oh no, I am cursed... I came to New York to get away from one CEO and now there is yet another CEO in my life, well at least this one isn't going to break my heart as he is most likely my cousin, meaning that my mother has lied to me all of my life... just fucking great, could my life get anymore complicated?!
_**So, there he is Gideon Cross; I have to say at first I wanted them to have a relationship, but after I gave this story a lot of thought and I knew it was going to have A&C HEA I just couldn't do it. To me Ana is the kind of person that makes her partner feel special and loved each day they are together, so having Gideon fall for her just for her to go back to Christian in the end seemed heartless to me. Also there will be no Eva, I just don't really like her or the fact that Gideon who was already troubled enough became a murderer because of her. So, I am eventually going to have him fall in love with someone else...**_
**Oh and of since I forgot to put in a disclaimer until now, here it goes: I do not own Fifty Shades of Grey or The Crossfire Series; all characters belong to E.L. James and Sylvia Day.**
4. Chapter 4
_**I don't know what it is with this story, but it is forcing me to write chapter after chapter, even when I want to write a chapter for one of my other stories... so here is yet another new chapter... **_
_**Oh, and like I've said before, this will be the last appearance of Christian for a while...**_
_**Ana**_
The cops stopped by to talk to me, but I couldn't tell them much as I still can't remember what happened. At least now I know that I got the concussion when Jack hit me. He is still in police custody and refuses to make a statement. Roach called me and apologized over and over for letting me go on a trip with Jack, it actually makes me think that he knew that Jack is a creep and that he is just scared that I am going to sue the shit out of SIP. I probably should, but I still want to work there, so as long as Jack won't return to work I am fine.
Kate has landed about an hour ago, she wanted to go to my hotel and get my belongings for me. I called the reception to let them know that Kate was stopping by. I have to stay at the hospital until tomorrow because I am still dizzy and my headache is killing me, so they want to make sure that I am better before I leave. At least I don't have to worry about the hospital bills or how I am going to get back to Seattle, because Roach has already promised me that SIP would pay for a new plane ticket and everything else.
If I wasn't feeling so poorly I would have loved to call my mom, if Gideon is right, she has lied to me about not having a family and I am wondering why. I mean, she struggled to make a living for us after my father died and before she met Ray. If she had living relatives, why wouldn't she ask her parents or her sister for help? Well, maybe they have disowned her after she got pregnant with me and married my father, that would be a reason why she never talks about them, she doesn't want me to feel like I am the reason her family doesn't talk to her anymore.
I decide I will call her once I am back in Seattle and that I won't contact Gideon until I have heard my mother's site of the story. I mean, yes, Gideon seemed like a really nice guy, but if recent experiences have taught me anything, then it is that I can't trust my instincts when it comes to men. I mean Jack, Christian, José... they all seemed to be nice guys and turned out to be creeps and assholes, so this time I am going to double-check everything before I allow anyone new into my life, family or not.
When Kate arrives at the hospital she gasps when she sees me.
"Oh, that rat bastard, shit... that must hurt" she hisses and takes a look at the bruise on my temple.
"It's okay, it doesn't really hurt, though I have taken some meds, so I can't really tell. Thank you so much for coming here, Kate."
"Hey, it's okay, I was worried sick thinking about you all alone in a hospital in New York. I have also talked to my dad, he knows some good lawyers and..."
"Kate, please. I don't need a lawyer, the state of New York is going to deal with Jack, and I am not going to sue SIP."
"What? But Ana..."
"No, look, I want to continue to work at SIP, so lets just talk about something else."
"Fine, so I we can fly back tomorrow, right?"
"Yes, SIP is going to take care of my ticket and I will give you the money for yours back."
"Don't be ridiculous, Ana. My dad paid for it. It's cool, I would have asked Christian if he would take us back to Seattle in his private jet, but he is going back tonight and since he was such an ass at my birthday I really don't want to see him."
"He is here?"
"Yes, some fund-raiser he had to attend, he arrived yesterday evening. The bastard, Elliot called him to tell him what happened to you and he acted like he didn't even care... oh I am sorry, Ana. I shouldn't have even mentioned him." Kate looks at me apologetic and I shake my head sadly.
"I don't care anymore, Kate. He has moved on, so I have to do the same."
"Good, let's just never talk about the bastard again." and as Kate says those words all I can think is: easier said then done...
_**Four days later**_
_Okay, Ana you can do this, this is your work place, now put on your big girl panties and go inside! _
I have been standing outside of SIP for at least 10 minutes now and I have this sick feeling in my stomach. Maybe coming back here was not a good idea. But it is my workplace and I love my job. So, I take a deep breath and go inside.
"Hey Ana, I hope you are okay, I've heard what happened... you know with Jack. He is such a creep, no wonder he never had an assistant that stayed for more than three months. Oh, and Roach wants to see you in his office." says Claire who works behind the front desk.
I stare at her for a second trying to comprehend what she just told me.
"Wait, what do you mean none of his former assistants stayed for more than three months?" I ask and she looks around if anyone is listening before she speaks.
"Look, Hyde is a creep, Roach threatened to fire his ass a couple of times, but he couldn't prove that Hyde harassed any of the girls that worked for him before you. They all started happy to have landed the job here and then you could watch how with every day here they looked more and more like zombies, just lifeless and depressed. Everyone here knows that Jack is a creepy bastard, but no one ever had the balls to say it out loud."
"I see, well let's see what Roach wants." I mutter and make my way to the elevator. He knew it, Roach knew all along that something was wrong with Jack and he didn't do shit to protect me, instead he let me go to New York with him. And now it is also obvious why he not only called me while I was at the hospital, but also stopped by when I came back home on friday with a huge gift basket and flowers. He is trying to safe his ass. This is it, I have had enough. I can't take anymore shit or I am going to drown in it.
I storm towards Roach's office as soon as I reach his floor and his secretary waves me through.
"Miss Steele, please have a seat. I hope you are feeling better." Roach says and I sit down.
"First, I want to say that I've tried all I could, but what I have to tell you is a direct order from the new owner of SIP. The company was sold about three months ago, but we have kept silent about it, until the company has undergone some changes. Sadly, with the departure of Mr. Hyde, the new owner has decided that Courtney and Linda are going to take over his clients and responsabilities. Seeing that they both have an assistant..." I zoom him out I know what he is going to say next, so I hold my hand up to stop him.
"Mr. Roach, you don't have to fire me, because I quit. I have no desire to work for a company where the boss knows that one of his editors is in the habit of harassing his assistants. Furthermore, I am going to sue SIP. So, if you'll excuse I have to go."
I get up and walk towards the door ignoring Roach who is trying to plead with me not to sue the company. I storm into the elevator, but Roach gets in with me.
"Please, Miss Steele, think about it. SIP can't afford lawsuit, the new owner might sell and..."
"I don't care. You knew that Mr. Hyde harassed his former assistants and you did nothing to warn me, it was sheer luck that he didn't rape me and I've had enough!" I hiss. I am a good person, and I think I can deal with a lot, but at this point I feel that if I am not going to do something, I will spend the rest of my life being someone else's doormat.
When the elevator finally stops I storm out and stop dead in my tracks when I see none other than Christian standing in the middle of the lobby.
"Miss Steele, please re-think ..."
"Is he the new owner, Christian Grey?" I interrupt Roach and he nods.
"You know what, Mr. Roach. You are right, I don't need to sue SIP; I know something that is going to give far more satisfaction." with that I start to walk towards Christian, never breaking eye contact with him and when I reach him I slap him not only hard enough to turn his face, but also to give him a bloody nose and lip.
He stares down at me in utter disbelieve and I am sure I have steam coming out my ears by now, I am so mad.
"I don't know what the hell your problem is Christian, but at this point I don't care anymore. You are one fucked up son of a bitch and once I have left this building I really hope that I don't ever have to see you again." and with that I leave the building, hail a cab and when I am in the backseat I take my phone out of purse look through my contacts and dial a number.
"Alice Brinkley?"
"Mrs. Brinkley, this is Anastasia Steele speaking. We've met at the book convention in New York last week."
"Of course, Miss Steele. I was wondering when you would call. Have you made your decision?"
"Yes, I want to take your job offer."
"Well, that is wonderful. How soon can you arrange your move to New York?"
"I'll be there by the end of the week."
"Perfect, I'll expect you here next Monday at 8:30, our offices are on the 21st floor of the Crossfire Building."
"I'll be there, thank you so much, Mrs. Brinkley."
"You're very welcome, Miss Steele, I have a feeling that we are going to work perfectly together. So, I'll see you Monday." she hangs up and I sink into the backseat of the cab.
Oh my god, I really did it. I, little Ana Steele from Montesano will move to New York to work for one of the most famous publishing houses in the United States.
I ask the cabbie to take me to the bank first, so I can cash in the check Mr. Grey gave me. I won't need a car in New York, so I can use the money to buy a computer and pay a hotel until I've found a new apartment... well most likely a room, as I am sure I won't be able to afford a nice apartment in Manhattan. And for the first time in my life I don't care. All I know is that I have a great new job waiting for me and I am sure I can figure out the rest once I am in New York.
At home I decide to call Ray first, I would like to go to Montesano to tell him in person, but I don't have a car... maybe he can come to Seattle before I have to leave for New York.
I dial his number and he picks up after the second ring. "Hi Annie, everything alright, shouldn't you be at work?" I haven't told Ray what happened with Hyde, and I won't because he would kill him.
"Hi daddy, everything is alright. When I was in New York last week the owner of Brinkley Publishing offered me a job and ... well, I took it. I'm moving to New York, dad."
Ray says nothing for a moment and then clears his throat. "I always knew that you would make it far, Annie. I'm so proud of you, can I help you with anything?"
"Thanks dad, but I think I'm good. Though I would love to see you before I move."
"I could drive down to Seattle on Wednesday, we could have lunch together."
"Really, oh daddy that would be wonderful, I am going to miss you so much in New York." I try not to cry, but even at almost twenty-two, I am a daddy's girl.
"Now, no tears Annie, you've worked so hard to get through college and this job just shows how well you did. Have you talked to your mother?"
"No, I'm thinking about flying to Georgia for a day and then fly to New York from there, so I can tell her in person." _and ask her about Gideon..._
"Good idea, listen Annie, I have to go now, I'll see you Wednesday around noon."
"Perfect, bye daddy" I hang up and decide to look through all of my belongings. I won't take my furniture with me, that's for sure, hopefully I can sell it or Kate keeps it.
I spend the rest of the day by looking through everything that I own and make a list of the things I want to take with me. Then I've started to cook dinner and now I am waiting for Kate and Ethan to get home.
"Hey Ana, is that your famous lasagna?" Kate asks the moment she steps into the apartment.
"Yes, I thought we could have dinner together."
"Sure, though I hope you have made a lot, Elliot is coming over and he eats like a horse!" Kate laughs.
"Don't worry it's enough. When is Ethan coming home?"
"Oh, he called he ran into an old flame and he is staying at her place tonight." she answers and I roll my eyes, her brother is a man whore, ever since he stayed here with us, he has been with at least two dozen different woman, and most of the time he can't even remember their names, but if it makes him happy then who am I to judge him?
10 minutes later Elliot arrives and he has the biggest shit eating grin on his face.
"What has you grinning like a loon, El?" Kate asks and he helps himself to a bottle of beer from the fridge before he leans against the kitchen counter.
"Picture this, I had to stop by at Christian's to go over some plans for a building he bought recently, but he wasn't there. So, I stopped by the kitchen to see if Gail had something to eat for me. She gave me a sandwich and I asked her what she thinks about Michelle. Gail had no idea about whom I was talking, I still have no clue who that chick was, but now I know for sure she is not his girlfriend. But that wasn't even the best part, about ten minutes later Christian came in, he looked like he was ready to kill someone and he had a fucking hand print on his cheek. You could see each single finger, so I've asked whom he had pissed off to get slapped like that and he kicked me out. Looks like my bro didn't have a good day." Elliot says and I look anywhere but at the Kate or Elliot.
"Oh my god, Ana! Don't tell me you slapped Christian." Kate shrieks and I bite my lip. "Ana... come on, why did you slap him?"
Oh what ever! "Fine, today when I came to work, I've found out that everyone there knew that Jack is a creep, so I was already mad when I reached Roach's office and then he was about to fire me and I ... I quit my job."
"What... wait, you almost got raped by your boss and now they wanted to fire you, I hope you told them that you are going to sue them, do you want me to call my dad?"
"That's nice Elliot, but you don't need to call your dad. Anyway, I told Roach that I was going to sue SIP and wanted to leave when I saw the new owner in the lobby, namely Christian."
Kate who just took a sip of water splutters it all over the floor. "Are you kidding me? He bought SIP and got you fired, now that's enough Elliot, your brother crossed the line by far..."
"Kate, I wasn't finished, because well, I was so mad... so I decided that there was one thing that would give me even more satisfaction than to sue SIP. Umm... well ... I walked up to Christian and slapped him so hard that he ended up bleeding from his nose and lip." Again I do not dare to look at Kate or Elliot and just stare at my hands.
"Way to go Ana, hah I wish I had seen his face. Did he say something?" Kate giggles.
"No, he just looked at me as if he had no idea what just happened." Now I have to giggle too, Christian's face was a real Kodak moment.
"Well, serves him right, and don't worry about your job, I am sure my dad can help you find a new job."
Oh boy, here goes nothing. "I already have a new job... you know, while I was in New York I've met the owner of Brinkley Publishing and she offered me a job. I called her today and accept the job offered, I have to be in New York on Monday."
I look at Kate and if I am not mistaken she is trying hard not cry until the tears spill over and roll down her cheeks.
"Kate, please, this is such a big chance for me, and let's face it, by now I am probably number one on Christian's shit list, so getting a new job here in Seattle is going to be impossible. Besides, you can always come to New York and visit me."
"I know, and I am happy for you, it's just... you are my best friend and one of the few people who can stand to be around me for long, what am I going to do without you?"
"Well, first you have Elliot and then you have to plan a wedding. You have your job and if you quit the bitch act or tune it down just a little, I am sure you will end up with more friends than you ever had before. Come on, Kate, don't make this harder for me than it already is." I beg and Kate blows her nose rather unladylike.
"Okay, so New York... we have a lot to do Steele, first I am going to call my mom's cousin Ellen."
"Huh?"
"She lives in Manhattan, she is divorced and her daughter moved out to go to college, meaning, she has a lot of free space in her home. You will need a place to stay until you've found an apartment, and if you want an apartment in New York, you better not waste any money for staying at a hotel."
"But she doesn't know me Kate and..."
"She is a darling Ana, she will be delighted to have someone at her place. Don't worry, besides, it gives you time to find a place you really like, so you don't have to take the first place you can afford just to get out of a hotel."
Well, she has a point, I really don't have much money, so it's best to spend as little as possible.
"Okay, fine. Thank you, Kate."
"Good, see what's next, oh we need to look through your clothes and..."
"Kate, please, I really don't have any money to spare and I have clothes."
Kate looks at me and shakes her head. "Look Ana, New York is not Seattle, and Brinkley Publishing is like huge, I just want you to fit in. Let me buy you some things, just the basics, you know some nice skirts and pants, a couple of shirts and tops, if you have like 10 really good basics you can match them differently every day and look good at work. Take it as an early birthday gift."
"Kate you know I don't feel comfortable if someone spends money on me..."
"Anastasia Steele, now you'll listen to me, if I let you go to New York I want you to kick ass. I just want you to fit in and it's just some clothes, if you don't want to come shopping with me I'll go and buy it myself, but please, can I do this for you?"
"But I have nothing to give you in return" I murmur embarrassed.
"You have kept up with me for four years Ana, you deserve a medal of honor for that alone, and of course you are still my maid of honor, right?"
"There is nothing in this world that could stop me from attending your wedding Kate."
"Perfect, now lets have dinner and go over the details."
"Sure, just umm... Elliot, I know Christian is your brother, but I would really appreciate it if you wouldn't tell him that I am moving to New York and where I am going to work. After today I am sure he is even more mad at me and I am a little worried that he is going to ruin this for me."
"Don't worry, I am not going to tell him, but aren't you curious why he lied about this Michelle chick and why he is on some sort of personal vendetta against you?"
I look at Elliot and sigh. "Look Elliot, I would lie if I would tell you that I don't want to know why he is doing this, but if I have learned one thing in the short time that I have known Christian, than it is you can't get him to talk if he doesn't want to. I love him, it's simple, but if he isn't even trying to talk to me, than there is not much I can do. And frankly, if I don't move on now, I know I will cling to the hope that he is going to come back to me for the rest of my life. I mean look at me, I have lost so much weight, I have cried so much and waited for three months for him to contact me and he didn't. Now he is going all asshole on me and ... I can't do this anymore..."
"It's okay, maybe one day he'll see what an ass he was, until then you should just enjoy yourself."
"I'll try. So who wants to eat my famous lasagna?" and with that we spend the rest of the evening talking about New York and not mention Christian again.
I know that a tiny part of me will always love him, but I also know that I have to move on. I deserve to be happy and from now I decide that I am going to be happy, I don't want to be this depressed girl anymore, I want to be myself again and maybe New York is going to allow me to find out who I truly am...
5. Chapter 5
_**Just to clear a few things up. Roach was really about to fire Ana, and no, Christian is not going to sue her for slapping him... I know many of you have asked for Christian's pov and I would love to write it, but at this point of the story it doesn't fit in. At this point the focus of the story lies on Ana, but once Christian is back in the story you will get his pov... And lastly, wow I love to read all of your reviews and all the theories you guys came up with... there are clues in chapter 1, 2 and 4 about what has happened to make him feel that way about Ana, and I saw two reviews from readers who found those clues... and a little hint, it has nothing to do with Elena or the fact that Ana and Gideon are related, because Christian doesn't know that...**_
_**Ana**_
I've arrived in Georgia late last night and because I was really tired I decided to sleep first and ask my mom about Gideon in the morning. Bob is on a business trip, so it's just my mom and I until I have to fly to New York tomorrow morning. Leaving Seattle was hard, Kate and I both cried like babies at the airport, but I know this is the right thing to do. New York is such an amazing opportunity for me, I just couldn't let it pass.
"Ana darling, are you up?" My moms walks into the guest room and sits down on my bed. Well, I guess it is now or never.
"Yes, good morning, mom." I yawn and sit up in bed.
"Good morning, sweetheart, do you want breakfast now or later?"
"Actually, I am not really hungry, but I need to ask you something."
"Oh?"
"I've met someone while I was in New York, his name is Gideon Cross and..." I stop when my moms gasps audible, she is as white as a ghost and suddenly she grabs me by the shoulders staring at me.
"Ana have you been... I mean the two of you... you didn't ... you know?"
"Mom, what are you talking about?"
"Did you sleep with Gideon, Ana?" I am not sure if my mom is about to cry, faint or maybe even vomit, but she sure looks awful at the moment.
"No! My god mom, I am not in the habit of having sex with every man I meet!"
"I know, I am sorry... but Ana you can't be with him, do you understand, you can never be with him. I know Gideon is handsome and he is probably charming and..."
"Mom, do you want to know what the first thing was that he asked me?"
"What did he ask?"
"He asked me if you are my mother. Because apparently I look just like his aunt Carla whom he has not seen since he was a little boy."
For a second my mom just stares at me and the next second she starts to cry.
"Mom, please. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you. I'm just trying to figure out why you've lied to me, when you told me that you don't have any family besides me."
I hold my mom in my arms for a while, allowing her to cry to get it all out. I have never seen my mom like this. She is usually bubbly and full of life, growing up I've always felt like I am the adult and she is the kid, but I have never in my life seen my mother cry like this other than... no I must not go there.
"Mom, please. Tell me what happened?" I hand her a tissue and she wipes her tears away and blows her nose.
"Let's go downstairs, there is a lot I need to tell you, sweetheart"
In the kitchen my mom makes tea for us and I gape at when she pours some sort of spiced liquor into her tea.
"Mom, it's only a little after 8 in the morning"
"I know, but if you want me to talk about my family then I need it." she takes a sip and stares out of the kitchen window.
"I was born as the second daughter of Martha and William Wilkes. Shortly after I was born my family moved to New York. My family was very wealthy and my older sister Elizabeth... she was always my parent's favorite. I on the other hand was always a disappointment for them. I wasn't good in school, I didn't have ambition to go to college and what ever I did it was never good enough for them. When I was 12 Elizabeth had just turned 18 and she married Geoffrey Cross. He was... well you have seen Gideon and he is resembles his father almost exactly in his looks, only Geoffrey's eyes were sea green and his eyes are blue."
My mom stops and I can see fresh tears falling from her eyes. "He was a great guy, when Elizabeth and he came over he would always talk to me and make me feel like I wasn't the black sheep of the family. I loved him for that. Soon they had Gideon and he was such a beautiful baby, sometimes I was allowed to babysit him... such a precious little boy. Sadly for him my sister wasn't motherly at all. She had hired a nanny from the get go. Geoffrey was a successful man, but it wasn't enough for Elizabeth, she wanted her husband to be the most successful man in New York. I've spent the summer before I turned 18 in their home. They would always fight and Gideon would crawl into my bed at night scared of all the screaming between his parents. Geoffrey had changed a lot over the years, he became very silent and withdrawn, it was like my sister was slowly but surely sucking the life out of him. One night she was out and I was alone with Gideon and Geoffrey. After Gideon was asleep we sat together, had some wine and for a fleeting moment I could see the old Geoffrey and we ... him and I ... you know."
"Oh my god, mom, are you telling you've slept with your sister's husband?"
"Yes, you have to understand that I loved him, and I couldn't say no, and it was the best decision I have ever made in my life."
"How can you say that mom, I mean they found out, right? They found out and disowned you?"
"Yes, they did and they made me marry Frank Lambert to cover it up."
"Cover it..." Holy fuck, is she telling me... no it can't be. "Mom, are you trying to tell me that Gideon is my half-brother?"
"You have to forgive me, Ana. I just wanted to protect you... my sister and my parents, you don't know everything."
"Then tell me, please mom" I beg, how could she keep this from me, I mean is my father still alive? And why would she lie... I feel like the rug was pulled from underneath me. Is my whole life a lie?
"Geoffrey wanted to leave Elizabeth, he wanted to take Gideon and start over with me. They wouldn't let him, I had no idea what my family had against him to make him do as they told him, but he never talked to me again, so I was forced to marry Frank Lambert and leave New York. Frank's family was friends with my family for as long as I can remember, they gave him some money to marry me and to accept you as his child. He was a nice guy, but my heart was always with Geoffrey. A month before you were born he took his own life. He was the creator of a huge Ponzi scheme and when it all came crashing down on him he shot himself. Don't think your father was a criminal or weak for taking his own life, he was a good man, but my family did what they do best, they broke him down until there was nothing left of him."
"Is that why you didn't talk about them?"
"No, it's what happened at Geoffrey's funeral. I had to go, I didn't care what people would say, the love of my life had died and there was nothing that could stop me from attending his funeral. Of course, since the media was full with stories and lies about Geoffrey no one would even consider attending and he did not deserve this. I am convinced my sister and parents dragged him into this mess and he had to pay the price. When I arrived they ignored me and I tried to focus on Gideon, the poor boy had just lost his father and all Elizabeth did was to tell him to sit straight and that he shouldn't cry, because boys don't do that. I kept my mouth shut until the funeral was over but back at her house I snapped. I told her that it is all her fault and that I would do what ever I could to get custody over Gideon because she wouldn't care about him anyway and then it happened. She pushed me, I was nearly nine months pregnant and was standing at the top of the stairs and she pushed me. It's a miracle that I managed to stop myself from falling down the stairs and my parents they did nothing. All my father said was that I would have been better off had I decided to abort you. I left the house and never looked back."
"But why didn't you tell me. Why did you let me grow up thinking Frank Lambert is my father?"
"Because I never wanted you to find out, and I was afraid you would want to meet them and I didn't want you to get hurt. I love you so much, Ana. And those people, my sister and my parents, they are not family. I can't forbid you from talking to Gideon again, if he is anything like his father I am sure he is a wonderful young man, but please stay away from Elizabeth, she is not a good person."
"Okay, I can do this."
"Good, and Ana, when you meet Gideon, tell him I would like to see him again."
It's been two days since I had this conversation with my mother and now I am in one of the elevators in the Crossfire Building on my way to the top floor to meet Gideon. Well, I hope he has time to see me. I wasn't really sure what to do, so I just decided to come up here and see if he has time to see me.
I've just signed my contract and nearly fainted when I saw my annual salary, maybe it's because living in New York is more expensive by I earn far more than I did at SIP. I will start next week, so I have enough time to find an apartment. Kate's mother's cousin is nice, but I don't want to stay at her place for long. This woman is talking none stop and like Kate she knows no boundaries, this morning she came into the guest room while I was still asleep and locked through my clothes to pick out an outfit I could wear today. I know I am not good when it comes to picking an outfit, but I really don't need someone to lay out my clothes for me. So, I need a new apartment ASAP.
Arriving at the top floor of the Crossfire Building a red-head who is sitting behind the reception desk buzzes me through the glass doors and looks at me expectantly.
"Hello, my name is Anastasia Steele, I am here to see Mr. Cross."
"Do you have an appointment?" she asks sounding bored.
"No, I am family and I hoped he would have time to see me."
"Please wait a second." she makes a phone call and smiles when she finishes the call.
"Mr. Cross will see you in five minutes, please take a seat over there, his assistant Scott will tell when you can go in."
"Thanks."
True to her word a young man comes into the waiting area about fives minutes later and leads me to a Gideon's office. I step inside and find him sitting at his desk. I can't help it, I stare at him. This is my brother, well half-brother, but to me that doesn't matter. I always wanted to have a big brother and now I have one.
"Anastasia, it is good to see you again, how come you are in New York again?"
"Alice Brinkley offered me a job and I took it. And you know, I thought I'd stop by, I know I should have called... maybe this is a bad idea, you are probably busy and I am interrupting you ... "
"Do you like burgers?" he asks totally out of the blue and I blink at him.
"Excuse me?"
"Burger, you know a beef patty between a burger bun, with ketchup, onions, a bit mustard, some pickles, I like mine with lots of cheese..."
"I know what a burger is" I murmur, why are we talking food?
"Really, because you don't look like you had a good meal in a long while, how about we talk over lunch, how do you like your burger?"
"With cheese and no pickles."
"Onion rings or fries?"
"Fries and a milkshake, please."
"Perfect, sit down, I'll tell Scott to get our lunch." he says talks to his assistant over the intercom and then sits down opposite me.
"So, have you talked to Carla?" he asks and now he looks as anxious as I am feeling.
"Yes, and you were right, she is your aunt."
"So, we really are cousins." he says and I decide it is best to tell him right away.
"Not exactly." his brows furrow as I say this and I take a deep breath.
"Apparently the reason why her family disowned my mom is because she had an affair or one night stand or whatever with your Dad and I am the result of it."
Gideon just stares at me, I have no idea what is going on in his mind, but the next thing I know is that he is on his phone demanding for someone to show up here.
"Wait here, don't leave" he snaps at me and storms out of his office. Well, I guess I have to give him some time to get used to the idea... or I could just leave. But hell, he is my brother, I have to give him some time to warm up to the idea.
After 25 minutes alone in his office, I give up, take my purse and I am just about to leave his office when he returns and with him a beautiful woman in her early fifties, she sees me and freezes before a bitter smirk shows up on her face.
"Well, look at you, poor thing, you really can't hide who your mother is, can you?" she says and now I know who this woman is, it's my mother's sister Elizabeth.
"I would say that I am rather lucky, because my mother is very beautiful woman." I answer clipped and she continues to stare at me which is really unnerving.
"Mother, Anastasia talked to aunt Carla, guess what she told her?" Gideon hisses and I am not sure if he is mad at me, his mother or the over all situation.
"Gideon, I don't have the time to play any games, so the answer is yes, this girl is your half-sister, and if she is anything like her mother then my advise is to get rid of her." and with that she leaves the office.
Gideon and I just look at each other and then he says the one thing I really didn't want to hear.
"So, how much money do you want to go away and never come back?"
6. Chapter 6
**Okay, haileymina you've asked me to update on Thursday, so here we go... but please don't die of happiness, I like my readers happy and alive lol...**
**I was also asked to make longer chapters... I will try, but for now shorter chapter mean regular updates...**
_**Gideon **_
Two weeks, two fucking weeks and I still can't get Anastasia from my mind. My sister... christ, the last thing I need in my life is a constant reminder of my father who took his own life, leaving his mess behind and started a chain reaction in my life that nearly broke me. Still, I can't get over the fact how hurt she looked. She didn't even say a word, she just silently took her bag and left.
I tried not to think about it, but who am I kidding, for the last two weeks all I can think about is her. To say the family I have is fucked up would be an understatement. I haven't set foot into my mother's house since I've moved out and I have no intention to do so as this place is full of memories I do not wish to revisit. My half-brother Christopher is a twisted bastard and my stepfather still holds a grudge against me for buying Vidal Recorders when he hit a rough patch.
He asked me for money, I told him I buy the company and restore it to be profitable. He didn't want it, so it ended up being a hostile take over, but he is still working there and Vidal Records is more profitable than ever.
The one person in my family I don't have any negative feelings towards is my younger half-sister Ireland. Though we don't really have a good relationship as we only see each other two or three times a year. And then I found Anastasia. I thought maybe she could help me fill the void that not having a functional family has left inside of me, but when I found out that she is my father's daughter it brought back all the negative feelings and horrible memories that come to me when ever I think of my father.
So, why the fuck can't I stop thinking about her? _Because that girl has done nothing wrong and you treated her like dirt, Cross!
_
Fucking great, now I am having arguments with myself. I need to fix this, apologize and move on. Before I can change my mind I take my cell phone and call Angus to get her address. An hour later I am in the car with Angus driving and frown when he stops in front of a flower shop.
"Why are you stopping, Angus?"
"The background check you asked me to do on Miss Steele showed that today is her birthday, Mr. Cross."
"Really?" He nods and so I get out of the car and buy some flowers, after all I want to apologize, so birthday or not flowers are a good idea.
"Christ, where does she live, Angus, Canada?" I ask annoyed when he we are still driving after more than 40 minutes.
"She lives in Brooklyn, Mr. Cross. According to her address, it must be the house over there."
I watch as Angus points to a shady old apartment building. Has that girl a death wish? For fuck's sake, this is the worst part of Brooklyn and the house... well fuck, now I am mad and why... _because you care about her, Cross!
_
I get out of the car and it takes me another ten minutes to find someone who can tell me on which floor Anastasia lives, because there are no names on the door bells. Fuck, that place makes my skin crawl, she has a good job, surely she can do better than this... and if not I pack her things up and move her into one of the apartments I own, this is just not acceptable for a young woman who lives alone.
_**Ana**_
_Happy birthday to me... happy birthday to me... _great, I guess now I have reached a new high of being pathetic. So far, besides from my job which I love, New York has been the most shitty experience. Number one would be my so called half-brother and then there was Ellen, Kate's relative I've stayed with. That woman was plain crazy. At first I thought she was just going all mommy on me by laying my clothes out for me and everything, but in a matter of days I knew I had to get out of there.
The fourth day I stayed there was the day I left, I came home and found her in the guest room I was staying in, on the bed wearing my underwear masturbating. I didn't say anything, packed my stuff and was out of there only to stay in a motel for four more days.
I thought my luck had finally come back when I found the apartment of my dreams just outside of Manhattan for a rent I could actually afford. Boy, was I wrong, because when I applied for it, it turned out the landlord wanted 6 months rent in advance on top of a 5000 dollar safety deposit. Sadly, there is no way I could have paid that. So, here I am now, in the only place that I could afford, a shady apartment in Brooklyn which I am sharing with what feels like every single cockroach in NYC. If they start talking to me, then I can film a remake of Joe's Apartment and post it on YouTube.
But I try to think positive, I mean once you have reached the lowest point it can only go up, right? So, here I am today, on my 22nd birthday all alone in an apartment I hate with nothing better to do than to sing happy birthday to myself. Seeing yet another disgusting cockroach creep up from underneath the sofa I decide I need to clean this place yet again, but just when I am about to get my cleaning supplies there is a knock at the door. I look peephole and freeze. It's Gideon. Why is he here? Oh my god, I can't let him in, even I don't want to be here, and I don't want to humiliate myself by letting him into this hell hole I have to call my new home.
"Open the door Anastasia, I could hear you walking to the door"
Fuck, well, suck it up, Ana, there is nothing you can do now. I unlock the seven deadbolts I installed on my door and find Gideon holding a beautiful flower bouquet.
"Can I come in?" he asks and I sigh, _come on it's your birthday Ana, let's humiliate yourself by showing your billionaire half-brother your beautiful new home! _Yup, sarcasm has become my best friend lately.
"Sure" I step aside and close the door after he is inside. Shit, with him here my tiny apartment seems to have shrunk to the size of a shoe box.
"These are for you, happy birthday, Anastasia" he says and hands me the flowers.
"Thanks, so why are you here, I mean I didn't really expect you to show up, after you offered me money to go away."
"I want to apologize to you, Anastasia. I was wrong... my father does not evoke pleasant memories for me. I just don't want anything to do with anything related to him, but I shouldn't have treated you that way. That was completely out of line."
"Really, well you said what you wanted to say, I guess you can leave now." My voice is so cold, even I am surprised by it.
"Can't we talk?"
"Talk about what, Gideon?" I snap.
"Are you always such a bitch?" he snaps back and in this moment I lose it.
"So I am a bitch now? Perfect, what is it with men that you think it is okay to walk all over someone who is obviously already lying on the ground. In the last three months I've been through a very painful break up, one of the two friends I had turned out to be creep, my ex boyfriend started some sort of sick vendetta against me, my boss drugged me and tried to rape me, my boss's boss knew that my boss was a pervert and he did shit to keep me safe. I had to find out that my mother lied to me for all of my life about who my father is. I have to live in this shit hole with what feels like a million cockroaches and maybe, just maybe I thought having a brother would be a good thing, because I could need something good in my life, but of course that turned to shit as well... so excuse me if I am being a bitch, but I'm just done... I can't do this anymore... I just ... I want... "
And it happens the meltdown I was trying to hold back so desperately finally happens and I sit down in the middle of my apartment on the floor and I can't stop crying.
"Hey, come on Anastasia it's okay" Gideon has sat down beside me and pulls me in his arms, but I fight him, I don't want his pity. He offered me money to go away, why would he care?
But no matter how much I struggle to get away from him he is holding me, never letting go until I have no more fight left in me and just cry until eventually I am all cried out.
"Better?" he asks cautiously and I nod to ashamed to even look at him. Brother or not he is a complete stranger and I hate that he has seen me like this.
"Good, lets pack your stuff and leave this place."
I look up at him. "What?"
"Look, this place is not safe and frankly it's gross, no offense. You can't live here, you'll get sick. I own several apartments in Manhattan, they are furnished, clean and much safer as this place. There is a free apartment in the building I live in, you can move in there."
I can't help it, I snort. "Sorry, but I am sure I couldn't even afford a closet in the building you live in."
"I don't want you to pay rent." he says and I freeze.
"So, is this your new plan to get rid of me, buying my silence by offering me a better place to stay, thanks, but no thanks."
"No, damn it, I said I am sorry, okay? It was a shock, but I have come to my senses, you are my sister and like it or not Anastasia, I am not going to leave this place without you. So, either you pack your stuff now or you can make things difficult, meaning that I am going to drag you out of here by your hair if I have to and send someone to pack your belongings for you!" he snaps and for a moment him bossing me around reminds me of Christian... _shit don't think about him, focus Ana!_
"Gideon, I can't just accept to live rent free in one of your apartments."
"Yes, you can." he says stubbornly and next he gets up grabs one of the cardboard boxes I just finished unpacking this morning and starts to throw things inside.
"Hey! What are you doing."
"You are coming with me, end of discussion" he hisses and even though I want nothing more than to leave this place I can't take him up on his offer, not if he won't accept me paying rent.
"Only if you let me pay rent." I insist and he shakes his head exasperated.
"Fine, what do you pay for this shit hole?"
"950 each month"
"Perfect, that is exactly what the rent for the apartment in my building is, now pack!" he says.
"I want a rental agreement, written down."
"Works for me, but please don't tell me this furniture is yours."
"No, the former resident left it here."
"From the smell of the sofa he left it because he died in here" he mutters
"That would at least explain all the cockroaches" I pout and for a moment we look at each other and suddenly we both burst into a fit of laughter.
"See, that's a lot better. Now let's get the hell out of here, after all we have a birthday to celebrate and please don't get this the wrong way, but from now on I'll make sure that we meet at least for one meal each day, jesus christ, you are so fucking thin I get the urge to feed you every time I look at you." he says and I look at my hands and continue to pack until 20 minutes later everything is in his car and his driver is taking us to Manhattan.
In his building we ride up to the 15th floor and he opens a door. The first thing I see is the spectacular view of the Central Park from the floor to ceiling windows of the open living space. It's so amazing I have to walk over to the windows and just look outside.
"You like the view?"
"It's breath-taking."
"I'll have someone put a desk for you in front of the windows, you can work and enjoy the view."
"You don't have to do this, Gideon. I don't want to be a reminder of your father for you."
"Right now, all I see is my little sister. I ... I'm not exactly close to my family, they are... difficult to see at least. So, it would actually be nice to have a family member I get along with, because I could use something good in my life, too."
I stare at him, somehow I feel like what he just said was a huge admission for him and I get the feeling that he has ton of issues on his own, but we are family.
"Maybe we can be good for each other."
"Maybe, so what do you want to eat, we can order pizza, chinese, burger, mexican food..."
"Actually, I am not really hungry." Even now I'm still finding it difficult to eat, which is why it is almost time for dinner and so far I haven't eaten anything today.
"Try again" Gideon says and his tone makes it clear that he won't leave me alone until I have eaten something.
"Pizza sounds good." I say with a small smile and smiles back.
And so, I've spent the rest of my 22nd birthday in my new amazing apartment on the floor on the livingroom, eating pizza and getting to know my brother who managed to make me laugh so often in one night, that when I go to bed I almost feel like my old self again. Maybe finding out that I have a brother and meeting him really was the best thing that has happened to me in long while...
7. Chapter 7
_**I wanted to post this chapter yesterday, but after re-reading it before posting, I ended up absolutely hating it... so I deleted the whole thing and wrote something completely different. All of you who are still looking for the clues or just want to know desperately what has gotten into Christian... this chapter might explain a lot...**_
_**Ana**_
I love love love my new apartment. It's perfect, way too big for me alone, but still perfect. But what I love the most is the view. I've spent countless hours just sitting in front of the floor to ceiling windows admiring the beautiful view of Central Park. I can't believe how much my life has changed over the last month.
I live in this amazing apartment, I have the job of my dreams and I have found a true friend in my brother. Gideon is the best thing that has happened to me in a long while. I think since my birthday there haven't been more than two days where we haven't seen each other. When he is here I even manage not to think about Christian for a while, which is exactly what I need.
I'm still wondering what possessed him to treat me the way he did, but slowly I feel like there is a light at the end of the tunnel and I can overcome this heart-break. I've also made a new friend. Her name is Melody and she lives in the apartment next door. We've met two weeks ago when she knocked to ask if I had some coffee for her. I invited her in to have a coffee at my place and we started to talk. She is an actress at the Broadway, but comes from a really rich family who bought the apartment for her. She is really nice and we want to go out together sometime soon. I am not sure that clubbing is what I need right now, but Gideon wants to show me some of his clubs anyway, so I agreed and the three of us want to go clubbing either this weekend or the weekend after, depending on Gideon's schedule.
Tonight, Gideon is coming over for dinner and I want to cook. I haven't done a lot of cooking lately, mostly due to the fact that while I was the one who cooked while living with Kate, all the kitchen supplies were hers, so I didn't even had a pot or pan to cook something. Today, I decided that had to change, so I went on a little shopping spree and stocked up on kitchen supplies. After all I can't live on take out and yogurt for the rest of my life. I asked Gideon if he had anything in mind he wanted for dinner, but he told me as long as it has meat in it, he'll eat it. I guess that is a men-thing...
So, I've decided to make steak with sautéed onions, mushrooms and mashed potatoes. It's easy to cook and yummy. While I am cooking I switch some music on and send Gideon a text asking him if how he wants his steak. I've missed cooking, it's relaxing and as my brother is always reminding me, I need to eat more. I know he is right, but my appetite is only now returning very slowly. So far today I had a banana for breakfast and a salmon bagel for lunch. To me this is a good start, I know it's not enough to gain any of the weight I have lost back, but at least it is enough to prevent me from losing more weight.
I am still in the middle of cooking when Gideon knocks and I let him in.
"You forgot to pick up your mail at the front desk, I got it for you." he says and places it on the kitchen counter, while I get a beer for each of us.
"Thanks" I murmur and take the mail, but freeze when I see the letter on top. What the hell? Why is he sending me a letter?
"Ana, are you alright?" Gideon asks when I just continue to stare at the envelope.
"No, the letter on top, it's from a former really good friend of mine. We had a huge fall out and he became somewhat of a crazy stalker." I sigh, I really thought that Jose was just a good friend, but boy was I wrong.
"What did he do?"
"Well, I kind of knew that he wanted to be more than just friends, but even though he is a good-looking guy, I never saw anything other than a good friend in him. I thought he had come to terms with that, sadly I was very much mistaken. After the break up with my boyfriend I didn't really want to go out, but he had his first exhibition and my roommate left her car for me to use, so I drove to Vancouver to attend the gallery opening. It was a disaster. I walked into the gallery and everyone was staring at me."
I lower my head into my hands, still shuddering thinking about that night.
"What happened at the gallery opening, Ana?" Gideon asks and I sigh.
"My friend Kate and I, we used to live in Vancouver near campus and because both of us had a history of losing our keys, we gave Jose a spare set to keep for us. I thought you know, he is a good friend, so why wouldn't I trust him. I should have never given him those darn keys. He is photographer, and in his mind I am his muse. The entire exhibition was picture after picture of me. Some of them I was aware he took, others not so much, especially the ones of me sleeping naked on my bed with nothing but a sheet covering my hips. It was like I had walked directly into some weird nightmare. And the scariest part is, he introduced me to everyone as his girlfriend."
"What the fuck? Did you call the cops, has the fucker sold those pictures?" Gideon is fuming, and I know he won't like what I am going to say next.
"No, I did not call the cops. I was too shocked and I just wanted to leave. He tried to stop me and we had a rather heated argument, I told him I wanted all the pictures, stormed out and went home. A couple of days later the brother of my roommate came to stay at the apartment I shared with her in Seattle and I told him what had happened. He was beyond pissed and called the gallery right away to buy the pictures, so I could destroy them. But my luck, someone bought all of them anonymously. Ethan, my roommates brother tried to convince them to get the name of the buyer, but they told him they couldn't give him the name."
"Well, believe me, I will get the name. Who does that? Walk into the bedroom of a friend and take pictures of him or her sleeping. Ana that is serious stalker attitude... christ, I can't believe you didn't call the cops right away."
"I know I should have, but it gets worse. The day after Ethan moved into the apartment I came home from work and suddenly someone wrapped his arms around me from behind me, pulled me close and... you know at this point I was still hoping my ex boyfriend would try to contact me and I didn't know anyone besides him in Seattle who would come on to me like this, so when the person spun me around and kissed me... I just wanted it to be him and kissed him back. When I started to realise that it wasn't him who was kissing me it was already too late. Ethan had come home and saw Jose kissing me and he lost it. He pushed Jose away from me and started to beat him up, all the while yelling at me to get the fuck upstairs. I was so shocked, I just ran upstairs and waited for Ethan. Since then I haven't heard anything from Jose, until now."
"What do you think he wants?"
"I have no idea" I murmur, open the envelope and gasp. This can't be happening.
Gideon doesn't even ask for the note that was inside the envelope and just takes it. All that's written down on it is : _I am still thinking of you. Love Jose xxx_
"Was anything else in the envelope?" he asks and I take the picture out, that is showing me asleep in my bed and him leaning over my head staring down at me. Fuck, how could I not notice him taking all those pictures?
"That's enough Ana, first thing tomorrow morning I'll pick you up and we go to the police. That guy is a crazy stalker, do you have a picture of him?"
"I think so, why?"
"Because I'm going to show it to the building security and Angus, to make sure that the fucker has no chance to come anywhere near you. Do you know how to defend yourself?"
"My stepdad Ray, he showed me how to use a gun and some self defense."
"Perfect, we'll get you a gun as soon as you have your license and I want you to enroll in some self defense classes, maybe you could do Krav Maga, it's a good work out and you learn how to defend yourself."
"Gideon, I don't need any of..." he holds both hands up to stop me.
"Ana, that fucking note and the picture are threads, he is threatening you, don't you see that? Maybe the guy is just a creep with a freaky obsession, but it is also possible that he is a fucking psychopath who is already in town watching you. I'll have someone from my security team following you arround to make sure he is not following you, but I want you to be able to defend yourself if necessary, because right now you are the perfect victim for some sick fuck who believes you are his girlfriend."
"I am not the perfect victim, I can defend myself." I answer a little appalled, but Gideon sighs.
"Ana, you are what 5'3 and 100 lbs, believe me, that alone makes you an easy target for anyone who wants to harm you, therefore you need to be able to defend yourself properly, I am sure your dad showed you some nice moves, but that won't be enough."
"I can handle myself I mean... hey... what are you doing? Put me down, Gideon!" I shriek in protest when he just picks me up, throws me over his shoulder and walks over to the balcony.
"Come on try to get away, Ana. Show me that you can get away and I won't mention it again" he says all serious but no matter what I try I can't get out of his hold and suddenly he puts me down.
"See this, I held you like that for three minutes, that would have been enough time to throw you off the balcony, strangle you or tie you up to rape you. The only thing that happened from your struggle is that you are exhausted and while I am as fresh as a daisy ready to pounce. I am not trying to be mean, but I want to help you and I want you to feel safe. Sure, I could have security breathing down your neck for the rest of your life, but I don't want you to feel like you always have to depend on someone else to feel safe. I want you to know that no matter what happens you can handle it, and learning to defend yourself is the first step in that direction."
He stares at me willing me to get his point and sadly, I have to agree, he is right. I wouldn't have a hope in hell to defend myself against someone his size.
"Fine, I'll do some self-defense classes and get a license for a gun. Man, I need to get stronger" I mutter and he wraps one arm around my shoulder.
"I know, and the first step for you to become physically stronger is to eat regularly and not just a banana and tiny bits of dinner each day. So, let's have dinner, there is something else we need to discuss."
"Okay" I put our food onto plates and we sit down to have dinner.
"So, there is something I wanted to discuss with you for a while now, but I was a little worried you would take it the wrong way, so just hear me out first." I nod and he takes a long sip of his beer before he starts.
"Our my mother's parents, our grandparents... they passed away a couple of years ago. I didn't really get along with them... they always thought I was a constant reminder of my father and what he did. Anyway, after our grandmother died our grandfather changed. It seemed like there was something torturing him, he knew that he wasn't going to live much longer because he was sick. The one time I went to visit him at the hospital I overheard him having an argument with my mother. At the time I didn't understand what it was about... much less so his will, but now I understand."
"What do you mean you didn't understand his will?"
"They were rich, my mother got their real estate, jewelry and shit, but all the cash went to Christopher, Ireland and me. The thing I didn't get was that he had changed his will five weeks before he passed away. It was handwritten and it said that he wanted his money to be divided between all of his grandchildren. He had written the word 'all' in capitals and even underlined it. At the time I thought maybe that was his way of letting me know that he wanted me to have some of his fortune, too. Now, I finally realise he was referring to you. He wanted you to get a quarter of his fortune, and I want to give you the money, it belongs to you Ana."
I stare at him. I didn't even know my mother's parents and for all that I know they wanted her to kill me before I was even born.
"Gideon, I don't want any money."
"Please, just think about it. He wanted that all of his grandchildren get money, so that includes you."
"Gideon, do we really have to talk about this? I mean what difference does it make if I take a couple of thousand dollars or not." I mutter and he snorts.
"We are talking about roughly 12.5 million dollar that are yours, Ana."
"But... that's insane! What am I supposed to do with all that money? No no no, you keep it. I mean look at me, I like to run around in old sweat pants and over sized t-shirts, I am not a freaking millionaire! Much less so when the money comes from people who wished that I wouldn't even exist!" Actually, I feel like I am about to have panic attack.
"Ana, please relax. Think about it, that is all I am asking you. Even you don't need the money now, you can just invest it and make more out of it..."
"More" I squeak. Is he insane? Like going from nothing to being a millionaire wouldn't be scary enough now he wants me to make more out of the money... but maybe if I decide to take it, I could support charities with the money.
"What if I want to donate most of it" I ask and he smiles.
"Somehow I was sure you were going to say that. And that is fine, it is your money Ana. I would like to help you get in touch with some charities and if you like you can also donate for the Crossroads Foundation."
"Since there is a Cross in the name I assume you founded it?"
"Yes, its main purpose is to help abuse survivors." he says and for a moment my mind drifts back to Christian.
"That sounds like a really good cause. Okay, I'll take the money if you help me to get in touch with your Foundation and others."
"Deal, oh and there is one more thing, but let's enjoy our dinner first, eat up!"
I roll my eyes, but eat everything that was on my plate. He is right, I need to eat more to get stronger. I don't want to be an easy target for anyone.
After dinner Gideon asks me to change, so I am sure what ever he wants to show me is outside. I hurry into my bedroom, change into some jeans, a t-shirt and chucks before we leave the apartment and take the elevator down to the garage of the building.
"You know, I never gave you a proper birthday gift, and you have told me that you had this old VW Beetle you loved so much... so I thought..."
He leads me around a corner and my mouth pops open. Holy shit! In front of me brand new light blue VW New Beetle.
"I hope you like it. I thought you could name it Wanda 2.0" he says a little unsure of my reaction.
I really want to be mad at him for buying me something so expensive, but I can't because he actually has put a lot of thought into it, by picking a car that resembles my old car. And he even remembered the name I had given my car although I only ever mentioned it once.
"Oh my god, I love it, thank you so much... but no more expensive gifts, okay?"
"We'll see" he chuckles because by now I am almost bouncing up and down like a three-year old.
"Can we go for a ride?" I ask and he hands me the keys.
"Sure, let's go" and with that we both get into car and I drive towards the I-78 once we are on it I hit the pedal to the metal and for the first time in a long while I feel free and there are no thoughts of Christian, Jose or Jack Hyde...
_**For those of you who are worried that crazy Jose is going to cause trouble... don't worry too much, after all Ana has a big brother to protect her... **_
8. Chapter 8
_**I know most of you want Christian back in the story now, but there are some things that need to happen first, Carla and Gideon are going to meet. An update on Hyde and Jose. Ana meeting Gideon's sister Ireland... and of course Ana is going to find out about Gideon's past, which is going to have an impact on her life, the way she sees things and what she really wants to do with her life... so it will take about 3 or 4 chapters until Christian is back in the picture...**_
_**I also want to answer some of the most frequently asked questions:**_
_**Did Christian know about Hyde's reputation? - At first I wanted to go with yes, he knew. But after giving it more thought I decided that no, he had no idea. After all this story is going to have a HEA, so let's not add more to the huge pile of things he has to grovel for...**_
_**Are they going to meet again at Kate's wedding? - Nope, I love Elliot, so I don't want to ruin his wedding when those two hotheads are going to collide :-)**_
_**Was Christian the one who bought the pictures? - Maybe this chapter is giving you the answer to that question...**_
_**Is Ana going to tell Gideon about Christian? - She is not going to tell him whom she dated or that he was into BDSM and hit her with a belt... but he will know that she dated someone and after they ended their relationship he treated her poorly, so Gideon is not going to be a big fan of Christian once he finds out...**_
_**Does Christian know that Gideon is related to Ana? - No, the background check he did on Ana wouldn't provide that information and he never did one on her mother, so he doesn't know that Ana and Gideon are related...**_
_**Ana**_
The last three weeks have passed so fast, I can't believe that Thanks Giving is just around the corner. Ray is going on a fishing trip he had planned for a long time, so I've decided to visit my mom and because she really wants to see Gideon, I asked him to go with me. At first he seemed a bit apprehensive, but now it's settled and we will go down to Georgia two days before Thanks Giving and stay for a week. Alice gave me the time off at work, but I am going to take some manuscripts with me to Georgia, so I can work from there.
Other than that I have met some of Gideon's friend. One of them is Magdalena Perez. I guess we could have become friends, but before Gideon even had the chance to introduce us, she was giving me dirty looks and proceeded by asking Gideon if he had done a DNA test to make sure I am not some sort of gold digger. I mean I do get that she wants to protect her friend, but she could have waited to ask something like that until I am not in earshot.
Gideon got pretty mad at her and I haven't seen her since then, let's just hope it stays that way. And then I've met another friend and business partner of Gideon's Arnaldo Ritchie. He is a famous cook and has his own show at the food-network, apart from that he is the chef at Tableau One, one of the most popular restaurants in NYC at the moment. We had dinner there last week and the food was so delicious I even managed a second helping of the cannoli I had for dessert. When I finished both Gideon and Arnaldo were smirking at me, but I didn't care and Arnaldo gave me some more to take home with me for the next day. Gideon thinks that he has it bad for me, and while I think that Arnaldo is a very attractive man, I am no way near ready to think about putting myself out there again.
And then there is Kate. Until last week she had no idea that Gideon is my half-brother. I just needed some time to wrap my head around everything and my bad, she read an online blog that had pictures of Gideon and me on our way to a function he asked me to attend with him.
We talk over Skype for about an hour and she was speechless once I had told her everything. After she found her voice again she actually laughed and told me that I just couldn't get those crazy rich CEO's out of my life. Though, thankfully that was the only time she mentioned Christian. It will be hard enough to see him at Kate's wedding, but she is my best friend and come hell or high water, I am not going to miss her wedding to avoid Christian. If he thinks that he can continue to walk all over me on the rare occasions we have to see each other, he is sadly mistaken, because I have decided that it is time for me to grow up and be strong.
I've enrolled in Krav Maga, but so far all it gets me are new bruises every time I have a lesson. Still, I like it and I feel like I'm slowly starting to get the hang of it. I also got the licence and a gun and sadly I already needed it. At first Gideon found out that Jose really followed me to NYC, but they couldn't get a hold of him. Four days ago when I left the Crossfire to have lunch with Mira, a friend of mine from work, he was standing on the other side of the street, just staring at me like a fucking creep.
At first I wanted to talk to him, but then I heard Gideon's voice in the back of my mind telling me not to make such a stupid move. So, I gave Angus a call, but Jose managed to get away again. I actually felt safe with the gun and knowing that I had a restraining order against him in place, but a day later Jose really raised the bar. I got a call from the front desk, telling me that Paul Clayton was here to see me.
I was a little surprised, but since I have finally entered the world of social networking and had added Paul recently as a friend I thought he might wanted to stop by. After all he is studying at Princeton and the drive from Elizabeth in NJ to Manhattan is not even an hour. So, imagine my shock when I opened the freaking door only to find Jose.
I wanted to shut the door in his face, but he entered my apartment before I could do anything and started to go on and on about us being in love, that I am his muse and that he did everything he could to make me see how much he loved me. He scared me so much and that I made a run for my bedroom, looked myself in it, grabbed my gun and called the police and Gideon. All the while Jose banged against my door completely enraged threatening to kill me, because apparently if he can't have me then no one can. Thank God, that the doors in this apartment are so heavy, because otherwise in state of panic I was, I would have shot him.
After I had told Gideon what was going on it took him two minutes to come down to my apartment with Angus and they managed to subdue Jose until the police arrived. Because the doctor who evaluated Jose thinks that he has a serious mental condition he was admitted for further treatment, but I still pressed charges, even if they can't put him through a trial, I needed to do this for myself. I have taken so much shit without doing anything, that it almost felt like making a statement _'Don't fuck with me, because I am going to bring you down!'_ and it felt good.
Hyde on the other hand is facing trial in Seattle soon. The other assistants he had finally opened up about what he did to them. I might have to go to Seattle for one day to make my testimony, but that won't be until the new year. I've also heard that Roach was fired at SIP and that it is now re-named Grey Publishing.
Gideon found out the name of the person who bought the pictures. A guy called Franklyn Richter from Vancouver, but when Gideon called him to buy the pictures he found out that this Richter guy bought the pictures for someone who wanted to remain anonymous. Turns out the guy had signed an NDA... hearing that I asked Gideon to let it go. I know it can't be, but I was actually paranoid enough to think that Christian is the one who bought the pictures and I so don't want Gideon to find out that I dated Christian and that I broke up with him because he hit me with a belt. Yeah, I can totally see my overly protective brother loving that one...
And the money... Gideon convinced me to keep at least half of it, after all one day I might want to travel, buy a house or something like that and of course I actually learned very quickly that it is nice to know that I can buy what ever I want should I desire to do so. For now, I want to help charities. I've met with a couple of people who are working for the Crossroads Foundation and their work amazes me. They are doing so many good things and even invited me to come to one of the events they are organizing for children that have suffered abuse.
Going there was an eye opener for me, to see how simple things like being allowed to play and having some ice cream could make these kids so happy made me cry and I've already volunteered to help organize the upcoming events and made a donation for their annual christmas party, where children who otherwise wouldn't get any gifts can come and receive christmas gifts. They also pay for therapy and hospital bills of many abuse survivors, so I definitively want to get more involved to help them raise even more money.
Gideon seems to be very happy that I am now involved with his charity. Though sometimes I wonder if there is more than just the wish to help others behind his reasons for being so involved in many charities that favor abused children. I wanted to ask him, but I can't just ask him if at one point he suffered abuse. I mean yes, we are close, but still, this is a very sensitive topic, so I can only hope that my suspicions are wrong.
I've just arrived home, took a shower and now I am about to read some more before Gideon arrives with dinner, but I am interrupted when my phone rings.
"Ana Steele."
"Miss Steele, this is Garland from the front desk, Miss Ireland Vidal is here to see you, do you want her to come up?"
_Ireland? Gideon's sister? What does she want?_
"Have you checked her ID" I ask, since the Jose incident I am no longer taking any chances.
"Yes, Ma'am."
"Okay, send her up. Thank you, Garland." I hang up and frown. I have no idea why Ireland is here to see me. We haven't met so far because Gideon is not close to the rest of his family and I have no desire to see my aunt again, so I had no chance to meet Ireland or Christopher until now.
A minute later there is a knock at the door and I open, finding myself in front of a very beautiful teenage girl, but I am a little surprised because she is glaring at me.
"Hi, I'm Ana, it's so nice to finally meet you, Ireland." I decide to be nice, but she continues to glare.
"I know, I saw pictures of my brother and you on the internet. We need to talk." Okay, so she has Gideon's no BS attitude.
"Fine, come in." I let her in and lead her into the livingroom.
"Do you want something to drink."
"No, I want you to leave Gideon alone! He is my brother and if he wants to have a sister he has me, he doesn't need you!"
Wow, she is jealous of me, but why? Gideon told me they don't see each other more than once or twice a year. But I get the feeling that this is not because of Ireland not wanting to see her brother.
"Look Ireland, I don't want to take Gideon away from you..."
"You couldn't do that anyway, because I was his sister first!" she says and I have to bite my lip so I won't laugh at her, because even though she is acting like a spoilt brat, she is kind of cute when she glares at me all stubborn and sulking.
"Have you called Gideon recently? I mean I am sure he would make some time in his schedule to meet with you."
"No, I haven't called him, because if I do he never has time, so I stopped. You know I thought he just doesn't care about having siblings, but now with you, you guys hang out all the time... and he is _my_ brother, if he wants to hang out with his sister, it should be me!"
And slowly I realise that she is really hurt. "Ireland, I am sorry. Look I had no idea you want Gideon to spend more time with you. And I don't know much about the relationship between him and you, but I am sure if he'd know that you want to see him more he will make time for you. Actually, he should be here any minute for dinner, so you can see him now."
"You are not going to tell him that I told you to go away, right? Please, I see him so rarely and I don't want him to tell me to go home because I was acting like a bitch." she goes from sulking and being bitchy to giving me her best puppy eye look and pleading in less than a nano second and damn, she is good.
"My lips are sealed, but take my advise, if you want to see your brother just tell him, sure sometimes he won't have time because he is extremely busy, but he is not avoiding you on purpose." or at least I hope so...
"You think?" she asks a little hopeful.
"Yes, I mean, he is just not the kind of guy who would hurt or avoid someone on purpose."
"When I was little and he used to live with us, he would sometimes play with me and he always protected me from Christopher. Since he moved out... it's like he just doesn't care."
"He cares, I am sure."
"Maybe... so your mom is my aunt right? I've heard my parents talk and my mom said ... umm... nothing" Ireland stops herself when she realises that what she was about to say could lead to me kicking her out before Gideon has even arrived.
"It's okay, I guess she said something not very complementary about my mom."
"Well, yes... and about you... but you don't seem that bad."
"Thanks" I chuckle.
"So, how is she... your mom. You know are you close?"
"Yes, I mean she lives in Georgia now and we don't see each other that often, but we are pretty close. How about you and your mom?" I ask and she snorts indicating that my first impression of Elizabeth Vidal was right and she is a bitch.
"I don't see her that often, growing up I had several nannies, they never stayed long because of Christopher."
"Your other brother right?"
"Yup, he's a pain in the ass. One time he killed a rat, sliced it open and put it in the bed of one of the nannies. I think he is sick, but our home is big enough so I can avoid him most of the time. My parents are almost never home... not that I would need them around... I am grown up and everything... so I guess it's cool" she says and I feel bad for her. Christopher seems to frighten her and her parents don't seem to care much about what is going on with their daughter. Maybe that's why she is so desperate to get Gideon's attention. I decide to help her a little. I am sure if Gideon finds out that she wants to hang out with him he won't say no.
"That must be Gideon" I say when we hear someone knock at the front door and I hurry to open it.
"Hey, come in. I have a guest." I tell him and he frowns when he sees his sister.
"Ireland, what are you doing here?" he asks gruffly and I want to smack the back of his head.
"Visiting my cousin" she snaps back and crosses her arms in front of her chest.
"Umm... Gideon, why don't you help me in the kitchen for a second." Before he can say anything I grab his hand so he has to follow me.
"Why is she here, Ana?"
"She wanted to get to know me, ask her if she wants to stay for dinner."
"Why?"
"Because she is your baby sister and she is dying to get some attention from her big brother."
"Surely not" he mutters under his breath and I roll my eyes at him.
"Gideon, she came here basically calling me out for hanging out with you, because as she says she was your sister first."
"She did that?"
"Yes, I mean if you don't want to hang out with her..."
"No, I just... well she was just a small kid when I moved out, so I didn't think she would care now."
"She does, believe me she is desperate for your attention. So will you ask her to stay for dinner?"
He nods and walks out of the kitchen while I unpack the chinese take out he brought over and get the table ready for dinner, but once we are all sitting at the dining table there is a really uncomfortable silence, so I kick Gideon under the table to get his attention and mouth "Ask her something" to him.
"So, umm... Ireland how is school?" he asks her and I have to stop myself from giggling when she starts to tell him in a rapid speed all about her school, the teachers, how bored she is in school and the super hot boy who asked her to the winter ball. He stares wide-eyed at her trying to comprehend everything that she is saying even though she is talking so fast.
"Whoa... slow down Ireland... christ I didn't get half of what you told me, because you talk so fast." he chuckles.
"Sorry... so there is this boy and he is like super cute, but I haven't given him an answer so far because I was only his second choice and he asked Susie Parker first and she is bitch and I don't want her to think that I would take her left overs and ..." Ireland goes on and on about this and I am pretty sure she could easily talk until tomorrow morning.
Since Gideon has a lot of working waiting for him he leaves right after dinner, but I am happy that he asked Ireland to have lunch with him at his office next week.
"So... I guess I should leave then... it's getting late and everything" Ireland murmurs, but makes no move to get up.
"Are you parents home, Ireland?"
"No, just Christopher and he has his stupid friends over. I wanted to stay the weekend at a friend's home, but she got caught cheating in a latin test and now she is grounded."
"I see, so you don't have anything to do this weekend?"
"Nope, you?"
"I have a Krav Maga class tomorrow afternoon, but other than that I have nothing planned."
"Krav Maga, wow I've heard that's kick ass"
"Yup, and mostly I'm the one who gets her ass kicked" I mutter and she giggles.
"So... it was nice meeting you, maybe we can go shopping or hang out again soon."
"Sure, I'll call you" I try to hide my grin, it is obvious that she wants to stay, but now she seems to be too shy to ask.
I wait until she is up and makes her way to the kitchen door. "Ireland?"
"Yes?"
"You can stay here if you like, how about I make some popcorn and you pick a movie?"
"Yes! Oh, we are going to have so much fun, maybe we can go to a spa tomorrow ... or shopping... or ... horse riding or..."
"Okay, okay... we think about something tomorrow" I laugh and so I make some popcorn and get a bottle of coke and two glasses while she picks a movie and we spend the rest of the evening watching all three parts of The Hangover until we both fall asleep on the sofa...
9. Chapter 9
_**Sorry for the delay, since my kids are with my parents at my aunt's farm for ten days I decided to accompany my hubby on a last-minute business trip to London. I only now had the time to go online to post the new chapter... **_
_**Oh and I know how much most of you want Christian back in the story, but since it will be at least one or two more chapters before he is back, I decided to put a tiny little treat in this chapter, which is working perfectly with the storyline...**_
_**Ana**_
Gideon and I are in his private jet on our way to visit my mom and Bob in Georgia. I've never been on a private jet and all I can say is that it feels like I am in a freaking flying apartment. We are in the main cabin and it has a huge U-shaped sofa a coffee table with a chessboard in the middle, a bar, two more tables with three chairs surrounding them and a freaking fireplace. The color theme is black and white, all very modern and classy. Gideon also showed me the bathroom, that is big enough to house two sinks, a huge tub, a top of the range shower with all sorts of options I haven't even heard of so far and a small sauna. I mean come on, he has a sauna on a plane, that's just crazy. The jet also has a very large master bedroom as well as a smaller one for guests.
Only seeing all of this was a bit overwhelming and then Gideon told me that he owns 6 of theses jets total, and that when ever I wanted to go somewhere all I have to do is tell him and I can use one of them. I had no idea what to say, so I joked that I would take him up on that offer as soon as I find a guy with whom I want to join the mile high club. Let's just say Gideon didn't think it was funny and he told me in no uncertain ways that what ever guy I wanted to date in the future would be vetted by his security first, because I am now a rich young lady and with that come men who only want to get their hands on my money.
I hadn't even thought about that before, but of course, he is right. But since I am not planning on having a date any time soon, I'll think about it later.
Now, we are in the main cabin and I look at Gideon who seems to get increasingly more nervous the longer we are in the air.
"Are you okay, Gideon?"
"Yes. Why?"
"Because you seem to be nervous."
"I... maybe this wasn't the best idea, Ana. Family gatherings haven't exactly been very pleasant for me in the past."
"Well, it's just you, my mom, her husband and I, Bob will probably talk about golf a lot, while my mom is going to cook up a storm for Thanks Giving. All we have to do is to chill out and have a good time. I for one won't even change out of my pajamas for a week." I tell him with a wink and he chuckles.
"I hope you are not planning on wearing the same pajama for seven days, because if that's the case I won't come anywhere near you and ask aunt Carla if you can have your Thanks Giving meal in the kitchen and not with us at the table." he jokes and seems to relax a little.
An hour later we land in Savannah and as soon as the door of the jet is open I see my mother standing at the side of the tarmac.
"A little warning, my mom is a hugger" I tell Gideon as we leave the jet and we are not even down the stairs when my mom starts to run toward us and pulls me into a hug as soon as she has reached me.
"Oh darling, you look so much better than the last time we have seen each other. I was worried, but look at you now" she says and before I can answer her she has turned her attention to Gideon.
"Look at you... my god so handsome, just like your dad" my mom says and ignoring that Gideon stiffens by the mere mention of his father she pulls him into a hug. She steps back to hold him at arm's length and if I am not mistaken not only my mom, but Gideon too has tears in his.
"It's good to see you again, aunt Carla."
"We won't wait this long to see each other again, okay? I want you to know that my house is always open for you. I want you to feel at home with us... now let's go home. I've cooked all morning we can eat right after you two had time to unpack and freshen up." My mom says and both Gideon and I attempt to move towards the car, but my mom is standing in front of us looking at us with a huge smile.
"Geoffrey would be so proud if he could see you two. Believe me Gideon, no matter what Elizabeth or my parents have told you, Geoffrey was a good man and he loved you with all his heart." my mom says and I can sense how uncomfortable Gideon with this topic is.
"Mom, I am hungry, can we leave now?" I ask and she nods, but just as we reach the car I have the weirdest feeling, turn around and nearly bump into Gideon when I see the private jet on the second taxiway that has just landed. Because on the side of the jet are three letters in huge capitals. GEH and underneath it a little smaller it says Grey Enterprises Holdings.
For a moment I feel sick. "Ana? You alright?" I faintly hear Gideon's voice and turn to look at him.
"I... I... I don't know I am feeling a little dizzy" I murmur and before I can say anymore he has lifted me up in his arms and is carrying me over to the car while I still stare over his shoulder to the jet. Even in the car I can't take my eyes of it and just when we drive away I see him. Christian getting out of the jet, he is standing at the top of the stairs and just stares at the car. In this moment I am eternally thankful for the heavily tinted windows, but still I feel like he is staring directly at me and I am only able to look away when I can no longer see him.
"Here sweetheart, eat this" I hear my mom and she hands me a granola bar from her purse, but I am not sure I can keep anything down right now and of course a very paranoid little part of me thinks that Christian is only here because of me. _Please, please don't let this be true...
_
Back at my mom's house I finally manage to calm down a little. He wanted to do business here and he couldn't have known that I would be here, much less so when I would arrive, so it must be coincidence. So, after taking a shower I change and make my way to the other guest room.
"Come in" I hear Gideon's voice when I knock and find him putting on a sweater when I enter the room.
"Hey, I just wanted to warn you, my mom's cooking is a hit or miss kind of thing. Sometimes it's delicious, but most of the time it's pretty gross, but don't worry I have meds for heartburn, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, light food poisoning and gas with me." I say and his eyes widen in horror.
"Do I even want to try it?"
"Well... the thing is she loves to cook, so she will be pretty disappointed if no one eats, but she goes to bed early and if the food is gross we will just meet Bob in the garage and order a pizza."
"Wow, now I am actually scared to try the food."
"Don't be, so far she's never managed to kill someone... well, the cat was old anyway, I am sure it had nothing to do with the tiny bits of my mom's pork roast she had only minutes before she died" I say deadpan and his mouths drops open.
"Gotcha!" I giggle and he throws a pillow at me.
"So there was no cat?"
"No, but you should have seen your face" I laugh
"Funny, really but oh hey, if the food kills me I guess you won't be laughing if you find yourself as the new owner of Cross Industries." he says and strolls towards the door.
"WHAT? This is a joke right?" My voice is so high-pitched it sounds terrible even for my own ears.
"No, I was planning on telling you later, but I guess now is as good a time as any. Basically my lawyers were pestering me to make my will for years. I was avoiding it because I really didn't know whom to put in. Now all goes to Ireland and you, since she is a minor you have to take the full responsibility until she's 21." he says that so nonchalantly as if he was talking about the freaking weather and not a multi billion dollar company.
"Can you do me a favor?" I ask shocked.
"Sure."
"Don't die, okay, like not ever or at least until I'm six feet under." I beg and he laughs.
"Good for you that I have no intention to die any time soon."
"Perfect" I mutter and we make our way downstairs.
The food was actually really good and it made my mom happy that we all even managed to eat a second helping of the mango chicken she made for dinner.
The next morning Gideon decided to play golf with Bob, who was completely giddy to have someone who likes golf as much as he does. My mom and I decided to go shopping. I needed new clothes anyway now that my weight is slowly becoming normal again and because I know that my mom is totally obsessed when it comes to shoes and bags I bought her Tory Burch wedges with a matching bag and a pair of black suede Louboutains. She even managed to talk me into buying me the same pair of Louboutains for myself. I can't even walk in them, mainly because I am too scared to break my ankle. But according to my mom shoes like these are mainly for events where one can sit most of the time or simply to look at them. _Hmm... shoes... I'll never get it.
_
But since we are going to meet Bob and Gideon at the golf club later for dinner I also bought a very nice dress and some jewelry for myself. I nearly expired when I saw the price, but then I reminded myself that I can afford it now and my heart rate went back to normal. Still, I don't think that I will ever become fully comfortable with the fact that I am a millionaire now.
In the evening we meet with Gideon and Bob at the club, but the entire time while I listen to the three of them having a god time and laughing over silly stories from Gideon's childhood my mom still remembers, I feel like someone is staring a hole in the back of my head. Of course, every time I turn around there is no one even looking my way, but after an hour I can't take it any longer. I excuse myself and make my way to the rest room.
Inside I wash my hands and stare at myself in the mirror. "Get a grip, Ana!" I hiss at my reflection in the mirror just when two women come in and I overhear their conversation while re-applying my lipstick.
"Oh my gosh, can you believe it, first Gideon Cross is here and now Christian Grey, too" One of them gushes and I close my eyes and take a deep breath. Maybe I should just leave... and as I think about it I am starting to get angry. He treated me so poorly and now when I am finally starting to get better he still has so much power over me. In this moment I decide this has to stop. I won't spent the rest of my life being a push over and so I come up with a plan. I make my way to the bar and give the bartender my most winning smile. He comes over to me and smiles back.
"How can I help you Ma'am?"
"A friend of mine is having dinner here, Christian Grey. I don't want to interrupt his dinner and my friend and he are not on the best of terms." I nod over to Gideon and the bartender nods.
"So, would you mind giving him a note from me?"
"We usually don't do that, but I can understand that those two moguls don't get along well, two big fishes in a small pond and all that." he says and hands me a notepad and a pen.
"Thank you, oh do you have Bollinger Grand Année Rose?"
"Yes, Ma'am."
"Please bring him a glass of it with the note."
"Oh... um... we only sell it by the bottle Ma'am."
"No problem, just bring the bottle to my table." I take my black Amex out and while he gets the champagne I write a short note saying:
_Stop staring at me, asswipe! _
_Yours truly, _
_Ana_
I quickly fold the note and hand it to the bartender. While he takes it to a table that is hidden behind an enormous potted plant I make my way back to table. It takes about 30 seconds when we hear a commotion behind us and all turn around only to see Christian storming out of the dining room with Taylor right behind him and when Taylor stares at me for a second I can't help myself and smirk at him. He glares back and follows his boss outside.
"Ana wasn't that Christian Grey?" my mom murmurs... _oh shit, Gideon can't know that I dated him.
_
"I don't know, but I am sure Kate told me he is spending Thanks Giving with his family." I lie.
"Wait you know Christian Grey?" Gideon asks.
"He is the brother of my friend Kate's fiancé Elliot." I simply answer. Technically, that's not a lie I just left some parts of my past with Christian out and just that second the waiter arrives with the Bollinger and I give a small toast to our new family bonds. And with that Christian is no longer mentioned and we all enjoy the rest of the evening. I have to say, that this note and his reaction gave me even more satisfaction than slapping him at SIP...
A day later my mom had a special surprise for Gideon and I. She has kept tons of pictures and some home videos of Gideon and our father. It was weird seeing my biological father for the first time. He looked so much like Gideon and just from watching the videos it was so obvious that he loved Gideon with all his heart. He must have been absolutely desperate to take his own life and I am convinced that Elizabeth Vidal had her hands in it either she pushed him into committing suicide or ... _no I don't even want to go there.
_
Since watching all those videos took us until late in the evening we all went to bed after finishing the last one. I've noticed that Gideon seemed to be deep in thoughts, maybe this was the first time he heard someone speak highly of our father and the videos and pictures were just a lot for him to take in. I think about this until I am so tired that I drift off into a deep sleep.
There is the most pained, desperate scream that pulls me from my sleep and I sit up in bed. Have I dreamt the scream? I think in my sleep drunken state of mind, but then I hear it again and I know that it is Gideon. I jump out of bed and hurry out of my bedroom. In the hallway I nearly crash into my mom and Bob who are also alarmed by Gideon's screaming.
Bob opens the door and I gasp. Gideon is having a nightmare, he is screaming in his dream for someone to stop hurting him and that he does not want to be touched. It's horrible he is twisting and turning in the bed in a vain attempt to buck something or someone off him. I am rooted to the spot, not able to move. I knew it, I knew that something terrible must have happened to my brother and this nightmare is all the proof that I need.
"Gideon, darling wake up" I hadn't realized that my mom has moved closer to the bed and I want to stop her from touching him, but it's too late, she has grabbed him by the shoulders and the next second he hits her in his sleep and sends her flying against the dresser in the corner.
"Mom" I cry out and Bob is at her side while Gideon is still caught in his nightmare. I have no idea what to do so I scream at the top of my lungs and Gideon wakes up with a start. It takes him all of three seconds to realize what just happened. I am shaking and my mom is still on the floor with Bob checking her for potential injuries. In the blink of an eye he has grabbed some clothes and is out of the room.
"Honey, go after him, don't let him leave." My mom says still a little numbly.
"Mom..."
"I am fine Ana, now please get your brother to come back here, it's the middle of the night." my mom says and so I leave the room and hurry downstairs where I see Gideon leave the house. I follow him, and find him sitting on the porch with his head in his hands.
"Gideon"
"Stay away from me Ana, see this is what I do" he says and if I am not mistaken then he is crying.
"Gideon, please. It was a nightmare you didn't mean to hit my mom." I sit down next to him and rub his back.
"Why are you doing this? Aren't you disgusted with what you saw?" he asks and looks up. He looks so desperate I can't take it to see him like this so I hug him.
"I am not, and why would I... I... just think that there is more to your nightmare." I say and he stiffens.
"You don't have to tell me. I just want you to know that if you want to talk about it, no matter when I am here for you."
He nods slowly, but says nothing. If this woman... his so-called mother didn't protect him from what ever is haunting him even now in his adult life, I am going to kill her.
We continue to sit like this on the porch until we hear footsteps behind us.
"There you are. I was worried you left, darling. Now let's get back inside, it is cold out here." my mom says and Gideon gets up.
"I am sorry, aunt Carla. I didn't mean..." she holds her hand up to stop him.
"It is not your fault, darling. You were having a bad dream I shouldn't have tried to shake you awake. Let's just forget it ever happened. How about I make some cocoa with tiny marshmallows for us before we go to bed. I remember as a small boy it was the only thing that would make you go back to sleep when you had a bad dream" she says and Gideon smiles sheepishly
"Hot cocoa sounds good, aunt Carla."
"Well then let's get inside."
And with that we all go inside and have a hot cocoa before we all go back to bed, but I can't find sleep anymore. Something terrible must have happened to Gideon and from what I saw and what he said while having a nightmare I am sure someone abused him. I can't see anyone even having the guts to try hurting him in any way now that he is an adult. Gideon is packed with muscles, anyone who would try to hurt him would be stupid, which leaves that he was abused as a child as only option. And while I am in my bed staring at the ceiling I send a silent prayer to the heavens that I am wrong...
10. Chapter 10
_**Looks like there are two groups now, one who wants Christian back ASAP and the other who wants Ana to enjoy her life without him for as long as possible... but don't worry, the plan I have for this story is actually going to please both groups ;-)**_
_**Another thing, for those of you who have not read Sylvia Day's Crossfire Series this chapter is going to contain some major spoilers when it comes to Gideon's past, so if you want to read the books just skip the last part of this chapter...**_
_**Oh and one last thing, some of you were worried that Gideon would die in this story because I wrote about his last will... don't worry there is no way I am going to kill Gideon that's a hard limit for me ...**_
_**3 months later**_
_**Ana**_
I wake up in the middle of the night from the ringing of my phone. Man, it's only three thirty, who in his right mind calls at this hour? I take the phone and see Ireland's name as caller ID. If she is out partying and needs me to drive her home I will let her have it, I think to myself angrily.
"Ireland, it's the middle of the night" I yawn.
"Ana... I ... can you pick me up." she sobs and her voice sounds so scared that I am wide awake in an instant.
"What happened Ireland? Where are you?"
"Christopher and his friends... I ran"
"Shit, Ireland you need to tell me where you are" while I am talking to her I get up and quickly put some shoes and a cardigan on before rushing into the garage while I am still trying to figure out where she is.
"Ireland listen to me, I can't pick you up if you don't tell me where you are. You have to help me out here, honey."
"The park... near my home. Ana I'm scared and it's so cold."
"I know Ireland. I promise I'll be there as fast as I can, is there anything near like a diner or a shop that has open?"
"No, Ana I'm afraid they'll find me"
"Okay, Ireland I need you to take a deep breath and calm down, can you do that for me, honey?"
I manage to find the park she was talking about on my GPS and put my phone in the hands free and drive ignoring each and every speed limit in town.
"Ireland do you see anything that you could use as a weapon, I don't know a thick branch or a stone?"
"Yes, why?"
"Take it, if those assholes find you I want you to use it."
"But they are a group of seven."
God damn it, this can't be happening. I have met my cousin Christopher only once and he freaked me out. There is something about him that makes my skin crawl.
"Just take what ever you can find and hide, I'm only about 15 minutes away. Did they follow you?"
"I don't know, I climbed out of window. I didn't know my parents would go away tonight."
"Are you hurt Ireland? Have they hurt you?"
"No, but they would have. They were drunk and tried to kick the door to my room in."
"Where was they staff? You've told me you have a housekeeper and a driver who lives at your place."
"Christopher gave them the night off."
God damn it, he is such as asshole, who does that? Terrify his little sister to the point that she is so scared out of her mind that she flees from her house in the middle of the night? Oh, Gideon is going to kill him. Ireland and he have really bonded over the last couple of months. He might be known for being a shrewd and sometimes ruthless businessman, but he would do absolutely everything for the people he loves.
When I finally arrive at the north entrance of the park I grab the flashlight from the glove department and go in. Damn it's pitch black and freezing.
"Ireland where exactly are you?"
"By the pond there is a huge old willow."
"I see it, you can come out now."
I hurry to the willow and gasp when I see her, she is shaking like a leaf and is only dressed in an oversized sleep shirt and it's freezing cold.
I pull her in my arms and feel immediately how cold she is. "Okay, come on, we better get you in the car, I have a hoodie and some sweatpants in my sports bag." She nods and just when we start to walk towards my car we hear different male voices yell her name.
"Shit, come on faster" we are now running towards the car when I hear Christopher yelling.
"Come out you stupid little piece of shit. I swear I kill you when I find you." thankfully we are at my car when I see a dark figure about 10 feet away coming closer to us in a rapid speed. I floor the gas pedal and we take off.
"You okay, Ireland?" I ask and she nods while fresh tears are rolling down her cheeks.
"He is not going to hurt you, Ireland, I promise. I won't let that happen and neither is Gideon."
Once we are at my apartment I draw a bath for her and when she is in the tub I make my way to the kitchen to make tea for her.
By now it's already almost 5 in the morning so I call Gideon.
"Ana, is everything alright, why are you up this early?" he asks and I am surprised that he is up at this hour.
"Can you come to my apartment please, it's an emergency."
"What happened?"
"Please, just come down here."
"Sure, two minutes" he hangs up and exactly two minutes later I let him into my apartment.
"What is wrong?"
"It's Ireland, she called me about three-thirty and asked me to pick her up."
"Wait, was she out with friends and got wasted?"
"No, she was at home and had no idea her parents wouldn't be there. Christopher had his friends over and they scared her so much that she ran. When I found her she was in a park only dressed in a sleep shirt."
"What the fuck, where is she?"
"In the tub, she was freezing cold, so I thought a warm bath and some tea would be best... Gideon she can't go back. Christopher has serious issues and her parents don't seem to give a flying fuck about her."
"Jesus Christ, I always knew that he is a twisted bastard, but I never thought he would do anything to her. Is she injured or anything?"
"No, just cold, but honestly it was like a horror movie. He and his friends were at the park looking for her and yelled her name, but they weren't worried, it was like they were out hunting and she was the prey. And Christopher he yelled that he was going to kill her once he'd find her."
"You are right, she can't go back... I guess she can stay with me for a while, but hell, she can't live alone she is not mature enough she'd live on ice cream and diet coke if she could get away with it." he mutters and starts to pace the kitchen.
"I was thinking about having her move in with me. I have three bed rooms and I am used to having a roommate. I lived with Kate through all of college and she has applied to enroll at NYU in spring, so it would be close."
"You wouldn't mind?"
"No, she is great and... you know she might be almost 18, but she really is still a child. She needs someone to take care of her until she has matured enough to live on her own. I would also like to take her with me to my Krav Maga classes, I don't want her to feel helpless every time she has to see Christopher."
He nods seemingly deep in thoughts, I finish making the tea for Ireland and bring it to her before I get some clothes for her from my closet. After twenty minutes she comes out of the bathroom and we sit down with her in the living room.
"Ireland, what happened tonight?" Gideon asks and she lowers her head and stares at her hand.
"At first I thought it was like the other times when I didn't know that mom and dad wouldn't be home. So, I locked the door to my room and sat on my bed with a baseball bat."
"What? What do you mean you sat on your bed with a baseball bat?" Gideon asks.
"Well, when ever mom and dad are not home Christopher has his friends over. They drink and I am sure they also pop pills, and once they are wasted they start hammering at my door like every ten minutes or they have fun standing outside my bedroom door speaking loud enough for me to hear all the things they are going to do to me once they get inside. I usually listen to them over the air vent in my room. If it's open I can hear everything that is spoken in the living room and today... " she shakes her head and starts to cry again.
I scoot closer to her and start to rub her back. "What happened Ireland? Please, you have to tell us."
"I heard them talk and one of them said scaring me got boring and that he wanted to try something new and then Christopher... he said who ever manages to kick my door in can have me first and then they could all take turns. I thought he was kidding, but then they started to throw themselves against the door and I was so scared. They yelled all kind of gross stuff and when I realized that the door wouldn't keep them out much longer I grabbed my phone and climbed out of the window."
While I am holding a sobbing Ireland in my arms Gideon is pacing the living room like a caged lion and suddenly he storms toward the door. _Oh fuck, that's bad. _
I get up and follow him, stopping him last minute from leaving. "Ana, get out of my way!" he snaps at me and he actually scared me a little, he is absolutely livid.
"No, absolutely not. Do you think I don't know what you are about to do? You are not going to confront Christopher."
"Hell if I am not! He crossed so many lines tonight he..."
"Look at your sister" I grab him by the shoulders and make him turn around so he has to look at Ireland who is curled up on the sofa crying.
"I get that you want to confront your brother, but not now. You are far too angry and the last thing Ireland needs is that you get yourself arrested for killing Christopher. She needs you, Gideon."
"He deserves it, Ana. Lying about what he... but I am not letting him get away with this." he fumes and I have no idea what he was about to say, but this gives me a really bad feeling.
"Gideon, I'm not asking you to let him get away with it. All I am asking you is to wait until you have calmed down a little. Let's give Ireland a couple of hours to sleep, then we take her to the nearest police station and they can deal with Christopher."
"Ana, you don't get it. Christopher is a sociopath, lying is in his DNA, he does it perfectly. He will tell the police that Ireland is lying and they are going to believe him." he insists.
"No, they are not, I was there in the park, I've heard what he yelled. Besides, Ireland wouldn't lie, so why would they not believe her?"
"Sometimes telling the truth is just not enough." he says bitter and again I have the feeling that there is a lot more behind his words.
"Please, just don't confront him now." I beg again and finally he nods and walks over to Ireland. He pulls her in his arms and talks quietly to her. I decide to give them some privacy and make myself a coffee. I guess that's the New York effect, I never liked coffee, but in the last couple of months I started to enjoy a cup or two each day.
So, I have my coffee and let them talk until Gideon comes over to where I am sitting at the breakfast bar.
"Ireland is about to fall asleep on the sofa. Can she stay?"
"Sure, she can have the guest room next to my bedroom." he nods and returns to sofa, but Ireland is already asleep so he picks her up and carries her to the guest room.
"Ana, I will be back in the afternoon to check on her. Call me if you need something or Ireland wakes up earlier."
I nod and watch Gideon walk towards the door. "Gideon wait."
"Relax Ana, I am not going to confront Christopher, I want to, but you are right, I can't afford to get myself arrested."
"No, it's ... what happened to you?" I blurt it out before I can change my mind. In the last three months he fell asleep two times here and both times he had one of those terrible nightmares. I wanted to ask him so many times, but I chickened out every time.
I look at Gideon and from the look on his face I can tell that he knows exactly what I am talking about. For a moment I think that he will just turn around and leave, but then he goes to the freezer, gets a bottle of vodka out and pours some of it into a glass. He sits down staring at the glass and says nothing... for the longest time he just stares at the glass of vodka, but I wait. I know that what ever he is about to tell me, it is not an easy topic for him.
"After our father died my life changed dramatically. I got bullied in school, people would only refer to me as the son of Geoffrey Cross, the swindler who took the easy way out. My mother didn't really care about me and then she married again and had Christopher. From day one he was her golden boy while I was just a bitter reminder of my father. I turned into a really angry kid, I was out of control and about the time when my mother got pregnant with Ireland she had enough."
He takes a large gulp and continues. "Christopher started to copy my behavior and she wasn't having it. So she had a shrink come over to our house. He would bring a doctor in training with him. A guy in his early thirties. Soon the shrink spend more time with my mother than me and I was left alone with the doctor in training. He told me that it was puberty and I wouldn't be so out of control all the time if I would start to masturbate regularly and that he would show me how."
He stops for a moment and I am sure I have a look of absolute horror on my face. A doctor and Gideon couldn't have been older than ten years when it happened.
"At first I let him... I wanted to fit in ... be normal and then it got worse... touching was no longer enough for him. I told him no ... I tried to fight him... it didn't help. One time when he... did that to me, Christopher came into my room. I begged him to help me, to get our mom... but he just watched fascinated. At one point I couldn't take anymore and told my mother what happened. I don't think she believed me, but she took me to a Doctor. He told her there were no signs of any kind of abuse on me. And with that I was not only labeled as troublemaker but also as attention seeker and liar. I was so desperate I told her Christopher saw it happen and he lied, he told her nothing happened and she believed him. I wasn't allowed to bring it up ever again. It was years later that I figured out that Dr. Lucas, the doctor that examined me was the brother in law of the bastard who did this to me. He covered for him."
For the first time since he sat down he looks up at me and his is expression is one of shame mixed with fear. Fear that I won't believe him either.
"Have you pressed charges against that monster later, after you moved out?" I ask and for a moment he just stares at me and then one single tear slides down his face.
"You... believe me?" there is so much disbelieve in his voice that it makes me start to cry.
"Of course I believe you. Oh my god, who in his right mind would make a story like that up? And your mother how could she not believe you? It was her job as a mother to believe you!" Just thinking about it makes me so angry and I want to get into my car and pay her a visit to let her know what a complete failure she is as mother and not just to Gideon but to all of her children.
"I thought it was my fault. I allowed him to..."
"No, Gideon, do you hear me, what happened to you, none of it is your fault. You were a child and you believed that this monster wanted to help you, but that is not your fault. It's his fault, he knew what he had to say in order to get what he wanted."
"I never thought someone would believe me." he says sounding defeated and I take his hand in mine.
"I believe you. I know how you feel about lying and every person who knows you just a tiny bit would believe you. Have you pressed charges against him?"
"No, by the time I wanted to it was too late. I found him anyway and told him that I would use all my fortune to find other victims of him so he would end up behind bars. He... took his own life after that... he had a son about 3 or 4 years old. It's my fault that he has to live without a father." he murmurs.
"Gideon, most likely this little boy would have ended up like you, as harsh as this may sound, but his father taking his own was probably the best thing for the boy."
"Maybe... I don't like to talk about this" he says and empties the glass of vodka. I want to ask him if he has ever thought about therapy, but stop myself. Getting into therapy was what started all of what happened to him...
"I should go now, I have calls to make and e-mails to check." he says and gets up.
"Wait, are you going to be okay, I mean alone at your penthouse? I could make breakfast."
"Ana, I'm living with this part of my past for nearly 18 years now, I'm going to be fine. Don't worry about me, I'm not our father, I won't take the easy way out. So, please don't worry. I'll be back in the afternoon."
"Okay, just if you want to talk again, I am here."
He gives me a smile and leaves. I stare at the door for a while and although it is only seven in the morning I pour myself a glass of wine and sit down. What is wrong with Elizabeth Vidal that she wouldn't believe her own son telling her something like that. Even if a doctor told her there was no evidence, she should have believed him. I am not a mother, but I know if I had child and he or she would tell me something like that had happened I would believe my child no matter what everyone else was telling me.
And as I sit there in my kitchen while having a second glass of wine I think about my brother and what he went through wondering how many children have to go through something like this with no one they trust enough to tell what is happening to them or worse like Gideon finding the courage to speak up and no one believes them... and in this moment I make a decision that is going to change the rest of my life...
11. Chapter 11
_**You can thank my hubby for this early update, he decided not to wake me from my nap this afternoon and let me sleep for five hours, now it's after three in the morning and I still can't sleep, so I decided to post another chapter ;-) and for those of you who are waiting for an update for The Wild Ones, it will be up either in two or three hours or tomorrow...
**_
_**A little warning some of you are going to love this chapter, others are going to absolutely hate it... but it is what I was intending to do all along so... here it goes...**_
_**Oh and one last thing, I didn't have the time so far to reply to any pm that came in in the last two weeks, so please be patient with me, I'll try my best to reply to all of them next week.**_
_**2 years later **_
_**Ana**_
Oh I can't believe this is happening yet again. I promised myself I would just stay in bed for five more minutes and now it's an hour later and I am running around my bedroom like a headless chicken trying to get ready.
"For the love of God Arnaldo, can you make yourself useful instead of just watching me?" I snap at him, but he just grins, stretched out naked on my bed and points to his very prominent erection.
"That's not helping that's distracting me even more, now please get up and fix me some breakfast to go, I have to be in Brooklyn in less than an hour."
"Sure, but I have to say I was really enjoying the show" he snickers and I glare at him.
"Thank you, and please put your boxers on, I don't want you to walk around naked when Ireland is home."
"She didn't seem to mind the last time she got an eyeful of me" he jokes but puts his boxers on and leaves the bedroom.
Damn it, I knew I should have told him to go home last night. Since we started our friends with benefits arrangement I'm always late, because he is always keeping me up half the night. Not that I am complaining, but still I hate to be late for my appointments, it's unprofessional.
The last two years have been the most amazing ride for me. After Gideon told me about his past I just couldn't stop to think about all the children who have to go through something like this with no one they can confide in or no one who believes them. And then I realized that I could help change this and so I talked to Gideon, quit my job and started to work for the Crossroad Foundation fulltime.
I also went back to college to take several business and psychology classes. I felt like the more understanding I had of how to help the foundation run smoothly and how to help children the more I could do it terms of helping. With time I've built a network of people who are very knowledgeable in this field and I've learned so much from them that by now I have become a spokesperson for the Crossroads Foundation.
With my team I visit schools and youth centers where I talk to the children about abuse and what steps they can take to get help. We also invite he parents to come to the events and in many schools there are now groups of parents who have volunteered as support groups, so that children who are suffering from any kind of abuse can talk to them. We also have a 24/7 emergency hotline and chat for children and young adults where I also take shifts and then there is Safe Haven.
After realizing how often children have to go in state care, because they are abused at home I decided I wanted to help those children, too. So, I got in touch with Sarah Carter who works for the Child Protective Services and asked her what I had to do in order to open a home for children who suffered abuse. At first I was a little overwhelmed with the list of things I had to do, but with her help and Gideon's I managed to get a team together, get all the permissions I needed and found the perfection location.
Originally the land was a farm, but we remodeled it completely and now 25 children live there and learn how to enjoy life again. It's a great place and I stop by every other weekend to do art projects with the kids or we take them out to go swimming, ice skating and all kinds of stuff, so they can have a good time.
Turning Safe Haven into a home for children was also what helped me to get through a really hard time in my life. About a year ago Ray passed away. I still remember that day like it was yesterday. I had come to Montesano to visit him for a weekend and we had a great time, we went fishing and talked so much that weekend. When I woke up on Monday morning ready to go to the airport I went downstairs, but he wasn't there.
I looked everywhere for him and when I couldn't find him I went to his bedroom. At first I thought he was asleep, but when I came closer to the bed I just knew that something was terrible wrong. He had died in his sleep of a heart attack, was what the doctors told us later. Still to this day I can't really remember what happened after I've found him, Gideon later told me that I called him absolutely hysterical and he dropped everything and got on a plane with Ireland, they stopped in Georgia to collect my mom and arrived in Montesano late in the afternoon. Without them, I don't think I would have survived losing my Dad. After the funeral my mom even came to New York with me for a week and only left when I told her that I was going to be fine.
I still own Ray's house. I'm not ready to let go of it yet. Maybe one day, but for now I want to keep it.
But there were also many, many happy times in the last two years. Kate's wedding for example. She and Elliot had the most amazing wedding and Kate was a stunning bride. At first I was planning on going alone, but after I'd found out that Christian wasn't attending the wedding I decided to bring Gideon and we had a great time. I think he has a crush on Mia, but he would never say that out loud. My brother thinks he is not dating material. I highly disagree, but he has to make small steps. At least he finally agreed to do therapy.
A year ago I've met a female psychiatrist who is known for helping abuse survivors. I wasn't sure if he was willing to meet her, but in the end he agreed and is seeing her two times a week now. It is really helping him with his nightmares and he seems to be so much more happy.
And then there is Ireland. I still shudder thinking about the night I've picked her up in the park. We went to the police to report what happened and of course Christopher lied and told them that Ireland was mentally unstable and couldn't be trusted. To make things worse her mother agreed with Christopher and we really thought that the police wouldn't believe us, but in the end it was Ireland's father who finally found the courage to speak up. He told the police that his son was notorious liar and also had a drug problem. Her father knew for a while what was going on in his house, but even he was afraid of Christopher. That shocked me, how could this man leave his daughter with his sociopath of a son, when he knew what he was doing to her?
Well, I'll never know, because after he made his statement he just left the country. Gideon's security found him on St. Lucia, but he refused to come back to the states. Ireland was devastated and her mother insisted she would come home, now that her son was in rehab and would have to face charges once he was out of rehab, but of course Ireland didn't want to go.
Thank God she turned 18 only two weeks after all of that happened, so she could officially become my new roommate. Now we are like sisters and enjoy to go on trips together or have movie nights with our friends.
As for Christopher, he came out of rehab and had to do social service. They couldn't charge him with more as Ireland was never physically harmed, which to me is a joke. The last I've heard of him was that Elizabeth has sent him to rehab for the fifth time. Gideon has someone watching him, but as it is he is a bigger thread to himself than to anyone else.
Then there are Hyde and José. Hyde was sent to prison for 40 years after three of his former assistants confessed that he had raped them and then blackmailed them with the tapes he took of it. Jose on the other hand is still in a mental facility and won't come out anytime soon. He still to this day believes that I am his girlfriend and tells anyone who listens that once he is out of the facility he will find me so we can be together forever, meaning now he wants to kill first me and then himself. At least they have transferred him back to the State of Washington, so I don't have to worry that he will show up at my door for the unrealistic chance that he manages to escape.
Despite all of my work I also started to really live my life. I've made many new friends and I started to travel making my dream to go to London come true. I've also been to Thailand, France, the Caribbean and last month I've spent a week with Ireland, Gideon, my Mom and Bob in Aspen where I took some more snowboard lessons. Arnaldo wanted to come too, but his schedule wouldn't allow it.
Arnaldo... I never thought I would ever have this kind of relationship. Friends with benefits always sounded like something that was bound to end in a disaster to me, but it is working for us. We've become good friends with time and we both felt sexually attracted to each other, we just never fell in love. I was on a couple of dates with other guys, but it never worked out and one night when Arnaldo stopped by for a glass of wine we ended up having sex. It kind of went from there. The only thing we agreed on is that we are exclusive and that we will end our sexual relationship before we get involved with someone else.
Gideon wasn't too happy about our arrangement, but once he saw that we are happy with it he stopped giving us grief about it. I guess as my big brother he just wanted to make sure that Arnaldo hadn't talked me into it. But I have to say I'm really happy with it... for now anyway. Sure in a couple of years I want to find my Mr. Right, get married and have three or four kids, but I am only 24, so for now all I want is to enjoy my life and devote as much time as possible to my charity projects.
"Ana, hurry up. Your driver called he will be here waiting downstairs in 5 minutes" Arnaldo calls out and I glance at myself in the mirror. Since I am visiting a school today I am dressed casually in a long-sleeved blue button down dress with a wide brown belt, legging and boots. My hair is pulled back in a loose bun and I'm wearing a light make up. Before I leave my bedroom I grab my purse and wrap a white loop scarf around my neck.
"Wow, what's that. It smells delicious" I moan appreciatively when I enter the kitchen where Arnaldo is cooking wearing nothing but his boxers.
Damn, if I wasn't late already I would jump him right here in the kitchen.
"Don't look at me like that, Ana. No time for sex" he chuckles and puts a travel mug of coffee in front of me.
"I've made you a croissant with ham, egg and cheese and some cut fruit. Are we still on for Friday?"
"Sure, I'll see you at the club and thanks for the breakfast" I grab the box with my food and the travel mug and leave the apartment.
Once outside the building I struggle to find my sun glasses in my purse and bump into someone on the sidewalk.
"Sorry" I mutter without even looking and finally find my sunglasses. I put them on and Carlos my driver holds the door open for me.
"Good morning, Miss Steele"
"Good morning, Carlos." I give him a bright smile and slight into the backseat of the town car before he closes the door for me. I still drive in my free time, but when I have an appointment one of Gideon's security guys drives me where I need to go. It is just easier for me to have someone who is driving me as I can use the time to answer emails or make phone calls instead of getting annoyed with the New York traffic.
As Carlos pulls into traffic I take the newspaper he always places for me in the backseat and read it while having my breakfast, but I am interrupted by my phone. Scowling I put what is left of my croissant back into the box, take my phone out and frown when I see that it is Kate who is calling me. We have remained good friends and she and Elliot have visited me here a few times, just like I went to Seattle to see them a couple of times.
"Hey Kate"
"Hi, did I wake you?" she asks sounding overly excited.
"No, it's 9 o'clock in New York, but why are you already up?"
"Because Elliot and I need to tell you something, wait I am putting you on speaker." she says and a second later I hear Elliot.
"Hey Ana banana, everything going well in New York?"
"Sure, so what is going on?" I ask and they both answer at the same time.
"We are pregnant!"
"What?! Oh my god, that's wonderful, congratulations!"
"Thank you, oh we are so excited, today I am officially in my second trimester so we want to tell everyone and we thought since you are going to be the godmother of our little one you are going to be the first to know"
"Really, wow I... I have no idea what to say, but of course I would love to be the godmother of your child." Who would have thought ... I had no idea Kate was even trying to get pregnant.
"Perfect, so I can expect you to show up for the baby shower and the christening?"
"Of course, no way I am going to miss any of it and if you need anything you can call me and I will be in Seattle within a couple of hours."
"I know" she says and I hear her sigh.
"Everything alright, Kate?"
"Yes, it's just Elliot went downstairs, he still has a hard time dealing with the fact that his brother is an egoistic piece of shit."
"I know, how are Mia and Grace dealing with it?"
"Well, we don't mention him who shall not be named in the presence of Mia, it sets her off every time and his parents. Well, Carrick still believes that eventually he will come around, but Grace she still calls him only for him to send her calls to voice mail and never return them. Every time I think about what he is putting his family through I want to show up at Grey House and smack the shit out of him, but I can't it would only make things worse."
"Probably" I mutter and Kate sighs again.
"Anyway, I just wanted to tell you, we can Skype tonight, I have to go and check on my hubby now. See ya."
"Bye Kate."
I hang up and sigh. Christian... what can I say. I still think about him, though it doesn't hurt like it used to. I guess I will never be able to forget him, he was the first man I fell in love with, the first man I had sex with...
I remember how nervous I was even weeks before Kate's wedding knowing that I would have to see him, only to find out that he wasn't coming. I was shocked to say at least. I mean he just told Elliot he wouldn't attend his wedding. And from that point on he never talked to any member of his family again. Kate told me he wouldn't take their calls, had blocked their emails and took them off the list of allowed visitors both at Escala and Grey House.
No one really knows why he did that, there wasn't a big fall out or anything, it's like one day he just decided that he didn't need a family and cut all ties. His so-called relationship with Michelle must have been an act, because I saw her on a television show about a year ago and she was credited as Nina Evans. I googled her and it turned out that she is an actress from Seattle who recently moved to Los Angeles. At that point I knew he had hired her just to hurt me and stopped to care. If he thinks he doesn't need a family so be it... though secretly I wonder what happened to make him neglect his family the way he does...
Talking to Kate also reminded me that I need to call Grace. After finding out that she has her own charity called Coping Together I became a benefactor of her charity and she wants me to give a speech at the Coping Together Gala that will take place at her place in four weeks. I already agreed, but I wasn't sure if I would come alone or with Gideon and Ireland. Ireland can't make it because she is studying for her exams, but Gideon is going to accompany, so I need to let Grace know.
Besides Gideon, Ireland and my Mom the only people who know that Gideon is my brother are Kate, Elliot, Carrick, Grace, Mia, Arnaldo, my friend Melody and some other close friends as well as Gideon's security. We discussed to release a statement, but there are several reasons why we decided against it. One would be the public humiliation of mother when the media would discover that I am the result of an affair she had with her sister's husband. And of course the whole security dilemma. Since Gideon is a very rich man there are always sick people who think the can get a piece of the cake by threatening his family. So, for the world I am just a family friend.
Sure from time to time there are article saying that Gideon and I are dating, but we just laugh about it. Honestly, it just goes to show that the media is not very clever, because Gideon, Ireland and I all have the same eyes and especially Ireland and I look almost like twins, so if they were clever they could figure it out, but then again, billionaire's secret girlfriend sounds better than billionaire's secret sister.
"We are here, Miss Steele." Carlos announces when he parks the car on the school parking lot and I nod and take a last sip of my coffee.
I meet my team outside the school and together we go into the school were we talk to the children and many parents who have come to see us. Sadly, this day turned out to be one of those days where four kids came up to me while I was about to leave the building to tell me their stories. To this day it always shocks me to hear what young children already had to go through in their lives or are still going through.
Since there are two young girls who have never confided in anyone I spent the rest of the day talking to them and making calls to arrange help for them. So, I am rather exhausted when Carlos pulls up at the building I live in late in the afternoon, but nothing could have prepared me for the scene playing out in front of me when I am about to get out of the car...
_**Yes, I love cliffhangers ;-) And just to tease all of you a little bit more; guess who the person was Ana bumped into when she left her apartment in the morning ;-)**_
12. Christian's own personal hell
_**Okay, this is not an actual chapter, it's more like an outtake or maybe a look into Christian's mind... **_
**Christian's own personal hell**
"Christian darling, you have to get over her and call your family. They all worry about you"
Bla bla bla, I tune Elena out. These days she sounds like a broken record, nagging me with the same things over and over again.
"Christian! For all that's holy, at least see Flynn again or get a new sub" she snaps and I had enough.
"Goodbye, Elena" I hang up the phone and refill my tumbler with whisky for the 7th time this evening. Flynn isn't going to solve my dilemma and neither is a new sub. Not that I could have a new sub, not here anyway. My playroom, the room that I once called my sanctuary, I couldn't bear to be inside that room the way it was. Not since _**her**_.
It's ironic, I thought of myself as master of the universe. Christian Grey would never lose. And while that might be true, I am also a gigantic failure. 50 shades of fucked up... well by now it's 51 shades of fucked up. And here I am pathetically trying to get drunk again just to avoid doing the one thing I know it will all boil down to. It always does these days. So, instead of dragging it out I get up and leave my study making my way up the stairs and unlock the door to what once was my playroom.
"Hello baby" I murmur staring at the woman I once called mine who is looking at me from all corners of the room in beautiful pictures. Pictures that ruined what ever chance I had to win her back. Otherwise the room is empty except for my piano which has found its new home inside here. The only place in the world where I can look at her. I sit down and start to play a piece called _Suffocation by Chopin_, but I never take my eyes of her beautiful face.
This is my punishment, this is what I deserve. So close and yet so far away, all alone in my ivory tower in the sky. Jose fucking Rodriguez, I should have killed him that night he tried to kiss her while she was drunk. Maybe then things would be different and she would still be mine.
After she left I realized that I needed her in my life. I tried to stay away, five fucking days, five agonizing days and then I decided I had to win her back. Selfishly taking away her chance of a happy life with a normal guy. So, I went to the gallery opening and found myself looking at all those pictures of her. At first I didn't know what to make of it and then I heard the photographer tell everyone that she is his girlfriend, his muse. I nearly killed him then and there, she was mine, not his. But Taylor held me back, even when that fucker denied me to buy the pictures of her.
I left the place not knowing what to make out of it, but looking at the pictures, the ones of her in bed. They looked to intimate not to believe him. Yet Taylor insisted that I had to talk to her, that there were many possible reasons why he had those pictures of her, even that he took them without her knowing it. All I knew was that I needed those pictures, if I couldn't have her then at least those pictures would be mine.
I had to hire someone to buy them for me, but he got the job done without any problems which was good. I had someone watching her, but she was not seen with Rodriguez, so I started to think maybe Taylor was right, maybe he lied and there was a simple explanation for those pictures.
And then I was informed that a man came to her apartment and stayed the night. I was livid. She promised me she would never leave me, she told me she loved me and only a week after leaving me she had a man stay at her apartment... that was more than I could take. Still, Taylor was on her side and finally I agreed to go and talk to her... only to find her in Rodriguez arms kissing him. Her fingers in his hair the way she would do it while kissing me and clearly enjoying herself.
That was more proof than I needed. She had moved on and in my rage I convinced myself that it was the money that attracted her to me. What else could it possibly have been? Each passing day my anger and hatred grew to the point that I wanted to hurt her, hurt her in every way I could.
Then Katherine's birthday party came and I knew I had to see her, most likely with her new boytoy. So, I came up with the pathetic plan to show her that I had moved on too. Nina was a former sub of mine and an actress. I hired her, knowing that it would at least hurt her a tiny bit that I would allow some other woman to touch me when she couldn't.
And in my own idiotic stupor I thought she was playing the part of the heart-broken ex to look good in front of my family and her friend. At this point nothing could have convinced me otherwise. Still when I got the call from Roach while I was in New York that she was in the hospital because fucking Hyde tried to rape her I left my meeting immediately wanting to make sure that she was fine, I was willing to let go of my hatred for just short while and what did I have to see?
Gideon fucking Cross entering her room with flowers. She had been in New York for two fucking days and had already managed to find herself a new suitor and it only fueled my anger. At this point I wanted to see her suffer, the monster in me had taken over and it wanted to get her where it would hurt her the most. I knew all to well about her love of books and that she needed the job. So, I decided to take the job she had always dreamed of away from her.
Roach begged me to keep her, afraid she would sue SIP for wrongful termination, but I didn't give a fuck. My company, my rules. I even positioned myself in the lobby so I could see her leave the building devastated, but of course as always my girl surprised me by slapping the crap out of me. Never in a million years did I see that coming and while I went back to Escala planning my next step in making her life a living hell she left town and moved to New York.
Since by that time I no longer had someone following her I had no idea until Elliot told me that she left town three weeks later. Fucker wouldn't even tell me where she went and then the news article started showing her with Cross. I was tempted to go to New York to let him know what kind of person she truly is, but I was working on a very important deal, so I couldn't leave Seattle and instead I made plans for my biggest revenge on my brother's wedding. I knew she was going to be there, so I decided to wait.
It was a shock to see her in Georgia, but more so it hurt. Seeing how Cross was now a part of her family when this should have been me. And then her note. I wanted to grab her and beat the shit out of her, but I couldn't; not in a public place. So I left. In hindsight I have to admit that I admire her courage for sending me that message, but that's my girl, always unexpected, always feisty.
And then it all came crushing down. A week before my brother's wedding I got a call from the guy I had hired to buy the pictures for me. He informed me that the police was asking questions about the pictures, because Rodriguez got arrested and was admitted to a mental institution. I had Taylor look into it and then it all became clear. She never was his girlfriend, never betrayed me... that fucker was stalking her, took the pictures without her knowledge and followed her to New York where he continued to stalk her...
I got it all wrong and there was no coming back from it. No apology in the world can change what I did to her. I am a monster and not worthy of her. And of course she had moved on with Cross and though I hate that she has moved on I know it is for the best. He can keep her safe, can lay the world at her feet and make her happy.
It was that day when I found out that I realized how powerful the monster inside of me really is and it had me thinking. If I could do this to her, who else could the monster hurt and drive away in the future... and I knew it, I knew I had to let my family go, protect them from the monster, so I cut all ties. They might not see it now, but I am a monster, not worthy of her and not worthy of a family, so I have to stay away, have to keep them away and continue to spend my life in my own personal hell...
_**The new chapter will be up tomorrow ...**_
13. Chapter 12
_**Ana**_
The first thing I see is Ireland who seems scared and is maybe even crying, but I can't tell since she is hiding her face against Gideon's chest who is holding her in his arms.
Gideon on the other hand is yelling at the two cops who are trying to get a woman in handcuffs to _'finally take that crazy person out of his sister's sight' _and when I look at the woman she is pleading with the cops that _'they don't understand what is going on'_.
I really have no clue what just happened, so I get out of the car and hurry over to Gideon and Ireland.
"Hey, what is going on?"
"I have no idea, I came home and that crazy woman was harassing Ireland. She kept going on and on about how everything was a huge misunderstanding and that he needed her and was slowly killing himself and she just wouldn't go away or let Ireland go into the building, so I called the cops." Gideon says and I turn around to look at the woman and gasp.
Can it? I mean it's been over two years and I only saw her once, but I am positive that I know who she is.
"Excuse me, please wait a second" I ask the cops who are reading her rights to her and when she looks at me she seems confused and looks over to Ireland and then back at me. Because yes, with her huge sunglasses on and the fact that Ireland and I are almost wearing the exact same outfit she must have mistaken Ireland for me.
"Ma'am please let us do our job." One of the cops says.
"Please, this is just a big misunderstanding. Mrs. Jones came here to see me, she must have mistaken me with my roommate over there." I point to Ireland and the cops both look back and forth between us.
"Well, I can see that this could be what happened. So, you know this woman?"
"Yes, she is the housekeeper of... a friend" _Oh joy, now I even lie to cops, but what else was I supposed to say?
_
"I see, well in that case I think we are no longer needed here." he says and takes the handcuffs off Mrs. Jones, which of course alerts Gideon.
"What the hell is going on here, Ana? Why are the letting her go?"
"Gideon, please I know Mrs. Jones, please can you take Ireland up to your penthouse, so I can talk to Mrs. Jones alone at my apartment. I promise as soon as I have talked to her I'll come up to your place and explain everything to you."
"So, you know her?"
"Yes, and as it seems she came all the way from Seattle to see me, so can you please take Ireland to your apartment and tell her Mrs. Jones didn't mean to scare her, she just thought it was me."
"Fine, I'll see you in a bit" he says and disappears into the building with Ireland, so I turn my attention to Mrs. Jones who is still staring at me slightly confused.
"Are you alright Mrs. Jones? I'm sorry this happened, Ireland and I look very much alike, people mistake us all the time, especially when we are wearing sunglasses."
"I'm sorry Miss Steele, I didn't mean to scare your friend. I just need to talk to you, it is very important."
"Okay, please let's go to my apartment, as you can see there are already reporters here, and I hate to see my picture on the news" I say and she follows me inside and into elevator.
Neither of us says anything until we reach my floor and I let her into my apartment.
"Oh my, the view is stunning, Miss Steele." She gasps and I smile.
"I know, even after living here for over two years I still find myself gazing out of the windows for hours when I have a day off."
"It's beautiful."
"So, I can I offer you something to drink?"
"Yes, please."
"Good, so I am having a glass of wine, do you want to join me or do you want tea, coffee, a water..."
"A glass of wine would be lovely, Miss Steele"
Two minutes later we sit down in my living room and I am actually nervous, I know the only possible reason for her being here is that she wants to talk about Christian. It seems a little odd though, after all I am sure all of his employees have to sign a NDA, too.
"So, how come you are here in New York, Mrs. Jones."
"I needed to see you, Miss Steele. To be honest I am here to ask you to come to Seattle with me. You are the only person who might be able to save Mr. Grey."
She has got to be kidding, after everything that he has put me through she wants me to save him? And save him from what?
"Mrs. Jones, I am sure that I am the last person on earth Christian wants to see."
"He thought you had an affair with your friend, the photographer" she says and I stare at her. _What?_
"Excuse me, are we talking about Jose Rodriguez?"
"Yes, I believe that is his name. You see Mr. Grey was devastated after you left him. He went to that gallery opening in Vancouver to see you and saw all those pictures of you and then your friend told him that he is your boyfriend."
Oh. My. God. He wanted back... that doesn't excuse what he did, but still he wanted me back...
"Why didn't he came to me, why did he chose to believe Jose over me?" I ask.
"Well, you know how Mr. Grey is, he is a hothead and to him those pictures were all the evidence he needed to charge you guilty. Jason and he had some awful arguments about it."
"Jason?" _Who is Jason?_
"Taylor, he took your site and defended you, it nearly cost him his job. But in the end Mr. Grey listened and wanted to confront you... only to find you kissing Mr. Rodriguez outside of your apartment."
Suddenly, I feel sick. He thought I was cheating on him or that I had just moved on and all that he did... just because he came to the wrong conclusion?
"I thought it was him... I wanted it to be Christian" I murmur more to myself than to Mrs. Jones and take a large gulp of my wine.
"From that point on Taylor, too was convinced that you were with Mr. Rodriguez. And then of course Mr. Cross came into the mix." she goes on and I frown. What the hell does Gideon have to do with this mess?
"What?"
"Well, as you know Mr. Grey is the owner of SIP, so when you were attack by your former boss, the police informed the managed of SIP and they in turn informed Mr. Grey. Taylor was with him in New York when that happened, Mr. Grey left the meeting he was attending when he got the call and went to the hospital you were admitted to the previous night. But when he wanted to see you, he saw Mr. Cross entering your room."
"Oh for the love of god, this is one gigantic cluster fuck" I mutter I mean seriously how much bad luck or bad timing can one person possibly have?
"Mr. Grey was furious after that to say at least. More so when he discovered that you had moved to New York and were now in a relationship with Mr. Cross."
The moment she says that I get the sip of wine I was taking right that moment down the wrong pipe and start to cough.
"Oh my goodness, are you alright, Miss Steele?"
"Fine" I croak and motion for her to continue.
"Shortly before the wedding of Mr. Grey's brother things changed. You see, it was Mr. Grey who bought those pictures of you through someone he had hired. Mr. Rodriguez wouldn't sell them to him, so he had to find someone to get them for him. The man who did this for him contacted Mr. Grey that the police was asking questions about the pictures of you. And so he found out the truth, you know that Mr. Rodriguez is mentally unstable and took those pictures without your consent or knowledge. After that he cut himself off from his family and started to become even more difficult to be around. The only person who is still allowed to visit him is this vile woman he calls his only friend. It's as if he is punishing himself for making assumptions and what he has done to hurt you." she sighs and I have no idea what to make out of it.
"Why didn't he come here to apologize?"
"Well, Taylor and I can only assume what his reasons are, but Mr. Grey always had this self-loathing inside him, we believe he thinks that he is not worthy of you and that he is not worthy of your forgiveness."
"He could have tried, because believe me after what he did to me he owes me more than just a small apology."
"I know that Miss Steele and so does Jason. I wanted him to come here, but he was afraid after the way he treated you, you wouldn't even listen to him. So, I came here to see you. I wanted to talk to you this morning, but you seemed to be in a hurry, so I waited outside the building for you to return."
"Mrs. Jones, I really appreciate that you came here to tell me what happened, but if Christian wants my forgiveness he should be the one to come here."
She sighs again and looks at me almost pleadingly. "I know that, Miss Steele and I absolutely agree with you, but over the last year, ever since he found out he has changed and not for the better. He stopped seeing Dr. Flynn, his psychiatrist, he cut off his family and at first he would put all of his focus on his work, but now ... on some days he goes into the office for a couple of hours, but mostly he is at home either drinking himself into oblivion or playing the piano for hours on end. He doesn't eat enough, he stopped doing his workouts and it just gets worse every day. Miss Steele, I am here to ask you to come to Seattle with me and talk to him. I know you have moved on with Mr. Cross ...
"What? Oh my god, please don't tell me that he didn't approach me after he found out the truth because he thinks I am with Gideon?"
"Well, we assume that's the reason." she says uncomfortable and I get up to refill my wine glass. I have no idea if I should laugh or cry, this is almost tragic, I mean Christian is a bright guy and he really got everything wrong and worse he didn't talk to me when he was the one who told me over and over that we needed to communicate or our relationship wouldn't work...
I sit back down and this time it's my turn to sigh. "Gideon Cross saved my life, Mrs. Jones. All that I have and the person I have become over the past two years, I owe it all to him. When my former boss wanted to rape me, it was Gideon who stopped him and a little later we discovered that we have a very strong bond, a sibling bond, Mrs. Jones. Gideon Cross is my half-brother."
"He... but we all thought... and the news article?"
"My mother had an affair with her sister's husband. I am the result. She got disowned by her family because of it and was forced to marry an old family friend who was willing to say that he was my father. I had no idea until Gideon saw me the first time and I reminded him of my mother, his aunt. We never made it public because we agree that it would expose my mother to public humiliation and it would make me a target to every sick person that wants a piece of my brother's fortune. There are only very few people who know that we are siblings."
"Good Lord, Miss Steele, please. You have to come to Seattle and talk to Mr. Grey. I am afraid the self-destructive path he has chosen is going to kill me."
"Mrs. Jones, I agree that Christian needs help, but don't you think that you should ask his parents for help?" I just don't know if I can do this, drop everything to go to Seattle. He did this to himself, I had to pick up the pieces after what he did to me, too. So why should I be the one to help him? Though, deep down I know that I won't be able to live with myself if I leave him to his self-loathing.
"Miss Steele, I agree he needs his family around, but what he really needs is you. I believe you are the only person to get through to him."
"I... I don't know if I can do this. I can't just drop everything here and go to Seattle. I have responsibilities and..."
"Just think about it, that is all I am asking. I'll leave now. I have given you a great deal to process. Here, my number and Jason's are on this card. Should you decide to come to Seattle just give us a call. Goodbye Miss Steele, and thank you for giving me some of your time. I know you are a busy person and I am in awe of all the good you are doing."
"Thank you" I watch her get up and leave my apartment, but I just sit there and think about everything she's just told me. _Can I do this? Do I want to this? _
"Ana?" I look up and see Gideon standing in the living room.
"I was worried, you said you would come up as soon as this woman has left. But I was informed that she left the building almost an hour ago. What is going on?"
I look at him and I know I have to tell him about Christian. Gideon always has the best advise and I desperately need it now.
"Mrs. Jones, the woman you saw earlier, she is the housekeeper of my ex boyfriend."
"The one who treated you like shit?"
"Yes."
"What the hell Ana? Why would you even talk to her?"
"Because she is a nice person and she did nothing to hurt me."
"So, what did she want?"
"She wants me to go to Seattle and talk to him."
"Over my dead body, Ana. I still don't know what he did to you exactly, but I know what a mess you've been when we first met, no way I will let you go to Seattle to see him."
"Gideon, it's complicated."
"Well, enlighten me then." he insists and so for the next hour I explain him how I met Christian and just everything that happened between us, except for the BDSM part and the belt incident.
"Fuck me, Ana who is that guy, I mean I thought your ex was just some average Joe, but if his company is important enough to..."
"It's Christian Grey." I blurt out and for the first time ever my brother seems to be speechless.
He stares at me for a while, then gets up and starts to pace. "Fuck Ana, Christian _fucking_ Grey? Seriously?"
"Yes" I murmur.
"Look, I've only met him a couple of times years ago, but even then he was an arrogant ass. Which actually made me like him, because I know what it's like to go into a meeting with a dozen old farts who think just because you're young you have no idea what you are doing and Grey really knew how to put the fear of god into those fuckers. But lately there are rumors."
"Rumors?"
"That he has lost his edge or to be more specific, he likes to drink a bit too much. Misses meetings, comes in unprepared. So far his COO covers for him, but I know many of the guys he fucked over on his way to the top have heard of it and they are getting prepared."
"Prepared for what?" Maybe I had too much wine, but I don't get his point.
"They want to bring him down Ana, they are ganging up ready to take over Grey Enterprises and shred it to pieces the second he fucks up again. If he keeps his drinking up, a year from now you can visit him living under a bridge, because that's what they want for taking over their companies and selling the pieces to the highest bidder."
_Holy fuck!_ Christian losing GEH ... the company he has worked to build to what it is today so hard... and all because of his self-loathing. If he loses GEH they might as well just kill him.
"Look Ana, you are a big girl now, you've learned how to deal with just about anything that is thrown your way and I know that you can stand up to Grey. This cluster fuck of assumptions and misunderstandings that has led him to start this vendetta against you is not justifying what he did, but if you want my advise... Take a couple of days off, go to Seattle and talk to him. Not for him, but for you. You deserve closure. I have seen you date guys who would have moved heaven and earth to be with you, yet you have chosen this friends with benefits deal with Arnaldo. And I don't believe it's because you just didn't like any of the guys you went out with, but it's because deep down you are still hanging on to Grey. You never had the closure you need to finally move on and as it seems, he needs closure as well. Just think about it, Ireland is going out with friends tonight, so take your time and really think this through. I can have one of my jets ready and waiting for you within an hour." he says hugs me and leaves.
_Oh, what am I going to do?_
14. Chapter 13
_**Ana**_
Who am I kidding? I knew it would come to this, the moment Mrs. Jones told me what happened I knew I wouldn't be able to move on with my life knowing that the man I once loved is ruining his life because of what happened. It's my nature, I'm a fixer, if I see someone who is a bad place or hear about it, I want to help. And so I tried for a couple of hours to remind myself how poorly Christian treated me and that he needs to come out of his funk by himself, but it was to no help.
And now I am here in the lobby of Escala, dialing the number of Mrs. Jones on my phone. I wanted to ask her if she wanted to go back to Seattle with me, but Gideon's security found out that she went straight to the airport after visiting me.
"Gail Jones"
"Hello Mrs. Jones. It's Ana Steele."
"Miss Steele, it's so good to hear from you, have you thought about coming to Seattle?"
"Actually, I'm in the lobby."
"Lobby?"
"Here at Escala, can you give me the elevator code so I can come up?"
"Oh my goodness, oh that is wonderful Miss Steele. The code is 0910" she says and I frown.
"Did Christian pick the code, Mrs. Jones."
"I believe so, why?"
"September 10th is my birthday. Anyway see you in about 2 minutes" I hang up get into the elevator and type the code in.
As the elevator makes his way up to the penthouse I start to get this really sick feeling in my stomach. It's not so much that I am scared to see Christian again or of all the memories this place holds for me. I am afraid to see the state Christian is in. It must be really bad if Mrs. Jones felt the need to reach out to me. But then again if he doesn't even care that GEH is going down how could he possible be in a good place?
Gideon told me to tell Christian that he is willing to come to Seattle and see what he can do to help with GEH, but I am not sure Christian will be willing to accept his help. At least it is not like they are business rivals; Gideon has made his fortune with hotels, casinos and night clubs, while Christian's company is all about modern technologies.
When the doors of the elevator open I see Taylor and Mrs. Jones. While she is giving me a warm and thankful smile, Taylor avoids to even look at me.
"What's the matter Taylor, feeling guilty?" I ask. I know this is not the time to give him grief about his behavior, but I just can't help it. I really liked him and it hurts how he treated me.
"Miss Steele, I want to apologize, I..."
"Taylor, let's settle this some other time, where is Christian?"
"Still in bed."
_What? _I check my watch to make sure I am not confused because of the different time zones, but sure enough it really is after eleven in the morning.
"Okay, I will check on sleeping beauty in a couple of minutes, first let's get rid of the alcohol he has here, shall we?" I ask and Mrs. Jones and Taylor nod.
I am not sure if Christian is going to kick me out the moment he sees me, but at least I can make sure he can't get drunk again right away. But what I find is shocking. He has a cabinet full of brandy, whisky and other liquor in his study, then there is a bar in the great room and two fridges full of wine in the pantry.
"Okay, the wine is too expensive to just pour it down the drain, Taylor can you pack all the wine into boxes and have it delivered to his parents house and maybe the old whisky too?"
"Certainly, Miss Steele."
"Perfect, it has to be gone before he wakes up" I roll the sleeves of my shirt up and start to empty all the bottles from the bar and his study in the sink. Christ, even the smell makes me sick. I mean I like a glass of wine in the evening and if I go out with my friends I have some cocktails and shots too, but Christian has enough alcohol in this place to kill himself without having to go out to get more.
After almost an hour we finally have made sure that there is no more alcohol in the penthouse and Taylor send someone to bring the wine to Bellevue. I called Grace and she was crying, she was so relieved that I came to Seattle to help Christian getting better.
I hope I can live up to her hopes, because in five days I have to be back in New York for the annual Crossroads Foundation Gala and there is just no way that I can miss it.
"I am going to see Christian now" I let them know and walk towards his bedroom. _Okay, I can do this!_
I open the door and the room is completely dark, so I open the blinds first and open the balcony door to let some fresh air in. Christian is sprawled across the bed and if it wasn't for the fact that I can see the rise and fall of his chest I would worry that he might be dead, because his skin has this very unhealthy almost gray undertone to it.
"Rise and shine, sleepy head, it's time to get up" I say loudly, but the only reaction I get from him is a grown.
"Come on, get up it's the middle of the day Christian!" When he doesn't react to that either I grab the comforter and pull it off him.
"Get the fuck out!" he yells, but it's muffled by the fact that his face is still planted into his pillow, so I walk around the bed and take his pillow away too.
"You have ten seconds to get up or so help me Christian, I will get a bucket of ice water!"
He looks up at me, squints his eyes and sighs. "You are not real" he mutters and I had enough so I land a firm smack on his naked behind.
"How real was that? Now will you get up or do I have to get that bucket of ice water?"
Suddenly he seems to be very awake, because he jumps out of the bed and stares at me wide-eyed.
"You can't be here. No, you shouldn't be here." he mutters and I roll my eyes.
"But I am here, so you better get used to it. Now, take a shower and get dressed, I expect you in the kitchen in 15 minutes."
"No, you have to leave!" he says and grabs me by the shoulders.
"Look at you, you need help Christian. I am not going anywhere until I am sure you are no longer trying to kill yourself by drinking yourself into oblivion every day."
"That is none of your... fuck..."
"What ..." and I try to jump out of the line of fire, but it's too late and he is vomiting all over what are now no longer my favorite boots.
"Sorry" he mutters sounding so pathetic that I have to snort.
"Yeah, I guess now we are even in that department. Go get a shower and get dressed, I'll wait for you in the kitchen." I mutter and take my boots off while he makes his way into the bathroom. As soon as the door has closed behind him, I hear him throw up again. Oh boy, I have a feeling that the next five days are going to be a nightmare.
Leaving my shoes in his bedroom, I make my way into the kitchen where I find Gail.
"He's up, not too happy to see me and he ruined my boots by vomiting on them, so is this him having a good or bad morning?" I ask and she shrugs.
"Miss Steele, I... you know ... maybe a little more compassion is what Mr. Grey needs right now" she says cautiously and I sigh.
"Mrs. Jones, he has issues with self-loathing and he has alienated himself from everyone who showed compassion or love towards him. He doesn't want anyone to care, not right now. I have seen this many times over the last couple of years both with the children and young adults I am working with. If I try to baby him, he will kick me out. As harsh as it may sound, but what he needs to snap out of his funk is tough love, because sadly that is the only form of love he accepts. I once told him that I love him and he was absolutely horrified, so let's see how he reacts to some good old tough love."
Mrs. Jones does not look happy at all, but I really believe that the moment I show him the slightest affection he is going to kick me out... well that's if he doesn't kick me out the moment he has stopped to vomit his guts out. So, I decide it is best to get step two into motion right now.
I walk over to the window and dial the number I found online before I flew to Seattle this morning.
"You have reached the office of Dr. John Flynn, how may I help you?" A woman answers.
"Hello, my name is Anastasia Steele, I need to talk to Dr. Flynn in an urgent matter."
"Are you a patient, Miss Steele?"
"No, please just tell him that I am calling on behalf of Mr. Christian Grey."
"Certainly, Ma'am. Please wait." Less than 30 seconds later I hear the voice of a man with a British accent.
"Miss Steele?"
"Yes."
"My assistant told me you are calling me because of Christian, is he in trouble?" he asks sounding very concerned.
"I guess, he is spiraling out of control. I know that you were his therapist, so I would like to ask you to come to Escala today."
"Does he know that you are calling?"
"No, but he is not really in a state of mind where I would ask for his opinion on anything."
"That bad, well I can reschedule some of my appointments, so I can stop by in about an hour."
"Perfect, thank you, Dr. Flynn" I hang up. Okay, let's just hope he doesn't kick me out before the good doctor arrives.
I was just about to check if Christian went back to bed when he arrives in the kitchen dressed in jeans and a black t-shirt.
"Look at that you are up" I cheer and he glares at me.
"Get out, you have no business being here."
"Yeah, and if you continue your little drinking habit you won't have any business at all in a couple of months." I mutter and lean against the breakfast bar.
"What the fuck is that supposed to mean"
"That means all those guys you fucked over on your way to the top, they know that you are fucking up deal after deal and that you don't even care. So, they have ganged up and as soon as you fuck up some more, they are taking over GEH."
"As if" he huffs and strolls over to the bar.
"Gail! Where is the all the alcohol" he yells.
"Welcome to the new reality, Christian, because as of this morning your penthouse is officially alcohol free."
"Who the hell do you think you are? This is my home, you don't get to come here and take over. And do you have any idea what some of the stuff was worth, especially the wine?" he hisses.
"Actually, yes I do know that you have had some pretty expensive stuff here, but don't worry I didn't throw it away, it's all still there. Only if you want to have a drink now, you have to go your parent's house, because that's where I've sent all of it."
His expression turns murderous and then he calls out for Taylor. "Taylor, escort Miss Steele out."
"I'm sorry, Mr. Grey, but I can't do that."
"What?"
"Oh, haven't I told you Christian? When I arrived today, I decided I need some staff and good staff is hard to find, so I made Taylor and Mrs. Jones an offer they couldn't refuse, they are working for me now" I give him a big smile and take a step back because he looks like he is ready to throw a fit.
"So, you are here to get back at me? For what I've done."
"Maybe" I lie.
"Well, then by all means, be my guest." and with that he storms off to his study and slams the door shut, but I get the feeling that this was far too easy, so I follow him and find him getting a bottle of whisky out of his safe.
"Really, are you kidding me?" I yell at him and take the bottle away from him. He tries to get it back and in the end I throw it against the wall where is shatters into a million pieces.
"There, are you pathetic enough to lick it off the floor? Is that how low you have sunk since the last time I saw you or hey, why don't you go into the bathroom and try to drink some of your after shave, or maybe you can try Mrs. Jones' perfume, it has alcohol in it, you know?"
"Anastasia, just say what you have to say, okay. Let's get it over with." he says at that makes me so mad I want to shake him.
"Oh no, believe me, if I am going to have a conversation with you about how badly you fucked up, it's not going to be now. Because I want you to remember everything that I've told you. I don't want you hung over or drunk, and I think you owe me that much for all the shit you've put me through just because you've made some stupid ass assumptions" I yell my voice getting louder with each word.
_Okay, Ana calm down, he needs your help. Just push your feelings aside for a while, right now he is just trying to get rid of you so he can get drunk again. _I try to calm myself and take a deep breath, before I look at him again.
"So, can you do that for me, not drink for one day so we can sit down and talk tomorrow? Or do I have to search the entire penthouse for alcohol that you've kept hidden?"
"I guess that would be okay" he mutters.
"Good, you should eat something, Dr. Flynn will be here shortly."
"What?"
"I've called Dr. Flynn. I wasn't kidding Christian, you are about to lose your company. You need to get it together or step back as CEO and let your COO deal with GEH until you are able to work again. So, starting to see your shrink again is a step in the right direction."
"I will never lose my company I am Christian Grey and..."
"Christian, your days as master of the universe are long gone, people talk, especially the ones who come into a meeting and see you drunk or not even knowing what the meeting is about. Yet, you are not giving your COO all the authorities she needs in order to run your company for you. If you want to lie to yourself, by all means do it, but this is not just about you. Think of all the people who are working for you and how they are going to support themselves and their families when GEH goes down."
"I don't know who told you that I am in trouble, but everything is fine with GEH." he says and I sigh.
"Fine, while you are in denial I am going to fix lunch. If you are hungry meet me in the kitchen"
I decide I need to try something different, so I make my way into security office.
"Taylor, do you know how to contact Christian's COO?"
"Of course, do you want to call Miss Bailey?"
"Can you do that? Just ask her to come here and tell Christian exactly what is going on with GEH at the moment."
"Will do, Miss Steele... How bad is it?"
"Well, he is about to lose his company and he is in complete denial." I tell him and leave to fix some lunch.
I am actually surprised to find Christian sitting at the breakfast bar when I am just finished to make lunch.
"Hungry?"
"Not really, but it looks good" he shrugs so I place a plate in front of him and sit down next to him.
"It's good" he says after taking a bite.
"A friend of mine is the chef of a famous New York restaurant. It's his recipe."
"How long are you planning to stay in Seattle?"
"I have to be back in New York on Sunday." he just nods and we finish our meal in very uncomfortable silence, so I am actually glad when Taylor comes into the great room to announce that Dr. Flynn has arrived.
Thank the Lord, Christian gets up to greet Dr. Flynn and they walk towards his study, but Christian stops and turns to look at me.
"You can stay here until Sunday, Ana" says Christian and goes into his study with Flynn.
Somehow, I have a feeling that the next couple of days are going to be the most exhausting days of my life.
15. Chapter 14
**Disclaimer: All characters belong to E. L. James and Sylvia Day**
_**Ana **_
Christian has talked to Dr. Flynn about three hours last night. He seemed to be very withdrawn after that and stayed in his study for the rest of the night. I hope today, after a day without a drink for Christian we can finally talk. I also hope that he will realize how serious the situation of his company is once he has talked to Miss Bailey who will be here around noon.
Since it is early in the morning and I don't have anything else to do I decide to go for a run until Christian is up. So, I get dressed in some shorts, a top, shirt and running shoes and make my way downstairs. But when I enter the great room I can't quite believe what I am seeing.
Christian is sleeping on the sofa on his stomach and on the floor is one empty bottle of whisky and a half empty bottle of vodka. In this moment I am so angry I want to strangle him, but instead I make my way to Taylor's room and knock until he opens the door.
"Miss Steele?" he asks a little confused to see me this early.
"He is passed out drunk on the sofa in the great room, Taylor. I need you and Mrs. Jones to check the entire apartment for spots where he might have hidden more alcohol, also please remove anything else that contains alcohol from the apartment. You know, perfume, after shave, even cough syrup."
"Of course, Miss Steele, but do you think he will let us do that?" he asks concerned.
"Oh, he won't even be here, so don't worry about that. Now, where does Mrs. Jones keep her cleaning supplies?"
"In the utility room, it's right there." he points to a door down the hall and I get inside and find a bucket. In the kitchen I fill it with cold water carry it to the sofa and throw the cold water all over him.
He jumps up coughing and sputtering. "What's the matter Christian, didn't make it to your bed last night?" I ask sarcasm dripping from each word.
"Why the fuck did you do that?"
"Why, you are seriously asking me why? What is this Christian?" I ask and lift the bottles from the floor. "You promised not to drink for one freaking day, yet here you are hung over again! You know what I don't even want to talk about it. We are going for a run, you have five minutes to get ready or I swear I'm dragging you out of here in what ever you are wearing!"
"I am not..."
"Go. Get. Dressed!" I hiss and his eyes widen.
"Yes, Ma'am" he mutters like a sulking teenager and leaves the great room.
It's not even seven in the morning, but I call his mom anyway.
"Anastasia, you are calling early, is everything alright with Christian?"
"Good morning Grace, and no, Christian is not alright. It's bad Grace, he has a serious drinking problem, he can't even stay away from it for one freaking day. I don't think I can fix him in five days. Actually, I am taking him to the hospital now, so he can get his blood work done. Maybe that's the wake up call he needs. Anyway, why I am calling is that I need your help. We might need to convince him to go into rehab and I am not familiar with the facilities here in Seattle, so can you find the best in town and ask if they have a spot for him if I get him to go?"
"Yes, of course. Oh, Ana how did this happen?"
"I don't know, Grace. It's like he has just given up and he doesn't care about anything... listen he is coming back, I'll call you later." I hang up and grab a bottle of water from the fridge right when Christian's appears in the kitchen.
"Since when are you all about getting an early workout?" he asks when we are in the elevator.
"Oh well, I have this really crazy plan, you know? It includes me getting really old and one day I just want to go to bed and die peacefully in my sleep. So, in order for me to get there I eat healthy, exercise and make sure that I get enough sleep. You should try that, too." I mutter and two minutes later we go for a run. I know where the hospital is where Grace works, so that's the route I've picked for us.
"Fuck, don't go so fast, Ana! This is not the New York marathon!" Christian hisses after ten minutes. He is already sweating like crazy and breathing heavily.
"I know it's not, I did the New York marathon last year and believe me, on the pace I am running here just so you can keep up with me, I would still be on my way to the finish line."
"You've run the New York marathon?"
"Yes, to raise money for Safe Haven, one of my charity projects. Now, less of the chit-chat and more of the running, come on Grey, show me what you got!" and with that I pick up my pace and just like I expected it to happen about five minutes later Christian is hunched over a trash can puking his guts out.
"Mmmh, nothing beats a good whisky, right? Tell me does it taste as good now as it did yesterday?" I ask when he has stopped to puke and for the first time I get a glimpse of the Christian I know, because he stares at me in the most forbidding way.
"You think this is funny, Anastasia?"
"No, actually, I think it's tragic. Now, here, drink some water and then we can continue." I hold the bottle out to him and he takes it.
Finally, thirty minutes we arrive at the hospital and he stares at me. "Why are we here?"
"Because you'll get your blood work done, now."
"No! Absolutely not." he says and turns to leave, so I have no other choice.
"Fine, I'll just call Grace and ask her to stop by at Escala to draw a blood sample from you."
The moment he hears me say that he stops and turns back around. "No, do you hear me, Anastasia you will not call my mother!"
"You have two options, Christian. Either you get your ass inside that hospital now, or I'll call her and I don't give a rat's ass if you like it or not."
He gives me a cold stare and heads towards the entrance ignoring me completely, not only while we are waiting for him to see a Doctor, but also on our way back to the apartment and at his penthouse. So, I decide to take a shower and change before breakfast and even then he is giving me the silent treatment.
Around noon I am working on my laptop while he has changed his tactic and is sitting opposite me glaring at me. I simply ignore him, if he wants to play some stupid mind games he won't win them with me.
"Miss Bailey is here" Taylor announces a little while later and Christian frowns.
"Ros, why are you here?" he asks when she walks in.
"I was told you are finally ready to face the music, boss. And it's about fucking time, because I am not going down with GEH, Grey. I've worked with you to build this company from day one, but if you want to ruin it, then I am gone."
"What the fuck are you talking about, Ros" he hisses and I decide to give them some privacy and walk over to the breakfast bar. About fifteen minutes later Christian is pacing the great room, pulling his hair so hard I am actually afraid he is going to rip it all out.
"How could this happen, Ros?" he asks completely horrified and she snorts.
"How this happened, Christian? Seriously? I've told you for months now to either quit the drinking or give me the authorities I need to run GEH alone. Hell boss, you've been to the office ten times last month and 9 out of 10 times you've been hung over and completely worthless. And the one time you weren't hung over you sat in a meeting having one drink after the other. People are scared, Christian. Everyone worries that they are losing their jobs and I can do shit about it. I've heard rumors that some assholes are planning a hostile takeover. Wake up, Christian, because there is still time to get GEH back on track, but you have to give me the authority to do so." she begs him and finally I can see that it dawns on Christian that his company is in deep trouble.
"I still don't understand! Why didn't you inform me about this earlier, Ros?" he asks and she snorts.
"I am telling you this for months now, but on the rare occasions you aren't drunk you are in complete denial. I'm trying to hold GEH together, but it's hard if the boss is ignoring what going on. We have lost three very important deals last month alone and it's getting worse."
"Ana!" he calls out for me, so I make my way to where they are sitting.
"What do you need, Christian."
"Where did you hear that GEH is in trouble."
"Gideon told me about it. He also asked me to tell you that you can call him if you need help or more information."
"I see" he snaps and I am tempted to tell him about Gideon now, but it's just not the right moment.
"Ros, I'll see you tomorrow in my office. I need to think this through, before I decide what to do." he says and she sighs. I guess that is an answer she must have gotten before.
"You better show up, Christian. Because if you don't, I quit." she says and leaves a couple of minutes later, while Christian disappears into his study. I peek in, just to make sure that he is not drinking again. But he is just sitting at his desk with his head in his hands. Maybe it's best to give him some time.
In the early evening a courier arrives with the results of Christian's blood work. Grace has pulled some strings so that they returned as fast as possible and because Christian is still in his study I take the envelope and bring it to him.
He is sitting at his desk cursing like a drunken sailor. And his hands are shaking, making it hard for him to type on the keyboard of his computer. I guess that's because he didn't have a drink today.
"What?" he snaps when I come in.
"The results of your blood work arrived." I hand him the envelope and watch as he opens it and flicks through the contents.
"They must have sent the wrong results, those are not mine" he says, so I take them from him and read the report.
"I don't think that they've send you the wrong file. Look at that Christian, have you read what it says? You're liver can't tolerate the amounts of alcohol you are drinking much longer. Do you know what alcoholic hepatitis is? Because that's what is going to happen to you if you don't stop to drink!"
"I don't have a drinking problem, I might have had too much to drink for a short while, but I can stop when ever I want." he says and I sigh.
"Really, then why are your hands shaking? Why are you sweating like you've just ran a freaking mara..."
"I don't have a fucking problem, Anastasia. All I need are five seconds of fucking silence and a drink!"
"No what you need is to understand that you have a serious issue and that you need help. Look at you Christian, you are no longer in control, you have given up all your precious control and now it's the alcohol that is controlling you. You need to go to rehab and..."
"I'm fine"
"No you are not" I snap back and he pushes to his feet and slams his fists on the desk.
"I. Am. Fine. Understand?" he says and glares at me.
"No, you are not, you are lying to yourself. Just read this, read it carefully and then google what this means."
I leave his study and for the rest of the evening he stays in his study. Around midnight I give up and go to bed only to wake up to the sound of his piano a couple of hours later.
After I while I decide to check on him, but once I am out of the bed I frown and realize, that I didn't see his piano in the great room, when I arrived. I wonder why he moved it. I follow the sounds of the piano until I am outside his playroom.
_Why is the piano in the playroom? _I push the door open and gasp. Everything that once was in this room has been removed and the walls are now painted black giving the perfect contrast for all the pictures Jose took of me. And in the middle of the room is the piano facing the picture of me in which I am smiling brightly.
If anyone else would have done something like this; decorate a room solely with my pictures, I would have been completely freaked out, but knowing that Christian did this I am sad. This room was his sanctuary, the one place in the world where he was in complete control and now it's like a gallery full of pictures that remind him of what could have been.
Before I really know what I am doing I find myself moving closer to the piano and sit down next to Christian on the bench. He continues to play or to be honest he is trying to play, but his hands are shaking so badly he has a hard time pressing the right keys.
Suddenly he stops closes the lit and rests his head on it. "I miss her"
"Who?"
"The girl in the pictures" he replies and I smile.
"She is still there. She just had to grow up, spread her wings and learn how to fly."
"Is he treating you right, Cross?"
"Yes, he is. Can I tell you a story?"
"What story?" he asks and lifts his head a little to look at me.
"The story of the girl in the pictures."
He nods and I start. "Her mother was born into a rich family, but she always felt like a misfit, the black sheep. She couldn't really connect with her parents or her older sister. But when she was a teenager her sister married and her brother-in-law was a really nice person. Eventually she fell in love with him. She spent the summer before she was supposed to go to college with her sister, her brother-in-law and their son. And to make a long story short, she ended up having an affair with him and ended up pregnant by her brother-in-law. Her family disowned her and forced her to marry an old family friend who was willing to take her child as his own."
"Wait, so Frank Lambert is not your biological father?" he asks and I shake my head.
"Did you know that all the time?"
"No, do you want me to continue with the story?" I ask and he nods. "So, Carla gave birth to a girl and she named her Anastasia, after the Russian princess, because she wanted her daughter to be strong and beautiful, just like the princess. Almost 22 years later Anastasia went to New York with her pervert of a boss, who had nothing better to do than to drug her and try to rape her. Luckily for her there was a man in the room next door who heard her scream and that man happened to be the owner of the hotel who came into the room with his master-key and saved her. And because the man, namely Gideon, was worried if the girl was going to be okay, he went to the hospital the same night to check on her. But when he got the first good look of her face he couldn't quite believe what he was seeing. Because the girl he had saved looked just like his aunt Carla, who he had seen the last time when he was only four years old. So, he returned the next day and asked the girl if her mother happened to be his aunt Carla. And guess what, she is. That left the girl wondering why her mother had lied to her about having a family and when Anastasia talked to her mother she found out that the man who saved her is not just her cousin, but her half-brother. And since then the girl has found a family in her half- brother and his other half-sister Ireland."
I stop and look at Christian who just stares at me completely blank.
"He... he is not your boyfriend?"
"No, Gideon is my brother, the best brother in the world."
"I thought ... why isn't that public knowledge?"
"Because it is safer for me if everyone thinks I am just a random friend or his sister's roommate, and of course I don't want my mom to go through public humiliation when everyone knows that she had an affair with her sister's husband."
"Do you... have someone in your life?" he asks and I stare at my hands, but I decide that I am not going to lie to him.
"I went on a couple of dates, but it never went beyond the first kiss, for the last six months I am in a sexual relationship with a good friend of mine. It's nothing serious, just friends with benefits."
Christian does not look pleased to say at least, but wisely he says nothing.
"So, you've never been in love with anyone?" he looks so hopeful that for a moment I forget all about my plan to give him tough love.
"No, I gave my heart away nearly three years ago, and no matter how much I tried to forget you, it's still yours" I say and get up.
"It's really early, I'll go back to bed. You should get some sleep, too." I kiss his cheek and go back to bed. Maybe this was completely wrong, but I just had to be honest with him.
I wake up again at nearly eight in the morning, take a quick shower, get dressed and make my way to the kitchen.
"Good morning, Gail. Is Christian still asleep?"
"No, he already left, he left this for you, Miss Steele." she says and points to a letter on the breakfast bar. I take it and sit down before I open it.
_Ana, _
_ever since I've found out how wrong I was about everything I thought to be the truth about you, I have been so ashamed. Too ashamed to do the right thing, which would have been to face you and apologize. Even though I know that a simple apology is not enough. I kept telling myself that since you have Cross; you have moved on and I am just a bitter reminder of a past you've left behind. _
_Seeing you again was a shock, never in a million years did I think that you would show up here. That is why I am so thankful you did, it was the wake up call that I needed. I did a lot of thinking in the last couple of hours while I watched you sleep, and you are right, I need to get my shit together. Sadly, you were also right when you said that I have given the alcohol the control over my life. Still, knowing that I am about to lose my company and maybe even my life wasn't enough for me to change._
_Now I have a reason. You are my reason, Ana. I know that I have a long way to go before I can earn your forgiveness, but there is hope. So, I've contacted my mother and now that you are reading this letter I am on my way to a rehab facility. I want my life back and I want to redeem myself, so one day I might be worthy of you. _
_I am not asking you to wait for me, but I want you to know that once I am myself again, I am going to fight for you. Because the simple truth is I love you, Anastasia Steele and I would move heaven and earth to win you back. _
_Christian_
Oh. My. God. Christian loves me...
_**Don't worry, about them being apart again, because I am going to have a little time jump in the next chapter. And for those who weren't sure about the outcome of this story, by HEA I'm talking about them getting married and live happily together for the rest of their lives. **_
16. Chapter 15
**4 months later**
_**Christian
**_
"I'll give you call when I am leaving, Taylor." I mutter and get out of the car.
The last four months have been hell. I've spent 90 days in fucking rehab and hated every single second of it. Between therapy and stupid group activities I've nearly gone insane thinking about Ana finding someone else. She didn't, I had security on her and so far she never had anyone staying over, which also means that the fucking friends with benefits deal she had is over. I wanted to yell at when she told me about it, but the sad truth is that I had and still have no right to do so. She has every right to move on and find someone who is treating her right or even engage in the casual sex life, if that is what she wants.
Still, I fucking hate to know that some other guy touched her. She is mine and if it is up to me she will be again soon. Which is why after dealing with GEH for the last month, I am now in New York. Ros did a perfect job and Cross helped her out quite a bit. So, now I owe him, which is one of the reasons why I am here to see him and not Ana. The other reason would be that he is her brother and if I want to have any hope in hell to make it up to her, I need more information about the life she is leading now and how she was when they met.
Since it is only 7:30 am I am positive that he is home and after the guy on the front desk made a call I am cleared to go up to the penthouse. The elevator opens and I see Cross leaning in the door frame to his penthouse wearing nothing but pajama pants.
"I had no idea you are such an early bird, Grey."
"I figured you would be home around this time."
"So, are you better?" he asks still not making any attempt to allow me in. Fucker is up to something I just know it.
"Better than ever" I answer and before I see it coming he has landed one hell of a punch right in my face sending my ass to the floor.
"What the fuck?" I hiss rubbing my jaw.
"That's for treating my sister like dirt, now get your ass off the floor and come in" and with that the fucker turns around and disappears into his penthouse while leaving the door open for me.
_Well, that could have gone worse_, I think to myself get up and find him in the kitchen.
"Coffee or ice pack?" Cross asks with a smirk and I glare at him.
"Careful Grey, there's more where that last punch came from, you don't want me to modify that pretty mug of yours permanently, plus Ana would have my ass if I did, so wipe that glare of your face!"
"Is that how you treat your guests?" I mutter and he snorts.
"Only the ones who treat one of my sisters poorly. And don't tell me that you would act any differently if some fucker would sent Mia through hell and back." Fuck, he is right I would kill any guy who would hurt my sister.
"Fine, I guess that punch was justified."
"Good" he says and places a cup of coffee in front of me. "So, let me guess you need my help with Ana?"
"A little inside into her life here in New York would be helpful."
"Are you still into that BDSM shit?" he asks and my still aching jaw nearly hits the floor.
"Don't worry, Ana didn't tell me. I saw you about five or six years ago disappearing into one of the dungeons with one of the subs at Dark Passion."
Damn it, Dark Passion is a BDSM club here in New York. I went there a couple of times when I had to stay here for eight weeks to get the New York office of GEH running.
"No, Ana isn't into it, so I can't be either." I answer truthfully, I need her more than the control the lifestyle was giving me.
"Good, because if I ever find out that you debase, beat or humiliate her I will kill you and make it look like an accident. I don't get along well with most of my family, but I love my sisters and I will do what ever I deem necessary to protect them."
"Fair enough, but just out of curiosity, are you in the lifestyle?"
"I like control, but I do not care for any aspects of the lifestyle that go beyond bondage or spanking. So, what exactly do you want to know?"
"How does Ana live now, what does she like?"
"Well, she is on the board of the Crossroads Foundation and has her own charity project called Safe Haven, it's a home for abused children. She devotes most of her time to charity work. Other than that she is just a normal young woman who likes to go out with her friends, she likes to cook for her friends and she, just like my other sister Ireland, is obsessed with The Big Bang Theory."
_What the hell? _"Since when is Ana into evolution?" I ask slightly confused and the fucker is laughing at me.
"Christ Grey, have you been living under a rock? It's a TV Show about a girl who moves into an apartment and becomes friends with a group of scientists, it's fun."
"I don't care for any TV shows. Watching TV is a waste of time."
"You better change that, because Ana loves that show and once every two weeks we have a TBBT marathon and watch as many episodes as possible in one night. She loves that."
I guess it won't kill me to look into it. If Ana enjoys it that much. I make a mental note to go online and look what that shit is about.
"What about that fucker she was seeing?" I ask and now he glares at me.
"If you are referring to my good friend Arnaldo, they are no longer in a sexual relationship, but they are still good friends and hang out."
That has to end, no way I want her to have a friend that once was in a sexual relationship with her.
"Look Grey, I don't mind to give you some hints, but why don't you just go down to the fifteenth floor and talk to Ana?"
"Because I have a lot to make up to her and I am still working on a plan to do so."
"I see, and is the guy you have following my sister around helping you to come up with a plan?" he asks and takes a sip of his coffee. _Arrogant bastard I hope you choke on it!
_
"No, he is here to make sure that Ana is safe. And how do you know that anyway?"
At that Cross squirms making me feel slightly better. Looks like he has someone who follows Ana, too.
"Look Grey, when I first met Ana she was a mess. She was all alone, so fucking thin that I was sure she was suffering from some sort of eating disorder, but even worse was to see how a beautiful and intelligent young woman like Ana had no self-confidence, she was so insecure it was painful to witness. It took nearly a year to get her into a really good place, she enrolled in self-defense classes, I helped her to meet new people and little by little she grew into the confident and strong woman she is today. I want her to feel like there is nothing she can't handle and I am most certain that she can handle just about anything. Still, there is always the possibility that something happens to her and she is out numbered or not able to defend herself, which is why I have someone following her from a distance. She doesn't know, because it would only make her feel insecure again. Bottom line is however, my guy noticed your guy within a day."
"I am not going to tell her, but don't you think she would be safer if she had close protection?"
"No, my guy is close enough to make sure she is safe at all time. And she would hate it to have someone following her and tell her what to do anyway."
I decide to leave it be, once Ana is mine again I will have Sawyer follow her openly, for now knowing that there are two security guys following her from a distance has to be enough.
Suddenly there is a knock on the front door and Cross smirks. "Now, that should be interesting." he says and I raise a questioning brow.
"The front desk calls me to let me know if someone is coming up, even if the person is on the list of approved visitors. Which means the person who has just knocked is living in the building. My sister Ireland doesn't get up before nine on the weekend, so that would leave Ana as the only option." he explains and I curse inwardly. This is not how I want our first meeting to be.
"Over there is my study" Cross says and he moves toward the door; like a fucking coward I find myself hiding in his study just in time for him to let Ana in. I leave the door ajar so I can at least see her and what I see has my dick twitching.
She is dressed in a white top and the shortest fucking denim shorts I have ever seen, in fact they are so short if she bends forward just a bit I am sure everyone who is looking at her can get a nice view off her buttocks.
I watch her walking around the kitchen as if she owns the place, which just shows how comfortable she is around her brother. Damn, her legs look a mile long in this outfit and I imagine those legs wrapped around my neck. _Shit, down boy, not now!
_
"So, Ana how come you are here this early?" Cross asks and I grown inwardly when Ana leans a little forward on the kitchen counter revealing just an inch of her perfect bare ass to my to my view. _Mental note to myself, once Ana is mine I need to find those shorts and burn them, no way she can wear them once she is mine again. _
"I need to ask you a favor. I had to take my car to a service station, because my check engine light was blinking all the time."
"How very Penny of you" Cross chuckles and my breath catches when I hear Ana giggle. Fuck, I love that sound.
"I know, right? Anyway, they called me ten minutes ago and told me that apparently the engine is fine, but there is a major issue with the electronic and they need to order some things to fix it, so I won't get my car back until late Monday evening or Tuesday morning. But I really wanted to drive around a little today and buy some things on the farmer's market."
"No problem, Carlos can drive you around."
"Yeah, well... actually I would love to drive myself and..."
Cross holds one hand up, disappears out of view for a moment and re-appears throwing car keys to Ana.
"The DB-9 is parked in spot 5, have fun."
"I will, thanks" Ana answers all excited and I want to barge in and take the keys from her. Has Cross lost his fucking mind? She can't handle that car, has he not seen her drive before? _Calm down, Grey, there is nothing you can do about it now without storming out and demanding for her to give the keys back, which in turn will take away what little chance you have to win her back. _
I close my eyes and count to ten, but when I open them I nearly forget how to breathe, because Ana is staring directly in my direction.
"Something wrong, Ana?" Cross asks and she shakes her head.
"It's nothing... just this weird feeling as if... doesn't matter. I'll bring the keys back later tonight. I would ask if you want to join us tonight to have some drinks at the club Arnaldo is going on and on about, but I know you have better things to do" she says with a huge grin on her face and his face shows the same grin.
"I sure have."
"Well, then don't let me keep you from anything. See you tomorrow" she says plants a kiss on his cheeks and leaves. I wait until I hear the door close and storm out.
"What the hell, Cross? She can't drive a fucking DB-9, it's too much for her to handle!" I snap and he snorts.
"Are we talking about the same girl here, Grey? Because my sister, both of them actually, are excellent drivers. And it's not like this is the first time I let her drive my DB-9, so chill, Christ, if you keep that temper up you'll give yourself a heart attack before you turn 40. Her driving skills are the last thing you need to worry about."
"And what pray tell are the things I need to worry about?"
"For one, how you are going to win her back if all you can offer her is a long distance relationship." he says arrogantly and now it's my turn to smirk.
"She will move back to Seattle, of course."
"Grey, be real here. Ana has a life here and not just that, she has responsibilities. Safe Haven her charity project, she can't just leave that behind. I can't see her leaving the board of the Crossroads Foundation either and of course she has her family here."
"Her father lives in Montesano, much closer to Seattle" I counter and his mouth pops open.
"Well, at least you didn't mention that in front of her. Ray died almost a year and half ago."
Fuck, I should have run a new background check on Ana, but I wanted to do it right this time, no background checks or extreme stalking. Sure she has her work here, but she has to realize that my job is much more important than hers, if we want to have a relationship she has to move back to Seattle.
"I had no idea, how is she dealing with it?"
"She is good now, she takes comfort in the fact that she's spend the weekend before he died with him. So, at least he wasn't alone in the house when it happened."
I am just about to reply when I hear a door open, followed by a very familiar face.
"Why are you up this early, I wanted to wake you up with a blow job" I hear the voice of my sister and sure enough a second later she comes into view only dressed in her panties. I turn around immediately while Mia screams and hides behind Cross. So, I take my sweater off and throw it in her direction without looking. Fuck, what guy wants to see his sister almost naked and talking about giving head. This is a nightmare.
"Okay, I'm decent, you can look now" I hear her say a second later and turn around to glare at her.
"Forgot to tell me something?" I ask and she just smiles.
"Had I known that you would show up here, I would have told you that Gideon is my boyfriend, but I thought I'd wait for a better time. You hated every boyfriend I had so far and Gideon is Ana's brother so I didn't want you to storm in here and give him the big brother talk."
"I see, just when exactly did this happen?"
"While you were in rehab and Gideon came to Seattle a couple of times to help Ros with GEH. Since Ana couldn't come with him she asked me to show him Seattle."
"And you think that a long distances relationship is what you want?"
"No, that's why I am moving to New York next month." she says and I close my eyes and count to ten. Fucking Gideon Cross, damned hypocrite tells me that I can't make Ana move to Seattle, yet my sister can move to New York. True, Mia can work anywhere where she has space to draw and work on her newest fashion collection, but still I want my sister live close by. We just reconnected while I was in rehab and I hate the thought that she is moving to New York now.
"Please be happy for me?" She begs and I sigh.
"I am Mia, I just think that you need to really think this through."
"I know what I am doing, I was never so sure about anything in my life" and then she does it, she is giving me that look of hers, wide-eyed and pleading and like always I melt. Damn it, she knows I can't say no to her if she is giving me that look.
At least Cross is not the kind of guy she usually goes for. I still shudder thinking about her and that Kavanagh boy. She met him through Kate and he fucking used her. She ended up heart-broken and I wanted to kill the bastard. Cross on the other hand seems to be caring and the way he looks at her shows his affection for her.
"Do mom and dad know?"
"Yes, I've told them last week and they are fine with it. Well... mom more than dad, but you know how he is when it comes to me." she giggles.
"Much like your older brothers, huh?" I joke and she laughs.
"Just like them, so you two continue to talk, I'll take a shower. Turn around so I can give you your sweater back."
"Keep it." I mutter and watch her disappear into the direction she came from.
"Remember when you told me that you would kill me if I ever hurt, Ana? The same goes for my sister, Cross." I threaten him, because if he thinks I am going to sit back and watch when he fucks things up with my sisters he is in for a surprise.
"I am fully aware of that, Grey. Just know that your sister means a lot to me, I've never met anyone like her and I am not going to fuck this up. So, I don't want to be rude, but if you don't have anything else you need to know I would ask you to leave now."
_Sure, so he can fuck my sister. Damn it, get your shit together, Grey. You came here not just because of Ana, now say it!_
"Just one more thing, then I'll leave. I came here to thank you, for helping Ros getting GEH back on track. I know how busy you are and I really appreciate your help, so if there is anything I can do for you, just let me know."
"No big deal, I had some business in Seattle anyway. But if you want, let's just say you owe me one."
"Fair enough, so I'll better leave now." I walk towards the door and press the button for the elevator once I am outside.
"Oh and Grey, the club Ana and her friends are going to tonight is called Cain Club." Cross says just as the elevator arrives.
"I'll keep that in mind" I mutter get into the elevator and as soon as the doors are closed I take my phone and call Taylor. Looks like tonight I have to go to a night club, and maybe then I have figured out which way is the best to start mission: _Get Ana back...
_
* * *
_**The next chapter will be up on Tuesday or Wednesday, I really need some time to update my other stories... and for those of you who were wondering about Mia's profession, I changed it, in the books she studied cookery in Paris, but I always thought something to do with fashion would be a better pick for her, so she is fashion designer now...**_
_**And I wanted to thank all of you for reading/reviewing this story. I have to say I am a little overwhelmed with the amount of reviews that come in with each chapter, but I love to read your thoughts as they help me to develop the story :-)**_
_**I hope you all have a great weekend**_
_**Sunny**_
17. Chapter 16
_Stop it Ana! This is getting silly. When will you finally stop checking your phone every five minutes for a message from __**him**__? _I roll my eyes at myself, it's right I need to stop doing this. But the sad truth is I am hurt. Christian Grey has managed to hurt my feelings yet again, I hate myself for believing what he wrote in the letter he had left for me.
Sure, he loves me. If that's the truth he has a very unique way of showing it. One would think if you leave the woman you love a letter telling her that you are going to fight for her it wouldn't take this long for anything to happen at all. I know that he has left the rehab center a month ago and he didn't call me once.
It's not like I expected him to show up here right after he left the rehab center, but a phone call, a letter or even a lousy text surely wouldn't have been too much to ask for. But what was I expecting? It's not like he is known for his caring side. After all he didn't even apologize to his family for not talking to them in over a year and half.
He simply told them he wasn't in a good state of mind. Of course Grace and Mia were so happy that he was talking to them that they forgave him right away; Carrick just accepted that his son is not going to offer a better apology, but Elliot is still pretty hurt. Even with all the shit Christian has put his family through, through the years, he always saw him as his best friend, Christian was supposed to be his best man at his wedding and he didn't even apologize or seemed happy about the fact that Elliot is going to be a father.
Kate told me that Elliot is so heart-broken over Christian's behavior he doesn't even want to talk about it, though she found him in the garage crying. Of course Elliot being Elliot, he wouldn't admit that he was crying and told he something flew into his eyes, but Kate is sure that it was because of Christian. I hate to say it, but he is such an asshole, at this point he doesn't deserve to have such a wonderful family.
And then there is me, stupid little Ana Steele who got her hopes up because of some words written in a letter. When I came back from Seattle I ended my sexual relationship with Arnaldo right away. I just thought if Christian could make it through rehab and be his old self again, maybe he would find a way to make it up to me and it wasn't fair to Arnaldo to continue our arrangement knowing that in reality I wanted to be with someone else.
As it is now, Christian can go and fuck himself. I know he had a lot to take care of with GEH, but if you tell or write someone that you love him or her, then it is not too much to ask for some kind of message. Obviously, I am not important enough to him to even think about that.
_God, I feel so stupid, he probably found himself a new sub as soon as he left the rehab center... _
15 minutes later I decide that this day can't get any more worse. The guy from the service station just called to tell me that my car won't be ready before Monday or Tuesday. Shit, I wanted to drive around and run some errands.
I decide to ask Gideon if I can have his DB-9 for today. I love that car, it's fast and a joy to drive. I am actually tempted to buy one for myself, but then I keep thinking how I could use the money to help others and that I already have a car.
Of course, I could afford to have two cars, hell even twenty cars if I wanted to. Gideon is looking after my money and he has tripled it over the past two years. Thinking about it, I decide if I still like the DB-9 after driving it today as much as before I buy one. Maybe I let it ship to Seattle and drive full speed between Grey House and Escala all day, _hah I bet Mr. Control-Freak would love that.
_
The thought makes me smile and so I get into the elevator and press the button for the top floor. It's still early and I know that Mia is staying with Gideon for the weekend, I hope they are up already. I am happy that he finally talked to her. He deserves a nice girlfriend and after Ethan just used her to make another girl jealous I am happy that Mia finally found a guy who is treating her right.
At his floor I knock and about a minute later he opens just dressed in his pajama pants.
"Hey, did I wake you up?"
"No, I was up already, come in" he motions for me to come in so I walk into the kitchen, get a glass from the cupboard and pour myself a glass of cranberry juice.
"So, Ana how come you are here this early?" Gideon asks.
"I need to ask you a favor. I had to take my car to a service station, because my check engine light was blinking all the time."
"How very Penny of you" He chuckles and I giggle in response.
"I know, right? Anyway, they called me ten minutes ago and told me that apparently the engine is fine, but there is a major issue with the electronic and they need to order some things to fix it, so I won't get my car back until late Monday evening or Tuesday morning. But I really wanted to drive around a little today and buy some things on the farmer's market."
"No problem, Carlos can drive you around."
"Yeah, well... actually I would love to drive myself and..."
Gideon holds one hand up, disappears out of view for a moment and re-appears throwing car keys over to me. _Yes! Those are the keys for the DB-9!_
"The DB-9 is parked in spot 5, have fun." he smirks.
"I will, thanks" maybe driving around for a while will help me not to think about Christian for a while. And just then I have this weird feeling, the one I used to get when I shared the same space with Christian. It's like a magnetic pull and I feel drawn to his study. The door is ajar, but what on earth would he be doing here? And of course Gideon would have told me if Christian was here. Okay, now it's official, I am going insane!
"Something wrong, Ana?" Gideon asks and I shake my head.
"It's nothing... just this weird feeling as if... doesn't matter. I'll bring the keys back later tonight. I would ask if you want to join us tonight to have some drinks at the club Arnaldo is going on and on about, but I know you have better things to do" I say with a huge grin on my face and grins back.
"I sure have."
"Well, then don't let me keep you from anything. See you tomorrow" I kiss his cheek and leave his penthouse, but once the door is closed I lean against it for a second. _Hell, I need to get out for a while and maybe, just maybe I need one too many cocktails tonight.
_
Once I am in the car and driving I feel a lot a better. The DB-9 is such fun to drive, I will definitively buy one. A black one maybe. When I arrive at the farmer's market and I just look around and buy some things, but the more I walk around the more I get the feeling that someone is watching me. And not just anyone, but a damned megalomaniac control freak from Seattle.
I stop and look around, but I can't see him. Great, maybe I am going insane. Why oh why, did I allow myself to get my hopes up? I didn't spend two years to become a confident young woman, just so one stupid letter can reduce me to this paranoid mess. No, I won't let this happen again. If he thinks that he doesn't have to contact me at all, even after I dropped everything to help him, when he didn't deserve my help, then I won't spend another thought on him. It's time to finally get over Christian Grey for good and I know exactly where I am going to start.
When I arrive back home in the early afternoon I put my shopping bags on the kitchen counter and grab a bottle water from the fridge.
"Hey Ana I... OH MY GOD!" Ireland screams and hurries over to me. "What have you done... holy crap! Your hair!" she gasps and stares at me.
"I've cut it. Looks good, right?" I ask and she seems to be in a state of shock.
"Yes... but ... I ... it's so short, Ana it doesn't even touch your shoulders" she says and slowly walks around me to look at my new haircut from every angle.
"I wanted to try something new, it was too long anyway." I shrug. I wanted to cut my hair so often, but deep down I knew that I never went through with it because Christian likes women with long hair. Now I don't care anymore. My new haircut is awesome, a bob with many layers and shorter bangs. It makes me look even younger, not sure I like that effect, but I guess it's better to look younger than older...
"It's cute, but I might need some time to get used to your new look." she says and I take one of the shopping bags and show her the leather dress I've bought for tonight.
"Um... did Grey dump you again?" she asks and I frown.
"Why would you say that?"
"Well, new clothes, a new haircut, that's typically a girl thing when one gets dumped by her boyfriend and I saw Grey leave the building when I came home this mor..."
"WHAT?" I shriek and Ireland jumps startled by my shrill voice.
"I stayed at Kim's last night and she had to work early, so I was here around 8 in the morning and I saw Christian Grey leave the building and get into a black Audi. Wait, he wasn't here?"
"You have got to be kidding me" I hiss and storm out off the apartment, into the elevator, ride up to the top floor and bang against Gideon's door until he opens.
"What's the matter, Ana? I don't think the door did anything to you, so why are you beating it up?"
"Not funny" I mutter and stomp into the kitchen.
"Ana!" Mia squeals and hugs me.
"Oh, your hair looks gorgeous, I like the cut." she says.
"Sorry Mia, I am not in the mood to talk about my hair. Gideon, when I was here earlier today, is it possible that Christian was here?" I ask and he chuckles.
"Hell, I knew that you felt something..."
"Wow, that's rich. So the bastard can come here to see you, yet he doesn't even have the grace to come out and say hello. Great, that's a new low for him. Mia, the next time you talk to your brother, tell him to go to hell!"
"Ana calm down..." Gideon tries to placate me, but I am on a roll.
"I don't want to calm down. I dropped everything to go to Seattle to help him out of the mess he got himself into. And that's what I get in return. I'm so done with him." I fume and Gideon grabs me by the shoulders.
"Ana, calm down. He came here to talk about you..."
"I don't care anymore, Gideon, because I know exactly what he is going to do. First he came here to gather information and next he will stalk me, until he decides to approach me and I am no longer playing his stupid games. The time to talk was four weeks ago, he missed that chance, now I am done. I am not putting my life on hold for a guy who does nothing but to walk all over other people's feelings."
"Ana please, he had such a hard time and Christian is not good in showing affection, but..."
"Mia, I am really sorry to say this, but you might be able to forgive him every time he fucks up, but I am not. I didn't expect him to show up right away and I am fully aware that GEH had to be his number one priority after he left rehab, but a simple phone call or any form of message wouldn't have been too much to ask. Now, he is in New York and does what? Try to figure out a plan to make it up to me? Well, guess what. I don't want some grand gesture, all I wanted is one conversation. I wanted the chance to tell him how badly he fucked up one god damn time, but no he just doesn't have the balls to knock at my door and do that, so I am moving on."
"But he loves you, Ana" she counters weakly.
"Mia, the sad truth is that Christian has no clue what love really is. If he did, he wouldn't treat the people closest to him like dirt. You might not want to see it now, but that's the truth. So, if you want to give him chance after chance to hurt you, go for it, but I'm not going to let him do this to me again."
With that I turn around and leave the apartment. I don't even know why I am so angry and hurt, but all I know is that I finally need to move on. He hasn't changed at all, it's still all about him. His rules, his needs and I am the stupid little girl that has to wait for him to make the first move... _well fuck him not this time. _
Later that evening I am at the Cain Club with Melody, Arnaldo and two other good friends of mine Cheryl and Nadine.
"So, where is your new hunk, Mel?" I ask. She was going on and on about this guy she met recently and I thought he would be here tonight, but she arrived alone.
"Ugh, I dumped him. He freaked me out." she says and shudders.
"Why?"
"Every time we had sex he would pull out and cum all over my face, crying out for me to open my mouth and be a good girl for daddy."
"Eww, every time? Okay, I would have dumped that guy, too." I giggle. Poor Melody, she always manages to find guys who are weird in some way.
"So, now spill the beans, sweetie! Who dumped you?" She asks and I roll my eyes.
"Seriously, Ana. That dress and your new haircut, that screams bad break up."
"Mel, please no one dumped me or do you seriously think I could date anyone without you finding out?"
"Good point, no you couldn't. And I love the dress, it's hot." she says and suddenly it's there again this odd feeling and I know that Christian is here.
"Hey earth to Ana?" Arnaldo waves his hand in front of my face and I look at him.
"How about we get some fresh air, you just downed your vodka lemon as if it was water." he says and I look at my empty glass. I didn't even notice that I was drinking...
"Yes, that sounds good." I take my purse and we step out of the club where Arnaldo lights a cigarette.
"That is such a nasty habit." I mutter and he smirks.
"One cigarette every now and then won't kill me, Ana. Besides it helps to relax." he says and without thinking about it I take the cigarette from him, inhale and start to cough.
"Ugh, that is so gross!" I get out while I am still coughing and Arnaldo starts to laugh.
"Sorry Shorty, I didn't mean to laugh."
"Do not call me Shorty" I pout.
"Grow some more and I won't call you shorty again, Shorty" he chuckles and I glare at him.
"Sorry, so what's eating you?"
"Christian, he is here" I sigh. When I told Arnaldo that our friends with benefits time was over, I told him about Christian and funny enough I feel the most comfortable talking to him about Christian.
"So, the guy finally found his balls and showed up?"
"Nope, he is in New York, he was at Gideon's this morning and now he is stalking me, but he still didn't see it as necessary to talk to me." I tell him and get a breath mint from my purse in the hope that it is going to take that terrible taste from my mouth.
"Stalking you?"
"Yes, one of his specialties."
"So, he is here right now?"
"Yes, most likely watching us." I mutter.
"Do I have to understand this?"
"No, because I sure as hell have no idea why he can't just get his ass over here and talk."
"Do you want him to get over here?"
"If the only other choice is that he keeps stalking me, then yes."
And before I know what is going on Arnaldo has grabbed me and is kissing me.
"Fight me" he murmurs against my lips and I still don't get what he is doing, but I try to push him away only for him to hold me closer. _What the hell? _
And the next second I realize what he was trying to do, because suddenly Christian is there pushing Arnaldo away from me and shoving me behind him.
"Is that him, Shorty?" Arnaldo asks, I nod and suddenly Arnaldo grabs Christian by his shirt and glares at him.
"Listen careful, fuckhead that girl over there is one of the most amazing people I have ever met, you hurt her again and I will spend the rest of my life coming after you, just to make sure you're miserable every single second of your fucking existence" he hisses and I have never seen Arnaldo this angry. Boy, he is scary, but he lets go of Christian and turns to me.
"There you have him, Shorty. Holler if you need me, I'll wait at the entrance" he says and walks over to the entrance.
Slowly I turn to look at Christian and I nearly lose it when I see that he is glaring at me.
"Are you better?" I ask and when he nods I slap him hard across the face.
"Fuck Ana, what was that for?" he hisses and rubs his cheek.
"Calling me a no good lying bitch, trying to kick me out at my best friend's birthday party, hiring some wannabe actress to stick it to me and allowing her to touch you, firing me after I got nearly raped by my boss, not having the balls to talk to me when you found out how wrong you were, nearly drinking yourself to death, oh and not even thinking about calling me once in the last four months ... the list is endless." I hiss back and at least he looks contrite.
"That's quite a list" he murmurs with a slight smile and that only fuels my anger.
"You think this is funny?"
"No, I... I am just not very good at apologizing and I am not sure if that would be enough anyway."
"Wow, you really have no clue, Christian. Yes, a simple apology is not enough, but at least it is a start. Stalking me or hiding when I came to my brother's place this morning is not!"
"So, he told you?"
"No, Ireland saw you leaving when she came home and thought you had come to see me."
"Ireland?"
"My cousin, she is also my roommate."
He nods and sighs. "Look Ana, I know you want to talk, but here and now is not the right time. Can we meet tomorrow?"
"I am going to Safe Haven tomorrow morning."
"When will you be back?"
"Monday afternoon."
"Can we meet then?"
"I have appointments."
"Okay, so when do you have time, I am here until Wednesday." he says and now it's my turn to sigh. Isn't this what I wanted, talk to him and finally say all the things I wanted to tell him since Kate's birthday?
"You can come with me to Safe Haven tomorrow, but I am going early."
"I can pick you up, what time do you want to leave?"
"Around 8:30 in the morning."
"Good, is there anything I need to bring?"
"Just a change of clothes if you don't want to drive back tomorrow evening. And dress casual, I am doing a art project with the kids, so it's going to be messy."
"Sure... so, do you need a ride home, now?" he asks tentatively.
"No, I am going back in, my friends are all there and I want to dance a little."
"Well, I leave you to it then." he says and I nod.
"Okay, so see you tomorrow." I turn to leave but he calls me back.
"Is that him?" he says and nods his head in Arnaldo's direction.
"Yes, that is Arnaldo, he is a very good friend and our sexual relationship is over."
"Then why did he kiss you?"
"So, I would fight him which in turn would force you to come out of your hiding spot. He is not like Jose, Christian. I've learned from my mistakes."
"Hopefully" he mutters and turns to leave, but looks at me one more time. "I hate what you did to your hair" he says and with that he leaves, while I stare after him.
"Everything alright, Shorty?" I hear Arnaldo's voice and find him standing next to me.
"I have no clue, can we like not talk about Christian tonight. I have to leave in an hour, let's go back inside and dance a little. I need something to do or I might go insane today.
"Sure, and Shorty, don't listen to him I think your hair looks great" he says takes my hand and drags me back into the club and onto the dance floor, but while we are dancing I can feel that Christian is still here, watching me.
_Why oh why couldn't I fall for a man as easy-going as Arnaldo?_
18. Chapter 17
It's 7 am and I am up since four in the morning. I just couldn't sleep. I came home around midnight and went straight to bed, but no matter what I tried, I just kept turning from one side to the other, sleeping for a couple of minutes and waking up again. And I know exactly why I couldn't sleep, I was and still am afraid that I might have been to harsh with Christian.
He is just out of rehab and while I couldn't see him at the club, I know he was still there watching me. What if he was so upset about my behavior that he started to drink again? I would never forgive myself if that's the case. Even as mad as I am at him, I still care about him. I want him to be better and not go back to drinking.
To clear my thoughts I change into some sweatpants and a hoodie, put my running shoes on and make my way to Central Park for a run. I take my usual route and just when I have turned around to run back home I see someone running a couple of feet in front of me and I am pretty sure I know who it is, though this time I don't think that he followed me.
I run a little faster until I have almost reached him and call out for him, but I guess he is listening to music, because he is not reacting, so I run until I am next to him and touch his arm. He stops startled, but smiles when he sees me and remove earphones.
"So, are you stalking me now, Miss Steele?" he asks still smiling and I can't help, but smile, too.
"No, I was just on my morning run when I saw you. I leave the stalking to you, so just out of curiosity, when did you leave the club yesterday?"
"I was just making sure that you would make it home safely."
"And alone, I assume"
"You can't expect me to like the fact that you are friends with a man you know intimately. I might not have the right to do something about it, but that doesn't mean that I am okay with it, Anastasia."
"You don't have to, I guess that would be too much to ask for and completely against your nature, but I assume you have had a sub or two, since I walked out on you."
I try to sound cool, but actually, I hate to think about it. "There is a coffee shop nearby, if you want to talk about it." he says and I nod. We walk in silence to the coffee shop and he holds the door open for me.
"English breakfast tea, bag out?" he asks.
"Actually, I'd like a white chocolate mocha and a banana muffin."
"What ever happened to you drinking tea?"
"I still drink tea, but since I've moved here I've learned to appreciate coffee."
"I see, why don't you get us a table and I get the coffee." he asks and I nod.
Looking around the coffee shop, I find a table in the corner, sit down and wait for Christian. He returns five minutes later and places my mocha and muffin along with his coffee and a chocolate muffin on the table.
"Thanks" I murmur and take a sip of my coffee.
"Your welcome, Anastasia. So, to answer your question, I didn't have a new sub. However before I found out the truth, I would visit a club from time to time. The scenes didn't include intercourse though. I needed to be in control and this was the only way I knew how to feel in control."
"Have you found another way now?"
"Not so far, it is rather unnerving to be honest. Running and workout helps, but only to some extend. Drinking helped as an escape, much like it did before I entered the lifestyle. Though I know now, that it was a mistake, it took what little control I had left from me, Dr. Flynn and I are still trying to find a way for me to feel in control without the lifestyle."
"You could always start to participate in the lifestyle again." I murmur.
"No, I can't." he says simply and I frown.
"Why?"
"You know why, Anastasia. I want you back, I meant what I wrote to you in that letter. And if the lifestyle is not for you, I can't be in it either. It is very simple, Anastasia. I take you anyway I can get you, we've clearly established that my lifestyle doesn't work for us, so I have to find a different way."
I let his words sink in and while I believe what he is saying, I just can't see us starting over like nothing happened.
"Christian, I believe what you are saying, but the problem is I am not the girl I was almost three years ago. So much has changed since then, I have changed and even if we somehow manage to work through all the shit that has happened between us, there is still the fact that we really barely know each other."
"You know me better than most people, Anastasia." he counters and I shake my head.
"You think that I do because usually you don't let anyone in, but believe me in the grand picture of things we are still strangers. Maybe we need to change that first, I don't want to lead you on, Christian. I still care about you, but I have to be honest and the truth is right now or any time soon I can't picture us as a couple."
"I'm not going to give up on you, Ana. I don't care what I have to do or how long it is going to take me, but as long as you don't tell me that there is no chance in hell for us I am not giving up. And even if you did I would still try to change your mind." he says and for some reason that makes me smile.
"Okay, but I think we need to set some ground rules."
"Rules?" he smirks.
"Yes, rules, Mr. Grey or are you going to tell me that you are no longer a fan of them?"
"Depends, what your rules are."
"First, no more stalking and by stalking I mean not just you following me around, but also that guy who is following me for at least three months now. If you want to know where I am or what I am doing, just call me or if you are in town stop by at my place. I won't shut the door in your face or ignore your calls. But I hate it when someone is following me and your guy is pretty obvious, dressed like one of the Men in Black and driving three cars behind me in a freaking black Audi."
"I needed to know that you are safe." he says matter of factly and I roll my eyes at him, which in turn has him glaring at me.
"Christian, I have been taking classes in Krav Maga for over two years now, I have a gun and pepper spray and even though my brother thinks I don't know it, but he has someone following me around, too. So, I think I am pretty safe."
"You have a gun?" he asked shocked.
"Yes, I got the license a couple of months after I moved to New York."
"Do you even know how to handle a gun?"
"No, of course not, I got the license because I showed off my tits" I tell him my voice dripping in sarcasm and he purses his lips.
"You know Anastasia, just because I am no longer participating in the lifestyle doesn't mean that my palms don't twitch when you open that smart mouth of yours." he warns me and I giggle.
"Well, as tempting as a spanking may sound, I guess you have a lot of groveling to do before I allow you to spank me for being a naughty girl." I tease and he sucks in a sharp breath.
"What other rules?" he moves on after a moment.
"Rule number two is actually something you once told me."
"And what would that be?"
"Open communication. We could have avoided this whole mess if you had just talked to me. So, talk to me whether you are pissed or just want to talk, stop by at my place or call me."
"I can do that, what more?"
"There is one more thing, but it is not exactly a rule, more something I would like you to do."
"What is it?"
"When you are back in Seattle and have time I want you to call Elliot and spend some guy time with him."
He frowns. "What has Elliot to do with us?"
"Nothing, but he is your brother and he is pretty hurt. He wouldn't say it out loud, but it was pretty hard on him that you've missed his wedding and not showed much emotion over the fact that he is going to be a father soon."
"Why is this important to you?"
"Because I like Elliot, he is a great guy. Did you even know that he thought of you as his best friend? Besides, you don't have any friends, so give it a try, please?"
"I guess, it won't hurt to spend some time with him. But I have a friend El..."
"Christian, you say that name out loud and I'll leave."
"She is a good friend, Ana." he says and I close my eyes. _Calm down, Ana, if you go ape shit on him now it won't do any good.
_
"Can we just agree on the fact that we have different opinions when it comes to her?" I ask and he nods.
"Good, now I have to go home and change. Are you still coming with me to Safe Haven?"
"Yes, if it is okay with you, Taylor will drive us."
"Actually, that's perfect. My car is still at the service station and the DB-9 has not enough space to bring everything I need.
"I have a four by four, so I guess what ever you need to take with you will fit. I'll pick you up in 45 minutes."
"Perfect, I let the front desk know that you are coming." I get up and he stands, too.
"Laters" I smirk and leave the coffee shop. Well, that went better than expected, let's just hope the rest of the day goes the same way.
At home I shower quickly and change into some jeans, chucks and a tank top. I put the three boxes with paint next to the front door and get into the kitchen preparing everything else that I need for today.
Thirty minutes later the guy from the front desk calls to let me know that Christian is on his way up. I open the door for him and lead him into the open kitchen.
"Great apartment, does Cross own it?"
"He owns the building. He gave the apartment to Ireland and I after she moved in with me."
"I see, so are the boxes by the door all you need to bring with you?"
"No, these bowls, too" I say as I open the fridge and get them out.
"What on earth is that?" he asks.
"Pudding, vanilla, coconut, white chocolate and banana, I've dyed it with food coloring. We are going to paint with it." I explain and he looks appalled.
"You want to paint with food?"
"Look Christian, I know you have issues with food, but the kids you are going to meet today they have been through so much, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, physical abuse, neglect... you name it and they have been through it. So, this is just a little fun and I promise you, they will eat just as much of it as they will use to paint on the canvases or themselves."
"How old are they?" he asks and looks deep in thoughts.
"There are twenty-eight kids at the moment, the oldest is eleven and the youngest has just turned three. Oh and once we get there don't take it personally if some of them are not even looking at you, for most of the kids it takes a while to warm up to strangers."
He is just about to say something when Ireland comes out of her bedroom she sees Christian and her mouth pops open.
"Good morning Ireland."
"I ... umm... " she stutters totally awed by Christian, who looks seriously hot in faded blue jeans and a tight black t-shirt. _Damn, those jeans look almost like the ones he used to wear in the playroom...
_
"Christian Grey, it's nice to meet you, Miss Cross" he says to her and they shake hands.
"Hi, and um... it's Miss Vidal, but you can call me Ireland." she says and walks over to the fridge.
"So, you have the apartment to yourself until tomorrow afternoon, Ireland."
"I know, I have some friends over to study and watch a movie." she says takes a cup of ice cream from the freezer and leaves the kitchen.
"Is she eating ice cream for breakfast?" Christian asks.
"Yup, she can live on Ben & Jerry's." I answer with a shrug and a short while later we are in the back of his car with Taylor driving.
"Why did you decide to do charity, couldn't you find a job in publishing here in New York?"
"I had a job, I worked as a junior editor for Brinkley Publishing, but I quit the job to concentrate on my charity work."
"But why?"
"Well, Gideon insisted that I would take my share of the money my mother's parents left their grandchildren and I just decided to use the money to help others. All the children that have to go through terrible things in their life... I just felt that I needed to help. I might not be able to change the world, but at least I can try to make a difference."
"Does your brother pay you well?"
"I work for free, Christian. I have enough money, I don't need to be paid to do a job that I love. Actually, it's much more than a job to me, it's what I was destined to do. If I see one of the kids I am working with smiling or just having a good time, that's worth more to me than making tons of money."
"And why did you open Safe Haven?"
"Many children who suffered from abuse experienced it in their home. Naturally, they can't stay there once someone finds out what their parents or legal guardians are doing to them, so they go into state care. There are many foster homes with parents who are wonderful and really know how to take care of a child that has been through any kind of abuse, but sadly, there are just not enough of these foster families. So, many children have to live in orphanages or other facilities the state overlooks, and in those places there are sometimes so many kids that the people working there just don't have the time to give as much attention to those children as needed. And that is what happens at Safe Haven. Right now there are ten child psychiatrists living their with the children, there are also two art teachers, two personal trainers and five nannies who are working there. We have cooking classes, the children are allowed to have pets, they can play in the huge backyard and for those kids who aren't ready to enroll in school yet, we have private teachers giving them lessons at Safe Haven."
"And the state pays for everything?"
"No, for most parts the money comes from the Crossroads Foundation and myself, but we also have some other benefactors and I am in contact with the state of New Jersey so we can open a second Safe Haven there. One day I would love to have a place like that in each state."
"Sounds like a really good plan. I don't know how you would feel about it, but I would like to help you. A place like this would be a great help for many children in Seattle. I'm sure my mom would be delighted to help you, too."
"Let's see how the day goes and I'll think about it." Of course, it would be a great help to have him behind my charity projects, but I don't think it is a good idea to make any plans now, when we don't even know where things between us are going. Maybe, he realizes that he doesn't like me the way I am now and then we would be forced to work together on the project even though he doesn't want to see me again.
"Good, so you like New York?"
"Like? I love it, I never thought that I would live in a city like that one day, but it's amazing. I couldn't even imagine living anywhere else in the world."
"Not even London?" he asks and I am surprised he remembered how much I wanted to see England.
"I was there last year, I even went to see the Jane-Austin-House. It was great, but what can I say I am a New York City girl."
"So you finally had the chance to travel?"
"Yes, I went to some great places, besides England Thailand was the most amazing place I've been to so far."
"Really, Thailand? I've never been there, but I've heard they have beautiful beaches."
"Yes, they do. Gideon owns a beach resort there and Ireland and I went to check it out, it was amazing. You should go too, it's the perfect place to relax."
"I do business trips, Anastasia. I don't have time to go on vacations." he says and I roll my eyes.
"Said the guy who died of a heart attack before he turned forty." I mutter and he shrugs.
"When you have a big company like GEH, you just don't have much free time."
"Then you are doing something wrong, Christian. Because a week or two to go on vacation each year should be no problem even for a megalomaniac control freak CEO like you." I say and take my phone from my purse when it signals a new message. I open it and feel tears in my when I see a 3D ultrasound picture and the words _"Say hello to your godchild. Miss Ava Marie Grey. Kate xxx"
_
"Ohhh, look at that, Christian" I gush and hand him my phone.
"Wow, they can do that, make ultrasounds like that, I mean you can really see the baby in great detail" he says as he studies the picture.
"It's a 3D ultrasound, Kate told me she would have one yesterday. Isn't that amazing?"
"I suppose it is. Well, lucky girl looks more like her mom than Elliot." he grins and hands me the phone back.
"Send Elliot a text that you've seen the picture and that you are happy for him" I tell Christian as I answer Kate's text.
"Why?" he asks frowning and I sigh.
"Because it would mean a lot to him. Come on, please?" I give him my best puppy eye look and he sighs, but takes his phone out and sends the text. Only seconds after he has sent the text his phone rings and of course it is Elliot.
I listen to him talk to his brother and I am a little proud of Christian when he asks his brother if they can meet next week to hang out. Maybe there is hope for him yet.
"It seems you were right, Elliot seemed delighted to spend some time with me." he says and I want to laugh, he looks liked this is a whole new concept to him.
"It's because he is your brother and he loves you." I say softly, but he doesn't answer and looks deep in thoughts. Hopefully him meeting Elliot more often is going to help him... and keep him away from Elena. I definitively need to do something about her, he needs to realize what she did to him. To me it is clear that she is the reason why he is so withdrawn and has no friends. Somehow I need to find a way to make him see what she has done to him and that she is still trying to control him. I would love to tell Grace what she did to her son, but I can't. Not because of the stupid NDA, but because I know that Christian would never forgive me for betraying his trust like that and in turn Elena would win even more control over him.
When we arrive at Safe Haven, I watch Christian look around and he seems impressed.
"I didn't expect the place to be so huge" he says.
"Originally, it was a farm, but we knocked the old buildings down and build everything from scratch. Elliot came to New York to make the blue prints and he helped me to find the right construction worker for the job. Do you want to go in or do you want a tour around the property first?"
"I guess the children are already waiting for you, so let's not make them wait any longer." he says and so we get the pudding and boxes with paint from the car and he tells Taylor to pick us up the tomorrow morning.
_Well, this should be an interesting day...
_
19. Chapter 18
_**Ana**_
I can tell that Christian is not really comfortable the moment we walk closer to the entrance. Maybe this is a bit to close to home for his liking. After all, if it wasn't for the Grey's adopting him, he could have ended up in a place like this. But deep down, I feel that this will be good for him.
When I knock he frowns. "Don't you have a key?"
"Yes, but I don't use it. After all this is not my home, it belongs to the children." I answer and the door is opened by Karen, one of the child psychiatrists who work here.
"Hi Karen, I brought a friend with me, this is Christian. Christian meet Karen one of the child psychiatrists who lives here with the children."
"Nice to meet you, Karen" he says and they shake hands.
"So, Ana the kids are having breakfast. Well, all of them except for our special little darling." she says and points to the corner by the staircase where a little boy is hiding.
I make my way over to the staircase and kneel in front of the two year old boy.
"Hi Sam, have you been waiting for me?" I ask and he nods shyly. "And can I get a big hug?"
He shakes his little head and peeks up at Christian, not willing to come out of his hiding spot because he doesn't know him.
"Do you want me to tell you a secret?" I ask and he nods so I lean closer to whisper into his ear.
"That's my friend Christian and you know what? He is like a big teddy bear, you don't have to be afraid of him."
Sam eyes Christian a little skeptical, but when I open my arms, giving him a bright smile he leaves his hiding spot and allows me to hug him and lift him up in my arms when I get to my feet.
I love this little guy. From the second he arrived here four months ago we have bonded and if I could I would adopt him, but deep down I know what he needs is a family with a stay at home mom who can give him all of her time.
"Christian this is Sam. Sam this is my friend, Christian" I introduce them, but Sam hides his face in the crook of my neck.
"Don't take it personally, Sam is not fond of meeting new people."
"It's okay... so what are we going to do now?"
"Breakfast, come on, I bet you never had blueberry pancakes as delicious as the ones that our cook Lisa makes."
"Sounds good" he answers so I lead him into the huge dining room. Inside are six large round wooden dining table each big enough for eight people to sit at it. One wall is made out of floor to ceiling windows giving a beautiful view to the back yard and the playground. On the opposite end of the room is a large table where the food is placed buffet style.
"You take what ever you like. Coffee, tea, orange juice and milk is already on each table. I'm going to say hello."
"Okay, um... which table?"
"The empty one over there with the high chair for Sam." I point to the only table that is not occupied at the moment and leave Christian at the buffet. I greet each child before making my way back to the buffet.
"Hold on tight spider monkey" I tell Sam and he wraps his little arms and legs around me tightly so I can let go off him and fill two plates for us. Carrying them over to the table I put them down place Sam in his high chair and sit down.
"Two minutes Sam, I need to cut your pancakes for you." I tell him and fill milk into his sippy cup.
"Isn't he too old for a sippy cup, Ana?"
"When he arrived here four months ago he didn't even know how to hold it. For now this is safer than handing him a plastic cup, but we are working on it. Please hold on to your plate." I tell Christian and he frowns, but does so when Sam starts to throw his usual tantrum which includes a lot of grunting and trying to get out of the chair to get what ever food is on the table into his little hands while I am trying to cut his food in record time.
"Hey there, Sam. Here take this" Christian says and hands him a piece of his pancake, which, thank god, occupies Sam long enough for me to finish cutting his pancakes and place it in front of him.
I start to eat, too but stop when I see that Christian is watching Sam in horror when the little guys shoves his food into his mouth with both hands.
"We are working on it, this is progress. At first we had to strap him into the high chair and feed him before everyone else had breakfast because he scared the other kids. I was here the day he arrived, he was like a little demon the moment he came in here he tried to climb onto the buffet table, he was screaming, kicking and biting just to get to the food. We want to work on his table manners as soon as we can bring him to stop the tantrums. Small steps."
"Is that why he is sitting here alone?"
"Yes, for now anyway. Many of the children here were malnourished when they came into state care, so having to watch their food at each meal is stressing them out. Usually it's one or two adults with him at this table. Once we get his tantrums under control he can sit with the other kids, but for now it's the easiest solution for everyone here."
Christian nods deep in thoughts and I can tell that meeting Sam has him thinking about himself as a child.
"Ana?" I turn when I hear a little soft voice and smile at Jillian one of the girls who lives here.
"Hi Jillian. What can I do for you, sweetheart?"
"Here" she hands me a slightly scrambled sheet of paper and I look at.
"Wow, you have a B- in your English test. That's great sweetheart, I am so happy for you. How about we frame it and hang it over your desk. I think I have a frame in my room."
"The one with the sea shells?" she asks clapping her hands and bouncing up and down.
"Exactly, how about you take this and hold on to it until I have finished my breakfast, then I get the frame and we can put it over your desk together?"
"Okay, thank you, Ana" she hugs me quickly, takes her test and runs off to her best friend Mona who also lives here.
"Should you be praising her like that. I mean it's a B-." Christian asks.
"Eight months ago when Jillian came to live here, she couldn't read or write at all. For her that's a big deal and of course I want all children here to enjoy school, after all they need a good education, because the sad truth is those kids don't have a family to get them through college, they need good grades to get scholarships."
"Are they getting tutoring here?"
"Yes, of course, some are even home schooled here, until they are ready to enroll in one of the nearby schools."
"Are there many?"
"Yes, when I was looking for the right property to build Safe Haven I made sure that we have schools nearby. The younger kids take the school bus, because it is safer, but the older ones like to go to school by bike. It's important for them to go to school, not just to have a good education but also to socialize. They can have friends over, we invited the parents of their school mates over for BBQ's so they know it is alright to allow their children to come here. I know that this place can't replace a normal family life, but I want the children here to have a normal childhood and school is a important part of that."
He nods and looks at me as if he weighing something up in his mind before he speaks again. "Why is this so important to you, I always thought you dreamt of a career in publishing."
"I did, I worked at Brinkley Publishing when I came to New York, but this is so much more important. I am in the lucky position that I could sit back and enjoy my life without work for the rest of my life. I just feel like I have to give back. I was lucky, when my biological father died my mother met Ray and he was the best father a girl could ask for. Had she met husband number three while I was a baby... well I probably wouldn't be here."
"Why? What did he do to you?"
"Nothing, but he was making me very uncomfortable. The way he looked at me and how he would make comments about my clothes and body. It was just very inappropriate for an adult to behave like that towards a teenager. Then one day I came home from school and my mother had all my stuff packed and she put me on the next plane back to Seattle where Ray picked me up. At the time I thought I had done something wrong and she would never talk about what happened back then. All I knew was that she moved out the same day and they got divorced. It wasn't until last year that she told me she found pictures on his computer and it scared the living daylights out of her. All she could think of was that she needed to keep me safe, so she put me on the first flight back to Ray. She wanted to go with me, but all she could afford at the time was the one plane ticket for me."
Christian looks as if he is about to get sick. "What kind of pictures?" he asks.
" Pictures of teenage girls, very inappropriate and disturbing ones. She reported him to the cops and he is in prison ever since. I didn't ask what they've found to send him to prison for 20 years, but it must have been bad. You see, I was lucky. My mom would have done anything to keep me safe, others aren't that lucky" I murmur while thinking about my brother, Christian and all the children I have met since I became involved with the Crossroads Foundation.
After the breakfast I get the frame for Jillian, while Christian takes the paint and pudding we brought with us into the art room. Once all is set the kids each get a plate with a scoop from each pudding and they start to paint either on the paper I laid out for them or on themselves which seems to be the more popular choice.
"What is wrong, Mr. Grey? Not into painting?" I grin when Christian just stares at the huge mess the kids are creating.
"I wouldn't call that painting, Christ, you have to hose them down once all the pudding is gone." he mutters.
"Maybe, but they are having fun and that was the goal of this little exercise."
"Yes, especially your little buddy over there" he chuckles and points to Sam who is happily eating the pudding with his hands. "What happened to him, Ana?"
"I don't know. Six months ago he was found in a dumpster. An old homeless lady who was looking for something to eat in the dumpster found him. He was beaten half to death, badly malnourished, naked in the middle of January. The police couldn't find any hint where he came from. Newspaper articles asking for witnesses didn't help either. To this day we have no idea where he came from. The nurses in the hospital named him Sam, we are going to celebrate his birthday on the day he was found. The doctors in the hospital told us that he must be between two and three years old."
"He couldn't tell you his name?"
"No, Sam has not spoken a single word since he was found. At first we thought he is mute, but he was examined and physically he is able to talk. Maybe he never learned how to, but most likely what ever happened to him traumatized him so deeply that his mutism is just a part of the trauma."
For the longest time Christian just watches Sam and then he speaks again.
"How did you meet him?"
"While he was in the hospital he got a case worker and she is a friend of mine. She called me right away. I've met Sam while he was still at the hospital. He had to stay for nearly two months. Nina, his case worker couldn't find a foster family for him, he was like a wild animal at first, so he came to live here. At times he is very challenging, getting him to leave his clothes on was borderline painful and when he had his first hair cut he bit the hair dresser, but we are getting there."
"You really like him, don't you?"
"Like him, no, I love the little guy. If I could I would file a petition to adopt him first thing tomorrow morning."
"Why don't you?" Christian asks and I am surprised. I really expected him to give me a lecture about how adopting a child would make my life so much harder.
"Because he deserves so much more. What he needs is a family, mother and father. If I would adopt him, he would have to go into a daycare and getting used to new people is not easy for him. I just feel like I can't be all that he needs."
"You love him, maybe that is all that he needs. You loving someone Ana, it's the most special thing on earth." he says and before I can answer he gets up walks over to where Sam sits and after a while I watch them both paint together.
_Who is this man and where is the Christian Grey I know?_
_**Christian**_
What a day. I have to say that I was very nervous about coming to Safe Haven. I was never good with kids and would go a long way to stay away from them. It's too easy for them to touch me and they wouldn't understand my boundaries anyway. Funny enough coming here was a revelation. Seeing the children and hearing their stories, it made me think of myself, where I came from and that I could have very well ended up in state care if it wasn't for Grace and Carrick adopting me.
But more so it made me think of myself as a teenager, when things with Elena started. I still believe that she helped me, but hearing some of the things those kids have been through makes me question her motives. Not something I want to do, but it keeps coming back to my mind. Naturally, as my mother's friend Grace would have told her about all the trouble I was constantly in, about my issues of being touched. Is that why she didn't touch me the first time she kissed me? Because she knew?
Fuck it, for the first time since I have left rehab I really want a drink, but instead I get out of bed to get a Coke. I always hated Coke, too sweet and unhealthy, but while being in rehab I grew fond of it. Ana showed me the kitchen earlier, so I make my way to it and to my surprise there is light on and I find Ana sitting on one of the chairs by the large kitchen table.
"Can't sleep?" I ask and she looks up.
"No, this freaking thunder storm makes it impossible to sleep" she mutters.
"Scared?" she doesn't even get the chance to answer before the next thunder roars loudly and she jumps in her seat.
"Maybe, I know it's childish, but I hate thunder storms. Why are you still up?"
"Can't sleep. Do you know if they have Coke here?"
"I think in the fridge in the garage, I get my keys."
"No, it's okay, a water is fine too." It's raining like hell outside and I don't want Ana to get sick.
"Okay" she gets up and gets two bottles from the fridge, handing me one she sits down again.
"Why is the Coke in the garage?"
"Because it's only allowed on lazy day."
"Lazy day?"
"It's something my Mom and Ray would do when I was a child. Every second Saturday of the month we would have breakfast at I-Hop, eat ice cream for lunch and have pizza or burger from McDonald's for dinner. It was fun. So, we have the same here. The kids love it. The older once can have a can of Coke and the younger once can have other lemonade or soda. Other than that we try to keep them on a healthy diet. It's easy to seek comfort by eating tons of unhealthy food each day, so we don't have it here. If they want a snack they can have cut fruit or veggie sticks; candy and chocolate is not on their daily menu."
"Sounds like fun" I murmur and rub my hands through my hair deep in thoughts. This is her life, she really lives for this place. I guess thinking that it would be easy to get her back to Seattle was a mistake. As was thinking that my job is more important than hers. She has given up a promising career to be to help children in need and seeing her here with the children I am not sure I can ask to come back to Seattle... _fuck._
"So, what are your plans for tomorrow" I ask her to distract myself.
"Getting up around six for my morning run, then I'm having breakfast with the kids and after that I have to go to Harlem where I meet my team to visit a school. That might take until late afternoon, so I will just have the time to go home and change for the dinner with members from different charities. What about you?"
"I have some meetings in the afternoon and Mia texted me earlier to ask if I want to have dinner with her, since your brother has a teleconference with Japan which will take up most of his evening. But I would like to see you again before I have to go back to Seattle Wednesday morning."
I can tell she is chewing something over in her mind and I am pretty sure I am not going to like what she is about to say next, but she surprises me.
"I am having friends over for dinner on Tuesday, after dinner we want to watch a movie. I would like for you to come too, but I guess I should tell you now that Arnaldo is going to be there, too."
Hearing her say his name I press my mouth into a hard line. Fuck, I want to see her, but I have no desire to hang out with a guy she was intimate with.
"I can ask him if he would mind to do something else on Tuesday, but Christian if you want to be a part of my life you have to get over your jealousy when it comes to Arnaldo. He is just a friend. Our sexual relationship is over... it was over the moment I've read your letter. I was never in love with him, it was always you."
"I remember that you didn't like me being friends with Elena either." And I regret those word the moment they are out of my mouth, because Ana goes tense the second I have mentioned Elena's name.
"Christian, I am going to say this only once. Do not compare Arnaldo to that woman. I know you don't see that what she has done to you was wrong, but it was. What she did to you is criminal, despicable and just wrong. You weren't old enough to really know what you were getting yourself into and she should have known better. She is a pedophile. It's that simple. Had your relationship started once you were an adult I still wouldn't like that you are friends with her now, but I would live with it for your sake. But I can't and won't tolerate you being friends with her. If you want to have any chance to win me back you have to cut all ties with her first."
"She really did help me, Ana" shit that sounds pathetic even to my own ears. Here I am at a home for children who have suffered through all kinds of abuse and I am defending a woman who lured a 15 year old boy into a full on deviant BDSM relationship.
"No she didn't, I wish you could see how she is still manipulating you. Just maybe once ask yourself why she is your only friend and if what happened between you is so perfectly okay, if she was such a force of good in your life, why can no one know about it?"
And there it is again, the same fucking questions Flynn has asked me so many times, the same questions the shrink in rehab asked when I opened up about my introduction to sex. The simple truth is, I don't want to answer those questions, because deep down I know now that Ana is right.
"You don't have to answer me, just think about it. It's late, I'll try to go back to sleep. Do you want to join me for my morning run tomorrow?"
"Sure, why not." I watch her get up and I know I have just fucked up what little progress we've made during the day here. But before Ana even takes three steps there is the loudest fucking thunder I have ever heard in my life, the lights flicker and Ana jumps onto my lap curling up and hiding her face in the crook of my neck. The next second we are in total darkness which is only interrupted by the lightning outside.
"Make it stop" she begs and I can't help but laugh.
"Baby, I'd do anything for you, but not even I can change the weather."
"Do not laugh at me!" she pouts and lifts her head to look at me and when the next lightning baths the kitchen in light for a short moment I see her beautiful eyes and I know I won't be able to stop myself. Those eyes, her perfect soft lips, her shifting in my lap... and I know that my next move could ruin everything but I can't stop myself. My lips find hers and when she sighs and kisses me back I hold onto her for dear life.
It's heaven... it's Ana... it's home...
20. Chapter 19
_**I wanted to write this chapter tomorrow, but again my hubby decided not to wake me from my afternoon nap and now I can't sleep. So what else to do in the middle of the night than to write a new chapter for Broken :-) Oh and this chapter might be surprising to many of you, but it's what I had planned all along...**_
_**Ana**_
"Christ Ana, how much chili do you plan to put in our dinner? If you cut anymore of these little suckers I am probably going to die of spontaneous combustion in my sleep when I rip one." I hear Gideon say, look down at the cutting board and sure enough I have sliced about fifteen really hot chili peppers.
"Urgh! Can you tell my why I am so nervous? It's just dinner." I groan and he smirks.
"Well, let me think about it... oh yes, probably because you are having dinner with your friends and the guy whom you never wanted to see again in your life, because he treated you like dirt, yet now that he is better you are considering to give him a second change and of course you fucked his brains out during a blackout."
I glare at him. "Could you please keep your voice down, I don't want anyone else to know that I had sex with Christian." I look over to where Mia and Ireland are sitting in the living room, but they are absorbed by some TV show.
"What? I am saying it as it is, Ana. I mean sure you could try to convince yourself that you tripped because it was dark and by some random twist of fate you happened to land right on his dick... weirder shit has happened, right?" he says and I start to laugh.
"Look, I am not ashamed that I had sex with him or by the fact that I initiated it. It's just I don't want him to think that we are good, that I just put everything he has done to me behind us."
"Did it seem like that's what he thought was going on?"
"Actually, no. We talked about it and agreed that it happened because we both wanted it to happen, but that it doesn't mean we are a couple. I guess he really knows that with all the shit he has done to me it is not going to be that easy. Still, I feel like I should have had more self control. I literally ripped his clothes off."
"Did he mind that you ripped his clothes off?"
"I guess not, though for most parts he was only screaming _'oh god or holy shit Ana do that again' _... that's a good sign right?"
"Yup, you didn't bring shame to the family" he laughs and I throw the kitchen towel at him.
"Just saying and by the way no guy would complain about an attractive woman making the first step." he says and I frown. Maybe that is right for most men, but Christian is a former Dom, so I guess he was kind of taken by surprise when I took the lead. It was hot though and judging from the stupid grin on his face once I was done with him he enjoyed himself... _a lot_.
"Do you think he is going to get along with Arnaldo?" Gideon asks and I shrug.
"I don't know, I've texted him that Arnaldo was coming with his flavor of the week, and he texted back that he doesn't mind him being here. Maybe he is just trying to be polite, but I guess we'll have to wait and see how this dinner is going to play out."
Fifteen minutes later my friends Nina, her boyfriend Hugh, Melody and Lucy arrive and a little later Arnaldo and his flavor of the week a Swedish model called Svea. She is only going to stay in New York for two more weeks, so I am pretty sure we won't see her again, but seeing that Christian is coming over it is a good thing that Arnaldo brought a girl with him. At least this way he is going to give her most of his attention and Christian has no reason to get jealous.
"I'll get it" I say when I hear someone knocking and hurry to open the door for Christian.
"Hi" I say with a smile and get onto tip toes to kiss his cheek. I really don't want this evening to be awkward for us.
"Hey, I wasn't sure what your favorite wine is, but I thought a Pinot Grigio is always a good choice."
"Thanks, and this is one of my favorites, come in everyone else is already here."
I introduce him to my friends and he seems to be a little out of his element. Most likely because he is not used to hanging out with a group of people his age. _How sad._
"Come on, we get you something to drink." I say and take his hand to lead him into the kitchen.
"Arnaldo made some pitchers of virgin cocktails and I have water, oj, Coke, root beer and iced tea."
"Did you tell him to make virgin cocktails because of me?" he asks and he does not look too happy.
"No, and before you ask I haven't told my friends that you were in rehab. We always have virgin cocktails if we have dinner parties on a week day. Before we all agreed on that we would all end up hungover, so to avoid that we have a no alcohol during week days rule."
"Okay... the green one looks good, I think I'll try that one." he says and so I get a glass fill it with some ice and pour some of the cocktail in his glass.
"Not bad, tastes like he used a bit of cucumber."
"I have no idea, he makes a big secret out of his recipes and even I have to leave the kitchen when he makes them. So, how was your day?"
"Some meetings, nothing special... you?"
"I had a meeting with the head of the CPS from New Jersey and if everything goes as planned we can try to find some benefactors for the Safe Haven in New Jersey soon."
"I would love to help you with it. I'm very impressed with what you do, so if you need a benefactor you can count on me."
"Thank you, Christian. I'll give you a call once everything is finalized."
"Good, I'll go and talk to Mia for a while, so you can finish cooking."
"Okay... wait." he turns back around and I sigh. "Are we good, Christian?" I ask and he chuckles.
"Well, I am still certain that you were trying to kill me during the blackout, but I'd die like that any day, so yes we are good and to answer your question more clearly. I know I have a lot to make up to you, so I am not delusional enough to think that what happened between us is a magic cure for our relationship and I get to call you my girlfriend." he says and I smile.
"You talked to Flynn, right?" I ask and he smiles back. "Maybe" and with that he leaves the kitchen and Melody hurries in.
"You bitch!" she says and I blink.
"Excuse me, Mel?"
"Oh come on, first you get laid by Arnaldo and I now I am convinced that you also had something going with Christian _so-fucking-hot _Grey. Come on, at least let me have some details." she begs and I roll my eyes.
"Fine, I've met Christian in my senior year of college and we dated for a while, in fact I gave him my v-card."
"You know Anastasia Steele, I hate you right now. Seriously, every time I meet a guy he turns out to be a weirdo and you lost your virginity to Christian Grey and moved on to have a FWB with Arnaldo _sex god _Richie. That is so not fair. You know what screw my own rules, I need you to set me up on a date." she says and I laugh.
"Okay, I think I know just the guy."
"Is it Grey?" she asks all giddy.
"Nope, but how about Nick." I ask and she gasps.
"Nick, like the super hot dude from your work?"
"Yes, he is single for a year now and he told me about two weeks ago that he is looking for something serious again. I'll ask him tomorrow if he would like to go on a date with you."
"Did I mention that I love you, Ana Steele? Seriously, it's like you know only hot guys."
"I also know a lot of normal guys and even creepy stalkers who are safely tucked away in padded cells, but I guess you'd prefer to go on a date with a hot guy."
"You bet on it. But why is Grey not availa... oh wait, is he the reason you went to Seattle?"
"Yes, we are kind of trying to work things out, but it's difficult. Still, don't even think about it, you wouldn't win a bitch fight against me" I smirk and she laughs.
"Nope, I wouldn't besides, since he arrived his eyes are glued to you, so I wouldn't have any luck with him anyway." she says grabs a can of root beer from the fridge and leaves the kitchen while I am putting the finishing touches to our food.
During dinner Christian visibly relaxes and engages in a conversation over football with the guys, while Mia goes on and on about how thrilled she is to move here and that she hopes to find a studio for her work soon.
That has me thinking what would happen if Christian and I would be able to work things out. I can't see myself moving back to Seattle, my life is here, but at the same time I can't ask him to move to New York. I don't even know if it is possible for him to move his offices to New York. I know Grace would be bumped if two of her children would move so far away from her, so I guess in the end I would be the one to move and sadly I don't like that idea at all. So, I push those thoughts aside and just enjoy the evening until we all move into the living room to watch a movie.
Like every time we want to watch a movie it takes about twenty seconds until everyone starts to argue which movie we are going to watch. I let them argue and flop down on the sofa next to Christian.
"So what's your favorite movie?"
"I'm not really into movies, watching TV is a waste of time." he says and that gives me an idea. I know he has to go back to Seattle early tomorrow and we didn't talk as much as I wanted us to.
"How about we leave them to argue about the movie and take a walk instead. We really need to talk."
"Sure." We get up and leave the apartment without anyone noticing it.
"The guy at the front desk didn't call you to let you know that I am here like he did Sunday morning." Christian says as we leave the building and walk in the direction of Central Park.
"He didn't have to, you are on my list of approved visitors. You should feel honored it's a very short list."
"Really, who else is on it?"
"My Mom, Kate, Elliot and you."
"Really, not even Arnaldo?" he asks and I smirk when he makes a face while saying his name.
"No, none of my friends. I really trust them and they mean the world to me, but after what happened with Jose I like it that I am informed about anyone who comes up to my apartment. Even Ireland doesn't put anyone on that list."
"Well, then I am happy to tell you that I am feeling very honored right now, Miss Steele."
"As you should, Mr. Grey" I giggle and he stops.
"How about that?" he asks and I points to some horse carriages down the street. I've seen them many times and always wanted to take a ride, but I felt stupid doing it alone.
"Really?" I ask excited and he nods, so we head towards the carriages and he talks to the coachman before helping me in and sitting next to me.
"Don't tell me you haven't done this before" he chuckles when I am just sitting there smiling like an idiot.
"No, I mean my only option was to do this alone and how sad would that be?"
"Well, then I am happy that I am here to take you on a carriage ride." he says and as much as I just want to enjoy this, I know we need to talk and there is something I need to know.
"Can I ask you something?"
"You can ask me what ever you want, Ana."
"The girl, the one you brought to Kate's birthday, was she a former sub of yours?"
"Yes, I've asked her to accompany me for this evening. She is an actress and I told her I needed someone to pretend to be my girlfriend in front of my parents. Though she realized very quickly what I was doing and told me to never contact her again."
"So it was just me then?" I ask and feel tears burning in my eyes.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, obviously you had no problem with her touching you, so I assume you just don't like it when I touch you while it was okay with all of your subs." _Shit, even saying it really hurts._
"No, Ana, please. That is not true. I allowed her to touch me... because I wanted to hurt you. I thought you had moved on and it hurt so much, I thought this was the one thing I could use to really hurt you back, showing you that I could let someone else touch me when I knew how badly you wanted it in our short time together."
"Well, if that was your plan then you succeeded." I mutter bitterly.
"I am sorry, Ana."
"I wanted to kill myself that night, after Taylor kicked me out I was wandering around with no direction at all and then I saw the truck in the far distance. If it wasn't for Elliot I would be long gone by now." I whisper. I never wanted to tell him this, but I need him to understand how much he had hurt me that night, that a simple _I am sorry _is not good enough.
When I look at him all the color has drained from his face and he looks utterly devastated.
"Ana... I ... that is not what I wanted to happen ... I ..."
"Christian, please. I know that you never wanted to that to happen. I just need to be honest with you, if you want to redeem yourself for what happened you need to know what it did to me. We have to be able to talk about everything, no secrets, no beating around the bush and telling half truths. Sometimes the truth hurts, but I'd rather get hurt than lied to."
"Do you see a future for us?" he asks after what feels like ages and that is an easy question.
"Yes, I'm not sure how to get there just now, but I definitively believe that we can have a future together. Otherwise I would be at my apartment right now watching a movie with my friends, while you would be back in Seattle, because I would have told you to leave and just move on with your life."
"So, you mean it and you are not just biting your time until you think that I will no longer run into the first liquor store when you tell me that there is no chance in hell that you'll ever forgive me." he asks and I gape at him.
"Christian you are not some kind of charity case for me. Is that what you think? That I am just sugarcoating you because you are a recovering alcoholic?"
"The thought has crossed my mind." he says and I am actually offended he would think that.
"Now listen to me, Christian Grey. You want to know why I came back to Seattle the minute I heard what you were doing to yourself? I did that because even after all the shit you've done to me, I still love you. That is also why in almost three years I never entered any kind of serious relationship, because I knew it wouldn't be fair to have a relationship with someone when in reality I still wasn't over you. I'll never be over you simple because I can't. You've ruined my chances to ever fall in love with any other man, because there is no one who will ever come even close to you for me. So, you better find away to earn my forgiveness, because I am 25 years old and in five years from now I want to be happily married with at least two kids and number three on the way." When I am done with my little rant I take a deep breath and almost snort with laughter because Christian is staring wide eyed and open mouthed at me.
_Looks like I've managed to shock the great Christian Grey into silence, hah!_
"You still love me?"
"Yes, but that doesn't mean that I can just forgive you everything that has happened and run off into the sunset with you."
"Tell me what you need me to do, Ana."
"I need you to show me that I can trust you, that you really meant what you have written in the letter you left for me when you went to rehab. I can't give you a second change when I constantly have to worry that we end up tearing each other apart. I need to know that no matter what someone is going to say to you about me, you'll come to me and talk to me. I won't spend the rest of my life worrying that someone is going to tell you something about me and you are going to believe that person. And I need you to work on your issues Christian, you have a tendency to hurt the people who did something wrong in your eyes, and I am not talking about that BDSM shit, you hurt people emotionally and that is so much more worse."
He looks very deep in thoughts for a while and then nods. "I guess you are right. I was never good in dealing with any kind of emotions. I've hurt all of my family when I thought I was protecting them... I've hurt you so much. But I promise I can change." he says and I take his hand in mine as the carriage stops.
"Then that is what I need from you to forgive you, prove to me that you can change."
He nods again and helps me out of the carriage. As we walk back to my apartment I look down at our entwined fingers and he follows my gaze.
"Sorry, I didn..." he tries to pull his hand away but I don't let him. "Don't it feels right" I say and I know he is grinning because I am blushing.
"I am glad that I can still make you blush" he says and I decide to tease him. "Oh Mr. Grey I bet I could do a thing or two to make you blush, too."
"I'm looking forward to it" he says and I frown when he comes to an halt in front of my apartment building.
"It's getting late and my flight is schedule for 5 am tomorrow morning, so I better head back to my apartment now." he says and I let go of his hand.
"Call me when you've landed in Seattle?"
"Sure... so I am not sure when I can come back to New York."
"I'll see if I can find time to come to Seattle soon."
"Good, so I'll call you tomorrow. Goodbye Anastasia."
"Bye Christian, take care." I watch him walk towards a black SUV and see Taylor getting out of it. Poor Taylor, did Christian made him wait in the car the entire time?
I watch as Christian takes his jacket off and he is almost in the car when he stops, he hands his jacket to Taylor and walks back to me.
"I allowed her to touch my chest over layers of clothing, it makes it bearable. It is touching my back or chest skin to skin that is really scaring me." he says and suddenly he starts unbutton his shirt.
"Christian what are you doing?" I ask confused and when his shirt is open he takes a deep breath, grabs my hand and places it over his heart on his bare chest and I gasp.
"Christian please, you don't have to do this" I whisper barely able to fight my tears and I feel his rapid heartbeat and look at his face. His eyes are screwed shut and it looks like he is experiencing the most horrible amount of pain, so I try to take my hand away, but he keeps it firmly in place, until he opens his eyes and stares into mine. Gray to blue.
"It's only you, Ana. It's always going to be only you." he says and lets go of my hand. "Don't cry, Ana, please for you I want to learn to accept your touch. I want no boundaries, no rules between us." he says as he gently wipes my tears away and then he leans down to whisper into my ear.
"Laters baby" and with that I giggle and reach up to kiss his beautiful lips.
"Laters" I whisper against his lips and with that we part and I watch him get into the car and Taylor drives off. And I know, no matter how busy my schedule is I will find time to go to Seattle and see him again, soon...
21. Chapter 20
_**Just a little warning, I know that the end of this chapter is highly unlikely, but I kind of liked to end it like that... more explanation at the end of the chapter...**_
_**Christian**_
"This spot looks good to me, come on bro, let's make a stop here, I am starving." Elliot says after we have been hiking for nearly four hours already.
He has not stopped talking since he came to Escala to pick me up this morning, at one point I was tempted to gag him. It's not that I don't like my brother, but I am irritated with him. Why is he happy as fuck to hang out with me, when I have treated him and the rest of my family so poorly?
"Hey bro?! Are you even listening to me, do you want to stop here to eat?" he asks again.
"Sorry Elliot, I must have zoomed out for a moment, yes let's eat. Gail has packed lunch for us."
"Thank fuck for that. I am starving and all my wife did was to tell me that I am to take my shoes off before I get into the house when I am back."
"That sounds like, Kate. So... how is the pregnancy going?"
"Great, and Kate's sex drive is insane, had I known that knocking my wife up would get me laid four times a day I would have done it right after the wedding." he laughs and we sit down on the ground where I unpack the our lunch from my back pack.
"How are things with Ana?" he asks and I think about it for a moment.
"I am thinking about moving my offices to New York." Ever since I came back on Wednesday this is on my mind constantly. I need to be close to her and with us living on different coasts and both busy with our work it is going to be a pain in the ass to find time to see each other. I can't ask her to move back, not now anyway and to be completely honest a small part of me thinks that a fresh start in a new town is exactly what I need.
"So you, too." he murmurs.
"You mean Mia?"
"No, actually... look I have been doing a lot of work in New York lately. And there is this project I would love to do, it would start right after the baby is born, but I would need to stay in New York for at least a year or even longer. Kate is okay with it... you know her, she is natural born bitch and making friends is hard for her. She misses Ana like crazy and we have agreed that she is staying at home with Ava at least for the first year, so if we move at least she has a friend there."
"That's great, why don't you do it. Sounds like a huge project that could really boost your career."
"I know and knowing that Mia will be there makes it easier, but hell bro. You know me I am a family guy. I would hate to leave our parents and you behind. And now if you move there too... can you imagine how upset Mom is going to be when all her kids live on a different coast."
Fuck, he is right. Our mom would be pretty bumped if we all moved away, our dad would tell us to do it if that is what we want, but our mom... _shit._
"Yeah, I can see that this would be very upsetting for her... do you think we could convince them to move after their retirement? Dad wants to retire in two or three years and I know he always talked about having a summer home in the Hamptons."
"Maybe, but I'm not sure about mom and you... is it even possible to move GEH to New York?"
"I would keep the offices here and have Ros manage the Seattle division of GEH, it would mean a lot of extra work for a while, but I don't see why it wouldn't work out."
"Have you talked to Ana about that. I mean what if she wants to keep you as friend and you make an ass out of yourself by moving your empire to New York."
"She told me she still loves me, but that she needs me to prove to her that I have changed, I need to earn her trust."
"Well, no shit. Fuck, you really treated her like dirt. Do you have any idea how badly I wanted to beat the shit out of you back then?" he says and that has me thinking...
"How did she deal with our break-up back then?" I ask and he snorts.
"She didn't deal with it at all. Hell, I remember the day Kate and I came back from Barbados, I helped Kate get all of her suit cases up to the apartment and we found Ana crying on the sofa. She looked so bad, we thought someone had died. From that point on all she did was sleeping, working and crying, while she stared at her phone waiting for you to call her. At one point she got so fucking thin and still refused to eat that Kate and I thought about calling her dad. The only time I saw her smile was on our way to Kate's birthday party, of course that was before you showed up." he says and my mind to drifts back to what Ana told me... _that night I wanted to kill myself._
Fuck, I can't even think about it without feeling guilt and pain so horrible that I have to close my eyes.
"Hey bro, she is still willing to take you back." I hear Elliot and I need to change the subject.
"Ana wants kids."
"And that surprises you? I mean, we are talking about a woman who has made it her life's mission so help children in need. Have you seen her with those kids at Safe Haven?"
"Yes, she really cares for them. There is this little boy, I think she really loves him."
"How would you feel about having children, bro?" he asks.
"With my issues and fucked up past ... hell Elliot, what kind of father could I possibly be? But the weirdest thing is, since Ana told me that she wants to have kids, I keep thinking that it would be great to have a little boy or girl that is just like her."
"Well, I just hope that your kids get Ana's sweet nature, fuck me, I wouldn't want to put up with a kid that has your temper. Little shit would probably end up being grounded the moment he or she learns to talk. With you as Dad the first word is going to be fuck I bet my ass on that." Elliot laughs and I smirk too.
Yeah, I cuss a lot, though I did surprisingly well at Safe Haven, even when Sam started to use the paint brush to fling pudding in my face. Little shit laughed his ass off when he managed to fling some right in my left eye making me look like a pirate who lost his eye patch. Ana thought it was hilarious and actually, to see the little guy laughing was worth it.
Seeing him was like looking at myself as a kid. And though I haven't told Ana so far I am going to set a trust fond up in his name. He had such a shitty start in life, he deserves the chance to go after his dreams when he is older and with the money I am planning to put in the trust fond he will never have to worry about anything.
Fuck, thinking about Safe Haven makes me think about the blackout. Hell, that was unexpected. When I ended the kiss to look at her I braced myself for her to punch me or yell at me, instead she ripped my shirt off and took her nightgown off and before I had any clue what was going on we were on the floor with her on top fucking the hell out of me. Gone was the shy girl I once knew and this Ana... fuck even thinking about it now has my dick twitching in my pants.
"Why are you grinning like a loon all of a sudden, bro?"
"Nothing" I mutter and he takes his phone out and talks to what I suspect is Kate, because he is telling her when he expects us to be back from our hiking trip.
"Kate missing you already?" I ask when he puts his phone away.
"Something like that. Come on, eat up the trail is a couple more miles long and my wife is waiting for me at home ready to get fucked again."
Around six in the evening I arrive back at Escala, get into the elevator and scowl at my phone when I see Elena's name flash on the screen. I haven't taken any of her calls since I was in New York and I am not planning on doing it now. If she is a hard limit for Ana I can't be friends with her any longer. Simple. So, I let her call go to voice mail and enter the code for the penthouse. While the elevator makes its way up have to steady myself by holding on to the railing, because the fucking thing is shaking as it goes up. What the hell?
I'm actually relieved when the doors open and I can get out of it. I stop at the security office and open the door.
"Taylor, please call the front desk, something isn't right with the elevator, fucking thing was shaking as it went up."
"On it, Sir" he says and I wonder why he is smiling when he makes the call.
I drop my back pack by the door to the great room and start to strip out of my clothes while I make my way through the great room.
"Dinner in fifteen, Gail" I mutter when I pass the kitchen.
"Very well, _Sir_" I hear a very familiar voice answer and stop dead in my tracks. Can it be? Fuck, am I so desperate to be close to her that I am imagining her voice now?
Slowly, I turn around I find Ana in the kitchen giving me a glorious smile that makes my heart skip a beat.
"I... Ana... how?"
"Well, I've missed you. So, I've asked Ireland if she would attend the fundraiser and gala I was supposed to go to tonight and tomorrow and she agreed. I thought I surprise you and as I can tell from the look on your face Elliot didn't tell you." she says with a smile and I make my way to her and without even thinking about it I pull her in my arms and inhale the sweet scent of her hair deeply.
"Hmm if I get a half naked hug each time I make time to come to Seattle I might do that more often" she grins and I laugh.
"How about full on naked hugs?" I tease and she giggles.
"Hmm... then I might have to move in here and make you stay naked all day just for my personal enjoyment" she says still giggling and I smirk down on her.
"Don't tempt me, Miss Steele, because I am fully prepared to do just that if it means that I get to see you every day."
"Good to know, but now go and take a shower dinner is almost ready."
"You are cooking?"
"Yup, while I was in the jet on my way here I realized that you never had my famous lasagna, so we have to change that. Hurry up, dinner is ready in about ten minutes" she says and I grin when she shoos me out off the kitchen.
I take a shower in record time and dress just in jeans and t-shirt eager to go back to Ana and find her setting up the breakfast bar for dinner.
"What do you want to drink, Christian?"
"Iced tea, please. If you want wine, maybe Gail has some in her kitchen." I offer.
"No, I'm good, I'll just have lemonade."
"You don't have to do this because of me, Ana."
"I know, but ... well the truth is I am not sure that I can make it through an entire evening with you without kissing you and I can't kiss you if I had wine. You see I am being selfish here" she says and the most beautiful blush appears on her face.
"I like this kind of selfishness, Miss Steele."
"I thought so too, Mr. Grey."
"Fuck Ana, that is the best lasagna I ever had" I praise her when I finish off the third helping.
"I'm glad you like it, do you want desert?"
"What do you have?"
"Chocolate tart with vanilla ice cream"
"I guess that is going to cost me an extra hour of workout in the downstairs gym, but I am not going to say no to chocolate tart and of course _vanilla _ice cream."
"Can I come with you to workout tomorrow?"
"Sure, but since when are you into exercising, because I happen to remember that you weren't exactly pleased when I told you that I wanted you to workout."
"I know, but times change and since I've started to take Krav Maga classes I learned to like a good workout." she says and gets up to get our desert.
"You can come with me tomorrow. You are staying here, right?"
"Phew, I thought you would never ask, but yes I would like to stay here, if that's okay with you." she says and I roll my eyes. Does she honestly think that I would allow her to stay in a hotel when she can stay here?
"Careful Mr. Grey or I might have to spank you for rolling your eyes at me" she teases and I laugh.
"I'll keep that in mind. Once we have finished our desert I have Taylor get your luggage up here."
"It's already in the guestroom upstairs" she says and I frown.
"I would prefer it if you would stay in the guestroom down here."
"Why?"
"Ana, that room upstairs, you know that is was the room where all my subs have stayed in. You deserve better than to sleep in the same bed as them. I would love to have you sleep in my room, but I guess that would be too much to ask for just now."
"I'll take the room down here" she says with a smile and we both turn around when we hear Taylor clearing his throat.
"Sir, Mrs. Lincoln is on her way up." he says and I actually cringe. _Fuck, this is not good._
"Who is Mrs. Lincoln?" Ana asks, but I can tell by her tone that she has at least an idea whom she is going to meet in about one minute.
"Listen Ana, I had no idea she would come here tonight, I haven't taken her calls since..."
"Wait, are you kidding me. It's her, right? Elena?" she asks and I nod.
"Ana I swear I haven't talked to her since I've been in New York"
"It's okay, can I wait in your bedroom until she is gone. I have no desire to meet this woman and if I do things could get ugly pretty quick."
"Sure, I get rid of her quick, I promise."
I watch Ana as she gets up, but it's too late and Elena dressed as usual in black comes into the room. But what I didn't expect was that it is Elena who pales when she sees Ana and Ana gapes at her.
"Oh my god! Is this supposed to be a joke? Christian, is that Elena? Your so called friend?" she asks and I nod.
"What is wrong, Ana?"
"I know her, she was at Kate's wedding. Grace introduced her as Elle... Mrs. Lincoln why don't you tell Christian how you tried to hit on Gideon the second Grace told you that he is not my boyfriend, but my brother" Ana hisses and I stare at her.
"Ana what are you talking about?"
"She knew Christian, she knew that Gideon is my brother. Don't you want to ask her why she never told you. Or why she never told you about Jose and the pictures, because she was sitting next to me when I talked about it with Kate." Ana says and I can feel my anger rising when I turn to face Elena.
"Is that true? Did you fucking know all this time?" I hiss at her and she stares at me wide eyed.
"ANSWER ME!" I yell at her and her face goes from shock to a mask of impassivity.
"Christian, I was trying to protect you, this girl is not right for you. She is not submissive and she made you miserable. Look at her, she is nothing special, just a mousy little thing that is going to hurt you again the second you let her in again. You don't need her, I am what you need. It has always been me; I've made you ... without me you would be nothing" she says arrogantly and I feel Ana grabbing my hand.
"Don't let her get to you, Christian." she begs and I look down at her small hand holding on to mine.
"What are you, Christian? Her puppy? Don't you see what she is doing, she is trying to make you her lap dog. You are a dominant, master of your universe and she is trying to take all that away from you, every last bit of control you have. First she convinced you that you need rehab and next she..."
"Shut up... fuck... I can't believe this. All this time when Ana told me what a vile person you are, I didn't want to believe her. I've defended you, Elena and now I finally see it. You are a liar and you used me... is that why you didn't want me to get back together with Ana? Because you feared that I would finally see what you are doing?"
"No, I did it because I haven't spent years to turn you into the man you are today just for some mousy bookworm to take away what is mine!" she says with venom in her voice.
"Get out! I am telling you this only this once Elena. Leave my apartment and don't you dare to ever return here. Our friendship is over and if you try to pull any stunts then I am going to ruin you" I tell her and she huffs.
"You need me. You always did, you are nothing without me, Christian. Does she even know? Does she know that you are a sadist who likes to fuck women who look like your birth mother?" she says and I freeze and watch as Ana steps forward and slaps Elena hard across the face.
"Get out! Haven't you heard him, you are no longer welcome here!" She says she is so furious that Elena starts to walk backwards before Ana grabs her by the hair and starts to walk towards the elevator.
I follow them still not able to utter a single words. Ana knows, she is not going to give me a chance. How could she, I am disgusting... a monster... a sadist. I will never see again. This is it, I have lost her forever.
"Christian, do something! How can you allow her to treat me like this?" Elena yells at me, but I don't even look at her.
"Okay, I see she has already taken over here, but this is not over" Elena yells and presses the call button for the elevator while Ana comes to stand next to me and takes my hand again. Why is she doing this? Shouldn't she get ready to leave? Why would she want to stay here with me?
The elevators pings and Elena turns to glare at us. "This is not over, you haven't seen the last of..."
Ana and I jump both forward at the same time as we realize what is going on, trying to grab Elena before she can make a step forward, but it is too late. She has already tried to step into the elevator and the last thing I see of her is her shocked expression when she steps into nothing because although the doors have opened the car isn't there and we hear her piercing scream when she falls down the elevator shaft until there is a sickening thud.
For the first time in my life I can't even move and Ana is clinging to my side as Taylor uses a flashlight to look down the elevator shaft.
"Mrs. Lincoln is dead, Sir"
* * *
_**Ding dong the witch is dead :-) So, I know something like that wouldn't happen in modern buildings like Escala... or at least I hope something like that can't happen in a modern building, but I really wanted to get rid of Elena quickly. I only tend to keep her in stories when I need her to cause more drama, but there is enough drama already in this story, so why not kill her right after she has reared her ugly head the first time? **_
_**Oh and I would love to hear your opinion on the whole who is going to move situations. I leaning toward Christian, but then there is the problem that Taylor can't move because of Sophie and then Gail would stay with Taylor in Seattle. So, I might have to kill Sophie's mom off to make that work... and if I make Ana move back to Seattle I can't picture her being happy because she has to leave her family/friends and Safe Haven behind... so let me know what you would prefer...**_
22. Chapter 21
_**Hi, thank you all so much for all the feedback on the last chapter, 55% want Christian to move and 45% want Ana to go back to Seattle, I'm still a little torn, but there are about 3 to 4 chapters left until I have to make the final decision... **_
_**I also wanted to recommend two stories to all of you, the first one is Extraordinary by 1974alner and the other one is Bumping into Love by Charlottelovesshadesofgrey, if you are looking for a good read give it a try... oh and another one that is high on my favorite list at the moment is Software Complications by AngieV009 if you haven't already read it, give it a try, you won't regret it ;-)**_
_**Ana**_
I feel sick. Yes, Elena Lincoln was a sick child molester and to me she deserves to burn in hell, but falling down an elevator shaft is a gruesome way to die. The police was already here and they are now talking to the building manager. Christian hasn't moved an inch since he sat down on the couch. He looks like he is going to be sick any minute, too.
"Christian, do you want me to call your mom, I know Elena was her friend, so she should not find out in the news." I say and he looks up at me his expression blank.
"Yes, I guess... maybe I should... fuck what am I going to say to her? I probably make it worse... shit and she will cry... I hate it when my mother cries..."
"Christian, it's okay, I'll call her. Do you want me to make you a tea first?"
"No, I'll get myself a water. I feel like I am about to throw up" he murmurs and I take my phone out and scroll through my contacts until I find Grace's number.
"Anastasia, how nice to hear from you, how are you doing dear?"
"Hi Grace, I'm fine... actually I'm in Seattle, visiting Christian."
"Really, oh I know I shouldn't get my hopes up to high, but I do hope that one day you two can be happy together."
"Yes, me too. Grace umm... is Carrick around?"
"Yes, he is sitting right next to me, why?"
"Maybe put the phone on speaker, there is something I have to tell you and I don't want you to be alone while hearing this."
"Now you are scaring me, Ana. Is Christian alright?"
"Yes... actually he is pretty shaken up, right now. Something happened about an hour ago. Look Elena, she came to visit and when she wanted to leave... she said goodbye to us and the doors of the elevator opened... she wasn't looking and the car wasn't there... she fell down the elevator shaft and... Grace I am so sorry, but she is dead."
For a moment there is silence on the other end of the line and then I hear Grace sob.
"Dead... but how can something like this happen?"
"Something wasn't right with the elevator, Christian had Taylor inform the front desk. The technician that came to check the elevator put it out of commission, but for some reason the doors still opened. The police believes it was a technical failure, but there will be further investigations."
"And she is really dead?" Grace sobs.
"Yes... I don't know if this is any help for you, but the police told us that she most likely passed out before the impact. She didn't suffer" I am not going to tell her that Elena was nearly decapitated by the impact, she doesn't need to have this picture in her head for the rest of her life.
"Is Christian there with you?"
"Yes, I'll get him." I walk over to the breakfast bar where Christian is sitting on a bar stool holding his head in his hands.
"Christian?" I ask and touch his shoulder. He looks up at me. "Your mom wants to talk to you."
He looks panicked. "I... I what can I tell her to make this easier for her?"
"Nothing, just listen to her, tell her that you are sorry for her loss, maybe offer her to come over tomorrow." I hand him my phone and take his free hand in mine while he talks to his mother.
When he hangs up he looks stressed and upset. "Fuck, even in death that bitch makes everyone miserable" he mutters and then looks at me.
"I am worried about my mom and I know it's rather late, but would you mind going to Bellevue with me. We can stay there over night." he asks and for some reason he looks almost scared.
"Sure, I'll just get my bag."
"You are not leaving, I mean after what Elena said about me... that I am a... sadist?"
I sigh and look at him. "Christian first of all even the term sadist is outdated. Second, yes you can be a major ass if you want to, sometimes even cruel, but you are not a sadist."
"How can you say that?"
"Look, I know that there is a lot in your past that I don't know and yes, you have participated in a lifestyle that has aspects of sexual sadism, but that is very different. You like rules and being in control and that a alone shows that you are not a sadist. People like that are controlled by there urges, they don't have contracts and limits to assure the safety of their partners. They have victims and they don't stop until they have found their gratification by inflicting pain on their victims. You contracted women who knew exactly what they would get out of this kind relationship with you, they enjoyed it and they had safe words which I know you would have respected.
As for you choosing women who look similar to your birth mother... yes, maybe you did that and if you did I believe it wasn't because you wanted to fuck someone who looked like your birth mother, but more because you wanted to punish her. Punish her for neglecting you and not protecting you, and that I can understand. But maybe when you have some time to think, just sit down and think about if it was really you who started to see yourself as a sadist or if it was Elena who brought that up."
He looks at me as if he can't comprehend what I just said, but after a moment he speaks. "I thought you leave once you knew. Flynn said I should come clean, but I was sure you would be out of the door before I had the chance to say anything else."
"You should have a little more faith in me, yes, this is not something I was expecting, but I feel like you always tend to think the worst of yourself. And that is sad, because you are very easy to love, Christian. But maybe we should talk about this tomorrow. Your mother needs you ... and I believe what she really needs right now and what would help her is for you to just hold her in your arms."
Hearing this his eyes widen and I can see fear in them. "You don't have to, but just think about it. You once told me that Grace saved your life, she loves you unconditionally and would never hurt you. Just keep that in mind" I get up and leave to get my bag from the guestroom.
Since all elevators in the building are out of commission until they get a thorough check in the morning and the police is done gathering evidence, we have to take the emergency staircase to get into the garage and Taylor drives us to Bellevue.
By the time we arrive at his parent's house it is after 9 in the evening, but Carrick opens the door after a couple of seconds and looks relieved to see us.
"Christian, thank God, your mother is a mess and she is refusing to rest. She is in the TV room watching news reports on Elena's death. Have you heard them, some gossip sites already speculate that you had an affair with Elena."
"Fuck, I'll have an statement released tomorrow, the police asked us not to talk to the media until they release a statement tomorrow afternoon."
"I see, well let PR handle those bastards. Come in, I need to check on your mother." we follow him into the TV room where we find Grace sitting on the sofa sobbing into a handkerchief.
"Mom?"
Grace looks up when she hears Christian's voice and gets up from the sofa.
"I am such a terrible person" she sobs shocking us all.
"Mom, why would you even say that, you know that is not true."
"While watching the news, I thought... what if it wouldn't have been Elena. It could have been you, darling. And then I felt relieved that it wasn't you... how can I feel relieved when my best friend is dead?" she sobs and suddenly Christian steps closer to her and pulls her in his arms. If possible Grace sobs even harder and he just holds her rubbing her back and murmuring comforting words to her.
I look at Carrick and he has tears in eyes watching his son hold Grace.
"Young lady, I have no idea how you are doing it, but please don't stop. I know my son has behaved so poorly towards you, but he needs you." Carrick says to me and I smile shyly at him.
"All he needs is a push in the right direction... he wants to be happy, he just wasn't able to find the right way before."
A little later I have offered to make some tea, and we all sit in the kitchen.
"Why was Elena at Escala, Christian?"
"She wanted to talk about the salons" he says and I can see in his eyes that he hates it to lie, but what good would the truth do, especially now. Maybe in this case it is the best when the truth gets buried with Elena.
"She didn't have any family, Carrick we need to take care of her funeral. To whom do we have to talk?"
"I'll take care of it tomorrow, my love. You need rest now, do you think you can sleep?"
"Yes, I just need to get the guest room ready for, Ana. Christian you'll stay in your old bedroom, right?"
"Yes, mom."
"Umm... actually, if it is okay for both of you, I would like to share a room with Christian." I say to Grace and Carrick.
"Oh... well, I guess you are old enough to share a room. Of course this is alright." Grace says and I can see that Christian is biting the insides of his cheeks to stop himself from smiling.
Once we are in his childhood bedroom he looks at me. "Why do you want to sleep here with me tonight?" he asks and I shrug.
"You told me once that you have nightmares, but when we shared a bed that didn't seem to be a problem... and I thought after a day like today you could use a good nights sleep."
"That sounds like a very good plan to me. And I might even get the chance to listen to you talk in your sleep again or have you stopped doing that?" he asks amused.
"No, according to Ireland I am still talking in my sleep" Wisely I don't mention that Arnaldo too has heard me talk in my sleep on several occasions.
"Why, does your cousin know that you talk in your sleep?" he asks and he start to undress and I turn to get my pajama from my duffel bag.
"She is the only person I know who hates thunder storms more than I do, so when there is one at night we usually end up sharing a bed. She thinks it is hilarious to listen to me talk in my sleep."
"I think it's a rather charming habit, and of course it gives me a good inside to what is going on in that pretty head of yours."
"Maybe, it's better than snoring I guess." I mutter and start to change into my pj's knowing full well that Christian is watching me. When I look up he is smiling at me.
"What?"
"I like you in satin, it's much nicer than the old sweatpants you preferred before." he says.
"Well, back then I was a college student with a part time job and no interest in fashion whatsoever. Now, I can afford nicer things, though to be honest I still wouldn't buy a pair of shoes or a dress for 5k that is just ridiculous. Just like this stupid dress rule."
"Which dress rule?"
"That you can't wear the same dress for events twice. That's just crazy and I only buy expensive evening gowns because I sell them online after I wore them to an event and donate the money to a good cause. It's much easier for men, no one would say something like..._'oh my god, have you seen this, he is wearing the same tux as last week' _"
"I suppose that is right, though I wouldn't give a fuck if someone would say that about me" he says and we both go to brush our teeth before we get into bed together.
He pulls me close to him and feel so safe in his arms, that I feel my eyes getting heavy within seconds.
"Thank you, Ana" I hear Christian whisper and turn a little to look at him.
"For what?"
"Because you stayed, when I was sure that you would leave once you knew all there is to know about me."
"No more running... I promise" I whisper and kiss him softly before I can no longer hold my eyes open.
_**Two weeks later**_
I can't help it, my thoughts go back to Christian the entire time. It's been two weeks since I have last seen him. Both our schedule didn't allow us to see each other. We still Skyped every evening and exchanged emails and texts through out the day, but it is just not the same. Especially with the whole Elena drama. He hated to go to her funeral, but he couldn't come up with an good excuse and I hated that I couldn't be there to go with him.
The Sunday after she died Christian and I stayed in his childhood bedroom for hours just talking. I am convinced that it was that old bitch who made him believe he is a sadist, that and his self-loathing. Yes, he engaged in the BDSM lifestyle and used to dish out some rather harsh punishments, which by his own admission he enjoyed, but he could also walk away from the lifestyle.
He told me that he dismantled the playroom, because he hated that he ruined us in there. That even being in there made him sick to his stomach and that he could never hurt me like that again. That is not what true sadist would have done or said. I just wish I could make him see this too. But he agreed to see Dr. Flynn at least twice a week from now on. He needs this and if we want to have a second chance as a couple at some point then this is what we both need.
While I listen to the speech that is given at the gala I am attending right now I discretely check my phone if I have a new message from Christian and frown when there is no new message.
I haven't heard from him all day, I tried to call him a couple of times, but my calls went straight to voicemail. I just hope he is alright, but I have no time to call Mia or Gideon who are both in Seattle right now to make sure all is alright, because I have to give a speech next. I am still not very comfortable with speaking in front of an audience, but if I can raise awareness and money for the Crossroads Foundation and Safe Haven by doing so, then it is worth it.
Finally, at 10 I decide that I can leave now without being rude. Those galas and functions are just not my world. So, I am glad when I am in the back of the town car and Carlos is driving me back home. I take my phone out again and see that I have six missed calls from Gideon. Suddenly, I have this sick feeling in the pit of my stomach and try to ignore it while I call him back.
"Fuck, finally. Have you seen Grey?" he asks me with no preamble whatsoever.
"What? I don't understand, Gideon. Why would I have seen Christian, he is supposed to be in Seattle... oh my gosh, is that Mia crying in the background? What is going on?"
"It's Mia, her mother and Kate. Fuck Ana, you won't believe what happened."
"Tell me, what happened and where is Christian?"
"We were all here for brunch when the boss of the company Grace had hired to clear Elena's house stopped by. Fuck, Ana that old hag was into kids and while they took everything out of her house they not only found a dungeon, but also many boxes with pictures and videos showing her fucking teenage boys..."
"Christian" I gasp.
"Wait you knew?"
"I... I knew he was seduced by a family friend when he was fifteen and that the woman was into BDSM."
"Well shit, Ana. And you did nothing?"
"Gideon, now is not the time... what happened, where is Christian?"
"The guy from the company wanted nothing to do with that shit. Carrick and Grace looked through the boxes and there where tons of pictures of Christian. Fucked up shit, no teenager should have been exposed too nor should parents ever see their child like that. And he shut down, just sat there and said nothing until Carrick lost it and started to yell at him. Christian stormed out of the house as if the place was on fire and since then we have no idea where he is. Taylor tried to track him down and found his car and phone outside a bar. He wasn't in there and we have no way to track him down now, we thought since it's been almost 8 hours since we found the car that he might took the next flight to New York."
"I'm taking the next flight to Seattle... drive faster Carlos" I say in a rush. Fuck, his family knows; the one thing Christian wanted to avoid at all cost. What if he decided to get drunk...or worse. No. No, I must not think like that.
"I'll have a jet ready for you within an hour." Gideon says, but as Carlos pulls up outside my building I see him. Christian is standing outside the building in the pouring rain, soaked to the skin.
"He is here, I call you back." I mutter end the call and jump out of the car. When I reach him he looks completely lost.
"Christian?" I ask and he just pulls me in his arms.
"They know... about Elena... they hate me" he murmurs and I look up at him.
"Come, let's get you inside first. You need to get out of these wet clothes or you'll get sick, then we can talk." I take his hand and usher him into the building.
In my apartment I lead him straight into the bathroom and start to run a bath for him.
"They know, Ana" he murmurs again.
"I know, Gideon called me. Everyone is looking for you, Christian. Your family is worried sick, because they couldn't find you." I say and start to unbutton his shirt.
"Why would they worry, they know! They know what I did with Elena, soon they know what a monster I am."
"You are not a monster, Christian. You had consensual sexual relationships with women who liked the same things you did. There is nothing wrong with that and it is not about what you did with Elena, it is about what Elena did to you. What she did to other teenage boys... she was a disgusting, vile person and I hate to say it, but I am glad that she is dead so she can't take advantage of any more teenage boys ever again."
When he is undressed and in the tub I realize that I have nothing for him to wear at my apartment and he is not saying anything. It's like he is so lost in his thoughts he is barely recognizing me.
"Christian, look at me, please. I'll go up to Gideon's penthouse for a moment and get something for you to wear. I'll be back in 5 minutes"
When he nods I get up, get the spare key for Gideon's penthouse and quickly grab some sweatpants, a t-shirt and a pair of socks before heading back to my apartment. I hear my phone ring when I get in, but ignore it. I need to take care of Christian first.
Back in the bathroom I put the clean clothes on the small bench by the tub and put some towels out for Christian.
"Have you eaten anything today?" I ask him and he looks at me.
"I went to a bar, I don't even know why. It came so fucking natural to me to just try and drink myself into oblivion. I sat there ordered a whisky and just stared at it. I didn't even touch the tumbler, but I wanted to and then I thought about you and I couldn't."
"I'm glad you decided to come here instead. Now, did you eat today?"
"No"
"I'll fix you something to eat." I leave the bathroom to give him some privacy and quickly change into some yoga pants and a t-shirt before I go into the kitchen and decide to make mac and cheese for him. Comfort food.
"Mac and cheese?" he asks smiling when he walks into the kitchen a while later.
"Yes, it's my favorite comfort food. Oh, and I called Carlos, he'll get you a change of clothes first thing tomorrow morning."
"I'll give you the money." he says and sits down on one of the bar stools at the breakfast bar.
"I can afford it" I mutter and he shakes his head.
"Ana, don't unman me completely today." he asks.
"Okay, you can pay me back. Now, iced tea, water or something else?"
"Water is fine. Ana I'm sorry, I shouldn't have showed up here without calling you first. I know you are busy, I can go to my apartment if you want me to."
"I like having you here and I am glad that you came here. I might have a busy schedule these days, but my family and friends always come first for me. And that is why I will take two days off and we will fly back to Seattle tomorrow morning."
"I am sure my family is glad that I am out of town." he mutters and I have to stop myself so I won't roll my eyes at him.
"That is just not true. When Gideon called me I heard your mother, Mia and even Kate crying in the background. They are worried sick, Christian. Your family loves you."
"Why would they, Ana? I have fucked up so often and now this. Fuck, I wouldn't want to have to deal with someone like me."
"It doesn't matter if you fuck up or not, and I wouldn't say that what happened today is a fuck up on your part. Believe me, if you have kids one day, you are not going to give up them, either. And just try to put yourself in the position of your parents. They just found out that their son was abused by a family friend, someone they invited into their home. It's natural to be upset, angry even, but they are not angry with you."
"When I saw those pictures, of the other boys... I finally knew without a doubt that you were right all along, Elena was a pedophile, I just didn't want to see it before. I couldn't deal with anyone in that moment and then my Dad lost it and I just needed to get out. I couldn't deal with them... didn't know what to say... and most of all I didn't want to hear that I finally managed to fuck up so badly that they didn't want me in their life anymore."
I feel so bad for him... actually for his entire family. He doesn't know how to deal with his emotions and neither of them will ever get the chance to confront Elena and make her pay for what happened.
"Believe me, they are not going to cut you off. Since I told Gideon that you are here they have been calling me non-stop. There see?" I say when my phone vibrates again and this time I take the call and put Gideon on speaker.
"Hi Gideon, sorry but I couldn't answer your calls earlier."
"Is he alright... Christ, I have a room full of sobbing women and you know I can't deal with crying women." he mutters.
"He is fine, all things considered. Can you hand your phone to Grace?"
"Sure"
"Here, talk to your mother, trust me." I turn the speaker off and hold my phone out to him. He hesitates for a second, but takes it and I busy myself in the kitchen, so he can speak to his mother. Just when I have put the food onto plates he is finished and looks confused.
"She says she wants me to come home, that it's not my fault."
"See and that's why we are flying to Seattle first thing tomorrow morning. Gideon has one of his jets on standby for me. You need to talk to them and maybe at some point you should consider to have a couple of therapy sessions with your family. They are probably going to blame themselves for what happened to you, so this will be a good thing for all of you."
"Maybe... I... this is too much for one evening, can we drop this topic until tomorrow?"
"Sure, let's eat and then we can go to bed. Do you want the guestroom or sleep with me in my room?"
"Is that a serious question?" he asks amused and I giggle. "I had to ask, but fine from now on I won't offer you the guest room again. Oh, and there is one more thing." I get up and open one of the kitchen drawers where I keep a set of spare keys for my apartment.
"Here, for you." I hand him the keys and he frowns.
"Keys?"
"Those are the keys for this apartment. The next time you decided to come here to see me and neither Ireland or I are at home, you can just come up and wait here for me."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, you know I trust you, so whenever you feel like coming to New York to visit me, just come here."
"Thank you, this means a lot to me" he says and we smile at each other. I am so tempted to kiss him, but I know it would be wrong. Because I know right now this would end with us having sex and this time I am not sure if I would be able to convince myself that it just happened out of the moment and I am not ready to forgive him completely just now. So, instead we eat in silence and go to bed where he holds me in his arms until we fall asleep...
_**Gah! I was so tempted, to write a lemon at the end, but I don't want Ana to forgive and forget too soon... so I guess the lemons have to wait for a couple more chapters :-(**_
23. Chapter 22
_**Remember in my last A/N when I said that it would be some more chapters before I had to make the final decision about the whole move thing? That's no longer the case as this chapter nearly wrote itself and ended with that very same decision. So, let's find out if it is Seattle or New York, shall we? ;-)**_
"Checkmate!" Christian exclaims with a smirk and I pout. We are en route to Seattle and I just lost the second round of chess.
"Do you want to lose again?" he asks me and his arrogance makes me laugh.
"Who says I wasn't just trying to be nice and let you win, Mr. Grey?" I ask raising an eyebrow.
"Ana, not even if I wanted to let someone win would I ever play as bad as you." he says matter of factly and I cross my arms in front of my chest.
"Careful, Grey or I might decide to hand you a parachute and kick you out of this jet" I say trying to keep a straight face, but it's hard when I see his amused expression.
"Does that mean you are a sore loser, Miss Steele?" he chuckles.
"Maybe, but you are no gentleman, Christian Grey. My father used to let me win all the time and even Gideon does from time to time."
"Where is the fun in that?" he asks puzzled.
"I don't know, did you never let Mia win when you played board games or cards with her?"
"No, what kind of message does that send? Besides, playing games with Mia was never fun, either she cheated or she had temper tantrums each time she lost. Ask Elliot, the scar on his eyebrow is the result of Mia throwing a fit when she lost Clue for the fifth time in a row and started to throw things at us."
"Maybe she wouldn't have thrown a fit if you had let her win at least once every so often" I giggle and he shrugs. I guess for him it really is all about winning. Looks like I have to talk about that with him again once we have kids... _shit, where did that come from?_
"Let's play cards instead" I say to distract myself, from all thoughts of having kids with Christian.
"Fine what kind of card game?"
"You'll see" I stroll over to the bar where I know Gideon keeps various decks of cards. I pick one and smile at Christian.
"How about a round of 52 pickup... your turn" I say, send the cards flying all over the cabin and start to laugh when I see Christian's appalled expression.
"That was a childish thing to do, Anastasia" he mutters, but dutifully gets up and starts to collect all the cards, before we sit down and start to play shithead.
Of course, I am losing too, but actually I don't care. I'm just trying to take his mind of the conversation with his family he is going to have once we are back in Seattle. Taylor will collect us from the airport and drive us to Bellevue. I know he is anxious about the conversation, because he wants to come clean, not just about Elena, but also about his time as a Dom.
I know it is the right thing to do, but I can't even imagine what is going through his mind right now. He looked so troubled in his sleep last night. We went to bed early and while he fell asleep soon I was up all night and just watched him. I just feel what I am doing is not fair. Yes, I want to take things slow, but to be honest, I feel bad for him in doing so.
He has punished himself enough and has been through so much shit lately, that I almost feel cruel for not being able to make up my mind. I always thought if I was ever going to forgive him I needed some kind of grand gesture from him, but the more I think about it, the more I feel like this is wrong. Yes, it was his choice not to talk to me, to start his little vendetta and drink himself into oblivion, but now he is really trying.
Christ, Kate told me he is thinking about moving his offices to New York... and he doesn't even know for sure that we will end up together... so what else do I need? And deep down I know why I am still hesitating... I am just not sure if I want to give up my life in New York and go back to Seattle. Yes, Kate is there and I am sure I can make new friends, get involved with charities on the west coast, and if I miss my friends and family and New York I can visit them... but it's a big step.
"Hey, Miss Shithead, another round?" Christian snickers and I throw one of the nuts from the small bowl on the coffee table at him. He leaps forward catches it with his mouth and gives me an adorable youthful grin.
"Why thank you, Miss Steele, I was indeed a bit hungry" he teases and I shake my head amused. Carefree Christian is so much fun to hang out with, I wish it could be like this all the time, but I know once we have landed his good mood will vanish.
4 hours later Taylor pulls up at Christian's parent's house and I feel bad for Christian. He is so tense and pale, I almost expect him to double over and throw up.
"It's going to be alright, Christian. Your family loves you."
"Ana... how much more shit can they possibly take?" he asks sadly and thank God for Mia, because she comes running out of the house and jumps right into Christian's arms.
"Don't you ever do that to us again. We were so worried, when Taylor found your car... I thought... I..." she sobs and Christian just holds her in his arms. I have no idea what he is whispering to her, but it must have shocked her, because she stares wide eyed at him.
"You've never said it before" she whisper.
"I know and I should have. I am sorry Mia, I didn't mean to scare you."
"You're forgiven, but don't do it again." she sniffs and I follow them into the house until we reach the family room, where his parents, Elliot and Kate and Gideon are waiting for him.
Mia skips over to Gideon and I look at Christian and get onto tiptoes. "Just talk to them, they love you, they'll understand." I whisper in his ear. He looks down at me and smiles, but it doesn't reach his eyes.
"Ana, thank you for convincing Christian to come home. I don't want to sound rude, but would you mind to wait in the kitchen with Gideon and Kate, while we talk to Christian." Carrick asks me while he shakes my hand.
"No, of course not." Gideon walks over to me, but Kate looks a bit pissed. I get it though. Yes, she is a Grey now, but this is a very painful topic for Christian and his family, so I am sure he will appreciate it, if less people are listening. I look at Christian one last time and leave the room with them.
"Carrick is such an ass, I swear father in law or not, if he yells at Christian again, I will storm in there and knock him to his ass" Kate mutters under her breath as we reach the kitchen and she plops down on one of the chairs by the wooden table. _Since when is she all protective of Christian?_
"Is everything alright, Kate" I ask and sit down next to her, while Gideon excuses himself to make some phone calls.
"No, I... shit Ana" she mutters and starts to cry, which is so not like her.
"Kate, please what is wrong?"
"I feel terrible, Ana. Yes, Christian is an ass and I would still like to kick his ass for the way he treated you, but I feel so bad for him. You haven't seen those pictures, it was terrible. I've never seen anything like it in my life. That evil bitch, she tortured the hell out of him and he was just a kid. No wonder he is so messed up, I mean how can anyone go through shit like that and not end up completely fucked up. And Carrick... hell sometimes he is such an self-righteous ass. Christian just sat there and stared at the picture, everyone could tell that he just realized what she had done to him, he was devastated and Carrick just started to yell at him. I mean who does that, find out that the own child was abused for 6 fucking years and start to blame the victim. Grace is so pissed at him, she has kicked him out, he slept in the boathouse last night. Serves him right." Kate explains and I don't know what to say. I knew what Elena did to Christian must have been bad, but seeing Kate's reaction it must have been beyond anything I can even imagine.
"I don't want to defend Carrick, but maybe he felt just helpless" I offer and Kate glares at me.
"Helpless is right, helpless must have been how Christian must have felt when that disgusting, pedo bitch caned him until his back, ass and thighs where black and blue. and if you think that is bad, let me tell you, that's one of the more harmless pictures I have seen. Poor Grace, can you imagine how she must feel, she invited that vile person in her home, into her social circle and in return that bitch abused her son. Urgh, I feel dirty just thinking about sitting at her funeral service and feeling bad for that cunt. I hope she burns in hell and even that is too good for her." Kate fumes.
"Kate, please try to calm down, you are pregnant..."
"Exactly Ana, I am pregnant. I mean there is this precious little life growing inside of me and I ... shit Ana I am scared out of my mind. You know, you always think something like that doesn't happen in the own family, until one day it does and I would kill anyone who would try to bring harm to my child. It makes me sick to my stomach to think that someone would ever do that to my child."
"I know you would, but I need you to take a deep breath and relax. Do you want me to make tea for you?" I hold her hands in mine and watch her take some deep breaths.
"Yes, I could use a tea. Well, actually a vodka, but I can't... so tea will have to do." she says and I get up to make some tea for us. To be honest, I can't understand what has gotten into Carrick either, he should have known that yelling at Christian was the worst thing to do. I just hope he can be more understanding and supporting now.
After a while Kate has calmed down and Gideon is back in the kitchen with us. So far with haven't heard any yelling, so I hope that is a good sign, until after forty-five minutes Carrick comes into the kitchen.
"Are you one of them, Anastasia?" he asks me and I frown.
"One of whom?"
"One of those perverted people my son engaged with?" he asks and Gideon gets up.
"It's okay, Gideon." I reassure him and get up. "No, I am not, Carrick. When I first met Christian he told me what kind of lifestyle he had chosen for himself. I was scared and intrigued at the same time and because I wanted to be with Christian so bad, I agreed to try to become his submissive. Of course, he had to make some adjustments, too. I had never been with a man before and in the end it didn't work out for us. That is why I left him. I wasn't made for the lifestyle."
"You... you considered it... this disgusting..."
"Please, Carrick. BDSM is not all that bad, at least not in the extend that Christian used to practice it. What Elena Lincoln did to your son was abuse, she might have told him that she was introducing him to BDSM, but that is just not true. I don't know what you have seen while looking at those pictures, but I can assure you it is not what Christian did to the women he was with."
Behind me I see Kate and Gideon quietly leaving the kitchen and Carrick sits down at the table.
"So, he didn't torture them?"
"No, there are limits, hard and soft limits, things one won't and will do. Also, there are safe words, if the submissive uses those the Dominant stops what ever he is doing. Everything that happens is consensual."
"I just don't understand this... where have my wife and I failed him?" he murmurs and runs his hands through his hair.
"You never failed your son, Carrick. Elena manipulated him and he only now realizes it, that is why it was so important to Christian to come clean with his family. She made him believe that he is not worthy of the love of his family. She did that to make sure she was the only person Christian would turn to. Pedophiles, they are smart people, they have to be or otherwise they wouldn't find ways to abuse children without getting caught. She saw him as easy prey, she knew about his issues and that is how she got him to trust her. It's no one's fault but hers. I don't know if this helps you, but I believe that where ever she is now, she is being punished for what she did to those children."
"Did you know about him and Elena?" he asks and I sigh.
"When we met he told me that he was seduced by an older women, the same woman who introduced him to the lifestyle. We had some pretty heated arguments about it. To me it was clear that the woman was a pedophile, but he still saw her as a friend who helped him back then. He was shutting down the moment I called her a pedophile and shortly after I left him."
"He is good at that... shutting everyone out, this time it's my fault. I just lost it with him... what kind of a person am I? To yell at my son after finding out that he was abused for years?" He murmur sadly and hangs his head in shame.
"Carrick, there is no right or wrong after finding out about something like that. And I guess that knowing you can't confront Elena or get her behind bars for what she has done is making everything so much more worse. But Christian loves you, he didn't run because you lost it, he just needed to get out. He never allowed himself to realize what Elena did to him. You all need time, maybe even start a family therapy. What happened to Christian affects all of you, so you need to heal as a family. It's nothing that happens over night."
He looks up at me and gives me a smile. "Christian was right, you make people see the light again. You are one special young woman, Anastasia Steele. Thank you, and not just for listening to me, but for being there for Christian. Lord knows he can be difficult, but you are so good for him, what ever you are doing... don't stop." he says and to my surprise he leans over and kisses my forehead before leaving the kitchen.
Kate, Gideon and I went out for lunch, because we didn't want to interrupt the Grey's. We returned to the house a while later, but they were still in the family room and it wasn't until dinner time that Grace and Christian came into the kitchen, to tell us that they decided to order pizza for dinner.
So, now we are all in the kitchen eating pizza and to my great relief everyone seems to be in a relax mood.
"I want to stay here tonight, would you mind staying in my old bedroom with me?" Christian asks me, while Mia gets the ice cream from the freezer for dessert.
"No, it's fine, but I can check into a hotel if you need more time with your family."
"No, please don't leave. I know you have to go back to New York tomorrow evening and I want to spend some time with you... even if it is only by holding you while I am sleeping."
"Well, then I guess I have the great honor of being the first girl to ever sleep in your childhood bedroom" I say with a smile and he smiles back.
"That you are... well besides Mia when she was little and was convinced that a monster lived under her bed." he says with a wink and I giggle.
Later that night it is like the night before, he falls asleep rather quickly, while I am awake just looking at him. At least now he doesn't look troubled in his sleep, but I still don't know what to do. My heart tells me to stay and my head is telling me to really think this through. I know, if I decide to move my friends would be happy for me. Gideon and Ireland would be sad, but they would understand my reasons and the team I have built over the last couple of years is more than capable of continuing our work without me and I could easily start the process of building a Safe Haven here.
So, why am I still hesitating? Maybe it's because I am afraid to get hurt again. Maybe it's because I would feel like letting the kids at Safe Haven down. Especially Sam, I love that little boy so much... though I could just fly down and visit him twice a month. I don't know, I need to talk to Gideon about this. He has always the best advise.
The next day I haven't seen much of Christian, he talked alone with his parents for a long while. He has to go back to Escala tonight, because he has some important meetings the next day, but even when I told him it was okay, he insisted to drive to the airport with Gideon and I.
Gideon needs to go back to New York, too. Mia will stay some time here, her family needs her now and while he isn't happy about it, he understands it. To give Christian and me some privacy he walks towards the jet, while I stay behind with Christian.
"Call me once you arrived safely in New York." he says and pulls me into his arms.
"Thank you, Ana." he murmurs into my hair and kisses the top of my head. I just hold on to him. _Shit, why is it so hard to leave?_
He loosens his grip on me a little and cups my face in his hands. "Stay" he whispers and I know he is not talking about one more day, but staying here in Seattle with him for good.
"I can't... it's too soon. I'll call you once I'm back in New York. Bye" I get onto tiptoes and kiss him softly.
"Bye" he whispers against my lips and just looking at him, breaks my heart so I turn around and hurry over to the jet. I want to turn around and wave, but I can't, I'm already crying and I don't want him to see me like this. Instead I get into the jet and flop down into my seat, sobbing into my hands as I do.
"What the hell happened, Ana?" Gideon asks immediately and I try to compose myself.
"It's just I don't know what to do. I love him so much and I feel terrible for leaving him, because I know he needs me and I want to be with him, Gideon. But at the same time I can't just drop everything in New York and stay."
"Why?" is all he asks and I stare at him my tears forgotten.
"Look Ana, I am not saying that I am Grey's biggest fan, but that guy adores you. I'm not sure if I would give him a second chance, but this is your choice to make. What I know is that ever since you've visited him the last time you've been miserable in New York and I bet he wasn't any better. At one point one of you has to make the decision to move. And as much as I hate so say it, but this one is you Ana. If Grey moves his business to New York, he will be one of many, many sharks in fucking tiny pond. It is going to cost him big time, worst case he loses a big chunk of his company, because the competition is fucking stiff in his chosen field."
He gets up and pours himself a whisky at the bar. "Look, I am not saying that your work is any less important, because that is just not the truth, but you've brought the Crossroads Foundation to a whole new level, it would be hard for them to lose you, but I have no doubt that they'll manage. And of course, we live in a pretty fucked up world and sadly there are many, many children in Seattle who could use your help, just like they do in New York. And if this is about Ireland, me or your friends, don't worry, we want you happy Ana. If it is Grey who makes you happy, then don't leave. Work things out with him, be happy and keep supporting charities here on the west coast. And when ever you miss New York or want to visit Safe Haven you can be sure that there is a jet ready and waiting to fly you down as often as you like."
I stare at him for a moment and bury my face in my hands. _Oh what to do?_
"Ana it's simple, what do you want? Stay with Grey or fly home now, knowing that it will be weeks before you'll see him again?"
I take a deep breath and in this moment I have made my decision. I walk over to Gideon and hug him hard.
"I guess that means you are staying?" he asks and I nod.
"I'm sorry, but I miss him already and ... it just feels like my place here."
"Hey, no apologies, you love Grey, and as long as you are happy, everyone else is too. And now get your ass over to Grey before he leaves. But don't think that you don't have to come back to New York for a goodbye party."
"I know, and there is so much I have do before I can finalize my move. Believe me, New York has not seen the last of me." I giggle through my tears we hug again, before I leave the jet.
Christian is standing by the SUV and walks towards me when I come down the stairs.
When I reach him I jump into his arms and kiss him. "Ana... I ... what are you doing?"
"You asked me to stay... so I am staying." I tell him through my tears and his eyes widen.
"You are staying... but..., really?" he asks as he slowly comprehends what this means.
"Yes, I love you, Christian Grey. My home is where you are"...
_**Sorry to all of you who wanted Christian to move. For most parts of the story I wanted it to be him to move, but I just felt that in the end Ana moving back was what needed to be done. And for those of you who think that Ana forgave him to quickly... Christian is still going to do some things that will make Ana love him even more, so it doesn't mean that he won't still try to prove himself worthy of her...**_
24. Chapter 23
_**Ana**_
"Do you think we will ever leave your bed again?" I ask breathless when Christian rolls of me and pulls me in his arms. It's been two days and the only times we left his bed since then was to take a shower or him hurrying into the kitchen only to return within three minutes with a tray full of food, which we would devour in record time only to go at it again.
"Are you complaining?" he chuckles and I shake my head. "Me? Never! Though to be honest I am sore and at some point we need to leave your bedroom... you know I need to go back to New York to finalize my move and your family probably worries about you... not to mention that you have an empire to run." I remind him and he goes from blissfully happy to serious.
"About your move, Ana. Are you sure about this?"
"What do you mean?"
"Please Ana, you know what I mean. You've built yourself a life in New York; I saw how happy you are, maybe even happier than you have been here. You have friends, family, a job; you love the kids at Safe Haven. I just don't want you to resent me at some point for moving back to Seattle where you have to start all over again."
"Christian look, I won't deny that I love living in New York, I love my friends, I found a family there and working for the Crossroads Foundation and building Safe Haven is so much more than a job to me, but at the end of the day I also want to be in a happy relationship. I love you and you are here, so I had to make a decision and it is not like I won't ever see my friends or family again, I can always fly down and see them and I will still try to visit Safe Haven at least once a month."
"You know, I was thinking about moving the head quarters of GEH to New York." He says and I roll my eyes at him.
"Christian, do you honestly think that right now is the best time to move to a different coast? You have so much to work through with your family and moving the head quarters of GEH? You would probably work day and night for months to make that work and we wouldn't have the time to see each other even though you would live in the same city."
"We could spend the each summer in New York," he says and I frown.
"How would that work?"
"Well, I already have offices in New York, I could arrange my schedule so that say June to August each year I can work from there or at home. We could look for a nice vacation home and spend the summer in New York. This way you can spend time with your family and friends, we could watch Broadway shows, visit Safe Haven together on the weekends and invite your mother to come to New York too, so you can have time with her while we are there. We can make this work, Ana."
"Well, I wouldn't say no, if you can make this work." I murmur, but I know he can tell how excited I am over this.
"Good, and since we are already talking about our living situation and moving... I want to buy a new home for us. That is if you want to move in with me, of course."
"Nice save, Grey" I laugh and he smiles down at me. "I guess me finding my own place is pointless, because I am pretty sure that we will end up sleeping at the same place each night anyway, but I am glad that you are thinking about moving. That bitch dying in this building still gives me the chills and I was really tempted to take the stairs when we came here two days ago."
"So, you wouldn't mind if I would call a real estate agent to find something else for us?"
"No, but if it is possible, how about a place without elevators?" I say and he looks as if he is weighing something up in his mind.
"I was thinking about a house, maybe at the Sound. You want kids, so why not find the perfect family home now and enjoy it to ourselves for a while?"
Seeing the slightly panic looked in his eyes when he said the word kids, I sigh.
"Christian, do you want kids?"
He shifts, sits up and puts me in his lap. "I never thought about having children and to be very honest with you, I don't think that I am exactly daddy material. It scares me to think that one day I might have kids and I will do something to make them hate me or that something is going to happen to them because I couldn't keep them safe. But with that being said, the thought of having children is less scary knowing that you are going to be the mother of my children. Let's face it Miss Steele, you would have my ass if I would dare to be a shitty father," he adds to lighten the mood and I giggle.
"I guess I would, but you still have some time to get used to the idea of having children. I have a feeling our relationship is going to be a lot of work until we have figured it out, so no kids for at least a year or two."
"On that we can agree," he says and starts to nibble my earlobe.
"Again?" I ask amused and when he gives me the most sexy lopsided smirk, I get an idea. Turning in his lap to straddle him, I reach between us and start to stroke his cock.
I lean a bit forward and start whisper into his ear. "Do you have any idea how turned on I am just knowing that you have the constant urge to fuck me senseless? How wet I am right now just thinking about having your big dick inside me? I love feeling you deep inside me; love hearing you growl when I clench my tight, wet pussy around your big cock, almost as much as I love to suck you off..."
I squeal in surprise when Christian flips me onto the mattress and two seconds later, he is balls deep inside me.
"Tell me more!" He orders when he starts to thrust into me with long deep strokes.
I stare up into his blazing gray eyes and lick my lips, biting down on my bottom lip before I start to talk again.
"I love the sound of your heavy balls slapping against me while you are fucking me... oh fuck, that turns me on so much... Oh god... yes, fuck me hard... I love it when you let yourself go like that... but I don't want you to cum inside me... I want you to finish in my mouth... it turns me to have you in my mouth when your dick is dripping in my juices... "
"Fuck... Ana... shit..." he groans when I keep talking dirty to him until I am so close to my orgasm that I can't talk any longer.
Christian suddenly stops and moves us, so that I am on all fours above him and he buries his face in my pussy while I start to suck him off. Mmmmh, he taste yummy and while I am giving him deep throat, he is fucking me with his tongue until we both reach our climax.
A while later we are spooning on his bed and he softly kisses my shoulder.
"I had no idea that you have such a dirty mouth, Miss Steele." He says feigning to be shocked.
"Me neither, Mr. Grey, but it was fun." I giggle.
"You won't ever hear me saying anything else, baby. That's for sure." He murmurs as his hand slides over the curve of my ass.
"You have the most amazing ass, Ana. I can't wait to claim it, too."
"Well, if you have lube here, you can do it now." I answer teasingly, but frown when I feel him tense.
"What's wrong, Christian?" I ask and shift to look at his face.
"Have you done that with _him_?" He hisses and I sigh. _Here goes nothing..._
"Yes." I answer simply and the next second Christian is out of the bed, puts his jeans on and leaves the bedroom. I roll onto my belly and groan into the pillow. Looks like I was right when I told him earlier that our relationship is going to need a lot of work.
Because I don't want him to brood over this, I get up too and quickly put his white dress shirt on, that is still on the chair in the corner of his bedroom. Leaving the bedroom, I see Gail in the kitchen.
"Morning Gail, sorry that I didn't come out earlier to say hi."
"Don't worry, Ana. I am so happy for Mr. Grey and you."
"Thank you, Gail. Do you know where Christian is right now?"
"Yes, he went into his study just a minute ago."
"Thanks" I make my way to his study, knock, but don't wait for a reply and get in. Inside I find him sitting behind his desk with his head in his hands.
"Christian?"
He looks up and I can tell that he is pissed. "Look, I know that you hate the fact that I have been with someone else, but don't walk out on me like that."
"I hate that he touched you, hate that he has been inside you and most of all I hate that it is my fault. If I would have listened to Taylor from the start, you would still be mine, only mine."
"Does that mean you've never been mine to begin with?" I ask and sit on the edge of the desk.
"I'm all yours, Ana. You know that."
"Not according to what you just said, because if I am no longer yours, because I have been with another man, then you are not mine either. You've had 15 subs, the old bitch and who knows how many other women while you trained to become a Dom. And don't even try to make me believe that you didn't at least had some college girls give you head while you were in college, because I would call bullshit if you did."
"I can't help it, Ana, I am insanely jealous when it comes to you." he sighs and I walk around his desk and sit on his lap.
"I know and that is one of the things I love about you. And don't think that I am any better. Every time I came back to Seattle and saw a brunette driving a red Audi A3 I kept thinking she was your latest sub or that she had been your sub at one point and it drove me insane. I hate it how grown women turn into giggle schoolgirls when they see you, but we can't let that come between us."
I take his hand and place it over my heart. "This is yours, Christian Grey. No other man will ever have my heart. When I lived in New York, I met men who went out of their way to date me and none of them ever had a change, because the simple truth is that my heart belongs to you. I can't give something away that belonged to you right from the moment we first met. You don't have to be jealous of Arnaldo, it was just about the sex, it was never about love. Being with you is so very different, with you it is always about making love, even when we are trying to screw each other's brains out, with him it was about fucking. That's why it was so easy for both of us to just stop having sex. If you wouldn't want me anymore it would kill me; I know how it feels to lose you, I don't ever want to feel like that again."
Christian hugs me close to him and buries his face in my neck. "I'm so, so sorry, baby. I've been such an ass and I know I don't deserve you, but I love you so, so very much."
"And I love you. So, are we good, again?" I ask tentatively and he nods.
"Is there anything you would like to do today, baby?" He asks after a while.
"Not sure, it's still early, why don't you call your parents and ask them if they want to come over for lunch. You still have so much to talk about with them and I don't want you to put this off because of me. Your family needs you too, Christian."
"I know, I'll call them. What do you want to do later?" He asks and I stare at my hands.
"Hey, talk to me, baby." He says and gently lifts my chin.
"I... I haven't been to Montesano for a while now. You know, to visit Ray's grave. It... it's kind of hard for me to go there alone and..."
"I'll go with you. We can stay overnight if you like, I know you still own Ray's house and I would like to see where you grew up."
"Really? You don't have to if you don't want to."
"Baby, if you want to go to Montesano and visit your dad's grave then that's what we are going to do. I've only met him once, but could tell right then that he was a great guy and of course he helped to raise you, so I owe him, because he helped you to become the wonderful woman you are today."
"Thank you."
Around one pm Christian and I finally managed to get a shower, get dressed and leave his bedroom just in time for his parents to arrive. Of course, Mia already knew through Gideon that I am still in Seattle, so they were happy to see me, but not surprised.
After lunch, I give them some privacy to talk and go back to the bathroom to call Ireland. I have been avoiding to call her for the last two days, because I know if anyone is going to be really upset with me for moving back to Seattle, it is going to be her. She has become a sister to me and I just hope she can understand my reasons for moving back to Seattle.
I dial her number and she picks up after the third ring. "Hey stranger." She answers and I hear the pout in her voice.
"Hey Ireland, sorry that I didn't call you earlier."
"Why didn't you?"
"Well, Christian and I... didn't really leave the bed."
"Slut" she mutters, but I laugh.
"Yeah, but you know, as long as the guy is hot and the sex is mind blowing I don't mind if anyone thinks I am a slut."
"Don't make me laugh, I am mad at you."
"I know and I am sorry, Ireland. I just couldn't leave Christian, I love him, but that doesn't mean we are not going to see each other as often as possible. You and Gideon are my family; I'm not going to forget about you just because I am moving to Seattle."
"I know, Gideon told me that, too. I'm just going to miss you."
"You can visit me here whenever you like, Ireland. We can go clubbing or shopping or just hang out and have junk food all day."
"I would like that. And... umm... I guess it is good that you are in Seattle right now, because I have to confess something."
"Oh?"
"Remember the brown leather jacket you love so much, the one you bought in Paris?"
"Sure, what about it?"
"Well, I borrowed it yesterday and went to visit my friend Bella and umm... her cat peed on it." She explains in a rush and I roll my eyes. Every time she borrows some of my clothes, she manages to ruin them...
"It's okay, but since we are already talking about my clothes... Christian just ordered an entire new wardrobe for me, because I don't have anything here. So, I thought if you like you can go through my closet and pick what ever you like."
"Really? Oh my God, your shoes too, because I would kill to get your Manolo's."
"If you like them, keep them." And with that she is at least a little more happy and we talk until Christian strolls into his bedroom to tell me that we will leave in about thirty minutes.
Visiting my Dad's grave was hard. There is just so much more I wanted to tell him. And moments I wish he could have shared with me. But having Christian with me made it a lot easier.
"So, this is where you grew up?" Christian asks when Taylor pulls up at my childhood home.
"Yes, let's go inside. I have someone who stops by once a week to make sure everything is fine with the house. I haven't changed anything since... well you know."
We get out of the car and I take his hand before we go inside. I lead him into the living room and open the windows to let some fresh air in.
"Is that you?" He asks and points to one of the pictures over the fireplace. I, of course, blush.
"Yes, I had fallen of my bike a couple of days before, that's why I have the band aid on my chin.
"I had no idea that you need glasses." He murmurs as he looks at the pictures.
"I don't. When I was a kid, my best friend was a girl named Betsy Lloyd. She was a little chubby and had glasses. The other kids used to pick on her, so I convinced my Dad to buy me glasses. You know, so she wasn't the only girl in our class to wear glasses."
"Really, do you still talk to her?"
"No, the summer before high school she slimmed down and had a laser surgery for her eyes. She turned into a queen bee and I became one of her favorite victims to bully. Last I've heard of her is that she dropped out of college and has three kids from three different men."
"Serves her right," he mutters under his breath and I pick up my favorite picture. It shows my Mom, my Dad and me in the backyard. My mom is on the swing with me in her lap and my Dad is standing behind her, we are all smiling like crazy and I remember how happy we were back then.
"Did you like growing up here?"
"Yes, I loved it. From my room I could see the woods and as a child, I used to sit by my window and made up stories about the mystical creatures that lived in the woods. My Dad would take me hiking or play with me for hours in the backyard, while my Mom was trying to cook for us."
"Trying?"
"With my Mom it's always hit or miss when she cooks. Good thing the house has three bathrooms, because believe me, after some of her meals we really needed them." I giggle and he laughs.
"Is that why you can cook so well, to avoid her cooking?"
"Not really, after my parent's divorce when I moved back to Ray we would always eat out or heat things up in the microwave and I got sick of it. So, I taught myself how to cook, which definitely came in handy when I moved in with Kate. She can't cook at all, so I would do all the cooking. I like to cook it's relaxing. Whenever I came home to visit my Dad I would spend one day to cook as many meals as possible and freeze them for him, so he would eat something else than toast and take out all the time."
"What else did you like to do here?"
"I played in the woods, went to Lake Sylvia as long as the weather was good, during high school I worked as a waitress at the local diner. And each year around Halloween I would help my Dad to decorate the house until it looked like a haunted house. It was great, we would all dress up and all the kids in the neighborhood would come here to take a tour through the haunted house."
"Sounds like fun."
"It was, Halloween is my favorite day of the year. My mom is great with make up, one year I went as zombie cheerleader with lots of fake blood and brain dripping from my ear." I tell him and get the box with pictures from one of the shelves in the living room.
After looking at some pictures, I take him up to my childhood bedroom and watch him as he takes everything in.
"It's like I thought it would be, especially those." He says with a smile and points to all the books that are stacked up on one sight of the room next to my old desk.
"Reading was my escape. I was a nerd in school, didn't have friends and reading made me happy. Now I have you to make me happy." I say and get onto tiptoes to kiss him.
"That you have, Miss Steele and I will make it my life's mission to make you happy and keep you safe every day of my life."
"I know." I whisper against his lips and we kiss again...
End file.
| fanfiction |
2 + 1 dimensional gravity as an exactly soluble system [closed]
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In Gomez's article (Higher spin part 2) <http://arXiv.org/abs/1307.3200>, I face to gauge algebras. Gomez says we have some algebras for $ISO(2,1)$ and $SO(2,2)$, $SO(3,1)$.
and he tells us only $ISO(d-1,1)$ and only for $D=3$ is a good and it is relevant and equivalent to 3D Chern-Simons.
Please give me a reference for understand it.
Just a quick preliminary answer, I will fix it later.
The connection to general relativity is a change of variables in which the metric is replaced by a "spin connection" and a "frame field". These quantities can then be arranged in a new matrix, so the metric field has been rewritten as a different matrix-valued field, and the transformations (diffeomorphisms) allowed under the symmetry of general relativity (general covariance) map to gauge transformations of this new matrix-valued field. The commutation relations above, are for the group of these gauge transformations - J corresponds to translations, P to rotations and boosts. The actual group is different depending on whether we are in flat space, de Sitter space, or anti de Sitter space; the cosmological constant (which is respectively zero, positive, negative) shows up in the commutation relations as lambda. d=3 is special because only there is a gauge-invariant action for this rewrite of general relativity possible. ISO(2,1) is just the special case of lambda=0, flat space in 2+1 dimensions.
All this is scattered through section 2 of Witten's paper. Also see part 1.1 of [the sequel](http://arxiv.org/abs/0706.3359).
Thanks to T.S. for a discussion of this and related papers a few years ago.
| stackexchange/physics |
Symphony No. 2 in C major, Op. 140, was composed by Joachim Raff in Weimar in 1866. It is one of the three Raff symphonies that does not carry a descriptive title. It is dedicated to Ernest II, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. It was premiered in Weimar in 1867 and was published two years later in Mainz. A few years later the symphony received its second performance in the Leipzig Gewandhaus under Raff's baton. A typical performance lasts for about 37 minutes.
Instrumentation
The symphony is scored for piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets in B-flat, 2 bassoons, 4 horns in F, 2 trumpets in F, trombone, bass trombone, timpani and strings.
Structure
The symphony is structured in four movements:
Allegro
Andante con moto
Allegro vivace
Andante maestoso. Allegro con spirito
External links
Detailed description at raff.org
Symphony page on imslp.org
Raff Orchestral Works Vol 1 / by Jarvi Neeme recording and review, readings.com.au
Category:1866 compositions
Category:Symphonies by Joachim Raff
Raff 2 | wikipedia |
Phantom of the Opera 1. Chapter 1
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Author's Note:
Hey Everyone! I just started writing fanfiction after reading it for a year or two so bear with me. So this story is supposed to be a modern retelling of the movie version of Phantom with a few slight changes (like the fact that it is set nearly 100 years later!) and I am trying to make it funny but I am not sure how my humor will tanslate, so again please don't hate me. I'm pretty excited about this story, although the first chapter will be a lttle short because I need to get it started but I don't want to give everything away at the beginning. I guess that's pretty much it! PLEASE REVIEW... I may have just started writing but I know that reviews are good!! Thank You
**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything except the plot, and most of that is from the movie/books anyway!
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One: Fred
Christine Daae walked the ten feet of hallway that separated the elevator from her apartment door. Although it was only a few steps until she was inside where she could lie down and rest, Christine was considering just sitting in the hallway to rest for an hour or two, maybe a day… a week if necessary. After all why walk ten steps when there was a nice comfy floor to lay down on right here? _Comfy floor... yeah okay_, thought Christine as she pulled herself out of that fantasy and trudged along. Her feet were extremely sore from the practice she and the rest of the New York City Ballet Company had been through that day. A year of working with the company so far and she still felt dead at the end of a practice.
After what seemed like an eternity, Christine reached the door and let herself into the front hall of her New York apartment. She stumbled into the room and allowed her eyes to adjust to the bright light from her home. Once her eyes had adjusted she shuffled her way through the various rooms, passing the entertainment room, the kitchen, and the dining room before reaching her bedroom_. Okay, _she thought, _you made it. Now all you have to do is feed Fred and get into bed. _She looked over at the fishbowl that sat atop her bureau and noticed that her goldfish of two days, Fredrick Henry (otherwise known as Fred), was still alive. Keeping a goldfish alive would be an easy task for any normal person, however Christine seemed to have difficulties in that department. Usually her fishy friends would last two weeks at the most, however, Christine never lost hope. _Besides,_ she thought, _I get lonely here all alone, and Fred is nice to have around. Granted he isn't the greatest conversationalist but he's better than nothing. _
After giving Fred his food and changing out of her ballet garg, Christine crawled into bed and pulled the covers over her head. Despite her physical fatigue, Christine was mentally alert and doubted that she would be able to fall asleep soon. Her mind tried to replay the news that had been given by the director of the ballet company, Sheryl, at the end of practice. Christine had been in such a rush to get home to her warm bed that she only heard what was being said and had not really processed the information. _That was definitely one of your better ideas Christine, _she mentally chided herself, _I mean afterall, she is only your boss, no need to listen to annoncements she makes! Stupid Stupid Stupid. Well you got yourself into this, now think and remember what the heck she said!_ Hmmm. _Well there was something about our plans for the next couple of weeks... **great start genius now what else?! **Did she say something about snow? **In the middle of July? I don't think so, try again. **Oh! Show, it was about a show! _
Slowly Christine's mind tried to put together the fragments she had heard and what she remembered now. However, all she could sumise was that the ballet company was going to be in a show soon, which was obvious since that was their job, in fact during her first and only year so far they had performed in 3 other shows. _It must have been a different kind of show otherwise why mention it? Oh well, I guess I will just ask Meg tomorrow when we meet for lunch. _
The mental battle with herself left Christine tired and drained of any more thought. With quieting breaths she quickly fell asleep.
2. Chapter 2
**Author's Note:** I'm sorry the last chapter was so short! I went back and edited a few things to make it a little longer but that is all I can do for that chapter. Also, I know the chapters aren't very funny yet, I'm trying, but there is a lot of serious things that I have to talk about so this isn't easy. I'm trying! Honest!
**BY THE WAY! I know that this chapter only had a disclaimer up before, sorry about that! I am still trying to figure out everything, but I think I have it now! Sorry again!**
**Disclaimer: **This is the last time I am putting this on because it is redundant, but I do not own any characters. I only own the plot or at least the plot that you do not recognize from the original works.
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Two: Wake Up Call
Christine woke up either one of two ways every morning. The first way was that she would hear her alarm go off, and groggily pull herself out of bed in a bad mood, with her hair looking like a bomb went off (and yes her hair always looked like a bomb went off, it was just the way it was in the morning). The second way was that she would rise on her own time (having not heard the alarm when it went off earlier), in a very good mood. Of course, on days when she woke up the second way, the fact that she was now late (possibly by hours) for whatever it was she needed to do, was always sure to put her in a bad mood. It was safe to say that Christine was never in a good mood in the mornings.
This particular morning, Christine woke up the second way. Rising slowly in the bed while stretching her arms, Christine casually looked around the room and subconsciously took account of everything. _Fred still alive, check. Phone charging on table, check_. _Desk, bureau, bookcase, check, check, check. _She then glanced at the mirror that hung across the room from her bed. Christine had never thought of her appearance the way others did. People had called her stunning, beautiful, gorgeous, but she either didn't believe them or didn't want to hear it. She didn't believe the boys in school who had called her beautiful in the hopes of getting her to date them. She didn't want to hear her friends tell her how stunning she was, because to her it meant nothing.
Now staring in the mirror she thought about what people saw when they looked at her. Curly chestnut colored hair that reached the middle of her back, blue eyes, a small nose with a couple of freckles. There was nothing really remarkable to look at she thought. Her eyes traveled down further to her body. Normal sized chest , tiny waist, long legs that were toned from dancing. If you were to ask Christine she would tell you that she was a pretty ordinary looking girl.
Her mind wandered to her plans for the day as she stepped out of bed and headed towards the shower. _Well, I have off from work for the rest of the week so I don't have to worry about that... what was it that I had to do, I know there was something. _She glanced at the clock on her bathroom wall wondering what time it was. _11:30... I slept pretty late, must have been more tired than I thought. Maybe I shouldn't have stayed up so late trying to remember what Sheryl said. I have to remember to call Meg and..._ Christine's eyes grew wide as she remembered her lunch plans with Meg. _Dammit Christine, now you have 15 minutes to get ready and drive all the way across town!!_ Sure enough, Christine was now in a horrible mood as she took a quick shower, ripped a comb through her still knotty hair, pulled on a pair of pants and a t-shirt from the ballet company, and ran out the door. She called the elevator to her floor and stood there pressing the button 3 or 4 times more, hoping to make the thing move faster. _Come on you stupid piece of metal! _Finally the elevator doors swung open and Christine practically sprinted in and began pressing the first floor button 20 times.
Two minutes later Christine ran through the front doors of the apartment building and routed out a cab to hail. The one positive thing she had to say about her looks was that she never had much trouble getting a cab with them. Within 20 seconds a sketchy looking driver was pulling up next to her with screeching breaks and a big toothy grin.
"How's ya doin miss? Where can I take ya?"He asked with a suggestive movement of his eyebrows. _Charming, _thought Christine.
"I need to get to the little cafe at the corner of 7th and Broadway if you don't mind. And please hurry I'm running really late!" Said Christine as she slid into the back seat.
"Sure thing miss, there ain't much traffic today anyways 'cause of the big football game on in an hour."The driver replied. _Well at least something is going right, _thought Christine.
_That's funny, I forgot today was football Sunday, I haven't watched football in years! _The big football fan in the family had been her father, and even though Christine had always enjoyed watching the games with him, that tradition had died around the same time he had. The thought alone was enough to choke Christine and she hastily pushed the thought from her mind.
The truth was, Christine avoided thinking about her father whenever possible. He had been a large part of her life, and when he died several years before from a terminal illness Christine couldn't even pronounce, she knew that a piece of her had died as well. She became an orphan the day he died. Her mother had died when she was 7 months old in a fatal car crash. Her death was what had brought Christine so close to her father because her father tried to make up for Christine not having both parents. He wasn't the best shopping partner, Christine often thought, but he was perfect at everything else. He had been a violinist in a very well known orchestra, and he had taught Christine to appreciate music at a young age. She turned out to be a natural, and learned everything from piano, to violin, and even some guitar. What she really excelled at though, was singing.
Christine had always planned with her father that she would study vocals in college and someday have a profession in singing, but when her father died, she found it too painful to continue training without him. Instead she continued ballet practice which she had been taking for years with Meg, and succeeded due to her natural talent. At the time it just seemed easier to have a career in ballet. Luckily for her Meg had always been very serious about ballet, and they ended up working together for the same ballet company. Christine felt that without Meg, she would never have made it through the time after her father's death, and would not even have had the job she had today without her. _Where exactly am I today though? _thought Christine. _It's not like it's my dream to be a ballerina, and I haven't exactly gotten over my father's death. _She hoped that in time the sadness she felt when she thought of her father would go away and in its place would be happy memories. For now though, she knew it was too soon.
Christine was pulled out of her reverie as the cab approached a very quaint outdoor cafe with a very angry blond standing on the sidewalk. _Uh oh, _thought Christine as she saw the look on Meg's face. She suddenly had a mental picture of Meg attacking her with very sharp claws. She shook her head to get rid of the image, but the look on Meg's face didn't go away.
"Do you know how long I have been standing here waiting?!"asked Meg in a voice that Christine had come to know as the "don't mess with me" voice. Christine didn't want to get caught checking her watch because she knew better than to do that in front of Meg, but she also didn't want to try to guess because Meg would probably think she was joking around. Instead she took the cowards' approach.
"Um... look Meg I must have slept through my alarm and so I got a late start and the cab driver was giving me strange looks and I uh... I'm sorry?"Christine's rambling was clearly not working because it seemed as if Meg had gotten taller as she was now towering over Christine, still angry. _Think Christine, before she hurts you! "__Uh... _I'll pay for lunch!"_No stupid! Think of something else, your already broke! Oh crap it's too late, she's smiling! RUN FOR IT! _Before she could take a step backwards Meg was pulling her into the cafe to order and thanking her for being so _generous_.
After ordering their lunches and finding a table outside in the sun to wait for their food to come, Christine and Meg started chatting about little things. "My mother called yesterday and told me to remind you to come for Labor Day Weekend," said Meg.
"I'd love to go, I haven't seen your mom in a while," replied Christine, "but what's going on that weekend?"
Meg's mother had always been like a mother to Christine, even more so after her father's death. She was now expected to come to every holiday and family party and was treated as if she were Meg's sister. Christine felt like she owed a lot to the Giry family, a debt which she could never repay, and knew she wasn't expected to.
"Nothing special, but my mom knows we have off from work that weekend and she wants to take advantage of it,"replied Meg.
"Okay, that should be fun**,"** said Christine. "Speaking of work, I meant to ask you, did you hear what Sheryl was talking about yesterday at the end of practice? I kind of missed it."
Meg gave her a funny look, and replied, "I was wondering why you weren't more excited today, considering this is right up your alley."
"What do you mean?" asked Christine.
"Well Sheryl was saying that the next performance we do isn't going to be our own, but we are going to be working with the New York Opera House. They apparently are putting on a show with a lot of ballet parts, so we are all going to have a part in it," responded Meg. "Our company works with the Opera House sometimes for shows like this when the Opera needs ballerinas, but they haven't needed us for a few years now."
Christine's mouth had been hanging open since Meg had said the four magic words... New York Opera House. Christine couldn't believe it, she was going to actually be in an opera, or at least in a show in the opera house. Meg was right, this was what she had always wanted, but she suddenly felt sad thinking of her father and the connection she had with him and singing. She suddenly felt like she was going to be sick. How could she work in the Opera House for months and be so close to the life she had always wanted but not be able to do what she really wanted; to sing. She knew this would be hard, after all she had such mixed emotions about it now and they hadn't even started yet! Somehow though she knew she had to do this, if not because she needed to keep her job, then because she needed to somehow get over this complex she had. She would get through this, she just didn't know how.
After eating their lunch and sitting back and enjoying the sun for an hour or two, Christine and Meg hailed a cab back to Christine's apartment where they spent the day watching movies and hanging out with one another, something it seemed they never had time for anymore. When Meg left the apartment and Christine was cleaning up, she thought again about the show they would be performing with the Opera House. She had been thinking about it all day in fact, in between movies and popcorn, even during the movie! She couldn't stop thinking about it. She had decided that she was going to deal with whatever sadness she felt from working with the Opera House, after all, her father wanted this life for her. He would be happy! Maybe that was why this was so hard. _Well your just going to have to suck it up Christine, unless you want to get fired which would be completely illogical anyway because you know you want to do this, _Christine chided herself. _Honestly,_ she thought, _you can be such a baby sometimes!_ She was starting to have a good feeling about the show. Somehow she knew that this would be good for her.
3. Chapter 3
**Author's Note: **Thanks for the reviews on the last few chapters! They have been helpful in fixing my story which I stil feel is off to a bit of a rocky start, but I think this chapter should have it going.
**By the Way: **This chapter is going to be from the perspective of Erik! YAY he's finally in the story! I just want to make sure you understand it is his point of view, otherwise you will think Christine has had a sex change operation of something and let's face it that would not be a pretty sight to behold.
This chapter isn't quite finished yet, but my mom just had a baby and I am needed so I will have to finish in a little while...in case anyone happens to read this...there's more! promise
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Three: Erik
Erik Destler's eyes scanned the stage in the theatre on Monday morning right before practice. The ballet company that would be appearing in the Opera House's new show had just arrived, although Erik had overheard a blond girl from the ballet complain that "Christine was late again!"
Erik hated when people were late, but being late for the first day of practice for a new show was unheard of! This Christine girl was probably some stuck up princess who thought she could make an appearance whenever she wanted to! Erik groaned inwardly at the thought of the annoying ballet girls he would have to deal with for the next couple of months. Already they had proved themselves to be one large pain in the butt, and Erik was not thinking about the Christine girl alone. That morning within 20 minutes of the ballet's arrival, Erik had been faced with three giggling girls attempting to flirt with him! _Ironic, _he thought, _they wouldn't be flirting with me if they saw my real face._
The face most people saw when they looked at Erik was not actually real. He had been born with a distortion that left half of his face marred, bumpy, red, and just generally unpleasant to look at. The countless "reparative" surgeries he had been forced to have as a child hadn't done much to help either, and in fact, had left his face even more uneven and blotchy than before. Through his teenage years he went around witha white porcelain mask that he realized only helped to scare people, not distract them from his deformity. He eventually came up with the idea of a mask that was the same exact color of his skin, and he had built it to form to his face in a way that matched the good looking side of his face to make him look completely normal. That's not to say that the mask was perfect. You could still see the line of it near Erik's hairline, and in pure sunlight, you could clearly see the color differences between the mask and his face, but the effect indoors was rather realistic.
It was because of this mask that Erik generally tried to stay away from people, and therefore was considered not very social in the Opera House. Unfortunately for him, most woman he met immediately took it upon themselves to flirt their brains out with him, _if they even had any brains to begin with, _Erik mused. He disliked the shallow woman that talked to him, because it showed they were easily deceived by appearances, and Erik's appearance was definitely deceiving. Erik wanted to find a woman that would accept his deformity and still love him and want to be with him.
_Hmm, well you might have to lower your standards a bit buddy, considering you haven't found a girl like that yet. Erik 0, mask 1._
Erik was pulled from his thoughts by the unmistakable sound of running coming from the aisle and heading towards the stage. _Ah, this must be the elusive Christine, _he thought turning around. The sight he saw was enough to make him forget his anger, his annoyance, hell he even forgot his name.
Joining the group of ballerina's on the stage and panting slightly from her recent sprint down the aisle, was the most beautiful person Erik had ever seen before. She seemed to be slightly above average height, maybe at 5 foot 7, but she had a very small waist. Her legs were long and graceful and Erik couldn't help but think how beautiful she must be when she danced. He looked up to take in her face again. It was so beautiful, almost like an angel's, and covered by a mass a chestnut curls that seemed to have a life of their own, yet in a way, they came together to form something gorgeous. The features on her face were breathtaking too Erik thought! Her eyes were large and filled with the lightest blue Erik could imagine. Her nose was very tiny and seemed to have a few characteristic freckles on it which Erik thought looked very endearing. Her mouth was a naturally stained berry color and seemed to turn upwards slightly giving the appearance of a smile even when she wasn't. Lastly, Erik's eyes grazed over her skin and he had the sudden, uncontrollable urge to touch it. It looked so soft and seemed as if she were draped in silk.
_Oh boy, I'm in trouble, _thought Erik. He was going to have a hard time working withsomeone that stunning, he could already tell. Just looking at her he felt his feet stick to the floor, his tongue stuck to the rook of his mouth, his hands broke out in a sweat and he felt like he needed a glass of water! How was he going to perform? He was the lead male part in the show and he was going to have to perform with her?! _Definitely not good! _he thought.
Erik was musing over his predicament when he noticed the director of the Opera's shows coming down the aisle heading towards the ballerina's who were lounging on the stage. _All except Christine, _Erik noticed. Christine was in fact not lounging around but instead was stretching out her limbs while she sat next to the chatty blonde who had complained of her absence earlier; Meg. _I suppose they are friends, _Erik thought. Erik watched the director (whose name was Paul) approach the stage and clear his throat to gain the attention of the ballet.
_He's probably going to tell them about the show now, _Erik realized. He had heard that the ballet had yet to know what the show was going to be and he had come down to the theatre early for the very purpose of examining his new co-workers and seeing their reaction when they found out what the show was. Erik had heard what show would be performed about a week ago when he heard that he would be playing the lead. They wouldn't be performing an opera this season which was a little bizarre, but instead they would be putting on a show in honor of its 25th year anniversary on-stage. Erik thought it was extremely ironic that he was being asked to play the main character in this particular show, but he was also very excited about playing the character because he knew he could take the part far.
Erik focused his attention back on Paul who had been starting an introduction of himself and of the values of the Opera House, subtly hinting that he would not put up with any nonsense. Eventually his speech winded down and he said the words the ballet seemed to have been waiting for all morning.
"I would now like to tell you the name of the show we will all be working on. Although this is not in typical Opera style, we will be performing the play The Phantom of the Opera to celebrate its 25th anniversary on-stage!
Erik looked to Christine's face again as soon as Paul said the words "The Phantom of the Opera". For some reason, Erik was extremely interested in what her reaction would be. Deep down, he wanted her to be excited, he wanted her to appreciate the play and to have some interest in it like he did. What he really wanted was for them to have something in common. As he watched he saw Christine's face light up at the words. She seemed to be grinning now and was genuinely excited he could tell. Perhaps they did have something in common.
The members of the ballet were all talking amongst themselvesexcitedly. They all seemed to know the play and generally seemed pleased at the idea of performing in it. To start the day off Paul decided to have the ballerina's do a small dance on-stage so that he could determine who would get the bigger parts and who would dance in the background, both of which were important to the show. He asked them to perform a dance number that had been in the last ballet they had performed, and he quickly had the pianist sit down at the piano to play the required score.
Erik's eyes didn't leave Christine's figure as she took her place towards the front of the group and waited for her cue. _At least the ballet directors have good sense to put the most beautiful girl up front where the whole world can enjoy her, _thought Erik. He tried to sit back in his seat to enjoy the little show, but he was so excited to see his Christine dance that he found himself on the edge of the seat gripping onto the railing in front of him waiting for the dance to start. He thought that the pianist was playing to slowly, which in turn was preventing the dance from ever beginning, and Erik was close to jumping down there and playing the song himself, when suddenly they started.
If Erik had thought that Christine was beautiful before, than he thought she was absolutely perfect now. She was easily the best dancer on the stage, even next to her blond friend who was definitely good as well. Christine however shone through the group and Erik was mesmerized as he watched her body move so gracefully as if she were a piece of ribbon floating every which way. The dance ended and Erik noticed his mouth was hanging open slightly and that he was beginning to drool slightly at the corner_. You are disgusting_! he thought_. What next, are you going to run up to her begging her to rub you belly and play fetch you dog_?! **You know, having her rub your belly doesn't sound like such a bad idea, **Erik thought, perking up at the mental image of it. _Oh, shut up! _
4. Chapter 4
**Author's Note: **Once again thanks to anyone who is reading this. On a side note, I have been updating this as often as I can so there should generally be new stuff to read.
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Four: Stalker?
The ballet was dismissed shortly after their "audition" for the rest of the day, and Erik watched with something of a heavy heart as Christine gathered her things together and prepared to leave. For some reason, even though he was sure to see her tomorrow at the next practice, Erik couldn't let Christine leave him this soon after finding her. He wanted to watch her a little more, learn more about her. There was something that drawed him to her and he couldn't pull back.
Erik quickly left his hiding place from the shadows in the back of the theatre and searched for the director who had left to find the ticket sales manager 10 minutes before. Thinking quickly Erik tried to develop an excuse that would allow him to leave. He didn't know what he was going to do but he wanted to keep Christine in his sight just a little longer.
Erik found Paul in the front lobby ready to walk to his office, and he quickly approached him. "Hey Paul, I needed to ask you something," Erik said, praying that this would work.
"Sure Erik, what's on your mind?" Paul asked, geniuely interested. Erik was one of his main stars in nearly every production, and even though he tended to show his strong temper every now and then, Erik was generally a really great guy to work with, and Paul admired him a lot.
"Well, it's nothing serious, but something has come up and I would really appreciate it if I could leave to go take care of things," Erik tried to explain.
"Uh... yeah sure Erik. You probably already have the music mostly memorized anyway, so I'm not even worried about you. You can take off, I hope things work out!" replied Paul. He knew that Erik wouldn't ask for time off unless there really was something he needed to do, besides what he said was true, Erik probably did have all the music memorized. He was just very dedicated that way.
"Thanks a lot Paul, I really do appreciate this!" Erik gushed. He felt slightly guilty about leaving before his practice had even begun, but he felt excited about the prospect of seeing Christine more.
_You don't even know her and now you are going to...wait what exactly is it that you are planning on doing? You can't just approach her and start gushing! Think of how creepy that would be! She has no idea who you are! Besides you would probably start drooling in front of her and then she would just be grossed out!_
Erik's mental battle with himself was cut short as he noticed movement coming from the door that led to and from the theatre room. For some reason his first instinct was to hide behind the pillar that stood near him, making him feel even more guilty about the whole thing.
_I can't believe your hiding you idiot! Now this is ridiculous! What do you expect to happen between the two of you if you jump behind the nearest, largest object whenever she walks into a room? **I don't expect anything to happen, I just want to watch her a little.** This has got to be, without a doubt, the creepiest thing you have ever done!_
Christine was walking out the front door of the Opera House and Erik scrambled from his hiding place to catch up, while still maintaining a decent distance from her.
_Well, you took off from work to follow her around, you might as well do it before you lose your chance and make this whole exercise pointless. _Erik thought to himself as he watched Chrisine hail a cab.
It didn't surprise Erik one bit when he saw a cab driver pull up near Christine, only seconds after she raised her arm to call for one. _If I were a cab driver, I would definitely stop for her in a second, _he mused. Deciding it was now or never, Erik hailed a cab as well, making up his mind that he would follow her. However, hailing a cab was a slightly more difficult task for Erik considering he was a man and most cab drivers in the vicinity were preoccupied with the departing ballerinas that were exiting the Opera House. Scared of losing sight of Christine's cab, which was paused at the street light ahead, Erik pushed his way through a crowd, and nearly threw himself into a cab that had not even stopped moving yet.
"Jesus buddy, what d'ya think yer doin there?" exclaimed the very angry cab driver as Erik jumped in.
"I need you to follow that car up there," Erik nearly growled, pointing directly at the car Christine was in so that there was no confusion on which cab should be followed.
"Yer serious? You want me to follow a car? What is this, are ya in a mob or something? Ya got to be joking, or crazy, or both!" exclaimed the driver.
"Look the person in that car has grabbed something of mine by accident and I have something of their's," Erik quickly lied. _You know, you are getting far too good at this, _he thought. "I don't want to lose sight of their cab because I don't know where they live or where they are going, so put your foot on the gas and move it! Erik nearly shouted when he reached the last part of his rant/lie.
"Alright, alright, I'm going!" replied the cab driver, who was seriously wondering to himself why he didn't refuse to drive the threatening man. It was clearly in his right's to refuse to drive the man anywhere, much less on a car chase to God only knows where! For some reason though, he could sense that there was more to it than to just retrieve some belonging as the man had claimed was the purpose. That reason was what gave him the initiative to put his foot on the gas pedal as was demanded of him, and he took off down the street in pursuit of a cab.
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Ten minutes later on the west end of town, Erik saw Christine's cab slow down to a stop in front of what appeared to be an apartment building. _Well. you've done it Erik, you followed Christine, found out where she lived, and made yourself a stalker all within ten minutes. You should get a badge, but I'm afriad the boy scouts don't have Stalker badges. _
Erik thanked the cab driver profusely and gave him an extra tip for complying to his ridiculous demand. He knew the driver was going to want to see him talk to the person they just chased to see if his story was true about switching items, but Erik didn't care. He saw Christine enter the building 100 feet from where he was standing, and he followed. He had an idea mapped out in his head of what he would do, and he knew that under no circumstances should Christine see him.
He saw her get into the elevator and smiled as he noticed that above the elevator was a little display with the floor numbers that would light up when the elevator reached a certain floor. The first phase in his plan was going well. He pressed the call button, hoping the elevator would come down after dropping Christine off on her floor. By doing this he would see the last floor that the elevator stopped at before coming down to his floor, which would be where Christine was.
When the little 10 lighted up above the elevator, and then started to come down to floors 9, 8, and so on, Erik knew where Christine was. He ran out the doors of the apartment complex, no longer caring about the elevator, and looked onto the side of the building where he hoped there would be fire escapes. He was in luck, and without a second thought he reached up and climbed onto the first floor landing. He then climbed the stairs of the fire escape until he reached what he was sure had to be floor 10. The apartment building was narrow which meant that only one or two apartments could be on each floor, and Erik prayed that these windows were Christine's. He knew that she would already be in her home if this was truly it, so he peered in and waited to see her.
He noticed while looking in the windows, that the apartment was very nice. It wasn't designed to be trendy of show-offy which Erik liked, but it gave off a feeling of comfort and beauty. The room was a light blue color (_the same color as her eyes! _he thought) and there were a few dark brown couches that contrasted nicely. In addition, the room seemed to give off a very feminine feeling even though the furniture was simple and non-descript. There were many paintings on the walls that Erik did not recognize, and after noticing an easel sitting in a corner, Erik was delighted to realize that Christine must have painted a few of them herself. _Beautiful, talented dancer, and now talented artist! She just keeps getting better! Meanwhile, your sitting outside on a fire escape looking through windows you hope are hers, and spying on her, when you haven't even had a conversation yet! Does anything about this seem wrong to you, because I guaruntee that the New York Police Department would find quite a few things wrong!!_
Erik's thoughts were cut off as he noticed movement coming from what seemed to be the hallway, and as he gazed in that direction he felt his stomach leap into his mouth. _Christine!_ Sure enough, Christine was walking gracefully into the room Erik was calling the entertainment room. Erik was so excited that he had been successful in his quest that he almost didn't notice her attire, that is until she started to move from one foot to another in a little dance that she seemed to not even notice she was doing across the floor. Erik's eyes grew wide as he realized she was wearing only underwear! Well not exactly underwear, it was more like boy short panties and a tank top with a cute little teddy bear on the front, but none the less, Erik could feel himself getting warmer in the already warm July night.
She looked amazing, and Erik couldn't help the urge he suddenly had to go in and grab her, but he knew that he would most likely be arrested if he gave in.
Instead, Erik continued to watch as she made a small dinner for herself and sat on the couch to watch a movie. He noticed what movie it was immediately and gave a little grin. _So she is a Phantom of the Opera fan afterall, _he thought as the movie showed the opening scene in the abandoned Opera House.
He watched her become immersed in the film and smiled when he saw her mouthing the words to the songs. She could have been singing them, but Erik couldn't hear from behind the window. A thought popped into Erik's head as he watched, and he was amused as he noticed that Christine shared a name with the main character of the movie. He thought further on to remember the irony he felt when he was chosen to play the Phantom in the production the Opera House would be putting on. _So you both identify with the main characters, so what? It's not as if this is a sign and she will fall in love with you! Besides in the movie she leaves the Phantom for pretty boy, so wipe that grin off your face!_
Erik became a little sad after thinking that, and with one last glance at Christine who was still wide awake, caught up in the movie she clearly loved, he climbed down the fire escape and hailed a cab to drive him home. _Are you satisfied now? You've seen her in her underwear and you watched her from a window. Can't you just forget about all of this and drop it? After all, you can't continue to do this, it's just plain creepy! _Erik thought on the way back home. Despite his mixed feelings about the whole situation, and his digust with himself, Erik still could hardly wait for practice tomorrow.
5. Chapter 5
**Author's Note: **Thank you so much to everyone who is reading this! I really enjoy hearing some of the things you guys say about the characters and such because when I'm writing about them they seem so different than when I re-read the chapter! I'm posting as quickly as I can and I hope no one loses interest! Erik and Christine will meet face to face very soon!
**By The Way: **This chapter will be split between Erik and Christine's point of view, just because you need to hear some things from Christine, but in order for the chapter to have any sustenance I need to put Erik in as well! Just a head's up. Christine will be first.
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Five:
On the first day of rehersal in the Opera House, Christine woke up the second way, the way in which she ignores her alarm and then wakes up late and in a scramble. While she was packing her ballet shoes and throwing a sweater into her bag, she thought about the situation for what she promised herself to be the last time.
She had come to the conclusion the night before, on her last night off, that she was okay with working in the Opera House. What good was it to her, or her father's memory, for her to throw away her dreams? It was too late now to become a singer, and somehow she was okay with that, it made the whole transition easier. But one thing was certain, and that was that she would try her best to be an excellent dancer and a necessary part of the Opera's production. Whatever that was.
Her thoughts were then turned to the mysterious show that would be produced. She had been dying all weekend to find out what the show would be, and had in fact resorted to calling Sheryl once or twice to casually ask if she had heard any news. Sheryl had been told what the show was on Sunday, but she would not tell any of the ballet members because she wanted them all to be surprised.
Christine liked surprises when they took her by surprise, but she hated when she knew there was a secret but wasn't allowed to know what it was. This was one of those times, and she had been eagerly looking forward to Monday when she would finally find out. _Of course you just had to be late today didn't you? Of all days, why oh why did it have to be today?! Now they won't even want you in the show! Everyone at the Opera House will think you are some spoiled diva who thinks she can waltz right in and run the show! And your only in the ballet!! No one cares what you think, your just there to dance. _Christine thought frantically to herself as she quickly fed Fred and ran out the door and down to the street.
After hailing a cab and making it to the Opera House 20 minutes late, Christine ran through the front doors and sprinted to the doors where she was pretty sure the theatre was. Normally she would have been a little nervous and shy walking down towards the stage on her first day working with new people, but today she was a madwoman, with an intent to make it to the group of ballerinas in as little time as possible. Her solution to this was to sprint down the aisle and practically fling herself onto the stage. She sat down next to Meg as gracefully as she could after that in an attempt to prove that she wasn't a basketcase to the whole ballet who were all staring at her.
"Where were you, we all arrived 20 minutes ago!" whispered Meg as Christine began to tie up her ballet shoes. Christine knew this particular question was coming as soon as she got to the Opera House.
"I overslept again! It's becoming a real problem now that I have to get to the other side of town for practice here, but for some reason my alarm won't wake me up anymore, it's like it's not loud enough which is crazy because I'm a light sleeper! I don't know what to do! Christine whispered back to Meg.
Christine noticed a man coming down the aisle towards the stage. She realized that the Opera House was running late today too, seeing as nothing had been done yet. That was good at least.
"I think I have an idea to fix your problem," Meg quickly whispered as the man got closer and started to clear his throat for attention. "I'll tell you when this is all over, before you leave."
Christine nodded a quick "Ok" and turned her attention onto the man who had begun to introduce himself as Paul, the director of the show. Christine would have been paying close attention to his speech to listen for the name of the show, however for five minutes he only talked about the respect and consideration he expected to be shown throughout the practices for the next few months.
She finally snapped into attention as she heard him say, "I would now like to tell you the name of the show we will be performing. Although it is not in typical opera style, we will be performing The Phantom of the Opera, to celebrate its 25 anniversary on-stage!"
Christine could swear she was about to faint. The Phantom of the Opera! Her favorite broadway play and musical since she was 5 years old. She had always felt badly for the Phantom, and despite the kindness of the character Roaul, had always wanted the main character Christine to end up with the Phantom. More to the point though, ever since she had seen its performance on broadway, she had wanted to be in it. Now her dream was coming true, although not in the way she originally pictured it; as a singer.
She immediately wondered who would be playing the Phantom, but this was not mentioned by Paul. In her mind, the person playing the part of the Phantom had to be a number of things. Talented of course, but mysterious, passionate, devoted, not to mention sexy. She felt that a good Phantom was always sexy. _It's not like your opinion of a good Phantom really matters, _she logically thought to herself. _They don't care if a ballerina thinks the actor for the Phantom role is good or not, and they definitely don't care if you think he is sexy or not!_
Christine was pulled back to attention by the ballet director Sheryl telling them to get into position to perform a small number from the last ballet they had put on. This little show was going to serve as an audition of sorts so that ballerinas could be chosen for the different roles. She was excited all of a sudden. For the particular dance they were performing, she was in the front center, sort of like a solo part, and she was glad that she could show it off here, where she felt it really counted. She had, after all, promised herself to do her best, and that meant getting a good part.
The music started coming from a piano that Christine noticed was on the far right of the stage. The song was a little slow to begin with, but the pianist was dragging out certain parts unnecessarily. Finally the cue came and Christine leaped and jumped around the stage. When they had finished she was slightly out of breath, as she always was after a performance, but she was proud because she knew she had done very well. She knew that Paul and other various Opera House employees were watching her to judge her performance, but for some reason she couldn't escape the feeling that someone else was watching as well.
When the ballet was eventually dismissed, Meg approached Christine and told her the idea she had to help wake Christine up. She took Christine's cell phone out of Christine's bag and pressed the record button. After silently clearing her throat, she yelled into the phone "**_Christine Dubrow if you don't wake up this second, I will come in there and get you! GET UP!" _**"There you go," she said handing Christine her phone when she had finished. "Just set that as your alarm on full volume and you will wake up every time"
Christine took her phone and smiled widely at her crazy blond friend. "I have to go, I'm exhausted," Christine told Meg. She hadn't realized how long practice had been, but it was now 7:00 at night! She decided that going home, having some dinner, and watching the movie, The Phantom of the Opera, was exactly what she needed right now. She went home happier than she had been in weeks.
* * *
**Author's Note: **So your not confused, this is Erik's point of view
Erik had gone to practice early Tuesday morning. He felt like he had to make up for leaving early the day before, but also, he usually liked to come early so that he could spend some time in the theatre without anyone around. He loved the theatre, he lived for music and the arts, but he did sometimes regret that his passion of performing came with a price. His coworkers. He did not dislike people in general, but it was a well known fact that people in the music industry sometimes had big heads, and the woman who played the lead female parts in most of the Opera's was a perfect example of this. She adored herself to put it simply, and she would do anything to get her own way. Normally Erik had to practice with her, seeing as they were both the leads, so he took every opportunity to escape her and practice on his own.
Erik didn't know it, but she had not been cast as the lead for this show. She was as Paul put it "not exactly suited to play the role of Christine Daae" which was completely understandable considering she was a Portugese woman of 40 with a very high shrieking voice that sounded nothing like the sweet, pure voice of the character of Christine Daae.
As Erik played the piano his mind drifted. He recalled his "activities" the night before with distaste now. _Why did you have to follow her home?_ he asked himself. _You will see her today, you don't even know her and you are following her across town and watching her through her window late at night!_
When he had returned home the night before he was shocked. How did that happen, he wondered. How did it get that far. He felt like a bigger freak than he ever had before because of his face. _At least this humiliation is not related to my face, and at least no one knows about what happened besides me._
Erik continued playing for hours, until people from the Opera company started filing into the theatre. They were all used to Erik being at practice before anyone else, and he was usally playing the piano, so it was nothing new to anyone. He eventually stopped when there seemed to be about 20 people he knew just standing around talking waiting for practice to begin.
He was excited for practice today. The ballet was not coming for another hour yet because Paul wanted to get some preliminary work done on the actors roles, but Erik knew that he and Christine would at least see each other face to face today, if not actually meet. He would be onstage, singing as the Phantom, and she would walk in and hear him, then see him. At least, that was the scenario that kept replaying in his mind. Erik was determined to be singin his best when Christine arrived, he wanted to impress her right away.
Erik took a seat and started counting the minutes that passed while Paul started the practice.
* * *
**Author's Note: **I'm still considering adding more to this chapter, but I don't want it to be long. I'll post this now, and maybe add to it. If not you will see the new chapter soon.
6. Chapter 6
**Author's Note: **Thank you for all the reviews, I really appreciate them! Also, I will be updating as often as I can, but what with school, and riding, and dancing, and the baby (my mom's... I'm 16, I promise I haven't had a baby!! ha ha) and everything else, it might not be as often as it should. Please keep reading though! I will make it worth your while (don't get any ideas there, I just meant the story will be good YOU CREEPS!) love always, Bella.
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**Christine Dane, don't make me come in there and get you! GET UP! **
Christine heard shouting coming from across her bedroom, and before she knew it, had fallen off of the bed in surprise.
As she rubbed her head to ease the ache she now felt, she looked to where she thought the shouting was coming, and groaned as her gaze fell onto her phone, still charging on her bureau like always. Only now, said phone was going off in the extremely annoying (although obviously effective) alarm Meg had recorded for Christine, in an effort to stop Christine from oversleeping.
_Damn phone, damn Meg, damn morning, _Christine ranted to herself, crossing the room and practically smashing her phone in an effort to turn the blasted shouting off.
Christine was still grumbling to herself as she emerged from the shower twenty minutes later, and started brushing through her curls.
_Well, at least I won't be late today, _she thought to herself.
This was good, she realized, now she will be on-time for the second day of practice, and hopefully will make a better impression than she did the day before.
As Christine was getting dressed in clothes she could dance in, her mind wandered to the agenda Paul was hoping to follow today. He had told the ballet, that today they would meet the singers and actors in the production, and would in fact see some of their rehearsal before starting their own for the day.
Christine could hardly wait. She was looking forward to hearing the voices of the singers, and the ways in which they rehearsed. In general, she was excited to see any and all aspects of a rehearsal at the Opera House.
Christine glanced over at Fred's humble abode, and quickly fed him. _I've had him for a week so far, and he's still kicking! Well not technically, more like he's still swimming. At least he's alive still! _thought Christine as she left her apartment and headed towards the elevator.
20 minutes later, after sitting through traffic, Christine made her way up the front steps of the Opera House for day two. She could feel the excitement in her rising, as she opened up the theatre doors and headed down the aisle towards a group of seats where she saw Meg and a few other ballet girls sitting.
Suddenly, Christine felt her knees buckle and her breathe hitch in her throat. She hadn't realized it upon her entrance, but there was music coming from the piano, and singing followed soon after. The singing was what had forced her into her trance, and as she listened her mind went blank, and she felt herself being calmed into a vegetative state from the voice.
There was a pause in the singer's voice as he took a breath (Christine was able to register somewhere in her brain that it was a male singing), and Christine broke from her trance almost violently, to look up at the stage to see who the owner of this magical voice was.
Her gaze fell upon a man in the center of the stage, who seemed to be the one singing. _Talented and hot, _was the first thought that came to Christine's mind when she looked at the singer.
It was true, he had a very good looking face, very masculine features, and as she took in the rest of him, she felt herself flush.
_He's quite fit, _she noted almost embarrassed by herself, taking in his very athletic physique.
Before she knew it, he was singing again, and she felt herself get washed away in a wave of emotion he was bringing to the song.
The song eventually ended, and Christine was able to think again. She looked up once more to the stage to notice that the singer must have been looking at her, because she caught his eyes on her for a second before he pulled away, just a little too quickly.
She felt herself blush again, something that was increasingly becoming a rather annoying habit, and she looked in the other direction, hoping against hope Meg had not noticed the whole interaction.
She was in luck as she found Meg engaged in a rather tedious conversation (or so thought Christine) about make-up and hair styling techniques, both of which were lost on Christine seeing as she didn't use make-up, and her hair looked the way it wanted to look, regardless of what she did to it.
Bored out of her mind by her friends chatter, Christine glanced back up at the stage, hoping to see the singer again.
She caught him standing on the far left side of the stage, talking with Paul the director about something.
Normally, Christine, who had very good manners, would never stare at someone...it was just plain rude. However, there was something about this man that pulled her in.
Something about the way he stood, sang, looked, all seemed familiar to her, but she couldn't quite place it.
She pulled her eyes away from the man and closed them in order to think about why he was familiar to her. She had to figure it out or she would be bothered by it all day.
Her mind wandered over the past few days, as she had a feeling that whatever he reminded her of, she had seen recently.
Suddenly it hit her, she had just watched the Phantom of the Opera movie a few nights ago, and he looked exactly like the Phantom!
No wonder she couldn't stop staring at him! She had always thought that the Phantom in the movie was sexy. She didn't know why really, particularly since he was so bizarre, but there was something about him that attracted her, just like there was something about this man that pulled her in.
Meg had always told her she was defected for being attracted to strange men like the Phantom character, but she didn't really care.
She opened her eyes again and glanced back at the man, trying to be discreet. Yep, he definitely looked like the Phantom.
Feeling better, she walked up to the stage with the rest of the ballet in order to get ready for their practice. She had been hoping to watch a little more of the actors rehearsal, but at the same time, she was excited like always to dance.
...
Erik was ecstatic. His plan had gone off perfectly.
Christine had arrived late like before, which had annoyed Erik at first, but he felt better by the end.
She had seemed to be caught in a trance by his voice like he was with her dancing. He had been so happy to watch her listen to him sing with a look of pure joy on her face.
After he had finished, he saw her looking at him intently, but not in a bad way, which had made him even happier. Their eyes had locked and for a minute Erik was completely happy. He figured that to most people, that would sound pretty pathetic, but he was not like most people.
Before long, it was time for the ballet practice.
Erik chose a seat in the back of the auditorium so that he could watch undisturbed.
When the music began, his eyes riveted towards Christine. She was up front again, and she was clearly one of the best dancers there.
Her movements were like liquid, continuously moving and flowing. Erik couldn't get enough.
Eventually though, the practice ended. Erik knew that Paul intended to make a special announcement. He had confronted Paul this morning and found out that Rosie, the Portuguese singer, was going to be replaced for this show. There was no way she could sing the part of Christine decently.
Erik had decided to stick around to see Rosie's reaction to this announcement. Sadistic as it may be, he was excited to see her get upset.
Paul called everyone, the actors, singers, and to Erik's surprise, the ballet, in to the seats so that he could address them from the stage.
"As you all know, we are performing the Phantom of the Opera. You may or may not be acquainted with the woman who usually stars in our productions, but this is Rosie." Paul said as he pulled Rosie from her chair and onto the stage with him.
"Rosie has been with us for over ten years, and in that time, she has become one of the most popular singers ever to grace this stage." Paul said.
In Erik's opinion, Paul was lying through his teeth.
"Unfortunately, the lead female role in the Phantom of the Opera is a character named Christine Daae. The role requires a very young woman with more of an English accent. I'm very sorry Rosie, we're going to need to put someone else in this role. However, we have the perfect part for you as Carlotta, the Opera Star. Rather fitting, don't you think?" Paul asked hesitantly.
No one liked to deal with Rosie, and everyone avoided setting her off. This however, was unavoidable.
Luckily Rosie did not cause much of a scene. She made a very displeased face, said something along the lines of "Good luck replacing me with some little brat," and stormed out the back doors of the theatre.
For her at least, that was not much of a scene.
Erik was a little disappointed with her lack of reaction, however, he was more than happy that she would not be starring once again.
He was standing up to leave when he heard the next part of Paul's announcement.
"Seeing as we do not have a cast member currently who fits the role of Christine, we will be holding auditions for the part. Anyone can try-out, although you must know that this part requires a skilled singer, so please do not audition if you are not such. Now, when I say anyone can try-out, I mean anyone. Actors feel free to try, singers of course, and even the ballet! If you would like to be in this show as a singer, please feel free to show us what you can do." Paul said, smiling when he saw the excitement on people's faces.
"The one thing I ask you to keep in mind is this; the role of Christine Daae requires a young girl, with a strong singing background, and I would like her to match the description somewhat. The characteristics I'm looking for will be posted on these fliers that are hung through the building. You will also see the time and date of the auditions on the fliers. Good luck everyone!" Paul finished with a big smile.
Paul exited the stage and left the auditorium and the excited crowd.
Erik was a little surprised. He hadn't expected Paul to allow the ballet to try-out, after all, they were here to dance. Not that it made much difference to Erik.
Vaguely, he wondered whether Christine would try-out. As far as looks and physical characteristics went, she could have the part without even trying. She even had the name for Christ's sake! Chances were she didn't sing though, Erik thought sadly.
In the back of his mind, he couldn't help imagining Christine getting the role, and them being the show together as the two stars.
Smiling a rare smile at his little fantasy, Erik glanced one more time at Christine before turning around and existing the auditorium.
7. Chapter 7
**Author's Note: **I'm so sorry to all of my readers! My computer has been broken for a while...but I'm back now! I hope you enjoy this chapter!
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Meg and Christine were sitting on the floor of Christine's entertainment room, stuffing their faces with ice cream. Well, Meg was stuffing her face, Christine was too lost in her thoughts to think about food.
Two days ago, Paul had announced that girls in the ballet could audition for the main role in the play! Christine had been in shock, and for a few precious moments, she had envisioned herself onstage, singing as passionately as she could.
That vision had faded though as soon as she thought of the actual logistics involved in trying out. She would have to sing in front of _everyone,_ plus, there would be people who sang in the Operas regularly trying out. She really didn't stand a chance against any of them.
Also plaguing her were the memories of her father. The moment she considered auditioning, her mind was filled with memories of the two of them singing together at their old piano. Those visions weren't leaving her head anytime soon she feared.
She was determined not to even bother trying out for the part, since she would only end up rejected, and she would have to deal with the images of her father. Unfortunately, the wonderful dream of her being the star in the show would not vanish. All she could think about for the past two days had been that wish.
She was broken from these thoughts when she felt Meg's hand on her shoulder shaking her gently.
"Earth to Christine? _HELLO?!" _Meg said forcefully.
Christine's head snapped over to her friend. "Sorry, what were you saying Meg?"
Meg took a deep sigh and said gently, "Christine, you can't fool me. I know you were thinking about the auditions."
Christine made a start to shake her head no, but she saw the look on Meg's face, and she didn't want to lie to her best friend.
"You're right, I was thinking about them," Christine admitted sheepishly.
"Does that mean you will try out?!" Meg asked enthusiastically. She knew how much Christine wanted this, she just hoped she would go for it.
"No, I've decided I won't do it. I'm not going to get the part Meg," Christine said with a little frustration. "What's the point in getting my hopes up?" she asked in a small voice.
Meg paused. She knew how affected Christine had been by her father's death, but for Pete's sake, she had changed her whole future, her whole _dream _because she couldn't face the memories of him. There were times that you needed to grow up, and move on from things, and this was definitely one of those times.
"Christine, personally, I don't think you would be getting your hopes up for nothing. You could easily get the part if you sang like you used to with your father. I know that those memories are hard for you to face, but Christine, singing used to be your life! You can't end that completely just because another part of your life passed away. Your my best friend, you know I love you, but your only a shell of what you used to be. I want you to be happy! I think you _need _to audition." Meg said softly, trying to get as much of her speech out as she could before Christine could interrupt.
Christine sat in silence for a moment as she let her friends' advice sink in. Meg did make sense, she supposed. When her father had died, she shut off everything that reminded her of him, but that was like ending her life. She wasn't happy doing what she did now, knowing that she had always wanted to be a singer. If she auditioned, she would at least be giving herself a chance at moving on.
Slowly, Christine said, "I think you might be right Meg. I really do need to move on, and this is a good opportunity. I think I'm going to do it!"
Meg's face lit up when she heard Christine's words. It had worked! Her pep talk had actually worked, and now Christine was going to be doing what she should have been doing all along!" H_mm, maybe I should become a therapist_, Meg thought to herself.
"Christine!" she shrieked as she grabbed her friend in a hug, "I'm so proud of you! Your actually going to do it!"
Christine smiled back and nervously bit her lip, contemplating what this actually meant.
"I guess I'm going to have to find a song to sing. I had better practice before the auditions." Christine said thoughtfully, mainly to herself.
Meg's face froze. Her head turned slowly towards Christine's as she remembered with horror what tomorrow was.
"Christine, the auditions are tomorrow!" Meg said in panic.
Christine's eyes widened as she counted back the days since the announcement had been made. Meg was right! The auditions were tomorrow afternoon, and she had no song to sing, and she hadn't practiced in a long time.
Christine glanced behind Meg's head at the clock hung on the wall and saw that it was 5:45 pm. Her mind started reeling as she ran to her computer and quickly printed out a musical score and lyrics to her favorite song in the Phantom of the Opera movie. She hoped Paul wouldn't mind that she was singing something from the show.
In minutes she was standing back in the front room with a purse, shoes, and her music in hand.
"Meg, I'm so sorry, but I'm going to have to go to the Opera House to practice. I don't have a piano here!" Christine said in a panicked voice, thinking about all the work she still had to do.
"Don't sweat it, I'll drive you over. Thank god I brought my car!" Meg said, coming to Christines' rescue.
The girls fled the apartment, and sped down the New York streets until they reached the deserted Opera House. With a quick hug of encouragement from Meg, and a short mental pep talk to herself, Christine pushed open the doors and headed for the stage where she would practice.
* * *
Erik slammed his hands down on the piano keys in frustration.
He noticed out of the corner of his eye that his calico cat Ayesha had scrambled out of the room; away from the noise.
Erik sighed deeply and ran his hands through his already disheveled hair. He had been feeling so inspired since he met Christine. His compositions, which for the past few months had been rather dry and bland, were now more creative than he ever dreamed they could be.
The problem now was that his old piano could not handle this burst of creative ideas. The keys were at least a pitch off, and most of them refused to make a noise when pushed down upon.
Erik knew that he could not continue composing in this state. He would have to go off to the Opera House and write using that piano; there was no other option.
Determined to do just that, Erik grabbed his composition paper, a jacket, and his car keys, and headed out the door.
...
When he arrived at the Opera House, Erik noticed that it looked abandoned. _Perfect, _he thought happily.
He made his way through the front door of the lobby and headed to the door of the stage. For some peculiar reason, he noticed a bar a light coming from beneath the door to the stage room, even though the lights were all suppose to be off. He assumed the janitors had forgot to turn them off when they left.
Just as he was about to push open the door, and make his way to the piano, noise caught his attention that changed his theory.
Someone was inside the theatre! _Damn, _he thought to himself, _I'm never going to get this aria written!_
He pushed his ear to the crack in the door, trying to see if he knew the person in there. _Maybe I can scare them away! _he thought bitterly, imagining himself showing the person his face to make them leave.
The sound he heard behind the door chased all thoughts away from his mind.
Someone was singing in the theatre. They weren't just singing though, what the person in that room was doing with their voice was purely magical.
Erik felt his senses go numb as he listened carefully to the gentle decrescendo of the voice as it got a soft part of the song. He had to find out who the singer was!
Erik pushed open the door of the theatre, thinking only of solving this mystery. The person he saw on-stage made his feet stick to the ground, and his throat drop into his stomach.
It was Christine! _She's an angel, she's absolutely divine!_
Erik's thoughts were now completely consumed by Christine. He couldn't believe he had thought she was perfect as a dancer! Her singing was so superb to her dancing abilities, that he wondered why she was even a dancer to begin with. She could easily be singing on the stages of Paris!
He smiled to himself in wonderment. She continued to amaze him; her looks, her dancing abilities, her paintings, and now, the most important thing of all, her singing! All of her was perfect!
Erik felt himself falling hard for Christine, and he didn't care. He hadn't even talked to her yet, but he knew that he loved this girl, at least on some level. She could turn out to be a spoiled princess, and Erik felt he would still love her abilities as an artist.
He was shaken from his thoughts when he heard a gasp coming from the direction of the stage.
Paranoid after getting that same reaction from the sight of his face for years, Erik turned his eyes guardedly to the stage, and discreetly made sure his mask was still in place.
Luckily, he realized that Christine was just shocked someone else was in the room.
Erik saw Christine panic at no longer being alone, and watched as she made a move to leave the stage. He couldn't have that though!
"Wait, don't leave!" Erik said, trying hard not to sound desperate. "I'm sorry I intruded, I didn't realize anyone was in here."
_Please stay, please stay, please stay, _he silently begged.
Christine's face turned what Erik considered to be a delightful shade of red as she turned to look at him. His breath caught in his throat as he once again admired her unbelievable beauty.
"I'm sorry, I probably shouldn't be here," Christine said in a quiet timid voice which Erik was loving. "You probably have work to do for the show. I'll just leave."
_NO! _Erik's thoughts growled.
_"_Mademoiselle, please don't leave on my account," Erik pleaded gently, wondering why mademoiselle had slipped into his vocabulary.
Christine looked like she was about to protest staying there. It was obvious she felt uncomfortable about her voice.
"If I may say so," Erik began, hoping he could encourage her, or build her confidence. "That was the most beautiful singing I have ever heard!" He meant it too, it wasn't hard when he had to listen to Marie everyday for ten years!
Christine's face turned an even brighter shade of red, and Erik felt that he could melt on the spot. She was adorable.
"Forgive me, I'm being rude. My name is Erik. Erik Destler." Erik said, hoping she would introduce herself to him.
Christine smiled politely. "Nice to meet you Mr. Destler. I'm Christine Dane."
_Dane...Christine Dane...the most beautiful name in the world..._
"Please, call me Erik," he insisted to the shy girl.
"Only if you'll call me Christine." The girl replied.
_I guess she isn't so shy after all, _Erik thought with a smirk, happy to be learning more about her, and ecstatic that he was allowed to call her Christine.
He decided to push his luck. "Could you...I mean, would you mind..singing for me..again?" He asked, hoping she would say yes.
Christine's eyes widened in obvious surprise. Erik assumed she hadn't sung for anyone in a while...if ever.
"Are you auditioning tomorrow?" Erik asked with excitement. His fantasy was coming true! If Christine auditioned, there was no way she would be rejected. She was perfect for the part in every way!
"Um, well, I was thinking about it. I...I'm still not sure." Christine said shyly. Erik realized that he was probably making her uncomfortable. He wanted so badly to make her feel at ease.
"Christine, believe me when I tell you, that part is yours. Your singing is excellent, plus you look just like the character." Erik was telling the truth of course, but he felt like he was laying it on thick. He really wanted to encourage her, but what if he was just making her nervous? Her face was starting to look a little pale, although maybe a little hopeful at the same time.
"You know, I would love to help you get ready for the audition if you'd like," Erik said hesitantly. What was he doing? There was no way she would want help from a creep like him! He was practically her stalker for Christ's sake, although thank god she didn't know that...he hoped.
Christine's face brightened as she raised hopeful eye's to Erik's face. "Really, you could help me?"
Erik almost collapsed with joy. She actually wanted him to help her! This was probably the best night of his life... _that's probably a little sad buddy._
"Of course. I sort of know what to expect in these auditions." He said with a grin.
"You must be one of the main singers here then." Christine replied, with a small smile. "I thought I recognized you from the other day."
She remembered him!
Erik couldn't help but notice that she was looking at his face a little oddly. She couldn't see his mask could she? They were in a darkened room, and he thought it blended pretty well.
The moment passed, and Christine smiled at him again, obviously waiting for a reply.
"I've been in a few shows here and there," Erik said modestly, wanting to go back to their little lesson, and not draw attention to himself.
Erik then went and sat at the piano where Christine's musical score lay. All thoughts of his own composing were gone. Besides, he would probably be even more inspired after listening to more of Christine's singing tonight.
He noticed that the song she was singing was from the musical, which in his opinion was a smart move because then Paul could see that she could handle the material in the show. He also noticed that she had chosen one of the more difficult songs, with a vary high range.
_She must be a soprano, _he reasoned. Excited to hear her sing those higher notes, he asked her if she was ready, and began to play.
He noticed at first that her voice sounded a little shaky from nerves. After telling her to not think about him, or the audience she would have tomorrow, they continued with much improvement.
Christine's voice was even better now than it had been 20 minutes ago when he first heard her! He was in complete awe with the tiny woman standing in front of him, and he prayed to whatever higher being there was that Christine would get the part.
Christine's voice was soaring through the high notes as though it was the easiest thing on earth. Erik almost forgot to keep playing as his mouth hung open agape at her incredible abilities. He wished he could listen to her sing for the rest of his life!
After an hour, Erik announced that they should stop so that Christine would not hurt her voice.
Looking very excited, and maybe even proud, Christine looked at Erik and said, "I want to thank you so much for what you did tonight. I was struggling a little before you came, but I'm really feeling a lot better about tomorrow! I haven't sung like that in years!" She said in obvious joy.
"Your welcome. Thank you for the privilege of hearing you. You really are a marvelous singer." Erik said sincerely. _Marvelous doesn't even begin to cover her talent. She's just...perfect!_
Erik admired the flushed color her face had gained in her excitement and from the compliment. He could tell that singing was her passion; he just wondered why she wasn't pursuing it before tonight.
He decided he could wait to find out those answers later when they worked together. They would work together, he had decided, even if he had to convince Paul himself. He was sure it wouldn't come to that though. Christine's voice spoke for itself. She would get the part, and Erik would be one of the happiest men in the world.
As they said their goodbye's and Christine left the theatre, Erik sat down, thinking excitedly of tomorrow. His fingers hovered over the piano as he was hit with more inspiration than he thought possible.
His fingers darted over the keys of the piano as he began to rewrite the most wonderful experience of his life into song. The song played of love, and hope, and passion; it was all for her.
End file.
| fanfiction |
in condensed matter physics , three common types of degrees of freedom are often found together : atoms positioned in a lattice , spin magnetic moments , and itinerant electrons .
many phenomena primarily involve only one of these and it has therefore proved useful to study them with separate models . here , we are concerned with the spatial degrees of freedom of atoms in a lattice .
the fact that the atoms oscillate about their equilibrium positions is essential for many important phenomena in condensed matter physics .
the question we address is whether one can define the time evolution , consistent with the schrdinger equation , for an infinite assembly of quantum oscillators such as a crystal lattice .
it is natural to start by considering the standard harmonic interaction , which should be an accurate description when the displacements from the equilibrium positions are small .
it is well known , however , that some basic phenomena require that we consider anharmonic perturbations .
our approach applies to multi - body interactions that fall off sufficiently fast but for clarity and space limitations we will restrict ourselves to local and nearest neighbor anharmonicities here and refer to our forthcoming paper for the general case @xcite .
we will also limit the discussion to oscillators organized in a translation - invariant fashion on a lattice . to keep the notation simple
we will work with one - dimensional oscillators at each lattice site , but this is not essential . with some straightforward modifications of the analysis our main result
can be generalized to non - translation invariant models defined on a graph satisfying a few natural assumptions .
let @xmath0 denote a finite subset of the @xmath1-dimensional hypercubic lattice @xmath2 and define hamiltonians @xmath3 as self - adjoint operators on @xmath4 by the following expression @xmath5 where @xmath6 , and @xmath7 and @xmath8 are the canonical momentum and position operators for the oscillator at @xmath9 .
the heisenberg dynamics , @xmath10 , is defined by @xmath11 the algebra of observables is a tensor product @xmath12 such that for @xmath13 , we have @xmath14 , by identifying @xmath15 with @xmath16 .
therefore , for @xmath17 , @xmath18 is well - defined for all @xmath0 containing @xmath19 .
our main concern is the existence of a limiting dynamics : do we have @xmath20 such that @xmath21 in a suitable sense ? for an anharmonic lattice of classical oscillators
a positive answer to this question was obtained by lanford , lebowitz and lieb @xcite .
it is well - known that in the case of quantum spin systems ( i.e. , bounded local hamiltonians ) one can use lieb - robinson bounds to establish the existence of the thermodynamic limit @xcite .
the essential observation is as follows .
let @xmath22 be an increasing exhausting sequence of finite volumes with hamiltonians of the form @xmath23 where @xmath24 .
then , for @xmath25 , one easily derives the bound : @xmath26\vert\ , ds . \label{cauchy}\ ] ] therefore , if we can show that the commutators in the integrand have sufficiently small norms , it will follow that the finite - volume dynamics form a cauchy sequence .
estimates for such commutators were first derived by lieb and robinson @xcite . for @xmath17 and @xmath27
, they proved a bound of the form @xmath28\vert\leq c e^{-a(d(x , y)-v\vert t\vert)}\ , , \ ] ] where @xmath29 , and @xmath30 are positive constants and @xmath31 denotes the distance between @xmath19 and @xmath32 .
estimates of this type are now commonly referred to as lieb - robinson bounds @xcite . for anharmonic lattice systems lieb - robinson bounds
were recently proved in ref . , and this work builds on the results obtained there . for the oscillator lattices with @xmath33 , the approach suggested by eq .
[ cauchy ] does not work due to the unboundedness of @xmath34 .
but we note that for the _ harmonic _ lattice , @xmath35 can be calculated explicitly and can also be defined for the infinite lattice .
one then sees , however , that @xmath36 can not converge in norm .
the idea is to consider the infinite anharmonic system as a limit of finite - volume perturbations of the infinite harmonic system .
we mention that , with a different approach , amour , levy - bruhl , and nourrigat have recently obtained convergence results for certain models by introducing suitable sobolev - like norms for the observables @xcite .
rigorous perturbation theory of infinite systems is available if the unperturbed infinite system dynamics has a suitable continuity property @xcite . in our case
this will be continuity for the weak operator topology , which follows from known properties and the exact solution of the harmonic lattice . up to a redefinition of the parameters , the harmonic lattice model hamiltonian on a finite subset @xmath37 ,
is @xmath38 acting on @xmath39 .
the creation and annihilation operators are defined by @xmath40 which satisfy the canonical commutation relarions ( ccr ) : @xmath41 = [ a_x^ * , a_y^ * ] = 0 \quad \mbox{and } \quad [ a_x , a_y^ * ] = \delta_{x , y } \quad \mbox{for all } x , y \in \lambda_l \,\ ] ] @xmath3 is a quadratic expression in @xmath42 , which can be diagonalized by a bogoliubov transformation @xcite .
this is usually done in fourier space resulting in : @xmath43 where @xmath44 .
the @xmath45 are creation operators for the eigenmodes of the system , which also satisfy the ccr , and the ground state of @xmath3 is the corresponding vacuum .
the time evolution is simply given by @xmath46 .
it is useful for us to express the bogoliubov transformations in real space : for each @xmath47 , set @xmath48 and similarly for the @xmath49 s .
then , there are real - linear operators @xmath50 and @xmath51 such that @xmath52 using these relations , one finds a one - parameter group , @xmath53 , such that @xmath54 since the canonical operators ( @xmath55 s , @xmath56 s , @xmath57 s , @xmath58 s , ... ) are all unbounded , we will derive lieb - robinson bounds for the weyl operators instead : @xmath59 \ , , \ ] ] this can be done very explicitly by using the relations @xmath60 where @xmath61 .
observe that @xmath62 & = & \left\ { w ( t_t f ) - w(g ) w ( t_tf ) w(-g ) \right\ } w(g ) \\ & = & \left\ { 1 - e^{-2i \sigma ( t_tf , g ) } \right\ } w ( t_tf ) w(g ) \ , .\end{aligned}\ ] ] since the weyl operators are unitary , we therefore have @xmath63 \right\| \leq 2\vert
\sigma(t_t f , g)\vert$ ] .
so , all we have to do is to estimate @xmath64 .
@xmath65 is explicitly given by @xmath66 , where the functions @xmath67 and @xmath68 are given by @xmath69 + { \rm re } [ \frac{1}{| \lambda_l| } \sum_{k \in \lambda_l^ * } e^{ik \cdot x - 2i \gamma(k ) t } \ , ] \\
h^{(l)}_{2,t}(x ) & = & \frac{i}{2 } { \rm i m } [ \frac{1}{| \lambda_l| } \sum_{k \in \lambda_l^ * } ( \gamma(k ) - \gamma(k)^{-1 } ) \ , e^{ik \cdot x - 2i \gamma(k ) t } \ , ] .\end{aligned}\ ] ] by analyzing these functions one then shows that for every @xmath70 , there exist @xmath71 and @xmath72 such that @xmath73 [ lr ] let @xmath74 .
then , for all @xmath75 with @xmath76 and @xmath77 , @xmath78 \big\| \leq c\sum_{x , y}\vert f(x)\vert \
, \vert g(y)\vert e^{- 2 ( d(x , y ) - v |t| ) } , \ ] ] with @xmath79 .
in ref . we proved lieb - robinson bounds for finite systems , with estimates uniform in the volume . with the same approach
one can also prove bounds for harmonic infinite systems with an anharmonic perturbation in finite volume , i.e. , a model with formal hamiltonian of the form : @xmath80 typical @xmath81 are @xmath82 , @xmath83 , etc .
but more general perturbations can be considered @xcite . for the harmonic system
, we can directly see how the exact expressions extend to the infinite system . for @xmath84 in a suitable function space ( @xmath85 , or @xmath86 ) , it is straightforward to define @xmath87 we get a hilbert space representation by representing the weyl operators on the fock space generated by the @xmath88 operators acting on the vacuum . on this space
we have well - defined hamiltonian such that @xmath89 @xmath20 is the dynamics for the formal hamiltonian @xmath90 and the lieb - robinson bounds continue to hold . for simplicity , consider the perturbation of the form @xmath91 .
then , the perturbed dynamics , formally corresponding to @xmath92 , and can be defined mathematically by the dyson series : @xmath93]\ ] ] we have the following lieb - robinson bounds for @xmath94 . [ thm : lra ] let @xmath95 , and @xmath51 such that @xmath96 . then , for all @xmath97 , we have @xmath98 \big\| \leq c\sum_{x , y}\vert f(x)\vert \ , \vert g(y)\vert e^{- 2 ( d(x , y ) - v |t| ) } \ ] ] with @xmath99 to show convergence , we estimate @xmath100 , for @xmath101 by considering @xmath102 as a perturbation of @xmath103 .
this gives @xmath104 \right ) \ , ds \
, , \ ] ] therefore @xmath105 \right\| ds\ ] ] by writing @xmath106 , we can then use theorem [ thm : lra ] for @xmath103 to obtain the convergence .
the convergence is uniform on intervals @xmath107 $ ] .
we also immediately get continuity in @xmath108 of the limiting dynamics by an @xmath109 argument .
assume @xmath110 , @xmath111 .
for all @xmath112 , and all @xmath113 , the limit @xmath114 converges in the operator norm topology and the resulting the dynamics is continuous in @xmath108 in the weak operator topology .
the work reported on in this paper was supported by the national science foundation under grant # dms-0605342 and frg grants dms-0757581 , dms-0757424 , and dms-0757327 .
b. nachtergaele and r. sims .
_ locality estimates for quantum spin systems .
_ to appear in : sidoravicius , vladas ( ed . ) ,
_ new trends in mathematical physics
. selected contributions of the xvth international congress on mathematical physics , _
springer verlag , 2009 , pp 591614 . | arxiv |
jet quenching is one of the most promising tools to extract the initial parton density produced in high energy heavy ion collisions @xcite .
this is related to the final state energy loss of the leading partons causing depopulation of hadrons @xcite at high transverse momentum ( @xmath1 ) .
the suppressions of high @xmath1 hadrons and unbalanced back - to - back azimuthal correlations of the dijet events in au+au collisions measured at relativistic heavy ion collider ( rhic ) provide experimental evidence in support of the quenching .
the observed nuclear suppression of light hadrons ( @xmath2 ) in @xmath3 collisions at @xmath4 a gev at rhic was reproduced by radiative loss only assuming that the contributions from collisional loss is negligible . however , the non - photonic single electron spectrum from heavy meson decays measured by phenix collaboration @xcite put this assumption in question .
no realistic parameter set can explain this data using the radiative energy loss based jet tomography model which either requires violation of bulk entropy bounds or non - perturbatively large @xmath5 of the theory @xcite , or equivalently one requires excessive transport co - efficient @xmath6 gev@xmath7/fm @xcite .
in this light , we , in the present work would like to address if the omission of collisional loss at rhic is justified or not .
we argue that , whether the collisional or radiative loss is the main mechanism of energy dissipation , is a @xmath1 dependent question .
it also depends on the energies of the colliding system and expected to be different for rhic and large hadron collider ( lhc ) .
in contrast to the previous works , we calculate nuclear suppression factor for pions at rhic energy considering only the collision energy loss . the partonic energy loss due to collisional processes was revisited in @xcite and its importance was demonstrated in the context of rhic in@xcite .
it is shown in ref.@xcite that there exists an energy range where collisional loss is as important as or even greater than its radiative counter part , hence can not be neglected in any realistic model of jet quenching .
recently this is also noted in ref.@xcite .
we use fokker planck ( fp ) equation to dynamically evolve parton spectra .
fp equation can be derived from boltzmann equation if one of the partner of the binary collisions is in thermal equilibrium and the collisions are dominated by the small angle scattering involving soft momentum exchange @xcite . for a longitudinally expanding plasma ,
fp equation reads : ( -)f(*p*,t ) = [ p_if(*p*,t ) ] + + [ b_(*p*)f(*p*,t ) ] + + [ b_f(*p*,t ) ] [ fpexp ] where the second term on the left hand side arises due to expansion @xcite .
bjorken hydrodynamical model @xcite has been used here for space time evolution . in eq .
( [ fpexp ] ) , @xmath8 represents the non - equilibrium distribution of the partons under study , @xmath9 , denotes drag coefficient , @xmath10 , @xmath11 , represent diffusion constants along parallel and perpendicular directions of the propagating partons . in our calculations we include some of the important features which were ignored in previous work @xcite in the context of jet quenching .
these are : ( i ) the term corresponding to the longitudinal expansion is included , ( ii ) the momentum evolution of parton distributions both along longitudinal and transverse direction is considered and ( iii ) the mechanism of hadronization is introduced .
the transport coefficients , @xmath12 , @xmath13 and @xmath14 appeared in eq .
( [ fpexp ] ) have been calculated in ref .
the fp equation has been solved for the initial parton distributions parametrized as @xcite : f(p_t , p_z , t = t_i)|_y=0= , where @xmath15 , @xmath16 .
since asymptotically the multiplicity of any hadron species produced by a gluon jet is @xmath17 times that of quark @xcite , the normalization constant @xmath18 for gluons is chosen accordingly . solving the fp equation with the boundary conditions , @xmath19 for @xmath20
, we evaluate the nuclear suppression factor , @xmath0 defined as , r_aa(p_t ) = gev / a.,title="fig : " ] + gev / a.,title="fig : " ] + where @xmath21 and @xmath22 denote the parton distributions at proper time @xmath23 and @xmath24 respectively . here
@xmath23 is the initial time and @xmath24 is the time when the system cools down to the transition temperature @xmath25 ( = 190 mev ) .
we have taken @xmath26 and the initial temperature @xmath27 mev .
the result of our calculations for neutral pion is shown in fig .
[ fig1 ] which describes the phenix data@xcite for @xmath3 at @xmath28 gev reasonably well . to stress our point
further we also analyse the excitation function of the nuclear suppression factor .
this has recently been studied in @xcite attributing the suppression mechanism to radiative loss .
as at lower @xmath29 , collisional loss wins over its radiative counter part , we reanalyze the excitation function with the former and reproduce the data well @xcite . to pin down the relative importance of @xmath30 and @xmath31 processes , we determine the average energy of the parton which contribute to the measured @xmath1 window of the hadrons .
the average fractional momentum , @xmath32 of the fragmenting partons carried by the pion is calculated using relevant parton distribution and fragmentation functions , i.e. @xmath33 . for the parton distributions , we use cteq @xcite including shadowing _ via _
eks98 parametrization@xcite , while for the fragmentation function kkp parametrization is used @xcite .
the average energy of the parton , @xmath34 is obtained by using the relation @xmath35 for @xmath36 .
the results are shown in fig .
[ fig2 ] .
it might be recalled that at rhic energies the nuclear modification factor @xmath37 has been measured in the pion transverse momenta range @xmath38 gev . assuming that these pions are originated from the fragmenting partons it is clear that the maximum average parton energy required is about 26 gev here .
we might compare this value with the determined @xmath39 is defined to be the energy below which elastic loss dominates @xcite .
] given in ref .
@xcite and note that at these energies collisional loss can not be neglected . for lower beam energy , 62.4 ( 130 ) a gev the value of maximum average parton energy required to produce a 13 gev pion is 16 ( 22 ) gev , where the collisional loss will definitely be more important .
in conclusion , our investigations clearly suggest that in the measured @xmath1 range of light hadrons at rhic collisional , rather than the radiative , is the dominant mechanism of jet quenching .
inclusion of three body elastic channels might even increase @xmath39 making our point stronger .
jetq j. d. bjorken , fermilab - pub-82/59-thy(1982 ) and erratum ( unpublished ) ; m. gyulassy , i. vitev , x. n. wang and b. w. zhang , nucl - th/0302077 ; r. baier , y. l. dokshitzer , s. peigne and d. schiff , ann .
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colloss m. djordjevic , nucl - th/0603066 ; s. peigne , p. b. gossiaux and t. gousset , j. high energy phys .
04 , ( 2006 ) 011 ; i. p. lokhtin and a. m. snigirev , eur .
c 45 ( 2006 ) 211 ; m. g. mustafa , phys . rev .
c 72 ( 2005 ) 014905 .
fpe g. d. moore and d. teaney , phys .
c 71 064904 ( 2005 ) 064904 ; m. b. g. ducati , v. p. goncalves and l. f. mackedanz , hep - ph/0506241 ; j. bjoraker and r. venugopalan , phys . rev .
c 63 ( 2001 ) 024609 ; h. v. hees and r. rapp , phys .
c 71 ( 2005 ) 034907 . | arxiv |
astragalus membranaceus ( fisch ) bunge , known as huang - qi in chinese or radix astragali in latin , is one of the most popular herbal medicines worldwide , and it has been widely used as a qi - tonifying medicine in the people s republic of china , mongolia , and korea for a long time.1,2 pharmacological studies have shown that a. membranaceus exhibits many beneficial effects , including immunomodulation,35 antihyperglycemic effects and improved insulin sensitivity,68 anti - inflammation effects,9,10 antioxidant effects,11,12 antiviral effects,13,14 hepatoprotection effects,15,16 antineoplastic effects , protection of cardiovascular function,17 and so on .
meanwhile , phytochemical studies have displayed > 100 compounds from a. membranaceus ( root ) , such as flavonoids , polysaccharides , saponins , sucroses , amino acids , and phenolic acids.1 among them , formononetin ( fmn ; 7-hydroxy-4-methoxyisoflavone ) , a flavonoid with neuroprotection,18 anti - inflammation,19 antiviral,20 antiangiogenesis and tumor growth inhibition,21 cardioprotection,22 and other pharmacological effects , has been frequently used as the quality control marker of a. membranaceus and its preparations .
recently , it has been reported that some preparations mainly composed of a. membranaceus , such as huangqi injection and keluoxin capsule , could alleviate the retinal neovascularization ( nv ) of diabetic retinopathy ( dr).23,24 a previous study has clearly demonstrated that fmn from a. membranaceus has an inhibitory effect on the tumor growth via antiangiogenesis,21 but it is still unknown whether fmn can inhibit hypoxia - induced retinal nv in the pathophysiologic process of dr .
dr is a common microvascular complication of patients with diabetes mellitus.25 retinal nv can induce vitreous hemorrhage and tractional retinal detachment , resulting in visual deterioration.26 furthermore , increased vascular permeability leads to macular edema in patients with dr.27 therefore , dr becomes the leading cause of blindness in the adults .
importantly , vegf plays a critical role in the retinal nv of dr , which stimulates the proliferation and migration of vascular endothelial cells and increases vascular permeability.28 hypoxia is one of the most potent triggers of vegf expression , acting on the processes of dna transcription , mrna stabilization , and translation and release of vegf,29 which is centrally controlled by the hif-1 , a transcription factor that regulates hypoxia - inducible genes , including vegfa , and induces an angiogenic response.30 therefore , hif-1 is increased to induce the expression of vegf under hypoxia , resulting in increased vascular permeability and retinal nv . on the other hand , inhibition of hif-1
can prevent the retinal nv in the condition of hypoxia.3133 these studies indicate that hif-1/vegf signaling pathway plays the key role in the retinal nv of dr . in the present study , we investigated the preventive effect of fmn on retinal nv from secretion of vegf in the acute retinal pigment epithelial-19 ( arpe-19 ) cells induced by cocl2 in vitro and nv of oxygen - induced retinopathy of a rat model in vivo .
conbercept injection ( lot : 20110610b ) was provided by chengdu kanghong pharmaceutical group co. , ltd .
( chengdu , sichuan , people s republic of china ) and dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide ( dmso ) to make a stock solution of 10.0 mg / ml .
human vegf enzyme - linked immunosorbent assay ( elisa ) kits ( lot : dve00 ) were provided by r&d systems inc .
dulbecco s modified eagle s medium ( dmem)/f12 medium , fetal bovine serum ( fbs ) , and trypsin ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid ( edta ) solution were purchased from thermo fisher scientific ( waltham , ma , usa ) .
tetramethylethylenediamine , dmso , adenosine diphosphate ( adp ) , and ammonium sulfide were purchased from sigma - aldrich co. ( st louis , mo , usa ) .
the 5-[1-(phenylmethyl)-1h - indazol-3-yl]-2-furanmethanol ( yc-1 ) , anti - hif-1 antibody , and anti - phd-2 antibody were obtained from abcam ( cambridge , ma , usa ) .
primescript rt reagent kit with gdna eraser and sybr premix ex taq were purchased from takara - bio ( kusatsu , shiga , japan ) .
a human arpe-19 cell line ( lot : 60279299 ) was purchased from the american type culture collection ( manassas , va , usa ) , and the cells were cultured in dmem / f12 medium with 10% fbs , 100 units / ml penicillin , and 100 g / ml streptomycin in an incubator at 37c with 5% co2 .
after 90% confluence , the cells were digested by 0.25% trypsin0.02% edta for passage . according to the previous report from the literature,28 arpe-19 cells
were seeded into 96-well plates at a density of 810 cells / well . after being cultured for 24 hours
, the culture medium was replaced with fresh fbs - free dmem / f12 medium .
then , the cells were treated with 1.0 g / ml yc-1 and different concentrations of fmn ( 0.2 g / ml , 1.0 g / ml , and 5.0 g / ml ) .
the cells in the control group were treated with the culture medium containing the same concentration of dmso as in the fmn solution .
a total of 150 m of cocl2 was added to mimic hypoxic condition after 24 hours .
the cells treated with dmso - containing medium were used as control , and those treated with cocl2 and yc-1 as positive controls . conditioned medium
was collected 48 hours later and centrifuged at 800 g for 5 minutes , and the supernatants were transferred to vials and stored at 80c for further analysis .
the concentrations of vegf protein in the conditioned media were measured using the human vegf quantikine elisa kits according to the manufacturer s instruction .
absorbance values ( 450 nm ) were recorded in triplicate with a microplate reader ( spectramax m5 ; molecular devices llc , sunnyvale , ca , usa ) .
arpe-19 cells were plated at a density of 110 cells / well in six - well plates , allowed to adhere overnight , and then treated with yc-1 ( 1.0 g / ml ) or different concentrations of fmn ( 0.2 g / ml , 1.0 g / ml , and 5.0 g / ml ) . after being cultured for 24 hours
, the culture media were withdrawn , and the cells were washed with cold phosphate - buffered saline before harvest .
the cell pellets were collected for mrna extraction after microcentrifuging at 800 g for 5 minutes at 4c .
the relative levels of each gene mrna transcripts to -actin were determined by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction ( qrt - pcr ) using the sybr premixed system and specific primers .
the primer sequences for vegfa , hif-1 , phd-2 , and -actin were as follows : homo vegfa 5-cga aac cat gaa ctt tct gc-3 ( forward ) and 5-cct cag tgg gca cac act cc-3 ( reverse ) , homo hif-1 5-aca agt cac cac agg aca g-3 ( forward ) and 5-agg gag aaa atc aag tcg-3 ( reverse ) , homo phd-2 5-aaa cca ttg ggc tgc tca t-3 ( forward ) and 5-cgt aca taa ccc gtt cca ttg-3 ( reverse ) , and homo -actin 5-agc ggg aaa tcg tgc gtg ac-3 ( forward ) and 5-agt ttc gtg gat gcc aca gga c-3 ( reverse ) . qrt - pcr was performed by opticon 3 continuous fluorescence detector ( mj research , inc . ,
waltham , ma , usa ) . the comparative cycle of threshold fluorescence ( ct ) method was used , and the relative transcript amount of the target gene was normalized to that of -actin using the
2ct method .
arpe-19 cells were seeded at a density of 2.010 cells / bottle in culture bottles , and the cells were treated with yc-1 ( 1.0 g / ml ) or different concentrations of fmn ( 0.2 g / ml , 1.0 g / ml , and 5.0 g / ml ) . after being cultured for 24 hours , the culture media were withdrawn and the cells were washed with cold phosphate - buffered saline for harvest .
the cell pellets were disrupted in cell radioimmunoprecipitation assay buffer ( 0.5% np-40 , 50 mm tris - hcl , 120 mm nacl , 1 mm edta , 0.1 mm na3vo4 , 1 mm naf , 1 mm pmsf , and 1 g / ml leupeptin , ph 7.5 ) , and then the lysates were centrifuged at 12,000 rpm for 15 minutes at 4c .
the protein concentrations were determined using the bca method , after an equal amount of protein ( 30 g ) was electrophoresed on 7.5% density of sodium dodecyl sulfate
following electrophoresis , the proteins were transferred from the gel to a nitrocellulose membrane using an electron transfer system .
nonspecific binding was blocked with 5% skim milk in tris - buffered saline with tween 20 ( tbst ) buffer ( 5 mm tris - hcl , 136 mm nacl , and 0.1% tween-20 , ph 7.6 ) for 1 hour .
the blots were incubated with antibodies against hif-1 ( 1:2,000 ) , phd-2 ( 1:1,500 ) , or -actin ( 1:800 ) overnight at 4c and were washed three times with 1 tbst .
then , the blots were incubated for 1 hour at room temperature with a 1:4,000 dilution of horseradish peroxidase - labeled antirabbit or antimouse igg and washed three times with 1 tbst .
the specific protein bands ( the upper band of hif-1 and the lower band of phd-2 ) were visualized and analyzed with a chemidoc image analyzer ( bio - rad laboratories inc .
all animal experiments were performed strictly in accordance with the university s guidelines and were approved by the committee on use and care of animals of sichuan university ( chengdu , sichuan , people s republic of china ) .
ten pregnant ( 1620 weeks old and body weight 300350 g , for oxygen - induced retinopathy [ oir ] model study ) sprague dawley rats ( spf grade , certificate no scxk2013 - 24 ) were purchased from the experimental animal centre , sichuan provincial academy of medical sciences in the people s republic of china ( chengdu , sichuan , people s republic of china ) .
oir was induced in sprague dawley rat pups according to a protocol as previously described.34 in brief , normalized litters of 50 sprague - dawley rat pups with their nursing mothers on postnatal day ( pd ) 7 were placed in an 80% oxygen atmosphere for 5 days .
after being returned to normoxia condition for 5 days ( on pd 12 ) , the rat pups were intraperitoneally administered with conbercept injection at 1.0 mg / kg or fmn at 5.0 mg / kg and 10.0 mg / kg , and the same volume of normal saline as control .
five days later ( on pd 17 ) , the rat pups were sacrificed ( the pups in the control group were bred under normoxia conditions until pd 17 ) , and the eyes were enucleated and fixed in fresh 4% paraformaldehyde for 2 hours .
eyecups were dissected , and the retinal flat mounts were created and stained with adpase staining as described previously.35 the retinal avascular areas were assessed through visualization of the retinal vasculature using infusion of adpase staining , examined under fluorescent microscopy . in each whole mount , the total areas of preretinal neovascular areas were measured using image - pro plus system and expressed as the percentage of the respective average in relation to total retinal areas . the retinas were also histologically examined .
serial sections of paraffin - embedded small pieces of retina ( 6 mm ) were stained with hematoxylin and eosin .
images were taken under microscopy , and endothelial nuclei extended beyond the inner limiting membrane into the vitreous were manually counted in a blind manner .
. statistical significance of the data was analyzed by one - way univariate analysis of variance for comparing data from more than two groups .
a difference at p<0.05 was considered to be statistically significant ( marked as * ) .
the data were analyzed among the cocl2-treated groups as one factor and fmn - treated groups as another factor .
conbercept injection ( lot : 20110610b ) was provided by chengdu kanghong pharmaceutical group co. , ltd .
( chengdu , sichuan , people s republic of china ) and dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide ( dmso ) to make a stock solution of 10.0 mg / ml .
human vegf enzyme - linked immunosorbent assay ( elisa ) kits ( lot : dve00 ) were provided by r&d systems inc .
dulbecco s modified eagle s medium ( dmem)/f12 medium , fetal bovine serum ( fbs ) , and trypsin ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid ( edta ) solution were purchased from thermo fisher scientific ( waltham , ma , usa ) .
tetramethylethylenediamine , dmso , adenosine diphosphate ( adp ) , and ammonium sulfide were purchased from sigma - aldrich co. ( st louis , mo , usa ) .
the 5-[1-(phenylmethyl)-1h - indazol-3-yl]-2-furanmethanol ( yc-1 ) , anti - hif-1 antibody , and anti - phd-2 antibody were obtained from abcam ( cambridge , ma , usa ) .
primescript rt reagent kit with gdna eraser and sybr premix ex taq were purchased from takara - bio ( kusatsu , shiga , japan ) .
a human arpe-19 cell line ( lot : 60279299 ) was purchased from the american type culture collection ( manassas , va , usa ) , and the cells were cultured in dmem / f12 medium with 10% fbs , 100 units / ml penicillin , and 100 g / ml streptomycin in an incubator at 37c with 5% co2 .
according to the previous report from the literature,28 arpe-19 cells were seeded into 96-well plates at a density of 810 cells / well . after being cultured for 24 hours
, the culture medium was replaced with fresh fbs - free dmem / f12 medium .
then , the cells were treated with 1.0 g / ml yc-1 and different concentrations of fmn ( 0.2 g / ml , 1.0 g / ml , and 5.0 g / ml ) . the cells in the control group were treated with the culture medium containing the same concentration of dmso as in the fmn solution .
a total of 150 m of cocl2 was added to mimic hypoxic condition after 24 hours .
the cells treated with dmso - containing medium were used as control , and those treated with cocl2 and yc-1 as positive controls . conditioned medium
was collected 48 hours later and centrifuged at 800 g for 5 minutes , and the supernatants were transferred to vials and stored at 80c for further analysis .
the concentrations of vegf protein in the conditioned media were measured using the human vegf quantikine elisa kits according to the manufacturer s instruction .
absorbance values ( 450 nm ) were recorded in triplicate with a microplate reader ( spectramax m5 ; molecular devices llc , sunnyvale , ca , usa ) .
arpe-19 cells were plated at a density of 110 cells / well in six - well plates , allowed to adhere overnight , and then treated with yc-1 ( 1.0 g / ml ) or different concentrations of fmn ( 0.2 g / ml , 1.0 g / ml , and 5.0 g / ml ) .
after being cultured for 24 hours , the culture media were withdrawn , and the cells were washed with cold phosphate - buffered saline before harvest .
the cell pellets were collected for mrna extraction after microcentrifuging at 800 g for 5 minutes at 4c .
the relative levels of each gene mrna transcripts to -actin were determined by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction ( qrt - pcr ) using the sybr premixed system and specific primers .
the primer sequences for vegfa , hif-1 , phd-2 , and -actin were as follows : homo vegfa 5-cga aac cat gaa ctt tct gc-3 ( forward ) and
5-cct cag tgg gca cac act cc-3 ( reverse ) , homo hif-1 5-aca agt cac cac agg aca g-3 ( forward ) and 5-agg gag aaa atc aag tcg-3 ( reverse ) , homo phd-2 5-aaa cca ttg ggc tgc tca t-3 ( forward ) and 5-cgt aca taa ccc gtt cca ttg-3 ( reverse ) , and homo -actin 5-agc ggg aaa tcg tgc gtg ac-3 ( forward ) and 5-agt ttc gtg gat gcc aca gga c-3 ( reverse ) .
qrt - pcr was performed by opticon 3 continuous fluorescence detector ( mj research , inc . ,
the comparative cycle of threshold fluorescence ( ct ) method was used , and the relative transcript amount of the target gene was normalized to that of -actin using the
2ct method .
arpe-19 cells were seeded at a density of 2.010 cells / bottle in culture bottles , and the cells were treated with yc-1 ( 1.0 g / ml ) or different concentrations of fmn ( 0.2 g / ml , 1.0 g / ml , and 5.0 g / ml ) . after being cultured for 24 hours , the culture media were withdrawn and the cells were washed with cold phosphate - buffered saline for harvest .
the cell pellets were disrupted in cell radioimmunoprecipitation assay buffer ( 0.5% np-40 , 50 mm tris - hcl , 120 mm nacl , 1 mm edta , 0.1 mm na3vo4 , 1 mm naf , 1 mm pmsf , and 1 g / ml leupeptin , ph 7.5 ) , and then the lysates were centrifuged at 12,000 rpm for 15 minutes at 4c .
the protein concentrations were determined using the bca method , after an equal amount of protein ( 30 g ) was electrophoresed on 7.5% density of sodium dodecyl sulfate acrylamide gels .
following electrophoresis , the proteins were transferred from the gel to a nitrocellulose membrane using an electron transfer system .
nonspecific binding was blocked with 5% skim milk in tris - buffered saline with tween 20 ( tbst ) buffer ( 5 mm tris - hcl , 136 mm nacl , and 0.1% tween-20 , ph 7.6 ) for 1 hour .
the blots were incubated with antibodies against hif-1 ( 1:2,000 ) , phd-2 ( 1:1,500 ) , or -actin ( 1:800 ) overnight at 4c and were washed three times with 1 tbst .
then , the blots were incubated for 1 hour at room temperature with a 1:4,000 dilution of horseradish peroxidase - labeled antirabbit or antimouse igg and washed three times with 1 tbst .
the specific protein bands ( the upper band of hif-1 and the lower band of phd-2 ) were visualized and analyzed with a chemidoc image analyzer ( bio - rad laboratories inc .
all animal experiments were performed strictly in accordance with the university s guidelines and were approved by the committee on use and care of animals of sichuan university ( chengdu , sichuan , people s republic of china ) .
ten pregnant ( 1620 weeks old and body weight 300350 g , for oxygen - induced retinopathy [ oir ] model study ) sprague dawley rats ( spf grade , certificate no scxk2013 - 24 ) were purchased from the experimental animal centre , sichuan provincial academy of medical sciences in the people s republic of china ( chengdu , sichuan , people s republic of china ) .
oir was induced in sprague dawley rat pups according to a protocol as previously described.34 in brief , normalized litters of 50 sprague - dawley rat pups with their nursing mothers on postnatal day ( pd ) 7 were placed in an 80% oxygen atmosphere for 5 days . after being returned to normoxia condition for 5 days ( on pd 12 ) , the rat pups were intraperitoneally administered with conbercept injection at 1.0 mg / kg or fmn at 5.0 mg / kg and 10.0 mg / kg , and the same volume of normal saline as control .
five days later ( on pd 17 ) , the rat pups were sacrificed ( the pups in the control group were bred under normoxia conditions until pd 17 ) , and the eyes were enucleated and fixed in fresh 4% paraformaldehyde for 2 hours .
eyecups were dissected , and the retinal flat mounts were created and stained with adpase staining as described previously.35 the retinal avascular areas were assessed through visualization of the retinal vasculature using infusion of adpase staining , examined under fluorescent microscopy . in each whole mount , the total areas of preretinal neovascular areas were measured using image - pro plus system and expressed as the percentage of the respective average in relation to total retinal areas .
serial sections of paraffin - embedded small pieces of retina ( 6 mm ) were stained with hematoxylin and eosin .
images were taken under microscopy , and endothelial nuclei extended beyond the inner limiting membrane into the vitreous were manually counted in a blind manner .
all the data were reported as mean standard deviation . statistical significance of the data was analyzed by one - way univariate analysis of variance for comparing data from more than two groups .
a difference at p<0.05 was considered to be statistically significant ( marked as * ) .
the data were analyzed among the cocl2-treated groups as one factor and fmn - treated groups as another factor .
fmn is an important compound in a. membranaceus for the protection of dr , and the structure is shown in figure 1 . in order to study the effect of fmn on vegf secretion under hypoxia
, elisa was applied to examine the concentrations of vegf in the cultured medium of the arpe-19 cells treated with 150 m cocl2 alone or in combination with fmn at 0.2 g / ml , 1.0 g / ml , or 5.0 g / ml . as shown in figure 2
, the level of vegf in the culture supernatant was significantly increased after the cells were treated with 150 m cocl2 compared to the non - cocl2 cells ( p<0.01 ) .
however , yc-1 at 1.0 g / ml and fmn at 0.2 g / ml , 1.0 g / ml , and 5.0 g / ml markedly decreased the secretion of vegf compared to the cells treated with cocl2 under hypoxia condition ( p<0.01 ) .
these results indicate that fmn inhibits the secretion of vegf in the culture supernatant of the arpe-19 cells .
the expression of vegfa can be induced by posttranscriptional mechanisms directed at the vegfa mrna or its relative regulator in the pathophysiological states.36 we hypothesized that fmn may be involved in the mrna expressions of vegfa , hif-1 , and phd-2 .
for this purpose , we examined the mrna expressions of vegfa , hif-1 , and phd-2 in the arpe-19 cells by qrt - pcr analysis .
as shown in figure 3a , the expression of vegfa mrna increased significantly in the arpe-19 cells treated with 150 m cocl2 for 24 hours ( p<0.01 ) .
fmn at 0.25.0 g / ml significantly decreased the high expression of vegfa mrna induced by cocl2 ( p<0.01 ) in a dose - dependent manner ( figure 3a ) , indicating that fmn blocked the elevated expression of vegfa mrna induced by hypoxia .
the data in figure 3b show that the combination of 150 m cocl2 with yc-1 at 1.0 g / ml or fmn at 0.25.0 g / ml did not affect the mrna expression of hif-1 compared to cocl2 alone .
however , the data in figure 3c show that the mrna expression of phd-2 was increased ( p<0.01 ) under cocl2-induced hypoxia - mimicking conditions and was significantly downregulated by yc-1 ( 1.0 g / ml ) or fmn ( 0.25.0 g / ml ) compared to cocl2 alone ( p<0.01 ) .
these results show that vegf expression under hypoxia is associated with the mrna expressions of vegfa and phd-2 .
vegfa is potently induced by hypoxia and regulated by hif-1 and its degradation regulator phd-2.37 here , we used the anti - hif-1 and anti - phd-2 antibodies to examine the protein expressions of hif-1 and phd-2 in the cultured arpe-19 cells under hypoxia condition .
western blot analysis showed that the protein expressions of hif-1 and phd-2 were significantly upregulated in the arpe-19 cells treated with 150 m cocl2 for 24 hours compared to the cells treated with the medium ( p<0.01 ) and significantly downregulated by yc-1 ( 1.0 g / ml ) or fmn ( 0.25.0 g / ml ) compared to cocl2 alone ( p<0.01 ; figure 4a and b ) .
these results indicate that the inhibition of fmn on vegf secretion of the arpe-19 cells under hypoxia condition is associated with the protein expressions of hif-1 and phd-2 , suggesting a possible mechanism involved in hypoxia - induced retinal nv and related signaling pathways . after we demonstrated the inhibitory effect of fmn on vegf secretion of the arpe-19 cells in vitro , next , we investigated the preventive effect of fmn on the hypoxia - induced retinal nv with the superficial vascular plexuses , using adpase staining in a rat pup model .
rat pups were exposed to 80% oxygen from pd 7 to pd 12 to produce retinal vaso - obliteration and then returned to room air .
this condition made the retina relatively hypoxic , resulting in the formation of retinal nv .
on the pd 17 , the preretinal neovascular area ratio was significantly increased in the oir rats treated with vehicle ( saline ) compared to that of the normal rats treated with vehicle ( p<0.01 ) .
however , conbercept ( 1 mg / kg ) or fmn ( 5 mg / kg and 10 mg / kg ) by intraperitoneal injection markedly reversed the hypoxia - induced neovascular area ration and inhibited retinal nv ( figure 5a and b ) . furthermore , conbercept and fmn alleviated nv , vessel tortuosity , and dilated vessels in the oir rats significantly ( figure 6 ) . in order to further confirm the inhibitory effect of fmn on retinal nv
, we counted the vascular cell nuclei extended beyond the internal limiting membrane in the retinal tissue sections of rats , with hematoxylin and eosin stain .
nuclei anterior to the internal limiting membrane were not found in the retinal tissue sections of the control rats ( figure 7a ) , but a lot of neovascular nuclei and vessels were found in the retinal tissue sections of the oir rats ( figure 7b ) .
interestingly , the neovascular nuclei and vessels in the retinal tissue sections were remarkably reduced by conbercept ( 1 mg / kg ) or fmn ( 5 mg / kg and 10 mg / kg ) treatment ( figure 7c and d ) .
fmn is an important compound in a. membranaceus for the protection of dr , and the structure is shown in figure 1 . in order to study the effect of fmn on vegf secretion under hypoxia
, elisa was applied to examine the concentrations of vegf in the cultured medium of the arpe-19 cells treated with 150 m cocl2 alone or in combination with fmn at 0.2 g / ml , 1.0 g / ml , or 5.0 g / ml . as shown in figure 2
, the level of vegf in the culture supernatant was significantly increased after the cells were treated with 150 m cocl2 compared to the non - cocl2 cells ( p<0.01 ) .
however , yc-1 at 1.0 g / ml and fmn at 0.2 g / ml , 1.0 g / ml , and 5.0 g / ml markedly decreased the secretion of vegf compared to the cells treated with cocl2 under hypoxia condition ( p<0.01 ) .
these results indicate that fmn inhibits the secretion of vegf in the culture supernatant of the arpe-19 cells .
the expression of vegfa can be induced by posttranscriptional mechanisms directed at the vegfa mrna or its relative regulator in the pathophysiological states.36 we hypothesized that fmn may be involved in the mrna expressions of vegfa , hif-1 , and phd-2 .
for this purpose , we examined the mrna expressions of vegfa , hif-1 , and phd-2 in the arpe-19 cells by qrt - pcr analysis .
as shown in figure 3a , the expression of vegfa mrna increased significantly in the arpe-19 cells treated with 150 m cocl2 for 24 hours ( p<0.01 ) .
fmn at 0.25.0 g / ml significantly decreased the high expression of vegfa mrna induced by cocl2 ( p<0.01 ) in a dose - dependent manner ( figure 3a ) , indicating that fmn blocked the elevated expression of vegfa mrna induced by hypoxia .
the data in figure 3b show that the combination of 150 m cocl2 with yc-1 at 1.0 g / ml or fmn at 0.25.0 g / ml did not affect the mrna expression of hif-1 compared to cocl2 alone .
however , the data in figure 3c show that the mrna expression of phd-2 was increased ( p<0.01 ) under cocl2-induced hypoxia - mimicking conditions and was significantly downregulated by yc-1 ( 1.0 g / ml ) or fmn ( 0.25.0 g / ml ) compared to cocl2 alone ( p<0.01 ) .
these results show that vegf expression under hypoxia is associated with the mrna expressions of vegfa and phd-2 .
vegfa is potently induced by hypoxia and regulated by hif-1 and its degradation regulator phd-2.37 here , we used the anti - hif-1 and anti - phd-2 antibodies to examine the protein expressions of hif-1 and phd-2 in the cultured arpe-19 cells under hypoxia condition .
western blot analysis showed that the protein expressions of hif-1 and phd-2 were significantly upregulated in the arpe-19 cells treated with 150 m cocl2 for 24 hours compared to the cells treated with the medium ( p<0.01 ) and significantly downregulated by yc-1 ( 1.0 g / ml ) or fmn ( 0.25.0 g / ml ) compared to cocl2 alone ( p<0.01 ; figure 4a and b ) .
these results indicate that the inhibition of fmn on vegf secretion of the arpe-19 cells under hypoxia condition is associated with the protein expressions of hif-1 and phd-2 , suggesting a possible mechanism involved in hypoxia - induced retinal nv and related signaling pathways .
after we demonstrated the inhibitory effect of fmn on vegf secretion of the arpe-19 cells in vitro , next , we investigated the preventive effect of fmn on the hypoxia - induced retinal nv with the superficial vascular plexuses , using adpase staining in a rat pup model .
rat pups were exposed to 80% oxygen from pd 7 to pd 12 to produce retinal vaso - obliteration and then returned to room air .
this condition made the retina relatively hypoxic , resulting in the formation of retinal nv .
on the pd 17 , the preretinal neovascular area ratio was significantly increased in the oir rats treated with vehicle ( saline ) compared to that of the normal rats treated with vehicle ( p<0.01 ) . however , conbercept ( 1 mg / kg ) or fmn ( 5 mg / kg and 10 mg / kg ) by intraperitoneal injection markedly reversed the hypoxia - induced neovascular area ration and inhibited retinal nv ( figure 5a and b ) . furthermore , conbercept and fmn alleviated nv , vessel tortuosity , and dilated vessels in the oir rats significantly ( figure 6 ) . in order to further confirm the inhibitory effect of fmn on retinal nv
, we counted the vascular cell nuclei extended beyond the internal limiting membrane in the retinal tissue sections of rats , with hematoxylin and eosin stain .
nuclei anterior to the internal limiting membrane were not found in the retinal tissue sections of the control rats ( figure 7a ) , but a lot of neovascular nuclei and vessels were found in the retinal tissue sections of the oir rats ( figure 7b ) .
interestingly , the neovascular nuclei and vessels in the retinal tissue sections were remarkably reduced by conbercept ( 1 mg / kg ) or fmn ( 5 mg / kg and 10 mg / kg ) treatment ( figure 7c and d ) .
the present study aimed to investigate whether fmn can prevent hypoxia - induced retinal nv , and the role of hif-1/vegf signaling pathway .
we applied the vegf secretion model of arpe-19 cells induced by cocl2 in vitro , and nv rat model of oxygen - induced retinopathy in vivo .
our results reveal that fmn can indeed inhibit vegf secretion of the arpe-19 cells under hypoxia condition , downregulate mrna expressions of vegfa and phd-2 , and decrease the protein expressions of vegf , hif-1 , and phd-2 in vitro .
furthermore , the results also show that fmn can prevent hypoxia - induced retinal nv in vivo .
the results show that fmn can alleviate hypoxia - induced retinal angiogenesis through suppression of the hif-1/vegf signaling pathway ( figure 8) .
therefore , our findings suggest that fmn is effective against dr and may potentially be developed as a natural drug for the treatment of dr . however , the pharmacological effects on other animal models and the associated mechanism(s ) against dr need to be further investigated .
vegf plays a key role in the retinal nv in the pathological process of dr , including angiogenesis , vasculogenesis , endothelial cell growth , and so on .
meanwhile , retinal pigment epithelium cells located between the photoreceptors and choriocapillaris ( capillaries forming the inner vascular layer of the choroid ) play an important role in maintaining retinal homeostasis and vegf production within the area of blood
ocular barrier.30,38,39 in the present study , we employed cocl2 , a widely used chemical compound , to mimic hypoxia condition in the cultured arpe-19 cells to study the regulation of vegf expression .
our data revealed that exposure of 150 mm cocl2 to the cells significantly increased mrna expression at 24 hours and markedly increased the vegf secretion at 48 hours .
the different response times with cocl2 exposure may result because the mrna transcription and translation and secretion of vegf occurred at different times .
furthermore , our data demonstrate that fmn can simultaneously inhibit the mrna transcription and protein expression of vegf .
this finding is consistent with the previous study of antiangiogenesis on the tumor with high expression of vegf.21 however , fmn also can contrarily promote angiogenesis through estrogen receptor or mapk pathway in human pancreatic tumor cells with low expression of vegf.40 the possible reasons for the difference may be due to the diverse pathophysiologic foundation with different vegf expression levels , or fmn as a natural selective estrogen receptor modulator and/or ligand for the gr and estrogen receptor ( er ) , to exhibit the angiogenic or antiangiogenic effect in the different pathophysiologic states as a bidirectionally regulative effect of a. membranaceus.41 hif is a heterodimeric transcriptional factor that is activated and stabilized under hypoxic condition .
hif promotes the expressions of gene products , including angiogenesis factors ( eg , vegf and tgf-3 ) , erythropoiesis factors ( eg , epo ) , cell survival , and proliferation factors ( eg , igf-2 , id2 , and nos).37,4246 meanwhile , hif-1 is composed of two subunits of hif-1 and hif-1. hif-1 is an oxygen - sensitive subunit , and its expression is induced under hypoxic conditions .
hif-1 is also known as aryl hydrocarbon nuclear translocator , because it needs to bind with hif-1 and ahr , facilitating its translocation to the nucleus.37 however , hif-1 can be hydroxylated by hif phds ( especially phd-2 ) in normoxia ; the hydroxylated hif-1 is multiubiquitinated and degraded in the proteasome .
conversely , the mrna expression of phd-2 is upregulated by hypoxia through an hif-1-dependent signaling pathway.47 in addition , the phd activity is inhibited under low oxygen tension.48 this counter action could explain why the expression of phd-2 is upregulated by cocl2 and downregulated by fmn through inhibition of hif-1 protein expression , as previously reported.49 in the present study , we found the mrna expressions of vegf and phd-2 and the protein expressions of vegf , hif-1 , and phd-2 can be induced by cocl2 under hypoxia conditions .
meanwhile , fmn can inhibit the increase induced by cocl2 in a dose - dependent manner .
fmn inhibited the secretion of vegf via the hif-1/vegf signaling pathway . in order to demonstrate the inhibitory effect of fmn on retinal nv in vivo
, the rat model of oxygen - induced retinopathy was used to investigate the pharmacological effect of fmn on ischemic retinopathy induced by hyperoxia and followed by returning to normoxia as the literature reported.34 increased retinal nv was found in the oir rats , and fmn significantly alleviated the nv , vessel tortuosity , and dilated vessels in the oir rats , suggesting that fmn may be a potent inhibitor of retinal nv via the hif-1/vegf signaling pathway .
actually , hif-1 undergoes quick degradation under normoxic condition and normally has a very short half - life ( ~5 minutes).50 in contrast , in hypoxic conditions , several pathways have been shown to control hif-1 stability and transcriptional activity via posttransnational modifications involving hydroxylation , acetylation , ubiquitination , and phosphorylation reactions , including hypoxic regulation pathway ( pvhl dependent or pvhl independent),51 growth factor signaling pathway,52 mdm2 pathway,53 hsp90 pathway , and so on.54 therefore , our further investigation into the molecular mechanisms associated with the effects of fmn on anti - retinal nv should include the study of upstream regulation , degradation of hif-1 , and hre transcription .
in the present study , we reveal that fmn plays an important role in the inhibition of vegf secretion , through downregulating the mrna expressions of vegfa and phd-2 and decreasing the protein expressions of vegf , hif-1 , and phd-2 in the cultured arpe-19 cells .
furthermore , we also demonstrate the inhibitory effect of fmn on retinal nv in a rat model of oxygen - induced retinopathy in vivo .
these results may provide important insights into potential discovery and development of fmn as a novel drug for the treatment of dr clinically .
however , more studies are needed to further investigate the pharmacological effects in other animal models and the possible associated mechanism(s ) against dr . | pubmed |
citrus is one of the most
important and widely grown of the fruit crops , with total global production
reported to be 105.4 million tons in 2004 - 2005 .
citrus fruit is produced throughout the
tropical and subtropical regions of the world , where the winter temperatures
are adequate for tree survival and avoidance of freeze devastation , and where
there is sufficient water and suitable soils to support tree growth and fruit
production .
the most significant
production areas are found in the americas ( led by brazil ,
the united states , mexico , and argentina ) ,
the mediterranean basin ( led by spain , italy ,
egypt , and turkey ) , and the south and east
asian regions ( led by china ,
india , and japan ) . citrus production , whether for processed
or fresh fruit products , from the largest producing countries is an important
commodity for global trade and of tremendous economic value and impact .
however , there is much citrus production of
great importance to local national and regional economies and of value to the
nutritional needs of people in less developed nations ; this is born out , for
example , by the
fact that sweet oranges ( citrus sinensis l. osb . )
are reported to be grown
in 114 countries , grapefruit ( citrus paradisi macf . ) and pummelos ( citrus maxima merr . ) in 74 countries , and lemons / limes ( citrus limon [ l. ] burm .
in addition to the use as a
food or beverage source , citrus products from some of the wild species not
grown commercially are also of value as agents of traditional medicinal and
sanitary utilization .
several
closely related genera have varying degrees of sexual compatibility with citrus , some of which produce edible
fruit for commerce ( e.g. , the kumquats , fortunella [ swing . ] ) and
others that possess traits of economic value for rootstock and scion
improvement ( e.g. , the trifoliate orange or poncirus trifoliata [ l. ] raf . ) .
despite
the diversity of fruit types , however ,
given the tremendous extent
and value of citrus production , it may be somewhat surprising on first
consideration that nearly all of the major scion and rootstock cultivars
utilized in much of the world have not arisen as a consequence of systematic
and targeted breeding programs .
rather , they
have arisen spontaneously as seedling and/or bud sport mutations or by
introduction and trials of materials from one location to another [ 46 ] .
the reasons for the low level impact of
traditional breeding approaches to genetic improvement of this major fruit crop
are related to the peculiarities of citrus reproductive biology and the fairly
unique aspects of the taxonomic relationships of the major cultivar groups .
citrus seedlings are subject to juvenile
periods ranging from one to as many as 20 years , though typically they will
flower and fruit within 37 years , depending on species . even after first flowering
, it is common for
fruit traits to be atypical of later characteristics as scion lines
mature .
one consequence of juvenility is
the obvious delay between hybridization and selection for desired
characteristics ; however , a secondary consequence is the requirement of large
unit areas of land to grow substantially large individual hybrids , thereby
increasing the cost of maintenance in the field and limiting the number of
families and individuals within families that can be grown .
further , many of the commercial citrus types
produce polyembryonic seeds through nucellar embryony , yielding seedlings that
are essentially clones of the maternal parent .
these embryos arise autonomously prior to anthesis and their development
to maturity follows normal pollination and endosperm development .
these nucellar embryos most frequently grow
much more vigorously than any zygotic embryos and , consequently , the frequency
of true zygotics is extremely low .
finally , it is important to recognize that several of the so - called
species of economic significance ( e.g. , c. sinensis , c. paradisi , and c. limon ) are not
biologically defined species ; the cultivars in these groups represent
accumulated somatic mutations identified over centuries through on - tree or
nucellar seedling mutations .
further , some cultivar groups within other species , such as the clementine
and satsuma mandarins , are likewise the result of somatic mutations and not a
consequence of hybridization .
market and
consumer expectations and demands for specific commodities ( e.g. , sweet
oranges , grapefruit , lemons , clementines , and satsumas ) thereby limit the
possibilities for genetic improvement within these cultivar groups because the
commodities must meet the consumers ' expectations and concepts related to fruit
traits .
these needs and the narrow
germplasm bases actually represented within these cultivar groups , along with
the reproductive factors , have precluded breeding as a strategy for cultivar
development and improvement .
the exceptions
to this are pummelos ( c. maxima ) , the development of new types of
mandarin hybrids ( using selections that produce
monoembryonic seeds containing true zygotic embryos ) , and rootstock breeding , where
hybridization and selection are viable and productive approaches . in these cases , however , limited genetic
understanding of the inheritance and control of critical traits remains a
substantial issue .
with globalization of
citrus production and increased human travel throughout the world , particularly
devastating citrus diseases have been rapidly spreading , thus threatening the
viability and the very future of citrus production globally .
this is the case with much of agriculture ; increasing human
populations and urban development have forced citrus production to less desirable regions where
environmental factors present greater challenges to sustained production .
increased demands for water resources that
follow increased populations and urbanization likewise limit the availability
of water resources with adequate quality to maintain tree growth and
production .
however , the genetic challenges and the lack of understanding of the fundamental
mechanisms underlying these critical traits , as described above , present
tremendous impediments to the progress needed to incorporate needed genes and alleles
and to devise the appropriate strategies for the continued production and
economically feasible availability of citrus fruits to the future world
population . in this context , the advent
of genomic science and the powerful new tools that are being developed and
utilized for citrus improvement take on critical significance . this article will review the progress that
has taken place thus far in the development and application of genomic
information for citrus improvement and present the current status of research
and future directions envisioned .
citrus and the closely related genera are partially sexually compatible in
varying degrees ; they are primarily diploid with a few known triploids and
occasional tetraploid forms ( 2n = 2x = 18 ) ,
and they possess fairly small genomes ( e.g. , sweet orange has been said to be
around 367 mb , or approximately three times that of arabidopsis ) . as such
, the citrus species should be
amenable to many of the commonly used techniques and approaches related to
genomic research , including genetic and physical mapping , full genome
sequencing , and functional genomics studies aimed at unraveling the complexities
of key traits of interest . because of
the valuable
characteristics within some of the related genera that are absent from citrus , particularly cold tolerance and
resistance to citrus canker ( caused by xanthomonas axonopodis pv .
citri ) from kumquat ( fortunella ) and multiple stress - tolerant and
disease - resistance traits from p.
trifoliata ( including freeze avoidance , and
resistance to citrus tristeza virus ( ctv ) , phytophthora , and citrus nematode [ tylenchulus semipenetrans ] ) ,
many of the genetic mapping projects and some of the physical mapping as well have focused on p. trifoliata through intergeneric
hybrids with citrus .
citrus breeders and
geneticists have long desired to have linkage maps that empower selection
schemes based on easily scored , neutral molecular markers rather than relying
on frequently difficult , time - consuming , and inefficient approaches based on
phenotypic characterizations .
indeed ,
genetic linkage maps have been produced across the past two decades with
increasing value and resolution , as the evolution of new marker systems has
taken place .
the first published report
of linkage mapping in citrus ( using a small intragenic
family of citrus , and a larger citrus poncirus family ) was based on leaf
isozymes ; five markers were found that defined two linkage groups , and
significantly this was also the first report of linkage distortion which has
been a common feature of the many intergeneric mapping efforts that followed
subsequently .
as rflp technology became
commonly applied in genetic studies , citrus scientists began to incorporate it
together with isozyme methods , and new maps resulted first with 35 markers in 8
linkage groups covering 314 cm within a citrus backcross family , followed
by maps with 52 and 35 markers each , defining 11 and 10 linkage groups and
533 and 351 cm , in an intergeneric backcross family and a population derived
from crossing two individual intergeneric f1 hybrids , respectively [ 13 , 14 ] .
as new marker systems were developed , the
maps produced from each of these families were further populated first by rapds
, thereby increasing the number of markers from durham 's map from 52 to 189 , decreasing the
number of linkage groups to 9 , and more than doubling genomic coverage to 1192 cm .
sankar and moore increased
marker coverage in the same map to 310 markers through use of issrs . in similar fashion
, jarrell 's map was improved
through incorporation of ssr loci , and then further by issr marker
development to 156 markers defining 16 linkage groups across 701 cm .
aflp markers were first reported to be used
for citrus genetic mapping in 1998 by de simone et al . and in 1999 by ling
et al .
many other whole genome maps have been
produced as well as trait specific maps identifying single gene and qtl regions
of significance ; these have been summarized by chen et al . .
it is through the latter category of trait
specific mapping that some of the promise of genomic science for citrus genetic
improvement is being pursued and realized , including selection of disease
resistant and environmental stress tolerant hybrids in rootstock breeding
programs , and targeted gene cloning projects aimed at providing potential
solutions to serious disease problems .
although higher throughput
and increased marker density became possible through application of rapd , aflp ,
and issr techniques , these systems were of limited value in comparative genomic
studies and in utilization for marker - assisted selection ( mas ) methods because of the dominant nature of the markers and their low portability
among populations .
rflps , scars , caps , ssrs ,
and snps are obviously much more desirable for broad applications , and the citrus
research community has been developing these resources over time .
, based on rapd markers that were closely linked to ctv , a gene for ctv resistance from p. trifoliata .
polymorphism could not be revealed by some of
these scar markers without restriction of amplified products , thus they were
converted to caps . in 1999 , garca et
al .
likewise used caps together with rflps , rapds , and isozymes to map
genes in citrus and poncirus associated with apomixis .
though codominant marker types such as rflp ,
ssr , scar , caps , and snps were being used earlier , the numbers of such loci available
were severely limited .
consequently ,
there has been a limited ability to interrelate maps and/or markers developed
in different populations or targeting different qtls , and there were very few
chromosome - specific anchor markers that could enable comparative mapping
efforts between different genetic resources of citrus .
the processes for developing such markers
previously were very time and labor intensive , and the efficiencies were
extremely low .
further , some of these
markers were developed in the absence of genome or transcriptome sequences , and
as such they might be considered to be gene anonymous . however , the revolution in sequencing
technologies , including the sequencing of bac clones and fairly extensive est
libraries for citrus accessions under multiple conditions , has produced a very
substantial resource for high - throughput development , verification , and
utilization of molecular markers for citrus linkage mapping , which meets the
desired criteria .
these markers
frequently are based on est sequences and therefore represent specific genes ,
which functions may be known or estimated in some cases .
for example , omura et al . [ 25 , 26 ] first
reported development of 131 mapped caps markers derived from est
sequences . using a backcross citrus population ,
these markers were assigned into nine linkage groups that accounted for 685 cm
coverage , and they were found to be portable to another population . with the rapid increase in publicly available
est databases in the usa and publicly available software programs , large - scale
searches for various types of ssr motifs and efficient design of appropriate
primers have made it possible to identify and map est - ssrs in citrus [ 21 , 28 ] .
the first such map for sweet orange and p. trifoliata was published in 2007 ,
and it is being expanded collaboratively .
new international , collaborative est - ssr mapping efforts are currently
underway using other citrus - based families as part of a plan intended to
lead to the full - length sequence of a haploid citrus genome , to be integrated
with physical and genetic maps based on bac end sequencing , high - throughput
marker saturation , and mapping traits of economic importance to genetic
improvement of citrus .
these extensive
international efforts are being promoted and coordinated by the international
citrus genome consortium ( icgc ) ,
currently chaired by f. g. gmitter of the university of florida , usa .
new technology will continue to enhance
progress toward high - resolution and highly informative maps of citrus genomes
in the future .
currently , efforts are
underway in several labs around the world to utilize microarrays for mapping
snps in various families and genetic backgrounds , and , as a full genome sequence
comes forward for citrus , followed by additional resequencing of other genomes
of interest , the genomic identification and locations of thousands of
trait - relevant snps will become known and exploited for genetic improvement of
the crop .
the main challenge for a comprehensive and meaningful description of the
genomes is the integration of the dna marker - based genetic maps with physical
maps , and eventually with dna sequence of the whole genome , the ultimate
physical map .
large genomic dna
insert - containing libraries are required for physical mapping , positional
cloning , and genome sequencing of complex genomes .
the physical mapping of complex genomes is
based on the construction of a genomic library , and the determination of the
overlaps between the inserts of the mapping clones in order to generate an
ordered , cloned representation of nearly all the sequences present in the
target genome . for the generation of
high - resolution physical maps , the construction of bacterial artificial
chromosome ( bac ) libraries containing
clones with large dna fragments appears to be indispensable .
the bac cloning system has become a dominant
system over others to clone large genomic dna inserts .
bac clone collections and bac - based contig
maps are indeed powerful tools having multiple applications in genomics such as
supporting positional cloning or to aid large - scale assembly of whole genomes . in whole genome sequencing projects , bac end
sequences ( bes
, paired - end reads ) are
also of inestimable help for the integration of the physical map with the
genome sequence .
furthermore , in many
agricultural important species , bac clones and physical maps are being rapidly
developed since they are essential components in linking phenotypic traits to
the responsible genetic variation , to integrate the genetic data , for the
comparative analysis of genomes , and to speed up and improve potential and
effectiveness of marker - assisted selection ( mas ) for breeding . in citrus ,
independently
constructed two bac libraries as part of a map - based , or positional , cloning
strategy with the idea of identifying bac clones spanning the genetic region
identified as containing gene(s ) for resistance
to ctv .
ctv is the causal agent of
several diseases causing significant economic damage and losses to citrus
worldwide .
broad spectrum resistance to
ctv was previously associated with a single dominant gene , ctv , characterized in p. trifoliata , a sexually compatible
relative of citrus . in order to
clone this gene , yang et al . constructed a bac library from an individual
plant homozygous for ctv .
the
library contained 45 000 clones with an average insert size of 80 kb .
ctv was initially mapped to a 282-kb region including a disease resistance gene
cluster with seven members and eight retrotransposons clustered .
sequence
analysis of the ctv surrounding genomic region located the locus into a
121-kb poncirus region comprising 10 genes .
all 10 genes were individually cloned in agrobacterium - based
binary vector and used to transform susceptible varieties to test their
resistance capability . in a parallel effort ,
a bac
library was constructed from the genomic dna of an intergeneric citrus and poncirus hybrid
for molecular isolation of disease resistance genes , including ctv .
the library of 24 000 clones with an average
insert size of 115 kb was screened with dna markers linked to the ctv gene and citrus disease resistance
gene candidate ( rgc ) sequences .
a few clones were isolated with each of the ctv
resistance gene - linked markers , and several hundred others were identified
using previously cloned citrus rgc sequences as probes .
further fingerprinting and assembly resulted
in the identification of 25 contigs of 120250 kb .
additional libraries were developed from the
same intergeneric hybrid for the purpose of map - based cloning of ctv . from these libraries
, full contigs were constructed that spanned both
the resistance allele from poncirus and the susceptibility allele from the citrus chromosome .
comparisons of
the resistance and susceptibility allelic genomic sequences revealed that the
levels of similarity varied from region to region . within the region where the most likely ctv candidate genes were delimited ,
based on fine genetic mapping and predicted by various sequence analysis
programs
, there were 2 nbs - lrr candidate genes found in ctv that were completely missing from the ctv sequence .
based on the
sequence analysis and the fine mapping results , it was concluded that either
one or both of these unique sequences should be considered the first priority
candidates for ctv . a further exploitation of
this bac library resulted in identification of other disease resistance
gene - like dna sequences , using a pcr approach with degenerate primers designed
from conserved nbs ( nucleotide - binding site ) motifs .
in addition to the three
amplified dna fragment markers associated with the citrus tristeza virus
resistance gene ( ctv ) ,
another fragment ( pt8a ) was found to be
associated with the major gene responsible for the citrus nematode resistance ( tyr1 ) . in a similar approach , degenerate primers for
the conserved motifs in the kinase domains of the plant disease resistant genes
( r ) of rice xa21 and tomato pto were
used in pcr amplification to identify resistance gene candidates .
twenty - nine sequences highly similar to the
kinase domain of xa21 were cloned and
characterized ) . using the bac
library , two full - length sequences , including upstream promoters and downstream
terminating sequences , were identified .
markers derived from these xa21-like
sequences have been found linked to putative qtls for citrus canker resistance
segregating among hybrids derived from citrus
ichangensis swing . with citrus limettoides tan .
two communications at the pag xv meeting in san diego , 2007 , reported progress
on the construction of physical maps of
citrus [ 37 , 38 ] .
the spanish citrus
genomic consortium has constructed three bac libraries from clementine mandarin
( ecor i , hind iii , and mboi ) containing a total of 57 000 clones with an average insert size of 120 kb ( 19x coverage ) .
half of these bac clones were end - sequenced ( 29 mb ) , and these sequences
analyzed .
the sequence analysis
revealed that most abundant known retroelements were ltr elements , especially
ty-1 copia and gypsy elements , while known dna transposons were
scarce .
basic local alignment search
tool ( blast ) searches also identified about 14 000 clones with coding regions
in a least one end and therefore putative euchromatin regions .
bac end sequences were also searched for single
nucleotide polymorphisms ( snps ) and
simple sequence repeats ( ssrs ) in the clementine
genome .
these initial analyses
identified more than 2800 sequence repeats in coding regions out of 7700
putative ssrs .
some 1.7% of the reads had
high similarity with the sequence of the citrus
sinensis chloroplast genome , suggesting that about 70% of the chloroplast
genome of clementine was similarly recovered in this sequencing effort . in parallel ,
a physical map derived from the
same 28 000-clone set of the clementine bac libraries is being constructed by
restriction enzyme fragment fingerprinting , and work is in progress to place on
it a sufficient number of genetically mapped markers to anchor and orientate
the contigs ( ollitrault , personal communication ) .
it is expected that the paired - end reads will
also aid integration of the genetic and physical maps .
the citrus genome analysis team from japan has also
communicated the construction of a physical map of
citrus by high - information - content fingerprinting ( hicf ) analysis of a bac
library from satsuma mandarin ( citrus unshiu marc . ) consisting of 37 000 clones , with 13.3x of citrus genome
.
more than 6000 bac clones from the
library were fluorescent labeled using the snapshot kit after digestion with
bamhi , ecori , xbai , and xhoi and assembly of bac fingerprints by fpc resulted
in approximately 1000 contigs ( 1.6x coverage ) .
consistent assembly among contigs obtained by
fingerprint analysis and physical maps obtained by bac walking with both
molecular markers and bac end sequences was observed .
further evaluations by additional clones ,
assignment of molecular markers for the contigs , and gap filling by bac end
sequencing to complete the physical map were also reported to be in progress
. a bac library of ridge
pineapple sweet orange was produced by michael bausher ( usda - ars ,
ft .
pierce , fl , usa ) containing 18 432 clones ( bamhi / mbo i ) with an average insert size of 145 kb ,
or an estimated 7x coverage .
a total of 16 727 clones from this library have
been fingerprinted and assembled into 472 contigs , as of august 2006 .
this resource was searched by est - ssr overgo
probes to identify bac clones in six known heterozygous genomic regions
containing polymorphic alleles of mandarin and/or pummelo ancestry ( the putative ancestral genomic contributors to sweet orange ) .
these bac clones were then sequenced and
assembled blind to assess the difficulties in assembling sequences of the
heterozygous sweet orange .
the goal of genome - wide
integrated physical and genetic maps is a priority in citrus genomics since it
will provide the essential and powerful tools for research into the citrus
genome , such as effective positional cloning , marker development , high - throughput
est mapping , and large - scale genome sequencing and assembly .
one of the major goals of the international citrus genomics consortium is
to provide a high quality sequence of a citrus genome .
sequencing
of the citrus genome will facilitate the comparison of herbaceous and woody
perennial genomes and provide a valuable resource for studying significant
biological questions of critical importance to genetic improvement of citrus . from a scientific perspective , citrus as a
fruit tree developing nonclimacteric fruits possesses a combination of interesting biological
characteristics such as apomixis ,
gametophytic self- and cross - incompatibility , juvenility , deciduousness / evergreen
foliage , dormancy , seasonality , root / shoot interaction ,
oil glands , nutraceutical compounds , and plant - pathogen interactions .
additionally , citrus is the most economically significant fruit crop produced in the
world , although citrus production is severely threatened by pest , disease , and
environmental problems to which current commercial rootstock and scion
cultivars are susceptible . in february 2004
, a proposal prepared and supported by the national
citrus genomics steering committee ( usa ) and the international citrus genomics consortium ( icgc ,
composed of researchers from australia ,
brazil , china , france ,
israel , italy , japan ,
spain , and usa ) to sequence the genome of sweet orange was presented to the joint genome
institute ( jgi ) .
this institution reported at the beginning of
2007 to have produced a low coverage ( ca .
1.2x ) whole - genome shotgun sequence of citrus sinensis ( sweet
orange ) by sequencing ends of about 126 000 fosmid clones
containing 40 kb inserts and 257 000 plasmid clones containing 8 kb inserts .
total sequence coverage , available at http://harvest.ucr.edu/ , was about 473 mb , coverage
apparently insufficient to provide quality assembling of the high heterozygous
sweet orange . in january 2007
, the steering
committee of the icgc met at jgi in california ,
usa
to reassess the present status of citrus genome research and to forge plans for
future collaborative efforts .
the first
outcome of the meeting was a decision to shift focus to a haploid genome as the
target for sequencing , rather than the previously stated target of sweet
orange ; this consideration was made to eliminate the difficulties associated
with quality assembly of highly heterozygous diploid sweet orange genome .
a haploid derived genome sequence should
serve as the highest quality reference genome for all future genomic research
efforts .
it was required that the
haploid ( or di- or tri - haploid individual chosen ) should be available for free distribution internationally , and that it should
be pathogen - free , exhibit robust vegetative growth ( as
a partial guarantee against gross genome defects ) , and be
relatively easy to maintain .
teams were
established to verify chromosome number and to assess candidates for
homozygosity using ssr markers representing good genome coverage based on
linkage maps .
additionally , the
candidates will be assessed using at least two available citrus microarray
platforms in an effort to insure that there are no large deletions or other
cytogenetic defects .
currently there are
three candidates , all derived from clementine mandarin , that are being
evaluated according to this plan .
it is
envisaged that the international collaboration will be supported from various
agencies and sources in different partner nations , that the sequence
information will be quickly deposited and shared freely among the participating
laboratories , and that the goal will be achieved once there is 8 to 10x
coverage .
currently , there are funding
commitments from usa , spain , france ,
italy , and china
. the complete chloroplast
genome sequence of citrus sinensis was recently provided by bausher et al . .
it is 160,129 bp in length and contains 133 genes ( 89 protein - coding ,
4 rrnas , and 30 distinct trnas ) .
the
genome included 29 direct and inverted repeats 30 bp or longer , and comparison
of protein - coding sequences with expressed sequence tags revealed six putative
rna edits .
phylogenetic analyses provide
strong support for the monophyly of eurosids ii and for the placement of citrus
( sapindales ) sister to a clade including
the malvales / brassicales .
the first sets of ests ( expressed sequence tags ) from any citrus material came from the pioneering work of omura and coworkers
who reported about 3000 partial sequences of cdna clones from libraries derived
from seeds , and from developing and mature fruit and albedo tissue , during the second half of the 1990s
.
later , a set of 6500 ests derived
from whole seedlings of sweet orange was developed by bausher et al . , and
a new contribution of 600 sequences from citrus
unshiu of the japanese team was also reported . since then , various groups ( including roose and close at university of california at riverside
[ ucr ] , dandekar at university of california at davis [ ucd ] , and the spanish citrus
genomics consortium at valencia ) have contributed to est
sequencing efforts using several species , mostly c. sinensis ( sweet orange ) , c. clementina ( clementine
mandarin ) , c. paradisi ( grapefruit ) , poncirus trifoliata , and other hybrids ( c. sinensis poncirus trifoliata , carrizo citrange ) .
the total resource has reached 232 808 citrus
sequences in the national center
for biotechnology information
( ncbi ) est database as of may 2007 .
this est collection includes a wide
representation of sequences from many cdna libraries derived from multiple
reproductive ( flowers , ovaries , fruits , seeds ) and vegetative ( roots , leaves , buds ) organs and tissues ( pulp flesh , flavedo , abscission
zones ) at different developmental stages and challenged with
biotic ( phytophthora ,
citrus tristeza virus , herbivory , penicillium ) and abiotic ( salinity , iron deficiency , water deficit ) agents , and elicitor and hormonal treatments . although a compressive
analysis of all ests in public databases has not been performed , several
subsets of the data have been partially analyzed .
for example , generated
25 cdna libraries covering different conditions and from 22 635 high - quality
ests identified 11 836 putative unigenes .
a third of these unique sequences was reported not to have arabidopsis
orthologues . from a deeper analysis of a
collection of 54 000 single - pass ests ,
derived mostly from a normalized full - length
cdna library ( 41 000 ests ) and nine additional standard libraries representing
particular treatments and tissues from several selected varieties and
rootstocks , terol et al . identified 13 000 putative unigenes with
significant blast hits .
further analyses
and comparisons with arabidopsis suggested the occurrence of citrus paralogues , putative conserved orthologues ,
single copy genes , duplication events , and increased number of genes for
specific pathways .
interestingly , the
sequences of the genes belonging to these different species were essentially
identical , suggesting that their differential behavior can not be attributed to
major sequence divergences .
nearly 17%
( 2250 total ) of the predicted citrus unigenes had no detectable similarity to arabidopsis genes , and of these , 647
unigenes produced significant hits only to citrus species , suggesting
that these clusters might be putative citrus exclusive genes .
this work also contributed over 8500 clones
carrying putative full - length cdna sequences .
full - length sequences and clones that are valuable tools since they can facilitate
proper prediction of gene structures provide a useful resource for functional
analysis and may greatly facilitate annotation of the full genome sequence .
blast searches against sequenced citrus ests
are possible through several open database projects ( i.e. ,
http://harvest.ucr.edu/ ; http://cgf.ucdavis.edu/ ;
http://bioinfo.ibmcp.upv.es/genomics/cfgpdb/ ) or data deposited in genbank .
although
predictions from est clustering tend to overestimate the total number of genes ,
these citrus est sequences are apparently derived from perhaps 40 to 50 000
genes , a number more similar to that reported in populus than that in arabidopsis .
in addition , machado et al .
reported at the pag - xv meeting that brazilian researchers have developed a huge est sequencing effort . according to this communication , the citest ( http://citest.centrodecitricultura.br/ ) brazilian database including more than 260 000 valid reads contained unigene
sets from several citrus species but mainly sweet orange , mandarin , and poncirus trifoliata .
these ests were generated from several
libraries under biotic ( xylella fastidiosa , ctv , citrus leprosis virus , phytophthora , mite ) and abiotic
( drought ) stresses , and during fruit
development .
the importance of microarray technology for transcript profiling
approaches in functional genomics is increasing exponentially in practically
all plant systems and , in particular , in many agricultural crops . in citrus ,
the first transcript profiling
data was reported by shimada et al . who constructed a cdna microarray to
monitor expression of mrna from 2213 genes during fruit development .
the spanish
citrus genomic consortium developed a first generation cdna microarray
containing 12 672 probes corresponding to 6875 putative unigenes of a 22 000-est
collection .
subsequently , a
second - generation microarray comprising 12 000 unigenes was released and ,
shortly afterwards , the consortium produced the current version , a higher
density citrus microarray composed of 24 000-element cdna array containing 20 000
unigenes , based on nearly 90 000 high - quality sequences generated from 52
different cdna libraries .
similarly , a citrus 22 k
oligoarray containing 21 495 independent ests from citrus species has been
recently developed in japan .
this tool has already produced very useful
information . in 2006 , affymetrix
developed and released a citrus genechip containing 960 444 total 25-mer oligos
in an 11 micron format
( http://www.affymetrix.com/analysis/index.affx ) , this product came through close collaboration with close and roose
( ucr ) and was based on the ncbi citrus est collection that was available at the
time of its design .
about two - third of
the content was designed for gene expression analysis using 30 264 probe sets .
most of the remaining one - third was designed
to genotype 3219 genes using 5023 snps identified in ests from citrus
sinensis and other citrus species .
the
citrus chip also contained probe sets for detection of several pathogens and
commonly used transgenes and a representation of the region of the p. trifoliata genome containing ctv , the ctv
resistance allele . in january 2007 at
pag , it was communicated that the genechip citrus genome array is being used in
israel ,
for example , to analyze transcription profiles of bud sprouting as related to
alternate bearing behavior .
additional work is currently underway in various labs using the
affymetrix product for high - throughput linkage mapping , and to assess gene
expression under various physiological and pathogen and/or pest challenges , it
is anticipated that there will be several reports published within the next
year on these research projects . several other communications
presented at pag xv , for instance , deng et al . and
elsewhere reported
other research projects using cdna citrus microarrays or smaller custom arrays
based on subtractive libraries .
some of
them include analysis of transcriptional responses of 1731 genes to herbivory ,
of 312 subtracted genes in abscission zones ( tadeo and talon , unpublished data ) ,
and the investigation of citrus canker resistance in kumquat ( fortunella spp )
using an array with 2254 elements . in a recent review ,
jansson and douglas explained the usefulness of populus as a new plant system model offering
new insights in many physiological processes that can not be easily studied in arabidopsis or rice , the two main models
for plant biology .
the strength of this
proposition , sustained by the completion of the whole poplar genome sequence
and the development of several genetics and genomics tools , holds promise to
elucidate major tree - specific traits such as wood formation , long - term
perennial growth , biotic interactions , and others .
the availability of a second tree model can
provide contrasting data on plant genome evolution , gene family structure , and
other pivotal tree traits .
citrus as a
fruit tree not only will promote achievement of these goals but more importantly
offers a suitable system to study fruit growth and quality , a fundamental
plant trait for which arabidopsis ,
rice , and poplar are not useful systems .
although these model plant systems , including tomato , are crucial to
understand plant growth and development , the dramatic developmental differences
found across species are channeling many efforts to genomic and post - genomic
studies of crop plant species , rather than retaining focus solely on these
model species .
citrus possesses an enormous
unexplored potential to reveal relevant plant growth processes and some
responses that probably can not be studied in any other plant .
although functional genomics in citrus is currently
in its infancy , the particular citrus biology suggests that citrus may contain
a reservoir of genes with peculiar and unique functions .
one of the first steps to assign functions to
unknown genes is the large - scale gene analysis of the transcriptome . in citrus , before microarray availability ,
gene expression in developmental and environmentally regulated processes , as in
many other systems , was mostly studied through differential display techniques ( i.e. , ddrt - pcr ) .
genes involved in many processes were also identified after subtractive
hybridization of cdna libraries constructed from two different conditions .
the main targets in citrus research have been
those physiological processes that sustain major commercial traits .
while in tomato ( a climacteric fruit ) great strides have been made in the areas of ethylene regulation , carotenoid
accumulation , and cell wall metabolism , in nonclimacteric citrus fruit the
general information is substantially less .
mature citrus fruits release low amounts of ethylene but respond to
exogenous ethylene by accelerating respiration , chlorophyll degradation , and
carotenoid deposition .
in these fruits ,
very low rates of ethylene production have been associated with constitutive
expression of the 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate synthase 2 ( csacs2 ) and ethylene receptor csetr1 genes ,
indicating that citrus possesses a system i machinery .
however , it has been reported that a
climacteric - like rise in ethylene production , preceded by induction of the
genes for csacs1 , acc oxidase1 , and the ethylene receptor csers1 ,
characteristic of a system ii - like , appears to be present in young fruitlets .
it is well known that ethylene accelerates
the molecular changes in the carotenoid biosynthesis naturally occurring during
maturation ( see below ) , while
gibberellins and nitrates , two ripening retardants , reduce expression of early
carotenoid biosynthetic genes and repress pheophorbide a oxygenase ( pao ) expression [ 57 , 58 ] , a gene involved in
chlorophyll disappearance .
other
characteristic genes induced by ethylene are ferredoxins or thi , a gene involved in thiamine biosynthesis .
the large aba
amounts found in the peel of citrus fruit
during maturation appear to be synthesized by two 9-cis - epoxycarotenoid
dioxygenases ( nced ) with differential
spatial and environmental expression [ 59 , 60 ] . in citrus ,
an initial small - scale
est sequencing project from mature fruit resulted in the identification of 20%
of the sequences as encoding for metallothionein .
the abundance of these kinds of genes was
confirmed later in more developed citrus arrays .
later , shimada et al . used a citrus cdna
microarray containing 2213 independent genes to examine gene expression during
fruit development and reported that the expression profile in the different
tissues of the fruit , flesh , albedo , and flavedo was rather different . recently ,
a comprehensive transcriptome analysis using a citrus 22 k oligoarray was
performed to identify ethylene - responsive genes in mandarin fruit . in the 72 hours after ethylene
treatment ,
ethylene repressed the transcription of most
genes involved in photosynthesis , chloroplast biogenesis , and sugar metabolism ,
while it induced the transcription of several genes related to resistance ,
defense , stress , amino acid synthesis , protein degradation , and secondary
metabolism .
the sensitivity and
responsive patterns to exogenous ethylene were significantly different among
carotenoid biosynthesis genes ( see below ) .
furthermore , most of the ethylene
biosynthesis genes and its signal transduction components did not show any
significant expression change after ethylene treatment .
interestingly , a type ii ethylene receptor ( etr2 ) showed higher sensitivity to exogenous ethylene
than two other type i ethylene receptors ( csetr1 and csers1 ) , suggesting that etr2 might be associated
with low ethylene sensitivity in mature fruit . during the last decades , research on citrus fruit flavor that depends
upon multiple compounds , mostly sugars , acids , and flavanones , has received
considerable attention because of both the uniqueness of the physiological
processes sustaining this trait and the potential importance of these
components to human health . to date , the
most comprehensive study on the transcriptome profiling of the citrus fruit
flesh was presented by cercs et al . who examined gene expression with the
first generation spanish cdna microarray during development and ripening of
self - incompatible citrus clementina .
they reported that as many as 2243 putative
unigenes showed significant expression changes while functional classification
revealed that genes encoding for regulatory proteins were most significantly
overrepresented approximately within the middle of the rapid fruit growth phase ;
this suggested that fruits at this stage were reprogramming developmental
commands to face the complex cellular modifications during ripening .
most
pivotal changes were related to carbohydrate build up , acid reduction ,
modifications in secondary metabolism , carotenoid accumulation , and chlorophyll
decreases .
alterations of the
transcriptome associated with carbon accumulation were expected since it was
known that expression of several homologues of pivotal genes implicated in
carbon metabolism ( e.g. , phosphoenolpyruvate
carboxykinase , adp - glucose pyrophosporylase , sucrose synthase , and sucrose
phosphatase synthase ) and transport ( i.e. ,
sucrose transporters ) during fruit growth considerably changed [ 63 , 64 ] . in general , these genes appear to
belong to small families including few members , showing differential spatial
and temporal expression . on the other hand , developing
citrus fruits accumulate
a considerable amount of citric acid in the vacuoles of the juice sac cells ,
although before ripening this high concentration is considerably reduced .
the rate of change and final acid levels are
perceived as major components for citrus fruit quality .
research in gene regulation of acid
metabolism , however , has not led to a full understanding of this essential
process .
there is considerable evidence ,
nevertheless , obtained comparing acidless and acidic varieties that activity
and expression of citrate synthase were not responsible for these differences .
another gene characterized in citrus was nadp(+)-isocitrate dehydrogenase ( nadp - idh ) ,
encoding for an enzyme involved in citrate metabolism .
recently , a citrate transporter gene has been
reported encoding a novel vacuolar citrate / symporter that is able to mediate
citrate vacuolar efflux through the electroneutral cotransport of h+ and citrate
ions .
interestingly , the
transcriptomic study together with the analyses of selected metabolites
suggested the occurrence of specific metabolic alternatives during citric acid
catabolism .
microarray data suggested
that citrate was sequentially metabolized to glutamate that was finally catabolized
through the gamma - aminobutyrate ( gaba ) shunt .
this observation was of special
relevance since it linked an efficient major proton - consuming reaction with
high acid levels .
this work provides a
convincing explanation for the strong reduction of both citrate and cytoplasmic
acidity that takes place in citrus fruit flesh during development and
ripening .
transcript profiling also
revealed down - regulation patterns of gene expression for anthocyanin and flavonoid
biosynthesis , confirming previous observations .
thus , it was known that in common oranges there was a differential
repression of some of the enzymes of anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway , namely
chalcone synthase ( chs ) , anthocyanidin
synthase ( ans ) , and
udp - glucose - flavonoid 3-o - glucosyltransferase ( ufgt ) , in contrast to blood pigmented oranges . however , anthocyanin and gene expression associated with anthocyanin
synthesis increased at low temperature .
flavanones , a flavonoid subgroup , that greatly contribute to the bitter flavor
of grapefruit and other citrus , have also been the subject of intensive work
and pivotal genes of this biosynthetic pathway such as chs , chalcone isomerase ( chi ) , flavanone 3-hydroxylase ( f3h ) ,
dihydroflavonol 4-reductase ( dfr ) , and
flavonol synthase ( fls ) have been isolated and
characterized [ 69 , 70 ] . in an elegant
work , frydman et al
. demonstrated that the key flavor - determining step of
citrus flavanone biosynthesis was catalyzed by rhamnosyltransferases .
they demonstrated that 1,2
rhamnosyltransferases catalyzed biosynthesis of the bitter neohesperidosides ,
while 1,6 rhamnosyltransferases catalyzed biosynthesis of the tasteless rutinosides .
bitter species , such as grapefruit and
pummelo , accumulated bitter flavanone-7-o - neohesperidosides ( naringin , the major flavonoid glycoside in grapefruit ) responsible , in part , for their characteristic juice flavor , while nonbitter
species , such as mandarin and orange , accumulated only tasteless flavanone-7-o - rutinosides .
bitterness in citrus also is
associated with the presence of limonoids , triterpene derivatives that confer
the scent to fresh lemon and oranges .
kita
et al . isolated a cdna clone encoding limonoid udp - glucosyltransferase ( limonoid gtase ) that regulated the conversion of
limonoid aglycones such as limonin , a bitter compound , to their nonbitter
glucosides .
in addition to limonoids ,
citrus fruits possess unique aromas rarely found in other fruit species
produced by other terpenes .
monoterpenes
( d - limonene terpinene and pinene ) and other low - abundance sesquiterpenes ( valencene ,
nootkatone , and - and -sinensal ) stand out in citrus as
important aroma and also flavor compounds .
isolated various monoterpene
synthases ( d - limonene , -terpinene , -pinene
synthase , -ocimene , and cineole synthase ) , and it has also
been shown that their metabolic engineering produced new aromas in tobacco .
monoterpene synthesis takes place in
epithelial cells surrounding the secretory cavities that contain the oil glands
in the flavedo .
identified a sesquiterpene
synthase - encoding gene , regulating the conversion of farnesyl diphosphate to a
single sesquiterpene , valencene .
they
reported the transcript that was responsive to ethylene naturally accumulated
only towards fruit maturation .
other
putative sesquiterpene synthases , such as -farnesene synthase , have also been
cloned .
work is also in progress to
characterize induced mutants that exhibit altered fragrance ( alf ) and abnormal number
of oil glands in the flavedo .
transcriptome
analysis of fruits from these mutants showed changes in expression profile of
genes encoding enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of volatile compounds
derived from isoprenoid and phenylpropanoid pathways . in fruits of alf ,
several genes with different biological functions were down - regulated
although genes coding for a new putative terpene synthase ( tps ) and an o - methyltransferase ( omt ) , apparently involved in secondary metabolism of
volatile compounds , had the highest differences in expression . in the mutant with lower number of glands , transcript
profiling also revealed strong down - regulation of genes encoding enzymes from
the phenylpropanoid and isoprenoid biosynthetic pathways . in a similar approach , ishikawa et al .
used
a 22 k citrus microarray to analyze gene expression in a mutant that shows
smoother rind and decreased numbers of oil glands .
the authors reported that the genes of the
nonmevalonate pathway of isoprenoid synthesis and monoterpene synthases were
down - regulated in the mutant .
tetraterpenes are also
crucial components of citrus fruit that contains one of the greatest arrays of carotenoids
found in any plant .
the simultaneous
carotenoid accumulation and chlorophyll reduction occurring during natural ripening
indeed determines the color of the fruit peel , a most valuable characteristic
of perceived fruit quality .
many pivotal
genes of the carotenoid pathway have been cloned in citrus ( phytoene
synthase ( citpsy ) , phytoene desaturase ( citpds ) , -carotene ( car ) desaturase ( citzds ) , carotenoid isomerase ( citcrtiso ) ,
lycopene -cyclase ( citlcyb ) , -ring
hydroxylase ( cithyb ) , zeaxanthin ( citzea ) epoxidase ( citzep ) ,
lycopene -cyclase ( citlcyb ) , and
lycopene -cyclase ( citlcye ) , and their
expression has been correlated with the accumulation of carotenoids in fruit [ 80 , 81 ] . it was reported that the transition
of peel color from green to orange , and the change from ,-carotenoid to
,-carotenoid accumulation was accompanied by the disappearance of citlcye and
the increase in citlcyb transcripts . as
fruit maturation progressed , a concomitant increase in the expression of
citpsy , citpds , citzds , citlcyb , cithyb , and citzep led to massive
,-xanthophyll accumulation .
. showed that expression of carotenoid biosynthetic genes in fruit flesh
followed rather similar changes .
mutations
of flesh color are being investigated in china
using a citrus cdna array
with 6000 unigenes .
in contrast to carotenoid accumulation , there have been fewer studies of
the chlorophyll degradation processes in citrus .
previous work on the regulation of catabolism
showed that chlorophyllase ( clh ) was constitutively expressed during natural fruit development .
recent results suggest that clh functions as a rate - limiting enzyme
in chlorophyllcatabolism controlled via post - translational
regulation .
it is also known that
pheophorbide a oxygenase ( pao ) and geranylgeranyl reductase expression , correlated with chlorophyll
degradation .
a stay - green mutant of navel orange that produces fruit with abnormal brown
flavedo , showed that typical ripening - related chlorophyll ( chl ) degradation was impaired in this mutant .
transcript and proteomic profilings revealed that a citrus orthologue of
a number of sgr ( stay green ) genes was expressed at substantially
lower levels in
mutation also resulted in the suppressed expression of
numerous photosynthesis - related genes and in the induction of genes associated
with oxidative stress .
the transcriptome
of other selected citrus mutants is also being investigated to identify gene
functions related to fruit quality that in citrus are barely accessible through
genetic approaches . to this end ,
three
collections of induced mutated lines ( ems ,
gamma rays and fast neutrons ) have been generated , comprising
10 000 potential mutants . with
the exception of thermostable pectin methylesterase activity [ 85 , 86 ] that
greatly reduces citrus juice quality ,
cell wall metabolism in citrus has been
studied as related to fruit abscission , a major component of final yield .
one of the strategies for the identification
of abscission - related genes followed by dr .
burns ' team ( university of florida ) was based upon
the isolation of ethylene - induced genes in the calyx , the laminar , and the floral
abscission zones .
the role of ethylene
on the regulation of abscission has been widely illustrated for decades , and
several works have shown that ethylene is the primary effector activating the abscission
pathway in citrus [ 87 , 88 ] .
differential
display and subtractive cdna library screening were also used to search for
abscission - related metabolism changes .
important
components of the citrus abscission process were thus associated with
expression and/or activity of pivotal enzymes of cell wall metabolism ( glucanases , polygalacturonases , galactosidases , and other
hydrolases ; [ 89 , 90 ] ) , hormonal synthesis , and signal
transduction ( i.e. , acc synthases and oxydases ) and secondary metabolism / pr proteins ( i.e. ,
phenylalanine ammonia lyase , chitinases ) .
. also demonstrated that
differential expression of acc synthase 1 and acc oxidase genes was associated
with reduction of ethephon - enhanced leaf abscission by guanfacine , a g - protein - coupled
alpha-(2a)-adrenoreceptor selective antagonist ,
and suggested a link between g - protein - related signalling and abscission .
interestingly , guanfacine had little effect
on ethephon - enhanced fruit loosening . in
spite of this information ,
major regulators of the abscission process in citrus
are still mostly unknown although both custom manufactured and large - scale
microarrays , in some instances , coupled to laser assisted microdissection ( lam ) are currently being used in florida and spain
to gain new insight into this process .
part
of these transcriptomic profiling studies has been summarized in a recent ph.d .
dissertation presenting a model of leaf abscission events occurring at the laminar
abscission zone .
the two - stage
model proposes a first phase of activation , mostly characterized by the
activation of signalling pathways ( hormones ,
phospholipids , calcium , and oxygen reactive species ) . in a second stage
, the execution phase ,
degradation of the cell wall by hydrolytic enzymes would be culminated and
sugar - nucleotide metabolism for cell elongation induced .
the process would end with the promotion of a
double defensive program intended to protect the living zone remaining attached
to the plant including deposition of physical barriers ( callose
and lignin ) and induction of pathogen resistance .
several other microarray
studies on citrus growth and ripening are under development and have not been
published yet .
sadka
is investigating with the genechip citrus genome array ( affymetrix ) the transcriptome modifications occurring during the induction of flower bud
differentiation using on and off trees , taking advantage of the
alternate bearing behavior , a process regulating differentially
carbohydrate - related gene expression . in brazil , the
sequencing carried out at the centro apta citros
sylvio moreiraiac ( brazil ) that has generated one of the most important databases for this genus in the
world is being extensively used to produce in
silico analyses .
this approach is yielding information not
only related to fruit growth and development ( terpene
production , cell wall metabolism , etc . ) but also in the biotic
stress field . in citrus ,
gene expression associated with the responses to biotic and
abiotic stresses has targeted a limited number of genes in spite of the
economical importance of the citrus diseases and environmental constrains .
multiple
pathogens provoke a range of citrus disorders , mostly fungal ( leaf spot , alternaria ; mold , penicillium ; post - bloom
fruit drop , colletotrichum acutatum ;
root rot , phytophthora ) , bacterial ( canker , xanthomonas axonopodis ;
citrus variegated chlorosis , xylella
fastidiosa ; huanglongbing or
greening , candidatus liberibacter ) ,
and viral diseases ( citrus tristeza virus , ctv ; citrus
leprosis virus , cilv ) .
environmental
stresses include cold temperatures , drought , flooding , salinity , and high and
low soil ph , among others . in response to the
inoculation with conidia of alternaria ,
at least two cytosolic antifungal miraculins with protease inhibitor activity
actually ,
induction of miraculin expression is one of the most prominent responses
observed in microarray experiments performed in open field experiments .
several studies with the green mold pathogen , penicillium digitatum , also indicated
that genes such as thioredoxins , the gnsl gene ( beta-1,3-endoglucanase activity ) ,
and chitinases are major components of the molecular mechanisms involved in
activation of pathogen defense in citrus .
it has also been
shown that the fungus colletotrichum acutatum altered hormonal homeostasis increasing both levels of ethylene ,
indole-3-acetic acid , cis - jasmonic acid ( ja ) and salicylic acid ( sa ) , and
associated gene expression .
have
recently presented data on the transcriptional response of citrus to infection
with severe and mild isolates of citrus tristeza virus .
these studies concluded that gene expression
was only significantly altered with the severe isolate .
changes detected in the citrus transcriptome
after infection with this isolate were predominantly associated with symptom
expression ( chlorophyllases , sam transferases , acc oxidase ,
and lipid transfer proteins ) , defense mechanism , and general
responses to stress ( miraculins , superoxide dismutases ,
glutation transferees , nbs - lrr resistance genes , thioredoxin , protease
inhibitors , ubiquitin ligases , etc . ) .
to study the mechanisms of canker
resistance in kumquat , a custom microarray using 2254 ests from subtractive
libraries is being utilized to determine the response to infective bacteria in
an incompatible interaction .
the
macroscopic phenotype , a delayed hypersensitive response in the inoculated
leaves , was accompanied by altered expression of 1245 genes .
this study identified major components of the
incompatible interaction , reactive oxygen species ( ros ) production , and programmed cell death ( pcd ) .
in addition , a number of common defense
mechanisms besides a number of resistance genes and putative receptors were
also identified .
citrus plants are also very liable to infestation by
aphids , whitefly , and other insects as well as being susceptible to herbivory .
described how nylon filter cdna arrays were used to analyze the transcriptional
changes of 1731 citrus unigenes that resulted from herbivory by a xylem - feeding
leafhopper , homalodisca coagulata .
insect feeding led to a significant
expression change in 50 transcripts broadly functioning in direct defense ,
defense signalling , ros scavenging , transport , cell wall modification ,
photosynthesis , and abiotic stress .
the
authors also noted that the transcript profile recorded greatly resembled that
induced by wounding , likely through ja - independent pathways .
in contrast to similar studies with aphids , sa - dependent
pathogenesis related genes were weakly induced .
although transcriptional
profiling using microarrays has developed into the most prominent tool for
functional genomics , none has yet reported on the effects and responses of
citrus to the major environmental constraints ( salinity ,
flooding , water deficit , chilling , and iron deficiency ) .
high - throughput analyses of gene expression
in citrus challenged with major abiotic stresses , however , are currently
underway in several laboratories around the world and will soon produce
valuable information that might eventually lead to discovery of novel genes and
functions .
for instance , it is known that in citrus , physiological
disturbances produced by salinity are associated with leaf chloride build up
rather than with sodium accumulation , as observed in many plants [ 96 , 97 ] .
genes in principle associated with the
response of citrus to salinity were initially obtained
from a cdna expression library of citrus salt - treated cell suspensions .
these genes , homologues to phospholipid
hydroperoxides , glutathione peroxidases , olesins , lea5 , or lypoxygenases ,
were involved in the oxidative response rather than in the specific response to
salinity .
other genes involved in
oxidative stress well known in citrus are glutathione s - transferases and
copper / zinc - superoxide dismutases .
however ,
recent microarray analyses are providing much - needed insights into chloride
tolerance mechanisms and short- and long - term adaptation of citrus to salinity .
several teams are engaged in a
euro - mediterranean mpc inco project , started in 2006 , between spain , morocco ,
tunisia , turkey , and france
focused on tolerances to salinity
and iron deficiency associated with alkaline soils .
one of the major components of this project
is the large - scale study and genome - wide acquisition of quantitative biological
information on gene expression from multiple tolerant and susceptible genotypes .
work on transcriptomic comparisons in this
area is confirming that cl is the most important ion involved in
the genetic response of citrus to salinity .
in addition , major metabolic regulation changes are also apparent during
salinity acclimatization in tolerant rootstocks .
chilling
resistance in citrus is another area that has received much attention but lacks
current comprehensive gene expression analyses provided by microarrays .
since most commercially important citrus
varieties are cold - sensitive and therefore susceptible to freezing , poncirus trifoliata ( l. ) ,
an interfertile citrus relative that
can tolerate temperatures as low as 26c after acclimation , is being used for
improving cold tolerance in citrus rootstocks and as a source for the
identification of cold - regulated genes . in
general
, many studies have been performed through subtractive hybridization
and ddrt - pcr comparing expression in sensitive and resistant varieties .
it has been shown , for example , that
expression of a c - repeat - binding factor ( cbf ) and one of its targets , cor19 ,
a cold - induced gene , accumulated both earlier and to higher levels in poncirus .
moreover , cor19 , cor11 , and cor15 were
found to belong to an unusual group 2 lea gene family responsive to low
temperature .
these dehydrins differ from
most other plant dehydrins in having an unusual k - segment similar to that of
gymnosperms and in having a serine cluster ( s - segment ) at an unusual position at the carboxy - terminus .
citrus , however , also possesses the typical
plant angiosperm - type k - segment consensus sequence .
other up - regulated transcripts that may play
a role in cold sensitivity are a novel ring - h2 finger gene , ap2 domain
containing genes and ctl , and a homologue of a low - temperature - responsive gene
from arabidopsis . during postharvest storage , chilling injury
in citrus fruit can be reduced by previous short heat treatments that activate
different molecular responses .
genes
differentially expressed in the chilling response have mostly been related to
lipid membrane and cell wall enzymes , to main regulators of secondary
metabolism and hormonal homeostasis , and to oxidative and general stress
responses [ 104 , 105 ] .
although the main
applications of microarrays to date are in transcriptome profiling analyses ,
microarrays can also be used to study dna variation .
oligonucleotide arrays are particularly
suited for the detection of single nucleotide mismatches during hybridization
and , hence , for the discovery of novel dna variants or the determination of
known variants .
the citrus genechip , for
example , was designed to genotype 3219 genes using 5023 snps .
the 20 k spanish consortium microarrays have
been used to identify heterozygous deletions in fast neutron irradiated citrus
mutants through array - based comparative genomic hybridization ( array - cgh ) and
to study gene colinearity .
after comparison with the arabidopsis and populus genomes , it was observed that populus orthologues of citrus deleted genes grouped in two duplicated chromosomes in contrast to arabidopsis orthologues that were
distributed in several chromosomes ( ros and talon , unpublished
data ) .
citrus transformation procedures , in general , follow agrobacterium tumefaciens protocols , and subsequent regeneration through organogenesis and somatic
embryogenesis are also rather typical and straightforward . transformation efficiency of young material
is usually low , 1520% , and a major achievement to overcome the juvenility
limitation was the direct transformation of adult material . in
citrus , genetic transformation is mostly being explored as an alternative to
classical genetic breeding and not many examples can be found in the literature
illustrating the use of genetic transformation for functional genomics .
for example , there is interest in modulating the growth habit of rootstocks since this might eventually
affect the development of the scion and facilitate diverse cultural practices ( e.g. , pruning , pesticide applications , and harvesting ) .
thus , it
was known that the ectopic overexpression in tobacco of a citrus ga 20-oxidase ,
a regulatory step of gibberellin biosynthesis in citrus , enhanced gibberellin
content and shoot growth .
generated transgenic carrizo rootstocks overexpressing this ga
20-oxidase and confirmed that the gene controls gibberellin flux through the
pathway since taller ( sense ) and shorter
( antisense ) phenotypes correlating with
higher and lower levels of active ga1 were obtained . in these transgenic lines , however , cell
division was more affected than cell elongation , in contrast to the effects
observed in herbaceous plants . in
another example , an antisense construction with a citrus acc synthase gene
repressed acc increase after a chilling treatment .
a pectin methylesterase gene ( cs - pme4 ) isolated from sweet orange to prevent
juice cloud separation was also introduced via protoplasts and subsequent
regeneration through somatic embryogenesis .
generally ,
characteristics related to commercial valuable traits are modified through the
use of transgenes . to accelerate
flowering time , carrizo seedlings constitutively overexpressing the arabidopsis floral - regulatory genes leafy ( lfy ) or apetala1 ( ap1 ) were generated .
both kind of
transgenic citrus produced fertile flowers in their first year considerably shortening
the juvenile phase .
consistently with
the role of lfy and ap1 , juvenility
in citrus was positively correlated with cstfl ( homolog
to terminal flower ) transcript accumulation and negatively
correlated with leafy and apetala1 rna levels . in a similar approach but with a citrus gene ,
it was showed that transgenic poncirus carrying the cift gene ( homolog to flowering locus t ) , another flowering time gene , also exhibited early
flowering although this phenotype was accompanied with several pleiotropic
effects .
it is possible that the early
flowering ap1 and cift transgenic
citrus could be used as rapid cycling genotypes for functional genomics studies . in a further example , carrizo rootstock constitutively expressing a -pyrroline-5-carboxylate
synthetase mutant gene from vigna ,
showed higher water deficit tolerance .
regarding tolerance to
stresses , however , a huge amount of work has been centered on resistance to
biotic stresses , a matter of major relevance in citrus industry .
thus , tolerance or resistance to phytophthora
citrophthora , the most widely spread oomycete in citrus growing areas , was
generated by introducing the gene p23 , that codes for a pathogenesis - related protein induced in
tomato .
these results provided evidence
for the antifungal activity in vivo of the p23 pathogenesis - related protein
against p. citrophthora .
a great
effort is also being developed to understand the basis of the tolerance to
citrus tristeza virus ( ctv ) , the causal
agent of the most important virus disease in citrus . the strategy is generally supported by the
concept of pathogen - derived resistance ( pdr ) ,
based on expression of viral sequences interfering with the virus life cycle in
plants .
ctv resistant transformants have
been obtained by genetically engineering the p25 and p23 genes
from ctv .
however , it still
remains to be elucidated if transgenic citrus plants expressing ctv - derived
sequences are a plausible alternative to cross protection to control ctv strains
in the field . in an alternative strategy ,
heterologous expression of plant - derived resistance genes is promoted to confer
resistance against ctv .
general
resistance to ctv has been found in poncirus trifoliata , and a region
containing the resistance gene ( ctv ) has been characterized .
furthermore ,
work is under way for other pivotal diseases such as citrus mosaic virus ( cimv ) , citrus canker , and citrus blight .
in addition to genetic transformation , the capability to perform reverse
genetic analyses is crucial to develop functional studies .
the
creation of transgenic lines is a powerful and straightforward way to determine
gene function .
however , in citrus , high - throughput
transgenic programs such as the generation of rna interference knockouts ,
activation tagging through enhancer elements , gene - trap t - dna insertions , or
transposable tagging systems have not yet been developed .
the capacity for the maintenance and
characterization of many transgenic lines of a perennial tree with both a long
juvenile phase , large individual plant size , and a complex reproductive biology
has probably hindered these developments . in populus , however , activation tagging and insertional mutagenesis approaches are been
explored despite logistical challenges in working with transgenic trees , a
direction that may well be followed by citrus researchers in the near future . since gene disruption is the most effective method to analyze gene
functions and no efficient tagging or insertional methods are available in
citrus , strategies based on genome - wide mutagenesis such as tilling ( targeted induced local lesions in genomes ) and fast
neutron mutagenesis are being explored further .
these approaches are nontransgenic and have
particular interest for the industry where the debate on gmos has restricted their
application in crop improvement .
tilling
identifies individuals carrying point mutations while the fast neutron
mutagenized population is searched for gene deletions using pcr amplification . both approaches , at the moment ,
are of
limited usefulness as strategies for reverse genetics in citrus because of the
lack of genomic sequences and the large amounts of space required for mutated
populations of suitable size .
ecotilling ,
however , on natural citrus variants and microarray - based detection of deletions
on fast neutron citrus mutants in a more direct genetics strategy are very
straightforward approaches .
however ,
unless a high - throughput transformation protocol is developed for citrus ,
functionally analyzing all genes with tagging approaches or genome - wide
mutagenesis and screening are not realistic strategies .
viral - induced
gene silencing ( vigs ) , on the other
hand , is an attractive and very promising alternative in citrus .
knocking out the expression of a gene by vigs
does not require genetic transformation and has proven to be a very efficient
tool for function analysis of plant genes .
vigs is particularly suitable for woody plants like citrus with long
juvenile periods that require long periods between transformation and fruiting . in a hopeful work
, dr . guerri and colleagues at ivia have
recently showed that vigs might be possible in citrus using citrus leaf
blotch
virus ( clbv ) as a viral
vector ( dr . guerri , personal communication ) .
these workers cloned a full - length cdna of
the clbv genome in a binary vector under the control of the 35s promoter
and demonstrated that tobacco and citrus plants agro - infiltrated with this construct became infected and
replicated clbv normally .
recently , they
have showed that tobacco plants
agro - infiltrated with a clbv chimeric construct carrying a fragment of the
phytoene desaturase gene developed photobleaching symptoms and reduced the
cognate transcripts .
availability
of the clbv - based vector will certainly open new possibilities to study
functional genomics in citrus .
other powerful approaches for functional genomics studies such as
proteomics and metabolomics to comprehensively analyze proteomes and phenotypes
have just begun for citrus .
for example ,
blumwald and coworkers ( ucd ) are using two main approaches , namely 2d
gel analyses coupled with maldi - tof - tof from juice sac cell vacuoles and lc - ms - ms
analyses of er / golgi , plasma membrane , tonoplast , mitochondria , and soluble
enriched fractions from citrus juice sac cells to define the citrus fruit
proteome .
current work is in progress
but they have already reported the identification of over 1500 proteins
involved in sugar metabolism , citrate cycle , signalling , transport , and
processing and have characterized changes in protein expression during
development . in a further example ,
proteome changes in the fruit albedo during postharvest ageing were studied
through 2d - page , and relevant proteins were also identified through mass
spectrometry determinations .
this proteomic survey indicated that major
changes in protein content ( atp synthase beta subunit ,
ascorbate peroxidase , translationally
controlled tumor protein , cysteine protease , etc . )
numerous analyses of citrus
metabolites , especially of ripening and matured fruits , have been reported in
the past .
however , new methods to
characterize the metabolic phenotypes of representative lines from mutants and
natural varieties must be developed .
metabolic
profiling and metabolomic procedures using state - of - the - art gas chromatography - mass
spectrometry or fast gas chromatography - time - of - flight mass spectrometry need
to be setup .
the final objective of citrus
functional genomics is to identify candidate genes , alleles , and genotypes
improving citrus fruit quality , correlating phenotypic analyses , metabolomic
profiling , and gene expression . at
completion
, genes and alleles with major functions in nutritional quality could
be selected and genotypes with improved fruit composition searched among
existing collections or generated .
this paper has reviewed
various aspects of the current status of citrus genome research , including the
development of fundamental tools , the applications currently under way and
envisaged leading to solutions to seemingly intractable problems facing the
citrus industries of the world , the
opportunities of improving further the perceived and real value of citrus fruit
and products , and the challenges that remain not only for genomic research but
for making progress in truly incorporating new knowledge into new plant
materials .
the international citrus
research community has been growing closer together , and new international
alliances are making the achievement of truly great advances possible ; this is
essential , as no one group or even nation has sufficient resources to address
all the needs for tool development and deployment , and many of the problems
faced are global in nature .
it is clearly evident that by combining research resources and
by adopting the principle of depositing information in the public domain ,
freely available to global research partners , the promise of genome research to
improve citrus plants , production , and protection from diseases , and enhanced
product quality and value , can be realized .
the free availability of these tools and materials is truly the key to the success
in genomics research .
citrus is a very
important tree fruit crop throughout the world not only is it of great economic
significance but it is also of great value for human nutrition and well - being .
consequently , the benefits of an expanded and focused effort into all
aspects of citrus genomics will be of great benefit to humanity in general as
well as to the realm of plant science .
citrus will have a first genome sequenced in the very near future ; this
will not be the end of the process but the beginning of many more citrus genome
sequencing projects to add layers of valuable information to the already
developed and developing tools to understand the functions and
interrelationships of genes , their products , and their interactions with the
environment . through the acquisition of
this knowledge and its application to the field , citrus will continue to be an
economically valuable fruit crop plant and a source of important health and
nutrition benefits to people throughout the world . | pubmed |
What is the appropriate sizing for fiberglass compatible with polyamide?
I am looking for a chemical coating for glass A fibers, compatible with polyamide. The fibers are uncoated, 100-filament strands of 22-micrometer "A" glass fibers.
We are producing fiberglass in our lab, and we want to size (coat) them with something which can keep the strands together and at the same time enables the fibers to bond with polyamide. We can use materials like PVA to keep the strands together, but then the fibers do not bond with the polyamide (mixing with polyamide happens after we produce the strands and chop them, with 4mm in length).
I am a beginner in composite world so I would appreciate if you can give me details on how and where to buy such chemical, or how to synthesis it myself if possible?
I think epoxy resin is compatible with polyamide because its chemical structure. Epoxy is compatible with silica (glass) and poyamide functional groups then it could be a good sizing .
| stackexchange/chemistry |
TROY
by
David Benioff
February 21, 2003FADE IN:1EXT. THESSALIAN VALLEY - DAY1A mangy, bone-thin DOG lopes across the broad valleyfloor, sniffing at the ground. At first the sceneappears bucolic: tall grass, patches of wildflowers, bluesky above.But as the dog keeps running we see signs of conflict. Aspear, half imbedded in the earth, rises at an angle. Abronze helmet, cracked and bloodied, lies on its side.The dog pauses to sniff the helmet then continues hissearch. Finally he stops, hackles on his back rising,ears pricked up. He growls, and we see what the dog sees.Dozens of CROWS have descended into a shallow ravine.They squabble and peck, clustered around something on theground.The dog growls louder and charges at the crows. The blackbirds flap away to safety, shrieking in protest.A DEAD SOLDIER lies facedown in the ravine. Whateverarmor he wore was stripped away, leaving his body to theelements.The dog walks slowly to the dead man, sniffing at thecorpse's hands. The dog whines and licks the man'sfingers.Something in the air disturbs the dog, who looks up. Andnow we hear it, faintly, in the distance. HOOF BEATS andchariot wheels, marching men, the clank of bronze armorand weaponry.The dog runs, abandoning his dead master.1ATHE MYCENAEAN ARMY1Afive thousand strong, storms into the valley from thesouth. Armored with bronze breastplates, helmets andshields, the soldiers glitter in the morning sun.Riding alongside the infantry are dozens of horse-drawnCHARIOTS, each holding a DRIVER, a SPEARMAN and anOFFICER.On the opposite side of the valley, three thousandTHESSALONIAN SOLDIERS march into view. The Thessaloniansare less disciplined, their armor and weaponry lessimpressive.(CONTINUED)1ACONTINUED:1AWhen each army reaches the battlefield they stop and stareone another down, two hundred yards distant.1BA MYCENAEAN CHARIOT AND A THESSALONIA CHARIOT1Bemerge from their respective sides and meet at the centerof the field.AGAMEMNON, king of the Mycenaeans, rides in his chariotwith a DRIVER and a SPEARMAN. Agamemnon holds a goldSCEPTER, symbol of command. His breast plate is engravedwith an Alpha.His counterpart in the Thessalonian cart, TRIOPAS (60),does not project equal confidence. He eyes the size ofthe Mycenaean army with evident unease. He holds his ownSCEPTER.Both kings step down from their chariots and approach eachother. They stare at one another for several seconds.Agamemnon smiles and looks into the sky.The crows wheel overhead, cawing.AGAMEMNONIt's a good day for the crows.TRIOPASI told you yesterday and I'll tellyou again today. Remove your armyfrom my land.Agamemnon smiles again and turns to examine the valley.AGAMEMNONI like your land. I think we'llstay.(beat)I like your soldiers, too. Theyfought bravely yesterday. Notwell, but bravely.TRIOPASThey'll never fight for you.AGAMEMNONThat's what the Messenians said,too. And the Arcadians. And theEpeians. They're all fighting forme, now.(CONTINUED)2.1BCONTINUED:1BTRIOPASYou can't rule the whole world,Agamemnon. It's too big. Even foryou.Agamemnon surveys Triopas's army.AGAMEMNONI don't want to watch anothermassacre. Let's end this war inthe old manner.(beat)Your best fighter against my best.For the first time, Triopas looks hopeful.TRIOPASAnd if my man wins?AGAMEMNONWe'll leave Thessaly for good.(beat)I'm a generous man. If mine wins,you keep your throne. But Thessalyfalls under my command, to fightwith me whenever I call.Triopas considers before nodding. He shouts to his army.TRIOPASBoagrius!The Thessalonians murmur and step aside. A giant emergesfrom their midst, BOAGRIUS, a foot taller than the othermen, his face gouged with old knife scars. He marches outto his king.TRIOPASHere is my champion.Agamemnon raises his eyebrows as the giant comes closer.AGAMEMNON(shouting to his army)Achilles!The Mycenaeans murmur amongst themselves, looking forAchilles. Nobody emerges. Agamemnon frowns.TRIOPASBoagrius has this effect on manyheroes.(CONTINUED)3.1BCONTINUED: (2)1BAGAMEMNONBe careful whom you insult, oldking.An OFFICER on horseback gallops from the Mycenaean ranksto the center of the field. He bows his head toAgamemnon.OFFICERAchilles is not with the army.Triopas laughs and looks up at Boagrius, who chuckles.AGAMEMNON(furious)Where is he?OFFICERI sent a boy to look for him.2EXT. WOODS - DAY2A BOY (12) on a roan HORSE gallops through the woods.3EXT. MYCENAEAN CAMP - DAY3The boy rides into the camp. Scores of tents stand on thebanks of a river. The only men around are COOKS tendingfires and ARMORERS, mending armor and weapons.The boy dismounts at one large tent in the corner of thecamp. He pulls open the tent flap and steps inside.4INT. ACHILLES' TENT - CONTINUOUS4The boy pauses for a moment inside the tent, eyesadjusting to the dim light. Evidently last night was awild party. Jugs of wine are everywhere, and the remainsof a large feast.Sleeping on a fur rug are two NAKED WOMEN and one NAKEDMAN, tanned arms and legs entwined. The boy sidestepsshards of a broken jug. He bends to tap the sleepingman's shoulder.Before his fingers make contact, a hand shoots out, grabshis wrist, and pulls him to the rug. The boy findshimself flat on his back with a dagger to his throat.(CONTINUED)4.4CONTINUED:4ACHILLESShh.The boy stares into the eyes of ACHILLES (30), who seemsto have barely moved. Somehow he managed to seize the boyand put a knife to his throat without waking the women.ACHILLES(whispering)I was having a good dream.(beat)A very good dream.The boy nods, dumb with fear. Achilles has the lean,efficient physique of a boxer. His face and body are darkfrom a summer spent in the sun.BOYKing Agamemnon sent me. Heneeds --ACHILLESI'll speak with your king in themorning.BOYBut my lord -- it is morning.Achilles frowns. He stands and walks naked to the tentflap, holds it open and stares at the empty encampment.BOYThey're waiting for you.5EXT. MYCENAEAN CAMP5Achilles prepares for battle, strapping on hisbreastplate. The boy assists him, fixing the bronzegreaves to his legs.BOYAre the stories about you true?They say your mother is an immortalgoddess.Achilles lifts up his shield. He slips his left forearminto the leather straps on the inside of the shield.BOYThey say you can't be killed.(CONTINUED)5.5CONTINUED:5ACHILLESI wouldn't be bothering with theshield then, would I?BOYThe Thessalonian you're fighting-- he's the biggest man I've everseen.Achilles mounts the boy's horse.BOYI wouldn't want to fight him.ACHILLESThat's why no one will rememberyour name.Achilles gallops away, leaving the boy standing alone.6EXT. THESSALIAN VALLEY6Agamemnon confers with his OFFICERS on the battlefield,including KING NESTOR (65), his trusted advisor.When Achilles rides into view the Mycenaean soldiersCHEER. Some cry out his name. Agamemnon and his officersturn to watch Achilles dismount and approach them.AGAMEMNONPerhaps we should have our wartomorrow, when you're betterrested?Achilles ignores the king and examines the waiting giant.AGAMEMNONI should have you whipped forimpudence.Achilles wheels on the king.ACHILLESWho's giving the whipping?He walks toward Agamemnon, fingers curling over the hiltof his sword. Nestor slides in between Achilles and theking.NESTORAchilles.(CONTINUED)6.6CONTINUED:6Achilles, nostrils flared, eyes narrowed, stares atAgamemnon. Neither man is willing to turn away.ACHILLES(to Agamemnon)Why don't you fight him yourself?Wouldn't that be a sight, a kingwho fights his own battles?NESTORAchilles.Achilles finally turns and looks at him.NESTORLook at the men's faces.Achilles surveys the faces of the battle-weary soldiers.NESTORYou can save hundreds of them. Youcan end this war with a swing ofyour sword.(beat)Think how many songs they'll singin your honor.(beat)Let them go home to their wives.The soldiers, awed in his presence, stare at Achilles. Hefinally turns and walks toward Boagrius.Agamemnon watches Achilles with undisguised hostility.AGAMEMNON(to Nestor, under his breath)Of all the warlords loved by thegods, I hate him most.NESTORWe need him, my king.AGAMEMNONFor now.6AACHILLES6AWhen Achilles is forty yards from the giant, Boagriusturns to his army and shakes his spear over his head.They cheer, slamming their bronze swords against theirbronze shields.(CONTINUED)7.6ACONTINUED:6AAchilles keeps coming. He looks up at the circling crows.Boagrius turns and throws his spear. The bronze spearheadglitters in the sun, blazing straight for Achilles.Without breaking stride, Achilles raises the shield. Thespearhead blasts through the bronze skin of the shield,through the thick leather on the underside, stoppinginches from Achilles' face.Achilles keeps coming.Boagrius hoists a second spear and hurls it, grunting witheffort. Again Achilles raises his shield, again thespearhead tears through the shield but does not harmAchilles.Achilles casts aside the shield and keeps coming.Boagrius unsheathes his tremendous bronze sword. He openshis mouth, lets loose a battle cry, and charges atAchilles.When Boagrius raises his sword, Achilles lunges forwardwith terrifying speed. It does not seem possible that hecould close the gap between them so quickly, but he does,thrusting his sword straight through Boagrius'breastplate.Achilles pulls his sword from the giant's chest andcontinues walking toward the Thessalonian line, neverlooking back.Boagrius stares down at the hole in his breastplate.Blood pumps out, pouring down the polished bronze. Hetopples over.The Mycenaean Army ERUPTS with exultant victory cries.Achilles now stands in front of the massed Thessaloniantroops. He searches from face to face. None of thesoldiers are willing to make eye contact with him.Finally Triopas steps out of the ranks.TRIOPASWho are you, soldier?ACHILLESAchilles, son of Peleus.(CONTINUED)8.6ACONTINUED: (2)6ATRIOPASAchilles. I won't forget the name.Triopas offers Achilles the heavy gold SCEPTER.TRIOPASThe ruler of Thessaly carries thisscepter. Give it to your king.ACHILLESHe's not my king.Achilles walks west, away from both armies. The soldierswatch him go in silence.7EXT. IONIAN SEA - DUSK7We're high above the wine-dark sea, gliding north. Soonthe Peloponnesian coast comes into view. The only breakin the shoreline is the inlet of Laconia, and we follow itinland.The inlet ends in a natural harbor where several tall-masted warships are beached, sails unfurled, oars lockedand rowing benches empty. Dozens of smaller fishing boatsare scattered about the harbor.On top of the highest hill, overlooking all Sparta, standsa thick-walled PALACE. Torch-bearing SENTRIES, wearingplumed helmets and carrying long spears, man their posts.MENELAUS (V.O.)Princes of Troy, on our last nighttogether, Queen Helen and I saluteyou.8INT. PALACE OF SPARTA - RECEPTION HALL - CONTINUOUS8MENELAUS (40), king of Sparta, stands at the head of amassive table that spans the length of a hall lit bytorches. A battle-scarred warrior, Menelaus is alreadyhalfway drunk.Beside Menelaus sits his wife, HELEN (25), wearing a whitegown, head bowed, half listening to her husband. Freshflowers are woven into her hair. Her beauty is so extremeshe seems to exist in a separate realm.(CONTINUED)9.8CONTINUED:8The only woman in the room and the only one wearing white,Helen shines amidst the unwashed WARRIORS of Sparta andTroy. All sit at a table laden with platters of roastedgame birds, whole fish, octopi, suckling pigs and bowls offruit.Menelaus holds his gold wine goblet in the air, toastinghis honored guests, HECTOR (35) and PARIS (25).Hector is not the best-looking man in the room, nor thelargest, but the intensity of his expression, the regalityof his bearing, confirms that he is a born leader.Paris is the best-looking man in the room, by a long shot.He's not paying attention to Menelaus. He's staring atHelen.MENELAUSWe've had our conflicts before,it's true. We've fought manybattles, Sparta and Troy. Andfought well!Menelaus's soldiers cheer drunkenly. For a moment Helenlooks up and meets Paris's gaze.MENELAUSBut I've always respected yourfather. Priam is a good man, agood king. I respected him as anadversary, and I respect him now asmy ally.More cheering, this time from the entire assembly.MENELAUSHector, Paris, young princes, come,stand, drink with me.Hector stands. Paris does not. He's still staring atHelen. Hector nudges his brother's shoulder. Parisstands.MENELAUSLet us drink to peace.Hector nods to Menelaus and raises his cup.HECTORPeace between Troy and Sparta.(CONTINUED)10.8CONTINUED: (2)8The king and the princes drink deeply and slam their emptycups to the table.MENELAUSMay the gods keep the wolves in thehills and the women in our beds.All the men in the hall cheer and rise to their feet.GUESTSTo Sparta! To Troy!A band of MUSICIANS strike up their instruments; SERVANTSroam the hall filling goblets with wine.POLYDORA (20), one of Helen's handmaidens, leads a dozenattractive YOUNG WOMEN into the banquet hall.The warriors howl at the sight of the women. Soon each ofthe handmaidens is flanked by drunken soldiers.Menelaus grabs Hector in a bear hug. Hector gamelyaccepts the embrace. When the king releases him, both menspill a few drops of wine from their cups onto the floor.They drink the rest of their wine. Menelaus gripsHector's upper arm. SERVANTS refill the cups.MENELAUSA strong arm. Thank the gods wemade peace -- I've seen too many ofmy men struck down with this arm.HECTORNever again, I hope.MENELAUSOnly one man works a sword betterthan you. The son of Peleus theArgonaut.HECTORAchilles.MENELAUSThat madman would throw a spear atZeus himself if the god insultedhim.(CONTINUED)11.8CONTINUED: (3)8Menelaus indicates Polydora, who stares at Hector openly.MENELAUSYou see that one over there? Ipicked her just for you. She's alittle lioness.Menelaus grins at the girl, who lowers her eyes andsmiles. Helen notices this silent exchange but ignoresit, conversing instead with another HANDMAIDEN who sitsbeside her.HECTORThank you. My wife waits for me inTroy.MENELAUSMy wife waits for me right there.He leans forward to whisper conspiratorially in Hector'sear.MENELAUSWives are for breeding. Youunderstand? For making littleprinces. Come, enjoy yourselftonight.Helen stands and walks out of the reception hall.Menelaus does not notice. Hector does. He raises his cupto Menelaus.HECTORYou make excellent wine in Sparta.Menelaus laughs and drinks with Hector.Paris excuses himself from the Spartan generals he's beenspeaking with and heads outside -- in the same directionas Helen. Hector watches with mounting agitation.9INT. HELEN'S CHAMBER - NIGHT9The room is lit by a dozen tall candles. Helen removesthe flowers from her hair and drops them into a bowl ofwater. She hears a sound and looks up. Paris stands inthe doorway.For several breaths they are silent, staring at eachother.(CONTINUED)12.9CONTINUED:9HELENYou shouldn't be here.Paris closes the door behind him.PARISThat's what you said last night.HELENLast night was a mistake.PARISAnd the night before?Helen continues removing the flowers from her hair but shecannot hide a half-smile.HELENI've made many mistakes this week.He approaches her.PARISDo you want me to go?His hands are on her now, sliding down her bare neck, downher back, resting on her hips. His mouth is very close toher ear. Helen closes her eyes.HELEN(whispering)Yes.Paris kisses her neck, her ears, her closed eyes. Thetightness we saw in her face when she sat by her husband'sside is gone, replaced by ecstasy.PARIS(whispering)Where should I go?She kisses him back now and there's a hunger in herkisses, something close to violence in her desire. Shelifts off his tunic and pulls him nearer.HELEN(whispering)Away. Far away.In a moment the white gown slips to her feet. He staresat her naked body in wonder. He opens his mouth to speakbut she kisses him full on the lips. They sink onto thebed.13.10INT. PALACE - RECEPTION HALL - NIGHT10As more and more wine gourds are emptied, the scene growsrowdier. An impromptu choir of Spartan and Trojansoldiers drunkenly sing battle songs.Polydora sits on Menelaus's lap. She whispers in his earwhile he laughs and drains another cup of wine. Bits ofroasted boar fleck his thick red beard.Hector sits nearby, half engaged in conversation withseveral Spartan generals. He's clearly not happy that hisbrother's still missing.11INT. HELEN'S CHAMBER - NIGHT (LATER)11Helen lies naked on her bed. In the candlelight herflanks are mapped with copper trails of sweat. Shewatches Paris, who stands bedside pulling on his clothes.PARISI have something for you.From his tunic he pulls a necklace of baby pearls threadedwith silver. He sits beside her in bed.PARISPearls from the sea of Propontis.Paris strings the pearls around her neck.HELENThey're beautiful.(beat)But I can't wear them. Menelauswould kill us both.PARISDon't be afraid of him.HELENI'm not afraid of dying. I'mafraid of tomorrow, watching yousail away and knowing you'll nevercome back.She runs her fingers across his jaw line.HELENBefore you came to Sparta I was aghost. I walked and I ate and Iswam in the sea, but I was a ghost.(CONTINUED)14.11CONTINUED:11PARISYou don't have to fear tomorrow.Helen watches him, unsure what he means.PARISCome with me.For a long moment they stare into each other's eyes.HELENDon't play with me, prince of Troy.Don't play.The sounds of footsteps and laughter outside the doorstartle them. Paris halfway unsheathes a KNIFE hangingfrom his belt.Whoever's walking by the door passes without stopping.Paris sheathes his knife, kneels beside the bed and takesher hand.PARISIf you come we'll never be safe.Men will hunt us and the gods willcurse us. But I'll love you.Until the day they burn my body Iwill love you.Helen stares into Paris' eyes, contemplating theimpossible.12INT. PALACE - COURTYARD - LATER12A group of TROJAN SOLDIERS lies on goatskins and fursaround a bonfire built in the middle of the courtyard.Some sleep; some continue to drink and sing old Trojansongs.Hector stands by the fire, conferring with TECTON (30), abull-necked captain of the elite Apollonian Guard.HECTORMake the proper offerings toPoseidon before we sail. We don'tneed any more widows in Troy.TECTONGoat or pig?HECTORWhich does the Sea God prefer?(CONTINUED)15.12CONTINUED:12TECTON(smiling)I'll wake the priest and ask him.Tecton bows and exits the courtyard. Hector sees Parisslinking past the bonfire, sneaking toward his quarters.HECTORParis!Paris turns, smiles and waves, acting as if he hadn't seenHector before. He ambles over to join his brother.HECTORYou should get to bed. We won'tsleep on land again for weeks.PARISI have no trouble sleeping on theseas. The sea nymphs singlullabies to me.HECTORAnd who sang lullabies to youtonight?Paris freezes for a moment but quickly regains his poise.PARISTonight? Tonight was thefisherman's wife. A lovelycreature.HECTORI hope you didn't let the fishermancatch you.PARISHe's more concerned with the fish.Paris smiles and starts to walk away but Hector holds him.HECTORYou do understand why we're inSparta?PARISFor peace.(CONTINUED)16.12CONTINUED: (2)12HECTORAnd you do understand thatMenelaus, King of Sparta, is apowerful man? And that hisbrother, Agamemnon, King ofMycenae, commands all the Greekforces?PARISWhat does this have to do with thefisherman's wife?Hector seizes Paris's face between the palms of his hand.Not a violent gesture, exactly, but not gentle, either.HECTORParis. You're my brother, and Ilove you. But if you do anythingto endanger Troy I'll rip yourpretty face from your pretty skull.He kisses Paris on the forehead.HECTORGet some sleep. We sail in themorning.Paris, a bit shocked by the encounter, stumbles away.13EXT. IONIAN SEA - DAY13The TROJAN SHIP sails over the waves.14EXT. SHIP'S DECK - DAY14The winds are strong. Nobody needs to row. SAILORS tendthe sails or play dice.Hector stands in the bow, leaning against the rail,whittling a WOODEN LION. Paris joins him.PARISA beautiful morning. Poseidon hasblessed our voyage.Hector looks at the blue sky for a moment.(CONTINUED)17.14CONTINUED:14HECTORSometimes the gods bless you in themorning and curse you in theafternoon.Paris watches his brother work the wood. When Parisspeaks again his tone is more sober than we've heard itbefore.PARISDo you love me, brother?Hector rests his knife on the deck and smiles.HECTORWhat have you done now?PARISI need to show you something.Paris walks toward the staircase leading inside the ship.Hector watches him for a few seconds and then follows.15INT. TROJAN SHIP15Paris pauses in front of his cabin door.PARISBefore you get angry with me --HECTOROpen the door.Paris opens the door. Helen, wearing a hooded robe, sitson the edge of a hammock, swinging slightly. She stands.Hector stares at her in disbelief. He turns and glares atParis.HECTORIf you weren't my brother I'd killyou where you stand.PARISHector --Hector is already out the door. Helen looks at Paris.HELENWe'll never have peace.PARISI don't want peace. I want you.(CONTINUED)18.15CONTINUED:15He kisses her -- a desperate, hungry kiss, the two of themagainst the world -- then turns and follows his brother.16INT. PALACE OF SPARTA - HELEN'S BEDCHAMBER - DAY16Menelaus, followed by ten SOLDIERS, storms into Helen'sroom.17INT. HELEN'S BEDCHAMBER17He finds Polydora polishing the queen's jewelry. Menelausgrabs her arm roughly. She's terrified.MENELAUSWhere is she?POLYDORAWho, my king?Menelaus draws his sword.MENELAUSI swear by the father of the godsI'll gut you here if you don't tellme.The handmaiden tries to speak but no words come out.Fortunately for her, HIPPASUS, (50), a royal advisor,enters the room at that moment followed by an oldFISHERMAN (65).HIPPASUSShe left with the Trojans, my king.Menelaus stares at Hippasus, who swallows and gestures atthe fisherman. The fisherman looks as if he'd rather befishing.HIPPASUSThe old man saw her board theirship.Menelaus releases the handmaiden and stares at thefisherman.MENELAUSThe Trojans?(CONTINUED)19.17CONTINUED:17FISHERMANWith the young prince. Paris.She --Menelaus holds up his hand. The fisherman shuts up.Everyone watches the king, waiting for an explosion, butthe news -- strangely -- seems to focus him.MENELAUSGet my ship ready.18EXT. TROJAN SHIP18Hector walks quickly toward the stern, Paris right behindhim. The PILOT mans the rudder.HECTOR(to pilot)Turn us around. Back to Sparta.PARISWait, wait.Hector spins on his brother.HECTORYou fool.PARISListen to me --Hector shoves his brother backwards. The older brother'sphysical power is obvious. SAILORS watch in awed silence.HECTORDo you know what you've done? Doyou know how many years our fatherworked for peace? How manybrothers and cousins he lost on thebattlefield?PARISI love her.The muscles in Hector's jaw bulge against his cheeks.HECTORSay another word and I'll breakyour arm. This is all a game foryou, isn't it?(MORE)(CONTINUED)20.18CONTINUED:18HECTOR (CONT'D)You roam from town to town, beddingmerchants' wives and temple maids -- you think you know somethingabout love? What about yourfather's love? You spat on himwhen you brought her on this ship.What about love of your country?You'd let Troy burn for this woman.Paris starts to speak but Hector raises a warning finger.HECTORI won't let you start a war forher.PARISMay I speak?(beat)What you say is true. I've wrongedyou. I've wronged our father. Ifyou want to bring Helen back toSparta, so be it. But I go withher.HECTORTo Sparta? They'll kill you.PARISThen I'll die fighting.Hector laughs bitterly. He grabs the collar of Paris'stunic.HECTORThat sounds heroic to you, doesn'tit? To die fighting. Tell me,little brother, have you everkilled a man?PARISNo.HECTORHave you ever even seen a man diein combat?PARISNo.Hector's face is flushed with anger. Paris tries to lookaway but Hector won't let him.(CONTINUED)21.18CONTINUED: (2)18HECTORI've killed men, brother. I'vewatched them dying, I've heard themdying, I've smelled them dying.(beat)There's nothing glorious about it,nothing poetic. You think you wantto die for love, but you knownothing about dying. You knownothing about love.PARISAll the same, I go with her.Hector releases his brother. He stares at the sea.PARISI won't ask you to fight my war.Hector shakes his head, still staring into the waves.HECTORYou already have.For a long time Hector is silent. Finally he turns to thepilot, who awaits the prince's command.HECTORTo Troy.Hector walks away from his brother.19EXT. MYCENAE HARBOR - DAY19Three WARSHIPS are anchored in the harbor.Menelaus, followed by Hippasus and a retinue of SOLDIERS,climbs the long stone staircase that leads to the walledcity of Mycenae, a citadel hewn from the hilltop rock.20INT. MYCENAE CITADEL - THRONE ROOM - DAY20Menelaus and his followers enter the throne room.Treasures from various conquests fill the room: statuaryand urns and intricate gold work. Armed GUARDS stand attheir posts.(CONTINUED)22.20CONTINUED:20Only Agamemnon is seated, on a beautiful throne carvedfrom solid oak. Two robed NOBLES are addressing him whenMenelaus enters -- they move away as the Spartansapproach.Agamemnon stands. The two kings embrace.AGAMEMNONYour messenger came two days ago.I know what happened.Menelaus's face darkens, his rage barely submerged.MENELAUSI want her back.AGAMEMNONOf course you do. She's abeautiful woman.MENELAUSI want her back so I can kill herwith my own two hands. I won'trest until I've burned Troy to theground.AGAMEMNON(smiling)I thought you wanted peace withTroy.MENELAUSI should have listened to you.AGAMEMNONPeace is for the women and theweak. Empires are forged by war.MENELAUSAll my life I've stood by yourside, fought your enemies. You'rethe eldest, you reap the glory --this is the way of the world. Buthave I ever complained, brother?Have I ever asked you for anything?AGAMEMNONNever. You're a man of honor.Everyone in Greece knows this.(CONTINUED)23.20CONTINUED: (2)20MENELAUSThe Trojans spat on my honor. Aninsult to me is an insult to you.AGAMEMNONAnd an insult to me is an insult toall Greeks.MENELAUSWill you go to war with me,brother?Menelaus reaches out his hand. Agamemnon looks into hiseyes. Finally he nods and clasps hands with his brother.21INT. MYCENAE CITADEL - THRONE ROOM - NIGHT21Agamemnon paces the vast, torch-lit room. Nestor sits ata wooden table. Spread out on the table before him is arough map of Greece and environs, painted on a tanned goatskin.AGAMEMNONI always thought my brother's wifewas a foolish woman. But she'sproven to be very useful. Nothingunifies a people like a commonenemy.NESTORThe Trojans have never beenconquered. Some say they can't beconquered.AGAMEMNONI haven't tried yet.(beat)Old King Priam thinks he'suntouchable behind his high walls.He thinks the Sun God will protecthim. But the gods only protect thestrong.(points at map)If Troy falls, I control theAegean.NESTORHector commands the finest army inthe east. And Troy is built towithstand a ten-year siege.(CONTINUED)24.21CONTINUED:21AGAMEMNONThere won't be a ten-year siege.I'll attack them with the greatestforce the world has ever seen. Iwant all the kings of Greece andall their armies.(beat)Send emissaries in the morning.Nestor stands and prepares to leave.NESTOROne last thing.(beat)We need Achilles and his Myrmidons.Agamemnon shakes his head.AGAMEMNONAchilles can't be controlled. He'sas likely to fight us as theTrojans.NESTORWe don't need to control him. Weneed to unleash him. The man wasborn to end lives.AGAMEMNONYes, he's a gifted killer, but hefollows no king. He threatenseverything I've built.(beat)Before me Greece was nothing, aprovince of warlords and cattleraiders. I've brought all theGreek kingdoms together -- with thesword when necessary, with a treatywhen possible. I've created anation out of fire-worshippers andsnake-eaters.(beat)I build the future, Nestor.Achilles is the past, a man whofights for no flag, a man loyal tono country.Nestor waits a respectful moment before replying.(CONTINUED)25.21CONTINUED: (2)21NESTORYour words are true. But how manybattles have we won off the edge ofhis sword?(beat)This will be the greatest war theworld has ever seen. We need thegreatest warrior.Agamemnon thinks about it, pacing the room. Finally --AGAMEMNONThere's only one man he'll listento.NESTORI'll send a ship in the morning.22EXT. ITHACA - DAY22A lean, bearded SHEPHERD (40) sits on a hillside lookingover the Ionian sea.Beside him sits his faithful hunting dog, ARGOS. Theywatch a troop of EMISSARIES climb the steep hill. Theemissaries are panting for breath by the time they reachthe hilltop.EMISSARY #1Greetings, brother. We were toldKing Odysseus is here in the hills.SHEPHERDOdysseus? That old bastard drinksmy wine and never pays.EMISSARY #2You ought to respect your king,friend.SHEPHERDRespect him? I'd like to punch himin the nose. He's always pawing atmy wife, trying to tear her clothesoff.The emissaries, embarrassed, begin walking away. Theshepherd watches them go.(CONTINUED)26.22CONTINUED:22SHEPHERD(to Argos the dog)I hope Agamemnon's generals aresmarter than his emissaries.Emissary #1 turns to look at the shepherd.EMISSARY #1What did you say?The shepherd scratches behind Argos's ears. The dog wagshis tail happily.SHEPHERDYou want me to help you fight theTrojans.EMISSARY #1You're --Emissary #1 exchanges glances with his compatriots.They're confused. Finally the chastened emissaries bow.EMISSARY #1Forgive us, King Odysseus.Odysseus stands and looks down at his dog.ODYSSEUSWell, I'm going to miss my dog.EMISSARY #2King Agamemnon has a favor to askof you.Odysseus smiles and rubs his dog's head.ODYSSEUSOf course he does.23EXT. SEASIDE CLIFF - LATE AFTERNOON23Achilles stands in the ruins of an ivy-covered temple on acliff above the sea, sparring with his cousin Patroclus(17). Both men wield wooden practice swords.Patroclus is a talented, lean, flashy young fighter. Hissword whirls in the air like a thing alive.Achilles, by contrast, is the apotheosis of the efficientcombatant, wasting no energy, waiting for weakness.(CONTINUED)27.23CONTINUED:23Patroclus presses in on the attack. Achilles tilts hishead to avoid one thrust, side-steps to avoid another.Spying a momentary opening he lunges forward and tapsPatroclus' belly with the tip of his wood sword.ACHILLESYou're getting fat, cousin.Patroclus grins and relaunches his attack, sword spinningwith blazing speed. Achilles ducks beneath an arcingswing and sword-taps Patroclus on the back.ACHILLESFancy swordplay. The girls must beimpressed.Patroclus grunts and charges in again. This time agenuine duel develops, featuring splendid repartee andparrying.PATROCLUSA little nervous, aren't you?ACHILLESTerrified.Achilles raises his right hand and Patroclus lifts hissword to parry the blow -- but Achilles no longer holdshis sword in his right hand.Sword in hisleft hand, Achilles taps Patroclus on thechest. Patroclus stares down at the wood blade.PATROCLUSYou told me never to switch swordhands.Achilles rolls his head to loosen his neck.ACHILLESBy the time you know how to do it,you won't be following my ordersanymore.Achilles tosses aside the sparring sword. He cocks hishead as if listening to some distant sound. Patroclus,oblivious to the noise, practices his swordplay.Achilles' foot curls around the wood shaft of one of thespears lying on the ground. In one impossibly fastmotion, he flips the spear into the air with his foot,catches it, and throws in the opposite direction fromwhere he was looking.(CONTINUED)28.23CONTINUED: (2)23The bronze warhead blazes between the temple's walls anddrives into the trunk of an old fir.Only now do we see Odysseus, leading a black horse,standing inches from the quivering shaft of the spearblocking his path. He stares at the spear for a momentbefore ducking his head under the shaft and walkingforward.ODYSSEUS(smiling)Your reputation for hospitality isfast becoming legend.ACHILLESI don't like that smile, my friend.It's the smile you smile when youwant me to fight in another war.(beat)Patroclus, my cousin -- Odysseus,king of Ithaca.ODYSSEUSPatroclus, son of Menoetius?The boy nods. Odysseus grips Patroclus's shoulder.ODYSSEUSI knew your parents well. I missthem.Patroclus nods again, looking at his feet.ODYSSEUSNow you have this one watching overyou, eh? Learning from Achilleshimself -- every boy in Greece mustbe jealous.(to Achilles)We need to talk.ACHILLESTell me you're not here atAgamemnon's bidding.Odysseus hesitates. Achilles shakes his head.ACHILLESHow many times have I done thesavage work for the King of Kings?And when has he ever shown me therespect I've earned?(CONTINUED)29.23CONTINUED: (3)23ODYSSEUSI'm not asking you to fight forhim. I'm asking you to fight forthe Greeks.ACHILLESWhy? Are the Greeks tired offighting each other?ODYSSEUSFor now.ACHILLESThe Trojans never did anything tome.ODYSSEUSThey insulted Greece.ACHILLESThey insulted one Greek, a man whocouldn't hold on to his wife. Whatbusiness is that of mine?ODYSSEUSYour business is war, my friend.ACHILLES(angry)Is it? Am I the whore of thebattlefield? Can my sword bebought and sold?(beat; calmer)I don't want to be remembered as atyrant's mercenary.ODYSSEUSForget Agamemnon. Fight for me.My wife will feel much better ifshe knows you're by my side. I'llfeel much better.PATROCLUSIs Ajax going to fight in Troy?ODYSSEUSOf course. You've heard of Ajax,eh?PATROCLUSThey say he can fell an oak treewith one swing of the axe.(CONTINUED)30.23CONTINUED: (4)23ACHILLESTrees don't swing back.Odysseus chuckles, but he's alert to the boy's enthusiasm.ODYSSEUSWe're sending the largest fleetthat ever sailed -- a thousandships.PATROCLUSA thousand ships! Prince Hector,is he as good a warrior as theysay?ODYSSEUSThe best of all the Trojans. Somesay he's better than all theGreeks, too.(beat)Even if your cousin doesn't come,Patroclus, I hope you'll join us.We could use a strong arm likeyours.Patroclus beams with pride and looks at his cousin.Achilles wraps his arm around Odysseus's shoulders andleans closer to the Ithacan. The embrace is friendly, butthere's no mistaking the power in Achilles' grip.ACHILLESPlay your tricks on me, if you'dlike. But leave my cousin out ofit.ODYSSEUSYou have your sword, I have mytricks. We play with the toys thegods give us.Odysseus goes back to his horse and mounts.ODYSSEUSWe sail for Troy in three days.(beat)This war will never be forgotten.Nor will the heroes who fight init.Patroclus, eager but frustrated, watches him ride away.31.24EXT. BEACH - SUNSET24Achilles makes his away across the sandy hillocks. Hespies a woman in the distance.25EXT. SEASHORE - SUNSET25Achilles finds his mother, THETIS (45), standing in thesurf. Her long black hair is streaked with gray. Shesees a shell that she likes and stoops down to pick it up.ACHILLESMother.Thetis turns and smiles at Achilles.THETISI thought I'd make you anotherseashell necklace.ACHILLESI haven't worn a seashell necklacesince I was a boy.Thetis looks at Achilles' bare neck.THETISDon't you like them anymore?Achilles spots a good shell. He hands it to his mother.THETISOh, that's a pretty one.She surveys the beach for more pretty shells.ACHILLESThey want me for another war.Thetis bends down and scoops up a silvery shell.ACHILLESAre you listening?THETISYes, my sweet. Another war.ACHILLESPatroclus wants to go.THETISPatroclus has never seen war.(CONTINUED)32.25CONTINUED:25Thetis examines the shells in the palm of her hand.Finally she stands and looks at her son.THETISIf you stay here, with me, withyour family, you'll have a long,peaceful life. You'll marry,you'll have children, and yourchildren will have children.They'll love you, and when you'regone they'll remember you. Butwhen your children are dead, andtheir children after them, yourname will be lost.Thetis reaches up to touch her son's cheek. Her eyes areclear, her voice steady. She speaks these lines with nohesitation, no doubt.THETISIf you go to Troy, no one will earnmore glory than you. Men will tellstories of your victories forthousands of years. The world willremember your name.Achilles stares at her, his eyes burning. These are wordshe's wanted to hear since the day he was born. His motherwaits a moment before speaking again. The words hurt her.THETISBut if you go to Troy, you'll nevercome home. You'll die there.ACHILLESAnd you know this, mother?THETISI know it.Achilles looks out to the sea. Thetis, tears in her eyes,smiles bravely.THETISWhenever your father came home fromwar, he'd stare at the sea, justlike that.(beat)He never stayed for long.In the distance Achilles sees a white sail. He fixates onthe lonely spot of white on the endless expanse of darkwater.33.26EXT. AEGEAN SEA - DAY26We soar above the greatest armada the world has ever seen.ONE THOUSAND SHIPS sail east, crowding the sea, churningthe waves with their keels.The white sails are painted with the signs and emblems ofthe various nationalities represented in this alliance.One ship sails slightly out of formation. Alone amongstthe entire fleet, this ship's sail is black.27EXT. ACHILLES' WARSHIP - DAY27Achilles stands in the prow of his boat, staring east.Patroclus stands behind him, wearing a new SHELL NECKLACE.28EXT. TROY - DAY28Hector, Paris, Helen, and an entourage of SOLDIERS walkthrough the gates of Troy.The city is magnificent, a wonder of white-washed walls,lush gardens, and towering STATUES of the gods. ZEUS,APOLLO, APHRODITE, and POSEIDON stand eighty feet high inthe four corners of the main square.The princes' return is a holiday for the Trojans.Thousands of ONLOOKERS line the road, cheering. Otherwell-wishers, standing on the roofs of houses, throwflower petals.Paris holds Helen's hand and occasionally whispers in herear, pointing out various sights, but Helen looks nervous.People in the crowd, mystified by her appearance, point ather and whisper amongst themselves.Helen holds her head high and pretends to ignore themurmurs and stares. Hector looks at her. She carriesherself like a queen -- but she's gripping Paris's handwith white knuckles.29EXT. PALACE OF TROY29At the bottom of a long staircase leading into the palace,four APOLLONIAN GUARDS, wearing horsehair-plumed helmets,are mounted on beautiful WHITE HORSES.(CONTINUED)34.29CONTINUED:29Hector reunites with his wife, ANDROMACHE (30), paleskinned and dark eyed. He holds her to his chest; shecloses her eyes, and they stand like that for a long time.A NURSE standing nearby holds Hector's ten-month-old son,SCAMANDRIUS. Now Andromache takes the baby from thenurse. Hector stares into the boy's wondering eyes andputs his finger in the boy's hand.HECTORHe has a good grip.ANDROMACHEHe's just like his father. He evenhates peas.While this reunion is going on, Paris embraces his father,PRIAM (70), king of Troy. Priam is a regal-looking manwith a shock of white hair and sharp blue eyes. He adoresParis.PARISFather, this -- is Helen.Helen bows her head, paying respect.PRIAMHelen? Helen of Sparta?Both Helen and Priam now look at Paris.PARISHelen of Troy.If Priam is disturbed by this revelation, his face doesn'tbetray it. He leans forward and kisses the former queenon both cheeks. Helen didn't know what to expect -- she'sflustered and gratified at the same time.PRIAMI've heard rumors of your beauty.For once, the gossips were right.Welcome.HELENThank you, good king.PRIAMCome, you must be tired.He leads them up the stairs and into the palace.35.29AINT. ENTRANCE HALL (PALACE OF TROY)29ABRISEIS, a seventeen-year-old girl with an aristocraticdemeanor, wearing the white robes of a temple acolyte,approaches the royal family. Paris smiles when he seesher.PARISBriseis! Beloved cousin, yourbeauty grows with each new moon.Briseis, cheeks flushing, dips her knees in deference.Hector approaches her now, arms open. Briseis's facelights up. She hugs the eldest prince. Hector kisses thetop of her head.HECTORDid you miss me, little swan?Briseis nods. Hector pinches the sleeve of her robe.HECTORA servant of Apollo now?PRIAMThe young men of Troy weredevastated when she chose thevirgin robes.Briseis' cheeks turn bright red.BRISEISUncle.Priam laughs and kisses the girl's forehead. He takesthree goblets of wine from a SERVANT holding a silverplatter and hands them to Hector and Paris, keeping onefor himself.PRIAMI thank the gods for your safereturn.The king and the princes spill a few drops of wine.PRIAM, HECTOR AND PARISFor the gods!They drain their goblets.30INT. PRIAM'S MEETING HALL - DAY30The camera glides down the long hall, past tall columnsand marmoreal depictions of the Olympians.(CONTINUED)36.30CONTINUED:30At the far end of the hall, Priam stands by an openarchway looking over the city. Hector sits at a tablethat could seat fifty men.PRIAMIt's the will of the gods.Everything is in their hands.(beat)But I'm surprised you let him bringher.HECTORIf I'd let him fight Menelaus forher, you'd be burning a son's bodyinstead of welcoming a daughter.Priam closes his eyes at these words.PRIAMWe could send peace envoys toMenelaus.HECTORYou know Menelaus. He'd spear yourenvoys' heads to his gate.PRIAMWhat would you have me do?HECTORPut her on a ship and send herhome.Priam thinks for a moment, staring out at his city.PRIAMWomen have always loved Paris andhe's loved them back.(beat)But this is different. Somethinghas changed in him. If we send herback to Menelaus, he'll follow.Hector stands and joins his father in the archway. Hegestures outside. The city of Troy teems with life, theCITIZENS going about their business.HECTORThis is my country. These are mycountrymen. I don't want to seethem suffer so my brother can havehis prize.(MORE)(CONTINUED)37.30CONTINUED: (2)30HECTOR (CONT'D)(beat)It's not just the Spartans comingafter her. By now Menelaus hasgone to Agamemnon, and Agamemnon'swanted to destroy us for years.Once we're out of the way hecontrols the seas.PRIAMEnemies have been attacking us forcenturies. Our walls still stand.HECTORFather.(beat)We can't win this war.PRIAMApollo watches over us. EvenAgamemnon is no match for the gods.HECTORHow many battalions does the SunGod command?PRIAMDon't mock the gods.Hector opens his mouth to argue but holds his tongue.PRIAMWhen you were very young you camedown with scarlet fever.Hector nods impatiently. He's heard this story before.PRIAMYour little hands were so hot. Thehealer said you wouldn't last thenight. I went down to Apollo'stemple and I prayed until the suncame up.(beat)That walk back to the palace wasthe longest of my life. But I wentinto your mother's room and youwere sleeping in her arms. Thefever had broken.(beat)I promised that day to dedicate mylife to the gods. I will not breakmy promise.(CONTINUED)38.30CONTINUED: (3)30Hector takes a deep breath. He knows Priam has decided.PRIAMFor thirty years I've worked forpeace. Thirty years.(beat)Paris is a fool sometimes. I knowthat. But I'll fight a thousandwars before letting him die.Hector looks past the city to the sea. The waters areempty now, but he knows what's coming.HECTORForgive me, father. But you won'tbe the one fighting.He bows and leaves the old king alone in the great hall.32INT. PARIS'S BEDCHAMBER - NIGHT32Paris paces about the room. Helen stands in the archwaylooking out to the dark sea. The wind blows through herhair.HELENThey're coming for me.(beat)The wind is bringing them closer.Paris stops pacing and stares at her.PARISWhat if we left? Tonight, rightnow, what if we went down to thestables, took two horses and left.Ride east, keep riding --HELENAnd go where?PARISAway from here. I could hunt deer,rabbit. I could feed us.HELENThis is your home --PARISYou left your home for me.(CONTINUED)39.32CONTINUED:32HELENSparta was never my home. Myparents sent me there when I wassixteen to marry Menelaus, but itwas never my home.Paris, excited with his new-hatched plan, barely listens.PARISWe'll live off the land. No morepalaces for us, no more servants.We don't need any of that.HELENAnd your family?PARISWe'd be protecting my family! Ifwe're not here there's no need fora war.HELENMenelaus won't give up. He'lltrack us to the end of the world.PARISHe doesn't know these lands. I do.We can lose ourselves in a day.Helen stands and kisses him on the lips.HELENYou don't know Menelaus. You don'tknow his brother. They'll burnevery house in Troy to find us.They'll never believe we've left --and even if they do, they'll burnTroy for spite.Paris considers her words and finally nods.PARISThen I'll make it easy for him tofind me. I'll walk right up to himand tell him you're mine.Helen wraps her arms around Paris and rests her chin onhis shoulder.HELENYou're very young, my love.(CONTINUED)40.32CONTINUED: (2)32PARISWe're the same age!HELENYou're younger than I ever was.33EXT. TROY - DAWN33The sun rises above Troy and the Trojan countryside.33AIN THE MAIN SQUARE33Adozens of SUPPLICANTS kneel before the statue of Poseidonand lay down their offerings: bundles of flowers; smallcarvings; goatskins filled with wine.33BSOLDIERS33Bprepare a series of fortifications at the beach. Mencarrying torches ignite giant pumice urns filled withburning pitch. Others hammer long spikes deep into thesand to hinder enemies rushing up from the beach.There is little conversation and the men look tense.Everything is touched with an air of extreme urgency.33CA TEMPLE OF APOLLO33Coverlooks the beach.33DINSIDE THE TEMPLE33Dtwo PRIESTS carve strips of fat from a roasted PIG and laythem on the god's altar, muttering chants as they performthe ritual.Briseis, the temple acolyte, stands beside the priests,pouring ceremonial wine on the stone floor.33EMERCHANTS33Ein the marketplace set up their stalls and display theirgoods: wine, olive oil, dates, figs, nuts and spices.The BRONZESMITH hammers a bronze sword into shape.41.33FA SHEPHERD33Fwatches over his herd of SHEEP.33GA FARMER AND HIS SON33Glead a team of yoked OXEN to the fields.33HFOUR FISHERMEN33Hin a small boat, a mile from shore, spread their nets inthe water.34EXT. GUARD TOWER - DAWN34Two SENTRIES stand in a guard tower on a corner of Troy'scity walls, sipping hot broth from bowls. A large flag,emblazoned with Troy's HORSE EMBLEM, flies above thetower.Sentry #1 blows steam off his soup. He raises his eyes,blinks and squints into the distance. He bolts upright.Sentry #2 stands and follows his partner's gaze out to thesea. Both of them stand slack-jawed.34AA THOUSAND GREEK WARSHIPS34Aclog the horizon, sailing straight for Troy.34BSENTRY #234Bgrabs a gong tapper and begins hammering the brass gonghanging from the tower's lintel. Sentry #1 still staresat the swarm of ships. No Trojan has ever seen such aforce.34CSENTRIES34Cin other guard towers hammer their warning gongs.35INT. HECTOR'S CHAMBER - CONTINUOUS35Hector sits on a rug by his bed, beside his wifeAndromache, watching his son.The boy plays with the WOOD LION Hector carved on thejourney back from Sparta.(CONTINUED)42.35CONTINUED:35The city bells begin to ring.Hector looks at his wife and walks to the balcony, wherehe can see over the city walls to the Aegean.He sees a thousand enemy sails. For a moment he stares atthe armada before hurrying back into the palace.36INT. PRIAM'S MEETING HALL - DAY36Priam kneels before a grand statue of Zeus in the greathall. The Thunder God, his stone face a mask of rage,thunderbolts clutched in his stone hands, stares down atthe old king.Listening to the bells, Priam takes a deep breath and Looks upinto Zeus's eyes. The father of the gods stares back.37EXT. TROY - DAY37Panic in the streets of Troy. Merchants quickly pack awaytheir goods; mothers run into the streets looking fortheir children; young men hurry to the armory.38EXT. COUNTRYSIDE - DAY38A mad rush to get inside the safety of the city walls.38ATHE FARMER AND HIS SON38Ahastily load provisions onto a wagon.38BTHE SHEPHERD38Bhurries his herd toward the Trojan gates. He's joined byhundreds of COUNTRY DWELLERS racing for sanctuary.38CTHE FISHERMEN38Crow desperately for shore.39EXT. AEGEAN SEA - DAY39The armada draws closer to shore. One ship sails farahead of the rest. Its sail is black.43.40EXT. ACHILLES' WARSHIP40Achilles' OARSMEN holler encouragement to their shipmatesand check to see that their boat is safely in the lead.Achilles stands in the prow, scanning the Trojan shore.Patroclus stands beside him. EUDORUS (40), a Myrmidonlieutenant, approaches Achilles.EUDORUSShould we wait for the others?Achilles marks the progress of the other ships. Thenearest is a quarter-mile back.Those MYRMIDONS (Achilles' countrymen and comrades) notrowing are suiting up for battle.ACHILLESThey brought us here for a war,didn't they?EUDORUSYes, my lord. But Agamemnon --Achilles stares at his officer until the man bows hishead.ACHILLESDo you fight for me, Eudorus? OrAgamemnon?EUDORUSFor you, my lord.ACHILLESThen fight for me. And let theservants of Agamemnon fight forhim.41EXT. AGAMEMNON'S WARSHIP41Agamemnon, Nestor and Menelaus stand in the ship's prow.MENELAUSWhose ship is that?Nestor shields his eyes from the sun and looks.NestorBlack sail. Achilles.They watch Achilles' ship approach the beach.(CONTINUED)44.41CONTINUED:41AGAMEMNONWhat is that fool doing? He'sgoing to take the beach of Troywith fifty men?42EXT. TROJAN BEACH FORTIFICATIONS - DAY42The TROJAN ARCHERS check their catgut strings one lasttime.43EXT. TROJAN ARMORY - DAY43Tecton dismounts at the door of the armory and runsinside.44INT. TROJAN ARMORY - DAY44The cavernous building is crowded with armaments: racksand racks of spears, swords, breastplates, and shields.Hector watches as hundreds of male CITIZENS rush into thearmory and are issued weapons by TROJAN SOLDIERS. Thefaces of the men reflect fear, excitement, and resolve.Tecton approaches the prince and bows.HECTORThe Apollonian Guard?TECTONWaiting at the city gates.HECTORGood.Hector grabs the captain, LYSANDER, overseeing armsdistribution.HECTORHow long before the army is ready?LSYANDERHalf our men are still coming infrom the countryside. We have toarm them, we have to match themwith the right officers --HECTORHow long?(CONTINUED)45.44CONTINUED:44LSYANDER(taking a deep breath)Noon?HECTORMake it sooner.We've never seen the prince in martial mode before. Helooks different: eyes harder, mouth set and unsmiling.HECTORI want patrols to scour thecountryside. Check every home,every pasture. I want every Trojanbrought inside the walls. If theycan't walk, carry them.Lysander bows his head. Hector walks swiftly away,followed by Tecton. Lysander and the other Trojans watchtheir prince with silent respect. There is no doubt wholeads the city.45EXT. ACHILLES' WARSHIP45Though the oarsmen continue to pull, everyone is nowarmored. Achilles sees Patroclus, armed and ready tofight.ACHILLESWhere are you going?PATROCLUSTo fight the Trojans.Achilles shakes his head and takes Patroclus' spear.ACHILLESYou're not ready.PATROCLUSI am ready. You taught me how tofight.Achilles rests his hand on the back of the boy's head.ACHILLESAnd you're a good student. Butyou're not a Myrmidon yet.He gestures to the Myrmidons around them.(CONTINUED)46.45CONTINUED:45ACHILLESThese are the fiercest soldiers inGreece. Each of them has bled forme before.(beat)I can't fight the Trojans if I'mworrying about you, cousin. Guardthe ship.Patroclus looks about the deck. The only unarmored manaboard is an old, ONE-LEGGED COOK, mending spears.Patroclus angrily strips off his breastplate and drops itto the deck.46EXT. GATES OF TROY - DAY46Hector and Tecton gallop through the gate. They rein intheir horses and look over the elite Apollonian Guard,eighty of Troy's finest soldiers, riding well-groomed,snorting mounts.When Hector speaks his voice is clear and steady.HECTORAll my life I've lived by a code,and the code is simple.(beat)Honor the gods.(beat)Love your woman.(beat)And defend your country.The men roar.HECTORTroy is mother to us all. Fightfor her!The men roar and thrust their spears into the air. Hectorleads the charge to the beach.47EXT. ACHILLES' WARSHIP - DAY47Achilles stands in his ship's bow, scanning the Trojandunes. He turns to face his men. He smiles.ACHILLESMyrmidons, we are brothers of thesword. I'd rather fight alongsideyou than any army of thousands.(CONTINUED)47.47CONTINUED:47The Myrmidons cheer. Achilles points his sword towardTroy.ACHILLESDo you know what's waiting beyondthat beach?(beat)Immortality.The Myrmidons raise their swords and cry out with onevoice.The oarsmen give one last mighty pull on their oars andbeach the tar-caulked keel of the warship on Trojan sand.Achilles puts on his helmet, grabs a coiled rope anchoredto a bronze cleat, and rappels down to the beach. TheMyrmidons follow him, tossing the ropes off the deck andshimmying down to the beach.48EXT. TROJAN BEACH FORTIFICATIONS - CONTINUOUS48The archers behind the fortifications watch the Myrmidonsclimb down from their ship.Their CAPTAIN raises his hand: wait... wait...CAPTAIN of archersNow!The archers rise and release their arrows.49EXT. TROJAN BEACH - CONTINUOUS49Hundreds of arrows whistle through the air. Four of theMyrmidons climbing down cry out as arrows hit them; theytumble into the sea. Other arrows rip into the packedsand or zip harmlessly into the water.The Myrmidons, clustered together and holding theirshields above their heads, look to Achilles. Achillesmakes a hand signal. Half his men split off and run tothe fortifications on their left, howling like wolves asarrows rain down.50EXT. ACHILLES' WARSHIP - CONTINUOUS50Patroclus huddles under the railing beside the cook asarrow after arrow screams by. A flaming arrow hits one ofthe sails, and then another. The sails begin to burn.(CONTINUED)48.50CONTINUED:50ONE-LEGGED COOKHelp me get the sails down!The cook limps over to the sails, ignoring the arrows thatrain around him. Patroclus takes a deep breath and runsin a crouch to the cook. Together they lower the burningsails.51EXT. TROJAN BEACH - DAY51Achilles sprints toward the archers, half his men behindhim. The archers let off another volley. More Myrmidonsfall.52EXT. AGAMEMNON'S SHIP - DAY52Agamemnon, Menelaus, and Nestor watch the battle from theprow of their ship. They're still half a mile away.AGAMEMNON(in awe despite himself)The man wants to die.We hear SHOUTS of "Achilles!" from the other ships, agreat clamor as men bash the flats of their swords againsttheir shields and cheer their hero on.Agamemnon hears the cheering. He grits his teeth andglares at the distant Achilles. Nestor noticesAgamemnon's barely concealed fury. He speaks quietly, sono one else can hear.NESTORGive him his battle. You'll takethe war.AGAMEMNONGive him too many battles and themen will forget who's king.53EXT. TROJAN PLAIN - DAY53Hector and his men near the high dunes, galloping atbreakneck speed.54EXT. TROJAN BEACH - CONTINUOUS54Achilles, three arrows in his shield, sprints across thesands. Arrows tear through the air about him. No manalive can run with Achilles.(CONTINUED)49.54CONTINUED:54He leaps over the fortification, sword flashing before hisfeet ever touch the ground. The archers crumple to theground as Achilles' sword cuts through them.In a moment the Myrmidons catch up to Achilles and layinto the archers. Within seconds they massacre them.Achilles turns and nods to the temple: the next target.Eudorus gasps for air. Achilles regards him withamusement.ACHILLESBreathe, my friend.Eudorus takes two deep breaths. Achilles dashes for thetemple. His Myrmidons follow behind.54AEXT. TEMPLE OF GOLD54AThe archers at the temple unleash a fusillade of arrows.Every few yards another Myrmidon falls. Several of themare wounded, but if they're not dead they keep movingforward.55EXT. AJAX'S SHIP - CONTINUOUS55Ajax's ship is one hundred yards from shore. LegendaryAJAX (30) -- a huge man, brutally muscled, head shaved,face and body scarred -- stands in the prow, watchingAchilles.AJAXLook at him, hogging all the glory.He walks over to his rowers, grabs an oarsmen on the frontbench under the armpits and tosses him away. Ajax sits,grabs the oar handle, and begins rowing maniacally, theveins in his massive arms bulging through the skin.AJAXRow, you lazy whores, row! Greeksare dying!The oarsmen redouble their efforts and the ship leaps overthe waves toward the shore.56EXT. TROJAN BEACH DUNES - DAY56Hector and the Apollonian Guards rein in their horses atopthe dunes. Hector sees Ajax's ship plowing into thebeach. Hundreds of other ships are close behind.50.56AEXT. BEACH DEFENCES56AThe Trojan archers rain arrows down on Ajax's ship.Several flaming arrows catch in the hull and begin toburn.56BEXT. TROJAN BEACH DUNES - DAY56BTECTONWe can't hold the beach, my prince.Hector sees where Achilles and the Myrmidons are heading.HECTORThey're trying to take the temple.TECTONNo believer would spill blood inApollo's temple.Hector, increasingly uneasy, watches Achilles dodgearrows. He turns and points to the spot where Ajax's shiphas landed.HECTOR(to an Apollonian officer)The archers need help. Burn asmany ships as you can, but don'tsacrifice yourself. Bring the menback to the city.The OFFICER bows and leads 60 Guards to thefortifications.HECTOR(to Tecton)Follow me.He gallops toward the temple, Tecton and his men behindhim.57EXT. TEMPLE OF APOLLO - DAY57Achilles, his shield now quilled with arrows, hurls hisspear. It catches the closest archer just above thebreastplate, tearing through the man's throat.The archers near by throw down their bows and take up thespears racked behind them.(CONTINUED)51.57CONTINUED:57But Achilles is already upon them, cutting them down withruthless precision. Every time his bronze sword flashesthrough the air another Trojan falls, and Achilles keepssweeping through them, his face painted with Trojan blood.The other Myrmidons are fighting beside their leader now,and the Trojan archers are no match for the Myrmidons inhand to hand combat. Soon the temple area belongs to theGreeks.58EXT. AJAX'S SHIP - CONTINUOUS58Ajax and his men rappel down the ship's hull while arrowsrip into wood and flesh.Ajax carries a giant battle-axe and a shield twice thesize of most men's.When he reaches the surf he doesn't wait for his men; heroars and charges at the archers in the dunes.59EXT. TEMPLE OF APOLLO - CONTINUOUS59Achilles, not even breathing hard after the slaughter,removes his helmet and rests it on the wall. Thesurviving Myrmidons search the grounds, dispatching anydying Trojans.Eudorus hurries over to Achilles' side.EUDORUSThe temple is secure.ACHILLESThe Sun God is the patron of Troy,our enemy. Take whatever treasureyou can find.The Myrmidons cheer and rush the temple.EUDORUSWith your permission, my lord --ACHILLESSpeak.Eudorus gestures to the sun above them.EUDORUSApollo sees everything. Perhapsit's not wise to offend him.(CONTINUED)52.59CONTINUED:59Achilles nods and walks over to the towering statue ofApollo in front of the temple.Eudorus watches in horror as Achilles climbs atop thestatue and beheads Apollo with a swing of his sword.60EXT. TROJAN BEACH - CONTINUOUS60Hector and Tecton rein in their horses.TECTONHe dares attack Apollo?Hector spurs his horse and races toward the invaders,followed by his twenty men.The other sixty Apollonians gallop to Ajax's landing spot.61EXT. TEMPLE OF APOLLO - CONTINUOUS61Achilles gazes at the sky as if waiting for the sun toblast him for blasphemy. Nothing happens.Hearing hoofbeats, Achilles turns and spots Hector and hismen, two hundred yards away.ACHILLES(to Eudorus)Get inside the temple, warn themen.Eudorus hurries to warn his comrades.ACHILLESEudorus! Wait, wait a moment.The Myrmidon captain stops. Achilles hefts a spear,judges the distance, and throws.One hundred yards from Achilles, the spearhead finds itsmark: Tecton's breastplate. Tecton is knocked from hishorse and skewered to the ground. He clutches at thewooden shaft, not comprehending his fate.Hector reins in his horse and stares at his fallencaptain. The man is finished. Hector turns to look atAchilles.Eudorus's eyes are wide. No other man alive could havethrown a spear that far or that accurately.(CONTINUED)53.61CONTINUED:61ACHILLESNow you can go.Eudorus runs inside the temple.Hector kicks his horse and gallops toward Achilles. Hismen cry out and follow him. Achilles waits. Hectorraises his own spear. When he is fifty yards away, hethrows.At the very last moment, Achilles bends his head to oneside, an almost lackadaisical movement. The spear ripsthrough the air occupied by Achilles' head half a momentbefore.Achilles smiles.Hector draws his sword and charges, his men right behindhim. Achilles walks, with insulting insouciance, into thetemple.A series of high steps lead inside the temple. Hector andthe Trojans dismount and proceed cautiously to the temple.62EXT. TROJAN BEACH - DAY62An arrow sticks out of Ajax's leg but he doesn't seem tonotice it. He bulls forward, giant shield held in front,and slams into the Trojan ranks.Where Achilles is all grace and speed, Ajax is bruteforce. Parrying his blows is useless: his battle axesplits bronze shields, bronze swords, bronze helmets.The sound of his axe carving through a breastplate and theman beneath the breastplate is like nothing else on earth.As Ajax drops another Trojan, he lifts his ax to theheavens.AJAXI am Ajax, breaker of stones,widow-maker of Salamis! Look uponme, Trojans, and despair!The Apollonians join the fight against the Greeks. TheGuards are far better than the archers at hand-to-handcombat.54.63INT. TEMPLE OF APOLLO - DAY63Hector and his men enter the temple. Eyes adjusting tothe gloomy light, they gingerly advance. All is quiet.Evidence of looting is everywhere.At the back of the temple, stairs lead up to the altarroom. Hector walks toward the stairs. Blood tricklesdown the steps. Hector raises his eyes.Achilles stands atop the staircase, both hands wrappedaround the hilt of his sword, the sword point resting onthe top step. He stares down at Hector.WAR CRIES explode through the temple. The Myrmidons burstfrom their hiding places and rush the Trojans.Hector is an obvious target. Two Myrmidons charge him,their spears leveled.If Achilles is the apotheosis of martial grace, Hector issomething altogether different -- a man of ordinary giftswho has become an extraordinary warrior by dint ofexperience, endless training, and powerful intelligence.As the Myrmidons charge he waits. At the last moment heswings his sword, slicing both spearheads from theirshafts. The Myrmidons stare at their decapitated spears.Hector doesn't give them a chance to recover. He pounces,sword flashing, and both men fall to the temple floor.Achilles watches from the top step. Hector begins runningup the stairs. Achilles disappears inside the altar room.Another Myrmidon bounds up the stairs after Hector. Theprince wheels about and kicks the Myrmidon in thebreastplate. The soldier tumbles down the steps. Hectorcontinues up the stairs.64EXT. TROJAN BEACH - DAY64As more Greek ships make landfall, the Apollonian officersees that their position is no longer defensible.APOLLONIAN OFFICERBack to the city! Back to thecity!The Trojans begin to retreat. The archers still turn tofire whenever there's time. Mounted Guards haul fleeingarchers onto their horses.55.65INT. ALTAR ROOM - DAY65Hector finds the bodies of two PRIESTS. They lie on thestone floor, limbs splayed, throats slit.Sitting atop the altar, half-hidden by the shadows, isAchilles. He's a terrible sight to behold, splatteredwith blood, his bronze sword still dripping.ACHILLESYou must be very brave or verystupid, to come after me alone.(beat)You must be Hector.Hector stares at Achilles a moment before kneeling by thedead priests' bodies.ACHILLESA private audience with the princeof Troy. I'm flattered. Do youknow who I am?HECTORThese priests weren't armed.Hector closes the eyes of the murdered priests. Achillesjumps down from the altar and looks at the bodies.ACHILLESI didn't kill them. Cutting oldmen's throats -- there's no honorin that.HECTORHonor?(spits)Children and fools fight for honor.I fight for my country.Hector charges. Achilles dances back, staying just out ofreach. Achilles looks relaxed, almost playful.HECTORFight me.ACHILLESWhy kill you, prince of Troy, withno one here to see you fall?Achilles backs out of an archway opening onto the brightday outside. Hector follows.56.66EXT. TEMPLE OF APOLLO - CONTINUOUS66Down at the beach, scores of Greek ships are on the sand.HECTORWhy did you come here?Achilles gestures at the invading flotilla.ACHILLESThey'll be talking about this warfor a thousand years.HECTORIn a thousand years even the dustfrom our bones will be gone.ACHILLESYes, prince. But our names willremain.A band of bloodied Myrmidons, led by Eudorus, emerges fromthe temple. Hector, surrounded by enemies, warily backsoff.EUDORUS(to Achilles)The Trojans are dead.ACHILLESGo home, prince. Drink some wine.Make love to your wife. Tomorrowwe'll have our war.HECTORYou speak of war as if it's a game.But how many wives wait at Troy'sgate for husbands they'll never seeagain?ACHILLESPerhaps your brother can comfortthem. I hear he's good at charmingother men's wives.Hector stares at Achilles and the Myrmidons for anothermoment before walking away.EUDORUSWhy did you let him go?ACHILLESIt's too early in the day forkilling princes.57.67EXT. TROJAN BEACH - DAY67Thousands of Greek soldiers on the beach watch as theTrojans retreat, many of the archers riding behind theirApollonian saviors.Hector mounts his horse and rides back toward the city.When the Greeks see Achilles climbing onto the temple'sroof they stare in awe, silent.Achilles raises his bloodied bronze sword toward the sun.The CLAMOR that erupts from the beach is deafening.Thousands of men cheering and yelling his name: Achilles!Achilles!68EXT. AGAMEMNON'S SHIP - DAY68Agamemnon, still aboard his ship, waits for the gangplankto be lowered. His dark eyes are cold and hateful as helistens to the men cheering.69EXT. BEACH ENCAMPMENT - LATER69Soldiers tug more and more ships onto the sand. From thelanded ships, primitive cranes are already beginning tolower boxes of provisions, military materiel, and horses.Achilles walks across the beach, carrying his helmet,accepting the congratulations of the troops. Ajax,shirtless, strides over.AJAXAchilles!Achilles halts. For a moment there seems to be tension inthe air. Everyone watches. Ajax gives Achilles a bearhug.AJAXYou're as fearless as a god.ACHILLESThe gods are immortal. What dothey have to fear?Ajax laughs and releases Achilles.AJAXI'm honored to go to war with you.Achilles nods and grips the big man's thick arm.(CONTINUED)58.69CONTINUED:69ACHILLESI don't have to worry about my backwith you behind me.Achilles continues walking. He sees Odysseus walking downa gangplank from his ship to the beach.ACHILLES(calling out)If you sailed any slower, the warwould be over.ODYSSEUSI don't mind missing the beginningof the war -- as long as I'm hereat the end.Achilles smiles and keeps walking. He arrives at theMyrmidon's newly established base. Patroclus, Eudorus,and the other surviving Myrmidons greet Achilles.EUDORUSWe have something to show you.Achilles follows Eudorus and the grinning Myrmidons to alarge tent twenty yards inland from their beached ship. Afew Myrmidons hammer the last tent pegs deep into thesand.Eudorus holds open the tent flap. Achilles looks at hiscaptain for a moment before entering the tent.70INT. ACHILLES' TENT - CONTINUOUS70No rugs have been laid down yet, so loot from the templehas been stacked on the sand: gold chalices, blackamphorae, woven tapestries, goatskins filled with sacredwine.But Achilles does not look at this plunder. Bound by thewrists to the center pole of the tent is Briseis, dressedin her white robes.Terrified but trying to retain her composure, she returnsAchilles' stare. Robes torn, hair disheveled, bleedingfrom the lip: she still possesses her innate dignity andstrength. Something changes in Achilles' eyes when helooks at her.(CONTINUED)59.70CONTINUED:70EUDORUSThe men found her hiding in thetemple. They thought she'd...please you.ACHILLESLeave us.Eudorus bows and exits.Achilles pulls a small, sharp knife from his belt.Briseis stares at the blade.Achilles walks over to her and cuts the ropes that bindher. She sits back, rubbing the chafed skin of herwrists, still watching Achilles. He sheathes his knife.ACHILLESWhat's your name?Briseis stares at him but doesn't answer. Achillesbecomes aware, for the first time, that he's covered inblood. He wipes a hand across his face. Briseis looksabout the tent, as if searching for a way out.ACHILLESYou're safer in this tent than outthere. Believe me.BRISEISYou killed Apollo's priests.ACHILLESI've killed men in five countries.But never a priest.BRISEISThen your men did.(beat)The Sun God will have hisvengeance.Achilles removes his bronze grieves.ACHILLESWhat's he waiting for?Briseis is stunned by such blunt blasphemy but she can'ttake her eyes off him, because Achilles, after all, isAchilles.BRISEISThe right time to strike.(CONTINUED)60.70CONTINUED: (2)70Achilles removes his breastplate.ACHILLESHis priests are dead and hisacolyte's a captive.(beat)I think your god is afraid of me.Briseis laughs bitterly.BRISEISAfraid? Apollo is master of thesun. He fears nothing.Achilles nods and looks around the dark tent.ACHILLESThen where is he?Briseis has no answer. Achilles smiles and she looksaway.A bucket of hot water sits beside a washcloth. Achilleswets the cloth and begins to scrub the blood from hisbody.BRISEISYou're nothing but a killer. Youdon't know anything about the gods.ACHILLESYou haven't seen twenty summers andyou think you know my heart? Iknow more about the gods thanpriests could ever teach you.(beat)You're royalty, aren't you?Briseis says nothing. Achilles smiles again.ACHILLESYou've spent years talking down tomen, you must be royalty. What'syour name?(beat)Even the servants of Apollo havenames.BRISEISBriseis.(CONTINUED)61.70CONTINUED: (3)70ACHILLESAre you afraid, Briseis?Briseis is quiet for a moment. She watches Achilles witha mixture of fear and curiosity.BRISEISShould I be?EUDORUS (O.S.)(calling from outside the tent)My lord --ACHILLESWhat is it?Eudorus sticks his head inside the tent.EUDORUSKing Agamemnon requests yourpresence.ACHILLESWhy would I want to look at himwhen I can look at her?EUDORUSAll the kings are there,celebrating the victory.Achilles stands.ACHILLESGive me a moment.Eudorus withdraws. A long beat while Achilles studiesher.ACHILLESYou don't need to fear me, girl.You're the only Trojan who can saythat.71EXT. AGAMEMNON'S TENT - LATER71Two muscular GUARDS stand by the opening to Agamemnon'stent. Achilles, wearing clean clothes, doesn't botherwaiting for the guards' permission to enter; he brushespast them and through the tent flap.62.72INT. AGAMEMNON'S TENT - CONTINUOUS72The largest tent on the beach, Agamemnon's commandquarters are a lush affair, decorated with the spoils of adozen wars. Several AIDES-DE-CAMP bustle in and out onvarious errands. The Greek kings are here: Odysseus,Ajax, Menelaus, etc.Agamemnon sits on a heavy wood throne, garishly inlaidwith gold, mother-of-pearl, and precious stones.Triopas, king of Thessaly, kneels before Agamemnon.TRIOPASYou've won a great victory, King ofKings. No one thought the Trojanbeach could be captured so easily.He hands Agamemnon a ceremonial dagger with a gold hilt.AGAMEMNONA beautiful gift, Triopas. Youwill be among the first to walk thestreets of Troy tomorrow.Triopas stands and bows. Achilles has watched thisexchange with disbelief. He glances at Odysseus, whoshrugs. Now Nestor, king of the Pylians, kneels beforeAgamemnon and hands him an urn decorated with paintedwarriors.NESTORMy father Neleus had this urn madeto commemorate his victory atCyparisseis. I present it to youin honor of an even more memorablevictory.AGAMEMNONThank you, old friend. Tomorrowwe'll eat supper in the gardens ofTroy.Nestor stands and bows. Agamemnon places the dagger andurn beside a pile of other luxurious gifts. As the kingsfile out of the tent, Odysseus clasps Achilles' shoulderand speaks to him out of the others' earshot.ODYSSEUSWar is young men dying and old mentalking. You know this. Ignorethe politics.(CONTINUED)63.72CONTINUED:72Odysseus exits the tent. Agamemnon deigns to noticeAchilles waiting for him.AGAMEMNON(to his aides)Leave us.The aides exit, leaving Achilles and Agamemnon alone.Achilles eyes the pile of gifts.ACHILLESApparently you've won some greatvictory.AGAMEMNONAh, perhaps you didn't notice. TheTrojan beach belonged to Priam inthe morning. It belongs toAgamemnon in the afternoon.ACHILLESYou can have the beach. I didn'tcome here for sand.AGAMEMNONNo, you came because you want yourname to last through the ages.(beat)A great victory was won today --but the victory is not yours.Kings did not kneel to Achilles.Kings did not bring homage toAchilles.ACHILLESThe battle was won by soldiers.The soldiers know who fought.AGAMEMNONHistory remembers the kings, notthe soldiers.(beat)Tomorrow we'll batter down thegates of Troy. I'll buildmonuments to victory on everyisland of Greece, and carveAgamemnon in the stone. My namewill last forever. Your name iswritten in the sand, for the wavesto wash away.ACHILLESFirst you need the victory.(CONTINUED)64.72CONTINUED: (2)72Achilles turns to leave.AGAMEMNONOne more thing, son of Peleus.Achilles stops.ACHILLESI don't want to hear my father'sname from your mouth.AGAMEMNONThe first pick of the battle'sspoils always goes to thecommander. Your men sacked thetemple of Apollo, yes?ACHILLESYou want gold? Take it, it's mygift, to honor your courage. Takewhat you want.AGAMEMNONI already have. Aphareus! Haemon!Two battle-scarred soldiers, APHAREUS and HAEMON, dragBriseis into the tent. Her face is bruised -- clearlyshe's been slapped around.AGAMEMNONThe spoils of war. Tonight I'llhave her give me a bath. And then -- who knows?Achilles draws his sword.ACHILLES(to the soldiers)I have no quarrel with you,brothers. But you'll never seehome again if you don't let her go.The soldiers hesitate, then draw their own swords.Achilles advances on them.AGAMEMNONGuards!The two sentries rush into the tent, swords drawn.Achilles is surrounded. He raises his sword.(CONTINUED)65.72CONTINUED: (3)72BRISEISStop!Everyone stops and looks at the girl. Despite her tornrobes, her noble bearing and authoritative tone commandrespect.BRISEISToo many people have died today.She looks at the various men in the room and finallyaddresses Achilles.BRISEISIf killing is your only talent,that's your curse. But I don'twant anyone dying for me.Everyone is quiet until Agamemnon laughs.AGAMEMNONMighty Achilles, silenced by aslave girl.ACHILLESShe's not a slave.AGAMEMNONShe is now.Achilles' eyes are flat and merciless.ACHILLESBefore my time is done, King ofKings, I will look down on yourcorpse and smile.Achilles turns and leaves the tent.73EXT. BEACH ENCAMPMENT - DAY73Most of the ships have been hauled onto the beach.Hundreds of soldiers finish digging a long trench in thesand. Pikes are anchored and other fortificationsconstructed to protect the tents and ships from attack.74EXT. CITY OF TROY - DUSK74In the dying light, the Trojans prepare their city forsiege. Gray-bearded OFFICERS oversee the reinforcement ofthe main gates. SOLDIERS haul thousands of arrows atopthe city walls.66.74AEXT. TEMPLE OF ZEUS74AA massive CONGREGATION at the Temple of Zeus kneels beforethe Thunder God's statue while PRIESTS burn the BODIES offallen Trojan soldiers on tall PYRES. The WIDOWS keen.75EXT. BEACH ENCAMPMENT - NIGHT75The beach is lit by thousands of torches. The Greeks havetransformed the serene beach into a well-fortified camp.76INT. PRIAM'S MEETING HALL - NIGHT76Priam stands by the room's open archway. Beyond the cityhe sees his beach occupied by the tremendous Greek force.Hector, Paris, and several of Troy's leading GENERALS,ARISTOCRATS and PRIESTS sit around the long table. One ofthe generals, GLAUCUS (60), pounds the table with hisfist.GLAUCUSIf they want a war, we'll give thema war. I'd match the best of Troyagainst the best of Greece any day.VELIOR (40), a big-bellied nobleman, shakes his head.VELIORThe best of Greece outnumber thebest of Troy, two to one.GLAUCUSSo what do you suggest, wesurrender the city, let the Greeksslaughter our men and rape ourwives?Velior looks at Paris until the prince returns his gaze.VELIORI suggest diplomacy. The Greekscame here for one thing. Let's behonest, my friends. Trojans areburning on the pyre right nowbecause of one youthfulindiscretion.Paris looks away from Velior.(CONTINUED)67.76CONTINUED:76PRIAMGlaucus, you've fought with me forforty years. Can we win this war?GLAUCUSOur walls have never been breached.Our archers are the best in theworld. And we have Hector. Hismen would fight the shades ofTartarus if he commanded. We canwin.ARCHEPTOLEMUS (65), High Priest of Troy, wearing a longwhite robe embroidered with gold thread, now raises hisvoice.ARCHEPTOLEMUSI spoke with two farmers today.They saw an eagle flying with aserpent clutched in its talons.(beat)This is a sign from Apollo. Wewill win a great victory tomorrow.Troy is the eagle. The Greeks --HECTORBird signs! You want to plan ourstrategy based on bird signs?PRIAMHector. Show respect. WhenArcheptolemus prophesied four yearsof drought, we dug deeper wells.The drought came and we had waterto drink. The high priest is aservant of the gods.HECTORAnd I'm a servant of Troy.(beat)I've always honored the gods,father. You know that. But todayI fought with a Greek whodesecrated the statue of Apollo.Apollo didn't strike the man down.(beat)The gods won't fight this war forus.(CONTINUED)68.76CONTINUED: (2)76PARISThere won't be a war.(he stands)This is not a conflict of nations.It's a dispute between two men.And I don't want to see anotherTrojan die because of me.PRIAMParis --PARISTomorrow morning I will challengeMenelaus for the right to Helen.The winner will take her home. Theloser will burn before nightfall.Paris leaves the room. The others sit in stunned silence.GLAUCUSDoes he have a chance?Everyone looks at Hector, who meditates before answering.HECTORI want our army outside the gate inthe morning. Agamemnon won't letthis war end with a duel.77EXT. PALACE GARDEN - NIGHT77Priam's gardens are wondrous: palm trees grow in thecourtyard; flowered vines climb the walls; Aeolian harpschime in the breeze.Priam and Paris sitting on a bench, facing a statue ofAphrodite. The king holds a cloth-wrapped bundle in hislap.PARISFather, I... I'm sorry for the painI've caused you. I --PRIAMDo you love her?Paris looks up at the statue of Aphrodite.(CONTINUED)69.77CONTINUED:77PARISYou're a great king because youlove your country so much. Everyblade of grass, every grain ofsand, every rock in the river --you love all of Troy.(beat)That's the way I love Helen.Priam nods and contemplates the goddess of beauty.PRIAMI've fought many wars in my time.Some were fought for land, some forpower, some for glory.(beat)I suppose fighting for love makesmore sense than all the rest.Paris says nothing, but his father's words seem to relievea great burden from his shoulders.PRIAMBut I won't be the one fighting.He hands Paris the bundle. Paris, curious, beginsunwrapping the cloth. Finally the object is uncovered: ashining sword, expertly forged, inscribed with the seal ofTroy.PARISThe Sword of Troy.PRIAMMy father carried this sword, andhis father before him, all the wayback to the founding of Troy. Thehistory of our people was writtenwith this sword.(beat)Carry it with you tomorrow.Paris holds the sword up and it glows in the moonlight.PRIAMThe spirit of Troy is in thatsword. As long as a Trojan carriesit, our people have a future.78INT. HECTOR'S CHAMBER - NIGHT78Hector sits on the bed beside Andromache, who nurses theirbaby boy.(CONTINUED)70.78CONTINUED:78Hector looks exhausted. He stares at his son.HECTORHe has no idea what's happening.ANDROMACHEThank the gods.HECTORThe man who killed Tecton outsideApollo's temple -- I've never seena spear thrown like that. Animpossible throw.A long beat until Andromache breaks the silence.ANDROMACHEBriseis was in Apollo's temple thismorning.Hector stares at Andromache.HECTORAre you sure?She nods, swallows hard, and closes her eyes. After amoment Hector, his eyes full of sorrow, runs his handthrough her long hair.HECTORI need to see my brother.ANDROMACHEDon't go.HECTORI need to speak with him.ANDROMACHEI mean tomorrow. Don't go. You'vefought enough. Let other men goout there.HECTORYou think I want to fight, my love?I want to see my son grow tall. Iwant to see the girls chasing afterhim.ANDROMACHEJust like they chased his father?(CONTINUED)71.78CONTINUED: (2)78HECTORHe's much more handsome than I everwas.For a moment they sit quietly, watching their son.ANDROMACHEI lost seven brothers in theSpartan Wars. You'd think I'd begood at losing by now.(beat)I can't lose you. I won't survive.Hector stares at her for a beat before pulling her closeand kissing her. Everything is in this kiss, their entirepast. Andromache finally lets him go and Hector walks outthe door.79INT. PALACE HALL - LATER79As Hector walks to Paris's room, he spies someone in adark cloak sneaking down the candle-lit hallway -- anassassin?HECTORWait!The cloaked figure looks back and then runs. Hectorchases. The fugitive runs through the archway at the endof the corridor and into the garden.80EXT. PALACE GARDEN - CONTINUOUS80Hector runs into the garden. He's far faster. He seizeshis quarry and pulls aside the fugitive's cowl. It'sHelen.HECTORHelen?By the light of the moon he examines her face. The stressof recent weeks has taken its toll, but the shadowsbeneath her eyes make her face more compelling than ever.Embarrassed by the awkwardness of their position, Hectorstands and helps Helen to her feet.HECTORWhat are you doing out --(CONTINUED)72.80CONTINUED:80Helen runs. Hector catches her again after a few strides.HELENLet me go.HECTORWhere?Helen struggles against Hector's grip, but it's useless.HELENLet me go!Helen, still struggling, begins to cry. Hector pulls herto his chest. She cries for real now, violently sobbing,her mouth muffled against Hector's body.HECTORShh. Shh.HELENI saw them burn. I saw themburning on the pyres.(beat)It's my fault.HECTORNo.HELENIt is. You know it is. All thosewidows. I still hear themscreaming.Helen takes a deep breath. She manages to controlherself.HELENTheir husbands died because I'mhere.Hector can't deny this. Helen pushes herself out of hisgrip.HELENI'm going down to the ships.HECTORNo. You're not.(CONTINUED)73.80CONTINUED: (2)80HELENI'll give myself back to Menelaus.He can do what he wants -- kill me,make me his slave. Anything'sbetter than this.HECTORIt's too late for that. You thinkAgamemnon cares about his brother'smarriage? This is about power.Not love.HELENParis is going to fight in themorning.HECTORYes.HELENMenelaus will kill him.Hector looks away, the words hurting him.HELENI won't let that happen.HECTORIt's his decision.HELENNo. No. I can't ask anyone tofight for me. I'm no longer queenof Sparta.Hector bows to Helen and kisses her hand.HECTORYou're a princess of Troy. And mybrother needs you tonight.Helen stares at Hector in wonder. The words seem tobolster her spirit, and she smiles though her eyes arestill wet. She nods, touches his arm and goes back to thepalace.81EXT. BEACH ENCAMPMENT - DAWN81Up and down the beach thousands of GREEK WARRIORS preparefor battle. Despite their vast numbers, the men are oddlyquiet, each absorbed with his own thoughts.(CONTINUED)74.81CONTINUED:81CLOSE ON SEVERAL FACES -- these are men we haven't seenbefore and probably won't see again, not kings or heroesbut ordinary men preparing for battle.One warrior prays with eyes closed, mumbling the words,kneeling in the sand. A second man inspects eacharrowhead in his quiver. A third sits in the sand,snapping seashells.82INT. ACHILLES' TENT - LATER - DAY82Achilles sits cross-legged, arms held straight out infront of him, palms up. His bronze sword is balanced onhis palms.Patroclus and Eudorus, armored for battle, enter the tent.Achilles does not look away from his blade. Though thesword must be heavy, his arms do not tremble.EUDORUSMy lord? The army is marching.ACHILLESLet them march. We stay.EUDORUSBut the men --Achilles turns to glare at him and Eudorus falters.EUDORUS -- the men are ready.ACHILLESAgamemnon spat on my honoryesterday. I promised that girlher safety and he stole her fromme. Let him fight the Trojanstoday.Eudorus and Patroclus exchange glances. Eudorus bows toAchilles and exits the tent. Patroclus remains behind.ACHILLESWhen I was very small I saw myfather kill a man with his barehands.Patroclus doesn't know how to respond to this.(CONTINUED)75.82CONTINUED:82ACHILLESThere's so much blood in a humanbody.Achilles flips the sword in the air and catches it by thehilt. He examines the edge.ACHILLESYou're ready to fight, Patroclus?PATROCLUSI am.Achilles rests his sword on the ground. He stares atPatroclus for a moment before speaking.ACHILLESYou're ready to kill?Patroclus hesitates.ACHILLESAt night I see their faces. Allthe men I've killed. I see themstanding on the far bank of theRiver Styx.(beat)They're waiting for me.Patroclus stands absolutely still. He's never heard hiscousin speak this way before.ACHILLESSome nights I walk among them.When I wake I can still hear theirwords.(beat)They say, "Welcome, brother."Achilles inspects the knuckles of his fist.ACHILLESNever hate the men you fight. Allof us are mortals. All of us,wretched things, tumbled cryingfrom our mother's loins.(beat)Only the gods are free fromsorrows.PATROCLUSI hate no one, cousin.(CONTINUED)76.82CONTINUED: (2)82ACHILLESGood.(beat)I taught you how to fight. But Inever taught you why to fight.PATROCLUSI fight for you.ACHILLESAnd who will you follow when I'mgone?Patroclus hesitates, unsure how to answer.ACHILLESMost soldiers battle for kingsthey've never met. They do whatthey're told; they die when they'retold to die.PATROCLUSSoldiers obey.ACHILLESWe don't have much time to walk inthe sun, Patroclus. After thislife comes the underworld, aneternity telling stories to othershades. Don't tell them you diedfollowing some fool's orders.PATROCLUSAnd what should I tell them?ACHILLESTell them your name. If your lifehas been worthy, they'll know therest.83EXT. WALLS OF TROY - DAY83One thousand ARCHERS stand in various positions on thebroad city walls, quivers of arrows by their sides.TROJAN CITIZENS also crowd atop the walls, quiet andsober.Priam sits in a grandstand beneath a blue canopy. Seatedby him are CITY LEADERS, including Velius andArcheptolemus.Helen stands apart from everyone else. No one is overtlyhostile to her, but behind her back people stare andwhisper.77.84EXT. BATTLEFIELD - CONTINUOUS84Below the walls, on the broad field that stretches downfrom the city gates, the TROJAN ARMY has amassed. In thefront, Hector and General Glaucus sit astride theirhorses.The soldiers are disciplined and well-outfitted, arrangedin tight formation.Paris rides out to join Hector. Hector examines Paris'sface.HECTORAre you sure you want to do this?PARISI started this war.Paris searches the faces atop the city wall. He findsHelen.CLOSE on Helen. The wind is blowing hard, ruffling hercloak, her hair. There is love in her eyes, and fear andexhaustion. Paris stares up at her for a long time beforeturning away.A low, ominous RUMBLE grows steadily louder. Hector hearsit first. He looks down the vast sloping field toward thesea.Now the other soldiers hear it, and then the citizens atopthe walls. All speech ceases. The Trojans quietly wait.The rumbling resolves into the steady beat of WAR DRUMS.84AEXT. BEACH - DUNES84AAnd now we see them, fifty thousand GREEKS. Thereflection of sunlight off fifty thousand bronze shields,fifty thousand bronze helmets and chest plates, isspectacular -- the army looks like a river of lava,flowing uphill.84BEXT. WALLS OF TROY84BThe Trojan soldiers don't quiver or waver, but theexpressions on their faces betray their anxiety. TheGreek army is more than twice the size of the Trojan army.78.85EXT. WALLS OF TROY - CONTINUOUS85The citizens shield their eyes from the brightness. Theyexhibit their nervousness more openly than the soldiers.One OLD WOMAN moans softly, her hand over her mouth.86EXT. BLUFF - DAY86Patroclus, Eudorus, and the rest of the Myrmidons climb tothe top of a tall bluff near the beach. From here theycan see the broad battlefield a mile away.87EXT. BATTLEFIELD - DAY87The Greek army halts just beyond arrow range. Adelegation of kings -- Agamemnon, Nestor, Menelaus,Odysseus, and Ajax -- on CHARIOTS proceeds to the centerof the battlefield.Odysseus looks over his shoulder and then yells to Ajax.ODYSSEUSWhere's Achilles?Ajax looks around and shrugs.87AEXT. BATTLEFIELD BETWEEN ARMIES87AHector and Paris spur their horses and canter out to meetthe Greeks. The brothers speak without looking at eachother.HECTORMenelaus is a bull. He'll chargeyou.Paris nods.HECTORHe's stronger than you, so try notto fight him up close. Keep yourdistance. Use your quickness.Paris leans over and tries to spit, but his mouth is toodry.HECTORBrother?Paris, his face ashen, looks at Hector.HECTORYou don't have to do this.(CONTINUED)79.87ACONTINUED:87AParis shakes his head and continues riding towardMenelaus.88EXT. WALLS OF TROY - DAY88Helen, alone, views the battlefield. An old, spotted handtakes her elbow. She turns and looks into Priam's eyes.PRIAMSit with me.Helen follows the king to his grandstand and sits besidehim. She's aware of people staring at them but he seemsoblivious.PRIAMAll my life I've prayed againstthis day.HELENYes, my king.PRIAMCall me father, dear child.Startled by this affection, she hesitates beforeresponding.HELENForgive me, father. For...She pauses, staring out at the vast Greek army.HELEN...bringing this.Priam shakes his head and smiles sadly.PRIAMI blame you for nothing.Everything is in the hands of thegods.(beat)Besides, how could I blame anyonefor falling in love with Paris?Helen looks out at the battlefield, fixing on Paris, atthis distance a tiny figure on horseback. Priam takesher hand.80.89EXT. BATTLEFIELD - DAY89Hector and Paris ride up to the Greek kings. Menelausstares at Paris, his fingers tapping the hilt of hissword. Paris does not make eye contact.The kings step down from their chariots and the Trojanprinces dismount from their horses. Both armies are linedup several hundred yards apart.Agamemnon surveys the Trojan army.AGAMEMNONI see you're not hiding behind yourhigh walls. Valiant of you. Ill-advised, but valiant.HECTORYou come here uninvited. Go backto your ships. Go home.AGAMEMNONWe've come too far, Prince Hector.MENELAUSPrince? These are not princes.What son of a king would accept aman's hospitality, eat his food,drink his wine, and then steal hiswife in the middle of the night?PARISThe sun was shining when your wifeleft you.Menelaus draws his sword. He points it at the city walls.MENELAUSShe's up there watching, isn't she?Good. I want her to watch you die.Agamemnon places a hand on his brother's arm.AGAMEMNONNot yet, brother.He makes a sweeping gesture, indicating his entire army.AGAMEMNONLook around you, Hector. I'vebrought all the warriors of Greeceto your shores.(CONTINUED)81.89CONTINUED:89NESTORYou can still save Troy, youngprince.AGAMEMNONI have two wishes. If you grantthem, no more of your people needto die. First, give Helen back tomy brother. Second, Troy mustsubmit to my command, to fight forme whenever I call.HECTORYou want me to look upon your armyand tremble. Well, I see them. Isee fifty thousand men brought hereto fight for one man's greed.AGAMEMNONBe careful, boy. My mercy haslimits.HECTORI've seen the limits of your mercy.And I tell you now that no son ofTroy will ever submit to a foreignruler.AGAMEMNONThen every son of Troy shall die.PARISThere is another way.Everyone watches Paris now.PARIS(to Menelaus)I love Helen. I won't give her up.And neither will you. So let'sfight our own battle. Let thewinner take Helen home, and thatwill be the end of it.AGAMEMNONA brave offer. But not enough.Menelaus pulls Agamemnon aside and speaks to him out ofthe others' earshot.MENELAUSLet me kill this little peacock.(CONTINUED)82.89CONTINUED: (2)89AGAMEMNONI didn't come here for your prettywife. I came for Troy.MENELAUSAnd I came for my honor. His everybreath insults me.(beat)Let me kill him. When he's lyingin the dust, give the signal toattack. I'll have my revenge andyou'll have your city.Agamemnon ponders the offer. He nods. They rejoin theothers.MENELAUS(to Paris)I accept your challenge. Andtonight I'll drink to your bones.He walks over to his chariot and grabs his shield. Hectorhelps Paris into his helmet and speaks quietly to him.HECTORHe doesn't have the stamina he oncedid. Make him swing and miss.He'll tire.Paris nods. He turns toward Menelaus but quickly turnsback and grabs Hector's arm.PARISHector!Hector waits. Paris opens his mouth but no words comeout. He tries again.PARISIf I fall -- tell Helen -- tellher --HECTORI will.PARISDon't let Menelaus hurt her. Makehim swear --HECTORThink about your sword and hissword. Nothing else.(CONTINUED)83.89CONTINUED: (3)89Hector hugs him close for a moment and releases him.Paris walks toward the center of the field, where Menelauswaits.89APARIS'S POV89AIt's difficult to see from inside your bronze helmet.Your peripheral vision is severely restricted, and thenose guard bisects your vision.Your breathing sounds amplified, impossibly loud and half-panicked. But there's no turning back. Menelaus standsin the center of the vast battlefield, patient andmenacing, carving the air with lazy strokes of his sword.You look back and see Hector. Hector nods, trying toencourage you, but he looks worried. Behind Hector is theTrojan army, twenty-five thousand silent men.Behind the army is the city of Troy. Atop those walls,beneath that blue canopy, your father is watching, and thewoman you love.You turn back to Menelaus. He's smiling at you.89BBACK TO SCENE89BMenelaus charges at Paris and swings mightily, trying toknock the prince's head from his shoulders. Paris managesto duck beneath the flashing blade.Menelaus fights with little art and great savagery,exploiting his superior strength. Paris is quicker. Henearly surprises the bigger man with a fast sword thrust,but Menelaus dominates the fight, hammering Paris's shieldwith a furious barrage of blows.Paris steps away and tries another thrust, but this timeMenelaus sidesteps and smashes Paris in the jaw with thehilt of his sword, knocking the prince's helmet off.Paris falls, blood leaking from his nose and mouth.Hector, frustrated and powerless to help, tries to willhis brother to victory.HECTOR(under his breath)Get up. Get up.84.89CEXT. GREEK LINES89CAjax and Odysseus, standing together, watch the bloodiedprince. Ajax looks disgusted, Odysseus amused.AJAXThis is the prince of Troy? InSalamis, the women fight better.ODYSSEUSBut they're not as pretty.90EXT. WALLS OF TROY - CONTINUOUS90Helen, unable to sit, now stands at the wall, watching herlover battle her husband. Priam stands beside her.91EXT. BLUFF - CONTINUOUS91Patroclus and the other Myrmidons watch the battle.EUDORUSMenelaus still knows how to fight.92EXT. BATTLEFIELD - CONTINUOUS92Menelaus swings at the fallen prince but Paris is able toblock the blow with his shield and scramble to his feet.Menelaus points to the sky. Three CROWS circle above.MENELAUSYou see the crows?(beat)They've never tasted a princebefore.The Spartan's mind games are working -- Paris wears theface of a man who doesn't want to fight. He swingsclumsily and Menelaus manages to catch his wrist. TheSpartan grins and raises his sword for the kill.Paris lashes out with his free hand, punching the Spartanhard in the jaw. Menelaus grunts and shoves the Trojanaway. He spits out a tooth. He's no longer smiling.92AODYSSEUS AND AJAX92Aexchange a quick glance: not bad.85.92BMENELAUS92BBut Menelaus bores in again, blow after blow. Finally hisbronze blade bites into Paris's thigh. Paris staggersbackward, blood flowing down his leg. He swingsdesperately but Menelaus parries, knocking the sword fromParis's hand.Paris stares at his fallen sword, five feet away.Paris runs. Menelaus snarls and chases after him.93EXT. WALLS OF TROY - CONTINUOUS93The citizens seem shocked that their prince and hero wouldflee before a Greek assailant. They look at each otherand whisper, glancing at Priam, curious to see hisreaction.PRIAM(to himself)Fight him, son. Fight him.Helen stares at the battlefield, her face unreadable.94EXT. BATTLEFIELD - CONTINUOUS94Paris runs to Hector, gasping for breath, the bloodpouring down his face and leg. He falls to his kneesbefore his older brother. Hector stares at Paris and thenat Menelaus, who has stopped seven feet from the princes.MENELAUSFight me, you coward! Fight me!Paris, unable to look at either man or speak, trembles byhis brother's side. Hector, completely at a loss, layshis hand on Paris's head.MENELAUSWe have a pact. Fight!CUT TO:94AEXT. GREEK LINES94AAGAMEMNON signals for the DRIVER of his chariot.AGAMEMNONThe Trojans have violated theagreement. We march.(CONTINUED)86.94ACONTINUED:94AThe driver nods. Agamemnon hops onto the chariot and theyride toward the army to deliver the orders.CUT TO:94BEXT. BATTLEFIELD94BHECTOR looks from his brother to the enraged Menelaus.MENELAUSThis is not honor. This is notworthy of royalty.Hector looks at his brother but Paris is not looking atanybody. He gasps for breath, the blood streaming fromhis wounds. Hector glances at the Greek army, then backto Paris.MENELAUSIf he doesn't fight, Troy isdoomed.HECTORParis.Paris shakes his head, blood dripping from his nose.PARISNo. No.HECTOR(to Menelaus)The fight is over.MENELAUSThe fight is not over. Stand back,Prince Hector.Hector stares at the king, judging his intentions.MENELAUSI'll kill him at your feet. Idon't care.HECTORHe's my brother.Menelaus charges, sword raised overhead. In one motionHector draws his own sword and plunges the point throughMenelaus's breastplate. Menelaus's momentum carries himforward, until his breastplate touches the hilt ofHector's sword.(CONTINUED)87.94BCONTINUED:94BMenelaus, eyes wide open, stares down at the blood whichnow begins rushing down his armor. He looks up at Hector.Hector pulls his blade out. Menelaus falls to the ground.CUT TO:94CEXT. GREEK LINES94CAGAMEMNON standing on his chariot in front of his army,sees his brother fall. For a moment the vast field issilent.Agamemnon SHOUTS. A wordless cry of rage, echoing fromthe Greek lines to the walls of Troy. He points towardHector.The entire Greek army surges forward. Hollering with acollective violence powerful enough to make the groundtremble, fifty thousand soldiers charge at Hector.CUT TO:94DEXT. BATTLEFIELD94Dsees them coming. The ground he stands on trembles withthe concussive force of Greek feet and horses' hooves.HECTORParis.Paris still seems to be in a state of shock.HECTORGet up. Get up!The avalanche of Greek infantry is getting closer. Parisfinally gets to his feet but runs in the wrong direction,toward the Greeks.HECTORParis!What seems to be a sprint to suicide turns out to besomething different: Paris grabs the fallen sword of Troyfrom the ground, dangerously close to the charging Greeks.He turns and dashes back to Hector. The princes mount.(CONTINUED)88.94DCONTINUED:94DThe Greeks are almost upon them. Brandishing their spearsand screaming their war cries, all of them vie for theglory of felling the Trojan princes.The closest Greeks launch their spears. One whistles byHector's ear. He spurs his horse. The princes galloptoward the city.CUT TO:94EEXT. GREEK LINES94EODYSSEUS watches this chase with trepidation.ODYSSEUSOur men are too close to the walls.CUT TO:94FEXT. WALLS OF TROY - BELOW94FGLAUCUS the Trojan general, sees that the princes havegained some distance from their pursuers. He calls to anOFFICER standing on the city wall.GLAUCUSARCHERS!95EXT. BLUFF - CONTINUOUS95Patroclus turns and sees Achilles, standing on a high rockbehind the other Myrmidons. We don't know how longAchilles has been watching the battle.ACHILLESPull back, you fool.96EXT. BATTLEFIELD - CONTINUOUS96The Greek army continues to charge at full speed.One thousand TROJAN ARCHERS notch their arrows and pullback their catgut strings.GLAUCUSNow!One thousand bronze-tipped arrows soar into the air, adeadly swarm of hornets that rises toward the cloudsbefore descending on the charging Greeks.(CONTINUED)89.96CONTINUED:96Hundreds of Greeks fall. The Trojan archers let looseanother swarm of arrows. The arrows fall with a greatHISS. Many find their mark, biting into the throats andfaces of the Greeks.The Greek army, so overwhelming seconds ago, is now struckwith chaos. The men in the front turn back, realizingthey've become targets, while the men in back still pushforward. In this confusion of foot traffic the arrowscontinue to fall, a rainstorm of bronze.Agamemnon, standing on his chariot in the middle of hisfrenzied troops, tries to maintain order, but his shoutsgo unheard above the general roar.The driver of his chariot falls, an arrow through hisneck.Agamemnon grabs the reins and tries to steer the chariot,but so many men are running about, so many bodies litterthe ground, that maneuvering is extremely difficult.CUT TO:96AEXT. WALLS OF TROY96AHECTOR AND PARIS have reached the city walls, whereGlaucus and the army wait for them. Hector grabs Paris'sarm.HECTORGet inside the city.He slaps Paris's horse. Paris, head bowed, rides away.Hector turns to his army. He shouts to them at the top ofhis lungs.HECTORThe commander of the Greeks wantsthe Trojan army to fight for him!The Trojan mood becomes more and more bellicose.HECTORWould any man here like to fightfor Agamemnon?TROJANSNO!Hector raises his sword and points it at the Greeks, whoretreat from the arrow fusillade in disarray.(CONTINUED)90.96ACONTINUED:96AHECTORFor Troy!TROJANSTROY!The Trojans charge. Hector, on horseback, reaches theGreeks first. His sword cuts down everyone within reach.The Trojan infantry attacks the Greeks, whose line hasbeen broken by the rain of arrows. The Trojans takeadvantage of their enemies' panic. Hector's plan hassucceeded.97EXT. BLUFF - CONTINUOUS97Achilles is unable to stand still. His fingers twitch ashe watches the battle; he paces back and forth and curses.Patroclus and the Myrmidons avoid looking at their leader.ACHILLESGet them in line... get them inline...98EXT. BATTLEFIELD - CONTINUOUS98Odysseus, meanwhile, works to reorganize the troops.ODYSSEUSSelepius! Bring your men back intoline!Ajax, standing nearby, sees Hector chopping his waythrough the Greeks. Ajax runs at Hector.Two TROJAN SOLDIERS try to intercept Ajax. The mightyGreek swings his huge battle axe. The blade cuts cleanthrough the first soldier's arm and halfway through historso.The second soldier hacks at Ajax but the big man blocksthe sword with his shield and then uses the shield to ramthe soldier's face. Blood sprays from the Trojan'scrushed skull. Both soldiers fall dead to the ground.Hector, battling a Greek INFANTRYMAN, doesn't see Ajaxcoming. Ajax grabs Hector's horse's bridle and tugs hard,the veins in his arms bulging beneath the skin.(CONTINUED)91.98CONTINUED:98The horse tries to buck but Ajax twists the horse's headtill it falls. Hector falls with the horse, tumbling tothe dirt. The Greek infantryman he had been fightingstabs at him.Hector rolls away and manages -- while flat on his back-- to swing his sword, chopping off the infantryman's feetjust above the ankles. The infantryman screams and falls.Ajax releases the horse, raises his axe, and swings at thefallen Hector. The prince gets his shield up just intime. Ajax's axe cleaves through the shield, splittingthe bronze into two even halves.Hector stares at the halved shield, discards it, and jumpsto his feet. The two fighters circle each other whilethousands of soldiers around them battle to the death.AJAXSo you're the best of the Trojans?Hector, looking for an opening in the brute's defenses,says nothing. Ajax charges, swinging his battle axe.Hector ducks below the axe and lunges forward with hissword, but Ajax -- quick despite his size -- sidesteps,grabs the smaller man in a bear hug and squeezes.Hector turns red. The sword falls from Hector's hand.Ajax grins.Hector slams his helmeted head forward, butting Ajax inthe face. Ajax staggers back, blood spraying from hisnose, his axe falling to the ground.Hector struggles to regain his equilibrium. Ajax growlsand launches himself at the prince.Hector snatches a spear off the ground and positions itjust as Ajax dives at him. The spear pierces Ajax'sarmor, driving through his belly and out his back. Hectorholds the shaft steady. Ajax stares down at his wound.He seems more irritated than anything else.Ajax places his two big hands on the spear shaft, rightwhere the spear enters his body. He breaks the spear intwo, snapping the solid wood like a twig.Half a spear still sticking out his back, Ajax swings theshaft, clobbering Hector in the side of the head, sendingthe horsehair-plumed helmet flying.(CONTINUED)92.98CONTINUED: (2)98Hector, dazed, falls to one knee. Ajax whacks him againon the back of his neck. Hector crawls forward blindly.His hands brush over the blade of his dropped sword.Hector springs up, driving his sword into Ajax's gut, justbelow the big man's breast plate. Hector withdraws hissword. Both men see the ground drenched with Ajax'sblood.Ajax backhands Hector with the broken spear shaft,cracking the prince in the jaw and dropping him again.Ajax grabs Hector, hoists him upright and beginsthrottling the prince. Ajax spits a great wad of bloodand smiles, teeth washed red.Hector tries to kick at Ajax, but Ajax's thumbs dig deeperand deeper into Hector's throat. Hector's eyelids beginto flutter as he chokes.But the Salamisian king has lost too much blood. He sinksslowly to his knees. Hector is forced to his knees aswell.Finally Ajax's eyes roll back. He topples onto Hector,hands still locked on the prince's throat. Hector undoesthe death grip. He squirms out from under Ajax's corpseand stands.99EXT. BLUFF - CONTINUOUS99Patroclus and the Myrmidons watch Ajax fall withdisbelief. Achilles cannot bear to watch any longer. Hewalks away. None of his men dare look at him.100EXT. BATTLEFIELD - DAY100The Trojans are routing the Greeks. With two of theirkings already fallen, the Greek force is in disarray.Odysseus sees Agamemnon speeding by on his chariot.Odysseus runs and manages to leap onto the chariot. Thetwo kings shout at each other above the commotion ofbattle.ODYSSEUSWe need to retreat!Agamemnon surveys the battlefield and his battered forces.(CONTINUED)93.100CONTINUED:100AGAMEMNONMy army has never lost a battle.ODYSSEUSIf we don't fall back you won'thave an army!Agamemnon seems dazed by the turn of events. FinallyOdysseus hollers to whichever CAPTAINS can hear his voice.ODYSSEUSBack to the ships! Back to theships!The captains take up this cry, shouting orders to theirmen.The Greeks retreat. The Trojan soldiers give a mightyshout as they pursue their enemies.101EXT. WALLS OF TROY101The people cheer. Nobles and commoners embrace asbrothers.102EXT. BATTLEFIELD102Hector, still on foot, leads his men as they chase downthe fleeing Greeks. Several thousand Greeks have fallen.103EXT. BEACH ENCAMPMENT103The Greeks get back to their trenches, the bulk of theforce still intact. ARCHERS in the Greek rear guard,manning the trenches, now raise their bows and prepare tofire.Hector, eager to avoid the mistakes his Greek counterpartsmade earlier, holds up his hands and BELLOWS to thetroops.HECTORHalt!The Trojan army stops just outside the Greek archers'range. Lysander, the Trojan captain, stands besideHector.(CONTINUED)94.103CONTINUED:103LYSANDERWe have them on the run, my prince.HECTORWe're almost in range of theirarchers. You saw what our arrowsdid to them.(beat)Have the men gather our fallen.When they're done, send an emissaryto the Greeks. They can collecttheir dead without fear of assault.LYSANDERWould they have done the same for us?HECTOROf course not. That's why Troy isworth defending.Hector turns and heads back to the white city.104EXT. BATTLEFIELD - LATER104Thousands of BODIES litter the broad field. We see themfirst from high above, their bronze armor gleaming in thefailing sunlight. CLOSE on several of the dead men'sfaces.The living haul the dead from the battlefield. HORSESare used to pull wagonloads of bodies.Fathers or sons or brothers or friends say their goodbyesand wash the dead men with washcloths and buckets ofwater.The sun sinks into the ocean. Both sides build funeralpyres for their fallen. When a body is loaded onto thepyre, a relative or friend places two COINS on the deadman's eyes.Dozens of SALAMISIANS view Ajax's body. They weep as theypass by, each man kneeling to kiss their fallen king'shand.104AEXT. BATTLEFIELD - FUNERAL PYRESS104AAgamemnon stands before the body of Menelaus.(CONTINUED)95.104ACONTINUED:104AHe places two coins on Menelaus's eyes. He steps downfrom the pyre, accepts a torch from a CAPTAIN, and setsthe pyre on fire.AGAMEMNONI will burn their city before Ileave, brother. I promise youthat.As the sky grows dark, the dead burn on the beach andinside the walls of Troy.105INT. PARIS'S BEDCHAMBER -NIGHT105Paris flinches as Helen, using needle and thread, stitcheshis leg wound. His face is bruised, his eyes red.PARISYou think I'm a coward.Helen, concentrating on her stitching, says nothing.Paris flinches as the needle pierces his skin.PARISI am a coward.(beat)I knew he would kill me. I knewit. You were watching, and myfather, my brother, all of Troy --it didn't matter. The shame didn'tmatter.(beat)I gave up my pride, my honor. Justto live.HELENYou challenged a great warrior.That took courage.PARISI betrayed you.Helen inspects her work. The black stitches are a littleragged, but they seem secure.HELENMenelaus was brave. He lived forfighting. And I hated him from theday I married him until the day hedied.(CONTINUED)96.105CONTINUED:105Helen leans forward until her lips are inches from Paris.HELENI don't want a hero, my love. Iwant a man to grow old with.She kisses him and there is great tenderness in her kiss.A knock on the door. Helen looks up. Another knock.HELENCome in.Hector enters the room. He examines Paris's leg.HECTOR(to Helen)Well stitched.(to Paris)You have a talented woman.(beat)I thank the gods you're alive,little brother.PARISI wanted to make you proud of me.He grips Paris' shoulder.HECTORYou will.106EXT. BEACH ENCAMPMENT - NIGHT106Thousands of campfires constellate the beach. Tens ofthousands of exhausted soldiers stare into the flames.107INT. AGAMEMNON'S TENT - NIGHT107Nestor sits at a table, poring over the map of Troy.Odysseus lies in a hammock strung between two of the tentpoles, eating olives and spitting out the pits.Agamemnon paces the rugs that floor the tent. His usualair of supreme confidence is gone, replaced by agitation.AGAMEMNONThey're laughing at me in Troy.Old Priam and the others, drunk onvictory. They think I'll quitthese shores, sail home at firstlight.(CONTINUED)97.107CONTINUED:107ODYSSEUSMaybe we should.Agamemnon spins and glares at Odysseus.AGAMEMNONFlee like a whipped dog?ODYSSEUSThe men believe we came here forMenelaus's wife. He won't beneeding his wife anymore.AGAMEMNON(furious)My brother's blood still wets thegrass and you insult him?ODYSSEUSIt's no insult to say a dead man isdead.NESTORIf we leave now we lose allcredibility. If the Trojans canbeat us so easily, how long beforethe Hittites invade?ODYSSEUSYou're right. But if we stay, westay for the right reasons.(to Agamemnon)We stay to protect Greece, not yourpride. Your private battle withAchilles is destroying us.AGAMEMNONAchilles is one man. What goodcould he --ODYSSEUSHector is one man. Look what hedid to us today.AGAMEMNONHector fights for his country.Achilles fights only for himself.ODYSSEUSI don't care about the man'spatriotism. I care about hisability to win battles.(CONTINUED)98.107CONTINUED: (2)107NESTOR(to Agamemnon)He's right. The men's morale isweak.ODYSSEUSWeak? They're ready to swim home.AGAMEMNONEven if I wanted to make peace withAchilles, the man won't listen.He's just as likely to spear me asspeak with me.ODYSSEUSI'll talk to him in the morning.Agamemnon thinks about it for a moment and nods.NESTORHe'll want the girl back.AGAMEMNONHe can take the damned girl. Ihaven't touched her.ODYSSEUSWhere is she?AGAMEMNONI gave her to the men. They neededsome amusement after today.Odysseus and Nestor exchange worried looks.108EXT. GREEK CAMPFIRE - NIGHT108A band of battle-weary, drunken SOLDIERS stand by acampfire. They're exhausted, caked with dirt and theircomrades' blood.They shove Briseis back and forth between them. Each manshe bounces into tears off a strip of her robes, which arenow filthy rags barely covering her body.Her face seems to have shut down. She has a bruise belowone eye and her hair is wet with wine. The soldiers stareat her with a mix of hostility and lust.APHAEREUSYou Trojan whore.(CONTINUED)99.108CONTINUED:108ECHEPOLUSWe should kill her now, keep herfrom breeding any more Trojanbastards.APHAEREUSNo, she's Agamemnon's property.(tearing off a sleeve)What's this? A virgin's robe?HAEMONYou won't be needing that muchlonger.Haemon squats by the fire, holding an iron in the flames.He pulls out a branding iron in the shape of Agamemnon'sseal: a white-hot ALPHA. He carries it toward Briseis.HAEMONHold her down.Briseis sees the hot iron and begins to struggle,screaming and kicking at the men. Four of the soldierspin her down.HAEMONWhy are you kicking, girl? Betterto be a Spartan slave than a Trojanpriestess.Briseis claws Haemon in the face. He growls and punchesher.HAEMONCome on, come on, hold her down.The soldiers hold her in the sand. Haemon steadies thehot brand and searches for the best place to mark her.When the brand is inches from her arm someone grabs theiron, pulls it out of Haemon's hands and then slams itdown on the man's head. Haemon collapses.Achilles stands alone, unarmed save for the branding iron.By firelight he looks ferocious. Echepolus stumblesbackward.ECHEPOLUSAchilles.Aphaereus spits in the sand. He draws his sword.(CONTINUED)100.108CONTINUED: (2)108APHAREUSThere's one of him and ten of us.Achilles swings the iron, almost too fast for the eye tofollow. Aphaereus's face collapses. He falls to thebeach.ACHILLESNine.The other soldiers run. Achilles lifts Briseis to herfeet. More gently than we would have believed possible,Achilles brushes the sand from her face and hair.ACHILLESCan you walk?Briseis nods. Achilles, arm around her shoulder, leadsher away from the campfire.109EXT. ACHILLES' TENT - NIGHT109Eudorus and Patroclus are waiting when Achilles andBriseis get to the tent.ACHILLESGet me food and water. And a newrobe.Eudorus bows. Patroclus watches Achilles and Briseisenter the tent.110INT. ACHILLES' TENT - LATER110Achilles sits near Briseis, watching her. She's cleannow, dressed in a new robe -- a man's robe, far too bigfor her. Platters of fruit and roasted meats sit nearher, along with pitchers of wine and water. Briseisdoesn't touch any of it.ACHILLESYou should eat.Briseis says nothing.ACHILLESDid they hurt you?BRISEISWhat do you think?(CONTINUED)101.110CONTINUED:110ACHILLESI saw you fight them. You havecourage.BRISEISTo fight back when people attackme? A dog has that kind ofcourage.ACHILLESI like dogs more than people.Briseis stares into Achilles' eyes. He's not used topeople meeting his gaze. He stares back at the girl,intrigued.BRISEISWhy did you choose this life?ACHILLESWhat life?BRISEISThis... to be a great warrior.ACHILLESI chose nothing. I was born andthis is what I am.BRISEISBut you must enjoy it.ACHILLESDoes the scorpion feel joy when hestings the beetle?(beat)I doubt it. I doubt he feelsanything at all.BRISEISBut you're not a scorpion. You'rea man.ACHILLESAnd you're a woman in love with agod. Where was Apollo when thosemen tried to scar you?BRISEISDo you enjoy provoking me?ACHILLESYes.(CONTINUED)102.110CONTINUED: (2)110They watch each other, Achilles smiling, Briseis angry.ACHILLESYou've dedicated your life to thegods, yes?Briseis, glaring at him, doesn't answer.ACHILLESZeus, God of Thunder. Athena,Goddess of Wisdom. You serve them?BRISEISOf course.ACHILLESAnd Aries, God of War, who blanketshis bed with the skins of men he'skilled?Briseis pauses, caught in the trap.BRISEISAll the gods are to be feared andrespected.For a long beat they are silent, staring at each other.The air between them is charged with more than merecontention.BRISEISWhat do you want here in Troy? Youdidn't come for the Spartan queen.ACHILLESI want what all men want. I justwant it more.Achilles takes an apple and unsheathes a dagger. Hetosses the apple in his hand. On the third toss he whipshis knife-hand up and across and neatly catches four applequarters.He offers a quarter to Briseis. Stunned, she slowlyshakes her head. Achilles shrugs and eats the slicedapple.(CONTINUED)103.110CONTINUED: (3)110ACHILLESI'll tell you a secret-- somethingthey didn't teach you in yourtemple. The gods envy us. Theyenvy us because we're mortal,because every moment might be ourlast. Everything is more beautifulfor the doomed.He stares at her with such intensity she must look away.ACHILLESYou will never be lovelier than youare right now. And we will neverbe here again.Briseis is quiet for a moment. She rubs the ripe purplegrapes on the platter beside her.BRISEISI thought you were a dumb brute.She looks into Achilles' eyes.BRISEISI could have forgiven a dumb brute.111EXT. BEACH - NIGHT111It's quiet now. Only a few campfires burn under a fullmoon.112INT. ACHILLES' TENT - LATER112Achilles lies on his back on a deer skin, sleeping.Briseis kneels beside him. In the candlelight we see theglint of a bronze blade. She holds the knife near histhroat.Achilles open his eyes.ACHILLESGo on.Briseis holds the blade against his skin.ACHILLESNothing is easier.BRISEISAren't you afraid?(CONTINUED)104.112CONTINUED:112ACHILLESEvery mortal dies. Today or fiftyyears from now, what does it matterin the face of eternity?BRISEISYou'll kill more men if I don'tkill you.ACHILLESMany of them.For several seconds she holds the knife to his throat.Finally she puts it down.BRISEISMay Apollo forgive me.Achilles pulls her closer and they kiss.He slowly slides the robe off her shoulders. Briseis --eyes closed, lips parted -- trembles as Achilles unveilsher. For a moment she hesitates but soon hesitationevaporates and she presses her body against his, kissinghis throat, his chest, his hands.Their hunger for each other is stronger than gods andnations.113EXT. BAY - DAWN113Rosy-fingered dawn appears. The seagulls cry above thewaves.114INT. ACHILLES' TENT - MORNING114Achilles watches Briseis sleep. She looks very young andfragile, her face bruised, her eyelids fluttering as shedreams. Achilles watches her with great tenderness.Eudorus opens the tent flap. Sunlight streams in.Achilles puts a finger over his mouth. Eudorus seesBriseis and nods. Achilles gently pulls the blanket overher naked shoulders. He stands and exits.115EXT. ACHILLES' TENT - CONTINUOUS115Odysseus waits for Achilles outside the tent.(CONTINUED)105.115CONTINUED:115ACHILLES(to Eudorus)Have the men start loading theship. We're going home.Eudorus, surprised, looks at Odysseus for a second beforebowing to his commander and walking away.ODYSSEUSYou found the girl?ACHILLESI found her.ODYSSEUSIs she hurt?ACHILLESNot as badly as those who hurt her.Achilles stares at the sea. Seagulls patrol the skies.ACHILLESDo you miss your wife, Odysseus?ODYSSEUSAlways.ACHILLESI've never missed anyone in mylife. I used to think it was aweakness, needing someone else.ODYSSEUSWe all need someone else. Rightnow, Greece needs you.ACHILLESGreece got along fine before I wasborn and Greece will be Greece longafter I'm dead.ODYSSEUSI'm not talking about the land.The valleys, the mountains -- theydon't care what we do. The menneed you. You should have seen theslaughter yesterday.ACHILLESI saw it. And I saw who led themen to slaughter.(CONTINUED)106.115CONTINUED: (2)115ODYSSEUSAgamemnon... is a proud man. Buthe knows when he's made a mistake.ACHILLESThe man sends you to make hisapologies? He doesn't understandhonor. What are you doing inthrall to that pig of a king?ODYSSEUSThe world seems simple to you, myfriend. But when you're a king,very few choices are simple.Ithaca cannot afford an enemy likeAgamemnon.ACHILLESAm I supposed to fear him?ODYSSEUSYou don't fear anyone, that's yourproblem. Fear is useful.(beat)Stay, Achilles. You were born forthis war.ACHILLESMy life is war. Is that what youthink?ODYSSEUSAm I wrong?Achilles stares at the sea again.ACHILLESA week ago you were right. Butthings are less simple today.ODYSSEUSWomen have a way of complicatingthings.Achilles smiles. He turns to Odysseus and clasps hishand.ACHILLESOf all the kings of Greece, Irespect you most. But in this waryou're a servant. And I refuse tobe a servant any longer.(CONTINUED)107.115CONTINUED: (3)115ODYSSEUSSometimes you need to serve inorder to lead. I hope youunderstand that one day.Odysseus walks away. Achilles watches him go and thenturns back toward his tent. He sees that Patroclus hasbeen standing by the tent throughout the previousconversation.PATROCLUSWe're going home?ACHILLESWe leave at noon.He tries to enter his tent but Patroclus grabs his arm andblocks his path. Achilles stares at Patroclus' hand.Patroclus releases him but doesn't move out of the way.PATROCLUSIf Poseidon curses us and our shipgoes down, what will I tell theshades in Hades? That I diedrunning from this war, abandoningour countrymen?ACHILLESOur countrymen?PATROCLUSYes, our country! We're Greek,cousin. I broke bread with thesemen, I drank their wine, I listenedto their jokes. These are ourcomrades. We cannot desert them.(beat)Your feud with Agamemnon is tearingthis army apart. And yourreputation suffers. The men aretalking --Achilles' eyes narrow as his temper rises.ACHILLESIf my blood wasn't in yourveins --PATROCLUSBut your blood is in my veins.(CONTINUED)108.115CONTINUED: (4)115ACHILLESI gave you an order, cousin. Weleave at noon.Achilles opens the tent flap.PATROCLUSIf you command us not to fight forthe king of kings, so be it. Butplease don't ask me not to fightfor Greece.(long beat)When the shades hear my name I wantthem to know I led a worthy life.Achilles, face inscrutable, watches his cousin walk away.116INT. PRIAM'S MEETING HALL - MORNING116The notables we've seen in this room before -- Priam,Hector, Glaucus, Velior, Archeptolemus -- are gatheredagain.ARCHEPTOLEMUSThe omens are gathering. Thedirective is clear.HECTORFight for your country. That's theonly directive.PRIAM(to Hector)The last time the high priest spoketo us he prophesied a great victoryfor Troy. We won a great victory.Let him speak.(to Archeptolemus)What course of action do yourecommend?ARCHEPTOLEMUSThe gods favor our cause. Now isthe time to destroy the Greek army.PRIAMGlaucus?(CONTINUED)109.116CONTINUED:116GLAUCUSTheir morale is battered. Hit themnow, hit them hard, and they willrun.VELIORI must admit, I overestimated theGreeks. They lack discipline andcourage.Hector, frustrated and weary, rubs his eyes.HECTORThe Myrmidons did not fightyesterday. There must bedissension among the Greeks. Butif we attack their ships, we'llunify them.(beat)If they decide to attack, let them.They can't breach our walls. We'llbeat them back again.(beat; to Priam)Yesterday the Greeks underestimatedus. We should not return the favortoday.Priam meditates on this conflicting advice. He stands andpaces about the room. He turns to Archeptolemus.PRIAMYou're confident about the meaningof these omens?ARCHEPTOLEMUSThe desecration of his templeangers Apollo. The gods havecursed the Greeks. Two of theirkings have already gone down to thedust.Priam continues pacing, hands clasped behind his back.PRIAMPrepare the army. We attack atnoon.HECTORWe're making a mistake, father.Father and son face each other across the long table.PRIAMPrepare the army.110.117EXT. ACHILLES' WARSHIP - LATER - DAY117Achilles' ship has already been hauled into the shallowwater, ready to depart. Myrmidons climb the gangplank,carrying gear onto the ship's deck.118INT. ACHILLES' WARSHIP - DAY118Briseis sits in the cabin watching Achilles tie a hammockto a peg. Something has changed between them. She looksat him with undisguised tenderness.BRISEISAm I still your captive?ACHILLESCaptive is a harsh word. You're myguest.BRISEISIn Troy, guests can leave wheneverthey want.ACHILLESStrange custom.Achilles takes her hand and inspects her uncallousedpalms.ACHILLESYou've never worked the fields.Never chopped wood, never carried amilk pail. These are the hands ofroyalty.Achilles raises his own hands and shows them to her.ACHILLESMy hands are gates to theunderworld.(beat)All my life I've walked with Death.But I grow tired of his company.(beat)Come with me to Larissa.A hint of a smile crosses her lips.BRISEISLarissa. Is that where you'refrom?(beat)It's a pretty name.(CONTINUED)111.118CONTINUED:118ACHILLESI thought I'd never see it again.(beat)Before I left home my mother toldme my fate.BRISEIS(sincere)She speaks with the gods?ACHILLESShe knows things.(beat)She told me if I stayed home I'dhave a long, peaceful life. And ifI came to Troy, life would beshort... but my name would never beforgotten.BRISEISAnd you chose Troy.ACHILLESBut what if Fate brought me herefor another purpose? What if I hadto go to war to find peace?(beat)To find you?She cups his face between her palms, pulls him closer,kisses his lips. For a moment they gaze at each other,until the sounds of WAR CRIES, HORNS, and BATTLE DRUMSfill the air.Achilles raises his head and listens, his face hardening.Briseis, alarmed, watches him.119EXT. AGAMEMNON'S TENT - DAY119Agamemnon, Nestor, and Odysseus exit the tent. The beachis a frenzy of activity. Thousands of men rush to theirpositions, hastily arming themselves. The kings look tothe high dunes.120EXT. HIGH DUNES - CONTINUOUS120Hector and his APOLLONIAN GUARDS, on horseback, crest thedunes and look down on the Greek encampment. 25,000TROJAN FOOT SOLDIERS march behind Hector. He gives asignal. The force halts.112. 121EXT. BEACH ENCAMPMENT - CONTINUOUS121The GREEKS, plainly nervous, swarm to the long trenchthey've dug. The Trojans crushed them yesterday. Nowthey're back.121AEXT. HIGH DUNES121AThe Trojan ARCHERS pull their bows off their shoulders andnotch their arrows.121BEXT. BEACH ENCAMPMENT121BThe Greek archers notch their arrows.Odysseus stands with his ITHACANS, waiting to battle. Acry starts up on the far end of the Greek line and growssteadily louder. Odysseus looks in that direction.A glittering figure has stepped forth from the Myrmidoncamp, clad in the beautiful and distinctive armor thatevery man in the Greek army recognizes.ODYSSEUSAchilles.All down the Greek line we hear the cheer building to aroar. Agamemnon, hearing the commotion, turns and seesthe shining warrior. He watches the spectacle with mixedemotions.Eudorus, standing with several Myrmidons, is thrilled byhis leader's unexpected arrival.EUDORUSArm yourselves, men.The Myrmidons quickly and excitedly arm themselves.121CEXT. HIGH DUNES121CThe Trojans are not aware of this energy. Hector raiseshis sword and points at the Greeks. The Trojan armycharges. When they are within range the Trojan archersrelease, sending a volley of arrows over the heads oftheir comrades. The Greek archers release at the sametime.Two flocks of arrows cross in the sky and swoop down onthe men below. Dozens of Greeks and Trojans fall to thesand.113.121DEXT. GREEK BEACH DEFENSES121DBut now the glorious bronzed figure of Achilles leaps overthe trench, sunlight reflecting off his polished armor.He raises his sword to the sky. A great, violent ROARrises from the Greek army. When he runs toward theTrojans the Greeks jump from their positions and follow.The two armies collide. Unlike the grassy field the menfought on yesterday, today's battle takes place on thesand, and sand is everywhere.Horse hooves kick up clouds of sand. Men struggle forfooting in the loose sand. Red blood puddles on theyellow sand.But much more is different than the terrain. Now theGreeks have a leader. The Myrmidons are at the forefront,battling with a ferocity most Trojans have never seenbefore.A Trojan OFFICER, spear raised, gallops toward the figureof Achilles. Before the Trojan can throw, Eudorus hurlshis spear, catching the officer in the neck. The man goesdown.Odysseus, immersed in combat, sees this. He hesitates fora moment and in his distraction is nearly cut down by anaxe-wielding Trojan. They fight.After Odysseus dispatches the man, he looks back towardthe glittering figure of Achilles. Something's making himuneasy.A Trojan swings his sword at the shining warrior, narrowlymissing a clean decapitation. The Greek hero thrusts hisspear and guts the Trojan.The Myrmidons surge forward, hacking their way through theTrojans. The Greek army steadily pushes the Trojans back,picking up more and more momentum.Now it is the Trojans who seem frightened, unsure wherethe Greeks found this intense spirit.Glaucus, the Trojan general, on horseback, shouts toHector.GLAUCUSThe gods are with them today! Weshould fall back!Hector, fighting, does not answer.(CONTINUED)114.121DCONTINUED:121DThe Myrmidons are getting closer to the elite Apollonians.Hector notices them now. He notices the beautiful armorof their leader, notices the leader hop nimbly from thepath of a charging Trojan and cut the man down.HECTOR(to himself)Achilles.Hector goes after him. He grips the reins and guides hishorse toward the Myrmidons. His Apollonians, clusteredabout him protectively, move in that direction as well.121EEXT. GREEK BEACH DEFENSES121EThe two elite forces clash. These men are experts,wielding their spears and swords with superior skill.Hector's horse stumbles in the deep sand. Hector abandonshis mount, leaping down to the beach, running for theshining warrior. A Myrmidon intercepts him. Their battleis quick-- Hector kills him with a sword thrust.Now he is face to face (or helmet to helmet) with thefigure of glorious Achilles. The two men, breathingheavily from the combat, stand still for a moment.The intricately-worked bronze of Achilles' helmet,breastplate, and shield all shine bright. He's adifficult man to stare at for long. Now he charges, swordraised.They fight. And though the battle continues all aroundthem, everyone seems to be aware of the duel taking place.The shining warrior is quicker than Hector and lighter onhis feet, swinging again and again, a blaze of bronze.Hector fights patiently, parrying the blows, waiting foran opening.The sword of Achilles whistles over Hector's head, swungso hard that the man wielding it cannot protect himself.Hector takes full advantage, swinging quickly, his bladecarving the soft flesh just beneath Achilles' helmet.A long question mark of blood whips out of the cut throat.The man falls.(CONTINUED)115.121ECONTINUED:121EEverything seems to stop. Though the battle is stillunderway and thousands of individuals are still fightingfor their lives, a collective gasp of despair comes fromthe Greeks.Odysseus, stunned, stares at the body on the ground.Hector stands next to the fallen man. He wedges the tipof his sword inside the bronze helmet and lifts it off.Patroclus is dying, trying to breathe as his throat floodswith blood. His eyes are panicked.Hector stares down at the dying boy, at the blood-soakedSEASHELL NECKLACE.For a moment they stare at each other, the victoriousprince of Troy and the dying boy in the sand. The soundsof Patroclus' gurgling breaths visibly upset the prince.With an anguished cry he raises his sword and brings itdown. We don't see the blade hit, but the boy's sufferingends.Hector sees a stunned Odysseus standing nearby. TheGreeks have pushed the Trojans back from the beach, ontothe grassy inland plains, but now combat has halted.HECTOREnough for one day?Odysseus nods. Hector calls out to Glaucus.HECTORArms down! Back to the city!Glaucus relays the call. Odysseus calls to his CAPTAINS.ODYSSEUSArms down! Arms down! To thebeach!Odysseus sheathes his sword and approaches. He crouchesby Patroclus and closes the dead boy's frightened eyes.Hector and Odysseus look at each other for a beat.Hector mounts his horse and leads his men home. The twosides retreat. Eudorus hurries over and kneels beside thedead boy.EUDORUSWe were going to sail home at noon.(CONTINUED)116.121ECONTINUED: (2)121EODYSSEUSI don't think anyone's sailing homenow.122EXT. ACHILLES' WARSHIP - LATER122Eudorus walks up to the ship, takes a few deep breaths,and calls to his commander.EUDORUSAchilles!Achilles emerges from the ship's cabin and walks to thebow. He descends the gangplank to the beach. Briseisfollows.Eudorus bows. Achilles examines his captain. Eudorus issweaty and dirty, his hands caked with dried blood. Hishelmet is off but he still wears his armor.ACHILLESYou've been fighting.EUDORUSMy lord --ACHILLESYou violated my command.EUDORUSNo, my lord. There was a mistake.ACHILLESA mistake? I ordered the Myrmidonsto stand down. You led them intocombat?EUDORUSI didn't lead them.Eudorus cannot meet his commander's gaze.ACHILLESWho did?EUDORUSWe thought you did.Now Achilles can tell, staring at his captain's face, thatsomething is very wrong. He looks around the encampment.All the men returning from combat avoid looking atAchilles.(CONTINUED)117.122CONTINUED:122ACHILLESWhere's Patroclus?EUDORUSWe thought it was you, my lord. We-- he wore your armor. Yourshield, your grieves, your helmet.(long beat)He's dead, my lord.ACHILLESYou're lying.EUDORUSNever, my lord. Never. He lookedlike you. He even moved like you.We all followed --ACHILLESLies.EUDORUSHe fought well, my lord. Withgreat courage. But Hector cameafter him.Achilles' nostrils are flared, his eyes narrowed.EUDORUSIf I could have saved him --Achilles hits Eudorus hard in the mouth. The captainfalls to the sand. Achilles looms above him, fistsclenched. Eudorus holds his mouth. Blood is alreadybeginning to stream out.ACHILLESLiar!EUDORUSMy lord, I saw him fall.Achilles seizes Eudorus by the hair and hauls him to hisknees. He snatches Eudorus's sword and raises it.Briseis grabs Achilles' shoulder.BRISEISDon't!With his free hand Achilles grabs her throat. She clawsat his wrist. Her feet spasm and kick inches off theground.(CONTINUED)118.122CONTINUED: (2)122Eyes bulging, she stares at him. Whatever kindness she'dseen in his eyes before, whatever tenderness, it's gonenow.Achilles drops her. She sags to the ground, gasping forbreath, beginning to sob. Achilles releases Eudorus. Thecaptain remains on his knees, watching his lord.ACHILLESDead?EUDORUSHector cut his throat.Achilles walks to a dead campfire where the Myrmidons cooktheir dinner. He drops Eudorus's sword and kneels in theashes, grabs handfuls of the soot, and blackens his face.Achilles stands, grabs the sword, and walks toward thesea. Everyone stares at him. He keeps walking as thewaters lap at his ankles, his knees, his waist.The waves are high, crashing down on him, but Achillesdoes not turn from them. He swings the sword, choppingthrough the surf, slicing the crests off the waves,groaning as he fights. The soldiers on the beach stare athim.Achilles battles the sea.123EXT. PALACE GARDEN - NIGHT123Hector, carrying a torch, leads Andromache through thelower garden, down a staircase descending from the shrineof Apollo to a door half-hidden by climbing vines. Heopens the door.124INT. PALACE OF TROY - SUBTERRANEAN LEVEL - NIGHT124Andromache follows Hector into the palace's dark recesses.ANDROMACHEWhere are you taking me?Hector leads her until they reach a bronze-banded oakdoor. He opens the door, revealing the mouth of a darktunnel.(CONTINUED)119.124CONTINUED:124HECTORYou remember how to get here?ANDROMACHEYes.HECTORNext time you come, follow thistunnel. There's nowhere to turn,so you can't get lost. Keepwalking.ANDROMACHEHector --HECTORWhen you get outside you'll be onthe south side of the ScamanderRiver. Follow the river till yousee Mount Ida. Keep Ida to yourwest, walk south, and you'll get toLyrnessus.(beat)The Greeks won't go that farinland.ANDROMACHEYou're frightening me.Hector stares into the darkness of the tunnel.ANDROMACHEHector.(beat)Why are you telling me this?HECTORIf I die --ANDROMACHENo --HECTORIf I die, I don't know how long thecity will stand.ANDROMACHEDon't say that.(CONTINUED)120.124CONTINUED: (2)124HECTORIf the Greeks get inside the walls,it's over. They'll kill all themen. Doesn't matter how old,they'll pull grandfathers fromtheir beds and carve their lungsout.ANDROMACHEPlease --HECTORDoesn't matter how young. They'llthrow the babies from the citywalls.Andromache closes her eyes.HECTORThe women they'll take for slaves.And that will be worse for you thandying.ANDROMACHEWhy are you saying these things?HECTORI want you to be ready. I want youto get our boy, get him, and comehere. Save as many others as youcan, but you get here, you go downthese stairs, and you run.(beat)Do you understand?She nods. The flickering flame of the taper throws giantshadows on the stone walls.HECTORI killed a boy today.(beat)He was too young. Much too young.125EXT. BEACH ENCAMPMENT - NIGHT125Patroclus's body lies atop a massive funeral pyre, dressedin a simple white frock.(CONTINUED)121.125CONTINUED:125Achilles, clean now, all the soot washed away by the sea,scrubs Patroclus's face with a damp cloth. As fastidiousas a mother, Achilles scrubs away the dried blood on theboy's lips, the dirt on his chin, the crusted blood on hiscut throat. He removes the SHELL NECKLACE.Agamemnon stands with Nestor in the crowd surrounding thepyre. Agamemnon watches the rite with ill-concealedpleasure.AGAMEMNONThat boy just saved the war for us.Odysseus stands nearby. Melancholy and fatigue age hisface.When the boy is clean Achilles pulls two COINS from aleather pouch. He places one coin over each of the deadboy's eyes. He kisses the boy's forehead and descendsfrom atop the pyre. Eudorus hands him a torch andAchilles sets the pyre on fire.126EXT./INT. MONTAGE - NIGHT126We visit all our characters tonight. First Achilles,standing by the burning pyre, watching his cousin burn.Briseis sits nearby, watching Achilles watch the fire.126AAGAMEMNON126Asits in his tent, carving X's on the map of Troy, his jawtaut as he ravages his painted enemy.126BPRIAM126Bstands on a palace balcony, staring over his city.126CHECTOR126Cstands by his son's crib, watching the boy sleep.126DHELEN126Dlies in bed. She hears a noise -- phhhthck! phhhthck! --repeated over and over at brief intervals. She rolls outof bed and walks to the arched window.122.126EDOWN BELOW IN THE PALACE GARDEN126EParis practices his archery, shooting a target again andagain by moonlight.127EXT. BEACH ENCAMPMENT - DAWN127Achilles, still standing in the same place, watches theremaining wood of the pyre collapse. He walks to histent. On the way he passes Briseis. She has fallenasleep on the sand.He sees the bruises on her throat where his hand throttledher. As usual, the expression on his face is unreadable.He stares at her for another moment and walks away.128EXT. ACHILLES' TENT - DAWN128Achilles finds Eudorus sleeping outside his tent.ACHILLESEudorus.Eudorus blinks, unsure where he is, then rouses himself ashe recognizes his master's voice. He struggles to hisfeet.EUDORUSMy lord.ACHILLESI need my armor.Eudorus nods and rushes off.129INT. ACHILLES' TENT - DAWN129Eudorus helps Achilles prepare, clasping on his greaves.130INT. HECTOR'S CHAMBER - DAWN130While his wife and child sleep, Hector clasps on hisgreaves.INTERCUT between Achilles and Hector, clamping on theirbreastplates, arm guards, helmets, etc.131EXT. SHRINE OF APOLLO - MORNING131The small shrine on the palace grounds is designed so thatthe summer sun rises above the sculpted Apollo's head.(CONTINUED)123.131CONTINUED:131Hector kneels in front of Apollo's statue, head bowed.When he raises his face he's almost looking into the sun.132EXT. ACHILLES' TENT - MORNING132Achilles exits his tent, fully armed.Eudorus is behind him. The SOLDIERS are beginning to stirand they stop in their activity now and stare at him.Two MYRMIDONS tether a CHARIOT to a large black HORSE.The work finished, they step back as Achilles hops intothe chariot. Eudorus attempts to hop on behind him.ACHILLESNo.Eudorus looks at his commander for a second and backsaway.ACHILLES(to the Myrmidons)Rope.A Myrmidon hands him a coil of braided ROPE and retreats.Briseis steps into view. Her eyes are shadowed from lackof sleep. She stares up at Achilles and he looks at her.She looks fragile today, her pale throat purpled withbruises.BRISEISDon't go.Achilles watches her in silence.BRISEISHector is my cousin. He's a goodman.(beat)Take me to Larissa with you. Butdon't fight him. Please don'tfight him.(beat)We could have a life together, butnot if you choose this path.(beat)You can walk away from war. We canwalk away.Achilles gazes at her, considering her words.(CONTINUED)124.132CONTINUED:132He tugs the reins and the horse begins trotting towardTroy.133EXT. WALLS OF TROY - DAY133The CROWDS start to fill the viewing areas above the citywalls.Priam and his COUNSELORS sit below the blue canopy.Paris sits near them, but not with them. He doesn't lookat anybody and people are careful to avoid looking at him.Hector stands alone at one of the wall's turreted corners,staring toward the sea.134EXT. BATTLEFIELD - DAY134Achilles rides his chariot across the vast grassy field.135EXT. WALLS OF TROY - CONTINUOUS135Hector watches the lone chariot approach.136EXT. BATTLEFIELD - CONTINUOUS136Achilles stops one hundred yards from the walls. He stepsfrom the chariot and walks toward Troy, helmet by hisside.137EXT. WALLS OF TROY - DAY137An ARCHER standing beside Hector notches an arrow.HECTORNo.Hector looks for Glaucus, standing farther down the wall.He gives the old general a hand signal. No attacks.138EXT. BATTLEFIELD - DAY138Achilles stands alone in the vast field. He looks up atthe Trojan CITIZENS staring down at him.ACHILLESHector!In the background, we see hundreds of GREEK SOLDIERS crestthe high dunes.125.139EXT. BATTLEFIELD - CONTINUOUS139ACHILLESHector!Louder and louder, his voice echoing above the silentcity.ACHILLESHECTOR!(beat)HECTOR!(beat)HECTOR!140EXT. WALLS OF TROY - CONTINUOUS140Hector walks over to his father. Achilles keeps bellowinghis name. Hector kneels before his father and kisses hishand.HECTORFather. Forgive me for anyoffenses. I've served you as bestI could.Priam stands, beckons for Hector to rise, cups Hector'scheeks in his palms and kisses Hector's forehead.PRIAMMay the gods be with you.Hector hesitates for a moment, then bows and turns to go.PRIAMHector!Hector turns back. Father and son look at each other.For a moment we think Priam will be unable to speak.Finally:PRIAMNo father ever had a better son.The words deeply move Hector. He bows again and moves on.He passes by Glaucus, who bows to the prince.GLAUCUSApollo guard you, my prince.Hector claps the general's shoulder and keeps walking. Hestops beside Paris. They embrace.PARISYou're the best man I know.(CONTINUED)126.140CONTINUED:140HECTORYou are a prince of Troy.Hector grips Paris's arm tighter and stares into his eyes.HECTORI know you'll make me proud.Hector kisses Paris's forehead and continues on his way,pulling his helmet onto his head.140AEXT. STAIRS140Awaits for him above the stairs leading to the city gates.She holds their baby boy Scamandrius.HECTORYou remember what I told you?ANDROMACHEYou don't have to go. You don't --HECTORYou remember what I told you.Andromache hasn't slept. Her hair is a wild tangle; hereyes are rimmed red. She nods. She holds her son up tohis father. The boy doesn't see his father, he seessomething terrifying, a man with a bronze face and a plumeof horsehair.Scamandrius begins to CRY. Hector removes his helmet.Now the boy sees his father. He giggles and reaches out.Hector takes the boy in his arms and holds him. He kissesthe boy's fuzzed head and closes his eyes for a moment.Finally he hands the baby back to Andromache. He smilesat his wife. She grabs him by the back of the head andpresses his face to hers. Her mouth is open, her eyesclosed, her body slack against his.Finally he disengages himself. He walks away from her.She and Scamandrius stare after him, but he never looksback.140BEXT. GATES (INSIDE CITY WALLS)140BHe walks down the long staircase descending from thewalls. He stops at the massive city gates. The GATEMENbegin pulling the long chains that open the gates.(CONTINUED)127.140BCONTINUED:140BHe senses someone behind him. He turns. Helen stands tenfeet away, her unearthly beauty greater than ever. As theheavy gates rise, Helen and Hector stare at each other,never blinking, never looking away.Finally the gate is lifted. Hector bows to Helen and fitshis helmet on his head. He leaves the city. Helenwatches him go.141EXT. BATTLEFIELD - DAY141Hector walks toward Achilles. Everything is very quiet.The people on the walls are hushed. Even the birds seemreverent.Thousands and thousands of Greeks now line the high dunes,making the valley an enormous amphitheater ringed withspectators from the dunes to the walls of Troy.Achilles stands motionless. The two men are alone on thegreat field. Hector stops twenty feet away from Achilles.HECTORI've seen this moment in my dreams.Achilles, expressionless, stares at the prince.HECTORI'll make a pact with you, with thegods as our witnesses. Let uspledge that the winner will allowthe loser all the proper funeralrituals.ACHILLESThere are no pacts between lionsand men.Achilles tosses aside his helmet -- an insulting gesture,impugning Hector's combat skills.ACHILLESNow you know who you're fighting.Hector pauses a moment before removing his own helmet andtossing it aside.HECTORI thought it was you I was fightingyesterday. I wish it had been you.But I gave the dead boy the honor he --(CONTINUED)128.141CONTINUED:141ACHILLESYou gave him the honor of yoursword.(beat)You won't have eyes tonight. Youwon't have ears, or a tongue.You'll wander the underworld,blind, deaf, and dumb. And all thedead will know: this is Hector, thefool who thought he killedAchilles.Achilles draws his sword. Hector draws his. They charge.We've seen extraordinary fighting before, but we've neverseen this -- a prowess so extreme as to be hypnotic. Twobetter swordsmen have never clashed. All their lives, alltheir training and past battles, have led to this moment.Nothing is wasted. No flourishes or balletic leaps orspins. Every swing is a death blow countered. Therapidity of the exchange is breathless.The bronze blades hiss as they split the air. They swingwith such power that sparks fly whenever a sword scrapes ashield.142EXT. HIGH DUNES - DAY142Agamemnon, Nestor, and Odysseus stand with their men. Forthe moment all machinations and intrigues are forgotten.Each of them knows this fight will be remembered forever,and each watches quietly.143EXT. BATTLEFIELD - DAY143Hector lunges forward and from our angle it appears that hehas skewered Achilles. Hector's face is inches from Achilles.Achilles appears unperturbed. Hector looks down.Achilles has trapped him, allowing Hector's sword to misshis side by inches and then clamping down on Hector'ssword arm. Hector tries to yank his sword free butcannot.Achilles stabs at Hector's face and Hector ducks at thelast moment, the sword point puncturing the air above hishead. Achilles releases Hector and takes another mightyswing.129.144EXT. WALLS OF TROY - CONTINUOUS144Andromache sits with Scamandrius, her back against thewall. She cannot watch. Her boy, blissfully unaware,coos happily and plays with his mother's long hair.145EXT. BATTLEFIELD - CONTINUOUS145Achilles, sensing the advantage, moves in a step tooclose.Hector sees an opening and slashes. Achilles jumps backat the last possible moment, but Hector's blade gouges outa long strip of bronze from Achilles' breastplate.Both men swing. Their swords lock and for a momenteverything is still. Achilles' face is inches fromHector's. Hector is sweating and breathing heavily.Achilles is not.Achilles shoves Hector and relaunches his attack. WhileHector still fights ably, he's clearly tiring. AsAchilles' blows force Hector back, the prince steps on arock, trips, and falls. Achilles stands above him.ACHILLESGet up, prince of Troy. I won'tlet a stone take my glory.Hector stands. He knows his energy is fading fast. So hespends everything on one last try. He charges, swingingwith explosive fury, putting all his might into each blow.When the barrage is finished and Hector pauses for abreath, he sees that Achilles, unhurt, has parriedeverything. Now Achilles bores in, swinging. Hectorblocks and blocks, but doesn't have the stamina for a newassault.Achilles lunges. Hector raises his shield. The swordplunges through the seven layers of oxhide, plungesthrough the hammered bronze of the shield, the bronze ofthe breastplate, all the way into Hector's heart.Hector looks down at the blade. He looks at Achilles.There is no mercy or remorse on the man's face.Hector falls.146EXT. WALLS OF TROY - CONTINUOUS146Priam reacts as if he received the blow, clutching at hischest and reeling backward.(CONTINUED)130.146CONTINUED:146Paris presses forward, gripping the edge of the wall sohard his knuckles turn white.Andromache hears the GROANS of the crowd. She covers herears and clamps her eyes shut. Scamandrius stares at her,baffled.147EXT. BATTLEFIELD - CONTINUOUS147Hector lies on his back. Achilles pulls out his bloodysword and walks to his chariot. Hector blinks. The sun,now high in the sky, is blinding. Hector stares into thesun and dies.Silence. Silence everywhere. No victory cry from theGreeks.Achilles returns in the chariot. He jumps out with thecoil of rope. He ties Hector's ankles together, then tiesthe other end of the rope to the back of the chariot.148EXT. WALLS OF TROY - CONTINUOUS148Something hardens in Paris's face. Whatever callownesswe've seen before seems to ebb away as he watches Achillesabuse Hector's body. Priam and his subjects watch inhorror.PRIAMMy boy... my boy...Andromache sits against the wall, knees tucked against herchest, face against her knees. Scamandrius begins to cry.Helen kneels by Andromache. She picks up the baby andsoothes him. Helen takes Andromache's hand. Andromachelooks up. Her eyes are a terrible thing to see.HELENLet's go inside.Andromache allows Helen to pull her to her feet. Helen,holding the baby in one arm, guides Andromache away.149EXT. BATTLEFIELD - CONTINUOUS149Achilles whips his horse and the chariot starts rolling,dragging Hector through the grass.131.150EXT. WALLS OF TROY - CONTINUOUS150Priam's legs give out. Glaucus and Paris catch him beforehe falls and carry him toward the shade beneath the bluecanopy.151EXT. HIGH DUNES - DAY151Achilles rides his chariot over the crest of the dune.The Greek army parts like the Red Sea, solemn and silent.152EXT. BEACH ENCAMPMENT - DAY152Achilles rides into camp. The Greek soldiers gather roundto stare at Hector's body. Achilles doesn't look atanyone. He unties the rope and hauls Hector by handacross the sands.Odysseus stands nearby, amongst the men. A few of thesoldiers laugh, seeing the Trojan prince laid low.SOLDIER 1He doesn't look so glorious now.Odysseus turns and glares at the soldier, who shuts hismouth. Odysseus walks away.Achilles drags Hector's body to his tent, dumps him there,and walks inside.153INT. ACHILLES' TENT - CONTINUOUS153Briseis kneels in the center of the tent, palms pressedtogether, eyes lowered in prayer. She opens her eyes andlooks up when Achilles walks in.He looks more beast than man, splattered with Hector'sblood. Briseis sees Achilles' face and knows whathappened. For the first time her strength deserts her.She looks very young, very childlike as she begins to cry.He regards her for a moment before going to his beddingand lying on his back. We stay on his face as Briseisweeps.154EXT. BEACH ENCAMPMENT - NIGHT154All but the sentries are sleeping. No campfires burn as afat moon rises above the sea.132.155INT. ACHILLES' TENT - NIGHT155Achilles, now clean, sits in the center of the tent,sharpening his sword. Briseis sits in a far corner.She's been crying for hours, her eyes red and swollen.BRISEISYou lost your cousin. And nowyou've taken mine.Achilles looks up at her.BRISEISWhen does it end?Achilles continues sharpening his sword.ACHILLESIt never ends.Briseis stares at him for a moment and leaves the tent.Achilles quits his sharpening. Now there is nothing butsilence, nothing but a bronze sword for company.156EXT. TROJAN BEACH - NIGHT156Briseis sits on the beach, facing the moonlit sea.157INT. ACHILLES' TENT - NIGHT157Achilles still sits alone, his eyes empty. He hears arustling at the tent flap. An old man wearing a hoodedrobe steps inside. The old man pulls his hood down. It'sPriam.ACHILLESWho are you?Priam seems physically hurt by the sight of Achilles. Fora moment it seems he will collapse again.But he wills himself onward, walking to Achilles' chair.He sinks to his knees, takes Achilles' hands, and kissesthem. Achilles observes all this with curiosity.PRIAMI have endured what no one on earthhas endured before. I kissed thehands of the man who killed my son.ACHILLESPriam?(CONTINUED)133.157CONTINUED:157Priam nods. Achilles stands, helping the old man to hisfeet.ACHILLESHow did you get in here, old king?The sentries --PRIAMI know my own country better thanthe Greeks, I think.ACHILLESYou're a brave man. If Agamemnonknew you were here, he'd have yourhead on a spit.PRIAMDo you really think death frightensme now? I watched my eldest sondie, watched you drag his bodybehind your chariot.Priam stares at Achilles, and for the first time sincewe've known him, Achilles looks away.PRIAMGive him back to me. He deservesthe honor of a proper burial. Youknow that. Give him to me.ACHILLESHe killed my cousin.PRIAMHe thought it was you. He defendedhis country. How many cousins haveyou killed? How many sons andfathers and brothers and husbands?How many, brave Achilles?(beat)I knew your father. He died beforehis time. But he was lucky not tolive long enough to see his sonfall.Achilles does not respond. We cannot read his expression.(CONTINUED)134.157CONTINUED: (2)157PRIAMYou've taken everything from me.My eldest son, heir to my throne,defender of my kingdom.(beat)I can't change what happened. It'sthe will of the gods. But give methis small mercy.Achilles looks into the old man's eyes. Priam tries toblink back his tears but fails.PRIAMI loved my boy from the moment heopened his eyes till the moment youclosed them.(beat)Let me wash his body. Let me saythe prayers. Let me place twocoins on his eyes for the boatman.ACHILLESIf I let you walk out of here, if Ilet you take him, it doesn't changeanything. You're still my enemy inthe morning.PRIAMYou're still my enemy tonight. Buteven enemies can show respect.Achilles nods.ACHILLESI admire your courage, old man.You're a better king than the oneleading this army. Meet me outsidein a moment.158EXT. ACHILLES' TENT - MOMENTS LATER - NIGHT158Achilles, carrying a torch and a white shroud, walks tothe spot where Hector's body lies. He crouches beside thedead prince. Death has not robbed Hector's face of itsdignity.A small sand crab approaches the body and Achilles shoosit away. He shoves the butt end of the torch into thesand.(CONTINUED)135.158CONTINUED:158Achilles rubs his eyes with his hand and takes severaldeep breaths. When he removes his hand, we see somethingremarkable: Achilles' eyes are wet with tears.For a moment he seems unsure what to do. Finally hebegins wrapping the white sheet around Hector's body.ACHILLESWe'll meet again soon.159INT. ACHILLES' TENT - LATER - NIGHT159Priam, deep in his grief, sits with his head bowed. Hehears noiases outside. He stands and exits the tent.160EXT. BEACH ENCAMPMENT - CONTINUOUS160Achilles gently loads Hector's body, now wrapped in theshroud, onto a moonlit chariot. Priam walks to thechariot.Four Myrmidons, keeping a respectful distance, standguard.ACHILLESYour son was the best I've fought.I want you to know that.(beat)In my country the funeral gameslast twelve days.PRIAMIt's the same in my country.ACHILLESThen no Greek will attack Troy fortwelve days. The prince deservesthat honor.Achilles, hearing footsteps, turns. Briseis emerges fromthe shadows. Priam is stunned.PRIAMBriseis?Priam wraps his arms around her, thrilled she's alive.PRIAMWe thought you were dead, littleswan.(CONTINUED)136.160CONTINUED:160After a moment Briseis turns and looks at Achilles.Nobody speaks for a long beat. Tears shine in Briseis'eyes.ACHILLESYou'll be safe behind the Trojanwalls.Achilles reaches into his tunic and pulls out the SHELLNECKLACE that Patroclus had worn. He fastens it aroundher delicate neck, where the purple bruises are stillvisible. He speaks quietly to her, too softly for Priamto hear.ACHILLESIf I hurt you -- it's not what Iwanted.(long beat)You gave me one night of peace in alifetime of war.She stares up at him, her young face mapped withconflicting emotions. Finally, Achilles turns to Priam.ACHILLESGo. No one will stop you, you havemy word.Priam gets in the chariot. Briseis still looks atAchilles.PRIAMCome, my girl.Priam reaches down and helps her onto the chariot. Heseizes the reins and they're off, the Myrmidons escortingthem to safety. Achilles stares at Briseis until she'sgone.161INT. AGAMEMNON'S TENT - DAY161Agamemnon paces about his tent in a murderous fury.Odysseus, Nestor and several AIDES stand in attendance.AGAMEMNON(shouting)Achilles makes a secret pact and Ihave to honor it?! What treason isthis?(MORE)(CONTINUED)137.161CONTINUED:161AGAMEMNON (CONT'D)(fairly spitting the words)Consorting with the enemy king!Giving him twelve days of peace.Peace! Their prince is dead; theirarmy is leaderless. This is thetime to attack!NESTOREven with Hector gone, we have noway to breach their walls. Theycan wait ten years for us to leave.AGAMEMNONI will smash their walls to the ground. If it costs meforty thousand Greeks, Zeus hear me, I will smash theirwalls to the ground.Nestor and Odysseus exchange troubled glances.162EXT. CAMPFIRE - DAY162Odysseus sits with his ITHACANS by the fire. The men eata breakfast of grilled fish. The soldier sitting besideOdysseus whittles with a sharp knife.Odysseus watches the man work. The Soldier notices hisking's attention. He smiles and holds up a small WOODHORSE.SOLDIERFor my boy back home.Odysseus nods, never taking his eyes off the toy horse.163EXT. AGAMEMNON'S TENT - DAY163Hundreds of Greeks eat breakfast on the beach. Several ofthem turn to watch Odysseus, who rushes to Agamemnon'stent and disappears inside.164EXT. MAIN SQUARE OF TROY - NIGHT164A giant pyre has been built in the city square. Thousandsof CITIZENS are gathered around to watch. No crowd hasever been more silent. The city has lost its favoriteson.(CONTINUED)138.164CONTINUED:164Hector lies atop the pyre, dressed in a woven robe ofwhite and gold, his hair washed and oiled, his skingleaming and clean. His face is undamaged. Two coinsrest above his eyes.Priam stands at the base of the pyre, holding a lit torch.His hand trembles. He is unable to light the pyre.Finally Paris grips his father's shoulder. Paris takesthe torch from Priam and lights the kindling.Helen, Andromache, and baby Scamandrius sit nearby.Andromache's face is completely blank. She stares dullyat the quickening fire. Helen holds Scamandrius in herlap. The boy plays with the WOOD LION his father made forhim.165EXT. BEACH ENCAMPMENT - NIGHT165By torchlight, we see Greeks stripping planks from twoburnt shells of warships. Others pry spikes out of thefortifications.Odysseus watches the men carry the planks and bundles ofspikes to an ever-growing pile. Achilles approaches him.ACHILLESWily Odysseus. You've found a wayto make the sheep invite the wolvesover for dinner.ODYSSEUSThis is war.ACHILLESAgamemnon will kill them all. Men,women, children -- all of them.You know that.Achilles walks away. Odysseus follows him.ODYSSEUSI'm the king of Ithaca, not Troy.My loyalty is to Ithaca. If thisplan works, the war ends in anight. And my men can sail home totheir wives.Achilles keeps walking, Odysseus pacing after him.(CONTINUED)139.165CONTINUED:165ODYSSEUSIt's not Troy you're worried about,is it? It's one Trojan. One Trojangirl.Achilles halts. He stares at Odysseus for a long count.ACHILLESI've always liked you. But if thatgirl dies because of your plan, youwill never sail home to your wife.Achilles turns and leaves. Odysseus takes a deep breath.166EXT. ACHILLES' TENT - LATER166Achilles arrives at his tent and finds Eudorus polishinghis armor. Eudorus jumps to his feet.ACHILLESEudorus.(beat)Forgive me.Eudorus blinks. No one has ever heard these words fromAchilles' mouth before.ACHILLESI should never have struck you.You've been a loyal friend all yourlife.EUDORUSI hope I never disappoint youagain.ACHILLESRouse the men. You're taking themhome.EUDORUSAren't you coming with us?ACHILLESI've got one more battle to fight.Eudorus hesitates, watching his lord. Finally:EUDORUSShe's worth fighting for. We'llmarch behind you.(CONTINUED)140.166CONTINUED:166ACHILLESAll that's left is the slaughter.I don't want to see my men fouledwith children's blood.(beat)Go, Eudorus. This is the lastorder I give you.After a long pause, Eudorus bows deeply to his commander.EUDORUSFighting for you has been my life'shonor.Achilles grips his lieutenant's shoulder and strides away.167EXT. GUARD TOWER - DAWN167Twelve days later.The SENTRIES are at their posts, warming their hands overa brazier. The sky begins to lighten.Sentry 1 stares down to the sea. He hurries to the edgeof the tower and squints into the morning fog. Sentry 2looks at him and then joins him.SENTRY 1They're gone.It's true. All the Greek ships are gone from the beach.All the tents have been struck, all the chariots takenaway, every last man -- gone.Nothing's left on the beach but a strange woodenstructure.168EXT. BEACH ENCAMPMENT - DAY168Priam, Paris, Glaucus, Archeptolemus, and Velior, all onhorseback, lead the Apollonian Guard onto the beach. Thesoldiers -- still wary of an ambush -- surround theirleaders, protecting them from attack. The Trojan leadersdismount.Slowly they approach a WOODEN HORSE standing forty feethigh.(CONTINUED)141.168CONTINUED:168The beach is deserted save for the bones of burnt-outships, a few stray arrows, the remnants of the camp fires,and corpses -- dozens of Greek bodies scattered in thesands.Each of the cadavers is covered with large black sores.The Trojans inspect the bodies, keeping a wary distance.PRIAMPlague.GLAUCUSDon't get too close, my king.ARCHEPTOLEMUSThis is the will of the gods.Everyone turns to look at the high priest.ARCHEPTOLEMUSThey desecrated the temple of Apollo and Apollo desecratedtheir flesh. The Greeks could fight our swords andarrows, but they can't fight the god's plague.Glaucus shakes his head and laughs.GLAUCUSThey thought they'd come here andsack our city in a day. And lookat them now, fleeing across theAegean.Priam stares up at the great horse.PRIAMWhat is this?ARCHEPTOLEMUSAn offering to Poseidon. TheGreeks are praying for a safereturn home.GLAUCUSI hope the Sea God spits on theiroffering and lets them all drown atthe bottom of the sea.ARCHEPTOLEMUSThis is a gift. We should bring itto the temple of Poseidon.All the men stare at the towering horse.(CONTINUED)142.168CONTINUED: (2)168PARISI think we should burn it.VELIORBurn it? My prince -- it's a giftto the gods.GLAUCUSThe prince is right. I'd burn allof Greece if I had a big enoughtorch.ARCHEPTOLEMUSI warn you, good men. Be carefulwhat you insult. Our belovedprince Hector had sharp words forthe gods and a day later Achilles'sword cut him down.Priam turns to look at the high priest.PARIS(glaring at Archeptolemus)Burn it, father.Archeptolemus ignores Paris and speaks directly to Priam.ARCHEPTOLEMUSForgive me, my king. I mean nodisrespect. But I don't want tosee any more princes of Troy incurthe gods' wrath.All the men look at Priam. He stares at the massivehorse.PRIAMI will not watch another son die.169EXT. BATTLEFIELD - DAY169Dozens of Trojan soldiers tugging long ropes pull themassive horse across the grassy plain.170EXT. GATES OF TROY - DAY170The soldiers drag the horse through the gates. Thecitizens of Troy watch from atop the walls and inside thecity proper.143.171EXT. MAIN SQUARE OF TROY - DAY171The horse now stands near the statue of Poseidon wieldinghis trident, beside his temple on one corner of the citysquare.The square is crowded and jubilant. Soldiers and citizenscelebrate their great victory, drinking wine in thestreets, waving torches and Trojan flags, singing songs.Paris and Helen sit on the palace stairs, watching thecrowd.PARISLook at them. You'd think theirprince had never died.Helen takes his hand.HELENYou're their prince.(beat)Make your brother proud.Her comment echoes the words Hector spoke to him beforehis death. Paris nods solemnly. Helen rests her head onhis shoulder. They sit quietly as the crowds sing in thestreet.172EXT. BEACH ENCAMPMENT - DUSK172An abandoned DOG lopes along the beach, stopping to sniffeach Greek corpse. Finding one dead man he seems torecognize, the dog licks the cadaver's face.The "sore" on the dead face is licked clean. The soresare masterful forgeries, applied with squid ink and driedblood.173EXT. CLIFFS OF HELLESPONT - NIGHT173A TROJAN RIDER on horseback trots south, away from distantTroy. He looks toward the Hellespont. Something catcheshis eye. He frowns and guides his mount toward thecliff's edge.We rise above him and look down at the Hellespont. By thelight of the moon, nearly one thousand GREEK WARSHIPSharbor in the deserted bay.The rider stares at the ships in horror.144.174EXT. MAIN SQUARE OF TROY - NIGHT174The square is empty now, all the revelers gone home. Thewood horse waits in the moonlight. We witness somethingstrange: ropes, anchored inside the horse, fall to theground.Soldiers emerge from the horse and slide silently down theropes: Achilles, Odysseus and ten other Greek soldiers.None of them wear the bright, clanking bronze armor.Their swords and spears are wrapped in lambskins.Odysseus leads a team of Ithacans across the square.Quiet as shadows, they creep up on the sentries guardingthe main gate. Another team moves toward the guardtowers.Achilles stands alone in the dark square, watching hiscompatriots set off on their deadly missions. Finally heturns and moves in the opposite direction, toward thepalace. He's on a different mission.174AEXT. CITY GATES174ATwo Ithacans cut the gate sentries' throats. The soldiersbegin pulling the chains to raise the city gates.174BTHE TROJAN RIDER174Bgallops to Troy. The Greeks see him coming and look toOdysseus for guidance. The rider, still at some distance,shouts to the men at the gates.TROJAN RIDERThey're still here! The Greeks arestill here! They sailed up theHellespont!Odysseus hurls his spear. It flies through the bars ofthe gate and into the rider's throat, knocking him fromhis horse. The horse, panicked, gallops away.175EXT. GUARD TOWER - CONTINUOUS175One of the sentries, hearing the commotion, wakes up.Groggy, he looks over the edge of the tower -- into aGreek's face. The Greek, one hand on the ladder, stabsthe sentry. Another Greek crawls into the tower and killsthe second sentry.145.176EXT. GATES OF TROY - CONTINUOUS176The Greeks pull the gates open. They wave their torches,a signal. Looking into the distance, we see somethingshifting in the darkness, coming closer and closer.The Greek army, shadows in the dark, charges toward thecity at a sprint, silent. Thousands upon thousands ofwarriors running quietly as panthers.Like water bursting through a dam, the Greeks blastthrough the gates, swords and spears raised.177EXT. PALACE OF TROY - NIGHT177Briseis leans against a balustrade, staring toward thebeach. She wears a blue robe and the seashell necklace.She hears NOISES from the city gates and turns. On aflagpole above the highest guard tower, the Trojan flag isburning.178EXT. TROY - NIGHT178All over the city, the Greeks carry out their raids,killing sentries at their posts, setting buildings on firewith torches, opening the stable doors and shooing all thefrightened horses into the streets.178ANEW ANGLE178ASoon the city is in chaos. Fires burn out of control.Screams begin to echo down the alleyways, first just afew, then more and more, until it seems the entire city isscreaming.178BACHILLES178Bruns through the burning city, keeping to the shadows.179INT. PRIAM'S MEETING HALL - NIGHT179Priam stands on the balcony, watching his beautiful cityburn, watching the destruction of his life's work.180EXT. TROJAN ARMORY - NIGHT180Trojan soldiers begin to straggle in, but they're notprepared for this. Many are unarmed and all lookterrified. Four Trojans run to the armory doors and throwthem open.(CONTINUED)146.180CONTINUED:180They dive back as a BLAST of heat rushes out the door.The armory is aflame, fires eating at the wood-beamedceiling, devouring thousands of spears on their racks.181EXT. TROJAN STREETS - NIGHT181FAMILIES of terrified civilians stagger through thestreets in their bedclothes. MOTHERS clutch theirCHILDREN's hands. OLD WOMEN flee their burning buildings.The women scream when they see Achilles running towardthem, sword drawn. But pillaging is the last thing on hismind.182INT. PALACE HALLWAYS - NIGHT182Briseis hurries through the hallways. Outside, past thearchways, the white buildings of Troy are on fire. Wehear the screaming of a dying city.183EXT. MAIN SQUARE OF TROY - NIGHT183Agamemnon stands in the very center of Troy, head tiltedback, watching with delight as the beautiful city burns.AGAMEMNONI promised you, brother.(yelling to his troops)Burn it all!184INT. PARIS'S BEDCHAMBER - NIGHT184Paris suits up for battle. He grabs his bow and quiver ofarrows. Helen watches him. Andromache enters the room,Scamandrius in her arms.ANDROMACHEWe have to run.HELENWhere?ANDROMACHEI'll show you.Paris looks at Helen.HELENCome, my love. Come with us.147.185EXT. STREETS OF TROY - NIGHT185Odysseus battles his way down the street, leading theGreeks against a contingent of half-armored Trojans. TheTrojans are too dazed to offer much resistance.186EXT. PALACE GARDEN - NIGHT186Andromache, carrying her baby and a lit torch, leadsHelen, Paris, and other WOMEN and CHILDREN down thestaircase to the vine-tangled door. Andromache pulls itopen.187INT. PALACE OF TROY - SUBTERRANEAN LEVEL - NIGHT187Andromache leads the Trojans to the bronze-banded door.She opens the door, revealing the dark tunnel.ANDROMACHEIt's a long walk.Helen and the others enter the tunnel. Paris does not.He stands just outside the door.PARISI stay.HELENNo --PARISMy father will never abandon thecity. I can't leave him.HELENThe city is dead! They're burningit to the ground!Paris looks at the huddled refugees. They're a timid lot,terrified and weak. AENEAS (14) looks stronger and braverthan the rest. He's supporting his ELDERLY FATHER.PARISWhat's your name?AENEASAeneas.PARISDo you know how to use a sword?Aeneas nods. Paris pulls out the sword of Troy.(CONTINUED)148.187CONTINUED:187PARISThe sword of Troy. I wasn't sogood with it, but it's a finesword.(beat)As long as it's in a Trojan's hand,our people have a future.(hands sword to Aeneas)Protect them, Aeneas. Find them anew home.AENEASI will.Andromache touches Paris's arm.ANDROMACHEBriseis wasn't in her room.PARISI'll find her.Andromache kisses him. She turns and leads the waythrough the tunnel. The Trojans follow. Aeneas bows toParis and helps his father as their long journey begins.HELENI'll stay with you.Paris pushes her gently toward the door.PARISGo.HELENDon't leave me. Please don't leaveme.PARISHow could you love me if I ran now?HELENPlease --PARISWe will be together again. In thisworld or the next, we will betogether.He kisses her hard, pushes her through the door and closesit. He kisses the wood, turns and runs toward the battle.149.188INT. PALACE OF TROY - NIGHT188Briseis runs down a long corridor. We hear cries from themassacre outside.BRISEISParis? Andromache?She stops mid-stride. A riderless WHITE HORSE rounds thecorner and bolts toward her, eyes crazed, muzzled foamedwith spittle. Briseis backs against the wall. Theterrified horse gallops past her.189EXT. PALACE OF TROY - NIGHT189ACHILLESBRISEIS! BRISEIS!Achilles scales the high wall surrounding the palace andjumps to the other side. He's spotted by an Apollonian.The Guard charges. Achilles cracks him in the face withthe hilt of his sword. The Guard falls. Achilles grabshim and hauls him to his feet, sword at his throat.ACHILLESBriseis -- where is she?(louder)Where is she?!APOLLONIAN #2I don't know... please, I have ason.Achilles shoves him away.ACHILLESGet him out of Troy.The Guard, stunned to find himself alive, finally runs.Achilles rushes into the palace.190EXT. PALACE STAIRS - NIGHT190Odysseus and his men fight their way up the palace stairs.The Trojans resist heroically. They die heroically.Agamemnon stands behind his troops, hollering orders.AGAMEMNONNo one escapes! No one!150.191INT. PALACE - RECEPTION HALL - NIGHT191Outside we hear the screams and battle cries. Glaucusstands with fifty of his men, the last line of defense.He walks through their ranks, clasping hands with eachman.GLAUCUSYou men are soldiers. Leading youhas been an honor.Paris runs into the hall. Glaucus smiles and clasps handswith the prince. Glaucus addresses the men.GLAUCUSThe boatman is waiting for us. Isay, let him wait a little longer!The men roar as the Greeks spill into the reception hall.191ATHE TROJANS191Aattack. For a few moments they drive the Greeks back.Paris notches an arrow and fires. A Greek falls, an arrowthrough his throat.But too many Greeks pour through the doors. The Trojansfight bravely, especially Paris, who fires quickly andaccurately.Odysseus engages Glaucus and quickly kills the oldgeneral. The surviving Trojans retreat farther into thepalace.192INT. MEETING HALL - NIGHT192Dozens of Greeks charge into the hall, seizing whatevertreasures they can carry and smashing whatever they can't.Priam, armed with a sword, rushes into the hall. He seestwo Greeks grabbing small GOLD FIGURINES of the gods fromtheir wall sconces.He raises his sword.PRIAMHave you no honor? No respect forthe gods?(CONTINUED)151.192CONTINUED:192Before Priam can move forward he is speared from behind,the spearhead tearing through his back and out his chest.He falls. Agamemnon stands above him. He yanks his spearfree.AGAMEMNONI wanted you alive, old king. Iwanted you to watch your city burn.PRIAMPlease... the children... spare theinnocents...AGAMEMNONLet Hades decide who's innocent.He walks away, leaving the old man to die alone on thefloor.193INT. SHRINE OF ZEUS - NIGHT193Archeptolemus kneels beneath the statue of Zeus. Hestands when a band of Greek soldiers close in on him.ARCHEPTOLEMUSBeware, my friends. I am a servantof the gods.A soldier chops him down and hurls the priest's body overthe balustrade.194EXT. PALACE GARDEN - NIGHT194Briseis runs into the garden, looking for a friendly face.No one's in sight. She runs to the lower garden.She doesn't notice Agamemnon, stained with Priam's blood,standing in an archway of the burning palace, watchingher.195INT. PALACE HALLWAYS - NIGHT195Achilles races through the palace, ignoring the fire andsmoke, searching the faces of the terrified women hepasses.ACHILLESBriseis! Briseis!152.196EXT. PALACE GARDEN - NIGHT196Briseis kneels by Apollo's statue, ignoring the infernoaround her.AGAMEMNON (O.S.)Too late for prayer, priestess.Briseis does not look up. Agamemnon grabs her long hairand pulls her to her feet. He holds his sword to herthroat. Two of his BODYGUARDS stand behind him.AGAMEMNONYour parents should have taught youto stand for a king.BRISEISThey did.AGAMEMNONYou wore a white robe when I lastsaw you. No more? Did braveAchilles ruin you for the temple?Briseis does not look at him or answer. He pulls herclose.AGAMEMNONI almost lost this war because ofyour little romance. I want totaste what Achilles tasted.197INT. PALACE - NIGHT197Achilles, running past the bodies of dead Trojans, looksthrough an archway and sees Briseis in Agamemnon's hands.He dashes outside.198EXT. PALACE GARDEN - NIGHT198AGAMEMNON(whispering in Briseis' ear)You'll be my slave in Mycenae. ATrojan priestess scrubbing myfloors. And at night --He tears her robe. Briseis pulls her hand out of hersleeve. She's holding a ceremonial DAGGER.She drives the dagger into the side of Agamemnon's neck.His eyes bulge. She rams the dagger deeper. Agamemnonfalls to the ground, clutching at his neck.(CONTINUED)153.198CONTINUED:198The bodyguards stare at their dying king in disbelief.Briseis runs. The bodyguards pursue her.Briseis stumbles and falls. She looks behind her. One ofthe bodyguards raises his sword, ready to split Briseis inhalf.Before he can bring down his sword, his head flies fromhis shoulders. As the man falls, Achilles whirls aroundand dispatches the other bodyguard, bronze swordglittering in the moonlight.199INT. PALACE - CONTINUOUS199Paris, bow in hand, looks out an archway to the garden andsees Achilles -- the man who killed his brother --splattered with blood, sword in hand, standing overBriseis. 200EXT. PALACE GARDEN - CONTINUOUS200Achilles looks down at Agamemnon's corpse, lying inpuddled blood a few feet away. He looks back to Briseis.ACHILLESCome with me.Before she can answer her eyes go wide. She sees Paris,in the upper garden, notching an arrow.ACHILLESCome. I'll protect you.Paris pulls back the catgut string. Briseis screams:BRISEISNo!Paris fires. Briseis's scream distracts him -- the arrowsails off course, hitting Achilles above his heel, tearingthrough the tendon. Achilles staggers, turns, and seesParis.Achilles snarls and heads for him. Paris shoots again.Achilles tries to dodge but the torn tendon in his heelslows him down. The arrow rips through his side.Achilles keeps limping forward.BRISEISStop! Paris! Stop!(CONTINUED)154. 200CONTINUED: 200Paris releases another arrow. Now Achilles doesn't eventry to dodge. The arrow sinks deep into his chest.Achilles keeps coming. He knows this is the end. A smallsmile crosses his face. He has waited for this moment hisentire life. He marches toward his destiny.Paris notches another arrow. His hands are shaking but hefires again. This one drills deep into Achilles' belly.BRISEISStop!Achilles keeps coming. Paris reaches for another arrow.His quiver is empty. Aeneas has his sword.The palace around them is burning, lighting their faces.Blood pours from Achilles' wounds. The arrow shafts stickout of him. Any other man would have already fallen. Buthe keeps coming, relentless, his face a mask of grimpurpose.Briseis runs in front of her cousin Paris and shields himwith her body. Achilles lifts his bloody sword.BRISEISNo more.Briseis does not move. For several seconds the greatwarrior and the young girl stare at each other.BRISEISNo more killing.Achilles looks at the seashell necklace she wears.BRISEISNo more.Achilles raises his sword and brings it down hard, buryingits bronze blade in the soil of the garden.ACHILLESNo more.He reaches out and rubs the shells of her necklace.ACHILLESMy mother made this necklace.(CONTINUED)155. 200CONTINUED: (2) 200He sinks to a sitting position on the grass. He pulls thearrows out of his body and tosses them aside. Briseissits beside him. She cradles his head in her arms whileall Troy burns around them.ACHILLESYou have to get out.BRISEISShh.ACHILLESGet out.She kisses his lips, running her fingers across his jaw.BRISEISThere's no way out.Achilles stares at Paris.ACHILLESThere's always a way out for theprinces.Paris tries to lift Briseis to her feet but she refuses.ACHILLESBriseis.She leans closer. He's losing too much blood, hisstrength is fading, but he summons his remaining energy tospeak.ACHILLESI chose this night... but you willsee the sun again. I want you tolive.Her face is full of sorrow and love. He touches her lips,his fingers trembling as his body fails. She kisses him.ACHILLESLive.She doesn't want to go but he pushes her gently away.Finally she nods.BRISEISBecause of you.(CONTINUED)156. 200CONTINUED: (3) 200She turns and follows Paris down the stairs toward escape.Achilles watches her intently until he sees she's safelyaway. He takes a deep breath and closes his eyes.Hordes of rampaging Greeks storm the garden, burninganything that will burn, hollering their victory cries.Achilles sits alone in the garden. He shivers, hugginghimself for warmth, waiting.201EXT. MAIN SQUARE OF TROY - DAWN201The Greeks are victorious. The beautiful city of Troy isa ruin. Trojan PRISONERS are led off in chains. Greeksoldiers carry gold treasures from the lavish temples andpalace.Funeral pyres fill the square. One pyre, taller than therest, rises in the center of the square. Odysseus standsatop the highest pyre, staring down at the body ofAchilles.For a long time Odysseus looks at the dead man's face. Heknows the world will never see another Achilles. Finallyhe reaches inside his tunic, pulls out two coins, andplaces them over Achilles' eyes.ODYSSEUSFind peace, my brother.Odysseus climbs down from the pyre. A LIEUTENANT handshim a torch and Odysseus starts the fire. The dry woodquickly catches. Black smokes rises toward the circlingcrows.CLOSE on Odysseus as he watches his friend burn.202EXT. SCAMANDER RIVER - DAWN202A small band of Trojans marches east toward the risingsun. Helen and Paris, Andromache and Scamandrius, Aeneasand the others -- alive. They walk toward Mount Ida.Briseis walks behind the others. She stops for a momentand looks back toward the ruins of Troy.(CONTINUED)157.202CONTINUED:202CLOSE on Briseis for a beat. And then we see what shesees: the black smoke from Achilles' pyre rising abovethe smoldering city, rising above the circling crows, andfinally fading away into the deep blue sky.FADE OUT.THE END158. | screenplays |
fanfiction |
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Nomenclature of a cyclohexyl ether and locant position enumeration
As far as I know, 'ethoxy' should be given the locant '1' as it is a functional group. The compound should thus be named 1-ethoxy-2,2-dimethylcyclohexane.
However, I was told that the correct name is 2-ethoxy-1,1-dimethylcyclohexane. Can anyone please explain why this is so? My teacher explained this to me in terms of the lowest locant sum rule, which I just discovered [doesn't even exist](https://chemistry.stackexchange.com/questions/27095/iupac-nomenclature-smallest-sum-of-locants).
The *smallest sum of locants* rule does not exist in the IUPAC recommendations. The application of this ‘rule’ can lead to wrong results [in many instances](https://chemistry.stackexchange.com/a/28009/7951).
The corresponding section in the current version of *[Nomenclature of Organic Chemistry – IUPAC Recommendations and Preferred Names 2013 (Blue Book)](http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/9781849733069-fp001)* actually reads as follows:
>
> **P-14.3.5** Lowest set of locants
>
>
> The lowest set of locants is defined as the set that, when compared term by term with other locant sets, each cited in order of increasing value, has the lowest term at the first point of difference; for example, the locant set ‘2,3,5,8’ is lower than ‘3,4,6,8’ and ‘2,4,5,7’.
>
> (…)
>
>
>
With regard to numbering of locants, simple prefixes (simple substituent groups consisting of just one part that describes an atom, or group of atoms as a unit, for example methyl and ethoxy) are considered together with equal seniority:
>
> **P-14.4** NUMBERING
>
>
> When several structural features appear in cyclic and acyclic compounds, low locants are assigned to them in the following decreasing order of seniority:
>
>
> (…)
>
>
> (f) detachable alphabetized prefixes, all considered together in a series of increasing numerical order;
>
>
> (…)
>
>
>
Therefore, the example is named as 2-ethoxy-1,1-dimethylcyclohexane rather than 1-ethoxy-2,2-dimethylcyclohexane since the locant set ‘1,1,2’ is lower than ‘1,2,2’.
| stackexchange/chemistry |
Anika Taher is a Bangladeshi model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Bangladesh 1994 and represented Bangladesh at Miss World 1994.
References
Category:Bangladeshi beauty pageant winners
Category:Bangladeshi female models
Category:Living people
Category:Miss World 1994 delegates
Category:Year of birth missing living people | wikipedia |
the gibbard - satterthwaite theorem proves that , under some modest assumptions , voting systems are always manipulable .
one possible escape proposed by bartholdi , tovey and trick is that the manipulation may be computationally too difficult to find @xcite ( but see @xcite for discussion about whether manipulation is hard not just in the worst case ) . like elections ,
sporting competitions can also be manipulated .
for example a coalition of teams might throw games strategically to ensure that a desired team wins or a certain team loses .
we consider here the computational complexity of computing such manipulations .
we show that , for several common types of competitions , determining when a coalition can manipulate the result is polynomial .
our results adapt manipulation procedures for elections where voters can misrepresent their preferences .
we consider two of the most common methods used for deciding sporting competitions , cups and round robins . these correspond to elections run using sequential majority voting ( also known as the cup rule ) and copeland scoring , respectively
. manipulating a sporting competition is slightly different to manipulating an election as , in a sporting competition , the voters are also the candidates .
a tournament graph describes the outcome of all fair games between opponents .
manipulating a competition therefore modifies not votes but the tournament graph directly .
since it is hard without bribery or similar mechanisms for a team to play better than it can , we consider manipulations where teams in the coalition are only able to throw games . by comparison , in an election , voters in the manipulating coalition can mis - report their preferences in any way they choose .
tang , shoham and lin @xcite addressed this type of tournament manipulation in team competitions by providing conditions for truthful reporting of player strengths .
their method tries to encourage teams to rank their players honestly so that , when the teams compete in bouts , the best player on one team plays the best on the other , the second best plays the opposing second and so forth .
an example of this type of competition is davis cup tennis .
conitzer , sandholm and lang @xcite give an algorithm to determine if a coalition can manipulate the cup rule .
we modify this algorithm to manipulate directly the tournament graph instead of the votes .
bartholdi , tovey and trick @xcite discuss direct manipulations of the tournament under second order copeland , a round robin like rule with secondary tie breaking . using the work of kern and paulusma @xcite
, we show that the manipulation of round robin competitions is directly tied to the problem of winner determination in sports problems .
altman , procaccia and tenneholtz @xcite construct a social choice rule that is monotonic , pairwise non - manipulable and non - imposing .
round robin and cup competitions are monotonic as a single team losing a game does no better .
pairwise non - manipulability means that no two teams are better off by manipulating the tournament .
our results show that round robin and cup competitions are pairwise manipulable and that manipulations can be calculated in polynomial time .
we modify our algorithms to calculate the smallest number of manipulations needed . for cup competitions ,
we add dynamic programming to conitzer , sandholm and lang s algorithm . for round robin competitions , we modify the flow network used to solve winner determination to include weights on manipulations and calculate a minimum cost feasible flow .
vu , altman and shoham @xcite used a similar method to calculate the probability that a team wins the competition .
vu et al .
@xcite provide several results on determining probabilities of teams winning given a seeding of the tournament .
hazon et al .
@xcite showed that it is np - complete to determine if a team wins a cup with a given probability .
this is similar to determining a possible winner given random reseeding except edges in the tournament are labelled with probabilities .
we look at the complexity of manipulation under reseeding in the deterministic case .
finally , we look at the complexity of double elimination cups .
in many sporting competitions , the final winner of a competition is decided by a tree - like structure , called a _
cup_. the most common type is a _ single elimination cup _ , a tree structure where the root and internal nodes represent games and leaves represent the teams in the tournament .
a cup can include a _ bye game _ , a game where a team skips a game to re - balance the schedule .
usually , the top teams are given a bye game while the lower teams do not so that the number of teams in the next round is strict power of two .
cups need to be _ seeded _ to determine which teams play against each other in each round .
one method for seeding is by rank .
the most common method for ranked seeding or reseeding is to have the top team play the worst team , the second place team play the second worst team and so forth .
an example of ranked seeding using this method is the national basketball association in the us .
another method for determining seeding is randomly , also known as a draw .
an example of this is the uefa champions league where teams reaching the quarter finals are randomly paired for the remainder of the tournament .
seeding may also be more complex ( for instance , it may be based on the group from which teams qualify or some other criteria ) .
another way that cups are modified is between fixed and unfixed cups .
a _ fixed cup _ is a cup where there is a single seeding at the start of the cup .
examples of this are the national basketball association and the world cup of football .
unfixed cup _ is one where seeding may occur not only before the start but between any round .
examples with an unfixed cup are the national hockey league and the uefa champions league
. cups are not necessarily single elimination .
a double elimination cup is designed so that a team can lose two games instead of one game .
if a team loses , they play other teams that have also lost until they lose a second time or they win the final game of the tournament .
these tournaments are organized as two cups where losers enter the second cup at various stages depending on when they lose their first game . finally , a _ round robin competition _ is a competition where each team plays every other team a given number of times . in a _ single round robin competition _ , each team plays every other team exactly once .
another common variant of this is for teams to play a _
double round robin competition _ where each team plays every other team twice , often at home and away .
a _ tournament _ is a directed graph @xmath0 where the underlying undirected graph is a complete graph .
we assume that the tournament is available for the remainder of the paper .
every directed edge @xmath1 represents a victory by @xmath2 over @xmath3 .
the number of the teams in the competition is @xmath4 .
we define a _ manipulation _ of the tournament as any replacement of an edge @xmath5 in the graph with the edge @xmath6 .
this is equivalent to a manipulation of votes but here we are changing the winner directly instead of just changing the vote .
note that , as in election manipulation where the electoral vote is assumed to be known , we assume that we know , via an oracle , the relative strengths of teams and can represent the winner of the contests in the tournament graph .
we restrict manipulations by only allowing the manipulation of an edge @xmath5 if candidate @xmath2 is a member of the coalition .
this restricts the behaviour of the manipulators to throwing games where they could have won .
this restriction is due to the fact that it is simple to perform worse but more difficult to play better .
we consider two different types of manipulations .
a _ constructive manipulation _ is one that ensures a specific team wins the competition .
a _ destructive manipulation _ is one that ensures a specific team loses the competition . for round robin competitions ,
we generalize the concept of the tournament beyond the simple win - loss scoring model to a complete graph where the edge @xmath5 has a non - negative weight @xmath7 which represents the number of points that would be earned by @xmath2 when playing @xmath3 in a fair game .
we define a manipulation in this case as an outcome where the points earned in the match are different to those given by the tournament .
however , manipulations are restricted so that the manipulator achieves no more points and the team being manipulated achieves no less points . in this section ,
we restrict ourselves to fixed cups with a known seeding .
we also look just at single round robin tournaments though the results generalize to multi - round robin tournaments . for cup competitions , finding a constructive or destructive manipulation of the tournament is polynomial .
our results make use of results in @xcite which shows that a manipulation of an election using the cup rule can be found in @xmath8 time where @xmath9 is the number of candidates and @xmath10 is the number of voters . [ cup - constructive ]
determining if a cup competition can be constructively manipulated using manipulations of the tournament takes polynomial time .
this proof is a bottom up version the proof of theorem 2 from conitzer , sandholm and lang ( csl)@xcite but substitutes tournament manipulations for voting manipulations .
the basic csl algorithm is a recursive method that treats each node in the tree ( which is not a leaf ) as a sub - election ( see algorithm csl ) .
conitzer et al .
@xcite note that a team wins a sub - election if and only if they must win one of its children and they can defeat one of the potential winners on the other side .
it is perhaps simpler to understand this algorithm from a bottom up perspective .
observe that if we have two leaf nodes @xmath2 and @xmath3 and there exists an arc in the tournament @xmath5 then @xmath2 wins the match and is a potential winner of the sub election between @xmath2 and @xmath3 .
now suppose that @xmath2 is in the member of the coalition so it is possible for them to replace @xmath5 with @xmath6 in the tournament and therefore @xmath3 is also a potential winner of the sub - election via manipulation .
assume we have some sub - election in the middle of the tournament with two sets of potential winners @xmath11 and @xmath12 .
any team from @xmath11 is a potential winner of the sub - election if there exists a team in @xmath12 that they can defeat or if a coalition member in @xmath12 throws a game .
the same is true for teams in @xmath12 .
therefore , there is a constructive manipulation if the desired winner is a member of the potential winners at the top node in the cup tree .
the original algorithm looked at @xmath13 pairs of opponents as no two teams were compared more than once .
note that the original analysis provided a looser @xmath14 bound on the number of comparisons , but this can be tightened by an observation of vu et al .
the difference between direct manipulation of the tournament and the method by conitzer , sandholm and lang is that determining if a team could defeat another team meant summing all values of the @xmath10 voters requiring @xmath15 time whilst in the direct manipulation of the tournament this can be done in constant time . therefore , constructive manipulation of the tournament under the cup rule takes just @xmath13 time .
[ elimsetflowalgo ] @xmath16 we observe that destructive manipulation of a competition using tournament manipulations is similar since this simply requires determining if there is at least one other possible winner of the tournament via manipulations . determining if a cup tournament can be destructively manipulated using tournament manipulations takes polynomial time .
we just determine if we can constructively manipulate the tournament for each other team in turn than the one we wish to lose . for round robin competitions , manipulations of the tournament
can be computed in polynomial time for a restricted class of scoring models .
we define a _ scoring model _ to be the set of tuples giving the possible outcomes of a game .
copeland scoring has a simple win - loss ( @xmath17 ) scoring model where the wining team earns one point and the losing team earns none .
bartholdi , tovey and trick@xcite showed that constructive manipulation can be determined in polynomial time for a chess scoring model ( @xmath18 ) .
faliszewski et al .
@xcite showed that for a range of scoring models manipulating copeland voting is np - complete .
first , we discuss the problem of determining which games need to be manipulated to ensure that a given team @xmath19 wins the competition .
clearly , there are some games that can not be affected by the coalition and are fixed .
all other games are manipulable .
games between coalition members can earn any of the possible scores allowed by the scoring model .
we restrict games against non - coalition members by only allowing the manipulator to earn less points and the non - member earns more . determining if a given team can be made a winner is analogous to determining if a team wins a round robin tournament when the fixed games have been played and the manipulable games have not been played .
the restriction of the outcomes on games between coalition and non - coalition members requires that the games have outcomes within only a subset of the scoring model . using this observation
, we obtain the following theorem . [ round - robin - constructive ]
determining if there exists a constructive manipulation of a round robin competition is polynomial if the normalized scoring model is of the form @xmath20 and np - complete , otherwise .
this proof uses the equivalence of determining whether a team can win a tournament and determining if a constructive manipulation exists with a set of fixed and manipulable games . note that a game between a non - coalition member @xmath2 and a coalition member @xmath3 is unfixed but the scores that can be assigned are restricted .
when the scoring model is of the form @xmath20 and the initial result of the game is @xmath21 , then the remaining valid scores that can be assigned are those from @xmath21 to @xmath22 . by normalizing this new model
, we obtain one in which the non - coalition member earns @xmath23 points by default and the result of the game is scored from the model @xmath24 which is of the form @xmath20 . kern and paulusma
@xcite showed that determining if a team can win a tournament ( i.e. is not eliminated from competition ) takes polynomial time if the normalized scoring model is of the form @xmath20 and is np - complete otherwise . by comparison
, it is always polynomial to determine if a destructive manipulation exists .
determining if there is a destructive manipulation of a round robin competition takes polynomial time .
assume that @xmath25 is the team that the coalition desires to lose .
it is sufficient to check whether the maximum points of another team via manipulation is greater than the points of @xmath25 . if @xmath25 is a member of the coalition and therefore a manipulator , for each team @xmath26 that we check for points , we apply only manipulations that increase the relative points between @xmath26 and @xmath25 . for all other teams ,
we apply the manipulation which decreases the points of @xmath25 the most .
if @xmath25 is not a member of the coalition , no games involving @xmath25 may be manipulated since we restrict manipulations to allow only those manipulations that increase the points of @xmath25 and increase the relative gap between @xmath25 and the manipulator .
therefore , no other team is better off when games involving @xmath25 are manipulated . in both cases ,
we apply the manipulation that increase the points of the team under consideration against all other teams .
if the total number of points of any other team is greater than the points of @xmath25 under these manipulations , then there is a destructive manipulation of @xmath25 .
this algorithm can be run in @xmath27 time .
a further complication is when the goal of manipulation is just to earn a berth in the next round of the playoffs .
it is np - hard to decide these questions under most playoff systems for all scoring models @xcite .
the number of manipulations required is an important factor
. it may be advantageous for the coalition to manipulate as few games as possible to avoid detection or to minimize the cost of bribing players .
we show that there is a polynomial algorithm to calculate manipulations which throw a minimal number of games .
this highlights the vulnerability of the two most common types of competitions in sports to manipulation . computing the minimal number of manipulations simply requires keeping a count within our algorithm for computing a manipulation .
we give some notation to identify a specific sub - election in the cup .
we let @xmath28 be the sub - election at level @xmath29 where @xmath2 is a leaf node of a sub tree below @xmath28 .
we denote the level as the height from the bottom of the cup tree , which is assumed to be a perfect binary tree .
we also define level 0 to be the level belonging to the leaves .
we have @xmath30 constants @xmath31 that are 1 if @xmath32 and 0 otherwise , where @xmath33 is the set of edges which can be manipulated by the coalition .
this corresponds to @xmath34 when a manipulation must occur for @xmath2 to win and 0 otherwise .
finally , we define the minimal number of manipulations needed to win a sub - election @xmath28 , @xmath35 , to be sum of the minimal number of the manipulations for @xmath2 to win one of the children of @xmath28 , and the minimum number of manipulations plus @xmath31 over all possible winners of the other child which @xmath2 can defeat .
we denote the set of teams that @xmath2 can defeat either as described in the tournament or by manipulation as @xmath36 .
more formally , the minimal number of manipulations for @xmath2 at @xmath28 ( @xmath37 ) is given by : @xmath38 [ lemma - cup - min ] the minimal number of manipulations needed to make a team @xmath2 a winner at level @xmath10 in the tree is equal to @xmath39 .
by induction . first , observe that the minimal number of manipulations at a leaf is 0 .
hence , @xmath40 for all leaves @xmath2 .
next note that at level 1 there are only 2 nodes in the possible winner sets of the leaves . therefore if @xmath2 can defeat @xmath3 , @xmath41 which is the exact number of manipulations that have occurred to make @xmath2 a possible winner so far .
we assume the premise for @xmath42 .
now , @xmath43 .
we know that @xmath44 is the minimal number of manipulations for @xmath2 up to level @xmath45 by the assumption and , for every @xmath46 , we know that @xmath47 is also the minimal number of manipulations for each @xmath3 up to level @xmath45 . by definition , @xmath31 is the number of manipulations for @xmath2 to defeat @xmath3 .
since @xmath2 can defeat any @xmath3 in @xmath36 , the one with the fewest previous manipulations to reach @xmath45 plus @xmath31 leads to the fewest manipulations in total to make @xmath2 win the sub election @xmath48 .
this equals the minimum over the set @xmath36 .
therefore the lemma holds for @xmath49 and , by induction , all @xmath10 levels of the tree .
[ theorem - cup - min ] a modified csl algorithm , where the team which minimizes the value of @xmath39 is selected to lose to team @xmath2 at every node @xmath50 , calculates the minimal number of manipulations needed to constructively or destructively manipulate a cup competition in polynomial time . by lemma [ lemma - cup - min ] ,
the value of @xmath51 at the root node is the minimal number of manipulations which ensures @xmath52 is the winner .
hence , we just need to show that the algorithm remains polynomial .
the modified csl algorithm still makes @xmath53 comparisons .
the only difference is that we have to calculate the minimum which can be done by storing the minimum as each team is checked .
therefore , the time complexity remains @xmath53 and calculating the minimum is polynomial .
constructive manipulation requires calculating @xmath51 whilst destructive manipulation requires the minimum over all other teams .
we consider here just copeland scoring .
we conjecture that similar methods could be developed for other scoring schemes
. given a tournament @xmath54 where @xmath55 , a set of manipulable edges @xmath33,and a distinguished node @xmath19 , the minimal number of manipulations under copeland scoring is the problem of determining the minimal number of edges in @xmath56 that can be reversed such that @xmath57 .
note that copeland scoring is the simple win - loss method of scoring where the winning team earns 1 point and the losing team earns 0 points .
before we show how to calculate the minimal number of manipulations , we show that we can determine the out degree , i.e. the copeland score , of the distinguished node using a minimal number of manipulations in isolation with a greedy algorithm .
the intuition behind this is that we select manipulations to increase the out degree of @xmath52 .
the value of @xmath58 can be determined in isolation by greedily using , in sequence , a minimal number of manipulations of edges @xmath59 where @xmath60 until @xmath61 . first , we prove that it always uses the least number of manipulations to increase the out degree of @xmath52 .
to reduce the out degree of two or more nodes that have an out degree larger than @xmath52 , it takes at least two manipulations but to increase the out degree of @xmath52 by the same amount takes just one . for a single node ,
it is preferred to use the manipulation involving @xmath52 since the other node may increase the out degree of another node requiring more manipulations .
therefore , using manipulations involving @xmath52 is most efficient .
now we show that we never overshoot the stopping criteria and use more than a minimal number of manipulations .
assume that we use more than the minimal number of manipulations .
this means that we selected an edge that did not decrease the maximum out degree when there existed an edge that would have decreased the maximum out degree of all nodes that we did not select .
however , since we always selected the edge where the source node had the maximal out degree within @xmath56 , we always decreased the maximum out degree whenever possible .
this is a contradiction and the greedy algorithm only uses a minimal number of manipulations when reaching the stopping condition .
determining the minimal number of tournament manipulations required under copeland scoring takes polynomial time .
we define @xmath62 to be the out degree of the distinguished node , @xmath52 , calculated using the greedy algorithm .
this corresponds to the number of wins earned by @xmath52 .
if the stopping condition has not been reached , we must use @xmath62 to determine how many more manipulations are necessary .
we construct a winner determination flow graph as described by kern and paulusma @xcite and gusfield and martel@xcite(see fig .
[ tournament - flowgraph ] , for example ) .
we add a weight of 1 to each edge @xmath5 where @xmath63 and therefore represents a manipulation .
all other edges have the weight 0 . the feasible flow which uses the fewest of the non - zero edges
is the minimal number of tournament manipulations to achieve a constructive manipulation . since the value of @xmath62 can be determined in a linear number of steps , we only need to do a single min cost flow computation , which is polynomial , to determine the remainder of the minimum number of manipulations necessary to make @xmath52 the team with the highest copeland score .
an example tournament can be seen in fig .
[ tournament - flowgraph]a .
there are 5 teams in this tournament : @xmath64 to @xmath65 .
suppose teams @xmath64 and @xmath66 form a coalition to manipulate the tournament so that @xmath64 wins . we want to determine the minimum number of manipulations needed to ensure that @xmath64 is the winner .
this requires switching any of the arcs where team @xmath66 wins .
we know that the value of @xmath67 since none of @xmath64 s edges are manipulable in @xmath68 s favour .
we construct the graph seen in fig .
[ tournament - flowgraph]b to determine for @xmath67 if there is a feasible solution .
the solution returned has a minimum cost which is equal to the minimum number of manipulations needed to get a feasible flow with the value @xmath62 plus any used in the greedy algorithm .
p0.05c p0.1c & = [ font= ] ( v0 ) [ ] @xmath68 ; ( v1 ) [ below right of = v0 ] @xmath69 ; ( v2 ) [ below of = v1 ] @xmath70 ; ( v4 ) [ below left of = v0 ] @xmath71 ; ( v3 ) [ below of = v4 ] @xmath72 ; = [ font= ] ( v0 ) edge node ( v1 ) ( v0 ) edge node ( v3 ) ( v1 ) edge node ( v2 ) ( v2 ) edge node ( v0 ) ( v2 ) edge node ( v4 ) ( v3 ) edge node ( v1 ) ( v3 ) edge node ( v2 ) ( v3 ) edge node ( v4 ) ( v4 ) edge node ( v0 ) ( v4 ) edge node ( v1 ) ; & & = [ font= ] ( b1 ) @xmath73 ; ( b2 ) [ below of = b1 ] @xmath74 ; ( b3 ) [ below of = b2 ] @xmath75 ; ( b4 ) [ below of = b3 ] @xmath76 ; ( b5 ) [ below of = b4 ] @xmath77 ; ( b6 ) [ below of = b5 ] @xmath78 ; ( a ) [ below left of = b2 , node distance=2.125cm]@xmath79 ; ( c1 ) [ right of = b2,node distance=3 cm ] @xmath80 ; ( c2 ) [ right of = b3,node distance=3 cm ] @xmath81 ; ( c3 ) [ right of = b4,node distance=3 cm ] @xmath66 ; ( c4 ) [ right of = b5,node distance=3 cm ] @xmath65 ; ( d ) [ right of = a , node distance=6 cm ] @xmath82 ; = [ font= ] ( a ) edge node [ sloped , pos=0.8 ] @xmath83 $ ] ( b1 ) ( a ) edge node [ sloped , pos=0.95 ] @xmath83 $ ] ( b2 ) ( a ) edge node [ sloped , pos=0.95 ] @xmath83 $ ] ( b3 ) ( a ) edge node [ sloped , pos=0.3 ] @xmath83 $ ] ( b4 ) ( a ) edge node [ sloped , pos=0.45 ] @xmath83 $ ] ( b5 ) ( a ) edge node [ sloped , pos=0.45 ] @xmath83 $ ] ( b6 ) ( b1 ) edge node [ sloped , midway ] @xmath84 $ ] ( c3 ) ( b1 ) edge node [ sloped , very near start ] @xmath84,w=1 $ ] ( c1 ) ( b2 ) edge node [ sloped , midway ] @xmath84 $ ] ( c1 ) ( b3 ) edge node [ sloped , pos=0.3 ] @xmath84,w=1 $ ] ( c2 ) ( b3 ) edge node [ sloped , near start ] @xmath84 $ ] ( c3 ) ( b4 ) edge node [ sloped , near start ] @xmath84 $ ] ( c2 ) ( b5 ) edge node [ sloped , pos=0.6 ] @xmath84,w=1 $ ] ( c4 ) ( b5 ) edge node [ sloped , midway ] @xmath84 $ ] ( c3 ) ( b6 ) edge node [ sloped , midway ] @xmath84 $ ] ( c4 ) ( c1 ) edge node [ sloped , pos=0.2 ] @xmath85 $ ] ( d ) ( c2 ) edge node [ sloped , pos=0.1 ] @xmath85 $ ] ( d ) ( c3 ) edge node [ sloped , pos=0.7 ] @xmath85 $ ] ( d ) ( c4 ) edge node [ sloped , pos=0.7 ] @xmath85 $ ] ( d ) ; + & ( a ) & & ( b )
if we add multiple seeding rounds then computing a manipulation appears difficult . recall that ranked reseeding matches the best remaining teams against the worst remaining teams in each round .
the csl algorithm can not therefore be applied and a general solution is not known . however ,
if the size of the coalition is a constant @xmath62 , then we can determine a manipulation in polynomial time .
[ ranked - reseeding - cup ] for a ranked reseeding cup competition , if the manipulating coalition is of bounded size @xmath62 , then determining a set of manipulations that makes a team win takes polynomial time .
the key observation is that with a constant sized coalition there are only a polynomial number of ways to manipulate the games by rearranging the tournament graph .
it suffices to check the winner of each of the polynomial number of fixed tournament graphs . for each fixed tournament graph
, the winner can be determined in linear time as there are only @xmath86 matches to check .
we show that there are only a polynomial number of different arrangements of manipulations
. first note that at most @xmath62 of the @xmath87 matches in the first round have more than one team as a possible winner .
this means that there is at most @xmath88 possibilities to examine after each round .
as there are @xmath89 rounds , we consider at most @xmath90 ( = @xmath91 ) possibilities .
hence there are at most @xmath92 arrangements of manipulations for an unfixed cup with ranked reseeding and a constant sized coalition .
it is sufficient to check each arrangement , which can be done in linear time .
this gives a polynomial algorithm for bounded @xmath62 . with random reseeding
the problem can be separated into two issues : determining whether manipulation is possible to make a team a winner under every possible seeding and determining if there exists any seeding such that the coalition can manipulate the games to make a given team the winner .
it is unknown whether either of these problems have polynomial algorithms .
vu et al .
@xcite and hazon et al .
@xcite tackle some probabilistic variants of possible winners without manipulation of games .
however , the complexity of determining possible winners with a win - loss tournament graph in balanced cup trees remains open @xcite .
in a double elimination competitions , a manipulation of the tournament does not automatically bounce the manipulator out of the tournament as in the single elimination case .
however , it does guarantee that the manipulator will be bounced to the secondary bracket from the primary bracket on the first manipulation and out of the tournament on the second manipulation . as in the case of ranked reseeding ,
a general solution is not known but there is a polynomial algorithm for double elimination tournaments if the coalition is of constant size . for double elimination tournaments , if the coalition is of a constant size @xmath62 , determining whether there is a constructive manipulation takes polynomial time .
this proof follows similar lines as the proof for ranked reseeding .
we will show that there is a polynomial number of manipulation scenarios which can be checked in linear time .
if there is a coalition of size @xmath62 then a team can manipulate the cup only once if they wish to win the tournament and twice if they desire another team to win . at each step in the tree ,
a team must decided whether they wish to manipulate or not . before and after they have manipulated once , there remains @xmath62 teams which can manipulate .
only after they have manipulated a second time are they removed from the competition .
this means there are at most @xmath88 manipulations at each of the @xmath93 levels .
this gives us @xmath94 possibilities that can be checked in linear time , which gives a polynomial algorithm for determining if there is a constructive manipulation .
in sporting tournaments , teams can directly manipulate the tournament graph .
we showed that algorithms used to compute manipulations of votes in elections can be modified to determine the manipulations needed of the tournament graph .
we proved that such direct manipulation of the fixed cup and round robin competitions can be computed in polynomial time . in a similar way
, we can determine the minimal number of manipulations needed .
for ranked reseeding of cup competitions , we showed that it is easy to calculate the number of manipulations if the size of the manipulating coalition is bounded by a constant .
we also gave a polynomial time algorithm for double elimination tournaments for a constant sized coalition .
a number of open question remain .
the manipulation of various variations of the cup competition have unknown complexity including the ranked and random cup competitions . for random cup competitions ,
the complexity of manipulation is also unknown if the size of the coalition is bounded .
similarly , the complexity of manipulating double elimination competitions is still undetermined when the size of the coalition is unbounded .
m. s. pini , f. rossi , k. b. venable , and t. walsh .
dealing with incomplete agents preferences and an uncertain agenda in group decision making via sequential majority voting . in _ proc .
of the 11th int .
conf . on principles of knowledge representation and reasoning _ , 2008 . | arxiv |
Padatik may refer to:
Padatik film, a 1973 film directed by Mrinal Sen
Padatik poetry collection, a 1970 collection by Subhas Mukhopadhyay
Padatik Nattya Sangsad, a theatre group based in Bangladesh
Padatik Indian theatre group, a Kolkata-based theatre group established in 1972 | wikipedia |
the two - dimensional electron system under a strong magnetic field shows astonishing diversity in experiments and theories .
the quantized hall conductance@xcite is observed in the incompressible quantum liquid state.@xcite fractional quantum hall states ( fqhs ) have anyonic quasi - particles in the excited states.@xcite around the half - filled lowest landau level , the composite fermi liquid state@xcite which has an isotropic fermi surface is observed . at the half - filled second landau level , on the other hand
, the fractionally quantized hall conductance is observed;@xcite it is suggested that the state has an energy gap due to the cooper pairing of the electrons.@xcite recently , highly anisotropic states , which have extremely anisotropic longitudinal resistances , have been observed around the half - filled third and higher landau levels.@xcite it is believed that the anisotropic state is the striped hall state which is a unidirectional charge density wave in the mean field theory.@xcite the anisotropy of the resistance is naturally explained by the anisotropic fermi surface in the magnetic brillouin zone.@xcite it was predicted that fluctuation effects turn the striped hall state into the smectic or nematic liquid crystal.@xcite a low energy theory was studied in the coupled luttinger liquid picture using the hartree - fock approximation.@xcite a peculiar response to external modulations was predicted in a perturbation theory@xcite and numerical calculations.@xcite in the highly anisotropic states , underlying symmetries are spontaneously broken and nambu - goldstone ( ng ) modes should appear .
it is important to find the property of the ng mode . in this paper
, we investigate the property of the ng mode in striped hall states . in the two - dimensional system under a uniform magnetic field ,
the system has the magnetic translation and rotation symmetry . in the striped hall state , a magnetic translation in one direction is broken to the discrete translation and the rotation is also broken to the @xmath0-rotation , spontaneously .
we prove the goldstone theorem for the striped hall state using the commutation relation between charges and currents corresponding to the broken and unbroken symmetry .
the theorem shows that a gapless neutral excitation exists and couples with the density operator .
the spectrum of the neutral collective excitation is obtained in the single mode approximation numerically at the half - filled third landau level .
the spectrum has a multiple line node structure and cusps .
furthermore , the spectrum has anisotropic feature , that is , in one direction it resembles the liquid helium spectrum with the phonon and roton minimum , and in another direction it resembles the fqhs spectrum . to show the validity of the single mode approximation in the present system
, we compare the spectrum with the particle - hole excitation spectrum in the hartree - fock approximation .
the paper is organized as follows .
conserved currents in the two - dimensional system under a uniform magnetic field are clarified in sec .
ii . in sec .
iii , a mean field theory for the striped hall state is presented .
goldstone theorem for the striped hall state is proved in sec .
the spectrum for the neutral collective excitation in the striped hall state is obtained in the single mode approximation and compared with the particle - hole excitation spectrum in the hartree - fock approximation in sec . v. summary
is given in sec .
let us consider the two - dimensional electron system in a uniform magnetic field @xmath1 .
we ignore the spin degree of freedom and use the natural unit ( @xmath2 ) in this paper .
we introduce two sets of coordinates , relative coordinates and guiding center coordinates .
the relative coordinates are defined by @xmath3 the guiding center coordinates are defined by @xmath4 these coordinates satisfy the following commutation relations , @xmath5=-[\xi,\eta]=i / eb,\nonumber\\ & [ x,\xi]=[x,\eta]=[y,\xi]=[y,\eta]=0.\end{aligned}\ ] ] the operators @xmath6 and @xmath7 are the generators of the magnetic translations of the one - particle state in @xmath8 direction and @xmath9 direction respectively . the angular momentum @xmath10 is written as @xmath11 @xmath10 is the generator of the rotation of the one - particle state .
the total hamiltonian @xmath12 for the interacting charged particles is the sum of the free hamiltonian @xmath13 and the coulomb interaction hamiltonian @xmath14 as follows , @xmath15 where @xmath16 is the electron field operator , @xmath17 and @xmath18 ( @xmath19 , @xmath20 is the dielectric constant ) for the coulomb potential .
conserved charges are obtained as the spatial integral of the zeroth component of the noether currents for the symmetries .
we define the conserved charges , @xmath21 , @xmath22 , @xmath23 , and @xmath24 for u(1 ) , magnetic translations , and rotation symmetry respectively , as follows , @xmath25 noether currents are defined by @xmath26 where @xmath27 , @xmath28 , re means real part , and @xmath29 is the lagrangian density for the total hamiltonian @xmath12 .
these charges commute with the total hamiltonian @xmath12 and obey the following commutation relations , @xmath30&={i\over eb}q,\nonumber\\ & [ q_j , q_x]&=iq_y,\\ & [ q_j , q_y]&=-iq_x.\nonumber\end{aligned}\ ] ] the u(1 ) charge @xmath21 commutes with all conserved charges .
we assume that @xmath21 is not broken and the ground state is the eigenstate of @xmath21 as @xmath31 where @xmath32 is a number of electrons .
it should be noted that these symmetries are not broken in the laughlin state.@xcite hence the ng mode does not exist .
the laughlin state is the eigenstate of @xmath24 and annihilated by @xmath33 .
the commutation relations between the conserved charges and the current density operators read , @xmath34&=-{i\over eb}\partial_y j^\mu,\ [ q_y , j^\mu]={i\over eb}\partial_x j^\mu,\label{com}\\ & [ q_x , j_x^\mu]&=-{i\over eb}\partial_y j_x^\mu,\ [ q_y , j_x^\mu]={i\over eb}\partial_x j_x^\mu-{i\over eb}j^\mu , \nonumber\\ & [ q_x , j_y^\mu]&=-{i\over eb}\partial_y j_y^\mu+{i\over eb}j^\mu,\ [ q_y , j_y^\mu]={i\over eb}\partial_x j_y^\mu.\nonumber\end{aligned}\ ] ] the u(1 ) charge @xmath21 commutes with all noether currents . if the expectation value of the right hand side of these equation is not zero , corresponding symmetry is spontaneously broken . in the striped hall state discussed in the next section , @xmath35 is not zero and the magnetic translation symmetry in @xmath9 direction is spontaneously broken .
in this section , we study the self - consistent solution for the striped hall state in the hartree - fock approximation .
the state breaks the translation and rotational symmetry spontaneously .
we use the von neumann lattice ( vnl ) base for the one - particle states.@xcite a discrete set of coherent states of guiding center coordinates , @xmath36 is a complete set of the @xmath37 space .
these coherent states are localized at the position @xmath38 , where a positive real number @xmath39 is the asymmetric parameter of the unit cell . by fourier transforming these states , we obtain the orthonormal basis in the momentum representation @xmath40 where @xmath41 is a jacobi s theta function and @xmath42 . the two - dimensional lattice momentum @xmath43 is defined in the brillouin zone ( bz ) @xmath44 .
next we introduce a complete set in @xmath45 space , that is the eigenstate of the one - particle free hamiltonian , @xmath46 the hilbert space is spanned by the direct product of these eigenstates @xmath47 where @xmath48 is the landau level index and @xmath49 , 1 , 2 , @xmath50 .
we set @xmath51 @xmath52 in the following calculation for simplicity .
electron field operator is expanded by the vnl base as @xmath53 where @xmath54 is the anti - commuting annihilation operator .
@xmath55 obeys the non - trivial boundary condition , @xmath56 , where @xmath57 and @xmath58 are intergers .
the fourier transform of the density @xmath59 is written as @xmath60 where @xmath61 .
conserved charges are written in the momentum representation as @xmath62b_l({\bf p}).\nonumber\end{aligned}\ ] ] as seen in eq .
( [ mom ] ) , the magnetic translation in the real space is equivalent to the magnetic translation in the momentum space .
the free kinetic energy is quenched in a magnetic field and the one - particle spectrum becomes flat .
therefore the free system in a magnetic field is translationally invariant in the momentum space .
we show that there exists the fermi surface in the mean field solution for the striped hall state .
the existence of the fermi surface indicates the violation of the translational symmetry in the momentum space or in the real space .
the mean field state is constructed as @xmath63 where f.s .
means fermi sea , @xmath64 is a normalization constant , and @xmath65 is the vacuum state in which the @xmath66 th and lower landau levels are fully occupied . the mean field of the two - point function for the electron field is given by @xmath67 where @xmath68 is a chemical potential and one - particle energy @xmath69 is determined self - consistently in the hartree - fock approximation.@xcite we assume that the magnetic field @xmath70 is so strong that landau level mixing effects can be neglected.@xcite then we use the hamiltonian projected to the @xmath48 th landau level @xmath71 where @xmath72 is the projection operator to the @xmath48 th landau level and @xmath73 is a number of electrons occupying the @xmath48 th landau level .
the free kinetic term is quenched and the total hamiltonian is reduced to the coulomb interaction term projected to the @xmath48 th landau level , @xmath74 .
it was shown that the mean field state with fermi sea @xmath75 satisfies the self - consistency equation at the filling factor @xmath76 ( @xmath77 ) in the hartree - fock approximation @xcite and corresponds to the striped hall state whose density is uniform in @xmath78 direction and periodic with a period @xmath39 in @xmath9 direction.@xcite the one - particle energy @xmath69 depends only on @xmath79 in this self - consistent solution . the fermi sea and corresponding charge density distribution in @xmath9-@xmath78 space
are sketched in fig . 1 . the period of stripe is @xmath39 .
the electric current flows along each stripes . note that the true charge density and current density distribution in the mean field theory are not sharp as shown in the figure but fuzzy.@xcite as seen in fig
. 1 ( b ) , @xmath80 and @xmath81 are not zero and the magnetic translation in @xmath9-direction and rotation symmetry are spontaneously broken , but a finite magnetic translation in @xmath9-direction by the period of stripe @xmath39 and @xmath0 rotation symmetry are preserved .
fig . 1 .
( a ) fermi sea for the striped hall state at the half - filling . ( b ) schematical charge density distribution in @xmath9-@xmath78 space .
the arrows indicate the direction of electric current .
hartree - fock energy per area for the striped hall state is calculated as @xmath82 where @xmath83 is an area of the system .
@xmath84 depends on the period of the stripe @xmath39 and the optimal value of @xmath39 is determined by minimizing @xmath84 . at the filling factor @xmath85 ,
the optimal value is @xmath86.@xcite
in this section , we assume that the magnetic translation in @xmath9 direction and rotation symmetries are broken , and the magnetic translation in @xmath78 direction , finite translation in @xmath9 direction with a period @xmath39 and @xmath0 rotation are preserved in the striped hall state .
the goldstone theorem for the striped hall state is proven under these general assumptions . for definite discussions ,
the periodic boundary condition in @xmath37 space is imposed for @xmath87 and @xmath88 is discretized as @xmath89 , where @xmath90 , @xmath91 are integers and @xmath92 , @xmath93 are numbers of lattice sites in the @xmath9 direction and @xmath78 direction , respectively
. therefore the well - defined translation operators in the hilbert space are @xmath94 and @xmath95 . for the striped hall state ,
unbroken operators are @xmath21 , @xmath96 , @xmath97 and @xmath98 .
then we can specify the state using the eigenvalues of the unbroken operators as @xmath99 where @xmath100 and @xmath101 is the ground state for the striped hall state . for the ground state @xmath101
, we can show that @xmath102 and @xmath103 .
we can also show that @xmath104 ( see appendix a ) .
the thermodynamic limit @xmath92 , @xmath105 should be taken at the last stage of calculations .
for example , @xmath22 is defined by @xmath106 .
since @xmath22 and @xmath23 correspond to the magnetic translation in @xmath8 and @xmath9 direction respectively , the eigenvalues @xmath107 and @xmath108 are regarded as a kind of momentum in @xmath8 and @xmath9 direction respectively .
let us show the goldstone theorem for the striped hall state .
an expectation value for @xmath109 of the commutation relations eq .
( [ com ] ) for the broken charge @xmath23 reads @xmath110\vert0\rangle \label{gold}\\ & = & \int d{\bf r } ' \langle0\vert [ j_y^0({\bf r}',t'),j^{0}({\bf r},t ) ] \vert0\rangle\nonumber\\ & = & \sum_n\int d{\bf r}'\{\langle0\vert j_y^0({\bf r}',t')\vert n\rangle \langle n\vert j^{0}({\bf r},t)\vert0\rangle\nonumber\\ & & \qquad\qquad -h.c.\},\nonumber\end{aligned}\ ] ] where @xmath111 means hermitian conjugate .
the left - hand side of this equation is not zero and does not depend on time @xmath112 .
the right - hand side of this equation is rewritten by using translation operators in @xmath112 and @xmath113 .
note that @xmath114 is transformed covariantly under the magnetic translation in @xmath78 direction , that is , @xmath115 in the @xmath9 direction , we use the notation @xmath116 , where @xmath117 is an integer and @xmath118 . using the relation
@xmath119=0 $ ] and eqs .
( [ ei ] ) and ( [ cov ] ) , the right - hand side of eq .
( [ gold ] ) is rewritten as @xmath120 \nonumber\end{aligned}\ ] ] where @xmath121 is a periodic dirac s delta - function with a period @xmath122 .
the derivative of the dirac s delta - function appears in the second term .
we assume the completeness @xmath123 . here
@xmath124 is an excited state with eigenvalues @xmath125 , @xmath126 , and species index @xmath127 .
then eq .
( [ go ] ) is rewritten as @xmath128 , \nonumber\end{aligned}\ ] ] where we use the relation @xmath129 .
the left - hand side of eq .
( [ gold ] ) does not depend on @xmath112 and equals eq .
( [ gol ] ) . hence there exists the ng mode whose excitation energy @xmath130 goes to zero as @xmath131 . since the matrix elements in eq .
( [ gol ] ) must not be zero , ng mode @xmath132 belongs to the neutral charged sector and couples with the striped hall state through the density operator , that is , @xmath133 in @xmath131 .
this ng mode is a phonon due to breaking of a magnetic translation .
ng modes ( phonon)@xcite also appear in the wigner crystal in the absence of a magnetic field . in this case , the second term in eq .
( [ gol ] ) is absent
. it would be interesting if this term is observed in the quantum hall system . in the next section ,
we investigate the excitation spectrum using the density operator @xmath134 which couples with the ng mode .
in this section we calculate the spectrum for a neutral collective excitation at the half - filled third landau level using the single mode approximation .
this method was used for the liquid helium by feynman first @xcite and applied to the fqhs later.@xcite the single mode approximation is successful in the fqhs because the backflow problem is absent for the electron states projected to the @xmath48 th landau level .
first we define the fourier transformed density operator in guiding center coordinates as @xmath135 density operator @xmath136 is related to @xmath137 as @xmath138 , where @xmath139 is the laguerre polynomial . using @xmath137 ,
@xmath74 is written as @xmath140 where @xmath141 for the coulomb potential .
it is well - known that the density operators projected to the landau level are non - commutative , that is , @xmath142=-2i\sin\left ( { { \bf k}\times{\bf k}'\over4\pi}\right ) \rho_*({\bf k}+{\bf k } ' ) .
\label{rho}\ ] ] using this relation , we obtain the following commutation relations , @xmath143&=-{k_y\over2\pi}\rho_*({\bf k}),\\ & [ q_y,\rho_*({\bf k})]&={k_x\over2\pi}\rho_*({\bf k } ) .
\nonumber\end{aligned}\ ] ] therefore the state defined by @xmath144 is an eigenstate of @xmath145 and @xmath97 with eigenvalues @xmath146 and @xmath147 respectively .
the quantum number @xmath148 for the excited state is related to @xmath149 as @xmath150 .
we use the state @xmath151 as a neutral collective excitation state in the single mode approximation . the variational excitation energy @xmath152 is written as @xmath153 \vert0\rangle/2n_e^*,\\ s({\bf k})&=&\langle0\vert\rho_*(-{\bf k})\rho_*({\bf k } ) \vert0\rangle / n_e^*.\nonumber\end{aligned}\ ] ] @xmath154 is the so - called static structure factor . to derive these expressions
, we use the relation @xmath155 and @xmath156 due to @xmath0 rotation symmetry . see appendix a. using the commutation relation ( [ rho ] ) , @xmath157 is written as @xmath158 from eq .
( [ fk ] ) the variational excitation energy is calculable if we know the static structure factor @xmath154 . using the mean field state ( [ mfs ] ) for the striped hall state ,
@xmath154 becomes @xmath159 the first term behaves as @xmath160 at small @xmath161 and periodic in @xmath161 direction with a period @xmath162 .
the second term has sharp peaks at @xmath163 .
these peaks correspond to the period for the stripe of the charge density .
this behavior in the static structure factor was also obtained in the numerical calculation in a small system.@xcite the numerical results for the energy spectrum @xmath164 for @xmath165 are shown in figs . 2 - 4 .
fig . 2 .
energy spectrum @xmath164 at @xmath166 for @xmath167 , 2 , 3 , @xmath165 in the single mode approximation .
note that the spectrum remains finite at @xmath168 for @xmath167 .
the unit of @xmath149 is @xmath169 and the unit of spectrum is @xmath170 .
the same units are used in figs .
energy spectrum @xmath164 at @xmath171 for @xmath168 , 1 , 2 , @xmath165 in the single mode approximation .
the energy gap vanishes at @xmath172 and cusps appear at @xmath173 .
enlarged picture of the energy spectrum @xmath164 at @xmath174 for @xmath168 , 1 , 2 , @xmath165 in the single mode approximation . as predicted by the goldstone theorem in the previous section , the energy spectrum obtained by the single mode approximation is gapless at @xmath175 .
in fact , we can show that @xmath152 behaves as @xmath176 at small @xmath149 for a short - range potential .
the reason for the absence of @xmath177 term is that the coefficient of @xmath177 vanishes by the condition @xmath178 at @xmath179 . for the coulomb potential case
, the logarithmic corrections are added in eq .
( [ del ] ) .
see appendix b. in addition to the gapless structure of the energy spectrum at @xmath175 due to ng mode , the results obtained by the single mode approximation present more rich structure .
first we notice a periodic line node structure , that is , the energy spectrum vanishes at @xmath172 . except for @xmath168 ,
the dispersion at line node is linear .
second we notice that the energy spectrum has cusps at @xmath180 .
this is caused by the presence of the fermi surface in the mean field state ( [ mfs ] ) , which produces cusps in the first term of eq .
( [ ssf ] ) .
third the @xmath181 dependence of the spectrum becomes weak at the large wave number .
fourth the spectrum has distinct features in different directions .
2 shows that the spectrum in @xmath181 direction has a similarity with the collective excitation in fqhs@xcite which has an energy gap at any wave number and magneto - roton structure .
4 shows that the spectrum in @xmath161 direction has a similarity with the collective excitation in liquid helium which has phonon and roton spectrum .
fourth feature comes from the anisotropy of the fermi sea . as seen in fig . 1 ( a )
, in @xmath182 direction , the electron state is fully filled and has an energy gap .
therefore the system resembles fqhs in this direction . in @xmath79 direction , on the other hand , there is a fermi surface and electron state is gapless .
first three features are understandable from comparison with the particle - hole excitation spectrum in the hartree - fock approximation . for the large wave number @xmath183 , it is expected that the excitation state becomes close to the free particle state . in the fqhs ,
the neutral excitation spectrum becomes close to the pair creation energy for the quasi - particle and quasi - hole.@xcite in the striped hall state , the one - particle energy is @xmath184 in the hartree - fock approximation and the free part of hamiltonian becomes @xmath185 therefore the excitation spectrum @xmath186 for the state of particle - hole pair @xmath187 is bounded as @xmath188 @xmath189 is a fermi wave number .
lower bound of the particle - hole excitation spectrum for @xmath165 is shown in fig .
5 . fig .
lower bound of the particle - hole excitation spectrum @xmath190 for @xmath191 ( solid line ) .
the spectrum vanishes at @xmath192 . for comparison , the energy spectrum @xmath164 for @xmath168 , @xmath165 in the single mode approximation
is also shown ( dashed line ) .
as seen in this figure the particle - hole excitation spectrum vanishes and its slope diverges@xcite at @xmath192 .
see appendix b. this singularity is caused by the divergence of fermi velocity @xmath193 at fermi momentum .
the spectrum @xmath164 is smaller than @xmath190 and close to the @xmath190 near @xmath172 for a large wave number .
the existence of the fermi surface leads to zero of @xmath190 at @xmath194 , because the excitation energy for a hole inside the fermi sea near the one fermi surface and a particle outside the fermi sea near the other fermi surface is close to zero .
the spectrum @xmath164 is larger than @xmath190 near @xmath194 and has cusps .
hence the low energy excitation is well - approximated by the @xmath164 near @xmath172 and by @xmath190 near @xmath194 . in a usual fermi system , the single mode approximation seems not to work well because of the particle - hole excitation near the fermi surface at low energies . in the present case ,
however , the low energy excitation near the fermi surface is suppressed by the divergence of fermi velocity at fermi surface .
hence the single mode approximation is expected to work well in the present system . at a finite @xmath181 , the spectrum is linear in @xmath161 at small @xmath149 , which is similar to the one obtained by the hydrodynamics of quantum hall smectics.@xcite at @xmath168 , however , the spectrum is proportional to @xmath195 , which disagrees with the results in the hydrodynamics of quantum hall smectics .
this discrepancy may be resolved by higher order correction to the static structure factor or by modifying the effective hamiltonian in the hydrodynamics . at large @xmath149 , in which the hydrodynamic theory can not be applied ,
the periodic line node structure is found in the single mode approximation for the first time .
we have studied neutral collective excitations in the striped hall state .
the goldstone theorem has been proved in a system with the magnetic translation symmetry .
we have obtained the neutral excitation spectrum in the striped hall state using the single mode approximation .
the spectrum has a new rich structure .
the neutral collective mode includes the ng mode due to spontaneous breaking of magnetic translation symmetry .
the spectrum is highly anisotropic , that is , the dispersion in @xmath181 direction is similar to that of fqhs and the dispersion in @xmath161 is similar to that of liquid helium . the spectrum is compared with the particle - hole excitation spectrum . the former has line nodes with a linear dispersion and the latter has line nodes with a diverging fermi velocity .
we hope these excitations will be observed in experiments for the evidence of the striped hall state .
two of the authors ( t. a. and n. m. ) thank a. dorsey and w. pan for useful discussions .
this work was partially supported by the special grant - in - aid for promotion of education and science in hokkaido university provided by the ministry of education , science , sport , and culture , japan , and by the grant - in - aid for scientific research on priority area of research ( b ) ( dynamics of superstrings and field theories , grant no .
13135201 ) from the ministry of education , science , sport , and culture , japan . in this appendix
, we prove the relation @xmath196 , @xmath155 and @xmath156 for the striped hall state . as seen in eq .
( [ mom ] ) , the generator for rotation is a free kinetic energy in a uniform magnetic field in the momentum space .
therefore it is convenient to expand the operator @xmath55 by the eigenstate of the free kinetic energy as @xmath197 where @xmath198 , @xmath199 is given by @xmath200 @xmath201 is a normalization constant , @xmath202 is the hermite polynomial , and @xmath203 has a symmetry @xmath204 . using this new base , @xmath24 reads @xmath205 then we obtain the following relation , @xmath206 since the fermi sea for the striped hall state is invariant under the @xmath0 rotation , the ground state @xmath109 is an eigenstate of @xmath98 with an eigenvalue @xmath207 or @xmath208 . using eq .
( [ pib ] ) , one can prove that @xmath209 inserting @xmath98 and @xmath210 in the definition of @xmath157 and @xmath154 , one can prove that @xmath155 and @xmath156 using eq .
( [ pir ] ) . using the fourier series expansion ,
the one - particle energy @xmath211 and the hartree - fock energy are written as @xmath212 furthermore , using eq .
( [ ssf ] ) , @xmath157 in eq .
( [ fk ] ) is written as @xmath213 at @xmath168 and small @xmath161 , it is easy to see that the coefficient of @xmath214 is proportional to @xmath215
. therefore @xmath178 leads to vanishing of the coefficient of @xmath214 at @xmath168 and the lowest order is @xmath216 at @xmath168 .
since @xmath154 is proportional to @xmath217 at small @xmath161 , @xmath218 behaves as @xmath219 at @xmath168 and small @xmath161 .
note that @xmath220 behaves as @xmath221 at large @xmath222 for the coulomb potential .
hence the slope of @xmath211 at @xmath223 diverges logarithmically in eq .
( [ hfe ] ) . in eq .
( [ f ] ) , the fourier transformation of @xmath224 with respect to @xmath161 results in a term of @xmath225 .
therefore the correction of @xmath226 is added in eq .
( [ del ] ) for the coulomb potential .
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Silver Lake is a small lake located in St. Anthony, Minnesota with a small portion in Columbia Heights, Minnesota. There are many houses and businesses along this lake.
Roads along this lake include Silver Lake Road, Silver Lane, and Stinson Boulevard.
Geography
Silver Lake is about 73.2 acres in size and 1.54 miles in diameter.
There are two islands on this lake. One is part of Silverwood Park, and the other is uninhabited.
Silver Lake is surrounded by St. Anthony to the north, east, and south, and by Columbia Heights to the west.
Recreation
There are two parks along this lake. Silverwood Park dominates most of the north part of the lake. Next to it is Silver Beach, which is owned and operated by the Columbia Heights Rec Department.
Silverwood Park
Silverwood is owned by Three Rivers Park District and features many activities like art classes, hikes, field trips, and more. Birthday parties and weddings can be rented here. In the visitor center, it showcases art from different people and districts. There is a trail that connects Silverwood to Silver Beach in Columbia Heights.
References
Category:Lakes of Anoka County, Minnesota
Category:Lakes of Ramsey County, Minnesota | wikipedia |
searches for missing baryon resonances in the strange sector have seen intense activity in recent years @xcite , following theoretical predictions that several of these missing states have strong couplings to strange baryons @xcite .
for a recent review on baryons , see ref .
the @xmath0 reaction promises to play an important role in this regard .
it is closely related to the @xmath14 reaction but differs in an important aspect . since @xmath15 is an isoscalar , only @xmath16 @xmath17 intermediate states can couple to @xmath18 ( isospin filter ) , while @xmath19 is an isovector , which allows it to couple to both @xmath16 @xmath17 and @xmath20 @xmath21 states .
coupled - channel analyses of these reactions are thus anticipated to be of special interest @xcite .
the full scattering amplitude for @xmath22 photoproduction consists of eight complex production amplitudes corresponding to each of the two possible spin states of the incoming photon , target proton and outgoing hyperon .
parity relations reduce the number of independent complex amplitudes to four @xcite , or the number of independent real observables to eight , one of them being the differential cross section ( @xmath23 ) and the rest being a carefully chosen set of seven polarization observables @xcite .
because of the self - analyzing nature of the hyperon ( @xmath15 and @xmath19 ) decays , all seven of these polarization observables can be measured using different target and beam polarization configurations .
it is thus possible to completely characterize the complex amplitude @xmath24 from experimental observations . with an unpolarized beam and an unpolarized target
however , only the differential cross sections and recoil polarizations ( @xmath10 ) can be extracted .
previous high statistics measurements for @xmath0 have been made by the clas @xcite , saphir @xcite , leps @xcite , and graal @xcite collaborations .
the saphir @xmath23measurements covered center - of - mass energies ( @xmath1 ) from threshold ( 1.69 gev ) to 2.4 gev , while clas reached about 2.55 gev .
agreement between the two data sets is fair , except in a few backward - angle bins where clas shows an enhancement around 2.2 gev , whereas saphir is more flat .
the more recent leps experiment made precision measurements in the forward - angles for @xmath1 from 1.93 gev to 2.3 gev , and is in overall fair to good agreement with clas and saphir .
world data on @xmath22 polarization is considerably more sparse , however . in this paper , we report new measurements of @xmath23and the recoil polarization for @xmath25 using data taken at jefferson lab with the clas detector .
we have utilized the decays @xmath26 and @xmath27 , and have performed separate analyses for the final - state topologies @xmath28 ( @xmath29 and @xmath30 @xmath31 , where the final - state particles that are not detected are shown in parentheses . our @xmath23measurements cover center - of - mass ( c.m . ) energies from near production threshold ( @xmath32 gev ) to @xmath33 gev , in 10-mev - wide bins .
we also cover a wide angular range of @xmath34 , everywhere except the extreme forward- and backward - angles .
our angular binning is 0.1 in @xmath35 . for the recoil polarization @xmath36 , where available , we present results only from the @xmath28 ( @xmath29 topology , which allows us to preserve the spin - transfer information between the @xmath19 and the @xmath15 in the @xmath26 decay ( see sec
. [ section : pol]b ) . in the backward - angle and near - threshold bins , where statistics are extremely limited for the @xmath28 ( @xmath29 topology , our @xmath36 measurements are from the @xmath30 ( @xmath37 topology instead . for the most part , these results are in excellent agreement with the previous clas results @xcite . in a few cases , the polarizations reported are not consistent with earlier measurements .
these new measurements supersede the previous ( lower statistics ) clas results .
theoretical and phenomenological model fits to previous world data incorporating intermediate resonances have typically suffered from the problem of ambiguity .
that is , fits with different resonance contribution hypotheses gave comparable @xmath38 values .
for example , it has long been known that there is a `` structure '' at around 1900 mev in both the @xmath39 and @xmath22 differential cross sections .
mart and bennhold @xcite first pointed out that for @xmath39 , this structure could be explained by the @xmath40 `` missing '' resonance .
et al . _
@xcite extended this model to @xmath22 and included the @xmath41 and @xmath42 resonances as well .
they found that @xmath40 did not significantly improve the global fit quality for this channel and claimed that @xmath9-channel non - resonant processes could have a significant contribution instead .
various other groups @xcite have incorporated several other resonances , but it is fair to say that none of the models are conclusive .
part of the problem lies in the fact that there has been very little data on the polarization observables , the aforementioned model fits being primarily based on cross section data .
the problem is even more acute for the @xmath19 , where the polarization is inherently `` diluted '' compared to the @xmath15 ( this point is elaborated in sec .
[ section : pol]b ) .
high precision polarization measurements such as the current results are , therefore , much needed . with a finer binning in both energy and angular kinematic variables ,
several new features can be seen that were not apparent earlier .
for instance , the saphir paper @xcite noted that in accordance with quark model predictions , their data were consistent with @xmath13 , i.e. , within their measurement uncertainties , the @xmath15 and @xmath19 recoil polarizations had comparable magnitudes and opposite signs .
our data show that this is not obeyed globally .
the quark model assumes the same production mechanism for both hyperons , which can be badly broken in the resonance region if different resonances contribute to @xmath15 and @xmath19 production .
given that @xmath43 states can couple only to @xmath22 and not @xmath39 , this scenario can not be ruled out .
secondly , the treatment of non - resonant @xmath8- and @xmath9-channel contributions needs to be better understood .
the quality of previous world data in the backward - angles has been found to be especially poor .
the present data demonstrate a significant rise in the cross sections at backward - angles , pointing strongly to @xmath9-channel contributions , and therefore lend support to the same conclusion mentioned above from ref .
@xcite .
these results have the largest kinematic coverage and represent the most precise measurements for this reaction that are available to date .
in addition to the observables reported here , the leps collaboration @xcite and the graal collaboration @xcite have also measured photon - beam asymmetries for this channel , while the frost experiment at clas / jlab @xcite will measure several other single- and double - polarization observables .
the present work is part of a larger program within the clas collaboration to make precision measurements for several photoproduction channels @xcite , with the goal of performing a coupled - channel partial - wave analysis ( pwa ) .
the data used in this analysis were obtained using real photons produced via bremsstrahlung from a 4.023-gev electron beam produced by the continuous electron beam accelerator facility ( cebaf ) at jefferson lab .
the photons were energy tagged by measuring the momenta of the recoiling electrons with a dipole magnet and scintillator hodoscope system @xcite , resulting in a tagged photon energy range of @xmath44 to @xmath45 gev for the current experiment .
a separate set of scintillators was used to make accurate timing measurements .
the photon energy resolution was about @xmath46 of the incident beam energy and the timing resolution was 120 ps .
these tagged photons were directed toward a @xmath47-cm - long cylindrical liquid - hydrogen cryotarget inside the cebaf large angle spectrometer ( clas ) detector system , which collected data events produced by scattering . immediately surrounding the target cell was a `` start counter '' scintillator , used in the event trigger . both the start counter and the clas detector were segmented into sectors with a six - fold azimuthal symmetry about the beam line .
a non - uniform toroidal magnetic field with a peak strength of 1.8 t was used to bend the trajectories of charged particles and a series of drift chambers was used for charged particle tracking . in this manner , clas could detect charged particles and reconstruct their momenta over a large fraction of the @xmath48 solid angle .
the overall momentum resolution of the detector was @xmath49 .
a system of @xmath50 scintillators placed outside the magnetic field and drift chamber regions provided timing information by measuring the time - of - flight ( tof ) for each charged particle trajectory . a fast triggering and fast data - acquisition system ( capable of running at @xmath51 khz ) allowed for operating at a photon flux of a few times @xmath52 photons / s .
further details of clas can be found in ref .
the specific data set that we analyze in this work was collected in the summer of 2004 , during the clas `` @xmath53 '' run period .
roughly 20 billion triggers were recorded during this time , out of which only a small fraction corresponded to @xmath22 events .
each event trigger required a coincidence between the photon tagger master or ( mor ) and the clas level 1 trigger .
for each charged particle to trigger individually , a coincidence between the tof counter scintillator hit time and the start counter hit time for that particle was required . for the level 1 trigger to fire , two particles in two different sectors of clas ( `` two - prong '' trigger ) were required to trigger within a 150 ns coincidence time window .
the final requirement was a coincidence between the tagger mor and the start counter or within a timing window of 15 ns .
also , only the first 40 tagger counters ( corresponding to the higher end of the photon energy spectrum ) were included in the trigger . during offline processing , before any physics analysis began , the clas detector sub - systems had to be calibrated .
this included determining the relative offsets between the photon tagger , start counter and tof counter times , as well as calibration of the drift times in the drift chambers and the pulse heights of the tof scintillators .
energy and momentum corrections were made for individual particles to account for their energy and momentum losses during passage through several layers of the detector sub - systems .
corrections were also made to the incident photon energy ( @xmath54 ) to account for mechanical sagging in the tagger hodoscope .
a detailed discussion of the collection and calibration of this data set can be found in refs .
in the reaction @xmath55 , the @xmath19 subsequently decays as @xmath56 @xmath57 of the time .
the @xmath15 further decays into @xmath58 ( charged mode ) with a @xmath59 branching fraction and the rest of the time mostly into @xmath60 ( neutral mode ) .
since clas was optimized for detecting charged particles , we only use the charged decay mode of the @xmath15 in this analysis .
the `` three - track '' topology was then defined as @xmath61(@xmath4 ) , where all three final state charged particles were detected and the outgoing photon was reconstructed from the missing momentum using a 1-constraint kinematic fit to zero total missing mass .
this topology had a number of benefits .
for example , the @xmath15 decay vertex could be reconstructed from proton and @xmath62 tracking information , leading to better energy loss corrections for these particles .
although the detection of the @xmath62 helped in the overall event reconstruction for the three - track topology , it also led to a reduction in the acceptance .
negatively charged particles ( like @xmath62 ) were bent inwards toward the beam line , where the clas detector has its lowest acceptance . to circumvent the above problem
, we also examined the `` two - track '' topology , defined as @xmath63(@xmath6 ) , where only the @xmath2 and the proton were detected . with one less particle being detected ,
the acceptance was higher than in the three - track case , especially for the lower - energy and backward - angle regions .
the two - track topology thus allowed for differential cross section measurements to be made from energies close to the @xmath22 production threshold and to cover almost the entire range in @xmath64 .
data samples for both topologies were then binned in 10-mev - wide @xmath1 bins for further analysis .
.[table : pid_cuts ] list of cuts applied to the two topologies in this analysis .
the confidence level and @xmath39 removal cuts used kinematic fitting that required the @xmath62 to be detected and could be applied to the three - track topology only .
the total @xmath65 cut came from an additional constraint on @xmath66 for the two - track data set .
the fiducial volume cuts were applied to both topologies . [ cols="<,^,^ " , ]
the expansion of the production amplitude using partial - wave analysis ( pwa ) techniques in sec .
[ section : acc ] allows for an elegant way of extracting polarization observables for the three - track topology .
we first form the two - component wavefunction @xmath67 out of @xmath68 , suppressing the rest of the indices for the moment .
the density matrix is given by @xmath69 from which the expectation value of the @xmath19 spin in the direction normal to the production plane ( conventionally denoted by @xmath70 ) is obtained as @xmath71}{\mbox{tr}\left[\mathbf{\rho}\,\right ] } \nonumber \\ & = & \frac{\displaystyle\sum_{m_{i}m_{\gamma } } ( i a_{+m_{i}m_{\gamma}}a_{-m_{i}m_{\gamma}}^{\ast } - i a_{-m_{i}m_{\gamma}}a_{+m_{i}m_{\gamma}}^{\ast})}{\displaystyle \sum_{m_{i}m_{\gamma } } ( a_{+m_{i}m_{\gamma}}a_{+m_{i}m_{\gamma}}^{\ast } + a_{-m_{i}m_{\gamma}}a_{-m_{i}m_{\gamma}}^{\ast})}. \nonumber \\
\label{eqn : pol_p_sig_amps}\end{aligned}\ ] ] the @xmath72 and @xmath73 indices occur only in the @xmath19 decay part of the above amplitudes as a constant factor that cancels between the numerator and the denominator .
the @xmath19 decay portion of the full amplitude in eq . [ scat_exp ] can therefore be suppressed for @xmath36 extraction .
we first define what we mean by the `` helicity frame '' of a particle .
the helicity frame ( hf ) of any particle is given by an initial rotation that aligns its direction of motion along the @xmath74-axis , followed by a subsequent boost to its rest frame .
@xmath75 is then defined as the angle between the proton and the @xmath15 momenta , as measured in the @xmath15 helicity frame , while @xmath76 is the angle between the normal to the production plane ( assumed to be the @xmath77-axis ) and the @xmath15 direction , as measured in the @xmath19 helicity frame
. a pictorial description of these two angles is given in fig .
[ fig : pol_helicityframe ] . fig .
[ fig : pol_helicityframe]a shows @xmath78 reaction in the c.m
. frame , where the @xmath74-axis is along the beam direction and the @xmath77-axis is normal to the production plane . as mentioned in the introduction , if both the beam and target are unpolarized , as in the current experiment , parity considerations imply that the induced @xmath19 polarization can only be along the normal to the production plane .
this is shown by the bold arrow in red in fig .
[ fig : pol_helicityframe]a . to go the @xmath19 helicity frame from the c.m .
frame , we first rotate our system so that the @xmath19 momentum points along the @xmath74-axis and then perform a boost to the @xmath19 rest frame . fig .
[ fig : pol_helicityframe]b shows the @xmath56 decay in the @xmath19 helicity frame .
since the outgoing photon ( shown by the dotted arrow ) was not detected in our experiment , the polarization transfer from the @xmath19 to the @xmath15 is given by ( see ref .
@xcite for a derivation ) @xmath79 note that in terms of spin structure , the @xmath26 reaction is a * @xmath80 * decay , while eq .
[ eqn : pol_sigma_decay ] is obtained after averaging over the spin projections of the unobserved outgoing photon .
thus , there is a step of `` dilution '' in the accessible @xmath19 spin information that occurs here . in the next step
, we go to the @xmath15 helicity frame from the @xmath19 helicity frame by making a rotation that aligns the @xmath74-axis with the @xmath15 direction , followed by a boost to the @xmath15 rest frame . the @xmath81 decay ( see fig . [
fig : pol_helicityframe]c ) is a _ self - analyzing _ reaction .
that is , the @xmath15 polarization information is contained in the intensity distribution as @xmath82 where @xmath83 is the @xmath15 weak decay asymmetry @xcite . combining eqs .
[ eqn : pol_sigma_decay ] and [ eqn : pol_lambda_decay ] , the final intensity distribution is given as @xmath84 traditionally , the extraction of @xmath10 has been made using this intensity distribution .
in addition to the `` dilution '' mentioned earlier , a further step of `` dilution '' occurs if one does not have access to the @xmath15 momentum .
it can be shown ( see appendix a in ref .
@xcite ) that if the @xmath19-@xmath15 spin - transfer information is averaged over , then eq . [ eqn : pol_traditional ] is replaced by @xmath85 where @xmath86 is the angle between the outgoing proton s momentum and the normal to the @xmath22 production plane as measured in the @xmath19 helicity frame and @xmath87 is a `` dilution factor '' . since the @xmath62 from the @xmath15 decay
was not detected in the two - track topology , the @xmath15 momentum could not be reconstructed .
[ eqn : pol_traditional_2track ] applies instead of eq .
[ eqn : pol_traditional ] for the two - track topology .
figs . [ fig : dsig_2tr_3tr0 ] and [ fig : dsig_2tr_3tr1 ] show our differential cross section results separately for the two topologies .
the binning in @xmath1 is 10 mev and 0.1 in @xmath35for both cases .
the three - track results span from 1.80 gev to 2.84 gev in @xmath1 , while the two - track results start closer to the threshold at @xmath88 1.69 gev to 2.84 gev .
the higher acceptance also allows greater coverage of the backward - angles for the two - track analysis .
given the widely different analysis techniques employed for the two topologies , the agreement between the two results is significant .
the three - track analysis made use of a kinematic fitter and a pwa fit - based , weighted acceptance calculation method , neither of which was available for the two - track analysis .
the slight remaining differences between the two topologies are within the overall 10 - 11@xmath89 systematic uncertainties .
the consistency between results from the two topologies allow us to quote our final differential cross sections as the weighted mean according to @xmath90 where @xmath91 are the differential cross sections and @xmath92 are the associated statistical uncertainties for the two- and three - track results , respectively . here
, @xmath93 is an effective degree of correlation that takes into account the ratio between the total signal yields in the two data sets .
the statistical uncertainty on the mean value is given by @xmath94 the derivation of these expressions and the computation of @xmath95 can be found in ref .
@xcite .
[ fig : dsig_world_data0 ] and [ fig : dsig_world_data1 ] show the final differential cross sections for the present experiment , presented at 2089 kinematic points , in comparison with previously published high statistics measurements .
the latter consists of results from a previous clas experiment by bradford _
_ 2005 @xcite , a saphir analysis by glander _
2004 @xcite and a set of more recent forward - angle measurements using the leps detector by kohri _
2006 @xcite .
overall , there is good consistency among the different data sets .
there is a peak at @xmath96 gev prominent over the entire angular range . in the forward - angle bins ( @xmath97 )
, there seems to be an initial dip in the cross section just after the 1.9 gev peak and a subsequent rise , indicative of a smaller second peak around @xmath98 gev .
this feature was also pointed out in the previous clas analysis @xcite and is present in the latest leps data @xcite as well .
some notable localized discrepancies also occur between the different results .
chiefly , this pertains to the `` hump '' at backward - angles at @xmath99 gev seen in the previous clas results @xcite , but not prominent in the saphir data @xcite .
the present clas results , however , clearly confirm this structure .
in fact , the saphir differential cross sections seem to be generally lower ( or `` flatten out '' ) towards the backward - angles , as compared to clas results , for both @xmath22 and @xmath39 @xcite . generally speaking , for both hyperons , the two clas results are in very good agreement .
recent leps data for @xmath39 in the backward - angles @xcite also shows good agreement with the latest clas @xmath39 data @xcite .
so it is possible that the flattening out at backward - angles is due to some overall normalization issue in the saphir data .
we also note that in the two forward - most angular bins , the previous clas results @xcite showed an unphysical rise in the differential cross sections above @xmath100 gev , that was attributed to systematic uncertainties in the acceptance ( systematic uncertainties are not included in figs .
[ fig : dsig_world_data0 ] and [ fig : dsig_world_data1 ] ) .
the new results do not show this unphysical rise . as explained earlier in sec .
[ section : pol]b , going from eq .
[ eqn : pol_traditional ] ( three - track ) to eq .
[ eqn : pol_traditional_2track ] ( two - track ) represents a second step of dilution in the polarization extraction procedure .
this arises from the fact that the polarization transfer between @xmath15 and @xmath19 in the decay @xmath56 remains unknown for the two - track topology .
the effect of this dilution was studied @xcite by making use of the traditional method of extraction for the three - track topology and comparing the results from using eq .
[ eqn : pol_traditional ] to that from eq .
[ eqn : pol_traditional_2track ] . on the average
, the two results agreed very well , but the scatter in the polarization data from the diluted expression ( eq .
[ eqn : pol_traditional_2track ] ) was much larger .
quantitatively , by comparing the point - by - point ratios of the error bars , the uncertainties in the polarization extracted via eq .
[ eqn : pol_traditional_2track ] were found to be about 2.8 times larger than those via eq .
[ eqn : pol_traditional ] . to avoid this extra step of dilution inherent in the two - track topology ,
we have chosen to present @xmath36 results using the three - track data set wherever this is possible .
this covers the energy range 1.80 gev @xmath101 2.84 gev and the angular range -0.55 @xmath102 0.95 .
our @xmath35binning is 0.1 , the same as for the differential cross sections .
however , to bolster statistics , we bin wider in @xmath1 ( minimum 30-mev - wide bins ) and demand a minimum occupancy ( @xmath103-value weighted yields from sec . [ section : sig_bkgd ] ) of 200 events for every kinematic point at which a measurement is reported .
from our discussion in sec .
[ section : pol ] , recoil polarizations for the three - track topology can be extracted either by the intensity distribution expression , or by a more sophisticated partial - wave expansion method . fig .
[ fig : pol_pwa_intensity ] shows a comparison between the two methods .
the overall agreement is excellent , emphasizing the fact that the underlying physics extracted in both approaches was the same .
note that polarizations from the `` pwa '' method are constrained by eq .
[ eqn : pol_p_sig_amps ] to lie within the physical limits of @xmath104 , while the `` traditional '' method polarization results are not constrained in any such fashion .
we found that in some kinematic regions where the degree of induced @xmath19 polarization was sufficiently high , the `` traditional '' method sometimes gave @xmath10 values that were greater than unity . in all such cases
, the `` pwa '' method gave @xmath10 values that were close to but always smaller than unity , demonstrating the consistency among the two approaches .
the large number of parameters in the pwa fit led to certain difficulties in estimating the @xmath10 uncertainties from the `` pwa '' method .
given the large number of waves employed in our pwa fits , sometimes the waves interfered strongly amongst each other with only a small contribution to the final result .
however , the covariance matrix elements corresponding to these waves were typically non - zero and the accumulated contribution from such small but non - zero covariance matrix elements gave rise to unphysically large estimated uncertainties .
the uncertainties for the `` pwa '' method have therefore been obtained from the statistical spread between neighboring @xmath1 measurements for a given @xmath35bin .
a similar approach was also followed in two other previous clas analyses of the @xmath105 @xcite and @xmath18 @xcite photoproduction channels and found to give reasonable results .
( color online ) comparison of the three - track @xmath10 obtained from the partial - wave expansion approach of eq .
[ eqn : pol_p_sig_amps ] ( red squares ) and the more traditional intensity fit based approach of eq . [
eqn : pol_traditional ] ( blue triangles ) .
the agreement is excellent . at places where @xmath10 approaches unity ,
the intensity method polarizations tend to overshoot slightly .
the uncertainties for the pwa method are calculated indirectly from the statistical spread in the data , while the traditional method uncertainties directly come from the covariance matrix of a fit.,scaledwidth=45.0% ] the estimated uncertainties from the `` traditional '' method are simply the uncertainties obtained from unbinned maximum likelihood fits to the intensity distributions in sec .
[ section : pol]b . as shown in fig .
[ fig : pol_pwa_intensity ] the uncertainties from the two methods are comparable , demonstrating that the likelihood fit uncertainties faithfully represent the statistical spread in the data . in keeping with the internal consistency between the two methods , we report our final three - track recoil polarization measurements as follows .
the values of the polarizations are the ones from the `` pwa '' method while the statistical uncertainties are the uncertainties obtained from the `` traditional '' method .
we reiterate the fact here that the pwa expansion in eq .
[ scat_exp ] was specifically tuned to represent distributions in all kinematic variables , in particular , the intensity distributions given in sec .
[ section : pol]b .
therefore , the two methods are completely equivalent .
the advantage of the `` pwa '' method is that it yields values for @xmath10 that are within the physical limits , while it is easier to estimate the statistical uncertainties using the `` traditional '' method .
our systematic uncertainty for @xmath10 was estimated to be @xmath106 from an examination of the systematic difference between the two methods . unlike @xmath23 , @xmath10 is bound between @xmath107 , which is why we quote an absolute uncertainty here , instead of a relative percentage uncertainty . in the backward - angle and/or the near - threshold bins , where statistics are extremely limited for the three - track data set ,
the polarizations are presented from the two - track analysis . in general , @xmath10 , being an _ asymmetry _ measurement , is much more sensitive to the statistics than the differential cross sections .
this is especially true for the limited - statistics backward - angle / near - threshold bins .
therefore , we make a judicious choice when presenting the two - track polarization results , omitting measurements with unreasonably large error bars . in all
, we present 459 individual data points .
finally , we also point out that while re - binning the two - track data set in @xmath1 , we were careful that @xmath108 gev always lay on a bin edge .
since the three - track data sets extends from 1.8 gev onwards , this ensured that there was no kinematic overlap between results from the two topologies .
[ fig : psig_world_data_1 ] and [ fig : psig_world_data_2 ] show our final measurements in comparison with some earlier results from clas ( mcnabb _ et al .
_ , 2004 @xcite ) , saphir ( glander _ et al .
_ , 2004 @xcite ) and graal ( lleres _ et al .
_ , 2007 @xcite ) .
previous world data are generally sparse and the contribution from the present analysis brings wide improvements in kinematic coverage and precision .
it is noteworthy that all previous measurements of @xmath10 employed the diluted expression given by eq .
[ eqn : pol_traditional_2track ] .
since the majority of our polarization results come from the three - track data set that avoids this dilution , they represent an improvement not just in terms of greater statistical precision , but also in terms of an additional physics precision .
structures that were hinted at by earlier measurements are now mapped out in much greater detail . in the three angular bins @xmath109 , 0.5 and 0.7
, there are a few localized discrepancies between the present results and earlier clas measurements @xcite .
we are uncertain of the precise origin of these discrepancies , but given that the present analysis incorporates a vast improvement in statistical precision , makes use of more sophisticated analysis tools and have been checked for internal consistency , the present results supersede the earlier measurements by clas . for @xmath15 @xcite ( blue squares ) and @xmath19 ( red up - triangles ) photoproduction from proton and @xmath110 @xcite ( green down - triangles ) photoproduction from deuterium .
except for the extreme forward - angles , all three hyperon channels show a similar peak at @xmath111 gev .
, scaledwidth=48.0% ]
the most prominent feature in our differential cross section results is the peak at 1900 mev , visible over the entire angular range .
this is not a new feature by itself @xcite , but its interpretation in terms of @xmath112-channel baryon resonances has been highly controversial . in the introduction section , we pointed out several possible states , e.g. @xmath40 , @xmath41 , @xmath42 , claimed by different groups .
more recently , the bonn - gatchina group @xcite has claimed that a positive - parity @xmath113 state with a two - star rating in the pdg is able to account for features in both the differential cross section and polarization .
there is also a possibility that this structure might not be a `` resonance '' _ per se _ , but simply a strangeness threshold phenomenon .
the @xmath114-@xmath115 bound state mass representing the strangeness threshold is also around 1.9 gev and it has been shown by brodsky _
et al . _
@xcite that at low energies , via pure gluonic exchanges , qcd can give rise to an attractive van der waals force , so that @xmath114 and @xmath115 can indeed bind .
it is interesting to note that recent clas @xmath116 photoproduction data @xcite also show a prominent peak at around 1.9 gev .
[ fig : pinscaled ] shows the differential cross sections for the three hyperons @xmath15 , @xmath19 and @xmath110 at @xmath117 .
it was pointed out in a previous clas paper @xcite that @xmath118 scaled differential cross sections ( @xmath119 ) at @xmath120 also show a similar `` rise '' commencing from around 1.9 gev .
it is therefore possible that all these structures are connected to the same universal @xmath121 production threshold .
the structure at @xmath122 gev in the backward - angles is also quite interesting .
recently , the leps collaboration @xcite has published @xmath123 photoproduction results at backward - angles that show a bump - like structure in the differential cross sections at around @xmath124 gev .
the claim has been that the bump is absent in the @xmath125 , @xmath126 and @xmath127 channels , pointing towards the conjecture that it is due to some resonance that couples strongly to the strange sector ( the @xmath128 has a higher @xmath121 component than @xmath125 ) .
thus , it is possible that the structures seen in the @xmath128 and @xmath19 channels are related .
one of the long - standing issues in model calculations has been the contribution from background non - resonant processes .
the additional 300-mev coverage at the higher energy end provided by our results should be very useful in clearing up this issue . at high @xmath1 , where there are presumably few @xmath112-channel resonance contributions ,
@xmath8-channel processes are known to dominate at forward - angles . in the regge description , for high @xmath112 forward - scattering ,
the production amplitude should scale as @xmath129 , where the mandelstam variable @xmath8 denotes the exchange momentum squared and @xmath130 is the regge trajectory of the exchanged particle ( reggeon ) . since @xmath131 , @xmath132
is expected to scale as @xmath133 , where @xmath134 is an `` effective '' regge trajectory for multiple reggeon exchange .
such an @xmath135 ( signifying @xmath136 ) scaling was already seen at lower energies ( @xmath137 gev ) in the previous clas analysis by bradford _
et al . _
a very similar scaling phenomena is seen in the present data at the highest energies , as shown in fig .
[ fig : regge_scaling]a .
following guidal _
et al . _
@xcite , the previous clas paper @xcite also pointed out that if one assumes the @xmath8-channel processes to be dominated by @xmath2 and @xmath138 exchanges , the effective regge trajectory could be simply explained as @xmath139 for @xmath140 .
the guidal - laget - vanderhaeghen paper @xcite also pointed out that a similar scaling should be observed at high @xmath112 , @xmath141 ( backward - angle scattering ) .
however , previous world data did not have enough statistical precision at backward - angles to demonstrate this conclusively .
[ fig : regge_scaling]b shows the @xmath9-channel scaling behavior in the present analysis , as demonstrated by the strongly collimated peak as @xmath142 decreases .
we also found that an @xmath143 scaling worked better than @xmath135 here .
since the reggeons involved in @xmath9-channel exchanges are the @xmath15 s and @xmath144 s , @xmath145 at @xmath141 @xcite , which leads to a scaling power of @xmath146 .
therefore , it is possible that the scaling power is steeper than @xmath135 .
the overall trend of the polarization seems to be that @xmath10 is large and positive in the forward - angles and tends toward zero or negative values in the backward - angles .
many local structures are visible , especially in the backward - angle bins , possibly from resonance contributions , though the variations are smoother than seen in @xmath39 @xcite . in the static quark model ,
assuming an approximate @xmath12 symmetry @xcite , the spin - flavor configurations of the two hyperons are @xmath147 and @xmath148 .
therefore , it follows that @xmath149 .
a new feature that we see from the present results is that this prediction is explicitly broken in certain kinematic regions .
[ fig : klam_ksig_pol ] shows this for one region , where @xmath11 @xcite and @xmath10 are both non - zero and have the same sign .
similar features are visible in several other mid- and backward - angle bins , but not in any of the forward - angle bins . in other words ,
the @xmath12 prediction is not observed globally .
of course , @xmath12 is known to be a broken symmetry , and it is an interesting question by itself , as to why the @xmath13 prediction seems to hold at high @xmath1 and forward - angles .
a possible answer may lie in the fact that the static quark model assumes that the production mechanisms for both hyperons are the same .
this hypothesis no longer holds if @xmath43 resonances contribute to the @xmath22 production , and @xmath12 can be broken explicitly .
we have presented high statistics measurements of differential cross sections and recoil polarizations for the reaction @xmath0 from production threshold to @xmath150 gev with a wide angular coverage , using the clas detector at jefferson lab ( electronic versions of the data can be found in ref .
these new results significantly extend the previous @xmath22 world data on two separate fronts .
firstly , these precision polarization measurements will place additional constraints on future theoretical modeling of this reaction , and thereby help remove some of the ambiguities that presently plague this field .
we find that the @xmath12 prediction of @xmath13 is explicitly broken in some of the mid- and backward - angle bins , although it seems to be valid in the forward - angle bins .
a possible explanation could be that for certain kinematic regions , the @xmath18 and @xmath151 productions proceed via different reaction mechanisms ; however , this needs to be better understood .
secondly , the 300-mev extension in energy coverage improves our understanding of the role non - resonant processes play in the reaction mechanism .
our data demonstrate that there is a significant @xmath9-channel contribution for this reaction , and is consistent with @xmath9-channel regge exchanges of @xmath15 and @xmath144 hyperons .
the forward - angle region is mostly dominated by @xmath8-channel processes . in the mid- and backward - angle regions , @xmath112-channel and @xmath9-channel amplitudes
are expected to dominate , and these will interfere with each other .
therefore , it is important to cleanly separate the @xmath9-channel contribution before claiming the presence of any @xmath112-channel resonances . in a forthcoming work , we will present a coupled - channel partial - wave analysis incorporating the present work and the latest clas results for the @xmath39 @xcite and @xmath123/@xmath152 @xcite channels .
each of these reactions has a relatively high strangeness content and is therefore expected to couple to a similar set of @xmath112-channel resonances .
additionally , all four analyses come from same data set and use similar analysis techniques , which should better keep systematic uncertainties under control as well .
the authors thank the staff and administration of the thomas jefferson national accelerator facility who made this experiment possible .
this work was supported in part by the u.s .
department of energy ( under grant no .
de - fg02 - 87er40315 ) ; the national science foundation ; the italian istituto nazionale di fisica nucleare ; the french centre national de la recherche scientifique ; the french commissariat lenergie atomique ; the u.k .
research council , s.t.f.c . ; and the national research foundation of korea .
the southeastern universities research association ( sura ) operated jefferson lab under united states doe contract de - ac05 - 84er40150 during this work .
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metastases of solid tumors of the kidney are occasionally seen in terminally ill patients with disseminated cancer .
renal involvement by metastatic cancer ranges from 3 to 8% based on autopsy series [ 1 , 2 ] .
secondary renal neoplasms are typically identified in the tubulointerstitial compartment , whereas intraglomerular seeding by metastatic cells is seldom observed . existing literature on intraglomerular metastasis is primarily based on autopsy findings [ 313 ] , and only rarely has this lesion been identified in kidney biopsies [ 1416 ] .
we report here a case of metastatic intraglomerular carcinoma of penile origin diagnosed on a needle - core biopsy in a patient with acute renal failure .
in addition to the acute tubulointerstitial nephritis responsible for the patient 's renal dysfunction , we found a microscopic focus of metastatic intraglomerular carcinoma which mimicked a focally crescentic glomerulonephritis .
immunohistochemical studies confirmed the neoplastic nature of these cells and established the diagnosis of metastasis .
our experience with this case is a reminder that micrometastatic carcinoma should be included in the differential diagnosis of atypical glomerular crescents .
a 62-year - old man with type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension presented with generalized weakness .
the patient had undergone partial penectomy 5 months earlier for a mass , which was diagnosed histologically as squamous cell carcinoma , moderately to well differentiated , condylomatous subtype .
the neoplasm involved the entire glans and distal part of the urethra , with up to 1.5 cm depth of invasion ( stage t3 ) .
laboratory data on admission were significant for hypercalcemia with a serum calcium of 13.4 mg / dl ( 3.35 mmol / l ) and increased serum creatinine at 2.3 mg / dl ( 203.3 mol / l ) .
urinalysis showed ph 5 , 2 + proteinuria and granular casts ( 24/low - power field ) .
a computed tomographic scan revealed lymphadenopathy in mediastinum , inguinal regions and external iliac lymph nodes .
bone scintigraphy showed increased uptake in the skull , ribs , shoulders , vertebral bones and left sacroiliac joint , consistent with metastasis .
the hypercalcemia was treated with intravenous fluid and bisphosphonate , with significant improvement . however , the patient 's serum creatinine rapidly increased to 8.1 mg / dl ( 716 mol / l ) in 2 weeks .
microscopic examination showed acute interstitial nephritis characterized by diffuse interstitial edema and infiltration by mononuclear and polymorphonuclear leukocytes including neutrophils .
one of the glomeruli was partially obliterated by a proliferative epithelial lesion with crescent - like features involving the capillary tuft and adjacent urinary space ( figure 1a and b ) .
epithelial cells comprising this lesion were cytologically atypical and showed feature suggestive of squamous differentiation including the eosinophilic cytoplasm , distinct cell borders and occasional intercellular bridges .
many of these cells had large irregular nuclei , and prominent eosinophilic nucleoli ( figure 1a and b ) .
occasional mitotic figures and apoptotic bodies were also identified ( figure 1a ) . the glomerular capillary involved with this lesion was markedly distended and completely filled by atypical epithelial cells .
a review of the partial penectomy specimen , previously diagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma , showed a strong similarity between the cancer cells of the primary neoplasm and the atypical epithelial cells found in the kidney biopsy ( data not shown ) . taken together with the squamous features of the intraglomerular epithelial cells , this finding was most suggestive of glomerular involvement by metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the penile origin .
( a ) cluster of neoplastic cells within a markedly distended capillary loop and adjacent urinary space .
neoplastic cells have abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm , distinct cell borders and large nuclei with prominent nucleoli .
( b ) a different level section of the same glomerulus shows neoplastic cells with polygonal to elongated shapes within the urinary space ( jones ' silver stain 60 ) .
( c ) immunoperoxidase stain for ck5 shows diffuse cytoplasmic positivity of neoplastic cells ( 60 ) .
( d ) immunoperoxidase stain for p63 specifically highlights the nuclei of neoplastic cells ( 60 ) .
( a ) cluster of neoplastic cells within a markedly distended capillary loop and adjacent urinary space .
neoplastic cells have abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm , distinct cell borders and large nuclei with prominent nucleoli .
( b ) a different level section of the same glomerulus shows neoplastic cells with polygonal to elongated shapes within the urinary space ( jones ' silver stain 60 ) .
( c ) immunoperoxidase stain for ck5 shows diffuse cytoplasmic positivity of neoplastic cells ( 60 ) .
( d ) immunoperoxidase stain for p63 specifically highlights the nuclei of neoplastic cells ( 60 ) .
immunohistochemical studies were performed to confirm the squamous differentiation and neoplastic nature of the intraglomerular proliferative epithelial lesion .
the atypical intraglomerular epithelial cells were positive for cytokeratin ( ck ) 5 ( ep1601y , cell marque ; figure 1c ) and p63 ( bc4a4 , cell marque ; figure 1d ) , markers of squamous cell carcinoma [ 17 , 18 ] , and negative for wt1 ( 6f - h2 , dako , podocyte marker ) , ck8 ( 35bh11 , cell marque , parietal epithelial cell marker ) and cd31 ( jc/70a , dako , endothelial marker ) ( data not shown ) .
atypical cells with similar cytologic and immunoreactive features were identified within the urinary space of an additional glomerulus ( data not shown ) . based on the histologic and immunohistochemical findings
the patient 's clinical condition deteriorated despite supportive care , including dialysis , to the extent that systemic chemotherapy could not be administered .
the patient was kept on palliative care until his demise 3 weeks after the kidney biopsy .
penile carcinoma is a rare malignancy in the usa and europe , whereas it is more common in african and south american countries .
penile squamous cell carcinoma includes low - grade tumors such as warty and papillary carcinomas , and basaloid and sarcomatoid carcinomas which have a worse prognosis .
warty variants of squamous cell carcinoma can occasionally behave aggressively and metastasize as seen in our case .
overall , systemic dissemination occurs in one - fourth of the patients . according to an autopsy study by chaux et al .
, kidneys are the fifth most common site of metastasis of penile squamous cell carcinoma following the liver , lungs , lymph nodes and heart . however , intraglomerular metastasis of penile carcinoma , to our knowledge , has never been reported , particularly on the kidney biopsy .
intraglomerular metastases occur in 67% cases of metastatic carcinoma of the kidney [ 6 , 8 , 10 ] , but the existing literature is primarily based on autopsy studies .
clinicopathologic findings in cases of intraglomerular metastasis , including our patient , are summarized in table 1 [ 316 , 23 , 24 ] .
reported cases include 34 patients ranging from 14 to 88 years old with a mean age of 57 .
there is a slight male predilection with a male - to - female ratio of 1.8:1 .
nine out of 18 ( 50% ) patients had proteinuria , including one case of nephrotic syndrome . seven out of 19 ( 37% ) patients had hematuria .
four out of 11 ( 36% ) patients , including ours , presented with elevated serum creatinine .
renal insufficiency in our patient , however , was most likely due to acute interstitial nephritis and not metastatic cancer . thirteen cases ( 50% ) had macroscopic and/or radiographic evidence of kidney metastasis . the vast majority of patients presented with multiple distant metastases .
the most common cancers associated with intraglomerular metastases were lung ( eight cases , 29% ) and breast ( four cases , 14% ) .
the vast majority of cases were diagnosed on autopsy and only four cases were identified on needle - core biopsies . the prognosis is dismal in cases diagnosed on the kidney biopsy , as all patients died within 3 months with a mean survival of 28 weeks .
table 1.clinicopathologic features of intraglomerular metastasesauthor(s)yearnagesexprimary malignancy ( site)diagnostic sourcemacroscopic or radiographic evidence of kidney metastasesother sites of metastasestime of death after the diagnosisproteinuriahematuriaserum creatininelauterburg 1917538flungautopsyyesadrenals , liver , lung , lymph nodes , bone , thyroidnananananaflungautopsyyesnonenananana48flungautopsyyesbrain , lymph nodesnananana57fbreastautopsyyesadrenals , liver , lungs , lymph nodes , bonesnanananananabreastnephrectomynanananananamariconda 1927169fmelanoma , skinautopsynoadrenal capsule , bladder , heart , lymph nodes , liver , spleen , stomachnanayes ( gross)nawuketich 1960150fmelanoma , skinautopsyyesbrain , esophagus , intestines , liver , lungs , myocardium , skin , stomach , spleennayesyesnagalloway and ray 1964148mrenal cell ca , kidneyautopsynaadrenal , brain , heart , liver , lungnanonoelevated ( 8.9 mg / dl)ross 1966168msquamous cell ca , lungautopsyyeslymph nodesnanananawagle et al .
19755nananaautopsynanananananadatta 1978160madeno ca , lungautopsynoadrenal , liver , lymph nodesnanananabelghiti et al . 1984245mca , naneedle biopsynobone3 monthsyes ( 1.52 g / day)yes ( 1/hpf)normal58fadeno ca , ovaryautopsynoadrenals , liver , lungs , lymph nodes , pericardium , pleurananononatoth 1987761mepidermoid ca , bronchusautopsynobones , lymph nodesnayesnona56msquamous cell ca , esophagusautopsynolungs , lymph nodes , pancreasnayesnona69moat cell ca , bronchusautopsyyesadrenal , brain , lymph nodes , pancreasnanonona67mepidermoid ca , bronchusautopsyyeslungs , lymph nodesnanonona50mtubular ca , breastautopsyyesepidermis , liver , lymph nodesnanonona58fductal ca , breastautopsyyesliver , lymph nodesnanonona70madeno ca , pancreasautopsyyeslungs , lymph nodesnanononasarma and simmons 1989153mpapillary ca , thyroidautopsynoadrenals , bones , liver , lungs , lymph nodes , mediastinum , omentum , prostatenayes ( trace)yes ( trace)normalmelato et al .
1995188madeno ca , lungautopsynonanayes ( 7.8 g / day)yes ( 510/hpf)elevated ( 1.9 mg / dl)sridevi et al .
1999347msquamous cell ca , lungautopsyyesadrenals , brainnanononormal42madeno ca , pancreasautopsyyesadrenal , gallbladder , heart , liver , lungs , lymph nodesnayes ( trace)nonormal14mmesothelioma , lungautopsynoadrenals , liver , lung , lymph nodesnananormalyokoi et al .
2001160madeno ca , pancreasneedle biopsy / autopsynoepicardium , lungs , peritoneum , pleura46 daysyes ( 0.4 g / day)yes ( 1020/hpf)normalozluk et al . 2011164fmelanoma , skinneedle biopsynononenayes ( 3.1 g / day)yes ( 45/hpf)elevated ( 2.8 mg / dl)current case2012162msquamous cell ca , penisneedle biopsynobones , liver , lungs , lymph nodes3 weeksnonoelevated ( 5.0 mg / dl)ca , carcinoma .
clinicopathologic features of intraglomerular metastases although intraglomerular metastases are rarely seen on the kidney biopsy , their occurrence may pose significant diagnostic challenges .
intracapillary metastatic carcinoma must be distinguished from intravascular large b cell lymphoma , formerly known as angioendotheliomatosis [ 25 , 26 ] .
this can be accomplished by staining for markers of leukocyte / lymphoid differentiation , such as cd45 and cd20 [ 25 , 26 ] , which are expressed by lymphomatous cells but not by carcinoma cells . in the extracapillary type of intraglomerular metastasis
distinction between neoplastic involvement of the urinary space and crescentic proliferation or tubular metaplasia of the parietal epithelium is relatively straightforward since cellular crescents and metaplastic lesions do not show frank nuclear atypia ( nuclear enlargement , hyperchromasia , irregular chromatin distribution , prominent nucleoli ) .
mitotic activity is an additional feature of metastatic carcinoma , but crescents may also exhibit mitotic figures .
in addition , metastatic cancer cells adhere to and cover the parietal epithelium , as seen in our case , while metaplastic tubular epithelial cells characteristically replace it .
definite evidence of neoplastic involvement of the urinary space is ultimately obtained by immunohistochemistry . in our case , we were able to unequivocally establish the diagnosis of intraglomerular metastatic squamous cell carcinoma by immunostaining the biopsy for p63 and ck5 , highly specific and sensitive markers of squamous cell carcinoma [ 17 , 18 ] .
immunoperoxidase staining with antibodies directed against these markers specifically highlighted the neoplastic cells ( figure 1c and d ) .
the mechanisms responsible for the intraglomerular trapping and growth of metastatic cancer cells are unclear .
as seen in our patient , the majority of reported cases show glomerulocentric distribution of the cancer cells with little involvement of the tubulointerstitium .
the entrapment of circulating neoplastic cells within glomerular capillaries is followed by lysis of the glomerular capillary walls and spread of the cancer cells through the urinary stream .
the seeding of circulating neoplastic cells in the glomerular capillaries may be mediated by mechanical factors ( reduced blood flow , filtration pressure , size of tumor cells or tumor emboli ) , paracrine / trophic stimuli and adhesive interactions between neoplastic cells and endothelial cells .
given the terminal nature of the renal arterial tree and the topography of glomeruli which are interposed between two arteriolar vessels , one may argue that hematogenous renal metastases should always originate from glomerular tumor emboli which would subsequently grow and spread into the tubulointerstitial compartment . according to autopsy studies
[ 6 , 8 , 10 ] , however , renal metastases predominantly involve the renal stroma and capsule and are rarely seen within glomeruli
. this would suggest that glomerular capillaries are a minor route for the intrarenal spread of metastatic cancer .
it remains unclear , however , why glomeruli are often spared by the metastatic process given their upstream location in relation to the peritubular capillary plexus through which metastatic cancer cells eventually invade the peritubular interstitium . in conclusion , we have presented a rare case of intraglomerular metastasis detected as an incidental finding in a medical renal biopsy performed for evaluation of renal failure .
this is , to our knowledge , the first case of intraglomerular metastasis from penile squamous cell carcinoma .
awareness of this rare finding is critical for accurate histopathologic diagnosis in patients presenting with concurrent renal dysfunction and metastatic cancer disease .
intraglomerular metastases are distinguished from reactive proliferative lesions of the parietal epithelium based on their cytologic atypia and immunoreactivity for specific cell markers .
the prognosis in these cases is extremely poor as intraglomerular metastases are characteristically found in association with widely disseminated malignancy . | pubmed |
we use bondy and murty @xcite for terminology and notations not defined here .
let @xmath1 be a simple graph with @xmath2 vertices and @xmath7 edges .
the _ cyclomatic number _ of a connected graph @xmath1 is defined as @xmath8 .
a graph @xmath1 with @xmath9 is called a _
@xmath10-cyclic graph_. in particular , for @xmath11 or @xmath12 we call @xmath1 a tree , unicyclic , bicyclic or tricyclic graph , respectively
. denote by @xmath13 the maximum degree of a graph .
the eigenvalues @xmath14 of the adjacency matrix @xmath15 of @xmath1 are said to be the eigenvalues of the graph @xmath1 .
the @xmath16 of @xmath1 is defined as @xmath17 for several classes of graphs it has been demonstrated that the energy exceeds the number of vertices ( see , @xcite ) . in 2007 , nikiforov @xcite showed that for almost all graphs , @xmath18 thus the number of graphs satisfying the condition @xmath19 is relatively small . in @xcite ,
a @xmath20 graph is defined to be a ( connected ) graph satisfying @xmath19 .
gutman et al .
@xcite gave results on hypoenergetic trees .
you and liu @xcite studied hypoenergetic unicyclic and bicyclic graphs .
you , liu and gutman @xcite considered hypoenergetic tricyclic and @xmath10-cyclic graphs . in @xcite , the present authors showed that there exist hypoenergetic @xmath10-cyclic graphs of order @xmath2 and maximum degree @xmath13 for all ( suitable large ) @xmath2 and @xmath13 ; and for @xmath21 there exist hypoenergetic unicyclic , bicyclic and tricyclic graphs for all @xmath2 except very few small values of @xmath2 . for hypoenergetic graphs with @xmath6
, we have the following results .
@xcite[lem1.1 ] there exist only four hypoenergetic trees with @xmath6 , dipicted in figure [ fig1 ] .
( 1592.3 , 330.9)(0,0 ) ( 0,0).,title="fig : " ] ( 40.00,60.93 ) ( 206.6 , 82.6)[l ] @xmath22 ( 335.53,52.15 ) ( 206.6 , 82.6)[l ] @xmath23 ( 727.62,49.22 ) ( 206.6 , 82.6)[l ] @xmath24 ( 1286.50,37.52 ) ( 124.0 , 82.6)[l ] @xmath25 @xcite[lem1.2 ] let @xmath1 be a graph of order @xmath2 with at least @xmath2 edges and with no isolated vertices .
if @xmath1 is quadrangle - free and @xmath26 , then @xmath27 . in @xcite majstorovi et al .
proposed the following conjecture , which is the first half of their conjecture 3.7 .
@xcite[con1.3 ] complete bipartite graph @xmath4 is the only hypoenergetic connected quadrangle - containing graph with @xmath6 .
it follows from lemma [ lem1.2 ] that conjecture [ con1.3 ] is equivalent to the following result .
[ thm1.4 ] @xmath4 is the only hypoenergetic connected cyclic graph with @xmath6
. we will give a proof of theorem [ thm1.4 ] in the next section .
therefore , combining lemma [ lem1.1 ] , we obtain [ thm1.5 ] @xmath28 ( see figure [ fig1 ] ) and @xmath4 are the only hypoenergetic connected graphs with @xmath6 .
the following two lemmas are need in the sequel .
* proof of theorem [ thm1.4 ] : * notice that @xmath4 is hypoenergetic by lemma [ lem2.1 ] .
let @xmath1 be a connected cyclic graph with @xmath32 , @xmath6 and @xmath33 . in the following we show that @xmath1 is non - hypoenergetic by induction on @xmath34 .
it follows from lemma [ lem2.1 ] that the result is true if @xmath35 .
we assume that @xmath1 is non - hypoenergetic for @xmath36 .
now let @xmath1 be a graph with @xmath37 . in the following we will repeatedly make use of the following claim : for convenience , we call an edge cut @xmath29 of @xmath1 a _ good edge cut _ if @xmath29 satisfies the conditions in claim 1 . in
what follows , we use @xmath44 to denote the graph obtained from @xmath1 by repeatedly deleting the pendent vertices . clearly , @xmath45 . denote by @xmath46 the edge connectivity of @xmath44 . since @xmath47 , we have @xmath48 .
therefore , we only need to consider the following three cases .
let @xmath50 be a cut edge of @xmath44 .
then @xmath51 has exactly two components , say , @xmath52 and @xmath53 .
it is clear that @xmath54 , @xmath55 and @xmath56 .
consequently , @xmath57 has exactly two components @xmath38 and @xmath39 with @xmath58 , @xmath59 and @xmath60 , where @xmath61 is a subgraph of @xmath62 for @xmath63 .
if neither @xmath38 nor @xmath39 is isomorphic to @xmath4 , then we are done by claim 1 .
otherwise , by symmetry we assume that @xmath64
. then @xmath1 must have the structure as given in figure [ fig2 ] ( a ) .
now , let @xmath65 .
then @xmath31 has exactly two components @xmath66 and @xmath67 , where @xmath66 is a quadrangle and @xmath67 is a graph obtained from @xmath39 by adding a pendent edge .
therefore we have that @xmath68 and @xmath69 , and so we are done by claim 1 .
therefore , @xmath31 has exactly two components @xmath38 and @xmath39 with @xmath58 , @xmath59 and @xmath78 , where @xmath61 is a subgraph of @xmath62 for @xmath63 .
if neither @xmath38 nor @xmath39 is isomorphic to @xmath4 , then we are done by claim 1 .
otherwise , by symmetry we assume that @xmath64
. then @xmath1 must have the structure as given in figure [ fig2 ] ( b ) .
now , let @xmath79 .
then it is easy to see that @xmath80 is a good edge cut .
the proof is thus complete .
therefore , @xmath31 has exactly two components @xmath38 and @xmath39 with @xmath81 and @xmath82 , where @xmath61 is a subgraph of @xmath62 for @xmath63 .
if @xmath83 and @xmath84 , then we are done by claim 1 .
so we assume that this is not true .
we only need to consider the following five cases .
let @xmath86 , @xmath87 and @xmath88 .
it is clear that @xmath89 or @xmath90 . if @xmath89 , let @xmath91 ( see figure [ fig3 ] ( a ) , where @xmath92 may be equal to @xmath93 )
let @xmath94 .
then @xmath95 has exactly two components @xmath66 and @xmath67 , where @xmath66 is a graph obtained from @xmath38 by deleting a pendent vertex and @xmath67 is a tree of order @xmath90 .
therefore , @xmath96 .
if @xmath97 , then we are done by claim 1 . otherwise , @xmath1 must be the graph as given in figure [ fig3 ] ( c ) .
it is easy to see that @xmath98 is a good edge cut .
if @xmath103 , let @xmath104 ( see figure [ fig3 ] ( b ) , where one of @xmath92 and @xmath101 may be equal to @xmath93 ) . let @xmath105 .
then @xmath95 has exactly two components @xmath66 and @xmath67 such that @xmath66 is a graph obtained from @xmath38 by deleting a vertex of degree @xmath90 and @xmath67 is a tree of order @xmath90 .
therefore , @xmath106 .
if @xmath107 , then we are done by claim 1 . otherwise , @xmath1 must be the graph as given in figure [ fig3 ] ( d ) .
it is easy to see that @xmath98 is a good edge cut .
if @xmath70 , @xmath71 are incident with a common vertex in @xmath39 , then @xmath1 must have the structure as given in figure [ fig4 ] ( a ) . similar to the proof of subsubcase 2.2.1 , we can obtain that there exists an edge cut @xmath80 such that @xmath95 has exactly two components @xmath66 and @xmath67 satisfying that @xmath96 if @xmath89 or @xmath106 if @xmath103 and @xmath67 is a path of order @xmath109 .
if @xmath107 , then we are done by claim 1 .
otherwise @xmath1 must be the graph as given in figure [ fig4 ] ( d ) or ( e ) . in the former case
@xmath110 is a good edge cut while in the latter case @xmath98 is a good edge cut .
if @xmath70 , @xmath71 are incident with two different vertices in @xmath39 , then @xmath1 must have the structure as given in figure [ fig4 ] ( b ) or ( c ) .
it is easy to see that @xmath111 is a good edge cut .
the proof is thus complete .
there exists an edge cut @xmath80 such that @xmath95 has exactly two components @xmath66 and @xmath67 satisfying that @xmath96 if @xmath89 or @xmath106 if @xmath103 and @xmath67 is a tree of order @xmath115 .
if @xmath107 , then we are done by claim 1 .
otherwise @xmath1 is the graph as given in figure [ fig5 ] ( c ) or ( d ) . in the former case
@xmath110 is a good edge cut while in the latter case @xmath98 is a good edge cut .
if @xmath70 , @xmath71 are incident with two different vertices in @xmath39 , then @xmath1 must have the structure as given in figure [ fig5 ] ( b ) .
it is easy to see that @xmath116 is a good edge cut .
the proof is thus complete .
similar to the proof of subsubcase 2.2.1 , we can obtain that there exists an edge cut @xmath80 such that @xmath95 has exactly two components @xmath66 and @xmath67 satisfying that @xmath96 if @xmath89 or @xmath106 if @xmath103 and @xmath67 is a tree of order @xmath118 .
if @xmath107 , then we are done by claim 1 . otherwise , @xmath1 is the graph as given in figure [ fig6 ] ( e ) or ( f ) . in the former case
@xmath110 is a good edge cut while in the latter case @xmath98 is a good edge cut .
if @xmath70 , @xmath71 are incident with two different vertices in @xmath39 , then @xmath1 must have the structure as given in figure [ fig6 ] ( b ) , ( c ) or ( d ) .
it is easy to see that @xmath116 is a good edge cut .
the proof is thus complete .
it is easy to see that @xmath1 must have the structure as given in figure [ fig7 ] ( a ) or ( b ) .
let @xmath79 .
then @xmath95 has exactly two components @xmath66 and @xmath67 , where @xmath66 is a quadrangle and @xmath67 is obtained from @xmath39 by adding a pendent edge .
if @xmath120 , then we are done by claim 1 . otherwise , since @xmath121 and @xmath122 , @xmath1 must be isomorphic to the graph as given in figure [ fig3 ] ( c ) or figure [ fig7 ] ( c ) , ( d ) , ( e ) or ( f ) .
in the first case we are done while in the other cases @xmath123 is a good edge cut .
the proof is thus complete .
if neither @xmath38 nor @xmath39 is isomorphic to @xmath4 , then we are done by claim 1 .
otherwise , by symmetry we assume that @xmath130
. then @xmath1 must have the structure as given in figure [ fig8 ] ( a ) .
let @xmath133 .
then we have @xmath134 .
therefore , @xmath135 , i.e. , @xmath136 . let @xmath86 , @xmath87 , @xmath88 and @xmath137 . let @xmath138 ( see figure [ fig8 ] ( b ) ) .
let @xmath139 .
then @xmath95 has exactly two components @xmath66 and @xmath67 , where @xmath66 is a graph obtained from @xmath38 by deleting a vertex of degree @xmath90 and @xmath67 is a tree of order @xmath90 .
therefore , @xmath140 .
it is easy to check that @xmath107 .
if @xmath66 is a tree , then we have @xmath141 , since @xmath142 .
therefore , we are done by claim 1 . | arxiv |
One Piece Uncoditional
**A/N: **This is my OPSecretValentinue tumblr even submission for dontdierobb. I wanted to preface that this is a trans fem!Sanji, with reference to trans Usopp and trans Zoro. It also makes subtle mention to top surgery. If any of the above subjects make you uncomfortable or are triggering, please take caution with this.
* * *
Sanji smirks around her cigarette as she steps into the crowd of Sabaody Archipelago. After two long, grueling years full of training and growth, she's excited to finally be back and reuniting with her crew. A slight tinge of nervousness courses through her body as she puffs away, shuffling through the throngs of people. She knows her crewmates are open-minded but she can't help but feel a slight anxiety over seeing them and more importantly, them seeing her and her changes.
She know it's silly to fret – no one bats an eye at Usopp or Zoro – but a small voice of apprehension in the back of her mind reminds her that they came on the crew already transitioned. It's all anyone's ever known. But deep down, she knows it'll be okay. Luffy is the most open and accepting pirate captain she's ever come across – not like those others who won't even allow women on their crews. Nodding to herself, her worries thwarted for the time being, she sets off in the direction of the meeting place.
Arriving in front of Shakky's Rip-Off Bar, she pauses at the entrance for a second to shake the tension out of her limbs. Pushing the door open, she feels both disappointed and relieved that the only people waiting to greet her are Shakky and Rayleigh. The latter looks up from his newspaper and grins wide, motioning for Sanji to come in.
"Welcome back, Sanji. Looks like you're the seventh one to arrive," the dark-haired bar owner greets her from her position at the counter, already pouring three drinks. Sanji smiles and enters the room, shrugging the hefty bag she'd been toting around onto the floor. Sitting on one of the bar stools, she graciously accepts both the drink and lit match Shakky offers.
"Thanks, it feels surreal to be back. Have you seen Luffy yet?"
"No word on Luffy," Rayleigh answers as he sets down his newspaper to join them at the bar, taking a swig from the cup Shakky slid to him, "Zoro was the first one here. Franky showed up about ten days ago and he's already gone to fix up the Sunny. Everyone else has been trickling in."
"You're telling me that shitty swordsman was the first one here?" Sanji asks incredulously. The idiot doesn't know the difference between North and up. She suspects the oaf must have had some help. Realizing the second bit of information Rayleigh just gave, she turns to him and raises a delicate, curled eyebrow, "The Sunny's okay?"
"Ah, yes. Someone made sure of that," Shakky chuckles before a bandaged and battered Duval appears from the back of the bar. Sanji's eyes widen in surprise, both shocked at the state of his appearance as well as just he sheer fact that he's even here.
"You mean…?"
"Yes, Young Ma-… er, Young Misstress? The Fight Fish Riders and I fought hard to keep your ship safe," Duval beams. Sanji laughs out a 'thank you' which causes Duval to wink and ask, "What was that? Did you say I'm handsome?"
The four of them laugh and carry on for a little while longer before Sanji sighs and bids them farewell, needing to get some food supplies before its time for the crew to leave. At the door Shakky hugs the blonde tightly and whispers in her ear, "Don't be nervous. You look beautiful."
In that instant, any lingering fear or worry vanishes from Sanji's mind and she smiles and waves goodbye, setting off to the market place for Food. She keeps her eyes peeled for any of her comrades as she shops through the various vendors and food stands. With no sign of anyone familiar, she decides to grab some fish before heading back to the ship.
…
After a series of unfortunate events, which started with running into the idiotic swordsman of all people and ended with the two of them running to ship while being chased by marines, Sanji feels almost a sense of normalcy has blanketed her and her crewmates.
Except, as she dreaded, she feels a sense of tension on the ship and she has a feeling it may be due to her appearance. Lighting a cigarette calmly, she takes a puff and opens her mouth to explain but before she is able to, she feels a body slam into her from behind and wrap her in a big hug.
"Sanji! You look so awesome. Can I have your bunk when you move to the girls' room?"
"Oi – why do you need two bunks?" Zoro grumbles, crossing his arms and glaring at Luffy. It's a reasonable question, considering both that Luffy shouldn't need two bunks and also before everything happened, the two of them were sleeping together every night. Sanji briefly wonders for a moment how the two year separation affected Zoro. When they met up with each other there were some eyebrows raised – Zoro's at the sight of Sanji's new rack and Sanji's at the sight of Zoro's barren, open chest adorned with two new small scars, one under each pectoral.
"Girls' room?" Sanji asks, suddenly remembering what Luffy just shouted in her ear. She manages to shove the energetic captain off and into Zoro, who seems more than eager to accept the rubberman in his arms despite his scowl.
"Well, yeah, you're a girl, right? You can do whatever you want but I just figured you'd wanna sleep in the girls' room…" Luffy answers as he scratches his head in consideration.
Sanji blinks at Luffy's bluntness before moving her gaze to Nami and Robin, who just smile at him. Nami shrugs, "If you want – we have space."
The blonde nods and smiles, warmth pooling in her chest over the love she feels from her nakama and the feeling of contentment of being back with them. Everyone continues their chit-chatting with one another, looking over the Sunny and telling stories of where they'd landed. As soon as Sanji hears Luffy start whining about food, she makes her way to the galley to show off her new cooking skills.
Looking through the items she purchased earlier in the day, her shoulders tense at the sound of the galley door opening. Assuming it's Zoro asking for booze, she turns to show him exactly how badly getting kicked with a high heeled pump can hurt but stops when she spies Usopp at the door instead.
He's smiling nervously, all his earlier confidence when bragging about fighting off monsters on an island that eats people is completely faded away. He's staring sheepishly at the floor, refusing to meet Sanji's eye. Sanji takes the opportunity to study their long-noised sniper. The two years of training really did him well – he gained some muscle mass and his jaw squared out even more. It makes her smile knowing he's succeeding at his goal of becoming manly and stronger.
Tapping her heel on the floor impatiently, she pulls her cigarettes out of her bra and lights one before asking, "What do you need, Usopp?"
"Oh, uh, nothing," he starts, rubbing the back of his neck before dropping his shoulders and finally looking up to meet Sanji's eyes, "I just wanted to tell you that Luffy is right – you do look awesome. Beautiful, in fact."
"Take a seat and tell me more of your stories. I'll get you a snack."
Usopp's expression changes from nervous to elated, most likely due to getting a snack and having his compliment accepted. He sits on one of the stools by the counter and immediately starts telling Sanji his tales of his training. As Sanji continues cooking and listening along, she can't help but notice that for the first time in a long time, everything feels right.
End file.
| fanfiction |
the spontaneous breaking of a continuous symmetry in a magnetically ordered state implies the existence of goldstone modes .
thus , the low - energy spin wave dispersions of ferromagnets and commensurate antiferromagnets are universal they can be deduced from simple symmetry arguments and the description does not depend on microscopic details @xcite . in ferromagnets , where the order parameter is a conserved quantity , the resulting spin waves have a quadratic dispersion while in antiferromagnets the superposition of the normal modes of the sublattices leads to the well - known linear dispersion at low energies @xcite .
+ in recent years complex forms of magnetic order related to weak chiral interactions of non - centrosymmetric systems , also referred to as dzyaloshinsky - moriya ( dm ) interaction attract great interest .
systems in which dm interactions play an important role include multiferroics @xcite , the parent compounds of the high - temperature superconductors @xcite , thin magnetic films ( mn on a w substrate , or fe on a ir substrate @xcite ) , heavy fermion superconductors @xcite and even itinerant - electron magnets , like mnsi , which displays a skyrmion lattice at ambient pressure @xcite and an extended non - fermi liquid resistivity at high pressures@xcite . as dm interactions are of growing importance in non - centrosymmetric systems this raises the question for any universal properties of the spin excitations in systems with weak chiral interactions .
+ helimagnetic order is very well established in systems with magnetic frustration such as rare earth elements like tb or ho .
an excellent experimental and theoretical account has been given by jensen and mackintosh @xcite , but excitation spectra perpendicular to the magnetic propagation vector have not been studied before .
in addition it has long been appreciated that helimagnetic order due to frustration differs fundamentally from helimagnetic order due to dm interactions.@xcite the work on frustrated magnets has been contrasted by studies of the tetragonal system ba@xmath0cuge@xmath0o@xmath1 @xcite , in which the influence of dm interactions on the excitation spectra has been addressed . however , ba@xmath0cuge@xmath0o@xmath1 orders antiferromagnetically on local length scales . due to the much stiffer spectrum of an antiferromagnet compared to a ferromagnet ,
the effects of dm interactions in a helical antiferromagnet are therefore substantially weaker and qualitatively different as compared to a helical ferromagnet like mnsi .
moreover , the helimagnetic order in ba@xmath0cuge@xmath0o@xmath1 is distorted and shows higher order harmonic contributions of at least 20% .
+ we have therefore decided to study the perhaps simplest example for the effects of dm interactions , notably cubic chiral helimagnets , where the uniform magnetization rotates slowly around an axis with a characteristic wave vector @xmath2 . as illustrated in fig.[figure1 ] ,
a helical state is essentially a ferromagnet on short length scales and an antiferromagnet for long distances .
in fact , from a more general viewpoint , all forms of complex order can be interpreted as a superposition of helimagnetic order @xcite . in cases where the pitch of the helix is much larger than the lattice spacing , @xmath3
, a helix can become remarkably stable against crystalline anisotropies .
the goldstone theorem ensures that the excitations of an incommensurate helimagnet are gapless ( in case the helimagnet is commensurate the gap is exponentially small ) @xcite . in this paper
we report , that the spin excitations for a helix with a long pitch display an universal property : the formation of strongly coupled bands of helimagnons .
+ the b20 compound mnsi is ideally suited to study the collective spin excitations of helimagnets due to dm interactions experimentally , because the magnetic properties result from a clear separation of energy scales in a metallic host .
mnsi crystallizes in the non - centrosymmetric cubic space group p2@xmath43 ( @xmath5 ) .
below @xmath6 and in zero magnetic field a long - wavelength spin spiral with the spins perpendicular to the propagation direction stabilizes .
the periodicity @xmath7 of the helix results from the competition of ferromagnetic exchange interactions , as the strongest scale , and dzyaloshinskii - moriya ( dm ) interactions as a manifestation of weak spin- orbit coupling in crystal structures without inversion center , on an intermediate scale @xcite .
the propagation direction of the spin spiral is finally locked to the cubic space diagonal through very small crystal field interactions , providing the weakest scale . in comparison with the helical modulation ,
the fermi wave - vector is large @xmath8 .
+ mnsi has recently attracted great interest as the perhaps best candidate displaying a genuine non - fermi liquid metallic state in a three - dimensional metal at high pressure @xcite .
moreover , based on neutron scattering and @xmath9-sr at high pressures @xcite , it has been suggested that the nfl behavior may be related to spin textures with non - trivial topology @xcite .
in fact , a skyrmion lattice , was recently identified unambiguously at ambient pressure in a small phase pocket just below @xmath10 , which is believed to be stabilized by thermal fluctuations @xcite . to resolve the origin of these exciting properties it has become of great importance in its own right to establish at first a full account of the normal helimagnetic state and its spectrum of excitations .
this has also inspired the experimental study presented here .
+ the three different energy scales governing the physics of the helimagnetic state of mnsi result in four different regimes for spin excitations . as a function of increasing momentum of the excitations these regimes
may be summarized as follows . for the smallest momenta one
explores the antiferromagnetic limit , @xmath11 , where a linear spectrum of spin waves is expected . here
@xmath12 is the wavevector measured from the ordering vector @xmath13 of the helix and @xmath14 measures the weak pinning of the orientation of the helix to the crystalline lattice , which is fourth order in spin orbit coupling ( @xmath14 is expected to be of the order of @xmath15 and therefore extremely tiny ) .
the antiferromagnetic limit is followed by the helimagnetic regime for @xmath16 , where the pinning of the helix can be neglected . here
the universal properties are predicted to consist of a dispersion similar to an antiferromagnet , @xmath17 with @xmath18 for propagation parallel to @xmath13 , whereas in the transverse direction the spectrum is quadratic with @xmath19 characteristic of a ferromagnet @xcite .
further increasing the momenta leads to the cross - over between the helimagnetic regime and ferromagnetic limit , @xmath20 with @xmath21 deep in the magnetic phase .
the magnetic structure is now probed on a length scale short compared to its pitch and a spectrum reminiscent of a ferromagnet may be expected , because the system locally appears to be a ferromagnetically aligned . however , as shown below this expectation differs dramatically from the observed behavior . instead of ferromagnetic magnons
multiple helimagnon bands are excited , which may be regarded as a new universal property of magnetic materials . finally , for the largest momenta , @xmath22
, the ferromagnetic spin waves cross over into the stoner continuum as established experimentally in a large number of systems .
the properties depend now on details of the fermi surface , i.e. , they are no longer universal .
+ several pioneering inelastic neutron scattering studies have been carried out in mnsi . in the mid 1970ies ishikawa and coworkers established for the first time in any magnetic metal the existence of paramagnon fluctuations over major portions of the brillouin zone @xcite .
they further observed ferromagnetic spin waves when suppressing the helimagnetic state in an applied magnetic field @xcite .
more recently polarized inelastic neutron scattering established that the spin fluctuations in the paramagnetic state are chiral @xcite and the existence of spin - flip excitations in a small applied field @xcite .
+ the magnetic phase diagram of mnsi is remarkably rich . for small magnetic fields between of 0.05 t and 0.15 t
a reorientation transition takes place and the helimagnetic modulation aligns with the applied field to form the so - called conical phase .
the helical modulation is suppressed for fields above @xmath23 .
finally , a small phase pocket just below @xmath10 has been identified recently as the first example of a skyrmion lattice , thereby demonstrating the inherent instability of the helical order to stabilize non - trivial spin textures in small magnetic fields .
+ for a comprehensive understanding it is consequently important to measure the spin excitations in the prestine ( zero - field cooled ) helical state .
this has not been attempted before , since four equally populated domains form , all of which contribute to the full spectrum of the spin excitations , as described below . in the following
we denote these domains as follows : domain 1 corresponds to @xmath24 , domain 2 corresponds to @xmath25 , domain 3 corresponds to @xmath26 , and domain 4 corresponds to @xmath27 ( cf .
[ figure1 ] ) .
we confirmed that the domains are equally populated in our measurements .
+ the experimental study of the excitation spectra of the helimagnetic state are also extremely challenging because of the long wavelength of the helical modulation .
this makes high - resolution measurements in a relatively small portion of reciprocal space around a magnetic satellite reflection defined by @xmath28 necessary . in the study
described here we focus on the cross - over between the ferromagnetic limit and the helimagnetic regime described above .
in fact , the excitations for even smaller momenta deep in the helimagnetic regime and the antiferromagnetic limit described above are technically not accessible in present - day inelastic neutron scattering measurements , even for the most advanced neutron scattering techniques .
a large single crystal of @xmath29 grown by the bridgman method was studied .
the paramagnetic spin fluctuations of the same single crystal were reported previously in ref.@xcite .
the single crystal displayed a lattice mosaic of the order @xmath30 .
the specific heat , susceptibility and resistivity of small pieces taken from this large single crystal were in excellent agreement with the literature , where the residual resistivity ratio ( rrr ) was of the order 100 .
the latter indicates good , though not excellent sample purity . +
the bulk of our studies was carried out on the cold triple - axis spectrometer tasp at the paul scherrer institut ( psi ) @xcite , with a few supplementary measurements on panda at the forschungsneutronenquelle heinz - maier leibnitz ( frm ii ) .
for the experiment the single crystal was cooled with an ill - type orange he - cryostat .
the sample was oriented with the [ 1,1,0 ] and [ 0,0,1 ] crystallographic directions in the scattering plane . in order to avoid second order contamination of the neutron
beam a beryllium filter was inserted between the sample and the analyzer .
+ the experiments were performed around the nuclear bragg reflection @xmath31 taking advantage of the large magnetic structure factor of the corresponding magnetic bragg reflections ( cf . ref . and fig .
[ figure1](c ) ) .
two different setups were used .
for setup i the triple - axis spectrometer was operated with fixed final wave vector @xmath32 = 1.2 @xmath33 .
additionally 20 soller collimators were installed in the incident beam and in front of the analyser whereas 40 collimators were used in front of the detector . in setup
ii we used @xmath32 = 1.4 @xmath33 and a collimation setting : open-40-mnsi-40-80. the energy resolution in setup i and ii was approximately 40 @xmath9ev and 90 @xmath9ev , respectively . the corresponding @xmath34-resolution is depicted in fig .
[ figure1 ] .
it is important to emphasize that the resolution achieved was about the best currently available .
+ in order to compare the model with the experimental results the theoretical scattering function @xmath35 was convoluted with the resolution function of the triple - axis spectrometers we used@xcite . for the fits presented in this article
a program called tasresfit @xcite has been developed in python to perform the convolution of the spectrometer resolution with the theoretical cross - section by means of monte - carlo integration .
+ further , we have introduced a gaussian profile centred at @xmath36 to describe the incoherent scattering together with a constant background for the fit of all data presented .
the background was carefully measured at positions in reciprocal space that were not contaminated by inelastic scattering around the @xmath31 bragg reflection and was estimated as 20 counts/25 min .
+ finally , some of the energy scans measured during the course of our experiments were contaminated by spurious scattering that was effectively caused by neutrons that were scattered incoherently from the monochromator crystals of the used triple - axis spectrometer ( see e.g. open symbols fig .
[ figure2](f ) at @xmath37mev ) . when the spectrometer is set to a non - zero energy transfer , i.e. @xmath38 , but the angle between @xmath39 and @xmath40 as well as the orientation of the sample correspond to a geometry that allows for bragg scattering from the sample , the incoherently scattered neutrons from the monochromator that have a wave vector @xmath41 lead to the observation of accidental bragg scattering .
this type of spurious scattering is well - known as currat - axe peaks in the literature @xcite . for the analysis we considered
only scans where the spurious scattering could be separated well from the inelastic signal .
all scans shown in the following were performed at a temperature of 20 k. this way the intensity was strong while still being significantly below @xmath10 deep inside the helical phase . summarized in fig.[figure1](d ) are the locations in reciprocal space where we have recorded excitation spectra .
a total of 24 spectra were recorded . to cover the regime of interest near the magnetic ordering wave vector we have mostly carried out inelastic scans at reciprocal lattice positions along three traces in reciprocal space as shown in fig .
[ figure1](d ) .
two traces ( square and rhombus symbols ) were selected such that they are parallel and perpendicular to @xmath42 , while the third trace ( circle symbols ) was recorded along an arbitrary direction .
the latter may be seen as the most stringent test of the theoretical model used to describe the experimental data .
all spectra were recorded in energy scans at fixed momentum @xmath34 .
the scattering intensity observed experimentally is hence the result of contributions from each of the domains , that is , most of the scattering wave vectors were neither perfectly parallel nor perfectly perpendicular to the ordering wave vector .
+ prior to our study we expected spectra that are strongly reminiscent of the excitations of the ferromagnetic limit . in stark contrast , we observed highly anomalous line shapes that appear to be inconsistent with any conventional scenario .
for instance , shown in fig .
[ figure2](a ) and ( b ) are typical data for @xmath43 ( squares in fig.[figure1 ] ) . here
the data are characterized by fairly broad dispersive maxima , but a naive interpretation of the data suggests an extreme form of broadening .
this may be compared with data recorded for @xmath44 shown in fig.[figure2](c ) and ( d ) ( rhombus in fig.[figure1 ] ) , which is essentially featureless and more like a background .
finally , the data for the arbitrary direction shown in fig.[figure2](e ) and ( f ) display yet another type of characteristic , namely distinct maxima suggesting a well defined intense mode on a large background of scattering . + the remarkable variety of seemingly anomalous spectra
we observe experimentally certainly does not look reminiscent of ferromagnetic spin waves at all . in a first attempt we tried to fit each scan individually with one or several gaussians .
however , this procedure failed . recognizing that our data was taken for wave vectors much smaller than the fermi momentum , @xmath45 , in principle
, the spectra should be insensitive to most microscopic details .
we have therefore set up an effective model to calculate the excitation spectra based on two physically transparent and meaningful parameters , namely the ferromagnetic spin wave stiffness @xmath46 mev@xmath47 derived from previous experiments @xcite and the pitch of the helical modulation @xmath48 @xmath33 .
a detailed description of the theoretical model will be given in the following section [ theory ] .
to compare the calculated spectra with our data we folded them with the energy and momentum resolution of our measurements ( which is about the best currently available ) and adjusted the absolute value of the intensity .
we emphasize that the scaling of the intensity of all spectra by the same value represents the only free parameter of our model . +
our theoretical model gives complete and precise account of _ all measured features and lineshapes for all momenta _ as illustrated in fig.[figure2 ] for six of the 24 spectra we have measured .
the agreement between the calculated spectra and the experimental data can be quantified by the remarkably small value of the reduced @xmath49 value of @xmath50 .
we thereby note that we used a rather conservative estimate of the instrumental resolution , which tentatively averages out small details that may possibly exist in the data .
these underestimates of the experimental resolution are quite typical and observed in many inelastic neutron scattering studies .
further , when artificially modifying the values of @xmath51 and @xmath52 by more than @xmath53 the quality of the agreement as measured by @xmath49 deteriorates rapidly .
this suggests strongly that our model sensitively captures the entire physics of all excitation spectra measured .
as a starting point of a detailed account of our theoretical description we emphasize again , that the weakness of spin - orbit coupling in mnsi leads to well - separated energy and length scales .
the underlying physics is based on the properties of a ferromagnet . at energies below @xmath54mev , where the spin - flip stoner continuum sets in @xcite , and for corresponding small momenta , @xmath55 ,
the low - energy excitations of the ferromagnet in the absence of spin - orbit interactions are described with high precision by a simple quadratic dispersion @xmath56 . at the small wave vectors relevant for our experiment the damping of those modes
may be neglected .
+ accordingly , the starting point of our theoretical description is a rotationally invariant non - linear @xmath57 model ( including the appropriate berry - phase term ) to describe the low - energy excitations of this ferromagnet .
following ref . , we add to this model the leading spin - orbit coupling effect , which is given by the rotationally invariant dzyaloshinskii - moriya ( dm ) interaction @xmath58 .
being linear in momentum , the dm interactions necessarily lead to an instability of the ferromagnet and stabilize a chiral helix of the form @xmath59 where the unit vectors @xmath60 and @xmath61 are perpendicular to each other and to the ordering vector @xmath13 . in our mnsi crystals
the sign of @xmath62 is such that @xmath60 , @xmath61 and @xmath13 define a left - handed coordinate system .
corrections to ( [ helix ] ) are small as they arise only from tiny forth order terms in the weak spin - orbit coupling neglected in our calculation . in a ferromagnetic state
these corrections lead to the formation of a gap .
however , due to the spontanteously broken translation invariance and the goldstone theorem there can not be a gap for an incommensurate helimagnet .
the only effect of the higher - order spin - orbit coupling terms is a modification of the spin wave spectrum for momenta much smaller than @xmath63 , i.e. , far below the experimental resolution available to date @xcite .
+ to describe the spin - excitations of the helix we expand @xmath64 around the mean field , @xmath65 . as discussed below the physical situation
becomes transparent by using a comoving coordinate system , where the order parameter at point @xmath66 is rotated by the angle @xmath67 around the @xmath13 axis using the space - dependent rotation matrix @xmath68 with @xmath69 . in the comoving
coordinate system the helix is mapped on a ferromagnetic solution @xmath70 . using length and energy units such that @xmath71 and @xmath72 , all free parameters are fixed .
+ the long wavelength of the helix with the crystallographic lattice ( which breaks translation invariance ) , implies a tiny magnetic brillouin zone and the formation of an abundance of bands . for the further discussion it is helpful to split the momentum @xmath73 parallel to @xmath13 into @xmath74 introducing a band index @xmath75 while using @xmath76 . denoting by @xmath12 both @xmath77 and @xmath78 ,
the gaussian fluctuations around the mean field are described by the action @xmath79 where each entry of @xmath80 is a two by two matrix describing the fluctuations in two spin - directions perpendicular to the mean field @xmath81 . for a ferromagnet
one needs only a single matrix @xmath82 from the condition @xmath83 one obtains the well - known dispersion , @xmath84 , of a ferromagnet . +
the fluctuations around the helimagnetic state are in contrast described by an infinite dimensional matrix , where the dm interaction yields two changes with respect to the ferromagnetic state .
first , one obtains an additional `` @xmath85 '' in the diagonal entries @xmath86 , which are given by : @xmath87 where @xmath88 .
second , one obtains non - vanishing off - diagonal matrix elements given by : @xmath89 with @xmath90 for a helix oriented in @xmath91 direction . the simple matrix defined by eqns .
( [ md],[mod ] ) leads to the physics explained below and describes the neutron scattering experiments with high precision and no other parameters besides the ( measured ) pitch of the helix , the measured ferromagnetic spin wave stiffness and the overall intensity as the only free parameter .
to compare the calculated spectra with the neutron scattering results , one determines the momentum - diagonal @xmath92 susceptibility matrix @xmath93 by inverting first the matrix @xmath94 and undoing the basis change due to the rotation @xmath68 defined above .
the scattering cross section for neutrons with a given momentum transfer @xmath95 close to a reciprocal lattice vector @xmath96 of the mnsi crystalline lattice is proportional to @xmath97 $ ] , where @xmath98 is the bose function and where we have taken into account , that the neutrons couple only to the component of @xmath99 perpendicular to @xmath100 . within the gaussian approximation one obtains sharp modes . for a comparison with experiment
these theoretical results are convoluted by the experimental resolution .
+ we first consider the excitations with vanishing momentum perpendicular to the propagation vector , @xmath101 , predicted in this model . in this limit all off - diagonal matrices vanish and one obtains a single mode with the dispersion relation @xmath102 , well known from the physics of bose condensed atoms .
it describes the crossover from a mode with linear dispersion @xcite at small momentum to a ferromagnetic mode with quadratic dispersion .
this crossover is also manifest in the eigenmodes as illustrated in fig.[figure1 ] . in the ferromagnetic limit @xmath103
the magnetization displays the typical precession ( fig .
[ figure1]b ) , while it oscillates only perpendicular to @xmath77 for @xmath104 ( fig .
[ figure1]c ) . + by transforming back to the physical coordinate system , one realizes that generically three copies of this mode can be observed in neutron scattering with unpolarized neutrons as shown in fig .
[ figure4](a ) . besides the two copies with minima at @xmath105 one also obtains generically a mode directly at the bragg spot with zero momentum .
however , in contrast to the dispersion of a ferromagnetic mode of identical spin stiffness @xmath51 shown in red , in the helimagnetic case the intensity vanishes for @xmath106 .
the fact that only three modes rather than a large number of bands can be observed , originates in the special symmetry of the helical state : a translation of the helix can be compensated by an appropriate rotation of the spins .
theoretically this property has actually long been known @xcite .
only higher - order spin - orbit coupling terms which break this symmetry may lead to the excitation of further modes , however , with a tiny weight .
+ the more important second example , which reveals an entirely unexpected property , concerns spectra for finite perpendicular momentum as shown in fig . [ figure4](b ) . here
the off - diagonal terms ( [ mod ] ) lead to a mixing of the modes . for vanishing @xmath77 and
@xmath107 one obtains @xcite @xmath108 which can , however , not be observed directly within our experimental resolution . in the limit
@xmath109 one finds that more and more modes are excited .
mapping the matrix to a harmonic oscillator on a lattice ( see e.g. ref . )
one finds that typically of the order of @xmath110 bands are excited with equally spaced energies @xmath111 here two aspects are remarkable .
first , for increasing perpendicular momentum an increasing number of bands are excited .
second , the dispersion is essentially independent of @xmath77 for @xmath112 .
+ in fig .
[ figure4](b ) we plot the corresponding dispersion as a function of @xmath77 for @xmath113 with @xmath51 and @xmath114 given above . for clarity
we consider only the domain associated with @xmath115 .
the transverse momentum strongly couples the ferromagnetic branches ( red solid lines ) , @xmath116 with @xmath117 , shifted by multiples of the reciprocal lattice vector @xmath13 of the magnetic brillouin zone . as the dm interactions grows linearly with @xmath118 , more
an more modes are coupled by umklapp scattering when @xmath119 increases . as described by eq .
( [ bands ] ) the repeated umklapp scattering prohibits the motion of the spin excitations parallel to @xmath13 and leads to a very flat dispersion for @xmath112 .
+ we finally illustrate in fig .
[ figure3 ] the full complexity of the calculated helimagnon bands as probed experimentally by the two trajectories in fig .
[ figure1 ] . here
the area of the calculated dots is proportional to the intensity and the color coding refers to the relevant domain .
the gray shaded bars show the location and parameter range of our measurements , where the width of the gray bars represents the resolution of our measurements . using this approach we are able to account for the entire set of very broad and extraordinarily rich spectra measured ( note the very different energy dependences in fig . [ figure2 ] ) without any further adjustments of parameters .
in many magnetic materials excitation spectra like those observed here may be interpreted by invoking a host of non - universal properties .
for instance , spin - orbit coupling and dipolar interactions cause magnetic anisotropies and the formation of energy gaps @xcite . moreover , scattering from impurities and crystalline defects , the coupling to the particle - hole continuum in metals @xcite , magnon - phonon @xcite and magnon - magnon interactions @xcite may lead ( in combination with spin - orbit interactions ) to a substantial damping of the magnetic excitations . + in summary ,
we report an inelastic neutron scattering study of the perhaps simplest manifestation of weak chiral interactions : the helimagnetic order in the cubic b20 compound mnsi .
the excellent quantitative account we achieve establishes the existence of a new universal property of the spin excitations : the formation of a large number of dispersive bands of helimagnons .
our study is also important for the theoretical description of the skyrmion lattice in mnsi which turns out to be stabilized relative to a conical phase only by thermal fluctuations .
therefore it is important to establish that a quantitative description of the fluctuations spectrum can be obtained in this material .
we expect that similar phenomena will be relevant for a broad range of materials where long wavelength or incommensurate magnetic order lead to strong umklapp scattering and the formation of multiple bands .
we wish to thank d. belitz .
t. r. kirkpatrick , m. garst , b. binz , m. vojta , and w. zwerger .
this research was supported in part by the national science foundation under grant no .
phy05 - 51164 and by the sfb 608 of the dfg .
the neutron scattering experiments were carried out at the continuous spallation neutron source sinq at paul scherrer institut at villigen psi in switzerland and the forschungs - neutronenquelle heinz maier - leibnitz ( frm - ii ) of technische universitt mnchen at garching in germany . | arxiv |
Gallagher Girls, Percy Jackson and the Olympians 1. Chapter 1
_—Sea of Monsters rewrite_
* * *
><p>OUR BEST FRIEND SHOPS FOR A WEDDING DRESS<p>
* * *
><p>(Percy's prospective)<p>
* * *
><p>My nightmare started like this.<p>
I was standing on a deserted street in some little beach town. It was the middle of the night. A storm was blowing. Wind and rain ripped at the palm trees along the sidewalk. Pink and yellow stucco buildings lined the street, their windows boarded up. A block away, past a line of hibiscus bushes, the ocean churned.
_Florida, _I thought. I wasn't sure how I knew that. I'd never been to Florida.
Then I heard hooves clattering against the pavement. I turned and saw my friend Grover running for his life.
Yeah, I said _hooves._
Grover is a satyr. From the waist up, he looks like a typical gangly teenager with a peach-fuzz goatee and a bad case of acne. He walks with a strange limp, but unless you happen to catch him without his pants on (which I don't recommend), you'd never know there was anything unhuman about him. Baggy jeans and fake feet hide the fact that he's go furry hindquarters and hooves.
Grover had been my best friend in sixth grade, along with my twin sister, Cammie. He'd gone on this adventure with me and Cam, and a girl named Annabeth to save the world, but I hadn't seen him since last July, when he set off alone on a dangerous quest—a quest no satyr had ever returned from.
Anyway, in my dream, Grover was hauling goat tail, holding his human shoes in his hands the way he does when he needs to move fast. He clopped past the little tourist shops and surfboard rental places. The wind bent the palm trees almost to the ground.
Grover was terrified of something behind him. He must've just come from the beach. Wet sand was caked in his fur. He'd escaped from somewhere. He was trying to get away from…something.
A bone-rattling growl cut through the storm. Behind Grover at the far end of the block, a shadowy figure loomed. It swatted aside a street lamp, which burst in a show of sparks.
Grover stumbled, whimpering in fear. He muttered to himself, _have to get away. Have to warn them!_
I couldn't see what was chasing him, but I could hear it muttering and cursing. The ground shook as it got closer. Grover dashed around a street corner and faltered. He'd run into a dead-end courtyard full of shops. No time to back up. The nearest door had been blown open by the storm. The sign above the darkened display window read: ST. AUGUSTINE BRIDAL BOUTIQUE.
Grover dashed inside. He dove behind a rack of wedding dresses.
The monster's shadow passed in front of the shop. I could smell the thing—a sickening combination of wet sheep wool and rotten meat and that weird sour body odor only monsters have, like a skunk that's been living off Mexican food.
Grover trembled behind the wedding dresses. The monster's shadow passed on. Silence except for the rain. Grover took a deep breath. Maybe the thing was gone.
Then lighting flashed. The entire front of the store exploded, and a monstrous voice bellowed: "MIIIINE!"
* * *
><p>Gasping, I shot up from my laying position, and started yelling for Cammie, to tell her right away what I saw.<p>
But then I remembered she was gone. Had left months ago to go to some fancy spy boarding school. She was in Virginia, leaning spy stuff, and I was stuck back in New York, leaning normal stuff. She had lots of friends, and I had never felt so alone.
But I couldn't be all that mad at her. This was her dream, already becoming reality before her very eyes. I could ask her to come home, and she would. But I couldn't ask that of her. Because even though I missed her, and knew that she would always love me, if I selfishly asked her to come home, a little part of her would hate me.
So I got up and walked over to her old bed, sitting down on it. She had written letters, and I had half the heart to write back. I knew the letters were more for mom's sake then my own. Mom would get so excited when Cam's weekly letter would come in. I would read them, then set them on her old nightstand.
Mom walked in, peering inside. "Percy, are you alright? I heard you scream."
I nodded. "It's alright mom, just a bad dream."
She took note how I sat on Cam's bed instead of my own. "School's almost over, Percy," she said, coming to sit beside me. "You'll see her again real soon."
"She comes home in two days," I told her. "She says that tomorrow is her last day of finals, and the next day everybody goes home."
Mom smiled. "That's good." Her eyes slid over to the nightstand, and she picked up the letter on top. "Do you mind reading it for me?"
I shrugged, sliding the paper out of the envelope. Cammie wrote in Greek because of her Dyslexia only allowed her to read and write in that specific language. As Annabeth once said, it because the language is hardwired into our brains, our Greek heritage coming into play.
_"Dear Mom and Percy,_
_Things are going great here. Liz has been helping me study for finals, reading and rereading all the notes she's taken (which is a lot). We've been doing some small scale experiments in our room, and I've become quite the bomb maker. I now know how to make an explosion using a battery, nail polish and a gum wrapper. We did a small scale explosion in our room yesterday. What would have gotten me expelled anywhere else, is encouraged here. Bex has been training with me in the P&E barn, and things are going really well. I haven't broken anyone else's noses since Eva's, and once again, it was an accident, and she wasn't at all mad at me. In fact, she told me it was a good shot._
_"I've already become fluent in Spanish, French and Japanese, and started to learn Korean, and Chinese, which is awesome. You wouldn't believe all the things I've been learning over here. It's like being part of the X men or something._
_"I'm sorry this letter is so short. I've been so busy with studying, that nothing really interesting has been happening. I'll be home in a few days, and I can show you all the other pictures I've taken while here. And I can show you some of the other things I've learned, like updating your computer, and making it run faster. That way you can work on homework a little faster, mom._
_"I miss and love you both so much, you can't even begin to understand it—not even you Percy._
_"Until the end of the week. Love, Cammie."_
I folded the letter back up as neatly as possible, taking one last look at the picture of Cam and her friends standing proudly outside their school that she had slipped in the envelope .
Mom took the letter and held it to her heart. She pulled me into her side, kissing my head. "Two more days, Percy. I'm sure you can make it."
I nodded, but knew that wasn't the whole truth.
"Go back to bed, Sweetheart. You have school tomorrow."
* * *
><p>As soon as morning came around, I grabbed a drachma and iris messaged Cam.<p>
When her image popped up, it was of Cammie brushing her hair in a lavish room, books and wires, and all sorts of odds and ends everywhere. She looked so different. Her long black hair had gotten longer, straighter and shinier since I last saw her in person. She wore makeup—something she used to scorn—and it made her sea green eyes pop. She didn't look much older; taller, maybe. Her eyes held a sort of knowledge that they didn't before. A sort of confidence. But she didn't stick out. She was pretty, but she looked normal. Someone you would pass on the streets and never even know she'd been there in the first place. And that's what was so different about her. My sister doesn't blend in. It's like she doesn't even know _how._
After a moment of scorning these new changes, I snapped back. "Cammie," I said, trying to gain her attention.
Jumping, Cam held her hairbrush out in defense. I rolled my eyes. "Really? What could you possibly do with that?"
"You'd be surprised," she said in a hushed voice. "We learned a few moves yesterday. I could kill a man with this thing." I flinched at 'kill a man'. Months ago, it would have been 'kill a monster'. "But, come on, Percy, what are you doing calling me this early in the morning? One of the girls could have been in here and seen you."
"It's important," I told her, almost in a defensive tone. She's _my _sister. I have every right to call her whenever I want.
"Obviously, I can feel your emotions, remember? You're just lucky I'm running late today. Anyway, where were you last night? I didn't see you in my dream."
"Grover's in danger, Cam. I had a dream that he was running from something." I told her every part of my dream, from start to finish.
She looked panicked. "Oh gods. Did he look okay? I mean, other than the obvious panic attack he must have been having."
"He was fine. Now when are you coming home?"
She looked a bit sheepish. "Uh, tomorrow. I have finals today, and then I'll be heading straight over to Camp Half-Blood tomorrow."
I gave her a wounded look. "You're not coming to see mom?"
She ran a hand through her hair. "I've already written to her, she understands!"
"Maybe, but you know it hurts her."
There was a knock on the door from her end. "Cammie, you coming?"
"Be right out, Bex!" she yelled. "Don't wait up." She turned back to me. "Look Percy, if Grover's in trouble, we shouldn't wait up. We can leave camp a week earlier this summer; spend two weeks together with mom."
"Make her wait three more months?"
Cammie eyes narrowed slightly, as if she was trying to hide the hurt in them. "You said it yourself, Grover is in danger. How am I going to sit and relax when I know my best friend is out there probably about to get eaten?"
"Oh, so you still consider him your best friend?" I scoffed.
Now her eyes narrowed in anger. "Why wouldn't I? Don't you?"
"Yeah, well I was just assuming, since you have new best friends and all—"
"Yeah, well you assumed wrong," she growled.
I crossed my arms over my chest, my anger growing as well. "Bit defensive right now, huh?"
"Of course I'm being defensive. Grover is still my best friend, no matter how many new ones I make. And who are you to talk? Aren't you best friends with that boy Tyson now?"
It felt as though she had slapped me. "That's—"
"Don't you dare say it's different," she said, picking up her backpack. "I'm late for breakfast. I'll talk to you later."
"Yeah," I brooded.
_I'm sorry,_ I told her through our bond. It seemed easier thinking it instead of saying it.
Her eyes softened, and she smiled sadly. "I know," she whispered, waving her hand though the mist, wiping herself away.
I looked to the window, the morning sun blinding me.
I thought I saw a shadow flicker across the glass—a humanlike shape. But then there was a knock on my bedroom door—my mom called: "Percy, you're going to be late"—and the shadow at the window disappeared.
It must have been my imagination. A fifth-story window with a rickety old fire escape…there couldn't have been anyone out there.
"Come on Percy, last day of school!" mom yelled. "You should be excited! You've almost made it!"
"Coming," I managed.
I reached under my pillow. My fingers closed reassuringly around the ballpoint pen I always slept with. I brought it out, studied the Ancient Greek writing engraved on the side: _Anaklumos. _Riptide. Cammie had a sword similar to it, but the engravings that decorated the sword were names of all the soldiers that had ever used the sword, and it was nameless.
I thought about uncapping Riptide, but something held me back. I hadn't used it for so long…
Besides, my mom had made me promise not to use deadly weapons in the apartment after I'd swung a javelin the wrong way and taken out her china cabinet. I put Anaklusmos on my nightstand, and started to get ready for school.
Getting dressed as quick as I could, I tried not to think about Grover, or my nightmare or monsters, or even the shadow at my window.
_Have to get away. Have to warn them!_
What had Grover meant?
I made a three-fingered claw over my heart and pushed outward—an ancient gesture Grover had once taught me and Cammie for warding off evil. I smiled at the memory of Cammie using it on our stepfather, Gabe, and it actually working, sending him flying backwards.
Last day of school. my mom was right, I should have been excited. For the first time in my life, I'd almost made it an entire year without getting expelled. No weird accidents. No fights in the classroom. No teachers turning into monsters and trying to kill me with poisoned cafeteria food or exploding homework. Tomorrow, I'd be on my way back to my favorite place in the world—Camp Half Blood. And I'd be with my sister, and everything would be so right with the world, there would be a holiday created just to celebrate this possibly once in a life time occurrence.
For a moment I couldn't help but thinking that my luck had to do with Cammie going off to Gallagher. Obviously, I love my sister, but she can get _slightly _over the top. Her bad temper and quick fists have gotten us into a lot of trouble over the years. I mean, I have a horrible temper too, but hers is slightly more rampant then my own. Maybe that, and not having two demigods blood pumping around in the same area throwing around the stench for all the monsters to sniff out.
Picking up my backpack, I took a deep breath. Only one more day to go. Surely even I couldn't mess that up.
As usual, I didn't have a clue how wrong I was.
* * *
><p>My mom made blue waffles and blue eggs for breakfast. She's funny that way, celebrating special occasions with blue food. I think it's her way of saying anything is possible. Percy can pass seventh grade. Cammie can make it through her first year at spy school. Waffles can be blue. Little miracles like that.<p>
I ate at the kitchen table while my mom washed dishes. She was dressed in her work uniform—a starry blue skirt and a red and white striped blouse she wore to sell candy at Sweet on America. Her long brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail.
The waffles tasted great, but I guess I wasn't digging in like I usually did. Mom looked over and frowned. "Percy are you all right?"
"Yeah…fine." I wondered if Cammie just told me that she sent mom a letter saying she wasn't coming home. "Mom...you do know that Cam's not making it home tomorrow, right?"
Mom gave me a sad little smile. "Yes, the letter came in two days ago. It's in English too. Apparently her roommate, Liz, had gotten into some of the final stages of development on her language translator. It's so cool, she says that all you have to do is take a picture of what is written on the page, whether it is typed or written by hand, and it'll translate it for you. How exciting. Anyway, she told me that she'll be heading straight to camp this year because she's going with her friends to an in town carnival the night that school gets out. And since Chiron had been so insistent that you guys get back as soon as school ends, she doesn't want to worry him further by coming late." Her shoulders tensed as she started talking about camp.
"What is it?" I asked.
"Nothing," she said. "I'll tell you what. This afternoon, we celebrate the end of school. I'll take you and Tyson to Rockefeller Center—to that skateboard shop you like."
Oh, man, that was tempting. We were always struggling with money. Between my mom's night classes and my private school tuition, we could never afford to do special stuff like shop for a skateboard. But something in her voice bothered me.
"Wait a minute," I said. "I thought we were packing me up for camp tonight."
She twisted her dishrag. "Ah, dear, about that…I still haven't gotten ahold of Cammie about this, you might have to be the one to tell her…but I got a message from Chiron last night."
My heart sank. Chiron was the activates director at Camp Half-Blood. He wouldn't contact us unless something serious was going on. "What did he say?"
"He thinks…it might not be safe for you two to come to camp just yet. We might have to postpone."
"_Postpone_? Mom, how could it not be _safe_? I'm a half-blood! It's like the only safe place on earth for us!"
"Usually, dear. But with the problems they've been having—"
"_What _problems?"
"Percy…I'm very, very sorry. I was hoping to get ahold of Cammie myself, tell her, get her here and tell you tomorrow. I can't explain it all now. I'm not even sure Chiron can. Everything happened so suddenly."
My mind was reeling. How could we _not _go to camp? I wanted to ask a million questions, but just then the kitchen clock chimed the half-hour.
My mom looked almost relieved. "Seven-thirty, dear. You should go. Tyson will be waiting."
"But—"
"Percy, we'll talk this afternoon. Go on to school. Make sure you're sister knows. But don't tell her while she's taking finals, I don't want her worried about it then. She's been studying so hard, I'd hate for it all to be a waste."
The last thing I wanted to do was go to school and pretend nothing bad was happening. But mom looked so tiered, so fragile—like one wrong word and she might start to cry. Besides, she was right about my friend, Tyson. I had to meet him at the subway station on time or he'd get upset. He was scared of traveling underground alone.
I gathered up my stuff, but I stopped in the doorway. "Mom, this problem at camp. Does it…could it have anything to do with my nightmare?"
She wouldn't meet my eyes. "We'll talk this afternoon, dear. I'll explain…as much as I can."
I felt Cam nudging at the back of my mind, sensing my horrible mood. I send a warm feeling her way to calm her. Mom was right; she had finals today, so there was no point worrying her.
Reluctantly, I told mom goodbye. I jogged downstairs to catch the Number Two train.
As I stepped outside, I glanced at the brownstone building across the street. Just for a second I saw a dark shape in the morning sunlight—a human silhouette against the brick wall, a shadow that belonged to no one.
This it rippled and vanished.
* * *
><p>Cammie sat at the lunch table with the rest of the eighth graders, not even touching her food. With her brother's feelings shoving their way into her mind, and her lack of sleep last night, she wasn't feeling all that hungry.<p>
A little blond haired, pixie like, girl slid an orange across the table towards her. "You have to eat something," the girl said, her accent soft and southern. "We have finals today, and you need something to fuel you."
Cammie gave her a small grin. "Thank you, Lizzy. I'm just not all that hungry this morning." Still, she took the orange and started to peal it.
"Test nerves?" Liz guessed.
Cammie shrugged. "Yeah, I guess so," she lied.
The caramel skinned, black haired goddess sitting next to Cam eyed her carefully. "You had another nightmare last night," she started in an English accent. "Same one?"
"Every time," she nodded. Seeing the worry sketched on her face, she smiled. "Don't you worry about me, Bex, I'll be fine. I'll bomb these tests and then I'll break down into a nervous puddle of sleep-deprivation and fatigue."
"Look at you," the Brit said slyly. "You come in this school with a vocabulary bank of nearly nothing, and are about to walk out with a thesaurus of big words. You seemed to have rubbed off on her, Lizzy."
Cammie smiled, but her trouble-o-meter was going off.
* * *
><p><strong>So that's the first chapter! It's short in the book and so it's a bit short here too.<strong>
**Because I have not finished my other fanfiction yet (out of pure laziness) I'll be alternating between this story and that one. I won't post another chapter here until I get one up there. so expect updates every other week.**
**That last part was in third prospective showing a bit of Cammie. I don't know, just thought I'd try it out, did you guys like that part at the end? I wanted to include the girls a bit in this story. The nightmares are kind of an overflow from the first story. Pretty important later on.**
**I'm going to be taking some rather strange turns in this story. Things won't go exactly as they did in the book, and I might be leaving some things out. I'll include everything important, so don't worry.**
**The one-shots of Cam's first year at Gallagher are up, but they suck majorly, so don't feel like you need to read them. Anything important that is from the one-shots will be explained in here, so don't worry you don't need to read them to understand it.**
**I don't know what else to say. Thanks for sticking with this, and I hope you're all excited for the second part in the rewrite!**
2. Chapter 2
**Warning: This chapter is in Percy's prospective**
* * *
><p>I PLAY DODGEBALL WITH CANNIBLES<p>
* * *
><p>The day started out just as normal as any other day. Or as normal as it ever gets at Meriwether College Prep.<p>
You see, it's this "progressive" school in downtown Manhattan, which means we sit on beanbag chairs instead of at desks, and we don't get grades, and the teachers wear jeans and rock concert T-shirts to work.
That's all cool with me. I mean, I'm ADHD and dyslexic, like most half-bloods, so I'd never done that great in regular schools even before they kicked me and Cammie out. whenever we talk about school—which is next to never—I like to brag about this to Cammie, make her feel jealous, but wherever I try, she likes to throw out the fact that they have a chief that used to work for the president as their cook. She doesn't even have to mention they don't do math there. I know in comparison, Gallagher is better than Meriwether. Not even factoring in that it's a spy school and they have a gourmet chief. The teachers at Meriwether were always looking on the bright side of things, and the kids weren't always…well, bright.
Take my first class today: English. The whole middle school had read this book called _Lord of the Flies, _where all these kids get marooned on an island and go psycho. So for our final exam, our teachers sent us into the break yard to spend an hour with no adult supervision to see what would happen. What happened was a massive wedgie contest between the seventh and eighth graders, two pebble fights, and a full-tackle basketball game. The school bully, Matt Sloan, lead most of these activities.
Sloan wasn't big or strong, but he acted like he was. He had eyes like a pit bull, and shaggy black hair, and he always dressed in expensive but sloppy clothes, like he wanted everybody to see how little he cared about his family's money. One of his front teeth was chipped from the time he'd taken his daddy's Porsche for a joyride and run into a PLEASE SLOW DOWN FOR CHILDREN sign.
I didn't like talking about Sloan much either, but when he got to be too much for me some days, I'd rant for hours on end about him to Cammie. She didn't need to have met him to hate his guts. There were days I had to convince her to stay in Virginia instead of running up to New York just to kick his brain back into a respectable place.
Anyway, Sloan was giving everybody wedgies until he made the mistake of trying it on my friend Tyson.
Tyson was the only homeless kid at Meriwether Collage Prep. As near as my mom and I could figure, he'd been abandoned by his parents when he was very young, probably because he was so…different. He was six-foot-three and built like the Abominable Snowman, but he cried a lot and was scared of just about everything, including his own-reflection. His face was kind of misshapen and brutal-looking. I couldn't tell you what color his eyes were, because I could never make myself look higher than his crooked teeth. His voice was deep, but he talked funny, like a much younger kid—I guess because he'd never gone to school before coming to Meriwether. He wore tattered jeans, grimy size-twenty sneakers, and a plaid flannel shirt with holes in it. He smelled like a New York City alleyway, because that's where he lived, in a cardboard refrigerator box off 72nd street.
Meriwether Prep had adopted him as a community service project so all the students could feel good about themselves. Unfortunately, most of them couldn't stand Tyson. Once they discovered he was a bid softie, despite his massive strength and scary looks, they made themselves feel good by picking on him. I was pretty much his only friend, which meant he was _my _only friend.
My mom had complained to the school a million times that they weren't doing enough to help him. She'd called social services, but nothing ever seemed to happen. The social workers claimed Tyson didn't exist. They swore up and down that they'd visited the alley we described and couldn't find him, though how you miss a giant kid living in a refrigerator box, I don't know.
Anyway, Matt Sloan snuck up behind him and tried to give him a wedgie, and Tyson panicked. He swatted Sloan away a little too hard. Sloan flew fifteen feet and got tangled in the little kids' tire swing.
"You freak!" Sloan yelled. "Why don't you go back to your cardboard box!"
Tyson started sobbing. He sat down on the jungle gym so hard he bent the bar, and buried his head in his hands.
"Take it back, Sloan!" I shouted.
Sloan just sneered at me. "Why do you even bother, Jackson? You might have _friends _if you weren't always sticking up for that freak."
I balled my fists. I hoped my face wasn't as red as it felt. "He's _not_ a freak. He's just…"
I tried to think of the right thing to say, but Sloan wasn't listening. He and his big ugly friends were to busy laughing. I wondered if it were my imagination, or if Sloan had more goons hanging around him than usual. I was used to seeing him with two or three, but today he had like , half a dozen more, and I was pretty sure I'd never seen then before.
"Just wait till PE, Jackson!" Sloan called. "You are _so _dead."
When first period ended, our English teacher, Mr. de Milo, came outside to inspect the carnage. He pronounced that we'd understood_ Lord of the Flies _perfectly. We all passed his course, and we should never, never grow up to be violent people. Matt Sloan nodded earnestly, then gave me a chip-toothed grin.
I had to promise to buy Tyson an extra peanut butter sandwich at lunch to get him to stop sobbing.
"I…I am freak?" he asked me.
"No," I promised, without hesitation, gritting my teeth. "Matt Sloan is the freak."
Tyson sniffled. "You are good friend. Miss you next year if…if I can't…"
His voice trembled. I realized he didn't know if he'd be invited back next year for the community service project. I wondered if the headmaster had even bothered talking to him about it.
"Don't worry, big guy," I managed. "Everything's going to be fine."
He was rubbing the tears out of his eyes, sniffling. "Will the pretty girl with black hair come back tonight?" he asked.
He was talking about Cammie. I had mentioned her once, saying how much I missed my sister, and Tyson started asking me question. At first I answered them hesitantly, not really wanting to share her anymore then I had too. I already had to share her with those girls from Gallagher, and I didn't enjoy that, but Tyson was persistent. So I told him everything he wanted to know. What she looked like, her favorite color, how strong she was despite how little she looked. How crazy, yet caring she could be. She's a tough kid, but had such a soft heart. I told him how much I needed her, how she was my best friend, next to him. I had brought a picture of her once, and Tyson told me she looked like a princess. I laughed and told him he should never say that again, or at least not in ear-shot of her. Before I knew it, Tyson had started idolizing her in a way. I wasn't even sure if he realized she was, in fact, a _real _person. I started to think he thought she was just some character, like Aladdin, or the Little Mermaid. Most parents read stories to their children, but since Tyson didn't have parents, Cammie kind of became his story book hero. Which I thought was okay. I know Cam wouldn't mind; she'd probably enjoy it a little too much. I know she told her roommates stories about me all the time, and if I had accidentally made her out to be some kind of hero to my friend, she'd consider her life completed. Whenever Tyson got really upset, he'd ask me to tell him a story about the pretty girl with black hair.
One day, when he was super upset, I told him that Cammie was coming up to New York for a week to spent time with my mom, and promised him he could come meet her. He was so happy, I could just tell him 'the pretty black haired girl's coming here soon', and he'd stop crying about anything.
But really shouldn't have told him that. Because she had just said last night she wouldn't be making it. And now I was going to have to break the news to Tyson.
"Well, you see…she might be…" I tried to word it someway that wouldn't sound so horrible.
He just looked at me with hopeful eyes.
_Well, Chiron did say we shouldn't head to camp just yet. That it wasn't exactly safe. I do still have to tell her,_ I thought. _I'm sure she'll have to come spend a few days with us now. _
"She's still coming," I finally told him. "She might be day or two late though, so don't get upset."
He shook his head wildly, like a little kid that promised he'd behave so his mom would give him a sucker.
_Everything's going to be fine,_ I told myself.
Man did I feel likes such a liar in that moment.
* * *
><p>Our next exam was science. Mrs. Tesla told us that we had to mix chemicals until we succeeded in making something explode. Tyson was my lab partner. His hands were ways too big for the tiny vials we were supposed to use.<p>
_Hey, Cammie, _I asked. _What chemicals make a small explosion?_
_What do you have?_ She asked.
_Uh, blue liquids, red liquids, yellow, green…_
_Do you have a light blue liquid, and a sort of lime-ish green?_
_Uh…yeah, I do._
_Okay, take the green, and pour the blue into it._
I told Tyson to hand over the blue, and did what she said.
It made an orange mushroom cloud.
After Mrs. Tesla evacuated the lab and called the hazardous waste removal squad, she praised Tyson and me for being natural chemists. We were the first ones who'd ever aced her exam in under thirty seconds.
I smiled to myself as we left the classroom. _That wasn't a small explosion. _
_Oh, dear, naive, Percy. You know I have no idea how to make a _small _explosion. That sort of knowledge just doesn't exist in my brain. Now I have to get back to my test. I'm in P&E, and kicking butt._
_Okay, but Cam, we have to talk later. Let me know when you're done with your finals._
I was glad the morning went fast, because it kept me from thinking too much about my problems. I couldn't stand the idea that something might be wrong at camp. Even worse, I couldn't shake the memory of my bad dream. I had a terrible feeling that Grover was in danger.
In social studies, while we were drawing latitude/longitude maps, I opened my notebook and stared at the photo inside next to the one of me and Cammie—my friend Annabeth on vacation in Washington, D.C. She was wearing jeans and a denim jacket over her orange Camp Half-Blood T-shirt. Her blond hair was pulled back in a bandanna. She was standing in front of the Lincoln Memorial with her arms crossed, looking extremely pleased with herself, like she'd personally designed the place. See, Annabeth wants to be an architect when she grows up, so she's always visiting famous monuments and stuff. She's weird that way. She'd e-mailed me the picture after spring break, and every once in a while I'd look at it just to remind myself she was real and Camp Half-Blood hadn't just been my imagination. I couldn't depend on Cammie's testimony alone—she's full out bat crazy.
I wished Annabeth were here. She'd know what to make of my dream. I'd never admit it to her, but she was smarter than me, even if she was annoying sometimes.
I was about to close my notebook when Matt Sloan reached over and ripped the photo out of the rings.
"Hey!" I protested.
Sloan checked out the picture and his eyes got wide. "No way, Jackson. Who is that? She is _not _your—"
"Give it back!" My ears felt hot.
Sloan handed the photo to his ugly buddies, who snickered and started ripping it up to make spit wads. They were new kids who must've been visiting, because they were all wearing those stupid HI! MY NAME IS: tags from the admissions office. They must've had a weird sense of humor, too, because they'd all filled in the strange names like: MARROW SUCKER, SKULL EATER, and JOE BOB. No human beings had names like that.
"These guys are moving here next year," Sloan bragged, like that was supposed to scare me. "I bet they can _pay _the tuition, to, unlike your retard friend."
"He's _not _retarded." I had to try really, really hard not to punch Sloan in the face.
His huge buddies chewed up my photo. I wanted to pulverize them, but I was under strict orders from Chiron never to take my anger out on regular mortals, no matter how obnoxious they were. I had to save my fighting for monsters.
Still, part of me thought, if Sloan only know who I really was…
The ball rang.
As Tyson and I were leaving class, a girl's voice whispered, "Percy!"
I looked around the locker area, but nobody was paying me any attention. Like any girl at Meriwether would ever be caught dead calling my name. Must have been Cammie. Why she didn't follow up with anything is strange.
Before I had time to consider whether or not it was Cammie or I was imagining things, a crowd of kids rushed for the gym, carrying Tyson and me along with them. It was time for PE. Our coach had promised us a free-for-all dodgeball game and Matt Sloan had promised to kill me.
* * *
><p>The gym uniform at Meriwether is sky blue shorts and tie-dyed T-shirts. Fortunately, we did most of our athletic stuff inside, so we don't have to jog through Tribeca looking like a bunch of boot-camp hippie children.<p>
I changed as quickly as I could in the locker room because I didn't want to deal with Sloan. I was about to leave when Tyson called, "Percy?"
He hadn't changed yet. He was standing by the weight room door, clutching his gym clothes. "Well you…uh…"
"Oh. Yeah." I tried not to sound aggravated about it. "Yeah, sure, man."
Tyson ducked inside the weight room. I stood guard outside the door while he changed. I felt kind of awkward doing this, but he asked me to most days. I think it's because he's completely hairy and he's got weird scars on his back that I've never had the courage to ask him about.
Anyway, I'd learned the hard way that if people teased Tyson while he was dressing out, he'd get upset and start ripping the doors off lockers.
When we got into the gym, Coach Nunley was sitting at his little desk reading _Sports Illustrated. _Nunley was about a million years old, with bifocals and no teeth and a greasy wave of gray hair. he reminded me of the Oracle at Camp Half-Blood—which was a shriveled-up mummy—except Coach Nunley moved a lot less and he never billowed green smoke. Well, at least not that I'd observed.
Matt Sloan said, "Coach, can I be captain?"
"Eh?" Coach Nunley looked up from his magazine. "Yeah," he mumbled. "Mm-hmm."
Sloan grinned and took charge of the picking. He made me the other team's captain, but it didn't matter who I picked, because all the jocks and the popular kids moved over to Sloan's side. So did the big group of visitors.
On my side I had Tyson, Corey Bailer the computer geek, Raj Mandeli the calculus whiz, and a half dozen other kids who always got harassed by Sloan and his gang. Normally I would've been okay with just Tyson—he was worth half the team all by himself—but the visitors on Sloan's team were almost as tall and strong-looking as Tyson, and there were six of them.
Matt Sloan spilled a cage full of balls in the middle of the gym.
"Scared," Tyson mumbled. "Smell funny."
I looked at him. "What smells funny?" Because I didn't figure he was talking about himself.
"Them." Tyson pointed at Sloan's new friends. "Smell funny."
The visitors were cracking their knuckles, eyeing us like it was laughter time. I suddenly imagined Cammie standing right beside me, mirroring their actions, sneering, hissing any insults that came to her mind without hesitation. I couldn't help wondering where they were from. Someplace where they fed the kids raw meat and beat them with sticks.
Sloan blew coach's whistle and the game began. Sloan's team ran for the center line. On my side, Raj Mandali yelled something in Urdu, probably "I have to go potty!" and ran for the exit. Corey Bailer tried to crawl behind the wall mat and hide. The rest of my team did their best cower in fear and not look like targets.
"Tyson," I said. "Let's g—"
A ball slammed into my gut. I sat down hard in the middle of the gym floor. The other team exploded in laughter.
My eyesight was fuzzy. I felt like I'd just gotten the Heimlich maneuver from a gorilla. I couldn't believe anybody could throw that hard.
Tyson yelled, "Percy, duck!"
I rolled as another dodgeball whistled past my ear at the speed of sound.
_Whooom!_
It hit the wall mat, and Corey Bailer yelped.
"Hey!" I yelled at Sloan's team. "You could kill somebody!"
The visitor named Joe Bob grinned at me evilly. Somehow, he looked a lot bigger now…even taller than Tyson. His biceps bulged beneath his T-shirt. "I hope so, Perseus Jackson! I hope so!"
The way he said my name sent a chill down my back. nobody called me Perseus except those who knew my true identity. Friends…and enemies.
What had Tyson said? _They smell funny._
Monsters.
All around Matt Sloan, the visitors were growing in size. They were no longer kids. They were eight-foot-tall giants with wild eyes, pointy teeth, and hairy arms tattoed with snakes and hula women and Valentine hearts.
Matt Sloan dropped his ball. "Whoa! You're not from Detroit! Who…"
The other kids on his team started screaming and backing toward the exit, but the giant named Marrow Sucker threw his ball with deadly accuracy. It streaked past Raj Mandali just as he was about to leave and hit the door, slamming it shuck like magic. Raj and some of the other kids banged on it desperately but it wouldn't budge.
"Let them go!" I yelled at the giants.
The one called Joe Bob growled at me. He had a tattoo on his biceps that said: _JB luvs babycakes. _"And lose our tasty morsels? No, Son of the Sea God. We Laistrygonians aren't just playing for your death. We want lunch!"
He waved his hand and a new batch of dodgeballs appeared on the center line—but these balls weren't made of red rubber. They were bronze, the size of cannon balls, perforated like wiffle balls with fire bubbling out the holes. They must've been searing hot, but the giants picked them up with their bare hands.
"Coach!" I yelled.
Nunley looked up sleepily, but if he saw anything abnormal about the dodgeball game, he didn't let on. That's the problem with mortals. Am magical force called the Mist obscures the true appearance of monsters and gods from their vision, so mortals tend to see only what they can understand. Maybe the coach saw a few eighth graders pouding the younger kids like usual. Maybe the other kids saw Matt Sloan's thugs getting ready to toss Molotov cocktails around. (It wouldn't have been the first time.) At any rate, I was pretty sure nobody else realized we were dealing with genuine man-eating bloodthirsty monsters.
"Yeah. Mm-hmm," Coach muttered. "Play nice."
And he went back to his magazine.
The giant named Skull Eater threw his ball. I dove aside as the fiery bronze comet sailed past my shoulder.
"Corey!" I screamed.
Tyson pulled him out from behind the exercise mat just as the ball exploded against it, blasting the mat to smoking shreds.
"Run!" I told my teammates. "The other exit!"
They ran for the locker room, but with another wave of Joe Bob's hand, the door also slammed shut.
"No one leaves unless you're out!" Joe Bob roared. "And you're not out until we eat you!"
He launched his own fireball. My teammates scattered as it blasted a crater in the gym floor.
I reached for Riptide, which I always kept in my pocket, but then I realized I was wearing gym shorts. I _had _no pockets. Riptide was tucked in my jeans inside my gym locker. And the locker room door was sealed. I was completely defenseless.
Another fireball came streaking toward me. Tyson pushed me out of the way, but the explosion still blew me head over heels. I found myself sprawled on the gym floor, dazed from smoke, my tie-dyed T-shirt peppered with sizzling holes. Just across the center line, two hungry giants were glaring down at me.
"Flesh!" they bellowed. "Hero flesh for lunch!" They both took aim.
"Percy needs help!" Tyson yelled, and he jumped in front of me just as they threw their balls.
"Tyson!" I screamed, but it was too late.
Both balls slammed into him…but no…he'd caught them. Somehow Tyson, who was so clumsy he knocked over lab equipment and broke playground structures on a regular basis, had caught two fiery metal balls speeding towards him at a zillion miles an hour. He sent them hurtling back toward their surprised owners, who screamed, "BAAAAAAD!" as the bronze spheres exploded against their chests.
The giants disintegrated in twin columns of flame—a sure sign they were monsters, all right. Monsters don't die. They just dissipate into smoke and dust, which saves heroes a lot of trouble cleaning up after a fight.
"My brothers!" Joe Bob the Cannibal wailed. He flexed his muscles and his _Babycakes _tattoo rippled. "You will pay for their destruction!"
_Obviously my destruction was already on the menu._
Another comet hurtled toward us. Tyson just had time to swat it aside. It flew straight over Coach Nunley's head and landed in the bleachers with a huge KA-BOOM!
Kids were running and screaming, trying to avoid the sizzling craters in the floor. Other were banging on the door, calling for help. Sloan himself stood petrified in the middle of the court, watching in disbelief as balls of death flew around him.
Coach Nunley still wasn't seeing anything. He tapped his hearing aid like the explosions were giving him interference, but kept his eyes on his magazine.
Surely the whole school could hear the noise. The headmaster, the police, somebody would come help us.
"Victory will be ours!" roared Joe Bob the Cannibal. "We will feast on your bones!"
"I think you're taking the game _way _to seriously!" I yelled at him. _Oh, great, _I thought. _My inner Cammie is showing._
Another dodgeball hit the wall next to my head.
_Yeah, it's showing, that's how most would react to her saying that._
I knew we were dead. Tyson couldn't deflect all those balls at once. His hands _had _to be seriously burned form blocking the first volley. Without my sword…
I had a crazy idea.
I ran towards the locker room.
"Move!" I told my teammates. "Away from the door."
Explosions behind me. Tyson had batted two of the balls back toward their owners and blasted them to ashes.
The left two giants still standing.
A third ball hurtled straight at me. I forced myself to wait—one Mississippi, two Mississippi—then dove aside as the fiery sphere demolished the locker room door.
Now, I figured that the built-up gas in most boys' locker rooms was enough to cause an explosion, so I wasn't surprised when the flaming dodgeball ignited a huge WHOOOOOOM!
The wall blew apart. Locker doors, socks, athletic supporters, and other various nasty personal belongings rained all over the gym.
In turned just in time to see Tyson punch Skull Eater in the face. The giant crumpled. But the last giant, Joe Bob, had wisly held on to his own ball, waiting for an opportunity. He threw just as Tyson was turning to face him.
"No!" I yelled.
The ball caught Tyson square in the chest. He slid the length of the court and slammed into the back wall, which cracked and partially crumbled on top of him, making a hole right onto Church Street. I didn't see how Tyson could still be alive, but he only looked dazed. The bronze ball was smoking at his feet. Tyson tried to pick it up, but he fell back, stunned, into a pile of cinder blocks.
"Well!" Joe Bob gloated. "I'm the last one standing! I'll have enough meat to bring Babycakes a doggie bag!"
He picked up another ball and aimed it at Tyson.
"Stop!" I yelled. "It's me you want!"
The giant grinned. "You wish to die first, young hero?"
I had to do something. Riptide had to be around her somewhere.
Then I spotted my jeans in a smoking heap of clothes right by the giant's feet. If I could only get there…I knew it was hopeless, but I charged.
The giant laughed. "My lunch approaches." He raised his arm to throw. I braced myself to die.
_I'm sorry, Cammie. I don't want to leave you alone, but I have to do something._
Suddenly the giant's body went ridged. His expression changed from gloating to surprise. Right where his belly button should've been, his T-Shirt ripped open and he grew something like a horn—no, not a horn—the glowing tip of a blade.
The ball dropped out of his hand. The monster stared down at the knife that had just run him through from behind.
He muttered, "Ow," and burst into a cloud of green flame, which I figured was going to make Babycakes pretty upset.
Standing in the smoke was my friend Annabeth. Her face was grimy and scratched. She had a ragged backpack slung over her shoulder, her baseball cap tucked in her pocket, a bronze knife in her hand, and a wild look in her storm-gray eyes, like she'd just been cased a thousand miles by ghosts.
Matt Sloan, who'd been standing there dumbfounded the whole time, finally came to his senses. He blinked at Annabeth, as if he dimly recognized her from my notebook picture. "That's the girl…that's the girl—"
Annabeth suddenly raised her knife above him, as though she was going to stab him right in the middle of his forehead. Having been through enough near death for the day, he proceeded to pass out, hitting the floor with a loud thud.
Annabeth lowered her knife and gave him a swift kick to his ribs. "And _you,_" she told him, "lay off my friend."
They gym was in flames. Kids were still running around screaming. I heart sirens wailed and a garbled voice over intercom. Through the glass windows of the exit doors, I could see the headmaster, Mr. Bonsai, wrestling with the with the lock, a crowd of teachers piling up behind him.
"Annabeth…"I stammered. "How did you…how long have you…"
"Pretty much all morning." She sheathed her bronzed knife. "I've been trying to find a good time to talk to you, but you were never alone."
"The shadow I saw this morning—that was—" My face felt hot. "Oh my gods, you were looking in my bedroom window?"
"There's no time to explain!" she snapped, though she looked a little red-faced herself. "I just didn't want to—"
"There," a woman screamed. The doors burst open and the adults came pouring in.
"Meet me outside," Annabeth told me. "And him." She pointed to Tyson, who was still dazed against the wall. Annabeth gave him a look of distaste that I didn't quite understand. "You'd better bring him."
"_What?_"
"No time!" she said. "Hurry!"
She put on her Yankees baseball cap, which was a magic gift from her mom, and instantly vanished.
That left me standing alone in the middle of the burning gymnasium when the headmaster came charging in the half the faculty and a couple of police officers.
"Percy Jackson?" Mr. Bonsai said. "What…how…"
Over by the broken wall, Tyson groaned and stood up from the pile of cinder blocks. "Head hurts."
Matt Sloan was coming around, too. He focused on me with a look of terror. "Percy did it, Mr. Bonsai! He set the whole building on fire. Coach Nunley will tell you! He saw it all!"
Coach Nunley had been dutifully reading his magazine, but just my luck—he chose that moment to look up when Sloan said his name. "Eh? Yeah. Mm-hmm."
The other adults turned toward me. I knew they would never believe me, even if I could tell them the truth.
I grabbed Riptide out of my ruined jeans, told Tyson, "Come on!" and jumped through the gaping hole in the side of the building.
* * *
><p>The girl with long black hair that was as wavy and untamed as the sea stood in front of the burning school wing, her arms crossed, a blank look on her face. She wore a long, charcoal pea coat, sunglasses to shield her eyes from the sun that had hit itself away as soon as the rain started falling, and a pair of gray ankle boots with tall heels to make her look much taller then she actually was. For only being thirteen years old, the look made her seem much older, and she blended in with the adults around her.<p>
An hour or two had passed since the incident happened, and still people hadn't calmed down in the slightest bit. Civilians flocked to the scene, like bees to flowers, and were buzzing around like them too. Except this one girl, who stood calmly, looking as if what she was watching happened every day, and was by this point boring. But if anyone at the scene knew her they'd have seen the smirk beneath the placid look.
_Of course he gets in trouble the day I come back,_ she thought. _I stopped by for him, and he makes it a point to disappear. Typical Percy._
She scanned the wreckage slowly, taking everything in. A giant hole in the gym wall, obviously. Would have taken a great amount of force. It burned slightly at the edges. Maybe there was a gas leak. Highly improbable. Some kid being stupid, brought something explosive. Again, unlikely.
Monsters. Now that's a feasible theory.
She could see a kid a few yards away making a bit of a scene. He was ranting and raving about giant kids who were _not _from Detroit, a girl threating him with a knife, and a loser named _Percy Jackson _blowing up the school gym, nearly killing everybody. Him in particular.
She studied him. Short, skinny, bratty looking. He had what used to be nice clothes, now covered in ash, and starting to char on the edges. From the accident. No other explanation there really. He got driven around anywhere he wanted to go, that much was clear by his shoes. Not a scratch, mud stain, or wearing on the heels. His hands had slight scratching, and his knuckles had tint of red in the folds—blood. Scratching most lightly from scrapping his knuckles across something sharp, or hitting a thin edge fast and hard. Glasses or braces, maybe something else. Blood, not his—no obvious open wounds, and he hasn't bothered to wash it off. Shows he took pride in what it symbolized. Based on his rude vocabulary, narcissistic behavior, and obvious dislike to the kids around him, he was most lightly a bully. 98% likely.
Her smirk grew into a mischievous smile. From what she heard from Percy, this boy was more than likely Matt Sloan. The school's residential rich kid and bully.
There was two choices that came to mind in that moment. Ignore the kid, get on with what she came to do: examine the damage and figure out a way to keep this off the news. The charitable way.
Or she could go a little off script. Do something a little stupid, something they wouldn't approve of in the field she was training for.
Charity when out the window.
First, to take care of business.
Pulling the ID wallet out of her pocket, she marched over to the group of adults that seemed to be in charge of the school.
"Hello," she said in a brisk tone, flashing them her ID. "I'm Alisa Fletching from the Harrison Gas Company. It seems the email didn't reach you in time. Thankfully, no one got hurt."
One man, who stood in the middle of the group, turned to stare at her. "Uh, hi, I'm Mr. Bonsai, the headmaster here. I'm sorry, but what email would you be referring to?"
"The one informing you there has been a gas leak in the gymnasium area." It may have been an implausible explanation, but it was the human way to believe in an easy explanation—no matter how unlikely—against no explanation.
"That was caused by a gas leak?" one man asked.
"Yes, a small one. I assure you, the Harrison Company has already started drawing up plans to fix this problem, so you best not worry too much about it. Though that kind of explosion would have had to had been caused by setting the gas aflame. A match, or lighter perhaps."
"Are you saying that one of the kids might have set the room on fire?" a woman asked.
One of the other men studied her. "Are you sure you're old enough to work for the Gas Company? You seem very young."
"I'll take that as a complement, Sir. If you have any problems with me, you can have one of the many police officers here look me up, and they can confirm that I do, in fact, work for the Gas Company."
They shared a look that said no one wanted to go through the trouble. Not that it would have matter anyway. All the IDs she'd ever made had government backups, and they could search for an Alisa Fletching, and find her right away. Twenty-five year old assistant in the Harrison Gas Company.
"Anyway, what I'm saying that it wouldn't have just exploded on its own. Something had to had set it aflame."
"Well, we've already gotten a witness claiming Percy did it," Mr. Bonsai told his colleagues, who all nodded in agreement.
"For legal purposes, you might want to check the students," she advised. "Just so it's not a 'he said, she said' kind of situation."
The adults seemed to share a look and agree. They all split up, and started searching the kids' pockets.
Her smile returned as they left. "That went well," she muttered to herself, pulling off her sunglasses, walking over to the boy who continued to make a fuss.
She slid her glasses into her pocket, looking around to make sure none of the adults she was just talking to saw what she was about to do.
Tapping the boy on the shoulder, she asked, "Matt Sloan, right?"
The boy turned, and stared at her, as though he was seeing someone else. Then he shook his head, still looking a bit suspicious. "Ah, yeah, that's me."
Her smile grew. "Oh, great. It's so great to finally meet you. I'm heard all about you."
"Ah, really?"
"Yep. And I've got something for you," she said, almost flirtatiously. She stepped closer, close enough to slip a lighter into his pocket unnoticed.
**Mission complete**
She stepped back a bit. "I can give it to you now, if you'd like."
"Uh…sure…"
The smile turned into a grin as her fist clenched at her side, before raising it. Her job was complete, but revenge had not yet been delivered. "By the way, my name's Cameron _Jackson_."
* * *
><p><strong>Chapter two guys! Feels great to have this completed. How'd you guys like it? I know that's it's Percy perspective again, and I'm sorry, it will be his again for the next chapter, then I swear it will be Cam's turn. I just wanted to get Percy's little pre-camp adventure out there, and since Cam didn't come until a few hours later, it would have been really hard to write what happened. I would have had to put up a chapter of Cammie taking tests all day. Not exactly prime reading material. Do you like what I've done with Cammie? She's a bit more mysterious in this chapter. After a full year at spy school, she's already starting to use the skills she learned there, but she's still got her little spark of rebellion. I'm really going to start tying in some of the spy stuff in this story. <strong>
**So give me some feedback on what you did and didn't like about this chapter.**
**Stay nerdy my dearest readers.**
**P.S. I might be doing a short Youtube video on this last scene with Cammie. Like really short. Maybe I will, if I can get my friends help on it, and it would take months to complete most likely. So tell me what you think about that.**
3. Chapter 3
WE HAIL THE TAXI OF ETERNAL TORMENT
* * *
><p>Annabeth was waiting for us in an alley down Church Street. She pulled Tyson and me off the sidewalk just as a fire truck screamed past, heading for Meriwether Prep.<p>
"Where'd you find _him?_" she demanded, pointing at Tyson.
Now, under different circumstances, I would have been really happy to see her. We'd made our peace last summer, despite the fact that her mom was Athena and didn't get along with my dad. I'd missed Annabeth probably more then I wanted to admit.
But I'd just been attacked by cannibal giants, Tyson had saved my life three or four times, and all Annabeth could do was glare at him like _he _was the problem.
"He's my friend," I told her.
"Is he homeless?"
"What does that have to do with anything? He can hear you, you know. Why don't you ask him?"
She looked surprised. "He can talk?"
"I talk," Tyson admitted. "You are pretty."
"Ah! Gross!" Annabeth stepped away from him.
I couldn't believe she was being so rude. I examined Tyson's hands, which I was sure must've been badly scorched by the flaming dodge balls, but they looked fine—grimy and scarred, with dirty fingernails the size of potato chips—but they always looked like that. "Tyson," I said in disbelief. "Your hands aren't even burned."
"Of course not," Annabeth muttered. "I'm surprised the Laistrgonians had the guts to attack you with him around."
Tyson seemed fascinated by Annabeth's blond hair. He tried to touch it, but she smacked his hand away.
"Annabeth," I said, "what are you taking about? Laistry-what?"
"Laistrygonians. The monsters in the gym. They're a race of giant cannibals who live in the far north. Odysseus ran into them once, but I've never seen them as far south as New York before."
"Laistry—I can't even say that. What would you call them in English?"
She thought about it for a moment. "Canadians," she decided. "Now come on, we have to get out of here."
"The police'll be after me." The thought of telling Cammie that I was once again a fugitive occurred to me, but Annabeth was taking.
"That's the least of our problems," she said. "Have you been having the dreams?"
"The dreams…about Grover?"
Her face turned pale. "Grover? No, what about Grover?"
I told her my dream. "Why? what were _you _dreaming about?"
Her eyes looked stormy, like her mind was racing a million miles an hour.
"Camp," she said at last. "Big trouble at camp."
"My mom was saying the same thing! But what _kind _of trouble?"
"I don't know exactly. Something's wrong. We have to get there right away. Monsters have been chasing me all the way from Virginia, trying to stop me. I was going to stop by Gallagher to grab Cammie, but I didn't think it would be a good idea to drag a bunch of monsters into a top security spy school with a mine field surrounding it. That might raise some questions. So I just messaged her and told her to get her butt up here."
"You messaged her?! Annabeth, she's surrounded by girls all day! She's virtually never alone! Did it not cross your mind that messaging her in the middle of a school day might not be the smartest idea?" I questioned, slightly panicky.
She glared at me. "It was an emergency. Anyway, we made a sort of deal before we left camp. At one thirty every day she takes a bathroom break, so if I ever need to call her for some reason, I do it then."
"…While she's in the bathroom?"
"She's not actually _going _to the bathroom, she just stands there in a stall, waiting."
"Well then why didn't she ever tell me about this time slot she seems to have set open?" I asked, begrudgingly.
Annabeth rolled her eyes. "You are _twins, _Percy. You can talk through a telepathic link. Anyway, back to the topic at hand. Have you had many attacks?"
I shook my head. "None all year…until today."
"None? But how…" Her eyes drifted to Tyson. "Oh."
"What do you mean, 'oh'?"
Tyson raised his hand like he was still in class. "Canadians in the gym called Percy something…Son of the Sea God?"
Annabeth and I exchanged looks.
I didn't know how I could explain, but I figured Tyson deserved the truth after almost getting killed.
"Big guy," I said, "you ever hear those old stories about the Greek gods? Like Zeus, Poseidon, Athena—"
"Yes," Tyson said.
"Well…those gods are still alive. They kind of follow Western Civilization around, living in the strongest countries, so like now they're in the U.S. And sometimes they have kids with mortals. Kids called half-bloods."
"Yes," Tyson said, like he was still waiting for me to get to the point.
"Uh, well, Annabeth and I—and my sister, Cammie—are half-bloods," I said. "We're like…heroes-in-training. And whenever monsters pick up our scent, they attack us. That's what those giants were in the gym. Monsters."
"Yes."
I stared at him. He didn't seem surprised or confused by what I was telling him, which surprised and confused me. "So…you believe me?"
Tyson nodded. "But you are…Son of the Sea God?"
"Yeah," I admitted. "My dad is Poseidon."
Tyson frowned. _Now _he looked confused. "But then…"
A siren wailed. A police car raced past our ally.
"We don't have time for this," Annabeth said. "We'll talk in the taxi."
"A taxi all the way to camp?" I said. "You know how much money—"
"Trust me."
I hesitated. "What about Tyson?"
I imagined escorting my giant friend into Camp Half-Blood. If he freaked out on a regular playground with regular bullies, how would he act at a training camp for demigods? On the other hand, the cops would be looking for us.
"We can't just leave him," I decided. "He'll be in trouble, too."
"Yeah," Annabeth said, looking grim. "We definitely need to take him. Now come on."
I didn't like the way she said that, as if Tyson were a big disease we needed to get to the hospital, but I followed her down the alley. Together the three of us sneaked through the side streets of downtown while a huge column of smoke billowed up behind us from my school gymnasium.
* * *
><p>"Here," Annabeth stopped us on the corner of Tomas and Trimble. She fished around in her backpack. "I hope I have one left."<p>
She looked even worse then I'd realized at first. Her chin was cut. Twigs and grass were tangled in her ponytail, as if she'd slept several nights in the open. The slashes on the hems of her jeans look suspiciously like claw marks.
"What are you looking for?" I asked.
All around us, sirens wailed. I figured it wouldn't be long before more cops cruised by, looking for juvenile delinquent gym-bombers. No doubt Matt Sloan had given them a statement by now. He'd probably twisted the story around so that Tyson and I were the bloodthirsty cannibals.
"Found one. Thank the gods." Annabeth pulled out a gold coin that I recognized to as a drachma, the currency of Mount Olympus. It had Zeus's likeness stamped no one side and the Empire State Building on the other.
"Annabeth," I said," New York taxi drivers won't take that."
"Stȇthi," she shouted in Ancient Greek. "Ȏ hárma diablȇs!"
As usual, the moment she spoke in the language of Olympus, I somehow understood it. She'd said: _Stop, Chariot of Damnation!_
That didn't exactly make me feel real excited about whatever her plan was.
She threw her coin into the street, but instead of clattering on the asphalt, the drachma sank right through and disappeared.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then, just where the coin had fallen, the asphalt darkened. It melted into a rectangular pool about the size of a parking space—bubbling red liquid like blood. Then a car erupted from the ooze.
It was a taxi, all right, but unlike every other taxi in New York, it wasn't yellow. It was smoky gray. I mean it looked like it was _woven _out of smoke, like you could walk right through it. There were words printed on the door—something like GYAR SSIRES—but my dyslexia made it hard for me to decipher what it said.
The passenger window rolled down, and an old woman stuck her head out. She had a mop of grizzled hair covering her eyes, and she spoke in a weird mumbling way, like she'd just had a shot of Novocain. "Passage? Passage?"
"Three to Camp Half-Blood," Annabeth said. She opened the cab's back door and waved at me to get in, like this was all completely normal. I guess a boy just has to get used to this kind of stuff.
"Ach!" the old woman screeched. "We don't take _his _kind!"
She pointed a boney finger at Tyson.
What was it? Pick-on-Big-and-Ugly-Kids Day?
"Extra pay," Annabeth promised. "Three more drachma on arrival."
"Done!" the woman screamed.
Reluctantly I got in the cab. Tyson squeezed in the middle. Annabeth crawled in last.
The interior was also smoky gray, but it felt solid enough. The seat was cracked and lumpy—no different than more taxis. There was no Plexiglas screen separating us from the old lady…Wait a minute. There wasn't just one old lady. There were three, all crammed in the front seat, each with stringy hair covering her eyes, bony hands, and a charcoal-colored sackcloth dress.
The one driving said, "Long Island! Out-of-metro fare bonus! Ha!"
She floored the accelerator, and my head slammed against the backrest. A prerecorded voice came on over the speaker: _Hi, this is Ganymede, cup-bearer to Zeus, and when I'm out buying wine for the Lord of the Skies, I always buckle up!_
I looked down and found a large black chain instead of a seat belt. I decided I wasn't that desperate…yet.
The cab sped around the corner of West Broadways, and the gray lady sitting in the middle screeched, "Look out! Go left!"
"Well, if you'd give me the eye, Tempest, I could _see _that!" the driver complained.
Wait a minute. _Give her the eye?_
I didn't have time to ask questions because the driver swerved to avoid an oncoming deliver truck, ran over the curb with a jaw-rattling _thump_, and flew into the next block.
"Wasp!" the third lady said to the driver. "Give me the girl's coin! I want to bite it!"
"You bit it last time, Anger!" the driver said, whose name must have been Wasp. How unfortunate. "It's my turn!"
"Is not!" yelled the one called Anger. Really? You named your child _Anger_?
The middle one, Tempest—I was starting to think that maybe these were just nicknames—screamed, "red light!"
"Break!" yelled Anger.
Instead, Wasp floored the accelerator and rode up one the curb, screeching around another corner, and knocking over the newspaper box. She left my stomach somewhere back on Broome Street.
"Excuse me," I said. "But…can you see?"
"No!" screamed Wasp from behind the wheel.
"No!" screamed Tempest form the middle.
"Of course!" screamed Anger by the shotgun window.
I looked at Annabeth. "They're blind?"
"Not completely," Annabeth said. "They have one eye."
"One eye?"
"Yeah."
"Each?"
"No. On eye total."
Next to me Tyson groaned and grabbed the seat. "Not feeling so good."
"Oh, man," I said, because I had seen Tyson get carsick on school field trips and it was _not _something you wanted to be within fifty feet of. "Hang in there, big guy. Anybody got a garbage bag or something?"
The three gray ladies were too busy squabbling to pay me any attention. I looked over at Annabeth, who was hanging on for dear life, and gave her a _why-did-you-do-this-to-me _look.
"Hey," she said, "Gray Sisters Taxi is the fastest way to camp."
"Then why didn't you take it from Virginia?"
"That's outside their service area," she said, like that should be obvious. "They only serve Greater New York and surrounding communities."
"We've had famous people in this cab!" Anger exclaimed. "Jason! You remember him?"
"Don't remind me!" Wasp wailed. "And we didn't have a cab back then, you old bat. That was three thousand years ago!"
"Give me the tooth!" Anger tried to grab at Wasp's mouth, but Wasp swatted her hand away.
"Only if Tempest gives me the eye!"
"No!" Tempest screeched. "You had it yesterday!"
"But I'm driving, you old hag!"
"Excuses! Turn! That was your turn!"
Wasp swerved to hard onto Delancey street, squishing me between Tyson and the door. she punched the gas and we shot up Williamsburg Bridge at seventy miles an hour.
The three sisters were fighting for real now, slapping each other as Anger tried to grab at Wasp's face and Wasp tried to grab at Tempest's. With their hair flying and their mouths open, screaming at each other, I realized that none of the sisters had any teeth except for Wasp, who had one mossy yellow incisor. Instead of eyes, they just had closed sunken eyelids, except for anger, who had one bloodshot green eye that stared at everything hungrily, as if it couldn't get enough of anything it saw.
Finally Anger, who had the advantage of sight, managed to yank the tooth out of her sister Wasp's mouth. This mad Wasp so mad she swerved toward the edge of the Williamsburg Bridge, yelling, "'Ivit back! 'Ivit back!"
Tyson groaned and clutched his stomach.
"Uh, if anybody is interested," I said, "Were going to die!"
"Don't worry," Annabeth told me, sounding pretty worried. "The Gray sisters know what they're doing. They're really very wise."
This coming from the daughter of Athena, but I wasn't exactly reassured. We were skimming along the edge of a bridge a hundred and thirty feet above the East River.
"Yes, wise!" Anger grinned in the rearview mirror, showing off her newly acquired tooth. "We know things!"
"Every street in Manhattan!" Wasp bragged, stilling hitting her sister. "The capital of Nepal!"
"The location you seek!" Tempest added.
Immediately her sisters pummeled her from either said screaming, "Be quite! Be quite! He didn't even ask yet!"
"What?" I said. "What location? I'm not seeking any—"
"Nothing!" Tempest said. "You're right, boy. It's nothing!"
I could hear a voice, one that sounded very similar to Cammie's (for all I knew it was her) saying, _they're lying. Grill them some more on this location. They are _wise. _They know things. Don't let this go. Question them._
"Tell me," I insisted.
"No!" they all screamed.
"The last time we told, it was horrible!" Tempest said.
"Eye tossed in a lake!" Anger agreed.
"Years to find it again!" Wasp moaned. "And speaking of that—gives it back!"
"No!" yelled Anger.
"Eye!" Wasp yelled. "Gimme!"
She whacked her sister Anger on the back. There was a sickening _pop_ and something flew out of Anger's face. Anger fumbled for it, trying to catch it, but she only managed to bat it with the back of her hand. The slimy green orb sailed over her shoulder, into the backseat, and straight into my lap.
I jumped so hard, my head hit the ceiling and they eyeball rolled away.
"I can't see!" all three sisters yelled.
"Give me they eye!" Wasp wailed.
"Give her the eye!" Annabeth screamed.
"I don't have it!" I said.
"There, by your foot," Annabeth said. "Don't step on it! Get it!"
"I'm not picking that up!"
The taxi slammed against the guardrail and skidded along with a horrible grinding noise. The whole car shuddered, billowing gray smoke as if it were about to dissolve from the strain.
"Going to be sick!" Tyson warned.
"Annabeth," I yelled, "let Tyson use your backpack!"
"Are you crazy? Get the eye!"
Wasp yanked the wheel, and the taxi swerved away from the rail. We hurtled down the bridge toward Brooklyn, going faster than any human taxi. The Gray sisters screeched and pummeled each other and cried out for their eye.
At last I steeled my nerves. I ripped off a chunk of my tie-dyed T-shirt, which was already falling apart from all the burn marks, and used it to pick the eyeball off the floor.
"Nice boy!" Anger cried, as if she somehow knew I had her missing peeper. "Give it back!"
"Not until you explain!" I told her. "What were you talking about, the Location I seek?"
"You're sister is not here, how can you both hear what you seek?" Wasp yelled.
"I'll pass on the message. Now _what _were you saying?"
"No time!" Tempest cried. "Accelerating!"
I looked out the window. Sure enough, trees and cars and whole neighborhoods were now zipping by in a gray blur. We were already out of Brooklyn, heading through the middle of Long Island.
"Percy," Annabeth warned, "they can't find our destination without the eye. We'll just keep accelerating until we break into a million pieces."
"First they have to tell me," I said. "Or I'll open the window and throw the eye into oncoming traffic."
"No!" the Gray Sisters screamed. "30, 31, 75, 12!"
They belted it out like a quarterback calling a play.
"What do you mean?" I said. "That makes no sense!"
"30, 31, 75, 12!" Anger wailed. "That's all we can tell you. now give us the eye! Almost to camp!"
We were off the highway now, zipping through the countryside of northern Long Island. I could see Half-Blood Hill ahead of us, with its giant pine tree at the crest—Thalia's tree, which contained the life force of a fallen hero.
"Percy!" Annabeth said more urgently. "Give them the eye _now_!"
I decided not to argue. I threw the eye into Wasp's lap.
The old lady snatched it up, pushing it into her eye socket like somebody putting in a contact lens, and blinked. "Whoa!"
She slammed on the brakes. The Taxi spun four or five times in a cloud of smoke and squealed to a halt in the middle of the farm road at the base of Half-Blood Hill.
Tyson let loose a huge belch. "Better now."
"All right," I told the Gray Sisters. "Now tell me what those numbers mean."
Instead of them telling me what they knew, they all turned around in their seats and glared at me. "Get out!" they screamed together.
The back doors to the cab flew open, and the three sisters all reached back to push me out. I fell on the ground with and umph. I guess they held a bit of resentment towards me for holding their one eye hostage. In all fairness, it was only more a minute.
Annabeth and Tyson exited the car, and the taxi sped away, leaving us in a smoke cloud.
Annabeth glared at me. "Really?"
I shrugged. "My inner Cammie came out for a bit."
She rolled her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. Tyson just stood there smiling, happy he wasn't feeling sick anymore.
"Aren't you glad me and Cammie don't fight like that?" I joked.
For a moment, Annabeth smiled.
Speaking of my sister, I started to get that feeling I always had when Cammie was near.
_Cammie?_
She didn't answer, so I left Annabeth, who was staring worriedly at Tyson, as if she didn't know what to do with him, running toward the feeling_. Cammie? Cam, where are you?_
Campers yelled hi, and I politely waved back, asking if any of them saw her.
"Hey, Percy!" Josh Abrams yelled to me from the basketball court. "Long time no see!"
"Hey Josh, have you seen Cammie?" I asked, running up to him. His friend, Dillon rolled his eyes at my arrival, and left. He's an Aries camper, so I wasn't really all that surprised.
He nodded. "Yeah, Cammie came and asked for a ride up to New York after all her exams were over. They got done early, and she ditched her friends day, or whatever she was planning on doing. Said she had a bad feeling about something, and wanted to go make sure you stayed out of trouble. We stopped for a bit, too see your mom. She kind of…well she disappeared for a bit, but then she came back, said you had already left, and we headed over here. She should be somewhere… that a'way." He pointed to his right.
"Thanks Josh," I said, but paused. I hadn't seen Josh since last summer. Not since Luke. I don't know why, but I felt like I needed to say something to him. "So, um…"
"Look, if your hesitation is about Luke, I understand."
"No! I mean, I don't blame you for what he did, obviously because you didn't do it—"
"Well obviously not, and I know you wouldn't do that, Percy. I mean—" he smiled. "You're Cammie's brother. You two are too much alike."
"Did you two get… close in Roseville?"
He blushed a deep red. "I wouldn't say close, but we're good friends now. I mean, so are her and Dee Dee, but…"
I waved my hand. "I'm sorry, it's really none of my business, I'll just leave you alone. So, she's that way?" I pointed to the way he had directed me, even though I was absolutely certain she was.
Josh nodded. "That's where I last saw her. I think she said she was going to put her stuff away in your guys' cabin."
Thanking him, I ran to the cabin, a smile on my face as the feeling got to its peak. "Cammie!" I yelled out to the wooden structure. "Cam, you in here? Come on out!"
I ran in, and up to her bed, where her suitcase and backpack lay in a neat pile.
"You called for me, oh seditious one?" a voice said behind me.
"Cammie!" I spun again, smiling at the smirking girl behind me.
"Miss me, Percy?" she asked, holding out her arms.
I crushed her into a hug, picking her up and spinning her around. "Cammie!" I yelled with delight.
"Ahh! Percy, put me down!" she laughed, though she wrapped her arms tightly around my neck, not allowing herself to be torn away. I set her down and looked her over. She looked slightly older, almost mature, but I could see the deceitful look that seemed to live in her eyes, sparkling like the sun on the sea. She was wearing her uniform, and I had to hold back the sad feeling I always got when I realized she was always so far away.
"This is the first time I've actually seen you in your uniform," I told her in a lame voice, as if I hadn't seen her in years, instead of months.
She looked down at herself. "I haven't had time to change yet."
"Yeah, I guess so. I'll just be over here…"
She got a sad look on her face, all smiles gone. "Don't be a stranger to me, Percy. I'm the same, promise."
I gave her a weak smile. "A stranger? You? Come on, Cammie, we share a brain. I know more about you then I really want to." I poked her in the stomach, putting my hands up in a mock challenge. "Come on now, fight me."
She laughed. "Come on, Percy, I go to a spy school. I've got some new tricks up my sleeve. Tricks you don't want me to unleash."
"Well then, let's bring the cat out of the box, huh? Show me all the stuff you've learned in your little spy school."
"Oh, you want to go?" I nodded. "You sure? 'Cause once the cat comes out, so do the claws."
"Oldest line, ever."
"Old, but you're about to see how true it is!"
I fake right hooked at her, and she grabbed my fist, twisting it behind my back. It was quick, it was swift, and it hurt. A lot. "Okay, okay, kitty can go back in the box now."
"Chicken," she joked, letting me go. "Just so you know, I could have made that ten times worse."
I sat on her bed. "So you're going back to Gallagher?"
She cocked her head to the side. "Yeah, how'd you know?"
"Well you said "I go to a spy school", not "I went to a spy school."
She sat down next to me. "Well, I really like it there. I mean, obviously, since it's the first school I haven't been kicked out of."
I flipped open the top of her suitcase open, finding it completely empty. "Did you unpack already?"
She nodded. "Yeah, I thought I might as well get it over with, you know?"
"No. No I don't know. My sister is a procrastinator. Last summer, she didn't even unpack." I suddenly realized how mean I sounded when I said that.
We stayed in silence for a moment before she said, "Speaking of schools, which we were before that, how's public school going?"
"Well, I just blew up my gym so..."
"I already have you covered. I stopped by at the school on my way up, and told the principle and his posse that it was a gas leak started by a flame."
"A gas leak, huh? How'd you pull that one off?" I asked her.
"Easy, I used this little baby," she said, pulling a fake ID out of her pocket that said Alisa Fletching, "and told them there was a gas leak, and that the Henderson Gas Company would take care of everything. I hacked into the company's computer system, and arranged for them to clean up the mess and everything!"
"You told them that for the explosion to have happened someone would have needed a flame? No doubt they blamed that on me."
"At first, yes, you were the initial suspect, but—" she held up a finger for dramatic affect—"after convincing them to search the students for any sort of fire starting devices—legal reasons and all— I then slipping a lighter into a boy's pocket, before punching him in the face—just because—and I believe he'll be taking the blame."
I gave her a disbelieving look. "So you just randomly incriminated someone?"
"Not exactly random. He was making quite the scene."
"Do you even know who it was?"
"Well I didn't really get his name before I smashed his teeth in. Afterwards—well you can imagine it was quite a bloody mess, his mouth that is. He had a hard time getting his name out. Mott Sloon, I think it might have been. Could have been something else, he kind of had a mouth full of teeth. Oh well, who knows."
I grinned. "You know, Annabeth pretended she was going to stab him with her knife," I told her.
Cammie smirked. "See, everyone's been following through with the things you've wanted to do for months."
I just chuckled, shaking my head. "You are…I'm not sure what you are."
She shrugged. "Well, obviously, I couldn't let Annabeth have all the fun. And yes, that was fun."
My smile faded a bit. "Fun, I'm sure, but you could have gotten into a lot of trouble."
She shrugged. "What's life without a little risk?"
"Our very existence is a risk, Cammie. And yeah, Matt Sloan is a jerk, but he isn't worth the trouble."
"There was no trouble. I had backups on the police databases if they questioned me, I had escape plans. Don't worry."
"How can I not worry? You could have been sent to jail! You put yourself in danger."
"I'm not putting myself in any danger; I was cleaning up what could have been a huge mess—"
"I don't need you cleaning up after me. I'm not a child! You should have let me know what you were doing before you started sorting things out for me."
"If I hadn't done what I had the moment I did, they would still be blaming you for this mess. It's not your fault that the monsters came, so you shouldn't have to take the fall. It's not fair! I did what I could to keep you out of their sights—away from them. The police would come after you, questions would be asked. If Gallagher found out you were my brother—"
"Then you're glorious little fantasy would come crashing down, right?" I scoffed. "Then you'd have to come home. How horrible, am I right? Having to come live with us boring, poor people, away from your fancy meals and exceptional friends. Life would just be so hard."
The moment I said it, I regretted it. I could feel the hurt she felt from my words, and it was more painful than any punch or kick I had ever received. I knew she didn't think like that. I knew she loved us, more than that school, or any of those meals and friends. She had explained to me what would happen if the school found out she wasn't really Cammie Morgan, and that her and I had held the children terrorist title for a while. There wouldn't be a moment in our lives that they wouldn't be watching us. She'd be seen as a spy on the school—a mole, trying to get inside the government for our next big terrorist act—and might even go to jail. Or worse. Bad things happen to traitors. Now that she was in, she could just get out. Not without bringing us down with her.
So I don't know why I said it. She had just sat there while I shouted abuse, and it only made me feel worse that she wasn't arguing back. I knew I should apologize, especially when tears started streaking down her face.
I tried to wipe them away—I hated that kind of water—but she stepped back.
"Well," she said in a false cheery voice. "I'm already unpacked."
"Cammie—"
"You should too. Dinner will be soon, don't want to miss that." She got up, and started to walk away. I went to grab her elbow, but she just said, "Please, I don't really wanna talk right now," before walking out.
I had screwed up, it was painfully obvious. It wasn't in the Jackson family nature to let our mistakes go unfixed. So I ran after my little sister. I couldn't let my words sink in and fester in her mind. Soon it would make a home for itself—a never faltering doubt in her mind that I though she didn't care about us.
I ran out of our cabin after her, but saw she had been stopped by Annabeth.
"There's no time for that!" she had yelled at Cam. "We have to go now."
"Go?" I asked. "Go where?"
But even as I said it, I could see both girls heads turning, watching the crest of the hill. And then I understood the urgency.
At the crest of the hill was a group of campers. And they were under attack.
* * *
><p><strong>So, I'm sorry this was late. I've been working hard on revising and rewriting, and I had to update my one-shot fanfic, and all that jazz. But on the bright side, my other Fic is finished, my one-shots are not priority, and I'm still planning on keeping my one week update system. The chapters are shorter in this book, so you might even get lucky and get two updates a week! Don't count on it though.<strong>
**Sorry if none of you liked how made Percy got. I'm just trying to build up this sort of breaking relationship. Now, I don't know if you guys want me to just get back into my pattern, where it switches prospective every other chapter, or if I should give Cam two chapters in a row, to make up for giving Percy three. I'd love to hear from you guys.**
**Okay, I love you all, so stay Nerdy. (I keep saying that at the end of every chapter. I don't really know why, but I get great joy. I think I'll keep it around for a bit.)**
4. Chapter 4
TYSON PLAYS WITH FIRE
* * *
><p>Here's a little history lesson: last summer, me and Percy fought our second monster ever. On our quest, we fought even more, but if there was one think we hated the most, it was bulls. That second monster we fought was the Minotaur—you know, the one that Theseus killed in the labyrinth. Yeah, well, he came back, and we fought him, ended up killing him, but not before he took our mother (Long story. But we got her back, no worries.). Basically we hate the half bull man.<p>
And now—on the very same hill top that we faced the Minotaur—stood two bulls. Not your normal, run of the mill, kinds of bulls. No, no. That would be too simple. Too _boring. _No, they have to be bronze ones that were elephant sized. Oh, and it wouldn't be any fun unless they breathed fire too. Fun, right?
I watched the ruckus, then glanced at Percy and Annabeth. Percy was still in his burned-up tie-dye gym clothes (I could tell by the smell), and Annabeth was just as much a mess as he was. I knew Percy had Riptide with him. Annabeth had her backpack, and a knife, but that looked to be about it.
"Oh, man," said Annabeth, running a hand through her hair as she watched the battle rage on.
Grunting, I pulled on my necklace (my own sword, though it had no name) turning it into a long bronze blade. "I'm up for a hamburger, how 'bout you guys?"
"Might taste a bit funny," Percy said, taking Riptide out. "But I'm up for it."
As we ran through the camp, heading towards the hill crest, it wasn't the bulls that really worried me. Nor was it the ten heroes that were trying to fend them off, who were getting their butt whooped. What worried me was that the bulls were ranging all over the hill, even around the back side of the pine tree. That shouldn't have been possible. The camp's magic boundaries didn't allow monsters to cross past Thalia's tree. But the metal bulls were doing it anyway.
One of the heroes shouted, "Border patrol, to me!" A girl's voice—gruff and familiar.
_Border patrol?_ I thought. The camp didn't _have _a border patrol.
"It's Clarisse," Annabeth said. "Come on, we have to help her."
"Well…" I muttered, but even I agreed with her. Normally, helping Clarisse wasn't a high priority on my list—she's kind of a jerk. The first time we met, she and her buddies tried to introduce me and Percy's heads into the toilets. She was a daughter of Aries and after a disagreement with her daddy, all his children basically hate our guts.
But, she was in trouble, and so was camp, so I guess helping her wouldn't be too horrible of an idea. Also, rubbing it in her face that I came to her rescue would delight me beyond belief. Her fellow warriors were scattering, running in panic as the bulls charged. The grass was burning in huge swathes around the pine tree. One hero screamed and waved his arms as he ran in circles, the horsehair plume on his helmet blazed like a fiery Mohawk. Had this not been such a serious problem, I would have laughed at how silly he looked. Clarisse's own armor was charred. She was fighting with a broken spear shaft, the other end embedded uselessly in the metal joint of one bull's shoulder.
Percy uncapped Riptide. It shimmered, growing longer until he held a bronze sword much like mine. "Where's Tyson? Is he okay?"
I glanced at Annabeth, who said, nonchalantly, "I left him up at the crest."
"I don't want him taking any more chances."
"No! We need him."
Percy starred at her incredulously. "He's mortal. He got lucky with the dodge balls but he can't—"
"Percy, do you know what those are up there? They're the Colchis bulls."
"Colchis bulls, I've read about them, they were in that one book you gave to me," I said. "They were made by Hephaestus."
She nodded. "We can't fight them without Medea's Sunscreen SPF 50,000. We'll get burnt to a crisp."
"Didn't read about the sunscreen part…"
"I'll have to loan you the demigod version."
"Okay, can we get back to the bulls," Percy yelled.
"We were just making small talk, you know. Educational small talk. It's educational!" I yelled.
We continued to bicker, just a bit, as Annabeth rummaged through her backpack and cursed. "I had a jar of tropical coconut scent sitting on my night stand at home."
"Well it's of no use to us there," I said. Annabeth's arm shot out to give me a swift punch to the arm. "Ow! I was just saying!"
"Look," Percy butt in. "I don't know where you're talking about, but I'm _not _going to let Tyson get fried."
"Percy—"
"Tyson," he yelled. "Stay back! I'm going in!"
"Wait, Percy!" I said, holding him back. "Let's not go completely head first into this. Let's…_belly flop _it. Yeah, yeah, I like that, belly flop." He rolled his eyes at me, tugging away. I regained my grip. "NO," I scolded. "We need a plan. Some form of attack." I looked up at where Clarisse was holding off the bulls, yelling at her patrol, trying to get them into a phalanx formation. It was a good idea. I had the same one. A few campers listened, lining up shoulder-to-shoulder, locking their shields to form an ox-hide-and-bronze wall, their spears brisling over the top like porcupine quills.
Unfortunately, Clarisse could only muster six campers. The other four were still running around with their helmets on fire. Pulling Annabeth's backpack out of her arms, I started to rummage through it.
"Hey!"
"Hush, Princess," I told her, still looking. Finally, I found a bottle of water. "This should do nicely."
Grabbing the back of one campers breastplate as he ran by, I poured the content of the bottle all over his head. "You're welcome," I said. "Now get in line!" and pushed him towards the formation.
Whipping out all the excess water that I had just used on him, I shot it around like a ball in pinball, quenching every fire.
"Well done, Cam," I congratulated myself. "Okay! All of you! Get your butts moving! Formation, now!"
After their initial shock, they did as I told them. Running up to Clarisse, I stood beside her. "Now you all listen to me—"
Clarisse grabbed my arm. "What are you doing, Jackson?" she snarled.
"Leading the patrol you did a horrible job keeping in one group," I said nonchalantly. I took survey of the bulls. Annabeth had them distracted by running past them, then turning invisible. But as soon as I was done talking to Clarisse, the one lost interest and turned to us instead.
"We're not going to be able to hold it," I told her.
"_Yes, _we are," she snapped then ordered, "Hold the line!"
Whatever else you could say about Clarisse, she was brave. She was a big girl with cruel eyes like her father's. She looked like she was born to wear Greek battle armor, but I didn't see how even she could stand against that bull's charge.
Unfortunately, at that moment, as I was about to argue with that stubborn, _brave_, girl, I realized the bull wasn't going for the line. It was going for Clarisse's unprotected side.
"Behind you!" Percy yelled, coming up behind me. "Look out!"
All it did was startle her. Bull Number One crashed into her shield, and the phalanx brock. Clarisse went flying backward and landed in a smoldering patch of grass. The bull charged past her, but not before blasting the other heroes with its fiery breath. Their shields melted right off their arms. They dropped their weapons and ran as bull Number Two closed in on Clarisse for the kill.
_Get her under the arms, _I told Percy. We both lunged forwards, grabbing Clarisse, dragging her out of the way just as Bull Number Two freight-trained past. Percy had taken Riptide out and cut a huge gash in its flank, but the monster just creaked and groaned.
"Let me go!" Clarisse pummeled my hand. "Curse you two!"
"Well curse you too!" I said, dropping her next to the pine tree. We were on the inside slope of the hill, now, the valley of Camp Half-Blood directly below us—the cabins, the training facilities, the Big House—all of it at risk if these bulls got past us.
Annabeth shouted orders to the other heroes, telling them to spread out and keep the bulls distracted.
Bull Number One ran a wide arc, making its way back toward me. As it passed the middle of the hill, where the invisible boundary line should've kept it out, it slowed down a little, as if it were struggling against a strong wind; but then it broke through and kept coming. Bull Number Two turned to face me, fire sputtering from the gash Percy had cut in its side. I couldn't tell if it felt any pain, but its ruby eyes seemed to glare at Percy like he'd just made things personal.
Either way, I didn't like that look. "Percy, there is two of us," I said. "And two bulls. You take that one," I pointed to Bull Number One, "and I'll take this one," I pointed to Bull Number Two.
I knew it had been a while since Percy had trained. I on the other hand, trained at Gallagher, and then with Vanessa, another Demigod. He wasn't doing as intensive training as I was. He was out of practice, and that worried me. _Better that he take the Bull that's not ticked off at him, _I thought.
I lunged but Bull Number Two blew flames at me. I rolled aside as the air turned to pure heat. All the oxygen was sucked out of my lungs. My food caught on something—a tree root, maybe—and pain shot up my ankle. Still, I managed to slash with my sword and lop off part of the monster's snout. It galloped away, wild and disoriented.
I looked over at Percy, to see how he was fairing. He was rolling and ducking, taking the more defensive approach. I got up to try and help him, but my left leg buckled underneath me. My ankle was sprained, maybe broken.
I growled. _Come on, Cammie, you've fought through worse. _
Bull Number Two came running back, angrier than ever. I could attempt to crawl out of the way, but by the time I did, it would have already thought to have changed its path.
Annabeth shouted: "Tyson, help Cammie!"
Somewhere near, toward the crest of the hill, Tyson wailed, "Can't—get—through!"
I could see Percy turn around in worry, about to run to my aid, but Bull Number One kept him preoccupied.
"I, Annabeth Chase, give you permission to enter camp!"
Thunder shook the hillside. Suddenly Tyson was there, barreling toward me, yelling, "Pretty Girl needs help!"
_Pretty Girl? _Not that I didn't enjoy the name. The exact opposite actually. But still, this was Percy's friend, and he was about to throw himself in front of a fire breathing cow.
"Tyson, no!" I yelled, just as he made himself a shield in front of me, barring his back to the flames.
"Cammie! Tyson!" Percy yelled as he plunged his sword into Bull Number One's head, causing it to go haywire down the hill.
I expected fire. I expected to become bacon. But as the fire rained down, all I felt was heat, but no actual burning. I looked up to see Tyson's face near mine, staring right back at me. He wasn't in pain. He wasn't burning. He was just looking at me like I was some kind of magical creature.
"What in Hades name is going on," I gasped.
"Hi," Tyson said.
"Hi," I said, waving back slightly.
"I'm Tyson."
"I got that. I'm Cammie."
"I know. You're Percy's pretty sister."
Now it was involuntary, so no judgment, but I smirked. "Yep, that's me, the pretty sister." Then a thought came to mine. "Hey, Tyson?"
"Yes?"
"Do you mind if things get a little hotter? Just a smidge?"
He thought for a moment. "Okay."
Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out my concealer compact. It had been a Christmas present from Bex. Snapping it open, I reached up past Tyson's head, receiving some instant burns, throwing it into Bull Number Two's mouth.
And that's when Bull Number Two exploded.
Scraps of metal and fire fell down on us, one big chunk hitting Tyson on the head.
"Ouch," he frowned, getting up.
"Sorry," I said. "But on the bright side, that oversized cow is gone."
"Cammie!"
Percy came running into me, nocking me to the ground. "Hey, Bro," I smiled. "Did you tell Tyson I was pretty?"
He squeezed the air out of me, and I couldn't tell if that meant he was glad to see me, or if he was using that as a substitute to a punch.
"How did you do that?" he asked. "How did you get the bull to blow up?"
"Bex gave me makeup for Christmas," I said. "But kind of an unconventional sort of makeup."
"Unconventional?"
"It was actually a kit of explosives. That right there was my C4 compact." I looked around. "What about the other bull?"
He pointed to the bottom of the hill. Clarisse had take care of the bull. She'd impaled it through the back leg with a celestial bronze spear. Now, it was just laying on it's side, twitching.
Clarisse pulled off her helmet and marched toward us. a strand of her stringy brown hair was smoldering, but she didn't seem to notice. "you—ruin—everything!" she yelled at us. "I had it under control!"
"Obviously," I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Argh!" Clarisse screamed. "Don't ever, EVER try saving me again!"
"You can count on that," Percy said.
"Clarisse," Annabeth said, coming up behind her. "You've got wounded campers."
That sobered her up. Even Clarisse cared about the soldiers under her command.
"I'll be back," she growled, then trudged off to assess the damage.
"You said it wrong!" I yelled. "You need to say it more like the Terminator!"
Percy turned to Tyson. "You didn't die."
Tyson looked down like he was embarrassed. "I am sorry. Came to help. Disobeyed you."
"Saved my skin," I told him. "Thanks."
"It's my fault, really," Annabeth said. "I let him in. I had to, or else you would have died."
"_Let _him in?" Percy asked. "But—'
"Tyson," I said. He looked at me. "kneel down here for a second."
He shrugged, complying.
The first time I looked at Tyson, I didn't really notice. But now that the adrenaline was dimming down, I realized I couldn't see his face all to clearly. And that's when I started putting things together. You see there's this thing called the Mist. The Mist makes humans see only what their brains can process…but occasionally, it could fool demigods also.
Now, again, with his face just inches way from me, I could see this blurriness around his face. I reached a hand out, touching it. It went passed the blurriness, and touched a smooth flap of skin. An eye.
No, not just an eye. Eyes don't lie in the middle of your face.
_One eye. _One large, calf-brown eye, right in the middle of his forehead, with thick lashes and big tears trickling down his cheeks on either side.
"Hey, there's no need to cry," I said, forgetting for a moment that he wasn't human as I was lead to believe.
He just sniffled.
"Cyclops," Annabeth offered. "A baby, by the looks of him. Probably why he couldn't get past the boundary line as easily as the bulls. Tyson's on of the homeless orphans."
"One of the what?" Percy asked.
"they're in almost all the big cities," Annabeth said distastefully. "They're…_mistakes, _Percy."
"One happy mistake," I smiled at him, making him blush.
"Children of nature spirits and gods. Well one god in particular, usually…and they don't always come out right. No one wants them. They get tossed aside. They grow up wild on the streets. I don't know how this on found you, but he obviously likes you. We should take him to Chiron, let him decide what to do."
"But the fire—"
"He's a Cyclops," Annabeth paused, as if she were remembering something unpleasant. "They work the forges of the gods. They _have _to be immune to fire. That's what I was trying to tell you."
I could tell Percy was in complete shock. I was too. How did I not notice Tyson was a Cyclops? No, forget that, how did _Percy _not notice?
But I didn't have much time to think about it just then. The whole side of the hill was burning. Wounded heroes needed attention. And there were still two banged up bronze bulls to dispose of, which I didn't figure would fit in our normal recycling bins.
Clarisse came back over and wiped the soot of her forehead. "Jacksons, if you can stand, pint-sized one, get up, 'cause we need some help. We need to carry all the wounded back to the Big House, let Tantalus know what's happened."
"Tantalus?" I asked, ignoring pint-sized.
"The activities director," Clarisse said impatiently.
"Chiron is activities director. And where's Argus? He's head of security. He should be here," Percy said.
Clarisse made a sour face. "Argus got fired. You three have been gone too long. Things are changing."
"But Chiron…He's trained kids to fight monsters for over three thousand years. He can't just be gone. What happened?"
"_That _happened," Clarisse snapped.
She pointed to Thalia's tree.
Every camper knew the story behind the tree. Six years ago, Grover, Annabeth, and two other demigods named Thalia and Luke had come to Camp Half-Blood chased by and army of monsters. When they got cornered on top of this hill, Thalia, a daughter of Zeus, me and Percy's cousin, had made her last stand here to give her friends time to reach safety. As she was dying, her father, Zeus, took pity on her and changed her into a pine tree. Her spirit had reinforced the magic border of the camp, protecting it from monsters. The pine had been there ever since, strong and healthy.
But now, its needles were yellow. A huge pile of dead ones littered the base of the tree. In the center of the trunk, three feet from the ground, was a puncture mark the size of a bullet hole, oozing green sap.
A sliver of ice ran through my chest. Now I understood by the camp was in danger. The magical borders were failing because Thalia's tree was dying.
Someone had poisoned it.
"Oh, someone is going to die," I muttered darkly.
* * *
><p><strong>Sorry, would have had this out hours ago, but season and series finales suck. If you watch being human or lost girl, grieve with me. It's been sickish.<strong>
**Anyway, I hope you liked the chapter, I know it's short. I've had a really busy weekend, and didn't get to write at all. It has sucked. The next chapter should be out by Sunday, I haven't taken a look at it yet. I also should be a Percy chapter. I'll let you know.**
**Okay, have a great life everyone. **
**Stay nerdy ;)**
5. Chapter 5
Percy Prospective
* * *
><p>WE GET A NEW CABIN MATE<p>
* * *
><p>Ever come home and found your room messed up? Like some helpful person (hi, Mom) has tried to "clean" it, and suddenly you can't find anything? And even if nothing is missing, you get that creepy feeling like somebody's been looking through your private stuff and dusting everything with lemon furniture polish?<p>
That's kind of the way I felt being back in Camp Half-Blood.
Sure, on my run through the camp to find Cammie, I had gotten a glance of the camp, and nothing looked different. The Big House was still there with its blue gabled roof and its wraparound porch. The strawberry fields still baked in the sun. The same white-columned Greek building were scattered around the valley—the amphitheater, the combat arena, the dining pavilion overlooking Long Island Sound. And nestled between the woods and the creek were the same cabins—a crazy assortment of twelve buildings, each representing a different Olympian god.
Then again, I wasn't really paying attention to the camp when I was running through it. My mind was on finding Cammie, and now, when I was walking through it with a slightly clearer head, I could tell. There was an air of danger now. You could tell something was wrong. Instead of playing volleyball in the sandpit, counselors and satyrs were stockpiling weapons in the tool shed. Dryads armed with bows and arrows talked nervously at the edge of the woods. The forest looked sickly, the grass in the meadow was pale yellow, and the fire marks on Half-Blood Hill stood out like ugly scars.
Somebody had messed with my favorite place in the world, and I was not…well, a happy camper.
As we made our way to the Big House, Cammie leaning heavily on me due to her possibly broken ankle, I recognized a lot of kids from last summer. Nobody stopped to talk. Nobody said, "Welcome back." Some did double takes when they saw Tyson, but most just walked grimly past and carried on with their duties—running messages, toting swords to sharpen on the grinding wheels. The camp felt like a military school. And believe me, I know. Me and Cam have been kicked out of a couple.
None of that mattered to Tyson. He was absolutely fascinated by everything he saw. "Whasthat!" he gasped.
"The stables for the pegasi," Cammie said. "They're winged horses."
"Whasthat!"
"Toilets."
"Whasthat!"
"The cabins for the campers," Cammie explained patently. "If they don't know who your Olympian parent is, they put you in the Hermes cabin—that brown one over there—until you're determined. Then, once they know, they put you in your dad or mom's group."
He looked at me in awe. "You…have a _cabin?_"
"Number three." I pointed to a low gray building made of sea stone.
"You live with friends in the cabin?"
"Only Cammie."
"_Only _Cammie?" my sister said in a snobbish tone. "There is no _only _about me."
I punched her, but I could tell she knew what I meant. The embarrassing truth: we were the only ones in that cabin because our existence was forbidden. The "Big Three" gods—Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades—had made a pact after World War II not to have any more children with mortals. We were more powerful than regular half-bloods. We were too unpredictable. Cammie was a prime example of how unpredictable we could be. When we got mad we tended to cause problems…like World War II, for instance. The "Big Three" pact had only been broken twice—once when Zeus sired Thalia, once when Poseidon sired us. None of us should have been born. We were all made from a broken pact.
Thalia had gotten herself turned into a pine tree when she was twelve. Me…well, I was doing my best not to follow her example. I had nightmares about what Poseidon might turn me and or Cam into if we were ever on the verge of death—plankton maybe. Floating patch of kelp. Two twin barnacles that would sit forever for eternity on some immortal whale.
When we got to the Big House, we found Chiron in his apartment, listening to his favorite 1960' lounge music while he packed his saddlebags. I guess I should mention—Chiron is a centaur. From the waist up he looks like a regular middle-aged guy with curly brown hair and a scraggly beard. From the waist down, he's a white stallion. He can pass for human by compacting his lower half into a magic wheelchair. In fact, he'd passed himself off as our Latin teacher during my sixth-grade year. But most of the time, if the ceilings are high enough, he prefers hanging out in in full centaur form.
As soon as we saw him, Tyson froze. "Pony!" he cried in total rapture.
Chiron turned, looking offended. "I beg your pardon?"
Annabeth ran up and hugged him. "Chiron, what's happening? You're not…leaving?" Her voice was shaky. Chiron was like a second father to her.
Chiron ruffled her hair and gave her a kindly smile. "Hello, child. And Percy, Cammie, my goodness. You two have grown over the year!"
I swallowed. "Clarisse said you were…you were…"
"It's not true, is it?!" Cammie exploded. "I mean, they can't fire _you!_ You've been here forever! You're the only one keeping this camp from falling apart."
Chiron smiled proudly, but his eyes glinted with dark humor. "Ah, well, someone had to take the blame. Lord Zeus was most upset. The tree he'd created from the spirit of his daughter, poisoned! Mr. D had to punish someone."
"Beside himself you mean," I growled. Just the thought of the camp director, Mr. D, made me angry.
"Nevertheless," Chiron sighed, "some in Olympus do not trust me now, under the circumstances."
"What circumstances?" Cammie snarled. "Just because they can't get their heads out of their—"
"They just don't want to admit that this has something to do with Luke," I said.
"Enough of that," Chiron waved. "That's not the kind of talk I want to be having right now."
Tyson was still staring at Chiron in amazement. He whimpered like he wanted to pat Chiron's flank but was afraid to come closer. "Pony?"
Chiron sniffled. "My dear young Cyclops! I am a _centaur._"
"Chiron," I said. "What happened to Thalia's tree?"
He shook his head sadly. "The poison used on Thalia's pine is something from the Underworld, Percy. Some venom even I have never seen. It must have come from a monster quite deep in the pits of Tartarus."
"Come on, Chiron. You can say it," Cammie said, slightly mockingly. "We all _know _who's responsible. Kro—"
"Do not invoke the titan lord's name, Cammie. Especially not here, not now."
"But last summer he tried to cause a civil war in Olympus!" I said. "This _has _to be his idea. He'd get Luke to do it, that traitor."
"Bad guys don't just die in peace, Chiron," Cammie said. "They always make it a point to come back."
"Perhaps," Chiron said. "But I fear I am being held responsible because I did not prevent it and I cannot cure it. The tree has only a few weeks of life left unless…"
"Unless what?" Annabeth asked.
"No," Chiron said. "It's a foolish thought. The whole valley is feeling the shock of the poison. The magical borders are deteriorating. The camp itself is dying. Only one source of magic would be strong enough to reverse the poison and it was lost centuries ago."
"What _is _it?" I asked. "We'll go find it!"
Chiron closed his saddlebag. He pressed the stop button on his boom box. Then he turned and rested his hand on me and Cam's shoulder, looking in our eyes. "Please, you two, you must promise me that you will _not _act rashly. I told your mother I didn't not want you to come here at all this summer. It's much too dangerous. But now that you are here, _stay _here. Train hard. Learn to fight. But do not leave."
"Why," me and Cam yelled at the same time. We both look at each other strangely, before I continued. "We want to do something! We can't just let the borders fail. The whole camp will be—"
"Overrun by monsters," Chiron said. "Yes, I fear so. But you must not let yourself be baited into hasty action! This could be a trap of the titan lord. Remember last summer? He almost took your life!"
"Yes, we remember it vividly," Cam said. "He's the guy who hired another camper to, you know, kill us. Kind of hard to forget that. You know. Percy dying of poison, me bleeding. Things may be hazy at the end, but yeah, I remember. You Percy?"
"Yep."
He smiled. "Twins have such a special bond. It truly is an amazing gift you have, having each other. There is no other bond like it. It's a unique treasure, and you must treat it as such. Don't forget that."
Annabeth was trying hard not to cry. Chiron brushed a tear from her cheek. "Stay with them, child," he told her. "Keep them safe. The prophecy—remember it!"
"I—I will."
"Um…" I said. "Would this be the super-dangerous prophecy that has us in it, but the gods have forbidden you to tell us about?"
Nobody answered.
"Sounds about right," Cammie muttered.
"Chiron…" Annabeth said. "You told me the gods made you immortal only so long as you were needed to train heroes. If they dismiss you from camp—"
"Swear you will do your best to keep them from danger," he insisted. "Swear upon the River Styx."
"I—I swear upon the River Styx," Annabeth said.
Thunder rumbled outside.
"Very well," Chiron said. He seemed to relax just a little. "Perhaps my name will be cleared and I shall return. Until then, I go to visit my wild kinsman in the Everglades. It's possible they know of some cure for the poisoned tree that I have forgotten. In any event, I will stay in exile until this matter is resolved…one way or another."
Annabeth stifled a sob. Chiron patted her shoulder awkwardly. "There, now, child. I must entrust your safety to Mr. D and the new activities director. We must hope…well, perhaps they won't destroy the camp quite as quickly as I fear."
"Who is this Tantalus guy, anyway?" I demanded. "Where does he get off taking your job?"
A conch horn blew across the valley. I hadn't realized how late it was. It was time for the campers to assemble for dinner.
"Go," Chiron said. "You will meet him at the pavilion. I will contact your mother, and let her know you're safe. No doubt she'll be worried by now. Just remember my warning! You are in grave danger. Do not think for a moment that the titan lord has forgotten you!"
With that, he clopped out of the apartment and down the hall, Tyson calling after him, "Pony! Don't go!"
I realized I'd forgotten to tell Chiron about my dream of Grover. Now it was too late. The best teacher I'd ever had was gone, maybe for good.
Tyson started bawling almost as bad as Annabeth.
I tried to tell them that things would be okay, but I didn't even believe it.
_You know, we're not going to listen to him right? _Cam's voice said.
I looked to where she stood leaning against the wall.
_We never did promise, _I said back.
* * *
><p>The sun was setting behind the dining pavilion as the campers came up from their cabins. We stood in the shadow of a marble column and watched them file in. Annabeth was still pretty shaken up, but she promised she'd talk to us later. Then she went off the join her siblings from the Athena cabin—a dozen boys and girls with blond hair and gray eyes just like hers. Annabeth wasn't the oldest, but she'd been at camp more summers then just about anybody. You could tell that by looking at her camp necklace—one bead for every summer, and Annabeth had six. No one questioned her right to lead the line.<p>
Next came Clarisse, leading the Ares cabin. She had one arm in a sling and a nasty-looking gash on her cheek, but otherwise her encounter with the bronze bulls didn't seem to have fazed her. Someone had taped a piece of paper to her back that said, YOU MOO, GIRL! But nobody in her cabin was bothering to tell her about it.
After the Ares kids came the Hephaestus cabin—six guys led by Charles Beckendorf, a big fifteen-year-old, African American kid. he had hands the size of catchers' mitts and a face that was hard and squinty from looking into a blacksmith's forge all day. He was nice enough one you got to know him, but no one ever called him Charlie or Chuck or Charles. Most just called him Beckendorf. Rumor was he could make anything. Give him a chunk of metal and he could create a razor-sharp sword or a robotic warrior or a singing birdbath for your grandmother's garden. Whatever you wanted.
The other cabins filed in: Demeter, Apollo, Aphrodite, Dionysus. Naiads came up from the canoe lake. Dryads melted out of the trees. From the meadow came a dozen satyrs, who reminded me painfully of Grover.
I'd always had a soft spot for the satyrs. When they were at camp, they had to do all kinds of odd jobs for Mr. D, the director, but their most important work was out in the real world. They were the camp's seekers. They went undercover into schools all over the world, looking for potential half-bloods and escorting them back to camp. That's how we'd met Grover. He had been the first one to recognize we were demigods.
After the satyrs filed in to dinner, the Hermes cabin brought up the rear. They were always the biggest cabin. Last summer, it had been led by Luke, the guy who'd fought with Thalia and Annabeth on top of Half-Blood Hill. For a while, before Poseidon had claimed us, we were lodged in the Hermes cabin. Luke had befriended us…and then he'd tried to kill me, and turn Cammie against our father. Obviously, she remained unturned, despite her hate for Poseidon.
Now the Hermes cabin was led by Travis and Connor Stoll. They were twins also, identical like us. It was difficult remembering which one was which. Cammie had some method, but I still didn't get it. They were both tall and skinny, with mops of brown hair that hung in their eyes. They wore orange CAMP HALF-BLOOD T-shirts untucked over baggy shorts, and they had those elfish features all Hermes's kids had: upturned eyebrows, sarcastic smiles, a gleam in their eyes whenever they looked at you—like they were about to drop a firecracker down your shirt. I'd always thought it was funny that the god of thieves would have kids with the last name "Stoll," but the only time I mentioned it to Travis and Connor, they both stared at me blankly like they didn't get the joke.
"Cammie!" a voice yelled from the Hermes group. A small girl with short cropped black hair came running up to us, catching Cammie in a tight embrace.
"Roe!" Cam laughed. "I missed you so much! What have you been up to?"
Roe pulled back and smiled. "Nothing much. Boring, mortal summer. Hi, Percy." She launched herself at me, and I caught her, just barley.
"Hey Roe." We met when we were thrown into the Hermes cabin, before we were determined. She was an undetermined camper, too, and while me and her made friends, she and Cammie really hit it off.
Josh came running up too, followed by another girl with long curly blond hair, Dee-Dee, a daughter of Aphrodite. Again, more Cammie's friends then my own.
As soon as the last campers had filed in, I led Tyson into the middle of the pavilion, while Cammie stood talking with Roe, Josh and Dee-Dee. Conversation faltered. Heads turned. "Who invited _that_?" somebody at the Apollo table murmured.
I glared in their direction, but I couldn't figure out who had spoken.
From the head table a familiar voice drawled, "Well, well, if it isn't Peter Johnson. My millennium is complete."
I gritted my teeth. "_Percy Jackson…_sir."
Mr. D sipped his Diet Coke. "Yes. Well, as you young people say these days: _whatever._"
He was wearing his usual leopard-pattern Hawaiian shirt, walking shorts, and tennis shoes with black socks. With his pudgy belly and his blotchy red face, he looked like a Las Vegas tourist who'd stayed up too late in the casinos. Behind him, a nervous-looking satyr was peeling the skins off grapes and handing them to Mr. D one at a time.
Mr. D's real name is Dionysus. The god of wine. Zeus appointed him director of Camp Half-Blood to dry out for a hundred years—a punishment for chasing some off-limits wood nymph. He seemed to not completely detest Cammie—probably because she gambled with him, and was such a suck up it nearly made me vomit every time I was near one of their games.
Next to him, where Chiron usually sat (or stood, in centaur form), was someone I'd never seen before—a pale, horribly thin man in a threadbare orange prisoner's jump suit. The number over his pocket red 0001. He had blue shadows under his eyes, dirty fingernails, and badly cut gray hair, like his last haircut had been done with a weed whacker. He started at me; his eyes made me nervous. He looked…fractured. Angry and frustrated and hungry all at the same time.
"This boy," Dionysus told him, "you need to watch. Poseidon's child, you know."
"Ah!" the prisoner said. "That one. I thought there were two?"
"There is," Cammie said, coming up behind me.
"Hum…" he eyed us critically. His tone made it obvious that he and Dionysus had already discussed us at length.
"She's the slightly bareable Demigod I had mentioned," Dionysus said. "And he's the trouble maker."
"I see." He continued to look us over with those eyes. "Do try to not make any trouble."
"Trouble?" I
>demanded.<p>
"Yes. I hear you caused plenty of it last summer."
"It's actually a team effort," Cammie corrected. "Do I get no credit at all in that stunt?"
"And then there was just this morning."
"Fixed," Cam said, crossing her arms. "You won't have to worry about that. We already got that covered."
"She's not always this annoying," Dionysus drawled, picking under his nails. "She's oddly protective over the boy."
"Extremely, and to no certain length. By the way, it's not my pleasure to meet you, Tantalus," she said, not even putting her hand out.
He raised his eyebrows in surprise. "You know me?"
"I've heard you being mentioned a few times by some…_livid _campers. After getting to talk to you for less than a minute, I can _totally _see who it is they were talking about. Tantalus, a spirit from the Fields of Punishment. I think I've mentioned him a few times, Percy, from the book I read. He's the one who can't eat or drink anything. He stands in the lake with the fruit tree hanging over his head. You know, _taunting _him."
_You're pushing it, _I warned, but was still amused. "What exactly did you do to earn that punishment again?" I asked.
Tantalus's eyes narrowed at us. "Trouble, I can see it," he muttered. The satyrs were shaking their heads vigorously, trying to warn us. "I'll be watching you, Jacksons. I don't want any problems at my camp."
"_Your _camp has problems already…sir."
Cam grabbed my hand, not in a hurry-let's-get-out-of-here way, but in a let's-have-the-last-word, kind of way. Tyson started to follow us.
"Oh, no," Tantalus said. "the monster stays here. We must decide what to do with it."
"_Him,_" I snapped. "His name is Tyson. And he saved _your _camp. You could show a little gratitude."
"Oh yes," Tantalus sighed, "and what a pity that would've been, if this place had been burnt down."
Dionysus snickered.
"You'd be sent right back to stand in that lake," Cammie mentioned. "Your sentence might even get worse, seeing as you failed in your duty here."
"Leave us," Tantalus ordered, "while we decide this creature's fate."
Tyson looked at me with fear in his eye, but I knew I couldn't disobey a direct order from the camp directors. Not openly, anyway.
"I'll be right over here, big guy," I promised. "Don't worry. We'll find you a good place to sleep tonight."
Tyson nodded. "I believe you. You are my friend."
I'm not sure why, but that really made me feel guilty.
"See you soon, Tyson," Cammie waved brightly, sending waves off brightness in a way only she could.
Later, after dinner, Tantalus started announcements.
"Yes, well," Tantalus said, once the talked had died down. "Another fine meal! Or so I'm told." As he spoke, he inched his hand toward his refilled dinner plate, as if maybe the food wouldn't notice what he was doing, but it did. It shot away down the table as soon as he got within six inches.
"And here on my first day of authority," he continued, "I'd like to say what a pleasant form of punishment this is to be here. Over the course of the summer, I hope to torture, er, interact with each and every one of you children. You all look good enough to eat."
"Cannibal," Cammie muttered.
"And now with some changes!" Tantalus gave the campers a crooked smile. "We are reinstituting the chariot races!"
Murmuring broke out at all the tables—excitement, fear, disbelief.
"Now I know," Tantalus continued, raising his voice, "that these races were discontinued some years ago due to, ah, technical problems."
"Three deaths and twenty-six mutilations," someone at the Apollo table called.
"Yes, yes," Tantalus said. "But I know that you will all join me in welcoming the return of this camp tradition. Golden laurels will go to the winning charioteers each month. Teams may register in the morning! The first race will be held in three days' time. We will release you from most of your regular activities to prepare your chariots and choose your horses. Oh, and did I mention, the victorious team's cabin will have no chores for the moths in which they win?"
An explosion of excited conversation—no KP for a whole month? No stable cleaning? Was he serious?
Then the last person I expected to object did so.
"But, sir!" Clarisse said. She looked nervous, but she stood up to speak form the Ares table. Some of the campers snickered when they saw the YOU MOO, GIRL sign on her back. "What about patrol duty? I mean, if we drop everything to ready our chariots—"
"Ah, the hero of the day," Tantalus exclaimed. "Brave Clarisse, who single-handedly bested the bronze bulls!"
Clarisse blinked, then blushed. "Um, I didn't—"
"And modest, too." Tantalus grinned. "Not to worry, my dear! This is a summer camp. We are here to enjoy ourselves, yes?"
"Uh, _no."_
I inwardly groaned as Cammie stood up. _What are you doing?_
But it was too late. She was already talking.
"Now I don't ever—and hear me when I say this—_EVER _agree with Clarisse, but at the moment she's right," she said. "We can't abandon patrol! Thalia's tree was _poisoned! _Is no one realizing this?"
"The camp's game—"
"_GAMES? You're worried about whether or not we get to play our games? _We were _attacked!_ Not even a few hours ago. People were injured. And that was with the patrol. If we take that away, think about what we're opening ourselves up to. We're basically hanging up a big neon flashing sign that says "Hey, come get us, we're not looking, we're too busy playing _games_—"
"Cameron Jackson—"
"We are not here for fun! We're here to learn how to survive!" she continued. There was muttering from all the tables, but I couldn't tell if it was the good or bad kind. "You go out in that world, and you can be killed, but you come here and you've entered a safe zone where no monster can come and kill you. Now that is threatened and you all just want to build your chariots and race around like we couldn't be killed at any moment? We need the patrol, not games!"
Now the murmurs rose and I could tell they were the good kind, mostly.
But just as she started to rally the troops, something just had to come in and make everyone laugh at us.
Swirling over Tyson was a glowing green trident—the same symbol that had appeared over mine and Cammie's heads the day Poseidon claimed us as his children.
There was a moment of awed silence.
Being claimed was a rare event. Some campers waited in vain for it their whole lives. When we'd been claimed by Poseidon last summer, everyone had reverently knelt. But now, they followed Tantalus's lead, and roared with laughter. "Well! I think we know where to put the beast now. By the gods, I can see the family resemblance!"
Everyone laughed except Annabeth and a few of our other friends.
Tyson didn't seem to notice. He was too mystified, trying to swat the glowing trident that was no fading over his head. He was too innocent to understand how much they were making fun of him, how cruel people were.
But I got it.
We had a new cabin mate. We had a monster for a half-brother.
* * *
><p><strong>I am so sorry at the lack of updates. I've had such a busy and stressful week. I'll hopefully get the next one up by next week, but I don't want to make a promise I don't know if I can keep.<strong>
**Things are really going to change now. As you can see, a sign of the apocalypse has arisen. Cammie agreeing with Clarisse. And admitting to it too! Next Chapter is Cammie's prospective. And that's where the fun starts **
6. Chapter 6
WE ACCEPT GIFTS FROM A STRANGER
* * *
><p>The night was pretty much over the moment Tyson was claimed. Going to the campfire seemed to be like walking into a trap, so me, Percy, and Tyson decided to turn in early. Roe wanted me to stay and catch up a little, but there was no way I was going to drag my butt out there to sit surrounded by a bunch of people who wanted to make fun of me. I didn't care if Roe would be by my side. It wasn't worth it.<p>
I didn't want Tyson to see my slight hatred for everyone in that moment, so I put on one of my brightest smiles. "How about we show you were you'll be staying from now on? You'll love it, I promise."
Tyson nodded excitedly, blushing a bit. "Will I be staying with Percy?"
"And me," I said. "I'm Percy's sister, so we share a cabin."
"And you have enough room?"
"For someone as like you? Always."
Percy gave me a strange look, but I pretended I didn't see it.
Admittedly, it wasn't the fact that Tyson was technically a monster, and now my half-brother, that bothered me. People have always made fun of me and Percy for as long as I can remember, so needless to say, I was used to the snickers and the snide comments. Sure, these were the same people who were calling us heroes the year before, which kind of made the whole situation a kick in the gut, but I didn't really care. Tyson had been there for Percy when I wasn't. He was his friend. He protected him from those giants, and later saved my life. I didn't really know him, but having felt every feeling Percy did for him all year while I was at Gallagher made it feel like he was my friend too. And now he was family.
What really bothered me was how happy people were at the moment, as if I didn't make that clear when I was yelling at all of them.
I inwardly scoffed. _Chariot races. That man—_thing_—wants to bring the chariot races back, and he's letting people take off of patrol to do that. And they're all smiles and giggles while our camp is in danger. Chiron dedicated his life for us, and now he's fired, and no one seems to really be doing anything about any of this. I mean, it's like they don't understand that his being fired means he's going to—_
I shook my head. I didn't want to think about it. I really didn't.
We reached our cabin, and Tyson literally just stopped and stared open mouthed for a second. I giggled while Percy smiled.
"It's a nice place," Percy said.
"It's so pertty…"
I started dragging him through the entryway. "Come on, it's even better inside."
We helped Tyson settle in—and by settle in, I mean we helped him pick out a bed and got clean sheets for him to use. He was fawning over every little detail while set up a living space for him. Josh had run over later to drop off a tooth brush and some toothpaste.
"I'm sorry for everything that happened back there," he frowned. "It wasn't right."
"It wasn't your fault," I murmured. "Some people are just like that."
He shook his head. "You're a hero, you should be respected."
I shrugged, putting on a fake smile. "To late now. The damage is done."
Still, he gave me a sad look, and a long hug. "The damage can always be fixed," Josh whispered. As he left, he called back, "Oh, and I left a book for you on your dresser!"
Upon inspection, I realized he had. It was a big book—more like a dictionary—bound in leather, beautiful gold inscribing on the cover, and purposely worn out pages. Picking it up, I read the title, which was written in Greek.
"'A complete collection of Greek Mythology, from Alpha to Omega '," I smiled. I had mentioned months back to Dee-Dee about how I was dying to get my hands on this one book on all the Greek myths. Though I didn't have the time—or the money—to buy this extremely expensive book. She must have told him, or he just listened in, because the note on top said
_Happy Readings_
_From your dearest friend,_
_—Josh (Abrams, in case you forgot ;))_
"As if I could," I muttered, holding the fat book to my chest. It had that new book smell, one I wasn't exactly familiar with. This selective dyslexia didn't leave me with a lot of reading options. It must have cost Josh a fortune to buy this. It wasn't the version I was looking into; it was better.
"Wha's that?" Tyson asked.
I turned around, and smiled widely at him. "It's a gift. A friend of mine bought me a book. You want to start reading it with me?"
He nodded his head vigorously.
So Tyson and I read while Percy sat in the corner, pretending to look busy, but I could tell he was listening in. We had just gotten to the Golden Fleece when we decided to go to bed.
"I don't understand," Tyson said as we all climbed into bed. "What does the Golden Rug do?"
Me and Percy chuckled. "Golden Fleece, buddy," Percy said. "It's the hide of a golden ram. It can heal people, and has magic properties."
"Ohhh," he said, before, apparently, passing out.
I smiled at Percy, before a fleeting reminder passed through my head.
Percy's smile fell too, catching my thoughts.
"Cam," he whispered, trying not to wake up Tyson. "About before…when I was yelling at you—I just want to say that—"
I reached over, and gripped his fingers. He seemed to relax, but remained hesitant.
"I know," I said, giving him a soft squeeze. "We both said some bad things."
"Mostly me."
"But I love you, so I don't care."
I couldn't see him, but I could tell he closed his eyes. Not out of exhaustion, or just to rest them for a moment. Out of the frustration we were both feeling in that moment. Me and Percy don't fight. We bicker—a lot—but even then, we do _not _fight. This was unknown territory, and neither one of us was willing to go trudging around in its swampy lands. Though, at the moment, it seemed we had no choice.
But, in that moment, I was just glad to be holding my brothers hand. After lying to people all year long about how my family was dead, and starting to feel as though that particular lie was true, it was nice to be reassured that they were, in fact, alive and well. Even if it was plus one now.
* * *
><p>I'm not saying that it usual for me to have dreams of my best friends wearing wedding dresses, I'm just saying that it's not <em>unusual. <em>Surprisingly, it's a bit of a common occurrence. Sometimes it's Annabeth. Roe has been the subject of a few. Mostly Dee-Dee (Daughter of love and all).
But never have I had a dream where Grover was wearing a wedding dress.
It didn't really fit him all that well. The gown was too long and the hem was caked with dried mud. The neckline kept falling off his shoulders. A tattered veil covered his face.
He was standing in a dank cave, lit only by torches. There was a cot in one corner and an old-fashioned loom in the other, a length of white cloth half woven on the frame. And he was staring right at me, like I was a TV program he'd been waiting for. "Thank the gods!" he yelped. "Can you hear me?"
My dream-self was slow to respond. I was still looking around, taking in the stalactite ceiling, the stench of sheep and goats, the growling and grumbling and bleating sounds that seemed to echo from behind a refrigerator-sized boulder, which was blocking the room's only exit, as if there were a much larger cavern beyond it.
"Cammie?" Grover said. "Please, I don't have the strength to project any better. You _have _to hear me! This is the first time I've been able to reach you. Can you hear me?"
"I can hear you," I said. "Grover, what's going on? Is this just a dream?" I smiled teasingly, not quite convinced it wasn't. "Did you go back to Vegas and hook up with that zebra we let go last summer? I knew you guys had good chemistry. But, honestly, are you not going to get your fiancé and your friends to meet up before getting married? That's just way to rude, especially for you."
He looked completely appalled, and for a second I was sure he was going to argue with me, but then a monstrous voice from behind the boulder yelled, "Honeypie! Are you done yet?"
"Nope," I said, popping the p. "Don't remember the zebra's voice being that low…or terrifying."
Grover flinched. He called out in falsetto, "Not quite, dearest! A few more days!"
"Something you want to tell me?" I asked in a hushed voice. He gave me a pointed look.
"Bah! Hasn't it been two weeks yet?" the voice yelled again.
"N-no, dearest. Just five days. That leaves twelve more to go."
The monster was silent, maybe trying to do the math. He must've been worse at arithmetic then I was, because he said, "All right, but hurry! I want to SEEEEE under that veil, heh-heh-heh."
"You have one creepy, idiotic, fiancé, I'll tell you that right now," I said. "You could do better."
Grover turned back to me. "You and Percy have to help me! No time! I'm stuck in this cave. On an island in the sea."
"_Where?_"
"I don't know exactly! I went to Florida and turned left."
"What? How did you—"
"It's a trap!" Grover said. "It's the reason no satyr has ever returned from this quest. He's a shepherd, Cam! And he _has _it. Its nature magic is _so _powerful it smells just like the great god Pan! The satyrs come here thinking they've found Pan, and they get trapped and eaten by Polyphemus!"
"Polyphemus…that name is familiar…"
"He's a Cyclops!" Grover said. "I almost got away. I made it all the way to St. Augustine."
"But he followed you," I said, remembering Percy tell me about his dream. "That's what Percy saw in his dream. He trapped you in a bridal boutique."
"That's right," Grover said. "My first empathy link must've worked then."
"Yeah, but only on Percy," I said. "Why didn't it work on me?"
He shrugged. "I'm not sure. I should be able to connect to the two of you, but it's not working. Something's drawing you two apart somehow."
I let that sink in for a moment. "Could it be Luke's doing?"
"Possibly. I wouldn't put it past him. But, look, this bridal dress is the only think keeping me alive. He thinks I smell good, but I told him it was just goat-scented perfume. Thank goodness he can't see very well. His eye is still half blind from the last time somebody poked it out. But soon he'll realize what I am. He's only giving me two weeks to finish the bridal train, and he's getting impatient!"
"Wait a minute. Polyphemus thinks you're—"
"Yes!" Grover wailed. "He thinks I'm a lady Cyclops and he wants to marry me!"
Involuntarily, I snorted a bit. You know, only a little nose chuckle.
"It's not funny!" he cried.
"No, no, not funny at all," I said, suppressing the bubbles of laughter that threatened to get out. "I just want you to know, I will support any life choices you have, whether that means you being a Cyclops, or a lady, or a _lady Cyclops_—"
"Stopppppp!" he bleated out.
"Okay, okay, I'm okay." Calming down, I started to grasp the reality of the situation. "This is bad. This is really, _really _bad, isn't it?"
Grover nodded, broken heartedly.
"We'll rescue you," I promised. "Wherever you are, we'll come get you. Just tell me where you are."
"I'm in the Sea of Monsters, of course!"
"The sea of _what?_"
"I told you! I don't know exactly where! And look, Cammie…um, I'm really sorry about this, but this empathy link…well, I had no choice. Our emotions are connected now. All of ours. Percy, yours and mine. If I die…"
"Let me guess, we die too?"
"Well, maybe just one of you. I feel that my link was stronger with Percy, so probably him."
I swallowed the lump in my throat. Part of me wanted to be angry with him. But all of me knew I couldn't be.
"He might live for years in a vegetative state. But, uh, it would be a lot better if you got me out of here."
"Honeypie!" the monster bellowed. "Dinnertime! Yummy yummy sheep meat!"
Grover whimpered. "I have to go. Hurry!"
"I'm got all the motivation I need. But wait, you said 'it' was here. What?"
But Grover's voice was already growing fainter. "Sweet dreams. Don't let me die!"
The dream faded and I woke with a start. Checking the alarm clock on the night stand, I saw it was about three in the morning. Looking around, I found both Tyson and Percy sound asleep. Percy was still gripping my hand. The cabin felt too small, too stuffy. I needed to get
>out.<p>
Getting up, I let go of Percy's hand to tie my sneakers, but his hand just grabbed mine again. Looking over, I realized I had woke him up. He stared at me with tired, yet alert eyes.
"What's going on?" he asked. "Where are you going?"
Knowing I should tell him what I saw right away, I told him to get his shoes on.
"Where are we going?" he asked as we snuck out.
"Somewhere private," I whispered. "I don't want to wake Tyson, but we need a safe place to talk."
"How about the beach," he suggested.
* * *
><p>When we reached the beach, I told Percy about my dream. I didn't tell him that he had a more likely chance of dying though. That would just be cruel. By the end of it, we were both extremely worried about our friend, and extremely confused as to why we were unable to share dreams with Grover together.<p>
"It's Luke," I said. "I know it has something to do with him."
Percy nodded. "He tried to kill us, I'm sure he isn't below separating us in our dreams."
The sky was clear and starry that night. I could see some of the constellations I'd read about in the sky—Sagittarius, Hercules, Corona Borealis—All the ones I'd learned in Gallagher too. Yeah, they teach us myths and legends in spy school. All information has its purposes. A wise teacher told me that several times.
Percy and me sat starting at the constellations for a few minutes, letting everything soak in.
But then a voice said, "Beautiful, aren't they?"
To say I was scared by this was an understatement. I nearly self-combusted from shock.
Standing right next to us was a guy in nylon running shorts and a New York City Marathon T-Shirt. He was slim and fit, with salt-and-pepper hair and a sly smile. He looked kind of familiar, but I couldn't put my finger on it.
My first thought was that he must've been taking a midnight jog down the beach and strayed inside the camp borders. That wasn't supposed to happen. Regular mortals couldn't enter the valley. But in the middle of the night? And there was nothing around except farmland and state preserves. Where would this guy have jogged from?
"May I join you?" he asked. "I haven't sat down in ages."
Now, I know—a strange guy in the middle of the night. Common sense: we were supposed to run away, yell for help, etc. But let's be honest, guys. We all know I have no common sense, and neither does Percy.
So I just waved a hand, and said, "Sure, why not?"
He smiled. "Your hospitality does you credit."
"So I've never been told," I smiled back.
I could hear Percy laughing in the back of my head.
Sitting down next to us, he stretched out. "Ah…that's nice. I haven't rested in ages."
A cell phone went off in his pocket.
The jogger sighed. He pulled out his phone and my eyes got big, because it glowed with a bluish light. When he extended the antenna, two creatures began withering around it—green snakes, no bigger than earthworms.
"I don't mean to alarm you," Percy said. "But you have some snakes on your phone."
He either didn't notice, or chose to ignore Percy. He checked his LCD display and cursed. "I've got to take this. Just a sec…" then into the phone: "Hello?"
He listened. The mini-snakes withered up and down the antenna right next to his ear.
"Yeah," the jogger said. "Listen—I know, but…I don't care if he _is _chained to a rock, with vultures pecking at his liver, if he doesn't have a tracking number, we can't locate his package…a gift to humankind, great…you know how many of those we deliver—oh, never mind. Listen, just refer him to Eris in customer service. I gotta go."
He hung up. "Sorry. The overnight express business is just booming. Now, as I was saying—"
"You have snakes on your phone," Percy repeated.
"What? Oh, they don't bite. Say hello, George and Martha."
_"Hello, George and Martha," _a raspy male voice said inside my head.
_"Don't be sarcastic," _said a female voice.
_"Why not?" _George demanded. _"I do all the real work."_
"OH, let's not going into that again!" the Jogger slipped his phone back into his pocket. "Now, where were we…ah, yes. Peace and quiet."
He crossed his ankles and stared up at the stars. "Been a long time since I've gotten to relax. Ever since the telegraph—rush, rush, rush. Do you have a favorite constellation, Jackson twins?"
"Gemini," we both said automatically.
He smiled, amused at us. "Oh? And why's that?" he asked sarcastically.
"Because they're were as close as we are," we said, continuing to talk in unison. We smiled at each other.
"And like them, if one of you was to die, and the other be offered immortality in the stars, which would you chose?"
"Each other."
His smile grew. "I'm starting to see that." He laid back completely now. "So, the camp boarders are down, huh?"
Before either one of us could answer, Martha the snake's muffled voice came from his pocket: "_I have Demeter on line two."_
"Not now," I the jogger said. "Tell her to leave a message."
_"She's not going to like that. The last time you put her off, all the flowers in the floral delivery division wilted."_
"Just tell her I'm in a meeting!" the Jogger rolled his eyes.
Suddenly it clicked who this man was.
"It's a hard job, I see," I said conversationally.
He eyed me. "What is?"
"Being the god of Messengers," Percy finished.
He smirked. "I knew you'd figure it out. What gave me away?"
As his phone rang again, I gave it a pointed look. "Just a suspicion."
_"Oh, please can we show them," _Martha pleaded. _"I haven't been full-size for months."_
_"Don't listen to her!"_ George said._ "She just wants to show off!"_
Hermes took out his phone again. "Original form, please."
The phone glowed a brilliant blue. It stretched into a three-foot-long wooden staff with dow wings sprouting out the top. George and Martha, now full-sized green snakes, coiled together around the middle. It was a caduceus, the symbol of Cabin Eleven.
"Yep, defiantly Hermes," Percy muttered.
"Josh and Luke's father," I added, mostly to myself.
The god pursed his lips. He stuck his caduceus in the sand like an umbrella pole. "'Josh and Luke's father'. Normally, that's not the first way people introduce me. God of thieves, yes. God of messengers and travelers, if they wish to be kind."
_"God of thieves works," _George said.
_"Oh, don't mind George,_" Martha flicked her tongue at me. _"He's just bitter because Hermes likes me best."_
_"He does not!"_
"Behave, you two," Hermes warned, "or I'll turn you back into a cell phone, and set you on vibrate! Now, Jacksons, I have a story to tell you. Would you like to hear it?"
Glancing at each other we shrugged. Why deny a god? Especially a nice god that didn't want to kill us?
"I once knew a boy…oh, younger then you by far. A mere baby, really."
_"Here we go again," _George said. _"Always talking about himself."_
_"Quite!" _Martha snapped. _"Do you want to get set on vibrate?"_
Hermes ignored them. "One night, when this boy's mother wasn't watching, he sneaked out of their cave and stole some cattle that belonged to Apollo."
"Did he get blasted to tiny pieces?" Percy asked.
"Hmmm…no. Actually, everything turned out quite well. To make up for his theft, the boy gave Apollo an instrument he'd invented—a lyre. Apollo was so enchanted with the music that he forgot all about being angry."
"So what's the moral?"
"The moral?" Hermes asked. "Goodness, you act like it's a fable. It's a true story. Does truth have a moral?"
"Uh…"
"How about this: stealing is not always bad?"
"I don't think our mom would like that moral."
"I like that moral, though," I muttered under my breath. Percy elbowed me. "I mean, that's the kind of moral I'd expect from you." Percy elbowed me again. "Ow, what?"
"How about this," Hermes said. "Young people don't always do what they're told, but if they can pull it off and do something wonderful, sometimes they escape punishment. How's that?"
"So," Percy drawled. "You think we should go away?"
Hermes's eyes twinkled. "Martha, may I have the first package, please?"
Martha opened her mouth…and kept opening it until it was as wide as my arm. She belched out a stainless steel canister—an old-fashioned lunch box thermos with a black plastic top. the sides of the thermos were enameled with red an yellow Ancient Greek scenes—a hero killing a lion; a hero lifting up Cerberus, the three-headed dog.
"That's Hercules," I said. "But how—"
"Never question a gift," Hermes chided. "This is a collector's item from _Hercules Bust Heads. _The first season."
_"Hercules Bust's Heads?"_
"Great show." Hermes sighed. "Back before Hephaestus-TV was all reality programming. Of course, the thermos would be worth much more if I had the whole lunch box—"
_"Or if it hadn't been in Martha's mouth,_" George added.
"_I'll get you for that," _Martha began chasing him around the caduceus.
"Wait a minute," I said. "This is a gift?"
"One of two," Hermes said. "Go on, pick it up."
I bent down to pick it up and almost dropped it because it was freezing cold on one side and burning hot on the other. The weird this was, when I turned the thermos, the side facing the ocean—North—was always the cold side…
"It's a compass!" I said.
Hermes looked surprised. "Very clever. I never thought of that. But its intended use is a bit more dramatic. Uncap it, and you will release the winds from the four corners of the earth to speed you on your way. Not now! And please, when the time comes, only unscrew the lid a tiny bit. The winds are a bit like me—always restless. Should all four escape at once…ah, but I'm sure you'll be careful. And now my second gift. George?"
_"She's touching me,_" George complained as he and Martha slithered around the pole.
"She's _always _touching you," Hermes said. "You're intertwined. And if you don't stop that, you'll get knotted again!"
The snakes stopped wrestling.
George unhinged his jaw and coughed up a little plastic bottle filled with chewable vitamins.
"You're kidding," I said. "Are those Minotaur-shaped?"
Hermes picked up the bottle and rattled it. "The lemon ones, yes. The grape ones are Furies, I think. Or are they hydras? At any rate, these are potent. Don't take on unless you really, really need it."
"How will we know when we really, really need it?"
"You'll know, believe me. Nine essential vitamins, minerals, amino acids…oh, everything you'll need to feel yourself again."
He tossed Percy the bottle.
"Um, thanks," he said.
"Why are you helping us?" I asked. "This seems really out of the blue."
And by out of the blue, I meant: _You're son tried to kill us, and now you're trying to help us run away? _The means and motives were questionable.
He gave me a melancholy smile. "Perhaps because I hope that you can save many people on this quest, Cameron. Not just your friend Grover."
I started at him. "You mean Luke, don't you?"
"That spy school of your really improved your deducing skills, didn't it?"
"More like a profiler. There's a difference. One's a skill the other is an occupation."
"Look," Percy said, taking over. "Lord Hermes, thanks and everything, but you might as well take back your gifts. Luke can't be saved. And I'm not really in any mood to save him, if I'm going to be honest. Even if I could find him…he told me he wanted to tear down Olympus stone by stone. He betrayed everybody he knew. He-he hates you especially."
Hermes gazed up at the stars. "My dear young cousins, if there's one thing I've learned over the eons, it's that you _can't _give up on your family, no matter how tempting they make it. It doesn't matter if they hate you, or embarrass you, or simply don't appreciate your genius for inventing the Internet—"
"You invented the Internet?" Percy asked.
_"It was my idea," _Martha said.
_"Rats are delicious," _George said.
"It was my idea!" Hermes said. "I mean the Internet, not the rats."
"I have a bone to pick with you," I scolded. "Do you know how many times I've been caught doing something illegal because of the Internet?"
"Eight times, a minimum," he said without hesitation. "But that's not the point. Do you two understand what I'm saying about family?"
We both looked at each other and in that moment, we had a full blown conversations. Not with our minds but with our eyes. We both thought back to our argument, even though we'd forgiven each other.
"Yeah," I said slowly. "I think we have a good idea."
Hermes smiled. "good. In the meantime, I must be going."
_"You have sixty calls to return," _Martha said.
_And one thousand-thirty-eight e-mails,_" George added. "_Not counting the ones offering discounts on online ambrosia."_
"And you two have a shorter deadline than you realize to complete your quest. Your friends should be coming right about…now."
I heard Annabeth's voice calling our names from the sand dunes. Tyson, too, was shouting from a little bit farther away.
"I hope I packed well for you," Hermes said. "I do have a some experience with travel."
He snapped his fingers and four yellow duffel bags appeared at our feet. "Waterproof, of course. If you ask nicely, your father should be able to help you reach the ship."
I flinched at the mention of my father. Percy was okay with it. Apparently, he had made his peace with him. I on the other hand, hated the mere thought of him. At times I wished Poseidon would talk to me. It wasn't often this thought ran through my mind. In fact, usually the moment it ran through my mind, it was banished, shot, and then stabbed several times with a bronze spear, that just so happened to be on _fire._
But those moments that I did were some of the hardest. Because hating him was so easy, and those thoughts hurt.
And at the moment, I had bigger things to be thing about. So all I said was, "Ship?"
Hermes pointed. Sure enough, a big cruise ship was cutting across Long Island Sound, its white-and-gold lights glowing against the dark water.
"Wait," I said. "I don't understand any of this. What else are we looking for?"
Hermes just smirked, and tossed me something. "How about that for a clue?"
I caught it right above my head.
"I'd leave in the next five minutes, if I were you," Hermes advised. "That's when the Harpies will come to eat you. Now, good night, cousins, and dare I say it? May the gods be with you."
He opened his hand and the caduceus flew into it.
_"Good luck," _Martha said.
_"Bring me back a rat,"_ George said.
The caduceus changed into a cell phone and Hermes slipped it into his pocket.
He jogged off down the beach. Twenty paces away, he shimmered and vanished, leaving us alone with a thermos, a bottle of chewable vitamins, and some random clue.
Looking down at the thing in my hand, I inspected it. It was a little plastic ram, the kind you find in model train shops. I flipped it over, looking for its importance. Then I spotted a little blotch of paint on the bottom. I could barely see it in the dark, but it looked to be gold in color.
Then it hit me.
I smiled at Percy. "I know what we need to find."
* * *
><p><strong>I know, I'm late again. I'm so, so, so very sorry. <strong>
**But there's more important things I need to be announcing!**
**From my dear friend, and ally for this story and the last, _Engineer4E ver, _who just so happens to be amazing, has written a new story, and I'd like the share the amazingness that is The Ever Twisting Wind: The Lightning Thief. It is a crossover between Percy Jackson and Harry Potter. Andromeda (Andi) Potter has just finished her second year at Hogwarts School of Magic, but of course the fun doesn't end there. Now she's meeting all kinds of new people and things: Percy Jackson, Chiron, the occasional monster here and there (you know, all our Percy Jackson favorites.) If you like Cammie in this story, you'll _love _Andi. Together, those two would be the end of the world as we know it. They are the ones who gave a lot of the big ideas and witty quotes in this story and the first one, so if you like this story you'll really like theirs too.**
**Also, my friend Fay Thornbush has a story out. It's called Magnus's little secret, and it's a mortal instruments fic. If you are a fan of Magnus, I'm sure you'll love it, it's centered around him and this 'Friend' of his. You should really check it out, it's amazing.**
**So those are two stories that you all should defiantly look into.**
**So I mashed together two chapters into one, and cut out the chariot race…do you hate me? Well if you do, _don't, _because I've got everything under control…sort of.**
**Stay Nerdy, my Nerdles.**
7. Chapter 7
WE BOARD THE PRINCESS ANDROMEDA
* * *
><p>"What?" I asked Cammie. "What do we need to find?"<p>
Cammie was shaking in excitement. Literally, she was _vibrating, _a crazy look in her eye as she shuffled around in little circles, muttering to herself. "Oh, this is _good,_" she giggled. "Brilliant. Just _brilliant. _How has no one thought of this yet? It's so painfully obvious!"
"Not to me!" I sighed in frustration.
"Use your head, Percy!" she said, waving the little ram figurine in my face. "Think! Think about the myths and legends!"
I took the ram from her, looking it over. "Okay…it's a ram…"
"And…"
"And it has a gold spot on it's stomach."
"Yes, _and…?_"
Annabeth and Tyson reach us then, but Cammie never stopped looking at me with that expectant look.
"What's going on?" Annabeth asked. "I heard you guys calling for help!"
"Me, too!" Tyson said. "Heard Percy yell, 'Bad things are attacking!' and heard Cammie yell, 'Get away, you piece of poo!'"
Cammie finally looked away in that moment, and gave Tyson a quizzing look. "'Piece of poo'?"
He looked down at his feet shyly. "You said different words."
"What do you mean?"
"Bad words."
"Oh…yep that makes sense."
"We didn't call you guys," I said, calling everyone's attention back.
"But then who…" Annabeth noticed the four yellow duffel bags, then the thermos and the bottle of vitamins I was holding, along with the ram. "What—"
"Just listen," I said. "We don't have much time."
"But we know how to save Thalia's tree," Cammie said.
"Well, Cammie does," I corrected. "She's not telling me. But we also know where Grover is."
Annabeth's eyes widened. "Really! Where? Is he okay?"
Cammie told them about the dream she had shared with Grover, and I told them our conversation with Hermes, and about all the gifts we had received. By the time we were done, screeching could be heard in the distance—patrol harpies picking up our scent.
"So Grover is in the Sea of Monsters?" Annabeth repeated, as though trying to make sense of it all.
"Yes."
"Percy, we have to do this. We have to go find Grover, and retrieve whatever it is that is going to save Thalia's tree."
"We'll get expelled, you know."
Cammie rolled her eyes. "As though _that's _never happened before. It's not like we're _experts._"
"Well, I am. You're falling a bit behind. Or are you forgetting how you actually made it through a year of school _without _being expelled?"
"Don't remind me," she muttered. "I feel like I'm losing my touch."
"Guys," Annabeth groaned. "We have to do this. If we fail, there won't be any camp to come back to."
"Yeah," I said. "But you promised Chiron—"
"I crossed my fingers behind my back, just the way Cammie taught me too," she argued. "And I also promised to keep you two from danger. I can only do that by coming with you! Tyson can stay behind and tell them—"
"I want to go," Tyson said.
"No!" Annabeth's voice sounded close to panic. "I mean…Percy, come on. You know that's impossible."
I wondered why she had such a grudge against Cyclopes. There was something she wasn't telling me.
I had a few choice words I wanted to share with her on the subject, but never got to that, because Josh and Roe came running up to us.
"We had a feeling you'd be doing something stupid soon," Josh said as a way of greeting.
"So we decided to sneak and help you escape. You know, shake the Harpies off your tail for a short while," Roe smirked. "On the off chance that you take us with you. And by off chance, I mean, you have no choice. We're coming with you."
Cammie shook her head. "No. Having the four of us leave is dangerous enough, we're not putting you two at risk either."
Josh snorted. "We're no more safe here then we are out there," he said. "Honestly, I don't think we'll survive through the week, especially if they really are planning on doing the chariot races."
"We need a few extra eyes here at camp," I insisted, knowing where Cammie was coming from. "If something goes horribly wrong, we need someone to be here to let us know."
"That's not a good enough excuse," Roe insisted, crossing her arms, fixing me with an icy glare.
"Roe…" Cammie put my hands on her shoulders, pleading with her eyes. "_Please, _don't argue with me on this. I know you want to help, but right now, we need to be aware of what's happening here too. You are our eyes and ears. We need to know any important news that runs through here, okay?"
"It's safer in numbers. _You _taught me that."
"Right now, I just want to save Grover and Thalia's tree. Safety isn't on the brain."
"But it should be," Josh said. "You can't run into this blind!"
"We're not," Annabeth said. "We have a good idea of where we're going."
"And where might that be?"
"The Sea of Monsters," I said. "That's where Grover is, and the other..._thing?_."
"Grover? What's happened to Grover? And what thing?"
"The _thing_," Cammie smiled, almost vibrating with excited realization. "How didn't anyone think of it before?"
"Of what!" Roe hissed.
"Isn't it obvious!?" she shoved the plastic toy ram at her.
Roe just looks at her. "No."
"Think about it! The Golden Fleece!"
Everyone turned to her in shock. "The...Fleece?" Josh asked.
"_Yes._"
Maybe it was Cammie's thoughts spilling into my head but suddenly it made sense.
"The Fleece has healing properties," I said aloud. "It could heal Thalia's tree!"
"Yes! Finally, someone get's it."
"That's brilliant," Josh said in awe. "How did you think of that?"
"Oh...w-well I didn't...not really. I-you're-we were just talking with...a _man,_ who gave us this...Toy, and it has a golden dot on the bottom, and well...I was reading the book you got me earlier, and one of the stories was the Golden Fleece, so it was in the back of my mind, you know...?"
Annabeth and Roe giggled a bit at Cammie's bashful explanation. Cammie shot them a dirty look.
Anyway that's how I thought of it. As for Grover, I'll explain that later," Cammie insisted. "But we need to go."
Roe stepped closer. "I can understand needing a pair of eyes and ears here, but you only need one person. Take me with you."
Cammie smiled at her, bringing her into a hug. "I know you want to leave, but I need you _here. _Please, trust me. I have a feeling something bad is about to happen, and I need you here on damage control. One day I will take you out of camp, but not today."
Roe clenched her jaw, working its muscles. She seemed to have so much to say, and I started to see how much she and Cammie had in common. I could understand her, because I understood Cammie. And it was freakish, being in somebody else's head.
"What if you don't come back," Roe asked. "You might die. Then what?"
Cammie just smiled. "Then let this be a promise that I _will."_
I looked away, because Roe started to cry then, and if she was anything like Cammie, just as I predicted she was, she wouldn't want others to see her cry.
"I'm holding you to that," she said weakly. "You're going to take me out of here one day, and you're going to show me _everything._"
It was the sound of harpies that reminded us time was of the essence.
"Okay," I drawled. "To the Sea of Monsters?"
"Percy, Tyson can't go," Annabeth insisted.
"He won't be safe here," I told her, walking to the water's edge.
"Josh and Roe can take care of him."
"I think both me and Cammie would feel better if he tagged along," I said, though a picture of him freaking out and starting to cry while we were trying to sneak past a monster or something popped into my mind.
"Tyson isn't a baby," Cammie insisted. "He's capable of taking care of himself on this trip."
"Cammie," Annabeth said, trying to keep her cool, "we're going to Polyphemus's island! Polyphemus is an S-i-k…a C-y-k…" she stamped her foot in frustration. As smart as she was, Annabeth was dyslexic, too. We could've been there all night while she tried to spell Cyclops. "You know what I mean!"
"No," Cammie said, whimsically. "No I don't think I do. Come on Tyson, let's go."
Tyson clapped his hands. "Yayyyyy! Let's go!"
Annabeth switched between giving me and Cammie the evil eyes, but she knew me, and she knew Cam, and she knew the decision was made, and there was no time to argue.
"Fine," she grumbled. "How do we get to that ship?"
"Hermes said our father would help."
"Well then, Seaweed Brain? What are you waiting for?"
I looked at Cammie, who had started talking to Josh. My brain started to hurt from all her yelling about how she _refused _to ask him for help.
_I guess it's all up to me,_ I thought.
_Yes, it is,_ Cammie grumbled.
I sighed. I'd always had a hard time calling on our father, or praying, or whatever you want to call it, but I stepped into the waves.
"Um, Dad?" I called. "How's it going?"
"Percy!" Annabeth whispered. "We're in a hurry!"
I heard Josh behind me, whispering to Cammie. "Hey, me and Roe will go draw the harpies away. Find Grover, and then you come _right back._ Promise?"
I could almost _feel _Cammie's blush. "Promise."
"Good. I'll miss you."
"Yeah, you too."
I heard the stomping of feet as they ran away.
Annabeth elbowed me. "Come on, Percy."
"Uh, yeah. So, we need your help," I called a little louder. "We need to get to that ship, like, before we get our friends eaten, and then ourselves, and stuff, so…"
At first, nothing happened. Waves crashed against the shore like normal. The harpies sounded like they were right behind the sand dunes.
I closed my eyes, and sent a silent prayer. _Cammie wants your help to. I know she does. Please, _please, _help us._
Then, about a hundred yards out to sea, three white lines appeared on the surface. They moved fast toward the shore, like claws ripping through the ocean.
As they neared the beach, the surf burst apart and the heads of four white stallions reared out of the waves.
Tyson caught his breath. "Fish ponies!"
He was right. As the creatures pulled themselves onto the sand, I saw that they were only horses in the front; their back halves were silvery fish bodies, with glistening scales and rainbow tail fins.
"Hippocampi!" Annabeth said. "They're beautiful."
Cammie kneeled down beside them, stroking their manes. "Incredible," she muttered. "You are a gorgeous creature."
Two of the hippocampi whinnied and nuzzled them in appreciation.
I placed a hand on Cammie's shoulder. "We'll admire them later," I said. "Come on."
We all grabbed a duffle bag, and mounted a hippocampi. It was almost like Poseidon would be one of the passengers, because one was much larger than the other two—just right for carrying a Cyclops.
"Giddyup!" I said. My hippocampus turned and plunged into the waves. Annabeth's, Tyson's and Cammie's followed right behind.
The hippocampi raced over the water at the speed of Jet Skis. Soon enough, the shores of Camp Half-Blood was nothing but a dark smudge. I wondered if I'd ever see the place again. But right then I had other problems.
Cammie whooped joyfully. "Percy!" she screamed happily. "This is _awesome!_"
"Didn't you ride horses at Gallagher?" Annabeth asked, smiling brightly with adrenaline.
"Never one that's gone this fast!"
I laughed, letting go of mine ride's mane, spreading my arms, letting the ocean breeze blow right through me. "You're obviously not living it up there, then!"
"You can guarantee I'll be putting in a request for a couple hippocampi when I get back," she replied, urging hers to go faster. "Race you to the boat?"
I smirked, getting into a riding position. "Prepare to loose, Sis."
Annabeth and Tyson joined in, though I suspect it was only so they didn't get left behind.
The cruise ship was now looming in front of us—our ride toward Florida and the Sea of Monsters.
* * *
><p>As we got close to the cruise ship, I realized just how huge it was. I felt as though I were looking up at a building in Manhattan. The white hull was at least ten stories tall, topped with another dozen levels of decks with brightly lit balconies and portholes. The ship's name was painted just above the bow line in black letters, lit with a spotlight. It took me a few seconds to decipher it:<p>
_PRINCESS ANDROMEDA_
Attached to the bow was a huge masthead—a three-story-tall woman wearing a white Greek chiton, sculptured to look as if she were chained to the front of the ship. She was young and beautiful, with flowing black hair, but her expression was on of absolute terror. Why anybody would want a screaming princess on the front of their vacation ship, I had no idea.
I remember the myth about Andromeda and how she had been chained to a rock by her own parents as a sacrifice to a sea monster. Maybe she'd gotten too many F's on her report card or something. Anyway, my namesake, Perseus, had saved her just in time and turned the sea monster to stone using the head of Medusa.
_That _Perseus always won. That's why my mom had named me after him, even though he was a son of Zeus and I was a son of Poseidon. The original Perseus was one of the only heroes in the Greek myths who got a happy ending. The others died—betrayed, mauled, mutilated, poisoned, or cursed by the gods. My mom hoped I would inherit Perseus's luck. Judging by how my life was going so far, I wasn't real optimistic.
_You're even more lucky though,_ Cammie said through our bond. _You have me to take care of you!_
I rolled my eyes, though the thought made me smile.
"How do we get aboard?" Annabeth shouted over the noise of the waves, but the hippocampi seemed to know what we needed. They skimmed along the starboard side of the ship, riding easily through its huge wake, and pulled up next to a service ladder riveted to the side of the hull.
"You first," I told Annabeth.
She slung her duffel bag over her shoulder and grabbed the bottom rung. Once she'd hoisted herself onto the ladder, her hippocampus whinnied a farewell and dove under the water. Annabeth began to climb. I let her get a few rungs up, then told Cammie to follow her, before following myself.
Finally it was just Tyson in the water. His hippocampus was treating him to 360° aerials and backward ollies, and Tyson was laughing so hysterically, the sound echoed up the side of the ship.
"Tyson, shhh!" I said. "Come on, big guy!"
"Can't we take Rainbow?" he asked, his smile fading.
I stared at him. "_Rainbow?_"
The hippocampus whinnied as if he liked his new name.
"It's a wonderful name," Cammie said from above.
"Uh, yeah, but we have to go," I said. "Rainbow…well, he can't climb ladders."
Tyson sniffled. He buried his face in the hippocampus's mane. "I will miss you, Rainbow!"
The hippocampus made a neighing sound I could sworn was crying.
"Oh my gods, this is breaking my heart," Cammie sniffled, burring her head in her free hand. "I can't watch. Percy, take care of this."
"Maybe we'll see him again sometime," I suggested.
"Oh, please!" Tyson said, perking up immediately. "Tomorrow!"
I didn't make any promises, but I finally convinced Tyson to say his farewells and grab hold of the ladder. With a finally sad whinny, Rainbow the hippocampus did a backflip and dove into the sea.
* * *
><p>The ladder led to a maintenance deck stacked with yellow lifeboats. There was a set of locked double doors, which Annabeth managed to pry open with her knife and a fair amount of cursing in Ancient Greek.<p>
I figured we'd have to sneak around, beign stowaways and all, but after checking a few corridors and peering over a balcony into a huge central promenade lined with closed ships, I began to realize ther was nobody to hide from. I mean, sure it was the middle of the night, but we walked half the length of the boat and met no one. We passed forty or fifty cabin doors and heard no sound behind any of them.
"It's a ghost ship," I murmured.
"No," Tyson said, fiddling with the strap of his duffel bag. "Bad smell."
Annabeth frowned. "I don't' smell anything."
"Cyclopes are like satyrs,' I said. "They can smell monsters. Isn't that right Tyson?"
He nodded nervously. Now that we were away from Camp Half-Blood, the Mist had distorted his face again. Unless I concentrated very hard, it seemed like he had two eyes instead of one.
"Okay," Annabeth said. "What exactly do you smell?"
"Something bad," Tyson answered.
"Great," Annabeth grumbled. "That clears it up."
We came outside on the swimming pool level. There were rows of empty deck chairs and a bar closed off with a chain curtain. The water in the pool glowed eerily, sloshing back and forth from the motion of the ship.
Above us fore and aft were more levels—a climbing wall, a putt-putt golf course, a revolving restaurant, but there was no signs of life.
And yet…I sensed something familiar. Something dangerous. I had the feeling that if I weren't so tired and burned out on adrenaline from our long night, I might be able to put a name to what was wrong.
"We need a hiding place," I said. "Somewhere safe to sleep."
"Sleep," Annabeth agreed wearily.
We explored a few more corridors until we found an empty suite on the ninth level. The door was open, which struck me as weird. There was a basket of chocolate goodies on the table, an iced-down bottle of sparkling cider on the nightstand, and a mint on the pillow with a hand written note that said: _Enjoy you cruise!_
We opened our duffel bags for the first time and found that Hermes really had thought of everything—extra clothes, toiletries, camp rations, a Ziploc bag full of cash, a leather pouch full of golden drachmas. He'd even managed to pack Annabeth's cap of invisibility, Cammie's computer (don't know when she go that), and a little leather bag labeled Tyson. I handed it to him; he looked inside, then snatched it away into hiding.
As Cammie booted up her computer, I talked to Annabeth.
"I'll be next door," Annabeth said. "You guys _don't _drink or eat anything."
"You think this place is enchanted?"
She frowned. "I don't know. Something isn't right. Just…be careful." She looked over at Cammie. "Hey, are you going to share a room with me?"
Cammie nodded, not even looking up from the computer, which she was rapidly typing on. "Yeah, let me just do something quickly."
"Where did you get that?" I asked. "I mean, Hermes didn't just give it to you, did he?"
"No, this is the computer I brought home from Gallagher. It's programed in Greek, and I did all my homework on here, and it has all the shortcuts to the databases Liz has hacked into."
"They got you a computer?" I scoffed, rolling his eyes.
Cammie looked up, and gave me a halfhearted glare. "No. Liz made this for homework. Now shut up."
I scoffed again. Annabeth gave me a weird look. "Okay," she said. "I'll be going to bed now. Come in when you're ready, Cam."
Cammie waved goodnight, right back into the zone.
I went to check on Tyson, who was fiddling with something on the couch. "What is that?" I asked.
He quickly hid it behind himself. "Nothing."
"You can show me," I said.
"No, it's a surprise."
"Okay, but can you at least give me a hint?"
"It's a metalworking project, right Tyson?" Cammie said from over on the bad.
He looked up, shocked. "How'd you know!?"
"We did a unit on that at school. I recognize the sounds and smells."
Tyson stared at her and so did I. "What all did they teach you?" I asked.
"A little bit of everything."
Cammie was hard at work doing whatever it was she was doing, and Tyson was fiddling with whatever it was he was doing, and I was kind of just laying on the bed, staring out the porthole. I felt kind of useless. Tyson soon started to yawn. He wrapped his project up, placed it in its leather bag, and passed out.
"This might be bad," Cammie muttered under her breath as she typed on her computer.
"What might be bad?" I asked, getting up to go sit next to her.
She pointed the computer screen. "Well, I hacked into the ships database to put ourselves in to look like we're passengers too, and I found some…interesting stuff."
"What kind of interesting?"
"We're on the Princess Andromeda, which took sail three months ago. Some cruises can be out for a month or two, depending on the cruise line. Three is unusual, but still fairly normal."
"But…"
"_But _the itinerary for the Princess Andromeda was only supposed to last a week, stopping in only a few excursions along the coast. The farthest up it was supposed to go was North Carolina, leaving from Miami. So it makes no sense that it's up here in New York. Obviously, it's not in the right place. I hacked into the cruise line's database, got a list of all the guests on the ship, all of who have been reported missing. No one has seemed to made the connection yet, though that's not entirely crazy, seeing as the passengers come from all over the country and sometimes even the world."
"So basically this ghost ship isn't a ghost ship? More like a ship full of hostages."
"That is the most logical explanation," she said motioning to the screen. "That might explain why no one is roaming around. But still, we don't usually deal with logical. There were no signs of the people who might be holding these people prisoner. There weren't signs of people at all. So I'm not sure _what _this all means. Maybe they got rid of the hostages, and are all together at the moment, or the hostages are in their room, and being threatened. I can't be sure unless I go up and search the ship myself."
"Tyson mentioned a bad smell before," I said. "Is it possible a monster did this?"
"But the ship is still moving. It's still running a course. I'm not sure what gains a monster would get out of driving a cruise boat around."
I rubbed my eyes, not knowing what to do. "It's possible everything's alright though?"
She shrugged. "It's odd that the cruise ship hasn't been reported missing yet. Maybe they decided to take a longer trip, and forgot to tell their friends and family?" she suggested, though we both knew that was a weak explanation.
"Look, I'm too tiered for this," I sighed. "How about we pick this up in the morning?"
"That sounds like a great idea," she yawned. "I'll see you in the morning."
I lay on the bed, once again staring out the porthole. I thought I heard voices out in the hallway, like whispering. I knew that couldn't be. We'd walked all over the ship and had seen nobody. But the voices kept me awake. They reminded me of my trip to the underworld—the way the spirits of the dead sounded as they drifted past.
Finally my weariness got the best of me. I fell asleep…and had my worst dream yet.
* * *
><p>I was standing in a cavern at the edge of an enormous pit. I knew the place too well. The entrance to Tartarus. And I recognized the cold laugh that echoed from the darkness below.<p>
_If it isn't the young hero._ The voice was like a knife blade scraping across stone. _On his way to another great victory._
I wanted to shout at Kronos to leave me along. I wanted to draw Riptide and strike him down. But I couldn't move. And even if I could, how could I kill something that had already been destroyed—chopped to little pieces and cast into eternal darkness?
_Don't let me stop you, _the titan said. _Perhaps this time, when you fail, you'll wonder if it's worthwhile slaving for the gods. How exactly _has _your father shown his appreciation lately?_
His laughter filled the cavern, and suddenly the scene changed.
It was a different cave. It looked like a bedroom prison. Then I recognized who this roomed belonged to.
Grover was sitting at a loom in a soiled wedding dress, madly unraveling the threads of the unfinished bridal train.
"Honeypie!" the monstrous voice shouted from behind the boulder.
Grover yelped and began weaving the threads back together.
The room shook as the boulder was pushed aside. Looming in the doorway was a Cyclops so huge he made Tyson look vertically challenged. He had jagged yellow teeth and gnarled hands as big as my whole body. He wore a faded purple T-shirt that said WORLD SHEEP EXPO 2001. He must've been at least fifteen feet tall, but the most startling thing was his enormous milky eye, scarred and webbed with cataracts. If he wasn't completely blind, he had to be pretty darn close.
"What are you doing?" the monster demanded.
"Nothing!" Grover said in his falsetto voice. "Just weaving my bridal train, as you can see."
The Cyclops stuck one hand into the room and groped around until he found the loom. He pawed at the cloth. "It hasn't gotten any longer!"
"Oh, um, yes it has, dearest. See? I've added at least an inch."
"Too many delays!" the monster bellowed. Then he sniffed the air. "You smell good! Like goats!"
"Oh." Grover forced a weak giggle. "Do you like it? It's _Eau de Chévre._ I wore it just for you."
"Mmmmm!" The Cyclops bared his pointed teeth. "Good enough to eat!"
"Oh, you're such a flirt!"
"No more delays!"
"But dear, I'm not done!"
"Tomorrow!"
"No, no. Ten more days."
"Five."
"Oh, well, seven then. If you insist."
"Seven! That is less than five, right?"
"Certainly. Oh yes."
The monster grumbled, still not happy with his deal, but he left Grover to his weaving and rolling the boulder back into place.
Grover closed his eyes and took a shaky breath, trying to calm his nerves.
"Looks like it's you this time Percy," he muttered, glancing at me. "Please, please, please, hurry!"
* * *
><p>I woke Cammie beating me with a pillow.<p>
"What did Grover have to say?" she asked, continuting to beat me.
"Okay, okay that's enough," I grumbled, holding my hands up to protect myself. "Grover really didn't talk to me. I just saw him talking to the monster."
She paused her beatings. "What did he look like?"
I told her my dream and what happened.
She was deep in thought when the ship's whistle went off and a voice on the intercom started to talk—some guy with an Australian accent who sounded way too happy.
"Good morning, passengers! We'll be at sea all day today. Excellent weather for the poolside mambo party! Don't forget million-dollar bingo in the Kraken Lounge at one o'clock, and for our _special guests, _disemboweling practice on the Promenade!"
I sat up in bed. "What did he say?"
Tyson groaned, still half asleep. He was lying face down on the couch, his feet so far over the edge they were in the bathroom. "The happy man said…bowling practice?"
I hoped he was right, but there was an urgent knock on the suite's interior door. Annabeth stuck her head in—her blond hair in a rat's nest. "_Disemboweling _practice?"
Once we were all dressed, we ventured out into the ship and were surprised to see other people. A dozen senior citizens were heading to breakfast. A dad was taking his kids to the pool for a morning swim. Crew members in crisp white uniforms strolled the deck tipping their hats to the passengers.
"Doesn't look like any of these people are prisoners," I told Cammie, who looked on with confusion.
Nobody asked who we were. Nobody paid us much attention. But there was something wrong.
As the family of swimmers passed us, the told his kids: "We are on a cruise. We are having fun."
"Yes," his three kids said in unison, their expressions blank. "We are having a blast. We will swim in the pool."
They wondered off.
"Good morning," a crew member told us, his eyes glazed. "We are all enjoying ourselves aboard the _Princess Andromeda. _Have a nice day." He drifted away.
"Not prisoners you say," Cammie muttered, watching him intensely.
"This is weird," Annabeth whispered. "They're all in some kind of trance."
Then we passed a cafeteria and saw our first monster. It was a hellhound—a black mastiff with its front paws up on the buffet line and its muzzle buried in the scrambled eggs. It must've been young, because it was small compared to most—no bigger than a grizzly bear. Still, my blood turned cold. Me and Cammie almost got killed by one of those before.
The weird thing was: a middle-age couple was standing in the buffet line right behind the devil dog, patiently waiting their turn for the eggs. They didn't seem to notice anything out of the ordinary.
"Not hungry anymore," Tyson murmured.
Before Annabeth or I could reply, a reptilian voice came from down the corridor, "Ssssix more joined yesssterday."
Annabeth gestured frantically toward the nearest hiding place—the women's room—and all four of us ducked inside. I was so freaked out it didn't even occur to me to be embarrassed.
Something—or more like _two _somethings—slithered past the bathroom door, making sounds like sandpaper against the carpet.
"Yesss," a second reptilian voice said. "He drawsss them. Soooon we will be sssstrong."
The things slithered into the cafeteria with a cold hissing that might have been snake laughter.
Annabeth looked at me. "We have to get out of here."
"You think I _want _to be in the girls' restroom?"
"I think she means the ship, Percy," Cammie whispered. "We have to get off the ship."
"Smells bad," Tyson agreed. "And dogs eat all the eggs. Annabeth is right. We must leave the restroom and ship."
I shuttered. If Annabeth and Tyson were actually _agreeing _about something, I figured it would be best to leave.
Then I heard another voice outside—one that chilled me worse than any monster's.
"—only a matter of time. Don't push me, Agrius!"
It was Luke, beyond a doubt. I could never forget his voice.
"I'm not pushing you!" another guy growled. His voice was deeper and even angrier than Luke's. "I'm just saying, if this gamble doesn't pay off—"
"It'll pay off," Luke snapped. "They'll take the bait. Now, come, we've got to get to the admiralty suite and check on the casket."
Their voices receded down the corridor.
Tyson whimpered. "Leaving now?"
Annabeth, Cammie and I exchanged looks and came to a silent agreement.
"We can't," I told Tyson.
"We have to find out what Luke is up to," Annabeth agreed. "And if possible, we're going to beat him up, bind him in chains, and drag him to Mount Olympus."
* * *
><p><strong>So I'm late…again. But I have a sort of reason?<strong>
**I was nearly finished with the chapter, just had a bit left to do. But the day that I had finished it, my internet decided to troll me and turn off for a while. So it's been finished for a while, but I've been unable to update. Which was really suckish.**
**So I'm really sorry it took a long time. But there wasn't anything I could do about it.**
**But on the Brightside, I have a wonderful new idea for the next book in the series! It's going to be wonderful ****J**
**Anyway, I hope you enjoyed.**
**Stay Nerdy my Nerdlets.**
8. Chapter 8
WE HAVE THE WORLDS WORST FAMILY REUNION EVER
* * *
><p>Annabeth volunteered to go alone since she had the cap of invisibility, but Percy convinced her it was too dangerous. Either we all went together, or nobody went.<p>
"Nobody!" Tyson voted. "Please?"
I gave him an encouraging smile. "Come on, Buddy, we all need to stick together. You don't want to stay here all alone and have some monsters run into you, do ya?"
He shook his head no.
"Good, then come on." I held out my hand for him to take. "Let's get rolling."
He took it, but still chewed on his other hands huge fingernails. We stopped at our cabin long enough to grab our stuff. We figured whatever happened, we should _not _be staying another nigh aboard the zombie cruise ship, even if they did have million-dollar bingo. Percy patted his pocket to make sure riptide was in there, and checked the duffle bag for the vitamins and thermos from Hermes. Tyson insisted on carrying all four of our bags, despite how much I groaned and complained to him about how we are all fully capable of carrying our own. He said it was easy enough for him, and that I could carry a backpack if I really wanted (although he made it clear he could carry that too.).
"I'm a big boy, I can carry it all," he told me with a wide smile.
I smiled back when he reached to take my hand again. Percy gave me an amused look. I just shrugged, taking it.
We sneaked through the corridors, following the ship's YOU ARE HERE signs toward the admiralty suite. Annabeth scouted ahead invisibly. We hid whenever someone passed by, the most of the people we saw were just glassy-eyed zombie passengers.
As we came up the stairs to deck thirteen, where the admiralty suite was supposed to be, Annabeth hissed, "Hide!" and shoved us into a supply closet.
I heard a couple of guys coming down the hall.
"You see that Aethipian drakon in the cargo hold?" one of them said.
The other laughed. "Yeah, it's awesome."
Annabeth was still invisible, but she squeezed my arm hard. I got a feeling I should know that second guys' voice.
"I hear they got two more coming," the familiar voice said. "They keep arriving at this rate, oh, man—no contest!"
The voices faded down the corridor.
"That was Chris Rodriguez!" Annabeth took of her cap and turned visible. "You remember—from Cabin Eleven."
I did, actually. He was one of those undetermined campers who got stuck in the Hermes cabin because his Olympian dad or mom never claimed him. Now that I thought about it, I realized I hadn't seen Chris at camp this summer.
"What's another half-blood doing here?" Percy asked.
Annabeth shook her head, clearly troubled. "I don't know."
"It's obvious, isn't it?" I asked. They both just stared at me. "He's working with Luke. Come on, don't give me that look. Do you honestly think Luke is the only half-blood in the world that hates the gods?"
Annabeth's frown increased, though Percy stared at me with worried eyes.
We kept going down the corridor. I didn't need maps anymore to know I was getting close to Luke. I sensed something cold and unpleasant—the presence of evil.
"Percy." Annabeth stopped suddenly. "Look."
She stood in front of a glass wall looking down into the multistory canyon that ran through the middle of the ship. At the bottom was the Promenade—a mall full of shops—but that's not what had caught Annabeth's attention.
A group of monsters had assembled in front of the candy store: a dozen giants, two hellhounds, and a few even stranger creatures—humanoid females with twin serpent tails instead of legs.
"Scythian Dracaenae," Annabeth whispered. "Dragon women."
"And those," Percy said, pointing at the giants. "Those are Laistrygonian giants like the ones who'd attacked me at school."
The monsters made a semicircle around a young guy in Greek armor who was hacking on a straw dummy. A lump formed in my throat when I realized the dummy was wearing an orange Camp Half-Blood T-shirt. As we watched, the guy in armor stabbed the dummy through its belly and ripped upward. Straw flew everywhere. The monsters cheered and howled.
Annabeth stepped away from the window. Her face was ashen.
"Come on," Percy told her, trying to sound brave. "The sooner we find Luke the better."
He grabbed my other hand, giving it a squeeze, as though to comfort me, though I knew it was more for himself.
At the end of the hallway were double oak doors that looked like they must lead somewhere important. When we were thirty feet away, Tyson stopped. "Voices inside."
"You can hear that far?" I asked.
Tyson closed his eye like he was concentrating hard. Then his voice changed, becoming a husky approximation of Luke's. "—the prophecy ourselves. The fools won't know which way to turn."
Before any one of us could react, Tyson's voice changed again, becoming deeper and gruffer, like the other guy we'd heard talking to Luke outside the cafeteria. "You really think the old horseman is gone for good?"
Tyson laughed Luke's laugh. "They can't trust him. not with the skeletons in _his _closet. The poisoning of the tree was the final straw."
Annabeth shivered. "Stop that, Tyson! How do you do that? It's creepy."
Tyson opened his eye and looked puzzled. "Just listening."
I shot Annabeth a look. "Go on, Tyson," I said, rubbing his arm. "Just keep listening."
He hissed in the gruff man's voice: "Quiet!" Then Luke's voice, whispering: "Are you sure?"
"Yes," Tyson said in the gruff voice. "Right outside."
"Oh sh—"
Too late, me and Percy both realized what was happening.
"Run!" Percy said, just in time for the stateroom doors to burst open. Out came Luke, flanked by two hairy giants armed with javelins, their bronze tips aimed right at our chests.
"Well," Luke said with a crooked smile. "If it isn't my three favorite cousins. Come right in."
* * *
><p>The stateroom was beautiful, yet it was horrible.<p>
The beautiful part: huge windows curved along the back wall, looking out over the stern of the ship. Green sea and blue sky stretched all the way to the horizon. A Persian rug covered the floor. Two plush sofas occupied the middle of the room, with a canopied bed in the one corner and a mahogany dining table in the other. The table was loaded with food—pizza boxes, bottles of soda, and a stack of roast beef sandwiches on a silver platter.
The horrible part: On a velvet dais at the back of the room lay a ten-foot-long golden casket. A sarcophagus, engraved with Ancient Greek scenes of cities in flames and heroes dying grisly deaths. Despite the sunlight streaming through the windows, the casket made the whole room feel cold.
"Well," Luke said, spreading his arms proudly. "A little nicer then Cabin Eleven, huh?"
He'd changed since the last summer. Instead of Bermuda shorts and a T-shirt, he wore a button-down shirt, khaki pants, and leather loafers. His sandy hair, which used to be so unruly, was now clipped shorts. He looked like an evil male model, showing off what the fashionable college-age villain was wearing to Harvard this year.
He still had the car under his eye—a jagged white line from his battle with a dragon. And propped against the sofa was his magical sword, Backbitter, glinting strangely with its half-steel, half-Celestial bronze blade that could kill both mortals and monsters.
"Sit," he told us. He waved his hand and three dining chairs scooted themselves into the center of the room.
None of us sat.
Luke's large friends were still pointing their javelins at us. They looked like twins, but they weren't human. They stood about eight feet tall, for one thing, and wore only blue jeans, probably because their enormous chest were already shag-carpeted with thick brown fur. They had claws for fingernails, feet like paws. Their noses were snoutlike, and their teeth were all pointed canines.
"Nice friends you have," I muttered.
"Aren't they?" Luke smiled smoothly. "Where are my manners? These are my assistants, Agrius and Oreius. Perhaps you've heard of them."
"Haven't the pleasure," I said sarcastically, sneering at them and their javelins. They growled, raising them higher.
I turned away to look at Percy, but his eyes hadn't left Luke. I wondered what he was thinking, so I wiggled my way through his thoughts, and took a peak. He was thinking to himself, which was so much different to actually talking to him one on one with our minds. When he thought to himself, it was like a mix of pictures and words, all mashed together, all strung out to make one slightly chaotic, yet coherent thought.
_I've imagined meeting Luke again so many times since he'd tried to kill me and Cammie last summer, _Percy said with words and flashbacks of the memory. I shivered at that_. I'd stand up, boldly, against him, Cammie right beside me, and we'd challenge him to a duel. _I saw what he imagined, and had to agree, that was an exact replica of my own imagination. Me and Percy standing together all heroic like, not afraid of Luke—not afraid of anything. It gave me courage seeing it from my brother's mind. Maybe it was possible.
_But now I can barely stop shaking._
I really looked at him now, glancing down at his hands. They were shaking, so I took one in my own, both to comfort him, and to keep Luke for noticing.
"You don't know Agrius and Oreius's story?" Luke gasped. "And here I thought Cammie had read most of the stories. Anyway, their mother…well, it's really sad. Aphrodite ordered the young woman to fall in love. She refused and ran to Artemis for help. Artemis let her become one of her maiden huntresses, but Aphrodite got her revenge. She bewitched the young woman into falling in love with a bear. When Artemis found out, she abandoned the girl in disgust. Typical of the gods, wouldn't you say? They fight with one another and the poor humans get caught in the middle. The girl's twin sons here, Agrius and Oreius, have no love for Olympus. They like half-bloods well enough, though…"
"For lunch," Agrius growled. His gruff voice was the one I'd heard talking to Luke earlier.
"Hehe! Hehe!" His brother Oreius laughed, licking his fur-lined lips. He kept laughing like he was having an asthmatic fit until Luke and Agrius both stared at him.
"Are you sure that guy's dad isn't a hyena?" I asked.
Agrius growled at me, then turned to his brother. "Shut up, you idiot! Go punish yourself!"
Oreius whimpered. He trudged over to the corner of the room, slumped onto a stool, and banged his forehead against the dining table, making the silver plates rattle.
Luke acted like this was perfectly normal behavior. He made himself comfortable on the sofa and propped his feet up on the coffee table. "Well, Jacksons, we let you survive another year. I hope you appreciated it. How's your mom? How's school? How about you, Cammie? I heard you left home, ran off to some boarding school on your own. How was that?"
It didn't seem as though Luke knew what my school really was, and I was pretty grateful for that. For now, my secret and my friends seemed safe. Though he looked on at me with expectant eyes, and I realized that wasn't a rhetorical question, and that maybe that last part wasn't quite true.
"You poisoned Thalia's tree."
It was Annabeth who had said it. And she said it with such a calm and collected voice, I made me shiver.
Luke sighed. "Right to the point, eh? Okay, sure I poisoned the tree. So what?"
"How could you?" Finally some emotion. Annabeth sounded so angry I thought she'd explode. "Thalia saved your life! _Our _lives! How could you dishonor her—"
"I didn't dishonor her!" Luke snapped. "The gods dishonored her, Annabeth! If Thalia were alive, she'd be on my side."
"Liar!"
"If you knew what was coming, you'd understand—"
"I understand you want to destroy the camp!" she yelled. "You're a monster!"
Luke shook his head. "The gods have blinded you. Can't you imagine a world without them, Annabeth? What good is that ancient history you study? Three thousand years of baggage! The West is rotten to the core. It has to be destroyed. Join me! We can start the world anew. We could use your intelligence, Annabeth."
"Because you have none of your own!"
His eyes narrowed. "I know you, Annabeth. You deserve better than tagging along on some hopeless quest to save the camp. Half-Blood Hill will be overrun by monster within the month. The heroes who survive will have no choice but to join us or be hunted to extinction. You really want to be on a losing team…with company like this?" Luke pointed at Tyson.
"Hey!" me and Percy yelled in our scary unison sort of way.
"Traveling with a _Cyclops,_" Luke chided. "Talk about dishonoring Thalia's memory! I'm surprised at you, Annabeth. You of all people—"
"Stop it!" she shouted.
I didn't know what Luke was talking about, but Annabeth buried her head in her hands like she was about to cry. I didn't like the idea of Luke getting to her. I didn't like the idea of him making her cry.
"You're the one sailing around on a boat full of monsters," I scoffed, eyeing up the other twins in the room. "Are you really one to talk?"
"You don't even know what you're talking about, _Cameron,_" Luke sneered, spitting at me. "You know nothing."
"I know that's _nasty, _and that you need a lesson with Madam Dabney in manors," I said, wiping the spit away. "Honestly, that's rule number one in the handbook of manors. Do not spit at your enemies."
That was a lie. That's number three. Number one was don't swear, but for the sake of being a smart-alec, I might as well roll with it.
"Just leave her alone," Percy said. "And you leave Tyson out of this."
Luke laughed. "Oh, yeah, I heard. Your guys' father claimed him."
We must have looked surprised, because Luke smiled. "Yes, Jacksons, I know all about that. And about your plan to find the Fleece. What were those coordinates, again…30, 31, 75, 12? You see, I still have friends at camp who keep me posted." He laughed a bit. "Well, the coordinates we had to pull from three old ladies driving a taxi, but, hey, that's beside the point."
"You have spies at camp?" I said breathlessly.
He shrugged. "How many insults from your father can you stand, Cammie? You know what I'm talking about. You've _admitted _it! Your father is not grateful to you. He doesn't care for you any more than he does for this monster."
Tyson clenched his fists and made a rumbling sound down in his throat.
My gaze hardened. "While I agree with you that our father is an ungrateful jerk, I will not tolerate you calling my brother a monster."
Luke just chuckled. "So even the gods got you under their little spell. And here I thought you were at least slightly brilliant. But it seems you're just a spaz."
I gasped, insulted. "You did _not _just call me a spaz!" I screeched, quaking with anger as I attempted to mow him down, only to be held back by Annabeth, Percy, and Tyson.
"The gods are using you. Do you even have any idea what's in store for you if you reach your sixteenth birthday? Has Chiron even _told _you the prophecy?"
I wanted to strangle him right then and there, but as usual, he knew just how to throw me off balance.
_Our sixteenth birthday?_
I mean, we knew Chiron had received a prophecy from the Oracle many years ago. We knew part of it was about us. But, _if _we reached our sixteenth birthday? I didn't like the sound of that.
"We know what we need to know," Percy said, recovering first. "Like who our enemies are."
"Then you're fools."
Tyson smashed the nearest dining chair to splinters. "They are no fools!"
Before I could stop him, he charged Luke. His fists came down toward Luke's head—a double overhead blow that, based on the experiment Liz had conducted after Christmas break, would've knocked a hold in titanium—but the bear twins intercepted. They each caught one of Tyson's arms and stopped him cold. They pushed him back and Tyson stumbled. He fell to the carpet so hard the deck shook. I dropped down on my knees next to him. "Tyson, are you okay?"
Luke laughed at us, and I could feel Percy's anger. Knowing backtalk was pointless, he simply distracted him. "Luke," Percy cut in. "Listen to me. Your father sent us."
His face turned the color of pepperoni. "Don't—_even_—mention him."
"He told us to take this boat. I thought it was just for a ride, but he sent us here to find you. he told us he won't give up on you, no matter how angry you are."
Telling this to Luke was pointless. It would only make him angry. It dawned on me that Percy did it for that reason exactly. To make Luke angry, to hurt him in a way. That theory being proven by what Luke said next.
"_Angry?_" Luke roared. "_Give up on me?_ He abandoned me, Percy! I want Olympus destroyed! Every throne crushed to rubble! You tell Hermes it's going to happen, too. Each time a half-blood joins us, the Olympians grow weaker and we grow stronger. _He _grows stronger." Luke pointed to the gold sarcophagus.
The box creeped me out, but I was determined not to show it. "So?" I demanded, rubbing the back of Tyson's head to check for bumps. "What's so special…"
Then it hit me, what might be inside the sarcophagus. The temperature in the room seemed to drop twenty degrees. "Whoa, you don't mean—"
"He is re-forming," Luke said. "Little by little, we're calling his life force out of the pit. With every recruit who pledges our cause, another small piece appears—"
"That's disgusting!" Annabeth said.
Luke sneered at her. "Your mother was born from Zeus's split skull, Annabeth. I wouldn't talk. Soon there will be enough of the titan lord so that we can make his whole again. We will piece together a new body for him, a word worthy of the forges of Hephaestus."
"You're insane," Annabeth said.
"Join us and you'll be rewarded. We have powerful friends, sponsors rich enough to buy this cruise ship and much more. Percy, Cammie, your mother will never have to work again. You can buy her a mansion. You can have power, fame—whatever you want. Annabeth, you can realize your dream of being an architect. You can build a monument to last a thousand years. a temple to the lords of the next age!"
"Go to Tartarus," she said.
Luke sighed. "A shame."
He picked up something that looked like a TV remote and pressed a red button. Within seconds the door of the stateroom opened and two uniformed crew members came in, armed with nightsticks. They had the same glassy-eyed look as the other mortals I'd seen, but I had a feeling this wouldn't make them any less dangerous in a fight.
"Ah, good, security," Luke said, "I'm afraid we have some stowaways."
"Yes, sir," they said dreamily.
Luke turned to Oreius. "It's time to feed the Aethiopian drakon. Take these fools below and show them how it's done."
Oreius grinned stupidly. "Hehe! Hehe!"
"Let me go, too," Agrius grumbled. "My brother is worthless. That Cyclops—"
"Is no threat," Luke said. He glanced back at the golden casket, as if something were troubling him. "Agrius, stay here. We have important matters to discuss."
"But—"
"Oreius, don't fail me. Stay in the hold to make sure the drakon is properly fed."
Oreius prodded us with his javelin and herded us out of the stateroom, followed by the two human security guards.
* * *
><p>As we walked down the corridor with Orieus's javelin alternating between poking us all in the back, me and Percy conversed within our heads.<p>
_We need a plan,_ I said.
_Hopefully one that doesn't get us skewered, _he suggested as we entered the open deck by the pool.
_That's a great plan, let's build on that._
_Well, we're a great team, we'll think of something._
We both physically turned to look at each other then.
_What had Luke said before? _I asked. _The bear twins together were a match for Tyson's strength._
_But maybe separately…_
I didn't wait to think anything through, I turned to Tyson and yelled, "Now!"
He understood, thank the gods. He turned and smacked Oreius thirty feet backward into the swimming pool, right into the middle of the zombie tourist family.
"Ah!" the kids yelled in unison. "We are _not _having a blast in the pool!"
"That's too bad kids," I told them harshly while grabbing a long pool skimmer from the wall. "Stuff happens."
As Oreius stood, slightly disoriented, I swung down with the skimmer, knocking him on the head. And then I repeated that move. Several times actually.
"I am _not _a spaz!" I screamed. "How dare he call me a spaz? _I'm not a spaz!"_
I swung it sideways, hitting him right in the jaw, knocking him out.
I threw the pool skimmer across the deck. "I'm _not _a spaz."
"Yes you are," Percy said, walking up behind me. "Thank goodness to, or he might have come back out of there."
I punch him in the arm with a very angry frown. "I'm not a spaz!"
"You beat that guy yelling about how you're not a spaz, when he wasn't even the one who called you a spaz. You're a _spaz!_"
"No, I just have sever anger issues that happen to build up and come out at convenient times."
"Guys!" Annabeth warned.
One of the security guards drew his nightstick, but Annabeth knocked the wind out of him with a well-placed kick. The other guard ran for the nearest alarm box.
"Stop him!" Annabeth yelled, but it was too late.
Just before Percy banged him on the head with a deck chair, he hit the alarm.
Red lights flashed. Sirens wailed.
"Whoa, déjà vu," I muttered. "This must've happened a time or two before."
"Lifeboat!" Percy yelled, grabbing my hand.
We ran for the nearest one.
By the time we got the cover off, monsters and more security men were swarming the deck, pushing aside tourist and waiters with trays of tropical drinks. A guy in Greek armor drew his sword and charged, but slipped in a puddle of piña colada. Laistrygonian archers assembled on the deck above us, notching arrows in their enormous bows.
"How do you launch this thing?" screamed Annabeth.
A hellhound leaped at us, but Tyson slammed it aside with a fire extinguisher.
"Get in and hold them off!" I yelled, pulling out my lip gloss.
Percy uncapped Riptide and slashed the first volley of arrows out of the air. "I know you became kind of girly at that school of yours, but do you really need that right now?"
"Pay attention, Percy," I groaned, opening the little capsule up, and rubbing some of its glossy content on the ropes. "I told you Bex gave me a makeup kit of stuff any seasoned spy would have. This is material burning acidic gel. Liz's own recipe." There was the sound of burning, then snapping.
"I would now hold on to something."
A shower of arrows whistled over our heads as we freefell toward the ocean.
* * *
><p><strong>Hey, so that's the chapter. Another busy couple of weeks. I've barely had time to do much of anything, and sadly, that might be the case for a while. But I'm still working hard at it.<strong>
**I couldn't remember if I had said Percy told Cammie what had happened in the taxi with the three old ladies, but I kind of implied that he did. So if you didn't see Percy telling Cammie in the other chapters, she does know about it.**
**Thank you all for being patient with me. I know it's kind of insanity, but I greatly appreciate anyone who's still with this story.**
**Have a wonderful night/morning/time-of-day my Nerdletts.**
9. Chapter 9
WE HITCH A RIDE WITH DEAD CONFEDERATES
* * *
><p>"Thermos!" I screamed as we hurtled toward the water.<p>
"_What?_" Annabeth must've thought I'd lost my mind. She was holding on to the boat straps for dear life, her and Cammie's hair flying straight up like a torch, their two hair colors contradicting each other.
But Tyson understood. He managed to open my duffel bag and take out Hermes' magical thermos without losing his grip on it or the boat.
Arrows and javelins whistled past us.
I grabbed the thermos and hoped I was doing the right thing. "Hang on!"
"Got that part covered, Bro," Cammie yelled.
"Tighter!"
I hooked my feet under the boat's inflatable bench, and as Tyson grabbed us all by the back of our shirts, I gave the thermos cap a quarter turn.
Instantly, a white sheet of wind jetted out of the thermos and propelled us sideways, turning our downward plummet into a forty-five-degree crash landing.
The wind seemed to laugh as it shot from the thermos, like it was glad to be free. As we hit the ocean, we bumped once, twice, skipping like a stone, then we were whizzing along like a speed boat, salt spray in our faces and nothing but sea ahead.
I heard a wail of outrage from the ship behind us, but we were already out of weapon range. The _Princess Andromeda _faded to the size of a white toy boat in the distance, and then it was gone.
* * *
><p>As we raced over the sea, we tried to send an Iris-message to Chiron. We figured it was important we let somebody know what Luke was doing, and we didn't know who else to trust.<p>
The wind from the thermos stirred up a nice sea spray that made a rainbow in the sunlight—perfect for an Iris-message—but our connection was still poor. When Annabeth threw a gold drachma into the mist and prayed for the rainbow goddess to show us Chiron, his face appeared all right, but there was some kind of weird strobe light flashing in the background and rock music blaring, like he was at a dance club.
We told him about sneaking away from camp, and Luke and the _Princess Andromeda _and the golden box for Kronos's remains, but between the noise on his end and the rushing wind and water on ours, I'm not sure how much he heard.
"Jackson's," Chiron yelled, "you have to watch out for—"
His voice was drowned out by loud shouting behind him—a bunch of voices whooping it up like Comanche warriors.
"Not going to judge, Chiron," Cammie yelled. "But what exactly are you up to?"
"Curse my relatives!" Chiron ducked as a plate flew over his head and shattered somewhere out of sight. "Annabeth, you shouldn't have let them leave camp! But if you _do _get the Fleece—"
"Yeah, baby!" somebody behind Chiron yelled. "Wooohooooo!"
The music got cranked up, subwoofers so loud it made our boat vibrate.
"—Miami," Chiron was yelling. "I'll try to keep watch—"
Our misty screen smashed apart like someone on the other side had thrown a bottle at it, and Chiron was gone.
* * *
><p>An hour late we spotted land—a long stretch of beach lined with high-rise hotels. The water became crowded with fishing boats and tankers. A coast guard cruiser passed on our starboard side, then turned like it wanted a second look. I guess it isn't every day they see a yellow lifeboat with no engine going a hundred knots an hour, manned by four kids.<p>
"Five hundred and thirty nautical miles," I said.
Annabeth and Cammie turned to stare at me.
"How did you know that?" Annabeth asked.
"I-I'm not sure."
Annabeth looked at Cammie, then at me, then back at Cammie. "Cammie, what is our position?"
"36 degrees, 44 minutes north, 76 degrees, 2 minutes west," she said immediately.
"Did you learn that at Gallagher?" I asked incredulously.
She shook her head. "No, we won't even start to learn how to do that till tenth grade."
"I think it's because of your dad," Annabeth guessed. "When you're at sea, you have perfect bearings. That is _so_ cool."
"So basically, we're human GPS units?" Cammie drawled out in an almost bored tone. "That's absolutely fabulous."
Tyson tapped my shoulder. "Other boat is coming."
I looked back. The coast guard vessel was definitely on our tail now. Its lights were flashing and it was gaining speed.
"We can't let them catch us," I said. "They'll ask too many questions."
"Keep going into Chesapeake Bay," Annabeth said. "I know a place we can hide."
I didn't ask what she meant, or how she knew the area so well. I risked loosening the thermos cap a little more, and a fresh burst of wind sent us rocketing around the northern tip of Virginia Beach into Chesapeake Bay. The coast guard boat fell farther and farther behind. We didn't slow down until the shores of the bay narrowed on either side, and I realized we'd entered the mouth of a river.
"There," she said. "Past that sandbar."
We veered into a swampy area chocked with marsh grass. I beached the lifeboat at the foot of a giant cypress.
Vine-covered trees loomed above us. Insects chirred in the woods. The air was muggy and hot, and steam cured off the river. Basically, it wasn't Manhattan, and I didn't like it.
"Come on," Annabeth said. "It's just down the bank."
"What is?" I asked.
"Just follow." She grabbed a duffel bag. "And we'd better cover the boat. We don't' want to draw attention."
After burying the lifeboat with branches, we followed Annabeth along the shore, our feet sinking in red mud. A snake slithered past my shoe and disappeared into the grass.
"Is this the part where you lure us deep into the woods, where you then proceed to murder us?" Cammie quipped, slapping her arm, randomly. "_Stupid mosquitos_—Because that's just not original."
"Not a good place," Tyson said, swatting mosquitos of his own.
After another few minutes (where at some point Cammie screamed "I swear to the gods, if one more mosquito bites me, I'll fine each and every one of their offspring, and tear off their wings!"), Annabeth said, "Here."
All I saw was a patch of brambles. Then Annabeth moved aside a woven circle of branches, like a door, and I realized I was looking into a camouflaged shelter.
The inside was big enough for three, which was going to be a tight squeeze with four people, one of which was Tyson. The walls were woven from plant material, like a Native American hut, but they looked pretty waterproof. Stacked in the corner was everything you could want for a campout—sleeping bags, blankets, an ice chest, and a kerosene lamp. There were demigod provisions, too—bronze javelin tips, a quiver full of arrows, an extra sword, and a box of ambrosia. The place smelled musty, like it had been vacant for a long time.
"A half-blood hideout." I looked at Annabeth in awe. "You _made _this place?"
"Thalia and I," she said quietly. "And Luke."
Me and Cammie exchanged looks. That shouldn't have bothered me. I mean, I knew Thalia and Luke had taken care of Annabeth when she was little. I knew the three of them had been runaways together, hiding from monsters, surviving on their own before Grover found them and tried to get them to Half-Blood Hill. But whenever Annabeth talked about the time she'd spent with them, I kind of felt…I don't know. Uncomfortable?
No. That's not the word.
The word was _jealous._
Cammie had tried to convince me I was being an idiot. There was nothing to be jealous about. Running away from monsters was nothing glorious, and I should know that. Which I did. Which was why I felt so stupid every time it happened.
"So…" Cammie said, pulling me out of my thoughts. "This place is chill, I'll admit it. But I can't help but see a single flaw."
Annabeth held up a hand. "I know what you're going to say."
"Good, but I'll say it anyway. How do we know Luke won't come looking for us here?"
Annabeth shook her head. "We made a dozen safe houses like this. I doubt Luke even remembers where they are. Or cares."
She threw herself down on the blankets and started going through her duffel bag. Her body language made it pretty clear she didn't want to talk.
Too bad that's all Cammie seems to be capable of doing.
"Whether or not he cares doesn't matter, this isn't safe," Cammie retorted. "The possibility that he _does…_it's too risky."
"Cammie, I'm telling you, he won't—"
"He's way too unstable at the moment to be making assumptions on what he would or wouldn't do," Cammie insisted.
I put a hand on her shoulder. _Knock it off,_ I warned her.
She turned to me, glaring. _This isn't safe for anyone. If Luke shows up, he'll bring an army. We got lucky back there, but we won't get lucky again. _
"It's only for a night," I said, so both she and Annabeth could hear. "It'll be fine. We'll just leave early in the morning."
That seemed to put Annabeth at ease, but it only intensified Cammie's anger.
"I'm going," Cammie said, rising to her feet.
I sighed. "Where are you going?"
"Convenience store. You know, for snacks. Powdered donuts, Gatorade—"_ a chance to check our perimeter, because obviously we're just sitting ducks here,_ she added mentally. "You know. Those sort of things."
I resisted the urge to sigh again. "Fine, but take Tyson with you."
"Yes!" Tyson cheered. "We shall find the powdered donuts in the wilderness." He headed outside, calling, "here, donuts!"
Cammie brushed the dirt off her pants. "Yeah, we'll go find the wild donuts and bring them back for the pack. Laters."
"Be back in half an hour, at the most!" I called.
She simply waved a dismissive hand. "Wild donuts are difficult creatures to catch, Percy. Don't underestimate their intelligence."
And with that, she was off and out of my site. I sat down across from Annabeth. "I'm sorry about that."
She gave a sad sigh. "She's angry with me, isn't she?"
"No, not with you." _Just your idea._
Annabeth gave a weak smile. "Don't lie to me, Percy. I don't have to share a brain with her to know she thinks I'm an idiot for even suggesting staying here."
I chose my next words carefully. "I think she's just a bit…overwhelmed by what just happened. She feels like we've been outsmarted, and she doesn't particularly like that feeling, as you can probably guess."
"Yeah, I know exactly how she feels," Annabeth laughed. "I don't like being outsmarted by Luke anymore then she does."
I cringed a bit. "Hey, I'm also sorry about, you know, seeing Luke."
"It's not your fault." She unsheathed her knife and started cleaning the blade with a rag.
"He let us go too easily," I said.
I hoped I'd been imagining it, but Annabeth nodded. "I was thinking the same thing. What we overheard him say about a gamble, and 'they'll take the bait'…I think he was talking about us."
"The Fleece is the bait? Or Grover?"
She studied the edge of her knife. "I don' know, Percy. Maybe he wants the Fleece for himself. Maybe he's hoping we'll do the hard work and then he can steal it from us." Annabeth looked up at me. "Maybe that's what has Cammie in such a mood. She thinks it too. She thinks it's a trap. Does she?"
I tried to get in contact with her, or even simply get some feeling out of her, but all I could feel was her watching her surroundings, and deducing things from them. It kind of hurt my head from all the thinking she was doing.
"I don't know, all she's doing right now is watching our surroundings," I sighed in aspiration.
"She'll be a good spy."
"The best, I'm sure."
Annabeth gave me a funny look. "That sounded sarcastic."
"It wasn't sarcastic."
"Yeah, yeah it was."
"Well it wasn't meant to sound sarcastic."
"You don't think she'll make a good spy."
"I never said that. Don't put words in my mouth."
"But you're thinking it."
I hated how calm she sounded about it. "What are you _picking up _on? You think you see something that isn't there! I'm happy for Cammie, she'll be a great spy. See? That didn't sound sarcastic."
"I never said you weren't happy for her."
I threw my hands up in the air. "Seriously? Seriously? Are you just searching for something? Looking for a reason to patronize me?"
Annabeth kicked me. "I'm not patronizing you, Percy. I can see something is going on between you guys. It's like you two are fighting, except you two don't fight, you tease in a rather loud fashion. But this—this is like your guys' version of fighting. Silently treating each other differently so no one else notices, but inside you both are holding grudges."
"Cammie isn't holding a grudge against me."
"But you're holding one against her?"
I leaned forward, getting as close to her as I possibly could, where she couldn't stab me with a dagger if this went wrong. "I'm not holding a grudge against Cammie. She isn't holding one against me. We are not arguing. We're not upset with each other. I'm happy for her and I know she'll be a great spy. End of story. Don't bug me about it anymore."
She sat back, and I waited for her knife to impale me. But she just sat there, studying me.
I sighed. "What?"
She shrugged. "I'm just trying to decide whether or not you actually believe what you just said and are in denial, or if you're lying to me." She sighed dramatically. "I'm not Cammie, I can't tell."
I gritted my teeth. "Sorry to change the subject completely"—not really all that sorry—"But I was wondering something. About what Luke said."
That soured her mood. "What about what Luke said?"
"What did he mean," I asked, "that Thalia would've been on his side?"
"He's wrong," was her immediate answer.
"You don't sound sure."
Annabeth glared at me, and I started to wish I hadn't asked her about this while she was holding a knife. "Is this payback for me asking you about Cammie?"
"That wasn't really asking, that was snooping." Her eyes narrowed. "And no, it's not payback."
Annabeth shook her head. "Percy, you know who you remind me of the most? _Thalia._ You guys are so much alike it's scary. I mean, either you would've been best friends or you would've strangled each other."
"Let's go with 'best friends'."
"Thalia got angry with her dad sometimes. So do you. Would _you _turn against Olympus because of that?"
I thought back to the moment Luke had been trying to persuade Cammie to join him, using her hate for our father as bait.
"That actually sounds more like Cammie," I commented.
"Then we both know how that would've worked out.
She had told him that she didn't want to see the world burn because of her hate for our dad.
"Yeah," I said. "You're right."
"Okay, then. Luke's wrong." Annabeth stuck her knife blade into the dirt.
I wanted to ask her about the prophecy Luke had mentioned and what it had to do with our sixteenth birthday. But I figured she wouldn't tell me. Chiron had made it pretty clear that we weren't allowed to hear it until the gods decided otherwise.
"So what did Luke mean about Cyclopes?" I asked. "He said you of all people—"
"I know what he said. He…he was talking about the _real _reason Thalia had died."
I waited, not sure what to say.
Annabeth drew a shaky breath. "You can never trust a Cyclops, Percy. Six years ago, on the night Grover was leading us to Half-Blood Hill—"
She was interrupted when the door of the hut creaked open. Tyson crawled in.
"Powdered donuts!" he said proudly, holding up a pastry box.
Annabeth stared at him. "Where did you get that? We're in the middle of the wilderness. There's nothing around for—"
"Fifty feet," Tyson said. "Monster Donut shop—just over the hill!"
* * *
><p>"This is bad," Annabeth muttered.<p>
We were crouching behind a tree, staring at the donut shop in the middle of the woods. It looked brand new, with brightly lit windows, a parking area, and a little road leading off into the forest, but there was nothing else around, and no cars parked in the lot. We could see one employee reading a magazine behind the cash register. That was it. On the store's marquis, in huge black letters that even I could read, it said:
**MONSTER DONUT**
A cartoon ogre was taking a bite out of the O in MONSTER. The place smelled good, like fresh-baked chocolate donuts.
"This shouldn't be here," Annabeth whispered. "It's wrong."
"You're telling me," a voice said behind us. We all jumped, Annabeth brandishing her knife. "Calm down, just your friendly, neighborhood Cammie Jackson, at your service." She gave me a pat on the back. "She's got a point. A donut shop out in the wilderness? That's wrong. No one is going to by donuts out in the middle of nowhere. This is a waste of donut potential. Now where are the donuts?"
I turned around to look at her. "Where have you been? I thought you were staying with Tyson?"
"I did a little recon. Scoped the area. Then I heard you think _donut,_ and thought I'd join up with everyone for a bit. So I repeat: where are the donuts?"
Tyson held them out to her.
"Many thanks. _Hum. Powdered _donuts."
"Shhhh!" Annabeth hissed.
"Why are we whispering?" I asked. "Tyson went in and bout a dozen. Nothing happened to him."
"_He's _a monster."
"Aw, c'mon, Annabeth," Cammie groaned. "Monster Donut doesn't mean monsters! It's a chain. We've got them in New York, and I've seen them in Roseville."
"A chain," she agrees. "And don't you think it's strange that one appeared immediately after you told Tyson to get donuts? Right here in the middle of the woods?"
"And I thought Mr. Smith was paranoid," Cammie grumbled. "I had just prayed really, really hard for donuts, and figured my wish had come true."
I thought about it. It did seem a little weird, but, I mean, donut shops weren't really high on my list of sinister forces.
"It could be a nest," Annabeth explained.
Tyson whimpered. I doubt he understood what Annabeth was saying any better than I did, but her tone was making him nervous. He'd plowed through half a dozen donuts from his box and was getting powdered sugar all over his face. Cammie slapped his hand away when he reached for a seventh, snatching it for herself. "Share," she scolded, taking a bite.
"A nest for what?" I asked.
"Haven't you ever wondered how franchise stores pop up so fast?" she asked. "One day there's nothing and then the nest day—_boom, _there's a new burger place or a coffee shop or whatever? First a single store, then two, then four—exact replicas spreading across the country?"
"So Starbucks be balling, so what?" Cammie said, munching on her donut.
"Guys, some of those chains multiply so fast because all their locations are magically linked to the life force of a monster. Some children of Hermes figured out how to do it back in the 1950s. They breed—"
She froze.
"What?" I demanded. "They breed what?"
"Did Burger King and Wendy's breed McDonald, or did that happen some other way…?" Cammie trailed off, sarcastically.
"No—sudden—moves," Annabeth said, like her life depended on it. "Very slowly, turn around.
Then I heard it: a scraping noise, like something large dragging its belly through the leaves.
I turned and saw a rhino-sized _thing_ moving through the shadows of the trees. It was hissing, its front half writhing in all different directions. I couldn't understand what I was seeing at first. Then I realized the thing had multiple necks—at least seven, each topped with a hissing reptilian head. Its skin was leathery, and under each neck it wore a plastic bib that read: I'M A MONSTER DONUT KID!
I took out my ballpoint pen, but Annabeth locked eyes with me—a silent warning. _Not yet._
I understood. A lot of monsters have terrible eyesight. It was possible the Hydra might pass us by. But if I uncapped my sword now, the bronze glow would certainly get its attention.
We waited.
The Hydra was only a few feet away. It seemed to be sniffing the ground and the trees like it was hunting for something. Then I noticed that two of the heads were ripping apart a piece of yellow canvas—one of our duffel bags.
_Percy!_ Cam's voice pierced through my mind. _It's been to the hide out. It's following our scent!_
My heart pounded. I'd seen a stuffed Hydra-head trophy at camp before, but that did nothing to prepare me for the real thing. Each head was diamond-shaped, like a rattlesnake's, but the mouths were lined with jagged rows of shark-like teeth.
Tyson was trembling. He stepped back and accidentally snapped a twig. Immediately, all seven heads turned toward us and hissed.
"Scatter!" Annabeth yelled. She dove to the right.
I quickly grabbed Cammie in my arms and rolled us to the left. One of the Hydra heads spat an arc of green liquid that shot past my shoulder and splashed against an elm. The trunk smoked and began to disintegrate. The whole tree toppled straight toward Tyson, who still hadn't moved, petrified by the monster that was now right in front of him.
"Tyson!" me and Cammie tackled him, both our weight being enough to at least knock him aside just as the Hydra lunged and the tee crashed on top of two of its heads.
The Hydra stumbled backward, yanking its heads free then wailing in outrage at the fallen tree. All seven heads shot acid, and the elm melted into a streaming pool of muck.
_Cammie,_ I called out to her. _I'm going to draw its attention, and you're going to sneak up behind it and cut off its heads._
She nodded her head between heavy breaths.
"Move!" I told Tyson and Cammie, pushing them away. I ran to one side and uncapped Riptide, hoping to draw the monster's attention.
It worked.
The sight of celestial bronze is hateful to most monsters. As soon as my glowing blade appeared, the Hydra whipped toward it with all its heads, hissing and baring its teeth.
Cammie slowly pulled out her necklace hidden under her jacket. Yanking softly on it, it transformed into celestial bronze itself. She moved up behind the monster quietly, and it had yet to notice her.
Still, for good measure, I started yelling at it. "Hey! Over here! Yeah, you—_fourteen _eyes!"
One of the heads snapped at me experimentally, taking the insult personally.
That's when Cammie jumped on its back, swinging. Her battle cry was loud as she sliced one head clean off.
"No!" Annabeth yelled.
Too late. The head rolled away into the grass, leaving a flailing stump, which immediately stopped bleeding and began to swell like a balloon.
One of the other heads turned to snap at Cammie, but she did this thing, grabbing onto the stump neck, flinging herself upwards, doing a little summersault in the air (because even in deadly situations, she still had to be a showoff), landing on her feet on one head and kicking it as she back flipped off, only to end her graceful demonstration by falling flat on her back. She rolled over to me, using my arm to help her to her feet.
"Well, that was fun," she gasped, panting. "Did you see my little victory stunt?"
But it seemed her 'victory stunt' was for nothing, because in a matter of seconds the wounded neck split into two necks, each of which grew a fully-sized head. Now I was looking at an eight-headed Hydra.
"Cammie!" Annabeth scolded, "You just opened another Monster Donut shop somewhere!"
"Now I think we should talk about how inconsiderate the Hydra is for growing two heads back after we went through so much work cutting one of them off!" Cammie yelled back, both of us dodging a spray of acid.
_"Cammie!"_
"Enough!" I yelled. "We'll scold each other later. Annabeth, how do we kill it?"
"Fire! We have to have fire!"
Cammie face palmed. "Of course. Cauterize the wound. Close it off before it can regrow."
"I don't even know what that word means!" I said.
"I'll teach it to you later."
"Now we just need fire!"
Cammie rolled her eyes. "Great. Just give me a moment to reach into my back pocket and grab a torch."
I glared at her. "Oh come on. Don't you have some mini lighter in that 'makeup' kit of yours?"
"No, the girls don't trust me with fire after the 'lab incident'."
"Lab incident? What lab incident?"
"The incident that happened in the _lab_."
"I got that much, dummy."
Our arguing kept the Hydra's attention on us as we moved backwards towards the river, it following us. Annabeth tried to move in on the left, distracting one of the heads, parrying its teeth with her knife, but another head swung sideways like a club and knocked her into the muck.
"No hitting my friends!" Tyson charged in, putting himself between the Hydra and Annabeth. As Annabeth got to her feet, Tyson started smashing at the monster heads with his fists so fast it reminded me of the whack-a-mole game at the arcade. But even Tyson couldn't fend off the Hydra forever.
We kept inching backward, dodging acid splashes and deflecting snapping heads without cutting them off, but I knew we were only postponing our deaths. Eventually, we would make a mistake and the thing would kill us.
Then I heard a strange sound—a chug-chug-chug that at first I thought was my heartbeat. It was so powerful it made the riverbank shake.
"What's that noise?" Annabeth shouted, keeping her eyes on the Hydra.
"Steam engine," Tyson said.
"What?" I ducked as the Hydra spat acid over my head.
Then from the river behind us, a familiar female voice shouted: "There! Prepare the thirty-two-pounder!"
I didn't dare look away from the Hydra, but if that was who I thought it was behind us, I figured we now had enemies on two fronts.
A gravelly male voice said, "They're too close, m'lady!"
"Damn the heroes!" the girl said. "Full steam ahead!"
"Aye, m'lady."
"Fire at will, Captain!"
Annabeth understood what was happening a split second before the rest of us did. She yelled, "Hit the dirt!" and we dove for the ground as an earth-shattering BOOM echoed from the river. There was a flash of light, a column of smoke, and the Hydra exploded right in front of us, showering us with nasty green slime that vaporized as soon as it hit, the way monster guts tend to do.
"Gross!" Annabeth and Cammie groaned.
"Steamship!" yelled Tyson.
I grabbed Cammie, checking for any injuries before standing, pulling her with me. we coughed from the cloud of gunpowder smoke that was rolling across the banks.
Chugging toward us down the river was the strangest ship I'd ever seen. It rode low in the water like a submarine, its deck plated with iron. In the middle was a trapezoid-shaped casemate with slats on each side for cannons. A flag waved from the top—a wild boar and spear on a bloodred field. Lining the deck were zombies in gray uniforms—dead soldiers with shimmering faces that only partially covered their skulls, like the ghouls we'd seen in the Underworld guarding Hades' place.
The ship was an ironclad. A Civil War battle cruiser. I could just make out the name along the prow in moss-covered letters: CSS _Birmingham._
And standing next to the smoking cannon that had almost killed us, wearing full Greek battle armor, was Clarisse.
"Losers," she sneered. "But I suppose I have to rescue you. Come aboard."
"Gods help us," Cammie muttered.
* * *
><p><strong>Before I talk about the chapter, I want to explain what happened.<strong>
**I haven't updated for over two months. Which makes me a horrible person. or at least a horrible writer. But I'd like to explain myself. I'm part of a pre-college program where I am required to stay at the dorms of a nearby collage for five weeks of my summer. There I take classes that will prepare me for my next year in high school, and give me a head start. I spend six hours in class, two hours at community service, two hours for required homework time, and then two-three hours at a required activity. I stayed at the dorms there, I didn't get to come home and unwind. Last year while I was at this program, I was able to spend a little time on my Fanfiction. Not much, but a little. This year though, as a rising junior, the workload was piled high. I'd be up till one in the morning finishing up homework and then be too exhausted to even _attempt _to make any progress on this story. Which I know, is how it's going to be like in collage, or how everyone keeps telling me. And as a reward for getting good grades—yes we are graded—we are taken on a week-long trip to a big city, and have a lot of fun. A very jam-packed week. There wasn't a spare moment, except on the bus, and all I wanted to do there was sleep. So, for the last six weeks, I've been very busy, not to mention sleep deprived. And the people in the program are like family to me, and they encourage me to be a great student. So yes, I put homework before Fanfiction. And that's how it's going to have to be. Because I have some many people encouraging me, and helping me be such a great student, I don't want to let them down and do poorly. This program has done so much for me, and I've seen the improvements, and it's made me so confident, that I can't let my school work slip. I owe it to my new family and to myself to put school first. I'm not going to neglect Fanfiction, that isn't what I'm saying. I'll update as I did before, once a week. But if a big project shows up, or homework is piling up, I'll let you guys know, and I'll focus on that. **
**But for now, I'm on summer vacation. Finally. I will be going on vacation in two weeks, but I'll try and get that week's chapter out before I leave. **
**As for the chapter, I hope you enjoyed it. The brother/sister issue has become prominent I hope, seeing as that's what I was going for. Annabeth has sure taken notice. And Cammie gets snippy (no big shocker there). Tension is running high amidst the gang, and with Clarisse joining the ranks, it'll only get worse. Someone should hide the axes. Personally I like Clarisse—when she's not being a jerk…oh wait, that's pretty much always, isn't it?**
**also, I've been trying to make a fan-video of this story, showing who the characters are, bits of their personality, and some of their backstory. Sadly, I don't have great pictures of the characters. if you know of any good pictures of any characters, from Percy Jackson, or Gallagher Girls, that would be great, because I plan on highlighting both stories characters. or, if anyone is willing to make fan art for this story-because finding fan art with Percy Jackson and Cammie Morgan as twins is actually very difficult (that would be sarcasm), I would be ecstatic (that is not sarcasm, I would truly be ecstatic). it could be of anything or anyone, I couldn't care less. It could be of the twins, or one of them and another character, or neither or them, and of someone else. and if you do do it, it will be in the video. if you do plan on doing some fan art for this story, or just letting me know of good pictures, just PM me the url, or let me know you'll do something. That would be great. many thank yous for even reading this far, and even more if you do it.**
**Anyway, stay nerdy, my nerdletts.**
10. Chapter 10
CLARISSE BLOWS UP EVERYTHING
* * *
><p>"You are in <em>so <em>much trouble," Clarisse said.
I glared at her. "I'm guessing so are you."
We'd just finished a ship tour we didn't want, through dark rooms overcrowded with dead sailors. We'd seen the coal bunker, the boilers and engine, which huffed and groaned like it would explode any minute. We'd seen the piolet house and the powder magazine and gunnery deck (Clarisse's favorite) with two Dahlgren smoothbore cannons on the port and starboard sides and a Brooke nine-inch rifled gun fore and aft—all specially refitted to fire celestial bronze cannon balls.
Everywhere we went, dead Confederate sailors started at us, their ghostly bearded faces shimmering over their skulls. They approved of Annabeth because she told them she was from Virginia. They were interested in Percy and me, too, because our name was Jackson—like the Southern general—but then I ruined it by telling them we were from New York. They all hissed and muttered curses about Yankees. I thought about telling them I lived in Virginia half the year at Gallagher, but then I remembered what Gilly Gallagher had stood for, and decided that I didn't care for their approval anyway.
Tyson was terrified of them. All through the tour, he insisted I hold his hand. I did, consoling him the whole way.
Finally, we were escorted to dinner. The CSS _Birmingham _captain's quarters were about the size of a walk-in closet, but still much bigger than any other room on board. The table was set with white linen and china. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, potato chips, and Dr Peppers were served by skeletal crewmen. I didn't want to eat anything served by ghosts, but my hunger overruled my fear.
"Well, Tantalus expelled you for eternity," Clarisse told us smugly. "Mr. D said if any of you show your face at camp again—even you, Cammie—he'll turn you into squirrels and run you over with his SUV."
"And does that apply to you also?" I asked. "Seeing as you're a little far away from camp at the moment, aren't you, Clarisse?"
She picked at her nails. "Special permission, _Cameron_. They let me leave."
"You mean they kicked you out?"
Her smug smile grew. "They gave me a quest."
All grew silent.
"A quest?" Percy asked.
"Yes, Jackson, a quest. For the Golden Fleece."
I slammed my hand on the table. "How did you know about that, Clarisse?" I growled.
"Better yet, how long have you known?" Annabeth asked, joining in my anger.
"No longer then you have," she said. "I saw the little hint Hermes gave you. A sheep with a gold dot. Didn't take much to put the two together. I went to Tantalus immediately after you left, and told him what I had seen. After expelling you guys for life, he and Mr. D talked it over and gave me the quest to get to it before you do. I mean, obviously a Half-Blood Hill camper should be the only one to retrieve it, not losers like yourself."
Percy groaned. "Are we seriously going to fight for the Fleece so we can use it for the exact same reason?"
"Yes."
"So did _they _give you this ship," I asked.
"'Course not. My father did."
_"Ares?"_
Clarisse sneered. "You think your daddy is the only one with sea power? The spirits on the losing side of every war owe a tribute to Ares. That's their curse for being defeated. I prayed to my father for a naval transport and here it is. These guys will do anything I tell them. Won't you, Captain?"
The captain stood behind her looking stiff and angry. His eyes glowing green eyes fixed us with a hungry stare. "If it means an end to this infernal war, ma'am, peace at last, we'll do anything. Destroy anyone."
Clarisse smiled. "Destroy anyone. I like that."
Tyson gulped. I patted his hand.
"Clarisse," Annabeth said, "Luke might be after the Fleece, too. We saw him. He's got the coordinates and he's heading south. He has a cruise ship full of monsters—"
"Good! I'll blow him out of the water."
"You don't really get it, do you?" I asked. "You're outmatched against him. I feel like cutting off my tongue as I say this, but we have to combine forces."
"No!" Clarisse pounded the table. "This is _my _quest! Finally _I _get to be the hero, and you three will not steal my chance."
"Where are your cabin mates," I asked her, crossing my arms. "You are allowed to take two friends with you, right? Well, where are they?"
"They didn't…I let them stay behind. To protect the camp."
"So basically what you're saying is that even your own cabin mates refused to come?" Percy asked.
"Shut up, Prissy! I don't need them! Or you!"
"Clarisse," he said. "Tantalus is using you. He doesn't care about the camp. He'd love to see it destroyed. He's setting you up to fail."
"No! I don't care what the Oracle—" she stopped herself.
"What?" I asked. "What did the Oracle tell you?"
"Nothing." Clarisse's ears turned pink. "All you need to know is that I'm finishing this quest, and you're _not _helping. On the other hand, I can't let you go…"
"So we're prisoners?" Annabeth asked.
"Guests. For now." Clarisse propped her feet up on the white linen tablecloth and opened another Dr Pepper. "Captain, take them below. Assign them hammocks on the berth deck. If they don't mind their manners, show them how we deal with enemy spies."
I almost gulped at that, considering…well, you know.
* * *
><p>The dream came as soon as I fell asleep.<p>
Grover was sitting at his loom, desperately unraveling his wedding train, when the boulder door rolled aside and the Cyclops bellowed, "Aha!"
Grover yelped. "Dear! I didn't—you were so quiet!"
"Unraveling!" Polyphemus roared. "So that's the problem!"
"Oh, no. I—I wasn't—"
"Come!" Polyphemus grabbed Grover around the waist and half carried, half dragged him through the tunnels of the cave. Grover struggled to keep his high heels on his hooves. His veil kept tilting on his head, threatening to come off.
The Cyclops pulled him into a warehouse-size cavern decorated with sheep junk. There was a wool-covered La-Z-Boy recliner and a wool-covered television set, crude bookshelves loaded with sheep collectibles—coffee mugs shaped like sheep faces, plaster figurines of sheep, sheep board games, and picture books and action figures. The floor was littered with piles of sheep bones, and other bones that didn't look exactly sheep—the bones of satyrs who'd come to the island looking for Pan.
Polyphemus set Grover down only long enough to move another huge boulder. Daylight streamed into the cave, and Grover whimpered with longing. Fresh air!
The Cyclops dragged him outside to a hilltop overlooking the most beautiful island I'd ever seen.
It was shaped kind of like a saddle cut in half by an ax. There were lush green hills on either side and a wide valley in the middle, split by a deep chasm that was spanned by a rope bridge. Beautiful streams rolled to the edge of the canyon and dropped off in rainbow-colored waterfalls. Parrots fluttered in the trees. Pink and purple flowers bloomed on the bushes. Hundreds of sheep grazed in the meadows, their wool glinting strangely like copper and silver coins.
And at the center of the island, right next to the rope bridge, was an enormous twisted oak tree with something glittering in its lowest bough.
The Golden Fleece.
Even in a dream, I could feel its power radiating across the island, making the grass greener, the flowers move beautiful. I could almost smell the nature magic at work. I could only imagine how powerful the scent would be for a satyr.
Grover whimpered.
"Yes," Polyphemus said proudly. "See over there? Fleece is the prize of my collection! Stole it from heroes long ago, and ever since—free food! Satyrs come from all over the world, like moths to flame. Satyrs good eating! And now—"
Polyphemus scooped up a wicket set of bronze shears. Grover yelped, but Polyphemus just picked up the nearest sheep like it was a stuffed animal and shaved off its wool. He handed a fluffy mass of it to Grover.
"Put that on the spinning wheel!" he said proudly. "Magic. Cannot be unraveled."
"Oh…well…"
"Poor Honeypie!" Polyphemus grinned. "Bad weaver. Ha-ha! Not to worry. That thread will solve problem. Finish wedding train by tomorrow!"
"Isn't that…thoughtful of you!"
"Hehe."
"But—but, dear," Grover gulped, "what if someone were to rescue—I mean attack this island?" Grover looked straight at me, and I knew he was asking for my benefit. "What would keep them from marching right up here to your cave?"
"Wifey scared! So cute! Not to worry. Polyphemus has state-of-the-art security system. Have to get through my pets."
"Pets?"
Grover looked across the island, but there was nothing to see except sheep grazing peacefully in the meadows.
"And then," Polyphemus growled, "they would have to get through me!"
He pounded his fist against the nearest rock, which cracked and split in half. "Now, come!" he shouted. "Back to the cave."
Grover looked about ready to cry—so close to freedom, but so hopelessly far. Tears welled in his eyes as the boulder door rolled shut, sealing him once again in the stinky torchlit dankness of the Cyclops's cave.
* * *
><p>I woke up to alarm bells ringing throughout the ship, and Percy's pleas.<p>
The captain's gravelly voice: "All hands on deck! Find Lady Clarisse! Where is that girl?"
Percy was pushing my hair out of my face, gently trying to get my sleepy eyes to focus on him. "Wake up, Cam, come on. Everyone is already above. We're getting close to the entrance."
"The entrance to what?" I asked, sleepily.
His face was grim. "The Sea of Monsters."
* * *
><p>I stuffed my few belongings that had survived the Hydra attack into a sailor's canvas knapsack and slung it over my shoulder. I had a sneaking suspicion that one way or another I would not be spending another night aboard the CSS <em>Birmingham.<em>
We were on our way upstairs when something made me freeze. I could feel Percy freeze as well. A presence nearby—something familiar and unpleasant. For no particular reason, I felt like picking a fight. I wanted to punch a dead Confederate. The last time I'd felt that kind of anger…
Me and Percy exchanged a look.
Instead of going up, we crept to the edge of the ventilation grate and peered down into the boiler deck.
Clarisse was standing below us, talking to an image that shimmered in the steam from the boilers—a muscular man in black leather biker clothes, with a military haircut, red-tinted sunglasses, and a knife strapped to his side.
My fists clenched. It was my least favorite Olympian: Ares, the god of war.
"I don't want excuses, little girl!" he growled.
"Y-yes, father," Clarisse mumbled.
"You don't want to see me mad, do you?"
"No, father."
"_No, Father,"_ Ares mimicked. "You're pathetic. I should've let one of my _sons _take this quest."
"I'll succeed!" Clarisse promised, her voice trembling. "I'll make you proud."
"You better," he warned. "You asked me for this quest, girl. If you let those slimeball Jackson kids steal it from you—"
"But the Oracle said—"
"I DON'T CARE WHAT IT SAID!" Ares bellowed with such force that his image shimmered. "You _will _succeed. And if you don't…"
He raised his fist. Even though he was only a figure in the stream, Clarisse flinched.
"Do we understand each other?" Ares growled.
The alarm bells rang again. I heard voices coming toward us, officers yelling orders to ready the cannons.
We crept back from the ventilation grate, and made our way upstairs to join Annabeth and Tyson on the spar deck.
* * *
><p>"What's wrong?" Annabeth asked us. "Which one of you had a dream this time?"<p>
Percy looked to me, and I nodded. But I didn't say anything. I didn't know what to think about what we had just seen downstairs. Percy seemed to understand that, which was probably why he didn't push for information. It really bothered me, what we saw. Almost as much as the dream about Grover.
Clarisse came up the stairs right after me. I tried not to look at her.
She grabbed a pair of binoculars from a zombie officer and peered toward the horizon. "At last, Captain, full steam ahead!"
I looked in the same direction as she was, but I couldn't see much. The sky was overcast. The air was hazy and humid, like steam from an iron. If I squinted real hard, I could just make out a couple of dark fuzzy splotches in the distance.
My nautical senses told me we were somewhere off the coast of northern Florida, so we'd come a long way overnight, farther than any mortal ship should've been able to travel.
The engine groaned as we increased speed.
Tyson muttered nervously, "Too much strain on the pistons. Not meant for deep water."
I wasn't sure how he knew that, but it made me nervous.
After a few more minutes, the dark splotches ahead of us came into focus. To the north, a huge mass of rock rose out of the sea—an island with cliffs at least a hundred feet tall. About half a mile south of that, the other patch of darkness was a storm brewing. The sky and sea boiled together in a roaring mass.
"Hurricane?" Annabeth asked.
"No," I said. "That's not a hurricane."
"Charybdis," Clarisse said.
Annabeth paled. "Are you crazy?"
Me and Percy looked between the two. "Charybdis?" Percy asked. "What's that?"
"Not what: who. The only way into the Sea of Monsters is between Charybdis and her sister Scylla." Clarisse pointed to the top of the cliffs, and I got a feeling something lived up there that wasn't the friendliest of creatures.
"What do you mean the only way?" I asked. "If you haven't noticed, we are in the ocean. Do you know how much open space there is in the ocean? A lot."
Clarisse rolled her eyes. "You really are an idiot. If I tried to sail around them, they would just appear in my path again. If you want to get into the Sea of Monsters, you _have _to sail through them."
"What about the Clashing Rocks?" Annabeth said. "That's another gateway. Jason used it."
"I can't blow apart rocks with my cannons," Clarisse said. "Monsters, on the other hand…"
"You _are _crazy," Annabeth decided.
"We already knew that?" Percy grumbled under his breath. I smirked at him.
"Watch and learn, Wise Girl." Clarisse turned to the captain. "Set course for Charybdis!"
"Aye, m'lady."
The engine groaned, the iron plating rattled, and the ship began to pick up speed.
"Clarisse," I said, "Charybdis sucks up the sea."
"And spits it back out again, yeah."
"What does Scylla do?"
"She lives in a cave, up on those cliffs. If we get too close, her snaky heads will come down and start plucking sailors of the ship."
"Choose Scylla then," I said. "Everybody goes below deck and we chug right past."
"No!" Clarisse insisted. "If Scylla doesn't get her easy meat, she might pick up the whole ship. Besides, she's too high to make a good target. My cannons can't shoot straight up. Charybdis just sits there at the center of her whirlwind. We're going to stream straight towards her, train our guns on her, and blow her to Tartarus!"
She said it with such relish I half wanted to believe her, half wanted to beat her up for being such a know it all.
The engine hummed. The boilers were heating up so much I could feel the deck getting warm beneath my feet. The smokestacks billowed. The red Ares flag whipped in the wind.
As we got closer to the monsters, the sound of Charybdis got louder and louder—a horrible wet roar like the galaxy's biggest toilet being flushed. Every time Charybdis inhaled, the ship shuddered and lurched forward. Every time she exhaled, we rose in the water and were buffeted by ten-foot waves.
I tried to time the whirlpool. As near as I could figure, it took Charybdis about three minutes to suck up and destroy everything within a half-mile radius. To avoid her, we would have to skirt right next to Scylla's cliffs. And as bad as Scylla might be, the cliffs were looking awfully good to me.
Undead sailors calmly went about their business on the spar deck. I guess they'd fought a losing cause before, so this didn't bother them. Or maybe they didn't care about getting destroyed because they were already deceased. Neither thought made me feel any better.
Annabeth stood next to Percy, gripping the rail. "You still have the thermos full of wind, right?"
Percy nodded.
"It's too dangerous to use with a whirlpool like that," I said. "It'll only make things worse."
"What about controlling the water?" she asked. "You're Poseidon's children. You've done it before."
She was right. We both decided to try together. Closing our eyes, we attempted to calm the sea. I could block out the noise and the feelings coming from Charybdis, but Percy was having difficulties.
"Okay," I said, waving my hands. "How about we do something different. You, in a sense, go into my mind and work there, and I'll keep the noise and distractions out. You're the stronger one when it comes to controlling water anyway."
He seemed hesitant, but nodded.
He closed his eyes again, and attempted to crawl into my mind (Not as weird as it sounds.). I could feel him 'knocking' at my brain, asking for permission. I allowed his mind to enter mine, and felt it for a split second before it was ripped way, and the doors slammed shut.
We both screamed out in pain, falling to the ground.
"Percy, Cammie!" Annabeth panicked, kneeling next to us as we cradled our heads in our hands. "What's wrong, guys? What happened!?"
We looked up for a second, confused. I hadn't pushed him out, and he didn't pull out. I could still feel his presence in my head, but it was faint, and growing even more so.
"Luke," Percy growled. "It's not just our dreams he's messing with anymore, it's our mind connection!"
Annabeth gawked. "What do you mean by that!?"
I waved my hand at her. Percy stood up, helping me stand too. "Not right now. Right now, we need to focus. Obviously that isn't going to work."
She didn't look like she wanted to let it go, but carried on. "We need a backup plan," she said. "This isn't going to work."
"Annabeth is right," Tyson said. "Engine's no good."
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"Pressure. Pistons need fixing."
Before he could explain, the cosmic toilet flushed with a mighty _roaaar!_ The ship lurched forward and I was thrown to the deck. We were in the whirlpool.
"Full reverse!" Clarisse screamed above the noise. The sea churned around us, waves crashing over the deck. The iron plating was now so hot it steamed. "Get us within firing range! Make ready starboard cannons!"
Dead Confederates rushed back and forth. The propeller grinded into reverse, trying to slow the ship, but we kept sliding toward the center of the vortex.
A zombie sailor burst out of the hold and ran to Clarisse. His gray uniform was smoking. His beard was on fire. "Boiler room overheating, ma'am! She's going to blow!"
"Well, get down there and fix it!"
"Can't!" the sailor yelled. "We're vaporizing in the heat."
Clarisse pounded the side of the casemate. "All I need is a few more minutes! Just enough to get in range!"
"We're going in to fast," the captain said grimly. "Prepare yourself for death."
"No!" I said. "We are not going to do that."
Clarisse glared at me. "How do you plan on fixing this, then?"
"Tyson."
My friends, and Clarisse, whipped their heads to look at me.
"The Cyclops?" Clarisse said incredulously.
"Yes, _Tyson." _I turned to him. "You know what's going wrong, right?"
He nodded.
"And you know how to fix it?"
He nodded again, enthusiastically. "Yes!"
"You can fix it?" Clarisse asked.
"He's immune to fire," Annabeth said.
"Go!" yelled Clarisse.
"Tyson, no!" Percy grabbed his arm. "It's too dangerous!"
"It's the only way," I said.
He glared at me. "No. This is way too dangerous."
Tyson patted his hand. "Only way, brother." His expression was determined—confident, even. "I will fix it. Be right back."
As I we watched him follow the smoldering sailor down the hatch, I hoped I had done the right thing.
The ship lurched again—and then I saw Charybdis.
She appeared only a few hundred yards away, through a swirl of mist and smoke and water. The first thing I noticed was the reef—a black crag of coral with a fig tree clinging to the top, an oddly peaceful thing in the middle of a maelstrom. All around it, water curved into a funnel, like light around a black hole. Then I saw the horrible thing anchored to the reef just below the waterline—an enormous mouth with slimy lips and mossy teeth the size of rowboats. And worse, the teeth had braces, bands of corroded scummy metal with pieces of fish and driftwood and floating garbage stuck between them.
Charybdis was an orthodontist's nightmare. She was nothing but a huge black maw with bad teeth alignment and a serious overbite, and she'd done nothing for centuries but eat without brushing after meals. As I watched, the entire sea around her was sucked into the void—sharks, schools of fish, a giant squid. And I realized that in a few seconds, the CSS _Birmingham _would be next.
"Lady Clarisse," the captain shouted. "Starboard and forward guns are in range!"
"Fire!" Clarisse ordered.
Three rounds were blasted into the monster's maw. One blew off the edge of an incisor. Another disappeared into her gullet. The third hit one of Charybdis' retraining bands and shot back at us, snapping the Ares flag off its pole."
"Again!" Clarisse ordered. The gunners reloaded, but I know it was hopeless. We would have to pound the monster a hundred more times to do any real damage, and we didn't have that long. We were being sucked in too fast.
Then the vibrations in the deck changed. The hum of the engine got stronger and steadier. The ship shuddered and we started pulling away from the mouth.
"Tyson did it!" I cheered, tackling Percy in a hug. He held me, laying his head on my shoulder and breathing a sigh of relief.
"Wait!" Clarisse said. "We need to stay close!"
"We'll die!" Percy said. "We _have _to move away."
I gripped the rail as the ship fought against the suction. The broken Ares flag raced past us and lodged in Charybdis' braces. We weren't making much progress, but at least we were holding our own. Tyson had given us just enough juice to keep the ship from being sucked in.
Suddenly, the mouth snapped shut. The had died to absolute calm. Water washed over Charybdis.
"Oh no," Percy said.
"What?"
"Cammie, get ready for—"
I saw what he meant before he had a chance to say it. Just as quickly as it had closed, the mouth exploded open, spitting out a wall of water, ejecting everything inedible, including our cannonballs, one of which slammed into the side of the CSS _Birmingham _with a _ding _like the bell on a carnival game.
We were thrown backward on a wave that must've been forty feet high. Me and Percy used all of our willpower to keep the ship from capsizing , but we were still spinning out of control, hurtling toward the cliffs on the opposite side of the strait.
Another smoldering sailor burst out of the hold. He stumbled into Clarisse, almost knocking them both over board. "The engine is about to blow!"
"Where is Tyson?" Percy demanded.
"Still down there," the sailor said. "Holding it together somehow, though I don't know for how much longer."
The captain said, "We have to abandon ship."
"No!" Clarisse yelled.
"We have no choice, m'lady. The hull is already cracking apart! She can't—"
He never finished his sentence. Quick as lighting something brown and green shot from the sky, snatching the captain, and lifting him away. all that was left was his leather boots.
"Scylla!" a sailor yelled, as another column of reptilian flesh shot from the cliffs and snapped him up. It happened so fast it was like watching a laser beam rather than a monster. I couldn't even make out the thing's face, just a flash of teeth and scales.
I pulled on my nameless sword, Percy taking out Riptide, and we attempted to leave a few scratches in the monster as it carried off another deckhand, but was too slow.
"Everyone get below!" Percy yelled.
"We can't!" Clarisse drew her own sword. "Below deck is in flames."
"Lifeboats!" Annabeth said. "Quick!"
"They'll never get clear of the cliffs," Clarisse said. "We'll all be eaten."
"We have to try. Percy, the thermos."
"I can't leave Tyson!" he snarled.
"We have to get the boats ready!"
Clarisse took Annabeth's command. She and a few of her undead sailors uncovered one of the two emergency row boats while Scylla's heads rained from the sky like a meteor shower with teeth, picking off Confederate sailors one after another.
"Get the other boat," Percy told Annabeth, throwing her the thermos. "I'll get Tyson. Take Cammie with you."
"What!?" I exclaimed. "No! A million times, no!"
"Cammie go!"
"Again, no! First off, I'm not leaving you! I will not ever leave you! Secondly, it's too hot down there! It will kill you!"
"I'm not going to argue with you about this Cammie. Go with Annabeth and get the boats ready." He turned, running for the boiler room.
"You can't tell me what to do!" I screamed, running after him. But suddenly, my feet weren't touching the deck anymore. I was flying straight up, the wind whistling in my ears, the side of the cliff only inches from my face.
Scylla had somehow caught me by the knapsack, and was lifting me up toward her lair.
"Nuh uh, lady, you are not my type, and even if you were, this definitely wouldn't happen till the fifth date," I snarled, swinging my sword behind me, and managing to jab the thing in her beady yellow eye. She grunted and dropped me.
The fall would've been bad enough, considering I was a hundred feet in the air. But as I fell, the CSS _Birmingham _exploded below me.
_KAROOM!_
The engine room blew, sending chunks of ironclad flying in either direction like a fiery set of winds.
"Percy! Tyson!" I yelled.
The lifeboats hand managed to get away from the ship, but not very far. Flaming wreckage was raining down. Clarisse and Annabeth would either be smashed or burned or pulled to the bottom by the force of the sinking hull, and that was thinking optimistically, assuming they got away from Scylla. I couldn't think about what happened to Percy. I just couldn't.
Then I heard a different kind of explosion—the sound of the Hermes' magic thermos being opened a little too much. White sheets of wind blasted in every direction, scattering the lifeboats, lifting me out of my free fall and propelling me across the ocean.
I couldn't see anything. I spun in the air, got clocked in the head by something hard, and hit the water with a crash that would've broken every bone in my body if I hadn't been the daughter of the Sea God.
The last thing I remember was sinking in a burning sea, knowing that Tyson was gone forever, and it was my fault.
* * *
><p><strong>I hope you all enjoyed this week's serving of The SEA OF MONSTERS REWRITE. It was a joy! So I'll be leaving for vacation this Friday, and I will not be taking my computer with me. I will hopefully have next week's chapter in by that time. <strong>
**If you have any questions on why I did what I did in this chapter, as always, feel free to question me. Just don't be rude. If you are rude, I will shove you in a room with smelly Gabe (who miraculously isn't stone anymore, just for you) and Mr. Smith. Excellent! If you don't know who that is…well…sorry, read Gallagher…which you should have already done…no judgment if you haven't, just…just shame on you I guess.**
**Okay, as always, I love you, my little Nerdletts. Have wonderful week.**
11. Chapter 11
WE CHECK IN TO C.C.'S SPA & RESORT
* * *
><p>We were in a rowboat with a makeshift sail stitched of gray uniform fabric. Annabeth sat next to me, Cammie lying down in the bottom. The moment I had seen Scylla take my sister, I immediately turned back around, grabbed onto one of her heads—she didn't seem to mind her food volunteering itself up for her—attempting to reach up for her. When she poked the monster's eye with her sword, dropping down, only to be thrown back up by the explosion, then the thermos, I panicked, freezing where I hung, suspended in the air.<p>
I watched as she was flung several yards away, crashing into the water. I knew what it felt like, after my fall from the Gateway Arch, and knew she'd be fine. But still, I didn't like the thought of leaving her, so I cut myself loose from Scylla, and dropped down myself. I swam over to her, grabbing her and dragging her up to the surface. Annabeth had been there, in this little rowboat, pulling both of us up and into it with her.
Cammie woke up, rubbing her head. She tried sitting up, only to tip over. I quickly caught her, helping her steady herself.
"Hey," I said, patting her back. "Don't push it. Just take it easy."
"Tyson…?"
I flinched at his name. Annabeth took one of Cammie's hands. "I'm really sorry."
I saw tears well up in her eyes before she covered her face with her hands. She laid back down, silently grieving.
We were all silent while the waves tossed us up and down.
"He may have survived," Annabeth said halfheartedly. "I mean, fire can't kill him."
"But several other things could have," Cammie grumbled.
I had no reason to not believe what Cammie said. I had seen that explosion myself. It ripped that ship apart. If Tyson had been down in the boiler room, there was no way he could've lived.
He'd given his life for us, and for a while, all I could think about was how I'd felt embarrassed by him being related to me, and how Cammie had embraced him, like I should have.
Waves lapped at the boat. Annabeth showed us some things she'd salvaged from the wreckage—Hermes' thermos (now empty), a Ziplock bag full of ambrosia, a couple of sailors' shirts, and a bottle of Dr Pepper. She'd fished found Cammie's knapsack still on her back when she'd fished us out of the water, but it was bitten in half by Scylla. Most of the stuff floated away, but she still had Hermes' bottle of multivitamins, and her computer (how on earth did that survive?). Her sword had turned back into its necklace form, looping itself around her wrist somehow.
We sailed for hours. Now that we were in the Sea of Monster, the water glittered a more brilliant green, like Hydra acid. The wind smelled fresh and salty, but it carried a strange metallic scent, too—as if a thunderstorm were coming. Or something even more dangerous. I knew what direction we needed to go. I knew we were exactly one hundred thirteen nautical miles west by northwest of our destination. But that didn't make me feel any less lost.
No matter which way we turned, the sun seemed to shine straight into my eyes. We took turns sipping from the Dr Pepper, shading ourselves with the sail as best we could. And we talked about Cammie's dream of Grover.
By Annabeth's estimate, we had less than twenty-four hours to find Grover, assuming Cammie's dream was accurate, and assuming the Cyclops Polyphemus didn't change his mind and try to marry Grover earlier.
"Yeah," I said bitterly. "You can never trust a Cyclops."
Cammie flinched, rolling away. Annabeth stared across the water. "I'm sorry, Percy. I was wrong about Tyson, okay? I wish I could tell him that."
I tried to stay mad at her, but I had other issues I was dealing with in that moment. And the thing about sitting in a boat for hours on end with your issues is that they tend to fester and get blown out of proportion. Cammie had told Tyson to go down there to fix the ship. It had been her idea. Because of her, he had been down there in the boiler room, right next to the explosion. In my momentarily irrational mind, this had been Cammie's fault. She was supposed to be the better sibling, the one who adored Tyson, right? That's what she had been doing anyways. So why did she do that? Why?
Finally, I realized how upset and angry I really was. Which was really angry. So in an attempt to break out of my angry fit, I asked Annabeth, "What's Chiron's prophecy?"
She pursed her lips. "Percy, I shouldn't—"
"I know Chiron promised the gods he wouldn't tell us. But _you _didn't promise, did you?"
"Knowledge isn't always good for you."
"Your mom is the wisdom goddess!"
"I know! But every time heroes learn the future, they try to change it, and it never works."
"The gods are worried about something we'll do when we get older," I guessed. "Something when we turn sixteen."
Annabeth twisted her Yankees cap in her hands. "Percy, I don't know the full prophecy, but it warns about a half-blood child of the Big Three—the next one who lives to the age of sixteen. That's the real reason Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades swore a pact after World War II not to have anymore kids. The next child of the Big Three who reaches sixteen will be a dangerous weapon."
"Why?"
"Because that hero will decide the fate of Olympus. He or she will make a decision that either saves the Age of the Gods, or destroys it."
I let that sink in. I don't get seasick, but suddenly I felt ill. "That's why Kronos didn't kill us last summer."
She nodded. "You could be very useful to him. If he can get you guys on his side, the gods will be in serious trouble."
"But if it's _us _in the prophecy—"
"The prophecy only says one child," Cammie said from where she was laying.
Both me and Annabeth turned to her. "What?" I asked, containing my anger towards her momentarily.
"The prophecy mentions one child of the Big Three." She turned over. "Not two. Just one."
We stared at each other, neither one of us holding much emotion in our eyes.
"It could be different, considering you guys are twins," Annabeth suggested. "The bond between twins in very strong, especially in Greek Mythology. You are living proof of that. Maybe, it'll be you guys working together, I don't know. We'll only know if you guys survive three more years. That can be a long time for a half-blood. When Chiron first learned of Thalia, he assumed _she _was the one in the prophecy. That's why he was so desperate to get her safely to camp. Then she went down fighting and got turned into a pine tree and none of us knew what to think. Until you two came along."
On our port side, a spiky green dorsal fin about fifteen feet long curled out of the water and disappeared.
"This kid in the prophecy…he or she couldn't be like, a Cyclops?" I asked. "The Big Three have lots of monster children."
Cammie flinched again, turning back over.
I glared at her back, and I could tell she felt it, because she shivered.
"I'm sorry; do you not like it when I mention Cyclopes?" I snarled.
"Percy," Annabeth hissed, slapping my arm.
"Because I would have thought you wouldn't have minded!"
Cammie looked back over her shoulder at me. "'Wouldn't have minded'?"
"Yeah, considering you sent the last Cyclops we knew to his death."
The hardest flinch yet shook her, as she sat up.
"Perseus Jackson, what is the matter with you!" Annabeth screamed.
"No," Cammie said, waving Annabeth off. "Let him get it out. Obviously he has a lot he wants to say to me."
I shook my head at her. "Why did you do it, Cammie? Huh? Why? I thought you liked Tyson?"
"I do—"
"_Did,_ Cammie! Did. Past tense is used for people who are dead. I would have thought you'd have learned that at Gallagher."
Her face contorted in anger. "Just admit it, Percy, you're not angry with me because Tyson is dead. You are just using his death as an excuse to yell at me because you're still upset that I went to Gallagher."
"That is not what this is about! Not everything is about your prissy little school. This is about you being the cause of Tyson—"
"No it isn't and you know it! I left and you've been using every opportunity you've had to scream at me about it. I went and did something good for myself, and you hate me for that. You don't care that's Tyson's dead. You didn't even consider him your own brother!"
"Oh, did they teach you how to convince yourself the lies you tell are true there too?"
"What did you think was going to happen, Percy? I was going to stay in New York forever?" she mocked. "I was going to live the life as a delinquent till the day some monster came along, and I was killed?"
"I knew Tyson longer then you did!" I exploded. "He was my friend before you were. I've been there for him longer then you were!"
"And isn't it sad how I treated him better then you ever did?" she sneered.
I recoiled, mostly because that one was true.
I stood up, leering over her. "You think you're better than everyone else just because you learned a few tricks at that little wanna-be James Bond School of yours. Now you got special makeup, and a special computer, and you're just pretending to be all _special, _making up a sob story about how you lost your family to a fire, just so your friends will like you, and now you think you're something better then you were before." I laughed at her. "You've changed."
She stood up too, only a centimeter shorter than me. "You've changed too, Percy. You were never judgmental before, but you judged Tyson, and now me. What have you become?"
"I don't know what I am. But I would never send my own brother—my family—to a boiler room that is about to explode, and feel no remorse after it kills him. But it seems you do that now. So the question is what have _you _become, Cammie?"
She staggered a step back, and it wasn't because of the waves. I just noticed the tears in her eyes. They were big and fat, and starting to stream down her face. Her hand came up to cover her mouth, holding a sob in, her body juddering in flinches now.
"If you can't see how much I hate myself," she said, her voice steady, despite her sobbing body, "then you really aren't in my head."
She turned around, settling herself on the opposite end of the boat, facing away from me. I felt immediate regret. For everything. I had tried to slither into her head, just for a peak, just to see how bad it was, but every attempt was met by a steel wall. Finally, I turned the other way, sitting down next to Annabeth, who punched me, and scooted away. She sat in the middle of the boat.
"You guys are idiots!" she scolded. "Both of you are! You need to apologize to each other, right now!"
Neither of us made a move to do what she told us.
Annabeth sighed. "Look, you both said stupid and hurtful things. You are equally stupid beings. So just admit to that, apologize, hug and make up! This has gone on five minutes too many!"
But we both either didn't feel like apologizing, or were too ashamed to do so, or simply just couldn't look at the other, because we said nothing to each other.
An hour later, I figured I'd finish the conversation I was having with Annabeth before the argument. "It would be safer to kill us, right? For the gods I mean."
"I'm sorry, I hear an idiot talking, but I'm positive it would be to his sister before me," Annabeth said stubbornly.
"Just answer the question, Annabeth."
"Some of the gods would like to kill you. I know I do right now. But they are probably afraid of angering Poseidon. Other gods might still be deciding what kind of hero you'll be. You could be a weapon for their survival, after all. The real question is…what will you do in the next three years? What kind of decisions will you make?"
Based on what happened an hour ago, and what was all brought up, I wasn't even sure what kind of hero I was going to be. If I would turn against my own sister like that, then I couldn't be sure.
"Did the prophecy give any hints," I asked, pathetically.
Annabeth hesitated.
Maybe she would've told me more, but just then a seagull swooped down out of nowhere and landed on our makeshift mast. Annabeth looked startled as the bird dropped a small cluster of leaves into her lap.
"Land," she said. "There's land nearby!"
I sat up. Sure enough, there was a line of blue and brown in the distance. Another minute and I could make out an island with a small mountain in the center, a dazzling white collection of buildings, a beach dotted with palm trees, and a harbor filled with a strange assortment of boats.
The current was pulling our rowboat toward what looked like a tropical paradise.
* * *
><p>"Welcome!" said the lady with the clipboard.<p>
She looked like a flight attendant—blue business suit, perfect makeup, hair pulled back in a ponytail. She shook our hands as we stepped onto the dock. With the dazzling smile she gave us, you would've thought we'd just gotten off the _Princess Andromeda _rather than a banged-up rowboat.
Then again, our rowboat wasn't the weirdest ship in port. Along with a bunch of pleasure yachts, there was a U.S. Navy submarine, several dugout canoes, and an old-fashioned three-masted sailing ship. There was a helipad with a "Channel Five Fort Lauderdale" helicopter on it, and a short runway with a Learjet and a propeller plane that looked like a World War II fighter. Maybe they were replicas for tourists to look at or something.
"Is this your first time with us?" the clipboard lady inquired.
Annabeth and I exchanged looks. Annabeth said… "Umm…"
"First—time—at—spa," the lady said as she wrote on her clipboard. "Let's see…"
She looked us up and down critically. "Mmm. An herbal wrap to start for the young lady. And of course, a complete makeover for the twins." She giggled behind her hand. "Wouldn't want one to look to different from the other."
"A what?" I asked.
She was too busy jotting down notes to answer.
"Right!" She said with a breezy smile. "Well, I'm sure C.C. will want to speak with you personally before that luau. Come, please."
Now here's the thing. We were used to traps, and usually those traps looked good at first. So I expected the clipboard lady to turn into a snake or a demon, or something, any minute. But on the other hand, we'd been floating in a rowboat for most of the day. I was hot, tired, and hungry, and when this lady mentioned a luau, my stomach sat up on its hind legs and begged like a dog.
"I guess it couldn't hurt," Annabeth muttered.
Of course it could, but we followed the lady anyway. I kept my hands in my pocket where I'd stashed my only magic defenses—Hermes' multivitamins and Riptide—but the farther we wandered into the resort, the more I forgot about them.
The place was amazing. There was white marble and blue water everywhere I looked. Terraces climbed up the side of the mountain, with swimming pools on every level, connected by waterslides and waterfalls and underwater tubes you could swim through. Fountains sprayed water into the air, forming impossible shapes, like flying eagles and galloping horses.
Tyson loved horses, and I knew he'd love those fountains. I almost turned around to see the expression on his face before I remembered: Tyson was gone.
"You okay?" Annabeth asked me. "You look pale."
"I'm okay," I lied. "Just…let's keep walking."
We passed all kinds of tame animals. A sea turtle napped in a stack of beach towels. A leopard stretched out asleep on the diving board. The resort guests—only young women, as far as I could see—lounged in deck chairs, drinking fruit smoothies or reading magazines while herbal gunk dried on their faces and manicurists in white uniforms did their nails.
As we headed up a staircase toward what looked like the main building, I heard a woman singing. Her voice drifted through the air like a lullaby. Her words were in some language other than Ancient Greek, but just old—Minoan, maybe, or something like that. I could understand what she sang about—moonlight in the olive groves, the colors of the sunrise. And magic. Something about magic. Her voice seemed to lift me off the steps and carry me toward her.
We came into a big room where the whole front wall was windows. The back wall was covered in mirrors, so the room seemed to go on forever. There was a bunch of expensive-looking white furniture, and on a table in one corner was a large wire pet cage. The cage seemed out of place, but I didn't think about it too much.
She sat at a loom the size of a big screen TV, her hands weaving colored thread back and forth with amazing skill. The tapestry shimmered like it was three dimensional—a waterfall scene so real I could see the water moving and clouds drifting across a fabric sky.
Annabeth caught her breath. "It's beautiful."
The woman turned. She was even prettier than her fabric. Her long dark hair was braided with threads of gold. She had piercing green eyes and she wore a silky black dress with shapes that seemed to move in the fabric: animal shadows, black upon black, like deer running through a forest at night.
"You appreciate weaving, my dear?" the woman asked.
"Oh, yes, ma'am!" Annabeth said. "My mother is—"
She stopped herself. You couldn't just go around announcing that your mom was Athena, the goddess who invented the loom. Most people would lock you in a rubber room.
Our hostess just smiled. "You have good taste, my dear. I'm so glad you've come. My name is C.C."
The animals in the corner cage started squealing. They must've been guinea pigs, from the sound of them.
We introduced ourselves to C.C. She looked me over with a twinge of disapproval, as if I'd failed some kind of test. Immediately, I felt bad. For some reason, I really wanted to please this lady.
"Oh, dear," she sighed. "You _do _need my help."
"Ma'am?" I asked.
C.C. called to the lady in the business suit. "Hylla, take Annabeth on a tour, will you? Show her what we have available. The clothing with need to change. And the hair, my goodness. We will do a full image consultation after I've spoken with this young gentleman." She looked Cammie over, just as displeased as before. "And send someone for this young lady, also."
Cammie, to my surprise, gave C.C. one of the most charming smiles I'd ever seen her wear. "No need to hurry," she said. "I have a paper to write for school—summer assignment you see. I can wait a bit. I'd love some time to myself to get it done."
I knew she was up to something. Call it whatever you want—brother-intuition, whatever—but there was a plan rolling inside her head. She hadn't mentioned a summer assignment, and I could tell she was still too angry to be acting so pleasant.
C.C. hesitated. "I think we should get you done right away…"
Cammie's smile grew brighter, and even more pleasant. "You're people won't even notice I'm here. Look, I have my computer with me. I'll just sit and work on my assignment while someone is working on Annabeth."
"There is no Wi-Fi here, darling," C.C. said apologetically.
Cam pressed the power button. "Not a problem."
C.C. shrugged. "I guess that's not a problem. Go ahead."
Cammie nodded in thanks, walking out of the room. "I'll be in the lobby if you need me!"
"C.C.," Annabeth asked, sounding hurt, "what's wrong with my hair?"
C.C. smiled benevolently. "My dear, you are lovely. Really! But you're not showing off yourself or your talents at all. So much wasted potential!"
"Wasted?"
"Well, surely you're not happy the way you are! My goodness, there's not a single person who is. But don't worry. We can improve anyone here at the spa. Hylla will show you what I mean. You, my dear, need to unlock your true self!"
Annabeth's eyes glowed with longing. I'd never seen her so much at a loss for words. "But…what about Percy?"
"Oh, definitely," C.C. said, giving me a sad look. "Percy requires my personal attention. He needs _much _more work than you."
Normally if somebody had told me that, I would've gotten angry, but when C.C. said it, I felt sad. I'd disappointed her. I had to figure out how to do better.
The guinea pigs squealed like they were hungry.
"Well…" Annabeth said. "I suppose…"
"Right this way, dear," Hylla said. And Annabeth allowed herself to be led away into the waterfall-laced gardens of the spa.
C.C. took my arm and guided me toward the mirrored wall. "You see, Percy…to unlock your potential, you'll need serious help. The first step is admitting that you're not happy the way you are."
I fidgeted in the front of the mirror. I hated thinking about my appearance—like the first zit that had chopped up on my nose at the beginning of the school year, or the fact that my two front teeth weren't perfectly even, or that my hair never stayed down straight.
C.C.'s voice brought all of these things to mind, as if she were passing me under a microscope. And my clothes were not cool. I knew that.
Who cares? Part of me thought that. But standing in front of C.C.'s mirror, it was hard to see anything good in myself.
"There, there," C.C. consoled. "How about we try…this."
She snapped her fingers and a sky-blue curtain rolled down over the mirror. It shimmered like the fabric on her loom.
"What do you see?" C.C. asked.
I looked at the blue cloth, not sure what she meant. "I don't—"
Then it changed colors. I saw myself—a reflection, but not a reflection. Shimmering there on the cloth was a cooler version of Percy Jackson—with just the right clothes, a confident smile on my face. My teeth were straight. No zits. A perfect tan. More athletic. Maybe a couple of inches taller. it was me, without faults.
"Whoa," I managed.
"Do you want that?" C.C. asked. "Or shall I try a different—"
"No," I said. "That's…that's amazing. Can you really—"
"I can give you a full makeover," C.C. promised. "And as soon as I'm done with you I can work on your sister."
"That's not necessary," I said immediately. I didn't really plan on saying it. I don't know why I did. It just sort of spit out of my mouth, violently even.
C.C. jolted with shock. "W-what do you mean? Don't you want your sister to unlock her full potential?"
"Well, that's the thing," I told her, my earlier words kind of making sense to me now. "My sister already knows who she is, what she wants to be. She's unlocked her full potential."
C.C. laughed. "That's not possible."
"For most people, no. But Cammie's different. When she knows what she wants, she chases after it, full speed ahead. No stop lights or speed signs are taken into consideration." I looked down at my imperfect fingers. "That's not completely true I guess. She does stop for me I guess."
"If she had unlocked her full potential, why would she do that?"
"Because…because that's Cammie," I finally decided. "She knows who she is, and what she wants to be, but…but she never forgets me. She's not the greatest multitasker, so balancing me and…her _goal_ is difficult, but she does it. She sometimes gets lost and a bit turned around, but she always finds a way back to me. She learning and she's doing great! I've seen firsthand how great she's become."
"I guess now that has to be done is bring the real her to the surface. Make who she is shine on the outside!"
"But it already does. You see, when she shows off in a way, she gets this smile on her face. This know-it-all, smug smile. And when she figures things using what she's learned, her eyes just shine. I thought her leaving would turn her into someone I wouldn't recognize, and in a way, that's true. I don't recognize her completely because she's become herself. She's become her best already."
C.C. studied me, and I felt sort of embarrassed for spitting that all out, no matter how true it was.
"So she's unlocked her true potential," she confirmed. "But you haven't yet."
That sad feeling returned again. "Uh…no."
C.C. smiled. "Just about to, though."
"Is there a catch?" I asked. "Will I have to…eat a special diet?"
"Oh, it's quite easy," C.C. said. "Plenty of fresh fruits, a mild exercise program, and of course…this."
She stepped over to her wet bar and filled a glass with water. Then she ripped open a drink-mix packet and poured in some red powder. The mixture began to glow. When it faded, the drink looked just like a strawberry milk shake.
"One of these, substituted for a regular meal," C.C. said. "I guarantee you'll see results immediately."
"How is that possible?"
She laughed. "Why question it? I mean, don't you want the perfect you right away?"
Something nagged at the back of my mind. "Why are there no guys at this spa?"
"Oh, but there are," C.C. assured me. "You'll meet them quite soon. Just try the mixture. You'll see."
I looked at the blue tapestry, at the reflection of me, but not me.
"Now, Percy," C.C. chided. "The hardest part of the makeover process is giving up control. You have to decide: do you want to trust _your _judgment about what you should be, or _my _judgment?"
My throat felt dry. I heard myself say, "Your judgment."
C.C. smiled and handed me the glass. I lifted it to my lips.
It tasted just like it looked—like a strawberry milk shake. Almost immediately a warm feeling spread through my gut: pleasant at first, then painfully hot, searing, as if the mixture were coming to a boil inside of me.
I doubled over and dropped the cup. "What have you…what's happening?"
"Don't worry, Percy," C.C. said. "The pain will pass. Look! As promised. Immediate results."
Something was horribly wrong.
The curtain dropped away, and in the mirror I saw my hands shriveling, curling, growing long delicate claws. Fur sprouted on my face, under my shirt, in every uncomfortable place you can imagine. My teeth felt too heavy in my mouth. My clothes were getting too big, or C.C. was getting too tall—no, I was shrinking.
In one awful flash, I sank into a cavern of dark cloth. I was buried in my own shirt. I tried to run but hands grabbed me—hands as big as I was. I tried to scream for help, but all that came out of my mouth was "_Reeet, reeet, reeet!"_
The giant hands squeezed me around the middle, lifting me into the air. I struggled and kicked with legs and arms that seemed much too stubby, and then I was staring, horrified, into the enormous face of C.C.
"Perfect!" her voice boomed. I squirmed in alarm, but she only tightened her grip around my furry belly. "See, Percy? You've unlocked your true self!"
She held me up to the mirror, and what I saw made me scream in terror, "_Reeet, reeet, reeet!"_ There was C.C. beautiful and smiling, holding a fluffy, bucktoothed creature with tiny claws and white and orange fur. When I twisted, so did the furry critter in the mirror. I was…I was…
"A guinea pig," C.C. said. "Lovely, aren't you? Men are pigs, Percy Jackson. I used to turn them into _real _pigs, but they were so smell and large and difficult to keep. Not much different than they were before, really. Guinea pigs are much more convenient! Now come, and meet the other men."
"_Reeeet!" _I protested, trying to scratch her, but C.C. squeezed me so tight I almost blacked out.
"None of that, little one," she scolded, "or I'll feed you to the owls. Go into the cage like a good little pet. Tomorrow, if you behave, you'll be on your way. There is always a classroom in need of a new guinea pig."
My mind was racing as fast as my as little heart. I needed to get back to my clothes, which were lying in a heap on the floor. If I could do that, I could get Riptide out of my pocket and…And what? I couldn't uncap the pen. Even if I did, I couldn't hold a sword.
I squirmed helplessly as C.C. brought me over to the guinea pig cage and opened the wire door.
"Meet my discipline problems, Percy," she warned. "They'll never make good classroom pets, but they might teach you some manners. Most of them have been in this cage for three hundred years. If you don't want to stay with them permanently, I'd suggest you—"
"Are you talking to the guinea pigs?"
C.C. cursed in Ancient Greek under her breath. She plopped me into the cage and closed the door. I squealed when I saw it was Cammie standing in the door, her computer right under her arm. I clawed at the bars, but it was no good.
Cammie raised an eyebrow. "He doesn't seem happy to be in there," she said.
C.C. smiled at her. "Well, he's a squirmy little one. Can't keep a hold on him."
My clothes were still lying in the middle of the floor. "Please tell me my brother isn't running around in the nude."
Technically, I kind of was.
C.C. laughed. "No, no he isn't. He's just changing into some new clothes. Then he'll go for treatment, so you won't see him for a while. Just relax. Come, sit."
She shrugged, letting C.C. stir her to a seat. I squealed even harder now, franticly trying to draw her attention. I didn't like the thought of that lady by my sister, not after what she had done to me.
Cammie looked around, scanning the room. "When Odysseus came here, this place was a stately mansion, wasn't it?" she asked. "At least it was in _The Odyssey. _You know, by Homer."
C.C. froze. "I'm sorry? You must be mistaking the myths for real life my dear."
Cammie's charming smile returned. "Oh, I was just kidding around. I was just talking with a friend on the computer."
"I told you before, honey, there is no Wi-Fi here," C.C. said, as if she caught Cammie in the middle of some kind of ruse. "I know you couldn't have."
"I have worldwide coverage," Cammie assured her. "It's a special order computer. I can Skype, no matter where I am. My friend—her name is Liz—she made it for me. Made sure no matter where I was, I'd always be able to call. Seems I can do that even here. Because I needed help with some research I was doing, I Skyped her, and had her help me with some research I was doing. She's a super genius. Not even joking, she knows everything."
"What sort of things," C.C. asked, pretending to be curious. But I could see it in her eyes. She was feeling threatened. Cammie had that effect on people.
"First off your spa. It's kind of hard looking up a spa without a name, but still, we tried. Sadly we came up with nothing. No results. No name. No address. Nothing about all those boats you have hanging around outside. Nothing about your unique decor. No anything. Still it was worth a shot. So I did something different."
"Different?"
"Yes. My friend has this software on her computer. You put in criteria, and it finds anyone, anywhere, anything with those factors. It can find people, or events, or stories. Basically, anything. Now I was pretty sure I was looking up a story. First I had her enter island location. Then, welcoming, and helpful people. Obedient, exotic animals. Drug or potion laced drinks in a special cup. A hatred for males. And, of course, a mystical, magical loom. But the most important one that I could not forget was that whatever this thing was that I was looking for, it had to have two Cs in the name. It had to start with a C and there had to be another one in the name somewhere. Do you want to know what the software came up with?"
C.C. growled, her eyes sending daggers Cammie's way.
"No? I'll tell you anyway. It came up with Circe."
"So you know my name," C.C.—or Circe, I guess—said.
"Well I know you're a witch too," Cammie added.
"When you say it, it sounds like such a derogatory word!"
"Blame Wikipedia, not me!" she sassed back. "What I don't know is what you have against men. I know they're smelly and all that, but seriously. What's up with the man hate?"
"Men are all the same. They get all the glory," C.C. said. "They are disgusting and vile. How many famous female half-blood heroes can you name?"
"I actually remember Annabeth mentioning Atlanta and Amelia Earhart being famous half-bloods. Sorry, still too new to all this demi-god stuff. Still don't know all of the history. I'll be right on that the moment I'm done with all of this saving the world business."
They stood staring at each other for a couple of seconds before C.C. sighed, breaking the silence. "So you know who I am. What do you want?"
"Well, first I want my brother, then I want to find Annabeth, then I want to get all of our butts out of here, and go on doing what we were doing before," Cammie said, ticking the items off on her fingers. "But let's stick to the first item on the list. Where is Percy, and what have you done to him?"
C.C. smiled. "Don't worry about him. He'll be well cared for. He'll be shipped to a wonderful new home on the mainland. The kindergartners will adore him."
"So basically, you turned him into one of those guinea pigs over there."
The sorceress rolled her eyes. "Such a one track mind. Obviously, I'm not going to be able to convince you to keep quiet about this to your friend, Annabeth. That leaves me with only one choice."
Circe smiled. She raised her hands as if preparing to cast a spell.
_Run! _I yelled in my mind to her, hoping she'd let that thought through. _Cammie, run! She'll hurt you! I can't lose you like I lost Tyson!_
Based on the little flinch I'd seen, I assumed she had heard me. Yet she held her ground.
"We still haven't gotten to your makeover yet," C.C. said in a mock apologetic voice. "Whatever shall it be? Something small and ill-tempered. I know…a shrew!"
Blue fire coiled from her fingers curling like serpents around Annabeth.
I watched, horror-struck, but nothing happened. Cammie stood, in human form, exactly where she had been before, a calm almost bored look on her face.
"Impressive," Cammie drawled, rolling her eyes. "Should I get down on my knees and pretend I'm a rodent for you? I'm sorry, I don't have time for make believe today, honey."
"How!" Circe yelped.
"From the moment I stepped onto your island, I felt like crap. I mean, I've been feeling crappy all day now, but when I got here, I knew it was something else. I thought maybe I was severely sick. So I took one of these, bad boys—" Cammie pulled out Hermes' multivitamins, giving them a shake—"and I felt so much better."
Circe howled in frustration. "Curse Hermes and his multivitamins! Those are such a fad! They do _nothing _for you."
"Neither does McDonalds, but I'm still going to waste my money there," Cammie shrugged. "Now, are you going to try and attack while your magic doesn't work on me? Because I'm just going to say this now, I'll have you pinned down and beaten, and hairless—if I please—in less than ten seconds. Hey, isn't this the second time Hermes helped someone foil your plans? The first time was this Odysseus—"
"C.C.—" Annabeth's voice called as she stepped into the room. I almost didn't recognize her. She was wearing a sleeveless silk dress like C.C.'s only white. Her blond hair was newly washed and combed and braided with gold. Worst of all, she was wearing makeup, which I never thought Annabeth would be caught dead in. I mean, she looked good. Really good. I probably would've been tongue-tied if I could've said anything except _reet, reet, reet. _But there was something totally wrong about it. It just wasn't Annabeth.
"Annabeth," Cammie greeted cheerfully. "You look absolutely lovely in a horrifying way. Here, swallow this."
She then shoved a multivitamin in Annabeth's mouth, who had no choice but to swallow. She choked a bit, but finally got it down.
"Just for safety sake," Cammie said, patting her back, then grabbing C.C. arm. "Now you come with me and be a good little scoundrel, Circe."
Annabeth's jaw dropped at the new revelation, staring at the sorceress. "Wait—what?"
"Annabeth, meet Circe, the witch. Witch, meet Annabeth. Now, I'd love for you two to get to know each other better, but spoiler alert, Annabeth, she's a jerk, and I need to find out how to turn Percy back into a human."
"Wait, what happened to Percy?"
"He's a guinea pig. I'm sure he'll explain the details later on. Now, Circe, be a doll, and turn my brother back."
"I can't!" Circe yelled.
Annabeth reached over and took the vitamins from Cammie. "Let me try something."
She knocked the top off the cage I was in, and poured the rest of the vitamins inside.
"No!" Circe screamed.
I was the first to get a vitamin, but all the other guinea pigs scuttled out, too, and checked out this new food.
The first nibble, and I felt all fiery inside. I gnawed at the vitamin until it stopped looking so huge, and the cage got smaller, and then suddenly, _bang! _The cage exploded. I was sitting on the floor, a human again—somehow back in my regular clothes, thank the gods—with six other guys, who all looked disoriented, blinking and shaking wood shaving out of their hair.
"No!" Circe screamed. "You don't understand! Those are the worst!"
One of the men stood up—a huge guy with a long tangled pitch-black beard and teeth the same color. He wore mismatched clothes of wool and leather, knee-length boots, and a floppy felt hat. The other men were dressed more simply—in breaches and stained white shirts. All of them were barefoot.
"Arggggh!" bellowed the big man. "What's the witch done t'me!"
"No!" Circe moaned.
Annabeth gasped. "I recognize you! Edward Teach, son of Ares?"
Cammie seemed to choke on air, coughing and hacking. "Holy crap it's Blackbeard!" she gasped, spurring on another coughing fit.
"Aye, lasses," the big man growled. "That's wha they call me. And there's the sorceress what captured us, lads. Run her through, then find me a big bowl of celery."
Circe screamed. She ran from the room, chased by the pirates.
We all exchanged looks. "Maybe we should just let them handle this one," I suggested. They both nodded in agreement.
Annabeth turned to Cammie. "How long did you know it was a trap?"
"The moment we got here. I would have giving you guys a vitamin, but that one lady came up, and it would have looked suspicious."
Annabeth just smirked at her. "I bet you knew Percy would get turned into a guinea pig, and this was your way of punishing him."
Cammie looked a little shocked, not because Annabeth thought she would do that to me, but because she didn't think of it herself. All she said was, "Huh, that a good one."
Annabeth just laughed, undoing her braids.
"Come on, you two," she said. "We have to get away while Circe's distracted."
We ran down the hillside through the terraces, past screaming spa workers and pirates ransacking the resort. Blackbeard's men broke the tiki torches for the luau, threw herbal wraps into the swimming pool, and kicked over tables of sauna towels.
I almost felt bad letting the unruly pirates out, but I guessed they deserved something more entertaining than the exercise wheel after being cooped up in a cage for three centuries.
"Which ship?" Annabeth said as we reached the docks.
I looked around desperately. We couldn't very well take our rowboat. We had to get off the island fast, but what else could we use? A sub? A fighter jet? I couldn't pilot any of those things. Cammie wasn't volunteering, so I assumed she didn't know. And then I saw it.
"There," I said.
Annabeth blinked. "But—"
"I can make it work."
"How?"
I couldn't explain. I just somehow knew an old sailing vessel was the best bet for me. I grabbed Cammie's hand—thankfully she didn't tug it away—and pulled her toward the three-mast ship. Painted on its prow was the name that I would only decipher later: _Queen Anne's Revenge._
"Arggg!" Blackbeard yelled somewhere behind us. "Those scalawags are a-board me vessel! Get 'em, lads!"
I looked around at the hopeless maze of sail and ropes. The ship was in great condition for a three-hundred-year-old vessel, but it would still take a crew of fifty several hours to get underway. We didn't have several hours. I could see the pirates running down the stairs, waving tiki torches and sticks of celery.
I looked at Cammie and she looked at me. We knew what we had to do. Cammie's mind opened up, allowing me to make a connection with her, joining our minds.
We both closed our eyes and concentrated on the waves lapping against the hull, the ocean currents, the winds all around us. Suddenly, the right word appeared in our joint heads. "Mizzanmast!" we yelled.
Annabeth looked at us like we were nuts—rightfully so—but in the next second, the air was filled with whistling sounds of ropes being snapped taut, canvases unfurling, and wooden pulleys creaking.
Annabeth ducked as a cable flew over her head and wrapped itself around the bowsprit. "How…"
I didn't have an answer, but I could feel the ship responding to me as if it were part of my body.
_The sails,_ Cammie's voice said softly.
As I willed the sails to rise—as easy as flexing your arms—Cammie willed the rudder to turn.
The _Queen Anne's Revenge _lurched away from the dock, and by the time the pirates arrived at the water's edge, we were already underway, sailing into the Sea of Monster.
* * *
><p><strong>Okay, so I did a lot of changes in this chapter. Hopefully all good ones. While it looks like the problem with Cammie and Percy's argument is over, it's really not. Prepare for more sibling drama! I will be on vacation for a week, and will not be able to write at all during that time, so next update will be in two weeks. I know, I'm horrible. I will also not have WiFi, so if you message me or anything, and I don't respond, I'll make sure to do that when I get back. Anyway I'll have to make this short, because I have a plane to catch in the morning, and it's already one a.m. here! Love you my Nerdletts.<strong>
12. Chapter 12
ANNABETH TRIES TO SWIM HOME
* * *
><p>The ship was beautiful, I'd admit that much. The <em>Queen Anne's Revenge<em> was still in great shape, considering its age. A piece of history that hadn't aged a day. Liz would have cried. And it listened to me and Percy. Every command we made, it listened. The knowledge must have been coded into our DNA, because we knew which ropes to hoist, which sails to raise, which direction to steer. We plowed through the waves at what I figured was about ten knots. I even understood how fast that was. For a sailing ship, pretty darn fast. I knew all of this without even having to think. At Gallagher I would have learned all of that in a few years. It all felt perfect—the wind in my face, the waves breaking over the prow. It was like flying, only without nearly being struck down by lightning.
I flinched. I don't know if it was at the thought of Gallagher, which reminded me of the fight me and Percy had, or if it was because I just imagined being stuck down by lightning. Either way the argument was in the front of my mind.
I sighed. We haven't had a fight since we were five when I was sure he had eaten my cookie that mom had packed for me, and that didn't even count because it had been Humphry Davis who had eaten it, and we both ended up beating him into the sandbox. I wanted to account this on the stress of losing Grover, then Tyson, and while I'm sure it was a huge part of it, it was only the trigger. I wasn't lying when I said I thought he was upset with me because I left for Gallagher. I knew he was also angry at me because of Tyson though, too. Sure he'd been picking fights with me, but then again I had been living the high life while he wallowed in the dumps. I had made him feel like his absence wouldn't make me upset. I didn't like that thought.
He wasn't wrong to say I've changed. I didn't hesitate to send Tyson down to that boiler room simply because the logical side in me said that he had a better shot then anyone at fixing the ship. I had let the spy in me forget that this was my brother, someone I should have been protecting, sending off the ship instead of to the heart of it. I had become some unemotional monster back there. It wasn't my intentions, but I sent Tyson to his death.
I sat there, basking in my thoughts till night approached.
"You shouldn't be sitting out here without a coat."
I turned to look at Percy, shrugging. "It's not that cold out."
"You'd say that to me when it started snowing outside," he said, sitting next to me. Our feet dangled off the edge, swinging in the night time breeze.
"Well I don't really have a coat, so…"
He pulled out a blanket from behind his back. "It might smell like pirate, but it's the best I can do."
We shared the blanket, wrapping it around our shoulders and huddling together.
"What, is this are 'get-along' blanket?" I teased. "Force us to sit next to each other, or else we freeze?"
He just nudged my shoulder. "Shut up. 'It's not that cold'."
I nudged back, smiling only slightly. I looked around the deck. "Where's Annabeth?"
"She's lying in a hammock down below. The rocking of the boat isn't agreeing with her."
"Ah, I thought she looked slightly guacamole colored."
We watched the horizon, not really wanting to break the peaceful silence of the night. More than once I spotted monsters. A plume of water as tall as a skyscraper spewed into the moonlight. A row of green spines slithered across the waves—something maybe a hundred feet long, reptilian. I didn't really want to know.
Once I saw Nereids, the glowing lady spirits of the sea. We tried to wave at them, but they disappeared into the depths, leaving me unsure whether they'd seen us or not.
"Thank you," Percy said. "For saving me back there."
"What, did you expect me to leave you there?" A small part of me wondered if he really did.
"I would have if I were you. I was a jerk."
"And I was too, so we're even."
"No," he said, shaking his head, "we are not. Two wrongs don't make a right. What I said was mean and hurtful, and it doesn't matter if you yelled back at me, because I was wrong to do what I did."
"I know. It's been stressful lately. Both of us said bad things, but we know that we didn't mean them. You know I didn't mean what I said, and I know you didn't mean what you said. It's all clear. It's okay."
"But just pretending it didn't happen…pretending we weren't jerks makes us liars to ourselves. We have to admit to our wrongdoings, not fantasize they didn't happen. We need to learn from them."
I smiled. "Consider it lesson learned."
"Even so, I want to say this," he insisted. "I want to make sure you understand me, okay?"
I nodded.
"You love me and mom, I know that. Just because you're going to Gallagher doesn't mean you love us any less. You're following your dream, and I'll help push you there. I'll stick beside you for anything. Even if it upsets me, I'll do it for you."
I looked at him long and hard, looking for signs of hesitation. When I didn't find any, I realize he truly meant that.
"Percy," I sighed, taking his hand. "We've always been right beside each other. Ever since we were babies, we never left each other's sides. I mean, remember our first day of preschool?"
Percy smiled slightly at the memory. "For nap time they separated the girls and the boys so they would sleep in separate rooms."
"And I had my first ever argument with a teacher."
"And I sat there, sucking on my fist waiting to see what would happen."
"You had faith in me even then."
"Yep I did."
"Anyway, I fought with the teacher, even jumped up and poked her in the eyes. They called mom, and she came in, and they told her that we needed to learn how to be separate, and mom just flat out refused to put any sort of distance between us."
"She said our different interests would surface, and when that time came, we'd have such a close bond we'd work through it."
"Exactly. Gallagher came up," I said. "And it's been hard, and difficult, even for me, but we're working through this."
"I know."
"It's just—I don't want to think that putting distance between us would make us any less close. We're special, Percy. We can make it through this without having to give up who we are."
He smiled, giving my hand a squeeze. "We can do this."
"But…" I closed my eyes, summoning up some strength. "Maybe you were right. Maybe I am being selfish and self-centered. If my being at Gallagher is affecting us so much, I'll leave."
Percy shook his head. "No, no you are _not _being selfish or self-centered. I'm just being an idiot—"
"And maybe I am too. Look, Percy, I see the signs. We're not like we were before. Our relationship isn't…it's weaker than it was before. At first I thought our lack of shared dreams was because of Luke, but there might be a simpler explanation."
"And what's that?"
"We're not as close as we were before. We're arguing more often, and not just little arguments. We haven't been living together for months. We rarely see each other. We're losing us.
"And I'm prepared to fix this, in whatever way I have to. I will leave Gallagher to get back what we had."
Percy just kept shaking his head. "No, Cammie. No."
"_Yes _Percy."
"No, I can't ask you to give up your dreams just for me."
"You don't have to ask," I said. "I'll do it for the both of us."
"But Gallagher—"
"Is _never _going to be as important to me as you are," I insisted. "_Never. _Those girls, they are my best friends, but you are my brother. My family and beyond my best friend. Percy you mean everything to me. Without you, Gallagher and those girls just aren't worth it."
Percy pulled me into a hug. He rubbed his tears into my shirt and I rubbed his back, soothing him.
When he pulled away, he said, "That isn't a final decision."
I smiled. "No, but it's a place to start thinking. That's all I really have to do now, is think."
I stood up, wrapping my side of the blanket around him. "You keep watch. I'm going to try and get some sleep."
I headed down below deck, trying to make as little noise as possible, just in case Annabeth was sleeping.
"Percy?" she called in a sleepy voice.
I cursed. "No, just me."
"Oh, Cammie. Sorry, I thought you were Percy."
"I could guess that."
"Sorry."
"No problem. I'm tired of people apologizing tonight though."
"So you and Percy made up?"
"Yeah," I said, lying down in a hammock. "But things need to be sorted out. We need to know what we're going to be doing."
"What do you mean?" she asked, propping herself up on an elbow.
"Things have been difficult, you've seen that. We need to fix that before it gets out of hand."
"Oh, so you're thinking about staying in New York instead of heading back to Gallagher."
I nodded, before realizing she couldn't see my face in the dark. "Yeah, I'm thinking that's going to have to be the plan."
"I would add something to say, but I don't want to get involved."
"That might be for the best."
We lay in silence, rocked by the waves. It was comforting, nearly putting me to sleep, but Annabeth's stomach problems were so loud, I was kept in the world of the half-asleep.
So, instead of continue attempting to snooze, I turned over to face Annabeth. "The reason you hate Cyclopes so much…the story about how Thalia really died. What happened?"
It was hard to see her expression in the dark.
"I'd ask how you'd known that," she sighed, "but I have reminded myself that you and Percy share a brain, so basically everything he knows you know."
"And he knows everything I know," I said.
"I guess you deserve to know," she said finally, after a moment of silence. "The night Grover was escorting us to camp, he got confused, took some wrong turns. You remember he told you that once?"
I nodded.
"Well, the worst wrong turn was into a Cyclops's lair in Brooklyn."
"They've got Cyclopes in Brooklyn?" I asked.
"You wouldn't believe how many, but that's not the point. This Cyclops, he tricked us. He managed to split us up inside this maze of corridors in an old house in Flatbush. And he could sound like anyone, Cammie. Just the way Tyson did aboard the _Princess Andromeda._ He lured us, one at time. Thalia thought she was running to save Luke. Luke thought he heard me scream for help. And me…I was alone in the dark. I was seven years old. I couldn't even find the exit."
I heard her shift. "I remember finding the main room. There were bones all over the floor. And there were Thalia and Luke and Grover, tied up and gagged, hanging from the ceiling like smoked hams. The Cyclops was starting a fire in the middle of the floor. I drew my knife, but he heard me. He turned and smiled. He spoke, and somehow he knew my dad's voice. I guess he just plucked it out of my mind. He said, 'Now, Annabeth, don't you worry. I love you. You can stay here with me. You can stay forever.'"
I shivered. The way she told it—even now, six years later—freaked me out worse than any ghost story I'd ever heard. Mostly because there was no denying this monster was real. "Tell me you stabbed him."
"I stabbed him in the foot."
I stared at her. I had just kind of been desperately hoping, but to hear she really did was…well astonishing. "I should not be surprised that at seven years old you stabbed a grown Cyclops in the foot."
"Oh, he would've killed me. But I surprised him. It gave me just enough time to run to Thalia and cut the ropes on her hands. She took it from there."
"Yeah, but still…that was pretty brave, Annabeth."
I couldn't see it, but I think she shook her head. "We barely got out alive. I still have nightmares, Cammie. The way that Cyclops talked in my father's voice. It was his fault we took so long getting to camp. All the monsters that'd been chasing us had time to catch up. That's really why Thalia died. If it hadn't been for that Cyclops, she'd still be alive today."
We continued to lay there, silenced for different reasons.
"Try and get some sleep," Annabeth said. "You're tiered."
"Well, that was one heck of a bedtime story."
"Sorry."
"No," I said. "I'm glad you told me. That couldn't have been an easy story to tell."
"Well, I trust you. And Percy."
"I'm glad."
I kept thinking about Annabeth's story, even after she fell asleep. I wondered, if I had been in her position, if I would have her courage.
* * *
><p>I didn't dream about Grover.<p>
Instead I found myself back in Luke's stateroom aboard the _Princess Andromeda. _The curtains were open. It was nighttime outside. The air swirled with shadows. Voices whispered all around me—spirits of the dead.
_Beware, _they whispered. _Traps. Trickery._
Kronos's golden sarcophagus glowed faintly—the only source of light in the room.
A cold laugh startled me. It seemed to come from miles below the ship. _You don't have the courage, young one. You can't stop me. I know how you die._
I knew what I had to do. I had to open that coffin.
I pulled out my nameless sword. Ghosts whirled around me like a tornado. _Beware!_
My heart pounded. I couldn't make my feet move, but I had to stop Kronos. I had to destroy whatever was in that box. But I'd feel better having someone with me.
Then a girl spoke right next to be: "Well, Sweetie?"
I looked over to see a girl. I'd never met her before. She wore punk-style clothes with silver chains on her wrists. She had spiky black hair, dark eyeliner around her stormy blue eyes, and a spray of freckles across her nose. She looked familiar, but still, I knew I'd never met her. When I said I'd feel better having someone with me, I had kind of meant Percy, not this girl.
"Well?" she asked. "Are we going to stop him or not? I know seaweed brain isn't here at the moment, but I need you to pull yourself together."
I couldn't answer. I couldn't move.
The girl rolled her eyes. "Fine. Leave it to me and Aegis."
She tapped her wrist and her silver chains transformed—flattening and expanding into a huge shield. It was silver and bronze, with the monstrous face of Medusa protruding from the center. It looked like a death mask, as if the gorgon's real head had been pressed into the metal. I didn't know if that was true, or if the shield could really petrify me, but I looked away. Just being near it made me cold with fear. I got a feeling that in a real fight, the bearer of that shield would be almost impossible to beat. Any sane enemy would turn and run.
The girl drew her sword and advanced on the sarcophagus. The shadowy ghosts parted for her, scattering before the terrible aura of her shield.
"No," I tried to warn her.
But she didn't listen. She marched straight up to the sarcophagus and pushed aside the golden lid.
For a moment she stood there, gazing down at whatever was in the box.
The coffin began to glow.
"No." The girl's voice trembled. "It can't be."
From the depths of the ocean, Kronos laughed so loudly the whole ship trembled.
"No!" the girl screamed as the sarcophagus engulfed her in a blast of a golden light.
"Ah!" I sat bolt upright in my hammock.
Annabeth was shaking me. "Cammie?! Percy, come down here! Cammie? Cam you were having a nightmare. You need to get up."
Percy came rushing down, running to my side. "Cammie, you okay?"
I shook them off. "Fine, fine, just a bad dream." '_I know how you're going to die'. _"Just a really bad dream. What's going on?"
"Land," Annabeth said grimly. "We're approaching the island of the Sirens."
* * *
><p>I could barely make out the island ahead of us—just a dark spot in the mist.<p>
"I want you to do me a favor," Annabeth said. "The Sirens…we'll be in range of their singing soon."
I remembered stories about Sirens. They sang so sweetly their voices enchanted sailors and lured them to their death.
"No problem," Percy assured her. "We can just stop up our ears. There's a big tub of candle wax down below deck—"
"I want to hear them."
I blinked. "Uh…Why?"
"They say the Sirens sing the truth about what you desire. They tell you things about yourself you didn't even realize. That's what's so enchanting. If you survive…you become wiser. I want to hear them. How often will I get that chance?"
"How often do I get the chance to stick my arm into liquid nitrogen to see what might happen…well actually, I had that chance all year. Mr. Smith kept big jugs of the stuff in the labs…not the point. There're just some things you don't do even if you get the chance to do it."
Percy put a hand on my shoulder, stopping me. _We have to let her do this,_ he said.
I gawked at him like he was some kind of hydra-fury-gorgon hybrid. _Why on earth should we allow our friend to do this extremely stupid thing? _I asked him.
_Because she seems pretty sure about this, and it's Annabeth. I think she knows what she's doing._
I sighed in aspiration. "Idiots," I muttered. "I'm surrounded by idiots. Fine! What's the plan, Princess?"
She told us her plan. I could tell Percy's earlier idea to help her was slowly starting to fade, but still, he reluctantly agreed to help get her ready.
As soon as the rocky coastline of the island came into view, Percy ordered one of the ropes to wrap around Annabeth's waist, tying her to the foremast. I went over and checked to make sure the rope was tight.
"Don't untie me," she said, "no matter what happens or how much I plead. I'll want to go straight over the edge and drown myself."
"This is a stupid idea," I mumbled under my breath.
"I know."
"Do you? Because I'm the queen of stupid ideas, and this is exactly like something I'd do, and that should concern you."
"Please, Cammie."
"I never said I was going back on it," I said. "I'm just telling you about the insanity of this plan. I promise to keep you secure."
Walking back over to Percy, he handed me some candle wax. "Is she all set?" he asked.
"As she'll ever be. You think this'll work?"
"I pray so."
We kneaded the wax into earplugs, stuffing them into our ears. Percy started talking to me, testing out how well the earplugs were, but I couldn't hear a thing.
_All's good, _I said. _That's a nice look for you by the way._
_Haha._
The silence was eerie. I couldn't hear anything but the rush of blood in my head. As we approached the island, jagged rocks loomed out of the fog. Percy willed the _Queen Anne's Revenge _to skirt around them. If we sailed any closer, those rocks would shred our hull like blender blades.
I glanced back. Annabeth seemed perfectly normal.
_She seems to be doing good, _I said. _Maybe she won't hear anything._
Percy took a look for himself. _Uh, I think she is._
I turned back again, and saw the puzzled look on her face. Then her eyes widened.
She strained against the ropes. She called our names—I could tell just from reading her lips. Her expression was clear: She had to get out. this was life or death. I had to let her out of the ropes _right now._
She seemed so miserable it was hard not to cut her free.
I forced myself to look away, pulling Percy's arm till he did too. I urged the _Queen Anne's Revenge _to go faster.
I still couldn't see much of the island—just mist and rocks—but floating in the water were pieces of wood and fiberglass, the wreckage of old ships, even some flotation cushions from airplanes.
How could music cause so many lives to veer off course? I mean, sure, there were some Top Forty songs that made me want to take a fiery nosedive, but still…What could the Sirens possibly sing about?
For one dangerous moment, I understood Annabeth's curiosity. I was tempted to take out the earplugs, just to get a taste of the song. I could feel the Sirens' voices vibrating in the timbers of the ship, pulsing along with the roar of blood in my ears.
Annabeth was pleading with me, the Percy. Tears streamed down her cheeks. She strained against the ropes, as if they were holding her back from everything she cared about.
_How could you be so cruel? _She seemed to be asking us. _I thought you were my friends!_
I glared at the misty island. I wanted to fight, but there was nothing. Fighting would make this easy. Find the monster, fight the monster, win. Save my friend from this pain. But how do you fight a song?
I tried hard not to look at Annabeth. I managed it for about five minutes.
That was my big mistake.
Percy started slapping my arm, panicky. I turned to give him a dirty look before looking back to find…a heap of cut ropes. An empty mast. Annabeth's bronze knife lay on the deck. Somehow, she'd managed to wriggle it into her hand. I'd totally forgotten to disarm her.
I yelled, screaming curses and words as colorful as a crayon box. _How could I have forgotten!_ I yelled in my head.
_I did too, _Percy said. _Don't take things to personally._
_Still, it was a rookie mistake. _
We ran to the side of the boat and saw her, paddling madly for the island, the waves carrying her straight toward the jagged rocks.
"Annabeth!" I screamed, but if she heard me, it didn't do any good. She was entranced, swimming toward her death.
Percy was yelling too, I assumed Annabeth's name, but then the boat stopped. Then he started climbing onto the railing of the ship.
_"Percy!_" I yelled, both in my head and out loud. I grabbed his arm, tugging at him. _Stop this. Get down!_
He pulled his arm away. _We have to do something. Keep the waters calm for me._
And then he jumped over the side.
I watched as he sliced into the water. Having no choice now, I did the only thing I could for him without jumping over myself. I bent the current around him, jet streaming him forward. I closed my eyes and looked through his, keeping him from shooting into anything.
I looked through my own eyes and turned to Annabeth as Percy surfaced. The wave caught her, sweeping her between two razor-sharp fangs of rock.
Percy swam toward her while I tried to calm the water. But the sea does not like to be controlled. To keep the waves settled and also help Percy jet through the water was difficult. So I told him that he was on his own for a while, and kept the waters as calm as possible, but continued to look through his eyes.
He dove under a wrecked hull of a yacht, wove through a collection of floating metal balls on chains that I told him were mines. I could tell it was difficult for him, even with the waves being calmed. The water was decorated with rocks and tangled nets of barbed wire.
Percy jetted between the two rock fangs Annabeth had passed through, and entered a half-moon-shaped bay. The water was choked with more rocks and ship wreckage and floating mines. The beach was black volcanic sand.
Percy's head shook from side to side, desperately looking for Annabeth.
There she was.
Luckily or unluckily, she was a strong swimmer. She'd made it past the mines and the rocks. She was almost to the black beach.
Then the mist cleared and I saw them—the Sirens.
Imagine a flock of vultures the size of people—with dirty black plumage, gray talons, and wrinkled pick necks. Now imagine human heads on top of those necks, but the human heads keep changing.
Percy couldn't hear them, but though his eyes I could tell they were singing. As their moths moved, their faces morphed into people we knew—mom, Poseidon, Grover, Tyson, Chiron. All the people we both wanted to see the most. They smiled reassuringly, inviting me forward. But no matter what shape they took, their mouths were greasy and caked with remnants of old meals. Like vultures, they'd been eating with their faces, and it didn't look like they'd been feasting on Monster Donuts.
Annabeth swam toward them.
Percy knew he couldn't let her get out of the water. The sea was his only advantage. It had always protected us one way or another. Percy propelled himself forward, with a little extra _"umph"_ from me, and grabbed her ankle.
The moment he touched her, a shock went through his body, and through Percy's mind, I saw the Sirens the way Annabeth must've been seeing them.
Three people sat on a picnic blanket in Central Park. A feast was spread out before them. I recognized Annabeth's dad from photos she'd shown me—an athletic-looking, sandy haired guy from his forties. He was holding hands with a beautiful woman who looked a lot like Annabeth. She was dressed casually—in blue jeans and a denim shirt and hiking boots—but something about the woman radiated power. I knew that I was looking at the goddess Athena. Next to them sat a young man…Luke.
The whole scene glowed in a warm, buttery light. The three of them were talking and laughing, and when they saw Annabeth, their faces lit up with delight. Annabeth's mom and dad held out their arms invitingly. Luke grinned and gestured for Annabeth to sit next to him—as if he'd never betrayed her, as if he were still her friend.
Behind the trees of Central Park, a city skyline rose. I caught my breath, because it was Manhattan, but _not _Manhattan. It had been totally rebuilt from dazzling white marble, bigger and grander than ever—with golden windows and rooftop gardens. It was better than New York. Better than Mount Olympus.
_She designed it all,_ Percy said. _The architect for a whole new world. Her parents are together…she saved Luke._
_She's done everything she's ever wanted, _I said. _This is her perfect world._
Percy blinked hard. When he opened his eyes, all he saw were Sirens—ragged vultures with human faces, ready to feed on another victim.
He pulled Annabeth back into the surf. I couldn't hear her, but based on the flailing of her arms and the crazed look on her face, she was screaming. She kicked Percy in the face, but he held on.
I helped jet them back into the bay. Annabeth pummeled and kicked Percy, making it hard for him to concentrate. She thrashed so much they almost collided with a mine.
I started to panic. They would never get back if she kept fighting. I couldn't lose them both because Annabeth was under some spell. Thoughts ran through my head, a million plans and theories, all rejected and thrown away before they were even really considered. Then a thought hit me.
Whenever mom took us to the beach, and we went swimming, we'd wait for the waves to become big so we could jump right into them. As the waves caught us, the sounds around us would be drowned out, and all we'd hear was the sound of the ocean.
_Percy!_ I yelled. _Pull her under the water!_
_What?! You mean like drown her?_
_No, just to keep her from hearing the music. Sound can't travel well underwater. _
He understood, and pulled her under. She stopped struggling, her expression confused.
_She won't be able to breath,_ Percy reminded me.
_Then we better hurry up and get you two back._
They shot into the depths—ten feet, twenty feet. Percy had to be careful because he could withstand a lot more pressure than Annabeth. She fought and struggled for breath as bubbles rose around them.
_Bubbles, _Percy thought.
I could feel his desperation. He had to keep Annabeth alive. He imagined all the bubbles in the sea—always churning, rising. He imagined them coming together, being pulled toward them. I realized what he was doing.
The sea obeyed. There was a flurry of white, and when Percy's vision cleared, Annabeth and him had a huge bubble of air around them. Only their legs stuck into the water.
She gasped and coughed. Her whole body shuddered, but when she looked at Percy, we both could tell the spell had been broken.
She started to sob—I mean horrible, heartbroken sobbing. She put her head on Percy's shoulder and he held her.
It was uncomfortable. For me, I mean. She didn't actually know I was there. This was, in her mind, between her and Percy, and I was a fly on the wall. So I pulled out of Percy's mind, and put all my focus into calming the waves.
It was a while before Percy asked me for my help to get them back to the boat. They stayed under until they were close enough to the boat that Annabeth wouldn't hear the Sirens. When they surfaced the air bubble popped.
I threw a rope ladder over the side of the ship, and they climbed aboard.
Me and Percy kept our earplugs in, just to be sure. We sailed until the island was completely out of sight. Annabeth sat huddled in a blanket on the forward deck. Finally she looked up, dazed and sad, and mouthed, _safe._
We took out the earplugs. No singing. The afternoon was quiet except for the sound of the waves against the hull. The fog had burned away to a blue sky, as if the island of the Sirens had never existed.
"You okay?" I asked. The moment I said it, I realized how lame that sounded. Of course she wasn't okay.
"I didn't realize," she murmured.
"What?"
Her eyes were the same color as the mist over the Sirens' island. "How powerful the temptation would be."
I exchanged looks with Percy. We had both seen what the Sirens had promised her. It felt horrible, having seen something so personal to her. Something she didn't know we saw. So, leave it to Percy to be a gentleman.
"We saw the way you rebuilt Manhattan," he told her. "And Luke and your parents."
She blushed. "You saw that?"
"What Luke told you back on the _Princess Andromeda,_" I said, "about starting the world from scratch…that really got to you, huh?"
She pulled her blanket around her. "My fatal flaw. That's what the Sirens showed me. My fatal flaw is hubris."
Percy blinked. "That brown stuff they spread on veggie sandwiches?"
"That's hummus," I told him.
"Hubris is worse," Annabeth said.
"What could be worse than hummus?" Percy gagged.
"Hubris means deadly pride, Percy. Thinking you can do things better than anyone else…even the gods."
"You feel that way?"
She looked down. "Don't you ever feel like, what if the world _is _really messed up? What if we _could _do it all over again from scratch? No more war. Nobody homeless. No more summer reading homework."
"I'm listening," Percy nodded.
"I mean, the West represents a lot of the best things mankind ever did—that's why the fire is still burning. That's why Olympus is still around. But sometimes you just see the bad stuff, you know? And you start thinking the way Luke does: 'If I could tear this all down, I would do it better'. Don't you ever feel that way? Like _you _could do a better job if you ran the world?"
"Um…no. Either one of us running the world would kind of be a nightmare."
"Then you're lucky. Hubris isn't your fatal flaw."
"What is?"
"I don't know, Percy, but every hero has one. If you don't find it and learn to control it…well, they don't call it 'fatal' for nothing."
I thought about it. It wasn't a cheerful thought.
I also noticed Annabeth hadn't said much about the _Personal _things she would change—like getting her parents back together, or saving Luke. I didn't understand, not really. I hated my father. If I saw him anywhere near her, I'd probably go stab him myself. But Percy thought differently. I knew he dreamed about mom and our father getting back together. It wasn't farfetched that felt the same way.
I pictured mom, alone in the apartment on the Upper East Side. I tried to remember the smell of her blue waffles in the kitchen. It seemed so far away. Months away.
"So was it worth it?" Percy asked Annabeth. "Do you feel…wiser?"
She gazed into the distance. "I'm not sure. But we _have _to save the camp. If we don't stop Luke…"
She didn't need to finish. If Luke's way of thinking could even tempt Annabeth, there was no telling how many other half-bloods might join him.
I thought about my dream of the girl and the golden sarcophagus. I wasn't sure what it meant, but I got the feeling it was missing something. Something terrible that Kronos was planning. What had the girl seen when she opened that coffin lid?
Suddenly Annabeth's eyes widened. "Guys?"
I turned.
Up ahead was another blotch of land—a saddle-shaped island with forested hills and white beaches and green meadows—just like I'd seen in my dreams.
My nautical senses confirmed it. 30 degrees, 31 minutes north, 75 degrees, 12 minutes west.
We had reached the home of the Cyclops.
* * *
><p><strong>So, a bit delayed, but here it is! A lot of things to think about. Where is Cammie returning to when the school year begins? Gallagher, or New York? I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. School is starting tomorrow, but hopefully that'll be the thing that slows my life down a bit and allows me to actually be able to sit down a write. <strong>
**Good night, and stay Nerdy my Nerdletts.**
13. Chapter 13
WE MEET THE SHEEP OF DOOM
* * *
><p>When you think 'monster island', you think craggy rocks and bones scattered on the beach like the island of the Sirens.<p>
The Cyclops's island was nothing like that. I mean, okay, it had a rope bridge across a chasm, which was not a good sign. You might as well put up a billboard that said, SOMETHING EVIL LIVES HERE. But except for that, the place looked like a Caribbean postcard. It had green fields and tropical fruit trees and white beaches. As we sailed toward the shore, Annabeth breathed in the sweet air. "The Fleece," she said.
I nodded. I couldn't see the Fleece yet, but I could feel its power. I could believe it would heal anything, even Thalia's poisoned tree. "If we take it away, will the Island die?"
Annabeth shook her head. "It'll fade. Go back to what it would be normally, whatever that is."
I felt a little guilty about ruining this paradise, but I reminded myself we had no choice. Camp Half-Blood was in trouble. And Tyson…Tyson would still be with us if it wasn't for this quest.
In the meadow at the base of the ravine, several dozen sheep were milling around. They looked peaceful enough, but they were huge—the size of hippos. Just past them was a path that lead up into the hills. At the top of the path, near the edge of the canyon, was a massive oak tree.
"That's the tree I saw in my dream," Cammie said, pointing. "Look, there's something gold in the branches."
"This is too easy," I said. "We could just hike up there and take it?"
Annabeth's eyes narrowed. "There's supposed to be a guardian. A dragon or…"
That's when a deer emerged from the bushes. It trotted into the meadow, probably looking for grass to eat, when the sheep all bleated at one and rushed the animal. It happened so fast that the deer stumbled and was lost in a sea of wool and trampling hooves.
Grass and tufts of fur flew into the air.
A second later the sheep all moved away, back to their regular peaceful wanderings. Where the deer had been was a pile of clean white bones.
Cammie gagged, turning away. "I think I just became a vegetarian."
"They're like piranhas," Annabeth said, gagging a bit herself.
"Piranhas with wool," I said. "How will we—"
"Guys!" Annabeth gasped, grabbing my arm. "Look."
She pointed down the beach, to just below the sheep meadow, where a small boat had been run aground…the other lifeboat from the CSS _Birmingham._
* * *
><p>We decided there was no way we could get past the man-eating sheep. Annabeth wanted to sneak up the path invisibly and grab the Fleece, but in the end I convinced her that something would go wrong. The sheep would smell her. Annabeth guardian would appear. Something. And if that happened, Cammie and I would be too far away to help.<p>
Besides, our first job was to find Grover and whoever had come ashore in that lifeboat—assuming they'd gotten past the sheep. I was too nervous to say what I was secretly hoping…that Tyson might still be alive.
We moored the _Queen Anne's Revenge _on the back side of the island where the cliffs rose straight up a good two hundred feet. We figured the ship was less likely to be seen there.
The cliffs looked climbable, barely—about as difficult as the lava wall back at camp. At least it was free of sheep. I hoped that Polyphemus did not also keep carnivorous mountain goats.
We rowed a lifeboat to the edge of the rocks and made our way up, very slowly. Cammie eyed the cliff face. "I can get up there fairly easily," she said. "We had a climbing unit at Gallagher; I aced it. But this looks risky for you guys—no offence. You might want an aid of sorts."
"What kind of 'aid'," I asked.
She pulled out a yo-yo.
I gave her an exasperated look. "Cammie—"
"It's not a yo-yo. Its string is made up of super tough carbon nylon. Liz made it."
"Super tough…sorry, that's all I got out of that."
"Wait a minute," Annabeth said. "That's just like—"
"The yo-yo in the first Alex Rider book, yes, I know. Liz…she really liked the books." Cammie looked slightly sheepish on her friend's behalf. "I bet her she couldn't make one."
"But she did," Annabeth said in awe, taking the 'toy' to look at it.
"No, not exactly. This is kind of a prototype. It doesn't have any of that miniaturized engineering stuff it had in the book. She only finished creating the cord. Where the engine would be there is miniaturized belaying gear though."
I took the yo-yo to give it an once-over. "That's great. Then we should have no problem getting to the top."
Cammie took it back, sliding it into her pocket. "Don't count on it. It's only to help catch you if you're going to fall. And like I said before, it's only a prototype. Don't go jumping off to test it." She pulled out what looked like a small screw with a loop of metal for a head from the middle of the yo-yo. "I'll find a bolder up there and drill this into it. The rope will tie onto the loop and it'll act as an anchor."
Annabeth nodded, giving her over all approval. "Better then climbing without anything at all."
"My thoughts exactly. I'll have to go without it first, so I can get it all set up on the top, but you guys will be able to use it."
She also pulled out two fabric objects from the yo-yo. "Gloves," she explained. "It'll help me grip the rocks, and then the rope when I'm belaying."
I didn't really like the thought of Cammie free climbing up the rocky cliff face, but there was no other way up, and she was the best at it out of the three of us.
"Don't fall off," I advised her as she pulled the gloves on. She gave me a teasing smile.
"Annabeth will come up after me, because she's the lightest. Then both of us can belay when Percy's coming up."
"That's comforting," I sighed. "For me at least."
Cammie took a deep breath. "Here I go."
She climbed fairly fast, kicking out dust and little pebbles as she went along. It was a fairly unexciting climb, I suspect, seeing as she got to the top without screaming, falling, or nearly dying at all. She stood up on the solid ground on top, and waved down at us. She then disappeared for a bit before she reappeared, throwing down a super thin rope and miniature harness with clips as small as a thumbtack. She had shown us how to get ready before she went up. I checked over Annabeth's gear, making sure she was safe.
"All this stuff looks so small and fragile," she muttered.
I looked up at her. "Are you nervous?"
"Just a bit."
I gave her a reassuring smile. "You'll do fine. I've seen you on that climbing wall back at camp."
She smiled back. "Thanks."
She climbed the first hundred feet pretty easily. I could tell her hands were shaking though, making it kind of tricky, and very slow. There were a few slipping feet and hands, but she always caught herself before she fell. A minute later Annabeth hit a slippery patch of moss and her foot slipped. Fortunately, Cammie caught her, but based on the pained groan I heard from up top, she did so just barely. When she got to the top, Cammie gave her a hand, pulling her shaking body to the top. I could see her lying there on the ground for a bit, just shuttering. It took a bit for all the climbing gear to be sent back down.
I put everything on, triple checking to make sure it was all secure. My breath was ragged, and my heart beat a thousand miles an hour. I knew if I fell Cammie and Annabeth would do their best to catch me, but the word '_Prototype'_ just kept running through my head. There was no guarantee this would work.
_Are you ready? _Cammie asked.
I took one last shaky breath. _As I'll ever be, _I thought, starting the climb. I was neither as fast as Cammie, or as smooth as Annabeth. I was all over the cliff face, trying to find the easiest places to grip. Once, I lost my grip and I found myself dangling by one hand from a ledge fifty feet above the rocky surf. The rope suddenly became tight, pulling slightly.
_We've got you, Percy,_ Cammie explained. _Just stay calm and get a foothold._
I was as close to comforted as I could get at that moment…until I heard a slight tearing noise from somewhere between me and the top.
_Okay,_ Cammie drawled. _Just stay calm and get a foothold, quickly. Just don't panic._
That was like telling a child not to look behind them at the candy bowl. Just like a child I did the exact opposite of what I was told and started to panic. Thankfully, that panic attack was what it took to forget the lack of grip I had earlier, and get a hold of the cliff face.
_Good, now just keep climbing. _
_Shut up. I'm going to puke._
_Puke at the top. Just climb._
Finally, when my fingers felt like molten lead and my arm muscles were shaking from exhaustion, I hauled myself over the top of the cliff and collapsed.
"Ugh," I said.
Cammie came to my said, checking my hands for scrapes. "Only slightly blistered," she said. "You'll survive."
"My arms hurt…" I groaned.
"All of our arms are sore. Just deal with it. I had to catch Annabeth and then potentially haul your butt up here."
"The rope just about snapped."
"Like I said, it's a prototype." She took all the gear and put it back into the yo-yo's secret center. Then she pressed a button, and the cord retracted. "I'll have to give Liz a call later, tell her she should work on that. Either way, we shouldn't use this rope for climbing now."
"Ugh," I continued to moan.
"Ouch," Annabeth said, laying face down in the grass.
"Garrrr!" bellowed another voice.
If I hadn't been so tired I would have leaped another two hundred feet. I got up and whirled around, but I couldn't see who'd spoken.
"Tell me that was you," I whispered to Cammie.
Annabeth jumped up and clamped her hand over my mouth. She pointed.
The ledge we were sitting on was narrower than I'd realized. It dropped off on the opposite side, and that's where the voice was coming from—right below us.
"You're a feisty one!" the deep voice bellowed.
"Challenge me!" Clarisse's voice, no doubt about it. "Give me back my sword and I'll fight you!"
The monster roared with laughter.
We all crept to the edge. We were right above the entrance of the Cyclops's cave. Below us stood Polyphemus and Grover, still in his wedding dress. Clarisse was tied up, hanging upside down over a pot of boiling water. I was half hoping to see Tyson down there, too. Even if he'd been in danger, at least I would've known he was alive. But there were no signs of him.
"Hmm," Polyphemus pondered. "Eat loudmouth girl now or wait for wedding feast? What does my bride think?"
He turned to Grover, who backed up and almost tripped over his completed bridal train. "Oh, um, I'm not hungry right now, dear. Perhaps—"
"Did you say _bride?_" Clarisse demanded. "Who—Grover?"
Next to me, Annabeth muttered, "Shut up. She has to shut up."
Polyphemus glowed. "What 'Grover'?"
"The satyr!" Clarisse yelled.
"Oh!" Grover yelped. "The poor thing's brain is boiling from that hot water. Pull her down, dear!"
Polyphemus's eyelids narrowed over his baleful milky eye, as if he were trying to see Clarisse more clearly.
The Cyclops was an even more horrible sight then he had been in my dreams. Partly because his rancid smell was now up close and personal. Partly because he was dressed in his wedding outfit—a crude kilt and shoulder-wrap, stitched together from baby-blue tuxedoes, as if the he'd skinned an entire wedding party.
"What satyr?" asked Polyphemus. "Satyrs are good eating. You bring me satyr?"
"No, you big idiot!" bellowed Clarisse. "_That _satyr! Grover! The one in the wedding dress!"
"Oh my…for the love of…that _little…_" Cammie hissed and fumbled. "_She's dumber than a box of rocks!"_
I wanted to wring Clarisse's neck, but it was too late. All I could do was watch as Polyphemus turned and ripped off Grover's wedding veil—revealing his curly hair, his scruffy adolescent beard, his tiny horns.
Polyphemus breathed heavily, trying to contain his anger. "I don't see very well," he growled. "Not since many years ago when the other hero stabbed me in eye. But YOU'RE—NO—LADY—CYCLOPS!"
The Cyclops grabbed Grover's dress and tore it away. Underneath, the old Grover reappeared in his jeans and T-Shirt. He yelped and ducked as the monster swiped over his head.
"Stop!" Grover pleaded. "Don't eat me raw! I-I have a good recipe!"
I reached for my sword, but Annabeth hissed, "Wait!"
Polyphemus was hesitating, a boulder in his hand, ready to smash his would-be bride.
"Recipe?" he asked Grover.
"Oh y-yes! You don't want to eat me raw. You'll get E coli and botulism and all sorts of horrible things. I'll taste much bettered grilled over a slow fire. With mango chutney! You could go get some mangos right now, down there in the woods. I'll just wait here."
The monster pondered this. My heart hammered against my ribs. I figured I'd die if I charged. But I couldn't let the monster kill Grover.
"Grilled Satyr with mango chutney," Polyphemus mused. He looked back at Clarisse, still hanging over the pot of boiling water. "You a satyr, too?"
"No you overgrown pile of dung!" She yelled. "I'm a girl! The daughter of Ares! Now untie me so I can rip your arms off!"
"Rip my arms off," Polyphemus repeated.
"And stuff them down your throat!"
"You got spunk."
"Let me down!"
Polyphemus snatched up Grover as if he were a wayward puppy. "Have to graze sheep now. Wedding postponed until tonight. Then we'll eat satyr for the main course!"
"But…you're still getting married?" Grover sounded hurt. "Who's the bride?"
Polyphemus looked toward the boiling pot.
Clarisse made a strangled sound. "Oh, no! You can't be serious. I'm not—"
Before anyone could do anything, Polyphemus plucked her off the rope like she was a ripe apple, and tossed her and Grover deep into the cave. "Make yourself comfortable! I come back at sundown for big event!"
Then the Cyclops whistled, and a mixed flock of goats and sheep—smaller than the man-earters—flooded out of the cave and past their master. As they went to pasture, Polyphemus patted some on the back and called them by name—Beltbuster, Tammany, Lockhart, etc.
When the last sheep had waddled out, Polyphemus rolled a bolder in front of the doorway as easily as I would close a refrigerator door, shutting off the sound of Clarisse and Grover screaming inside.
"Mangos," Polyphemus grumbled to himself. "What are mangos?"
He strolled off down the mountain in his baby-blue groom's outfit, leaving us alone with a pot of boiling water and a six-ton boulder.
* * *
><p>We tried for what seemed like hours, but it was no good. The boulder wouldn't move. We yelled into the cracks, tapped on the rock, did everything we could think of to get a signal to Grover, but if he heart us, we couldn't tell.<p>
Even if by some miracle we managed to kill Polyphemus, it wouldn't do us any good. Grover and Clarisse would die inside that sealed cave. The only way to move the rock was to have the Cyclops do it.
The three of us leaned up against the boulder, slightly exhausted.
"Do you have any more explosives?" I asked Cammie, panting a bit. "Something from your 'makeup' kit?"
She shook her head, her eyes shut. "Even if I did, I wouldn't be able to bust through rock like that."
In total frustration, I stabbed Riptide against the boulder. Sparks flew, but nothing else happened. A large rock is not the kind of enemy you can fight with a magic sword.
"This sucks," Annabeth groaned.
"I second that," Cammie said, her head resting on my shoulder.
We all sat on the ridge of despair and watched the distant baby-blue shape of the Cyclops as he moved among his flock. He had wisely divided his regular animals from his man-eating sheep, putting each group on either side of the huge crevice that divided the island. The only way across was the rope bridge, and the planks were much too far apart for sheep hooves.
We watched as Polyphemus visited his carnivorous flock on the far side. Unfortunately, they didn't eat him. in fact, they didn't seem to bother him at all. He fed them chunks of mystery meat from a great wicker basket, which only reinforced the feelings I'd been having since Circe turned me into a guinea pig—that maybe it was time I joined Grover and became a vegetarian.
"Trickery," Annabeth decided. "We can't beat him by force, so we'll have to use trickery."
"I don't know," Cammie said. "I think if we find a way to get Clarisse out of that cave and hand her a sword she'll do all the heavy lifting for us."
"Let's not count on it," Annabeth smirked. "She may be all tuff, but she's not always the brightest."
"Okay," I said. "What trick?"
"I haven't figured that part out yet."
"Good thing you're the brightest," Cammie smiled, patting her back.
"Polyphemus will have to move the rock to let the sheep inside."
"At sunset," I said. "Which is when he'll marry Clarisse—"
"That lucky guy," Cam cooed.
"—and have Grover for dinner. I'm not sure which is grosser."
"I could get inside," she said, "invisibly."
"What about us?"
"The sheep," Annabeth mused. She gave me one of those sly looks that always made me wary. "How much do you like sheep?"
* * *
><p>"Just don't let go!" Annabeth said, standing invisibly somewhere off to my right. That was easy for her to say. She wasn't hanging upside down from the belly of a sheep.<p>
Now, I'll admit it wasn't as hard as I thought. I'd crawled under a car before to change my mom's oil, and this wasn't too different. The sheep didn't care. Even the Cyclops's smallest sheep were big enough to support my and Cammie's weight, and they had thick wool. I just twirled the stuff into handles for my hands, hooked my feet against the sheep's thigh bones, and presto—I felt like a baby wallaby, riding around against the sheep's chest, trying to keep the wool out of my mouth and noise.
In case you're wondering, the underside of a sheep doesn't smell that great. Imagine a winter sweater that's been dragged through the mud and left in the laundry hamper for a week. Something like that.
The sun was going down.
No sooner was I in position than the Cyclops roared, "Oy! Goaties! Sheepies!"
The flock dutifully began trudging back up the slopes toward the cave.
"This is it!" Annabeth whispered. "I'll be close by. Don't worry."
I made a silent promise to the gods that if we survived this, I'd tell Annabeth she was a genius. I'd tell Cammie she had to go back to Gallagher to continue studying. The frightening thing was, I knew the gods would hold me to it.
My sheep taxi started plodding up the hill. After a hundred yards, my hands and feet started to hurt from holding on. I gripped the sheep's wool more tightly, and the animal made a grumbling sound. I didn't blame it. I wouldn't want anybody rock climbing in my hair either. But if I didn't hold on, I was sure I'd fall off right there in front of the monster.
"Hasenpfeffer!" the Cyclops said, patting one of the sheep in front of me. "Einstein! Widget—eh there Widget!"
Polyphemus patted my sheep and nearly knocked me to the ground. "Putting on some extra mutton there?"
_Uh-oh,_ I thought. _Here it comes._
But Polyphemus just laughed and swatted the sheep's rear end, propelling us forward. "Go on, fatty! Soon Polyphemus will eat your for breakfast!"
And just like that, I was in the cave. Once I was out of the Cyclops's sight, hiding in the shadows, I dropped out of the sheep's fur, and lay on my stomach, watching and waiting for Cammie to come in on her own sheep-taxi. She was a couple behind me, and I could just barely see her hanging off of a smaller sheep.
"Ah, Dumbledore!" Polyphemus cooed, patting her sheep too. So hard, Cammie actually did fall off. I gasped slightly, but reminded myself to stay as quiet as possible. "You have also put on some weight. You'll come after Widget!" He slapped the sheep, moving it along, not giving Cammie a chance to grab back onto 'Dumbledore'.
She lay there, on the ground, right in plain sight. For a moment, she lay perfectly still, trying not to bring any attention to herself as the sheep moved on. A sheep did move right over her, but Polyphemus had already looked down.
"Wha—" he said, seeming confused, his eye narrowing.
The sheep moved completely over Cammie, and she quickly grabbed back on. But the Cyclops's attention was on the now missing spot on the floor. He bent down to inspect the floor, looking for Cammie.
_This is a little close for comfort,_ Cammie stated, her thought voice trembling slightly. _I didn't expect that._
He rubbed the ground, and checked under a few sheep. "Hum," he grumbled. "Very odd. I swear I saw a spot. A dirty spot."
_Dirty? Did he just call me dirty?!_
_Just be glad he thought you were a dirty spot and not a dirty human._
_I'm not that dirty! And even if I was, I've had a very long trip and haven't really had time to shower, thank you very much._
_Hush!_
_Why? He can't hear me. I'm talking in our heads, Percy._
_I know. You're giving me a headache._
_Rude._
"Ah, must have been my imagination," the Cyclops said, moving the sheep along. This time, when he got to Cammie's second sheep, she held on much tighter. Tight enough, her sheep bayed in protest. "Now, now, Dorothy, don't be like that."
Dorothy passed me, and Cammie dropped beside me, rolling into my side. "Too close for comfort. Way to close," she muttered into my shoulder.
The Cyclops was about to roll the stone back into place, when from somewhere outside Annabeth shouted, "Hello, ugly!"
Polyphemus stiffened. "Who said that?"
"Nobody!" Annabeth yelled.
That got exactly the reaction she'd been hoping for. The monster's face turned red with rage.
"Nobody!" Polyphemus yelled back. "I remember you!"
"You're too stupid to remember anybody," Annabeth taunted. "Much less Nobody."
I hoped to the gods she was already moving when she said that, because Polyphemus bellowed furiously, grabbing the nearest boulder (which happened to be his front door) and threw it toward the sound of Annabeth's voice. I heard the rock smash into a thousand fragments.
For a terrible moment, there was silence. Then Annabeth shouted, "You haven't learned to throw any better, either!"
Polyphemus howled. "Come here! Let me kill you, Nobody!"
"You can't kill Nobody, you stupid oaf," she taunted. "Come find me!"
Polyphemus barreled down the hill toward her voice.
Now , the "Nobody" thing wouldn't have made sense to anybody, but Annabeth had explained to me that it was the name Odysseus had used to trick Polyphemus centuries ago, right before he poked the Cyclops's eye out with a lard hot stick. Annabeth had figured Polyphemus would still have a grudge about that name, and she was right. In his frenzy to find his old enemy he forgot about resealing the cave entrance. Apparently, he didn't even stop to consider that Annabeth's voice was female, whereas the first Nobody had been male. On the other hand, he'd wanted to marry Grover, so he could have been all that bright about the while male/female thing.
I just hoped Annabeth could stay alive and keep distracting him long enough for us to find Grover and Clarisse.
I patted Widget on the head and apologized, passing him. We searched the main room, but there was no sign of Grover or Clarisse. We pushed through the crowd of sheep and goats toward the back of the cave.
Even though I'd dreamed about this place, I had a hard time finding my way through the maze. We ran down corridors littered with bones, past rooms full of sheepskin rugs and life-size cement sheep that I recognized as the work of Medusa. There were collections of sheep T-shirts; large tubs of Lanolin cream; and wooly coats, socks, and hats with ram's horns.
"Well there is no denying," Cammie muttered, observing our surroundings, "he sure loves his sheep."
"Love might not be a strong enough word," I said.
"Okay, he sure is _obsessed _with his sheep?"
"Better, but not quite _it._"
We shared a little giggle.
Finally, we found the spinning room, where Grover was huddled in the corner, trying to cut Clarisse's bonds with a pair of safety scissors.
"It's no good," Clarisse said. "This rope is like iron!"
"Just a few more minutes!"
"Grover," she cried, exasperated. "You've been working at it for hours!"
And then they saw us.
"_Jacksons?"_ Clarisse said. "You're supposed to be blown up!"
"Oh my, Percy, she's right!" Cammie gasped. "We should go back and blow ourselves up, and leave her here to either die or get married to a Cyclops."
"Wait—"
"GUUUUYYYS!" Grover bleated and tackled us in a goat-hug. "You heard me! You came!"
"Yeah, buddy," I said. "Of course we came."
"Where's Annabeth?"
"Outside," Cammie said. "but there's no time to talk. Let's go."
"Wait," Clarisse yelped. "You can't leave me here!"
"Apollogise then," she said, placing her hands on her hips.
"Okay, I'm sorry for thinking you were blown up."
"No, to Grover for blowing his cover because you have a big mouth!"
Clarisse grumbled. "Fine. I'm sorry Grover."
Cammie nodded in satisfaction. "Okay, Percy. Cut her loose."
I uncapped Riptide and sliced off her ropes. She stood stiffly, rubbing her wrists. She glared at us for a second, then looked at the ground and mumbled, "Thanks."
"Hey, look, we didn't even have to threaten her for that pleasantry," Cammie giggled.
"Enough," I muttered. Then I turned to Clarisse. "You're welcome. Now, was there anyone else on the lifeboat with you?"
Clarisse looked surprised. "No. Just me. Everybody else aboard the _Birmingham…_well, I didn't even know you guys made it out."
I looked down, trying not to believe that my last hope of seeing Tyson alive had just been crushed. "Okay. Come on, then. We have to help—"
An explosion echoed through the cave, followed by a scream that told me we might be too late. It was Annabeth crying out in fear.
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><p><strong>And there you go. Another chapter up and finished. We're reaching the end, people. We're getting close! Honestly, I'm excited, because book three guys…oh I've got <em>plans <em>for book three. You don't even fully understand what my plans are! I'm pretty sure I only started this project so I could rewrite book _three!_ Okay, so I'm not sure of all the details, but I've got a major plan in the works for this one guys. It's going to blow you out of the water. Your mind will turn into goo, and pour out of your ears. Things are going to _happen!_**
**And I'm over doing it again. So, as always. Love you all. Have a good night/morning/evening/dusk/dawn/time of day, my Nerdletts.**
14. Chapter 14
NOBODY GETS THE FLEECE
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><p>"I got nobody!" Polyphemus gloated.<p>
We crept to the cave entrance and saw the Cyclops, grinning wickedly, holding up empty air. The monster shook his fist, and a baseball cap fluttered to the ground. There was Annabeth, hanging upside down by her legs.
"Hah!" the Cyclops said. "Nasty invisible girl! Already got feisty one for wife. Means you gotta be grilled with mango chutney!"
Annabeth struggled, but she looked dazed. She had a nasty cut on her forehead. Her eyes were glassy.
"She's injured," I said. "We have to get to her quick and take care of her head wound."
"I'll rush him," Percy whispered to us. "Cammie, take Clarisse and Grover to our ship, and get it moving to come pick us up—"
"No way!" the three of us said at the same time. Clarisse had armed herself with a highly collectible ram's-horn spear from the Cyclops's cave. Grover had found a sheep's thigh bone, which he didn't look to happy about, but he was gripping it like a club, ready to attack. I had my pockets filled with little toys and inventions Liz had made and given to me.
"We'll take him together," Clarisse growled.
"Yeah," I said, then blinking a second later. "My gods, did I just agree with Clarisse?"
"All right," Percy said. "Attack plan Macedonia."
They nodded. We'd all taken the same training courses at Camp Half-Blood. They knew what he meant. They would sneak around either said and attack the Cyclops from the flanks while Percy and I held his attention in the front.
I tapped Percy on the shoulder and pointed to Polyphemus. He got the point, and started moving. I kept close behind, sticking inside the frame of his body, hiding myself. Both of us drew our swords in our right hands, stepping out into the open.
Both of us hefted our swords and shouted, "Hey, Ugly!"
The giant whirled toward us. "_Another _one? Who are you?"
"Put down my friend," we continued, our words synced. "_I'm _the one who insulted you."
"_You _are nobody?"
"That's right, you smelly bucket of nose drool!" It didn't sound quite as good as Annabeth's insults, but I wasn't sure which one of us thought of it, and I was sure it was all either one of us could think of. "I'm Nobody and I'm proud of it! Now, put her down and get over here. I want to stab your eye out again."
"RAAAAR!" he bellowed.
The good news: he dropped Annabeth. The bad news, he dropped her headfirst onto the rocks, where she lay motionless as a rag doll. There was only one thing worst then not knowing how bad that fall was, and that was knowing how bad it could be. And trust me, I knew.
The other bad news: Polyphemus barreled toward me, a thousand smelly pounds of Cyclops that we would have to fight with very small swords.
_Hold it,_ Percy warned. _Don't move till he gets closer._
The moment he got within ten feet of us, we dove apart, letting him slid right past us. it was like when we faced the Minotaur. Except this guy was slightly bigger.
He ran right past us, only to skid to a stop once he realized he hadn't crushed his opponent. He scratched his head in confusion.
"Missed me!" we yelled gleefully.
He turned, spotting me, and screamed his battle cry and charged again.
"What are you doing!" Percy yelled. "I'm over here!"
Polyphemus turned to him. I ran around his legs, jumping up on top of some giant rocks. "You idiot, I'm right here!"
His eye shifted back and forth between the two of us over twenty times, trying to figure it out. With his bad eyesight, and our identical genes, we looked exactly the same to him. He was literally seeing double.
"Which one…is _real _one?" he asked himself, scratching his head.
"I am!" we jeered.
He seemed to be having a real difficult time understanding this situation. While he was momentarily distracted, Percy yelled to Grover, "Get Annabeth!"
He rushed over, grabbed her invisibility cap and picked her up while Percy and I continued to keep Polyphemus busy.
Polyphemus didn't seem to enjoy the thought of being tricked and started charging Percy.
"I'd try and insult you," I called up to him, pulling his attention back to me and away from the rescue. "But you're too stupid to understand even the simplest of offenses."
"I am not stupid!" he yelled. "I will kill Nobody!"
"But you're just an idiot! How are you going to kill me? I am Nobody!"
"I will kill Nobody!"
"You said that already," Percy said, running around his ankles. "You sound repetitive."
"Re—re—petty…?"
We both giggled, loud so that he could clearly hear our condescending snickers. He screamed in frustration, charging us randomly, but we would simply run around his ankles, poke his legs with our swords, and cross each other, so for moments we looked like the same person before splitting into two separate people.
Sooner or later, he was going to understand what was going on. So we ran to each other, Percy standing in front, me behind him. The Cyclops's focus was intense. So intense, he never saw Clarisse running up behind him.
"As if I'd marry you!" she yelled, slashing at his heals.
He roared out in pain. His eye welled with tears. "Stupid bride," he cried, attempting to stomp on her. Percy and I charged, making twin slashes on his big toes.
I'll admit it, Clarisse was brave. She charged the Cyclops again and again. He pounded the ground, stomped at her, grabbed at her, but she was too quick. And as soon as she made an attack, Percy and I followed up by stabbing the monster in the toe or the ankle or the hand.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Grover carry Annabeth across the rope bridge. It wouldn't have been my first choice, given the man-eating sheep on the other side, but at the moment that looked better than _this _side of the chasm, and it gave me an idea. Percy and I exchanged looks. We must have had the idea at the same time, because I could tell he was thinking what I was thinking.
"Fall back!" he told Clarisse.
She rolled away as the Cyclops's fist smashed the olive tree beside her.
We ran for the bridge, Polyphemus right behind us. He was cut up and hobbling from so many wounds, but all we'd done was slow him down and make him mad.
"Grind you into sheep chow!" he promised. "A thousand curses on Nobody!"
"That's a bit harsh!" I called back.
"Faster!" Percy yelled, grabbing my hand.
We tore down the hill. The bridge was our only chance. Grover had just made it to the other side and was setting Annabeth down. We had to make it across, too, before the giant caught us.
"Grover!" Percy yelled. "Get Annabeth's knife!"
His eyes widened when he saw the Cyclops behind us, but he nodded like he understood. As Clarisse, Percy and I scrambled across the bridge, Grover began sawing at the ropes.
The first strand went _snap!_
Polyphemus bounded after us, making the bridge sway wildly. I placed a hand over my mouth, holding back my sudden sickness. "Oh, Gods…"
"We're almost there," Percy assured me, tugging my hand tighter. "Just stay right next to me."
I squeezed his hand as tight as I could, scared that he was going to suddenly leave me behind. I pushed myself to the absolute limit. Our speeds soon became equal, and we were side by side, just holding onto each other to make sure we were still there.
The ropes were now half cut. The three of us dove for the ground, landing beside Grover. Percy made a wild slash with his sword and cut the remaining ropes.
The bridge fell away into the chasm, and the Cyclops howled…with delight, because he was standing right next to us.
"Failed!" he yelled gleefully. "Nobody failed!"
Clarisse and Grover tried to charge him, but the monster swatted them aside like flies.
My anger swelled. I couldn't believe we'd come this far, lost Tyson, lost our connection, suffed through so much, only to fail—stopped by a big stupid monster in a baby-blue tuxedo kilt. Nobody was going to swat down my friends like that! I mean…_nobody, _not Nobody. Ah, you know what I mean.
Anger coursed through me. It was because of this monster all of this had happened. He had taken my friend. He had been part of the reason we came here. He planned on killing and eating my friends and brother. He was a bully, only the kind we weren't used to facing. He was big, and he was powerful, and it'd take more than a punch in the mouth to snuff this bully out. He had an advantage.
But so did I. This time I was armed with a fist, and a sword. Not my usual bully battling armor.
And if I was to be perfectly honest, I was just in a really bad mood.
I raised my sword and attacked. I jabbed the Cyclops in the belly. When he doubled over I smacked him in the nose with the hilt on my sword. I just screamed in total rage, slashing and kicking, and bashing, throwing my worst temper tantrum to date. The next thing I knew, Polyphemus was sprawled on his back, dazed and groaning, and I was standing above him, the tip of my sword hovering over his eye.
"Uhhhhhh," Polyphemus moaned.
"Cammie!" Grover gasped. "How did you—"
"I will not go _anywhere," _I seethed, "until I get what we came here for. Not home, not to camp, not even to the Underworld. You will not kill my friends or my brother, got it? I will _kill _you before that happens."
"Please, nooooo!" the Cyclops moaned, pitifully staring up at me. His nose was bleeding. A tear welled in the corner of his half-blind eye. "M-m-my sheepies need me. Only trying to protect my sheep!"
He began to sob.
We had won. One quick stab, and it would all be over. We'd all be safe, and could return home.
"Kill him!" Clarisse yelled. "What are you waiting for?"
The Cyclops sounded so heartbroken.
_Tyson…_
The thought wasn't mine. It was Percy's. this reminded him of Tyson. Sweet, gentle Tyson. Percy had mentioned that Tyson was sensitive. I guess he knew the face of a sobbing Cyclops well.
"He's a Cyclops!" Grover warned. "Don't trust him!"
I knew he was right. I knew Annabeth would've said the same thing.
But Polyphemus sobbed…and for the first time it sank in that _he _was a son of Poseidon, too. Like Tyson. Like Percy and me. How could I kill him in cold blood? How could I kill someone that reminded Percy of Tyson? I couldn't do that to him again.
"We only want the Fleece," I told the monster, my voice strong, yet more gentle then before. "Will you agree to let us take it?"
"Cammie," Percy said, stepping closer.
"No!" Clarisse shouted. "Kill him!"
The monster sniffed. "My beautiful Fleece. Prize of my collection. Take it, cruel human. Take it and go in peace."
"Cammie, don't trust what he says," Percy warned. "It's a trick. You know that."
I looked him in the eyes. It was like looking into a mirror, into another mirror. The reflections just kept bouncing off of each other.
"I can't kill him," I said, softly. "I can't kill him like I did…Tyson."
Percy shook his head and stepped closer, as though he would do the job himself. And as fast as a cobra, Polyphemus smacked me to the edge of the cliff.
"Foolish mortal!" he bellowed, rising to his feet. "Take my Fleece? Ha! I eat you first."
"Cammie," Percy screamed, running for me.
He opened his enormous mouth, and I knew that his rotten molars were the last things I would ever see.
Then something went _whoosh _over my head and _thump!_
A rock the size of a basketball sailed into Polyphemus's throat—a beautiful three-pointer, nothing but net. The Cyclops chocked, trying to swallow the unexpected pill. He staggered backward, but there was no place to stagger. His heel slipped, the edge of the cliff crumbled, and the great Polyphemus made chicken wing motion that did nothing to help him fly as he tumbled into the chasm.
I turned. We all turned.
Halfway down the path to the beach, standing completely unharmed into the midst of a flock of killer sheep, was an old friend.
"Bad Polyphemus," Tyson said. "Not all Cyclops as nice as we look."
It seemed like a dream. It felt like one. Percy had hope Tyson might be alive. The hope was small, but it was there. Liz had taught me probability, and statistics. I had worked it all out in my head one the lifeboat after the ship exploded. It was so mathematically impossible that he was alive, that there was no use hoping. I couldn't let myself hope.
Yet there he stood. Defying probability. Defying statistics. Defying everything Liz had taught me. And for the for once, I was glad Liz was wrong.
I was up and running, I soon realized. Didn't even know I was until I shook myself out of my head. I was half way already. I didn't know it then, but Percy was running right behind me. He looked unharmed and healthy as he stepped out of the mass of sheep.
"Tyson!" I yelled.
"Sister!" he yelled back, happily. "Brother!"
I jumped up to hug him, and he caught me, hugging back. I squeezed as hard as I could, wanting to know for certain that he was really here. "Oh, gods," I sobbed. "You're here. You're alive."
"Tyson," Percy beamed. "You're okay."
"Brother, sister," Tyson smiled. I pulled back so he could hug Percy.
"But how? How did you survive the blast?"
Tyson gave us the short version: Rainbow the hippocampus—who'd apparently been following us ever since the Long Island Sound, waiting for Tyson to play with him—had found Tyson sinking beneath the wreckage of the CSS _Birmingham_ and pulled him to safety. He and Tyson had been searching the Sea of Monsters ever since, trying to find us, until Tyson caught the scent of the sheep and found this island.
"Tyson, thank the gods," Percy said, then remembered our blond friend. "Annabeth is hurt!"
"You thank the gods she is hurt?" Tyson asked, puzzled.
"No!" I knelt beside Annabeth and was worried sick by what I saw. The gash on her forehead was worse than I'd realized. Her hairline was sticky with blood. Her skin was pale and clammy.
I exchanged nervous looks with Grover and Percy.
"Tyson," Percy said suddenly, "the Fleece. Can you get it for me?"
"Which one?" Tyson asked, looking around at the hundreds of sheep behind him.
"That one, in the tree! The gold one."
"Oh. Pretty. Yes."
"No!" I snapped, grabbing Tyson's arm. "He'll have to walk through those sheep."
"He did it before, and they left him alone."
"I don't care! We just got him back—"
"Annabeth _needs _that fleece, Cammie," Percy insisted. "The Fleece can heal her."
I had learned my lesson before about letting Tyson do something dangerous for us. But we had come here for the Fleece, and Annabeth needed it.
"If those sheep start taking love bites," I told him slowly, "you high tail it out of there, got it?"
Tyson nodded, and lumbered over, carful not to step on the sheep. If any of us had tried to approach the Fleece, we would've been eaten alive, but I guess Tyson smelled like Polyphemus, because the flock didn't bother him at all. They just cuddled up to him and bleated affectionately, as though they expected to get sheep treats from the big wicker basket. Tyson reached up and lifted the Fleece off its branch. Immediately the leaved on the oak tree turned yellow. Tyson started wading back toward us, but Percy yelled, "No time! Throw it!"
The gold ram skin sailed through the air like a glittering shag Frisbee. Percy and I caught it, almost being knocked to the ground in the process. It was heavier then it looked—sixty or seventy pounds of precious gold wool.
Percy took it, spreading it over Annabeth, covering everything except her face. I kneeled down beside her, brushing her hair out of her bloody face. I prayed silently to all the gods I could think of, even my father and the ones I didn't like.
_Please, _I begged. _Please heal her._
The color returned to her face. Her eyelids fluttered open. The cut on her forehead began to close. She saw Grover and said weakly, "You're not…married?"
Grover grinned. "No. My friends talked me out of it."
"That Cyclops wasn't good enough for our friend here," I said. "Only the best for our Grover."
"Annabeth," Percy said, "just lay still."
But despite our protests she sat up, and I noticed that cut on her face was almost completely healed. She looked a lot better. In fact, she shimmered with health, as if someone had injected her with glitter.
Meanwhile, Tyson was starting to have trouble with the sheep. "Down!" he told them as they tried to climb him, looking for food. A few were sniffing in our direction. "No, sheepies. This way! Come here!"
They heeded him, but it was obvious they were hungry, and they were starting to realize Tyson didn't have any treats for them. They wouldn't hold out forever with so much fresh meat nearby.
"We have to go," Percy said. "Our ship is…" The _Queen Anne's Revenge _was a very long way away. The shortest route was across the chasm, and we'd just destroyed the only bridge. The only other possibility was through the sheep.
"Tyson," I called, "can you lead the flock as far away as possible?"
"The sheep want food."
"I know! they want people food! Just lead them away from the path. Give us time to get to the beach. Then join us there."
Tyson looked doubtful, but he whistled. "Come, sheepies! Um, people food this way!"
He jogged off into the meadow, the sheep in pursuit.
"Keep the Fleece around you," Percy told Annabeth. "Just in case you're not fully healed yet. Can you stand?"
She tried, but her face turned pale again. "Ohh. _Not _fully healed."
Clarisse dropped next to her and felt her chest, which made Annabeth gasp.
"Ribs broken," Clarisse said. "They're mending, but definitely broken."
"How can you tell?" Percy asked.
Clarisse glared at him. "Because I've broken a few, runt! I'll have to carry her."
Before anyone could argue, Clarisse picked Annabeth up like a sack of flour and lugged her down to the beach. Grover, Percy and I followed.
As soon as we got to the edge of the water, Percy and I stopped to concentrate on the _Queen Anne's Revenge._ We willed it to raise anchor and come to us. After a few anxious minutes, the ship founded the tip of the island.
"Incoming!" Tyson yelled. He was bounding down the path to join us, the sheep about fifty yards behind, bleating in frustration as their Cyclops friend ran away without feeding them.
"They probably won't follow us into the water," I told the others. "All we have to do is swim for the ship."
"With Annabeth like this?" Clarisse protested.
"Unless you have another plan," I offered. "This is Percy and I's turf. We got this. Once we get to the ship, we're home free."
We almost made it, too.
We were just wading past the entrance to the ravine, when we heard a tremendous roar and saw Polyphemus, scraped up and bruised but still very much alive, his baby-blue wedding outfit in tatters, splashing toward us with a boulder in each hand.
"Oh, look," I muttered. "Polyphemus came to wish us a nice trip home."
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><p><strong>Can you believe it guys!? Only five more chapters! Then onto Titan's Curse! So exciting! I'll be taking a week or two off after this one is finished, just to take a break, and work on original stories and one-shots for other fandoms for a bit. I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. That's all for now. I'll probably be posting early because the next chapter is only seven pages long. So it'll be short, but it'll be soon.<strong>
**Night my Nerdletts.**
15. Chapter 15
WE GO DOWN WITH THE SHIP
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><p>"You'd think he'd run out of rocks," I muttered.<p>
"Swim for it!" Grover said.
He and Clarisse plunged into the surf. Annabeth hung on to Clarisse's neck and tried to paddle with one hand, the wet Fleece weighing her down.
But the monster's attention wasn't on the Fleece.
"You, young Cyclops!" Polyphemus roared. "Traitor to your kind!"
Tyson froze.
"Don't listen to him," I pleaded. "Come on."
"Tyson," Cammie said softly, grabbing his arm. "You saved us, you are no traitor. Let's run. Come on."
She pulled, and when he didn't budge, I helped her. But it was like trying to pull a mountain. Tyson turned and faced the older Cyclops. "I am not a traitor."
"You serve mortals!" Polyphemus shouted. "Thieving humans!"
Polyphemus threw his first boulder. Tyson swatted it aside with his fist.
"Not a traitor," Tyson said. "And you are _not _my kind."
"Death or victory!" Polyphemus charged into the surf, but his foot was still wounded. He immediately stumbled and fell on his face. That would've been funny, except he started to get up again, spitting salt water and growling.
"Percy, Cammie!" Clarisse yelled. "Come on!"
They were almost to the ship with the Fleece. If we could just keep the monster distracted a little bit longer…
"Go," Tyson told us, pushing Cammie towards me. "I will hold Big Ugly."
Cammie gripped his arm again, not really liking being pushed. "No! He'll kill you." Her voice was level, a scary calm.
"If you fight, we fight," I told him. "We're family, and we do this together."
"Together," Tyson agreed.
I drew my sword. "What a great little team we make."
Cammie smirked, drawing her own sword, spinning it's blade like a fan. "I only work with the best."
Polyphemus advanced carefully, limping worse than ever. But there was nothing wrong with his throwing arm. He chucked his second boulder. Cammie and I dove to the side, but we still would've been squashed if Tyson's fist hadn't blasted the rock to rubble.
"Hey Percy?" Cammie asked, standing. "Know what's better than one wave?" I could feel the sea start to rise, and understood.
"Two, obviously," I grinned. I willed the sea to rise. Cammie rose into the air on the crest of a twenty-foot wave, her face the one of a very happy mad man. I laughed as I rose, coming up just as high as her. "You're enjoying this!"
"Only as much as I should!" she yelled. "Ready?"
"As I'll ever be!"
We started to move, one of us on each side of the Cyclops. We rose toward each other, kicking him in the sides of his face, before leaping over his head, having the most epic high-five in history as we passed over, blasting him with the water, and landing on the other's wave safely as he crashed into the beach.
"Destroy you!" Polyphemus spluttered. "Fleece stealers!"
"_You _stole the Fleece!" I yelled. "You've been using it to lure satyrs to their deaths!"
"So? Satyrs good eating!"
"The Fleece should be used to heal!" Cammie yelled. "It has a greater purpose then this! It belongs to the children of the gods!"
"_I _am a child of the gods!" Polyphemus swiped at her, but she sidestepped. "Father Poseidon, curse this thief! Curse that thief! Curse all the thieves that have come to take my fleece!" He was blinking hard now, like he could barely see, and I realized he was targeting by the sound of our voices.
"Poseidon won't curse us," I said, backing up as the Cyclops grabbed air. "We're his children, too. He won't play favorites."
Polyphemus roared. He ripped an olive tree out of the side of the cliff and smashed it where I'd been standing a moment before. "Humans not the same! Nasty, tricky, lying!"
I looked to Cammie. _Do you understand? _I asked her. _Do you know how he's tracking us?_
She nodded. _I'm assuming, based on your jumping around after talking, that he's using his hearing?_
_Yes._
_Wow. If only you'd had that kind of sense when you talked to bullies._
I chuckled, and quickly jumped to the side as he took another swing at me.
Grover was helping Annabeth aboard the ship. Clarisse was waving frantically at us, telling us to come on.
Tyson worked his way around Polyphemus, trying to get behind him.
"Young one!" the older Cyclops called. "Where are you? Help me!"
Tyson stopped.
"You weren't raised right!" Polyphemus wailed, shaking his olive tree club. "Poor orphaned brother! Help me!"
No one moved. No sound but the ocean and my own heartbeat, matching with my siblings. Then Tyson stepped forward, raising his hands defensively. "Don't fight, Cyclops brother. Put down the—"
Polyphemus spun toward his voice.
"Tyson!" I shouted.
The tree struck him with such force it would've flattened me into a Percy pizza with extra olives. Tyson flew backward, plowing a trench in the sand. Polyphemus charged after him, but I shouted, "No!" and lunged as far as I could with Riptide. I'd hoped to sting Polyphemus in the back of the thigh, but I managed to leap a little bit higher.
"Blaaaaaah!" Polyphemus bleated just like his sheep, and swung at me with his tree.
I dove, but still got raked across the back by a dozen jagged branches. I was bleeding and bruised and exhausted. The guinea pig inside me wanted to bolt. But I swallowed down my fear.
"Percy!" Cammie yelled.
The Cyclops's attention turned to her. "Now I kill you!"
She ducked down as the tree swung her way. She ran around his legs, struggling to something out of her pocket. "You've been saying that all day, yet I'm still alive aren't I?"
"Not for long!"
"That's so cliché." She skidded to a halt, huddling close to the monster's leg, and wrapping her arms around it in a hug.
"Get off me!"
She let go, running away. "Okay, if you insist." As she ran, a thin strand trailed behind her. She continued her trek around the Cyclops's legs, the thread continuing behind her, also running around the monster. She held a small, silver, round thing in her hand. I soon recognized it as her super yo-yo.
I got up as quick as I could, meeting up with her as soon as the line stopped. "Tyson," I yelled. "Help us pull!"
He ran over and grabbed a hold of the line. Together, we all pulled, tripping the giant. As he fell, he screamed, yowling. We all abandoned the line, running for cover, not knowing where he was going to land. When he hit the ground with a thud, kicking up dirt and dust, Cammie ran back, disappearing into the cloud.
"Cammie?" I wondered, taking a few steps towards her.
Just a few seconds later, she ran back out, grabbing my hand. "Okay, time to go."
"What did you do?"
"A constrictor knot. One of the easiest knots to tie, but the hardest to untie. He'll have a tough time with that one. Come on, then."
"I will smash you!" Polyphemus screamed. He picked up his tree club and threw it into the water. It splashed off to our right.
I summoned up a current to carry us, and we started gaining speed. I was beginning to think we might make it to the ship, when Clarisse shouted from the deck, "Yeah, Jacksons! In your face, Cyclops!"
_Shut up,_ I wanted to yell.
"Rarrrr!" Polyphemus picked up a boulder. He threw it toward the sound of Clarisse's voice, but it fell short, narrowly missing Tyson, Cammie and me.
"Yeah, yeah!" Clarisse taunted. "You throw like a wimp! Teach you to try marrying me, you idiot!"
"Clarisse!" I yelled, unable to stand it. "Shut up!"
Too late. Polyphemus threw another boulder, and this time we watched helplessly as it sailed over our heads and crashed through the hull of the _Queen Anne's Revenge._
You wouldn't believe how fast a ship can sink. The _Queen Anne's Revenge _creaked and groaned and listed forward like it was going down a playground slide.
Cammie cursed, and I willed the sea to push us faster, but the ship's masts were already going under.
"Dive!" I told Tyson and Cammie. And as another rock sailed over our heads, we plunged underwater.
* * *
><p>My friends were sinking fast, trying to swim, without luck, in the bubbly trail of the ship's wreckage.<p>
Not many people realize that when a ship goes down, it acts like a sinkhole, pulling down everything around it. Clarisse was a strong swimmer, but even she wasn't making any progress. Grover frantically kicked with his hooves. Annabeth was hanging on to the Fleece, which flashed in the water like a wave of new pennies.
I swam toward them, knowing that I might not have the strength to pull my friends out. Both me and Cammie might not even be enough. Worse, pieces of timber were swirling around them; none of our powers with water would be any help if one of us got wacked on the head by a beam.
_We need help,_ I thought.
_Yes. _Scarily enough, that wasn't Cammie answering me. it was Tyson's voice, loud and clear in my head.
_Cammie, _I said. _Did you hear that?_
_Oh, so that wasn't you?_ _I was kind of hoping it might be._
_It's me!_ Tyson said.
We both looked over at him, startled. I'd heard Nereids and other water spirits speak to me underwater before, but it never occurred to me…Tyson was a son of Poseidon. We could communicate with each other.
_Wow, _Cammie laughed mentally. _Look at our great little team, getting greater with each second. _
_Rainbow, _Tyson said.
I nodded, then closed my eyes and concentrated, adding my voice to Tyson's, Cammie joining in a second later: _RAINBOW! We need you!_
Immediately, shapes shimmered in the darkness below—three horses with fish tails, galloping upward faster than dolphins. Rainbow and his friends glanced in our direction and seemed to read our thoughts. They whisked into the wreckage, and a moment later burst upward in a cloud of bubbles—Grover, Annabeth, and Clarisse each clinging to the neck of a hippocampus.
Rainbow, the largest, had Clarisse. He raced away from Polyphemus's island. Behind us, I could hear the Cyclops roaring in triumph, "I did it! I finally sank Nobody!"
"You know, technically he's not wrong," Cammie said. "He didn't sink anybody."
I laughed, jumping on the back of a hippocampus. "Let's go home."
We skimmed across the sea as the island shrank to a dot and then disappeared.
"Did it," Annabeth muttered in exhaustion. "We…"
She slumped against the neck of the hippocampus and instantly fell asleep.
I didn't know how far the hippocampi could take us. I didn't know where we were going. I just propped up Annabeth so she wouldn't fall off, covered her in the Golden Fleece that we'd been through so much to get, and said a silent prayer of thanks.
Which reminded me…I still owed the gods a debt.
"You're a genius," I told Annabeth quietly.
Then I put my head against the Fleece, ignoring Cammie's whistling, and before I knew it, I was asleep, too.
* * *
><p><strong>I think this is a record. My quickest update! And I finished the Tenth Doctor tonight too! Which is actually really sad, because I'm crying right now. I don't want you to go either, David! Sorry, Whovian nerd attack there. I'm going to try and update my Gallagher one-shots with my free time, but I'll start the next chapter this week. It'll be another short one. But man, school just started two weeks ago, and I'm exhausted. Not enough sleep for this nerd. Anyway, I love you all, and hope you have a great night.<strong>
**Sleep well, my nerdletts.**
16. Chapter 16
WE GET A SURPRISE ON MIAMI BEACH
* * *
><p>The sun was setting behind a city skyline. I wasn't sure which city it was exactly, but based on the large buildings dressed in neon, the palm trees, and the millions of sailboats and cruise ships, I would guess Miami. Salt water splashed my face. I let my head rest in-between Grover's shoulder blades. I hadn't slept a wink, despite being extremely tired.<p>
"Percy, wake up," Annabeth said. She shook his shoulder.
"Guess where we are!" I said as chipper as I could with my face pressed into a goat's back.
"Where?" Percy yawned, stretching.
"Miami. I'm nearly certain…maybe…" I yawned myself. "I haven't gotten much sleep."
"Why? What's wrong?"
"I'm sleeping on a goat."
"Hey!" Grover said, turning an offended faced on me.
"No offence. I mean, you have been held hostage for a long time, and weren't exactly given bathing privileges, so it's understandable that you smell disgusting."
"Thanks."
"I'm so tired," I muttered, "I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not."
"Guys," Annabeth said, "the hippocampi are acting funny."
Sure enough, our fishy friends had slowed down and were whinnying and swimming in circles, sniffing the water. They didn't look happy. Grover and mine sneezed.
"Gazuntite," I said.
"This is as far as they'll take us," Percy said. "Too many humans. Too much pollution. We'll have to swim to shore on our own."
None of us was very psyched about that, but we thanked Rainbow and his friends for the ride. Tyson cried a little. He unfastened the makeshift saddle pack he'd made, which contained his tool kit and a couple of other things he'd salvaged from the _Birmingham _wreck. He hugged Rainbow around the neck, gave him a soggy mango he'd picked up on the island, and said good-bye.
Once the hippocami's white manes disappeared into the sea, we swam for shore. The waves pushed us forward and in no time we were back in the mortal world. We wandered along the cruise line docks, pushing through crowds of people arriving for vacations. Porters bustled around with carts of luggage. Taxi drivers yelled at each other in Spanish and tried to cut in line for customers. If anybody noticed us—five kids dripping wet and looking like they'd just had a fight with a monster—they didn't let on.
Now that we were back among mortals, Tyson's single eye had blurred from the Mist. Grover had put on his cap and sneakers. Even the Fleece had transformed from a sheepskin to a red-and-gold high school letter jacket with a large glittery Omega on the pocket.
Annabeth ran to the nearest newspaper box and checked the date on the _Miami Herald. _She cursed. "June eighteenth! We've been away from camp ten days!"
"That's impossible!" Clarisse said.
But I knew it wasn't. Time traveled differently in monstrous places.
"Thalia's tree must be almost dead," Grover wailed. "We have to get the Fleece back _tonight."_
Clarisse slumped down on the pavement. "How are we supposed to do that?" Her voice trembled. "We're hundreds of miles away. No money. No ride. This is just like the Oracle said. It's _your _fault, Jacksons! If you hadn't interfered—"
"You'd be married to a Cyclops," I said.
Annabeth's face turned beat red. "Clarisse, how can you say that? You are the biggest—"
"Knock it off," Percy glared.
Clarisse put her head in her hands. Annabeth stomped her foot in frustration.
The thing was: I'd almost forgotten this quest was supposed to be Clarisse's. For a scary moment, I saw things from her point of view. How would I feel if a bunch of other heroes had butted in and made me look bad? Not well. In fact, she was handling this very well, if you compared her to me.
I thought about what I'd overheard in the boiler room of the CSS _Birmingham—_Ares yelling at Clarisse, warning her that she'd better not fail. Ares couldn't care less about the camp, but if Clarisse made him look bad…
"Clarisse," I said, "what did the Oracle tell you exactly?"
She looked up. I thought she was going to tell me off, but instead she took a deep breath and recited her prophecy:
_"You shall sail the iron ship with warriors of bone,_
_You shall find what you seek and make it your own,_
_ But despair for your life entombed within stone_
_And fail without friends, to fly home alone."_
"Ouch," Grover mumbled.
I sighed, letting my breath out slowly through my nose. "Well, I don't like it, but I knew what has to be done." I searched my pockets, not coming up with anything. "Cash? Anybody got cash?"
Annabeth and Grover shook their heads morosely. Percy dug in his pockets and took out a gold drachma. Clarisse pulled a wet Confederate dollar from her pocket and sighed.
"Cash?" Tyson asked hesitantly. "Like…green paper?"
I looked at him. "Yeah."
"Like the kind in duffel bags?"
"Yeah, but we lost those bags days a-g-g—"
I stuttered to a halt as Tyson rummaged in his saddle pack and pulled out a Ziploc bag full of cash that Hermes had included in our supplies.
"Tyson!" Percy said. "How did you—"
"Thought it was a feed bag for Rainbow," he said. "Found it floating in sea, but only paper inside. Sorry."
He handed me the cash. Five and tens, at least three hundred dollars. I shared a look with Percy, who smiled at me, knowingly.
_You know we have to do this,_ I said to him.
_I know._
_I don't want to, you know that, right?_
_I know._
_I mean I really, don't—_
_I know, Cammie. _
I ran to the curb and grabbed a taxi that was just letting out a family of cruise passengers. "Clarisse," I yelled. "Come on. You're going to the airport. Annabeth, hand her the Fleece."
I'm not sure which of them looked more stunned as I took the Fleece letter jacket from Annabeth, tucked the cash into its pocket, and put it in Clarisse's arms.
Clarisse said, "You'd let me—"
"We only have enough money for one flight. Percy and I can't travel by air. Zeus would blast us into a million pieces. That's what the prophecy meant: you'd fail without friends, meaning you'd need our help, but you'd have to fly home alone. You have to get the Fleece back safely." I handed it to her. "Anyway, who are we to take another demigod's quest?"
I could see her mind working—suspicious at first, wondering what trick was being played, then finally deciding I meant what I said.
She jumped in the cab. "You can count on me. I won't fail."
"I know you won't. There's no time for that."
The cab peeled out in a cloud of exhaust. The Fleece was on its way.
"Cam," Annabeth said, "that was so—"
"Generous," Percy smiled.
"_Insane,_" Annabeth corrected. "You're betting the lives of everybody at camp that Clarisse will get the Fleece safely back by tonight."
"It's her quest," I shrugged. "She deserves a chance."
"Cammie is nice," Tyson said.
"Cammie is _too _nice," Annabeth grumbled, but I could hear a slight impressed tone in her voice.
"I'm not nice," I scoffed.
Percy patted my shoulder. "Yes you are."
"No I'm _not!_ I'm really not nice. I just show empathy."
"In other words," Grover said, "you're nice."
Percy laughed, throwing an arm over my shoulder. "Come on," he said. "Let's find another way home."
When we turned, we found a sword's point at my brother's throat.
"Hey, cuz," said Luke. "Welcome back to the States."
His bear-man thugs appeared on either side of us. One grabbed Annabeth and Grover by their T-shirt collars. The other tried to grab Tyson, but Tyson knocked him into a pile of luggage and roared at Luke.
"Jacksons," Luke said calmly, "tell your giant to back down or I'll have Oreius bash your friends' heads together."
Oreius grinned and raised Annabeth and Grover off the ground, kicking and screaming.
"What do you want, Luke?" Percy growled.
He smiled, the scar rippling on the side of his face.
He gestured toward the end of the dock, and I noticed what should've been obvious. The biggest boat in port was the _Princess Andromeda._
"Why, Percy," Luke said. "I want to extend my hospitality, of course."
* * *
><p>The bear twins herded us aboard the <em>Princess Andromeda. <em>They threw us down on the aft deck in front of a swimming pool with sparkling fountains that sprayed into the air. a dozen of Luke's assorted goons—snake people, Laistrygonians, demigods in battle armor—had gathered to watch us get some "hospitality".
"As so, the Fleece," Luke mused. "Where is it?"
He looked us over, prodding Percy's shirt with the tip of his sword, poking Grover's jeans.
"Hey!" Grover yelled. "That's real goat fur under there!"
"Sorry, old friend." Luke smiled. "Just give me the Fleece and I'll leave you to return to your, ah, little nature quest."
"Blaa-ha-ha!" Grover protested. "Some old friend!"
"Maybe you didn't hear me." Luke's voice was dangerously calm. "Where—is—the—Fleece?"
"Not here," Percy said. The look on his face as the truth was thrown at him was priceless. "We sent it on ahead of us. You messed up."
Luke's eyes narrowed. "You're lying. You couldn't have…" His face reddened as a horrible possibility occurred to him. "Clarisse?"
Percy nodded.
"You trusted…you gave…"
"In case you were wondering," I said in a low voice. "You messed up when you underestimated us."
Suddenly a sword was blocking the line of sight of my right eye. He was pointing a sword at it. "You are at your most dangerous when you're silent, Cammie," he said. "I know that. When you're not running your mouth, you're observing. But the moment you open your mouth, you open yourself up to your enemies. That's why I love it when you talk."
The sword lowered, and I gave him a cold hard stare. He continued to stare back, his body quivering in anger.
"Agrius!" he yelled.
The bear giant flinched. "Y-yes?"
"Get below and prepare my steed. Bring it to the deck. I need to fly to the Miami Airport, fast!"
"But, boss—"
"Do it!" Luke screamed. "Or I'll feed you to the drakon!"
The bear-man gulped and lumbered down the stairs. Luke paced in front of the swimming pool, cursing in Ancient Greek, gripping his sword so tight his knuckles turned white.
The rest of Luke's crew looked uneasy. Maybe they'd never seen their boss so unhinged before. It was enjoyable.
I started thinking…if we could use Luke's anger, get him to talk so everybody could hear how crazy his plans were…
I looked at the swimming pool, at the fountains spraying mist into the air, making a rainbow in the sunset. And suddenly I had an idea.
_Percy, you still have that drachma?_
_Yes, but…_
_Hold on to it._
_But—oh, I got ya._
"You've been toying with us all along," I said. "You wanted us to bring you the Fleece and save you the trouble of getting it."
Luke scowled. "Of course, you idiot! And you've messed everything up!"
"Traitor!" Percy spat, throwing his last gold drachma out of his pocket and threw it at Luke. As expected, he dodged it easily. The coin sailed into the spray of rainbow-colored water.
I hoped our conjoined prayers would be accepted in silence. _Oh goddess, accept our offering. _
"You tricked all of us!" I yelled at Luke.
"Even DIONYSUS at CAMP HALF-BLOOD!" Percy said.
Behind Luke, the fountain began to shimmer, but I needed everyone's attention on us, so I pulled out my sword.
Luke just sneered. "This is no time for stupidity, Cameron. Drop your puny little sword, or I'll have you killed sooner rather than later."
"Who poisoned Thalia's tree, Luke," I asked.
"I did, of course," he snarled. "I already told you that. I used elder python venom, straight from the depths of Tartarus."
"Chiron had nothing to do with it?"
"Ha! You know he would never do that. The old fool wouldn't have the guts."
"You call it guts? Betraying your friends? Endangering the whole camp?"
Luke raised his sword. "You don't understand the half of it. I was going to let you take the Fleece…once I was done with it."
That made me hesitate. Why would he let us take the Fleece? He must've been lying. But I couldn't afford to lose his attention.
"You were going to heal Kronos," Percy said in my absence.
"Yes! The Fleece's magic would've sped his mending process by tenfold. But you haven't stopped us, Jacksons. You've only slowed us down a little."
"And so you poisoned the tree, you betrayed Thalia, you set us up—all to help Kronos destroy the gods?"
Luke gritted his teeth. "You know that! Why do you keep asking me?"
"Well, because obviously everyone in the audience does not."
"_What _audience?"
Then his eyes narrowed. He looked behind him and his goons did the same. They gasped and stumbled back.
Above the pool, shimmering in the rainbow mist, was an Iris-message vision of Dionysus, Tantalus, and the whole camp in the dining pavilion. They sat in stunned silence watching us.
"Well," said Dionysus dryly, "thank you, Cameron, for some unplanned dinner entertainment."
"Mr. D, you heard him," Percy said, slightly bitter at being left out. "You all heard Luke. The poisoning of the tree wasn't Chiron's fault."
Mr. D sighed. "I suppose not."
"The Iris-message could be a trick," Tantalus suggested, but his attention was mostly on his cheeseburger, which he was trying to corner with both hands.
"I fear not," Mr. D said, looking with distaste at Tantalus. "It appears I shall have to reinstate Chiron as activities director. I suppose I do miss the old horse's pinochle games."
"What about me!" I cried. "We're pinochle buddies!"
"You never let me win!"
Tantalus grabbed the cheeseburger. It didn't bolt away from him. he lifted it from the plate and stared at it in amazement, as if it were the largest diamond in the world. "I got it!" he cackled.
"We are no longer in need of your services, Tantalus," Mr. D announced.
Tantalus looked stunned. "What? But—"
"You may return to the Underworld. You are dismissed."
"No! But—Noooooooo!"
As he dissolved into mist, his fingers clutched at the cheeseburger, trying to bring it to his mouth. But it was too late. He disappeared and the cheeseburger fell back onto its plate. The campers exploded into cheering.
Luke bellowed with rage. He slashed his sword through the fountain and the Iris-message dissolved, but the deed was done.
I was feeling pretty good about myself, until Luke turned and gave me a murderous look.
"Kronos was right, Jacksons. You're an unreliable weapon. You need to be replaced."
I wasn't sure what he meant, but I didn't have time to think about it. One of his men blew a brass whistle, and the deck doors flew open. A dozen more warriors poured out making a circle around us, the brass tips of their spears bristling. Percy stood up beside me.
Luke smiled at me. "You'll never leave this boat alive."
* * *
><p><strong>so there is no excuse. I'm just horrible.<strong>
17. Chapter 17
THE PARTY PONIES INVADE
* * *
><p>"One on one," I challenged Luke. "What are you afraid of?"<p>
Luke curled his lips. The soldiers who were about to kill us hesitated, waiting for his order.
Before he could say anything, Agrius, the bear-man, burst onto the deck leading a flying horse. It was the first pure-black Pegasus I'd ever seen, with wings like a giant raven. The Pegasus mare bucked and whinnied. I could understand her thoughts. She was calling Agrius and Luke some names so bad Chiron would've washed her muzzle out with saddle soap.
"Sir!" Agrius called, dodging a Pegasus hoof. "You're steed is ready!"
Luke kept his eyes on me.
His face broke out into a sinister grin. "Na, not worth it. You can't bait me into a fight."
"You do a good job avoiding one," Cammie snarled. "Scared your warriors will see you get your butt whipped?"
Luke glanced at his men, and saw he'd been trapped. If he backed down now, he would look weak. If he fought us, he'd lose valuable time chasing after Clarisse. For our part, the best we could do was distract him, giving our friends a chance. If I was lucky, I could get Cammie to run too. If anybody could think of a plan to get them out, it was Cammie or Annabeth. One the downside, I knew how good Luke was at sword fighting.
"I'll kill you quickly," he decided, and raised his weapon. Backbiter was a foot longer than my own sword. Its blade glinted with an evil gray-and-gold light where the human steel had been melded with celestial bronze. I could almost feel the blade fighting against itself, like two opposing magnets bound together. I didn't know how the blade had been made, but I sensed a tragedy. Someone had died in the process. Luke whistled to one of his men, who threw him a round leather-and-bronze shield.
He grinned at us wickedly.
"Luke," Annabeth said, "at least give them shields."
"Sorry, Annabeth," he said. "You bring your own equipment to this party." He jerked his head towards Cammie. His men stepped forward, pulling her and the rest of our friends back.
"Hey!" Cammie yelled. "Get your hands off me! How am I going to fight with you lumps hanging off my back? Doesn't seem like a fair fight to me."
"I'm not fighting _both _of you," Luke laughed. "No, I've already tried you out, Cammie. Remember last summer? I'm sure you do. Anyway, I want to see how well Percy does now."
"That's right," I said. "You were too big of a coward to fight me then."
The shield was a problem. Fighting two-handed with just a sword gives you more power, but fighting one-handed with a shield gives you better defense and versatility. There are more moves, more options, more ways to kill. I thought back to Chiron, who'd told us to stay at camp no matter what, and learn to fight. Now I was going to pay for not listening to him.
Luke lunged and almost killed me on the first try. His sword went under my arm, slashing through my shirt and grazing my ribs.
"Percy!" Cam shouted. "On your right, on your right!"
"Shut her up!" Luke screamed. "And cover her eyes. We don't want any cheating, now do we?"
I tore my eyes away from the sight of the solders putting a sack over her head just in time to jump back, then counterattack with Riptide. But Luke slammed my blade away with his shield.
"My, Percy," Luke chided. "You're out practice."
He came at me again with a swipe to the head. I parried, returned with a thrust. He sidestepped easily.
The cut on my ribs stung. My heart was racing. When Luke lunged again, I jumped backward into the swimming pool and felt a surge of strength. I spun underwater, creating a funnel cloud, and blasted out of the deep end, straight at Luke's face.
The force of the water knocked him down, spluttering and blinded. But before I could strike, he rolled aside and was on his feet again.
I attacked and sliced off the edge of his shield, but that didn't even faze him. He dropped to a crouch and jabbed at my legs. Suddenly my thigh was on fire, with a pain so intense I collapsed. My jeans were ripped above the knee. I was hurt. I didn't know how badly. Luke hacked downward and I rolled behind a deck chair. I tried to stand, but my leg wouldn't take the weight.
"Perrrrrrcy!" Grover bleated.
I rolled again as Luke's sword slashed the deck chair in half, metal pies and all.
I clawed toward the swimming pool, trying hard not to black out. I'd never make it. Luke knew it, too. He advanced slowly, smiling. The edge of his sword was tinged with red.
_Percy! Percy! Tell me where you are, tell me the landmarks!_
I glanced around. _I'm a few feet away from the pool. I'm too far away, though, I won't make it._
_Where by the pool. Landmarks, more landmarks!_
_The pool chairs. I'm by the pool chairs. Smoothie bar on my right, burrito bar to my left, ice cream machine behind me. _
_Is Luke in the second or third row of pool chairs?_
_Second._
"One more thing I want you to watch before you die, Percy." He looked at the bear-man Oreius, who was still holding Annabeth and Grover by the necks. "You can eat your dinner now, Oreius. Bon appetite. I suggest starting with the sister."
"He-he! He-he!" The bear-man handed Annabeth off, grabbing for Cammie instead, who was still blind. He grabbed her by the neck, and lifted her, baring his teeth.
"No!" I shouted.
That's when all Hades broke loose.
A ball of water sprung from the pool, followed by a second, larger one. The first one hit Luke smack-dab in the face, following him to the pool deck, where it continued to blind him. The second poured over me, washing me away into the pool. I hit the water with a splash, and those cuts started mending themselves. I came above the water, ready to fight the bear-man with my bare hands, only to find a red-feathered arrow sprouting from Oreius's mouth. With a surprised look on his hairy face, he crumpled to the deck.
"Brother!" Agrius wailed. He let the pegasus's reins go slack just long enough for the black steed to kick him in the head and fly away free over Miami Bay.
For a split second, Luke's guards were too stunned to do anything except watch the bear twins' bodies dissolve into smoke.
Then there was a wild chorus of war cries and hooves thundering against metal. A dozen centaurs charged out of the main stairwell.
"Ponies!" Tyson cried with delight.
My mind had trouble processing everything I saw. Chiron was among the crowd, but his relatives were almost nothing like him. There were centaurs with black Arabian stallion bodies, others with gold palomino coats, others with orange-and-white spots like paint horses. Some wore brightly colored T-shirts with Day-Glo letters that said PARTY PONIES: SOUTH FLORIDA CHAPTER. Some were armed with bows, some with baseball bats, some with paintball guns. One had his face painted like a Comanche warrior and was waving a large orange Styrofoam hand making a big Number 1. Another was bare-chested and painted entirely green. A third had googly-eye glasses with the eyeballs bouncing around on Slinky coils, and one of those baseball caps with soda-can-and-straw attachments on either side.
They exploded onto the deck with such ferocity and color that for a moment even Luke was stunned, once the water let him go. I couldn't tell whether they had come to celebrate or attack.
Apparently both. As Luke was raising his sword to rally his troops, a centaur shot a custom-made arrow with a leather boxing glove on the end. It smacked Luke in the face and sent him crashing into the swimming pool. Cammie helped pull me out.
Luke's warriors scattered. I couldn't blame them. Facing the hooves of a rearing stallion is scary enough, but when it's a centaur, armed with a bow and whooping it up in a soda-drinking hat, even the bravest warrior would retreat.
"Come get some!" yelled one of the party ponies.
They let loose with their paintball guns. A wave of blue and yellow exploded against Luke's warriors, blinding them and splattering them from head to toe. They tried to run, only to slip and fall.
Chiron galloped toward Annabeth and Grover, neatly plucking them off the deck, and deposited them on his back.
I tried to get up, but my wounded leg still felt like it was on fire, despite my plunge back in the pool. Cammie wrapped my arm around her shoulder, hauling me up onto my feet. In this mass confusion, we didn't know where to go, except near our friends. My sister dragged me under flailing arms and off target arrows.
Luke was crawling out of the pool.
"Attack, you fools!" he ordered his troops. Somewhere down below deck, a large alarm bell thrummed.
I knew any second we would be swamped by Luke's reinforcements. Already, his warriors were getting over their surprise, coming at the centaurs with swords and spears drawn.
Tyson slapped half a dozen of them aside, knocking them over the guardrail into Miami Bay. But more warriors were coming up the stairs.
"Withdraw, brethren!" Chiron said.
"You won't get away with this, horse man!" Luke shouted. He raised his sword, but got smacked in the face with another boxing glove arrow, and sat down hard in a deck chair.
A palomino centaur hoisted me and Cammie onto his back. "Due, get your big friend!"
"Tyson!" I yelled. "Come on!"
Tyson dropped the two warriors he was about to tie into a knot and jogged after us. He jumped on the centaur's back, right behind Cammie.
"Dude!" the centaur groaned, almost buckling under Tyson's weight. "Do the words 'low-carb diet' mean anything to you?"
Luke's warriors were organizing themselves into a phalanx. But by the time they were ready to advance, the centaurs had galloped to the edge of the deck and fearlessly jumped the guardrail, as if it were a steeplechase and not ten stories above the ground. I was sure we were going to die. We plummeted toward the docks, but the centaurs hit the asphalt with hardly a jolt and galloped off, whooping and yelling taunts at the _Princess Andromeda _as we raced into the streets of downtown Miami.
* * *
><p>I have no idea what the Miamians thought as we galloped by.<p>
Streets and buildings began to blur as the centaurs picked up speed. It felt as if space were compacting—as if each centaur step took us miles and miles. In no time, we'd left the city behind. We raced through marshy fields of high grass and ponds and stunted trees.
Finally, we found ourselves in a trailer park at the edge of a lake. The trailers were all horse trailers, tricked out with televisions and mini-refrigerators and mosquito netting. We were in a centaur camp.
"Dude!" said a party pony as he unloaded his gear. "Did you see that bear guy? He was all like: 'Whoa, I have an arrow in my mouth!'"
The centaur with the googly-eye glasses laughed. "That was awesome! Head slam!"
The two centaurs charged at each other full-force and knocked heads, then went staggering off in different directions with crazy grins on their faces.
Chiron sighed. He set Annabeth and Grover down on a picnic blanket next to me and Cammie. "I really wish my cousins wouldn't slam their heads together. They don't have the brain cells to spare."
"You're the black sheep of the family, aren't you," Cammie muttered, looking around. "Or, I guess, black horse."
"Yes, thank the Gods."
"Chiron," I said, still stunned by the fact that he was here. "You saved us."
He gave me a dry smile. "Well now, I couldn't very well let you die, especially since you cleared my name."
"But how did you know where we were?" Annabeth asked.
"Advanced planning, my dear. I figured you would wash up near Miami if you made it out of the Sea of Monsters alive Almost everything strange washes up near Miami."
"Gee, thanks," Grover mumbled.
"No, no," Chiron said. "I didn't mean…Oh, never mind. I _am _glad to see you, my young satyr. The point is, I was able to eavesdrop on Percy's Iris-message and trace the signal. Iris and I have been friends for centuries. I asked her to alert me to any important communications in the area. It then took no effort to convince my cousins to ride to your aid. As you see, centaurs can travel quite fast when we wish to. Distance for us is not the same as distance for humans."
I looked over at the campfire, where three party ponies were teaching Tyson to operate a paintball gun. I hoped they knew what they were getting into.
"So what now?" I asked Chiron. "We just let Luke sail away? He's got Kronos aboard that ship."
"Or parts of him, at least," Cammie said.
Chiron knelt, carefully folding his front legs underneath him. He opened the medicine pouch on his belt and started to treat my wounds. "I'm afraid, Percy, that today has been something of a draw. We didn't have the strength of numbers to take that ship. Luke was not organized enough to pursue us. Nobody won."
"But we got that Fleece!" Annabeth said. "Clarisse is on her way back to camp with it right now."
Chiron nodded, though he still looked uneasy. "You are all true heroes. And as soon as we get Percy fixed up, you must return to Half-Blood Hill. The centaurs shall carry you."
"You're coming, too?" I asked.
"Oh yes, Percy. I'll be relieved to get home. My brethren here simply do not appreciate Dean Martin's music. Besides, I must have some words with Mr. D. There's the rest of the summer to plan. So much training to do. And I want to see…I'm curious about the fleece."
I didn't know exactly what he meant, but it made me worried about what Luke had said: _I was going to let you take the Fleece…once I was done with it._
Had he just been lying? I'd learned with Kronos there was usually a plan within a plan. The titan lord wasn't called the Crooked One for nothing. He had ways of getting people to do what he wanted without them ever realizing his true intentions.
Over by the campfire, Tyson let loose with his paintball gun. A blue projectile splattered against one of the centaurs, hurling him backward into the lake. The centaur came up grinning, covered in swamp muck and blue paint, and gave Tyson two thumbs up.
Cammie sighed, a deep, heavy breath. Her head leaned against my shoulder, letting her eyes flutter close. "We are in desperate need of a vacation after this," she whispered. "One without monsters, or quests, or sword fighting."
I couldn't help but agree with that idea. A vacation would be very nice. Especially after this mess.
"Annabeth," Chiron said, "perhaps you and Grover would go supervise Tyson and my cousins before they, ah, teach each other too many bad habits?"
Annabeth met his eyes. Some kind of understanding passed between them.
"Sure, Chiron," Annabeth said. "Come on, goat boy."
"But I don't like paintball."
"Yes, you do." She hoisted Grover to his hooves and led him off toward the campfire.
Chiron finished bandaging my leg. "Percy, I had a talk with Annabeth on the way here. A talk about the prophecy."
Uh-oh, I thought.
"It wasn't her fault," I said. "I made her tell me."
His eyes flickered with irritation. I was sure he was going to chew Cammie and I out, but then his look turned to weariness. "I suppose I could not expect to keep it secret forever."
"So _we _are the ones in the prophecy?" Cammie asked, sitting up fully.
Chiron shook his head, tucking his bandages back into his pouch. "The prophecy speaks of one, not two. Even twins aren't spoken as one in prophecies. There'd at least be a hint if that was the case. No, only one of you. Anyway, I wish I knew for certain. You're not yet sixteen. For now we must simply train you as best we can, and leave the future to the Fates."
The Fates. I hadn't thought about those old ladies in a long time, but as soon as chiron mentioned them, something clicked.
"That's what it meant," I said.
Chiron frowned. "That's what _what _meant?"
"Last summer. The omen from the Fates, when I saw them snip somebody's life string. I thought it meant I, or Cammie, or maybe both of us were going to die right away, but it's worse than that. It's got something to do with your prophecy. The death they foretold—it's going to happen with we're sixteen."
Chiron's tail whisked nervously in grass. "My boy, you can't be sure of that. We don't even know if the prophecy is about one of you."
"But there isn't any other half-blood child of the Big Three! There is me, and there is Cammie!"
"That we know of," Cammie scoffed. "What? They've been known to get around," she said at the look I gave her.
"And Kronos is rising. He's going to destroy Mount Olympus!"
"He will try," Chiron agreed. "And Western Civilization along with it, if we don't stop him. But we _will _stop him. You will not be alone in that fight."
I knew he was trying to make me feel better, but I remembered what Annabeth had told me. It would come down to one hero. One decision that would save or destroy the West. And I felt sure the Fates had been giving us some kind of warning about that. Something terrible was going to happen, either to me, or Cammie, or somebody we were close to.
"We're just _kids,_ Chiron," I said miserably. "What good is one lousy hero against something like Kronos?"
Chiron managed a smile. "'What good is one lousy hero'? Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain said something like that to me once, just before he single-handedly changed the course of your Civil War."
He pulled an arrow from his quiver and turned the razor-sharp tip so it glited in the firelight. "Celestial bronze, Jacksons. An Immortal weapon. What would happen if you shot this at a human?"
"Nothing," Cammie said. "It would pass right through them."
"That's right," he said. "Humans don't exist on the same level as the immortals. They can't even be hurt by our weapons. But you, Jacksons—you are part god, part human. You live in both worlds. You can be harmed by both, and you can affect both. _That's _what makes heroes so special. You carry the hopes of humanity into the realm of the eternal. Monsters never die. They are reborn from the chaos and barbarism that is always bubbling underneath civilization, the very stuff that makes Kronos stronger. They must be defeated again and again, kept at bay. Heroes embody that struggle. You fight the battles humanity must win, every generation, in order to stay human. Do you understand?"
"I…I don't know."
"You must try, Jacksons. Because whether or not one of you is the child of the prophecy, Kronos thinks you might be. And after today, he will finally despair of turning you to his side. That _is _the only reason he hasn't killed you yet, you know. As soon as he's sure he can't use you, he will destroy you."
"You talk like you know him," I noted.
Chiron pursed his lips. "I _do _know him."
Cammie and I share a look, before staring at our elderly teacher. Sometimes, I forget just how old Chiron is. "Is that why Mr. D blamed you when the tree was poisoned?" Cammie asked. "Why you said some people don't trust you?"
"Indeed."
"But, Chiron," I stuttered. "…I mean, come on! Why would they think you'd ever betray the camp for Kronos?"
Chiron's eyes were deep brown, full of thousands of years of sadness. "Percy, remember your training. Remember your study of mythology. What is my connection to the titan lord?"
I tried to think, but I'd always gotten my mythology mixed up. Even now, when it was so real, so important to my own life, I had trouble keeping all the names and facts straight.
Suddenly, Cammie's head pops up, her mouth agape. "Oh, gods," she whispered. "Oh…how could I forget—?"
"What?" I asked. "Uh…you owe Kronos a favor or something? He spared your life?'
"Percy," Chiron said, his voice impossibly soft. "The titan Kronos is my father."
* * *
><p><strong>All I have to say for my absence is that another fandom has entered and ruined my life. Thank you, Supernatural for being another reason I have no life. So, yeah, sorry for the delayed chapter, again, because I'm a horrible person. Next chapter is going to pull at your Gallagher heart strings. You'll know exactly what's going to happen the moment it starts. Meaning, there will be a very special Gallagher Girl Series guest making an appearance soon, and it's probably the last person you expected…hopefully. Review who you think will show up! Or don't. It's your life, I won't tell you how to run it. But it would be nice. So yeah, thanks for everything, guys, and hopefully I'll have this next one out on time. the obsession is taming itself…for now. <strong>
**Goodnight my Nerdletts.**
18. Chapter 18
THE FLEECE WORKS ITS MAGIC TOO WELL
* * *
><p>We arrived in Long Island after Clarisse, thanks to the centaurs' travel powers. Percy rode on Chiron's back, but I didn't see much talking going on. I knew how hard that must have been for Chiron to tell us. I wanted to push—I'm kind of a pushy person—but Madam Dabney's lessons started singing in the back of my head, telling me to, politely, shut my trap and keep my questions to myself. I've meet plenty of embarrassing parents, but Kronos, the evil titan lord who wanted to destroy Western Civilization? Not the kind of dad you invited to school for career day.<p>
When we got to camp, the centaurs were anxious to meet Dionysus. They'd heard he threw some really wild parties, but they were disappointed. The wine god was in no mood to celebrate as the whole camp gathered at the top of Half-Blood Hill. Roe and Josh were the first to greet us. Roe attacked me with her abnormally strong arms, cutting off my circulation, while Josh waited patiently for his hug. He looked tiered and restless, but you could barely tell with that dorky smile on his face.
The camp had been through a hard two weeks. The arts and crafts cabin had burned to the ground from an attack by a _Draco Aionius _(which as near as I could figure was Latin for "really-big-lizard-with-breath-that-blows-stuff-up"). The Big House's rooms were overflowing with wounded. The kids in the Apollo cabin, who were the best healers, had been working overtime performing first aid. Everybody looked weary and battered as we crowded around Thalia's tree.
The moment Clarisse draped the Golden Fleece over the lowest bough, the moonlight seemed to brighten, turning from gray to liquid silver. A cool breeze rustled in the branches and rippled through the grass, all the way into the valley. Everything came into sharper focus—the glow of the fireflies down in the woods, the smell of the strawberry fields, the sound of the waves on the beach.
Gradually, the needles on the pine tree started turning from brown to green.
Everybody cheered. It was happening slowly, but there could be no doubt—the Fleece's magic was seeping into the tree, filling it with new power and expelling the poison.
Chiron ordered a twenty-four/seven guard duty on the hilltop, at least until he could find an appropriate monster to protect the Fleece. He said he'd place an ad in _Olympus Weekly _right away.
In the meantime, Clarisse was carried on her cabin mates' shoulders down to the amphitheater, where she was honored with a laurel wreath and a lot of
>celebrating around the campfire.<p>
"She deserves it," I said, locking elbows with Percy, and resting my head on his shoulder.
"You're being nice," Percy warned, smiling down at me.
"Shut up," I gently sighed.
Roe cocked a hip to the side. "That should be you guys," she complained.
I nudged her hip with my own. "I'm just glad we're not expelled."
Nobody gave Annabeth, Percy or I a second look. It was as if we'd never left. In a way, I guess that was the best thank-you anyone could give us, because if they admitted we'd snuck out of camp to do the quest, they'd have to expel us. And really, I didn't want any more attention. It felt good to be just one of the campers for once.
Later that night, as we were roasting s'mores and listening to the Stoll brothers tell us a ghost story about an evil king who was eaten alive by demonic breakfast pastries, Clarisse shoved me from behind and whispered in my ear, "Just because you were cool one time, Jacksons, don't think you're off the hook with Ares. I'm still waiting for the right opportunity to pulverize you."
I gave her a grudging smile.
"What?" she demanded.
I patted her shoulder. "It's good to be back, Clarisse. It's good to be back."
Suddenly arms were swung around Percy and I's shoulders. I looked up at my Roe, who smirked down at me. "If no one else is going to do it, I will." She looked up at everyone. "Let's have a round of applause for these heroes!" She grabbed our hands, standing us up, and holding them up high. It started out slowly, with only a few claps here and there, but then it turned into a full out riot of cheers and whistles. I blushed, not liking all the attention. Looking down, I saw Clarisse rolling her eyes. I paused for a moment before reaching down and grabbing her arm. "If I have to deal with this, so do you," I hissed at her. She glares back, but I've been trained to read emotions. And as much as I hate to have to say it, I could see the happiness in her eyes.
Percy had grabbed Annabeth, and we both dropped Roe's hands to grab Tyson's. The cheers continued, reaching such high levels of loudness, you were sure people in town could hear us. I looked out, at everyone. Josh was clapping, watching us with a proud smile. I blushed and turned away, only to look at Roe, who was wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.
Annabeth yelled over the noise: "Hold up! Listen! We've got something to say!"
The crowd didn't want to be quiet, but Annabeth made herself heard: "We couldn't have done it without somebody very important! We wouldn't have gotten the Fleece or saved Grover or anything. We owe our lives to Tyson, Percy and Cammie's…"
"Brother!" Percy shouted. "Tyson, our baby brother!"
Tyson blushed. The crowd cheered. Annabeth planted a kiss on Percy's cheek. I cheered for _that_. The roaring got a lot louder after that.
* * *
><p>"You're a pretty boy," I told the gray and black speckled horse, lovingly named Francesco, as I brushed his mane. "You are the prettiest boy I know."<p>
The rest of the male horses in the stables started to whine and kick.
It was late one night when Percy and I decided to pay the stables a visit. The week had gone so well. Everyone was treating Tyson like a hero. He was enjoying all the attention. I enjoyed teasing him about it.
Percy looked up from my book of myths that Josh had given, giving me a teasing smile. "I think you've upset them."
"I was just joking, you're all pretty," I told the other horses to calm them down. Leaning in close to Francesco, so only he could hear, I whispered, "But you are the prettiest, my pretty boy."
Francesco pranced happily in place, nuzzling my neck. I continued to cooed and praise him, when somebody right behind me said, "Fine animals, horses. Wish I'd thought of them."
A middle-age guy in a postal carrier outfit was leaning against the stable door. He was slim, with curly black hair under his white pith helmet, and he had a mailbag slung over his shoulder.
Percy sat up quickly, closing the book and putting it down.
"Hermes?" I stammered.
"Hello, Jacksons. Didn't recognize me without my jogging clothes?"
"Uh…"I wasn't sure whether I was supposed to kneel or buy stamps from him or what.
"Oh, listen," Percy said, standing up, "Lord Hermes, about Luke…"
The god arched his eyebrows.
"Uh, we saw him, all right," I continued, "but—"
"You weren't able to talk sense into him?"
"Well, we kind of tried to kill each other in a duel to the death."
"I see. You tried the diplomatic approach."
"We're really sorry," Percy said. "I mean, you gave us those awesome gifts and everything. And I know you wanted Luke to come back. But…he's turned bad. _Really _bad. He said he feels like you abandoned him."
I waited for Hermes to get angry. I figured in his rage, he'd turn Percy and I into some kind of stinky farm animal, like goats, or alpacas. Based on how Percy explained his time as a hamster, that was not something to look forward to.
Instead, he just sighed. "Do you ever feel your father abandoned _you, _Cameron?"
Oh, man, that was a can of worms he did _not _want to open up with a loud mouth like myself.
"Sir," I said slowly, choosing my words as wisely as possible. "My feelings towards my father can't easily be explained without me monologing. There is _no _way for me to explain it while being polite. Put simply, it's hard to feel like he _didn't _when I've only met the man once, and haven't heard from him since."
Hermes turned to Percy. "And how about you?"
Percy looked up at him slowly. "Only a few hundred times a day."
That actually took me by surprise. I knew Percy took our father's abandonment much better than I did, but I have a tendency to over excaudate, and there is no way a kid can go through what we have, and not have some negative feelings toward the man. We'd never been to his underwater palace. And then with Tyson—no warning, no explanation, just _boom,_ you have a brother. And then all the work we did, Percy in particular, and no recognition at all. Our father didn't notice what we'd done. He didn't say anything. He was even more absent then when we thought he was dead.
Hermes readjusted the mailbag on his shoulder. "Jacksons, the hardest part about being a god is that you must often act indirectly, especially when it comes to your own children. If we were to intervene every time our children had a problem…well, that would only create more problems and more resentment. But I believe if you give it some thought, you will see that Poseidon _has _been paying attention to you. He has answered your prayers. I can only hope that one day, Luke may realize the same about me. Whether you feel like you succeeded or not, you reminded Luke who he was. You spoke to him."
"We tried to kill him," I deadpanned.
Hermes shrugged. "Families are messy. Immortal families are eternally messy. Sometimes the best we can do is to remind each other that we're related, for better or worse…and try to keep the maiming and killing to a minimum."
I pursed my lips. "Wow, gods and humans are on pretty different spectrums of normal, aren't they?"
Hermes smirked. "Lucky you, you're on both."
It didn't sound like much of a recipe for the perfect family.
_Hermes may have a point, _Percy said. _Poseidon had sent the hippocampi to help us. He'd given us powers over the sea that we didn't know we had. _
I scoffed. _Big whoop, thanks daddy-o, you're totally forgiven for the abandonment._
_He brought us together with Tyson._
For all you out there with older brothers, you'll understand how annoying it is when they make a decent point.
_Shut up._
_I can't. I'm in your head. _
In the distance, the conch horn sounded, signaling curfew.
"You should get to bed," Hermes said. "I've helped you get into quite enough trouble this summer already. I really only came to make this delivery."
"A delivery?" Percy asked.
"I _am _the messenger of the gods, Percy." He took an electronic signature pad from his mailbag and handed it to him. "Oldest signs. Sign there please."
Percy picked up the stylus, and a moment later dropped it. "Ah!"
_Ouch, _said George.
_Really, Percy, _Martha scolded. _Would you want to be dropped on the floor of a horse stable?_
"Oh, uh, sorry." I only giggled, glad I wasn't the one who had to be touching snakes. He picked up the stylus, and I could see Martha and George wiggling under Percy's grip.
_Did you bring me a rat? _George asked.
"No…" Percy stumbled. "Uh, we didn't find any."
_What about a guinea pig?_
I couldn't hold in my laughed this time, instead snorting like a pig, followed by uncontrollable laughter.
_George! _Martha chided. _Don't tease the boy._
Percy signed his name and gave the pad back to Hermes.
In exchange, he handed him a sea-blue envelope.
My laughter ceased when I saw it. I knew it was from our father. I could sense his power from where I stood a few feet away, as if the envelope itself had been folded out of his aura.
"Well, I should get going," Hermes said. "Lots of packages to deliver. Gods don't like it when their stuff is late."
_Don't be too discouraged when you read it, dears, _Martha told us. _He does have your interests at heart._
"What do you mean?" Percy asked.
_Don't mind her, _George said. _And next time, remember, snakes work for tips._
"Enough, you two," Hermes said. "Goodbye, Jacksons. For now."
Small white wings sprouted from his pith helmet. He began to flow, and I knew enough about the gods to avert my eyes before he revealed his true divine form. With a brilliant white flash he was gone, and we were alone with the horses.
I stared at the blue envelope in Percy's hands. It was addressed in strong but elegant handwriting that I'd seen once before, one a package Poseidon had sent to us last summer.
_Percy and Cammie Jackson_
_c/a Camp Half-Blood_
_Farm Road 3.141_
_Long Island, New York 11954_
An actual letter from our father. I could feel the thoughts running through Percy's head like a million stampeding horses. _Maybe he'll tell us we'd done a good job getting the Fleece. He'd explain about Tyson, or apologize for not talking to us sooner. _He had so many hopes about our father, none that I could share, that refused to let my negativity towards the man show. For Percy's sake, I would pretend this letter was a gift worth celebrating.
He opened the envelope and unfolded the paper.
Two simple words were printed in the middle of the page:
_Brace yourselves_
* * *
><p>It was a long night. I could feel Percy's disappointment radiating off of him, and I didn't have to be connected to him to feel that. Not that I was surprised. I knew from the moment that letter was handed over that there would be some heartbreak. On nights like this, I'd hold my hand out to him and neither of us would let go till it all felt better again. Percy was awake all night, and even though I could feel his mind nudging mine to go to sleep, I couldn't leave him like this.<p>
And, if I'm going to be honest, I was kind of disappointed myself. Not for my sake—I didn't expect the man to put any effort forth my way—but Percy deserved more than two simple, impersonal words. He kept his slight faith in the man intact, and all he gets in return was _brace yourselves?_ I was tempted to march to his underwater castle and throttle him myself, Immortal or not. Why go through the trouble of writing a letter only to write two words. I don't care what his reasons for being so vague. Maybe he didn't know what he was warning us about, but he knew something big was coming—and you'd think he'd mention that.
Things were just so easy before last summer. I didn't have to worry about losing my brother, or my friends (even though at the time, I didn't really have friends.). I didn't have to worry about Cyclopes, or quests, or making life threatening decisions on new one eyed brothers. Dads didn't matter. All I had to worry about was how I was going to get expelled from my next school. It may have sucked, but it was simple.
The sun was just starting to rise, shining off the lake. Percy rolled over, twisting my arm slightly weird. "Come on," he urged. "Get a few hours of sleep. Just a few. For me."
I laughed softly, so I wouldn't wake Tyson. "It's not every day I get to watch the sun rise over the lake. And sleep is overrated. It's for pansies. Liz stayed up for eight days in a row, no sleep, running off coffee alone, and she was fine. Nurse made her sleep all weekend after she collapsed in the cafeteria, but she was fine."
He studied me for a moment. "You're going back to Gallagher, just so you know."
I winced. We hadn't talked about that subject for a while, and I had been putting it off. "You were right. You and mom need me. I can't just leave you again."
"Come on, stop being stupid. You'll make Vanessa regret choosing you," he teased. "I'll never been completely fine with you leaving. Got that? Never. But you do have to leave. I will _not _be the one to hold you back from becoming the gender bent James Bond. You have butts to kick and damsels to…what's the male version of damsel? Dams? Let's go with dams. You'll save dams in distress and make the world a better place." He gave my hand a squeeze. "Cammie, you were born to rid the world of its monsters. And monsters don't always come in scaly, slimy packages. Sometimes they come in the form of humans. And those are the worst kinds. And this world needs a hero like you to save it."
I smiled at him. "That was cheesy. Cheesy, but affective. You win."
He winked. Pulling my hand, he said, "Well, if you're not going to sleep, we can watch the sunrise together."
I jumped up out of bed, never disconnecting our hands, and crawled in beside him. I laid my head on his shoulder, breathing in the morning air.
"You know you're the best big brother in the world, right?" I said.
"That much is obvious, but feel free to elaborate," he smirked.
"Don't laugh at me now, but I want you to know that you've taught me a lot of good things."
"Like what?"
I looked up at him. "You know how when I first met Tyson, I didn't get scared or all bratty or nothing?"
He nodded. "You're a nice person, figures you wouldn't."
I socked his arm. "I'm not nice. Anyway, I didn't do that because after all these years you've been taking care of me, and being a great big brother, I saw it as a chance to be just as great of a big sister. You know, try and take care of him, hold his hand when he gets scared. I guess we're so much alike that I thought I'd just try and be you."
He bonked my head against mine softly. "Well, I am pretty great."
"And arrogant."
He gasped at me in mock surprise. "Now I'm being you!"
I grabbed my pillow and slapped him upside the head with it. That was the first blow in our pillow fight. With all the thumping and squeals, we ended up waking Tyson, who sat up groggily.
"What's going on?" he asked. "Is there a monster in our cabin?"
"Yes," I replied, startling Percy on the ground. "Its name is Perceditis, and it must parish!" I wrestled Percy's pillow out from his grasp, throwing it at Tyson. "Help me, brother!"
Tyson quickly rushed over and started swinging. Percy covered his face while we mercilessly beat him into pudding. I'm pretty sure we woke the entire camp with our war cries and uncontrolled giggling. None of us really cared. A moment without worry was a rarity it seemed. Summer was almost over and sometime kicking family's butt was fun.
All three of us lay on the cabin's floor, still laughing. Tyson sat up. "Here," he said, handing something to Percy. It was a wristwatch. Nothing was particularly special about it—just a white-and-silver clock face, a black leather strap—but as soon as I saw it I realized that this is what Tyson had been tinkering on all summer.
I had never seen Percy wear a watch in all his life. He always said he didn't care what time it was—probably why he was late all the time. But Tyson was like a giant puppy, and saying no to him wasn't ever going to happen.
"Thanks, man," Percy said. He put it on, admiring it.
He held something out to me. "I made this for you."
He dropped it into my open hand. It was a bracelet. It had a thick bronze chainmail strap, with a copper ring holding it together. The ring had two twists in it, making it look like it was overlapping itself. Inside the ring, spinning on a thin metal dowel, there was a turquoise sea glass circle, with paua shell in the middle. It was by far one of the most beautiful pieces of jewelry I had ever had the privilege to hold.
I hate to admit it, but I started tearing up a bit. It was just so beautiful, and to know Tyson had made it for me—it got me all emotional.
Tyson studied me. "Do you like it?"
I flung my arms around him. "Oh, gods, Tyson, yes. It's beautiful."
"Annabeth said it would be pretty."
"Annabeth was right."
"Didn't finish in time for trip," Tyson mumbled. "Sorry, sorry."
"Come on, big guy," I said. "Don't sweat the small stuff."
"If you ever need protection, you hit the button"—he pointed at Percy—"and you hit the shell."
"What does it do?" Percy asked.
"Hit the button."
Percy did just that, and instantly, the watch changed. It expanded, the metal rim spiraling outward like an old fashioned camera shutter, a leather strap wrapping around his forearm until he was holding a round war shield four feet wide.
"Incredible," Percy inhaled. I reached out to touch it. The inside was soft leather, the outside polished bronze engraved with designs. Hammered into the bronze were pictures in Ancient Greek style, scenes from our adventures this summer. There was Annabeth slaying a Laistrygonian dodgeball player, Percy and I fighting the bronze bulls on Half-Blood Hill, Tyson riding Rainbow toward the _Princess Andromeda, _The CSS _Birmingham _blasting its cannons at Charybdis. Percy ran his hand across a picture of Tyson, battling the Hydra as he held aloft a box of Monster Donuts.
"Too cool," I said. "Way too cool."
Tyson nodded at me. "Try yours out."
I put it on and pressed the button. The ring untwisted, snapping open. It, too, created a four foot wide shield. Its surface was covered in the same story. Twin shields for twin siblings. Only instead of leather there was some kind of blue material on the inside. It was smooth, and shimmered in the light.
"Shell fabric," Tyson explained. "Special. Magic. Strong as leather, tuff too."
"It's wonderful," I said. "Thank you."
Percy started shifting awkwardly on his feet. "Um, Tyson…I wanted to say, well…" I could tell he was trying to apologize for being embarrassed by him.
"I know what you will tell me," Tyson said, looking ashamed. "Poseidon did care for me after all."
"Uh, well—"
"He set you to help me. Just what I asked for."
Percy and I both blinked. "You asked Poseidon for…me?" Percy asked.
"For a friend," Tyson said, twisting his shirt in his hands. "Young Cyclopes grow up alone on the streets, learn to make things out of scraps. Learn to survive."
"That's so cruel!" I yelled. "That's cruel and wrong in _so _many ways."
He shook his head earnestly. "Makes us appreciate blessings, not to be greedy and mean and fat like Polyphemus. But I got scared. Monsters chased me so much, clawed me sometimes—"
"The scars on your back?" Percy asked.
A tear welled in his eye. "Sphinx on Seventy-second Street. Big bully. I prayed to Daddy for help. Soon the people at Meriwether found me. Met you. And then I met you"—he pointed at me—"Biggest blessing ever. Sorry I said Poseidon was mean. He sent me a family."
I stared at the bracelet that Tyson had made me.
Tyson stared outside for a long while. "Dream came from Daddy last night," he said. "He wants me to visit."
I wondered if he was kidding, but Tyson really didn't know how to kid. "Poseidon sent you a dream message?" I asked.
Tyson nodded. "Wants me to go underwater for the rest of the summer. Learn to work at Cyclopes' forges. He called it an inter-an intern—"
"Internship?" Percy suggested.
"Yes."
We let that sink in. Admittedly, I was angry and jealous. He never invited Percy and I underwater. It felt like he was playing favorites. But worst of all, he was taking Tyson away? Just like that? Without warning?
"When do you leave?" Percy asked.
"Now."
"Now. Like…_now _now?"
"Now."
I stared out at the water. It glistened in the sunrise.
"I'm happy for you, big guy," I said, and I meant it. This was something Tyson would love doing.
"Me too," Percy said.
"Hard to leave my new family," Tyson said with a tremble in his voice. "But I want to make things. Weapons for the camp. You will need them."
It was sad how right he was. The Fleece hadn't solved all the camp's problems. Luke was still out there, gathering an army aboard the _Princess Andromeda. _Kronos was still re-forming in his golden coffin. Eventually, we would have to fight them.
"Well, I wouldn't trust anyone else with my weapons," I told him. I held up my bracelet proudly. "I bet they'll be stylish as well."
Tyson sniffled. "Family help each other."
"You're our brother," Percy said. "No doubt about it."
He patted Percy on the back so hard he almost knocked him down. He turned to me.
"Nuh-uh, you hug your sister," I said, wrapping my arms around his neck.
"Percy told me stories about you," he whispered in my ear. "You are my hero."
I didn't realize it until he set that, but I was sobbing. Based on my wet shoulder, I would say he was too.
Pulling away, I wiped the tears from both our eyes. "You'll be great."
He nodded. "Use the shields well."
"We will, big guy," Percy said.
"Save your life some day."
The way he said it, so matter-of-fact, I wandered if that Cyclops eye of his could see into the future.
We walked him down to the beach. He stood there, and whistled. Rainbow, the hippocampus, burst out of the waves. We watched the two of them ride off together into the realm of Poseidon.
Once they were gone, I looked down at my new accessory. Percy was always there in the back of my mind, but now all I had of Tyson were memories and this bracelet. It made my heart lurch with sadness. I knew Tyson would have an awesome time under the ocean. But I'd miss everything about him—his fascinations with horses, the way he could fix crumpled metal with his bare hands, or tie bad guys into knots. I'd even miss him snoring like an earthquake in the next bunk all night.
I turned to Percy, and wrapped my arms around his neck. I buried my face into the crook, letting his t-shirt soak up my tears. He stood there, arms around my waist, my ever constant rock, staring out where our brother had disappeared. "He'll be back," he told me. "You know he'll be back."
"But that's not the same as being here right now," I told him.
"Now you know how I feel," he jested softly. That actually helped a lot, and I'm sure he knew it. Knowing Tyson was leaving for the same reasons I did…it made letting him go easier. Not by much, but still, I understood now.
"Thanks," I muttered.
"Anytime."
"Hey, Jacksons!"
We let go of each other, and turned.
Annabeth and Grover were standing at the top of the sand dune. I guess I still had some tears in my eyes because I was blinking a lot.
"Tyson…" Percy told them. "He had to…"
"We know," Annabeth said softly. "Chiron told us."
"Cyclopes forges." Grover shuddered. "I heard the cafeteria food there is terrible! Like, no enchiladas _at all!"_
Annabeth held her hand out to Percy. "Come on, Seaweed Brain. Breakfast time."
We walked back toward the dining pavilion together, just the four of us, like old times.
* * *
><p>We figured it was high time we call our mother, seeing as we were supposed to return home, and well…<em>didn't<em>. I couldn't imagine she was very happy. The worst part was the beginning—the "Percy-and-Cameron-Anne-Jackson-what-were-you-two-thinking-do-you-have-any-idea-how-worried-I-was-sneaking-off-to-camp-without-permission-going-on-dangerous-quests-and-scaring-me-half-to-death" part.
But finally she paused to catch her breath. "Oh, I'm just glad you're safe!"
Best part about my mom? She's no good at staying angry. She tries, but it just isn't in her name.
"We're sorry, mom," Percy told her. "We won't scare you again."
"Don't promise me that, Percy. You know very well it will only get worse." She tried to sound casual about it, but I could tell she was pretty shaken up.
I wanted to say something to make her feel better, but I knew she was right. Being a half-blood, we would always be doing things that scared her. And as we got older, the dangers would just get greater.
"We'll be coming home two weeks before summer ends," I told her.
"No, no. Stay at camp. Train. Do what you need to do," she insisted.
"Sorry," I shrugged. "Nonnegotiable."
She just smiled. "You will be leaving for the school year, right?"
I nodded. "I'll head back to Gallagher after our two weeks."
"Good. You're doing so well there. Learning so much."
"Speaking of school," Percy muttered. "How's that situation for me?"
"Well, all legal charges you might have been faced with have been dropped. They said some other kid started it. Found a lighter in his pocket, or something" Percy and I shared a look. "But you are still expelled. Something about you're—uh, un-groovy karma that disrupted the school's educational aura."
Percy sighed. "I wonder if any schools will take me anymore."
"Oh, we'll fide something, dear," mom sighed. "Some place where they don't know us yet."
* * *
><p>A lazy afternoon at Camp Half-Blood was not a common occurrence, nor was it really a nice one. After all, lazy afternoons meant there was nothing to do. Dee Dee, Josh, Roe, Grover, Annabeth, Percy and myself sat beside the lake.<p>
"Bored…"Roe moaned. "Give me stimulation."
I threw a stick. "Fetch."
All I got in return was a glare.
Grover had announced that he'd be able to spend the rest of the summer with us before resuming his quest for Pan. His bosses at the Council of Cloven Elders were so impressed that he hadn't gotten himself killed and had cleared the way for future searchers, that they granted him a two-month furlough and a new set of reed pipes. The only bad news: Grover insisted on playing those pipes all afternoon long and his musical skills hadn't improved much. He played "YMCA," and the strawberry plants started going crazy, wrapping around our feet like they were trying to strangle us. I guess I couldn't blame them.
Grover told us he could dissolve the empathy link between us, now that we were face to face, but we told him we'd just to keep it, if that was okay with him. He put down his reed pipes and started at us. "But, if I get in trouble again, you'll be in danger, guys! You could die!"
"If you get in trouble again, we want to know about it. And We'll come help you again, G-man," I winked.
"We wouldn't have it any other way," Percy smiled.
In the end he agreed not to break the link. He went back to playing "YMCA" for the strawberry plants. I didn't need an empathy link with the plants to know how they felt about that.
My head lay in Percy's lap while I watched the clouds pass over in the sky. Sighing deeply, I glanced at my friends. "Okay, so this is boring. Let's do a thing."
Annabeth turned to me. "We could go sword fight," she suggested.
I shook my head. "We do that every day. Next."
"Rock climbing?" Roe added.
"My clothes have enough holes in them, thank you.
Percy just laughed. "Nothing can please you, can it?"
"I just want to do something different. Something not so…_demigody."_
Josh just smiled mischievously at me. "I may or may not have the perfect idea. Honestly, it could go either way. You see I know of a place you can get away for a bit. You know, have fun, stuff your face, throw it all back up, while having the best time of your life."
All heads turned to his in curiosity and disgust.
His eyes twinkled as he pulled his hand back from behind him. "Who's up for a carnival?"
Roe just shook her head. "Boy, you are nuts. You know Chiron would never allow that, not when they just got back, and not to mention all the monsters that'll be trying to sniff these two out," she said, hooking a thumb at Percy and I.
"Who said anything about asking permission?" he smirked.
"That's a bad idea?" Grover grumbled. "You guys always have the _worse _ideas."
"You know, I'm just that bored," I said. "I'm game. When do we leave?"
"Are you serious?" Percy asked, pushing me into a sitting possession.
"Yeah. We've been busting our chops, training, and stopping a phyco from taking over the world. Let's get out there and do something not life threatening for once."
Dee Dee chewed her lip. "I don't know, that sounds like we're just asking for trouble."
I grinned cheekily at her. "Oh, sweety, if you're going to hang out with us, you should be aware that 'asking for trouble' is our main motive in life."
"Cammie," Roe scolded. "You guys have already almost been expelled once this summer. Let's not test Dionysus' patience."
"So if we get caught, I'll let him win in cards," I waved off.
"You know what," Percy said. "I'm in too. It's been a hard summer."
"All in favor of going, raise thy hand," I commanded, raising my own. Percy and Josh seemed like the only ones willing to go, but soon Annabeth and Roe raised their hands as well, followed by Dee Dee and Grover.
"Fine, let's do this," Roe grumbled. "I'm only coming to make sure you're staying out of trouble."
Annabeth smiled. "When do we leave?"
"After dinner?" Percy suggested. "Wait till it starts getting dark, Annabeth uses her cap to distract the guards up at the top of the hill, we sneak out for a few hours, come back."
"How are we even going to get there?" Grover said.
Josh waved a hand. "It's in the closest town. Only a half an hours walk."
I smirked. I know that it wasn't a good idea, and was badly planned, but for some reason the thought of going to the carnival just seemed like the right thing to do.
* * *
><p>Sneaking out was easy. A little too easy for comfort, really. I kind of expected more from those guards, but, hey, I wasn't going to complain. The walk was utterly uneventful, thank the gods. We walked through the densely packed woods until colorful flashing lights greeted us. It wasn't quite night yet, but still, the rainbow of lights flickered on our awe struck faces.<p>
"This." Josh stated. "Is. Going. To. Be. _Great_."
"I second that," Percy said.
We stood for a few seconds, soaking it all in, before booking it to the entrance. I don't know where Josh got all the money, but each of us got our own wad of cash, and ten dozen tickets. I handed everyone a walky-talky, just in case an emergency came up and we needed to get ahold of each other. Josh and Dee ran off to get some cotton candy, Roe following behind in search of a funnel cake. Grover started picking up tin cans stuffing them into a trash bag for later. Annabeth stayed close, claiming that with our luck, we'd get sniffed out by some monster in under a minute.
"Ohh! Let's go on that one first!" I squealed, pointing to one ride. "No! No! No! That one! Look at it! It goes upside-down! And that one! Oh-my-gods, it's like a Ferris wheel on steroids."
Percy and Annabeth trailed slightly behind me, laughing at something. I was too busy looking at all the rides, that I wasn't watching where I was going, and collided with a woman, spilling the content of her purse.
"I'm sorry," I said, helping her pick up. She had a nervous look on her face, as though she expected this, though she didn't _expect _it.
"That's okay dear," she said.
"Here, let me help you ladies," a man said, dropping to his knees to help. He held out a crumpled piece of paper.
"Oh, no, that's rubbish," the woman said. "The man nodded and put it in his pocket. "Thank you two," she said, getting up and walking away.
The man turned to me and smiled. "That was nice of you to help her pick up," he said.
"Well, I bumped into her," I shrugged. "You're the one who didn't need to stop."
"Call me a good samaritan." He looked around, as if searching for something. He smiled back down at me. "Having a good time at the fair, Cameron."
My stomach dropped. I started backing up, ready to run. I picked out an escape route, with six different backups.
"You can go if you want," he said. "But I'm not going to hurt you. My name is Mathew Morgan. I think you know my wife, Rachel Morgan. She talks about you."
If it was possible, my stomach dropped even further. He looked behind me, at Percy, who was unaware of what was going on as he and Annabeth played one of the carnival games. "Here with your brother I see. Wow, you two really are identical twins." His eyes twinkled. "How often do people get the two of you mixed up?"
I couldn't answer even if I tried. This was exactly what I had been avoiding. Now he was going to go home, and he'd mention to Rachel that the kid she thought was an orphan really wasn't. She was a liar, and couldn't be trusted at Gallagher. That would lead to questions, and then to decisions being made, and everything would come crashing down—
"You're panicking," Mathew noted. "I can tell. Don't worry. You're secret is safe with me, little hero." He winked. "Madam Dabney does enjoy sharing a cup of tea and a story or two. You're a constant character in most of her tales. Anyway, I've been around the bend quite a few times. I know how to the world works a little better then I should. So when I say your secret is safe with me—" He leaned in close—"I mean it. The world needs kids like you."
I didn't know what to say. I had only exchanged a few words with the man, and here he was, telling me not to worry that he knew my biggest secret. I couldn't even begin to formulate words.
Still, I couldn't speak. Finally I came up with, "That was a drop, wasn't it?"
He smiled, placing a finger to his lip shushing me, and winking. "You never know who is watching, Cameron. Speaking of which, I should go. Sticking around much longer wouldn't be all that wise. Enjoy the rest of your summer, Cammie." He turned to leave, about to get swallowed up in the crowd. Before he disappeared though, he turned back around and said, "By the way, congratulations on your finals. Rachel said you passed with flying colors."
One last bright smile my way, and Mathew Morgan was gone. That was my first and last encounter with the spy. It would be said to me later on that only a week after our meeting, Mathew Morgan was declared MIA.
* * *
><p>It was midnight by the time we left. Though we had planned on leaving earlier, the temptation was too great. We would have stayed even later, had a storm not passed over, forcing us out. I didn't even realize how tired I was until we were in the forest, trudging back home.<p>
"Hey," Percy tapped my shoulder. "Come on, I'll carry you."
I shook my head. "I'll be fine, it's only a half an hour walk."
"Exactly, I can carry you for that long. Now, come on, hope on my back."
Reluctantly, I did as I was told, and let myself be carried. I must have been more tiered than I thought, because I was asleep a minute later.
In my dream, I heard Kronos taunting me from the depths of Tartarus: _Polyphemus sits blindly in his cave, young hero, believing he has won a great victory. Are you any less deluded? _The titan's cold laughter filled the darkness.
Then my dream changed. This time, into a much too familiar setting. New York, on fire, destruction all around me. I wanted to run, whether to help, or to hide, I didn't know. But I was too weak. Something prevented me from leaving. My hand lay on my side. Looking down at it, I saw it was painted scarlet. Something was pulling me down. I heard screaming. Percy screaming. He stood only a few yards away from me, yelling my name in horror. I fell backwards, the dark pit behind me catching my falling body.
I wake with a startled gasp.
"You okay up there?" Percy asked me.
I looked down at him. "Just a weird dream," I told him. "Nothing to worry about."
He looked skeptical. "Okay. We're almost back."
I slid from his back, and trekked the rest of the way there myself. Josh smiled at me, and slid up by my side.
"Have a nice nap?" he asked, winking.
"Yes," I told him. "It was marvelous. I love sleeping on sweaty teenager's backs."
"You weren't complaining as you drooled on me," Percy glared.
I was about to retort with something sassy, when we reached the hill. Annabeth was about to go distract the guards so we could go back in, but it looked like someone already beat her too it. A small group of people stood at the top of the hill, surrounding something.
We didn't even share a panicked glance as we ran up the hill. When we reached the top, I expected to see the Fleece missing from the pine tree, but it was still there, glittering in the moon light. Chiron was there as well, and he was beyond upset.
"Curse the titan lord," Chiron fumed. "He's tricked us again, given himself another chance to control the prophecy."
"What do you mean?" I asked, going up to him.
He stared down at me, then looked over our group. If he noticed our soaking wet bodies, he didn't say anything. "The Fleece," he said. "The Fleece did its work too well."
I moved over to see what he was talking about. A girl lay unconscious at the base of the tree. Annabeth staggered over to her, kneeling next to her. This girl, she looked familiar, but I couldn't place where I knew her. The tree itself looked fine, whole and healthy, suffused with the essence of the Golden Fleece.
"It healed the tree," Chiron said, his voice ragged. "And poison was not the only thing it purged."
Annabeth turned to us. Her eyes streamed with tears, but I didn't understand. I was too freaked out to make much sense of it. I went and kneeled down beside the girl, Percy joining me.
She had short black hair and freckles across her nose. She was built like a long-distance running, lithe and strong, and she wore clothes that were somewhere between punk and Goth—a black T-shirt, black tattered jeans, and a leather jackets with buttons from a punch of bands I'd heard Missy playing in our room at Yancy.
She wasn't a camper. I didn't recognize her from any of the cabins. But I know I had seen her before.
"I…I can't believe it," Grover said.
Nobody else came close to the girl.
Percy put his hand on her forehead. "She needs nectar and ambrosia," he said. I placed a hand an her arm. Her skin was cold but my fingertips tingled as if they were burning. I could tell, just by touch, that she was a demigod. I didn't understand why everyone was acting so scared.
Percy took her by the shoulders and lifted her into a sitting position, resting her head on his shoulder. Come on!" he yelled to the others. "What's wrong with you people? Let's ger her to the Big House."
No one moved, not even Chiron. They were all too stunned.
Then the girl took a shaky breath. She coughed and opened her eyes.
Her irises were startlingly blue—electric blue.
The girl stared at me for a moment, in bewilderment, shivering and wild-eyed, then turned her stare to my brother. "Who—"
Suddenly, I recognized where I knew the girl from. Her eyes, her voice—I knew them. I had seen and heard them before. In a dream…
"I'm Percy," my brother said. "This is my sister, Cammie. You're safe now."
"Strangest dream…"
"It's okay."
"Dying."
"No," he assured her. "You're okay. What's your name?"
I understood what the Golden Fleece quest had been about. The poisoning of the tree. Everything. Kronos had done it to bring another chess piece into play—_another chance to control the prophecy._
Even Chiron, Annabeth, and Grover who should've been celebrating this moment, where too shocked, thinking about what it might mean for the future. And my brother was holding someone who was destined to be our best friend, or possibly our worst enemy.
"I'm Thalia," the girl said. "Daughter of Zeus."
* * *
><p><strong>Yeah, I did that. I put the last two chapters together into one. It's the reason this is out so late. You see, with all that I was adding and taking out, and rearranging, I had to make sure I was doing it <em>right. <em>I didn't want to mess up and put something somewhere it didn't make sense. You have no idea how many times I had finished writing something, then had to move it because something later on wouldn't make sense with it being there. I'm not even sure if I put everything in it. If I'm missing something, let me know. I mean, I know I didn't add the chariot race, but that was deliberate. But yeah, that's the last chapter for this story. The sequel might take a while to be posted, but that's because I'm going to do something drastically amazing with it, and need to make sure everything is going to fit and be perfect!**
**So if you're confused about the Mathew Morgan scene at the carnival, let me explain. Matt is well aware of who and what Cammie is. Not just because Madam Dabney told him. He knew about the gods before Cammie even came to Gallagher. He's a seasoned spy, and being as experience as he is, has run in with the gods and demigods, same as Madam Dabney. Madam Dabney told stories about who Cammie was, and what she had done the summer before, that's how he knows about her. He knows that Cammie didn't mean to look like a terrorist on the news, so he understands why she changed her identity when coming to Gallagher. He didn't mean to run into her at the carnival, that was just fate intervening. For those of you who have read the Gallagher books (which I hope is most of you) and have reached the later books, will understand the significance of this scene, and know why I had to include it. Which hope most of you are pleased with it, because I kind of really love it.**
**Anyway, that's it for this story. On to Titan's Curse! I'll update this story with a note when I post the first chapter of that story. I will be doing other little things on Fanfiction while I'm gone, just to take a little break from these characters and explore some other fandoms, but don't fret, I'll return.**
**Have a wonderful time while I'm gone, my Nerdletts.**
19. HAPPY NEWS!
**So exciting news, guys!**
**TITAN'S CURSE HAD BEEN UPLOADED!**
**WHOOOP WHOOP!**
**so yeah, it might take a few hours, but it should be up and ready to go by the time you see this hopefully.**
**Hope to see you following soon!**
**-DJRocks**
End file.
| fanfiction |
electromagnetic waves dependence on frame
accelerated charge particles emit Electromagnetic waves. So if we take a charge at rest with respect to us that should not emit Electromagnetic radiation, but the same charge observed from the outer space is accelerated so for a observer in outer space it should emit EM waves? How is this possible that for one frame there exist EM wave for another it does not?
In the frame of the particle you just see a constant electric field. From outside this field must change as the particle moves by. Just have a look at [this](http://www.tapir.caltech.edu/~teviet/Waves/empulse.html).
| stackexchange/physics |
Clathrina arnesenae is a species of calcareous sponge from Norway.
References
External links
Category:Animals described in 2006
Category:Fauna of Norway | wikipedia |
Smaragdina brunneoornata is een keversoort uit de familie bladkevers (Chrysomelidae). De wetenschappelijke naam van de soort werd in 1999 gepubliceerd door Medvedev.
brunneoornata | slim_pajama |
Enos Edward Yakima Canutt November 29, 1895 May 24, 1986 was an American champion rodeo rider, actor, stuntman, and action director.
Early years
Born Enos Edward Canutt in the Snake River Hills, near Colfax, Washington, he was one of five children of John Lemuel Canutt, a rancher, and Nettie Ellen Stevens. He grew up in eastern Washington on a ranch near Penawawa Creek, founded by his grandfather and operated by his father, who also served a term in the state legislature. His formal education was limited to elementary school in Green Lake, then a suburb of Seattle. He gained the education for his life's work on the family ranch, where he learned to hunt, trap, shoot, and ride. He later adopted the nickname Yakima after the Yakima River Valley in Washington.
He broke a wild bronco when he was 11. As a 16-year-old, he started bronc riding at the Whitman County Fair in Colfax in 1912, and at 17 he won the title of World's Best Bronco Buster. Canutt started rodeo riding professionally and gained a reputation as a bronc rider, bulldogger and all-around cowboy. It was at the 1914 Pendleton Round-Up that he got the nickname Yakima when a newspaper caption misidentified him. Yakima Canutt may be the most famous person NOT from Yakima, Washington says Elizabeth Gibson, author of Yakima, Washington. Winning second place at the 1915 Pendleton Round-Up brought attention from show promoters, who invited him to compete around the country.
I started in major rodeos in 1914, and went through to 1923. There was quite a crop of us traveling together, and we would have special railroad cars and cars for the horses. We'd play anywhere from three, six, eight ten-day shows. Bronc riding and bulldogging were my specialties, but I did some roping, said Canutt.
During the 1916 season, he became interested in divorcee Kitty Wilks, who had won the Lady's Bronc-Riding Championship a couple of times. They married on July 20, 1917 while at a show in Kalispell, Montana; he was 21 and she 23. They divorced in 1922. While bulldogging in Idaho, Canutt's mouth and upper lip were torn by a bull's horn; after stitches, Canutt returned to the competition. A plastic surgeon corrected the injury a year later.
Career
Rodeo
Canutt won his first world championship at the Olympics of the West in 1917 and won more championships in the next few years. In between rodeos, he broke horses for the French government in World War I. In 1918, he went to Spokane to enlist in the United States Navy and was stationed in Bremerton. In the fall, he was given a 30-day furlough to defend his rodeo title. He was discharged in spring 1919. At the 1919 Calgary Stampede, he competed in the bucking event and met Pete Knight.
He traveled to Los Angeles for a rodeo, and decided to winter in Hollywood, where he met screen personalities. Tom Mix, who had also started in rodeos, invited him to be in two of his pictures. Mix added to his flashy wardrobe by borrowing two of Canutt's two-tone shirts and having his tailor make 40 copies. Canutt got his first taste of stunt work in a fight scene on a serial called Lightning Bryce; he left Hollywood to compete in the 1920 rodeo circuit.
The Fort Worth rodeo was nicknamed Yak's show after he won the saddle-bronc competition three years in a row from 1921 to 1923. He had won the saddle-bronc competition at the Pendleton Round-Up in 1917, 1919, and 1923 and came second in 1915 and 1929. Canutt won the steer bulldogging in 1920 and 1921, and won the All-Around Police Gazette belt in 1917, 1919, 1920 and 1923. While in Hollywood in 1923 for an awards ceremony, he was offered eight western action pictures for producer Ben Wilson at Burwillow Studios; the first was to be Riding Mad. He won the first leg of the Roosevelt Trophy. The trophy was awarded to the cowboy who accumulated the most points between Cheyenne Frontier Days and the Pendleton Round-Up. After he won three years in a row at the Fort Worth Rodeo in Fort Worth, Texas, it came to be known as Yak's show.
Acting
Canutt had been perfecting tricks such as the Crupper Mount, a leapfrog over the horse's rump into the saddle. Douglas Fairbanks used some in his film The Gaucho. Fairbanks and Canutt became friends and competed regularly at Fairbanks' gym. Canutt took small parts in pictures to get experience. It was in Branded a Bandit 1924 that his nose was broken in a 12-foot fall from a cliff. The picture was delayed several weeks, and when it resumed, Canutt's close shots were from the side. A plastic surgeon reset the nose, which healed, inspiring Canutt to remark that he thought it looked better.
Stuntwork
When his contract with Wilson expired in 1927, Canutt made appearances at rodeos across the country. By 1928, the talkies were coming out, and though he had been in 48 silent pictures, Canutt knew his career was in trouble. His voice had been damaged from flu in the Navy. He started taking on bit parts and stunts, and realized more could be done with action in pictures.
In 1930, between pictures and rodeoing, Canutt met Minnie Audrea Yeager Rice at a party at her parents' home. They kept company during the next year while he picked up work on the serials for Mascot Pictures Corporation. They married on November 12, 1931.
When rodeo riders invaded Hollywood, they brought a battery of rodeo techniques that Canutt would expand and improve, including horse falls and wagon wrecks, along with the harnesses and cable rigs to make the stunts foolproof and safe. Among the new safety devices was the 'L' stirrup, which allowed a man to fall off a horse without getting hung in the stirrup. Canutt also developed cabling and equipment to cause spectacular wagon crashes, while releasing the team, all on the same spot every time. Safety methods such as these saved film-makers time and money and prevented accidents and injury to performers. One of Yakima's inventions was the 'Running W' stunt, bringing down a horse at the gallop by attaching a wire, anchored to the ground, to its fetlocks and launching the rider forward spectacularly. This either killed the horse, or rendered it badly shaken and unusable for the rest of the day. The 'Running W' is now banned and has been replaced with the falling-horse technique. It is believed that the last time it was used was on the 1983 Iraqi film Clash of Loyalties when British actor and friend of Yak Marc Sinden and stuntman Ken Buckle who had been trained by Canutt performed the stunt three times during a cavalry charge sequence.
While working on Mascot serials, Canutt practiced and perfected his most famous stunts, including the drop from a stagecoach that he would employ in John Ford's 1939 Stagecoach. That famous stunt in Stagecoach was filmed on Lucerne Dry Lake, north of Lucerne Valley, California. He first did it in Riders of the Dawn in 1937 while doubling for Jack Randall. In his 1981 film Raiders of the Lost Ark, Steven Spielberg paid homage to Canutt, recreating the stunt when stuntman Terry Leonard doubling for Harrison Ford 'dropped' from the front of a German transport truck, was dragged underneath along a prepared trench and then climbed up the back and round to the front again.
John Wayne
While at Mascot, Canutt met John Wayne while doubling for him in a motorcycle stunt for The Shadow of the Eagle in 1932. Wayne admired Canutt's agility and fearlessness, and Canutt respected Wayne's willingness to learn and attempt his own stunts. Canutt taught Wayne how to fall off a horse.
The two worked together to create a technique that made on-screen fight scenes more realistic. Wayne and Canutt found if they stood at a certain angle in front of the camera, they could throw a punch at an actor's face and make it look as if actual contact had been made.
Canutt and Wayne pioneered stunt and screen fighting techniques still in use. Much of Wayne's on-screen persona was copied from Canutt. The characterizations associated with Wayne - the drawling, hesitant speech and the hip-rolling walk - were pure Canutt. Said Wayne, I spent weeks studying the way Yakima Canutt walked and talked. He was a real cowhand. In 1934 the two appeared together in the western Randy Rides Alone in which Wayne starred and Canutt appeared as henchman Spike.
In 1932, Canutt's first son Edward Clay was born and nicknamed Tap, short for Tapadero, a Spanish word for a stirrup covering. In 1932 Canutt broke his shoulder in four places while trying to transfer from horse to wagon team. Though work was scarce, he got by combining stunting and rodeo work.
In 1934, Herbert J. Yates of Consolidated Film Industries combined Monogram, Mascot, Liberty, Majestic, Chesterfield, and Invincible Pictures to form Republic Pictures, and Canutt became Republic's top stuntman. He handled all the action on many pictures, including Gene Autry films; and several series and serials, such as The Lone Ranger and Zorro. For Zorro Rides Again, Canutt did almost all the scenes in which Zorro wore a mask, and he was on the screen as much as the star John Carroll. When the action was indicated in a Republic script, it said see Yakima Canutt for action sequences.
William Witney, one of Republic's film directors, said:
There will probably never be another stuntman who can compare to Yakima Canutt. He had been a world champion cowboy several times and where horses were concerned he could do it all. He invented all the gadgets that made stunt work easier. One of his clever devices was a step that attached to the saddle so that he had leverage to transfer to another moving object, like a wagon or a train. Another was the shotgun, a spring-loaded device used to separate the tongue of a running wagon from the horses, thus cutting the horses loose. It also included a shock cord attached to the wagon bed, which caused wheels to cramp and turn the wagon over on the precise spot that was most advantageous for the camera.
In the 1936 film San Francisco, Canutt replaced Clark Gable in a scene in which a wall was to fall on the star. Canutt said: We had a heavy table situated so that I could dive under it at the last moment. Just as the wall started down, a girl in the scene became hysterical and panicked. I grabbed her, leaped for the table, but didn't quite make it. The girl was unhurt but he broke six ribs.
Ramrod
Canutt tried to get into directing; he was growing older and knew his stunting days were numbered. Harry Joe, Canutt's second son, was born in January 1937. Joe and Tap would later get work as stuntmen with their father.
In 1938, Republic Pictures started expanding into bigger pictures and budgets. Canutt's mentor and action director for the 1925 Ben-Hur, Breezy Eason was hired as second unit director, and Canutt to coordinate and ramrod the stunts. For Canutt, this meant not only hiring stuntmen and doing some stunts himself, but also laying out the action for the director and writing additional stunts.
John Ford hired Canutt on John Wayne's recommendation for Stagecoach, where Canutt supervised the river-crossing scene as well as the Indian chase scene, did the stagecoach drop, and doubled for Wayne in the coach stunts. For safety during the stagecoach drop stunt, Canutt devised modified yokes and tongues to give extra handholds and extra room between the teams. Ford told him that whenever Ford made an action picture and Canutt wasn't working elsewhere, he was on Ford's payroll. Also in 1939, Canutt doubled Clark Gable in the burning of Atlanta in Gone With the Wind; he also appeared as a renegade accosting Scarlett O'Hara Vivien Leigh as she crosses a bridge in a carriage driving through a shantytown.
Directing
In 1940, Canutt sustained serious internal injuries when a horse fell on him while doubling for Clark Gable in Boom Town 1940. Though in discomfort for months after an operation to repair his bifurcated intestines, he continued to work. Republic's Sol Siegel offered him the chance to direct the action sequences of Dark Command, starring Wayne and directed by Raoul Walsh. For Dark Command, Canutt fashioned an elaborate cable system to yank back the plummeting coach before it fell on the stuntman and horses; he also created a breakaway harness from which they were released before hitting the water.
In 1943, while doing a low budget Roy Rogers picture called Idaho, Canutt broke both his legs at the ankles in a fall off a wagon. He recovered to write the stunts and supervise the action for another Wayne film In Old Oklahoma. In the next decade, Canutt became one of the best second unit and action directors. MGM brought Canutt to England in 1952 to direct the action and jousting sequences in Ivanhoe with Robert Taylor. This would set a precedent by filming action abroad instead of on the studio lot, and Canutt introduced many British stuntmen to Hollywood-style stunt training. Ivanhoe was followed by Knights of the Round Table, again with director Richard Thorpe and starring Robert Taylor. Canutt again was brought in for lavish action scenes in King Richard and the Crusaders.
Canutt directed the close-action scenes for Stanley Kubrick's Spartacus, spending five days directing retakes that included the slave army rolling its flaming logs into the Romans, and other fight scenes featuring Kirk Douglas, Tony Curtis and John Ireland.
Ben Hur
For Ben-Hur 1959, Canutt staged the chariot race with nine teams of four horses. He trained Charlton Heston and Stephen Boyd to do their own charioteering. He and his crew spent five months on the race sequence. In contrast to the 1925 film, not one horse was hurt, and no humans experienced serious injuries; though Joe Canutt, while doubling for Charlton Heston, did cut his chin because he did not follow his father's advice to hook himself to the chariot when Judah Ben-Hur's chariot bounced over the wreck of another chariot.
Other films
Walt Disney brought Canutt in to do second unit work for Westward Ho, the Wagons! in 1956; the first live action Western Disney feature film was followed by Old Yeller the next year, and culminated in 1960's Swiss Family Robinson, which involved transporting many exotic animals to a remote island in the West Indies.
Anthony Mann specifically requested Canutt for the second unit for his 1961 El Cid, where Canutt directed sons Joe and Tap doubling for Charlton Heston and Christopher Rhodes in a stunning tournament joust. Canutt was surely the most active stager of tournaments since the Middle Ages from Swordsmen of the Screen. He was determined to make the combat scenes in El Cid the best that had been filmed. Mann again requested him for 1964's The Fall of the Roman Empire. Over the next 10 years, Canutt continued to work, bringing his talents to Cat Ballou, Khartoum, Where Eagles Dare and 1970's A Man Called Horse. In 1985, Yakima appeared as himself in Yak's Best Ride, directed by John Crawford. His final screen credit was as a consultant for the stunts in Equus.
Death
On May 24, 1986, Yakima Canutt died of cardiac arrest at the age of 90 at the North Hollywood Medical Center in North Hollywood, California. He was cremated and his ashes were scattered in the Garden of Remembrance at the Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery. Canutt has a memorial plaque in the cemetery's Portal of Folded Wings.
For his contribution to the motion picture industry, Yakima Canutt has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 1500 Vine Street. In 1967, he was given an Academy Honorary Award for achievements as a stunt man and for developing safety devices to protect all stunt men everywhere.
Honors
1969 Pendleton Round-Up and Happy Canyon Hall of Fame
1975 National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum Rodeo Hall of Fame
Stuntmen's Hall of Fame
1985 Hollywood Walk of Fame
2001 Texas Trail of Fame
Filmography
Selected filmography
Lightning Bryce 1919 as the Deputy
The Riddle Rider 1924
The Riding Comet 1925
The Devil Horse 1926
The Fighting Stallion 1927
The Hurricane Horseman 1931
Guns for Hire 1932
The Texas Tornado 1932 as Jackson - Henchman
Scarlet River 1933 as Yak
Sagebrush Trail 1933 as outlaw band leader
West of the Divide 1934 as Hank
The Star Packer 1934
The Man from Hell 1934
The Man From Utah 1934 as Cheyenne Kent
Lawless Range 1935 as Joe Burns
Paradise Canyon 1935 as Curly Joe Gale
Pals of the Range 1935 as Brown
Cyclone of the Saddle 1935 as Snake
The Clutching Hand 1936
Wildcat Trooper 1936
Riders of the Rockies 1937
Stagecoach 1939 second unit director, stunt coordinator, and stunts/Cavalry scout, all uncredited
Gone With the Wind 1939 as man who attacks Scarlett while riding through shanty town; also uncredited stunt coordinator/stunt double for Clark Gable
Ivanhoe 1952 second unit director
Knights of the Round Table 1953 second unit director, uncredited
The Lawless Rider 1954 director
King Richard and the Crusaders 1954 second unit director
Old Yeller 1957 second unit director
Ben-Hur 1959 second unit director
Swiss Family Robinson 1960 second unit director
El Cid 1961 second unit director
The Fall of the Roman Empire 1964 second unit director
Cat Ballou 1965 second unit director; executive in charge of production; uncredited stunt coordinator
Khartoum 1966 second unit director
The Flim Flam Man 1967 second unit director
Where Eagles Dare 1968 second unit director
A Man Called Horse 1970 second unit director
Rio Lobo 1970 second unit director
Breakheart Pass 1975 second unit director
Film awards
1959 National Board of Review of Motion Pictures Special Citation shared with Andrew Marton for directing the chariot race in Ben-Hur
1967 Academy Honorary Award for achievements as a stunt man and for developing safety devices to protect stunt men everywhere
1975 Inducted into National Cowboy Hall of Fame
1978 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences A tribute to Yakima Canutt dinner
1984 The Motion Picture & Television Fund's Golden Boot Award
Hollywood Walk of Fame star at 1500 Vine Street.
Notes
References
Wallis, Michael 2001. The Real Wild West : the 101 Ranch and the creation of the American West. New York: St. Martin's Press.
External links
History Detectives episode - Yakima Canutt's Saddle at PBS.org
Category:1895 births
Category:1986 deaths
Category:20th-century American male actors
Category:Academy Honorary Award recipients
Category:American male film actors
Category:American male silent film actors
Category:American military personnel of World War I
Category:American stunt performers
Category:Stunt doubles
Category:Burials at Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery
Category:Film serial crew
Category:Male actors from Washington state
Category:Male film serial actors
Category:Male Western genre film actors
Category:People from Colfax, Washington
Category:Steer wrestlers
Category:Saddle bronc riders
Category:All-Around | wikipedia |
liver fibrosis is characterized by excessive scarring , caused by chronic inflammatory processes during liver diseases of different origin . in response to chronic liver injuries , various cell types get activated and transdifferentiate into myofibroblastic cells that then participate in synthesis and reorganization of connective tissue ( hautekeete and geerts , 1997 ; friedman , 1999 , 2008 ; knittel et al . , 1999 ) .
a main source of extracellular matrix ( ecm ) production are hepatic stellate cells ( hsc ) undergoing myofibroblastic transition ( hautekeete and geerts , 1997 ; friedman , 1999 , 2008 ) . myofibroblastic differentiation and matrix accumulation of hsc is heavily triggered by profibrogenic mediators such as transforming growth factor ( tgf- ) and the -isoform of platelet - derived growth factor ( pdgf ) .
hence , in response to tgf- , hsc take center stage during fibrosis by the enhanced synthesis of ecm proteins , in particular collagen i and ii . here , we emphasize the role of dysregulated microrna ( mirna ) during liver fibrosis , their function in ecm expression and in profibrogenic signaling in hsc .
the fibrotic remodeling process and the change of gene expression during liver fibrosis are associated with an altered pattern of mirna .
mirna are small ( 1924 nucleotides long ) non - coding rna molecules inhibiting posttranscriptionally gene expression .
it is suggested that more than one - third of all human genes are regulated by mirna ( krek et al .
the primary mirna ( pri - mirna ) molecules of more than 1000 bases in length are transcribed by rna - polymerase ii .
cleavage of the pri - mirna then generates the precursor mirna ( pre - mirna ) .
this pre - mirna is exported into the cytoplasm and further processed by rnase iii and dicer resulting in the release of a mature mirna ( ruby et al . , 2007 ) .
after integration into the rna - induced silencing complex ( risc ) , interaction of mirna sequences with the untranslated region ( utr ) of transcripts causes translational repression or transcript degradation ( bartel , 2009 ) .
several algorithms predict that one mirna might bind to a multitude of mrna transcripts and , in turn , that one mrna might be targeted by a widespread panel of mirna species ( doench and sharp , 2004 ; lewis et al . , 2005 ) .
in liver , mir-122 is the most abundant mirna , accounting for more than 70% of the total mirna in hepatocytes ( jopling et al . , 2005 ) .
mir-122 is involved in cholesterol synthesis and hepatitis c virus ( hcv ) replication ( jopling et al .
is markedly decreased depending on severity of fibrosis ( cheung et al . , 2008 ;
other mirna species , that are also highly expressed in the healthy liver , e.g. , mir-125b or mir-22 , were shown to be additionally reduced in fibrotic liver biopsies of chronic hepatitis c patients .
furthermore , the members of the mir-29 family , as well as mir-194 and mir-150 are reported to be downregulated during fibrogenesis ( kwiecinski et al . , 2011 ; roderburg et al . ,
additionally , mir-19b is recently found to be diminished in fibrotic liver of rat and human ( table 1 ) ( lakner et al . , 2012 ) . whereas a wide range of mirna are reduced after fibrosis , only some mirna like the members of the mir-199 , the mir-200 , and the mir-34 family are known to be increased ( alisi et al . , 2010 ; pogribny et al . ,
2010 ; murakami et al . , 2011 ) . though mir-21 upregulation was only analyzed on fibrotic liver biopsies of a limited number of hcv patients ( marquez et al . , 2010 ) , in many other organs mir-21 is one of the most important mirna prevalently expressed after fibrosis induction ( thum et al . , 2008 ; liu et al . , 2010 ; zhu and fan , 2011 ) .
personal observation ; nafld , non - alcoholic fatty liver disease ; hfd , high fat diet . the mir-122 decrease , observed in primary hsc during culture - induced myofibroblastic activation , might be due to the dilution of contaminating hepatocyte mirna of the primary hsc isolate .
recent reports have shown that altered mirna levels are also associated with the phenotypical changes of hsc during the myofibroblastic transition process including the induction of ecm proteins ( guo et al . , 2009a ; ji et al . , 2009 ) ( table 1 ) .
the members of the mir-29 family are of particular interest because they are shown to inhibit ecm synthesis indicating an antifibrotic function .
the mir-29 family consists of mir-29a , mir-29b , and mir-29c , differing only in two or three bases . mir-29a and mir-29b1 as well as mir-29c and mir-29b2 , are encoded and transcribed in tandem by two genes located on chromosome 7 or chromosome 1 , respectively ( mott et al .
the authors proved mir-29 mediated repression of elastin , collagen i and iii synthesis in cardiac fibroblasts and its regulation by tgf-. accordingly , downregulation of mir-29 was suggested to enhance the fibrotic response after myocardial infarction , whereas overexpression of mir-29 in cardiac fibroblasts reduced collagen expression .
similarly , ogawa et al . ( 2010 ) demonstrated that mir-29 inhibits the production of fibrillar collagen in hsc , suggesting also a function of mir-29 in liver fibrosis ( roderburg et al . , 2011 ) .
furthermore , highly conserved binding sites for the mir-29a and mir-29b are found in many 3-utr sequences of the various subunits of ecm proteins like collagen type v and xv subunits , laminin 1 , and nidogen .
( 2011 ) suggest that mir-29a and mir-29b are also involved in a widespread panel of other fibrosis associated genes including adam metalloproteinases mainly type 12 and 9 , ecm formatting components such as fibrillin-1 and follistatin-1 , and different integrin chains .
( in review ) showed that mir-29 not only targets gene expression of ecm associated proteins , but also the expression of profibrogenic growth factors ( manuscript submitted ) .
they found putative mir-29a and mir-29b binding sites in mrna of igf - i but most notably also in members of pdgf linked signaling pathways such as pdgf- receptor , pdgf - c , and vegf - a .
accordingly , mir-29 mediated inhibition of igf - i and pdgf - c was proven in hsc .
( 2011 ) collect evidence that also the pdgf- receptor is targeted by mir-29 regulation . as a consequence , mir-29 acts as antifibrogenic mirna by two pathways ( 1 ) by inhibition of ecm formation and ( 2 ) interfering with the profibrogenic cell communication pathways via pdgf - b and pdgf - c signaling ( figure 1b ) .
interestingly , mir-29 expression is in turn highly regulated by pdgf - bb ( ogawa et al . , 2010 ) .
thus , the loss of mir-29 in myofibroblastic hsc during liver fibrosis is mainly due to profibrogenic stimulation by tgf- and pdgf - bb ( ogawa et al . , 2010 ; kwiecinski et al . , 2011 )
the members of the mir-29 family are encoded by two genes , located on chromosome 7 or 1 , respectively .
the pri - mir-29a and b1 as well as the mir-29c and b2 are each transcribed in tandem .
the promoter region of the mir-29a / b1 gene contains several putative binding sites for the profibrogenic repression of mir-29 : three ap1 consensus sequences ( ap1-re ) , three tgf- inhibitory elements ( tie ) and in addition the three putative smad binding elements ( sbe ) .
these transcriptional binding sites and their interaction are suggested to mediate profibrogenic stimulation of pdgf - bb ( i.p . of the ap1 re sites ) and of tgf- by smad and ap1 signaling .
( b ) mir-29 signaling in the healthy and the fibrotic liver . in the healthy liver
, mir-29 is highly expressed in hepatic stellate cells ( 1 ) and is responsible for repression of extracellular matrix proteins ( ecm ) in particular collagens ( 2 ) , but also of expression of growth factors such as pdgf - c and igf - i . during fibrogenesis ,
profibrogenic growth factors are increased and stimulate hepatic stellate cells in a paracrine and autocrine manner ( 3 ) .
profibrogenic stimulation of tgf- and pdgf - bb results in mir-29 repression ( 4 ) . the loss of mir-29 by tgf- and pdgf - bb results in the abolished repression of profibrogenic expression of ecm , pdgf - c or igf - i ( 5 ) .
the enhanced secretion of pdgf - c and igf - i stimulates autocrinely stellate cells , leading to increased proliferation and ecm production ( 6 ) .
the decrease of mir-29 was observed after experimental fibrosis including liver intoxication in mice and cholestasis induced fibrosis after bile duct occlusion in rat .
furthermore , in liver biopsies of patients with chronic hepatitis c mir-29 levels are significantly reduced ( kwiecinski et al . , 2011 ; roderburg et al . ,
these in vivo studies suggest that the loss of mir-29 during liver fibrogenesis leads to the abolishment of ecm and profibrogenic mediator repression .
the findings on hsc provide additional evidence , that reduced mir-29 levels leading to profibrogenic gene expression are due to tgf- or pdgf - bb exposure .
the smad-2/3 proteins act as the main signal transducers of tgf- stimulation , initiating ecm synthesis and myofibroblastic transition ( dooley et al .
, 2000 , 2001a ) . in renal fibrosis , silencing of the mir-29c / b2 gene is assumed to involve smad-3 signaling ( qin et al . , 2011 ) .
however , the analysis of promoter regions of both mir-29 genes , shown in figure 1a , has just started by defining the transcriptional nf - kb and yy - nf - kb control , respectively ( wang et al .
, 2008 ; mott et al . , 2010 ) , and did not yet focus on tgf- signaling .
interestingly , the promoter sequence of the mir-29a / b1 gene harbors several caga - boxes .
caga - boxes function as smad-3/4 protein binding elements ( sbe ) and smad-3/4 binding is commonly followed by induction of gene transcription ( dennler et al . , 1998 ) . however , suppressive effects of smad proteins are also possible , depending on their interaction with other regulatory factors like histone deacetylases ( liberati et al . , 2001 ) or the activator protein 1 ( ap1 ; hall et al . , 2003 )
thus , tgf- induced smad-3/4 signaling and the regulatory binding of the sbe may contribute to the transcriptional repression of the mir-29a / b1 gene .
in addition , three consensus sequences for binding of the transcription factor ap1 are located in the upstream region of the mir-29a / b1 gene .
is highly activated by the ras / raf pathway after tgf- and pdgf - bb exposure ( angel and karin , 1992 ; zhang et al . , 1998 ) .
ap1 interaction with the ap1 responsive elements ( ap1 re ) drives transcription of a broad spectrum of genes involved in the early gene response and acute inflammatory stimulation .
however , ap1 can also function as transcriptional suppressor by binding to tgf- inhibitory elements ( tie ) , that are known to lead to gene silencing in the stromelysin ( kerr et al . ,
1990 ) , the hgf , and the c - myc gene ( matrisian et al . , 1992 ; yagi et al . , 2002 ) .
thus , in future experiments it has to be proven if profibrogenic mir-29 repression is mediated by the consensus sequences of the tie , the ap1 re , the sbe , or even by the interplay of different regulatory elements ( figure 1a ) .
mir-21 is an ubiquitously expressed mirna , which is highly upregulated in the majority of cancer types . in cancer , mir-21 acts as an oncogenic mirna ( oncomir )
targeting pten and other tumor suppressor proteins ( krichevsky and gabriely , 2009 ; qi et al . , 2009 ) .
previous reports have demonstrated that mir-21 is also enhanced after initiation of myocardial , renal , or pulmonary fibrosis ( thum et al . , 2008 ; liu et al . , 2010 ) .
mir-21 enrichment during fibrosis is assumed to be based on profibrogenic stimulation by tgf- , because zhong et al .
( 2011 ) have demonstrated that smad-3 transducing tgf- signaling , is crucial for mir-21 transcription . furthermore , the signal transducers of tgf- , the receptor - regulated smad-2 and smad-3 ( r - smad ) , are able to interact with the p68 rna helicase of the drosha / pdcd4 microprocessor complex , promoting the restriction of pri - mir-21 into the precursor pre - mir-21 ( davis et al . , 2008 ) .
thus , the upregulation of mir-21 during fibrotic processes is based on two tgf- stimulated mechanisms , that are mediated by the smad proteins : ( 1 ) by transcriptional induction and ( 2 ) by enhanced mir-21 maturation ( figure 2 ) .
fibrosis tgf- binds to the receptors leading to smad-2 or smad-3 phosphorylation , followed by aggregation with smad-4 ( 1 ) .
the smad-3/4 is shown to induce transcriptional induction of synthesis of pri - mir-21 ( 2 ) .
the further cleavage of pri - mirna into hairpin - loop precursor mirna is catalyzed by the pdcd4/drosha complex .
the smad proteins can interact with the rna helicase p68 , which is integrated in the microprocessing complex .
after tgf- exposure , both the smad-2 and smad-3 protein is bound by p68 of the complex resulting in stabilization and high microprocessing efficiency ( 3 ) .
high levels of mir-21 target the smad-7 mrna and repress translation of the inhibitory smad-7 ( 4 ) .
the decrease of the inhibitory smad-7 protein in turn abolishes the negative feed - back mechanisms of tgf- signaling ( 5 ) resulting in elevated profibrogenic tgf- stimulation .
a potential mechanism for the role of mir-21 in fibrosis is through regulating the protein synthesis of the inhibitory smad-7 ( figure 2 ; liu et al .
after tgf- stimulation , smad-7 transcription is driven by smad-2/3 and smad-4 ( stopa et al . , 2000 ; dooley et al . , 2001b ) .
enhanced smad-7 levels , in turn , are highly potent to antagonize tgf--mediated pathways ( 1 ) by blockade of the tgf- type i receptor for further binding of the receptor smads ( massague and chen , 2000 ) , and ( 2 ) by smurf2 interaction , to form an e3 ubiquitin ligase that targets the tgf- type i receptor for degradation ( kavsak et al . , 2000 ) .
therefore , the inhibition of smad-7 in response to mir-21 enhancement during fibrosis has to be considered as an important profibrogenic pathway , which might become an attractive target for future therapeutical approaches .
in contrast to mir-21 that promotes tgf- signaling , a recent study of lakner et al .
mir-19b represses fibrotic features after myofibroblastic activation of stellate cells by targeting the tgf- ii receptor and most notably smad-3 ( lakner et al . , 2012 ) .
hence , upcoming knowledge of mirna species , involved in profibrogenic signaling , will provide novel perspectives in understanding and probably also in treatment of chronic liver diseases .
the authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest . | pubmed |
this article is concerned with the asymptotic of the average energy of the configuration of zeros of @xmath0-degree random polynomials as @xmath1 and more generally the zeros of random holomorphic sections of a line bundle @xmath2 over any compact riemann surface without boundary .
the energy of a configuration of points @xmath3 on a surface @xmath4 equipped with a riemannian metric @xmath5 is defined by @xmath6 where @xmath7 is the green s function for @xmath5 , @xmath8,where @xmath9 and @xmath10 is the cut - off function near the diagonal , we will discuss the notations in 2.5 ; other energies will also be studied .
electrons moving freely on the surface distribute themselves in a minimal energy configuration , and many articles have been devoted to finding the minimal energy configurations and the asymptotic of the minimal energy .
the question studied in this article is the extent to which zeros of random polynomials of degree @xmath0 tend to resemble minimal energy configurations of n points .
zeros of random polynomials in complex dimension one repel and like minimal energy configurations tend to stay @xmath11 apart .
our main results show that the average energy of such random zeros is of the same order of magnitude as that of minimal energy configurations .
to state our results , we need some notation . throughout the article we identify polynomials of degree @xmath0 with holomorphic sections @xmath12 of the @xmath0th power of the hyperplane section bundle over the complex projective line @xmath13 .
our methods apply equally to holomorphic sections @xmath14 of powers of a positive holomorphic line bundle @xmath15 over any compact riemann surface.thus , in addition to studying zeros of polynomials , we study zeros of random theta functions over a riemann surface of genus one , and zeros of random holomorphic k - differentials over a surface of higher genus . moreover
, our results apply to general k@xmath16hler metrics @xmath5 on these riemann surfaces .
as recalled in @xmath17 , a choice of hermitian metric on l determines an inner product on @xmath18 and then a gaussian measure @xmath19 on this spaces . roughly speaking ,
a random section @xmath20 is expressed in terms of an orthonormal basis @xmath21 of @xmath18 as @xmath22 where the @xmath23 are independent complex normal gaussian random variables .
also we define riemannian form @xmath24 .
the metric @xmath5 defining green s function is not necessarily equal to the metric derived by @xmath25 . in the case of @xmath13
, we also consider the energies @xmath26 defined by @xmath27^s}.\ ] ] in the case @xmath28 , the @xmath29-energy is defined to be the logarithmic energy @xmath30.\ ] ] here @xmath31 $ ] is the chordal distance between two points on @xmath32 , where @xmath33 and @xmath34 are the two points on @xmath13 corresponding to some points on @xmath32 .
if @xmath35 is the round distance on @xmath32 , then the relation between @xmath36 $ ] and @xmath35 is @xmath37=\sqrt{2(1-\cos r(a , b))}\ ] ] here , @xmath38 , @xmath39 are points on @xmath32 .
we define @xmath40 to be the expected ( average ) value of the energy of the zeros of gaussian random sections chosen from the ensemble @xmath41 by @xmath42 here @xmath43 where @xmath44 is the zeros of @xmath29 and @xmath45 .
note that if @xmath29 has a double zero , the energy is infinite , but this occurs with measure zero . recall a green s function @xmath7 on compact riemann manifold @xmath46 without boundary is the kernel of @xmath47 .
then the expected ( average ) energy is satisfies : let @xmath48 be a positive hermitian line bundle on @xmath4 with @xmath49 , @xmath50 is the curvature form and @xmath51 gives @xmath4 a riemannian volume form . we assume the chern class of @xmath52 , @xmath53
. then the expected average of green s function energy of zeros of random sections is given by : @xmath54 if @xmath55 , then the number of zeros is @xmath56 in [ hr ] , elkies proved that @xmath57 where @xmath58 is the green s function with respected to a special volume form @xmath59 see [ hr ] .
we notice that elkies normalization of green s function is @xmath60 which is negative near the diagonal . while , our normalization for green s function @xmath61 is positive near the diagonal
. then we can rewrite elkies result @xmath62 1 .
we see that the leading order term in equation ( [ hr ] ) is the same as the one in equation ( [ main theorem ] ) .
it means that the probability that the energy is above the minimum goes to zero as @xmath63 , i.e. @xmath64 where @xmath65 which is the minimum of the energy . above formula
is not hard to verify . if @xmath66 and @xmath67 , then we get + @xmath68 + so we have @xmath69 2 .
our expect average of green s function energy is scale metric invariant , that is , if we rescale the metric @xmath70 , then our result ( [ main theorem ] ) does nt change . when @xmath70 , @xmath71 operator becomes @xmath72 , as we discuss in 2.5 , @xmath73 is the kernel of @xmath74 , then @xmath75 as @xmath70 . on the other side , @xmath76 as @xmath70 , therefore , @xmath73 does nt change as @xmath70 .
the leading term order term is independent of @xmath5 and @xmath25 .
we define the green s function @xmath77 to be positive near the diagonal and the average is negative .
then we conclude that the off diagonal part dominates the energy . 1 .
consider @xmath13 with the fubini - study metric @xmath5 , let @xmath78 be a positive hermitian line bundle on @xmath13 with @xmath79 , @xmath50 is the curvature form .
we recall equation ( 2 ) and have expected s - energy : * when @xmath80 + @xmath81 * when @xmath82 @xmath83 * when @xmath84 @xmath85 we will discuss the constant @xmath86 in the remark at the end of this section .
2 . under the same condition as above
, we recall equation ( 3 ) and have expected logarithmic energy : @xmath87 let us compare our results on average energy to the prior results on minimal energy . for @xmath88energy case , saff - kuijilaars in [ ks ] identified @xmath13 as @xmath89 and considered the energy @xmath90 not on @xmath13 and @xmath91 is the chordal distance of @xmath32 .
they investigated the energy @xmath92 .
moreover , they define the minimal @xmath88energy for @xmath0 points on the sphere @xmath93 it was proved by saff - kuijlaars that when @xmath80 , then @xmath94 and when @xmath95 , then @xmath96 @xmath97 . and
when @xmath82 , then @xmath98 here , @xmath99 and @xmath100 .
b.bergersen , d. boal and p. palffy - muboray in [ bbp ] identified @xmath13 as @xmath89 and considered the energy latexmath:[\[{\mathcal{e}}'_0(x_1 , \dots , x_n ) = \sum_{i < j } -\log energy of @xmath0 points @xmath102 , which is the minimal energy of @xmath103 for large @xmath0 : @xmath104 and in that paper , they gave a formula for the ground - state energy @xmath105 * our @xmath88energy is twice of the @xmath88energy in [ ks ] , @xmath106 .
so by the equations ( [ z2 ] ) and ( [ k2 ] ) , we see that when @xmath80 the leading order term of the expected average of energy is the same as the one in minimum energy .
so is the 0-energy case . * in equation ( [ z4 ] ) , we ca nt figure out the constant precisely .
actually it is a conjecture in [ ks ] .
since in the green s function energy , 2-energy and 0-energy , all the leading order terms of expected average are the same as the one in minimum energy , this paper probably offers a method to solve the conjecture
. it will be discussed more after the proof of theorem 1.2(1 ) . an additional motivation to study energies of random zeros
is that there are examples of numerical integration over the riemann surface . in numerical integration , one integrates a function with respect to a probability measure @xmath107 by generation @xmath0 random points from the ensemble @xmath108 and averaging over the points . in this article , we generate n random points from @xmath109 by taking the zeros of a random polynomial .
the same numerical integration procedure is used in the recent paper [ dklr ] to numerically integrate quantities over calabi - yau threefolds .
the more elementary numerical integrations in this article illustrate the speed of convergence of the integration procedure .
we begin with some notations and basic properties of sections of holomorphic line bundles , gaussian measures and the relation between polynomials and sections .
the notations are the same as in [ sz1 ] and [ bsz ] . here
we only deal with complex dimension one case , and [ pbz ] discuss the general case .
we denote by @xmath110 a holomorphic line bundle with smooth hermitian metric @xmath25 whose curvature form @xmath111 is a positive @xmath112-form . here
, @xmath113 is a local non - vanishing holomorphic section of @xmath52 over an open set @xmath114 , and @xmath115 is the @xmath116norm of @xmath113 . as in [ bsz ] , we give @xmath4 the hermitian metric corresponding to the k@xmath16hler form @xmath117 and the induced riemannian volume form @xmath118 we denote by @xmath14 the space of holomorphic sections of @xmath119 the metric @xmath25 induces hermitian metrics @xmath120 on @xmath121 given by @xmath122 we give @xmath18 the hermitian inner product @xmath123 and we write @xmath124 for a holomorphic section @xmath125 , we let @xmath126 denote the current of integration over the zero divisor of @xmath29 : @xmath127 here @xmath128 compactly supported @xmath129 forms ( compactly supported smooth function ) on m. a current is an element of the dual space @xmath130 the poincar@xmath131-lelong formula ( see e.g. [ gh ] ) expresses the integration current of a holomorphic section @xmath132 in the form : @xmath133 the riemannian @xmath134volume i.e. riemannian function along the regular points of @xmath126 , regarded as a measure on @xmath4 : @xmath135 we now give @xmath14 the complex gaussian probability measure @xmath136 where @xmath137 is an orthonormal basis for @xmath14 and @xmath138 is @xmath139dimensional lebesgue measure .
this gaussian is characterized by the property that the @xmath140 real variable @xmath141 , @xmath142 ( @xmath143 ) are independent random variables with mean 0 and variance @xmath144;i.e . , @xmath145 here and throughout this article , @xmath146 denotes expectation : @xmath147 .
we then regard the currents @xmath126 ( resp .
measures @xmath148 ) , as current - valued ( resp .
measure - valued ) random variables
n the probability space ( @xmath149);i.e . , for each test form ( resp .
function ) @xmath150 , ( @xmath151 ) ( resp .
( @xmath151 ) ) is a complex - valued random variable . since the zero current @xmath126 is unchanged when @xmath29 is multiplied by an element of @xmath152 , our results are the same if we instead regard @xmath126 as a random variable on the unit sphere @xmath153 with haar probability measure .
we prefer to use gaussian measures in order to facilitate computations .
the @xmath154point correlation current of the zeros is the current on @xmath155 ( @xmath156 times ) given by @xmath157 in sense that for any test form @xmath158 @xmath159.\ ] ] when @xmath160 , the correlation measures take the form @xmath161\wedge(k^n_1(z)\otimes 1)+\kappa^n(z , w){\omega}_z\otimes{\omega}_w\ \ \
( n>>0),\ ] ] where @xmath162 $ ] denotes the current of integration along the diagonal @xmath163 , and @xmath164 . in [ sz3 ] , bernard shiffman and steve zelditch introduced a primary object `` bipotential '' for the pair correlation current ; in terms of the notation used here , the bipotential is a function @xmath165 such that : @xmath166 in [ sz3 ] , the authors proved that for @xmath167 , @xmath168 , we have @xmath169[2 - 1 ] here @xmath170 , and @xmath171 is the geodesic distance derived by @xmath25 . as ( [ q ] )
, we have @xmath172 by homogenizing , we may identify the space of polynomials of degree @xmath0 in one complex variables with the space @xmath12 of holomorphic sections of the @xmath173power of the hyperplane bundle over @xmath13 .
this space carries a natural @xmath174-invariant inner product and associated gaussian measure @xmath175 .
we associate degree @xmath0 polynomial @xmath176 zero set @xmath177 , which is almost always discrete , and thus obtain a random point process on @xmath13 . in this section ,
we discuss green s functions on riemann surfaces @xmath46 .
the green s function is the kernel of @xmath178 i.e. @xmath179 , which is orthogonal to the constant functions , that is @xmath180 .
here , @xmath181 is the laplacian operator .
let @xmath182 be the eigenfunctions of @xmath181 , then @xmath183 where @xmath184 , and @xmath185 so @xmath186 it is well - known that @xmath73 on riemann surface has following formula [ see h ] @xmath187 here , @xmath9 and @xmath10 is a cut - off function which equals 1 on @xmath188 and 0 on @xmath189 , where @xmath190 .
@xmath191 in [ sz3 ] , the authors proved that @xmath192 where , @xmath193 is the szeg kernel , we have following asymptotic : @xmath194 where @xmath195 is the scalar curvature of @xmath196 .
so we get @xmath197 and @xmath198 @xmath199 since @xmath200 , the last term in above equations becomes @xmath201 so we have @xmath202 if @xmath203 , we have : @xmath204 where @xmath205 will be given in the proof and @xmath206 . by equation ( 4 ) and
our discussion in section 2 , we get : @xmath207\wedge ( k^n_1(z)\otimes 1))\\ & = \int_{m \times m } g_g(z , w ) ( k^n_2(z , w)-[\delta]\wedge ( k^n_1(z)\otimes 1))\\ & = \int_m\int_{r_h(z , w ) \leq \frac{b \sqrt{\log n}}{\sqrt{n } } } g_g(z , w)k^n_2(z , w)-[\delta]\wedge ( k^n_1(z)\otimes 1)\\ & + \int_m\int_{r_h(z , w ) \geq
\frac{b \sqrt{\log n}}{\sqrt{n } } } g_g(z , w)k^n_2(z , w)\\\end{aligned}\ ] ] by the lemma 3.1 , we have : @xmath208\wedge ( k^n_1(z)\otimes 1)\\ & + \int_m\int_{r_h(z , w ) \geq
\frac{b \sqrt{\log n}}{\sqrt{n } } } g_g(z , w)k^n_2(z , w)-\int_{m\times m}g(z , w)k_1^n(z)\wedge k_1^n(w)+o(n^{-2})\\ & = \int_m\int_{r_h(z , w ) \leq \frac{b\sqrt{\log n}}{\sqrt{n } } } g_g(z , w)(k^n_2(z , w)-[\delta]\wedge ( k^n_1(z)\otimes1)-k_1^n(z)\wedge k_1^n(w ) ) \\ & + \int_m\int_{r_h(z , w ) \geq
\frac{b \sqrt{\log n}}{\sqrt{n } } } g_g(z , w)(k^n_2(z , w)-k^n_1(z)\wedge k^n_1(w))+o(\frac 1{n^2})\\\end{aligned}\ ] ] since @xmath209 and @xmath210 is bounded since @xmath4 is compact , therefore when @xmath211 , then @xmath212 , @xmath213 is bounded by @xmath214 , by the equation ( [ 2 - 1]),the last equation becomes : @xmath215 so we get @xmath216\wedge ( k^n_1(z)\otimes1)-k_1^n(z)\wedge k^n_1(w))\notag\\ & + o(n^{-k})\end{aligned}\ ] ] we note there is a formula in [ bsz3 ] about @xmath217 on p783 theorem 4.1 @xmath218\notag\\ & \cdot\frac{i}{2\pi}\partial\bar\partial where @xmath219 , and when @xmath220 , @xmath221 and when @xmath222 , @xmath223 . here is the graph of @xmath224 ( figure 1 ) .
] we change variable @xmath225 combining ( [ dim 1 ] ) and ( [ h ] ) , we get @xmath226\wedge ( k^n_1(z)\otimes1)=&k^n_2(z , z+\frac u{\sqrt n})-[\delta]\wedge ( k^n_1(z)\otimes1)\notag\\ = & nh(\frac12|u|^2)\cdot \frac{{\omega}_z}\pi\wedge\frac i{2\pi}\partial\bar\partial |u|^2+o(n^{-1})\end{aligned}\ ] ] since @xmath227 @xmath228 where @xmath229 .
@xmath150 is the khler potential and since we consider the second derivative of @xmath150 , so without lose of generality we have @xmath230 since @xmath231 , we have @xmath232 here , @xmath233 includes @xmath234 or @xmath235 .
therefore , @xmath236 we have @xmath237 since @xmath238 , we combine equations ( [ become h ] ) and ( [ k - k ] ) to get @xmath239\wedge ( k^n_1(z)\otimes1)-k_1^n(z)\wedge k^n_1(w))\\ & = n\int_m\int_{|u| \leq b \sqrt{\log n } } g_h(z , z+\frac u{\sqrt n})(h(\frac12u^2)-1)\frac{{\omega}_z}{\pi}\otimes\frac{i}{2\pi}\partial\bar\partial |u|^2 + o(n^{-k})\\\end{aligned}\ ] ] now we complete the proof of theorem 1.1 : according to @xmath240 @xmath241 @xmath242 is the local coordinate for @xmath33 , therefore , if @xmath243 , then @xmath244 , where @xmath245 is a symmetric positive definite operator on @xmath246 with respect to the metric determined by h , once we introduce the @xmath242 coordinate , then @xmath245 is a symmetric positive definite matrix which is uniformly bounded on @xmath4 . then we have : @xmath247[h(\frac{1}{2}|u|^2)-1]\frac{{\omega}_z}{\pi}\otimes\frac i{2\pi}\partial\bar\partial |u|^2\\ & = \frac1{2\pi}n\log\sqrt n\int_m\frac{{\omega}_z}{\pi}\int_{0\leq n}}[h(\frac{1}2|u|^2)-1]\frac i{2\pi}\partial\bar\partial |u|^2\\ & \ \ \
-\frac n{2\pi}\int_m\int_{0\leq |u|\leq b\sqrt { \log n}}\log \sqrt { < b(z)u , u>}(h(\frac12|u|^2)-1)\frac{{\omega}_z}\pi\otimes\frac i{2\pi}\partial\bar\partial |u|^2+o(n)\\ & \sim\frac1{4\pi}n\log n\int_{0\leq |u| < \infty}[h(\frac{1}{2}|u|^2)-1]\frac i{2\pi}\partial\bar\partial & \ \ \
-\frac n{2\pi}\int_m\int_{0\leq |u|<\infty}\log \sqrt { < b(z)u , u>}(h(\frac12|u|^2)-1)\frac{{\omega}_z}\pi\otimes\frac i{2\pi}\partial\bar\partial & = i+ii+o(n)\end{aligned}\ ] ] @xmath248 because we assume the chern class of @xmath52 , @xmath53 . using normal coordinates
, we have @xmath249\frac i{2\pi}\partial\bar\partial |u|^2\\ & = \frac1{\pi}\int^{2\pi}_0\int^\infty_0[h(\frac{1}{2}r^2)-1]rdrd\theta\\ & = 2\int^\infty_0[h(\frac{1}{2}r^2)-1]rdr\\ & = -1\end{aligned}\ ] ] therefore,@xmath250 and since @xmath245 is uniformly bounded on @xmath4 , moreover , @xmath245 varies smoothly with z and there exist @xmath251 so that @xmath252 .
so it is easy to get that @xmath253 .
so we have @xmath254
@xmath255^s } ( z_s \otimes z_s - z_{\delta})\\ & = \int_{{{{\mathbb c}}{{\mathbb p}}}^1 \times { { { \mathbb c}}{{\mathbb p}}}^1 } \frac1{[z , w]^s } ( k^n_2(z , w)-[\delta]\wedge k^n_1(z))\\ & = \int_{{{{\mathbb c}}{{\mathbb p}}}^1}\int_{r(z , w ) \leq \sqrt\frac{\log n}{n } } [ z , w]^{-s}(k^n_2(z , w)-[\delta]\wedge ( k^n_1(z)\otimes1))\notag\\ & + \int_{{{{\mathbb c}}{{\mathbb p}}}^1}\int_{\sqrt\frac{\log n}{n}\leq r(z , w ) \leq \pi } [ z , w]^{-s}k^n_2(z , w)\notag\\ & = i+ii\end{aligned}\ ] ] to calculate @xmath256 , we use the same method in @xmath240 .
the variables @xmath257 by equation ( [ relat ] ) we get @xmath258 since @xmath259 , then ( [ 2.1 ] ) becomes @xmath260 here,@xmath261 then we can assume @xmath262{\log n})$ ] , since @xmath263 as @xmath264,then let @xmath265 , to calculate @xmath277 , we use the equation ( [ k ] ) @xmath278 and equation ( [ kk ] ) @xmath279 to get @xmath280^{-s } k^n_1(z)\wedge k^n_1(w)+o(n^{-k})\notag\\ & = n^2\int_{{{{\mathbb c}}{{\mathbb p}}}^1}\frac{{\omega}_z}{\pi}\int_{\sqrt\frac{\log n}{n}\leq r(z , w)\leq 2}[z , w]^{-s}\frac { { \omega}_w}\pi+o(1)\end{aligned}\ ] ] since @xmath281 , if we use azimuthal angle @xmath150 , we get @xmath282 . for the standard unit sphere , @xmath283 , where @xmath35 is the round distance .
then we have : @xmath284 * when @xmath80 , since @xmath261 , then @xmath287 * when @xmath82 , @xmath288 * when @xmath84 , the leading order term is @xmath289 in ( [ is<4 ] ) , however it is hard to figure out what @xmath290 is .
@xmath291 @xmath292(z_s \otimes z_s - z_{\delta})\notag\\ & = \int_{{{{\mathbb c}}{{\mathbb p}}}^1 \times { { { \mathbb c}}{{\mathbb p}}}^1 } -\log [ z , w ] ( k^n_2(z , w)-[\delta]\wedge k^n_1(z))\notag\\ & = \int_{{{{\mathbb c}}{{\mathbb p}}}^1}\int_{r(z , w)\leq \frac{\sqrt{\log n}}{\sqrt{n } } } -\log [ z , w](k^n_2(z , w)-[\delta]\wedge ( k^n_1(z)\otimes1))\notag\\ & + \int_{{{{\mathbb c}}{{\mathbb p}}}^1}\int_{\frac{\sqrt{\log n}}{\sqrt{n}}\leq r(z , w ) \leq \pi } -\log [ z , w]k^n_2(z , w)\notag\\ & = i+ii\end{aligned}\ ] ] to calculate @xmath277 , we use the same method in 4.1 and get @xmath300k^n_1(z)\wedge k^n_1(w)+o(n^{-k})\notag\\ & = n^2\int_{{{{\mathbb c}}{{\mathbb p}}}^1}\frac{{\omega}_z}{\pi}\int_{\sqrt\frac{\log n}{n}\leq r(z , w)\leq \pi}-\log [ z , w]\frac { { \omega}_w}\pi+o(1).\end{aligned}\ ] ] since @xmath281 , if we use azimuthal angle @xmath150 , we get @xmath282 . for the standard unit sphere , @xmath283 , where @xmath35 is the round distance .
then ( [ ii ] ) becomes @xmath301 in the end , we get @xmath302 p. bleher , b. shiffman , and s. zelditch , universality and scaling of zeros on symplectic manifolds . random matrix models and their applications , 3169 , math .
, 40 , cambridge univ . press ,
cambridge , 2001 . | arxiv |
Candy Candy Yo No Se Mañana
YO SÉ MAÑANA…..
_Yo no sé si tú y no sé si yo_
_Seguiremos siendo como hoy…_
Me miro al espejo, inquieta, mi reflejo no me satisface, mis ojos verdes están muertos cuando antes eran alegres, llenos de vida, de esperanzas, ahora solo son lagos vacíos su brillo se había perdido, su vida se ha extinguido, se murió en una fría noche nevada, un brillo de decisión los envolvió, tome el cepillo para peinar mis rubios cabellos, no puedo echarme para atrás cuando ya lo decidí, pensé, te amaba, te deseaba, no sabes cuánto, suspire resignada, ya había pensado en todos, siempre preocupada en los demás, en su felicidad, en su bienestar…¿y yo?..¿Y mi felicidad? ¿Mi alegría? ¿Cuántas veces había soñado despertar en tus brazos sintiendo tu calor?, besar tus labios, poderte cocinar, cuidarte, abrazarte, estar contigo en tus éxitos y tus fracasos, poder hacer una familia, pero no….todos esos sueños y planes se fueron al traste, por mi decisiones, malas decisiones, siempre anteponiendo a todo y a todos, anteponiéndolos a mi felicidad, a mis sueños, mis ilusiones…deberían erigirme una estatua…."Santa Candy"….pídeselo…todo te lo concederá aun a costa de su propia felicidad…. Solté una seca carcajada Eso me haría feliz…, pensé tristemente…
Mire por ultima vez mi departamento, mis ojos recorrieron el cuarto vacío, creí que vivir rodeada de mi familia sería feliz…estúpida ilusión, ¿Cuándo podía ser feliz si la razón de mi vida esta tan lejos? ¿Aquel por quien late mi corazón pertenece a otra? ¿Cómo vivir cuando estoy muerta?, era mejor dejar de existir a seguir con este vacío en mi alma, cuando este amor me corroe y la amargura me invade poco a poco, seguí fingiendo, seguí llevando mi vida, engañándome y engañándolos…creí que fingir era la mejor solución, hasta que un día me descubrí vacía, estéril, sin lagrimas… creyendo vivir, respirar, comer, andar….
Pero no más….había decidió dejar esta vida, abandonaba Chicago, abandonaba mi vida de enfermera, de dulce hija adoptiva, de buena amiga, mujer decente, estaba harta de esto, de ser siempre la buena Candy, la inocente, la pobrecita….hoy partía hacia Nueva york... ¿que encontraría? No lo sé, pero debía enfrentarlo, aunque regresara fracasada moriría feliz al saber que al menos lo había intentado, no pedía mucho, solo una noche, solo unas horas, tan solo unos minutos…con solo hundirme en sus ojos unos instantes estaría contenta, el solo respirar el mismo aire que él, con solo verlo un instante más, estaría satisfecha.
Abandone mi departamento, una carta para Albert y otra para Annie explicando mi desaparición era suficiente para mi, hoy Candy había muerto y nacía una nueva mujer, decidida a vivir cada instante, cada segundo, a gozar la belleza de la vida, ansiaba vivir, regocijarme de todo, aunque fuera por un solo instante en tus brazos, había sido muy clara en mis cartas, aun no sabía que haría, no sabía que pasaría en Nueva York, si mis planes no salían como yo pensaba me iría de ahí a la búsqueda de nuevos horizontes donde nadie me conociera, donde mi vida tuviera un nuevo sentido, lejos de todo y todos, lejos de él.
Te pedí una cita de la manera más insospechada, te envié un Ramo de rosas azules, tan hermosas como tus ojos, pidiéndote ver en mi cuarto de hotel, no sabía si irías o no, no sé cómo reaccionaras, espero que bien, son ya cerca de las ocho, tan solo faltan dos minutos cuando tocan a mi puerta, tan puntual como buen ingles, sonreí internamente, abro la puerta y ahí estás tú, tan gallardo, imponente, varonil, vestías un elegante pantalón negro junto con tu camisa blanca, sonreíste al verme.
-Hola Candice…-tu voz sonó tan formal, aunque tus ojos brillaron traviesos.
-Hola Terrence….-le seguí el juego–pasa….gracias por venir…
-Mmmm…la verdad me intrigo tu nota…-tus azules zafiros me recorrieron inquietos
-¿Si verdad ?...esa era mi intención….-sonreí -¿gustas té?...
-Mmm…no…- me miraste escrutadoramente. Por dios te veías hermoso, más guapo de lo que te recordaba y eso ya era mucho, ya no eras aquel jovencito y yo ya no era aquella muchachita enclenque, te veías tan masculino, mas alto y gallardo, tu cuerpo se veía torneado, marcado, fuerte, ¡dios, se me hizo agua la boca¡.
Ambos nos sentaron en la pequeña salita, mirándonos de frente, yo me deleite con lo que mis ojos veían, _hermoso_, simplemente _hermoso_ pensé.
Tus azules ojos me recorrían curiosos, aunque tu mirar no me decía nada, sabía que estabas inquieto, tal vez rememorando nuestro pasado tan agridulce.
-Me extraño que me hablaras ahora….-tu voz profunda me regreso al presente.
-si…me encuentro de paso…-desvié mi verde mirada, perdiéndome en un punto infinito- he renunciado a mi trabajo en Chicago…
-¿Cómo?...-me miro asombrado.
-si...-lo mire tranquila- he decido cambiar de aires y de vida Terrence…
-…-me miro extrañado
-renuncie a todo….para renovarme….renovarme aquí o en otro lado…
Terry palideció un poco ante mis palabras, sus ojos me interrogaban de manera inquisitiva, le sostuve la mirada, decida a arriesgarme, aquí estaba yo enfrentando mi pasado para vivir mi presente, dispuesta a todo, era el momento.
-Candy….
-Si…Terry…ya me canse de pensar en los demás y no pensar en mi…en mi felicidad…no quiero llegar al mañana y descubrirme vacía, estéril, cual cascarón vacío…yo no sé mañana….si vivo o muero…y no quiero morirme así….pensando en lo que pudo ser y no fue…-me acerque a él, cerrando la distancia que nos separaba, acaricie su mano, el me miro inescrutable, sentí el calor de su piel, me tomo del rostro, acariciándolo suavemente, delimitándolo.
-Candy….yo no puedo ofrecerte…- sus ojos me miraron con infinita tristeza.
-no importa…no hay nada escrito entre tú y yo…no lo necesito….me canse de pensar…quiero vivir…y quiero vivir contigo…- lagrimas empezaron a surcar mi rostro- no quiero saber que se acaba mañana el mundo y no haberte dicho esto…... Te amo Terrence Grandchester…te amo…-sonreí entre mis lagrimas.
-te Amo Candice White…-sonrió y sus labios cubrieron los míos en este segundo beso de amor, era tan dulce….Sus labios carnosos se hundieron en mí, su sabor mezclado a miel y canela, ya no era aquel beso juvenil. Era un beso apasionado, salvaje, mas adulto, me aferre a sus hombros fuertes y musculosos, sentí su calor rodearme, recorrí su cuello con mis manos, suave piel, acaricie su pulso acelerado, sentí tus labios recorrer mi rostro con suaves besos.
-Te amo…..-me elevas entre tus brazos fuertes, te sujeto del cuello, sin dejarte de besar, me llevas ansioso a mi recamara, te sientas sobre la cama y me siento en tus muslos sin dejar de besarte, me intoxica tu sabor, tan adictivo, con calma me desnudas, tus dedos largos desabotonaban lentamente mi ropa, al mismo tiempo deslizas tus ardiente labios por mis ojos, saboreas los lóbulos de mis orejas, la nuca, mi cuello, yo me arqueo de placer, recorres cada centímetro de mi piel, siento el calor de tus labios y gimo ansiosa, deslizas mi blusa por mis hombros mientras yo hago lo mismo con tu camisa, acaricio tu tórax desnudo, piel de seda, recorro cada línea de tus músculos, beso cada centímetro de tu piel, saboreas mis pecosos hombros.
- Amo cada peca de tu cuerpo….amo cada centímetro de ti…-me susurras.-déjame probarte…déjame amarte…Candy…- tu boca continua su sensual recorrido por mi piel, besando, lamiéndome, deslizas mi sostén, admiras mis senos quienes se erigen ante tu ardorosa mirada, con tu pulgar los acaricias suavemente, gimo ansiosa, con solo tu toque me enciendo, tanto tiempo desperdiciado, tanto tiempo llorando cuando pude estar en tus brazos amándote, tu boca toma posesión de mi seno, ¡que locura¡, siento tu lengua provocarme olas de placer, succionándome suavemente.
Continuas desnudándome con una mano, deslizas mi falda dejándome solo con mi bragas, me recuestas en la cama, admiras mi desnudes yo te miro amorosa, deseosa, veo como te desnudas, disfrutando de la vista, todo tú imponente, tan regio, hermoso dios de la sensualidad, mi mirada acaricia cada centímetro de tu musculoso y firme cuerpo, te recuestas a mi lado, siento tu ardiente calor envolverme, continuas tu recorrido, deslizas el último vestigio de ropa junto con mi cordura, mis tímidas caricias te producen tanto placer, lo veo en tus ojos, ardorosos, candentes, tu mano acaricia mi intimidad, tus dedos recorren ese punto intimo con suavidad, el placer me envuelve, elevándome hasta el cielo en una ola de placer, tus dedos se introducen en mi acariciándome suavemente, grito sorprendida, ahondas tu intrusión sintiéndome cálida, húmeda y estrecha.
-Me esperabas ¿verdad?...-gruño satisfecho – solo yo….
-si…-gemí – solo tú….Terry….
Continuas con esas intimas caricias provocándome inmenso placer, placer desconocido para mi, te deslizas y te hundes entre mis piernas, sentí tu boca acariciarme de manera intima, eso me elevo a los cielos, mi cabeza daba vueltas de placer, sentir tu boca, tu lengua recorrerme, saborearme me volvió loca, ¡estaba muerta y había llegado al cielo ¡me elevaste a un éxtasis absoluto, sentí fluir en mi toda mi miel, grite desesperada.
Tú gruñiste satisfecho pero continuaste con tus embates, moría de placer, un orgasmo tras otro me provocaste llevándome a la cima, te detuviste momentáneamente, tus ojos oscuros de deseo se encontraron con los míos, me miraste con tal ardor que me inflamabas toda.
-Terry…..te amo…
-Te amo pecas…y no pienso dejar de hacerlo por lo que me resta de vida…- me besaste con desesperación, me recorriste acariciándome con salvajismo y ansiedad.
_Tanto tiempo llorándote, añorándote_, _amándote en silencio_, pensé recorrí silenciosa tu rostro, te acaricie con suavidad casi con temor.
-¿En verdad estamos juntos? …-mi ansiedad se palpaba.
-Si pecosa…-Terry me miro amorosamente, sonrió con dulzura, como siempre me sonreía_, solo a mi_ pensé orgullosa.
-Estamos juntos, eres mía y yo soy tuyo….- susurro con tanta convicción que eso me elevo al cielo…_cuanto te amo_, mi corazón se inflamo de felicidad.
- Te amo pecosa…-
Sentí tus caderas desnudas acariciar las mías, sintiendo la dureza de tu miembro, temblé, a pesar de lo vivido aun necesitaba más, te necesitaba todo, sentirte dentro de mí, amarte, y que me amaras, deslice mi mano y tímidamente te acaricie, recorriéndote todo.
-Candy….no me dejes…no me abandones, nunca más….-el tono desesperado de Terry me rompió el corazón, el sufría al igual que yo las consecuencias de nuestros errores, de las terribles decisiones que de manera tan precipitada había tomado, llevándolos a la infelicidad.
-No… Terry…nunca….más…..…nunca…..….-lo beso desesperadamente, siento su sabor mezclado con el mío– Te necesito…te necesito tanto…-una silenciosa lagrima escurrió sobre mi mejilla.
-No llores pecosa….-Terry me miraba tiernamente.
-Ámame…-gemí.
Terry descanso un poco el peso en mi, colocándose a un lado, me lleno de besos apasionados y ardientes caricias, se deslizo sobre mis caderas separándolas, haciéndome suya, introduciéndose en mi con suavidad, me puse un poco rígida al sentirlo, tenia miedo, pero lo deseaba tanto, con desesperación, él se deslizo poco apoco en mí, lentamente, con ternura, con una devoción que me conmovía.
-Tranquila pecosa, nunca te lastimaría….nunca más…-Terry me prodigo suaves besos en mi rostro, poco a poco me fui acostumbrando a él,_ me llenaba, me completaba, era mi todo, él era yo y yo era él, éramos uno solo._ Terry inicio su movimiento candente, sutil dentro de mí, me aferro a sus hombros, cerrando los ojos ante el inmenso placer que me producía saberme de él.
-Mía…solo mía…- me susurra al oído.
-Si…Terry...En cuerpo y alma…te he esperado por largo tiempo….-gemí ardorosa.
Oleadas de placer nos envolvieron, gimiendo al unísono, las embestidas se hicieron más y más continuas, duras, poderosas, implacables _¿acaso había más grande placer que tener a Terry entre mis piernas?_
_¿Acaso es pecado este amor tan poderoso?, _lo amaba lo amaba tan locamente que no importaba ya nada, ni nadie, más que ellos dos y sus cuerpos amándose bajo la luna, inmersos en la locura de su amor, sin importar nadie más.
El éxtasis nos envolvió llevándonos a un orgasmo tan largo y placentero, Terry derramo toda su simiente en mi, llenándome, completándome, haciéndome mujer, _su mujer_, nos besamos agotados, Terry la abrazo posesivamente.
-Nunca más pecosa…-sonrió-Nunca más te dejare ir de mi lado….he simulado vivir y llevar una vida estable, pero este instante a lado tuyo me ha hecho renacer, renacer en tus brazos, quiero vivir y morir en ti….
-Terry...-lo abrace desesperada.
¿-Estas dispuesta a enfrentar lo que se viene?
-Mientras estés a mi lado….amándome…que el mundo ruede…
00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00000
Miraba el pasar de las personas, la noche había caído, estaba en el pent-house que Terry acababa de comprar para ella, apenas había llegado de su trabajo en un hospital cercano, pese a la reticencia de Terry de que trabajara, ella había decidido conseguir uno empleo, era casi la hora en que él llegaría, ansiaba poder abrazarlo y besarlo, el castaño pasaba casi todas las noches con ella, ¿Qué pensaba Susana de eso? Miro indiferente el paisaje, ¿Que importaba?...a ella en determinado momento poco le importaba lo que opinaban los demás, aunque llevaban a cabo su amorío con discreción, sabía que en algún momento la sociedad se daría cuenta de su pecado, aún mas cuando a ella se le empezara a notar su embarazo, si, esperaba un hijo de Terry y tal cosa no había hecho más que llenarla de felicidad, después de que pensó que su futuro se vislumbraba vació estéril, en su vientre llevaba el fruto de su amor, un amor puro, verdadero, quizás prohibido o mal visto por la sociedad, pero real, eterno y totalmente perfecto, aun no le daba la noticia a Terry pero sabría que él se volvería loco de felicidad, ansiaba una familia y una familia con ella, tal vez así Susana diera su brazo a torcer, ¿pero que mas daba?...nada ni nadie empañaría su felicidad.
Escuche la puerta abrirse y él entro, tan gallardo e imponente como siempre, corrió a abrazarme, me levanto en vilo besándome apasionadamente_. Soy tan feliz_, pensé.
-Te extrañe mona pecas…-sonrió pícaro.
-yo también…mocoso engreído….-rei abrazándolo.
-Te tengo una noticia…-dijimos al unisonó.
-Tu primero mi amor….-dijo Terry
-Pero primero...-sonreí traviesa– Bésame…
-sus deseos son ordenes…-el me beso apasionadamente y me cargo – Te amo…Te amo…. déjame demostrarte cuanto….- me susurro seductoramente al oído, despareciendo en la intimidad de su cuarto donde nos amamos de manera total y entregada, olvidándonos de todo y todos, engullidos en nuestra felicidad…. De aquí a la eternidad.
End file.
| fanfiction |
Finding release angle and final velocity of projectile when the target has a different coordinations [closed]
**Closed.** This question is [off-topic](/help/closed-questions). It is not currently accepting answers.
---
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Closed 9 years ago.
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I am trying to write some codes for auto-snowball mechanism which seems like a regular projectile but instead of hitting the targets on the ground it is going to be able to hit the target in the air or with different(x,y) coordination.
Here is the blueprint of the mechanism: :
Simply The mechanism will be able to get the (x,y) of the target and then mechanism will have a constant initial velocity(Vo).
I used regular Velocity equations to find the Vox and Voy of Initial Velocity(Vo).
Here is my Velocity and Delta X and Delta Y formulas: 
My questions are:
1-Is a(acceleration) still going to be a=0 for Delta X and a=-g=-9.8 m/s^2
2-How am I going to find the final Velocity(Vf)?
3-Is this a correct equation to find Release Angle(Theta)?
Your equations of motion are:
$$
\Delta y = v\_{0}\sin{\theta} \Delta t - \frac{1}{2}g\Delta t ^2 \\
\Delta x = v\_{0}\cos{\theta}\Delta t
$$
You can rearrange to eliminate $\Delta t$:
$$
\Delta t = \frac{\Delta x}{v\_0 \cos{\theta}}
$$
Substituting this into the $\Delta y$ equation yields:
$$
\Delta y = \Delta x \tan{\theta} - \frac{g(\Delta x)^2}{2v\_0^2\cos^2{
\theta}}
$$
Now we have an equation independent of time, and it describes the parabolic path taken by the particle. Solving this equation for $\theta$, given your target coordinates $(x,y)$ will tell you the angle to fire at. Note that there will be two angles that will hit the target, unless $45^\circ{}$ is the exact answer.
| stackexchange/physics |
What makes Human a Conductor
Conductors, are those which have free electrons... and because of this have same electric potential all over. But considering our body, which has many electrical voltage, current signals passing by in neurons, skeletal muscles(also the ones in heart creating dipole), etc, how are we being conductors... that is I meant, where are free charge originated in us.. Are just metal ions responsible for this ?
Conduction is the transport of charge, and it doesn't matter what the charge carriers are. In metals the charge carriers are, as you say, the conduction electrons. However in electrolyte solutions like saline the conductors are hydrated ions like $\textrm{Na}^+$ and $\textrm{Cl}^-\;.$
As far as electricity is concerned our bodies are basically just dilute electrolytes, so the (rather low) conductivity of the human body is due to transport of ions.
You mention conduction in nerves. This is a bit of a special case because the main action of nerves is not to conduct electricity but to propagate changes in electrical potentials. Describing the mechanism by which nerves work would be off topic here but is easily Googled.
Google it and you will get great answers for example :
>
> PURE WATER DOES NOT CONDUCT ELECTRICITY. It's all the salts and impurities in it that cause it to carry current. Skin is actually a very good insulator as well so, relative to metal, humans aren't very good conductors. However, it is things such as the ionized water and whatnot that make up our body that do cause us to conduct.
>
>
> Actually the body is not too good. That is the reason that you get a shock as your body is a resistance not in fact a pure condutor. If you get an ordinary electricity multimeter and test your restance from one hand to another you will see that it is in fact quite high. That is reason that you cannot feel 12volt. Now when the body surface is moist then you get a greater contact area and the body resistance will drop hence putting a battery across your toungue induces a tingle.
>
>
> Humans are actually horrible conductors. The typical resistance of any human is about 6 Meg Ohms. Copper is only a few ohms (depending on the length). But we do conduct because we are 70% water, (though pure water wont conduct electricity either.)
>
>
>
Source : yahoo answers
| stackexchange/physics |
WSSL-FM 100.5 FM, Whistle 100.5 is a radio station licensed to Gray Court, South Carolina. Owned by iHeartMedia, it broadcasts a country music format serving Upstate South Carolina. Its studios are in downtown Greenville and its transmitter is in Gray Court. The station also has an auxiliary transmitter next to the main transmitter that operates at 98,000 watts ERP.
WSSL-FM broadcasts in HD Radio. Its HD2 subchannel carries country music from iHeartRadio's Club Jam Country channel, which carries rhythmic country songs.
History
The first station at 100.5 FM to be located in the Greenville-Spartanburg market was WDXY-FM, a sister station to WORD AM in Spartanburg.
100.5 signed on in November 1960 as WLBG-FM, the FM sister to WLBG 860 AM in Laurens. It became WGXL in the 70s when it moved the tower to Gray Court and increased the power. At the time, well known local broadcast personality Monty Dupuy moved his morning show from WFBC to what was then called XL Stereo 100. Former WFBC-TV news director Dave Partridge also provided news on the station during this time.
WGXL was sold in the early 80s to Keymarket Group, which took the station country in September 1981 as WSSL and moved it into the Greenville-Spartanburg market.
The station is now owned by Clear Channel Communications, along with fellow country station WESC-FM. Musically, the stations are similar, with WESC playing some more gold/classic country songs. By the late 2000s, WSSL had emerged as the leading country music station in upstate South Carolina. The station is home to the popular Ellis & Bradley morning show. Beginning in May 2009, WSSL began airing the syndicated After Midnite With Blair Garner.
External links
SSL-FM
Category:IHeartMedia radio stations | wikipedia |
Soliton Moduli Spaces and Homotopy Theory
The four-dimensional $SU(N)$ Yang-Mills Lagrangian is given by $$\mathcal{L}=\frac{1}{2e^2}\mathrm{Tr}F\_{\mu\nu}F^{\mu\nu}$$
and gives rise to the Euclidean equations of motion $\mathcal{D}\_\mu F^{\mu\nu}=0$ with covariant derivative $\mathcal{D}\_\mu$. *Finite action* solutions $A\_\mu$ satisfy the condition that,
$$A \to ig^{-1}\partial\_\mu g$$
as we approach $\partial \mathbb{R}^4 \cong \mathbb{S}^3\_{\infty}$, with $g$ an element of $SU(N)$. These provide a map from $\mathbb{S}^3\_\infty$ to $SU(N)$, and are classified by homotopy theory. In [Tong's lecture notes](http://arxiv.org/abs/hep-th/0509216) on solitons, he states without proof that the second Chern class, or Pontryagin number $k \in \mathbb{Z}$ is given by
$$k = \frac{1}{24\pi^2}\int\_{S^3\_\infty}\mathrm{d}S^3\_\mu \, \, \mathrm{Tr} \,(\partial\_\nu g)g^{-1}(\partial\_\rho g)g^{-1} (\partial\_\sigma g)g^{-1}\epsilon^{\mu \nu \rho \sigma}$$
As I understand them, Chern classes are characteristic classes of bundles on manifolds; **in this case what bundle and manifold is $k$ associated with? How does one obtain $k$ in this case?** Tong states "The integer... counts how many times the group wraps itself around spatial $\mathbb{S}^3\_\infty$."
In addition, Tong states without rigorous proof the metric of the moduli space (the space of all solutions to the equations of motion which are self-dual):
$$g\_{\alpha \beta} = \frac{1}{2e^2} \int \mathrm{d}^4 x \mathrm{Tr} \, \, (\delta\_\alpha A\_\mu)(\delta\_\beta A\_\mu)$$
with $\delta\_\alpha A\_\mu = \partial A\_\mu / \partial X^{\alpha} + \mathcal{D}\_\mu \Omega\_\alpha$ where $\Omega\_\alpha$ is an infinitesimal transformation, and $X^{\alpha}$ are the collective coordinates. **How does one compute such a metric of a moduli space? Why should it be given by the sum of all zero modes?**
**I would prefer an answer which utilizes arguments from differential geometry, and topology.**
First let me refer you to Eric Weinberg's [book](http://books.google.co.il/books?id=rfvFNI2C7i8C&printsec=frontcover&dq=CL) where the instanton moduli space is described in more detail.
Principal bundles over 4-dimensional Riemannian manifolds are classified by the second Chern class = Instanton number and the t' Hooft discrete Abelian magnetic fluxes. Please see the following [Lecture notes](http://fy.chalmers.se/~mans/teaching/YM/notes/principal_bundles.pdf) by Måns Henningson.
t' Hooft fluxes are present only when the gauge group has a nontrivial center, thus in the case of $SU(N)$, the classification is according to the instanton numbers.
A compactified Minkowski space, can be thought of as a four dimensional ball $B^4$, with the boundary points ( at infinity) $S^3$ identified. Thus by the Stokes theorem, the instanton number is given by:
$$ k = \int\_{B^4}\*F \wedge F =\int\_{B^4}dCS(A) = \int\_{S^3\_{\infty}} CS(A) = \int\_{S^3\_{\infty}} WZW(g) $$
Where $CS(A)$ and $WZW(g)$ are the Chern-Simons and the
Wess-Zumino-Novikov-Witten functionals respectively and the last step
is derived from the substitution of the pure gauge condition at infinity.
The local geometry of the moduli space can be understood as follows: The instanton solutions are of the form:$ A\_{\mu} = A\_{\mu}(X^\alpha)$, where $X^\alpha$ are the coordinates of the moduli space. These solutions are local minima of the action, for all constant values of the moduli but the action is not extremal when these coordinates are made to depend on time. This time dependence is introduced to study the dynamics of the moduli near the classical solution.
The difference between the action with time varying moduli and time
invariant ones is due to the time dependence of the moduli coordinates,
assuming the time derivatives are small(i.e., by substituting $X^{\alpha}= X\_0^{\alpha} + t \dot{X}\_0^{\alpha}$, the leading terms have the least number of time derivatives thus the varied action must have the form:
$$ I = \frac{1}{2g^2} \int d^4x F\_{\mu\nu}(A) F^{\mu\nu}(A) = \frac{8\pi^2}{g^2} k + \int dt B\_{\alpha}(X)\dot{X}^{\alpha} +g\_{\alpha \beta}(X)\dot{X}^{\alpha}\dot{X}^{\beta} + ...$$
Where the last step is obtained after the integration of the "known" solution over the spatial coordinates.
This action has just the form of a particle moving on a Riemannian manifold having a metric $g$ in a magnetic field $B$. The exterior derivative of the magnetic field can be interpreted as the symplectic structure of the moduli space. The form of the metric taken by David Tong will give exactly the same metric, because, the leading terms in the moduli time derivatives of the Yang Mills action will include a time derivative, thus we are left with the variation of the gauge fields themselves.
This is only the local structure of the moduli space. This analysis will not tell us, for example, if the symplectic structure is exact or
closed. Of course, the global structure of the moduli space requires deeper analysis.
One global property that can be "relatively" easily computed is the moduli space dimension, even if a simple closed form of the solution is not available: The dimension is the count perturbation $A\_{\mu}+a\_{\mu}$ of a self dual solution $A\_{\mu}$ which is also self dual modulo gauge
transformations. Inserting the gauge potential in the self duality
equation, The following condition is obtained (Weinberg equation 10.112):
$$ \eta^{\mu \nu} D\_{A \mu} a\_{\nu} = 0$$
where $D\_{A}$ is the covariant derivative of the classical solution, and
$ \eta^{\mu \nu} $ is a self dual matrix defined in Weinberg (equation
10.74). To remove the pure gauge direction, there exist another
orthogonality condition to all pure gauge directions:
$$D\_{A\mu} a^{\mu} = 0$$.
These two conditions can be combined together into a single Dirac
equation:
$$\not{D}\_{A} \Psi = 0$$.
where, the relation of the gauge field perturbation and the spinor $\Psi$ are given by: $a\_{\mu} = \sigma\_{\mu}^{\alpha \dot{\alpha}} \Psi\_{\alpha \dot{\alpha}}$
This construction converts the problem of counting the number of moduli to counting the number of a Dirac equation zero modes. For the Dirac equation, the number of zero modes is given by the Atiyah-Singer index theorem.
| stackexchange/physics |
Benacre National Nature Reserve is a national nature reserve in the English county of Suffolk. It is located on the North Sea coast in the parishes of Benacre, Covehithe, Reydon and South Cove. It lies between the towns of Lowestoft and Southwold and covers .
Benacre NNR consists of areas of open water lagoons and reed beds along the Suffolk coast including Benacre Broad, Covehithe Broad and Easton Broad and extending as far south as Reydon. The reserve features extensive reedbeds, woodland and heathland, as well as pits created by gravel extraction. There are over 100 species of breeding birds, including marsh harrier, bearded reedling, water rail, and occasionally bittern. The flora includes seakale, sea holly, and yellow-horned poppy. Reed is farmed commercially for the thatching industry, whilst enabling the bearded reedling to find a habitat.
The coastline has eroded rapidly over time and the reserve is threatened by both erosion and sea level rise. Some of the ongoing work at the reserve is stopping the encroaching sea by digging new lagoons and establishing more sea defences, and replacing the woodland lost to the sea.
References
Category:Nature reserves in Suffolk
Category:National nature reserves in England
Category:Waveney District | wikipedia |
Credit Houston native and uber-entrepreneur, Bridget Dunlap, for the vision and redevelopment of one of my favorite areas of Austin for leisure, grub and adult bevies – the Rainey Street District.
Bridget's foresight towards turning dilapidated aged homes on an otherwise sleepy Austin street, near Town, now Lady Bird Lake, has reinvigorated an entire neighborhood and created an extremely unique new nightlife scene downtown.
Just a few years back, Bridget started "building her empire" with the opening of Lustre Pearl, a super fun locale, where one can hula hoop, play ping pong and load the brilliant juke, all while in and around a priceless property that could probably tell many a story from days past.
Add Bar 96, Clive Bar and the soon-to-be-opened Container Bar (planned for August 2012) to the mix and Dunlap has amassed quite the stable of excellent watering holes in the area.
Also to be noted in the Rainey Street District are other faves of mine and great stops – Icenhauer's, Blackheart and Javelina. For eats, you should certainly give G'Raj Mahal, El Naranjo and Cazamance, the food trailer in the back of Bar 96, a try. You won't be disappointed!
On the horizon on Rainey, as well, are Bunglow, Banger's Sausage House & Beer Garden, Bar Nova, a unique craft beer bar (name unavailable) and more.
Kudos to Bridget Dunlap, the Queen of Rainey!
Call me when you come to Atlanta next! This bar speaks to me! She may someday have a sister on Bolton Rd! | slim_pajama |
How does sodium diacetate turn into two acetic acid molecules?
I'm trying to replace vinegar with sodium diacetate in a recipe, and I would like to understand better what is happening from a chemical point of view.
What I imagine happens when I add sodium diacetate to the pot:
$$\ce{NaH(C2H3O2)2 + H2O -> (C2H4O2)2 + NaOH}$$
But what happens to the sodium hydroxide? It's alkaline in a acidic solution so it should react somehow?
Also if I know that $\pu{100 ml}$ of vinegar contains $\pu{4 g}$ of acetic acid, how much sodium diacetate should I add to substitute the vinegar?
You can use citric acid with [sodium diacetate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_diacetate):
$\ce{(CH3COO)2HNa + H3Citr -> 2 CH3COOH + NaH2Citr}$
You could use premixed or rather separate 2 solids. Premixed is more practical, but I would avoid its longer storage to prevent acetic acid creation.
It could help if a desiccant could be used, like silicagel balls in cups of effervescent tablets. But it should be tested. For myself, I would use empty containers from such tablets, recently used.
Note that there are 2 Acetic acid molecules and 1 Sodium Hydroxide molecule in the reaction so there will be an extra 1 Acetic acid molecule left after the complete reaction so, your reaction will always result an acidic medium.
To find how much sodium diacetate you should add to substitute the vinegar, you should first find how many moles of Acetic acid are in a 4g sample (divide the mass of sample from the molar mass of Acetic acid). Then according to your reaction, find how many moles of Sodium Diacetate are needed to get the same amount of Acetic acid you previously calculated using stochiometric ratios. Find the required mass of Sodium Diacetate by multiplying the amount of moles you calculated for Sodium Diacetate before with the molar mass of Sodium Diacetate.
| stackexchange/chemistry |
the recent discovery of the strongly relativistic binary pulsar ( burgay et al .
2003 ) which is also the first eclipsing double pulsar system found in our galaxy ( lyne et al .
2004 ) has resparked the interest in the evolutionary history and formation of double neutron star ( dns ) systems ( willems & kalogera 2004 ; dewi & van den heuvel 2004 ; willems , kalogera & henninger 2004 ) . according to the standard formation channel for dns binaries ( e.g. bhattacharya & van den heuvel 1991 ) , their progenitors evolve through a high - mass x - ray binary phase where the first - formed ns accretes matter from the wind of a high - mass companion .
when the latter fills its roche lobe , the extreme mass ratio triggers the formation of a common envelope which extracts orbital energy and angular momentum and causes the ns and donor core to spiral - in towards each other . if the inspiral can be stopped before the components coalesce , a tight binary is formed consisting of the first - formed ns and a helium star companion . after it exhausts its central helium supply , the helium star expands and a second , this time stable , mass - transfer phase is initiated which spins the ns up to millisecond periods . at the end of the mass - transfer phase
the helium star s core explodes and forms the second ns . in this paper , we present constraints on the properties of the progenitor of psrj0737 - 3039 just before the supernova ( sn ) explosion that gives birth to pulsar b. in view of the recent scintillation velocity measurements , which were first presented at the meeting ( ransom et al .
, these proceedings ) and updated shortly thereafter ( ransom et al .
2004 ) , we update our results presented at the conference and account for the system s full kinematic history since the time of its formation .
we furthermore present probability distribution functions ( pdfs ) for the kick velocity imparted to pulsar b and , in reply to the call for theorists predictions on psrj0737 - 3039 , we predict the most likely misalignment angle between pulsar a s spin and the post - sn orbital angular momentum as a function of @xmath1 .
in order to derive constraints on the pre - sn binary parameters and the kick imparted to pulsar b , we first use the scintillation velocity components determined by ransom et al .
( 2004 ) to trace the galactic motion of the system backwards in time as a function of the unknown orientation @xmath0 of the scintillation velocity in the plane of the sky and the unknown radial velocity @xmath1 . assuming that the system is at most 100myr old
, we find that it may have crossed the galactic plane twice in the past . identifying these plane crossings with possible birth sites yields estimates for the age and post - sn peculiar velocity which are shown in fig . 1 as a function of @xmath0 and @xmath1 .
if the system has crossed the galactic plane only once in the past , there is a wide range of @xmath0- and @xmath1-values for which psrj0737 - 3039 may be remarkably young ( @xmath11myr ) . if , on the other hand , the system has crossed the galactic plane twice , it is at least 20myr old regardless of the values of @xmath0 and @xmath1
. the peculiar velocity right after the formation of pulsar b may furthermore be anywhere between @xmath12kms@xmath4 and @xmath13kms@xmath4 .
next , we determine the post - sn orbital parameters for each possible birth site by integrating the equations governing the orbital evolution due to gravitational radiation backwards in time up to the age corresponding to that birth site .
these post - sn binary parameters are related to the pre - sn parameters and to the kick magnitude and direction by the conservation laws of orbital energy and angular momentum .
the requirements that ( i ) the solutions to these relations must be real , ( ii ) the binary components must remain bound after the sn explosion , ( iii ) the post - sn orbit must pass through the position of both stars at the time of the sn explosion , and ( iv ) the kick must produce the right post - sn peculiar velocity , then impose constraints on the pre - sn orbital separation and on the mass of pulsar b s helium star progenitor as well as on the magnitude and direction of the kick imparted to pulsar b ( for more details , see willems et al .
2004 , and references therein ) . regardless of the values of the two unknown parameters @xmath0 and @xmath1 ,
the pre - sn orbital separation is constrained to the interval between @xmath14 and @xmath15 . for these tight constraints ,
the system is able to avoid roche - lobe overflow prior to the formation of pulsar b only if the mass of b s helium star progenitor is higher than @xmath16 and if the kick velocity imparted to pulsar b at birth was larger than @xmath13kms@xmath4 .
helium stars of such a high mass are not only very unlikely ( due to the strong wind mass loss ) , they are also expected to end up as a black hole instead of a ns .
the pre - sn binary therefore most likely consisted of the first - formed ns in orbit around a roche - lobe filling helium star ( see also dewi & van den heuvel 2004 ) .
we constrain the mass of the latter to be between @xmath17 and @xmath18 , where the lower mass limit corresponds to the smallest mass for which a single helium star is expected to form a ns and the upper limit to the highest mass for which mass transfer onto the first - formed ns is expected to be dynamically stable ( ivanova et al . 2003 )
. the lower limit of @xmath17 furthermore implies that a birth kick with a velocity of at least 60kms@xmath4 was imparted to the second - born ns , in agreement with the minimum kick velocity derived by willems & kalogera ( 2004 ) and dewi & van den heuvel ( 2004 ) . from the condition that the binary must remain bound after the second sn explosion
, we also derived an upper limit for the kick velocity of 1660kms@xmath4 .
the direction of the kick is constrained to always make an angle of at least @xmath19 with the helium star s pre - sn orbital velocity , and and angle of at least @xmath5@xmath6 with the pre - sn orbital angular momentum axis ( which could be associated with pulsar b s spin axis ) .
hence , the kicks are generally directed opposite to the orbital motion and could not have been too closely aligned or anti - aligned with the pre - sn orbital angular momentum . for specific values of @xmath0 and @xmath1 ,
the progenitor and kick velocity properties often become much more constrained than the absolute limits mentioned above . in particular , the condition that the kick must match the post - sn peculiar velocity associated with the considered values of @xmath0 and @xmath1 narrows the range of possible kick velocities to an interval that is about @xmath8kms@xmath4 wide .
the minimum kick velocity and the tendency of the kick to be directed opposite to the pre - sn orbital motion furthermore increase with increasing absolute values of the radial velocity . for a detailed representation of the progenitor and kick constraints as a function of @xmath0 and @xmath1
, we refer to willems et al .
following the procedure described in detail in willems et al .
( 2004 ) , we derive probability distribution functions ( pdfs ) for the kick velocity @xmath20 imparted to pulsar b at birth and for the misalignment angle @xmath21 between pulsar a s spin and the post - sn orbital angular momentum under the assumption that all kick directions are equally probable .
the pdfs are first derived for all admissible values of @xmath0 and @xmath1 , and next integrated over all possible @xmath0-angles assuming a uniform distribution between 0 and @xmath22 .
the resulting pdfs are shown in figs . 2 and 3 as functions of the remaining unknown parameter @xmath1 .
the kick - velocity distributions exhibit a single peak at kick velocities which increase from @xmath23kms@xmath4 to @xmath241700kms@xmath4 with increasing absolute values of the radial velocity .
this is in contrast to the single most probably kick velocity of @xmath25kms@xmath4 found by willems & kalogera ( 2004 ) .
the wider range found here is associated with the relation between the kick magnitude and the post - sn peculiar velocity which tends to select those kick velocities from the admissible range which are able to explain the motion of the system in the galaxy ( high space velocities can not be explained by low kick velocities and vice versa ) .
however , for a given radial velocity , the range of kick velocities with non - vanishingly small probabilities is always much more constrained than in willems & kalogera ( 2004 ) .
the tilt - angle distributions , on the other hand , clearly favor tilt angles below @xmath6@xmath7 when ( i ) the system has crossed the galactic plane twice in the past or ( ii ) the system has crossed the galactic plane once and has a current radial velocity of less than @xmath26kms@xmath4 in absolute value .
higher tilt angles tend to be associated with one disk crossing and much higher radial velocities of @xmath261200kms@xmath4 in absolute value .
tilt angles close to @xmath27 are furthermore strongly disfavored for any radial velocity @xmath1 .
the overall behavior of the pdfs thus supports the tilt angles of @xmath28 or @xmath29 predicted by the geometrical model of jenet & ransom ( 2004 ) , as well as the problems with their alternative solutions of @xmath30 or @xmath31 which are incompatible with the misalignment angle between the pulsar s spin and magnetic dipole axes derived by demorest et al .
in view of recent claims of alignment of ns kicks with ns spin axes ( e.g. romani 2004 , these proceedings ) , it is also interesting to consider the constraints on the progenitor and formation of psrj0737 - 3039 in the case where the kick direction is confined within two oppositely directed cones with an opening angle of @xmath6 and with axes parallel to the pre - sn orbital angular momentum axis ( i.e. polar kicks ) .
the confinement of the kick directions strongly reduces the range of radial velocities for which viable progenitors for psrj0737 - 3039 may be found and greatly tightens the constraints described in the previous sections : the mass of pulsar b s helium star progenitor becomes constrained to @xmath32@xmath33 , the pre - sn orbital separation to @xmath34@xmath35 , and the magnitude of the kick velocity to @xmath36600kms@xmath4 .
the range of most probable kick velocities furthermore shrinks to @xmath37550kms@xmath4 , and the range of most probable tilt angles to @xmath38@xmath39 .
we have used the scintillation velocity measurements of ransom et al . ( 2004 ) to derive the most up - to - date constraints on the progenitor of psrj0737 - 3039 and on the kick imparted to pulsar b at birth as a function of the unknown orientation @xmath0 of the systemic velocity projected on plane of the sky and the unknown radial velocity @xmath1 .
we also derived the most probable pulsar kick velocity and spin tilt for both isotropic and polar kicks as a function of @xmath1 .
once @xmath0 is measured in the coming year , it will be straightforward to use the results presented here to further constrain the natal kicks and the spin - tilt predictions .
we thank the aspen center for physics and the conference organizers for hosting a very stimulating meeting , and laura blecha for sharing the galactic motion code .
this work is partially supported by a nsf gravitational physics grant , a david and lucile packard foundation fellowship in science and engineering grant , and nasa atp grant nag5 - 13236 to vk .
bhattacharya , d. & van den heuvel , e.p.j .
1991 , phys .
, 203 , 1 burgay , m. , et al .
2003 , nature , 426 , 531 demorest , p. , ramachandran , r. , backer , d.c . , ransom , s.m . ,
kaspi , v. , arons , j. , & spitkovsky , a. 2004 , apjl , submitted ( astro - ph/0402025 ) dewi , j.d.m . &
van den heuvel , e.p.j .
2004 , mnras , 349 , 169 ivanova , n. , belczynski , k. , kalogera , v. , rasio , f.a . & taam , r.e .
2003 , apj , 592 , 475 jenet , f.a . & ransom , s.m .
2004 , nature , in press lyne , a.g .
, et al . 2004 , science , 303 , 1153 ransom , s.m . , et al .
2004 , apjl , submitted ( astro - ph/0404149 ) willems , b. & kalogera , v. 2004 , apjl , 603 , l101 willems , b. , kalogera , v. & henninger , m. 2004 , apj , submitted ( astro - ph/0404423 ) | arxiv |
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Maison Ikkoku creditless openings and endings
All of this files are 640x80, 24 bits video, with 320Kbps MP3 stereo soundtrack. The thumbnails are half-size.
The source is the LD Movie box. I used a Digital Analog Converter (ADVC300) to capture them in DV, filtered them through avisynth and virtualdub, before compressing them with XviD (which took several hours). To retain a maximum quality, I didn't compress them much, so they are quite large (from 15Mb to 51Mb) considering their average duration is 1m30 ! But in this time of broadband, I think it's worth it ^_^.
Alone Again and Get Down deserve a special mention : in the LD Movie box, they are creditless, but also soundless ! (probably a rights problem for the songs of Gilbert O'Sullivan). So I had to capture the creditless video, capture the openings and ending of episode 24, then resynchronize the sound on the creditless capture with a video editing software. It was a bit time-consuming ^_^. One caveat though : as Maison Ikkoku is old, the sound was monophonic, so it had to be split on both channels to make a "fake" stereo during the capture. Thus the sound is not at its best on this ones v_v
However, you have here unique-in-the-world pieces of video : creditless "Alone Again" and "Get Down" with sound ! ^___^
To play this files, you need a player capable of playing XviD out of the box (like videolan) or to install the XviD codec in Windows. If you don't have it yet, go get it at Koepi
Anyway, enjoy and Maison Ikkoku forever !
Maison Ikkoku Openings
Kanashimi yo konnichiwa (51Mb)
Opening for episodes 1 to 37 (except 24) Alone Again (22Mb)
Opening for episode 24
Suki sa (44Mb)
Opening for episodes 38 to 52 Sunny shiny morning (30Mb)
Opening for episodes 53 to 73
Hidamari (30Mb)
Maison Ikkoku Endings
Ashita Hareru ka
Ending for episodes 1 to 14 Cinema
Ending for episodes 15 to 33 (except 24)
Ending for episode 24 Fantasy
Ending for episodes 34 to 52
Sayonara no dessin
Ending for episodes 53 to 73 Begin the night | slim_pajama |
Arcade
by
David S. Goyer
Last revised November 6, 1990
INT. ARCADE WORLD -- ELECTRONIC DARKNESS
We don't know if it's night or day. It's just black.
And maybe...maybe intermittent SPARKS racing by. So quick we barely
perceive them. Like the sparks you imagine when your eyes are closed.
BREATHING,
slow and hollow, filling up the entire world. It's eerie as hell. A
feeling of utter loneliness.
And now the breathing recedes, fading into the darkness. Whatever it
was...it's gone now.
MAIN CREDITS ROLL.
We hear CELLOS. Four of them. Weaving an intricate melody.
And now the visuals. BRIGHTLY COLORED SHAPES spinning in. Equally
intricate, matching the music. They grow and flourish, like flowers
opening up in time lapse photography.
FRACTALS...
is what they're called. The visual manifestation of geometric formulas.
The Mandelbrot Set. The Julia Set. Each mathematic form made up of
progressively smaller forms and on into infinity.
Glorious and beautiful. Forms folding in upon themselves and
regenerating.
This is creation we're witnessing.
This is life in the making.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. COUNSELOR'S OFFICE -- DAY
AN EYE
For a brief moment we still hear the CELLOS. And in the eye, the last of
the fractals are spinning away, leaving us with the iris. A nice blue
one. This is ALEX MANNING'S eye.
ALEX (V.O.)
Time. That's all I ever think about
anymore. It's like there's never enough of
it, you know?
CUT TO:
INT. MANNING HOUSE, HALLWAY -- DAY
This is a flashback, in case you're wondering. We'll continue to hear
Alex's VOICE as we move through the house in slow motion. Everything is
very bright and dreamlike.
Right now we're moving with the camera, slowly moving down a long hallway.
At the end of the hallway is an open door.
We stop at the doorway. We're afraid to go in.
ALEX (V.O.)
It's strange. When the future's in front
of you, it seems to go on forever. I mean,
you never really get there. It's always
one step ahead of you. It's like there's
no present. There's no "now". As soon as
you think, "I'm here", the moment's already
gone. Either everything's in the future,
or it's in the past.
(beat)
There's no "now".
MAN (V.O.)
So where are you then?
ALEX (V.O.)
I'm in the past.
We move through the doorway.
INT. MANNING HOUSE, BEDROOM -- DAY
Everything looks normal at first. A typical bedroom with sunlight
streaming in through the windows. A bed, made-up. Flowers in vases.
Everything looks perfect.
Then we move further in, and over to the right. There's something on the
floor, curled up in the entranceway to the bathroom. Halfway in, halfway
out.
It's a woman's body. She's wearing a dress, her legs awkwardly bent. We
can't see her face from this angle. But in her limp hand is a gun. And
all around that hand, speckling the pristine white tile of the bathroom
and the carpeting beyond, is BLOOD.
A shrill BELL shatters the moment.
CUT TO:
INT. COUNSELOR'S OFFICE -- DAY
The bell continues. It's a school bell signaling the end of the period.
ON ALEX
as we see her for the first time, startled. She's seventeen and pretty,
though in a simple way. Her eyes are the most striking. Deep. Intense.
If Alex has a problem, it's the fact that she thinks too much, and it's
reflected in her eyes.
Across from her is MR. WEAVER, a high-school guidance counselor and that
was his voice we heard with Alex's. He's unexceptional, middle-aged,
incapable of really hearing what Alex has to say. This is his office
we're in. Typical "SAY NO TO DRUGS" teen propaganda decorate the room.
Fun.
As the BELL dies we hear the army of FOOTSTEPS outside, students milling
in the halls.
Alex glances at the door and starts to rise from her chair.
MR. WEAVER
We don't have to stop now...
ALEX
(cutting him off)
That's okay. I've got a test coming up
anyway. Gotta study.
MR. WEAVER
(sighs)
I have to tell you, I'm a little concerned
about you, Alex. It's been three months
now since your mother, uh...
ALEX
(offering, fixing him with
a stare)
Killed herself?
Mr. Weaver stops, more than a little uncomfortable.
MR. WEAVER
(reluctant)
Yes. Now your father...
ALEX
He's a basket case. You've talked to him.
You know that. He might as well be dead
too.
Alex glances down at the floor, anything to avoid looking at the
counselor. She heaves a backpack onto to shoulder.
ALEX
(continuing)
Look Mr. Weaver, I don't even know why I
came here. I fine. Really.
(looking up)
It's like I said. It's just part of the
past now. It doesn't matter anymore.
She turns, and before Mr. Weaver can respond, she's out the door.
INT. HIGH-SCHOOL HALLWAY - DAY
Alex moves quickly through the mass of STUDENTS, wiping the remnants of
half-tears on her coat sleeve.
CUT TO:
INT. HIGH-SCHOOL CAFETERIA - DAY
Fun-time. Total chaos. If you've been to high-school you know the riff.
Bad food, teen-age melodrama, and a squadron of SUPERVISORS trying to keep
a lid on things.
ALEX
makes her way to the far corner of the cafeteria where a cluster of kids
lounge around a table. These are Alex's FRIENDS. And while none of them
are your garden variety pocket-protector-type nerds, these kids aren't
exactly part of the "in-crowd". They're a little off. Quirky. All of
them come from screwed up families, and that's what bonds them. They are:
GREG HOLLISTON -- Alex's boyfriend. Hopeful artist (not bad, either) and
kind of punk looking. Greg and the others are big fans of thrift-shop
clothing. Because they don't have the money, they improvise.
NICK DRAKE -- Greg's best friend and future computer pioneer. He's
attractive and he's got an edge. A bit of a hot-shot. Genius in the
making.
BENZ AND STILTS -- Inseparable. Benz is flunking out of school and would
like nothing better than to spend the rest of his life reading comic
books. He's tall, perpetually unkempt, awkward, and nervous. Stilts,
contrary to his nickname, is quite short and never without his skateboard.
Stilts is constantly hitting on...
LAURIE -- The sixth member of the group. A teen Theda Bara and as cynical
as you can get. She's what's affectionately known as an "art chick".
The boys in the group, particularly Nick and Stilts, are avid
skateboarders and are frequently seen with their boards. Stilts is always
leafing through an issue of THRASHER magazine.
Right now the group is in the midst of an argument. Nick has a pocket
video game in his hands which he casually plays. He can get through these
games in his sleep. It BEEPS and WHIRS.
NICK
(to Benz)
You're an idiot, you know that? What're you
going to do when you get out of here?
BENZ
I was thinking about writing for one of
those Filipino mail order brides...
Stilts and Greg burst into laughter.
STILTS
I think I saw that on the Home Shopping
Network. The Girlfriend Hour, right after
Auto Accessories.
BENZ
(giggling)
Exactly.
LAURIE
You guys are sick.
Alex flops down in a chair and everyone turns.
GREG
So how'd it go?
Alex shrugs, trying to make light of it.
ALEX
He thinks I'm "sublimating".
STILTS
What the hell does that mean?
LAURIE
It means she's screwed up.
STILTS
Fucked up. That's what they said I was.
BENZ
You are fucked up.
STILTS
Yeah, but only because I want to be.
GREG
Would you guys knock it off?
Greg turns back to Alex and looks her in the eye.
GREG
(continuing)
Listen to me, Alex. These counselor's
don't know anything. They're full of shit.
If you don't fit the pattern of the perfect
kid, they freak.
ALEX
(nodding)
I know.
GREG
So tell me you're okay, then.
ALEX
I'm okay.
GREG
(smiles)
Good. Cause I'd freak if you weren't.
Greg leans over and kisses Alex. The rest of the group launches into
exaggerated GROANS, with Benz and Stilts fluttering their eyes and making
"smooching faces" at each other. The kiss is over and everyone LAUGHS.
Things are okay now.
GREG
(to Alex)
Hey...watch this...
Greg pulls an old Polaroid camera from his backpack. He leans in close to
her and holds the camera at arm's length, aiming it back at them. FLASH!
And the moment's captured forever.
Greg pulls the Polaroid out and peels off the backing. Before the picture
even develops, he begins rubbing his fingers over it, manipulating the
emulsion.
NICK
(engrossed in his game
again)
You making another one, Greg?
GREG
Sure. Practice.
BENZ
Lemme see...
Greg pulls some papers from his backpack and slides them over to Benz.
The papers are color xeroxes of Polaroid blow-ups. Greg has messed with
them, creating swirling, psychedelic patterns with the images. Stilts and
Laurie lean in.
STILTS
Cool.
GREG
(still working)
See, when the emulsion's still warm you can
move it around...
(stops)
There.
Greg holds up the Polaroid for Alex to see.
POLAROID
Greg and Alex are side by side, grinning...all around them the world has
spun into strange colors. It's an odd effect.
Greg drops the photo in his shirt pocket and pats it.
GREG
Safe keeping.
Meanwhile, Nick's pocket video game emits an EXPLOSION NOISE.
NICK
Shit. I'm out.
He sets the game down, dejected.
BENZ
You guys going to Dante's after school?
GREG
I don't know.
BENZ
Check it out...
Benz pulls a flyer from inside his coat. It's an ad for a new game called
"ARCADE", featuring a pair of evil eyes and glowing hands coming out of a
circuit board. The tag at the bottom reads, "COMING THIS FALL. REALITY
WILL NEVER BE THE SAME".
NICK
(excited)
That's the new Slip-Stream game. Those guys
are good. It's supposed to be interactive.
Graphics are unbelievable.
BENZ
Yeah? They were handing these out at
Dante's. Test marketing it or something.
Gonna have a demonstration today.
STILTS
Cool.
LAURIE
Can you say anything but "cool"?
STILTS
Of course I can. I can say all sorts of
things...
GREG
(annoyed)
Guys...
Benz pulls back the flyer and looks at it again.
BENZ
So how 'bout it?
NICK
I'm game...
(to Greg)
Greg?
Greg turns to Alex.
GREG
Come on. We'll hit Dante's after school,
try the game out, maybe get some dinner.
ALEX
And then keep on driving?
GREG
Sure. Never come back. Disappear forever.
LAURIE
(nodding)
I could go for that.
Alex laughs. Laurie took the words right out of her mouth.
CUT TO:
EXT. DANTE'S INFERNO -- DAY
The Inferno is a run-down video arcade near the beach, notable because the
games it sports are generally defective and out of date. Nevertheless,
it's become our group's hang-out. It has its charms.
A huge mural, chipped and faded with age, adorns the front of the
arcade...something straight out of Hieronymus Bosch. Demons in day-glo.
The yawning mouth of an enormous devil surrounds the entrance.
ALEX AND THE OTHERS
pull up across the street, caravan style. Greg and Alex are in one
car...an ancient Buick Skylark. No Honda Accords or VW Rabbits for this
group.
At the moment, there's quite a bit of activity at the Inferno's entrance.
KIDS are clustered around and Slip-Stream employees are passing out Arcade
promo sheets.
THE GROUP
heads for the entrance, plowing their way through the crowd. Stilts and
Benz have their skateboards, jumping up onto the curb with them, then
popping them up into their arms.
INT. DANTE'S INFERNO -- DAY
Inside, the Inferno is a mishmash of video games, ancient carnival props
and old horror movie posters. Dusty, creepy under the right circumstances
and filled with leering faces... in short, any kid's bedroom taken to a
horrific extreme. At Dante's Inferno, they've got the latest games side
by side with chestnuts like Pac-Man.
THE GROUP
makes their way inside, joining a cluster of KIDS in the center of The
Inferno. And there it is...
ARCADE
It looks out of place in the midst of The Inferno. Shiny black,
high-tech, and almost self-contained, like some sort of space-age vertical
coffin. Laser-etched graphics on the sides bear the ARCADE logo and the
same strange, frightening face.
Alex and her friends are suitably impressed, most notably, Nick and Benz.
BENZ
Check it out...
STILTS
Definitely cool.
Nick is silent, letting his eyes explore the machine. He turns to Greg
and grins.
NICK
Super computers, micro-processors... That's
the future we're looking at.
Another kid, DELOACH, pushes his way to the front of the group. His
fighting a losing battle against acne.
DELOACH
(looking around)
So how come they're previewing it in this
shit-hole?
STILTS
If you weren't such a dick, you'd know what
a cool place this was.
DELOACH
Gimme a break, they got fucking Space
Invaders here. That's shit's for retards.
STILTS
So...are you trying to say I'm retarded?
Is that what you're implying?
DELOACH
No, but since I'm standing here, I'm
noticing that you're an ugly little fuck
and you're making me sick...
That's it for Stilts. He launches himself at DeLoach, catching him off
guard and KNOCKING him to the floor.
Nick, Alex, and Greg are on them in a minute, trying to extract the two
from each other.
A LARGE MAN
pushes his way towards them and effortlessly scoops both boys up, wrapping
a beefy hand around the scruffs of their necks. This is FINSTER, the
proprietor...enormous, bald, and always irritable.
FINSTER
(shaking them)
Cut it out!!!
His face contorts and he spits as he speaks. Nice guy. Alex steps
forward, always the voice of reason.
ALEX
It's okay, Mr. Finster...
FINSTER
No it's not.
(to the boys)
You guys are shits and I'm throwing you out.
DELOACH
(acting tough)
Your place sucks. Who gives a shit about
"ARCADE" anyway?
VOICE (O.S.)
(booming, metallic)
WHAT DID YOU SAY?
Everyone turns. The voice came from...
ARCADE
It's up and running now. The inside panel emits an eerie green light.
From speakers inside the compartment we can here BREATHING...the same
breathing we heard earlier. Coming from a machine like this, it's creepy
as hell.
Even Finster is impressed. He releases the boys and stares at the
machine.
LAURIE
(a whisper)
Jesus...
ANOTHER VOICE (O.S.)
Not bad, huh?
A MAN steps out from behind the ARCADE machine. He grins happily, dressed
to kill, sporting a SLIP-STREAM ID tag. This is DIFFORD, P.R. man for
SLIP-STREAM.
DIFFORD
Hi, kids.
(nods)
Mr. Finster...
The ARCADE machine continues to breathe, inhale, exhale... The eyes in the
face are glowing now, in unison with the breathing.
Difford draws closer and indicates the machine behind him with a nod.
DIFFORD
(smooth as silk)
We're glad you people could make it, and
we're anxious to have you try out our new
product. We think it's going to be a big
seller. But you're the people that make it
happen. You're the market share everyone's
tearing each other apart to get at. It's
your opinion that's going to make or break
us.
NICK
So what's so different about Arcade? You
guys've been talking about it for months.
Difford turns to Nick and salutes him.
DIFFORD
A man after my own heart. Straight to the
point.
(to everyone)
What's different about ARCADE is the way it
reacts. It responds like a human does. It
learns. It adapts. Each time you play, it
changes its strategy.
NICK
That's impossible.
DIFFORD
(taking the bait)
Is it? Why don't you see for your self?
Difford reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out a quarter. He tosses
it at...
NICK
who snags it out of mid-air and grins.
GREG
Go for it, Nick.
Difford steps aside and waves Nick to the machine. The rest of the kids
crowd around.
ARCADE
isn't just your typical video game. First of all there are three
screens...front, left, and right...which provide a panoramic view while
playing. Second, the player wears "data gloves" (which provide an actual
sensation of touch) and stereoscopic goggles which in turn are wired
directly into the machine. The results give the user the feeling that
he/she has actually entered the video game universe.
Difford thinks he has a hit on his hands, and his excitement shows.
DIFFORD
(indicating equipment)
The CyberGloves are keyed into the game's
response mechanism. You'll be able to pick
things up inside the world...tools, weapons
... it'll feel like they're really in your
hands...
Nick pulls on the gloves, securing them with velcro straps.
DIFFORD
(continuing)
The goggles heighten the experience. When
we said "Reality will never be the same",
we weren't kidding.
Difford places the goggles on Nick's face. Then he points to the control
board, which features two joy-sticks and a large RED BUTTON labeled
"ESCAPE".
NICK
(skeptical)
"Escape"?
DIFFORD
In case things get too intense. It
automatically freezes the game, gives you a
breather. Things can get pretty wild...
BENZ
(scoffing)
Nick won't need it.
DIFFORD
You're good, eh?
NICK
(grins)
The best.
Nick winks at Alex and Greg.
NICK
(to Difford)
So what's the scenario? Am I saving a
princess? Fighting Zombies?
DIFFORD
It changes. There are eleven levels. Each
one is a different layer of the ARCADE
universe. The concept is, you're entering
the video game itself, making your way
across the circuit board to the logic core
... ARCADE's brain.
NICK
So how do I start?
DIFFORD
The game will guide you.
Nick turns back to the machine and pops the quarter into the coin slot.
He punches the "START" button on the top of one of the joy-sticks.
Immediately the screens come to life. Darkness with shooting stars of
light racing back and forth.
ON SCREEN
A three-dimensional computer-generated FACE appears out of the darkness,
spinning in from far away and coming to rest.
ARCADE
I AM ARCADE.
(breathing)
YOU WANT TO PLAY GAMES? YOU PICKED THE
WRONG MACHINE.
The crowd of kids is suitably impressed. Even Alex is amused.
So far, so good.
ARCADE
WHAT'S YOUR NAME?
NICK
Nick.
ARCADE
(almost contemptuous)
NICK. KISS REALITY GOODBYE.
SUDDENLY,
A LIGHTBEAM above the video screen illuminates Nick's face.
LAURIE
(concerned)
What's it doing?!
DIFFORD
Memorizing Nick's features. Watch.
ON SCREEN
the face of ARCADE spins away and a computer-generated figure appears,
complete with a pixel-rendered version of Nick's face!
VIDEO NICK
is dressed in futuristic armor with exaggerated CyberGloves and a full
helmet on instead of goggles. He also wears elbow and knee pads and
carries a thrasher in his hands, sort of a cross between a souped-up
skateboard and the Silver Surfer's board. It's his means of
transportation.
The screen prints out: "NICK. ENTER THE VORTEX".
VIDEO NICK
hops onto the thrasher. Abruptly the world around him begins to spin, and
Video Nick is shooting a curl, a whirlpool of light...down, down, faster
and faster, until...
BOOM! Empty space and video Nick is falling towards a circuit grid. It's
the electronic universe rushing up to meet him...
ARCADE
ONE WORD OF ADVICE, NICK. YOU SPEND TOO
MUCH TIME IN ONE PLACE, AND I SEND OUT THE
SCREAMER. YOU DON'T WANT TO BE AROUND WHEN
THAT HAPPENS.
(laughs)
SEE YOU ON THE OTHER SIDE.
ON SCREEN
Video Nick plummets from the sky like a meteor, slamming into the ground
with an explosion of dust. The dust clears.
Video Nick is standing on an eerie plain, with strange reed-like plants
dotting the ground and mist coiling around everything. It looks like
Earth, and yet...it doesn't.
VIDEO NICK
hops onto the thrasher and begins to move. And move it does. With a
WHOOP! the ARCADE world is rushing past us. The game has begun.
ON NICK'S FACE
As a smile gradually creeps across it. He's having the time of his life,
gloved hands manipulating the joy-sticks like mad. From his reactions, we
can tell that this is one of the most incredible things he's ever
experienced.
THE OTHER KIDS
watch Nick, then the screen, then Nick again...
BENZ
Check it out!
GREG
Come on, Nick...
Now everyone is laughing, urging Nick on. It's like they've all
discovered the most amazing toy...something that's going to turn their
world upset down.
DIFFORD
is pleased as punch, watching the kids' reactions more than the game.
ON SCREEN
Images are rushing past at blinding speed, LASERS, EXPLOSIONS, and god
knows what...
ON NICK
As sweat begins to trickle down his fast. His hands move faster and
faster, in response to the game.
The screen.
Nick.
The screen and...
BAM!!! Nick SLAMS down the escape button and rips off his goggles. The
video image freezes.
NICK
He's practically hyperventilating, sweat pouring down his face. He leans
over, resting a hand on the control board. And for a moment, everyone is
silent. Then...
GREG
Nick...you okay?
Slowly, Nick lifts his head. He's now sporting a devilish grin.
NICK
You gotta try this thing.
Nick pulls off his CyberGloves and holds them out for Greg. Greg turns to
Alex.
ALEX
Go for it.
GREG
Hold my keys, then.
He hands her his keychain and takes the CyberGloves from Nick. Greg pulls
them on, then straps on the goggles.
GREG
(to Difford)
So how do I get back in?
DIFFORD
Just hit "ESCAPE" again.
ON SCREEN
Greg hits the button and immediately the image unfreezes. Once again,
we're on the thrasher board, rushing across the plains.
GREG'S FACE
As a smile slowly creeps across it.
CUT TO:
INT. DANTE'S INFERNO - LATER
At the front of The Inferno, Difford and two SLIP-STREAM HELPERS are
unpacking cardboard boxes. The KIDS have clustered around them,
momentarily forgetting the ARCADE machine.
Difford pulls cut a handful of game cartridges as well as goggles which
dangle over his arm.
DIFFORD
Here's what we're going to do. What I'm
holding are the home versions of ARCADE,
the prototypes...
This is met with an enthusiastic response from the kids.
DIFFORD
(continuing)
In a month or so we're planning on releasing
ARCADE in both versions, but we're still
fine tuning, and that's where you guys luck
out. So what we'll do is have you register
with us, and then we're going to loan these
out to you for a week or so. The only thing
you have to do in return is answer some
marketing questions. Sound fair?
The kids can't line up fast enough.
OUR GROUP
is right up front, with Nick and Alex being the first two in line.
Difford winks at Nick.
DIFFORD
So what do you think?
NICK
Sign me up.
Alex is glancing around now. She sees Benz, Stilts, and Laurie, but not
Greg.
ALEX
Where's Greg?
Laurie jerks her thumb back at the ARCADE machine.
LAURIE
He's still working on the game.
And Alex finds Greg for a moment, spotting him over the heads of the other
kids.
ON GREG
His face is a mirror of Nick's...sweat pouring down, grinning from ear to
ear. It's addictive as hell. SIGHTS and SOUNDS rush past us on the three
screens, racing at incredible speeds.
And now, from within the game, we hear a strange sound...a SCREAM of
sorts, halfway between a shriek and a sonic boom.
ARCADE
TIME'S UP, FRIEND.
The SHRIEK/SONIC BOOM reaches a nightmarish pitch and suddenly the screens
EXPLODE WITH LIGHT.
AT THE FRONT OF THE INFERNO...
everyone turns in response. It's as if someone set off a flashbulb.
ALEX
pushes her way back through the kids, making her way to the ARCADE
machine.
ARCADE
Greg is nowhere to be found. In fact, the CyberGloves and goggles are
dangling from the control board, abandoned.
Alex turns to a nearby KID.
ALEX
Where's Greg?
The kid shrugs.
KID
Don't know. I think I saw him walk out,
but I'm not sure...
Alex isn't listening anymore. She's staring at the floor of the ARCADE
machine.
GREG'S POLAROID
is on the floor...the photo of Greg and Alex which he manipulated.
Alex picks it up, glancing around. She scans the faces of the crowd and
she doesn't see Greg anywhere. She turns away.
ON SCREEN
A video figure is lying on the computer-generated ground. It sits up,
brushing dust from itself, and looks around. It faces us. Only the image
isn't of Nick anymore. It's VIDEO GREG now.
UP FRONT,
Alex has re-joined her friends. The four of them are now clutching ARCADE
home versions in their arms, CyberGloves and all. They look like kids on
Christmas Day.
ALEX
Has anyone seen Greg?
STILTS
He's probably outside. You know how he is.
Gets bored...
NICK
Yeah, outside.
Nick heads for the door with the rest of the group in tow.
CUT TO:
EXT. DANTE'S INFERNO -- DAY
Outside, Greg is still nowhere to be found. Benz, Stilts, and Laurie have
piled into their car, waiting for Nick to take the wheel.
NICK AND ALEX
are up by Greg's Skylark.
ALEX
So where is he?
NICK
Guess he took off... You have his keys,
right?
Alex holds them up and gives them a shake.
NICK
Hmmm. He said you were going to have
dinner?
ALEX
Yeah...
NICK
So take his car home. Wait. I'm sure he's
up to something...
ALEX
(cutting him off)
But he was playing the game. I mean, you
saw him...
BEHIND THEM,
Laurie reaches over the seat and honks Nick's horn. Laurie and the others
burst into LAUGHTER. Stilts sets his skateboard on the street and rolls
it towards Nick.
BACK TO NICK AND ALEX
Nick stops the board with his foot and steps onto it, balancing. He waves
to the others and turns back to Alex.
NICK
It's nothing, okay? Just take his car home.
He'll show up.
Nick tousles Alex's hair. He shakes his ARCADE cartridge at her.
NICK
Don't worry about it.
And with that, Nick's off, rolling back to his car and leaping over the
door, skateboard and all. Laurie and the others are still screaming with
laughter.
Nick hits the ignition and guns the car, pulling out with a dramatic
SCREECH and sailing off down the street.
ON ALEX
clutching Greg's car keys. She glances on the front seat, where her own
ARCADE cartridge rests.
THE CARTRIDGE
has the same glowing eyes that were laser-etched on the machine inside The
Inferno.
ALEX
Fuck-you.
CUT TO:
EXT. MANNING HOUSE -- NIGHT
The Manning place is your basic suburban ranch house, totally
unexceptional. The lawn looks a little ragged and a pile of newspapers,
frayed and yellowing, have accumulated by the front door. Inside, the
house is dark. Lonely.
ALEX
pulls up in Greg's Skylark, scooping the ARCADE kit into her arms.
CUT TO:
INT. MANNING HOUSE -- NIGHT
As Alex enters the dark house, we can hear WHISPERS coming from further
within. It's a little creepy, but Alex seems unconcerned.
She negotiates her way through the darkened house, on into the den.
DEN -- FOLLOWING THROUGH
Dim, flickering LIGHT illuminates the den, casting long shadows across a
SLEEPING FIGURE on the couch.
This is Alex's father, JIM...hopelessly middle-aged and getting older by
the moment. It's the t.v. that's doing the whispering. CNN or something.
From what little we can see of the rest of the house, it looks like a
mess.
Alex bends down and jostles her father's shoulder.
ALEX
Dad...Dad...
Jim stirs, though barely. He turns a sleepy face towards her, looking
gray and lifeless.
JIM
Yeah?
ALEX
Did Greg call, Dad?
Jim shakes his head and sinks back into the couch.
From Alex's attitude, it's obvious that this scene has played itself out
many times before.
ALEX
You should go to bed, Dad.
Jim waves a tired hand, dismissing her.
JIM
...am in bed...
ALEX
(standing back up)
Yeah.
She turns and grabs a comforter that's bunched up at the end of the couch,
spreading it over her father.
ON THE T.V.
We're getting a de-saturated view of carnage...some sort of war going on
in some far-off land.
Alex grabs the remote and flicks the t.v. off, plunging the room into
darkness.
CUT TO:
INT. ALEX'S ROOM -- NIGHT
STATIC.
Late-night t.v. static, filling up the entire screen.
WE PULL BACK,
revealing a television...and further back until we see Alex crouched
behind it in silhouette. She's fiddling with wires back there and...
BLINK! Suddenly the SLIP-STREAM logo appears on the t.v. screen with nifty
computer graphics. She's just hooked up the home version of ARCADE. Alex
moves back to the front of the set.
ALEX'S ROOM
is her haven, a virtual library, filled with books which she loses herself
in. They're stacked everywhere.
And puzzles too. Half-assembled jig-saws. Intricate things. An Escher
print. The descendants of Rubik's Cube. Boxes within boxes. This is
Alex's life, what she retreats to.
A PHOTO
of Alex and her MOTHER sits by her bed, neglected and collecting dust.
We'll see her later.
CANDLES
or what's left of them, have dripped and spread across her night table.
ALEX
sits at the foot of her bed, facing her television. Slowly, she draws on
the CyberGloves, testing her fingers. Next, she pulls on the goggles.
Instead of a control panel, the home version has a control box, complete
with joy-stick and a mini "ESCAPE" button.
Alex fingers the "START" button on top of the joy-stick.
THE SCREEN
goes black, black with intermittent sparks. And the BREATHING begins.
ARCADE'S FACE
appears in the black, a pin-point at first, spinning round and round and
growing larger. It comes to a rest, eyes glowing.
ARCADE
(malevolent)
HELLO, ALEX.
Alex jumps back, dropping the control box. ARCADE continues to BREATHE.
ALEX
How ...
A thing BEAM OF LIGHT shoots from the ARCADE terminal, playing over Alex's
face.
ARCADE
KISS REALITY GOODBYE.
ON SCREEN
ARCADE'S face spins away, to be replaced by a pixel-rendered image of
Alex, dressed in battle gear.
Video Alex sets her thrasher on the ground and mounts it.
ALEX
(both frightened and
fascinated)
Where's Greg?
And from the screen...
ARCADE
IN HERE, OF COURSE.
ON SCREEN,
the vortex of light EXPLODES around video Alex, twisting reality. And
Alex is spinning round and round, plummeting towards...
THE CIRCUIT GRID
beneath her, a world of geometric shapes and light and... The words:
"LEVEL ONE" flash across the screen and we...
CUT TO:
EXT. LEVEL ONE, THE PLAINS -- DAY
Alex SLAMS into the ground, splashing up water and smoke alike.
We are inside ARCADE now, experiencing what Alex experiences.
THE PLAINS --
In many respects it looks like Earth. Land, water, sky... Yet certain
things are off. Small things, like the color of light, a sluggish
smoke-filled RED, or the occasional FLICKER OF LIGHTNING which races
beneath the cloud cover above.
ALEX
pulls herself up from the muck, brushing dirt and water from her face.
She coughs, totally disoriented. Looks around.
Looks at herself. She's wearing...
BATTLE GEAR
This is the real thing, as opposed to the cartoon version we saw Nick
wearing when he played the game before. It's a cross between a
skateboarder's protective guardpads and full-blown armor. A helmet rests
on her head, with a visor raised up.
Alex glances down and sees a thrasher board resting next to her. (Note:
Depending on the terrain of each level, the thrasher board will adjust
itself...working as a skateboard, snowboard, or hover board).
ON ALEX'S RIGHT CYBERGLOVE
is an LED display. In the upper left-hand corner it says "LEVEL ONE". To
the right, two pulsing bars of light labeled "TIME ELAPSED" and
"STRENGTH".
At this very moment, the "TIME ELAPSED" bar is just shrinking away to
nothing.
BLINK! Now it's gone.
No rest for the weary.
A SHRIEK/SONIC BOOM
is immediately heard on the horizon, and it's the most god-awful noise
we've ever heard. It fills up the world.
ALEX
jerks her head up, terrified.
ALEX
(to herself, remembering)
Screamer.
All around her, the world begins to vibrate...
SOMETHING
is rushing towards her now at an unbelievable speed. The SHRIEK/SONIC
BOOM is deafening. The world is shaking apart.
And suddenly the thing is upon her!
Alex SCREAMS.
CUT TO:
INT. ALEX'S ROOM - NIGHT
Alex flies back from the t.v. screen, violently ripping the goggles and
CyberGloves off. But the SHRIEK is continuing and then she realizes
that...
The phone is RINGING.
Alex stops shaking. The phone continues to RING. She's back in her room.
Everything's fine. Normal.
She glances at the game.
ON SCREEN
we see the black again, black with sparks racing past. Benign.
Alex reaches over and picks up the phone, all the while keeping her eyes
glued to the screen.
ALEX
(dry-mouthed)
Hello?
NICK (O.S.)
(filtered)
Hey, kid.
Alex clutches the phone, still shaking.
ALEX
Nick...
NICK (O.S.)
(filtered)
Have you played the game yet? It's
incredible! I was just...
ALEX
(cutting him off)
Listen to me! Greg never came home. I think
the game has something to do with it.
NICK (O.S.)
(filtered)
What the hell are you talking about?
Alex continues to watch the television screen, almost mesmerized by the
flickering sparks. Her eyes begin to glaze over...
NICK (O.S.)
(filtered)
You there? Hello?
Alex snaps out of it, tearing her gaze from the screen
ALEX
I have to talk to you.
NICK (O.S.)
(filtered)
We are talking...
ALEX
No, in person. Now.
NICK (O.S.)
(filtered)
It's twelve-thirty!
ALEX
I'm coming over.
Alex quickly hangs up the phone and moves back to the television. She
reaches for the control box and hits the "OFF" switch.
Nothing happens. Sparks continue to shoot across the screen.
Alex tries it again. Same result.
ALEX
Shit...
Again and again she hits the button, but nothing is happening.
Alex reaches behind the t.v., grabs hold of the electrical cords, and
YANKS.
The fucking cord won't come out!
And then she hears it, an ELECTRONIC WHISPER, both seductive and horrific.
ARCADE
ALEX...
With all her might, Alex pulls on the cords. POP! They fling out of the
t.v. and the screen goes dead.
Alex sits back against the wall for a moment, catching her breath and
trying to calm the rising hysteria within her.
ALEX
(to herself)
Okay...don't think about it...
(deep breath)
Okay.
Alex stands up, grabbing her coat off the bed.
INT. MANNING HOUSE, LIVING ROOM -- NIGHT
Alex comes down the stairs, heading for the front door. Only she stops for
a moment...noticing the LIGHT.
ON THE COUCH,
her father is once again bathed in the blue light of the television.
STATIC WHISPERS, the same as before, are coming from the set.
Alex looks at her father. He hasn't moved. And yet, the t.v. is on once
again.
THE SCREEN
Blue static. Unexceptional. And a face? Someone in the static?
Alex draws closer to the screen. She can hear SOMETHING now, other than
static whispers. Sounds kind of like a VOICE...
THE SCREEN
A definite, ghostly FACE is there. It turns, looks at Alex (us) and it's
Greg.
GREG
(on screen, strange)
Alex...
Alex jerks and SNAPS off the t.v., spooked as hell. She stands in the
darkness and all but runs out of the house.
CUT TO:
EXT. MANNING HOUSE - NIGHT
Alex races to the Skylark and fumbles with the keys. Finally she gets it
right, guns the gas, and rips out of the driveway.
A STREETLIGHT
above is FLICKERING wildly. Sputtering, HUMMING, casting strange shadows
across the street.
CUT TO:
EXT. NICK DRAKE'S HOUSE - NIGHT
Alex has climbed up to the roof, using a wood pile stacked beside the
house as a boost. Now she creeps towards a second-story window.
Behind her on the street (and this should be subtle, folks), another
STREETLIGHT is flickering.
WINDOW
It looks in on Nick's room. Alex draws close and TAPS on the glass.
Nick appears immediately, grinning like an idiot. He raises the window.
NICK
Alex, you don't know how long I've waited
for this.
ALEX
Funny.
Alex climbs in.
INT. NICK'S ROOM -- NIGHT
The room is an intricate shrine to Nick's obsession...computers and
computer-generated images. An entire wall is covered with a collage of
cut-out pictures from magazines. On his shelves are miniature
armatures...flexible models of human musculature.
And of course, there is Nick's computer set-up.
Even as Alex climbs down onto Nick's bed, she notices that his computer is
up and running...connected to the ARCADE home version.
ALEX
What's that?
Nick turns back to the computer monitor.
FRACTALS
(as seen earlier) are blossoming on the screen.
NICK
Isn't it amazing? It's a sort of rest
position in the game, when you're between
levels.
Nick pulls Alex closer. She's wary. But Nick is suitably impressed,
excited even.
NICK
(continuing)
They're fractals. Visual representations
of mathematic equations. The game is
totally brilliant. I mean, look at it,
it's like a DNA molecule or something...
And in truth, the fractals are beautiful.
Alex turns back to Nick. And for the first time, Nick stops grinning.
It's clear that Alex is upset.
ALEX
Something weird's happening.
Nick sits down on his bed.
NICK
What do you mean by "weird"?
ALEX
Greg never came home. A few hours is one
thing, Nick, but this is different.
Something's happened to him.
Alex glances at the computer monitor again. On the lower right-hand side
is a little pulsing GREEN light, on and off, on and off, like a heartbeat.
ALEX
Can you turn off the game?
NICK
I'm in the middle of it...
ALEX
(upset)
Turn if off!
Nick is taken aback, but he rises and turns off the computer all the same.
And this time, the game stays off. Nick comes back to the bed.
NICK
Happy?
ALEX
No.
(frustrated)
Look, I know you're not going to believe me,
but listen anyway...
(carefully)
I think the game's alive somehow.
The look on Nick's face says it all. He moves to speak and she stops him.
ALEX
(continuing)
No, wait. Just listen. I hooked it up
earlier tonight, and it said my name. As
soon as I turned it on, Nick. It said my
name. How could it know? And then, I
asked it where Greg was, and it said, "In
here".
NICK
Alex, I think you're freaking out. Greg's
gone, I'll give you that. And maybe he's
in trouble. But it's not ARCADE that's
doing it...
ALEX
(insistent)
It is.
NICK
How?! It's a machine, Alex. Machine's
don't think. They're not alive. It's a
good program, a brilliant program, it was
designed so it would act as if it were
alive, but it's not alive.
ALEX
So how did it know my name, then?
NICK
(shrugs)
You imagined it.
Alex is furious. She rises and begins pacing back and forth, voice
growing louder. She draws in close.
ALEX
See, men always do this. "Quiet down,
honey. Chill out. Take a Valium". I'm not
a fucking idiot, Nick!
(screaming)
I DID NOT IMAGINE IT!!!
NICK
(a strained whisper)
Quiet. I do have parents, you know.
Alex spins around and points at the computer monitor.
ALEX
There!
THE MONITOR
ARCADE is back on again, fractals unfolding and green monitor light
blinking.
ON NICK
Okay. Alright. This does throw him for a second.
ALEX
It turned itself back on, Nick.
NICK
No it didn't. It's just a faulty relay or
something. It happens.
Nick crosses to the monitor and flips the "OFF" switch. He tries it again
and again, but the game won't turn off.
ALEX
It's alive, Nick. It's listening to us ...
Nick spins around, angry, maybe a little freaked out.
NICK
Just shut up! Enough already, okay?
Silence for a moment. Nick takes a deep breath. Over-reacted. After a
moment...
NICK
Sorry. Maybe I need the Valium.
ALEX
Call the others. Laurie, Benz...
Nick acquiesces. He pulls out his phone and punches in a number.
NICK
I'll try Stilts. He's got insomnia.
Nick and Alex watch each other in silence as the connection is made. We
can faintly hear the phone RINGING.
No answer.
NICK
Okay...Laurie, then.
Alex turns away, sinking to Nick's bed. All the anger has drained out of
her. She knows they won't reach them.
ON NICK
As he listens for an answer. Three RINGS, four, five... He hangs up.
Punches in the final number.
NICK
Benz...
Again. No answer.
Nick hangs up and sets the phone aside. He looks at Alex.
ALEX
(fatalistic)
Something's happened to them.
NICK
It's the middle of the night. They're
asleep. Phone didn't wake them.
ALEX
All of them?
Nick shrugs. He's not willing to accept anything, but he's uncomfortable
all the same.
NICK
Look, why are you fucking with me like this?
Alex rises. She's tired. Tired and scared.
ALEX
Because I didn't know where else to go.
NICK
(glances at a clock)
It's two o'clock in the morning. Go home.
Go to sleep. We'll figure something out in
the morning.
And then, more for himself than for her.
NICK
(continuing)
It's not this weird. It'll make sense.
Everything gets weird this late anyway,
right?
ALEX
(half-hearted)
Sure.
She turns and climbs back out the window onto the roof. Then she ducks her
head back in.
ALEX
If I were you, I'd think twice about playing
that game again.
Then she's gone. Nick moves over and watches.
NICK'S P.O.V.
As Alex drops down from the roof and makes her way to Greg's car. The
streetlight outside is still flickering.
Nick turns back to his room. Moves back to the monitor and watches the
fractals unfolding.
He gives the "OFF" switch a token try. Nothing.
THE FRACTALS
We move in on them, losing ourselves in the labyrinth of swirling colors
and we...
CUT TO:
INT. HIGH-SCHOOL LIBRARY -- DAY
ALEX
moves down the aisles of books, dwarfed by shelves which reach clear to
the ceiling. She looks a little haggard, like she hasn't had any sleep.
She turns...
NICK AND STILTS
are sitting at a study cubicle. Nick looks equally tired, but Stilts is
jawing away.
As Alex joins them, Nick looks up.
ALEX
Well? Where are the others?
Nick shrugs, looking elsewhere.
STILTS
Sick?
ALEX
Everybody's sick, huh?
(glances at watch)
It's fifteen after. We always meet here,
you know that.
STILTS
(to Nick)
What's her problem?
ALEX
Did you play ARCADE last night?
STILTS
Actually, no. I was just telling Nick,
here, that my t.v.'s busted...
Alex nods, glaring at Nick. His reluctance to believe her is
understandable, but the events unfolding are scaring him.
ALEX
You want to hear something else, Nick? I
tried to call them this morning...Greg,
Benz, Laurie... Their phones are out of
order.
Alex reaches into her bag and pulls out a sheet of paper with names on it.
ALEX
(continuing)
And then I started thinking...about everyone
else that was at Dante's yesterday. I drew
up this list. DeLoach, those other jerks ...
their phones are out of order too.
Stilts starts HUMMING The Twilight Zone theme.
NICK
(annoyed)
So what do you want me to do?
Alex softens, then reaches for Nick's hand.
ALEX
We have to find out what's happened to them.
I think they're gone...
NICK
No way.
ALEX
If they're sick, great. But let's make sure.
(pleading)
Come on, Nick.
NICK
Okay. We'll see what's up. But if things
are cool, I don't want to hear anything more
about this. Life's too short, know what I
mean?
Nick and Alex rise.
STILTS
So you guys are cutting school? Lemme go
with you.
NICK
Just stay here, Stilts.
ALEX
(dead serious)
And don't watch any television.
Stilts thinks Nick and Alex are involved in some sort of joke, but he's
playing along, grinning.
STILTS
Oh, okay. Forget Twilight Zone, now we're
talking Outer Limits here. We control your
horizontal, your vertical...
NICK
Just do what she says, Stilts. And if we're
not back...
STILTS
I'll call the National Guard. I got it
under control.
(giggles)
Oh, just one more thing. Is it a
supernatural thing you guys are going off
to fight, or is it aliens, like Pod People
and stuff like that? Cause there's a
difference, you know. One you need garlic
and silver bullets for, the other...
NICK
(irritated)
Look at me, Stilts. Am I laughing?
The grins fades from Stilts' face. Nick is definitely not laughing.
NICK
Just do what she said. Don't watch
television.
Nick spins around and takes Alex by the arm, leading her away.
CUT TO:
EXT. BENZ' HOUSE -- DAY
Nick sits in the passenger seat of Greg's car, glancing across the street
at...
ALEX
She's standing on the front porch of Benz' house, talking with his MOM.
Mom is currently shaking her head. Alex turns away and heads back towards
Nick. She comes around the Skylark and pulls open her door.
NICK
Well?
ALEX
She thought Benz was at school.
Alex remains calm. She sits for a moment, staring ahead. Finally she puts
the key in the ignition.
NICK
Where to now?
ALEX
Laurie's.
CUT TO:
EXT. LAURIE'S HOUSE -- DAY
Alex pulls the Skylark into Laurie's driveway. The house is run down.
You wouldn't want to live here. Above, the sky has clouded over. It
looks like it's going to get nasty.
ALEX
Come on.
Nick follows Alex to the front door and Alex hits the buzzer.
ALEX
(to herself)
Laurie...answer...come on...
Alex tries the buzzer again. Persistently.
ALEX
Shit.
Alex looks close to cracking. There's a desperation in her face.
ALEX
This is like a movie or something. I mean,
am I paranoid or what?
NICK
It doesn't necessarily mean she's...
ALEX
(cutting him off)
Let's go around back.
Before Nick can stop her, Alex is running around to the back.
EXT. LAURIE'S HOUSE, BACK PORCH -- DAY
The backyard is in a sorry state, with junk strewn everywhere. There's a
cannibalized car, piles of scrap wood, and a swing-set that's hopelessly
rusted.
Alex winds her way to the back porch and a set of dusty glass doors. She
steps up and clears a spot to look through.
ALEX
(visibly relieved)
She's here!
Nick joins her at the window, peering inside.
THEIR P.O.V.
They are looking into a cluttered living room, dark except for the light
that's issuing from the television. The television faces away from us,
but we can see Laurie, siting in front of it, mesmerized.
LAURIE
She looks like shit. Wan, with sunken eyes and mussed up hair. Mascara
has run down her cheeks, and even now, tears are trickling from her eyes.
Yet despite this, there's a dazed smile on her face. We can't hear her,
but she seems to be talking to the television.
ALEX
steps back a moment, concerned.
ALEX
It is the game.
She taps on the window.
ALEX
Laurie!
INSIDE,
Laurie continues to watch the screen, oblivious to the rest of the world.
Alex TAPS the harder, using her fist now.
ALEX
(louder)
LAURIE!
Nick joins Alex now, and the two of them are banging on the glass.
There's no way in hell Laurie wouldn't be able to hear them.
Alex steps back from the window again, panicking.
ALEX
Nick, what do we do?!
Alex looks around, sees a two-by-four, and snags it.
NICK
(realizing)
No, Alex! Alex, wait a minute...
Alex swings the two-by-four like a club and SMASH!!! Down comes the glass
in a shower.
INT. LAURIE'S HOUSE, LIVING ROOM - DAY
Alex and Nick enter and immediately sense that something is wrong.
The LIGHT from the t.v. screen continues to flicker and a low-pitched
electric HUM permeates the air...the sound a live wire might make. And
the HUM seems to be mobile too, coursing through the walls...up, down, and
around Alex and Nick.
Nick's eyes try to track the HUM as it races overhead.
NICK
(freaked)
What is it?
And as Nick speaks, his breath escapes his mouth in a frosty plume of
mist. It's cold in here too.
Laurie, meanwhile, has failed to notice Alex and Nick's arrival. Alex and
Nick step further in, to get a view of the t.v.
STATIC
fills the screen. Static and strange WHISPER/VOICES. It's all
indistinct.
ALEX
(shaking Laurie)
Laurie...wake up...
Laurie's face is a mess. Tears are running down, but she's grinning all
the same. It's frightening.
LAURIE
(voice distant)
I am awake.
(grins wider)
Don't you see them?
NICK
See what?
Laurie points to the t.v. screen.
LAURIE
Angels. There are angels inside.
But we see only static.
ALEX
We have to turn it off, Laurie. I'm turning
it off...
As Alex reaches for the "OFF" knob, a face coalesces out of the static.
It's Greg again.
GREG
(static-laced)
Alex. Don't leave me here.
NICK
Jesus Christ!
AND ON THE SCREEN,
Greg's face metamorphosizes into ARCADE's!
ARCADE
(mocking Greg, electronic)
"DON'T LEAVE ME HERE".
And even as ARCADE speaks, the VOICE seems to come from all around them,
from the HUMMING coursing through the walls.
Nick backs away from the screen, petrified.
ARCADE
(seductive)
HI, NICK. READY TO KISS REALITY GOODBYE?
The HUMMING around them has increased. Laurie begins to shake.
ALEX
Change the channel!
NICK
What?!
Alex snatches up the remote control and stabs the buttons.
ON SCREEN
Every single channel portrays the fractals. recombining and growing.
The screen flickers and ARCADE's face appear again, reestablishing
control.
NICK
(angry, scared)
Who are you?!
ARCADE
GOD.
The word reverberates through the room and HUMMING has become a ROAR
around them. An ELECTRICAL storm.
OUTLETS
around the room are crackling with energy, spitting out SPARKS.
ARCADE
COME INSIDE. I ONLY WANT TO PLAY.
Alex drops the remote, stunned.
ALEX
Oh God... He's in the cable system! He's
out of the game!
Nick's eyes find the cable wire extending from the wall and into the t.v.
Sure enough, SPARKS are crackling down that wire and into the wall.
ARCADE LAUGHS and it's the most awful sound we've ever heard.
LAURIE
is convulsing now, and tiny SPARKS are racing around her eyes.
Alex sees her and SCREAMS, clutching her hands to her ears in an attempt
to block out the deafening ROAR.
NICK
moves without thinking, picking up a nearby chair and SLAMMING it into the
television. It EXPLODES glass, sparks, and smoke.
The HUMMING stops altogether, quiet now. And then, from everywhere at
once...
ARCADE
SEE YOU ON THE OTHER SIDE.
With a final ROAR, the energy behind the walls whips around and around,
then rushes away.
OUTSIDE,
Nick catches a quick glimpse of SPARKS racing across the telephone wires
suspended above the back yard.
Total silence for a moment. Alex and Nick are too stunned to speak. Then
Alex looks at Laurie.
LAURIE
lies on the ground, unconscious. Glass scattered all around her.
ALEX
Laurie...
Alex drops to her side, trying to find a pulse...anything.
NICK
Is she breathing?
Alex nods.
NICK
Then leave her.
ALEX
We can't...
NICK
We'll call 911. Look around Alex. We broke
in, smashed the t.v., no one's going to
believe what happened here!
Alex glances around. The room is a mess. All the outlet are singed. And
now she notices that everything electronic...t.v., clock, thermostat...all
of them have exploded open.
NICK
(continuing)
I believe you now. I don't know what the
fuck just happened, but it did. Now let's
get the hell out of here.
Alex slowly rises, reluctant to leave Laurie's side.
ALEX
Where do we go?
NICK
My house. I want to try something.
CUT TO:
EXT. NICK'S HOUSE -- DAY
As Alex and Nick pull up, the streetlights BUZZ on and off even though
it's still daylight. This doesn't escape Nick's notice.
Alex parks the car and the two of them jump out.
NICK
Around back.
EXT. NICK'S BACKYARD -- DAY
Nick leads Alex to a cellar door and down inside.
INT. NICK'S CELLAR -- DAY
Rear the doorway is an old, paint-caked fuse box. Nick pries it open and
begins unscrewing fuses.
NICK
I'm not taking any chances.
Nick steps back.
NICK
Okay. I'm going inside. If I'm not back
out in, say, two minutes, you get the hell
out of here.
Alex nods. She lifts her digital watch up and sets her timer with a BEEP.
ALEX
Meet you by the car.
CUT TO:
EXT. NICK'S HOUSE -- DAY
Alex sits on the hood of the Skylark watching the streetlight above with a
wary eye. She glances at her watch. About a minute and a half has
elapsed and...
Here's Nick now, carrying a lap-top computer and a modem hook-up. Nick
sets the equipment in the back seat.
NICK
We need to find a pay-phone.
CUT TO:
EXT. SHOPPING MALL, PAY-PHONE -- DAY
Nick sets up his lab-top inside the phone booth as Alex watches. He hooks
up the modem to the phone receiver and turns the machine on.
THE SMALL SCREEN
warms up, and in black and white, we see the same FRACTALS. Nick flips off
the lap-top and sighs.
NICK
That's what I thought.
ALEX
What?
NICK
It's not just the cable system. It's in
the phone system as well, the electronic
net. It's everywhere.
ALEX
Nick, what is it.
NICK
Maybe it is alive in a way...some sort of
electronic intelligence. It's like a
computer virus that developed a personality
or something. It's self-replicating...it
mimics life.
ALEX
Like the fractals?
Nick nods. He grabs his skateboard out of the back seat and sits on the
curb, spinning a wheel with his finger. He stares at the wheel a moment.
NICK
It's growing. Getting stronger. Maybe it's
only localized now...
ALEX
(catching his drift)
...but then it hits the relay stations...
NICK
Right. And then communication satellites,
and then anywhere.
Alex looks up into the sky despite herself.
ALEX
(disbelief)
Anywhere.
(beat)
We have to stop it from getting out.
NICK
(shakes his head)
It's already out.
ALEX
The Police, then...
NICK
Give me a break, Alex. What are we going
to tell them? Excuse me, officer, but
there's some sort of electronic monster
loose in the phone lines. I'd think twice
about calling any of those 976 numbers...
ALEX
(angry)
Then where do we go?!
NICK
I don't know.
Alex stalks off a few paces. Thinking. Thinking...
ALEX
SLIP-STREAM.
NICK
What?
ALEX
They made ARCADE. It's still a game,
right? It thinks like a game. Maybe it
still has to play by the rules. Someone had
to program it in the first place, didn't
they?.
At this, Nick perks up.
NICK
You mean we learn the rules...
ALEX
And beat it at it's own game.
NICK
You realize that in order to do that, we'd
actually have to play the game.
ALEX
I was afraid you'd say that.
CUT TO:
EXT. SLIP-STREAM, INC. -- DAY
The SLIP-STREAM compound comprises a cluster of mirrored,
antiseptic-looking buildings. Carefully maintained greens surround the
compound, dotted with perfectly positioned trees. The whole effect,
greenery included, seems prefabricated and sterile. We move with the
camera, sweeping in and dropping low, across the main concourse and up the
stone steps to the main lobby...
INT. SLIP-STREAM LOBBY -- DAY
Alex and Nick are moving across the lobby. Nick is still carrying his
skateboard. The two of them look extremely out of place, being that the
rest of the people bustling around them are "dressed for success".
THEIR P.O.V.
as they approach a prefab RECEPTIONIST sitting behind and enormous desk.
The guy's smile is so perfect he must've had it tattooed on. He wears one
of those obnoxious phone/headsets.
RECEPTIONIST
May I help you?
ALEX
We need to see Mr. Difford.
RECEPTIONIST
I see. And do you have an appointment?
NICK
No, but it's important and if you'd...
RECEPTIONIST
(cutting him off)
I'm sorry, but if you don't have an
appointment, I won't be able to help you.
If you'd like, you can call his office from
our courtesy phone outside and schedule
one ...
Nick reaches across the desk and snags the receptionist by his shirt,
jerking him forward.
NICK
(menacing)
If Difford's not out here it one minute
we're calling the news and informing them
that your fucking games are whispering in
our ears and telling us to commit suicide.
I'm talking public relations nightmare
here, buddy. Satanism, virgin sacrifices,
backward messages, the whole bit.
The receptionist glances at Alex who puts on a stern face and nods.
Nick releases his grip. The receptionist smooths out his shirt and
smiles.
RECEPTIONIST
One moment please...
(punches in extension)
Rachel, would you be kind enough to tell
Mr. Difford that we have a situation in the
lobby which requires his immediate attention?
(beat)
Thank-you.
The receptionist clasps his hands together and looks back up.
RECEPTIONIST
(continuing)
Mr. Difford will be right with you.
ALEX
Why thank-you.
Alex and Nick move away from the reception desk, having caused quite a
scene. The rest of the VISITORS watch them with curiosity.
ALEX
Virgin sacrifices?
NICK
(shrugs)
Drives 'em crazy every time.
Nick casts his eyes over the walls where graphics from various SLIP-STREAM
games are displayed. He stops on one display in particular, a triptych of
sorts featuring the haunting face of ARCADE.
BING!
Alex and Nick turn at the sound, just in time to see Difford exiting an
elevator and briskly making his way towards them.
DIFFORD
Nick, Alex, how are we today?
ALEX
How'd you know it was us?
DIFFORD
Security camera.
(points to one)
Pulled your files before I came down. Be
careful what you say, kids ... I know where
you live.
Difford laughs and claps Nick on the back.
DIFFORD
(continuing)
Now what seems to be the problem?
ALEX
It's the game, ARCADE.
DIFFORD
You don't like it?
NICK
That's gotta be the understatement of the
century. It's killing people.
Beat. Difford looks from Alex to Nick, and back again. His smile fades
from his face.
DIFFORD
If this is a joke, I'm not laughing.
ALEX
Neither are we. Something's wrong with the
game, Mr. Difford.
DIFFORD
(clearing his throat)
Why don't we take this into my office.
CUT TO:
INT. DIFFORD'S OFFICE -- DAY
Difford closes the doors behind him. He stares and Alex and Nick for a
moment, assessing, calculating risks...
DIFFORD
Talk to me.
ALEX
There's something wrong with ARCADE. The
game's alive somehow...
At this Difford breaks into a smile. Nick sees this and acts quickly to
save the situation.
NICK
What Alex is trying to say is that it
"seems" like it's alive.
ALEX
No I'm not...
NICK
(freezing her with a
stare)
We're not getting very far into the levels
and we kind of thought maybe we could talk
to a programmer, learn some tricks and
stuff...
(beat)
I mean, you don't want us kids running
around school saying your game's too hard,
right?
DIFFORD
(relieved)
That's what this is all about? Tricks?
Sure, I'd be happy to introduce you to
ARCADE's programmer.
Alex has caught on. She shuts up for the moment.
DIFFORD
(continuing)
Tell you what, I'll take you down to our
R&D labs right now.
CUT TO:
INT. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT -- DAY
Hardly what you'd expect. The lab is hopelessly cluttered, as if a
whirlwind had swept inside and thrown everything helter-skelter. Difford
leads Nick and Alex inside.
A MAN sets in front of a stack on monitors. One his head is a helmet-like
instrument...sort of an extension of the stereoscopic goggles. He wears a
lab-coat and a SLIP-STREAM I.D. badge, but aside from that, his appearance
is unkempt. Kind of your 60s drop-out look.
DIFFORD
This is one of our newest projects. We're
trying to get rid of joy-sticks
altogether ...
NICK
(nodding)
The Air-Force is working on the same thing.
MAN
(to screen)
Come on, come on...
He moves his head this way and that...
THE MONITORS
A computer-animated TURTLE is crawling across the screen. Then the words
"TIME'S UP" flash over. The turtle flips onto it's back and dies, tongue
hanging out.
MAN
Shit.
DIFFORD
(clearing his throat)
Albert...
ALBERT turns around in his seat and pulls off the helmet.
DIFFORD
(continuing)
This is Nick and Alex. They'd like to talk
to you about ARCADE. Maybe you can give
them a few programmer's secrets.
ALBERT
Yeah, sure.
DIFFORD
(to Nick and Alex)
Then I leave you in capable hands.
Difford exits. Nick points to the helmet in Albert's hands.
NICK
Does that thing work?
ALBERT
Getting there. It's more sensitive than a
joy-stick. Your video-character can respond
as fast as you can.
(standing)
But what can I do for you?
ALEX
We're having some problems with ARCADE...
ALBERT
Yeah, who isn't.
NICK
What do you mean?
ALBERT
It's a tough game. Hard to pin that bastard
down. Keeps on changing the rules.
ALEX
We vere thinking there might be tricks.
You know, surprises that you'd worked into
the game...
ALBERT
Sure. Every game's got 'em. I'll start
with the schematics. I can print these up
if you want.
Albert moves back to the wall of monitors, then reaches for a computer
disk and inserts it into a nearby drive. He taps a few buttons and
BINGO...
SCHEMATICS
of each world/level within the ARCADE game appear on the monitors.
ALBERT
You've got your ten levels, right? Here
they are... Each level has an exit, only
remember, the exits aren't always what they
seem.
(points to each one)
First one's The Blood Red Sky, then you've
got The Blue Desert, Tower of Ghosts,
Kingdom of the Blind... On each world you
have to find a golden key and you've only
got so much time to do it in. If you're
too late, The Screamer comes.
NICK
How do you stop The Screamer?
ALBERT
You can't. He gets you and you're dead.
It's like time catching up with you, you
know? Like Fate. Each level you get
progressively less time to complete. First
half of the game takes place in the Wild
Lands. Then you reach Level 6, and that's
the Sea of Darkness. There's a two-headed
Boatman that'll take you across if you
answer his riddle right. If you don't...
He motions cutting a knife across his throat.
NICK
What's the riddle?
ALBERT
If I tell you, then it's no fun.
NICK
(harder)
Just tell me the fucking riddle.
ALBERT
Well...it involves a paradox. You have to
trick The Boatman.
(beat)
Now all the while, you also have to watch
your strength. You can build that back up
by catching FIREFLIES...the little glowing
guys...
Albert hits some keys again and Levels One through Six disappear. Now
they're replaced by Seven through Ten. Only instead of a schematic for
Level Eleven, there's only a question matc.
ALBERT
(continuing)
The next half of the game takes place in
ARCADE's brain, The City of Truth. It's
urban scenarios, lots of metal and concrete.
Screamer comes faster here. On Level Four
you can get a free life if you wait until
the last possible second before exiting that
world. Gotta time it right though.
ALEX
What's the question mark?
ALBERT
Level Ten. That's where you've got to
unlock ARCADE's heart using the keys you've
found.
ALEX
How do you do that?
ALBERT
Good question. See, that's where the fun
comes in. ARCADE changes it every time.
He's a machine without a soul. Once you give
him a soul, he stops being a threat.
Alex looks dejected.
ALEX
But how can it change every time?
ALBERT
It's the game's logic core. We actually
patterned it after human brainwaves. I
mean, there's a personality in there.
That's what makes it so incredible.
NICK
How the hell did you do that?
ALBERT
Well, we're veering into classified info
here, but I'll tell you that it involved a
donor. He was dead of course, so it's not
like anything unethical was happening.
At this, a chill runs down Alex's spine.
ALEX
Dead?
ALBERT
Well, brain-dead anyway. Coma patient.
It's really not all that important.
ALEX
Maybe he's not dead.
ALBERT
He?
ALEX
The donor. Maybe he's alive inside the
game.
ALBERT
(laughs)
And maybe you've been taking too many drugs.
Nick glances at the helmet again.
NICK
Could you play ARCADE with that?
ALBERT
Well, technically "yes", but this is only
the prototype.
Nick nods and smiles, offering his hand.
NICK
Thanks, Albert. Think you could print up
those schematics?
ALBERT
Sure.
Albert moves back to the computer console. Meanwhile, Nick pulls Alex
aside.
NICK
(quietly)
Go outside, get your car, and meet me out
front with the engine running. And make it
quick, okay?
ALEX
What are you going to do?
NICK
Get that helmet. If we're going to play
ARCADE, I want every advantage possible.
ACROSS THE LAB,
Albert is oblivious to their conversation.
Alex backs towards the lab doors, turns, and opens them.
CUT TO:
INT. SLIP-STREAM HALLWAY - DAY
Alex makes her way quickly down the hall, turning a corner and passing a
SECURITY GUARD. She waves at him, her smile fading as soon as she's
passed.
CUT TO:
INT. R&D LAB - DAY
Albert is just pulling the last printed copy of the schematics from a
laser printer. He turns and hands them to Nick.
ALBERT
Here you go. Happy hunting.
Nick takes the schematics and tucks them inside his jacket.
NICK
Thanks again.
And with that, Nick pulls back his fist and punches Albert square in the
face.
Albert goes down, more stunned than hurt, and Nick springs into action.
He scoops up the CyberHelmet in his free hand, kicks open the doors, and
tosses his skateboard into the hallway...
INT. SLIP-STREAM HALLWAY - DAY
Nick leaps on the board and starts pumping his foot like a bandit, picking
up speed like mad...
He's racing down the hallway, maneuvering between startled EMPLOYEES. And
here comes a MAN with a mail cart...
WHOOSH! Nick zips by him. And now an ALARM is ringing.
NICK
Shit...
INT. ANOTHER HALLWAY - DAY
Nick comes SCREECHING around the corner, narrowly missing a collision with
two SECURITY GUARDS.
GUARD #1
That's him!
But Nick's already past them. He puts his foot down again, pushing for
more momentum...
THE GUARDS
are after him now, CHARGING down the hallway.
UP AHEAD,
A set of double doors labeled "EMERGENCY EXIT" blocks his way.
Nick spins out, sweeping the back of the board forward and SCREAMS to a
stop just before the doors. He kicks the board up into his free hand
and...
WHAM! He hits the doors running. Now the FIRE ALARM is blaring in
addition to the other alarm. A VOICE is squawking over the P.A. and it's
a hell of a racket.
VOICE
(on P.A.)
SECURITY BREACH IN R&D. SUBJECT HEADING
TOWARDS EASTERN EXIT...
INT. STAIRWELL -- DAY
Nick is charging down the stairs four and a time... One level, two...
Now he's reached ground floor...
INT. GROUND FLOOR HALLWAY - DAY
BOOM! Nick tumbles out of the stairwell only to see a trio of GUARDS
heading straight for him.
Nick drops his board to the ground and heads right, pumping his foot...
One of the GUARDS leaps at him and...
...misses by a foot or so, CRASHING to the tile floor.
NICK
SCREECHES to another stop, TWISTS, and starts pumping down another
hallway...
INT. LOADING AREA -- DAY
Nick plows into the loading area like a bullet, whipping around stacks of
boxes and lumbering forklifts. A few WORKERS attempt to stop him, but
he's moving too fast.
AHEAD,
is a loading dock, raised four feet from the ground to accommodate semis.
Nick's heading for it. The loading door is open, and outside is freedom.
JUST THEN,
the steel loading door begins to GRIND and lower. Some genius has hit the
controls.
NICK
pumps like mad, and he's really moving now. Either he'll make it, or he's
going to hit that steel door at about forty miles and hour...
THE DOOR
is quickly closing off Nick's escape route. He's only got about four feet
to negotiate...
Nick ducks low and clears it!
EXT. LOADING DOCK -- DAY
Nick ROCKETS off the loading dock, through the air and down, hitting the
concrete driveway. The driveway peels off to the left and slopes
downward.
Nick hangs tight, hugs the curve, and picks up more speed.
BELOW,
the driveway splits off. To the left, SLIP-STREAM's main building, and to
the right, the parking lot.
GUARDS
are piled into an electric cart, SPEEDING up from the left to cut Nick
off. It's going to be close...
Nick forks off to the right dust before they reach him.
It's clear sailing now, and up ahead, Nick can see Alex pulling up to the
end of the driveway...
WHOOSH! Nick scrapes the board forward, grinding the wheels sideways in
order to slow his speed...
He leaps. picking the board up with him. and dunks himself smack-dab in
the back seat of the Skylark.
ALEX
guns the engine and tears away in a cloud of exhaust.
EXT. COUNTRY ROAD -- DAY
Nick is in the back seat, LAUGHING. The sun is beginning its descent and
the sky is taking on a reddish tint.
NICK
Jesus Christ!
ALEX
I can't believe you made it!
Nick climbs into the front seat next to Alex, and for a second, he's
pretty close to her. He kisses her on the cheek...caught up in the
moment. Then he sinks back, catching his breath.
ALEX
You got the schematics?
NICK
Everything.
Neither one speaks for a moment as the mood dampens once again. Driving.
Wind whipping Alex's hair around. She stares at the road ahead.
ALEX
So where do we play the game, Nick?
Nick doesn't answer at first. For a second there, he'd managed to forget
everything.
NICK
I've been thinking about that.
(beat)
ARCADE's like a virus, so it seems like the
place to hit him would be where the virus
started. You know, like his point of origin?
ALEX
(grim)
Dante's Inferno.
NICK
Yeah.
(deep breath)
The Inferno.
OVERHEAD,
as we watch Alex's Skylark speed away from us. Shadows are creeping
across the landscape now. Streetlights are flickering, sputtering on.
And night is falling.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. DANTE'S INFERNO -- NIGHT
Sweeping down from the sky, we follow The Skylark. As Alex and Nick near
The Inferno, streetlights blink off in succession... progressive darkness
working its way towards their destination.
DANTE'S INFERNO
We move past the painted walls, the various demons illuminated by
moonlight.
Alex and Nick rush to the front door. It's gated. Inside, The Inferno is
totally dark. Shadows.
ALEX
The windows are barred...
(thinking)
There's a skylight. We can get in through
the roof.
CUT TO:
EXT. DANTE'S INFERNO ROOF - NIGHT
Alex and Nick creep over the roof, and sure enough, there's a skylight in
the center, caked with grime.
Nick stands and plants his foot through the skylight. It SHATTERS,
raining down glass into the darkness below.
Nick pulls off his belt and hooks it around one of the iron sash bars.
Gripping the belt, he lowers himself down. After a moment, he disappears
from view.
Alex leans over the skylight. She can't see a thing.
ALEX
Nick...
(beat)
Nick!
For the longest moment there's no response. Then...
NICK (O.S.)
(from below)
Okay, your turn.
Alex climbs over and grasps the belt tightly, lowering herself down into
The Inferno.
INT. DANTE'S INFERNO -- NIGHT
Alex dangles from the skylight, a good eight feet from the floor.
ALEX
(warily)
Are you there?
HER P.O.V.
The Inferno is a world of threatening shapes and shadows. And Nick is
nowhere to be seen.
Alex steels herself and drops to the floor.
She stands, a bit shaky, and cautiously moves around a cluster of video
games.
NICK
is standing on the other side, staring at a game screen which pulses with
a DIM LIGHT.
Alex approaches, putting a hand on his shoulder. He turns.
NICK
Alex...
ALEX
You didn't hear me?
Nick shakes his head. Alex leans forward to see what he's looking at.
ON THE SCREEN
fractals are unfolding. It's mesmerizing.
ALEX
Stop looking at it.
Nick shuts his eyes, pulling away from the screen. He shakes his head,
trying to clear his thoughts.
NICK
Shit...it's like a trance or something...
(breathes)
Okay. I'm fine. Really.
It's at that moment that Nick and Alex hear the VOICES.
VIDEO SCREENS
all around them flicker on, static-laced IMAGES fading in. They are the
faces of their friends...Greg, Laurie, and many others. All those that
have disappeared. The VOICES fade in and out, merging with one another,
tinged with the same mechanical edge of ARCADE's voice.
VOICES
(eerie)
Nick...Alex...save us...
ALEX
(horrified)
Oh God...
Nick grabs Alex and pulls her into the canter of the room.
NICK
Put it out of your head, Alex. It's just
trying to psyche us out.
Despite Nick's words, we can tell that the VOICES are having a
disheartening effect on him.
THE ARCADE
prototype stands in front of them now, and surprisingly, the machine is
not on. The eyes in the leering black face are quite dead.
Around Alex and Nick, the faces of their friends continue to fade in and
out, casting the whole room in a strange shimmering blue light.
Nick moves to the back of the machine and opens the access panel,
revealing the internal circuitry. He pulls a small penlight from his
pocket and flips it on.
ALEX
What are you looking for?
NICK
A way to hook this helmet into the game.
I'm sure there are interfaces...
NICK'S P.O.V.
And indeed there are. Parallel interfaces, where you might hook a printer
cable into a computer. Nick takes the cable from the CyberHelmet and
secures it into one of the interfaces.
NICK
There. Now we're wired in.
He stands and moves around front, pressing the "START" button of the game.
Nothing happens.
He presses it again. Nothing.
ALEX
Is the game plugged in?
Nick checks. It is.
NICK
(frustrated)
I don't understand. It wants us to play
the game. It's been taunting us ...
ALEX
Put in a quarter.
NICK
It can turn itself on, Alex! It doesn't
need a quarter.
ALEX
Yes it does. Don't you see? We have to
play by the rules. That's what it wants.
Nick rifles through his pockets. He doesn't have a quarter. Neither does
Alex.
NICK
Change machine.
Nick moves over to the change machine and picks up a nearby chair. He
SMASHES the chair into the face of the machine again and again,
obliterating the lock. Nick opens the front of the machine and tears out
the coin box, spilling quarters all over the floor. He grabs a handful
and returns.
NICK
There.
He shoves one in ARCADE's coin-slot and pulls on the CyberGloves.
ALEX
Two players, Nick. You need to put in
another quarter.
Nick straps the goggles over his eyes.
NICK
You're not coming, Alex.
ALEX
Yes I am...
NICK
(snapping)
I know how to do this! I'm good at these
games. You never play, you'd be nailed in
an instant.
ALEX
And what if something happens to you? Am I
suppose to go in after you alone?!
NICK
No. If you're smart, you run like hell.
Alex grabs a second quarter and shoves it in the coin slot.
ALEX
I'm going.
Nick stares at her a moment, then nods tiredly. She reaches for the
second pair of CyberGloves and pulls them on.
NICK
You don't get it, do you?
ALEX
(strapping on goggles)
What?
NICK
I don't want anything to happen to you. I
care about you.
ALEX
I already have a boyfriend, Nick.
NICK
I know.
(beat)
It sucks.
The two of them stand there a moment, looking at one another. After a
moment, Nick laughs tiredly.
NICK
What can I say?
(pulls on the CyberHelmet)
Tough being a hero, isn't it?
Nick reaches out for the joy-stick and hits the "START" button.
NICK
(grim)
Here goes nothing.
As before, the screen comes to life. Darkness and sparks. Then we hear
the BREATHING.
ARCADE'S FACE
spins into view, grinning at Alex and Nick.
ARCADE
NICK. ALEX. I MISSED YOU SO MUCH. ALL
YOUR FRIENDS ARE HERE.
ALEX
Fuck-you.
ARCADE
ANY TIME.
ALEX
We know what you are.
ARCADE
A HEARTLESS MONSTER, OF COURSE.
(incredibly evil)
OH SAVE ME, ALEX, SAVE ME FROM MYSELF.
ARCADE laughs and it's not a sound you'd want to hear twice.
THE LIGHTBEAM
clicks on, playing over their faces and analyzing their features.
ON SCREEN
ARCADE'S face spins away and computer-generated versions of Alex and Nick
appear. As before, they are suited up in video game armor, each carrying
a thrasher board.
ARCADE
KISS REALITY GOODBYE.
The video versions of Nick and Alex hop onto their thrasher boards and the
world around them curls in upon itself.
The process is similar to what we've seen before, but even more extreme.
LIGHTS and SOUNDS are pouring out of the ARCADE machine in almost
unbearable intensities. It seems as if the "real" world is going to be
shaken apart.
NICK
(over noise)
Hold on!
ARCADE
SEE YOU ON THE OTHER SIDE.
ANOTHER FLASH OF LIGHT AND...
Alex and Nick disappear from the real world completely. Their equipment,
gloves and goggles, fall to the floor, empty. They've been physically
sucked inside the game!
The light from the screen dies down now and everything is oddly quiet.
ON SCREEN
BOOM! Suddenly a circuit grid is rushing up to meet them!
(Note: As we move through each level, video legends will appear on the
screen as title cards, enhancing the effect that we are actually inside a
video game.)
The words "LEVEL ONE -- BLOOD RED SKY" flash across the screen and we...
CUT TO:
EXT. LEVEL ONE, THE PLAINS -- DAY
Alex and Nick slam into the ground like twin meteors, splashing up water
and muck.
THE RED SKY
crackles with LIGHTNING. Smoke obscures everything. Alex and Nick pull
themselves up, a bit dazed.
ALEX
(looking around)
You feel it? It's different this time.
NICK
We're actually inside, aren't we?
Alex nods.
NICK
Okay.
(deep breath)
Give us a kiss?
ALEX
(after a moment)
One. In case...
NICK
Don't even say it.
Nick leans over and gently kisses Alex on the lips. It's over in a
moment, but he'll savor it the rest of his life.
NICK
Thanks. Always wanted to do that.
ALEX
Yeah, well I figure these are unusual
circumstances.
NICK
(grins)
That's what I was hoping you'd say.
Nick flips the visor on his helmet down and checks the digital read-out on
his CyberGlove. When he speaks, his VOICE is filtered through a radio
headset. Nick looks good in his armor, tough. Hell, they both do.
NICK
I'll take the lead and handle the physical
threats. You watch the elapsed time and
look for exits.
ALEX
Got it.
Nick tosses his thrasher board down and it hovers above the water. He
steps onto it, comfortable. Alex does the same. She's a little shaky, but
she maintains her balance.
NICK
You steer by pivoting your back foot...
(he demonstrates)
Okay?
Nick turns, looking around. The land seems identical in every direction.
NICK
Which way do you think Level Two is?
ALEX
You've got the schematics, check.
Nick panics for a moment, patting his uniform, checking pockets. He can't
find them.
NICK
Oh shit! What if they didn't come with us?!
He stops. Reaches into a pocket, and pulls out the schematics. Breathes
a sigh of relief.
NICK
(looking at them)
Okay. It's West.
ALEX
The keys are supposed to be at the end of
each level. Once we get all the keys, we
can unlock ARCADE's heart. And then...
She looks at Nick, uncertain.
NICK
...and then we go to the Final Level.
(off her look)
Hey, don't worry about it. It's a game.
How bad could it be?
Alex glances at her wrist display. The "ELAPSED TIME" bar is made up of
ten blocks of light stacked upon each other. The top block has
disappeared. One tenth of their time is gone.
ALEX
The clock's already ticking.
NICK
Right, then...
Nick leans forward and the board starts to float. Alex does the same, and
in seconds, they're gliding over the plains.
FROM ABOVE,
as we see their forms disappear in the smoke.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. LEVEL ONE, PLAINS -- LATER
Nick and Alex pull to a stop.
A DOORWAY
stands in the plains, seemingly leading to nowhere. Nick reaches out and
opens it. It's just plains and empty space beyond...
...but hanging from the top of the doorway is a golden key.
ALEX
There...
She reaches up and pulls it down.
NICK
I don't get it. This is supposed to be the
end of the level, but it doesn't go anywhere.
Alex puts her hand through the doorway and her hand disappears.
ALEX
It only looks like it leads to nowhere.
Nick glances at his wrist display.
NICK
And we've still got time left. This was a
piece of cake.
ALEX
Yeah, that's what worries me.
She steps through the doorway and disappears. Nick follows.
We hold on the empty doorway. Hold for a moment, and then...
We hear a distant, high-pitched RINGING. It's grating, seeping inside our
brains and mucking around in there. On the horizon there is a quick FLASH
OF LIGHT.
Something is coming.
CUT TO:
The words "LEVEL TWO -- DEADLANDS"
EXT. LEVEL TWO, SALT FLATS -- DAY
Alex and Nick are cruising along salt flats. Sporadic pools of water and
strange ROARING sounds in the mist. So far so good. Nick glances at his
wrist display. His "STRENGTH" only has a few blocks left.
NICK
Hey, my strength's low. Look out for
Fireflies.
ALEX
There...
She points North. A small BALL OF LIGHT is streaking across the sky, just
above the watery plains.
Alex and Nick swerve towards it, gaining ground. As they near it, Nick
swings out his hand, scooping the Firefly up. As soon as he touches it, it
bursts like a bubble.
NICK
Shit...
ALEX
Check your read-out.
Nick does. His "STRENGTH" is back to normal again.
NICK
You're right. It worked.
Nick and Alex slow their boards to a stop, stepping off them.
ALEX
(pointing)
There's another...
She sweeps left and scoops the second Firefly out of the sky. Off in the
distance we can hear that RINGING again, just at the edge of our vision.
Alex and Nick don't hear it yet.
Nick is glancing down at his schematic of Level Two.
NICK
According to this, the doorway should be
somewhere around here...
THEIR P.O.V.
The salt flats have gradually diminished, replaced by more and more water.
Ahead of them, there's no longer anything solid to stand on...just water,
muck, and strange reeds poking through the mist.
Alex's wrist display begins to BEEP. She glances down.
WRIST DISPLAY
Only one block of time remains and it's pulsing on and off. The RINGING is
a little louder now.
ALEX
(worried)
Our time's up.
NICK
What?! There's nothing here!
ALEX
Look around...
The two of them stumble through the water, not even sure of what they're
looking for.
NICK
(starting to panic)
I don't see the doorway!
Alex and Nick's wrist displays are BEEPING like crazy now. The beeps come
closer and closer until they meld into one piercing high-pitched TONE.
JUST THEN,
the RINGING turns into the SHRIEK/SONIC BOOM of the Screamer. A burst of
light on the horizon shatters the sky.
NICK
What the fuck is that?!
ALEX
Screamer.
ALEX
plunges into the marsh-like water, waist-high, and it's then that she sees
a glow emanating from beneath the water. She dives forward...
BENEATH THE SURFACE OF THE BRACKISH WATER
Alex swims towards the GLOW. Ahead of her, the depths drop off sharply,
perhaps some hundred feet or so.
HER P.O.V.
She can just make out a doorway...down, down, down...
THE SURFACE
Alex bursts up from the water, gulping in breaths of air. Nick is nearby.
THE WORLD
is beginning is vibrate now, heralding the Screamer. The SHRIEK is
unbearable.
ALEX
Nick! It's beneath the water! We have to
swim!
Nick stumbles in up to his neck. He can see the GLOW now too.
NICK
(incredulous)
We can't reach that!
ALEX
(over the noise)
We don't have a choice!
Alex dives beneath the surface again.
Nick glances back towards the horizon and gets one fleeting glimpse of...
THE SCREAMER
A nightmare creation rocketing in from the East... That's it for Nick. He
dives, terrified.
UNDERWATER,
Nick follows Alex into the shadowy depths. He swims madly, but the GLOW
seems impossibly far away. Even under water, the Apocalyptic sound of the
Screamer can be heard.
NICK
peddles his arms and legs furiously. Down, down, down...
He knows that they'll never have enough air to make it back to the
surface.
THE GLOW
is more clearly distinguished now. It's a DOORWAY. And set in its side
is a golden key. Alex reaches it. She grabs the key and turns to see how
far behind Nick is...
NICK
doubles his efforts, but his lungs are straining...
THE SCREAMER
has plunged into the water above, shooting towards Nick like a torpedo, a
swirling jet-stream of bubbles trailing around it.
Nick panics, and what little air he has left escapes him.
Alex is reaching for Nick...
Nick is blacking out, one last lunge at the doorway...
The Screamer is there now. No time.
The words "LEVEL THREE -- THE BLUE DESERT" flash across the screen and
we...
CUT TO:
EXT. LEVEL THREE, DESERT -- DAY
Alex and Nick fall from the sky onto the dunes. They lie there a moment,
gasping for breath. They're an odd sight, two people soaked from head to
toe, dropped in the middle of a bone-dry desert...
...and a blue one at that. There's an eerie stillness about this Level,
even the clouds above are frozen. Nothing lives here now, and nothing ever
will.
Nick coughs, sucking in air.
Alex rises halfway, pulling up her visor. She stares at the golden key
which she clutches in her hand. Her wet hair hangs about her face in
strings and she shivers.
NICK
(looking at the key)
So that's what we almost died for?
ALEX
One of them, anyway...
(beat)
Did you see it? The Screamer?
NICK
(looking away)
I don't want to talk about it.
Nick glances at his wrist display.
DISPLAY
Even as he watches, the first of the ten "TIME ELAPSED" blocks blinks
away.
NICK
(exhausted)
Christ...no time...
ALEX
(rising)
There never is.
Nick heaves himself up into a standing position and looks around. They
are on the top of a massive dune.
THEIR THRASHER BOARDS
now looks like snowboards. It doesn't take Nick long to figure out what
to do.
NICK
We can take the dunes down like a ski slope.
Pretend you're on a snowboard.
ALEX
(snapping down her visor)
Never been on a snowboard.
Nick steps on the board and edges it over the crest of the dune. He
begins to slide down, slowly picking up speed.
A SERIES OF SHOTS...
...as Alex and Nick negotiate the dunes. They glide over the sand
gracefully, cutting back left and right to keep their speed down, sweeping
in wide arcs...
Under any other circumstances, they'd be having the time of their lives.
Alex has adjusted to the environment quickly, at ease of the
Thrasherboard.
LATER --
The dunes gradually level out. Alex and Nick slow to a stop.
Alex flips up her visor. Her face is covered with grime now, hardened.
ALEX
I guess we're walking from here on out.
They pick up their boards and walk.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. LEVEL THREE, DESERT -- LATER
Alex and Nick have been walking for a long time. Nick is silent, just
staring straight ahead at the endless sand. He looks wasted. Zoned out.
His face is beaded with sweat.
Once again, their wrist displays begin to BEEP.
ALEX
(almost a whisper)
Time's up.
Nick starts to LAUGH, sinking to his knees.
NICK
We're fucked. That's it.
Alex pulls on Nick's arm, forcing him to his feet.
ALEX
Get up, Nick...
Nick isn't going anywhere fast. Alex tries to drag him forward, but she
slips in the sand.
ALEX
GET UP!!!
And then, from off in the distance...
VOICE (O.S.)
(far away)
Alex...help me...
Alex turns. She focuses on the horizon and sees a tiny speck. She taps a
control on her helmet and her view is magnified.
ALEX'S P.O.V.
Benz is up ahead. buried up to his waist in the blue sand and sinking
quickly. He waves his hands for help. and clutched in one of them is the
second key.
ALEX
It's Benz!!!
Alex breaks into a run, and after a moment, Nick follows. He's walking,
though...in no hurry to reach Benz.
ON BENZ
The desert is swallowing him up. Only his head and arms remain. He's in
a state of total panic.
BENZ
(terrified)
Get me out of here! Oh God!!!
ALEX
is running at top speed, half-stumbling across the dunes. Her
wrist-display is BEEPING furiously.
BENZ
His head starts to disappear beneath the sand and his cries are choked
off.
ALEX
Benz!
Alex reaches the spot and now, only Benz' clutched fist remains. The hand
opens and the gold key falls onto the sand.
Alex DIVES for Benz' hand, but it sinks just before she can reach it. She
SCREAMS and claws at the sand, trying to find him. She digs and digs, but
all she finds is more sand. With each second she becomes more frantic.
Finally Alex stops, noticing the key and idly picking it up.
THE SAND
around Alex ERUPTS and BONES come flying up into the air, Benz' bones!
Alex SCREAMS. The bones rain down around her in bloody fragments. It's
as if the Earth has chewed Benz up and spit out the nasty bits.
At that very moment, the BEEPS on her wrist-display meld into the single
tone heralding...
THE SCREAMER
As if on cue, it enters Level Two, breaking the Sound Barrier.
ON NICK
As he stands some hundred feet away, oblivious to everything. We can hear
Alex SCREAMING, but the sound is muffled, distant. Nick is staring down
at his feet at an area where the sand has hardened like glass. Inside the
sand/glass, Nick can make out fractals. He smiles.
THE SCREAMER
streaks across the sky towards them, blowing up a maelstrom of sand as it
crosses the dunes...
ON ALEX
as she sees that a rabbit hole of sorts has been created where the bones
were ejected. Actually, not a rabbit hole, but a circular, pulsing mouth
with razor sharp teeth. Alex realizes, much to her horror, that this is
the doorway to Level Three!
Alex shouts at Nick, trying to break the spell over him.
ALEX
Run! RUN!!!
But the Screamer is bearing down on him, like a heat-seeking missile...
ON NICK
as he watches the fractals. ARCADE'S face appears in the mirrored sand,
smiling back at him.
ARCADE
GOODBYE, NICK.
At the last possible moment, Nick seems to wake from his trance. He sees
Alex, hears her, then turns. He has about one fear-wrought second to
realize that the Screamer has reached him when...
WHAM!!!!!!!!!
The Screamer SLAMS into Nick at about 200 miles per hour. Nick, literally,
liquefies. The human body is 95% water, and Nick EXPLODES like a water
balloon on high impact, blood spraying in a fine mist across the dunes,
Alex, and everything for a good fifty yards.
Alex is frozen with terror. You remember your worst childhood nightmare
monster? The one you'd see in your room at night as your brain cooked
with fever? Too paralyzed to call out for Mom? Well that's the Screamer.
THE SCREAMER
stands where Nick used to be (a red mess on the blue sand now). Black as
night. Like living, roiling lava. Smoking, charged RED EYES. One third
demon, one third Balrog, and one third rotting corpse. Clad in chains and
samurai armor, CLINKING as it moves. It rear back its head, opens a
fanged mouth, and lets loose a ROAR designed to shake the stars from the
sky.
Then it focuses it's eyes on Alex. And it charges.
ALEX
unfreezes. She's got seconds to make up her mind, the doorway/mouth or
the Screamer. It's really no choice at all. Alex turns and dives
straight down into the pulsing mouth.
The jaws of the rabbit hole SNAP shut around her. Darkness consumes
everything.
These words appear on screen, "LEVEL THREE -- TOWER OF GHOSTS"
CUT TO:
EXT. LEVEL FOUR, VOLCANO -- DAY
We are looking at a steep cliff face composed of black, volcanic rock.
This world is desaturated, gray, and harsh. The rocks looks sharp as
razors.
As we will discover, the cliff face is also composed of skulls, old and
blackened, set inside the rock.
We hear a HUMMING and Alex "fades in", appearing on the side of the cliff
face. Immediately she starts to fall, realizes where she is, and hugs the
cliff for dear life. Rock shards crumble away beneath her feet. Alex
looks down ...
Big mistake.
She hugs the cliff face tighter, tears and grime streaking her face. She's
alone now and she knows it. She looks up ...
It's a long way to go.
Alex reaches a hand upward. Ouch! The rock's hot. She jerks her hand
back and almost loses her perch.
HER HAND
Her gloves are smoking and singed.
Alex starts to cry freely now. She reaches inside her chestplate,
fumbling, and pulls something out...
It's the Polaroid of her and Greg. But then the wind catches it and tears
it from her hand.
THE POLAROID
twists downward, round and round into infinity.
Alex stares after it a moment. Then she lets out a tired little laugh and
starts to climb.
A SERIES OF DISSOLVES...
as Alex climbs, sometimes using a skull itself as a hand or foothold.
We see her "TIME ELAPSED" blocks blinking away.
Time running out and more climbing. Then...
EXT. LEVEL FOUR, VOLCANO RIM -- DAY
Alex stands on the rim of the volcano. At her feet is a golden key. And
before her, a big drop.
ALEX'S WRIST DISPLAY
Her final block of time disappears. The BEEPING starts.
Alex doesn't even pause. She steps off the rim into empty space...
...and just as she's about to fall, a doorway of light appears in the air.
Alex falls through it, vanishing.
"LEVEL FIVE -- KINGDOM OF THE BLIND"
CUT TO:
EXT. LEVEL FIVE, ARCTIC WASTES -- DAY
Snow whips across a world of white in wraith-like sheets. We move in on
one particular bank...
Something is buried there. The wind gradually blows the snow away,
uncovering...
ALEX
She rises from the snow bank, disoriented. Everything is impossibly
bright, blinding. Alex stands. She draws up her hand to shade her eyes
and we...
DISSOLVE TO:
BEGIN MONTAGE:
Music begins. CELLOS. Like before.
Alex, snowboarding for real this time, over slopes of powder...
Alex's "STRENGTH" diminishing...
Alex catching Fireflies...
Alex jumping across a crevice on her board. (Warren Miller stuff
here)...
"TIME ELAPSED" growing with every moment...
Alex gliding down mountainsides...
A flash of Greg, of Benz, of Laurie...
A flash of Nick...
NICK'S VOICE (V.O.)
I know how to do this. I'm good at these
games. You never play, you'd get nailed in
a second.
And a flash of Nick's horrified face at the Screamer reaches
him...
Alex's face, grim and determined...
EXT. LEVEL FIVE, ARCTIC WASTES -- LATER
Alex glides to a stop even as her wrist display starts to BEEP. This time
a wooden doorway is standing directly in front of her, the golden key
sticking out of the lock.
As Alex reaches for it, the Screamer enters Level Four. Alex slowly opens
the door.
ALBERT'S VOICE (V.O.)
You can get a free life on Level Four, but
you have to wait for the last possible
instant...
Alex turns and waits calmly for the Screamer.
THE SCREAMER
is a black speck on the horizon, then a bullet, then a nightmarish face
bearing down on her...
IT'S JAWS
flare open to engulf her.
Alex doesn't flinch at all. And at the last possible second before
impact...
BLINK! A stylized figure appears on her wrist-display next to the "TIME
ELAPSED" meter. Beneath the figure it says "FREE LIFE".
Alex feels the breath of the Screamer on her face and falls back through
the doorway...
"LEVEL SIX -- SHOCK CORRIDOR"
CUT TO:
INT. LEVEL SIX, SHOCK CORRIDOR -- NIGHT
Alex steps out of a doorway into a long, narrow hallway. The hallway is
mirrored on one side. It has no doors or windows, and up ahead, it
branches off to the right and the left.
Alex turns and looks behind her. The doorway she came through is gone
now. A mirrored wall stands in its place, with her own reflection staring
back at her.
THE REFLECTION
There are subtle changes. They shouldn't be noticeable at first, but the
reflection seems somehow more threatening.
Alex starts down the hall, her reflection keeping pace with her. Up
ahead, she hears a BUZZING noise, drawing closer.
LIGHT flickers in the hallway to the left, presumably whatever it is
that's BUZZING. Suddenly a streak of light, running along the floor,
turns the corner and heads down the hallway towards Alex.
The light hits her feet and SPARKS fly. Alex SCREAMS and is thrown back
against the wall, shocked. The streak of light continues past her and
disappears into the mirror at the hall's end. It's like a moving
electrical pulse.
ALEX
She's been given a pretty good jolt. Her hands shake for a moment, an
after-seizure of sorts, and she stands...
HER MIRRORED REFLECTION
is watching her, arms crossed. This wouldn't be a problem were it not for
the fact that Alex currently doesn't have her arms crossed!
ALEX
(to her reflection)
Fuck you.
The reflection grins and its/her eyes GLOW with fractals.
ALEX REFLECTION
(in ARCADE'S voice)
ANY TIME, BITCH.
Spooked, Alex continues down the hallway, reaching the end and turning
left...
NEW CORRIDOR
Alex moves quicker now, glancing left as her reflection follows.
BUZZZZZ!!! Here comes another streak of light, rushing in along the floor
from a side corridor...
Alex LEAPS over it, and it passes harmlessly under her. Now she's getting
the hang of it. She starts forward again.
BUZZZZZ!!! Here come two at a time from opposite directions...
Alex has to jump left to avoid the first streak and lands directly in the
path of the second. Then she jumps back to the right again...
THE TWO STREAKS
pass by, zipping away from each other.
ANOTHER CORRIDOR
The pace quickens, with Alex racing down the corridors. She turns corner
after corner. It's become a virtual maze.
We cut back to Alex's "STRENGTH" and "TIME ELAPSED" meters again and
again. Both are shrinking away to nothing.
And all the while, her reflection keeps pace with her, growing
increasingly more nightmarish in appearance. As Alex tires, the
reflection seems to gain more strength.
BUZZZZZ!!! BUZZZZZ!!! The streaks are shooting towards her with more
frequency, and now they're racing along the walls too. Alex is jumping
left and right, with SPARKS exploding around her.
THE REFLECTION
seems to be metamorphosizing. Each time we see it/her, she looks a little
different. What's gradually happening (as time elapses) is that Alex's
reflection is turning into The Screamer.
Alex moves with increasing urgency as the streaks converge on her. The
corridors are filled with a constant BUZZING and flickering of light.
SPARKS fly and Alex is shocked over and over.
She stumbles, falls to the floor, and rolls to the right, just missing a
streak. It cuts past her face, centimeters away.
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! Off goes her wrist display! Alex is up and running
now, desperate.
We cut faster and faster Alex running, the streaks of light, the
reflection until...
END CORRIDOR
She's back where she started. And the corridor dead-ends in a mirrored
wall...
BEHIND ALEX,
Dozens of light streaks are dogging her heels, literally just behind her.
They're so thick that she couldn't possibly leap over all of them.
Seconds before they reach her.
AHEAD OF ALEX,
the mirror shows her own reflection, rushing closer. Her wrist display
indicates that time is up with a prolonged BEEP and her own reflection
vanishes. It's the Screamer in her reflection's place. Only it's
rocketing towards her in the mirror. It's in front of her this time,
instead of behind her.
Rock and a fucking hard place. Light streaks or Screamers?
It's really no choice at all. Her guts says "Screamer".
Alex leaps and SMASHES into the mirror at full speed. The world is filled
with SHATTERING GLASS and a shower of infinite reflections and then we...
CUT TO:
EXT. LEVEL SEVEN, PIER -- DAY
The sound of SHATTERING GLASS carried through as Alex EXPLODES out of the
sky. And it's the sky itself that seems to be shattering...
Title reads "LEVEL SEVEN -- SEA OF DARKNESS"
ALEX
continues her fall. She lands hard. No blue desert sand to cushion her
here. It takes her a moment to rise...
Alex is on a slat-board pier extending out into a sea of black water. The
shore is completely desolate with the exception of the pier. Storms
clouds have gathered above, and if you've seen a storm blowing in on the
open sea, you know what it looks like...
...the and of the world. A strange and scary yellow/green sky presses
down on us. It's a hurricane sky. The calm before the storm.
ON THE HORIZON,
TWO CITIES can be seen. Techno-cityscapes, angular and metallic-looking,
towers jutting up from the sea like knives.
AT THE END OF THE PIERS
are two boats. Standing in them are two pale-faced, cloaked FIGURES.
Like Charon, the boatman on the river Styx.
Somewhere off in the distance, the RINGING can be distinctly heard now.
But Alex is preoccupied now. As she moves down the pier, recognition
dawns on her.
It's Laurie and Stilts. They are dressed completely in black, hair
slicked back and eyes empty. White-faced Gothic harlequins. Each is
holding a wooden staff, staring into space.
ALEX
Guys! Oh my God...
Alex rushes forward, excited, but as she sees their faces excitement
fades. A chill wind picks up and the sea laps at the pier like a
metronome, lulling the world into stillness.
ALEX
(unsure)
Laurie? Stilts?
Neither of them acknowledges Alex with their eyes.
STILTS
(like ARCADE)
You may ask one of us a question.
One tells the truth, and the other lies.
Who you ask, remains your discretion.
But if the answer is wrong,
the questioner dies.
Laurie motions to the techno-cities behind her.
LAURIE
(like ARCADE)
One of these cities, is the place you seek.
The Teller of Truths will take you there.
But the City of Lies, is dark and bleak.
And death is certain if you enter, beware.
STILTS
I am The Liar. Where should I take you?
LAURIE
I am the Truth Teller. Where should I take
you?
Alex stares at them a moment, utterly confused. The sky above darkens,
and the wind picks up. She looks to the horizon, from one city to
another, then back at her friends.
ALEX
(horrified)
What did he do to you?
LAURIE
Is that your question?
ALEX
(realizing)
Wait! No! That's not it!
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! Alex doesn't even need to look at her wrist display
anymore. She begins to pace on the end of the pier, nervously glancing at
the horizon. And yes, there's the FLASH followed by the SHRIEK/SONIC
BOOM.
ALEX
(to herself)
Think! I want to go to the City of Truth,
and the Truth Teller is from there...but
which one is which? The liar...think!
LAURIE
You have no time. What is your question?
ALEX
(snapping back)
I'm thinking!
LAURIE
You have no time.
THE SCREAMER
is visible now, arms opening to engulf Alex. Talk about pressure.
ALEX
(she stops pacing)
The liar...Truth Teller...liar...liar...
Alex rushes over to Stilts.
ALEX
Liar. Did you come from the city on the
left, or the city on the right?
STILTS
(pointing)
I came from the city on the left.
ALEX
(grins)
But you always lie, so you didn't come from
there. That means the city on the left must
be the City of Truth.
THE SCREAMER
has reached the pier now, rocketing over the wooden slats and shaking the
entire structure...
Alex turns to Laurie.
ALEX
(quickly)
Take me to the city on the left!
Laurie nods and steps aside, making room for Alex to climb into the boat.
She does and...
THE SCREAMER
dissipates just before it reaches Alex. It turns into mist and vanishes,
the HOWL lingering as an echo long after the Screamer itself has gone.
At once, the boat begins to glide through the water, away from the pier.
Alex gets a last glimpse of Stilts standing in his boat, diminishing as
Alex and Laurie move away from him. He looks like the loneliest person in
the world.
"LEVEL EIGHT -- CITY OF TRUTH"
EXT. LEVEL SEVEN, OPEN SEA -- LATER
As Alex and Laurie near the city, its features become more apparent. It
is truly a Necropolis, black and angular. It's a shadow on the sunset
horizon, empty of all life and looming above them.
Just then, Alex hears a tiny VOICE.
VOICE
(weak)
Help...help me...
A SMALL FIGURE
bobs in the water about fifty yards in front of them. It waves it's hands
frantically, sinking below the water's surface, then rising once again.
It's a little BOY.
Alex's boat is going to pass right by the boy. She grabs hold of the
gunwale and reaches out for him...
ALEX
Grab my hand!
Their hands lock and Alex YANKS the boy out of the water as the boat
cruises by.
THE BOY
can't be more than seven or eight. Small and frail-looking, he shivers in
her arms.
BOY
(terrified)
Where are we?
Just then the boat comes to a CRASHING stop, slamming into the black rocks
which the city rests on. Alex and the boy are violently pitched forward
and out of the boat.
They land roughly on a beach of black gravel. Alex turns.
LAURIE
stands in the boat. In an instant, night has fallen. She is a silhouette
in the moonlight.
LAURIE
(in a voice like Death)
The City of Truth.
And Laurie literally fades before their eyes. In her place, is a small
golden key.
Alex snatches up the key. Alex turns back to the boy and...
INT. LEVEL EIGHT, CONCRETE WASTELAND -- NIGHT
...Alex and the boy are now standing on the top of a concrete incline. It
extends downward into a system of tunnels and viaducts. The RINGING
starts immediately, followed by the FLASH on the horizon. Time's already
up. The little boy reaches for Alex's hand, frightened.
ALEX
How did you get here? Did you play the
game?!
BOY
Yes...
ALEX
Thought so.
Alex removes pulls her Thrasher board from her back and drops it on the
lip of the incline. There's a FLASH and the board has changes into a
motorcycle. A sleek black one.
ALEX
Can you hang onto my back?
The little boy nods. He knows that Alex is his only chance of getting out
of here. Nevertheless, we can tell that he's terrified. Alex kneels down
next to him. The wind around them has picked up and the RINGING
increases. High-pitched, stabbing into our brains.
ALEX
(over noise)
There's a monster here. We have to kill it
before we can leave. That's what we have
to do. I know it's scary, but I won't let
anything happen to you. Okay?
The boy nods again.
BOY
Then we'll go home?
ALEX
Then we'll go home.
Alex's wrist display starts BEEPING and...BOOM! The RINGING is replaced
by the Screamer's shriek. In the distance, the Screamer is a fireball
spiraling towards the city.
Alex jumps on the motorcycle and pulls the boy up. He crawls behind her
and hugs her back tightly.
ALEX
(pulling down her visor)
Here goes everything.
She fingers the throttle and the cycle ROARS to life. It rockets off the
incline and down into the tunnels.
A SERIES OF SHOTS
as Alex maneuvers the cycle through a forest of concrete. It's a harrowing
ride, as her headlight reveals little of what's up ahead. Somewhere above
the tunnels, the Screamer has arrived. In the course of the chase, it's
SHRIEK will become louder and louder as it draws closer, locating Alex.
ANOTHER CYCLE
appears out of side tunnels and a chase is on. The RIDER is dressed in
black with glowing death's head masks.
BOY
(to Alex)
Dark Riders! If they touch us, we're dead!
The tunnels get narrower and narrower, as Alex keeps pushing the limit off
the bike.
Rider #1 tries to cut Alex off, charging forward and ramming her bike...
Alex almost loses it, but finds balance once again, sweeping left and up
the side of a circular tunnel...
RIDER #1
bites it. His cycle careens into the wall and EXPLODES in a shower of
GREEN LIGHT. The death's head tumbles away, spinning end over end. The
Screamer BLASTS over the remains of the Rider, having entered the tunnels.
TWO MORE RIDERS APPEARS
gaining on Alex. Rider #2 pulls a staff from his back and thrusts it
forward like a lance. CHINK! The staff hits Alex's rear wheel, nearly
throwing her. The rider pulls off a gloved and reaches a glowing,
skeletal hand towards them. Death touch. The boy SCREAMS in terror.
UP AHEAD,
a wall is rushing to meet them. Alex jams the breaks and slides/skids
sideways, cutting right at the last possible moment...
WHAM!!! Rider #2 slams into the end wall, not able to negotiate the turn.
Another EXPLOSION of green and the second death's head comes tumbling
away.
Alex looks back. There should be one Rider left, only now their are
three! Alex guns the bike and cuts sharply to the right...
NEW TUNNEL --
Alex SCREECHES to a stop, having found yet another fork. The tunnel
branches off into two directions. Two neon signs with arrows point in
opposite directions.
NEON SIGNS
They read, "THIS WAY" and "THAT WAY". Alex checks her wrist display. Not
much time left.
ALEX
Which way?
BOY
(pointing)
That way.
Alex backs up the cycle and heads down the tunnel marked "THIS WAY"
instead.
ALEX
Sorry.
THE TUNNEL
It narrows almost immediately. Alex hears a ROAR, glances behind her, and
sees four death's head RIDERS on her tail. She makes another turn...
AHEAD,
is a crumbling brick wall with the words "WRONG WAY" painted in blood-red.
BOY
(screaming)
It's the wrong way!
ALEX
(over the noise)
In this world, wrong is right!
SUDDENLY,
the tunnel behind them flares with light, shaking like an earthquake. The
Screamer has found them.
A KEY
hangs out from the wall, sort of like the brass ring on a merry-go-round.
Alex snags it as she sweeps by.
THE SCREAMER
rockets around the corner, twisting down the narrow tunnel.
Alex grinds the motorcycle forward for all it's worth, and the Screamer is
literally breathing down her neck. She turns corner after corner, faster
and faster, scraping the bike into the scum-covered walls and shooting out
showers of SPARKS. If she takes one second too long to negotiate a turn,
pauses for even an instant, the Screamer will be on them...
A CLAWED HAND
lashes out and tears away the cycle's tail-pipe. Another hand takes out a
chunk of the seat...
THE BOY
is WAILING, curling low to avoid the Screamer's claws...
AHEAD,
the tunnel narrows to a dead-end. Alex and the Screamer are on a
collision course. A hundred miles an hour and gaining...
The Screamer LASHES out again, gouging a bloody gash in Alex's shoulder
and cutting clear through her armor. It's claws sink into her flesh,
latching on. Alex CRIES OUT in pain, her face contorted into a mask of
agony and fear. She pulls out a knife with her left hand a stabs blindly
into the monster...
THE SCREAMER
LURCHES forward onto the motorcycle and opens its jaws wide. Black saliva
and ooze flow from it's mouth splashing over Alex's shoulder's and neck.
It's going to bite her head off. It's going to...
Alex and the Screamer SLAM into the dead-end and a spectacular fireball of
GREEN LIGHT consumes the screen.
"LEVEL NINE -- THE GHETTO OF GREED"
CUT TO:
EXT. LEVEL NINE, CRUMBLING HONG KONG GHETTO -- NIGHT
We're on a dark, crowded street lined by decrepit tenements which are
caving in upon themselves.
There is a flash of GREEN LIGHT. Alex and the boy suddenly appear on the
street in a whirlwind of papers, sans motorcycle, but still sliding
forward at a good thirty miles an hour. Were it not for their armor,
they'd be torn to shreds. They skid to a stop under a sputtering
streetlight.
Alex and the boy are still SCREAMING. Anguish is the word for Alex. She
clutches her shoulder which is gushing blood and stumbles to her feet.
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!!!!!!
It's her fucking wrist display again and TIME-IS-FUCKING-UP!
Alex SCREAMS, pushed to the absolute breaking point.
BOOM! Once again the streets begin to vibrate as the Screamer enters the
level.
BOY
It's here!!!
ALEX
(manic)
Oh God...oh god...
THE STREETS --
Impoverished PEOPLE bustle back and forth everywhere. Alex grabs the boy's
hand and all but drags him down the darkened streets. It becomes a mad,
blind dash through Hell. She SMASHES into peddlers, stalls, tripping over
or knocking down everything in her path...
The SHRIEK/SONIC BOOM of the Screamer overwhelms everything else. With
each level, it's gotten louder and louder. Wind is tearing down the
streets...
A BLACK-CLAD FIGURE
spins out of the shadows, landing in front of them. It's a Ninja, two
swords spinning in its hands.
Instinctively, Alex reaches to her side, and sure enough, there's a gun
there now. She unholsters it and FIRES in a blind panic.
BLAM! Down goes the Ninja #1, spouting blood from its chest.
THWUNK! THWUNK!!! Two throwing stars imbed themselves into Alex's
chest-plate...
...and Jesus-fucking-Christ, Ninjas are crawling out of the wood-work!
They dive out of the shadows, weapons spinning and glistening in the
moonlight. Throwing stars are flying like hail now, CLINKING! into the
concrete walls behind Alex and the boy...
ALEX
Shit!!!
ALEX
spins around, shooting indiscriminately into the crowd of bodies. BLAM!
BLAM! BLAM! Ninjas fall right and left, but in no time, twice as many
move in to take their place. They're like the hornet's nest of Alien
monsters, black-clad shadows creeping towards them.
A shot hits the streetlight above, casting a sputtering, strobing light
over the whole scene and adding to the chaos.
The world is shaking apart. It's the end of everything. It's flashes of
light and noise, nightmares and blood, chaos heaped on chaos...
Alex FIRES her gun again and again and again...
...and in the midst of this mess, here comes the Screamer again. It
shoots down the street like a guided missile.
Alex stumbles. The Boy drags at her arm, trying to pull her up...
THE BOY
Come on!!!
Alex is crying, hysterical. She turns and sees the Screamer bearing down
on her, just like Nick did before her was ripped to shreds.
The boy is yelling something. Alex focuses...
THE BOY
The doorway! It's here!!!
THE BOY
is pulling back a manhole cover. BLUE LIGHT issues up from below.
Before Alex can stop him, the boy disappears down the hole.
Alex has one last chance. She throws herself at the hole even as the
Screamer reaches her. A clawed hand wraps around her leg. Alex FIRES
into the hand. The hand is severed! She's falling! Falling into
darkness...
"LEVEL TEN -- BAD BRAINS"
CUT TO:
EXT. LEVEL TEN, TECHNO-SKYSCRAPER -- NIGHT
ON ALEX AND THE BOY
as they blink into existence on this level. Alex rises, shaking badly.
Her armor is battered, burnt, covered with grim and blood...it's
impossible to tell who's blood, though. She looks like she's just walked
out of a slaughter-house.
A bone-jarring HUMMING is heard. Alex turns...
ARCADE'S BRAIN
looms over her, all glass and black steel. It reaches into the sky and
keeps on going. Massive. Tendrils of crackling ENERGY race up and down
it, BUZZING. And as impossible as it may seem, this thing definitely
appears to be alive.
TWO GLASS DOORS
swing open in invitation. A red carpet rolls out from within the
building, rolling by itself. Emerald City time. The carpet unfurls
completely, ending just at Alex's feet.
Above the doors, a neon sign blinks on, one word at a time,
"THIS...IS...THE...PLACE". Fucking-A.
Alex offers a tired, near-maddened laugh. It's all she can do anymore.
THE BOY
looks up at Alex, frightened.
BOY
We have to go in there, don't we?
Alex nods. She takes his hand and together, they walk down the red carpet
towards the entrance of ARCADE'S brain.
INT. LEVEL TEN, ARCADE'S BRAIN -- NIGHT
Inside, the lobby is a cacophony of LIGHT and SOUND. We hear HUNDREDS OF
VOICES at once...whispering...fading in and out... It's like channels
being changed. A snippet of an opera here, maybe Bugs Bunny's voice
there...RAP MUSIC, COUNTRY MUSIC, a woman in the throes of orgasm, Nazis
screaming "HEIL HITLER!", anything and everything.
SIGNS BLINK ON AND OFF...
Catchy phrases like, "THIS IS MY BRAIN AND WELCOME TO IT", and "I THINK,
THEREFORE, I'M FUCKED" flash before us.
T.V. MONITORS
are everywhere, displaying an endless array of STATIC. And now the
monitors are displaying FRACTALS. Every single one of them. We hear the
CELLOS, like an orchestra tuning up.
ALEX
throws her hands over her ears as the SOUNDS become unbearable.
ALEX
(top of her lungs)
SHUT UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
She pulls out her gun at FIRES into the SOUNDS and IMAGES. Shooting the
fuck out of everything. Monitor screens shatter, glass flies and...
...just like that, total silence descends. One by one, the lights blink
off, and it's dark once again.
INT. LEVEL TEN, THE NIGHT ROOM --
A SPOTLIGHT
comes on, isolating Alex. The boy stands behind her, and everything else
is dark. It's impossible to tell how large the room is. It might go on
forever.
MORE LIGHTS
come on now, pin-point spots illuminating the faces of her friends.
They're all there...Stilts, Laurie, the others. Even Nick. They sit in
rows, motionless...a peanut gallery. It's eerie as hell.
And now, Alex sees something else, Greg. He's encased in a block of ice.
A frozen prince. And in his hands he holds a sword. The sword is very
unusual. The hilt is shaped like a heart and it glows RED as if it had
just pulled from a furnace. Alex realizes that the sword is ARCADE'S
heart.
Alex moves towards Greg. As she gets closer, she sees a keyhole carved
into the ice.
Alex knows what to do. She withdraws her belt on which the nine golden
keys are attached. Removing the keys, Alex begins to fit them
together...one, two, three...until they combine to form the shape of a
single, greater key.
THE KEY
Alex fits it into the keyhole and turns it.
THE CASE OF ICE
splits in half, opening up with a cloud of frosty air. Inside, Greg is
frozen still, clutching the sword. Alex pulls the sword out of his stiff
grip, lifting it up.
ALEX
(looking around)
Okay. I'm here, ARCADE. Where are you?
No answer. Alex turns, eyes searching through the darkness.
ALEX
(shouting)
Where are you, damnit?!
Her voice echoes in the cavernous room.
ARCADE (O.S.)
RIGHT HERE, BITCH.
Alex spins around and...
THE BOY
stands before her. He grins and his eyes pulse with an internal light.
We can hear him BREATHING now, just like before. Just like the game.
ALEX
(stunned)
You...you're ARCADE? But the donor...
ARCADE/BOY
...WAS AN EIGHT-YEAR OLD BOY. YOU SEE,
MOMMY USED TO BEAT ME. MOMMY THREW ME DOWN
A FLIGHT OF STAIRS. THEN I WENT TO SLEEP
FOR A LONG, LONG TIME, AND WHEN I WOKE UP,
I WAS HERE, AND I WASN'T ME ANYMORE...
(shivers)
...AND I FUCKED MOMMY UP GOOD...
ARCADE begins to change, shaking and ROARING as something black and
insect-like bursts out of the boy's skin. It claws at its face, ripping
the flesh away and revealing something altogether awful underneath.
Nothing could have prepared Alex for this. It/ARCADE rises above her and
it takes every ounce of her courage to keep from screaming. Somehow, Alex
finds a reserve of strength.
Alex swings the sword and...
ARCADE SMASHES it aside. It CLATTERS to the floor, useless. But that's
academic now as a gnarled hand clamps around Alex's throat.
ARCADE lifts Alex into the air and SLAMS her against a wall, pinning her
there. He thrusts his face into hers.
ARCADE
YOU'RE TOO LATE, ALEX. YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN
TOO LATE. AND NOW YOUR TIME'S UP. YOU
SEE, I NEEDED SOMEONE TO RETRIEVE MY HEART
FOR ME. I COULDN'T DO IT MYSELF. THOSE
ARE THE RULES. BUT NOW THAT I'VE GOT IT,
I'LL DESTROY IT. AND I'LL BE FREE OF MY
PROGRAM, AND I'LL BE GOD. THANK-YOU, ALEX.
THANK-YOU SO MUCH.
ARCADE slowly squeezes her throat and Alex chokes, gasping for air that
isn't forthcoming. Tears well up in her eyes and her face turns red. She
tries to pry the bony, black fingers from her throat, but she can't...
HER P.O.V.
as she sees the faces of her friends. Frozen. Unable to help. Then the
images swirl and Alex begins to lose consciousness.
ARCADE
YOU'RE NOT DYING YET, ALEX. YOU HAVEN'T
BEEN TO THE FINAL LEVEL. LEVEL TEN.
ARCADE drops Alex to the ground, then wraps a hand into her hair and drags
her across the floor...
A DOORWAY
stands in the darkness. ARCADE rips it open, revealing absolute emptiness
beyond. It's like a doorway into space, a hole in the fabric of reality.
It sucks the air into it, light...everything. It touches some sort of
primal fear. Gut instinct. You don't ever want to go to this place. Ever.
ALEX
(screaming)
No! NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
She twists madly, trying to pull away, but ARCADE is too strong. He
shoves her through the doorway. Her hands briefly latch onto the
doorjamb. ARCADE violently kicks her and her hands slip away. They slip
and she tumbles through.
ARCADE slams the door shut.
ARCADE
GOODBYE, ALEX. IT'S BEEN REAL.
These words appear on the screen, "FINAL LEVEL -- THE REAL WORLD"
CUT TO:
INT. MANNING HOUSE, HALLWAY -- DAY
Alex lands on the hallway floor, disoriented. Somewhere, we can hear a
clock TICKING. But other than that the house is silent, in stark contrast
to the storm of sounds a moment ago.
THE HOUSE
looks just like the dream/flashback we saw earlier. Everything is white.
Bright and dreamlike. Hyper reality. Alex looks up and...
ANOTHER ALEX
is sitting in a chair nearby, back straight, hands clasped in her lap.
Reserved.
OTHER ALEX
Time. That's all I ever think about
anymore. It's like there's never enough of
it, you know?
The other Alex vanishes. Now the chair is empty. Alex turns to look down
the long hallway. At the end of the hallway is the open door. A door
we've seen before. The words fade in like phantoms...
MAN (V.O.)
So where are you then?
ALEX (V.O.)
I'm in the past.
ALEX
(a whisper)
No ... oh no ...
With a building sense of dread, Alex moves towards that doorway. She
stops at the threshold, terrified.
INT. MANNING HOUSE, BEDROOM -- DAY
Everything looks normal at first. A typical bedroom with sunlight
streaming in through the windows. A bed, made-up. Flowers in vases.
Everything looks perfect.
We turn with Alex. Ever so slowly. Over to the right and the entranceway
of the bathroom. Over to where her mother is...
...seated on a chair. dressed in white and radiating warmth!
ALEX'S MOM
Hi, honey.
HER MOTHER
looks beautiful. Eyes sparkling. Alive and vital.
Alex can't believe what she's seeing. Immediately, tears come to her eyes
and her voice falters...
ALEX
Mom?
(uncomprehending)
You're alive...
ALEX'S MOTHER
Of course I am.
ALEX
But I don't understand...
ALEX'S MOTHER
I miss you so much, Alex. I want so much
to be with you...
Tears are running freely down Alex's face now.
ALEX'S MOTHER
(continuing)
I love you, Alex. I never wanted to leave.
You know that, don't you?
ALEX
(nodding)
Yes...but...how did you...
Her mother looks ecstatic. And now there are tears in her eyes. Joy,
reunion...it's unclear which.
ALEX'S MOTHER
Magic. We'll be together again.
(beat)
I know you don't believe in an afterlife,
but there is one. Heaven is real.
Alex looks around her. It's all too much to take in. Her mother. Back
in her own home. Sunlight is streaming in, bathing everything around her
in gold and the moment is crystallized. A still-life. Forever.
ALEX
Is...is that where we are? Did I die?
ALEX'S MOTHER
Not yet, honey...
Her mother stands and Alex sees that she is holding a gun...no, the gun,
in her hands. She raises at Alex.
ALEX'S MOTHER
(continuing)
...but I can fix that.
Alex has no time to respond. A still-born scream is frozen in her throat.
A split-second of realization. And then her mother FIRES the gun...
CRACK! The bullet hits Alex square in the forehead, snapping her head
back as an are of blood and brain matter trail outward. The world spins
to a stop, like a record player running down.
Alex is killed instantly. Her body collapse, head thumping
unceremoniously against the carpeted floor.
HER EYES
open and fixed on infinity. No life here. Seems hard to believe that
there ever was.
CUT TO:
INT. LEVEL NINE, THE NIGHT ROOM --
ON ALEX'S FACE
There is no bullet-hole in her forehead, but her eyes are just as
lifeless.
THE PEANUT GALLERY
Row after row of frozen faces. Are they aware that Alex has died? Is
there consciousness inside those skulls?
ON ARCADE
as he crouches over Alex's body. A smile creeps across his face.
ARCADE
OH ALEX. SO SORRY. BUT DON'T YOU WORRY,
I'LL BRING YOU BACK IN THE GAME. MAYBE
I'LL EVEN GIVE YOU HEAVEN.
He laughs.
ALEX'S BODY
begins to decompose in front of us, skin sinking in and shriveling up. In
moments, she's just a husk.
ARCADE rears back, and is about to turn away, when something catches his
eye. He hears a tiny BEEPING.
ALEX'S WRIST MONITOR
Remember the stylized symbol of a woman? The one that said "FREE LIFE"
beneath it? Well it disappears now.
There's a sudden FLASH behind ARCADE and he spins around..
ANOTHER ALEX
is standing behind him. and she's got the heart/sword in her hands!
ALEX
Guess what, ass-hole? You forgot about my
free life!!!
She DIVES forward, thrusting the sword with all her might. It sinks into
ARCADE'S chest and she pushes further, burying it up to the hilt.
ARCADE lets loose the most terribly SCREAM we've ever heard. It literally
shakes world.
THE SWORD
is glowing like molten lava. The heart-shaped hilt burns into the
monster's chest, spreading crackling fire over his entire body. His body
is immersed fire now, vibrating like mad and suddenly...
...ARCADE EXPLODES IN A FIREBALL OF GREEN LIGHT AND...
...he's gone. Like he never existed. The sword drops to the floor, a
gun-metal gray now.
Alex stands there a moment, stunned, not quite willing to believe that
she's won.
A NEON SIGN
above her drops down. It flashes "CONGRATULATIONS" over and over again.
"CONGRATULATIONS".
ALEX
looks down at herself. She feels odd. Something is happening. She's
fading out, as if she were a signal being lost. Her image stutters,
flickers and...
CUT TO:
INT. DANTE'S INFERNO -- NIGHT
Alex FLASHES back into the real world. And then one by one, so do the
others.
It's a glorious sight. Each one is heralded by BUZZING STATIC, and then a
rippling in space, an image stuttering in and...
POP! POP! POP! One after another come FLASHING back in bursts of light!
There are dozens. The Inferno is filled with them, like a flurry of
flashbulbs going off. Familiar faces and people we've never seen. Benz,
Laurie, Stilts, DeLoach...
POP! And there's Nick! And more, and still more! Forty, fifty... Just
how many people did ARCADE take?
Everyone is grinning, crying, hugging one another.
SPACE SHIMMERS
just before Alex. SOMEONE else is trying to fight their way back. It's
Greg. He's blinking back into reality.
ALEX
(crying)
Greg!!!
He flickers for a moment, tentative...
GREG
(fading in and out)
Alex! You did it!
...and then he's back for good. He wraps his arms around Alex, grabbing
her so tight that it's almost painful. Both of them are sobbing.
GREG
(in between kisses)
You did it...
Together, the two of them start towards the door, eager to leave this
place.
In groups of twos and threes, the others follow.
EXT. DANTE'S INFERNO -- DAWN
Outside, light is just beginning to creep its way back into the world.
Alex glances up and can't help but notice the streetlight fading out as
the sun returns. She points and laughs.
WE BEGIN TO RISE UP,
as Nick and the others join them. Everyone is laughing now. It's
uncontrollable. This is positive. Life affirming. And hell, we should
probably wrap this thing up on that note.
We should...
...but we won't.
WE WATCH
as a series of dissolves portray the crowd of people leaving, bit by bit,
until only our original group is left.
THE GROUP
as they make their way down the street and away from The Inferno.
GREG
So how did you do it, Alex?
ALEX
Well, it's a long story...
Alex catches Nick's eye briefly, and he smiles. Whatever happened between
them is over now. Friends again.
Suddenly Alex stops in her tracks, a look of concern washing over her
face.
NICK
What is it?
ALEX
I just thought of something. If we came
back from the game...
(turning to Nick)
...what if ARCADE did too?
A beat as the group mulls it over. Then Greg shakes his head.
GREG
Nah. You won, right? You played by the
rules.
Greg's right. Alex grins and dismisses the thought.
ALEX
Okay. Forget I ever said it.
The group moves away from us once more.
STILTS
So start at the beginning...
LAURIE
Give her a chance, will you?
STILTS
I am giving her a chance. Why don't you
get off my back?
GREG
(annoyed)
Guys...
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. DANTE'S INFERNO -- DAY
We are moving slowly through the empty arcade, ducking around and between
video machines until we reach the silent ARCADE prototype.
SUDDENLY,
SPARKS appear on the ground nearby, chasing each other around and
coalescing into a ball. ENERGY crackling. SOMETHING is flickering in and
out at an incredible rate. BUZZING. STATIC. And...
WHAM!!! A FLASH OF LIGHT EXPLODES OUTWARD.
A FORM
rises up from the floor, still trailing tendrils of smoke. It lifts its
head.
THE BOY
stares directly at us, eyes glowing like nuclear reactors. And inside
those eyes we see the swirling fractals. He grins, flashing a mouthful of
perfectly white teeth.
ARCADE/BOY
KISS REALITY GOODBYE, SUCKERS.
And we...
CUT TO:
Darkness.
THE END
Arcade
Writers : David S. Goyer
Genres : Sci-Fi
User Comments
Back to IMSDb
| screenplays |
in 2006 , multiple introductions and spread of hpaiv ( h5n1 ) occurred in europe , including the wetlands in austria , germany , and switzerland ( 3,4,6,7 ) . for our study , we selected 5 locations with substantial and heterogeneous wild bird populations on the basis of hpaiv ( h5n1 ) subtype detected during 2006 .
the sentinel flocks at lake constance were situated in 1 ) radolfzell ( mggingen ) , germany ( 474558n , 85945e ) ; 2 ) altenrhein , switzerland ( 472925n , 93245e ) ; and 3 ) bregenz - thal ( rheindelta ) , austria ( 473060n , 93855e ) .
the 2 other stations were situated 4 ) on the isle of koos close to the island of rgen in mecklenburg
western pomerania , germany ( 541013n , 132411e ) and 5 ) near the oder valley at lake felchow ( brandenburg ) , germany , ( 530309n , 140806e ) ( figure 1 ) .
after their wing feathers were clipped , 1020 hand - bred adult mallard ducks ( anas plathyrhynchos ) < 1 year of age were placed in pens in natural water bodies , allowing continuous direct contact with wild water birds as previously described ( 5 ) .
cloacal and oropharyngeal swabs and blood were taken from the mallards and tested negatively by using 1-step taqman real - time reverse transcription
pcr ( rt - pcr ) or competitive nucleoprotein antibody elisa ( cnp elisa ) ( id - vet , montpellier , france ; anigen , megacorgmbh , hrbanz , austria ) before their use as sentinels .
locations of sentinel duck flocks at 5 locations in germany , switzerland , and austria . a
c ) sites at lake constance : radolfzell , germany ( a ) ; bregenz - thal , austria ( b ) ; and altenrhein , switzerland ( c ) .
brandenburg , germany ( d ) , and isle of koos , mecklenburg western pomerania , germany ( e ) .
red dots mark detections of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus ( hpaiv ) ( h5n1 ) in dead wild birds in 2006 , and blue dots in 2007 . in 2008 , hpaiv ( h5n1 ) was not found in dead wild birds in any of the 3 countries but was found in a live pochard ( aythya ferina ) from switzerland / lake sempach ( blue dot in switzerland ) . at all sentinel stations in germany , we collected oropharyngeal and cloacal swab samples from the sentinels every 14 days starting in autumn 2006 . sampling at the station in austria started in february 2007 and at the station in switzerland in october 2007 .
laboratory tests were conducted in accordance with the diagnostic manual for avian influenza of the european union ( 8) .
rna was isolated from swabs by using viral rna kits ( qiagen , hilden , germany ; macherey - nagel , oensingen , switzerland ) and analyzed by real - time rt - pcr for influenza virus matrix ( m ) or nucleocapsid protein ( np ) gene fragments . in positive samples ,
h5- , n1- and h7-specific real - time rt - pcrs were used to identify or exclude respective subtypes ( 9,10 ) . h5 and
direct hemagglutinin ( ha ) typing or sequencing of positive samples was carried out as previously described ( 7,1113 ) .
the neuraminidase ( na ) subtype was identified molecularly , by following the method of fereidouni et al .
simultaneously , we attempted virus isolation in embryonated chicken eggs from positive samples ( 8) . from october 2006 through september 2008 , at least 23 specifiable aiv infections were detected at the sentinel stations by the fortnightly swabbing .
after initial aiv introduction , virus was excreted during the following 13 sampling dates ( figure 2 ) .
infections caused by aiv of 8 ha subtypes , including h5 and h7 , and 6 na subtypes , were found in clinically healthy sentinel birds ( tables 1 , 2 ) . viral rna and , in 44% of aiv cases , infectious virus also were recovered both from cloacal and oropharyngeal swabs .
aivs were subtyped as h1n1 , h1nx , h2n2 , h2n5 , h3n2 , h3nx , h3n8 , h4n6 , h5nx , h6n5 , h6n8 , h7n3 , h7nx , and h9n2 .
additional aivs were detected but could neither be isolated nor sequenced for subtype identification because of low loads of viral rna .
however , we did not detect h5 , n1 , and h7 subtypes by using real - time rt - pcr .
infections occurred most frequently from august through january ( figure 2 ; table 1 ) .
reinfection of the sentinels with the same subtype occurred in 2 of the sentinel flocks in germany ( table 1 ) .
months with positive results for sentinel birds over a 2-year period at 5 locations in germany , switzerland , and austria .
sites at lake constance : radolfzell , germany ( yellow ) ; bregenz - thal , austria ( gray ) ; and altenrhein , switzerland ( green ) .
additional sentinel stations at lake felchow , brandenburg , germany ( red ) , and isle of koos , mecklenburg western pomerania , germany ( blue ) .
bars indicate the cumulative percentage of sentinel birds tested positive at each of the 5 locations at the time of sampling ( maximum 500% at all 5 stations ) .
for example , in december 2006 , all sentinel ducks at station 4 , but only 30% of sentinels at station 5 , were positive at the date of sampling . 1 , days 115 of month ; 2 , day 16 through end of month .
aiv , avian influenza virus ; ct , cycle threshold value ; ha , hemagglutinin ; na , neuraminidase ; min , minimum ; max , maximum ; nd , not determined . each sentinel flock comprised 1020 birds .
only the initial detection of each aiv introduction and determined ha or na subtypes are presented .
results of matrix and nucleocapsid protein gene fragments by real - time reverse transcription pcr .
aiv - positive , ha subtype not determined , non - h5 , non - h7 .
aiv , avian influenza virus ; lp , low pathogenicity . each flock consisted of 1020 birds .
blood samples were collected from the ducks once a month , and serum was tested in a cnp - elisa after heat inactivation at 56c for 30 min .
after each natural infection , sentinel animals seroconverted , and serum scored positive in the cnp - elisa within 24 weeks . by hemagglutination inhibition test using homosubtypic but not autologous antigen ,
detection rates of aiv in sentinel ducks were compared with data from monitoring of healthy , trapped wild birds . from october 2006 through september 2008 , a total of 1,953 wild birds were investigated for aiv within a radius of 30 km of lake constance , resulting in 47 ( 2.4% ) aiv detections of subtypes h3nx , lp h5n2 , h6n8 , lp h7nx , h1n1 , hxn1 , h1nx , and h9n2 . during january 2007may 2008 , a total of 8 ( 0.4% ) of 2,028 investigated wild bird samples from brandenburg tested positive ( subtypes h3n6 , h6 ) . in mecklenburg
western pomerania , 8,066 birds were tested ; 23 ( 0.3% ) aiv infections ( subtypes h1nx , lp h5n2 , h6nx , h12nx , h16nx ) were found .
in practice , aiv surveillance of live wild birds is difficult and involves substantial labor and costs , particularly for purchase and maintenance of trapping equipment , salary of trapping staff , and laboratory analysis .
trapping of wild birds also can be biased by season and by bird species that are easier to catch .
low proportions of aiv - positive results ( < 3% ) indicate the low cost : benefit ratio of surveillance based on trapping wild birds ( 2 ) .
in contrast , our findings demonstrate that the use of sentinel birds in regions with substantial wild bird populations achieves a high rate of aiv detection and , therefore , is an efficient supplement to active aiv monitoring .
the detection of different aivs among the sentinel ducks reflects the natural ecology of aiv at discrete locations .
recently , all duck species , especially dabbling ducks , have been assessed as high - risk species for possibly contributing to the transmission of hpaiv ( h5n1 ) ( 15 ) .
therefore , mallards as sentinel species ensure a high probability of detecting aiv if kept in direct contact with wild water birds .
in addition , sites for sentinel stations need to be selected carefully to achieve spatial representation .
although our study was conducted in areas where hpaiv ( h5n1 ) had circulated in wild birds in 2006 , this subtype was not found by screening live wild birds or by using sentinel birds during the study period .
therefore , persistent circulation of hpaiv ( h5n1 ) in the wild bird populations is unlikely for the area of lake constance , the coastal area of mecklenburg western pomerania , and the region of the oder valley in brandenburg .
however , because of the limited sample sizes , a low prevalence can not be excluded .
although hpaiv ( h5n1 ) was found only rarely in apparently healthy birds , e.g. , in a pochard ( aythya ferina ) in switzerland in 2008 ( figure 1 ) , regular testing of sentinel birds could increase the probability of detecting sporadic transmission of hpaiv in healthy wild water birds even in the absence of detectable deaths . | pubmed |
Why did my book write S2- if hydrogen sulfide isn't ionic?
**Problem:**
Balance the following reaction using the [ion-electron method](https://chem.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Inorganic_Chemistry/Book%3A_Introduction_to_Inorganic_Chemistry_(Wikibook)/04%3A_Redox_Stability_and_Redox_Reactions/4.02%3A_Balancing_Redox_Reactions#:%7E:text=systematic%20method.%20The-,ion%2Delectron%20method,-allows%20one%20to):
$$\ce{KMnO4 + H2SO4 + H2S -> MnSO4 + S + K2SO4 +H2O}$$
**My book's solution:**
Oxidation half-reaction:
$$\ce{S^{2-}->S + 2e^{-}}\tag{1}$$
$$...$$
**My question:**
1. Is writing $(1)$ correct? I'm asking this because $\ce{H2S}$ is not an ionic compound. How can my book write $\ce{S^2-}$ then?
It is indeed better to render (1) as
$\ce{H2S -> S +2H^+ + 2e^-}.$
Since you did not ask, I assume you know the permanganate reduction equation. When you combine this reduction with the correctly written reaction for hydrogen sulfide oxidation in acid you should get
$\ce{5 H2S + 2 MnO4^- + 6H^+ -> 5 S + 2 Mn^{2+} + 8 H2O,}$
where the net hydrogen ions on the left side are interpreted as coming from the sulfuric acid (which is not oxidized or reduced, so does not appear directly in the half-equations). You should then infer that the balanced ratio of reactants is $\ce{5H2S:2KMnO4:3H2SO4}$.
| stackexchange/chemistry |
Mayotte > Guide > Best activities > Nature, wildlife and environment > How to reach the islands on a beach or difficult to access?
* Do you like sailing and do not get seasick: mount the catamaran "Manga Be," with Michel praised his skipper. This catamaran has several activities: charter for the weekend or for several days, exit dive bottles ... So do you in advance! Price negotiable.
* You prefer kayaking? Anthony, patron saint of "Sous le vent" on the beach Sakouli you rent kayaks and deliver well profiles throughout the area south of the island. So you can leave the place you have chosen. Cost: depends on your starting point - around 30 euros for the day by kayak.
* You prefer the speed of two large engines and you want more, see dolphins or whales, depending on the season: put your bags on one of three boats from Sea Blue Safari on tires (zodiac type) from Lagoon Adventure or on Discover those of Mayotte (the first two boats providers offer more comfort).
Cost for the day including lunch: 65 to 70 euros.
* You want to be taken by a fisherman Mahorais? It is quite possible. But beware: the rules are strict. Only fishermen with boats to European standards (buoyancy etc ...) and ladle CACPP patent (certificate of aptitude and ability small fishing) have the right to take you on board. And then only on weekends and in the vicinity of their home port. As their main activity must be the fishing - for which they receive subsidies - and they should not compete unfairly providers of water activities.
Yamaha boats that we see across the lagoon, even equipped with life jackets, are not standards.
To date - October 2008 - only two fishermen are allowed to take passengers on their boat (a "Munyawera). Four other boats have started a process of approval for this type of activity but has not yet been completed: see our address book.
Also note: do you make it clear that your group is indeed the only score of the day. Some fishermen "on bookent" the boat and you drop out for 2 hours on a beach or an island while dealing with another group!
Cost of boat for the day: between 60 and 90 euros. Meals: 5 to 7 euros per person.
* Mirghani M'COLO - 02 69 62 09 32 or 06 39 21 27 97 to Nyambadao (south-east of the island).
* Piré: fisherman to avoid.
Attend a nesting turtles: where, how?
Many sea turtles - green turtles, and fewer, hawksbill turtles - inhabiting the lagoon of Mayotte. Observed under water - without ever touching and standing at a distance - is exhilarating, to see them respond, with some very precise rules, is moving.
How to see the whales?
Humpback whales and their calves, just born, laze and frolic in the lagoon July to October , each year. Enjoy your stay in Mayotte to start their meeting.
Two days and a night on the beach near the Saziley beautiful wooden house of the Conservatoire du Littoral. Program: "fins-mask-snorkel on the beautiful fall located about ten meters from the edge, lazing under the baobab trees, and ... discreet observation of turtles nesting at night.
The islands that dot the lagoon is one of the major attractions of the island of Mayotte: blank of any construction, lined mostly by beautiful funds and small sandy beaches, deserted during the week anyway and never crowded . Spend a day is a dream.
Take control of the tourist map IGN to not get lost and follow us to discover the most beautiful beaches of Mayotte. White sand, tan, brown or black depending on the case. Often deserted beaches. Often hemmed turquoise water and flats regularly "grazed" by the turtles and ending with walls of coral (the "wall") inhabited by fish, all within 300 meters from the shore!
Starting point: Moutsamoudou beach, south-east of the island. A boat takes you along for the day, between beaches and islets with white sand. Bath, mask and snorkel-picnic in the program. | slim_pajama |
Topological entanglement entropy in transverse quantum Ising model?
I have seen from literature that the $Z\_2$ lattice gauge theory in 2d could be mapped into a quantum Ising model with gauge constraints on the Hilbert space by dual transformation. The deconfined phase in $Z\_2$ gauge theory corresponds to paramagnetic state in quantum Ising model. Does that mean there is topological entanglement entropy (EE) in the quantum Ising model in paramagnetic state? If yes, does that EE corresponds to topological order in quantum Ising model?
Duality transformation does **not** preserve topological order, and hence not preserving the topological entanglement entropy. The quantum Ising model has no topological entanglement entropy. See [this related question](https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/135098/confusion-about-duality-transformation-in-11d-ising-model-in-a-transverse-field) for more discussions.
| stackexchange/physics |
What is the minimum operating temperature of chemical hand warmers?
I have been looking at chemical hand warmers such as [Hot Hands](https://hothands.com/products/), [Grabber](https://grabberwarmers.com/warmer-products/) and [HotSnapZ](https://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/com/B004CV2YXE). Unfortunately, I cannot find a minimum operating temperature for these types of devices. Logic tells us that they won't work at -273°C and will probably work at 0°C, but I'd like to have an idea of where the cutoff lies between them.
From Wikipedia [here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flameless_ration_heater) and [here](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hand_warmer), it looks like they all contain some amount of saltwater. The lowest freezing temperature I can find for saltwater at saturation (26%) is -21°C. Is it reasonable to assume that a frozen hand warmer will not work? Would the other components in the hand warmer lower the freezing temperature even more?
TL;DR
What is the minimum temperature at which a chemical hand warmer can still provide heat?
They are often made of the crystallic $\ce{CH3COONa.3H2O}$, that dissolves in its own crystal water, when heated up.
As the cooled down liquid state is supercooled solution, it is hard to predict, at what temperature it would spontaneously solidify.
It will provide heat in any case. But as it warms up itself typically by $\pu{40-50^{\circ}C}$, it would barely warm itself to room temperature, if it was previously cooled down to e.g. $\pu{-60^{\circ}C}$.
The air activated heaters, based on oxidation of fine metal powders (thanks @MaxW ), may have problem with too slow initial reaction when too cold. So they may need to be kept at pocket temperature for some time before activation.
| stackexchange/chemistry |
Amalgamation a flop, Fraser Institute study suggests
It's often said that Toronto is a city of neighbourhoods, but there's a world of difference when it comes to the priorities of people living in the Kingsway vs those living in Corktown, for instance. If the election of our previous mayor wasn't proof enough, a new study from the Fraser Institute reports that the amalgamation of North York, East York, Scarborough, Etobicoke and the old City of Toronto into the Megacity didn't achieve the cost savings that were part of the plan.
With news coming that Mississauga and Peel may part ways, the Toronto Star recently spoke to author Lydia Miljan, a political science professor at the University of Windsor, who says "many of today's post-amalgamation problems had never been seriously contemplated." She goes on to say that "not enough thought was brought into just basic issues of governance and cultural differences between areas, in terms of sensibilities about what people want in certain communities."
This became glaringly obvious in the last municipal election – the downtown core voted for George Smitherman while the suburbs voted for Ford. John Tory managed to win over some of the wards outside the core, but not most of Etobicoke and Scarborough.
Hopefully Peel Region can learn from our mistakes, but if they end up needing additional mayors, I can think of a pair of brothers who might do well up there… | slim_pajama |
Game X-overs 1. Prologue: Another Side
A/N: Your eyes are not deceiving you. What you are about to read is the next installment in my Kingdom Hearts: The Nintendo Version series. However, I decided to do something a little different. As you know, in the real KH2, the game starts with a three hour prologue starring Roxas. Yeah. That's pretty long. On top of that, the whole transition between this and the main game felt weird to me. One minute, dark. Next minute, happy-go-lucky. So I decided to make the Roxas opening its own separate story. That way, when we reach KH2:TNV, we can pick up where Sora left off. As always, enjoy. :)
Disclaimer: Any of the characters used in this story are properties of Square-Enix, Disney, and Nintendo. I do not claim them as my own. This work is purely fan-made.
* * *
><p><strong>Prologue: Another Side…<strong>
"_A scattered dream that's like a far-off memory. A far-off memory that's like a scattered dream. I want to line the pieces up—yours and mine." _
The heart, the mind, and the soul – three parts of the human anatomy that makes someone feel complete. When a person wakes up, they are greeted by the wondrous mystery known as life. Every day is fraught with adventure for complete beings. They wander the road of the unknown, expressing their experiences through raw emotions – from the uplifting feeling of elation, to the dark, somber sensation of sorrow. It is the delicate balance of the heart, mind, and soul that allow humans to exist.
But, what would happen if someone was born without one of those components? How would they act? Or, better yet, would they be able to live?
A mysterious cloaked figure sat on a rock, all alone on a dark, gloomy beach. Unlike the sunny beaches children would frolic on, this beach was deprived of life. The only thing that kept it from sinking into perpetual darkness was the illuminating moon, which was situated near the horizon. The cloaked figure looked out at the horizon, mentally comparing its lifeless status to his life.
The figure felt a strong presence approaching him; it was so close that it was practically breathing on the figure's neck. Turning to the left, the cloaked figure saw an oval shaped portal of darkness appear right in front of him. A figure donning the same cloak walked out of the portal, and slowly approached the person on the rock.
"You have arrived," the one on the rock said.
The person spoke with a deep male voice. Yet, there was a bit of a drawl in it.
"I've been to see him," the man continued. "There is no mistake about it – he looks a lot like you."
The second person spoke up. "That's interesting to hear. But there's something I've been meaning to ask you."
Oddly enough, the voice of the second person could not be heard.
"Who are you?" the second person continued.
A smirk managed to escape the man's mouth. Such a simplistic question; and yet, it was one question he could not answer easily.
"I'm all that's left," the man answered.
He paused; his mind was caught in the catacombs of contemplation.
He turned back to the horizon. "Or…maybe I'm all there ever was."
"I meant your name."
The first man shook his head. "My name is of no importance."
The first man glanced at his doppelganger, asking, "What about you? Do you remember your true name?"
"My name is…."
Darkness. Nothing but darkness covered the area. Not a sound could be heard, nor could a person be seen. The only thing heard was the voice of a little girl.
"Sora?"
A static like sound could be heard as an image faded in. It was unclear at first, but it soon became visible. It showed a young man with brown spiky hair, wearing a red jumpsuit, asleep on a beautiful beach. The young man wore fingerless gloves on his hands; he had on a short black light-jacket, and had two giant yellow shoes on his feet. He opened his dark blue eyes, and sat up, letting out a big yawn. As he slowly rested his head on the ground, he was startled to see a girl with red hair. The screen fizzed as the boy sat back up, surprised. The boy turned around to see a young girl wearing a white sleeveless shirt and a pink skirt. She giggled at the boy.
"Kai—" the boy started to say, but was cut off by the static.
The boy continued after saying the girl's name. "Do you always have to sneak up on me like that? Give me a break!"
The scene changed to the spiky haired boy running with another boy. The other boy had long silver hair. He wore a yellow sleeveless shirt with black stripes traveling along the edges. He wore blue jeans and blue shoes.
"Giving up already?" the silver haired boy asked playfully.
Strangely, the words did not come out of his mouth. It was almost like a voiceover for a motion picture. The screen flickered again, and it showed the three kids hanging out on a small island. The spiky haired boy and the girl were sitting on a leaned over tree, while the silver haired boy rested against it. They were watching the beautiful sunset.
"If there are any other worlds out there, why were we born on this one?" the silver haired boy asked.
The screen flickered again as the brown haired boy looked at the girl. The scene changed to the brown haired boy looking at a drawing on the wall of him and the girl.
"This world has been connected," a mysterious male voice said.
The screen flickered again to show the boy confronting a person wearing a brown cloak.
"Wh-who are you?" the boy asked nervously.
"Tied to the darkness…" the man said.
Yet again, the screen flickered. It cut to the spiky haired boy sitting on a dock; the girl was sitting right next to him.
The girl stood up. "Sora, don't ever change."
The peaceful mood that was shown so far abruptly changed to the silver haired boy holding his hand out to Sora. A giant pool of darkness was consuming them.
"The door has opened…" the silver haired boy said (once again, in a voiceover).
"What did you say?" Sora asked suspiciously.
The screen flickered again. A bunch of green numbers could be seen as the screen transitioned to the next scene. Sora was now on a piece of what remained of his island. High, violent wind currents caused debris and wooden planks to go flying. Sora turned around to see a giant black monster with tentacles for hair. It stared viscously at the boy.
"You understand nothing," the voice of the brown cloaked man said.
The screen flickered again, showing Sora and the girl in the cave. The girl was as pale as a ghost. Behind her was a brown door that flung open. A powerful wind emerged from the door, sending her flying right at Sora.
"So…ra…" she said weakly.
As she flew right into Sora's arms, she vanished suddenly. The powerful wind knocked Sora out of the cave.
A clock radio went off.
* * *
><p>"Goooood morning, everyone! This is Jammin' Josh here for TWL 99.5! Your non-stop place for morning music! It's currently seventy five degrees out, perfect for your youngster to go out and play during the last week of summer vacation!"<p>
Before the excited voice could continue, a hand slammed down on the snooze button, turning the radio off. The hand belonged to a young man with blonde spiky hair, who was awoken by the voice of the radio DJ. The boy slowly sat up in his bed, all while grunting and groaning. As he completely sat up, his sky blue eyes scanned the room to make sure everything was there. His room was average sized. In front of him were twisted shelves that held his books and other miscellaneous items, including a stack full of cardboard boxes.
As he continued scanning the room, he saw his TV in the corner, and some of his neon lamps near his bed (one lamp in particular had fish rotating around it). The boy rubbed his temples, trying to piece together everything that happened while he was dreaming. He rested his arm on his right knee.
"Another dream about him," the boy murmured; he was a bit drowsy. "Just who is he?"
The boy took a moment to fully wake up. He heard the sound of huge bells ringing in the distance. The sound came from his window. When he turned to it, he saw the majestic glow from the rising sun. The boy got onto his knees and pushed open the window's double doors. He looked out to see the various buildings of his home town. The bells he was hearing were now loud and clear.
A content smile appeared on his face. If there was one thing he was thankful for, it was being safe and sound in his hometown. He could not be happier living in this town.
A town known as Twilight Town….
**Tales from the Other Side**
**By: Kingdomkey23**
_In commemoration of Kingdom Hearts' 10__th__ anniversary. May our hearts always stay connected..._
A/N: Updates will be every Wednesday and Saturday.
2. Chapter 1
**Day 1**
**Chapter I: Wrongfully Accused **
Ever feel like you're missing something, even though that something is technically there? No, I'm not trying to be deep or anything. That's not my intention. It's just the way I feel every day. Can't explain why. Well, maybe I can. A little bit. You know how we sometimes fake an emotion, right? Like say a friend of yours acted poorly in the school's play, and you don't want to make him feel bad. You tighten the edges of your mouth; form that awkward smile and say, "No, man. You were great!"
Yeah. Try to imagine that for every emotional response. Whenever I reacted with an emotion, it didn't feel real. Sure, you could see me laughing with my friends, or get angry with someone, but the feeling wasn't there. It made me wonder if that's how every person acted. I was your typical teenager living in Twilight Town: I went to school, hung out with friends, came home for dinner, and then went to bed. Maybe it was how all teenagers felt. If that's the case, why was I the only one concerned over it?
Oh, wait. Concerned is an emotion; wouldn't that mean I'm not concerned? Ugh! I'm overanalyzing things again. Doesn't help that my recent dreams have been about some kid (around my age) with spiky brown hair. Every detail of him was vivid; he wore a red jumpsuit with a black and white overjacket. He had on a silver necklace with a crown symbol, and he wore giant banana-colored shoes that would make a clown fraught with envy.
Don't know why I dream about him. We never met before. Yet he feels familiar to me. It's bizarre. From what I can remember about the dream, he and his two friends wanted to leave their home to see other worlds. They didn't get very far; their island was supposedly destroyed. After that, nothing. It was hard to figure out if it was a dream or not. The only other thing I knew about this guy was his name:
Sora.
All of this thinking was mentally draining me. To make matters worse, I was thinking this over while hanging out with my closest friends: Hayner, Pence, and Olette. We were currently at our Usual Spot, located in the back alleyway of town.
It was always Hayner's idea to have our own secret hideout, and he definitely delivered. The Usual Spot consisted of old, worn out storage items and boxes – a place long forgotten by the world. There was even a yellow heater (doesn't work anymore) located at the end of the room. Air vents on the ceiling served as our only light source. It was our home away from home. Of course, we added our own little touches to it – an old green leather couch that Hayner's dad gave us, and a dartboard. That's about it.
The only thing that kind of annoyed us was the fact that our hideout was near the train station. About every thirty minutes we'd hear the obnoxious pattering of the train's wheels hit the tracks. But it wasn't too bad.
I don't think my friends really minded my silence (since they were talking among themselves). I was considered the _Silent Bob _of the group; the one who sat back and analyzed everything around him. Hayner was our unofficial leader, always bringing us together and coming up with a plan. He was short tempered at times, but was a good guy, and my childhood friend. He had spiky blonde hair; he wore baggy camouflage-print pants; a gray sleeveless vest; and a black muscle shirt that had a skull with crossbones printed on the front.
Pence was the joker of the group – always wise cracking and making us laugh. He was a portly guy that had black hair with a blue band around his forehead; he wore blue jeans, and a red shirt that had the picture of a skeleton dog looking up at some bones. On the side of the shirt, in bolded white letters, it said, "Dog Street."
I don't get the shirt either.
Olette was the only girl in our group. Always looking out for us and always keeping us in check. She did get into arguments with Hayner, but they never got intense or anything. She had long brown hair. She wore an orange tank top with a white floral design at the bottom, and khaki-colored pants.
We've been friends for long time, and we wouldn't have it any other way. Trying to get my mind off of this Sora thing, I shifted my focus to my friend's conversation. Judging from the tones in their voices, though, it wasn't a pleasant one.
"Man, doesn't that tick you off?" Hayner asked.
"Yeah, that's just wrong," Pence agreed.
"If what you say is true, then Seifer's gone too far this time," Olette said.
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed everyone glancing at me, as if expecting a response. I simply nodded in agreement. Besides, if Seifer was involved, there wasn't much to disagree on. Hayner stood up from the yellow heater and walked across the room.
"I mean, it's true stuff's been stolen around town," Hayner said. "And we're not exactly on Seifer's good list. If Seifer, in his own little world, wants to think we're the thieves, fine. He doesn't think too highly of us, anyway. See…that's not what really bugs me. What REALLY bugs me is that he's goin around tellin' everyone we're the thieves! Now the whole town and their mothers are treating us like the Klepto Club!"
Pence raised an eyebrow. "Now that I think about it, that is a BIG assumption, man. Why would Seifer do that? Do we owe him money or something?"
"No! Seifer will do whatever it takes to publically humiliate us," Hayner explained. "And so far, his plan has been working because I've NEVER been this ticked off in all my life."
Pence leaned over to Olette, and I overheard him whisper, "Seifer's not the only one in his own little world."
"You know how nutty he gets over Seifer," Olette whispered back. "Always pointing fingers at him."
Hayner punched his right fist into his hand. "Now…what to do?"
Olette frowned at Hayner's gesture.
"Based on your body language," Olette said, "I'd say your idea isn't going to be PC."
Hayner smiled innocently. "What? It's just the way I express myself."
Olette looked like she was going to say something, but she stopped seconds later. Instead, her eyes trailed off until they came in contact with mine, almost like she was cueing me to come up with an idea. I thought about it for a moment.
Obviously, with everyone pointing fingers at us, the real culprits were still at large. Even if Seifer wasn't the one falsely accusing us, he wouldn't look for the real culprits because first of all: he hates our guts; why would he help us? Second, it's not Seifer's style. While he did start a Disciplinary Committee to keep our town in order, he believed that his form of justice involved bullying other people. So he would be completely useless.
An idea pinched my brain. "Maybe we could find the real thieves. Wouldn't that set the record straight?"
"Hmm, I guess," Hayner said; he sounded skeptical. "But what about Seifer?"
I stood up from my seat. "Seifer's not our problem right now. Clearing our names IS. Once we find the real culprit, everyone will get off our backs."
A light growl managed to crawl out of Hayner's throat. Something tells me he wasn't thrilled about the idea.
"Sweet! We get to solve a mystery!" Pence stood up with an excited grin. "That sounds like fun."
Olette and I walked over to Hayner, all while noticing Pence stroll over to the corner of the room.
"C'mon, Hayner," Olette said. "You've been looking for some action all summer."
Hayner slightly huffed. "Yeah. But it didn't involve snooping around and playing detective."
"You won't even help us for a Scooby-Snack?" I asked playfully.
Hayner's frown soon turned into a smirk. "That joke's about as old as the alphabet, man."
"Got ya smiling at least."
Just like that, Hayner was happy again. We were all having a good time. But that soon changed…
"Oh, no!" Pence shouted. "They're gone!"
I spun around to see a worried look on Pence's face. In his hands was an old fashioned camera, the kind that developed photos instantly. His mom gave it to him; she said it was important to keep a picture of your friends because one day you may never see them again. Wow, maybe Pence's mom was the deep one.
Pence continued by saying, "Our - are gone!"
For a moment I thought my ears were playing tricks on me. Did he completely leave out a word? I saw his lips form the word, but no sound accompanied it. Unfortunately, it wasn't my hearing, as Pence placed his hand on his throat, surprised and confused.
"All our -, gone?" Hayner asked.
Hayner, too, clutched his hands to his neck. It sounded like one of those censors you'd hear on TV that completely erased an offensive word from the dialogue. It was like someone implanted a censor chip on our voice boxes, preventing us from projecting the word.
Olette gasped. "You can't say -? Why not?"
"Okay, what the HELL is going on?" Hayne asked.
A feeling of panic filled the atmosphere, judging from everyone's looks. Pence was especially worried.
"I don't know, but it's freaking me out," Pence said nervously. "What kind of supernatural magic's at work here? First our -, then the word -?"
Pence paused before asking, "You guys do know what I'm trying to say, right?"
"Yeah." Olette said.
"Wait a minute." A thought crossed my mind. "There has to be a connection! Maybe this thief stole both the item and the word."
Hayner looked at me like I was crazy. "What kinda thief is that?"
"One that's not of this world," Olette said, "that's for sure."
Pence started to pace around the room. I couldn't blame him. If some unseen force magically removed a word from your voice box, you'd worry too.
"Man, this is sounding more and more like a bad plot to a video game," Pence said. "I can't take this."
"What if this guy starts picking off other words?" Olette asked.
Hayner raised his voice. "Calm down, guys! This problem isn't going to go away the more we talk about it!"
Everyone took a few moments to catch their breath. The tense feeling in the air was soon cleared by relaxtion.
"Okay, that's better," Hayner said with an easy tone in his voice. "I think this calls for some serious recon. Let's go!"
We started walking towards the fenced door. I was right behind everyone.
I didn't get very far.
Something was wrong. The room started spinning; every fiber in my body shook from a sudden feeling of weakness. Fighting it was pointless. The dizziness was overwhelmingly strong. I soon blacked out; I couldn't even feel myself hit the ground.
It was hard to determine how long I was unconscious for. A sense of time does not exist in the sleeping mind. During those few moments, however, I heard a voice. It sounded like an elderly man with a gruff British accent. His voice was accompanied by an echo.
"_His heart is returning. Doubtless he'll awaken soon."_
Not too long after, feeling started returning to me. I felt my cheek resting against the hard floor. My eyes opened, and I slowly got to my feet, grunting all the way. What's going on? Who was that? A quick glance around the room showed that nobody else was there. It had to be in my head.
His heart is returning? As in my heart? So many questions.
"Roxas, are you okay?"
I spun around to see a concerned Olette standing in the doorway.
"I'm fine," I replied.
"You sure?"
"It's nothing. I just tripped."
Olette gave me a look of disbelief. Personally, I didn't want my problems to become my friends' problem. It's always been my philosophy on life (at fifteen years old; go figure). Why let other people suffer for your suffering? That's why I usually kept my thoughts to myself.
Besides, what was I going to say here? Der, I fainted and heard voices in my head. Yeah, that doesn't sound crazy at all, right?
"Listen, I'm fine. Didn't look where I was going. Happens to all of us."
"Alright. I'll take your word for it. I just know how secretive you get."
"I promise. No secrets."
"Then let's catch up with the others," Olette said.
Even though I kept my thoughts to myself, I never had a problem admitting to have such great friends – ones who would always look out for you. I hoped it would always be like that.
* * *
><p>Twilight Town was like a Christmas tree; many of the signs and billboards were lit up with bright neon lights. The buildings had a mixture of red and yellow coating. Even the pavement was a reddish color that matched the twilit sky. Twilight Town was a busy town, with crowds of people flowing through its arteries. For some reason, the colors of the buildings made everything feel tranquil. Calming at moments. Maybe it had to do with the warm colors, but I felt safe walking through here. It's like I know nothing bad is going to happen.<p>
Market Street was the heart of Twilight Town. In fact, it should be a whale's heart, because the Market Street was so big that it needed to be divided into two sections: Station Heights and Tram Common. We arrived at Station Heights, following its long, steeply-sloped road. A few stores were scattered throughout the area. The four of us stopped when we reached the bottom of the slope, and we regrouped.
"Let's get this investigation underway," Pence said.
Hayner crossed his arms, once again looking irritated.
"Where exactly do we start looking?" Hayner asked. "We don't have any leads. How do you hunt for someone that stole a word?"
"Look for anything that's odd or strange?" Olette suggested.
"Well, considering we have talking animals and weird people with yellow eyes and strange haircuts running around Twilight Town, this should be a cakewalk," Hayner said sarcastically. "Nothing out of the ordinary here."
Our conversation was interrupted by the gentle sounds of guitar strings. We looked over towards a rail located in the middle of the street, and saw K.K. Slider, sitting there, playing away on his old fashioned guitar.
K.K. was our good friend. He was the stereotypical guitar player that refused to sell his music to a major corporation. To him, entertaining the public with his music was all he needed for payment. My friends and I would always meet up with him, requesting one of his famous songs for him to play. He had many fans, but I think we were always his number one fans. He always enjoyed our company. But there was one thing that set him apart from other independent musicians:
He was a dog. Try wrapping your heads around that one.
K.K. stopped playing his music, looked up and saw us.
"If it isn't my favorite audience members," he said in his laid back voice. "How're you doing?"
We walked over to where K.K. was sitting.
"Sorry, K.K.," Hayner said. "We don't have time for a song today."
"We're on the hunt for some thieves who stole the -," Pence said. He sighed. "I'm never going to get used to do that."
"Thieves, huh?" K.K. tapped his paw on his chin. "This dog has been playin' all over Twilight Town today, and these high pitched ears have been hearing some rumors about thieves."
He glanced at me with a guilty look in his eyes.
"They say that you're the one stealing the -,"
Getting reminded of a crime you didn't commit was heartbreaking. Just hearing those words made you feel alone. All of the trust you've built up with people you know was taken away in seconds – over something that wasn't your fault to begin with! So while the thief is roaming free, you're stuck there taking the verbal abuse that was meant for him.
"I didn't do it!"
"Chill out," K.K. said. "I know. The problem with most folks these days is their one track minds. They simply refuse to look at the other side of things. They forget to understand what the person is feeling on the inside. It's just point fingers and move on. No one takes the moment to stop and listen."
I could hear Hayner whisper to Pence, "He's starting to get preachy again."
I chuckled. "I think I get the point, K.K.. I'm just glad you're on our side."
"Of course, my man. I'm able to look inside the person's eyes. And I see an honest kid inside yours."
There was a sense of relief within our group. It was good to know we had one friend who believed us. Sure, K.K. was a bit too nice and idealistic, but sometimes a good friend was all you needed to raise your spirits. K.K. leaped off of the rail.
"I gotta be moseying along now. This dog can't keep his musical soul grounded to one area. Don't be a stranger. I'm here to help if you need me."
"Thanks," Pence said.
With that said, K.K. walked off towards the train station.
Olette asked with a dreamy look in her eyes, "Isn't K.K. so sweet?"
"Whatever," Hayner said with an annoyed sigh. "He wasn't much help."
"At least he's on our side!" Olette said. "You're getting grouchy again!"
"Because we're wasting time here!"
"Seattle down, guys," Pence said. "Obviously we're wired up over this whole thing. Let's head to Tram Common and talk to some more people. If we're lucky – and this is a big if – someone else will be supportive, and maybe they'll have a clue."
I nodded in agreement. Without any other arguments, we hurried towards the Tram Common.
* * *
><p>The Tram Common was the huge open market area of Twilight Town. There were plenty of shops to visit around here. A small tram made its rounds through this area, picking up and dropping off senior citizens, or anyone else who needed a break from walking. We arrived and looked around to see a decent number of people here. I got this feeling that half of the people were giving us the cold shoulder whenever they laid their eyes on us. So much for Pence's encouraging words of finding support, I thought.<p>
After a brief discussion, we decided to talk to the owner of the clothing store, Biggs, since I knew him pretty well. We walked to the store, and saw that he wasn't busy at all. However, as we approached him, I noticed him scowling at me.
Joy. This investigation was off to a good start…
Before I could open my mouth, Biggs said, "Yo, Roxas. Never thought you'd do such a rotten thing…
"C'mon, man. I didn't steal anything, all right?"
"Besides, do you have any proof that he did it?" Pence asked. "Where's the trace evidence?"
"Pence, do you even know what 'trace evidence' means?" Olette asked.
"Don't try to play innocent," Biggs said. "You just happened to be around someone when the stuff was stolen. And given what was stolen, it makes sense."
"What 'stuff' did I steal?"
Biggs scoffed. "As if you didn't know. Hey, I'm not telling you. Go ask Baking Mama."
I turned to my friends. "Guess we have no other choice. Let's go."
I noticed Pence and Hayner giving each other nervous looks.
"If it's all the same," Hayner said, "we'll stick this one out."
Olette upsettingly crossed her arms.
"What, you're still afraid of Baking Mama?" Olette asked.
"Afraid is too strong of a word," Pence said. "Being totally freaked out by her overly enthusiastic presence is a much better way of saying it."
"Oh, c'mon," I said. "She's really nice. I get baked goods from her all the time."
"Haven't you ever of the saying 'Never judge a book by its cover?'" Olette asked.
"Yes, and when I see manic descriptions in the book, I still judge," Pence said. "Didn't you hear all the rumors about her? Like how she makes babies race each other? Or how she doesn't wait for you to pat rice, and will smack your hand with a hammer?"
I sighed, having completely given up on them. "Do what you want, guys. I'm going to ask her."
"Oh, we'll come," Hayner said. "Just don't expect us to go up there with you."
Baking Mama's – for lack of a better word – bakery was world renown. Just the mentioning of her baked goods alone would cause you to drool. Her cakes, muffins, and breads had no equal; they were the best in town. Like K.K., Mama had a good heart; I knew she would be able to sympathize with us, though I did see why she freaked Hayner and Pence out. She was overly enthusiastic about her work, and I think sometimes people who are way too happy and passionate about something can be a little off putting. But I didn't see anything wrong with it.
We approached the bakery. Already we could smell muffins cooking in a hot oven. Thankfully the bakery wasn't busy either. I walked up to see Mama working in the kitchen, wearing her yellow apron and pink bandana. There was an assortment of baked goods on the front shelf: cakes, chocolate chip cookies, sandwich rolls – any sort of baked goods you can think of.
"Excuse me."
Mama looked over her shoulder and stared right at me with her oval shaped eyes.
"Hello, Roxas," she said in her heavy Japanese accent. "Have you seen Mama's gloves?"
I scanned her candy coated bakery and saw them by the sink.
"Right there."
Mama found her gloves and pulled out a batch of chocolate chip muffins. I was ready to give up the mystery and just have some. After placing them down to cool, she came over to me with an appreciative smile.
"Thank you, Roxas," Mama said. "I know that such a nice boy wouldn't steal anything."
"Thanks for that, ma'am" I said. "We're going to find the real thieves. Did they steal anything from you, too?"
"Oh yes," she said sadly. "My -. My vonderful -."
That wasn't much help.
"Don't worry. We'll find them."
I noticed a fiery look in her eyes. Her passion was burning long and brightly.
"I know you will! Mama has confidence!"
"See! That look she's giving you is what I'm talking about!" Hayner shouted.
"Hayner!" Olette said.
"Um, ignore him, ma'am," I said. "We gotta get going. Bye."
"See you around, Roxas. You always welcomed at Mama's place."
We sat on the bridge located on the other side of Tram Common, planning our next move. Hayner rested his chin on his hand.
"Well so far this mystery has been anything but progressive," Hayner said. "All we know about the thief is that he stole the -, along with the word. I'm about ready to throw in the towel and do the only sensible thing."
"Confront Seifer?" Olette asked. "What's sensible about that?"
"Hey, it's all I have to fall back on."
Suddenly, Pence stood up with an excited look on his face.
"I got it! Stroke of genius, you never fail me!"
"What?" I asked.
Pence got his camera out. "All we have to do is go around and snap a few pictures! Then we can use them as bait!"
We all stood up, basking in the excitement with him.
"Pence, you're a genius!" Hayner said. "I'd kiss you, but I'm not that kinda guy!"
"Whatdaya say we get this show on the road, then?" Pence said.
Pence started to get his camera ready – when someone snatched it out of his hands. We all turned to see Rai and Fuu, two of Seifer's followers. Rai was a tall meathead with big muscles, tan skin, and black hair. He wore an orange tank top and baggy pants. Fuu was a girl who had long purple hair; the fringes covered her left eye. She wore a blue sleeveless jacket and Capri pants.
As Seifer's followers, they clutched onto his every word and belief. They were more than happy to carry out Seifer's tasks. They practically worshipped the guy.
"Well, well, lookie what we have here," Rai said. "I see someone likes to play with trash, y'know?"
Fuu looked at the camera. "Rubbish."
Pence tried to grab the camera from Rai, but like a typical bully, he stretched his big arm all the way up, preventing Pence from reaching it.
"The only trash around here is in your shoes!" Pence said. "Give it back!"
"Oh, I'm so scared of a bunch of punks, y'know?"
Hayner charged for Rai. "Hang on, Pence!"
"Go long, Fuu!"
Rai threw the camera to Fuu, who grabbed it and held it over the edge of the bridge, holding onto the strap.
"Decease!" Fuu said.
Everyone stopped to see the camera dangling for its life. Pence's face started to become pale with dread.
"Y-you wouldn't!"
Fuu grinned. "Tempted."
"Cut it out, you two!" Olette said. "Pence's mom gave him that camera! Can't you go bother someone else?"
"We're more than happy to give it back, y'know?" Rai said. "Under one condition."
Hayner cracked his knuckles. I could tell he was ready for some action.
"Then spit it out!" Hayner said.
"Seifer would like to have a word with ya. What you did was low. Seifer's going to set you straight. He is the true iron hand of justice in this town, ya know?"
"And is also the true peanut brain of intelligence," Hayner said.
Fuu started to lower the camera. Pence was now on the verge of panicking.
"Hayner, please!" he cried.
Hayner sighed. "Alright. Fine. Let's go."
"I knew you'd see things my way, y'know."
Our investigation was put on hold. I shook my head. I was hoping we could avoid Seifer and his gang, but somehow, someway you're always drawn back towards those you hold a grudge towards. We quietly followed Fuu and Rai to the Sandlot (yeah, I wish I was watching that movie right now instead of seeing Seifer), wondering what their so called leader had in store for us.
3. Chapter 2
**Day 1**
**Chapter 2: The Mystery gets Complicated **
The Sandlot was where the major festivals and sporting events were held. It was a wide open space with plenty of bleachers, and a board where tournament brackets and scores were posted. We saw Seifer in the middle of the area, training the newest member of their gang: Vivi. Vivi has always been a mystery to everyone. No one knows where he came from or what kind of person he is. He looked like a wizard of some kind, wearing a giant tan hat and sporting a baby clue coat. His mouth was concealed by his jacket, and I could only make out his pitch dark skin and yellow eyes.
Seifer was like if the worst fashion trends of the 90's puked onto Eminem. He wore a black stocking hat, a blue vest underneath his white coat, and wore baggy pants. Like Rai, he was well built. Just looking at Seifer gave you the impression that, "If you look at me funny, I'm going to punch you in the face." He viewed us as trouble makers. Why? I don't know. Because we hang out behind an ally? Either way, the feeling with him was mutual. We didn't like him for the bad attitude he had with everyone.
Seifer and Vivi were both sparring with blue foam swords. The poor little guy could barely block Seifer's attacks. He was so timid. How did he end up in Seifer's gang? Peer pressure? Wouldn't surprise me.
"You have to actually BLOCK, squirt!" Seifer said. "Try harder! You do want to become a real man, right?"
"Ye-ye-yes, sir," Vivi said. "I just need more practice."
"More practice?" Seifer yelled. "We've been at it for two weeks now! A little wuss like you will never get it! You'll never be like our previous member!"
Vivi sadly looked down. He did not want to look at Seifer's face anymore. His eyes trailed off until they saw us approaching. He jumped in surprise and pointed at us. Seifer turned around, and smirked upon seeing us. He told Vivi to take a break, and Vivi nodded, placed his sword on the floor, and stood next to Seifer. Fuu (who still had the camera) and Rai joined up with Seifer.
"Good work," Seifer said. "I see the gang's all here. Now I can personally deal with you myself."
"Oh yeah?" Hayner asked in a threatening tone.
Seifer snickered. "Wow. Such a good comeback, blondie."
"Shut up!" Hayner hissed.
"And there's another one," Seifer said. "Wanna make it three for three?"
Olette intervened before a fight broke out. "What do you want, Seifer? We're kind of busy."
"Don't play dumb," Seifer said. "We know full well that you stole the -. Why don't you make things easy and hand them over?"
"Yeah! You're the only ones who would take it, y'know?"
"That's ridiculous!" Pence said. "There's no evidence!"
"I don't need evidence," Seifer said. "Just from looking at you I can see a bunch of liars. This time we're going to totally own you lamers."
"And you made fun of my comebacks," Hayner said. "Did you think of that yourself, or did Rai help you?"
Rai, offended, made a fist. "That's hitting it below the belt, y'know!"
"Cool it," Seifer said to Rai. He turned to us. "Nothing you dweebs say will ruin my mood. I got you right where I want you. So what did you do with them? Hide 'em in your secret club house? Ha, not that we need some - to proof that you're losers."
"Replay," Fuu said.
Seifer laughed. "Now you're talking!"
Seifer pointed his sword right at us. Fuu and Rai also got ready to fight. We got on the defense, already expecting the worst.
"I guess if you get on your knees and beg, MAYBE I'll let it slide," Seifer said.
There's was only one way to handle this situation. I stepped forward, staring right into their eyes. I tried not to show them fear; it would only fuel their egos further. They only responded to me with laughs, and I got onto my hands and knees like a dog wanting a treat. I could hear Hayner shouting my name, angry that I would submit to Seifer.
But I wasn't.
I noticed Vivi's sparring weapon right nearby. This was my only shot. I quickly grabbed the bat and swung at Seifer, who brought his blade up to block.
"Looks like I got a live one, guys," Seifer said in a mocking tone. "You'll have to be a little less predictable, goldilocks!"
Seifer pushed me back, and he swung his blade to counter. I held the handle with both hands, with the blade facing downward, and brought it up to block. Upon releasing our grip, I swung straight down, only for him to side step and let me go by him. Seifer's gang moved out of the way as I ran towards them. I spun around to see Seifer holding the blade over his head. I got into my fighting stance. If fighting Seifer was our only chance to get away from them, I'd take the risk!
I heard Hayner shout, "Roxas, focus!"
"That's right," Seifer said. "Focus on losing! It'll make things easier."
I've heard enough from Seifer! It was time to settle this. I ran right for Seifer and tried to bring the blade down, but he blocked all of my attacks. After making one more attempt, he swung at my head, but I ducked. I quickly leaned back to avoid him swinging at my head. I tried to thrust, but Seifer knocked the blade out of my hand. Seifer tried to attack, but I rolled out of the way to avoid it. I leaped onto my stomach and grabbed my blade. When I rolled onto my back, I blocked Seifer's next attack. He brought his blade down, but I spun out of the way, and quickly got onto my feet.
Both of us circled around the area; I was trying to figure out who would make the next move.
"What are you so afraid of?" Seifer asked. "Don't tell me you're giving up already."
"Dream on!" I said.
"Hang in there, man!" Pence said.
I ran at Seifer and swung down vertically, only for him to move right to avoid it. Seifer tried to swing his blade in, but I swung mine across to block. We both swung the opposite way at each other. Next, I tried to trip him by swinging at his right foot, but he lifted it up before I could reach. Our blades collided; we were in a heated lock.
"Not bad, chickenwuss." Seifer grabbed my wrist and pushed our blade lock towards the ground. "But you're still nothing more than a loser who can't fight."
Seifer used his body weight to push me back. Before I got a chance to recover, he swung the sword at my shoulder. I winced; that was a hard hit. I walked backwards while Seifer gloated. I couldn't stand that look on his face. It only fueled my desire to beat him.
"Ready to give up?"
"Fat chance!" I said.
"Too bad. You won't have a choice."
Seifer tried to swing again, but this time I was ready. I ducked underneath him and rammed my sword into his stomach. I ran behind him, spun around and smacked him in the back. Seifer staggered forward from the hit. I quickly ran at him as he turned around. Before he got a chance to do anything, I swung right across his chest, knocking him back. At this point I was starting to pant; Seifer was not easy. But staying focused was my main concern. Seifer was also starting to grow tried. I could see him leaning over to catch his breath.
"A lucky hit," Seifer said. "Don't let it go to your head."
"Let's see if this next hit is luck!"
I prepared to attack again when I suddenly felt my leg run into something; I ended up falling onto my stomach. I winced as I felt the pain from hitting the hard pavement.
I heard Olette say, "That's not fair!"
"Who said these jerks play fair?" Pence pointed out.
As I started to lift my back, it was instantly pushed back down by a foot. I heard Rai laughing at me. I put two and two together: he tripped me. The more I struggled to get up, the more annoyed I was getting.
"Let me go, Rai! You cheated!" I said
"Anything to help Seifer, y'know? Hey, Seifer! How about one for the album, y'know?"
I looked up to see Seifer grinning. "Sure thing. Hold him down."
I continued to struggle until I felt one foot get replaced by another. How could this day get any worse? I was soon going to regret even conceiving that idea. I looked up to see Fuu holding Pence's camera. I saw the flash from the camera, but what followed was entirely bizarre. Some strange white creature flew around Fuu and grabbed the camera. I saw it head off towards the right (I'm guessing it was heading towards the Tram Common).
"What the heck was that?" Seifer asked. "Quick, after it! No one gets away with stealing in my town!"
Seifer released his foot, and he and his gang ran off towards the Tram Common. I noticed my friends staring oddly at the direction where that "thing" went.
"Think that was the thief?" Olette asked.
"Only one way to find out!" Hayner said. "C'mon!"
And my three best friends started to run off without me. I grunted as I started to stand up.
"I'm fine. Thanks for asking!" I said sarcastically.
"No time, Roxas!" Pence called to me. "We can't let it get away! It has my camera!"
I got to my feet and hurried after everyone.
* * *
><p>When I arrived at the Tram Common, I had no idea where everyone was. However, I did see the thief. I could barely make out what it looked like. It swerved and spun around so fast. All I could notice was its white skin and sharp claws.<p>
"You're not getting away!"
I chased the thief towards a triangle shaped hole in one of the walls. Beyond the wall was a forest that connected to an Old Mansion. The mansion had been abandoned for many years. In school I learned that the mansion used to house some of the wealthiest people in Twilight Town. Even former mayors lived there. However, as Twilight Town's buildings started to modernize, the mansion was left behind to wither away. Nowadays you get the typical stories that the mansion is haunted and whatnot.
I never thought much of it. Just a piece of history now. Nothing more. I chased the thief into the forest and up to the mansion. Surprisingly, as we arrived at the gates to the mansion – which was locked by a huge keyhole – the creature stopped and turned to face me. I figured this thing was capable of climbing over the gate; it was up to something. I came to a halt. Tackling this thing would not be a smart move. Who knows what some otherworldly "thing" could do. Best to let it make the first move.
For a few moments, we both remained perfectly still. I still had Vivi's sword in my hand as the only defense. The creature was taller than me by a few inches. Very thin, but somewhat muscular. It didn't have eyes or a nose. Just a closed mouth. But I could tell it was looking at me, wondering what to do.
Finally, I said, "You've caused enough trouble! Just hand over the -, or else!"
I think it replied. Somehow the words sounded telepathic.
"_We have come for you, my liege."_
I was startled. "Huh?"
Like a jacket opening up, a zipper went across its mouth. When the mouth opened up, it let out a silent cry. The creature lunged right at me. I was barely able to dodge the thing; it practically had superhuman speed. I tried to counter with my sword, but it swiveled behind me and wrapped its long arms around my chest, locking me in a bear hug. I struggled to break free, but the grip was too strong.
"Hey, let go!"
A dark portal of some kind appeared in front of me. Not good! Thinking fast, I jerked my head up, right into its jaw. That seemed to work, as I felt the creature move its neck back to react. I pushed my elbows up to release its grip, turned around and swung my sword – only it went right through the creature! What is this thing, I thought. The creature attempted to grab me again, but I kicked it away. I tried to hit it again, but my sword kept going through the creature like I was fighting a hologram.
Eventually it blocked one of my attacks with its right arm, knocked the sword out of my hand with its left, and then rammed its head into my chest, knocking me over. I got to my feet and backed away as the creature slowly approached me.
"It's no use."
I didn't know what else to do. My attacks were completely useless against it. Even hits I landed barely seem to have an effect.
There was only one thing to do: "Help! Anybody, please!"
But there was no one around for miles. I doubt Hayner and the others were nearby the mansion. I didn't want it to end like this. My family, my friends – I would never see them again. Is that how all people felt before they were killed?
All of a sudden, I felt a tingling feeling in my right hand. It was something I couldn't describe. It was like something was coming to my hand. Then, my hand got engulfed in what looked like the ones and zeros you'd see on a computer monitor. A thin white glow took the place of my hand, and when the light faded, I couldn't believe my eyes as to what I saw.
It was a giant…key sword. You know the ridiculous weapons you see heroes carry in animes? Try imagining that taken up to eleven. Before I could react, the key pulled me slightly forward, pointing right at the creature, which stopped right where it was.
"What…what is this thing?"
The creature lunged at me again. Ask questions later, idiot! Your life is at stake. You won't lose sleep over one strange incident. I put the key up to block the creature's claws. Using all of my strength, I pushed the creature back. I quickly ran at the creature and just managed to stab its chest. The creature clutched its chest, obviously hurt from the attack. I smirked; now we're getting somewhere. I tried to attack the creature again, but it leaped onto the wall. I don't know what compelled me to do this, but I threw the key at it like a boomerang. How I could throw such a huge key with such ease was beyond me!
The creature leaped over it and started to fall right towards me. Before I could do anything, the giant key somehow returned to my hand, so I put it up to block. The creature jumped off the key and curled into a ball in the air. Then it started falling. Quickly, I swung the key like a bat and knocked it into a wall. I tried to attack again, but it leaped to avoid my slash. I turned left to see the creature coming right at me. When I attempted to dodge the attack, something bizarre (given everything that's happened, that's saying a lot) happened: I slid on the ground and completely rotated around the creature until I was facing its back. Again, ask questions later. I lifted the key over my head and brought it down with all my might, slashing right through the creature.
The creature stumbled backwards from the hit. I waited to see what was going to happen; it stood there, completely frozen. Finally, it shook violently and exploded into a sliver light. Like confetti, the missing pictures popped out.
I stood there, tired and at a loss for words. What else was there to say? When something that weird happens, you have to sit there and wonder if the sun was playing with your head. And to top everything off, the giant key vanished in the same fashion it appeared (apparently it went back to the _Matrix_ or something). I gathered up everything and headed back to the Usual Spot, wondering how I was going to explain this to the gang.
* * *
><p>When I got back to the spot, I could tell everyone was relieved to see me. Olette ran up and gave me a hug.<p>
"Roxas, I'm so glad you're okay!"
I smiled. "Thanks, Olette."
"Yeah, you had us worried, man," Hayner said. "We were ready to get a search party together. Guess you CAN handle things without us."
I grinned as I pulled away from Olette. "Oh, thanks for putting your faith in me, man!"
"Anytime, bud," Hayner said. "But, hey, sorry we ditched you back there."
"Don't worry about it," I said. "Besides, look what I found."
I pulled out Pence's camera. Pence snatched it out of my hands, overjoyed to see it.
"My camera!" Pence cheered. "Thanks, Roxas! I owe you big for this!"
"And that's not all." I went through my pockets and pulled out the pictures.
We all hovered around to look at the evidence. The first picture we saw was me standing next to Biggs at his shop.
"What's this?" Hayner asked.
"I was his first customer," I said.
"It's a really nice photo." Olette gasped and put her hand on her chest. "Oh!"
"Hey, you said 'photo!'" Pence said. "Guess things are back to normal."
"Not quite," Hayner said. "Roxas, were you able to get a good look at the picture thief?"
At first I didn't know how to answer. I couldn't simply tell them that I was attacked by some strange zipper monster, and then I killed it with a giant key. Yeah, only a crazy person would believe that story.
"No. I just found them lying there."
Hayner frowned. "Then how do we prove we weren't the ones who took 'em?"
I shrugged. He was right. We had no proof now, especially since the culprit was scattered throughout the mansion's entryway.
"Maybe we should just return the photos," Olette said. "At least we could try to rebuild the public's trust with us."
Hayner growled. I could tell this wasn't the closure he wanted. But soon he sighed. I think he knew Olette's idea was our only option. Hayner took the photos from me and looked at the next picture. I was standing outside the drug store with the owner: Jessie.
"IT'S a girl," Hayner said in a teasing tone.
"You look happy, Roxas," Olette said.
"Do not."
Pence asked if he could look through the pictures. After observing them, he started thinking about something.
"So, like, anybody else notice that all of the stolen pictures are of Roxas?" Pence asked.
You know what? I didn't think about that.
"Ohh!" Olette said. "So that's why everyone thought it was us."
"You mean Seifer didn't go around accusing us after all?" Hayner asked. He sounded slightly disappointed by this.
"Seifer never did," Pence said.
"He would've!" Hayner said. "And you know it!"
"No way!" Pence said. "What reason would he have?"
"Any reason!"
I intervened. "Save it for divorce court, guys! Pence, are they really all of me?"
"Yep."
Pence showed me the photos. One had me standing with Baking Mama. The next featured Seifer putting his foot on top of my back, pretending he got a victory over me. I quickly snatched that photo from Pence and placed in my pocket, hoping to dispose of it later. The last one had all four of us standing in front of the mansion.
"Right? Every single one," Pence said. He rubbed his chin. "Wouldn't it be weird if the thief wanted to steal the real Roxas or something?"
Hayner snickered. "C'mon, get serious. Why would anyone want to steal a bonehead like Roxas?"
"Oh, thanks," I said.
Our day began in silence, but ended in laughter. We were having a great time. Despite the troubles you face in life, it was always good to know that you had people to laugh them away with. As our laughter died down, we heard the train go by. It was starting to get late. We decided to make our rounds and return the photos to everyone. Hopefully they wouldn't hold a grudge against us, especially the people I'm friends with.
We decided to head off in separate directions, and we would call each tonight to see how it went. After saying good-bye to everyone, I headed towards the Tram Common. As I started walking, my eyes came in contact with the descending sun, and I shielded them with my arm.
Then, darkness.
I had no idea what was happening now. But I was suddenly startled by a voice.
"Where…am I?" the voice asked.
"Who's there?" I asked.
"Who are you?"
RESTORATION AT 6%
* * *
><p>In a computer room, that's only source of illumination came from brightly lit monitors, an old man sat at a giant computer with multiple screens. The man concealed his facial features with red bandages; only his eyes and mouth were visible. He wore a long red cape and had strange markings on the front of his garments. He was alone; only the whirring sounds of the machines kept him company. The man, known simply as DIZ, tapped his fingers on his desk, almost like he was looking for some way to channel his frustrations and fears.<p>
The whirring sounds were soon overlapped by footsteps approaching the enigma. DIZ never took his eyes off the screen as a man wearing a black coat walked up to him. The cloaked figure remained quiet for a moment. He had no idea what DIZ was thinking; never did. Finally, the gruff British accent of DIZ's voice broke the silence.
"Organization miscreants," DIZ said. "They found us."
"But…why would the Nobodies steal photographs?"
"Both are nothing but data to them. The fools could never tell the difference." DIZ glanced at one of the monitors. "We are running out of time. Namine must make haste."
The monitor DIZ was looking at contained an image outline of, what appeared to be, a teenage boy with spiky hair….
4. Chapter 3
**Day 2**
**Chapter 3: Adventures in Moneymaking **
Static once again filled the darkness. As the screen started to focus, the image of an unconscious Sora could be seen. His back was rested against a building, which was located on an airport. A strange looking man wearing overalls and a hat approached the boy. The man's entire body looked like it was made of liquid. After laughing, the main painted on Sora's face. Sora woke up from the strange substance planted on his face, screamed, and jumped into the water.
The static transitioned to Sora jumping out of the water, and he looked around the strange place.
"Where am I?"
Another flash; Sora was now running around a huge tropical island. At one point, Sora saw a group of little dark creatures and summoned a key shaped weapon.
"What happened to my home? My island? Riku! Kai—"
The screen briefly flashed to the red haired girl looking at the screen; the backdrop was pure white. Another static flash showed Sora confronting a man who wore a black leather jacket, and he had long brown hair.
"If you're not careful, they'll come after you," the man said.
"Wh-who are you?"
"And they'll keep on coming after you," the man continued. "For as long you continue to wield that keyblade."
Zeros and ones flashed on screen; the scene changed to a strange dinosaur creature and a man who had a huge black moustache, wore blue overalls, and a green shirt and cap, land on top of Sora. They were at an amusement park. Another flash showed Sora talking with the two that fell on him. The man with brown hair was also there. Standing next to him was a young woman with short black hair. She wore a metal headband with two green tassels.
"Hey, why don't you come with Luigi and Yoshi?" The dinosaur said with a childish voice. "We could travel to other worlds in our big airplane."
"Sora, you should go with them," the man with brown hair said. "Especially if you want to find your friends."
Another flash of static, and the scene shifted to the dinosaur, the man with the moustache, and Sora extending their hands to each other.
"I'm-a-Luigi."
"I Yoshi."
"And I'm Sora."
The three put their hands on top of each other.
"I'll go with you, guys!" Sora said.
The scene cuts to Sora, the brown haired man, and the black haired woman in a hotel room. Sora was sitting on the bed, glancing at the giant key on his lap.
"The heartless fear the keyblade," the brown haired man said. "It is the only thing that can defeat them."
The scene transitioned to a woman with brown hair; she wore a pink dress and was sitting on another bed.
"It is called the keyblade," the woman said.
The scene flashed to Sora holding his key up, looking at it in wonderment.
"So this is the key?" Sora asked.
The same static shot of the red haired girl was shown, and then the scene switched to Sora shooting a magic beam out of the keyblade's tip, sealing a giant keyhole. A dark, menacing voice could be heard.
"But that meddling child with the key is another story; he also found one of the keyholes. If he keeps finding them-"
Everything went white.
* * *
><p>I sat up immediately as I came out of my dream. I looked at my hand. Nothing there. Maybe it was just me, but I could've sworn I felt my hand tingling. It was like my hand remembered the strange object it held. Just when I thought the weirdness was over, my dreams find some way to bring it to a whole new level. Who were all those people? Still didn't answer my main question: why do I keep dreaming about this Sora kid?<p>
There was one question sort of answered – the name of the key shaped weapon.
"A key…blade?" I murmured.
* * *
><p>As I strolled to the Usual Spot, I couldn't stop thinking about the dreams. Was it okay for recurring dreams to go on for this long? Also, was it odd that I remembered every single detail about them? What if there was a higher power at work? These dreams have to be based on real events, because I somehow managed to pull one of the objects out of my head, and used it to fight off a white creature<p>
"A keyblade…."
I needed to take my mind off of this before my sanity drowned in a pool of thoughts. I picked up a stick and swung it around for a few moments, remembering a great fight I had yesterday with Seifer. That is, until Rai decided to pull a fast one on me. I took a deep breath, feeling better, but I couldn't shake the feeling that the strangeness had only begun.
"What was that about?"
I carelessly threw the stick away, and it hit a man wearing a gray cloak. I flinched upon realizing what I did.
"Oh! Sorry about that, sir."
The man said nothing and walked down the stairs towards Tram Common. I guess he didn't care. Shrugging, I headed towards the Usual Spot; as I did, a thought crossed my mind: why would someone wear a cloak on a hot summer day?
* * *
><p>When I got inside the Usual Spot, I saw my friends eating sea salt ice cream, a summer tradition of ours. Whenever we wanted to relax, and not suffer the wrath of the heat, we'd cool down with a sea salt ice cream. Salty on the outside, but inside was a cool, creamy center that was irresistible.<p>
"Hey, man," Hayner said.
He pulled out another ice cream and handed it to me.
"Think of it as a celebratory ice cream party for getting the public's trust back," Hayner said.
"Cool. Thanks."
As I went to sit down on a box, I heard Pence say something…interesting.
"Do you guys think we'll always be together like this?"
"Sure hope so," Olette said.
Hayner then asked the same question that was on my mind: "Huh? Where did that come from?"
"Oh, you know, just thinking out loud," Pence said.
Hayner stood up. "You're absolutely right, Pence."
Hayner walked over to Pence and put his arm around him.
"I just couldn't picture my life without you," Hayner said in a playful tone. "Why, who would I eat ice cream with?"
Hayner started laughing. Pence didn't find it funny.
"Cut it out, knucklehead. I'm serious!"
"Alright, take it easy, man." Hayner went back to his seat. "Look, I don't know what to expect. I'm no expert on giving life lessons. Who knows what will happen when we grow up. Maybe we'll still live together. Maybe we'll move away from each other. It's stuff we shouldn't think about now. What's important, I think, is not how often we see each other, but how often we think about each other. Right?"
Pence grinned. "Get that off a fortune cookie?"
"Oh, so I can't make a crack, but when I say something serious, the one liners just come sliding out of your mouth?" Hayner asked; he was smiling. "That's it, no more ice cream for you."
We all laughed. Hayner was right. Why bother thinking about something like that? We were still in high school. Not even seniors yet. Thinking about the adult world should be the least of my concerns; we'll worry about that road when it comes. If there's one thing K.K. always said, it was to never look too far ahead. Take it one step at a time.
We resumed eating our ice cream in silence.
"Man, today's turning out to be a drag," Hayner said.
"Probably because of what happened yesterday," Olette said.
"Nuh-uh. You know what it is?" Hayner said. "We don't want summer vacation to end. That's all!"
I noticed Pence shrugging at Olette. I had the feeling that Hayner was about to come up with an idea on how to spice things up.
"So, how about this?" Hayner asked. "Let's all go to the beach. And why do we go to the beach?"
Pence grinned. "So our tans can catch up with Snooki's?"
"Very funny, wiseguy," Hayner said while rolling his eyes. He stood up. "We haven't gone to the beach all summer. Instead we've been cooped up in a back alleyway eating ice cream. Think about it: blue seas, blue skies. A nice change of pace is just what we need. Let's hop on a train and go."
We responded with silence.
"No?" Hayner asked in surprise. He whined. "Aw, c'mon."
I stood up. "Maybe you forgot, but we're broke. Not even our parents would put down the money for it. It's too pricey around this time."
Hayner smirked. "Maybe you forgot I'm smart. We won't even need our parents. Meet me at Market Street."
With that said, Hayner left for Market Street. We all shrugged and hurried after him. Hayner often got us involved in his crazy schemes. There was one time he came up with an idea to open our own skate park, consisting of nothing but lumber, the neighbors' trashcans, old shopping carts, and hula hoops. That business ended with broken bones, broken spirits, and possible lawsuits. So we were hesitant about going along with his ideas. But, to be fair, we haven't heard his idea yet. Maybe this time it won't be so bad.
* * *
><p>We arrived at Market Street. I scanned the area for any signs of Hayner. Pence then pointed Hayner out in the corner, reading a poster on the wall. We ran over to see what the poster said. I couldn't help but smile at what I saw. It was a poster promoting the annual Struggle Competition. This was like our Super Bowl – a Twilight Town tradition that closes out summer vacation. It was for just kids – a time when we get to be wild.<p>
The Struggle was a fighting tournament that pitted the toughest kids against each other. The winner would be crowned "the strongest fighter in Twilight Town." Last year I watched from the sidelines as Hayner competed. This year I was going to enter for the first time. Hayner and I have been preparing all year for it.
"Welp, tomorrow is the preliminaries," Hayner said. He looked at me. "Think you're ready, noob?"
"You bet," I said. "Just don't cry when I end up winning."
Hayner got me into a playful chokehold and rubbed my head.
"Yeah, right," Hayner said. "Like I'm going to allow that belt to go around your scrawny little waist."
I released my grip from Hayner and threw playful punches, which he blocked.
"Do I detect fear?" I asked.
"Dream on!"
There was no one better to enter the tournament with than Hayner. He was like the brother I never had. We enjoyed doing everything together. And tomorrow we would get to share our enjoyment with the citizens of Twilight Town. Hayner placed his hand on my back.
"You and I have to make the finals," Hayner said. "That way, no matter who wins, the four of us split the prize!"
"Okay, you're on!" I said.
"You two are going to clean up!"
I gave Pence a thumbs up.
"Go get 'em!" Olette said excitedly.
Hayner and I pressed our right arms into each other, making the vow to get that prize, further unifying our friendship.
"It's a promise!" Hayner said.
After we put our arms down, I said, "Remember: don't show any tears."
Hayner jokingly pushed me aside. "Get outta here!"
After we got the jokes and laughter out of our system, we started discussing our plan.
"Okay," Hayner said. "One train ticket costs 900 gold coins, so we would need 3600 total. Not to mention an additional 300 each."
"What for?" I asked.
"Pretzels, of course," Hayner said.
"In total we need 4800 gold coins," Pence said. "How much does everyone have?"
We went through our pockets and counted the money. Unfortunately, while we had a decent amount, it was nowhere near the total.
"Then let's get some odd jobs." Hayner thumbed a bulletin board. "They usually have some posted over here."
"Good idea!" Pence said. "Why didn't we think of that sooner?"
Olette giggled. "Because we were too busy eating ice cream. Duh."
Pence chuckled in response. We went over to the bulletin board and looked to see what jobs were available. My eyes were instantly drawn to 'Mail Delivery." Hey, I had a skateboard at home. I'd just use it to – what's the word – expedite the deliveries.
Olette noticed a job she could try. There was a sparkle in her eyes.
"Look, Baking Mama is in need of an assistant," Olette said excitedly. "That sounds like fun. Maybe I can get some free baked goods for the trip."
I noticed Pence and Hayner darting worried looks at each other.
"Um, Olette, why don't you try the bee extermination job instead?" Pence suggested. "Wouldn't that be better?"
Olette had a shocked expression on her face. "Are you crazy? I'm allergic to bees, remember? You guys are still worried about Baking Mama, aren't you?"
Both silently nodded. Olette was pretty upset with them. In fact, I've never seen her so angry before.
"Well, I'm going to put these silly rumors to rest and show you that Baking Mama is nothing like the way you describe her! You two are so judgmental!"
With a huff, she stormed off towards the bakery. All of us watched in silence for a few moments.
"Smooth move, guys," I said.
"Hey, if she wants to learn the hard way," Hayner said, "let her."
Pence gently placed his hand on Hayner's shoulder. "Let us pray for her soul, Hayner."
I rolled my eyes as I looked back at the board. Pence spotted something.
"Hey, Grandstander!" Pence said. "THAT sounds like fun. We could be just like K.K. and perform."
"Dude, K.K. is an ACTUAL musician," Hayner pointed out. "We don't have any special skills."
"Sure we do," Pence said. "Did you forget? We got third place in the school talent show."
Hayner crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes. "In first grade."
"That's irrelevant," Pence said with confidence. "We can do it. Trust me."
Hayner threw his arms up in defeat. "Fine. I'll go along with this. Besides, none of the other jobs interest me. What about you, Roxas?"
"I'm going to deliver mail."
"Okay. We'll meet up later," Hayner said.
* * *
><p>Mail deliver was a cinch. Aside from having a lot of practice with the skateboard, I knew the route around Twilight Town pretty well. I made many stops, running into many familiar faces (fortunately, Seifer wasn't one of them). At one point I delivered a letter to our mayor. When I went to put the mail in at Town Hall, I noticed the letter was from the Struggle Committee. Huh. Was the mayor going to be involved with the Struggle?<p>
I had one more letter to deliver, and it was for K.K. He also got a letter from the committee. It would be great if he performed on stage. It wasn't too hard to locate K.K., anyway. Just follow the guitar strings and you'll find him. When I heard the guitar, I noticed the tempo was very fast. Soon, I recognized the song. That was _Master Exploder_. I followed the music until I arrived back where I started.
I saw that a crowd of people had gathered in Station Heights. I pushed my way through the crowd and saw K.K. playing. Next to him was Pence and Hayner. I wonder where this was going.
"I do not need," Pence sang (terribly off key).
"He does not need," Hayner and K.K. sang in the background.
"A microphone!" Pence continued.
I couldn't even describe how awful Pence's singing was. It was like hearing someone scream as cars repeatedly drove over their feet. The audience was soon sharing my pain – half were groaning, half were booing. One guy from the crowd shouted, "My cochlea committed suicide!"
And without sticking around for another second, the crowd disappeared faster than the trio's dignity. Hayner smacked his forehead and turned to Pence.
"Wow, bro," Hayner said sarcastically, "you sure had them eating out of the palm of your hands."
"No way!" Pence said (he was clearly in denial). "I was just warming up."
K.K. sighed. "Have to agree with Hayner, my man. In order to have the skill, you need to train it."
"C'mon, guys," Pence said. "Give me another chance. I know another act we can do for the show."
"Tell it to K.K.," Hayner said. "I'm outta here!"
Hayner walked off. Pence turned to K.K., who simply shook his head. Pence sighed. I could tell he was done trying, too. He took off for the bulletin board. I walked up to K.K with the letter.
"Hi, K.K.," I said. "Got a letter for ya. Sorry the show was a total bomb."
"Hey, we all have bad days." K.K. winked at me. "Besides, blame it on Pence for getting me involved."
I chuckled and handed K.K. his letter.
"I'll read it when I get a chance. This dog's gotta keep on rollin'."
"Okay. I'll see you later."
K.K. turned towards the alleyway. I got my skateboard ready to go. When I looked back, I noticed him tilting his head. Did he see something? I looked ahead to see, what I think was, that cloaked guy from earlier. To be honest, what I saw was too fast and too far away, but it kinda looked like him. Was that what K.K. saw? I shrugged it off. Maybe it was something else. Who knows. All I could think about was the beach.
* * *
><p>Despite my best efforts, I was still short on the money we needed. I checked the bulletin board and looked for another job. I decided to help Jessie clean up the drug store. Y'know, trying to regain her trust and all. I hurried over to Tram Common. When I got there, I noticed Hayner posting some Struggle Posters. He saw me and waved me over.<p>
"Yo, Roxas. What's your money status?"
"So far so good. One more job might do it. Say, where's Pence? I know you two split after the show."
Pence lowered his brow. "Don't remind me, dude. I don't know where he is. Frankly, I don't care. I feel like an idiot for going along with his idea."
I started to open my mouth, ready to point out the irony in his statement.
"Don't even say it."
I remained silent.
"In any case, I have to get back to work." He looked at one of the clocks on a wall. "It's eleven thirty. We can make the twelve thirty easily if we keep moving."
"Right."
I was about to leave when something on the poster caught my eye. At the bottom of the poster, I noticed it was mentioning Setzer; he currently held the championship belt in the Struggle. For two years. The only problem was that Setzer had this pretentious demeanor. It wasn't like Baking Mama. She was quirky, yes, but she was very sweet. He looked at you like you were bottom of the barrel trash. He even spoke like one of those snooty rich people. And his clothing – let's not go there.
"This year Setzer is going to retire that belt," I said.
"Definitely," Hayner said. "Guy thinks he's all that." He punched his fist into his hand. "Well, he's got another thing coming. One more reason for us to make it to the finals."
"Totally."
I turned around, and before I could walk, I saw Olette standing right in front of me. For a moment, there was a blank expression on her face, something I've never seen before. Then, that blank expression blossomed into fear.
"Olette, what's wrong?" I asked.
I heard Hayner say, "It's Baking Mama, isn't it? I told you she was freaky."
"You don't even know half of it," Olette said with a nervous tone in her voice. "She was so strict. I couldn't get a break. And when I made one tiny mistake, she yelled at me. And then others times when I did something wrong, she said: 'Don't worry. Mama will fix it.'
She shivered. "It was horrible! I'll never look at muffins the same way again!"
"Get a hold of yourself, Olette!" I said. "Mama was probably having a bad day."
Olette took a moment to regain her composure. Man, I didn't think it was that bad! Maybe there was more to Mama than meets the eye.
"I'd hate to see what a good day is like," Olette said. "Thankfully I got the money we need. I'm heading to the train station. I'll lose it if I stay here and smell bread again."
Olette hurried to the train station as fast as she could.
"I told her there wasn't something right with Mama," Hayner said. "But does anybody listen to me? Noooooo."
With all the effort we went to, I hope this trip was worth it.
* * *
><p>Sometime later we all met up at the Train Station, which was located at the highest point of Twilight Town. The station was connected by a huge clock tower with four brown bells placed on each side of the building. The bells on the outside were small, while the two on the inside were big. The clock tower was out national monument; it was the first major building constructed, and was by far the tallest building in Twilight Town.<p>
We would always sneak up onto the ledge above the giant clock, and we would sit there eating ice cream. People would ask us if we're crazy, but no other place allowed us to view everything quite as good as the tower. I guess you could say it was worth plummeting to our deaths for.
We stood outside the station. Olette took out the gold coin pouch she made. The pouch was colored orange; imprinted in the middle was a light blue diamond. Inside of the diamond was a red chair shaped design. Olette counted out the money as she placed it in her pouch. We eagerly awaited the results.
"Nice work, everyone," she said. "Added to what we started with, we now have…"
She held out the pouch. "Tada! Five thousand gold coins!"
Hayner pumped his fist. "Sweet!"
I noticed a concerned look on Olette's face.
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"Oh, nothing," she said. "I already have so many things in my pockets. I don't think I can fit my pouch in there."
"Here, I'll hold onto it," I said.
She handed the bag to me, and I safely stored it in my pocket.
"What are we waiting for?" Pence said excitedly. "Let's get tickets! Fun in the sun, here I come!"
Olette and Pence ran ahead. Suddenly, I heard Hayner speak up.
"We can't be together forever," he said. "So we'd better make the time we do have something to remember."
I was startled. Was Hayner really starting to ponder Pence's words? Didn't he say that it was pointless to think about grown up stuff like that now?
"Huh?"
After a brief moment, Hayner grinned. "Gotchya."
He jokingly punched me in the arm and ran to the entrance. Yeah, I think I just saw Hayner's troll face. Feeling better, I walked towards the station. Suddenly, I tripped over something, and fell onto the ground. My chin came in contact with the floor.
It was strange: I made sure to watch where I was walking. I don't remember tripping over anything.
"You okay, man?" Hayner asked.
I grunted. "Fine. Just fine."
I got onto my knees and rubbed my sore chin. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a foot. Turning to my right, I saw a pair of boots. My eyes followed the boots up until I saw who was wearing them: the cloaked man. Before I could say anything, he grabbed me by the arm and pulled me up. I didn't have time to react. He was fast, and he was very rough with me. After helping me up, he pulled me towards him, and he whispered something cryptic in my ear.
"What?" I asked him.
"Roxas! Three minutes!" Hayner called.
I turned to face him. "Okay."
I turned back to see nobody was there. I scanned the area quickly, hoping not to lose sight of him. No luck. He completely vanished. How the heck did he run away so fast? I literally looked away for, like, a few seconds. What, did he jump over the ledge or something? That was weird. Forget it about for now; I'm holding everyone up.
* * *
><p>Inside the station, I saw the others at the ticket booth, which was run by Pelly, the pelican.<p>
"Four students," Hayner said.
"3600 gold coins, please."
Pence turned to me. "Roxas, the money."
I started to search through my pockets. Ever have one of those moments where you feel like time has stopped dead in its tracks? This was one of those moments. The money was gone. Just like that. I searched my pockets further, refusing to believe it.
"Wait—" I said.
I continued searching all sides. Nothing.
"No!" I shouted.
Hayner was in shock, unable to believe it either. "What? Are you serious?"
This can't be happening, I thought. All of our hard effort was for nothing. And I was the one responsible for ruining everyone's excitement. The reality of it all came in and tripped me with a stick. Wait a minute! That's it! The cloaked guy – he stole the money! No time to waste! I hurried to the exit.
"Where are you going?" Olette asked.
"Remember when I fell? I had the money before that," I said. "I bet that guy took it!
"Guy?" Hayner asked in a confused tone.
"He couldn't have gotten very far…" I slowly started to realize what Hayner just asked.
"What are you talking about?" Hayner asked. "There was no guy."
I was still in disbelief. He was right there. He grabbed me and picked me up. I could even feel his breath as he whispered.
"But he…there wasn't…really?"
My thoughts were all over the place. What was going on? Was I losing it, or was someone trying to play an elaborate prank on me? Either way, we missed our ride to the beach. I heard the train leave the station, which was followed by a sign from Pence.
"Oh boy," Pence said.
We were silent for a few moments. I didn't know what to say. Never mind that guy; because of me, the fun day we had planned was ruined. What do people feel like when they're guilty? Do they go home and jump in their bed, feeling absolutely miserable? That sounded like a good idea to me. I couldn't even look at my friends right now.
I turned to the door. "I'm going home."
"Roxas!" Hayner shouted. "Stop! It's okay, dude!"
"Okay!" I asked loudly. "I carelessly lost the money and Olette's pouch!"
"That old thing?" Olette asked with a reassuring tone. "I've been meaning to make a new one, anyways. Gives me an excuse."
Pence walked over and put his arm around me.
"Don't stress, Roxas," Pence said. "I know you wouldn't do something careless like that. Besides, the pouch was deep in your pockets. Someone must've taken it."
"Oh dear," Pelly said. "Is there anything I can do to help?"
"That's okay, ma'am," Pence said. "We'll manage." He turned to me. "C'mon, man. I have some leftover cash. Let's get some ice cream."
We left the station, broke and disappointed. Why wasn't anyone furious with me? Maybe that's what being a loyal friend was – no matter what, they would always be there to support you, through good times and bad.
* * *
><p>We sat at the top of the clock tower, eating our ice cream in silence. I couldn't eat. Thoughts were running through my mind like crazy. From day one strange things have been happening. The white guys, the cloaked man, and of course, Sora. There had to be a connection between them. What did they have to do with me?<p>
"It's melting," Olette said, interrupting my thoughts.
I looked down to see a drop fall off the ice cream. I could tell Olette was trying to find some way to break the uncomfortable silence. It wasn't helping.
"Sorry," I said.
"Cheer up already!" Hayner said.
"That was definitely weird, though," Pence said.
"Strange," Olette added.
"You said it," Hayner said.
I once again shunned everything around me, and buried myself into deep thought, asking more questions. Then I remembered something:
'Can you feel, Sora?' That was what the cloaked man asked me.
* * *
><p>RESTORATION AT 12%<p>
* * *
><p>DIZ continued monitoring his computer. He lightly tapped his fingers on his desk. His patience was starting to wear thin. Everything had to be perfect, he thought. One misstep could make his plans collapse into a sea of failure. The pressure was weighing on his old heart. He had to remain focused on whatever he was doing. Behind him stood the cloaked man; he held onto an orange pouch. He tossed it up into the air and caught it when it came down.<p>
"Is it really that hard to make a beach?"
"We'd be giving the enemy another entry point," Diz said.
The man held the bag towards Diz. "And this?"
Diz glanced at the bag and smirked.
"We could always buy sea-salt ice cream." He laughed. "Objects from that world must be kept out of the real world. You can delete that."
The cloaked man nodded and walked away. Unbeknownst to DIZ, the man stuck the pouch in his pocket.
5. Chapter 4
A/N: There's one thing I forgot to mention: please try not to post spoilers for KH3D in the comments.
**Day 3**
**Chapter 4: The Opening Ceremony **
The visions started again. Static took over the darkness; it was soon followed by an image of Sora picking up Yoshi and swinging him around. The two of them were laughing with each other. Yoshi's voice could be heard over the image.
"Sora and Yoshi best friends forever!"
The image soon flashed with ones and zeros, and transitioned to an image of Sora and Yoshi lying in a haystack. Yoshi was curled up in Sora's lap, and the boy stroked his head gently. The dinosaur smiled, feeling safe and secure with his friend. It didn't take too long for the screen to flash again. Now Sora and Yoshi were facing a giant purple armor monster that lacked limbs. Both of them were tired, but their strong desire to keep fighting kept them going.
"Yoshi, if we go down, we go down together," Sora said.
"Oh, where are Sora and Yoshi going down to?" Yoshi asked.
Sora chuckled and rolled his eyes. The static occurred. Yoshi was eating the hands of the armor, and he turned them into eggs. Sora hopped on each one and smashed them. There was more static. The next image showed Sora reunite with Luigi and Yoshi in a jungle house of some sorts. After Sora grabs Luigi's hands, the two turned away from each other, arms crossed.
A laid back male voice spoke up. "What I figure is, if you have no heart, you can't see your friends."
There was a brief flash of Sora's hands on top of Luigi and Yoshi's, and then it changed to Sora approaching Luigi inside a stone temple.
Sora rubbed his head. "Um, Luigi?"
"Yeah, kid?"
"I'm sorry about earlier. I overacted."
"I'm sorry for the mean things I said, too."
Yoshi jumped in and put his arms around Sora and Luigi.
"Yoshi! All for one and one for all, right?"
There was a flash again. Sora sadly watched Yoshi sit at a fire with dinosaurs that looked exactly like him. Apparently they were on an island of some kind. An older looking dinosaur walked up to Sora and whispered in his ear.
"Sora, did you make your decision?" he asked.
"Take real good care of him."
Another flash. Sora and Yoshi were sitting on the beach together. There was an upset look on the dinosaur's face.
"Why did Sora leave without Yoshi?"
Static briefly filled the screen again. As Sora responded, there were various cuts of Sora and Yoshi fighting the heartless together.
"Well...Yoshi...I knew how much you wanted to find this home. And when you did, you started to ignore me. And when I was playing that game with Pinkie, you said you wanted to stay here forever."
The image flashed back to Yoshi laughing in response.
"Sora misheard Yoshi. Yoshi said he wish he could stay here forever. But Yoshi much rather be with Sora and Luigi."
As Yoshi continued, there was yet another flash; the images showed the trio laughing together and traveling to other worlds in their giant airplane.
"Yoshi love adventures he goes on with Luigi and Sora. And he'd miss Sora too much."
Once again, the static flashed, and it cut back to Sora and Yoshi on the island. Sora lowered his head, too embarrassed to the show the tears streaming down his cheeks. It was like Yoshi stuck his hand inside of Sora's chest to touch his heart. The dinosaur embraced Sora and licked his face to calm him down.
"We always be together."
Another flash transitioned to an image of Sora sitting on a bed, talking to Luigi and Yoshi. There was a hesitant look in his eyes, almost like he was trying to restrain the words in his mouth.
"Once the worlds are separated," Sora said dejectedly, "we'll never be able to see each other again."
Not a word was exchanged between the friends. The room was filled with silent devastation. There was one last flash, which transitioned to Sora saying good-bye to his friends in a dark world; they stood on a white floating island. As Sora looked at Yoshi, he didn't want to say good-bye. Hearing the words come out of his mouth was an assault on the eardrums.
Yoshi whimpered. "I..I love you, Sora."
Unable to contain his sadness anymore, Sora brought Yoshi into his arms, and the two cried their hearts out to each other. There was one final voice over from Sora.
"No matter what happens, we'll always be best friends forever."
Everything went white.
* * *
><p>I slowly opened my eyes. I didn't move a muscle. I just stared at the ceiling in silence. Sometimes dreams made you feel like a completely useless bystander. It's like you're tied up, gagged, and forced to endure the most unpleasant images. However, when I woke up from the dream, something felt weird. My right cheek felt moist. I sat up and wiped the wetness away. Was I crying in my sleep? How could that be? There was nobody that I knew in the dream. But after sitting there and contemplating, I started to feel like I knew Yoshi. In fact, he started to feel like a good friend I had to say good bye to.<p>
I even started imagining myself in Sora's place, as if I was the one going through the motions. Things were getting weirder by the second. What also struck me was the tear. I've never cried before. Was I starting to finally understand what an emotion felt like? I'll tell you one thing: sadness was not a pleasant feeling. I felt so bad that Sora and Yoshi were forced to end their friendship. I then remembered what Hayner said yesterday.
"_We can't be together forever. So we'd better make the time we do have something to remember."_
I wondered if there was sincerity hidden beneath that joke. Before I questioned this further, I heard a light tap on my window, which startled me. At first I thought it was nothing, but voices immediately followed the sound.
"Roxas! Rise and shine, sleephead!" Olette said.
"Wake up, Goldilocks!" Hayner shouted.
I pushed open my windows and looked down to see my friends waving to me. Despite yesterday ending on a sour note, I saw the biggest smiles on their faces.
"About time, man!" Hayner said. "The Struggle's starting in an hour!"
I clutched my head in realization. "Aw, man! I must've forgotten to set my alarm!"
Pence grinned. "Typical Roxas."
"What's that supposed to me?" I asked Pence.
"Forget him," Hayner said. "You have ten minutes to get your butt down here, or else we're leaving without you. I want to get there nice and early, so I'm not going to let some slacker eat up my time. Got it?"
"We'll see who's slacking when I beat you!" I said.
"Just get down here!" Hayner said impatiently.
I grabbed my clothes, hurried out the door, and went through my morning routine. There was no way I'm going to the arena by myself. Just getting to a place with friends was exciting alone.
* * *
><p>The usual, empty Sandlot was now full of people, vendors, and of course, a large rectangular stage. We got to the arena a half hour early, just as the crowd was starting to arrive. Looking at the top of the buildings, I saw people up there unfolding their beach chairs. Definitely the best seat for any event at the Sandlot. I remember that Hayner and I used to watch the Struggle up there, looking down at the action. But this year, we'd be looking up at the crowd as they cheered us on and threw confetti. How could that not pump anyone up?<p>
We started wandering around the area, taking in the sights and smells of the arena. I could already smell juicy, plump hotdogs roasting over a hot grill. Hanging off of the buildings were giant banners in various colors (orange, green, and blue, to name a few). Printed on the banners was a hand holding a struggle sword. On a banner located towards the bottom of the building, it said 'Struggle.'
Hayner and I exchanged smiles. We couldn't wait to get started. Already we tried to seek out our competition. We were able to identify them because those competing in the Struggle wore blue entry badges. None of the other competitors seemed to be here yet; only spectators and people we knew from Twilight High (let the giggling commence) were present.
As we continued walking around, one of the vendors we ran into was Baking Mama. She had brought special pastries for everyone. She saw us immediately.
"Roxas! Hayner!" she called.
Our excited looks changed to worry. Olette was already looking pale just from the sight of her. But it would be rude of us to ignore her. Both Hayner and I walked up to the counter.
"Hello, ma'am," I said. "Good to see you here."
"Of course," Mama said. "Wouldn't want to miss two of my favorite customers compete today."
"Greatly appreciate that," Hayner said. There was uneasy tone in his voice. "We'll try not to disappoint."
Mama handed us two chocolate chip muffins. "Here, you two look famished. Eat these. You'll need your strength. Good luck out there."
I smiled. "Thanks."
We both walked over to Pence and Olette.
"Oh good," Pence said with relief. "You made it back in one piece."
Hayner was already wolfing down his muffin. "Say what you will, dude. She's nutty as a fruitcake, but I bet she could make a fruitcake taste like chocolate cake. This is delicious!"
I looked at Olette. She wasn't pale like before, but I could tell it'd be awhile before she'd even look at another pastry. When Hayner and I were near the last bite, we heard a familiar voice.
"Don't stuff yourselves, girls," Seifer said. "All of those calories will go right to your thighs."
Sure enough, when we turned around, we saw Seifer standing there with his gang, giving us those big mocking smiles. This day was off to a great start, I thought. Hayner was already getting ticked off at Seifer's very presence.
"Oh yeah?" Hayner asked. "Well, in a few seconds your lower lip is going to gain a few pounds!"
Hayner started to walk towards Seifer, but, as usual, Pence and I had to restrain him.
"Go ahead," Seifer said with a daring tone in his voice. "In front of millions of people. That'd be real smart."
"I don't care!" Hayner said.
"You'll be disqualified, you moron," I said. "Save it for the ring!"
I felt Hayner's arms start to relax. Soon enough, he let out a big sigh. It was safe to let him go, I thought. There was no way he'd get himself booted from the tournament; we've been preparing so much for this day, and for him to carelessly get disqualified would be inexcusable.
Seifer smirked. "Maybe you should quit while you're ahead. It'd save you from the embarrassing thrashing I'm going to give you."
"So enjoy yourselves while you can, y'know?" Rai said. "Because when you face Seifer, it's an auto K.O. for you."
"Funny," Pence said. "Wasn't Roxas the one who beat Seifer the other day?"
Seifer got red in the face, and he quickly tried to brush it off. "I don't recall asking for commentary from the peanut gallery, tubby."
"Seifer wasn't feelin' it, y'know?"
"Tournament decides," Fuu said.
I heard Olette say, "Vivi! You're competing too?"
I looked at Vivi – he had the blue badge on. For real? Vivi, who was practically afraid of his own shadow, was competing in the Struggle? My friends and I murmured to each other in shock.
"Y-yes," Vivi said shyly.
Seifer roughly patted him on the back, knocking him over in the process. Fuu and Rai started laughing.
"It'd be good for the little runt," Seifer said. "This tournament will help him build some backbone. Ain't that right, squirt?"
Vivi looked up at Seifer and nodded. Honestly, you couldn't help but feel bad for Vivi. He was like the black sheep of Seifer's gang. I'm willing to bet he wouldn't hurt a fly, yet here he is, hanging out with a bunch of lug heads.
"Beating each other up doesn't build backbone," Olette said. "Vivi just needs to believe in himself."
"Unfortunately, he can't do that by himself," Seifer said. "That's why I'm here to give him a boost."
Suddenly, we heard someone call out to Seifer. "Yeah, right. Since when have you shown compassion for someone smaller than yourself?"
I spun around to see Saki Amamiya approaching us. Saki was one of the most athletic people at our school. He was on the archery team and fencing team. Odd combination, I know. But everyone also knew him because, believe it or not, he, along with Seifer, founded the Disciplinary Committee together. I think Saki and Seifer were friends at one point, but through a series of events that remained a mystery to me, Saki and Seifer were no longer on speaking terms. Saki even left the committee to pursue his after school activities.
Hey, if you hang out with Seifer for awhile, I'd totally understand why you'd want to ditch him. Unlike Seifer, Saki had a sense of right and wrong; he came across as modest. Saki had long blonde hair, and he wore a yellow shirt and black shorts. He walked passed us and stopped in front of Seifer and his gang.
Seifer frowned. "Long time no see, Saki. I'm surprised you'd show your face in front of us."
"Hey, I sometimes like to check up on you," Saki said. "Wanted see how well the committee's holding up. And to my surprise, I see that it's on the right path. A downward path, that is."
Rai glared angrily at Saki. "Shut your mouth! Don't speak to Seifer like that! He's been better off without you, y'know? So why don't you get lost before this gets ugly?"
"I would love to," Saki said, "but, see, I'm also competing in this tournament."
I looked around Saki to see he had the same blue badge on. This tournament was going to be…interesting. What would happen if Saki and Seifer fought? Seifer smirked; I bet he was thinking the same thing.
"Is that so?" Seifer asked. "Well, I just hope you realize what you're getting into."
"Of course," Saki said. "But don't worry: I can put up with you and your boot licking friends."
"We're not boot lickers, y'know?"
"Loyal friends," Fuu added.
"We just like to fulfill Seifer's needs, y'know?" Rai said. "What's wrong with that?"
I rolled my eyes at Rai. What an idiot. Before another word was exchanged, we heard the producer of the Struggle over the loudspeaker.
"Ladies and gentlemen! The opening ceremony will begin in a few minutes! All competitors must report to the tournament bracket immediately!"
Saki turned back to Seifer as the producer finished. "I hope we do end up facing each other, Seifer. Then I could smack some sense into you. Maybe then you'll understand why our partnership failed."
"By all means," Seifer said. "Just try not to be disappointed when you lose."
"See you in the ring," Saki said.
I wonder what happened, I thought to myself. Most likely Seifer's fault, but I was still curious. Saki started walking away from Seifer's gang when he stopped next to Vivi.
"Can I give you a piece of advice?" Saki asked.
Vivi nodded.
"Leave the committee while you still can. It's not worth it. I know you have the confidence; you just have to look deep inside of yourself."
I could tell Vivi was pondering Saki's words. Seifer, on the other hand, had heard enough.
"Mind your own business!" Seifer said angrily. "I'm not going to let you talk to my boys like that!"
"Suit yourself, Seifer," Saki said.
Saki walked away, leaving Seifer's gang furious with him. I've never seen Seifer get so mad before. And without even throwing another insult at us, they walked away. We couldn't believe it. This must've been serious business. But it wasn't our concern. Shrugging the argument off, Hayner and I turned to each other, once again grinning.
"You ready to do this?" Hayner asked.
"You bet!"
We gave Pence and Olette high fives. They were our biggest fans in this competition, and they would give us the loudest cheers.
"Go get 'em, guys!" Pence said.
"Have fun out there!" Olette said.
After saying good-bye, we headed over to the tournament brackets. We lined up, and the producer walked by, checking our badges with a scanner. The arena was filling up faster than a cup of water. There was so much excitement going on in the audience. Unfortunately, despite the high spirits Hayner and I had, we could sense the tension between Seifer and Saki. And worst of all, I found myself standing right next to Saki. Talk about getting caught in the middle of a flame war. Thankfully Seifer was all the way at the other end.
Finally, the producer walked on stage. The murmuring soon erupted into cheers as fireworks went off in the sky.
"Ladies and gentlemen," the producer said, "Struggle-fiends of Twilight Town! It's time for summer's most sizzling clash! That's right! Today is the day for the 5th Annual Twilight Town Struggle!"
The audience's cheers grew louder. Man, where's the earplugs when you need 'em?
"We've got a hot competition this year! Plenty of new faces enter the ring, along with some old favorites! Let's invite these young fellas out and give them a round of applause!"
If the cheers got any louder, I thought my ear drums would burst. We walked out on stage, giving the audience a chance to encourage us with their cheers. At one point, I waved to the crowd.
I heard Hayner whisper to me, "Somebody's getting into it."
I even heard Pence and Olette shout our names. The producer came back on stage.
"Settle down, folks," the producer said. "The excitement has only begun. Now, it's time to welcome our current champion. For two years he's been holdin' the belt, and I'd be lyin' if I said this kid didn't have some slick moves. I give you: the one, the only, Setzer Gabbiani!"
And cue the screaming fangirls. Setzer gracefully walked onto the stage as everyone and their mother chanted his name. He had long silver hair that blew in the wind. He had on a violet shirt and violet boots that were as stunning as a lilac. On his shoulders he carried a majestic black coat that made him mysterious as the night itself.
Give me a break. Just giving those ridiculous descriptions is causing a gag reflex.
He was showboating, bathing in all of the attention. He loved it. I could tell. If I made it to the finals, facing Setzer would not be pleasant. He'd try to show off every step of the way. I glanced at Hayner, who rolled his eyes at me. He too saw Setzer's ego strutting around the arena. The producer finally ended our misery and spoke up.
"Alrighty," the producer said. "We'll see more of Setzer during the finals. Let's start off with the opening ceremony. Before we get to our surprise performance, we have a guest speaker to start things off. It is an honor that he'd take time out of his busy schedule just to be here today. Folks, please give a warm welcome to the mayor of Twilight Town: Mayor Will Wright!"
As we exited the stage, I heard light clapping. Probably from the adults. Us kids didn't exactly connect with the mayor. He was all about work and renovation. That's not exactly what we want from a tournament where you beat people up with Styrofoam swords. A microphone was put on stage as the mayor walked out, carrying papers in his hands. He looked like one of those nerdy science teachers you see in high school movies. He wore a red business suit with a purple bowtie, and had short, round glasses on.
The only memorable thing about him was his bizarre haircut. It was tall and green. That's all I could say. He looked like a chia pet...er…chia human. Whatever. He was also short. When he walked up to the mic, it was above his head. He cleared his throat and pointed up to the mic. The producer ran out and adjusted it.
Mayor Wright cleared his throat. "Greetings and salutations, my fine citizens."
Someone shouted from the audience, "Boring!"
"Bring Setzer back!" one of the fangirls said.
"Now, now," the mayor said in his nasally voice, "I know we're all excited by the prospect of seeing people engage in a brawl. But with school starting in a few days, I thought I'd take a few minutes to discuss with you youngsters how to make this school year productive. Your future depends on it."
Everyone in the audience moaned. This was going to take awhile. As the mayor started to give his speech, I immediately channeled him out. I started thinking about the strange dreams again. But I didn't get very far.
"Hey, aren't you Roxas?" Saki asked in a whisper.
Snapping out of my thoughts, I turned to Saki. "Uh-huh."
"I heard about the photo incident," Saki said. "Gotta say, I'm glad you took the high road and returned them."
"I didn't exactly steal them."
"Whatever the case," Saki said, "I'm glad you did the right thing. Sometimes I wish there were more decent people like you."
"Tell me about it. Seifer isn't exactly Mr. Nice-Guy."
"Ah yes. Seifer. He's told me about you and your friends."
"And I bet his comments were insulting and moronic."
"You bet," Saki said. "I won't go into details."
"Thanks. I don't mean to sound nosey, but what exactly happened between you and Seifer?"
"Oh, y'know. Seifer's ego got the best of him. He took the committee, which we worked so hard to get off the ground, in a whole new direction. Imitation and threats aren't exactly the best way to handle a situation. He and I used to be friends. But soon, we found ourselves as enemies. We'd fight all the time. The last straw for me was when he brought Rai and Fuu in. I mean, those two are troublemakers. What does he see in them?"
"Well, nice doormats for him to step on," I answered.
"Exactly. Plus, he wouldn't even discuss it with me. I was done after that. It was time to move on. I'm actually planning to start a new committee. One that will make people feel safe around town. Care to join? You seem like the kinda guy who wants to keep order in this town."
"No thanks," I said. "I'm already a part of a group, and they're my best friends."
"That's cool. Some of my friends are helping me out, anyway."
Mayor Wright wrapped up his speech. "And remember: respect, confidence, and a strong work ethic are the keys to success. Think about these words as you start school off the right way. One more announcement: we plan to start construction on something special. As to what it is, I can't reveal yet, but I hope you look forward to the changes. Thank you and best of luck in the Struggle."
There were light claps as the mayor walked off stage. The producer came back on.
"Thank you, mayor," the producer said. "Truly a great man that wants to connect with the youth of today. Whatdaya say we warm up this crowd with our opening act?"
The roar of the audience's cheers soon revitalized the dead silence.
"I am so excited about our opening act this year," the producer continued. "He's never played in front of a crowd this big! He usually entertains us on the streets with his musical talents. Ladies and gentlemen! Put your hands together for the top dog of Twilight Town, in his Struggle debut: K.K. Slider!"
I knew it! K.K. was going to perform. The audience cheered again as some crew members brought out a chair and a microphone. Moments later, K.K. walked onto the stage with his guitar and stopped in front of the chair.
"Hey all you groovy cats," K.K. said. "I'm glad to see so many happy faces here. I can tell this is going to be one summer we won't forget."
K.K. sat down and crossed his left leg.
"I wanna thank the Struggle committee for letting me perform," he continued. "And I want to thank all of my good friends for your support. As always, I'm takin' requests."
Olette shouted out, "K.K. Bossa, please!"
K.K. smiled. "Far out."
K.K. gently stroked the strings on his guitar, producing a very calming melody that went right for the heart. However, what made K.K. famous was his singing. It wasn't like anything you've ever heard.
"O Na Me O," K.K. sang. "O Na Me Oooooo Na Me O. Quay Quay Quay. O Na Me Ah, Me O, Me O."
He sounded like a music synthesizer – high pitched and unnatural. But it worked. His voice sounded really good. Looking in the audience, I saw everyone watching him in awe. At one point I saw Rai rubbing his eyes. He even sniffled! Never thought I'd see someone "macho" like Rai break down.
"I don't understand a word comin' outta that dog's mouth," Rai said. "But man is it good, y'know?"
"Wimp," Fuu said.
Rai put his hand on Fuu's shoulder. "Tough guys cry, Fuu. Tough guys cry."
Fuu looked like she was ready to deck him.
"Hands off."
Rai quickly took his hand away. I chuckled and turned back towards K.K. As I did, I saw a figure standing behind the crowd. He was near by the pathway to Tram Common. I didn't think much of it, but then something clicked in my brain. I quickly looked back at the guy. He was wearing the black coat. It was him! The pickpocket! I had the feeling he noticed me, as when I made eye contact with him, he instantly headed towards Tram Common.
My mind was racing. What to do? I didn't want to ruin K.K.'s performance. I could tell someone, but by the time I did, the pickpocket would be gone. Besides, I didn't have any proof. I wouldn't be surprised if no one saw him. I had to act, but I didn't want to get disqualified. I'd be breaking my promise to Hayner, and I was not about to carelessly throw our friendship aside.
But then another thought occurred to me: with all the weird stuff going on – like the guys in white – maybe this weirdo had all the answers I was looking for. Possibly for the dreams, too. This was my only shot. I had to pray that I'd be the last round of the day. There was no time to lose. I snuck my way out of the line and hurried to Tram Common.
I was hoping to put this insanity to rest. Or, so I thought.
6. Chapter 5
**Day 3**
**Chapter 5: Let's Struggle!**
I'm crazy. I'm crazy. I'm crazy. Those were the words that continued playing in my head. Was I really doing this? Sometimes we do crazy things in the heat of the moment, not realizing the consequences that would follow. I didn't know what to expect from this guy. If he had the same powers as those white creatures, this was going to be a nightmare. But I didn't care. I was seeking answers, and I'm not letting this guy get away.
I was able to catch up with the guy at Tram Common. He moved like a slug. I started getting closer and closer to him. My only option was to get the jump on him before he could react. This was it. No turning back. I hope I was doing the right thing. I was about to make my move when he spun around and pointed some strange purple gun at me. I immediately came to a halt and put my hands up. Okay, what now, idiot? You got yourself into this mess; how do you get out of it?
I started to slowly turn around, hoping that if I back off, he won't bother me.
"Slowly I turn," I said. "Step by step. Inch by inch."
"Whoa, hold up, bucko," the man said. "Like you're getting off the hook that easily. As if."
When I heard his voice, I realized that this was not the same guy. He just wore the exact same coat. He sounded like some cheesy surfer dude.
"Listen, I-I don't want any trouble."
The man laughed. "Don't want any trouble? Kid, you're the one who STARTED trouble in the first place. See, I was on my way to put someone to sleep, but then you came along. And guess what, man? You just made my job a hell of a lot easier. So I guess I should be thankful that you're blessed with stupidity."
Before I could respond, I heard the sound of the audience cheering in the distance.
"Uh-oh," the man said. "Time's runnin' out. We better get a move on."
It was time for me to pull off another crazy move. I quickly spun around and elbowed the man in the chin. As fast as I could, I ran to the Sandlot. I'll be safe with a crowd of people. I didn't look back – I had to assume he was chasing after me. All of a sudden, he appeared right in front of me. I stopped once again, baffled as to how he did that.
The man laughed again. "Clever little sneak. That was pretty gutsy of ya. Too bad you won't get lucky again. I never screw up twice. I'll give you one chance to come along quietly."
"No way!" I shouted. "I don't know what you're beef is with me, but I'm not going anywhere!"
The man stared at me in silence for a moment.
"Heh, heh. I never get tired of seeing that face of yours," the man said. "I swear, you look at me as if I just drowned your goldfish or something."
I tilted my head in confusion. "But…you can't drown a goldfish. They need water to breathe."
There was another pause before the guy said, "Welp, you just made things harder on yourself. Nighty-night."
The man pointed his gun at me and fired a giant purple arrow. It moved so fast; there was no way I could dodge it in time. Did I do the right thing? Was it all worth it? I was regretting my decision. Hayner. Pence. Olette. K.K – I'm sorry. I braced myself for the attack when I felt something pull my arm. It swung straight down at the arrow. My hand started glowing again. The glow knocked the attack away.
"What the—" the man asked.
When the glow died down, I saw the keyblade in my hand. Where did it come from? Does it appear when I'm in danger? Who cares! I was grateful to have it again.
"Well, looks like somebody's been holdin' out on me," the man said. "But don't expect your giant house key to help ya outta this one."
I didn't let him intimidate me. My only option was to fight. I ran at the guy and swung my blade. Somehow, this guy managed to summon another strange gun, and he put both of them together to block my attack. I tried to push down, but he was able to hold his position. I gritted my teeth as I pushed with all my might.
"Give me a break."
I saw the two guns glow bright pink, and soon I saw nothing but pink. A loud, deafening explosion went off; the sound punched me right in the eardrums, while the force of the attack knocked me back a great distance. I felt the burning pain of the attack as I landed on my back. My body was numb; with just one attack I felt crippled. I was trembling from the burning pain. I slowly tried to sit up, but pain had forced my body to give up. I lay back on the ground, catching my breath. Now what I do?
"Tsk, tsk," the man said. "Ya should've known better."
Endure the pain. Endure the pain, my brain was telling me; you need to get up. As I tried sitting up, the man started approaching me.
The man sighed. "These keyblade masters nowadays think they're hot stuff. Phht. As if. They hold their blades about as well as a butter knife."
The man pointed his gun at me.
"Kudos for trying, though," the man said. "Now be a good boy and go to sleep."
Before the man could fire another arrow, something bizarre happened (how many times have I said that?). Four green, glowing cufflinks of some kind appeared on his wrists and lower legs. The cufflinks on his arms pulled them up towards the sky.
"This can't be happening!" He struggled to break free, but the grip was too strong. "Let go! Grrrr!"
Suddenly, a giant green portal consisting of ones and zeros appeared behind him. He looked over his shoulder at it, and then looked at me one last time.
"Guess today's your lucky day," the man said. "Don't think for a second that you can rest easy. I won't allow it, 'cause I'll be back."
Like a garbage bag, the cufflinks effortlessly tossed the man into the portal, and it vanished soon after. I couldn't form any kind of thought. I was mixed with relief and exhaustion. All I wanted to do was pass out on the ground. And that's exactly what I did.
* * *
><p>I didn't know how long I was out for. Feeling myself regain consciousness, I slowly opened my eyes; the whole time I heard the sound of the crowd. I heard K.K.'s voice.<p>
"Hey, he's wakin' up!"
I opened my eyes to see K.K., Hayner, Pence, and Olette looking at me in concern.
"You alright, Roxas?" Olette asked.
I sat up, rubbing my forehead, and gathering my thoughts together. I looked down to see that I was lying on a bench.
"I think so. What happened?"
"Dunno," Hayner said. "Before the song finished, you seemed sort of tired. You went over to the bench to rest, and I guess you fell asleep."
"We were starting to worry about you," Pence said.
I shook my head. Is that what happened? No, that couldn't be right. Suddenly, the memories returned to me. I told everyone about the guy in black and how I followed him. I didn't get into specifics. Unfortunately, judging from their expressions, I think they didn't believe me.
"Probably just a dream, my man," K.K. said. "The sun is known to give our brains a strange vibe."
"But I'm telling you it happened!"
"Say what you want, dude," Hayner said. "We were watching you. You didn't move from that bench."
"Did you get any sleep last night?" Olette asked. "Maybe all the excitement kept you up."
"Or maybe he was just scared out of his mind," Seifer called out.
Hayner angrily turned to Seifer. "Mind your own business! Or else I'll give YOU a reason to be scared!"
"Come on, then," Seifer said with a challenging tone in his voice. "Give me a reason to start making me wear brown pants!"
"You got it!"
Before Hayner could act, the producer stepped in.
"Whoa, fellas," the producer said. "Let's save it for the ring now."
So many things didn't make sense to me. Everything felt real, especially the pain I felt from that guy's weird guns. I looked over myself – no bruises or scars. Earlier I was in crippling pain. Now I was perfectly fine. With all the strange stuff happening to me, I kept convincing myself that it was real. However, I wasn't going to continue arguing the point. What proof did I have?
"You might be right, Olette," I said. "I didn't get enough sleep. I figured I'd take a quick nap. Sorry I didn't let you guys know."
K.K. brushed my hair. "No problem, kiddo. Just glad you're okay. I'm going to go do some mingling before the next match. Good luck out there, Roxas."
K.K. left, and I turned back to my friends.
"How long was I out for?" I asked.
"For most of the tournament," Pence said. "Everyone else got through their matches."
Hayner grinned, "An easy victory for yours truly."
I gave Hayner a high five. "Congrats. I knew you'd do it."
"But get this," Pence said. "Vivi actually WON his match!"
My jaw dropped. Vivi? The guy who once got scared of a paper airplane was victorious?
Hayner scoffed. "Just barely. Vivi fell down, and his opponent ended up tripping over him, landing outside of the ring."
I knew there was more to the story. I imagined that match ended in laughter, and with a facepalm from Seifer.
"Yeah. Talk about embarrassing," Pence said. "Seifer also won his match. You're the last match of the day, Roxas."
"And who's my opponent?"
"Saki," Olette said.
I felt a lump in my throat. Remember: Saki was on the fencing team. I was decent with a sword, but being decent wouldn't fair well against someone fully trained. Hayner patted me on the back.
"Relax," Hayner said. "As long as you stop lazing around, you'll do fine out there."
"Attention!" the producer said. "The next match will begin in ten minutes. Will both competitors please report to the tournament bracket?"
I stood up; it was time to get my head together and focus.
"Are you okay to fight?" Olette asked.
I gave Olette the thumbs up. "Of course. After all, I have a promise to keep."
I smiled at Hayner, who nodded in response.
"Then go get 'em!" Pence said.
I made my way towards the bracket. On the way, I ran into Saki.
"Hey Roxas," Saki said. "You alright? I saw what happened."
"I'm fine. Just dozed off."
"Ah. I hope it doesn't affect your performance out there."
"Oh, I think I'm rested enough," I said. "What about you? Ready to do this?"
"Yep. I was hoping to face Seifer first, but hey, I'm looking forward to a good fight. You're just one roadblock."
"Ha! We'll see!"
As we approached the bracket, I looked around to see where K.K. was. Strangely, he was nowhere in sight. Was he sore at me because I fell asleep during his song? Nah. He never held a grudge. He probably had to do something. Shouldn't let it get to me. It's Hayner and the others I had to focus on. I can't let them down; I'm going to win that prize for us.
The Struggle crew helped us into our black Velcro armor. It looked like the kind you'd see on _American Gladiators_, only we wore a giant vest. The producers went over the rules with me. Y'know, since everyone 'claimed' I fell asleep. How it works was each player started out with fifty orbs attached to their armor. Our goal was to knock the orbs off and collect the other player's orbs. Whoever had the most orbs by the time three minutes were up, wins. Other ways to win included collecting all one hundred orbs or knocking the player out of the ring. Simple rules.
After getting into our gear, Biggs, who was the announcer, called us onto the stage.
"Alright, folks," Biggs said. "The sun might be setting, but the action on stage is still heating up! Time for the final match of the day. And what a pair we got: both are first time contenders! First we got Twilight High's number one athlete: Saki Amamiya!"
The audience cheered as Saki walked onto the stage.
"And his opponent just happens to be my favorite customer: give it up for Roxas!"
I instantly heard my friends shout my name. It felt good to have fans. The rest of the audience cheered as well. While I made my way to the ring, I could've sworn I heard Setzer making a bet with someone over who's going to win. Unfortunately, he wasn't rooting for me. Honestly, do I really care? Upon getting to the middle of the ring, I looked out into the audience. When I looked over at my friends, I saw that K.K. was with them. Good. Now everyone was here.
The producer handed us our Struggle swords.
"Good luck, boys," the producer said. "Keep it clean."
We both got into our battle positions. I gripped my handle tightly, waiting for the command.
"Give it your all!" Saki said.
"You got it! Don't hold back!"
"Our two combatants are raring to go!" Biggs said. "Audience, you know what to do!"
Everyone shouted, "Three….Two…..One! STRUGGLE!"
I ran at Saki and swung, but he stepped back to avoid my attack. I tried to go in for a thrust, but he faced his sword downward and blocked it. I twisted my sword and tried to go in for a left thrust, and he moved his blade accordingly to block. Now he went on the offense, as he tried to bring his blade down; I quickly blocked it. He slid his blade off of mine and swung for my side. I hopped back, but was off balance because of the position. Saki took this chance to swing the blade right at my chest, knocking me over in the process. I heard the audience exclaim as I hit the ground. Looking back up, I saw Saki grab about ten orbs that fell.
"Uh-oh," Biggs said. "This doesn't look like a good start for Roxas!"
Don't say that. I'm going to lose my concentration. I got back up and tried to attack. Saki once again dodged it. I was in trouble. For the first forty five seconds of the battle, I found myself on the defense, constantly blocking his ruthless attacks. No matter how hard I tried, I could not get a hit in. As we swung out swords back and forth, I found myself having to move backwards – right towards the edge! When I was near the edge, I tried to thrust, hoping to keep him at bay. But, like a fly swatter, he knocked my sword down. He attempted to swing at my chest, but I rolled past him.
I turned around while kneeled over and swung at him. Saki did a back flip to dodge it. I heard "oohs" and "wows" from the audience. That was impressive. As I stood up, while holding the handle with both hands, I blocked another attack. Saki quickly released his blade from the block and tried to attack again. This time I pointed my blade straight up to block it. However, Saki used all of his strength to push me back. Using swift attacks, he knocked more orbs off of my vest. At least ten more. I tried to run for four on the right, but Saki intercepted me and stuck his blade out towards my chest. I swung my blade upward, knocking his blade up. Next I side stepped right and dove for two of them.
After grabbing them, I tried to go for the other two nearby. Saki swung his blade down near my hand to stop me, and he grabbed the other two. I made a dash for the others scattered throughout the arena. I only managed to grab two more, while Saki grabbed the rest of them. I gritted my teeth; there had to be a way to beat him.
"One minute remaining!" Biggs said.
We both swung our blades back and forth, and then we got into a blade lock.
"You're not half bad," Saki said. "But you don't have the right skills to compete with me."
I managed to push his blade down towards the ground, but we still held the lock. Our shoulders were touching each other. I tried to hold it down; need to form a plan quickly.
"Got news for you," I said. "It takes more than just skill to win a fight."
Saki pushed our blades up and swung again. While holding onto the tip of the blade with my free hand, I swung across. When I brought the other way to block again, I purposely loosened my hands; so upon contact, my blade was knocked to the edge of the arena. It was hanging on by a thread. My plan required luck and timing. Only one shot.
"Oh, this might be a win for Saki," Biggs said. "If Roxas' sword falls off, he'll automatically be disqualified for not having a weapon."
Saki grinned. "I'll have to help that along, then."
We both ran for the sword. Putting every ounce of strength into my legs, I ran past Saki. However, I had to pace myself in order for my plan to work. I got to the sword, picked it up, and spun around to block an attack. Placing my left hand on the tip of my blade, I pushed myself around Saki until I was facing his back. With all I might, I delivered a mighty swing that knocked him off the edge (don't worry; there's an inflatable structures to catch the player).
I sighed with relief. I can't believe that worked. The audience couldn't believe it either, as silence filled the Sandlot.
Finally, Biggs spoke up. "Unbelievable! Despite the overwhelming odds, Roxas has knocked Saki out of the ring. He's moving on to the semi-finals!"
The audience cheered, chanting my name. I smiled. For a moment, I could've sworn I was feeling an emotion again, and it was of pride. Hearing those cheers from the audience would make anyone's confidence soar into the sky. I looked to see my friends cheering the most. Olette and Pence were jumping for joy; K.K. smiled at me; and Hayner, with his famous grin, gave me the thumbs up.
I walked over to Saki, who was lying on the structure, defeated. He looked up at me, smiling.
"Guess it does take more than skill," Saki said. "You let me knock the sword out of your hand, didn't ya?"
I grinned. "Maybe. To be honest, I didn't think that would work. Consider it a bit of dumb luck."
I helped Saki up.
"And I got a bit overconfident," Saki said. "I really misjudged you. You're quite talented."
"Thanks. You too."
"Your talents could be put to good use, ya know," Saki said. "Are you sure you don't want to join the new committee?"
"No. I'm happy where I am."
Saki chuckled. "Figures. Will you at least do me a favor? Beat Seifer and win the championship. I need a reason to enter next year, after all."
I shook Saki's hand. Not only did I win, but I made a new friend in the process. If I did win the championship, I'd look forward to the rematch.
"You got it, man."
We both said our good-byes, and Saki left the arena. My friends came over to congratulate me.
"That was sweet!" Pence said.
"Great job, Roxas," Olette said.
Hayner got me into a headlock. "You did okay out there."
"C'mon, Hayner," I said. "Secretly you're intimated by me."
"Yeah, right. Let's wait for the next round, okay?"
He released our grip, and we crossed our arms again.
"It's a promise," I said.
"I'm so happy for both of you," Olette said. "You've come so far already."
"This calls for a celebration!" Pence said.
We all cheered. Hey, it might've been the preliminaries, but the fact that both of us moved on to the semi-finals was reason enough to celebrate. Even though the weirdness continued, at least the day ended on a high note. Now we had a day off before the semi-finals, the finals, and the championship match. Better revel in our victory while we can.
"Congrats, guys," K.K. said. "You sure put on one heck of a show. I know one of you is going to win the whole thing. I can feel it in my bones."
"Want to come celebrate with us?" Pence asked.
"Nah; I've had enough excitement for one day. Gotta rest up for tomorrow. Back to work for me."
"Oh, okay," Pence said. "We'll see you tomorrow, K.K."
And with that said, we all left the arena.
* * *
><p>What's the best way to celebrate a victory? Throw a party? Nope. Go out to dinner? Not even close. With us, it's doing what we love: eat sea-salt ice cream on top of the clock tower. I know; we're strange like that. We sat there, eating our ice cream, and talking among each other.<p>
"Man, you'd think we'd get tired from eating ice cream all the time," Hayner said.
"That's the power of sea-salt ice cream," Pence said. "One lick and you can't stop."
"And you know where the best place to enjoy that ice cream is?" Hayner asked. "The beach."
The rest of us sighed; after everything that happened yesterday, there's no way I'm going to work my butt off again.
"Not again," Pence said.
"Wait, I got a new plan," Hayner said. "It's gonna work this time! Tomorrow's the day we hit the beach! And Roxas, don't sweat about the money. Leave it to me."
"If you say so," I said.
While my friends were chatting with each other, I looked down at my hands. Once again, I plunged myself back into my thoughts. What happened today was real. It didn't feel like a dream at all. Why would I randomly pass out on the bench? I would've told someone. On top of that, wouldn't someone have woken me up at least a few minutes later? I kept finding myself fall through the holes in this story. Then there was the guy I confronted. What did he want with me? And who was he going to "put to sleep?" I wish there was an answer to every question I had.
Perhaps I had to seek the truth out myself.
* * *
><p>RESTORATION AT 28%<p>
"Namine, hurry!" Diz said.
* * *
><p>Diz frantically typed away at the keyboard. He had scrutinized every single detail, making sure everything was working. After what happened today, the pressure was starting to build; any moment it could burst and crumble. It didn't take long before Diz finally settled down and sat back in his chair. Next to him was the cloaked man.<p>
"That was dangerously close," Diz said. "The Organization is figuring out ways to avoid immediate detection from the system. Fortunately it was able to act in time. But who knows how long that'll last. "
"I thought you said the system was flawless," the cloaked man said.
Diz snapped at him. "It is! I worked years to perfect it, and seldom has it failed."
"Then by that logic," the man said, "only someone who knows the program as well as you could fiddle around with it."
Silence. That was Diz's response. He soon realized that what he said to Diz was like a wakeup call to reality – words that stung the old man's inner ear. The cloaked man didn't know what Diz was going to say next. Finally, Diz sighed regretfully. The cloaked man placed his hands in his pockets. Diz's had to focus on the present. The only way to do that was to change the subject.
"Well, let's just keep a better eye out."
Diz nodded. "I need you to check up on Namine. Make sure she's getting the job done."
"Understood."
* * *
><p>Far away, in another world, was a dark, depressing city. Whether it was morning, afternoon, or evening, not even a fragment of light broke through the sky. The only form of illumination that lit the city was from neon lights on buildings, and from lights inside windows. Though, given the fact that the streets were completely empty, one had to wonder if anyone resided in the city (and to be honest, who'd want to live somewhere that unsettling?).<p>
But there was one person wandering the streets. He wore the same cloak as the man who was in alliance with Diz. As he walked down the empty streets, he was mumbling to himself.
"Can't believe I let that little pest slip through my fingers," the man said; he spoke like a cheesy surfer dude. "I never fail, and I'm certainly not letting that old mummy have the last laugh."
"Hehehe," another male voice chuckled. "It's funny because he wears red bandages."
The man looked over his shoulder to see someone standing there; he also wore the black cloak.
"Is that anyway to greet your elders?" the first man asked. "Why can't you say hello for a change instead of being smarmy?"
"Well, I always like to make an entrance."
The first man chuckled. "Can't deny that. Is there something I can do for you?"
"No, it's what you can do for the boss. Afraid you've been taken off the case."
Genuine anger came out of the first man's voice. "What? As if! I make one little fluke and the boss throws a hissy fit about it? C'mon! I never mess up!"
"Really? Roxas is nowhere near his full potential. It should've been cakewalk for you. And yet here we are, coming up with a new strategy to capture him. Old age may come with wisdom, but you shouldn't get cocky with it. Commit it to memory."
The man chuckled. "Commit it to memory? That's totally not you."
"Hey, I can't use 'Got it memorized?' all the time. Like to play it up now and then. Anyways, I've convinced the boss to put me on the case. After all, I know that kid better than anyone. Practically had to babysit him for his whole nonexistence."
"And that's going to make a difference how exactly?"
"Because I'm an important part of his life. And I figure that the most important memories are the ones we can recall with ease. Trust me; I've learned that corny philosophy from my time at Castle Oblivion."
"And if that doesn't work?"
"Do what any sensible person would do. Knock him out."
The first cloaked man thought about it for a moment. At first, he was worried about his reputation, but then he remembered that he wasn't able to get worried. Perhaps it was okay for him to relieve his duties.
"Alright, fine. Go rescue your boyfriend. But what am I supposed to do?"
Ignoring the boyfriend insult, the second cloaked man said, "Relax. The boss already assigned you to another world. Some island that has hags on it? He wasn't clear."
"Whatever." The first cloaked man turned around and created a dark portal. "You realize that since you know 'everything' about this kid, there's a lot more pressure on you. Better not screw up."
"I don't intend to."
The first cloaked man went through the portal, leaving the second man behind. He looked down at his fist and clenched it.
"I'm not coming home without you, kid."
7. Chapter 6
**Day 4**
**Chapter 6: A Girl in White**
The screen started to clear. Sora and his friends were talking to a strange man with long purple hair and a purple moustache. He looked upset with the trio. The three of them took on different forms. They were shorter, stouter, and they had no legs.
"As the key bearer, you must already know that one should not meddle in the affairs of other worlds," the man said sternly.
Brief static filled the screen, transitioning to a round pink creature sucking Sora into his mouth like a vacuum. After spitting Sora out, the creature flashed, and he now had brown spiky hair like the boy. The creature also held the keyblade in his stubby little hand.
"Poyo!" the creature cried.
The scene shifted to what looked like a waiting area. There, a police woman handed medals to Sora and his friends. Standing next to her were two people: a man who wore a white lab coat, and a young man who wore a red and white baseball cap. Riding on the young man's shoulders was a strange looking yellow mouse with red cheeks.
"For saving the Coliseum, we present you with these medals of honor," she said. "And as requested by Professor Oak, you have the right to enter the games. Good job, junior heroes."
There was a quick flash to Luigi, who frowned.
"What does she mean by junior heroes?" Luigi asked.
The man with the lab coat – Professor Oak – said, "You still have a lot to learn about what it takes to be a true hero."
The static cut to Sora and his friends inside of a tree house. Sitting on the bed was a man who wore a green tunic, complete with a green hat, tights, and brown boots. He sadly looked down at the ground. A fairy, whose entire body was concealed by a yellow glow, hovered over the man. The man looked up at the fairy, and smiled.
"We had a deal," the man said. "Ganondorf is beaten. You can go anywhere you want. You're free now. "
The man gently hugged the fairy good-bye. Static took over the touching moment, and the scene changed to a man and woman talking. They both wore jumpsuits; the man wore purple while the woman wore pink. The man in purple hid his identity with a red race car helmet.
The man sighed. "Fine. I was wrong and you were right."
"Hey, don't take it so hard," the woman replied. "I'm sure the next festival will be much better. And maybe next time I'll help out."
Static. The next scene showed Sora spinning his keyblade around, and then stabbing it into the ground. Red glitter came out from the ground and spun around Sora. As the glitter reacheed the back of his neck, it transformed into a giant red bird. Her giant feet landed on Sora's shoulders, who kneeled over from her great weight.
"I am Kazooie," she said. "Wait, that's my only line in this story!"
One and zeroes flashed on screen, and it transitioned to Riku talking to Sora in what appeared to be a giant toy land.
"Or are you too cool to play them now that you have the keyblade?"
Sora was startled. "Riku! What on earth are you doing here?"
There was a brief flash of the girl with red hair.
"Did you find her?" Sora asked.
Another flash of the girl. Afterwards, the scene shifted to Sora looking up at the sky. He was onboard a flying fortress. First there was a bit of sadness in his voice.
"I still can't believe it." Sora looked up and smiled. "I actually flew. It's the most amazing thing I've ever done!"
A brief flash of the girl again. Sora turned to his friends.
"I can't wait to tell Kai—"
Another flash of the red haired girl. The scene cut back to Sora.
"What are the chances she'll believe me?" Sora asked himself. "Probably one in a million."
Static. The next scene showed an orange fox with two tails flying around Sora.
"I'll be your pilot from now on," the fox said.
Sora and his friends were standing inside a coliseum. An intimating man with blonde hair walked by them.
In a voice over, Sora said, "I'm searching, too."
"For your light?" the blonde haired man asked. "Don't lose sight of it."
The scene shifted to Sora back on the island with Yoshi. Sora was getting ready to leave the island. A baby version of Luigi noticed him walking away.
"Sora, where are you going?" Baby Luigi asked. "I wanted to tell you a funny joke."
Sora rubbed his head. "Uh, that's okay. I get enough of that back where I come from. Besides, I need to go find my friends. They're waiting for me."
As the dinosaurs and babies said good-bye, there were more flashes of the girl. The scene shifted to Sora confronting Riku on the flying fortress.
"Where are Luigi and Yoshi?" Sora asked.
"Instead of worrying about them, you should be asking about her," Riku said.
Riku moved away to reveal someone, but rapid flashes of the girl interfered with the image. The next scene showed Sora sealing a keyhole that was located on the sign of a casino. Finally, the image ended on Riku, with his arms crossed, standing in a white room. The red haired girl faded in from the background.
Everything went white.
* * *
><p>In a strange looking room was a giant pod of some sorts. It was shaped like a flower sleeping during the winter. Standing in front of the giant pod was a girl wearing a plain, white laced dress and light blue sandals. She had long blonde hair. Both she and the pod were far off in the distance. Suddenly, everything went black.<p>
* * *
><p>The dreams were getting odder by the minute; now I was seeing a strange girl standing there, with her back facing me. For some reason, she was glowing brightly. She turned around to face me, but I couldn't make out her facial features because of the brightness.<p>
"Who are you?" I asked.
A ring went off and I woke up from my dream. Looking over to my right, I saw my cell phone on the drawer. Picking it up, I saw that Hayner left me a text message. It said: 'meet me the station 4 12. :)'
I rubbed my head. I was still a bit drowsy. I was more concerned about the dreams instead of going to the beach. They wouldn't stop, and now some girl was invading them. To call my situation complicated was an understatement. However, a strange feeling came over me. I didn't know why, but I felt like somebody was in here. Looking to my right, I saw the most horrific thing in the world: a messy room. Nah, nobody was there, but I couldn't shake the feeling that somebody was watching me. Was I being paranoid? Perhaps a little bit. But I was drowsy, so any of us could think like that for a moment. Over time, though, the feeling of being watched didn't diminish.
Maybe a trip to the beach wasn't a bad idea.
With time to spare, I headed over to Tram Common to do some shopping. Figured I'll need some supplies for the beach. As I turned the corner on Station Heights, I saw Hayner and Olette.
"Hey," I called to them.
"Morning," Olette said.
Just then, they stopped dead in their tracks. They were frozen like statues.
"Huh?"
I shook my head and smacked my cheeks. Was I dreaming still? I hoped. Looking back up, they were still frozen. I even saw Olette's right foot about to step down. I hurried over to see what happened when 'she' appeared out of nowhere, right in my path. It was her! The girl in white! It was like she jumped right out of my dreams.
She smiled at me. "Hello, Roxas."
"Um, hi." How else do I respond to that?
I noticed she was looking around suspiciously. Compared to the other sketchy people I've met, she seemed friendly? Would you really trust the only other person in your town who wasn't frozen?
"And you are…?"
She put her hand out to stop me.
Clasping her hands together, she said, "I wanted to meet you at least once."
"Me?"
She nodded.
"Um, thanks, I guess. But what's going—"
Suddenly, like computer lag in a video game, she instantly reappeared behind Pence and Olette, and was already walking away.
"Wait!"
I chased after her, but when I got to Pence and Olette, they started moving again. And I ended up running into them. We all fell down as a result.
Pence grunted. "Looks like somebody's excited to see us."
"Sorry, guys," I said. "I got distracted for a second."
We all stood up.
"Are you guys alright?" I asked.
Olette and Pence looked at me funny.
"Of course," Olette said. "It wasn't THAT big of deal."
"You say it like we were hit by a truck or something."
"Well, it was really dumb of me," I said. "Sorry if I came across like a worried wart."
"No problem," Pence said. "Besides, Olette dragged me along to go shopping."
"You want to come along?" Olette asked.
Confusion once again took over my brain. I guess it should've come as no surprise that they didn't see the girl.
"Um, didn't you see that…." I said.
My mind was focused on the girl. Everything else was channeled out. I looked down the path, trying to understand what was going on.
I heard Pence in the background. "He's stalling…"
Olette giggled. "Very well, then."
I turned back to Olette, remaining silent.
"We'll see you later, Roxas, okay?"
As they ran off, I said, "Y-yeah."
Turning back to the path, I wondered where the girl went. From what it looked like, she was heading towards the old mansion. Should I follow? I still had no answers, and once again I was putting myself in danger. Did I really have a choice? I just couldn't stand all of the weirdness anymore. Taking a deep breath, I followed the girl to the mansion.
* * *
><p>When I arrived in the woods near the mansion, I looked around. No one in sight. Next stop was the mansion. I planned to put an end to this mystery right now, and no one was going to stop me: not my family, my friends, Seifer, and the hooded guys. As I took a step forward, I was stopped by a giant dark portal.<p>
"Huh?"
I stood my ground. Out of the portal came three of the guys in white. They were trying to corner me like vicious wolves. Before I could react, another one appeared from above; somehow the creature was walking upside down on nothing but thin air. If Newton was alive, I'm sure he'd get a kick out of that. The white creature grabbed my right arm.
"Lemme go!"
I swung my left fist and knocked its arm away. I ran like a maniac back to town. I'm sure I could put up with the dreams for one more day.
* * *
><p>As I ran across the bridge, I looked over my shoulder to see them still chasing me. What did they want with me? Pence was right; the thief did want to steal me. And he brought friends. The chase ended up at the Sandlot. I ran by Seifer and his gang, who were looking at me in confusion.<p>
"Hey, chicken wuss!"
Like I was going to stop for Seifer.
I heard Rai say, "I think he's ignoring you, y'know?"
"Oh, really? Seifer asked sarcastically. "And here I thought he was silently saying hello."
"He can do that?" Rai asked.
"Moron," Fuu said.
I came to a halt when more white creatures appeared at the exit. I ran the other way towards Seifer's group. Again, I was forced to stop when I saw the white creatures.
"Who's that?" Fuu asked.
"I don't know," Seifer said with a serious tone in his voice, "but they've already crossed the line."
By just appearing? Man did Seifer have poor reasoning. But, hey, it was a good enough reason to help me out. I won't complain.
"Find a weapon!" Seifer said.
I held my hand out and started shaking it. I was hoping the keyblade would bail me out. Unfortunately, I wasn't getting anything.
"C'mon, c'mon," I mumbled. "You've appeared before when I'm in danger."
One of the creatures swung its claws right at me. I rolled out of the way and quickly picked up a Struggle sword. Will have to do, I thought. I put the sword up to block their incoming attacks. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't push them back. I rolled to my right to move out of their way. When I stood up, one of the creatures tried to swipe at me, but I leaped onto the bench and ran across it. Another creature appeared beside the bench and swung its claws at my feet; I hopped over the attack. Upon reaching the edge, I leaped onto the next bench.
Another creature tried to trip me again, but this time I kicked its claws away, which forced it to turn until its back was facing me. I leaped off of the bench and tried to knock it over the head. Like last time, the attack went right through it. I tried to grab the creature, but it managed to get behind me; it was so fast. Then it got me into a tight bear hug.
"Get off!" I shouted.
I twisted and turned, but the creature's grip was too strong. Looking over my shoulder, I saw another one slither towards me. When it got closer, it raised its claw. I turned around and the creature cut through the one wrapped around my back. I spun around and kicked the other creature away. I tried to make a break for it, but one of the creatures rammed its head into mine. I yelped from the pain. I felt another one hit me in the back, knocking me over. I turned over and sat up, noticing Seifer and his gang weren't doing well either. They were surrounded by three of the creatures.
I got to my feet. "Not good…"
Suddenly, I noticed something odd about Seifer and his gang. Like with Pence and Olette, they were frozen solid. I think the creatures knew this, too, as they turned their attention to me. Great! All alone again! Was this my fate? So far I've been facing this dilemma on my own, and this was probably how I'd die: alone. There were no other options. I really got myself into trouble this time.
Then I heard a familiar female voice from above. "Roxas! Use the keyblade!"
I looked up at one of the buildings to see the girl in white looking down at me. She gasped and pointed towards me.
"Look out!" she cried.
I looked down to see the creatures flying right at me. It's over, I thought. I braced myself for the end. I closed my eyes. After a few seconds, nothing happened. Now what? I opened my eyes to see that I was no longer in Twilight Town. Or anywhere for that matter. I was in some world completely surrounded by darkness. Surprisingly, there was light here. Looking down at my feet, I noticed I was on some kind of platform. Walking around it, I noticed it was a mural. The paintings I saw on the mural startled me; they were of Sora, Riku, Luigi, Yoshi, and the girl with red hair – the ones from my dreams.
What was this place, and how did it connect with my dreams? Strangely, I felt like I've been here before. Can't put my finger on why. However, my main concern was finding a way out of this place.
"Hello! Anybody out there!"
The only response I got was my echo. How'd I get here? Maybe those things did kill me, and this was heaven? I felt like I was alive. It couldn't be. I wandered around for a bit in hopes of finding a way out. No luck. Guess I needed to let whoever brought me here make the first move. Without a doubt, this was the strangest day so far, and I hoped it ended with me safely home in bed.
As if things couldn't get worse, the creatures from before started to appear. I looked around. Only three of them were present. Could've been worse. I prepared to defend myself when the keyblade FINALLY appeared in my hand. I grinned; with all the bad stuff that's been happening, it was nice to have something go your way for a change.
"Oh, it is SO on now!"
I swung the keyblade at the creature in front of me, but it leaped back. It flew at me and tried to ram its head into me. I swung the keyblade up and knocked it into the air. I leaped into the air after it. I was amazed by how high I could jump. This keyblade did more than fight off those creatures. When I caught up with the creature, I slashed right through it, and it vanished right into dust.
After landing, I turned to face the other two. The one on the right swung its claws at me, but I brought my blade in to intercept it. I quickly moved left and kicked the other one's lower leg, stunning it for the moment. I went right again, brought the keyblade in low, and slashed it across the creature's stomach. It wasn't dead yet, so I brought the keyblade down to finish it off. The creature on the left tried to attack, but I elbowed it in the stomach and then punched it with the handle of the keyblade (which I held with my right hand).
The creature fell over, and when I went to finish it, two more creatures leaped in front of me.
"You want some too?"
I swung at both of them, but they managed to stretch their bodies back. They then flew by each side of me, slashing right at my ribs. Before I could react, the third creature rammed its head into my mine. As I stumbled backwards, the other two grabbed each of my arms. The third one slithered right towards me. Thinking quickly, I leaped up and slammed both of my feet on the creatures' feet. They instantly released me, and I dove onto my stomach to avoid the third one. I rolled onto my back and slashed the other two away.
I got onto my feet and ran right at the three. The first one swung at me, but I ducked underneath it. I ran to the second one, and when it attempted to swipe at me, I swung my blade at its claw; the force was strong enough to knock it aside. I turned around and, while holding it with one hand, I brought the keyblade up to block both claws. I pushed the creature back, turned around and thrust the blade at the first one. The creature used its right arm to knock the blade down, and then it swung at me with its left.
I stepped back to avoid the attack. Looking over my shoulder, I saw the other two swinging their arms right at my head. I stepped back again and ducked underneath their arms. Both turned around to face me. The one on the right attacked, and I placed both hands on each end of the keyblade as I brought it up to block. I instantly swung it the other way to block the left one. As I moved towards the right creature, it tried to trip me, but I moved my right foot up.
Moving towards the left one again, I kicked it away. Turning back to the right, I swung my blade and knocked its claw away. I turned back to the left one and tried to stab it in the chest. It brought both of its claws together to catch my blade. I spun my arm around like a corkscrew until it released its grip, and then I horizontally slashed right through it. I knew that killed the creature because it made a distinct 'splash' sound effect. I leaped and turned around, bringing my blade down on the other one, killing it off too.
I turned to the last one and ran for it. I threw my keyblade at it, but it side stepped. However, that's what I wanted it to do. As I was close to it, I performed the sliding move I did the other day. Strange, these moves were coming to me naturally. I didn't know why. After getting behind the creature, I finished it off. I stood ready for another wave, but none came. Sighing, I lay on the floor, tired from the fighting.
The keyblade was awesome. It granted me powers I've never dreamed of. And all of the abilities I use seemed second nature. How was that possible? Yet another frustrating question I had to pursue. But first, I had to find a way out of here. A flash of light filled my vision for a moment. The flash seemed to be coming from the right side. Sitting up, I looked to see what the flash was. All I saw was a purple door. It was very fancy looking; it looked like one of those doors you'd see at a Cathedral.
I might not know what was behind there, but it was a step in the right direction for getting outta here. As I stood up, I heard a voice.
"Be careful. Beyond that door lies a completely different world. But don't be afraid."
"Hello! Who said that?"
No response. Don't tell me I'm starting to hear things now. Am I going crazy? I waited for few seconds. Still no answer. I shrugged. I walked to the door, only to hear the voice again.
"Don't stop walking."
I stopped again and looked around. Nobody there. Being alone here probably wasn't good for me. Need to get out of here! I ran for the door and opened it. A blinding light was inside, but I kept moving forward. When the light dimmed, I noticed I was in the same room again. I looked around for another door – not one in sight. I looked over my shoulder to see that the door I came out of was gone. So much for making progress, I thought.
I walked to the center of the room. I didn't like the cold, dead silence one bit. I'd take any sort of noise. Even hearing Pence sing would fill my ears with satisfaction. Someone could go crazy here. Already I was hearing voices. Hang in there! Don't let your sanity slip. Think positively. Unfortunately, paranoia came back with a vengeance; somebody was behind me. I quickly spun around. Someone – no, something was definitely there. It started coming out of the ground. First I saw – I think – four blue tentacles. It was followed by a giant version of the white creatures I faced. This one, however, had a bulky build.
My mouth dropped upon seeing the creature get bigger and bigger. I was nothing more than an insect to this behemoth. Naturally, I ran for my life, but I came to a stop when I reached the ledge. Cornered. I turned to face the creature. Let's be realistic: I'd be crushed like a twig. But I have to fight. At least I had the keyblade as a trump card.
The creature stuck outs its giant hand, and I suddenly couldn't move. Glowing balls of energy were on my wrists and lower legs. The creature lifted his hand, causing me to fly up to his eye level. My arms and legs were completely stretched out. The giant slithered up to me and stared at me for a moment. I struggled to break free, but his magic held me in place. However, I was able to loosen my left arm a little bit. When the monster tried to punch me, I used all of my strength to flip over the attack. As I became right side up, I nailed him on the head with the keyblade, knocking him off the platform.
Unfortunately, he was able to float. He spun around and came right at me like Superman flying. I pushed my body back to avoid getting hit. I was now upside-down. The monster turned around, stretched its arms out and grabbed me. Upon doing so, it pulled its body towards mine. I struggled again, but, of course, there was no way to break the grip. It placed me in its right hand and launched me into the air like a catapult. I started falling right back towards him.
Big mistake.
When I got close enough, I slammed the keyblade over his head. The force from the attack bounced me over him, and I landed on the ground. Quickly turning around, I saw his body slide off the platform. I ran to the edge; he was gone. I looked over my shoulder, thinking he was going to try a sneak attack. Wasn't there. What was he up to? There's no way I beat him already.
Suddenly, I heard a loud rumble, which was accompanied by the platform starting to tilt. My suspicion was correct. The platform started tilting faster. I lunged for the edge, but I missed and slid down. Before I went past the edge, I stabbed the keyblade into the platform. Thankfully it stuck; I was hanging on for dear life. Sweat was pouring down my forehead. Looking down, I saw the monster holding a giant ball of energy over his head. Talk about extreme measures.
There had to be a way to stop that attack. It was impossible to avoid the energy ball. There was only one thing I could do. The monster pushed off of the side of the platform, and I fell off, screaming for my life. The whole room started spinning around, and I noticed that the platform was now below me. The monster prepared to throw the ball. My next move was risky, but there was no other choice. Here goes, I thought.
I threw the keyblade into the energy ball and it promptly exploded, knocking both of us towards the ground. If I hit the ground, it was over. Fortunately, I was falling straight towards the edge. Upon going past the edge, I stuck the keyblade into the side of it and came to a stop. I felt the force of the monster hit the ground, but I held onto the keyblade with all my might. I sighed with relief when the earthquake stopped. I pulled myself up and got back onto the ledge. The keyblade magically reappeared in my hand.
The monster was lying on its stomach, completely dazed. Wasting no time, I attacked the monster's head with a flurry of attacks. It wasn't long before he quickly stood up. Man, for a giant, this creature was fast! The creature spun upside down, all the while swinging its arm at me. I jumped high to avoid getting hit. When the monster stood right side up, it stuck its glove shaped hand at me and fired, I think, thorns. It was hard to tell. I hopped back to avoid two and swung the keyblade to deflect a few more.
"That all ya got!"
The creature leaped into the air and flew towards the ground, preparing to crush me with its head.
"Guess not!" I dove out of the way before his head hit the ground.
The monster, while staying upside down, stretched out its arms and legs; it then stuck its hands and legs into the ground. I had no idea what it was doing. Not going to stand around to find out. As I ran towards the monster, two new creatures appeared in front of me. Describing them was hard. They were little creatures that just had legs and a pelvis.
I easily slashed both away. Turning to my right, two more "waddled" towards me very slowly. Maybe these guys weren't so tough. I slashed through one, but when I turned to face the other one, it turned into a ball and tackled me to the ground.
Okay, they were a little tougher than I thought.
I pushed the little creature off of me and finished it off with a slash. As I hurried towards the monster's head, I dodged and slashed through more of the thorns. At one point, I felt one pierce through my skin. I winced from the pain, but I kept going. Finally, I started attacking the monster's head again. It quickly got to its feet and threw a punch at me. I leaped over it and ran up his arm. Leaping off his arm, I went straight for the head. The creature put the palm side of his other hand to block. The force pushed me back onto the ground, right near his feet. He tried to stomp, but I did a huge leap back to avoid it.
The monster put his hand out and fired four thorns, which wrapped around my arms and legs. I immediately fell to the ground. I stood up and tried to move my limbs, but the thorns were far too strong.
"Didn't…know…you were into…such kinky things…" I said while struggling.
The creature lifted me off the ground and slammed me back into it. My chest felt the full force of that one! Guess he couldn't take a joke. He started to pull me up again, but I used whatever strength I had to stab the keyblade into the ground. I held on for dear life as he attempted to pull me up. Already I felt like my body was going to come apart as easily as celery. I had to wait for the right moment to pull off my next attack. I could tell that his next swing was going to be a hard one. When he lifted his arm up, I released my grip and flew into the air. I threw the keyblade at his face, and it impaled the monster's chin.
As he roared with agony, I landed on the ground and ran right for him. At the last possible minute, I jumped, called the keyblade to my hand, and slashed right down the middle of his chest. The attack caused him to stumble backwards, and he fell off the ledge again. But this time he grabbed onto the ledge and started pulling it down slowly. I ran as far as I could to the other side. Looking over my shoulder, I saw the monster lift its head and fire more thorns at me. As I started sliding towards him, I did what I could to block the thorns with the keyblade. With my feet losing traction, it was hard to concentrate. He started putting more of his body onto the ledge; to the point where I could barely stand up.
An idea hit me. I jumped onto my butt and slid down the platform, pointing the keyblade right at the creature's face.
"Here's keyblade in your eye!"
I stabbed the monster in the face, causing it to roar in pain again. It released its grip and fell off of the edge. The monster's roar echoed as it fell through a bottomless put. I exhaled; for the moment I thought I was safe, but soon I heard the monster's roaring get louder and louder. I looked above; he was falling right towards me. I leaped out of the way, just narrowly avoiding him. I spun around to see the creature vanish in a sea of darkness; and that darkness started to cover the whole area. I tried standing up, but like quicksand, the darkness was pulling me in. Like quicksand, struggling did nothing; it made sink quicker.
I couldn't breathe; the foul taste of darkness was in my mouth. Even my vision was covered by the darkness. All hope seemed lost. This was how it ended for me. Suddenly I felt someone grab my hand, and a powerful light covered the entire area.
* * *
><p>Moments later, I felt my feet touch the ground. As I opened my eyes, I saw that I was in a white room.<p>
Sitting above a ledge was the girl in white, looking at me. I assumed she was the one who saved me. I may not know her, but I was grateful. However, it was back to the matter at hand. So many questions I wanted answered. Would she be the one to tell me what's going on? I had to know!
I started to speak, but the girl hushed me.
"My name is Namine," she said.
Namine. Another name I recognized. But compared to the other characters from my dreams, I could barely remember it – almost like it was fading away from my brain.
"Namine," I said, keeping my voice down. "Thanks for saving me."
Namine hopped off of the ledge and walked towards me.
"You're welcome," she said. "That's what friends do after all."
She smiled at me, and I smiled back. There was something in her eyes that said trustworthy. I felt a bit better knowing that I wasn't alone in this entire mess. Namine lightly giggled.
"Here's keyblade in your eye?"
I rubbed my head. "I thought no one would hear that. I get a bit excited some times. That's between us, okay?"
She giggled again. "Okay. Roxas, I enjoy being with you. I wish we could do it more often."
"Whataya mean?"
She sighed. "I know you have so many questions. Like about the dreams. Or how I know you. I will answer them in due time. But first, there's something I must ask you. Do you remember your true name?"
My true name? Was this a trick question? How exactly do I go about answering that? Obviously there was a deeper meaning, but answering was like taking a test for a class you weren't in: you didn't know what was going on. I thought about her words for a moment; but our conversation was interrupted when an arm grabbed Namine. I gasped upon seeing who grabbed her. It was the hooded man. Which one, I wasn't sure.
"Say no more, Namine," he said with his deep, serious voice.
"But if no one tells him, Roxas will…"
"It's best he doesn't know the truth."
"Hey!" I shouted. "You're that pickpocket! You and your surfer pal have caused so much trouble!"
"You'd best not get involved," the man said. "I don't want things to get rough."
"Don't want things to get rough?" I was beyond furious. "Things HAVE been rough for me because of you! In fact, I bet you're the mastermind behind this whole…whatever it is you're doing. Guess what, buddy? I'm not going to let you walk into my town and ruin my life! I'm putting an end to this now!"
"Roxas, don't!" Namine cried.
I summoned the keyblade and ran at him. The man pushed Namine out of the way. I didn't care that he pushed Namine aside like that. I was too mad to think straight. I hated this guy with a passion. I couldn't wait to shut him up. I held the keyblade in a reverse style, with the blade pointing towards the back. I jumped at him and swung the blade, but he vanished. After I landed, I felt a quick but powerful blow to the back of my head. Soon, I started to lose consciousness. Everything was getting blurry. I could barely maintain balance. I struggled to keep my eyes open, but the damage was done.
As everything went black, I heard Namine say, "I'm sorry, Roxas."
* * *
><p>Consciousness was starting to return. I felt movement in my body, and unfortunately, the first sound I heard was Rai's voice.<p>
"Seifer, strike a pose, y'know?"
I shook my head.
"How's this?" Seifer asked. "I call it: 'Nerds groveling before my awesomeness.'"
I lifted my chest off of the ground.
"Totally perfect, y'know?"
I looked up to see Seifer standing in front of me. His buddies were on the other side. Fuu was taking pictures. Great. As if my day couldn't get any worse.
"How 'bout one more, y'know?"
Seifer laughed. "One more? With more film we could do this all day."
I angrily stood up. Not only was that humiliating, but I was still upset with everything that's been going on.
"What was that for?" I asked in rage.
"Keepsake," Fuu said.
"Those freaks in the white jumpsuits are gone, y'know?"
"Cakewalk."
That's not what I remembered. I took a moment to catch my breath from all the craziness.
After I calmed myself down, I asked Seifer, "What were those things?"
"Outsiders, that's what," Seifer said.
I shook my head. I don't know why asking Seifer was a good idea.
"And if they don't wise up to the rules around here, I might have to take 'disciplinary measures,'" he continued.
"Oh yeah. Seifer's always lookin' after the town, y'know?"
Yeah. About as well as the cops from _Superbad _would. I decided to leave before a fight broke out between me and those idiots. When I turned to leave, I saw Hayner and the others standing at the exit. My body froze; I had completely forgotten about the beach. I was in trouble now. My anger was now replaced with guilt. I didn't want to lose my friends over this. It wasn't my fault. But who'd believe me? I noticed a huff coming out of Hayner's mouth, and he, along with the others, headed for the Usual Spot.
"Wait!" I said. "It's not what you think!"
As I chased after them, I heard Seifer say, "Hey! No chickening out of the tournament tomorrow!"
"We'll be waitin', y'know?"
* * *
><p>I stood outside the Usual Spot, playing out in my head what I was going to say. I hated conflicts; that's why I usually tried to remain quiet. But today there was no escaping. Pence and Olette would probably understand, but Hayner – not as much. And to add insult to injury, I hung out with Seifer, the guy he despised the most.<p>
It was painful to think about. I didn't want to lose Hayner as a friend. He's been like a brother to me. Losing someone so close would just kill me. And if Hayner and I aren't on speaking terms, what'd be the point of coming to the Usual Spot – my second home. Sighing, I opened the curtains, feeling like an actor who was about to make his final performance on stage.
I walked in, noticing that they were sitting down, eating ice cream. It appears that I dragged in uncomfortable silence; not a word was exchanged between us. Pence was the one who ended up breaking the mold.
"Soooo," Pence said. He paused before saying, "You hung out with Seifer's gang today?"
"N-no," I said. "Why would I? You know I can't stand the sight of him."
"True," Pence said.
There was another long silence. I tried to change the subject.
"Oh! How was the beach? Wasn't that today?"
"We didn't go," Olette said. "It wouldn't be the same without you."
"Guys…I'm really sorry…" I said. "I..didn't mean for any of this to happen."
"Roxas…" Olette said softly.
"Hey, I'll make it up to you!" I said energetically. "We can go tomorrow! It'll be on me! I'll get the tickets, and some pretzels…"
Hayner interrupted me. I heard bitterness in his voice. "Can't. I promised I'd be somewhere tomorrow."
I didn't understand what he meant for the first few seconds. Then it hit me: the semi-finals were tomorrow. I winced – nice going, short term memory! You blew it again! I felt like I was punching myself in the stomach. Each hit became harder. Hayner stood up from his seat.
With a bit of spite, he said, "I'm outta here."
We watched in silence as Hayner left the Usual Spot. I tried to go after him, but I felt someone grab my shoulder. I looked behind me to see that it was Pence. He shook his head. There was a sincere look in his eyes. I wanted to go deal with the problem; if I didn't, Hayner would think that I didn't care enough. There was no point in trying tomorrow. However, both Olette and Pence told me to let it go for now. I put my head down and sighed. Things weren't going to get better anytime soon.
* * *
><p>I walked home thinking about the results of my actions. Would he never speak to me again? That would mean no more fun times at the Usual Spot. Would it affect my relationship with Pence and Olette? At the same time, I was thinking about Namine and the other weird things going on. The thoughts were hovering around me like annoying fruit flies. It wouldn't end. When I arrived at Station Heights, I saw K.K. sitting on the rail, his "Usual Spot."<p>
Upon noticing me, he said, "Hey, my main man, Roxas. How're ya doin'?"
"I'm fine," I said sadly.
"Don't sound like you're fine," K.K. said. "And you don't look like it either. Was today a real bummer?"
"You could say that."
"You wanna talk about it? These floppy ears ain't just for show."
I placed my hands in my pockets. "I…really don't want to."
"Roxas, for as long as I've known you, you've always kept things to yourself. That doesn't exactly fly with me. It ain't healthy, especially for a growin' boy."
"It's…complicated. There are so many other things going on. And half of which you wouldn't believe."
"Oh no? Try me."
I dug my hands into my pockets further. "I…don't know."
"That uncomfortable, huh?" K.K. tapped the edge of his guitar. "Okay, here's an idea: why don't you tell me what's going on, little by little. We'll work our way up. You don't have to tell me everything tonight."
I walked over to K.K. and stopped. I took a deep breath; I've never done this before. I didn't know what to expect. K.K. was a humble dog, so I knew he'd understand. I had to push myself. I decided to start with the only realistic problem I could think of: Hayner's grudge towards me. I told K.K. about the beach, running into Seifer's gang, and the promise I made with Hayner.
"I wanted to talk to him right there, but Olette and Pence told me not to. Now he'll think I don't care enough. I'm worried that our friendship is going to end."
K.K. laughed. "You're thinkin' too extreme. Of course Hayner's still your friend. You really think one little incident is going to end it all? Pence and Olette were right to stop you. Hayner needs his space. That way he'll be thinking clearly, and maybe he'll realize that it wasn't a big deal. If he doesn't say something tomorrow, then you bring it up. Don't wait. Act."
"Are you sure that's what I have to do?"
"Absolutely. We all need to blow off steam sometimes. Take it from old K.K.; I've been around town long enough to know how people act."
I smiled. I felt a little better. "Thanks, K.K. I'll give it a shot."
"No problem," K.K. said. "And when you feel ready, come back and we'll talk some more."
I nodded. K.K. then put his paw on my shoulder. I don't know why, but there was a look in his eyes that said, 'I feel bad for you,' or something.
"Please take care of yourself, okay?" K.K. asked.
"Uh, sure thing."
K.K. hopped off of the rail and left for Tram Common. K.K. was right. I had to give Hayner his space. I felt better, but there were still the creatures in white to worry about. Not to mention Namine. I wondered if she was okay.
* * *
><p>RESTORATION AT 48%<p>
* * *
><p>DIZ was doing what he could to hold back his anger. Namine had tried to complicate things by interacting with Roxas. DIZ did not like setbacks in his plans. He was like a neatfreak – if even a minute detail was off, he'd get flustered. The hooded man stood behind him.<p>
"Was that Namine made of data?"
"No," DIZ said. "Namine hijacked the data herself. Look what she's done now! She's totally beyond my control!"
Diz slammed his fist into the side keyboard.
"Calm down," the cloaked man said.
DIZ sighed. "My apologizes. When I began this process, I was expecting no interference."
"We will finish it."
"Yes," DIZ said. "As long as Namine accomplishes her goal we needn't worry about what befalls Roxas."
With that said, the two continued to monitor the computer, hoping to accomplish their goal uninterrupted.
8. Chapter 7
**Day 5**
**Chapter 7: A Struggle between Friends**
The screen faded in the image. Sora was flying towards a bright light. A flicker transitioned to a scene of Sora floating in a library. He reached out his hand towards someone. The scene cut to his point of view, showing the back of the red haired girl (who was much younger looking now). There was a brief flash of the girl looking at the camera, and then the scene changed to Sora running over to the girl, who was lying on the floor unconscious.
The scene changed to Sora trying desperately to hold onto his keyblade, as Riku called it to his hand. Sora, Riku, Yoshi and Luigi were in some blue mountain area, where waterfalls beat gravity senselessly over the head by traveling upwards.
"It's up to me," Riku said. "Only the keyblade master can open the secret door and change the world."
A flash of the girl again – it transitioned to Sora helping the girl up. The scene changed to Riku, who was wearing a dark outfit, firing an energy ball at Sora. A giant egg with green spots intercepted the attack, and after more static, Yoshi jumped right in front of Sora.
In a voice over, Yoshi said, "Yoshi never betray Sora either, because Sora and Yoshi best friends forever!"
Luigi joined Sora and Yoshi.
"All for one and one for all!" Luigi said.
The scene flicked a few times as the keyblade rightfully returned to Sora's hand.
"My friends are my power!" Sora cried; it was said in a voiceover.
The scene changed to Sora shaking the girl, in hopes of waking her up. There was another brief cut of the girl looking at the screen. The scene changed to an adult fox, who wore a space uniform of some kind, talking to Sora.
The fox smiled. "The real winner of this fight was your heart, wasn't it?"
Sora smiled and nodded. The scene changed to a mysterious man wearing a cloak passing through Sora, which caused the boy to fall over. He turned to face the man.
"Ah, it seems you are special, too," the man said.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Sora asked.
The man fired a blue energy ball at Sora. The boy pushed against the attack for as long as he could. Finally, he knocked it into the air, and it exploded moments later. Sora and the man stared each other down.
"Allow me to test your power," the man said.
The scene changed to Riku wearing the dark suit again. This time he had a dark keyblade in his hand. Also, he was speaking with two voices. Sora was on his hands and knees.
"It is I, Ansem." The scene shifted to Riku preparing to strike Sora. "Lead me into everlasting darkness!"
Sora heard the girl's voice shout his name, and he put his keyblade up to block.
"Forget it!" Sora said. "You want Kairi's heart? You gotta take it from me through sheer force!"
Kairi flashed across the screen again. Afterwards, ones and zeroes took over the screen for a moment. The scene shifted to Luigi and Yoshi trying to stop Sora from stabbing himself with the dark keyblade. With a grin – treating the whole situation as no big deal – Sora stabbed himself, freeing Kairi's heart. The red haired girl woke up and tried to catch Sora in her arms. But Sora immediately disappeared.
The scene shifted to Kairi hugging a heartless as others tackled them. Luigi and Yoshi turned around to see a light repel the creatures. Inside of the light, Kairi embraced Sora.
"Kairi," Sora said softly. "Thank you."
The scene shifted to Kairi smiling at the screen, and then it changed to the brown haired man with the leather jacket, and the woman wearing the pink dress.
"We may never meet again," the man said, "but we'll never forget each other."
"No matter where we are, our hearts will bring us together again," the woman said.
The scene changed to Sora and Kairi on a beach. Kairi handed Sora a star shaped pendant.
"Take this. It's my lucky charm," Kairi said, "so don't let anyone have it. And you have to bring it back to me, okay?"
"Don't worry," Sora said. "I will."
Kairi smiled. "Promise."
The scene shifted to Sora sealing a strange glowing heart.
"Don't ever forget. Wherever you go, I'm always with you."
The final scene showed Sora and Kairi leaning in to kiss. Before they could, everything went white.
* * *
><p>Kairi. So that's her name. Those were my first thoughts after opening my eyes. However, my dreams were the least of my problems at this point; reality had become a complete train wreck. I glanced to my right; I don't know why I kept feeling like someone was there. I use to feel safe in this town (and no, it wasn't because of Seifer), but now I was watching over my own shoulder, wondering if someone was after me. Would things ever be normal again?<p>
As I sat up, I remembered the promise Sora and Kairi made; it reminded me of my own promise to Hayner (sans the part where Sora and Kairi were going to kiss).
"Right…. 'Promise'…"
I swung my arm, pretending to use a sword. I was trying to pump myself up for the Struggle, but when your friend is holding a grudge towards you, it's kinda hard to get excited.
I rubbed my head. "What a mess…"
I glanced at my clock. Time to get movin'.
* * *
><p>I headed for Market Street as fast as I could. On the way, I ran into Biggs.<p>
"There you are," he said. "I thought you'd never get here. The Struggle starts in twenty. Good luck out there, man."
I nodded. "Thanks."
I ran down the stairs that led towards the Sandlot. When I got there, it was already set up. Crowds were starting to come in. The vendors from the other day were back, including Baking Mama. She waved to me and I waved back. Making my way through, I kept my eye out for Hayner. I was hoping to patch things up with him. But he was nowhere to be seen. I did see Saki, though.
"Hey, Roxas, good luck!" Saki said.
I waved in responds and continued my hunt for Hayner. Oddly enough, I didn't see K.K.. Maybe he was making some rounds before he came. Eventually, I ran into Pence and Olette.
"Roxas, there you are!" Olette said. "I was just about to call you."
I rubbed my head. "Sorry I'm late. Had trouble sleeping last night. But I'm ready to go."
"Just try not to fall asleep again," Pence said jokingly.
"Say, do you know where Hayner is?" I asked.
"We were talking to him a minute ago," Pence said. "He went off to get ready. Needs to warm up and stuff."
"Oh," I said disappointingly.
"Listen, try not to worry about Hayner right now," Olette said. "When the time comes, you'll get a chance to talk with him."
Pence grinned. "And maybe you'll do it while beating the ever-loving snot out of each other."
I lightly smiled. I felt a bit better from what Pence said. Remembering what K.K. told me, I just had to act.
"Don't get too rough with that blonde punk," a familiar voice said. "You need enough energy if you want to last even a minute with me."
Ah, Seifer and his yes men. Perfect timing.
"That's right," Rai said. "Seifer's going to bring home the gold, y'know?"
"Unbeatable," Fuu added.
"No one is going to get in my way," Seifer said. He turned to Vivi. "Not even this little twerp."
He threw a fake punch at Vivi, who didn't even flinch. And to top it off, he turned and walked away without saying a word. That was so not Vivi, I couldn't even tell you. I was expecting Vivi to run away, screaming like a girl. Even Seifer seemed freaked out by that. Of course, he tried not to show it.
And how does Rai respond to that? "I think he's ignoring you, y'know?"
"Now don't start that again," Seifer said.
"Weird," Fuu said.
"Forget him," Seifer said. "I gotta get ready for my victory speech."
Seifer looked at me.
"I got one especially planned for you," he continued.
"Oh, thanks," I said. "I feel privileged."
"Would all Struggle combatants please report to the sign-in area?" Biggs announced.
"Go get 'em, Roxas," Pence said. "I know you and Hayner can do it!"
"Bring the prize home!" Olette said.
I said good-bye to everyone, and Seifer and I headed over to the sign it desk. That whole thing with Vivi was odd, but it wasn't my problem. Hayner was. After signing in, Biggs sent us to corners of the arena. I saw Hayner when I got there. I wanted to say something, but the producer spoke up first.
"Welcome back, Struggle-fiends of Twilight Town," the producer said. "The other day we had sizzlin' action that was hotter than this summer's day. And coming out of the heat were four tough competitors. Today they're competing for the title match! Who will be the one to break through the ranks and take on our champion, Setzer!"
"Seifer, y'know?"
"And who will leave today as our new Struggle Champion!"
I heard Pence and Olette shout, "Hayner! Roxas!"
The cheers soon turned into fangirls screaming, "Setzerrrrrr!"
Sure enough, Setzer walked on stage, waving to his fans. Resting on his right shoulder was the Championship Belt. I would love to take the title away from that pretentious snob. I had to go through Seifer and Hayner first (there was no way Vivi was going to last five seconds).
"Yes, the crowd is fired up," the producer said, "so you know what comes next: Let's...
"STRUGGLE!" everyone shouted.
Fireworks went off. It was Showtime; and it was not just because of the tournament starting. I turned to Hayner, but before I got a chance to say anything, Biggs spoke up. I turned to see he got on stage as the producer walked off.
"Hey, Struggle-maniacs!" he said. "Whadya say we get down to it, and meet our four finalists?"
The audience cheered wildly. There was no way I could talk to Hayner with this much commotion.
"These four bad boys made it through the preliminaries, proving themselves to be the best of the best," Biggs said. "Regular finalist and head of the Twilight Disciplinary Committee: Seifer! Completely out of nowhere – who'd of thought this little guy would come so far? Vivi! An underground favorite and local attitude problem: Hayner! It's his first trip to the finals!"
I glanced at Hayner again. When he noticed me, he turned his head away. The grudge was swinging long and hard. And it was worse. At least I thought. Then I started to wonder if I should've acted before? Was K.K. wrong? I heard Biggs introduce me as his favorite customer, but I didn't care. The fear of losing a friend drained the excitement out of the tournament. I turned back to Biggs.
"So – who will win this sweltering summer struggle!" he asked. "Who will take home the grand prize?"
He gestured his hands towards the prize – the one I've been dreaming about. It was a giant blue trophy that had four spirals. Resting on the edge of the spirals was four round crystals: red, yellow, blue, and green. That was why we wanted the prize: to share the crystals. And they were real crystals! I bet they were priceless. I had to win them! Had to fulfill my promise!
"The summa cum laude of Struggle- the Four Crystal Trophy! AND...a chance to take on our defending champion, Setzer!"
Setzer took the belt off his shoulder and held it into the air. The audience cheered wildly again.
"Let's not waste any time," Biggs said. "Time to announce the first match!"
He pulled out a piece of paper and read it.
"And this year's semi-finals are going to be insane!" he said. "We got two newcomers going up against two regulars. First up is Roxas vs. Hayner!"
I sighed. So much for going to the finals together. I turned to Olette and Pence. They looked disappointed too. But, hey, it was a slim chance. We wouldn't let that problem get us down.
"The first battle will be in ten minutes," Biggs announced. "Would the competitors head to the tournament bracket for prepping?"
Both Hayner and I went over to get our gear on. During the time, neither one of us said a word to each other. I guess there was still a sense of defeat in me. Would Hayner really listen to my side of the story? The thoughts continued racing through my mind. After getting in our armor, Biggs went over the rules again. Ten minutes later, we both headed for the ring.
We walked side by side, remaining silent. This was not how I pictured us going into the ring. I expected us to laugh and talk smack, but that was nothing more than a fantasy now. As we walked to the middle, the producer met us there, and handed us our Struggle bats. After giving us friendly pats on the shoulder, he left the ring. The moment I turned to Hayner, he pointed his bat right at me. The audience was already getting fired up.
I kept hearing K.K. say, _"Don't wait. Act," _over and over in my head. I had to give it a shot. Taking a deep breath, I spoke up.
"Hey…Sorry about yesterday."
Hayner lowered his bat, and looked at me like I was crazy. "What, you still worried about that? Like I'd ever think you were being buddy-buddy with Seifer. Get real. You need to learn to let that stuff go."
"I've got a lot on my mind."
"Oh," Hayner said.
It was quiet for a few moments.
"Sorry, man," Hayner said.
I shook my head, indicating that it wasn't a big deal (even though it was to me). Silence filled the ring for a few moments.
Hayner then looked up at me, grinning. "Wait, what am I sorry for?"
My spirits were lifted upon hearing that. Finally, a real smile formed on my lips. Hayner did understand after all. K.K was right; I'm glad I did act.
"Well, maybe you should be sorry that you're facing me," I said.
"Dream on, dude," Hayner said. "I don't care what's on your mind. I'll be knocking it all out of your head."
Perhaps some fantasies can come true. Both of us were fired up.
"C'mon," Hayner said. "One of us has a promise to fulfill."
We both looked out to see Olette and Pence smiling at us. I was glad to see that, despite all that's happened, our friendship did not collapse. Turning back to Hayner, both of us got into our battle positions.
"Our first match of today's Struggle tournament will be between Roxas and his best friend Hayner!" Biggs said. "Time to countdown!"
Everyone shouted, "Three….Two…..One! STRUGGLE!"
Both Hayner and I ran right at each other and brought our blades into a lock. Holding our position for a few moments, we circled around the arena, wondering who was going to make the first movie. Finally, we both released our grip and Hayner swung at me. I spun backwards to avoid it. As Hayner tried to bring his blade down, I swung mine up, with both hands on the handle, to knock it back. I brought my blade down on him, but, while he held the tip with his left hand, brought his up to counter.
Hayner pushed me to the right, and I stumbled in that direction. I quickly turned around, held the handle with my left hand, and swung across to knock his attack back. I then grabbed the handle with both hands and swung the other way; Hayner swung his blade in to block. I tried to thrust, and Hayner intercepted it by bringing his blade straight up (the tip was facing the floor). He brought his up and over, and swung the blade down. I leaped back to avoid the attack. I ran at him and tried to attack. He tilted his blade slightly to block my attack. When I tried to go for the other side of his body, he simply twisted his elbow right, which forced his blade to move into the path of mine's.
I did another thrust, but Hayner moved out of the way. I spun around and brought my blade in diagonally (my left hand held the tip of the blade) and caught an incoming attack. I used all of my weight to push Hayner back. We both stood in our positions, regaining our composure. The crowd went wild.
"Incredible!" Biggs cried. "We're only thirty seconds in, and both competitors are evenly matched! They haven't even lost an orb yet! However, the tides of battle can change at any moment!"
When you end up facing someone you've been training with, you knew it wouldn't be easy. Hayner and I knew each other's moves all too well.
"Not bad, Roxas," Hayner said. "But Biggs is right: this battle is about to be in my favor."
"What? He didn't say—"
Hayner leaped into the air and swung his blade down at me. I did a one handed back flip to dodge it. As I stood up, we both brought our blades in to clash, and then we brought them down to clash. I swung right at Hayner's chest, but he moved it right to dodge it. Then he swung his blade up towards my chest, but I moved back. As he brought his blade straight down, I swung my blade in low and hit him in the stomach. I quickly removed it and swung across his chest, knocking him over, as well as knocking some orbs off of him.
I started collecting some of the orbs, but I made the mistake of getting them too close to Hayner. He sat up and stabbed me right in the stomach, knocking me back. He quickly got to his feet and placed the blade on my shoulder. He pulled the blade straight back and knocked orbs off of me. He tried to go for the other shoulder, but I moved out of the way. Hayner and I grabbed as many orbs as we could. At one point I tried to grab a couple, but Hayner swung his blade between the orbs and I. I turned around and swung my blade to stop Hayner from grabbing them. I turned back, bent over and grabbed the orbs. After grabbing them, I turned to face Hayner, blocking another attack.
I pushed him back and stood up. I twisted backwards to dodge his next attack. When I tried to counter with a thrust, he leaned back with his stomach, knocked my blade down, and then swung across my chest; more orbs came off. Actually, a lot came off this time. I quickly retaliated and knocked a good amount off of him.
"Thirty seconds are left!" Biggs said.
We scrambled to get the orbs. During the time, we crossed paths and swung our blades at each other. We collected all but three of the orbs. And they were right behind me.
The audience counted down, "Ten..nine..eight…seven…"
I ran after the orbs, with Hayner not far behind.
"Six….five…
Only one thing to do. I rolled onto the floor.
"Four…three…"
I grabbed the orbs.
"Two!"
I turned to face Hayner, and both of us thrust at each other
"One!"
A bell went off, ending the match. The tips of our blades lightly tapped an orb on our chest. I noticed a serious look on Hayner's face. Both of us were panting from the workout we got. Suddenly, the seriousness on Hayner's face turned into a smile. I did the same. Out of nowhere, at the exact same time, we started laughing. We lay on the floor, with our arms and legs spread out, still laughing; while the audience cheered.
What else was there to say? Having a good time with your friend through laughter; that's how it was meant to be.
* * *
><p>Biggs came on stage and removed the orbs on Hayner, counting each one. After, he took off my orbs. There was a long pause. Ahhh! The suspense was killing me! Finally, Biggs grabbed my wrist. I instantly knew where this was going.<p>
"And the winner is Roxas!" Biggs announced.
The audience went wild. It was a good feeling. One I rarely experienced. I saw my friends in the audience celebrating by jumping up and down, shouting my name. I waved to the audience.
"Not even friendship will slow this kid down," Biggs said. "And Hayner put up a great fight, too. It was a close race. Hayner was only off by a few orbs!"
Hayner clutched his head. "Aw, man! I can't believe it!"
I turned to Hayner. He looked at me with a smirk.
"I guess I taught you well," Hayner said.
"I had a lot of fun fighting you."
Hayner smiled, but soon it was followed by a frown. He turned away from me and crossed his arms.
"Yeah, well I didn't, wise guy."
I put my hand on his shoulder. "Hey, grumps, why don't we find some way to cheer you up?"
Hayner threw fake punches at me. "Nah, that's all right. I'm already plotting my revenge for next year."
I caught one of his punches. "Whatever you say, bro."
Both of us walked off stage, talking and laughing the entire time. I'm glad things were back to normal. After removing our gear, we went to meet up with our friends. On the way, Hayner almost walked into Seifer, who was all set for his match.
"Outta the way," Seifer said.
"You in a rush to lose?" Hayner asked.
Seifer remained silent. No smarmy comeback, no nothing. He was focused. I've never seen that side of Seifer before. He was staring off at something. I looked to see that it was Vivi, who had just finished putting on his gear. Suddenly, Vivi looked at me, staring intently at me. Why? I have no clue. I could've sworn I heard him giggle at me strangely. Okay, Vivi was not acting like himself.
Both of us left the arena, and we met up with our friends. Even Saki was there.
"You two were awesome," Saki said. "I'm sure Seifer's going to have his work cut out for him when he faces you, Roxas."
"How are you so sure Seifer will be in the finals?" Olette asked.
"Look, I'm not trying to diss Vivi or anything," Saki said, "but the little guy clearly needs to work on his fighting skills. As well as his confidence."
Pence nodded in agreement. "Yeah. He only won his match by accident."
"I know," some guy next to Pence said. "And I caught the whole thing on my phone. I'm gonna edit that clip for the internet. I think I'll call it: 'Vivi falls over while I play unfitting music.'"
I rolled my eyes. Sometimes people do the silliest things.
"Hey, you never know," Olette said. "There might be a chance."
"I agree with Olette," I said.
Hayner looked at me like I was crazy. "Why?"
"There's…something odd about Vivi today," I said.
"Today? Don't you mean every day?" Hayner asked.
Olette elbowed him in the stomach.
"Kidding!" Hayner said defensively.
I turned back to the stage to see Seifer and Vivi walking onto it. The producer handed them their swords.
"I can't put my finger on it," I said, "but something tells me Vivi isn't going down without a fight."
Vivi was staring at me again. It was starting to get creepy. Did he have a problem with me? For as long as I've known him, Vivi and I have never exchanged words. So why the sudden stares? Maybe he was trying to intimidate me.
It was working.
Seifer finally called out to Vivi, who turned to face him. Never thought I'd be grateful to Seifer.
"Don't mess with your elders," Seifer said.
"Whoa, just look at those sparks fly!" Biggs said. "I guess Seifer didn't expect to fight one of his own boys!"
"Seifer! Clean his closet out, y'know!"
"Clean his clock," Fuu corrected him.
"Whatever," Rai said. "Clean out somethin', y'know!"
"Idiot," Fuu said.
"Let's get this match underway!" Biggs said.
"3…2…1…STRUGGLE!"
Vivi and Seifer didn't move a muscle. I guess they were figuring out how to approach their enemy. Already tension was starting to build; especially with me. At this point I wouldn't mind fighting Seifer. I've faced him before, after all; I knew how he fought. With Vivi, I didn't know what to expect. I felt a hand touch my shoulder, and I turned to see Pence smiling at me.
"Relax," Pence said. "Vivi's probably really nervous. He's never been in front of a huge crowd before."
Seifer smirked. "Well, what are you waiting for? Afraid you're going to humiliate yourself again? Don't worry. I promise not to make this match as embarrassing."
Vivi lowered his head for a moment. Perhaps he was going to cry. Poor little guy couldn't handle the pressure. Suddenly, Vivi dashed right at Seifer, swinging violently at him. Seifer leaped back to avoid the attack, but Vivi pursued him. Seifer found himself running away from Vivi. No matter what he did, Vivi wouldn't let the guy catch a break. Vivi was attacking violently, not giving Seifer one chance to land a hit. My draw dropped. I glanced to see everyone else in shock. Half of the audience murmured to each other; I don't think THEY knew how to react.
"Wow. I was WAY off with that theory," Pence said.
"No kiddin'," Hayner said. "Since when did Vivi get so tough?"
I shrugged in response. Vivi's movements – I recognized them from somewhere. I just couldn't put my finger on. They were quick, but there was something…unstable about them. He kept moving from side to side. I know I've seen them before. Vivi continued his violent assault on Seifer. All Seifer could do was defend himself. Finally, Seifer pushed one of Vivi's attacks back, and swung at Vivi. The force from the attack knocked the little guy back. A few orbs fell as a result.
With a grin, Seifer dashed for the orbs. "You're mine!"
It seemed things were finally going Seifer's way. Until, completely out of nowhere, Vivi slid right in front of Seifer, spun into the air, and delivered a powerful strike. That attack was so fast; I barely saw what happened. Seifer went flying out of the ring, landing on the cushioning. The entire audience gasped in response, which was followed by even more murmuring.
Despite landing on cushioning, that was a pretty rough hit. In fact, as Seifer tried to sit up, I heard him grunting in pain. Vivi left the arena without saying a word.
"Seifer!" Fuu and Rai cried out.
"I-I'm not sure what just happened," Biggs said in utter confusion. "Uh….but…Seifer landed outside the ring. So the winner of the match is Vivi Orunitia! In a positively blistering comeback!"
The audience cheered, possibly out of respect. I could tell they were just as confused as we were. I realized at that moment why Vivi's moves were so familiar – he moved exactly like the guys in white. Was Vivi one of them? I didn't question it now. It looked like Seifer was in bad shape. And no one was helping him. I don't know what went off inside of my head, but I soon found myself running towards Seifer.
"Roxas! What are you doing!" Hayner asked.
I didn't reply. I kept running, thinking about Seifer's well being. Was I really doing this? Seifer always picked on us, and here I was, coming to his aid. I got onto the cushioning and helped Seifer get up.
"You alright?" I asked.
"Why…why are you helping me?" Seifer asked.
"Why not?"
Seifer chuckled. "Ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer."
I helped Seifer onto his feet.
"Do you need a doctor or anything?" I asked.
"I'm fine," Seifer said. "I don't need any advice from you."
Stubborn as always. Fuu and Rai hurried over to us.
"Hey, you," Rai said to me. "Hands off! Seifer doesn't like anyone in his personal space, y'know?"
"It's fine," Seifer said. "Just get me home. I'll sleep this off."
I helped Seifer over to Fuu and Rai. They took him off of me, and both supported him.
"We're going to make Vivi pay for what he did, y'know?"
"That's not Vivi," Seifer said.
Maybe Seifer was smarter than I thought. After all, he knew Vivi better than I did. There was no way Vivi would act so out of character. Even if he had a bad day, Vivi would not get violent.
"What are you talkin' about, y'know?"
"Less talking, more walking," Seifer said.
"Got it," Fuu said.
The three turned away, and they started to leave.
"Roxas," Seifer said.
I was startled; Seifer never addressed me by name before. The three of them stopped for a moment, and Seifer looked over his shoulder to see me.
"Thrash 'im," he said.
Seifer and his gang left without saying another word. Seifer had never asked me to do anything before. Was it because I helped him out? Either way, I now had another promise to fulfill. I didn't know if I was ready for this. But if Vivi really fought like the guys in white, I might stand a chance, considering I sort of knew how they fought.
Everyone ran up to me. I noticed an upset look on Hayner's face. He wasn't too happy about what I did.
"What was that all about?" Hayner asked. "Why did you help Seifer like that?"
"Because he could've been seriously hurt," I said.
"After all the times he bullied us, you just walk right up there and give him a hand?"
"I don't know why I did it. Maybe I'm just too nice of a guy. I couldn't stand there and see Seifer like that. It's…something I had to do. It doesn't change anything between us."
Hayner started to open his mouth, but he stopped for a moment. He seemed to be thinking about what I said.
"I guess you have your reasons," Hayner said. "Seifer was in pretty bad shape."
"Shouldn't he be disqualified for injuring Seifer like that?" Pence asked.
"I dunno," Hayner said. "Let's ask the producer."
We went over to the producer and explained the situation to him.
"It's hard to tell if Vivi meant to inflict bodily harm on Seifer," the producer said. "The little guy may have gotten too excited in the moment. Don't worry; we've given him a warning. If it happens again, we'll assume that he's doing in on purpose, and therefore he will be disqualified."
Hayner sighed in disappointment. "Dang it! I was hopin' we'd get that trophy without a sweat."
"I'll just have to win it, then," I said.
"Oh! Hayner," the producer said. "I wanted to let you know that Seifer's withdrawn from the Struggle for third place."
Hayner's face lit up. At least there was some good news.
"So I'm in third now?" Hayner pumped his fist. "Aw, baby!"
While Hayner held his fist in the air, Pence leaned in and said, "Eh, third's not THAT big of a deal."
"Let me enjoy the moment," Hayner said through his teeth. He said it in a threatening way.
"Roxas, you need to get ready," the producer said. "Your match is in five minutes."
I nodded, and the producer left. Olette turned to me with a worried look on her face.
"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" Olette asked me. "What if Vivi—"
"Relax. I'll be fine," I said. "I didn't come all this way just to quit. I'm winning that trophy for us no matter what!"
"That's the spirit!" Saki said. "Don't let Vivi scare you!"
"You're a way better fighter than Seifer," Pence said. "You can take him."
Olette smiled. "Okay. Go get 'em."
Hayner grinned and stuck his arm out to me.
"Remember, man: focus!" Hayner said.
I smiled in response and put my arm against his. I looked around to see that I was blessed with such amazing friends. To be honest, I was intimated by Vivi, but when you have friends out there cheering you on, you never felt alone. 'My friends are my power.' That's something Sora taught me. Corny, I know, but I had to think positive thoughts and hope for the best.
I said good-bye to my friends and headed over to get suited up. On the way, I looked across the arena. I could've sworn I saw Vivi over there, staring at me again.
9. Chapter 8
** Day 5**
**Chapter 8: A New Challenger Approaches **
After getting my gear on, I headed into the ring with Vivi – neither of us exchanged a word. I started to sweat, not just because of partaking in the finals. It was because of Vivi; I didn't know what to expect from him. However, I looked out into the crowd to see my fan club giving me moral support through their cheers. I smiled at them as I stopped at the center of the arena.
The producer came on stage and handed us our swords.
"Keep it clean, fellas," the producer said (am I crazy, or did the producer sound exactly like Goofy?)
I turned my attention to Vivi. He was still staring at me, cold and emotionless.
I tried to make the mood lively by saying, "Good luck, dude."
No response from Vivi. Whatever. I'm going to win. That's the mindset I needed to have. I got into my battle position.
"And now," Biggs said, "the match you've all been waiting for: Roxas vs Vivi! Who'd have thought that two newbies would make it to the finals! I have a feeling that this is going to be the most memorable match in Struggle history! Let's count down!"
I tightened my grip on the handle of the sword. This is it. You can do it.
"3….2….1….STRUGGLE!"
Vivi and I ran at each other and swung past one another. When I turned around, I swung my blade in to deflect one of Vivi's attacks. I tried to thrust at him; he shifted his body left and pointed his blade up to block it. After he pushed my attack away, he thrust right for my foot; I lifted it up to avoid the blade. I brought my blade down, but, while holding each edge of the blade, Vivi brought his blade up to block. Instead of holding the position, I pulled my blade away.
Vivi tried to hit my chest, but I brought my blade in at an angle to block it (my left hand was holding the tip). I used all of the strength in my left arm to push Vivi to the side. Vivi stumbled forward, but caught himself by rolling onto the ground. As he got back up, I ran right for him. When I tried to attack, he defied the laws of physics and did a back flip right over my head.
I couldn't believe my eyes. I didn't want to believe it. I turned around, but Vivi smacked me really hard with his blade, knocking me back a few feet. I landed on the ground. My back felt the full force of that one. I sat up, still feeling the soreness. Looking up, I saw Vivi running at me with his blade held high. He brought it down towards my legs, but I spread my legs out, letting the attack miss. I leaned forward with my blade and forced Vivi back.
I rolled away from Vivi and got to my feet. I noticed that Vivi wasn't collecting my orbs. He seemed more interest in me. I had a feeling that a lot more was at stake than just the trophy. I ran at Vivi and swung at him again. This time he did a side flip to dodge. When I turned to face him, he spun his body into the air and swung his sword at me like he was a saw.
I leaned back to avoid it. How did he do that? That wasn't physically possible. After Vivi landed, I swung at him again, but he leaped back, landing right at the edge of the ring. Now was my chance! I thrust at his chest, but Vivi did another side flip. Now I was at the edge. Should've seen that coming. Vivi leaped into the air and brought his blade down. All I could do was put mine up to block. Somehow he held that position while in the air. He pushed back, did a back flip, and landed on the ground, swinging right at my feet. I leaped to avoid the attack.
I rolled to my left and ran back to the middle of the ring. I turned around to see Vivi was in hot pursuit. I wasn't giving up. Vivi slid across the floor like it was made of grease or something and stabbed at my stomach. I swung my blade upward to knock his blade back. I quickly countered by hitting Vivi over the head with my blade, stunning him for a moment. Next, I tripped the back of his feet, and he landed on his back. I got onto my knees and brought my blade down. Unfortunately, Vivi put his blade up to block.
Both of us were in an intense lock. I didn't care about the orbs at this point; beating Vivi the old fashioned way was all I cared about. Vivi pushed me back and knocked me onto my back. Vivi tried to attack, but I rolled out of the way and got onto one knee. We both swung our blades at each other. When we brought them back the other way, we entered another blade lock. This time I applied extra pressure by pressing my free hand against the blade part.
I couldn't budge Vivi, and he couldn't budge me. We were at a stalemate. What do I do? Vivi's moves were superhuman. Although I was faring much better than Seifer, who knew what other tricks Vivi had up his sleeve. There was only one option. I had to call Vivi out. I started to think about the consequences that could occur if I did that, but then I heard K.K.'s voice in my head.
"_Don't wait. Act." _
"Why don't you cut the act?" I said. "I know you're not Vivi."
Vivi's eyes widened upon hearing that. I think he knew I was on to him.
I was still struggling. "Vivi….doesn't fight…this good."
We both released our grip from each other. I rolled back and got to my feet. Vivi started doing side flips all around me. He was moving way too fast.
"Wow! What a crazy maneuver!" Biggs said. "Vivi is really on a roll today! What will Roxas do now?"
I followed Vivi's movements, trying to look for some kind of opening. The whole time he flipped around the arena, he giggled, mocking me. My patience was growing thin.
"Stop fooling around and fight already!" I shouted.
Fed up, I tried to attack Vivi, but he flipped right to avoid. He prepared to bring his sword down on me. I had no time to dodge. Suddenly, I felt myself performing the same move I used on the thief. I slid behind Vivi and slashed him in the back, knocking him over. I could hear the audience murmuring.
"I-I…can't even follow this," Biggs said. "What sort of vitamins do these boys take?"
I have no idea how I did that. The move almost felt second nature to me, like how I'm able to use the keyblade efficiently without any training (boy, would the keyblade come in handy right now). Vivi stood up and turned to face me. He didn't look too happy. I was panting. I've never been in such an intense battle. It was starting to take its toll on me. I had to hang in there for as long as I could.
"You're pretty good," I said. "But I've had enough of your little games! Tell me who you really are!"
Vivi said nothing. I was starting to get annoyed.
"Alright, have it your way!" I said. "I'm ending this right now!"
I ran right for Vivi; I held my blade over my shoulders. Vivi remained perfectly still. He had to be up to something. I didn't care; I'll take my chances. I was about to bring the blade down when some "thing" stopped me dead in my tracks. There was a tingling sensation crawling through my body. When it stopped, I saw that the audience wasn't moving. I looked around; everyone was frozen again.
No, no, no, this can't be happening. Why was this happening? Did Namine do this? I looked around. She was nowhere in sight. I looked back at Vivi. He was the only one still moving. Put two and two together.
"Wh-what did you do?"
Vivi said nothing for a moment. Then, I heard the most terrifying cackle ever uttered by a person. It was a high pitched laugh that sounded like it came from the worse part of my nightmares. Vivi was glowing brightly. Soon, a ball of white light completely engulfed him. I gripped the handle of my sword again. The ball of light soon stretched in size; it became an oval. The light dimmed, and out of it came one of the guy's in white. I should've known.
"Again?"
I heard something behind me. I looked over to see two more of them. Wonderful. I was surrounded. I noticed a glow coming from below, and I felt a tingle in my hand. Looking down, I saw the struggle sword get replaced with the keyblade. This was getting annoying. It was like an endless loop of déjà vu. I had no way of getting out. Fighting for my life was not how I wanted to spend the last few days of summer vacation.
I looked at the keyblade. "Again…"
I looked to my right to see one of the creatures swiping at me. I ducked underneath his attack. The one in front of me swung his claw, but I knocked him aside with the keyblade. Turning to my left, I swung horizontally at the other one, who put his arms across his face to block the attack. Fortunately, the attack was powerful enough to knock him back. The other two tried to attack me together, but I swung my blade across to force them back.
I tried to hit them, but they kept dodging my attacks. My anger was like a time bomb; any moment it was going to go off. Both of the creatures tried to swipe at me, but I leaped back. I was preparing my next move when I felt someone push me forward. I had forgotten about the third one. As I stumbled forward, the other two ran by me, slashing each shoulder. I shouted from the intense pain. It felt like two giant kitchen knives flew right by me. I had to hug myself in order to get my hands on each shoulder, hoping to lessen the pain.
I looked over to see the three moving back and forth, as if they were ready to make their next move. The pain was bothering me; I didn't know if I had any juice left. No, don't think negatively. That'll make it worse. Instead, I kept thinking of Hayner telling me to "focus" over and over again. That was the confidence boost I needed.
I got to my feet and pointed my keyblade at them. "I'm not done yet!"
I threw my keyblade at all three of them, and they scattered off into different directions of the arena. I had to isolate them from each other. I ran towards the one on the left. After summoning the keyblade back to my hand, I swung right at his head. He tilted his head to dodge, and I went past him. When I turned around, I brought the blade in from below to block his right claw. I slightly leaned back and pointed my blade towards the sky to block his left claw. I pushed him back, and I brought the keyblade over my head with both hands, making it look like I was about to bring it down.
The creature prepared to block, but I released my left hand and swung my blade across his chest. I swung it back the other way, slashing across his chest again. I finished the job by thrusting the keyblade right into his chest, causing it to vanish. The second came right at me. Like a baseball player punting a ball, I rammed the keyblade into its stomach. I grabbed the creature and threw it over my shoulder. When it landed, I ran over and stomped on its stomach, so that it wouldn't run away. I stabbed it right in the chest, defeating it.
I turned around to face the last one. He too charged right for me. Thinking quickly, I grabbed a couple of orbs off of my vest. When it was close enough, I threw them right into its mouth. The creature stumbled back, chocking as a result. I slashed right down the middle, finishing it off.
I leaned over. I had to catch my breath. Two battles and no breaks. It was too much. I wanted to go lie down for a little while, but I had a feeling it wasn't over yet. Looking up, I didn't see any more of the guys in white. But I did see that everyone was still frozen. Now what? I thought defeating them would've done the trick. Guess I was being too optimistic.
"Hello! Namine! Are you out there? Please help!"
No response. Alone again. Well, until I heard clapping. I spun around to see another cloaked man standing there, giving me a round of applause. What did these guys want with me?"
"Roxas," he said. There was a laid back tone in his voice. "Alright."
He slowly approached me. I kept the keyblade close.
"Fight, fight, fight. I always knew you'd go the distance."
The man stopped for a moment, as if he was waiting for me to respond.
"You really don't remember? It's me."
He removed his hood. Wow. Did this guy have a crazy hair style – spiky red hair that made a hedgehog's quills look soft and cuddly.
"You know, Axel," he said.
Did I know this guy? Am I missing something here? I think I'd remember someone like him, but I was drawing nothing.
"Axel?"
"C'mon," Axel said. "We'd play pranks on each other. You constantly make fire puns to annoy the ever loving crap outta me. I say 'Got it memorized?' all the time. Anything? No?"
I said nothing. This guy was talking nonsense. He put his hands in his pockets, looked at the sky and exhaled.
"Talk about blank with a capital 'B.'" He looked back at me and shook his head. "Man oh man, even the Dusks aren't gonna crack this one."
Axel placed his hands at each side and summoned two giant, round, red weapons with strange marks. Hey, I only fought with swords. And now a giant key. I'm not a weapons expert.
"Wait a sec," I said. "Tell me what's going on."
Axel looked around the area. "This town is his creation, right? Which means we don't have time for a Q and A. You're coming with me, conscience or not. Then you'll hear the story."
Axel got his two weapons ready. I didn't know if could go another round. I had a feeling Axel was going to be a bigger threat than the guys in white. I slowly backed up, preparing to make a run for it. Unfortunately, when I got to the edge, I felt my back hit a wall. What was that? A barrier? How was I going to get out of this one? I then noticed a strange presence float throughout the area.
Axel seemed to know what it was. "Uh-oh."
I had reached my breaking point. I felt like the person in the back of a crowd; everyone knew could see what was going on but me. And to top it off, no one would tell me afterwards about what happened. It was frustrating to not understand. As that cloaked guy from my dreams said, "One who knows nothing can understand nothing." Maybe I was thinking too literally, but I didn't care at this point. I was fed up with everything.
I slammed my keyblade onto the ground, shouting, "What's going ON!"
The keyblade immediately returned to my hand.
"Number 13," Axel said. "Roxas. The keyblade's chosen one!"
I glanced at my keyblade. I guess Sora wasn't the only one chosen to wield it. Still, Axel's comment didn't answer any questions. I know I keep referring to this, but I once again used K.K.'s advice. If no one was going to willingly give me an answer, I'd have to force it out of them.
"Okay, fine." I got into my battle position. "You asked for!"
My new found confidence somehow reenergized my body. It wasn't tired or sore anymore. I was ready to duke it out.
Axel grinned. "Yeah! That's what I'm talking about. Let's get this party STARTED!"
Axel threw his weapons, and they rolled along the ground. As they rolled, they left a trail of fire behind, and that trail was way bigger than me. I didn't have time to react. Both rolled right by me, leaving me stuck between walls of fire.
"Nowhere to run!" Axel said.
Axel came at me and started throwing punches and kicks. I did my best to block, but his attacks were swift and fierce. He kneed me in the stomach, causing me to lean over. He grabbed me by the hair and pulled me up. He delivered an uppercut to my jaw, which was powerful enough to send me flying across the arena. I landed on my back. I quickly sat up and noticed the walls were gone. Axel also had his weapons back.
"Am I ringing any bells yet?" Axel asked.
I got to my feet. "No. But I'm going to make bells ring in your HEAD!"
"Go ahead and try it, tough guy!"
I ran at Axel and brought my blade straight down. Axel twirled around, countering with both weapons. The first attack blocked mine, and the second one knock the keyblade back. Upon turning around, Axel placed his fingers in the holes located near the end of his weapon, and he swung it in low towards my legs. I hopped back to avoid it. I swung the blade right across him, but he punched with his right weapon to block. I tried swinging it the other way, but he did the same thing with his left. I spun around, and when I faced him again, he threw a double punch at me. I brought my blade straight (the tip was facing up) and blocked with the handle.
I released my grip and tried to stab his chest. He brought both weapons inward and caught the blade. He then pushed it straight down and elbowed me in the face. As I turned around from the hit, I felt something scorch my back. I screamed from the burning pain. I angrily spun around to see Axel smirking at me.
"Hey, are you done sucking yet?" Axel asked. "It's getting boring."
I ran for Axel again. He snapped his finger and a giant flame covered him. I leaped back a good distance. When he brought the flame down, he threw one of his weapons at me (which was covered in fire, by the way). I did a cartwheel to dodge it. When I looked back at Axel, I saw him slam his other weapon into the ground. Immediately, my feet started to get warm. Common sense kicked me in the pants, and I leaped back, avoiding the rising torrent of fire.
Axel got his other weapon back, and he slammed both of them into the ground. I found myself running away from and dodging fire that came out of the ground. Eventually, I got over to Axel and started pounding away with the keyblade. Again, he blocked all of my attacks. At one point I tried to bring my blade down, but he stepped back, turned his weapons sideways and brought them inward. I ducked underneath them. Axel brought both of his arms down and prepared to open them right in front of my chest. I leaped back to dodge it.
Axel came at me and swung his weapon upward. After turning completely around, he threw his opposite weapon right at my left leg, landing a direct hit; I shouted as I felt the pointy edge pierce my skin. I kneeled over and tended to the wound. The weapon also bounced off of my leg, returning to Axel's hand. Axel kicked my chest with the heel of his foot, knocking me onto the ground.
I tried sitting up. The pain was getting in the way of my concentration again. Axel crossed his arms, smirking.
"Giving up already? C'mon, Roxas. I thought you were stronger than that."
Axel tried to hit me with his weapon, but I rolled out of the way, and kept rolling until I was far from him. I sat up and threw the keyblade at him. I quickly got to my feet and ran right at him.
"What the—!"
I saw Axel bring up one of his weapons to block, but the keyblade hit his wrist, knocking it out of his hand. I tried to grab him with my hands, but Axel put his other weapon up. I grabbed onto it, and I struggled not to lose my grip. We both spun around as Axel attempted to loosen my grip. At one point he briefly lowered his weapon and swung his arm at me. I ducked.
"Let go!"
"Not until you tell me what's going on!"
"Dream on!"
Using all of my strength, I rammed Axel right into the invisible wall. He pushed back and pulled right, trying to spin me around. I ran onto the invisible wall, running all the way around until Axel pulled me off. We both were locked in our positions again. I pushed his weapon down and rammed my head right into his. He reeled back from the force of my attack. I followed up with a round house kick, which knocked him right onto the floor. I summoned the keyblade again and brought it down while he was defenseless. He vanished in a cloud of smoke. Dang! So close!
I scanned the area for him, staying alert every step of the way. Where was he? There was no way I beat him that easily.
"Behind you!" Axel shouted.
I turned to see Axel standing right in front of me. I delivered an upward swing, but he leaped back, and flew into the air. Flames started to form around Axel's weapons, and he threw both of them at me. I stuck the keyblade out horizontally to block them. They continued to spin against the keyblade. Eventually, they exploded, knocking me back. I landed on the ground. I didn't know how much more abuse I could take. No matter what I did, Axel was one step ahead of me.
I scrambled to my feet and held my position.
"Geeze, kid," Axel said. "Sora beat me twice, so this should be easy for you. I think all this time in Twilight Town has made you soft."
I was about to say something when I realized Axel mentioned Sora. He knew Sora! That means the dreams were real. Axel noticed I was surprised, and he playfully put his hand up to his mouth.
"Oops," Axel said. "Did I let my mouth run again? I'm not exactly spoiler sensitive."
"Tell me," I said, "what do you know about him?"
"Oh, I know little tidbits," Axel said. "But I'm not the type to give out information for free. Beat me, and maybe I'll share a few secrets."
I sighed. Given how well I've fared against him, there was a small chance for success. But I wasn't going to give up.
"Too bad I'm ending this right now!" Axel said.
I braced myself as Axel started glowing bright orange. Hoo boy; this might be a doozy. Suddenly, a bunch of odd computer symbols appeared between us. The symbols transformed into some man. He wore red bandages on his face, hiding his identity. Who was he? Better yet, whose side was he on? I noticed Axel's attack dying down. He frowned at the strange man.
"So it was you," Axel said.
Axel threw both of his weapons right at the man. The man looked at Axel, and some shield protected him from the attacks. The man turned his attention to me.
"Roxas, this man speaks nonsense!" he said.
"Roxas, don't let him deceive you!"
I was so confused right now. What were they trying to tell me? They kept shouting my name over and over again. This was overwhelming. I didn't know what was going on, and now I feel like they were forcing me to make some kind of choice. The stress was getting to me. Big time! I closed my eyes, hoping it was a dream, and that I would wake up. Their voices became louder and louder. Soon, the voices sounded distorted, as if they too were from the darkest parts of my nightmares.
I covered my ears, trying to channel them out. It wasn't working. They were inside my head, gnawing away at my brain! Make it stop, please! I want to go home! I want my friends! It hurts!
"Hayner….Pence….Olette…"
I shouted with my eyes closed. "HAYNER! PENCE! OLETTE!"
I heard the cheers of the audience. Opening my eyes, I saw that everyone was moving again. I looked to see Vivi was on the floor, lying on his stomach. I looked at my hand to notice the keyblade was replaced with the Struggle sword. I sighed, extremely relieved. But it wasn't safe to assume everything was okay. Nothing got resolved.
"What? What just happened?" Biggs asked.
The producer walked on stage and examined Vivi.
The producer raised his arm. "Vivi hardly has any orbs on!"
The audience roared with cheers and applause. I won the match, but was too shaken up from everything that happened to care. I noticed Vivi slowly get to his feet. He looked around in confusion.
"…Huh? How did I get here?" Vivi asked himself.
Vivi left the arena, and I saw my friends run on stage; they were overjoyed.
"Roxas!" Olette shouted.
My friends came over to congratulate me. Hayner even patted me on the back.
"Ladies and gentlemen, Roxas— our new top struggler!" Biggs announced.
Seeing all of my friends now felt overwhelming. I was so tired. I started to collapse, but Hayner and Pence were quick to catch me.
"Roxas, are you okay?" Hayner asked. "What happened out there?"
I turned to Hayner with a faint smile. "Nothing. I'm fine. Just…relieved."
10. Chapter 9
**Day 5**
**Chapter 9: Going the Distance**
Everything didn't matter to me. I was almost completely zoned out. The only thing I heard was Biggs announcing a half hour intermission before the championship match. That was a pretty frightening experience; anyone would be shaken up by it. My brain was clogged up with thoughts. So many questions – one of them was: would life ever be the same? Would I spend the rest of my life on the run? Hayner and Pence helped me over to a bench, and I sat there in silence. Obviously everyone was worried sick.
About a few minutes later, Olette broke the silence. "Roxas, what's wrong? You won the prize for us. This isn't like you."
No one would believe me. I know K.K. told me to give it a try, but I didn't want my friends to look at me differently. Would they really understand? Or like my emotions, would they just smile and nod, secretly thinking I was nutjob?
"I'm really tired," I said. "Vivi took a lot out of me."
"I'll fetch you some water," Pence said.
"Fetch!" a familiar voice said excitedly.
K.K. ran up to us and stuck his tongue out as if waiting for someone to throw him a Frisbee.
"Throw it! Throw it! Throw it!"
Pence laughed. "Not that kind of Fetch."
K.K. moaned and lowered his head in disappointment.
"Aw, man," K.K. said. "Anyways, sorry I'm late, cats. What'd I miss?"
"I won the match title."
K.K. gave me a high five. "Outta sight, man. I knew one of you would make it. But you don't seem too thrilled by it."
"Roxas is worn out," Hayner said.
"Understandable," K.K. said. "We should give him some space. He has one more match, after all."
I shouted out. "Don't leave!"
Everyone jumped back in surprise from my abrupt response. I didn't want to be alone right now. Maybe those weirdoes won't come back if I'm with friends.
"I mean, I wouldn't mind some company," I said.
"Um, okay," Hayner said with confusion in his voice. "Sure thing, man."
For the next half hour, we sat and talk with each other. Spending time with my friends did make me feel a little better. But it wasn't enough to reverse everything that happened. There was so much on my mind still. However, my chance to catch my breath was soon over, as the sound of screaming fangirls split my eardrums open.
"Seeeetttttzer!"
Setzer was on stage, eating up the attention like someone going crazy at an all you can eat buffet. I wanted to win so badly, but I wasn't sure I had the strength.
"In just two minutes," Biggs announced, "our newest contender, Roxas, will be going toe to toe with our Struggle champion, Setzer! I can't wait! Would both players please report to the tournament bracket?"
I stood up. "Well, this is it."
"Roxas, are you sure you can fight in your condition?" Olette asked.
"You already won the trophy," Pence said. "It's not worth it."
Hayner got me into a headlock. "No way! My boy is going all the way! He's going to show that prissy boy what a true struggle champion is like! Right, man?"
"Y-yeah," I said.
"You call that confidence?" Hayner asked. "Again! With passion!"
I released my grip from him and shouted, "YEAH!"
"That's more like it!" Hayner said. "Go get 'em!"
I said my good-byes and left for the ring. I guess Hayner's encouragement helped. I still wasn't sure if I was up for one more round. I had to give it a try. There was no way I'd miss an opportunity to take on Setzer. After getting our gear on, Setzer and I got into the ring. The producer came out and handed us our swords.
"You two, play fair now," the producer said. "You're at the top of the bracket."
"There's only room for one up here," Setzer said.
"Well, may the best man win!" the producer said.
As the producer walked off stage, I heard Pence say, "Man, he's still down. Wish there was something we could do to cheer him up. Oh! I got an idea!"
I heard Pence clear his throat. I didn't like where this was going.
"You're the best! Around!" Pence sang. "Nothing's gonna ever keep you down!"
Everyone turned to see Pence singing horribly. Before he could sing the next line, Hayner tackled him right to the ground. Ouch! Pence was going to feel that one in the morning. Olette looked down at Hayner with a raised eyebrow.
"Was that really necessary?"
"Didn't I tell you before?" Hayner replied. "It's how I express myself."
I rolled my eyes. Impulsive as ever.
"Hey, Roxas," Setzer said.
I turned to him.
"You ready to do this?"
I silently nodded.
"You don't look ready. The odds are going to be against you."
I sighed. "Just don't hold back."
"Hey, are you not ready to fight? I could postpone the match a little longer, if you like."
My ears almost refused to believe what they heard. Setzer was concerned for me?
"You would do that?" I asked in shock.
Setzer smiled. "Of course. What's the point in putting your championship title on the line if your opponent isn't going to make a solid effort? I want to have fun."
Hearing Setzer say that made me feel better. I guess I really did judge Setzer too harshly. He was a decent guy.
I heard Hayner shout, "Roxas! Focus!"
I looked over my shoulder to see my friends cheering me on. It was their support that kept me going. If I didn't have such amazing friends, I don't know what I'd do. In fact, I didn't want picture it.
"What do you say, Roxas?" Setzer asked me.
I turned back to Setzer, smirking. "I say: prepared to lose that belt!"
"Alright!" Setzer said excitedly. "Then it's time to ante up!"
"Roxas, our underdog hero, versus Setzer, our defending champion!" Biggs said. "The winner of this match will be the true champion! That's bragging rights for a whole year, folks! It's time to countdown one last time!"
"Three….two….one….STRUGGLE!"
Setzer ran at me, ducked underneath my attack, and rammed the blade into my stomach. He quickly hit me on each shoulder, leaped back slightly, and then took a huge step forward to stab me in the stomach. He finished with an upward swing across my chest, which knocked me onto the ground. I got over onto my back and saw Setzer collect the orbs that fell off.
He ran over to me and swung the blade down. I rolled away to avoid his attack. However, Setzer was not going to let me get up. He ran after me and swung again. I stretched my arm out, and swung my blade upward to deflect his attack. I quickly got onto one knee, turned around and put my blade up horizontally to block his next attack. After I pushed him back, I got to my feet and stabbed at his chest. He titled his body left to dodge. He tried to counter, but I backed up and brought my blade up to deflect it. I swung right across, but he ducked underneath my attack.
He tried to bring his blade in low towards me legs, but, while I held both hands on the handle, I brought my blade in to block. I pushed his blade up to release the grip. Holding the blade in my right hand, I got my sword into a backhanded position. I swung it right across to block an attack. I repositioned my hands around the handle and swung it the other way to clash with Setzer. We both stayed locked in our positions.
"Not bad, rookie," Setzer said. "You definitely deserve to be up here. Too bad you won't win! I'm going to make you fold this game!"
I groaned. "Please, if you want me to fight at my best, you'll refrain from any more gambling puns."
"Have it your way!"
Setzer pushed me back. I tried to swing my sword at his right foot, but he lifted it and slightly moved back. He thrust the sword at my chest, but I tilted left to dodge it. I swung my sword up like a club and knocked his sword away. I swung my sword down diagonally, and Setzer moved back to dodge. Setzer brought his straight down, and I side stepped left to avoid the attack. Before Setze could react, I hit him in the side. I ran behind him and hit his back, knocking him onto his stomach.
I collected the orbs that fell. At the same time I heard my friends cheering me on. I tried to collect the last two, but Setzer, while on his stomach, swung at my feet, and I hopped back. He collected the two orbs, got to his feet, and swung at my shoulder. I moved right, but he quickly brought it around and tapped my other shoulder, knocking orbs off. I got distracted by that, and I felt him stab me in the stomach, knocking me over onto my back. I saw orbs fly everywhere. I rolled around on the ground to try and get them before Setzer did. I managed to get most of them back, with the exception of a few.
I knew that Setzer had more orbs. I had to get them off of him. I got to my feet and tried swinging at him. However, he was nimble; I couldn't lay a finger on him. I think Setzer knew he had more orbs, too, as he was being evasive. He was playing it smart. But I wasn't going to let this continue. Setzer was so busy dodging my attacks that he failed to realize I was luring him towards the end of the ring.
I brought my blade down again, and he leaped back. When he landed, he immediately turned around to see he was at the edge. Now was my chance! I tried to swing at Setzer's chest, but he rolled under my attack. The audience gasped in surprise (and I think in disappointment, too). Setzer turned around to face me, but I brought my blade down and knocked off a good chunk of orbs. See, I had a feeling he was going to roll to dodge my attack. That's why I stopped swinging the moment he started rolling; to prepare another attack.
I swung across his chest while he was still kneeled over and knocked him onto the ground. I collected the orbs. Unfortunately, Setzer instantly recovered and knocked me back. Orbs were flying everywhere.
"Time's running out!" Biggs announced.
It was a game of who collected the most orbs now. We both ran around the area, collecting the remaining orbs. Finally, it was just down five orbs that were coupled together. I looked up to see Setzer looking at me. Those orbs could make all the difference. We ran for the orbs as the audience counted down. By the time the audience hit three, both of us leaped for the orbs.
* * *
><p>The match was over. Setzer and I both stood next to each other as Biggs came in to count the orbs. I couldn't wait for the results, but at the same time I dreaded them. Even if I lost, I still had a lot of fun out there. It took my mind off things for a little while. And hopefully the celebration I had with my friends later would keep those thoughts locked up in the darkest part of my mind.<p>
Biggs finished counting the orbs.
"Ladies and gentlemen, after much scrutiny, I have determined who the winner is," Biggs said.
The crowd was dead silent. Oh, the anticipation!
"And the Struggle championship title goes to…..ROXAS!"
The dead silence was replaced by the loudest cheers I've ever heard. I couldn't help but pump my fist and shout, "YEAH!" I saw my friends in the crowd going absolutely ballistic. It left me with a good feeling; my friends were very proud of me, and I was proud of myself.
Setzer walked over and shook my hand. "Congratulations, Roxas. You truly deserve the title. Especially for your willingness to take chances. That's the second time you lured someone to edge of that ring."
"Hey, it wasn't easy," I said. "You're good."
"Thanks," Setzer said. "Cherish the belt while you can. I plan to win it back next year."
I smiled. "Okay! You're on!"
Setzer said good-bye and started to walk off stage. He stopped, pointed at me, and I saw my friends run past him.
"Roxas!" Hayner shouted.
Olette got to me first and gave me a big hug. "You did it!"
The others soon arrived, and they were all over me. Hayner got me into a headlock and gave me a noogie.
"I knew you'd win the title that was meant for me all along!" Hayner said.
I laughed. "Very funny, dude!"
"That was awesome, Roxas!" Pence said.
"Far out!" K.K. added.
"I couldn't have done it without you guys," I said.
* * *
><p>The producer came on stage and placed the trophy right next to me. I placed my hand on it, feeling its smooth texture. I couldn't believe it was in my hands. The producer handed me the belt, and I lifted it up. The cheers were followed by people chanting my name. At least this day ended on a positive note. A few minutes later, the Biggs came back on stage.<p>
"Well, folks, that ends this year's Struggle extravaganza," Biggs said. "Let's give all of our competitors a round of applause. They were fantastic!"
Biggs continued after the applause. "And before we say good-bye, we have a special surprise for our new champion, courtesy of our own Baking Mama!"
I lit up. So did my tongue. Baking Mama came onto the stage pushing a trolley. On top of the trolley was a huge rectangular cake with blue icing on it. The words 'Congratulations, Roxas' were written on it. I guess she got to work on that the moment I won. Next to my name was a picture of the crystal trophy.
"Wow!" I said.
"Mama knew you could do it," Mama said cheerfully.
"Thank you so much, Mama," I said. "It looks delicious!"
I heard Hayner say, "Well, then, have a bite!"
I turned to Hayner, and my face got greeted by frosting. It was all over my face. I rubbed the frosting out of my eyes.
"What was that for?" I asked angrily.
Hayner smirked. "Still had a little bit of that grudge left. That helped me get it out of my system."
I grabbed a piece of cake. "Good, 'cause now your system has room for this!"
I splattered cake against Hayner's face. He grabbed another piece, but I moved out of the way, and it ended up hitting Pence. One thing led to another, and soon, we were having a cake fight. It was like a _Three Stooges_ episode, minus the slapstick. We were laughing, having a great time until…
"STOP!" Mama yelled.
Everyone came to a screeching halt. I turned to see that Baking Mama was beyond angry. I saw the fire in her eyes; it was so strong that it would melt her eye sockets in seconds.
"Mama worked really hard on that cake," Mama said. "And this is the way you show respect for Mama's cake?"
I looked at Hayner, who looked back at me with a smirk. It was like we read each other's mind; we picked up a piece of cake and shoved it in Mama's face. I have no clue why we did that. Maybe it was to calm Mama down. After Mama wiped the frosting off her face, we braced ourselves for her reaction. Surprisingly, she let out smile.
"Weeeellll, I guess you kids are just being kids," Mama said. "As long as you're happy. Oh, you boys don't have enough frosting on your faces. Here, Mama will fix it!"
Mama grabbed two pieces and shoved them in our faces. We resumed having fun for the remainder of the Struggle.
* * *
><p>After all the excitement, we headed to the clock tower to unwind. As we sat in our usual spots, I took the trophy and held it out towards the sunset. The four crystals shined brightly, giving them a magical look to them. It was really cool. I could do this all day – hanging with my friends and watching the sunset together. Nothing bad was happening. It was just us. I removed the four crystals and threw them to my friends. Pence almost dropped his, but he managed to catch it in his palm.<p>
"Hello, we're sitting on a three storey building!" Pence said. "Would've been safer to just walk over."
I rubbed my head. "Sorry."
"Eh, don't sweat it," Pence said.
I took my blue crystal and stuck it out towards the sun, seeing the true beauty of the crystal as it shined.
"As promised," I said.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the others mimic what I was doing.
"Thanks a ton, Roxas!" Pence said.
"One more treasure for us to share," Hayner said.
We stayed like this for a few moments. It didn't get any better than this.
"What's it like to be champion, man?" Pence asked.
"It's really cool," I replied. "I can't wait to defend my title next year."
Hayner grinned. "Who said you're waiting till next year?"
"Hayner!" Olette said.
"What? I'm kidding! Would I do that to my buddy, even if I approached him in a dark alley at night, wearing a trench coat and holding two struggle swords?"
I started cracking up. "Subtle!"
"What? Those are my evening clothes!" Hayner joked.
We all laughed. After settling down, Olette went to grab something that was behind her.
"I got a surprise for everyone," she said.
She pulled out four sea-salt ice creams. I stood up in excitement.
"Whoa!" Hayner said.
Somehow, I accidently made my foot step off the edge, and I started losing balance; I was doing whatever I could to regain it. My breathing became heavy. How did I let this happen? And then, I fell right off the edge.
* * *
><p>What a way to go.<p>
On an island far way, a teenage girl was walking home from school. The sun was setting; the sky was glowing with a pinkish color. The girl walked down a narrow path, carrying her book bag. She was dressed in her school uniform. As she approached a small hill, she was stopped by the voice of another girl.
"Kairi! Wait up!"
Kairi turned around to see her friend, Selphie, run up to her. Kairi gave her friend a warm smile. The two started walking together.
"Hey, I was wondering if you wanted to go hang out on the island," Selphie said. "Tidus and Wakka are all wrapped up in their ball game."
"Not today," Kairi said with a very kind and gentle voice, "sorry."
Selphie moaned. "Aw, why not?"
When they got to the top of the hill, Kairi stopped. She looked out to see a huge island in the distance. Seeing that island always made her sentimental. But at the same time it filled her with sadness.
"What's wrong?" Selphie asked.
"Do you remember those boys who used to hang out with us?"
Selphie was confused for a moment, but the memory soon flashed in front of her eyes.
"You mean, Riku?" Selphie asked.
Kairi nodded.
"Yeah, whatever happened to him? He just disappeared one day."
Kairi knew the awful truth. It was a day she didn't forget. She still pictured the faint image of Riku telling her to run for dear life from the monstrous creatures known as heartless. She remembered Riku being under the control of Ansem. Oh, the suffering she heard in his voice. And after that, she never saw him again. It was a horrifying memory, one she didn't want to remember. But Selphie would not believe something farfetched.
Instead, she simply said, "He's far away. But I know we'll see him again."
Selphie noticed the sadness in Kairi's voice. She and Riku have been very close friends.
"Sure. Of course we will," Selphie said cheerfully.
Kairi was confused for the moment. Why did Selphie bring up just Riku? Something didn't feel right.
"And the other boy?"
Selphie titled her head in confusion. "What other boy?"
"The one who was with Riku and me all the time-we played together on that island. His voice always used to be there...but now it's gone. I can't think of his face, or his name. I feel awful about it. So I told myself-I'm not going to the island until I remember everything about him."
"Are you sure you didn't make him up?"
"The feelings I have for him are too strong to be made up."
Kairi heard a voice in her head. _"Namine?"_
She started feeling dizzy. The entire island she looked at was spinning around like a top. She held her forehead; there was a stinging pain. She was frightened by this strange occurrence. Soon enough, everything went black.
The last sound she heard was Selphie exclaiming, "Kairi! What's wrong!"
* * *
><p>Why haven't I hit the ground yet? Was this how falling to your death felt like? Time moved as fast as paint drying on a wall? I was waiting for it to end.<p>
But then I heard someone in my head say, _"The feelings I have for him are too strong to be made up."_
"_Namine?" _I asked in my thoughts. _"Is that you? Help me! I don't know what's going on!"_
"_Who are you?" _the girl asked. _"And that's not my name. I'm Kairi."_
Kairi….that name. I knew who that was. The promise he made to her.
"_Kairi? Aren't you that girl he likes?"_
"_Who are you talking about?"_
Strange, now I couldn't remember his name. Everything was getting cloudy. How could I forget that guy? After all, I've been having dreams about him every night.
"_Please, a name!"_
"_I'm Roxas."_
"_Okay, Roxas, but can you tell me his name."_
Another voice entered my head. _"You don't remember my name? Thanks a lot, Kairi."_
Kairi gasped. I recognized that voice, except it sounded older. Was it…him?
"_Okay, I guess I can give you a hint. Starts with an 'S'…."_
* * *
><p>"Kairi! Kairi! Are you okay?"<p>
Selphie frantically shook her friend in hopes of waking her up. Finally, Kairi opened her ocean blue eyes, and she slowly sat up. Selphie helped her sit up.
"What happened?" Selphie asked. "Are you not feeling good?"
Kairi shook her head. "I don't know. Maybe it was the heat."
Selphie helped Kairi stand up. Kairi wasn't sure what just happened. She had no idea who Roxas was, but she recognized the other boy's voice. Hearing it somehow lifted her spirits. She looked out towards the island. Selphie, although confused, did the same. Something clicked in Kairi's head as she stared at the island that kept her childhood safe. She turned to Selphie with the brightest smile. Selphie would have needed sunglasses just get a glimpse of Kairi's excitement.
Selphie was about open her mouth, but Kairi ran off towards the shore of the island.
"Wait up!" Selphie said. She muttered under her breath, "What's gotten into her?"
Kairi arrived at the beach. She looked off towards the horizon. Today she was going to be proactive. She wasn't going to stand around waiting for answers to abruptly hit her in the head. Selphie arrived moments later.
"Kairi…?" Selphie asked in concern.
Kairi stroked her long red hair. She wasn't waiting any longer. Selphie watched, even more confused, as Kairi pulled a bottle with a letter out of her bag. She kneeled over and set it in the water, and the tide pulled it away. The bottle slowly floated away to its destination.
"What's that?" Selphie asked.
"A letter... I wrote it yesterday, to the boy I can't remember. I said that no matter where he is... I'll find him. One day. And when I stopped writing, I remembered we made a promise, something important. This letter is where it starts. I know it."
Selphie was incredulous about Kairi's idea. She had no clue where this boy was. How would a bottle manage to track him down? Selphie didn't think Kairi was crazy, though. She knew how determine Kairi got sometimes, and she would do whatever it took to find what she was looking for. Selphie would support her friend, despite how ludicrous her objective was.
"Wow," Selphie said. "I hope he gets it."
"He will," Kairi said. She said to herself, "Starts with an 'S.'"
There was a brief flash in her memories
"Right, Sora?" Kairi asked.
She gasped. Sora! The boy who first befriended her. The boy she protected from the heartless. It was all coming back. Everything. Even the promise they made about Sora returning her lucky charm.
Selphie was baffled by suddenly remembering him. "Sora! How did I forget him? Oh my gosh, that's so weird!"
All of the memories were flashing through Kairi's mind. It was too much. The last thing she remembered was being separated from him. She needed time to herself right now.
"Hey, I need to get going," Kairi said. "I'll see you tomorrow."
"Are you sure you don't want me to walk you home?"
"I'll be fine."
Although feeling skeptical, Selphie said her good-byes and headed home. Kairi looked out at the island. The worst part was she just heard his voice in her head. She tried to call out for him inside, but there was no started to fill her eyes.
"_Sora, I'm sorry I forgot you," _Kairi said in her thoughts.
She took a deep breath and fought the tears back. She had to be strong. Crying wasn't going to bring him back. It was a long shot, but she hoped the letter would reach him. It had to reach him, she thought. She remembered the last thing he said to her.
"_I'll come back to you. I promise!" _
She smiled. He will return, she thought, because he never breaks his promises.
* * *
><p>RESTORATION AT 79%<p>
* * *
><p>Back in the computer room, Diz continued watching the monitor. He typed on the keyboard and brought up a green screen that had images of boxes, numbers, and letters. The hooded man stood behind him, tossing a round blue crystal in the air. After scrutinizing every detail, Diz brought up another screen, showing the vitals of the spiky haired boy. Diz sat back and sighed.<p>
"We were fortunate to get that dilemma under control," Diz said.
"I don't get it," the hooded man said with confusion in his voice. "Why didn't the program react immediately to the threat?"
"Because the Organization has figured out a way to temporarily disable the program, making it vulnerable to their attacks," Diz explained. "Fortunate I created a failsafe which makes the program disappear until I can reprogram it."
"So, it can be destroyed by physical means?" the hooded man asked.
Diz nodded.
"What about deleting it from the outside, like any other computer program?"
"Highly improbable," Diz said. "I created a very secure password, preventing them from gaining access to all of its files. Besides, by the time they could decode the password, our task will be complete. Take a look: he's making amazing progress."
The hooded man glanced at the computer screen. He placed the crystal in the same pouch he stole the other day, and placed it back in his pocket.
"Indeed. By the way, how did Sora and Kairi manage to connect like that?" the hooded man asked.
"Namine's encounter with Roxas put his heart in contact with Kairi's. And that, in turn, affected Sora. You see?"
"Yes," the hooded man said with fascination in his voice. "Namine...she truly is a wonder…"
"She wasn't born like other Nobodies. She can interfere with the hearts and memories of Sora and those aligned with him."
"A Nobody of that nature must've come from someone very powerful. Who is she the Nobody of?"
Diz glanced at the hooded man. "I could tell you. But first, perhaps you could tell me your true name?"
The hooded man hesitated for a moment. He didn't feel comfortable with revealing his true identity. Then again, he trusted Diz enough; he was pretty sure Diz wouldn't tell anyone his secret.
"Come now," Diz said. "Don't be shy."
The hooded man removed his hood, revealing himself to be a menacing man with yellows eyes and long white hair.
"It's Ansem," the hooded man said.
Diz wasn't sure how to react at first. Suddenly, he started to chuckle, which soon erupted into laughter.
"It's an honor, Ansem!" Diz said in a mocking tone.
* * *
><p>"Whoa, timeout!" Axel said in shock. "You want me to knock him off now? I said I could bring him back!"<p>
Axel was sitting on a tall white chair, which was located in a huge, round white room. Surrounding the room were other tall chairs. Some were taller than his chair, and some were shorter. Sitting on two of the chairs were other hooded men. The one that sat across from him crossed his arms.
"It's an order," the other man said with a heavy British accent. "Why are you hesitating? Aren't you the one who deals judgment upon those who disobey the Organization? The boy clearly betrayed us."
Axel scoffed. "Who said he betrayed us? The kid can't even remember his own birthday!"
"Rubbish," the crossed armed man said. "The boy has been nothing but a menace. He should be eliminated immediately!"
The other hooded man in the room (supposedly Axel's boss) put his arm out to silence his subordinate. With a hesitant grunt, the crossed arm remained quiet.
"I'll give you one more chance to bring him back," Axel's boss said. "But it will be of his volition. You're merely an escort. If he refuses to return, he must pay the price."
"That's not fair!"
"Don't oppose these orders, Axel," the cross armed man said. "Otherwise YOU'LL be the one who pays!"
The cross armed man summoned a purple naginata, and, using nothing but his own mind, sent the weapon flying at Axel. He felt the force of the attack fly by him, as it barely missed his face; it ended up hitting the right side of his chair's back. Axel was unfazed by the man's threat.
Axel raised an eyebrow. "Really? Have you forgotten that we can't experience intimidation? No wonder you were nothing more than a guard in your past life."
The cross armed man was enraged. "What? How dare you!"
"Enough!" the other hooded man said firmly. "Stand down."
The cross armed man sighed and made his weapon disappear. The other man put his hand out, and it started glowing. A ball of energy appeared in his hand, which was surrounded by an uncontrollable wave of electricity. Axel finally understood what the stakes were. This place he lived in, which he used to call home was now his prison. And disobedience would lead to capital punishment.
Axel sighed dejectedly. "So it's come to this, huh?"
Axel wasn't sure which would be worse: killing Roxas or being erased from existence. He looked back at his boss, who wouldn't hesitate to take out one of his own. Axel sat in deep thought for a moment.
"Fine!" he said reluctantly. "If it'll make you feel…any sort of emotion, I'll do it!"
Axel leaped off of the chair. When he landed on a round platform, he shoved his hands into his pockets and stormed off. The other two watched in silence as Axel exited the room. Deep down, they didn't fully trust Axel. Given his unpredictable nature, Axel might switch sides faster than the tap of a foot.
Axel knew that once he performed this task, life would never be the same again.
11. Chapter 10
**Day 6**
**Chapter 10: The Seven Wonders of Twilight Town**
Falling….falling...into darkness…
I sat up in my bed, gasping. I looked around my room; I was safe and sound. I fell back onto my bed and stretched my arms out. That was pretty terrifying. I thought I was dead, for sure. I sat up, lightly brushed the side of my hair, opened the window, and looked out. I had to get some air. Maybe it'd clear my mind.
"I'm dreaming," I said. "But…which parts…were the dream?"
* * *
><p>I arrived at the Usual Spot feeling slightly groggy. Dream or not, I didn't get good sleep last night. I smacked my cheeks, forcing myself to wake up. Hopefully hanging with my friends would boost my energy. Unfortunately, when I entered to see Hayner and Olette arguing, I suddenly felt like going back to bed with ear plugs.<p>
"Only three days left of summer vacation – so don't even mention that assignment!" Hayner said.
"But we agreed to get it done yesterday!" Olette argued. "Have you forgotten it's supposed to be a group effort?"
"C'mon, after everything that happened, I want to relax!" Hayner complained.
As they continued arguing, I saw Pence playing a game of darts. Obviously he wanted no part of this discussion. I quietly sat in my seat and began thinking about the dream again. It had to be real. It was like when I encountered the surfer guy. It felt like someone was playing a prank on my brain. I was at a point where I couldn't distinguish between reality and fantasy. Wouldn't surprise me if I was still dreaming. Of course, Hayner and Olette arguing like a married couple sounded like something that would happen in the real world.
"Roxas, do you agree with her?" Hayner asked.
Geeze, not even a hello. This must've been serious. I didn't hear most of the conversation, so how was I supposed to answer? Instead, I decided to ask him about something else, in hopes that I wasn't losing my mind.
"Yesterday…I fell off the station tower, didn't I?"
Hayner looked at me in confusion. "That…wasn't the response I was looking for. But you wouldn't even be here if you did."
Can't argue with that logic.
"Yeah," Pence said. He was now sitting down. "Man, was THAT a close call, though."
"Stop changing the subject!" Olette snapped. "If one of us slacks off, we all fail!"
Hayner sighed in annoyance. "Fine! We'll do the stupid project! I hate summer homework! So, remind me, what do we have to do?"
There was a pause before Pence asked, "You didn't look at the assignment, did you?"
"Of course I did!" Hayner said defensively. "I just skimmed past the important parts."
There was another pause.
"Wait, let me rephrase that," Hayner said.
"We have to do a report on something interesting that's happening in town," Olette said, ignoring Hayner's fib. "It could be anything strange or unusual."
"Maybe we could do the report on the stuff happening with me," I said. "You know, like the dreams – and the guys in white."
"Forget it," Hayner said.
I gasped in surprise. What could've been more interesting than my entire week?
"Why?" I asked.
"Because we got something planned for that," Hayner said. "Things HAVE been weird with you and the town lately ever since the photo incident."
"So tomorrow we're going to search the town and find out what's goin' on," Pence said.
Olette smiled. "Lots of people are helping us."
I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Everyone was taking time out of their day to help me with my problem. I was so stunned. How do I react? This was by far the best thing I heard all week. And by far the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me.
"All that…for me? You guys…."
"Say no more, man," Pence said. "You're our best friend. We'd do anything to help."
I had the greatest friends in the world. With lifted spirits, I said, "I'll go get us some ice-cream!"
Well, I had to find some way to show my appreciation.
* * *
><p>Sometime later we sat around eating ice-cream. We were coming up with ideas for our project. Some people listen to music for ideas; others, as our English teacher once said, use free writing to let ideas flow out like a steady stream. For us, one good brain freeze was all we needed. We were throwing out ideas, trying to ignite something.<p>
"There's this strange rumor going around," Pence said. "Wanna hear it? You know the stone steps at Sunset Station? We use 'em all the time, without even thinking about it. But – and this is the weird part – the steps count different going up and down!
"Seriously!" Hayner asked in surprise.
"And there are six other weird stories like that," Pence said. "It's like…the seven wonders of Twilight Town."
"We should investigate them for our school project," Hayner said excitedly. "Pence, you did it again!"
"There might be some other rumors going around, too," Pence added. "Let's split up! I'm going after the seven wonders."
"I'll come with you, Pence," I said.
"Then Olette and I will look for new rumors," Hayner said. "Let's roll!"
Olette and Hayner left to scout the entire town.
"Let's head for the train station," Pence said. "I heard all of the wonders are at Sunset Terrance."
I grinned. "Nice. This will be a cakewalk."
As we started to leave, Pence winced. "Shoot! I forgot to put the darts away."
"Leave 'em," I said. "I want to get this project over with!"
Pence nodded, and the two of us left for the train station.
* * *
><p>When we arrived outside the station, I heard the sounds of construction going on at the door that led to the Underground Concourse; which consisted of tunnels that went to almost every part of Twilight Town. There were hissing power drills and buzzing jackhammers at work. Fortunately they weren't loud, but they were getting a bit grating.<p>
"I wonder what's going on," Pence said.
"Hey, cats," K.K. said. I turned and saw him walk over to us. "Man, so hard to find a place to tune up nowadays!"
"K.K., do you know what's happening?" Pence asked.
"Mayor Wright finally approved upon making a tunnel in the concourse that connects directly to Sunset Terrance," K.K. explained.
"Sweet!" Pence said. "We don't have to waste money taking the train!"
K.K. looked at the entrance to the concourse, shaking his head. "That Mayor never stops building. He wants to make Twilight Town a better place, but all he cares about is remodeling buildings that aren't important. Glad to see he's making something useful for a change. I can barely afford the train. Erm…sorry, boys. I'm rambling about the man again. What's up?"
We told him about our school project and the seven wonders. We asked him if he heard any rumors.
"Haven't heard anything, boys," K.K. said. "Sorry.
"Wanna come with us?" I asked.
K.K. shook his head. "Afraid I can't. Trying to save up what little money I have."
I was slightly disappointed. Lately I've been feeling a bit closer to K.K. He was the first to try and extend a helping hand towards me.
"Well, I'm off," K.K. said. "I'll see you around."
We said our good-byes and headed into the train station.
* * *
><p>After getting our tickets from Pelly, we headed up the stairs and arrived on the platform. The train was a single car that had orange coating. It was old fashion looking, but it got the job done. I had fond memories of riding the train when I was a kid. Even now it was still fun to ride.<p>
"The time has come," Pence said overdramatically. "Our hunt for the seven wonders begins! What sort of dangers will we encounter? Will we uncover something that is beyond our comprehension? Maybe a monolith that holds secrets to the universe. Or a phone booth that will let us travel through time!"
He put his arm around me.
"The possibilities are endless!" Pence concluded.
I narrowed my eyes at him. That was…a bit too much. Pence noticed that I was giving him a look, and he grinned nervously.
"I'll shut up now," Pence said.
"Yo!" Hayner called out.
We turned to see Hayner and Olette running up to us.
"Whoa!" Pence said in surprise. "Find new rumors already?"
"Nothing on Market Street," Olette said.
"You twerps aren't going to scoop us. We're going to the terrace with you."
"Hayner, it's not a race," Olette said. "Did you hear me say this is a group effort?"
"I have selective hearing," Hayner said.
Pence chuckled. "Wow, two lame excuses in one day? You're getting good at this, man."
"Shut up," Hayner said. "I think having a race will make this project somewhat enjoyable."
"I'm fine with it," I said. "C'mon. Let's take the train together."
* * *
><p>The train didn't have your average seating arrangements. It had two long couches that were up against the walls. If you wanted to get a full view out the window, you'd have to turn around. A little annoying, but the seats were very comfortable. We lounged around as we waited to reach our destination. I was leaning against the seat, and my legs were stretched out. We didn't talk much during the right. Olette took out her crystal, and I looked around to see Hayner and Pence taking out theirs.<p>
I decided to join the fun. I went through my pockets, but a dark cloud soon fell over my happiness as I realized it wasn't there. No way! I couldn't have lost it! Not unless that pickpocket used his crazy magic to grab it. I sighed sadly and lowered my head. Yet another somber start to my day. I had to be optimistic. Could've just left it at home.
But with everything going on, I doubted it.
* * *
><p>Sunset Terrance was another district in Twilight Town. Unlike the busyness of Market Street, the terrace was more of a housing area. There were a few stores, but they were for basic needs. The terrace was a peaceful area. On some days, we'd come to the terrace, sit on one of the houses' flat roofs, and watch the best view of the sunset (hence the name). We'd also watch the trains go by. The moment we pulled up, Hayner and Olette immediately made a dash out the door.<p>
It was on!
Pence and I took our time getting out. Pence wouldn't be able to run for very long, anyways (and I don't mean it as an insult). We walked over to the stairs.
"Are these the steps you talked about?" I asked. "The one's that count different going up and down?"
"Ummm…actually," Pence said, "it's the stupidest thing ever, but…"
"What?"
"Rai's the one who counted the stairs," Pence explained. "He's like, 'Every time I count, it's different, Y'KNOW?' Ha ha ha ha!"
That wasn't a bad Rai impression.
"So…he just counted wrong?" I asked.
Pence nodded.
"Why didn't you tell me that sooner?"
"Sorry. I was trying to be hopeful."
I sighed in disappointment.
"Hey, no worries," Pence said. "There's still six other wonders."
He went through his pocket and pulled out a map.
"And this is going to make our lives a heck of a lot easier," Pence said.
Pence unfolded the map, revealing it to be an image of Sunset Terrance. I noticed certain places marked on the map.
"I marked each location as to where the other wonders supposedly are," Pence said. "Let's try the ally first. That's the closest one."
* * *
><p>There wasn't much to the alleyway. It only led to a dead end. As kids, we'd play cops and robbers down that alley, pretending to corner one another. Now we were kind of iffy about going down there. There was a mugging incidence here one time, so that definitely scared a few people. We stood there in uncomfortable silence, unsure how to approach this.<p>
"Let's head down there," Pence said. "After you."
"Hey, you're the expert on these seven wonders," I said. "You go first."
"Looks like we're both chicken," Pence said. "But I'm more chicken, so you go."
Growing annoyed over wasting time, I asked, "Wanna settled this with rock, paper, scissors?"
"Sure."
I ended up losing.
Taking a deep a breath, I slowly approached the corner of the alleyway. When I reached it, I placed my fingers on the edge. I wiggled them nervously. Who knows what was there? With my luck, Axel would be there, waiting to ignite me into flames. I closed my eyes and counted to three in my head. I ran into the alley and saw a dog sitting there. I was relieved – until the dog started growling at me ferociously.
"Uh, hai doggie," I said. "N-nice doggie."
There was nothing I could use to distract the dog. It wanted to take a bit out of me. The dog barked wildly and chased me out of the alleyway. I ran as fast as I could. The dog chased me for awhile. Eventually I hid behind a bush, and I think it gave up. I poked my head out, and Pence ran over to me.
"You okay?" Pence asked.
I came out of the bush, brushing any leaves off. "Dandy. Certainly wasn't friendly like K.K."
"But I bet it did explain one of those seven wonders," Pence said.
"Why was that even a rumor?" I asked angrily. I was still shaken up. "Anybody could've been behind there!"
"Take it easy, man," Pence said. "There's still five more to go. Our next stop is the tunnel."
Pence and I went over to the tunnel that was going to connect to the rest of the concourse. Right now it was mostly used for the kids to play in. We both stood outside of it.
"People say they hear ghostly moans down there," Pence said with an eerie tone in his voice. "Why don't you head down there and check it out?"
I angrily glared at Pence. Judging by his worried expression, he could tell I was ready to kill him.
Pence chuckled nervously. "Or I could go. I-I'm not doing anything important."
Before Pence got a chance to, Hayner and Olette walked out of the tunnel. I couldn't describe the relief that was on Pence's face.
"Hey, guys," Olette said. "We solved the mystery of the moans from the tunnel. It's only Vivi practicing his sword moves."
"Oh," Pence and I said in disappointment.
In fact, we heard Vivi grunting and shouting. It was followed by a loud thump.
"My spleen!" Vivi cried.
Olette shouted down the tunnel, "You okay, Vivi?"
"I-I'm fine," Vivi said.
"Does he even have a spleen?" Hayner asked. "For all we know he could have a squeedly spooch."
"What?" the rest of us asked.
"Uh, forget you heard that," Hayner said. "Come on, Olette!"
Hayner and Olette left the area. Both Pence and I shrugged to each other. Pence pulled out the map, and we looked it over.
"Two down," he said. "Let's try the rumor about Sunset Hill. They say there's a sack there that moves on its own. Something interesting might be inside."
I was getting paranoid again. What if the guys in white were in that bag, ready to capture me? Either way, I decided to go along with Pence. I'd do anything to get the summer homework done.
"If you say so," I said.
* * *
><p>Sunset Hill was the highest point in the district. It was the best place to view the sunset. I personally disagreed; the buildings had a much better view. But considering how we're not supposed to be sitting on someone's property, Sunset Hill was a 'legal' alternative. The cool thing about Sunset Hill was that the train ran directly below it, so we were able to get a nice, close overhead view of the train.<p>
The top of the hill had a large, round space; it was perfect for people to come and have a picnic. There was also a model replica of the bell tower. I'd say it was a couple of feet taller than me. Both Hayner and I got the top, and we saw the sack in the middle of the area.
Pence leaned in and whispered, "Let's sneak up on it."
The two of us slowly approached the sack. I had no idea as to what we'd fine inside. As we started to grab the string around the sack, it jumped, startling us. The sack started hopping around the area.
"After it!" Pence shouted.
The two of us chased after the sack. And it was fast! I couldn't catch up with it. At one point it stopped in the middle, and when went to grab it, the sack hopped out of the way; I ended up crashing into Pence. What a trickster this sack was, I thought. The sack hopped over the edge of the area, which was surrounded by a wooden fence.
Pence ran after it. "I got it!"
"Pence, wait!" I shouted. He was running right towards the edge.
As I expected, the sack moved out of the way, and Pence's stomach ran into the fence at full force (how did this sack know when to move out of the way?). He almost flipped over completely, but he stopped himself. He was dangling over the fence. I ran over and helped him up. We both saw the sack continue to hop around. I was getting fed up with this game. Using every ounce of strength in my legs, I sprinted right for the sack, leaped at it, and managed to pin it down for the moment.
"Quick, help me open it!"
Whatever was in there put up a good fight. It tried to pull me along, but I held on with all my might. Pence came over and removed the string around the sack. Like a balloon, it started deflating. This was it; the big reveal. What was in there? Something that would give us an A+? That'd be awesome. We waited in silence as something moved around inside the sack. It found an opening and stuck its head out.
Our dreams deflated faster than the sack. You want to know what was in there? That dog from earlier. How did he even get in there? Similar to how I felt right now, he wasn't happy to see us. He let out another growl.
Pence said through his teeth, "On the count of run…RUN!"
Both of us hightailed it out of there, and the dog was right behind us. We ended up back at the terrace, with the dog still chasing us.
"Quick, let's hide over there!" Pence said, pointing towards a large tree.
We hid behind it. I peeked out to see the dog still coming at us.
"It's not working!" I said.
"Over there!" Pence said.
I looked to see Pence pointing at a group of garbage cans. Because you know, dogs were never known for eating garbage. Regardless, I followed Pence over, and we ducked behind the cans. I looked around the can to see the dog running right at us.
"What now?" I asked. "Are we going to hide behind a fire hydrant next?"
Pence smirked. "Ha! All part of my ingenious plan! Cover your ears!"
I did so, and Pence pulled the lids off the cans. He banged them together as hard as he could. The loud noise scared the dog away. We both sighed and leaned against a wall. I was growing tired of this assignment. We haven't made any progress. I was ready to believe that every wonder was nothing more than a hoax.
"This is ridiculous," I said. "I'm ready to give up this hunt."
Pence gasped. "We can't give up! There are still three more wonders! Don't you want to get a good grade?"
"Last I checked…getting mauled by a dog was not part of the curriculum."
"Have a little faith, man," Pence said with encouragement in his voice. "We'll uncover a great mystery. Just you wait!"
I moaned. I might as well see this through till the end. After all, Pence does know where the other three wonders are.
"Fine," I said.
The two of us headed over to the next supposed wonder: the waterfall. It was a tall waterfall that had a white support around it. Imprinted on the support were flower designs. On each side of the waterfall were fully bloomed, purple flowers. When we were kids, we'd always play at the waterfall while our parents weren't looking. There was a space behind the waterfall, and we'd each get a turn sitting behind there, looking at the waterfall from within. Now there was a great secret behind it. But I was skeptical about any of these wonders at this point.
"They say something strange is lurking behind the waterfall," Pence said. "This time we're going to uncover something really special."
"Alright," I said.
We watched the waterfall for about a minute. Nothing happened. The only thing we saw was our reflections. I'm hoping that's not what the mystery was. I was about to give up when I could've sworn I saw something move. I wasn't the only one that noticed; there was a surprised look on Pence's face.
"Did you see that?" Pence asked. "Something is there! We're going to uncover the truth!"
We slowly walked closer to the waterfall. There was more movement going on. We stopped right at the edge, waiting in anticipation. Maybe this wonder would be the one. I couldn't wait to see what it was.
And out popped the dog. He started growling again. At that moment, I think Pence read my mind, as he and I yelled out the same thing:
"OH, COME ON!"
* * *
><p>After losing the dog, we both returned to Sunset Hill, warn out from the chase. We were lying on the floor, catching our breath. I sat up and dropped my head towards the floor.<p>
"H-how did that dog know we were going to be there?" I asked.
"Hey, I don't have all the answers," Pence said. "But that was really weird."
I stood up. "I'm going to find the others. Maybe they're having better luck than we are."
"Wait, I promise this next one is dog-free," Pence said. "It'll be awesome!"
I shook my head and started to turn away.
"I'm not kidding!" Pence said. "Wonder number six is closer than you think…"
I looked down the hill to see Hayner and Olette running up to us.
"We got another lead!" Hayner said. "Uh…why are you guys out of breath?"
"Long story," Pence said. "So what's the scoop?"
"It's the Ghost Train Mystery," Olette said.
"That's nothing new," Pence said. "Everyone knows about Wonder number six."
Hayner crossed his arms, slightly upset. "Yeah, well, I didn't."
"We can see the train come from right here," Olette said.
"What luck," Pence said. He looked at me. "I told you this one would be dog-free."
I nodded. "Then let's check it out."
We walked over to the edge of the hill to see the train track.
"If the rumors are true," Pence said, "it'll be here any minute..."
Being his goofy old self, Pence said dramatically, "For they say the train is empty. No driver, no conductor, no passengers... NO RETURN."
With my luck, there would be a dog on the train. We decided to lie down and wait for a little while. Despite waiting for the train, it was nice to just lie around and do nothing. We hardly had a chance to because of everything going on. Olette and Hayner were talking about making plans to go to the beach next summer, but I wasn't really listening.
For some reason, this wonder really intrigued me. With all the craziness going on, I wanted to believe it was real. I started theorizing about the train, and let's just say they really were stretching the imagination. I was thinking that the train had some connection to everything going on. Maybe it was how the strangers in black and white were coming to the town.
I was snapped out of my train of thought when I heard a familiar voice.
"Good afternoon, slackers," Seifer said.
I turned around to see him looking at us with a smug look.
"What are you doing out here?" he asked.
"What do you care?" Hayner asked.
"I don't," Seifer replied. "Tell me anyway."
"We're waiting for the ghost train," Pence said.
I could tell Seifer was trying to hold back his laughter.
"Waiting for the ghost train," Seifer said mockingly. He burst out laughing. "Just when I thought you guys couldn't get any lamer."
I angrily stood up. I was growing tired of him always picking on us. Seifer glared at me for a moment. I wasn't sure how he was going to react.
"Why does looking at you always tick me off?" Seifer asked.
"I dunno," I said. "Maybe it's destiny."
Seifer scoffed. "Destiny. In that case, let's be friends. I don't feel like cooperating with destiny."
"Since when have you cooperated with anything?" Hayner asked.
"I don't need this from you right now," Seifer said. "I have other things to worry about."
"Like what?" Olette asked.
"What do you care?" Seifer asked.
"We don't," Hayner said. "Tell us anyway."
Seifer smirked at our echo. He turned away from us, placed his hands in his pockets, and looked up at the glowing sky.
"A new disciplinary committee started up today," Seifer said. "Already people are flocking to them like a bunch of blind seagulls."
Saki must've finally green lit his new committee, I thought.
"No one pays attention to us anymore," Seifer continued. "People look at us like a joke. How could this new committee gain the public's trust in one day?"
For a few moments, no one said a word. I guess they felt uncomfortable telling him the truth. I wasn't uncomfortable at all.
"Because your 'group' isn't a committee at all," I said.
"R-roxas!" Hayner said with a shocked tone in his voice.
Seifer slowly spun around to face me. He looked like he was ready to punch me in the face for that one.
"What did you just say to me?" Seifer asked.
"You heard me," I said. "Disciplinary actions don't involve bullying. Your job is to keep people safe, not make them feel bad about themselves! With the respect you show people, what makes you think they'll show you it back? Get a grip, Seifer! This new committee probably does their job the right way!"
Seifer's face was now red like lava. "Are you trying to start something?"
"By giving honest advice?" I replied. "Because there's a huge difference. Why don't you actually listen to the other side for a change!"
I stared right into Seifer's eyes. My comment had to have hit him right in the ego. I continued to stare him down, showing that I wasn't afraid of his threats. I was sick and tired of Seifer treating us like garbage. Someone had to stand up to him. Seifer didn't reply to my comment. Instead, I noticed his intense glare start to loosen. He turned away and took a deep breath.
"Smell ya later," Seifer said calmly.
Just like that, Seifer left. I was shocked that shut him up. Was he really considering what I said?
"Dude, that was gutsy," Hayner said.
I turned to my friends. "I'm just fed up with him, you know?"
"Hey, it was awesome!" Hayne said happily. "Man, I wish I had my camera. I'd play it over and over again!"
Olette rolled her eyes with a smile. "Oh, Hayner."
"Hopefully Seifer will get off our backs now," Pence said.
I hoped so, too.
"Hate to change the subject," Hayner said, "but we've been here forever. I'm callin' it quits."
"I agree," Pence said. "We're wasting time."
"C'mon," I said. "I really believe it's gonna come. Can't we give it a few more minutes?"
"Sorry, Roxas," Olette said. "I do want to get back. We'll think of something else."
"You're not giving it a chance!" I said.
"What's with you all of a sudden?" Hayner asked. "Why are you so interested in the ghost train?"
"Because I want a good grade." That wasn't my actual reason, but I didn't want to tell them my crazy theory that connected to the guys in white.
"Whatever," Hayner said, growing annoyed. "Do what you want. We're going to go wait for the real train. If you're not with us when it shows up, we're leaving without you."
Olette and Pence looked like they wanted to say something, but I'm positive they didn't want to get involved. Without another word, they left. I continued looking over the edge, hoping the ghost train was real.
A few minutes went by. Nothing. Hayner was right; I was wasting time. I got my hopes up, and it blinded me from the truth. I was about to leave when I saw a train coming. It wasn't the one that usually picks us up. It had a light green coating. On top of it was a giant crown, and imprinted on the sides were stars. This had to be the ghost train! I couldn't believe it!
I ran to the train station to tell the others. When I got halfway to the station, I saw Hayner and the others – talking to Seifer! What the heck? But that wasn't my focus at the moment.
"Hey!" I shouted.
Seifer saw me, said one more thing to Hayner, and then left. I ran up to the others, catching my breath.
"Whoa, where's the fire?" Pence asked.
"I saw it!" I said. "The stories are true!"
Hayner's jaw dropped. "For real!"
"Yeah," I said. "It's heading for the station! Let's go!"
* * *
><p>When we got to the station, I saw the train parked there. There was a magical quality to the train. It was so unique. I couldn't believe I was looking at an actual ghost train.<p>
"This is incredible," I said. I walked a little closer to it. "And there's really no one aboard!"
I turned to the others. They weren't very responsive to seeing a ghost train. Perhaps they didn't know how to react.
"What's the catch?" I asked. "There's gotta be a catch, right?"
Everyone looked at each other in confusion. What was with them?
"Well, let's go inside," I said.
I walked over to the train. What kind of surprises awaited us behind the door? Ghosts? A passage to a new world? Or, maybe, just maybe, the answer to my problems? I was almost there when I felt someone grab my arm. I turned around to see Hayner.
"What?" I asked with irritation in my voice.
"Um…you'll get hurt," Hayner said.
I didn't understand what he meant. I looked back at the train – I'm sorry, I mean the train that was standing there five seconds ago.
"Huh?" What happened to it? It was right here; in plain sight!
"The train will be arriving shortly," the automated intercom said.
The orange train pulled up and let the passengers off. I don't get it. I saw it! However, I had the feeling my friends didn't see the same thing. Have I gone crazy?
"Come on," Hayner said.
I refused to believe it. I spun around and said, "It was there. It came from the beach. There were no passengers on board!"
"Let's head back," Pence said.
"Olette, you believe me, don't you?" I asked her.
Olette shook her head. This was unreal. I was losing my mind. Before I could try to question this further, I heard Hayner groan, and he pushed me right on to the train.
* * *
><p>The train ride home was miserable. We didn't say a word to each other. I lightly tapped my fingers on my legs, unable to believe that happened. I didn't want to know what the others thought of me now – most likely a nutcase. Would they ever look at me the same way again? Hell, would I ever look at myself the same way again? So many things have been happening to me.<p>
I'm sure everyone, especially Hayner, was getting frustrated with me. I know; I'm thinking too negatively, but each day seemed to be getting worse. How could anyone not start to lose their patience? I know I was! I sighed. Need to pull myself together.
Silence followed us to the train station, and continued to the follow us out the door. I walked behind the others. I wasn't sure what to say to them.
Hayner said in a miserable tone. "Let's go home and work on the paper."
"The rumors were bogus," Pence said. "The end."
"We can still make it sound good if we write about all the work we did," Olette said.
"I'll most likely BS to fill the five page limit," Hayner said. "Fuuuunnn."
I stopped. Something crossed my mind.
"Wait, wasn't there a seventh wonder?" I asked.
"Who cares?" Hayer asked angrily. "It's probably about as riveting as the other six!"
"Well, I care!" I said. "I'm seeing this through till the end. C'mon, Pence. What do you know about the seventh wonder?"
Hayner threw up his arms and exhaled loudly. "Whatever!"
Hayner stormed off. Olette and Pence looked at me as if I was a completely different person. I was starting to think the same thing.
"Roxas…" Olette said.
"It's at that haunted mansion," Pence said.
Both of them left without saying another word. I see how it was. Perhaps I was meant to do this on my own. Everything was starting to become clear. Despite people offering to help me tomorrow, what would they find? Nothing. Everything was in my head. It would all be a waste; people would feel like I wasted their time.
My problems would become their problems, just as I said before. No one understood me; no one ever did. Not even my best friends. From now on it was me against the world. Hey, I'll always have amazing friends like Hayner, Olette, and Pence to be there for me, but sometimes, the only person you could rely on was yourself.
With a heavy sigh, I headed for the mansion.
12. Chapter 11
**Day 6**
**Chapter 11: Tears of a Nobody**
I arrived at the mansion and approached the gates. I had no idea what I was looking for; Pence wasn't specific about what was here. Ghosts? Who knows. I had a feeling that the guys in white would return to get me. It didn't bother me; I've gotten used to the strange things that have dominated my life, and I would have to face them by myself from now on. I walked up to the gate and placed my hands on the cold, metal bars. I peered through the gate to see if there was anything unusual.
"You know something…"
I was startled, and I turned around to see Pence.
"We were gonna check the mansion out tomorrow," Pence said. "It IS the most suspicious place."
What difference did it make? Chances are I'd be the only who saw anything suspicious.
"Yeah…" I said.
"Oh, get this," Pence said. "Seifer's gang is now on board to help us!"
"What?" I asked in shock.
"I know, right?" Pence said. "It's so surreal. When we were heading to the station, he came over and volunteered to help out."
For a moment I felt like corn plugged up my ears. Seifer, the guy who cared for no one but himself, was willing to help someone out? Especially the one he hated the most? I couldn't believe it. I had to be dreaming right now. I wonder if it had to do with yesterday, when I helped him out during the Struggle; not to mention, when I told him off about an hour ago.
"Hey, the more the merrier, right?"
I nodded. "I guess I'm cool with that. So, what exactly are we looking for here?"
"Well, they say there's a girl who appears at the second floor window even though no one's lived here for years." Pence said.
I looked up at the dusty old window. There was a white curtain gently blowing in the breeze. Funny, I could've sworn I saw Namine there.
I don't know how to explain what happened next. You know how we supposedly have an 'out of body experience?' Well, it was happening to me. I felt like my very soul was ripped out of my body, and thrown right at the window.
Everything went white.
* * *
><p>When my vision became clear again, I saw that I was in a white room. It was so white that I thought I'd go blind. In front of me were the white curtains. I know what we're all thinking: <em>Cream<em>, right? Thought so. Why wouldn't anyone think of that band? Anyways, in front of me was a long white table. Resting on the table was a white vase with white flowers. What kind of weirdo lived here? Better yet, how did I get here?
"Hello?"
No answer. I noticed pictures on the wall. Upon walking over to them, I noticed they were drawn with crayons. Some of the pictures looked nice, like the one of a giant island. Others were scribbles. Three in particular caught my eye. The first one was Kairi holding her star fruit. Did someone sketch my dreams out or something?
"Roxas…" Namine said.
"Namine?"
Her voice came from my right. I looked in that direction; nobody there.
"Where are you?" I asked.
She didn't reply. I looked around the room some more. My eyes came in contact with another picture. It was Axel – standing next to him was…what?
"Is that…me with Axel?"
"Yes," Namine said. "You ARE best friends…"
"Yeah, 'cause all of my friends yearn at the prospect of setting me on fire," I said sarcastically.
There was a long pause. I think she was serious. Besides, those weren't the best choice in words.
"I'm sorry," I said sadly. "I haven't been in a good mood lately."
"I understand," Namine said. "There's so much on your mind. Wouldn't you like to know the truth about who you really are? It would alleviate your problems."
"What do you mean?" I asked. "No one knows me better than me."
"Of course," Namine said.
I strolled around the room, looking at the pictures some more.
"But I don't get what's been happening lately," I said. I glanced at another picture. "Did you draw these? They're nice."
"Thank you," Namine said. "No one's really complimented me before. You're as sweet as he is."
"Who?" I asked.
"Look at that picture to your right," she said. "Do you recognize those three?"
The picture featured three familiar faces doing Ring around the Rosie.
"Sora, Luigi, and Yoshi," I replied. "They're the ones from my dreams."
"About a year ago, some things happened, and I had to take apart the memories chained together in Sora's heart. But now... I'm putting them all back exactly the way they were. It's taken me a long time, but pretty soon Sora will be his old self again. The process has been affecting you, too, Roxas."
It all made sense now. Somehow, Sora's memories were having an effect on me.
"You mean…the dreams?"
"Yes," Namine said. "You and Sora are connected. And...in order for Sora to become completely whole again... He needs you."
I looked at a picture of Sora and I standing next to each other.
"Me? What for?"
"You hold half of what he is... He needs you, Roxas."
Before I could open my mouth, everything went white. My vision returned, and I was sitting at the end of the long table. On the other side of it was Namine. How was she doing this?
"Namine…do you mind if I ask you a question?" I asked. "What are you?"
"I'm a witch with the power over Sora's memories and those around him."
"A witch?"
Namine looked a little sad. I had a feeling she didn't like being labeled with that word.
"That's what Diz calls me."
"Who?"
"The guy with the red bandages."
"Oh. Is he like your caretaker or something?"
Namine shook her head. "I can't say. He tells me that I'm nothing more than a curse. I can't even figure out why I have these powers."
I felt bad for Namine. Clearly she was of no value to Diz.
"Hey, don't listen to that old geezer," I said. "You've been helpful to me so far. You're far from being a curse."
Namine smiled at me. I could tell that was the best thing she heard all day. I glanced at the picture of Axel and me.
"It's funny," I said. "Suddenly I feel like I don't know myself at all. I guess I would like to know. What do you know about me...that I don't?"
Namine hesitated. I had a feeling what she knew wasn't good.
"You...you were never supposed to exist, Roxas."
Hearing that was like a knife getting jammed into my ears. Never exist? It almost implied that I was a mistake, never really meant to be here, but somehow I'm sitting in this chair, breathing. There were many ways I could interpret what she said, but in the end, it was horrible to hear someone say that right to your face.
"What? How could you even say such a thing...even if it were true?"
"I'm sorry. I guess some things really are left unspoken."
"But…what about everything else going on?" I asked.
* * *
><p>Suddenly, I heard Pence calling for me. Everything went white again.<p>
"Roxas! Roxas!"
I was outside of the mansion again. Pence was shaking me. I shook my head and snapped out of my daze.
"Huh?"
"What happened?" Pence asked. "You were out of it."
I shrugged. "Guess I was focusing too much on the window."
"Did you see anything?"
"Yeah." I pointed to the window. "Watch the window – closely."
I looked back to see that Namine was gone. And here we go again.
Pence sighed. "Oh, lame. That's just the curtains moving. There must be a draft somewhere. I'm surprised this old place even has curtains."
I noticed Namine in the window again. There was no point in arguing with Pence. No matter how hard I tried, he wouldn't see it.
"Yeah," I replied.
"Well, let's head back to the Usual Spot. Hayner and Olette are waiting for us."
Pence left the area. As I followed, I looked back at the mansion. Namine's blow crushing words stuck like glue. It was impossible to shake such a depressing thought off. I was hoping Namine would solve my problems, but instead she made things worse. And I didn't have the emotions to express such a revelation.
Once again, I was alone.
* * *
><p>We saw Olette when we walked into the Usual Spot.<p>
"Hey, guys, how'd it go?" she asked.
"The girl in the window turned out to be a curtain flapping in the wind," Pence said.
"I figured as much," Olette said. "The report is done."
Pence cheered "All right!"
"Hayner headed for the station when we finished," Olette said. "Let's go have some celebratory ice cream with him."
Pence grinned. "You read my mind."
What was there to be happy about? Homework was the least of my problems; my life was falling apart.
We walked to the station, carrying our ice creams in hand. At least I had something salty and sweet to eat. Hopefully that would take my mind off things.
"Man, I can't believe we only have two more days left together," Pence said.
"Huh?" I asked.
"Summer vacation, remember?" Olette said. "
"Oh, right," I said.
I don't know why, but I literally felt like I had two more days before I'd never see my friends again. I was really losing it.
* * *
><p>We walked onto the edge of the clock tower, and there was Hayner eating his ice cream. He looked at us and smiled.<p>
"Nice of you to join me," Hayner said. "Feels so good to be done with that paper, right?"
"Right," I said sadly.
"You okay?" Hayner asked.
"It's nothing," I replied.
"If it's about earlier, I'm sorry I got annoyed with you," Hayner said. "I wanted to get the project done."
"It's not that," I said. "There's still a lot on my mind."
I looked down towards the ground. I didn't feel like eating my ice cream. No one said a word to me for a few moments.
"Listen, I know this week has been rough," Hayner said, "but tomorrow we're going to find out what's been going on."
I said nothing.
"I know!" Olette said. "While we search tomorrow, let's have a picnic! It'll be a nice change in pace."
"Awesome idea!" Pence said. "I got the meat!"
"I'll get the silverware," Olette said. "Hayner, would you get the condiments?"
"Sure thing."
"And I guess I'll buy some bread," I said.
"Cheer up, man," Pence said. "Try to enjoy the last few days. Tomorrow we'll search the town. And the day after will be the fair. That should be fun!"
"After that, the last day of summer vacation," Olette said.
Hayner moaned. "Don't remind me! You're going to give me an ulcer."
"Not if you explode from all that ice cream first," Pence said jokingly.
They started laughing. Pence's joke didn't help at all. My life was a wreck, and I felt like it would never get better. Perhaps that's why I'm not supposed to exist; like Namine, I was burden, and nothing would ever go right for me.
* * *
><p>I walked home by myself. My friends were under the impression that they, along with the whole town, were going to make a difference. I knew the truth; it was a waste of time. No one would believe me. No one understood what I was going through. They couldn't. I continued strolling through Twilight Town, wondering what my fate was. Maybe my only option was to find Sora. Question was: what did I have to give Sora in order to make him complete?<p>
As I walked up Market Street, I saw K.K. playing his guitar. He waved to me, but I was in no mood. I heard him stop playing.
"Hey, kiddo," K.K. said. "What's wrong?"
I looked over my shoulder. "It's not your problem."
"Is that so? 'Cause when I see my main man down in the dumps, it BECOMES my problem. I'm not going to ignore it."
I was starting to get annoyed with him. "I don't want to talk about it, okay!"
"Whoa! Chill out!" K.K. said. "I understand you're upset with whatever it is, but have you forgotten what I said the other day? It's not good to keep this stuff bottled up. I told you I'd understand."
"Don't give me that!" I shouted. "No one understands me! Not you! Not my friends! And frankly, I don't understand myself anymore!"
"Well of course nobody's going to understand if you keep it bottled up!" K.K. said. That was the first time I heard him raise his voice.
I walked over to him. "It's complicated. Ever since the photo incident, nothing's been the same. The world is crumbling around me! I don't know what's real anymore! So many bad things have been happening to me, and it's probably because of my mere existence. It's been affecting everyone in town! Maybe I was better off NOT existing!"
"Roxas…."
I stopped right in front of K.K.. I was starting to break down. "It's too late for that now! The only person I can trust is myself. I'm….I'm…"
My vision drowned in a pool of tears. They started streaming down my cheek. I felt…sad. Beyond sad. I was actually experiencing an emotion, and I wish it went away, because it was such a depressing feeling. I looked at K.K., who smiled warmly at me.
"…alone."
I burst out crying and hugged K.K. tightly. I felt K.K. wrap his arms around me. He stroked my back and tried to hush me.
The night ended with the sound of my sadness echoing throughout the city.
* * *
><p>In a dimly lit room, Diz sat in a huge chair. The table in front of him was crushed by a chandelier. There were old statues standing on each side of the room. This was a perfect place for him to lounge around.<p>
Diz was growing anxious; one more day before his plan would succeed, but the final day was the most crucial. And the most nerve-racking. Anything could happen. Hopefully the Organization wouldn't interfere. He needed to get out of the computer room and give his mind some space to breathe.
Ansem walked into the room. "Why did you show him the train?"
"Because he missed his trip to the beach," Diz answered.
Ansem chuckled underneath his hood. "That's almost kind of you."
"Now...what about you? Are the holes in your memory starting to fill in?" Diz asked.
"Yes," Ansem said. "The haze is clearing."
"The same thing is happening to everyone who had ties to Sora," Diz said. "Very soon, to them, he'll be like a good friend who's gone away for a year."
"Namine…she is a danger to everyone," Ansem said. "Could she possibly affect other people that aren't tied to Sora?"
"Perhaps," Diz said. "It's not outside the realm of possibility. Nobodies are unpredictable. First she only affects Sora's memories, then it somehow spreads to every person he met. Her powers are inconsistent."
Ansem sat in a chair opposite of Diz. "I've waited, and now I want to know. What is it that you want?"
"Revenge," Diz said.
Ansem tightly gripped the arm of the chair. He was trying to suppress his anger. All this time, Ansem thought that by performing these tasks for Diz, something incredible would happen. Instead, Diz's motivation was nothing more than a selfish desire. Ansem was being used like a puppet, and he despised people pulling his strings more than anything.
"Revenge…" Ansem mumbled.
"Now, for the finishing touches. First, we must dispose of Naminé. She did a splendid job with Sora, but it's high time she disappeared. Roxas isn't the only one who was never meant to exist. Take care of it, Ansem."
Ansem nodded, stood up, and left. As he walked out of the room, he started to form his own personal agenda.
* * *
><p>RESTORATION AT 97%<p>
13. Chapter 12
**Day 7**
**Chapter 12: The Parting of Friendships**
A story was coming to an end.
The dream started with Sora and his friends in a mysterious world that was uninhabited; there was only a purple floor and small little islands. Towards the horizon was a giant ball of energy.
"So, this all that's left of the worlds taken by the heartless?" Yoshi asked.
"If we beat Ansem," Sora said, "those worlds will become restored, right?"
There was a flash from the screen. Sora and his friends were now on a platform, confronting two giant, floating, gloved hands.
Sora continued in a voice over. "But, if we do beat him and all these worlds become restored and disconnected, what's gonna happen to this place? And to us?"
The scene changed to Sora confronting Riku on the beach. Riku transformed into Ansem, much to Sora's disappointment.
"All worlds begin in darkness, and all so end," Ansem said. "The heart is no different. You see, darkness is the heart's true essence."
Sora and his friends battled the tyrant in a dark world. Ansem was connected to a giant dark beast; they were connected to a giant pink vessel of some sorts. However, it looked organic, able to wiggle parts of itself. Sora and his friends bravely battled through this monstrosity.
"I'll admit: the heart can be weak," Sora said. "And sometimes it can give in. But I've learned, through the experience of my journey that deep down there is a light that never goes out!"
There was another flash, and Sora was holding a powerful yellow keyblade; using it, he finished Ansem off. Another flash showed a weakened Ansem reaching for the door to light.
With every ounce of energy, he shouted in an overdramatic voice, "KINGDOM HEARRRTTTTSSS! FILL ME WITH THE POWER OF DARKNESS!"
"You're wrong," Sora said. "I know now, without a doubt, Kingdom Hearts is light!
A giant white door opened, releasing a powerful light that consumed the seeker of darkness. Once again, the screen flashed. A portly little man wearing a red cap, red shirt, and blue overalls stood in a dark room with long, strange structures in the background. He held a keyblade in the sky; it was an inverse of Sora's – the blade was gold, and the handle was silver.
"Now, Sora! It's-a-time for us close this door for good!" the man said with a heavy Italian accent.
Sora and his friends pushed the door closed. There was a sense of sadness in the group as they locked the man inside. Sora looked up and saw Riku through the crack, smiling at him one last time.
"Take care of her," Riku said.
After the door closed, Sora leaped back and pointed the keyblade into the air. The magic from the keyblade locked the door, and it disappeared from everyone's sight. Sora had completed his mission, but at a hefty cost. Another flash; Sora ran up to Kairi as a beach started to take form underneath her.
"Kairi!"
"Sora!" she gasped.
The two grabbed each other's hands, but a powerful force was pulling them away. Tears were starting to drizzle down Kairi's eyes. She didn't want to lose Sora, not after the feelings she had for him were starting to rise to the surface.
"Kairi, remember what you said before?" Sora asked. "I'm always with you, too. No matter how long it takes, no matter how old I get, I will come back to you! I promise!"
"I know you will!"
And the force pulled the two away from each other. Sora watched in sadness as Kairi got further and further away from him. No matter how hard they called to each other, their voices could not reach, and the love they shared was silenced by a barrier.
Everything went white.
* * *
><p>The white faded. Sora and his friends were traveling down a long, dusty road in the middle of a giant green field. The four walked at a leisurely pace.<p>
"So what do we do now?" Luigi asked.
Sora put his hands behind his head. "We've gotta find Riku and Mr. Mario."
"Yes," Toadsworth agreed. "That shouldn't be so hard."
Yoshi then stopped, realizing something.
"But, uh, how we find giant door to light?" Yoshi asked.
Another flash. A young turtle creature was standing before the four. He had yellow skin, a spiky green shell on his back, and black cufflinks on his wrists. The turtle also wore a white bib that had sharp teeth drawn on it. The turtle let out a mischievous smile, revealing his only giant tooth. He held up a white envelope. Imprinted on the front of the letter was a red mushroom symbol.
"That mark on letter is Mario's seal!" Yoshi exclaimed.
Toadsworth gasped. "Only Master Mario uses that kind of insignia!"
"Do you know where Mr. Mario is then?" Sora asked the turtle.
With a cheeky giggle, the little turtle ran off with the letter. There was more static. Sora ran ahead of everyone, and turned to them.
"Let's go!" Sora said excitedly.
Zeros and ones filled the screen briefly. It was nighttime. The only sources of light came from the stars that shined brightly in the sky. Sora was walking down the path by himself, looking for any hopes of finding an end. The flickers from the screen started to become violent, and were appearing much more often; it was like someone was continually shaking the antennas of an old television.
Sora arrived at a crossroad, where the path went off in three separate directions. Sora looked at the paths. Suddenly, he felt a strange presence behind him. Looking behind him, he saw nothing. Something startled him, and when he turned back, he saw a cloaked man looking right at him. The man quietly hovered away, and disappeared into the darkest part of the night.
The flashes continued to get worse; to the point where it was hard to make out what was going on. There was a brief shot of Sora walking up to a strange castle, but before any detail could be made about it, the screen burned out.
Like the old television, the memories became as blank as the monitor.
* * *
><p>Back on the dark beach, the cloaked person was seen approaching the person sitting on the rock.<p>
"I've been to see him," the man on the rock said. "There is no mistake about it – he looks a lot like you."
"Who are you?" the second person asked.
This time his voice was heard. It sounded exactly like Roxas.
Everything went white.
* * *
><p>In the dark city, a large group of monsters with pitch black skin and yellow eyes magically tunneled their way out of the ground. They surround a lone figure who wore the same mysterious cloak. The figure remained motionless for the moment, not showing the slightest sign of fear from the overwhelming odds. He swung open his coat and brought out two keyblades – an elegant silver one, and a powerful dark one. He spun the blades around until they hit each other, discharging a spark as a result.<p>
The hooded figure held both keyblades at his side, ready to fight the swarm of creatures. One tried to attack him, but he effortlessly cut the creature in half. He leaped to his side to avoid another one, and retaliated, destroying the creature. Two creatures came at him from each side. He thrust his blade directly left, but the creature swung its claw at the tip of the blade, stopping the attack. The creature on the right leaped into the air and spun its body like a top. It tried to attach the person's right foot, but he shifted his body to face the creature, and he lifted his foot to avoid the incoming attack.
The hooded person brought his right down and destroyed the creature. He turned around and slashed horizontally across the creature that previously blocked his attack. He stabbed at a creature in front of him, but it hopped back to dodge. Immediately, another one leaped out from the crowd and tried to pounce on him. He swung his right blade over his head to kill the creature. The hooded figure made his way through the army of creatures, cutting through them with little effort. At one point, four creatures tried to attack him, but he spun and twirled his body around, blocking their ruthless attack.
He swung both blades outward, forcing the creatures to back away. Looking over his shoulder, he saw another one prepare to leap at him. He turned around and kicked it aside. He brought his left keyblade down diagonally to slash another one, and he did the same with the right keyblade. Two more leaped at him, but he crossed his blades like an "X" and brought it up to block their attacks. After pushing them back, he did a huge back flip over the legion, and landed outside of the circle. His back was near a building. The hooded person stayed in a kneeled position, and swung his blades back to kill two creatures that appeared behind him.
A few of the creatures tried to pounce on him, but he leaped to his left, and he quickly ran for it. Unfortunately, with the amount of creatures pursuing him, it would not be long before he was backed into a wall. The hooded figure started running faster, avoiding any creatures that came at him. Finally, he leaped for the side of a wall, kicked off of it, and spun towards the right. He held his blades out to kill any of the creatures that jumped at him. He landed back in the middle of the circle. Unlike a tornado, he was not safe, even for a second, in the eye. Two creatures leaped high above him and prepared to strike. The hooded figure leaped high into the air to dodge them. Five creatures leaped after him, encompassing him in a circle. He easily disposed of three creatures, and as he fell, he threw one of his keyblades to dispose of the other two.
The keyblade reappeared in his hand, and he did another huge back flip; this time he landed on the façade of a skyscraper. Near the top of the skyscraper were a bunch of huge television monitors. Nothing was playing on them. He took a moment to catch his breath. Looking around, he saw more creatures appear. Some were climbing the gargoyles, and others were slowly making their way up the stairs. The hooded person gritted his teeth. He wasn't expecting to face so many of these creatures. There was no way he'd be able to defeat every single one.
The hooded person looked up the skyscraper. It was his only chance of escape. Standing at the top of the skyscraper, looking down on the whole ordeal, was a person wearing the same black coat. Unlike the other cloaked figures, this person was not wearing a hood, fully exposing his face. It appeared to be Riku, who wore a blindfold over his eyes. How he was able to see while wearing that masked was a complete mystery. The hooded figure barely noticed Riku at the top.
The hooded person defied the laws of physics by leaping on the building and running up it. Dark creatures continued to chase him up. Some crossed his path, but he cut through them. Upon getting closer to the top, he threw the black keyblade like a boomerang at a line of creatures that stood in his path. Without letting a rational thought tackle his nerves, Riku leaped off of the skyscraper and grabbed the keyblade. The two exchanged glances at each other as they went by.
There was a flash. Both Riku and the hooded person were now in the middle of the ring of creatures, standing back to back. However, the creatures disintegrated. Apparently they managed to dispose of the creatures. Suddenly, the two people left standing betrayed each other. They turned around and leaped away from each other. Riku ran right at the hooded person and swung his blade upward, but the hooded person blocked by bringing his blade up horizontally. Riku swung his blade across, and the hooded person swung his down to counter.
The hooded person spun around to get some distance from Riku. Holding the keyblade in his right hand, the hooded person swung for Riku, who curved his blade downward and blocked the attack. Riku lifted his arm up, sliding his blade across the hooded person's blade, and lifted it into the air. Riku quickly readjusted his blade and brought it down with both hands. The hooded person leaped back, and tried to counter with a thrust; Riku side stepped to avoid. The hooded person turned around and swung his blade across to deflect another attack.
The hooded figure was about to bring his blade down, but Riku leaned left to dodge. The hooded person tried to bring his next attack in horizontally, but Riku put his blade straight up to block. Riku pushed his blade down, as he tried to reach the hooded person's head. The hooded person slid his blade down Riku's, brining right up the tip of the silver haired boy's blade.
The hooded person pushed Riku's blade up, and he spun back. Riku tried to attack again, but the hooded person leaped away. As he landed, he summoned a ball of light energy from his keyblade and threw it right at Riku. Riku barely had time to react; the attack was fast. He put his blade out to stop the attack, but the force of the impact knocked Riku back a couple of feet. He ended up landing on the ground. The hooded person walked over to him, with a triumphant smirk peeking out of his hood.
Riku sat up, catching his breath. The hooded person looked down at the silver haired boy.
"Why!" Riku asked. "Why do you have the keyblade?"
"Shut up!" the hooded person replied. Again, he sounded exactly like Roxas.
The hooded figure brought his keyblade down on Riku.
* * *
><p>I woke up from my dream; probably the most intense one yet. Never mind Sora's dreams; what the heck was all that other stuff going on? Not that it mattered; the whole world was keeping it a secret from me. I slowly sat up and got out of bed. Today I was feeling much better. All of the depressing thoughts I had about loneliness were gone. For the most part. I felt like a new person. I was ready to embark on a quest with the citizens of Twilight Town. Our goal: to discover the truth.<p>
I opened the windows and looked outside. Pigeons flew by, startling me for a split second. After they went away, I continued looking over my town. There was no better place I'd rather be right now. I knew that the town would always keep me safe from the outside world. It was like my security blanket; it provided me with comfort.
And I hoped it would always stay that way.
* * *
><p>I headed for Market Street to grab bread for our picnic. On the way I greeted a few of the people, but they didn't respond. They didn't even acknowledge my presence. Odd. As I continued to Mama's bakery, I saw the rail that K.K. usually sat on. He wasn't there. Too bad. I wanted to thank him again for all he did. Pouring my emotions out helped take some of the pain away. I was ready to tell K.K. the whole story, but he told me to go home and sleep everything off. I'm glad I did. Crying makes you tired. I'll see him later. I had shopping to do.<p>
When I got to the bakery, I noticed it was empty. Oddly enough, the store was opened.
"Mama?" I asked. "Are you here?"
There was no answer from the back. She was probably busy. I bet she had to take care of some shipments or something. Fortunately the counter had shelves that were stocked full of sandwich rolls. I grabbed a bag, left the money on the counter, and left. I'll see her later as well I wouldn't be surprised if she was helping out with the hunt.
* * *
><p>I arrived at the Usual Spot. Hayner, Pence and Olette were already there, talking to each other.<p>
"Morning," I said. "I got the bread!"
They didn't response. Them too? What was going on? I approached them and reached my hand out for Hayner.
"Guys?"
My hand went right through Hayner's back. I couldn't believe my eyes. I instantly dropped the bread. Every voluntary part of my body was just as shocked as I was. They continued talking to each other, joking and laughing. Please let this be a dream! I've put up with so much, and I made it by because of my friends. Don't take that away from me. They're all I have. They turned to face me. I put my hands out to stop them, but they went right through me.
The new vitalized feelings I had were gone; they ran out the door with my friends. I was alone again. And this time, I think it was for good. I may not be able to experience emotions, but with my friends, I felt like I had those emotions. I felt alive. But not anymore.
I saw a picture on the furnace. I picked it up and noticed it was the one of me and my friends outside of the mansion.
But I wasn't in the picture anymore. It was like I was never there to begin with.
Suddenly, I remembered what Namine told me – how I wasn't supposed to exist. What if the laws of nature were trying to correct that mistake? Another emotion started to emerge: panic. Stuffing the picture into my pocket, I ran outside of the door, calling for anybody. I'd even settle on a hello from Seifer. Somebody answer me!
Not a soul. This was hopeless. What do I do? Wait for my fate to be decided? I wouldn't stand for it! I exhaled and started to think of a way out of this mess. But I didn't get very far. Guess who showed up and blocked each exit? I'll give you a hint: they're tall, white, and have been a real nuisance. The only area not blocked off was the entrance to the Usual Spot. But that was occupied moments later by a dark portal. Out of the portal came Axel.
"Good to see you again, Roxas."
At least someone acknowledged my presence.
"What's going on?" I asked. "Did you do this?"
"No way. Can't pull something like this off," Axel said. "I think you know why I'm here."
How could I forget? I stood my ground as he summoned his two weapons again.
"Look at what it's come to," Axel said." I've been given these icky orders to destroy you — if you refuse to come back with me."
So what now? I was the prey cornered by the carnivores. No matter what my options were, I'd end up losing. Axel said the other day that he would tell me everything, but I wasn't willing to trust him. I had to find the answer myself. But how do I escape? I decided to use the information Namine gave me about Axel and I. Maybe I could play to his emotions and make him vulnerable.
"C'mon, isn't there some way we can work this out?" I asked. "We're…best friends, right?"
Axel rubbed his head. "Sure, but I'm not getting turned into a Dusk for…"
Axel's eyes suddenly lit up.
"Wait a second! You remember now!" Axel asked.
"Y..yeah.."
"Great!" Axel said with excitement in his voice. "But, you know, gotta make sure and all. So, umm... What's our boss's name?"
I winced. I should have seen that coming. The silence showed my big, fat lie. A sad look appeared on Axel's face. That was the first time I've seen the guy upset.
"I can't believe this…"
Before he got a chance to sic the creatures on me, I summoned the keyblade, turned around, and cut one of them in half. It was strange; I had the power to summon the keyblade at will. In fact, fighting with the keyblade felt natural now. The second one curled into a ball and flew right at me. I held my keyblade like a baseball player about to bunt a ball. The creature flew into the keyblade, bounced off of it, and unfolded itself right above. It was upside-down, standing on nothing but thin air. He thrust his sharp claw at me, and I titled my head right to avoid it.
I thrust my blade right at it, but it leaped onto the ground and stood right side up. The creature slashed me right across the chest. I took a few steps back, clutching my chest to lessen the pain. The creature tried to swipe at me with its right claw, but I swung my blade across to block. It tried attacking with its other claw, and I brought my blade up to intercept.
I spun around, grabbed the keyblade with both hands, and brought it down on the creature. It stepped backwards slightly to dodge. It tried attacking with its right claw; I quickly repositioned the keyblade so that the tip was facing down, and moved it up to deflect the claw. The creature spun the other way and tried to attack with its opposite claw. I titled my blade left to block.
Finally, I kicked the creature's arm up, repositioned the keyblade again, and just barely managed to stab it in the chest. The creature shouted in pain as it took a few steps back. I ran forward to finish the creature off. Get ready for this: I felt the keyblade pulling me, and, at amazing speeds, I started dashing back and forth, slashing the creature apart. Whatever I was doing was extremely helpful.
After performing the last attack, I brought the keyblade down and finished the creature off. I turned to face Axel, who was frowning at me. I didn't want to know what he was thinking about right now; probably wondering if he wanted me rare, medium, or well done. Wow, I do make bad fire puns.
Axel snapped his fingers, and some creature with huge spiky wings spun out of the ground. I leaped back, narrowly missing the spikes. To further beat my brain with an illogical hammer, the creature jumped into the ground. Its wings were the only things sticking out. How do I hit it? My keyblade couldn't penetrate the ground like that. It moved along the ground like a shark in the water. It started flailing its wings at me. I ran as fast as I could. I had to escape. There was no way I could beat this enemy in his current state.
When I got to the exit, a wall of fire appeared.
"I'm not letting you escape this time!" Axel shouted.
I spun around to see the winged creature coming right at me. At that moment, I got an idea. Axel made a big mistake just now. I got as close to the firewall as I could. When the creature started flailing, I rolled out of the way, and the wings ran into the wall. As the creature hissed in pain, I grabbed its wings and held it against the fire.
Eventually, the creature gave up and came out of the ground as a giant circle. I slashed right across it, knocking the thing back a few feet. I tried to attack again, but it stuck both of its wings at me like a switchblade. I moved back to avoid getting skewered by the wings. I brought my blade down on the wings, but the creature retracted them. I threw my keyblade at the creature, and it put its wings up to block. But when I called the keyblade back, I threw the keyblade again, completely catching it by surprise.
The attack hit the winged creature, knocking it back. I ran at the monster and started beating away at it with a string of combos. Again, no idea how I was doing it. I finished the creature with an upward slash, and I turned to face Axel. Friend or not, defeating him was the only way I'd escape.
I ran at Axel, leaped into the air and brought my blade straight down. Axel simply held his right weapon up to block. Axel tried to punch with his left, but I brought my blade up to block. I shifted my blade the other way to block his right punch. I stepped back slightly and brought my blade straight down. Axel put both weapons up to block. I slid the blade back and aimed for his foot.
Axel swung his right weapon in to deflect the attack; he stepped forward and swung his left weapon at my head. I slightly ducked, and spun all the way around; I prepared to swing the blade straight across when I facing him, but Axel placed his weapons near his chest and blocked it. I brought my blade away, stepped forward, and swung down, but he spun around to avoid the attack.
The two of us clashed out weapons together.
"Not bad," Axel said. "You've gotten stronger."
He pushed me to my right, and I ran into the wall. I turned around and rolled out of the way to avoid his next attack. I tried to swing at him, but he dodged it and went past me. When I turned around, he elbowed me right in the cheek. Before I got a chance to recover, Axel delivered a powerful kick that knocked me right into the gate of the Usual Spot.
"Too bad it's not enough," he said.
Axel violently swung at me. I backed into the Usual Spot, doing what I could to parry.
Inside, Axel swung at me again, but I hopped left and onto the couch. Axel threw another punch, but I kicked it aside. I tried to counter with a thrust, but Axel brought his other weapon up to block. Axel tried to trip me with a sweeping kick, but I leaped off of the couch and ran over to the corner.
Axel ran over to the dartboard and pulled the darts out.
"Little boys shouldn't carelessly leave pointy objects out," Axel said.
Axel threw the darts at me, and I rolled out of the way. When I got back up, I felt a dart penetrate my knee. The sharp pain kicked in right away. It felt like a weight lifter was pinching my knee. It hurt so badly.
"Oh, look," Axel said. "I had one left."
I placed my hand on the dart and pulled it out with all my might. I shouted as I felt the needle slide through my skin. The pain was intense, and I was worried it would ruin my concentration.
"No fair," I said.
"What? Were you expecting an honorable duel or something?"
I got to my feet and ran at Axel. Unfortunately, the pain was too distracting. I swung at Axel slowly; he moved aside and kneed me right in the stomach. He finished his assault with a kick to the chest, which knocked me onto the ground. I tried to sit up, all while grunting from the intense pain in my knee. Looking up, I saw Axel standing over me.
I was tired. Axel managed to melt my stamina into a weak little puddle. With the intense pain in my knee, it was difficult to concentrate. Man, I should've let Pence put the darts away!
"Axel!" I said.
"Sorry, kid," Axel said. "Orders are orders."
Axel raised one of his weapons. This was it; I was finished. I braced myself for Axel's final attack. I was going to be as dead as the town I once cherished. I pictured everyone in my mind one last time. That was the last comforting image I wanted to see.
But nothing happened.
I heard Axel grunting; it sounded like he was struggling. Opening my eyes, I saw Axel restrained in the same cufflinks the surfer guy was in.
"No…not…now…." Axel said.
I noticed Axel looking over his shoulder. I looked in his direction. I thought my jaw was going to drop and run away at what I saw. During these last few days, some pretty strange things have happened. But this goes beyond anything I've seen. It was like reality was crossing paths with the strangeness.
It was K.K.! He held his paws straight out at Axel, and his eyes were glowing green. I thought my mind was going to shut down. I couldn't process what was going on. How was K.K. doing this? Better yet, what WAS K.K.?
"Hey, no one lays a hand on my bud while I'm around!" K.K. said. "You dig?"
Axel chuckled. "Actually, I've…been…expecting you…poochy."
"What?" K.K asked.
K.K. suddenly released his grip from Axel. He was frozen right in place. After a few moments, K.K. fell onto his stomach. Behind him were two of the guys in white. No. Just no. This wasn't happening. It was like a dramatic scene in a movie; everything was in slow motion. Witnessing one of my closest friends get struck down was the worst thing to ever happen; it hurt more than my knee.
I was spaced out for the moment, unable to accept what just happened. Axel got onto his feet and walked over to K.K. I heard K.K. grunting. I couldn't see him; Axel was blocking my view.
"Good work, boys," Axel said. "Did you honestly think your little trick would work a second time?"
"I did…what I had to do…" K.K. said weakly. "Roxas…does not belong…to you or the old man."
"How noble," Axel said. "A program that actually has a heart. Too bad you're about to be deleted permanently."
He was a program? I was so confused, but that was the least of my concerns. Axel was about to kill him, and here I was, powerless to do anything. I felt a pain in my chest, and it grew at a rapid pace. Axel had gone too far. He could do whatever he wanted to me, but hurting my friends was the worse crime you could commit. I was now angry. I wasn't going to stand by anymore.
Axel raised his weapon, preparing to strike. I got to my feet and slashed across Axel's back. Before he could recover, I pushed him aside. I leaped over K.K. and furiously killed the two creatures. I had no idea where that strength came from. Adrenaline? I needed to get angry more often. Regardless of what K.K. was, I would defend him. He was still my friend.
I leaned onto the floor and helped K.K. sit up.
"K.K.! Are you okay, buddy?"
K.K looked up at me weakly. It was so hard to look at him in his condition.
"Run for it, kid. Don't worry about me. I'll keep Axel busy."
"Not happening!" I said. "You think I'd turn my back on a friend?"
K.K. chuckled. "Why did I know you'd say that?"
"Never turn your back on a friend?" Axel said. "I'm afraid you can't make that claim."
I looked to see Axel approaching us. Surprisingly, he wasn't injured at all from that last attack. K.K. wasn't the only one I wondered about.
"You once turned your back on someone," Axel said, "and look where you ended up! Now you're willing to risk your neck for a worthless program?"
I nodded. "Whatever he is, he's still my friend."
"So you would take a fake friendship over a real one?" Axel said with anger in his eyes. "Wake up! This THING has been lying to you the entire time! I've been trying to save your skin!"
"At least K.K. never tried to kill me!" I shouted.
Axel remained silent for the moment. He and I stared into each other's eyes. I was not going to back down from him protecting a friend. Axel's enraged look loosened moments later, and he became sad again.
"Guess I have to face facts," Axel said. "The Roxas I knew is long gone. You're nothing more than an opposition to the Organization."
He prepared to strike. I got my keyblade ready. Axel was no longer holding back.
"And it's my job to take traitors like you out!"
Before Axel could attack, he stopped dead in his tracks. Like the other day at the Struggle, he was frozen just like the audience. I was relieved, and also confused.
"What happened to him?" I asked.
"The old man temporarily stopped him with a program," K.K. explained. "He's giving you a chance to escape. Better split; the program won't last long."
"Not without you!" I said.
There was a pause. K.K. was thinking about something.
"It's too late for me," K.K. said. "Axel's buddies did enough damage to….erase me."
I was now extremely worried. "Don't say that! You'll be fine!"
Suddenly, K.K.'s body started to slowly fade away. I fought back the tears in my eyes. He was the only friend I had left.
"K.K…I don't want you to…"
K.K. smiled warmly. "It's okay, kid. My usefulness has ended. It's time for this dog to move on. At least I can disappear knowing that I tried to make a difference in someone's life."
"Wh-what do you mean?"
My breathing was heavy. I felt K.K. wrap his paw around my hand, trying to calm me down. The warm touch of a friend's hand was what I needed right now.
"What Axel said was true," K.K. said. "I did lie to you, and I'm sorry for that. The guilt got the best of me. I was coming to help you escape from this town. But Axel's interference sort of complicated thing."
Escape from Twilight Town? Were these creeps going to do something to the town? Leaving this place was the thing I dreaded the most, but it got to a point where I had to consider that option. Suddenly, I heard the voice of the old man – the one Namine referred to as Diz – and he didn't sound happy.
"You traitorous, mutt!" Diz said. "How dare you go against your programming to help this burden!"
"It's your own fault, man!" K.K. said. "When you got the nose, you got the heart! A free will cannot be subjugated by any means!"
Diz laughed. "Free will? How ignorant. You don't even have the slightest inkling as to what Roxas is."
"Which is why I spent the most time with him while you stared at a monitor," K.K. said. "Right?"
"Enough," Diz said. "Roxas, leave this pitiful thing to its fate. You must go to the mansion. The time has come!"
"The time has come?" I asked.
No response. Diz probably did not want to say anymore. I didn't know what to do. Should I go along with what the strange man said? It seemed like I had no choice.
"Roxas, do what you feel is right," K.K. said. "Diz has no right to make decisions for you."
"I wish you'd come with me," I said sadly.
K.K. sadly put his head down. There was another pause. He was starting to fade away a little bit faster.
"Could you at least tell me what you are?"
"Nothin' more than a security program," K.K. said. "Trained to sniff out and dispose of any foreign entities."
"Just like what you did with that surfer guy. That wasn't a dream, then!"
"Oh, yeah," K.K. said. "We had to cover that up, so we reprogrammed the townsfolk to think you simply fainted. Sorry about that."
I put my arm around K.K. and tried to hold up what little of him was left.
"I felt guilty keeping this secret from you," K.K. said. "No one deserves to be treated this way. You have a strong spirit. Don't let anyone take it from you."
"K.K…you're such a great friend. I'm gonna miss you."
"I will too," K.K. said. "But this ain't the time to get sentimental. Get outta here before Axel starts moving again."
K.K. was right. I still had no clue as to what was going on, but I had to keep fighting. I had to put K.K. behind me for right now and stay strong. I wasn't going to let anyone capture me.
"Thank you, K.K.," I said. "I was wrong about yesterday. I'm never alone."
As K.K. faded out completely, he said, "Never forget that."
He was gone forever. I tried my hardest not to cry. This was not the time. At least one of us wasn't a prisoner of this town anymore. I would always keep K.K. alive in my memories, and think of his motivational words as I continued my journey. I hurried out of the Usual Spot, leaving the past safely behind the gates.
* * *
><p>AN: This chapter is dedicated to my cat Luigi, who had recently been put down. May he rest in peace.
14. Chapter 13
**Day 7**
**Chapter 13: Painful Memories **
I ran as fast I could, not once looking over my shoulder – ignoring the lingering pain in my knee. I arrived at Tram Common, and stopped to catch my breath. But my break was short lived.
"Search every part of town!" Axel shouted.
I noticed Jessie's Drug Store. I leaped behind the counter and stayed low. Axel and his gang arrived, looking at each store. At one point, one of the guys in white came over to Jessie's store. I pressed my back against the counter; the creature looked over it. I remained perfectly still and held my breath. The creature leaped over to search the room. As he went to the back, I hid behind one of shelves.
The creature continued searching. Go away, go away! Finally, the creature left the store. What a relief.
"No luck?" Axel asked. "Okay. New plan."
I crawled over to the counter and slowly poked my head out. They were gone. Safe for now. I turned around and pressed my back against the wall. I hugged my knees and buried my face in them. I couldn't believe this was real. Everything I cherished was gone. All I had left was a giant key, and a picture that reminded me of a time when things were carefree. But it was hard to imagine being a part of those days when you're not even in the picture.
I sat in silence, trying to let everything that happened soak into my brain. I don't know what Hayner, Pence, and Olette's fates were, but K.K. was gone forever. From now on, I'd have to play his songs in my mind. They were the only comfort I had. Axel; I had a feeling he wouldn't show me mercy the next time we meet. No one would be there to back me up.
I lifted my head upon realizing something – there was still one friend I could count on. I needed to get to the mansion. I got to my feet and grabbed some peroxide and a Band-Aid for my knee. I had to prepare for the road ahead; I had a feeling that once I enter the mansion, I wouldn't be coming back.
* * *
><p>I arrived outside the gates, keeping the keyblade close to me. It was time to put an end to all of this mystery. I would do whatever it takes to get the answers I want. Even if it killed me. Before getting any further, I felt a presence behind me. Turning around, I saw five guys in white surrounding me from all corners. I backed up until my back hit the gate.<p>
"Don't call me and then lock me out," I said.
I thought about what to do. I could fight them with the keyblade, but given how they were surrounding me, this fight wouldn't end well.
Wait! The keyblade! I remembered seeing Sora use it to unlock pretty much anything. Was it possible? I turned around and fired a little energy stream at the keyhole. The giant keyhole was consumed by light, and it vanished. The gates opened, and I made a mad dash for the door. I opened the door, got inside, and slammed it behind me. Another close call. But these guys were getting restless. I had to keep moving.
I've never been in the old mansion before. I wasn't missing much. The main hallway was square shaped, with pieces of wood and other random materials spread out throughout the room. The walls and floors were made of light-red bricks. The room was lit up by four giant rectangular shaped windows located straight ahead of me. Above the windows was the second floor. Two stairs were on each side of the windows, leading to the second floor.
I called out for Namine, and then covered my mouth. The sound of my voice echoed throughout the room. Shouting wasn't the best way to draw attention away from yourself, moron! As if on cue, two of those creatures with the weird legs showed up. But they were different. Turns out that the legs were actually its arms, and it had a small body. Like before, they walked slowly at me.
I summoned the keyblade and easily took out the one on the right. When I turned to face the other one, it magically turned into a sword and swung at me. I leaned back to dodge the attack. Holding the blade with my right hand, I brought it straight down on the creature, but it turned into a shield to defend against my attack. After it pushed me back, it flew right above my head, and turned into a sphere.
I hopped back to avoid becoming a human shish kabob. As it got stock in the ground, I cut it in half. I felt something scratch my back. I stumbled forward, wincing from the pain. Spinning around, I saw two more guys in white. I ran the other way, and another two stopped me in my path. My only choice was the stairs. While running up the stairs, a sphere flew right by me and hit the rail.
That gave me an idea! I grabbed the sphere and pushed it against one of the guys in white that was following me. Using all of my strength, I pushed it back, and it crashed into the others, creating a domino effect down the stairs. After getting to the top, I ran down the left hallway. I remember seeing Namine look out the left window, so that's where I had to go. On the way, more creatures tried to get in the way, but using the keyblade, I knocked them aside.
I was near the door when one of the creatures tackled me to the ground. I wiggled my body and struggled to break free. Its grip was strong. I pressed my hands against the floor and pulled with all my might. Still no luck. I elbowed the creature in the face a few times until it let go. I got to my feet, ran into the room, and slammed the door shut.
I exhaled. Safe again. I was in the white room. I knew I wasn't hallucinating. How could anyone forget a room with such blinding walls? All of the drawings Namine made were there, too.
"Namine?"
I looked around for her. My eyes couldn't help but look at her drawings. They were the only pleasant things to look at in this room. Eventually I came across another painting that caught my eyes. It was me; I was wearing that gray cloak. And from the looks of the background, I was in a dark city. The one from my dreams? How did she know all this?
A powerful buzzing sound invaded my ears. At first, I thought it was somewhere in the room, but the sound soon turned into pain, squeezing my brain with its palms. I clutched my head, trying to lessen the pain, but it continued to get worse. The crushing feeling got tighter and tighter.
Until everything went black.
* * *
><p>My dreams were nothing more than memories. Each time I fell asleep, a piece of the past came to invade my dreams. And I wasn't sure I'd like the images being shown to me. For this memory in particular, I was walking down the street of a dark city. Every detail of the dream was vivid: from the rumbling of the distant thunder, to the cool breeze blowing in my face. The town itself looked like if Twilight Town plummeted straight into my nightmares. The place was also deserted. Not a soul around.<p>
Before I got any further, a familiar voice called out to me.
"So your mind's made up?" Axel asked. "You're really going to cast everything away like this?"
I looked over my shoulder to see him leaning against a wall.
"Why did the keyblade choose me?" I said. "I have to know."
Axel angrily turned to me. "You can't turn on the Organization!"
* * *
><p>"Roxas?"<p>
That voice. Please let it be her. I opened my eyes to see Namine looking down at me. I was still a bit groggy, but I managed to sit up. I rubbed my temples. Thankfully the throbbing pain in my head was gone. Namine kneeled down to me.
"Are you okay?"
Words alone could not express how relieved I was to see her. Without even a second thought, I hugged Namine with all my might. I rested my head over her shoulder. For the first time in awhile, I felt safe, as if I was in my mother's arms. I was so happy to be with a friend again. And I absolutely loved the feeling of being happy. Namine slowly wrapped her arms around me, and gently tightened our embrace.
I think she was just as happy to see me.
* * *
><p>We sat at the table in complete silence. Funny. I've been searching for her this whole time, and yet my brain couldn't cough up even a word to say. Namine looked at me sadly. Something was definitely on her mind.<p>
"Roxas…I'm sorry about what happened to K.K.," she said.
Oh, yeah. How could I forget that? The image of K.K. disappearing was still glued to my head. A painful memory of that magnitude was too hard to talk about. I simply shook my head and closed my eyes. I felt Namine's soft hand stroke across mine. I looked up to see her smiling at me. Her smile was all the encouragement I needed.
However, there were so many things on my mind. The first was the Organization. It seemed that I was a part of this group.
"Namine…what do you know about this…Organization XIII? Are they bad guys?"
Namine took her hand away. "Good or bad, I don't know."
"Now that I think about it: wearing dark coats isn't exactly good guy material," I said.
Namine chuckled. "Well, their motives aren't clear. All I know is that they're incomplete beings who wish to become whole. To that end, they're desperately searching for something."
"What?"
"Kingdom Hearts."
The giant door Sora closed. I figured they'd be after something that important. So, technically, I was after it too. Everything was getting complicated (understatement of the year). Instead of being sad about it, I chuckled.
"Funny?"
"It's just, I think – I've been running away from the question I really wanna ask."
I stood up from my seat and leaned against the table. Forming the words was difficult, but I had to know.
"What's gonna happen to me now? Just tell me that. Nothing else really matters anymore."
There was complete silence. I was hoping Namine would tell me the truth. I just couldn't live this lifestyle anymore. If I were to die, I'd at least want answers as to why it was happening.
Namine began to say, "You are…"
Suddenly, Namine flickered. Don't tell me she was a program, too!
"Namine?"
Namine's body broke into tiny cubes and vanished completely. Alone again. And I thought for sure I was close to the truth. It was an endless cycle. The man wearing bandages – who I assumed was Diz – appeared right behind Namine's chair.
"There's no knowledge that has the power to change your fate," he said.
I wasn't going to let him intimidate me. "Even if it doesn't, I wanna know. I have the right to know!"
"A Nobody doesn't have a right to know. Nor does it even have the right to be."
A Nobody? Was he saying that as an insult? No. That's what I..was?
"But what IS a Nobody!"
A burst of dark energy appeared right beside Diz, and the pickpocket appeared next to him.
"Diz, we're out of time," the pickpocket said. "Too many Nobodies!"
Another portal appeared next to Diz, and Namine came out of it.
"Roxas. Nobodies like us are only half a person. You won't disappear! You'll be whole!"
"I'll…disappear?"
Diz turned to Namine. "No further outburst!"
"No, you won't disappear! You'll—"
Diz stood behind her and covered her mouth. She struggled to break his grip.
"Wait!" I shouted.
I ran towards them, but the hooded man blocked my path. I gritted my teeth. I carelessly fought this guy already. There was no way I'd get past him. Namine managed to release her grip from Diz.
"Roxas! We will meet again. And then we can talk about everything," Namine said. "I may not know it's you, and you may not know it's me. But we will meet again. Someday soon. I promise!
"Let her go!" I shouted.
Diz and Namine vanished through the portal.
"Namine!" I shouted.
And they were gone. I lost Namine again. I looked at the hooded man; I wanted to take my anger out on him, but doing so would be a mistake. The hooded man went through his pocket and pulled out a crayon.
"Catch."
He tossed the crayon to me.
"What's the deal?" I asked.
"Go to the opposite room from here," he said. "There should be three circles engraved on a table. Draw a crown symbol in the middle one."
"And if I refuse?"
"You don't have a choice," he said. "I'm giving you the easy way out."
Might as well take it. I had nothing to lose at this point. There was no way they'd let me see Namine again. Diz didn't want her to tell me squat; he'd keep her away from me at all costs. I nodded. The pickpocket opened the door and fired a ball of dark energy at the creatures waiting out there. They all got knocked back.
"Go!" he said.
I hurried out of the room, and made my way to the other side. On the way, I fought against a few of the creatures. It wasn't long before I entered the next room. It was a miniature sized library with a large table in the middle. Just as the guy said, there were three yellow rings engraved on the table. I'm guessing one of the bookshelves was going to open, revealing some sort of secret laboratory.
As I leaned against the table, I let everything sink in. A Nobody. That's what I was. And I'm half a person. Was Sora the other half, and did I have to fill in the empty void? This was crazy; my life has been full of tricks and lies. I didn't know what to believe. I wasn't sure if I could even trust Namine.
I drew a crown on the circle, and when I connected the lines, the circles started glowing. The circles spun until they came back into place. The glow got brighter and brighter until it was practically blinding me. Another light appeared under the table, and it started to engulf the entire floor. Having a gut feeling, I ran back to the door. When I turned around, the light started dimming, and when it vanished, the entire floor was gone, revealing a lower level.
Creative. I'll give them that. I took a deep breath. It was time to see what awaited me. I walked over to the stairs slowly. I wanted to take my time. This could be my last moments on this planet.
Hayer, Pence, Olette – I'll never see you again. I wish I could've said good-bye to you, but at least I'll always remember the times we shared together.
The downstairs area had blue and purple walls. When I reached the bottom, I saw a door and entered it. I arrived in a computer room. I was greeted by gentle hums from the machines. Looking around, I saw the projection of ones and zeroes on the wall. To my right I saw the computer. Certainly wasn't a gaming computer, that's for sure. I walked over to it and looked at all the different monitors. They had strange looking codes flying across the screen, and charts that didn't make any sense to me.
Suddenly, the pain in my head started returning. Worse than ever. It was like a giant boulder was slowly crushing my skull. It was so unbearable.
I blacked out again.
* * *
><p>I found myself sitting in another room. It was a white, circular room. I looked up to see twelve other cloaked people sitting in really high seats. A couple of them weren't wearing their hoods, but the only one I recognized was Axel. He looked at me and grinned. I looked at my hands. I was wearing the cloak as well.<p>
There was a flash, and I was running through the dark city, panting real hard. Looking over my shoulder, I saw the guys in white chasing me.
Another flash. I was standing over the blindfold guy, who was sitting on the floor, holding a black keyblade in his hand.
"Why? Why do you have the keyblade?" he asked.
I raised my keyblade. "Shut up!"
I brought it down, but he somehow blocked it, sending me flying back. He moved so fast. I had no idea how he did that. I ended up on the floor, unable to move. The blindfold guy stood up and started to approach me. I ended up fainting.
As I woke up, everything was blurry. I was in the computer room. Both Diz and the pickpocket were looking over me like a helpless creature.
"Will it work?" the pickpocket asked.
"If we can maintain the simulated town until Naminé finishes chaining together Sora's memories."
What?
"What will happen to Roxas?" the pickpocket asked.
"He holds half of Sora's power within him. In the end, he'll have to give it back."
Diz turned and sat at the computer.
"Until then, he'll need another personality to throw off his pursuers," Diz continued.
This can't be.
"Poor thing," the pickpocket said.
"It's the fate of a Nobody," Diz said.
A purple light flashed right in my eyes.
* * *
><p>I sat up, gasping for air. My dream was finally over, but the nightmare wasn't. I couldn't believe it. I've been a prisoner here this whole time; my only purpose was to fulfill someone else's needs against my will. I was angry. Beyond angry. Now I really wanted to smack something. I stood up and saw the computer. This stupid piece of junk! You're the reason I'm here! You locked me up like some animal unaware of his fate! Unlike the pickpocket, you can't fight back!<p>
I took out the keyblade and hacked away at the machine, destroying every piece. Sparks flew out of the computer. I didn't care if I got electrocuted; right now, my rage was doing the talking. I continued slamming the keyblade into every monitor. Finally, a voice in my head told me to stop. I leaned over and panted from the amount of energy I used. I felt a little bit better after letting my anger loose, but the damage was done. It wasn't going to reverse anything that happened.
I had to face facts: the time I spent in Twilight Town wasn't my real life. Everything was a fake, including my own identity. But somehow, it still felt real to me. So what if Diz created everything? The experience I had in Twilight Town would never be forgotten. My friends would always exist in my heart. Even now, I could hear the laughter of my friends. I went through my pocket and pulled out the picture of Hayner, Pence and Olette standing in front of the mansion.
It was the only piece of the town I had left. But like the town, I had to let it fade. While I'll never forget my friends, this world was not meant to be a part of my life. And that's how it needed to stay. I heard the sound of a door opening to the left. Time to keep going. I placed the picture on the broken computer, and I headed into the next room, leaving the past forever.
However, the memories would never die.
* * *
><p>The next room was large, but empty. In the middle of the room was a glowing green square. As I got closer to the square, the Nobodies (I guess that's what the guys in white were called) appeared in front of me. I summoned my keyblade. I wasn't going to run anymore. I'll take them all on. They'll have to kill me before I even think about going with them.<p>
I ran at the Nobodies and swung at two in the middle. They both leaped back to the wall. The other two came in from each side. I turned to the right, ducked underneath the nobody's head-butt, and slashed right across its chest. I looked over my shoulder to see the other one ready to strike. I held my blade horizontally, grabbed the tip with my free hand, turned back half way, and elbowed the creature. Next I released my hand from the tip, placed it on the handle, and turned around to destroy the creature with one mighty swing.
The two remaining nobodies leaped at me, but I did a back flip to avoid their attacks. I ran at them, slashing my blade through the hip of the one on the left. The nobody on the right swung his claw at me, but I smacked it away with my left hand, went past it, and then turned around to face it. I thrust the blade at the nobody, but it blocked with its right claw. It tried to attack with its left, and I thrust the blade again to block.
The other nobody leaped into the air and prepared to bring its claws down. I took a few steps back and put my blade up to block the attack. The creature rammed its head into my stomach, knocking me back. I had to fight the pain. I was not giving up. The nobody tried to attack again, but I used the sliding move to get behind it and kill it.
The last nobody came up to me, preparing to strike. I turned slightly and brought my blade up. I pushed the nobody's claw up, turned all the way around, and rammed the handle into its stomach. I then swung my blade back and forth across the creature, finishing it off for good.
The party wasn't over yet. A winged nobody tackled me straight to the ground. Its body was wrapped around mine. I tried to shake it off, but its grip was too strong. I noticed it flashing every so often. The flashing started getting faster. I had a bad feeling about this. I rolled on the ground, trying to shake it off of me, but it wouldn't budge. I tried slamming my back against the ground; still no results. Finally, after struggling as hard as I could, I managed to break free. I rolled away just as it was about to explode.
I got to my feet and saw one more fly at me. It stuck both of its wings at, and I leaped back to avoid the attack. I threw the keyblade at the winged nobody, slicing it in half, and causing it to disappear.
Unfortunately, this battle was just the appetizer. I heard clapping, and turned around to see Axel standing there. There was a blank expression on his face.
"You never fail to impress me, kid," Axel said.
"Axel," I said. "
"You really do remember me this time?" Axel asked.
I nodded. Axel smiled at me. This guy was unpredictable, so I had to keep my distance for now. Maybe he would give me a second chance.
And then, in a sudden burst of rage, he yelled, "I'm SO FLATTERED!"
Axel's rage appeared in the form of a giant fire wall; it surrounded us from all sides. Already the heat was intense. Any moment I was going to start sweating.
"But you're too late!" Axel shouted.
There was no escape. I had to face Axel by myself, and only one of us was going to walk away. But I wasn't hesitant, despite him being my best friend. I wasn't a part of the Organization anymore; I was their enemy, and if Axel wasn't going to hold back, why should I?
An image flashed before my eyes. It was of Riku and Kairi. I summoned the keyblade, but instead of summoning the one Sora used, I summoned two of them. A silver one and a dark one. I spun them together, and got into my battle position. It seemed all of the moves I learned from my time at the Organization came back to me. I was ready for Axel's assault.
"Two!" Axel asked surprised. "No problem! I get double the fun!"
Axel lowered his head, and his two weapons appeared in a blazing light. After he grabbed both of them, he looked at me with a smirk.
"Don't take it personal, kid," Axel said. "It's my job to sniff out traitors!"
"Are you sure the traitorous one isn't the person who chose his job over his friend?" I replied.
Axel said furiously, "Okay, wiseguy! Let's see if you skills are as sharp as your tongue!"
"You got it!"
Both Axel and I ran for each other. It was boiling in here. I'm not sure if I'd last long in the heat. So to take my mind off of it, I pictured my friends cheering me on.
"_Go get 'em!" Pence said._
"_You can do it, Roxas!" Olette said._
"_You're the man!" K.K. said._
"_Roxas! Focus!" Hayner said. _
That was all I needed. My toughest fight was about to begin. Axel and I leaped into the air and clashed our weapons together.
15. Chapter 14
**Day 7**
**Chapter 14: The End of One Story…**
Axel swung his right fist at me, but I swung my right blade across to counter. Now it gets redundant. When I swung my left blade across, he blocked with his left. Axel tried to punch me with his left again, and I brought my right blade up to knock it back. After bringing it over my head, I brought it straight down, but Axel used his right weapon to block. I quickly swung my left blade at his head, but he ducked underneath the attack.
After completely turning around, I swung both blades at his feet, but he hopped over the attack. Axel swung his left weapon towards my head, but I brought my left blade across to block. Axel pushed me back slightly and attacked with his right. I brought my right blade in diagonally (the tip was facing downward) to block it. Axel threw a punch with his left, and I pointed my left straight up to block. I thrust my right blade at him; he backed up slightly and brought the flat surface of his weapon up to block.
Next, he kicked my blade up, and he swung both his weapons straight across. I leaped back, landed safely, and ran at him again. I held my weapons at my sides, as did Axel. We both brought them up diagonally and got into a lock. I felt the intensity of the heat, and the static from our weapons. The intense look in Axel's eyes showed just how he seriously he was taking this fight. In our first fight he was cracking jokes, but now it was nothing but pure rage. What happened?
While holding our positions, we both ran across the room sideways. After stopping, we both released our grips. We continued swinging our weapons back and forth at each other.
"Idiot! What did you think would've happened when you left?" Axel asked angrily.
I spun my body around to deflect more of Axel's attacks. I swung both blades in towards his head, but he ducked underneath them. He countered by upper cutting my blades. I lost my balance for a second, and Axel swung his weapons at me. I had no choice but to fall onto my back. Axel threw his left weapon at me, and I rolled to avoid it. When I sat up, he threw his right one. I brought both blades up to block the spinning attack. It continued to push against me; eventually I pushed my arms up, knocking it into the air.
"I took my chances!" I replied. "I wanted to know the truth. And no one was going to stop me, not even you!"
"I was trying to be a good friend and protect you!"
I threw my right blade at him, but he did a cartwheel to avoid the attack. Catching one of his weapons back, he threw it me as I started standing up. I brought my blade up to deflect it. I ran at Axel again; at the same time I summoned the right blade back to my hand. Axel had both of his weapons back, too. I thrust my right blade at him, but he side stepped. Axel delivered a round house kick, but I hopped back to avoid it. Axel's back was now facing me. I brought my blades down on his head, and he pointed his weapons over it to block. Axel spun around, and pushed my blades down until we were in another lock. Axel removed his top hand and elbowed me in the chin. He repositioned his arm and decked me in the face.
I reeled back, feeling the burning strike of the blow. I was tired of him besting me. I angrily brought both blades on his shoulders and slid them straight off. Axel shouted in pain as he stumbled backwards. When he looked at me again, he was furious. I swung my blades again, but he blocked them with one weapon. His other weapon had an orange glow. He swung it right into my stomach, knocking me back several feet. After I landed, I sat up and threw my blades at him. Axel brought his weapons together to block. The blades continued spinning, pushing him back slightly. They started glowing with power, and finally they knocked Axel back; he landed on the ground.
Axel and I seemed to be evenly matched. This might take awhile.
We got to our feet and stood ready to fight again. I was starting to get tired, but I wasn't going to give up no matter what.
Axel lowered his head. "Why…why…does it have to…be this way?"
Dark energy started to swirl around Axel's body. Whatever he was planning to do, I had to stop him before he finished. I ran at Axel, preparing to attack. Axel looked at me, smirking evilly.
"It's time to burn, baby!"
Axel slammed his weapons into the ground, and a huge stream of fire appeared in front of me. I stopped and leaped back. However, it was about to get worse. The ground transformed into what I think was magma. Already I felt the heat start to push its way through my shoes. Any second I was going to start tap dancing, but again, I had to focus on my opponent. Axel came at me and and went berserk; I barely got an attack in. He was beyond furious (if that was possible).
I continued backing away, while at the same time swinging my blades to keep him at bay. I turned around at one point and saw that I was very close to the wall of fire. Axel wasn't letting up anytime soon. Axel swung his left fist at me, and I swung my blade across to block. Axel attempted to attack me with his right, but I moved my arm back slightly, made the blade face down, and blocked it. With my other blade, I tried to swing at him, but Axel leaped back a good distance.
We both ran at each other. After clashing our weapons, we both went past each other. I turned around and swung both weapons across, but Axel ducked under them; I went passed him. Looking over my shoulder, I saw him preparing to attack with his right fist. I jabbed my left hand backwards, blocking the attack with the handle of the keyblade. I turned around and swung my right blade straight down; he blocked with his opposite fist. We swung our weapons back and forth again. Eventually, I tried twirling my blades over my head, but he blocked both of them. He kicked me in the face; I went straight back. I heard one of his weapons fall on the floor, and soon enough, he grabbed my shirt with his free hand. He punched me twice with his weapon. The burning power of the attacks made my face scream in agony.
Before Axel got a third hit in, I kicked my right foot into his side, forcing him to release his grip. I swung both blades across his chest – in an upward position – and knocked him onto the ground. I thrust both blades at him, but he spun away and got to his feet. He threw one of his weapons at me, and I leaped over it. I spun my body around like a saw, hoping to get him from above. However, all I heard when I attacked was the sound of clangs. After landing, I was about to turn around, but he slashed right at my back.
I fell onto my chest. The ground was so hot. I thought my chest was going to melt from the heat. I rolled onto my back and saw him coming for me. I swung my right blade across the floor and knocked him onto the ground. I swung my blade straight down, but he rolled away to avoid it. I quickly got onto my knees, as did he, and we both clashed our weapons again. Looking into his eyes, I saw that the intensity hasn't changed. At all.
Both of us rolled back and got to our feet. I ran at Axel again.
"Time to change things up!" Axel said.
I swung at Axel, and he leaped back, right into the wall of fire! I threw my keyblade into the wall, but he was gone. Man, he could be anywhere in there. I scanned the area nonstop.
"What's wrong?" Axel asked. "Can't find me? Shame. I can see you just fine. And no matter where you try to run to, I'll always be right behind you."
I literally looked behind me. No one there. Stay cool, man; he's messing with you. Taking a deep breath, I continued looking around the area. I tried running to the other side, but he flew out in front of me, with a trail of fire behind him.
Axel laughed. I swung at his back, but he did a back flip over my attack. He leaped back into the wall. I looked around again. This was getting ridiculous. Attacking the walls wouldn't help. I was like a blindfolded archer trying to hit a moving target. All I could do was wait for him to make the next move.
Suddenly, a stream of fire rising out of the ground came right at me. I ran for dear life. When I turned the corner, the stream continued following me. There was no end. Axel leaped out in front of me, smirking.
"Dead end!" Axel said.
"Oh yeah?"
I prepared to attack with my blades. Axel put his weapons up to block. At the last second, I put my blades down, kicked against Axel's weapon, and pushed myself to the side. I looked over my shoulder as I ran; Axel had caught the attack between his two weapons, and was squeezing it together like a sandwich. I stopped and turned around.
Axel threw the ball of fire at me. I swung my blades across to deflect the attack, but it was too powerful. It exploded, knocking me onto the ground. The burning pain was everywhere now. I was exhausted. I struggled just to stand up.
Axel crossed his arm. "See the mess you've gotten yourself into? I know you're too thickheaded to give up, but if you just followed orders, this wouldn't have happened."
I continued struggling to stand up. I didn't know how much longer I could keep going. Maybe this was my fate – death at the hands of your former best friends. All hope seemed lost when I remembered the Struggle tournament. I pictured my friends cheering me on. Real or not, they'd want me to keep fighting.
"Wh-what's your point?" I asked.
I finally got to my feet and stared right into Axel's eyes.
"I don't regret what happened," I said. "In fact, I wouldn't have met such incredible friends if I didn't."
Axel rolled his eyes. "They weren't real. Nothing more than fabrications created to give you a false sense security. When are you going to get that?"
"I totally get it," I said. "But to me, they were real. They gave me strength during my time there. Heck, with the exception of K.K., they were programmed to believe I was there friend. That's good enough for me. They might be gone now, but they'll always be with me."
I got into my battle position again, feeling a whole lot better.
"My friends are my power!"
Axel scoffed. "You're corny. Fine! I'll just have to put an end to this nonexistent friendship!"
I ran at Axel and swung my right blade at him. Axel put both of his weapons up to block. I swung my left at his head, but he lowered it and spun around. When he turned around, I crossed my blades together and thrust them right into his stomach, which knocked him back. I brought both blades down and slashed right across his chest, knocking him onto the ground again.
Axel got into a kneeled position; he looked shocked. Guess he didn't think I'd have some fight left. I tried to bring my blades down, but he leaped into the fire. Oh, no. That trick won't work a third time! I was ready for him.
Axel leaped out from above me.
"Take that!"
Axel tried to bring his weapons down, but I leaped out of the way and threw my keyblade at him, knocking him back. I ran at Axel again, and he leaped into the air. I followed in hot pursuit. Both of us swung our weapons back and forth. Finally, I saw an opening and slammed Axel into the ground. The force of the attack somehow brightened the area for a moment. I leaped away from Axel, and as I landed, I notice that the floor was normal again. Well, that's one nuisance down.
I looked up to see Axel getting to his feet. That look of anger was still stuck to his face.
"Okay, kid! I've had enough of this!" Axel said. "I was going to go easy on you with this attack last time, but now you leave me no choice!"
Axel started glowing bright orange. Axel released his two weapons and they both spun above his hands. They got larger and turned into fire disks. I sweated; he was pulling out all the stops. He was willing to slice me into little pieces. Axel threw the right one at me, and it spun along the ground. I did a cartwheel right to avoid it. When I stood up, the other one came right for my chest. I knocked it away with my left blade. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw the first one come at me from above. I turned around and caught it with both blades. The second soon joined the clash.
The discs were too strong for me to push back. I had only one option. I fell onto the floor and let the discs go by. I turned around to see Axel had caught them. He brought them together, creating one huge disk. He held it above his head.
Oh, crap.
"Roxas…I'm sorry…
I looked up at Axel. Perhaps there was still some remorse he felt from doing this. And for some reason, I felt the same way.
"So am I…"
Axel threw the huge disk at me. I had to time this next move perfectly. The disk flew right at me, getting closer and closer. I felt the pressure of the attack hit my face. It was now or never. I got onto my knees and jammed the dark keyblade into the ground. It caught the disc, but wouldn't last long. I leaped back, ran at the keyblade, hopped onto it, and pushed myself into the air. I held the silver keyblade over my head and brought it straight down on Axel.
I noticed that he shielded himself at the last second, but the attack was powerful enough to knock him back. I heard him shout in pain. I summoned the dark keyblade back to my hand, and waited for Axel's next move. Axel still had his arms crossed.
Axel grabbed onto his right shoulder and leaned over. He was panting heavily. The wall of fire died down until it was completely gone. Axel was beaten – hopefully for good this time. Axel weakly looked up at me.
"Why don't you get it over with already?" Axel said.
I heard sadness in his voice. Something tickled my brain. It was another memory.
* * *
><p>We were back in the city. I turned away from him.<p>
"You get on their bad side and they'll destroy you!" Axel said.
"No one would miss me," I said.
I walked away. Whatever I was doing, I'd stick with it till the end of time. As I said, no one would get in the way of my dream. However, I stopped when I heard Axel whisper something.
I thought he said, "That's not true. I would."
I looked over my shoulder to see him walking away. Despite not being able to feel emotions, his sadness clutched onto my heart.
"I'll miss you, too," I whispered back.
* * *
><p>Axel truly was a good friend. It took me until now to finally understand how much he meant to me. I put my keyblades away. There was no way I could bring myself to kill him. He was only following orders.<p>
"Axel…I…can't…"
Axel looked up at me with a smile. "Save it. I tried all I could. But I have no control over you, man. A free will cannot be subjugated by any means."
I was shocked to hear Axel say that. No way was that was coincidence. Axel chuckled when he saw my reaction.
"Not every part of my body was frozen," Axel said. "Gotta say, your friend is pretty wise for a mutt."
There was a pause. Axel took slow, deep breathes to recover from the fight.
"Sorry about what I did to him," Axel said.
"At least K.K. no longer has to follow that old coot's orders," I said.
Axel smiled. "Good point." There as another pause. "Whatdya say? Want to meet again in the next life?"
I didn't know what the next life was, but I had a feeling I would soon discover it.
"Sure. I'll be waiting."
A dark stream of energy surrounded Axel. He chuckled again.
"Silly. Just because you have a next life…"
The energy overtook Axel. Just like that, he was gone. I walked over to the spot where Axel once stood. I wish I had more time to reconnect with him, but given the circumstances, that won't be happening. Yet another friend was taken away from me, but like the others, he would always be a part of my memories.
I guess that's what K.K. meant when he said I'll never be alone.
* * *
><p>The next room I arrived in was a hallway. Ahead of me were strange looking pod-things. It looked like I was in the middle of an alien movie. How appropriate – everything happening was still alien to me. I passed by one of the pods and noticed something was inside of it – or rather, someone. It took me a second to process who it was, because I was unable to believe it. Peering through the pod, I saw that it was Toadsworth, the chronicler of Sora's journey.<p>
"I'm losing my mind," I said.
I rubbed my eyes and looked again. Yep, it was Toadsworth. You could practically touch him. He was sound asleep. I looked down the hallway. My jaw slowly dropped upon seeing who was in the next two pods.
"Luigi….Yoshi?"
Sure enough, they were there, too. To say this was surreal would be an understatement. Why were they here? And would that mean Sora was here, too? Now I was curious, though I'm not sure where my curiosity would lead me. I walked down the hall and saw another door. I approached it, but instantly came to a stop. Something inside of my brain was pulling on my feet, telling them not to go through with this.
But as I said before: what did I have to lose at this point? I was ready for anything. I took a deep breath and walked through the door.
* * *
><p>The next room was huge; so huge that I couldn't even see the walls. The room was also brightly lit. Ahead of me stood Diz. He smiled upon seeing me. Behind him was a really big pod. Could…he be in there?<p>
"At last, the keyblade's chosen one," Diz said.
"Who are you saying that to?" I asked. "Me? Or Sora?"
"To half of Sora, of course," Diz said. "You reside in darkness. What I need is someone who can move about the realm of light and destroy Organization XIII."
"Why?"
"You need not be concerned with that," Diz said. "As an opposition to the Organization, we might as well be on same side."
"Are you kidding?" I asked angrily. "After everything you put me through!"
"It was something I had to do," Diz explained. "I'm doing my part to keep all worlds safe. You could say that I am a servant of the worlds."
He laughed.
"And, if I'm a servant," he continued, "then you should consider yourself a tool, at best."
That really struck a nerve. He continued treating me like an object. First he said that I was a Nobody, not having the right to know anything. And now I was nothing more than a disposable utensil being used in this guy's master plan. It was horrible to get put down like that.
"Was that…was that supposed to be a joke?" I asked.
I got my keyblade out. I've had it with this guy.
"'Cause I'm not laughing!"
I ran at Diz and swung my blade through him. I turned around; he was completely unharmed.
"My apologies. This is only a data-based projection." Diz said.
My anger was like magma; it rose all the way to the surface and came out of mouth in the form of a scream. This guy was the mastermind behind everything. He took away everything that was precious to me, even if half of it wasn't real. I violently swung my blade across him, not caring in the slightest that he was a hologram. Common sense didn't apply at this point; it was pure rage.
Diz slowly started to fade away. I was getting exhausted from hitting him nonstop. Finally, I gave out. The last hit I landed was slow. Diz disappeared, and I took a moment to catch my breath.
"Are you finished?" Diz asked from behind.
I turned around to face him.
"Hardly," I said. "I hate you so much!"
"You should share some of that hatred with Sora," Diz said. "He's far too nice for his own good."
"No! My heart belongs to me!"
I swung at Diz again, but he vanished. I looked up at the pod in front of me. It flashed brightly for a second, and then it started opening. Through the cracks I could see light, brown spiky hair. When it opened completely, I saw him suspended in mid-air; he was still asleep.
"Sora…"
I knew that this was it. Namine told me I had to make Sora whole, and there was only one way to do that. At first, I wasn't sure if I was ready; I didn't want to leave the life I once knew. But there was a feeling inside that told me to do it. I remembered all the people he had helped. Helping people was in his blood. Being a part of him, I felt the same way. Now I had to help him. It was for the good of everyone, and was good for me, too.
I felt a tear crawl down my face. I wiped it away.
"You're lucky," I said. "Looks like my summer vacation is…over."
I closed my eyes and pictured all of my friends one last time, including Namine. It was the last thing I wanted to see before I went through with this. If I had a chance to say anything to them, it would be 'Thanks for one hell of a summer!' Finally, I felt myself vanishing into the darkness.
But, no matter what happened to me, the memories of my life would never, ever vanish.
16. Epilouge
**Day 7**
**Epilogue: …is the Beginning of Another**
"Ouch!" Axel cried.
"Hold still," Namine said. "The pain's only brief."
Namine was applying medicine to Axel's shoulder wound. They were sitting at the top of Sunset Hill. Standing nearby them was Ansem; he watched in silence. Namine poured some of the medicine on a cloth and pressed it against the wound on Axel's shoulder. He hissed as felt the pain; it was like needles were stabbing every part of his wound.
"I think I was better off getting beat up," Axel said.
Namine smiled. "It's almost over."
Namine wrapped a bandage around the wound.
"All done," Namine said. "Sadly, I don't have a lollipop to give you."
Axel chuckled. "I never thought there'd be a smart mouth behind that sugar coated face."
Axel stood up and rubbed his shoulder.
"But thanks, anyway," Axel said.
Namine nodded and smiled at Axel. The playful atmosphere was soon brought back down to reality, as sadness appeared on Axel's face.
"What's wrong?" Namine asked.
Axel walked over to the edge of the hill and leaned on the fence. He looked out at the horizon. For a moment, not a word was said. There was a thought on Axel's mind, and he had trouble getting the words out because he wasn't sure he wanted to hear the inevitable truth.
"Hey, tall, dark, and creepy," Axel said. "Is he gone?"
"I'd imagine by now," Ansem said.
Axel sighed sadly. A part of his existence – if one were to call it existence – was gone. Mourning was impossible for a Nobody, but, still, Axel felt like things weren't the same now that he was gone. He continued staring at the horizon, trying to figure out his next course of action. Namine wasn't sure how to respond. Trying to offer her condolences wouldn't be a good idea; he probably wasn't in the mood to talk about it. Namine sat down on a bench right beside the former Organization member.
"We should probably get going," Namine said.
Axel continued looking at the sunset. "And where are you gonna to go? I'm willing to bet you have no place to go. Nor do you have anywhere to go back to."
He turned to Namine.
"Face it, kiddo," he continued. "We nobodies don't get luxuries like everyone else."
Namine picked up her sketch book and looked at it. There were drawings of Sora and Roxas on it.
"You're right," Namine said. "Still, I have some places I want to go. There are people I want to see."
"Yeah, same here," Axel said.
Ansem walked over, and stopped in front of Namine. Axel glanced at Ansem.
"Listen, we're harmless enough," Axel said. "Why don't you just let us go?"
Ansem turned to Axel.
"You're not hiding anything from me," Axel said. "He told you to get rid of us, didn't he?"
Namine gasped. "Really?"
Ansem remained silent. Namine held her sketchbook close. Unlike Roxas, she knew it wasn't her time yet. Having her life silenced now would be devastating. Namine tried to look through Ansem's hood, but she couldn't see anything.
"Go," Ansem said.
Both Axel and Namine were surprised to hear that.
"Where'd the sudden change of heart come from?" Axel asked.
"I owe you two a favor," Ansem said.
"You do?" Namine asked.
"Yes. For your help at Castle Oblivion," Ansem said.
"Okay," Axel said. "Thanks."
Axel extended his left arm. A dark portal appeared beside him.
Axel turned to Namine. "Let's get moving."
Namine looked at Ansem for the moment. She could see that his true memories have returned. However, she wished that he wasn't stuck in his current form. But there was nothing she could do about it. She had to keep running from the Organization; they might come after her next.
"I'm sorry," she said to Ansem.
She stood up and ran into the portal. Axel walked over to the portal, and stopped right in front of it.
"Just to set the record straight: I don't hold a grudge for what you did to him. You were just following that old kook's orders. Besides, I will see him again. No one gets in the way of my goals. Got it memorized?"
Axel walked into the portal, and vanished from Ansem's sight. Suddenly, Ansem heard the sound of a train whistle. He looked over the edge and saw a single car go right under Sunset Hill. The train had a light green coating. On each side of the car, right below the windows, were magic wands imprinted on the train. Resting on top of the car was a giant, silver crown.
After the train went by, Ansem left the area, knowing that someone very important had arrived.
* * *
><p>People made their way out of the train station at Twilight Town. One of the people was a small, portly man. He wore the same dark cloak as Ansem, but his face wasn't as hidden as the aforementioned. He had a big nose and a black moustache. He also wore a red cap underneath his hood that had an "M" printed on the front.<p>
The man walked away from the station, but stopped moments later. He looked up at the clock tower. The big hand slowly prepared to join the little hand at the "twelve" mark. After doing so, the powerful ringing of the bells went off, and it echoed throughout the city.
* * *
><p>Below the mansion, Sora's pod opened completely; he was still fast asleep. That was, until, a familiar voice called out to him.<p>
"Wake up, Sora!" Yoshi called.
Sora started to open his blue eyes.
**To Be Continued in: Kingdom Hearts II: The Nintendo Version….**
* * *
><p>AN: I want to thank everyone for reading. I know it's been so long since I posted anything, but let's just say I've been trying to pull myself together. Now everything's cool and hopefully I will have Chain of Memories rewritten and revised. I'm hoping to release COM:TNV by September 17th of this year, in honor of Kingdom Hearts' 10th Anniversary in North America (but don't hold me to that; I'm going to TRY real hard). As for KH2:TNV, ideas have been forming, and soon I plan to start piecing them together. I have so much planned for it; I'd love to share all of my ideas with you. The only thing I'll tell you is that the replacement for Pirates of the Caribbean is no longer Goldeneye. ;)
Again, I want to thank everyone for reading (and for putting up with my long hiatus). You guys are awesome.
Keep on reading,
Kingdomkey23
End file.
| fanfiction |
there is great news for evidence - informed medicine fans in bosnia and herzegovina ( bh ) : the first bh cochrane symposium was held on 12 october 2015 in sarajevo .
this historic event was organized by the agency for quality and accreditation in healthcare in federation of bh ( akaz ) and medical faculty university of sarajevo .
this has been a great achievement as numerous sympathizers gathered together from all over bh : zenica , sarajevo , mostar , tuzla .
furthermore , once again the support from cochrane croatia proved to be invaluable , as predicted in an article that circled the world in the effective healthcare program s weekly article alert of the us agency for healthcare research and quality s effective healthcare program s scientific resource center ( src ) ( 1 ) .
finally it is important to note the interest expressed by decision makers as representatives of the federal ministry of health , federal ministry of education and science and state ministry of civil affairs of bosnia and herzegovina participated in the symposium .
cochrane , previously known as cochrane collaboration , is an independent , non - profit , non - governmental international organization .
there are 37,000 volunteers from more than 130 countries ( www.cochrane.org , accessed 24 jan 2016 ) working on organizing medical research information systematically in order to provide high quality unbiased evidence for making decisions in health care .
there are 14 centres and 19 regional branches operating , the nearest organized cochrane centre to bh is italian cochrane , and the nearest cochrane branch is cochrane croatia .
bh has no formally organized cochrane activity ( yet ) , but irena zakarija - grkovi , cochrane croatia co - director stressed that there were some discussions ( during the 23 cochrane colloquium held in vienna ) that a cochrane branch could be established in bh ; cochrane croatia would become a centre .
cochrane has already got into official regulatory framework in bh : knowledge on cochrane library use is listed as one of the skills in the curriculum of clinical pharmacology specialization ( 2 ) .
cochrane systematic reviews are also recognized as a valuable source of evidence for making decisions on health technology assessments .
the efficiency of using the cochrane library in setting priorities in making national reimbursement lists has already been proven both in bh and croatia ( 3 , 4 ) .
it has been demonstrated that the cochrane database of systematic reviews can brilliantly supplement the world health organization essential medicines list ( who eml ) in providing high quality evidence for making decisions on national medicines reimbursement lists . since its establishment in 2008 ,
cochrane croatia has significant acheivements , especially in the field of getting evidence to physicians and lay audience , by distribution of evidence translated into croatian .
it is very convenient that languages of these neighbouring countries are similar and bh can and could benefit from the good work done in croatia .
international speakers of the first bh cochrane event were : tom jefferson ( italy)via skype , mona nasser ( united kingdom ) , sylvia minozzi ( italy ) karmela krlea - jeri ( canada and croatia),and dario sambunjak , ivica grkovi , irena zakarija - grkovi from croatia .
these are nermin salki ( tuzla ) , mersiha mahmi - kaknjo ( zenica ) , filipa markoti ( mostar ) , fadila serdarevi ( sarajevo ) and ahmed novo ( sarajevo ) .
broad spectrum of themes connected to evidence informed medicine was covered from the basic information on cochrane and systematic reviews to using systematic reviews to inform policies e.g. in making national reimbursement list , and to develop guidelines .
the audience got a very comprehensive review on evidence based medicine ( ebm ) : everything from patient intervention comparisson outcome ( pico ) to the publication bias assesment , specially ephasizing the heterogenity issue , which can weaken the strength of systematic review evidence .
it is important to note that bh is one of rare european countries that has free access to cochrane library due to its middle income status .
cochrane croatia s way to promote evidence - based medicine to the lay audience was presented .
one of its first activities includeda translation into croatian of testing treatments by i.evans , h.thornton , i.chalmers and p.glasziou . brimming with vivid examples ,
it is about conventional medicine and there are a lot of examples of current understanding of effectiveness and safety of therapies . during the promotion of croatian translation of the book , cochrane croatia received many questions about alternative medicine . to address such questions , a web portal evidence in medicine ( dokazi u medicini )
citizens submit questions via web form , and then a team of volunteers researchers and clinicians , analyze literature medline , cdsr , dare , central , look for systematic reviews and rcts , formulate conclusions , and their response gets published on the portal .
the scientists answer the questions anonimoulsy , and the whole team stands by the conclusions .
this has been the most popular activity of cochrane croatia since its establishment in 2008 and so far more than 100 questionshave been answered .
two scientists from bh participated in this portal : mersiha mahmi - kaknjo and filipa markoti . at the beginning ,
informed by the survey on physicians knowledge and attitudes ( 5 ) , the cochrane croatia directed most of their activities at the physicians while later the focus has been shifted to the lay audience , using social networks which had excellent impact on promoting ebm ( 6 ) .
recently , a similar study was performed for bh , the findings were similar : awareness was low but the attitudes towards cochrane and ebm were positive ( 7 ) .
in the second part of the symposium related initiatives were presented : the impact observatory and guidelines development in bh .
presenters for the 1st cochrane bh event , from right to left : filipa markoti , ivica grkovi , karmela krlea - jeri , irena zakarija - grkovi , mersiha mahmi - kaknjo , dario sambunjak , mona nasser , sylvia minozzi , ahmed novo , fadila serdarevi ( courtesy of irena zakarija - grkovi ) the impact ( improving access to clinical trial data ) observatory is an international study funded by the newfelpro fellowship ( marie sklodowska - curie and croatian government ) ( http://ottawagroup.ohri.ca/disclosure.html , accessed 24 jan 2016 ) .
it aims to assess the impact of transitions of clinical trial ( ct ) data sharing on cts .
observatories or natural experiments assess the impact of interventions not controlled by the observatory researcher(s ) , inform the process and indicate trends .
the objective of the impact observatory is to increase the reliability of evidence gained by systematic reviews , contribute to increasing research efficiencyand integrity and reduce waste .
its setting included development of a methodology for assessing the impact on trials of data sharing interventions of different stakeholders , including : regulators , funders , journals , researchers , consumers , academia and pharmaceutical industry , and establishing a network of collaborators .
it is led by karmela krlea - jeri while mersiha mahmi - kaknjo and josip imi , from zenica and mostar , respectively , are bh members of its team .
the process of development of clinical practise guidelines in federation of bh and implementation of ebm into clinical practise was presented ( 8) , as well as the role of akaz .
karmela krleza - jeric as speaker at the first cochrane bh symposium in sarajevo , october 12th , 2015 akaz , agency for quality and accreditation in healthcare in federation of bosnia and herzegovina , is the main federal centre for defining , measuring , monitoring and improving standards of clinical practice and management of services .
akaz is also a federal centre for the definition , evaluation and dissemination of evidence based clinical guidelines for effective and efficient clinical practice .
clinical practice guidelines ( cpgs ) are based on the best possible scientific evidence ( 9 , 10 , 11 ) , expert opinion and professional consensus and they take into account patients and all key stakeholders . in the federation cgps have advisory character and as such have to be flexible so as to reconcile the most recent scientific and clinical achievements with what can realistically be achieved in the health sector of bosnia and herzegovina .
cpgs are developed by multidisciplinary teams of health professionals and other stakeholders fostering partnerships , cooperation , active participation and fair representation of all stakeholders .
the value and usefulness of the guidelines will be evaluated using the agree ii instrument .
akaz provides health professionals with administrative support , development funding ( the funding of projects and arrangements with health insurance funds ) , organization of the meetings , education ( ebm , cochrane , and literature search ) , evaluation / assessment of cpg ( agree ii instrument ) and distribution and dissemination of guidelines ( e - mails , newsletters , web sites , cd - rom , print , etc . ) .
presentations triggered a very vivid discussion , which turned from bosnian to croatian into english and vice versa spontaneusly , which demonstrated the interest of participants in evidence informed medicine .
authors hope that this event will become established , and soon harvest more cooperation in disseminating and contribution in the production of evidence , and reducing waste in research ( https://twitter.com/monalisa1n/status/672448827421495297 , accessed jan 24 , 2016 ) , ( 12 ) .
we also hope that mona nasser s prediction will come true : by adopting this practice researchers in bh can bring their system in line with the best in the world and compete for global funding : | pubmed |
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Floormasters always deliver on their promises and stand 100% behind their work. Anyone can provide flooring, but not everyone can deliver superior service like Floormasters.
© 2015 Floormasters, Inc. All rights reserved. | slim_pajama |
Literature recommendations for the relationship between fundamental physics and pure mathematics?
**Before answering, please see [our policy](http://meta.physics.stackexchange.com/a/4698) on resource recommendation questions.** Please write substantial answers that detail the style, content, and prerequisites of the book, paper or other resource. Explain the nature of the resource so that readers can decide which one is best suited for them rather than relying on the opinions of others. **Answers containing only a reference to a book or paper will be removed!**
So, I have been reading up on the works by Kenneth Wilson, mainly his 3 statements that he concluded to be true about our universe. His first: 'There exists a hierarchy to our universe'. From this i understand that he means to convey that the different disciplines are built upon the former. I.e, chemistry upon physics and physics upon maths. If i have understood this right then Ken is conveying that, fundamentally, physics is built upon some fundamental mathematics and that's why everything is the way that it is. I.e, the reason there are a certain number of fundamental forces can be boiled down to some pure mathematics that is just 'true' (Like 2 + 2 = 4, albeit more complicated). Is there a branch of physics that deals specifically with trying to find how these fundamental physical laws link to pure mathematical concepts? I have been struggling to find textbooks on the topic, providing my thought process is correct.
If I recall correctly Feynman's *The Character of Physical Law* (1965) covered this pretty well. The format is accessible to laypeople.
To answer your implied question about the nature of the relationship between math and physics:
No mathematical statement describes the world. Math is the process of starting with a set of arbitrary axioms and determining other statements that must be true given those axioms, and there is neither a need to test those statements against observation nor the possibility of ever doing so. Put another way, math is the study of the nature of internally consistent systems.
The universe is, as far as anybody can tell, internally consistent. Therefore, if we can make up some arbitrary axioms that seem to match all of our observations, we can apply what we know about the nature of internally consistent things (math) and determine other things that would be true if our axioms were right. By refining our axioms, we can start making really good predictions. By making really good observations, we can start guessing really good axioms. That process is physics.
So, physics (and the other sciences) are not built on a foundation of mathematics, but a foundation of observations. However, all studies of internally consistent things are inherently mathematical because mathematics is the study of internal consistency itself.
| stackexchange/physics |
COPD and related conditions like emphysema are more deadly for women than men. Here's why, and what you can do to protect yourself.
An inspiring story of how one COPD sufferer turned his family's health history into a helpful foundation.
New study reveals education through anti-smoking media has increased the intent to quit smoking.
Lung-related illnesses are on the rise. Here's why—and how to protect yourself.
Lung cancer survivor and comedian René Hicks offers this advice for individuals who are fighting cancer and the survivors.
When comedian and nonsmoker Rene Hicks was diagnosed with lung cancer, she knew secondhand smoke was the culprit. Her story of survival, hope and activism.
A look at the most common symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD.
What you need to know about chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD.
A look at the common causes of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD.
If COPD is diagnosed, these are possible treatment options your doctor may recommend. | slim_pajama |
Why does the ozone layer deplete faster in winter months over the poles?
Why is the depletion of the ozone layer greater in the winter months over polar regions?
Is it because there is more release of $\ce{NO\_x}$ due to the increased use of fossil fuels in heating which depletes the $\ce{O3}$ layer?
As mentioned in the comments, "polar vortex" is one of the prime reason ozone layer depletes faster in winter months over the poles. This is beautifully explained here [1]:
>
> Under normal conditions, the amount of stratospheric ozone depends on the amount of sunlight reaching a certain geographic area of the atmosphere. The seasonal variation is low in low latitudes because sunlight is fairly constant year-round. In high latitudes, sunlight goes way down in the winter months. Ozone typically "builds up" to higher values over the poles during the winter and early spring in each hemisphere. Because this season is offset by 6 months in the Northern and Southern hemispheres, the effect is seen at the North and South poles roughly 6 months apart.
>
>
> [...] The air masses above the poles become isolated from the rest of the atmosphere during their winter and early spring seasons due to a phenomenon known as the "polar vortex". In simplest terms, this vortex is a spinning, funnel shaped region of the atmosphere that forms in late fall and early winter over a pole, allowing chemical reactions in the enclosed air mass to be enhanced due to the lack of mixing with other, lower latitude, air masses. The effect of the pollutants we have added to the atmosphere are thus enhanced in these isolated regions of the atmosphere. The Antarctic vortex over the South Pole is more effective at isolating this region of the atmosphere during the austral winter than is the corresponding arctic vortex. A second feature of the polar stratosphere that is unique and probably aids the polar ozone depletion is polar stratospheric clouds. These very high altitude clouds are composed of ice crystals, sometimes greatly enriched in nitrogen oxide species ("$\ce{NO\_x}$") that can enhance the ozone degradation reactions discussed above. These ice particles can react with various forms of Chlorine in the atmosphere and accumulate the molecule $\ce{ClONO2}$, which is a source of ozone depleting Cl radicals. Once spring time comes, this $\ce{ClONO2}$ decomposes and allows ozone degradation reactions can occur.
>
>
>
One of the other reason is polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs).
>
> The very low winter temperatures in the Antarctic stratosphere cause polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) to form. Special reactions that occur on PSCs, combined with the relative isolation of polar stratospheric air, allow chlorine and bromine reactions to produce the ozone hole in Antarctic springtime.
>
>
>
**References**:
1. <https://www.soest.hawaii.edu/GG/ASK/ozonehole.html>
2. <https://csl.noaa.gov/assessments/ozone/2010/twentyquestions/Q10.pdf>
3. <https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/research/ozone-uv/moreinfo?view=antarctica-hole-explained>
4. <http://cimss.ssec.wisc.edu/wxwise/ozone/OZONE5.html>
5. <https://scied.ucar.edu/learning-zone/atmosphere/ozone-layer>
| stackexchange/chemistry |
Mass Effect 1. Prayers From the Shadows
An explosion rumbled through my ears. Deep and throbbing, unyielding. A pulse. My own. I look out upon my subject and feel...unsure. This is to be my first job - and I worry that I may not experienced enough to guarantee a clean kill. Death may be my calling, but suffering is not my purpose.
I am moments from becoming the assassin I am meant to be.
I am Thane Krios.
The drell is a businessman. He is vying for the merger of a major shipping company with his own, and my hanar masters wish otherwise. In this regard, I am but an instrument of their will, their weapon of choice. With a secure vantage point a mere 100 meters away, and only separated by a simple pane of glass, it would be easy to dispose of Vallare from a distance. Yet, I feel the need to be close, to ask Kalihira to grant his soul a safe passage across the sea as the soul leaves the body to continue on its eternal journey.
I do as I have been trained. I move silently, staying in the shadows. My 12 year old body is small enough to hide behind the smallest of cover as well as being inconsequential enough that the beings around me pay me no heed. I am "drala'Ta," the ignored, and I will use this to my advantage.
I spent time meditating over my purpose before setting out this morning, building my body up for what was to come, praying to the Lord of Hunters for guidance and protection. I am physically, mentally, and biotically prepared for the challenge of today. I pause and step to the side to access my perfect memory.
_A silent movement puts me just behind my target. Seize the ridge spine near the top of the head. Leverage gained - pull back. My sparring partner gasps in surprise. Tallaien is suddenly made aware of my presence. Sweat in my palms. In my right hand, the flare of biotics. The sweat evaporates in a flash as the hand flies forward. Blue energy dissipates with the impact at the base of the neck._
_Tallaien falls, senseless._
_From my instructor - a nod of approval._
My eyes take a moment to refocus on the world around me and I pause to bring my breath back to a controlled state. Yes, this will be highly effective and should ensure a quick death. The lack of body guards inside the office will allow for adequate time. The skylight above Vallare that I loosened earlier in the day will provide an excellent escape route. I will be gone before the guards outside realize what has happened.
I once again glimpse through the glass at my target. An aging drell whose ambitions exceed his capabilities. He is pacing behind his desk rubbing the top of his head. Perhaps in an extranet conversation, or taking voice notes - it is inconsequential. One of his head spines is chipped, according to his dossier, this was a result of a hovercar crash when he was young - just a few years older than I am now. His once bright scales are now dull and lined with an ash color, but his broad eyes are still sharp and aggressive, the sign of a still-active mind.
Revealing myself from amongst the shadows I signal a homeless man that I had paid hours earlier, I begin to close. The beggar is a human. He is one of many of the less fortunate who come to this area in an attempt to part the wealthy with their pocket change. His simple, unprotected, and seemingly fragile skin glistened with the oils and grime of dozens of garbage heaps as he approached the guards while yelling. The batarian guards have, at least, the basics of professionalism - as I noticed a week ago when I scouted my mark's frequented locations. On cue, they raise assault rifles and begin to shout warnings at the human, as he approaches with his raving nonsense.
Seizing the advantage of their momentary distraction, I dart into a blind spot - ducking behind a large potted plant and vaulting up to grip the ledge of the wall behind it. Moving carefully along it - above them, now - I go unnoticed as I creep closer to the office. I take a moment to watch the beggar and the guards argue heatedly - all attention is on them. I bend down, grasp the ledge and carefully drop down. Hurriedly I slip, unnoticed, to the door. Raising my hand, I jam my omni-tool against the lock and the lock releases with a small click, unheard over the angry shouts of the guards.
I open the door.
I steal into the office, sticking to the shadows. "Shadows are the currents you shall swim through," my instructors always told me - and this form of swimming came naturally for me. The hanar can function on land, but at sea they are the masters of their world. I find the same to hold true with myself and the darkness. Encompassed by the gloom I find peace. In the shadows, I am home.
Inside of Vallare's office I am once again struck with the uncertainty of proving my ability. Will the death be clean, if the death is not clean are my other options still open, should I be injured, will I still be able to cross the roofs to my extraction point. So many questions, but only one question mattered, is this body ready to take a life? This body is young, and while fit, the older male is almost twice my size. I remind myself that I have my biotics and my training to help level the playing field, and that all the research I had gathered showed that while large, the only fighting the businessman ever did was with words or money.
Then, there he was, pacing just in front of me, speaking to someone on his datapad. He turns away from me. Years of training take over and all doubts are washed away. I act.
Rushing forward out of the shadows, I grab the older Drell by the top of his head between the head spines, yanking back as I had practiced. The older male gasps and drops the datapad. As the datapad falls my right hand flashes blue and drives into the back of the politician's arched neck. The biotic push was meant to give my still developing muscles the means to swiftly break the neck for a quick and silent kill. However, I was unsure about how much help I needed.
The over-powered biotic Push drove the aging drell into the roof with a sickening crunch, and he fell to the floor to lie dead at my feet.
I look down at the body in amazement. Joints turned at wrong angles. The flesh scales around the base of his skull have been ripped away. Blood begins to pool around a head that is twisted at an unnatural angle. I allow myself the first small smile of the evening. The kill was good. Quick, painless - perhaps a little loud - but a clean kill. I close my eyes as pride washes over me. I am now who I have been training to be since my parents gave me to the Hanar six years ago. I have served the saviors of my people and have begun to repay the debt owed to them.
My moment of self-satisfaction - an atypical lack of focus - nearly costs me my life. It is a lesson I never failed to remember, in the years to come.
The pain of glass striking my face jolts me out of my reverie. Another thud and sparks shoot off the desk near me and I realize that I am being shot at. The guards heard Vallare hit the ceiling and have turned and are firing at me through the glass. Flinching, I leap for the sky-light and as I grab the edge, it comes off just as I planned. A bullet grazes my thigh as I scramble to the roof. I painfully pull my legs up out of harms way and glimpse down at the cooling body and close my eyes, prayers must not be sacrificed. I can hear the guards making their way through the door. Taking as much time as I dare, I briefly wish Vallare's spirit safe travels to the sea.
I open my eyes, turn away, and I run. A child no more, and never again.
I am a killer.
2. More Than a Game
I cease my recollection. Taking a deep breath as reality comes crashing back through my senses, I call out.
"Sketch, stop transcription."
From the darkened corner of my dingy Omega apartment a light from my VI program blinks in acknowledgement
"Transcription stopped." The little orb replies, "Do you require anything else, Mr. Krios?"
A nearly imperceptible shake of my head. "No. Nothing else."
"Powering down."
The orange light of the drone that had been filling the room fades away - leaving only the meager glow of the crack under the door, leaving the shapes and coarse details in the room still visible to my enhanced vision. The darkness takes on a familiar tint - somewhere between purple and grey - as darkness descends.
Leaning back in my chair, I look back on the job that was the the first of many.
The Vallare job, it was my first job and also proved to be my most important - it taught me lessons that would save my life numerous times over the years. I still carry the scar on my thigh, and another smaller, nearly imperceptible, scar on my face. These are wounds that I did not want the healers to completely erase, lessons that I did not want to lose. Every time I look in a mirror I see the tiny line between my cheek scales, a reminder that today, no matter what my task, I must always focus. My life, my job, my future hangs in the balance.
I carry other scars that are much more difficult to see. A deep sadness of never seeing my parents after my sixth birthday. The loss of Irikah. The bottomles pain of my failures as a father.
I do not know my son Kolyat. Not personally at least, I know a number of facts about him. I still have a number of contacts throughout the galaxy, as well as a number still on the hanar homeworld of Kahje, where my son lives. These informants are paid well to feed me important information about my son and his whereabouts. He still lives with his aunt and uncle there and is safe - it has been years since I last had to intervene on a hit against a family member. He attends a secondary school and has decent grades although he regularly lands himself in fights with other classmates - a legacy of his father - and is well known by the law enforcement in his town. That is all that I truly know about him - I do not even know his favorite color.
No.
I shake my head to clear it of treacherous thoughts such as that. They lead to places that I have no wish to revisit. I am protecting him by staying away from him and not allowing him to know me, I tell myself. It keeps him safe, safer than my wife ever was, the only thing she had been guilty of was marrying me. I need to move on before I get taken away in my memories - I must focus elsewhere, the pain is too much.
My eyes turn to the corner where my dormant VI resides - and again I wonder why I record my memoirs. What is the point of recording a life that does not exist? I have no friends, nor lovers, nor business associates - merely contacts, to whom I am one coded message relay out of many. If I were to vanish - none would take notice. My life is a secret, few know that I exist and even fewer know _who_ I am. Perhaps I can program the VI to send these memories to Kolyat after my death - he may wish, someday, to know of his father. Maybe I just want to be remembered. I do not have any real friends left, contacts and informants are the only ones I speak with regularly - the result of a violent life.
The sounds of a gunfight rip through the quiet outside of my room. This is nothing new to Omega. This broken rock is without a doubt the most crime ridden location I have ever encountered. I have come here numerous times while on various jobs throughout the years. Omega is practically seething with evil individuals and when a rich merchant wishes to see those who pirated one of his shipments dead, statistics show that a crime hub such as this is the most logical place to begin my search.
However, simple pirates are not what call me to this miserable asteroid. My life has been violent, and many would claim that my existence has brought as much evil into the galaxy as those who call this place home, if not more. I seek to do some good with my body before I leave it and there are individuals that live here who should not be allowed to continue harming others.
A few years ago I noticed that I could feel myself breathing. It did not hurt, but typically regular breathing is not something you feel without focusing on it. After the feeling persisted for a few weeks I sought medical attention, although I already had a terrible suspicion of the cause. The doctors confirmed my suspicions, Kepral's Syndrome.
Of course, I already knew what this meant. A long, drawn out death. My lungs will lose the ability to freely absorb oxygen - followed quickly by my other major organs. It is not quick or efficient, but slow, steady, and unavoidable. I know, I watched it take my first friend and mentor, Keltin.
Keltin was another assassin in the service of the hanar. An older drell who retired from active service in order to teach the next generation of killers. I owe him greatly, he was the only father figure I ever really knew. He trained me to be the best assassin I could possibly be, then he taught me more. I owe him for more than just my success, I owe him my life.
I check the time on my omni-tool, I have a few hours before I should leave this place, my mark is not scheduled to leave the club Afterlife for until later in the day. I have time.
I activate the small Virtual Intelligence program installed on my omni-tool .
As the small globe begins to take shape I sit up in my chair once again. "Sketch, activate journaling protocol."
"Journaling protocol active, Mr. Krios."
I allow myself to once again sink into my past. Light flashes in my mind's eye and the rotten walls of my apartment begin to merge with the stale grey walls of the training center on Kahje where I first met Keltin. He deserves to be remembered as well.
My foot impacts with my sparring partner's chin. Tallaien falls once again with a snarl. He does not accept defeat well. I take a step back as he picks himself up, pausing to give him the chance to ready himself again. Rising slowly to his feet, Tallaien spits a mouthful of blood to the side of the training mat.
"Thane, I swear, I'm going to hurt you." He growls out through blood stained teeth.
Tallaien has been my sparring partner for years. We entered into our training at almost the same age. I am six standard months younger than him, and as a result, we are often pitted against one another in practice. Over the years, I have excelled in most of our instruction while he has recently begun to stagnate. He is a much louder and more impulsive individual than I am. When he takes on a job, he tends to adopt a soldier-like approach - quick, brutal, direct, and artless - whereas I prefer to keep my mark unaware of my very existence until they feel their life leaving them. The psychological assault of having your guards taken out from under you is very important to him.
"The purpose of this exercise is to practice, not to injure one another, Tallaien." I reply as we begin to circle once again, quoting our instructor's orders from nearly an hour ago.
We are practicing our hand-to-hand combat only. While both of us are biotics, using those talents is draining and should not be used constantly or we risk exhaustion while on the job. If we become dependent on our biotics and this happens, we have very few options for a clean exfiltration. Our instructors teach that biotics should help us fight, but they should not be how we fight.
"Whatever, Krios. You will regret that last hit." Tallaien says with a snarl. I find it surprising how often he takes personal offense at his body's failings.
"Tallaien." I say calmly "You lowered your guard when you stepped forward to strike at my left side. I took advantage of your open guard. This should be a learning experience."
He gives me a sneer and I decide to try and appease him somewhat.
"When we started today and you landed that heavy kick to my stomach, that was due both to my mistake and to your skill taking advantage of that mistake. You have not managed to land that same strike since because..."
Tallaien interrupted me with a running kick at my stomach.
As the foot comes into what the instructors refer to as my "field of control," I rotate marginally to the side so that the foot contacts my lower hip. I move quickly, using the momentum from his foot to rotate faster than normal and my elbow drives into Tallaien's chest. He flies to the side with an "Ooof!" as the air is driven from his lungs.
"...Because I learned from my mistake." I say finishing my previous thought.
Leaping to his feet Tallaien screams, "You pretentious bastard!" and flies at me.
There is rage in his face as he launches into a flurry of blows. I duck, block, absorb and dance away from his shots. Tallaien is very enthusiastic but, as I am trying to let him know, he is generally slow to learn and improvisation is not his greatest strength.
I spot a brief opening in his guard and lash out with my left open palm, striking him with the heel of my hand in the ridge-line under his left eye. I feel a slight sting as the sharp scales of the ridge slightly cut my palm. The strike violently rotates his head and I duck under a flailing arm and move quickly to stand behind him. Reaching up, I grab him by the throat from behind and hold him as he thrashes about in an attempt to break away. Applying pressure to the major vessels in his neck with my forearm and bicep, I should only have a few seconds before Tallaien passes out from blood-loss to the brain. Knocking him unconscious is not a part of this exercise either but I can see that he needs to be stopped before this match gets dangerous.
A bright blue flash erupts from Tallaien's body and I am hit with a hammer blow to the chest. Looking down, I see the practice mat whipping by underneath me. Well that could be a problem. I think just before slamming into the far wall.
Hitting the wall I feel ribs crack and I hear a strange, almost wet sounding, pop as my right shoulder is dislocated. My mind begins to race. A biotic attack, close range, issuing from within Tallaien, a concentrated Shockwave? Does not matter, get up, raise shields, Warp for a reply, relocate, assess, react.
I try to stand up to begin my own response and am again lifted into the air.
Tallaien is standing in the center of the ring, encased in blue light with one hand lifted in front of himself that is pouring tendrils of energy at me. Too late for shields, too late to avoid, almost too late for anything. I fire a biotic Warp at his hand, disrupting the flow of energy from it. With an ear shattering crack, the Warp field detonates as it impacts with Tallaien's own energy field.
With the release of Tallaien's biotic hold I fall heavily to the ground, grinding my broken ribs, and as I try to stand it feels like I may have broken a few more. The edges of my vision fade slightly with the pain of bone grinding against bone. Gasping for air, I painfully draw myself up onto my hands and knees I search for Tallaien.
A snarl comes from behind me. "Nice one Krios, but it is going to take a little more than that to stop me."
I turn my throbbing head to see Tallaien standing behind me with barred teeth.
"Where is your high-and-mighty attitude now! I'm your better in every way Krios! I am stronger, faster, deadlier, but for some reason, YOU were always the favorite! Always standing there all quiet, pretending you're better than everyone else." An evil grin crosses his face. "But I know the truth, and now, everyone else will know that you are nothing."
I try to move but find that I have no control over my body. Come on, move. Move Thane! I yell at myself. My body begins to shake with the effort of sitting up, my shoulder is throbbing and my arm feels numb, it feels as though one of my broken ribs may have punctured a lung.
With a chilling smile, a blue light again coalesces across Tallaien's body. I realize that these are to be my final moments in this life, soon I will leave this body and travel across the sea. I must face my death with honor.
Looking up into my killers eyes I wait for imminent death. Tallaien's hand pulls back. With a snarl his hand flashes forward and the world slows to a near stand-still.
I feel a small drop of blood sliding down the corner of my mouth. I am still halfway crouched between being on my knees and standing. An almost funny thought crosses my mind. It would be terrible to die on my knees. Tallaien's teeth are stained red as he yells wordlessly. I wonder if that is a result of my kick earlier or if he was further injured when my Warp detonated. The biotic tendrils forming around his hand are beginning to pull into each other, beginning to concentrate just before releasing from his hand. How curious. I think in my heavy minded state. I wonder if the mass effect field can be manipulated from there or if the concentration is too much and it must be released.
My eyelids are slow and heavy as they blink for what I believe to be the last time. A deep thunder ponderously climbs through the room.
Was that gunfire? I think to myself. Who would be firing this far from the range? Who is even authorized to carry a weapon through this facility?
A brief line flickers into my field of view and impacts the ball of light moments before it leaves Tallaien's hand. A biotic Throw, close enough to pulp every bone in my body, rips from his hand, and misses me by inches.
Real-time comes crashing back into my senses and seems to try to catch up for the previous lull by moving far too fast. Tallaien opens his mouth to cry out at the sudden arrival of pain that has come shearing through his hand, but before he can make a sound he is cut off as another drell enters my frame of vision, driving a fist into the face of my sparring partner even as a handgun is still folding into place on the stranger's lower back. While Tallaien is still reeling from the initial strike to the face, the stranger lands three consecutive blows. One to each cheek and another to the base of his chin. Tallaien stumbles back under the onslaught as fists, knees and elbows fly at him like automatic gunfire. Four seconds after Tallaien first pulled back his hand in an attempt to end my life, he is lying, unmoving, on the ground.
A strange crackling sound issues from the throat of the young, unconscious drell as he tries to breathe through broken teeth. The older drell, a man I have never seen before, turns to face me. His breathing is calm and even, with no signs of any exertion whatsoever, in stark contrast to my own heavy, labored breathing. I feel as though there is a large weight pressing down on my chest, every intake of air is takes more and more effort.
"Are you alright?" he asks with a face that practically sang of serenity. The calm in his face was shocking to me, considering how mere seconds earlier he was a titanic and unstoppable force of violence.
"You are in shock young one." he says walking towards me when a response is not forthcoming. His voice is strangely muted, as though he is far away, and the room around him is beginning to spin.
How strange, am I being moved?
Reaching towards me, his far away voice comes again, "You will be alright son." The lights begin to dim. "I am here to help you."
My eyes begin to flutter shut. I will close my eyes for a moment, maybe that will make to room stop spinning.
"My name is Keltin."
The darkness thrusts itself upon me and I let unconsciousness take over.
End file.
| fanfiction |
Thor 1. Capítulo 1
Bien! Buenas noches queridas, y queridos, si hay uno por ahí xD...
Este es el primer capítulo del primer fanfic que nos atrevemos a publicar... así que esperamos fervientemente sea de su agrado. Por supuesto, si ven algo que no les agrada, o que los duerme, o si esta del asco pueden decirnos, estamos para mejorar! :3
Realmente esperamos que los entretengan nuestras tonterías un poco... y gracias por su tiempo!
Higurashi&Sempai Out! :3
* * *
><p>- Entonces Loki Laufeyson es mi tutorado - dice un chico con lentes y despeinado. Tal chico es un genio de las matemáticas, siempre llevando buenos promedios y hasta ayudando a los maestros a dar la clase.<p>
- Así es, Odinson- responde un hombre de edad avanzada detrás de un escritorio que indicaba que él era el director de la institución- Ese chico tiene problemas con cálculo desde hace semestres... y no habíamos encontrado a alguien que pudiera ayudarlo. El de hecho está comenzando su primer semestre en Gestión Empresarial y va a necesitar esta ayuda. Espero poder contar contigo.-
- Claro que sí señor, no dude de ello - responde el pandroso chico viendo el expediente de su nuevo alumno.
- Bueno, -el hombre busca entre uno de los cajones de su escritorio- Ten. esta es la llave, desde ahora te quedarás en su habitación, es la 79...-
- Por lo que veo es un caso difícil -frunce el ceño- suspensiones por peleas, llegar al instituto en condiciones de ebriedad y bla, bla, bla,… creo que esta vez será un reto- alza la vista el chico que detrás de esos anteojos antiestéticos ocultaba unos hermosos ojos azul índigo que demostraban su personalidad inteligente y responsable.
- Si, las matemáticas no son su único problema. Es bastante rebelde, así que ten cuidado con él, nunca puede estar mucho tiempo con su compañero de habitación, no sé qué les hace, pero después de un mes y medio, máximo dos, vienen llorando a pedir un cambio... -agrega el hombre con mirada preocupada.
- No se preocupe señor que eso no pasara - responde el chico con una media sonrisa-. Pero bueno señor, -dice mientras ve su reloj - tengo clases, así que me cambiaré de habitación en la noche. Tenga un buen día señor -termina diciendo mientras se levanta para retirarse.
- Hasta luego Thor, que tengas un buen día- se despide el hombre, que toma un expediente y empieza a revisarlo, pues como habían empezado apenas los cursos estaba hasta el cuello de trabajo.
Thor salió de la oficina con su mochila al hombro, pero mientras caminaba iba leyendo un libro de física que tenía que memorizar, no porque se lo hayan pedido, sino que a él le gustaba hacer por hobbie. Ese día vestía de forma muy natural en él, eso significaba unos pantalones deportivos anchos, una sudadera -que era el triple de él- y por debajo una camisa de manga corta que nunca se veía, ya que Thor jamás se quitaba la sudadera, y tenis blanco.
Thor usaba lentes, ya que padecía de astigmatismo y miopía. Sus padres le quisieron compran lentes de contacto, pero el chico se negó rotundamente por miedo de lastimarse los ojos o infectárselos.
El chico se dirigía a su clase de cálculo y él siempre llegaba puntual para tomar asiento hasta adelante, porque así no se distraía y escuchaba mejor al profesor, mas aparte, aunque casi no le pasaba, había compañeros que lo molestaban. Él no le tomaba importancia, ya que pensaba que gente así solo tenía dos opciones: terminar de mendigo por algún lado de la ciudad o trabajar para él.
A Thor toda materia que llevara números era su fascinación; le era un gran gusto tener que resolver problemas de física o ecuaciones en cálculo, además que le era muy fácil. Le encantaba su carrera, su meta era salir como Químico Fármaco Biólogo con honores.
Todo este estudio hacia que la vida social de Thor fuera miserable, cosa que a él no le importaba, pero se restringía mucho, como salir a fiestas de la escuela, tener más amigos de los 4 que tenía o ir a algún lugar a tomar un café o al cine. Esto a Thor le parecían cosas que quitaban el tiempo, casi siempre, si no era estar en un salón de clases o laboratorio, estaba en su cuarto metido haciendo tarea, estudiando para exámenes futuros o estudiando otras materias que no eran de su área por pura curiosidad.
Al finalizar las clases, Thor guarda sus cosas ordenadamente y sale del salón de clases de nuevo inmerso en su lectura… hasta que siente un choque en su pecho que hace que despegue sus azules ojos del grueso libro que llevaba en mano, viendo delante de él un chico de tez pálida, cabello negro y ojos verdes que parecían cuchillos mirándolo. A lo que Thor lo observo.
- Fíjate por donde caminas -dice cortante el chico de cabellos de ébano y luego continúa murmurando, sin dejar de clavarle la mirada, como si fuera un crimen haberse tropezado contra el- estúpido nerd...-
- Disculpa -responde Thor- Es que no te vi...-
- …- El chico, muy molesto lo sigue viendo. Luego entorna los ojos y se aparta del desaliñado rubio sin hacer nada más que bufar levemente, mientras camina con prisa hacia las escaleras que llevaban al tercer piso.
Thor se encoge de brazos y prosigue su camino sin despegar la vista nuevamente de su libro. Al llegar a su habitación pone su mochila en la cama y saca una maleta que se encontraba abajo de su cama. El cuarto de Thor era amplio y lo mejor era que como es uno de los mejores estudiantes tenía el privilegio de tener una habitación para él solo, cosa que no le venía nada mal, ya que podía permanecer despierto hasta altas horas de la noche leyendo algún comic o viendo alguna serie de televisión –porque sí hacía otras cosas aparte de estudiar-. Pero ahora, dado el caso que tenía un alumno, y este era todo un personaje, se veía forzado a vivir ahora con él para hacer que el chico rencontrara su camino hacia los buenos hábitos. Así que Thor, que todo tenía perfectamente acomodado, su ropa por colores -que no era mucha-, sus zapatos, sus libros, que tenía en orden alfabético, y un sinfín de materiales que usaba a menudo, ahora tenía que llevarlo a la habitación 79.
Después de varias horas, Thor termina de empacar hasta el último lápiz que se encontraba en aquella habitación que tanto le gustaba y que tenía que renunciar por ayudar a un al chico rebelde. Thor toma sus cosas, ya que al final era como 5 mochilas que podía cargar el solo. Al ver por última vez su habitación da un suspiro de melancolía, y cierra la puerta para dirigirse a su nueva habitación.
En el lugar, un chico reposaba plácidamente recostado en su cama, extendido completamente. Estaba rebotando una pequeña pelota en la pared constantemente, mientras esperaba una respuesta a una invitación de una fiesta en su móvil.
Thor se encontraba adelante de la puerta que tenía el número 79 grabado con letras de bronce. El chico espera unos minutos fuera de la puerta. Por alguna razón, sentía un poco de miedo, ya que estar con otra persona en una habitación no le agradaba mucho la idea. Al él le gustaba su espacio. Después de meditarlo lo suficiente introduce la llave en el cerrojo, traga saliva y da un suspiro de valor, gira la llave y entra a su nueva habitación. En ella encuentra a Loki, que estaba recostado en su cama. "¿Pero cómo podía estar recostado en su cama?" pensó Thor, ya que para él dormir sólo era cuando el día terminaba, y aún eran las 8:30. A esa hora el cenaba mientras estudiaba y ese chico solo estaba tirado en su cama sin que el mundo le importara. Thor entro al cuarto y coloco sus cosas en la cama y como sus modales le indicaban dijo.
- Buenas noches-.
El chico como toda respuesta dejó de botar la pelota, se enderezó y preguntó hostilmente antes de poder ver el rostro de Thor, que estaba acomodando sus cosas.
- ¿Qué haces aquí?-
- ¿Que no te informaron que vendría? - pregunto Thor volteando a verlo.
-No... No veo por qué... -antes de que terminara la frase, descubrió la identidad de su acompañante, solo para entrecerrar los ojos y pararse automáticamente, mientras lo señalaba con uno de sus dedos finos y largos- ¡Tú!
Thor enarco una ceja en desconocimiento de la actitud de su nuevo compañero al que a primera vista parecía un gato erizado cuando ve una amenaza.
- ¿Yo… qué?-
- ¿Qué haces tú aquí? -dice continuando con su hostil actitud.
- Por lo visto no fuiste avisado. Soy tu tutor y nuevo compañero de dormitorio- respondió Thor sin más, con una mirada pacífica.
- Otra vez... –cambia su mueca de evidente molestia y ríe irónicamente. Continúa sin ninguna pena en voz alta-: No se cansan de mandarme cuanto tonto se les ocurre, para que después se los regrese suplicando misericordia… Entonces, ¿tú eres el nuevo conejillo de indias nerd que viene a "ayudarme"? -en lo último pone un descarado tono sarcástico mientras esboza una sonrisa burlona.
- Pues eso creo Loki. Yo soy tu tutor, me llamo Thor y te ayudare en tus estudios, ya que eres una desgracia para esta institución y tu familia -responde Thor viéndolo con una sonrisa apacible.
- Con que desgracia, ¿eh? -intercambia su mueca por una sonrisa divertida mientras niega con la cabeza- Así que te han hablado bien de mi... Thor-.
Thor, que parecía un débil por su apariencia, era todo lo contrario. Si alguien buscaba intimidarlo de alguna manera extrema el respondía de la misma manera. No era el típico nerd que se dejaba molestar por miedo, a él si lo molestaban de forma que lo hicieran irritar extremadamente se convertía en alguien irreconocible.
-No nadie lo ha hecho, sólo se tiene que verte para saber a qué es a lo que se enfrenta- responde el otro.
-¡Ha! Eres gracioso para ser un ratón de biblioteca -dice con su misma mueca burlona, divertido por el comentario del rubio que acababa de conocer-. Entonces no hace falta presentarme, puesto que deben haberte dado ya un expediente mío, junto con fotos y pruebas de mis gloriosas hazañas, ¿no?-
-Si me lo dieron y debo decir que estoy impresionado que tantas grandiosas hazañas hubieran venido de un chico neófito como tú- respondió el otro con una sonrisa desdeñosa.
- ¡Gracias! -exclamó el moreno ante el insulto, fingiendo halago, y poniendo una mano sobre su pecho mientras se enderezaba- ¡Es el adjetivo más lindo y original que me han puesto en mucho tiempo!-
-No hay de que -responde dándose la vuelta el rubio para seguir desempacando sus cosas, ya que había perdido mucho tiempo hablando con Loki y tenía que hacer su tarea y estudiar química orgánica.
- Bueno... Thor -dice el nombre burlonamente y con un tono retador- Un placer enorme, pero tengo cosas más importantes que hacer, en vez de impedir a un nerd reencontrarse con sus viejos amigos libros- diciendo esto se da la media vuelta y toma su celular, que hacía unos momentos había sonado.
Thor ignora lo que había dicho y sigue con lo suyo de nuevo reacomodando sus cosas como las tenía en su otra habitación, colocando de nuevo su ropa por colores, su libros por alfabetos, su computador y demás cosas en el orden que a él le gustaba. El rubio dentro de unos momentos termina por fin de desempacar y se sienta en su cama a hacer su tarea que era de cálculo diferencial, biología y física.
Loki seguía tirado en la cama, reía de vez en cuando mientras leía las tonterías que escribían sus amigos, y que podía leer a través del glorioso aparato que sostenía entre sus manos, fruto de la bendita tecnología. Aun así, no podía evitar voltear a ver de vez en cuando a su nuevo compañero de cuarto, que le resultaba peculiar, ya que no era el típico chico ñengo, flaco, lleno de barros y con ridículos lentes unidos con un poco de cinta adhesiva por el centro. Este, aunque le doliera aceptarlo, le había intimidado un poco, parecía agresivo, y estaba gordo, o al menos eso daban a entender los enormes pliegues de la sudadera que llevaba puesta.
Thor se daba cuenta de que Loki lo observaba de vez en vez, pero no le prestaba atención, estaba bastante ocupado para perder más el tiempo con él. Para el, Loki era el típico chico problema que quiere que le pongan atención, así que sus infantiles respuestas le habían sido cosas sin chiste.
Después de un rato bastante largo, Loki entró y salió del baño ya con su ropa de noche, que eran una casaca blanca y un bóxer holgado verde, para tirarse otra vez en su cama, pero tomando esta vez entre sus manos una revista de comic que estaba reposando en su mesa de noche.
Thor ahora ya estaba leyendo de nuevo el libro de física que llevaba en las manos cuando tropezó con Loki, pero un ruido hizo que despegara la vista de su libro. Era la alarma que había puesta para dormir, ya que como a veces se desvelaba mucho una vez tuvo una descompensación, así que ahora tenía que hacerse del hábito de dormirse a una hora considerable, aunque había veces que no podía lograrlo. En esta ocasión lo hizo, ya que mudarse a otro dormitorio fue algo cansad, así que entro al baño y salió con otra sudadera y pants que usaba como si fuera pijama. Así que se fue directamente a su cama y se envolvió con las sabanas. Loki sólo se limitó a dedicarle una mirada fulminante, al verlo entrar al que de nuevo dejaría de ser "su" baño, para luego meterse a su cama y seguir leyendo su comic que tanto le entretenía. En unos minutos Thor estaba profundamente dormido ya que su día había sido pesado.
El nuevo día se alzó, con la luz del sol pegando directamente en el rostro de Loki, que dormía del lado de la ventana. Profirió un pequeño gruñido, ya que detestaba que le interrumpieran su sueño. Se endereza un poco y se talla los ojos, da un vistazo a su cuarto con sonrisa satisfecha hasta que sus ojos llegan a la otra cama. Demonios. Había olvidado completamente que ese animal se había mudado anoche con él, el mismo que se había tropezado el día anterior con él. Su sonrisa se deshizo. Aun así, Loki no puedo divisar a su nuevo compañero ya que este iba saliendo del baño secándose el cabello rubio con una toalla con unos de sus pants pero con el torso descubierto, haciendo ver su muy bien trabajado cuerpo, ya que su abdomen, espalda, pectorales y brazos así lo demostraban. El moreno se talla los ojos y se pone de pie. Pensó alucinar, pues era obvio que ese no era Thor, o al menos eso quería creer. Se limita a pensar que era producto de que aún tenía mucho sueño, pero al acercarse más y más se dio cuenta de que realmente… era él. No pudo evitar quedarse mirando el abdomen del rubio sin ninguna pena, era impresionante ver que un ratón de biblioteca tuviera tiempo de ir al gimnasio, si eso era lo que hacía Thor para tener esos abdominales tan envidiables.
El rubio se da cuenta de que Loki no le quitaba la mirada de encima, así que este se pone su camisa y sudadera.
- ¿Pasa algo? - pregunta, Thor viéndolo extrañado por la forme en que lo miraba.
-Ah, -sale de su trance- no, nada... -alza la mirada y lo mira fijamente a los ojos, recobrando la mirada burlona del día anterior- No sabía que dejaban entrar al gimnasio a los nerds...-
-Yo no voy al gimnasio - respondió Thor poniéndose sus lentes.
-Ah -exclama como toda repuesta, para agregar después- ya veo. Ya decía yo… -impulsado por la curiosidad que le carcomía, pregunta, sin olvidar molestarlo- entonces, ¿haces Pilates?-
-No, salgo todas las mañanas a correr y hacer barras. Estaba en un equipo de futbol el año pasado pero me quitaba mucho tiempo, así que salgo por mi parte a hacer ejercicio- responde el rubio sin verlo ya que guardaba sus libretas en la mochila.
- Oh ya veo... interesante... -dice Loki, lo último para sí mismo.
- Bueno, pues me voy tengo clase - dice Thor dirigiéndose a la puerta.
-Adiós, Thor... -dice mientras empieza a abrir si cajón de ropa para sacar la muda de ropa que se pondría ese día.
-Adiós Loki - responde Thor saliendo de la habitación.
2. Capítulo 2
Hola otra vez gente! He visto que alguien por allí ya le dió follow y fav... Muchas gracias en verdad! . desde el fondo del corazón se lo agradecemos Sempai y yo! Sabemos que nuestra historia es un fiasco salido de lo más profundo del averno, pero esperamos igual que sea de su agrado! :3 y aquí iene el segundo capítulo! Si algo no les gusta, pueden decirlo. Disfruten! O duerman xD
**Higurashi Out! **
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><p>Loki se queda sólo en su habitación después de la breve despedida. Esto le supuso un gran alivio, puesto que pudo vestir su playera verde de marca, con unos jeans negros ajustados y unos zapatos tenis de lona negros con blanco, con la calma que tanto le gustaba. Una vez hecho esto, se metió al cuarto de baño para peinarse como de costumbre, con su pelo echado todo para atrás. Se dispuso a salir de la habitación, disimulando ir hacia el salón donde le correspondía tomar su clase de fundamentos de la investigación, que detestaba, pero tomando rumbo hacia el patio, siendo cuidadoso de que nadie lo viera.<p>
Thor iba caminando tranquilamente por el pasillo que daba hacia el patio cuando pudo divisar a Loki, que se suponía que debería estar en clase. Así que, poniendo cara de molestia, se aproxima rápidamente al chico y dice.
-¿No se supone que debes estar en clases?-
-¿No se supone que deberías estar leyendo? -responde el otro, molesto por haber sido descubierto tontamente, y lo que era peor, haber sido descubierto por el rubio.
-En este momento no, voy a clase de biología. Ve a tu salón, tus clases ya empezaron. - responde el rubio sacando el horario de Loki de un bolsillo de su pants.
- ¿También te dieron eso, o lo investigaste por cuenta propia? -pregunta el menor, frunciendo el ceño y cruzándose de brazos, mientras veía con desprecio la estúpida hoja que sostenía el odioso tutor que le habían asignado.
-Me dieron una copia de tu expediente. Tu horario. Así que se puede decir que se todo sobre ti -responde el rubio aun observando el papel y añade- y ahora tienes fundamento de investigación, así que, ¿vas solito al salón o quieres que te lleve?-
- Estás soñando si crees que voy a ir a esa estúpida clase -dice mientras se da la vuelta y empieza a caminar despreocupadamente por el camino que había en el patio.
Thor toma la mochila del chico y de ella comienza a jalarlo hacia donde estaba su salón de clases. El rubio lo hacía sin mucho esfuerzo ya que Loki era delgado y no tenía mucha musculatura.
- ¡¿Qué crees que estás haciendo, animal?! -grita escandalizado Loki, mientras era arrastrado contra su voluntad- ¡Suéltame en este mismo momento!
-Te soltare cuando lleguemos a la puerta de tu salón -responde el rubio con un tono serio.
- ¡Atrévete nada más animal!-
Entre forcejeos, logra acertadamente zafarse de uno de los tirantes de la mochila, pudiendo salir caminando rápidamente hacia el patio. Thor tira la mochila de Loki y lo persigue cosa que no fue muy difícil alcanzarle, claramente por su tan buena condición física, así que toma al moreno y lo somete sin ningún esfuerzo.
- ¡No me toques, imbécil! -grita fuertemente, tratando de librarse del agarre del más grande- ¡Suéltame, estúpido Animal!-
-¿No te cansas de gritar tanto? – Bufa, irritado- vamos a tu salón-.
- ¡No! ¡Déjame en paz! ¡Lárgate a tu estúpida clase de Biología a leer tus libritos ñoños, yo quiero divertirme! -dice gritando, mientras aún intenta escapar, inútilmente, ya que era visiblemente mucho más débil que el rubio.
-A mi clase llegaré tarde por tu culpa, ya que, en vez de hacer las cosas pacíficamente prefieres que use la fuerza contigo. Así que cállate de una vez y deja de intentar escapar. Camina bien de una vez - dice el rubio que llevo a rastras hasta la puerta del salón a Loki.
El moreno sigue muy de mala gana el ritmo que Thor le imponía para llevarlo al salón que para él era como una prisión. Al llegar y estar parados en la puerta, se zafa bruscamente de él y le dice, con voz molesta y sarcástica.
- Bravo, Thor! Haces muy buen trabajo de tutor -descompone su gesto a uno muy serio e iracundo- ¡ahora lárgate!-
-No hasta que te vea entrar al salón - responde Thor con una sonrisa serena.
- Thor... -Dice, con la misma mueca- Estoy haciendo un escándalo enfrente del profesor y los compañeros, y el prefecto está en esa esquina... No creo que estés tan ciego como para no ver que no tengo a donde ir, animal... así que lárgate de una vez si no quieres que tome medidas drásticas en contra tuya...-
-Mira neófito infernal -dice Thor quitándose los lentes y poniendo cara de diversión- escúchame bien -comienza a caminar hacia a el- si no entras a tu salón en mi presencia, lo que tú me hagas no se comparara a lo que yo haré contigo, así que entras en este instante o te las veras conmigo, y créeme, que no te agradará-.
Termina diciendo el rubio viéndolo directamente a los ojos, pero con una mirada muy fría y macabra que el color azul de sus ojos lo hicieran más tenebroso. El moreno le sostiene la mirada, a pesar de lo macabra que había sido y que casi lo obliga a meterse de inmediato. Para su desgracia, tenía un orgullo demasiado enorme, y era demasiado terco, así que, sin dejar de verlo a los ojos realmente fúrico, dice.
- Ya me gustaría ver eso, pedazo de imbécil...-
Thor esboza una sonrisa demostrando sus prefectos dientes blancos, pero esta sonrisa era algo retadora.
- Pues lo verás si no entras por esa puerta, enano.-
-¿Enano? ¡Ha!-... Pensé que tenías mejor material para insultarme -dice, mientras va ensombreciendo su mirada esmeralda y dibujando una sonrisa macabra en su rostro- ¡Te vas a enterar!-
- ¿Ah sí? Y, ¿de qué?-
- ¡Nadie me llama enano! -en ese momento, y en un ataque de ira le propina un puntapié en la espinilla al rubio, y dándose la media vuelta para empezar a caminar hacia la salida.
Thor siente el agudo dolor en su espinilla, pero antes de flaquear toma al moreno de los brazos y lo pone contra la pared, oprimiéndolo contra esta con una fuerza bastante bruta, pero a Thor no le importaba, estaba lo suficientemente enojado como para romperle el brazo al débil de Loki. Tal azotón que dio Loki en la pared hizo que saliera un ruido estruendoso.
- ¡Suéltame animal!-
Empieza a lanzar manotazos por todos lados, hasta que logra tomar por suerte un mechón que había escapado del peinado de Thor para jalarlo con fuerza, sin soltarlo. Tal hecho hizo enojar más a Thor, porque si había algo que lo ponía furioso era que le tocaran el cabello. Esta acción tuvo como consecuencia un puñetazo propinado en la mejilla derecha de Loki que hizo que este cayera al suelo como una piedra. Una vez que Loki estuvo tirado en el suelo Thor lo tomo por la camisa.
-Escúchame Idiota, si tú crees que me vas a espantar como tus otros tutores, estás muy equivocado. Así que si no quieres que marque toda tu cara, hazte el favor de entrar a clases, ¿haz entendido?- dijo Thor visiblemente irritado.
- ¡¿Crees que me importa?! ¡Sólo te pedí que te largaras! ¡No me jodas con eso! -empieza a intentar empujar a Thor de encima suyo, sin éxito, así que empezó a moverse alocadamente, soltando manotazos y golpes a diestra y siniestra, acertando algunos.
Mientras tanto, al rededor empezaba a hacerse la típica bolita de chismosos, sin que llegara aún alguien interesado en parar la disputa.
Los cuantos golpes que Loki acertaba no le hacían perder su postura a Thor; aunque se veía como alguien inofensivo era todo lo contrario, se sabía defender perfectamente, así que, aunque en esta ocasión no tenía que defenderse, quería poner a su lugar a ese chico tan poco responsable y respetuoso.
- ¡Métete en tus asuntos y déjame estar en paz, a ti no te importa lo que yo haga! - en uno de los golpes al aire, da un rodillazo, acertando a golpearle fuertemente la entrepierna.
En ese momento Thor suelta al chico y posa sus manos en la rodilla derecha, tratando de soportar el fuerte dolor que en ese momento lo invadía. Ahora con mas razón quería golpear al escuálido moreno, pero aquel dolor le hacía imposible moverse en ese momento. Loki, con la fuerza suficiente logra hacer a un lado Thor y levantarse torpemente para intentar salir corriendo del lugar. Pero el rubio hace que caiga, lazándole su mochila a los pies con las pocas fuerzas que tenía.
El moreno no puede evitar lanzar un grito de impotencia y desesperación. Por suerte, su mochila no pesaba casi nada, así que se pudo deshacer de ella rápido y pararse nuevamente. Por desgracia, al poner la vista al frente, justo cuando se iba a enderezar por completo, se topa de frente con prefecto, que ya se había tardado en llegar. Thor aun con el dolor en su entrepierna solo alza la mirada y observa que el prefecto estaba ahí, así que poco a poco comienza a levantarse.
- Ustedes dos -comienza a hablarles seriamente y con voz grave- síganme.
Thor toma su gran mochila y se la coloca al hombro pero antes de avanzar espera que Loki lo haga primero. Este último, acostumbrado a la rutina, toma su mochila y se la coloca en los hombros, empezando a caminar detrás del prefecto, con una cara irritada en extremo.
Thor va detrás de Loki y el prefecto, pero a raíz del golpe camina un poco extraño. Pero lo que más le dolía era haber faltado a la clase de biología por estar ocupándose de aquel idiota muchacho.
Loki, sin poder evitarlo, esboza una sonrisa maliciosa, pues además de haber evitado entrar a clase, había arrastrado al odioso Thor a no sólo no entrar a la suya, sino a manchar su de seguro impecable expediente con una visita al despacho del director con un reporte de mal comportamiento y conducta agresiva. Al llegar el prefecto hace entrar a Loki y a Thor al despacho del director.
-Señor, estos dos chicos estaban teniendo una pelea en el pasillo de los primeros semestres.-
Loki sonríe descaradamente y hace una señal de paz al director mientras dice
- Hola Jonathan...- El director lo ve fijamente y dice
- ¿Cree que esto es un juego, Señor Laufeyson?-
- No, no lo es -dice poniéndose serio y acercándose a uno de los asientos que estaban frente al escritorio dispuestos para esas ocasiones- pero esto no es nuevo para mí, es aburrido poner siempre la misma cara de indignación mientras escucho un regaño que ya me sé. Así que... ¿por qué no empieza? así puedo irme a cumplir mi condena más rápido y dejo de molestarle... Sr. Director.-
-Señor Odinson, tome asiento por favor- dice el director señalando el sillón acolchonado. Thor hace caso de este orden y toma asiento, pensando un sin fin de cosas como si ya se había atrasado en biología, si habían dejado tarea, qué habían explicado el maestro, y un sinfín de etcéteras que eran imposibles de enumerar.
-Loki, tú también toma asiento.-
El chico rebelde también le toma la palabra.
-Bueno señores, ustedes saben que una conducta agresiva en la institución no es bien gratificada, así que tendré que suspenderlos a los dos- dice el director antes estas palabras Thor levanta la mirada y sin más dice.
-¡¿Qué?! ¡¿Suspensión?!-
Loki voltea su cabeza para verlo, con una sonrisa maliciosa de satisfacción, para después preguntar con toda la calma del mundo.
-¿Por cuánto tiempo, señor?-
-Usted por una semana, y aunque pensé que esto nunca pasaría... - el director voltea a ver a Thor- será por tres días-. El comentario logró que el rubio abriera aún más los ojos.
-Pero señor... Me atrasaré y además él fue el que empezó. No quería entrar a clases y tuve que llevarlo… pero aun así no quería entrar... ¡No puede suspenderme! ¡Mi expediente está intacto desde preescolar…!-
- Lo siento mucho, Sr. Odinson, pero bien podría haber llamado al prefecto cuando la agresión comenzó, en vez de seguirle el juego al Sr. Laufeyson. Lo siento mucho, pero tendrá que asumir las consecuencias de sus actos -dice el hombre con gesto severo.
Thor quiso golpear el escritorio, gritar, decir mil groserías, pero sobretodo matar a aquel ser que le hizo todo esto. La piel de Thor se puso roja de ira, más sólo asintió y cerró los ojos ya que estaba seguro que con la mirada asesinaría al director.
- ¿A partir de hoy señor? ¿o mañana empieza la suspensión? -pregunta Loki, más por el afán de poner el dedo sobre la llaga que por verdadero interés propio.
-A partir de hoy- responde el director.
- ¡No, señor! Por favor permítame ir a mis otras clases. Por favor- replica Thor con unos ojos suplicantes.
- Lo siento Thor, pero tendrás que iniciar tu castigo desde hoy. Por supuesto que podrá acudir a los maestros y ponerse al día, pero no podrá presentarse en clases y se le asignarán las faltas correspondientes- voltea a ver al moreno- Lo mismo para ti Loki, me aseguraré de que te pongas al corriente con sus clases...-
- Claro señor- esboza una sonrisa que parecía verdaderamente cortés- Usted cuente con ello.-
Thor se recuesta en el asiento, pensando que todo era un sueño, claramente un mal sueño. ¿Cómo el podría estar en aquella situación? Dado que él nunca había hecho nada malo le costaba trabajo asimilarlo.
- Bueno muchachos, retírense... yo arreglaré lo pertinente en sus expedientes...- les dice seriamente mientras empieza a buscar en su archivero los expedientes para marcarlos con las suspensiones d días, respectivamente.
Thor, sin más que decir se sale de la oficina del director. Estaba como abstraído de sí. Iba caminando con el único propósito de llegar a la habitación. No quería ni siquiera reclamarle a Loki, ya que sabía que no le importaría y más aparte no se quería exponer a otra suspensión por asesinato.
Loki salió de igual manera del despacho del director, como si lo que hubiera pasado no fuera gran cosa, y como si no le dolieran ya las magulladuras que Thor le había hecho mientras lo golpeaba. Iba repasando en su mente todo, desde que lo encontró en el patio escurriéndose hasta que el prefecto lo encontró de cara para llevarlos. Era gracioso y le provocaban unas ganas inmensas de reír cuando recordaba la cara del rubio cuando había visto al prefecto, cuando iba recorriendo el camino hacia la dirección, y cuando le habían dado la noticia de que no podía ir a clases durante 3 días. Lo que no pudo evitar fue sonreír divertido mientras alzaba la mirada y veía a Thor caminar delante suyo pesaroso.
Al llegar a la habitación, Thor entra dejas sus cosas sobre la cama y se mete al baño. Se sienta en el suelo y aunque no quisiera unas lágrimas comienzan a salir de sus ojos provocando que se tuviera que quitar los lentes. Tal vez era exagerada esa acción, pero Thor amaba la escuela, era su templo más preciado, amaba estar en clases opinando, ayudando a otros compañeros y platicando también con los maestros, era su pasión estar en ese bello lugar, pero ahora verse privado de sus más grandes amores le dolía demasiado. Nunca había faltado a ninguna clase y mucho menos suspendido, comenzaba a arrepentirse de haber llevado a Loki a su salón, mas aparte el tener que ser su tutor. Pero en lo que pensaba todas aquellas cosas no se había dado cuenta que empezaba a sollozar.
3. Capítulo 3
Oló? xDD okno! Hola queridas (y queridos, si es que hay)! :3 Primero que nada, buenos días/tardes/noches/madrugadas! Gracias por prestarle atención a nuestras bobadas, y por su puesto (no crean que no lo hemos visto) gracias por los reviews! . Nos hizo mucha ilusión ver que les está gustando nuestro humilde fanfic, que empezó como un juego, realmente. Y eso es lo que es xD el fic es un pequeño juego de rol que Sempai y yo estamos haciendo, ella es Thor, y yo, por consiguiente, Loki. Así que, si no les gusta algo de algún personaje ya saben a quién culpar! xDD
Otra cosa, como podrán notar, los días de actualización son los jueves, puesto que ese fue el día que publicamos el primero. Es poco usual, pero espero que les parezca así!
Una vez más, gracias por sus follows, fav's y reviews! Repito, nos hace demasiada ilusión y nos ayuda a seguir entusiasmadas y no pensar en mejor quitar el fanfic y aventarnos de un puente! xD
Disfruten el capítulo! :3
Higurashi Out!
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><p>Loki entra después de Thor y observa la escena antes de dejar de ver al rubio por la barrera obvia que suponía la puerta. Empieza a acomodar unas cuantas cosas que había dejado sobre de su cama, cuando escuchó los pequeños sollozos de su compañero de habitación, ya que tenía un muy buen oído. Pensó que tal vez era su imaginación, pero luego empezaron a ser más frecuentes y escandalosos, así que dejó su tarea y se acercó a la puerta para poder escuchar un poco mejor. Demonios. ¿Era en serio? ¿Estaba llorando por no poder ir a la escuela por tres días? ¿Tres míseros días? Ah, eso era el colmo. Y lo peor era que, a pesar de que quería hacerlo rabiar hasta morir hace unos momentos, eso lograba incomodarlo de alguna manera y hasta sentirse mal por eso. ¿Cómo demonios lograba eso? Era realmente irritante.<p>
Thor permanece en el baño un buen rato, ya que no quería ver a Loki en esos momentos de tristeza, mas aparte tampoco quería que lo viera llorar ya que de seguro lo molestaría por eso.
Loki no sabía si decirle algo a Thor. Era obvio que si lo hacía se llevaría unos gritos, y que el terminaría gritándole también. Pero lo que no entendía era por qué sentía la necesidad de hablarle. Nunca se había arrepentido de haber hecho llorar hasta dormir a ningún nerd de los que le habían asignado como tutores o cualquier otro que osara interponérsele. Sin embargo allí estaba, al otro lado de la puerta escuchando a Thor llorar y pensando seriamente en hablarle y preguntarle si estaba bien. Demonios. Se arrepentiría por ello.
- ¿Thor?- El aludido se crispa un poco por escuchar la voz de Loki así que trata de hacer sonar su voz lo más normal.
-¿Qué pasa Loki? -
- ...-Piensa un poco antes de preguntar lo que quería saber. Demonios. Sí que se arrepentiría- ¿Estás bien?-
- ¿Es enserio tu pregunta?- responde Thor que se escuchaba todo deprimido y desganado.
- No me hagas repetir la pregunta animal...-dice en un tono fastidiado.
-No lo digo porque me haga sentir bien, lo digo porque es increíble que preguntes algo como eso sabiendo lo que ocasionaste, que por tu culpa ahora estoy suspendido- responde el rubio tratando de no alzar mucho la voz.
- ¡En ese caso sal del baño, que necesito usarlo, animal! -dice levantando la voz, bastante molesto. Eso era lo que se ganaba por querer hacerla de bueno- Además, tú te lo ganas por no haberte ido cuando te dije. ¡Es más! por haberme querido llevar a mi salón cuando debías ir a tu clase de física o lo que sea -dice, errando a propósito el nombre de la materia- Así que no vengas a decirme que yo ocasioné todo...
Thor se levanta de piso del baño y abre la puerta. Sus ojos estaban rojos y un poco hinchados por haber llorado. Al ver a Loki quería golpearlo con mucho más fuerza, pero solo se limita a observar su rostro. Hasta que... ¿Qué era eso que Loki tenía en la mejilla? ¿Acaso era un moretón? El rubio se quedó observando a Loki, más bien al gran moretón que tenía en el rosto que estaba seguro de que fue aquel derechazo que le dio.
-...- Loki notó la mirada perdida de Thor en su mejilla, así que se llevó la mano al moretón y dijo secamente- Deja de mirarme como estúpido y apártate, imbécil...
Thor en vez de hacer caso de lo que Loki decía se acerca a él para ver si era ese el fruto de su furia.
- Aléjate -dice mientras da unos pasos para atrás- Métete en tus asuntos.-
-¿Te duele?- dice Thor posando una de sus manos en la mejilla del pálido chico.
- ¡Claro que me duele, bruto! -dice mientras de un manotazo aparta la mano del mayor.
-Aa... Ya veo - Thor toma del rostro a Loki con ambas manos y lo aprieta fuertemente- ¡No te mato porque no quiero ir a la cárcel! ¡Idiota infantil!-
- ¡Inténtalo si tanto lo quieres! -dice, retándolo. No dejaría que lo amenazara así, y mucho menos que lo tocara- ¡Y deja de tocarme animal, que me duele! -dice mientras intenta liberarse del fuerte agarre.
El rubio le aprieta más la cara ya que quería que sufriera el escuálido muchacho. Así que después de apretarlo lo suficiente lo suelta, dándole un empujón.
- ¡Eres un bruto! -dice mientras trata de no trastabillar por el empujón, y sobándose la mejilla más afectada, para después acercarse al rubio y tomarlo del brazo lo más fuerte que pudo- ¡Y además un cobarde! Si tanto quieres golpearme, ¿por qué no lo haces?-
- Porque de dos golpes te dejaría inconsciente -responde el rubio.
- ¡Vamos, hazlo! -Dice, poniendo la otra mejilla- ¡termina tu obra de arte Thor! ¡Y deja de molestarme! Debería haberte dejado llorar como una niña allá adentro en vez de andar preguntando si estás bien o no... ¿Satisfecho? por eso no hago obras de caridad.-
Al escuchar las palabras de Loki sigue al pie de la letra su orden. Así que le propina otro gran puñetazo en la otra mejilla haciendo que el moreno cayera al suelo. Aún a pesar de caer como costal, no queda inconsciente. Así que logra enderezarse, y ahora posando su mano en la mano izquierda dice.
- ¡Excelente! ¡Ahora lárgate!-
Thor rompe a carcajadas ante la petición de Loki, así que comienza a caminar hacia su cama.
- ¿Qué te parece gracioso animal? -pregunta instantáneamente mientras se pone de pie torpe y lentamente.
-¿Qué más? ¡TU! Jajjajajaja- sigue riendo Thor.
Loki se queda viéndolo fijamente para después acercarse a su mesa de noche, agarrar lo primero que vio, que fue el control remoto de la tele y se lo lanzó directamente a la cabeza.
-¡Auch! - exclama Thor llevándose la mano hacia la zona adolorida- ¿Qué no puedes ser menos cobarde? Pelea a puño limpio no aventando cosas, princesa.-
- No soy estúpido, Thor. Eres un animal de… ¿80 kilos? -dice con mirada despectiva, mientras se cruza de brazos- Me encantaría golpearte, pero sería yo quien terminaría en el hospital...-
-Mira, ¿quién diría que puedes usar el sentido común? Pero creo que eso sucede en ocasiones especiales -responde el rubio sentándose en la cama.
- ...- Loki se queda otro rato más parado ahí, para volver a tomar lo primero que encontró, que esta vez fue un vaso, y se lo aventó- ¡Idiota!
Thor esquiva el vaso oyendo como este se rompe en pedazos al chocar con la pared.
- ¿Estás loco? - exclama Thor levantándose de la cama.
- Te dije que te largaras, y no dejaré de aventar cosas hasta que te vea salir por esa puerta -dice señalando la única salida de la habitación.
Thor se abalanza a Loki poniéndolo contra la pared y viéndolo directamente a los ojos, quería partirlo en dos pero estaba atado de manos. Tenía que aguantarlo aunque fuese casi imposible. El menor no pudo reaccionar hasta tenerlo a solo escasos centímetros y poder sentir su respiración. Fue entonces cuando, sosteniéndole la mirada le dijo.
- ¿Quieres otro rodillazo, imbécil?-
Thor solo le sonrió y se separó de Loki, que parecía que estaba levemente sonrojado. Thor ahora sí se tumbó en la cama sin más. Eso de estar golpeando a Loki lo había hecho sentir mucho mejor. Aunque no quitaba el hecho de no ir a la escuela.
Loki, soltó un pequeño suspiro de alivio y se metió al baño. Luego salió de él, y, tomando un poco de agua y su cartera, salió de la habitación. Normalmente el nunca cedía ante ninguno de los estúpidos tutores que le asignaban, pero éste era distinto. Demasiado más irritante e insoportable. Lo único que quería era no tener que verle la cara, así que no lo pensó dos veces antes de irse.
Thor pudo ver todas las acciones de Loki. El rubio estaba sorprendido de que no le importaba que estuviera suspendido. Thor se dedica a localizar a sus maestros para que le den la tarea o para saber que habían hecho.
Pasó mucho tiempo. Demasiado. De hecho, tuvo que caer la noche para que Loki sintiera ganas de regresar. Así que, sin más, subió las escaleras que fueran necesarias, balanceándose un poco al subirlas por el efecto que habían tenido en el las múltiples botellas de cerveza y diversos licores con los que se había atragantado. Llega al cuarto y abre la puerta, tratando de no ser muy escandaloso para no evidenciarse. Entra con toda naturalidad.
Thor, que aún estaba despierto ve a Loki caminar tambaleándose un poco, pero lo que lo hizo caer en lo que pasaba era el fuerte aroma de alcohol que éste desprendía. El menor seguía empeñándose en evitar que el estúpido rubio lo viera, así que empieza a caminar un poco más suavemente y lento. Lo que no vio, por la oscuridad, era que la silla del escritorio de Thor había quedado atravesada, lo que provocó que se tropezara y cayera directo al suelo.
Thor al escuchar trata de no reírse ya que Loki había caído muy graciosamente, se acerca a él.
- ¿Quieres que te ayude?-
- No… -dice muy molesto, mientras gruñe del coraje- puedo yo sólo... gracias...-
-Está bien.. - responde Thor divertido por la escena tan graciosa que iba a presenciar.
Loki busca un punto de apoyo que no fuera el suelo. Obviamente no encontró uno bueno, porque el alcohol alojado en su organismo no lo dejaba pensar bien. Tomó de apoyo la silla con la que se había tropezado, que era de esas giratorias con pequeñas llantas para trasladarse fácilmente. Al principio parecía soportarlo, pero después se apoyó demasiado en esta, provocando que se moviera de más y que cayera nuevamente al suelo. Thor ríe levemente y se levanta de su cama.
- A ver, te ayudo - dice Thor tomando su brazo para levantar.
La vergüenza que sentía en ese momento Loki era inmensa. Quería que se lo tragara la tierra. El alcohol no le afectaba demasiado como para no estar consciente de que estaba haciendo un ridículo enorme frente a ese nerd. Thor lo levantó fácilmente y sin ningún esfuerzo. Y lo llevó al baño donde lo metió a la ducha abriendo el agua fría y recargándose en la pared para ver la reacción de Loki que nunca olvidaría.
- Imbécil que ha... -estaba gritando Loki cuando sintió el agua fría golpearlo por la cabeza y recorriendo su espalda- ¡AHHHH! ¡IDIOTA!-
Thor río fuertemente, estaba convencido de que nunca olvidaría esa cara.
- ¡Ah! ¿Con que muy divertido eh?- dice muy molesto, mientras en un muy buen reflejo, considerando su estado de ebriedad, se alzó para atraer a Thor del cabello hacia donde estaba cayendo el agua helada. Pero la superficie resbalosa de los mosaicos hace que tropiece, llevándose a Thor consigo y quedando bajo de él.
- ¡Estúpido! - dice Thor sintiendo también el agua fría caer en su espalda. Al abrir los ojos se topa con la imagen del rostro de Loki a unos centímetros y viendo sus asombrosamente hermosos ojos verdes.
Loki empieza a reírse al ver la reacción de Thor al sentir el agua fría, sin darse cuenta de que podía sentir su respiración claramente. Luego dice escandalosamente.
- ¡HA! ¿Tú eres el único con derecho a reírte? ¡Mírate! ¡Pareces un perro mojado!-
-Que idiota eres - dice Thor un poco abstraído por los ojos del moreno.
- ¡Tú eres más idiota! ¡Tú tienes la culpa por mojarme con una agua tan helada! -dice viéndolo a los ojos con una mueca de disgusto, aunque estaba acostumbrándose ya a la temperatura tan baja del agua que los bañaba.
-Lo hice para que se te bajara el efecto, no por otra cosa - responde Thor tratando de ver más allá de esos ojos de odio que lo observaban.
- Sí, claro... -a pesar de estar siendo tan coherente, no se le quitaba el hecho de estar ahogado en alcohol, lo que le hacía decir muchas estupideces- ¿seguro querías verme desnudo verdad? o querías abusar de mi aprovechando que estoy perdido de borracho... ¡debí saberlo!-
-¡¿De qué hablas imbécil?! - cuestiona Thor divertido por las idioteces que decía Loki en ese estado.
- No te hagas el tonto... no has dejado de verme a los ojos desde hace un rato... ¡Debí saberlo! Aparte de nerd, ¡homosexual! -empieza a alzar la voz y decir las cosas de una manera muy divertida.
Thor se levanta del lugar y empieza a caminar para salir de la zona resbalosa de la regadera.
- Eres un idiota. No soy homosexual y si lo fuera, no eres mi tipo campeón. - termina con una sonrisa burlona.
Para seguir molestándolo, el muy ebrio moreno lo pesca de los pies, haciendo que cayera de nuevo.
- ¿Por favor! Es obvio que te gusto... no hay nadie que se resista a mis encantos... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAH!-
- ¡Ah! imbécil - dice Thor en el suelo y sacudiéndose agresivamente para quitar las manos del moreno. - ¡porque lo haces, imbécil! Deja de tirarme. Y no, no serías mi tipo nunca.-
- Continúa negándolo Thor... pero debes saberlo. Soy hetero, ni en un millón de años andaría con un hombre. Y menos si es como tú. -dice mientras con sus manos resbaladizas seguía pescando a Thor cada vez se liberaba del agarre.
-Sí, sí Loki, lo que tú digas. ¡Ahora suéltame de una vez! - gruñe Thor ya queriendo salir de ahí.
-No, primero sácame de aquí animal, ¡que tú fuiste el que metió! -dice mientras, ya enderezado -quién sabe cómo- y totalmente empapado, empieza a jalarlo hacia donde caía mejor el agua. Thor se sacude agresivamente dándole una patada a Loki en la cara claramente por accidente y provocando que este cayera nuevamente al suelo de sentón.
- ¡Ahhh! -El moreno se lleva la mano al rostro, y notando un líquido caliente saliendo de ella la despega para verificar si era lo que pensaba- ¡Desgraciado Animal! ¡Púdrete! -Era oficial. Thor le había roto la nariz.
Thor al ver la sangre de Loki empezar a resbalar por su cara y después mezclarse con el agua de la regadera hizo que se sorprendiera demasiado, comenzando a sentirse mal por lo que había hecho.
- Loki, discúlpame. No quería hacerte eso, pero es que tú no me soltabas... Ven te llevo a la enfermería.-
- No. Ya déjame en paz. ¿Contento? Y se supone que yo soy el neófito...-empieza a recargarse en las paredes y de pura suerte pudo enderezarse y cerrar la llave del agua. Thor se levanta también.
-Déjame ver, por favor. - dice acercándose al moreno para verificar el daño que le había hecho.
- ¡Que me dejes! -dice gritando, pero sin lanzar manotazos. Sólo manteniéndose recargado en la pared, o de lo contrario resbalaría.
-Loki, déjame ayudarte. No quería lastimarte -responde el rubio viéndolo con una mirada de profunda culpabilidad.
Loki seguía viéndolo con desprecio y hostilidad. Pero cambio de parecer para decirle: -Hazte cargo de tus idioteces, animal.
Thor no sabía qué hacer para que Loki le permitiera ayudarlo, ya que si no lo hacía de seguro se sentiría muy mal por ello.
-Vamos Loki, déjame ayudarte...- repite suplicantemente.
- ¡Carajo! ¡Que te hagas cargo! ¡Haz lo que quieras, idiota! -dice, fastidiado.
4. Capítulo 4
Helo! Aquí barriéndome para publicar esta cosa! hahah! Porque ya me mandan a dormir :C Así que será rápido! xD
Gracias por leer! Espero que disfruten este capítulo... Cuídense bellas!
Higurashi Out!
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><p>Thor que evidentemente no comprendió la repuesta anterior de Loki, ya que pensaba que era que se hiciera cargo de su tarea, levanta la mirada y se acerca a Loki para llevarlo a la enfermería, pero antes sienta a Loki encima de la tapa del W.C para limpiar la sangre de su rostro y para ponerle unos pequeños tapones en la nariz. Haciendo esto con la mayor delicadeza posible. Éste se deja curar, ya que no quería ir escurriendo sangre y manchas su ropa y todo lo que tocara, aunque muy a su pesar, ya que era el odioso rubio quien lo estaba atendiendo. Al terminar, lo levanta y lo lleva hasta la enfermería donde ahí podrían atenderlo mucho mejor.<p>
-Qué haces? -dice, notablemente ya más recuperado y sin sufrir tanto de los efectos del alcohol.
-Llevándote a la enfermería - responde el rubio.
- ¿Para qué?-
- Para que curen tu nariz.-
- ¿No entendiste? Hazte cargo tú. Tú me hiciste esto. Tú lo arreglas- dice irritado y tratando de no gritar- ¿no lo dejé claro hace rato?-
Thor para y voltea a verlo y le responde aún con un poco de ese sentimiento de culpa de haber lastimado al menor.
- No soy experto curando la nariz...-
- Entonces no deberías romperlas, imbécil-dice mientras bufa.
- Sabes que no era mi intención - responde bajando la mirada.
- Eso no importa. La rompiste y punto. Eres un bruto.-
-¿Entonces no quieres que te lleve a la enfermería?-
-No. Descubrirían que, además de tener la nariz rota, me tuve que haber peleado y que estoy ebrio. No me conviene.-
-Bueno entonces regresemos... - dice Thor empezando a caminar de regreso hacia dormitorio mientras ayudaba a Loki.
-Gracias...-dice irritado.
Al llegar vuelve a meter a Loki al baño. Sale saca ropa seca de su closet ya que no quería tener problemas con el moreno si buscaba a entre sus cosas.
- Ponte esto - dice entregándole un pants y sudadera.
Loki observo las prendas. Eran mucho más grandes que las suyas, pero las prefería a seguir llevando esa horrible ropa mojada, que había terminado así por la culpa del imbécil de Thor.
-Voy a estar en la puerta, si necesitas ayuda, háblame - agrega el rubio.
-Claro. Aunque no creo tener problemas poniéndome algo de ropa...-
Thor sale y mientras Loki se cambia el hace lo mismo, ya que estar aún mojado no era agradable. Al terminar de hacerlo se recarga en la puerta para esperar a que Loki le dijera que ya estaba listo, cosa a la que no tuvo que esperar mucho.
- Listo.- grita el pálido muchacho desde adentro.
Thor entra y ve al chico con su ropa. Su ropa en Loki se veía excesivamente grande, a lo que el rubio vio por primera vez a Loki... ¿Tierno? ¿Porque lo veía tierno si aún el otro lo veía con enojo?
- ¿Siempre usas esta estúpida ropa? Es horrible...-dice mientras agita las mangas que colgaban sobre de sus brazos- No entiendo... en esta cosa caben 3 como yo...-
-Bueno es que eres pequeño y yo muy grande -dice Thor esbozando una pequeña sonrisa inconscientemente.
- Ah, da igual... -dice desviando la mirada, mientras cruza los brazo- ¿Me curas ya o te vas a quedar ahí parado, sonriendo como tonto?
Thor reacciona. Él no sabía que estaba sonriendo, pero al mover la boca se dio cuenta de que efectivamente estaba sonriendo sin darse cuenta.
-Claro. Ven vamos a tu cama- dice Thor saliendo del baño.
Loki se para acto seguido y sigue al rubio, sentándose en su cama. Thor saca un botiquín de su escritorio y comienza a hacer las maniobras que creía necesarias. Loki se dejó curar. No es que fuera la primera vez que le rompían la nariz. Pero esta vez había sido muy patético, era lo que le había enfadado más. En sí, ya no le dolía la herida. Era el orgullo lo que le supuraba.
Thor hace delicadamente su trabajo se sentía mal de haber lastimado a Loki. Aunque se lo merecía no podía evitar sentirse culpable.
Loki, de vez en cuando guiñaba un ojo, por la molestia que le provocaba el que su herida estuviera al contacto con la atmósfera, aguantando las ganas de lanzar maldiciones cuando le dolía.
-Listo... ¿te lastime mucho? -
- ¿Es una pregunta retórica o de verdad no lo sabes? -pregunta visiblemente molesto por la herida y queriéndose llevar la mano a la zona para sobarse. El rubio da un suspiro.
- Discúlpame no quería hacerte daño...-
- Me imagino que no, pero ya lo hiciste -dice con el ceño fruncido y tocando levemente la zona donde hace unos momentos escurría la sangre- Además ya está bien.-
-Bueno... si quieres algo dímelo.-
- No dudes de eso...-dice bajando su mano a la altura de sus piernas y viéndolo con hostilidad.
Thor se da la vuelta y se sienta en su cama. Se sentía muy mal por lo que había hecho aunque fuera un accidente. No podía siquiera ver a Loki normalmente ya que su miraba la sentía muy agresiva. Loki, por su parte se echa en su cama y se queda viendo al techo. Todo eso había provocado que se le bajara la borrachera rápidamente. El problema ahora es que era tarde, y no tenía el más mínimo indicio de cansancio ni sueño.
Thor comienza a cabecear se sentía cansado, aunque había dormido lo suficiente se sentía agotado. Así que comienza a quedarse dormido. Loki, al no tener nada más que hacer empieza a remover cosas entre los cajones de su mesa de noche y saca su portátil, la enciende y pone una película con el volumen muy bajo, teniendo todavía consideración -y sin saber por qué- de no interrumpir el sueño del rubio.
Thor se quedar profundamente dormido pero en una mala posición ya que estaba sentado.
Pasa la noche y se alza la mañana. Loki se había quedado dormido sin darse cuenta con la computadora en las piernas, recargado en una almohada que había puesto contra la cabecera para ver mejor. El aparato se había quedado sin batería y estaba a punto de caerse de la cama, puesto que se había ido resbalando conforme el moreno se había ido acomodando hasta quedar acostado de forma habitual en el: acurrucado de lado a la ventana y con la mano correspondiente bajo de la almohada.
Thor estaba dormido pero en una pésima posición ya que estaba sentado pero casi todo el cuerpo hacia adelante.
Loki, como todas las mañanas, comienza a maldecir al sol por interrumpir su sueño. Trata de ignorarlo cubriendo su rostro con sus sábanas verde oscuras, escogidas especialmente para ese propósito, además de ser su color favorito. Finalmente pierde su batalla y empieza a enderezarse, se talla los ojos y logra ver todo el desastre que se había hecho la noche anterior. La silla de Thor estaba tirada a un lado, la alfombra que cubría el suelo tenía gotas bastante visibles de sangre y algunos rastros de agua, de cuando el rubio había querido llevarlo a la enfermería y lo había casi arrastrado todo empapado. Sonríe levemente al recordarlo y luego ve a Thor todo torcido y a punto de caerse. Eso lo hizo sonreír aún más. Sería divertido ver cómo se golpeaba contra el suelo y sin enterarse de cómo pudo haber pasado. Pero su cuerpo lo traicionó. Cuando Thor iba a caer se levantó rápidamente y lo intenta sostener, no fue mucho, ya que se lo llevó de largo, pero al menos no azotó contra el suelo. El rubio abre los ojos al instante, y hace un pequeño sonido de dolor, no por la caída si no porque estaba torcido. Pero en ese momento se encuentra con los ojos de Loki a lo que se separa un poco por la sorpresa.
Loki, acto reflejo al sentirlo tan cerca lo empuja a un lado y desvía la mirada. ¿Por qué demonios se había casi aventado para evitar que Thor se dañara, siendo que él el día anterior le había roto la nariz sin pensarlo? El rubio cae a un lado y vuelve a hacer un pequeño ruido de dolor.
- ¿Qué paso? ¿Por qué estaba sobre ti?-
- Gracias Loki –responde en otro con todo de fastidio, pero aún sin sostener la mirada y, sin darse cuenta, un poco sonrojado- Estabas a punto de caerte de cara al suelo animal. Debí haber dejado que te rompieras la nariz.-
-Ah, ya veo… Bueno. Gracias –dice el rubio sentándose y viendo a Loki.
-No lo agradezcas ya- dice levantándose y sacudiendo el pantalón de pijama.
Thor quiere levantarse del suelo un poco adolorido, y le dice a Loki antes de ver que este le había ganado el paso.
- Vamos, te ayudo.-
- Demasiado tarde –dice ofreciéndole la mano al otro.
Thor, aunque un poco desconfiado de que esto le trajera represalias le da la mano a Loki para levantarse. Con un poco de trabajo logró levantarlo, para después quedarse viéndolo divertido por cómo el rubio le miraba.
-¿Qué?-dice Thor alejándose un poco.
- Nada –ríe levemente y luego le suelta la mano que aún sostenía por levantarlo.
El rubio frunce el ceño pero después se encoje de brazos y se dirige al baño para asearse debidamente. Loki, por su parte, se sienta en su escritorio y comienza a acomodar cosas que estaban regadas del día anterior que, quién sabe cómo, habían quedado tan desacomodadas.
Thor sale del baño en toalla, ya que había aprovechado para ducharse. Y aun olvidando que vivía ahora con Loki sale de esta manera, exponiendo todo su trabajado torso. El moreno, en ese instante, voltea para recoger la silla que aún seguía tirada, para ver a Thor con el torso desnudo nuevamente. Y del mismo modo no pudo evitar quedársele viendo, sólo que esta vez sin notar que un leve rubor se asomó en la pálida piel de sus mejillas.
Thor voltea ya que se sentía observado y dice:
-Ammm… ¿te sientes bien?-
-Ah, si… -se mueve disimulando estar haciendo otras cosas y levanta la silla. ¿Estaba mirando el torso desnudo de Thor tan fijamente? No era como si nunca hubiera visto personas musculosas que siempre quisieran exponer su físico, pero nunca habían causado esa impresión en él. Era demasiado raro.
-Ah, estás un poco rojo. ¿No tienes fiebre?- cuestiona Thor un poco incómodo por la mirada de Loki.
-No, no me pasa nada –dice evadiendo al rubio. Da vuelta hacia su escritorio y se mira en un pequeño espejo colgado arriba de este, dándose cuenta de que, efectivamente, estaba rojo. Demonios. ¿Por qué?
- Ammm, bueno. Si te sientes mal dime –dice poniéndose la camisa ya que empezaba a pensar que era él el que incomodaba a Loki.
-Claro, cuenta con ello rubio –dice tratando de sonar sarcástico y no preocupado por la situación.
Thor toma su demás ropa y se vuelve a meter al baño para terminarse de vestir. Por su parte, Loki toma su mochila y sale de la habitación antes de que Thor regresada. Necesitaba respirar un poco. El mayor sale y se encuentra con que el moreno ya no estaba, así que, ya sin importarle, sale igualmente de la habitación pero se dirige al patio del instituto y se sienta bajo de un árbol a leer. Se pasa horas en el patio ya que su lectura se había más entretenida de lo normal. Así que se pierde en el tiempo sin darse cuenta de qué hora era.
Loki regresa ya entrada la tarde. Al ver que Thor no estaba aún en la habitación se instala con toda confianza. Saca una revista y se pone a hojearla sentado en su escritorio, con el cabello mojado mientras lo sacudía, ya que se había bañado antes de eso.
Thor sale de su gran trance de lectura ya que estaba leyendo un libro de suspenso. Así que estaba realmente sumergido en este. Pero la noche comenzaba a caer y la oscuridad hacía que no pudiera proseguir con su lectura, así que cierra su libro no sin antes marcar la página donde se había quedado y comienza su camino de regreso a la habitación.
Loki ya se había puesto su ropa de dormir. Como ese día hacía calor, se puso su bóxer holgado y una playera de tirantes de algodón muy fresca. Estaba sentado en su cama viendo hacia la ventana.
Thor entra a la habitación, ve que Loki ya está ahí. Coloca su libro en su escritorio u se dirige a su closet, y aún con su maña costumbre se quita la sudadera y la camisa, otra vez quedando con su abdomen descubierto. Mientras, con calma, empieza a buscar su pijama. Loki ve esto de reojo, pero decide ignorarlo. No era cosa tan importante que el rubio hiciera ejercicio. Era impresionante, no iba anegarlo. Pero no le afectaba en lo más mínimo en su vida cotidiana, o eso quería creer. Thor finalmente encuentra su pijama y se pone la camisa, pero ahora también se quita el pantalón, dejando ahora al descubierto sus torneadas piernas y su bóxer pegado.
¿Qué? ¿Ahora qué sucedía? Resultaba que no sólo tenía un torso envidiable, sino que sus piernas tampoco estaban mal. De hecho, era impresionante. No dejaba de sorprenderse con la apariencia tan inusual de Thor, tratándose de que era un nerd. Intentó no mirar más sus piernas, pues sería muy raro que siguiera haciéndolo. Pero eso era imposible.
Thor, al sentir que de nuevo lo observaban voltea todo su cuerpo y ve a Loki de nuevo con la mirada en él. Sólo que ahora se sentía avergonzado ya que estaba en bóxers pegados y que marcaba toda su parte inferior. Remarcando, aquella parte era bastante grande.
Loki al instante desvía la mirada y la coloca en la ventana y lo que había más allá de ella. Demonios. Era tan vergonzoso e incómodo. Sin mencionar que ahora su corazón palpitaba rápidamente y se había sonrojado sin razón aparente para él. Aunque debía ser la adrenalina de ser descubierto y que el rubio pensara que él pensaba que otras cosas que no eran.
Thor se pone rápidamente el pantalón y se sonroja un poco por la pena de que Loki lo hubiera visto de esa manera. Así que, decididamente, de ahora en adelante sólo se cambiaría en el baño.
-¿No usas el baño para cambiarte, animal?- dice Loki tratando de romper el silencio incómodo que se había generado- se supone que son para eso. Así te evitas pasar vergüenzas. Y de paso me ahorras esas estúpidas escenas.-
-Pues sí, pero aún no me acostumbro a tener un compañero. Así que se me olvida –dice el rubio poniendo su ropa sucia en el lugar correspondiente.
-Pues entonces trata de que no se te olvide. Es muy incómodo verte cambiándote –dice tratando de no voltear a verlo, pues estaba seguro de que aún estaba un poco sonrojado. ¿Qué demonios sucedía?
-Sí, no te preocupes. No volverá a pasar –dice el rubio sentándose en su cama y de nuevo leyendo su interesante libro.
-Eso espero… -responde corriendo las corinas y resbalándose en su cama para quedar completamente acostado. Se coloca el brazo en la frente como acostumbraba, cubriéndose la frente y parte de sus ojos, y flexionando un poco la rodilla derecha.
Thor se recuesta en la pared y sigue leyendo su libro. Conforme iba leyendo eran las expresiones que hacía. Como de sorpresa, emoción, enojo, a veces reía un poco. Por lo que de vez en cuando Loki alzaba un poco su brazo para verlo con extrañeza o con odio, ya que hacia ruidos justo cuando estaba a punto de dormir.
Thor ce su reloj y se da cuenta de que ya era muy tarde para seguir leyendo. Así que cierra su libro y apaga la luz. Al fin. Loki sonríe de alivio y se termina de recostar para dormirse casi al instante. Thor se queda también profundamente dormido después de un rato. Ese día había sido algo muy casual e inusual, ya que no había peleado con Loki, cosa que se le estaba volviendo una costumbre. Lo que le hacía sentir bien era que al día siguiente sería su último día de suspensión y podría volver a sus amadas clases.
El tercer día de su castigo comienza con un gran ruido estridente que hizo retumbar los cristales de la ventana. Loki se levantó de inmediato un poco alterado, para ver que el cuarto estaba más oscuro de lo normal. Se asoma por la ventana y ve que había una terrible tormenta afuera. A lo que Thor de igual manera se levanta súbitamente, observando muy poco ya que estaba sin lentes y había una oscuridad muy grande. Al ponerse los lentes vé que ya era de día, pero se da cuenta de que una tempestad estaba a punto de empezar.
Loki se talla los ojos y se estira, aún alterado por el ruido que lo había despertado. En realidad, lo que más odiaba en el mundo eran los truenos. Los detestaba sobremanera.
Thor se estira en su cama y ve a Loki observando la ventana con cierto enojo típico de él.
-Buenos días- dice el rubio esperando un desplante.
-Ah… hola –dice con tono irritado. No porque Thor le hubiera hablado, sino por la tormenta.
-Creo que el que dijo el estado del tiempo fue acertado. Una gran tormenta eléctrica llegaría -dice viendo ahora la ventana.
-¿Tú crees? –dice volteando a verlo con una mueca sarcástica que no camuflajeaba su molestia.
-Bueno, creo que no podremos salir hoy…-
-¿No me digas? Si no me lo dices no me doy cuenta. Rayos, con las ganas de ir a nadar que tenía en este momento…-dice sin cambiar su expresión.
-Bueno, voy al baño –dice el rubio levantándose de la cama.
Loki se separa de la ventana también y saca un poco de ropa de su cajón. Aprovechando que el rubio se había metido al baño se cambia. Se pone una sudadera verde de cuello alto, un pantalón de mezclilla negro y unos zapatos tenis del mismo color.
Thor sale con una sudadera azul, unos pantalones deslavados y unos zapatos tenis color blanco. Y con sus usuales e inseparables lentes. El moreno estaba revisando unos archivos de su computado, puesto que no podía hacer otra cosa. Estaba peinándose con los dedos, y tenía su cabello algo alborotado y rizado. Al salir, como el día anterior, el rubio se sienta en su cama y comienza a leer su libro.
Después de terminar con lo suyo, Loki se da la media vuelta y ve a Thor. Sonríe divertido y dice con afán de interrumpir su lectura.
-¿No te cansas de leer?-
-Ahh… no Creo que por eso tengo problemas con la vista…-
-Ah, ya veo... ¿y qué lees? ¿Algo interesante, al menos?-
-Es una novela de suspenso –dice enseñando la portada del libro que tenía por título "Asesinato en el Orient Express", de la reina del suspenso, Agatha Christie.
-Ah… ya veo…-dice viendo la portada, y con esto agotando sus recursos para iniciar un tema de conversación.
-¿A ti no te gusta leer?- responde Thor con esta pregunta bajando el libro y ahora viéndolo.
-Sí, si me gusta –dice con un gesto normal.
-Ah, ¿y qué lees? Nunca te he visto leer…-
-Leo de todo. En general revistas o comics, pero tengo muchos libros en la repisa, que ya leí, pero tengo ahí por si se me antoja releer alguno algún día –dice señalando el lugar,
-Ah, yo pensé que eran adornos –ríe levemente el rubio, ya ue de verdad pensaba que sólo estaban de adorno.
-También ¿se ven lindos, no? –ríe levemente- pero si los uso.-
-Ya veo, y… que más te gusta hacer?-
-Salir de juerga, saltarme las clases, coquetear con las chicas lindas del instituto, molestar nerds, jugar videojuegos… escuchar música –empieza a enumerar las cosas conforme se iba acordando de ellas. Algunas pensadas para fastidiar al rubio.
Thor solo asiente escuchando todo lo que Loki decía. Y pensado que no se sorprendía de nada, ya que Loki era un fastidioso.
-De hecho, me gusta hacer muchas cosas… excepto quedarme aquí encerrado si no es para ver una película, leer, bañarme o dormir. Y encina con una estúpida tormenta eléctrica…-pone cara de fastidio al recordarlo.
-Pues si… que se le puede hacer…-
-Si... y tú, ¿que haces además de leer y estudiar?-
-Pues… comer, ducharme, no hago mucho –ríe levemente.
-Oh, ya veo. Qué interesante –dice sonriendo burlonamente- ¿qué otra gran cosa haces?-
- ¡HAHAHAH! ¿Qué esperabas de un nerd?-
-No, en realidad haz llenado mis expectativas Thor. Felicidades, eres un completo nerd –dice aplaudiendo levemente con una sonrisa sarcástica.
-Gracias, supongo, hehehe…-dice Thor con una sonrisa. No le molestaban los comentarios de Loki, ya que los hacía chistosos.
-Y… ¿qué piensas hacer en el ojo del huracán?-
-¿De qué hablas? –dice enarcando una ceja.
-A ver Thor… ¿Cuáles son tus planes para hoy en este maldito encierro? –dice fingiendo fastidio porque no hubiera captado en sentido de la pregunta.
-Pues yo creo que leer, a menos que se vaya la luz. No sabría que hacer-
-Eso sería un verdadero inconveniente…-responde Loki con un rostro irónico.
-Pues sí… espero que eso no pase- dice el rubio con una sonrisa.
5. Capítulo 5
Hola! :3 Aquí estoy otra vez con el capítulo 5 en mis manos (?), y, de verdad, dirán que las hostigo con todo esto de los agradecimientos, pero en serio! ;w; Motivan!
Gracias a los favs, follows y reviews! De verdad empezaba a pensar que la historia era un verdadero fiasco producto de sueños guajiros y platónicos! Gracias, gracias de "verda"!
Pero bueno, no se las hago más larga! Así que espero que disfruten este capítulo. Siento que va demasiado rápido :/ espero igual y no haya ninguna molestia con eso... se los digo porque así lo pienso yo, y aunque me va gustando, me gustaría saber su opinión! n.n
Diviértanse (o preparen los tomates y lechugas xD)!
Higurashi Out!
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><p>- Yo también. Yo no veo televisión aunque está ahí. Mi única diversión aquí es mi computadora para ver películas, y no aguanta una completa ni con toda la carga –dice Loki haciendo una mueca decepcionada al imaginarse cómo sería aquello. Thor se levanta de su cama.<p>
- Pues, esperemos que eso no pase –comienza a caminar hacia el baño.
Loki no responde, simplemente se acuesta en su cama completamente de mala gana y aburrido, pues no tenía quehacer, ni podía salir, y no le apetecía leer o ver una película en ese instante. Estaba en jaque.
Thor está en el baño, se había quitado los lentes y se refrescaba el rostro en el lavamanos. Cuando se oyó un fuerte estruendo y al instante la luz se había ido. Al escuchar se sorprendió, haciendo que tirara los lentes que había puesto a un lado.
Loki se levanta al instante de oír aquel ruido tan escandaloso un poco alterado, pero luego respiró hondo. Sólo era otro maldito trueno, y se había llevado la luz consigo. Se asoma por la ventana, pero estaba tan oscuro –convenientemente, como si fuera de noche- que no parecía haber diferencia entre el interior de la habitación y la tormenta desatada afuera.
Thor comienza a buscar su lentes en el lavadero pero al no encontrarlos da un paso para atrás, y para su mala suerte, estaba la jerga de secar atrás de él, solamente que un poco húmeda y mal colocada, haciendo que resbalara con ella y cayera de espaldas.
- ¡Maldición! –gruñe Thor adolorido.
Al instante, y gracias a su muy bien desarrollado sentido del oído, Loki oyó un bulto caer bruscamente, así que, a tientas, se para y empieza a caminar hacia donde, según él, se encontraba el baño.
- ¿Thor?-
- Estoy acá abajo… -dice el otro aún tirado.
- Si, -contesta rodando los ojos ante la respuesta tan tontamente obvia- sé que tú estás abajo- se acerca a la manija de la puerta para abrirla- ¿estás bien?-
- No, no tengo mis lentes y no veo nada… -responde el rubio.
- Bueno, ¿estás muy cerca de la puerta, o más bien tu cabeza?-
- No, estoy por el lavamanos.-
- Ok –dicho esto abrió la puerta, y para su sorpresa se veía aún menos ahí dentro, si aún se podía. Empieza a caminar hasta donde estaba el lavamanos y luego dijo- ¿estoy cerca ya?-
- Te diría que sí, pero no se… estúpida ceguera –dice el rubio algo irritado por su discapacidad visual.
- A ver, puedes guiarte por la voz… y según esto, parece que estoy ce… -en ese momento un trueno invadió el lugar, uno mucho más estridente que los anteriores. Este hizo que Loki se sobresaltara y diera un pequeño grito grave.
- ¿Te dan miedo los truenos?- dice Thor sonando serio aunque le había causado gracia el pequeño grito de Loki.
- - No. Sólo no me gustan –responde con el mismo tono que Thor utilizó.
- Ah, bueno. Este… ¿me ayudas? – pregunta Thor ya desesperado por levantarse, ya que aún estaba en el suelo.
- Claro…-dice vacilando aún un poco por el ruido que lo había alterado u extendió la mano hacia donde él creía que se encontraba el rubio.
- Y bien, ¿Cuándo me ayudas? –
- Si me dijeras más o menos dónde te encuentras sería más fácil, ¿sabes? Si no ayudas, no exijas.-
- Pues sólo sé que estoy por el lavabo, no veo nada. Soy ciego.-
- Entonces cierra la boca –se acerca más- a ver animal, habla y así te localizo mejor.-
- Aquí estoy… lalalalalala, sigo aquí… lalalalala –comienza a decir Thor esperando su encuentro rápido.
- Listo –Loki lo localiza y le extiende la mano. Justo cuando ya lo iba a levantar otro trueno se apodera del lugar, haciendo que este se sobresaltara nuevamente. Como Thor también estaba haciendo fuerza para pararse y el moreno dejó de hacerla por el mini-shock provocó que este se le fuera encima al rubio.
Thor cae de nuevo, pero ahora se golpea la cabeza y antes de que pueda decir algo siente algo en su boca. A lo que se queda pensando que sería. Loki aún no procesar nada por el shock que le había provocado el trueno y aún conservaba. No duró ni un segundo aquello antes de darse cuenta de lo que era aquello esponjoso y cálido que tenía contra su boca. ¡¿Cuál era la probabilidad de que ocurriera algo así en un día de tormenta?! Sin embargo eso era. ¿Qué tenía en contra de él el universo? Se levantó de golpe y se pasó el dorso de la mano derecha por la boca mientras escupía levemente y se pone de pie. Thor, a su vez, al deducir lo que era lo que no le permitía hablar, mueve su mano para ver si por suerte lograba encontrar sus lentes que, para su suerte, estuvieron a unos centímetros todo el tiempo. Así que se los pone haciendo mínima la diferencia visual, pero logra distinguir los objetos, y con ellos a Loki que estaba enfrente. Se levanta y queda parado frente de él.
- ¡Estúpido!- dice terminando de limpiarse la boca, pero sintiendo aún el tacto de hace unos segundos en ella.
- Estúpido tu –dice Thor confundido pero enojándose por lo dicho por el moreno.
- ¿Estúpido yo? ¡Yo no me resbalé estúpidamente con una jerga y perdí mis anteojos, animal! –dice enojado y consternado, sin saber si era por haber besado a Thor por accidente o porque no fue tan desagradable. ¿Qué? Claro que no. ¿Cómo podría considerar aquella posibilidad? Claro que era por la idiotez del rubio.
- ¡Yo no lo hice a propósito, idiota! Además es tu culpa tenerle miedo a los truenos, no la mía, así que trágate tu enojo y a mi déjame en paz – responde Thor.
- ¡No me dan miedo! –grita aún más irritado de lo que podría estarlo por aquél comentario, dada la situación en la que se había dado- ¿y sabes qué? No voy a discutir contigo –se da la media vuelta sin importar que no veía casi nada y sale del baño.
- Wow, que novedad. "Don busca pleitos" por primera vez se queda callado y sin pelear.-
- ¡Vete al infierno tú solo si no quieres que yo te mande!-
- ¡Vete tú, idiota!-
Loki regresa de donde estaba, que ya era casi su cama y sólo para decirle lo más tranquilamente posible que pudo en su estado tan iracundo.
- Mira Thor, no quiero pelear. En serio. Cállate de una buena vez y hagamos como que "esto" no pasó, ¿ok? Te conviene a ti y a mi.-
- Idiota… -gruñe Thor y sale del baño.
- ¿Idiota yo? –sale del baño para seguirlo- yo estoy tratando de que no ocurra una masacre, ¿y me dices idiota? ¡Eres un bruto Thor! –dice tratando de no gritar y aún con la sensación de los labios del rubio contra los propios.
- Si, si Loki. Lo que digas…-
- ¡Carajo Thor! –lo toma del brazo y lo voltea- ¡Esto no es un puto juego! ¡Además, el indignado debería ser yo! ¡Todo por ir de estúpido a hacer la acción del maldito día, que debería suprimir, y ayudarte a pararte! ¿No sabes agradecer, imbécil?-
- Si se agradecer, pero no lo haré. Y menos cuando me dicen estúpido –dice Thor con tono serio.
- Tú también me dijiste estúpido, ¿recuerdas? ¿o tienes memoria selectiva? –se queda un momento callado- ¿Sabes qué? Púdrete. No se puede razonar con una puta pared –se da la media vuelta y camina hasta su cama para echarse boca abajo sobre la almohada.
- Si, tampoco con un cerdo mediocre –dice Thor dirigiéndose también hacia su cama.
Thor no estaba enojado por el beso que se dieron, sino por la actitud tomada por Loki. No era para tanto, sólo había sido un accidente. Además, él no tenía la culpa de la tormenta, pero para Loki parecía que si, por eso lo mando al diablo igualmente sin pensarlo dos veces. Este no despega su rostro de la almohada. Necesitaba gritar del coraje, necesitaba rabiar, estaba muy enojado, confundido y frustrado. Y todo era culpa de la estúpida tormenta. Nunca le habían gustado, y ahora esto le restaba muchos más puntos menos, más de los que ya tenía. Sabía que era injusto culpar a Thor, pero fue lo primero que se le vino a la mente después de "aquello". Y lo peor era que… por un momento pensó que, tal vez, le había gustado. ¡Era una maldita locura! Para empezar, a él le gustaban las chicas. En segunda, Thor era hombre. Y para acabar, Thor era… ¡era Thor! Lo único que agradecía de que la luz se había ido era que no podía ver nada, y aunque se levantara y saliera por la puerta no vería la cara del estúpido rubio. Pero ese no era el caso. No tenía ganas de hacer nada. No se quería mover. Sólo quería pensar.
Thor se queda pensando en que ese día no podría hacer nada y que se tendría que quedar ahí por la tormenta. Se queda dormido sin saber ya que la aburrición era inmensa, y más aparte el enfrentamiento con Loki lo había hecho rabiar. La luz hace un rato había regresado, pero los dos se habían quedado profundamente dormidos a pesar de lo ocurrido todo aproximadamente a las 11 de la mañana. Loki despertó con muy al humor, tomó el móvil para ver qué hora era y leyó 3:36 P.M. Había dormido alrededor de 4 horas y media, no solía dormir tanto cuando no era de noche, y eso sólo lo había hecho pensar que lo que había ocurrido, de verdad, era preocupante. Se enderezó con todo su mal humor para observar el cuarto. La luz iluminaba hasta el más profundo y obscuro rincón de la habitación, pero la tormenta no había cesado.
Thor iba entrando a la habitación. No podía ir a ningún lugar fuera de instituto, pero podía ir al comedor por comida, que fue lo que hizo, regresando con dos charolas repletas de ella.
Loki volvió a hundir la cabeza en la almohada antes de que el rubio entrara. De verdad le parecía desagradable la idea de pararse. Ni siquiera de alzar la cabeza. Desde ahora tenía una pelea con la luz y con las estúpidas tormentas eléctricas como nunca antes. Thor coloca una charola en su escritorio y la otra en la mesa de noche que del moreno. Regresa al escritorio y empieza a comer. Loki no se molesta en voltear a ver la charola que le había dejado el rubio. En realidad, ni siquiera tenía hambre. Así que decidió dormir un poco más, aunque sabía que no era lo más sano.
Thor come tranquilamente mientras lee su libro, ya que ahora había luz. Thor pensaba que trayéndole una charola de comida compensaba la acción del día de Loki. Este se queda de nuevo dormido por otro largo. Su comida se enfrió y tenía varios mensajes con invitaciones a fiestas, pero aun así siguió durmiendo hasta las 7:12 p.m., que su subconsciente lo obligó a despertarse. Ahora ya no estaba tan hastiado, y se había aclarado un poco su mente, así de talla los ojos y se endereza y acomoda el cabello, que por estar tanto tiempo dormido, además de no haberlo arreglado, estaba todo rizado y desacomodado.
Thor estaba sentado en una esquina del cuarto en el suelo, ya que, aunque había terminado de llover, no iba a salir a ningún lado, no tenía con quien. El moreno ve hacia donde estaba el rubio sentado, pero decide ignorarlo, más por salud mental que por rencor, y toma la charola de comida para empezar a comerla sin importa que fría y sin dar las gracias al mayor que se la había llevado.
Thor no ve a Loki pero sabía que comía y con eso pensaba que ya estaba en paz con él. Aunque lo ignoraba, por su parte él estaba tranquilo. Después de comer, Loki se acerca a la ventana y ve que ya no llovía, pero no le apeteció salir en lo mínimo. Ni leer, ni ver películas. Se quedó acostado en su cama con la mirada hacia el techo y con la bandeja a un lado. El rubio se cansa de leer, ¿pero que más podría hace en el cuarto si no era eso? Empezar una plática con Loki era la última opción dado que no se soportaban. Loki, aunque era exagerado, estaba a punto de dormir otra vez. No era porque tuviera sueño, no había nada que hacer, y no hacer nada le agotaba. Intentaba mantenerse despierto pensando en cosas son sentido. Lo que se le viniera a la mente estaba bien.
Thor estaba completamente aburrido y realmente estaba considerando hablarle a Loki, aunque no fuera la mejor idea. Este suspira y se estira levemente en una estrategia para no dormir. Y Thor estornuda fuertemente.
- Salud –responde por inercia, ya que en realidad no quería decirlo. Era más por costumbre. No era tan mala persona.
- Gracias… -responde Thor, pero cuando iba a decir algo suena un fuerte trueno que hace que volteara a la ventana.
Loki también voltea instantáneamente algo agitado y ve que el poco progreso que había tenido el día se había ido al caño. El cielo estaba igual o peor que en la mañana. Al parecer, la tormenta no le daría tregua a la noche. Thor voltea a ver a Loki y se da cuenta de su pequeña desesperación, más sin embargo no dice nada por no querer tener otro enfrentamiento con él. Loki se endereza y se hace un ovillo recargándose en la pared. Al instante se escucha otro trueno más cerca. A lo que Thor ve ahora fijamente al menor para observar su reacción, ya que de verdad creía que Loki decía la verdad sobre que no le tenía miedo a los rayos. Loki cierra los ojos fuertemente y esconde su cabeza un poco entre sus piernas. Thor abre más los ojos al ver la reacción. Efectivamente, le tenía miedo a los truenos. ¿Por qué carajo no le había dicho antes? Lo hubiera ayudado en algo para que no estuviera así, pero claro. Tenía que ser el gran Loki "yo soy genial y a nada le temo". En lo que Thor pensaba, un rayo cayó en el instituto, para ser precisos a unos cuantos metros de su dormitorio, ocasionando que toda la habitación se sumergiera en un fuerte estruendo y que la ventana que estaba cerca de Loki se rompiera al acto. Haciendo que al instante Thor con un moviendo veloz lo cubriera con su cuerpo.
Loki se cubre con los brazos y hunde por completo su cabeza entre las piernas, soltando un grito grave pero bastante fuerte. Lo que le extrañó fue no sentir ningún vidrio sobre de él, que era lo más obvio al estar cerca de la ventana. Así que abre sus ojos para poder ver qué había con los cristales y ve a Thor protegiéndolo.
- ¡Thor! ¡¿estás bien?! –pregunta alarmado y tratando de ver si le había pasado algo.
- Tranquilo, todo va a estar bien –dice Thor, aunque si estaba herido por los vidrios. Lo que le importaba ahora era cuidar de Loki.
- Pero… ¿estás bien? –dice preocupado sin importarle como sonara preguntar o lo que pensara el rubio. En ese momento otro rayo hace acto de presencia, abriendo paso a otro de sus estridentes efectos. A lo que el moreno cierra los ojos y aprieta a Thor por los brazos inconscientemente.
- Vamos al baño –dice Thor sin pensarlo cargando a Loki y llevándolo al lugar mencionado.
Thor pone a Loki en el suelo y cierra la puerta, y se coloca a un lado de este para abrazarlo, aunque tal vez el moreno lo reprendería por eso. Y justo cuando Loki iba a decir algo para apartar al rubio otro trueno retumbó, haciendo que en vez de esto lo abrazara con fuerzas.
- Tranquilo… -dijo Thor pasando su mano por la cabellera del moreno.
Aunque no se notara, Loki estaba temblando. Muy levemente, pero estaba temblando. Y abrazaba a Thor con más fuerzas, pues, sin saber por qué, así se sentía un poco más seguro. Por alguna razón, el rubio se sentía bien al abrazar a Loki, lo hacía por la situación, pero más aparte le gustaba. Era muy cómo para él.
Ya había pasado un rato, pero muy poco había cesado la tormenta. Loki se sentía un poco más tranquilo. Eso era lo único que odiaba de estar siempre solo, las estúpidas tormentas eléctricas. Y aunque no lo estuviera, cuando a alguno de sus anteriores compañeros les había tocado estar en una situación similar ocurría sólo una cosa: lo ignoraban. Aunque claro, no era como si siempre hubieran tormentas eléctricas tan fuertes que lo hicieran temblar y rompieran ventanas, por lo que la mayoría de las veces ocurría eso porque no se daban cuenta. El que Thor hubiera decidido cuidarlo aún no lo entendía, pero desde lo más profundo de su ser se lo agradecía. Éste estaba tranquilo, pero un poco incómodo ya que tenía unas pequeñas heridas en la espalda que le ardían un poco.
Un rato más y los truenos habían desaparecido, siendo sustituidos por la fuerte lluvia que ahora caía sobre del edificio y que, de seguro, estaría empapando la cama de Loki gracias al cristal reventado. Loki cree prudente el separarse poco a poco.
- ¿Estás bien?-
- Si… ¿y tú?- dice Thor liberando a Loki de su abrazo.
- Yo estoy bien, gracias. Pero a ti te cayó una ventana encima. No te hagas el fuerte, ¿te duele verdad?-
- No es nada, sólo tengo unas cuantas heridas –dice Thor con una media sonrisa.
- Thor… tienes que ir a la enfermería –responde viéndolo seriamente, y con cierto brillo en sus ojos esmeraldas que evidenciaron preocupación por su parte.
- Si, debería. Pero no creo que haya alguien ahí con esta lluvia.-
- Siempre hay alguien, es súper casual que se rompan ventanas y les caigan encima a la gente –se pone de pie con una media sonrisa y le extiende la mano- vamos.
Thor toma la mano del moreno y comienza su camino hacia la enfermería.
6. Capítulo 6
**Holaaaa! :3**
Ya estoy aquí una vez más con el capítulo del día.
Debo decir que, en lo personal, este capítulo me dio mucha risa xD fue divertido escribirlo, y un poco raro _*COFCOFCHOTOCOFCOF*_ xD Así que me gustaría ver cual es su opinión x3
También debo pedir disculpas por las faltas de ortografía de capítulos anteriores, que son horribles , yo las odio, y molestan mucho la vista... pero el faqin word no me corrige como es debido, y aunque tengo buena ortografía individualmente (sin presumir, porque me falla algunas veces, y muy feo), sigo siendo una mortal como cualquiera :C tristemente(?)
También, para terminar... No soy experta en Marvel, de hecho, me acabo de iniciar en el fandom, y además es el primer fanfic y sueño guajiro que me atrevo a redactar debidamente y compartir, así que realmente no sé mucho acerca de personajes y así... por eso se desubicarán tal vez un poco y no verán mucha variedad de personajes... mas que Thor, Loki... y conocidos... y alguno que me ponga a investigar por ahí para no hacerlo tan Epic Fail xD
Y... eso sería todo! Muchísimas gracias por leer este capítulo, espero que les guste, o que mínimo no les haga vomitar xDD
Cuídense mujeres hermosas! ;w;
Higurashi Out!
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><p>Loki va conduciendo el camino, sin tener ningún problema con ello, agarrándolo de la mano. Estando fuera de la enfermería llama insistentemente para que le abrieran. Sale una enfermera como de unos 35 años aproximadamente.<p>
- Adelante chicos, ¿qué pasa?- es entonces cuando le suelta la mano al rubio y dice con calma.
- La tormenta quebró un vidrio en nuestra habitación y lo hirió en la espalda.-
- No es nada grave… –dice Thor interrumpido por la enfermera.
- Grave o no tengo que curarte, así que vamos –dice tomándolo del brazo y sentándolo en una camilla- a ver, quítate la sudadera para ver tu espalda.
Thor obedeció sin chistar la orden de la enfermera, y Loki desvió la mirada hacia la pared derecha del lugar, según su posición.
- ¡Madre de Dios! –dice la enfermera viendo la espalda del rubio- tienes vidrios incrustados, ¿Cuánto tiempo tiene esto? Tu sangre está seca.-
Con la pregunta el menor, de repente, se sintió culpable, sin que nadie lo señalara. Pero había sido por su miedo a los truenos que Thor se había preocupado, era porque se iba a lastimar que Thor se atravesó a ayudarle y, maldita sea, era por él que se había quedado mucho tiempo, quizá hasta horas, esperando a que la tormenta pasara y ya no tuviera miedo. Ese Thor conseguía ponerle los nervios de punta, hacerle sentir culpable y sorprenderse desde que lo conocía. ¿Por qué lo hacía? Por el momento sólo pudo bajar la cabeza y no dijo nada.
- No tiene mucho… -responde el rubio. Aunque había sido largo el tiempo no echaría de cabeza.
- Bueno, comenzaré a quitarte los vidrios –responde la enfermera poniéndose guantes y tomando los instrumentos quirúrgicos necesarios.
Comienza con su trabajo, a lo que Thor aprieta con las manos la camilla, ya que sí le dolía. Y hacía uno que otro sonido de dolor. Loki se sienta en una de las sillas de la pequeña sala de espera y entrelaza sus dedos para jugar con sus pulgares, mientras esperaba que la enfermera terminara con su trabajo. Después de un rato la enfermera concluyó.
- Listo, cuando te bañes te lavas bien la zona y te pones este ungüento.-
- Gracias –dice Thor poniéndose de nuevo su sudadera y tomando el ungüento. Loki se pone de pie y, con gesto sincero, agradece.
- Muchas gracias de verdad, Srta. Maximoff.-
- Es mi trabajo cuidarlos chicos. Tienen que avisar de la ventana rota.-
- Claro. Hasta luego –dice con una media sonrisa y dándose la vuelta para salir de ahí.
Thor sale junto con Loki. Pero no dice nada. Meditando lo que había pasado antes. ¿Por qué habría protegido a Loki? Lo protegió como si fuera alguien muy querido por él, que no era para nada el caso. ¿Qué le estaba pasando? Loki prefería caminar delante y sin esperar ni ver al rubio. No quería que viera que, extrañamente, se sentía más aliviado y perturbado a la vez por su repentino interés en el bienestar del otro. Ese rubio tenía algo, Desde el primer día que lo vio notó que era distinto a todas las personas con las que le habían obligado a convivir. Además, inmediatamente al otro día lo había hecho sufrir, como acostumbraba comúnmente con sus compañeros de habitación, y en vez de echarse a reír y alegrarse por hacer llorar a Thor había ido a preguntarle cómo estaba. Eso no era para nada normal.
Thor al llegar a la habitación ve que los cristales están en la cama de Loki desperdigados, y que aparte esta estaba toda mojada y con algunas manchas de sangre. Loki ya había llegado, pero eso era algo que ya esperaba, por lo que no se sorprendió. Se encontraba parado ahí frente a su cama, pensando en todas esas cosas que se le venían de golpe a la mente. Realmente era frustrante no saber lo que le ocurría.
- Ah, puedes dormir en mi cama… -dice observando al moreno.
- ¿Eh? –Loki fue sacado de su mente con estas palabras, que al principio no pudo procesar; el ruido dentro de su mente era tanto que no escuchó bien lo que Thor había querido decirle.
- Que puedes dormir en mi cama –repite el rubio.
- Ah –sólo alcanzó a decir el moreno. Y sin embargo no supo que responder. Normalmente habría respondido _"no molestes"_ o un sarcástico _"claro, no hay problema amigo mío, cuenta con ello"._ Pero como algo no andaba bien en ese momento, para ser exactos, desde ese momento detestable en la mañana, no supo que decir.
- Bueno, si quieres ahí está la cama –dice el rubio sin obtener respuesta. Y se sentó en su escritorio a sumergirse de nuevo en su libro ya que estaba un poco confundido para platicar con Loki.
- Claro… -al fin responde Loki, pero en un susurro muy leve. Luego ve a su alrededor y piensa en ponerse la pijama.
Thor seguía en su lectura, a pesar de que no la entendía. También sus pensamientos se amontonaban en su cabeza. ¿Qué le pasaba? Al final Loki se echó en la cama del rubio sin decir nada. Sabía que esas vacaciones debió haber llevado esa bolsa de dormir. Algo dentro de él se lo había dicho, pero al final descartó la opción y regresó sin aquella herramienta que en ese momento mataría por tener, aunque hubiera tenido que cargarla, cosa que fue una de sus principales excusas para no llevarla. A pesar de todo su coraje y frustración por lo ocurrido ese día, pudo notar que la cama era especialmente cómoda, muy suave y que, además, despedía un aroma bastante agradable. Esto último, después de razonarlo lo reprendió y, de no ser porque estaba tan a gusto se habría parado y dado de topes contra la pared. Thor se duerme en la silla de su escritorio ya que no quería incomodar a Loki, pero por qué hacía todo eso era algo que aún no comprendía.
Era el otro día. Loki dormía plácidamente en la cama de Thor, y dado que estaba del otro lado de la habitación, esta vez no fue despertado por los rayos del sol alumbrando insistentemente su rostro. De hecho, aún no se despertaba. Thor estaba saliendo de bañarse ya vestido. Al ver a Loki en la cama se acerca suavemente y le dice moviéndolo un poco.
- Loki, despierta.-
El aludido sólo dio un suspiro descansado y armonioso como respuesta. Se removió un poco y encogió un poco más sus piernas. Estaba hecho un capullo entre las sabanas de Thor, pero se veía bastante relajado, en comparación a lo nervioso y aterrorizado que había estado el día anterior. Quien no lo conociera y lo hubiera podido ver dormir así jamás hubiera sospechado que tenía un carácter de los mil demonios, y los que ya lo conocían jamás pensarían que se podría ver tan tranquilo, e incluso podrían llegar a desconocerlo por un instante.
- Loki, despierta. Tienes que ir a clases…- dice el rubio volviendo a moverlo.
Loki arrugó un poco la nariz, abrió los ojos y se encontró con la imagen de Thor despertándolo. En ese momento regresó a su cabeza todo lo que pensó haber eliminado en la noche. Se enderezo tranquila y lentamente, se talló los ojos y se estiró mientras bostezaba. Luego dirigió a Thor su mirada y, porque le dio la gana, lo saludó.
- Hola Thor.-
- Buenos días –respondió el otro.
Loki se pone de pie y se dirige hacia su ropero, notando que el estúpido sol hoy si había decidido salir y limpiar los estragos que había ocasionado la lluvia. Refunfuñó levemente y luego sacó un poco de ropa para irse a cambiar al baño. Se sintió decepcionado al ver su cama totalmente empapada y goteando abundantemente en la alfombra, y decidió que tenía que poner por lo menos un plástico donde antes se encontraba el vidrio en la ventana, en lo que la gente que debía arreglar la ventana iba, y por supuesto, en lo que avisaba.
- Ya reporté lo de la ventana y tu cama, en la tarde vendrán a arreglar todo –dice el rubio poniéndose los lentes.
- Ah, gracias… yo iba a hacerlo –dice un poco contrariado, pero a la vez aliviado.
- Sí, no te preocupes. Entra a todas tus clase por favor.-
- Claro Thor, como digas, si es que me dejan entrar –dice el moreno sin poder evitar fastidiar al rubio, pero, antes de entrar al baño a cambiarse, se da la vuelta y preguntó un poco preocupado y sin tener claro por qué- ¿te sientes mejor?-
- Si –respondió el rubio sonriéndole.
- ¿Seguro? No quiero que al rato estés quejándote y tenga que llevarte a la enfermería, ¿eh?-
- No, tranquilo. Estoy bien –dice el rubio aún con su sonrisa.
El moreno se le quedó mirando otro rato con los ojos entrecerrados, y luego sonrió para darse la vuelta.
- Bueno, si tú lo dices… -gira la manija de la puerta del baño y desaparece detrás de ella.
- Bueno, nos vemos –dice Thor abriendo la puerta para ir a sus clases.
- ¡Claro! –grita Loki desde el baño y oye como se cierra la puerta principal. Después de esto se pone su playera y toma su pantalón para terminar de vestirse y comienza a arreglarse el cabello que siempre le amanecía levemente rizado.
Thor estaba en sus clases de física. Estaba concentrado en la clase cuando en un momento recordó el beso que le dio Loki, sintiendo el contacto de sus labios. ¿Por qué sentía todo eso?
Por su parte, Loki se fue a dar un paseo por el patio del instituto, dado que no podría entrar a clases ni aunque les rogara a los profesores. Cosa que no iba a hacer. Estaba con una obra de Shakespeare en la mano, bajo la sombra de un árbol. Tal vez eso le ayudaría a despejar su mente de las cosas que le atormentaban. Thor, por ejemplo.
Thor trata de poner atención, pero ahora… ¿por qué veía los ojos esmeralda de Loki? ¡Qué rayos le pasaba! él no era así. Cuando estaba en clases estaba atento y participativo, cosa que ese día no era así.
Del mismo modo, a pesar de estar con el libro físicamente ahí, su mente flotaba muy lejos. Últimamente nada de lo que le sucedía era normal. Otro ejemplo de ello era que, siempre que hacía algo como leer ponía entera atención. Y esta vez miraba fijamente a una mancha en la hoja, fruto del envejecimiento del papel, y seguía dándole vueltas al mismo asunto que, pareciera a propósito, no le dejaba en paz. Ese estúpido rubio se estaba enterrando en su mente poco a poco, y eso le molestaba mucho
Al finalizar la clase Thor es el primero en salir, caso muy raro, ya que, por lo general, él todavía hacía preguntas a los maestros o platicaba con ellos. ¿Por qué ese recuerdo era el que estaba más clavado en su mente? Loki decide dejar de leer, pues no estaba poniendo atención, y se dirige al interior del edificio, buscando uno de los dispensadores de agua que se encontraban en ese pasillo para refrescarse un poco. Se metió en la fila de bastantes otros estudiantes que querían tomar agua y refrescarse al igual que él, pero al tratarse precisamente de él ninguno se atrevió a decir nada. Seguía echándose más y más agua, pero no parecía surtir efecto.
Thor iba caminando ya alejando sus pensamientos cuando ve la fila inmensa encabezada por Loki, haciendo que se detuviera súbitamente. A éste parecía habérsele olvidado que había una gran multitud enfurecida detrás del el, y, aunque ese fuera el caso, probablemente no le prestaría atención. Lo único que importaba era sacarse al rubio y ese estúpido accidente de sus bancos de memorias.
Thor, regresando en sí, ve que algunos de la fila ya se estaban desesperando, y que Loki seguía refrescando lentamente. Así que se dirige a él, lo toma del brazo y se lo lleva de ahí. Claramente sin lastimarlo.
- ¡Hey! ¿Qué haces? –dice sobresaltado y un poco humillado por haber sido apartado de la multitud de forma tan vergonzosa y, además, por el ente que le estaba causando tantos estragos- sigo suspendido, ¿recuerdas?-
Thor se detiene en un logar poco concurrido. Saca de su mochila un termo, la cierra de nuevo, le da el termo a Loki y sin decir nada comienza a caminar hacia donde sería su próxima clase. Loki, desconcertado por esto, le sigue mientras trata de no gritar. Aún estaba húmedo su rostro y de su cabello colgaban unas pequeñas gotas del agua que se había echado, pareciendo estas pequeñas perlas finas acomodadas artísticamente.
- ¿Por qué diablos me das esta cosa?-
- Según tú, ¿para qué sirven los termos? –dice el rubio serio.
- Según yo, un termo sirve para guardar líquidos que después se van a beber, según tú, no lo sé.-
- Ahí está tu respuesta. Sirve para tomar agua –dice el rubio.
- ¿Ah sí? Fíjate. Hay un detalle muy curioso en todo esto –dice adelantándose e interponiéndose en el camino del rubio con rostro serio- no tengo sed.-
- ¿Ah sí? ¿Y por eso estabas mojándote e impidiendo que los demás tomaran agua? –responde el rubio.
- Si, tenía calor. La fuente no sólo sirve para tomar agua, genio –dice con una mueca burlona.
- Pues aun así, quédatelo por si te da sed.-
- No lo quiero –dice dándoselo y aguantando las ganas mortales que tenía de aventárselo a la cabeza para desquitarse de todo lo que le estaba haciendo pasar.
- Loki, quédate el termo –dice el rubio ya en la entrada de su aula.
- No lo necesito, te digo que no lo quiero –responde insistentemente y empezando a irritarse.
- Ok –finaliza Thor tomando el termo y entrando al salón sin siquiera decir adiós.
El moreno de igual manera se da la vuelta y se dirige al patio, esperando no volver a ser asediado por aquellos recuerdos y los raros sentimientos que le provocaban. Ahora Thor se preguntaba por qué había actuado así. Qué rayos le pasaba ahora no lo entendía en absoluto.
La mañana transcurrió así, con conflictos mentales en las cabezas de los individuos tan distintos que, contra de su voluntad, tenían que interactuar. Loki se dirigió a su cuarto a las dos en punto, subiendo escaleras rápidamente y casi tirando una que otra persona de ellas. Entra azotando la puerta, tira la pequeña mochila que había llevado a un lado de su cama y se echa en esta, haciendo una mueca al sentir como las sabanas húmedas trasminaba el agua a su ropa. Se endereza y, sin descomponer la curva molesta en su rostro empieza a buscar en los cajones de su escritorio un gran plástico que agradecía haber guardado tiempo atrás. Con un poco de cinta lo adhirió al marco de las ventanas, y después de observar su obra toma una muda de ropa interior y se mete al baño para ducharse. Como había luz suficiente no se molestó en prender la luz del baño. Además él se bañaba bastante rápido. Pero contrario a todo lo que le sucedía últimamente, no cumplió sus expectativas de bañarse rápido. El tiempo se le pasó muy rápido, pero llevaba a lo menos hora y media metido en la regadera con el agua caliente cayendo por todo su cuerpo. Ya no se enjuagaba. Sólo disfrutaba del agua que al parecer lo lograba despejar.
Thor sale caminando tranquilamente del salón, no quería ir a la habitación, sabía que Loki estaría ahí y lo menos que quería era verlo. Así que se va a la biblioteca pensando que tal vez los libros le ayudarían a olvidar todas sus penas. Después de un decide volver a la habitación ya que él no era el tipo que huía de los problemas. Esta no sería la primera vez, así que toma sus cosas y emprende el camino hacia su dormitorio. Entra y ve que no hay nadie al parecer así que se recuesta en su cama.
El moreno estaba tan complacido y ensimismado con el vapor alrededor de él que no pudo oír la puerta que se había abierto y cerrado. Además de que el rubio no había sido escandaloso. Nadie le diría nada si se quedaba un rato más así. Tal vez la madre naturaleza le reclamara el gastar el agua así, pero eso lo pagaría después con karma.
Thor estaba muy a gusto en su cama. Muy pocas veces se daba el gusto de estar así acostado en días de escuela. Ya que siempre llegaba y empezaba a leer un libro o estudiar para futuros exámenes. Pero este día no era el caso.
Un rato más y Loki decidió salir de la regadera. Giró las llaves de agua hacia la izquierda, lo que significaba que el agua cesara. Salió de la zona mojada y tomó una toalla para empezar a secarse.
Thor seguía en su misma posición. Se estaba relajando demasiado y lo mejor era es que los pensamientos que lo acosaban habían terminado.
Por su parte, Loki estaba mucho más tranquilo, estaba terminando de secarse su cabello, pues no le gustaba vestirse y que este mojara su ropa. Le llevaba un poco de tiempo, pero valía la pena. Finalmente del baño, agitando las últimas gotas de agua que quedaban en su cabello con su mano, y sin notar que Thor ya se encontraba ahí, ya que no había escuchado ningún ruido ajeno. Se detiene en el pasillo entre la cama del rubio y la propia y gira la cabeza levemente hacia la ventana, para ver que aún seguía rota y recordarle un poco lo sucedido, pero ya sin atormentarlo tanto. Al parecer el baño le había ayudado. El inusualmente distraído moreno no nota aquello, y hace una mueca de disgusto mientras dice-: Estúpida tormenta...
Después de proferir las maldiciones correspondientes a la ventana y a su cama aún húmeda, que por cierto no habían ido a revisar a ninguna, se aproxima a su ropero para sacar un poco de ropa y ponérsela, ya que, según él, no había tardado demasiado y no pasaría nada si no metía su ropa para vestirse después de tomar su ducha. Usaba unos bóxer verdes ajustados, que le resaltaba bien sus atributos.
Thor por un momento no sabe qué hacer. Al ver al moreno de esa forma era nuevo. Su piel pálida se veía tersa, y a pesar de estar delgado tenía su cuerpo en forma.
Sacar la playera que se iba a poner no era un problema, ya que estaban en los primeros cajones de arriba hacia abajo. El problema fue que los pantalones estaban dos cajones abajo, así que tuvo que inclinarse un poco para poder alcanzar el dichoso cajón, abrirlo y retirar la prenda deseada.
Thor no puede quitarle la mirada de encima, por más que quisiera verlo así era tan... ¡_¡¿Placentero?!_ El rubio mueve la cabeza como alejando sus pensamientos y sin pensar dice.
- ¿Por qué no te vistes de una vez?-
7. Capítulo 7
**HOLA GENTE BELLA! :3**
Hoy llego un poco tarde... y me voy sin mucho que decir.
Sólo que les agradezco especialmente a las chicas que dejan comentarios y no están registradas n.n me había olvidado de hacerlo, y ahora lo hago xD aunque si dejar de lado a las que lo están.
Espero les guste este cap :3
Cuídense!
Higurashi Out!
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><p>Al instante Loki se endereza y se voltea para ver a Thor. ¿Qué? ¿Estaba ahí? ¡¿Y no lo había visto!? Y lo peor... ¡¿lo había visto así?! Su rostro tomo una coloración completamente roja y, en vez de cubrirse con al tolla que llevaba al cuello la aventó hacia el rubio, tratando de cubrirle la cara. Pero este estaba muy lejos y la toalla no llegó.<p>
- ¡¿Por qué no me dijiste que estabas ahí?!-
Toma la playera roja que había tomado y con ella trata de cubrirse lo que hace unos momentos Thor ya había visto.
- Pues porque no me di cuenta que estabas aquí hasta ahora –responde el rubio aguantando la risa ya que la reacción de Loki era muy divertida.
- ¡CARAJO! -toma de un manotazo y sin ver uno de los pantalones del cajón y se va corriendo al baño para cambiarse, cerrando la puerta de un portazo que se escuchó sin duda en otras habitaciones.
Thor sólo sonríe divertidamente ya que esa escena lo había divertido más de lo que ya estaba.
Loki se pone rápidamente la ropa en el baño y luego se pone contra la pared, resbalándose poco a poco en ella hasta quedar sentado. Estaba agitado, y seguramente estaba como un tomate. ¿Qué le pasaba? Se cubrió el rostro con las manos para intentar calmarse. Todo el trabajo que había logrado su baño se había ido por el excusado, y hasta había quedado peor.
Thor se encontraba más relajado pero paso algo malo. Cometió el error de recordar la imagen de Loki en ropa interior. Y para acabar de joder las cosas su mente le jugaba una mala pasada que era ver de arriba abajo esa imagen lentamente y sin percatarse estaba sonrojado.
Loki no quería salir del baño. Se le caería la cara de la vergüenza. Aunque, ¿desde cuándo le importaba algo como eso? Cada vez todo se volvía más y más confuso, y todo por culpa del cabeza de chorlito de Thor. Pensaba seriamente en quedarse ahí toda la tarde, o al menos hasta que Thor saliera de la habitación, que era poco probable.
Loki mira el reloj, y rápidamente ya habían pasado otra hora y media. Decide que ya era suficiente –de hecho, demasiado- de andar escondiéndose de un accidente vergonzoso, así que se pone de pie, respira hondo y abre la puerta para salir. Le frustro el ver que los estúpidos de mantenimiento aún no llegaban y casi eran las 5 de la tarde. Thor al ver salir a Loki y aun sonrojado no puede evitar decir.
- Aun estas rojo –ríe divertidísimo.
- Claro que no idiota –dice tratando de ignorarlo y tratando de pensar que no era cierto y sólo lo decía para molestar.
- Claro que sí. Se nota demasiado.
- Cállate –dice al tiempo que se da la vuelta para ir a su cama. Olvidando nuevamente que seguía mojada.
- Vamos, no puedo creer que aun estés sonrojado si has estado casi 2 horas ahí metido –dice el rubio riendo levemente.
- ¡Te dije que te calles animal! ¿No entiendes? -se da la media vuelta bruscamente para verlo con su mirada iracunda.
- Yo no me sentaría en tu cama, aún está mojada. Aunque bueno tal vez te quite el rubor.
- ARGHH! -Loki ya se había sentado cuando Thor hizo la advertencia, grita impotente y se pone de pie nuevamente- ¿Quieres dejar de molestar, estúpido rubio?
- Creo que te estas poniendo más rojo –ríe el rubio viendo la cara de Thor.
- Si estoy rojo, animal, es de furia. ¡Y si sigues molestando tu estarás morado de tantos golpes! -dice totalmente enfurecido, para luego agregar burlón, pues había observado algo curioso- Además, tú también estás rojo, pedazo de imbécil.
- Jajajajaja, si claro... Tomatito –dice el rubio aguantando la risa.
- Thor, cállate de una puta vez la maldita boca si quieres conservar tus malditos dientes.-
- Vamos no tienes la suficiente fuerza para hacer eso, además te mallugarías y se te saldría el jugo –se echa a reír escandalosamente.
- ¡Vete al infierno idiota! –dice lanzándole un puñetazo en la cara el distraído rubio.
Thor al sentir el golpe que no había sido muy fuerte pero si bien ejecutado se levanta al instante cambiando su semblante y su mirada clavada en el moreno.
- Te arrepentirás de eso –comienza a caminar hacia Loki.
Loki empieza a retroceder, pues el rubio le imponía, aunque odiara admitirlo. Pero se detuvo y decidió hacerle frente.
- Te dije que te iba a tirar tus estúpidos y perfectos dientes –Thor toma con una mano el cuello del moreno y con la misma lo atrae a él.
- Y yo te digo que te romperé el cuello –dice Thor mostrando su lado oscuro.
- No tienes las agallas, rubio –dice retándolo, y preparando su pierna para patear si era necesario.
Sin pensarlo dos veces Thor con una fuerza impresionante azota al moreno en el piso. Está muy molesto. Le chocaba que Loki siempre lo golpeara por sus berrinches. Loki siempre lo molestaba con algo pero si él lo hacia el moreno empezaba a hacer sus ya típicas rabietas.
Loki cae directamente al piso y fuertemente, pero logró enderezarse para no quedar tan mal. Luego con una de sus largas piernas le quitó el equilibrio a Thor, jalando la izquierda de este y haciendo que callera al suelo. Thor se pone encima de Loki e inmediatamente impactando un fuerte puñetazo en su mejilla. El cual recibe el fuerte golpe, pero no se queda atrás. Alarga sus manos y le jala el cabello que nacía de sus patillas para acercarlo y después, soltándolo de un lado, volver a propinarle otro golpe, este más fuerte que el anterior.
Thor estaba más que furioso. Porque lo golpeaba no entendía. Si lo había molestado pero Loki era un estúpido y el más estúpido aun. ¿Por qué se preocupaba por el moreno?
- Hubiera dejado que los cristales cayeran sobre ti en vez de protegerte de ellos - Esto lo pensó y dijo en voz alta sin darse cuenta.
- ¡Pues bien! ¡Yo nunca te lo pedí animal! ¡Puedes agarrar tu caridad, hacerla un rollito y metértela por donde mejor te quepa! -dice gritando fuertemente y tratando de dar patadas certeras. Thor lo toma de nuevo del cuello y lo vuelve a azotar contra el suelo.
- ¡¿Que nunca te enseñaron a hacer agradecido?!
- ¡Pues, que yo recuerde nunca agradeciste cuando fui a levantarte al estúpido baño cuando te resbalaste que la maldita jerga! ¿Quién es el malagradecido? ¡No eres el mejor ejemplo de gratitud!
- Tal vez la razón fue porque te pusiste como un maldito gato erizado después de... - el rubio calla.
- ¿Después de qué idiota?- no duda en preguntar el moreno aunque ya sabía la respuesta.
- Olvídalo Idiota –responde el rubio queriendo darle otro golpe al moreno.
- ¡Anda estúpido! ¿Ahora te vas a callar? ¿Te refieres a esa maldita atrocidad verdad? ¿Cómo esperabas que me pusiera por algo así? ¿Que diera de brincos? ¿Darte las gracias? –dice intentando controlarse para no golpear más al rubio, la pelea se estaba convirtiendo de física a verbal.
- No estúpido, sólo que yo no tuve la culpa y actuaste como si fuera mía, imbécil. ¿Cómo esperabas que te diera las gracias? –responde el rubio viéndolo a los ojos.
- ¿De quién más iba a ser la culpa? ¡Mía no fue! –dice, aunque sabía en el interior que la culpa no la tenía nadie, esa era su excusa para protegerse, y no podía echarse para atrás.
- ¡Ah! Contigo nunca se puede razonar, para ti todos tienen la culpa menos el gran Loki, el que la mayoría cae mal por su estúpida actitud de rey cuando ni siquiera llega a plebeyo –dice Thor.
- ¿Y Thor el bueno no puede tener la culpa verdad? ¡Sólo porque yo soy la oveja negra de esta maldita prisión significa que todo debe ser mi culpa! ¡Yo si acepto cuando hago algo mal! ¡Tú eres el "don perfecto" que no quiere aceptarlo! -dice empezando ponerse rojo de tanto gritar y empezándosele a hinchar la mejilla que Thor había golpeado.
- ¡Ahhh! ¡imbécil egocentrista solitario estúpido! –dice Thor comenzando a quitarse de encima de Loki ya que si seguía encima de él lo golpearía de una manera sobrehumana.
- ¿Lo ves? ¡Mi único puto error fue ayudarte! –dice aprovechando que el rubio se paraba para tirarlo y ahora ponerse sobre de él- ¡Pero yo siempre soy el malo, siempre soy el que hace las cosas mal y el que tiene que cargar con la culpa! ¡Culpen a Loki, él está acostumbrado, no le importará!-
- ¡En que se supone que me ayudaste si me dejaste tirado ahí!- responde el rubio viendo a Loki encima de él.
En lo último que Loki estaba diciendo no parecía que estuviera reclamándole a Thor, sino más bien sacando muchas cosas que tenía dentro de sí desde hace tiempo al parecer. Su mirada se tornó un poco vacía.
- ¿Ahora ves por qué no hago caridad? ¡Porque nunca sale bien! ¡Todo resulta en una calamidad o en algo de lo que me tenga que arrepentir!-
- ¡Yo no te culpe idiota, sólo dije que yo no tuve la culpa de lo que paso! Además te has ganado fama así que no reproches. ¡Tú solo has hecho que todos te echen la culpa cuando no es así! –dice el rubio observando la mirada del moreno- ¡pero en vez de reparar las cosas haces todo lo contrario solo para llamar la atención!-
- ¡Tú no sabes nada de mí! ¡No me juzgues si no sabes por todo lo que he pasado en mi puta vida! –Loki iba a levantar otra vez el puño para propinarle otro golpe al rubio, pero se quedó en el aire. Loki tenía la mirada gacha y poco a poco fue bajando su brazo- ¿Sabes qué? Olvídalo... –dice mientras pretendía levantarse del rubio- Sólo déjame solo... –Thor se vuelve a poner encima de él.
- Si tan siquiera algún día quisieras tener una plática normal podría entender el hecho de que seas así. Pero en tu caso no creo que suceda. Loki, ¡yo no quiero hacerte daño! ¡Yo solo quiero ayudarte! –viéndolo directamente a los ojos.
- ¡Pues entonces déjame solo! –esta vez ya no lucha. Solamente se le queda mirando al rubio con una mirada muy penetrante y llena de sentimientos encontrados.
- ¡No puedo hacerlo! Viendo tu carácter, si te dejo solo harás alguna estupidez... –dice el rubio. Pero Thor ahora veía a Loki con una mirada protectora y mientras admiraba sus bellos ojos verdes.
- ¿Dime que estupidez, según tú, puedo cometer? ¡No me voy a colgar si es lo que piensas, no estoy loco! ¡Sólo déjame en paz! –dice tratando de no ver más allá de los ojos azules que observaba, y que le devolvían la mirada.
- Eres tan egocéntrico que nunca harías eso, pero si una estupidez como ir a tomar o hacer algo contra la escuela, como el año pasado que pintaste toda la fachada con verde.-
- Thor, maldita sea –esta vez su voz y ojos demostraban casi súplica- lo único que quiero es estar solo, conmigo mismo, en cualquier lugar de esta maldita habitación. En el baño si es posible. Déjame solo.-
Thor ve más de cerca los ojos del moreno. Empezaba a sentirse mal por como lo había golpeado. Aunque Loki no demostraba dolor, por ello sabía que se había propasado un poco. Así que inconscientemente posa su mano en la mejilla del moreno dándole una pequeña caricia en el lugar afectado.
- ¿Qué haces? –pregunta desconcertado Loki por la repentina caricia.
- Lo siento. Sé que me mandaras al diablo, pero... Lo siento... –dice Thor cambiando su mirada a una triste y culpable.
- ¿De qué hablas? –dice aún más confundido.
- Por haberte golpeado y dicho todo eso... No soy quien para juzgarte y mucho menos ofenderte...-
- Vaya... por fin algo sensato. Pues, no sé qué decir –dice empezando a perderse en los océanos de Thor, ahora más tranquilos y serenos, sin darse cuenta.
- Bueno... Entonces te dejo solo... –dice Thor empezando a quitarse de encima del moreno.
- Espera... –dice el moreno suavemente y atrayéndolo del brazo.
- ¿Qué? –dice Thor dejándose acercar.
- Yo... –Loki quería disculparse. El rubio lo había hecho, así que era lo justo. Pero antes de darse cuenta ya tenía a Thor a tan sólo un centímetro de su rostro. Thor sentía la respiración del moreno rozando sus labios. ¿Qué quería Loki? ¿Por qué lo había acercado tanto a él?
- Yo... –fue lo último que pudo decir. Había sellado sus propios labios con los de Thor en un beso suave. Para ser sincero, no sabía lo que hacía, y posiblemente... no, seguramente se arrepentiría después.
Thor se sorprende al sentir los labios de Loki pero no se quería quitar. Parecía como si... Le gustara. Thor comienza a mover sus labios y toma a Loki por el cuello para acercarlo más a él.
Sin saber muy bien por qué, Loki se sintió aliviado por no haber obtenido rechazo por parte del rubio. Así que empezó a seguir los movimientos que Thor hacía. Era como si tuviera que haber hecho aquello desde hace tiempo. Desde el primer día que lo vio.
Thor se separa de Loki unos pocos centímetros y dice: - Loki... ¿Qué haces...?-
- Ah... yo... –Loki repentinamente cayó en la cuenta de lo que estaba haciendo y se puso rojo. Bajó la mirada y trató de apartarse más- Yo... lo siento... no era mi intención. Yo...-
- Tranquilo... No pasa nada...- responde el rubio viendo a Loki de una manera tierna y acariciando su mejilla delicadamente.
- Es que… -la mirada que el rubio le dedicaba era demasiado fuerte para él. No podía sostenerla simplemente. Por eso quería separarse.
Thor se quita de encima de Loki y se sienta a un lado suyo. ¿Qué había pasado? ¿Por qué Loki lo besó? Se supone que son hombres, ¿por qué lo había hecho? Y lo peor era que… le había gustado.
Loki se siente extraño al separarse del rubio, Perfecto. Ahora resultaba que, de repente, y además de la maldita nada, sus brazos eran un refugio y se sentía vulnerable su estos no lo rodeaban. Eso no podía estar pasando, y lo pero era que todo podría empeorar, por ley general. Thor voltea a ver a Loki y observa que estaba empezando a confundirse.
- Ammm… Loki, ¿estás bien? –
- Si… -dice mirando un punto fijo en la alfombra con la mirada vacía. No sabía que hacer. Era tanta la confusión que no sabía si debía irse o quedarse ahí.
Thor lo sigue observando. Le gutaba ver a Loki, aunque no de esa manera. Se veía tan confundido, y con ello empezó a sentirse mal, por haber permitido aquel beso.
- Lo siento… -habló el moreno. Quiería aclarar aquello. Su voz sonaba distante- Yo no quería hacer eso, te quería pedir disculpas por insultarte también… y por golpearte…-
- Ah, pues tienes una manera muy extraña de pedir disculpas –responde el rubio viéndolo con una media sonrisa. Sonreía para quitarle importancia al asunto.
- Cállate… -dice encogiéndose y abrazando sus piernas. En otra situación habría alegado e insultado al rubio por aquel comentario. Pero como todo lo que estaba ocurriendo, no supo que hacer, puesto que era cierto. Había sido raro. Ni él sabía por qué había hecho eso.
- No te preocupes. No es para tanto –dice el rubio tratando de quitarle importancia aunque sabía que no lo lograría, y más viendo las reacciones de Loki.
Este ya no contestó. Siguió viendo el mismo punto fijo de la alfombra y trataba de no pensar ya nada. Cualquier cosa no ayudaría en lo más mínimo. Thor al no ver reacción de parte de Loki se levanta y tomándolo del brazo lo levanta.
- ¿Qué haces? –pregunta el menor aún abstraído.
- Te levanto del suelo –responde el rubio- ¿o te querías quedar ahí?-
- Pues… es igual. Ya me levantaste –dice Loki tratando de sonar normal.
- ¿Te dejaron tarea? –dice el rubio tomando el papel del tutor.
- No lo sé –responde Loki desganado.
- Pues revisa. Tienes que entregar todo si no quieres repetir el semestre –dice Thor viendo a Loki como si nada hubiera ocurrido hace unos instantes.
- No quiero –responde sin más.
- Loki, no empecemos con la misma discusión de siempre. Tienes que hacer la tarea –dice Thor dando un suspiro.
- La voy a hacer cuando yo quiera –responde tratando de soltar el agarre del rubio que aún sostenía su brazo después de haberlo ayudado a ponerse de pie.
- Bueno, haz lo que quieras –dice Thor soltando a Loki y dirigiéndose a su escritorio para hacer algunas cosas.
- Lo haré, gracias. Además aún estoy suspendido genio. No tengo tarea –dice empezando a adoptar su actitud huraña. Era su mejor defensa. Empieza a caminar hacia su escritorio y maldice a los estúpidos de mantenimiento. Eran 5:30 p.m. y no llegaban.
Los dos chicos estaban empezando a tomar actitudes normales después de aquel beso. ¿Pero qué era lo que le pasaba a los dos? ¿Por qué ahora pasaba algo así? Ninguno de los dos pensaba que el beso había sido malo, sino todo lo contrario. Les había gustado. ¿Será que se empezaban a… gustar?
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><p>A, por cierto xD último párrafo cortesía de "Sempai"!<p>
Se cuidan! :3
8. Capítulo 8
**Hola! :3**
Aquí estoy otra vez, y con el capítulo 8.
Primero que nada, debo aclarar que tal vez el personaje que va a aparecer en este capítulo no sea muy apegado a lo que es en realidad, pero es que realmente iba a ser un OC, y al final decidimos darle un personaje real. Así que disculpen si es algo poco coherente :v
Otra cosa, los quiero :3 gracias por tus comentarios **Kaori Lawliet**, me levantan mucho el ánimo! :3 espero te guste este episodio también, y todos los que lo lean! Y a las personitas hermosas que le han dado follow y fav: **AkemiMizuki, Anjhely, DaniCalifornia030, Erza S, ZombieKoehler, mashimaro111, JustASecret, Pandito-Dark**... muchas gracias!
Otra cosa... quiero puddin y no tengo :C (?) okno, estoy un poco cansada por la facultad, ya saben, temporada de exámenes, revisión de bitácoras,... laboratorios everywhere :v por cierto, yo estudio lo que Thor, Q.F.B., y sempai lo que Loki, Gestion empresarial xD como dato curioso, que a nadie le importa! xD hahaha
Bueno, sin más que agregar o decir o retardar, los dejo para que se rían de las incoherencias del día xD
Los amo mucho!
Disfruten! :3
Cuídense! ,
Higurashi Out!
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><p>- ¿Qué mierda es esto? –pregunta Loki mirando fijamente y con el ceño fruncido un fajo de hojas que Thor le había aventado justo encima de la revista que leía en su escritorio. Ya hacía casi un mes de lo sucedido el día de la tormenta eléctrica.<p>
- Pues lo que tienes que estudiar –responde Thor.
- Es una broma, ¿verdad? –dice tomando el fajo, que era como de 2 centímetros, y empezando a agitarlo entre las manos, mientras se giraba en su silla y lo miraba con desprecio.
- No, no lo es. Los exámenes se aproximan, y como el gran Loki no hace todas sus tareas necesita mínimo un 9 en casi todos sus exámenes para no reprobar –responde el rubio.
- Ya veo… -les da un vistazo en general a todas y luego las avienta sin cuidado a un lado, esparciéndolas por toda la zona.
- Loki, recoge por favor las hojas –dice el rubio viendo todo tirado y tratando de no enojarse.
- No quiero –responde el otro cambiando la hoja de su revista.
Thor recoge las hojas. No quería pelear con Loki. Ya se había cansado de eso, todos los días de la semana peleaban. Al finalizar de recoger las hojas las coloca de nuevo en el escritorio del moreno.
- Léelas cuando quieras, pero hazlo. Por favor –dice el rubio con mirada con aires suplicantes.
- Algún día Thor… -las toma, las hace rollo sin cuidar no maltratarlas y las coloca en el bote de basura junto al escritorio sin ninguna delicadeza.
Thor comienza a enojarse. Por qué siempre era así no lo entendía. Por más que quería ayudarlo nunca se lo permitía y eso empezaba a volverlo loco. Loki, como señal propia de triunfo empieza a silbar la melodía correspondiente a la canción "We are the Champeons". Thor saca las hojas de la basura.
- ¿Porque lo haces? ¡Porque no puedes hacer algo bien! ¡¿Por qué siempre tienes que llevar la contraria?¡ ¡¿qué no te cansas de hacerlo?!-
- Porque no quiero hacerlo, así de simple –dice sin voltear a verlo y sigue leyendo.
- No entiendo por qué lo haces. Dices que todos te ven como la oveja negra pero no haces nada para que no sea así.
- Es que no quiero hacerlo. Estudiaré cuando me dé la gana Thor –voltea en su silla para verlo de nuevo- Está bien, dámelas. Las leeré más al rato –dice extendiendo la mano para tomar de vuelta las hojas que probablemente no leería, pero que conservaría para que el rubio no siguiera molestándolo.
- Ten. Aunque dudo mucho que lo hagas. Creo que tu meta es ser un fracasado toda tu vida –dice poniéndolas en el escritorio de Loki nuevamente.
- Si, si, Thor. Lo que digas. Todo un fracasado que terminará pidiendo caridad en las calles y comiendo de los botes de basura. Mi vida será muy desdichada –dice sarcásticamente y rodando los ojos al oír la "reprimenda".
- Dime, ¿si no quieres estudiar para qué haces gastar a tus padres? Esta escuela es algo cara –responde el rubio esperando la respuesta.
- Porque yo no les pedí estudiar aquí. Así que no me importa. Lo que se gasten en esta prisión es por su gusto –dice con un tono serio a pesar de tener su típica mueca burlona.
- ¿Entonces porque no estudias lo que te gusta?
- Porque no puedo salir de esta estupidez de escuela. Por eso no puedo. Tengo aquí desde los 15 contra mi voluntad, y mis padres no piensan sacarme de esta inmundicia. Es estudiar aquí o regresar con ellos, en cuyo caso preferiría morir.
- Ah, ya veo… –dice Thor impactado de lo que decía Loki. ¿Porque guardaba tanto odio? ¿Qué le pasaba? No sabía si decir algo o quedarse así. En cierta manera cada vez que hablaba con él lo asustaba con sus comentarios.
- ¿Eso responde tu pregunta, rubio? –dice cruzándose de brazos y haciendo una media sonrisa.
- Sí. No tienes amor y tú lo quieres. Así que... Eso nos da como resultado todo tu ser insensible e irresponsable –responde Thor viéndolo como si en Loki viera muchas virtudes sin explotar.
- Oh... ya veo, así que además de ser un súper genio sabes de psicología. Debo ser la persona más necesitada de afecto que conoces, ¿verdad? -dice burlonamente y llevando sus manos que había entrelazado bajo su mentón para echarse hacia adelante y apoyarse en ellas.
- No se necesita ser un genio para ver la realidad... –dice Thor poniendo una mirada de… ¿tristeza...? Si, tristeza ya que Loki podía a llegar a ser unos de los mejores pero el sólo se estancaba.
- Oh, ya veo... –se queda unos segundos más así y luego vuelve a cruzar los brazos y a darle la espalda a Thor- como digas, pero eso no me va a hacer tener ganas repentinas de leer esa cosa, ¿sabes?
- Lo sé. Tal vez algún día lo hagas. Aunque no lo creas, tengo fe en ti... –dice Thor observándolo para después sentarse en la silla de su escritorio.
- Claro Thor, tu ten fe... –dice moviendo de un lado a otro la cabeza en negación y pasando la hoja de su revista.
En ese momento tocan a la puerta. Loki ve de reojo como Thor se levanta y va hacia la puerta para abrirla, pero decidió no tomarle atención.
Al abrir la puerta Thor ve a una guapa chica de tez blanca, ojos café oscuros, alta, de cabello negro lacio y largo. De facciones finas y labios rojo carmín que le daba un toque de sensualidad a su rostro. Thor al verla se queda petrificado.
- ¿Sif…? –dice el rubio saliendo de su trance- ¿Eres tú…?-
- No, vengo a entregar la leche que pidió la semana pasada –responde cruzándose de brazos para luego extenderlos como incitando un abrazo- ¿Acaso parezco alguien más, cabeza hueca?-
Loki, que ya había desviado la mirada de ellos y retomado su lectura vuelve a mirarlos levemente para ver mejor cual era el alboroto que se traían esos dos. La curiosidad había sido siempre una gran debilidad suya. Y cuando algo robaba su atención no conseguía estar tranquilo hasta saber todo de aquello o conseguir lo que quería. Thor abraza a la chica sin esperar mucho.
- ¡No puedo creer que estés aquí! ¡Tanto tiempo sin verte! ¡Ahhh! ¡Qué genial! –dice el rubio fuertemente. No podría creer que su mejor amiga estuviera ahí. Tenía años que no la veía, sólo se comunicaban por Facebook, y eso pocas veces.
- ¡Pues créelo grandulón! Estoy aquí y no me iré hasta que te haga relajarte un poco –dice correspondiendo al abrazo y después subiendo una de sus manos al cabello dorado de Thor para quitarle la liga que lo amarraba y comenzar a hacerle "cerillito"- ¿Me extrañaste, verdad infeliz? –Thor la carga y la mueve de un lado a otro.
- ¿Cómo no te voy a extrañar, princesa? Si me haces mucha falta –responde el rubio riendo.
- ¡Hahahahaha! Lo sé, lo sé… ¡pero si me sigues apretando así ya no habrá más princesa, corazón! –responde la choca divertida y con una genuina sonrisa de felicidad profunda. El rubio la baja.
- ¿En qué carrera estás? –
- En ninguna, eres tan especial que decidí burlar la seguridad de tu escuela para ir poder verte –dice la chica divertida y luego de recibir la mirada inquisitiva de Thor agrega- en la misma que tú, bobo.
Loki seguía la plática desde donde estaba. ¿Princesa? ¿Corazón? ¿Qué era todo aquello? Thor da un grito de felicidad y la abraza de nuevo. Tendría a su mejor amiga en el mismo salón. ¿Qué podía ser mejor que eso?
- ¡Ah! mi princesa estará conmigo.
- ¡Claro que sí! Moví cielo, mar y tierra para averiguar en qué clase estabas y poder molestarte... digo, hacerte compañía –dice la chica y vuelve a corresponderle al abrazo cálido.
- Ah… ¿quieres ir a comer? ¿O adonde quieres ir? –dice Thor sonriéndole alegre y esplendorosamente.
- ¡A donde sea! El caso es poder ponernos al tanto y ponernos a mano de tanto tiempo separados, ¿no? –la chica dice esto con un tono natural pero bastante sugerente. Loki no podía creer que era lo que estaba pasando. ¿Quién era esa mujer salida de la nada? Ya se había dado la vuelta para verlos completamente y aún no entendía nada. De repente sintió un pequeño nudo en la garganta e intentó carraspear un poco para deshacerse de él.
- Bueno entonces vamos. Sólo tomo mi billetera –el rubio va rápidamente a su escritorio y toma la billetera que estaba a plena vista. Y sale sin siquiera decirle adiós a Loki.
Perfecto. Ahora estaba solo. Con lo mucho que odiaba estarlo. No había nada más que hacer ese día, sus estúpidos amigos se habían largado nuevamente sin decirle nada, odiaba quedarse sólo en su habitación, a menos de ser estrictamente necesario o desearlo de verdad. Se recarga completamente en la silla giratoria, suelta un suspiro pesado y vuelve a dar la vuelta para seguir leyendo. Thor lleva a Sif a un establecimiento de comida.
- Ya veras, aquí hacen unas hamburguesas muy deliciosas.
- Sabes que me encanta comer esas porquerías grasosas que algún día me taparán las arterias... –se lanza a él para abrazarlo una vez más. Había sido tanto tiempo separados que necesitarían más de 2 abrazos para sentir que finalmente no se volverían a separar- ¡Te adoro!
- Sabes que yo te amo mi princesa –responde Thor abrazándola muy tiernamente. Estaba realmente contento. Después de esto se sentaron en una mesa y, después de ser atendidos se pusieron a hablar de tantas cosas que se llevarían varias horas en esa tarea.
Mientras transcurrían esas horas de regla que ellos dos gastarían, Loki ya se había metido a bañar, había hablado un rato por teléfono, seguía mensajeándose por WhatsApp, vio una película y se puso a estudiar un poco de lo que venía en su examen del día siguiente. Todo esto no le bastó, pues ya habían pasado al menos 5 horas y el rubio no regresaba. Eran las 8:25 y él se encontraba realmente aburrido e intrigado por aquella visita desconocida.
- Entonces... ¿eres algo así como un erudito no? –dice la chica tomándolo de la mano y entrelazando sus dedos con los de Thor, mientras iban caminando tranquilamente bajo la luna de aquella noche despejada y fresca.
- Pues si algo así, jejeje para muchos solo un nerd –dice Thor con una media sonrisa.
- Ay, pues ellos pronto conocerán a su jefe y quien les dará de comer –dice con una sonrisa cómplice.
- Si lo sé –se echa a reír- pero no les digo nada para que sea sorpresa –responde el rubio- pero oye, ¿cuál es tu habitación?
- Es la... –se pone a pensar para recordar el número, sin lograrlo- ¿la 58? hehehehe...
- No sabes cuál es tu número de habitación, hahahahaha. Sigues siendo la misma - dice entre risas el rubio.
- Hahah… sabes que no soy buena memorizando cosas tan triviales... El número de habitación está en la llave –se rasca la cabeza con una mueca graciosa y la lengua de fuera, afirmando que era una total despistada.
- ¡Hahahaha! mi princesa –dice volviéndola abrazar- entonces, ¿tienes compañera de dormitorio?-
- No –dice haciendo una mueca- es un tipo todo horrendo, e hinchado, lleno de bolas –dice haciendo las formas de los músculos de su compañero exageradamente- me da miedo...
- Ah… ya veo, ¿no quieres quedarte en mi cuarto hoy? –dice el rubio viéndola incitadoramente- te puedes quedar en el baño –se echa a reír.
- Uy, me encantaría quedarme en tu baño, ¡será tan acogedor! –dice usando un sarcasmo muy divertido y luego le da un apretón a la mano del rubio- No lo creo cariño. Si no es en tu cama, yo no juego.
- Claro que será en mi cama y lo mejor aún es que yo voy incluido con la cama, jajajajaja.
- ¡Hahahaha! ¡Exactamente! -dibuja en su rostro una sonrisa pícara- ¿qué piensas hacerme esta noche?
Loki estaba desesperado. Realmente molesto. Qué, ¿se supone que ahora haría "qué"? Estaba muy aburrido, y ahora resultaba que era invisible, porque Thor no lo había presentado con aquella mujer, ni siquiera se había tomado la molestia de despedirse, o de decir a donde iba, o a qué hora regresaría. Además, ¿desde cuándo Thor tenía amigos? ¿Y por qué se hablaban como si se conocieran desde siempre? Lo más importante, ¿por qué se cuestionaba todo aquello? Se echó en el escritorio, hundiendo su rostro en sus brazos y suspiro cansadamente, para luego alzar la vista al reloj que reposaba ahí mismo y descubrió que eran las 9 en punto. Al momento se abrió la puerta y de atrás de esta apareció Thor con una mochila de mujer y de la mano iba Sif con una gran sonrisa. Loki alzó la cabeza inmediatamente y volteó a ver a Thor sin disimular una sonrisa en su rostro, y luego descomponerla cuando vio a la mujer que hace unas horas había escuchado que respondía al nombre de Sif.
- Bueno esta es mi cama. Aquí dormiremos –dice dándole un beso en la mejilla a la chica para luego abrazarla cariñosamente.
- No, así no se da un beso Thor –dice la chica buscando sus labios y dándole un suave beso al que estaban los dos acostumbrados. Loki, sin saber por qué, sintió hervir su sangre al mirar aquella escena.
- Jajajaja, ya lo sé, sólo que me gusta que tú me los des - dice Thor dándole otro beso.
La chica le sonríe por último y se sienta en la cama, sin notar aún, gracias a su gran personalidad distraída, que Thor tenía un compañero de cuarto. Loki se había ya cruzado de brazos y con el ceño fruncido esperaba que el estúpido rubio despertara de su ensoñación con aquella estúpida mujer. Thor coloca la mochila de su amiga en la silla de su escritorio. Y da la vuelta para ir a su closet para sacar su pijama pero se encuentra con Loki viéndolo irritadamente.
- Ah! ¿Estabas aquí? No te vi - dice el rubio con una sonrisa.
- Ah, mira. Qué curioso... –dice poniéndose de pie- Yo tampoco había visto que ya habías llegado rubio... –dice tratando de dibujar una sonrisa sarcástica en su rostro, que no pudo trazarse bien por la repentina furia que lo invadió.
- Bueno voy a buscar mi pijama –dice Thor comenzando a caminar a su closet.
- Claro... no olvides cambiarte en el baño, pedazo de idiota –dice sentándose de nuevo en la silla giratoria y posicionándose para fingir que seguía haciendo lo que hacía cuando llegaron, aunque eso era nada.
Thor se quita la sudadera con todo y camisa. A la vez cuando Loki le decía que lo hiciera en el baño. Caso que Sif lo miro con una gran sonrisa. El rubio tomo su pijama y se metió al baño para terminar de vestirse.
- Idiota... -murmuró Loki mientras empezaba a jugar con una moneda que descansaba en el escritorio. Thor sale del baño.
- Sif, puedes pasar al baño a cambiarte.
- Genio, no traje ropa en mi mochila. –se echa a reír- Dormiré así, a menos que quieras que duerma en paños menores... –por tal comentario Loki entornó los ojos y bufó levemente.
- Jajajajaja no, hay gente aquí, si fuera sólo yo te diría que sí. Ven te presto algo - dice haciéndole señal de que se acercara mientras que con la otra mano sacaba un pants y camisa.
La chica se pone de pie y sigue al rubio, sin notar que Loki los seguía con la mirada, que por cierto, estaba llena de odio.
- Ten, ponte esto. Ahí está el baño. - dice Thor señalándole el baño con una sonrisa.
- Gracias fortachón –dice la chica viendo la playera blanca que Thor le había prestado, que por cierto le quedaría de camisón, y se mete al baño para cambiarse. Loki sigue jugando con la moneda para evitar prestarle atención a Thor y armar un escándalo que estaría por demás. Pero... ¿por qué armaría un escándalo?
Thor se sienta en su cama esperando que saliera Sif del baño. Estaba tan feliz que no notaba que Loki estaba de muy mal humor. Solo pensaba en lo feliz que era con su amiga ahí. Loki sabía que iba a estallar en algún momento, pero mientras eso pasaba seguía tragándose su orgullo y reteniéndose de preguntar quién era "esa" mujer que de repente lo besaba. Era el colmo. Ni siquiera se había dignado a saludarlo bien. Vale que él mismo nunca saludaba, pero Thor era distinto. Y le molestaba que la simple presencia de "esa" estuviera cambiando todo. Y ahora se sentía frustrado porque se estaba dado cuenta de que estaba pensando como una mujer celosa hasta de su sombra. ¿Qué más le importaba a Loki aquello? El rubio era libre de hacer y deshacer con su vida. Y punto final. No había más. Aventó la moneda a al piso alfombrado y volvió a hundir su cabeza en sus brazos. Thor se mantiene sentado en su cama recostado en la pared. No podía borrar la sonrisa de su rostro, aunque empezaba a notar cierta negatividad en el cuarto y para ser precisos proveniente del rey de lo negativo: Loki.
Loki trató de respirar hondo y de despejar su mente, cuando, de la nada y sacado de lo más hondo de sus recuerdos reprimidos, recordó aquella tarde después de los tres días de suspensión al inicio de su curso. Aquel maldito beso que había intentado ignorar por tanto tiempo de repente cobró vida e invadió totalmente la cabeza del moreno.
9. Capítulo 9
**Well... :3 **
Hola! Bueno, la verdad este día estoy un poco cansada xD hace muchísimo calor, y tengo que estudiar algo de matemáticas ewe derivadas... para examen. Mañana. Pero no importa xD me encanta esto! Y se que tal vez me llevará a la ruina(?) okno, pero aquí estoy puntual... por así decirlo :3
Por cierto... siento que los capítulos son un poco cortos... pero en especial este. Siempre trato de hacerlos, según el famosísimo y supremo Word de 6 páginas, y este salió de 5... :S No hay problema con eso?... En fin.
Sólo quería darle gracias de nuevo, en verdad, debo estar fastidiándolos, pero es necesario para que pueda vivir xD
Quiero agradecer a la pequeña **Kaori Lawliet, **y a **Pandito-Dark, **y a la pequeña **lolitaredhead **(lo siento, la vez pasada no te mencioné) por sus review x3 al igual que a las chicas que mencione en entradas atrás que habían comentado sin estar loggeadas, estas son **Shiro-the-queen, gabi, y nata lee. **Domo Arigatou! -hace referencia ñoña-
Igual, gracias por tu fav y follow, **Your Average Hero,** espero que siga siendo de tu agrado la historia n.n
Y... con esto termino la sección de saludos xD
Espero que sea de su agrado este capítulo. Ya saben, si algo no les gusta son libres de quemarnos en la hoguera xD
Cuídense! Y que tengan bonita semana :3 Y un buen Thorsday xD
**Higurashi Out!**
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><p>En ese momento salió Sif del baño sólo con la camisa de Thor ya que, como se había dicho, le quedaba como camisón pero no tan largo. Thor al verla sus ojos brillaron, se puso de pie, caminó un poco hacia ella y le abrió sus brazos incitando a que corriera a sus brazos. Loki oyó los pasos apresurados de Thor y se hundió más en su posición, para obligarse a sí mismo a no voltear. Entonces la chica habló.<p>
- ¡Ya, Thor! Como si nunca me hubieras visto con algo así... además hay gente.
Pero aun así corrió a abrazarlo fuertemente.
- Jajajaja ya lo sé, pero teníamos 15 años desde la última vez que te vi así –respondió el rubio besándole la frente.
- Ay Thor, ¡qué dulce! –le vuelve a besar en los labios. Loki se siente rabiar por el sonido que hizo la chica al besar a Thor a pesar de ser un beso inocente, y no pudo evitar imaginar al rubio correspondiéndole.
- Ay princesa, Te amo –dice abrazándola fuerte y tiernamente.
- ¡Yo más! –contesta la chica con aires de superioridad.
- Jajjajaja sabes que yo gano así que no rebuznes –dice el rubio dándole un beso en los labios.
Ay no. Y ahora iban a empezar con ese patético juego. ¿Que no podían ser normales? ¡Váyanse a un hotel y ya!... ¡¿qué le estaba pasando?!
- Claro que no. ¡Yo te amo mucho más! –dice fingiendo indignación. Thor le saca la lengua burlonamente. Ya que le divertía aquel juego -¡Hahaha! ¡Gané, gané-e! ¡Nana nana! –empieza a canturrear divertidamente su prematura victoria, y Loki se sentía quemar por dentro. Tanto que estuvo a punto de salir del lugar corriendo y azotar la puerta tan fuerte que podría llegar a descomponerla.
Sin embargo, ahí seguía. Aparentando estar completamente bien al ser ignorado rotundamente. Thor toma el mentón de la chica y viéndola a los ojos le dice.
- Estás muy hermosa.
- Ay... lo sé –dice sintiéndose orgullosa y luego riéndose- tú no te quedas atrás, guapetón. Eres como un ángel.
Era el colmo. Si seguían así vomitaría del asco que le daba que fueran tan cursis y melosos. El rubio le da otro beso pero este lleno de cariño. Los dos estaban ya muy acostumbrados a este tipo de cariño entre ellos, así que la chica lo responde igualmente muy cariñosamente.
Ya. Basta. El moreno se pone de pie de golpe, toma una mochila, pone en ella bruscamente su ropa de dormir, un cepillo de dientes extra y su cartera y se sale de la ha habitación a toda velocidad, cerrando la puerta detrás de él estridentemente.
Thor se separa de la chica y observa que Loki se había ido. ¿Pero, porque lo había hecho?
- ¿Qué le pasa a tu amigo, amor? –Dice la chica con la mirada aún donde había salido Loki, aún sorprendida.
- No lo sé... Es su problema bastante me he preocupado por él y he recibido a cambio puras groserías. Asé que no me importa –dice el rubio encogiéndose de hombros. Aunque la verdad era que si se preocupaba un poco porque Loki se había ido de esa manera.
- Ah... ya veo. No te preocupes, mi vida. Tal vez pronto te corresponda- dice burlonamente.
Loki iba corriendo a pesar de que nadie lo seguía. Seguía corriendo y quería llegar lo más pronto posible al primer hotel, motel, hostal o pensión que encontrara. Lo único que quería hacer era estar en otro lugar que esos dos idiotas.
- ¿Quieres seguir hablando o quieres descansar? - dice el rubio viéndola alegremente.
- Me apetece seguir platicando mi dios nórdico –dice la chica haciendo uso de su apodo preferido para el rubio.
- Jajajaja ok, entonces pues ese chico que se fue es mi tutorado. Se llama Loki –dice el rubio.
- Oh... es el famosísimo Loki- dice sonriendo- pues no estaba nada mal… -ríe levemente- Y... es el tu dolor de cabeza personal. No sé... ¿seguro que no eres de "aquellos", cariño? –dice tratando de molestar al rubio.
- De que hablas –ríe escandalosamente- yo creo no. Pero es que es insoportable. - dice Thor riendo levemente.
- Hahaha… si tú lo dices...- dice separándose no sin antes darle otro beso y yendo a sentarse a la cama.
- Pero dime, ¿y tú como vas con el amor? –
- ¡Ha! Mal, mal, mi vida. Muy mal. Pensando seriamente en convertirme en religiosa –se echa a reír.
- Jajajajjajajaja no creo que te dejen entrar ahí ni de coña - dice riendo el rubio fuertemente.
- Ay... qué malo eres- dice y mirándolo con el ceño fruncido y los brazos cruzados.
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><p>Al otro día todo transcurrió como siempre. Loki refunfuñando mientras se despierta en el primer hotel que encontró en el camino y arreglándose con lo que había llevado en su austera maleta de viaje. Decidió ir ese día a la escuela, aunque ganas de irse por ahí no le faltaron. Era temporada de exámenes y, aunque le costara admitirlo por haberlo dicho Thor, de verdad necesitaba al menos un 9 en todos sus exámenes para pasarlos.<p>
A la hora de salida de clases, corre a su cuarto para echarse en su cama, y rogando, inusualmente, para que el idiota rubio que tenía por tutor no estuviera ahí con su "amiguita", por cierto bastante molesta y estúpida. Estúpidos los dos. Una hora más tarde se metió a bañar, ya que hacía demasiado calor ese día y el baño de la mañana no había sido especialmente bueno, ni reconfortante, ni cómodo.
Al salir prende su ordenador que ya se encontraba en su escritorio y pone algo de música en orden aleatorio. No había señales de Thor. Y ojalá el día siguiera así. Ojalá y hubiera muerto de la forma más violentamente posible. Aunque, si eso ocurriera y el no pudiera verlo sería realmente lamentable. Hizo una media sonrisa divertida imaginando posibles formas de las que Thor podría morir y que el disfrutaría cuando la puerta se abrió. Eran más o menos como las 4:00 p.m.
- Hola Loki –saluda el rubio con una gran sonrisa.
- …- el aludido no responde. Estúpido mastodonte.
Thor se mete al baño después de dejar su mochila sobre de su cama. Sale y se acerca a Loki, que estaba revisando unos archivos en su computador para disimular hacer algo realmente interesante y no responder.
- ¿Qué haces? –pregunta tratando de ver qué era lo que hacía el otro mientras esboza una sonrisa.
- Nada que te interese idiota –responde secamente Loki.
- Hey, ¿por qué la agresividad? ¿Te he hecho algo hoy, enano? –pregunta Thor frunciendo el ceño, sin molestarse. Sólo sorprendido por la respuesta tan malhumorada. El pelinegro no solía ponerse tan agresivo de buenas a primeras.
- Existir. Eso es lo que has hecho hoy y todos los días de tu vida –acota secamente y sin voltear a verlo.
- ¿…Estás enojado? –pregunta Thor sin pensarlo.
- …- Loki esta vez voltea a verlo con una mirada de profundo desprecio y dibuja una sonrisa sarcástica en su rostro y se pone de pie para ponerse a la altura de Thor- No, estoy inmensamente feliz idiota. ¿No ves mi gran sonrisa? Es el mejor día de mi vida. ¿Qué te hace pensar que estoy enojado, genio? –cruza los brazos y le clava la mirada.
- Pero, ¿por qué estás molesto? ¿Qué te paso? –sabía que la pregunta había sido estúpida después de hacerla, pero ya no podía corregirlo. Aún era interesante ver a Loki de esa manera, se veía realmente molesto.
- Nada, no me pasó nada… Sólo tuve que irme de mi precioso cuarto anoche porque tú y tu amiga querían tener su privacidad, y además ya estaban _empezando_ mientras yo estaba presente, y era como un fantasma. Pero nada más. Nada de mucha importancia, ¿verdad?
- ¿Estás molesto de que Sif haya venido anoche a quedarse a dormir y no te hizo caso? –pregunta el otro sin pensarlo y algo confundido. No veía el problema en eso, y claramente no veía el asunto como Loki.
- …- El menor se le queda viendo un momento más, y después agrega secamente- váyanse al infierno tú y tu novia.
- ¿Mi novia? –Ríe levemente y cachando el hilo de la conversación- Ah, si… Sif es mi novia. ¿Crees que si no lo fuera la besaría de esa forma?
- Por eso, váyanse al infierno. Y no. No sé qué es lo que tu mente tan avanzada piense acerca de eso. Pero es tu vida. Has lo que te plazca con ella.
- Si, y eso hago –se echa a reír.
- ¡Perfecto! –se da la vuelta y se vuelve a sentar en su silla giratoria con los brazos cruzados y murmurando ofensas para el rubio.
- ¿Pero qué es lo que te pasa? Pensé que estarías feliz, tengo con quien estar y no te molesto con que estudies –dice el rubio dirigiéndose a su cama y sentándose.
- A mí no me pasa nada. ¡HA! ¿Por qué me pasaría algo a MÍ porque TÚ tengas compañía? –Esto se lo preguntaba a Thor, pero sin darse cuenta empezó a cuestionárselo a sí mismo.
- Si tú lo dices… -responde Thor sin creer lo que decía Loki. Algo le pasaba, pero seguramente era algo de sus problemas mentales.
- Sí. Si yo lo digo es porque es cierto. ¿Por qué no te vas con tu novia y me dejas en paz, imbécil? –
- Pues porque aún no es hora. La veré a las 7 y apenas son las 4:30. Pero creo que me ducharé –dice levantándose de la cama y dirigiéndose a buscar su ropa.
- Asegúrate de vestirte en el baño idiota. No quiero tener que recordártelo toda la vida.
- Sí, es lo que voy a hacer. Qué amargado estás… -dice Thor frunciendo el ceño y metiéndose al baño.
Loki suspira fastidiado y empieza a revisar en su estante qué película podría poner para pasar el rato. Después de un rato Thor ya sale vestido. Por primera vez sale vestido con unos pantalones de mezclilla negra y una playera azul índigo de cuello en v ajustada – que hacía que su cuerpo demostrara todo su potencial- y unos tenis Vans. Loki voltea a ver al rubio para preguntarle algo que olvidó al verlo así vestido. En vez de eso se trazó una sonrisa pícara aunque de cierta manera sentía un odio profundo, en el que más adentro había una felicidad completamente absurda e inexplicable que no sabía a qué venía.
- Mira, los milagros existen.
- ¿De qué hablas? –dice el rubio sacando una pequeña caja de su escritorio y de ésta sacando unos lentes que iban más con la ropa que llevaba, ya que estos se veían más intelectuales.
- ¿Qué no es eso un milagro? –dice señalando la ropa del rubio- esa mujer te hace bien. Deberías salir más seguido con ella. Es impresionante lo que puede hacer un buen cambio de ropa –dice manteniendo su burlona expresión. Al instante sintió una punzada en su pecho, pero al ignorar la razón de esta la ignora.
- Pues ella me dio esto, y quiero sorprenderla –responde el rubio refiriéndose a la playera con una gran sonrisa que transmitía emociones a cualquiera que la viera. Se pone los lentes y deja su cabello suelto que estaba medio peinado, pero a la vez no, haciendo que Thor se viera realmente atractivo.
- Bueno, al menos eres considerado con la pobre –dice tratando de no verlo, ya que, había que admitirlo, le quedaba mucho ese look. Y no quería que se notara y malinterpretara.
- No es ser considerado –se echa a reír- se llaman amor –dice el rubio.
- Si, como digas –dice volteándose y cuestionándose por qué había sentido una repentina furia al oír aquello.
Thor espera a que Sif lo llame para ir. Conociéndola lo llamaría antes de la hora para salir y tener más tiempo para pasarlo juntos. Y justo en ese momento suena el timbre de llamada del rubio. Y Loki recuerda que tiene audífonos, conectándolos y poniéndolos en sus oídos para ignorar la llamada que Thor estaba recibiendo.
Thor toma su teléfono y lo contesta.
- Hola, ¿ya estás lista?
- _Claro que sí. Es más, estoy aquí afuera –_dice entre risas_._
- Hahahhhahah… ok, ya salgo –cuelga el teléfono, se levanta y toma una chaqueta que estaba encima de su cama, abre la puerta y antes de salir dice. Nos vemos Loki.
- Te cuidas rubio. Recuerda ponerte un preservativo –dice Loki que ya se había quitado uno de sus audífonos y escuchó aquello mientras en la computadora, que había olvidado unos minutos, daba doble click para empezar a ver la película que vería esa tarde y sus continuaciones. La saga elegida era El Señor de los Anillos.
- Si, lo tendré en cuenta. Aunque natural es lo que le gusta más –responde el rubio riendo fuertemente para que escuchara Sif. Y con esto último sale de la habitación para comenzar con la cita que tenía. Loki termina de quitarse los audífonos y mientras escuchaba el intro de La Comunidad del Anillo mueve la cabeza en negación con evidente diversión al escuchar el comentario del rubio, pero también con cierta molestia. Esos comentarios era mejor callárselos.
- ¡HAHAHAHAHAHAH! ¿En serio Thor? ¡No juegues! –dice la chica que reía sin parar por el comentario de Thor.
- Sabes que es broma –dice riendo también el rubio- con protección. –Era tanta su risa que se estaba poniendo rojo.
- ¡Hahaha! Claro Thor. Con protección –le guiña un ojo juguetón y empieza a caminar de la mano del rubio.
Thor pasa una gran tarde con Sif. Ella era la única persona con la que podía ser él sin ser juzgado ni nada. Ella era una chica muy agradable y casi todos querían estar con ella. Y por su parte, Loki había terminado de ver las películas. Si, las tres. Habían tardado tanto que le había dado tiempo de eso, de darse un baño y cenar con toda calma.
Thor llega a las 11 de la noche. Abre la puerta sabiendo que Loki aún estaba despierto –ya que por la pequeña ranura de debajo de la puerta se veía un resplandor de luz-.
- Hola.
- Hola –responde el moreno acostado en su cama con una voz notablemente aburrida y fastidiada.
Thor después de saludar a Loki se pone su pijama y se acuesta a dormir sin más, ya que no tenía nada de qué hablar con el menor. Después de dos semanas Thor seguía saliendo con Sif todos los días. Ya casi todo el instituto creía que eran novios cuando no era así. Pero ellos no desmentían y también daban pie a esto, dado que se besaban en público sin ninguna pena. Thor seguía muy feliz de tener a Sif con él.
10. Capítulo 10
**Hola! :3**
¿Cómo están? Espero que bien! w Yo estoy de maravilla, porque por fin pude ir a ver Captain America: The Winter Soldier! 3 Y debo decir que me pareció magnífica, valió cada maldito centavo de la entrada, y si me hubiera costado el doble, los hubiera valido también! Y tal vez suene un poco a sacrilegio, o algo así, pero me pareció mejor que Thor: The Dark World, por una simple razón: el ritmo. Eso no quiere decir que no me haya gustado, también la amé! pero ésta vez tendré que ser sincera.
Pero bueno, no quiero arruinarles la sorpresa a las que no la han visto, como a mi me lo hicieron ¬¬ así que les dejaré eso a su criterio. ¿Alguien más ya la vio? :3
Otra cosa, gracias (lo sé, parezco un maldito disco rayado xD) por los reviews. **Pandito-Dark, Kaori Lawliet, JusASecret, **¡y a los nuevos chicos que le picaron a esos botones... (¿Si no? ¿Botones?) ... mágicos llamados "_follow_" y "_favorite_"! ¡Gracias **Ariadha, Rowena Jackson **y **liz_._banglo_._lniel**! (puse los guiones bajos porque sino no me lo deja poner ¬¬)! Espero que les siga gustando y que no me lleven a la hoguera xD
Y bueno, finalmente no se las hago más larga y las dejo con el capítulo 10... que espero que sea de su agrado y cubra sus expectativas.
¡Preparen sus tomates! Hahhahahha xD
Cuídense! y que tengan una buena Thorki-semana, y vacaciones x3 si es que tienen por la Semana Santa.
**Higurashi Out!**
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><p>- ¡No puedo creerlo! –grita Loki entrando a su cuarto, dando un portazo que hizo que varios estudiantes que pasaban por ahí voltearan a verlo.<p>
Thor se encontraba caminando tranquilamente por el pasillo, ya había dejado a Sif en su habitación así que él se dirigía a la suya.
- ¡Es que simplemente no puedo creerlo! –sigue gritando ya dentro de su cuarto mientras azota su mochila en el suelo alfombrado y cualquier cosa que encontraba a su paso.
Thor antes de entrar –y eso que estaba como a 10 metros- escucha los gritos furiosos de Loki. Lo que le hace cuestionarse el entrar o perderse por algún lado. Y eso no le suponía un problema grande, ya que le gustaba estar solo. Pero después de unos minutos de reflexión camina hacia la puerta y la abre. Viendo primero las cosas de Loki botadas en la alfombra.
- ¿¡QUÉ QUIERES!? –dice Loki gritando furioso y con la respiración agitada.
- Ammm… nada. De hecho no te he dicho nada… -responde Thor con el ceño fruncido y caminando hacia su cama.
- ¡Pues entonces deja de verme!
- No te estoy viendo. ¿Pero por qué me gritas? ¿Qué te pasa? –dice Thor ya reaccionando de por qué dejaba que Loki le gritara.
- Nada. No te importa lo que a mí me pase –responde sin cambiar el tono de voz tan seco.
- Pues no es que me importe, sino que ¡yo igual vivo aquí y no me gusta que me griten! –dice Thor hablando fuerte.
- ¡Pues si no quieres que te grite ahí está la maldita puerta! ¡Puedes irte cuando te plazca y así me libras de tu pésima compañía! ¡No entiendo cómo es que sigues aquí!
- Pero Loki, ¿qué te pasó o qué? ¿Por qué estás así? –responde el rubio muy confundido por el comportamiento de Loki.
- ¡Te dije que no te importa! –arguye aún más alterado. Era obvio –bastante- que algo le pasaba, y tal vez también qué era lo que le pasaba, pero al menos no lo era para él, y tampoco era algo que planeara decirle al estúpido rubio.
- ¿Cómo no me va a importar si estás todo desquiciado? ¿qué te pasa?
- Pues así. No te importa y punto. Lárgate. No sé. Vete con tu novia. Eso no te supondría un gran problema –dice con un tono evidente molestia, que acentuaba aún más sus palabras a pesar de ser ya por sí solas hirientes y llenas de odio- ¿Qué esperas, idiota? ¡Ya lárgate!
- ¡Si no me he ido es porque me preocupa tu actitud! ¡Por eso! Dime que te molesta. ¡Ten los suficientes pantalones para decirme! –dice Thor enojado por el tono de Loki.
- ¡Estás mal si crees que te voy a decir que me pasa! –dice sin dejar de gritar y mostrar su furia- ¡Si te estoy diciendo que te largues es porque quiero gritar a mis anchas en este maldito lugar sin que nadie me moleste, como tú lo haces ahora! ¡Deja de molestar!
- Pero yo quiero saber qué es lo que tienes –dice el rubio tomándolo fuertemente de los hombros y viéndolo directamente a los ojos- ¡Me preocupa que estés así!
- ¿¡Desde cuándo te preocupa qué es lo que me pasa!? ¿¡Desde cuándo la repentina preocupación!? Vete de una vez por todas con tu novia y déjame solo. No es como si te importara que me quede aquí solo –dice empezando a despotricar todo lo que tenía dentro- Y si te lo preguntas, sí. Los vagos sin gracia a los que yo llamo amigos han estado teniendo ataques de consciencia y por eso he estado solo. Aunque claro. No importa. ¡Sólo lárgate de una vez y déjame desquitarme con lo que vea antes de que empiece contigo pedazo de basura!
- ¿Es por eso que estás enojado, porque no te he prestado atención? –dice Thor entendiendo más o menos el enojo del pelinegro. Que en si no sabía por qué había preguntado eso si era demasiado estúpido de pensar.
- ¿¡Qué!? ¿Estás loco o qué carajos te pasa? ¿Cómo mierda podría importarme eso? –dice Loki sintiéndose indignado por la pregunta del mayor, pero sin saber que en el fondo también se había aliviado de que el muy idiota se estuviera dando cuenta de lo idiota que era.
- Porque actúas de una manera como si yo tuviera la culpa de tu mal humor cuando ni al caso. No sé cuál es tu molestia, y eso me irrita y me preocupa –responde Thor viéndolo muy preocupado.
- ¡Porque me irrita que no pares de traer a esa perra a la habitación! ¡Y que YO tenga que ser el idiota que tenga que largarse! Normalmente, en esa situación, ¡tú deberías agarrar a tu puta novia y llevártela a un hotel! ¡Ni yo, siendo yo, he traído una mujer mientras has estado tú, pedazo de imbécil! ¡Y fíjate que soy perfectamente capaz de hacerlo! ¡Lo he hecho con todos los imbéciles que han pasado por esta habitación! –Loki estaba teniendo un vomito verbal tamaño mundo. Pero él le había advertido al rubio que se fuera si no quería ser el que recibiera todo su desquite.
- ¡Hey, hey! Para empezar, no le digas puta a Sif, porque no lo es. ¿Qué es lo que te pasa con ella? ¡Por qué te cae mal si ni siquiera la has tratado! O que, ¿Te gusta o qué? –dice el rubio viéndolo molesto.
- ¡Ay, por favor! Mejores pulgas me han brincado. Esa mujer es una molestia. Y además grosera. Nunca me ha saludado. Y no soy de los que se quejan por esas cosas, ¡pero deja de traer a esa puta a la habitación! –Thor lo toma del cuello y lo acerca a él.
- ¡Deja de decirle así! ¡Ella no es así! Además, ¿cómo te va a saludar si tú eres el grosero que se mete al baño cuando llega, o simplemente te vas? ¿¡Cómo te va a saludar si tú eres el que la evita cuando ella no te ha hecho nada!? ¡Y ella no es una puta! ¡Loki, qué te pasa idiota! –Thor es estaba empezando a irritar por la manera en que Loki ofendía a Sif.
- ¡Cómo sea! Yo le digo a quien quiera como se me antoje, y si no dejas de traerla, al menos cuando yo estoy, ¡seguirá siendo una puta! ¿Y sabes por qué me salgo y la evito? ¡Porque no es nada agradable estar viendo cómo se besan, se insinúan y hacen toda esa sarta de cursilerías! ¡Por eso me voy! ¡Porque ya me tienen harto! –Thor escuchando esto empieza a articular ciertas ideas y, como en otras ocasiones ya le había pasado, piensa en voz alta.
- Loki, ¿estás celoso?
- ¿Qué? ¡Brincos dieras, animal! –responde rápidamente con el ceño fruncido- ¡Y ya suéltame pedazo de imbécil! –dice forcejeando para intentar alejarse de Thor.
- ¡Pues dime cuál es tu maldita molestia! ¡No me gusta verte así! ¡Me preocupas y me haces creer que yo tengo la culpa de que estés así! Loki, en serio. Dime por favor –dice el rubio apretando más el agarre.
- ¡TE LO ESTOY DICIENDO, PEDAZO DE IDIOTA! ¿Qué no me entendiste? Deja de traer a tu maldita novia o lárgate de una puta vez para que puedas hacer lo que te dé la gana. ¿Es muy difícil de entender para ti, Odinson?
- No la dejaré de traer, ¿¡y sabes por qué?! Porque no es mi novia –dice viéndolo con una sonrisa de desesperación.
- Te digo que… ¿qué? –se interrumpe Loki, aún muy molesto pero ahora confundido.
- Que Sif no es mi novia –repite Thor.
- Sí, eso si te lo entendí animal... ¡COMO CARAJOS NO ES TU NOVIA! –dice muy confundido.
- Pues así. No somos novios aunque toda la escuela lo piensa –dice el rubio soltando a Loki y dando una paso hacia atrás.
- Pero... pero... ¡¿cómo carajo no es tu novia?! Se hablan bonito, salen a todos lados, se besan, se abrazan... duermen juntos... ¡POR EL AMOR DE DIOS! ¿No es tu novia? –dice, llevándose las manos a su cabello y con una expresión de completa confusión, intriga e impresión.
- Pues no –Thor se sienta en su cama- Sif ha sido mi mejor amiga desde cuarto de primaria. Y no sería mi novia aunque yo quisiera –termina riendo levemente.
- Pero… no lo entiendo, ¿por qué? -dice Loki, cayendo en la trampa mental de Thor. No entendía nada de lo que estaba pasando.
- Pues te lo diré, pero será mejor que guardes muy bien el secreto, porque si alguien lo llega a saber será por tu culpa. Te juro que me verás muy enfadado y te golpeará hasta dejarte deforme y no juego, por ella soy capaz de eso y más –responde Thor viéndolo seriamente ya que lo que decía era cierto.
- No. A mí no me interesa difundir chismes. Y menos de personas que ni conozco –dice Loki haciéndose el ofendido, pero en realidad aquello había despertado más su curiosidad.
- Confiaré en ti idiota –dice Thor dando un suspiro.
- Si, si... no te preocupes –rueda los ojos- aunque si tanto te preocupa que vaya a decir algo, cosa que no haré, mejor no me digas nada...
- Sif es lesbiana - dice Thor viéndolo con una sonrisa divertida.
Loki se queda sin palabras. ¿Qué? Lesbiana. ¿Ella? No... Eso no era posible. Porque entonces... ¡entonces había hecho un berrinche por nada! Y eso no era nada bueno. Lesbiana.
- ¿Es una broma?
- No, no lo es –dice Thor.
- Oh Dios... -se lleva nuevamente una mano a la cabeza y la otra la posiciona sobre su nariz y boca. Lesbiana. Demonios. Y... entonces todo ese escándalo por una amiga muy cercana que parece una completa zorra pero resulta que no le interesan los hombres. Eso era muy malo. Y Thor le había preguntado si estaba celoso. Claro que no era así. Era obvio que no. Pero... ¿y si tuviera razón? Sin darse cuenta sus mejillas empezaron a tomar un color levemente rosado al pensar todas aquellas cosas.
- Sif es lesbiana desde los 13 y yo he sido el único que lo he sabido. Por eso nos tratamos así, tenemos mucha confianza de hacerlo. Nos besamos y dormimos juntos porque siempre lo hicimos. Aunque en realidad yo la veo como mi hermana, es con la única que puedo ser yo –dice el rubio haciendo una sonrisa ante el recuerdo de tantas aventura con Sif.
- Ah... ya veo.
- Pues sí, así que la seguiré trayendo aquí ya que no es mi novia, sino mi amiga- dice el rubio ahora viendo a Loki.
- Oh... claro –se queda parado ahí con la mirada un poco distante, asimilando todas las cosas que había escuchado de golpe. Thor observa a Loki. Se había calmado, entonces eso significaba que Loki estaba... ¿Celoso? ¿Pero porque lo estaba?
- Bueno. Como sea –dice Loki interrumpiendo su silencio- Eso explica muchas cosas... pero si ella es... -omite la palabra- ¿no hay alguien en quien esté interesada?
- Pues sí. Solo que no sabe si le corresponderán. ¿Pero que explica?
- No. Nada... Olvídalo –dice dando la media vuelta y acercándose a su cama para sentarse.
- ¡No, ahora me dices! Hiciste todo un escándalo así que ahora hablas –dice Thor frunciendo el ceño.
- ¡Que no pedazo de basura! Ya cállate –dice molesto, pues aún no se había calmado del todo.
- Ya vas a empezar de nuevo. Vamos habla de una vez y saca todo tu enojo –dice Thor entornando lo ojos para volverlo a ver.
- Y yo te estoy diciendo que ya estoy bien. Déjalo así –dice respirando hondo y acostándose en su cama de frente a Thor y con las piernas colgando de esta.
- Entonces dime que es lo que explica –insiste Thor.
- No –dice secamente. Ya no estaba tan molesto como antes, pero seguía habiendo un leve coraje. Además era cierto. Quién sabe por qué había dicho eso, pero en realidad aquello no explicaba nada. Sólo había logrado confundirlo.
- Bueno como gustes, si ya todo está solucionado y terminaste de hacer tu escena de... - Thor se calla sabía que si acababa esa frase enojaría al moreno- …tu escena, hare mi tarea.
- Haz lo que _quie-ras_ -dice la última palabra resaltándola y pronunciándola por partes mientras seguía acostado en su cama boca arriba mirando al techo. Mierda. Cada vez entendía menos. Hace dos semanas estaba completamente bien, y esa chica había llegado a romper todo su equilibrio mental. Ahora, sin saber por qué, recordaba más a menudo lo ocurrido _esa_ asquerosa tarde y seguía preguntándose qué era lo que había sucedido. Por qué había besado a Thor. Y lo más importante. ¿Por qué le había gustado? Porque desde aquél accidente se había quedado pensando en lo suaves y cálidos que habían sido los labios del rubio, al grado de que su subconsciente le jugo la mala pasada de querer averiguarlo y sentirlos de nuevo por más tiempo. Para su desgracia, lo había comprobado. Y aún no podía quitarse la maldita sensación. Le asustaba.
- Tienes que estudiar los exámenes finales se acercan –dice Thor en su escritorio.
- Lo sé Thor. Los exámenes finales están a un mes y medio. Súper cerca –dice sarcásticamente sin despegar su mirada del techo, y sus pensamientos de su mente.
- Pues ten en cuenta que vas a reprobar 4 materias, tienes que ponerte a estudiar desde ahora.
- Pues ten en cuenta que en este momento no me apetece –dice tomando su celular y contestando un mensaje reciente.
- Dime, ¿cuándo será el día que te apetezca...?- responde el rubio dando un suspiro.
- No lo sé –envía el mensaje y se endereza- no seas dramático. Más noche estudio.
- Como quieras. Ya no diré nada... Creo por primera vez fracasare en algo –dice Thor ya resignado.
- Oh. Ya deja de estar de dramático. Nunca he reprobado una materia... que no sea relacionada a las matemáticas. Tranquilízate hombre, te saldrán bolas del coraje y la preocupación –dice en un tono burlón que le ayudaba a distraerse un poco.
- Bueno, yo dudo –dice Thor revisando unos libros.
- Como gustes –dice volviendo a acostarse- yo estudio a mi modo. No puedo estar toooodo el día sentado estudiando porque me fastidio. Lamento no llenar tus expectativas de "estudio" rubio... -dice jugando con el móvil, aventándolo de arriba a abajo y cachándolo.
Thor ya no responde y sigue con lo suyo. Después de unos momentos toma su cartera y la mete en el bolsillo de su pantalón.
- Bueno voy a salir con Sif. Nos vemos luego –sale de la habitación.
- Claro, ve... –dice después de que este saliera.
Thor se ve con Sif en una cafetería que era muy tranquila. Donde la chica ya lo esperaba.
- ¡Grandulón! ¡Llegas tarde! -dice la chica con una mueca de disgusto fingido y agitando la mano para llamar su atención y que viera donde estaba sentada.
- Ah, si supieras... - dice Thor sentándose y dando un suspiro de cansancio.
- ¡Anda! Dime –echa su peso hacia adelante y se apoya con sus brazos en la pequeña mesa circular del establecimiento- ¡tenemos muuuucho tiempo!
- Pues Loki estaba hecho diablo cuando llegue a la habitación.
- -Loki... –la chica trata de recordar al dueño del nombre- ¡Ah! ¡Tu amigo el guapo, cabello negro! si, Loki... ¿y eso?
- Pues no tengo ni la menor idea de hecho es confuso –responde el rubio viendo a su amiga.
- Ummm... qué raro. ¿Y no te dio pistas? –dice haciendo una mueca interesada y enarcando sus cejas juguetonamente una y otra vez.
- Pues estaba gritando que no llevara a mi novia a la habitación, o sea a ti, que porque él tenía que soportar eso. Que Si quería cogerte me fuera a un hotel, no que él se tenía que salir cada vez que estábamos ahí y bla bla bla…
- ¿Qué? –hace una mueca de incredulidad y diversión para luego echarse a reír sin importar ser escandalosa y que los de las demás mesas voltearan a verla- En... ¿en serio te dijo eso? ¡HAHAHAHAHAHHA!
- Si y no lo entiendo... Si no fuera Loki diría que... –el rubio calla mientras sigue pensando en esa opción.
- Pues, así lo haz de traer cariño... –dice dando un sorbo a un café que había pedido cuando Thor aún no llegaba.
- ¿De qué hablas? - dice Thor frunciendo el ceño ante la repuesta de su amiga.
- De nada amor... -revuelve el café con una cucharita que estaba al lado y le agrega un poco más de azúcar.
- Sif, ¿a qué te refieres con que así lo traigo?
- ¿Pues a qué crees tú que yo me refiero con eso, querido? -dice mirándolo divertida mientras prueba la dulzura de su café.
- Ay, no creo Sif. Loki tienes como 100 chicas para escoger –dice el rubio viéndola extrañado por la conclusión obtenida.
- Bueh... si tú lo dices. Puede que se haya cansado de "salvar princesas" y el aún no lo sepa –dice ahora echándole un chorro de crema al café, que era expresso.
- No, no creo. Aunque se veía muy... Celoso... –dice Thor.
- Yo sólo te digo lo que pienso, Thor. Tú lo conoces mejor que yo, puesto que convives con él desde hace... que, ¿mes y medio? ¿No ha ocurrido nada? –pregunta curiosa.
- Ah, Este… –el rubio se pone un poco nervioso y dice tratando de cambiar de tema- ¿qué ordenaste? ¿Por qué no me ordenaste algo? Sabes lo que me gusta.
- Si te ordené algo mi amor, pero los meseros aún no llegan con tu orden. Ahora dime. ¿Qué pasó? –se acerca más a él y aún más interesada por la anterior reacción del rubio.
- Bueno, este... –el rubio da un suspiro queriendo obtener valor de este- pues, hubo un...
- ¿Hubo un...? –repite la chica sin evitar esbozar una amplia sonrisa expectante.
- Beso... –responde el rubio desviando la mirada avergonzado.
- ¿¡Un beso!? –repite la chica emocionada- ¡Wooow! ¿Cómo fue? ¡¿Cuando?! ¡¿Por qué?! ¡¿Quién empezó?!... ¿Te gustó? -la chica tenía tantas preguntas en mente y era tanta la emoción que ignoró rotundamente la incomodidad repentina de Thor y el rubor que se instaló en sus mejillas.
- Baja la voz Sif –dice el rubio aumentando su rubor.
- Ah... lo siento... hehehe –se soba la cabeza y luego repite las preguntas en voz baja.
- Pues fue hace unas semanas, estábamos peleando. Y él me beso a mí... Y, ah... La última pregunta no sé cómo responderla –responde el rubio.
- ¿Qué? ¿Él? –se quedó sorprendida y con una leve sonrisa- woow... eso es serio, y... ¿entonces?...
- ¿Entonces qué? –responde el rubio confundido.
- ¿No sabes?... –pregunta de nuevo la chica, tratando de ahondar en el tema.
- ¿Qué? Sif, sabes que soy muy distraído con estos temas –dice fastidiándose.
- ¡Carajo Thor! ¿Te gustó o no? –dice la chica divertida por las reacciones de su mejor amigo. Y a ella se le daba bastante bien hacerlo incomodar.
- Pues no sé... Por una parte no porque no me gusta Loki. Y por otra parte tampoco estuvo tan mal... –responde Thor tratando de sonar lo más tranquilo.
- Oh... ya veo –dice la chica un poco decepcionada por la respuesta y recargándose en el respaldo de su silla- ¿Y el cómo reacciona ante el tema?
- Pues después de ese día no hemos vuelto a tocar el tema.
- Oh, ya veo. Terreno prohibido... Pues –da varios sorbos a su café- yo no bajaría la guardia si fuera tú. Este chico tiene una de dos: o está muy confundido, o quiere hacerte creer que lo está para manipularte. Yo me iría más por la primera, porque me cae bien, aunque sólo lo conozco de vista... A menos que estés interesado, aunque sea sólo un poquito...
- Pues no. No creo estar interesado en tener a Loki como novio –dice riendo levemente Thor.
- Ah… Thor. Sé que siempre te estoy jodiendo con esto, y ya debes estar harto de que siempre te lo repita –se inclina para verlo más de cerca un poco preocupada- llevas mucho tiempo solo, y me preocupa. No digo que sea con Loki, pero me gustaría que tuvieras algo con alguien. Te hace falta. Y aunque me encantaría, no siempre podré estar contigo.
- Ya lo sé, pero es un poco difícil para mí… sabes que siempre he sido raro.
- Lo sé, cariño. Pero créeme que hay personas que matarían por ti. Las ha habido y seguro las hay en este momento. No digo que sea cualquier persona, obviamente, debe ser alguien especial. Pero deberías comenzar a fijarte un poco más en las personas y dejar sólo un poco tus libros. El estudio es importante, pero se acaba, y la soledad permanece.
- Pues, tal vez tienes razón… -dice Thor recostándose en la silla.
- Es lo mejor mi vida –dice estirando el brazo y tomándolo de la mano mientras el mesero les colocaba las órdenes faltantes.
- Pues si amor. Creo que sería lo mejor… Pero no sé con quién podría ser.
- Pues… sí. Debe haber alguien –le sonríe tiernamente.
- Pero bueno, vamos a probar esto que se ve delicioso –dice Thor viendo lo que había en la mesa.
- ¡Sí! –la chica toma su tenedor y empieza a picar un trozo de manzana de su coctel de frutas.
Thor pasa una tarde muy a gusto con Sif. Loki sigue dando vueltas y vueltas al asunto tan raro que acababa de suceder y que aún no sabía por qué. ¿Realmente había estado… celoso? ¿De qué Thor anduviera con su amiga? Sólo eso explicaba por qué estaba tan tranquilo y su mal humor comenzaba cuando ella llegaba de la mano de Thor. Aunque prefería pensar que era por el momento incómodo y tener que soportar su cursilería extrema, la opción más evidente era esa. Después de horas Thor regresa a la habitación. Pensativo por todo lo que le había dicho Sif. Pero lo que más sonaba en su cabeza era la posibilidad de que le gustara a Loki. Eso no podría ser. Era Loki. Este se había quedado dormido, pues no había hecho otra cosa más que pensar hasta que lo venció el sueño. Estaba en el mismo lugar que se había quedado cuando Thor salió, sólo que acurrucado de lado. Su respiración era lenta y acompasada y tenía sus facciones relajadas.
Thor lo observó unos minutos con el mismo cuestionamiento. ¿Era posible que le gustara a Loki? Fue hacia el closet donde sacó su pijama, se metió al baño y salió cambiado. Al acostarse comenzó a pensar muchas cosas, pero al final consiguió conciliar el sueño.
11. Capítulo 11
**Buenas noches chica/os! (al menos en la zona de aquí es de noche xD)**
Espero que se la hayan pasado bien esta semana, por lo que concierne, ha estado muy bien. **Volví a ver Captain America: The Winter Soldier** (la traumada no vino xD), actividades de Club de Anime, Vacaciones, cero escuela, cero responsabilidades, vagar fuera de mi casa... me satisface -w-
Y este es el nuevo capítulo de este humilde sueño guajiro xD la verdad es que me alegra poder subirlo y compartírselos porque me caen bien, y además ahora ya tengo algo que hacer cada semana y por lo que espero para no colapsar! n.n Gracias por eso! Y a las personitas de siempre por dejar sus preciosos reviews! *-*
Y con esto le dejo hoy, esperando que les guste lo de hoy.
Cuídense, y que hayan tenido un lindo Thorsday xD
**Higurashi Out!**
* * *
><p>A la mañana siguiente Loki se despierta por su cuenta, ya que se había acostado demasiado temprano y había dormido bastante bien. No recibió el sol en su rostro puesto que amaneció cruzado en su cama, justo como el día anterior. Se endereza, se talla los ojos y ve el reloj de su celular, que estaba a un costado de él. Eran las 5:34. Se pone de pie y busca algo de ropa, aprovecharía el pararse temprano para bañarse y repasar un poco lo que vendría en su examen de Fundamentos de Administración, que tendría a primera hora. Thor seguía dormido. Aún no sonaba su alarma, así que no había problema. Ese día no era uno de los que salía a correr por las mañanas.<p>
Después de media hora Loki ya se encontraba cambiado y sentado en su escritorio, hojeando uno de los tantos fajos de apuntes que Thor le había dado para estudiar. No era difícil, sólo era cosa de memorizar y relacionar. La alarma de Thor suena, así que este la apaga y se sienta en su cama. Toma sus lentes que estaban encima del buró que estaba al lado de su cama y se los pone. Se levanta y se dirige al baño. Estaba tan adormilado que no nota que Loki estaba sentado en el escritorio. Por su parte, este tampoco escuchó a Thor, pues cuando estudiaba se ponía sus audífonos y escuchaba música. Era una forma de no fastidiarse.
Thor se asea debidamente. Sale a buscar ropa para después ducharse pero al caminar al closet sintió la presencia de alguien. A lo que volteó y vio que Loki se encontraba estudiando. Dado el caso, en su rostro se dibujó una sonrisa. Loki estudiaba las hojas que él le había dado. Este voltea al sentir la mirada de Thor lo ve ahí parado, viéndolo. Hace una media sonrisa y se vuelve de nuevo hacia las hojas.
- Hola.
- Buenos días –responde el rubio tomando de nuevo camino hacia el closet.
Loki no escucha esto, pues a pesar de todo seguía escuchando The Killers. Aun así, la sonrisa perduró un buen rato hasta que tuvo que empezar a memorizar algo de dificultad más elevada. Thor salió del baño ya vestido, sólo que aún se secaba el cabello con la toalla. Así que se detuvo atrás del moreno y se inclinó hacia adelante para ver qué era lo que estudiaba. Los cabellos de Thor cayeron por el cuello de Loki, ya que se había inclinado mucho y estaba casi a la altura de este.
Loki se estremeció y volteó rápidamente para encontrarse con la mirada azul y los cabellos dorados centelleantes de Thor. Se sonroja levemente y voltea al instante a ver sus hojas sin decir nada. Thor estaba leyendo las hojas de Loki así que no notó la reacción de este. El menor se quedó un rato quieto y se alejó un poco de lado para evitar el contacto de la melena rubia que le hacía cosquillas. Thor se enderezó y siguió su camino a su cama, donde estaban sus tenis para ponérselos. Así que Loki soltó el aire, sacudió la cabeza y prosiguió con lo suyo. Después de un rato, Thor ya listo y vestido como de costumbre se acerca a Loki para despedirse.
- Bueno, nos vemos –dice posando su mano en su cabeza y dedicándole una sonrisa, Después de esto sale de la habitación y al dar exactamente diez pasos se detiene y piensa por qué había hecho eso.
Loki no tuvo que esperar para pensar lo mismo, y reprender la sonrisa estúpida que había escapado al sentir la caricia. _Concéntrate Loki, concéntrate. Respira y tranquilo. No pasa nada. _Se levanta, guarda sus cosas y se dirige a su aula para presentar su examen.
Thor sacude la cabeza para regresar en sí y camina hacia su salón. Loki toma asiento en su lugar y empieza a repasar otro poco, cosa que sorprendió a más de uno. Aún tenía tiempo y había varias cosas que aún le fallaban. Lo mejor de todo era que casi no recordaba a Thor. Este escucha sus clases como si nada. Mantiene su cabeza concentrada en la clase, ya que si no lo hacía miles de cosas se aglomerarían en esta.
Fue un día agotador, para el pelinegro. Hubo que hacer un montón de cosas, dos exámenes –uno de ellos sorpresa, y por suerte era el de Literatura-, y laboratorio, que, aunque en su vida fuera a trabajar en uno, era requisito estudiar un poco de química. Loki llega a la habitación, completamente agotado y a tirarse a su cama. Thor llega también a la habitación.
- ¿Qué tal tu examen?
- Fácil –responde sin despegar la el rostro de la cama, pues estaba boca abajo.
- Qué bueno. Entonces te sirvieron de algo las hojas que te di –dice el rubio alegrándose por eso.
- Algo así… -responde cansadamente.
- Bueno, te dejaré descansar. Debes estar cansado.
- ¡Gracias! –dice Loki fuertemente para que Thor notara que eso era lo que quería desde el principio. Además de evitar hablar con él.
Thor se sienta en su escritorio y comienza a hacer tarea, aunque por alguna razón volteaba un par de veces a ver a Loki. Este hacía unos minutos de había quedado dormido. Estaba muy cansado y cayó rendido casi de inmediato al terminar de hablar con Thor. Respiraba fuertemente y de vez en cuando suspiraba un poco. Normalmente no hacía mucho desastre y se dormía casi toda la noche en la misma posición, así que era raro que se estuviera moviendo tanto. Pero era todo el estrés acumulado en el día.
Thor, después de terminar con todos sus deberes igualmente se acostó en su cama. Ese día no vería a Sif, ya que tenía una cita. Así que ese día se la pasaría en compañía de su soledad.
Los días pasaron lentamente, aunque a Thor ya lo le molestaban aquellos pensamientos con Loki. Había decidido que no era nada serio, así que no perdería el tiempo poniéndole atención. Pero lo que le sucedería era algo que sobrepasaba todo para él.
Loki entra tranquilamente al cuarto después de haber ido a comer, era sábado y el día estaba un poco nublado.
- ¿No vas a comer, rubio? –pregunta un poco extrañado de que se hubiera pasado toda la mañana ahí, siendo fin de semana.
- Ah sí, en un rato. Es que he estado tan cómodo en mi cama toda la mañana que no me han dado ganas de comer aún –dice Thor que se encontraba acostado en su cama muy plácidamente. Había decidido que iba a descansar ese fin de semana.
- Oh, ya veo… suele pasar –se aproxima a su cama y se sienta también- pensé que no conocías esa palabra… -hace una mueca burlona.
- Pues ya ves que sí –dice Thor riendo levemente- este día es estupendo…
- No lo dudo, es tan tranquilo, y lo mejor: ¡No llueve! –dice haciendo una mueca de alivio. Thor no esperaba que sucediera algo que lo haría perder todo tipo de felicidad. Un gran golpe para el alegre rubio.
- Y… ¿no tienes más planes para hoy que estar de fodongo en tu cama? Pensé que saldrías con Sif –dice tratando de entablar una conversación decente.
- No, porque Sif tendrá una cita. Así que estará ocupada. Así que… tal vez sí, estaré así todo el día.
- ¡Oh, una cita! Qué bueno –dice sin fingir alegría, pero molestando con la frase siguiente- Tú deberías conseguir también una cita. ¿Por qué no la tienes, Thor?
- Si… debería. pero no hoy, está muy cómodo –dice moviéndose plácidamente en su cama y riendo levemente mientras Loki lo hace escandalosamente.
- Como quieras, ¿pero seguro que no te mosqueas aquí?
- Si, seguro –responde el rubio.
- Ok, pero recuerde "Señor Estoy-muy-cómodo" que tiene que comer algo y ya pasan de las 4… -dice Loki, para después arrepentirse, pues había notado que eso había sonado a preocupación y a atención. Y eso no era lo que quería hacer, él quería molestar.
- Ok, lo tomaré en cuenta –responde el rubio. Pero en ese momento sonó el celular del rubio. A lo que este se puso de pie para tomarlo, pues se encontraba en su escritorio y lo contestó- ¿Hola?
Loki empieza a escuchar una conversación bastante escasa por parte de Thor, que cada vez se hacía más ausente y vacía. ¿Qué pasaba? Su gesto se iba descomponiendo con cada segundo que se extendía la llamada, y eso no le daba un buen presentimiento. Le empezaba a preocupa, y mucho. La persona que estaba del otro lado era la madre de Thor, le estaba comunicando la terrible noticia de que su abuelo Bor había fallecido. Thor amaba a su abuelo desde que estaba pequeño. Su abuelo lo cuidaba cuando sus padres salían o sólo por gusto. Era como su segundo padre. Y ahora escuchar aquella noticia hizo que Thor sintiera que se le desgarrara el alma. ¿Cómo su abuelo había fallecido? ¿Por qué él? No podía pasar eso, la última vez que lo vio fue al inicio del semestre y ahora había fallecido y él no había estado ahí. Lo único que pudo salir de su boca fue repetidamente la palabra: _No. _Todo su ser estaba sintiendo como lo destrozaban por dentro.
- _Hijo, ¿estás bien? –_pregunta la madre preocupada por su hijo, pues sabía que había sido un golpe bastante fuerte para él.
- ¿Qué… fue lo… que paso? –responde Thor tratando de reaccionar, pero la tristeza se apoderaba de él.
- _Fue muy repentino todo, no se sabe aún. Se quiere suponer que fue un paro cardiaco, porque estaba muy bien…-_argumenta la madre, sonando también afectada por la noticia- _tu abuela me lo acaba de decir hace media hora, tu padre aún no lo sabe…_
- Salgo para allá en este instante –dice Thor entrando en estado de shock.
- _Pero hijo, queda muy lejos. Llegarías muy tarde y además estás en temporada de exámenes, te desgastaría mucho…_
- ¡¿Y eso que?! –dice Thor gritando- ¡Es mi abuelo! ¡Y no estuve con él! ¡Y ahora jamás lo estaré y todo por estar estudiando aquí! ¡Nunca más lo veré y tú crees que me importan los exámenes!
- _Hijo, tranquilízate. Sé que es muy difícil para ti, por eso dudé en decírtelo. Pero tenía que hacerlo. Tú de todos eras el que más lo quería además de tu abuela, y él también te adoraba. Pero no te dará tiempo de llegar el lunes a la escuela. Mi amor, lo siento. También me gustaría que estuvieras aquí…_
Loki al escuchar gritar así a Thor ahora tiene una razón evidente para preocuparse. ¿Qué clase de noticia era esa? Esas noticias no se dan por teléfono. Por un momento odió en su mente a la persona que estaba del otro lado de la bocina hablando con Thor y haciendo que se pusiera tan mal.
Thor al escuchar esas palabras lanzó el celular a la pared, destrozándolo al impacto. Para la siguiente acción recargarse en el escritorio con los puños y agachar la mirada. Thor tenía un dolor muy fuerte, pero lo peor era que no podía estar con su abuelo porque tenía exámenes… Estaba furioso con su madre por no permitirle ir, sólo le quedaba sufrir la muerte de su abuelo en la distancia. Loki no sabía qué hacer. Nunca había sido su fuerte ayudar a alguien con problemas así, ni en su propia familia. Pero esta vez, de verdad, y sin saber por qué –al igual que todo lo que le pasaba- quería ayudar. Quería ayudar al rubio. Y tal vez se arrepentiría, pero se arriesgaría a ser azotado contra el piso en el intento. Se pone de pie y trata de acercarse poco a poco.
- Thor, ¿qué sucede?
- ¿Qué? ¿Ahora finges que te importa? –dice Thor de manera fría e intensamente iracunda.
- Thor, en serio ¿qué te sucede? –dice Loki tratando de no enojarse y mandarlo a la mierda por la actitud, ya que se convencido a su mismo a hacerlo aunque tuviera ese tipo de respuesta.
Thor se endereza y voltea hacia Loki. Thor se veía como otra persona, en sus ojos solo se expresaban vacío y odio, su radiante sonrisa ahora era una mueca de tristeza y hasta su piel se había tornado pálida.
- ¿Para qué quieres saber? ¿Para burlarte de mí, como siempre has hecho? Tu nunca quieres ayudar a nadie, dime que es lo que tramas –Thor estaba en un estado crítico que lo único que iba a hacer era que sacara todo su dolor por cualquier medio. Y para la mala suerte de Loki, él estaba cerca.
- Quiero saber por qué estás tan alterado, idiota. Yo no juego con cosas serias, y esto es algo muy serio por lo que veo. Ahora que si quieres, púdrete, que yo estoy en la mejor disposición y no quieres aceptar la ayuda –dice sin poder evitar molestarse, pero aguanta las ganas de insultarlo aún más y salir del lugar rápidamente.
Thor no dice nada y se mete al baño en donde al instante de estar encerrado comienzan a brotarle las lágrimas, el rubio se deja caer al suelo para comenzar a llorar, sin importar que Loki lo escuchara o alguien más. El sólo quería llorar, aunque también hacía gemidos de dolor, golpeaba el piso con la mano o la pared con el pie. Loki se queda detrás de la puerta, sintiéndose destrozado por oír a Thor llorando de esa manera. Ya no era como el primer día, que aunque era una tontería, se sintió culpable de provocar sus lágrimas. Esta vez era muy diferente. Su llanto era de verdadero dolor y él quería hacer que cesara. Quería tranquilizarlo. Quería secar sus lágrimas. Y todo eso seguía asustándolo. Y mucho.
Thor no pensaba en salir de ahí nunca. Sólo quería llorar. Todo iba muy bien. ¿Por qué tenía que suceder eso? Le habían quitado un pedazo de él. Y ahora estaba solo y lejos de él. Nunca más volvería a verlo.
Loki de verdad quería ayudar. Desesperadamente empieza a tocar la puerta y empieza a llamar al rubio.
- ¡Thor! ¡Thor! Abre la puerta –jalonea la manija que tenía seguro- por favor, Thor.
- Lárgate –grita Thor. No quería estar con él, aunque no quería estar solo. Pero era Loki, y había tomado una mala imagen de él. Según Thor, lo molestaría o le haría uno de sus comunes berrinches.
- ¡Thor! Abre por favor… -empieza a tocar la puerta con la palma de la mano. Pasado un rato, cada vez más levemente y con voz más delgada hasta casi hablar entre susurros- Por favor…
Thor seguía llorando incontrolablemente, no sabía qué hacer. Sólo llorar. Aunque tenía que estudiar para sus exámenes siguientes, todo se fue al diablo en ese momento. Pero, había caído en que de verdad no quería estar solo…
Loki no sabía a ciencia cierta qué era lo que ocurría exactamente, pero le estaba afectando. No era de las personas que les incomodara el llanto ajeno, a veces hasta lo disfrutaba. Pero esta vez le partía el corazón. Estaba rindiéndose y estaba a punto de dar la media vuelta.
- Si necesitas algo, estaré aquí. Lo que sea…
Thor quita el seguro y abre la puerta, para luego sentarse a un lado de esta y recargarse. No quería estar solo, y no le podía hablar a Sif ya que estaba ocupada. Lo único que le quedaba era estar con Loki. Este se sorprendió ante esto, ya que estaba seguro que lo mandaría al diablo nuevamente. Entra y ve a Thor desconsolado, triste, con los ojos rojos e hinchados de tanto llorar y con las lágrimas aun brotando de estos. Se sienta a un lado sin decir nada. Thor abraza sus piernas y hunde la cabeza en estas.
- Se fue… -dice en un susurro.
- Thor… -dice Loki únicamente y viéndolo muy preocupado. No sabía qué hacer. Extendió una mano pensando en regarle una caricia, o algo así, pero se quedó en el aire.
- Loki…
- Dime –responde el aludido poniendo total atención en el rubio y esperando a que dijera algo.
- ¿Me… abrazas…? –dice Thor levantado la mirada. Sus brillantes ojos azules habían perdido todo su destello. Thor en ese momento no existía.
Al instante Loki obedeció. No dijo nada. Sólo lo apretó contra de él, esperando que Thor ya no llorara más, pero era obvio que lo que iba a suceder era todo lo contrario. En ese momento sintió que debía protegerlo, y se sorprendió porque él nunca, nunca había pensado eso con nadie. Ni con su propia familia. Pero al ver a Thor tan destrozado y vulnerable le hizo replantearse varias cosas.
Thor se aferró a Loki repitiendo: - _Lo perdí, no estuve a su lado…_
- Tranquilo, ya… ya… -Loki trataba de calmarlo, posando su mano en su cabello y acariciándolo suavemente.
Thor seguía llorando, pero poco a poco se iba calmando. Estar entre los brazos de Loki lo había hecho sentir más protegido y aminoraba la culpa que sentía por no estar con su abuelo.
- Ya Thor, todo va a estar bien. Tú no tienes la culpa de nada… -repetía Loki, terminando de deducir lo que pasaba por los comentarios intermitentes del rubio y lo que había escuchado en la breve llamada telefónica.
12. Capítulo 12
**Buenas, gente! :3**
Cómo están? Cómo ven, yo aquí como cada semana puntual, intentando ser popular y tener amigos(?) y tener una plática civilizada con gente, que no incluya planes de dominación mundial y antojos de pizza xD okno.
Yo les cuento... que iré a ver **TASM2** (The Amazing Spider-Man 2, para los que no saben las siglas, como yo xD hahaha) porque un amigo me invitó... a verla... en 3D *3*hahahah quienes ya la vieron? Les gustó? :3
Y bueno, aquí les dejo el capítulo 12, y agradeciéndole a las personas que leen sin favoritear o seguir, o dejar reviews, también recientemente le dieron fav y follow a la historia, y a los que también dejaron sus reviews, tanto por primera vez como los de siempre. Estos son: L**ice Michaelis, Srita Tragalibros, Nirvan, Ariadha, Kaori Lawliet, JustASecret.**
Sin más que agregar, los dejo con lo de hoy! :3
Cuídense! Y que tengan un buen inicio de fin de semana xD haha
**Higurashi Out!**
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><p>Después de un largo rato, Thor al fin ceso su llanto, pero no dejaba de estar abrazado de Loki. Este ya no decía nada. Y no porque no quisiera, sino porque llegó a un punto en el que no supo qué más decir, y aunque lo hubiera sabido, el nudo gigante en su garganta no se lo hubiera permitido. Seguía acariciando el cabello dorado que, a pesar de su apariencia ruda, era bastante sedoso y suave. Además olía bien… bah. No era momento de pensar en la rareza de la situación.<p>
- Gracias Loki…
- De nada… -dice con trabajo, pues no quería que se le quebrara la voz- es lo único que puedo hacer, tu habrías hecho lo mismo por mí –hace una pequeña pausa- de hecho… ya lo hiciste –se aclara la garganta tratando de despejarla y dejar de sentir la terrible molestia y ganas de llorar.
Thor abrazaba más a Loki, algo dentro de él no quería dejarlo de abrazar pero… ¿por qué? Al instante se respondió con la excusa de que estaba muy triste.
- Ya… -Thor al escuchar eso piensa que Loki quería que lo soltara, así que empieza a separarse lentamente.
- ¿Te sientes mejor? –dice sin dejar de abrazarlo, a pesar de sentir que el otro se separaba.
- Un poco… -dice con la mirada en el suelo.
- Ah, bueno –sin pensar se inclina hacia el buscado su mirada, y le dice con un tono tierno inusual pero genuino- ¿no tienes hambre?
- No… -dice alzando la mirada. Su mirada se encuentra con la de Loki, y esta se veía muy diferente ya que se veía tierna y protectora, caso muy raro en él.
- Bueno… -dice haciendo una leve mueca de preocupación, pues no sabía ni siquiera si el rubio había desayunado, y llorar provocaba mucha hambre, por experiencia propia. Como antes se había dicho a sí mismo, pensamientos extraños iba a ignorarlos en esa situación.
Thor al estar tan cerca de Loki recuerda el beso que habían compartido aquel día. Lo que lo hace reflexionar que si se dieran otro _tal vez no sería tan malo…_
Loki nota que Thor lo veía fijamente y muy de cerca. Invadía su espacio personal. Aunque… no le incomodaba. Incluso pensó en tal vez acortar de nuevo la distancia, como la otra vez. Definitivamente ese día no pensaba nada bien. Thor se acerca un poco más a Loki, quería estar tan cerca de él para sentir su respiración. Lo que el pelinegro no evitó. No estaba muy seguro, pero creía que él también se había acercado un poco.
Thor comenzó a sentir como su corazón empezaba a acelerarse. Y se seguía acercando a Loki. Quería sentir de nuevo sus labios. Creía que si lo hacía sentiría un poco de alegría, a pesar de tan amarga noticia recibida.
Iba a suceder, otra vez. Y, demonios, Loki estaba haciendo tanto caso a su política de "ignora todo lo raro que suceda" que incluso empezó a cerrar los ojos lentamente y sentir detalladamente el aliento de Thor. Respirándolo. Disfrutando del perfume que desprendía. Thor puso su mano en la mejilla de Loki. Al sentir su piel tan tersa su corazón se aceleró un poco más.
_¿Para qué parar lo que era evidente que sucedería?_ Loki Se acercó un poco más y empezaba a abrir levemente su boca, con un leve sonrojo.
Thor estaba ansioso ya de tocar los labios de Loki. Lo necesitaba, lo quería, lo deseaba…
- ¡THOR! –se oye un portazo proveniente de afuera, de la puerta principal. Era Sif. Al momento Loki se crispó y se separó, alterado y dejando de abrazar a Thor. Desvía la mirada y dice: -Parece que te buscan, campeón…
- En el momento menos indicado… -responde Thor… ¿enojado?
- Vamos,… sino vendrá a tirar la puerta –dice Loki poniéndose de pie, aún un poco alterado y ofreciéndole la mano, intentando a pesar de todo no mirarle a los ojos para evitar cualquier cosa, y rogando al cielo que no viera que estaba sonrojado.
Thor toma la mano de Loki y se levanta. Pero antes de salir, con una mano toma el mentón del moreno y hace que lo mire a los ojos.
- Gracias por estar ahora a mi lado…
- N-no… no es nada –dice titubeando un poco por la presión de los ojos zafiro, cuando vuelve a llamar Sif.
- ¿Thor? ¡Dónde estás, diantre! –sigue llamando la chica acercándose a la puerta del baño, pues Thor le había dicho que iba a estar ahí todo el día. Thor sale del baño rápidamente.
- ¿Qué pasa Sif? –dice recobrando su rostro triste.
- ¡No puedo creerlo! ¡Me dejaron plantada, amor! –dice acercándose a él, y justo cuando iba a seguir nota su aura azul- ¿Estás bien corazón? ¿Qué pasa?
Loki sale del baño después de Thor y se va a sentar a su cama.
- Mi abuelo falleció… hoy –su voz comienza a quebrarse un poco- en la… mañana…
- ¡Ay,… amor! –lo abraza fuertemente- Tranquilo mi vida, él ya está en un lugar mejor. Lo siento mucho cariño…
Thor abraza fuertemente a Sif y esconde su cabeza en el cuello de esta. De nuevo de sus ojos empiezan a brotar lágrimas. Los siguientes días para Thor serían difíciles… y Loki lo sabía.
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><p>Habían pasado ya un par de días, era miércoles y ese día había exámenes. Eran tres para Loki: Física, Métodos de investigación y Química Inorgánica. A pesar de haberse puesto a estudiar con la mejor disposición para no preocupar a Thor, que tenía aún una pesadumbre muy grande, no podía dejar de preocuparse por él. No se comportaba como aquel día, en el que casi ocurre otra vez algo que prefería olvidar, pero trataba de no ser tan duro con él, sin poder evitar ser sarcástico y burlón.<p>
Thor se sentía aún muy triste, no se quitaba de la cabeza el no haber estado en el funeral de su abuelo, al lado de su abuela para darle apoyo. Pero esto no hizo que descuidara mucho su estudio, aunque si se vio reflejado su pesar en estos, sacand en la mayoría. Respecto a lo que había sucedido con Loki en el baño lo ignoró por completo, ya que pensó que era el momento. Sólo eso. El rubio había perdido algo muy importante y con eso se llevaba parte de su corazón.
El moreno llega a su cuarto y coloca sus cosas con calma en su lugar, cosa rara en él, ya que casi siempre llegaba azotando puertas y tirando cosas, aunque no estuviera de mal humor. Se sienta en su escritorio y empieza a encender su computador. Thor llega momentos después a la habitación. Ahora su aspecto era más descuidado y reservado. Thor ya no era el mismo y tal vez… ya nunca lo sería.
- Buenas tardes…
- Hola… -responde Thor indiferentemente.
Loki libera un suspiro agobiado y trata de hacerle plática. No le gustaba verlo así. Era muy extraño no verlo sonriendo alrededor como siempre, preocupándose por todo y tratando de hacerlo entrar en razón casi siempre. Y, de cierta forma, extrañaba todo aquello.
- ¿Cómo te fue?
- Bien –responde Thor acostándose en su cama y viendo al techo.
- Oh, ya veo… -se voltea en su silla y siente su corazón encogerse al verlo de aquella manera. Aún no se acostumbraba a verlo así. Y no quería hacerlo- ¿No tienes hambre?
- No. ¿Ya estudiaste? –dice el rubio.
- Ah… no, acabo de llegar –dice sintiéndose un poco raro por la pregunta. Tenía días que no hacía ese tipo de interacciones.
- Ah, ok –responde el rubio como su última palabra.
No sabía que más decir. El siempre estar peleando les había abierto una brecha en la que él no sabía nada de Thor y viceversa. Se voltea nuevamente y sigue con lo suyo.
Thor llevaba días con un pensamiento. Este era escaparse unos días para ir a ver la tumba de su abuelo. Sabía que si no lo hacía seguiría así por mucho más tiempo, pero era algo que no le diría absolutamente a nadie. Además estaba libre de exámenes hasta el lunes, ya que el último examen que tenía había sido aplazado por su profesor. Así que comienza a sentir la necesidad de comenzar su plan.
- Y… ¿cómo vas con tus exámenes? –pregunta Loki sin darse la vuelta.
- Bien –responde Thor levantándose de su cama y dirigiéndose sigilosamente a su closet, donde se tardó unos minutos ya que metió dos mudas de ropa a si mochila sin que Loki se diera cuenta. Que fue un gran logro ya que el moreno de verdad no notó nada.
- Oh, ya veo –dice dándose la vuelta en ese momento- ¿y Sif? No la he visto mucho por acá…
- Ha estado ocupada con sus cosas –responde Thor que ahora se encontraba en su escritorio sentado disimulando ver algo, más lo que hacía era contar dinero de sus ahorros, ya que este plan no correría por el bolsillo de sus padres.
- Oh, ya veo… -se levanta extrañado y se acerca a él. Se inclina un poco para ver y pregunta- ¿Qué haces?
- Contando mi dinero –dice tranquilamente.
- Ah,… ¿y eso? ¿Te quieres comprar algo? –pregunta un poco sacado de sí, ya que nunca había visto a Thor contar su dinero en toda su estancia en la habitación.
- Pues sí, quiero comprarme algunas cosas –responde Thor sin hacer algo que lo delatara. Quería lograr su plan así que tenía que actuar muy bien.
- Oh… -dice pensando que estaba actuando un poco raro, más de lo que ya lo hacía- si quieres te puedo acompañar. No tengo nada mejor que hacer.
- No, gracias. No quiero tu compañía –responde Thor fríamente. Aunque no quería comportarse así tenía que hacerlo para quitarse de encima a Loki, porque de no ser así se arruinaría su plan. Guarda su dinero en la billetera y la mete a la mochila, la cual luego de colgársela al hombro camina hacia la puerta.
- Hey, ¿a qué hora regresarás? –pregunta Loki, pues ahora si estaba preocupado. Thor, por muy afectado que estuviera, no le hablaba así. A menos que le hubiera hecho algo malo, una broma, o uno comentario hiriente, pero ese no era el caso.
- Tarde –dice el rubio abriendo ya la puerta.
- ¡Hey! ¡Thor! –se acerca y le toma del brazo.
- ¿Qué? –responde viendo a Loki indiferentemente.
Se queda callado. No sabía que decir. Quería acompañarlo para estar seguro de que estaba bien, puesto que no parecía estar en condiciones óptimas. Se veía un poco deteriorado, en comparación al día anterior. Pero tampoco era que su orgullo era desaparecido. El rogarle acompañarle sería rebajarse, y tampoco le agradaba la idea. Le suelta el brazo y copiando su expresión le dice:
- Suerte. No te vayas a perder, animal.
- Adiós –responde Thor saliendo ya de la habitación. Al salir acelera su paso para llegar más rápidamente.
Al llegar al aeropuerto Thor compra el boleto para el siguiente vuelo a Melbourne, Australia. Sabía que lo que hacía era una locura, pero nadie lo detendría. Al terminar el plazo de espera aborda el avión y su viaje comienza. Al estar ya arriba de este siente una presión en su pecho y la tristeza vuelve a él. No sabía si era lo suficientemente fuerte para ir al cementerio a buscar y ver la tumba de su abuelo. Loki seguía sentado en su escritorio y empieza a estudiar para los exámenes restantes del día siguiente.
El viaje transcurrió normal, haciendo las escalas correspondientes en cada parada, y en las horas de viaje mientras los demás pasajeros dormían él permanecía despierto. Más o menos llegaría en la noche del día siguiente. Sentía nerviosismo, ansiedad, miedo y tristeza. Al estar en el cementerio no sabía que pasaría o cómo reaccionaría. Thor estaba realmente mal.
Al llegar a Australia eran como las 8 de la noche, así que Thor empezó a caminar al cementerio, sin importarle que fuera de noche y que no era muy prudente ir a esa hora.
Al llegar a la entrada del cementerio, por un momento dudo entrar, pero ya se encontraba ahí, no se podía echar para atrás. Comienza a adentrarse en el recinto y con una lámpara que llevaba especialmente para la ocasión se sirvió para empezar su búsqueda. Thor no tenía miedo de estar solo en ese lugar; lo que realmente temía era ver la tumba de su abuelo, lo cual fue difícil dado que era de noche y no tenía la más mínima idea de donde lo habían sepultado, ni de cómo era su tumba. Después de leer diferentes epitafios, encuentra el de su abuelo. Al leer el nombre comienza a sentir como su corazón se parte y un gran dolor comienza a brotar de este. El sepulcro de su abuelo era algo sencillo y bonito, con las letras del epitafio doradas.
Thor cae hincado y las lágrimas empiezan a brotar inmensamente. El chico estaba destrozado y en ese momento se sentía absolutamente solo. Pasa largas horas llorando en la tuba de su abuelo, ya que comenzaba a amanecer. Tal vez algunos piensen que el rubio era exagerado al llorar de esa manera, pero había compartido demasiadas cosas con su abuelo, era como si su padre hubiera muerto. El chico se sienta enfrente a la tumba y comienza a hablar con la voz quebrada.
- Se… que nunca te gusto verme así…, que cuando estaba triste, tú me dabas… mil razones por las cuales sonreír. Siempre,… estuviste a mi lado y nunca me dejaste solo… Y yo,… yo te fallé. No estuve a tu lado… Te dejé ir, sin siquiera poder hacer algo. Me dejaste… solo. Y cuando más te necesito… ya no estás. ¿Recuerdas… cuando me llevaste… a escondidas al… parque…? Mamá me había castigado… por romper su jarrón favorito… y tú me llevaste, para que jugara… y me compraste un helado. El mío… era de vainilla, y el tuyo… de frambuesa,… tu sabor favorito… -respira profundamente, ya que el llanto estaba a punto de ganarle de nuevo- o cuando me llevaste al… parque de diversiones. Te subiste conmigo… a todos los juegos..., aunque te decían que… era peligroso. Tú respondías siempre… que aún eras joven… -Thor llora un poco más después de esto y recobra la voz- ¿Por qué te fuiste? Prometiste… que iríamos a Ibiza,… con la abuela. Querías… conseguirme novia –ríe levemente e irónico, con su nudo en la garganta aún que más bien hizo sonar la risa como un pequeño sollozo- ¿Ahora quién lo hará? Abuelo… no debiste irte, no ahora… Estoy confundido… y no sé qué es lo que pasa. Tú eras mi mejor amigo… ¿quién… me aconsejará ahora?
Thor llora amargamente un rato más, y luego de respirar un poco y tratar de tranquilizarse continúa.
- Tal vez, lo que te diré no te agrade, pero eres al único hombre al que le contaría esto. Hay… un chico. Su nombre es Loki. No sé qué me pasa con él… cuando estoy muy cerca de él, siento que mi corazón se acelera, y unas ganas inmensas de besarlo se apoderan de mí,… aunque ya lo he besado. No entiendo qué es lo que me pasa con él. Todo es muy confuso, Loki además es un chico problemático y fastidioso. Aunque yo… siento que en el fondo es un gran chico. Cuando me enteré de… bueno, tu sabes, él se comportó de una manera que yo jamás hubiera esperado, y me gustó que se haya comportado así conmigo. ¿Qué pasa abuelo? ¿Qué es lo que me pasa con él? No sé qué hacer. Por un lado… me gusta lo que está pasando con él, pero por el otro es muy raro. ¿Desde cuándo… desde cuándo me empezaron a llamar la atención los hombres? ¿Por qué te fuiste…? ¿Por qué?
Thor abraza sus piernas hundiendo la cabeza en ellas. Estaba mal, y lo peor era que estaba solo. No podía ir a su casa ya que de seguro lo reprenderían por haber viajado sin consentimiento alguno. Pero no había mucho problema ya que el tiempo que tenía era muy corto. Sólo ese día tenía para estar con su difunto abuelo, ya que los siguientes dos serían de viaje, por todo el asunto de las escalas y esperas en el andén. El rubio empieza a calmarse de nuevo, recobra la conversación que tenía con el padre de su padre, pero ahora sólo para recordar las aventuras que había tenido con él. Aunque estaba triste, al recordar sonreía o incluso reía ya que algunos recuerdos eran muy divertidos. Thor estuvo casi todo el día, ya que se le olvidó hasta comer.
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><p>Loki estaba realmente preocupado. Ya había terminado de hacer todos sus exámenes del segundo parcial, y estaba muy inquieto. Siempre que estaba en el cuarto se ponía muy atento para escuchar si Thor llegaba, y cuando salía con sus amigos no dejaba de pensar por dónde andaría, y regresaba inmediatamente terminado todo para asegurarse de que no había llegado. No tenía idea de a dónde podría haber ido, pero estaba, aunque a su orgullo le doliera admitirlo, asustado. Ni siquiera el estar rodeado de chicas que se tumbarían a sus pies si él se los pidiera le hacía sentirse mejor, y eso era grave. Se dirige a su habitación corriendo, pues ya son las 5:30 del viernes, y Thor no mostraba señales de vida. Al ir tan ensimismado no tiene mucho cuidado y choca contra alguien.<p>
- ¡Fíjate por donde…! ¿Sif? Reconoce a la chica y se interrumpe, quedándose en blanco.
- Lo siento, no te vi –dice la chica que al sentir que Loki choca contra ella y lo ve sonríe- Oye, ¿dónde está Thor? Estoy preocupada por él, no ha ido a clases y no responde mis llamadas.
- No, no te preocupes, yo tampoco me fijé, y… no lo sé –dice bajando la mirada y sintiéndose más preocupado.
- ¿Cómo que no lo sabes? –responde la chica viéndolo sorprendida.
- Es que… el miércoles lo vi contando dinero, y me dijo que compraría unas cosas –hace una pausa breve- yo lo vi muy raro e intenté detenerlo, pero al final no pude. Me dijo que regresaría tarde,... y así es. Hace dos días que se fue y no regresa.
- ¿Es broma verdad? Ay Thor… ¿qué hiciste? –dice Sif llevándose una mano a la cabeza y haciendo una mueca de preocupación.
- ¡¿Qué?! ¿Sabes a donde pudo haber ido? –dice Loki entre preocupado y aliviado, y un brillo asomo en sus esmeraldas.
- Dices que se fue desde el miércoles… ¿verdad? –responde Sif viendo a Loki con una mirada mezclada de preocupación y diversión.
- Si…
- Fue a ver a su abuelo.
- ¿Qué? –dice descomponiendo su rostro a uno serio.
- Que fue a ver a su difunto abuelo, Loki –repite Sif, haciendo una pequeña sonrisa.
13. Capítulo 13
**Hola pequeña/os! :3**
Primero que nada... feliz día del niño! -tira confetis, serpentinas y se pone un gorrito de fiesta ñoñamente- No, en serio xD a todos los que aún somos unos mocosos frikis, ñoños, otakus, gamers, maestros pokémon, digielegidos, nómadas aire...(?) okno. Pero si. A todos los que aún tenemos un kokoro de infante en nuestro interior. FELICIDADES! :3
Y como siempre, a agradecer a las personitas que se toman la molestia de dejar reviews, o que favoritean y siguen la historia. Esta ocasión: **Nirvan, Kaori Lawliet, Laura Cassie **(Que no está loggeada y se animó hasta ahora a dejar su valiosa opinión, gracias! ;w; me alegra que te haya gustado!), **Lice Michaelis y Kamiix :3**
Y bueno... este capítulo es un poco más corto de lo normal. De hecho, es de 5 páginas según el todopoderoso señor de la edición Word(?), y es que si no le dejaba así iba a quedar muy cortado para el próximo, y seguramente querrían lincharme xD. Así que... lamento esto, pero lo prefiero a morir en la hoguera por dejarla/os en suspenso xD.
Sin más que decir, me despido y les dejo con el Capítulo 13.
Cuídense! Y que tengan una linda Thorkisemana ;)
**Higurashi Out!**
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><p>- <em>Que fue a ver a su difunto abuelo, Loki –repite Sif, haciendo una pequeña sonrisa.<em>
- Pero… ¿Qué? ¿A dónde? ¿Tantos días? –empieza a sentirse un poco molesto. _¿De verdad se fue hasta allá? ¿Sin decir nada? ¡Ese idiota!_ Se las iba a pagar apenas pusiera un pie en la habitación.
- Thor y yo somos de Australia, así que ha de estar en estos momentos comprando el boleto de regreso.
- Ah… ya veo. –dice con un gesto completamente serio y secamente- Entonces. ¿tardará otros dos días, no?
- Sí, eso creo… Lo más seguro es que llegue de noche.
- Como sea. Si quiere estar solo es su problema. Que regrese cuando le plazca –dice cruzando los al oír el tono de Loki frunce el ceño.
- ¿No comprendes, cierto? Thor perdió a alguien que era como su padre, él no hace cosas como ésta. Siente un gran dolor, pero bueno ¿tú que entiendes de dolor?
- Claro que conozco el dolor, y no sabes qué tanto. Pero podría haber avisado. Mínimo a ti. Es algo estúpido que haya salido así nada más y en su estado. Lo veas como lo veas, fue muy imprudente sin importar si estuvo mal o no –responde sin cambiar su expresión.
- Bueno, tal vez tengas razón. Pero bueno, ahora está allá y llegará dentro de dos días, así que ya no estés preocupado –Sif comienza a caminar hacia la dirección contraria a Loki- no pensé verte preocupado por Thor. Cada vez me sorprendo más de ti Loki. Adiós.
- ¿Preocupado? –voltea para verla- Claro que no estoy preocupado por él…
- Adiós Loki –responde la chica que ya iba un poco lejos.
- ¡Hey! –la alcanza- ¿Qué te hace pensar que me preocupo por él? –se interpone en su camino con una ceja enarcada y los brazos cruzados.
- Tus reacciones querido –dice la chica deteniendo su marcha y cruzándose de brazos también, con una amplia sonrisa.
- ¿Reacciones? ¿Y se puede saber cuáles? –dice un poco confundido, pero sin demostrarlo.
- Como esta. ¿Qué hay de malo en preocuparse por alguien? Aunque bueno, tú te preocupas por Thor. Eso es extraño. Yo pensé que tú odiabas a Thor.
- Claro que lo odio. No hay persona más odiosa que Thor. Y no es preocupación, es sentido común. Tú preguntaste, yo respondí. Y me sigue pareciendo una estupidez que se haya ido así nada más cuando se supone que tiene _ese _coeficiente intelectual. Además preocupa a más gente y no dejan de preguntar por dónde anda. Y me fastidia –miente Loki, pues no aceptaría que tal vez si se preocupaba _un poco nada más _por el rubio.
- Bueno, si ese es el caso no veo por qué tanto enojo. Tú lo odias y no te importa. Está bien, nadie te reclamará –responde la morena que estaba muy interesada en las reacciones de Loki.
- Exactamente. No me importa que no le haya avisado a nadie, que haya tardado tres días y otros dos que faltan para llegar, y que tal vez no llegue a su examen del lunes. Es su problema –dice seriamente a Sif, aunque también se lo repetía a él mismo para tragarse ese cuento y dejar el asunto en paz. Thorno importaba_. Thor no importa. No importa. No importa. No importa. No importa. No importa. No importa… Si importa._
- Bueno, ya me contará Thor cómo le fue, y yo también tengo cosas que contarle, así que, ¿puedes avisarme cuando llegue? Ok. Bye Loki –dice la chica guiñándole un ojo y, ahora sí, retomando su camino.
- Claro. Te aviso si llega a regresar el idiota. Te cuidas –dice dándose la vuelta y dirigiéndose nuevamente a su dormitorio.
La chica al escuchar las palabras de Loki esboza una gran sonrisa. Sabía que el moreno estaba muy preocupado por Thor. Así que, tal vez, tenía razón. A Loki… le gustaba Thor.
- No puedo creerlo –el pelinegro azota la puerta, sin gritar. Se recuesta en su cama, olvidando completamente por la plática reciente su cansancio total, cortesía de sus últimos exámenes. Thor le importaba, Y eso no era bueno. No era bueno porque se supone que lo odiaba, y lo había dicho porque era cierto. ¿Entonces por qué le había sonado a la mentira más absurda que hubiera dicho en toda su vida? Hasta había pensado en tres razones para ejemplificar que no era verdad, pero el solo hecho de decirlas le hizo sentir su estómago revolverse. Y ahora estaba deseando que el rubio regresara para matarlo a patadas, por hacerlo preocuparse. Porque era demasiado estúpido. Porque podría pasarle algo. Porque… porque…
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><p>Después de ir a una florería a comprar un ramo de muy caro, Thor regresa al cementerio para dejar las flores en la tumba de su abuelo. Se despidió de él, diciéndole que iría a visitarlo lo más seguido que pudiera y que trataría de estar bien y no sentirse mal por no haber estado con él. Sabía que si estuviera vivo lo primero que le hubiera dicho sería: <em>Rubio, sabes que estoy bien, deja de preocuparte, porque soy joven. <em>Recordando esto, el rubio esbozó una gran sonrisa y unas cuantas lágrimas escaparon, pero no pasó más.
Thor se dirigió al aeropuerto donde compró su boleto y esperaba el anuncio para abordar el avión. Ahora se sentía mejor, sentía mejor. Sentía como si en realidad hubiera hablado con su abuelo. Sintió por alguna razón alegría y paz. Ya no se sentía triste. Al recordar sentado en la sala de esperas la palabra "rubio" recordó de nuevo a su abuelo, pero también a Loki. Y al recordar al moreno sonrió ampliamente. Ya no se sentía mal de hacer eso, ya no le importaba que su cabeza lo hiciera pensar mil cosas. Estaba muy feliz como para arruinar eso.
Pasan las dos horas de regla antes de abordar el avión, así que el anuncio de abordaje fue indicado. Thor, que ahora sonreía como siempre, sube al avión y se sienta en el lugar correspondiente. Pero en lo que esperaba, momentos antes, fue a comer, ya que no había comido nada bien en todos esos días. Eso ocasionó que comiera atrabancadamente en el lapso se espera.
Ahora, a diferencia de su llegada, estaba tranquilo, y esta vez sí durmió. Sólo que tuvo un sueño mientras dormía. En este sueño estaba su abuelo. Thor estaba regresando a ser quien era, estaba recobrando la felicidad que le había sido arrebatada bruscamente. Tal vez su cambio de humor fue bastante rápido, de estar en una depresión profunda y pasar a una alegría inmensa, pero a Thor le encantaba estar feliz, como a cualquier persona. Así que al volver a sentir esa felicidad no la dejaría ir fácilmente.
Eso no significaba que no estaría triste por no volver a escuchar a su abuelo llamarle "rubio", el extrañaría mucho a su abuelo, pero sabía que el mismo viejo no le habría perdonado el verlo tan deprimido por su culpa. Así que desde ese día decidió que superaría aquella pérdida con alegría y entusiasmo. Thor, nuestro Thor, volvía a ser él.
* * *
><p>La noche del sábado ya estaba ahí, rápido pasó lo que restaba del viernes y el sábado completo. Loki leía "La Mecánica del Corazón" –se le hacía muy infantil, pero no tenía otra cosa que leer, o que hacer- a la luz de la lámpara de su escritorio. Al otro día Thor regresaría, si los cálculos de Sif no fallaban, y estaba preparando un gran regaño para el rubio. No podía evitar sentirse ansioso; tenía cinco días que no hablaba con Thor, y más que no peleaba con él. Y de cierta forma extrañaba aquello. Lo que le esperaría al rubio sería una bienvenida de su calibre.<p>
* * *
><p>Thor llega a Londres, justo como Sif lo había predicho, domingo en la noche. Tomó un taxi que lo dejó en la entrada del instituto, en cierta manera había sido muy cansado, así que lo único que quería era llegar a descansar, ya que no imaginaba que alguien lo fuera a regañar por haberse ido.<p>
Al estar afuera de la habitación da un suspiro de alivio, estaba ya muy cerca de su cama. Abrió la puerta y entró si ningún retardo.
- Buenas noches, Sr. Odinson –lo recibe Loki sentado en su silla de escritorio, y viéndolo entrar desde ahí con una mueca severa.
El rubio al escuchar la voz de Loki sonríe ampliamente al instante y lo voltea a ver, dedicándole una mirada de alegría y cariño.
- Hola Loki –dice acercándose a él.
- ¿Se puede saber dónde andaba el Sr. Rubio Estúpido?
Al escuchar la palabra "rubio" sonríe más, definitivamente ese sería su palabra favorita, o al menos su apodo favorito.
- Estaba en Australia –responde el chico tranquilamente.
- ¿Ah sí? ¡¿Y qué hacías allá idiota?! ¿No encontraste aquí lo que buscabas? ¡¿Qué compraste?! ¡Yo no veo que traigas nada nuevo! –enarca una ceja y dice todo esto lo más tranquilamente posible y con voz serena, lo que ciertamente le agregó un aire lúgubre y aún más aterrador, que sin embargo no afectó a Thor.
- Pues no me compré nada, aunque me gasté casi todo mi dinero. –dice esto con una sonrisa divertida- Fui a ver a mi abuelo y le compré un gran ramo de rosas y claveles.
- ¿Ajá? ¡Mira! ¡Qué bonito! ¡Me alegro por ti, imbécil! ¡¿No podrías haberte tardado más tiempo?! ¡Un mes hubiera sido perfecto! ¡¿Por qué no simplemente dijiste que te ibas a _Cangurolandia _y ya?!
- Porque si lo hacía hubiera perdido la emoción –responde Thor burlonamente.
- ¡Ah! ¡Mira, la emoción! ¡La emoción que me hubiera dado el que te perdieras y te quedaras allá, maldito imbécil! ¡¿No piensas?! ¡Ni a tu mejor amiga pudiste decirle nada!
- Ya Loki, no estés enojado. Ya estoy aquí sano y salvo. Además era algo que necesitaba hacer –dice Thor serenamente. No iba a pelear con Loki, aunque el moreno explorara si no lo hacía.
- Si, ya veo. ¡Al parecer es tu cerebro el que no funciona infeliz! ¡¿Enojado?! ¡Cómo putas espera que no esté enojado! ¡Todo el jodido mundo no paraba de preguntarme dónde andabas, maldito idiota! Podía haberte pasado algo, ¿Y qué habrías hecho allá? ¡¿Necesitabas hacerlo?! ¡Thor! ¡Es la excusa más idiota y pobre que he escuchado en toda mi vida! ¡Podrías haber dejado que te acompañara alguien! ¡En vez de eso prefieres hacerte el macho _Todo-lo-puedo! _¡Ojalá te hubieras quedado allá, malnacido! ¡Así ya tendría mi estúpido cuarto de nuevo sólo para mí y me evitaría todo este gasto de saliva innecesario! –Loki había terminado perdiendo los estribos y gritándole, acercándose más y más hasta mirarlo a los ojos y darle leves golpes en el pecho con el dedo índice, mientras la otra mano la tenía hecha un puño descansando sobre su cadera-. ¡Y deja de sonreír, pedazo de imbécil! ¡Pareces retrasado mental!
Thor estaba sorprendido de que Loki hubiera reaccionado de esa manera. Nunca pensó que se pusiera así, hasta se había puesto rojo del coraje, lo que a Thor le pareció gracioso. Loki seguía y seguía. Tenía tantas y tantas cosas que reprocharle, y no podía evitar seguir hablando, e irritándose por la actitud del rubio.
- ¡¿Qué no vas a decir nada infeliz?! ¿¡Te vas a quedar parado como un idiota!? ¡Te estoy ofendiendo! ¡¿Eres imbécil?!
Thor sin pensar lo toma de la muñeca, jalándolo hacia él, para luego abrazarlo.
- Te extrañé… -dice con voz serena.
- ¡¿Qué…?! ¿Qué haces idiota? –dice consternado y empujando a Thor con sus brazos para zafarse del abrazo. Pero de repente sintió un calor instalarse en su pecho, y su corazón empezó a acelerarse.
- Gracias por preocuparte por mí –agrega Thor abrazándolo más fuerte.
- ¡¿Qué? ¿Preocuparme? ¡¿Por ti?! ¡HA! ¡Estás mal! ¡Muy mal!... ¡No pienses que con esto estamos a mano, idiota! –seguía luchando contra el agarre de Thor, pero era demasiado fuerte, así que empezó a rendirse, pero sin devolverle el abrazo-. ¿Ya me sueltas? Pedazo de inútil…
Thor con un brazo mantiene el agarre y alejándose un poco para ver su rostro le dedica una sonrisa. La otra mano la posa en la mejilla del pelinegro, y dice viéndolo directamente a los ojos.
- Yo sé que te preocupaste por mí.
Loki se sonroja ante la mirada y el tacto de la mano ajena en su rostro. Desvía la mirada y murmura muy levemente _idiota. _Thor vuelve a buscar la mirada de Loki, quería ver sus ojos verdes, quería entrar en ellos como otras veces lo había hecho ya. Tenía que aceptar que lo había extrañado.
- ¿Ya me sueltas? -pregunta con un tono menos severo mientras sigue rehuyendo la mirada del rubio.
- No… -responde Thor. Por alguna razón quería que el beso interrumpido se llevara a cabo.
- Ya suéltame Thor… -repite Loki queriendo sonar fastidiado, cuando de verdad estaba muy nervioso.
- ¿Estás seguro de que quieres que te suelte? –Pregunta el rubio, pidiendo un '_no' _por respuesta.
- Sí, quiero que me sueltes –responde unos segundos después sin mirarlo a los ojos y en un susurro.
Thor baja la mirada. No besaría a Loki a la fuerza. Quería que fuera natural, como había pasado la vez anterior. Lo suelta lentamente.
- Gracias… -se separa el moreno aún con la mirada gacha y sobándose el brazo que antes tenía en su cadera, con el sonrojo aún instalado en sus pálidas mejillas, que aunque leve, era perfectamente visible.
- Bueno, ya estoy aquí. Deja de molestarte por mi culpa –responde Thor encogiéndose de hombros y con una sonrisa entre decepción y pena.
- Ya… no hay problema. Ve a ver a Sif, ella era la más preocupada de todo esto –miente de nuevo.
- No, estoy cansado. Iré a dormir, ya mañana veré a Sif –responde Thor ahora caminando hacia el closet de una manera desganada.
- Oh, comprendo… entonces mañana –el pelinegro se recarga en su silla, que ya se había acercado a ella. Da un suspiro de alivio que a la vez contuvo decepción, sin estar muy seguro de por qué. Thor toma su pijama, se cambia en el baño y sale minutos después.
- Buenas noches –se mete a su cama y se acomoda viendo a la pared.
- Buenas noches rubio… -dice poniéndose de pie e imitando la rutina de Thor. Después de un rato estaba durmiendo plácidamente y sin preocupaciones.
14. Capítulo 14
**Hola!**
Heme aquí otra vez con un capítulo más de este su fanfic "Curiosa Necesidad"(?) haha okno. Pero sí. El día de hoy vengo con el capítulo 14 acabadito de salir del horno de la edición xD tenía un par de detallitos, la mayoría ortográficos. Así que espero que no se encuentren por ahí con algún horror.
Y bueno,... deséenme suerte! ;w; (?) Estoy en temporada de exámenes y siento que moriré. Mañana tengo algo de Biología Celular, y la profesora me odia TwT así que rueguen por mi patética y podrida alma xD por favor.
Mmm... otra cosa, y como siempre, gracias. A todos los que leen sin dejar huella(?) y a los que favoritean y dejan review y hacen que nuestros corazones fujoshis y shippeadores bailen de alegría al ver que la historia no es del todo tan mala como creíamos :). Gracias en esta ocasión a **OrenjiSoup, Elesak, BraveryxF, JustASecret **y **Kaori Lawliet **:3
Y... eso sería todo por ahora :3
Disfruten del nuevo episodio y cualquier duda, opinión o reclamo, pueden decirnos.
Que tengan una bonita semana y que el thorki los acompañe -w-
**Higurashi Out!**
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><p>Al otro día Loki despierta a la hora. Se pone de pie, hace toda su rutina al despertar y se mete a bañar. Sale ya cambiado y debidamente arreglado, y ve a Thor aun durmiendo. Así que se acerca con intención de despertarlo.<p>
Esa intención se esfumó al verlo dormir tan tranquilo. Tuvo la tentación de posar una mano sobre su cabeza y revolver el cabello rubio, pero se abstuvo.
- Thor… -El rubio se mueve en la cama y se voltea al lado contrario.- ¿Thor…? –Lo empieza a mover por el hombro- despiértate, cabeza de bola.
- No. Déjame dormir…
- Es lunes rubio, y son las 6:25.
- No voy a ir a la escuela…
- ¡Arriba! Si no te paras, te paro.
El rubio toma de la mano a Loki, jalándolo hacia su cama. Esto hizo que Loki quedara a un lado suyo, y aprovechando esto abrazó al moreno y colocó su cabeza en el pecho de este.
- No quiero ir…
- Thor… -se asoma un poco, extrañado por aquello, para poder verlo mejor. Luego estira una mano y la posa sobre la mejilla del mayor, enderezándolo un poco también para esto, y repite– Thor.
- No me quiero levantar Loki… -dice el rubio acomodándose de nuevo en el pecho del aludido.
- Thor… -le da una caricia a su mejilla una última vez antes de capturar la otra con la mano restante, haciendo que despegue la cabeza de su pecho y atrayéndolo un poco, y comenzando a estirar y apretarlas- ¡Thor Odinson!, ya levántate.
- Loki, no… -dice tratando de librarse del agarre en sus mejillas.
- ¡Párate ya! –lo sigue molestando, ahora divertido y con una sonrisa.
- No… mejor quédate aquí. Conmigo… -dice Thor aún adormilado y abrazando al menor.
- No Thor. ¡Tienes un examen! –dice mientras le sigue apretando los cachetes sin tregua y cada vez más fuerte. Aunque, ¿por qué seguía haciéndolo? ¿Por qué dejaba que lo abrazara? Para empezar, ¿por qué había decidido despertarlo?
- El examen es hasta la tercera hora, quédate aquí conmigo… -aclara el rubio, removiéndose de nuevo.
- Claro, aquí me quedaré. Contigo. No te preocupes. –esboza una sonrisa sarcástica.- Anda, ya párate. –deja en paz sus mejillas e interpone sus brazos para poder separarse y deshacer el abrazo de Thor, que por cierto no sabe en qué momento lo volteó, pero ahora lo tenía abrazado de frente.
- No, quédate aquí… -dice abrazando más fuerte.
- Anda Thor, déjame ir. Además no te has bañado. Hueles a canguro –el rubio se le restriega cual si fuera un gato y ríe levemente- ¡Hey, hey! ¡Suéltame! –ríe y esboza una sonrisa divertida.
- No –sigue haciendo lo mismo ignorando la "orden" del otro.
- Thor, siempre me molestas con que vaya a clases, y ahora que estoy con buena disposición me quieres sonsacar. Eres terrible –dice poniendo su mano derecha sobre la cara del rubio para apartarlo. Eso era muy raro, en todos los niveles posibles. Era raro porque parecía como si fueran…
- Bueno, entonces ve a clases. Yo aún no me levantaré –dice Thor dándole la espalda y tapándose con la sabana.
- ¡Ah! ¡Levántate ya, flojo! –dice sin levantarse y moviéndolo por la espalda.
- No... no quiero y no lo haré.
- ¡Ah! Bueno. ¡Haz lo que te plazca! –dice bufando y enderezándose, para quedar sentado a la orilla de la cama- Nunca más te vuelvo a despertar idiota. Pon tu alarma.
Thor, antes de que Loki se levantara por completo se le echa encima, tirándolo a la cama de nuevo. Sólo lo hace para molestarlo.
- ¡Hey! ¡Qué haces, idiota! –dice tomado por sorpresa, y por lo mismo, gritando un poco, con una octava de voz más alta.
Thor se queda encima de Loki, que estaba boca abajo. Sólo que estaba a la altura de su cuello, con esto posa su rostro en toda la longitud de este.
- ¡Hey! –el pelinegro siente una corriente eléctrica recorrer todo su cuerpo en un escalofrío, y luego empieza a moverse debajo de Thor para tratar, en vano, quitárselo de encima- ¡Hey! ¡Para!
- No estoy haciendo nada –responde el rubio sonriendo y con aires de orgullo. Le gustaba molestarlo de esa manera.
- Pues entonces no lo hagas acá- dice volviendo a sentir un pequeño escalofrío- Aléjate… me haces cosquillas… -_¿Qué? ¡Demonios! ¿Dije eso? ¡Perfecto! Bien Loki. Eso no debía haber salido de mi mente. Ahora jamás me lo quitaré de encima… literalmente. _
- Tienes un cuello largo… -dice Thor viéndolo fijamente, e inconscientemente pasando un dedo por este.
- ¡H-hey! –protesta ladeando un poco la cabeza por el contacto- deja en paz…
Thor, al ver y estar tan cerca del cuello de Loki empieza a sentir unas ganas inmensas de morderlo. Su cuello era demasiado terso, suave y agradable.
- Oye, ¿ya me sueltas? –pregunta Loki tratando de desviar la atención del asunto y que ya no lo molestara. Por supuesto en vano. No obtuvo respuesta verbal alguna por parte del rubio. Este, sin resistirse más se va acercando lentamente, hasta que lo muerde delicadamente, pues no lo quería lastimar ni marcar.
- Ah,… ¡T-Thor! ¡Déjalo en paz, ya! –dice sintiendo de nuevo un escalofrío recorrer su cuerpo, pero sin reaccionar para quitárselo de encima.
Thor, en vez de hacer caso a Loki, deja de morderlo para dar una pequeña lamida en la parte prensada por los dientes.
- Ah… -Loki no pudo decir nada más. En otra situación habría pataleado y gritado ante lo asqueroso que había sido aquello. Pero, ¿por qué no lo hacía? ¿En otra situación? ¿Qué lo hacía diferente?... ¿Lo estaba disfrutando? ¡Dios Santo! Eso no podría ser verdad, porque entonces… tendría que gustarle. ¡Y Thor no le gustaba!... ¿O sí?
El rubio ahora pone una mano en el cuello de Loki para acercarlo más a su boca. Esta vez dio una mordida un poco más fuerte, para luego reemplazarla por besos y lamidas. Para ser sincero, tampoco sabía por qué hacía eso. O tal vez sí. Pero en vez de cuestionárselo prefería disfrutar el momento.
- N-no… ¡T-Thor! ¡Para! –dice Loki sin gustarle en lo más mínimo lo que sucedía. Pero en el fondo, y traicionándose a sí mismo, deseando que no parara.
Thor vuelve a darle otra mordida. No quería parar. Le estaba gustando lo que estaba pasando. No dejaría a Loki en paz.
- Ya… ¡para! –dice cerrando los ojos y tratando de no concentrarse en la sensación tan placentera que empezaba a recorrer todo su cuerpo.
- Sé sincero conmigo… -dice Thor hablando cerca del cuello del pelinegro- ¿Quieres que pare?
Loki abre los ojos ante la pregunta. ¿Quería que parara?... _No. _No quería. Pero, ¿Cómo se supone que le iba a decir aquello? Ladea un poco la cabeza, y no dice nada. Estaba agitado y completamente rojo. Pero Thor no podía ver esto porque estaba a sus espaldas, lo cual era muy bueno. El aliento de Thor sobre su cuello era cálido y le hacía cosquillas. Además de provocar otras sensaciones que le aterraban. El rubio espera la respuesta de Loki, pero mientras lo hacía acariciaba su cuello con los labios.
- Thor…
- ¿Sí?
¿Iba a decírselo? ¿Qué siguiera? _No. Eso no. Debo parar esto. No está bien. Nada bien. _
- Se me hace tarde.
Thor se detiene al instante de escuchar las palabras de Loki, quitándose de encima y levantándose para adentrarse en el baño. Se sentía molesto. ¿Pero por qué molesto? ¡Lo que estaba haciendo estaba mal! ¿Por qué lo hizo? Ahora todos los cuestionamientos que se negó al momento que estaba con Loki lo atacaron de golpe en el baño.
Loki se queda un rato más en la cama del rubio, analizando lo que había sucedido. Luego se pone la mano en el cuello, justo donde Thor había estado "_jugando"_.Estaba húmedo y caliente. Da un suspiro que no supo identificar de qué era y se pone de pie. Toma su mochila y sale de la habitación.
Thor se ducha y asea como era debido. Se viste y va a sus clases. Ahí, muchos le preguntaron –más que nada profesores- dónde había estado. Sólo Sif le dedicó una sonrisa y escuchó la historia tranquilamente, a la vez que Thor omitió las partes donde entraba Loki. No quería darle motivos para pensar en algo que lo incomodaría. En el examen le fue bien, ya que no era algo que él no supiera, más aparte ya no estaba deprimido y pudo contestar debidamente. Thor tuvo un buen día, a pesar de lo ocurrido en la mañana.
Mientras que el día de Loki transcurrió, en sus palabras, terriblemente aburrido y asqueroso. No sólo se le habían ido las ganas de ir a clases y, a pesar de todo, había ido, sino también por los recuerdos confusos de la mañana con Thor y las reflexiones que había hecho en ese momento con respecto al rubio. Era imposible. No podía gustarle. Simplemente no podía. En primera porque no era mujer. A él le gustaban las mujeres. Le fascinaban. No podía vivir sin ellas. Bueno…. quizá eso era un poco exagerado. Pero ese no era el punto. Y además de no ser mujer, era una rata de biblioteca rubia, australiana, con una sonrisa estúpidamente encantadora y que mordía demasiado bien… ¡¿qué?! ¡NO! ¡No, no, no, y no! Pensamientos como ese lo atormentaron toda la mañana, hasta llegar a su cuarto y meterse a la ducha nuevamente. La madre naturaleza podría cobrárselo después. Era necesario.
Thor llegó momentos después de Loki, sólo que él se había planteado la idea de ya no pensar en besar o morder al pelinegro, pues se había dado cuenta de que se había incomodado y no quería ocasionar más problemas, más de los que ya había hecho.
Unos minutos después –pues no fue una ducha larga en realidad– sale Loki sacudiendo las ultimas gotas de agua de su cabello ébano y arreglado exactamente igual que en la mañana. Ve a Thor y lo saluda como si nada hubiera pasado… o algo así.
- Hola rubio.
- Hola Loki –responde Thor que estaba sentado en su escritorio pasando algunos apuntes de clases atrasadas.
- ¿Cómo te fue? –dice parándose junto a él y echando un vistazo a lo que Thor hacía, manteniendo la distancia
- Bien, todo normal. ¿Y a ti? –responde sin voltear a verlo.
- Horrible, aburrido –dice haciendo una mueca- debí haberme quedado. –Rayos. Eso sonaba mal. Agrega.- Podría haberme quedado a ver una película mejor, o salir a dar un paseo… lo que sea menos haber ido.
- Te dije que te quedaras, pero bueno. Tenías clases importantes –dice Thor con cierto tono de molestia, pero aún sin verlo.
- No eran tan importantes en realidad… -dice encogiéndose de hombros, iba a agregar algo más, pero lo dejó así. No quería que Thor sacara a colación el tema.
- Bueno, como sea. Ponte a hacer la tarea o lo que tengas que hacer –dice secamente Thor. Estaba molesto, ¿pero por qué? Loki no le había hecho nada y su día en la escuela había sido bueno. ¿Qué le pasaba?
- No tengo ganas, la haré más al rato –responde frunciendo el ceño.
- Como quieras –dice Thor dando por terminada la conversación.
- ¡Pues bien! –se da la media vuelta y se sienta en su cama, contrariado por la actitud del rubio. _¿Ahora que mierda le pasa?_
Thor pasó largo rato haciendo su tarea, no era nada difícil, pero sus pensamientos no le permitían hacerla correctamente ya que más de una vez tuvo que borrar cosas que nada tenían que ver con lo que estaba haciendo. Su mente empezaba a jugar con él. Se preguntaba por qué estaba de ese humor. De hecho, antes de que Loki llegara estaba muy bien. Al escucharlo se molestó mucho. ¿Pero por qué? Tal vez la respuesta para nosotros es obvia, pero Thor quería pensar que era su última opción. El rechazo de Loki le había dolido…
Loki había salido había horas. No quería estar en ese ambiente tan pesado que Thor había formado en la habitación. Había salido a una fiesta, donde habría alcohol, mujeres y ambiente. Era perfecto. Le ayudaría a olvidar el mal rato pasado y tan extraño.
Thor, al terminar su tarea se percata de que Loki no estaba, pero no presta atención. _Estoy mejor solo que en compañía de ese fastidioso. _Se sienta en su cama y se pone a leer el libro que hacía días atrás había dejado a medias por todo lo que había pasado.
Loki no llega a dormir esa noche. Después de haber tomado tanto y haber conocido a una sexy chica pelirroja que le había coqueteado había decidido irse con ella y tener una noche de diversión y distracción. Le hacía falta.
Esto molestó mucho a Thor, ya que el día anterior el enano le había armado un berrinche por no haber llegado a la habitación –aunque claramente no era lo mismo, pero Thor igual estaba enojado-. ¡Y ahora él no llegaba! _¡Qué le pasa a ese enano!_ Pero,… ¿y si le había pasado algo y no estaba enterado…? _Bueno, si le pasó algo es su problema. _¡No se preocuparía por el! Pero… ¿y si era algo grave?... _¡Al diablo con el enano idiota! _Todos estos pensamientos venían a la cabeza de Thor y cada vez se hacían más y más grandes. Aunque él no quería estaba preocupado y enojado con Loki.
Toda la mañana estuvo preocupado pensando si el moreno había llegado. Por culpa de ese idiota lo regañarían por no haber hecho que fuera a clases. Al finalizar las clases se despide de Sif y se dirige rápidamente a su habitación, donde esperaba encontrar a Loki, ya que si no era así buscaría hasta debajo de las piedras para golpearlo hasta que la piel del menor tomaría un color morado.
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><p>Loki no fue a sus clases el día siguiente. En vez de eso se fue a su cuarto para bañarse tranquilamente y descansar. Se la había pasado muy bien, y eso le había dejado agotado. Además de la pequeña resaca que tenía. Se quedó dormido, ya que no lo había hecho en toda la noche. Estaba tranquilo y relajado, y no esperaba que nada le interrumpiera su descanso que tanto le hacía falta.<p>
Thor entra a la habitación, y al ver a Loki en su cama cierra la puerta azotándola para que el moreno reaccionara. Después de eso se sentó a la orilla de la cama propia para ver de frente a Loki. Este se endereza al instante y ve a Thor adormilado y molesto. De todas las cosas que detestaba en el mundo, una de las más importantes era que lo despertaran.
- ¿Tus padres no te enseñaron que cuando alguien duerme no debes hacer ruido, pedazo de imbécil?
El rubio lo miraba fijamente, clavándole sus azules ojos a Loki de manera furiosa.
- Si me lo enseñaron, pero ahora eso no es válido. ¿Me puedes decir dónde estabas? –responde el rubio agudizando la mirada.
- El dónde andaba no te interesa en lo más mínimo –se cruza de brazos y frunce el ceño.
- No me pongas de mal humor Loki, y responde a la pregunta –aclara en verdad molesto. Parecía que quería asesinarlo.
- No te voy a responder un carajo. Déjame en paz –dice volviéndose de nuevo a su cama para disponerse a recostarse y seguir durmiendo como si Thor no existiera.
- Tú me haces un berrinche porque no llegué y si yo te pregunto no me respondes. Enserio eres un idiota. ¿Cómo puedo ser tan estúpido como para preocuparme por ti?... –rayos. Eso no tenía que haberlo dicho. Pero ya no podría hacer nada, la frase había sido muy clara y si la cambiara sería muy estúpido. Así que sólo calló.
- ¡Genio! ¡Si te preocupas innecesariamente no es mi problema! ¿Quieres saber a dónde fui? –se endereza furioso- ¿De verdad quieres saberlo? ¡Bien! ¡Te lo diré! Me fui a una fiesta, me embriagué y tuve sexo con una ardiente pelirroja completamente desconocida –confiesa con un tono increíblemente cínico.
Thor al escuchar esto siente un inmenso dolor en el pecho. Sólo asiente, se levanta de su cama y sale de la habitación. No sabía por qué se sentía así, no pensaba que Loki hubiera sido capaz de hacer eso. Él se había preocupado inmensamente por el pelinegro y sale con que se había ido con una chica. Sin darse cuenta ya estaba en el patio.
Loki sonríe por el alivio que le suponía que Thor se hubiera ido, aunque se cuestionó si había estado bien decirle aquello. En fin, ya lo había hecho y no había marcha atrás. Se acuesta de nuevo.
15. Capítulo 15
**HOLA! :3**
Chica/os! Hoy hay nuevo capítulo (no me digas? Si... ya lo sé, ando un poco obvia hoy).
Estoy feliz, un algo (muy) eufórica. Saben por qué? Decidí meterme al mundo de los cómics. Y leí uno. Contra de todo lo que pudieran pensar, decidí que mi personaje inicial sería **Deadpool.** Sí, **Wade Wilson, El Mercenario Bocazas,** adicto a la comida mexicana y emociones fuertes(?). Leí la "killogía", esto es, **Deadpool: Kills The Marvel Universe,** **Killustrated** y **Kills Deadpool. **Y... es que simplemente es genial! Es tan... ADSFADG! *u*.
Pero bueno xD sólo se los recomendaré, para aquella/os que les interese :3
Y... como siempre agradeciendo. A **Nirvan, Maria **(gracias por tomarte el tiempo de leerlo completo ;u; y de que te haya gustado! Lo apreciamos en verdad!), **JustASecret, Laura Cassie** (Por aquí andamos cada jueves amiga, esperando no tener retrasos! Nos alegra que te guste de verdad! hace bailar nuestro corazón! x3) y **Lucas1177. ****_GRACIAS DE VERDAD!_**
Y... eso es todo por hoy! Espero disfruten del capítulo y, por favor! *SPOILER!* NO ME LINCHEN SI NO LES GUSTA! TwT Sho sufro igual que ustedes con todo esto(?) Y con Loki... así que reclamos a Thor, diríjanlos a Sempai(?).
Cuídense! May the Thorki(?) be with you!
**Higurashi Out!**
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><p>Thor se queda un buen rato en el patio pensando por qué se sentía así. No era posible que se sintiera tan mal por algo que no era de su incumbencia. Estaba muy confundido. Loki, por su parte, siguió durmiendo plácidamente en su cuarto sin interrupciones.<p>
Thor, horas más tarde y observando que ya estaba atardeciendo, comienza su regreso a la habitación. Fugazmente se pregunta por qué no había hablado con Sif, pero se da cuenta de que no lo hizo porque, conociéndola, sólo lo confundiría más de lo que ya estaba. Espera que Loki siga durmiendo o, mejor aún, que no estuviera y se hubiera largado de nuevo, pero que no volviera nunca.
De repente, algo en el sueño de Loki no andaba bien. De un momento a otro cambió el panorama a otro muy distinto y que nada tenía que ver a lo que antes soñaba, que realmente no recordaba. Estaba en la habitación, acostado en la cama de Thor. Boca abajo. Con él encima. Repasando todo lo que había sucedido el día anterior. Su maldito subconsciente lo estaba traicionando, puesto que esta vez… no había detenido a Thor. De alguna manera que él no se explica ve como sonríe el rubio complacido, y después empieza a lamerle el cuello, morderle y besarle con más libertad. Y eso lo hacía sentir extremadamente bien. Sin darse cuenta de cuándo éste ya le había dado la vuelta y, aún sobre de él, ahora se apoderaba de sus labios. Y en vez de separarlo lo atraía más y más, profundizando el beso. Empezaba a meter la mano debajo de camiseta del mayor.
Thor ingresa a la habitación, y ve que Loki estaba ahí. Lo bueno era que estaba durmiendo, así que ni siquiera se detuvo a verlo detalladamente. Se dirigió a su escritorio y se quedó sentado ahí, encendió su computador y se entretuvo con este.
En el sueño de Loki todo se volvía cada vez más ardiente y confuso. Thor ya se había quitado su camiseta, que por cierto era la misma maldita playera que siempre usaba para dormir; dejando al descubierto el torso que había visto ya tantas veces que se lo sabía de memoria. Este trataba de quitarle su playera mientras bajaba su mano a la entrepierna. Y se sentía muy extraño. Tenía mucho calor, estaba sudando, con la respiración entrecortada y jadeando. Enredaba sus largos dedos en el cabello rubio de Thor para atraerlo más. Empezaba a jadear levemente de verdad mientras dormía.
El sonido que escuchó Thor hizo que perdiera la concentración de la serie que estaba viendo. Entonces voltea buscando el sonido molesto hasta darse cuenta de que provenía de Loki. Frunce un poco el ceño al notar que además de hacer aquel ruido sus mejillas estaban adquiriendo un ligero rubor.
- N-no… nhhg… -dice Loki dormido. Sabía que era un sueño. Era irreal. Y quería despertase, pero no podía. Y el Thor del sueño iba cada vez más lejos, y le daba miedo. ¿Por qué estaba soñando con algo así?
Toda la atención que tenía Thor en la serie ahora la tenía Loki. Y es que era extraño que el moreno se moviera o hablara cuando dormía. Así que se acomoda bien en su silla, cruza los brazos y sigue viéndolo, en cierta manera, divertido.
Algo. Por favor. Eso no podía estar pasando. Era un maldito sueño húmedo, de los que no tenía desde la secundaria. Lo peor de todo es que el causante de todo eso era Thor. Era horrible. Y lo era no porque le desagradara, sino todo lo contrario. Le gustaba, le excitaba, le hacía sudar, le hacía sentir bien. Y luego, ocurrió.
- T-Thor… no…
Al escuchar su nombre se sorprendió, ¿era posible que Loki estuviera soñando con él? Entonces su curiosidad asomó, haciendo que ahora no le quitara la mirada de encima y con una sonrisa en sus labios. En el fondo le gustaba que Loki soñara con él, aunque no tenía idea de qué era lo que soñaba en realidad. Eso significaba que pensaba en él.
- Nhgh… n-no… ya, p-para… ya… -todo esto Loki lo decía muy levemente, con la respiración entrecortada y muy agitada. El Thor de sus sueños, totalmente desvergonzado, se encontraba jugando con él, ya completamente desnudo. Y Loki se sentía deshacerse. Se derretía con el tacto que sentía tan real y que le brindaba tantas atenciones a su miembro sin tener que hacer nada a cambio.
Thor reía al ver a Loki. Se estaba divirtiendo, pero quería saber qué era lo que soñaba con él. La curiosidad le mataba.
- A-ah… a-hh… ¡AH! ¡THOR! –suelta en un gemido que el rubio pudo escuchar. Sentía un calor arremolinarse en su pecho, y en todo su cuerpo. Y también que no aguantaría más antes de correrse.
Thor al escuchar el tono de voz de Loki abre los ojos como platos. ¡¿Era en serio?! ¡¿Loki estaba soñando algo como eso, y con él?! ¡No podía ser! Ahora el rubio en vez de reírse se había puesto rojo. No podía permitir que Loki siguiera soñando algo como eso con él. El rubio se levantó y se acercó a la cama de Loki. No quería tocarlo, ya que sintió que su estómago se estaba revolviendo.
Y entonces despertó. Abrió los ojos de golpe y comprobó que todas las sensaciones de su sueño no habían sido su imaginación. Estaba sudando, agitado, y mucho, muy excitado. Eso debía ser una maldita broma. Alza la mirada para encontrarse con que Thor lo veía de cerca. Se puso aún más rojo de lo que ya estaba con todo lo que había pasado en su sueño y esconde la cabeza en la almohada. Mierda. No sólo había tenido un maldito sueño húmedo con Thor de protagonista, sino que además este había estado escuchando como gemía y repetía su nombre, Eso era más grave de lo que siempre había pensado. Era gravísimo. Era una locura. Era… era… ¡ERA THOR, POR EL AMOR DE DIOS!
Thor al ver a Loki a los ojos no pudo disimular su asco. Ya que en serio iba a vomitar, se llevó una mano a la boca y salió corriendo hacia el baño, donde sacó todo lo que había desayunado.
El moreno quería morirse. Eso no podía estar pasando. No. Quería llorar. Se apretó a su almohada y empezaron a escurrirle lágrimas de confusión, impotencia y vergüenza. Maldita la hora en la que Thor había llegado, se había instalado en su habitación, convivido con él. Maldito el momento en que lo ayudó. Malditos sus estúpidos azules que lo confundían. Maldito. Maldito. Maldito asqueroso. ¿Cómo había llegado a soñar aquello? ¿Cómo había llegado a gustarle? ¿Cómo había estado a punto de venirse con esos malditos pensamientos tan antinaturales y asquerosos? Las lágrimas salían y salían de las comisuras de sus ojos, mojando la almohada aún más de lo que ya se había empapado con el sudor que había provocado su sueño.
Después de sacar todo su desayuno, Thor piensa unos momentos. Estúpido. No quería que Loki se sintiera mal, aunque le había dado asco aquello. Así que trata de calmarse y no pensar en cómo había visto a Loki moverse en su cama por soñar con él. Sale del baño y se acerca a la cama de Loki. Da un suspiro de valor, y dice con la mayor serenidad posible.
- Ah… Loki, ¿estás bien?
- ¡Déjame en paz! –grita Loki contra de la almohada y con la voz entrecortada, pero esta vez a causa de los sollozos que salían de su garganta y se ahogaban en la almohada dolorosamente.
- ¿Estás bien? Creo que tienes fiebre –miente Thor, no quería que Loki se sintiera mal de verdad. Aunque hace un rato lo odiaba ahora volvía a preocuparse por él- Te movías mucho y pensé que tenías fiebre. A mí el desayuno me hizo daño, por eso fui al baño…
- ¡DÉJAME EN PAZ! –ahora alza la mirada para verlo con los ojos rojos, llenos de lágrimas, hinchados y confundidos.
- ¿Qué tienes Loki? –dice Thor agachándose para ponerse a su altura. De verdad estaba preocupado por él- Me preocupas…
- ¡No! ¡Que me dejes en paz! –vuelve a ocultar su cara en la almohada. Agradecía que Thor ser amable, tratando de ayudarlo y justificando todo. Pero él sabía la verdad. Y por mucho que lo agradeciera, no lo hacía sentir mejor. Era precisamente por esas actitudes que había ocurrido _aquello._
- ¿Quieres que… me vaya…? –pregunta Thor. No quería lastimar más a Loki, aunque en realidad no lo hacía. Pero en el fondo no se quería ir, quería quedarse con él, ayudarlo a sentirse mejor Pero si Loki quería que se fuera, lo haría sin cuestionarse.
Loki no hizo caso de la pregunta. Ya no importaba. Lloraba abundantemente contra la almohada, pero a pesar de amortiguar su llanto, se escuchaba perfectamente. Era un llanto lleno de sentimientos encontrados, sobre todo de rabia, vergüenza y confusión. Thor se empieza a sentir profundamente mal, así que sin pensarlo lo voltea y lo abraza fuertemente. Unas lágrimas comenzaban a salir de sus ojos.
- Perdóname. No llores… por favor, no llores…
- ¡Suéltame! –dice Loki dolorosamente, con lágrimas en los ojos, y más que en un grito, en un alarido. Como si fuera un animal herido tratando de curar sus heridas. Trataba de apartar al rubio no porque no quisiera que este lo abrazara, sino porque sentía que su abrazo lo asfixiaba. Lo lastimaba. Lo quemaba.
Thor lo suelta. Lastimaba a Loki, y eso lo hacía sentir peor. No sabía por qué le dolía tanto. Se deja caer al suelo y empieza a repetir:- Perdón, perdóname Loki…
Este ahora estaba en cuclillas en su cama, con sus manos cubriendo su rostro Quería desaparecer. Era mejor así. Así se dejaba de complicarle la existencia a todos y a sí mismo.
Poco a poco iba cesando su llanto, pero no por eso lo hacía con menos intensidad. Su llanto era igual de doloroso. Y aún no tenía ganas de parar. Lloraría hasta deshidratarse y morir. Era un plan estúpido, lo sabía, pero no se le ocurría nada más que hacer.
¿Qué vendría ahora? ¿Se enamoraría de Thor como si fuera una colegiala, teniendo fantasías como esas y sonriendo cada vez que le hablara? ¿Pelearía siempre con él sólo por el simple hecho de tener una excusa para poder hablarle? ¿Tendría celos incluso de su propia sombra al no despegarse del rubio? Lo más terrible era que, al analizar estas cosas, se dio cuenta de que algunas ya empezaban a suceder. _Malditos ojos azules. Maldita sonrisa encantadora. Maldita cabellera rubia. Maldito acento australiano. Maldito Thor._
Este levanta para ver a Loki. Verlo de esa manera le rompía el corazón. Quería consolarlo, pero sabía que el pelinegro no le dejaría.
Después de un rato Loki ya no lloraba. Sólo tenía su mirada fija a un punto en la pared de enfrente. Más allá. Su mente se encontraba volando fuera. Thor seguía en el suelo sentado y con la mirada en este. No quería alzar la mirada y ver a Loki aun llorando, aunque ya no lo escuchaba. Este se pone de pie, se mete al baño con algo de ropa y se deshace de la asquerosidad que tenía puesta. Se da un baño, se viste y sale de la habitación.
En lo que el menor estaba en el baño, Thor se sienta en su cama. ¿Qué era lo que había pasado hace un rato? ¿Y por qué le había pedido perdón a Loki cuando él no había hecho nada? Si antes estaba confundido ahora no sabía absolutamente nada. Thor trató de despejar su mente y más aparte trató de pensar en lo que había ocurrido y la rareza de la situación. Pero en vez de martirizarse con ello decidió desechar todo recuerdo y actuar como si nada hubiera pasado. Thor prefería ya no pensar en nada, asó que se puso a escuchar música y relajarse. Todo lo que estaba pasando era inmensamente raro. Así que se dejó llevar por la música y ya no saber de nada más.
Loki se la pasó en el jardín del instituto. En compañía de su soledad. Cuestionándose demasiadas cosas a la vez. No podía estar enamorándose de Thor, ni siquiera le gustaba. Eso era lo que él quería creer pese a todas las cosas, que eran bastantes más, que le afirmaban y juraban lo contrario. Pero todo, como siempre, era culpa de Thor. Ahora que lo analizaba: ¿Qué carajos tenía en la cabeza? Bien. El que había tenido la fantasía sexual era él, pero de no ser porque el Sr. Rubio Estúpido estuvo tonteando el día anterior y haciendo cosas extrañas no habría ocurrido absolutamente nada. Si, él era el raro al que se le había puesto dura pensando en cómo hubiera sido si no hubiera detenido a Thor. Sí, no lo negaría que era raro. Pero el otro estúpido había comenzado. Como el día anterior, no llegó a dormir. Sólo que esta vez se quedó en la recamara de uno de sus amigos, alegando que el rubio se había puesto pesado otra vez obligándole a hacer tarea y no le apetecía pelear.
Thor prefirió ignorar el hecho de que el pelinegro no llegara a dormir, era su problema. Así que se acostó a dormir tranquilamente. Su sueño fue tranquilo, descansó realmente bien. Al otro día se levantó a la hora indicada. Salió a correr, se duchó y fue a la escuela, donde su día fue realmente bueno. Todo lo que había pasado el día anterior fue eliminado de su mente.
Loki se volvió a saltar sus clases. Se fue a caminar con sus amigos a otro lugar fuera del instituto con un par de chicas. Entre ellas una rubia que había quedado prendada de Loki en cuanto lo vio. Este bromeaba, reía y le coqueteaba, aunque en realidad, por más que trataba, no dejaba de pensar en lo del día anterior.
Thor hizo su tarea sin ningún problema, y al acabar se puso a ver la misma serie que el día anterior, The Hollow Crown, ya que se la habían recomendado mucho.
Loki llegó hasta noche. Llegó bastante alegre en apariencia. Había ganado otra conquista y eso le subía la moral. Entra en la habitación y saluda normal, como si no pasara nada.
- Hola rubio.
- Hola Loki –responde Thor que no quitaba la mirada de su serie. Estaba impresionado de que en realidad fuera tan buena, además de que gustaba mucho de los programas históricos que dejaban algo bueno. Mas aparte el príncipe Hall se le hacía muy parecido a Loki. Tal vez… por esa razón no le perdía pista cuando salía a escena.
Loki entra al baño, sale y ve que Thor veía algo, pues no lo había notado antes. Aún sentía una presión en el pecho al verlo, lo seguía confundiendo. Pero si "_vivían juntos_" tenían que "_convivir_"… o algo así. Mantiene su distancia y pregunta.
- ¿Qué ves?
- The Hollow Crown –dice el rubio sin despegar la vista de la pantalla ya que el príncipe Hall estaba en escena.
- Ah… ya veo –dice viendo la escena divertido porque el rubio viera esa serie. La conocía, pero nunca le había llamado la atención verla. Se le hacía aburrido al ser histórica.
Thor sigue viendo la serie, estaba muy entretenido, así que no le hacía mucho caso a Loki.
- No vayas a incendiar la habitación, imbécil –dice Loki a Thor con una sonrisa burlona, volteando por última vez para ver con melancolía la habitación que dejaría por una semana para ir a ese maldito viaje de estudios. Se habría negado, pero era 50% de la calificación que a su "profesora preferida", Ororo Munroe, de Fundamentos de administración, se le había ocurrido implementar brillantemente, y que no se podía arriesgar a perder.
- Termina de irte de una vez –responde Thor con una sonrisa- diviértete y cuídate.
- Divertirme lo dudo… no me extrañes demasiado –dice riendo levemente- hasta luego animal.
- Cuídate Loki.
El moreno hace una despedida como de capitán de ejército, se da la media vuelta y cierra la puerta, empezando a caminar con su mochila a cuestas y una maleta de viaje que contenía sus objetos de uso personal.
Thor sonríe ante la señal de despedida de Loki. Al verlo partir se sintió algo extraño, pero no puso mucha atención en ello. Ahora estaba solo en la habitación. Podía disfrutar tranquilamente de la paz que en muchas ocasiones le había arrebatado Loki con sus berrinches repentinos o sus bromas extremadamente pesadas. Y asombrosamente lo que había ocurrido el hace una semana exactamente no había cambiado nada. Era como si nunca hubiera ocurrido. Y eso era algo bueno, ¿no? El día transcurre tranquilo.
Thor asiste a sus clases como siempre, come con Sif, y regresa tarde a su habitación, ya que, aunque siempre se vieran, comer con ella significaba horas de plática. Al llegar a su habitación esperaba encontrar al pelinegro, pero al entrar y no verlo recuerda que Loki estaría en su viaje de estudios. Se mete al baño donde se ducha y otra vez espera ver a Loki, en vano. Tenía que ser sincero consigo mismo. Aunque apenas habían pasado unas horas de su partida… lo extrañaba.
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><p>Editado: Gracias <strong>JustASecret!<strong> No me había dado cuenta del error! xD
16. Capítulo 16
Buenas! :3
Y... disculpen el pequeño retraso x.x
La verdad es que la he tenido un poco difícil estos días. Últimas semanas de clases, tareas, proyectos, exposiciones, no estoy en mi casa y no tengo internet, y sólo puedo obtenerlo por parte de la red de la universidad, y digamos que no es muy buena que digamos... pero al menos aloja a Fanfiction. Eso es lo único que importa.
Ahora, referente al capítulo, la mayoría está en cursivas, ya que... bueno, será un flashback. Y... para las personitas que lo leen por móvil, y saben que no se marcan las cursivas ahí, lo puse entre comillas xD haha así que... espero que se vean xD haha.
Y bueno... esta vez sólo para agradecerle a mis queridas pequeñas **JustASecret **y a **Kaori Lawliet,** que siempre están allí, e igualmente a las personitas (si, ¡a ti! :3(?)) que leen sin dejar review ni nada. Gracias de verdad :3
Y... ¡las dejo con este pedacito de fic, que correspondía a ayer! :3
Cuídense mucho! Las quiero :*
**Higurashi Out!**
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><p>Thor se sentó en su cama, y vio la habitación detalladamente. Era muy grande para él solo y aún más silenciosa, nunca lo había notado. Pero bueno, ¿cuándo lo notaría si Loki siempre estaba de escandaloso o estaba ahí haciendo algo, o simplemente acostado?<p>
Tomó un libro y comenzó a leerlo. Iba un poco ya adentrado en su lectura cuando se vio truncada al recordar cuando Loki le deshojó uno de sus libros predilectos por razones simples: estaba en un día donde odiaba a todos y su libro estaba en su camino. Este recuerdo le sacó una sonrisa, aunque en su momento estuvo muy molesto con el moreno y se ganó unos cuantos golpes por haberle hecho eso a su libro, tenía que admitir que se había visto adorable tratando de deshacerse de su fuerte agarre y manoteando para que lo soltara. Loki era un debilucho.
Volteó a ver el escritorio del menor, y después posó la vista en el suyo. En su escritorio se encontraba su computador, y el verlo hizo que recordara que Loki le había formateado su disco duro. Y eso por la sencilla razón de que tenía guardados unos documentos que servirían para sus estudios, y al no querer estudiar se le hizo Fácil deshacerse de todo.
También recordó cuando Loki llegó todo hecho furia porque un maestro lo había regañado y expuesto frente a toda su clase, el rubio tuvo que soportar de su parte una narración muy incómoda de dos horas para que al final se enterara de que lo habían suspendido de esa clase por una semana, ya que el moreno le había respondido al profesor de una forma no muy agradable.
O de aquella vez en la que, sin poder averiguar nunca la razón, encontró su cajón de ropa interior repleto de basura de toda clase: envolturas de comida chatarra, latas, papeles usados, hojas de árboles, polvo y pelusas que no parecían haber sido sacadas del sitio más limpio del mundo –por algo era un montón de basura-. Esa vez tuvo que obligar a Loki a limpiar todo su desastre si no quería que esa misma basura apareciera en todos sus cajones de ropa, además de regañarlo, y amenazarlo con darle tremenda golpiza sino lo hacía, de la cual por cierto le dio un pequeño adelanto. Y por supuesto terminó en un "_baño de sangre_".
Todos esos recuerdos hacían que Thor sonriera o incluso riera, aunque casi siempre estaban peleando, tenía que admitir que era muy divertido vivir con él. Se acostó en su cama y se la pasó rememorando múltiples momentos hasta que se quedó dormido profundamente. No había puesto la alarma ya que el día siguiente lo habían dado libre por una junta de directivos. Y al ser viernes el día siguiente eso le daría un gran fin de semana. Durmió plácidamente.
Al día siguiente se levantó lentamente. Había tenido un sueño muy agradable con su difunto abuelo, así que se levantó con una sonrisa, se fue a correr, cuando regresó se duchó y se sentó en su escritorio donde otro recuerdo lo distrajo.
El recuerdo comienza un día que se encontraba en su escritorio haciendo tarea mientras Loki estaba en su cama haciendo quien-sabe-que-cosa.
- _"¡HAHAHAHAHA! –Loki ríe a carcajadas y de la nada- ¡te lo ganas por metiche!_
- _No estoy de metiche –responde Thor con el ceño fruncido. _
- _¡Claro que sí! Metiéndote en cosas que no te importan, como querer que me acepten antes de cubrir mi sanción de 7 días…_
- _Pues es mi deber como tutor, pero… ¡Ahhh! ¿Por qué le tenías que decir que era un idiota y que su esposa era una prostituta de caché?_
- _¡Porque lo es! –se echa a reír y luego agrega- Pero bueno, ya pasó y no van a revocar el "castigo". Ya no gastes tu tiempo. Es inútil, igual que tú. _
- _Cállate de una vez y ponte a hacer algo. Déjame hacer mi tarea en paz. –responde Thor bufando._
- _Estoy haciendo algo. Molestándote. ¿Qué otra cosa podría hacer aparte? –dice cruzándose de brazos y con una sonrisa burlona. Le encantaba hacer rabiar a Thor. En una de esas tal vez lograría sacarlo de su habitación de una vez por todas. El rubio ya no responde, ya que decide ignorar al moreno.- ¡Hey! ¿Ya te enojaste? –empieza a molestarlo otra vez después de un momento de silencio incómodo- Oh, no aguantas nada. Y todo esto porque no le puse atención al estúpido "bla, bla bla" del Sr. Numeritos Maricas._
_Thor solo mueve la cabeza en signo de desaprobación y sigue en lo suyo, ya que no quería comenzar una pelea con el moreno. _
- _¿Qué? ¿Otra vez con tus libros? Vas del salón de clases a tus libros y viceversa. ¿No te aburres? ¡Es una verdadera tortura!_
- _No, no me aburro –responde el rubio fastidiado._
- _¿Pero cómo? A mí me aburre que siempre hablen tanto. ¡Nunca se callan!_
- _Bueno, es que tú no sabes de libros, así que cállate ya. _
- _Claro que se de libros, pero a diferencia de ti, yo leo novelas, no libros de Microbiología –hace una sonrisa burlona con una ceja enarcada- además, hay cosas más entretenidas que leer, aunque para los nerds como tú debe ser lo máximo. ¿Hasta mejores que el sexo, no? –se cruza de brazos. _
- _Bueno, ¿en serio no tienes algo mejor que hacer? _
- _Nah… es divertido molestarte mientras tratas de hacer tu tarea –ríe a carcajadas- qué idiota eres.- Thor voltea a verlo._
- _Idiota tú._
- _No, tú lo eres y punto –recarga el peso en su pierna izquierda, pues ya se había levantado y estaba a unos cuantos pasos de él._
- _Bueno, ya tienes mi atención. ¿Qué quieres, imbécil? _
- _Nada, pero logré que quitaras tus ojos de ese estúpido libro, ¿no?_
- _Eres un idiota… -gruñe fastidiado. _
- _Claro, tú me rompes la nariz y yo soy el idiota… eres imbécil. Además no estás haciendo nada._
- _Eso fue un accidente, y si estaba haciendo algo. Se llama estudiar –responde Thor cruzándose de brazos. _
- _No me importa. Y de todas maneras eres un maldito bruto. ¿cómo pretendes lanzar patadas al aire con alguien a los pies? De alguien como yo se espera, ¿pero tú, el gran Thor, súper genio, cuadro de honor, mejor promedio desde hace 3 años, seguidos? –dice irónico y burlón para hacer rabiar a su tutor.- Además, aun me duele animal._
- _Wow, no sabía que sabías todo eso de mí –dice el rubio con una media sonrisa._
- _Thor, eres toda una celebridad. Sé lo que cualquiera sabe. No pongas esa cara de idiota si no quieres que te la quite a golpes –responde molesto por la reacción de Thor. _
- _Si, muchos lo saben, pero pocos lo recuerdan todo –añade aún con su media sonrisa- además, tú tienes la culpa de que te haya roto la nariz. _
- _Cállate y jódete. Además, dime rubio. Según tú, ¿por qué yo tengo la culpa? –sonríe al imaginar los absurdos argumentos de Thor.- Anda, te escucho._
- _Me tiraste al agua, yo me levanté y me volviste a tirar, y me jalabas hacia donde caía más el agua. Eres un ebrio idiota. _
- _Pero tú me arrastraste a la regadera y me mojaste con esa agua infernalmente fría. Tú empezaste. _
- _Yo te quería ayudar._
- _Pues no fue la idea más brillante que digamos… y no tenías por qué tirarme al piso cuando me llevaste al baño. ¿No sabes de algo que se llama "delicadeza"? Se le conoce mejor por "ten cuidado imbécil"._
- _Tú tampoco eres delicado, así que no veo por qué yo serlo contigo. _
- _¡Volvemos a lo mismo! Yo soy YO. Loki Laufeyson. El más despreocupado chico de High Metropolitan, un genio ligando chicas, un borracho de lo peor, popular, pero que no puede resolver una ecuación de primer grado. ¿Ves la diferencia? Porque yo si la veo._
- _Wow, mira qué curioso. Nunca había escuchado de ti._
- _Pues no tengo contacto con los nerds. Por eso no me conocen. Tienes suerte de que te hayan asignado como tutor mío y tener el gusto de poder hablar conmigo en este instante –dice con gesto altivo._
- _Pues más que suerte sería como una maldición, o castigo divino –responde con cara de resignación. _
- _Ya, no lo niegues. No me burlaré si aceptas que te da gusto haberme conocido –dice divertido y descruzando los brazos para enderezarse. Se le había ocurrido una brillante idea, tenía que funcionar. Era su mejor truco para ahuyentar gente indeseable. _
- _No, la verdad no. No te engañes, no creo que haya alguien en el mundo que sea feliz por haberte conocido –dice soltando una carcajada y enderezando su silla para poder ver mejor a Loki desde su posición. _
- _Anda –se acerca a él y se inclina un poco para quedar a centímetros del rostro de Thor. Esboza una sonrisa que casi parecía genuina.- Yo sé que sí._
- _Pues crees mal –dice Thor mirando sin intimidarse por la cercanía de Loki. _
- _¡Por favor! Eres demasiado ñoño y mi presencia le ha agregado acción a tus aburridos días –añade con la misma expresión, sonando cínico._
- _…- "¿Si te sigo el juego me dejarás en paz, cierto?"-¡Oh, sí! Mi vida ha cambiado desde que te conocí. Ahora sé que hay gente más idiota de lo que yo pudiera pensar –añade el rubio con un tono burlón y una sonrisa que combinaba perfecta._
- _HAHAHAHA… aunque no lo creas, deberías mirarte a un espejo. No tendrías que conocer gente para poder saberlo._
- _Ya me he visto en el espejo, y soy un diferente a ti. Alto, rubio y con ojos azules. La idiotez es solo tuya. _
- _¡Mira! Tienes un autoestima muy alta… -se acerca aún más, a una distancia peligrosa ciertamente, y lo ve fijamente a los ojos, esperando incomodar al rubio "desabrido"._
- _Si la tengo. Y aléjate de mi rostro si no quieres que te rompa de nuevo la nariz –advierte el rubio fastidiado, molesto e incómodo. _
- _¿Qué? ¿Te molesta? –dice alzando sus brazos posando sus manos en las mejillas del otro- pero no estoy haciendo nada malo… ¿o sí? _
- _Sí. Me estás tocando y no me gusta que lo hagas –dice Thor frunciendo el ceño y viendo los ojos del moreno. _
- _Oh, pues resulta que yo quiero hacer esto –responde mientras se dispone a mirar fijamente los ojos azules de Thor. Luego, quita la mano derecha de la mejilla del rubio y la sube hasta sus gafas, quitándoselas con cuidado.- Deberías usar lentes de contacto, estos no te quedan._
- _No los uso porque me queden, los uso porque me gustan –dice el rubio viendo borroso._
- _Ah, que terco eres. Sin estas porquerías podrías hacer muchas conquistas. Haz lo que quieras, pero estas cosas no te sirven ahora –en un rápido gesto las gafas ya se encontraban tiradas en el suelo, cerca de la cama de Loki, mientras este, sólo para seguir molestando al rubio, estira sus brazos para rodear a Thor por el cuello sin decir nada. Sólo mirándolo a los ojos a esa distancia tan escasa._
- _Pues sí, eso de conquistar chicas no es lo mío, más aparte los lentes de contacto son muy delicados –dice el rubio tratando de divisar algo, pero su esfuerzo era en vano. _
- _Entonces, ¿qué es lo tuyo? ¿Los chicos? –pregunta mientras hace una fingida sonrisa interesada, ladeando su cabeza._
- _No, me gustan las chicas. Pero ahora todo mi interés está en el estudio. Las mujeres pueden esperar, además no soy la gran cosa para que se fijen en mí. _
- _Ay Thor. No te haces nada de justicia… -dice, queriendo llevar su broma más lejos y sentándose en las piernas del rubio sin dejar de abrazarlo por el cuello y hacer una sonrisa pícara."_
Thor empieza a reír recordando estas partes.
- _"¿Se puede saber por qué te sientas en mis piernas? –cuestiona Thor haciendo una mueca de extrañeza._
- _Porque quiero hacerlo –responde con simpleza y con la misma sonrisa para seguir molestando, y rogando a todas las deidades posibles que, con la idiotez de rubio, pudiera malentenderlo._
- _Quítate si no quieres arrepentirte –dice Thor comenzando a entender el juego, aunque mostrando confusión aún._
- _No me voy a arrepentir de algo que estoy proponiendo, ¿no crees rubio? _
- _No estoy seguro de ello, así que levántate y ve a hacer tus cosas –dice el aludido no queriendo seguirle su juego al pelinegro."_
El rubio, recordando esta parte en especial, rompió en carcajadas, ya que echó a perder la broma de Loki, aunque pagó las consecuencias.
- _"Oh, vaya. Eres un bruto –dice frustrado por haber sido su broma arruinada, mas sin ponerse de pie- primera vez que no te esto gritando, ¿Y qué me haces? Me corres._
_Lo más importante de todo esto era incomodarlo y hacer que se fuera antes de que él mismo cayera en su propia broma y ocurriera algo como lo de días atrás. Aunque era poco probable, eso no le convendría nada. _
- _Como sea. Vamos, dame mis lentes –dice aún sentado, no veía mucho así que buscarlos por su cuenta no era una opción._
- _¡NO THOR! ¡Olvídate de tus… lentes! –responde un poco exasperado y aguantándose las ganas de ofenderlo._
_Thor, también queriendo molestar al moreno para que se levantara y lo dejara proseguir con sus ocupaciones lo toma por el rostro y lo acerca al suyo a tan sólo estar a unos milímetros de distancia, donde pudo sentir su respiración._
- _Desde aquí puedo ver perfectamente tus ojos verdes. _
_Loki se sorprendió por el por el arranque. Al principio se queda mudo, después recuerda que debe seguir la broma que el comenzó y que, tal vez, podría salvar._
- _Y los tuyos. Jamás había visto ojos tan azules y profundos como los tuyos…_
- _Ni creo que los vuelvas a ver –responde el rubio con una media sonrisa._
- _Thor… -dice el moreno en un susurro, mientras lo seguía viendo a los ojos y simulaba una sonrisa tierna._
- _No creí que te atrajera tanto… era obvio, pero no tan exageradamente –agrega arqueando una ceja._
- _… ¿Yo no te atraigo, rubio? –pone ojos suplicantes para saber la respuesta, y tragándose las ganas de darle un puñetazo por el comentario._
- _Sinceramente no. No eres el tipo de chico que me atraería –responde para molestar aún más a Loki y terminar con su juego._
- _Mmm… Puedo hacer que cambies de opinión respecto a eso… -continua, con el único pensamiento en mente de salvar su broma._
- _No, eres transparente, banal, enano y odioso. Lo único bueno de ti son tus ojos, pero los arruina estar pegados a tu cabeza._
- _¿Sabes qué? ¡Púdrete idiota! –se separa por fin del rubio y se le queda viendo con desprecio- Ahora veo por qué nadie te busca. Eres un completo imbécil. Y, por si te llegaras a confundir, soy heterosexual Thor. No me gustas, ni me gustaste, ni me gustaras. Nunca. Eres un idiota, creído, nerd, infantil y bruto. Y si me llegaran a gustar los hombres, lo cual sólo ocurriría en un universo alterno y totalmente paralelo, no serías tú._
_Se da la media vuelta, muy enojado, y se tumba boca abajo en su cama, la cual estaba a unos pasos, y se ve tentado a tomar su almohada y gritar furiosamente en ella para desahogarse, pero al final pudo resistirse._
- _Eh… Loki. ¿Me pasas mis lentes? –pregunta Thor cayendo en cuenta que había fastidiado a la única persona que podría ayudarlo con eso._
- _Recógelos tú, imbécil. Tienes manos y piernas. _
- _¡Pero tú los tiraste! _
- _Pues eso a mí me vale un reverendo comino. No voy a levantarme a recoger tus porquerías de gafas. Una razón más por lo que son obsoletas y estúpidamente inservibles._
_Thor se enojó. Quería decirle al pelinegro que era un idiota, pero ya que había arruinado su estúpida broma se daba por bien servido. El único problema que tenía ahora es que no sabía dónde estaban sus lentes. Así que comenzó a caminar lentamente y sin dar pasos grandes ya que no quería pisarlas por accidente._
_En cuanto a Loki, él no quería saber nada. Seguía de cara a la almohada, realmente irritado. De no ser por eso, estaría disfrutando y riendo a las carcajadas de la imagen tan patética._
_Thor iba lentamente dirigiéndose a donde creía que estaban sus lentes. Pero por azares del destino Thor cae al suelo por culpa de unas cosas de Loki mal acomodadas. Pero lo peor fue que una de sus manos cayó encima de los lentes, haciendo que estos se rompieran y los cristales se le incrustaran. El rubio emitió un sonido de dolor, para luego sentarse en el cuello sosteniendo con la otra mano la que estaba lastimada._
- _Espero que te hayas roto la mano, grandísimo imbécil –grita Loki sin moverse de su lugar, pero reconociendo el sonido de los lentes quebrándose._
- _Cállate idiota mal nacido –grita un Thor realmente furioso. Por su culpa había roto sus lentes y ahora estaba herido. ¿Qué ese idiota no pensaba? ¿Cómo quitarles los lentes a alguien que no puede ver más allá de 5 centímetros de distancia? El rubio se levantó lentamente. Y comenzó a caminar hacia el baño chocando con los cuentos que había a su paso."_
- ¡ESTÚPIDO VIAJE! –se oye un portazo que rompe toda la atmósfera de recuerdo y nostalgia que había creado Thor- ¡No puedo creerlo! ¡PUTOS TODOS!
Thor da un respingo en la silla del escritorio al escuchar tremendo golpe y gritos de Loki. Al momento no supo cómo reaccionar así que se quedó observándolo. ¿Qué no regresaría dentro de una semana?
El moreno sigue profiriendo maldiciones sin reparos, botando su mochila pequeña en el piso.
17. Capítulo 17
**Hola! **
El día de hoy vengo muy de carrera. Y no porque no tenga tiempo, sino porque no tengo mucho que decir, realmente xD así que... así de rapidín!
Gracias a las chicas que dejaron review, a **Kaori Lawliet, JustASecret,** y **Taanya**. De verdad. Gracias! :3
Y... pues nada. Que las dejo con el capítulo de hoy y espero que les guste.
Y que el thorki las acompañe(?)
Las amo queridas! *u*
Cuídense!
**Higurashi Out!**
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><p>- ¿Q-Qué haces aquí? –reacciona Thor dos minutos después de haber entrado Loki con su alboroto. Este al estar tan furioso no oyó la pregunta que el rubio había formulado- Loki, ¿Qué haces aquí?<p>
- Estúpido aeropuerto, estúpidas políticas de empresa, estúpidos maestros, ¡estúpidos todos! ¡LOS ODIO! –daba vueltas y vueltas en la habitación.
Thor se interpone en el camino de Loki, dado el caso que parecía no darse cuenta de que estaba ahí. Retoma su pregunta.
- ¿Qué haces aquí?
- ¡Decidí que esa porquería de viaje no vale la pea y que prefiero un puto 3 en mi boleta! –exclama realmente furioso.
- ¿Pero por qué? ¿Qué pasó? –pregunta Thor sorprendido por la respuesta de Loki.
- ¿Qué pasó? ¡Te diré que pasó! Primero pierden mi puta maleta en el aeropuerto, donde llevaba toda mi ropa, mis artículos de limpieza personal, unos libros y mi portátil. ¡Que por cierto no me van a reponer! Después, como se perdió mi ropa, no me dejaban entrar a una empresa por no ir arreglado formalmente. Me voy a dar la vuelta en lo que los demás idiotas hacían el recorrido y ¡resulta que me iban a descontar calificación por no entrar! ¡Y después por mal comportamiento y ofender profesores y figuras públicas! ¡¿Puedes creerlo?! ¡Y todavía, los muy imbéciles, querían que siguiera allá! ¡Sin nada que hacer! ¡Y gastando mi tiempo porque ni siquiera podría ir a ningún lado con mi estúpida ropa casual, y sin bañarme!
Thor quería reír a causa de la narración de Loki, pero prefería aguantarse ya que el moreno estaba muy exaltado. Demasiado.
- Bueno, eso lo puedo arreglar con el director ya que no fue tu culpa todo lo que pasó. Y sobre tu maleta… ¿No te repondrán nada?
- ¡Nada! Se supone que los estúpidos boletos tienen algo así como un seguro por extravío, pero como mis cosas rebasaban el límite de reposición de bienes materiales no se iban a hacer responsables.
- Ah… ya veo. Bueno, tranquilo… trata de calmarte –_ ¡Oh Dios! Palabras equivocadas. Mirada fulminante en 3, 2, 1…_
- ¡¿Qué?! ¡Cómo putas pretendes que me tranquilice! ¡Mi vida entera estaba en esa estúpida maleta! ¿Entiendes la magnitud del problema? ¡Por haber ido a esa idiotez perdí más de lo que podría haber ganado! ¿Sacar 100 en "Fundamentos de investigación"? ¡Es insignificante! ¿Me van a comprar otra computadora? ¿Me van a conseguir mi ropa o mis libros de edición especial, los únicos que valía la pena tener por cierto? ¡NO! ¡Sólo un "Felicidades Sr. Laufeyson, perdió sus cosas en el viaje de estudios de medio semestre, pero no nos importa porque el viaje estaba arreglado y nosotros ganamos millones por él"! –todo el tiempo le seguía gritando con una realmente fulminante y asesina. Estaba demasiado alterado y, para desgracia de Thor, le tocó el desquite.
No sabía que decir, le molestaba que Loki estuviera gritándole, pero le molestaba más que por culpa de aquel viaje el moreno estuviera así. Así que no le quedaba más remedio de aguantar aquella rabieta marca infierno que le tocaría sin tener la menor culpa. Sólo esperaba aguantarla de verdad, ya que no quería pelear con Loki. Y menos cuando había estado tan entretenido y tranquilo recordando momentos con él.
- ¡¿… y ahora que se supone que haga?! ¡Esta estúpida escuela es un asco! ¡NUNCA me ha gustado, y NUNCA me va a gustar! –se empezaba a dar la vuelta y a seguir gritando mientras caminaba por todo el dormitorio- ¡Si hubieran perdido mi imbécil mochila con mis libretas de apuntes no hubiera pasado nada, pero tenía que ser la grande! ¡Tenía que ser la importante! ¡¿Por qué?! ¡¿Qué tienes en contra de mí?! –dice viendo hacia el techo- ¡Yo no te he hecho nada!
Thor no sabía qué hacer, si tratar de calmarlo de nuevo –aunque sabiendo que sería una pérdida de tiempo- o esperar a que se callara por sí solo. Pero ver a Loki de esa manera le pareció gracioso, pues por primera vez no le estaba gritando a él. Pero poco le duro el gusto.
- ¡Arghhhhh! ¡Ya no aguanto!
Loki tenía ansias de golpear y destruir, lo que fuera. Así era como se calmaba cuando se enojaba a tales magnitudes. Y sus compañeros de cuarto siempre eran los que pagaban los platos rotos cuando alguien hacia rabiar al pelinegro. Empezó con las cosas de su escritorio. Barrió con sus manos la superficie, tirando algunas hojas, revistas, lapiceros y la lámpara de lectura. Las cosas que no alcanzó a derribar las tomó individualmente y tiró al suelo. Eso no sería suficiente, estaba demasiado alterado. Luego alza la vista y ve el escritorio de Thor, particularmente repleto de cosas perfectas para aventar. Así que sin pensarlo y sin importarle que el rubio estuviera presente comienza a aventarlas todas.
Thor al ver tal acción toma de la muñeca a Loki y lo jala hacia un lado, para así interponerse entre él y sus pertenencias.
- Si vas a destrozar cosas que sean las tuyas.
- ¡Déjame en paz! ¡Ya no tengo cosas mías que aventar! –dice tirando con fuerzas la última cosa contra la pared, que era el libro que Thor iba a leer antes de empezar con sus melancólicos recuerdos.
- Pues azótate contra la pared, ¡pero mis cosas déjalas en paz! –dice con voz firme y fuerte. Estaba dispuesto a que Loki gritoneara toda la tarde, pero no a que se desquitara con sus cosas.
- ¿Y si no que me vas a hacer, eh? ¡Ya no me importa lo que me hagas o lo que me pase! ¡Estoy lo suficientemente furioso como para hacer estupideces sin remordimientos!
- ¡Loki, ya cálmate! ¡No es mi culpa que se perdieran tus cosas! Así que relajare o vete a otra parte a pelear –responde Thor, ya que no se dejaría intimidar por el más chico.
- ¡No, ojalá fuera tu culpa! ¡Así tendría una buena razón para arrancarte la cabeza con los dientes, estúpido animal, en este mismo instante! ¡Pero como todos esos idiotas fueron los culpables me tuve que aguantar las ganas para venir aquí y quejarme a mis anchas!
Thor toma a Loki por las muñecas, acercándolo hasta él.
- ¡Ya basta Loki! ¡Sólo perdiste cosas materiales! Eso es fácil de conseguir, ¡da gracias que no te pasó nada malo! –dijo Thor viéndolo directamente a los ojos esmeraldas, que parecían cuchillos clavados en Thor, pero que no le causaron ningún efecto. O bueno… sí. Algo de tristeza. Él no quería que cuando Loki llegara lo tratara de esa manera. Pero, un momento. ¿por qué? Era Loki. No se podía esperar otra cosa.
- Suéltame idiota... –dice Loki sin gritar por primera vez desde que había llegado al instituto, pero matándolo con la mirada.
- ¿Para qué? ¡¿Para que rompas todo a tu paso?! ¿Por qué no tienes un poco de respeto por las cosas ajenas y crees que los demás debemos pagar por las cosas que te suceden?
- ¡Sí! ¡Exactamente! ¡Por fin piensas! ¡Pensé que el cabello te succionaba el cerebro! –responde Loki ya sin saber que decía. Estaba tan furioso que ya no medía sus palabras, y decía algunas por pura rabia, no porque de verdad las pensara.
Thor comienza a irritarse, él no tenía la culpa de nada así que no iba a aguantar al estúpido enano enfurecido, aunque hace unos momentos esa posibilidad pasó por su mente.
- Eres idiota. ¡Reacciona y ve que nadie tiene la culpa de lo que te pasó!
- ¡Claro que tienen la culpa! ¡Por no vigilar y mantener sus dos putos ojos sobre las maletas que les pagan por cuidar! ¡Y YA SUELTAME IMBECIL! –dice jaloneándose.
- Cállate de una vez y te dejaré –responde Thor viéndolo irritadamente.
- Ok... –inspira fuerte mucho aire y lo exhala pesadamente- Listo. Ahora suéltame, pedazo de idiota.
- Dije que te callaras –aclara Thor. No tenía por qué insultarlo. ¿Por qué lo hacía?
- ¡Carajo! –dice furioso pero sin continuar con nada más después. Sólo le clavaba la mirada esmeralda como dos navajas, pero no decía nada.
- Así quédate todo el día –dijo Thor regalándole una mirada inquisitiva.
- Ajá, ¿y luego? –se jalonea- Ya no estoy haciendo cosas malas, _mami._ ¿Me sueltas? –agrega sarcástico y muy molesto.
Thor lo ve directamente a los ojos. A pesar de estar molesto cierta sensación de atracción apareció en él. Los ojos de Loki, aunque centelleaban de la ira, se veían sumamente hermosos.
- ¡Thor! ¡Maldito rubio retrasado! ¿Me vas a soltar? –pregunta Loki, empezando a desquiciarse de nuevo.
Thor de verdad empieza a sentirse muy atraído por el moreno, mas sin embargo comienza a soltar las muñecas de este lentamente. Loki, al sentir sus muñecas liberadas las soba u luego comienza de nuevo.
- ¡Además de todo, grandísimo idiota, me lastimas! ¡No sabes medir tu fuerza! ¡Eres un maldito orangután subdesarrollado!
Thor al escuchar otra vez las ofensas de Loki le toma de una muñeca nuevamente y lo jala hacia él, para luego posar su brazo en la curva de su espalda y no dejarlo ir tan fácilmente así. Lo observa detenidamente. No sabía por qué había hecho eso, pero no quería dejarlo ir.
- ¡Hey! ¡Suéltame! ¡Suéltame! ¡Que me sueltes, te digo! –empieza a forcejear contra el pecho del rubio- ¡¿Qué no entiendes?! ¡Suéltame maldito idiota!
Thor clavó la mirada en Loki. Veía sus ojos de fastidio al estar así atrapado. Pero su boca era lo que más le atraía… quería besarlo.
- ¿Qué ves imbécil? –pregunta a Thor sin dejar de insultarle, y empezando a presentir nada bueno.
Sin pensarlo ni nada más, Thor besa a Loki. No sabía por qué lo hacía, pero disfrutaba hacerlo. Ahora lo único que esperaba era que el moreno no lo rechazara, aunque tal vez era lo más acertado. Y así fue, Loki empezó a patalear para deshacerse del rubio. Tenía los ojos abiertos de par en par y sin saber si era por confusión o furia. Para cuando decidió que era por la segunda un cosquilleo se empezó a instalar en su estómago.
Thor no quería separarse del menor. Aunque sabía que no estaba siendo correspondido quería permanecer unos segundos más así. Los labios de Loki eran tan suaves y cálidos…
Por fin, y quien sabe cómo, Loki encontró un buen punto de apoyo, con el cual apartó de un empujón al rubio.
- ¡¿Qué mierda te pasa Thor?! ¡¿Qué fue eso?! –dice limpiando su boca con el dorso de la mano. Thor sale de su trance. ¿Qué había hecho? Pero sin cambiar su semblante firme dice sin notarse ofuscado.
- No te callabas.
- ¿Qué no me callaba? –dice acomodando una bofetada en su mejilla- ¡Yo te voy a enseñar como carajos callarte! –dice preparándose para volver a golpearlo.
- Te vas a lastimar solamente –Thor, sin cambiar su actitud.
- ¿Y crees que me importa? –le da otra fuerte bofetada- ¿Eres imbécil o qué te sucede?
Thor siente arder la mejilla que había sido golpeada. Quería romperle el cuello al pelinegro aunque hace unos segundos quería devorar su boca. Ve a los ojos a Loki. Qué idiotez había cometido…
- ¿Eh, Thor? ¡¿Qué carajos te pasa?! ¡¿En serio?! ¡¿Es en serio animal?! –Loki seguía furioso, pero en su voz se empezaba a notar un pequeño rastro de preocupación y confusión.
Thor, en un movimiento rápido le devuelve la bofetada, pero con una fuerza cinco veces más grande que la del otro, haciendo que casi cayera.
- Anda, vuelve a hacerlo –dijo con un tono retador. Quería golpear a Loki. Este se tienta la zona afectada y, sin poder evitarlo, una pequeña lágrima de dolor escurre por su mejilla.
- ¡Claro! ¡Golpéame! ¡Tú eres el idiota que me besa y me golpeas! ¡Qué justicia! –se acerca de nuevo con intención de golpearlo otra vez.
- ¿Disculpa, qué? Tú fuiste el primero que lo hizo –_No debía haber dicho eso. Thor, ¿por qué eres un idiota? _Su mente se repitió una y otra vez.
- Claro que n… -se queda callado. Era cierto. Se le había olvidado. Aquella tarde cuando pelearon casi 2 meses ya. Se pone muy nervioso y empieza a titubear un poco- Eso… ¡N-no es lo mismo! ¡No compares idiota! ¡Eres un animal!
- ¿Por qué no se compara si es lo mismo? Estábamos peleando y me besaste –responde Thor furioso. Aunque, ¿por qué recordaba ese momento tan detalladamente? Cuando Loki lo besó, sin saber por qué, al sentir de nuevo el tacto de sus labios hizo que se estremeciera un poco, claro, sin que el pelinegro lo notara.- Y si quiero te golpeo. ¿Algún problema enano? –agrega dando un paso. Había en él una actitud intimidante-
- ¡Si animal! ¡Tengo muchos problemas contigo! ¡Eso mismo! ¡ESO fue un ERROR! ¡No te justifiques con eso! Además, yo te habré besado esa vez, pero tú eres el idiota que sigue pensando en ello. ¡Y que además anda queriendo aprovechar cada oportunidad para repetirlo! –
- ¿Yo, aprovecharme, de ti? No seas imbécil. Mejores cosas me han gustado para venirme a fijar en un enano neurótico con problemas mentales. No te sientas especial porque no lo eres –responde Thor enojándose por las palabras del menor.
- ¿Fijarte en mí? ¡Ay, por favor! No podría tener desgracia más grande en mi vida que saber que te has fijado en mí. Si no es así, no actúes como si lo hicieras. ¡Y deja a este enano neurótico con problemas mentales en paz! –Le había dolido. Sin explicarse por qué, el que Thor hubiera dicho eso le había dolido. La forma en que lo dijo. La situación en que lo dijo. _Maldito idiota_.
- Qué bueno que entendiste que para mí no significas nada. Sólo eres el idiota que tengo que "_ayudar_" para que pase el semestre. Maldita desgracia la mía al tener que hacerlo, pero no queda opción. No puedo creer que en algún plano de tu existencia creas que yo me fijaría en ti. Eres tan estúpido –agregó Thor con una sonrisa de burla inmensa. No quería decirle todo aquello a Loki, mas sin embargo… lo hacía. Y con una sonrisa que hacía sentir mal al moreno. ¿Qué pasaba?
Loki lo abofetea otra vez. Sigue estando enojado, sumamente furioso, pero lo hizo para hacerlo callar. No soportaba que hablara. Le dolía. Y unas lágrimas desobedientes asomaban por sus largas pestañas negras.
- ¡Maldito imbécil! –se da la media vuelta y sale del dormitorio dando un portazo.
El rubio coloca su mano en la mejilla abofeteada y pone su mirada en la puerta. ¿Qué había hecho? ¿Acaso Loki estaba a punto de… llorar? Él no quería hacer eso. Estuvo a punto de salir a buscarlo, pero de seguro el moreno lo rechazaría. Sus palabras habían sido hirientes, venenosas y mortales. Pero ¿por qué se había comportado así? Antes de que Loki llegara estaba esperando con ansias su retorno, y de igual forma que se la hubiera pasado bien. Más sin embargo todo fue un asco. ¿Por qué se había puesto de esa manera, tan a la defensiva? Él no era así. Tal vez el desprecio de Loki fue el causante de todo, pero en el fondo sabía la verdad, sólo que prefería ignorarla.
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><p>Loki sale del instituto a comer para calmar sus ansias. Después de un buen rato sale con sus amigos y vuelve a ver a la rubia encantadora que no le quitaba la vista. Perfecto. Se van a un antro a bailar y tomar y regresa al dormitorio con la chica de cabello rubio largo, lacio, ojos azules, piel tersa y blanca. Abren sin cuidado la puerta de la habitación a altas horas de la noche, por lo cual la luz estaba apagada.<p>
Thor ya se había acostado a dormir sin importarle si el moreno llegaría o no a dormir. Era su problema. Sólo que el ruido de la puerta abrirse hizo que se despertara
Los chicos se tropiezan con un par de cosas, para después instalarse en la cama. Se escuchaban ruidos de lo que claramente eran besos y caricias sugerentes.
El rubio se sienta en su cama sigilosamente y se pone sus lentes. Lo único que divisaba en la oscuridad eran dos siluetas en la cama de Loki. No podía ver más allá, dado que esa noche cerró las cortinas de la ventana. Encendió rápidamente la luz. Y la imagen que vio sentía que le desgarraba por dentro. ¡¿Qué hacía esa chica encima de Loki?!
18. Capítulo 18
**Hola! :3**
Pues... el día de hoy con el capítulo 18.
He tenido una semana un poco... pesada. Con algo de problemas y encima la universidad. Así que puede que las siguientes semanas me atrase un poco. Es solamente una posibilidad, no digo que sea seguro que vaya a pasar. Ni tampoco espero que pase. Así que, disculpen si no me ven por un tiempo tal vez, pero derivado de todos estos asuntos tal vez no tenga internet un rato. Y ya saben lo que eso desencadena.
Así que... espero no me linchen xD
No olviden que la/os quiero! :3
Y... pues las dejo.
Espero y sea de su agrado, gracias a las chicas, como siempre :3 **Nirvan, Ariadha, Kaori Lawliet. **
**Cuídense mucho! **
**Higuashi Out!**
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><p>La chica ya se encontraba únicamente en ropa interior, que era roja con encajes muy coquetos, dejando sus jeans, su blusa y zapatillas botadas en un caminito hacia la cama. Apresaba los labios de Loki como si alguien se los fuera a robar, mientras que este le apretaba una nalga y trataba de desabrocharle el sostén. Al encender la luz, la chica lleva sus brazos instantáneamente a sus pechos para cubrirlos. Loki sonríe cínico.<p>
- Ah… mira. Estás aquí. Hola Thor.
Al instante, la mirada azul se clava en la chica, pare después concentrarse con la de Loki.
- ¿Me puedes decir que significa esto? –dice sonando irritado y con cierto odio en sus palabras.
La chica se baja instantáneamente de Loki y se sienta decentemente en la cama.
- Ah, no recordaba que estabas aquí. Eres tan insignificante. Ella es Susan. Susan, él es Thor, el estúpido nerd del que te hablé.
- ¿Qué, ahora te sientas cubriéndote, haciéndote la recatada, cuando estabas a punto de tener relaciones con él? ¡HA! Patético Susan. Dime, ¿tus padres no son los Señores Storm?
- Ah, sí... –la chica baja la mirada por la presión de la del rubio.
- Thor, déjala en paz –advierte Loki, previendo lo que el rubio pretendía.
- Dime, ¿qué sentirían tus padres si se llegan a enterar que su hija, la que ellos juran y hablan ante todos que es una blanca paloma, que es una gran estudiante y que no importa que ellos tengan que trabajar día y noche porque estudie en uno de los mejores institutos que hay en Londres, es una fácil que a la mirada de un enano estúpido como éste se deja engatusar? –cuestiona Thor retóricamente, valiéndole poco las palabras de Loki. El rubio se sienta en su escritorio con los brazos cruzados y con una mirada intimidante y aún con la sonrisa de malicia en sus labios.
- Yo… -la chica se empieza a sentir presionada y mal por las palabras de Thor. Loki, que tenía toda su ropa puesta, se pone de pie e interviene.
- Que la dejes en paz idiota. Cualquier problema que tengas arréglalo conmigo.
- No, de hecho un problema como este se tiene que arreglar con el director. ¿Sabes? Creo que hasta me haces un favor. A los dos los expulsan, tú te largas y yo sigo mi vida normal. Mira, hasta también te hago un favor a ti enano. Te quieres ir de la escuela. Vamos, vístete para que se larguen los dos de aquí más rápido –responde Thor aun con su sonrisa. Ni él se reconocía. ¿Desde cuándo era tan cruel? Aun así, lo único en lo que pensaba en ese momento era en que esa zorra se largara de una vez de su habitación.
- Dijiste que te importaba un carajo lo que hiciera, y que ya no te meterías en mis asuntos Thor. ¡Dé-ja-la en paz! ¡Hazme lo que quieras, pero con Sue no te metes, imbécil!
- Loki, déjalo así… -dice la chica suplicando y queriendo evitar la disputa.
Thor sonríe aún más. Estaba logrando su objetivo.
- Mira, ella piensa más que tú. Ahora vamos, muero de ganas por escuchar las palabras: Expulsión Permanente.
- ¡Ya idiota! ¡¿Cuál es tu puto problema?! ¿Desde cuando eres un policía? Yo nunca fui de maldito soplón cuando traías a… Sif –lucha con todas sus fuerzas para no insultar a la ausente. Y no porque el rubio se fuera a enojar, eso a él le daba igual. Sabía que si lo hacía empezaría a hacer conjeturas como la otra vez.
- Es diferente, Sif es sobrina del directo –dijo sin más el rubio. Gozaba ver a Loki así y quería que siguiera así por un buen rato, y que la zorra esa tuviera muchos pretextos para desaparecer de ahí.
- Ya veo… entonces ¿por eso te la cogías sin remordimientos? ¡Obvio! ¡Sexo seguro de por vida! ¡Debí saberlo! –empieza a decir sólo para molestar a Thor. Sabía que le purgaba que hablara de la chica de esa forma, aunque nunca hubiera hecho nada con ella.
Thor frunce el ceño un momento para el siguiente estallar en carcajadas. La chica se empezaba a asustar. ¿Qué clase de pelea era aquella? Era incomoda y, si no supiera que Loki era un mujeriego de lo peor –porque ella llevaba rato vigilándolo- diría que era una pelea de pareja. Escena de celos.
- Ok, ya me divertí. Susan, lárgate –dice el rubio riendo aún- tranquila, tus padres no sabrán que eres una fácil, pero ya vete.
- Loki, lo siento –la chica sale corriendo, puesto que ya se había puesto su ropa en lo que los dos discutían.
Thor al verla irse se sintió un poco mal por haber sido tan cruel, pero no se disculparía por nada. Si Loki no lo hacía el no veía razón por la cual hacerlo.
- Eres un maldito infeliz bruto.
- Tal vez, pero viniendo de ti da lo mismo –responde Thor encogiéndose de hombros.
- ¡No me refiero a eso maldito imbécil! Susan es una dama. DA-MA. Ni yo, que soy yo, un horrible patán desagradable hijo de perra, hago algo así –se empieza a acercar bastante molesto.
- Como todo en la vida. Hay de damas a damas. Y una dama se distingue por su elegancia y su correcto comportamiento, así que… no sé qué clase de dama sea tu amiga –responde viéndolo serenamente.
- ¡Aun así! No tenías por qué hablarle de esa forma. No era con ella, ¡era conmigo! Yo la traje aquí, es mi problema. ¡Y si no te parece dímelo a la cara, en vez de ignorarme y atacar al más débil en el lugar! ¡Anda, ten los suficientes pantalones para reclamarme! ¡Grítame! ¡Golpéame! ¿Es lo que quieres no? Maldito marica –Loki ya no avanza. Se queda en su lugar, junto a la cama, cerca de su mesa de noche.
- Loki, mejor duérmete –dice Thor sin tomarle importancia a las palabras del moreno.
- ¡No imbécil! ¡No voy a dormirme ahora! ¡No voy a hacer lo que tú quieras!
- Bueno, no lo hagas y déjame dormir –responde Thor dirigiéndose a su cama.
- ¡¿Qué?! ¡¿Lo vas a dejar así?! –exclama Loki furioso- ¡¿Haces un puto escándalo de la magnitud de que casi ibas de chismoso con el director, y lo vas a dejar así?!
- Conseguí lo que quería, así que… sí.
- ¿Y qué putas era lo que querías, genio?
Loki no podía creerlo. ¿Qué había sido aquello? ¿Aquella mini-pelea y reclamo sólo para eso? ¿Para nada? Además, ¿por qué esperaba que Thor hiciera otra cosa? ¿O por qué no simplemente se daba la media vuelta y lo ignoraba? ¿Qué era lo que quería de Thor?
- Tu amiga se fue muerta del miedo y a ti te hice enfurecer –explica Thor con una sonrisa.
- ¿Por qué la mol…? -se queda pensando. Quería hacerlo enfurecer. ¿Por qué? ¿No se supone que le daba igual? ¿Insignificante? ¿Qué más daba molestarlo o no? Su mente estaba jugando otra vez con él, tratando de hacerlo encontrar fallas y cualquier cosa que pudiera explicar aquello que él no quería aceptar- ¿Molestarme? ¿A mí? Pensé que te daba igual, como dijiste hace unas horas… -_demonios._ Su estúpida cabeza hablaba. Él no quería decir aquello- ¿Te molestó que viniera con ella?
- ¿De qué hablas? ¿Qué parte de me das igual no comprendes? Si lo hice fue para no pasar por la vergonzosa situación de escuchar bramidos ajenos –respondió Thor haciendo desaparecer su sonrisa. En cierta manera, Loki tenía razón. Estúpido enano.
Thor tenía un buen punto, pero eso no lo iba a hacer que dejara de molestarlo. Tenía un orgullo que proteger, ¿no? Y, en todo caso, ¿orgullo de qué?
- Ah… ¿no me digas? ¿Y por qué no te largaste a un hotel, motel, hostal y/o posada, como yo cuando venías con Sif y se quedaban a dormir, que fue más de 5 veces en dos semanas? Eres demasiado marica para _hacerlo, _y no son nada al fin y al cabo. Pero no me quedaba ni los molestaba, ni los interrumpía cuando andaban de imbéciles. ¿Qué respondes a eso, rubio? –esboza una media sonrisa expectante.
- Que la diferencia es que yo no soy tan estúpido para irme y pagar si mi cama está aquí. Si tú te ibas eran por tus celos... – _¡Rayos!_ ¡¿Qué había dicho?!
- ¿Celos? ¿De quién? ¡¿De ti?! ¿Eso te encantaría verdad imbécil? –transforma su sonrisa en una burlona- A mí me parece que el celoso aquí es "_otro_" –remarca la última palabra.
- ¿Ah sí? ¿Y por qué estaría celoso? Si tú no significas nada para mí –responde Thor con mucha seguridad, aunque siente que su respuesta fue una mentira.
- Porque no tenías que tratar así a Sue por mucho que quisieras molestarnos, y por la forma en la que te enrabietaste cuando me fui a esa fiesta, me embriagué y no llegué a dormir por irme a coger deliciosamente con Natasha, la pelirroja rusa despampanante y totalmente desconocida... ¿Te parece poco? –
Loki pone un tono especialmente cínico a esto para hacerlo rabiar más. Obviamente sólo quería molestarlo. No creía que Thor estuviera celoso en serio. Claro que no. ¿O sí? ¿Creía que Thor estaba celoso?... ¿Quería que Thor estuviera celoso?
El rubio, al escuchar lo último sintió una opresión en su pecho, apretó los puños y se tensó hasta el más pequeño músculo de su cuerpo. En un segundo las palabras de Loki habían logrado que Thor se enfureciera y se sintiera herido.
- Mejor cállate y duérmete –dice Thor tratando de contener las ganas de golpearlo. _¡¿Cómo carajos se había ido con esa tal "Natasha"?!_
- ¡¿Qué?! ¿Te molesta, verdad? Déjame decirte que era _MUY _ buena. No dormí para nada esa noche. Y tengo su número, creo que le llamaré y me iré de nuevo en este mismo instante… -quería seguir molestando. Le gustaba ver a Thor furioso. Era un placer para él. Y ya lo había logrado. ¿Por qué seguía?
Thor siente la sangre hervir al escuchar las palabras de Loki. Así que ya no pudiendo contenerse más toma a Loki del cuello y lo azota en la pared más cercana. Thor lo acorrala en la pared sujetándolo así. Estaba furioso y quería que se callara.
- Cierra la boca. Ya.
- ¿Y qué me harás si no me callo, eh rubio? –le había dolido el golpe. Por supuesto. Pero no lo demostraba. Quería llegar más lejos y ver cómo reaccionaba Thor ante cada comentario. De cierta manera… le agradaba que Thor se enojara así con él. No importaba cuantas veces lo hiciera, le encantaba verlo rabiar. Tal vez no eran celos. Simplemente estaba irritándolo el que no dejara de hablar y molestar, pero ahora tenía su atención. Su atención. Eso. Demonios. Era serio. Recuerda lo que había razonado aquel día que tuvo ese _desagradable _sueño. Quería hacerlo rabiar sólo para que le pusiera atención a él. A nadie más.
- No quieres saberlo –replica Thor viéndolo fijamente. Yo sólo pensaba: _¡Cállate ya estúpido! ¡Ya cállate! _
- Oh. Fíjate que soy un _enano _muy curioso. Y si dices eso no me vas a calmar. Al contrario. Ahora de verdad quiero saberlo –esboza una mueca desafiante- ¿Qué me harás si no me callo?
Thor lo vuelve a azotar, más fuerte que la primera vez.
- Acabaré contigo.
- Adelante. Todo tuyo –dice Loki. Ya. ¿Qué más daba resultar lastimado, literalmente? ¿Qué importaba que lo golpeara? Era Thor. Era extraño, y después lo arreglaría. Pero por el momento, eso era suficiente.
- Eres mío... –dijo Thor sin darse cuenta. Eso era algo que quería escuchar, pero sabía que el otro lo decía por burla.
Loki no deshizo su sonrisa, y ahora lo miraba fijamente a los ojos. Sus océanos eran sacudidos violentamente con las olas de ira que se acumulaban en ellos sin dar tregua alguna. Era endemoniadamente… excitante.
Thor lo volvió a azotar contra la pared. ¿Por qué lo confundía de esa manera? Quería golpearlo hasta que estuviera bañado en sangre. Eso quería. Pero, en el fondo, sabía que lo que de verdad quería era besarlo. Estaba tan cerca de él que sentía su respiración en el cuello, debido a que la diferencia de estatura era evidente.
Loki suelta un pequeño gemido de dolor por el golpe directo en la cabeza, y cierra levemente el ojo izquierdo como reacción de lo mismo. No hizo otra cosa. Sólo volver a provocarlo con la mirada. Thor con la misma mano le estira el cuello. Su piel era tan blanca y tersa. Y perfecta. Pero esto no detuvo a Thor y le propina otro golpe con la otra mano en la mejilla. Por un momento no quería hacerlo, pero al otro recordaba sus palabras respecto a la pelirroja y volvía a hervir su sangre.
El moreno escupe un poco de sangre, pues el golpe había sido muy cerca de su boca, y además lo suficientemente fuerte como para romperle el labio. Sin pensarlo ya lo golpea también, pero en el estómago y con todas sus fuerzas. Thor siente la mayoría de su aire salir, pero esto no le afecta para poder golpearlo de nuevo. Sin darse cuenta su mente habla por él.
- ¿Por qué lo hiciste?
Loki lame un poco la comisura de la boca, de donde escurría un hilo de sangre. Ignora la pregunta al no entenderla y después de recibir otro golpe muerde con fuerza el brazo que lo sostenía, que convenientemente ahora estaba sobre su hombro.
Thor, al sentir el mordisco, azota dos veces seguidas a Loki en la pared agresivamente. Loki grita gravemente y patea al rubio en el estómago, alzando una de sus largas piernas, para poder apartarlo. Thor suelta un pequeño gemido de dolor y lo tira al suelo, no muy lejos de donde estaba. Sin pensarlo le da una patada en el estómago al menor. Se quería detener, pero no podía. Loki bufa tratando de recuperar el aire y lo toma de una pierna, la otra la patea y hace que caiga al suelo Esta vez no se deja golpear, había aprendido algo de la vez anterior… más o menos. Se monta en Thor y empieza a repartirle puñetazos en la cara. Thor lo quita de un empujón y se levanta.
- ¡Ya basta Loki! –grita furioso. Ya no quería seguir lastimándolo. Aunque el moreno lo golpeara, era débil, y sabía que si seguía en verdad lo lastimaría. De los ojos de Thor salieron unas lágrimas. No sabía de qué eran, pero estaba seguro de que no eran de dolor físico.
- ¡Tú eres el maldito que empezó! ¡¿Te gusta?! ¡¿Te gusta?! –dice Loki sin gritar mientras se limpiaba la sangre que le escurría de la boca, aunque en realidad él lo había empezado todo. Estaba todo lastimado y descompuesto, pero no le importaba. Lo que le consternó fue ver a Thor… ¿llorando? No lo había golpeado tan fuerte, ¿o sí?
- ¡Calla tu puta boca de una maldita vez! –_Oh no. Vómito verbal- _¿No ves que todas las pendejadas que haces me duelen? ¡Me comen por dentro! ¡La sangre me hierve de sólo recordarlas, eres un imbécil! Lo peor, es que no puedo dejar que hagas lo que quieras… ¡Estúpido enano histérico!
- ¡¿De qué hablas maldito mastodonte?! –dice incrédulo ante la "_confesión_" peculiar de Thor- ¡¿Y tú crees que a mí no me molestas?! ¡Tú también haces cosas que no son muy "encantadoras"! ¡Tal vez no me haces rabiar hasta el borde del colapso, pero me haces retorcerme y llorar de la desesperación de preguntarme todos los días por qué eres tan idiota! ¡Me fastidias! ¡Me molestas! ¡Me tienes harto! ¡Deja de invadir mi mente! –responde Loki siendo víctima también de aquello.
- ¡Cállate ya imbécil! ¡¿Qué no entiendes?! Todo lo que haces… ¡ahhhhhh! Me importas mucho, idiota… -replica Thor bajando la mirada.
- … ¿Qué? –cuestiona Loki haciendo detener de golpe todos sus pensamientos, que iban a formular la posible y ahora inexistente próxima respuesta.
Thor reacciona segundos después. ¿¡Qué había dicho!? Eso le costaría múltiples burlas de parte de Loki. _Que tonto soy…_
- Nada… -responde Thor un poco nervioso.
- No… ¿Qué dijiste? –No podía creerlo. ¿Había dicho que le importaba? Y no sólo eso. ¿Le importaba mucho? Y eso no lo hacía sentir incómodo, sino… ¡¿Feliz?! Oh no. Era oficial. ¿De verdad había caído?
- Nada… olvídalo –responde el rubio poniendo una mano en su frente y moviendo su cabeza para alejar sus pensamientos.
Loki sonríe. Sonríe genuinamente. Sonríe de felicidad. Pero no puede dejar que Thor lo vea así, sonriendo estúpidamente. Se pone de pie, se mete al baño y después de lavarse y semi-arreglarse para dormir sale y le dice:
- Eh… tranquilo. Buenas noches.
Thor se mete a su cama envolviéndose la cabeza con las sábanas. _Bien Thor, bien. Lo echaste a perder. _De seguro al día siguiente Loki lo molestaría todo el día con su peculiar sentido del humor. _Tonto Thor. Tonto. _
Loki se acuesta, pero se duerme un rato más tarde. Durmió extrañamente bien esa noche, a excepción de los golpes que le dolían. Su mente y alma descansaron como hacía mucho tiempo no lo hacían.
19. Capítulo 19
**Hola! **
Primero que nada... sigo viva xD.
Como les dije, pensé que tendría problemas para publicar esta semana. Pero estoy feliz de que no haya sido así ;w; me encanta hacer esto.
Y pues... se me olvidó contarles la semana pasada... ya fui a ver **X-Men Days of Future Past**, que por cierto por acá ya salió de los cines. ¿A ALGUIEN LE GUSTA EL CHERIK (Erik Lensherr&Charles Xavier/Magneto&Professor X)?
Yo lo adoré *u*** es tan... ASDHDAHFS! **
Además, **¡Quick Silver es la onda! **Y es un verdadero loquillo. Para los que no la han visto y aún está en los cinemas, aprovechen. En serio que vale cada maldito centavo que les cobren. Y sino, pues ni modo, A esperar abnegadamente la versión en DVDRip, BRRip con material extra y escenas eliminadas xD.
En fin... ¡los quiero! Aún estoy en temporada de exámenes y todo ese rollo antes de salir de semestre y enterrar las ilusiones en una cajita de madera a 3 metros bajo tierra(?). Okno xD pero sí. Estoy un poco atareada así que... sólo deséenme suerte x3
Los dejo con el capítulo de hoy, espero que lo disfruten tanto como nosotras al escribirlo. Y cualquier duda, aclaración y sugerencia, díganla en los reviews.
¡Por cierto! ¡Gracias a **2183097**por tu follow! y a **JustASecret**, **Kaori Lawliet **y** Ariadha. **Siempre adoro leerlas :3
Y eso sería todo, ahora sí. Cuídense y que el thorki siempre las acompañe x3
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><p>Thor se levanta temprano y se mete a duchar. Ahí se pasa un buen rato. Todo lo que había pasado el día anterior no le quitó el sueño, pero no le dejó descansar tranquilamente. Se duchó con agua fría tratando de alejar los pensamientos que lo quisieron acosar esa mañana. Al terminar de ducharse se viste. Toma un libro y se va al comedor, donde pretendía pasar gran parte de su mañana desayunando y leyendo.<p>
Loki ya estaba despierto, pero luchaba por permanecer un rato más entre sus sábanas. No quería pararse, había dormido muy bien. Y el sol, como siempre, lo fastidiaba a él y a su precioso sueño. Se tapó hasta la cabeza con sus sábanas verde oscuro para tratar de conciliar el sueño de nuevo, pero su estómago estaba traicionándolo. Maldita necesidad de comer. Finalmente pierde su batalla y se endereza. Después de todo su ritual, se arregla debidamente y sale de la habitación para ir a complacer su exigente hambre en la cafetería.
El rubio se encontraba en una mesa, solo. Leía un libro de literatura francesa y desayunaba un tazón de cereal con leche, acompañado por unas tostadas con mermelada y un jugo de naranja. Loki, por su parte, se había decidido a desayunar algo que le satisficiera más. Por lo que su plato contenía un emparedado de pollo con papas fritas a un lado, jugo de naranja y una gelatina del mismo sabor.
Thor así pasó su mañana lo más normal posible. Mantenía su lectura constantemente ya que si no distraía su mente de seguro los recuerdos del día anterior regresarían.
El ojiverde decidió salir a dar un paseo por el amplio campo de High Metropolitan. Tenía ganas de sentir el aire rozando su rostro. Estaba demasiado contento considerando lo del día anterior, y que aún le dolía un poco la paliza recibida. Pero no importaba. Ese sería un gran día.
Después de haber terminado su desayuno lentamente a causa de su lectura, el rubio se levanta y vuelve a su habitación. Se sintió aliviado al ver que Loki no se encontraba ahí, asó que siguió con su lectura en su cama.
Otra hora más, dadas las 12 en punto, Loki decidió regresar a su habitación. Se pondría a ver una película o algo. Era domingo y era perfectamente libre de hacerlo. El encontrar a Thor no le suponía ningún problema, su día iba tan bien que nada podría arruinarlo. Además, aunque tratara de negarlo, lo ocurrido el día anterior le había dejado muy satisfecho respecto al ojiazul. Este en el transcurso del tiempo decidió posponer su lectura para jugar con su 3DS. Eso lo entretenía demasiado bien, así que estuvo tranquilo.
Loki abre la puerta y entra con toda naturalidad, irradiando tranquilidad, cosa muy rara en él, que siempre se mantenía preocupado o molesto con algo. En especial desde que Thor había llegado.
- Hola rubio –se acerca a él y se asoma a ver qué hace, poniéndole una mano en el hombro izquierdo, que era el que estaba más cerca de la orilla de la cama, donde él estaba.
- A-Ah… hola –responde Thor poniéndose un poco nervioso. Sentir la mano del moreno en el hombro lo confundió. Pensaba que no le hablaría de nuevo en toda su vida.
- ¿Cómo dormiste? –pregunta con naturalidad.
- Bien… ¿y tú? –responde el rubio notando el buen humor de Loki. de seguro estaba así de alegre por haberlo visto humillarse así ante él.
- Bien, aunque me duele un poco el costado, la boca y el estómago –dice con una sonrisa, no con intenciones de reprocharle… o tal vez sí, pero sólo bromeando. Y respondiendo.
- Ah… lo siento… -dice Thor bajando la mirada. Por su culpa Loki estaba lastimado y eso en cierta manera lo hacía sentir culpable.
- ¡Nah! No te preocupes… no me duele ya –miente un poco, pues no era mentira del todo. El estómago no le dolía, y lo del costado era muy leve.- Hubieras visto cómo me lastimé… ¡Uff! Fue horrible… -dice, tratando de hacer plática… Se sentía muy bien.
¿Lastimarte con qué? –cuestiona Thor curioso y pausando su juego.
- ¡Uy! Tendrías que haberlo visto para entenderlo. –dice haciéndose un hueco a un lado de Thor y empezando a narrar divertidamente.- Yo estaba tranquilamente, aquí, en el cuarto, pasándomela bien… tranquilamente, cuando llegó un monstruo de dos metros y medio, rubio, todo bruto, cabello largo, desarreglado, juraría que algo hippie, y me empezó a golpear contra la pared. Creo que era un monstruo come libros, porque tenía unos lentes ridículos y una sudadera enorme, como si almacenara su grasa ahí dentro. Mi teoría es… que todos los libros los guarda ahí, y cuando tiene hambre los devora…
Thor ríe en cierta manera tímidamente y de su boca salió una radiante sonrisa que pensaba jamás iba a aparecer mientras viviera con Loki.
- Pero ese monstruo no tiene grasa… y creo que has visto torso múltiples veces para pensar que tiene grasa.
- No,… está horrible. Eso no compensa nada. De seguro la esconde cuando se quita esa cosa enorme que siempre trae puesta –dice sonriendo divertidamente mientras ve a Thor sonreír por sus bromas… ¿Por qué trataba de hacerlo reír? Y ahí estaba de nuevo. En la negación.
- Bueno, aun así… el monstruo se siente mal por haberte lastimado… -responde Thor.
- Oh, vamos… ¿qué me pudo haber hecho? Sólo cosquillas… -ríe levemente- yo también le di una buena paliza… no tan salvaje, no soy un monstruo, pero me defendí –esboza una radiante sonrisa que encajaba bien con su mayoritariamente rostro sarcástico.
Thor ríe levemente. Loki estaba siendo amigable con él, cosa que era muy inesperada, ya que él pensaba que lo odiaría o se burlaría. Después de reír un poco más, el menor fija su mirada en la pantalla de la consola portátil del rubio y le pregunta:
- ¿Juegas?
- Si –responde el rubio viendo también a la pantalla del 3DS.
- ¿Y qué juegas? –cuestiona interesado y con una sonrisa.
- The Legend of Zelda –voltea a ver a Loki, sin saber que estaba muy cerca de él. Esto lo hace sentir un poco nervioso, por lo que voltea de nuevo a ver a su pantalla.
- ¿En serio? –sus ojos esmeraldas se iluminan repentinamente y se escucha como si fuera un niño pequeño de la emoción- ¿Cuál? ¿Ocarina of Time? ¿Minish Cap? ¿Spirits Tracks? ¿Between Worlds?
- Ocarina of Time –responde con una sonrisa al escuchar la emoción del otro.
- ¡Oh! ¡Genial! ¿En qué templo vas? ¿Del fuego, del agua? ¿O apenas vas a conseguir alguna canción? –se asoma aún más como si pudiera ver lo que el rubio hacía con la pausa puesta- ¡Adoro ese juego!
- En el templo del agua.
- ¡Oh! ¿Vas empezando cierto? ¿O en qué parte vas?
- Si, apenas estoy empezando… -dice Thor tímidamente.
- ¡Oh! Entonces debes tener cuidado, este templo es un completo desastre, tienes que subir y bajar el nivel del agua constantemente para poder ir completando los calabozos, pero debes tener cuidado con los bichos esos que son como las arañas del templo del fuego, pero azules, y de unas almejas que tiene púas atrás y te pican… ¡o de Dark Link! Él es muy peligroso porque copia todos tus ataques y… -cae en cuenta de que le estaba arruinando bastantes cosas que él tenía que descubrir solo- Ehehehe,… lo siento. Te estoy arruinando todo –dice con cara de "la cagué".
- No te preocupes –ríe levemente- de hecho necesito un poco de ayuda. Es la primera vez que juego esto y me está costando algo avanzar –responde el ojiazul empezando a sentirse tranquilo.
- Ummm… bueno –esboza una sonrisa complacida y empieza a explicar a Thor hacia donde debía ir, cómo debía hacerlo y de lo que se tenía que cuidar. Se desesperaba a veces, era muy torpe. Pero era divertido. Tenía años que no veía un videojuego.
- ¿Te gusta mucho verdad?... ¿quieres jugar? –dice Thor invitándolo a tomar la consola.
- Ah… sí. Pero juega tú, está bien –dice un poco nostálgico- un poco de tiempo más sin jugarlo no es nada. Ya me había acostumbrado.
Thor vuelve a pausar el juego y voltea a ver a Loki. Su curiosidad hacía acto de presencia en ese instante.
- ¿De qué hablas? ¿Por qué no juegas si te gustan tanto?
- Problemas… -da un suspiro cansado.
- Ah… ya veo… -responde Thor, no queriendo indagar más en la respuesta de Loki.
- Mis padres… -comienza Loki después de un rato de haber quedado en silencio el lugar, recordando aquello y contándoselo a Thor sin sentirse obligado o presionado- … ellos pensaban que eran una mala influencia para mí,… al igual que mis amigos. La verdad es que nunca me prestaban atención. Cuando era un niño solamente me gustaba esforzarme en todo lo que hacía para complacerlos, pero nunca les parecía suficiente, nunca se impresionaban con nada. Me daban muchas cosas y me dejaban hacer lo que quisiera para compensar aquello, entre esas cosas mis consolas de videojuegos. Cuando empecé a… ser lo que soy, ellos pensaron que era por influencias de los "cacharros inservibles" que me habían comprado, y como mi conducta fue empeorando y no parecía entender me trajeron acá. Le pidieron expresamente a Jonath… al director, que no me dejaran usarlos. Si me descubrían uno me lo quitarían y serían notificados. No era como si me importara, pero dejé de jugarlos…
Thor al escuchar la historia siente enojo contra los padres de Loki, aunque eso explicaba muy bien su comportamiento. ¿Cómo querían que él no fuera así si nunca le prestaban atención? Pero bueno, ese era otro asunto.
- Bueno, si quieres jugar dime… será un secreto entre tú y yo –dice sin saber por qué lo había hecho. Aunque momentos después la respuesta llegó de la manera más simple y sencilla. Quería hacer feliz a Loki.
- Nan… -agita la mano quitándole importancia al asunto y tratando de alejar los melancólicos recuerdos- bueno… sólo Ocarina of Time. Tal vez ese desaparezca –ríe levemente.
- Este… no lo creo –también ríe.
- No te darías cuenta…
- ¿Cómo no? Si tengo mis juegos muy buen guardados –dice Thor con una sonrisa.
- Así, por eso no te darás cuenta. Soy demasiado bueno mintiendo y ocultando cosas –dice casi jactándose de ello.
- Pues sabré quien lo tiene - responde Thor divertido.
- Sí, pero, precisamente, no sabrás "donde" pude haberlo guardado- dice con una mirada burlona y haciendo énfasis en la palabra donde pícaramente.
- Jajaja pues te hare decirme - responde Thor.
- El problema no es que lo sepas... -alarga más su sonrisa maliciosa- el problema será sacarlo de ahí...
- ¿Pues donde lo vas a meter? - dice Thor confundido.
- HAHAHAHAHA! -ríe escandalosamente- Eso te lo dejo de tarea Thor- se pone de pie y se estira. Thor se queda viendo con una mirada graciosa y luego rie levemente –
- Bueno rubio... no sé tú, pero yo tengo hambre... -dice volteándolo a ver con una sonrisa.
- Ah… ¿Me estás diciendo que tienes hambre o que irás a comer? –responde Thor enarcando una ceja, acompañándola de una sonrisa serena.
- Hahahah… -ríe Loki divertido y luego lo mira irónicamente- se me olvidaba que te lo tengo que desglosar todo para que lo entiendas. A ver, Thor. Tengo hambre y voy a ir a comer.
- Bueno es que como eres impredecible... Bueno entonces ve a comer –responde el rubio.
- Mmm... Thor. ¿Quieres venir a comer algo? –dice con una cara de fastidio fingido. No era que quisiera comer con el rubio, sólo no quería comer solo.
- Ammm… no tengo mucha hambre. ¿Qué hora es?
- Son… -saca su móvil del bolsillo trasero de su pantalón de mezclilla negro, para luego encender la pantalla y decir con una expresión un tanto sorprendida- 3:30… wow, qué rápido pasa el tiempo cuando te diviertes, ¿no?
- En cierta manera, sí. Creí que era más temprano. Rayos, tendré que comer ahora si no quiero que… -deja en suspenso la frase antes de terminarla.
- ¿Si no quieres que "qué", rubio? –pregunta Loki con una mirada curiosa y una sonrisa que combinaba.
- Nada… -responde Thor reservando su secreto.
- Oh… bueno. ¿Te vas a quedar? –dice guardando ya su cartera, que estaba en su escritorio, en el bolsillo libre del pantalón, de espaldas a Thor, volteando medio cuerpo nuevamente para verlo de manera burlona.
- Ah, no. Vamos –dice Thor guardando su cartera en el bolsillo delantero de su pantalón.
Loki abre la puerta primero y sale de la habitación, esperando a unos cinco pasos de la entrada al rubio.
Thor sale y cierra la puerta. Comenzaron a caminar por el pasillo que llevaba a las escaleras para llegar a la planta baja. Loki se dirige a Thor para de irle con una sonrisa cómplice... ¿cómplice? ¿Desde cuándo...?
- ¿Comemos acá o vamos a un lugar menos concurrido?
- Pues vamos a otro lugar, luego la comida de aquí no es muy buena
- Hahaha... ¡al fin alguien que piensa lo mismo! - dice alzando las manos al cielo como agradeciendo. - ¿Tu pones el lugar y yo pago? –pregunta.
- Conozco un buen lugar muy bueno por aquí cerca, y no te preocupes, yo pagaré.
- Si, como digas Thor –mueve la cabeza en negación- ya te dije que yo pago, y punto –comienza a caminar dejando atrás al rubio.
Thor prefiere no decir nada ya que cuando tuviera la cuenta el pagaría. Tras caminar unas cuadras. Llegan a un bello lugar adornado al estilo italiano. Tenía una fachada de casa pero era elegante y rustico a la vez.
- Aquí es –dice Thor viendo a Loki.
El lugar en si era algo romántico. El chico se queda viendo al establecimiento y silba en una señal de asombro.
- ¿Vaya que tienes gustos caros, eh rubio? -lo voltea a ver con una mirada burlona- pero en hace mal comer con clase de vez en cuando, supongo...
- En si no es caro. Pero siempre me ha gustado venir a este lugar. Es muy pacífico y agradable –responde Thor sintiéndose bien al haber escogido bien el lugar.
¿Por qué lo había llevado ahí? Nunca había visto el lugar, pero a juzgar por la fachada era un lugar para que no se fuera solo. Era un restaurante de aquellos en los que llevas a tu novia por cumplir años, o un matrimonio cumpliendo otro aniversario. Se veía bastante "romántico". Y resultaba que él venía acompañado de Thor. O más bien él acompañaba a Thor. Eso lo hacía sentir de cierta manera algo nervioso, e incómodo. Sólo le quedaba esperar que la gente allá adentro no fuera de esa que sacaba conclusiones por su cuenta e hicieran comentarios fuera de lugar.
- Bueno, pues... veamos qué tan bueno es tu restaurante.
- Vamos –responde comenzando a caminar hacia el establecimiento. Loki lo sigue, ya que no conocía nada en lo más mínimo ahí.
Thor entra y dirige a Loki a una mesa que se encontraba en un pequeño jardín, muy bien adornado y bastante amplio donde se encontraban otros comensales disfrutando del lugar. Loki, aún sorprendido, se queda mirando todo el lugar con detalle. Era imposible que él no hubiera sabido antes de la existencia de aquel restaurante tan exquisito del que ahora tenía el gusto de conocer. Thor toma asiento y espera a que llegue el mesero a que les diera el menú. Loki le imita, aún estupefacto y analizando el lugar no dice una sola palabra.
- ¿Es un lugar muy acogedor verdad? –dice el rubio viendo como Loki veía con detalle todo. Y el sintiéndose muy contento por su elección.
- Sí, es muy hogareño y elegante... no entiendo como no sabía antes de este lugar...
- Es poca gente la que conoce este lugar así que tranquilo, es normal.
- Si... supongo. Eso sí que me tranquiliza –dice sonriendo burlonamente.
- Si, y la comida aquí es muy buena –responde Thor.
- Debe ser así. Se ve que todo aquí está muy bien. De todos modos, debe estarlo. Pagaré por ello –ríe levemente.
- Si, verás que es un buen lugar.
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><p>¡Una cita! Así es x3 hahaha ¿Les gustó?<p>
**Higurashi Out!**
20. Capítulo 20
**Hola Hola Gente! **
¿Cómo están? Yo... un poco de mal humor ¬¬
Y simple y sencillamente porque hubo un diluvio del tamaño del Arca de Noé hace un rato y no me dejaba llegar a mi casa...
¡PORQUE LA LLUVIA ESTABA TAN FUERTE QUE NO SE PODÍA PASAR!
Eran ríos y ríos, y arrastraban carros. ¡CARROS! Y yo atrapada en medio de la nada, porque sino el agua me llevaba también...
Y Thor encima echando desmadre en el cielo ¬¬"... ¡AHHH! Lo malo que no me puedo enojar con él... -.-"
En fin... No quiero pasarles mi mala vibra, la verdad. Espero que ustedes sean felices como lombrices x3
Y sin nada más que agregar, además de agradecer a **uchihagumi **y **Ariadha**. Y a toda la gente que lee y no se anima a dejar review...
Los amo! *u* May the Thorki be with you!
**Higurashi Out!**
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><p>Después de unos momentos más de platicar y bromear sin sentido, y de haber hecho desaparecer un poco el aire de nerviosismo que se sentía por parte de los dos, llega un mesero dándoles el menú.<p>
- Ummm… -se concentra en el menú y luego voltea a preguntar a Thor con una sonrisa- ¿Qué me recomiendas, rubio?
- Pues… ammm, todo es muy bueno. Lo que a mí me gusta más es la lasaña –responde el rubio.
- Entonces… -cierra la carta- una lasaña será –responde con una sonrisa y le hace al mesero su pedido amablemente, cosa rara en él.
Thor pide lo mismo, más un platillo de espagueti a la boloñesa. El mesero se retira, dejándolos nuevamente solos y con un silencio algo incómodo, que Loki no sabía cómo romper.
- Bueno, cuando tengas novia la puedes traer aquí. –dice Thor rompiendo el hielo.
- Ah… claro. Cuando tenga una. –dice rascándose la cabeza.
- No será muy difícil para ti, ¿no?
- Un poco. Normalmente son chicas de una noche, o de fin de semana…
- Ah, ya veo… -dice Thor queriendo reír, pero se limita a toser.
- Pero cuando consiga una, o quiera conquistarla, la traeré. –dice, dándose cuenta de lo ridículo que era y cómo había parecido que había alardeado sobre aquello.
- Creo que sí, caería más a tus pies. –responde Thor con un tono un poco sarcástico.
- Claro… nunca nadie se ha negado antes, y esto pondría un punto más a mi favor. –alardea esta vez.
- Si… me imagino,… -dice Thor siguiéndole el juego para ver qué otra cosa decía.
- Además. No es por nada, ni me enorgullezco de ello, pero hasta se me han insinuado uno que otro hombre… así que tengo bastante terreno abarcado.
Thor no puede más y rompe a reír, ya que lo último le había causado demasiada risa, y era imposible seguir conteniéndola. Loki sabe que aquello había sido muy estúpido, así que se suma a las carcajadas de Thor.
- Y dime Loki, ¿Cuántos hombres han tenido deseos de ti? HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHA.
- Pues muchos… -sigue riendo- no los cuento, pero son bastantes…
- No pues… qué galán, hahahahahaha.
- Lo sé, nadie se puede resistir a mis encantos… -dice alzando la barbilla y colocando sus codos sobre la mesa.
- Si… es que eres taaaan irresistible…
- Lo sé. No me sorprendería que cayeras algún día tú también.
- ¡HAHAHAHAHAHA! Si… claro. Creo que hay más posibilidades de que tu caigas ante mí –responde Thor viéndolo con una sonrisa irónica, aunque un poco sonrojado por aquella declaración, aunque de broma, por lo ocurrido hace menos de 24 horas.
- ¡Ay, por favor! –se empieza a reír burlonamente, aunque también se sintió un poco cohibido por el comentario del rubio y se ruborizó muy levemente. Pero actúa normal, como si nada pasara- ¿morirías porque eso pasara, verdad?
- No, pero subiría mi ego… -se relaja un poco ante la respuesta del moreno y continúa bromeando.
- Si, supongo que tú necesitas que te suban el ego… mucho –lo mira divertido y aguantando la risa, actuando perfectamente normal.
- No demasiado, me aprecio mucho.
- Si tú lo dices… -se inclina y endereza uno de sus brazos para recargar su cabeza en él.
Justo cuando iba a volver a hablar llega el mesero con las bebidas.
- Aquí tiene –dice este colocando en el lugar de cada uno los respectivos pedidos. Ambos chicos agradecen y el mesero agrega- En unos minutos traigo sus platillos.
Loki acerca la bebida, que era una naranjada, y le da un pequeño sorbo, para después responderle un: -Si, no se preocupe. Thor imita la acción, sólo que sin decir nada. El mesero se retira y Loki continúa con lo que iba a decir con una mueca pícara.
- ¿Y a ti no te han visto cara de gay, Thor? ¿O se te han insinuado?
- Pues yo casi no salgo, ni nada por el estilo. Y bueno, creo que me veo muy varonil para que piensen eso.
- Pues… a veces esos son los que más potencial de ser gay tienen… los machos que se respetan –sonríe divertido- ¿seguro que eres hetero, rubio?
- Yo no actúo como macho que se respeta. Sólo digo que físicamente me veo varonil, o bueno, en mi estilo. Así que, si ahora no muchas chicas se me acercan, menos chicos.
- Pero no respondiste a mi pregunta, rubio… -se inclina más- ¿eres gay? –pregunta con una mirada maliciosa, sintiendo una parte de si realmente ansiosa por saber la respuesta, aunque fuera solo una broma.
- No Loki, no soy gay –dice Thor viéndolo a los ojos.
- Porque si lo eres no te voy a juzgar… -insiste expandiendo cada vez más su sonrisa.
- Loki, no soy gay. Así que no te hagas ilusiones conmigo, no quiero romperlas –dice el rubio con una sonrisa, y el corazón en la garganta… o algo así.
- ¡HA! –se endereza- quisieras… pero no se te hará, nunca.
- HAHAHAHA… yo lo único que quiero que se haga es mi comida. Ya tengo hambre. –ríe el rubio y cambia el tema de conversación que lo estaba poniendo de nervios.
- Si… yo también, tus meseros se tardan mucho Thor… -dice haciendo una mueca y volteando levemente a ver si venía el mesero con sus órdenes.
- Ya ha de venir. No se tardan más de 20 minutos… -responde el rubio con un rostro apacible.
- Si tú lo dices… -voltea de nuevo- yo ya tengo mucha hambre.
Por un momento al ojiverde se le había olvidado ya el tipo de lugar en el que se encontraba. Se sentía muy a gusto y Thor estaba haciéndole compañía. Aunque… de nuevo su orgullo hacía acto de presencia. ¿Qué importaba que el rubio estuviera ahí? Él solo quería comer y punto.
Después de unos minutos más llega el mesero con los respectivos platillos que tenían una apariencia exquisita. El moreno agradece y se queda viendo la comida. Tenía mucha hambre, pero sería una pena comerse aquello tan hermoso. Se queda contemplando un rato el platillo.
- Si quieres tómale una foto. –dice el rubio con una sonrisa burlona.
- Cállate idiota. No lo arruines… -contesta tomando el tenedor y partiendo un pedazo de lasaña para llevárselo a la boca.
El rubio espera a ver la cara del moreno ante el sabor de la comida. Loki trata de no hacer ninguna mueca rara, aunque aquello estaba verdaderamente exquisito. Le costó mucho trabajo, pero mantuvo su rostro serio y por fin tragó el bocado.
- Está muy bueno…
- Ah, ya veo… -responde el rubio un poco decepcionado al no ver una gran reacción. Así que igualmente comienza a comer.
El pelinegro, a pesar de haber tratado de controlar su reacción, empieza a degustar sus alimentos con mucho entusiasmo y hasta saboreando lentamente. El rubio, que siempre saboreaba su comida –cuando estaba en ese lugar. Cuando no, devoraba las cosas como loco-, no se abstenía de sonreír al probar su comida. Claramente sin ver a Loki.
Después de un rato, el moreno ya había terminado de comer y estaba tomando lo que restaba de su bebida mientras observaba con una sonrisa cómo Thor comía. Este estaba ya en su segundo plato, pero algo le llamaba un poco la atención. Eso era que el mesero que los había atendido había pasado varias veces por ahí y los observaba algo extraño. Loki estaba tomando otra vez su vaso para darle otro trago cuando notó que el mismo mesero los miraba fijamente mientras atendía la mesa del otro lado del patio, lo que provocó que el moreno frunciera el ceño con extrañeza. El mayor ignora ya al mesero que le daba igual. Así que sigue comiendo como si nada. Loki sigue observando al mozo que no les quitaba la mirada de encima. ¿Qué tanto les veía? Se las iba a ver con él si no dejaba de hacer eso tan irritante.
Pero el mesero seguía observándolos como si estuviera esperando a que pasara algo de lo que tuviera que contar toda la semana.
Tenía que ir. Tenía que ir en algún momento. Y sino él lo llamaría. Empezaba a molestarle en serio la mirada tan indiscreta del empleado del restaurante. Porque eso era. Un vil empleado. Y pondría una queja si no quitaba su asquerosa vista de ellos.
Después de un rato más, Thor termina de comer. Platican un poco más aún de trivialidades y bromean, Loki siempre vigilando y empezando a irritarse en verdad por aquel empleado indiscreto.
- Bueno, ¿pido la cuenta? –propone Thor un rato después de reír a las carcajadas por un comentario de Loki que cerró un tema de conversación.
- Yo la pido –contesta rápidamente el moreno y haciendo al instante la seña al condenado mesero para que se dignara a ir. El mesero se aproxima hacia ellos y dice:
- ¿En qué les puedo servir?
- La cuenta… –responde Loki seriamente.
- Ahora se las traigo –se da la vuelta y se dirige a la caja. En unos instantes regresa con la cuenta en sus manos- aquí tiene.
Thor la toma y le da una tarjeta de crédito junto con esta, a lo que el mesero se retira a hacer el cobro.
- Thor. Se supone que yo pagaría –dice disgustado.
- Sí, pero eres lento. –contesta el rubio con una sonrisa- Además, es la primera vez que vienes, así que invito yo.
- Idiota. Lento tu cerebro. –murmura cruzándose de brazos y esperando que el mesero regresara impacientemente.
- Vamos, no te molestes por esto, la próxima pagas tú. –ofrece el rubio.
- Ya. Dudo que haya próxima vez, animal. –dice bromeando, fingiendo indignación.
En ese momento llega el mesero poniendo el ticket en la mesa, junto con un lapicero para que el rubio firmara.
- Aquí tiene.- Loki alza la mirada y le observa al mesero seriamente.
- Oye, ¿puedo preguntarte algo?
- Verás que si habrá próxima Loki –dice el rubio mientras firma el ticket, sin percatarse de la interacción del moreno con el mesero, que había tomado menos de 1 segundo.
- Sí, claro. Dígame –responde el empleado.
- Tú cállate –se dirige a Thor instantáneamente. A lo que este alza la mirada para encontrarse con la imagen de Loki, observando al mozo con cierta mirada… agresiva.
- A ver… -continua tratando de contenerse y no insultar al empleado- ¿se puede saber por qué desde que llegamos no has dejado de observarnos?
- Ah… -el mesero comienza a ponerse nervioso al instante de escuchar la interrogante- Bueno, es que… no es muy… habitual… ver gente de su tipo en este lugar.
- ¿Gente de nuestro tipo? –repite un poco confundido y molesto- ¿Y qué clase de gente se supone que somos? ¿Pobres? ¿Extranjeros? ¿Estudiantes?
- Bueno… ustedes son homosexuales, ¿no? –dice el mesero aún más nervioso ante la mirada del moreno. Con lo último que dijo Thor volteo a ver al mesero, al cual miró sorprendido y sólo pudo decir:
- ¿Qué…?
- ¿Qué somos qué? –Loki alza la voz y frunce el ceño. Sin notarlo se sonrojó un poco.
- Bueno, es que es algo común que vengan parejas aquí… aunque de _"su tipo"_ no tanto. No discriminamos, cada quien tiene "_sus gustos"_, pero es muy raro ver una pareja como ustedes aquí… -dice el mesero dando un paso para atrás y tratando de dar una explicación acertada.
- ¿Me estás diciendo que sólo por venir a comer con un hombre aquí me convierte en homosexual? –pregunta Thor viendo al mesero.
- No… te equivocas –interrumpe Loki riendo nerviosamente como señal de molestia grande y alerta de "te voy a matar, infeliz".- No somos homosexuales. Sólo vinimos a comer al restaurante de tu patrón. Y tú deber es atender a la gente. Nada más. No fijarte en quién viene o no a comer con quién. Tú eres un EMPLEADO. Un mesero. No te pagan por pensar. Te pagan por entregar charolas en las mesas y traer después la cuenta. Así que has tu trabajo. Date la media vuelta y desaparece si no quieres dejar de existir. –expresa con una sonrisa amplia y totalmente macabra.
Thor voltea a ver a Loki con ganas de sonreír, ya que aquellas palabras era lo mismo que pensaba y no tenía el valor para decirlo. Además, esa sonrisa lo hacía ver tan atractivo… El ver a Loki atractivo hizo que Thor desviara la vista y sólo agregara:
- Vámonos Loki, déjalo… -el rubio se estaba sonrojando un poco también.
¿Cómo es que podía verlo así? ¡Era un hombre! Y no sólo eso… ¡ERA LOKI! Este le dedica otra mirada de desprecio al empleado y le dice por último antes de ponerse de pie y seguir a Thor.
- Informa a tu jefe que por TÚ culpa acaba de perder dos clientes.
El mesero se queda pálido ante todo lo que le había dicho Loki. Thor sale del lugar ya un poco menos sonrojado, pero si algo confundido al haber visto a Loki de esa manera. Pero comenzó a pensar que,… bueno, algunos hombres son sinceros ante la apariencia de otros hombres. Exacto, era eso. El aceptaba que Loki era atractivo y punto.
El moreno iba echando fuego por la estúpida suposición del mesero, y aún se encontraba levemente sonrojado. Lo sabía. Eso pasaría. Pero por pensar que había gente decente accedió a entrar.
- ¡No puedo creerlo! ¡Estúpido gato de mierda! –va gritando Loki a media calle ya a unos 15 metros del restaurante, sin reparar en las personas que lo veían como si fuera un loco- ¿En serio Thor, homosexuales? ¡¿GAYS?! –voltea a verlo.
Iba muy furioso, pero no con él, a pesar de haber sido el de la idea de comer ahí, y el objeto de la malinterpretación. Estúpido mesero. Se las iba a pagar. ¡Le molestaba la suposición porque no era real! Si al menos hubiera sido cierta no habría habido problema. ¡Pero no era así! Además, no había manera de que fuera así. Era Thor, ¡por Dios! ¡Y él era Loki!
- Ya Loki, tranquilízate –dice el rubio dando un suspiro de resignación.
- Es que… ¡Argghh! ¡¿De dónde sacó eso?! ¡DE DONDE, THOR! ¿Acaso parecemos gays? ¡¿Acaso parecemos pareja?!
- Pues si sigues gritando de esa manera, muchos pensarán que es así. –responde Thor encogiéndose de hombros. Admitía que había sido vergonzosa esa situación, pero no era algo que le molestara.
Loki se calla y voltea para ver el asfalto del camino que llevaba a la calle principal. Era muy humillante. De verdad le había molestado mucho. Él no era gay. No. No lo era. Pero a Thor no lo había importado. ¿Por qué no podía tomarlo como él? Sus actitudes le tranquilizaban, y a la vez le ponían los nervios de punta. Era el colmo.
Thor se dio cuenta de que el moreno iba algo tenso, así que prefirió guardar silencio y transmitirle cierta tranquilidad con su mirada y sonrisa. Como si dijera: Tranquilo, tú y yo sabemos la verdad. Aunque, en ese caso… ¿Cuál era su verdad?
Al llegar al instituto, el ojiverde ya estaba un poco más tranquilo, pensando que se lo había tomado muy a pecho. Había sido un error y ya. Y ese mesero era un idiota. Abre la puerta de la habitación y se mete para tirarse en su cama, su refugio de siempre para cuando pasaba un mal rato.
Thor se sienta en su cama. No pensaba que podía pasar un día agradable con Loki. El rubio se sentía bien a pesar de que el día anterior había hablado de más.
Loki estaba pensando en que debía comprar otra computadora. Le hacía falta. No le gustaba ver las películas en la televisión. Además no tenía reproductor de DVD, y la televisión era una reverenda porquería, así que era inútil.
Thor se sienta en su cama poniendo su computadora en sus piernas. Iba a ver una película, ya que no había otra cosa interesante que hacer. Después de unos cinco minutos aproximadamente, Loki se endereza y ve a Thor buscando y buscando en su computadora, ya que las gafas reflejaban la luz en la pantalla que se movía rápidamente.
- ¿Qué haces? –pregunta divertido.
- Voy a ver una película –responde el rubio sin despegar la vista del monitor.
- Oh, ya veo…
Loki se pone de pie y se acerca al mayor para ver qué clase de películas tenía guardadas. Se posiciona detrás de él caso recargando su mentón en su hombro derecho. Thor siente a Loki tan cerca que se pone un poco nervioso.
- Thor… -habla muy cerca de su oído, inconscientemente- ¿Qué clase de películas son estas?
- E-este… son de arte… -responde tratando de sonar normal.
- … estás bromeando, ¿cierto? –esboza una gran sonrisa burlona- ¿Has visto películas de verdad alguna vez?
- No, no bromeo. Estas películas son muy buenas –responde el rubio frunciendo un poco el ceño. Loki ríe escandalosamente ante la respuesta. Luego se endereza y le pregunta.
- ¿Te gustan los comics, cierto?
- Ah, sí. ¿Por?
- ¿Has visto "Avengers"? –pregunta con una sonrisa divertida.
- No –responde viéndolo serenamente
- ¡¿Cómo?! ¿Lees comics y no has visto "Avengers"? No cabe duda que estás mal –dice burlonamente.
- Bueno, es que no me ha llamado mucho la atención –responde el rubio encogiéndose de hombros.
El moreno ríe de nuevo. Luego se acerca a su estante retira la caja de la película mencionada.
- Tenemos que solucionar eso.
- Ok… -dice Thor confundido, aunque divertido.
21. Chapter 21
**Hola Gente! :3**
Cómo están? Espero que bien. Mi semana ha estado de los más simple y aburrida, así que no puedo contarles mucho... bueno. Más que la semana pasada,... sí xD la semana pasada, el viernes, fui a ver **How to Train your Dragon 2 *u* **¿Alguien ya la vio? Awwmaigawd! Fue tan hermosa! Fui a verla con **Sempai **y unas primas... y la verdad es que fue genial, ya que nos la pasamos fangirleandonos, chuleando a Hipo -que qué bien le sentó la edad... cjzcjz- y sacando yaoi de hasta debajo de las piedras xD
Para quienes no la hayan visto ya, se las recomiendo mucho. Llévense kleenex, pañuelitos desechables o lo que sea para las lágrimas, los feels estarán al 1000%!
Y pues... agradeciendo esta semana como siempre, aunque se chocoso y piensen que no sé hacer otra cosa, a las chicas que favoritean, dan follow y dejan reviews! y por supuesto, nos leen. Justo como lo hacen **Mishima Yukio**, **uchihagumi **y **Kaori Lawliet. Gracias de verdad *u***
Y bueno, sin más que decir las dejo aquí :3 con el capítulo 21 correspondiente a esta semana. Espero que lo disfruten, y que se lleven una grata sorpresa con él :)
Cuídense! May the Thorki be with you!
**Higurashi Out!**
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><p>- A ver rubio… -dice ya sentado a su lado- abre la bandeja. Tendremos que verla en tu computadora porque la mía fue hurtada.<p>
Thor obedece la orden de Loki. Así que después de que este colocara el disco cierra la bandeja y espera a que el reproductor cargue la película y comience.
Esta transcurrió bien. Mientras la película corría, ellos la observaban muy atentos, haciendo comentarios intermitentes y riendo de algunas de las escenas. Los dos estaban sentados en la cama de Thor, y como esta era individual, bastante juntos, cabe decir. Y Loki, inquieto de quedarse en un solo lugar, de repente se acostaba. O se enderezaba, o se estiraba. O se recargaba en Thor.
A lo que el rubio, a diferencia, se quedaba en su mismo lugar. Sin perder de vista lo que pasaba, veía en algunas ocasiones a Loki de manera rápida, y sonreía al ver la cara de emoción del moreno ante las escenas de acción.
Lo único incómodo de la película fue escuchar sus nombres repetidas veces. Después de las 2 horas y fracción que la película duraba, al fin terminó. En el pequeño intermedio habían ido a traer bocadillos y gaseosas, así que cuando terminaron estaba todo botado alrededor de la cama del rubio, y encima, con migajas y rastros de las botanas, un poco de refresco salpicado de cuando uno habían tomado refresco y lo habían escupido por alguna ocurrencia de los personajes.
- ¿Te gustó? ¡Claro que sí! ¿Verdad? ¡Es genial! ¿En verdad no lo habías visto? Entonces tampoco has visto las de Hulk, o Iron Man, ni Capitán América, ni las de tu homónimo nórdico –dice con una sonrisa divertida mirando a Thor, emocionado.
- Sí, es una muy buena película. Pero la verdad no la había visto. Ni mucho menos la de los personajes, individualmente –responde el rubio con una media sonrisa.
- Entonces nos esperan muchas tardes de película. ¡No puedo dejar que sigas así de inculto! ¿Se supone que lees comics, no? ¿Por qué no la habías visto?
- Si leo, pero no estoy informado sobre las películas, la escuela absorbe la mayoría de mi tiempo. Además, ya te había dicho, no me había llamado mucho la atención –responde Thor un poco avergonzado.
- Ah… bueno. Pero ahora me tienes a mí –dice con una sonrisa. Analiza lo que había dicho y se da cuenta de que sonaba raro, y se podía malinterpretar, así que continúa-. Digo… para que veas las películas. Las tengo todas… -se rasca la cabeza.
- Ah… si… –se sonroja un poco- hehehe… luego las vemos.
- Si… -el ojiverde desvía un poco la mirada sin despegar su mano de la nuca. Luego se aclara la garganta un poco y alza la mirada. También se había ruborizado un poco, sólo que no se había dado cuenta- Eh… ¿quieres ver otra película, rubio?
- Ah… seguro –responde Thor viendo el pequeño rubor de Loki.
- ¿Cuál prefieres ver? ¿Quieres empezar desde el principio? –dice volteando instantáneamente para no tener que mirar al rubio y revisaba su repisa repleta de películas originales.
- Ahh, claro… -responde Thor con una sonrisa ya que estaba alegre de que Loki se ofreciera a ver otra película con él.
- Bueno, entonces Capitán América será el elegido -dice alargando su brazo para alcanzar la caja y abrirla, retirando el disco con mucha delicadeza y sustituyendo con él el anterior, el cuál guardó con mucho cuidado y colocó en el espacio correspondiente. Regresa y se sienta al lado de Thor nuevamente para iniciar la película, no sin antes decir con una sonrisa cómplice, que extrañamente se le estaba haciendo costumbre regalarle ese día-. ¿Quieres ir por más botanas?
- Claro. ¿Por qué no? –dice Thor igualmente sonriendo.
Se ponen de pie, apartan un par de cosas de la cama para que no estorbaran y luego se dirigen hacia la planta baja. Realmente tenían que salir del instituto para conseguir las golosinas, así que van a un centro de autoservicio y compran las cosas que no podían tomar de la cafetería. Después de ello Thor y Loki regresaban con varias botanas y gaseosas, ya que lo que había comenzado con ver una película se había convertido en un maratón. El rubio se ocupa de abrir la puerta y esperar que el menor entre.
Este iba cargando varias bolsas, que contenían frituras y panecillos dulces, además de botellas de refresco. Empieza a caminar a través de la habitación normalmente, pero al pasar por la esquina de la cama del mayor se tropieza con uno de los tirantes de su maleta.
Thor, al ver que Loki se iba a caer, suelta las cosas que traía, tomando rápidamente el brazo del moreno para evitar que se cayera, atrayéndolo a él. Quedando en una posición que pudiera ser un poco incómoda para ellos. Aunque, de alguna manera, a Thor no le incomodaba tanto.
Loki suelta todo. En un segundo pensó que se caería. No podía asimilar que no había caído, ni donde estaba hasta que alzó la mirada y vio a Thor cerca de él, rodeándolo con sus fuertes brazos y viéndolo a los ojos con sus zafiros profundos. Luego vio alrededor suyo todas las cosas desparramadas de las bolsas.
- ¿Estás bien? –dice Thor viéndolo con preocupación, ya que no sabía si lo había lastimado.
- Ah… -al momento no pudo articular palabra. Aún no asimilaba todo por completo- Si… estoy bien… -se le queda viendo fijamente a los ojos, sin sentir que un leve rubor se apoderaba nuevamente de sus mejillas. No podía enderezarse. O bueno, aún no se le había ocurrido.
- Pensé que te había hecho daño… -dice el rubio haciendo una pequeña sonrisa de pena y sonrojándose un poco también.
- No, estoy bien…
Thor comienza a quedarse hipnotizado por los hermosos ojos verdes del moreno, que a tan cercana distancia aumentaban su encanto. Loki, por su parte, no reaccionaba en absoluto. Y veía claramente que Thor lo miraba a los ojos. De cerca se veían tan profundos y claros. De tonalidades tan bellas como el cielo, o el mar. No podía decirlo, ni determinarlo. Era indefinible. Se queda embelesado observando fijamente aquellos ojos azules tan únicos, queriendo adentrarse más. Perderse en aquellos océanos. Ahogarse en ellos.
En un instante que ninguno de los dos pudo determinar, comenzaron a acercarse mutuamente, hasta quedar a unos milímetros solamente. Casi un roce. Y de pronto, al moreno se le hizo familiar la escena. Comprendió todo como un flash. Así que se endereza un poco y finalmente se pone de pie decentemente. ¿Qué momento tan raro había sido ese? ¿Qué demonios había estado a punto de ocurrir… otra vez? ¿Y por qué su corazón estaba latiendo tan fuerte? La adrenalina. Sí, eso era. El haber casi caído lo había hecho sentir así… _mentira._
Thor sacude levemente la cabeza como si recobrara el conocimiento. Y dice:
- Voy a… recoger las cosas…
Se agacha y comienza a recoger las bolsas de las botanas y todo lo demás, justo como lo había dicho.
- Claro… deberías poner bien tu mochila también, animal… -dice Loki un poco molesto por haber tropezado, y recogiendo parte de las cosas. Si, era por eso.
- Si… lo siento. Disculpa. –contesta bajando la mirada, ya que por su culpa Loki había estado a punto de lastimarse, de nuevo. El ya no quería lastimarlo. Sino protegerlo.
- Si… yo lo sentí más… -contesta con ironía en sus palabras, mientras seguía recogiendo las cosas. Estaba molesto. Pero estaba aún más nervioso. No tenía por qué haberse quedado tanto tiempo entre los brazos de Thor. Ni por qué haber quedado viendo sus estúpidos ojos azules, ni quedarse sin palabras cuando le preguntó cómo estaba. Por eso había activado su "mecanismo de defensa". La hostilidad lo protegía de alguna forma. No podía darse el lujo de hacer ese tipo de cosas.
Thor siente las palabras de Loki de cierta manera hirientes. No quería que se enojara con él. Él estaba muy contento viéndolo sonreír hasta que por un descuido y no acomodar su mochila en su lugar había pasado eso. De un momento a otro todo eso había empezado a importarle mucho. En otro tiempo, un poco antes, le hubiera dado igual si el moreno se enojaba con él o no. Ahora todo era distinto.
Loki termina de recoger las cosas y ve a Thor seriamente.
- ¿Vamos a ver la película o te vas a quedar ahí parado como idiota?
Thor baja la mirada aún más, ya que estaba a punto de… ¿llorar? ¿Pero por qué iba a hacerlo? No lo comprendía, así que tratando sonar lo más normal posible dice:
- Ah, este… no. Recordé que me tengo que… duchar y… estudiar bioquímica… Será en otra ocasión… -termina diciendo y dándose la vuelta rápidamente para evitar que el moreno viera la primera lágrima que resbalaba por su mejilla. Thor comienza a caminar hacia el baño.
- Como quieras… -dice el moreno observando el extraño comportamiento del rubio hasta llegar a la puerta y encerrarse en el baño.- Si decides ver la película… no me voy a ir... –termina de decir antes de ir hacia su escritorio y empezar a acomodar las cosas que habían traído. Luego irse a su cama y recostarse.
Thor se ve al espejo y se limpia los ojos. Ahora sí que estaba confundido. ¿Por qué se comportaba de esa forma? Él no era así. Todo eso estaba cambiándolo mucho. Y no lograba comprender nada.
Loki seguía recostado en su cama tratando de comprender que era lo que había pasado, y peor aún, por qué maldita sea no dejaba de sentir su corazón querer salir de su pecho, y su mente era invadida por los ojos azules de Thor. Y por qué comenzó a sentir el cálido tacto fantasmal de aquel beso que hubieran compartido esa vez, aquella tarde que parecía ya tan lejana. Se negaba a aceptar los hechos, aún aunque el mismo ya sabía qué le ocurría.
Thor se duchó, despejando su mente, sabía que los siguientes días serían, sino algo incómodos, pero si extraños. Loki se había quedado dormido de tanto pensar, ya que Thor se había tardado bastante.
Thor sale del baño y al ver a Loki se queda observándolo, sin sentir que estaba esbozando una pequeña sonrisa. Apaga la computadora, que había quedado encendida, luego las luces, y se acuesta a dormir.
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><p>Había transcurrido un poco más de dos semanas, y los exámenes finales estaban, ahora sí, a la vuelta de la esquina. Thor y Loki habían seguido interactuando de manera casi normal, sólo que un poco más superficial y secamente, para evitar cualquier tipo de malentendido y situaciones incómodas y extrañas que pudieran presentarse. Aun así, Loki no dejaba de fastidiar a Thor, y este tampoco claudicaba en su esfuerzo porque el otro pusiera algo más de empeño en sus estudios, con lo cual no le estaba yendo tan mal. El que casi ya no tuvieran interacciones agresivas o roces de personalidad era ayudado porque últimamente el ojiazul salía mucho, y no precisamente con Sif. Ya que esta de vez en vez iba a preguntar por él mientras éste estaba fuera. Lo que al moreno francamente no le interesaba, o al menos así parecía. Lo que hiciera el rubio era asunto suyo y nada más.<p>
- Loki, en serio, deberías estudiar algo de cálculo. Los exámenes son muy pronto y no has mejorado mucho.
- ¿Quieres dejar de molestarme con eso de una buena vez? Lo tengo todo bajo control, no pasa nada rubio. Además no he faltado a ninguna clase últimamente, deberías felicitarme.
- El que asistas a tus clases no quiere decir que pongas atención en ellas. Tengo un reporte del Dr. Connors, y dice que estabas durmiendo a mitad de su clase. ¿Es que no descansas lo suficiente? Yo siempre te veo holgazaneando Loki.
- Ahh… no sé. Ese hombre tiene un "no sé qué" que hace su clase un verdadero martirio.
- ¿Será que no te gusta poner atención? –apunta el rubio dándose la vuelta en su silla giratoria para poder ver bien al moreno, que estaba sentado en su cama.
- Oh, por Dios. ¿Será porque son demasiados números y letras juntos mientras un idiota habla y habla sin parar sobre cómo hacer para que todas esas cosas arrojen un resultado que no ocuparás en tu vida? –se pone de pie para estirarse un poco, mientras le devuelve la mirada cargada de sorna.
- Pues si pusieras atención, sabrías algo y no te costaría mucho trabajo entenderlo –dice un poco agobiado, ya no sabía qué hacer con el ojiverde.
- No lo voy a necesitar, así que… no me importa –termina de enderezarse y le sonríe burlonamente.
- Ahhhh… -suspira cansadamente mientras se masajea las sienes- en serio que no puedo contigo.
- Nunca podrás… ríndete –dice poniendo sus manos a lado de sus caderas en forma orgullosa mientras ríe tontamente, obviamente para divertir al rubio. No, espera. ¿Qué?
Este ríe al ver la posición del otro:
- Te ves muy gracioso –ríe levemente- Eres tan pequeño.
- Cállate imbécil… -dice intercambiando su pose a brazos cruzados y ceño fruncido. Qué vergüenza.
- Hehehe… te veías lindo… -dice Thor viéndolo y reaccionando casi al instante. _"¿Lindo? Oh, diablos Thor. ¿No se te ocurrió otra cosa?" _Sabía que esa palabra le costaría algo.
- Lindo… -enarca una ceja despreciativamente- Vete al infierno –agrega, llenando las expectativas del rubio.
- Bueno, lindo… como un geiser.
- Púdrete.
- Pues sí. De lejos se ven lindos mientras sacan agua, pero si te acercas el agua te quema… -dice tratando de dar una explicación, que aunque él sabía que era estúpida, prefería hacerla a dejarlo así.
- … -Loki siguió mirándolo con el ceño fruncido en la misma posición y de repente estalló en carcajadas. El comentario de Thor se le había figurado de lo más tonto, y fue imposible aguantar las ganas de reír.
Thor esboza una sonrisa. Había conseguido cambiar el significado de sus palabras, aunque lo había hecho de una forma estúpida.
- ¡Ah!…. Thor… ¡eres….! Hahahaha…. ¡Eres un idiota! –sigue riendo sin control.
- Tonto… -responde Thor, ligeramente fastidiado por la risa excesiva del otro en su contra.
- Es que… -ríe intermitentemente- ¿¡Cómo se te ocurrió!? ¡Un geiser! ¿En serio? –el pálido chico empieza a tomar una coloración rosada en sus mejillas bastante notable por tanto reír.
- Bueno… el geiser es algo lindo… -dice Thor, para luego reaccionar nuevamente- pero peligroso, porque no sabes cuándo va a hacer erupción.
El moreno quería contestar, pero la risa no cesaba, así que fue imposible agregar algo coherente.
- Ya… ¡Ya Thor! –exclama mientras exhalaba aire fuertemente para calmar la risa, consiguiéndolo poco a poco- Deja de hacerme reír. –dice cerrando los ojos, aún con una gran sonrisa en el rostro y limpiando una lágrima que había escapado por tanta diversión.
- Bueno… ya no digo nada –apunta el rubio.
- Hahaha… ¡ahhh! Bueno, entonces… ¿Cómo un geiser?
De cierta forma le había gustado ver reír a Loki, ya que había sido una risa de diversión, y no era una de esas risas cínicas o sarcásticas que por lo general compartía con él. Este se le queda mirando fijamente aún con la sonrisa dibujada en su rostro, mientras empezaba a sentir un sutil cosquilleo en su estómago salido de no sé dónde. El cual atribuyó a que hace unos momentos había reído demasiado. El rubio le devuelve la mirada, pero con esa gran sonrisa que le encantaba regalar a los demás y que lograba hacer sentir bien a cualquiera que lo hubiera pasado mal. Nunca pensó que llegaría a hacer eso con Loki, pero ahora lo hacía y se sentía muy bien por ello.
El ojiverde baja la mirada un poco y sacude la cabeza, y vuelve a mirarlo para ver que aún tenía esa sonrisa. ¿Por qué lo hacía? ¿No se supone que lo odiaba? Él siempre era malo con el rubio. Y se supone que estaba tratando de evitar tener demasiada interacción con él. Sin importar esto, pronto se encontró regalándole al ojiazul una sonrisa similar.
- Aaammm… bueno –dice Thor para romper aquel extraño momento-. Voy a seguir haciendo mis tareas –se voltea hacia sus libretas, aunque en sus mejillas se asomaba un ligero tono rosado.
- Ah… claro. Sí. Este… yo igual –dice borrando su sonrisa y bajando la mirada levemente, mientras se metía las manos a los bolsillos nerviosamente para sacarlos enseguida, y verlo- Tengo un proyecto de Literatura que hacer.
- Ah, ¿y sí lo vas a hacer, o sólo me informas que no lo harás? –cuestiona Thor volteando a verlo.
- Animal, dijiste que ibas a hacer tarea. Yo te contesté que yo igual. ¿Es muy difícil de entender? –agrega sarcásticamente, recobrando su actitud original. Luego da un suspiro de resignación- Sí, Thor. Voy a hacer mi tarea –sonríe desdeñosamente.
- ¿Quieres que te ayude en algo? –pregunta Thor aun observándolo.
- Si pudieras hacerla tú sería excelente. Pero… no lo harás. Así que no. Por ahora no –contesta con naturalidad.
- Bueno, si necesitas ayuda dime. Que para eso soy tu tutor –responde el rubio regresando la mirada a su trabajo.
- Claro…
Loki se da la media vuelta y comienza a sacar de un cajón de su escritorio las cosas necesarias para hacer su tarea. Pasó un buen rato para que empezara a aburrirse y desquiciarse, empezando a golpetear sus dedos nerviosamente contra el escritorio, mordisquear su lápiz y estirar y bostezar.
Thor para ese entonces ya había terminado todos sus asuntos pendientes y estaba checando unos apuntes pasados. Al escuchar los ruidos que hacía el pelinegro le dice sin voltear.
- ¿Ya te fastidiaste?
- ¿Cómo lo adivinaste? –responde también sin voltear, tirándose al escritorio, recargando su mejilla derecha en la superficie de la libreta en la que ya había una gran parte del trabajo hecho.
- ¿Qué es lo que te falta?
- Un desenlace.
- Ah, ¿y de que tema es?
- El cuento… tema libre.
- Es muy fácil.
- Lo sé. Por eso me frustra. No sé cómo terminarlo.
- Ah, ya veo… -se levanta de su asiento y se aproxima a él. Toma el trabajo de Loki y vuelve a su escritorio. Loki se endereza y da la vuelta en su silla giratoria, expectante a lo que Thor fuera a decirle. Este lee todo. Parecía un buen trabajo, aunque con unos ligeros errores de redacción.
- Tu trabajo está bien.
- Sí, eso ya lo sé –dice seriamente y rodando los ojos- el problema es que no sé cómo acabarlo.
Thor comienza a redactar un desenlace, ya que el moreno no quería terminarlo. Una vez teniendo el trabajo terminado se lo entrega. Loki toma el trabajo y empieza a leerlo. No tenía en mente ese tipo de final feliz, él hubiera preferido uno trágico. Pero había evitado hacerlo él, y estaba bien hecho. Nadie notaría que él no lo había terminado.
- ¡Bien! –se da la media vuelta, evitando darle las gracias. No porque le doliera el orgullo o algo por el estilo. Simplemente no le apetecía hacerlo.
- No hay de qué –exclama Thor y se dirige a su escritorio.
- ¡Ah! Gracias, rubio. –dice sin ganas- Además es tu trabajo, ¿no? Lo haces muy bien –termina burlonamente.
- Mi trabajo es ayudarte en lo que lo que no entiendas, pero dado el caso que ya estás fastidiado me das lástima.
El moreno hace una mueca de fastidio y se vuelve hacia su escritorio. Thor comienza a hacer algunas cosas en el suyo, no tenía ganas de hablar con el ojiverde en ese momento, estaba muy entretenido. Loki, por su parte, empieza a guardar sus cosas en su cajón. Se tumba en su cama y toma un libro que sacó de su librero. Contra de todo lo que dijeran de él, no era nada inculto ni ignorante. Sólo le molestaba la rutina y que le dieran órdenes.
Después de un rato corto el rubio recibió una llamada a la que, francamente, Loki no prestó atención. Luego el rubio se metió al baño a ducharse rápidamente. Estaba inmerso en su lectura, como pocas veces le sucedía, cuando tocaron a la puerta. De mala gana el pelinegro se puso de pie y se dirigió a la puerta para abrirla, encontrándose con una chica de cabello castaño, ojos grandes y expresivos, piel clara y una gran sonrisa. Era realmente muy linda, pero justo antes de que pudiera ser agradable con ella y, quizá, tratar de conquistarla, pronunció una serie de palabras que cambiarían todo su panorama:
- Ah, hola. Tú debes ser Loki, mucho gusto. Disculpa, ¿se encuentra Thor?
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><p>HAHAH! Si! Así es... una rival de verdad para Loki xD hahaha. Las dejo~<p>
22. Capítulo 22
**Hola!**
**Y...** lo siento mucho.
Sé que me atrasé un día entero xD pero sucede que pasé unos días en casa de **Sempai** y... de repente se cortó el internet definitivamente. Así que,... si tenían esperanzas de verla por aquí, se acabó todo. Y además como hoy regresé a mi casa apenas pude tener contacto con tecnología.
En fin... fue una semana un poco agotadora y a la vez aburrida y nada enriquecedora. Así que no hay nada que agregar.
Gracias a **Guest, JustASecret, Kaori Lawliet, Mishima Yukio y uchihagumi** por sus reviews y opiniones! Claro que todas se toman siempre en cuenta, y pronto tendrán lo que tanto desean! xD se los prometo. Sólo espero que no las decepcione... mucho.
Bien... les dejo con el capítulo 22, cuídense mucho.
May the Thorki be with you!
Besos! (-3-)/
**Higurashi Out!**
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><p>Loki frunce el ceño ante la pregunta de la chica, y la observa de arriba abajo detenida y seriamente. Ahora que lo pensaba, jamás en toda su estancia en el instituto la había visto. Luego la mira a los ojos y le pregunta secamente.<p>
- ¿Quién eres tú?
No dio tiempo a la chica de responderle, y después de dedicarle otra mirada de desprecio, el moreno voltea el rostro como buscando a Thor, quien sale del baño ya cambiado y arreglado, y al ver a la chica sonríe y la saluda, aproximándose a ella.
- Ah, hola Jane. Espera, en un momento salgo –se da la vuelta y empieza a guardar sus cosas en su maleta.
- ¿Jane? –repite el pelinegro, ahora mezclando en su expresión algo de confusión. Pregunta instantáneamente sin siquiera pensarlo- ¿Quién es ella, Thor?
- Mi tutorada. –responde el rubio con toda tranquilidad.
- ¿Tutorada? –repite incrédulo y con desprecio, sin importarle siquiera un poco que la chica estuviera justo enfrente de él- Pero tú ya tienes que lidiar conmigo, y se acerca la temporada de exámenes. ¿Podrás con… -la mira de pies a cabeza nuevamente y continúa.-…Ella?
Thor voltea a verlo y lo mira directamente a los ojos.
- Si podré, porque la diferencia entre ella y tú es que ella sí quiere aprobar el semestre.
- Oh, ya veo… otra nerd –sostiene la mirada y luego observa a Jane por el rabillo del ojo-. Bienvenida a "_Librolandia_"… Jane… Pásatela lindo -regresa su mirada a Thor.
- Jane, espera un momento por favor –cierra la puerta y se dirige nuevamente a Loki- ¿Desde cuándo te interesa que tenga otro tutorado? Si mal no recuerdo, lo mejor para ti es estar solo en la habitación.
- ¿Interesarme a mí? ¡HA! Haz lo que te venga en gana, rubio –dice dibujando en su rostro una media sonrisa burlona-. Mientras no se le ocurra volver a venir a perturbar mi tranquilidad, como en esta ocasión, puedes hacer de tu vida un papalote.
- Aun así, tú vendrás con nosotros. Recuerda que tienes un examen de Cálculo y de Fundamentos de Química. Así que toma tus cosas y vámonos, Loki –sentencia haciendo una mueca de "_por primera vez has lo que se te dice y no lleves la contra_".
- ¿En verdad esperas que haga eso? –responde descifrando la mirada y queriendo hacerlo rabiar- No pareciera que llevas cerca de 2 meses y medio acá… -se sienta en la cama del rubio, que era la más cercana.
- Vamos Loki, te lo pido como un favor –dice Thor dando un suspiro cansado. No quería pelear, de verdad.
El ojiverde permanece sentado sin cambiar su expresión ni dejar de verlo. Luego da un suspiro de resignación y se aproxima a su escritorio, para sacar las libretas correspondientes, lapicero y otras herramientas necesarias para _"estudiar"_ y meterlas a su maleta.
- Si con eso evito que me lleves a rastras, lo que quieras.
Thor esboza una sonrisa esplendorosa que el otro responde rodando los ojos y luego salen de la habitación, donde los esperaba la chica recargada en la pared esperando pacientemente.
Los tres se dirigen a la biblioteca, ya que ese era el lugar donde el rubio se sentía más a gusto, aparte era el mejor cuando se trataba de dar tutorías.
El pelinegro transcurrió todo el fatídico viaje en silencio, sin exagerar con la expresión. Y es que trataba con todas sus fuerzas de no escuchar la estúpida y trivial plática que Thor sostenía con esa tal Jane, que por cierto, lo miraba con ojos de adoración. Era OBVIO que ella no necesitaba ningún tipo de ayuda, por supuesto. Seguramente, ella solamente había buscado a Thor para tener una excusa para poder hablarle. ¿Qué le había visto al rubio? Quién sabe, pero ahí estaba. Lo que, extrañamente, le irritaba al extremo. Bueno, no era tan extraño. Desde siempre había odiado a las personas arrastradas y aduladoras, que se pisoteaban a sí mismas para poder agradar. Y era más que evidente que había tenido que lidiar ya un par de veces con gente así, y siempre terminaba haciéndolas quedar en ridículo y llorando. Se lo merecían. Y si esa mujer seguía así, no sería la excepción. Sí, eso era.
Thor, por su parte, hablaba con Jane muy agradablemente, ya que le caía muy bien. Además, no estaba nada mal. Así que cualquier cosa que no entendía, él se esmeraba mucho en ayudarla.
Unos momentos más, que a Loki se le hicieron eternos, y llegaron a su destino. Ellos dos seguían hablando y hablando, así que, en un gesto de irritación extrema, el moreno los mira fulminantemente para decir:
- Guarden silencio en la jodida biblioteca. Luego podrán hablar de sus estupideces…
El rubio lo voltea a ver con una mirada de extrañeza, ya que no sabía cuál era el motivo del mal humor del otro. Aunque después se le vino a la mente que debía ser porque iba a estudiar, y eso era algo que odiaba sobremanera. Así que le sonríe a Jane como diciéndole "_no le hagas caso. _
Entran a la biblioteca y toman asiento en una de las mesas de esta, que se encontraba cerca de una esquina y un poco retirada de la salida. Thor comienza a sacar sus cosas, y seguido de esto le pregunta a Jane primero.
- ¿Qué viene en tu examen?
- Pues, lo que más me preocupa es toda la primera unidad de física, empezando con vectores… -contesta la chica mientras también colocaba sus cosas en la mesa.
- Ah, ya veo. No es un tema muy difícil, así que no nos tardaremos demasiado con eso –le sonríe amablemente.
- Claro, no te preocupes, Tú sabes que soy un poco mala en estas cosas, así que si te desespero, discúlpame –responde la chica sonriéndole de vuelta, mientras Loki entorna los ojos ante la escena tan incómoda.
- ¿Y tú Loki, qué viene en tu examen? –el rubio voltea a verlo.
- ¿En cuál de los dos?
- Empezaremos con lo fácil, así que sería química. ¿Te parece? –consulta de forma tranquila, ya que no quería exasperarse ni comenzar una pelea con él.
- Claro. Como gustes… -contesta mientras, de mala gana, busca en su mochila los apuntes correspondientes. Luego de encontrarlos y buscar la página necesaria con toda la calma del mundo, continúa de la misma manera utilizada anteriormente- Electronegatividad.
- Okay, voy a ir por los libros. Ahora vuelvo –dice Thor poniéndose de pie y dirigiéndose a las estanterías en busca de los libros que ya sabía dónde se encontraban, ya que en varias ocasiones los había necesitado.
Loki apoya su brazo en la mesa y sobre este coloca su mentón, mientras mira al lado contrario a donde había ido el estúpido rubio, y evitando el contacto de cualquier tipo que fuere con la chica que tenía justo enfrente.
Jane estaba checando los apuntes de su libreta, ya que había unas cosas que de verdad no entendía, y no quería desesperar a Thor, porque en serio le agradaba mucho.
En un gesto desesperado –pues realmente no es una persona muy paciente–, y sin darse cuenta de ello al instante, el pelinegro empieza a mover sus dedos de manera nerviosa, golpeteando insistentemente con la punta de estos la superficie de madera bajo de ellos. La castaña alza la mirada al escuchar el sonido que provocaba la mano del ojiverde, así que sólo sonríe de lado y vuelve a lo suyo, sin tomarle mucha importancia.
- Estúpido… -dice en un susurro, sin moverse un solo milímetro ni dejar de hacer lo propio.
- Disculpa, ¿dijiste algo? –pregunta Jane, que escuchó lo dicho por el otro.
- No, –responde este secamente y sin voltear a verla, agregando después- y aunque hubiera dicho algo, no es de tu incumbencia.
- Ah, ok. Disculpa –lo mira Jane confundida. Ya sabía que Loki tenía fama de fastidioso cuando se lo proponía, así que no le dio importancia.
- Sólo no me hables… -finaliza irritado y voltea a verla, esta vez con cara acorde a la emoción.
En otras circunstancias le hubiera agradado. De hecho, hasta habría intentado ligársela, pues la castaña no era nada fea. Pero, al haberla conocido de esa manera, todo el interés que pudo haber despertado en él por ella se había convertido en un desprecio equivalente.
Jane lo ve divertida por las palabras utilizadas, ya que ella no era de un carácter típico de las mujeres. Por lo mismo, prosigue con lo suyo, ignorando al moreno que evidentemente estaba muy irritado. Este trata de no fijarse en la estúpida sonrisa que la muchacha había dibujado en su rostro, pues después lo había ignorado, y eso era exactamente lo que quería. Seguía haciendo ruido con sus dedos, esperando que al cabeza hueca de Thor se le diera la gana regresar.
- Aquí están los libros –dice Thor poniendo como ocho enciclopedias en la mesa- ¿Con quién empiezo? –añade con una sonrisa.
Loki voltea a ver al enérgico rubio, respondiendo su sonrisa con una mirada fulminante y un gruñido, volteando otra vez y adoptando su golpeteo nuevamente.
- Aaah… creo que empezaré contigo Jane –puntualiza el rubio al ver la reacción del moreno.
- Claro Thor –responde con una sonrisa y abre su libreta en la página blanca que iba a utilizar para hacer sus anotaciones.
- Empecemos. Los vectores son componentes… -comienza a explicar Thor a la chica alegremente, con una sonrisa en su rostro y acercándose un poco más a ella para que viera mejor el libro que sostenía en las manos.
Jane asentía cada vez que el rubio le preguntaba si entendía, a la vez que hacía preguntas cuando no alcanzaba a hilar una idea. Todo esto Loki lo tuvo que soportar pacientemente, ya que no estaba permitido escuchar música en aquel recinto. Y no era que eso le supusiera un problema, sino que además se había olvidado el móvil en su mesa de noche, convenientemente.
- Bueno, te voy a poner estos ejercicios –dice el rubio mientras tomaba la libreta de la castaña y escribía lo pertinente- Los resuelves y vemos si ya tienes la idea ¿ok? –agrega Thor viéndola fijamente con sus ojos azules y una sonrisa boba.
En cierta manera –o en muchas maneras– le gustaba estar con Jane, ya que aparte de ser buena alumna era amable y muy linda, para él. Jane recibe la libreta entusiasta, mientras que le devolvía la mirada con un leve rubor. El ojiazul amplía su sonrisa y le indica que comience.
Loki trataba de ignorarlos. En serio que lo intentaba arduamente. Pero esos dos eran unos verdaderos idiotas, que estaban aprovechando la ocasión para coquetear y ver si conseguían algo. Le irritaba. Y mucho. No pudo evitar emitir un gruñido cuando se quedaron mirando como unos tontos, el cual interrumpió la atmósfera que se formaba.
- C-claro. Claro Thor –Jane toma su lápiz y empieza, tratando de resolver los ejercicios impuestos por su tutor voluntario.
_"Claro Thor", "Si Thor", "Te amo Thor, mi habitación es la #67, puedes venir en la noche y tomarme cuando quieras"_ eran los pensamientos que de repente abrumaban la cabeza del pelinegro, mientras pensaba también en lo idiota e ingenuo que era el rubio, y lo arrastrada y zorra que era la castaña.
Thor se vuelve hacia Loki para hablar ahora con él.
- A ver, la electronegatividad es muy sencilla, así que no nos llevaremos mucho tiempo con ella.
- ¿Ajá? –el ojiverde voltea también a verlo, enderezándose molesto, mientras fingía no haber escuchado lo que el rubio le había dicho.
- Mira, en sí, la electronegatividad viene siendo… -comienza Thor su explicación, mientras señalaba unas cosas en el libro que ya había abierto y que tenía enfrente.
- Ajá…
Loki fingía poner atención, ya que ese tema era de los únicos que se sabía muy bien y de memoria. Sólo era que no quería seguir escuchando pláticas estúpidas, por eso no había dicho nada.
Después de unos momentos Thor termina de explicarle a Loki todo lo referente al tema.
- ¿Alguna duda o pregunta que tengas?
- No… todo está claro ahora. Gracias a tus súper habilidades de explicación no he tenido que esforzarme para entender todo lo que me has dicho. Gracias Thor –dice Loki empleando su muy bien trabajado sarcasmo.
Thor da un suspiro cansado y a la vez de alivio, ya que tan siquiera el ojiverde había entendido su explicación, o al menos eso parecía.
- Dame tu libreta, te pondré unos ejercicios.
El pelinegro sólo la acerca un poco para ponerla al alcance del rubio. No se molestó en dejarla en la página que iba a utilizar. No siquiera en abrirla. Sólo se volteó, fingiendo investigar el lugar con la mirada.
El ojiazul abre la libreta un poco sorprendido al hojearla, ya que tenía sólo títulos y muy pocos apuntes.
- ¿Sucede algo? -pregunta al volverse y apreciar la expresión del rubio, que demostraba perfectamente su sorpresa.
- Ah… nada. Sólo que tienes muy pocos apuntes… -responde Thor viendo los escasos títulos escritos en la libreta, acompañado de garabatos y dibujos –algunos ofensivos al profesor- y luego alzando la mirada hacia él un poco molesto.
- Ah, eso. Sí… no me gusta tomar dictados ni copiar,… -dice sin ningún problema- prefiero aprovechar las veces que voy a clases para poner atención y aprenderme las cosas… como la electronegatividad –dice con una sonrisa, con el único propósito de molestar al rubio.
El rubio levanta la mirada confundido ante las palabras pronunciadas por Loki.
- ¿Cómo dices?
- Que prefiero memorizar las cosas en vez de apuntarlas… -dice con la misma sonrisa.
- Entonces ya sabes de la electronegatividad, ¿no? Bueno, entonces parece que ya terminé contigo, te puedes ir Loki. Me imagino que en cálculo también estás al corriente –responde Thor cerrando la libreta del pelinegro y tratando de no molestarse tanto por las tonterías de este.
- Claro animal. No es como si necesitara de tu ayuda. Gracias, por liberarme de este maldito suplicio –dice mientras alcanza su libreta para meterla en su mochila, ya que esto era lo único que había sacado.
- No hay de qué, Loki –dice el rubio de cierta manera desmotivado. Por un momento pensó que había ayudado al moreno. Sus palabras lo hicieron sentir mal.
El ojiverde termina de guardar sus cosas y sella el cierre de su maleta de una, y se pone de pie.
- Que tengan una buena sesión de estudios –sale lo más rápido posible y que sus piernas le permiten, no sin antes voltear a ver por última vez la cara de Thor, que aún conservaba.
- Hasta luego Loki –dice Thor dando un suspiro después de irse, viéndolo.
Jane, que en ese momento había terminado de hacer sus ejercicios y había alzado la mirada, se queda atónita con la escena.
- Emmm… ¿Thor? –lo llama para tratar desviar la atención del moreno que acababa de abandonar la sala.
- Dime Jane –responde tratando de despejar su mente.
- ¿E-está bien así? –cuestiona acercándole la libreta.
- Sí, sólo que es molesto tratar de ayudar a alguien que es tan fastidioso. En cierta manera siento lástima por él, pero eso es todo –contesta con una sonrisa serena.
- Sí, tú no te preocupes… debe ser que no está acostumbrado a este tipo de cosas, y por eso se pone así –trata de alentarlo devolviendo la sonrisa, y luego agregando-. Pero,… yo me refería a los ejercicios.
- Ah… -ríe el rubio levemente- Vamos a ver.
Empieza a revisar los ejercicios de Jane, que un par de cosas aún las tenía erróneas, otras tantas bien.
- Mira, aquí te faltó… -comienza a corregirle, y explicarle los ejercicios a la castaña.
Esta ponía suma atención a todo lo que Thor le decía, en absoluto, para seguir corrigiéndose. Mientras tanto, Loki ya estaba subiendo las escaleras que conducían a su habitación, mientras golpeaba las paredes fúricamente.
- Thor… -dice Jane un poco tímida aún, pero decidida- Después de estudiar, no sé si quisieras ir a tomar un café conmigo…
El aludido se sorprende un poco ante la propuesta, ya que de Jane en serio no lo esperaba. Lo piensa un poco, ya que tenía que hacer unas cosas de tarea, pero todo eso lo haría en la habitación, y sinceramente no le apetecía, ya que de seguro Loki estaría ahí. Responde sonrojándose levemente.
- Claro.
- ¡Genial! –responde la chica muy emocionada- entonces entre más rápido terminemos, más tiempo tendremos para caminar, ¿no?
- Sí, hay que apurarnos –responde el rubio viéndola alegremente. Esto ocasionó que Thor se olvidara por unos momentos del pelinegro, ya que, según él, tenía tiempo que no salía con alguien de esa forma. Y si ese alguien ahora era Jane, era mejor.
23. Capítulo 23
**Buenas tardes/noches :)**
Vengo el día de hoy a pedir una disculpa y a dar explicaciones. Me atrasé dos semanas y no daba señales de vida por ningún lado. No pretendo poner excusas, pero sucede que sucedió aquello que me tenía,... y eso era quedarme sin luz xD así que... lo único que podía hacer era entrar aquí por el móvil... y no saben cómo odio que no se pueda publicar desde allí. O aunque fuera contestar los reviews!
Además de todo tuve una semana algo difícil en cuanto a mi vida privada... y me mantuve viendo **Sherlock **en casa de mis abuelos... donde no hay internet xD y comencé también **Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. **-Dios bendiga las descargas directas con meses de almacenamiento-.
En fin... me gustaría traerles los capítulos que les debo, pero además de todo ya casi llego al tope de lo que está editado, y a pesar de tener la idea de lo que sigue, no encuentro la forma de cómo escribirlo. Así que... si me llego a atrasar un poquitín más, es mi culpa. Pueden quemarme y/o apedrearme si así lo desean.
En fin... me queda solamente agradecer a los chicos que se pasan por aquí, como **JustASecret, Mishima Yukio, Suffere, Kaori Lawliet y Guest **(que, respondiendo a tu pregunta, no. No es como un yaoi. ES UN YAOI xD o Slash, o como prefieras llamarle :3) y prometo también contestar los reviews, que no he tenido tiempo.
Bueeeno... sin más me despido. Y discúlpennos mucho si algo no les gusta, o si piensan que algo es una porquería.
Los quiero a todos :) y... sólo porque tengo que decirlo: hoy es mi cumpleaños xD hahaha.
Cuídense, y que el Thorki siempre los acompañe :)
**Higurashi Out!**
* * *
><p>En un rato más lo chicos estaban guardando también sus cosas en sus respectivas maletas. Luego se ponen de pie y sale tranquilamente de la biblioteca mientras nuevamente hablaban de trivialidades que agradaban a ambos.<p>
Thor se dirige junto con Jane a un lugar donde se comía muy bien y que frecuentaba mucho –y que claramente no era el restaurante italiano con el que una vez fuera con Loki-.
Después de hacer los pedidos, que se los entregaran y haber platicado otro tanto, muy entretenidos, la chica exclama un tanto decepcionada y apenada.
- Ay, no… rayos…
- ¿Qué sucede? –responde Thor interesado.
La castaña se pone la mochila sobre las piernas y sigue buscando insistentemente, sin ningún resultado positivo.
- Te invité a tomar algo y olvidé mi cartera –lo ve, demostrando su preocupación.
- Ah, no te preocupes. De todas maneras yo iba a pagar todo –aclara el rubio con una gran sonrisa.
- ¡Awww Thor! –se sonroja visiblemente- discúlpame de verdad. No sé cómo pudo habérseme olvidado… eres un ángel –le sonríe.
- No te preocupes Jane –dice viéndola directamente a los ojos, con una sonrisa dulce igualmente dibujada en su rostro.
- Bueno… pero para la próxima invito yo, ¿sí? –cuestiona con la misma expresión, mientras se atrevía a invitarle nuevamente de aquella manera.
- Acepto la invitación, pero yo pago.
- Hummm… -lo mira fingiendo reproche, pero luego le sonríe otra vez y responde- Está bien. Pero tiene que haber otra vez, ¿ok? No aceptaré un _"n_o" por respuesta cuando se me antoje un café, ¿eh?
- No veo por qué me negaría –responde Thor con cierto coqueteo que él no notaba.
- Bueno… -Jane sonríe tímidamente y con un leve rubor expandiéndose por sus mejillas. Intenta decir- Thor…
- Dime Jane –contesta el rubio, mirándola también tierna y apaciblemente.
- Pues… -baja la mirada ligeramente- No sé cómo reacciones ante esto, pero hace algún tiempo ya que quiero decirte algo…
- ¿Ah sí? ¿Y qué es?
- Pues… verás –Inspira aire fuerte y profundamente, y continúa-. Thor, yo…
De repente, el sonido de su voz fue reemplazado por el tono de llamada del celular propio. Suspira frustrada.
- Contesta, yo no me iré –afirma el ojiazul con una sonrisa.
- Claro, permíteme un momento…
La chica contesta su móvil y comienza una conversación con la persona que estaba del otro lado de la bocina, quien era una amiga suya y compañera de clases. Después de un poco rato por fin cuelga, y con toda la resignación del mundo le dice al rubio en un suspiro.
- Lo siento Thor. Surgió un imprevisto…
- ¿Qué pasa? ¿Algo malo? –cuestiona el ojiazul preocupado.
- No, no. Nada grave, por suerte. Es un pendiente de un laboratorio, que había olvidado completamente –informa tratando de restarle importancia al asunto- Pero, es urgente terminarlo hoy.
- ¿Te puedo ayudar en algo? –pregunta Thor, tratando de ser útil.
- No te preocupes Thor, no es nada del otro mundo –sonríe agradecida- Gracias.
- Bueno. Entonces nos vemos, ¿vale? Si tienes mi número de teléfono, ¿verdad?
- Claro que sí. Te llamaré cuando pueda. ¿Tú tienes el mío, verdad?
- Sí, sí lo tengo. Bueno, entonces vamos, para que no se desesperen tus compañeros.
- Claro, vamos –se pone de pie y coloca su mochila al hombro, mientras el rubio llama al mesero para pedir la cuenta.
Ambos salen de regreso al instituto en poco tiempo. Igualmente, y como antes, iban platicando de cosas suyas, y riendo plácidamente.
A la entrada los compañeros de Jane esperaban, y la apuraban para que llegara más pronto. En especial una chica de estatura un poco más baja a lo normal, piel blanca, cabello negro y rizado, que le hacía señas un poco indiscretas acerca del rubio.
- Bueno Thor, será mejor despedirnos de una vez, porque una vez que llegue allá desapareceré para el mundo –ríe levemente.
El aludido ríe de igual forma y le da un beso de despedida en la mejilla.
- ¿Nos veremos luego, no?
- Claro Thor –sonríe y se sonroja un poco por la acción del otro- ¡Nos vemos! –se da la vuelta y comienza a caminar hacia su grupo de amigos.
Thor sonríe como por enésima vez en todo el día y espera a que Jane se vaya con sus amigos. Después de verla desaparecer por el pasillo toma su camino hacia la habitación.
Loki observó la escena de pura casualidad por la ventana, debido a que supuestamente un amigo suyo, que nunca llegó, iría a verlo inmediatamente después de entrar en el instituto. Sólo se limita a entornar los ojos y a apartarse de la ventana para sentarse en su escritorio y ver apuntes de cálculo, y ver si tal vez lograba entender algo.
Después de un rato el rubio llega a la habitación. El moreno claro que escucha el ruido ocasionado por la puerta al abrirse, pero hace como si no hubiera oído nada. Realmente no le apetecía ver a ese "_maldito zoquete"_. El ojiazul se sorprende al verlo sentado en su escritorio, y más aún cuando se dio cuenta de que estaba "estudiando" cálculo.
Loki sigue inmutado. Realmente trataba de concentrarse en sus apuntes, a pesar de no entender casi nada de lo que veía plasmado en ellos. Qué desastre. Thor se dirige a su cama, poniendo su mochila en esta y, acto seguido, sentándose. Se recuesta y da un suspiro de tranquilidad.
El silencio reina en la habitación por un largo rato después de todo aquello. El moreno decide de una vez por todas darse por vencido y guarda su libreta en el cajón de su escritorio provisto para ello. Luego hace girar la silla en que estaba sentado y mira al rubio. Se cuestiona el sí hablarle o no, pero al final no puede aguantar un comentario y dice con tintes divertidos y una gran sonrisa burlona, mientras enarca una ceja.
- Al parecer te fue muy bien con Jane.
- Sí… -responde el otro dando un suspiro mientras dibujaba en su rostro una sonrisa boba, recordando a la chica- Es muy linda.
- Ah, claro… si, muy linda –imprime en esto un tono que evidenciaba irritación, por el reciente comentario-. Es obvio. Cuando alguien quiere agradar y quedar bien se debe esforzar para que las personas piensen que son "lindas"…
Thor frunce el ceño y se endereza al escuchar aquello.
- ¿Por qué dices eso?
- … Y es evidente que a ti te gusta, por eso piensas así –continúa hablando, ignorando a propósito la pregunta del rubio.
- Y aunque no me gustara, es linda –responde el otro, comenzando a molestarse un poco por el comentario de Loki.
- Pues sí… para alguien que nunca tiene contacto con las mujeres, que no sean sus profesoras, claro está, cualquier chica debe parecerle preciosa –se da la vuelta y vuelve a quedar de cara al escritorio, tomando unos lapiceros de la superficie y jugándolos. Fue entonces que pudo procesar la respuesta anterior del rubio, y exclama, dándose la vuelta otra vez y mirándolo con desprecio-. ¡LO SABÍA! ¡Te gusta Jane!
- ¡Hey! ¿¡Por qué dices esas cosas tan horribles!? –bufa exasperado- Si no supiera que eres un fastidioso, pensaría que tú… ¡Argh! Olvídalo, no sé por qué hago caso de tus comentarios –se pone de pie y se dirige al baño.
- ¿Pensarías que estoy que, animal? –se levanta también de su asiento y lo alcanza, con el ceño fruncido.
- Nada, olvídalo –niega con la cabeza.
- … como sea. ¿No deberías seguir con tu novia Jane? ¿O por qué la dejaste si se la estaban pasando TAN bien? –continúa mirándolo.
El problema era que no sabía cuándo parar, y aunque supiera, su orgullo le impedía quedarse callado. Además, el estúpido de Thor se lo merecía, por ingenuo e idiota. Thor lo ve fijamente a los ojos, y después de unos segundos de total silencio, finalmente dice:
- Loki, ¿acaso te gusto?
La pregunta toma totalmente desprevenido al chico, haciendo que su ya pálida piel se viera aún más blanca, casi transparente. Luego, después de procesar esta, que aún no sabía de donde o por qué Thor la había formulado, responde.
- ¿Eres estúpido? ¿De dónde carajos sacas semejante idiotez?
- Es que dices cosas como si estuvieras celoso de ella, como hiciste con Sif.
Loki se impacta ante tan afirmación, y responde casi instantáneamente.
- ¿Yo celoso, de Jane, por ti? ¡HA! ¡No me hagas reír! Tendrías demasiada suerte, pedazo de basura –no se percata de que en ese momento un leve rubor empezó a teñir sus pálidas mejillas, solo de pensar en aquello.
- ¿Entonces por qué actúas de esa manera? –responde Thor viéndolo directamente a los ojos, como si pudiera detectar cierto nerviosismo.
- ¿A qué maneras te refieres? Yo estoy actuando normal. Y no voy a tener de nuevo esta absurda plática –enarca la ceja derecha y se cruza de brazos.
- Pues esa manera de enojarte. Parece que te molestara que esté con ella. La atacas sin siquiera conocerla. Actúas sarcásticamente y fastidias, pero estás enojado conmigo, y no lo comprendo –argumenta totalmente confundido por el comportamiento del otro.
- Thor… -hace una pausa y lo ve seriamente- soy hetero. ¿Y sabes qué? Jódete tú, y Jane. Y todos –dice mientras le hace la seña con el dedo medio y se da la media vuelta para caminar a su cama.
- ¿Ah, sí? ¿Y por qué te sonrojas siempre, cuando me acerco a ti? Eso hace pensar muchas cosas. ¿Y ahora, de nuevo, celos de una chica? Seré un nerd, pero sí sé de estas cosas, y en este momento, por si no lo has notado, estás ruborizado –dice Thor cruzándose de brazos, enarcando ceja y haciendo una media sonrisa. Lo decía para devolverle la paga al pelinegro, que lo estaba molestando, pero también tenía esa duda desde que Sif se la plantara en la cabeza.
- A ver… Thor –se da la media vuelta para verlo fijamente, y trata de retenerse de ofenderlo y matarlo a patadas, como era su deseo- Cállate la… boca. Y déjame en paz. No sé, métete a llorar al baño, o ponte a leer un libro. No te costará mucho trabajo. Pero deja de fastidiar con eso. NO SOY GAY. Y puedes hacer de tu vida un rollito y metértela por donde mejor te quepa.
- ¿Ajá? –responde Thor acercándose al moreno, hasta estar a tan sólo unos centímetros de él, y lo mira fijamente a los ojos.
- Sí. –responde secamente sosteniendo la mirada, retándolo.
El silencio se hace presente de nuevo por unos instantes, mientras siguen sosteniendo la mirada mutuamente, ninguno de los dos queriendo perder aquella batalla. Sin embargo, el rubio rompe el hielo.
- ¿Ya te he dicho que tienes unos lindos ojos? –sonríe.
- ¿Qué? –responde Loki entrecerrando los ojos y sin saber a qué venía aquel repentino comentario, sin percatarse de que el rubor que ya cubría sus mejillas se había intensificado, tanto por la distancia a la que estaba el otro como por el hecho de que estuviera diciéndole cumplidos así.
- Que tienes unos ojos bonitos. Es un color verde vejiga, o bilis –agrega el ojiazul, expandiendo su sonrisa que era una clara burla al otro.
- Jódete. –se da la media vuelta para ir a su cama.
El moreno no pudo seguir su camino y llegar a su destino, ya que Thor lo voltea bruscamente y lo toma por la cintura, acercándolo así más hacia él.
- ¿Qué crees que haces imbécil? –dice gritando, y un poco molesto. Pero más que nada confundido.
Ahora el rubio estaba incluso a menos centímetros de distancia, y viéndolo pacíficamente con aquellos ojos azules le dice:
- Es broma Loki, tienes unos hermosos ojos color esmeralda –termina diciendo con una sonrisa hermosamente amplia y esplendorosa, muy diferente a la anterior.
- ¡Suéltame idiota!
Empieza a dar manotazos en el pecho de Thor, como si eso lo fuera a liberar de su agarre. Ante tal reacción, el otro lo presiona más hacia él, haciendo que este ya no pudiera tratar de zafarse.
- No te enojes, que no te dije nada malo.
Como toda respuesta, y en un ataque de pánico, le da una patada en la espinilla, para intentar alejarlo. No podía dejar de ruborizarse, además de estar claramente nervioso y ligeramente agitado.
Por el dolor obvio, el rubio lo avienta a la cama, para poder sobar la parte afectada. El moreno cae un poco bruscamente en esta, y se queda recostado ahí unos momentos para respirar y ver si lograba tranquilizarse un poco, sin poder pensar en nada. Luego se endereza apoyándose en sus codos sobre el colchón para ver al rubio y decirle:
- ¡Eso es lo que te ganas por ser tan imbécil!
- ¿Es así como reaccionas cuando alguien te dice algo bonito? Ahora veo porque estás solo –responde el rubio cojeando a su cama para sentarse y tallarse.
- Sí, lo que digas. Pero viniendo de ti, todo es horrible. Además, lo dijiste claramente para molestar, no para halagarme –acota molesto y entrecerrando los ojos para verlo con desprecio.
- ¿Cómo estás tan seguro de que lo digo para molestar?
- Ay, por favor Thor. ¿Para qué más lo dirías? Sincérate contigo mismo.
- ¡Ah, carajo contigo! Siempre estás a la puta defensiva, idiota empedernido. ¡Si digo que tienes ojos bonitos es porque así es! ¿Pero sabes qué? ¡Vete al diablo imbécil! –Thor estaba verdaderamente enojado. Le dolía demasiado la zona afectada.
- ¡Ah, no! ¡A mí no me mandas a ningún lado, estúpido! ¿Y sabes qué? Sí, estoy a la defensiva. ¡Porque eres un animal! Y me importa un carajo que pienses que mis ojos son bonitos. Ve a decirle eso a Jane, –pronuncia el nombre con desprecio y burla- que de seguro te responderá con otro estúpido cumplido, puesto que te dirá lo que sea necesario para que le sonrías con tu estúpida sonrisa de retrasado mental que tanto le gusta.
- ¡Es que eres tan idiota! ¡Aaah, maldita sea! ¡No se quita el puto dolor! –gruñe el rubio, que aún se sobaba la pierna, ya que Loki esta vez le había golpeado con más fuerza que las veces anteriores.
- ¡Qué bueno! ¡Ojalá y se te caiga la pierna! –dice bastante molesto y se termina de acostar bien en su cama.
El rubio se levanta el pantalón para poder ver su espinilla y, tal y como lo había pensado, ya se estaba inflamando y se le estaba formando el típico moretón.
- Carajo… –murmura al ver aquello.
Loki sonríe al escuchar a Thor maldiciendo, ya que eso comprobaba que su patada había sido efectiva, y que le dolería un buen rato.
- …Eso me gano por decir una verdad –continúa Thor, para sí mismo.
El pelinegro quería aguantar las ganas de reír, que se esfumaron cuando oyó aquello. En cambio se quedó callado, pero sólo eso. No dijo nada más. ¿Acaso hablaba en serio? El ojiazul se levanta y se dirige hacia su escritorio con mucho cuidado de no lastimarse más. Loki lo sigue con la mirada. El otro se sienta en el suelo, y abre el último cajón del escritorio, de arriba hacia abajo, del lado izquierdo, y de este saca un botiquín.
El ojiverde no dejaba de observar al tonto rubio, le divertía muchísimo molestarle. Pero, de alguna manera, siempre terminaba sintiéndose culpable de lo que le hacía. Quién sabe qué demonios tenía el condenado de Thor, pero siempre conseguía hacerlo sentir mal. Se endereza en su cama.
El rubio saca del botiquín una crema anti-inflamatoria y unas gasa para vendar la zona afectada.
Se arrepentiría de ello. Lo sabía. Siempre lo hacía. Pero aun así, lo iba a ayudar. Se levanta y se acerca a Thor, sentándose junto de él y diciéndole mientras extiende la mano.
- Dame eso.
Thor voltea a verlo.
- ¿No me vas a lastimar más? –frunce el ceño, un poco desconfiado.
- Si hubiera querido lastimarte seriamente, lo hubiera hecho hace un rato. No te romperé la pierna, si es lo que te preocupa. Estuve en un curso de primeros auxilios hace un tiempo. Además, te debo una.
Después de mirarlo unos momentos más con desconfianza, y decidir que el inglés decía la verdad, le da las cosas y estira la pierna lastimada hacia el otro. En cierta manera, tenía razón.
El menor empieza a untarle el ungüento, un poco fuerte para que hiciera efecto, pero aun así con mucha delicadeza. Luego de eso, procedió a vendarle la parte afectada con una técnica muy estética, pero efectiva.
- La venda debe quedar un poco apretada. No es la gran herida, pero así que con eso bastará. De seguro para… el miércoles se te quita –hace una media sonrisa.
- Okay… -responde el australiano con una sonrisa, pero viendo hacia la venda.
- De nada, es lo mínimo que puedo hacer para que dejes de mirarme con car de que soy un desalmado insensible.
- No eres un desalmado insensible. Eres idiota –responde Thor viéndolo burlonamente.
Loki se echa a reír, y luego responde del mismo modo.
- Recuerda que aún puedo romperte la pierna, animal.
- No lo harías –responde el rubio sonriendo de manera sincera y tierna. _¿Qué?_
- ¿Quieres apostar? No me tientes princesa, que no es tan mala idea –sigue con sosteniendo la sonrisa, que ahora que lo analizaba, no era ni burlona, ni sarcástica. Ni siquiera irónica. ¿Es que aún no había aprendido nada? Hacer ese tipo de cosas con el rubio, como reírse con él mientras estaban sentados en el piso, sin tratar de matarse, no era nada bueno.
- Bueno… gracias, en verdad.
- De nada rubio.
El menor siente, de pronto, un sobresalto en su pecho. Sus latidos se estaban… acelerando. Mientras observaba a Thor. Este aún seguía mirando a Loki. ¿Por qué lo hacía?
Loki quería apartarse. Claro que quería hacerlo. Pero su cuerpo no respondía. Tampoco sus ojos querían obedecerlo. ¡Demonios! Ni siquiera podía pronunciar palabra. Eso era insólito. Y le recordaba mucho cierto episodio pasado. Definitivamente no era buena señal.
Thor, al igual que Loki, no podría apartar su vista del otro. Pero, ¿por qué? ¿Qué era todo eso? Aún no podía explicárselo, y de seguro la ciencia nunca lo haría. Mientras estaba pensando en todo eso, se sumergió en los ojos del pelinegro, como queriendo ver más allá y averiguar si ahí encontraba la respuesta. En vez de eso, sólo consiguió quedarse hipnotizado por esas hermosas esmeraldas.
Por supuesto que Loki se dio cuenta de eso. Maldición. Y no había hecho nada para evitarlo. Seguía dejándolo que indagara en lo más hondo de su alma… y empezaba también a perderse en el océano de los ojos de Thor. Eso estaba mal. Muy mal.
Thor, ya inconsciente de sus actos, posa una mano en la mejilla del ojiverde, y le regala una pequeña caricia con su dedo pulgar. Al sentir aquello, Loki se ruboriza y se da cuenta de que en su estómago empezaba a sentir un cosquilleo tan familiar como extraño. Por fin, con esto, pudo articular una sola palabra: el nombre del rubio.
Thor escucha su nombre, pero esto no lo hace reaccionar, así que poco a poco acerca el rostro del pelinegro al suyo. Este vuelve a llamarlo, esperando que reaccionara. Estaba mal, muy mal. Y lo peor era que, tal vez, el ansiaba aquello tanto como el ojiazul, que estando ya a unos escasos centímetros de Loki, sentía perfectamente su embriagante respiración. Y aún cuestionándose que rayos estaba haciendo, se sigue acercando.
En un instante de cordura, el moreno logra articular una –pequeña– oración completa.
- Thor,… esto no está bien.
- Lo sé… -dice el aludido a casi nada ya de tocar sus labios.
En ese momento, suena un teléfono. El de Thor. Lo que hace que Loki se separe inmediatamente como movido por un resorte, y toda la atmósfera creada se quiebre al instante. El mayor saca el teléfono de su bolsillo, pero aun viendo al otro. Contesta ¿molesto?
- ¿Aló?
- _¡Hola Thor! _–dice una voz de mujer muy contenta y enérgica del otro lado de la bocina. Era Jane. Loki se queda viendo al rubio sin ninguna expresión.
- Ah, hola Jane –se pone de pie.
Al oír aquel nombre, Loki sintió su sangre hervir. Aun así, no hizo nada. Se tragó sus ganas de arrebatarle el móvil a Thor y lanzarlo por la ventana. Okay... tal vez si estaba _"un poco"_ celoso.
- _Thor, ya terminé mi asunto pendiente del laboratorio._
- Ah, qué bien Jane –dice el rubio posicionándose enfrente de Loki.
- _Pues… si no quieres salir a dar la vuelta. Y aprovecho para decirte lo de hace rato. ¿Quieres? _–pregunta ilusionada.
- Ahh… este… -ve fijamente a Loki.
El menor desvía la mirada para evitar la de Thor, que hace un rato lo había hecho perderse.
- Deja de ver si a una persona no le importa que salga –dice Thor, aun viendo a Loki.
Francamente, no se quería ir. Se quería quedar con él. Pero no entendía por qué, si hace un rato estaba muy a gusto con la castaña.
- En seguida te lo mando, Jane –dice Loki alzando la voz, para que la chica lo alcanzara a escuchar. Luego se pone de pie y se dirige, ahora sí, a su cama.
El haber dicho eso, le había provocado una sensación de vacío. Saber que Thor estaría con Jane le partía el orgullo en pedazos. Por más que quisiera negarlo, y se esforzara en hacerlo, esa era la verdad. ¿Qué le había hecho Thor?
- Jane, no puedo ir. Estoy ocupado… ¿en otra ocasión, ok? –responde Thor viendo al moreno. Tal vez la mejor opción hubiera sido ir con Jane. Pero Loki estaría muy enojado con él. Y aunque le sorprendió el pensar desde cuando le importaba eso, le seguía asombrando más el hecho de haber preferido quedarse con él.
- Ah… ya veo… -dice un poco confundida y desilusionada- Bueno. Entonces será otro día. Cuídate mucho Thor. Nos vemos.
- Si Jane, nos vemos luego –cuelga el teléfono y espera alguna reacción de Loki. Este no hace nada al instante. Sólo se queda en su posición, tapando con su brazo la frente y parte de sus ojos. Luego de unos momentos dice:
- ¿Eres idiota? Hubieras salido con Jane…
- Tal vez si sea idiota, pero por hacer otra cosa.
Toma del brazo a Loki, haciendo que se levantara del jalón. Después lo acerca hacia él y hace lo que su mente le gritaba. Thor besa a Loki sin importarle los problemas que le traería ello.
La primera reacción del moreno fue no hacer nada más que abrir los ojos con dos platos, totalmente impresionado. Luego empezó a patalear para quitarse de encima al rubio. Pero llegó el momento en que comenzó a detenerse.
Dejó de oponer resistencia. Y empezó a dejarse llevar por el beso.
24. Capítulo 24
**Buenas noches...**
OhGod... ¿cómo han estado chica/os? Yo bien... algo ocupada, pero bien.
De antemano quiero pedirles perdón. No por haberme atrasado, eso de por sí. Sino porque me van a mandar al diablo cuando lean este capítulo. Si. Aún no hay lemmon duro contra el muro. Peeeero... el próximo capitulo sí :). Así que prepárense. Les repito. Me van a mandar al cuerno. Yo sé que sí. Son libres de quererme quemar en la hoguera... Sí, a mi. **Sempai** se portó bien esta vez(?), cúlpenme a mi.
En fin... espero fervientemente que esto no sea tan malo y les satisfaga.
Quiero agradecer también a las recientes chicas que han dado sus preciosos favs y follows a este humilde fic, como **KeniaHeras, PikachuEvans, DamnLoki. **Y a las que siempre están aquí dejando reviews y leyendo, como **Lice Michaelis, Ainmus, Ariadha, JustASecret, Lupita **(que como no puedo contestarte por MP... Gracias querida! *u* me alegro que te guste el fic y esperamos no te decepcione este capítulo ;) un abrazo enorme 3 y gracias también por dejar tu review y salir del anonimato(?))**, uchihagumi, Mishima Yukio, suffere & Kaori Lawliet. LAS AMO A TODAS. **
**En fin...** creo que eso sería todo por hoy. Ah... algo más que tengo que decir. YA VI **TASM2 **y **The Wolverine** (si, soy horrible. No las había visto. Pero debo decir que las dos son hermosas. Amo a mi hermoso Logan asdfasdgasdga y adoro a Andrew Garfield como el Sorprendente Spidey x3 amé el shaoi con Harry! y shoré con... bueno. Ustedes saben xD)
Cuídense mucho mis niñas! Que hayan tenido un increíble Thorsday y tengan una Thorkiliciosa semana :)
**Higurashi Out!**
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><p>Thor estaba besando a Loki delicadamente. Estaba disfrutando de eso. Sus labios eran tan suaves, y el calor de estos era realmente agradable. Era mucho mejor que cualquiera de las veces anteriores. Lo toma por la cintura para acortar el espacio entre ellos –que no era mucho– y con la mano izquierda acariciaba la mejilla del moreno.<p>
Éste ya no sabía lo que hacía. Se había perdido, y estaba muy lejos de todo. Sólo no quería que ese momento terminara. Con sus brazos rodea el cuello de Thor, y luego sube la mano derecha hacia su cuello, elevándose hasta llegar a su cabello, donde toca torpemente la liga que recogía su cabello para quitársela, y poder así acariciar la sedosa melena rubia que muchas veces antes había despreciado.
Después de unos momentos, Thor decide introducir su lengua en la boca del pelinegro, haciendo que el beso se tornara un poco más ardiente. El encuentro con la lengua del menor le pareció grandioso, el mezclar sus salivas, intenso. Quería seguir así un buen tiempo.
Loki logra deshacerse de la estúpida liga que le estorbaba, para tomar del cabello a Thor y atraerlo hacia él, profundizando aún más el beso que de por sí ya era exquisito; y dejando hacer al rubio lo que quisiera.
Ambos se ven obligados a romper el beso, debido a la falta de aire, y el mayor comienza a descender por el cuello del otro, besándolo, lamiéndolo y dando pequeños mordiscos. A lo que el ojiverde se deja hacer y se estremece, sin dejar de abrazar hacia sí la cabeza de Thor, como incitándolo a más. Este comienza a succionar ciertas partes del níveo cuello, mientras metía su mano derecha bajo la camisa del otro, pudiendo sentir la cálida piel de la espalda del moreno.
Con eso, Loki comienza a gemir levemente contra el oído del rubio. El cual, a esas alturas, era obvio que también ya no pensaba.
Thor se quita la sudadera y la camisa al mismo tiempo, en un acto un poco desesperado, y rápidamente vuelve a la boca de moreno. Al hacer esto, este aprovecha para deshacer el agarre del cuello del rubio y repasar sus manos por su torso desnudo. Desde la primera vez que lo había visto había tenido unas ganas terribles de comprobar si era real. Y vaya que sí lo era.
El ojiazul esboza una pequeña sonrisa mientras besaba a Loki, al sentir sus manos tocando todo su abdomen y torso. Se dirige hacia la cama del pelinegro, dado que era la más cercana. Obviamente sin dejar de besarlo.
Loki trastabilla un poco, ya que Thor lo estaba obligando a caminar de espaldas, pero ya que estaba con él tenía que confiar en que no le dejaría caer.
Estaba con él… ¡Eso era! ¡ERA THOR! ¿Qué demonios estaba haciendo? Se para en seco y mira a los ojos a Thor, separándose de él para poder mirarlo bien. Mierda, sí que era él.
Thor se queda extrañado por la reacción de Loki, ya que parecía que todo marchaba bien y… Un momento. ¡Era Loki! La cordura de Thor estaba regresando a donde debía estar.
El ojiverde se separó completamente del rubio, empezó a caminar en círculos mientras se pasaba las manos por el cabello y lo acomodaba con sus dedos. Luego volvió a mirar a Thor. Fue entonces cuando se puso rojo hasta las orejas y salió corriendo de cuarto.
Thor solamente vio salir a Loki a toda velocidad del cuarto. Aunque quería detenerlo sabía que estaría mal. ¿Pero qué rayos había sucedido? Se suponía que a él le gustaban las mujeres, y a eso se refería a que le gustaba Jane desde hace algún tiempo. Al menos eso se suponía. Había tenido la oportunidad de ir con la dulce y tierna castaña, y había preferido quedarse con el apático y fastidioso de Loki. Lo que más retumbaba era por qué lo había besado, otra vez. No podía echarle la culpa al moreno, porque él había comenzado todo. Se puso su camisa y se tumbó en su cama, mientras en su mente atacaban un sinfín de cuestionamientos, que había ignorado por un buen rato, pero que aún no podía responder, ya que no se trataba de ninguna materia. Hubiera preferido mil veces que se tratara de bioquímica o física.
Loki iba corriendo a través de un torrente de estudiantes, chocaba con casi todo el que se le atravesaba, ya sea de hombros o directamente con él, llegando incluso a tumbar a algunos. Esto causó que muchas personas se alarmaran y confundieran porque, por primera vez en todo el tiempo que habían sabido del moreno, aunque fuera de nombre, este no se enojaba porque chocaran contra él. Ni siquiera prestaba atención. Solo seguía corriendo, como si alguien lo fuera a alcanzar.
Thor se metió al baño, se quitó toda la ropa y se metió a la ducha. Abrió la regadera con el agua fría y se quedó ahí parado sin hacer nada. Sólo sentía el agua fría cayendo sobre de él y resbalando por su cuerpo. Momentos después se sentó como esperando que el agua borrara sus aflicciones.
Loki, después de unos minutos había llegado al patio, donde no supo a donde ir. Se quedó ahí parado un rato, recuperando el aire, y decidió tomar el camino de la izquierda, que llevaba a una arboleda, en la que se refugió bajo un árbol de edad avanzada, hundiendo su cabeza entre sus piernas y tratando de razonar qué demonios había sucedido, cómo había sucedido, por qué había sucedido. Y lo más importante, por qué había permitido que sucediera.
Después de casi hora y media Thor termina de ducharse –si alguna vez pensó que el moreno era un exagerado, ahora ya no podía decir lo mismo– y sale del baño con su pijama ya puesta, ya que aunque pensara que el tiempo había transcurrido lento en realidad eran las 9 de la noche. Así que esperó sentado en su escritorio, a que su cabello se secara naturalmente con el tiempo. Después se dirigió a su cama donde antes de meterse y arroparse con las sábanas vio la puerta, como esperando a que Loki entrara. ¿Por qué hacía eso? Movió la cabeza reaccionando y ahora sí metiéndose a su cama, dándole la espalda a la entrada.
Para que Loki decidiera llegar a la habitación tuvo que pasar bastante tiempo. Sólo el condenado rubio le obligaba a hacer aquello, el llegar a altas horas de la noche para evitarlo. Porque claro que él nunca antes había huido de las situaciones, y menos tantas veces. Decidió que ya era suficiente. Debía ponerse en marcha a la habitación y esperar fervientemente a que el rubio se encontrara durmiendo. Esta vez, por supuesto que no estaba ebrio, pero estaba muy desganado, y con los ojos hinchados, ya que había llorado un poco por la impotencia y confusión que abrumaban su cabeza. Otra cualidad del estúpido australiano ese, hacerlo lloriquear como una niña. Lo odiaba en verdad. Obviamente no iba a dejar que nadie lo viera. Por eso escogió esa hora para regresar, porque ya todos estaban encerrados en sus habitaciones a las 11 de la noche.
Finalmente, estaba afuera de la habitación. Titubeó un poco, pensando seriamente si entrar o no. Incluso empezó a contemplar la idea de cuales amigos podrían recibirlo en sus dormitorios. Pero luego desechó toda idea de huir y abrió la puerta. Era totalmente improbable que Thor siguiera despierto, y en caso de que se equivocara, afrontaría las consecuencias.
El mayor estaba acostado en su cama y tratando de dormir, pero eso parecía lejano e imposible. Cuando cerraba los ojos y comenzaba a quedarse dormido venía a su mente la imagen de él besando a Loki, y al instante abría los ojos. Resignándose, se acomodó bien para ver un punto fijo en la pared que tenía enfrente.
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><p>Lo primero que vio al entrar a la habitación fue la tremenda oscuridad, y algo hecho bulto donde se supone que estaba la cama de Thor, si no mal calculaba. Excelente. No tendría que verle la cara, porque sí estaba dormido, o al menos eso pensaba. Caminó sigilosamente hasta su cajón de ropa para sacar su pijama.<p>
Al escuchar a Loki entrar, el rubio quiere voltear a verlo, pero tal vez este se iría de nuevo, así que decidió quedarse en esa posición. Lo único que lo tranquilizaba era que no había problema alguno de pasar la noche en vela. El día siguiente era sábado.
Después de tomar la ropa con dificultad, obviamente por la oscuridad que se extendía por el cuarto, se mete al baño, por pura rutina, para vestirse. Luego de unos minutos sale y se echa en su cama, sin poder dormirse. Las horas transcurren, y ninguno de los dos conseguía conciliar el sueño. Thor decide enderezarse y sentarse en su cama, ya que pensaba que Loki estaría dormido. Pero, para su equivocación, el pelinegro estaba también enderezado en la orilla de su cama, mirando hacia el suelo. Ensimismado completamente. Ni siquiera se dio cuenta de que Thor estaba casi de frente a él. Este, por su problema visual, no pudo distinguir que el moreno estaba ahí, así que sólo suspiró muy leve e imperceptiblemente. Aún se preguntaba qué había pasado con él y por qué había perdido el control de aquella manera.
De repente, al menor se le ocurre la no tan maravillosa idea de alzar la mirada. Así fue que vio a Thor, gracias a que su vista ya se había acostumbrado a la escasa iluminación. No dijo nada, pero soltó un suspiro de resignación, que a esas horas de la noche era perfectamente audible, y delataba su posición. Empieza a recostarse, tal vez así podría evitar que el otro lo viera.
Pero como era de esperarse, el rubio escuchó aquello y supo que, obviamente, Loki estaba despierto.
- ¿No puedes dormir, cierto?
- No, -se maldice por haber sido tan tonto, y contesta molesto- para nada. Me encanta estar despierto por la noche mirando un solo punto como imbécil.
Igualmente, Thor se da cuenta de que Loki retomaba su postura hostil con él –cosa que no era muy rara– así que da un suspiro y sabiendo que lo iba a atacar, como siempre, dice:
- Lo siento.
- No te disculpes –responde con la misma actitud, no tanto por no hablar con el rubio, sino para no hacer de su cabeza un enredo más grave. Tal vez era hora de ponerle un fin a todo, antes de que empeorara y cayera aún más hondo de lo que ya estaba. Tal vez debería haberlo hecho desde hace mucho tiempo. Tal vez… nunca debieron haber cruzado camino–. Sólo… no me hables.
- Está bien –responde Thor sintiéndose muy mal por las palabras del otro. Nunca le había dolido más el rechazo de Loki que en esta ocasión.
El pelinegro se removió en su cama, para acurrucarse de lado y darle la espalda a Thor. Al menos así haría más convincente su petición, aunque lo que menos quisiera fuera hacer aquello. El ojiazul, que no podía ver absolutamente nada, se queda en su posición tratando de pensar otra cosa y dejar de sentirse mal. Transcurrió así la noche.
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><p>El sol no quería quedarse fuera del juego, y también trataba de joderle la vida a Loki, como todas las mañanas. Esta vez, sin embargo, no le importó. No podría molestarle el sol matutino directo en los ojos si no había dormido en toda la noche, ¿no? Aun así, no se movió ni un solo milímetro.<p>
Thor aún seguía en su posición, pero al ver que el sol comenzaba a salir, tomó ropa, se metió al baño, se puso ropa deportiva y sin decir nada –como había pactado la noche anterior– salió de la habitación. Era día de ir a correr, y pensó que lo ayudaría a olvidar algunas penas.
Loki escuchó todo el escándalo que hizo el rubio para salir. Se sentía sólo un poco mejor, pero aun así no dejó que el otro supiera que estaba despierto. Por consiguiente, se quedó en silencio hasta que se fue. No se levantó, no hizo absolutamente nada. Ni siquiera tomar su móvil y mensajearse con sus buenos-para-nada amigos. Quería quedarse en cama y no salir nunca más. ¿Es que así se sentían todas las mujeres cuando se deprimían? Era ridículo. Cómo se podía arruinar todo así de fácil, y afectarle tanto a alguien como para dejarlo tirado en cama sin ganas de nada. Y lo era aún más el hecho que estuviera comparando su situación con aquello. Él no era una mujer, ¿en qué demonios pensaba? Cerró los ojos e intentó dormir un poco, sin lograrlo.
Thor corría como nunca lo había hecho antes, quería deshacerse de todo lo que le turbaba, pero no lo conseguía. Los pensamientos solo lograban hacerse más y más grandes, así que se tira al pasto y se queda ahí, viendo como el clima comenzaba a cambiar. Sin sentir, se quedó dormido ahí, pasaron las horas hasta que lo despertaron las gotas de lluvia que empezaban a caer. Se levanta del pasto y comienza a caminar de regreso al instituto, lo único malo aparte de sentirse mal, era que estaba muy lejos, y la lluvia que comenzaba a caer seguramente empeoraría, pues el cielo estaba cubierto de nubes casi negras, haciendo que el día se oscureciera repentinamente.
Loki hubiera querido quedarse tumbado ahí todo el día, pero su estómago no estaba de acuerdo con él. Lo traicionaba, como siempre. Maldito. Estúpida necesidad de comer. Por fin se para, se talla los ojos por pura rutina y a pesar de no necesitarlo, dirigiéndose a la puerta y saliendo como nada con su pijama puesta –que era su ya típica playera blanca sin mangas y un bóxer holgado verde– para ir al comedor.
Se encontraba acarreando su comida hasta la habitación, la cual era un montón de golosinas y un frasco de helado napolitano. Al entrar, acomodar sus cosas y ver el reloj, recordó que Thor hacía horas se había ido, y al parecer aún no regresaba. Sin poder evitarlo, comenzó a preocuparse un poco. Entonces escuchó el rumor de lo que parecía ser agua. Así que se asomó por la ventana y, para su sorpresa, ve el tremendo diluvio que estaba cayendo. Sin pensarlo, tomó su celular y con prisa busca el contacto de Thor. Hasta que se dio cuenta de que nunca le había pedido su número.
Entonces se preocupó realmente.
El rubio iba caminando lentamente al instituto. Ya estaba completamente mojado, así que no veía la razón por la cual correr hasta allá de nuevo. Sacó su teléfono para comprobar que, efectivamente, estaba inservible.
Loki sale del cuarto nuevamente, tal y como estaba, casi descubierto por completo. Sin siquiera importarle, corre y sale hasta el patio. Ya una vez el imbécil se había ido sin avisar y había regresado cuando se le había antojado. No iba a dejar que sucediera de nuevo. Cruza los portones y comienza a sentir como su ropa y cabello se pegaban a su cuerpo. Luego mira para todos lados. _¿Cuál era la maldita rutina del animal ese? _Sin pensarlo más, toma el camino hacia la izquierda.
Thor, que ya llevaba un buen tramo avanzado, calculaba que en una media hora llegaría al instituto, donde estaría a salvo de la lluvia. Lo que le gustaba de aquello, era que comenzaba a sentirse un poco mejor.
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><p>Por más que corría, no podía divisar nada más que no fueran gotas de lluvia y carros, pues no había ningún otro loco que hubiera decidido salir a caminar ese día. Y además no encontraba al que buscaba. Como todas las cosas que siempre hacía por aquel maldito rubio descerebrado, terminaría arrepintiéndose de esta, pensaba.<p>
Thor, que ya hasta iba sonriendo al caminar bajo la lluvia, ve como un chico iba corriendo hacia su dirección. Aunque no sabía quién era, le llamó la atención ver que corría a pesar de que estaba todo mojado, igual que él.
Al fin, lograba divisar algo. Pero no sabía muy bien que era. Las malditas gotas de lluvia no le dejaban ver bien, ya que empezaban a aglomerarse en sus pestañas e impedirle la visión aún más de lo que ya estaba. Sí, eran las gotas de lluvia.
Al estar un poco más cerca Thor puede por fin ver que era Loki. ¿Loki? Pero… ¿qué hacía corriendo bajo la lluvia… y con pijama? Se detiene súbitamente, ya que no esperaba ver al moreno en ese lugar.
Este también se detiene de golpe. Voltea hacia todos lados, hasta que logra distinguir nuevamente la silueta de la persona que había visto caminar, y que había perdido por un momento. Podría haber visto a Thor, así que se acercó a esa persona con el afán de preguntarle por un chico alto, fuerte, rubio, de sonrisa encantadora y ojos de un azul tan profundo y hermoso como el cielo. Era imposible que no pudiera recordar haber visto a alguien así, si es que lo había visto. Entonces, comenzó a reconocer estas características en esa persona. Se acerca más y más, hasta encontrarse a sólo un paso de ella. O él. Era él. Y era Thor. Le dio, al instante de reconocerlo, un puñetazo.
- ¿¡En qué piensas animal, caminando como si nada en medio de esta tormenta!? ¡Estás todo empapado! ¡Vas a pescar un resfriado! ¡¿Eres idiota?! ¿Además, por qué tardaste tanto? ¡Deberías haber regresado desde hace horas!...
En ese momento, Loki violó la petición hecha por el mismo de ni hablarle y escupió demasiadas cosas, mientras sentía que sus ojos se desbordaban. Lo bueno era que la lluvia camuflaban las lágrimas.
- … ¿¡No piensas!? ¡Ni siquiera debes haber desayunado, y ya es demasiado tarde! ¡ERES UN IMBECIL!
Thor se talla el lugar adolorido y mira a Loki sorprendido. No esperaba esa reacción de su parte, después de lo que le había dicho. Pensaba que ahora de verdad lo odiaba. Y sin embargo ahí estaba, regañándolo. El que estuviera ahí, en aquel lugar, lo hacía sentir… ¿feliz? Sí. Estaba completamente feliz de verlo ahí. Preocupándose por él como en otras ocasiones –aunque el otro nunca lo admitiera–. En ese momento no quiso cuestionarse nada, así que sin pensarlo abraza a Loki, mientras este le reclamaba mil cosas. Una escena un poco familiar.
- Gracias.
- ¿Qué…? ¿qué haces? –dice, sorprendiéndose, y sigue hablando- ¿Nunca aprendes? ¡Te estoy regañando animal! ¿Eres retrasado? ¡Suéltame! –se sonroja por el contacto y, esta vez, le devuelve el abrazo.
- No llores, estoy bien… -se había percatado del llanto de Loki, y no porque viera sus lágrimas, sino por el tono de voz que usaba. No era natural que gritara, al menos no de esa forma, y que hablara de esa manera.
- Ya suéltame estúpido. Vámonos a otro lado… -dice, bajando el tono de voz de regaño- Y no estoy llorando, imbécil… -dice mientras se separa, se da la media vuelta y comienza a caminar.
El rubio lo sigue, caminando detrás de él. Definitivamente ya no se sentía mal. Se sentía feliz de haber podido estrecharlo entre sus brazos. Ya no quería preguntarse la razón, sólo quería volver a hacerlo.
Mientras, lo último que el otro quería hacer era verlo. Era irritante. ¿Es que tenía una nuez en la cabeza, o qué carajos? ¿No sabía acaso que un regaño es para hacer sentir mal a la gente? Él lo estaba regañando, ¿y que hacía? Abrazarlo y darle las gracias. En serio. Era un idiota, un completo e irremediable imbécil. Pero al menos estaba más tranquilo de haberlo encontrado.
Los dos jóvenes, después de un rato, entran a la institución dejando un rastro de agua por donde caminaban. Loki se aseguraba de ir muy delante de él, para que nadie pudiera deducir que había ido a buscarlo –aunque eso fuera sorprendentemente obvio-. Sube las escaleras mucho más rápido y se mete, por consiguiente, mucho antes a la habitación. Thor iba tranquilo, aunque se detiene un momento para exprimir la ropa, para no mojar el piso –o al menos no tanto– como el moreno lo había hecho. Momentos después ya se encontraba dentro de la habitación.
Loki no estaba ahí adentro. Pero era fácil saber que estaba en el baño, ya que la luz estaba encendida, además de los chorros de agua que había dejado en la alfombra y marcaban el camino. Thor espera recargado en una pared –no quería mojar su cama sentándose en ella– a que Loki salga del baño para poder entrar y cambiarse. Este tarda un poco, ya que se dio un baño para quitarse toda el agua de lluvia que había caído sobre él. Sale ya arreglado y cambiado. Se sienta en su cama y ve al rubio.
- ¿No te vas a meter, animal?
- Sí –contesta entrando al baño. Se ducha, pero se percata de que había olvidado completamente meter su ropa. Así que sale en toalla para escoger una muda limpia y ponérsela nuevamente en el baño.
Loki no puede evitar ver salir al rubio, aunque estaba leyendo su nuevo ejemplar de un comic. Se dio cuenta de que el rubio fue a buscar su ropa –porque, claro, había abierto sus cajones donde la guardaba–.
- Eres un idiota.
- ¿Qué? A cualquiera se le olvida la ropa –responde Thor, entrando de nuevo al baño. Poco después sale ya vestido. El ojiverde mueve la cabeza en negación.
- Podrías haberme pedido que te pasara tu estúpida y fea ropa.
- No me gusta que toquen mis cosas, pero gracias por la intención –sonríe, a pesar de la común interacción ofensiva, luego un momento tan lindo como el anterior.
- Como quieras… -dice mientas vuelve a poner la mirada en la penúltima página de su revista.
Al momento, Thor estornuda fuertemente. Como esperaba, ya se había enfermado.
- ¿Lo ves? Te digo que eres un idiota –lo ve con reproche y fulminantemente-. Por andar haciéndote el macho y saliendo desnudo con las corrientes de aire, después de estar en la regadera con el agua caliente… definitivamente no piensas –mueve la cabeza en negativa y cambia la hoja de su revista.
- No imagine que te preocuparas tanto por mí –estornuda de nuevo el rubio.
- No me preocupo por ti idiota –se sonroja levemente-. Duermes en mi habitación. Si te enfermas, me contagiarás –dice sin verlo, y restándole importancia al asunto.
- ¿Entonces por qué fuiste a buscarme? –se sienta en su cama y encoge las piernas, sentándose en flor de loto.
- Porque conociéndote te ibas a perder, y luego me culparían a mí… por eso –dice la primera cosa que se le viene a la mente, pero con tanta naturalidad que era casi convincente. Bendito arte de la mentira. Jamás aceptaría algo así.
- Ah… ya veo –vuelve a estornudar-. Disculpa las molestias Loki.
- Ya, no es nada –dice sonriendo de lado mientras cierra la revista que ya había terminado de leer, para verlo-. Es por salvar mi pellejo, tengo que hacerlo.
- Sí, me doy cuenta –responde Thor viéndolo de forma resignada, y vuelve a estornudar.
- Ahí hay unos pañuelos, puedes usarlos… -señala una caja de toallas desechables, encima de su mesa de noche.
- Gracias –dice Thor aproximándose a la mesa de noche, tomando un pañuelo y llevándoselo directamente a la nariz.
El moreno no sabía de qué hablar. Se le venían a la cabeza tantos recuerdos, tanto del día anterior como de otras ocasiones, y lo dejaban sin palabras. Por fin, se le ocurrió algo, aunque no fue lo más brillante.
- ¿Y… llamarás a Jane?
- ¿Para qué? –pregunta Thor, tomando la caja y sentándose en su cama de nuevo.
- Pues… ayer ella te marcó, te invitó a no sé dónde, y fuiste algo descortés con ella. No sé, tal vez deberías compensarla –dice con mucha naturalidad, pero no muy de acuerdo con sus propias palabras.
- Ayer estabas celoso DE ella, y ahora quieres que salga CON ella. ¿Eres confuso, sabes? –responde el rubio viéndolo con una sonrisa burlona.
- En primera: no estaba celoso. En segunda: vete al infierno. Sólo era una sugerencia –aclara mientras apoya las manos en su cama devolviendo una sonrisa de la misma índole.
- A mí no me engañas, estabas celoso –dice reafirmando, y seguido de un estornudo.
- Claro Thor, lo que digas. Súper celoso… -utiliza el sarcasmo para negar lo que hasta él sabía era cierto, pero como ya había decidido, no aceptaría abiertamente.
- Entonces explícame bien por qué atacabas ayer a Jane.
- Thor… -dice meneando la cabeza a ambos lados mientras chasquea la lengua un par de veces- Yo, por si no te has dado cuenta, ataco a todo el mundo. No es nada personal –dice muy convincentemente-. Te ataco a ti, ataco a Sif, ataco al director, ataco al profesor de cálculo,… -los enumera a todos se encoge de hombros- ¿por qué no atacar a Jane?
- Ah… ok. Bueno, tal vez tengas razón. Tal vez la llame más al rato para ir a cenar…
- Perfecto. Así me libraré de ti por un buen rato –bromea, mientras finge alivio para molestar al rubio, aunque no le parecía nada buena la idea.
- Sí. tal vez le pida que sea mi novia -dice el otro, tomando una postura un tanto tímida.
- Sí, sería una buena idea… -cae en la cuenta de las palabras del rubio- ¿Qué? ¿Le pedirás que sea… TÚ novia? –pregunta molesto, y un poco inquieto.
- Sí, ¿por qué no? Tiene algún tiempo que me gusta… -responde, notando el tono del otro. No alucinaba, Loki se ponía molesto cada vez que hablaba de Jane.
- Ah… eso… pues, adelante –recupera su tono habitual, que había descuidado por un momento, fingiendo nuevamente no sentir molestia. Carraspea un poco-. Seguro que te dice que sí, incluso antes de que preguntes.
- ¿Tú crees eso? –dice Thor viéndolo con una mirada tranquila.
- Por supuesto, –ríe levemente- se le nota a leguas. Te mira con unos ojos coquetos y siempre con una sonrisa de idiota. Es más que obvio.
- Ah, ya veo… pero no sé. Tal vez sea mala idea… -responde dando un suspiro.
- Pues como quieras. –esboza una media sonrisa, un tanto aliviado- Tú eres el que ligará, no yo…
- Me siento mal… -lo interrumpe, mientras vuelve a estornudar.
25. Capítulo 25
Hola queridas!
Dios... me siento tan mal por haberlos abandonado tanto a todos... hace dos meses y un día que no mostraba señales de vida, y deben creerme que de verdad me pesa. No les voy a poner excusas, ni la quiero hacer muy larga, así que lo pondré por puntos.
- Me he quedado de nuevo sin internet y dependo de la horrenda red de la facultad y los cyber-café's.
- La Universidad me ha quitado la poca vida social que se supone que tenía.
- Problemas familiares.
- A pesar de que ya tenemos la historia planeada y casi terminada, Sempai ya no me ayudará más con el rolfic, igualmente por asuntos personales, y he tenido que apañármelas yo sola para escribir el asunto. Y por confiarme de que tenía bastante editado, no me ocupe de escribir nada hasta este capítulo. De ahí que, aunque todos los demás puntos no intervinieran en el camino, al no tener material no podía actualizar nada.
Quiero agregar que, en serio, yo no quería dejarlas colgadas. Pero en mi pequeña capacidad de razonamiento pensé que sería mejor ausentarme por un tiempo y regresar con bastantes capítulos preparados y aventajados para ir publicando como se debe, que tardarme dos eternidades entre cada actualización. Así que, discúlpenme si las hice preocuparse o desesperarse. Espero esta vez, de verdad, ya no desaparecer.
En fin... No tengo nada muy bueno que contar xD ya que mi vida en estos dos meses ha sido de verdad un asco y no merece importancia.
Agradezco a todas las chicas que se preocuparon, dejaron reviews o MP's, preguntando por el fanfic y una servidora. De verdad lo aprecio! ;w;
Y... pues nada más. Aquí les traigo el tan anhelado(?) Capítulo 25.
Por último, debo aclarar que... sí. Este capítulo (POR FIN!) contiene Lemmon! O bueno, intento de lemmon xD. Tómennos en consideración, por favor. Tanto nuestros amados protagonistas como nosotras era la primera vez que hacíamos algo como esto. Ellos en calidad de "machos que se respetan(?)" y nosotras como "escritoras novatas no experimentadas". Así que... puede resultar gracioso, patético y/o tonto. De todos modos, espero que les guste y lo disfruten como nosotras lo hicimos :)
Sobre advertencia no hay engaño xD.
Cuídense mucho mis pequeñas, las amo!
Que el Thorki siempre las acompañe y terminen su Thorsday de la mejor manera posible! :3
Higurashi Out!
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><p>- <em>Me siento mal… -lo interrumpe, mientras vuelve a estornudar. <em>
- ¿Qué? ¿A ver?… -se acerca a él mirándolo con los ojos entrecerrados, pues desde hace un rato lo había observado un poco más colorado que de costumbre. Le pone una mano en la frente mientras pone la sobrante en la propia- ¡Thor! ¡Estás ardiendo en fiebre!
- Eso creo… -contesta recostándose en la cama.
- Quítate esa porquería –dice viéndolo con preocupación y refiriéndose a su sudadera inseparable-. Te asarás con eso… -lo ayuda a enderezarse para que se quitara la prenda mencionada.
Este se quita obediente la sudadera, quedando sólo con su playera.
- Ahora recuéstate y, por el amor de Dios, no te pares. Ni te vayas a tapar.
Busca entre sus cajones un trapo pequeño limpio y un cuenco para rellenarlo de agua fresca. Una vez realizado esto, remojó la prenda en el líquido, y la llevó a la frente de Thor, doblada en forma de rectángulo alargado, al tiempo que le quitaba sus gafas y las ponía a un lado.
El rubio, a pesar de que tenía fiebre, se sentía muy bien, ya que Loki estaba con él. No encontraba una explicación concreta del por qué, pero le bastaba.
- Te dije que te haría daño, idiota. Pero nunca me haces caso –se sienta a un lado del rubio en la cama y le cambia el agua caliente del trapo por una más fresca.
- Gracias… –coloca su mano en la mejilla del moreno.
- Cállate y trata de dormir –contesta el aludido como una manera de decir "no es nada".
Thor veía a Loki y sentía algo en su estómago. Sería que le… ¿gustaba? No lo sabía, estaba confundido. Le gustaba Jane, y bastante. Pero del mismo modo, lo que sentía por Loki que era algo indefinible, también era grande. Definitivamente, estaba muy confundido.
- Te compensaré de algún modo.
- Claro Thor… -dice irónicamente, pensando que era absurdo que dijera aquello, en tal estado- algún día. Ahora cállate.
Tenía cierta sensación de cosquilleo en su estómago también, la misma de siempre cuando lo tenía cerca, y a la que aún no se había acostumbrado. Y para ser sincero, no le tomó importancia. La prioridad ahora era cuidar al rubio, aunque realmente no se había dado cuenta desde cuándo lo que le pasara a este había quedado en primer término.
Thor se quedó profundamente dormido, ya sin saber qué ocurría a su alrededor, mientras Loki seguía cambiando constantemente el trapo, aunque la fiebre hubiera disminuido notablemente hasta casi desaparecer.
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><p>Ya pasadas las 11 de la noche, Thor despierta. Había descansado todo lo que la noche anterior no había podido. Estira su mano y alcanza sus gafas para ponérselas y ver alrededor. Loki se había quedado dormido a su lado, cuidándolo. Eso lo podía deducir puesto que su mano había quedado enredada en sus mechones dorados.<p>
Al verlo a su lado, el rubio esboza una sonrisa y, como se le estaba haciendo costumbre, acaricia la mejilla del moreno. Este, aún dormido, siente la caricia y dibuja una muy leve sonrisa tierna entre sueños.
Thor ve esta sonrisa -gracias a que la cortina había quedado abierta y regalaba una hermosa luz de luna- y se siente repentinamente muy feliz. Prosigue acariciando a Loki.
El joven empieza a removerse ante las acciones del otro hasta abrir los ojos lentamente, siendo el ojiazul lo primero que ve con los ojos aún entrecerrados. Obra de la somnolencia pregunta con una sonrisa delicada, casi imposible de asociar con su rostro.
- ¿Te sientes mejor?
- Sí, parece que ya no tengo fiebre –responde el rubio, sintiendo como su corazón se aceleraba ante la sonrisa y la voz del otro.
Para asegurarse, aún atontado por el sueño, alza su mano izquierda –que era la que antes estaba enredada en el cabello del rubio– para posarla sobre la frente del rubio.
- Cierto… que alivio.
Al sentir el tacto del menor se estremece, pero con una sensación de calidez muy agradable.
- Bueno, –se endereza lentamente y tambaleándose muy ligeramente, mientras se talla un ojo- voy a dormir –le acaricia la cabeza con la misma mano utilizada antes-. Buenas noches, rubio.
Thor se pone de pie. Sabía que tal vez lo que pensaba hacer le traería problemas, pero aun así le da a Loki un pequeño beso en la comisura de la boca. Baja la mirada esperando el reclamo del otro.
- Buenas noches, Loki.
El menor después de aquello sonríe y, sin saber realmente lo que iba a hacer –ni lo que le seguiría–, se acerca al rubio para depositar en sus labios un puro y fugaz beso, volviéndose inmediatamente y preparándose para meterse en su cama.
- Descansa Thor…
Este se queda un poco –o bastante, más bien– sorprendido ante la acción del ojiverde. Realmente no esperaba aquello. Ni siquiera se lo hubiera imaginado. Llevó sus dedos índice y medio a sus labios y esbozó una gran sonrisa. Segundos después, viendo a Loki acomodándose en la cama sin pensarlo dos veces se aproxima a él y lo besa, ahora apasionadamente.
El moreno, tomado claramente por sorpresa -además de estar aún un poco dormido-, al principio no pudo reaccionar. Después al verse envuelto en el torrente de emociones que contenía aquel beso despierta por completo y comienza a formar parte de él verdaderamente.
Esta vez, sin tardarse tanto, el ojiazul introduce su lengua en la boca de Loki. Besarlo así era algo a lo que le había tomado rápidamente cierto deseo. El menor abre paso para que el rubio pueda juguetear con la lengua propia, y del mismo modo aprovecha también para explorar la boca del otro.
Definitivamente, Thor no estaba dispuesto a dejarlo ir. No esta vez. Lo quería todo. Quería hacerlo suyo exclusivamente.
Acto seguido, se despojó de su camisa, y con esto comienza a besar el cuello de Loki, mientras que con una de sus manos baja hacia las piernas del moreno. Este se estremecía con cada contacto de la boca ajena sobre su piel. Lo prendía, era puro fuego. Se entrega completamente a las caricias del otro, mientras también paseaba las manos por la espalda del rubio.
Thor sigue besando el cuello del pelinegro, dando uno que otro mordisco. Su mano sigue recorriendo el cuerpo de Loki, hasta que siente un pequeño bulto que se empezaba a formar en la entrepierna de este. Sabiendo qué era comienza a acariciarlo con salvajismo, que a la vez contenía una delicadeza inexplicable. El pelinegro jadea levemente al instante de sentir aquél estímulo tan ansiado, mientras seguía bajando sus manos hasta llegar a los muslos del otro y apretarlos con fuerza, tratando de encontrar su boca nuevamente.
El mayor besa con fuerzas renovadas al ojiverde, le quita la camisa y el pantalón, y en algún momento deja sus gafas tiradas en algún sitio –a lo que no le tomó atención, francamente–, para así poder tener más contacto corporal con este, volviendo después a besarlo salvajemente, y restregándosele en la zona de la entrepierna. Por lo que el otro jadeó más fuerte, buscando también más contacto. Todo eso era tan bueno, y a la vez tan nuevo, tanto para él como para el rubio, y no pudo evitar que se le viniera a la mente aquél sueño que había quedado tan enterrado en su memoria, pero que ahora ya no se le antojaba tan descabellado ni asqueroso.
Aún sin saber realmente que hacer, se aventura a enderezarse un poco y manipula a Thor para que quedar a horcajadas sobre de él. La sensación que le provoca esto es indescriptible, y queriendo aumentarla comienza a moverse en pequeños círculos sobre la erección oprimida bajo los pantalones del rubio, que aún le estorbaban. Este, sintiendo aquello, deja al pelinegro estar arriba de él. Su respiración era agitada. El movimiento que hacía el moreno sobre de él hizo que gruñera excitado un par de veces.
Esto se vio interrumpido abruptamente cuando, de la nada, Loki se detiene. Pensando en que tal vez funcionaba igual que con las chicas, sube desde el abdomen del rubio dándole pequeñas lamidas y mordiscos hasta llegar al cuello, en la parte detrás de la oreja, mientras empieza a meter la mano en el pantalón del otro para seguir brindándole atenciones a su sexo.
Al sentir la mano del menor en su entrepierna no puede evitar gruñir ronco y darle un mordisco –quien sabe cómo– en el hombro. Ese mar de sensaciones hizo que Thor se despojara de sus pantalones y la ropa interior de una buena vez. Loki gime también al sentir el mordisco del rubio, se estaba poniendo demasiado sensible con todo ello, y le gustaba. Luego se endereza un poco y se da cuenta de que este ya se encontraba desnudo, y que su erección se erguía orgullosa entre sus piernas. Ahí fue cuando se dio cuenta de todo el peso que tenía lo que estaba haciendo. Lo que estaban haciendo. También se dio cuenta de que, realmente, no tenía ni idea de que hacer. Pero también supo que, sin importar qué… no quería detenerse.
Bajó un poco titubeante hasta donde se encontraba el miembro del rubio –que era monstruoso- y lo contempla, quedándose sin aliento por un momento. Thor se endereza un poco ante la demora del otro, alzándose sobre sus codos y pregunta un poco preocupado.
- Ah… Loki, ¿todo… bien? Si quieres podemos… N-no tienes que…-expresa con un poco de dificultad.
- No, e-está bien… -frunce el ceño y recuerda que tenía que respirar.
Wow... nunca, en su vida –obviamente-, lo había hecho, pero lo intentaría. Al menos, a las chicas con las que había estado nunca les había preocupado hacer algo así. Qué más daba ya. No podía ser tan malo… Le dio una lamida perezosa de la base a la punta.
Thor echa la cabeza hacia atrás y gruñe con la sensación tan placentera recorriendo todo su cuerpo, sólo pudiendo decir el nombre del moreno. Loki, satisfecho por la reacción provocada, vuelve a dar otro lengüetazo, pero ahora en la punta. Tenía que aceptarlo, era algo raro. Pero realmente no era tan malo como imaginaba.
- Loki… -gime el ojiazul mientras se retuerce un poco, entierra los dedos en la sábana y tensa los músculos de los brazos.
El escuchar al rubio llamándolo por su nombre lo alentó a continuar, y comenzó a engullir poco a poco su extensión, logrando así poder tragársela más profundamente –aunque era algo difícil considerando el tamaño de esta- en un vaivén tortuosamente delicioso para el otro, y que el también comenzaba a disfrutar. Thor estaba totalmente perdido en el mundo de sensaciones que se le regalaban, y no podía hacer otra cosa que gemir y pronunciar el nombre del otro, mientras acariciaba su cabeza y lo motivaba a seguir. En poco tiempo se encontró al borde del placer, sintiendo un cosquilleo extenderse por todo su vientre. Jadeante y con mucho trabajo pudo conectar sus ideas.
- Ngh… Loki, m-me… vengo…
El aludido no contestó nada, ya que estaba demasiado concentrado en su tarea. Al contrario, al oír aquello aumento la velocidad y profundidad de la felación, mientras comienza a masajear delicadamente con la mano libre sus genitales. Podía ya sentir el sabor del líquido pre-seminal siendo liberado. Era algo amargo para su gusto, pero en general no era tan insoportable.
Thor no puede aguantar más, siente un placer que nunca había imaginado posible, y que superaba con creces a todas las sensaciones anteriores. Su semilla comienza a salir por lapsos, con un gemido grave final. Se queda en blanco por unos instantes. Acaricia el cabello de Loki y su rostro con una sonrisa, jadeando y tratando de recuperarse del orgasmo.
El moreno se tragó la mayoría de la esencia del rubio –aunque hubiera preferido evitarlo, no era lo mejor que había probado en su vida-, mientras que lo demás había salido por las comisuras de la boca. Miró al rubio a los ojos, con un brillo lujurioso empañando sus esmeraldas. Thor lo acercó hacia él y lo besó apasionadamente, haciendo que se mezclaran las salivas ahora con sus fluidos.
Ese beso fue extremadamente sensual; hacía que el menor gimiera contra la boca del rubio, mientras comenzaba a sobar el miembro del ojiazul, para alzarlo nuevamente. Con pronto éxito. Al mismo tiempo, Thor le quitaba el bóxer, que era la única prenda que aún conservaba.
Pudiendo sentir el miembro liberado de Loki rozando una de sus piernas, el rubio se acomoda para quedar arriba de él. Luego comienza a masturbarlo, y los gemidos de Loki se unen a la sinfonía que ya habían creado.
El moreno estaba ansioso ya, al igual que Thor. Este comienza a rozar su miembro, de nuevo a todo lo que daba, pero contra su entrada. Eso tomó desprevenido al menor –aunque no era que no supiera que "iba a pasar"-. Y se enderezó.
- Hey, hey, hey… ¿Qué… qué piensas hacer? –expresa jadeante, y con el ceño fruncido.
- Y-ya… ya no aguanto… Loki... –se detiene y lo ve a los ojos, impaciente.
- Ah… no. No, yo no… yo… yo no voy a estar "abajo" –busca la forma para poder salir de debajo del rubio, pero este no se lo permite.
- Oh, vamos… ¿vas a empezar… a estas alturas?
- No, ¡me niego!
Thor ríe levemente y sacude la cabeza, para después besarlo. Loki frunce el ceño, pero cuando iba a protestar siente los labios del rubio nuevamente contra los suyos. Y aunque quiso rechazar aquel beso, pronto comenzaron una nueva y renovada batalla en sus bocas, y luego, reanudando su tarea también con la extensión del ojiverde, busca de nuevo la entrada del otro, y la presiona suavemente. No se daría por vencido así nada más.
Loki gime en la boca del rubio y le muerde el labio inferior. Luego se separa y con el ceño fruncido le pregunta.
- ¿Qué… carajos haces?
- Oh, no me digas que es en serio… Loki, yo… de verdad…
El aludido cierra los ojos y se muerde el labio. Luego los abre y lo mira de nuevo fijamente. Estaba realmente ansioso. Para qué mentir, igual que él. O tal vez más. Suspira resignado.
- ¿Y piensas hacerlo… así nada más? Al menos prepárame como se debe, o haz algo… idiota… -no sabía si era posible, pero sintió sus mejillas arder aún más.
- Pero… ¿cómo…? ¿qué hago…?
- Date idea…, no te voy a resolver la vida siempre… -desvía la mirada, casi irritadamente, de no ser por el brillo que aún guardaban sus ojos.
El rubio se queda un poco pensativo ante aquella respuesta, y creyendo entender un poco le presentó tres dedos para que los lamiera a consciencia. A lo que Loki comienza con su tarea sin perder el tiempo, aunque sabiendo que se arrepentiría de aquello, y mucho.
Una vez terminando de ensalivarlos todos, Thor pasea sus manos por las nalgas del menor, y sin avisar, introduce el primero, teniendo cuidado de no lastimarlo. A lo que el otro da un pequeño grito adolorido.
- Tranquilo, sólo relájate… -dice mientras mueve el dedo lentamente, introduciéndolo y haciendo pequeños círculos.
El moreno trata de hacerle caso a lo que Thor decía, aunque no podía evitar gemir levemente, ya que aún le dolía. El otro sigue haciendo los mismos movimientos, hasta que nota que el Loki se estaba finalmente acostumbrando. Entonces introduce el segundo.
- Ahh… nghh… T-Thor…. –se retuerce un poco, y trata de relajarse de nuevo.
- Tranquilo… -lo besa, para desviar la atención del dolor. Mientras hace esto comienza a mover los dedos en forma de tijeras, para abrir camino y dilatarlo lo más que podía.
A pesar de que el beso de Thor lo distraía, el dolor seguía presente. Este comenzaba a mezclarse con otra sensación mucho más placentera, haciendo que poco a poco se desvaneciera la molestia.
El rubio empieza a simular embestidas con los dedos, mientras seguía besándolo intensamente. Loki le propina otra mordida en el labio.
Eso logró encenderlo más. De por sí era demasiado excitante ver a Loki así, tenerlo a su merced, tan sumiso, tan vulnerable. Se olvida del otro dedo y todo lo demás, le abre el compás de las piernas aún más y coloca la punta de su miembro en la entrada del moreno, como pidiendo permiso. Este, ya jadeante y en extremo ansioso, responde simple:
- Hazlo…
Inesperadamente, Thor introdujo por completo su miembro con un gemido complacido, quedándose quieto. Porque, a pesar de ser tan placentero para él, sabía que el otro tardaría un poco más para acostumbrarse. Loki ahogó un grito de dolor por lo evidentemente imbécil que había sido él otro, sintiendo que empezaba a escurrir lo que debía ser –seguramente– sangre, pero aguantó sólo por sentir Thor dentro de él.
- Ah… ghhh… Tú…. Eres un… ahhh… p…
- ¿E-Estás… bien, Loki? –pregunta Thor, preocupado.
- Nghh… ¿T-tú… que crees, animal? Sigue… -respira profundo.
El mayor se ríe levemente, recibiendo por esto una mirada de reproche. Luego de unos momentos comienza a moverse lentamente, iniciando un vaivén lento con el que pensaba hacer que el otro se acostumbrara. Eso ocurrió eventualmente, y llegó el momento en el que lo único que sentía era placer, y este nublaba por completo su mente, abrazándose al rubio con sus piernas y sosteniéndose de su espalda con sus brazos, llegando a rasguñarlo levemente.
Thor embiste cada vez con más fuerza, rapidez y profundidad, observando el rostro cubierto de sudor y sonrojado de Loki, con los ojos cerrados por completo por todas las sensaciones. Cómo gemía, tan libre y desvergonzadamente. Era demasiado para él.
Unos segundos más se corrió de nuevo, ahora dentro de Loki, liberando un gran gemido. Casi al instante el ojiverde se derramó también, en los estómagos de ambos, con un grito.
Extremadamente cansado, el ojiazul deja caer su cuerpo sobre de Loki a la vez que sale de él, provocando que el otro jadee, y siendo consciente en lo posible de no aplastarlo, aún en blanco por el orgasmo alcanzado. También rendido, Loki se relaja sobre su colchón, tratando de recuperar el aire.
El moreno cierra los ojos sintiendo una tranquilidad enorme. Sin poder analizar a fondo lo que había sucedido, podía, sin duda, darse cuenta de una cosa: no importa cuántas locuras él creía haber hecho; la única que realmente había cometido en todo ese tiempo era haber evitado tanto lo que desde siempre había sido inevitable. Y, en ese instante comprendió en menos de un segundo que sólo había una cosa clara para él. Una sola verdad, tan simple que asustaba, y que ni el mismo podría negar –al menos a sí mismo en adelante–: lo amaba. Amaba a ese estúpido rubio de ojos azules y acento extraño. Ese que le robaba el aliento, que le hacía sentir mariposas en el estómago cuando estaba junto a él y un enjambre de abejas africanas cuando se atrevía siquiera a mirar a otro ser. Ese que se encontraba junto a él, tratando de recuperar el aliento, y pensando quien sabe qué cosas, si es que estaba pensando también en ese momento. Sí, amaba a Thor Odinson, el nerd de primera y el idiota más grande del mundo. No sabía cómo había sucedido, ni en qué preciso momento comenzó todo. Pero esa era la verdad.
Efectivamente, Thor no había tenido ni un solo pensamiento en su cabeza. Todo se había quedado en silencio. Por primera vez en mucho tiempo –más del que podía recordar– todo estaba en silencio. Después de unos momentos respiraba ya con facilidad y sin tener que esforzarse. Gira sobre de sí mismo para quedar boca arriba y suspira satisfecho y agotado. No necesitaba nada más. Sólo eso. Voltea hacia la izquierda con una sonrisa, para encontrarse con una vista de perfil de Loki, que seguía meditando. Amplia un poco más su sonrisa y lo observa enternecido, hasta que el pelinegro sintió la mirada tan profunda sobre de él, abriendo los ojos y volteando también para verlo. Haciendo colisionar las intensas miradas. El menor sonríe también, un poco más levemente y algo sonrojado. Desvía levemente la mirada y luego vuelve a sostenerla.
- ¿Estás bien? –cuestiona el rubio rompiendo el perfecto silencio, aún con su sonrisa adornando sus labios.
Loki ríe levemente con aquella pregunta tan simple, murmura un muy suave "eres un idiota" mientras mueve levemente su cabeza en negación divertido y lo mira de nuevo a los ojos con una sonrisa serena. Se gira para quedar de lado y se acerca a él, acurrucándose en su pecho, abrazándose a él y respirando profundamente.
Thor se conmueve ante cómo Loki por primera vez le daba una verdadera y sincera muestra de aprecio. Lo abraza de vuelta, enreda sus piernas con las del otro, acaricia su negro cabello con delicadeza y deposita un beso tierno en su frente, esperando a que el menor se durmiera para tapar a ambos con las sábanas y descansar profundamente el resto de la noche.
26. Capítulo 26
**Hola bellas! **
Aquí cumpliendo casi puntual, con unas cuantas horas de retraso, pero si hay Capítulo esta semana :)
Me alegro mucho que les haya gustado el anterior, realmente no tenía esperanza alguna ;w; así que estoy muy feliz por ello!
Quiero agradecer a todas las personas que siguen leyendo y pasándose por aquí, en especial a las hermosas **himeko sohma, Mishima Yukio, Lice Michaelis, JustASecret, Lupita**, por su apoyo y sus lindos reviews :'3 hacen bailar mi corazón(?) -momento cursi-
En fin, el capítulo de hoy es algo... complicado. Las cosas no marchan como deberían, así que... puede haber desilusiones y derrames de bilis. Y feels. Así que... disculpen! Les entenderé si quieren quemarme... otra vez xD
Otra cosa, a partir de este capítulo el estilo tal vez cambie un poco, dado que ahora es una servidora la que lo va a escribir todo absolutamente, y en vez del estilo rolfic que llevábamos va a ser más... no sé. Espero no sea un cambio desagradable, o muy notorio.
Eso es todo! Las amo mujeres! A TODAS! -corazones everywhere-
Que el thorki las acompañe siempre, y tengan un maravilloso Loki's day xD
**Higurashi Out!**
A pesar de haber estado durmiendo tan plácidamente, todo siempre tiene que acabar. El sol ya se había anunciado y se colaba por la ventana de la habitación 79. Era, oficialmente, hora de levantarse.
Loki se remueve suavemente entre las sábanas y abre los ojos lentamente. Respiraba tranquilidad por doquier. Se dio cuenta momentos después de que Thor se había levantado mucho antes que él y lo había dejado durmiendo, consideradamente. Sonrío de lado al recordarlo y soltó un suspiro de satisfacción. Se sentía extrañamente bien, se sentía aliviado. Como si siempre hubiera llevado una carga a cuestas y ahora estuviera libre. Se sentía ligero.
* * *
><p>- ¿Thor? ¿Qué sucede? ¿Venías… corriendo? –dice una Sif muy sorprendida, parcialmente detrás de la puerta semi-abierta, mirando con algo de preocupación al rubio que había ido a visitarla.<p>
- Sif… -apoya las manos en sus rodillas, echando su cuerpo para adelante, y trata de recuperar el aliento que había perdido al correr tan apurado- ¿Puedo… puedo hablar contigo? Es importante…
- Ah… claro –frunce el ceño, desconcertada-. Si no te importa que me cambie primero para que podamos ir a otro lado… -se refiere al pijama que aún traía puesto y a su compañero de habitación, que no perdía detalle de la actual interacción.
- Sí, te espero. No tardes mucho, por favor… -se endereza el chico y la mira con cara de que de verdad estaba confundido, y no sabía qué hacer.
Después de un corto rato Sif sale cambiada y debidamente arreglada, cierra la puerta y se vuelve hacia Thor.
- Bueno… ¿Qué pasó, corazón?
Thor no contestó. La chica se la pasó preguntando durante casi todo el camino, muy preocupada, a lo que el rubio solo le contestaba que debía esperar. Se dirigieron a la pequeña cafetería donde normalmente iban, y que quedaba a unos escasos dos bloques del instituto. Tomaron asiento en una de las mesitas de fuera del establecimiento, se acomodaron e hicieron sus órdenes. La joven estaba realmente preocupada por el chico, ya que estaba demasiado serio, callado y nervioso. Eso no le gustaba.
- Cariño… ya dime, ¿qué te pasó? –pregunta tiernamente al ojiazul, tratando de ser comprensiva y suave con él.
- Sif, yo… hice algo. Que no debí haber hecho. Cometí un grandísimo error.
- Bueno, tranquilo amor. Todo tiene solución, no puede ser tan malo.
- No Sif, es en serio. Yo…
- ¿Qué puedes haber hecho que sea tan malo? Creo que tal vez estás exagerando las cosas… -sonríe nerviosa y trata de calmarlo, convencerlo de que no había de que preocuparse.
- Me acosté con Loki.
- … ¿Q-qué? –aquello le había cortado los pensamientos de un solo tajo. Debía haber escuchado mal.
- Eso Sif. Yo… anoche… con… Loki… -la mira fijamente y un leve rubor se asoma por sus mejillas. Su voz sonaba temblorosa, estaba asustado.
- Oh Dios… -abre los ojos de par en par, sorprendida. Había escuchado bien. Estira la mano para alcanzar la de Thor- Tranquilo mi vida, no es tan malo. Incluso pensé que era algo peor…
- No, Sif. Es malo, no debí hacerlo. Yo… ni siquiera sé que hacer. Se supone que me gustan las chicas. Se supone que me gusta Jane Foster… de verdad me gusta. O al menos eso creía. No sé… estoy muy confundido, Sif. Y hacer… lo que hice, no ayudó en nada. Sólo empeoró todo. Y… ¡vamos! Loki ni siquiera me gusta. Es un antipático, grosero, egoísta, orgulloso y pesado.
- Oh, Thor –rueda los ojos al escuchar la última línea-. No seas tan duro contigo mismo, y no seas tan duro con él tampoco. No eres una mala persona por haber tenido sex…
- ¡Sif! –le interrumpe para que no acabara de decir aquello, le daba mucha pena.
- Ehm… sí, lo siento –frunce un poco el ceño-. Pero, el punto es que bueno… nadie dice que Loki te guste, o algo así. Es sólo que… un "error" lo comete cualquiera, ¿ok? No te atormentes por ello…
- Ok…, pero… Sif, ¿qué voy a hacer cuando…?
- Sí, bueno… Posiblemente él esté pasando por lo mismo que tú. Así que probablemente lleguen a un acuerdo, o algo así. Pero cariño, pase lo que pase, trata de no ser tan duro con él. ¿Me lo prometes? –lo mira con calidez y ternura que podrían ser de una hermana, incluso de una madre.
- Ahmm… está bien. Trataré –sonríe a medias.
- Bueno… ok. Me parece bien cariño… -baja la cabeza y juguetea con una basurilla en la superficie de la mesita. No entendía por qué Thor seguía atormentándose y negándose lo que era obvio que sentía, pero ella no era quién para regañarle o decirle algo. Tarde o temprano se daría cuenta del verdadero error.
El mozo llega con sus pedidos y comienzan a disfrutar de sus alimentos. Thor estaba dando sorbos a su café mientras Sif picaba su coctel de frutas.
- Por cierto Thor… ¿quién estuvo "arriba"? –sonríe pícara tratando de aguantar la risa al tiempo que el rubio se atraganta, escupe el café y grita:
- ¡SIF!
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><p>Loki seguía tumbado en la cama. No sabía dónde había ido el ojiazul, pero ya quería que regresara. No era que le fuera a decir sus sentimientos, o algo por el estilo. Eso, probablemente, nunca sucedería. Pero al mismo tiempo, el haber aceptado finalmente lo que sentía por el rubio le hacía, de alguna manera, querer estar con él. Aunque sólo fuera para molestarlo como siempre. Estaba mirando al techo de la habitación cuando los recuerdos de la noche anterior empezaron a invadir su mente. La intensa mirada de Thor atravesándolo de lado a lado, el toque de sus manos sobre su cuerpo, su aliento embriagante. Sus labios. Tan cálidos, tan suaves, tan dulces, tan… él. Respira profundo y se lleva una de sus manos a su rostro. Repasa con los dedos índice y medio el contorno de sus labios. Suspira y sonríe. ¿Cómo reaccionaría Thor al llegar y verlo? ¿Sería igual que siempre? ¿Algo cambiaría? <em>¿Y si…?<em>
Escucha el ruido de la perilla girando, la puerta abriéndose y rozando contra la alfombra, los pasos de Thor cruzando el umbral de la puerta… amplía su sonrisa y con la emoción haciendo su corazón palpitar más rápido de lo normal trata de enderezarse para verlo.
- Ho… ¡Argh! –abre los ojos de par en par sintiendo un dolor agudo alojarse en su espalda baja. Intenta respirar profundamente. Ahí estaba su arrepentimiento.
El ojiazul alza la mirada para verlo algo sorprendido, en realidad no había entendido el porqué del grito del pelinegro, que aún estaba consternado y horrorizado. Trató de recordar lo que le había prometido a Sif. _"Tranquilo Thor, no es tan difícil. Sólo no seas muy duro con él…" _se repitió a sí mismo y siguió avanzando a través de la habitación para llegar a su cama. Loki lo sigue con la mirada y trata de acomodarse de una manera en la que su retaguardia no punzara tanto. Al no conseguirlo opta por no moverse más. Aprieta los labios en una línea fina, sin saber qué decir.
- Eh… ¿dormiste bien? –pregunta el ojiverde después de un breve rato, algo inquieto.
- … -Thor tampoco sabe qué contestar, pero decide no hacer el asunto más difícil de lo que debería- Sip… dormí bien. Gracias…
- De nada… -frunce el ceño un poco. Algo había raro ahí- Te levantaste muy temprano, fuiste a desayunar, supongo…
- Así es… salí a desayunar con Sif –sonríe.
- Oh, ya veo… -sintió un poco de envidia al saber que no había pasado más tiempo con él por eso, pero no podía hacer nada al respecto. Comer era una necesidad básica. Además Sif empezaba a caerle realmente bien.
- Si…
El silencio que se instaló el dormitorio fue de los más incómodos que hubieran compartido nunca, Thor fingía rebuscar cosas en su mesita de noche mientras Loki se sobaba el cuello.
- Loki…
- Hey, Thor…
Los dos se quedan callados al oírse el uno a otro tratar de decirse algo e interrumpirse al mismo tiempo. El moreno se muerde levemente el labio inferior.
- Tú primero –ofrece el mayor.
- No, dime –rechaza Loki-. ¿Qué querías decir?
- Eh… Bueno, yo…
Thor realmente no sabía cómo decir lo que quería decir. Era algo vergonzoso para él, y no quería herir al menor. Pero tenía que "aclarar" todo aquello, para que no se malinterpretara –aunque había muy poco que malinterpretar– ni volviera a ocurrir.
- ¿_"Bueno, tú…"_? –presiona Loki, mitad broma mitad expectante.
- Eh… Loki. Sobre lo que pasó… anoche… -se ruboriza al recordar aquello y desvía la mirada levemente.
- Ajá… ¿lo de anoche qué? –Loki también se sonroja al oír sobre el tema, pero simula no darle mucha importancia.
- Pues… -respira profundamente, como para sacar fuerzas de la nada. No sabía cómo abordar el tema- sólo… hagamos como que no sucedió, ¿ok?
Estas palabras hicieron que Loki se sintiera confundido, y agredido. No esperaba eso.
- Ah… ¿perdón? –cuestiona incrédulo mientras entrecierra los ojos y ladea levemente la cabeza, después de procesar la información.
- Sí, tú sabes. Simplemente… no debió de ocurrir. Tú sabes a lo que me refiero.
- ¿Ah, sí? Pues no, tendrás que explicármelo porque no sé a qué te refieres.
- Oh, ¡Vamos Loki! Tú sabes, somos amigos… creo, yo te tengo mucho aprecio al menos… pero somos hombres, a ambos nos gustan las chicas, ¿no es así?
- ¿Ajá… y? –se cruza de brazos y lo ve algo molesto, empezaba a irritarse.
- Bueno, pues… ¡ay…! No hagas esto más difícil, por favor…
- No, yo no lo hago difícil Thor. Tú eres el que lo hace difícil.
- Eso no es cierto –frunce el ceño ante la acusación-. Estoy tratando de aclarar las cosas de la mejor manera, tu eres el que se está molestando.
- ¿Quién se está molestando? Yo no… ¿por qué habría de molestarme? ¿Por ti?
- ¡Ahhh! ¿Lo ves? ¡Ya estás enojado!
- ¿Cómo pretendes que no me enoje si sigues molestando con la misma mierda de que estoy enojado? Te escucho, anda.
- Loki, yo… -trata de calmarlo, inútilmente.
- Di lo que tienes que decir YA.
Thor respira profundamente y suspira frustrado. Estaba colmándole la paciencia. Y ese día no estaba para esos "juegos".
- Eso es lo que estoy diciéndote desde hace un rato. Olvida lo que pasó, no debió suceder. El asunto se nos fue de las manos. Fue un error –dice serio y mirándolo a los ojos, poniéndose de pie.
Loki sintió algo quebrarse dentro suyo al escuchar esas palabras. ¿Se podía ser más imbécil?
- … Tú error, querrás decir –aclara-. Fue tú error.
- ¿Mi error? –repite el rubio, frunciendo el ceño y levantando un poco la voz.
- Sí, animal. Tú lo iniciaste todo, como siempre. Eres un idiota.
- No, perdóname. Para empezar, no me insultes, que yo no te estoy faltando al respeto. Y para terminar no fue mi culpa.
- Claro que sí. Tú me besaste, estúpido. ¿O acaso ya no te acuerdas? Y yo hago lo que quiero y te digo como se me antoje.
- ¡Ahh! ¿Por qué siempre eres tan necio? –iba a replicarle algo más, pero recordó las palabras de Sif. No debía ser muy duro con él- Bueno, como sea. No importa de quién fue la culpa o quién empezó. Simplemente no debe volver a ocurrir. Nunca.
- ¡Pues como quieras! Como si me importara…
- Ahh... ¿por qué siempre haces eso? –pregunta Thor ya molesto.
- ¿El qué? ¿Mandarte al diablo? Porque te lo mereces.
- No, eso no idiota. Hacer como que no te importan las cosas. Nunca nada te preocupa. Nada. ¿Cómo soportas ser tan frío?
- Claro que me importan las cosas. Para tú información, me importan MUCHÍSIMAS cosas. Y entre esas cosas, lamento decirte, no te encuentras tú. Así que cualquier idiotez que tenga que ver contigo no es más que basura. ¿Qué esperabas que hiciera? ¿Llorar? ¿Suplicar que no hagas esto? ¿Decirte alguna cursilería barata a las que de seguro estás tan acostumbrado? Siento romper tus ilusiones, pero no es así. Tienes razón, fue solo sexo, y fue una grandísima estupidez que te aseguro quedará en el olvido y, por mi parte, no volverá a ocurrir, pedazo de imbécil.
- ¡Al menos esperaba que fueras menos amargado y grosero al respecto! ¡Esperaba que estuvieses de buen humor…!
- ¡Hahaha! –interrumpe riendo irónicamente por el comentario del mayor- Pero si yo ESTABA de buen humor antes de que llegaras.
- ¿Ah sí? ¡Pues no se nota! ¡Yo debería ser el que está enojado!
- Awww… ¿No me digas? ¿Por qué? ¿Por qué no estoy llorando a tus pies?
- ¡NO IMBÉCIL! Ahhh… eres un… ¡ARGH! –se lleva las manos al cabello y soba su cabeza, en extremo irritado- ¡No puedo creer que te haya regalado mi primera vez a TI!
La habitación quedo en silencio por aquella declaración tan inesperada y repentina. Al darse cuenta de lo que había dicho, el rubio se talla el puente de la nariz. Loki, que no se había dado cuenta a qué hora se había envuelto del torso para abajo con la sábana y se había puesto de pie, se quedó mudo y se puso pálido. _¿Qué había qué?_
- ¿Q-qué? ¿De qué hablas? –entorna los ojos, mirando a Thor fijamente.
- Sí, anda. Búrlate –el rubor de sus mejillas se enciende aún más.
- Espera… ¿Entonces… eras virgen? ¿Y…? –comienza a analizar las cosas rápidamente en su cabeza. Ok, ahora resultaba que… ¿el maldito rubio cabeza hueca era virgen antes de acostarse con él? O sea que, de algún extraño modo, ¿le había quitado la inocencia? "_¡OH! ¡Pero qué estupidez!_" Enarca una ceja- ¿Y eso qué?
- ¿Cómo que "y eso qué"? Yo esperaba hacerlo con una linda chica tierna y amable. ¡No con un enano orgulloso y pesado!
- ¡Oh mira, pobrecito! Lo lamento, yo también quiero tener un gato, pero no se puede tener todo en la vida. Además, ¡permíteme recordarte que tú me rompiste el culo! ¿O qué, suponías que ya antes alguien más lo había hecho?
- Arghhh… -cierra los ojos y tensa la mandíbula, como tratando de soportar lo que había dicho el moreno- ¿Por qué debes ser tan vulgar y obsceno? ¡Eso es asqueroso!
- Por Dios… –rueda los ojos- Pues eso no parecía ser la verdad anoche, primor. ¡Por lo que recuerdo, tú MORÍAS por metérmela…!
- ¡ARGH! ¡YA BASTA LOKI! –grita el rubio. Estaba harto- ¡Ya cállate! ¡No te soporto! ¿Nada de lo que haya pasado anoche es real, entiendes? ¿Y sabes qué? ¡No entiendo cómo pudo ocurrir semejante barbaridad… y contigo! ¡Olvídalo! ¡Bórralo! ¡Fue un error! ¡Un muy grande y horrible error! ¡Y no sabes cuánto me arrepiento de todo esto!
El rubio trata de recuperar la respiración después de haber gritado de aquella manera. Luego enfoca su mirada en el rostro de Loki. No tenía ninguna expresión. Sus ojos seguían teniendo la mirada fija en él. Pareciera como si cada vez se pusieran más cristalinos. El pelinegro cierra los ojos, respira hondo y exhala. Luego abre los ojos grandes y parpadea repetidas veces, desviando la vista hacia arriba para contener las lágrimas que lo harían ver como un perdedor.
- L-Loki, yo… -trata de arreglar las cosas, se había pasado. Había olvidado completamente lo que le había prometido a Sif.
- No… digas nada… -alza la mano derecha con el dedo índice extendido, en señal de que guardara silencio, y desvía el rostro hacia la izquierda. Evitando siempre el contacto visual-. Ya entendí. Lo entendí desde el principio. Perfecto. No hay problema. Nunca… nunca pasó nada…
- Loki…
- ¡SILENCIO! –alza la voz y voltea a verlo sumamente furioso, pero a la vez roto. Muy roto- Ya viniste a molestar, lo lograste. Ahora lárgate…
Thor quería agregar algo más, pero pareciera que el ojiverde hablaba muy en serio. Cerró los ojos y suspiró resignado. Se dio la media vuelta y se fue. Al instante de que Thor saliera, Loki da de vueltas por la habitación y comienza a patear y golpear cosas, incluso la pared. Después, azotó objetos que se interpusieron en su camino por todos lados hasta quedarse sin nada. Luego se desplomó en el suelo, cayendo de rodillas y mirando hacia sus manos. Sonriendo con dolorosa ironía, ¿quién lo viera hace apenas unos minutos? Ahora lo entendía todo. Aquello debía ser lo que todo el mundo llamaba _karma_. Lo que tanto había temido.
Cuántas veces había jugado con los sentimientos de tantas chicas, sin importar quienes fueran. Cuántas veces había desechado a tantas mujeres después de usarlas e ilusionarlas. Cuántas veces había despreciado la mirada enamorada de alguna chiquilla que se hubiese fijado en él, y en vez de comprenderla tratarla como basura, como un error… Finalmente, él mismo se había convertido en aquello. _En una_ _chiquilla enamorada_, _ilusionada_, esperando que sus sentimientos fueran entendidos y aceptados por aquella persona que sólo había jugado con él, lo había usado, lo había desechado y despreciado. Convirtiéndolo en un error. Sólo había recibido exactamente lo que merecía, y eso hacía aún más triste el asunto. Sólo se había engañado a sí mismo, pensando que el rubio sentía lo mismo. Que también lo amaba… cuando él finalmente lo había aceptado y creía que podría vivir con aquello. Que valía la pena… por él. ¡Triste decepción! Quizá estaba condenado a estar siempre solo, sin nadie a quien importarle. Y una vida así no tenía ningún sentido. Mientras pensaba en su desdicha y se auto-condenaba a la soledad eterna, había empezado a llorar silenciosamente. Solo.
Thor bajó las escaleras a toda velocidad, maldiciéndose a sí mismo por haber sido tan patán y hablarle de esa manera a Loki. Se supone que debía hacerlo con cuidado. Se suponía que no debía herirlo. No sólo porque Sif se lo hubiera pedido, esa en realidad era la excusa más barata que había encontrado para convencerse a sí mismo de hacerlo. En verdad, no quería haberlo lastimado. Pero al final siempre tenía que arruinarlo todo, había explotado, y había dicho cosas hirientes. Cosas que no deben decirse.
Definitivamente, estaba demasiado confundido. Y lo estaba porque quería, siendo que tenía la respuesta justo frente a él.
Después de pasar un rato comiéndose la cabeza llegó a una conclusión. Necesitaba una distracción. No debía pensar más en el asunto. Tal vez si tomaba, de una vez por todas, alguno de los caminos disponibles, sabría qué era lo que de verdad quería. Eso era.
Se puso de pie y salió en busca de Foster.
Era la única salida que veía. O, al menos, la única que quería ver.**
><strong>
27. Capítulo 27
**Hola!**
Aquí estoy! :3
Trayéndoles el nuevo capítulo de la semana! Así que... empecemos! xD
Quiero agradecer a las chicas que como siempre dejan su precioso reviews, como C**iel, Mishima Yukio, JustASecret, Lice Michaelis, Ariadha**... etc, etc, etc que sólo leen :) y personitas que dan follow y fav como **Airi Evans!** -fanfarria-** GRACIAS DE VERDAD! ;3;**
**Bueno...** en este capítulo no ocurren cosas de mayo importancia. O bueno, sí xD pero es un capítulo algo especial(?) hay una parte contada desde una perspectiva distinta a la de nuestros queridos y gays protagonistas xD ... así que... espero les guste, ya que creo que es algo que no había hecho porque hasta apenas me entró la locura y se quedó de esta forma haha.
En fin... esto sería todo :3 muchos besitos para todas y que el Thorki las acompañe siempre!
Cuídense!
**Higurashi Out!**
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><p>Ya era suficiente. No iba a seguir llorando por algo que no valía la pena. Bueno… sí, sí lo valía. Pero si al otro no le había importado en lo más mínimo, ¿por qué a él le iba a importar? Debía conservar su dignidad. Si aún quedaba algo de ella, claro. Pero ese no era el punto. El punto era que… debía tranquilizarse. No era el fin del mundo. El estúpido rubio solamente lo había rechazado –inclusive antes de decirle nada- y le había dicho que se arrepentía de todo. Nada que no le hubiera dicho antes. Necesitaba respirar, necesitaba olvidar todo aquel trago amargo. Necesitaba comer algo. Y necesitaba darse un baño.<p>
Unos momentos más Loki ya estaba escogiendo la ropa que se iba poner y la coloca sobre su cama, ponía en la cesta de ropa sucia la que se había puesto el día anterior, y había entrado al baño para darse una relajante ducha con agua tibia. Asegurándose especialmente de limpiar hasta el más pequeño rincón de su cuerpo y deshacerse del sudor y cualquier resto de la noche anterior que aún estuviera en él.
No era la primera vez que alguien lo había rechazado –aunque pareciera imposible de creer-, pero había dolido como si lo hubiera sido. Nada grave, sobreviviría.
Salió del baño desnudo muy seguro de que el ojiazul no estaría ahí en un buen rato. Se tomó el tiempo necesario para vestirse, poniéndose una de las pocas playeras blancas que tenía, unos jeans negros y una chaqueta de cuero del mismo color, guardando su cartera en uno de los bolsillos de esta. Se arregló el cabello como era costumbre, y se quedó mirando las sábanas sobre la cama y las que seguían tiradas en el suelo. Todas estaban hechas un asco. No pudo evitar recordar lo de la noche anterior y sonrojarse un poco, pero retomando su propósito principal sacudió su cabeza, recogió las que estaban en el suelo y quitó las de su cama. Juntó y guardó todos los harapos sucios en una bolsa negra y salió con ella rumbo a la lavandería.
Una vez hablando con la "agradable" chica de la lavandería, que nunca le había caído bien, y sin embargo el a ella sí… y mucho, y, un poco desconfiado, haberle encargado sus pertenencias, se dirigió a la cafetería. Se decidió por un sándwich de pollo –o dos, era su favorito-, un coctel de frutas, yogurt, pudding, pan tostado con mantequilla y una naranjada. Tenía mucha hambre. Toma asiento para disfrutar de sus alimentos y justo antes de probar bocado estornuda fuerte e inesperadamente. Contrariado, piensa en por qué había estornudado. No tenía frío, hacía buen tiempo... estornuda de nuevo. _¿Por qué…?_ Vuelve a estornudar. _Oh. _
- ¡MIERDA! –retumba en toda la cafetería el grito del moreno, ganándose las miradas indiscretas de mucha gente y algunas risas que respondió con miradas fulminantes.
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><p>- Ah… ah… ¡AH…! ¡ACHUUUU!<p>
Después de estornudar, el rubio resopla y se talla la nariz. Primero que todo, tenía que comprarse un paquete de pañuelos desechables. No podía ir a ver a Foster en esas condiciones. Suspiró cansado y se dio la media vuelta, fijando rumbo hacia alguna Farmacia o Tienda de Conveniencia. Sólo compraría eso, dado que él era de la firme creencia de que consumir medicamentos para aliviarse algo tan simple como una pequeña gripa atentaba contra el buen funcionamiento del sistema inmunológico, y abusar de los fármacos lo dejaría inútil para una verdadera emergencia. Si acaso se haría un té o algún otro remedio naturista. Un poco de miel con limón le vendría perfecto.
Busca entre el bolsillo de su pantalón deportivo y saca su nuevo móvil -que realmente no era nuevo, era el usaba antes de conseguir el que se le había estropeado con el diluvio de hace casi un día-, revisa la hora y le conecta los auriculares para escuchar música tranquilamente. No sabía mucho acerca de géneros musicales, grupos o artistas. Si escuchaba de casualidad una canción y le gustaba, la conseguía -la mayoría de las veces-. Y estaba la música que escuchaba cuando era pequeño, por influencia de sus padres. De ahí que la mayoría de la música que escuchara fuera desactualizada, de los años 80's, 70's, 60's. Pero, sobre todo, ópera, instrumentales y de salón.
Enciende el reproductor de música y este suena en la pista donde se había quedado la última vez que había utilizado el aparato, la cual era Lost in Love de Air Supply, oportunamente.
_"I realize the best part of love is the thinnest slice_
_And it don´t count for much_
_But I´m not letting go_
_I believe there´s still much to believe in."_
Frunce el ceño. Siempre le había gustado mucho esa canción, pero en ese mismo momento no le servía de mucho, y no hizo otra cosa que devolver a su mente la imagen de Loki. _Mierda. _Saca su móvil nuevamente mientras sigue cruzando el patio para alcanzar la entrada principal y cambia la canción a la siguiente en la lista.
_"I'm not in love, so don't forget it_
_It's just a silly phase I'm going through_
_And just because I call you up_
_Don't get me wrong; don't think you've got it made_
_I'm not in love, no, no"_
Niega con la cabeza en desaprobación y cambia de nuevo la canción, guardando de vuelta el celular en su bolsillo y respirando hondo.
_"I've been alone with you inside my mind_
_And in my dreams I've kissed your lips a thousand times_
_I sometimes see you pass outside my door_
_Hello!"_
Resopla. Desbloquea de nuevo el móvil. Cambia canciones una por una, y el mundo conspira contra él. A Love Song – Anne Murray, Got to get you into my life – The Beatles, Here You Come Again – Dolly Parton –¿por qué la tenía ahí?-, So into you – Atlanta Rhythm Section, We can't hide it Anymore – Larry Santos… ¡YA! Eso debía ser una broma. Ya ni siquiera escucha un poco de cada una, si no le gusta el título pasa a la siguiente. Después de cambiar unas 15 canciones más – ¿desde cuándo tenía tantas canciones de amor?- algo finamente lo distrae, y eso es que alguien le toca el hombro y trata de voltearlo. Se quita los audífonos y guarda el celular.
- ¿Jane? –estaba sorprendido. Aunque la iba a buscar, no esperaba verla en ese preciso momento.
- ¡Thor! ¿Estás bien? –pregunta preocupada la chica.
- Oh, claro –sonríe-. ¿Por qué?
- Bueno… es que llevo un rato tratando de hablarte, y estabas como en un trance… ¿seguro que no pasa nada?
- Sí… sí, sí. Estoy bien, debe ser porque aún no me acostumbro de nuevo a este móvil… -lo muestra a la castaña.
- ¡Ah! Eso explica por qué tu número estaba fuera de servicio… ¿Qué le pasó a tu otro teléfono?
- Eso… -se soba el cuello- ayer salí a correr y como se me vino encima la tormenta…
- ¡Ay, Thor! –lo interrumpe- ¿Pero cómo se te pudo haber ocurrido salir a correr ayer? ¿No viste que desde temprano se notaba que iba a llover? Espero que no te vayas a enfermar… -lo mira con reproche.
- Eh, bueno… –se aclara la garganta y murmura- precisamente…
- ¿Perdón? –responde al no escuchar lo último.
- No, nada. Que… qué gusto me da verte, Foster. ¿Cómo estás?
- Bien, estoy bien Thor. Gracias –sonríe-. Pero ya te dije que me digas Jane.
- Cierto… bueno. Precisamente te estaba buscando en este momento.
- Awww… ¿en serio? –se acomoda un mechón de cabello detrás de su oreja, en clara una muestra de coqueteo.
- Sí, quería decirte algo.
- Oh, claro. Dime, ¿qué sucede?
- No, nada. Bueno… sí –se vuelve a aclarar la garganta-. Nada malo, quiero decir. Sólo que… lamento el otro día haber rechazado tu invitación, realmente quería tomar ese café contigo.
- Ay, no te preocupes. Tenías otras cosas que hacer, no hay problema. Sin resentimientos. Además… es bueno que hayas ayudado a Loki a terminar de estudiar. Sino reprobará el semestre entero.
- ¿Eh? ¿C-como sabes que…?
- … -ríe levemente- bueno, creo que era él. Cuando te hablé por teléfono dijo que enseguida te iba a mandar conmigo… ¿era él, no?
- Ah… sí, sí… tienes razón –ríe nervioso-. Es un pesado, y se la pasa peleando todo el tiempo en vez de poner atención. Creo que de todas maneras va a reprobar, no entendió mucho…
- Thor, no seas así… tal vez solamente necesita un empujón y algo de motivación para seguir. Y nadie podría reprobar teniendo un maestro tan bueno como tú… -se ruboriza y le sonríe.
- ¿Eso crees? –sonríe a medias y sacude la cabeza al estar regresando la imagen del moreno a su mente. Para empezar, ¿por qué estaban hablando de él?- Pero bueno… el punto era que quería pedirte disculpas por eso y, no sé… quizá quieras un café. Como compensación. ¿Quieres?
- ¡Oh, Thor! Claro que sí, me encantaría –sonríe ampliamente-. Pero también tendrás que dar un paseo conmigo, ¿ok?
- Por supuesto, lo haría aunque no te debiera una –le devuelve la sonrisa.
- ¡Perfecto! Y bien… ¿a qué hora nos vemos? –cuestiona la chica tan feliz que no cabía en sí misma.
- Pues… ¿puedes ahora mismo? –pregunta tratando de sonar lo más casual posible, pero aprovechando la oportunidad para llevar a cabo la decisión que había tomado.
- Eh… ¿ahora mismo? –repite, algo incrédula.
- Bueno, si puedes también… sino más tarde.
- ¡No, no! Está bien, claro que puedo. Es sólo que me tomó un poco de sorpresa.
- ¿Segura? Porque no quiero importunar, podría ser otro día, con más calma…
- En serio, no hay ningún problema. Esta vez no te me vas a escapar, ¿me oyes, Odinson? –lo toma del brazo y ríe.
Después de un poco más de charla casual y amena caminan hacia un restaurante un poco lejano ubicado a unos 7 bloques al sur del instituto.
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><p>Sif estaba preocupada por Thor. La plática que sostuvieran en la mañana la había dejado algo pensativa y angustiada al respecto. Además, el rubio no contestaba su teléfono. Y no era porque no supiera que ya no tenía el mismo número –él mismo se había encargado de avisarle que había cambiado de móvil-. Simplemente la llamada sonaba y sonaba hasta el cansancio, pero nadie contestaba.<p>
Por supuesto que estaba preocupada, y no iba a descansar hasta saber cómo estaba el ojiazul y en qué había terminado el asunto. Porque Thor desde siempre había sido algo tonto e impulsivo bajo presión, y las cosas siempre solían salírsele de las manos cuando enfurecía o estaba demasiado nervioso. Debía asegurarse de que no había estropeado todo, que ambos estaban bien y, por qué no, habían aceptado sus sentimientos mutuamente y estaban iniciando una bonita relación. Y es que, por el amor de lo más divino, era más que obvio que tanto el pelinegro como el rubio sentían algo más que una amistad, por más que les doliera aceptarlo.
Algunas veces Sif pensaba en ello, y aún no sabía si era su imaginación o de verdad el asunto era tan ridículamente obvio que solo ellos dos no se daban cuenta.
O tal vez era que no se querían dar cuenta.
De cualquier manera, a pesar de lo que cualquiera pudiera pensar al respecto, Sif solamente aceptaría a Thor en una relación si la otra persona era Loki. Obviamente eso nunca había sido así. Originalmente, Sif no habría aceptado a nadie absolutamente como pareja del rubio. Nadie era lo suficientemente bueno para Thor, nadie podía tenerlo. Y nadie debía tenerlo. Porque nadie lo merecía. Era un grandulón sonriente y bobalicón que apenas cruzando una puerta llenaba de vida una estancia completa. Inteligente, humilde, noble y dispuesto a hacer todo para ayudar. Siempre lleno de energía. Un sol viviente.
En lo más profundo de su alma tenía oculto quizá su mayor secreto, y ese era que durante mucho tiempo, de niña, estuvo enamorada de él. Era lo más cercano a la perfección que conocía, y así se quería quedar. Nunca quiso otra sonrisa, ni otro sonido de voz, otra persona. Cuando Thor estaba ahí, todo estaba bien.
Con el tiempo, el sentimiento fue aumentando y llegó el momento en el que era tan grande que su pecho dolía. Pero, así como creció, poco a poco fue transformándose hasta llegar a convertirse en el cariño más puro y sincero que cualquiera pudiera profesarle a una persona. Si alguien le preguntara "¿qué es lo más valioso en esta vida para ti?" sin duda respondería "Thor Odinson". Y sin duda también, al ser lo más preciado para ella, lo defendería a toda costa.
Ella se había auto-nombrado la guardiana del rubio, y su misión era cuidarlo de todo y de todos. Inclusive de sus amigos más cercanos. Pero en especial de las chicas. No iba a dejar que una zorra cualquiera llegara a hacerle daño a su sol viviente y le hiciera mermar su radiante brillo.
A pesar de, con el paso de los años, pensar constantemente que Thor no debía estar solo y necesitaba compañía, rápidamente cambiaba de opinión al ver el tipo de personas que se le querían acercar. Nadie digno. Jamás se sentiría culpable de haber espantado a tantas pretendientes. Incluso si el rubio era el interesado. Y, bueno, "tantas" relativamente. A pesar de todo el atractivo que tenía, el que siempre estuviera desarreglado y tuviera tan poco cuidado de su imagen llegaba a restarle algunos puntos.
Sif sabía que, por sí sola, también tenía una lista larga de personas interesadas en ella –sentimentalmente hablando–, algunos muy simpáticos, inteligentes, guapos, y una lista muy extensa de virtudes. Los rechazaba a todos sin excepción, sólo por la simple y sencilla razón de que no le interesaba ni uno solo. Al principio no le pareció extraño, pensaba que quizá era demasiado chica para fijarse en ello. Pero con el paso del tiempo se preocupó de que las cosas no cambiaran ni un poco.
Fue cuando se dio cuenta de que le interesaba _otra variedad_.
Y estaba bien. Bueno, al principio, como era de esperarse, Sif se sentía avergonzada de ello. Trató y trató de negarlo, arreglarlo. De verdad lo intentó. Pero su homosexualidad era algo muy real. Tenía miedo. Y no por darse cuenta de que su orientación sexual no era la que una chiquilla de 12 años debería tener. Ni siquiera por lo que los demás fueran a decir. Sino lo que Thor pensaría. No quería pensar que el ojiazul se apartaría de su lado por aquella razón. Le enfermaba imaginárselo. Sabía que él no era así, pero… ¿y si estaba equivocada?
Un largo año con algunos meses después decidió decírselo, una vez que estuvo segura y preparada para lo que pudiera pasar. La forma en la que el rubio se tomó todo el asunto le tranquilizó. No podía faltar la innegable sorpresa, pero conforme la morena le fue explicando todo, sus facciones se fueron relajando y la sonrisa fue apareciendo. Thor prometió apoyarla en todo y estar siempre a su lado para lo que necesitara, aunque sin tener que decirlo ya lo hacía. Tal vez esa era la parte que más le gustaba de todo, el saber que el ojiazul había sido el primero y el único hombre en su corazón su vida entera, aunque ahora de ese tipo de afecto no quedara ni siquiera la sombra.
Después de todo, y después de conocerlo a él, ¿podría comparársele con alguien más? No podía llegar a enamorarse de otro hombre después de haberlo querido a él. Sólo pensarlo le parecía insólito.
Ahora, debía aceptar que cuando Thor le había hablado acerca de Loki jamás se había imaginado nada parecido a lo que realmente sucedía. Francamente, creyó en cada una de las palabras que Thor le dijo acerca del pelinegro. Porque ¿quién podría hacer al rubio expresarse de una persona como si fuera una plaga y algo de verdad indeseable? ¡Por favor! A Thor le caía bien TODO el mundo. Así que, sin informarle en absoluto al mayor partió al instituto, en Inglaterra. Después de todo su tío era El Decano. Necesitaba saber si Thor de verdad hablaba en serio o solamente estaba exagerando las cosas.
Cuando vio por primera vez a Loki, en primer lugar, tuvo que aceptar que era realmente guapo. Le llamó mucho la atención el hecho de que fuera una persona tan contraría a Thor, y aun así ser tan encantador. Eran Calor y Frío. Sol y Luna. Día y Noche. Blanco y Negro. Sí y No. Era algo que se notaba a simple vista y no se necesitaba ser un genio para averiguarlo. Sólo a su tío podría habérsele ocurrido la idea tan disparatada como de poner a dos polos tan opuestos juntos. Destinados, por naturaleza, a chocar por siempre.
Después se quedó totalmente sorprendida por el simple hecho de que no entendió ni un carajo de lo que había sucedido. De repente, el ojiverde se puso de pie totalmente enfadado, azotando cosas y saliendo de la habitación como alma que lleva el diablo. Y, sinceramente, en su momento no le prestó atención, aunque debió hacerlo.
A pesar de las cosas que Thor le siguiera contando sobre él, y que cada vez que la viera el ojiverde le pusiera caras de desagrado o simplemente se diera media vuelta y se fuera, le agradaba. Dentro de todo ese odio e indiferencia había una pequeña parte que le hacía sentir… ternura. Era inexplicable, como si supiera que ese comportamiento en especial con ella era como un berrinche. Pero bueno, no le podía caer bien a todo el mundo, ¿no?
Luego Thor le contaría la "escenita" que el moreno le había armado por su causa.
Si alguna vez le había insinuado al rubio acerca de que existiera "algo" entre Loki y él, era broma. Jamás se había imaginado de verdad algo así, y nunca lo hubiese esperado. Encima le había ocultado que, desde mucho antes, había sucedido un beso.
Lo que más le sorprendería, inesperadamente, sería el hecho de que en vez de enojarse y protestar por aquello… le alegrara. Era desconcertante. Pero estaba feliz. Jamás, en la historia universal de los "_jamases_", había contemplado la posibilidad de que el ojiazul fuese gay. Y, de todos modos, ¿quién lo haría? A pesar de conocerle casi ningún interés amoroso o novia –reiterando, en parte por su culpa– nunca había tenido razón alguna para dudar de su heterosexualidad. Y es que Thor tenía todo lo que se necesitaba para ser un _macho alfa. _Era alto y rubio como el sol, y tenía ese bronceado perfecto, cortesía de su tierra natal. Ojos azules y cristalinos, que no se podía saber si se parecían al cielo o al mar. Voz gruesa y profunda que podía penetrar hasta el núcleo del alma y hacer vibrar cada fibra de tu ser. Un cuerpo envidiable, tan bien formado que realmente no entendía por qué se empeñaba en ocultarlo bajo todos esos harapos viejos y pasados de moda. Su personalidad, tan transparente y alegre que con solo verlo te podía impregnar de energía para seguir el resto del día. Todo eso, al parecer, había cautivado al pelinegro. Y viceversa.
Loki era tan solo un poco menos alto que Thor. Atlético. Tenía ese cabello negro que contrastaba completamente con su lechosa piel y ojos verdes como esmeraldas, que realmente parecían piedras preciosas. Esa personalidad desordenada, rebelde, arisca y desconfiada que hacía resaltar su voz suave y, a pesar de todo, la clase que ostentaba tan orgullosamente. El sarcasmo, eterno, destilando por sus poros. Y su sonrisa, que tal vez no era muy brillante y sincera, más bien burlona y maliciosa, pero combinaba perfecta y acababa por rematar toda esa aura que lo hacían ser como era. Encantador. Como si estuviera rodeado de un tipo de magia extraña que envolvía e hipnotizaba a quién fuera.
Tal vez, después de todo, los polos opuestos SÍ se atraen. Y entre más distintos son, mayor es la fuerza con que se juntan.
Por esa razón, por ese amor tan grande que mutuamente sentían en secreto, debían estar juntos. Era el destino. Y así como Thor había prometido apoyarla y ayudarla en todo lo que necesitara, Sif iba a hacer eso y más por él. Porque Thor merecía todo. Y ahora que parecía haber encontrado a la persona indicada para él no podía dejar que auto-saboteara su felicidad solo por su indecisión y negación. Era su deber como su guardiana.
Por ello estaba preocupada, y necesitaba averiguar qué había sucedido con ese par, si es que ya habían discutido algo del asunto y llegado a algún acuerdo en particular. Y la mejor manera de conseguir información fidedigna era, por demás, la más obvia. Le preguntaría directamente. Después de todo, eran confidentes. Nunca se ocultaban secretos. Bueno, casi nunca.
Ella no sabía nada acerca de esa tal Foster. Sí, la conocía de vista. No parecía que fuera una amenaza, pero había algo que no le terminaba de convencer. Era linda, amable, se notaba que tenía su carácter. Pero… no. Simplemente no.
Lo bueno de conocer desde hace tanto tiempo al rubio es que casi podía leer su mente y saber en qué o cuál lugar podría encontrarse. Si ya había hablado con Loki –y si no se equivocaba-, tendría que estar comprando en alguna farmacia pañuelos desechables, pues él no tenía propios y no le agradaba mucho eso de pedir prestado. Y daba la grata casualidad de que ella andaba caminando por la calle, cerca de una. Asomó, y al no ver a quien buscaba decidió tomar rumbo hacia el instituto, que no quedaba muy apartado. Thor ya debía haber regresado.
Sonrió ampliamente cuando vio al rubio alegre y riendo a la puerta principal del instituto. Conforme se fue acercando se dio cuenta de que iba acompañado de Jane Foster. Debía habérsela encontrado en el camino, y estaba bien mientras él estuviera a gusto.
No pudo pensar lo mismo cuando lo vio inclinarse hacia ella para darle un beso tierno en los labios.
* * *
><p><strong>Chan Chan Chan!<strong>
**Cómo ven?**
Bueno... la mayoría -sino es que todas- las canciones que aparecieron en el capítulo son de los '60s, y me sirvieron de mucha inspiración para poder escribir varios capítulos, incluyendo este. Sinceramente, algunas partes son acertadas, otras no tanto, pero la mayoría tienen algo que identifican al rubio y que incluso me hicieron reír por ser tan... LOL.
De las otras dos que aparecen fragmentos y no tienen título, las canciones son: I'm Not in Love – 10CC y Hello - Lionel Richie.
En fin... eso es todo ahora sí!
Las amo!
28. Capítulo 28
**Hola!**
Bueno, les traigo el nuevo chapter el día de hoy. Disculpen si aún no he podido responder sus reviews, lo haré a la brevedad xD pero sigo, como siempre, hostigándolas y agradeciéndoles hasta el cansancio y en niveles ridículos que sigan leyendo este humilde fanfic, y sigan favoriteandolo y "followeandolo(?)".
Quiero decirles que trataré de tomar en cuenta lo más que pueda sus comentarios y sus ideas :)
Y bueno... creo que eso es todo por ahora. Las dejo con el nuevo capítulo que espero les guste, llene sus expectativas y no les provoque aventarme de un precipicio enredada en una bandera(?)
Las amo a todas!
Cuídense, y que el Thorki siempre los acompañe!
**Higurashi Out!**
* * *
><p>Para Loki, eso de seguir en el instituto a la 1:34 P.M. en domingo era estúpido y una completa pérdida de tiempo, habiendo tantas posibilidades de diversión y tantos lugares a los que podría ir –aunque en ese momento no se le ocurriera ninguno-. Ese día en especial no le apetecía en absoluto quedarse un minuto más en aquel calabozo. Si lo hacía, seguramente moriría. Así que, despreocupadamente, caminaba hacia la salida de la institución haciendo buen trabajo manteniendo la calma y disimulando no tener prisa alguna para salir de ese horripilante lugar.<p>
Pensándolo detenidamente, realmente no sabía a dónde demonios podría dirigirse en un día así él solo.
Para qué mentir, "sus amigos" realmente nunca habían sido sus amigos. Simplemente eran una pandilla de vagos interesados y convenencieros que se dedicaban a saltarse las clases, embriagarse, coger y salir de juerga siempre que pudieran… al igual que él, al menos en lo de holgazanear eternamente. Y, vamos, no era que no lo supiera. De hecho, había estado consciente de ello desde el primer instante que los conoció. Era solo que no esperaba que, de pronto, esos malditos bastardos malparidos lo dejaran de lado y empezaran a hacer todo por su cuenta. Es decir, ¡por favor! ¿Siquiera tenían cerebro?... No, en serio. Todos eran unos imbéciles que no tendrían un futuro que no tuviera que ver con ser un vagabundo o empleado de alguna cadena comercial con un salario miserable aunque así lo quisieran y se esforzaran en ello. Es más, estaba completamente seguro de que, sin su ayuda, no hubieran podido imaginar siquiera en qué lugar del mundo se encontraba Londres, y que ellos vivían ahí mismo. Sin exagerar ni una sola palabra.
Tenía una leve sospecha de por qué habían decidido cerrar el círculo para él tan repentinamente. Pero, aunque llegara a estar acertada, no encontraba coherencia alguna con ello. Bueno, para empezar, era claro que ellos no tenían forjada una reputación como la propia, que le había costado tanto lágrimas como sangre –lo segundo literalmente–. No les echaban encima cada 2 minutos alguien que les ayudara a enderezar el camino y, de paso, sus notas. Tampoco estaban bajo una estricta vigilancia las 24 horas del día los 7 días de la semana –que a él no le importaba en lo más mínimo– y un condicionamiento especial de "_ser niño bueno_" a cambio de la "_atractiva oferta_" de seguir estudiando en esa institución –que, por supuesto, también le importaba un demonio–. El hecho de estar asistiendo a sus clases y hacer sus tareas cuando debía no ameritaba lo que le habían hecho, según la lógica del moreno.
Sí, era cierto, ahora mismo tenía un mucho mejor promedio general que cualquiera que hubiera llegado a tener anteriormente, y todo gracias a esas mariconadas de "estudio constante, responsabilidad y perseverancia". Y aunque no le gustaba esta nueva modalidad,debía aceptar que era más efectivo que pedir apuntes prestados para estudiar el último día para los exámenes finales. Cabe aclarar que esta le funcionó de maravilla durante mucho tiempo, y le hubiera gustado seguir practicándola y perfeccionándola.
El punto era… aquellos idiotas desde el principio habían estado bailando entre la línea del "_somos responsables" _y "_YOLO". _Bien podría Loki haberlos desechado mientras no terminaban de decidirse en qué lado quedarse_._ Pero no lo hizo. Y estas eran, evidentemente, las consecuencias.
En fin, no le molestaba en lo más mínimo el asunto de que lo hubieran abandonado; su "compañía", de todos modos, ya le empezaba a ser demasiado abrumadora. Sus aburridas existencias le causaban pena, y su estupideces casi le obligaban a cavar un hoyo y ocultarse cual avestruz cada que salían a flote. Lo que le molestaba era que estaba en extremo aburrido, y que gracias a esos cerdos tendría que pasar muriendo el resto del único día que le importaba, en ese momento, tener ocupado. Ojalá pudiera encontrarse con algo interesante, o con alguien confiable. Lo que fuera. Quien fuera. No le importaba pasar el resto del día en un café, de compras en algún centro comercial, o dando un jodido paseo por un puñetero parque. Sólo quería estar distraído y fuera de la maldita universidad.
Camina, pues, despreocupadamente hacia afuera del instituto, manos en los bolsillos y demostrando su actitud de siempre: "Don't touch me. _Bitch, I'm Fabulous_".
Ya llevaba aventajados dos bloques de caminata sin rumbo cuando siente un antojo salvaje, de esos que aunque trates no puedes ignorar, de fumar un cigarrillo. No era un vicio para él, ya que no acostumbraba a hacerlo muy seguido. Pero antojo es un antojo, y se le daba mucho fumar en situaciones de extrema presión y/o ansiedad, como a mucha gente. No queriendo gastar su preciado dinero sólo por un maldito cigarro se ve forzado por su impulso a echar marcha atrás hacia su dormitorio, donde en algún lugar de todos sus cajones y pertenencias tenía una cajetilla casi entera, precisamente para situaciones como aquella. Avanza con pasos largos para llegar lo más pronto posible y poder encender ese cigarro.
Se anima mucho al ver a lo lejos a Sif, que estaba cerca de la entrada principal. Su relación con ella había mejorado tanto que ya hasta podía sentarse a platicar un buen rato con ella sin que el estúpido rubio estuviera de por medio.
Sólo podía rogar que no tuviera algún plan o estuviera ocupada. Más le valía no estarlo.
Se acerca un poco más rápido hasta ella y se extraña al notar que no se ha movido ni un solo centímetro desde hace un par de segundos, que había estado caminando alegremente hacia el interior del instituto, pero no le toma mucha importancia. Se posiciona justo detrás de ella y coloca sus manos sobre los hombros de la chica para sorprenderla.
- ¡BOO! –sonríe juguetonamente.
- ¡AH! ¿Qué…? –voltea exaltada al instante y se pone blanca al ver al pelinegro- ¿L-LOK…? ¿Q-que haces...?
- También me da gusto verte, Sif –frunce el ceño, desconcertado por la reacción.
- Eh… bueno… yo… -sus ojos se mueven nerviosamente como queriendo volver al campo de visión anterior, pero sabiendo que no debe hacerlo.
- ¿Qué te sucede? –ríe levemente por la extraña reacción de la morena- Parece que realmente hubieras visto un fantasma. No quería asustarte tanto…
Loki puede notar el nerviosismo tan poco usual de Sif perfectamente, que insiste en mover sus ojos como queriendo ver algo que, hasta hace unos segundos, estaba frente de ella.
- ¿Qué tanto ves? -cuestiona picado por la curiosidad, dispuesto a mirar eso tan interesante que mantenía intrigada a la otra.
- ¡NO! Nada, y-yo no veo nada –responde alarmada y evita que el ojiverde levante la vista, tomándolo con sus manos por las mejillas-. ¡Mira, hoy te ves muy guapo! Digo, t-t-tú siempre estás guapo, pero… pero hoy más de lo usual… ¿Es el color blanco verdad? ¿O… o la chaqueta de cuero? ¡Si, eso es! Definitivamente te queda. Resalta el color de tus ojos… te ves simplemente e-encantador. Excelente. ¡M-mejor que nunca!...
- Sif, ¿qué sucede? –pregunta persistente mientras trata de alzar la mirada nuevamente, sin éxito.
- ¡Nada, en serio! Oye, ¿quieres ir por un café? ¡Vamos, yo pago! –le da la vuelta y comienza a darle pequeños empujoncitos para hacerlo caminar hacia la salida nuevamente.
- Sif, estás preocupándome… y molestándome. Mucho. Dime qué sucede. Ya.
- De verdad Loki, no pasa nada… Nada importante, sólo cosas de la vida~ -canturrea tontamente por el nerviosismo y sigue empujándolo.
- Sif… ya basta –se harta de la situación tan extraña y se da media vuelta para buscar con la vista que era lo que sucedía.
- ¡LOKI, NO…! –trata de jalarlo por el brazo pero el chico ya había volteado completamente. Alterada aún más comienza también su búsqueda visual.
Por fortuna para ambos, no había nadie conocido por ahí, ni ocurría nada relevante frente a sus ojos. Sif respira hondo y luego jala la manga de Loki más calmada:
- ¿Lo ves? Te dije que no era nada.
- Mmm… -voltea a verla con los ojos entrecerrados-. No me convences.
- ¡Ay, por favor Laufeyson! Tú mismo lo has visto, está simple y aburrido, como siempre.
- Ya te he dicho que no me llames así –gruñe-. ¿Y quién me asegura que cuando pude ver ya no estaba lo que sea que te tenía embobada?
- ¡Oye! –_"Mierda, ¡sí que es listo!"_ piensa Sif, pero finge indignación y orgullo herido- ¿Por quién me tomas? Si algo importante ocurriera, juro que te lo hubiera dicho… -_"Lo siento Loki…"_
- Oh, claro. Tienes razón. Es por nada que estabas más nerviosa que un conejo, comenzaste a hablar doscientas palabras por segundo, me empujaste hacia la salida y gritaste como poseída cuando me di la vuelta. Obvio, todo tiene sentido ahora –enarca una ceja y se cruza de brazos, deshaciendo el agarre de la ojiazul.
- ¡Ahh…! –realmente se sintió atacada, pero extrañamente divertida por el comentario del moreno- ¡Qué grosero eres! ¿Por qué tanta insistencia en saber lo que sucedía? Estoy segura de que no querías ver a… la chica que me gusta… besando a… otra… zorra.
Ok, eso había sido completamente improvisado –para empezar porque la chica en cuestión no era lesbiana… según sabía-, pero si eso servía para convencer a Loki de no seguir escarbando en el asunto, le bastaba. Al menos el chico sí estaba enterado por su propia boca de sus preferencias.
Y, en efecto, sirvió. Loki cambió su expresión demandante y furiosa a una preocupada y apenada. Si bien la mentira de Sif no había sido ni de cerca buena –además de que, en vez de haberse alterado y evitar que viera aquello, debería haber seguido en el shock–, el estado tan sensible en el que se encontraba, debido a lo acontecido más temprano, le hizo calmar los ánimos y pensar que sabía exactamente como se sentía.
- ¿En serio? ¿Eso fue lo que viste, Sif? –quiso corroborar.
- S-si… -se mordió el labio inferior, poniendo una cara de angustia y tristeza con ojos perdidos en el espacio. Si Loki llegaba a saber que eso era mentira, su futuro sería incierto.
- Ay, Sif. Yo… -aprieta la mandíbula, creyéndose un cretino por haber querido saber aquello.
- No, no te preocupes Loki –devuelve la mirada hacia él-. Estoy bien… te lo dije, no pasa nada –sonríe tratando de calmarlo.
- ¿Estás segura? ¿Hay algo que pueda hacer por ti? Dímelo… -cuestiona insistente, estaba totalmente dispuesto a hacer lo que fuera para hacerla sentir mejor.
- Totalmente. Ya, relájate… No, espera ¿sabes qué? Sí hay algo que puedes hacer.
- ¿Qué cosa? Dime… -sonríe a medias.
- Vamos por ese café –ríe levemente y lo toma del brazo dirigiéndolo a la salida del lugar.
- ¡OH! –ríe también- ¿Nunca te cansas de tomar café? Ok, ok. Vamos. Oye, pero antes acompáñame a la habitación –se detiene en seco impidiendo a Sif que continúe arrastrándolo.
- ¿Qué? ¿Para qué? –pregunta curiosa.
- Quiero un cigarro, tengo una cajetilla casi entera en mi escritorio.
- ¿Tú,… fumas? –cuestiona nuevamente, ahora sorprendida.
- Claro. Bueno, no suelo hacerlo muy seguido, pero sí. ¿Por qué?
- Nada, sólo que no lo esperaba. Aunque, ahora que lo pienso… debes verte realmente sexy haciéndolo… y aún más justo como estás ahora –no puede evitar echar a volar su imaginación para recrear la escena y se pierde por un momento.
- Hey, hey… Tierra llamando a Sif. Lo que sea que estás pensando, olvídalo. No planeo enamorarte y hacerte hetero de nuevo –bromea al tiempo que mueve una mano frente a sus ojos para sacarla de su pensamiento.
- … -la chica se echa a reír a las grandes carcajadas, para luego agregar entre risas- Lo dudo mucho Loki. Además, aunque lo hicieras… eres casi como una chica. No te ilusiones, no será hoy…
- ¿Qué? –dice incrédulo y divertido por el comentario- ¿Cómo que soy "como una chica"? ¿Eso es un insulto?
- No te lo voy a explicar Loki, y si quieres tómalo como un cumplido. En fin… no tienes que ir a tu habitación, yo puedo darte un cigarro.
- ¿De verdad? Pensé que Thor te tenía prohibido fumar…
Thor. Ese nombre. Esas cuatro letras. Escuchar a Loki decirlo con tanta facilidad y con ese gesto tan casual le revolvió el estómago repentinamente. No había reparado detenidamente en ello por el shock inicial pero, analizándolo bien, el hecho de que Thor estuviera por ahí paseándose y besándose con Foster, después de haberle contado su aflicción con Loki, solamente podía significar que había hablado con él, y que los resultados no habían sido precisamente los que ella esperaba. La apariencia tranquila que en ese momento Loki ostentaba bien podría ser la misma si el acuerdo fuese mutuo o no; conociéndolo, mantendría su orgullo ante los demás a flote aunque el mundo tuviera que derrumbarse a su alrededor.
Thor podría ser su mejor amigo y la persona más preciada en el mundo para ella, pero en ese momento le pareció el mayor idiota sobre la tierra.
- Ah… sí, se supone –responde algo sería, y continúa tratando de sonar un poco más enérgica-. Pero… ¡bah! –mueve la mano para quitarle importancia al asunto- Lo que no come no le hará daño, ¿o sí? -le guiña un ojo.
- Uhmm… tienes razón –sonríe amplia y maliciosamente-. Que se joda.
Ambos ríen con complicidad y salen tranquilamente del edificio para ir a cualquier lugar que se les antojara en ese momento.
Thor, mientras tanto, estornudaba más que nunca sin explicarse por qué, dado que su malestar ya había disminuido y tratando de estudiar para el examen que tendría al día siguiente –y el único que iba a tener, habiendo exentado todas las demás materias-, que daría inicio la última semana del curso. Esto sin mucho éxito. Aunque se encontraba sumamente feliz por haber logrado su cometido convirtiéndose en novio de Jane –porque sí le gustaba mucho-, no dejaba de sentir ese pequeño deje de culpa y remordimiento que, tal vez si podía reconocer la causa, pero prefería engañarse y pensar que no.
Esa noche Loki no regresó a la habitación a dormir, y no porque no hubiera querido y prefiriese evitar la situación como un cobarde, sino porque se la había pasado tan bien con Sif que esta misma le había propuesto que pasara la noche en su dormitorio para seguir conversando y divirtiéndose, que aunque sí lo había hecho con esa intención, también por el bienestar del pelinegro. Seguía molesta con Thor, y no estaría satisfecha hasta que le diera una explicación. Una muy buena.
Dado que Loki aún no era muy bueno con Cálculo, y a ella no se le dificultaba en lo absoluto, se ofreció también para ayudarlo a estudiar para el examen final y definitivo que tendría en la próxima semana. Si bien el ojiverde no pudo evitar distraerse, aburrirse y fastidiarse un poco, logró aprender un par de cosas que le servirían de mucho y que, aunque Thor ya le había explicado antes hasta el cansancio, no le había tomado nunca importancia.
Antes de acostarse a dormir, Thor se aseguró cerca de 25 veces si el moreno no iba a llegar a la habitación, y una vez ya tendido en su colchón tenía la sensación de que en cualquier momento podría llegar. ¿Por qué no llegaba? ¿Acaso sería que esta vez sí se había pasado de verdad? ¿Tanto que no quisiera verle la cara en un buen rato? Bueno, y no es que no tuviera razón, la verdad él sabía que sí la había liado bien y bonito. Si Loki no quería verlo en lo que restaba de la eternidad, lo entendería completamente. Pero no entendía por qué seguía dándole vueltas al asunto. Sí; era un hijo de perra, no tenía perdón y se quemaría en el infierno por desgraciado –exagerando el asunto desde tiempos inmemoriales-. Pero ya estaba hecho, en ese momento no debería estar pensando en el moreno, debería estar pensando en Jane. De hecho, debería estar hablando con ella. Eso era lo que hacían los novios, ¿no?
Era algo raro de decir, e incluso de pensar. Es decir, estaba en una relación con alguien más. Y estaba alegre por ello, Es decir, su ahora novia, Jane Foster, era una persona muy carismática e inteligente. Sin mencionar que era muy guapa. No dudaba que hubiera otros chicos detrás de ella, y el que ella se hubiese fijado en él era algo muy halagador. No tenía mucha experiencia con las mujeres, y aunque ella no era su primera novia, aún no se acostumbraba al hecho. Había algo que no encajaba y no le terminaba de convencer de todo aquello. Debía ser la novedad, ya se le pasaría. Tomó su móvil y decidió por fin llamarle.
* * *
><p>- … Así es que cuando veas estos signos de aquí –Sif los señala en la hoja de papel con el lápiz- automáticamente sabes que lo que debes hacer es…<p>
- ¡Ah…! ¡ACHUUUU! –interrumpe Loki, estornudando a todo pulmón de la nada.
- ¡Salud! Por el amor de Dios, ya hasta perdí la cuenta de cuantas veces has estornudado en todo el día. O alguien está obsesionado contigo el día de hoy, o te pegaron un muy buen resfriado –sonríe burlona.
- Ha, Ha, Ha… qué graciosa eres –la mira inquisitivamente-. En vez de reírte de mí deberías pasarme otro pañuelo…
- Claro, claro… ya no seas aguafiestas. Sabes que es broma –le alcanza lo que pedía.
- Sí, lo sé… -le dirige otra mirada de desprecio fingido y se limpia la nariz- Eres hilarante.
- ¡Oh, vamos! No puedes enojarte conmigo, deberías estarlo con el que te pegó la gripa.
Ups. Eso NO tenía que haberlo dicho.
- ¿Qué, perdón? –frunce el ceño y deja el pañuelo a un lado, dirigiendo toda su atención a Sif ahora.
- Sí, el ser despreciable que te pegó esa gripa… debes haber andado de Loki-llo por ahí con alguna chica, esas cosas suelen pasar… -trata de arreglarlo, recalcando lo de _"con alguna chica". No me mates, no me mates, no me mates, no me mates, no me mates, no me mates, no me mates… _
- Uhmm… bueno. En lo de _despreciable _tienes toda la razón –suspira cansado. Sif se le queda mirando por un momento; al parecer sí había entendido a quién se refería aún sin especificarlo, pero no se lo había tomado mal. Sonrío de lado algo apenada por la situación, el moreno no le había contado nada aún, y ella no tenía intenciones de preguntar, pero aun cuando pareciese que estuviera como siempre, tenía un aura azul rodeándolo y esa expresión de resignación que nada encajaba con él. La voz del moreno la saca de sus pensamientos-. Por cierto Sif, ¿tú no vas a estudiar? No me gustaría que por mi culpa no lo hagas.
- Ah, no. No voy a estudiar, no te preocupes. De todos modos, yo ya exenté la mayoría de los exámenes. Estoy libre hasta el jueves –sonríe, notando el cambio de tema.
- ¿En serio? ¡Wow…! La cara no te ayuda, pero no eres tan tonta… -sonríe burlón y le revuelve el cabello.
- ¿Eh, qué? ¡Ah, LOKI! –forcejea tratando de apartarle la mano de la cabeza- Ya sabía yo que tenías que salir con alguna de tus tonterías… oye, espera… ¿TAN?
- ¡Hahahaha! Exactamente, "tan". Por eso… -ríe levemente.
- ¡Ah, sí a esas vamos… consíguete a alguien más que quiera explicarte esto! –amenaza.
- Perfecto, hasta que por fin entendiste que no quiero seguir estudiando –hace la finta de querer ponerse de pie, pero la morena lo toma del brazo y lo vuelve a sentar.
- ¡Ah! No, no, no, no, no, no, no -canturrea y mueve la cabeza en negación, aguantando la risa-. Hazle como quieras, pero de aquí no te vas _muchachito_.
- Sí mami, ya me portaré bien… -sonríe desdeñosamente el ojiverde, acomodándose de nuevo en su asiento.
Estuvieron otro rato más estudiando y platicando. Sin poder evitarlo, se quedó pensando recurrentemente en el hecho de que, si Sif había logrado exentar la mayoría de sus exámenes finales, con toda seguridad Thor lo había hecho con todas sus materias. No queriendo pensar en ello, tampoco pudo evitar preguntarse: _"¿Qué estará haciendo en este momento?"_.
* * *
><p>Thor se encontraba justo fuera del aula donde, supuestamente, le correspondía tomar su examen. Estaba tratando de recuperar el aliento, dado que había llegado corriendo al lugar. No solía pasarle quedarse dormido y llegar tarde, en especial en ocasiones tan especiales como los exámenes finales.<p>
La profesora hizo una mueca de extrañeza y, luego de amenazar a los estudiantes con cancelarles la prueba si se les ocurría hacer algo estúpido, salió del salón para encontrarse con el rubio.
- Discúlpeme mucho Srta. Danvers, no era mi intención llegar tarde e interrumpirla, espero por favor me deje presentar el examen…
- Odinson –interrumpe aún más desconcertada y sonríe de lado divertida por el nerviosismo inusual su alumno-, ¿se puede saber qué hace aquí? Yo ya lo hacía en el aeropuerto, camino a su casa.
- Pues… vine a presentar el examen final. No puedo irme a mi casa sin aprobar su materia.
- Pero si Usted ya la aprobó. Exentó, de hecho. ¿No recuerda? Se lo dije la semana pasada.
- Ah… ¿de verdad?
- Si, ya no tiene nada que hacer por acá, a menos que quiera presentarlo de todos modos.
- Hehehe… -se soba el cuello y desvía levemente la mirada, sonriendo nervioso- no, así está bien Srta. Danvers… disculpe la molestia.
- Ay, Odinson… -ríe levemente y lo mira con ternura- usted está enamorado. Tenga más cuidado y no olvide estas cosas tan importantes, ¿de acuerdo? Que pase unas bonitas vacaciones –le palmea el hombro y se da media vuelta para encaminarse de nuevo a su escritorio y vigilar a los estudiantes.
El rubio se ruborizó ante la suposición de la profesora y, no pudiendo despedirse debidamente de ella, se dio la media vuelta y caminó de vuelta a su habitación.
¿Cómo había podido olvidar que había exentado esa materia?
O mejor dicho, ¿cómo podía haber pensado que no lo había hecho? Era totalmente lógico pensar que lo había hecho; teniendo un record tan limpio y exacto como el suyo, no podía ser de otra forma. No solía ser tan distraído, y no entendía por qué cuando la profesora le había hablado de su estado sentimental, aunque a modo de broma, había volado a su mente la imagen del pelinegro. En todo caso, él _amaba_ a Jane Foster. Punto. No había más.
Caminó hasta su habitación y, una vez dentro, se recostó en su cama por unos segundos para descansar. El gusto no le duro mucho, pues se le ocurrió la magnífica idea –al menos para él- de llamarle a la castaña. Al ser tan inteligente, no dudaba que no tuviera ningún asunto pendiente en el instituto, y que se estuviera preparando para irse a los Estados Unidos, de dónde provenía. Quizá pudiera convencerla de que pasara las vacaciones con él en Australia, aunque sonara muy apresurado. Quería pasar tiempo con ella. Necesitaba pasar tiempo con ella.
De todos modos, aunque la chica le dijera que no podía, ya se había adelantado a reservar los boletos del avión. Sólo su hogar era más sagrado que la escuela, y ya estaba libre de ataduras de esta. ¿Para qué esperar?
Entre todos sus pensamientos y acciones aceleradas, se quedó un momento estático cuando uno en particular llegó a su mente.
_Ah, cierto._ Se suponía que tenía que ayudar a Loki con sus exámenes finales…
Foster le confirmó. Él aceptó los términos y condiciones de la compra en línea de los boletos. Se recargó en la silla de su escritorio y soltó un suspiro pesado.
¿Qué más daba? Ya había hecho mucho por él en todo el semestre. Podía arreglárselas solo.
* * *
><p>Eran 3:30 de la tarde. Había tenido dos exámenes seguidos, Fundamentos de la Administración y Química. Haber estado desde la mañana pensando y escribiendo respuestas a páginas y páginas de preguntas interminables deberían haberlo cansado hasta la muerte. Y, en efecto, si lo habían hecho. También tenía un hambre de los mil demonios, y le dolía el trasero de estar tanto tiempo sentado. Pero en ese momento Loki no sentía nada de eso.<p>
Se dirigía algo apresurado y expectante hacia la habitación #79.
No porque _quisiera_ ver a Thor, para nada. Sucedía que sus piernas se movían solas, como si su pensamiento no pasara por ese filtro llamado _orgullo_ y se fueran directamente hasta las acciones. Además, se suponía que el rubio debía quedarse, por órdenes mayores, para ayudarlo con sus exámenes. Pero tenía esa extraña corazonada de que debía cerciorarse de que el animal ese estuviera ahí. Tenía que ver con sus propios ojos a ese estúpido matándose estudiando, como siempre, aunque no lo necesitara. _Necesitaba_ verlo en ese momento. Como si fuera la última vez.
Sin pensarlo, una vez estando fuera de la habitación, la abrió instantáneamente, con una ligera sonrisa adornando sus labios. La cual se fue desvaneciendo al entrar y no ver ninguna de las pertenencias del ojiazul. Al ver su cama perfectamente tendida, pero con un aire vacío. Y al ver su escritorio completamente limpio y sin nada sobre de él. Se había ido. Era algo obvio; ya no tenía nada que hacer ahí. Pero se había ido sin avisar a nadie. Se había ido… sin despedirse.
29. Capítulo 29
Nuevo semestre. Nuevas materias. Nuevos maestros… Mismo Fastidio.
¿Quién demonios había inventado la "_escuela_"? Dondequiera que estuviera ese ser tan despreciable, que se jodiera. Además, ¿por qué las vacaciones tenían que ser tan… miserables? El que estas fueran tan cortas y aburridas definitivamente era obra de algún idiota. Y, dondequiera que se escondiera ese otro ser demoniaco, también podía irse al diablo.
Daba igual pasarla en el internado del instituto o en su casa. En ambos lugares siempre estaba recibiendo miradas, tanto de desaprobación como de incomprensión y temor. Con la única diferencia de que en el instituto era como una celebridad, y al menos podía hacer lo que se le antojaba. Era obvio donde había pasado las vacaciones –a excepción de la jodida navidad y el año nuevo, para variar–. Aunque, para su desgracia y regresando al punto, había estado cerca de un mes más aburrido que una ostra.
El recién levantado muchacho de tez nívea, cabello negro como la noche y ojos verdes como piedras preciosas se encontraba en el mismo dilema existencial de siempre: cómo pasar su último día de libertad antes de iniciar el nuevo curso. Aunque no le sorprendería que fuese un día extremadamente soso y nada prometedor. Sería un asco. Por primera vez en quien sabe cuánto tiempo –probablemente en toda la historia de su vida–, una muy pequeña parte, en lo más profundo de su ser, deseaba a gritos que las vacaciones se acabaran desde el momento en que empezaron.
No podía creer que finalmente el término _"no se puede tener todo en la vida" _ se hubiese aplicado a él, porque… ¡por favor! Era Loki Laufeyson. Y siempre conseguía TODO lo que quería. O al menos así había sido hasta ese momento.
Pero en fin. Poniéndole fin a ese pequeño episodio dramático mental decidió ponerse de pie y arreglarse para bajar a los comedores y desayunar algo, después de todo aún era algo temprano. No queriendo perder el tiempo escogiendo ropa, se puso lo primero que encontró. Y esto era una playera verde de mangas largas holgada, jeans negros –o más bien grises por el uso– y sus tenis de lona negros con blanco de siempre. No perdió su tiempo peinándose, porque ya tenía hambre.
Bajó a la planta principal en busca de sus sagrados alimentos, no pudiendo decidirse entre su adorado sándwich de pollo o un par de trozos del delicioso y bendito pudín. Al no poder despreciar ninguno, se sirvió ambos, además de una taza humeante de café expresso. Disfruto lo más que pudo de sus alimentos, tratando más bien de perder el tiempo en lo que pensaba qué hacer. Por lo menos, aunque no quisiera, ya podía pudrirse lo que quedaba del día en su habitación viendo películas, ya que su madre –la única persona que realmente lo apreciaba en el mundo, y que además era un cariño recíproco e incondicional– le había regalado un nuevo computador en Año Nuevo al enterarse de lo mal que lo había pasado en su viaje de estudios. No se molesta en colocar la bandeja con los trastes sucios en el lugar correspondiente y sale al patio trasero para dar una tranquila caminata pro-digestiva antes de volver a su eterno encierro.
Pasadas al menos unas 11 canciones, decide que ya es buena hora de dejar de tontear viendo árboles, estudiantes entrar y salir del instituto y patear piedras. Pone rumbo ahora hacia el dormitorio número 79, tratando de decidir ahora si debía ver Star Wars o Harry Potter.
_"__¡Viva! mi vida es una mierda…" _y cosas por el estilo iba pensando mientras caminaba distraído subiendo las escaleras ya a unos metros solamente del bendito cuarto, cuando siente su cabeza estrellarse contra lo que creía era alguien. Alza la mirada trasmutada en un par de dagas para mirar fijamente a la persona que osaba haber chocado contra él, encontrándose con una masa de músculos enmarcada en una playera roja ajustada, jeans azules deslavados y de moda, zapatos que combinaban perfectamente. Rubio, ojos azules, barba y cabello bien arreglados, sonrisa impecable. Cara de idiota.
- Fíjate por dónde caminas, estúpida porrista –amenaza automáticamente Loki, despreciando al muchacho desde el primer momento sin reconocerlo siquiera y pasando de largo.
El rubio en cuestión se queda perplejo por la sorpresa, y hasta se podría decir que se puso pálido al ver al ojiverde. Que si hubiese reparado en que el ojiazul iba acompañado de una chica castaña y expresiva, no habría tenido problemas para identificarlo. No iba muy lejos cuando ésta habló.
- Vaya… se ve algo distinto, pero parece que Loki no ha cambiado para nada, ¿cierto Thor? –comenta, mitad divertida mitad desconcertada.
- Sí… sigue siendo el mismo odioso de siempre… -responde el rubio más bien ido y sin pensar en sus palabras.
_"__Maldita princesa hija de perra, como demonios se atreve a… Momento. ¿Thor?"_
Loki se detiene en su lugar y se da la media vuelta. Thor y Jane, convenientemente, se habían encontrado con unas personas justo antes de bajar las escaleras, por lo que seguían ahí, estorbando el camino y a la vista. El rubio quería que se lo tragara la tierra en ese instante. Salir corriendo. O Morir. En ese momento cualquiera de las opciones era buena. El pelinegro camina hasta ellos de nueva cuenta, y sin importarle en lo más mínimo interrumpir la plática –que seguramente sería estúpida y carente de sentido– toma al distraído australiano por el hombro y lo voltea hacia él. Lo examina detenidamente de pies a cabeza y luego lo mira a los ojos con una sonrisa entre irónica y sarcástica.
- Ehehehe -ríe levemente mientras niega con la cabeza-. No. Tú no eres Thor.
- Oye, ¿qué te sucede? –interviene Jane, descolocada por la acción de Loki.
- Tú no puedes ser Thor –continúa el inglés, ignorando olímpicamente a la mujer-. Porque Thor es un estúpido nerd mugroso sin sentido de la moda.
El aludido estaba completamente mudo. No le enorgullecía el hecho de que, secretamente, se había preparado durante casi todas las vacaciones para ese instante, y ahora se daba cuenta de que había sido una autentica pérdida de tiempo y que lo único que ocurría era que el corazón se le quería escapar de su pecho, sin saber si era por el pánico o por… otra cosa.
- No te escucho, habla más claro –el ojiverde sonríe maliciosamente al no escuchar ninguna respuesta entendible del rubio, que en su intento por replicarle algo sólo conseguía balbucear patéticamente-. ¿Qué sucede princesa, te comió la lengua el ratón? –el rubio frunció levemente el ceño con esto, dispuesto a hablar ahora.
- No, pero al parecer tú, como siempre, no sabes cuando has dicho suficiente y estás fastidiando –responde con aire retador, aunque sentía las piernas temblar.
- Dios… -aguanta las ganas de reír en la cara del rubio- al parecer el cambio de "look" te afectó el de por sí jodido cerebro que tenías. ¿Crees que haría esto si no supiera que te fastidio? Idiota…
- Loki –interrumpe Foster-. Mira, no sé qué es lo que te traigas o por qué de la nada estés insultando a Thor, pero te voy a pedir que por favor…
- Tú cállate, perra llorona –responde fríamente y sin siquiera voltear a verla.
- ¡LOKI! –alza la voz el rubio, llamándole la atención y haciéndolo sonreír aún más por la satisfacción de haberlo hecho reaccionar como esperaba- Con ella no te metas, el problema es conmigo.
- Si no quieres que me meta con tú mascota, entonces deberías ponerle correa y amaestrarla; quizá así ya no asome su nariz donde no le importa –le sostiene la mirada.
- En vez de eso alguien debería educarte a ti, enano idiota –escupe, tensando la mandíbula y mirándolo con gesto severo.
- ¡Oh! ¿Ya te enojaste? –exclama con una expresión inocentemente cínica- Lo siento mucho, no quería hacerte decir semejantes palabrotas. Ten cuidado, si te llega a escuchar el prefecto te llevara con el decano y te suspenderán por tres días de tus preciadas clases.
- ¿Me estás retando? –enarca una ceja y se acerca unos pasos más al pelinegro para encararlo y, de paso, intimidarlo un poco-. Esta vez te juro que no dudaré en romperte las piernas.
- ¡HA! No sería lo PRIMERO que me rompes, princesa –lo mira irónico y burlón, sin titubear ningún momento por la distancia. Al contrario, aprovechando la intimidad que esta les daba para decir aquello en un susurro que terminaría de joder al otro, haciéndole pasar un incómodo rato. El otro nunca se enteraría de que se refería, de todos modos, a la vez que le partió la nariz.
- Argh… ¡Tú, asqueroso hijo de p…! –alza finalmente el brazo sin poder controlarse para tomarlo por el cuello, y hubiese logrado su objetivo si Jane no le hubiera detenido a tiempo, ofendida y confusa, sin haber escuchado la frase que terminaría de desquiciar a su novio.
- Ya déjalo amor, no vale la pena… vámonos –mira a Thor primero, que voltea a verla serio, y luego ve a Loki, que tenía ambas cejas alzadas y una sonrisa de asombro con la declaración.
- ¿Amor? Oh… ahora entiendo. Así que, a final de cuentas sí te enredaste con ella… –la mira con infinito desprecio que la castaña no supo cómo interpretar.
Thor iba a contestar, pero Jane no dejó que siguiera peleando de ninguna forma.
- Muy bien rubia, te mereces una galletita. Al parecer el que fue amaestrado es _otro…_
El rubio, que ya se había dado la vuelta y reanudaba su camino, aprieta los puños y se queda estático un par de segundos ante lo que dijo el moreno. Luego de eso sigue su camino con Jane. Loki lo observa irse junto con Foster sintiendo una furia creciente en su interior. Por lo menos se había divertido. Respiró profundamente un par de veces y luego advirtió toda la gente que se había acumulado a su alrededor, haciendo un círculo y mirándolo fijamente. A lo que cierra los ojos y luego voltea bruscamente para gritarles:
- ¡¿Y USTEDES QUÉ CARAJOS ESTÁN HACIENDO AQUÍ?! ¡EL SHOW YA TERMINÓ! ¡LARGO!
Automáticamente, la multitud empezó a dispersarse, siguiendo también el camino que llevaban antes de distraerse con el numerito que se había armado hace unos segundos. Loki pudo entrar finalmente en la habitación, y mientras acomodaba su portátil en su escritorio recapacitó acerca del asunto.
No, definitivamente, ahora ni la más pequeña fibra de su ser deseaba que las vacaciones tocaran su fin.
También notó que todo él estaba temblando y su corazón latía tan rápido que podría atravesar su pecho.
Thor, el maldito bastardo… SU aún secreto y maldito bastardo había regresado. Y con compañía.
* * *
><p>- … Aun así, sigo sin entender Thor –aclara la castaña menos molesta, gracias a Thor que había calmado los ánimos (y él se había calmado sabe Dios cómo), mientras caminan ya en la planta principal–. ¿Qué demonios se trae ese tipo contigo? A pesar de que no tenía una muy buena relación contigo cuando lo conocí, pensé que, de alguna extraña manera, ustedes eran amigos. Y ahora resulta que apenas llegas, estás tranquilo y sin preocupaciones… y no pierde el tiempo para venir y fastidiarte la existencia. Y no de manera muy amistosa que digamos. Juro que estuve a punto de abofetearlo y decirle sus cosas, pero no era el caso… Sé que es hasta ridículo pensarlo y que ya se la respuesta de lo que te voy a preguntar, pero ¿Acaso le hiciste algo antes de irte como para que se portara de esa manera?<p>
- Por supuesto que no… -miente el rubio, que obviamente no le iba a decir qué era lo que había sucedido– pero déjalo Jane. Esa es su manera de… darme la bienvenida, creo –frunce levemente el ceño por lo insensato que sonaba aquello, aunque cabía la diminuta posibilidad de que fuera así–. Es decir, así nos llevamos. Nos reñíamos por tonterías el semestre pasado. Esta vez definitivamente se pasó de la raya, pero no creo que esté realmente molesto por algo que, además, no pasó –miente de nuevo solamente para recalcar ese punto.
- Amor… -deja de caminar y hace que el rubio se detenga al jalarlo de la mano que sostenía- sé que tal vez estoy exagerando pero… no sé… ¿crees que sea buena idea seguir siendo su compañero de cuarto?
- … -el chico voltea a verla y se le acerca, luego escucha la pregunta formulada algo desorientado-. Pero, ¿por qué sería mala idea? Bueno, no es precisamente una persona muy amigable y agradable, pero tengo que hacer esto. Ni siquiera porque quiera hacerlo; el decano me lo pidió. Tengo que hacerme cargo de él.
- Sí, yo lo sé. Y te admiro por eso, eres genial. Pero… no tienes por qué estar las 24 horas del día pegado a él. Tú mismo dijiste que ya había mejorado notablemente en algunas cosas…
- Gracias mi vida –le toma ambas manos entre las propias, y se las lleva a la boca para besarlas tiernamente, haciendo que la chica se sonroje tanto por la acción como por la gente que iba pasando y se les quedaba mirando o murmuraban expresiones de ternura-, de verdad te agradezco que te preocupes así por mí. Mira, te prometo que si algo similar a lo de hace rato vuelve a ocurrir, haré todo lo posible por pedir un cambio. ¿Te parece bien? –le sonríe tiernamente.
- ¡Ay… cariño! –ríe enternecida y lo ve fijamente con un aire permisivo- Está bien. Confiaré en que no pasará nada malo. Y espero que no tengas más problemas –se pone de puntillas para poder besar al rubio, y, al contrario, éste se inclina para poder adaptar la notable diferencia de estaturas.
- Gracias por comprenderlo… eres la mejor –le sonríe.
- Awww… lo sé, lo sé –ríe levemente-. Pero ni creas que esto se va a quedar así, ¿eh, _señorito_? Tendrás que compensarme por ello.
- Uhmm… veamos. Con un café y un paseo será suficiente, ¿no?
- ¡No! –se echa a reír nuevamente la chica, golpeándole levemente el pecho con cariño- Eso ya no es suficiente…
* * *
><p>El pelinegro se encuentra a un poco más de la mitad de El Prisionero de Azkaban cuando escucha que alguien llama insistentemente a la puerta. Algo un poco inusual. Así que, esperando no fuera algo muy grave o estúpido -o las dos juntas- pone pausa a la película y se pone de pie para abrir la puerta.<p>
- ¡Ah, Loki! –exclama la chica, que era Sif, extendiendo los brazos dispuesta a abrazar al chico.
- ¡SIF! –la saluda alegre, aunque no tan efusivamente- Tenía tiempo que no te veía por las vacaciones, ¿estás bien?
- Sí, gracias –sonríe ampliamente-. ¿Tú?
- Bueno… -alza los brazos a los costados y los deja caer, chocando contra la parte externa de sus muslos- sigo vivo.
- Oh, ya veo… es mejor a nada –ríe levemente-. Oye Loki-llo, una pregunta ¿no has visto a Thor?
- ¿A ese bruto? Claro, lo vi hace como… 6 horas, exhibiéndose por ahí con toda su masa de idiotez y con esa sanguijuela que trae pegada y que hace llamar "novia". ¿Por qué? –pregunta serio sin poder evitar hacerlo, dándose cuenta de que no había sonado exactamente indiferente con la situación.
- ¡Owww…! Sí, sí lo viste… -carraspea un poco, entre divertida e incómoda-. entonces iba con Jane.
- Ándale, esa. ¿Por qué? –repite.
- No, nada importante. Ya le diré yo cuando lo vea –mueve la mano como para restarle importancia-. Pero bueno… ¿me vas a dejar afuera?
- Depende, estoy viendo Harry Potter, ¿tienes mejor material que eso?
- Ah… no. Creo que no tengo nada más interesante que personajes ficticios practicantes de hechicería, en una escuela internado, mágica y misteriosa.
- Mmm… -piensa por un momento el moreno y luego le termina de abrir la puerta- Está bien, solamente porque estás ansiosa de entrar y me das lástima –sonríe burlón.
- ¡Eres tan generoso Loki, nunca podré pagarte semejante acto de compasión! –le sigue el juego entrando e instalándose en la cama de Thor, y el otro en la propia.
- Lo sé, lo sé… bueno. Ahora dime que sucede. ¿Piensas esperar aquí hasta que llegue la _princesita_? –otro ataque a la persona del rubio, inevitablemente.
- Ah… tal vez –aguanta una pequeña risita-. Pero bueno cariño, dime: ¿por qué tan enojado con Thor? ¿Te hizo algo?
- ¿Él? Sí, existir es una de esas cosas. La principal, de hecho.
- Loki… -lo mira con divertida y con desaprobación, sabiendo que estaba disfrazando las cosas debajo de un punto que, aunque válido, no era el importante en ese momento.
- ¿Qué? Es la verdad Sif… siempre he pensado que es un imbécil, no sé qué te sorprende.
- ¡Oh, vamos! Ya sé que odias su penosa existencia que te hace amarlo irremediablemente, pero quiero saber qué tienes ahora contra él.
- … -el ojiverde rueda los ojos y suspira cansado-. En serio que no sé de donde sacas semejantes barbaridades.
- … -esta vez es la chica quien blanquea la mirada- Bueno, ¿me vas a decir o no?
- ¿Tú sabes desde cuando está saliendo con Jane? –ataca sin rodeos con la pregunta, ignorando la de la ojiazul, que se quedó callada por unos segundos procesando lo escuchado.
- ¿Eso es lo que te molesta Loki? ¿Qué salga con ella?
- No Sif, sólo es una pregunta. No recuerdo haberlos visto el semestre pasado así, y aunque era algo obvio que eso iba a pasar, no sabía que ya estaban juntos –argumenta de manera seria y directa, pero nada convincente para la morena-. ¿Sabes desde cuando están saliendo?
- Pues no, no lo sé –miente-. Solamente sé que cuando llegué a Australia el viernes por la noche él ya hasta se la había presentado a los demás y la había llevado a cenar.
- La llevó a cenar… -repite analizando las palabras- pensé que esa cosa anoréxica y fea no comía.
- Ya Loki, deja tus celos para otro momento –lo molesta, aguantando la risa.
- Que no son celos, por el amor de Dios –aclara inútilmente.
- ¿Ah, no? ¿Entonces que es Loki, hambre? Tú y yo sabemos perfectamente que…
- Sif –interrumpe Laufeyson–. Si sólo venías a fastidiar, será mejor que te vayas.
- Pero tú fuiste el que preguntó, y yo no hice más que responderte –se pone una mano en el pecho y lo mira fijamente.
- Da igual –sentencia molesto–. Si no quieres que te saque de aquí de una manera no precisamente muy amable…
- Ok, ok. Ya entendí Loki. No estás dispuesto a hablar sobre ello –se pone de pie, más que resignada, comprensiva–. Sé lo difícil que debe ser todo esto para ti, así que… el día que estés listo o que lo necesites… puedes decírmelo –sonríe, ya cerca de la puerta y lista para abrirla–. Adiós Loki.
El chico la ve salir de la habitación y al cerrar la puerta, de manera instantánea, se desploma completamente sobre su colchón suspirando cansado. Respira de forma consciente para tranquilizarse y cierra sus ojos. No entendía el motivo por el cual había perdido el control y se había comportado de aquella forma al escuchar cierto nombre. Seguía dolido, sí. Y le había ardido hasta el alma el ver a Thor con Foster de aquella forma. Pero, debía aceptar que de cierta manera sí eran celos, lo que más le podía de todo el asunto era _qué tan rápido_ el rubio lo había superado todo, aparentemente. Y que él mismo, por el contrario, por más que fingiera indiferencia, sepultara sus sentimientos y actuara como si nada,… simplemente no podía.
La sorpresa que le ocasionó ver a Odinson inesperadamente -o más bien al reconocerlo- lo hizo vacilar durante un instante, aunque pareciera imposible, entre si debía hablarle o no. Pero el rubio le había pedido que olvidara todo, ¿no? Que hiciera como si nunca hubiera sucedido nada. Y justamente eso había hecho. Lo había tratado como lo hubiese hecho si de verdad nunca nada hubiera sucedido. A excepción de la provocación subida de tono, esa se le había escapado. Pero no había podido evitarlo. Tenía tantas ganas de molestarlo en ese momento y ver su rostro furioso amenazarle nuevamente. Esta vez sin que, al fin, nada le estorbara. ¿Se había puesto lentes de contacto? Se supone que no le gustaban… Aunque, claro, a él no le suponía exactamente un problema. Su rostro se podía ver mejor. Sus ojos, obviamente, ya no era opacados por aquellos marcos enormes y ridículos. Inclusive su sonrisa brillaba más que nunca. Se veía muy bien. El cambio le había sentado de maravilla. Finalmente se notaba lo guapo que era y...
Nuevamente suspira cansado. Se lleva una mano a la cara, se talla el puente de la nariz y abre los ojos. Estaba sonriendo de manera inconsciente. ¿Por qué lo hacía? Necesitaba dejar de hacer eso: no podía pasar el resto de su vida contemplando al Thor de su mente y sonriendo como retrasado cada que lo hacía. En el corto periodo de un mes se había vuelto tan… gay. No estaba muy a gusto con eso. Se endereza nuevamente, sentándose en su cama, solo para presenciar el exacto momento en el que la puerta se abría, dejando ver al rubio despidiéndose de la _perra loca_. Un par de besos y caricias más, ya estaba dentro con la puerta cerrada a sus espaldas y viéndolo.
- Ah… Hola Loki –habla el rubio, que hizo transformar la sonrisa radiante de sus labios a una incómoda.
- Mmm… -rueda los ojos- Pero si se nota que te da gusto verme, animal. No quiero saber cuánto me extrañaste.
Oh no. Ahí estaba Loki usando sarcasmo para simular su molestia en contra de él. Era con lo último que quería lidiar ese día, y al parecer no se iba a salvar. Por más que quisiera actuar normalmente, estaba esa incomodidad de "_aunque lo intentemos, las cosas nunca volverán a ser iguales_". Pero en ese momento no había nada más que hacer.
- ¿Por qué? ¿Tú si me extrañaste a mí? – "_Bien. ¿Qué? Espera… ¡NO!" _¿Por qué había dicho aquello? Y más porque lo había hecho con una sonrisa pícara y cejas alzadas.
- Meh… -entrecierra un ojo como meditando la pregunta- debo aceptar que fue aburrido quedarme solo en el instituto y no tener a quien molestar –admite sin mucho interés aparente-. Pero que no se te suba a la cabeza.
- Wow… -abre los ojos de par en par sorprendido- pensé que dirías que no… ¿en serio me extrañaste?
- Ya, ya… -rueda los ojos- no exageres. Quita esa cara de idiota antes de que yo te la quite –se cruza de brazos.
- Sí, sí. Lo siento –frunce levemente el ceño-. Pero, ¿por qué te quedaste solo? ¿No fuiste a tu casa?
- Me quedé aquí porque me fascina la escuela Thor –enarca una ceja y sonríe burlón –. Me dolió tanto pensar en separarme de ella que decidí pasar la navidad y el año nuevo cenando con mis amigos los cuadros y los ratones. Son tan interesantes…
- Ok, ya. Pégame por preguntar.
- Lo haría, pero estás muy lejos, y no vale la pena –responde con ironía.
El cuarto quedó en silencio durante un buen rato, Loki volvió a su posición en su escritorio para terminar de ver la película que había dejado a medias y Thor terminó de guardar en su ropero cosas que aún estaban en su maleta.
- Oye Loki… -pregunta el rubio algo indeciso de si hacía bien interrumpiendo al otro.
- Dime –responde sin más, y tratando de no distraerse demasiado, aunque ya había visto esa película cientos de veces.
- Eh… -realmente ya no le parecía tan buena idea hacer la pregunta, pero sería peor haberlo distraído sin motivo alguno y sufrir su incontenible ira por nada- Lo de hace rato… ¿qué rayos fue?
- … -Loki detiene la película y reflexiona aquellas palabras que le habían tomado completamente por sorpresa, como si encerraran el más difícil acertijo que hubiera tenido que resolver en toda su vida. Gira sobre su silla para quedar de frente a Thor, cuestionándolo de vuelta con cara de incomprensión– ¿De qué hablas?
- De… lo de hace un rato. Allá afuera, en el pasillo –aclara.
- Oh, si… eso –exclama aliviado aparentemente. Piensa por unos instantes más y luego se da la vuelta nuevamente para seguir viendo la película, respondiendo antes de pulsar el botón 'play'– No sé… solamente tenía ganas de fastidiar. Si quieres tómalo como una bienvenida.
El rubio se desilusiona un poco al escuchar el tono casual de cuando expone las intenciones que tenía molestándolo, aunque le pareció ridículamente obvio y muy estúpido no haber pensado en ello antes. Pero su sonrisa adorna de nuevo su rostro cuando Loki le da permiso de tomarlo como un gesto más significativo, incluso con ese desinterés tan característico que imprimió en la última frase.
Sintió su pecho llenarse de una calidez inexplicable y una felicidad enorme invadirlo por completo. Al parecer, el ojiverde no lo odiaba. Y, por el momento, era suficiente para él. Le alegraba mucho estar de vuelta en High Metropolitan. Y no solamente por el nuevo curso. Debía aceptar que sí, había extrañado mucho a Loki, con todas sus bromas, actitudes, provocaciones y groserías. Quería, definitivamente, arreglar las cosas con él, y quizá volver a tener esa extraña pero linda "_amistad"_ que tenían antes.
Se sintió mal cuando Jane tuvo que hablarle por teléfono, pues se dio cuenta de que no había pensado ni siquiera un poco en ella desde que se habían despedido en la puerta.
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><p><strong>HOLA! -<strong>se convierte en un gusano y se arrastra por el suelo-
CHICAS! ;3; en verdad sepan que lo siento. Ahora si me pasé de la raya preocupándolas y sin actualizar ni una disculpa. He tenido una mala racha y el "año nuevo" no me ha ayudado en lo más mínimo. Quiero decirles que igual me siento mal por mentirles. Les dije que iba a tomar en cuenta sus opiniones y sugerencias, y terminé haciendo lo que se me pega la gana.
Mi intención era editar el fanfic, más específicamente los capítulos que preparé y que aún no publico. La inspiración llegó como pudo y lo escribí como mi cerebro me dio a entender en ves de añadir al tercero en cuestión que todas me pedían: Stark.
Pero, hablando con una de ustedes supe que de plano ya no quieren esperar más, y que mejor debo publicar lo que tenga antes de que me arranquen la cabeza con los dientes(?). Así que aquí está. En los próximos capítulos podrán verlo. Si tienen todas las demás una opinión acerca de esto, díganmelo. Trataré de hacer lo más rápido posible lo que ustedes quieran.
Espero que les haya gustado este capítulo que escribí con tanto esfuerzo y lágrimas de sangre(?). Agradezco a TODAS las que preguntaron por mi en mi ausencia, que favoritearon o dejaron un follow/comentario. Sepan que me hace feliz como lombriz :3.
Las amo a todas! Y nos vemos el próximo jueves sin falta. Un thorkiabrazo para todas!
**Higurashi Out!**
30. Capítulo 30
**Hola primores :)**
Como les mencioné en la entrada pasada, hoy hay nuevo capítulo sin excusas ni pretextos.
Les quiero dar muchas gracias por los preciosos reviews que mandaron en el capítulo pasad y me alegra mucho también que les haya agradado en capítulo. En lo personal, es uno de los que más he disfrutado escribir.
Ahora, deben haberse ya dado cuenta de que soy un poco torpe, pero de todas maneras se los digo xD. Si ven algún personaje muy mal hecho, es que se me dificulta un poco. A si que... disculpen mis OoC kilométricos.
Por último, ya estoy editando todo para hacer que Stark salga como tercero en discordia. Les agradezco infinitamente por sus opiniones.
En fin, no se las hago más larga y les dejo el nuevo capítulo. Espero que lo disfruten :)
Las amo a todas, y espero que se la pasen bien. Thorkiabrazos para todas!
**Higurashi Out!**
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><p>Absoluta oscuridad. Silencio sepulcral. Profunda tranquilidad. La alarma suena, anunciando el inicio del nuevo día, y con él, el curso escolar.<p>
"Ah… finalmente. Es hora de ponerse de pie, prepararse y empezar todo de nuevo. Va a ser un buen día…"
Thor se endereza, bosteza, se pone de pie enérgico y se dirige a sus cajones para sacar la ropa que se iba a poner después de ducharse. Sale debidamente arreglado y comienza a dar de vueltas en la habitación, asegurándose de que no le hiciera falta nada y afinando los últimos detalles. Como había pensado antes, iba a ser un buen día, lleno de energía positiva y cosas nuevas que aprender. Después de un rato mira la hora, 6:30 A.M. Loki aún no se había despertado, y se le iba a hacer tarde. No podía permitir que tuviera un retraso en su primera clase, sería empezar mal.
Suspira resignado y, como no queriendo la cosa, se acerca lentamente a la cama del pelinegro. Este parecía estar dormido, estaba acurrucado de frente al pasillo entre las dos camas y tapado con las cobijas hasta el cuello. Las cortinas que usualmente solían despertarlo, cerradas. Sonríe de lado viendo, durante un momento de debilidad, como dormía. En verdad, casi había olvidado lo inofensivo y angelical que podía llegar a lucir. Esas facciones tan relajadas y naturales, la respiración tan acompasada y tranquila, y el hecho de que, a diferencia de sí mismo, pudiera mantenerse en una misma posición casi toda la noche, llegaban a ser fascinantes. ¿Cuándo había sido la última vez que lo había visto así?...
"No. No Thor, suficiente." Sacude la cabeza para sacarse todas esas cosas de la mente y alarga una mano para mover al ojiverde por el hombro.
- Loki…
El aludido frunce levemente el ceño y se remueve entre las cobijas, dándose la vuelta y acurrucándose del lado contrario. El rubio insiste moviéndolo ahora por la espalda, pero la fuerza de voluntad del otro era muy grande, y no iba a ceder tan fácilmente.
- Loki, ya es tarde. Levántate.
- Uhmm… mmm… nhhmm… -balbucea ininteligiblemente.
En su último recurso, el rubio deja de mover al otro y se acerca a la ventana para tirar del cordel y hacer que, al instante, se abran las cortinas, dejando caer sobre el otro la tenue pero notable luz del día.
- No… ciérrala… -jala las cobijas hasta arriba, cubriendo su rostro y frunciendo el ceño.
"¡NO! Cinco minutos más… Esto es maldad pura. ¡Cómo se puede ser tan cruel…!"
- Ya Loki… -toma el borde de la cobija que lo cubría y la baja hasta su cuello- Arriba. Tienes que alistarte para ir a tus clases.
Tratar de despertar a Loki siempre era algo, de cierto modo, extraño. Como si estuviera lidiando con un niño pequeño en vez del muchacho de 18 años que tenía enfrente. Un cuadro gracioso y tierno a la vez.
- No… Me lo merezco –afirma aún entre balbuceos y adormilado.
- ¿Ah, sí? ¿Y por qué? –pregunta algo divertido e incrédulo, sin poder imaginar qué clase de excusa iba a inventar.
- Salí bien en los exámenes finales del semestre pasado, y sin tu ayuda…
Okay. Eso lo había hecho sentir un poco mal, ya que el rubio se había ido sin importarle que pudiese reprobar y perder el semestre cuando se suponía era el responsable del moreno.
- Bueno… p-pero de todos modos. Y eso no tiene nada que ver. Levántate por favor. Sino llegarás tarde.
- Mhhhnnnooo… -chilla y aprieta los ojos como si eso le fuera a impedir seguir escuchando al rubio.
- Loki, si no te levantas por las buenas, yo mismo te voy a jalar las cobijas y te voy a parar.
El pelinegro vuelve a protestar haciendo ruidos de inconformidad y pereza extrema, y refunfuñando comienza a quitar él mismo la ropa de cama de encima suyo para poder enderezarse. Por desgracia –o fortuna– para Thor, el estar en invierno no le suponía ningún impedimento para seguir usando pijamas tan ligeros; de todos modos, si este llegaba a sentir frío –lo cual casi no sucedía– no tenía que hacer más que taparse, y listo. Tampoco había sido tan exagerado, puesto que había decidido dormir con una playera blanca de cuello en "v" y sus pantalones holgados verdes. Aun así, de alguna forma muy rara –y aunque muchas veces antes lo había visto con ese atuendo-, sentía que se le veía algo muy diferente. Su cuello descubierto, la línea que formaba su clavícula y apenas se asomaba por la playera, sus brazos, sus tobillos… toda esa piel blanca y tersa a la vista... Loki era realmente muy atractivo. ¿Cómo era que nunca antes lo había notado? Él mismo sabía la respuesta a esa pregunta, y la verdad era que lo sabía desde siempre, sólo que había decidido ignorarlo. Y ahí estaba otra vez. "Thor, tú eres el que debe despertar."
- Apúrate Loki, ya llevas perdidos 5 minutos y tienes todavía que arreglarte y alistar tus cosas, que de seguro no acomodaste anoche.
- Ya te escuché, tranquilo. Vivimos en la escuela, ¿recuerdas? –bufa sintiéndose bastante presionado.
- Sí, pero si no te apuras aunque vivieses en la mismísima aula llegarías tarde –insiste el rubio.
- Ah… -suspira cansado y alza la vista para ver al ojiazul, que seguía a un lado de su cama-. Si, amanecí muy bien y dormí excelente. Gracias por preguntar Thor, qué atento de tu parte –sonríe desdeñosamente.
- Oh, vamos Loki… es en serio –dice ya con un poco de frustración en sus palabras.
- Sí,… -mueve la cabeza en negación y, resignado, se dispone a pararse, agregando en un murmullo- eso también era en serio.
- … -el ojiazul no escuchó bien lo que había dicho Loki, y por un momento se queda tratando de descifrarlo. No obteniendo resultados ni queriendo indagar más, termina por ignorarlo.
Por su parte, Loki ya había llegado hasta sus cajones de ropa y había seleccionado completamente al azar su atuendo. Después de todo, casi toda la ropa que tenía combinaba. Ya ni siquiera le molestaba el que Thor fuera tan poco atento –con él, y en parte porque se lo había ganado a pulso–, así no que no se lo tomó personal. Además, era obvio que, ahora que el cabeza hueca tenía novia, tendría menos oportunidad de obtener ese tipo de afectos que por ningún motivo iba a mendigar.
- Oh sí, me alegro mucho que estés de vuelta. Esas maneras tan cariñosas y espléndidas de despertar a alguien… deberías enseñarme cómo hacerlo, rubio –agrega como medio minuto después, conscientemente y a propósito de que el otro probablemente ya estuviera en pensando en otros asuntos.
El aludido voltea a ver a Loki al instante, que ya se había metido al baño para arreglarse. Ríe levemente y se da la media vuelta. Camina hacia su escritorio y juguetea entre sus cosas en lo que el otro salía del baño, para lo que no tuvo que esperar demasiado.
- ¡Listo! ¿Lo ves? Te preocupas demasiado –sale el pelinegro descalzo, ya con su ropa puesta y secándose el cabello con un extremo de la toalla, la cual rodeaba su cuello y caía por su hombro del otro extremo. Un gesto demasiado casual para él, que quizá hacía del diario ya sin darse cuenta, pero para el rubio era como una ilusión óptica que comenzaba a hipnotizarlo. No era cierto, por Dios. No había tenido problema hace un mes para "aclarar" el asunto entre ellos dos, pero en ese momento no podía ni siquiera acordarse de como respirar. Literalmente-. Hey, Thor… ¿Estás bien?
- ¿Eh? –sacudió levemente la cabeza notando que se había perdido un momento en sus pensamientos y se encontraba conteniendo la respiración. Se sobresalta un poco cuando se da cuenta de que Loki había avanzado hasta él y le había puesto una mano en el hombro. Lo miraba desconcertado y, se atrevería a decir, preocupado- ¡Ah, sí! Sí, sí… -se aclara la garganta y se rasca la mejilla- Sólo estaba… pensando en que…
- ¿Pensando? –enarca una ceja y ríe levemente.
El rubio cree que va a hacer un chiste ofensivo para su intelecto, por lo que no esperaba lo que al final escuchó, que si ciertamente era algo similar, no estaba seguro de haberse sentido agredido:
- … ¡Pero si hasta se te estaba fundiendo el cerebro! Debes dejar de hacer eso, sufrirás un cortocircuito y podrían culparme por ello –dice con una mueca irónica y mirándolo divertido. No entendía por qué el ojiazul estaba tan pensativo, y prefería ignorar el hecho de que estaba levemente sonrojado. Le palmea el hombro amistosamente y se dirige a su cama para ponerse sus zapatos.
Fue la última interacción significativa que tuvieron ambos el resto de la mañana. Las demás fueron pequeñas cosas aburridas, con relación a los horarios y asignaturas, que aunque Loki las tomaba con su sentido del humor habitual, al final no eran nada relevantes.
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><p>Terminada su aburrida tercera clase en el día, Loki se pone de pie inmediatamente, toma su mochila –que ya estaba lista desde 15 minutos antes- y poniéndosela al hombro sale del aula el primero. Según él y el horario que hubiera estudiado horas antes junto al rubio, tenía una hora libre. Lo que era muy conveniente, ya que se moría de hambre. Camina un poco apresurado para bajar rápido las escaleras, cruzar el jardín y llegar hasta el edificio que correspondía a la cafetería. Para su suerte, esta se encontraba repleta de gente, y con ninguna mesa disponible. Respira hondo y rueda los ojos, pero aun así se acerca hasta los mostradores y pide su comida, una que pudiera llevarse para comerla en otro lado sin hacer un desastre. Si tan sólo no hubiera entrado a esas clases e hiciera lo que se le antojase no tendría que estar abriéndose paso entre un montón de gente en una fila ridícula –porque él seguía siendo el rey, perras-.<p>
Se da la media vuelta, dispuesto ya a dejar el lugar cuando escucha como si alguien le estuviera hablando. Frunce un poco el ceño, y pensando que es su imaginación, lo ignora. Vuelve a escuchar que lo siguen llamando; esta vez, curioso, se da la media vuelta para cerciorarse de que el asunto fuera con él y no una paranoia. Se encuentra con una chica pelirroja, ojos verdes, labios rojos, blusa negra extremadamente escotada, considerando la estación del año, y sonrisa divertida haciéndole señas. Lo que le hace fruncir aún más el ceño. Duda por un momento en ir, y al no ver ningún inconveniente con ello se dirige hacia ella.
- ¡Vaya! –exclama antes de que el moreno estuviera junto a ella- Por un momento pensé que nunca vendrías porque ya no te acordabas de mí.
- Ah -Ok, no esperaba ver de nuevo a esa mujer, de hecho nunca la había visto en ningún edificio del internado ni de las aulas, y pensaba que era una loca que simplemente había conocido por casualidad. ¿Por qué no bromear un poco-. Y… ¿tú eres? –cuestiona sonando desconfiado.
- ¿Qué? –hace una mueca entre indignación e incredulidad- Me ofendes, Laufeyson.
- Sí, eso quisiera –suspira cansado y la ve fijamente, esperando su respuesta, pero ahora con una ligera sonrisa-. En serio, ¿te conozco?
- ¿Romanoff? ¿Natasha? Me acosté contigo él hace como… 4 meses. Y estoy en la clase de Cálculo II… de hecho, de todas tus clases desde el semestre pasado. Podrás notar que no entré a Documentación y Archivos,… tenía mucha hambre.
- Bueno, eso explica que tengas un buen lugar a estas horas… lo siento. No suelo poner mucha atención en las clases. Muchas veces ni siquiera iba.
- … -la pelirroja ríe, con una risa sobria y elegante que combinaban con ella- Sí, lo sé. Verte en las clases era algo así como un milagro. Como: "Laufeyson vino, pide un deseo".
- ¿En serio? –enarca una ceja y sonríe de lado- Vaya, sí sabía que era popular, pero… ¿amuleto de la buena suerte? Eso sí que es halagador.
- Claro, puedo imaginármelo –sonríe ampliamente y le ofrece el asiento frente a ella, el cual acepta sin problemas-. Entonces, ya sabes quién soy.
- Por supuesto que me acuerdo de ti –ríe leve y la mira burlón.
- … -la ojiverde sonríe aún más- Por supuesto. Es totalmente obvio, no tengo que rogar para que los chicos me miren…
- Sí, y me imagino que ese escote y la minifalda te facilitan mucho el trabajo –dice irónicamente, entrando más en confianza, ya que realmente nunca la había conocido bien.
- … -Natasha se queda muda y no puede hacer más que echarse a reír, sintiéndose tonta- Bueno, bueno. Es que tener todo esto… –hace alusión a sus exuberantes atributos–… y no presumirlo, es como tener una mina de diamantes y no explotarla, ¿no crees?
- Sí, es una elegante forma de decir _"el que no enseña, no vende"_ –aguanta las ganas de echarse a reír en su cara.
- Pues, por lo que he escuchado, tú no tienes ningún problema con que te muestren la mercancía, ¿me equivoco? –inquiere burlona, sonriendo de lado coquetamente.
- Si lo que estás tratando de hacer es decirme que estás en liquidación de temporada, no estoy interesado, primor. Solo tengo una hora y debería estar ocupándola desayunando –rechaza con sorna y aires de grandeza.
- Awww… me has rechazado. Ahora, ¿qué se supone que haga? No creo poder seguir con mi vida después de esto…
- Lo sé, debe ser muy difícil para ti. Pero no te sientas mal, podemos ser amigos –le palmea levemente el hombro a modo de "consuelo".
- Ya, ya… suficiente –le aparta la mano entre risas-. Ya lo superé. Tranquilo. Pero bueno… ¿y tu amigo? –pregunta casual, siguiendo con los alimentos que tenía servidos en su platón, que al estar ya casi terminados, no se notaba qué pudieran haber sido originalmente.
- ¿Qué amigo? –cuestiona de vuelta, tomando su café para darle unos tragos.
- Sí, el rubio guapo de ojos azules. ¿O a él tampoco lo recuerdas?
- … -Loki termina de tomar su bebida como se debe, la coloca sobre la mesa y devuelve la mirada hacia ella-. ¿Thor? ¿Qué con él? –adquiere un tono con tintes más serios de lo que esperaba al decir eso. Natasha se siente extrañamente incómoda al ver el repentino cambio de humor del moreno.
- ¿Te peleaste con él? –cuestiona nuevamente curiosa, sin importar que pudiera incomodar o ser imprudente-. Por lo que sé, suelen pelearse a menudo.
- No, y en realidad no es mi amigo. ¿Te gusta? –enarca ambas cejas y la mira con indiferencia ensayada, que parecía más desprecio.
- Eh… ¿No? –sonríe desconcertada- Qué, ¿a ti sí? –sugiere burlona, ignorando completamente la situación de ambos chicos y obviamente sin poder imaginar nada.
- Por favor… -rueda los ojos- no seas ridícula. Conociéndolo como lo hago sería, además de estúpido, imposible.
- ¿Conociéndolo? Creí que no eran amigos. ¿Qué es tuyo entonces, tu ex?
- Y sigues con lo mismo… -se talla el puente de la nariz y respira hondo, tratando de no enojarse y, en caso de ello, evitar sonrojarse- No. No es mi amigo, ni mi ex. Es mi tutor académico y compañero de cuarto. Y es lo único que debes saber al respecto.
- Hey, tranquilo. No te enojes, no pretendo nada con tu amigo –el moreno gruñe con la insistencia, pero nada más-. De todos modos, y por lo que sé, ya tiene novia.
- Wow… me sorprende de cuantas cosas puedes estar enterada. Así es, así que no te hagas ilusiones con él.
- Perfecto –aguanta la risa y se mordisquea el labio inferior.
Siguen platicando otro rato más, como si esa conversación un tanto incómoda nunca hubiese sucedido. Ambos ya habían terminado de comer y seguían muy entretenidos.
- Y dime Natasha, ¿por qué no me habías hablado antes, por qué hasta ahora? Después de todo ya nos conocíamos.
- Bueno, en primera porque no se había presentado una oportunidad ideal, y en segunda…
- ¿Ajá? En segunda... soy tan guapo que tuviste que reunir todo tu valor para poder volver a decirme 'hola' –dice con el ego hasta arriba, ensanchando su sonrisa.
- ¡HAHAHAHAHAH! ¡Claro que no! En realidad era tu pandilla, tenía miedo de hablarte y que fueran a violarme.
- Ah… -finge indignación- ¿En serio pensaste que seríamos capaces de tal atrocidad? ¡Qué linda eres…! No, realmente tienes razón… -ríe levemente-. Incluso yo lo hubiera hecho otra vez, pero ahora soy un hombre nuevo.
- ¡Y me lo dices así tan descarada y cínicamente…! Me agradas mucho, Laufeyson.
- Loki, ya te dije que no me gusta que me llamen por mi apellido. Dime Loki –aclara casi como si fuera una súplica.
- ¡Cierto, cierto! ¡Discúlpame! Bueno, ya no se me olvidará Loki.
- Eso espero,… bueno. Me temo que me tengo que ir, porque debo entrar a mi próxima clase y ser un niño bueno y estudioso –dice como recitándolo y con evidente burla.
- Owww, en ese caso pásame el número de tu móvil. Para estar en contacto, por supuesto –sonríe.
- Uhmm… ¿por qué no? –le dicta el número y al terminar cuestiona– ¿tú no me pasas el tuyo?
- No –sonríe ampliamente-. Ya te hablaré yo.
- Está bien… nos vemos –se trata de despedir el pelinegro, pero la chica se pone también de pie.
- Sí, durante las próximas 5 horas. Vamos en la misma clase, ¿recuerdas?
Esta vez es Loki quien se echa a reír y salen los dos juntos de la cafetería, mientras que Thor y Jane iban de entrada. La castaña iba tomada de la mano del rubio, dedos entrelazados, y este no pudo evitar seguir al pelinegro con la mirada, al punto de casi dar un giro de 180 grados con la cabeza. Si no se equivocaba, esa pelirroja iba acompañándolo. Bueno… si eso era así, quería decir que tal vez el asunto no había afectado mucho a Loki como para dejar de lado sus habituales fugaces conquistas, y estaba bien. Le daba mucho gusto. O eso creía. Espera. ¿Una pelirroja?
- Ay, ay… ¡Thor! –se queja Foster, dándole un leve jalón para que despertara.
- ¿Qué? ¿Qué pasó, Jane? ¿Estás bien? –voltea a verla exaltado, como quien ha sido sorprendido haciendo algo que no debía.
- Sí, pero creo que estaría mejor si no trataras de estrangular mi mano…
- ¡Ah! ¡Lo siento mucho! –la suelta al instante, vuelve su mirada hacia la salida rápidamente pero Loki y su misteriosa acompañante ya no estaban en su rango de visión. Mira a la castaña de nuevo- ¿Te lastimé?
- No, estoy bien. No te preocupes –ríe levemente-. Pero bueno… ¿qué vas a querer hoy?
* * *
><p>En el dormitorio se encuentra el rubio estudiando algunos de los temas vistos el semestre pasado, dado que al ser el primer día no habían aprendido ningún concepto en absoluto. Eran a lo mucho 6:30 P.M. cuando Loki llega. Este se veía tranquilo, incluso sonriente, lo cual sorprendió al mayor, que se había dado la vuelta al escucharlo llegar.<p>
- Hola rubio… -saluda sin mucho interés, apenas viéndolo por el rabillo del ojo, prestándole suma atención a su móvil.
- Hola Loki –responde el otro, no tomando en cuenta aquel comportamiento.
Transcurren cerca de cinco minutos sin que ninguno de los dos pronunciara una sola palabra. Thor ya había dejado lo que hacía, y creía que sería bueno entablar una conversación con el pelinegro, que aún seguía con su celular en las manos.
- Y… ¿cómo te fue hoy? –cuestiona casual, esperando recibir respuesta.
- Bien. ¿A ti? –devuelve la pregunta mientras sonreía a la pantalla por algo que obviamente había leído.
- También, gracias… -frunce un poco el ceño al ver que aún no recibe la atención que esperaba-. ¿Una fiesta?
- ¿Fiesta de qué? –termina de escribir y alza la mirada, dejando el teléfono a un lado suyo sobre la cama. Ese conjunto de palabras habían llamado su atención, evidentemente.
- Eh… no, me refiero a que si va a haber una fiesta o algo por el estilo…
- No. Bueno, no que yo sepa. ¿Por qué? –coloca la mano derecha a un costado sobre la cama, recargando en este su peso.
- Oh… ya veo… No, por nada. Es que te ves muy animado, no esperaba que te sentara tan bien el inicio de semestre.
- Sí, yo tampoco… -el móvil del chico vuelve a sonar y, por lo tanto, este lo revisa de nuevo. Aguanta la risa por algo que nuevamente debe haber leído y responde rápidamente. El rubio siente la curiosa necesidad de saber con quién rayos hablaba, así que pregunta "casual" nuevamente:
- ¿Son tus amigos?
El moreno se limita a mover la cabeza en negación ante la interrogante, sin interrumpir su tarea de contestar mensajes. Thor tuerce un poco la boca, y, extrañado por la respuesta, cuestiona ahora más directo.
- Entonces, ¿con quién hablas?
- Con Romanoff –responde simple, como si fuera la respuesta más obvia del planeta.
- ¿Romanoff? –repite el mayor, que frunce un poco el ceño al escuchar aquel nombre.
- Sip… -se demora unos segundos antes de reparar en que el rubio seguramente no sabía a quién se refería, y ahorrándole inconscientemente la embarazosa situación de preguntar quién era, agrega:- Cierto. No la conoces, es… una chica de mi clase.
Oh. El rubio tensa la mandíbula y asiente lentamente. Debía ser esa chica pelirroja con la que lo había visto más temprano. Decidió no preguntar más por el momento, no sólo porque repentinamente se le habían quitado las ganas de saber, sino porque el ojiverde estaba tan enfrascado en su conversación que se sentía como un impertinente. Con el paso de los minutos pasó a sentirse un estorbo, y unas horas más tarde se sintió como un fantasma.
_"__¿Qué te parece si salimos mañana en la noche? Vendrán unos amigos conmigo. Si quieres invita a Thor ;) " _– lee Loki el nuevo mensaje en la pantalla de su teléfono celular. Se queda pensando durante un buen rato, pero finalmente se decide qué contestar:
"¿A las 8 en la entrada del instituto?"
31. Capítulo 31
**¡Hola!**
Aquí estoy chicas. Disculpen el leve retraso.
Como saben, en mi humilde casa aún no hay internet, y para publicar los capítulos tengo que ir a algún cyber-café o en la facultad. Ayer casi nos llega el huracán, y no pude ir a la universidad. Mucho menos salir de mi casa. Ya ni siquiera fui a mi clase de francés :c
Así que sin más retraso, las dejo con este nuevo capítulos. Hay celos y Stark, y un poco de fluff, creo :D
Espero que no me haya quedado tan mal Anthony, como mis demás personajes secundarios super OoC.
Las amo, y espero que disfruten este humilde capítulo 31.
Thorkiabrazos para todas :3
**Higurashi out!**
* * *
><p>Después del día de clases, Loki se había tardado un poco en regresar a la habitación, pero Thor no le toma demasiada importancia a este hecho. El otro durante el semestre pasado, si no había llegado después de clases seguramente no regresaría hasta caída la noche. Ya había pasado bastante tiempo, mínimo una hora, desde que había terminado la última clase.<p>
Al contrario de lo que el rubio pensaba, de repente escucha que abren la puerta de jalón. Y obviamente era Loki. Extrañado, voltea a verlo.
- ¿Y este milagro? –comenta entre confundido y divertido.
El otro voltea y lo ve fijamente, sin saber a qué se refería. No le responde nada, pero se le queda viendo parado en medio de la habitación, como incitándolo a contarle de qué hablaba. El otro entiende el mensaje y se apresura a explicarse.
- Quiero decir… pensé que habías ido a algún lugar y no volverías hasta entrada la noche.
- Ah…. Eso –ríe leve, divertido por el comentario-. Si voy a salir, pero más al rato…
- Ya veo… -tuerce la boca leve y se da la vuelta para seguir lo que estaba haciendo.
Loki jugaba Plants V.S. Zombies en su movil mientras pensaba en lo que Natasha le dijera la noche anterior y le insistiera después de clases. ¿Invitar a Thor a ir a dondequiera que tenía planeado ir la pelirroja? Seguramente empezaría de aguafiestas a querer mandar y decir lo que le gustaba y lo que no, lo que estaba correcto hacer y lo que debía evitar. Ya se había decidido a no decirle ni una sola palabra de a donde iba a ir, cuando una alerta de mensaje le interrumpe su juego. Se ve obligado a salir de la aplicación para leer lo que le había llegado.
"_¡No se te olvide decirle a Thor que nos acompañe! Salir de vez en cuando a tomar el aire fresco está bien __J__Nos vemos al rato. _
_- Natasha."_
No puede hacer más que suspirar cansado, bloquear su teléfono y mirar al otro por la espalda. No perdía nada preguntándole si le apetecía salir o no, seguramente rechazaría la invitación y podría ir solo y sin ninguna preocupación adicional.
- Oye, Thor… -cuestiona fingiéndose distraído y recostándose en su cama.
- Dime, Loki… -responde el otro sin dejar lo que hacía.
- Estaba pensando en que quizá te gustaría acompañarme al rato. Ya sabes, salir de vez en cuando a tomar el aire fresco está bien –comenta utilizando las mismas palabras que Natasha en su mensaje.
- Eh… no lo creo Loki. Pero gracias de todos modos.
- Ok. Entonces le diré a Natasha que no irás. Yo cumplí –dice encogiéndose de hombros y más bien aliviado de que todo hubiera salido como él pensaba… aparentemente.
Pasan un par de minutos y el rubio de repente cae en cuenta de algo. Pelirroja, ojos verdes, Romanoff… ¿Iba a salir con esa tal Natasha? Se endereza y frunce el ceño. Luego se da la vuelta y mira fijamente al ojiverde, que extrañado se voltea a verlo también.
- ¿Pasa algo?
- ¿A qué hora vas a salir? –cuestiona el australiano algo serio.
- Como a eso de las 8… -frunce el ceño. ¿Ahora que mosco le había picado?
- ¿Y a qué hora vas a regresar? Más o menos…
- No lo sé –responde simple-. Y no creo que deba interesarte. De todos modos ni vas a ir.
- ¿Quién dice que no? De pronto me dieron ganas de estirar las piernas y cambiar de aires. No me puede hacer daño salir esta noche.
Loki enarca una ceja ahora realmente confundido.
- Este… no. Tú habías dicho que no querías ir. ¿A qué se debe ese cambio tan radical en tan solo dos minutos?
- Sólo lo pensé bien –miente-. Resulta que sí me apetece ir. ¿O acaso no quieres que conozca a tus amigos?
- No… está bien –lo mira desconfiado. ¿Acaso era porque había dicho "Natasha"? Sonríe levemente, casi imperceptiblemente. No dice nada al respecto-. Ok, le avisaré a Nat que siempre si vas…
El rubio siente una patada en el hígado al escuchar la familiaridad con la que pronunciaba el nombre de esa zorra pelirroja y… sacude su cabeza. No importaba, estaba bien. Lo que hiciera el pelinegro de ahora en adelante era muy problema suyo. Lo que le molestaba era esa mala influencia que seguramente le estarían pegando esos otros amigos suyos. Mejor dejaba de pensar…
El ojiverde hace exactamente lo que le había dicho al rubio, y avisa a la pelirroja que siempre sí los iba a acompañar más tarde. Esta acepta y terminan de mensajearse.
Un rato más ya se habían arreglado debidamente y estaban listos para irse. Ese rato más eran las 7:30 de la noche.
- No sabes cuánto me alegro de ya no seas un nerd mugroso –comenta como si nada antes de salir de la habitación.
- ¿Por qué? –frunce el ceño el otro, un poco molesto. ¿Por qué siempre tenía que atentar contra su persona?
- Es lógico. Al menos ahora no me dejarás en vergüenza en frente de la gente –se aguanta una risa y se adelanta. El otro se limita a seguirlo.
Caminan por la ruta acostumbrada para llegar a la entrada principal del instituto. Aún era algo temprano. Pero Loki no tenía nada más que hacer, y Thor, por "alguna extraña razón", no lo quiso dejar solo. Se están un rato ahí esperando, el rubio sentado y el pelinegro asomándose cada cinco minutos y respondiendo mensajes en su teléfono. Un poco pasadas las 8 –más exactamente las 8:35–, llega finalmente la rusa junto con otras 4 personas. Se acerca a Loki y le da un abrazo y un beso de saludo a él, y estrechándole la mano al otro.
- Disculpen el retraso chicos, tuvimos un par de problemas técnicos. Pero ya estamos aquí. Los presento –se pone de lado y empieza a nombrar a todos de izquierda a derecha-: Bruce, Clint, Steve y Tony. Ellos dos son Thor y Loki –sonríe leve-. Conózcanse.
Intercambian apretones de manos de cortesía y justo cuando a Loki le tocaba saludar a Tony, este le comenta:
- Oye, te me haces conocido. ¿No nos habíamos visto antes? –lo mira con una media sonrisa.
- No lo creo… -mira al castaño algo desconfiado, porque aparte de su mirada un poco penetrante no dejaba de apretarle la mano.
- Si… yo sí te conozco. Eres Laufeyson, ¿no? Íbamos en la misma clase en la prepa. Sólo fueron unas semanas, antes de que me promovieran y me enviaran a la universidad a otro lado.
El otro se queda pensando unos momentos. No recordaba nada parecido a eso. Realmente no le parecía haberlo visto antes. A menos que…
- ¿Stark? No… no eres tú. Tenías el cabello más largo, y no tenías esa barba –lo mira aún un poco desconfiado, pero más que nada divertido.
- Sí, ya me recuerdas, ¿verdad Cuernitos? –le da un abrazo fuerte y el otro toma aire y abre los ojos grandes.
- Sabes que odio que me digas así Stark. Aunque sólo lo hayas hecho un par de veces.
- Bueno, es que es de la única forma que me acuerdo perfectamente de ti. Oye, tranquilo –dice al notar que el otro lo veía de forma fulminante-. Angbodra quedó preñada por andar de zorra por ahí.
- Eso ya lo sé –aprieta la mandíbula-. Yo estuve ahí cuando fue anunciado, ¿recuerdas?
Los demás seguían platicando entre ellos, pero esta pequeña charla había llamado la atención de Thor, que estaba platicando con Steve, ya que le había parecido buena persona. Ese Stark parecía un tipo agradable, aunque era extraño que lo conociera de antes. Nunca lo había visto por allí, pero no era un asunto demasiado importante. Lo que cabía recalcar era que por fin Loki podía tener un amigo que valiera la pena, y mientras andaba por ahí platicando con Tony no iba a poder estar con Natasha.
- Muy bien, chicos –dice la antes citada-. Me alegro haber reunido nuevamente a dos grandes amigos –sonríe mientras escucha como Tony dice un "te lo pagaré eternamente" y el otro decía "nunca fuimos amigos"-. ¿A dónde se les antoja ir? –pregunta.
- ¡Un antro! –dice entusiasta Tony soltando de una vez por todas a Loki, el cual se aleja un par de pasos de él.
- O podemos ir a un parque a sentarnos y platicar… -agrega Bruce acomodándose los lentes.
- A ver… que sea por mayoría de votos –comenta Steve-. Así será justo y no se hará la voluntad de solo uno. ¿Quién tiene otra idea?
Todos se miran entre sí, y no dicen ni una sola palabra. Tony rueda los ojos cruzado de brazos y luego ve a Loki, que miraba al rubio entre divertido y con cara de "¿en serio?". Steve vuelve a tomar la palabra.
- Bueno, los que estén a favor de ir al parque, alcen la mano –lo siguen Bruce y Thor, el mismo alza la mano también.
- Sí, sí… -dice Stark-. Somos 7, tres alzaron la mano, quedan 4. Ya vamos al antro –se da la media vuelta y comienza a caminar, jalando a Loki por el cuello para poder seguir platicando con él, mientras este intentaba desesperadamente librarse de él.
Steve niega con la cabeza en desaprobación y Thor lo sigue para seguir platicando con él. Era un chico realmente agradable, con bastante sentido de la responsabilidad y muy educado.
Al llegar al tan esperado lugar, los dos rubios descubren que no estaba tan mal. Como era martes en la noche, el lugar estaba realmente tranquilo y relativamente vacío. Unas dos parejas a lo mucho estaban sentadas en unas de las mesas y un par de personas más en la pista de baile, que de ahí en fuera estaba también desierta. La música y el ruido tampoco estaban tan mal, aunque aún podrían dejar sordo a alguien. Cuando Thor voltea alrededor se da cuenta de que todo el mundo los había dejado atrás a él y a su nuevo amigo, y habían conseguido una mesa. Loki ya se había resignado a que el castaño lo trajera como su muñeco de trapo. Se sientan a la mesa, Steve frente a la pelirroja, y Thor junto a él, que estaba sentado junto a Tony.
- ¿Quieren jugar algo? –pregunta Clint emocionado después de un rato de haber llegado y ya cada uno por lo menos con dos cervezas encima, él estaba sentado a un lado de la pelirroja.
- Yo pienso que mejor deberíamos platicar normalmente, a veces jugar en este tipo de lugares hace que las personas se peleen –argumenta Bruce.
- Ya Bruce –ríe leve la única mujer en el grupo-. Relájate un rato. Hay muchas cosas a las que podemos jugar.
- ¿Qué les parece V o R? –interviene Tony que daba unos tragos a su segunda cerveza.
- ¿Qué es eso? –cuestiona Thor mientras Steve y Bruce hacían muecas y decían frases de protesta.
- Verdad o Reto, torpe –completa Loki, que estaba de lo más divertido por tener una noche de diversión y además de la estupidez del rubio.
- Stark, ese es un juego para niños pubertos y tontos –le reclama Steve, harto de ese juego.
- No seas exagerado Rogers –rueda los ojos-. Rara vez es la que lo jugamos. Y esta vez vale la pena, hay dos personas desconocidas que quieren saber tus más sucios secretos y seguro tú quieres saber algo de ellos.
- Haz lo que quieras… -dice de nuevo el rubio y después Thor lo trata de convencer de que entrara al juego, y si algo no le parecía lo dejara. Finalmente acepta.
- Aquí está la botella –avisa Loki poniendo la botella en medio de la mesa lista para darle la vuelta-. ¿Quién empieza?
- Las damas primero –responde Clint tomando del hombro a Natasha, y ella le aparta la mano de un golpecito.
- Ok, ok –acepta decidida-. Yo empiezo.
La pelirroja toma la botella por la parte del cuerpo, lo más en el centro posible y le imprime cierta fuerza para que dé giros un par de veces y no quede en el mismo lugar. Todos observan como el objeto da vueltas casi hipnotizados. Al detenerse, la base apunta a Bruce y la punta a Steve, lo que indicaba que el primero tenía que preguntar.
- ¿Verdad o reto?
- Mmm… -se queda pensando durante unos segundos hasta decidirse-. Verdad.
- Ok. ¿Cuál es tu color favorito? –cuestiona sin más interés y encogiéndose de hombros.
- No… -se interpone Stark, riendo leve-. ¿Qué tipo de pregunta es esa, Banner? Pregunta algo interesante, como… si ha tenido sexo en esta última semana.
- No Stark –responde Natasha-. Ya hizo la pregunta, es contra las reglas cambiarla. Cuando te toque a ti le preguntas lo que quieras.
- Mi color favorito es el azul –interviene Steve, y cumpliendo con lo que dictaba el juego toma la botella y le da la vuelta. Era el turno de que Tony hiciera las preguntas y Clint contestara.
- ¿Verdad o reto?
- Verdad –responde el otro sin dudarlo.
- ¿Te has acostado con Natasha?
Ante esta pregunta Steve, Bruce, Thor y la citada ven feo al castaño, mientras Loki reía levemente. Barton había fruncido el ceño, divertido, y se había sonrojado muy levemente.
- No, nunca me he acostado con ella –responde sin más, girando la botella. Cuatro vueltas y un cuarto más se detiene. El que preguntaba ahora era Loki, y la "víctima" era nuevamente Rogers.
- ¿Verdad o Reto? –cuestiona el ojiverde.
- Verdad –decide nuevamente el rubio.
- ¿Has tenido sexo en esta última semana? –pregunta Loki mirando al castaño de lo más divertido por haber repetido la pregunta que había sugerido, y este le da un codazo. Thor ve esto un poco raro, en tan poco tiempo se habían hecho casi íntimos, pero no le da mucha importancia.
Steve se sonroja y frunce el ceño molesto por la pregunta, sobre todo hecha por un desconocido, pero después de pensarlo responde.
- No, de hecho no he tenido relaciones en más de un mes.
Da la vuelta a la botella, mientras Loki cuestiona indiscretamente por qué, haciendo bromas con Stark. Rogers no está obligado a contestar, así que guarda silencio y se limita a ver cómo había quedado la botella esta vez. Así va transcurriendo la noche, y una botella tras otra. Las preguntas eran variadas. Algunas indiscretas, algunas inocentes. Uno que otro reto también, principalmente protagonizadas por Tony y Natasha. En esta ocasión, le toca a Clint hacerle una pregunta a Loki.
- ¿Verdad o Reto?
- Verdad.
- A ver… -se queda pensando la pregunta que iba a formular-. Ya sé. ¿Alguna vez has tenido alguna experiencia homosexual?
Loki estaba ya algo pasado de copas, pero no tanto. Había comprendido por completo la pregunta, y se había quedado callado pensando la respuesta. Los demás estaban atentos. En especial Thor. ¿Qué diría? El pelinegro contesta después de un rato de pensar.
- Sí… y no solo una vez. Bastantes.
Todos se quedaron impactados. Sobre todo Natasha. Pero pierde un poco de importancia al girar la botella el pelinegro. Es el turno de Stark para preguntar a Thor.
- ¿Verdad o Reto?
- Verdad –lo mira fijo.
- ¿Por qué todos son tan aburridos? –niega divertido-. A ver… misma pregunta. ¿Has hecho cosas sucias con otro hombre?
- No –niega al instante el rubio, ganándose una mirada sorprendida y luego de rencor del ojiverde que tenía justo en frente.
- Oh… que bien –se encoge de hombros, decepcionado por la respuesta. El rubio gira la botella y Natasha pregunta al castaño:
- ¿Verdad o Reto?
- Reto –contesta el otro con una sonrisa autosuficiente.
- Ok. Déjame pensar –dice la chica sumiéndose en sus pensamientos y luego inclinándose hacia Clint, que le decía algo al oído. La pelirroja ríe y luego se endereza para dar a conocer lo que había decidido-. Tienes que besar a alguien de nosotros.
Tony bufa divertido al escuchar el reto. ¿Era en serio? Por Dios, era demasiado fácil. Ni siquiera se podía considerar un reto. Pero era lo que su amiga había decidido y no podía ir en contra de las reglas. Sin dudarlo ni un solo segundo se voltea a su izquierda, donde estaba Loki algo distraído con quien sabe qué cosa. Le toma el rostro, lo gira hacia él y le planta un beso. Y no uno de obligación y propio de un reto. Fue un beso profundo, largo y húmedo. El moreno había sido tomado por sorpresa al principio, pero solo fue por un momento, porque luego se dejó llevar y le siguió el juego. Incluso se acomoda lo más que podía en aquel espacio reducido e incómodo que le había tocado para estar de frente al otro y pasar sus brazos por detrás de su cuello. El hecho de que el moreno ya estaba borracho ayudaba en gran parte para hacer aquello, pero no era la única razón. En segunda, como estaba plenamente consciente de estar enamorado de Thor se podía decir que era bisexual, así que no tenía ningún problema al aceptar que el castaño era muy atractivo. En tercera, era imposible negar que Stark tuviera una habilidad extraordinaria para besar, lo hacía endemoniadamente bien. Pero la principal razón por la que estaba haciendo eso era por el rubio idiota frente de él: Thor. ¿Se había atrevido a negarlo? Bien. No había ningún problema con ello. Por ende, tampoco debería haber problemas con que para él hiciera lo que quisiera, ¿no? Podía ir y pudrirse él y Foster.
Aquel beso era tan intenso que Bruce, algo incómodo, se había retirado para "ir al baño", Clint estaba en estado de shock, Natasha se sonroja notablemente pero sin perder la pista de nada y Thor pasa por todas esas etapas a una velocidad impresionante. De la sorpresa al shock, pasando por la incomodidad a la que no le podía quitar la vista de encima hasta llegar a la rabia intensa. ¡¿Qué demonios creían que estaban haciendo?! Por el amor del cielo, era un estúpido reto –muy, muy estúpido-. No se suponía que apañaran en ese mismo instante sin ningún tipo de vergüenza ni pudor.
Justo cuando no aguantaba más y se disponía a separarlos, Steve ya le había ganado la idea, tomando al castaño con fuerza y haciéndolo voltearse, logrando con esto que se separaran automáticamente.
- Ya basta Stark. ¿Para esto querías jugar este estúpido juego?
- Eh… ¿no? –responde frunciendo el ceño divertido, aunque ligeramente molesto por la impertinencia. Loki ya se había acomodado de nuevo en su lugar y se relamía los labios, lo que aumentaba la furia de Thor-. No seas aguafiestas Rogers, también te besaría a ti, y sin necesidad de jugar estas cosas.
- Ay, Dios mío –murmura cansado y tallándose el puente de la nariz-. Sabía que estabas borracho, pero no tanto.
- Ya Rogers –interviene Loki, rodando los ojos. No había entrado en confianza todavía con el chico, pero no tenía otra forma de llamarle-. Tampoco es para tanto, no es como si me hubiera tirado encima de la mesa y violado.
- Aunque no hubiera estado mal –le murmura el castaño, ganándose un codazo acompañado con una risa cómplice entre los dos.
Thor no lo soporta más y se pone de pie abruptamente, mirando a todos serio y molesto –en especial a Stark y a Loki-.
- Si me permiten un momento, voy al baño –se da la media vuelta y camina rápido hacia los sanitarios. Todos se queda mirando entre ellos.
- ¿Se enceló? –pregunta Tony confundido y con tintes divertidos, para recibir un codazo de Steve.
Thor se queda unos momentos en el baño, parado frente al espejo –que quien sabe por qué había uno en el baño de los hombres- y recargado en los lavabos. Se moja la cara, parte del cuello y se acomoda el cabello. No surten efecto, porque sigue igual o más enfadado. Al salir del baño ya no regresa a la mesa donde estaban todos, se va directo al instituto.
End file.
| fanfiction |
schottky diodes are an active area of research due to their low capacitance , recovery times , and importance in silicon based mosfet s as source - drain contacts @xcite .
a schottky barrier is formed at the interface between a metal and semiconductor .
the chemical potential difference between the two materials causes a transfer of electrons creating an electrostatic energy barrier called the schottky barrier @xcite .
the height of the schottky barrier can fluctuate laterally across the interface due to chemical and physical variations at the metal - semiconductor interface @xcite .
the schottky - mott model predicts the schottky barrier height is the difference between the fermi level of the metal and the electron affinity of the semiconductor .
typically this is not observed experimentally due to effects such as metal induced gap states , defects , and semiconductor surface states @xcite . to capture the nanoscale fluctuations in schottky barrier height , tung introduced a chemical bonding model which predicts the varying bonding angles between metal and semiconductor will produce a gaussian like spread in barrier heights @xcite . an ideal technique to study schottky barriers at the nanoscale is . in , an tip is used to inject hot electrons into the metal layer of a schottky diode while the current transmitted into the semiconductor is recorded .
if injected electrons travel through the metal film without scattering ; and if the electrons carry enough perpendicular momentum to overcome the schottky barrier the electrons are collected as current .
probes the interfacial electrostatics of a metal - semiconductor junction by varying the injected carrier energy and tip location with mev energy resolution ( @xmath10.02 ev ) and nanometer spatial resolution , respectively @xcite .
this technique has been used to measure the schottky barrier height of many different metal / semiconductor interfaces @xcite .
. took @xmath1800 spectra of the pd / sic diode and showed a gaussian distribution of schottky barrier heights consistent with the tung model @xcite .
similarly for the w / n - si(001 ) interface , a schottky barrier of 0.71 ev was measured with a histogram of schottky barriers obtained from 7225 spectra showed a gaussian distribution with some higher barrier heights attributed to defects or contaminates at the interface @xcite . in this article , the w / si(001 ) schottky junction is mapped to nanoscale dimensions over 21 days where every 7 days two point _ in situ _ measurements and schottky barrier maps were acquired . the distribution of schottky barrier heights of the as deposited tungsten film follow a gaussian like distribution with few areas of no measured barrier height . over the 21 day period
the percentage of spectra able to be fit decreased from 98@xmath0 to 27@xmath0 .
shows that a tungsten silicide forms upon deposition which grows in thickness and changes in composition over time and attributed to the changes observed in the beem data .
interestingly , two point measurements show little change over the 21 day period .
the diode fabrication was performed under high - vacuum conditions on lightly doped @xmath2-si(001 ) substrates with resistivity of 100 @xmath3-cm .
the native silicon oxide layer was removed utilizing a standard chemical hydrofluoric acid treatment immediately prior to loading into a high vacuum ( @xmath4 mbar ) deposition chamber @xcite .
the tungsten was deposited onto the substrate using electron beam evaporation ; the substrate was partially covered using a shadow mask creating diodes 2 mm by 2 mm .
the tungsten thickness for the sample was 5 nm .
a 10 nm gold layer was deposited on top of the tungsten layer to inhibit tungsten surface oxidation .
the silicon substrate was unintentionally heated above room temperature due to radiative heating from the deposition source .
the deposition thickness was calibrated using and in a jeol titan . after deposition
, the sample was mounted onto a custom designed sample holder for measurements .
the plate allows for simultaneous grounding of both the metal film and the silicon substrate to an _ ex situ _ pico - ammeter to measure current .
an ohmic contact was established by cold pressing indium onto the backside of the silicon substrate .
a modified low temperature ( omicron ) was utilized for all measurements operating at a pressure in the @xmath5 mbar range @xcite .
the sample was inserted into the uhv chamber within 3 hours of metal deposition and loaded onto the stm stage and cooled to 80 k for all measurements .
two - point measurements were taken _ in situ _ for each sample at low temperatures using a keithley 2400 source measurement unit to record characteristics .
all measurements were taken in the absence of ambient light .
pt / ir stm tips , mechanically cut at a steep angle , were utilized for all beem measurements .
the experimental schematic and energy band diagram are shown in fig . [ schematic ] .
all measurements were taken using a constant tunneling current set - point of 20 na with forward tip biasing , i.e. the carriers injected into the metal are electrons , the same as the majority carriers in the silicon substrate . to obtain a spectrum
, the tip stays at one location while the voltage between the tip and metal surface is increased from 0.2 v to 2.0 v while recording the current .
the tip moves to a new location and the measurement is repeated . for each series of measurements
, spectra were taken every 11.7 nm throughout a 1 @xmath6 m @xmath7 1 @xmath6 m area .
after the initial set of spectra was taken , the sample was allowed to return to room temperature and sit under conditions for 7 days .
the sample was again cooled to 80 k and another series of spectra was taken .
this process was repeated two more times resulting in four sets of spectra , immediately after metal deposition , 7 days after deposition , 14 days after deposition , and 21 days after deposition .
all of the spectra recorded were fit to the simplified form of the beem model @xmath8 to determine the schottky barrier height , where @xmath9 is the current , @xmath10 is the schottky barrier , @xmath11 is the tip bias , and @xmath2 is a fitting exponent of @xmath12 , given by the fitting model @xcite .
the fits were preformed by linearizing the spectra and using standard linear regression , which returned the schottky barrier and corresponding @xmath13 value , indicating the quality of the fit . if the fitting model can not fit the spectrum to an @xmath13 value above 0.6 the spectrum is considered unable to be fit .
the average spectrum from the initial map along with the schottky barrier height obtained from the fit is displayed in fig .
[ histograms_scatter](a ) .
a histogram of all the schottky barrier heights from each individual spectrum along with a line indicating the fit to the average spectrum is displayed in fig .
[ histograms_scatter](b ) .
a gaussian distribution is drawn from the mean of the distribution , @xmath14 = 0.76 ev and its standard deviation , @xmath15 = 103 mev .
the schottky barrier height distribution has a tail to higher energies ( @xmath160.9 ev ) .
a histogram of the @xmath13 values is displayed in fig .
[ histograms_scatter](c ) with 78@xmath0 of the spectra with @[email protected] and a mean @xmath13 value of 0.93 .
a scatter of the schottky barrier heights vs the @xmath13 value is shown in fig .
[ histograms_scatter](d ) .
the plot shows that high @xmath13 values are obtained for the full range of schottky barrier heights while also being centered around the mean schottky barrier .
the schottky barrier map acquired immediately after metal deposition , 7 days , 14 days and 21 days after deposition is shown in fig .
[ n - maps](a)-(d ) , respectively . immediately after deposition
, the schottky barrier map is uniform with 98@xmath0 of the spectra fit and centered around the average schottky barrier height of 0.76 ev .
the few black spots are spectra with no fit .
after 7 days , the schottky barrier map is no longer uniform , with 61@xmath0 of the spectra fit , @xmath17 = 0.94 ev , and @xmath15 = 155 mev . after 14 days ,
the schottky barrier map consists of 33@xmath0 of the spectra which could be fit , @xmath14 = 0.89 ev , and @xmath15 = 202 mev .
after 21 days , the schottky barrier map contains only 27@xmath0 of spectra which are able to be fit , @xmath17 = 0.88 ev and @xmath15 = 221 mev .
the set of spectra for each schottky barrier map were average together to form one representative spectrum , and are shown linearized with their corresponding fit in fig .
[ n - fits](a)-(d ) . the average spectra taken immediately after deposition is fit to a schottky barrier height of 0.71 ev and an @xmath13 value @xmath16 0.999 .
the 7 day sample is fit to a schottky barrier of 0.74 ev and an @xmath13 value of 0.997 .
the 14 day sample is fit to a schottky barrier of 0.71 ev and an @xmath13 value of 0.997 .
the 21 day sample is fit to a schottky barrier of 0.62 ev and an @xmath13 value of 0.98 .
inset to fig .
[ n - fits](d ) is the average of all the spectra with an @xmath13 @xmath16 0.95 and is fit to a schottky barrier of 0.68 ev .
the results of the and measurements for the interface immediately after deposition are shown in fig .
[ metrology](a ) @xmath18 ( b ) .
the mass percentages of tungsten , gold , silicon , and oxygen are plotted in fig .
[ metrology](a ) with an image across the interface shown in fig .
[ metrology](b ) .
the and measurements of the diode in fig .
[ metrology](a ) @xmath18 ( b ) are taken within 24 hours of metal deposition .
the percentage of gold at the tungsten to silicon interface is negligible as well as the percentage of oxygen .
the intermixed region is @xmath11.4 nm thick and composed entirely of silicon and tungsten .
the and measurements of the diode 21 days after the metal deposition are shown in fig .
[ metrology](c ) @xmath18 ( d ) .
the mass percentages of tungsten , gold , silicon , and oxygen are plotted in fig .
[ metrology](c ) with an image across the interface shown in fig .
[ metrology](d ) .
the intermixed region has increased it s thickness to @xmath13.8 nm while the percentage of gold is still negligible .
there also appears to be a small oxygen concentration at the interface .
two point curves acquired _ in situ _ show nearly identical rectification of the diode for all time periods throughout the study and are displayed in fig .
[ iv](a)-(d ) .
all of the curves are taken immediately before measurements .
the schottky barrier height of the average spectra is approximately 50 mev lower than the mean of the distribution , arising from the broad distribution schottky barrier heights obtained from fitting the thousands od individual spectra . averaging a collection of spectra with a distribution of onset biases results in an average spectra favoring a lower onset which is picked out by the fitting routine .
the distribution of onset voltages also explains the @xmath170 mev difference between the schottky barrier height and the start of the fit ( solid red line ) that is observed in linearized spectra shown in fig .
[ histograms_scatter](a ) .
the schottky barrier obtained from the fit to the average spectra has been shown to be the representative barrier height of the sample , but clearly does not capture the complicated nature of the electrostatics that is present at the interface .
the broad distribution of barrier heights is indicative of an electrostatically varying interface arising from the structural disorder of the tungsten silicon intermixing .
although the majority of spectra fit to a gaussian distribution centered around the mean schottky barrier height ( 0.76 ev ) , there are locations at the interface with higher barrier heights ( @xmath19 0.9 ev ) , several standard deviations above the mean .
the @xmath13 value of these higher barrier heights are of high quality , @xmath16 0.9 , as displayed in fig .
[ histograms_scatter](d ) .
these higher barrier heights are spatially grouped together and are distributed randomly over the interface as seen in fig .
[ n - maps](a )
. a locally higher barrier height can arise due to a change in the interface , such as a defect , or the presence of a foreign material at the interface such as a oxide cluster .
in addition , a physical defect that increases the elastic scattering can also give rise to a locally higher barrier due to the narrow acceptance cone of parallel momentum states just above the barrier . a dramatic change
is observed in measured electrostatics of the interface when the measurements are taken over the course of 21 days .
the marked decrease in the percentage of spectra that can be fit to a schottky barrier height indicates that structure of the interface is changing .
the decrease in the schottky barrier height for the 21 day sample is caused by averaging numerous spectra with little or no signal increasing the noise and making it difficult for the fitting routine to obtain a good fit as evidenced in the lower @xmath20 value . to reduce the amount of noise in the spectra for the 21 day sample an average spectra was created only from the spectra that had fits with an @xmath13 value above 0.95 , which resulted in a higher barrier height of 0.68 ev , closer to the as - deposited sample .
the amount of subthreshold current in this spectra is also reduced .
this selective averaging method can be utilized as a powerful noise reduction method for future beem studies and maybe useful for future beem studies where there is a low amount of transmission current .
the formation of the interfacial silicide was not accelerated by sample annealing as the sample was left at room temperature under uhv conditions over the 21 day period of study . upon metal deposition
the interface is comprised of tungsten and silicon , with a 1.4 nm region of uniformly intermixed tungsten and silicon as seen in the results displayed in fig . [ metrology](b ) .
this initial intermixing is accelerated due to the unintentional heating during the deposition process .
after 21 days the interface is dramatically different , with a much less uniform intermixed region of tungsten and silicon that is approximately 3.8 nm thick .
the small oxygen peak at the interface is attributed to the sample fabrication process , as the sample was not exposed to oxygen during beem measurements . at no point during testing was gold present at the interface .
the 118 mev increase in the standard deviation and drastic reduction in spectra fit over the 21 days is attributed to these observed changes in the tungsten silicon interface .
the attenuation of the ballistic electrons increases as the intermixed region increases in both thickness and disorder .
this will result in numerous spectra with little or no current and hence , no detectible schottky barrier .
the amount of transmission in the initial sample was only 0.015@xmath0 at a tip bias of 1.5 v bias , so a small change to the interface and it s thickness can induce drastic changes to the spectra .
interestingly , the two point i - v curves displayed in fig .
[ iv ] show little to no variation in shape even with the observed changes in the interface and beem measurements .
this demonstrates the utility of the beem technique to map changes in the electrostatics of a buried interface to nanoscale dimensions that go unnoticed with conventional macroscopic spectroscopy methods .
utilizing , the changes in the w / si(001 ) interface over time were measured and show changes to the transmission of ballistic electrons as the interface evolves .
the initial set of spectra show an interface visible to ballistic electrons with a schottky barrier of 0.71 ev .
over the course of 21 days the interface changes in structure causing the interface the completely scatter ballistic electrons and inhibit the ability to accurately measure a schottky barrier .
measurements show the interfacial silicide which forms upon deposition grows in thickness over time at room temperature .
i- v measurements taken alongside data show no change to the electronic structure of the w / si diode .
these results demonstrate s sensitivity to changes in the interface electrostatics with nanoscale resolution that is not possible with conventional spectroscopy .
the authors acknowledge the support of the semiconductor research corporation , center for advanced interconnect science and technology , the national science foundation grant dmr-1308102 , and sematech . of the spectra
able to be fit .
b ) average spectrum from the + 7 day set of spectra with a schottky barrier height of 0.74 ev and 61@xmath0 of the spectra able to be fit .
c ) average spectrum from the + 14 day set of spectra with a schottky barrier height of 0.71 ev and 33@xmath0 of the spectra able to be fit .
d ) average spectrum from the + 21 day set of spectra with a schottky barrier height of 0.62 ev and 27@xmath0 of the spectra able to be fit .
inset is the average spectrum containing only spectra with an @xmath13 value greater than 0.95 , with a schottky barrier height of 0.68 ev . ] | arxiv |
dynamical triangulations ( dt ) have been widely studied in the past decade as a non - perturbative model of quantum gravity .
naturally , most of the work done has been in dimensions @xmath2 , @xmath3 and @xmath4 .
the action used to describe pure gravity in euclidean @xmath5-space is the einstein - hilbert action @xmath6 = \frac{1}{16 \pi g } \int d^{d}x \sqrt{g}(2\lambda - r),\ ] ] where @xmath7 is the cosmological constant , @xmath8 is the scalar curvature , @xmath9 is newton s constant and @xmath10 is the spacetime metric .
the discretized version of the continuum action is well known and can be written as @xmath11 = \kappa_d n_d - \kappa_{d-2 } n_{d-2},\ ] ] where @xmath12 is the total number of @xmath13-(sub)simplices in the simplicial manifold @xmath14 , @xmath15 and @xmath16 represent the cosmological constant and newton s constant respectively . the partition function ( [ eq : part ] )
can then be defined as the sum over all possible triangulations @xmath14 of a manifold of given topology , each weighted by its boltzmann factor .
the topology is normally fixed to a @xmath5-sphere for simplicity .
it can be convenient to express @xmath18 in a different but equivalent form @xmath19 @xcite .
@xmath20 where @xmath21 and @xmath22 is the number of nodes in the triangulation .
this is sometimes done since this action can be easier to use in a monte carlo algorithm .
the actions @xmath18 and @xmath19 can be shown to be equivalent in dimensions 2 , 3 and 4 using the dehn - sommerville ( [ eq : dehn ] ) and euler ( [ eq : euler ] ) relations .
these are simple linear relations between the total number of ( sub)simplices ( @xmath12 ) in a given simplicial manifold . in @xmath5-dimensions these relations are written as @xmath23 and @xmath24 where @xmath25 is the euler characteristic ( @xmath26 for @xmath27 topology ) .
the equivalence of @xmath18 and @xmath19 boils down to the question of whether one can express @xmath22 as a function of @xmath28 and @xmath29 .
this is indeed possible in @xmath5 = 2 , 3 and @xmath4 . in 5@xmath5 equations ( [ eq : dehn ] ) and ( [ eq : euler ] ) reduce to the following set of three independent relations .
@xmath30 @xmath31 @xmath32 clearly @xmath22 can not be expressed in terms of @xmath33 and @xmath34 alone .
therefore @xmath19 is _ not _ equivalent to @xmath18 in @xmath35 .
similar results are found in @xmath36 .
this result forces us to use the action @xmath37 in five dimensions rather than @xmath38 if we intend studying what we believe to be dynamically triangulated gravity , using the einstein - hilbert action on the lattice . from equations
( [ eq : indep ] ) we can see that the most general action linear in @xmath39 will contain three terms since we have six variables related by three independent equations .
the coupling constant space is therefore three dimensional ( see fig . [ k0k3 ] ) .
the special case of action ( [ eq : k3action ] ) would represent a surface in this three dimensional space .
the most general action @xmath40 in 5@xmath5 could have the form @xmath41 such a situation does not arise in @xmath0 because the most general actions are two dimensional .
so five is the lowest dimension in which this property exists .
the aim of this work is to map out the three dimensional coupling constant space of 5@xmath5 dt using @xmath40 in the hope that it will reveal some extra phase structure .
monte carlo simulations are first run using @xmath40 with @xmath43 ( tetrahedral action ) and @xmath44 ( nodal action ) .
the observables measured include the average curvature @xmath45 , its susceptibility @xmath46 and the average geodesic length @xmath47 .
a phase transition would result in a sharp rise in @xmath46 since it is a second derivative of the free energy . if both limits produce identical phase transitions and are in the same universality class , then this forces the question : what is so special about the action that we derived from the continuum einstein - hilbert action ?
it would also be interesting if both limits have distinct phase transitions since this would tell us that there could well be something special about our derived action .
so far , we have identified phase transitions in both models .
these are evident from the sharp rise in the geodesic lengths ( see figs . [ k0-d ] and [ k3-d ] ) , possibly indicating a branched polymer phase as found in 4@xmath5 , ( but this would require further study to be confirmed ) ; and small peaks in the curvature susceptibility @xmath46 .
the size of the peak itself is relatively small , due to finite size effects of simulating lattice volumes of 10k and 20k , which correspond to a lattices of @xmath48 and @xmath49 respectively .
the _ approximate _ location of the phase transitions were identified by running monte carlo simulations of @xmath50 sweeps .
longer runs of @xmath51 sweeps were then done near the phase transitions in order to reduce errors .
the phase transition for the nodal coupling was near @xmath52 ( see fig . [ k0-rsus ] ) and at @xmath53 for the tetrahedral coupling ( see fig . [ k3-rsus ] ) .
once the order of the phase transitions and critical exponents are known , the next stage would be to investigate the region ` between ' these two limits ( see fig .
[ k0k3 ] ) , ie . where @xmath54 and @xmath55 are non - zero in @xmath40 .
this would give us a complete picture of the phase space .
it will also be interesting to measure the distribution of singular vertices across the 3@xmath5 coupling constant space in order to compare results with @xcite . | arxiv |
La Merced is a town and municipality in the Colombian Department of Caldas.
Category:Municipalities of Caldas Department
Category:Populated places in the Caldas Department | wikipedia |
The Italian Job
screenplay by
The Powers
Based on the Movie
December 21, 2001FADE IN:
EXT. THE PORT OF GENOA, .ITALY - NIGHT
Forklifts RUMBLE. Workers WIPE FRAME. All the bustle and
cacophony of a major seaport.
We FIND ourselves focusing on ONE LARGE CRATE. With the
GRINDING of gears, a crane lifts it off the dock and carries
it onto a ship .
INT. HOTEL ROOM - SAME TIME
Through night-vision binoculars, CHARLIE CROKER, 28, watches
the mysterious crate. Charlie is young to run his own crew
but he's a born leader.
CHARLIE
Lyle?
SWISH PAN TO: LYLE, 21, brilliant and punctilious, fingering
the keyboard of his strap-on supercharged laptop.
LYLE
I've got the orbital data and SV clock
corrections for each satellite that gets
the signal. That'll make my reading as
solid as the Precise Positioning Service
that only the D.O.D. can use. We're
talkin' 100 meter horizontal accuracy,
156 meter vertical accuracy, .340
nanoseconds time accuracy.
SWISH PAN TO: STEVE, 30, bearded. Steve has an arrogant
confidence mixed with the hint of a smile.
STEVE
Why can't he talk like a person?
CHARLIE
..Because he's not.
LYLE
I do need one more thing, Charlie.
CHARLIE
What's that? •
LYLE
Someone to turn the goddamn homing device
on. No signal, no score.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
CHARLIE
(to Steve)
Where're the Italians?
STEVE
Patience.
INT. HUMVEE (MOVING) - SAME TIME
The driver is HANDSOME ROB, 30. Riding shotgun is HALF-EAR,
35, immersed in a book-: Albert Einstein Creator & Rebel.
Half-Ear is a large black man with a Southern accent and a
hearing aid.
HANDSOME ROB
What's that shit?
HALF-EAR
A book. It's called reading. You should
try it some time.
Handsome Rob holds up three fingers.
HANDSOME ROB
You wanna read something. Read between
the lines.
HALF-EAR
Well here's something even you can relate
to. Albert got a lotta trim. That
genius thing is a babe magnet.
HANDSOME ROB
Lemme see that book.
INT. HOTEL JEWELRY SHOP - SAME TIME
The final member of the crew, JOHN BRIDGER, 50s, is a
tasteful man buying a very tasteful, and very expensive,
diamond necklace. The saleswoman wraps it up as he dials a
number on his cell phone.
STELLA (V.O.)
Hello?
JOHN BRIDGER
Hi, sweetie.
INT. STELLA'S CONDO - PHILADELPHIA - INTERCUT
STELLA BRIDGER, 27, crushingly attractive, has just stepped
out of the shower, hair still wet, body wrapped in a towel.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
STELLA
Daddy. How are you?
JOHN BRIDGER
I'm sending you something.
STELLA
Really? Does it smell nice?
JOHN BRIDGER
No. But it's sparkly.
STELLA
Does it come with a receipt?
JOHN BRIDGER
I'm having it sent to you from the store.
STELLA
(toweling her hair)
Why not bring it by yourself? We could
have dinner.
He leaves the store and heads for the HOTEL ELEVATOR.
JOHN BRIDGER
Be a long trip. I'm in Genoa.
She doesn't like the sound of that.
STELLA
Let me guess. Checking out the
birthplace of Christopher Columbus.
JOHN BRIDGER
Something like that.
STELLA
W_i£li your parole officer' s approval.
He steps into the elevator. Rides up.
JOHN BRIDGER
I think I've paid my.P.O.. my last visit.
I liked the guy, but we never really
connected. .
STELLA
What are you into, Dad? Don't break my
heart. You told me you were through.
JOHN BRIDGER
After this, I swear to you, I am.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED: (2)
STELLA
You promised me. Daddy, don't do this.
The elevator door opens, Bridger steps out and starts down
the hall.
JOHN BRIDGER
Everything's going to be fine. I've got
to go now. I love you. Bye.
He clicks off then uses his card key to step into the —
INT. HOTEL ROOM - CONTINUOUS
He eyes Char-lie, who looks pretty tense.
JOHN BRIDGER
Italians?
Not yet.CHARLIE
STEVE
Don't worry, they'll come through. You
can trust these guys.
JOHN BRIDGER
I trust everyone. It's the devil inside
them that I don't trust.
(then, to Charlie)
Got a sec?
CHARLIE
My office.
INT. HOTEL BATHROOM - NIGHT
They step inside, Charlie closing the door.
JOHN BRIDGER
How you feeling, boss?
CHARLIE
.Fine. I'm fine, fine.
Bridger seems amused by that answer.
JOHN BRIDGER
You know what .fine, stands for, don't you?
Fucked-up, Insecure, Neurotic, and
Emotional.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
CHARLIE
You've become quite the philosopher since
you quit drinking.
JOHN BRIDGER
You don't like me sober?
CHARLIE
No, I'm glad. Makes you a better thief.
Bridger pulls out a fine cigar, still in its wrapper, hands
it to Charlie.
JOHN BRIDGER
For after the haul.
CHARLIE
Hope I get to fire it up. If Steve's
Italians are a no-show, it's three months
prep down the shitter and I' ve dragged
you out of retirement for nothing.
JOHN BRIDGER
This is kinda nice. You being the boss
with all the worries, me just along for
the ride.
CHARLIE
Ain't you sweet. .
From the other side of the door, they HEAR —
STEVE (O.S.)
Charlie!
INT. HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT
Charlie takes the binoculars from Steve. He SEES TWO ITALIAN
CUSTOMS INSPECTORS climbing onboard the ship.
CHARLIE
Your Italians.
STEVE
Yup. Dixie cups.
CHARLIE
Dixie cups?
STEVE
I toss 'em away if there's a problem down
the road.EXT. SHIP - NIGHT
In ITALIAN, the Inspectors quiz the NERVOUS CAPTAIN about the
mysterious crate.
One Inspector takes a crowbar and yanks out several strips of
plywood, REVEALING unmarked cardboard boxes inside. The
other Inspector pulls out one of the boxes and tears it open.
It is filled with tomatoes. He takes a bite out of one.
Nods. Everything seems to be order. The Captain looks
relieved. The inspector closes the cardboard box but...
Watch carefully now, because as he does this, he hits a power
button on a small HOMING DEVICE and stuffs it in with the
tomatoes...
INT. HOTEL ROOM - SAME TIME
On Lyle's computer screen, a pulsating dot appears, BEEPING,
sending out precise longitude and latitude.
LYLE
For those about to rock, we salute you.
Charlie dials his cell phone.
INT. HUMVEE (MOVING) - INTERCUT
Handsome Rob answers.
HANDSOME ROB
Yeah.
CHARLIE
Let's get rich.
Handsome Rob pulls over. They're at the port. They can see
the mysterious crate being lowered into the ship's hold.
Half-Ear climbs out, taking a large duffel bag with him.
CUT TO:
EXT. SHIP (DOCKED) - LATER, NIGHT
The Captain is doing his final checks before launch. OUR
CAMERA DROPS to —
BENEATH THE WATER
where we FIND Half-Ear, in scuba gear, applying Nitramon
explosive primer to the hull of the ship.INT. HUMVEE (MOVING) - NIGHT
Plowing through thick brush that breaks out onto a secluded
beach. Handsome Rob is still behind the wheel but now Steve
is in the passenger seat. Lyle, in the back, is still on the
laptop, legs fidgeting like a drummer on meth. POP goes his
bubble gum.
HANDSOME ROB
Can you chill out back there? You'd make
a hummingbird nervous.
EXT. UNDERNEATH THE SHIP - NIGHT
Half-Ear finishes up. Speaks into the headset inside his
gear.
HALF-EAR
I'm done. Over.
LYLE (V.O.)
Copy that. Enjoy the ride, cowboy.
Half-Ear grabs onto the bottom rung of a ladder that is
bboolltteedd ttoo tthhee ssiiddffee ooff tthhee sshhiipp aass iitt llaauunncchheess ooffff tthhee ddoocckk
and into deeper water.
CUT TO:
TWO BRIGHT CIRCLES IN A SEA OF DARKNESS
Coming closer...becoming clearer... It's Charlie and John
Bridger, in scuba gear, riding torpedo-shaped Dive Propulsion
Vehicles (DPVs) that pull them through the deep blue sea at a
good 5 m.p.h. Both DPVs drag equipment bags.
A Global Satellite Positioning Device is mounted on the
handlebar of Charlie's DPV, being fed information via Lyle's
laptop. A circle pulsates on the monitor, a beacon to the
crate in the ship.
EXT. UNDER THE BOAT - NIGHT
Half-Ear still clings to the ladder. It's a wild ride.
Through the headset inside his gear, he HEARS:
LYLE (V.O.)
Get ready. 3. 2. 1. Drop.
Half-Ear lets go of the ladder. The ship's propellers speed
by just above his head. WHOOSH.
He removes a radio-controlled detonator. Hits the button.EXT. SHIP - ON THE CUT
The hull of the boat EXPLODES.
INT. SHIP'S HOLD
A very neat hole on the bottom of the boat beneath the crate
is opened. Water RUSHES IN and the crate falls right through
the cavity, vanishing.
UNDERWATER
The huge, heavy crate drops down... down... hits the bottom.
ON THE SHIP
Chaos rules. She's taking on water fast. No way to save
her. The captain orders the dinghy lowered into the water.
INT. HUMVEE - NIGHT
Parked in the sand at the top of the bay. Steve looks out to
the bay through infrared binoculars.
The ship is going down. The crew on the dingy head back to
the port, which is in the opposite direction of this beach.
EXT. THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA - NIGHT
The DPVs are now attached by a tether to an underwater
lifting bag that is used to move heavy loads through water.
The crate is surrounded by our three diver-bandits.
Using crowbars they pull apart the plywood. The cardboard
boxes of tomatoes dump out, tomatoes spilling everywhere.
And now we see what was hidden between the boxes...
A large safe.
They move like clock-work. Half-Ear aims an underwater light
at the dial. Charlie drills a small hole near the dial.
John peers inside a horoscope and lines up the three wheels
of the combination lock...until the door pops open.
As they stare at what's inside, they speak into their
headsets, heard by all.
CHARLIE
Sweet Jesus.
JOHN BRIDGER
"That for which all virtue is sold. And
almost every vice .-— gold."
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
And now we see the contents of the safe: 160 glistening GOLD
BRICKS. Made in Singapore, they weigh 25 pounds and each one
is decorated with the face of an exotic Balinese girl. We're
talking thirty million dollars worth of gold.
INT. HUMVEE (PARKED) - NIGHT
They holler and high-five and it's just a great moment to be
alive. Steve takes another peek through his infrared
binoculars and sees —
The last vestiges of the ship hang above the waterline, then
disappear.
EXT. UNDERWATER - A LITTLE LATER
The gold is now stacked and secured on the lifting bag.
They attach an underwater parachute to the bag and hook a
hose from an air tank into press of a pressure release valves
which cause the parachute to INFLATE.
Looking like a hot-air balloon underwater, the whole thing
floats up about fifteen feet. Half-Ear holds onto its side,
going along for the ride.
Then Charlie and John Bridger speed off on the DPVs which are
tethered to the inflatable bag. As they glide through the
water towards the secluded'beach, we...
CUT TO:
EXT. MOUNTAINOUS ROAD - FIRST LIGHT OF DAWN
The Humvee climbs into the mountain ranges of the Alps.
INT. HUMVEE (MOVING)
The gold is in three crates in the cargo bay.
Handsome Rob and Steve are still up front. The others are i
the back seats, the divers out of their scuba gear. They are
pouring champagne into paper cups; except for Bridger who
abstains. He holds up his empty cup.
JOHN BRIDGER
My name is John and I'm a very rich
alcoholic. And I'm going to live my life
one very rich day at a time.
THE CREW
Alright, John!
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
TThheeyy llaauugghh aanndd ppoouunndd tthheeiirr ffiissttss aaggaaiinnsstt tthhee rrooooff ooff tthhee
Humvee. Charlie pulls out the cigar Bridger gave him. As
Bridger lights it for him —
JOHN BRIDGER
You planned this one down to a t, kid.
It's a gift. You saw the big picture,
made contingencies, covered the angles..
Hearing this, Steve looks a little jealous.
JOHN BRIDGER (CONT'D)
Shit, you made thirty million dollars in
gold drop out of sight without holding a
gun. Who else could've pulled that off?
CHARLIE
You could've. I had big shoes to fill.
JOHN BRIDGER
Fill the shoes but don't follow the
footprints.
CHARLIE
What're you talking about? You've lived
the life.
JOHN BRIDGER
My life's been nothing but fake IDs, fake
business cards and divorce papers. This
is the only thing that's real.
Bridger shows him a photograph of Stella that he keeps in his
wallet.
CHARLIE
Stella's a beautiful girl.
JOHN BRIDGER
She's amazing. And I spent half her
childhood in prison. This is a once in a •
lifetime haul, Charlie. Bring down the
curtain after this one. Make a new life.
Find someone amazing and be there for
her. • • ' ' • ' .
As the advice escapes Bridger's mouth —
EXT. MOUNTAINOUS ROAD
A Jeep thunders out of a hiding place in the trees and blocks
the road. The Humvee brakes to avoid running into it.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
HANDSOME ROB
Shit.
Click. That's the sound of a gun cocking as it's pressed
against Handsome Rob's temple.
STEVE
Anyone acts stupid and his brains go on
the windshield.
They see the two Italian Inspectors jump out of the Jeep,
AK-47s leveled at the crew. Steve has double-crossed them.
On the crew: shocked would be a good place to start.
CHARLIE
What the hell do you think you're doing?
STEVE
Sorry Charlie. But I want the box of
Cracker Jack all to myself.
The Italians pull the crates of gold out of the back of the
Humvee.
CHARLIE
You're not thinking this through. It's a
stupid move.
STEVE
Think so? Well you're the brilliant one.
The Master Planner. Isn't that so, John?
Steve climbs out of the Humvee, gun still on Handsome Rob,
the AK-47s aimed at the others.
STEVE (CONT'D)
You bet on the wrong horse.
JOHN BRIDGER
We'll hunt you down. You're gonna regret
this. .
EXT. HUMVEE
Safely outside, Steve turns his gun on Bridger.
STEVE
No regrets, Dixie cup.
BOOM. He shoots Bridger in the head. Just like that.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
The Italians follow suit, AK-47s SCREAMING out bursts of full
automatic fire at the crew.
INT. HUMVEE
They duck for cover as the vehicle is riddled with gunfire.
Glass shatters. Bullets ricochet. They're in the epicenter
of hell.
Handsome Rob jerks the steering wheel and stomps the gas.
Driving blind.
EXT. MOUNTAINOUS ROAD
The Humvee hits the side of the Jeep, grinds alongside it,
metal tearing against metal.
The Humvee's right side tires precariously hover by the cliff
and the raging water below.
The gunners keep FIRING. Bullets rip into the Humvee's
tires.
EXT. HUMVEE
It almost escapes, but it can't make it on shredded rubber.
It careens off the road and —
SERIES OF SHOTS
The Humvee plummets through the air and plunges into the
raging river.
INT. HUMVEE
Water cascades in through the open windows. They're thrown
around as the Humvee rides the rapids. WHAM. The passenger
door caves in as the Humvee rams into a large rock then is
swept further downstream. Through the foam and spray,
Charlie looks over to Bridger. He's dead. The torrent
ROARS.
Only their chests and heads are above water. And that's not
all. There's a WATERFALL AHEAD.
EXT. WATERFALL
The Humvee is palmed in its deadly embrace and hurled over.
It cartwheels into the pool below, sending up a huge geyser
of water.
It sinks out of sight.EXT. MOUNTAINOUS ROAD - SAME TIME
The crates of gold are now inside the Italians' Jeep. Steve
climbs in, leaving the crew for dead.
UNDERWATER - SAME TIME
The Humvee strikes the surface bottom with an ominous thud.
EXT. MOUNTAINOUS ROAD - DAWN
The Jeep jerks to a stop. A door opens and the bodies of the
two Italians, shot dead, are dumped out into the mud.
Steve ±s alone now. Just him and the millions in gold.
INT. HUMVEE - SAME TIME
The water entombs them. Blood from Bridger's fatal gunshot
mists the water red.
They manage to get the door open. They start to swim out but
Charlie won't go without Bridger. He grabs his friend's body
and pulls it up with him.
EXT. RIVER - SUNRISE
They drag themselves ashore, Handsome Rob helping Charlie
pull Bridger's corpse. Charlie is shocked, tormented,
grieved, and angry beyond description. Against the rocky
embankment, he holds Bridger. Not wanting to ever let go.
CHARLIE (V.O.)
If you would have told me that I would
spend the next three years searching for
Steve Bandell, I would have said that was
nothing. Cause I would have spent a
lifetime looking for that bastard if I
had to.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. OFFICE - DAY
SOMEONE'S POV. A top of the line safe. The only light in
the office is the beam of a penlight on the dial.
GLOVED HANDS spin the dial, feeling for "contact points",
areas on the dial where a slight resistance can be felt — if
you have the touch.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
NEW ANGLE. A woman holds the penlight in her teeth while
trying to crack the safe. It's Stella Bridger, now 30.
SUPERIMPOSE:
Three Years Later Philadelphia
She manipulates the dial. Click. She grabs the safe's lever
and swings the heavy steel door open, her face a mixture of
pride and relief. But before we see what's inside —
LIGHTS TURN ON.S
TWO COPS lurk at the doorway.
FIRST COP
You always work in the dark?
STELLA
Buzz of the fluorescents throws me off.
She's all yours.
The cops come closer and only now do we realize that they' re
on the same team.
SECOND COP
Damn. Chris Perley couldn't crack it.
Neither could Michael Hoyt.
STELLA
Now you know who to call first.
FIRST COP
You're expensive, Stella. Those guys cut
us a break on subpoena jobs. Goodwill,
community service...
STELLA
Well I do it for the money. I'll send
you the bill.
SECOND COP
Don't you want to see what's inside?
STELLA
I never look. Bye/ guys.
And as she walks off, they do look — at her.
EXT. STREET - DAY
A car RISES INTO FRAME on a bustling street: a 1960 Mini
Cooper S., a worldwide motoring icon. Its shape crouches low
to the ground and its tiny 10-inch wheel-at-each-corner gives
it the legendary Mini look.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
If when you see its headlights and classic grille it doesn't
bring a smile to your face, then you've got no automobile
soul.
INT. MINI (CRUISING) - DAY
Stella takes on the road like someone who loves to be behind
the wheel of a car that claimed victory in the Monte Carlo
Rally three times. She passes a minivan, a breeze with the
Mini's quick, go-kart-like handling.
She searches for a parking space on a street lined with SUVs.
Sees a spot, it's not really a space, just a gap between two
gas guzzlers, there's no way any car could squeeze in.
Brake. Shift. Hard turn. She parallel parks the Mini with
ease. She's right in front of —
HER SHOP
Antique keys and locks dominate the storefront window with
the name of the shop stenciled across the glass: BRIDGER
LOCK AND SAFE COMPANY. Stella hops out of the Mini. With a
poised walk she heads inside.
INT. SHOP - DAY
It is filled with old cast-iron safes she has rebuilt along
with some new models. Stella's RECEPTIONIST greets her.
RECEPTIONIST
How long?
STELLA
Four minutes, forty-three seconds.
High-five.
RECEPTIONIST
You're the man.
STELLA
So what's on the line-up?
RECEPTIONIST "
2:00. Home safe in Fairmount Park.
Owner died and the wife never knew the
combination. And Todd Milliken called.
He has a prototype combination lock he
wants you to test out tomorrow morning.
Says he added two false contact points on
the tumbler.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
STELLA
Tell him if I don't have it opened in six
minutes flat, breakfast is on me.
RECEPTIONIST
And there's a Charlie Croker in your
office. He said you two know each other.
(an aside)And he looks pretty fine for a white boy.
Without a response, Stella heads over to —
HER OPEN OFFICE DOOR
and sees him fiddling with her collection of safe doors that
line the shelves.
STELLA
Charlie Croker.
He turns around. Smiles. Charming.
CHARLIE
Hi, Stella.
She steps inside.
STELLA
Refresh my memory. After you came to see
me and told me what happened to my
father, I told you I never wanted to see
you again, didn't I?
CHARLIE
Yeah. You did.
STELLA
So I'm a little confused.
CHARLIE
I found him.
At first it seems that Charlie's words have no effect on her,
but then he notices that her hands are trembling.
CHARLIE (CONT'D)
I can tell you where he is.
STELLA
I don't want to know.
CHARLIE
Are you sure?
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
She doesn't answer.
CHARLIE (CONT'D)
He's in Los Angeles.
She doesn't respond. Doesn't ask him to go on, doesn't ask
him not to. So he goes on...
CHARLIE (CONT'D)
The gold bricks he stole from us were
minted in Singapore and decorated with
the face of a Balinese girl. I've had my
tentacles out and got a call from a
friend of mine and your father's, Philly
Steak.
Stella remembers him.
STELLA
When I was little he would play poker at
the house and drop quarters under the
table for me to find.
CHARLIE
He got word from an L.A. connection named
Skinny Pete that a gold dealer has been
buying bricks with the Balinese girl on
them, three or four at a time.
STELLA
You ever heard the expression, cut to the
chase?
CHARLIE
I tracked Steve down to an address in the
Hollywood Hills. He's changed his last
name to Frezelli. And get this: he had
a Worthington 1000 installed in the house
before he even moved in. We both know
that you don't install a Worthington 1000
unless you have something precious to
guard.
STELLA
Precious or not, I don't deal with ill-
gotten goods.
CHARLIE
We boosted that gold from a terrorist
group that was about to trade it for bio-
weapons.
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED: (2)
CHARLIE (CONT'D)
Now that doesn't exactly make us Robin
Hood, but maybe in our own little way we
were doing a good deed. Problem is, no
one in my crew can handle that safe. And
I need someone I can trust.
STELLA
And you think that's me? Haven't you
heard that I work for the other side?
CHARLIE
What I heard is that you have your
father's touch. And he was the only
safecracker I knew who could open a
Worthington 1000.
STELLA
I'm not a safecracker. I'm a
professional safe and vault technician.
CHARLIE
You're John Bridger's daughter. And this
is our chance to set things right.
That sets her off.
STELLA
Out chance? Who do you think you are
coming in here? Stealing the gold isn't
going to bring my father back to life.
CHARLIE '
No, it won't.
STELLA
Then get out.
EXT. STREET — DAY
Charlie comes out of her shop and starts down the sidewalk.
Suddenly, Handsome Rob appears out of the crowd and is
walking next to him.
HANDSOME ROB
How'd it go with the chick?
CHARLIE
I'm working on it.
HANDSOME ROB
I don't want her on the crew, Charlie.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
CHARLIE '
Gotta have her. Important piece of the
puzzle.
HANDSOME ROB
There has to be someone else. What about
Bill Huchins?
CHARLIE
Doing ten long at Levinworth.
HANDSOME ROB
Red O'Reilly?
CHARLIE
Chemo.
HANDSOME ROB
Martin Hernandez?
CHARLIE
Found Jesus.
Handsome Rob stops Charlie.
HANDSOME ROB
I don't want a civilian to screw this up.
CHARLIE
She has the skill. And the motivation.
HANDSOME ROB
Exactly. She's emotional. You know what
happens when emotion gets into it.
CHARLIE
It's emotional for all of us at this
point. Don't kid yourself.
INT. EXPENSIVE RESTAURANT/BAR - NIGHT
RICHARD WORTH has his back to the bar. He's a blue blood
trial lawyer with an ego that has more horsepower than a
Ferrari.
RICHARD
It's all in my patented sideways glance.
Like this...
He gives a sideways glance to Stella; it's their first date.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
RICHARD (CONT'D)
I hit each woman on the jury with one of
these. We make contact. And I know
exactly what they're doing. Undressing
me with their eyes.
STELLA
I see...
What a nightmare. Someone bumps into Stella, a mumbled,
"Excuse me." Nightmare continues...
RICHARD
The case is all but won. That's why in
jury selection I choose as many women as
possible. Except lesbians, of course. I
can tell in sixty seconds if they're a
lesbian. Want to know how I know?
STELLA
If they don't undress you with their
eyes?
RICHARD
Precisely. Like that waitress right
there. See? She's looking at me right
below my belt. Definitely not a lesbian.
A waitress is indeed looking below Richard's belt. But
Stella notices that she was only looking because Richard's
zipper is all the way down. She smiles.
STELLA
Your fly.
RICHARD
I am fly. And I'm da bomb. Just wait
until later tonight.
Suddenly a BUSBOY stumbles and a tray of drinks fall, soaking
Richard's suit in red wine.
BUSBOY
Oh, man. I'm sorry.
RICHARD
You should be. Moron. What the hell's
wrong with you?
BUSBOY
It was an accident. I'm very sorry.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED: (2)
RICHARD
Where's the manager? Richard Worth is
not paying to have his suit cleaned.
Damn.
(to Stella)I'm going to... I don't believe this.
He starts off to the bathroom and as soon as the space he was
occupying empties, Charlie fills it.
CHARLIE
I think your date's going pretty well,
what do you think?
She shoots him a look that could reverse global warming.
STELLA
What are you doing here?
CHARLIE
What do you mean? I come here all the
time.
STELLA
I don't think so.
CHARLIE
Sure. Lawyers,. judges, my kind of crowd.
See that gentleman there, he sentenced me
to 90 days in county once. We need to
talk.
STELLA
No, you need to listen. I want you to
leave. Got it? •
CHARLIE
Hey, I paid valet parking prices to get
in here, not to mention a twenty spot to
the busboy to spill that drink on Mister
Zipper.
STELLA
You — I don't believe this. You paid
someone to spill that drink?
CHARLIE
Actually, you paid for it.
Charlie returns her wallet.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED: (3)
CHARLIE
Didn't notice it was me who bumped into
you earlier, did you? Anyway, I was
hoping we could get to know each other a
little better before we leave for Los
Angeles. I already booked your flight.
STELLA
You truly are a fatuous, odious man.
CHARLIE
I have no idea what you just said, but I
like the sound of it.
STELLA
Well maybe you'll understand this. Hit
the road, Jack —
CHARLIE
Charlie --
STELLA
Or you'll be sorry, Charlie, cause I'll
kick you in the nuts so hard that your
voice will be as high as my heels.
She means it, too.
CHARLIE
I'm beginning to worry about this whole
relationship.
STELLA
I'll let you in on a secret. You can't
have a relationship with a pickpocket,
gold robber, or any kind of thief.
Charlie looks away, lets her have her point. This whole
thing is getting pretty heated so when he turns back to her,
he uses a whole new approach. His emotions are genuine.
CHARLIE
John wasn't just a man I crewed up with,
he was my friend, he was the closest
thing to a father I ever had. I wish to
God I could bring him back. But all I
can do is go after this guy, the guy that
killed him, and hit him where he lives.
She feels the honesty in his words but before she can reply,
they're interrupted by —
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED: (4)
RICHARD
Everything alright, Stella?
He's back, red wine splotched on his suit.
STELLA
Fine. Richard. Charlie. Charlie was
just saying goodbye.
But for now, Charlie is just staring at Richard, boring into
to him...
RICHARD
Can I help you with something?
CHARLIE
Oh, sorry. I was just undressing you
with my eyes.
And with that, Charlie goes. Stella can't help but smile.
EXT. STELLA'S CONDO - NIGHT
She comes home, having shed her date.
INT. STELLA'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
She goes through a drawer and pulls out a package she hasn't
looked at for years. She opens it.
Inside is the beautiful necklace that her father bought her
in Italy. It brings tears to her eyes.
INT. CHARLIE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
He lies in bed, can't sleep. His phone rings. He picks up.
CHARLIE
Hello.
INT. STELLA'S BEDROOM - INTERCUT
She's on the other end of the line.
STELLA
I'm in this for one thing, Charlie, and
one thing only. I want to see the look
on his face when his gold is gone. He
took my father from me, I'm taking this;
it's the best I can do.
CUT TO:EXT. STREETS - DAY
Stella's Mini passes, weaves, tucks in between cars. She
drives like a madman.
INT. MINI (SPEEDING)
Charlie feels like he's inside a video game.
CHARLIE
I see Drive Defensively is your motto.
STELLA
Don't worry. Jack Daniels never let me
down.
She slaps the dashboard of her car.
CHARLIE
By the way you drive, I'm not surprised
you named your car after a bottle of
whiskey. Left.
STELLA
Jack Daniels was chief engineer of the
Mini. And I drive it exactly the way it
was meant to be driven.
She whips down the avenue...
CHARLIE
Another left.
She hangs a left.
STELLA
We're going in circles. Who's tailing
you this week?
CHARLIE
The possibilities are endless.
EXT. STADIUM PARKING LOT - DAY
The Mini parks in the middle of the huge, empty lot that
surrounds Veterans Field, home of the Philadelphia Phillies.
INT. MINI
She looks around...
STELLA
Where are they?
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
CHARLIE
We're a little early. I didn't expect us
to get here quite that fast. There...
A Vespa pulls into the lot, headed their way. It's Lyle.
Charlie starts the introductions...
CHARLIE
That's Lyle. Gearhead. He's who really
invented Napster...
QUICK CUT TO:
INT. DORM ROOM - NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY - 1999 - NIGHT
Below a Metallica poster, Lyle has fallen asleep on his desk.
His roommate, Napster creator SHAWN FANNING, recognizable in
his trademark baseball cap, sneaks a peek at Lyle's computer.
CHARLIE (V.O.)
At least that's how Lyle tells it.
CUT BACK TO:
INT. MINI - DAY
And now they see a monster pick-up truck bouncing into the
lot, MUSIC THUMPING from its Alpine at ear-bleeding levels.
CHARLIE
Half-Ear. Explosives. He lost fifty
percent of his hearing in the fifth
grade.
QUICK CUT TO:
INT. GRAMMAR SCHOOL BATHROOM - 1990 - DAY
A 10 year old boy stands in front of a toilet in the stall.
BOOM! Water geysers out of the bowl and soaks him.
CHARLIE (V.O.)
One M-80 in the toilet bowl too many.
Some kids in the bathroom saw the whole thing.
KID
That was rad!
HALF-EAR
Wha' ?
CUT BACK TO:INT. MINI - DAY
And now a RUMBLING in the distance. Stella looks. Sees a
car streaking their way, almost like a mirage in the heat
waves coming off the pavement. Closer. Faster. A classic
Mustang. Its engine rumbles like a jackhammer. It's had
some serious custom work done to it.
CHARLIE
Handsome Rob. Premier wheel man. He
once drove all the way to L.A. just so he
could set the record for longest freeway
chase.
QUICK CUT TO:
EXT. L.A. FREEWAY - 1999 - DAY
Handsome Rob's behind the wheel, flicks a cigarette butt out
his open window —
We watch it hit the pavement, ashes spark, and then behind
the fallen butt we see that every lane of the 405. is filled
with cop cars in pursuit.
CHARLIE (V.O.)
Smashed the mark by twelve minutes.
We now see Handsome Rob through the lens of a TV news
helicopter camera.
CHARLIE (V.O.)
He got a hundred and ten love letters
sent to his jail cell from women who saw
him on TV.
CUT BACK TO:
INT. MINI - DAY
As the cars converge in the parking lot.. .
STELLA
And what about you?
CHARLIE
I've been a thief since I had baby teeth.
QUICK CUT TO:INT. GRAMMAR SCHOOL PLAYGROUND - DAY
SEVEN YEAR OLD CHARLIE is shoved against a chain link fence
by a SIXTH GRADE BULLY.
BULLY
Cough it up, Charlie!
Charlie hands the bully a dollar bill.. The bully puts it in
a wallet that is over-stuffed with cash and saunters off,
laughing it up with his bully pals. Charlie turns to his 2nd
grade classmate who sports a fresh black eye.
CLASSMATE
So much for lunch.
SEVEN YEAR OLD CHARLIE
You need a dollar?
CLASSMATE
I thought he took your last one.
SEVEN YEAR OLD CHARLIE
He did.
Charlie holds up the over-stuffed wallet that he pickpocketed
from the bully.
SEVEN YEAR OLD CHARLIE (CONT' D)
But I got lots -more now.
CUT BACK TO:
EXT. PARKING LOT - DAY
Doors open simultaneously. Everyone out. The crew eyes
Stella. Charlie gets right down to business.
CHARLIE
This is Stella. She's working with us on
this one. IDs?
Handsome Rob hands out fake driver's licenses.
LYLE
(reading his)
Melvin lisp? Could I — just once —
have a cool name?
HALF-EAR
(also complaining)
220 pounds? Try 180.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
HANDSOME ROB
Try xDeal A Meal'.
LYLE
I don't even have a cool nickname.
CHARLIE
Enough of this sewing-circle shit.
. Phones.
Half-Ear hands out new cell phone to everyone and takes their
old phones.
HALF-EAR
Philly Steak says these are clean as a
whistle. He also got us four dozen
internal chips with different numbers.
Change out the chips twice a day.
As Charlie hands out airline tickets —
CHARLIE
We travel to L.A. separately.
LYLE
You still haven't told us the most'
important thing. What exactly is the
job, Charlie? And who exactly is she?
Lyle and Half-Ear have been kept in the dark until now.
CHARLIE
This is Stella Bridger. And we're
finishing the job that we started in
Italy.
They're a little stunned at first.
HALF-EAR
Holy shit. It's about time.
CUT TO:
A MONTAGE - LAX - NIGHT
The crew deplane from five different airplanes, different air
carriers.
They disperse in separate vehicles. See Charlie at Avis,
renting a car.
See Handsome Rob renting a U-Haul panel truck.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
See Stella on a hotel shuttle bus.
See Half-Ear on the underground Metro Rail, taking the Red
Line.
See Lyle in a taxi, headed south on Figueroa Street. He
notices a YOUNG WOMAN HITCHHIKING. For a moment, their eyes
connect. She is a beautiful waif and the. feeling sweeps
through Lyle: if only... But the taxi passes by.
Charlie checks into Shutters, with its Victorian beach house
feel and oceanfront view.
Stella's at the Peninsula in Beverly Hills with its opulent
lobby.
Handsome Rob's at the Standard, with its kitschy decor and
ironic style. He stares at a huge empty aquarium behind the
front desk where a performance artist writhes and a DJ spins
out rhythmic throbs. Very L.A.
Half-Ear's at the new Renaissance Hollywood Hotel adjacent to
the dramatic Babylon Gate and the Kodak Theatre.
And Lyle's at the Downtown Bonaventure, riding up the glass
elevator. Perfect gearhead hotel.
EXT. SHUTTERS HOTEL - BALCONY - SUNSET
The five of them sit in chairs on the balcony of his hotel
room. There's a sweeping view of the Pacific.
CHARLIE
We need an in to get a video blueprint of
the interior. We're not going into this
place blind. Half-Ear, you take the
first surveillance shift. Who goes in,
who goes out, levels of security, you
know the drill.
HALF-EAR
You got it.
CHARLIE ,
I also want audio surveillance on his
phone.
LYLE
I'll hack into the phone company's
central office remote observance
monitoring system and fool it into
thinking there's a legal tap on the line.
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
LYLE (CONT'D)
Reroute the digital copies of his calls
to our own listening post.
CHARLIE
How long?
LYLE
I'll burn through the night, have it up
and running before morning.
CHARLIE
(to Handsome Rob)
We need to know how long to get from the
house to Union Station downtown.
HANDSOME ROB
No problemo.
CHARLIE
Stella. How much time will you need with
the safe?
STELLA
I'll have it open in five minutes flat.
HANDSOME ROB
It's not the same as opening a safe for
the cops. Your heart will be pounding in
your ears. Perspiration on your
fingertips. It's a whole different ball
game.
STELLA
You get me to the safe, I'll open it.
Out over the ocean, the sun is in its death throes, bruising
the sky a coiling purple and orange.
EXT. STEVE'S HOUSE - MORNING
Nestled at the end of a cul-de-sac on Oporto Drive in the
Hollywood Hills. Chrome. Glass. Carved wood.
EXT. MARAVILLA DRIVE - MORNING
The U-Haul panel truck is parked on the side of the road that
overlooks Oporto Drive and Steve's house.
INT. U-HAUL - MORNING
It's been converted into their surveillance vehicle, the back
outfitted with monitors and surveillance equipment.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
Half-Ear peers through binoculars and says his ^notes' into a
micro-cassette recorder. His binoculars focus in on the
fence that surrounds the perimeter of the property.
HALF-EAR
(into recorder)
We've got an anti-scaling fence.
Hardened, electroplated steel. Hacksaw
won't work. We'll need Nitramon.
The binoculars SWISH PAN TO a guard booth where a guard keeps
an eye on the gate.
HALF-EAR (CONT'D)
Armed guard. 9MM semi-automatic in the
holster. Security booth is accessible
and ideal for a triple charger chemical
grenade.
.The binoculars SWISH PAN TO four Rottweilers prowling the
grounds.
HALF-EAR (CONT'D)
Shit. Dogs. Why do black men hate dogs?
I'll tell you why, Charlie. Because dogs
are racist. That's a natural fact.
SSoommeeoonnee eellssee ddeeaall wwiitthh ''eemm..
EXT. 101 FREEWAY - DAY
A sea of cars, gridlock in L.A. Crammed in the middle of the
traffic meltdown is Handsome Rob's rental car.
INT. RENTAL CAR (CRAWLING)
Timing out the getaway route. He's got a Thomas Guide on the
passenger seat and a stopwatch ticking away but he's going
nowhere fast. He futilely leans on the car horn.
INT. U-HAUL - DAY
Lyle's surveillance shift. He takes digital photos with a
telephoto camera. ZOOMS IN on a security pad on the front
door.
LYLE
(into micro cassette player)
Advent Home Navigator Hybrid System.
Monitors 132 points for intrusion, fire,
and environmental hazards.
((MMOORREE))
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
LYLE (CONT'D)
Best way around it is to get a back door
password, trip the alarm during the
heist, then call it in as a false alarm.
CUT TO:
INT. STEVE'S HOUSE - OFFICE - DAY
A HAND turns the dial to a Worthington 1000 vault. The vault
opens and voila: stacks and stacks of gold bricks.
EXT. STEVE'S HOUSE - DAY
The same hand clutches a very heavy duffle bag. OUR VIEW
BOOMS UP to see Steve, three years older than when we last
saw him, his beard shaved away.
INT. U-HAUL - SAME TIME
Through his digital camera lens, Lyle watches Steve walk
towards his car: a Ferrari 550 Barchetta Pininfarina. It's
the first time he's seen Steve in three years.
LYLE
(into micro cassette recorder)
15:25. There he is. He's gained 15 to
20 pounds living off our money. And
Handsome Rob,' you're going to be pissed
when you see his wheels.
Lyle watches the security guard hit a switch in the guard
booth. The gate rises like the blade of a guillotine in
reverse. The Ferrari zooms away.
EXT. FIGUEROA STREET - DAY
Another route. Handsome Rob's rental car is in the left turn
lane waiting for the light to change.
INT. RENTAL CAR
The light finally is a green arrow but the lady in front of
Handsome Rob is so preoccupied with applying her make-up that
she doesn't go until he honks but by then it's too late as
she makes ,it through the light but he doesn't.
He checks his stopwatch. Simmers.
EXT. PENINSULA HOTEL - POOLS IDE - DAY
In a bikini, Stella lies on a lounge chair under a cabana,
reading a copy of Vogue magazine.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
But as we take a closer look, we see that she's really
reading the owner' s manual for the Worthington 1000 safe
which she' s inserted in the fold of Vogue.
INT. U-HAUL - DAY
Charlie's shift. He sees a Latina housekeeper get into her
car.
CHARLIE
(into micro cassette recorder)
Housekeeper leaves at 17:30.
EXT. COIN & BULLION STORE - EVENING
Steve bangs a fist against the steel security door that
covers the closed store. The steel door rises up and a
Ukrainian named YEVHEN unlocks another door. He is the gold
dealer that Philly Steak told Charlie about.
YEVHEN
You're right on time.
INT. COIN & BULLION STORE - EVENING
Yevhen is 50 and like many in the gold trade, there isn't a
conspiracy theory that he doesn't embrace. As they make
their way to a back room, he keeps his mouth in overdrive —
YEVHEN
All those poor bastards out there putting
their life savings in banks and S&Ls and
mutual funds. What do they think — that
when the collapse comes they can depend
on the government? I don't think so.
Steve motions to a security camera that looms down on them.
STEVE
Is the camera off?
YEVHEN
Of course. .Just like you said. I never
tape you, you can see for yourself.
Steve sees the red light is off. He lays the duffel bag on a
table, unzips it, pulls out three 25 pound gold bricks with
the face of a Balinese Girl stamped on each one. As Yevhen
inspects them —
YEVHEN (CONT'D)
Governments are nothing more than puppets
on the strings of the Trilateral
Commission with their twisted gods.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
Yevhen retrieves a briefcase, opens it, presenting Steve with
stacks of Ben Franklins: $100,000 worth. As Steve inspects
the cash —
YEVHEN (CONT'D)
I mean, it's so obvious that in a world
where NAFTA can overturn the Supreme
Court, not to mention Microsoft's
nefarious financial machinations, this, is
our only refuge —'• gold.
• Steve closes the briefcase.
YEVHEN (CONT'D)
Plus a little walking around money.
EXT. 7TH STREET - NIGHT
A fender bender in the middle of an intersection has traffic
backed up for miles.
INT. RENTAL CAR
Handsome Rob checks the latest time on the stopwatch.
INT. U-HAUL - NIGHT
Through night-vision binoculars Charlie sees a (different)
security guard open the gate as Steve returns.
He watches Steve go inside his house. Through the windows,
he sees him use a remote to turn on a TV.
EXT. 101 FREEWAY - THE NEXT DAY
A freeway sign says: UNION STATION 1/2 MILE
INT. RENTAL CAR
HANDSOME ROB can see the exit up ahead, but traffic is so
backed up and going nowhere that it feels like it's a hundred
miles away. And it's not even rush hour. Just life in L..A.
Idling on the freeway, he looks at the drivers in the cars
beside him. He sees a businesswoman reading the Wall Street
Journal. Sees a man with his finger deep, deep up his nose.
HANDSOME ROB
Where's a grenade launcher when you need
one?EXT. YAMASHIRO RESTAURANT - DAY
Our crew walks along the pathways of Japanese gardens that
wind along outside the restaurant. It's a breathtaking view
from high in the Hollywood Hills. Some tourists take in the
vista.
HANDSOME ROB
Doesn't matter what time it is. It's
either bad traffic, peak traffic, or slit-
your-wrists traffic.
HALF-EAR
You gotta ride the Metro-Rail, man.
HANDSOME ROB
I'm sure it's ideal for carrying a ton of
gold, genius.
CHARLIE
What's your guesstimate?
HANDSOME, ROB
If we had all green lights, fourteen
minutes. But in the twenty times I've
done it, the average is thirty-two
minutes, with a top time of fifty
minutes.
CHARLIE
Then we'll travel like Rockefeller.
They don't know where Charlie is going with this, but they've
been around him long enough to know it's going somewhere.
CHARLIE (CONT'D)
When cars first started catching on,
workers on tall ladders would use these
swiveling colored boards for traffic
signals. Now whenever Rockefeller would
take the drive from his mansion to his
office on Wall Street, the workers would
make sure that he got green boards all
the way.
HANDSOME ROB
How do we get all green lights?
CHARLIE
Lyle?
LYLE
Let me see what I can do.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
HALF-EAR
Did you know that the first traffic
signal to be patented was invented by a
black man named Garrett Morgan?
(to Charlie)
You're not the only one who watches the
History Channel.
HANDSOME ROB
We still need an in to get the video
blueprint.
LYLE
Carpet cleaners? Gutter cleaners?
Flower delivery?
CHARLIE
We'll never get by the guard unless
they're certain it's legit. I'm thinking
cable TV. We cut his cable, he calls the
cable company. We show up. Send a cable
technician into the house with a pinhole
video camera while we get a feed.through
an RF antenna.
HANDSOME ROB
Who plays cable technician? Steve thinks
we're all dead.
But Stella knows that's not exactly true. He doesn't think
Stella is dead; he doesn't know her at all.
STELLA
If you're all dead, I guess I'm the man
for the job.
CHARLIE
Are you up for it?
STELLA
In for a penny, in for a pound.
EXT. ADELPHIA CABLE - PARKING LOT - EVENING
Service trucks pull into the lot. Technicians are getting
out, finishing their shifts.
INT. RENTAL CAR (PARKED NEARBY)
Handsome Rob behind the wheel. Lyle shotgun, aiming his
digital camera at the exiting workers.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
LYLE
I'm telling you. He claims he named it
Napster because his hair is so nappy
underneath that cap of his. But I know
the real reason. It's because I was
NAPPING when he stole the idea from me.
I should've been on the cover of P/ired
magazine.
HANDSOME ROB
Would you clam up. You'd give a
woodpecker a headache.
LYLE
I'm the Napster.
HANDSOME ROB
Okay. You're the Napster. Heads up:
cable chick.
They see a female service tech getting out of her work truck.
Lyle zooms his camera lens in on her Adelphia Cable work
shirt. It has BECKY sewn in above her right breast.
LYLE
Becky. Nice name. I wonder what she
calls the other one.
HANDSOME ROB
And it's such a mystery why you don't
have a girlfriend.
LYLE
I had a girlfriend. Unfortunately even
though the relationship ceased in an
objective reality, it's still going on in
my mind.
(tapping his head)
That woman's lived in here rent-free for
four years.
Lyle takes a few more pictures of Becky.
LYLE (CONT'D)
Okay. All we need now is a work shirt
like this one and a service truck like
that one. You think Stella will be able
to pull it off?
HANDSOME ROB
I have my doubts, but there's no talking
to Charlie.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED: (2)
LYLE
Maybe he's been inserting his hard drive
into her software. Clouds the judgment.
HANDSOME ROB
He knows better than to mix business with
pleasure.
(getting out of the car)
Only I'm allowed to do that.
LYLE
Where you going?
HANDSOME ROB
To get a work shirt and a service truck.
Lyle watches him stroll over to Becky and strike up a
conversation in the parking lot. Lyle can't hear what's
being said, but Becky smiles, and lest we forget, his name is
Handsome Rob for a reason.
INT. BECKY'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
OUR CAMERA FOLLOWS a trail of clothes, hastily littered, that
lead to the cable chick's bed. Lit candles are on the
bedside table. The couple is asleep under a tangle of
sheets. Handsome Rob has clearly mixed business with
pleasure. His eyes flash open.
He slips out of bed. Pulls on his pants. Reaches into her
pants and removes her key chain.
He selects the key to her service truck and does an old
trick: he blows out one of the candles and presses the key
against the warm wax, making a clear impression of the key's
ridges.
He returns the key chain. Takes a couple more steps, past
her panties, past her bra and.
He snags her work shirt. Then he's gone.
INT. HANDSOME ROB'S HOTEL ROOM - NIGHT
Using locksmith equipment, he cuts a key that matches the
impression on the candle wax.
EXT. ADELPHIA CABLE PARKING LOT - DAWN
Stella, wearing Becky's work shirt, arrives before any other
workers. Using the key Handsome Rob made, she unlocks the
door to the cable truck and gets in.EXT. NEARBY STREET - MORNING
The cable truck pulls over. Charlie and Lyle climb into the
back where they can't be seen.
EXT. OPORTO DRIVE - MORNING
The cable repair truck pulls over, parking down the street
from Steve's house.
Charlie gets out. He quickly uses a crowbar to lift up a
sidewalk cement grate that says CABLE on it. Inside are
cable wires that feed the street. He crouches over and uses
pliers to disconnect one of the cables.
INT. STEVE'S HOUSE - MORNING
He drifts into the kitchen for a cup of coffee. He hits the
remote control for a TV. It turns on but there's nothing but
snow.
He goes into the living room and checks out the plasma TV.
The cable's not working in here, either. He hits an intercom
button on his telephone.
INT. GUARD HOUSE - INTERCUT
A SECURITY GUARD answers the intercom.
SECURITY GUARD
What can I do for you, Mister Frezelli?
STEVE
The cable's out. See if you can get
someone over here to fix it'.
SECURITY GUARD
Yes, sir.
He finds the number and dials.
INT. CABLE TRUCK (PARKED) - MORNING
Lyle monitors a digital copy of the security guard's call
that's being routed to his laptop. Then he takes off his
headphones and tells Charlie and Stella:
LYLE
Whoa. I've never heard the Muzak version
of Purple Haze before.
CHARLIE
When's the.appointment?
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
LYLE
Thursday between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Charlie dials a number on his cell phone.
INT. GUARD HOUSE - INTERCUT
The security guard answers the phone.
SECURITY GUARD
Hello.
CHARLIE
Yes, I'm calling from Adelphia Cable. I
understand your service is out and an
appointment was set up for Thursday.
SECURITY GUARD
Yes.
CHARLIE
Well we have a technician working in your
area who finished with an appointment
earlier than expected. Will someone be
there for the next hour?
SECURITY GUARD
Sure. That'd be great.
CHARLIE
Our technician will see you then. Have a
nice day.
SECURITY GUARD
You too.
Charlie hangs up.
CHARLIE
Let's check the camera.
LYLE
Stella, you're going patriotic today.
Lyle puts an American flag pin on her work shirt. Then he
hits keys on his laptop and an image pops up on his monitor
via an RF antenna: the POV of the pin.
CHARLIE
He's got cable lines in the kitchen,
living room, bedroom and a cable modem on
the computer in the office.
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
CHARLIE (CONT'D)
Try to get a 360 look at each room. And
walk slowly or the image will streak.
Lyle hands her some papers.
LYLE
I printed these up to look like paperwork
from Adelphia. When you're done, ask him
to sign and date the bottom.
Stella looks very tense.
CHARLIE
How you doing?
STELLA
Fine. I'm fine.
Charlie seems amused by that answer.
CHARLIE
You know what .fine, stands for? Fucked-
up, Insecure —
Stella joins in with him...
STELLA & CHARLIE
Neurotic and Emotional.
They look at each other a moment...and smile.
INT. RENTAL CAR (MOVING) - DAY
While the others deal with the cable, Handsome Rob and Half-
Ear drive down Sunset.
HALF-EAR
Here's our spot.
They pull up in front of a strip joint.
HANDSOME ROB
Girls girls girls.
Half-Ear pulls a switchblade out of his boot and puts it in
the glove compartment. Handsome Rob gives him a questioning
look.
HALF-EAR
Philly Steak said we'd be frisked.INT. STRIP CLUB - DAY
Outside the doorway of a back room they're frisked by a BURLY
MAN. He's very thorough, digging hard into their crotches.
HANDSOME ROB
(scowls)
Y'got a great job.
BURLY MAN
Pays the rent, asshole. You got a
problem, talk to Skinny Pete.
He opens the door to the —
INT. BACK ROOM
Where we meet SKINNY PETE, who is the FATTEST MAN YOU'VE EVER
SEEN. He takes up an entire couch in the rear of the room.
His catcher's-mitt-sized hands motion them to come closer.
SKINNY PETE
Philly Steak sent you?
His voice is raspy, it's like a climbing-ten-floors-effort
just for this guy to get out the words.
HALF-EAR
That's right.
SKINNY PETE
So was I right-on about the gold bricks
or what?
HALF-EAR
That's really not what I'm here to talk
about. Philly Steak said you could get
us some supplies.
The fattest man you've ever seen attempts a nod, triple-chins
colliding like a train wreck.
SKINNY PETE
What do you need?
HALF-EAR
A four inch can of Nitramon. Nitramon
primer. Detonating cord. Two triple
charger chemical grenades. Launcher.
SKINNY PETE
Nine p.m.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
HANDSOME ROB
Should we hang here? Check out the
dancers?
SKINNY PETE
Nothing's going down here. I don't shit
in my own yard, do you?
HANDSOME ROB
No, but I take a whizz off the deck
sometimes.
With his distended belly and bursting shirt, his eyes glazing
with repletion, Skinny Pete writes down an address.
SKINNY PETE
Five thousand dollars. And don't be
late.
CUT TO:
INT. SECURITY GUARD BOOTH - DAY
Looking at a monitor, one of Steve's security guards sees the
Adelphia repair truck pull up to the gate. He hits a button
and the gate rises, beckoning it inside.
INT. CABLE TRUCK (MOVING)
Stella heads up the driveway, apprehension painted on her
features. Lyle is hidden in the back.
She parks next to the Ferrari and finds herself surrounded by
the four Rottweilers. They snarl and flash their teeth
outside her door until a shrill WHISTLE yanks their attention
to —
EXT. STEVE'S HOUSE
where Steve has just stepped out the front door. The dogs
immediately back off.
Stella gets out of the truck as Steve walks over, smiling at
her.
She comes face to face with the man who killed her father.
STEVE
It's all right. They won't bother you
now.
She's not sure she's going to be able to speak or pull this
off.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
STELLA
It's okay. I'm used to running into all
sorts of dogs on my job.
He holds out a hand.
STEVE
I'm Steve.
STELLA
Becky.
She shakes his hand. She hates this, feeling his skin touch
hers, but she can't betray her feelings. He stands there a
moment.
STELLA (CONT'D)
You want to show me the problem?
STEVE
Yeah. Course. This way.
INT. STEVE'S HOUSE - SAME TIME
She enters, moving her body to give the pinhole camera a full
sweep of the entryway.
STELLA
I'd like to check the cable modem first.
INT. BACK OF THE CABLE REPAIR TRUCK - SAME TIME
Lyle watches Stella and Steve on his laptop via the pinhole
camera and hears them talking through his headphones.
INT. HALLWAY - INTERCUT
Steve leads Stella down the marbled hall.. .
STEVE
I'll show you.
They step into the —
OFFICE
She turns her body so the mini-lens can stare at the gleaming
black Worthington 1000 safe. Then she goes up to his desk
and pretends to work on the cable line that feeds into his
computer.
He stares at her as she bends down.. .
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
STEVE
The cable guy who hooked this up weighed
about 300 pounds, didn't wear any
underwear, and his pants slung a little
too low if you know what I mean.
She tries her best to ignore his flirtatious stare and his
words.
STELLA
There we go. Now onto the TVs.
INT. BACK OF THE CABLE TRUCK - DAY
Lyle sees a perfect view of the main hallway as Stella walks
down it.
INT. LIVING ROOM - DAY
He escorts her inside. She works on the cable connection to
the plasma TV. Finishes.
STEVE
Is it fixed?
STELLA
Turn it on and see.
EXT. OPORTO DRIVE - SAME TIME
Back at the spot where Charlie disconnected the cable.
Wearing a headset with a mic, he gets the word from Lyle —
LYLE (V.O.)
Now.
Charlie reconnects the cable just as —
INT. LIVING ROOM
Steve turns on the TV and the picture is —
STEVE
Perfect.
STELLA
Then it looks like you're all set.
Steve stares at her a moment.
STEVE
Have we met before?
(CONTINUED)cCONTINUED:
She's hoping to get out as quickly as she can.
STELLA
I don't think so. Sign here, please.
She hands him the paperwork and a pen. He signs it.
STELLA (CONT'D)
Date.
STEVE
You read my mind.
STELLA
Oh, no. I meant that I need you to put
the date by your signature. It's the
26th.
STEVE
I know what you meant.
(he smiles)
This might seem a little sudden, but...
would you like to have dinner with me?
STELLA
I don't think that'd be a very good idea.
STEVE
Why? Is there some kind of cable-rule
against dating customers?
STELLA
No, it's my rule. I don't accept dates
from men I've just met. I've only known-
you five minutes.
STEVE
Then I guess I'll have to sabotage my
cable over and over again until you get
to know me better.
He's being charming, and she has to act like he is being
charming, but she really wants to throw-up.
STEVE (CONT'D)
Look, I'm just talking about dinner.
Friday night. It's no big deal. If you
don't like me, you never have to see me
again. You know I'm not going to stop
until you say yes.
CUT TO:INT. CABLE TRUCK (MOVING) - DAY
Stella drives in heavy traffic down Sunset. Charlie and Lyle
are in the back.
CHARLIE
I know it was tough in there.
STELLA
He touched my hand. And he came-on to
me. That slimy, disgusting man came onto
me and I had to pretend that I liked it.
Stella keeps her eyes forward, on the road, so Charlie and
Lyle can't see her face. But Charlie catches her reflection
in the rearview mirror and watches a tear glide down her
cheek. She wipes it away.
STELLA (CONT'D)
You do know what this means ... I've
created our window of opportunity.
CHARLIE
I know. When Steve leaves Friday night,
we go in. By the time he realizes you've
stood him up, we'll be long gone with the
gold.
CUT TO:
EXT. HOUSING PROJECTS - NIGHT
A different world. A different vibe. That feeling in the
gut: you don't belong here.
INT. RENTAL CAR (MOVING)
Handsome Rob drives, Half-Ear in the passenger seat.
HALF-EAR
Skinny Pete.
HANDSOME ROB
The guy makes Jabba the Hut look like a
spokesman for the Subway Sandwiches'
diet.
They pull over in front of the apartment building that Pete
sent them to.
HALF-EAR
What do you think?
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
HANDSOME ROB
I'm trying not to.
EXT. APARTMENT BUILDING - NIGHT
Half-Ear hits the buzzer for the apartment number on the
paper from the fat man. The door to the building buzzes in
response and they go inside.
INT. APARTMENT BUILDING - NIGHT
Climbing stairs. From behind closed doors: TVs, crying
babies, violent yelling. They start down a hallway. Ahead
of them a door opens and a suitcase is put in front of the
doorway. The door closes. They don't even get a glance at
whomever is inside.
They go to the suitcase. Half-Ear clicks open the lock for
just a peek. He sees the goods.
Handsome Rob starts to slide an envelope of cash under the
door frame. Its sucked out of his hand by someone on the
other side of the door and disappears.
EXT. APARTMENT BUILDING - NIGHT
Half-Ear carefully deposits the suitcase into the trunk of
the rental car. Handsome Rob closes the trunk.
HALF-EAR
Drive slow. We crash and we're a crater.
They get into the car.
INT. RENTAL CAR
Handsome Rob keys the ignition.
The beam of his headlights illuminate TWO HOMEBOYS. TWO MORE
step out of the shadows, one right up to the passenger's door
window. That one taps a 9 MM against the glass.
Half-Ear lowers the window. The homeboy pats one hand
against the faux-leather inside of the door, his other hand
clutches the weapon.
HOMEBOY
What'd you put in the trunk?
HALF-EAR
Suitcase.
The homeboy, bugging on crank, is not one to be fucked with.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
HOMEBOY
Just gimme the keys before I pop a cap in
your head.
Handsome Rob takes the trunk key off the chain and passes it
over to Half-Ear...who nervously drops it onto the carpeted
floor.
HOMEBOY (CONT'D)
Hurry up!
Half-Ear reaches down for the key...but in the flash of an
eye...moving so fast it almost doesn't register...we see him
yank his switchblade from his boot, unleash its blade, and
stab it down into the homeboy's hand. The knife goes through
his hand and lodges into the faux-leather interior of the
door.
The homeboy suffers as Half-Ear whacks the gun out of his
other hand — while Handsome Rob keys the ignition and guns
it.
The other homeboys are already POPPING OFF SHOTS at the car
with semi-automatic handguns. Half-Ear hits the deck. Glass
shatters.
INT. TRUNK OF THE CAR
Bullets slam into the trunk, illuminating the darkness with
streaks of light from the bullet holes. They barely miss the
suitcase filled with explosives.
EXT. RENTAL CAR (MOVING)
The homeboy is still attached to the car door by the knife.
His legs scurry to keep up with the moving vehicle but it's
going too fast so pretty soon he's being dragged. Bullets
whiz by him. He cries out in agony until Half-Ear has the
time to yank out the knife and the homeboy rolls away on the
pavement.
The car makes a sharp right at the next block and pulls .over.
The U-Haul is waiting for them.
They get out of the rental car and open its trunk. Half-Ear
sees the bullet holes that surround the suitcase. An inch
closer and they would've been a crater.
HALF-EAR
Christ.INT. U-HAUL - NIGHT
They get in with the suitcase. Charlie is behind the wheel,
he's been waiting for them. He hits the gas. They take off,
leaving the shot-up rental car behind.
CHARLIE
Looks like that went without a hitch.
CUT TO:
INT. CHARLIE'S HOTEL ROOM - DAY
An edited loop of the exterior and interior of Steve's house
plays on Lyle's laptop. The crew is huddled around.
CHARLIE
Lyle, what's the distance from the front
door to the vault?
Lyle doesn't answer.
CHARLIE (CONT'D)
Lyle?
Handsome Rob leans over to Charlie.
HANDSOME ROB
He only answers to The Napster now.
CHARLIE
I'm not calling you The Napster.-
LYLE
You call him Half-Ear.
HALF-EAR
That wasn't my idea.
LYLE
And him, Handsome Rob.
CHARLIE
That's only cause he is Handsome Rob.
LYLE
And I'm The Napster.
CHARLIE
How far?
(sighs, gives in)
The Napster.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
LYLE
Five hundred yards.
CHARLIE
So here's the riddle. How do we get over
a ton of gold from the vault to the
getaway car?
STELLA
How wide is the hallway? .
The video that Stella got of the hallway plays on the laptop.
Lyle calculates:
LYLE
Only six feet.
OUR VIEW PUSHES IN FAST on Stella.
QUICK CUT TO:
MINI COOPER (MOVING) - DAY
She's driving. Pure concentration. Then:
Tires spinning over a marble floor. Then:
The sideview mirrors scraping wallpaper. Then:
The thin car is like a missile firing RIGHT DOWN STEVE'S
HALLWAY, a hair-raising fit.
CUT BACK TO:
INT. CHARLIE'S HOTEL ROOM - DAY
Her idea brings a smile to her face.
STELLA
Jack Daniels, straight up.
CHARLIE
Minis?
STELLA
We could rumble right up the front steps,
bring the getaway car right to the vault,
and then straight to Union Station.
Handsome Rob likes it.
HANDSOME ROB
We'll need three to hold the gold.EXT. CAR RENTAL COMPANY - DAY
Parked in the lot are shimmering Supercharged Mini Coopers, a
new model that still captures the legendary Mini look and
feel.
Half-Ear climbs in one Mini. Lyle into another.
INT. CAR RENTAL COMPANY - SAME TIME
In the background, a large window overlooks the lot.
Handsome Rob fills out the paperwork on the Mini he' s renting
while flirting with a petite COUNTER BABE.
HANDSOME ROB
I'd say you're a Maserati 250 S. Just
4-cylinders but can go 0 to 60 in 4.2.
COUNTER BABE
As long as it's a convertible — I always
like to have my top down.
At the same time, in the background, we see Lyle and Half-
Ear' s Mini pull out of their parking spaces and BACK RIGHT
INTO EACH OTHER. Just a little bumper hit.
COUNTER BABE (CONT'D)
Do you know them?
They get out of their cars and start yelling at each other.
HANDSOME ROB
Never seen 'em before in my life.
CUT TO:
EXT. YEVHEN'S COIN & BULLION STORE - NIGHT
Steve bangs a fist against the steel security door that
covers the closed store. The steel door rises up and once
again Yevhen unlocks another door.
YEVHEN
You're early.
STEVE
And I'm in a hurry, okay?
INT. YEVHEN'S COINS & BULLION STORE - NIGHT
It doesn't seem to matter if Steve's in a hurry or not,
Yevhen still runs at the mouth while heading into the back
room.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
YEVHEN '
Of course the Florida vote rigging was a
CIA and Mob operation. ,
STEVE
(with total disinterest)
That a fact?
YEVHEN
You want facts? Fact: CIA officials
were allowed free — and illegal — access
to official election material.
Steve puts his duffel bag down on the table. It THUDS. Once
again, he pulls out three gold bricks that each weigh 25
pounds.
YEVHEN (CONT'D)
Now given the sordid history in Miami of
joint ventures between Central
Intelligence and the Mob, which led to
the unsuccessful attempts to kill Fidel
Castro and the successful assassination
of your President John F. Kennedy, this
conjunction raises numerous red flags.
STEVE
And I'd love to hear more about it, but
like I said...
YEVHEN
Don't worry, we'll have you out in no
time. The cash is on its way.
Steve cocks his head, as if he could not have heard right.
STEVE
On its way?
YEVHEN
My cousin is bringing it over.
STEVE
Your cousin?
YEVHEN
Yes. Cousin Mashkov.
STEVE
He's on his way?
YEVHEN
Don't worry, he will be here any minute.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED: (2)
Steve looks up to the security camera.
STEVE
The tape's off?
YEVHEN
Of course. Believe me, he doesn't want
to be on video, either.
STEVE
Yevhen. Didn't I tell you, many times,
that I never wanted to meet with anyone
but you?
Yevhen sweats a bit.
YEVHEN
I know. But it's his cash. He uses me
to launder money. I'm just a middleman.
STEVE
And a middleman is supposed to stay in
the middle.
YYEEVVHHEENN
But you were early. Please. Don't
wwoorrrryy.. IItt wwiillll bbee ffiinnee.. MMyy ccoouussiinn''ss aa
cool guy. Like I am.
STEVE
What you are, is a Dixie cup.
Yevhen smiles quizzically, not sure if he's being
complimented or insulted.
YEVHEN
Dixie cup?
Before the words are out of Yevhen's mouth, Steve grabs one
of the 25 pound gold bricks and slaps it across Yevhen's
face, shattering his jaw.
Yevhen's falls to the floor and Steve lifts the brick again
aanndd rraammss iitt ddoowwnn oonnttoo hhiiss hheeaadd wwiitthh aann uuggllyy TTHHUUDD.. AAnndd aaggaaiinn..
AAnndd aaggaaiinn..
He then takes the gold brick — slathered in blood — and
places it back in his duffle bag.
CUT TO:INT. YEVHEN'S COINS & BULLION STORE - TEN MINUTES LATER
Yevhen's Ukrainian cousin, MASHKOV, stares down at the
corpse. Steve is long gone.
Mashkov kneels down by the body and starts sobbing.
INT. HOUSE - NIGHT
Mashkov walks through a living room, past some lighting
equipment and a video camera and we get just enough of a look
to realize that a porno is being shot here but he couldn't
care less as he makes his way into the kitchen where —
His boss, DANYA, 60, the owner of this house, is eating a
bowl of Frosted Flakes at the kitchen table. They speak in a
colloquial Ukrainian tongue that we SUBTITLE.
MASHKOV
My cousin Yevhen was beaten to death.
DANYA
By who?
MASHKOV
That's what I'm going to find out.
They stop talking for a moment as one of the "ACTRESSES"
comes in, plops herself down next to Danya and pours herself
a bowl of cereal. She puts her hand on Danya's leg. She's
young and it's a disturbing image and we RECOGNIZE HER:
she's the HITCHHIKER who Lyle passed in the taxi ride down
Figueroa Street when he first arrived in L.A.
Danya goes back to speaking SUBTITLED UKRAINIAN.
DANYA
And what will you do when you find this
piece of shit who killed your cousin?
MASHKOV
I'll hack off his limbs and bury him
while he's still alive.
DANYA
Okay. But now we should stop talking
Ukrainian, it's rude to my girl.
(switching to accented ENGLISH)
How are you tonight, Karen?
KAREN
Hungry.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
DANYA
Then eat your Frosted Flakes.
KAREN
(like Tony the Tiger)
They're grrrreat!
Danya laughs pleasantly.
DANYA
Such a perfect girl.
But as she eats her cereal, we see a troubled, sad look on
her face.
INT. RENTED WAREHOUSE - DAY
The three Minis are parked inside: one red, one white, one
blue. Handsome Rob and Stella are doing custom work under
the hoods. Lyle is wearing the strap-on laptop and typing
away. Half-Ear squeezes silver Haliburton suitcases into the
Minis' trunks as Charlie enters —
CHARLIE
How are our matchbox cars?
HANDSOME ROB
Souped.
STELLA
Don't let their size fool you. These
were rally cars back in the day. 135
mph, 155 horsepower —
LYLE
Do I get to drive one?
HHAANNDDSSOOMMEE RROOBB
He.
LLYYLLEE
Why not?
HANDSOME ROB
Because you can't navigate your way out
of a parking lot. Here's your ride.
He pulls a blanket off a Vespa. Lyle points at Half-Ear.
LYLE
But he ran into me.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
HANDSOME ROB
He's not driving either.
(to Stella)
You ever got a speeding ticket?
STELLA
Let's put it this way: I can only get
insurance through companies that
advertise on TV at 3:00 in the morning.
HANDSOME ROB
You drive. I drive. Charlie drives.
CHARLIE
I got us spots for three cars on a car
carrier and five first class seats.
Train 59 from Union Station to New
Orleans.
HALF-EAR
That's N'Or'lins, Yankee.
CHARLIE
What's the word on Rockefeller?
LYLE
The Traffic Control Center is on the top
floor of a building on Olympic and Grand.
They get their data from pavement loop
detectors and video image vehicle
detectors. That info is fused together
by specially designed algorithms to
predict traffic conditions and control
the traffic lights. So all I have to do
now is change the data by creating my own
algorithm.
CHARLIE
What can I do to help?
LYLE
I need to hard-wire into the mainframes.
EXT. TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER - NIGHT
Housed in a towering building on the corner of Olympic and
Grand in the heart of downtown L.A. OUR VIEW RISES UP to the
rooftop, where WE FIND Charlie and Lyle.
OUR VIEW MOVES IN CLOSER on Charlie, who adroitly picks the
lock to an access door and they climb down a short set of
steps into the ~INT. MAINTENANCE ROOM - CONTINUOUS SHOT
From an equipment bag, Charlie pulls out a silent power drill
and uses it to remove an access panel from the AC vent.
INT. AIR-CONDITIONING VENT - NIGHT
Charlie leads, crawling through this tight space, his path
illuminated by the thin beam of a penlight.
INT. TRAFFIC CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT
A high-tech setting with a half-dozen workers overseeing the
large traffic information monitors that display multiple
images.
OUR CAMERA PUSHES IN on the wall of monitors and then
BLACKNESS as OUR VIEW CROSSES to the —
OTHER SIDE OF THE WALL
Where the 70" tall mainframe computers are housed and
running. We see that the AC vent to this room is now open
since Charlie and Lyle have already snuck inside.
They move fast. Charlie removes the rear panels of the
mainframes while Lyle adeptly hard-wires his laptop into the
computers. The laptop's screen lights up.
Charlie fits two false panels where the rear panels of the
mainframes used to be. Lyle pulls an innocent looking filing
box out of his equipment bag. He places the box on a nearby
shelf where it enjoys line-of-sight to the false panels.
He punches a key on his laptop and the false panels and the
filing box quietly clicks into action, communicating with his
laptop via infrared. His laptop now shows a guiltwork of
thumbnail views from the traffic information monitors.
Typing commands, Lyle is clearly operating on a higher
bandwidth than the rest us.
LYLE
B4 X TTratio, where Bi are Fisher's
linear discriminant function
coefficients, SpdRat is the speed ratio,
and TTratio is the travel time ratio.
CHARLIE
I have no idea what you're doing. Just
do it fast.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
There.
He hits the ENTER button.
LYLE (CONT'D)
We own this place.
CUT TO:
INT. THE PANTRY RESTAURANT - DOWNTOWN L.A. - DAY
Their motto: "Never closed. Never without a customer!" The
place has the same decor as it did 75 years ago. It's also a
spot where everyone minds their own business. One of the OLD
TIME WAITERS leads OUR CAMERA to a table in the back where
Mashkov sits across from a LAPD HOMICIDE DETECTIVE. He
slides over an envelope of cash and a photograph of Karen.
MASHKOV
$2000. And this is the new girl. Fresh
off the bus. One of Danya's guys picked
her up hitchhiking downtown.
The detective checks out the photo.
DETECTIVE
Those tits'd make Dracula rise from his
coffin at high-noon.
MASHKOV
They're all yours Saturday. You can do
whatever you want to her. Her name is
Karen. . .
DETECTIVE
You're too generous.
MASHKOV
I needed a fast answer.
DETECTIVE
And I'm the Shell Answer Man. A guy who
works the counter at your cousin's shop
told me that someone named Skinny Pete
had been asking around about gold bricks
with the face of a Balinese girl on them.
Same gold bricks your cousin was buying.
MASHKOV
You talked to this Skinny Pete?
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
DETECTIVE
I thought you'd want a shot at him first.
CUT TO:
INT. RENTED WAREHOUSE - DAY
Handsome Rob does some final tune-ups on the Minis.
Half-Ear loads a triple charger chemical grenade into a
launcher.
Charlie steps into the U-Haul which is parked in here...
INT. U-HAUL
Lyle is fixing glitches on his computer program. Stella is
doing her nails. Charlie looks at her.
STELLA
You want the safe cracked, don't you?
CHARLIE
Yeah.
STELLA
Then I have to have perfect nails.
Square tips have a more even surface
area. Better grip, no slipping.
CHARLIE
Are you making this shit up?
STELLA
I just let you in on a valuable trade
secret.
LYLE
Charlie.
CHARLIE
Yeah?
LYLE
Steve called to confirm a 7:30
reservation at Agp's. And as for your
getaway, not even Rockefeller had it so
good.
CUT TO:
9INT. STEVE'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
He's getting dressed for his date. We can tell by the way he
preens in front of the three sided full length mirror,
adorning himself in the most expensive fashion, that he is a
vain and arrogant man.
EXT. RENTED WAREHOUSE - NIGHT
The three Minis pull out of the warehouse and head off down
the road. The U-Haul follows.
INT. CHARLIE'S MINI (MOVING) - NIGHT
Leading the pack. He wears a headset and mic.
CHARLIE
Radio check.
INT. HANDSOME ROB'S MINI (MOVING) - NIGHT
He drives, Half-Ear in the passenger seat.
HANDSOME ROB
Got cha, boss.
INT. STELLA'S MINI (MOVING) - NIGHT
She follows behind Handsome Rob's Mini.
STELLA
Loud and clear.
INT. U-HAUL (MOVING) - NIGHT
Lyle drives. His Vespa is parked in the cargo bay with his
equipment.
LYLE
Check.
CUT TO:
EXT. STEVE'S DRIVEWAY - NIGHT
Looking sharp, Steve gets into his Ferrari.
EXT. OPORTO DRIVE - NIGHT
The U-Haul is idling on the side of the street about a mile
down from Steve's house. The Vespa is parked behind it.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
From up ahead, we see the Ferrari cruising down the winding
road. As it passes by.
INT. U-HAUL
Lyle speaks into his headset:
LYLE
For those about to rock, we salute you.
EXT. OPORTO DRIVE - NIGHT
From side streets, the Minis converge on the road and head up
towards Steve's house.
INT. CHARLIE'S MINI (MOVING) - NIGHT
He can feel the adrenaline already starting to course through
is body.
CHARLIE
This is it, guys. Moment of truth.
He takes a sharp curve...and the moment that Steve's house
should come into view. . .he hits the brakes, his expression
turning to complete surprise.
HIS POV
The neighbor across the street from Steve is having the
biggest party in town. The road is filled with parked cars
and arriving guests. Ain't no way they're blowing the gate,
launching chemical grenades or in any way robbing Steve's
house in the midst of this.
CHARLIE'S FACE
As he takes this in, there's a KNOCK on the window. He
turns. Sees a uniformed VALET. Rolls down the window.
VALET
Are you hear for the Baxter party, sir?
EXT. OPORTO DRIVE - NIGHT
We see the three Minis pull tight U-turns and head back the
way they came.
INT. CHARLIE'S MINI (MOVING) - NIGHT
He slaps his hand against the steering wheel, fuming.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
CHARLIE
Shit. Stella?
INT. STELLA'S MINI (MOVING) - INTERCUT
She already knows what he's going to say.
STELLA
I know. I've got a date tonight.
CHARLIE
You'll have to fake it. Laugh at his
jokes. You need him to ask you out
again.
CUT TO:
INT. AGO RESTAURANT - NIGHT
A posh restaurant. As OUR CAMERA FINDS Stella and Steve, she
is laughing at something he said, faking her way through the
date. They're sitting at an intimate table.
STELLA
You really make laugh.
He takes the lie like the compliment she wants him to think
it is.
STEVE
So here's what I have lined up for after
dinner. We'll go to Club Deep. The
Ferrari always gets me to the front of
the line. We'll do a little dancing...
STELLA
Not tonight. I don't want to be out
late.
STEVE
Why the curfew?
STELLA
Let's just say I've made some wrong calls
in the past. I like to take things slow,
cautious. Next time...
STEVE
I understand. You have nothing to worry
about. You can trust me.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
STELLA
I trust everyone. It's the devil inside
them that I don't trust.
That saying strikes Steve.
STEVE
That's an interesting saying.
STELLA
What?
He looks at her closely, really closely.
STEVE
There's only person I've ever heard say
that. Used to say it all the time.
This worries her. Because of course, she used to hear it
from her father.
STELLA
Who was that?
Under the table, he grabs her by the wrist, squeezes it like
a vise.
STEVE
A man named John Bridger. Where did you
pick up that phrase?
STELLA
Ow. I don't remember. You're hurting
me.
STEVE
John Bridger was a thief. And he had a
daughter. About your age. He told me
that she took over a safe and lock
company that he used as a front.
STELLA
Let go of my wrist. What is wrong with
you? It's just a saying.
Steve's voice is calm, so at ease that watching them you'd
think this was pleasant dinner conversation.
STEVE
No wonder I liked you right away. Just
like I liked your old man, right up until
the moment I shot him in the head.
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED: (2)
STEVE (CONT'D)
Now tell me who you're working with and
tell me the plan. Do it now or we'll go
for a ride and I'll break every bone in
your body.
Stella intentionally knocks over a glass of wine. It
shatters on the floor. An emergency signal...
Charlie, Half-Ear, Handsome Rob and Lyle appear around the
table.
Steve is shocked to see the men he left for dead three years
ago standing before him, very much alive.
They pull up chairs from another table, encircling him for a
tense and pointed talk.
CHARLIE
Something wrong, Steve? You look like
you want to call Ghostbusters.
Half-Ear furtively slides the switchblade out of his boot.
HALF-EAR
She's coming with us. You got a problem
with that?
STEVE
Fine by me. But it's you that has the
problem.
LYLE
How do you figure?
STEVE
You've just blown the one thing you had
going in your favor, the element of
surprise. And I was surprised.
(he laughs unpleasantly)
Jesus Christ when I saw all you guys come
out of the woodwork. For a minute I
thought maybe you were ghosts. But
you're screwed now.
(an arrogant sneer a Half-Ear)
Did you figure out how to take care of my
security guard? I'll hire five more.
(at Lyle)
You know how to bypass my alarm system?
I'll have a new one installed tomorrow.
(at Handsome Rob)
Does it tear you up inside seeing what
car I drive? I'll buy a matching one in
red.
(at Stella)
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED: (3)
STEVE (CONT'D)
(at Stella)
You think you can crack ray safe? You711
end up the same way as your dad.
(then to Charlie, all smiles)
Looks like Good Time Charlie's got the
blues.
CHARLIE
You can wear that shit-eating grin on
your face, but I know under that Versace
shirt you're in a cold sweat. And you're
not going to sleep a minute tonight.
Cause you thought you'd gotten away with
it free and clear. You thought you'd
gotten rid of us. You're the one who's
screwed. Right to the wall.
STEVE
Give it your best shot. I'll outsmart
you every step of the way. And this
time, I'll bury you myself.
CHARLIE
(taking the challenge)
Get more guards. Change the alarm. Buy
a dozen Ferraris. We'll still be here.
. Sleep tight.
Charlie grabs a bread stick off the table and goes. The
others follow. CUT TO:
INT. STRIP CLUB - BACK ROOM — NIGHT
The door bursts open as the burly man we met earlier is
dragged inside at gunpoint. Five Ukrainians armed with MAC-
11 machine pistols storm the room where Skinny Pete works.
Mashkov walks behind the posse. He carries a duffel bag. He
takes in the sight of the fattest man he's ever seen.
MASHKOV
(in accented English)
Do you know who I am?
SKINNY PETE
You work for Danya.
MASHKOV
Yes. And you are gonna be straight with
me and everything's gonna be okay. You
fuck with me, I will be ruthless.
SKINNY PETE
I understand.CONTINUED:
MASHKOV
I don't want you to understand. I want
you to overstand.
SKINNY PETE
Overstand... Okay.
MASHKOV
Because if you don't overstand, I will
use this.
Mashkov nonchalantly opens the duffel bag and pulls out a
short-handled ax. Skinny Pete sees dried blood on the blade.
MASHKOV (CONT'D)
Someone was asking about gold bars with a
Balinese girl's face on them. I want the
name of this man.
CUT TO:
EXT. SHUTTER'S ON THE BEACH - MORNING
The sun shines over the ocean and the hotel.
INT. CHARLIE'S HOTEL ROOM
The crew is gathered. Lyle, monitoring digital surveillance
on his laptop, takes off his headphones.
LYLE
Well we scared him alright. He's flying .
the coop. His security guard called
Brink's Armored Car Service to confirm a
5 p.m. pick up at his house, then JetClub
to confirm a MD11 Cargo plane departing
from the Imperial Terminal at LAX at 8
p.m.
CHARLIE
Confirmed? How'd we miss the first
calls?
LYLE
They must have been cellular. The cargo
plane is being chartered to Mexico City.
HANDSOME ROB
Only place with worse smog and traffic
than L.A.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
STELLA
Once the charter's in the air, he could
change the flight path to anywhere. And
good-bye gold.
CHARLIE
Not so fast. This is good news for us.
HANDSOME ROB
Good news?
CHARLIE
Sometimes when you're up to your ass in
alligators you forget that you started
off trying to drain the swamp.
HANDSOME ROB
Meaning what the fuck?
CHARLIE
We've been trying to get to the gold in
the safe. Now the safe is corning to us.
We'll boost it in transit.
He might as well have said they'll steal the Holy Grail
before sunrise.
HANDSOME ROB
Charlie. He could take a dozen different
routes to the airport and we have no idea
which one. We can't take out an armored
truck during rush hour.
CHARLIE
We're already set to do it. Napster:
how would you like to create the biggest
traffic jam in the history of Los
Angeles?
LYLE
Keep talking.
CHARLIE
You gridlock every route except the one
we choose. Force the truck to go exactly
.where we want it to go.
HANDSOME ROB
But where do we want it? We can't shoot
it out with armed guards in a Brink's.
We'd lose.
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED: (2)
HANDSOME ROB (CONT'D)
And even if we pulled it off, the cops
would be all over us, chasing us all the
way to Union Station. We're outmanned
and outgunned.
CHARLIE
But not outsmarted.
Charlie hums with focused energy. There's a term for it in
horse racing. When a thoroughbred is at peak condition, and
twitching with eagerness to run, he is ""on the muscle." That
describes Charlie right now.
CHARLIE {CONT'D)
We'll do it like the Italian job. We'll
make thirty million in gold drop out of
sight.
They're interrupted by Charlie's cell phone RINGING. This
throws them all off.
CHARLIE
Who else has this number?
HALF-EAR
No one but us.
It's still RINGING. Charlie decides to answer it.
CHARLIE
Hello?
INT. OFFICE - PHILADELPHIA - INTERCUT
Meet PHILLY STEAK. Or at least meet the back of his neck.
Because that's where he has a tatoo that says PHILLY STEAK.
PHILLY STEAK
Why'd you do it?
CHARLIE
(informing the crew)
Philly Steak.
(then into phone)
Do what?
OUR CAMERA TRACKS AROUND to Philly Steak's face which is
weathered and as leathery as a football. An old school
crook.
PHILLY STEAK
Yevhen. The Ukrainian gold, dealer. You
didn't, have to clip him, for Christ's
sakes.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
CHARLIE
Clip him?
PHILLY STEAK
Listen to me. You've gotta get out of
L.A. Now.
CHARLIE
What're you talking about? We didn't
clip anybody.
PHILLY STEAK
Well Skinny Pete just called me.
Yevhen's cousin is under the distinct
impression that you did.
CHARLIE
Why does he think that?
PHILLY STEAK
Because you wanted, to know about the gold
with the Balinese Girl. Plus I guess
Pete was under duress. This Ukrainian
thinks he's PaXil Fucking Bunyan.
CHARLIE
Do you know how to get in touch with him?
PHILLY STEAK
Yeah but ~
CHARLIE
Maybe there's a way we can play this to
our advantage.
PHILLY STEAK
Are you out of your mind? Listen to me,
Charlie. Get out of L.A. Now. Cause if
there's one thing I know, it's that you
never mess with Mother Nature, mother-in-
laws, or mother-fucking Ukrainians.
INT. SAFE HOUSE - MORNING
Speaking of— Five Ukrainians lock 'n load their MAC-11
machine pistols plus an M4 carbine with a 40mm grenade
launcher mounted beneath the barrel. Mashkov enters the room
and tells the others in SUBTITLED UKRAINIAN.
MASHKOV
He's going to be on Train 59 for New
Orleans.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
UKRAINIAN
You sure your source is good?
MASHKOV
I'm sure.
CUT TO:
INT. DANYA'S HOUSE - MORNING
The home where the porno was made. Karen, wearing a backpack
stuffed with her only belongings, creeps into the kitchen
with two 3/4" videotapes in hand.
She sets them down on the counter. They say MASTER TAPE on
the labels. She opens the microwave oven. Puts the tapes
inside. Sets the timer for 60 minutes at the highest level
and presses the start button.
As the videotapes start to cook, we watch Karen flee out the
door.
CUT TO:
EXT. HOLLYWOOD AT HIGHLAND - DAY
The U-Haul is parked on the side of the noisy, congested
boulevard. A large metal sheet is now mounted on the side of
the panel truck. .
HIGH ANGLE. Parked behind the U-Haul are two of the Minis
and Lyle's Vespa. We see traffic flowing through the busy
intersection next to the vehicles. Then WE BOOM DOWN, really
fast, right into the black pavement and —
THROUGH THE DARKNESS and out the other side, so we are now
underground in the middle of the —
METRO RAIL TUNNEL
where Half-Ear is at work, mounting Nitramon primer to the
tunnel walls, Charlie assisting. They both wear orange
jumpsuits, plus headsets and mics.
HALF-EAR
Did you know Einstein7 s 7th grade teacher
told him he was a moron who'd never
amount to anything? Same as mine.
CHARLIE
Still hope for that Nobel Prize.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
HALF-EAR
Not me, man. But I did get my college
diploma.
CHARLIE
No shit. I thought you dropped out of
high school.
HALF-EAR
Got my GED after Italy then just kept
going.
CHARLIE
How'd you manage that, all the jobs we've
been pulling?
HALF-EAR
Quit going to strip clubs. Went to
night school instead. City college is
all.
CHARLIE
Good for you. That's a real feather in
your cap.
HALF-EAR
I didn't want to say anything to the
guys.
There's a RUMBLING SOUND in the distance.
CHARLIE
Secret's safe with me.
The RUMBLING grows unbearable as a Metro roars closer,
headlights gobbling up the dark tunnel. They press
themselves into a crevice in the wall.
With a ROAR and a gust of wind, the Metro howls by. It makes
their jaws clatter.
INT. U-HAUL (PARKED) - DAY
Stella's in the cargo area with Lyle who's working his
laptop. It's monitor displays a string of computer code. He
HEARS over his headset:
CHARLIE (V.O.)
Napster. How goes it up there? Over.
LYLE
Working on the Metro Rail system. Almost
ready.EXT. MARAVILLA DRIVE - SAME TIME
Handsome Rob's Mini is parked on the side of the winding
road. Using binoculars, he looks down onto Oporto Drive at
Steve's house. Into his headset:
HANDSOME ROB
Everything's quiet here. Over.
INT. METRO RAIL TUNNEL - DAY
The Nitramon is applied. Half-Ear closes his eyes. Charlie
observes him a moment.
CHARLIE
You okay?
HALF-EAR
Ah huh. Just need a moment' s meditation.
CHARLIE
Now?
HALF-EAR
I'm about to insert a wire into a
detonator tube and if the wire touches
the sides of tube, we'll be blown to
Kingdom Come. Best to be at one with
yourself.
CHARLIE
Take all the time you need.
Another moment, then Half-Ear sets to work. Charlie holds a
mini-flashlight, illuminating the intricate detonator. Very
carefully, he inserts a wire into a tube. Remember, the wire
must not touch the sides.
The wire is half-way in when a LARGE SPIDER drops onto his
hand. Frozen, he ponders this.
Charlie sees the spider, doesn't know what to do.
Half~Ear studies the spider...then he closes his eyes just a
moment.. .relaxes. ..breathes in> breathes out... and then —
He leans forward, opens his mouth and clamps his lips over
the spider, comes back up. Finishes inserting the wire.
Job done, he calmly opens his mouth/ the spider puts a hairy
leg out and delicately explores his cheek. Half-Ear plucks
it off just as delicately, depositing the spider on the wall.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
Charlie just shakes his head in disbelief.
HALF-EAR
My work here is done.
EXT. OPORTO DRIVE - DAY
A Brink's truck climbs the road towards Steve's house,
flanked by two BMW K1200LTA motorcycles.
EXT. MARAVILLA DRIVE -.SAME TIME
Through binoculars, Handsome Rob is still keeping an eye on
Steve's house from the higher vantage point.
HIS POV
The front gate'rises. The Brink's truck and motorcycles are
let inside and head up the driveway.
But then he sees a SECOND ARMORED truck drive up, also
guarded by two motorcycles. And a third Brink's followed by
motorcycles turns into the driveway.
EXT. STEVE'S HOUSE
It's a convoy of matching armored trucks...
EXT. MARAVILLA DRIVE - DAY
Witnessing the twist of events through his binoculars. He
speaks into his headset mic —
HANDSOME ROB
Problemo.
INT. U-HAUL - INTERCUT
The rest of the crew is now all in the U-Haul. Lyle's
manning the laptop.
CHARLIE
What is it? .
HANDSOME ROB
He's brought in three identical armored
trucks.
CHARLIE
Shit. Decoys. It's like a shell game on
wheels.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
LYLE
How can I reroute the truck if I don't
know which truck to reroute?
EXT. STEVE'S HOUSE - (TIME CUT) DAY
The caravan of armored trucks and motorcycles now head down
the driveway. The Ferrari follows behind.
EXT. MARAVILLA DRIVE - DAY
Handsome Rob sees the vehicles head east on Oporto. He
reports into his mike:
HANDSOME ROB
Three Brink's trucks are leaving with
motorcycle escorts, plus Steve in his
Ferrari.
INT. U-HAUL
Maddening frustration.
LYLE
How're we going to figure out which truck
has the gold?
Charlie is just as frustrated.. .but in a tight spot he always
comes up with an idea. ,
CHARLIE
You can monitor the traffic video cameras
from your laptop, right?
LYLE
Yeah.
CHARLIE
Where's the first camera the trucks will
go past?
Lyle hits a command key and we now see the intersection of
Woodrow Wilson Drive and Cahuenga where vehicles are driving
under the traffic signal that a traffic video camera is
mounted to.
LYLE
Cahuenga Boulevard. They all have to
cross that.
CHARLIE
The weight of the gold will lower the
suspension on the truck.EXT. CAHUENGA BOULEVARD - DAY
The first armored truck makes its way through the green
light.
INT. U-HAUL
Lyle hits the keyboard and lines of measurements appear
across the image of the Brink's truck. He strikes another
key, momentarily FREEZING the image. He makes a visual check
of the top of the armored truck against the Cahuenga
• Boulevard street sign.
LYLE
Lines up with the top of the sign.
Next...
He unfreezes the first image just in time to check out the
next armored truck in line. FREEZE. The top of this truck
also lines up perfectly with the top of the street sign.
LYLE (CONT'D)
First two are the same.
EXT. CAHUENGA BOULEVARD - SAME TIME
The third Brink's truck makes its way through the
intersection, the Ferrari behind it.
INT. U-HAUL - SAME TIME
The third Brink's comes into the monitor's view. FREEZE.
The top of the truck is below the top of the street sign.
LYLE
That's our truck! License plate
AWP82092.
EXT. CAHUENGA - SAME TIME
We see the truck with the California plate AWP82092. OUR
VIEW RISES UP until we're looking at an AERIAL VIEW as the
three armored trucks and their motorcycles fan out in three
different directions, with the Ferrari going in a fourth
direction. ^
EXT. HOLLYWOOD AT HIGHLAND - DAY
Handsome Rob pulls up in his Mini and parks behind the other
Minis.INT. U-HAUL - SAME TIME
Charlie gives the command.
CHARLIE
Gridlock time.
Lyle executes, hitting a series of keys and —
INT. MAINFRAME COMPUTER ROOM - SAME TIME
inconspicuous on a shelf, the dummy file box CLICKS into
action In response, the false panels on the mainframes HUM
to life and in the adjacent —
TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER
The mosaic of traffic screens SPIRAL INTO DARKNESS.
The workers can't believe it. They start hitting their
keyboards trying to get the system up and running again. But
it's useless since —
INT. U-HAUL
Lyle controls the system now. A single mouse click loads his
new algorithm into the computer and —
SERIES OF RAPID-FIRE SHOTS
All the traffic signals in Hollywood turn areen
simultaneouslv.
EXT. INTERSECTIONS
See cars collide into each other. See a domino line of rear-
end crashes. A motorcycle tumbling over.
INT. TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER
The stymied workers watch helplessly.
INT. U-HAUL
Lyle quickly types out some words and
INT. TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER
The workers see the words form on the giant screens:
YOU'LL NEVER SHUT DOWN THE REAL NAPSTER!EXT. MORE INTERSECTIONS
The traffic lights turn RED simultaneously. Then all turn
GREEN. Then RED again.
It's demolition derby time. Daisy-chains of wrecks. Cars
spinning like hockey pucks. Total traffic meltdown.
INT. KNX-AM 1070 TRAFFIC HELICOPTER - DAY
Sweeping over a panoramic view of the greatest traffic jam in
L.A.'s history is traffic anchor CHRISTINA GRIEGO. She
reports what she sees:
CHRISTINA GRIEGO
This is Christina Griego with your drive-
home traffic report on KNX. I'm looking
down on Hollywood Boulevard .and this is
definitely a CIG alert.
INT. FERRARI
They're blocked in solid ahead and behind.
STEVE
What the hell?
He turns on the radio as —
INT. U-HAUL
Lyle's fingers dance across the keyboard.
LYLE
Opening up a space on North Highland.
INT. GOLD TRUCK
Stuck in the middle of it. The driver and guard, both armed,
are as confused as everyone else.
GUARD
Get us out of here.
DRIVER
I'm trying.
He sees a way out, a sudden opening on North. Highland.INT. U-HAUL
Via a traffic video camera, Lyle sees on his laptop the gold
truck, followed by two motorcycles, making the turn onto
North Highland.
LYLE
He's taking it...
Lyle hits more keys.
LYLE (CONT'D)
I now command you to turn left.
EXT. GOLD TRUCK
It comes to the next intersection. Every light is stuck on
red — except the left turn only signal which is green. No
choice. The truck takes it.
INT. U-HAUL
He's striking keys, an orchestral conductor, the crew his
audience.
LYLE
I've got it on Hollywood Boulevard.
Time to slow down.
EXT. HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD
Signals turn green, but only for three seconds, long enough
for one car to gun through it at a time.
At the same time, we see Charlie get out of the U-Haul and
climb into the first Mini. Stella gets into the second Mini.
Half-Ear joins Handsome Rob in the third.
INT. FERRARI - DAY
Steve gets the scoop over the radio. He can't believe it.
CHRISTINA GRIEGO (V.O.)
According to the police, the computers at
the Traffic Control Center are down.
Steve knows who did that.
STEVE
Sonovabitch.INT. CHARLIE'S MINI - DAY
Through his rearview mirror, Charlie eyes the gold truck
creeping closer.
CHARLIE
Gentlemen, start your engines.
THREE SHOTS
Starting their engines-with souped-up, throaty roars:
Charlie; Handsome Rob; Stella.
CHARLIE
Give us the flag when you're ready.
INT. U-HAUL
Lyle has hacked into the Metro Rail's Control System. Starts
his magic.
LYLE
Shutting down the rail as we speak.
INT. METRO RAIL TUNNELS - SEVERAL SHOTS
A Metro is speeding through the Blue Line tunnel. Suddenly
it loses power and comes to an inglorious stop.
Another Metro stops on the Red Line.
Inside a Metro on the Westside Corridor as it stops; confused
passengers stare out the glass.
INT. U-HAUL
His laptop shows a group of still circles that represent the
stalled Metros.
LYLE
Tunnel's clear. Go!
EXT. WALK OF FAME
The three Minis jump the curb and drive right over the star-
lined sidewalk... Pedestrians throw themselves out of their
path... The cars run over Marilyn Monroe's star and the
flowers and candles left by fans.. . They make a sharp turn
down the cement stairs that lead to the Metro Rail platform.
At the same time —EXT. HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD
The creeping gold truck is just about alongside the parked
U-Haul.
INT. U-HAUL
Through his sideview mirror, Lyle eyes the progress of the
gold truck. He gives the word:
LYLE
Coming into position...
INT. METRO RAIL STATION
The Minis roughly bounce down the second flight of stairs.
The sides of the cars scrape against the metal handrails.
Tourists, workers, all scamper away.
INT. U-HAUL
The gold truck getting closer.
LYLE
Five... Four...
INT. METRO RAIL STATION
The Minis land on the platform where everyone is waiting for
the next Metro.
Heads turn at the sight of these half-cars streaking by.
INT. U-HAUL
The gold truck is almost alongside the U-Haul.
LYLE
Three...
INT. METRO RAIL STATION
Charlie's Mini flies off the platform and lands on the rail
line. The car's shocks take the hit.
The other Minis follow suit, off the platform, onto the
rails.
LYLE (V.O.)
Two... One...THE MINIS
Drive past the spot where they put the Nitramon explosives.
LYLE (V.O.)
Do it.
INT. STELLA'S MINI
She brakes to a stop and braces herself as —
. INT. HANDSOME ROB'S MINI
Half-Ear pulls out his hearing aid, hits the remote to a
detonator and —
EXT. HOLLYWOOD & HIGHLAND
The section of pavement that the gold truck sits on splits
apart. The road surface drops away. Smoke billowing up as
The BRINK' S TRUCK FALLS...
INT. METRO RAIL TUNNEL
Suddenly the street, the armored truck and daylight come
crashing down at us in a cloud of smoke and debris.
The truck's windshield implodes.
The Minis come to a stop. Half-Ear jumps out. Aims the
grenade launcher. FIRES.
INT. GOLD TRUCK
The triple charger chemical grenade sails in through the
windshield and explodes, knocking out the guards. The driver
slumps against the steering wheel, the horn BLARING under his
weight. At the same time:
INT.. U-HAUL - ON THE CUT
Lyle hits a button on a remote control and —
EXT. U-HAUL
Clamps unlock, releasing the heavy steel sheet from the side
of the U-Haul. It SLAMS DOWN, neatly covering the gaping
hole in the road like a huge manhole cover.EXT. HOLLYWOOD & HIGHLAND
The motorcycles following the Brink's come to a sudden stop.
The motorcycle guards watch the smoke clear. The armored
truck has vanished! Vaporized in the gridlock! Gone!
Pandemonium. People scatter. A man jumps out of his BMW
and sprints away from the explosion.
Lyle gets out of the U-Haul and runs to his getaway vehicle:
the Vespa. He's about to hop on, but something stops him...
The sight of the vacant, shimmering, 2002 BMW 750iL parked
just ahead, keys dangling from the ignition.
At the same time, the motorcycle guards climb off their
bikes. Draw semi-automatic handguns. Result: more madness
Bystanders flee.
The BMW tears out of there, Lyle behind the wheel.
INT. METRO RAIL TUNNEL - DAY
The rear door to the Brink's is open. Our crew sees the •
Worthington 1000 inside.
CHARLIE
Nice work.
HALF-EAR
Well like Einstein almost said: genius
is ten percent inspiration, ninety
percent detonation.
CHARLIE
Let's get our gold.
Stella goes up to the imposing safe. Gives it a look of
momentary respect, then sets to work...
INT. KNX-AM 1070 TRAFFIC HELICOPTER - DAY
ChristinaGriego telling her radio audience:
CHRISTINA GRIEGO
I've seen earthquakes, mudslides, fires,
riots, but this... Let me try to paint a
picture for our listeners.
INT. FERRARI
Hearing the news over the radio ."'•-'••
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
CHRISTINA GRIEGO (V.O.)
There's been some kind of an explosion
and a Brink's truck has just dropped down
into the Metro Rail Blue Line.
Steve slams the car into gear and jumps the sidewalk, passing
the gridlock. He hollers into a walkie-talkie —
STEVE
The truck's in the Metro Rail. Where
does the Blue Line go back above ground?
EXT. STREETS - SERIES OF SHOTS
The motorcycle guards who were escorting the decoy trucks
hear Steve over their walkie-talkies. With squeals of
rubber, they turn around as one of the guards answers —
MOTORCYCLE GUARD
It comes out at Flower & Pico.
At the same time — .
INT. METRO RAIL TUNNEL - DAY t
Stella works the dial, feeling for contact points. And —
EXT. HOLLYWOOD & HIGHLAND - DAY
The two motorcycle guards fervently try to lift off the steel
sheet that dropped down from the U-Haul.
INT. METRO RAIL TUNNEL - DAY
They see daylight start to stream in from above as the steel
sheet slides a little.
CHARLIE
Stella?
STELLA
ShJlhh..
We HEAR Stella's heart pounding in her ears. See the
perspiration on her fingertips.
STELLA (CONT'D)
You know when you said this wouldn't be
the same as opening a safe for the cops?
HANDSOME ROB
Yeah.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
STELLA
Did you have to be right?
EXT. HOLLYWOOD & HIGHLAND - DAY
The motorcycle guards strain, managing to shift the steel
sheet enough so they can see the armored truck below.
INT. METRO RAIL TUNNEL - DAY
CLOSE SHOTS on Stella's eyes, pure concentration. CLOSE
SHOTS on each number on the dial. Finally: CLICK.
She grabs the safe's lever and swings the sturdy steel door
open. She instinctively looks away.
CHARLIE
Don't you want to see what's inside?
STELLA
I never look.
CHARLIE
Trust me. You wanna look.
So she does. Inside is a mountain of gold bricks...
EXT. HOLLYWOOD & HIGHLAND - MOMENTS LATER
The motorcycle guards heave, strain, finally getting the
steel plate off. But it's too late as —
INT. MINIS - SERIES OF SHOTS
Engines REV. Exhaust jets. Hands slam stick-shifts.
INT. METRO RAIL TUNNEL
The cars streak off deeper into the Metro Rail tunnel,
headlights bouncing off the walls.
INT. CHARLIE'S MINI (MOVING) - DAY
It's a rush cruising down the tunnel. Taking the Blue Line.
Leading the pack. But they' re not home free yet.
EXT. 101 FREEWAY - DAY
Rush hour gridlock — no problem. The Ferrari's 12 cylinder
massive 210bph engine bellows as it hits 120 m.p.h. in the
breakdown lane.
A Highway Patrol car starts chasing after it, siren wailing.INT. FERRARI (HAULING ASS) - DAY
Merging onto the 110 South, Steve sees the patrol car in hot
pursuit.
He shifts into sixth and suddenly this car is a rocket
blasting off, doing a 1/4 mile in 1.3 seconds, leaving the
patrol car far behind. At the same time —
INT. SAFE HOUSE - GARAGE
Mashkov and the other heavily armed Ukrainians climb into a
SUV. The garage door opens and the vehicle charges out of
there. And at the same time —
INT. METRO RAIL TUNNEL
The three Minis speed by UNDERNEATH OUR CAMERA in streaks of
red, white, and blue.
INT. CHARLIE'S MINI (MOVING)
He spots the proverbial daylight at the end of the tunnel.
EXT. FLOWER & PICO - DAY
Where the Blue Line rises up to ground level. The Minis
thunder into the daylight, past the above ground platform,
just as two motorcycles come flying around the corner after
them.
Picture this: two guards on each motorcycle with each man
seated behind the driver holding AK-47s in each hand, giving
them the appearance of having submachine guns growing out of
their shoulders.
Fingers go flat against the AK-47s triggers. Blowing SHOT
after SHOT at the Minis. BAM-BAM-BAM.
INT. CHARLIE'S MINI
In the teeth of gunfire. Bullets explode through the back
window in a cacophony of CRASHING GLASS. A shot wings his
door. POP! Into headset:
CHARLIE
Split up!
EXT. FLOWER & PICO
They head off in different directions through congested
downtown rush hour traffic.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
One motorcycle takes off after Charlie's Mini. The other
goes after Handsome Rob's Mini. So Stella's free and clear
except that Steve's Ferrari is barreling down Pico and coming
after her.
INT. LAPD HELICOPTER (FLYING)
An LAPD PILOT swoops in, barking out instructions to police
cars converging on the scene.
EXT. CHARLIE'S MINI
Turning onto Exposition, the motorcycle in pursuit, the
chopper overhead.
His red Mini jumps a curve, now on a wide sidewalk,
accelerating full throttle for the horizon while pedestrians
flatten themselves against a high-rise in fear.
INT. CHARLIE'S MINI
He sees someone give him the finger. Mutters:
CHARLIE
If you don't like how I'm driving, get
off the damn sidewalk.
Meanwhile: •
INT. HANDSOME ROB'S MINI
He's got the other motorcycle on his tail, RELENTLESS GUNFIRE
dogging his every move.
He shifts smooth as silk, squeezing between a car he's
passing and an oncoming car in the other lane. Half-Ear is
trying his best to remain calm but Jesus, that was close.
Suddenly, Handsome Rob veers off the road and WHAM. He takes
down a chain link fence and is now in the parking lot of the:
EXT. CONVENTION CENTER .
His white Mini catapults across the asphalt, the motorcycle
still right behind.
INT. HANDSOME ROB'S MINI
Up ahead, he eyes the open door entrance to the Convention
Center. Stomps the gas.
HALF-EAR
What are you doing?
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
The turbine howls.
HALF-EAR (CONT'D)
What — are — you — doing?
EXT. CONVENTION CENTER
The Mini squeezes through the doorway and into the —
INT. CONVENTION CENTER
It's the STAR TREK GRAND SLAM 2002 convention in full swing.
' Display tables are lined up in the cavernous hall and the
Mini snakes through the maze and the Trekkies as —
The motorcycle follows right behind and the chase is really
on now.
THUDA THUD THUDA, the Mini's wheels climb a flight of steps.
Waves of people flee the path of the little car and —
THUD, THUDA, THUD, the motorcycle follows right behind.
The Mini zips down the wide Concourse Hall — travels
underneath banners of Star Trek characters that hang from the
ceiling — the motorcycle keeps up, tires tearing into the
carpeting.
INT. HANDSOME ROB'S MINI
He shifts, swerves, avoiding people, obstacles.
HALF-EAR
Go that way!
Handsome Rob turns, taking them down the —
WEST HALL
that stretches out toward the Staples Center.
WHIZ. The Mini goes by. WHIZ. The motorcycle goes by.,
Then —
The Mini steamrolls through the exit doors an'd --
EXT. CONVENTION CENTER/STAPLES CENTER
It bounds down outdoor steps and ramps onto the outside
entrance to the Staples Center, fitting snugly between cement
pillars that are designed to keep regular-sized cars out.INT. STAPLES CENTER - DAY
The Mini bulldozes through glass doors. Across the lobby.
Down an aisle that leads right to —
CENTER COURT
where OUR L.A. LAKERS are in the midst of practice. The
Minis do look like matchbox cars next to these towering
players.
The car's tires leave a streak of rubber on the parquet
floor. The team clears a path. The car is off the court
before they know it.
But now the players see the motorcycle coming down the aisle.
See the guns. See security guards running after it.
KOBE BRYANT picks up a basketball.
The motorcycle charges across center court.
Kobe aims...hurls the ball. It RAMS into the motorcycle's
handlebars. The bike spins out of control and into a nasty
fall, spitting off the riders while —
EXT. STAPLES CENTER
The Mini crashes out the opposite side of the arena and
glides right through the L.A. Sports Arch of Fame before
escaping onto Figueroa. Meanwhile:
EXT. SOUTH ALAMEDA - DAY
The Ferrari is eating up the pavement as it hounds after
Stella. Two police cars are roaring after them both.
INT. STELLA'S MINI
She slaps the gears into action, maneuvers tight turns around
the cars in her path, just like she does at home with Jack
Daniels.
EXT. SOUTH ALAMEDA
A cop car tries to pass the same car as the Ferrari but
smashes into an oncoming vehicle. As it spins like a
corkscrew —
EXT. FERRARI
The rear tires spin smoke and it launches like a missile
after the Mini.INT. STELLA'S MINI
She keeps flooring it...the gauge rising...the customized
engine screaming...
But the Ferrari, like an unstoppable force, hangs menacingly
in her rearview mirror.
I/E FERRARI
Steve RAMS into the rear bumper of the blue Mini. The bumper
tears off, rolls across the pavement. The Ferrari is about
to make another charge.
INT. STELLA'S MINI
She yanks the wheel left to avoid the hit. Suddenly finds
herself in the path of an ARROWHEAD WATER TRUCK. She yanks
the wheel right to avoid a collision.
INT. ARROWHEAD WATER TRUCK
The truck driver hits the brakes, over compensating as he
turns away from the Mini and —
EXT. SOUTH ALAMEDA
The truck falls over onto its side, sending those big jugs
all over the .road, water exploding into the air and —
The Ferrari crashes through the jugs, one rolling up the hood
and over the windshield, dousing it like a car wash.
The lane is blocked by the wreck. Steve makes a right turn.
The police cruiser hits the brakes but not fast enough. It
slams into the water truck.
EXT. 5TH STREET
Steve turned onto a one-way street and he's going the wrong
way. A Jeep Wrangler almost runs into him head-on but both
cars stop just in time.
The DRIVER of Wrangler, a muscular fire plug of a guy, jumps
out, furious.
FURIOUS DRIVER
What's wrong with you, you stupid-ass,
son of a bitch, dickhead...
As more invectives are hurled, Steve gets out of the Ferrari
and walks towards the furious driver.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
FURIOUS DRIVER (CONT'D)
What? You want a piece of me? C'mon,
dumbshit. Bring it on. I'll be pulling
peanuts out of your asshole —
BANG. Steve shoots the guy's foot.
FURIOUS DRIVER (CONT'D)
Shit! Shit! You shot me in the foot!
While the furious driver hops on one leg, Steve gets into the
Wrangler and takes off, abandoning the Ferrari. At the same
time •—
INT. BMW 75OIL (MOVING) - SUNSET
Lyle's coasting down Exposition Boulevard towards Union
Station. Clear sailing for him.
He sees a young woman thumbing for a ride. It's Karen. And
he recognizes her: she was hitchhiking when he first arrived
in L.A. He pulls over. To Lyle, she might be an angel in
the empyrean if she wasn't, so completely, a woman.
LYLE
Where are you going?
KAREN
Away.
LYLE
How about far, far away?
KAREN
The farther the better.
EXT. FIGUEROA & OLYMPIC - DAY
Charlie's still having a helluva time getting rid of the
motorcycle. It screams like a Banshee as it streaks up
alongside the Mini. Charlie suddenly sees an AK-47 pointed
right at him.
INT. CHARLIE'S MINI
He jerks the steering wheel and swerves off the street,
driving through the parking lot of the historic Hotel
Figueroa.
With the motorcycle dogging his heels, he looks up at the
building. It has three towers that rise up 12 stories, with
a giant mural of Albert Einstein covering one of the towers
(it's an ad for Apple Computers: Think different.)
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
Suddenly the LAPD helicopter swoops down towards the parking
lot, shattering the air, blowing up dirt and discarded
newspapers in a rush of turbo-wash, trying to box in the
Mini.
INT. CHARLIE'S MINI
He's got no place else to go...
INT. HOTEL FIGUEROA
The Mini squeezes through the entrance and into the lobby
with its exotic Moroccan decor. Horrified guests catapult
out of the way. The Mini drives past wooden statues, potted
palm trees.
The motorcycle follows the car as it streaks towards the
elevator. Charlie looks back, sees the motorcycle. The
elevator door opens. Some tourists step off.
CHARLIE
Going up?
INT. ELEVATOR
The Mini darts right in, not an inch to spare. Charlie
reaches out the window, .presses the button for ROOF.
He sees the motorcycle charging after him, burning rubber
across the beautiful tiled floor. Closer, closer.
The door closes just in time.
A second elevator opens, the motorcycle zooms inside, people
screaming at the sight of the guns.
EXT. ROOFTOP - DAY
The doors open, PING, and the Mini reverses out, spins.
LOOKING DOWN onto the building's rooftop, we see that it is
shaped like a capitol E, three towers connected by a narrow
strip. Each tower has its own elevator. .
INT. CHARLIE'S MINI
He wants to drive across the rooftop strip but there's a big
problem: the giant sign that exclaims HOTEL FIGUEROA in red
and white neon lights blocks so much of the strip that even
the Mini couldn't squeeze through.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
In his rearview, he sees the second elevator door open and
out comes the motorcycle. He's trapped up here. But he's
not about to abandon ship.
EXT. ROOFTOP
So he floors it, slaps the gears, hurtles to the edge of the
first tower and in —
EYE-POPPING CGI SLOW MOTION SHOTS
His car hurls into the wide blue empty space... The ground
deliriously distant... Spiraling through the air like a
football...
NEXT TOWER - ROOFTOP
The Mini lands right-side-up with a THUD. Charlie, rattled,
looks over his shoulder and sees the LAPD helicopter rising
over the rooftop, turbines SCREAMING.
And here comes the motorcycle. Flying from one section of
the rooftop to the next. It lands and the driver REVS it
forward —
I/E CHARLIE'S MINI
He speeds toward the edge of the roof and launches off
towards the third tower some twenty feet away. Lands. Keeps
going to the last elevator, skids to a stop.
He reaches out, punches the call button. Then looks over his
shoulder to witness —
THE MOTORCYCLE
going full throttle to make the final rooftop to rooftop
jump.
But its front wheel hits the edge slightly off-kilter...
It soars but with a slight downward trajectory.. .
Towards a large window on the top floor. ..
Then lower...
And the look on the driver's face says it all as...
The front wheel of the motorcycle SMACKS into the side of the
building, just below the window.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
The guards are flung off the bike and their bodies CRASH
through the window as —
A hunk of exploding metal imbeds itself in the side of the
LAPD chopper and •—
INT. HOTEL FIGUEROA
The guards land in the Tangier Suite in a hailstorm of glass
shards.
I/E. LAPD HELICOPTER
Smoke billows out where the hunk of metal hit. The pilot
keeps it under control but it's time to go. With a WHINING
THROB, the injured chopper banks away.
INT. HOTEL FIGUEROA LOBBY - DAY
PING. The elevator door opens. Charlie's Mini shoots out
then skids out the lobby's exit. He made it.
CUT TO:
INT. STELLA'S MINI (SPEEDING) -DAY
She checks the rearview mirror. No sign of the Ferrari.
Just a Jeep Wrangler back there.
Stella looks relieved. Feels like she's home free.
CUT TO:
EXT. UNION STATION - SUNSET
Stella's Mini pulls up to the ramp of the enclosed car
carrier at the end of Amtrak Train 59, bound for New Orleans.
She can see the other two Minis are already inside. She gets
out and hands the cargo loader a ticket.
EXT. UNION STATION - NIGHT
The "All aboard" announcement goes out over the PA system.
Then the Superliner train pulls out of the station, quickly
picking up speed.
INT. FIRST CLASS CAR - NIGHT
The outside streaks by through the window. It's a happy
crew. Champagne is poured. Charlie holds up his glass and
gets their attention.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
CHARLIE
I want to make a toast. Cause there's
somebody missing here today, and we all
know who it is.
They all raise their glasses.
CHARLIE (CONT'D)
To John Bridger. The most brilliant
master planner of them all. We wish he
was with us.
We PAN ACROSS their faces. It's been a three year odyssey
for them. They got the gold, but they lost someone they
loved.
ALL OF THEM
To John.
Clink.
INT. CAR CARRIER - NIGHT
OUR CAMERA MOVES past the three Minis parked inside...
And STOPS at the last car in the carrier — the Jeep
Wrangler. Its rear hatch rises and Steve creeps out.
around. It's safe.Looks
He walks over to Stella's Mini. Pops open the trunk
REVEALING a silver Haliburton suitcase. He unzips the case.
It's filled with stacks and stacks of gold bricks, the exotic
face of a Balinese girl on each one.
Steve pulls out a brick, embraces it. He knows his gold.
These bricks are real.
But as he has a moment with his gold, BEHIND HIM, the trunks
of the other two Minis RISE in unison.
Then Mashkov RISES out of the trunk of the white Mini.
Another Ukrainian RISES out of the trunk of the blue Mini.
Four more Ukrainians slide out from underneath the Minis.
They cock their M-lls.
CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK.
Steve hears the sound from behind him.
see the weapons pointed at him.He turns around to
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
MASHKOV
Take out your gun and drop it on the
floor.
Steve has no choice.
STEVE
Who are you?
MASHKOV
You knew my cousin. Yevhen.
STEVE
I never knew anyone named Yevhen.
MASHKOV
Get in the trunk. Not that trunk, this
one. That gold is for us. A gift from
some old friends of yours. They said to
tell you that they didn't mind sharing
the box of Cracker Jack, as long as you
didn't get any. Not even the toy.
surprise.
The Ukrainians force Steve into the trunk of the white Mini.
And for the first time, he's scared. Looking up at Mashkov,
he begs.
STEVE
Please. Don't shoot me. Please...
MASHKOV
Don't worry. That wasn't the deal. I'm
not going to shoot you.
STEVE
Thank you. Thank God.
MASHKOV
(to the others)
He really thought I was going to shoot
him.
The Ukrainians laugh. Steve tries to laugh.
MASHKOV (CONT'D)
No. No. I'm not going to shoot you.
I'm going to hack off your limbs and bury
you while you're still alive.
And with that, he closes the trunk. THUD. Like the lid of a
coffin. And for Steve, the world falls into BLACKNESS.INT. FIRST CLASS CAR - SAME TIME
Underneath the crew's seats, we see the other two silver
Haliburton suitcases filled with the rest of the gold. We
BOOM UP to our five thieves...
CHARLIE
New IDs.
Handsome Rob passes out new fake driver' s licenses for when
they arrive in New Orleans.
LYLE
(re: his fake license)
Simon Quackenbush? Could I — just once
— have a cool name?
HALF-EAR
(also complaining)
250_ pounds?
They're interrupted by the RING of Charlie's phone. He
answers.
CHARLIE
Did you get what you wanted?
INT. CAR CARRIER - INTERCUT
Mashkov is on the other end of the line.
MASHKOV
I'm happy.
During this, Lyle types commands into his laptop that is
connected to a phone jack in the car.
CHARLIE
It was good doing business with you.
Lyle hits a final command and —
INT. ENGINEER ROOM - SAME TIME
A signal box receives the command and —
EXT. CAR CARRIER - SAME TIME
The coupler between the car carrier and the rest of the train
is electronically disengaged.
This causes the train to separate from the car carrier. The
train speeds on without it at 100 miles per hour.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
The car carrier slowly comes to a stop in the middle of
nowhere.
CUT TO:
INT. DINING CAR - NIGHT
The Dining Car features crisp white linens and extended
windows for scenic dining. Lyle walks over to a table where
Karen is waiting for him. She looks resplendent.
LYLE
Is this seat taken?
KAREN
It is now.
He sits. And as OUR CAMERA HOLDS ON Lyle, ready to embark on
a new life, we —
CUT TO:
THE COVER OF WIRED'MAGAZINE
It fills THE SCREEN. And beneath a photograph of Lyle
himself, we read the headline:
WILL THE REAL NAPSTER PLEASE STAND UP
How The Laptop Fugitive Pulled It Off
CUT TO:
INT. PARLOUR CAR - NIGHT
And as OUR CAMERA FINDS Half-Ear, checking out the books in
the library, feeling like the wealthy man he is, we •—
CUT TO:
THE COVER OF PHILADELPHIA CITY COLLEGE'S ALUMNI NEWS
And beneath a graduation photo of Half-Ear in his cap and
gown, we read the headline:
"HE WAS ONE OF MZ BEST STUDENTS"
Professor Relives Memories of Erudite Fugitive
CUT TO:INT. LOUNGE CAR - NIGHT
And as OUR CAMERA FINDS Handsome Rob, who's already caught
the eye of a woman at the bar, we —
CUT TO:
THE COVER OF THE ADELPHIA CABLE INSIDER NEWSLETTER
And beneath a .photo of Becky the cable chick, we read the
headline:
"HE TOOK THE SHIRT OFF MX BACK AND I'D GIVE IT TO HIM AGAIN!"
Feds Say Technician Admits to Encounter With ' Handsome' Thief
CUT TO:
INT. FIRST CLASS CAR - NIGHT
Charlie and Stella drink from glasses of champagne.
CHARLIE
. We did it.
STELLA
We sure did.
CHARLIE
There's something I've been meaning to
ask you, Stella. But I've just been so
busy lately, what with the explosion, car
chase, Ukrainians and all.
STELLA
It has been a hectic day.
CHARLIE
It's about that thing you said to me back
in Philadelphia.
STELLA
That thing?
CHARLIE
You said that you can"t have a
relationship with a pickpocket, gold
robber, or any kind of thief.
STELLA
Oh... That thing.
(CONTINUED)CONTINUED:
CHARLIE
Do you still believe that?
STELLA
Yeah. I do.
CHARLIE
Well I was wondering... What about a
retired pickpocket, gold robber, thief?
STELLA
Now that's an entirely different
.question.
And as an enigmatic smile settles across her face, we —
CUT TO:
THE COVER OF CONDE MAST TRAVEL MAGAZINE
And beneath a photo of sunbathers on a glorious beach, we
read the headline:
LIVING THE GOOD LIFE ON THE PINK SANDS OF BEBMUDA
And OUR VIEW SLOWLY PUSHES IN CLOSER ON the magazine cover...
CLOSER on the line of sunbathers. ..PANNING ACROSS their faces
__and you'd never notice unless you were really, really,
looking for them. ..is it them?... CLOSER on the pixels... and
yes, it sure is...Charlie & Stella in lounge chairs, living
the good life.
FADE OUT.
The end. | screenplays |
in @xcite , csrnyei and wilson show that continua of @xmath0-finite @xmath1-measure in euclidean space have tangents on a set of positive @xmath1-measure . recall that a set @xmath3 has a _
@xmath6-dimensional tangent _ at @xmath9 if there is a @xmath6-dimensional plane @xmath10 passing through @xmath11 such that @xmath12 .
they also show that the same result does not hold for higher dimensional surfaces by constructing a @xmath6-dimensional topological sphere @xmath2 with @xmath13 but no @xmath6-dimensional tangents anywhere .
their example still contains a piece of a lipschitz graph , and thus , for almost every @xmath11 in this set , it has _
approximate @xmath6-dimensional tangents _ , meaning there is a @xmath6-plane @xmath10 so that for all @xmath14 , @xmath15 ( see chapter 15 of @xcite for more on tangents ) . for @xmath16 , a closed set @xmath2 satisfies the _ @xmath17-two - ball condition _ if for each @xmath9 and @xmath18 , there are two balls of radius @xmath19 contained in @xmath20 in two different components of @xmath21 . with this extra condition
, we obtain a generalization of the above result .
[ t : mw ] if @xmath22 satisfies the two - ball condition and has @xmath0-finite @xmath7-measure , then for any ball @xmath23 centered on @xmath24 , the set of tangent points in @xmath25 has positive @xmath7-measure
. it would be interesting to find a higher codimensional analogue of the above result , perhaps a variant of the generalized semmes surfaces introduced by david , see page 107 of @xcite .
+ the techniques for proving theorem [ t : mw ] have a few other applications . a closed set @xmath26 is _
@xmath6-uniformly rectifable _ if 1 .
@xmath27 is _
@xmath6-ahlfors regular _ , meaning there is @xmath28 so that @xmath29 2 . _
@xmath27 has big pieces of lipschitz images _ , meaning there are constants @xmath30 so for all @xmath31 and @xmath32 , there is a lipschitz map @xmath33 @xmath34-lipschitz and @xmath35 .
these sets were introduced by david and semmes in @xcite in the context of singular integrals , and it is an interesting problem to isolate simple geometric criteria that guarantee uniform rectifiability .
one such criterion due to semmes @xcite : a @xmath6-alhfors regular set @xmath36 satisfying the two - ball condition is called a _ semmes surface_. in @xcite , david showed that semmes surfaces are unfiformly rectifiable as well as certain higher codimensional generalizations . since then , other proofs have been developed and in much more generality , see for example @xcite and @xcite .
possibly the best such result is that of jones , katz , and vargas @xcite , where they show that for all @xmath37 there is @xmath38 so that if @xmath39 is _ any _ domain with @xmath40 and @xmath41 , then there is a radial @xmath42-lipschitz graph @xmath43 so that @xmath44 .
another much shorter proof is that of david and jerison @xcite , where they show that the lipschitz images can also be taken to be boundaries of lipschitz subdomains of @xmath45 .
an _ @xmath34-lipschitz domain _ is a set of the form @xmath46 where @xmath47 is the unit ball in @xmath48 , @xmath49 is any nonnegative @xmath34-lipschitz supported in @xmath47 , and @xmath50 is a conformal affine map . traditionally , lipschitz domains are defined more generally , but this will suit our purposes . for @xmath16 , an open set @xmath51 , @xmath52 , is an _ exterior ( or interior ) @xmath17-corkscrew domain _ if for all @xmath53 and @xmath54 there is a ball @xmath55 ( or a ball @xmath56 ) .
we ll say @xmath39 is a _
@xmath17-corkscrew domain _ if it has both exterior and interior corkscrews .
[ p : main ] for @xmath57 , there are @xmath58 and @xmath59 such that the following holds .
let @xmath51 be a @xmath17-exterior corkscrew domain , and @xmath23 a ball of radius @xmath54 centered on @xmath60 such that @xmath61
. also assume there is @xmath62 .
then there is an @xmath34-lipschitz domain @xmath63 with @xmath64 .
the above proposition has a few applications .
firstly , it gives an even shorter proof that semmes surfaces are uniformly rectifiable as follows : let @xmath31 and @xmath65 , pick an interior corkscrew @xmath66 .
observe that if @xmath39 is the connected component of @xmath45 containing @xmath23 , then @xmath39 is an exterior corkscrew domain as each ball centered on @xmath27 must have two corkscrew balls in two different components of @xmath45 , and so one of them ca nt be @xmath39 .
moreover , there is @xmath67 $ ] so that @xmath68 and @xmath69
. we can then apply proposition [ p : main ] to find a large lipschitz image in @xmath70 .
note that while each component of @xmath45 is an exterior corkscrew domain , it may not be interior corkscrew . just consider @xmath71 , then the component containing the point @xmath72 does not that the @xmath17-interior corkscrew condition for any @xmath17 .
badger proves something similar in ( * ? ? ?
* theorem 2.4 ) .
he observed that the proof in david and jerison gives a version of proposition [ p : main ] if we just assume the boundary is locally @xmath7-finite rather than ahlfors regular .
his result gives a bit more information , but he needs both interior and exterior corkscrews for his domains . the additional motivation for finding _ interior _ big pieces of lipschitz domains aside from uniform rectifiability is a result of dahlberg @xcite , which says that harmonic measures on lipschitz domains are @xmath73-weights . using a version of proposition [ p : main ] , david and jerison showed harmonic measure is an @xmath73-weight if @xmath39 has ahlfors regular boundary and is a nontangentially accessible ( or nta ) domain , which happen to be connected corkscrew domains .
( we wo nt discuss the definition of an nta domain and refer the reader to its inception in @xcite . )
badger in turn shows that @xmath74 ( @xmath75 denoting harmonic measure ) if we only assume @xmath76 is radon .
one can now use the above proposition and proceed as on page 842 of @xcite or as in section 4 of @xcite to obtain shorter proofs of these harmonic measure results .
the common thread in our proofs of theorem [ t : mw ] and proposition [ p : main ] is to use fubini s theorem to show that if a portion of @xmath77 , say , has large projections in several directions , then there must be a set @xmath27 of points in @xmath77 of large measure which are `` visible '' from a positive measure set of directions ( that is , for each @xmath31 there are line segments emanating from @xmath11 in many directions without hitting @xmath60 ) .
we then show that , for each @xmath31 , the set of directions are dense enough around one particular direction that in fact there is a whole spherical cap of directions that @xmath11 is visible from ( since if one of those rays did hit the boundary , we would find an exterior corkscrew that would have to block one of these directions ) .
thus , @xmath11 is the apex of a cone contained in @xmath39 .
from here it is not too hard to show that a large portion of @xmath27 lies in the boundary of a lipschitz domain .
+ the author would like to thank mihalis mourgoglou for his helpful discussions , as well as the referee whose comments greatly improved the readability of this manuscript .
part of this work was done while the author was attending the 2015 research term on analysis and geometry in metric spaces at the icmat .
we write @xmath78 for the closed ball in @xmath79 centered at @xmath80 of radius @xmath81 and @xmath82 denote the closed ball in @xmath83 centered at @xmath84 of radius @xmath81 with respect to arclength . in particular , for @xmath85 , we let @xmath86 . for a set @xmath87 , we will let @xmath88 and @xmath89 denote the @xmath6-dimensional hausdorff measure ( whose definition can be found in @xcite ) normalized so that @xmath90 is equal to the @xmath6-dimensional lebesgue measure of @xmath91 . for @xmath92 , we set @xmath93 . in this section ,
we prove three lemmas that will be used in the proofs of theorem [ t : mw ] and proposition [ p : main ] .
[ l : porous ] there is @xmath94 so that the following holds . for all @xmath95 and @xmath96
, there is @xmath97 so that for any @xmath98 with @xmath99 , there is @xmath100 and @xmath101 so that any @xmath102 is at most @xmath103 from @xmath104 with respect to the arclength metric on @xmath83 .
let @xmath105^{d}\subseteq \br^{d}$ ] . here
, when we say _
dyadic cube _
, we mean a set @xmath106 of the form @xmath107 $ ] for any integers @xmath108 and we will denote the sidelength of @xmath106 by @xmath109 .
let @xmath110 be the orthogonal projection onto @xmath48 and @xmath111 .
for @xmath112 small enough , we can guarantee @xmath113 has a @xmath114-bi - lipschitz inverse on @xmath115 ( with respect to the arclength metric in @xmath83 ) , and so @xmath116 for some @xmath117
. let @xmath118 be the maximal dyadic cubes in @xmath119 . for @xmath120 define @xmath121 where the sum is zero if @xmath106 contains no @xmath122 .
then @xmath123 note that there are at least @xmath124 dyadic cubes of sidelength @xmath125 that intersect @xmath126 .
suppose there is @xmath127 such that all cubes @xmath106 intersecting @xmath126 of sidelength at least @xmath128 contain a @xmath122 with @xmath129 ( so @xmath130 ) .
then @xmath131 then and imply @xmath132 . hence , there is @xmath106 with @xmath133 that intersects @xmath126 and so that there is no dyadic cube in @xmath134 of sidelength at least @xmath135 .
in particular , every point in @xmath106 is at most @xmath136 away from a point in @xmath126 .
thus every point in @xmath137 is at most @xmath138 in the path metric on @xmath83 from @xmath139 .
thus , we can find a point @xmath140 ( say , the point in @xmath87 whose projection is closest to the center of @xmath106 ) and @xmath141 so that @xmath142 , @xmath143 for some @xmath144 , and every point in @xmath145 is at most @xmath146 from @xmath139 where @xmath147 depends only on @xmath6 .
[ l : cones ] let @xmath96 , @xmath148 , @xmath149 be small , @xmath150 and @xmath151 be such that @xmath152 .
suppose @xmath153 and @xmath141 are such that for all @xmath154 , @xmath155 is at most @xmath103 from @xmath87 .
let @xmath39 be a @xmath17-exterior corkscrew domain , @xmath53 , @xmath156 , and assume @xmath157 for all @xmath158 .
let @xmath159 then @xmath160 . without loss of generality
, we will assume @xmath161 so that @xmath162 , and that @xmath163 .
suppose @xmath164 , so there is @xmath165 .
if @xmath166 , then the largest angle @xmath167 may have with @xmath168 is if @xmath169 $ ] is tangent to the ball @xmath170 , in which case the angle is @xmath171 .
as the angle of @xmath168 with @xmath172 is at most @xmath171 as well , the angle of @xmath167 with @xmath172 is at most @xmath173 .
thus , @xmath174 for all @xmath175 ( see figure [ wz].a ) .
( 0,0)(212,0 ) ( 40,65)@xmath168 ( 155,65)@xmath168 ( 60,160)@xmath176 ( 175,160)@xmath176 ( 10,120)@xmath167 ( 133,90)@xmath177 ( 110,120)@xmath178 ( 155,155)@xmath179 ( 135,70)@xmath180 ( -15,86)@xmath181 ( 70,20)@xmath172 ( 187,20)@xmath172 ( 30,150)@xmath171 ( 40,0)a .
( 150,0)b .
moreover , @xmath182 , and so
@xmath183 since @xmath39 has @xmath17-exterior corkscrews , we may find @xmath184 . if @xmath185 is such that @xmath186 then @xmath187 since @xmath188 for all @xmath189 .
for @xmath190 small enough , since @xmath191 , we know @xmath192 for @xmath189 and @xmath193 .
thus , if @xmath194 $ ] is tangent to @xmath180 ( see figure [ wz].b ) , @xmath195 since @xmath196 , we know @xmath197 by assumption , which contradicts @xmath187 .
[ l : t ] let @xmath2 be closed , @xmath23 be a ball centered on @xmath3 of radius @xmath65 , and suppose @xmath198 for some @xmath199 .
there is @xmath200 so that the following holds . for @xmath201 and @xmath84 ,
let @xmath202 , @xmath203 be the orthogonal projection onto @xmath204 , @xmath205 , and @xmath206 .
let @xmath50 be the convex hull of @xmath207 and @xmath208 .
if @xmath209 and @xmath210 are in in different components of @xmath211 , then @xmath212 for all @xmath213 .
note that @xmath214 contained in the interior of @xmath210 , and there is @xmath215 so that if @xmath216 is a rotation about zero in any direction by angle @xmath217 , then we still have @xmath218 , and so @xmath219 .
for a set @xmath220 , the _ contingent of @xmath3 at @xmath9 _ is the set of all half - lines @xmath221 for which there is @xmath222 converging to @xmath11 so that @xmath223 .
[ l : contingent ] given a set @xmath2 , let @xmath224 be the set of points in @xmath3 where the contingent is not all of @xmath79
. then @xmath224 has @xmath0-finite @xmath7-measure and for @xmath7-almost every @xmath225 , the union of half - lines in the contingent is either a @xmath6-plane ( in which case @xmath11 is a tangent point for @xmath3 ) or a half - space . the planar case of this lemma is stated in @xcite , but as mentioned in @xcite after lemma 6 , the above version is proved similarly .
let @xmath3 satisfy the @xmath114-ball condition with constant @xmath16 and @xmath23 be a ball centered on @xmath3 of radius @xmath65 .
we will show that , for each point in a subset of @xmath226 of positive @xmath7-measure , the contingent is not @xmath79 or a halfspace , so that by lemma [ l : contingent ] almost all of these points will be tangent points . since @xmath3 has the 2-ball condition , we may find two balls of radius @xmath19 in two different components of @xmath227 of radius @xmath19 . by rotation , we may assume one is @xmath210 where @xmath228 and the other @xmath229 .
let @xmath24 and @xmath230 be the sets from lemma [ l : t ] with @xmath231 ( and so @xmath232 depends ultimately on @xmath17 ) .
let @xmath233 be a countable partition of @xmath24 into sets of finite @xmath7-measure .
let @xmath234 and set @xmath235 , so @xmath236 is a finite borel measure with support equal to @xmath24 .
set @xmath237 with the convention that @xmath238 .
the function @xmath239 is a borel function on @xmath240 .
[ l : hborel ] we postpone the proof for now until the end of the section .
if we set @xmath241 then @xmath242 is borel for all @xmath243 .
note that @xmath244 is the set of pairs @xmath245 so that @xmath246 is an isolated point in @xmath247 .
set @xmath248 by theorem 10.10 in @xcite , for each @xmath249 , @xmath250 for every @xmath213 and for almost every @xmath251 .
thus , @xmath252 is countable for every @xmath84 and almost every @xmath251 , and so it must contain an isolated point if it is nonempty . by lemma [ l : t ] , @xmath212 and so @xmath253 for each @xmath254 and @xmath213 , thus for each @xmath213 and almost every @xmath254 , @xmath253 must have an isolated point , or in other words , @xmath255 .
hence @xmath256 , thus @xmath257 for all @xmath213 .
since @xmath244 is borel , we may integrate , apply fubini , and use the monotone convergence theorem to get @xmath258 thus , if we set @xmath259 , then @xmath260 for some @xmath261 and @xmath262 .
let @xmath263 be the components of @xmath3 and for @xmath264 set @xmath265 then @xmath266 for some @xmath267 .
as observed in the introduction , each @xmath268 is a @xmath17-exterior corkscrew domain since @xmath3 has the @xmath114-ball condition .
pick @xmath149 as in lemma [ l : cones ] and apply lemma [ l : porous ] to @xmath269 to get @xmath270 and @xmath271 ( depending on @xmath272 , and @xmath273 ) .
since @xmath274 for each @xmath275 , by lemma [ l : cones ] with @xmath276 , @xmath162 , we have @xmath277 by applying lemma [ l : porous ] with @xmath278 , @xmath279 and @xmath280 , we also get that @xmath281 .
thus , the contingent of @xmath3 at @xmath11 does not contain any half - line from @xmath11 passing through @xmath282 , thus the contingent can not be @xmath79 or a half - space . since this holds for each @xmath264 , by lemma [
l : contingent ] , we conclude that @xmath3 has tangents at almost every point in @xmath283 . since @xmath260 , we are done .
for @xmath284 let @xmath285\cup [ \xi-\ve\theta,\xi-\ve^{-1}\theta]$ ] and set @xmath286 note that @xmath287 decreases pointwise on @xmath288 to @xmath239 , and thus it suffices to show that each @xmath287 is borel measurable for each @xmath284 .
in fact , we will show @xmath287 is lower semicontinuous .
let @xmath289 , we will show @xmath290 we can clearly assume @xmath291 . by passing to a subsequence if necessary , we may also assume @xmath292 converges .
let @xmath293be so that @xmath294 . passing to another subsequence , we may assume @xmath295 ( since @xmath296 is a bounded sequence in @xmath24 and @xmath24 is closed this is why we have defined our balls to be closed ) .
then by definition of @xmath287 , @xmath297
let @xmath39 be a @xmath17-exterior corkscrew domain , @xmath23 be a ball centered on @xmath60 . without loss of generality
, we may assume @xmath298 and @xmath299 .
we will first prove the proposition assuming @xmath300 .
( 0,0)(350,0 ) ( 175,150)@xmath314 ( 175,15)@xmath315 ( 205,30)@xmath316 ( 285,70)@xmath317 ( 173,90)@xmath318 ( 60,35)@xmath230 ( 45,10)@xmath155 ( 25,80)@xmath319 ( 65,100)@xmath319 ( 95,70)@xmath60 ( 210,135)@xmath60 ( 335,135)@xmath60 ( 155,35)@xmath320 ( 50,-10)a .
( 170,-10)b .
( 285,-10)c .
let @xmath322 and @xmath323 be as in lemmas [ l : porous ] and [ l : cones ] , and let @xmath324 , let @xmath325 and @xmath326 be @xmath172 and @xmath327 from lemma [ l : porous ] with @xmath328 .
note that since @xmath329 , we know @xmath330 where @xmath323 depends only on @xmath6 and @xmath331 ( and so just on @xmath6 , @xmath17 , and @xmath332 ) .
also , if @xmath333 , then @xmath334 , and since @xmath335 while @xmath336 , we have @xmath337 . hence ,
if @xmath338 , then @xmath339 for each @xmath333 . pick a maximally @xmath340-separated set @xmath341 ( with respect to the arclength metric ) , so that for all @xmath31 , there is @xmath342 , and so by lemma [ l : cones ] with our choice of @xmath343 , moreover , as @xmath345 and @xmath346 , @xmath347 as well .
let @xmath348 and @xmath349 be a maximally @xmath320-separated set in @xmath350 .
set @xmath351 and @xmath352 then @xmath353 ( see figure 2.b ) .
we now set @xmath354 where @xmath355 denotes the convex hull , see figure 2.c .
the above is an @xmath34-lipschitz domain with @xmath356 such that @xmath357 ( see for example lemma 15.13 of @xcite ) .
moreover , we can find @xmath358 so that @xmath359 since @xmath360 and @xmath361 are bounded above by a number depending only on @xmath6 and the number @xmath340 , we have that @xmath362 for some @xmath363
. then @xmath364 is our desired domain and we are done .
now we consider general @xmath365 . without loss of generality
, we can assume @xmath366 .
since @xmath23 is centered on @xmath60 , this means @xmath367 .
let @xmath368 and set @xmath369 .
then @xmath370 and by the work above ( considering the ratio of the radii of these two balls is exactly @xmath17 ) , we may find a lipshitz domain @xmath371 with @xmath372 for some constant @xmath373 .
this finishes the proof .
for @xmath85 small enough , there is @xmath374 a continuous map that is a homeomorphism onto its image in the orthogonal group such that @xmath375 for all @xmath84 .
one way to find this map is as follows : the function @xmath376 defined by @xmath377 is a differentiable map and if @xmath378 are the set of critical points , then @xmath379 by sard s theorem . for all @xmath380 , @xmath381 , so by symmetry of the sphere and @xmath382 we know @xmath383 , thus @xmath384 , and hence @xmath239 has full rank everywhere . by the inverse function theorem ,
for @xmath85 small enough we can find a @xmath6-surface @xmath24 containing the identity map @xmath385 so that @xmath386 is a homeomorphism . for @xmath213 ,
let @xmath387 and @xmath388 . for @xmath254
, let @xmath389 be the unique point such that @xmath390 and @xmath391 . for @xmath392 , let @xmath393 , so this is the unique point in @xmath319 so that @xmath394 and @xmath395 . now define @xmath396 .
we claim @xmath397 is lower semicontinuous .
let @xmath398 converge to @xmath399 we need to show @xmath400 . by passing to a subsequence , we can assume @xmath401 converges , and also that @xmath402 converges to a point @xmath403
. then @xmath404 and by definition of the function @xmath405 , we must have @xmath406 and this proves the claim .
the set @xmath407 is borel . to see this ,
let @xmath408 be an enumeration of all open intervals with rational endpoints in @xmath409 .
then @xmath410 if and only if there is @xmath411 with @xmath412 and @xmath413 , and so @xmath414 , thus @xmath43 is a borel set . | arxiv |
Why using smaller portions are better for extractions [closed]
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Why is using one smaller portion more efficient than using one large portion for extraction. No math answer please thank you
Suppose you have 1 liter of water solution of something you want to extract, 1 liter of solvent, and a partition coefficient of 1 (not very practical, but this is just to make the math simpler). You mix them all together, the compound distributes between water and solvent at 1:1 ratio, then you separate the solvent and end up with 50% of your compound. Can we do better than that?
OK, now let's divide the solvent in two equal portions. The first portion of 500 ml takes $1\over3$ of our compound, then the second portion takes $1\over3$ of the rest, or $2\over9$ of the original amount, thus making the total of ${5\over9}\approx55\%$, which is somewhat better than $50\%$.
Believe it or check it yourself, splitting the solvent into more portions will get us even more of our compound. You may call 5% a marginal gain, but with more favorable partition coefficients, the figures may grow quite a while.
And finally, if we split the original solution as well, and apply the portions in the right order, we may get pretty close to the [industrial process](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquid%E2%80%93liquid_extraction#Multistage_countercurrent_continuous_processes).
Because extraction is about maximizing surface area contact between the two solutions, and you simply get more surface area contact with smaller volumes. You can mix two smaller portions faster and more thoroughly than with large portions.
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Stereochemical outcomes in opening of vinyl epoxides
>
> Explain the outcomes of the following reactions. In each case the major product is shown.
>
>
> 
>
>
>
Firstly, I don't understand why the chloride always attacks on the right hand side of the epoxide. Also, regarding the stereochemistry for (ii), I assume the chlorine can open the epoxide as it is antiperiplanar to the left hand side of the epoxide?
While @orthocresol was busy finding the Carreira paper, I was busy constructing my own thoughts on the stereochemical consequences of the reactions of **1** (iii) and 5 (ii). Yes, it is an issue of conformation. It is far easier to rationalize the results after the fact. To predict the most reactive conformation of epoxide **1** the Newman projection **2**, viewed along the red bond of **1**, places the two carbon chains *anti* to one another. Intermediate **3** undergoes straightforward SN2 displacement at the allylic site.
In the case of epoxide **5** (ii), the two alkyl chains maintain the *anti* positions in conformation **6** but now the carbon-bound chlorine acts as a neighboring group in an intramolecular SN2 displacement to form intermediate **7**. This species suffers a second SN2 displacement to afford **8** with retention of stereochemistry at the reacting site. Compound (i) follows the same pathway as **1** (iii). The role of water is to cleave the silylether.
[](https://i.stack.imgur.com/Y0xOL.jpg)
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Harry Potter 1. Scream Insanities
Disclaimer: All rights belong to JKR.
Conquered Love
Scream Insanities Fluffy little fic that totally disregards Deathly Hallows, which was great... just not for Harmonian shippers. This has been beta'd only by me, so all errors are mine. If anyone would like to beta for me that'd be great, just say so in a review. Enjoy!
…
"FINALLY!" shouted cheerful and completely pissed voices from the living room of number 12 Grimmauld Place. Hermione Granger smiled wearily from the front door, closing it behind her. She had been working late at the office and totally forgot about her best friend's engagement party taking place at their house. Now, finally making it home at 11:30 she was entirely too tired to stay awake with her friends and have a few drinks only to have to wake up at 5 a.m. the following morning.
"Hey guys. Ron I'm sorry I'm late, a mission-"
"Hermione I'm getting married!!" shouted Ron from the bar in the corner with a large bottle of firewhiskey in one hand and the other wrapped around his unstable fiancé, Lavender. "And you're late! This is one of the last nights I'll have as a free man and you're bloody late!"
"I know I'm sorry, I-"
"Party foul for Hermione Granger on account of being late!" yelled Seamus coming up to give her a kiss on the cheek.
"You know what this means!" said George coming through the kitchen door with a half glass of whiskey and shoving it in her hands.
"Double for you all night long!" followed his twin with a full bottle of liquor filling Hermione's glass up to the brim with amber liquid.
"Fred I-" Hermione tried waving her hand that wasn't holding the glass to tell him that she wasn't going to drink it.
"HERMIIIIIONE!!" bellowed a voice from the stairs. Hermione turned to see Harry stumbling down the stairs with a foreign bottle in his hands full of bright green liquid. Hermione narrowed her eyes at Harry taking in his inebriated state. Harry was hardly one to ever drink so much to the point where he was shouting and falling all over the place for no reason.
That was usually left to Ron.
"Hermione, Hermione, Hermione," he said again as he shuffled towards her, "I'm so glad you're here. It's just me and you now 'Mi, just me and you with this big old house to ourselves." he told her moving in to give her a hug.
"Harry!" she gasped as she felt cold liquid trickle down the front of her blouse.
"Oh, whoopsie, spill on isle five." said Harry, his eyebrows raising as he looked down at her wet chest, "Here, let me mop that up," he said wiping his palm down the valley of her breasts finishing at the end of her stomach.
"Harry stop!" Hermione said firmly reaching for his bottle and placing it along with her cup on a nearby coffee table.
"I'm sorr-"
"Harry James Potter, upstairs now!" she demanded poking a finger into is chest and then pointing it towards the stairs.
"Yes ma'am but it might be a little tricky-"
"C'mon," she grabbed his arm and threw it around her shoulders, her other arm wrapping around his waist to support him.
"Harry, what's the reason for all this?" asked Hermione in a more gentle tone as they reached Harry's bedroom.
"Don't need a reason to get pissed Hermione!" said Harry blissfully before falling on his bed.
"Yeah, but you're never this pissed. Where's Brooke?" she asked referring to his girlfriend of about two months.
"Ya know there was a ball at the minister's house tonight to celebrate his firs' year in office. She said she wanted us to go but I reminded her about the engagement party tonight and she said quote on quote 'It is much more important for us to be seen together at the Minister's Anniversary Ball then at your friend's stupid engagement party.'" Hermione gasped and gave Harry a disturbed look as he imitated Brooke in a high annoying voice. "Yeah, and thennnn she asked me wha' was more important, her or Ron." Hermione came to sit next to Harry on the bed looking utterly shocked, "And _that_ was when I chucked her."
"Oh Harry I'm so sorry-"
"Don't be. It's not like it 'asn't 'appened before. It 'appens with every girl I try to date. They all fall in love with the scar... not the heart." Harry then gave her a puppy dog look, " I mean scars aren't exactly the most attractive thing, it doesn't make sense that they would rather 'ave that then my pretty lil' heart."
Hermione gave out a light laugh, "Oh Harry, they don't know what they're missing."
Harry looked at her and smiled before waving a hand in front of him and looking away, saying in an immature voice, "Stop it, I'll blush."
Hermione laughed again while Harry sighed and lay back on his bed. "Looks like no one will ever fall in love with me."
"Why's that?" she asked him, wondering why he could ever think that. _'I'll give you a hint, someone in this room loves you Harry Potter,' _she thought sadly as she observed him.
"Because... because people like me can't tell if people are truly interested or just want my golddd, 'cause I got lots of that," he finished rather stupidly. She could tell the effects of alcohol were really taking a toll on him by the way he would rush through his sentences.
"I admit, I _am_ ridiculously good looking but still..."
Hermione laughed, "Yes, you are ridiculously good looking."
"Ahah! Told ya!" he said sitting up and squeezing her arm, giving her a stupid grin. _'An adorable stupid grin...'_ she thought as she smiled back at him.
Harry let go of her arm to swish a finger between them, "I think we should get married."
"Funny," she said with raised eyebrows.
"I'M SERIOUS! I mean no I'm not Sirius... BUT I'M SERIOUS!"
"Oh-kay Harry, off to bed with you." she said trying to push him down.
"No Hermione," he said confidently leaning back up to look her in the face, " I've been waiting to tell you a secret for a long time but it was a secret so I wasn't sure I should tell you but I think I'm going to break the rules of secret keeping tonight because I 'ave to tell you my secret that I've been secretly keeping for a long time." His head was bobbing all over the place during his speech and Hermione was growing a tad impatient.
"Okay, Harry I'm listening."
Harry leaned in to whisper in her ear, "I love you."
She let out a soft laugh and nodded her head, "Okay, I love you too... now get some sleep."
"But wait! I love you!" he said again with an adorable look like he was a boy who just found out his puppy had died.
"And I said I love you too!" she said edgily.
Harry gripped Hermione's hands and stood them up, Harry making the both of them wobble. "So we should kiss now."
"What?"
Harry gave her a cheeky grin and leaned in while singing under his breath, "I love you, you love me, we can make a hap-py fam-i-lyyyy-"
He held the note as Hermione quickly drew up a hand and placed it over his mouth to cut him off, "Harry stop."
"What? Why? Don't you want me to kiss you? It's kind of a tradition you know... you say I love you's and then you kiss... and then maybe..." he mumbled slowly looking towards his bed as he finished.
"Harry you don't even know what you're saying."
"Yes I do, I love you. Do you know what you're saying because I know I just said I love you. I'll say it backwards for you if you want-"
"Harry-"
"I love you, I looove you, I lovey lovey lovey loooove you!" he said each in a different tone of voice.
Hermione gave a sad short smile, "No you don't Harry-"
She was cut off as Harry leaned in to press his lips to hers. Hermione inhaled sharply as he did, but didn't move. She began to lean in to the kiss as a few moments went by,
Harry broke the kiss but didn't move much, tilting his head away from her lips half an inch so he could speak, "Don't you want us to kiss?"
Hermione sighed and looked into his eyes, "Yes... but I want you to be sober when we do."
"Okay then gimme a sobriety potion and we'll continue!" he said excitedly with deep green eyes.
She shook her head, "No, remember Ron used it all last weekend?"
"That git!" he practically shouted, still half an inch from her mouth. "Fine I'll go to sleep and in the morning when I'm nice and sober we can kiss again, right?" he finished giving her a hopeful look.
Hermione smiled at his childish look, "Sure Harry." _'God, why am I encouraging him? It can never happen!' _her mind screamed.
"Good," he said gently as he lay down on his bed, "'Cause I like kissin' you."
"I like kissing you too, Harry."
"Stay with me." he said suddenly giving her a piercing look as she started for the door.
"Harry you're not even going to remem-"
"'Mione please!" he whined, sitting up and wrapping his arms tightly around her waist.
"Alright," she breathed in defeat.
"Yesssssss!"
Harry scooted over a bit to allow Hermione on the bed. As soon as she laid down, a fair distance away, he pulled her close, "Love you."
"I love you too, Harry." she said quietly laying her head on his chest.
"Good. Sweat dreams 'Mi, don't let the bed bugs bite... and if they do wake me up and I'll kill those suckers." he added quickly, breathing into her hair.
Hermione laughed, "Alright, Harry."
He kissed her on the forehead, "I'm glad tonight happened, I can't wait for the mornin'."
"Okay Harry."
"I mean I know I _have _to wait but-"
"Harry," Hermione warned with closed eyes.
"Okay, shutting up now. I'm really going to sleep so you don't have to worry. And in the mornin' when I get my mornin' wood-"
"Harry!"
He kissed her temple again, "Alright that was the las' one."
Hermione sighed and snuggled into his chest.
"By the way you smell really good, I always though so-"
"Harry if you don't shut up I'm going to stun you."
Kissing her forehead one last time, he whispered, "I love you."
"Love you too."
…
Okay, this is something new I'm working on. Just a fluffy little fic with our favourite couple that will be divided into four shots. I figured we all needed something to get our minds off DH… the stubborn H/HR shippers still stand united!
Review, please! Take the two seconds to leave me a smiley or frowny face!
2. A Long Time In The Works
**Conquered Love**
**Disclaimer**: Not mine, belongs to the brilliant author, J.K. Rowling
**Chapter Two**: A Long Time In the Works
Harry groaned. The pounding in his head did not feel good at all. It felt like hammer's were pounding his temple in a repeated cycle: slow, fast, slow, fast.
He rolled over, wanting to feel the cool sheets of his bed against his face. As he did he caught a whiff of something. Something that smelled quite calm, like a nice flowery vanilla scent. A scent that smelled painfully familiar. A scent that he had spent many lazy hours wondering how it would taste against the wearer's skin.
Hermione's scent.
His eyes shot open, blurring the scene around him. Ignoring his headache he reached for his glasses on the bedside table. He shook his head trying to clear his mind and remember anything that happened last night.
'Dumped Brooke... came home... party... lots of glowing green liquid... that stupid green fairy floating over my shoulder... Hermione... Hermione...'
"Damn," Harry whispered, furious that his memory faded out as soon as he thought of Hermione. Harry turned to look at the pillow next to him that was wearing Hermione's distinct smell. The pillow had a round indenture in the middle of it, looking as if a head had slept there the previous night. His hands frantically ran down his chest and legs making sure he had appropriate clothing on.
He sighed in relief, "Merlin, what the hell happened last night?"
He threw the remaining covers off his body and stood from his bed, immediately making his way for his bedroom door. As he clambered down the stairs, holding on to the railing for dear life, he couldn't help but hope that Hermione wasn't to angry and disappointed about the way he acted last night. He wanted to find her and tell her as soon as possible the reason for him being so pissed last night. He would tell her that he and Brooke had ended it, but of course that wasn't the real reason... he could care less about Brooke, it was Hermione who he really wanted and Hermione who was the one girl that was out of bounds to him...
He tripped over the last step and fell onto his hands and knees, his glasses tumbling off his nose and into the door way of the kitchen.
"Blasted stair case..." Harry grumbled extending a hand and shoving his glasses back onto his nose. He stumbled into the kitchen in quite a sour mood, now with a pounding head and sore knees. Right away the sight of a bright purple vile standing next to a note on the kitchen counter caught his attention. He walked over and reached for the note next to the hangover potion he knew Hermione must have set out for him.
Smiling slightly he read out loud,
_'I completely forgot about work this morning, I only had time to stop off and get you this before rushing to the office. Please understand, I know we had plans to go shopping for Ron and Lav's house warming gifts today but I promise I'll make it up to you when I get home._
_-Hermione'_
Harry's heart plunged as he read the closing. Just hyphen Hermione. Usually there was something more endearing like 'Your best friend' or even 'Love' when she was in a good mood. Of course she didn't know how 'Love, Hermione' affected him. He was positive know one knew of what her subdued affectionate words did to him...
He sighed again throwing the letter in the bin and quickly downing the potion she had left him.
He wished he knew what had happened last night. He hated not remembering his own actions and he knew if he asked one of his mates to reiterate it they would just make up some silly story that would only result in Harry being extremely red in the face.
He was quiet for a moment, racking his mind of any details he had skipped from last night,
"Fred and George!" Harry yelped, running a hand through his hair as he remembered. He had stopped by the twins shop about a week ago to see how business was running since he owned a portion of their capital. They mentioned some new products they were getting ready to put on the shelves including a new Memory-Reminder Concoction, which after drunk allowed you to recall the events of a night that you were pissed. "This is perfect," Harry said to himself walking into the foyer to grab his trainers.
With a pop he left number 12 and arrived in front of the Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. He wasn't surprised to see quite a crowd inside of the large shop since it was Friday around noon.
"Harry!" yelled Fred (or George?) from behind the cashier's counter as Harry made his way through the door.
"What do we owe the pleasure?" asked George (or Fred?) coming up behind him with a large orange box in his hands.
"Um, I was actually wondering if I could have a favour?" asked Harry a bit shyly as he followed the twins into the back or what they called 'the lab'.
"Need some special concoction, don't ya?" asked George throwing the box off to the side and walking over to a storage crate.
"How'd you guess?" asked Harry sitting down in a chair.
Fred scoffed and sat down next to him, "Honestly Harry, by the way you were last night I'm surprised you're still alive."
"Yeah, still alive after Hermione got hold of you that is," his twin said with a devilish smirk, striding over and handing him a fair sized bottle.
"Was she really mad? Did I piss her off that bad?" asked a quiet Harry, his cheeks reddening.
"Harry, mate... let's just say she was a bit offended when you started cleaning up her 'isle five'," Fred said with an identical smirk.
Harry blushed darker, "Uh-"
"Don't worry, we won't embarrass you further. We'll leave the memories for you to discover on your own. Don't drink it until you're at home, it'll knock you out for a few hours and the memories will come back to you in a dream." George finished, the both of them clapping Harry on the back with an amused look.
...**3 and a half hours later**...
Harry groaned as he rolled over in a fitful sleep, making him fall off the couch and land face first on the rug below. His eyes shot open, half in pain and the other half in shock. He pushed himself off from the ground and sat back up on the sofa in the living room, his eyes glazed over and his mouth slightly agape. The events of last night played in his mind over and over, and eventually Harry smiled softly. She said she loved him back, she kissed him back...
He jumped as he heard the muffled sound of a door closing down the hall.
, he thought running both hands through his already tousled hair. He got up from the floor and straightened out his shirt, suddenly very nervous to speak to her. He knew he had to, he just hoped that she had the same feelings from last night that he still had.
"Oh you're home," Hermione said from the entry way of the living room.
"Um, yeah, yeah I'm home. Here. Where else would I be?" he asked fitfully, speeding through his sentences.
Hermione eyed him suspiciously, "Did you drink the potion I left you?"
"Yeah," Harry said, "Thanks by the way."
"Sure, I knew you'd be needing one after last night," she turned around and headed toward the kitchen.
"About last night," Harry said nervously, following after her.
"Yes, you were pissed, and no, I'm not telling you what happened, you'll have to remember on your own," said Hermione with a small secretive smile.
"I remember what happened last night," he said in a playful defensive tone.
"Oh, good, so you remember drinking an excessive amount of alcohol that turned you into a stumbling flobberworm that wouldn't stop talking until threatened with force."
Harry smiled at her playfulness, "No, actually I wouldn't be able to tell you about that. I was referring to me telling you I loved you."
Hermione went red and nearly dropped the cup she was holding, "Um, oh yeah, you were really pissed last night," she finished trying to pass it off like it was nothing.
"Hermione," he said walking up to her and making her face him, " I never planned to tell you that while I was pissed but I'm glad I did because I don't know if I ever would have had the courage to tell you."
Hermione just stared at him with a blank expression while he continued, "I just... I felt that way for a long time but it just never seemed the right time to tell you and then I seen your failed relationship with Ron and I didn't want it to like that for us because I couldn't stand you not being in my life or our friendship being ruined."
Hermione continued to stare at him as he finished his speech. After a few moments she looked away from him and started shaking her head softly, "Harry, I don't know what to say."
"Well I remember last night you telling me you loved me back..."
Hermione blushed furiously, "Oh, about that-"
"It's okay if you don't, I just... just wanted to know if it was mutual. If not we can forget this and go back to the way things were," Harry said rather dejectedly. He wanted her to know that even if she didn't return his feelings he still wanted them to be friends. _Friends 'til the end._..
Hermione looked back up into his eyes and gulped, "I don't think we can go back to the way things were. Especially since you kissed me..."
"That I did," he said sheepishly.
Hermione smiled at his nervousness, "And if you do remember correctly... I did kiss you back."
Harry's head snapped up to look her in the eyes, "What are you trying to say."
"I, um- I didn't lie last night. I really do love you back... I'm sorry just hearing it now... when you're sober," he let out a laugh and she smiled, "I don't know it just makes me all..."
Harry laughed again and grabbed her hand, forcing her to look into his smiling face, "I love you."
Hermione smiled and nodded like it was common knowledge, "I know you said so enough last night," Harry laughed again and unconsciously moved closer to her, "I love you, too," she finished gently as Harry approached her.
"So you did kiss me back last night. Even in the state I was in... Miss Granger I do believe you were taking advantage of me!"
Hermione laughed with him and then added, "It's not like it was some heart stopping kiss."
"Hey!" said Harry clearly offended, "I was pissed. I'm ten times better when I'm sober."
"Just ten times?" she asked sounding like she was getting less interested by the second.
"A zillion times," he said with a serious face.
Hermione looked him in the face before raising her eyebrows and saying, "Yeah, okay."
"I am!" Harry said moving closer and placing his arms on both sides of the counter, effectively trapping her in.
"You smelled too," Hermione said trying to contain her laughter, "It didn't help that you were practically slobbering all over me but you were also reeking of unmentionable toxins."
"Hey, hey, where's this hostility coming from?" he asked as she continued to smile at him, " First off, I don't slobber... I don't care how pissed I am, and second, those unmentionable toxins you smelled just might have been my cologne so watch what you say."
Hermione scrunched up her face playfully, "Oh, ew. And to think someone that smelled like that kissed me..."
"Lucky for you I'm not wearing any cologne today," he said in a more gentle tone as he leaned in.
"I guess that means you can try again," she whispered before their lips met in a kiss that had been a long time in the works.
.o.o.
**Here's the second chapter, I hope you all liked it. It's rather funny because this fic was supposed to me more on the angst side, and it turned out to be more cute and lovable. Please review and tell me what you think!**
**Thanks to follow-ur-dreams, ellisguy, princetongirl8182, and PinkandBlonde. They're the most amazing people out there, please keep reviewing!**
3. In For the Long Run
Disclaimer: Harry Potter- NOT-BLOODY-MINE
Conquered Love
In For the Long Run
7 months later- June 14, Victory Day
"Don't move," sounded a harsh voice from behind Hermione. She felt the tip of a wand poking into her lower back and a hand pressed firmly over her mouth.
"Now, I want you to slowly turn around," said the unfamiliar deep voice again from behind her. Hermione's eyes were moving back and forth trying to get a glimpse of her wand the was lying on her desk behind them. Her heart began to pound heavily in her chest, a sure sign of panic. She began to turn around when the voice stopped her again,
"Close your eyes first! And keep 'em shut!"
She obeyed, her eyes snapping shut. She would have to find a way to silently summon her wand; she just hoped the intruder hadn't already noticed it.
She turned around and then took a step back so she was pressed into her crowded bookcase. Hermione noticed that the man's wand now wasn't touching her but his hand was still pushed against her mouth.
"Tada!" said a cheerful voice.
She opened her eyes quickly to find herself looking at her boyfriend of seven months holding a white lily up to her nose.
Hermione narrowed her eyes at him at once, "Harry, you pr-"
Harry cut her off by pressing his greedy mouth onto hers. She responded instantly, wrapping her arms around his neck and flicking her tongue over his lips.
"Mmmm," she moaned into the back of her throat as he opened his mouth and their tongues met in a passionate embrace.
"I missed you," he whispered into her mouth.
"Has it been five weeks already?"
"Well, if you want to get technical it's been four weeks and five days- OW! What was that for?" Harry asked rubbing his shoulder.
"Coming in here, thinking you could sneak up on me," she said with a coy smile holding the flower up to her nose and taking in the scent.
"Oh, is that right Miss Granger?" he questioned with a teasing smile as Hermione nodded her head enthusiastically, "Because if I do remember right, you were doing everything I asked."
"I knew it was you all along," she lied with a scoff, going around him to grab her wand and conjure a water filled vase for her new flower.
"Oh, so that's why you look terrified?" he asked again, now wrapping his arms around her from behind and nuzzling her neck.
She smiled and leaned into his embrace, "I think terrified is a bit strong..."
Harry laughed, "You were scared out of your knickers."
Hermione gasped and turned to look at him with a playful glint in her eyes, "I'm not wearing knickers."
Harry grinned, "Really?"
She wiggled her eyebrows at him in a very Ron-ish manor. His grinned widened as he leaned in to put a not-so-innocent kiss on her lips.
But of course, being Hermione and the tease she is, she moved away just as his lips were about to brush hers, "So how was Russia?" she asked nonchalantly going back over to the bookshelf she was previously studying.
"Horrible," Harry grumbled coming over to trail kisses down the side of her neck.
"Hmm, I heard it was rather cold the past few weeks," she ignored the fluttering in her stomach as Harry's hands gracelessly untucked her white blouse from her black skirt.
"Yeah, I felt like a popsicle. Let's go over to the couch and talk some more," he said now unbuttoning her blouse and tugging her from behind in the direction of the elegant red sofa placed in her office as a gift from him.
She had a feeling that talking was the farthest thing from his mind at this point. _'But hey,' _she thought to herself with an evil smile,
"Did you make any progress on LeMarc?" she asked into his mouth as he set her down right on his lap so she could feel his growing erection. LeMarc was a growing dark wizard who liked to play around with common muggle weapons, adding magic so that they are highly diffusible. Hermione was the head of the team tracking him down and strategizing of ways to capture him without causing a fuss to the muggle environment in the area of Russia he lived in. Harry, Tonks, and Remus were the three aurors recommended to detain LeMarc, which sent them on a five week mission to Russia. Obviously things went well, or else Harry wouldn't be back a few days early. She just loved to toy with him.
"Yep," he said trying to kiss her again.
"Did you already report to Kingsley?"
"Nope," he moved down her cheek, to her neck, and then to her collarbone which was exposed nicely by her unbuttoned blouse.
He heard Hermione gasp and then say, "Oh, well you should go do that now." Hermione went to move from his lap with a small smirk gracing her features.
"Hermione," Harry warned her with a growl, grabbing her bum to stop her from getting any further.
"I'm just saying, I don't want you to get in any trouble because you came here first rather then going to see Kingsley."
"Somehow, I don't think Kingsley would appreciate me doing this to him," he said with an added kiss. He was now laying fully on top of her, her blouse hanging loosely around her shoulders.
"Hmm, probably right," she tried not to gasp when Harry flicked her sensitive spot right above her left breast with his tongue and settled for a content sigh, "Did you eat well? You look a bit peakish..." her demeanour was quickly fading as Harry's hands began to run down her body. She clapped a hand over her mouth as a soft but stubborn moan escaped her.
Harry smiled at her, "Now that you mention it I'm ravished. I reckon I should get down to the cafeteria-" He knew what he was doing to her as he tried to unceremoniously roll of her but she caught him too fast.
"Don't you dare," she breathed bringing his mouth back to meet hers. He smiled into the kiss at Hermione's initiative. He hovered over her, giving her the space to undo the front of his shirt and yank it off his back.
As soon as he was rid of it he settled back down on her pressing his prick into her soft stomach, enticing a groan from the back of both their throats. Not caring about the decency of her clothes he ripped the front of her bra off and threw it to the ground quickly followed by her skirt, leaving the only her black stilettos left. Kissing his way down her front he made his way to both her breasts, cupping one and flicking his tongue over the other.
"Harry," she breathed as her hands wondered down his chest and landed on the annoying belt buckle that held his pants up. She tore it open, along with the fly to his pants and his zipper, ultimately shoving his pants down to his ankles with her heeled feet.
"Ow, heels..."
"Shut it," she said bringing her mouth back to his and stroking his throbbing cock.
"Bossy," he muttered under his breath with a hidden smile. In actuality he loved it when she bossed him around in the bedroom... and in her office... and in the kitchen of number 12... and in the cellar of the burrow... and-
"Ponce," she guided his moist tip to her entrance.
"Barmy know-it-all," he said with a smile. She was just about to respond when he pushed into her, effectively making her eyes roll back and her arms tighten around his neck.
"Oh... cheater...," she said while trying to draw in a breath at the same time. He smiled into her neck as he started thrusting harder into her, eliciting cries and muffled groans from the both of them.
It was minutes later when Harry started to nibble on her ear lobe that she cried out his name and clenched her muscles around him. Speeding up to the point where her fingers were gripping onto his shoulders and her toes were bent over in pleasure so she could have ultimate satisfaction, he too toppled over the edge and spilled his hot and greedy seed into her.
He kissed her hard before falling over her, completely spent.
They laid there breathing deeply for a few minutes before Hermione spoke, "Oh great..."
"What?" Harry asked, his voice muffled by her wild locks.
"We did it again!" she said a bit more impatiently.
"Did what- oh..."
"Damn it... it happens every time." Hermione pushed Harry off her gently and reached around for her blouse, skirt, and bra.
"Yeah," said Harry hiding a smirk, "we should put a sticky note on the sofa saying every time we want to shag remember to cast a 'silencio'."
"This isn't funny," Hermione reprimanded hooking the back of her newly repaired bra, "this always falls back on me because I'm the girl. Last time Tonks and Seamus didn't leave me alone for months."
"Well, I'd offer my office, but the sofa's not as comfy and it's right next to Kingsley and I don't think he'd take too kindly to us shagging on the job... even if we have a really good reason to," he finished pulling his pants up and coming over to her to hug her from behind as she was finishing the top buttons of her blouse.
"Are you two love birds in there?" called a cheerful voice from the other side of Hermione's door. Hermione threw Harry his shirt and called out,
"Yeah, come on in."
The door opened cautiously to reveal Tonks on the other side grinning manically, "Ah, Hermione, Harry- I trust you had a rather happy welcome back." She sent a wink at Harry whose glasses were crooked on his nose and smiled in return.
"Very happy, indeed," he responded cheekily pecking Hermione on the cheek, "Well, I'm gonna head out, love. I have the rest of the day off."
"Not so fast Harry, you know what today is," she said catching his arm and sending him a stern glare.
"Yes, love, I know what today is." he said repeating her like a five year old child repeating his preschool teacher.
"Good, now I know you're not going to go home and look around for a sleeping draught like last year," she said pointing a finger at him with a raised eyebrow. Tonks was chuckling at the interaction between the two.
Harry shrugged, "Now that you mention it- OW! Again Hermione!" he finished grabbing the side of his shoulder painfully. "Blimey, you know I have delicate arms."
Tonks started laughing clearly entertained.
"Enough out of you," growled Harry glaring at her, "she's stronger than she looks."
"Harry James Potter you are not going to sneak your way out of this!" she nearly screamed at him sending him a furious glance.
"No 'Mione," he said softly kissing the side of her head, "I'm not going to skip the ball, alright? This is our first Victory Day as a couple and I want to spend it with you." he finished giving her a sincere look.
"Good," she smiled letting him plant a kiss on her lips, "I'll be home around 4:30."
"See you then sweetheart," he kissed her once more on the lips and then turned around and shared a smile and wink with Tonks before he left.
"What was that?" asked Hermione suspiciously as the door closed and Harry's shadow had walked a ways down the hall.
"What was what?"
"That," she imitated a smile and obvious wink in front of Tonks making her giggle.
"Hermione you look too far into things. It was only a smile- and since when do I not wink at people?"
"Point taken," Hermione said walking back over to her desk and sitting behind it in her dark leather chair, "What can I do for you?"
Tonks chuckled again at how Hermione could go from any mood to being in professional mode.
Later that night- Hogwarts, Victory Ball
"Hermione let's go for a walk," said Harry from next to her.
Hermione looked over to her handsome boyfriend dressed in stylish black dress robes, his emerald eyes shining out at her beneath his round spectacles.
"You don't think anyone would mind if we slipped out for a while?" she asked taking a sip of her champagne and scanning the crowd to see man couples and groups staring at them.
"Definitely not," said Harry taking her hand and leading her out of the great hall. As they headed for the doors it seemed like many of their friends were smiling brightly at the couple. Hermione furrowed her eyebrows in confusion at them.
"Where to?" asked Hermione once they were cleared of the Great Hall.
"I don't know, I figured we could just roam around the halls. It's certainly been a while," Harry answered wrapping an arm around her waist.
"It certainly has," she smiled and leaned into him, enjoying the closeness of him and his musky scent.
It was the simple things that mattered the most to Hermione, and Harry seemed perfect in all categories of her wants and needs. He always knew when she was feeling uncomfortable and always tried to fix it, just as she did him. That among a list of other things is why she thought they belonged with each other. She wouldn't change him for the world...
"Hey, the library," said Harry interrupting her thoughts. She smiled as they stood in front of the familiar Hogwarts's Library, a library she spent more time in than probably her dorm and the Great Hall put together.
"Let's go in," Harry said letting go of her and reaching for the door.
"Harry, I don't think we're allowed-"
"It's open! Come on Hermione!"
"Um, okay," she said looking over her shoulder to see if anyone would see them. She was sure that they really weren't supposed to be in there at this time of night, but she hadn't visited her sanctuary in a long time.
"This place hasn't changed at all," said Hermione coming in to stand beside Harry. Harry smiled at her and reached down to squeeze her hand. "Hey what's that light?" asked Hermione squinting her eyes to get a closer look. A thin beam of light was shining down somewhere farther in the library.
"I don't know," Harry answered quietly sending her a nervous glance.
"Well let's go look," she said walking forward into the rows and columns of books.
Harry sighed in relief and remained where he stood, watching her disappear behind the shelves. For a second there he thought Hermione's curiosity wouldn't get the better of her. Now it's onto the second part of his plan...
He started walking slowly behind her with his hands clasped behind his back.
"That's weird, Madam Pince forgot to put away a book." Hermione said perplexedly walking closer to the round study table that held a single leather bound book on top of it.
"Yeah, weird." Harry replied trying not to say too much in fear of his voice giving way.
"Hmm, I wonder what book it is," she said getting closer to it and putting a hand on the blank cover. _'Thank Merlin for Hermione's curiosity...'_ Harry thought taking a deep breath.
Hermione gasped as she opened the front. A white lily sprung free from the inside which was where a large picture took up the whole page of Ron, Hermione, and Harry as first years standing in front of Hagrid's hut. Hermione sent a smile over her shoulder to Harry who was still standing a ways back. She brought the lily to her nose with one hand and flipped to the next page with the other which emitted another flower. Harry walked up so that he was now standing closely behind her.
"Harry," she muttered with a smile as she picked up a lily from every page.
Hermione flipped past several pictures of them as little kids, or 'midgets' as Ron would prefer, moving photos of them at quidditch matches, in the common room, outside of classes. She laughed at a picture of her standing in the middle of Harry and Ron in what must have been third year because she was slapping both the boy's hands away from the time-turner that hung from her neck. Hermione smiled as a lily popped out at her from a picture of her smelling a lily in their seventh year. She kept on turning through the album, smiling fondly at the picture of her and Harry hugging at the beginning of the first task and the article that followed about love blossoming between the best friends.
"What idiots we were back then, huh?" she asked rhetorically flipping through more pages until she got to a photo that was just taken a few weeks ago. It looked like someone had snuck up behind then to take it.
It was of her and Harry sitting on a muggle park bench, her head on Harry's shoulder and Harry's arm thrown around her haphazardly, just watching the sun set over the Thames.
Hermione sent Harry another quizzical smile over her shoulder. He smiled in return at her and nudged his head for her to go on.
She flipped the page again, and the flowers almost tumbled from her grasp. Her mouth fell open looking at the sparkling object nestled in a cut out square of the book.
"Um, Harry?" she asked not taking her eyes off the ring. As if on cue letters started forming on the page much like they did in Riddle's diary back in second year. The words spelled out two words:
_Marry Me?_
Hermione gasped and forgot to breathe as she read the words over and over on the page. Harry grabbed her hand and helped ease the bundle of lilies back onto the table before picking up the ring and getting down on a knee, "Hermione, love, I've never known a time when you weren't there standing beside me. And quite honestly I don't even want to think of a time that could be like that. I love you more than anything, will you do me the honour of standing by me for the rest of our life. Will you marry me?"
Hermione stared down at her love holding out the single platinum diamond ring with her mouth agape and tears forming in her eyes. She didn't take notice to the excited faces of her friends gathering around the bookshelves slightly to the left of Harry.
She shook her head to clear her mind of all the rampant feelings running amuck. When Harry seen this his smile faltered. But Hermione let out a light laugh before anyone could think any more of it, "Yes! Yes I'll marry you!"
The cheers from the crowd went unheard by Hermione and Harry, who quickly jumped up and took her in his arms, swinging her around in happiness.
Hermione had joyous tears streaming down her face as Harry slipped her ring on her left ring finger and then kissed her, picking her up and swinging her around again.
"Oooh, congratulations!" cried Tonks coming up first to giver the couple a hug.
"You knew about this?" asked Hermione with an embarrassed smile as she wiped the tears from her face, leaning into Harry's embrace for support.
"Of course I knew, what do you think the smile and wink was about this morning?"
Hermione gave her an affronted look before Ron and Lavender came up and hugged them as well- more like crushed them...
"Congratulations mate!" he said clapping both Harry and Hermione on the shoulder while Lavender gave them both a kiss on the cheek.
"Alright alright! Let's settle this proposal with a celebration in honour of Harry and Hermione!" shouted Fred over the crowd.
"In other words let's go back to our flat and get thrashed!" came another shout from his twin.
There were many agreeing cheers from their group of friends, the most enthusiastic coming from Ron.
"I think that'd be a token of good luck," Harry whispered in Hermione's ear as the rest of the group started heading out of the library.
"Getting pissed?" Hermione asked, still smiling at him.
"Well last time I was thoroughly pissed something pretty good came out of it," he said softly leaning in to give his fiancé a kiss.
"I'll agree with that," Hermione nodded into his lips. She tore away from Harry and went to collect her lilies and photo album. She smiled as she affectionately touched the cover of the book.
"That was pretty clever of me, eh?" he asked her, banishing the lot to their bedroom at Grimmauld place.
Hermione smiled at him and wrapped her arms around his waist, "I can't believe you cut a square in a book."
"I'll fix it later," Harry laughed as he again leaned down to kiss her. "I love you, 'Mione."
Hermione gave him another kiss before replying, "I love you too Harry James."
Well, this chapter came out quicker than I thought. I hope it's not too sappy for anyone. Trust me this chapter is as sappy as the story gets. There will be two… maybe three more chapters… each going a bit farter in their life.
Well I hope you enjoyed and please,
LEAVE A BLOODY REVIEW!!!!
Alright, that's enough of my rage, now I'm going to go take a cool-down lap around my office.
4. Bushius? Hugo? Bart?
Disclaimer: JKR owns.
Conquered Love
:Bushius? Hugo? Bart?
July 30th, 2 Years Later...
"Okay, another round of applause for our birthday boy!" shouted Ron from the top of the staircase at Harry and Hermione Potter's cottage. The large crowd of friends laughed and drunkenly pumped their fist in the air in a mock salute towards Harry Potter who was turning 26 the next day. Harry smiled a boyish grin and brought Hermione closer to him.
"More firewhiskey for our wee little lad who's ALMOST all grown up," said Fred coming over and pouring more amber liquid into Harry's cup.
"How you put up with the little tyke is way beyond us Hermione," George said coming up between the couple and throwing his arms around them.
"Speaking of Hermione, you haven't drunken anything all bloody night," Fred told her, reaching for a red cup on the counter behind him.
"Wha'sa matta with you?" scoffed George in an appalled high pitch voice.
"No thanks," Hermione said pushing the cup Fred was shoving at her away.
"What are you too good for us mere drunks Hermione?" asked George leaned his head on Hermione's shoulder earning a nudge in the ribs from her husband.
"No," she responded, crossing her arms over her stomach.
"What are you pregnant?" Fred smirked, already laughing at his own joke.
Harry choked on his drink and gave Hermione a funny look. Not knowing what to do Hermione smiled at him.
"You're pregnant?" Harry asked her again, this time much more seriously.
Hermione gave a confident nod, "I'm pregnant."
"YOU'RE PREGNANT?!" Harry asked again dropping his cup on their new wood flooring and throwing his hands in the air, "YES! WHOOO!" he finished spinning her around in a tight embrace while the onlookers cheered their congratulations, some too pissed to know what they were cheering for. And by some I meant Ron and Lavender.
"Wha' 'appened?" Ron asked his wife of nearly three years.
"I think they said something about a segment... or eggplant. I'm not sure."
Harry kissed Hermione hard on the mouth after setting her down, enticing more cooing from the crowd.
"Alright, alright, can we get some cranberry juice for the pregnant lady?" Fred asked with a large grin, patting Hermione on the back. "Don't worry Hermione I won't offer you any more alcohol for the duration of your pregnancy."
"Well thank you, Fred," said Hermione with a smile, kind of shocked by the sincerity of his words.
"But as soon as that thing pops out, I'm force feeding you the strongest substance I can find."
Hermione cocked her head to the side and said playfully, "And now I know to stay away from you for months after, so thanks for the heads up." Fred shrugged and finished the contents of the red cup in one gulp.
"Alright, my brother's right, can we get some juice in here, and maybe a tranquilizer gun for the father to be," said George now standing next to Harry with his arm thrown around him.
"George, what would I need a tranquilizer gun for?" asked Harry looking startled.
"Mate, I read up all about pregnant chicks when I thought I knocked up that Alyssa girl-"
"Amelia."
"Whatever, anyway I read in there that your woman's emotions are about to explode, at literally any time. She's like a muggle bomb, she is. So we get you a tranquilizer gun loaded with some sleeping darts, and whenever she's getting off her rocker and being a right scare you just _pop_," he said clicking his tongue and imitating a gun with his thumb and first two fingers held out, "just shoot her in the jugular with one of the darts and she'll be out for days. They use 'em on elephants and gorillas and dinosaurs and all sorts of animals in South America..." he finished taking another drink from his cup. Hermione was staring at him with her mouth open looking ready to faint.
"Yeah... somehow I don't think that'll be good for the baby." Harry said in a firm tone taking the red cup away from George and banishing it to the kitchen. He turned to Hermione and smiled a secret smile at her, wanting nothing more than the party to end so he could go upstairs with his wife and spend the rest of the night with her. _'A baby... our baby...'_ Just the thought brought a large grin to his face.
"Oh, well anything else you might like Hermione? Perhaps a cheese sandwich with taco sauce on it?"
"Or maybe a chocolate doughnut dipped in mustard?" asked Fred, patting Hermione on the shoulder and talking to her like she was a five year old. Hermione swatted his hand off playfully,
"Honestly you prats, I'm only four weeks along! I don't start getting symptoms like that until farther along in the pregnancy. Now stop scaring my helpless husband," Hermione finished rubbing Harry on the back who was looking between the twins quite fearfully.
"Really Harry don't listen to them, I won't be asking you for sushi and raspberry ice cream for a long time," she said softly pushing his bangs out of his eyes. Harry looked down at her, already shining from the happiness of it all. He smiled leaning in and giving her a lingering kiss.
"Bloody hell, did you lot hear someone was pregnant?" asked Ron coming through the still cheering crowd to ruin the couple's moment. "Am I ruining something?" he asked pointing a finger between his two best mates.
Harry smiled at his friend, breaking away from Hermione to hug him tightly.
"Harry we both know I don't swing that way, and you have a wife for Merlin's sake," said Ron pretending to dust off his shoulder. Then again he was so pissed he probably wasn't pretending.
"How do you feel about being a godfather?" asked Harry holding Ron by the shoulders at arms length, both Hermione and Lavender beaming at them from behind.
"Well I dunno mate, do I have to wear a tuxedo all the time and talk in that funny accent like that bloke-"
"No Ron, I meant like a real godfather? To a real child!"
"But- but that means you'd have to be pregnant," Ron squeaked. Both Harry and Hermione grinned as they both thought Ron was finally catching on.
"Yeah Ron," Harry encouraged sending him another toothy grin.
"Oh my god, Harry," Ron squeaked again and took a step back, pointing a feeble hand to Harry's stomach, "Y-you-"
"Ron, I'm pregnant!" Hermione practically screamed in impatience as a result of Ron's impracticality when he was thrashed. Her loud exclamation sent another ripple of 'cheers' and 'congratulations' throughout the crowd.
"Oh congratulations, Hermione," Ron said coming up to hug her.
He looked over at Harry with a scathing look, "Harry, do have something to tell your wife?"
"Honestly Ron!" cried Hermione, Harry, Lavender, Fred, George, and a few members of the crowd that were watching with interest.
Not even five minutes after dealing with Ron, Harry couldn't keep his hands off Hermione. She allowed him to kiss her thousands of times but when things grew more passionate she too didn't want to stop, so they begged their guests to leave, thanking them for the wonderful evening and all the presents Harry received.
"I can't believe this," Harry said for the hundredth time, hopping on their bed next to Hermione after having just brushed his teeth.
"Maybe the wails coming from the nursery in eight months will make you believe it a little more," she said setting her book down on the nightstand and snuggling into the comforter.
"I bet it's a boy," Harry said kissing her stomach and running a hand over it.
"I bet it's not," she said defiantly even though she was smiling.
"No, it'll be a boy. My genes and amazingly good looks are just too good to pass up."
"I just hope they don't get my hair," Hermione said despairingly with a tilt of her head.
"I hope he does," Harry smiled devilishly.
"Poor thing..."
"Oh, come off it, I love your hair." He leant up to brush a kiss across her lips, making sure he wasn't putting pressure on her stomach even though she wasn't showing.
"It used to be so bushy," she remembered with a frown.
"I like bushy. Then we get to name him Bushius!"
Hermione scoffed, "Definitely not."
"How about Ptolemy? Landaus? Commodus? Bart?"
Hermione gave him an appalled look, "Okay, its official you're not naming the baby."
"How about Hugo?"
"God, kill me now."
Harry shook his head with a smirk and leaned over her to kiss her neck lazily, "Can't do that love. You're my baby-maker. I need you alive and in good health for the future Potter offspring."
"Oh so that's all I'm here for?"
"Well, among other things of course," he said huskily continuing to kiss his way up her neck.
Hermione moaned and tilted her neck to the right, giving him more space to explore. "Like what?"
"Well..." he kissed her again stroking her neck with his tongue, "Like doing my laundry. You know how to press my trousers just right."
Hermione punched him the shoulder making him tumble off her. She sat up and crossed her arms over her chest.
"Ow, Hermione, delicate shoulders!" he finished looking up at her and noticing her brooding appearance. He smiled gently and leaned in, "Just kidding, love. I need you to survive. Period. I love you. I love our baby, and all our future babies to come." He gave her a kiss on the corner of her mouth and was glad that she didn't try to push him away but rather leaned into it.
"Just how many were you thinking?" she asked trying to keep a cool calm facade but not helping the smile on her face.
"Seven."
"What!"
"Eleven?"
"WHAT?!"
"At least six more, if you're not counting Bushius," he said rubbing circles on her abdomen.
"Why the hell would you want seven kids?" she asked, not even wanting to mention the previous eleven he said in fear that he would be struck up by that barmy idea again.
Harry shrugged and answered like it was the most obvious thing in the world, "Quidditch or football."
Hermione scoffed and rolled over onto her side facing away from Harry, "Okay, no to the six more kids and no to the Bushius."
"Oh, come on!"
"You don't even know if they'll like to fly," reasoned Hermione as she felt Harry tuck his head right next to hers.
"They will," he replied kissed the side of her temple, "And if you don't like Bushius then what do you have in mind?"
"Hmmm... I particularly like James."
Harry grinned into her neck, "It's not quite as obscure as I was going for but I think it'll fit."
Hermione turned her head, meeting Harry's lips in a loving kiss.
"'Mione?"
"Hmm?"
"Have I ever told you I love you?"
Hermione sighed and looked away like she was concentrating hard, "Maybe once or twice at the wedding... and then perhaps a thousand times after I told you today."
"Good. Don't you forget it. I love you, and I'm so happy we're doing this."
"Yeah, who would have thought this would be us three years ago? Married, in a different house with a baby on the way."
Harry kissed the side of her head again and then exhaled a deep breath, "You reckon I'll be a decent dad?"
"I know for a fact you will be." Harry smiled, "And if you're really good I'll give you another kid for next Christmas."
"As long as there's a little piece of me and you in there that'll be fine."
5. You Don't Look Like a Whale, I Swear!
Disclaimer: JKR owns
Conquered Love
You Don't Look Like a Whale I Swear!
"Harry?"
"What is it love?" asked Harry groggily. It seemed like he had just fallen asleep from a long day visiting the doctors with Hermione and now he was being pestered awake.
"Harry, I'm starving..."
"Didn't you just eat an hour and a half ago?" he asked patiently, cracking an eye open to look at the clock on the bed stand and then into Hermione's glowing brown orbs.
"Well I can't help when our child decides it needs food! What am I supposed to do starve him! What... d-do you w-want me to b-be a b-bad mother?" she asked starting to tear instantly. Harry hated this. Nothing he ever said was taken right, therefore Hermione was driven to tears almost daily and he hated to see her cry, especially from something that he'd done... even though he really hadn't done anything...
"No baby, I didn't mean that- I just-"
"What you think I'm a whale? Do you think I want to eat this much, Harry? Do you think I enjoy this? I'm only trying to be a good mother by feeding my child, is that so wrong Harry James Potter?!"
"No sweetheart, it's not."
"You're damn right it's not!" she said throwing the covers back and getting out of bed.
"Oh, love where are you going?" he practically whimpered as she went and put on her shoes and coat from the closet.
"If my pathetic husband thinks I'm too much of a whale to get me food then I'll just have to go myself!" she shouted wrapping a scarf around her neck.
He knew better than to retort to the 'pathetic husband' part because it would only drive her back to tears, "Hermione, I think you're beautiful-"
"Oh, is that it?! I'm a huge, fat, beautiful person?! Are you daft?!"
"Hermione, tell me what you want and I'll go get it for you. Please just take off your shoes and come back to bed," he pleaded patting the space she had just left.
"Well now I don't know what I want because my inconsiderate husband had to go and call me a whale!"
"I didn't call you a-"
"Well you implied it!"
"No I-"
"For fuck's sake Harry, will you just be a fucking man and admit it?!" she screamed from the doorway.
Harry sat their on the edge of their bed rubbing his temples. He looked up to find Hermione still fuming.
"Oh, I'm sorry, am I annoying you now? I'm only you're seven months pregnant wife who hasn't eaten anything in an hour and a half! Do you want me to die of starvation or something?!"
"No baby, of course not-"
"Or am I interrupting your precious beauty sleep? Well let me tell you something, if anyone needs beauty sleep around here its me because I look like a whale, right?!"
"Hermione, calm down," he said getting up from bed and meeting her in the doorway within three strides. He cupped her face in his hands and said softly, "Hermione, I love you. All I want to do is make you happy, and if that means getting up every ten minutes to feed your beautiful self and our baby that you're holding then I will."
Hermione stared into his eyes for a moment before responding in a soft, tearful voice, "You mean whale-self."
"No I didn't say that."
"It's true though! I look so huge-"
"You look pregnant, which makes you even more beautiful-"
"Oh, so when I don't have a huge hump on my stomach then I'm ugly?"
"No! God, Hermione will you just let me finish?!" cried Harry starting to get impatient. He hated how these conversations always went around in circles.
"No, I won't!"
"Why not?!"
"Well... I don't really have a good reason for that right now... probably because I'm so starved! But I understand that if I want something then I have to get it myself so you can go back to bed now!" she screamed pushing Harry back and running out of their room.
"Hermione stop!" he said following closely behind her.
"No I hate you! Leave me alone!" she was quickly shuffling down the steps, as fast as her sore feet could carry her. She was almost to the end of the stair case when she slipped down a step and lost her balance. She was falling forward when Harry, doing some very quick thinking, flicked his hand forward to stop her from falling all the way down.
Hermione gasp as she realised what had almost happen. Harry ran down the remaining stairs and picked her up, immediately hugging her to his chest.
"Are you okay?" he choked out as he felt her stomach.
All she did was sniffle in reply and cling herself to him, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. Harry picked her up and carried her back up the stairs and into their bedroom where he laid her back in bed. He unwound the scarf from her neck and took off her shoes and coat, throwing them back in the general direction of the closet.
"Love, this is why the doctor said you shouldn't stress yourself out," Harry said soothingly, running a hand through her hair as she buried her face in his neck, "A fatal accident could happen at any time."
"Oh, Harry I know! I'm so sorry, I-I'm such a bloody wreck! All I do is cry, yell, and eat these days! How am I supposed to be a fit mother for James if I can't even be a fit wife for you?!" she sobbed, soaking his shirt with tears. Harry didn't even know the human body could produce so many tears so quickly much less release them all at once.
"Nonsense Hermione, you're going to be a wonderful mother. And you _are_ a fit wife for me. You're the only wife for me." he said softly kissing her head.
"Oh, Harry, I love you so much! I'm sorry!"
"That's alright, love, I understand," he said getting up and going to grab his trousers from the closet.
"Where are you going?" asked Hermione suddenly not crying any more.
"To go get you food."
"Oh, so when I need you most you decide to bail and get me food. You're unbelievable Harry Potter!" she yelled in a huff, slamming herself back down into her pillows.
"I have to go now if I want to beat closing hours," Harry said calmly coming up to kiss his wife on the head.
"Whatever, I don't want you to come back..." Hermione trailed off as she rolled over to miss Harry's second kiss.
"Alright, 'Mione," he said gently, heading for the door.
Harry was half way down the landing when he heard Hermione's frantic calls, "Harry wait! Come back!"
"Yes?" he asked poking his head through the door.
She was sitting up in bed with more tears streaming down her face, "I lied- I really do want you to come back."
"I know sweetheart," he said smiling and turning back around to leave.
"Wait Harry!"
"Hmm?" By this point Harry was rather tired, all he wanted to do was get Hermione's food then come back and cuddle with her while she ate.
"I also lied when I said you were a pathetic and inconsiderate husband, you're the most loving a gratifying husbands a girl could ever ask for."
"I love you, too, Hermione." he turned from the door again, expecting this to be the lucky time he got away, but of course no such luck for our favourite hero,
"HARRY!"
"What?"
"Don't forget my raspberry ice cream... a-and my bangers and m-my mash."
"Of course, love. I'll be back soon."
A half hour later Harry and Hermione were laying in their bed together while Hermione ate the remains of her bangers and ice cream. Harry sat there with an arm around her and a content smile on his face as he watched a bit of the late night television programs on the telly Mr. Weasley had gotten them as a wedding present almost a year ago. What touched Harry and Hermione the most when they received it was that it was brand new and working, which meant a lot of self restraint must have came from Mr. Weasley not to tear it open and study it.
"Mmmm, that was soo good. You missed out Harry," said Hermione setting her bowl aside and snuggling into Harry's chest.
"You'll never get me to try bangers and mash mixed with raspberry ice cream, 'Mi. There are just some things that _will_ kill a man."
Hermione giggled into his chest.
"Harry?" she asked after she had quieted.
"Yes, love?"
Hermione sighed and looked up at her husband, "I'm horny."
"Finally, it's been like a month and a half..."
I hope this chapter did justice. I wrote it at three in the morning- so hyped up on coffee from the morning before I couldn't sleep- but I will tell you I was laughing so hard to myself while writing this that it caused my daughter to wake up and yell at me to 'brush my toofers and go to bed'.
Thanks to everyone who reviewed and please let me encourage you to review again! They mean a lot to me :D
6. Quite the Experience For Everyone
**Disclaimer: JKR owns.**
**Conquered Love**
**Chapter 6: Quite the Experience For Everyone**
**4 months and two weeks later, February 19th 10:12 p.m.**
"How can they just expect us to sit out here? This is my godchild being born!" said Ron aloud to the group waiting in the lobby of the maternity ward at St. Mungo's.
"They say it causes unneeded stress to the mother and doctors having to worry about another person in there," piped in his younger sister, Ginny, who had turned up around last August from her escapades all over the world with a husband and a three week old fetus growing inside her as well. Hermione was very happy for the company and sobbed for hours when she seen Ginny again. The damn hormones had come a few weeks after Harry's birthday, much to his dismay. At times he really wished he'd taken up George's proposal for the tranquilizer gun...
Draco Malfoy yawned from beside Ginny and threw down the pamphlet he was reading, "Twenty galleons Potter will faint dead on from all the screaming going on in that room."
The scattered red heads and other friends around the room stared at him for a moment before one of the twins responded hesitantly, "You're on."
Draco leant over Ginny to slap her brother's hand before sitting back and throwing an arm around his wife. To say the Weasley's were shocked when Ginny showed up with Draco Malfoy claiming they were married and that he was the father of her unborn child would be the understatement of the century. Mrs. Weasley thought it was a complete joke, probably inspired by the twins, and actually slammed the door in her own daughter's face, that she hadn't seen in three and a half years. It did take some coercing and shoving from Ginny to get her family to see that Draco and her were in love and that he had been supporting her for the last two years.
"This just doesn't make any bloody sense! Why can't I be in there? I'm their best mate and the kid's bloody godfather! Gin we should go in there!" Ron said to his sister coming up to get on his knees and grab her hands in front of her.
Ginny sighed and took another bite of her chocolate bar. The rest of the members of the lobby waited in the eerie silence of the maternity ward that they thought would be bustling with noises of new born babies to wait for Ginny's reply. It was probably the most exciting thing to happen in hours since Hermione had gone into labour around 5 p.m. Ron, Lavender, Mrs. Weasley, Mr. Weasley, George, Fred, Ginny, Draco, Seamus, Dean, Luna, Neville, Tonks, and Remus had all been owled immediately, telling them that Hermione had started having contractions and the group chose to skip over their respectable dinners to get to the hospital as quick as possible.
Ginny nodded her head, still chewing her food and answered, "You're right Ron. We're the godparents we should be in there for the birth, at least to help out."
Draco snorted, "How is a bloke that has no clue how a baby is even conceived and a six months pregnant witch going to be able to help?"
Ginny put on a sweet grin as she stood from her chair, not quite having to struggle yet, "Why don't you make yourself useful and go get me some more munchies," she said dangerously patting the top of his head for an added effect. One look into Ginny's flashing blue eyes and Draco knew she meant business. Draco stood up and pecked her on the cheek before dashing off in the direction of the cafeteria that was located nearby. He couldn't help but question himself to how he fell arse over elbow for a Weasley.
"Alright, now which room did Harry say there were in?" Ginny asked grabbing onto Ron's arm for support and walking off into the direction of the delivery rooms.
"12C, last time Harry came out," Ron said nervously walking up to the door painted a light shade of yellow.
"Okay, ready?" asked Ginny.
"Ready," nodded Ron starring at the door as if it were about to pounce at him.
"Remember deep breaths Ron, what you're about to see could cause you to loose the contents of your stomach." Ginny finished wisely pushing the door open with a shove. "Alright Hermione, we're here to hel-"
"I CAN SEE THE HEAD MRS. POTTER, PUSH JUST A LITTLE HARDER!!!"
"AHHHHHH!!!"
"BREATHE, HERMIONE! BREATHE!"
The last thing both Ron and Ginny remembered was the sight of fluids gushing out of Hermione followed by what looked like a wrinkled red prune before giving each other a wide eyed look and rushing off to the rubbish bin across the hall to retch out everything they had digested in the past 24 hours.
"Wh- was that?-" Ron asked looking at his sister with a horrified expression.
"Bloody hell I hope not, I don't want to think about something like that coming out of me in another three months."
"Better you than me," replied Draco hurrying up to them to make sure she was alright.
"Why? Why women? What did we do so wrong?" she asked beginning to tear. Draco kissed her forehead and wrapped his arms around her making Ron stick his head back in the rubbish bin.
"I don't know, but could you imagine a baby that size coming out of our- our-" Ron jerked his head down so Draco would know what he was talking about. Ginny rolled her eyes at them but before she could respond a woman in blue robes came out of Hermione's room.
"Are you Ron and Ginny?" she asked the red heads kindly.
"Y-yes," Ron stuttered out taking a gulp of fresh air.
"Would you like to come meet you're new godchild?"
"Uh is he, you know, n-normal looking?" asked Ron hesitantly still gripping the edge of the bin.
The nurse smiled, "You can go in after the nurse and healer are finished measuring, weighing, and cleaning the baby. Just wait there," she said pointing towards the door.
"Thanks," Ginny responded quietly, taking Draco's hand for support and walking up the hall to Hermione and Harry's door.
"Hi James," said Harry, holding his clean child for the first time in his life. He smiled fondly at the little baby who had his eyes snapped shut and wild wisps of light chestnut hair poking out of the green blanket he was laying in. A light tear fell down Harry's cheek as his son held onto his pointer finger with his whole hand. Harry looked over to Hermione who had sweaty hair clung to her forehead, but he could make out tears falling and an exhausted smile fitted over her lips. He walked over and placed their child between them. "He's such a handsome boy," Harry stated softly trailing a finger over his face.
The healer in charge looked up at the couple at their last statement, "Uh... Mr. Potter, you have a baby girl."
"What?" asked both Harry and Hermione at the same time a little louder then they should have because their baby began to stir.
"But the last healer we seen said it was a boy," Hermione told her with a confused look.
She smiled at them, "Well sometimes the feet can be misinterpreted as testicles. I assure you though, you have a healthy baby girl. Congratulations."
Hermione smiled triumphantly as the healer turned around and started scribbling on her notepad, "Didn't I tell you it'd be a girl?"
Harry snorted, "Please, you only said it that night to contradict me." He looked down into the bundle who's eyes were now opened to reveal emerald orbs. _'Just like daddy,'_ Harry smiled down at her. He didn't care if it was a boy or a girl, as long as they were there, alive and healthy. He didn't mind in the least that he didn't get his way. Now he had a daughter to look after until she was thirty and protect her from any filthy boys who might think they're enough to deserve her. "Now what are we gonna name her?" he asked quietly, planting a kiss on Hermione's forehead and then their baby's.
"I don't know... I thought James really worked." Hermione said now playing with her daughter's hair.
Harry looked back down to the baby who was staring back at them with equal curiosity, "Hello Jamie." She gurgled at the name, causing Harry and Hermione to chuckle lightly.
"Perfect," Hermione whispered, a tear rolling down her cheek.
Harry looked on in admiration at the two loves of his life. Yes, this was the way things were supposed to be.
**Thanks for reading and the reviews! Please tell me what you think- Oliver.**
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| fanfiction |
文摘 Based on the decomposing model of total factor productivity change(Malmquist Productivity Index),the paper analyses provincial productivity change during 1980 ~ 2003 years in China, and analyses convergence of provincial technical efficiency. The conclusion shows that the total factor productivity of each province generally shows stronger growth situation in China. The growth of TFP mainly stems from the function of the technological progress. The technical efficiency exist very remarkable convergence during 1980 ~ 1995 years in provinces of China, but after 1995, technical efficiency convergence presented the downward trend. Therefore, it is necessary for the government to take certain policy and measure to promote this kind of convergence trend. | slim_pajama |
The Prairie Parkway is a proposed transportation project by the Illinois Department of Transportation IDOT to connect Interstate 80 to Interstate 88 in the outer western and southwestern suburbs of Chicago, Illinois.
History
Corridor protection
In July 2002 a planning corridor from I-80 near Minooka to I-88 near Elburn was protected from development in Grundy, Kendall and Kane counties under Illinois' Corridor Protection Act.
A legal challenge to the state's Corridor Protection Act for the Prairie Parkway was unanimously rejected by the Illinois Supreme Court. This decision was later appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, which refused to hear the case.
On November 28, 2007, IDOT announced a revised Corridor Protection Map was recorded that superseded the original map. The new Corridor Protection Map follows the B5 freeway corridor.
Preliminary engineering study
A study was started in 2003 to examine transportation issues and possible solutions in roughly the same area as the corridor.
A report within the study indicated that, by the year 2030, there would be significant population growth in the study area and most of the area's roads would be congested as a result. Three counties in the study area - Will, Kendall and Kane - were among the 100 fastest-growing counties in the U.S. from 2000 to 2004. As a possible solution to the area's traffic problems, a number of alternatives were considered, including widening existing roads, new freeways, traffic management techniques, and transit extensions.
In October 2005 IDOT presented three options for further study:
1. A no build alternative consisting of planned improvements to IL 47 and WiKaDuKe Trail independent of building a new Prairie Parkway freeway.
2. A build alternative consisting of the B2 freeway corridor paralleling IL 47 to the west, connecting to I-88 northeast of Kaneville and connecting to I-80 west of Morris, plus upgrading a segment of IL 47 from Caton Farm Road to Morris.
3. A build alternative consisting of the B5 freeway corridor, connecting to I-88 northeast of Kaneville, diverting to the east crossing IL 47 south of Yorkville, and connecting to I-80 west of Minooka, plus upgrading a segment of IL 47 from Caton Farm Road to Morris.
Federal highway bill
In 2005 Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, Dennis Hastert, championed a $207-million earmark inserted in an omnibus highway bill that required federal funds be used on the Prairie Parkway. The Sunlight Foundation accused Hastert of failing to disclose that the construction of the highway would benefit a land investment that Hastert and his wife made in nearby land in 2004 and 2005. Hastert took an unusually active role advancing the bill, even though it was opposed by a majority of area residents and by the Illinois Department of Transportation. The bill was supported by all 19 members of Illinois' congressional delegation as well as the state's U.S. Senators, Dick Durbin and Barack Obama.
The law garnered a large amount of bipartisan support, though support was not unanimous, particularly among those who believed it to be laden with too much pork barrel spending. Early versions of the bill budgeted over $300 billion, but President George W. Bush promised to veto any surface transportation bill costing more than $256 billion. When the speaker became frustrated by negotiations with White House staff, Hastert began working on the bill directly with President Bush. Eventually a compromise of $284 billion was reached, and signed into law by the President. After passage the President even traveled to Hasterts district for the laws signing ceremony before thousands of workers in a Caterpillar Inc. factory.
Four months later Hastert sold the land for a 500 profit. Hasterts net worth went from $300,000 to at least $6.2 million. Hastert received five-eighths of the proceeds of the sale of the land, turning a $1.8 million profit in under two years. Hastert's ownership interest in the tract was not a public record because the land was held by a blind land trust, Little Rock Trust No. 225. There were three partners in the trust: Hastert, Thomas Klatt, and Dallas Ingemunson. However, public documents only named Ingemunson, who was the Kendall County Republican Party chairman and Hastert's personal attorney and longtime friend. Hastert denied any wrongdoing. In October 2006, Norman Ornstein and Scott Lilly wrote that the Prairie Parkway affair was worse than FoleyGate and called for Hastert's resignation.
Environmental Impact Statement
In November 2006, the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the project was released.
In February 2008, the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the project was released.
The federal Record of Decision approving the project was signed on September 19, 2008. Friends of the Fox River and Citizens Against the Sprawlway filed a lawsuit on March 25, 2009 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois in Chicago against the Federal Highway Administration FHWA for violating Federal law in how it approved the Prairie Parkway project.
Preferred alternative chosen
On June 1, 2007, the Illinois Department of Transportation announced the selection of B5 as the final route, which will run about west of IL 47 and then turn southeast and terminate on I-80 near Minooka, Illinois. IL 47 would also be widened from Caton Farm Road to I-80.
Construction of the segment from U.S. Route 30 to Illinois Route 71 was previously programmed by IDOT.
However, IDOT's FY 2010-2015 Proposed Highway Improvement Plan released in 2009 included funds for preliminary engineering and land acquisition only.
Voters in five townships oppose Prairie Parkway in advisory referenda
In April 2007 voters in two Kane County townships, Kaneville and Big Rock, overwhelmingly opposed the Prairie Parkway in advisory referenda. In February 2008 voters in three Kendall County townships, Fox, Lisbon and Seward, followed suit.
Tollway proposal
Kendall County board chairwoman Anne Vickery has requested that the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority take over jurisdiction of the Prairie Parkway from IDOT.
Construction funding dropped from state highway plans
In April 2009, Congressman Bill Foster D-14th has indicated he will try to move some of the Prairie Parkway funding to other projects.
In May 2009 the Illinois Department of Transportation dropped all construction funding for the Prairie Parkway from its 2010-2015 Highway Improvement Program, the funding blueprint for future highway projects. IDOT Secretary Gary Hannig cited litigation and a lack of local consensus as the reason construction funding was removed from the plan. The previous Highway Improvement Program 2009-2014 allocated $207 million for engineering, land acquisition, and construction.
However, $0.9 million for P.E. Soils and $1.5 million for Land Acquisition was included in the IDOT 2010-2015 program for the Prairie Parkway.
Renewed push for Prairie Parkway from area officials
A group of area governmental and labor officials including Kane County board chairwoman Karen McConnaughay, Kendall County board chairwoman Anne Vickery, Grundy County board chairman Frank Halpin, Yorkville mayor Valerie Burd, Plano mayor Bob Hausler, Sugar Grove village president Sean Michels, Chicago AFL-CIO President Dennis Gannon and others met with IL Governor Pat Quinn's staff to renew the local push to complete the Prairie Parkway project. Referring to Rep. Foster's attempt to de-fund the project, Vickery stated Mr. Foster seems to be driven by a very small faction of people who are against the Parkway. There is a much broader group of people who are interested in this transportation corridor.
Future connectivity with other projects
An outer loop highway around the perimeter of the Chicago area has been in conceptual planning for over 100 years. The 1909 Plan of Chicago, authored by Daniel Burnham and Edward Bennett, included an outer encircling highway with a western portion roughly approximating the Prairie Parkway route. The Illiana Expressway, which is currently in planning by the states of Indiana and Illinois, would connect Interstate 55 to Interstate 65 and its routing would roughly approximate the southern portion of the outer encircling highway concept. A short connection between the Prairie Parkway and Illiana would result in a continuous connecting route of approximately 100 miles from Interstate 88 to Interstate 65 around the western and southern suburbs of Chicago. All three projects Prairie Parkway, Illiana, and an I-55 to I-80 connector are included in Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning's Go to 2040 regional plan, although none of them are listed as priority projects for this planning period.
Federal Approval of Record of Decision Rescinded
On August 22, 2012, the Federal Highway Administration rescinded its approval of the Record of Decision. The 2007 Corridor Protection remained in place.
Future exits
Interstate 80
U.S. Route 52
Illinois Route 47
Illinois Route 71
U.S. Route 34
U.S. Route 30
Interstate 88
References
External links
Citizens Against the Sprawlway
Corridor Protection Study
Prairie Parkway Preliminary Engineering Study
Prairie Parkway Draft EIS
Prairie Parkway Final EIS
Prairie Parkway Record of Decision
End of the Road for Prairie Parkway
Category:Roads in Illinois
Category:Proposed state highways in the United States
Category:Expressways in the Chicago area | wikipedia |
Numerical model of 1D equations for compressible flow
The equations for 1D compressible flow are
$$\frac{\partial u(x,t)}{\partial t}-A\frac{\partial v(x,t)}{\partial x}=0,$$
$$\frac{\partial v(x,t)}{\partial t}-B\frac{\partial u(x,t)}{\partial x}=0,$$
with $u(x,t)$ the velocity, $v(x,t)$ the specific volume and $A,B$ constant. A simple explicit finite difference formulation of this problem could be
\begin{align}
u^{n+1}\_i &= A\frac{\Delta t}{\Delta x}(v^n\_i-v^n\_{i-1})+u^n\_i,\\
v^{n+1}\_i &= B\frac{\Delta t}{\Delta x}(u^n\_i-u^n\_{i-1})+v^n\_i
\end{align}
where all new values are denoted with $^{n+1}$, values from previous timestep are denoted with $^n$ and $i=1...N$ for $N$ points in the spatial domain. At the inlet, we can impose boundary conditions
$$u\_0=u\_\text{in}$$
$$v\_0=v\_\text{in}$$
When running this model, the solutions start to oscillate at the inlet. These oscillations grow in amplitude and advect through the domain. So what causes these errors? Since it start at the inlet it is probably related to the boundary condition. Decreasing the timestep size does not help.
It turns out that you can work out everything analytically. In the bulk, this is formally equivalent to the lossless [telegrapher’s equation](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telegrapher%27s_equations), depending on your background, this analogy can help build intuition. In particular, it is not surprising that you get progressive waves forming. Also, it gives you another natural discretization scheme:
$$
\begin{align}
u^{n+1}\_i &=A\frac{\Delta t}{\Delta x}(v^n\_i-v^n\_{i-1})+u^n\_i\\
v^{n+1}\_i &=B\frac{\Delta t}{\Delta x}(u^n\_{i+1}-u^n\_i)+v^n\_i
\end{align}
$$
From this analogy, you can already something strange with your boundary conditions. You would rather expect to specify a condition at the inlet and another at the outlet, not both at the inlet.
You can solve the original continuous problem by mode expansion. I’ll assume up to a change of units of $u,v,x,t$ that $A=B=1$ and $x\in[0,1]$. The normalized equations:
$$
\partial\_tu-\partial\_xv=0 \\
\partial\_tv-\partial\_xu=0
$$
Up to a Fourier decomposition of the time varying $u\_{in},v\_{in}$, you can assume with no loss of generality that:
$$
u\_{in}=Ue^{i\omega t}\\
v\_{in}=Ve^{i\omega t}
$$
You can get a solution by separation of variables. To match the temporal initial condition, you’ll need to add homogenous solutions satisfying $u\_0=v\_0=0$. The separated variable solution:
$$
u=\left(U\cos(\omega x)+iV\sin(\omega x)\right)e^{i\omega t}\\
v=\left(iU\sin(\omega x)+V\cos(\omega x)\right)e^{i\omega t}
$$
However, the problem arises when you investigate the homogenous solutions. By imposing two conditions at $x=0$, the problem is overdetermined and there are none. Your problem is therefore ill posed. Either you put for initial values precisely the previous solution, in which case it will evolve nicely, or else the equations “breaks down” and there are no solutions.
This explains why your simulations are unstable. When you discretize, you apparently recover a system where you can feed in any initial conditions, but there is no reason for it to behave like the particular solution in the continuum case.
I would recommend looking into the physics and check whether the boundary conditions are the correct ones.
Hope this helps.
$\newcommand{\ee}{\operatorname{e\!}{}}$
$\newcommand{\iu}{\mathrm{i}\mkern1mu}$
We can write the PDEs as a single matrix equation,
$$\frac{\partial q}{\partial t}-\mathsf{A}\frac{\partial q}{\partial x}=0$$
where,
$$q=\left(\begin{array}{c}u \\ v\end{array}\right),\quad\mathsf{A}=\left(\begin{array}{cc}0 & A \\ B & 0\end{array}\right).$$
This discretizes using OP's form as,
$$ q\_i^{n+1}=q\_i^n+\mathsf{A}\frac{dt}{dx}\left(q\_i^n-q\_{i-1}^n\right).\tag{1}$$
From this we can do the [von Neumann stability analysis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Von_Neumann_stability_analysis) (or Fourier stability) by letting $q\_i^n=\hat{q}\gamma^n\ee^{\iu i\theta}$. After some cancelations, we end up finding that
$$\gamma=1+\mathsf{A}\frac{dt}{dx}\left(1-\ee^{-\iu\theta}\right)$$
which, unless $A,\,B$ are negative, this scheme is *unconditionally unstable* (which would requires $\vert\gamma\vert\leq1$), hence, the observed oscillations are effectively expected.
---
To damp these oscillations, a different scheme must be used. One such example that I tested was to use the [Lax-Friedrichs method](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lax%E2%80%93Friedrichs_method) which would recast Eq (1) as
$$ q\_i^{n+1}=\frac{1}{2}\left(q\_{i+1}^n+q\_{i-1}^n\right)+\mathsf{A}\frac{dt}{dx}\left(q\_i^n-q\_{i-1}^n\right).\tag{2}$$
which is conditionally stable (requires $\vert\mathsf{A}\times dt/dx\vert\leq1$).
| stackexchange/physics |
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1. Capítulo 1
A Miki Koishikawa no podía irle mejor, a sus 21 años la vida parecía sonreírle. No solo porque era la más prometedora estudiante de Interiorismo en la Universidad de Tokyo; sino porque su amado Yuu había acabado el trienio de su carrera en Arquitectura en Nueva York y volvía a Japón para casarse con ella.
-Miki, ¿has puesto ya las últimas cajas en la parte de arriba?- le decía una atareada Meiko, que había dejado a su marido en Hiroshima para ir a ayudar a su amiga con la mudanza por unos días.
-Está todo casi listo- dijo cantarina la pelirroja –solo falta que Yuu aterrice en Tokyo y coloque sus cosas en "nuestra casa".
-Pero no os vais a quedar mucho, ¿no?- preguntó Meiko curiosa.
-Solo este primer año- dijo Miki pausadamente –a Yuu le han aceptado la beca para hacer prácticas en la universidad de Tokyo y así poder vivir las dos juntos este año mientras yo termino la mía.
-¡No puedo creer que en dos meses te vayas a casar!- exclamó feliz Meiko –Nacchan y yo nos vamos a mudar unos meses a Tokyo también porque sus padres quieren abrir una tienda aquí y yo quiero publicar mis novelas. ¡Igual tenemos suerte y nos quedamos!
-¿Por qué no os alojais unos días en nuestra casa y vais buscando locales mientras tanto?- se ofreció Miki.
-No queremos abusar, Miki- se disculpó Meiko –yo pensaba volver mañana a Hiroshima, Nacchan ya está haciendo todos los trámites y preparativos para mudarnos, creo que nos quedaremos en un piso de un familiar suyo.
-¡Podéis quedaros perfectamente!- dijo Miki y miró el reloj -¡Yuu aterrizará en un par de horas! ¿Damos una vuelta por el centro y luego vamos a recogerlo al aeropuerto?
Meiko asintió, las dos chicas se cambiaron de ropa y se fueron caminando hasta el metro más cerca. Miki no había cambiado demasiado desde sus 16 años; era igual de inocente, alegre y extrovertida que siempre, quizás aun demasiado ingenua y miedosa. Meiko parecía haber abierto un poco su corazón desde su boda con Namura, pero seguía siendo bastante reservada. Aun así, las dos habían madurado en aspecto, Miki ahora llevaba el pelo muy largo y sus sempiternas coletas habían pasado al olvido, pero aun conservaba esa niñez en su rostro. Meiko, en cambio, era una bella mujer de mirada seria pero amistosa y su cabello ondulado ahora iba recogido en un austero moño.
Al llegar al centro, una nueva atracción llamó la atención de ambas jovenes. Una luminosa y llamativa "casa del terror" parecía haber sido inaugurada recientemente en la ciudad.
-¿Entramos?- insistió Meiko.
-¿A una casa encantada?- Miki parecía turbada –pero es que… yo…
-Vamos Miki, ¡no seas miedosa!- la agarró Meiko fuerte del brazo –solo será un momento.
-¡Pero llegaremos tarde al aeropuerto!- dijo Miki confusa pero las insistencias de su amiga la hicieron cambiar de parecer –bueeeenooooo, entraremos. Pero antes voy a enviar un recado a Yuu al celular.
-"Todo lo que ahora es, pronto no será"- susurró una aspera voz de mujer cuando las chicas accedieron al lugar –todo va a cambiar para siempre.
Ambas vieron como una mujer, de avanzada edad, atabida con una túnica purpura y joyas por todo el cuello, aparecía de la nada envuelta en humo. Si aquello era el principio de la atracción y la anciana "hechicera" quería conseguir el climax perfecto, a Meiko no le había impresionado en absoluto.
-¿Cuánto es la atracción?- dijo con voz socarrona, pensando que igual Miki tenía razón y aquello era una pérdida de tiempo.
-Solo si realmente os atrevéis a entrar no os cobraré nada- sentenció con voz misteriosa la anciana bruja –pero si tomáis esa decisión, las consecuencias pueden ser tan terribles como irreversibles.
Miki tragó saliva, miró hacia la puerta y deseó que alguien más entrase en aquel lúgubre lugar; pero Meiko sentía su orgullo dañado ante tanta parafernalia. Espetó un "que sí, que lo que usted diga" y agarrando el brazo de su amiga, ambas atravesaron las cortinas deshilachadas que parecían hacer la función de puertas a la atracción.
Miki resoplaba y temblaba, aquellas cosas le daban realmente miedo a pesar de haber cumpliado ya la veintena. La anciana manoseaba una baraja de tarot, al ver como las chicas se perdían entre las cortinas, una sonrisa funesta dibujó su rostro. Sacó una carta y profirió una oración en silencio. Un fuerte crugido y el grito de una de las jóvenes solo fue turbado por el silencio y la oscuridad.
~*~
Yuu soltaba improperios de camino al centro de Tokyo, había estado esperando más de dos horas a que Miki apareciese, y se imaginaba que se habrían entretenido cerca de la dirección que le había escrito en el mensaje al móvil. Entonces este sonó.
-¡Hola Nacchan!- contestó el joven al celular –no se nada de ellas, Miki me mandó un mensaje diciendo que se retrasarían un poco porque iban a entrar a una tienda en el 8-8-2 de Nishi Shinjuku Shinjuku; pero de eso hace más de dos horas, puedo entenderlo de Miki pero… no entiendo como Meiko no te ha llamado.
Cuando Yuu llegó al 8-8-2 de Nishi Shinjuku Shinjuku, solo encontró un viejo edificio en ruinas. Entonces, pensando que todo había sido una broma de las chicas o que Miki no supiese como siempre donde estaba, un gato salió de su escondite con lo que parecía algo en las fauces. Yuu palideció al ver que se trataba del celular de Miki y al acercarse un poco más, con cuidado de que no le cayese nada encima, quedó mudo al divisar los bolsos de las chicas llenos de polvo y escombros. Junto a ellos solo encontró una carta del tarot, "El espejo".
~*~
Miki despertó con un terrible dolor de cabeza, le costaba abrir los ojos y la claridad del sol la cegaba. No sabía muy bien donde estaba y tenía la sensación de haber estado durmiendo durante días.
Se incorporó y observó su habitación con curiosidad, todo parecía estar en el mismo sitio donde ella recordaba. ¡¿Un momento?! Miki se levantó de un salto de la cama, estaba en su antigua habitación cuando vivía con sus padres hace ya cinco años. No obstante, no recordaba haberles dicho que iba a quedarse a dormir allí esa noche, ¿no habían vendido la casa?. La pelirroja tenía el difuso recuerdo de tener que ir a recoger a Yuu al aeropuerto… ¡YUU! Buscó su móvil pero no lo encontró por ningún lado, tampoco llevaba su anillo de pedida. ¿Qué estaba pasando? ¡¿Qué estaba…?!
-Miki, cariño- dijo Rumi al entrar en la habitación de la muchacha –por fin te has despertado.
Pero la pelirroja estaba observando horrorizada su reflejo en el espejo de su cuarto, era imposible para ella pero la Miki que le devolvía la mirada confusa y asustada no era ella, sino una Miki de 16 años.
-¡Miki!
-¿Mamá?- el aspecto de su madre también era más joven y algo diferente -¿qué ha pasado?
-Es normal que estés confusa, hija- dijo la mujer acariciándole la mejilla –el médico dice que incluso puede que tuvieses sueños y delirios que pareciesen muy reales.
-¿El médico?- una asustada Miki parecía estar cada vez más perdida -¿por qué estoy yo aquí, por qué parece que tenga 16 años, dónde están Youji y Chiyako? ¡¿Dónde está Yuu?!
-Cariño, has estado muy enferma, ¿no lo recuerdas?- trató de tranquilizarla su madre –estuviste durante cinco días con fiebres muy altas y delirando.
-No es posible…- los ojos de la pelirroja se llenaron de lágrimas.
-Ayer el médico nos dijo que ya podíamos traerte a casa aunque estuviese todavía sedada- continuó lo más calmado que pudo Rumi –estuviste dormida hasta ahora que has despertado, el médico dijo que en cuanto lo hiciese estarías curada. ¡No sabes cuánto me alegra verte en pie!
Rumi abrazó a su hija con todas sus fuerzas, sus lágrimas brotaban de sus ojos sinceramente. Miki pensó que nunca antes había visto a su madre así de afectuosa y entregada.
-¿Pero... dónde están los Matsuura?- continuó la muchacha cada vez más confusa -¿dónde está Yuu?
-Cariño, no conocemos a nadie que se apellido Matsuura. ¿Quién es Yuu?
Miki quedó en un estado de shock, Rumi la besó en la frente y fue a traerle el desayuno a la habitación.
-El médico vendrá a verte en una hora- le informó antes de salir.
La pelirroja se echó a llorar horrorizada, no entendía nada. ¿Cómo era posible que su madre no supiese quienes eran los Matsuura, quién era Yuu? Pensó que igual era algún tipo de broma maquiavélica de sus progenitores, pero al asomarse por las escaleras solo vio a su madre hablar por teléfono con la bandeja del desayuno en la encimera.
-No parece recordar muchas cosas- decía su madre con tono muy preocupado –me preguntó si tenía 16 años que acaba de cumplir, no sabía que hacía en su habitación y hasta me preguntó por gente que no conocemos.
Miki volvió a su habitación, si era una broma se lo estaban tomando muy en serio. Se observó detenidamente en el espejo y realmente esa era la imagen que ella más o menos recordaba de sus 16 años. Su rostro volvía ser redondo y sus ojos eran más aniñados, además de que su pelo ahora era mucho más corto de lo que ella recordaba. ¿Pero cómo iba a ser posible que toda su vida desde que los Matsuura aparecieran lo hubiese soñado? ¡Era imposible albergar tantos falsos recuerdos y tan claros!
Observó su cuarto, estaba tal cual lo recordaba antes de haberse mudado con el intercambio de parejas. En la mesa de su escritorio vio que su diario seguía sobre ella, el diario que intercambiaba con Meiko…
-¡MEIKO!- chilló la muchacha y buscó algo de ropa para ponerse.
¡Ah no!- dijo Rumi irrumpiendo en la habitación de Miki con el desayuno –tienes que descansar, no puedes salir de casa hasta que el médico te vea.
-Mamá- comenzó la pelirroja e intentó parecer lo más tranquila posible -¿tengo una amiga que se llama Meiko?
-Si, hija- contestó Rumi confusa y la cara de alegría de Miki le hizo pensar que igual había recobrado el hilo de realidad.
-Necesito verla- chilló la chica ansiosa.
-Me temo que Meiko está en su casa en la cama- contestó su madre con cuidado en sus palabras –ambas sufristeis la misma gripe y me temo que Meiko estaba acusada de los mismos síntomas que tú.
La cara de Miki se oscureció por unos momentos, ¿sería realmente cierto que todo había sido provocado el delirio en su estado febril? Rumi le aconsejó que desayunase mientras el médico llegaba y se marchó con un beso en la frente.
La cabeza de la pelirroja daba miles de vueltas, nada tenía sentido. Necesitaba hablar con Meiko urgentemente para ver si ella había tenido los mismo "delirios". Entonces recordó el diario. Lo cogió entre sus manos y con cuidado lo abrió, sorprendentemente no había nada escrito. Ahora Miki ya no albergaba ninguna duda, algo raro estaba sucediendo.
~*~
-La muchacha se encuentra en perfecto estado- informó el médico a una angustiada Rumi después de ver a su hija en su cuarto.
-Pero se encuentra perdida y confusa- balbuceaba la señora Koishikawa –preguntó por gente que no conocemos y parece sorprendida por todo lo que le rodea.
-Es normal con este tipo de… comas- tomó una pausa el médico –que los enfermos tengan delirios oníricos que les lleven a divagar en el despertar. Puede que haya soñado cosas en su estado de sueño profundo inducido tan vívidos que le hayan llevado a pensar que eran reales… el shock es normal.
-¿Pero entonces…?
-Simplemente dele tiempo- continuó el médico –ha superado la enfermedad y parece tener más vigor y vitalidad que antes. Ahora solo póngala al día poco a poco si sigue confusa y… no le provoque situaciones conflictivas o disgustos en la medida de lo posible.
Rumi asintió y acompañó al médico a la salida, al volver al salón encontró a una Miki vestida y descalza, observando la habitación con detenimiento.
-Tal cual lo recordaba- musitaba la chica.
-¡Miki!- bramó su madre –el médico te ha mandado reposo, ¿qué haces vestida para salir y… descalza?
-¡Ya estoy bien, mamá!- se exculpó la pelirroja –me encuentro perfectamente y necesito ver a Meiko.
Rumi dibujó una cara de disgusto, a Miki le resultaba muy extraño que su madre se hubiese vuelto tan protectora. Se encaminó hacia la puerta y se sentó en el suelo para colocarse los zapatos, pero se dio un buen golpe en el trasero al ver que no había escalón en el recibidor; tampoco parecía encontrar sus zapatos por ningún lado. Entonces se fijó en que su madre llevaba calzados los tacones por la casa.
-Cariño, ¿qué sucede?
-Mis zapatos no están… -gimió Miki confusa –y tú los llevas puestos por la casa.
-¿Y?- preguntó Rumi sin entender.
-Pues que siempre los dejamos en la puerta… ya sabes, la costumbre… y el escalón, ¿dónde está?
-Cariño, esa es una costumbre japonesa- la cada vez más perpleja Rumi parecía empezar a impacientarse.
-¿Y dónde vivimos si no?
-¡En EEUU, Miki! ¡Siempre hemos vivido aquí! ¡En Sunnydale, California!
Miki tragó saliva, miró a su madre pero no encontró un ápice de burla. Aquello sí que no era normal; vale que su madre no conociese a los Matsuura y no supiese quién era Yuu… ¡pero ella siempre había vivido en Tokyo! ¡Era japonesa, no americana!
-Ma… mamá- suspiró Miki antes de hacer la pregunta -¿me apellido Koishikawa, verdad?
Rumi abrazó a su hija y le suplicó que se diese un descanso, ella le iría dando todos los detalles y poco a poco iría recordando. Miki corrió a su habitación, se tiró sobre la cama y lloró… aquello había sobrepasado el límite y se encontraba al borde del colapso.
~*~
En algún lugar oscuro y oculto, una cripta perdida, un vampiro invocaba en una lengua perdida mientras una muchacha lloriqueaba atada a una pila. Una hermosa mujer, de dorados cabellos la sostenía por la cabeza y empuñaba una plateada daga.
-Acude a nosotros, Maestro- dijo entonces el vampiro en viva voz, repitiendo a coro con el resto del séquito de ultratumbra –aquí tienes tu ofrenda.
La vampira hundió la daga en el cuello de la muchacha, un brillló carmesí vistió de sacrificio la escena y la sangre de la víctima se derramó en un pequeño manantial en la cripta. Entonces unos fieros ojos rojos cegaron la escena.
Miki despertó sobresaltada, empapada en sudor y con la extraña sensación que aquella pesadilla no había sido solo producto de su mente. Miró a la ventana, había empezado a anochecer y una suave lluvia bañaba el paisaje.
La pelirroja abrió la puerta de su cuarto, escuchó la voz de un televisor y se imaginó que si intentaba salir por la puerta su madre la detendría en su nueva faceta de madre amorosísima, pero tenía que salir y buscar a Meiko. ¿Pero dónde podría estar si ahora estaba en una ciudad, en un país y en un continente desconocido?
Buscó por su escritorio algún papel o libreta donde pudiese tener escrita la dirección de Meiko, todo eran libros de texto del instituto y efectos personales que Miki recordaba perfectamente. Con poco cuidado y en un ataque de desesperación, cogió el diario y lo zarandeó, y para su sorpresa una pequeña notita resbaló de entre sus páginas.
-17 Marvel Rd., casa de Meiko Akizuki- leyó Meiko perpleja al ver que su desesperación la había llevado al lugar correcto, aunque nunca recordaba haber tenido una notita de Meiko con su dirección escrita en su diario.
Ahora el problema era saber cómo llegar, quizás si conseguía salir de la casa y preguntase… pero le daba miedo que no hubiese nadie por la calle al ser tan tarde o que nadie supiese donde vivía Meiko, ¿y si se había mudado? Mientras se hacía esas preguntas, se dio cuenta al abanicarse con la tarjeta que había algo escrito en ella. ¡Era un mapa dibuja por alguien! En él se podía ver la ubicación de la casa de Meiko y una ruta desde donde ponía "casa de Miki" y la chica juraría que era la letra de su amiga.
-Bueno, por lo menos sé donde vive…- musitó algo incrédula.
Ahora el plan era salir de casa, pero por la puerta iba a ser difícil ya que comunicaba con el salón y allí estaría su madre (y supuso su padre) viendo la t.v. Miró hacia la ventana, 2 m. y medio de caída libre, aunque había un árbol cercano a la pared.
-¡Nunca me he escapado así de casa!- gimió Miki –¡me estoy convirtiendo en una… EN UNA GAMBERRA!
Pero, ¡qué demonios! Era eso o esperar a que a su madre se le pasara su actual estado supra maternal, no es que le molestara pero había pasado de una madre sin sentido común a tener en casa a una carcelera. Abrió la ventana y lanzó los zapatos por ella; luego la traspasó con cuidado comenzando por las piernas, después se aferró a la barandilla. Ahora solo tenía que descender con cuidado y… ¡PLAM!
-¡No me he muerto!- chilló Miki de felicidad al ver que había sobrevivido a la caída parando con los pies en el suelo… como una gata.
De repente, se abrió la puerta de su casa; Miki se tiró de cabeza contra el arbusto más cercano, mientras su madre buscaba con la mirada el origen del estrudendo.
-Habrá sido un gato- dijo Rumi por fin y se metió dentro de la casa.
Miki comenzó a apartar hojas y hierba de su cara, al final había dado con su cara en el suelo. No obstante, y por muy sorprendida que estuviese, no tenía ni un solo rasguño. ¡ 2 m. y poco, y no se había hecho nada! Bueno, ahora tocaba ponerse en camino a casa de Meiko.
~*~
Las calles de Sunnydale le resultaban confusamente conocidas, recordaba la heladería, la tienda de discos "The Boss" e incluso el camino hacia el instituto. De hecho, sus pies parecían conocer el trayecto a casa de Meiko sin siquiera titubear. Ahora que había salido de su casa-cárcel se sentía mucho menos perdida.
Mientras divagaba sobre que conocía y qué no, algo llamó su atención por completo. Una pareja tonteaban cerca de un parque y él parecía querer llevarla a algún lugar, imaginó Miki que para "estar solos". El caso era que la pelirroja no podía dejar de mirarlos y algo dentro de sí le decía que uno de los dos corría grave peligro. Miró hacia el camino que le llevaba a casa de Meiko, necesitaba ir a verla y comenzaba a recordar que estaba sola en la ciudad, que no conocía y llena de "peligros" que podían acecharla en cualquier momento. Un escalofrío recorrió su cuerpo y la Miki miedosa comenzó a suplicar que volviesen a casa donde estaban seguras.
-Vamos, nena- dijo el joven vestido horrorosamente de tweed, agarrando del brazo a la indecisa y bella adolescente de apariencia escolar e inofensiva –vamos a un lugar que conozco.
La pareja se encaminó hacia el parque, Miki pensó en seguir tranquilamente su camino cuando algo la hizo ponerse alerta… un escalofrío le indicaba que debía hacer algo o alguien "podría morir". No obstante, el deseo de volver a casa era cada vez más fuerte, aunque necesitaba ver a Meiko, empezaba a sentir un miedo cegador. Quería llorar, quería correr, quería… ¿aquello no acababa de ser un grito?
Miki corrió hacia el parque sin pensarlo dos veces, buscó con la mirada a la pareja y vio que se perdían entre unos espesos matorrales. Los siguió con paso acelerado y para su horrorizada sorpresa, observó que daban a parar a un cementerio.
La pelirroja dudó, aquello empezaba a tildar mal y a ella le horrorizaban los cementerios… le recordaban a tanta y tan escalofriantes historias de miedo. Otra grito hizo que perdiera el hilo de aquellos pensamiento y como llevaba por la desgarradora voz, corrió a su encuentro.
Entonces Miki quedó en estado de shock, la escena en sí era cómica. El tio vestido de tweed lloriqueaba de horror, agazapado contra una lápida y suplicando ayuda a los cuatro vientos. En cambio, aquella "inofensiva" colegiala, que por mucho que Miki pensara que era efecto del delirio, no se parecía en nada a la niña que había visto minutos antes.
-¡UN VAMPIRO!- chilló la pelirroja fuera de sí y comenzó a correr en círculos y a lloriquear.
-¿Y esta niñata de dónde ha salido?- farfulló malhumorada la vampira al ver que habían interrumpido su caza.
-¡Ayu… AYÚDAME!- suplicó el hombre a una Miki que se golpeaba contra las lápidas en su confusa y febril carrera sin sentido.
-Oye niña- le llamó la vampira –o te vas o te quedas quieta, ¡me estás poniendo de los nervios!
-¡Por favor! ¡Sálvame!- gritaba el hombre vestido de tweed a punto de ser mordido.
Miki trató de tranquilizarse, buscó algo con lo que atacar a aquel monstruo. Entonces recordó algo que se le daba muy bien.
¡PLASH! De un solo golpe, la niña llorica había conseguido noquear a la vampira usando de raqueta su diario y de pelota una piedra que había alcanzado.
-Set y partido para la señorita Koishikawa- chilló eufórica Miki.
-¡Oye!- bramó el hombre –habrá que matarla o volverá en sí.
-¡¿Ma… MATARLA?!
-Es un vampiro- se encogió de hombros el joven –no es humana.
-¿Y cómo se mata a un vampiro?- se preguntó la pelirroja -¿será con una bala de plata?
-¡Eso es para los hombres lobo! ¡Los vampiros se desintegran cuando les clavas una estaca de madera en el corazón!
Miki miró al hombro con cara de circunstancias.
-Es que me gusta mucho el cine de horror.
La pelirroja, no muy convencida, buscó algo punzante de madera por el suelo. De un palo perdido, lo partió en dos mitades y cogió la que más parecía una estaca. Ahora venía la parte más difícil…
~*~
-¿Qué mataste a un vampiro?- chilló Meiko incrédula.
Miki asintió mecánicamente.
-¿Pero cómo…?
-Le clavé una estaca…- comenzó la la pelirroja –pero como no miraba, primero fue en el vientre.
-¿Y?
-Luego en la cara…
-¿Y?
-Luego en el brazo…
-¿Y?
-Despertó…
-¡¿Y?!
-Se la clavó ella sola en el corazón.
Meiko permaneció mirándola con cara de circunstancias.
-Pero antes de desintegrase dijo algo extraño- continuó Miki con la mirada perdida –dijo "¡eres un desastre de cazadora!".
-¿"Cazadora"?
-Creo que ya deliraba.
2. Capítulo 2
**CAPÍTULO II**
Meiko observaba atónita a su amiga, le gustaría poder decirle que todo aquello tenía explicación o que se iba a solucionar pronto… pero ni ella misma sabía muy bien que estaba pasando.
Había despertado en su antigua habitación, en casa de sus padres y con un aspecto totalmente rejuvenecido, ¡con lo que ella había odiado sus 16 años! Cuando pensó que ya nada podía pasar, se fijó que su anillo de casada había desaparecido y su niñera no sabía decirle donde estaba Namura (parecía no saber siquiera quién era su marido). Pensó que igual sus padres la habían secuestrado para alejarla de Hiroshima al saber que volvía a Tokyo, pero no… aquello era demasiado rebuscado. Más aun cuando su madre y su padre entraron en la habitación con lágrimas en los ojos, la abrazaron como si nunca antes hubiese pasado nada entre ellos y le dijeron que había estado terriblemente enferma, sedad y con delirios.
Cuando empezaba a pensar que igual todo aquello era producto de su mente, que se hubiese dado algún golpe en la "Casa del terror" que la hubiese dejado inconsciente y esto fuese producto del delirio, la aparición de Miki dio un poco de luz a su nebulosa de incertidumbre.
-¿Qué nos puede estar pasando?- se preguntaba una y otra vez la pelirroja.
-Puede que… ¡puede que toda la culpa sea de esa tienda esotérica en la que entramos!- chilló Meiko al recordar lo sucedido antes de despertar.
-¿Quieres decir que la vieja bruja aquella nos ha hecho un conjuro?- balbuceó Miki asustada -¿qué nos ha rejuvenecido, les ha lavado el cerebro a nuestros padres, ha hecho desaparecer a Nacchan y Yuu, y nos ha traído a California? ¡Dónde hay vampiros!
-Los vampiros no existen, Miki- sentenció su amiga con sorna.
-¡Pero te acabo de contar como maté a uno!
-Puede que todo esto sea un estado de coma que estamos sufriendo- pensó la de pelo rizado en voz alta –puede que al estar en la tienda nos diésemos un golpe; tu gritaste y ya no recuerdo nada más.
-Grité porque algo tiró de mí desde el otro lado del cristal que había justo frente a las cortinas- dijo Miki asustada al recordar de repente como dos brazos blancos y fríos habían salido del espejo que encontraron en la pequeña sala justo al atravesar las raídas cortinas, la habían agarrado con tanta fuerza que juraría que la habían hecho atravesar el vidrio -¡es cierto, me sumergí en el espejo! Quiero decir que entré en él, como si fuese agua.
-En la habitación solo había uno grande y ornamentado, es cierto- dijo Meiko intentando recordar –y tú chillaste y… ¡algo me agarró también a mí y ya no vi nada!
-Tú también te sumergiste en el cristal- continuó la pelirroja la frase.
-Es posible, algo me sujetaba y sentí que tiraba muy fuerte de mí y creo… creo que el reflejo se había tornado opaco.
-¡Es cierto!- chilló Miki –ya no nos reflejaba, además hacía un ruido extraño…
-…como las ondas del agua- finalizó Meiko la frase.
Las dos chicas se miraron asustadas, nunca se dieron un golpe en la cabeza ni estaban sufriendo ningún tipo de trastorno tras una enfermedad, algo las había arrastrado a otra realidad. Meiko había leído que en algunos rituales de magia, los espejos tenían la propiedad de convertirse en puertas a otras dimensiones y para volver había que traspasar el mismo espejo desde el "otro lado".
-Puede que entonces sí sea todo esto cosa de la bruja- dijo Meiko al final –tenemos que volver a la tienda.
-¿Pero cómo encontrar la dirección?- preguntó Miki sombría –recuerda que estamos en una ciudad desconocida, aunque…
-¿Si?
-Puede que…- musitó Miki mientras creía recordar algo en concreto –puede que sepa cómo llegar.
Pero los recuerdos desaparecieron de la mente de la pelirroja, habían sido solo unas difusas imágenes. Quizás esa era la solución, volver a la "Casa del terror" e intentar saber que había sucedido, aunque lo del golpe en la cabeza aún no lo descartaba.
-Es tarde, Miki- dijo entonces su amiga –vamos a dejarlo para mañana, ¿quieres quedarte a dormir hoy aquí?
-No puedo… - musitó triste la chica –ya me gustaría porque contigo siento que no me he vuelto loca de remate, pero no le he dicho a mi madre que venía que verte, si se entera que no estoy en la habitación se preocupará.
"Y me castigará de por vida" pensó, pero desechó esa sensación al recordar a la Rumi que conocía, ella la entendería si se enteraba.
-Llámala y dile que has tenido que salir sin avisar- le propuso Meiko –tu madre es una persona muy comprensiva, lo en…
-¡Miki Koishikawa!- se escuchó retumbar la voz de la madre de la chica al otro lado de la puerta de la habitación de Meiko.
-¡Glups! Olvidé cerrar la ventana- gimió la pelirroja asustada –seguro que sabe que he salido por ella.
-¡¿Qué saliste por la ventana?!- chilló Meiko, pero al sentir la insistencia de la señora Koishikawa llamando a su hija, se despidieron y Miki decidió salir al encuentro de su "comprensiva" madre.
-Mañana te llamo- le susurró Meiko mientras su amiga se alejaba con paso apesadumbrado –le espera un buen castigo, me temo.
~*~
"Un buen castigo" era poco, la Rumi que Miki conocía se había convertido en una controladora y sobreprotectora madre que le había impuesto una condena casi de por vida. La pelirroja solo se alegraba que no hubiese imaginado lo de su "escapada" por la ventana sin sufrir ningún rasguño. La señora Koishikawa pensaba que su hija se había "escapado a hurtadillas por la puerta trasera" al escuchar ella un fuerte ruido en la calle; y Miki sin saber que tenían puerta trasera.
-Miki, hija- dijo un preocupado Jin abrazándola -¿qué has hecho esta vez?
Miki sintió por fin un poco de alivio al ver otra cara conocida, acababa de encontrarse con su padre nada más atravesar la puerta de casa. Parecía haber estado esperándolas. Su padre parecía el Jin de hacía 5 años pero ella creía verlo como siempre. No obstante, cuando pensaba que algo de paz iba a imponerse…
-Tu hija- gritó Rumi con fiereza –siempre metiéndose en problemas, como su padre.
-No empecemos, Rumi- contestó un Jin que acababa de cambiar de temperamento de repente y hacía rechinar sus dientes de forma desafiante –también es tu hija y es tarea tuya cuidarla.
-¡Ya, claro! Porque tú siempre estás de viaje, ¿no?- Miki observaba la escena sin dar crédito, sus padres nunca se habían comportado así ni cuando habían fingido peleas junto a los Matsuura.
-Porque eso es lo que nos da de comer- chilló el señor Koishikawa fuera de sí -¡si no perdieses el tiempo y mi dinero en tus chorradas de "trabajos creativos" y buscases uno de verdad!
-¡Tú eres el que debería dejar de pasar tanto tiempo con tu secretaría!- los gritos de su madre podían escucharse incluso desde fuera de la casa -¡nunca estás cuando se te necesita! Aunque gracias a dios que esto ya ha acabado con el divorcio.
Miki quedó en estado de shock al escuchar aquella palabra que creía olvidada en su memoria, "divorcio". ¿Se refería su madre a que se iban a divorciar? Salió corriendo hacia su habitación, con un portazo y se deshizo en lágrimas en la cama.
-¡Se supone que tenías que decírselo!- le espetó Jin a su ex mujer.
-Recoge lo que hayas venido a buscar y déjanos en paz- dijo muy fríamente la ex señora Koishikawa –no te necesitamos para nada y ya que no has colaborado en la educación de tu propia hija, ahora no hagas como si te importara.
Eso fue todo lo que Miki alcanzó a escuchar, se sucedieron varios gritos, puertas que se abrían y cerraban, un "¡hasta nunca!" y un portazo final. La pelirroja corrió hacia la ventana y vio como su padre se marchaba, éste se volvió, le sonrió y le hizo el gesto de "llamarla".
-Tú y yo ya hablaremos mañana- le espetó Rumi a su hija fríamente desde la puerta de la habitación y luego cerró con un portazo.
Miki cayó derrotada y desgarrada al suelo, gritó y lloró sin poder controlarse, aquello no podía estar sucediendo.
~*~
-Miki, tranquilízate- le decía Meiko desde el otro lado del teléfono –yo he pasado por una situación parecida y lo peor es que tú pierdas los nervios.
-Pero van…- la chica apenas podía articular las palabras –van a divorciarse o ya lo han hecho.
-Ya has pasado antes por eso- intentó consolarla su amiga.
-¡No de esta manera!- sollozó la pelirroja –aquello era un circo pero se querían, esto es el infierno.
-Piensa que esos no son tus verdaderos padres- continuó la de pelo rizado –en cuanto vayamos a la tienda de la calle Shinjuju, verás como volvemos a casa y todo esto acaba.
-¿Tus padres también se pelean en esta realidad?- preguntó Miki.
-No, se llevan muy bien- afirmó Meiko taciturna –pero nadie sabe quién es Nacchan… ¡y yo no quiero volver a tener 16 años!
-Yo tampoco- gimió la pelirroja –y tampoco nadie conoce a Yuu, quiero salir de esta estúpida realidad y volver a casa… ¡YA!
-Pero primero tenemos que saber cómo encontrar la tienda- insistió Meiko -¿por dónde empezar? Aquí en mi casa tengo conexión a internet, intentaré buscar… ¿"tienda 'Casa del terror'"?
-Meiko, tengo que dejarte- dijo Miki de repente –creo que he oído el coche de mamá, voy a colgar o me pillará.
Meiko se despidió y la chica corrió escaleras arriba a su cuarto, se metió en la cama tapándose totalmente con las sábanas. Lo último que quería era ver la cara de "su otra madre".
Rumi irrumpió entonces en la habitación sin llamar a la puerta, Miki pensó que sería buena idea poner un pestillo.
-Cariño, ¿estás dormida?- preguntó con voz maternal la ex señora Koishikawa.
¿Cómo demonios se había dado tanta prisa su madre en subir a su habitación?, se preguntaba la pelirroja, seguro que era el único pensamiento que tenía al llegar a casa. ¿En qué diablos trabajaría su madre en esa realidad?
-Miki, sé que no estás dormida- continuó pausadamente su madre –pero si no quieres hablarme lo entenderé, lo de anoche fue bochornoso y mucho más que tú lo presenciaras.
-"Parece que está entrando en razón"- pensó la chica.
-Ha sido muy malo por nuestra parte no decirte nada del divorcio, pero después de lo de tu grave gripe, lo que menos quería… queríamos era causarte más malestar.
-"Y le parecerá estupendo tenerme encerrada las 24 horas del día en casa".
-Papá y yo llevábamos un tiempo mal, aunque creo que tú ya lo intuías porque no parabas de meterte en problemas…
-"¡¿Problemas?! ¿Pero qué dice? ¿O es que en esta realidad es cierto que era una… gamberra?".
-Hemos tenido que divorciarnos porque llegamos a una situación que bueno… que ya no podíamos seguir juntos porque el amor que sentíamos ya no era el mismo.
Hubo una pausa, Rumi se acercó hasta la cama de su hija, se sentó en ella y posó su mano sobre los pies de Miki.
-Pero tú puedes ver a papá cuando quieras, de hecho dos fines de semana al mes vendrá a recogerte y lo pasarás con él.
-"¡¿Qué?! ¿Encima mi custodia ha quedado como suya? Menos mal que no pienso quedarme mucho en esta realidad, pero pobre de la Miki que vivía aquí".
-Pero el castigo que te impuse al venir de casa de tu amiga sigo manteniéndolo- sentenció la ex señora Koishikawa con firmeza, al ver que su hija no respondía –nada de salir sin mi permiso o llamadas sin que yo sepa con quién hablas, nada de t.v. durante un mes o internet hasta que acabe el año. Ya decidiré si puedes tocar solo el portátil para cosas de trabajo o puedes usarlo de vez en cuando sin que yo esté presente. ¡Me distes un buen susto! Si hasta pensé que te habías tirado por la ventana, sólo que te hubieses roto una pierna como mínimo en ese caso.
-"Si tú supieses, loca".
-Bueno, visto que no tienes nada que decir, me marcho a trabajar. Hoy no puedes salir, ya he llamado a la madre de Meiko.
Su madre se encaminó hacia la puerta de la habitación y se despidió con un "hasta la noche". Miki se incorporó atónita y sin saber que decir, aquella "otra Rumi" era una auténtica pesadilla pseudo-maternal. Aunque le doliese contradecir a su propia madre (fuese cómo fuese) y lo que iba a hacer, con las consecuencias que ella acarrearían, tenía que salir y encontrar la tienda esotérica ya. O sinceramente, se iba a volver loca.
~*~
-Todavía estoy débil- dijo casi en un susurro una gélida y feroz voz de ultratumba.
Un séquito de vampiros se arremolinaba en una cripta perdida en torno al ser que ellos llamaban "Maestro". Éste, de aspecto mitad humano mitad murciélago, ataviado de forma decimonónica y con cierta elegancia deshilachada, se balanceaba de un lado a otro de lo que parecía un trono.
-Queridos hijos míos- continuó el Maestro refiriéndose al grupo de vampiros que se arrodillaban ante él –solo hay una manera de recuperar mis fuerzas y poder salir de este encierro temporal en esta lúgubre cripta.
Todos miraban con atención al ser que hizo ademán de levantarse y, mostrando su orgullo dolido al ver que intentaban ayudarle, empujó a uno de los que se acercó hasta él tendiéndole la mano.
-Necesito "alimentarme"- dijo arrastrando las palabras –traedme jóvenes y bellas víctimas, y cuando esté recuperado, recobraremos lo que nos pertenece. La cosecha está cerca, entonces saldremos al mundo y sembraremos nuestro caos.
Todos repitieron las palabras del Maestro y comenzaron a reír y a festejar entre ellos. El ser se dejó caer abatido sobre su trono, algo le llevaba inquietando desde ayer. Una poderosa presencia se había manifestado y había matado a uno de los suyos. Pero no podía ser ella, la "Cazadora". Era imposible… o quizás no.
~*~
-Señorita Meiko- preguntó la nani al llamar a la puerta de la habitación de la muchacha -¿puedo pasar?
-Adelante- contestó la de pelo rizado –estaba buscando algo en Google.
-El modista está aquí con su uniforme.
-¿Mi uniforme?- preguntó la chica sobresaltada.
-Claro, señorita Meiko, este lunes empiezan las clases. Esta tarde deberíamos ir sin falta a por los libros de texto.
¡¿Uniforme, libros de texto?! ¡Oh no!, pensó Meiko, si tenía 16 años debía asistir otra vez al instituto. ¿Miki lo sabría? Aunque esa parecía una buena ocasión para ir al Centro de esa ciudad y buscar la tienda esotérica.
-Nana, debo avisar a Miki para que venga conmigo al Centro a comprarnos los libros de texto.
-Me temo que no va a ser posible, señorita- dijo la niñera apesadumbrada –la señora Koishikawa llamó y dio el recado que la señorita Miki estaba castigada todo el día.
-Nana, Miki y yo vamos al mismo instituto, ¿verdad?
-Si señorita- dijo la nani sin entender bien el por qué de esa pregunta –aunque perdóneme por decirlo, pero la señorita Miki ha tenido "mucha" suerte en ser admitida en este otro instituto.
-¿Por qué dices eso, nana?
-Bueno, ya sabe que los padres de la señorita Miki no iban muy bien económicamente y pidieron una beca al Sunnydale Private Highschool…
-¿Cómo sabes todo eso?- inquirió Meiko algo confusa.
-Nos lo contó la señora Koishikawa hace… unas semanas –la niñera hizo una pusa y continuó –lo que no entiendo es como la admitieron, si ya sabe… "lo que pasó".
-No, ¿qué sucedió?- preguntó Meiko intrigadísima.
-No quiero parecer chismosa, señorita Meiko- dijo la nani casi en un susurro –pero ya sabe lo que se dice, que la señorita Miki incendió el gimnasio de su antiguo instituto y por eso la expulsaron.
Meiko quedó en estado de shock, conocía a su niñera y sabía que ella era muy respetuosa en ese sentido, jamás le mentiría. Así que si le estaba contando eso, era porque lo había escuchado de la boca de la propia madre de su amiga.
~*~
Miki se asomaba taciturna al alfeizar de su ventana, miraba como anochecía y pensaba que aquello tenía que ser un castigo por no haber dado limosna a una viejecita que pedía cuando fue a ver su vestido de novia.
-Me tuvo que echar mal de ojo o algo- repetía mentalmente con melancolía y tristeza.
No obstante, aun así no era justo. Había pasado una adolescencia llena de altibajos, pero a fin de cuentas normal. Estaba a punto de casarse con el hombre de su vida, iba a acabar una prometedora carrera que le iba a llevar a trabajar, puede que sin siquiera licenciarse. Había aceptado su extraña situación familiar e incluso se había convertido en una hermanastra modélica para Shinichi y Shinobu, los hijos que Chiyako y la verdadera Rumi habían tenido con el intercambio de parejas. Todo era maravilloso, pensó a punto de llorar. Simplemente, ¿por qué?
Observó con detenimiento y por decimotercera vez su habitación. Era extraño que, a pesar de estar en otra realidad, todo le resultara perfectamente familiar. Su ropa, sus joyas, su colonia, sus libros de texto de Secundaria, su diario, su cajón cerrado con llave que no había reparado hasta ahora… ¡¿CÓMO?!
Miki se acercó al escritorio y observó aquello que antes no había a penas apreciado. Tiró del cajón, pero realmente estaba cerrado.
-¿Dónde estará la llave?- se dijo a sí misma mientras daba un repaso al escritorio. Entonces una imagen se dibujó en su mente, una cajita en su joyero. Allí se encontraba para sorpresa de la pelirroja.
Miki permaneció unos segundos observando aquella pequeña y metálica llave que le resultaba demasiado familiar, aunque nunca antes la hubiese visto. La colocó en la ranura y tragó saliva, ¿y si lo que encontraba simplemente le decepcionaba? O peor aún, la asustaba y desconcertaba aún más.
Miki ahogó un grito al ver lo que contenía aquel cajón, era incluso peor de lo que se había imaginado. Entonces un susurro la sacó de su ensimismamiento, juraría que acababa de escuchar a Meiko gritando su nombre. Miró hacia la venta… no había tiempo que perder.
~*~
Meiko había ido con su niñera a recoger los libros de texto y, de paso, a hacer unas compras que realmente no necesitaba. Iba a marcharse pronto de esa realidad, ¿qué más daba si se compraba unos caros vestidos que simplemente le habían encantado?
-Nana, ¿sabes si hay alguna tienda de cosas… de hechizos o de terror por aquí?- preguntó la de pelo rizado intentando parecer que era una pregunta intranscendental.
-Se junta usted demasiado con la señorita Miki, temo decir- fue la contestación casi en un susurro de la cuidadora de Meiko.
La chica iba a replicar, no concebía como su prudente y tranquila nani hubiese dicho eso. Pero aquella frase la intrigó, sobre todo después de lo que le había contado en casa.
-Vamos a tomar algo en aquella cafetería- dijo de repente la de pelo rizado como si no hubiese preguntado nada.
-Señorita, se está haciendo demasiado tarde- le inquirió su ciudadota preocupada –el coger nos espera.
Pero Meiko aun quería dar una vuelta más por el Centro, quería buscar un poco más la tienda esotérica. No obstante, el hecho de que comenzase a anochecer y lo que le había contado Miki la turbaba.
-Los vampiros no existen- se repetía mentalmente mientras seguía con las bolsas a su niñera.
Pero algo llamó su atención…
-Adelantaros- le dijo Meiko a su nani tendiéndole las bolsas –yo voy a ir a una tienda que he visto antes, no tardaré demasiado.
-Pero señorita…- fue a replicar la cuidadora, pero la nueva adolescente caminaba a paso firme hacia la otra dirección -¡señorita! ¡Le esperaremos dos calles más allá! ¡No tarde!
La de pelo rizado caminó rápida dos calles atrás, al deambular ensimismada hacia el coche a penas había prestado atención, pero juraría que había visto una tienda muy parecida a la de la calle Shinjuju.
-¡Uh, vaya vaya!- Meiko escuchó de repente una voz tras de sí –menuda preciosidad.
La chica se giró malhumorada, vio de refilón a un alto y bien vestido joven que parecía estar a unos pasos de ella. Simplemente lo ignoró y siguió buscando la tienda, juraría que la había divisado por ahí cerca.
¿No había demasiado silencio?, se preguntó a sí misma de repente, las calles hacia unos minutos estaban confluidas. Meiko se paró y sintió un escalofrío, aquel tipo la había seguido durante su corto recorrido sin ella darse siquiera cuenta.
-Puedo oler tu miedo- dijo el joven arrastrando las palabras –puedo sentir como tu sangre golpea tu corazón con fuerza.
¡No podía ser!, se repetía aterrada la muchacha, ¡no, los vampiros no existen! Meiko se dio la vuelta en un alarde de valor, pero un grito fue la única respuesta a lo que vio. Aquel ser horrendo, que antes parecía un joven cualquiera, ahora la miraba amenazadoramente. Su rostro se había deformado en una mueca fiera y extraña, sus ojos eran rojos y poseían un brillo sobrenatural y sus afilados colmillos demostraban que la indefensa Meiko se había equivocado.
La de pelo rizado corrió sin dirección, no miraba hacia donde solo deseaba huir de aquella criatura. Buscó algún tipo de refugio o escondrijo, no se había dado cuenta que había acabado en un callejón sin salida.
-Ven aquí, bocadito- dijo de repente el vampiro, justo frente a la horrorizada Meiko –no te dolerá; bueno sí, pero luego ya nunca sentirás nada.
-¡Idiota!- chilló una voz femenina a espaldas de la chica –ésta tiene que ser para el Maestro.
El vampiro no escuchó a la nueva aparecida vampiro, agarró fuerte a una Meiko en shock y la inclinó para poder tener su cuello accesible. La vampiro volvió a gruñir, Meiko no podía verla. Creía que era el fín, Miki tenía razón…
-¡Hey, vosotros!- bramó una tercer voz, Meiko sintió que le era muy familiar.
Miki acababa de llegar a la escena, se había estado intentando llenar de valor mientras corría. Pero no esperaba que fueran dos vampiros, notó como su orgullo y su estaca caían al suelo.
-¿Y está quién es?- preguntó confusa la vampira.
-¡Miki!- chilló su amiga desde el final de callejón.
La pelirroja agarró rápidamente la estaca y se lanzó en una carrera kamikaze hacia el vampiro, con tal mala suerte que cuando abrió los ojos se encontró en brazos de la vampiro. Esta le mostró sus afilados colmillos.
Meiko dibujó una mueca de disgusto y le chilló con rabia al vampiro que acabase de una vez. La vampiro retenía a su amiga que miraba horrorizada la escena, ¡tenía que hacer algo YA!
Lo siguiente fueron una sucesión de golpes y chillidos, primero Miki dio un cabezazo a la vampiro. Pensó que se rompería la crisma, pero el resultado fue que la horrible criatura la soltó dolorida y ésta corrió a liberar a su amiga. El vampiro soltó a su víctima e intentó parar el envite, golpeó a la chica en el estómago y la hizo golpearse fuertemente contra la pared.
-¡Oh dios mío, Miki!- chilló Meiko a punto de llorar -¡MIKI!
-Ella ya no puede oírte- le susurró el vampiro en el oído mientras desnudaba su cuello.
-Yo… no estaría tan seguro- dijo la pelirroja tras de sí, al vampiro no le dio tiempo a reaccionar. La estaca se clavó con rabia en el pecho del monstruo.
-¡Maldita seas!- chilló la vampiro con rabia y se lanzó contra ella.
Meiko no lo pensó dos veces, cogió la tapa de un cubo de la basura y la estampó contra su cara. Inquirió a Miki para que le clavase la estaca, pero ésta falló nerviosa e hizo que la vampiro reaccionara y dando un saltó, huyese. Las dos chicas se miraron atónitas y horrorizadas; estallaron en llanto y se abrazaron. Gracias a la providencia, se tenían la una a la otra o aquello hubiese sido el fín.
-¿Cómo te encuentras, Miki?- balbuceó su amiga palpando la espaldas de la chica -¡no te has hecho nada!
-Ya es la segunda vez…- musitó confusa la pelirroja y entonces algo captó por completo su atención -¡Meiko, mira!
Allí estaba lo que andaban buscando, era la misma fachada y cartel. "Casa del terror" se podía leer en letras fosforitas en el rótulo del anuncio. ¿Qué hacía en un callejón?
-"Abierto: solo sábados de 20:00 a 22:00 horas"- leyó Meiko -¡vaya horario más extraño!
-Aun así, llegamos tarde- dijo Miki apesadumbrada mirando el reloj, ambas se encogieron de hombros y se encaminaron hacia la calle principal.
-¡Ah Miki! El lunes empezamos el instituto- le susurró la de pelo rizado de repente.
-¡¿Quéééééé?!- fue su contestación al cabo de 10 minutos.
End file.
| fanfiction |
Liquid that looks like smoke when bottled?
I am making a gift that will consist of a liquid in a sealed bottle. I want the liquid to have a magical appearance. Something like the appearance of smoke - varying opacity from almost clear to almost opaque but never completely mixing.
I am looking for a liquid or combination of liquids with the following properties:
* Looks like smoke
* Will not become homogeneously opaque over a relatively long period of time (months)
* Non-toxic and non-reactive in a household setting (in case it is spilled accidentally)
* Relatively
easily found / made assuming access to decently stocked pharmacies,
grocery and hardware stores
* Can be coloured would be a bonus
So you want to make something that looks like smoke. What makes smoke look the way it does, anyway?
Smoke is composed of extremely fine particles, often below $\mathrm{1\ µm = 0.001\ mm}$ in diameter (check [here](http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/particle-sizes-d_934.html) for comparisons with other particulate materials). These particles are large enough to scatter light, which allows them to be seen, but small enough to be extremely light and stay aloft with even very weak currents in air or liquids.
One interesting and very beautiful consequence of these combined properties is that they can clearly reveal fluid flows, which is what gives smoke its wispy, delicate and complex appearance. That's what fluid flows are like all the time, we just almost never have a direct view of it.
So fundamentally your request is quite simple; all you need is a common, non-toxic source of very fine particulate. Fortunately there are good ways to achieve this in practice.
One of the most popular seems to be using fine [mica](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mica) dust. These non-toxic silicate minerals can be ground to form tiny, almost perfectly smooth crystalline sheets. When the particles align properly, light is reflected into a viewer's eyes giving a shiny, glittery appearance. If the mica dust is suspending in a liquid, then the many millions of particles twinkle momentarily as they tumble chaotically under the action of currents in the fluid.
Liquid mixtures containing similar materials are called *rheoscopic fluids*. There are many many sources online for ready-made fluids, or you can make your own from mica powder or other fine solids. Suspensions in water eventually settle, but last for a long time without degradation, needing only a shake to awaken. With a myriad of water-soluble dyes at your disposal, you can adjust the fluid to the desired colour.
Though rheoscopic fluids based on water and mica are non-toxic and quite safe, that doesn't mean they pose no hazard whatsoever. Very fine particulate can be an irritant if inhaled or exposed to eyes and mucous membranes (especially a problem if handing the dry powder). Just take a bit of care and you can have fun too! Try putting the fluid on a warm surface and see the convection currents!
Not really sure what you're looking for, but it sounds like you want to make something with liquids that have different densities and do not mix well.
You can find these DIY projects by searching for "ocean in a bottle" or "galaxy in a bottle." You can make them by adding food coloring, water and mineral oil to a bottle. For a "magical" appearance, you can add bath products that contain a pearlescent shine, like shampoo, or add glitter.
| stackexchange/chemistry |
Hcl Homes > Blog > Home > No One Ever Knows When a Locksmith Will Be Needed
Galeno MagicJuly 26, 2022
posted on Jul. 26, 2022 at 5:48 am July 26, 2022
There are numerous reasons why people may need a locksmith. Of course, the main reason is when you've been locked out of a home, office, or vehicle. Locksmiths work 24/7 because they know that it usually requires an emergency for people to call them. Whether that emergency takes place in your home, your business, or even out in the middle of nowhere, they can come out quickly and accommodate you, even making you a spare key if that's what you need.
A professional locksmith offers all types of services, so they can rekey a lock, unlock a safe, repair a garage remote control, and even rekey a cabinet or desk. For them, no job is too big or too small, and top-notch Rockingham locksmiths work quickly but efficiently to get the job done every time. Even lost and broken keys can be replaced, which is a big relief to anyone who suffers with this type of predicament. Locksmiths are well-trained and have the tools they need to do the job right the first time, giving you the peace of mind you deserve.
They also work with both individuals and business-owners, so if a disgruntled employee leaves and forgets to leave you their key to the security door, a locksmith can rekey the lock on the door and take care of the problem. If you're out running errands and accidentally leave your car keys in your locked car or truck, they'll come out to where you are and unlock the doors for you. Regardless of the situation, a locksmith is a true professional who delivers excellent service in record time, every time.
They Are Available When You Need Them
Locksmiths always offer both emergency and non-emergency services. Since they are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, you can even call them in the middle of the night or on a holiday and they are there to help you. From padlocks to safes and electronic locks to remote controls, they can accommodate all of these things and more. They'll give you an upfront quote every time, so you'll know ahead of time what it's going to cost you.
The bottom line is that professional locksmiths are easy to work with and can accommodate everyone, regardless of what you need from them. They work fast so that you can go on with your life. When you need them, it's great to know they're there.
Galeno Magic July 26, 2022
Why You Should Hire a Proven Company to Mold Remediate Your Home Or Business
the authorGaleno Magic
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No One Ever Knows When a Locksmith Will Be Needed July 26, 2022
Why You Should Hire a Proven Company to Mold Remediate Your Home Or Business April 15, 2022 | slim_pajama |
Doris B. Fuller died early 1962 was an American bridge player and teacher from New York City.
She was the wife of Robert B. Bob Fuller.
The veteran New York Times bridge columnist Albert Morehead wrote in tribute, under the subheading Colorful Player Dies on February 6, 1962: The death of Doris Fuller Mrs. Robert B. Fuller last week removed from the bridge scene one of the most colorful characters of the times thirty or more years ago when contract bridge was a new game. She had been a bridge teacher and club duplicate director, as well as a champion player. According to Morehead, many an aspiring young bridge expert during the Great Depression played bridge for the money to live. Bob Fuller was making a living and his wife always had a spare dollar for anyone who couldn't eat without it.
Fuller directed both regular bridge games at several New York clubs and some special events. Prior to the annual Asbury Park tournament in 1941, for example, she and Al Sobel held in a city hotel their annual duplicate game whose prize was payment of tournament entry fees; she and Mrs. E. M. Goddard conducted tournament warm-up games.
Fuller first won the American Bridge League or national championship for women in 1935 with Helen White, Florence Stratford, and Angela Quigley. Fuller and White were partners at least on the deal featured in a Morehead bridge column. The same foursome were champions again in 1936, and runners-up in 1937 when White was newly wed to Al Sobel or Helen Sobel, as she became world-famous.
Bridge accomplishments
Wins
North American Bridge Championships 8
Whitehead Women's Pairs 2 1933, 1937
Wagar Women's Knockout Teams 4 1935, 1936, 1939, 1954
Chicago Mixed Board-a-Match 2 1931, 1938
Runners-up
North American Bridge Championships
von Zedtwitz Life Master Pairs 1 1937
Whitehead Women's Pairs 3 1935, 1936, 1939
Wagar Women's Knockout Teams 3 1937, 1941, 1942
Chicago Mixed Board-a-Match 2 1930, 1934
References
External links
Category:American contract bridge players
Category:Educators from New York City
Category:Year of birth missing
Category:Place of birth missing
Category:Date of death missing
Category:Place of death missing
Category:1962 deaths | wikipedia |
Nomenclature of organic compounds containing complex side chains
How do we decide the sequence of substituents in a organic compound if one of the substituents is complex. Should the complex chain must always be written first while writing the IUPAC name or are there any other rules governing it?
The following IUPAC names got me confused:
7-(1,2-dimethylpentyl)-5-ethyltridecane
AND
5,5-dimethyl-6-(1,1-dimethylbutyl)-6-pentyltridecane
In the first compound the complex substituent is written first although p(pentyl) comes after e(ethyl).
In the second compound, the complex substituent is written later although m(methyl) comes after b(butyl).
Simple prefixes are arranged alphabetically disregarding any multiplicative prefixes. The multiplicative prefixes are inserted later and do not alter the alphabetical order.
For example, ‘1,2-dibromo-’ is considered to begin with ‘b’.
However, the name of a compound substituent is considered to begin with the first letter of its complete name.
For example, ‘1,2-dibromobutyl-’ is considered to begin with ‘d’.
On this matter, the current version of *[Nomenclature of Organic Chemistry – IUPAC Recommendations and Preferred Names 2013 (Blue Book)](http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/9781849733069-fp001)* reads as follows:
>
> **P-14.5** ALPHANUMERICAL ORDER
>
>
> Alphanumerical order has been commonly called ‘alphabetical order’. As these ordering principles do involve ordering both letters and numbers, in a strict sense, it is best called ‘alphanumerical order’ in order to convey the message that both letters and numbers are involved
>
>
> Alphanumerical order is used to establish the order of citation of detachable substituent prefixes (not the detachable saturation prefixes, hydro and dehydro), and the numbering of a chain, ring, or ring system when a choice is possible.
>
>
> (…)
>
>
> **P-14.5.1** Simple prefixes (i.e., those describing atoms and unsubstituted substituents) are arranged alphabetically; multiplicative prefixes, if necessary, are then inserted and do not alter the alphabetical order already established.
>
>
> **P-14.5.2** The name of a prefix for a substituent is considered to begin with the first letter of its complete name.
>
>
>
Therefore, the correct alphanumerical order corresponds to the name 7-(1,2-dimethylpentyl)-5-ethyltridecane (not 5-ethyl-7-(1,2-dimethylpentyl)tridecane) since the compound substituent name ‘dimethylpentyl’ starts with ‘d’, and ‘d’ is earlier alphabetically than ‘e’.
(Nevertheless, the preferred IUPAC name is 5-ethyl-7-(3-methylhexan-2-yl)tridecane.)
In your second example, the correct alphanumerical order corresponds to the name 6-(1,1-dimethylbutyl)-5,5-dimethyl-6-pentyltridecane (not 5,5-dimethyl-6-(1,1-dimethylbutyl)-6-pentyltridecane) since the compound substituent name ‘dimethylbutyl’ starts with ‘d’, and ‘d’ is earlier alphabetically than ‘m’.
(Nevertheless, the preferred IUPAC name is 5,5-dimethyl-6-(2-methylpentan-2-yl)-6-pentyltridecane.)
| stackexchange/chemistry |
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SmackDown RunDown Live (9/3/19): Bayley, the Fourth Horsewoman
By Ricky Jay Publico Thursday, September 05, 2019
There ain't no stopping her now because finally, Bayley is putting the spotlight on her.
We all know Bayley as this lovable hug monster who can drop elbows on short notice. While that schtick did wonders for her down at NXT, it didn't translate well when she eventually got called up. She gets thrown a bone from time to time, but she never had an impactful presence like Becky Lynch, Sasha Banks, and Charlotte Flair ever did. I bet you already forgot that she was a former RAW Women's Champion. Yup, that actually happened.
While her co-Horsewomen were out there making history, Bayley was stuck at the midcard toiling away with the likes of Nia Jax, Alexa Bliss, and Ember Moon, among others. Things started to pick up when she won this year's Money in the Bank briefcase and captured her first SmackDown Women's Championship on the same night. In turn, she became the first-ever women's grand slam champion, a great start to Bayley's eventual rise.
Bayley then started to adopt a more aggressive attitude, dialing down the hugs and adding more intensity to her promos and matches. And for a while, it worked in her favor. She became a bit of a badass, but not as badass as either Becky Lynch or Charlotte Flair. Even with her current success, it's still not enough to catch up to the level of her co-Horsewomen. And when Sasha Banks came back, it's back to the shuffle with our favorite hugger.
At least that was the plan before Bayley pulled one over us and started pummeling Becky Lynch with a steel chair. Bayley ultimately chose to side with Sasha Banks, turning heel in the process. The edge her character's been missing finally came and it fit her like a glove. It worked so well that they had to do it again this week, this time with Charlotte Flair. And I love how oblivious she is about her heel turn. Just like that, Bayley is now part of the conversation.
I hope I did justice in summarizing Bayley's current arc because so far, I'm loving every minute of it. Fans clamored for the four of them to have a program together and since the other Four Horsewomen have yet to surface, why not pit them against each other? Four women with a lot of history with each other; four women who took different paths to get where they are now. Needless to say, my body is ready for yet another epic storyline from the women's division.
We now turn our attention to SmackDown Live's King of the Ring second-round matches because once again, they delivered the goods.
This Ali guy, so red hot right now. After a banger of a first-round match with Buddy Murphy last week, he's back at it again bumping crazy like it's nothing. Imagine making Elias look good in a match. Elias, you know, the guy with the guitar and stuff? This was probably the best Elias match in WWE, all thanks to Ali. It's a shame that the Heart of 205 Live SmackDown Live got booted off the tournament in exchange for, sigh, Elias. Urgh.
But man oh man, things are about to pick up because my boy Chad Gable just blew the lid off the arena by making it to the KOTR semi-finals. Man, the number of non-believers out there are appalling. If you call yourself a fan of Kurt Angle, why aren't you supporting Kurt Angle Lite? Gable just eliminated Andrade from the tourney, a fellow crowd favorite. If they didn't want Gable to win it all, why keep him alive until the semi-finals?
Speaking of the semi-finals, it's pretty obvious that Elias will lose this one. Lest we forget, Kevin Owens owes him a fall. There's no better way to pay him back than at the semi-finals when Elias is just inches away from the crown, extending Gable's string of luck in the process. Think about it: out of all the participants, Gable is the only one telling a coherent story. It's a rather simple formula: everyone makes fun of his height and he beats them with tenacity and sheer luck.
And I'm betting my bottom dollar he's going to do it again, this time with a run-in from Kevin Owens, but not before Gable and Elias deliver a nail-biter main event. Mark my words, people. It's going to be King Shorty come Clash of Champions. Bend the knee, mufuckus.
SMACKDOWN RUNDOWN: While this week's episode isn't as tight as the previous one, I'm glad they're sticking with the formula of packing in as many explosive and diverse matches as possible and then balancing it out with equally great segments. Compared to this week's RAW, there's nothing to write home about, unless you care about Chad Gable as much as I do. Still, the opening segment and the KOTR matches were superb while the latter part, not so much. Again, unless you care about Rowan being a solo act again.
Show Grade: B+
RunDown CutDown
Fine, I guess I can spare some time to talk about the latest in Roman Reigns' mystery attacker. Turns out, it was Rowan all along, and that he acted independently. Hooray? I guess he deserved it a bit, he is a monster after all. It's just a bit of a letdown that this is the payoff. It didn't feel like a payoff at all. I wish Daniel Bryan was the mastermind. Oh well.
Every streak comes to an end and this time, it's Buddy Murphy's weekly showcase. I wish he was the one who took up Aleister Black's challenge. We could've seen a fantastic squash match.
Fire and Desire earned a big win against the Women's Tag Team Champions Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross. It wasn't a revelation of a match, but I'm just glad the tag champs are out there giving the titles some visibility. I miss The IIconics though.
I would say something about the Kofi Kingston beatdown, but it's not like we've never seen it before. The segment wasn't bad or anything, give me a super RKO anytime. It just didn't have anything to write home about. Still love the storyline, for sure.
Love how even Zelina Vega is rooting for Chad Gable. C'mon guys, jump on the Gable hype train already!
Photos from WWE.com
Ricky Publico (@Peepomania) is Smark Henry's resident SmackDown Live and PWR reviewer... for better or worse. He also nitpicks PWR shows when no one's available to do so. A known lover of wrestling tournaments, he's a sucker for well-executed promos and fast-paced matches. He has yet to learn how to operate a microwave. Don't judge him.
Ali Andrade Bayley. Chad Gable Elias King of the Ring Ricky Jay Publico Sasha Banks SmackDown SmackDown Live SmackDown Review SmackDown Rundown WWE WWE SmackDown
Labels: Ali Andrade Bayley. Chad Gable Elias King of the Ring Ricky Jay Publico Sasha Banks SmackDown SmackDown Live SmackDown Review SmackDown Rundown WWE WWE SmackDown
#FinisherFriday (1/17/20): Rainmaker
By Wreddit_Regal Friday, January 17, 2020
EXCLUSIVE: Jan Evander vs. GrabCamus for the AOW Championship at PWR Mabuhay ang Wrestling
By Ricky Jay Publico Saturday, January 18, 2020
The Grapevine (1/13/20): Join the Broken Order
By Romeo Moran Monday, January 13, 2020
SmackDown RunDown (1/10/20): Be Jealous!
By Ricky Jay Publico Monday, January 13, 2020
Theme Song Tuesday: I Hear Voices In My Head
By Stan Sy Tuesday, January 14, 2020
The Hall of Pen
Anthony Cuello
Ardelle Costuna
BJ Recio
Enzo Tanos
George Carlos Pastor
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Marck Rimorin
Michael Bueza
Migz Llado
Mikey Llorin
Nico Parungo
Pepe Serapio
Ricky Jay Publico
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July 2015146
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© Smark Henry 2017 | slim_pajama |
An explosive weapon generally uses high explosive to project blast and/or fragmentation from a point of detonation.
Explosive weapons may be subdivided by their method of manufacture into explosive ordnance and improvised explosive devices IEDs. Certain types of explosive ordnance and many improvised explosive devices are sometimes referred to under the generic term bomb.
When explosive weapons fail to function as designed they are often left as unexploded ordnance UXO.
In the common practice of states, explosive weapons are generally the preserve of the military, for use in situations of armed conflict, and are rarely used for purposes of domestic policing. Certain types of explosive weapons may be categorised as light weapons e.g. hand-held under-barrel and mounted grenade launchers, portable launchers of anti-tank missile and rocket systems; portable launchers of anti-aircraft missile systems MANPADS; and mortars of calibres of less than 100 mm. Many explosive weapons, such as aircraft bombs, rockets systems, artillery and larger mortars, are categorised as heavy weapons.
Taken in combination, Amended Protocol II and Protocol V to the United Nations Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons establish a responsibility on the users of explosive weapons to record and retain information on their use of such weapons including the location of use and the type and quantity of weapons used, to provide such information to parties in control of territory that may be affected by UXO, and to assist with the removal of this threat.
Certain types of explosive weapon have been subject to prohibition in international treaties. The Saint Petersburg Declaration of 1868 prohibits the use of certain explosive rifle projectiles. This prohibition has evolved into a ban on 'exploding bullets' under customary international humanitarian law binding on all States. The 1997 Mine Ban Treaty and the 2008 Convention on Cluster Munitions also prohibit types of explosive weapons, anti-personnel landmines and cluster munitions, for states parties to these treaties.
In armed conflict, the general rules of international humanitarian law governing the conduct of hostilities apply to the use of all types of explosive weapons as means or methods of warfare.
The Secretary-General of the United Nations has expressed increasing concern at the humanitarian impact of explosive weapons, in particular when used in densely populated areas. The President of the International Committee of the Red Cross ICRC, Jakob Kellenberger has noted that ICRCs key operations in 2009 in the Gaza Strip and in Sri Lanka provided stark illustrations of the potentially devastating humanitarian consequences of military operations conducted in densely populated areas, especially when heavy or highly explosive weapons are used.
According to the British NGO Action on Armed Violence AOAV, when explosive weapons are used in populated areas towns, villages, residential neighbourhoods the overwhelming majority 91 in 2012 of direct casualties are civilians.
Action on Armed Violence has also charted a dramatic rise in the use of suicide bombing and improvised explosive devices globally. Their data showed the number of civilians killed or injured by car and suicide bombs and other improvised explosive devices rising by 70 percent in the three years to 2013.
The International Network on Explosive Weapons INEW, a partnership of NGOs, is calling for immediate action to prevent human suffering from the use of explosive weapons in populated areas.
References
External links
The International Network on Explosive Weapons INEW
Action on Armed Violence AOAV Explosive Violence Monitoring project
United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research UNIDIR project on explosive weapons
Explosive Violence, The Problem of Explosive Weapons , report by Richard Moyes Landmine Action, 2009 on the humanitarian problems caused by the use of explosive weapons in populated areas
Article 36 - civil society initiative on the humanitarian impact of weapons | wikipedia |
Naruto 1. Masquerade Through Space
SakuraxSasori One-shots and drabbles
* * *
**Masquerade Through Space**
Captain Akasuna sat in his high backed chair, his crew placed around him in the half circle of the control room of his ship, _The Masquerade_. He ordered for the jet thrusters to be put to half power and for an assistant to bring him a coffee. Black, no sugar.
"How long until we reach the planet." He asked his navigator. The pink haired girl paused only for a moment before answering.
"Going at our current speed and considering that there is no outside interference we should reach the planet in two, three hours."
"Give me an exact number Navigator Haruno."
"Ah, um... two hours and... thirty-two minutes... sir"
He nodded. Haruno Sakura was his new navigator. The old one died in an attack on his last mission. He was glad to lose the old navigator but this new girl command gave him. She concerned him.
The girl went back to work, her fingers moving from screen to screen, mapping out their course to archive utmost proficiency in time. She worked fast and hard, her eyes never leaving the five screens floating around her.
Captain Akasuna knew she was good at what she did. Best of her class. Recommended to him by his commanding officer. But she had no real mission experience. He prayed they encountered no trouble.
"Captain." His ship technician called out, swiveling in his small chair to face him. "I'm seeing abnormalities in the ships hull."
"Explain Uchiha."
The technician brushed a lock of black hair behind his eyes and pulled up a screen for the captain to look at. "It seems as if the hull was struck by some small object, not picked up by radar, and it caused some sort of domino affect. I can't tell from the scanner readings what is happening exactly but it happened almost instantaneous."
"Damn." Captain Akasuna cursed under his breath. To his crew he ordered. "Halt all engines and come to complete stop. Uchiha Itachi, you and five others of your pick, go out and fix the hull. Find out what happened and report it back here- Navigator."
"Yes, sir." The girl sat up in her seat quickly, shaking from nerves.
"Watch the radar and try to find a new course to make up time. I don't want to keep command waiting."
The control center whipped into action as Itachi jumped from his seat and ran through two sliding doors. The inner ship monitor personel flipped their screens to cheek all other ship functions and some worked to get the space suits activated for the repair team.
Sakura felt her stomach flip when the Captain spoke to her. She dared not to glance back at him, seating his his chair, a scowl on his face but she couldn't help herself.
"Do you need something Navigator Haruno." Captain Akasuna caught her gaze.
"N-no sir." Said Sakura quickly.
"Then look at your screens and not me."
She blushed and turned away from him. Her eyes looked from the radar to the interstellar map projected onto a screen by her hand. She felt flush with embarrassment. She liked the Captain. It was really the only reason why she chose to become this ships new navigator.
The academy she studied at specialized in planet based navigation but she worked hard so she could navigate for a ship. His ship.
A red dot slid across the radars edge. Sakura's eyes caught it just as it vanished out of range. It happened so fast that she hardly believed it was there. It was her mind playing tricks on her. Her nerves making her see things.
She looked back at the map and debated over two possible courses that could get them to home planet faster.
The radar bleeped.
Sakura heard the bleep but did not see a red dot on screen. Looking hard at the screen for several seconds she dismissed it as her nerves acting up again. Suddenly, red dots, all around the edge of the screen, suddenly came into range. Stunned she watched as the dots came closer, the radar bleeping like mad.
"E-enemy space craft!" She shouted, standing up. "Enemy space craft surrounding us on all sides!"
The sound of glass shattering broke Sakura's nerves. Captain Akasuna had smashed the small class case on the arm of his chair,the alarm signal. Sirens buzzed and red lights flashed. The control room grew dark, lit up by only the screen monitors.
Then, one moment of silence and the next the control room was filled with shouts and orders from the Captain. Two fighter ships were ordered to be armed and sent out. A repair ship to rescue the repairmen out on the hull and lastly, for Sakrua to navigate the ship through gun fie.
Sakura mechanically pressed the buttons on the screen, and a a glowing blue glass disk rose up from the floor, stopping just above her lap. She pressed both hands flat on it.
Gears shifted and clicked into place as the floor ejected from its dock and rotated around. Sakura moved from the farthest to the right to the center edge of the room. Captain Akasuna in his captains chair just behind her.
"You've done this before right?" The Captain asked her as a tall screen popped up in a circle around her. Giving her a 360 degree view of space around them.
"In simulators, yes."
Captain Akasuna frowned. "There's a difference between simulators and reality."
"I am thankful for this chance to learn." Said Sakura stiffly, sounding rude when it was her intention to sound calm.
Captain huffed. "With an attitude like that you better not get a single scrape on his ship."
"Yes, sir."
Sakura knew the controls, and the ship used in the simulator was very similar to this one. She pushed her left hand half an inch forward on the glowing glass disk. The ship moaned as it turned into a shallow left turn. She pushed both hands forward and the ship's nose tipped down. Pulled her hands back and the nose lifted up.
The bleeps on the radar grew steadily closer together, the enemy honing in on them. Captain Akasuna said they were space pirates.
Just as she was done fine tuning the controls the technician Itachi ran in, panting. "All people sent out to fix the hull are safely inside sir." He saluted the captain.
"What was the cause." The Captain asked.
"We still aren't sure, alien technology by Kakuzu's guess."
Captain Akasuna nodded and pressed several buttons on the arm rest of his chair. Two screens flipped up into the air. The two screens showing the fighter ship pilots. "Fighter Deidara and Hidan. Are you ready?"
The blond fighter Deidara smirked, showing up his hand palm first. A symbol of a open mouth, it's tongue sticking out was clearly visible. "I'm marked Master Sasori." He smiled. "I'm always ready for action.
The purple haired man was shown praying on his screen. A orange and red beaded rosary in his hand. "May jashin-sama smite all who get in the way of his followers and send them all to hell." He said, more in prayer than anything.
"Attack the moment the enemy boogies are in range." Ordered Captain Akasuna. "We're counting on you Navigator Haruno."
"I'm starting." Sakrua said. As habit from working in the simulators. No one laughed at her unnecessary outburst. From all directions on the Sakura's circle screen, sleek maroon ships darted in and out of each other in tight loops and weaves. They circled in on them and started firing.
Sakura pushed back hard and the ship turned upward by the nose until it was almost vertical. Pressing hard on the glass disk the ship speed up. The enemy boogie ships matched her. Her confidence boosted when their maroon hulls would suddenly burst in light and fire.
Their two fighter ships attacking from below. Sakura pressed down hard with her left hand and eased up on her right, pushing it forward. The ship suddenly pivoted on its side into a hard turn. She centered her hands on the disk and pressed down.
The enemy's ships rocketed past them and before they could turn around to catch up Deidara and Hidan picked off over half before the enemy concentrated fire on them forced them into retreat.
Deidara's screen popped up to her right.
"Nice flying there ace." He smiled at her. She nodded her head but kept her eyes pinned on the screen.
The remaining ships lined up, one behind the other into two rows. Weaving in and out of each row they proved almost impossible to hit for the two fighter ships. Sakura waited until they caught up before sliding both hands down. The nose tipped up and the enemy, remembering this maneuver before went a step ahead and rose before her.
Sakura cut back on speed and turned hard to the left and banked the ship around them and up. Bringing her close to them but out of they way of their lasers. She turned again, forcing her ship between theirs and split their ranks.
The enemy, unorganized and panicked, were easy targets for Deidara and Hidan as they shot down an entire row before the remaining five ships split up, all flying in separate ways. They fired upon Sakura from all directions. Nimbly avoiding Deidara and Hidan's shots.
"Theses bitches are getting on my nerves." Hidan remarked from his screen as it popped up next to Captain Akasuna.
"Take us down Sakura and fast." Ordered the Captain. "Hidan follow us down. Deidara distract them.
Sakura did as she was ordered and Deidara's screen vanished from beside her, then appeared next to the Captain.
"You're not going to use 'it' are you Master Sasori, un?"
"Yes." Answered the Captain nonchalantly.
Deidara's eyes widened but he followed his orders.
Just as Sakura started to wonder what 'it' was a laser hit her engine. With on on full power and the other gone the ship turned violently to the left and, unprepared, Sakura was thrown from her seat with everyone else.
Captain Akasuna managed to stay in his seat but barely. "Get back in control!" He yelled at her.
Sakura scrambled back to her seat.
"I'm activating the emergency engine and sending half the power from the remaining thruster to it." Said Itachi, his fingers franticly moving from screen to screen as he worked through the ship commands. Sakura thanked him and jumped back onto her controls.
The enemy ships were on their tail. Kept at bay by Deidara but not for long. Sakura saw Hidan's ship flying along side them, matching his pace to theirs. She couldn't see his face through the tinted glass of the cockpit.
Sasori ordered for Deidara to retreat and the blonds ship speed of to the right. Sasori gave the command for 'it' to be used and Hidan's ship hung motionless in zero gravity for half a second before spinning in place and face up to the enemies ships. A charged ball of blue energy shot out from his laser cannon and, to Sakura, missed the enemies ships behind them.
But before she could wonder if 'it' worked or not she was distracted by something more pressing. "Asteroid approaching the nose!" She had missed the new bleeps of the radar. A green mass showing two hundred yards from their current location. The Asteroid was on the screen and approaching fast, and twice the size of their ship.
"There's no way we could miss that." Sasori hissed, slamming his fist on his chair. Sakura heard him but she didn't believe him.
"Uchiha-san!" She shouted, her brain calculating her plan. "Put half force into the remaining thruster then on my command send it to the left side-axle thrusters."
"Y-es" Came Itachi's hesitant reply. He looked to Captain Akasuna and his Captain nodded. He started work on the truster.
Sakura turned the ship to the left.
"We can't clear it by turning." Captain Akasuna said slowly.
"We're not going to clear it." Sakura responded.
When the asteroid was almost on them, and the ship almost parallel to it Sakura gave the signal to Itachi. The side thrusters burst into life and the ship rolled on to it's side.
The asteroid collided with them. Pushing the ship through the remainder of its turn and speed past. The ship spun out of control for one, intense minute until Itachi, somehow, miraculously activated the right side-axle thrusters and the ship balanced out.
They hung their in space, everyone dizzy or nauseous. Sakura was nauseous. She slid out of her seat and vomited onto the floor, coughing and hacking bile. She felt sick to her stomach but she knew one thing. She had saved them from the pirates, and the collision. She had done the impossible.
Then everyone was clapping. She looked up and saw everyone group around her, patting her on the back and shouting praises to her. Only Captain Akasuna and technician Itachi were excluded from this group. Standing silently in one corner of the control room.
Her eyes met her Captains and for the first time he smiled at her.
*** * ***
Tally Mai's thoughts: This one-shot was really fun to write. I've never written sci-fi before and at first I was hesitant but eventually, as I found my voice and started a flow it came out very naturally. I think this story is a fun way to start off this drabble, one-shot collection.
Has anyone ever written a SakuraxSasori sci-fi fanfic before? I know I havn't seen any. Maybe I'm the first, but I doubt that, haha.
* * *
**Coffee Shop of Romance.**
Sakura had his order ready before he even said it. One black coffee, no sugar and one apple danish with caramel cream on top, and one dab of whip cream.
"Here you are sir." She smiled warmly as she handed him his order.
"Good service." He said blandly, but she knew she had his approval.
He was a very difficult person after all. Almost impossible to read or understand unless you knew him for a long time.
"Do you get off work soon?" He asked.
"In ten minutes. I know you don't like to wait so you can leave if you want."
He nodded and turned so the next customer could come up and order. He only stayed when she was already on her break or her break was just about to start. If he had to wait he would leave. She had learned very quickly that he was not a person to be kept waiting, but, on the flip side, he did not want to keep others waiting on him.
To her surprise he sat down at their table and pulled out a newspaper from his bag.
She worked quickly after that, asking her manager if she could start her break early. He said she could and she pulled her tan smock off and took her seat across from him.
"It's been two years." He said as she sat down.
Sakura thought back, surprised it had really been that long. "So it has." She said almost dreamily.
"My art has been selling. More and more people have been enlighten to it." He smiled. "I've been able to do more work with all the money coming in. I finally moved out of that horrible apartment and into something more appropriate to my tastes."
"My manager is talking about giving me a promotion to manager at another store." She informed him. They always talked about their jobs. Nothing else.
"I think you'll do fine." He told her, finishing his coffee and picked up a fork to eat his danish. "You have very good memory."
She smiled. "Yeah but that's all I really have going for me. The supervisor doesn't think I'm good for the job because I lack communication skills."
"It's a very important skill to have these days." He said absentmindedly.
"Makes me wish I was an artist. But I lack that creative muse... and talent" She laughed, thinking about her best artwork. A stick figure. She'd shown him her art, once before when he didn't believe she had no artistic talent. He never doubted anything she said after that.
"It's not that easy." He said. He took his last bite of his danish and whipped his mouth. "Goodbye then." He said and left.
The next day, Sakura wasn't there to give him his coffee and danish.
Sasori tried not to worry that she was gone from the coffee shop the next day. Another girl, one with long midnight hair and pale lilac eyes filled out his order but she stuttered whenever she spoke and her hands shook a lot, spilling coffee from the mug as she handed it to him.
He asked the manager what happened to her.
"She was fired." The manager told him. "She took money from the register, lied about it and was caught with the money."
Sasori thanked the manager and left. He went to his gallery where his art would be auctioned off but today it irritated him. He lost all patience with his clients questions and eventually locked himself inside his studio. Making his assistant Deidara deal with the clients.
In his studio he opened the window and jumped down to the second floor patio that stretched out over the road. From their he walked around to the side of the building and slid down the steel water drain. Then ran down the backstreets until he was five or so blocks away.
He figured he had two or three hours until Deidara notices his absence and called for the police. It wouldn't have been the first time he had done this.
Sasori walked through the downtown area mindlessly. He did not worry about being attacked. If anything he worried the person that dared to attack him. He rounded a corner when he suddenly stepped back.
Sakura walked past him and across the street, her head hung. There was a dark shadow across her cheek and when he looked closely he saw that it wasn't a shadow at all.
On a whim he followed her. She walked fast, darting past shady alleys and not making eye contact with anyone. When she walked inside an old worn down apartment building he followed her in.
He nearly swore when he almost crashed into her at the front door, and thanked whatever thing distracted her mind from noticing him. She bee-lined to a thin stair case and walked up it slowly, her steps heavy. He waited several moments before carefully following. After the second floor the stairs circled around, a door on each new floor leading off to a hallway.
After going up five floors she walked through the door and he waited several moments before following. The hall split two ways, going off to the left and right and he saw her at the far end of the right hall. Paused before a white door.
He boldly approached her now. Something telling him she already knew he was there.
Then she started crying.
He walked up beside her and put his hand on her shoulder. She jumped up and circled her arms around his neck, burring her face into his shoulder. He patted her soothingly on the back.
"I know you didn't take that money." He told her.
She sniffed, wiping her nose on the back on her hand and stepped back. "I did take that money Sasori." She whimpered. The ugly bruise that marred her face more prominent than ever. "I took that money. And I lied about taking it. I've been doing it for two years. But yesterday, someone saw me. And ratted me out." Her eye puffed out, red and miserable as she started to bawl again. "You hate me don't you? I've done nothing but lie to you!"
He stared grimly down at her. "A lie huh?" He frowned. "So your dreams of wanting to be a nurse. All that was a lie too?"
"That wasn't a lie!" Sakura shouted desperately. "I didn't lie about that! I really do want to be a nurse. Please... believe me." She reached out to touch his arm but he pulled away.
"Is that a lie too? Are you just going to keep on lieing to me?"
His words hurt her deep in her heart.
"I'll never... earn your trust again... will I..." she sniffed, falling to the floor. "I'm a horrible person. Lieing... to the one friend I ever had. Yes I lied to you but I had no choice! If I told you the truth then-"
"Then I was never your friend." He glared at her, his brown eyes angry.
"I... I..."
She closed her eyes and curled up into a ball. Laying motionless on the ground. She wallowed in her own self pity until she was sure he had left her. And she knew he was never coming back.
She sat up and when she opened her eyes she saw him there. With her.
"Now tell me." He said slowly, his voice calm and gentle. "Tell me the truth."
She felt horrible for deceiving him but she what she also felt now made all that vanish. He forgave her, her who was never forgiven for anything.
She felt Love.
*** * ***
Tally Mai's thoughts: I got the idea for this one while writing the first one-shot. (don't' ask me how, it just happens.) I got different ideas for it but none of them happened, haha. The story unfolded it's self as it was created. I had the idea that Sakura took the blame for a friend that had taken the money and another idea that I had was that Sakura was fired for some reason and started work at Sasori's new apartment.
This one is a bit more serious than the last, and I'll definitely have a few dark drabbles or one-shots somewhere in here. But I'll try to do a little of those cute ones too. For balance and such.
* * *
**I meet you in my Daymares. Now I see you in my Nightdreams.**
Sakura ran through darkness, her path lit by the glow of a red moon. He was chasing her. She saw him only for a moment but she knew who he was. She was helpless. She was weak. She couldn't fight him and she couldn't run away.
The path stretched endlessly before her and he was catching up to her. His steps faster and more powerful than hers.
The path ended and she was in that place. The place where her nightmare started. She tripped on a rock and fell, her hands catching her fall. The ground oozed blood from its cracks and soaked her in red. She started to cry and he was behind her. The moon casting his shadow over her.
She watched in horror has his arm raised. A wide, long carving knife clutched in his hands.
She screamed and sat up, her warm pink comforter suddenly too warm. She kicked her blanket off, rolling out of her bed and on to the floor.
She wandered into the bathroom, splashing cold water into her face. She looked up into her mirror. Looking for the blood that soaked her in her dreams. She saw nothing but pale skin and dull green eyes with ugly purple bags under them.
She opened the medicine cabinet and found her painkiller. It was for night time pain and had sleep agents in it. All thought of safely left her. There was only a need to escape the puppet man that haunted her dreams. She swallowed half of the pills in the small bottle and curled up in her bathtub.
She grabbed a kunai from underneath the sink and held it close to her body. The steel would do nothing to the puppet man but it made her feel safer.
If only a little bit.
*** * ***
Tally Mai's thoughts: Wanted to do a horror type thing here. Wanted something dark and scary. I think I need to work on my horror writing. It would probably help if I had a tolerance for the horror genre. An okay drabble in my opinion.
* * *
**May I read your palm?**
Sasori sat in the plump cushion, the excessive, soft fabric, fluffed up around him. He raised an eyebrow to the the girl that herded him into her gaudy colored tent, gold beads and clear crystals strung all around its outside.
He was glad that the inside was not as much of an eyesore as the out. Only a low table, covered by a small blanket with a mandala print on. A large crystal ball siting on top of it.
The girl pulled off her purple head cloth, her long pink hair tangled and messed. She smiled at him and sat down, her hands ghosting over her crystal ball.
"I sensed a strong presence from you." Her eyes dimmed, her hands and fingers moving like liquid over her crystal ball. "Such a... force... is not common for normal people."
He rolled his eyes at her.
She sent a look to him that seemed to suggest that he should listen.
"Fortune Telling is... a rare art. Not everyone can do it and those that can, do not have the... power required to bring it out to its full potential.
"You're telling me this... why?"Sasori resisted the urge to roll his eyes again. He wanted to get out of here but this girl just had to read his fortune. She kept insisting and insisting until he gave in, just to get her to shut up about fate and knowledge.
"I am a real Fortune Teller." She said. "One with the true power of insight. I will now read your fortune. But not with my crystal ball." She added, smiling she looked to his hand. He pulled his hand under the table, his eyes shifting. "I'm going to read your palm." She explained.
"I don't have time for this." He stood up, and kicked the cushion out of his way, and started to walk out.
"Wait!" The pink haired Fortune Teller followed him out into the Fair street. Sasori looked for the ferris wheel where he was to meet up with someone.
The girl ran up beside him. "Since you have powers too then my fortune would be 100 percent accurate!"
"I don't care." He waved her aside, picking his way through the crowds.
"You're going to die!"
He stopped. She ran into him and staggered back. He grabbed her wrist and squeezed it. She cried out in pain and he pulled her aside, away from the crowds and back behind the tents.
"Tell me everything, woman." He growled, letting her wrist go.
"I have a name and its Sakura." She huffed, patting down her long red skirt. "My clothes are sacred, they can't get dirty or stained."
"You said I'll die. Tell my why and how." He said irritably to her.
"Give me your palm them."
"You could tell my death without it."
"That was just with my own power and even then it took me a while to see. If you give me your hand then I would be able to see more clearly."
His hand shot out and he shook it impatiently. She grabbed his hand gently, turning it palm up. Her thumb tracing all its minute lines and crevasses. The motion almost felt good. He had to remind himself of his mission.
"You will die at the hands of two woman." Sakura said, her eyes glazed over. He almost pulled his hand away from her. Her voice had changed. It was rougher and and deeper but there was something powerful behind it. Something mystical. "One, a person you used to know very well. Someone who was almost a mother but never was.
"The other, a hit girl, a weapons master. She has deadly aim. Never missed a target her entire life. The two together will bring you down"
"How do I prevent this."
"Don't go on your mission."
"Can't do that" He said, thinking of his mission. Both of them.
"Then you will die."
"The very words I want to hear right now." He spat.
"Would you want me to lie?"
He thought for a moment. "Yes... yes I would."
She turned away from him, her arms hanging loosely at her sides. She said nothing then suddenly ran off. He didn't chase after her. He didn't have time to waste on her. He ran to the ferris wheel and meet up with Deidara and Kakuzu. Their target was going to pass through here in two hours.
And in two hours, was also his death date.
*** * ***
Tally Mai's thoughts: Another AU story idea I had. Nothing special but it's a new idea that I don't think anyone has done before. Not as fun to write as I had wanted. I kinda rushed it a bit but I sorta like it.
* * *
**Her Song**
She walked on stage, lit up with lights. A spot of light as white and rounds as the moon, hanging in velvet darkness. Her pink hair pulled back and gold wrapped around her neck. Her dress fanned out around her, as she sat down on her chair. She looked out into the darkness. The light blinding out the crowds faces.
She knew no one but everyone knew her. She was the singer of Rommel's Tavern and always will be.
In the orchestra pit before her, deep down in their hole, the bass strum up its notes. Beats that drummed the air. The violins warmed up to him, building up, speed and power. The winds joined in, floating under the strings sad melody and then it was her turn.
She opened her mouth, and sang a long mellow note, her voice welding with the others until they backed off.
"_The moon is bright tonight"_ She sung.
"_The moon is bright tonight. _
_On this night I sing to you_
_to you who killed my heart."_
The violins plucked their notes, haunting and eerie they played for her and she started to sing again.
"_My soul died that night_
_My soul died that night!_
_I sang my song for you alone_
_and you tore apart my heart."_
The bass player plucked his notes, his fingers sliding up the finger board and back down. The new low melody grooving, the violins sad, counter melody strung along.
"_I gave my all to you_
_and you killed that too_
_why did I ever stay with you_
_I should have seen through you_
_The moon was bright that night_
_the moon is bright tonight!_
_I sing my song every night_
_to appease that one..._
_who couldn't leave me_
_and killed to keep me close_
_you said you loved me..._
_Oh the moon is bright tonight"_
The winds airy song floated in the air, filling up the space the violins and bass had left behind. She hummed the rest when they dropped out and the lights, dimmed out on her.
And in the crowd, far in the back. He sat and listened, her voice stuck in his head. He decided she would be the next one. He'll preserve her beauty forever. A slave to these pigs, abused and forced to sing each night he'll intervene.
And preserve her beauty forever.
*** * ***
Tally Mai's thoughts: I wanted to do a drabble that had a poetic feel to it and this is what that idea turned into. I like it. It was fun writing the poem. Like in most of the one-shots and drabbles I have written o far, I leave things unsolved or unexplained to make the reader think. I think of everything this story leaves behind to the readers imagination and it makes it even more interesting.
Well I think I'll stop here for now.
I'm writing all these drabbles and one-shots not just for me but for everyone else too. If you're trying to write a story and can't think of any good ideas then you can take any of these here and write full blown stories for them. Just send me a message or signed review saying you would like to use one of the idea's and I'll get back in contact with you. I just want to make sure you give me credit for the idea, haha.
I'm going to try to update this on a regular basis and I might use some of these idea's my self for future stories.
Also if you have your idea that you would like to see and my own mind can't think of anything then I just might write a drabble or one-shot for the idea _you_ gave me.
So this story is win-win for us all! See you next chapter. Oh by the way. Please tell me your favorite one-shot/drabble! Thank you! And** review!!**
Tally Mai-chan was here.
2. Pink in Sand
Tally Mai-chan: Is is me or do I have too much fun writing these? Oh well. This time, a Cannon Story to start us off.
**Pink in Sand**
Sakura sighed as the the cool breeze brushed against her face. She wished that the rest of her body, hidden under the bulky, long coat, could feel the same way. The people of Suna dressed so much differently than those in Konoha.
With her whole body covered except her face she would think that she would be even hotter but it kept her cooler. She did try one day, wearing nothing but shorts and a tank, but she sweated so much she could have taken a bath in her own sweat.
But the twilight air was the one comfort of the desert. Right not, it was not hot like the day, and not yet cold, like the freezing nights, but some perfect place in between. Of course this blissful moment lasted for only half an hour. For her it was enough. Knowing she could have some relief from the harsh desert kept her going.
So she always tried to get away from work at this time. No matter what she would make it here, to her "house" at the edge of town.
She leaned back against the cliff like wall surrounding the entire city. Her house literally on the wall, her room and the bathroom within the rock structure. She liked it because it was away from the crowed parts of the city and there was a small park a short walk away where two trees grew. They were small but they gave her comfort.
She looked up at the painted sunset sky and watched as a white bird flew above the far edge of town. She started to wonder what kind of bird it was, listing off all the species that lived here. She certainly didn't recognize it right away like she could with most birds.
She walked into her house and grabbed her binoculars and scoped the sky for the bird. She found it after a few moments of searching and wished she hadn't.
On the bird was a man. And he was wearing an Akatsuki cloak.
She knew the cloak. She was at the meeting where Yuura discussed the Akatsuki, having learned about them from Jiraiya. The Akatsuki showing up on the day that she learned more about them was almost ironic.
She ran into her house, shedding her cloak. She grabbed a long sleeve black body armor shirt and lose black pants. It wouldn't be long until night and she didn't want to be distracted by the cold. She was going to fight them and had to be prepared.
She ran from her house to the north gate where Yuura was stationed. He was the head of home security and he would get word out that Akatsuki were here.
She rounded the corner and the gap between the two walls the village "gate" rose up before her. She picked up speed and saw him.
His hunched figure, his black cloak.
"Akatsuki!" She yelled, stopping just shy of ten feet from him. "I have questions for you."
The hunched man laughed at her, his deep voice sounding wicked to her ears.
"I hate to be kept waited." He said darkly. Sakura wondered what he could be talking about when he spoke again. "I keep telling him that but he never listen. I'll just have to entertain myself with you, then later you can join my collection."
She said nothing back. She'll let her fists to the talking. She kicked off the ground and aimed for his head. He jumped aside and a metal scorpions tail pulled out from behind him and she rolled out of its way.
The next second he was on her, the metal tail darting in and out as it jabbed at her. She rolled and stepped out of its way, seeing poison trickle of it. This was a weapon to fear. She ran in circles around him, moving steadily back to the rock wall protecting the village from the elements, and attackers.
"Did nothing against Akatsuki" She thought dryly and he forced her against the wall. The metal tail waiting to slash at her. She tensed as the tail shivered in the air, sensing her fear and attacked. She ducked and the the tail smashed into the rock wall. It tried to pull out for another attack but it was stuck.
Sakura heard herself yelling as the chakra gathered into her fists. She saw nothing but his face as she lunged straight to him, her fist crashing through his body. She hid her shock as his body broke apart into wooden pieces and jumped aside from the wreckage.
She lost face when a cloaked figure stood up from the wreckage. A pale hand pulling the black fabric off himself. She stood captivated by his almond brown eyes. She remembered he was an enemy, but he couldn't have been. He looked so young.
He shock his red hair and glared at her. She balked, taking a step back. The word "puppet master" flashed through her head but she couldn't think. For in an instant she saw the difference in skill.
And it terrified her.
* * *
Tally Mai's thoughts: I kinda liked the idea for this one. I couldn't remembered what was supposed to happen after I ended it there but it was good, not that it helps me... But a good cannon idea if I say so myself.
I will do at lest one cannon story one-shot/drabble each story, maybe more if I feel like it.
* * *
**500 words**
Sakura stared down at her blank sheet of paper. Why did her teacher have to assign such a stupid assignment? Write about love in 500 words. What kind of English homework is this? Could she just skip the assignment? But it was almost the end of the quarter and if she didn't get perfect 100's in everything then her parents were going to take her TV away.
Sakura did not want to lose her TV. How was she she supposed to watch her favorite soap operas without it?
Sakura sighed and knew she had to do this assignment. Maybe she could just wing her way through it, writing whatever cheesy crap that just happened to enter her mind. Loves is glorious and makes you feel like a princess from a fairy tail... yeah, that was good. Try as she might though she couldn't write it.
She had a reputation for writing the best essays and papers, not this half hearted crap. Her and Akasuna Sasori, the top students at her school did the best essays. She liked Sasori and for a moment thought to write about him. But she didn't love him did she?
Sakura screamed in anguish and balled up her paper, throwing it into the trash. She flipped on the TV and sat back on her floor, channels flashing past as she found her favorite soap. No one she knew watched this particular soap since a lot of older people liked it. Her friends liked to watch reality TV or sports. She was happy with her soaps.
She was particularly excited about tonights episode. There was going to be a new cast member. A young man playing the role of Mr. Johnson's nephew. Mr. Johnson's son had an affair with his secretary and he was their love child. But since the death of Mr. Johnson's son and his illness, giving him only three months to live, his family has been in a frenzy over who gets his fortune. With the new arrival of his nephew, aka the legal inheritor of his money, he wanted to get to know him.
Sakura's hands trembled when the nephew walked on stage. Smiling and dressed in an Italian suit. Strutting across the stage. It was him. It was Akasuna Sasori.
Playing the role of the nephew.
* * *
Tally Mai's thoughts: Funny thing about the title of this story. I checked my word count and I was short by 500 words so I decided to write a drabble called 500 words. As you see its a rather long, but a very good drabble. I really like it.
I think this is one of my more favorite drabbles. Wonder why Sasori is an actor? Who knows? (image a heart at the end of that please)
* * *
**Sakurella (A Cinderella Story)**
"I know its hard for you Sweet Pea but its for the best."
"I understand father. You want to be rich."
"N-no Sweat Pea you got it all wrong! I want what's best for you."
"You want a luxurious life."
"Now come on, you don't believe that now do you?"
"I do."
"But I-"
"Father... if you are done I would like to go to bed now. I have a hard day ahead of me."
"... Good night Sweat Pea..."
Sakura's father kissed her on the cheek and turned out the lights, leaving her alone.
She didn't know why her father was remarrying. It had only been one month since her loving mother had died. And to make things worse her father was remarrying to a _man_. A man. Why? She thought bitterly. Because a new law passed in Konoha that gave money to gay couples, something about gay rights but it was all stupid to her.
Tomorrow she and her father were moving out of their home, her mothers house. She remembered when they first came to this house. Her father said that they were going to live here forever. He was such a liar.
She was getting a step sister. A girl named Hinata. And a new cousin too, a boy named Neji. She hoped she could get along with them.
The next day came and she and her father arrived before the Hyuuga Compound. Their new house, her father said, but to her it looked more like a jail.
They walked in and she meet her new sister in law. Their fathers told them to go play while they talked. Sakura knew they were discussing how to split up the money they were going to receive for their marriage and other money stuff.
Hinata took them into her room and immediately grabbed dolls from the bed.
"I want to play doll house." She smiled innocently, pushing an old doll into Sakura's hands.
"I don't want to." Said Sakura but Hinata acted like she ignored her.
"I'm gonna play the mamma and you can be the baby."
"But I don't want to play dolls." Sakura whined, setting her doll back on the bed.
Hinata grabbed the doll and threw it at the wall. It's porcelain head breaking with a loud crack. Sakura was stunned so that she didn't see the maids that walked in nor heard Hinata crying.
"She broke my favorite doll!" Her new sister cried.
"I-I did not!" Sakura defended, coming back to her scenes. "You're the one that threw it."
The maids were furious at her. "Why would Hinata-sama break the doll she inherited from her mother?" They didn't believe Sakura's story. Nor will they ever take her side in anything, even when it was clear she was not at fault. Sakura would later learn that it was because her father married Hinata's father.
So she was scolded and told she had to go without dinner that night. When they left Hinata looked at her smugly.
"I'm get a new doll and you gonna get no dinner." She smiled angelically. But Sakura was wise to her now, she was a wolf in sheep's clothing.
The next few days pasted by too slowly for Sakura's tastes. Every time Hinata wanted something new or just wanted to get Sakura into trouble all she had to do was break something and cry. Sakura was of course, punished each time for her "crimes". She would have to cut onions in the kitchen or clean the floors. Once she had to carry water from the well and back to the water container. A distance of half a mile in all.
Sakura also had to play what ever Hinata wanted to play. And she was always the under character. When they played cops and robbers Hinata was the cop and her the robber. When playing knights and castles Hinata was the princess and she was the dragon or ugly hag.
One day, after her latest punishment was over-Hinata ripped her old kimono so she could get a new one that her father said she couldn't have- she ran to the branch member side of the house.
And there she meet her cousin, the boy who was with Hinata when she was not. The boy smiled at her and asked if she was forced to be Hinata's lacky like he was. She nodded, happy that she found someone who suffered as she did.
They talked for some time about Hinata, how mean and horrible she was. Sakrua found Neji really nice and they became quick friends. Every time she could get away from Hinata she would be with Neji and together they would play or go exploring.
Sakura really liked her new friend.
"Hey Sakura." Neji said one day as they sat outside the Main Building. "Let's get back at Hinata."
"How?" Sakura asked. They talked about this kind of thing before but only jokingly. Today though, Neji looked serious.
"Let's dump a bucket of ink on her. She ripped that kimono so she could get a new one right? Well lets ruin that kimono!"
"Yeah." Sakura agreed. Hinata got everything she wanted, and Sakura never got anything she wanted. It was unfair and justice needed to be served.
So they came up with their plan and put it into play. They found a door they could place the ink bucket onto so that when a person opened the door and walked through it would fall and all the ink would dump on them.
Neji left to lead Hinata into their trap and Sakura hid behind another door, waiting patiently. When the door opened she ran forward but it was not Hinata the the bucket of ink fell on.
It was her step father.
"What's the meaning of this!" He yelled, his face red and angry. He saw Sakura and grabbed her arm, twisting it painfully. "Did you do this?"
She started to deny it when Neji appeared through the doorway.
"She did it Uncle!" He said quickly. "She told me she wanted to ruin Hinata's new kimono because Hinata got one and not her."
"You ungrateful child!" Her step father grabbed her hair and yanked it hard. "You'll pay for your wicked thoughts! I'll make sure personally to beat every single nasty idea from your head!"
And Five years have passed.
"Sakura!" Hinata shrilled, storming out of her room. "Why haven't you cleaned my Kimono yet? Are you trying to ruin my dream night? I can't believe how selfish you are! You should wish the best for your younger sister!"
"Yes Hinata-sama" Sakura bowed, now thirteen and already a slave. "It's done drying now. I'll go get it."
"Tsh. For this you can't come to the party with me."
Sakura stopped dead in her tracks. "No! But you said if I was good then I can come too!"
"You disobeyed me, therefore you broke our agreement!"
"I didn't do anything!"
Sakura knew it meant nothing to her cold step sister. Hinata never planned for her to go to the party from the beginning. But she wanted to believe that maybe, just maybe she could have one night of happiness.
So Hinata and Sakura's two fathers left for the grand party. She had plenty to do though, before her family left they gave her lots of chores that had to be completed before they got back, or she will be punished.
Sakura was used to cleaning now, it had become second nature almost. She cleaned when she woke up till the she went to bed. Always cleaning, always working.
Sakura smiled and pretend that the broom was a noble man. She played, imagining that she was wearing a beautiful western dress, light pink silk that lifted up elegantly as she spun.
She was at ball, like the ones in her old fairy tales. Where music was played and ladies and noble men danced in tiny circles around each other. But she wouldn't dance with just anyone, no. She leaned the broom against the wall, pretending to reject the broom "noble man's" offer to dance.
She wanted to dance with the prince. For this was his ball and tonight he was going to pick a bride. So caught up in her performance that she didn't notice someone watching her. Why would she, her family was gone and all the servants had the night off. It was just her. And the boy she did not know was there.
"What a beautiful night for a ball." She said dreamily, dancing her way to the courtyard. She danced just as her mother had taught her, and for a moment if felt like her mother was with her again.
Under the moonlight, dancing to old steps, Sakura cried. She kept dancing, not willing to let go of her mothers memory but the more she danced the harder she cried and then she couldn't dance any more. All she could do was cry.
"Why are you crying?"
Sakura jumped, someone was standing behind her. "Wh-who are you." She turned around, scrambling back from him. "How did you get in here?!"
He gave her a sideways look. "I didn't want to go to the party."
"You got invited." Her eyes lit up and because suddenly jealous of this boy.
"Yeah, but its boring." He shrugged nonchalantly, like it was no big deal to not go to the biggest party of the year. "Nothing but bothersome talk."
"I don't think its boring."
"Have you ever been to one?"
"N-no..."
"Then you can't say that."
Sakura pouted and really felt like smacking this kid. She lifted her hand like she was going to but stopped. He was really good looking. HE was her age but already gave off the feeling of an adult. He had red, messy hair and almond brown eyes. He saw her hand and frowned.
"Go ahead, hit me if you want."
"I-I don't want to." She put her hand down quickly, looking away from him.
"You're such a child." He scoffed at her.
"Yeah well you're too tense."
He huffed and started to walk around the courtyard with no real destination in mind. She followed him and he ignored her, but after a while he tired of her game.
"Leave me alone." Said the boy, walking faster.
"I can't." She said back, matching his pace. "I don't know who you are, you could be lying to me and really be a thief."
"At least a thief knows how to live." He said cryptically.
Sakura really wanted to hit this boy now. His back was turned to her and he had slowed down to look a cherry tree. She saw her change and ran forward, pushing him in the back. He cried out and stumbled forward. She had pushed too hard and lost her balance. They fell down together and tumbled forward.
"What'd you do that for!" The boy yelled at her, pushing her off him. "How dare a servant like you strike me!"
"I'm not a servant!" Sakura cried, shoving him in the chest again. He caught her this time and smacked her hands aside. "My step father owns this house. I should have gone to the party too! I really wanted to go to the party but she didn't want me to go. She told me I could go if I was good but she lied."
Sakura bawled her eyes out. Letting out years of pent up anger and sadness in one good cry. The boy said nothing and listened patiently to her.
"You're the Hyuuga's new step daughter?" He asked when she had stopped crying. She nodded miserably. "And Hinata is your step sister." She nodded again. "Heh, I feel sorry for you, that girl is insane."
"She said I could go too."
"I told you." He said. "That party is no fun anyways."
"I wanted to dress up."
He sighed and looked to the cherry blossom tree. He grabbed a branch and climbed up it, climbing as high has he could. He looked down at Sakura and she climbed up too, though more gracefully and easily than he did. The boy stumbled a lot when he climbed.
"I'm Sasori." He said, mindlessly picked at the flowers.
"Sakura." She said, frowning at him. "Don't pick the flowers, it hurts the tree."
They sat in silence until the adults came back. People dressed in the royal palace attire running around like frantic ants. Sasori said he had to go and jumped down from the tree. Sakura remembered that she didn't finish her chores.
She decided to stay in the tree and watch the stars.
* * *
Tally Mai's thoughts: When I first wrote out the idea for this story it was originally meant to be a humor story but as I wrote it it came out serious. Also in my original plans I had meant for Deidara to be Sakura's fairy godmother haha. Overall its a decent story, with some fine tuning and patience (that I did not have when I wrote this at the time) then it could turn outreally nice.
* * *
**Meaningless**
Her body, her moves. The way she evaded all attacks. Her graceful form, even when punching. Her hair, unkempt and neglected but still beautiful. Her eyes, powerful.
She was a worthy opponent.
But it was all meaningless. They would have their first and last battle here. It was a shame. Maybe if he acted now, took his grandmother out of the picture, and it was just her and him alone then... just then.
He could have some fun. And then her beauty, would not be so meaningless.
* * *
Tally Mai's thoughts: Ah, I just wanted a short story to fill in a gap between all these long one-shots and I was just shy of my 5k work limit.
* * *
**Model X-Haruno Sakura**
Sasori did not have high hopes for his latest model. All models A though W were total failures. They couldn't talk properly or couldn't walk. Their eyes would cross or they would just simple stop moving. He tweaked his designed, changing the command program slightly, just randomly changing one frequency for any difference at all. If one success, even a tiny one would renew his hope in this project.
"She's ready to go, yeah." Sasori's assistant, Deidara, said as he walked out of the glass chamber where his creation slumbered. "I checked over her body and there were no deficiency anywhere." He smiled shyly. "They keep getting prettier each time. You don't have some weird fetish do you Sasori-danna?"
"Says the man who gets orgasms from watching fireworks."
The blond gaged. "I-I don't not!"
"Oh but I hear you moaning in escasty every time you see one."
"Its not moaning! I'm grunting my appreciation."
"I'm sure you are."
"Experiment Model-X ready to go any minute now."
Sasori nodded and pressed several green buttons on a computer desk. "Okay, she should be live in five minutes." Sasori continued to read over the data. Most errors within the models design happened during the stage or "awakening". He always thought it was ironic how the names and terms used in the humanoid project personified the rubber, steel and bioengineering that made up their creation. Then again she was supposed to become a living person.
"Any errors?" Deidara nervously asked. He stood by the glass case away from the computer, he was to watch as she "woke" up.
"A few minor ones." Said Sasori as certain code sequences, numbers flashing across the black screen, caught his eyes. "Her body is taking a while to synchronize with the command drive."
Deidara raised an eyebrow. "That's a first. Usually the body comes first than the drive kicks in. It's been five minutes. By now or even before with the other models there would be some body movement. But there's been none."
A crazy thought crossed Sasori's mind. He dismissed it's possibility right away but he shared it with Deidara for kicks. "It's almost like the drive or "brain" is conscious and trying to figure out the body."
Deidara chuckled.
"These Codes." Sasori started to write furiously on his note pad. "I've never seen these codes before. Deidara, you didn't do anything to the command drive did you?"
"No." Deidara joined him by the computer. "I don't understand." The blond scratched his head. "These aren't any of the codes in the drive. They... they look like the codes found in real human DNA... Look there."
Deidara typed on the keyboard and a part of code isolated from the rest, sliding to the right corner on the screen. "That code right there is for cell mitosis. And that there, G1, symbiosis and G2 proses. Even a code for interphase."
Sasori shook his head in disbelief. "No way... there's just no way. She's not real. She's not alive. How can she have DNA codes for cell reproduction?"
A heavy thud broke their thoughts and they simultaneously turned to the glass cage. And there, on the floor was Model-X.
Walking like a new born calf she flopped around on her feet, falling every few steps until she discovered her balance. She touched everything around her, the walls, her bed. Her white gown, her pink hair.
Then her eyes opened and she saw them for the first time.
"Hello." She said in perfect English, her voice even and no breath taken. "My name of Model-X... no, my name is Haruno Sakura." And she dazzled them with a smile.
"Where did you learn that name." Sasori approached the cage, her eyes following his every movement. Occasionally they would flicker to Deidara in curiosity but she remained keen to Sasori.
"Don't you like it?" She smiled sweetly, cocking her head to the side to make her look more innocent.
"Where did you learn that name."
She pouted, her face turning sour, but it still looked cute. "Before I was awakened. I looked into the computers hard drive and I saw the name there, in the older files. I liked it and took it as my own. Model-X is not a proper girl's name."
Sasori said nothing and walked back to the computer. He beckoned Deidara to follow him out the room. The blond followed him.
"How long ago did we change the command drive." Sasori quickly asked the blond. Deidara answered him quickly.
"Two months ago, yeah. You changed the drive then made her body."
"And where was the drive during that time."
"Plugged into the main computer."
"She was alive that entire time."
Deidara laughed, thinking it was some joke of his professor but Sasori was serious. "You saw her." He said. "She learned to walk in mere minutes, something that took the others ages to learn and some never did. She spoke perfect English. None of the other models have even gotten close to proper speech.
"We somehow made her alive and for those two months she was in our computer. Learning our language and how to walk, how do anything!She could have gotten access to the Internet and who knows what she learned!
"She was responsive to her environment. She could see things, make conjectures to their nature and develop her own opinion of them. That name, Haruno Sakura was the name of my previous assistant but she left the project long ago."
"Why'd she leave?" Deidara couldn't help but ask. He didn't understand anything else that was going on, he could at least understand this.
Sasori's eyes darkened and for several moments said nothing. "She had her reasons." He said vaguely and re-entered the lab.
"Welcome back." Sakura said to them. She was laying on her back on her white bed, drawing circles in the air with her finger. "Did you have a nice chat? I wish I could have joined. It's awful lonely by myself."
"Are you happy?" Sasori walked to the case, pressing again the glass. The frame of a door, five feet tall and three feet wall appeared then slid to the side. Letting Sasori in.
Sakura smiled at him, as if asking if there was any other emotion than happiness?
He sat down beside her and took her hand.
"Model-X" He said slowly.
"Sakura." The girl insisted, threating to pull her hand from his.
"... Sakura."
She smiled.
"The completion of this project... the completion of you, wasn't expected for another twenty years. If you were successful by then then you would have saved all of humanity. But now... but now you have doomed us all."
And she smiled.
* * *
Tally Mai's thoughts: Ended with a sci-fi ish fic this time. I might just turn this into a real story later. I have a bunch of good ideas for it and writing sci-fi is fun! Got the idea for this one yesterday but didn't included it in the last chapter. I like how Sakura is so innocent right now, haha.
Well that is all for now then. I would just like to remind everyone that these stories are, in a sense, up for adoption. You like the idea then PM and we'll talk.
Also if you, the most wonderful reader, has an idea then tell me and I'll work it into this collection somehow.
This is a fanfiction where everyone and benefit and I really hope that everyone who reads this collection gets something from it for I have learned a lot about my writing style and other things by writing all of these one-shots and drables. See you next time.
Tally Mai-chan was here
P.S I will be updating this story weekly, surprising isn't it? Oh and tell me your favorite story from this chapter too!
3. Horrific Genius
Tally Mai-chan: I am a hypocrite. I'll admit it. I said I'd update weekly and the next time I post something is weeks later. I am sorry for this rather long delay. I've been in this writing depression and school has been total crap. But I'm working through things and I'm slowly recovering from this depression. And since I'm just coming out of a funk this weeks chapter will be shorter than usual. Only three this time.
Well here's this weeks chapter. Enjoy
* * *
**Horrific Genius**
Sakura sat outside a Science room of Konoha High. She ignored the girls that cast glances at her from across the hall. Sakura recognized the face of her once best friend, Ino. The blond girl's teal eyes caught hers and Sakura saw the pain that flickered through them. Pain changed to hatred and Ino turned her nose up, her eyes sharp.
Sakura looked away first and she heard Ino's high, and suddenly annoying laugh. Her new girlfriends laughed with her and they left.
Slowly a calm, empty silence filled the school. Students running to catch the bus or stragglers with no place to go. There were only three major clubs at Konoha High. Any other club would fail to keep members after a week. The football club was the first and foremost. The cheer leading squad following after and then lastly the yearbook club.
But all those clubs were far off in other parts of the school, the little science wing its own world. Another planet circling around a larger world. Together but separate.
The door opened and a senor boy stepped out. His pushed his messy red hair out of his face and took notice of the little freshman sitting on the floor.
"Is there a reason you're here?" He asked her boredly. He didn't look like he wanted an answer but Sakura wanted answer.
"I heard you're starting a science club." She said as she fiddled with the zipper of her gray jacket.
He looked up and down the hall. "I was, but no one showed up."
"I'm here..."
"The club is inside the room moron."
Sakura said nothing before awkwardly standing up and shuffled past him into the science room. He said something but she couldn't hear him. Another insult most likely.
The science room was devoted to the study of biology. Posters of the anatomy of humans and frogs hung on the walls. Books about cells and animals lining the shelves along the back wall. Wide windows sat at the top of the walls letting slanted light into the room. It was the only source of light, there were no florescent lights at all.
"Where's the teacher." Sakura looked all around the room but no teacher was there or sitting behind a desk.
"He left to get coffee but he took his bag and papers with him. He's not coming back."
Sakura stared at him in shock. "And he just left you in this room?"
The red head shrugged and pulled a set of keys from his pockets. "Tossed me the keys and said do whatever you want."
Sakura sat down on a desk and stared at the senor expectantly. He stared back for only a moment when he caught her meaning.
"I doubt two people count as a club." He said blandly.
"Depends on how you look at it." She said back. He nodded and Sakura thought she saw a smile ghost across his lips but when she looked again his mouth was the same thin line.
The long room had two rows of wide tables, with five tables in each row. They had slick black tops that cleaned up nicely and were cold to the touch. The floor title was all white, matching the white walls. Cabinets of supplies ran down the left and right side wall, and were a variety of colors. Some were a dark green and others were a lilac or blue. Like someone went on a shopping spree at a yard sale and haphazardly tossed everything into one room.
"You're cheerleader aren't you?" He said, sitting on the teachers desk. Sakura looked around him at the freshly wiped black board. His fingers impatiently drummed on the desk and his eyes bore into her. Giving in she said that she was. Putting emphasis on the word "was".
"There were some... complications." She continued, speaking like it was no big deal, but the senor boy saw through her casualty.
"It doesn't matter." He shrugged off the topic. "Not my business anyways."
"What were you going to do with a science club?" Sakura asked, wanting to get away from her own problems, and the silence that started to creep between them.
"I don't know." His answer surprised her. "I felt like it."
"Don't you like science?"
"Do you?"
"Yes."
He smirked and kicked his legs over the desk and hoped off on the other side. He took a piece of chalk and boldly started to write on the fresh board. In neat, clean writing he wrote "Artificial Life"
"Know anything." Said Sasori as he ended the last 'e' with a sharp jerk.
Sakura stared at the words and carefully processed her thoughts. He looked impatient, waiting for her answer. He even told her to hurry up. She ignored him and even though she already had her answer she made him wait longer for it.
"It's creation from the unliving."
"Took you how long to figure that?"
She pouted, "If you're not going to like my answers then don't ask. I thought very hard about it."
"Indeed." He set the chalk down and walked to the book case on the far wall. He skimmed the shelves until he found the right one. An old thick book with green bindings, and dust fell of its yellow pages as he flipped through it. "Artificial life, immortality, it's all the same thing. Humans wanting what they could never obtain."
"That's depressing." Sakura said her immediate thought. A stern glance from the senor made her face burn with embarrassment. "Well it is. I mean, we've come up with so much stuff, like cars, computers. People long ago wanted to fly and they were told it was impossible but look at what we have now! Airplanes!"
Sakura was sure she saw the smile on his lips as he closed the book and placed it back in its spot on the shelf.
"The exact same conclusion I came to." He smiled.
Sakura laughed halfheartedly, "So we're going to build a human being? Is that our first science club project?"
He answered her seriously. "I wanted to start smaller than that but if you're feeling ambitious."
She didn't comprehend that he was serious, he couldn't have been. Building a living human being is impossible. Impossible.
But so was human flight.
"We can't do that." She shouted, "We're just high schoolers! Not even top scientists from around the world can do that."
"The only limitations we have are the ones set by our own minds."
"You've gone off the deep end. You're mad!"
"Everyone's mad."
Sakura wanted to hightail it out of there that minute no, that second but something held her back. Many things stopped her from leaving. She tried to deny what made her stop.
But she knew it was her own madness.
Resonating with his.
*** * ***
Tally Mai-chan's thoughts: Wow this got long. I was writing and before I knew it it was over 1000 words long! A high school story to start us off. It defiantly leaves a good amount of material for your brain to crunch on.
Lots a possibilities for this one. I really hope you guys like to use your imagination. And if not then I hope these stories start making you use it. Make up your own conclusions to all the little mysteries I leave you guys.
* * *
**It isn't the snowy night's fault**
Sasori didn't cry. He was too old to cry. Twenty year olds didn't cry. He was an adult, he has lived on his own longer than he could remember. He moved out of his grandmothers house when he was fifteen and had always been fine. He would always find work to pay the bills, stores that stocked his favorite foods. Life moved in a constant flow around him and he would trudge along at his pace.
He thought that he could exist like that forever. Life slapped him in the face for that.
The doctor in his white coat stepped out of the operating room. His face hardened. He's not going to tell me gently. Sasori knew right away but it didn't matter how the doctor told him. He was preparing his heart since he got the call.
"You're grandmother didn't make it."
Sasori said nothing. The doctor continued to drabble about the details. Listing off her previous conditions. Then he talked about the weather. That was taboo.
"Shut up." Sasori spat, "I think I get the freaking picture. Get out of my face, mail me the bill, whatever. I'm out of here."
The doctor was taken back and looked like he was in shock but he recovered and his face went hard again. The doctor nodded and turned back into the operating room.
Sasori didn't care anymore. He hated hospitals, but more than anything he hated snowy, stormy nights.
A pair of nurses rushed past him and one stopped to ask him if he had seen a pink haired girl. He shook his head and they ran on. He didn't bother to think about them or the pink haired girl they were after but life had other plans for him. Life liked to screw with him he thought.
The elevator door opened and he saw her crouched in a corner, knees pulled tightly to her chest. Her long pink hair spilled around her shoulders and a figure that jerked slightly. He could hear her crying.
He didn't want to deal with her, he almost hated her. Hated that she could cry. He pressed the button and the small lights above the door lit up. The steel doors closed and the rig slid up for half a second and started its slow decent down. The girl looked up only to see what floor he was going too. He saw her face, pale skin and light pink lips. Her eyes, he assumed were bright green, but they were red and puffy from crying.
"Why are you here." She asked him, resting her check on her knees. Her eyes curious. He said nothing to her, and she wounder who he was.
"I could ask you the same." He said.
Her legs slid out and her hand grasped the fabric of her white hospital gown. "My heart." She said quietly, like her heart would shatter into pieces if she said it too loudly. "It's broken."
Sasori looked into her pained eyes for only a moment, and wished he hadn't. He saw her pain, and she saw his.
"You're heart is broken too huh." She said. It wasn't a question. It was the truth.
"Shut up." He said dumbly, his mind failing to respond to her. "It's none of your business."
"My real heart was broken since I was born, but I know the pain of your broken heart."
"Shut up!" He shouted, all his anger spilling out into her. "Goddammit you're annoying! Don't talk like you know me!"
The elevator shuttered and jerked suddenly down. Sasori was thrown off his feet and the the girl screamed, curling her body into a tight ball. The elevator moaned and metal gears clashed together. The lights flickered, and for several seconds remained on and died.
"Dammit." Sasori swore, kicking his leg at a wall. The elevator jerked and slid downward for a sickening three seconds.
"I think the storm knocked out the electricity." The girl shuddered.
"Am I cursed?" Said Sasori, looking at her. All his anger gone, all his pain. A fear that he never showed anyone, a fear that grew deep in his heart, now emerging.
The girl crawled over to him an her hand grabbed his. "You have painful memories of snowy nights too?"
He nodded. "Twelve years ago... my parents died driving home in a storm. I was there too... but I didn't die. And tonight. I was driving my grandmother home, the car hit an ice patch and we slid. We hit a guard rail. I was fine, uninjured even, but she..." He trailed off, but she knew the end.
"My parents died too." She said softly. "But I was a baby, I was just born that night, tonight actually. It was a heavy storm that came from nowhere. They crashed and died. During the crash, something hit my chest and did something bad to my heart.
"I think I'm cursed too. There's always a snow storm on my birthday, reminding me of the lives I took. Because I was born, they died." Tears streaked down her face.
Sasori sighed and told her she could cry on his shoulder. She nodded and her tears gushed from her eyes. He asked her if she could cry for him too.
"Why?" She asked, sniffing to hold back her tears.
"Because I can't cry."
"That's good. Because I have too many tears."
The girl cried into his shoulder and he held her, his arm wrapped around her shoulder. He didn't know how long they sat alone in the darkness. He didn't know when they would get out of the elevator. He didn't know if he was going to die tonight or not. There was a lot of things he didn't know.
And she, she was like him. She knows his pain, she understood him more than any person he knew and yet he had only just meet her. Maybe life wasn't totally out to get him. Maybe stormy nights aren't bad.
If it meant that he got to meet her.
*** * ***
Tally Mai-chan's thoughts: I think this is my favorite story so far. It sounds like it could make a really nice long-shot. Not a long story but definitely a long one-shot. Also since I don't think I made it real clear Sakura is 18 is this story. She sounds like a little child doesn't she? But she is definitely over 16 okay. So don't go thinking Sasori is a pedophile or anything. (though I just might write that now that I think about it....)
Anyways, just a sweet and sad story that was inspired by another story I read that made me cry. Maybe that's why I like this story so much. If anyone is interested the book is a manga called Nanairo Sekai or "The World In Seven Colors" You can find it on and I fully recommend reading it.
* * *
**Lady Sakura of the Light**
"He's an Imperial Soldier Lady Sakura!"
"We need to kill him now before the whole army comes!"
"They'll burn the village down. They'll take everything!"
Sakura silenced them all with a wave of her hand. Dismissing them all with a glance only a few resisted, insisting that they put the safety of the village first. She never liked to resort to magic unless it was to heal or life or death situation but the people needed to calm down.
Her hand lifted to eye level and she quietly mouthed the ancient words of healing. A gentle white light encased her hand. The light grew, being more translucent as it spread it. The light wrapped around the villagers heads and their expressions grew dreamy. With a few extra words the light spread beyond the gray stone walls of the church. Spreading eastward over the village, and to the houses on the outskirts of the fields.
Sakura locked the door to the room, her spell would put the villagers minds at ease. It calms and opens the mind to other possibilities. She hoped that they would prepare for battle should it come to that, but also prepare their hearts for the kindness towards our fellow man. Something she preached every Sunday to the village.
On a bed, laying on sheets once clean and white now stained with crimson blood sat the soldier. Covered in head to toe in black amour with red trim on the edges. His shield, still attached to his arm had an emblem of red clouds set before a red moon.
She methodically stripped him of his armor, setting it up in a neat pile at the end of the bed. His black shirt was wet with blood and there were no tears. She too removed it and cringed in horror at the sight of what she found.
As a healer blood was no stranger to her, but this man's entire chest was covered in blood. The red ooze spreading everywhere. Her body was treating the wound before she even thought about it. The words spilling from her mouth as her fingers searched his body for the injury.
She found it quickly, a deep slash across his stomach. Her hands glowed brightly and she swept them over the wound. The skin melded together in an eye beat. She found no other injury on him but when she had cleaned the blood she saw puncture holes one both sides of the gash.
Someone had closed up the injury by sewing the skin together. Sakura was appalled that someone who could suture wounds would not treat the wound first. She proceed to cast spells over his body. A spell to restore the blood he lost, another spell that would help his heart stabilize. A spell to relax his mind and ensure that he got restful slumber while he recovered.
She even cleaned his armor, taking special care with the metal and the leather straps. She knew about the Imperial State of Akatsuki. A ruthless militaristic state that was in constant war with it's neighbor nation, The Royal Alliance, a empire of five different nations serving under the rule of the Five Kages.
This small village lay on the border of Konoha, the nation closest to Akatsuki. For years Akatsuki had been attacking from the norther, breaking through Iwa into the heart of the Alliance. Was this soldier a foreshadowing of a southern attack?
Sakura was too lost in thought to see the soldier awake. She had left his helmet on, if possible she could have removed it but his helmet was attached to his head. Impossible to remove.
His feet hit the floor and the heavy sound made her jump. He crouched on the floor and she knew his eyes were on her. She sharply stood up and he lunged. Her hands flashed before her and she shouted the spell.
A vibrant yellow wall of light flashed between them and the man was thrown back on his feet. Instantly she cast the spell of binding and yellow strands of light appeared in the air and wrapped around the man.
"I am not your enemy." Sakura said slowly. "I am Priestess Sakura."
"Where's my armor."
"Over here."
"... You treated my wound."
"Yes."
"You can use magic... and I don't recognize you... this is not Imperial Land."
Sakura knew the danger she was facing. The danger that only she could ever suffer from.
"That is correct."
"If you come with me then I'll will personally see to it that this village will be spared from the first invasion of the south."
"I do not agree."
"Oh? Do you think you are in a position to refuse my offer?" He was on his feet. Her magic still bound him but Sakura realized that her magic was useless against him.
"Only a commander in the Imperial Army has the power to decide that."
"Heh, you're a smart one." His hands started to glow blue, her light bindings scattered in a bust and vanished from the air. The blue magic building on his hand shot out and stands of blue light attached to her body.
Before she could counter his fingers twitched and she was on the floor before him, her arms twisted behind her back.
"I am Commander Sasori of the Imperial Army. By order of our great leader Pein-sama, I capture you as the first spoils of war."
*** * ***
Tally Mai-chan's thoughts: I wanted to do a fantasy style story and this sorta popped into my brain. As you can tell magic takes the place of chakra. A war torn world with chaos and deception around every corner. And some love thrown in somewhere along the line.
Well that's all for now. I hope you all forgive me for this terribly late update.
And as for a reminder all the stores and one-shots in this entire chapter and all the other chapters are up for adoption. Take them and continue them, make them your own. This is a fanfiction for everyone. Readers and Writers alike.
Want to start a story but don't know about what? Then come here and take your pick! So far no one has asked to use any of the idea's so they're all up for adoption! Also I'm offering to help anyone who wants help with their story. I am a beta reader that specializes in plot structure and characters.
Now that I got all that out of the way I have just one last thing to ask all of you. Pick the genre of the first story to start of the next chapter! Go to my profile page and check out the poll I have at the top and vote for the genre you want to see start of the next chapter.
Please leave a review or adopt a story and maybe even leave an idea for a story.
Thanks for everything
Tally Mai-chan was here.
4. Visiting Hours
Tally Mai-chan: Hey everyone! It's me, updating late again, sorry! I have no excuse this time but my own laziness. Yeah, I'm pretty bad aren't I? It just means that I need to keep trying, and get more organized. This chapter as decided by the now monthly poll on my profile for this story, will be humor!So at the end of the next month there will be another poll! Now. Enjoy!
**Visiting Hours**
Sasori never understood why his parents insisted that he visit his grandmother. Yes she was old, yes she was lonely, yes she was wise and has ancient wisdom to pass on, but he really did not care. He was eighteen. He could think of a hundred things he would rather be doing. Things that were actually fun or interesting.
He walked through the automatic doors of Suna Retirement Home. The vivid smell of medication and moth balls filled his nose, making it crinkle.
A few nurses walked with their charges, most of them in wheel chairs. The elder people smiled at him as he walked by and he would shyly nodded his head back, and maybe give a little smile. He walked up to the counter and tried to get the attention of the receptionist.
Her face was buried in a girly teen magazine, only the top of her pink head visible. He tapped the counter lightly. She didn't respond.
"Excuse me." He said sharply. She didn't budge.
Finally he grabbed the magazine from her hands and smacked it down.
"What's your problem!" The girl snapped, her green eyes burning.
"Tell me where my grandma is. Chiyo Akasuna."
"Chiyo" She repeated, looking taken back. " You're related to Chiyo." It wasn't a statement, it was "you're lieing through your teeth" accusation.
"She's my grandma now will you tell me where she is or I'll report you to your manager."
She rolled her eyes and pulled a keyboard in front of her. Her fingers typed quickly and she looked from him to the screen multiple times.
"Nope." She said finitely. "I'm afraid that your grandmother is no longer here. Try the retirement home down the road."
"I hate you." Sasori growled, smacking his hands down on the counter. "I really, hate you."
"And I hate you."
The twin doors, leading to the interior of the home burst open. An elderly woman, zooming across the floor in a wheelchair whooped and hollered. Nurses and the elderly jumped and wobbled in all directions. The once orderly reception room was thrown into chaos.
The woman laughed as her chair came to a slow stop right at the reception counter.
"Nice one Chiyo!" The reception girl high five'ed the woman. "You make every day special."
"Heheh, I'm just glad I got you as my nurse Sakura dear, all the other nurses ever did was fret. Don't do that you old coot, you'll bust your hip or you'll waste your golden years! They're the ones who wasted my golden years! Sakura, my dear girl, know what real nursing is about. Now you get off boring reception duty and let's go have some fun!"
Sasori was shocked. This was his grandmother, _his grandmother_. "Grandma Chiyo!"
The woman turned and started at Sasori for several long seconds. Squinting her eyes for a better look. "Sasori!" She threw her hands up and easily stood from the wheelchair, embracing her grandson in a tight hug. "My charming grandson! I haven't seen you in ages! You've grown kid."
Sasori gave a meaningful look to nurse Sakura. She stuck her tongue out at him and said to Chiyo. "He's been absolutely horrible Chiyo-chan. He's mean, self-centered and a bully. You should have seen how he strutted in here, making demands like he owned the place."
Chiyo laughed exuberantly. "Haha! Already arguing like newlyweds. I knew you two would make a good couple!"
Sasori's face lit up in a light blush. How could his grandmother say that! He looked to Sakura, expecting to see her sneer or laugh it off, but she was blushing too.
"L-let's go somewhere Chiyo-chan!" Sakura stuttered, refusing to look away from the floor.
The old woman laughed and took Sasori's hand, putting it on Sakura's. "I'd rather see you too get together."
"I'd rather die than spend another second with him." Sakura sneered.
"I'd rather castrate myself than listen to your bitching." Sasori answered. Too little too late did they realize the consequences of the war they started. A war that would bring them together, but that's later.
Chiyo nodded her head knowingly. "Yes, I can see it. You two'll be "making out" like no tomorrow soon."
"Like hell I will!" They shouted together.
* * *
Tally Mai-chan: This was meant to be a humor story... didn't quite turn out that way. Maybe a little humorous. I mean, Chiyo is helping Sakura get together with Sasori, and not helping her kill him. At least the irony is funny right??? Throw me a bone at least?
* * *
**House of Nightmares**
Sakura had shown no fear. No hesitation. Her friends called her back, saying that she didn't have to do it. That she did not need to prove herself. Sakura did though. She had to prove herself to Ino and her friends. They had called her weak, a coward. Sakura decided to give them no reason to ever call her that again. She'll end everything.
The house was old, the oldest in the city. A long, horrible legacy surrounded it. A legacy of superstition and violence. At the end of the old neighborhood where the first settlers first came and built their homes. The legend started even before then, but that is not important to know.
Now the house, make of dark red brick that never fade or crack, stood two stories tall and had a length of a half a football field. A once extravagant house, the social epicenter of the old town, now bears a dark curse. No matter how bright the day, the house was shrouded in shadow, no light able to pierce the pitch black that covered the windows like a curtain of darkness.
No one walked past the house, for they would hear sounds of wood scraping, metal clanging. No one lived in the house, and no one ever would. Recently at night, a single light would turn on in the old house. Thus the rumors started. And the legend, almost forgotten, was brought to light again.
Sakura approached the front door, walking up the creaking wood steps. At the top the wood shattered and her foot fell through, the splintered wood gouging into her leg. She hissed in pain and extracted her foot from the hole. Blood soaked her torn socks and filled her thin shoes. Her friends started to shout in a panic, some taking hesitant steps to the gate that boarded the neglected yard. Sakura gave them a thumbs up and pulled both her shoes and socks off. She tied her clean sock around her bloodied ankle.
"Hey billboard brow!" Ino shouted to her, surrounded by her girl possie. Sakura knew that Ino used them for show, displaying how much superficial power and influence she had. "Toss those shoes over here so we have proof you existed when the monster gets you!"
Sakura's shoes hurled through the air, missing Ino's head by a hair. Ino fumed and shouted insults to Sakura but they were in vain. Sakura was already inside the house, the front door closing with a quiet click.
She nearly choked when she walked inside the house. There was so much dust that everything was coated in a thick layer of gray, even the air. She closed her eyes and covered her mouth with the hood of her jacket.
She wished she had worn longer pants instead of shorts. It felt like the dust started to stick to her feet and legs. The floor was worse, when she walked forward she left foot prints like the ones you would leave behind in the snow during winter. She wondered if time was frozen in the house. Stuck forever in the time which it was cursed. It was the middle of Summer but the house was freezing cold. A constant chill shrouded her as she began exploring.
She was in a long room with a tall ceiling. A silver chandelier hung above her head. Or was it gold? It was hard to tell through all the dust. She could see the candle holders placed evenly within the neat circle rings of the chandelier. At the other end of the room was an open doorway with a faded purple curtain covering it.
Beside the doorway, siting dainty on a neat wooden table was a slender vase. She picked it up and wiped the dust off from it. It was a pale gold color with red flowers printed on it. The deal was that she had to go inside the house and bring back something to prove herself. This vase was all she needed and satisfied she hurried back to the doorway.
Her hand grasped the doorknob and she stopped.
This house wasn't all that scary. In fact, it looked like it would be quite fun to explore. She turned to look at the purple curtains in the doorway. There could be many interesting things inside the house. It hasn't been touched for decades. No thief or robber brave enough to try this house. And what if she just didn't come in, take something and split. What if she _spent the night,_ in the most horrifying house in all of Konoha? Then no one, not in a million years would _ever_ question her bravery again.
Sakura set the vase down by the door so she wouldn't forget it the next morning and walked to the purple curtain. As brave as she thought she was she remembered the light that has been turned on since the beginning of summer.
She looked to the floor. There were no other foot prints in the dust than her own barefoot ones. She never saw the light herself. The house was dark when she came in. It had to of been made up, only a plot by Ino to make her more scared.
She pushed the curtain aside with clear determination and stepped into the lobby.
It took her a few moments for her eyes to get used to the darkness and when the intangible forms of the darkness took form, she gasped. A grand staircase filled the room, spanning out across the floor and tapering to a quarter of its size by the second floor. Not even an inch of dust could hide the glow of the gold on the stair case. Sakura ran forward to brush off a majestic lion head as the base of the left banister. The right banister the base of a tiger.
Four more chandeliers hung from the ceiling, their white candles still in their holders. Intricate spider webs connected the gold pillars of the banister. The cold tile floor chilled her feet, and the air was stale and clouded with dust but she was too fascinated to care.
She wondered into other rooms and found the most enchanting things. There was a gorgeous dinning room with a long mahogany table, dressed for a dinner party, delicate porcelain plates set out for a party of six. There was a small open room with a section of the wall carved out, music stands inside of it. Sakura thought it was the perfect place to have a dance. She continued her exploration of the first floor and found the kitchen, a lavish bathroom and a bar with a billiards table.
Sakura walked back into the lobby, resting on the steps of the stair case. Her heart beating with rampant excitement. She never has so much fun in her life. There was an air of discovery and adventure all throughout the house. She had always loved to learn new things. Reading whatever books she could get her hands on, but there was something more amazing with her search of the house. She was learning but not by reading about it but actually, tangibly being there.
She stood up, and headed up stairs to the second floor.
A loud crash resonated upstairs and she screamed. She stumbled back down the stairs, tripping over her own feet as she fell. She hit the floor, smashing her arm against her side and her ankle throbbed with new pain.
Sakura quickly sat up, only to collapse onto her knees. Her ankle was swollen and red, her sock bandage throughly soaked with new blood. She tried to pull it off but the cloth had stuck to her skin, bringing new pain everything she tried to pull it off. She thanked god her arm was okay, only slightly bruised with a few cuts.
"What was that?" She spoke for the first time, her own voice sounding small and weak. If she was ever afraid it was now. She tried using her reason to chase away her fears. It was an old house, things broke and fell all the time. Maybe a chandelier broke and hit the floor.
She wanted to turn around but she felt that if she did then it would make her a big coward. If Ino found out that she tried to stay the night but backed out then there would be no end to her torment. It didn't matter how long she had managed to stay inside, the only thing that would matter was that she got scared and bailed.
So she stood, and limped up the stairs.
"Hello?" Sakura couldn't help but call out. There was no response. She bit her lips and limped down a narrow hallway. Doors spaced far apart from each other on either side of the hall. She shook the knobs, they were all locked. It was first time she encountered a lock door in the entire house. She tried peaking through the large key hole but could see nothing but black.
About halfway down the half, on the fourth or fifth door the door slid open before she even touched it. Sakura peaked her head inside and found she could see everything clearly within the room. An open window let in soft, blue moonlight and let a nice breeze circulate clean air. She breathed deeply, no dust to make her sneeze or get into her eyes.
She looked around. It was a bedroom. A queen size bed with red sheets pushed sideways against the far wall. A black dresser next to it. A small sitting chair and table were placed delicately in the center of the room atop a rich Persian carpet. Piles of books, as tall as her, surrounded the chair and stacked atop the table.
She picked one up, the words on the binder to worn to read. She leafed through the pages and found it was an old book on human anatomy, hand drawn pictures littering the papers. As she read deeper into the book she found little black notes written in the margins. Notes that contradicted a specific passage in the chapter or paragraph. Stating clear reasons why or reasoning why it was wrong.
Sakura hurriedly closed the book. The notes, they sounded like they were written by a mad man. They talked about experiments done to humans. Sakura turned to leave and out of the corner of her eye she saw an old lamp.
Curious she looked closer. It was like the oil lamps she found around the house. It was newer, still old but not as old as everything else in the house. She picked it up. It was heavy and the bottom came off. She pulled out a large battery.
She pushed the battery back in and turned the lamp on. The sudden bright light blinded her. When her eyes adjusted to the light she picked up the lamp and walked out of the room. She figured she could explore better with the light.
A cold breeze slithered across her skin and she ran to the dresser, opening all of the drawers. They were all empty but for the bottom drawer. Sakura pulled out a clean black shirt and black sweat pants, both brand new.
"The price tags are still on them." Sakura noticed and examined the paper tags. The clothes were from her favorite store. She looked around more and on the bed she found a pile of pictures. All of the school she went to, and at the very bottom of the pile was a picture of her.
She remembered the day the picture was taken. It was two weeks ago when she was eating ice cream with her friends, she had spilled chocolate ice cream on her shirt but didn't notice until she got home. She could see the brown splotch on her white shirt clearly in the picture.
Sakura dropped the lamp and ran from the room. The hallway had chanced, the walls were tighter, the ceiling lower. Her leg buckled under her and she fell forward. A cloud of dust sent flying around her. She scrambled to her feet and lurched to the side. Her ankle burning with pain, she couldn't put any pressure on it without sending a wave of searing pain up her leg.
And on the ground, where the dust was cleared, the dark red splashes of red was visible. She backed against the wall.
"It's just my blood, my ankles bleeding, remember silly. This... this isn't happening. It's a dream. It _has_ to be a dream."
"Dose it?"
Her breath caught in her throat, her heart drummed against her chest.
"It's a dream" She told herself firmly. "It's only a dream. It's only a dream!"
A man, no older than twenty walked in front of her, his red hair visible in the darkness. She wished she could disappear. That she would wake up. She pressed herself harder against the wall, her fingers fumbling around. She wanted something, a weapon, anything.
He turned and right away his eyes locked with hers. His hand gravitated to her face and she couldn't back away from it. Gently, with on the slightest of pressure, his hand stroked her face.
"Beautiful." He whispered. "As soft as I imagined and more."
"Who-who are you..."
"I think you already know my dear Sakura." He said charmingly, his mouth drawing out her name. She screamed and fell to the ground, crawling down the hall, desperate to get away from him. She went no furtherer then a few feet when he grabbed her shoulders, holding her firmly in place.
She screamed and kicked, clawing at his hands. He picked her up, and carried her down the hall and into the last room.
"My game can't continue any more." He told her, setting her down on a soft twin size bed. Sakura recognized the room, it was hers. The room was exactly like hers. "Modern technology is impressive but it doesn't help me. I can't survive on superstition anymore. In these days, if someone goes missing, a huge fuss goes up about them. It used to be, someone would go missing and everyone would take them as dead or lost to monsters and demons."
He sighed deeply, "So I decided to for one last game, but not just any game. I want this last game to be special. I left this house, that has been for so long my safe heaven and searched for the person who would be my last work of art. I choose you Sakura. You're tomboyish but still very pretty, and very smart. I didn't want to pick an idiot. There's no fun in playing with someone who couldn't get past my traps. And I didn't want some weak human who would give up, unwilling to play my game. So rest for now Sakura, and be everything I expect you to be and more. For tomorrow, we play."
He pattered her head and walked out of the room, the door shut and a lock clicked into place. Sakura trembled in her bed, tears pouring from her eyes.
* * *
Tally Mai-chan's thoughts: Wow I stink at writing horror. I tried and this is my best attempt. I mean, I think it's a little scary, more suspenseful than anything else. I like the story and I might write more for it but I doubt it.
I really wouldn't mind someone picking up this story. I ask of it really.
* * *
**Kagome**
Ten years old, and no friends. Sakura didn't mind. At least, she tried to think that she didn't mind. None of the other kids played with her. She didn't want to play with them anyways. Another thing she tried to tell herself. It was hard being an adult, but she couldn't be a kid or a teen so what else could she be?
Kids played with other kids. She had no other kids to play with. Teens argued with their parents. She had no parents to argue with. Adults were mature and didn't need to play. So she could be an adult.
Sakura sat alone in the empty lot. Lots of kids would play here but today they had left to explore the woods behind the school. So she could come here without fear and pretend at being a kid. Adults liked to pretend too right? Her aunt pretended to like her. To love her.
Sakura decided to play the game she always saw the other kids play. They would put someone in the middle and that kid would close their eyes. Then the other kids would run around them in a circle, holding each other's hands. They would stop and the kid in the middle had to guess who was behind them. They had three chances to guess or they lost.
Sakura sat cross legged on the ground and pretended to be the one on the middle. She pretended to hear the kids laugh as they ran around her. They would stop and she tried to guess who was behind her.
"Are you Maru?" She asked.
No, no! The children laughed.
"Are you... Tsuki?"
Not even close!
"Are you... Rukia?"
"No. I'm Sasori."
Sakura screamed and ran. She looked back and saw a boy with red hair. But being young and careless she didn't think to watch for rocks and tripped. Her knee and legs scrapping across the rock
He ran up beside her and looked at her knee. "Not too bad..." He mumbled. She bit back her tears. Adults didn't cry. They only cried when someone died.
"Who are you." The boy asked her quietly, staring at her with big brown eyes.
"Sakura... I ain't seen you around here. Where you from?"
Sasori smiled and helped Sakura back to her feet. "I just moved here." He said. "I'm from Tokyo. The countryside is all new to me..."
"I-I think it's pretty fun... so long as you got friends to play with."
"What about you?"
Sakura felt relaxed around Sasori, and adults were open with other adults they were comfortable with. But if he was a kid and she an adult then she shouldn't be open with him. Adults lied to kids to make them feel better. She didn't want to lie to Sasori though. He was the only kid her age to talk to her. Maybe he was an adult too.
"I don't have any. They never play with me."
"I'll play with you." Sasori said quickly, looking quite upset. "No one should have to play by themselves!"
Sakura didn't know what to say. What would an adult do? Would an adult politely refuse? Or say that they should have lunch sometime? Sakura didn't know what an adult would do but she knew what a kid would do.
"Let's play together!"
* * *
Tally Mai-chan's thoughts. Omg this is such a cute story. A little bit sad but really cute! A really nice beginning to any story I'd say. It pulls the reader in and leaves open many questions.
* * *
**The Valkyrie**
Sasori felt death. It was painful, the two swords that pierced his heart. He couldn't see anything, he couldn't hear anything, and he felt so much pain. His heart was stabbed, he was dead, but if he was dead then how could he still be feeling?
The thought that pain crossed over into the afterlife crossed his mind and the thought of feeling this pain for the rest of eternity nearly drove him mad. How long has it been since he had died? There was nothing to tell the passage of time, and his body, he felt his body.
Sasori had no limbs to move but he could feel his body. He knew where his fingers were, his toes, he knew what direction his head was facing, straight forward.
Ahead of him a small light, far off in the distance shone. He squinted his eyes, for he could feel them, and stared through the light. Slowly the light came closer. He could make out earth and trees at the center of the light. It was like looking through a divine picture frame.
And as the light grew he realized that it wasn't far off, coming closer to him. It was right in front of him, it just looked far off and away. The light grew in a perfect ring and inside was the Akatsuki lair, destroyed in his fight against his grandmother.
He moved his hand through the ring and could feel the thin barrier between him and the outside. His fingers pressed against the invisible barrier and when they passed through his hands because visible. Next his arm passed then his head, and torso and legs then his feet.
He was outside, gone from the black hole. He saw his grandmother, far away from him, talking to the Konoha ninjas.
_'They can't see me.'_ He noticed right away, the one Konoha ninja faced his direction, all he had to do was look up just slightly and Sasori would be right within his sight, _'Why?'_ He asked next.
His answer was right behind him. Sasori saw all the ninja, including his grandmother look at him, no, they looked past him. Sasori turned and saw his body, hunched over, lifeless, two swords stuck out from his chest.
Sasori griped his own heart, his fingers felt its gentle beat. When he looked back the Konoha ninja and his grandmother were gone. He sat by his body for hours, watching as Zetsu and some man in a mask came and examined his body. The masked man took Sasori's ring and Sasori would have been angry but he was too confused to feel any emotion.
It wasn't until early evening did anything of true importance happen to Sasori.
Dark clouds gathered above him, thunder rolling and blue lightning flashing. A high nihney, like the cry of a war horse boomed across the sky. He watched in awe as the cloud split evenly in two, forking at the top and then like the zipper on a jacket each side sliding away from each other smoothly.
A warrior, long pink hair flying out behind her like a billowing cape and dressed in golden armor, rode on a winged horse of pure white, its muscles flexing with each beat of its wings, each gallop. Thunder roared with each down beat of soft feather and the warrior swung her lance and lighting jumped off its tip.
She clung tightly to the horse, the beasts wings smoothing out into a glide as she circled around him. He knew when her green eyes found him. The horse dived to him. He panicked, the beast large and suddenly before him. The horse's head flung back and released a long neigh, its wings beat rapidly against the air, its thick body vertical to the ground. It's hind legs touched ground and it fell forward with a mighty thud.
Sasori's breath released and the horse, it's velvet nose brushing against his face, gently tapped him. His hand automatically petting it. The horse's eyes glazed over in a dreamy trance and so he became relaxed in its presence.
"There would be none of that." The warrior said sharply, leaning forward to look over the horses neck. She smiled, softening her face. "I don't want him turning into a big softie."
"Who are you." Said Sasori. The horse nudged his hand off him and turned to the side, letting its master speak properly to him.
"I am a Valkyrie."
"A what?"
"A Valkyrie! Honestly, it's all because you humans went and started worshiping buddha. Forgetting the gods..."
"I'm not following any of this." Sasori said quickly.
"To put it simply-for I can not give you an entire lesson on history- you are a great warrior. And when great warriors like you die their souls and minds return to earth to be "picked up" by Valkyries like me."
Sasori was incredulous, "My soul was saved because I was a great warrior?"
"Come." She stuck her hand out, shaking it for him to take. "I'll explain on the way to Odin's Hall."
He stared at her hand for several long moments, but, thinking he had nothing to lose he grabbed it and she hoisted him onto the back of the horse. It felt awkward for there was no saddle to sit on, only the bare back of the horse.
"To Odin's Hall!" She shouted, the horse rearing on it's hind legs. Sasori grabbed the girl's shoulders, fearful of being thrown off and onto the ground and when the horse was horizontal again he found that he didn't need to worry about the ground. By then the ground was very, very far away.
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Tally Mai-chan's thoughts: Yet another story that I really like. Three guesses to what song I was listening to when I wrote this. Go on. Guess.
Whoot. Fourth chapter of SasorixSakura! I never really thought I would get this far, but there will be an end. For only 6 chapters remain.
Well I guess theres no much left to say but to remind everyone that these stories are up for adoption! Anyone and everyone is welcome to adopt a wonderful story. This is fanfiction for everyone to benefit from. **And dont forget to review!**
Tally Mai-chan was here.
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Dragon Age 1. Chapter 1
Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Dragon Age: Origins
Alistair: "I get it. I get it. Just so you, if the king ever asks me to put on a dress and dance the Remigold, I'm drawing the line. Darkspawn or no."
Warden: "I think I'd like to see that."
Alistair: "For you, maybe. But it has to be a pretty dress."
Alistair sighed. He had been looking at these papers and treaties Eamon had given him for far too long and was starting to get a headache. He wished Neria was here with her encouraging smile and maybe a healing spell. How had he been convinced to remain behind while she rescued Anora? Oh yeah, he loved her. The number of things that woman could get him to do just by looking at him with those grey-blue eyes was embarrassing. It ranged from the life changing, "Alistair, you need to become king," to the weird, "Alistair, use your Templar abilities on me, I want to know what it feels like," to the mundane, "Alistair, can you chop some wood for our fire tonight?" on an extremely hot day. Although, Alistair supposed, the last one could have been an excuse to get him to take his shirt off. Knowing Neria, it probably was.
Alistair decided to go talk to Eamon, try to wrap his brain around the whole becoming king thing. Not for the first time, he wished Cailan was still alive so he wouldn't even have to think about becoming king. Then, Neria and he could travel, just like they talked about at the beginning of this little adventure. Alistair smiled at the memory. Awkwardly enough, both he and Neria had been nearly half naked during this conversation. Passing through Eamon's richly decorated estate, he contemplated visiting Wynne for a healing spell before deciding against it. She was probably busy brewing poultices along with Leliana and Morrigan, the ones in the party who were best trained in those abilities. He reached Eamon's study, but before he could even get a word out, Anora, Zevran, Stehn, and Neria's Mabari Thorn burst into the room.
"We have a problem," Anora exclaimed. "The Warden has been captured."
"What! How?" Alistair burst out. He knew he should have insisted on coming along.
"She gave herself up to Ser Cauthrian," explained Anora.
"Why didn't she try and fight back?" asked Alistair, confused.
"She didn't want any more bloodshed, and to prove that Arl Howe was wrong," Zevran told him.
"That's not important right now. What we need to is a plan to rescue her," said Anora, in a clipped tone. "She's probably been taken to Fort Drakon.
"Oh, I believe I can come up with a decent plan," said Zevran, with a glint in his eyes. Alistair really didn't like the way the Antivan was staring at him. "I will need a couple of hours to gather supplies though," he continued.
Anora nodded. "Do what you must. Hurry though. We need her back as soon as possible." With that, she glided out of the room.
Alistair stood there, dumbfounded. Of course something like this would happen the one time he wasn't there to help, although what he could have done besides getting captured as well he wasn't sure. He wouldn't have cared though, as long as he was with her. He was so lost in thought he almost didn't notice Zevran walking briskly out of the room. Alistair ran after him and almost bowled over the elf.
_His ears look just like Neria's _thought Alistair before regaining his bearings.
Zevran looked at him coolly. "Yes?" he asked.
"Whatever you're doing, I want in too. I'm not staying behind this time," Alistair declared.
Zevran nodded. "Okay. I had planned on having you accompany me anyway, so this just makes easier." He paused. "A while ago, your Warden told me you offered to put on a dress and dance the Remigold for her. Tell me, does this still hold true?"
"Of course," said Alistair. "But what does that have to do with anything, and since when is she my Warden?"
"Since you got to know her personally, quite personally, if I might a-"
"La la la, not listening," Alistair said loudly. "You still haven't answered my question, what does a dress have to do with your plan?"
Zevran just looked at him mischeviously. "You will see, my dear Alistair, you will see."
AN: I fell in love with this game and Alistair the first time I played it. Have played it through four times since then. Surana was my first character, so I have a soft spot for her. This story is basically how I think the Alistair/Zevran rescue from Fort Drakon should have gone, and a little bit of what follows after.
Read and Review! (If you want)
2. 2 Rescue
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Italics equals thoughts.
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Zevran returned several hours later, carrying two packages. He tossed one to Alistair. "Here, put this on," he ordered. "You might want to get some servants to help with a couple of things. Preferably female ones."
Alistair opened his package. "What the- Zevran, this is a dress!" he burst out, his voice going up several octaves. "You can't really expect me to put this on!"
"You're the one who told Neria you would wear a dress for her, you want to come with to help, and you're the only one who can wear it right now," said Zevran.
"Why can't one of the actual girls wear it?" asked Alistair desperately.
"Eamon's got them running around doing his errands, it would take too long for them to finish up, and don't you want to rescue your love as soon as possible?" asked Zevran.
"More than anything, but-"
"Well then, get your dress on, and get one of the women servants to teach you to walk more like a female. Don't worry about talking, I'll take care of that for you, and hurry up! Neither you nore I want her in that place for any longer than necessary," said Zevran, quickly walking to his room.
Alistair picked up the dress like it was going to transform into a darkspawn at any second. _It's for Neria, it's for Neria_ he chanted in his head.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
"… and then Neria cast Walking Bomb on Howe, and I stabbed him and he exploded! You should have been there."
This had to top the list of the most embarrassing things he had ever done. For Andraste's sake, the servants had had to stuff _things _into the dress just to fill it out. He could hear the servants snickering as they helped him. And the makeup, how could women stand to wear the stuff! Also, the wig itched.
Alistair glanced over at Zevran, who was dressed in a snazzy red getup, topped off with a huge hat with a jaunty red feather sticking out of it. They were quickly approaching Fort Drakon.
"I still don't get why I had to wear the dress," Alistair hissed.
"What would you rather Oghren or Sten had played the part?" asked Zevran, amused. "I admit, Oghren probably would have enjoyed it, given enough ale, but even I am not foolish enough to ask Sten something like that," he continued, shuddering, "and I don't think that the dog has quite the right build, do you? And I don't think your Ferelden sensibilities would allow you to play my part."
"I still don't like it."
"Besides, the dress and the wig match your skin tone so well, gold tones suit you. That's probably why Neria won't get you any armor other than splintmail, it goes well with your features. Why, I bet if we brought you to a tavern, you'd have half the men lines up within five minutes, wanting to take you home with them-"
"Okay, I am done talking to you!" broke in Alistair.
Zevran sobered. "Good. We're almost there and you are not supposed to be able to talk."
Alistair nodded. Wearing a dress was bad enough as it was, putting on a falsetto without nearly dying would have been impossible.
As they neared Fort Drakon, Zevran changed his demeanor. His look became more confidant and- Alistair blinked. Was Zevran- swaggering? "Just play along, and remember, don't talk," said Zevran quietly.
They approached the guard. Alistair put on what he hoped was a demure expression and stood there silently.
"State your business," the guard barked.
"I have a delivery for the commander of the fort," answered Zevran smoothly.
_If we were just pretending to deliver something, why am I wearing a dress?_ thought Alistair, confused.
The guard looked confused as well. "Well, where is it?" he asked.
Zevran just gestured to Alistair.
Alistair felt his face turning red. _No. There is no possible way he is saying that I am supposed to be-_
The guard just stared. "I didn't know the commander was into that. Huh, you think you know somebody. Wait a minute, what are you doing here then, and why isn't she speaking for herself?"
"I sometimes accompany my workers, it makes them feel safer," answered the Antivan. "As to her voice, well, I'm afraid she suffered an _accident_ while on the job many years ago."
Zevran's tone made Alistair immediately decide never to ask what kind of accident the elf had in mind. By the look on the guard's face, he was thinking the same thing.
"I don't need to hear the rest," the guard said gruffly. "Just, get on in there and for the love of Andraste keep it down. We don't exactly need this story getting around," he sighed.
Zevran nodded, and he and Alistair quickly walked to the waiting room.
"I can't believe that worked," said Alistair in astonishment.
"You Fereldan's are so squeamish with anything to do with sex," said Zevran. "I figured the guard would want to get us out of there as quickly as possible."
"Anyway, do you have anything to fight with? I couldn't exactly figure out a way to smuggle a sword and shield in here with this dress," said Alistair.
"I can think of quite a few ways to smuggle large outfits in a dress, though you probably wouldn't like most of them. And to answer your question, yes, I brought an extra dagger. I figured you could use it. I'm going to hold on to it for now though. A prostitute running around with a dagger might arouse just a tiny bit of suspicion," answered Zevran.
Alistair nodded, and they started walking in the direction of the cells, according to the directions they had been given. They entered a room filled with soldiers and ballistae's. Alistair frowned. The door was guarded by two soldiers. It would be difficult getting past them without looking suspicious. He looked at Zevran and noticed him eyeing a ballistae with great interest and quickly figured what the elf's plan was.
"You'll have to do it," murmured Alistair. "I'd look awkward trying to get up there in this."
The assassin nodded and quickly sprang up the steps and fired the ballistae. The soldiers ran off to investigate the noise, including the two blocking the door. Alistair and Zevran quickly crossed to the next room.
Zevran handed a dagger to Alistair. "You might as well have this now, anyone past this point will know we're not supposed to be here."
Alistair took it, feeling glad to have a weapon in his hand, even one that was a lot smaller than what he was used to.
They quickly made their way toward the cells, taking care of anyone in their path. The looks on the soldier's faces as they were taken down by a whirling, roaring prostitute of death were priceless, and Alistair would have laughed if he wasn't so worried about Neria by this point.
He took a blood covered cell key from the guard he had just stabbed in the neck.
"Come, let us get your lady and get out of this place," urged Zevran, "the longer we're in here the more difficult it will be to leave."
Alistair ran to the cell, and catching a glimpse of Neria laying on the ground, covered with blood almost the same color as her hair, he felt he would have torn the door off its hinges, even if he didn't have a key.
"Bastards," he heard Zevran breathe beside him.
"We need to get her out of here and to Wynne as fast as possible," said Alistair, gently picking Neria up and cradling her in his arms.
Zevran nodded and gathered up Neria's things that had carelessly been tossed in the corner and placed them in the pack he had slung across his back.
Alistair felt Neria shift in his arms. "Alistair?" she asked weakly.
"Shh, I'm here, don't worry. Zev and I are getting you out of here and straight to Wynne," he answered soothingly.
"Are you wearing a dress? No, can't be. That magebane must have been stronger than I thought."
"They gave you magebane?" asked Alistair, trying not to let rage break into his voice.
"Yes, but it's starting to wear off," she answered, breaking off into a cough that brought blood to her lips. Alistair gently wiped it off and then gave her a health poultice to drink. It wouldn't do much, not with the extent of her injuries, but it would stabilize her until they got her to Wynne.
"Not to rush this loving reunion or anything, but don't we have something we should be doing? Like escaping?" Zevran asked.
"Sorry Zev," called Neria.
"No need to apologize, my lady, just concerned with your health, as always."
"Yes, I'm sure it was your health he was always worried about," muttered Alistair.
Neria giggled. "He is right though. We should be getting out of here."
Alistair nodded and started walking, trying not to jostle her as much as possible. It didn't matter. Neria winced with every step he took anyway.
He sent Zevran ahead to scout out any guards and to take care of as many guards as he could. Whenever Alistair heard the sounds of a scuffle, he would gently place Neria down, kiss her forehead, and rush off to join the fray, distracting the guards at the sight of a man in a dress, Alistair having thrown away the wig as soon as he possibly could. They quickly made their way toward the exit.
Alistair returned from a particularly difficult fight, wincing at the pain in his arm. He had feinted left, trying to get near a soldier who had decided to be particularly difficult. The man had seen through the ruse, and aimed a blow at Alistair's stomach. He shifted quickly, and the blow had just left a cut across his forearm. Zevran had quickly dispatched of the man. He thought about using an injury kit, but decided against it. They had no time to waste, and it wasn't life threatening, just painful.
Neria looked up at him, eyes cloudy with pain. "You're hurt," she rasped, holding out her hand, already glowing with familiar healing magic.
"No, don't," he began, but the wound was already closed, and she was leaning back against the wall, exhausted by the casting of one simple spell.
"Why would you do that?" Alistair asked furiously, not sure if he was more mad at himself or her.
"I don't like seeing you hurt," she said simply.
"And I don't like seeing you nearly kill yourself curing something that's not important!" he spat out. Seeing the look on her face, he continued, more gently, "Just, promise me you won't do that again, even if I'm gravely injured."
Neria shook her head. "I won't make that promise, Alistair, you know I won't."
Alistair groaned. "Why must you be so stubborn?"
Neria smiled. "That's why you love me," she teased.
"Well, yes, but right now I'd appreciate it if you would concentrate on healing yourself," he answered.
"Can do," she mumbled, resting her head on his chest. She shifted, and then fell into a restless sleep. Alistair hugged her closer to his chest, and practically ran out the front door.
AN: Sorry it's been so long, I just started college. This was a lot funnier in my head, but eh, figured I'd post it anyway. I have a challenge, prompt, whatever you want to call it. Write either an Alistair/Female Gray Warden (DA:O) or Kaidan/FemShep (Mass Effect) fic with the line "Even now, after everything, I can't make myself regret loving you." If anyone decides to do this, either PM me or let me know in a review. I would do this myself, but the line has been repeating itself in my head for a long time, with no story behind it. Read and Review!
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recent advances in the research field of current - induced magnetization switching and current - driven magnetization dynamics,@xcite as well as the developments in the hard disk drive industry to change the magnetic storage process to perpendicular magnetic recording cause a resurgence of interest in ultrathin film magnetic materials with out - of - plane magnetic anisotropy .
one way to achieve this is to exploit magnetocrystalline anisotropy in an epitaxial film.@xcite this upsurge in research interest in epitaxial material exhibiting a high perpendicular uniaxial anisotropy constant @xmath7 has been stimulated especially since sputter deposition now yields epitaxial thin films of an ordering quality comparable to molecular beam epitaxy.@xcite the very high values of @xmath7 now available lead to domain walls of a very narrow thickness @xmath8 , and this makes fundamental physical phenomena like magnetoresistance due to electron scattering at magnetic domain walls an easily measurable effect .
@xcite after some early experimental work,@xcite domain wall scattering is undergoing something of a renaissance as materials preparation and nanofabrication technologies improve.@xcite this effect of an increased electric resistivity in the presence of magnetic domain walls in a ferromagnetic thin film was measured by viret et al . for films of ni and co.
@xcite this group developed a semiclassical model based on spin - mistracking as the electrons cross the wall , which they used to interpret their data .
( this type of model was necessary since quantum mechanical reflection of electrons from a domain wall potential step will be extremely small unless the wall is of extreme abruptness.@xcite ) a more rigorous quantum mechanical model , based on a hamiltonian employed to calculate giant magneto resistance in a spin - split system , was used by levy and zhang to treat the same physics .
@xcite it is possible to use this model to determine the polarization of a diffusive current by measuring domain wall resistance.@xcite this paper concentrates on the electron transport properties of the epitaxial l1@xmath0-ordered iron alloy fept in both the diffusive and the ballistic regime .
in particular , we have measured the spin - polarization of the current in two different transport regimes : diffusive and ballistic .
the strong uniaxial anisotropy , arising from the high degree of long range chemical order in our ordered alloy epilayers , leads to a dense stripe domain structure with narrow walls .
these give rise to an easily measurable magnetoresistance associated with the extra resistance as the electrons pass through these walls . by using the levy - zhang model@xcite ,
this can be used to infer the spin - polarisation of these diffusive current carrying electrons , which we find to exceed 80% at all temperatures from 2 k to 258 k. we also determined the ballistic current spin polarization by the widely used point contact andreev - reflection ( pcar ) method.@xcite we found a spin polarization of @xmath6% , close to that reported for elemental 3@xmath9 ferromagnets .
-@xmath10 x - ray crystallography scan for l1@xmath0-ordered fept of a film thickness of 31 nm film ( red circles ) the mgo@xmath11 substrate scan is included for comparison ( blue triangles ) .
the inset illustrates an unit cell of the face - centred tetragonal lattice of fept .
the fe atoms ( red ) and pt atoms ( blue ) form alternating @xmath12-@xmath13 planes .
the @xmath14-axis lies normal to these planes and forms the magnetic easy axis .
this is the growth direction in our epitaxial film.,width=302 ] the samples were prepared by conventional dc magnetron sputter deposition on polished mgo@xmath11 substrates .
we used a 4%-hydrogen - in - argon sputter gas mixture to prevent any film oxidation during growth at high temperatures .
the fept magnetic thin film was sputtered by co - deposition directly onto the substrates at a substrate temperature of 1000 k and at a deposition rate of 0.1 - 0.2 / s@xmath15 . here
we will describe the properties of a 31 nm thick film , which has one of the highest degrees of chemical order we have achieved , having grown several dozen such samples to optimize our deposition process .
-ordered fept thin film grown on mgo(001 ) .
the [ 001 ] direction is the growth direction in our epitaxial film .
, width=188 ] for structural characterization of the epitaxial l1@xmath0-ordered fept thin films , we carried out @xmath16-@xmath10 x - ray diffraction scans using cu-@xmath17 radiation in order to determine the long range order parameter @xmath18 @xmath19 according to @xmath20 here @xmath21 and @xmath22 are the atom fractions of the two components , @xmath23 and @xmath24 are the fractions of the lattice site types @xmath25 and @xmath26 in the ordered structure , and @xmath27 and @xmath28 are the fractions of each type of lattice site occupied by the correct types of atoms , @xmath29 on @xmath25 and @xmath30 on @xmath26.@xcite a typical @xmath31-@xmath32 scan of an l1@xmath0-ordered fept is displayed in fig .
[ figure2new ] .
the presence of the ( 001 ) peak is normally forbidden by the structure factor for face - centered crystal lattices , and so its observation here confirms that there is preferential ordering on the alternating @xmath25 and @xmath26 planes .
the @xmath11-peak and @xmath33-peaks were fitted with lorentzian line shapes to yield the integrated intensities . following the standard procedure , described in e.g. reference ,
these integrated intensities , together with the peak positions , lorentz polarization factors and atomic scattering factors , can be used to give a value for @xmath18 .
we found @xmath34 for the particular film of thickness of 31.0 nm that we discuss in detail in this article , and routinely obtain @xmath35 in our sputtered films .
we calculated the film thickness via kiessig - fringes obtained in low - angle x - ray reflectometry measurements .
-ordered fept structure of the fept thin film .
the diffracted spots associated with the mgo(001 ) substrate are marked with red crosses.,width=188 ] -ordered fept thin film grown on mgo(001 ) .
inset are fft patterns obtained from the regions of the single crystal mgo substrate and the epitaxial fept layer marked with boxes .
it can be seen that the superlattice spots are associated with the fept layer .
, width=264 ] we performed transmission electron microscopy ( tem ) on an fei tecnai f20 to provide structural information on our material.@xcite the cross - sectional high - resolution transmission electron microscopy ( hrtem ) image in fig .
[ figure1tem ] from a comparable sample , taken with the electron beam aligned parallel to the @xmath36 $ ] or @xmath37 $ ] zone axis of the mgo substrate confirms the high quality of our epitaxial fept layers on the mgo(001 ) substrates
. the l1@xmath0-ordering of the fept was verified by selected area electron diffraction , see fig .
[ figure2tem ] , which shows the diffraction pattern from a cross - sectional tem of the same sample of fept on mgo(001 ) .
the high degree of alignment between the mgo and fept structures is clearly depicted .
the @xmath38 and @xmath39 reflections from the face - centered cubic mgo substrate are marked with red crosses and show the expected four - fold symmetry associated with the @xmath36 $ ] zone axis .
the remaining reflections are from the fept layer and index as the @xmath36 $ ] zone axis of l1@xmath0-ordered face - centered tetragonal fept .
the presence of the @xmath11 superlattice spots confirms the l1@xmath0-ordering of fept . using a lattice parameter of @xmath40 for mgo as a calibration ,
we obtain @xmath41 and @xmath42 for the fept structure .
this gives a lattice mismatch of @xmath43 between the mgo substrate and fept layer . in fig .
[ figure4tem ] we show another image with a larger field of view . fast fourier transform ( fft ) patterns obtained from the boxed areas in fig .
[ figure4tem ] , and shown as insets , confirm that the superlattice spots seen in the electron diffraction pattern are associated with the l1@xmath44 order in the fept layer .
a quantitative analysis of the strong out - of - plane magnetic anisotropy of the l1@xmath0-ordered fept film was carried out by vibrating - sample - magnetometry ( vsm ) in the out - of - plane geometry as well as the in - plane geometry , with representative hysteresis loops shown in fig .
[ figure3new ] .
the uniaxial magnetocrystalline anisotropy constant @xmath45 was calculated from@xcite @xmath46 where the extra term @xmath47 accounts for the demagnetization field within the sample .
@xmath48 and @xmath49 are the magnetic fields applied in and normal to the film plane respectively . for @xmath50
k , we found @xmath51 mjm@xmath52 , @xmath53 mam@xmath15 , and @xmath54 fjm@xmath15 .
we deduced the zero - kelvin exchange stiffness @xmath29 from a @xmath55-bloch law fit of the temperature dependence of the saturation magnetization@xcite and assumed that @xmath56 follows a mean - field behavior @xmath57 : the data and fitted curve are shown in the lower right inset of fig .
[ figure3new ] .
the temperature dependence of @xmath45 is shown in the upper left inset .
experimental micromagnetic data was not available for @xmath58 k due to the large signal that arises at low temperatures caused by paramagnetic impurities in the substrate ( typically at the parts per million level in epi - ready mgo ) .
the values we obtain compare reasonably well with the micromagnetic parameters recently reported for l1@xmath0-ordered fept thin films grown by molecular beam epitaxy and magnetron - sputtering of other groups . @xcite .
-ordered fept film obtained by vibrating - sample - magnetometry in the in - plane and out - of - plane geometry at @xmath50 k. the two insets depict the uniaxial anisotropy constant @xmath45 and the saturation magnetization , together with a bloch - law fit , as a function of temperature.,width=302 ] we imaged the magnetic domain structure of fept by magnetic force microscopy ( mfm ) at room temperature in zero field , as shown in fig .
[ figure4anew ] ( a ) .
the sample was demagnetized using an alternating magnetic field of decreasing amplitude .
the cantilevers had a resonant frequency of 65 khz and a spring constant of 1 - 5 n / m .
the cocr - coated si tip was vertically magnetized prior to imaging .
for optimal contrast we kept the tip - surface distance constant at a value in the range 20 - 25 nm .
the average magnetic domain width of the demagnetized state was obtained by a power - spectrum analysis and resulted in a domain width of @xmath59 nm for the 31.0 nm thick sample .
the domain structure exhibits the typical interconnected dense stripe domain structure known from l1@xmath0-ordered binary iron alloys.@xcite -ordered fept film in zero magnetic field .
the bright and dark areas mark magnetic domains of opposite perpendicular magnetization .
a power spectrum analysis of such images leads to an average domain width of @xmath60 nm . micromagnetic simulation ( b ) of the domain structure of a @xmath61 fept thin film of 30 nm thickness using the oommf code and experimentally determined micromagnetic parameters .
the red and blue regions mark areas of opposite perpendicular magnetisation .
the typical domain width can be seen to be @xmath62 nm .
the black square in panel ( a ) shows a region of the same size as that simulated and shown in panel ( b).,title="fig:",width=151 ] -ordered fept film in zero magnetic field .
the bright and dark areas mark magnetic domains of opposite perpendicular magnetization .
a power spectrum analysis of such images leads to an average domain width of @xmath60 nm .
micromagnetic simulation ( b ) of the domain structure of a @xmath61 fept thin film of 30 nm thickness using the oommf code and experimentally determined micromagnetic parameters .
the red and blue regions mark areas of opposite perpendicular magnetisation .
the typical domain width can be seen to be @xmath62 nm .
the black square in panel ( a ) shows a region of the same size as that simulated and shown in panel ( b).,title="fig:",width=151 ] [ figure4bnew ] we carried out micromagnetic simulations of this domain structure in the sample using the oommf code,@xcite the results of which are shown in fig .
[ figure4bnew ] ( b ) .
the cell size used was @xmath63 @xmath64 within the film plane and 15 nm perpendicular to the film plane , and a six - nearest - neighbor exchange interaction for the magnetic energy terms of adjacent cells was employed .
although thermal activation effects are not taken into account in this type of micromagnetic code , we were nevertheless able to simulate the domain structures in our material at finite temperatures using the appropriate values of the micromagnetic parameters @xmath56 , @xmath65 and @xmath66 as determined from vibrating - sample - magnetometry , as we are not concerned with thermal activation effects when determining the equilibrium domain structure .
our simulation yields an average domain width @xmath62 nm at room temperature for a 30 nm thick film obtained from a fourier analysis of the oommf output .
the analytical result obtained from the kaplan - gehring model@xcite is @xmath67 nm at room temperature and @xmath68 nm at 50 k , so the temperature dependence of the domain strip width is quite fairly weak .
we also estimated the average width of an individual domain wall analytically from @xmath69 using our experimentally determined micromagnetic parameters , we obtain @xmath70 8 - 9 nm at all temperatures in good agreement with our micromagnetic simulations .
such narrow wall thicknesses are extremely difficult to measure experimentally .
such narrow bloch - type domain walls may be found in many hard magnets materials such as ndfeb or smco .
their effect on thin film electron transport properties such as domain wall resistance is particularly interesting .
narrower walls are available only in a very few magnetic materials ( e.g. at low temperatures in srruo@xmath71 @xcite ) .
we first describe the diffusive transport properties of l1@xmath0-ordered fept .
we performed magnetotransport measurements at temperatures ranging from 2 k to 258 k using an in - line 4-terminal set - up with the magnetic field applied normal to the film plane .
we found a hysteretic part of the magnetoresistance of @xmath72 at 2 k and @xmath73 at 258 k , associated with the creation and annihilation of domain walls as the film switches its magnetization direction .
a typical mr hysteresis loop is shown in fig .
[ figure5new ] . from previous studies on l1@xmath0-ordered fepd
thin films,@xcite we know that a sufficiently high quality factor @xmath74 as similarly in this case , @xmath75 , is a good indication that the anisotropy magnetoresistance ( amr ) contribution of nel closure caps on the domain walls can not account for this effect and is small enough to be neglected .
the asymmetry of the mr loops arises through the extraordinary hall effect , caused by large spin - orbit interaction in fept , and the minute misalignment of our voltage probes .
this effect can be easily subtracted to give the true domain wall mr .
we will discuss the extraordinary hall effect in films such as these in more detail elsewhere .
we find the domain wall mr to be approximately twice as large as compared to those reported on l1@xmath0-ordered fept films grown by molecular beam epitaxy,@xcite even though our film had a rather high electrical resistivity of @xmath76 cm ( at 2 k ) with at a residual resistivity ratio of @xmath77 .
the temperature dependence of the domain wall mr is shown in fig .
[ figure6new ] and exhibits an almost linear behavior with temperature .
we observed a nearly complete suppression of any khler magnetoresistance ( @xmath78 ) at high magnetic fields and low temperatures ( fig .
[ figure6new ] ) , due to the high film resistivity giving rise to a very small value of @xmath79 .
hence , we attribute the much weaker effect of khler mr , as compared to fepd,@xcite to considerably reduced electron mean free paths .
-ordered fept obtained by a dc in - line 4-terminal measurement at @xmath80 k in the perpendicular field geometry .
the red dot marks the resistance in the demagnetized state of the sample , at the start of the virgin branch of the hysteresis loop.,width=302 ] in addition to the hysteretic part of the mr we observe a reversible linear part at high fields .
we have extracted the high field mr slopes @xmath81 at an applied magnetic field of 5 t at various temperatures ( fig .
[ figure6new ] ) . in fe ,
co , and ni , such a negative and linear mr was found by raquet et al.@xcite to be caused the influence of a magnetic field on the spin mixing resistivity . there ,
the main role is played by spin - flip @xmath82-@xmath9 inter - band and intra - band scattering due to electron - magnon scattering .
the data in fig .
[ figure6new ] can be fitted with the expression given by raquet et al .
@xcite quite well , with the exception that a substantial linear mr ( @xmath83 t@xmath15 ) remains even at the lowest temperatures in this film , which must be added as an additional constant term .
subsequently , we could fit the temperature dependence of the high - field mr slope ( fig .
[ figure6new ] ) according to raquet et al.@xcite .
this procedure yields a magnon mass renormalization constant of @xmath84 , which is comparable with that of pure 3@xmath9 metals,@xcite , and less negative than that found previously in mbe - grown fepd.@xcite we do not have a simple explanation for the temperature independent part of the high - field linear mr , although we note that magnetoresistances in thin films can take on a variety of unexpected forms.@xcite -ordered fept thin film of a thickness of 31 nm .
the solid line is a fit to the data as described in the text .
the inset shows hysteretic mr loops obtained for l1@xmath0-ordered fept at @xmath80 k and @xmath85 k in the perpendicular geometry .
a strong linear high field magnetoresistance is evident in both cases.,width=302 ] furthermore , we have used our magnetoresistance data to compute the spin - current asymmetry parameter @xmath25 in l1@xmath0-ordered fept based on the levy - zhang spin - mistracking model.@xcite the spin asymmetry of the current depends on the spin - resolved conductivities @xmath86 , @xmath87 ( or spin - resolved resistivities @xmath88 , @xmath89 ) of the majority and minority spin channels and is given by @xmath90 the levy - zhang model describes the mr only in the wall region , whereas we have measured our entire film .
we estimated the volume fraction of walls by measuring the total wall length @xmath91 in the mfm image of scan width @xmath92 and multiplying this by the wall thickness @xmath8 to obtain the total area occupied by of walls , out of a total area of @xmath93 .
this procedure yields a volume fraction accounting for the fact that we do not have a parallel stripe domain state , but rather a labyrinth structure , and yields a value approximately 1.3 times greater than the ideal stripe domain value @xmath94 .
thus one obtains for an isotropic labyrinth domain state a domain wall magneto - resistance
of@xcite @xmath95 where @xmath96 is the fermi wavevector , @xmath97 is the effective electron mass and @xmath98 is the stoner exchange - splitting energy .
it is to be noted that this formula yields the same @xmath99 for both @xmath25 and @xmath100 , equivalent to saying that we are insensitive to the sign of the polarization .
based on the assumption that the majority carriers are @xmath82-like , we take @xmath97 to be equal to the free electron mass , assume the value of @xmath96 to be 2 @xmath15 ( a typical value for a metal ) , and take a value for the stoner exchange splitting to be @xmath101 ev based on the splitting of the density of states seen in the results of band structure calculations.@xcite we appropriately scaled the domain wall volume fraction based on the analytical values for @xmath8 and @xmath102 for different temperatures .
the inset of fig .
[ figure8new ] shows the spin current asymmetry @xmath25 of l1@xmath0-ordered fept calculated according to eq .
[ lzmodel ] .
a strong temperature dependence of @xmath25 is clearly visible , with a decay of the spin current asymmetry from @xmath103 to @xmath104 in the temperature range between 2 k and 258 k. it is then straightforward to obtain the diffusive current spin polarization of l1@xmath0-ordered fept from @xmath105 which is shown together with the spin current asymmetry in fig .
[ figure8new ] . for a temperature of 258 k
, we found a diffusive spin current polarization of @xmath106 , whereas @xmath107 at @xmath108 k. the uncertainties in these polarization values are determined from the uncertainties in the @xmath25-values , which in turn were computed using eq .
[ lzmodel ] , and also taking into account the uncertainties of the micromagnetic parameters @xmath7 , @xmath109 and @xmath29 taken to evaluate the domain wall dilution .
the final uncertainties are small since the diffusive polarization is rather insensitive to the value of @xmath25 when @xmath110 .
dependence of the diffusive current spin polarisation @xmath111 and in the inset the spin resistivity asymmetry @xmath25.,width=302 ] we performed point contact andreev reflection ( pcar ) measurements in order to directly probe for the ballistic current spin polarization of l1@xmath0-ordered fept.@xcite the concept of this method is based on the fact that for applied bias voltages within the gap of the superconductor , it is physically impossible to inject or extract single electrons , but only cooper pairs . as the andreev reflection process@xcite is the coherent back reflection of a charge carrier hole into the ferromagnetic sample following the capturing of an opposite spin electron to form a cooper pair inside the superconducting tip , one essentially probes for the number of unpaired electrons , straightforwardly giving the ballistic spin current polarization of the ferromagnet .
the point contact was controlled mechanically at 4.2k , in a liquid helium bath , between a superconducting niobium tip and the fept thin film .
we used the same sample as for the diffusive transport characterization .
a bias voltage was applied across the point contact and the differential conductance was recorded via a four - probe technique .
ac lock - in detection with a @xmath112 mv amplitude and a 5 khz frequency was used .
the tips were repeatedly brought into contact with the sample and the dependences of the differential conductance with the sample - tip bias voltage were recorded for various contact resistances .
a typical curve is shown in fig .
[ figure9new ] . as also displayed in fig .
[ figure9new ] , the data were corrected from the contribution of spreading resistances within the film , as deduced from our measurements . spreading resistances
are commonly found when the resistances of the point contact ( of around 10 @xmath113 in our case ) are of the same order of magnitude as the resistance of the film ( here around 80 @xmath113 ) , and a common tell - tale sign is that the superconducting gap is significantly overestimated .
it is then necessary to correct both voltage bias and differential conductance data for this additional series resistance.@xcite however , the effect of correction on polarisation is not large in our case , since the ratio of sub - gap to quasiparticle conductance never strays too far from unity at any value of bias , due to the polarisation is being close to 50 % .
k before ( circles ) and after ( squares ) correction from the spreading resistance as defined in the text , together with the respective fits according to the modified btk model ( dashed and plain red lines ) .
the fitting parameters are discussed in the text and given in the following figure .
the vertical lines indicate the values of the deduced gaps before ( dashed line ) and after ( plain line ) correction.,width=302 ] from the typical resistances of the point contacts ranging between 4 and 15 @xmath113 , and using the sharvin formula , we calculate an efficient point contact characteristic size of around 5 to 15 nm.@xcite such a value is much smaller than the characteristic micron - size of the terminated apex of our tip , as measured by scanning electron microscopy .
indeed , as it is usually the case , our contact results in multiple efficient nanometric point contacts,@xcite where electron transport across the ferromagnet - superconductor interface is ballistic . the conductance vs. bias voltage data were fitted in the standard way , employing a modified blonder - tinkham - klapwijk ( btk ) model @xcite , which describes the crossover from metallic to tunnel junction behavior of a microconstriction contact between a semiconductor and a superconductor based on the bogoliubov equations .
four numerical fitting parameters@xcite are employed to fit the measured conductance curves and thus determine the bulk current spin polarization of the sample : the effective temperature , @xmath114 ; the barrier strength , @xmath115 , which accounts for the cleanness of the interface ( e.g. an infinite @xmath115 accounts for a tunnel transport regime ) ; the superconducting gap , @xmath116 ( @xmath117 mev for elemental bulk niobium ) ; and the spin polarization @xmath118 . the dependences of the fitting parameters on the point contact resistance ( @xmath119 ) are plotted in fig .
[ figure85 ] , among with the resulting fits of the raw data , for comparison . from the data shown in fig .
[ figure85](a ) , it can be seen that on average @xmath120 is larger than the 4.2 k real temperature of the experiment.@xcite such differences between effective and real temperatures have already been reported and are beyond the scope of this article .
they are ascribed to weaknesses in the model since @xmath120 not only accounts for thermal activation but also includes other effects that result in a broadening of the fermi - dirac function such as the electron fermi velocity mismatch between the tip and the sample or the presence of a thin remaining oxide layer at the surface . moreover
, this can also represent any spread in the properties of different parallel nanocontacts formed by the tip and sample . to avoid confusion ,
@xmath120 is sometimes referred to , in the literature , as a broadening factor . from the data shown in fig .
[ figure85](b ) , it can be seen that for a given tip , there is no clear correlation between the point contact resistance and @xmath115 .
it had been ascribed to the fact that for contacts of the same nature , @xmath119 is mainly determined by the size of the contact rather than its cleanness.@xcite as observed in fig .
[ figure85](c ) , the values of the tips superconducting gaps are in agreement with those of the bulk nb .
note that the initial large values of the superconducting gap as deduced from fits of the raw data are indeed the signature of spreading resistances .
figure [ figure85](d ) shows that the spin polarization does not depend on @xmath119 in an easily observable way .
rather note that the fitted spin polarization seems to systematically depend on @xmath115 .
here we find an acceptable agreement with a quadratic reduction in @xmath121 with @xmath115,@xcite as shown in fig .
[ figure10new ] .
the relevant value of the spin polarization is known to be the one extrapolated in the case of a perfectly transparent interface ( i. e. when @xmath122 ) .
we find a ballistic spin polarization of @xmath123 for our fept film .
we note that we obtain similar values of the polarization when we do not apply any correction for the spreading resistance in our fept film.@xcite this value is moreover close to that reported for elemental iron using the same technique , i.e. @xmath124.@xcite we also note that we obtained the same value , to well within the error bar , when analyzing data taken on the sample in the remanent state or in the demagnetized state ( not shown ) .
it is actually not surprising , as this method is sensitive only to the magnitude and not the direction of the spin polarization .
it is however important to notice that this shows that in this case the effect of any stray fields due to the domain structure on the superconductivity of the tip is negligible . for l1@xmath0-ordered fept .
the extrapolation of the least - squares fit ( lines ) onto the ordinate gives the bulk spin polarization of the current.,width=302 ]
we have determined both the diffusive and ballistic transport spin - polarization in high quality epitaxial sputtered l1@xmath0 fept thin films . in the diffusive electron transport regime , we used magnetoresistance of domain walls along with a modified form of the levy - zhang model to determine the spin current asymmetry and hence the diffusive spin polarization of a dc current flowing in l1@xmath0 fept . in the ballistic electron transport regime , we extracted the spin polarization directly from point contact andreev reflection measurements at 4.2k . comparing the polarization in the ballistic transport regime to that in the diffusive
, we find that at liquid he temperatures , where the comparison is direct , @xmath111 is substantially higher .
in fact , to change the value of @xmath111 to be equal to that measured for @xmath125 by pcar , it is necessary to change @xmath25 by a factor of a little over 24 .
this is because the diffusive polarisation is extremely insensitive to @xmath25 when it is large .
whilst the exact value can be modified by making a different choice for the value of @xmath96 or @xmath97 , it is not possible to get a value of @xmath111 that is close to @xmath125 with a physically reasonable set of parameters .
to do so , it is necessary to choose a value for @xmath97 that is less than the free electron mass , extremely unrealistic for a transition metal alloy . with regards to @xmath96 , we chose @xmath126 as a representative value of @xmath96 for a metal . in order to obtain a value of @xmath111 to match the pcar value of , we would need @xmath127 , corresponding to an electron density of about @xmath128 , three orders of magnitude too high for a metal , and placing the fermi surface in the 4th brillouin zone .
one would not expect that @xmath111 and @xmath129 should be the same in any case .
it was pointed out by mazin @xcite that for a fairly transparent ballistic contact , the conductivity for given spin sub - band @xmath130 , whilst for ordinary diffusive transport the conductivity @xmath131 .
it is on these parameters that the spin polarization depends:@xcite compare equation [ pball ] with equation [ pdiff ] .
the ballistic current polarization is given by which involves a spin - dependent relaxation time @xmath134 , besides the band structure parameters like the density of states @xmath135 and the square of the fermi velocity @xmath136 .
our work could act as a stimulus for detailed band - structure calculations needed to average @xmath137 and @xmath138 over the whole fermi surface in order to make quantitative comparisons , but we would like to note that the scattering rate @xmath139 is seen to be the decisive parameter here .
it is not unreasonable to expect that @xmath140 in a ferromagnet such as this , where scattering from defects and impurities occurs at different rates for carriers of different spin.@xcite our parameters for scattering within the fept metal are within the range of those reported for various impurities introduced as scattering centres into a 3d magnetic matrix .
@xcite moreover , the parameter @xmath26 that appears in drift - diffusion models of the current perpendicular to plane giant magnetoresistance plays the role of the spin - polarization of the diffusive conductivity within the bulk of a magnetic layer .
values for @xmath26 of up to 0.9 have been found for some commonplace 3d ferromagnetic alloys.@xcite we therefore explain the much higher values of @xmath141 as compared to @xmath142 as arising from the asymmetry in the scattering rates for spin - up and spin - down for scattering from vacancies , impurities , and anti - site defects in the l1@xmath0 structure , which lead to additional polarization in the diffusive current over and above that from the band structure alone .
meanwhile only the electronic structure affects the polarization obtained from the pcar method .
it is worth noting that even an unpolarized electron gas can carry a diffusive current of finite spin - polarization in the presence of spin - dependent relaxation times .
hence an appropriate ratio of spin - dependent scattering rates can considerably amplify ( or , in unfavorable circumstances , attenuate ) an intrinsic spin - polarization in terms of number density when a current starts to flow .
+ this is significant , since it is @xmath141 that is the relevant parameter entering into theories of current driven wall motion@xcite indeed it was in this context that berger suggested , almost thirty years ago , that a measurement of the pressure exerted on a wall in ferromagnet could be used to determine current polarisation@xcite .
we expect that the results of this measurement of @xmath141 should be in accord with that measured by domain wall resistance .
however , due to the dearth of experimental data for diffusive values , when experimental data are interpreted in terms of these theories , lower value of polarization determined from a non - diffusive transport regime such as pcar is often the only available one to use@xcite .
however , we can see from the results in this article that these values significantly underestimate the real degree of spin - polarization , and hence the rate at which spin angular momentum is transferred to a domain wall .
we also anticipate that the diffusive current polarization in more technologically relevant materials such as permalloy might be measured by making suitable nanostructures that exploit geometrical confinement to form narrow domain walls@xcite in order to yield a sufficiently large domain wall resistance to be easily measured .
the authors would like to thank a. t. hindmarch , g. burnell , m. ali and m. c. hickey for fruitful discussions .
the technical assistance of j. turton , m. patel , l. harris , a. price , and b. miller is also gratefully acknowledged .
this work was supported by the uk epsrc through the spin@rt research programme .
vb acknowledges the financial support provided through the european community s marie curie actions ( research training networks ) under contract mrtn - ct-2003 - 504462 , ultrasmooth . | arxiv |
Can Positive ions satisfy primary valences according to Werner's theory for coordination compounds?
My book (NCERT- Chemistry Part for class 12) [Coordination Compounds-NCERT](https://ncert.nic.in/textbook/pdf/lech109.pdf) (Page-2)
Mentions the following statements as a postulate of Werner's theory:
>
> The primary valences are normally ionisable and are satisfied by
> negative ions.
>
>
>
I get that the primary valences basically mean the Oxidation Number of the central metal atom in the coordination sphere. And they are ionisable as the ions that are outside the coordination sphere get dissociated in aqueous solutions.
But is it necessary that Primary Valencies are satisfied only by negative ions?
For example, in $\ce{[Co(NH3)6]Cl3}$ . It is clear that three Chloride ions satisfy the primary valence(+3 oxidation state) of $\ce{Co^{3+}}$ .
But if we consider $\ce{K4[Fe(CN)6]}$ there are no negative ions outside the coordination sphere.
So here are my doubts regarding this
>
> 1. Do the Potassium ions satisfy the primary valence/oxidation state of Iron here? Which means the book is wrong?
> 2. If not, then are the Cyanide ions satisfying the primary valence of Iron? If yes, then we can say Ligands can satisfy both Primary and Secondary valences at the same time? (As cyanide ions are already contributing to coordination number(secondary valence))
>
> But I don't feel this could be true since that contradicts the fact that primary valences are ionisable.
>
>
>
1. Here the primary valence is not satisfied by the potassium ions, it is satisfied by the ligands. Werner's theory says that the primary valence of central atom is only satisfied by anions as the central atom in most complexes are transition metals which have a *positive* oxidation state.
2. Yes ligands can satisfy both Primary and Secondary valences at the same time.
According to the pictorial (geometric) representation of Werner's theory, species which satisfy the primary valence are joined by a dashed line, species which satisfy the secondary valence are joined by a solid line and those species which satisfy **both** valences are joined by a solid and dashed line (in parallel).
So yes ligands can satisfy both the primary and secondary valences.
(You can also refer [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2I9itU7L3Kc&list=PL_A4M5IAkMac47LLQFY_RA4IHR4CUJl5I&index=10) video if you understand Hindi.)
| stackexchange/chemistry |
despite being very rare , massive stars such as luminous blue variable ( lbvs ) , red super giants ( rsgs ) , and wolf - rayet stars ( wrs ) play a pivotal role in enriching the interstellar medium ( ism ) through mass loss , and they are an important source of heavier elements contributing to the chemical enrichment of galaxies ( e.g. , * ? ? ?
the deaths of these massive stars are associated with some of the highest energy phenomena in the universe such as core - collapse supernovae ( ccsne , * ? ? ?
* ) , long - duration gamma - ray bursts ( e.g. , * ? ? ?
* ) , neutrino bursts ( e.g. , * ? ? ?
* ) and gravitational wave bursts ( e.g. , * ? ? ?
* ) . the physical mechanism , energetics and observed properties of these events depend on the structure and terminal mass of the evolved stars at core - collapse , which in turn are determined by stellar mass loss ( see , e.g. , review by * ?
in addition , there is also evidence that some supernova ( sn ) progenitors undergo major mass ejection events shortly before exploding ( e.g. , * ? ? ? * ; * ? ? ? * ; * ? ? ? * ) , further altering the properties of the explosion and implying a connection between some eruptive mass - loss events and death .
it is generally agreed that the effects of winds are metallicity dependent ( e.g. , * ? ? ?
* ; * ? ? ?
* ) and the sne requiring a very dense circumstellar medium ( e.g. , * ? ? ?
* ; * ? ? ?
* ) predominantly occur in lower metallicity galaxies ( e.g. , * ? ? ?
this strongly suggests that the nature and distribution of stars undergoing impulsive mass loss will also be metallicity dependent and a full understanding requires exploring galaxies beyond the milky way .
understanding the evolution of massive ( m@xmath14m@xmath15 ) stars is challenging even when mass loss is restricted to continuous winds ( e.g. , * ? ? ? * ) .
however , shorter , episodic eruptions , rather than steady winds , may be the dominant mass loss mechanism in the tumultuous evolutionary stages toward the end of the lives of the most massive stars ( e.g. , * ? ? ?
* ; * ? ? ?
* ) as they undergo periods of photospheric instabilities leading to stellar transients ( @xmath16 ) followed by rapid ( @xmath17year ) mass - loss in the last stages of their evolution ( see * ? ? ?
* ; * ? ? ?
deciphering the rate of these eruptions and their consequences is challenging because no true analog of @xmath0car in mass , luminosity , energetics , mass lost and age has been found ( see @xcite ) , and the associated transients are significantly fainter than supernova explosions and are easily missed .
these phases are as difficult to model theoretically as they are to simulate computationally .
dense winds tend to form dust , although for hot stars the wind must be dense enough to form a pseudo - photosphere in the wind @xcite that shields the dust formation region from the uv emission of the star @xcite .
the star will then be heavily obscured by dust for an extended period after the eruption ( see , e.g. , @xcite ) .
the great eruption of @xmath0car between 1840 and 1860 is the most studied case of a stellar outburst ( see , e.g. , @xcite ) .
the @xmath18 ejecta are now seen as a dusty nebula around the star absorbing and then reradiating @xmath19 of the light in the mid - ir .
this means that dusty ejecta are a powerful and long - lived signature of eruption .
the emission from these dusty envelopes peaks in the mid - ir with a characteristic red color and a rising or flat spectral energy distribution ( sed ) in the _ spitzer _ irac @xcite bands . in the galaxy ,
stars with resolved shells of dust emission are easily found at 24@xmath20 @xcite .
the advantage of the 24@xmath20 band is that it can be used to identify dusty ejecta up to @xmath21years after formation .
a minority of these objects are very luminous stars ( l@xmath22l@xmath15 ) with massive ( @xmath23m@xmath15 ) shells ( see summaries by @xcite ) .
these include agcar @xcite , the pistol star @xcite , [email protected] @xcite , wray17@xmath2596 @xcite , and iras18576@xmath240341 @xcite .
these systems are significantly older ( @xmath26years ) than @xmath0car , which makes it difficult to use the ejecta to probe the rate or mechanism of mass - loss .
still , the abundance of galactic shells implies that the rate of @xmath0car - like eruptions is on the order of a modest fraction of the ccsn rate @xcite .
their emission peaks in the shorter irac bands when they are relatively young ( @xmath27years ) because the dust becomes cooler and the emission shifts to longer wavelengths as the ejected material expands @xcite .
it is difficult to quantify searches for such objects in our galaxy because it is hard to determine the distances and the survey volume because we have to look through the crowded and dusty disk of the galaxy .
surveys of nearby galaxies are both better defined and can be used to build larger samples of younger systems whose evolution can be studied to better understand the mechanism .
we previously demonstrated in @xcite that it is possible to identify post - eruptive massive stars in galaxies beyond the local group using the mid - ir excess created by warm circumstellar dust despite the crowding problems created by the limited spatial resolution of _ spitzer _ at greater distances .
in @xcite ( `` paperi '' hereafter ) we used archival _ spitzer _
irac images of seven @xmath2mpc galaxies ( closest to farthest : ngc6822 , m33 , ngc300 , ngc2403 , m81 , ngc0247 , ngc7793 ) in a pilot study to search for extragalactic analogs of @xmath0car .
we found 34 candidates with flat or rising mid - ir spectral energy distributions ( seds ) and total mid - ir luminosity @xmath28 . here , in paperii , we characterize these sources and quantify the rate of episodic mass loss from massive stars in the last stages of evolution .
first , we construct extended optical through far - ir seds using archival hst , 2mass , and _ herschel _ data as well as ground based data ( section[sec : data ] ) .
then , we classify the sources as either stellar or non - stellar based on properties of the extended seds and model the seds to infer the properties of the underlying star and the obscuring circumstellar medium ( section[sec : analysis ] ) .
next , we relate these properties to the observed ccsn rate of the targeted galaxies to quantify the rate of episodic mass loss in the last stages of massive star evolution ( section[sec : discussion3 ] ) .
finally , we consider the implications of our findings for theories and observations of massive star evolution and their fates ( section[sec : conclusions ] ) .
in this section , we describe the details of how we obtained the photometric measurements at various wavelengths to determine the properties of the candidates from paperi .
the optical through far - ir photometry are reported in table[tab : photo ] , and the extended seds are shown in figures [ fig : accept ] and [ fig : reject ] .
we utilized vizier @xcite to search for other observations of the candidates , in particular for wise ( @xcite , @xmath29 ) , 2mass ( @xcite , @xmath30 ) , sdss ( @xcite , @xmath31 ) and x - ray detections .
for m33 , we used the @xmath32 images from the @xcite optical survey , and archival hst images of ngc300 , ngc2403 , m81 , ngc247 and ngc7793 .
finally , we used _
pacs data to supplement the _ spitzer _ measurements . for the _ spitzer _ irac 3.6 , 4.5 , 5.8 and @xmath33 as well as mips @xcite 24 , 70 , and @xmath34 data
, we use the measurements reported in paperi . for m33 , our measurements were based on irac data from @xcite and mips data from the _ _ spitzer heritage archive__. data from the lvl survey @xcite were used for ngc300 and ngc247 , and data from the sings survey @xcite for ngc6822 , ngc2403 , and m81 .
we used the _ herschel _ pacs @xcite 70 , 100 , and @xmath34 images available from the public _
_ herschel science archive__. although both mips and pacs cover the same far - ir wavelength range ( @xmath35 ) , herschel has significantly higher resolution ( see figure[fig : mips_pacs ] ) .
all three pacs band data were available for m33 and ngc7793 , 70 and 160@xmath20 data were available for ngc2403 and m81 , and 100 and 160@xmath20 data were available for ngc300 .
there are no publicly available pacs images of the candidates in ngc247 .
we used aperture photometry ( iraf apphot / phot ) with the extraction apertures and aperture corrections from @xcite and given in table[tab : pacs ] .
as with our treatment of the mips 70 and 160@xmath20 measurements in paperi , we treat the measurements obtained in the pacs bands as upper limits because the spatial resolution of these bands requires increasingly large apertures at longer wavelengths . for similar reasons , we also treat the wise @xmath29 fluxes , where available , as upper limits . for the optical photometry of the candidates in m33
, we used the local group galaxies survey @xmath32 images @xcite .
first we verified that the coordinates match with the irac images to within few@xmath36 and then used @xmath37 radius extraction apertures centered on the irac source locations .
we transformed the aperture fluxes to vega - calibrated magnitudes using zero point offsets determined from the difference between our aperture magnitudes and calibrated magnitudes for bright stars in the @xcite catalog of m33 .
for the candidates in ngc300 , m81 , ngc2403 , and ngc247 , we searched the acs nearby galaxy survey ( angst , * ? ? ? * ) @xmath38 , @xmath39 and ( where available ) @xmath40 band point source catalogs derived using dolphot @xcite .
we verified that the irac and hst astrometry of the ngc300 , ngc2403 and ngc247 images agree within ( mostly ) @xmath41 to ( in a few cases ) @xmath42 .
we corrected the astrometry of the m81 hst images using the lbt images described later in this section to achieve similar astrometric accuracy .
we also used the hst @xmath40-band photometry of m81 from hst program go-10250 ( p.i .
j.huchra ) .
we retrieved all publicly available archival hst images of ngc7793 overlapping the irac source locations along with the associated photometry tables from the hubble legacy archive .
the hst and _ spitzer _ images have a significant ( few@xmath43 ) astrometric mis - match , and there are too few reference stars in the hst images to adequately improve the astrometry .
therefore , we utilized the iraf geoxymap and geoxytran tasks to locally match the overlapping hst and _ spitzer _ images of ngc7793 within uncertainties of @xmath44 .
we have variability data for the galaxies m81 and ngc2403 from a large binocular telescope survey in the @xmath45 bands that is searching for failed supernovae @xcite , and studying supernova progenitors and impostors @xcite , and cepheid variables @xcite .
we analyzed 27 epochs of data for m81 and 28 epochs of data for ngc2403 , spanning a 5year period .
the images were analyzed with the isis image subtraction package @xcite to produce light curves ( see figure[fig : lc ] ) .
in this section , we first discuss how we classify the candidates based on their seds .
next , we describe the non - stellar and stellar sources . finally , we model the seds of the stellar sources to determine their physical properties .
figure[fig : accept ] shows the seds of the stellar sources with the best fit sed models over plotted and figure[fig : reject ] shows the seds of the non - stellar sources .
we classify the candidates either as stellar or non - stellar based on their photometric properties .
we focus on identifying two tell - tale signatures of the sed of a luminous star obscured by warm circumstellar dust low optical fluxes or flux - limits compared to the mid - ir luminosities and signs of the seds turning over between @xmath46 and @xmath47 . towards longer wavelengths ,
emission from warm circumstellar dust should peak between the irac @xmath46 and mips @xmath47 bands .
it is almost impossible for mass lost from a single star to to both have a significant optical depth and a dust temperature cold enough to peak at wavelengths longer than @xmath48 .
such systems are almost certainly star clusters with significant amounts of cold dust . therefore , any sed that appears to have a steep slope between @xmath49 and @xmath47 is considered to be a likely cluster , rather than a single dust obscured star
. frequently , these sources are also too luminous to be a single star . at the shorter wavelengths
, we expect a dusty star to have relatively lower luminosity compared to its mid - ir luminosity and redder optical colors .
we examine the hst @xmath50/@xmath39 and the @xmath51/@xmath39 color magnitude diagrams ( cmds ) for each source for which hst data is available .
the presence of a very red optical counterpart or the absence of a luminous star supports the existence of significant dust obscuration . on the other hand ,
the presence of a blue or bright optical counterpart makes it likely that the source is a star cluster , a background galaxy / agn , or a foreground star .
we first search for bright and/or red optical sources within the @xmath42 matching radius that can be the obvious counterpart of the bright and red irac source .
next , if multiple bright and/or red optical matches are found , we identify the best astrometric match to the irac location . finally ,
if no reasonable match is found , we adopt the flux of the brightest of the nearby sources as a conservative upper limit on the optical luminosity of the candidate .
to demonstrate these , we discuss the case of m81 - 12 in detail .
m81 - 12 has a steeply rising optical and mid - ir sed ( figure[fig : eta_sed ] ) with two distinct peaks one in the near - ir , between the @xmath52-band and 3.6 , and another in the mid - ir between 8 and 24 .
figure[fig : cmd ] shows the hst optical cmd for sources near the location of m81 - 12 .
besides the sources within the @xmath42 matching radius , it also shows all sources within @xmath53 of the candidate using a different symbol to emphasize the absence of any other unusual nearby sources .
we detect a very red ( @xmath54 , @xmath55 , @xmath56 , @xmath57 , @xmath58 ) hst counterpart with an excellent astrometric match ( @xmath59 , figure[fig : m81 - 12_all ] ) to the irac position .
this source is the brightest , red hst point source within @xmath60 of the irac location ( figure[fig : cmd ] ) and so we define it to be the counterpart used in the sed .
the lbt @xmath39 and @xmath52 band light curves show a variable source with the correlated irregular variability ( @xmath610.4mag , figure[fig : lc ] ) typical of many evolved massive stars ( e.g. , * ? ? ?
based on the sed shape and the unambiguous detection of a red , variable optical counterpart , we conclude that m81 - 12 is a massive , dust - obscured , single star .
in addition to objectx ( m33 - 1 ) , we identified 17 additional dust obscured stars and classified 16 others as non - stellar .
we left one source ( n7793 - 12 ) unclassified due to a lack of sufficient optical data ( it falls on an hst / acs chip gap ) .
it could well be a dusty star , but we do not discuss it further .
we identify 18 ( including objectx / m33 - 1 ) sources as dusty stars . of these , four are in m33 ( 1 , 3 , 4 , 7 ) , one is in ngc300 ( n300 - 1 ) , four are in ngc2403 ( 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ) , five are in m81 ( 5 , 6 , 11 , 12 , 14 ) , and four are in ngc7793 ( 3 , 9 , 10 , 13 ) .
none are in ngc6822 ( a low - mass , low sfr galaxy ) or ngc247 ( all three candidates turned out to be non - stellar ) .
these stars have low optical fluxes or flux limits and their seds turn over between @xmath46 and @xmath47 . moreover ,
m81 - 11 , m81 - 12 and n2403 - 2 are detected as optically variable sources in the lbt monitoring data .
n2403 - 3 is a saturated source in the hst images , and we use the lbt flux measurements as upper limits on its optical flux .
n2403 - 3 and n2403 - 5 are not variable in the lbt data .
m81 - 5 is 056 from a variable x - ray source with maximum luminosity of @xmath62ergss@xmath63 @xcite , which is consistent with the source being an x - ray binary @xcite .
n7793 - 3 is also a x - ray source @xcite , with a maximum x - ray luminosity of @xmath64erg@xmath65 and is classified as an hmxb by @xcite .
there are 16 candidates whose seds indicate that they are not self - obscured stars .
five sources in m33 ( 2 , 5 , 6 , 8 , 9 ) have seds that nearly monotonically rise from the optical to @xmath47 , unambiguously indicating the presence of cold dust associated with star clusters .
as we discussed in paperi , it is unlikely for an ultra - compact star cluster to host both evolved massive stars and significant amounts of intra - cluster dust .
eight sources can not be dust obscured stars given their very high optical luminosities : n2403 - 1 ( likely a foreground star ) , m81 - 7 , m81 - 10 , n247 - 3 ( likely a foreground star , optical magnitudes from @xcite ) , n7793 - 4 , n7793 - 8 , n7793 - 11 , and n7793 - 14 .
the three observed with the lbt , m81 - 7 , m81 - 10 and n2403 - 1 , are not variable .
we consider three more sources as most likely non - stellar due to reasons that are unique in each case * n247 - 1 is located far from the plane of its edge - on host and is unlikely to be associated with the host .
* n7793 - 1 is located at the edge of its host galaxy and the pacs far - ir flux limits are significantly lower than those of the sources that we classified as obscured stars , indicating an absence of the diffuse emission commonly associated with star forming regions .
* n7793 - 6 has an sed that can conceivably be produced by a hot star with significant circumstellar material , although the near - ir peak seems too narrow . however
, a close inspection of the hst image shows that this source is in a dense star - forming region with significant diffuse light indicating the presence of intra - cluster dust .
none of the sources in the hst image are a good astrometric match to the irac location .
it is more likely , in this case , that warm intercluster dust is producing the mid - ir flux excess .
the optical fluxes adopted here are those of the most luminous hst source within a larger matching radius of @xmath66 . in paperi
, we anticipated that further analysis would show that most , if not all , of the candidates are in fact non - stellar sources .
based on the expected surface density of extragalactic contaminants , of the 46 initial candidates we estimated that all but @xmath67 are background galaxies / agn with 11 already being identified as such .
here we find that @xmath68 ( including objectx ) of the candidates are dusty massive stars and very few of the other sources are background galaxies .
we do not presently have an explanation for the fewer than expected background sources in the targeted fields .
we fit the seds of the 18 self - obscured stars using dusty @xcite to model radiation transfer through a spherical dusty medium surrounding a star and figure[fig : accept ] shows the best fit models .
we estimate the properties of a black - body source obscured by a surrounding dusty shell that would produce the best fit to the observed sed ( see figure[fig : dusty2 ] for an example ) .
we considered models with either graphitic or silicate @xcite dust .
we distributed the dust in a shell with a @xmath69 density distribution .
the models are defined by the stellar luminosity ( @xmath70 ) , stellar temperature ( @xmath71 ) , the total ( absorption plus scattering ) @xmath39-band optical depth ( @xmath72 ) , the dust temperature at the inner edge of the dust distribution ( @xmath73 ) , and the shell thickness @xmath74 .
the exact value of @xmath75 has little effect on the results , and after a series of experiments with @xmath76 , we fixed @xmath77 for the final results .
we embedded dusty inside a markov chain monte carlo ( mcmc ) driver to fit each sed by varying @xmath71 , @xmath72 , and @xmath73 .
we limit @xmath71 to a maximum value of 30,000k to exclude unrealistic temperature regimes .
the parameters of the best fit model determine the radius of the inner edge of the dust distribution ( @xmath78 ) .
the mass of the shell is @xmath79 where we simply scale the mass for a @xmath39 band dust opacity of @xmath80 @xmath81g@xmath63 and the result can be rescaled for other choices as @xmath82 . despite using a finite width shell ,
we focus on @xmath78 because it is well - constrained while @xmath83 ( or @xmath75 ) is not .
we can also estimate an age for the shell as @xmath84 where we scale the results to @xmath85kms@xmath63 .
for a comparison sample , we followed the same procedures for the seds of three well - studied dust obscured stars : @xmath0car @xcite ; the galactic oh / ir star irc+10420 @xcite ; and m33 s variablea , which had a brief period of high mass loss leading to dust obscuration over the last @xmath86years @xcite .
we use the same seds for these stars as in @xcite . in table[tab : mcmc ] , we report @xmath87 , @xmath72 , @xmath73 , @xmath71 , @xmath78 , @xmath70 , @xmath88 ( equation[eqn : mejecta ] ) , and @xmath89 ( equation[eqn : age ] ) for the best fit models for these three sources as well as the newly identified stars .
the stellar luminosities required for both dust types are mutually consistent because the optically thick dust shell acts as a calorimeter . however , because the stars are heavily obscured and we have limited optical / near - ir seds , the stellar temperatures generally are not well constrained . in some cases , for different dust types , equally good models can be obtained for either a hot ( @xmath90 , such as a lbv in quiescence ) or a relatively cooler ( @xmath91 , such as a lbv in outburst ) star . indeed , for many of our 18 sources , the best fit is near the fixed upper limit of @xmath92 .
to address this issue , we also tabulated the models on a grid of three fixed stellar temperatures , @xmath93 , for each dust type .
the resulting best fit parameters are reported in tables [ tab : graphitic ] and [ tab : silicate ] .
figure[fig : hr_like ] shows the integrated luminosities of the newly identified self - obscured stars described in section[sec : stars ] as a function of @xmath88 for the best fit graphitic models of each source .
objectx , irc@xmath94 , m33vara , and @xmath0car are shown for comparison .
figure[fig : dusty ] shows the same quantities , but for various dust models and temperature assumptions .
it is apparent from figure[fig : dusty ] and tables [ tab : mcmc ] , [ tab : graphitic ] and [ tab : silicate ] that the integrated luminosity and ejecta mass estimates are robust to these uncertainties .
the exceptions are n2403 - 4 and n7793 - 3 . without any optical or near - ir data , many of the models of n7793 - 3 are unstable so we simply drop it .
the only models having a luminosity in significant excess of @xmath95 are some of the fixed temperature models of n2403 - 4 .
these models have a poor goodness of fit and can be ignored .
one check on our selection methods is to examine the distribution of shell radii .
crudely , we can see a shell until it either becomes optically thin or too cold , so the probability distribution of a shell s radius assuming a constant expansion velocity is @xmath96 for @xmath97 .
an ensemble of shells with similar @xmath98 should then show this distribution .
figure[fig : complete ] shows the cumulative histogram ( excluding n7793 - 3 ) of the inner shell radii ( @xmath78 ) .
the curves show the expected distribution where we simply normalized to the point where @xmath99 .
the agreement shows that our sample should be relatively complete up to @xmath100-@xmath101 cm which corresponds to a maximum age of @xmath102 figure[fig : tv ] shows the age ( @xmath103 ) of the shells as a function of @xmath88 .
we also show lines corresponding to optical depths of @xmath104 .
as expected , we see no sources with very low or high optical depths , as we should have trouble finding sources with @xmath105 due to a lack of mid - ir emission and @xmath106 due to the dust photosphere being too cold ( peak emission in the far - ir ) .
indeed , most of the dusty stars have @xmath107 and none has @xmath108 .
the large @xmath89 estimate for @xmath0car when scaled by @xmath109 is due to its unusually large ejecta velocities ( @xmath110kms@xmath63 along the long axis @xcite compared to typical lbv shells ( @xmath111kms@xmath63 , @xcite ) .
the advantage of surveying external galaxies with a significant supernova rate is that we can translate our results into estimates of abundances and rates .
we scale our rates using the observed supernova rate of @xmath112 year@xmath63 ( @xmath113 at 90% confidence ) . as we discussed in paperi , this is significantly higher than standard star formation rate estimates for these galaxies , but the sn rate is directly proportional to the massive star formation rate rather than an indirect indicator , and similar discrepancies , although not as dramatic , have been noted in other contexts ( e.g. , * ? ? ?
* ) . in this section
we first outline how we will estimate rates , and then we discuss the constraints on analogs of @xmath0car and the implications of our sample of luminous dusty stars . we are comparing a sample of @xmath114 supernovae observed over @xmath115 years to a sample of @xmath116 candidate stars which are detectable by our selection procedures for a time @xmath117 . in paperi
we used dusty to model the detection of expanding dusty shells and found that a good estimate for the detection time period was @xmath118 for shells with masses in the range @xmath119 around stars of luminosity @xmath120 where @xmath121 is the duration of the `` wind '' phase and the second term is an estimate of how long the shell will be detected after the heavy mass loss phase ends .
the principle uncertainty lies in the choice of the velocity , @xmath122 .
if the rate of events in the sample is @xmath123 , then we expect to find @xmath124 candidates .
the transient rate in a sample of galaxies is less interesting than comparing the rate to the supernova rate .
let @xmath125 be the fraction of massive ( @xmath126 ) stars that create the transients , where @xmath127 if we assume a salpeter imf @xcite , that all stars more massive than @xmath128 become supernovae and that all stars more massive than @xmath129 cause the transients .
if each star undergoes an average of @xmath130 eruptions , then the rate of transients is related to the rate of supernovae by @xmath131 . the interesting quantity to constrain is @xmath132 rather than @xmath123
poisson statistics provide constraints on the rates , where @xmath133 for @xmath134 events observed over a time period @xmath135 .
this means that the probability of the rates given the data is @xmath136 where @xmath137 and @xmath138 are priors on the rates which we will assume to be uniform and we have set @xmath114 . if we now change variables to compute @xmath139 and marginalize over the unknown supernova rate , we find that the probability distribution for the ratio of the rates is @xmath140 with the standard normalization that @xmath141 . for our estimates of @xmath139 we present either 90% confidence upper limits or the value corresponding to the median probability and symmetric 90% probability confidence regions .
note that the probability distribution really just depends on the product @xmath142 , so the results for any given estimate of @xmath117 are easily rescaled .
it is immediately obvious from figure[fig : hr_like ] that none of the sources we identified closely resemble @xmath0car .
their typical luminosities of @xmath143 correspond to @xmath144 stars @xcite rather than the higher masses usually associated with lbv outbursts . since we identify a significant population of fainter stars , this is unlikely to be a selection effect , and we conclude that these galaxies contain no analogs of @xmath0car .
there are two ways we can interpret the result .
first , we can ignore the existence of @xmath0car , and set @xmath145 .
alternatively , we can acknowledge the existence of @xmath0car , in which case @xmath146 , since @xmath0car passes our selection criterion and mid - ir surveys of our galaxy for objects as luminous as @xmath0car are probably complete .
for the first case , the 90% confidence upper limit is @xmath147 where the period over which such systems can be detected is scaled to @xmath148 years . for the second case , where we include @xmath0car , we find that @xmath149 with @xmath150 at 90% confidence . in either case ,
the rate of transients comparable to @xmath0car is a small fraction of the supernova rate .
stars as massive as @xmath0car are also rare , representing only @xmath151 to @xmath152 of all massive stars for a mass range from @xmath153/@xmath154 to @xmath155 . if every sufficiently massive star had one eruption , the results including @xmath0car correspond to a minimum mass of @xmath156 ( @xmath157 ) .
if every star has an average of two eruptions , the mass limits rise to @xmath158 ( @xmath159 ) . similarly the upper limit from ignoring the existence of @xmath0car corresponds to @xmath160 for an average of one eruption or @xmath161 for an average of two .
@xcite estimated that the abundance of lower optical depth shells found at @xmath162 m around massive stars in the galaxy was roughly consistent with all stars more massive than @xmath163 having an average of two eruptions , corresponding to @xmath164 , which is consistent with the present results , but close to the upper limits .
all the newly identified stars have luminosities within a narrow range of @xmath165-@xmath166 ( see figure[fig : dusty ] ) , which roughly corresponds to initial stellar masses of @xmath167-@xmath168 ( see section 4 of * ? ? ?
* and references therein ) .
local examples of evolved stars in this luminosity range are the yellow hypergiants ( yhgs ) such as irc@xmath2410420 , @xmath169cas and hr8752 @xcite , many of which are also partially obscured by dust ejecta .
there is no means of cleanly surveying the galaxy for these objects and they are so rare that samples in the galaxy and the magellanic clouds do not provide good statistics for their abundances , life times or total mass loss .
our well - defined sample of likely extragalactic analogs provides a means of addressing some of these questions .
if we assume these objects are similar to stars like irc@xmath2410420 , their expansion velocities will be more like @xmath170 km / s than the @xmath171 km / s of the typical lbv shell .
hence , it seems more appropriate to scale the results to @xmath172 years .
this also matches the estimated age of the phase of dusty mass loss by irc@xmath2410420 @xcite . with 18 candidates
, this detection period then leads to a median estimate that @xmath173 with @xmath174 .
if we associate these with the mass range from @xmath175 to @xmath176 , they represent a fraction of @xmath177 of massive stars , so the average number of episodes per star , @xmath178 with a possible range of @xmath179 , although this does not include the uncertainties in @xmath125 figure[fig : hr_like ] shows that the median mass causing the obscuration is @xmath180 .
the total mass lost in all the eruptions is then of order @xmath181 , which would be of order @xmath182-@xmath183 .
this implies that the periods of optically thick ( dusty ) mass loss can not dominate the overall mass loss of the star . to make the mass lost in these phases dominate either requires that we have grossly overestimated @xmath117 , or that the mass range of the stars is much narrower .
a related point is that these phases represent a negligible fraction of the post - main - sequence life times of the stars , at most lasting a few thousand years .
in our survey , we have found no true analogs of @xmath0car .
this implies that the rate of great eruption - like events is of order @xmath149 ( @xmath150 ) of the ccsn rate , which is roughly consistent with each @xmath184 star undergoing 1 or 2 such outbursts in its lifetime .
this is scaled by an estimated detection period of order @xmath185years .
we do identify a significant population of lower luminosity dusty stars that that are likely similar to irc@xmath94 .
stars enter this phase at the rate @xmath173 ( @xmath174 ) compared to the ccsn rate and for a detection period of @xmath172years . here
the detection period is assumed longer because the expansion velocities are likely slower .
this rate is comparable to having all stars with @xmath186 undergoing such a phase once or twice . if the estimated detection periods and mass ranges are roughly correct , and our completeness is relatively high , there are two interesting implications for both populations .
first , these high optical depth phases represent a negligible fraction of the post - main sequence lifetimes of these stars , at most lasting a few thousand years .
this implies that these events have to be associated with special periods in the evolution of the stars .
the number of such events a star experiences is also small , one or two , not ten or twenty .
second , while a significant amount of mass is lost in the eruptions , they can not be a dominant contribution to mass loss .
for these high mass stars , standard models ( e.g. , * ? ?
* ; * ? ? ?
? * ; * ? ? ?
* ; * ? ? ?
* ) typically strip the stars of their hydrogen envelopes and beyond , implying total mass losses of all but the last @xmath187-@xmath188 .
the median mass loss in figure[fig : hr_like ] is @xmath180 and if every star underwent two eruptions , the typical total would be @xmath189 .
clearly there are some examples that require significantly larger @xmath88 , but we simply do not find enough heavily obscured stars for this phase to represent more than a modest fraction of the total mass loss ( @xmath12 not @xmath13 ) . for the stars similar to irc@xmath2410420 , this is consistent with the picture that the photospheres of blue - ward evolving red super giants ( rsgs ) with @xmath190 and @xmath191-@xmath192 k , become moderately unstable , leading to periods of lower effective temperature and enhanced mass loss as the stars try to evolve into a `` prohibited '' region of the hr diagram that @xcite , @xcite and @xcite termed the `` yellow void '' . in this phase ,
the stars lose enough mass to evolve into a hotter , less massive star on the blue side of the hr diagram .
this is also the luminosity regime of the `` bistability jump '' in wind speeds driven by opacity changes which @xcite hypothesizes can explain the absence of lbvs and the existence of yhgs with high mass loss rates and dust formation ( @xcite ) in this luminosity range .
in fact , @xcite propose that irc@xmath94 , which is identified by our selection criterion , is such a star .
while these arguments supply a unique , short - lived evolutionary phase , there may be problems with the absolute scale of the mass loss , since estimates are that irc@xmath2410420 started with a mass of @xmath193 and has lost all but @xmath194 @xcite .
the only other similarly unique phase in the lives of these stars is the final post - carbon ignition phase .
there are now many examples of stars which have had outbursts shortly before exploding as supernovae ( e.g. , * ? ? ?
* ; * ? ? ?
* ; * ? ? ?
* ; * ? ? ?
* ; * ? ? ?
* ) and superluminous supernovae that are most easily explained by surrounding the star with a large amount of previously ejected mass @xcite . powering these supernovae requires mass ejected in the last years to decades of the stellar life ( e.g. , * ? ? ? * ; * ? ? ?
* ; * ? ? ?
* ; * ? ? ?
and it seems natural to associate these events with the mass ejections of lbvs like @xmath0car ( e.g. , * ? ? ? * ; * ? ? ?
the statistical properties and masses of either of the classes of dusty stars we discuss are well - matched to the statistical requirements for explaining these interaction powered supernovae if the instability is associated with the onset of carbon burning ( see * ? ? ?
if there is only one eruption mechanism , it must be associated with a relatively long period like carbon burning ( thousands of years ) rather than the shorter , later nuclear burning phases , because we observe many systems like @xmath0car that have survived far longer than these final phases last .
if the mechanism for producing the ejecta around the superluminous supernovae is associated with nuclear burning phases beyond carbon , then we must have second eruption mechanism to explain @xmath0car or other still older lbvs surrounded by massive dusty shells .
if there indeed are two mass loss mechanisms one commencing @xmath195years from core - collapse and the other occurring in the @xmath196year prior to core - collapse then the self - obscured stars identified in this work may very well be experiencing the earlier of these two mechanisms .
otherwise , in a larger sample to @xmath197 such stars , one should be exploding as a ccsn every @xmath198 years .
the dusty stars can be further characterized by their variability , which will help to follow the evolution of the dust . for the optically brighter examples
, it may be possible to spectroscopically determine the stellar temperatures , although detailed study may only become possible with the james webb space telescope ( _ jwst _ ) .
it is relatively easy to expand our survey to additional galaxies .
for very luminous sources like @xmath0car analogs this is probably feasible to distance of @xmath199mpc , while for the lower luminosity irc@xmath2410420 analogs this is likely only feasible at the distances of the most distant galaxies in our sample ( @xmath200mpc ) .
larger galaxy samples are needed not only to increase the sample of dusty luminous stars ( and hopefully find a true @xmath0 car analog ! ) , but also to have a sample with a larger number of supernovae , or equivalently a higher star formation rate .
our estimate of the abundance of irc@xmath2410420 analogs is limited by the small number of ccsn ( @xmath201 ) in our sample more than by the number of dusty stars ( @xmath68 ) identified .
finally , while we have shown that surveys for the stars are feasible using archival spitzer data , jwst will be a far more powerful probe of these stars .
the hst - like resolution @xcite will be enormously useful to either greatly reduce the problem of confusion or to greatly expand the survey volume .
far more important will be the ability to carry out the survey at @xmath162 m , which will increase the time over which dusty shells can be identified from hundreds of years to thousands of years , greatly improving the statistics and our ability to survey the long term evolution of these systems and the relationship between stellar eruptions and supernovae .
we thank hendrik linz for helping us analyze the herschel pacs data and john beacom for numerous productive discussions .
we extend our gratitude to the sings legacy survey and lvl survey for making their data publicly available . this research has made use of observations made with the nasa / esa hubble space telescope , and obtained from the hubble legacy archive , which is a collaboration between the space telescope science institute ( stsci / nasa ) , the space telescope european coordinating facility ( st - ecf / esa ) and the canadian astronomy data centre ( cadc / nrc / csa ) .
rk and kzs are supported in part by nsf grant ast-1108687 .
car ( dash - dot line , ( e.g. , * ? ? ?
* ; * ? ? ?
* ) ) , `` objectx '' in m33 ( dashed line ; * ? ? ?
* ) , and an obscured star in m81 that we identify in this paper ( m81 - 12 , solid line ) .
all these stars have seds that are flat or rising in the _ spitzer _ irac 3.6 , 4.5 , 5.8 and @xmath202 bands ( marked here by solid circles ) .
the three shortest wavelength data - points of the m81 - 12 sed are from hst @xmath203 images .
the @xmath47 measurements of both objectx and m81 - 12 are from _ spitzer _ mips while the dotted segments of their seds show the _ herschel _ pacs 70 , 100 , and @xmath204 upper limits.,width=491 ] ( 5 acs pixels ) and @xmath205 ( irac @xmath206 psf fwhm ) , and the source at the position of the smaller circle in the left panel is the brightest red point source on the cmd ( figure[fig : cmd ] , _ left _ panel ) .
the red line in each panel is the size of a pacs pixel ( @xmath207).,width=566 ] ( top row ) and _ herschel _ pacs 70 , 100 and @xmath204 ( bottom row ) images of the region around the object n7793 - 9 .
the higher resolution of the pacs images helps us set tighter limits on the far - ir emission from the candidates.,width=566 ] ( @xmath39 ) vs. @xmath208 ( @xmath50 ) color magnitude diagram ( cmd ) for all hst point sources around m81 - 12 .
the three large solid triangles denote sources located with the @xmath42 matching radius .
the small open triangles show all other sources within a larger @xmath60 radius to emphasize the absence of any other remarkable sources nearby .
the circle marks the source at the position of the smaller circle in the left panel of figure[fig : m81 - 12_all ] , which is the brightest red point source on the cmd .
the excellent ( @xmath59 ) astrometric match and the prior that very red sources are rare confirms that this source is the optical counterpart of the mid - ir bright red _ spitzer _ source.,width=491 ] , but showing all the obscured stars that we identified as compared to m33vara , @xmath215 , and @xmath0car .
the solid line shows the best fit model of the observed sed , and the dashed line shows the sed of the underlying , unobscured star .
m33vara and @xmath215 are shown on separate panel while @xmath0car is shown on every panel ( dotted line).,width=623 ] .
we do not show n7793 - 3 for which we have no optical or near - ir data .
@xmath215 ( square ) , m33vara ( triangle ) , and @xmath0car ( star symbol ) are shown for comparison .
the error bar corresponds to the typical @xmath216 uncertainties on @xmath217 ( @xmath218 ) and @xmath88 ( @xmath219 ) of the best sed fit models.,width=491 ] , but for different dust types and temperature assumptions .
the top row shows the best silicate ( left ) , graphitic ( center ) , and the better of the two ( right , same as figure[fig : hr_like ] ) models .
the middle and bottom rows show the best fit models for graphitic and silicate dust at fixed stellar temperatures of 5000k , 7500k and 20000k .
the only higher luminosity case in the fixed temperature model panels is n2403 - 4 , for which the best fit models have significantly smaller @xmath220 and lower luminosities for both dust types.,width=604 ] for the newly identified stars excluding n7793 - 3 . the dotted lines , normalized to the point where @xmath221 , shows the distribution expected for shells in uniform expansion observed at a random time.,width=491 ] as a function of the estimated ejecta mass @xmath88 for the best fit graphitic models .
the mass and radius are scaled to @xmath80@xmath222gm@xmath63 and @xmath85kms@xmath63 , and can be rescaled as @xmath223 and @xmath224 .
the error bar shows the typical @xmath216 uncertainties on @xmath135 ( @xmath225 ) and @xmath88 ( @xmath226 ) of the best sed fit models .. the three dotted lines correspond to optical depths @xmath227 and @xmath171 .
we should have trouble finding sources with @xmath105 due to lack of mid - ir emission and @xmath106 due to the dust photosphere being too cold ( peak emission in far - ir ) .
the large @xmath135 estimate for @xmath0car when scaled by @xmath109 is due to the anomalously large ejecta velocities ( @xmath110kms@xmath63 along the long axis @xcite compared to typical lbv shells ( @xmath86kms@xmath63 , @xcite).,width=491 ] rrrrrr + & & & & & + + @xmath228 & @xmath207 & @xmath229 & @xmath230 & @xmath231 & @xmath232 + @xmath233 & @xmath207 & @xmath229 & @xmath230 & @xmath231 & @xmath234 + @xmath204 & @xmath229 & @xmath235 & @xmath236 & @xmath237 & @xmath238 + + rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr + & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & + + m@xmath239 & @xmath240 & @xmath241 & @xmath242 & @xmath243 & @xmath244 & @xmath245 & @xmath246 & @xmath247 & @xmath248 & @xmath249 & @xmath250 & @xmath251 & @xmath252 & @xmath253 & @xmath254 & @xmath255 & @xmath256 + m@xmath257 & @xmath258 & @xmath259 & @xmath260 & @xmath261 & @xmath262 & @xmath263 & @xmath264 & @xmath265 & @xmath266 & @xmath267 & @xmath268 & @xmath269 & & @xmath270 & @xmath271 & @xmath272 & @xmath273 + m@xmath274 & @xmath275 & @xmath276 & @xmath277 & @xmath278 & @xmath279 & & & & @xmath280 & @xmath281 & @xmath282 & @xmath283 & @xmath284 & @xmath285 & @xmath286 & @xmath287 & @xmath288 + m@xmath289 & @xmath290 & @xmath291 & @xmath292 & @xmath293 & @xmath294 & & & & @xmath295 & @xmath296 & @xmath297 & @xmath298 & @xmath299 & @xmath300 & @xmath301 & @xmath302 & @xmath303 + m@xmath304 & @xmath305 & @xmath306 & @xmath307 & @xmath307 & @xmath308 & @xmath309 & @xmath310 & @xmath311 & @xmath312 & @xmath313 & @xmath314 & @xmath315 & @xmath316 & @xmath317 & @xmath318 & @xmath319 & @xmath320 + m@xmath321 & @xmath322 & @xmath323 & @xmath324 & @xmath325 & @xmath326 & & & & @xmath327 & @xmath328 & @xmath329 & @xmath330 & & @xmath331 & @xmath332 & @xmath333 & @xmath334 + m@xmath335 & @xmath336 & @xmath337 & @xmath338 & @xmath339 & @xmath340 & & & & @xmath341 & @xmath342 & @xmath343 & @xmath344 & @xmath345 & @xmath346 & @xmath347 & @xmath348 & @xmath349 + m@xmath350 & @xmath351 & @xmath352 & @xmath351 & @xmath353 & @xmath354 & @xmath355 & @xmath356 & @xmath357 & @xmath358 & @xmath359 & @xmath360 & @xmath361 & @xmath362 & @xmath363 & @xmath348 & @xmath364 & @xmath365 + m@xmath366 & @xmath367 & @xmath326 & @xmath368 & @xmath369 & @xmath370 & & & & @xmath371 & @xmath372 & @xmath373 & @xmath374 & & @xmath375 & @xmath376 & @xmath377 & @xmath378 + n@xmath379 & & @xmath380 & @xmath381 & & @xmath382 & & & & @xmath383 & @xmath384 & @xmath385 & @xmath268 & @xmath386 & @xmath387 & @xmath388 & @xmath389 & @xmath390 + n@xmath391 & & @xmath392 & & @xmath393 & @xmath394 & @xmath395 & @xmath396 & @xmath397 & @xmath398 & @xmath399 & @xmath400 & @xmath401 & @xmath402 & @xmath403 & @xmath404 & & @xmath405 + n@xmath406 & & @xmath407 & @xmath407 & & @xmath407 & & & & @xmath408 & @xmath409 & @xmath410 & @xmath411 & & @xmath412 & @xmath413 & & @xmath414 + n@xmath415 & @xmath416 & @xmath417 & @xmath418 & @xmath419 & & & & & @xmath420 & @xmath311 & @xmath421 & @xmath422 & @xmath423 & @xmath424 & @xmath425 & & @xmath426 + n@xmath427 & & @xmath428 & @xmath429 & & @xmath430 & @xmath431 & @xmath432 & @xmath433 & @xmath434 & @xmath435 & @xmath436 & @xmath437 & & @xmath438 & @xmath439 & & @xmath440 + n@xmath441 & & @xmath442 & @xmath443 & & @xmath444 & & & & @xmath445 & @xmath446 & @xmath371 & @xmath447 & & @xmath448 & @xmath449 & & @xmath450 + m@xmath451 & & @xmath452 & @xmath452 & & & & & & @xmath453 & @xmath357 & @xmath454 & @xmath455 & @xmath456 & @xmath457 & @xmath458 & & @xmath459 + m@xmath460 & & @xmath452 & @xmath461 & & & & & & @xmath462 & @xmath463 & @xmath464 & @xmath465 & @xmath466 & @xmath467 & @xmath468 & & @xmath469 + m@xmath470 & @xmath471 & @xmath472 & @xmath473 & @xmath474 & @xmath475 & & & & @xmath395 & @xmath476 & @xmath477 & @xmath478 & @xmath479 & @xmath480 & @xmath481 & & @xmath482 + m@xmath483 & & @xmath484 & @xmath485 & & & & & & @xmath486 & @xmath487 & @xmath488 & @xmath489 & @xmath490 & @xmath491 & @xmath492 & & @xmath493 + m@xmath494 & & @xmath495 & @xmath496 & & @xmath497 & & & & @xmath498 & @xmath499 & @xmath500 & @xmath385 & & @xmath501 & @xmath502 & & @xmath503 + m@xmath504 & & @xmath505 & @xmath506 & & @xmath507 & & & & @xmath508 & @xmath509 & @xmath510 & @xmath511 & & @xmath512 & @xmath513 & & @xmath514 + m@xmath515 & & @xmath461 & @xmath516 & & @xmath517 & & & & @xmath518 & @xmath519 & @xmath520 & @xmath521 & & @xmath522 & @xmath523 & & @xmath524 + n@xmath525 & & & & & & & & & @xmath246 & @xmath526 & @xmath527 & @xmath267 & @xmath313 & @xmath528 & & & @xmath529 + n@xmath530 & & @xmath531 & & @xmath532 & & @xmath531 & @xmath533 & @xmath534 & @xmath535 & @xmath536 & @xmath537 & @xmath538 & @xmath539 & @xmath540 & @xmath541 & & @xmath542 + n@xmath543 & & & & & & & & & @xmath544 & @xmath399 & @xmath545 & @xmath546 & @xmath547 & @xmath548 & @xmath549 & @xmath550 & @xmath551 + n@xmath552 & & & & & & & & & @xmath395 & @xmath445 & @xmath553 & @xmath554 & @xmath555 & @xmath556 & @xmath557 & @xmath558 & @xmath559 + n@xmath560 & & & & & & @xmath561 & @xmath562 & @xmath310 & @xmath563 & @xmath564 & @xmath565 & @xmath566 & @xmath567 & @xmath252 & @xmath568 & @xmath569 & @xmath570 + n@xmath571 & & & @xmath572 & & @xmath573 & @xmath574 & @xmath575 & @xmath576 & @xmath498 & @xmath577 & @xmath477 & @xmath578 & @xmath579 & @xmath580 & @xmath581 & @xmath582 & @xmath583 + n@xmath584 & & & & & & @xmath585 & @xmath586 & @xmath587 & @xmath544 & @xmath453 & @xmath588 & @xmath566 & @xmath589 & @xmath590 & @xmath591 & @xmath592 & @xmath593 + n@xmath594 & & @xmath595 & @xmath596 & & @xmath597 & & & & @xmath598 & @xmath599 & @xmath600 & @xmath601 & & @xmath602 & @xmath603 & @xmath604 & @xmath605 + n@xmath606 & & @xmath596 & @xmath607 & & @xmath608 & & & & @xmath462 & @xmath609 & @xmath610 & @xmath611 & @xmath612 & @xmath613 & @xmath614 & @xmath615 & @xmath616 + n@xmath617 & & @xmath608 & @xmath572 & & @xmath572 & & & & @xmath618 & @xmath619 & @xmath620 & @xmath621 & @xmath423 & @xmath315 & @xmath622 & @xmath623 & @xmath624 + n@xmath625 & & & & & & & & & @xmath626 & @xmath627 & @xmath628 & @xmath601 & & @xmath629 & @xmath630 & @xmath631 & @xmath632 + n@xmath633 & & @xmath634 & @xmath635 & & @xmath636 & & & & @xmath637 & @xmath638 & @xmath639 & @xmath640 & & @xmath361 & @xmath641 & @xmath642 & @xmath514 + n@xmath643 & & @xmath644 & @xmath645 & & @xmath646 & & & & @xmath309 & @xmath647 & @xmath648 & @xmath649 & @xmath650 & @xmath651 & @xmath652 & @xmath653 & @xmath654 + + rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr + & & & + & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & + & & & & & & & & & & & & & + + m@xmath655 & & & @xmath656 & @xmath657 & @xmath658 & @xmath659 & @xmath660 & @xmath661 & @xmath662 & @xmath663 & & & @xmath664 & @xmath665 & @xmath666 & @xmath667 & @xmath668 & @xmath669 & @xmath670 & @xmath671 + m@xmath672 & & & @xmath673 & @xmath674 & @xmath675 & @xmath676 & @xmath677 & @xmath678 & @xmath679 & @xmath680 & & & @xmath681 & @xmath682 & @xmath683 & @xmath684 & @xmath685 & @xmath686 & @xmath687 & @xmath688 + m@xmath689 & & & @xmath690 & @xmath691 & @xmath692 & @xmath693 & @xmath694 & @xmath695 & @xmath696 & @xmath697 & & & @xmath698 & @xmath699 & @xmath700 & @xmath701 & @xmath702 & @xmath703 & @xmath704 & @xmath705 + m@xmath706 & & & @xmath707 & @xmath708 & @xmath709 & @xmath710 & @xmath711 & @xmath712 & @xmath713 & @xmath714 & & & @xmath715 & @xmath716 & @xmath700 & @xmath717 & @xmath718 & @xmath719 & @xmath720 & @xmath721 + n@xmath722 & & & @xmath723 & @xmath724 & @xmath725 & @xmath726 & @xmath727 & @xmath728 & @xmath729 & @xmath730 & & & @xmath731 & @xmath732 & @xmath733 & @xmath734 & @xmath735 & @xmath736 & @xmath737 & @xmath738 + n@xmath739 & & & @xmath740 & @xmath741 & @xmath742 & @xmath743 & @xmath744 & @xmath695 & @xmath745 & @xmath746 & & & @xmath747 & @xmath748 & @xmath749 & @xmath750 & @xmath751 & @xmath752 & @xmath753 & @xmath754 + n@xmath755 & & & @xmath731 & @xmath756 & @xmath757 & @xmath758 & @xmath685 & @xmath686 & @xmath759 & @xmath760 & & & @xmath761 & @xmath762 & @xmath763 & @xmath764 & @xmath765 & @xmath686 & @xmath766 & @xmath767 + n@xmath768 & & & @xmath769 & @xmath770 & @xmath771 & @xmath772 & @xmath773 & @xmath719 & @xmath774 & @xmath775 & & & @xmath776 & @xmath777 & @xmath778 & @xmath779 & @xmath780 & @xmath781 & @xmath782 & @xmath783 + n@xmath784 & & & @xmath785 & @xmath786 & @xmath787 & @xmath788 & @xmath744 & @xmath752 & @xmath789 & @xmath790 & & & @xmath791 & @xmath792 & @xmath793 & @xmath794 & @xmath751 & @xmath795 & @xmath796 & @xmath797 + m@xmath798 & & & @xmath799 & @xmath800 & @xmath801 & @xmath802 & @xmath702 & @xmath803 & @xmath804 & @xmath805 & & & @xmath761 & @xmath806 & @xmath807 & @xmath808 & @xmath809 & @xmath810 & @xmath811 & @xmath812 + m@xmath813 & & & @xmath814 & @xmath815 & @xmath816 & @xmath817 & @xmath818 & @xmath819 & @xmath820 & @xmath821 & & & @xmath822 & @xmath823 & @xmath824 & @xmath825 & @xmath826 & @xmath827 & @xmath828 & @xmath829 + m@xmath830 & & & @xmath831 & @xmath748 & @xmath832 & @xmath833 & @xmath834 & @xmath669 & @xmath835 & @xmath836 & & & @xmath837 & @xmath838 & @xmath839 & @xmath840 & @xmath735 & @xmath841 & @xmath842 & @xmath843 + m@xmath844 & & & @xmath845 & @xmath846 & @xmath847 & @xmath848 & @xmath849 & @xmath781 & @xmath850 & @xmath851 & & & @xmath852 & @xmath853 & @xmath854 & @xmath855 & @xmath856 & @xmath857 & @xmath858 & @xmath859 + m@xmath860 & & & @xmath861 & @xmath862 & @xmath863 & @xmath864 & @xmath865 & @xmath724 & @xmath866 & @xmath867 & & & @xmath731 & @xmath868 & @xmath675 & @xmath869 & @xmath870 & @xmath871 & @xmath872 & @xmath873 + n@xmath874 & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & + n@xmath875 & & & @xmath656 & @xmath876 & @xmath877 & @xmath878 & @xmath879 & @xmath880 & @xmath881 & @xmath882 & & & @xmath785 & @xmath883 & @xmath884 & @xmath885 & @xmath886 & @xmath887 & @xmath888 & @xmath889 + n@xmath890 & & & @xmath891 & @xmath892 & @xmath893 & @xmath894 & @xmath744 & @xmath895 & @xmath896 & @xmath897 & & & @xmath898 & @xmath899 & @xmath900 & @xmath901 & @xmath902 & @xmath903 & @xmath904 & @xmath905 + n@xmath906 & & & @xmath891 & @xmath907 & @xmath908 & @xmath909 & @xmath910 & @xmath903 & @xmath911 & @xmath912 & & & @xmath913 & @xmath914 & @xmath915 & @xmath916 & @xmath917 & @xmath918 & @xmath919 & @xmath920 + irc@xmath921 & & & @xmath922 & @xmath923 & @xmath924 & @xmath925 & @xmath926 & @xmath695 & @xmath927 & @xmath928 & & & @xmath929 & @xmath930 & @xmath931 & @xmath932 & @xmath668 & @xmath819 & @xmath933 & @xmath934 + m@xmath935vara & & & @xmath936 & @xmath937 & @xmath938 & @xmath939 & @xmath940 & @xmath941 & @xmath942 & @xmath943 & & & @xmath731 & @xmath944 & @xmath945 & @xmath946 & @xmath947 & @xmath948 & @xmath949 & @xmath950 + @xmath0car & & & @xmath951 & @xmath952 & @xmath953 & @xmath954 & @xmath955 & @xmath956 & @xmath957 & @xmath958 & & & @xmath959 & @xmath960 & @xmath961 & @xmath962 & @xmath963 & @xmath964 & @xmath965 & @xmath966 + + rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr + & & & & & + & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & + & & & & & & & & & & & & & & + + m@xmath655 & & @xmath967 & @xmath968 & @xmath969 & @xmath810 & @xmath970 & & @xmath971 & @xmath972 & @xmath735 & @xmath973 & @xmath974 & & @xmath686 & @xmath975 & @xmath976 & @xmath977 & @xmath978 + m@xmath672 & & @xmath979 & @xmath980 & @xmath981 & @xmath982 & @xmath983 & & @xmath708 & @xmath984 & @xmath985 & @xmath986 & @xmath987 & & @xmath988 & @xmath980 & @xmath989 & @xmath695 & @xmath990 + m@xmath689 & & @xmath991 & @xmath980 & @xmath992 & @xmath810 & @xmath993 & & @xmath994 & @xmath980 & @xmath995 & @xmath810 & @xmath996 & & @xmath997 & @xmath998 & @xmath999 & @xmath1000 & @xmath1001 + m@xmath706 & & @xmath1002 & @xmath980 & @xmath917 & @xmath1003 & @xmath1004 & & @xmath944 & @xmath980 & @xmath1005 & @xmath977 & @xmath1006 & & @xmath1007 & @xmath980 & @xmath865 & @xmath728 & @xmath1008 + n@xmath722 & & @xmath1009 & @xmath1010 & @xmath1011 & @xmath1012 & @xmath1013 & & @xmath1014 & @xmath816 & @xmath1015 & @xmath728 & @xmath1016 & & @xmath1017 & @xmath1018 & @xmath1019 & @xmath1020 & @xmath1021 + n@xmath739 & & @xmath1022 & @xmath1023 & @xmath1024 & @xmath1025 & @xmath1026 & & @xmath1027 & @xmath1028 & @xmath1029 & @xmath1030 & @xmath1031 & & @xmath988 & @xmath1032 & @xmath1033 & @xmath1034 & @xmath1035 + n@xmath755 & & @xmath1036 & @xmath1037 & @xmath1005 & @xmath1038 & @xmath1039 & & @xmath1040 & @xmath1041 & @xmath1042 & @xmath719 & @xmath1043 & & @xmath1044 & @xmath1045 & @xmath989 & @xmath736 & @xmath1046 + n@xmath768 & & @xmath1047 & @xmath980 & @xmath1048 & @xmath1049 & @xmath1050 & & @xmath1051 & @xmath1052 & @xmath1053 & @xmath1054 & @xmath1055 & & @xmath1056 & @xmath1057 & @xmath1058 & @xmath1047 & @xmath1059 + n@xmath784 & & @xmath1060 & @xmath980 & @xmath1005 & @xmath1061 & @xmath1062 & & @xmath1063 & @xmath980 & @xmath1064 & @xmath1065 & @xmath1066 & & @xmath1067 & @xmath980 & @xmath694 & @xmath1047 & @xmath1068 + m@xmath798 & & @xmath1069 & @xmath1070 & @xmath1071 & @xmath1072 & @xmath1073 & & @xmath1074 & @xmath1075 & @xmath1076 & @xmath1077 & @xmath1078 & & @xmath1079 & @xmath1080 & @xmath1011 & @xmath1081 & @xmath1082 + m@xmath813 & & @xmath1083 & @xmath1084 & @xmath870 & @xmath1085 & @xmath1086 & & @xmath886 & @xmath1087 & @xmath1088 & @xmath1089 & @xmath1090 & & @xmath1091 & @xmath1092 & @xmath1029 & @xmath827 & @xmath1093 + m@xmath830 & & @xmath1094 & @xmath1095 & @xmath1096 & @xmath1097 & @xmath1098 & & @xmath708 & @xmath1099 & @xmath1100 & @xmath1003 & @xmath1101 & & @xmath1102 & @xmath877 & @xmath744 & @xmath1103 & @xmath1104 + m@xmath844 & & @xmath1105 & @xmath924 & @xmath1106 & @xmath1107 & @xmath1108 & & @xmath1109 & @xmath980 & @xmath1110 & @xmath1111 & @xmath1112 & & @xmath1113 & @xmath980 & @xmath1114 & @xmath678 & @xmath1115 + m@xmath860 & & @xmath1116 & @xmath1117 & @xmath865 & @xmath1118 & @xmath1119 & & @xmath1120 & @xmath1121 & @xmath1042 & @xmath752 & @xmath1122 & & @xmath1123 & @xmath1124 & @xmath1125 & @xmath736 & @xmath1126 + n@xmath874 & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & + n@xmath875 & & @xmath1127 & @xmath980 & @xmath981 & @xmath977 & @xmath1128 & & @xmath1129 & @xmath980 & @xmath1130 & @xmath695 & @xmath1131 & & @xmath1132 & @xmath1133 & @xmath963 & @xmath1134 & @xmath1135 + n@xmath606 & & @xmath1136 & @xmath1018 & @xmath1137 & @xmath1138 & @xmath1139 & & @xmath1140 & @xmath1018 & @xmath940 & @xmath1141 & @xmath1142 & & @xmath1143 & @xmath1018 & @xmath1029 & @xmath1138 & @xmath1144 + n@xmath633 & & @xmath728 & @xmath1052 & @xmath1145 & @xmath1146 & @xmath1147 & & @xmath781 & @xmath980 & @xmath1148 & @xmath1149 & @xmath1150 & & @xmath1151 & @xmath980 & @xmath1053 & @xmath1044 & @xmath1152 + irc@xmath921 & & @xmath1153 & @xmath1023 & @xmath1154 & @xmath977 & @xmath1155 & & @xmath1141 & @xmath1156 & @xmath834 & @xmath1157 & @xmath1158 & & @xmath1159 & @xmath980 & @xmath1160 & @xmath887 & @xmath1161 + m@xmath935vara & & @xmath1162 & @xmath1163 & @xmath1164 & @xmath1165 & @xmath1166 & & @xmath1167 & @xmath980 & @xmath1074 & @xmath781 & @xmath1168 & & @xmath1169 & @xmath980 & @xmath1170 & @xmath857 & @xmath1171 + @xmath0car & & @xmath1172 & @xmath980 & @xmath995 & @xmath841 & @xmath1173 & & @xmath1174 & @xmath980 & @xmath926 & @xmath678 & @xmath1175 & & @xmath1176 & @xmath980 & @xmath1114 & @xmath736 & @xmath1177 + + rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr + & & & & & + & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & + & & & & & & & & & & & & & & + + m@xmath655 & & @xmath1178 & @xmath1179 & @xmath1180 & @xmath1181 & @xmath1182 & & @xmath1183 & @xmath1184 & @xmath1185 & @xmath986 & @xmath1186 & & @xmath1187 & @xmath1188 & @xmath1058 & @xmath1189 & @xmath1190 + m@xmath672 & & @xmath1191 & @xmath1192 & @xmath1193 & @xmath1020 & @xmath1194 & & @xmath1195 & @xmath1196 & @xmath1197 & @xmath669 & @xmath1198 & & @xmath1199 & @xmath1200 & @xmath1201 & @xmath1202 & @xmath1203 + m@xmath689 & & @xmath1204 & @xmath1205 & @xmath1206 & @xmath1207 & @xmath1208 & & @xmath1003 & @xmath1209 & @xmath1210 & @xmath810 & @xmath1211 & & @xmath1212 & @xmath980 & @xmath1213 & @xmath977 & @xmath1214 + m@xmath706 & & @xmath1047 & @xmath1215 & @xmath1216 & @xmath669 & @xmath1217 & & @xmath1218 & @xmath1219 & @xmath1220 & @xmath1003 & @xmath1221 & & @xmath1222 & @xmath1223 & @xmath818 & @xmath1111 & @xmath1224 + n@xmath722 & & @xmath1225 & @xmath1226 & @xmath1227 & @xmath1228 & @xmath1229 & & @xmath1230 & @xmath1231 & @xmath1232 & @xmath728 & @xmath1233 & & @xmath1234 & @xmath1235 & @xmath1236 & @xmath703 & @xmath1237 + n@xmath406 & & @xmath1030 & @xmath1238 & @xmath1239 & @xmath703 & @xmath1208 & & @xmath977 & @xmath1240 & @xmath1241 & @xmath1034 & @xmath1242 & & @xmath1243 & @xmath1244 & @xmath1201 & @xmath1103 & @xmath1245 + n@xmath415 & & @xmath1246 & @xmath1247 & @xmath886 & @xmath1165 & @xmath1248 & & @xmath1249 & @xmath1250 & @xmath1251 & @xmath1047 & @xmath1252 & & @xmath1253 & @xmath1254 & @xmath818 & @xmath712 & @xmath1255 + n@xmath427 & & @xmath1256 & @xmath1257 & @xmath735 & @xmath871 & @xmath1258 & & @xmath1259 & @xmath1260 & @xmath1261 & @xmath841 & @xmath1262 & & @xmath1263 & @xmath1264 & @xmath1265 & @xmath712 & @xmath1266 + n@xmath441 & & @xmath1138 & @xmath1267 & @xmath1268 & @xmath1269 & @xmath1270 & & @xmath1271 & @xmath1219 & @xmath1272 & @xmath871 & @xmath1273 & & @xmath1274 & @xmath1275 & @xmath1276 & @xmath1277 & @xmath1278 + m@xmath798 & & @xmath1279 & @xmath1280 & @xmath809 & @xmath1281 & @xmath1282 & & @xmath1283 & @xmath1284 & @xmath1285 & @xmath986 & @xmath1286 & & @xmath1287 & @xmath1288 & @xmath1289 & @xmath986 & @xmath1290 + m@xmath813 & & @xmath1291 & @xmath1292 & @xmath1293 & @xmath1294 & @xmath1295 & & @xmath1296 & @xmath1297 & @xmath1298 & @xmath1299 & @xmath1300 & & @xmath1301 & @xmath1302 & @xmath1303 & @xmath1304 & @xmath1305 + m@xmath830 & & @xmath1204 & @xmath1306 & @xmath780 & @xmath1307 & @xmath1308 & & @xmath1309 & @xmath1310 & @xmath1311 & @xmath736 & @xmath1312 & & @xmath1199 & @xmath1244 & @xmath870 & @xmath686 & @xmath1313 + m@xmath844 & & @xmath1314 & @xmath1315 & @xmath999 & @xmath1316 & @xmath1317 & & @xmath1318 & @xmath1018 & @xmath1319 & @xmath871 & @xmath1320 & & @xmath973 & @xmath1321 & @xmath1322 & @xmath1323 & @xmath1324 + m@xmath860 & & @xmath1325 & @xmath980 & @xmath751 & @xmath1326 & @xmath1327 & & @xmath1328 & @xmath1329 & @xmath1330 & @xmath712 & @xmath1331 & & @xmath1332 & @xmath1333 & @xmath1334 & @xmath712 & @xmath1335 + n@xmath552 & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & & + n@xmath594 & & @xmath1336 & @xmath1337 & @xmath1338 & @xmath1339 & @xmath1340 & & @xmath1341 & @xmath1342 & @xmath1220 & @xmath1207 & @xmath1343 & & @xmath1344 & @xmath972 & @xmath856 & @xmath887 & @xmath1345 + n@xmath890 & & @xmath1346 & @xmath1347 & @xmath1348 & @xmath918 & @xmath1349 & & @xmath1350 & @xmath1351 & @xmath1330 & @xmath1269 & @xmath1352 & & @xmath1353 & @xmath1219 & @xmath1354 & @xmath1323 & @xmath1355 + n@xmath906 & & @xmath1149 & @xmath1356 & @xmath1268 & @xmath1357 & @xmath1358 & & @xmath1359 & @xmath1018 & @xmath1319 & @xmath871 & @xmath1360 & & @xmath1361 & @xmath1362 & @xmath1011 & @xmath1363 & @xmath1364 + irc@xmath921 & & @xmath1230 & @xmath1219 & @xmath826 & @xmath362 & @xmath1365 & & @xmath1366 & @xmath1367 & @xmath1368 & @xmath1369 & @xmath1242 & & @xmath1370 & @xmath1371 & @xmath809 & @xmath1372 & @xmath1373 + m@xmath935vara & & @xmath1374 & @xmath1375 & @xmath1376 & @xmath1377 & @xmath1378 & & @xmath1379 & @xmath1380 & @xmath1381 & @xmath1382 & @xmath1383 & & @xmath708 & @xmath1384 & @xmath1058 & @xmath1385 & @xmath1386 + @xmath0car & & @xmath1387 & @xmath1388 & @xmath1389 & @xmath1390 & @xmath1391 & & @xmath1392 & @xmath1393 & @xmath1394 & @xmath1395 & @xmath1396 & & @xmath1397 & @xmath980 & @xmath1398 & @xmath1344 & @xmath1399 + + | arxiv |
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Hi! The attached file looked. The work is really big, and to complete it you will need to understand the code. What exactly needs to be improved? | slim_pajama |
Sharks won't be fazed by packed-out Leichhardt Oval
Troy Whittaker NRL.com Reporter
Thu 5 Sep 2019, 06:01 PM
Cronulla hooker Jayden Brailey insists the Sharks won't be intimidated by a capacity Leichhardt Oval crowd baying for a fairytale Wests Tigers victory in Sunday's all-or-nothing clash.
The "sold out" sign was erected at the famous suburban ground almost as soon as it was determined Cronulla and the Tigers would lock horns to decide who qualifies for the finals.
The storyline all week has revolved around the Tigers and whether retiring hooker Robbie Farah will be cleared to play less than a month after fracturing his tibia.
Brailey said the Sharks don't mind the spotlight being fixed on the opposition and are ready to win from within enemy territory.
"If you look across our squad, we've got a lot of players that have played some big games, so I think they know how to handle the situation and the crowd being against us," Brailey said.
"In saying that, once the whistle's blown all that stuff becomes irrelevant and you just need to nail your job at the time. We just need to play our game on Sunday and really rip into the Tigers."
Sharks to target Farah, but not his knee
Getting booed is nothing new to Sharks prop Andrew Fifita, who has played the villain on numerous occasions during his colourful career.
He anticipates a razzing from the fans as he faces his former club but will lap up the jeers.
"At least I've got someone by my side – I've got Woodsy [former Tigers captain Aaron Woods] right next to me," Fifita laughed.
"I think they'll be giving it to him more than me. I love this stuff … We'll just sit there laughing to each other because we know what to expect."
Fifita said the Sharks would target Farah if he does play but not because of his injured leg.
"Mate, he's a hooker … You see Brails, hookers make over 50 tackles a game," Fifita said.
"Who are you gonna run at? Are you going to run at us big front-rowers or are you going to run at the little hooker in the middle? It's always bound [to happen], traffic going his way."
Farah or Cronulla captain Paul Gallen's storied NRL journey will end this weekend depending on what the scoreboard reads at full-time.
But it could also be Brailey's final appearance for his junior club, with the rake off to Newcastle next year.
The fact the 23-year-old is moving on from Cronulla has begun to sink in.
"Last weekend [the last home game of the year] it sort of did. That was obviously really emotional for me at the end of the game," Brailey said.
"It was all about Gal, deservedly so, but it was also my last game [as a Shark at PointsBet Stadium].
"I had all my family there and they'll be there again this Sunday. Fingers crossed it won't be my last game."
Marshall: We're not prepared to risk Farah
A premiership would be the ideal way to depart the club he's been involved with since his teen years.
"We've got a big task ahead not being able to drop another game. But hopefully we can stay healthy and run out our best team on the paddock and we're every chance of getting there," Brailey said.
Kurt Capewell is another whose time at the Sharks appears to be limited, with the utility yet to sign a deal for 2020.
Capewell, who hasn't missed a finals series since the under 18s, confirmed there were offers from various clubs and said nothing could be ruled out.
"My whole 20s career, my Queensland Cup career, NSW Cup and NRL I've played finals at the end of the year," Capewell told NRL.com.
"To miss it would be a bit of a strange feeling."
The 26-year-old's biggest goal is to play State of Origin for Queensland and feels he must cement a starting second-row spot – at wherever club that may be – to do so.
"I haven't narrowed too much down [but] it's getting to a crunch point now where I need to [get a contract sorted]," Capewell said.
What your team needs from the trials
Hookers and halfbacks: a match made in heaven
Rudolf keeps on truckin' as Sharks debut looms
Life after Gal: Sharks young guns to pick up the load | slim_pajama |
Michèle Chardonnet born October 27, 1956 is a French athlete, who competed mainly in the 100 metre hurdles.
She competed for France in the 1984 Summer Olympics held in Los Angeles, U.S. in the 100 metre hurdles where she won the bronze medal jointly with Kim Turner.
Prize list
29 selections for French National Athletic teams, from 1978 to 1984
French record holder Indoors for 60 m hurdles in 1983, 8.13s
French record holder Indoors for 50 m hurdles in 1981, 6.98s
Bronze medal, 1984 Olympic Games100m hurdles
1983 Mediterranean Games 100m hurdles
French National Champion 100 m hurdles in 1981 and 1983
French National Champion 60 m hurdles in 1979, 1981, 1982 and 1983
External links
Category:1956 births
Category:Living people
Category:French female hurdlers
Category:Olympic bronze medalists for France
Category:Athletes track and field at the 1984 Summer Olympics
Category:Olympic athletes of France
Category:Sportspeople from Toulon
Category:Medalists at the 1984 Summer Olympics
Category:Olympic bronze medalists in athletics track and field
Category:Mediterranean Games gold medalists for France
Category:Athletes track and field at the 1983 Mediterranean Games
Category:Mediterranean Games medalists in athletics | wikipedia |
the method of x - ray absorption spectroscopy ( xas ) is one of the widely used spectroscopic tools for electronic structure investigations in condensed matter physics @xcite .
it is based on the absorption of the x - ray photons when core shell electron is transferred into the unoccupied valence band states ( conduction band ) above the fermi level ( @xmath3 ) ( fig .
[ fig : scheme ] ) .
therefore one or more jumps ( absorption edges ) are usually observed in the absorption spectrum .
moreover the energy position of any edge is element specific since it coincides with the energy of the corresponding atomic core level . besides
, x - ray transitions are controlled by the dipolar selection rules and for well - defined atomic symmetry of core hole the final state angular momenta are selected in xas .
strong spatial localisation of the initial core shell state leads also to the site specific behaviour of xas .
generally , appearance of the fine structure of xas of solids can be described in the framework of photoelectron scattering model . near
the edge photoelectron energy is low and photoelectron de broglie wave undergoes multiple scattering on neighbouring atoms .
this leads to the origin of the reach and intense fine structure , or near edge x - ray absorption fine structure , nexafs . on the other hand , in the large photoelectron energies region ( far from the xas edge ) scattering of the photoelectron waves
gives rise to rather simple and weak variation of absorption coefficient , or extended x - ray absorption fine structure , exafs , well described by single scattering theory .
it is considered that the range of nexafs covers up to 50 ev above the absorption edge and the rest high photon energy part of xas extended up to 1000 ev above the threshold belongs to exafs .
the latter method is very effective tool for the short range atomic ordering determination in multiatomic systems including noncrystalline solids . in nexafs spectroscopy ,
the topic of the present paper , absorption spectra can be interpreted on the basis of the corresponding molecular orbital or band - structure calculations above @xmath3 .
this way is equivalent to the interpretation of xas data in the frame of photoelectron waves multiple scattering model , transparent and demonstrative to date . to measure spectral distribution of the x - ray absorption coefficient in massive ( bulk ) solids yield spectroscopy
is usually used the dependence on photon energy of the total photocurrent ( so called total electron yield , tey ) . since external photo - effect bunch , which accompanied x - ray absorption event ,
consists of primary fast photo- and auger - electrons together with the cloud of slow secondary electrons , the mean drift way of the whole electron bunch is govern by the relatively large mean free path of slow secondary electrons @xcite . in order to increase surface sensitivity of measurements ( for the better representation of the surface - related electronic structure )
the negative repulsive potential can be applied to the grid - electrode placed in front of the detector to suppress slow kinetic energy component in the electron bunch distribution .
this experimental mode gives so - called partial electron yield ( pey ) . in the case of pey nexafs with the linearly polarized light ,
the method can be used for the determination of the orbitals spatial orientation .
generally , one can observe the so - called _ search - light - like effect _
@xcite , which can be used for probing the quadrupole moment of the local charge around the absorbing atom . in such xas experiment ,
the absorption intensity associated with a specific molecular orbital final state has a maximum if the electric field vector is aligned parallel to the direction of maximum charge or hole density , i.e. along a molecular orbital , and the intensity vanishes if the electric field vector is perpendicular to the orbital axis .
a detailed description of the angular dependence of nexafs intensities can be found elsewhere @xcite . in case of magnetic samples and
circularly polarized light the absorption coefficient depends on the relative orientation of photon spin and magnetization direction of the sample .
the quantitative analysis of the absorption spectra obtained on the magnetic sample with the circularly polarized x - rays can be performed with the help of the so - called magneto - optical sum rules for evaluation of spin- and orbital - magnetic moments @xcite .
compared to the relative simplicity of the nexafs experiment , the theoretical description of x - ray absorption process in solid is not that easy .
the main problem here is that the excited system with the core hole has to be adequately described , which is always a difficult task for the standard density functional theory ( dft ) calculations .
particularly it is related to graphite and graphene - based systems .
the nexafs spectrum of graphite or graphene can be separated on two energy regions ( see fig . [
fig : scheme ] ) : ( i ) @xmath4 contribution originating from transition of @xmath5 core electron on c@xmath6 orbitals and ( ii ) @xmath7 one originating from transition of @xmath5 core electron on c@xmath8 hybrid orbitals @xcite .
as was recently shown @xcite , although the @xmath0 resonance was well reproduced in the framework of the core - hole final state approximation , the shape as well as the intensity of the @xmath1 resonance were not reproduced .
only the application of the mahan - noziers - de dominicis ( mnd ) theory of dynamical core - hole screening gives an adequate description of the nexafs spectrum of graphite @xcite .
it has to be noted here that in the double - peak structure of the @xmath1 resonance , the first peak ( @xmath9 ) , which reflects the excitonic final state can be reproduced in the final state and mnd approaches , and second @xmath10 peak is described as due to the quickly completely screened initial - state density of states .
the present manuscript is devoted to the spectroscopic studies of the graphene - metal systems .
the properties of these objects are the subject of many experimental and theoretical studies which were recently reviewed in several works @xcite .
as discussed the graphene / metal interface is an important object of the graphene - related fields of research . beyond the practical utilisation of these objects ( ideal ways to prepare the huge layers of graphene , graphene - based spin filters and gas sensors , etc . )
@xcite , there is also a fundamental interest to the nature of the interaction between graphene and metal @xcite .
as the nexafs spectroscopy can be used for the investigation of the empty electronic states of material in the vicinity of @xmath3 , it can be utilised as a complimentary to photoemission spectroscopy method , which can shed more light on the nature of interaction between graphene and a metal .
here we revisited the theoretical description of the absorption spectroscopy for graphene - based systems .
we used the scheme described in refs .
@xcite and our computer code for the modelling of nexafs spectra of the graphene - based systems : graphene single- and bilayer on ni(111 ) and graphene / al / ni(111 ) intercalation - like system .
our results , starting from the test example ( graphene ) and for more complex systems , are discussed on the basis of effects in the electronic structure of the studied objects and compared with available experimental results .
very good agreement between theory and experiment is found in our analysis .
the x - ray absorption spectroscopy , being one of the oldest and most efficient spectroscopic tools to investigate the electronic structure of materials , involves a very complicated dynamical many - body process , so that an adequate theoretical treatment of the experimental data appears to be a very complicated problem .
when the x - ray photon is absorbed , the electron from the inner shell excites into the unoccupied states of the conduction band where electronic states are described by wannier functions localized on the absorbed atom . the contribution of transitions into the states centred at neighbouring atoms is considered to be small enough to be neglected .
there are three main approaches for the description the x - ray absorption process .
generally accepted are first two one - electron ways of nexafs interpretation in terms of the initial state or the final state of system during x - ray absorption .
less common is the third way in which many - body processes tracked the x - ray transitions are taking into account .
these ways are different one of other sonly in approximations of core - hole screening : * the first approach assumes that the time of the interaction of the x - ray photon with the electronic subsystem is much shorter than any typical process in the system ( initial - state approximation ) . *
the second approach assumes that the photon - electron interaction is adiabatically slow that the system has a time for transfer from the ground state into a new one ( final - state approximation ) .
* the mnd theory assumes the creation of the core - hole as fast enough process , but takes into account the real dynamics of the response of the electronic subsystem to a core hole creation ( mnd approximation ) . in the initial - state approach ,
the first principle calculations of the electronic structure of material are performed with vasp code ( for details , see sec .
[ dft ] ) .
then , we obtain the projections of the bloch wave function onto the spherical harmonics centred on site @xmath11 ( atomic number @xmath12 ) and construct the matrix of initial - state green s functions as following : @xmath13 where @xmath14 , @xmath15 are angular momentum for ( @xmath16 , @xmath17 , @xmath18 , and @xmath19 ) orbitals , @xmath20 - wave vector , @xmath21 - band index , @xmath22 - energy , @xmath23 - chemical potential , and @xmath24 - infinitely small value
. then the initial - state nexafs spectrum is given by equation : @xmath25 where @xmath26 , @xmath27 is the dipole moment operator , and @xmath28 - x - ray electric field . in our work
we used these approximations as follows .
we model the studied system with a large supercell [ i.e. @xmath29 in the case of free - standing graphene ] .
then we replace one atom by the following atom in the periodic table - the so - called @xmath30 approximation .
the density of states ( doss ) are obtained by means of vasp calculations performed for the large supercell and the bloch wave functions are projected onto spherical harmonics centred on the @xmath30-atom site to get an expression for the final state , and on the @xmath12-atom site to get an expression for the initial state . the final - state nexafs spectrum is calculated according to the equation similar to eqn .
( [ i ] ) , where the bloch wave functions are projected onto atom @xmath31 with an atomic number @xmath32 , and the final - state green s function @xmath33 is written in the same manner as eqn .
( [ g - mn ] ) .
the mnd theory considers the creation of core - hole as an instant process taking into account real dynamics of the response of the electronic subsystems . as a result
many - electrons effects due to correlations of electrons with core - hole are included
. therefore we construct initial- and final - state green s functions as mentioned above and the so - called core - potential : @xmath34 the mnd spectrum is calculated according to the formula shown in the lower part of fig .
[ fig : xas - scheme ] .
the formulas for the calculation of the two - particles green s function @xmath35 $ ] and core - hole finite lifetime @xmath36 $ ] are presented in the left - hand side of the scheme in fig .
[ fig : xas - scheme ] . the full description of the calculation algorithm can be found in refs .
@xcite and in the supplementary material @xcite .
the dft calculations were carried out using the projector augmented wave method @xcite , a plane wave basis set and the generalized gradient approximation as parameterized by perdew _ et al . _
@xcite , as implemented in the vasp program @xcite .
the plane wave kinetic energy cutoff was set to @xmath37ev .
the long - range van der waals interactions were accounted for by means of a semiempirical dft - d2 approach proposed by grimme @xcite .
the corresponding structures of the graphene - metal based systems are shown in fig .
[ fig : structure ] and they are discussed in details further in the text . the supercell used to model the graphene - metal interface is constructed from a slab of @xmath38 layers of nickel atoms with a graphene layer ( or bilayer ) adsorbed at both sides and a vacuum region of approximately @xmath39 . in the case of graphene / al / ni(111 ) intercalation - like system , the supercell has @xmath40 lateral periodicity and contains by one al layer ( 3 atoms each ) introduced between graphene and ni(111 ) on both sides of the slab . in optimizing the geometry ,
the positions ( @xmath41-coordinates ) of the carbon atoms as well as those of the top two layers of metal atoms are allowed to relax . in the total energy calculations and during the structural relaxations the @xmath42-meshes for sampling the supercell brillouin zone are chosen to be as dense as @xmath43 and @xmath44 , respectively . to obtain an input for the nexafs spectra simulations , we employed large supercells of @xmath45 and @xmath46 periodicity when studying free - standing graphene and graphene / metal systems , respectively . in the latter case the number of nickel layers was reduced to @xmath47 . in order to have the same position for the fermi level , both , initial and final states doss ,
are taken from the same calculation sets .
in this part we present the results of the application of the computational procedure discussed in the previous section for the studies of a graphene layer on metallic support .
we consider several objects in which the strength of interaction of graphene with metal is ranged from `` strong '' [ graphene / ni(111 ) ] to `` weak '' [ graphene / al / ni(111 ) and graphene - bilayer / ni(111 ) ] . in order to prove our implementation of the algorithm discussed
earlier we performed the calculation of nexafs spectra for the free standing graphene ( figs .
[ fig : fsg ] and [ fig : theoryvsexp ] ) .
the main peaks of the graphene spectrum at @xmath48ev and @xmath49ev above @xmath3 correspond to transitions of the @xmath5 core electron onto the @xmath0 and @xmath1 states , respectively .
[ fig : fsg ] shows the theoretical spectra calculated according to the procedure described in sec .
[ comput ] for ten different incidence angles @xmath11 .
one can note a smooth decreasing ( increasing ) weights of @xmath50 ( @xmath51 ) transitions when going from @xmath52 to @xmath53 , that is in accordance with geometry of the absorption process .
this example is a nice demonstration of the _ search - light - like _ effect discussed earlier : for the grazing incident angles the maximum of absorption is observed for @xmath0 states and for angles close to the normal to the surface the maximum of absorption is detected for @xmath51 transitions .
furthermore , it is clearly seen that both the shape and positions as well as relative intensities of the peaks are well reproduced by theory [ for comparison between calculated and experimental spectra @xcite , see fig .
[ fig : theoryvsexp ] ( upper panel ) ] . as was discussed earlier in refs .
@xcite the shape as well as the position of @xmath54 and @xmath55 transitions are well reproduced by the mnd theory described in fig .
[ fig : xas - scheme ] . the second peak @xmath10 can be reproduced only if fully screened initial states density of states is taken into account and the corresponding initial states nexafs spectrum is summed with mnd spectrum in order to reproduce the experimental observations .
before investigating modifications in the absorption spectra due to the presence of the ni(111 ) substrate underneath graphene , let us consider briefly the atomic structure of the interface .
the surface lattice constant of ni(111 ) matches the lattice constant of graphene almost perfectly and therefore @xmath56 structure is formed .
the structure of graphene / ni(111 ) widely accepted in the literature has the carbon atoms arranged in the so - called _ top - fcc _ configuration on ni(111 ) : one carbon atom from the graphene unit cell is placed above the ni interface atom and the second one occupies the hollow _ fcc _ site of the ni(111 ) surface ( fig .
[ fig : structure ] ) .
our calculations support this model ( see supplementary tab .
s1 @xcite ) .
the equilibrium distance between graphene layer and ni(111 ) is relatively small , indicating `` strongly '' bonded system : significant hybridization of the valence band states of graphene and ni leads to the complete destruction of the graphene dirac cone @xcite .
[ this effect of hybridization is clearly seen when considering electronic band structure of the system ( see supplementary fig .
s1 @xcite ) . the modifications in the electronic structure are considered in details in ref .
@xcite ] .
consequently , the nexafs spectra in this case are modified with respect to those of free - standing graphene [ fig.[fig : theoryvsexp ] ( middle panel ) ] .
firstly , in the region of the @xmath50 transition the graphene / ni(111 ) absorption spectra have a double - peak structure compared to those of graphite that is explained by the transitions of c @xmath5 core electron into two unoccupied states ( interface states ) , which are the result of hybridization of the graphene @xmath57 and ni @xmath58 valence band states .
the first peak at about @xmath59ev corresponds to the interface state which is allocated in the range between @xmath60 and @xmath61ev above @xmath3 around @xmath2-point of the brillouin zone , having slightly different energy depending on the type of c - atom ( @xmath62 or @xmath63 ) and on the spin - orientation .
the second peak , near @xmath64ev , comes mainly from the unoccupied interface state at the @xmath65 point ( see supplementary figs . s1 and s2 @xcite ) . from this analysis one
can clearly see that both peaks belong to the hybrid states where both carbon atoms are involved .
therefore the previous analysis of nexafs spectra for the graphene / ni(111 ) system performed in refs .
@xcite on the basis of calculations of the @xmath2-edge electron loss spectra @xcite is not fully correct ( the double peak structure was assigned to different carbon atoms in the unit cell ) .
secondly , the visible reduction in the energy separation between the @xmath0 and @xmath1 features are observed for all graphene / ni(111 ) spectra compared to that in the spectra of free - standing graphene , in accordance with the shift of the @xmath1 state for the carbon atoms at the interface by ca.@xmath61ev to lower energies that can be explained by the lateral bond softening within the adsorbed graphene monolayer and can be connected with the downward shift of @xmath1 states for graphene / ni(111 ) compared to free - standing graphene . in the graphene / al / ni(111 ) system ,
the _ fcc _ al(111 ) monolayer is placed in the space between graphene and ni(111 ) ( fig .
[ fig : structure ] ) .
there is only one possible arrangement of aluminium atoms in the high - symmetry positions as shown in the figure : the al(111 ) lattice plane is rotated by @xmath66 with respect to the graphene / n(111 ) lattice such that the al atoms occupy all three kind of high - symmetry adsorption sites ( _ top _ , hollow _ fcc _ ,
hcp _ ) in the space between the graphene layer and the ni(111 ) surface .
in this structure there are four different occupation sites for carbon atoms in the unit cell with respect to the adsorption sites of the ni(111 ) surface when they are placed above a ni or al atom .
they are labeled in fig .
[ fig : structure ] as @xmath62 , @xmath63 , @xmath67 , and @xmath68 , respectively .
a mean distance between the graphene and al layer is @xmath69 , indicating `` weak '' bonded graphene - metal system @xcite .
the latter fact can be evaluated when considering the electronic band structure of the system under study : all electronic bands of graphene are shifted to lower binding energies compared to graphene / ni(111 ) .
furthermore , the electronic structure of the graphene layer as well as the dirac cone in the vicinity of @xmath3 are fully restored ( there is a small electron doping of graphene leading to a shift of the dirac point below @xmath3 by ca.@xmath70ev ) .
thus , intercalation of al decouples the electronic structure of graphene from the substrate , preventing thereby hybridization between graphene @xmath57 and ni @xmath58 valence band states . in the present system
there is no strong hybridization between graphene and al valence band states conserving the dirac cone .
there is only one energy region where such hybridization is visible : around the @xmath65 point at approximately @xmath71ev ( see ref .
@xcite ) .
the decoupling process in this case is also easily visible when considering the nexafs spectra obtained for the system of interest .
intercalation of a thin al layer underneath a graphene layer on ni(111 ) leads to drastic changes in the absorption spectrum compared to the one for graphene / ni(111 ) : the shape of the spectrum , positions of main spectroscopic features as well as the energy separation between @xmath0 and @xmath1 features become similar to those in the spectrum of free - standing graphene [ fig .
[ fig : theoryvsexp ] ( lower panel ) ] . due to the avoiding hybridisation between the valence band states of graphene and metal in this case ,
the individual spectra evaluated for the c - atoms of the four types are indistinguishable from each other ( see supplementary fig .
s3 @xcite ) .
weak hybridisation between graphene @xmath0 and al @xmath72 states does not affect the result .
note : agreement between theory and experiment is again excellent .
the energetically most stable arrangement of the graphene layers above ni(111 ) in this case corresponds to the situation when carbon atoms of the first layer are adopting the _ top - fcc _ configuration [ as it is in the case of the single graphene layer deposited on ni(111 ) ] and the second graphene layer is displaced horizontally with respect to the first graphene layer as it is in bulk graphite in the way , that carbon atoms from the graphene unit cell are occupying the both hollow sites with respect to the ni(111 ) surface [ fig .
[ fig : structure ] ( right - hand side figure ) ] .
the resulting configuration can therefore be named as _ top - fcc / fcc - hcp _
( see supplementary tab .
s1 @xcite ) . in the studied system , the interaction energy between the top ( second ) graphene layer and graphene / ni(111 ) is @xmath73mev per graphene unit cell that is comparable with the value known for the interlayer interaction in graphite ( @xmath74mev @xcite ) .
therefore we can expect , that bilayer - graphene / ni(111 ) should display properties of the both systems , free - standing graphene and graphene / ni(111 ) .
when looking at the results of the electronic band structure calculations , one can see that , indeed , while valence band states of the first graphene layer and ni are strongly hybridized and dirac cone is destroyed ( see supplementary fig .
s4 ) , picture observed for the second graphene layer is much more similar to that of the free - standing graphene : there is no hybridisation visible and dirac cone is preserved ( see supplementary fig .
s5 @xcite ) . at the same time
, a band gap of ca.@xmath75ev is opened at the @xmath2-point at @xmath76ev .
there is , however , no significant difference between pictures observed for the empty states of the second graphene layer and those of the free - standing graphene .
the same is true for the empty states of the first graphene layer in this system and graphene in graphene / ni(111 ) .
this is reflected in the nexafs spectra calculated for the bilayer : while results obtained for the first graphene layer are identical with those of graphene / ni(111 ) , the nexafs spectra of the second layer are similar to those obtained for the free - standing graphene as well as graphene in the graphene / al / ni(111 ) trilayer [ fig .
[ fig : bilayer ] ( left panel ) ] . as discussed earlier
the nexafs spectra can be collected in two modes , more bulk - sensitive tey and more surface - sensitive pey modes . here , the variation of the repulsive potential ( which suppress the secondary electron tail ) applied to the electrode before electron detector allows for the gradual variation of the sensitivity ( surface vs bulk ) .
[ fig : bilayer ] ( right panel ) shows the nexafs spectra of graphene - bilayer / ni(111 ) where the sensitivity is varied from tey mode ( lower spectrum ) to pey mode ( upper spectra ) .
the clear change of the shape of the spectra to the one characteristic for the free - standing graphene is visible .
these simulations allow to discriminate between single and bilayer graphene in the investigated system .
here we presented the theoretical description of the spectra of the graphene layers on metallic substrate .
the interaction in these systems is varied from `` strong '' ( when the electronic structure of graphene in the vicinity of @xmath3 is strongly modified ) to `` weak '' ( when the electronic structure of the graphene layer is a free - standing - graphene like ) .
all these variations in interaction and in electronic structure are consequently reflected in the simulated nexafs spectra which can be used as a fingerprint for the description of interaction at the graphene / metal interface .
the presented results are compared with the available experimental data and they show the excellent agreement between theory and experiment .
we appreciate the support from the german academic exchange service ( daad ) through the center of excellence : `` german - russian interdisciplinary science center ( g - risc ) '' .
the high performance computing network of northern germany ( hlrn ) is acknowledged for computer time .
s. bae , h. kim , y. lee , x. xu , j .- s .
park , y. zheng , j. balakrishnan , t. lei , h. r. kim , y. i. song , y .- j .
kim , k. s. kim , b. ozyilmaz , j .- h .
ahn , b. h. hong and s. iijima , nature nanotech . * 5 * , 574578 ( 2010 ) .
the scheme of the x - ray light absorption process .
the light from the synchrotron light source is scanned around the energy corresponding to the binding energy of the particular core level and in this case the absorption coefficient is proportional to the density of the valence band states above @xmath3 .
the orbital selectivity is reached via relative orientation of the linearly polarised light and the sample.,scaledwidth=42.0% ] nexafs spectra for a free - standing graphene as a function of the angle , @xmath11 , between electric field vector of x - ray and the normal to the surface .
the experimental geometry is shown as an inset.,scaledwidth=48.0% ] nexafs spectra for @xmath77 for the graphene - bilayer / ni(111 ) system .
spectra are separated on the contributions from the 1st and 2nd layer , respectively .
( right panel ) sequence of the simulated c @xmath2 nexafs spectra for graphene - bilayer / ni(111 ) , where the contribution from both layers is increased / decreased from top to bottom in order to model the change of surface - vs - bulk sensitivity in experimental data.,scaledwidth=96.0% ] supplementary material for the manuscript : + * theoretical description of x - ray absorption spectroscopy of the graphene - based systems * + elena voloshina,_@xmath78
_ roman ovcharenko,_@xmath79 _ alexander shulakov,_@xmath79 _ and yuriy dedkov__@xmath80 _ _ + _ @xmath78humboldt - universitt zu berlin , institut fr chemie , 12489 berlin , germany _ + _ @xmath79 _ +
_ @xmath80specs surface nano analysis gmbh , voltastrae 5 , 13355 berlin , germany _ * content : * * description of the calculation algorithm of the nexafs spectra . * table s1 : results for the graphene / ni(111 ) and graphene - bilayer / ni(111 ) . all adsorption energies ( ae ) are given per graphene unit cell .
* figure s1 : calculated majority and minority spin band structures ( black ) for a slab terminated by graphene / ni(111 ) interface ( _ top - fcc _ arrangement ) .
the bands replotted in red ( blue ) using the carbon @xmath6 ( @xmath8 ) character as a weighting factor are superimposed .
contributions from the @xmath81 and @xmath82 are separated .
* figure s2 : calculated c @xmath2 nexafs spectra for @xmath77 for the graphene / ni(111 ) system .
spectra are separated on the contributions from the @xmath81 and @xmath82 , respectively .
* figure s3 : calculated c @xmath2 nexafs spectra for @xmath77 for the graphene / al / ni(111 ) system .
spectra are separated on the contributions from the @xmath83 , @xmath84 , @xmath85 , and @xmath86 , respectively .
* figure s4 : calculated majority and minority spin band structures ( black ) for a slab terminated by graphene - bilayer / ni(111 ) interface ( _ top - fcc / fcc - hcp _ arrangement ) .
the bands replotted in red ( blue ) using the carbon @xmath6 ( @xmath8 ) character of the first graphene layer as a weighting factor are superimposed .
contributions from the @xmath81 and @xmath82 are separated .
* figure s5 : calculated majority and minority spin band structures ( black ) for a slab terminated by graphene - bilayer / ni(111 ) interface ( _ top - fcc / fcc - hcp _ arrangement ) .
the bands replotted in red ( blue ) using the carbon @xmath6 ( @xmath8 ) character of the second graphene layer as a weighting factor are superimposed .
contributions from the @xmath87 and @xmath82 are separated . * figure s6 : calculated c @xmath2 nexafs spectra for @xmath77 for the free - standing graphene as obtained by means of different approximations ( sk = slater - koster method ) . * figure s7 : calculated c @xmath2 nexafs spectra for @xmath77 for the graphene / ni(111 ) system as obtained by means of different approximations ( sk = slater - koster method ) . * figure s8 : calculated c @xmath2 nexafs spectra for @xmath77 for the graphene / al / ni(111 ) system as obtained by means of different approximations ( sk = slater - koster method ) .
* figure s9 : calculated c @xmath2 nexafs spectra for @xmath77 for the graphene - bilayer / ni(111 ) system as obtained by means of different approximations ( sk = slater - koster method ) . * description of the calculation algorithm of the nexafs spectra .
* let us consider the radiative x - ray transitions of an electron from the core level @xmath88 on the band states @xmath89 localized on the atom @xmath90 .
in the tight - binding approximation , neglecting the `` cross '' transition contribution to the intensity of radiation , the nexafs intensity @xmath91 can be represented as the sum of the products of the electric dipole probabilities of transition @xmath92 from the core level on the atom - like valence band state @xmath23 with partial density of states @xmath93 @xmath94 @xmath95 where the amplitude @xmath96 of transition is given by @xmath97 here @xmath98 and @xmath99 are the atomic wave functions of valence electron and core hole , respectively . in the framework of the one - particle approximation , the partial density of states ( pdos ) can be expressed via the imaginary part of the advanced green s function projected onto the atomic orbitals @xmath100 @xmath101 completely ignoring the influence of the core hole , the green s function can be written as @xmath102 with @xmath103 the fermi energy , @xmath104 and @xmath105 the unperturbed band energy and wave function , respectively .
it may be considered as an assumption that the lifetime of the core hole is much smaller than the relaxation time of the system ( an approximation of the final state ) .
another extreme case takes place when the band wave functions are completely changed because of the core hole coulomb potential ( initial state approximation ) .
then the expression for the green s function takes the form @xmath106 where @xmath107 and @xmath108 are perturbed band energies and wave functions , respectively . for pdos in the presence of the core hole one
gets @xmath109 mnd theory considers the core hole filling completely in the dynamical way .
the expression for the nexafs intensity within the mnd theory in the form @xmath110 where the matrix @xmath111 satisfies the system of integral equations @xmath112 the kernel of the integral operator @xmath113 is given by @xmath114 where @xmath116 and @xmath117 have the form @xmath118 note that the diagonal elements of matrixes @xmath119 and @xmath117 coincide with the pdos defined above in eqs.([dens1 ] ) and ( [ dens2 ] ) in the final and initial state approximations .
there are two ways to define input data for the mnd calculations expressed by eqs.([i_mnd])([i_fun ] ) .
the first approach is to use the expressions ( [ g_final ] ) , ( [ g_initial ] ) , and ( [ core_potential ] ) to introduce the green functions @xmath120 and the core potential @xmath121 .
it works well if the band wave functions basis set is large enough .
if it is not the case , the core hole potential @xmath121 depends on energy . to minimize the error caused by the energy dependence of the potential
one can use a second approach .
the unperturbed green function @xmath122 and core hole potential @xmath121 defined from equations ( [ g_initial ] ) and ( [ core_potential ] ) , respectively , whereas the perturbed green function @xmath123 is obtained from the slater - koster equation @xmath124_{\nu ' \nu},\ ] ] where @xmath125 although the potential still depends on energy , the perturbed green function now takes it into account . llll system & @xmath126 ( ev)&@xmath127 ( ev)&@xmath128 ( ev ) + + _ top - fcc _ & & @xmath129 & + _ top - hcp _ & & @xmath130 & + _ fcc - hcp _ & & @xmath131 & + & & & + + _ top - fcc / top - hcp _ & @xmath132&@xmath133&@xmath134 + _ top - fcc / fcc - hcp _ &
@xmath135&@xmath136&@xmath137 + _ top - fcc / top - fcc _ & @xmath138&@xmath139&@xmath140 + & & & + _ top - hcp / top - fcc _ & @xmath141&@xmath142&@xmath143 + _ top - hcp / fcc - hcp _ & @xmath135&@xmath144&@xmath145 + _ top - hcp / top - hcp _ &
@xmath138&@xmath146&@xmath147 + & & & + _ fcc - hcp / top - hcp _ &
@xmath148&@xmath149&@xmath150 + _ fcc - hcp / top - fcc _ & @xmath151&@xmath152&@xmath153 + _ fcc - hcp / fcc - hcp _ & @xmath153&@xmath154&@xmath155 + * figures1 .
* calculated majority and minority spin band structures ( black ) for a slab terminated by graphene / ni(111 ) interface ( _ top - fcc _ arrangement ) .
the bands replotted in red ( blue ) using the carbon @xmath6 ( @xmath8 ) character as a weighting factor are superimposed .
contributions from the @xmath81 and @xmath82 are separated .
* figures3 . * calculated c @xmath2 nexafs spectra for @xmath77 for the graphene / al / ni(111 ) system .
spectra are separated on the contributions from the @xmath83 , @xmath84 , @xmath85 , and @xmath86 , respectively .
* figures4 .
* calculated majority and minority spin band structures ( black ) for a slab terminated by graphene - bilayer / ni(111 ) interface ( _ top - fcc / fcc - hcp _ arrangement ) .
the bands replotted in red ( blue ) using the carbon @xmath6 ( @xmath8 ) character of the first graphene layer as a weighting factor are superimposed .
contributions from the @xmath81 and @xmath82 are separated .
* figures5 .
* calculated majority and minority spin band structures ( black ) for a slab terminated by graphene - bilayer / ni(111 ) interface ( _ top - fcc / fcc - hcp _ arrangement ) .
the bands replotted in red ( blue ) using the carbon @xmath6 ( @xmath8 ) character of the second graphene layer as a weighting factor are superimposed .
contributions from the @xmath87 and @xmath82 are separated . | arxiv |
Le comté de Laurel est un comté de l'État du Kentucky, aux États-Unis, fondé en 1826. Il a été nommé d'après l'arbuste Kalmia latifolia qui est très répandu dans la région.
Son siège se situe à London. | slim_pajama |
THE MAGICIANS
Pilot
"Unauthorized Magic"
Written by
Sera Gamble & John McNamara
Based on the Novel by
Lev Grossman
Executive Producers
Michael London, Sera Gamble, John McNamara
May 10, 2014
SyFy/UCPTHE MAGICIANS
“Unauthorized Magic”
TEASER
FADE IN:
INT. A DULL, GREY HOSPITAL ROOM - THE PRESENT - DAYQUENTIN COLDWATER, 23: smart, raw, quiet; used to withdrawing
from a world that has completely disappointed him--
--lounges on a single bed, in t-shirt, pajama bottoms,
plastic hospital ID bracelet.
Quentin has a nickel in his other hand . It travels deftly
across his fingers. A magic trick. The nickel “disappears.”
QUENTIN’S ROOMMATE (O.C.)
That’s crazy, dude.
Said as Quentin finally looks up from his book, over at his
ROOMMATE, 40s, big, slovenly robe.
QUENTIN’S ROOMMATE
Where’d it go?
Quentin SIGHS, “reappears” the nickel... sets it on a sill. Under a dirty window.
With bars on it.
INT. A LARGER, BRIGHTER ROOM IN THIS HOSPITAL - DAY
Quentin sits across from a YOUNG DOCTOR, 20s, not much older
than Quentin as he flips through a medical chart.
DOCTOR
You think you’re ready.
QUENTIN
I do.
DOCTOR
Why?
QUENTIN
I feel... better.
Quentin summons a half-smile. He doesn’t seem nuts, but he
does seem defeated, going-through-the-motions.
DOCTOR
On admitting, you reported...
(flips back a few pages)
(MORE)...you couldn’t concentrate, eat,
get out of bed. You said the feeling of “not belonging anywhere” was overwhelming, like a boulder you couldn’t push off.
(looks up)
And that you were “the most useless person who ever lived.”
(then, neutrally)
And now you feel-- “better”?
QUENTIN
“The purpose of treatment is to take the patient from a state of utter despair to ordinary unhappiness.” Who said that?
DOCTOR
Freud.
QUENTIN
Huh; thought it was the other one. Anyway. Being here-- the other patients--? I realized: that’s me. Not utter despair, just ordinary...
(beat)
...I guess, anxiety.
DOCTOR
(checks the chart)
You graduate soon. And then?
QUENTIN
Well... I’m supposed to have a grad school interview on Tuesday. Yale.
DOCTOR
That’s a big deal. You feel ready?
(off his ambivalent smile)
You know, you can reschedule--
QUENTIN
No, no, I’m definitely okay for it.
DOCTOR
Quentin, with your history, and this kind of pressure, I’d really recommend further treatment.
The Doctor studies Quentin. Long silence.
QUENTIN
Look. I never threatened to hurt myself. Or anybody else. "Magicians" / 05-10-14 2.
DOCTOR (CONT'D)
(MORE)You can’t make me stay.
(beat, then less sure)
Can you?
INT. HOSPITAL - NURSES’ STATION - NIGHT
Quentin signs himself out. EXT. NEW YORK CITY SKYLINE - NIGHT - FLYING We GLIDE OVER a wintry Central Park, a bustling Upper West
Side, to Morningside Heights and--
EXT. COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - CONTINUOUS--DIP down into the concrete, urban heart of the college and
SOAR RIGHT INTO the fifth story window of an old apartment--
INT. AN APARTMENT BUILDING - CONTINUOUS - A COLLEGE PARTYNot a rager but plenty big, a HUNDRED-PLUS STUDENTS, spilling
across rooms... out into the main hall, across it... into a second apartment.
MUSIC is a blanketing THRUM and THUD... VOICES strain to be
heard... Joints are passed... SOME FOLKS here are in heated discussions... OTHERS in heated pawing and dancing.
Near a (relatively) quiet pool of window light, FIND Quentin,
alone in the crowd, Solo cup of the house drink in hand, trying to be both invisible
and look like he belongs. Across
the room he clocks--
A COUPLE. Holding court with a half-dozen GUESTS but not in
an obnoxious way. They’re loose, fun, clearly well-liked. She sits in his lap. The guy is hip, handsome, confident, Quentin’s age, named JAMES.
She is JULIA, James’ girlfriend, as beautiful and confident
as James, likely smarter, and we’ll come to find: deeper, more sensitive. But right now, she seems carefree.
Julia sees Quentin looking at her. She smiles and motions
him over. He threads through the madness, she takes his hand, shouts over the BASS--
JULIA
This is Kendra!
She means a TOTAL BABE to her left-- 20, curvy, vivacious, short shorts, spray tan. "Magicians" / 05-10-14 3.
QUENTIN (CONT'D)JULIA
Kendra, this is the awesome, one-of-
a-kind, you-break-him, you-buy-him friend of mine I was telling you about!
Kendra takes in Quentin for a full three seconds and goes all polite with disinterest. At which point, she sees “a friend” nearby, waves and is gone.
Quentin stands with Julia, both still amid the swirl.
JULIA
Oh. Lezzie. Onward!
INT. THIS APARTMENT - QUENTIN’S ROOM - LATERThe party is both LOUDER now and more muted by Quentin’s
closed bedroom door. Quentin lies on his rumpled bed. He’s reading a book. Called--
Fillory and Further
Book One: The World in the Walls By Christopher Plover--a first edition hard cover with a mint condition jacket,
its cover painting depicting--
FIVE BRITISH SIBLINGS , aged 9 to 19, circa early 1940s,
climbing into a grandfather clock with twin carved rams’
heads... and out of the trunk of a tree, into a magical landscape. More on that later, but for now, as Quentin reads, absorbed, we--
CUT AROUND HIS SMALL ROOM. See decks of playing cards.
Books on magic, sleight-of-hand. Textbooks-- sociology,
philosophy.
And: a bookcase devoted to editions of the five books of the
Fillory And Further series. A serious fanboy collection.
Fillory is a classic, like Narnia or Lord Of The Rings. A SHARP, SHORT KNOCK and----BAM, his door is thrown open by Julia , the ROAR of the
party behind her as she takes in Quentin, alone in here,
reading that book.
JULIA
Huh. I was pretty sure you’d be pounding Kendra like a dirty rug."Magicians" / 05-10-14 4.QUENTIN
You just missed her.
She’s brought two Solo cups, hands one to her friend.
JULIA
And?
She’s crossed the room, takes in Quentin’s Fillory book
collection.
QUENTIN
She’s just not my type.
JULIA
Cheerleader, press-ons, coked to
the gills, zero interest in coin tricks, card tricks, magic--
(picks up a
Fillory book,
this one with the Chatwins battling dragons on the cover)
--adventure, blood, hope, lust, Christian symbolism.
(then)
But your type’s out there, you know.
(the party)
For real. Like, seventy-three of her tonight, have been since freshman year--
(shelves the book)
--kinda waiting for you to finish the books you’ve read eight hundred times and come out of your room.
QUENTIN
(trying to keep it light)
Wait, is this turning, like, serious? Do I need to sit up?
JULIA
(gently)
I called you.
(settles down next to him)
All weekend. Where were you?
He can’t meet her eyes. She gives him a nudge, like tell me. He thinks. Hard. Then forces a little rueful smile."Magicians" / 05-10-14 5.QUENTIN
My dad’s. Got angsty, prepping for
the big interview, so I fled for the magical hills of Jersey. Don’t judge me.
JULIA
I’d never.
She kisses his cheek gently. He tries not to let the fact that he’s always been in love with her show.
JAMES (O.C.)
Oh, my God.
They look up to see James in the doorway, taking a hit off a massive blunt.
JAMES
My girl. My friend. Jesus God. Have you no decency?
QUENTIN
Not a shred.
JAMES
Excellent.
And he LEAPS onto Julia, COLLIDING with Quentin as well , all
three of them TUMBLING across the mattress:
JAMES
THREE-WAY!
And as the three LAUGH and ROLL, OTHER GUESTS spill in,
WHOOP, CHEER, and a FEW MORE DIVE onto the bed, which COLLAPSES under all that body weight with a SPECTACULAR CRACK, which only delights everyone-- even Quentin-- more. And on the BLASTING MUSIC and SHRIEKS of LAUGHTER--
EXT. A QUIET UPPER EAST SIDE STREET - DAYTurtle Bay, to be exact . Refined, orderly, old world. Julia
and Quentin walk, both with venti coffees-- --both viciously hungover.
QUENTIN
I think...
(beat)
Wait, what was I saying?
JULIA
This is not good."Magicians" / 05-10-14 6.QUENTIN
...I’m still high.
JULIA
Not good, not good, not good.
We’ve got to pull it together. This is it. This is it. It.
QUENTIN
You’re saying things over and over.
JULIA
I know. I know. Shit. I know.
She POUNDS her coffee hard.
QUENTIN
It’s just the interview--
JULIA
--right--
QUENTIN
--and it’s only Yale--
JULIA
--
right-- lesser Ivy--
QUENTIN
--and honestly, they probably take anyone conscious for philosophy--
JULIA
--for philosophy, “conscious” is a detriment--
QUENTIN
--so I’m good and you’re boned.
JULIA
Why’s that again?
QUENTIN
You need an MBA, remember? To join a white shoe bank? Fifty mil by your thirtieth birthday, run for Congress, chair the EPA, solve global warming, they’re gonna build a statue of you...
(points to a small park
nearby)
...right there. Oh and marry James, three kids, your youngest is the first openly gay president. "Magicians" / 05-10-14 7.JULIA
I am tightening my shit. Right?
Now.
More coffee for both as they EXIT FRAME.
EXT. A LOVELY TURTLE BAY NEIGHBORHOOD - DAYJulia checks the map on her iPhone, nods, and she and Quentin
ascend the stone stairs of an early 20th century brownstone .
They take a moment at the top stair. Quentin checks in with Julia. She’s like, oh well, nods. He RINGS the bell.
Then notices. The front door is open a crack. They wait.
But--
INT. BROWNSTONE - CONTINUOUS--Julia pushes the door inward just a bit.
JULIA
Hello?
Her voice ECHOES into the brownstone’s gloom a bit. No
answer. She steps in first, Quentin right behind her.
INT. BROWNSTONE - LIVING ROOM - MOMENTS LATERTasteful, uptight, musty and dark. Quentin and Julia walk
quietly, gingerly peering around cabinets and corners. Then Quentin stops. Struck.
Before them, a grandfather clock. Crowned by TWIN CARVED
RAMS. Exactly as in the Fillory books.
QUENTIN
I don’t believe it...
Quentin reaches out to grasp the knob of the cabinet, when--
Julia YELPS. Quentin JUMPS, turns to see Julia, STARING--
At a club chair in the room’s far corner. Where AN OLD MAN
sits. White hair, suit, eyes open; one pupil blown.
Totally
dead.
QUENTIN
Ho, shit.
BLACKOUT.
END OF TEASER"Magicians" / 05-10-14 8.ACT ONE
EXT. BROWNSTONE - NIGHT
Emergency vehicles FLASH and idle at the curb.
INT. BROWNSTONE - CONTINUOUSTHREE PARAMEDICS, two MEN, one WOMAN. The Men crouch and
confer, at the end of a failed resuscitation. Julia and
Quentin are in a corner, silent, uncomfortable. Quentin studies the Female Paramedic , who’s jotting on a
clipboard. She’s 25, and despite the best efforts of her
uniform, lovely. Wears her hair in coiled braids and speaks
with an English accent , matter-of-fact:
FEMALE PARAMEDIC
Well! He’s dead.
(snaps shut clipboard)
By the look of him he was a big...
She makes the drinky-drinky gesture.
QUENTIN
I’m sorry...
FEMALE PARAMEDIC
Why? D’you kill him?
QUENTIN
No. Jesus.
FEMALE PARAMEDIC
Kidding.
JULIA
Um.... can we go?
The Female Paramedic nods crisply. Julia leads the way out, Quentin follows. The Female Paramedic appears behind them--
FEMALE PARAMEDIC
I think he left something for you.
And just as the door is opened and an icy breeze BLOWS in, the Paramedic holds up two manila envelopes . As if from
nowhere. On each, hand-printed neatly: their names.
Julia blows past without taking hers. Quentin takes his, heads quickly to the door.
FEMALE PARAMEDIC
Best of luck!"Magicians" / 05-10-14 9.EXT. STREET NEAR BROWNSTONE - MOMENTS LATER
Julia walks briskly, spooked.
JULIA
Why’d you take that?!
Quentin’s tearing open his envelope, struggling to keep up
with her, then freezes when he sees what’s in the envelope:
QUENTIN
Wait. What.
Quentin shows her: A notebook. Old, corners rubbed smooth, cover foxed. And on that cover, handwritten in ink:
Fillory and Further
Book Six: The Magicians
By Christopher Plover
QUENTIN
(flips to the front page)
Look at the date-- 1952--
JULIA
Please.
QUENTIN
There’s five books in the series. Five. That’s it--
JULIA
(annoyed; everyone knows
this)
I
know, Quentin--
QUENTIN
Look. Book Six. Either this is
nothing-- or it’s--
JULIA
--a very special art project that the dead guy
made up ‘cause he
wants to see if it gets fanboys all excited, at which point--
(buzzer sound)
--no Yale for you!
QUENTIN
Come on, what if--
Julia has had enough. She’s more frustrated than angry-- she’s genuinely, deeply concerned for her friend."Magicians" / 05-10-14 10.JULIA
What if nothing. Enough. You are
not hearing me. Just stop.
QUENTIN
(bristling at her tone)
Stop what, I’m--
JULIA
You can’t run away hard enough, can you. With all the Fillory shit--
QUENTIN
You used to
like Fillory--
JULIA
Yes, I liked it, I loved it--
QUENTIN
(can’t hide the hurt)
You got me into it, Julia, we were
ten when you declared you’re just
like Jane in the book, you’re gonna learn magic and shit, and-- don’t give me that look, I’m telling you I learned fucking magic tricks to keep up with
you, it was our thing--
JULIA
And it was fun, it was silly nerdy bullshit and it got us through high school, but--
QUENTIN
Well I guess I’m still a silly bullshit nerd then, huh.
JULIA
I’m not saying--
QUENTIN
Which never bothered you till right around the second you met James and--
JULIA
No, until I grew out of it, because you know what? I’m sorry. Fillory is just another way you completely avoid life and just stay some depressed
kid--
QUENTIN
Whoa, whoa... "Magicians" / 05-10-14 11.JULIA
I know where you were all weekend,
okay? The hospital.
Quentin is stunned silent; utterly mortified. Then--
QUENTIN
How do you...
JULIA
I just do. You feel exactly like you felt last time you went.
(then)
I love you. I’m not trying to be a bitch. I swear. I’m
worried, Q.
He knows that’s true. He looks away.
QUENTIN
Life is raw, everybody medicates...
JULIA
No. Life is starting. For real.
Quentin stares at Julia. Genuinely hurt, underneath.
QUENTIN
That’s easy for you to say. You have James, and Yale, and matching MBAs, you have it figured out.
JULIA
Because I decided. I decided to pick a path. I’m just--
moving
forward. It’s what you do.
(then, softer)
I’m just saying. I don’t pretend to know why you’re not happy. I’m sorry you’re not. I really am. But figure it out. You’re good at a lot of stuff. Pick something. Don’t spend your life on a ward or sitting somewhere reading PG-13 dragon porn. Live it. Please.
(then, off her watch)
I’m late. Call me.
A quick kiss and she’s off, leaving him alone.
INT. COLUMBIA LIBRARY - ENTRANCE/ELEVATOR - NIGHTJulia enters in a hurry, crosses to an open elevator, gets
in, hits a button for the third floor."Magicians" / 05-10-14 12.EXT. TURTLE BAY STREET - NIGHT
On a bench, Quentin flips through the notebook, trying to
control his excitement as he READS:
“...death of Rupert Chatwin...” “...at last, every question
answered...”
EXT. ENGLAND, A CORNWALL ESTATE - DAY - 1942A CRASHING sea, chalky cliffs, a rolling green lawn and a
great sprawl of a manor house--
--as above, three World War II Spitfire fighter planes BANK
in tight formation as we hear a sonorous BRITISH NARRATOR--
NARRATOR (V.O.)
The story is well-known. But not
the story we have all been told. It is a darker tale. And a truer one. Though it began in the way we all remember...
INT. CORNWALL ESTATE - BACK HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS
MARTIN CHATWIN, serious, 12, dressed in suit coat and shorts
in the manner of the day, leads TWO BROTHERS and TWO SISTERS --
NARRATOR (V.O.)
From a young age, Martin Chatwin had a gloomy nature. And to combat his melancholy, he’d lose himself in stories of wonder.
--to that looming grandfather clock from the book’s cover with its CARVING OF TWIN RAMS above the face.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
So he knew he’d have trouble convincing his brothers and sisters that this was no fantasy. Especially the oldest, Rupert--
RUPERT CHATWIN, almost 19, wears a dashing ROYAL AIR FORCE uniform and white turtleneck, sporting a cane and a limp.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
--recently wounded in the war, recuperating at home, the first Chatwin to put away childish things. And Jane, the family skeptic."Magicians" / 05-10-14 13.10-year-old JANE CHATWIN watches, clear-eyed in tight
pigtails, dubious, as Martin opens the clock door.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
He would have to show them.
Martin pushes the pendulum aside and sticks his hand in. And
in. And in. And in! Till it’s gone to the elbow into the endless blackness inside. The other Chatwins gape, wow--
And he reaches back for the youngest’s hand... PULLING HIM THROUGH into the clock with him. Gone.
Jane, now surprised and curious, herds the others through.
EXT. A GREAT TREE - DAYAncient, massive; in its belly, an open, black maw, from
which, as depicted on the cover, the five Chatwins emerge .
They stand. They look.
Wow. As we SEE WE ARE NOW IN:
NARRATOR (V.O.)
This was...
EXT. A LAND UNLIKE ANY OTHER - CONTINUOUS
NARRATOR (V.O.)
...Fillory.
A forest. Above it, a sun more brilliant, the sky a deeper blue, the clouds a purer white.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
A land of Magic.
The Chatwins take it all in as they fan out and their individual glances take them each to what interests them.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
But-- as they would discover, all was not well here. Martin thought they needed Fillory-- a place of enchantment. When in fact,
Fillory
needed them.
Jane is drawn to a gnarled tree. Her eyes widen-- seeing A
LARGE CLOCK in its TRUNK .
JANE CHATWIN
Rupert, Martin, have a look at this..."Magicians" / 05-10-14 14.NARRATOR (V.O.)
It is here that the true evil at
the heart of the Fillory story in reality begins to rear its fearsome head. Not the story we know and love. Rather, a story we dread...
EXT. TURTLE BAY STREET - NIGHT
Quentin, on the bench, reading, enthralled, suddenly jolted
from his reverie by--
A loose leaf of paper FLYING OUT and SAILING across the
street.
INT. COLUMBIA LIBRARY - ENTRANCE/ELEVATOR - SAME TIMEJulia enters in a hurry, crosses to an open elevator, gets
in, hits a button for the third floor.
EXT. TURTLE BAY STREET - SAME TIMEQuentin DASHES into TRAFFIC and chases the paper into the
dark throat of an alley, as--
INT. COLUMBIA LIBRARY - ELEVATOR - SAME TIMEThe elevator doors close. And it begins to DESCEND. Julia
is annoyed. Hits the button again for the third floor. But no good. It’s going down.
EXT. TURTLE BAY ALLEY - SAME TIMEQuentin follows the soaring page as it TUMBLES airborne
around the corner, which opens into--
A FENCED-IN COMMUNITY GARDENPlants a slumbering winter grey, the ground frozen crunchy. INT. COLUMBIA LIBRARY - ELEVATOR - SAME TIMEJulia descends. She SIGHS. Really? And descends.
EXT. TURTLE BAY COMMUNITY GARDEN - SAME TIMEJust as Quentin has that almost supernaturally elusive page --
WHOOSH, it’s gone, taking him deeper into the garden . Where--
A thin spray of SUNLIGHT illuminates bits of green, living
plants... the further he goes, the BRIGHTER the light, the
more ALIVE the flora, until WITHOUT A CUT Quentin emerges through a hedge of flower-saturated vines onto--"Magicians" / 05-10-14 15.EXT. A VAST, PERFECT GREEN LAWN - DAY
Rolling countryside in high late summer.The paper is gone. Quentin stops. Looks around, confused.
Pollen floats. He takes a breath. And SNEEZES as--
INT. COLUMBIA LIBRARY - ELEVATOR - NIGHTThe elevator doors part. Finally. Julia again hits the
third floor button. But: the doors stay open. And she’s not in any Columbia Library sub-basement. She can see she’s in--
INT. ARCHITECTURALLY MODERN BUILDING - HALLWAY - DAYFine floors, clean lines, huge windows. Not the library.
Julia is completely confused. She gets off to see what the
what. Turns back to the elevator.
But there is no elevator . The fuck? Rather, there is a
handwritten sign on a brass stand.
TO EXAMINATION --->
Julia considers. In the absence of a better option-- she decides to follow the sign. And she passes a WINDOW without glancing out--
But framed in that window, WE SEE Quentin. In the distance.
EXT. OUT ON THAT VAST LAWN - CONTINUOUSQuentin heads toward this building, still generally baffled--He passes a young man leaning against a tree: 20s, skinny,
preppy in that sloppy way that also looks hip, an air of effortless self-possession. He’s smoking. ELIOT.
QUENTIN
Hey. Um, hi? Where
am I?
ELIOT
(snaps cigarette away;
bored)
Upstate New York. Allow me to be your chaperone, since I clearly have nothing better to do.
EXT. A CONCRETE PATH - MOMENTS LATER
Quentin scrambles to catch up with Eliot’s quick stride."Magicians" / 05-10-14 16.QUENTIN
So, what is this place? Do you
live here?
ELIOT
If you can call it living.
They arrive at an etched-metal sign identifying the imposing building before them as: BRAKEBILLS HALL.
ELIOT
Little friendly advice: don’t ask too many questions. Just go with it. It’ll all make sense eventually. And try to
look like
you belong.
Eliot leaves Quentin, looking totally fucking baffled.
EXT. BRAKEBILLS HALL - LATERQuentin sits on a bench, overcoat off. He still has the
Fillory notebook. He’s distractedly TWIRLING a coin over his
fingers, sleight-of-hand-style, as he takes in:
What looks like a well-funded university campus, buildings a melange of the stately and old married to the freshly-built modern. And no bikes, cars, buses . Silent, empty.
Quentin pulls out his cell phone: NO SERVICE.
He notices something cut into the bench. A school crest: a
shield and within,
a bee and a key. He peers at it, curious.
When a man comes toward him: DEAN FOGG, 50s; correct,
traditional, mild... behind his eyes, always sizing you up.
DEAN FOGG
Quentin Coldwater, Henry Fogg, you may address me as Dean.
(in motion)
Welcome to Brakebills University. You’ve been offered a Preliminary Examination for entry into our Graduate Program.
QUENTIN
Am I hallucinating?
DEAN FOGG
If you were, how would asking me help? So: want to take the test?"Magicians" / 05-10-14 17.QUENTIN
...I haven’t prepped for any--
DEAN FOGG
There’s no way to study for this,
though you could say you’ve been preparing for twenty-three years.
Quentin takes that in. Still lost. But now
intrigued.
INT. LECTURE HALL - DAY
Quentin is led in by Dean Fogg, who promptly abandons him,
heading to the front of the room. Quentin eyes the room-- row upon row of TEST TAKERS, each with a BLUE TEST BOOKLET and PENCIL in front of them: all his age or a bit older, male, female, all walks of life, curious and confused, whispering to each other. What is this place? Why are they here?
Quentin quickly grabs the only empty seat-- beside a
mohawked, tattooed, pierced young man with a Clockwork Orange-
level attitude. This is PENNY. Penny eyes Quentin with lazy menace. Quentin looks away, intimidated.
Quentin moves so quickly, he doesn’t notice-- way in the
back, on the other end of the room, behind a pillar... is JULIA, eyeing the room with a sharp quizzical look.
DEAN FOGG
I know you have questions. They will be answered in time. Right now your only job is to pass the test before you. Begin.
The whispers die down as everyone turns to their booklet.
Quentin opens to the first page: impossible math problems.
Shit. He looks up, looks around-- is everyone else having the same reaction? But everyone’s at work. He looks down--
And his page has CHANGED. It is now full of ESSAY QUESTIONS.
What the
fuck?! He stares, befuddled. Rubs his eyes.
Considers, looking around...
The punk guy beside him, Penny, throws Quentin a glare, like
eyes on your own paper, asshole.
Finally, because he’s not quite sure what else to do, Quentin
picks up his pencil and begins.
Meanwhile, Julia is having the same reaction to her test
booklet, only more so. "Magicians" / 05-10-14 18.She picks it up, examines it-- weirded out and suspicious.
She raises her hand, but is ignored. No one comes to help, to answer her questions.
Finally, Julia picks up her pencil, hesitantly...INT. BRAKEBILLS UNIVERSITY - HALL - DAYQuentin waits outside an imposing door. Up and down the
hall, GUYS and GIRLS wait at other doors. Whispering, exchanging observations, curious, weirded out, excited...
Doors open and PROFESSORS usher in prospective students one
by one. Then the doors shut again. The Profs are curt, serious. No pleasantries. No time to waste.
Sometimes, under a door, there’s a FLASH OF LIGHT or CURL OF
SMOKE.
A GUY near Quentin enters a room-- clearing Quentin’s line of
vision down the hall. Where he is astounded to see--
--
Julia. Waiting. She sees him. Lights up. RACES to him--
JULIA
Oh, my God! Quentin?! I don’t
even-- how’d you get here?
QUENTIN
I can’t really... explain it-- but--
JULIA
Me either, I mean, it was-- nuts--
QUENTIN
Thank God, thank God--
JULIA
Thank God what--
QUENTIN
Thank God you’re confused too. I thought I was-- I mean, I just started these new meds--
PROFESSOR MARCH (O.C.)
Quentin Coldwater?
PROFESSOR MELANIE MARCH , 30s, voluptuously lovely under her
academic attire. Emerging from the imposing door.
At the same time, Julia’s door is opened by PROFESSOR VAN DER
WEGHE, 60s, musty sweater, smiling kindly. "Magicians" / 05-10-14 19.PROFESSOR VAN DER WEGHE
Julia?
INT. JULIA’S INTERVIEW ROOM - MOMENTS LATER
The size and charm of a cell. An excited Julia can barely
stay in her seat across from Professor Van Der Weghe.
JULIA
So, are you gonna tell me how I-- I mean, I was in the library, how did I get here, what
is this--
PROFESSOR VAN DER WEGHE
It’s what you think it is, Ms. Jarrett, you’ve just been given an examination of your magical aptitude.
JULIA
...magical...
PROFESSOR VAN DER WEGHE
We had reason to believe you possess certain nascent abilities.
JULIA
...okay, I mean...
She struggles with this. But also-- some part of her goes still, knowing it’s true. Stunned, quiet--
JULIA
I used to think that, that I--
PROFESSOR VAN DER WEGHE
(kindly)
Yes, and perhaps you did at one time. Regrettably, you failed the written examination. I’m here to prepare you to go home.
Beat. She stares.
JULIA
What?
PROFESSOR VAN DER WEGHE
It’s all right. We’ll provide an alibi for your missing time--"Magicians" / 05-10-14 20.JULIA
Wait. Are you penalizing me for--
I didn’t do well on that test
because-- it was insane-- the
questions kept changing, it made no sense, any sane person would--
PROFESSOR VAN DER WEGHE
Be that as it may--
JULIA
(riled up, now)
No: don’t you
want smart students?
Who make actual inquiry instead of
just accepting like sheep--
The look he gives her is so infuriatingly compassionate she knows time is running out to turn this around. Plaintively:
JULIA
Can I start over? Please? I can’t-- I can’t just go to
Yale if I know
this place exists!
PROFESSOR VAN DER WEGHE
That’s why I’m going to make sure you don’t remember a thing.
Julia’s eyes widen as Van Der Weghe calmly stands, rolling up his sleeves neatly... and as he APPROACHES HER--
UNDER THE TABLE-- without the professor seeing-- Julia YANKS
UP a sleeve and DEEPLY SCRATCHES her arm with her ring, drawing a bright, glistening LINE OF BLOOD.
INT. AN ENORMOUS INTERVIEW ROOM - LATER
Quentin stands with Professor March, waiting as Dean Fogg and
FOUR PROFESSORS confer in WHISPERS at a long table.
Quentin stares at them, trying to put together what’s going
on. As the profs speak, ignoring him, he notices--
Professor March idly twirls a pencil on her thumb. Except-- The pencil, impossibly, HOVERS centimeters above her hand,
twirling mid-air for a long moment.
Quentin stares at this trick.
Is it a trick? Just as it
dawns on Quentin-- he is truly watching something impossible--
Dean Fogg swivels to Quentin."Magicians" / 05-10-14 21.DEAN FOGG
Quentin. Let’s see some magic.
The room tense, Quentin accepts a deck of cards from March
and self-consciously begins shuffling-- SHOWS a card--
DEAN FOGG
No. Magic. Real magic.
Quentin falters. He just said “ real magic.” Stunned-- yet
excited-- he shuffles again, hands shaking... DROPS a card--
Quentin sees the other profs exchange looks of unsurprised
disappointment. He’s blowing it. Shit. Shit.
QUENTIN
I’ll try, I mean, I’ll--
DEAN FOGG
You’re wasting my time.
(up now, moves at Quentin)
You like this place? Gut feeling it’s special? Want to go back to Columbia, the pointless, miasmic march to death you call life? Family that never calls, friends who don’t get you, feeling wrong and alone till it crushes you--
QUENTIN
No--
DEAN FOGG
Then quit fucking around!
QUENTIN
Stop it--
As he speaks, Fogg gets in Quentin’s face and grabs his arm--
DEAN FOGG
DO SOME GODDAMN MAGIC!
Quentin JERKS away, angry, cards FLY everywhere--
QUENTIN
--I said stop it!
--the cards FREEZE IN MID-AIR.
And every card is a QUEEN . Standard suits, plus newly: Queen
of Horns, Queen of Clocks with two braids, Queen of Books with Julia’s face. Some clothed, some naked."Magicians" / 05-10-14 22.QUENTIN
...oh, my God... am I-- doing this?
And, the cards SLICE air in an abrupt WHIRL onto the table--
QUENTIN
I am fucking--
--to form a perfect House Of Cards.
QUENTIN
--DOING THIS!
The professors stare. Silence. Quentin takes a numb step
back. Delighted. Dumbfounded. Shaking. Sweating.
DEAN FOGG
Well. I think we can all agree. You passed.
Quentin meets Fogg’s eyes. Fogg looks extremely satisfied. Quentin’s shocked, THRILLED, wide-eyed, an entire, unbelievable new universe suddenly his for the taking...
...and then he FAINTS to the floor.
BLACKOUT.
END OF ACT ONE"Magicians" / 05-10-14 23. ACT TWO
THE SLOW TICK, TICK, TICK OF A CLOCK .
Quentin walks toward the sound. As WE REVEAL he is now--
EXT. A FILLORY FOREST - DUSK
The TICKING comes from a clearing ahead. Quentin looks
around in wonder. Can’t believe he’s really here. It’s just like the world of the book. Jesus. What next? He moves into the clearing and now faces:
A huge ancient TREE with a CLOCK embedded in its trunk.
Quentin walks closer, reaches a hand out--
ENGLISH GIRL’S VOICE (O.C.)
I wouldn’t.
Quentin looks up. Jane Chatwin is sitting in the tree.
JANE CHATWIN
Playing with time is such difficult
magic. You’ll just make it worse.
QUENTIN
...Jane? Chatwin? From the books?
He looks at the clock, trying to understand.
QUENTIN
Make what worse?
When he glances back to the bough, no Jane, then--
BAM! Suddenly, Jane’s inches away, terrifying him.
JANE CHATWIN
And it won’t stop him coming.
QUENTIN
Who?
JANE CHATWIN
The Beast.
The forest DARKENS, like a shadow spreading. A LOW RUMBLE
RIPPLES through, making leaves SHIVER and FALL from the
trees. The RUMBLE almost sounds like... an animal GROWL.
QUENTIN
The--?"Magicians" / 05-10-14 24.JANE CHATWIN
He’s going to find you. You’re the
one he wants. You’re in the school-- it’s all set in motion now.
The leaves SWIRL now; and among them, BUZZING INSECTS. The leaves form a sort of broad TWISTER. Hiding something
shadowy... is that... vaguely the shape of a MAN?
JANE CHATWIN
You have to learn.
QUENTIN
Learn
what? What are you--
JANE CHATWIN
Look down.
Quentin does. He is standing on a cobblestone pathway.
JANE CHATWIN
You’re on the garden path. Stay on, the Beast will kill you. He’ll kill everyone.
Step off the path
or--
Suddenly, the growl bursts into a ROAR as that whirlwind of leaves and black moths RUSHES DIRECTLY FOR QUENTIN-- a blinding, buzzing, frantic cyclone ENGULFING HIM--
INT. BRAKEBILLS - INFIMARY - MORNING--Quentin bolts awake, looks around, takes in the pale dawn
light in the window, the locked cabinet of medicines, the lightly SNOOZING SCHOOL NURSE in a corner chair.
SAME SCENE - A JUMP CUT LATERThe School Nurse is taking Quentin’s blood pressure.
SCHOOL NURSE
You passed out. Happens the first
time.
QUENTIN
First time...?
SCHOOL NURSE
...you do a Major Incantation. Most kids hurl. Thanks for not.
Quentin stares at her. Major Incantation. It all happened."Magicians" / 05-10-14 25.INT./EXT. MORNINGSIDE HEIGHTS - JULIA’S APARTMENT - MORNING
Julia pulls back the curtains, YAWNS out at grey, busy, cold
Manhattan.
SAME SCENE - A JUMP CUT LATERStill in pajamas, she heads to her desk, where a PRINTOUT of
her finished paper lies beside her computer, ready to go.
She picks it up... and notices something odd. Huh. She hits
a number on her cell.
JULIA
James? Did I send you my paper to
proof last night?
INT. JAMES’ APARTMENT - SAME TIME - INTERCUT
James is still in bed, half asleep.
JAMES
Uh-uh.
JULIA
But I always send it to you.
And it’s not in format. Wait, did I-- did we see each other last night...?
JAMES
Uh, no, you called me from the library, said you were tired.Hey. Did you wake and bake? Without me?
JULIA
No, I guess I just...
Julia looks down-- and SEES that DEEP SCRATCH on her arm. She trails off, eyes widening-- a SHOCK OF RECOGNITION.
DEAN FOGG (V.O., PRE-LAP)
Magic? Is real.
INT. BRAKEBILLS - DEAN FOGG’S OFFICE - DAY
Quentin sits, magnificent breakfast before him, doesn’t touch
it, just listens to the Dean, who eats like a condemned man.
DEAN FOGG
But you’ve gathered that."Magicians" / 05-10-14 26.QUENTIN
Have I?
The Dean keeps chewing, gestures--
DEAN FOGG
Four year program, graduate level
studies, begins immediately, try the bacon, local, they raise the pigs on cream and walnuts.
QUENTIN
How’d you find me?
DEAN FOGG
(points)
Globes.
Quentin turns. One whole wall is all shelves of globes.
Modern, rainbow, silver, ancient, some dustily ordinary; others shimmer magically. A few hover without stands, slowly
spinning, with actual, undulating miniature weather patterns.
DEAN FOGG
Sense magic. Not always right. So we test.
QUENTIN
How’d my friend do?
(off Fogg’s blank look)
Julia.
DEAN FOGG
Ah. Didn’t make the cut.
(off Q’s surprise)
It happens.
QUENTIN
Not to her, she always makes the cut, she
is the cut. She’s the
single best-- everything I’ve ever--
DEAN FOGG
Well. Things work a little differently here.
(quickly moving on)
My apologies for the rocky road. We certainly didn’t intend for Bob to die on you.
QUENTIN
The alumni guy...?
(off Fogg’s nod)
...worked for you?"Magicians" / 05-10-14 27.
(MORE)(another nod from Fogg)
Was he... murdered?
DEAN FOGG
(somber head shake)
Snuck a box of Oreos.
QUENTIN
Magicians can’t eat Oreos?
DEAN FOGG
Diabetics can’t eat Oreos.
QUENTIN
What about the paramedic?
(off Fogg’s blank)
The woman. With the braids.
First thing Quentin’s said that gets Fogg to stop chewing.
DEAN FOGG
(wants to get past this)
Right. She’s a scout. Sort of,
um... freelance. Any more questions? I’ve got another twenty-four of you...
QUENTIN
Okay, ‘be a magician?’ Is it
legal? Are you trying to take over the world, or-- ?
DEAN FOGG
Being a magician
is the world.
Seeing it, understanding it-- shaping it.
(then)
This school exists for a single, timeless purpose: to reveal your innate abilities, then hone them to the highest level. What you do after that is entirely up to you.
(happily slathering toast)
Wanna take over the world? We don’t teach it, but give it a go.
(crunches into his toast)
I need your answer, Quentin.
There, on the tablecloth in front of Quentin, a short
contract, about as magical looking as a rental agreement .
Quentin picks up the excruciatingly ordinary pen and signs. "Magicians" / 05-10-14 28.
QUENTIN (CONT'D)DEAN FOGG
Friends and family will be sent
your exciting news, early acceptance to a highly prestigious Masters program. Now.
(holds out hand)
Your meds.
Quentin is quiet. Still. Defensive.
DEAN FOGG
Quentin. You haven’t been depressed, you’ve been alone. You’re not crazy, you’re angry. And you’re right. “Everybody medicates.”
Somehow Fogg knows he said that to Julia...?!
DEAN FOGG
Out
there. Here, we hope you won’t
need to.
Quentin produces the prescription bottle from his pocket . He
tosses his meds into a trash can with a metal CLANG--
EXT. BRAKEBILLS UNIVERSITY - WIDE AND HIGH - DAY
--that becomes a class BELL RINGING across a campus now FULL
OF GRAD STUDENTS and FACULTY. All, we sense, fit in here,
even if they never did anywhere else. Like: Two GUYS play chess, moving pieces
without touching them ; a
BOHO 23-year-old plucks a flower, hands it to her GIRLFRIEND--
the bloom CHANGES COLOR as she touches it; two FRIENDS roughhouse and just as #1 TACKLES... #2 DISAPPEARS.
Standing on the steps of the DORMS, Quentin watches all this
with a look of pure fuckin’ wonder.INT. BRAKEBILLS - QUENTIN’S DORM ROOM - DAYOn one side of the room, half-unpacked boxes marked with
Quentin’s name. On a shelf, his Fillory editions.
Quentin enters, freezes, seeing... A ROOMMATE is unpacking.
QUENTIN
Um, hi, are you my--
The other guy straightens-- it’s Penny, the menacing mohawked
guy from the exam. He recognizes Quentin immediately."Magicians" / 05-10-14 29.PENNY
What up, roomie?
Quentin isn’t happy. And he looks over to his side of the
room. And-- his eyes narrow and he beelines for the shelf --
QUENTIN
I had a notebook, right here. “Fillory and Further, Book Six.”
PENNY
You think I, what, stole it? A fucking kid’s book?
There’s a cursory KNOCK, then the door opens. Eliot enters like he owns the place, having overheard--
ELIOT
I would.
MARGO (O.C.)
So would I. What are we doing?
MARGO HANSON enters. 24, stunning. Knows her effect-- hair, stride, voice, packaged to instill intelligent distrust in females, idiotic lust in males . As in, Quentin and Penny .
MARGO
(to Eliot, re: Quentin)
He’s not
that cute.
Margo sees the bookshelf--
MARGO
Ooh. Fillory.
(fake British accent)
“But where is the door, Martin?
There’s always a door to Fillory when we really need it, in the clock, or the closet, or-- my panties--”
Eliot snorts, Penny snickers, Quentin reddens.
EXT./INT. BRAKEBILLS - VARIOUS SHOTS AROUND CAMPUS - DAYNearly all EIGHTY-SIX STUDENTS are now in school .
ELIOT (V.O., PRE-LAP)
First years live in the dorms.
Then, depending on your talent, you go to the House with your emphasis."Magicians" / 05-10-14 30.Eliot and Margo lead Quentin on a FAST-CUTTING MONTAGE
through a MYRIAD OF CAMPUS LOCALES ...
MARGO
Or you flunk out, in which case,
buh-bye, but you wouldn’t care ‘cause you won’t remember.
IN THE HEDGE MAZE...
ELIOT
Physical Kids. Telekinesis, move shit, lift shit, most can fly.
As he says this, the three walk under pairs of male and female FEET. LEVITATING above them. Quentin gapes. Then--
QUENTIN
What’re you?
Eliot takes a step, FLOATS and walks in mid-air.
LEVITATING KIDS (O.C.)
(from above)
Eliot.../ Hey, Eliot.../ ‘Sup, El?
IN A LIBRARY ALCOVE...
ELIOT
Then there’s Illusions, Healing, Nature, Knowledge...
They pass A WITCHY GIRL staring into ANOTHER GIRL’S eyes.
ELIOT
Psychics. Know what they are?
His back turned to the girls, Eliot silently mouths ‘ Losers.’
Both Psychics turn to him. In unison, TELEPATHICALLY:
THE TWO PYSCHIC GIRLS IN UNISON (V.O.)
Fuck off, Eliot.
ON THE EDGE OF THE LAWN
A curious phenomenon: the three are standing in the warm
sunlight-- right next to a SHEET OF RAIN and a cold, grey, fall forest beyond. Two utterly distinct climates.
ELIOT
Edge of Brakebills. Over there is, great big boring mini-mall everything else. "Magicians" / 05-10-14 31.
(MORE)If you really want to know what’s
happening out there, which who the fuck cares, there’s a pay phone-- your cell won’t work. And you can check your email in the library, computers work there, half the time anyway, there’s so many enchantments everywhere electronic stuff is always a gamble. You’ll get used to it. And don’t wander out there without one of us--
(gestures past the edge)
You won’t find your way back.
Quentin reaches his hand out, touches the wall of rain , then--
Notices a GROUP nearby , huddled, speaking quietly, smoking.
They look like they’ve lost sleep. Gaunt. Tense. Haunted.
ELIOT
Third Years. All of ‘em. Count.
QUENTIN
Eleven?
MARGO
Fourteen missing.
ELIOT
No one knows what happened. It was before we got here. And they won’t talk about it.
MARGO
But there are rumors.
Tons.
Someone fucked up a spell... or got pissed, used unauthorized magic, Virginia Tech with wands.
ELIOT
Margo. For all we know they flunked out. If something really happened, don’t you think the professors would
warn us? So we
don’t accidentally do it again?
INT. BRAKEBILLS - HALL - DAY
A few minutes before class, STUDENTS and TEACHERS criss-
cross, among them, Quentin.
Penny catches up, gives him a half-good-natured, half-asshole
ELBOW-- Quentin’s about to say something, when he CATCHES SIGHT of something. Penny follows his gaze, to see--"Magicians" / 05-10-14 32.
ELIOT (CONT'D)--Dean Fogg and Professor Melanie March in a corner , having a
low, heated conversation they catch just this snatch of:
DEAN FOGG
...there is no reason to--
PROFESSOR MARCH
--there’s every reason to--
DEAN FOGG
Panic them?
Quentin and Penny have slowed, now fascinated and drawn in.
They exchange a look: WTF?
PROFESSOR MARCH
They’ll hear the rumors eventually--
DEAN FOGG
If they do, just reiterate: No unauthorized magic. That simple.
Stay on the fucking garden path .
Quentin goes tingly-numb at that phrase, turns to Penny--
QUENTIN
(whispers)
Did he say--?
PENNY
Sh.
Dean Fogg hears-- sees Quentin and Penny and warns them off with a look. They quickly head off.
BLACKOUT.
END OF ACT TWO"Magicians" / 05-10-14 33.ACT THREE
INT. BRAKEBILLS - CLASSROOM - DAY
In the gallery, Quentin, Penny, plus 23 new faces, male,
female, all walks of life, all in their early 20s. The room
is a curious mix of state-of-the-art and arcane.
Professor March takes the lectern. Mind still churning.
Beginning her first lecture of the semester:
PROFESSOR MARCH
At the exam, each of you did magic. What was inside you was coaxed, then ripped out.
March’s gaze glides to the very back of the room, eye-pins:
PROFESSOR MARCH
For most of you. But Alice? Please?
ALICE. 21-ish, delicately lovely and utterly oblivious to it; intensely shy, ever ready for life’s worst. She walks to the front as if it were her gallows. Eyes on the ground.
Without a word, March presents her with a fresh marble. Alice sets the marble on the table... and her fingers move in
a kind of alien sign language . Her lips speak soundlessly.
KADY (O.C.)
(dry, under her breath)
Oooh, looks serious.
KADY ORLOFF-DIAZ, surfer-tough, difficult to impress.
Penny glances over his shoulder, curious to see who said
that. Penny and Kady’s eyes meet; she’s inscrutable, he grins wryly. He faux-whispers to her--
PENNY
Please? Artist at work.
This gets the smallest hint of a grin from the tough girl, which satisfies Penny. He turns around, pleased. Meanwhile--
Alice heard that, and glances nervously over, instantly sure
she’s being picked on. As usual. She takes a deep breath, redoubles her focus on the magical task at hand...
Her marble begins to GLOW HOT RED, heat distorting the air...
The room is silent with student awe. Okay, that is fucking
impressive. Professor March is pleased but not surprised."Magicians" / 05-10-14 34.The marble is now so hot it begins to sag and spread like
fresh lava. She CLAPS her hands together. Rubs them.
And-- in four quick, sure motions she pulls at the now-molten
marble like clay, fingers immune to the heat, giving it--
--four tiny legs, then----another pull and it has a head and she BLOWS on it, which
cools it, yes, but also--
brings it to life. A TINY HORSE,
it walks across the table.
GASPS RIPPLE from all the kids, not the least of all Quentin,
who is taken aback by how advanced she is. Even Penny and Kady stare in respectful envy.
Then SILENCE as they all watch the new tiny lifeform as it
travels the table-top with a glassy bik-bik-bik.
PROFESSOR MARCH
Dempsey’s Silent Thermogenesis; a lesser Cavalieri animation; some ward-and-shield I’ve never seen so maybe we should name it after you.
The class is mightily impressed-- many CLAPPING-- but Alice is mortified by the attention.
INT. QUENTIN & PENNY’S ROOM - NIGHTPenny enters and beelines to his unmade bed to root for
something. He glances over at Quentin, who’s studying.
PENNY
So what do you think they’re not
telling us? Fogg and March?
QUENTIN
Did you hear something killed almost half the third years? Someone did a spell wrong-- blew them up, or...
(thinking it out)
“Stay on the garden path.”
Penny throws Quentin a huh? look, still searching...
QUENTIN
That mean anything? The phrase?
PENNY
Never heard it."Magicians" / 05-10-14 35.QUENTIN
Yes you did, when--
Eureka! Penny finds a single, bright marble on his desk.
PENNY
You keep studying, McGenius.
And with that, Penny’s out the door, stuffing the marble in
his pocket.
INT. JULIA’S APARTMENT - NIGHTJulia stands at the door, rumpled, hair up, looks like she’s
had more caffeine than food or sleep lately. She wears a semblance of a friendly smile, but she’s clearly blocking--
James, who’s standing in the hall, from entering.
JAMES
You were supposed to meet me two
hours ago at the library.
Oops. Eek. Julia realizes she completely forgot.
JAMES
No big deal, just stood me up, again-- are you mad at me?
JULIA
No. No. I’m-- not feeling well.
JAMES
Still? Maybe you should see a doctor--
Her eyes flick to her desk, her computers-- a desktop monitor and her laptop. Where she wants to be.
JULIA
You’re right. Tomorrow.
JAMES
I can take you.
JULIA
In the morning?
She blows him a kiss, smiling.
JAMES
I’ll call you--"Magicians" / 05-10-14 36.JULIA
Muwah.
She shuts the door, heads back to her desk. We see now how
messy the place is. At her cluttered desk, she opens her laptop, pulls the desktop window back up--
And now we see: it’s tab after tab of INFORMATION ABOUT
MAGIC. Wikipedia entries. Spell “recipes” from pagan websites. YOUTUBE VIDEOS on both screens-- in one, a MAN LEVITATES on the street. In another, a GIRL at some kind of goth-y gathering SHOOTS FIRE FROM HER FINGERS.
On the laptop, a POST-IT. With a list of crossed out words:
Break Bull
, Break Bills , Breakbill . And circled: BRAKEBILLS.
Julia sits down and immediately gets back into clicking, binging information. SEARCHING.
EXT. BRAKEBILLS - LAWN - DAYQuentin eats a sandwich as he straddles a stone bench,
practicing with the marble sitting on its surface. He holds
a textbook in his lap. ETUDES FOR THE HAND, VOL. I. Beside
him, his LAB PARTNER, JOSH, a chubby, friendly, self-
deprecating type we can tell is in over his head.
Quentin reads an incantation aloud. It’s in difficult,
strange Estonian. Simultaneously, he moves his fingers in a
pattern requiring a high level of dexterity. And then:
Nothing happens to the marble. Josh and Quentin sigh. Shit.
NEARBY, PENNY AND KADY sit at a table. Penny works
fruitlessly on his marble. He looks up--To see Kady, bored, peeling an orange.
PENNY
What, you’re not even gonna try?
KADY
Getting stuff to move isn’t my
problem. I actually have the opposite problem.
PENNY
Which is?
Kady rolls her eyes. Shakes her head no.
KADY
You heard ‘em at orientation.No unauthorized magic. "Magicians" / 05-10-14 37.Penny sits back, eyes her. Interesting... and kinda hot.
PENNY
You know unauthorized magic?
Show me.
KADY
(”no way”)
Dude.
PENNY
Talk the, walk the.
KADY
Suck the.
But with an eye-glint, Kady RISES, makes sure no one is
looking-- then plants her feet, and--
SHOVES THE AIR in a quick, martial motion with her palm...Her marble SHOOTS off the table in a bullet-like BLUR--WE TRACK KADY’S MARBLE IN SLOW MOTION ACROSS THE QUADZINGING past an unknowing PROF’S head, BILLOWING a GIRL’S
HAIR, PUNCTURING a paper someone is reading--
--WHIZZING right by Quentin and Josh, then KER-CHUNK!
EMBEDDING itself in a tree trunk.
Quentin and Josh look up at it, blinking-- then follow the sound of SHRIEKING, AWED LAUGHTER back to--
--Penny and Kady, clutching, HOWLING like hyenas. Josh shakes his head, turns to comment to Quentin-- and
notices Quentin is now watching--
ALICE, sitting alone on the lawn. She carefully executes the
spell-- and the marble rolls IN A PERFECT CIRCLE over a book.
Alice feels eyes on her-- looks up, sees Quentin staring--Quentin gives a tight smile and looks away. SIGHS.
JOSH
Don’t even compare yourself. She
comes from a family of Magicians.
Quentin takes that in . Eyes Alice with envy."Magicians" / 05-10-14 38.EXT. BRAKEBILLS - QUAD - MAGIC HOUR
Quentin and Josh sit with Eliot and Margo, passing a flask
between them. Blowing off steam, relaxing for a moment.
Alice walks by, toting books. Margo NOTES the look passed
between Josh and Quentin.
MARGO
Ah. One of those every year.
QUENTIN
One of what?
MARGO
Overachiever, usually female, shy yet knows they’re the shit, universally reviled.
Alice has become aware of eyes on her, squares her shoulders.
MARGO
(calling to Alice)
Hey-- sweetie-- don’t take it personally!
Alice looks over, confused... then sees on their faces that she’s the butt of things again. She moves past quickly.
Quentin watches her go, feeling a little bad.INT. QUENTIN & PENNY’S ROOM - LATERPenny and Kady kiss roughly, half naked. Then Kady holds up her hand, palm out. And-- a PINK GLOW
starts inside, illuminating sinews and veins. Penny lifts a
brow, impressed.
KADY
Hold on, that’s not the good part.
She touches him with the glowing hand. He sucks in air-- FUCK, that feels amazing. And then
his skin GLOWS PINK.
Kady runs her hand down his body to below frame. She strokes, leans in to kiss him again.
KADY
So, what can
you do?"Magicians" / 05-10-14 39.INT. QUENTIN & PENNY’S ROOM - LATER
The bed is rumpled but empty. A faint GLOW falls on the
sheets from above. We follow it up-- it gets stronger--
Till WE FIND Penny and Kady HOVERING near the ceiling,
entwined, fucking. Threads of pink snake under their skin like an illuminated circulatory system, beautiful, eerie.
INT. QUENTIN & PENNY’S ROOM - LATERPenny catches his breath. Kady stares at her hand, watching
the last of the glow flicker out. She smiles dreamily.
KADY
I’m gonna sleep so good.
She sees-- a shadow cross Penny’s face. Good-naturedly--
KADY
What, I can’t sleep here? Fuck you.
PENNY
No, ‘course you can. Just-- I don’t sleep so well lately.
Kady can tell that he’s turned serious. More gently--
KADY
Why not?
PENNY
Because I’ve been self-medicating hard and now my sleep is fucked.
KADY
Why, like ADD or something?
PENNY
No. I hear voices.
(fake casual laugh)
Now you can’t wait to escape.
Not exactly, not
quite yet... but she’s cautious.
KADY
Voices.
PENNY
But-- I swear I’m not actually crazy. I mean, I thought I was too, believe me, but I’m not."Magicians" / 05-10-14 40.KADY
How do you know?
PENNY
When I came here it’s all they
wanted to talk about. Fogg, everyone. Not even weirded out. Just, “Oh, telepath, interesting, tell us all about it.”
KADY
Okay, tell
me all about it.
PENNY
Well... so this one, the main voice I guess? Says it’s a Magician. Half my life, I been hearing this whisper, “Move your hand, say these words,” and they were all spells. Set my bed on fire when I was ten.
KADY
Shit.
PENNY
So... thought I’d come here, actually learn all the magic, and they’d, I dunno, shut up. But it’s kind of... getting worse.
KADY
Worse, how?
PENNY
Saying, “Help us.” They’re in this place, another world...
KADY
Other
world?
PENNY
Yeah, that’s another thing. There’s other worlds. Other planes or something. There’s entire
books
in the library about it. Tons. Like it’s no big deal.
KADY
Okay. I don’t know where to start.
PENNY
So clearly, I’m made of cushiony, five hundred thread count boyfriend material."Magicians" / 05-10-14 41.KADY
Eh. But you’re a quality bang.
(smiles, kissing him)
We’ll see about the rest.
INT. LIBRARY - STACKS - NIGHT
Alice scans shelves, holding a page of jotted titles.Quentin approaches. He CLOCKS the paper, which features a
DISTINCTIVE CIRCULAR SIGIL drawn among the words.
QUENTIN
Hey. Alice.
Alice turns-- sees that it’s Quentin-- goes cold and hard.
QUENTIN
Look, my friends, the other day,
they were just--
ALICE
Cruel? Unoriginal?
QUENTIN
I’m sorry.
Alice turns back to the books. Quentin can see that despite her protestation, she’s plenty hurt. More softly--
QUENTIN
Look... honestly? It’s my fault they said that to you.
(off her surprise)
They just see how jealous I am. You’re the best, it’s easy for you--
ALICE
No, I study.
QUENTIN
And you
get it, I barely--
He realizes what he’s about to say. Stops. Then decides to say it anyway.
QUENTIN
I’m terrified I’m gonna get kicked out. I need this place. I... look, I never had friends who understood, or
parents who--"Magicians" / 05-10-14 42.ALICE
What? Because my parents are
useless crazy people who never taught us a drop of magic. You think my family is an advantage, you are misinformed. There. Anything else I can help you feel better about, or you good?
Alice walks away.
EXT. BRAKEBILLS - QUAD - DAYFully autumn. Dark skies, leafless trees, EVERYONE bundled.
WE FIND Quentin near the Admin Building in--
INT. AN OLD SCHOOL PAY PHONE BOOTH - CONTINUOUS
QUENTIN
(into phone)
Sorry, I just got your email, cell
phones don’t work up here--
EXT. COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - SAME TIME - INTERCUT
Here, it’s winter. James walks through snow flurries, on
cell phone. He is not happy.
JAMES
My
fifth email--
QUENTIN
I’m working, I’m sorry-- just tell me what you meant by--
JAMES
I mean
not herself. I mean barely
talks to me, not eating, looks like a fucking
ghost-- she’s not Julia.
Quentin is sobered by all this.
QUENTIN
Why-- what happened?
JAMES
If I knew, would I need high and mighty fucking
you back here?!
QUENTIN
Okay."Magicians" / 05-10-14 43.JAMES
It’s her birthday. I’m sure you
forgot that too. I’m throwing a party.
QUENTIN
Okay, party, great--
But James hangs up. Leaving Quentin hanging.
ELIOT (O.C.)
Party?
Quentin turns to see an expectant Eliot and Margo.
INT. BROOKLYN BAR - NIGHTHip, cozy neighborhood spot. James and FRIENDS drink, laugh
over gag gifts. Julia sits with James. Trying
unsuccessfully to be engaged. Still gorgeous, but there’s a tense, raw air about her.
Quentin, looking same-old-Quentin, enters with Eliot in
very
nice, laid back evening clothes, and Margo in a party dress.
JAMES
Q! Holy shit! Back from the wars!
James goes to embrace Quentin, seemingly friendly as a puppy.
But then James fixes Quentin with a meaningful, hard look.
Julia looks to Quentin. Her smile distant. She rises--
QUENTIN
Jules-- so good to--
JULIA
You too...
She pats him on the arm and moves past, to the bar. INT. BROOKLYN BAR - AT THE BAR - MOMENTS LATERJulia leans on the bar, trying for the BARTENDER’S attention.
JULIA
Hey-- ‘
scuse me?-- Jack and coke?
A MAN turns to look at her. 30s, mild, button-down shirt,
loose tie, suit. He smiles, friendly. This is PETE.
PETE
I saw the balloons and all over there-- happy birthday."Magicians" / 05-10-14 44.She looks away. More depressed than peevish.
PETE
Or not?
JULIA
Yup. So fuck off. Thanks.
Julia throws a bill down on the bar as the bartender arrives
with her drink. She swipes it and walks away.
EXT. BROOKLYN BAR - BACK PATIO - MOMENTS LATERIt’s cold. Julia is alone, sitting on a table, smoking,
pensive, as Quentin exits the bar and approaches her.
JULIA
Let me guess. “James is so worried, what’s going
on with you?”
He is unsure, hesitates; she flicks ash. Meets his eyes.
JULIA
I need you to tell them they were wrong about me.
QUENTIN
...who?
JULIA
Fucking.
Brakebills.
Quentin’s taken aback. Julia stares at him mercilessly.
JULIA
Say “What’s Brakebills?” I will stab you. Tell them test me again.
QUENTIN
How--?
JULIA
--do I
remember? I dunno, maybe
I’m a mutant, maybe--
She pulls up her sleeve-- where she left herself that scratch on the forearm. Her arm is now deeply scored with MANY CUTS.
JULIA
--I wouldn’t let myself forget.
Quentin is taken aback. Distressed. Then, quietly--"Magicians" / 05-10-14 45.QUENTIN
They’ll just erase your memory
again--
JULIA
I should be there--
QUENTIN
What happened to should be at Yale--
JULIA
--that was before I knew there was something else-- who
cares about
fucking business school, would
you?!
QUENTIN
Look. You have to be able to do certain things to--
JULIA
God, were you always this smug?
She snaps away her cigarette, intent, annoyed. And begins to
move her fingers. Not elegantly, the way we’ve seen at Brakebills. It’s jerky, uncertain. But she seems to be doing... a spell? And it’s also clear it won’t work.
Then she flicks her fingers and MULTICOLORED SPARKS FLY FROM
THEM, falling to the table, SMOLDERING like a dozen
sputtering matches. She tamps them out with her hands.
JULIA
You have no idea how long it took me. To find a spell that was
real.
QUENTIN
Look. I don’t know what to tell you about-- that. All I know is, I’ve never seen you like this-- you’re hurting yourself and--
JULIA
They cut off my
life.
QUENTIN
Your life is here--
JULIA
Please. Be my friend.
EXT. BROOKLYN BAR - NIGHT
Quentin shrugs into his coat, in mid-conversation with Eliot:"Magicians" / 05-10-14 46.ELIOT
Quentin, this is serious, it’s bad--
QUENTIN
That she wants to get in?
ELIOT
That she remembers.
Margo approaches-- to Quentin--
MARGO
Oh my God I died of boredom ten
times in there--
(notes tense silence)
What?
INT. BROOKLYN BAR - WOMEN’S ROOM - SAME TIME
Julia heads for the sink, checks herself in the mirror, hates
what she sees there, natch, starts to damage control...
As she leans forward, a button POPS off her blouse .
JULIA
--great--
--the button ROLLS around the sink, she reaches for it as----another button POPS, then another, into the sink -- and now
it’s
all her buttons and her blouse is open-- and suddenly--
--her blouse is JERKED up over her head, YANKING her arms
straight up-- ZIPPING OFF her body, around her WRISTS-- like silk handcuffs, BINDING her hands together--
--as she’s JERKED off her feet, knocking the wind out of her--
HITS the floor HARD and is DRAGGED by some invisible force--
To a WALL, where she SLAMS against the radiator-- and the
shirt tails LASH around grill, TYING HER to it. Trapped.
And then, the sharp SNAP of the DOOR LOCK-- CLICKING SHUT. She hears a FOOTSTEP. From the shadows, a man ambles
casually toward her, the guy from the bar-- Pete. He beams a
gentle, gee-who-me? smile.
PETE
Hi.
BLACKOUT.
END OF ACT THREE"Magicians" / 05-10-14 47.ACT FOUR
EXT. BROOKLYN BAR - NIGHT
Quentin argues with Eliot and Margo.
QUENTIN
She can do magic.
MARGO
And you think that means anything?
Go on YouTube, there’s a video of George Bush drunk, laughing, making magical air ripples. Unless they took it down again.
ELIOT
We get she’s your friend--
MARGO
You mean crush that never came through--
Eliot shoots Margo a shut up look.
ELIOT
Look--
plenty of people can eek out
some piece of nothing. Doesn’t mean they have
potential.
QUENTIN
But how can Brakebills know--?
ELIOT
That’s not even the point. Julia doesn’t want to go to
Brakebills--
QUENTIN
Believe me, she wants it--
ELIOT
What she wants is not to fail. ‘Cause has she ever? At anything?
QUENTIN
What’s your point?
MARGO
One way you know you’re a Magician-- magic is probably the first time it felt like you succeeded at anything, ever. Magic doesn’t come from talent, it comes from
pain."Magicians" / 05-10-14 48.QUENTIN
Oh, give me a break-- you’re rich,
you’re beautiful, you’re from LA. Whatever you want, you can rent it, buy it or fuck it.
MARGO
You’re right, I’m amazing, I really can’t fathom why my mom tried to abort me.
INT. BROOKLYN BAR - WOMEN’S ROOM - SAME TIME
Pete kneels over Julia. Touches her exposed skin lightly.
PETE
How’s it feel to lay there and know
I can do whatever I want to you?
Julia’s terror and hopelessness peaks-- every muscle flexed, eyes wide-- he leans close to her--
Then in a spasm, she moves her fingers BLUR-QUICK-- and
SPARKS SHOOT. Like a
fucking blowtorch.
Pete JUMPS up and back, Julia’s SPARKS IGNITE her wrist-bonds and they BURST into BLUE FLAMES-- then she’s up, hands free, FLAMES still burning from her fingertips--
PETE
(laughing, delighted)
Awright! I knew it! I knew it!
She comes at him, fast--
PETE
Wait, wait, wait, no--
Pete’s fingers TWITCH A SPELL-- WIND kicks up, BLOWS OUT Julia’s FLAMES. Julia stares--
JULIA
What the
fuck-- you psycho rapist
motherfucker--
PETE
Hey, hey, no-- I would never, I swear. I just needed to see if I was right.
(this stops her)
You think that school’s the only place that tracks the gift? We’ve been watching you a while now, almost as long as they have..."Magicians" / 05-10-14 49.JULIA
Who’s “we”...?
EXT. BROOKLYN BAR - SAME TIME
Quentin, Eliot and Margo.
MARGO
It’ll be better once she forgets.
It’s just torturing her. We’ll tell Dean Fogg. He’ll handle it.
Quentin can’t argue with that. He meets their eyes.
QUENTIN
No. Let
me talk to Fogg.
Eliot makes a gesture of sure, hands off. Margo nods.
INT. BRAKEBILLS - LIBRARY - NIGHT
Almost deserted. Quentin, alone at a table, struggles to
stay awake to finish studying. His eyes start to close--
BAM BAM BAM! A very insistent knock on a door--
He sees-- it’s coming from behind a locked door: RESTRICTED.Quentin gets up cautiously-- goes to it... a GROWING BRIGHT
LIGHT now seeps from under the door--BAM BAM BAM! There it is again, on the other side--
QUENTIN
Um... hello? Do you need--
WHAM! The door flies open--
QUENTIN
...help...?
And HE SEES, in the blinding bright--EXT. FILLORY CEMETERY - DAYBeautiful light; rows of trees, some flowering. A BIRD flies
low-- and we see, it has TWO HEADS. It alights--
--on an ELABORATE TOMBSTONE. REVEAL this is a cemetery, ancient, mossed-over. Among
headstones, sculptures of FANTASTICAL CREATURES-- phoenix, griffon, sphinx."Magicians" / 05-10-14 50.QUENTIN
The fuck...
Quentin turns around-- the door is gone. The library’s gone.
JANE CHATWIN (O.C.)
I almost died here in Book Five,
remember? My brother...
Quentin finds little Jane, perched cross-legged, holding a BOW AND ARROW-- sitting on the grandest tomb in the cemetery. The tomb is inscribed:
RUPERT CHATWIN.
JANE CHATWIN
...not so lucky, you’ll recall.
Atop the tomb, looming over little Jane, a 20-foot statue of
Rupert, frozen mid-run, leading a charge. Heroic. Timeless.
JANE CHATWIN
‘Course, I have my revenge in Book Six-- but how would you know that--
QUENTIN
(seizing this)
Where is it? The notebook-- Book Six-- I
had it, and it just-- I
turned the whole dorm upside down--
JANE CHATWIN
Funny thing about Fillory, you don’t really decide when to go,
it
decides. If you deserve to. Which I think we see you do not, as yet.
(soft, a warning)
You haven’t listened, Quentin. You’re stuck firm to that path.
Jane points an arrow at his head.
JANE CHATWIN
It’s going to kill you. Do you understand?
Quentin stares at her, exasperated.
QUENTIN
No, I don’t under--
Frustrated, Jane SHOOTS AN ARROW-- it WHIZZES CLOSE past Quentin’s shocked head-- then THUNK. The two-headed bird falls, arrow through it. "Magicians" / 05-10-14 51.JANE CHATWIN
I know you like Brakebills--
BLINK, Jane’s on the ground and approaching him.
JANE CHATWIN
I know you feel you finally belong--
but that place isn’t the point--
and you won’t be there long--
QUENTIN
(deeply uneasy now)
Shut up. This is a dream. You’re a fictional English schoolgirl stuck in my brain from back when I read those books over and over--
JANE CHATWIN
You know I’m not.
QUENTIN
Look, Brakebills is the first place that feels
right to me that’s not a
fucking fairy tale--
JANE CHATWIN
Brakebills is a tool. You feel
right because you’re starting toward your destiny. You are meant to be a powerful Magician.
(stalking toward him)
Quit clinging, start questioning, seek real answers that will help you
fight.
QUENTIN
Okay, okay-- back off--
Quentin turns--
And sees: a wall of Rupert Chatwin’s tomb is now SMOLDERING.
A large SIGIL BURNING ITSELF into the stone. Quentin recognizes--
the SIGIL on Alice’s paper in the library.
QUENTIN
I know that symbol-- what does it--
Jane GRABS HIS WRIST--
JANE CHATWIN
Find out, won’t you?
--and SLAMS his hand against the red-hot wall-- he SCREAMS--"Magicians" / 05-10-14 52.INT. BRAKEBILLS - LIBRARY - NIGHT
Quentin JERKS AWAKE at his table, gasping--Then-- winces. Realizing something’s still wrong. He looks
down at his hand in his lap. Opens the palm....
Revealing the SIGIL. BURNED in his palm.Quentin stares at it, bewildered and uneasy. EXT. BRAKEBILLS - QUAD - DAYAlice walks to class alone. Quentin catches up to her, falls
into step.
QUENTIN
You were looking for something in the library the other day--
ALICE
I’m late.
QUENTIN
You had a page, with a symbol--
ALICE
Go away.
Quentin grabs her arm, to stop her walking, holds up his palm. Showing her the sigil. She freezes. Eyes wide.
QUENTIN
What does it mean?
ALICE
How did you get that?
He gives her a look: I’ll tell you if you tell me. Alice considers. Then, resolute, all business.
ALICE
Okay. Tonight. Midnight. Meet me at the admin building. And find an Estonian-English dictionary.
QUENTIN
(the sigil on his hand)
What’s this mean?
ALICE
“Contact the other side.”"Magicians" / 05-10-14 53.QUENTIN
The other side like... seance shit?
ALICE
Which we’ll be doing. Once we get
the book I was looking for, which apparently got pulled off the shelves two years ago.
QUENTIN
Pulled? Which means, locked up in the Dean’s private collection. Which means, needs to be stolen. Right?
(her look says: so?)
Right, and I don’t want to get kicked out, and I
really don’t
wanna be that guy who dies in the first ten minutes of the movie because he said, “Sure, get out the Ouija board, what could
possibly
happen...”
ALICE
You wanna cheat off my labs? You want a tutor, you want straight A’s? I can do that for you. But you have to help me with this. For some reason you’re involved. So
be
involved.
INT. ADMIN BUILDING - NIGHT
Quentin and Alice face Dean Fogg’s locked door. Alice tries
a WHISPERED SPELL. The lock doesn’t budge. Shit.
Quentin pulls out a baggie of faintly blue powder. He pours
some into his hand, then BLOWS it into the keyhole.
BEAT... then a CLICK as the lock opens. Alice throws him a
look-- surprised, impressed.
QUENTIN
I hang with a bad crowd.
He gestures for her to lead the way.
INT. DEAN FOGG’S OFFICE - NIGHTQuick cuts of Quentin and Alice scouring shelves... until
finally they find a small book EMBLAZONED WITH THE SIGIL ."Magicians" / 05-10-14 54.INT. QUENTIN & PENNY’S ROOM - SAME TIME
Kady, half-dressed, in bed, lazily flips through flashcards
as Penny paces, polishing off a beer, distracted.
KADY
(reading off card)
Do you start etude five with your left hand or right?
(no answer)
Trick question, it’s a two-fister.
(looks up)
Hello?
Penny pops a pill, troubled. He apparently didn’t hear her.
KADY
Penny? PENNY!
He finally hears her, looks to her--
KADY
The fuck is wrong with you?
(realizing)
You can barely hear me.
He stares, frustrated, distracted by voices only he hears.
PENNY
They’re getting louder. Saying I have to help, now.
KADY
How?
He meets her eyes.
INT. LAB - NIGHTAlice and Quentin, the English-Estonian dictionary open, as
she stops, mid-transcription.
ALICE
Shit.
QUENTIN
What? It’s going good, this all makes sense--
ALICE
It does, we can do it, but
we can’t
do it. We need..."Magicians" / 05-10-14 55.Just then, the door opens. Looking bewildered, Penny enters,
followed by Kady. Surprised to see anyone here--
PENNY
Oh. Hi. So...
He seems to hear something, then focuses on the others.
PENNY
You guys need... immediate help with something?
ALICE
Four people. It says we need four people.
Whoa. Quentin and Alice share a moment.
INT. LAB - LATERJars of murky substances and a small pile of animal bones
litter the countertop. A large rectangular mirror is propped by the table. The four Magicians stand over a glass bowl of bubbling, fatty liquid.
KADY
So, what’s the deal, what do we--?
ALICE
We finish this, do the spell, and we’ll apparently see a visage through the mirror.
PENNY
Whose “visage”?
Alice finishes scrawling something on a slip of paper, then tosses it into the opaque bubbling liquid.
ALICE
Just someone I knew from years ago, okay? His name is Gabe, he died horribly, it’d be nice to say hi.
Quentin considers her, wondering at the rest of the story.
QUENTIN
It’s 11:59.
ALICE
The book says it’ll happen at twelve."Magicians" / 05-10-14 56.She cuts her thumb with a knife, letting blood drip into the
bowl. She passes the knife; everyone’s donating blood.
The liquid in the bowl goes perfectly black and still . They
hold their breath. Look in the mirror. Nothing.
PENNY
Well?
Alice looks over her notes, frustrated.
ALICE
It should have... I mean,
everything here...
JUMP CUT - A HALF HOUR LATER
All four realize it’s a no, but only Kady heads for the door.
KADY
I’m hungry. Sorry, I am.
Penny’s right behind her.
PENNY
Let us know if shit gets exciting.
With that, Penny and Kady go. Alice sits heavily, staring
into the mirror. Quentin watches her awkwardly. Finally--
QUENTIN
I’ll help clean up.
INT. LAB - NIGHT INTO MORNING
The lab is spotless again. Alice is still here. Alone. The
light changes, morning coming, and she sits staring at the mirror. Nothing. She’s near tears.
Finally, pulls herself together. Leans the mirror against a
back wall. Picks up her things. And goes.
The mirror sits. Innocuous. Or... is it? And the mirror FOGS UP. As if from the inside. And in the
fog, lines appear, drawn by an invisible finger on the other side of the wall..."Magicians" / 05-10-14 57.ACT FIVE
EXT. SKETCHY BROOKLYN STREET - DAY
Factories, office buildings. Many derelict. EXT. ABANDONED TALL BUILDING - DAYJulia, bundled up, looking uneasy, approaches the door.
Beside her, Pete, office casual, relaxed.
PETE
Allow me.
He knocks at the graffiti-etched black-glass door. Then he pulls up his sleeve and holds his arm up. Showing his series
of tattoos--
all stars, and within each star, a keyhole .
The door opens.
INT. HEDGE WITCH SAFEHOUSE - MOMENTS LATERJulia follows Pete in. Tangles of extension cords snake
everywhere. Printer paper and canned goods line walls.
Julia takes it in as she walks past doors. One room holds
orphan furniture, books, murky SPECIMEN JARS. SEVERAL PEOPLE
pore over a binder of XEROXED SPELLS. Hardened, intent.
Makeshift bedrooms-- in one, a COUPLE, nicking their palms
and bleeding over a ritual bowl of herbs. In another, THREE
PEOPLE entangle in the shadows, fucking on the mattress.
JULIA
(whispering)
Are all these people-- ?
PETE
Hedge witches. Yes.
He leads her into a dim stairwell--INT. SAFEHOUSE STAIRWELL - MOMENTS LATERThey climb.
PETE
Few helpful rules.
(ticks ‘em off)
Don’t demand,
ask. Safety first.
Be patient; no one levels up in a
day. And don’t leave your purse lying around."Magicians" / 05-10-14 59.Julia’s stunned. Can this be real?
JULIA
So this is, what, exactly?
PETE
The real fuckin’ world.
INT. TOP FLOOR - MOMENTS LATER
This floor is abandoned, in condemnable shape. They enter.
JULIA
What’s... up here?
PETE
Just us.
Suddenly, Julia’s apprehensive.
PETE
If you want to know what we know, I
have to be able to trust you. So. Prove you trust
me.
Pete leads her to a large plastic tarp. Which he YANKS DOWN, revealing a huge, broken, floor-to-ceiling, open window .
PETE
Jump.
JULIA
That’s funny.
PETE
Or go.
Julia stares at him.
JULIA
You’re saying... what, you’ll catch me, or--
PETE
I’m saying if you want this,
jump.
She takes him in. He’s inscrutable. Enjoying this. Utterly in control, totally untrustworthy.
She eyes the seven story drop. Fuck. Climbs onto the ledge.
And freezes. Can’t. Turns back. Then JUMPS.
Right out into a hundred feet of empty air ."Magicians" / 05-10-14 60.INT. BRAKEBILLS - LAB - DAY
Desks in a U; students watch Professor Van Der Weghe at a
DEMONSTRATION TABLE. He drones on about the minute
differences between two excruciatingly similar GOLD KNIVES.
Alice takes notes, studiously focused, trying to let go of
last night. Penny, sitting in back, isn’t paying attention; he’s love-kicking Kady under the table.
Quentin settles into boredom, looks to the clock. 11:59 am.
Yawn. The professor turns on the Bunsen burner. The clock clicks over to 12 pm on the dot. And--The professor STOPS. Hand mid-air. Quentin stares, confused. Then tries to turn-- discovers
he
can’t move .
Everyone in the room is FROZEN. Eyes darting. What’s
happening?! And... A LOW RUMBLE shudders through the room. Exactly like in Quentin’s dreams. His eyes widen. Oh
no.
Something catches Quentin’s eye: the abandoned mirror propped against the wall. For a second, the glass seems to RIPPLE...
Then a BLACK MOTH FLIES OUT OF THE MIRROR. And ANOTHER MOTH. Quentin sees, emerging from the mirror--
A FIGURE: Masculine, tall. Human. More or less. In a
timeless grey suit. We’ll soon realize: this is THE BEAST.
Leaves HOVER around the Figure. They OBSCURE Its face .
MOTHS buzz around It-- appearing from nowhere, DRAWN to It. The effect is creepy, ominous--
just like in Quentin’s dream.
It moves casually, face hidden, intention impossible to read.
Quentin is wide-eyed with horror. He looks across the room-- Alice is staring in fear and worry, as frozen as he is.
The Beast strolls over to the professor, assessing. Makes an impossibly intricate motion with Its six-fingered hands.
Abruptly, the professor’s neck twists, SNAPPING. He crumples. The Beast steps over the body with Its fine shoes.
Alice’s eyes MEET Quentin’s . Desperate. Quentin hears
MUFFLED SOUND pushing through the thick air... The Beast turns to it:"Magicians" / 05-10-14 61.Kady. Somehow broken free. On her feet and spitting an
Incantation, harsh, fricative-- offensive battle magic. Her
hand motions made suddenly visible midair-- ABLAZE--
And The Beast is RATCHETED BACK BODILY into the table .
Kady moves her hands, Incanting fast, angry-- Penny, also frozen, is a billion emotions at once-- fear,
anger... and now, pride at his brave, fierce girl and--
The Beast starts to stand-- we see an AIR-RIPPLE from Kady’s
swift fingers that lands on the Beast, shoving It back--
But now the Beast makes a QUICK MOTION and--
Kady’s hands are YANKED out straight in front of her-- CRACK!
EVERY FINGER BREAKS-- she SHRIEKS--
Penny’s emotions all collapse into sheer, arctic horror--And then the Beast is RIGHT THERE, in front of Kady-- she’s
still trying desperately to move her broken fingers--
As the Beast slowly, lusciously RIPS Kady’s right EYE OUT--
--POPS Kady’s eye in Its mouth, chews, Kady SCREAMS,
clutching her eye socket, stumbling back. Then, the Beast
pulls her up, hands on her face, as though about to KISS her--
--OPENS ITS MOUTH... wide-- WIDER -- a WET SOUND as Its jaws
detach, snakelike,
TOO WIDE-- and It SWOOPS ON HER to RIP HER
FACE OFF WITH ITS TEETH .
Quentin concentrates all his effort on his hands -- FINALLY--
ONE FINGER twitches FREE -- he keeps pulling--
The Beast DROPS Kady’s half-eaten corpse to the ground. Then
It turns to look DIRECTLY AT QUENTIN . We SEE ITS EYES behind
the swirl of leaves and insects. Human, but NOT. Darker. They light up in recognition .
Quentin panics, desperate to move, hyperventilating-- frozen--as the Beast walks toward him .
Its bloody mouth twitching into a smile.
BLACKOUT.
END OF PILOT"Magicians" / 05-10-14 62. | screenplays |
Card Captor Sakura, Harry Potter The Fifth House of Hogwarts!
**Hi guy's just so u know this is my first CCS&HP fic. And I don't own**
**CCS or HP. And some of the ideas are not mine but I liked them so **
**I barrowed them. But the over all story is mine k? Enjoy.**
It was just after The Void and The Hope cards merged and now Sakura, Shouran, Tomoyo, and Meiling were at Sakura's house for lunch. As they were eating they herd the door open and two people entered the entrance hall.
"Watashi-tachi ga kurashite" they called together, as they walked into the dinning room.
"O kaeri nasai Oto-san, Nii-san" replied Sakura as they entered and sat at the table with them. When suddenly Shouran stood and bowed to Sakura's father, Fujitaka Kinomoto, and asked "Kinomoto-san may I please marry your daughter?"
Fujitaka watched as the boy in front of him continued the bowing. He was an easy going person and had seen this coming and he agreed that the boy was perfect for his little cherry blossom. But he let the silence stretch out longer then it had to, cuz he really enjoyed Sakura's embarrassed face, Tomoyo's and Meiling's fan girl faces, and Touya's angry face.
Fujitaka smiled and said "you have my permission to marry Sakura"
Shouran stood up with a smile on his face and replied "thank you sir"
Then Touya yelled at Sakura "you can't marry a genki!"
Sakura stood up pissed off and yelled back "he is not a genki! Besides we are perfect for each other and I bet that Hayate will agree with me!"
They all stared at her in silence and she stared back in bewilderment. She knew that the name was one she recognized, but she couldn't remember who Hayate was.
"Who's Hayate?" asked Meiling breaking the silence.
"I don't know but I feel as if he should be hear with us" replied Sakura
"Don't worry I will look into it" said her father and then continued "Sakura pack up all your stuff and get Kero and Yue. You're all going to live with Shouran in Hon Kong and Tomoyo and Touya will be going as well."
They looked at him in surprise and said simotaniously yell "WHAT!"
He chuckled and said "Yelan-sama sent a letter to me asking if you could live with her. so that she could train all of you in the Li-clan ways. Because she saw Shouran ask Sakura for her hand in marriage in a vision and I of course said yes"
Sakura ran up and hugged him, then said "thank you Oto-san"
Everyone then left to go pack there things. They were exited to be starting a new life in Hon Kong. And in all the excitement the question of "who is Hayate?" was for gotten. But a week into there new lives the name Hayate would come up again and Sakura would try to remember who he was; but she would be unable to do so. It would be five years before the found out who he was and why they HAD to find him at all costs…..
**ok that's it for know but the next one will be up soon. And if you have red my D.G.-Man story then the ch will go up this week k? please R&R thanks bye**
End file.
| fanfiction |
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