Fiction: Summary
Friday, 19 June 2015 09:23Fiction
The Psychic
The Psychic Wakes
Drawing Circles
Awakening
Coming
Information and Survival
Praise Me
Next
Safe
Shahin
How Long
Streets on Fire
The Castle That Fell
A Letter to School
Here Yet?
Dial Tone
Reply
Not Quite Poison
Kailani
School Planning
Need to Know
If Anyone Can
Presentation
Jamian
Fanciful
Do Something
Armageddon-it
Easy
Speed
Introduction
Vegas is not Maine
You're Welcome
Guest
Apple, by
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rix_scaeduSpeed: Trapped Again (Fiction of the Apocalypse)
Tuesday, 9 September 2014 10:03First: Introduction
Previous: Towards Vegas
July 29, 2011
Speed was never going to make it to Vegas - never.
The nice lady with the heart of gold had delivered him to his parents, which was uncomfortable enough. His stepmother had fussed and patted him and acted as if he was as young as the nice lady had thought he was, and his father had just looked at him like he was up to something.
Which, of course, he was.
But now he found himself locked up again, this time in his old room, but someone had cleaned it out. Which meant he didn't even have any of his toys.
He was just not going to make it to Aphrodite.
Previous: Towards Vegas
July 29, 2011
Speed was never going to make it to Vegas - never.
The nice lady with the heart of gold had delivered him to his parents, which was uncomfortable enough. His stepmother had fussed and patted him and acted as if he was as young as the nice lady had thought he was, and his father had just looked at him like he was up to something.
Which, of course, he was.
But now he found himself locked up again, this time in his old room, but someone had cleaned it out. Which meant he didn't even have any of his toys.
He was just not going to make it to Aphrodite.
Witness (fiction of the Apocalypse)
Tuesday, 2 September 2014 12:48First: Fanciful
Previous: Black Suits and...
July 23, 2011
The black-suits were attempting to be unfazed by Jamian, while attempting to intimidate him.
Of course, he wasn't all that easy to intimidate, and he was feeling particularly mulish at the moment - his children were here, and he'd gotten a bit fond of Ms. Emmons.
So he smiled brightly at them and kept asking difficult questions. And they kept not smiling back at him and kept asking very difficult questions back at Ms. Emmons.
It turned out she'd witnessed something. And she wasn't really clear what she'd witnessed, and they weren't really clear why it was important to them, but in the end, Jamian, with a generous helping of Daeva magic, managed to get them to go away.
He took a very deep breath and turned to Ms. Emmons. "I think you ought to come home with me tonight, ma'am."
Previous: Black Suits and...
July 23, 2011
The black-suits were attempting to be unfazed by Jamian, while attempting to intimidate him.
Of course, he wasn't all that easy to intimidate, and he was feeling particularly mulish at the moment - his children were here, and he'd gotten a bit fond of Ms. Emmons.
So he smiled brightly at them and kept asking difficult questions. And they kept not smiling back at him and kept asking very difficult questions back at Ms. Emmons.
It turned out she'd witnessed something. And she wasn't really clear what she'd witnessed, and they weren't really clear why it was important to them, but in the end, Jamian, with a generous helping of Daeva magic, managed to get them to go away.
He took a very deep breath and turned to Ms. Emmons. "I think you ought to come home with me tonight, ma'am."
Black Suits And... (Fiction of the Apocalypse)
Wednesday, 27 August 2014 09:27First: Fanciful
Previous: Mirrorshades
July 23, 2011
“Excuse me, can I help with something?” Jamian had learned the art of acting like he belonged somewhere back in college, and he shifted very imperiously to put himself between the mirror-shades and the classroom and then, slowly, between them and the proctor. “Ms. Emmons was just going to go over Cihan’s paperwork with me, and...” he trailed off, as if to suggest they were taking up far too much of his valuable time.
“We just need to get Ms. Emmons statement about the events last night.” The taller of the two black-suits and mirror-shades creeps had an imperious tone that matched and exceeded Jamian’s.
He turned up the heat with a brilliant smile that suggested no happiness at all. “I’m sorry, what organization did you say you were with?”
Witness
Previous: Mirrorshades
July 23, 2011
“Excuse me, can I help with something?” Jamian had learned the art of acting like he belonged somewhere back in college, and he shifted very imperiously to put himself between the mirror-shades and the classroom and then, slowly, between them and the proctor. “Ms. Emmons was just going to go over Cihan’s paperwork with me, and...” he trailed off, as if to suggest they were taking up far too much of his valuable time.
“We just need to get Ms. Emmons statement about the events last night.” The taller of the two black-suits and mirror-shades creeps had an imperious tone that matched and exceeded Jamian’s.
He turned up the heat with a brilliant smile that suggested no happiness at all. “I’m sorry, what organization did you say you were with?”
Witness
Mirrorshades (Fiction of the Apocalypse)
Tuesday, 26 August 2014 15:41First: Fanciful
Previous: What's Going On?
July 23, 2011
The new school proctor had been more or less broken in by now. She no longer gave him strange looks and no longer blessed his soul for raising his children; she had gotten bent out of shape when he brought in the kids’ birth certificates - the set Regine and Caitrin had provided that showed him as the father to all four - and didn’t raise her eyebrows nearly at all when the kids slipped on gender pronouns or called him Mom-Jay instead of Dad-Jay.
But today, it looked like she was in over her head. There were three people in black suits and mirrorshades talking quietly to her as she arrived, and she seemed to be almost in tears. She looked up at Jamian, held his gaze, and mouthed help.
Next: Black Suits And...
Previous: What's Going On?
July 23, 2011
The new school proctor had been more or less broken in by now. She no longer gave him strange looks and no longer blessed his soul for raising his children; she had gotten bent out of shape when he brought in the kids’ birth certificates - the set Regine and Caitrin had provided that showed him as the father to all four - and didn’t raise her eyebrows nearly at all when the kids slipped on gender pronouns or called him Mom-Jay instead of Dad-Jay.
But today, it looked like she was in over her head. There were three people in black suits and mirrorshades talking quietly to her as she arrived, and she seemed to be almost in tears. She looked up at Jamian, held his gaze, and mouthed help.
Next: Black Suits And...
Talking to Regine (Fiction of the Apocalypse)
Friday, 22 August 2014 10:05First: School Planning
Previous: There's a Solution, But...
July 21, 2011
“And that’s the last thing I could find. Yes, Director. I have my four best students on - no, Director, it’s not as if they wouldn’t notice anyway, and I’m good but I’m not omniscient, yes, Director, I am being a little bit mouthy. It’s a stressful situation, Director, I think you’ll agree, and I am not Grigori, as you are so fond of reminding me. As I was saying, I don’t have a better solution than a nuclear weapon or equivalent working yet - ‘better’ in this case, Director, being ‘less long-term damage and less collateral damage.’ People are dying, Director. I’m trying to - you know what? You know what I have. I’ll call you when I have more information.”
The phone clicking off sounded thunderous in the quiet room.
Previous: There's a Solution, But...
July 21, 2011
“And that’s the last thing I could find. Yes, Director. I have my four best students on - no, Director, it’s not as if they wouldn’t notice anyway, and I’m good but I’m not omniscient, yes, Director, I am being a little bit mouthy. It’s a stressful situation, Director, I think you’ll agree, and I am not Grigori, as you are so fond of reminding me. As I was saying, I don’t have a better solution than a nuclear weapon or equivalent working yet - ‘better’ in this case, Director, being ‘less long-term damage and less collateral damage.’ People are dying, Director. I’m trying to - you know what? You know what I have. I’ll call you when I have more information.”
The phone clicking off sounded thunderous in the quiet room.
There's A Solution, But... (Fiction of the Apocalypse)
Thursday, 14 August 2014 10:54First: School Planning
Previous: Please Let There Be a Way
July 19, 2011
“Eur... shit.” Kailani thumped her head down on the desk.
“Find something?” Conrad pushed a mug into her hand. “Drink something. It’s warm, careful.”
She sipped at tea. It was her favorite blend, but it tasted like ashes in her mouth. “I have an answer, a way to close the portals.”
“So why are you miserable?”
“Because it involves massive explosions, probably nuclear.”
“...oh.” He flopped down in the chair next to her. “Oh.”
Next: Talking to Regine
Previous: Please Let There Be a Way
July 19, 2011
“Eur... shit.” Kailani thumped her head down on the desk.
“Find something?” Conrad pushed a mug into her hand. “Drink something. It’s warm, careful.”
She sipped at tea. It was her favorite blend, but it tasted like ashes in her mouth. “I have an answer, a way to close the portals.”
“So why are you miserable?”
“Because it involves massive explosions, probably nuclear.”
“...oh.” He flopped down in the chair next to her. “Oh.”
Next: Talking to Regine
Please Let There Be A Way (Fiction of the Apocalypse)
Wednesday, 13 August 2014 09:41First: School Planning
Previous: There Has to Be a Way
July 17, 2011
Shahin had called her three times and Jamian twice in the last week; Regine had not called, but Professors Valerian and Pelletier had.
Conrad had taken messages for all but the first Jamian call. Kailani wasn’t talking to people - could not afford, at the moment, to take the time to talk.
She drank the shake her husband had put in front of her and kept reading. Somewhere in here there was a solution; somewhere in here there was a weapon.
Next: There's A Solution, But...
Previous: There Has to Be a Way
July 17, 2011
Shahin had called her three times and Jamian twice in the last week; Regine had not called, but Professors Valerian and Pelletier had.
Conrad had taken messages for all but the first Jamian call. Kailani wasn’t talking to people - could not afford, at the moment, to take the time to talk.
She drank the shake her husband had put in front of her and kept reading. Somewhere in here there was a solution; somewhere in here there was a weapon.
Next: There's A Solution, But...
There Has to Be a Way (Fiction of the Apocalypse)
Monday, 11 August 2014 16:08First: School Planning
Previous: Presentation
July 15, 2011
“Kaia...”
Kailani blinked and looked up. When last she’d noticed the time, it had been a little past noon. “When did the sun set?”
“About an hour ago. Kaia, are you going to eat?”
Kalani ran a hand through her hair, catching on three barrettes and a ponytail holder. “I should eat,” she allowed. “I’m almost there, though. I’ve almost got it.”
Conrad set a tray of food down to her left. “Here. I’ve put the kids to bed.”
Kai spared him a warm smile before she turned back to her research.
Next: There Has to be A Way
Previous: Presentation
July 15, 2011
“Kaia...”
Kailani blinked and looked up. When last she’d noticed the time, it had been a little past noon. “When did the sun set?”
“About an hour ago. Kaia, are you going to eat?”
Kalani ran a hand through her hair, catching on three barrettes and a ponytail holder. “I should eat,” she allowed. “I’m almost there, though. I’ve almost got it.”
Conrad set a tray of food down to her left. “Here. I’ve put the kids to bed.”
Kai spared him a warm smile before she turned back to her research.
Next: There Has to be A Way
The Danger of Gods (Fiction of the Apocalypse)
Sunday, 10 August 2014 14:55First: How Long?
Previous: Not Quite Poison
July 13, 2011
Shahin sat on the couch in the midst of her children; Emrys had a chair pulled up to one side of her and their Kept-slash-nanny Magda had one on the other side. They made a tidy little reading circle.
Arturo, their oldest, had the laptop balanced on his lap; Xiuhcoatl, just a couple months younger, was using Shahin’s tablet, and the girls were looking over a book with their mother.
“All right, so that’s Zeus. What do we have on Sekhmet?”
“Wikipedia says... ‘...was originally the warrior goddess as well as goddess of healing for Upper Egypt.’” Xiuhcoatl frowned. “That sounds dangerous.”
Bella shook her head. “Remember.” Her voice had the sepulcher tone Shahin was coming to hate. “A god is dangerous or not by their own will and yours, nothing else.”
Previous: Not Quite Poison
July 13, 2011
Shahin sat on the couch in the midst of her children; Emrys had a chair pulled up to one side of her and their Kept-slash-nanny Magda had one on the other side. They made a tidy little reading circle.
Arturo, their oldest, had the laptop balanced on his lap; Xiuhcoatl, just a couple months younger, was using Shahin’s tablet, and the girls were looking over a book with their mother.
“All right, so that’s Zeus. What do we have on Sekhmet?”
“Wikipedia says... ‘...was originally the warrior goddess as well as goddess of healing for Upper Egypt.’” Xiuhcoatl frowned. “That sounds dangerous.”
Bella shook her head. “Remember.” Her voice had the sepulcher tone Shahin was coming to hate. “A god is dangerous or not by their own will and yours, nothing else.”
Not Quite Poison (Fiction of the Apocalypse)
Friday, 8 August 2014 09:00First: How Long?
Previous: Reply
July 11, 2011
“I don’t like this.” Emrys pushed the discs of rowan across the table, one at a time.
“I don’t either, love. But do you want her to -” She ran the sandpaper over each disk in turn, very mindful of the dust.
“Well, and what’s wrong with it?”
“You only say that because you never went through it.”
“I only say it because it’s her birthright, and I don’t think poisoning her is a reasonable solution to anything.”
“It’s not... quite... poison.” But it felt thin to her ears.
Next:The Danger of the Gods
Previous: Reply
July 11, 2011
“I don’t like this.” Emrys pushed the discs of rowan across the table, one at a time.
“I don’t either, love. But do you want her to -” She ran the sandpaper over each disk in turn, very mindful of the dust.
“Well, and what’s wrong with it?”
“You only say that because you never went through it.”
“I only say it because it’s her birthright, and I don’t think poisoning her is a reasonable solution to anything.”
“It’s not... quite... poison.” But it felt thin to her ears.
Next:The Danger of the Gods
Reply (Fiction of the Apocalypse)
Thursday, 7 August 2014 10:16First: How Long?
Previous: Dial Tone
July 9, 2011
The letter was so buried - bills, postcards, junk mail - that Shahin almost missed its thick, heavy, reassuring presence.
Almost.
She opened it with a silver letter opener - something like this deserved the ceremony.
Shahin set the letter down carefully. “Emrys?”
Next: Not Quite Poison
Previous: Dial Tone
July 9, 2011
The letter was so buried - bills, postcards, junk mail - that Shahin almost missed its thick, heavy, reassuring presence.
Almost.
She opened it with a silver letter opener - something like this deserved the ceremony.
My Dear Ice Rapier,
The best thing I could tell you in normal circumstances would be “bring Bella here.”
However, as I am certain you have noticed, these are not normal circumstances, and I do not know how willing you would be to bring her here early in any case.
Make her a necklace of rowan and sage for those times when it becomes unbearable - but only for the unbearable times.
And I recall a story of a young lady who, herself, flowered young.
All my best wishes,
Shira Pelletier,
called Skin-Taker
Shahin set the letter down carefully. “Emrys?”
Next: Not Quite Poison
Towards Vegas (Fiction of the Apocalypse)
Wednesday, 6 August 2014 10:13First: Introduction
Previous: Escaping Maine
July 7, 2011
Speed was clean, clothed, fed, and feeling warmer and fuzzier about life than he had since he was wearing Gregori's collar.
(He wondered what the nice maternal lady and her nice sons, aged seventeen, fourteen, and twelve, would think if he tried to explain that. He decided he was feeling nice, and, besides, she really had done him a favor.)
"We should get you back to your parents, child."
"I really am over eighteen," he tried again, but he knew it wasn't going to work; she'd tut-tutted his actually-legit ID twice already.
"All right," he finally conceded. His folks would probably pay for a bus ticket and, anyway, they were on the way to Vegas. "Here's their number."
Next: Trapped Again.
Previous: Escaping Maine
July 7, 2011
Speed was clean, clothed, fed, and feeling warmer and fuzzier about life than he had since he was wearing Gregori's collar.
(He wondered what the nice maternal lady and her nice sons, aged seventeen, fourteen, and twelve, would think if he tried to explain that. He decided he was feeling nice, and, besides, she really had done him a favor.)
"We should get you back to your parents, child."
"I really am over eighteen," he tried again, but he knew it wasn't going to work; she'd tut-tutted his actually-legit ID twice already.
"All right," he finally conceded. His folks would probably pay for a bus ticket and, anyway, they were on the way to Vegas. "Here's their number."
Next: Trapped Again.
Escaping Maine (Fiction of the Apocalypse)
Tuesday, 5 August 2014 17:52First: Introduction
Previous: Driving to Maine
July 5, 2011
Hitchhiking wasn’t all that hard. It was harder to get away from the creeps without outing himself as fae, but it wasn’t like Speed didn’t have practice with that, too. Creeps were everywhere, especially when you looked like he did.
He was having a heck of a time, however, with this one - because she wasn’t a creep, she was a mom, and she was trying like heck to convince him to come home with her and let her feed him, let her give him something her son - her 17-year-old-son - had outgrown, because he was filthy, just filthy...
He saw a car pull up that looked way too much like the Big guy. “You know what, ma’am?” He put on his most innocent expression. “That sounds like a lovely idea... if you trust me in your car?”
next: Escaping Maine
Previous: Driving to Maine
July 5, 2011
Hitchhiking wasn’t all that hard. It was harder to get away from the creeps without outing himself as fae, but it wasn’t like Speed didn’t have practice with that, too. Creeps were everywhere, especially when you looked like he did.
He was having a heck of a time, however, with this one - because she wasn’t a creep, she was a mom, and she was trying like heck to convince him to come home with her and let her feed him, let her give him something her son - her 17-year-old-son - had outgrown, because he was filthy, just filthy...
He saw a car pull up that looked way too much like the Big guy. “You know what, ma’am?” He put on his most innocent expression. “That sounds like a lovely idea... if you trust me in your car?”
next: Escaping Maine
Driving To Maine (fiction of the apocalypse)
Thursday, 31 July 2014 09:10First: Introduction
Previous: You're Welcome
July 3
Speed woke up early, somewhere in a motel on the way to Maine. Maine. The big guy was snoring, the noises heavy and loud. He only did that when he'd been drinking - of course, he'd been drinking quite a bit since this road trip started.
The ropes were tight, but Speed had handled tighter. He began wiggling, as quietly as he could. If he did this right, he could be out of the ropes - and the gag - and out the door before the big guy even finished this dream.
It had been fun while it lasted, but Speed didn't want to go to Maine. He wanted to go to Vegas.
Previous: You're Welcome
July 3
Speed woke up early, somewhere in a motel on the way to Maine. Maine. The big guy was snoring, the noises heavy and loud. He only did that when he'd been drinking - of course, he'd been drinking quite a bit since this road trip started.
The ropes were tight, but Speed had handled tighter. He began wiggling, as quietly as he could. If he did this right, he could be out of the ropes - and the gag - and out the door before the big guy even finished this dream.
It had been fun while it lasted, but Speed didn't want to go to Maine. He wanted to go to Vegas.
You're Welcome (fiction of the apocalypse)
Sunday, 6 July 2014 21:16First: Introduction
Previous: Vegas is not Maine
June 29
“I really don't want to go to Maine.” Speed didn't think he was getting anywhere with this argument. “I mean, Maine? All the fun's happening in Vegas.”
“I don't think a goddess taking over the city counts as fun.” The big guy looped another length of rope around Speed's ankles. “Now. Are you going to be good, or am I going to have to add a gag?”
If he was gagged, he wouldn't be able to Work his way out of the ropes when the big guy had his back turned. “I'll be good.”
“You're still a lousy liar.” In the gag went, stretching Speed's mouth. Normally, this would be fun. Normally, he wasn't being kidnapped by his lover. “You'll thank me when you're still alive when this is over.”
“Mrrrm.”
“You’re welcome.”
Previous: Vegas is not Maine
June 29
“I really don't want to go to Maine.” Speed didn't think he was getting anywhere with this argument. “I mean, Maine? All the fun's happening in Vegas.”
“I don't think a goddess taking over the city counts as fun.” The big guy looped another length of rope around Speed's ankles. “Now. Are you going to be good, or am I going to have to add a gag?”
If he was gagged, he wouldn't be able to Work his way out of the ropes when the big guy had his back turned. “I'll be good.”
“You're still a lousy liar.” In the gag went, stretching Speed's mouth. Normally, this would be fun. Normally, he wasn't being kidnapped by his lover. “You'll thank me when you're still alive when this is over.”
“Mrrrm.”
“You’re welcome.”
Vegas is not Maine (Fiction of the Apocalypse)
Thursday, 3 July 2014 15:15First: Introduction
June 28
“You want to go where, puppy?” The big guy was running his hands through Speed's hair again, which he loved, and tugging on his ears, which he didn't quite love. But the big guy was generally nice, so Speed would probably stick around a bit longer, ear-pulling or not.
(His saluki Change had given him long, fluffy ears. He supposed he could understand someone liking petting them. But still...!)
“I want to go to Vegas. There's a goddess there calling herself Aphrodite.”
The big guy's hand stilled. “A goddess?”
“Well, she calls herself Aphrodite, and she doesn't look like a stripper, and she'd claimed Queen of Vegas.”
“Hunh.” There was something a bit terrifying about the way the big guy's hands settled on Speed's shoulders. “Maybe we ought to, mmm, go to Maine.”
Next: You're Welcome
June 28
“You want to go where, puppy?” The big guy was running his hands through Speed's hair again, which he loved, and tugging on his ears, which he didn't quite love. But the big guy was generally nice, so Speed would probably stick around a bit longer, ear-pulling or not.
(His saluki Change had given him long, fluffy ears. He supposed he could understand someone liking petting them. But still...!)
“I want to go to Vegas. There's a goddess there calling herself Aphrodite.”
The big guy's hand stilled. “A goddess?”
“Well, she calls herself Aphrodite, and she doesn't look like a stripper, and she'd claimed Queen of Vegas.”
“Hunh.” There was something a bit terrifying about the way the big guy's hands settled on Speed's shoulders. “Maybe we ought to, mmm, go to Maine.”
Next: You're Welcome
Intro to Speed (Fiction of the Apocalypse)
Tuesday, 1 July 2014 19:40Speed
June 26
“The Mayor of Las Vegas has repudiated all claims the so-called Aphrodite, Queen of Vegas” has on the City of Las Vegas...”
The news in the convenience store was droning quietly along. Speed pretended to ignore it as he picked up his “supplies:” beer, candy bars, condoms, can of beans, can of soup, hot dogs.
“Not gonna get any bigger if you keep eating like that, son, except maybe your belly.” The woman behind the counter was probably old enough to be his grandmother, but, then again, Speed looked a lot younger than he was.
He tilted his head and blushed prettily for her. “It's for my... my boyfriend,” he tried, just to see what she would do.
“Well, you tell your boyfriend, he better take better care of you, skinny boy. In my day we didn't treat our bottoms like that.”
Speed found his blush turning real, and ducked his head. “Yes ma'am.”
He wondered if he could talk the big guy into a road trip to Vegas. Would that count as taking care of him?
next: Vegas is not Maine
June 26
“The Mayor of Las Vegas has repudiated all claims the so-called Aphrodite, Queen of Vegas” has on the City of Las Vegas...”
The news in the convenience store was droning quietly along. Speed pretended to ignore it as he picked up his “supplies:” beer, candy bars, condoms, can of beans, can of soup, hot dogs.
“Not gonna get any bigger if you keep eating like that, son, except maybe your belly.” The woman behind the counter was probably old enough to be his grandmother, but, then again, Speed looked a lot younger than he was.
He tilted his head and blushed prettily for her. “It's for my... my boyfriend,” he tried, just to see what she would do.
“Well, you tell your boyfriend, he better take better care of you, skinny boy. In my day we didn't treat our bottoms like that.”
Speed found his blush turning real, and ducked his head. “Yes ma'am.”
He wondered if he could talk the big guy into a road trip to Vegas. Would that count as taking care of him?
next: Vegas is not Maine