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Pieces of 8: Bones of the North

It was upper 90s today while we were all outside setting up a carnival to celebrate our nonprofit's 120th birthday.

Twenty minutes in, the wind took down our canopy, which I guess was lucky, since the lightning started two minutes later, forcing the police to drive by, call us a fire hazard, and shut the whole thing down. By the time we finished putting everything away, it was hot again.

It has been a long day. We left work and finished with lots and lots of wine. >_______>

On the plus side: I got a job offer from Habitat for Humanity back home in San Francisco today and I am stoked. =)

Pieces of 8: Bones of the North

Daisy rejoined her living friends just as Tiny Vamp -- somehow glowing like a fucking sunbeam, all brooding aside -- suggested tracking something somewhere. The Reaper could only assume. that meant the fucker who'd stabbed Veti had gotten away then. Probably just as well. She was pretty sure she'd have yanked his soul so fast, his ears would spin, and she wasn't sure how much more Death -- big D and little d both -- she could handle today.

She felt...tired. And sad. But more than that. Heavy. Like if she let herself, she could just sink through the earth and keep going, right on through whatever continent mirrored them on the other side of the planet, out into the stars beyond and wherever the hell she went from there. If she closed her eyes, she could see a tiny, ethereal Daisy, floating up from the earth, heels first, maybe content, maybe warm, maybe finally sure of something.

But probably not.

Tucked in the crook of her arm, Artie yapped quiet assent -- Veti was, indeed, alive, which was all the permission Daisy needed to put her back to a stone, somewhere just off the circle, careful not to repeat Veti's mistake. She slid down til her knees were against her chest, and just stayed there for a second, breathing, or something. Whatever the Reaper equivalent was.

In her mind, she could hear the ghostly growls of the werewolves she'd sentenced to premature Death. If she were lucky, they'd all been carried beyond the Gates. If not...well, at least she'd gotten Aislinn past any trouble. It almost made her smile to think of the old wolf teaching the Russian puppies a thing or two. And then her eyes found the empty mouth of the Shade Gate where Boss Man Wolf had yet to emerge. She stared at it until her eyes hurt, willing herself to move, finding herself not quite able.

It was Tiny Vamp's question that finally made her stand, slow enough she probably could have stared in her own arthritis commercial. She let Artie hop to the ground beside her where he immediately, helpfully-ly-ish, assumed the form of a large black bloodhound.

"Artie can track, too," she said in a stoic monotone. She looked at Jay-Jay, expression blank. "If you can get us close, he can takeover the rest."

Then she moved past, to Veti, ignoring Thad completely, vaguely afraid she would punch him in the face if she stopped to chat. Where the hell had he been when Veti was getting pin-cushioned?

There was an intriguing patch of empty space beside the shewolf's head. Daisy watched it as she spoke.

"Aislinn likes you," she said slowly. "Liked you. She says she's...glad it was her, and not you. She said.." Daisy paused, recalled, paraphrased. "She said you were like a sister to her." Now the Reaper did meet Veti's eyes. "She's okay now. She's safe."

Animorphs

Ugh Cassie.

Pieces of 8: Bones of the North

I meant to have a post up tonight, but I got a bit carried away in a TV marathon with friends (Orange it the New Black, anyone?), so it'll have to be tomorrow.

Grainsy, love, sorry for the wait!

Never Lose Your Hat!

Yeah, I noticed that. Don't worry about it, get it up when you can. =)

Pieces of 8: Bones of the North

Lovely to have you back, Heroes! Please take all the time you need.

Hellis -- have you seen the Life's Too Short sketch with Mr. Neeson? It will change your life.

Animorphs

Max didn't stop to think about how oddly coincidental it was was Jason and Iikka show up at the same place at the same time, at the site of some already bizarre event. It was unlikely she'd have ever stopped to consider it, even on a good day. To Max, nothing was impossible. Coincidences were small miracles. Miracles were her imagination brought to life. That the two schoolmates -- two other schoolmates -- she'd just left behind now appear at the crest of this strange occurrence was nothing less than standard.

But Max wasn't paying attention to miracles or coincidence now. Jason had showed up, his question pulling her out of a stupor, and after 911, she'd stopped listening to anything he'd had to say.

He was right. The thing that had crashed -- whatever it was -- had been some sort of...flying...thing. Like a car. With wings. But without wings. Whatever. It was a car with a driver (or a pilot?) and now it was rocking back and forth like the pilot was trying to get out.

Max never even considered there could be danger. She saw a person, probably panicking, hurt, afraid, maybe even dying and knew she couldn't just wait until the police found them. She shoved one hand deep in her pocket, found her old flip phone, and threw it to Jason as she dove forward. She only had a few more minutes for the month, but she was pretty sure emergency calls didn't count. If they did, she'd work the extra hours. It didn't matter. She wasn't about to just stand around while someone died in front of her she could have helped.

"Call 911!" she blurted, throwing him the phone as she ran to the smoldering wreckage. She never even noticed Iikka. "I'm gonna see if I can get them out!"

She dropped to her knees beside the weird thing and started looking for someway to open it. The heat coming off it blistered her fingers immediately. She didn't feel a thing.

"It's okay!" she cried, her eyes watering from the smoke. "We're gonna help, okay? Just...just stay alive!"

Animorphs

Imma get one up too. Max will attack the ship!

Pieces of 8: Bones of the North

Henry had a certain set of skills.

Pieces of 8: Bones of the North

Oh, I totally can't take any of the credit for that, guys. Heroes is the poet, guys, but thanks!