The Ogress Queen « Result #1 on Mar 2, 2009, 12:30am »
People tell a story about a king who had seven wives but no children. When he married the first woman, he thought she would bear him a son. When she didn't, he married a second with the same hope. When she too turned out to be barren, he married a third, then a fourth, and then the others. But no son and heir was born to make his heart glad and to sit on the throne after him. Overwhelmed by grief, he was walking in a neighboring wood one day when he saw a woman of supernatural beauty.
"Where are you going?" she asked.
"I'm very miserable," he said. "I have seven wives but no son and heir to call my own. I came to this wood today hoping to meet some holy man who might bless me with a son."
"And you expect to find such a person here in these lonely woods?" she asked, laughing. "Only I live here. But I can help you. What will you give me if I give you what you wish?"
"Give me a son and you can have half my country."
"I don't want your gold or your country. I want you. Marry me, and you shall have a son. and heir."
The king agreed, took the beautiful woman to his palace, and married her that very week.
Very soon after that, all the other wives of the king became pregnant. However, the king's joy did not last long. The beautiful woman whom he had married was really an ogress. She had appeared before the king as a lovely woman only to deceive him and work mischief in his palace. Every night, when the entire royal household was fast asleep, she would rise and go to the stables and pens, and there she would eat an elephant, a horse or two, some sheep, or a camel. Once her hunger for raw meat and thirst for blood were satisfied, she would return to her room and behave as if nothing had happened. At first the king's servants were afraid to tell him they were missing some animals. But when the toll increased and more and more animals were taken every night, they had to go to him. He gave strict orders to protect the palace grounds and appointed guards everywhere. But the animals continued to disappear, and nobody knew how.
One night, the king was pacing in his room, not knowing what to do. His eighth and most beautiful wife said, "What will you give me if I discover the thief?"
"Anything. Everything," said the king.
"Very well, then. You rest now, and I'll show you the real culprits in the morning."
The king was soon fast asleep, and the wicked queen left the bedchamber and went straight to the sheep pens. She killed a sheep, filled an earthen pot with its blood, returned to the palace, went to the bedrooms of the other seven wives of the king, and stained their mouths and clothes with the blood she had brought. Then she went and lay down in the royal bedroom where the king was still sleeping. At dawn, she woke him up and said to him, "You won't believe this, but your other wives, all seven of them, are the true culprits. They eat live animals. They are not human beings; they are all ogresses. Beware of them. You too are in danger. Go now and see if what I say is not true."
The king did so, and when he saw the bloodstained mouths and clothes of his queens, he feared for his life and flew into a rage. He ordered that their eyes be put out at once and that they be thrown down a big dry well outside the city and left there to starve to death. And it was done.
The very next week, one of them gave birth to a son. The starving queens, nearly dead of hunger, couldn't help eating the newborn child for food. When another queen had a son, he too was eaten. As each of the other queens gave birth to a son, that child was devoured in turn. The seventh wife, who was the last to give birth, did not eat her portions of the other wives' children, but kept them till her own son was born. When he was born, she begged them not to kill him but take the portions she had saved. So this child alone was spared.
The baby grew and became a strong and beautiful boy. When he was six years old, the seven women thought they should show him a bit of the outer world. But how? The well was deep, and its sides were perpendicular. At last one of them thought of a way. They stood on each other's heads, and the one who stood on the top of all took the boy with her and put him on the bank at the well's mouth. The little fellow ran here and there and finally to the palace nearby, entered the kitchen, and begged for some food. He got a lot of scraps. He ate some of the food and brought the rest to his mother and the king's other wives.
This continued for some time. He grew bigger and taller. One morning the cook asked him to stay and prepare the dishes for the king. The cook's mother had just died and he had to go and arrange for the cremation of the body. The clever boy promised to do his best, and the cook left. That day the king was particularly pleased with the dishes. Everything was rightly cooked, nicely seasoned, and beautifully served. In the evening the cook returned. The king sent for him and complimented him on the excellent food he had prepared that day and asked him to cook like that every day. The cook was an honest man and confessed that he had been absent most of the day because his mother had died. He told the king that he had hired a boy to do the cooking that day. When he heard this, the king was surprised and commanded the cook to employ the boy regularly in the kitchen. From then on, there was a great difference in the king's meals and the service, and His Majesty was more and more pleased with the boy and sent him many presents. The boy took them and all the food he could carry to his mother and the king's other wives.
On the way to the well each day, he had to pass a fakir, who always blessed him and asked for alms and always received something. Some years had passed this way, and the boy had grown up to be a handsome young man, when one day by chance the wicked queen saw him. She was struck by his good looks. She asked him who he was and where he came from. The boy didn't know whom he was talking to and so told her everything about himself and his mother and the other queens in the well. And from that moment on, the wicked woman began to plot against his life. She pretended to be sick and called in a doctor. She bribed him to tell the king that she was mortally ill and that nothing but the milk of a tigress would cure her.
As a Man Soweth « Result #2 on Feb 18, 2009, 11:35pm »
When I was in junior high, the eighth-grade bully punched me in the stomach. Not only did it hurt and make me angry,wow gold but the embarrassment and humiliation were almost intolerable. I wanted desperately to even the score! I planned to meet him by the bike racks the next day and let him have it.
For some reason, I told my plan to Nana, my grandmother -- big mistake. She gave me one of her hour-long lectures (that woman could really talk).wow power leveling The lecture was a total drag, but among other things, I vaguely remember her telling me that I didn¡¯t need to worry about him. She said, ¡°Good deeds beget good results, and evil deeds beget bad results.¡± I told her, in a nice way, of course, that I thought she was full of it. I told her that I did good things all the time, and all I got in return was ¡°baloney!¡± (I didn¡¯t use that word.) She stuck to her guns, though. She said, ¡°Every good deed will come back to you someday, and every bad thing you do will also come back to you.¡±
It took me 30 years to understand the wisdom of her words. Nana was living in a board-and-care home in Laguna Hills, California. Each Tuesday,wow power leveling I came by and took her out to dinner. I would always find her neatly dressed and sitting in a chair right by the front door. I vividly remember our very last dinner together before she went into the convalescent hospital. We drove to a nearby simple little family-owned restaurant. I ordered pot roast for Nana and a hamburger for myself. The food arrived and as I dug in, I noticed that Nana wasn¡¯t eating. She was just staring at the food on her plate.wow power leveling Moving my plate aside, I took Nana¡¯s plate, placed it in front of me, and cut her meat into small pieces. I then placed the plate back in front of her. As she very weakly, and with great difficulty, forked the meat into her mouth, I was struck with a memory that brought instant tears to my eyes. Forty years previously, as a little boy sitting at the table.wow gold Nana had always taken the meat on my plate and cut it into small pieces so I could eat it.
It had taken 40 years, but the good deed had been repaid. Nana was right. We reap exactly what we sow. ¡°Every good deed you do wow gold will someday come back to you.¡±
A Thanksgiving Story « Result #3 on Feb 13, 2009, 12:35am »
It was the day before Thanksgiving -- the first one my three children and I would be spending without their father, who had left several months before. Now the two older children were very sick with the flu, and the eldest had just been prescribed bed rest for a week.
It was a cool, gray day outside,wow power leveling and a light rain was falling. I grew wearier as I scurried around, trying to care for each child: thermometers, juice, diapers. And I was fast running out of liquids for the children. But when I checked my purse, all I found was about $2.50 -- and this was supposed to last me until the end of the month. That¡¯s when I heard the phone ring.
It was the secretary from our former church, and she told me that they had been thinking about us and had something to give us from the congregation. I told her that I was going out to pick up some more juice and soup for the children,wow gold and I would drop by the church on my way to the market.
I arrived at the church just before lunch. The church secretary met me at the door and handed me a special gift envelope. ¡°We think of you and the kids often,¡± she said, ¡°and you are in our hearts and prayers. We love you.¡± When I opened the envelope, I found two grocery certificates inside.wow power leveling Each was worth $20. I was so touched and moved, I broke down and cried.
¡°Thank you very much,¡± I said, as we hugged each other. ¡°Please give our love and thanks to the church.¡± Then I drove to a store near our home and purchased some much-needed items for the children.
At the check-out counter I had a little over $14.00 worth of groceries,wow gold and I handed the cashier one of the gift certificates. She took it, then turned her back for what seemed like a very long time. I thought something might be wrong. Finally I said, ¡°This gift certificate is a real blessing. Our former church gave it to my family, knowing I¡¯m a single parent trying to make ends meet.¡°
The cashier then turned around, with tears in her loving eyes, and replied, ¡°Honey, that¡¯s wonderful! Do you have a turkey?¡±
¡°No. It¡¯s okay because my children are sick anyway.¡±
She then asked, ¡°Do you have anything else for Thanksgiving dinner?¡±
Again I replied, ¡°No.¡±
After handing me the change from the certificate, she looked at my face and said, ¡°Honey, I can¡¯t tell you exactly why right now,wow power leveling but I want you to go back into the store and buy a turkey, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie or anything else you need for a Thanksgiving dinner.¡±
I was shocked, and humbled to tears. ¡°Are you sure?¡± I asked.
¡°Yes! Get whatever you want. And get some Gatorade for the kids.¡±
I felt awkward as I went back to do some more shopping, but I selected a fresh turkey, a few yams and potatoes
, and some juices for the children. Then I wheeled the shopping cart up to the same cashier as before. As I placed my groceries on the counter, she looked at me once more with giant tears in her kind eyes and began to speak.
¡°Now I can tell you. This morning I prayed that I could help someone today, and you walked through my line.¡± She reached under the counter for her purse and took out a $20 bill. She paid for my groceries and then handed me the change. Once more I was moved to tears.
The sweet cashier then said, wow gold¡°I am a Christian. Here is my phone number if you ever need anything.¡± She then took my head in her hands, kissed my cheek and said, ¡°God bless you, honey.¡±
As I walked to my car, I was overwhelmed by this stranger¡¯s love and by the realization that God loves my family too, and shows us his love through this stranger¡¯s and my church¡¯s kind deeds.
The children were supposed to have spent Thanksgiving with their father that year, but because of the flu they were home with me, for a very special Thanksgiving Day. They were feeling better, and we all ate the goodness of the Lord¡¯s bounty -- and our community¡¯s love. Our hearts were truly filled with thanks.
Re: Caged and Matched « Result #6 on Nov 25, 2006, 9:00pm »
Chapter 1- Caught
Max was sitting on the Space Needle looking down at city she once consider her home. Still her home if you think about where she stays and who her friends are. But not when you think about the people living in the city who doesn’t want her and her people around. The cool breeze blew through her hair as she gives a once over look over the city. Standing up she made her way inside. A presence some where in the use to be restaurant made it self known and Max scan the area over. In the shadows a figure moves toward her and she quickly got into a fighting stance. Zach walks out into the open with his hands up in defense and Max relaxes.
“Nice that you are on the alert baby sister,” he said with a smile.
“Nice of you to snick up on me, what are you doing here?”
“Just checking up on you and making sure you are okay. I just got in touch with Krit and he says Syl and he made it home safely.”
“Any chance you’re going to tell me where home is?”
“Not a chance. Besides it good to have them on the outside, in case something should happen. At least they’ll be safe and some of the others they have with them. You know that say they have a place being built just in case something should happen here.”
“All for the best to let me know where they are. We’re not alone any more and we need to stick together in this. What if something should happen to them and you and we have no way of communicating with each other.”
“Nothing will happen to me Maxie or Syl or Krit. You worry too much and it’s that, that’s going to get you killed. I know what I’m doing.”
Max rolled her eyes and walks pass him to leave the Needle with Zach right behind her.
“So any word from Logan about the extra money we need?”
“He’s working on it. You know it’s not easy for him either being it’s a broken world and all. He needs the money more then we do.”
“Yeah but he is not the one with a thousand and so hungry and cold transgenics to worry about.”
“He’s helping isn’t he? Besides we can always pull off some heist to get some extra money.”
“That’ll be too dangerous.”
“I had done it before.”
They reached the bottom and move to their bikes tied next to a fence in the back of the Needle.
“And you don’t need to be doing it without me or someone else with you Max. It’s dangerous for you to be going out alone, especially with White after you.”
“You think the guy will give up after you save his son from his father,” Max said straddling her bike.
“I mean it Max.”
“You think I don’t know that Zach. I know alright.”
It went silent between them as they sat on the bikes in thought.
“I’m sorry Zach but I just got a lot on my mind and it helps when I’m up there by myself. I can think well when I’m up there.”
“I know Maxie,” he said giving her a hug. “But a lot of us are dying and I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
“I know Zach.”
They parted and drove off on their bikes back to TC.
….
The next day Max received a call from Logan to meet him over to his place. From the call it sounds very important, so after her quick bath over at OC she went over to Logan’s.
“Logan I’m here,” she yells opening the door without knocking. She shrugs out of her jacket and heads in the room she knows he’ll be at. “Hey.”
“Hey Max glad you can make. I hope I didn’t interrupt anything.”
“No just a quick dip over at OC nothing new. What you got?”
Logan walks over to his computer and grabs a print out off his computer’s desk and give it to Max. She looks down at a picture with a transgenic with several bruises on him. His skin was pale and his lips and eye lids were blue from what looks like from drowning, or by looking closely strangulation. The marks around his next prove just that. He must have been dump in the water afterwards.
“He was floating in the water when Sector cops found him in the water last night next to grand factor in sector 5. They believe it to be homicide but being he’s transgenic I don’t think they’ll be looking for who killed him.”
“I don’t think normal people killed him. I don’t think he would have let them strangle him to death. Even with a mob after him they have a better chance of beating him then strangling. Have to be White’s men.”
“Yeah but would White dump two more bodies there, he seem to me more of a show then tell kind of guy.” He handed her two more print outs with two pictures of two other transgenics with bruises on them. They seem to have died in different ways, one look like his body is badly broken and the other, a transhuman, with a big hole on the side of his head. “They all were found in sector 5 in the water by the grand factor.”
“You’re right, White would want the people to see the transgenic not send them off in the water and wait for them to be found. When were they found,” she asks handing him back the papers.
“Two weeks away from each other.”
“Then this means someone else is doing this. Great if it’s not White it someone else. It can’t be Manticore they wouldn’t want to kill us.”
“The cops didn’t find any evidence to lead them to anything.”
“They probably weren’t looking hard enough. I guess I have to go there myself to check it out.”
“I’m having Sung check it out and he said he’ll get back to me if he finds anything.”
“Tonight then, Zach and I can check it out after I fill him in.”
“You sure that is wise I mean it transgenics that are being killed. Let Sung check it out first before you go.”
“He’ll probably find nothing. It’s best for us to go. We can probably find something he can’t find.”
“Okay but be careful Max.”
“I will.”
She went to leave but Logan stops her. Their eyes connect in unspoken words and the stood close to feel each other breath on their skin. Max broke the eye contact and looks away.
“I have to go Logan.”
“Max…”
“I have to go,” she said looking up at him with pleading eyes.
He let her go and she hurried out the door.
…..
Max and Zach squat down low behind some empty barrels beside a dock and boat. They watch as the two sector cops greet each other as the walk to head in the other direction, away from the grand factory. Max and Zach blur their way across the muddy ground, over the fence, and climb their way on top of the roof of the factory. Pulling off their bags, they pull out the long black rope and secure it to a metal pole. Opening the top window on the roof, they swung themselves down to the bottom of the factory. They checked every exit points and any signs of presence before they begin their search.
“The detective couldn’t find anything outside so maybe there could be something in here to track our killer,” Max said searching around.
“How are we supposed to know they didn’t just dump the body in the water in boats,” Zack ask looking around himself.
“Logan cop friend checked the surveillance tapes and there was nothing. Unless they were far away from the camera to see or they were inside.” She stops in front of a manhole and look down. “They could of walk in and dump the body through here.”
“But why waste their time dumping the body here if the current just going to push they back here. No I think the bodies were dump somewhere else. Not here. That’ll probably explain why the cops didn’t find any evidences.”
Max stop to think for a minute.
“I think you are right but the currents flow south west. I don’t think the bodies would have floated here unless someone drop them off here. This isn’t making any sense. Why drop off a body to find if you don’t want anyone to find it?”
“My thoughts exactly,” a voice said above them.
They looked up just as the light cut on to find a man in black. Five men stood at his side with guns pointed at them up on the second floor. The door to the factory open and four guys walk in, two carry what look like two dead cops and dump them off to the side as the made their way to Zach and Max. They surround them and stood in fight stance.
“Who are you,’ Zack yells.
“You can call me the collector. Now if you don’t mine I would like to see what you’re made off.”
At that the four guys attack. Max and Zach both took on two against one as the fought the four men. Zack pushed his two a little away from Max’s and punch one in the face before pin one to the wall and punch him in the face. The other guy recovered from his punch and grab Zach by the shoulders to pull him off his friend. With one big leap, Zach flip over the guy behind him head and in the process kick the guy on the wall in the face. They didn’t know what hit them.
Max on the other side had one in a head lock while the other one recovered from his blow to the knees and face. The guy her arms head was slam against the wall and knock unconscious before she turns her attention to the other guy. This guy was a lot taller and bigger then she is but she been through worst. The guy charges at her and she steps to the side, yanking him down by his collar. With one solid punch to face the guy was out like a light. She looks up just as Zach was through with his guys and moves toward him.
“That’s good enough for you,” Max said to the smiling guy.
“Very,” he said and nod his head for the five guys beside him to fire.
They blur out of the fire range of the shooters to jump behind some crates. The door open and some more guys with guns came in. They were surrounded. Zach got Max attention to signal to the man hole to the water below. With a nod, Max and Zach blur again pass the fires and jump into the water. Surfacing above the water, they were once again surrounded. It was a trap. They were yank out of the water and thrown into the black raft and brought to shore. With their wrists and ankles cuffed, they were dragged in front of a black SUV with the man in black standing in front of it. Lying flat on their stomach they look up at the man. Another nod was given by the man and two guys push their face in the mud and lift their hair up to see their barcode.
“They’re one of them sir,” one of the men said.
“Good, I knew they were transgenic. Put them in the truck but make sure they are out. I don’t want them remembering our location.”
“Yes sir.”
The man turn to walk away and Zach and Max struggle against their bond. Two armed man moved in front of them and aim their guns. Two shots were fired and Max and Zach convulse from the electricity flowing through them. Blackness took them and they were out.
“Two more worthy transgenics to add to my collection,” the man whispered as he got in the truck and it pulled away with the two unconscious transgenics.
Caged and Matched « Result #7 on Nov 25, 2006, 8:59pm »
Summary: Max, Zack, and Alec must fight for their lives if they want to stay alive. Will they survive until the end? AlecMaxZack
YOU CAN SKIP THIS AND GO TO CHP 1 IF YOU WANT.
It’s been a year since we blew up the DNA lab in good old Manticore. It went sore towards the end but we made it out okay. Minor bruises here and there but we made it. But two of our sibling wasn’t so lucky. We tried to save Tinga, to bring her back to her family, but we were too late. Brin on the other hand was killed in the explosion of the lab. Though she was our enemy at the end, she still was our sister and we will miss her. Just like the others who died. Jack, Eva, even Ben. Ben. I still haven’t told anyone about Ben, about me killing him. They know he is died but they think Manticore killed him because he went crazy once he got out. I had to stop him or else he’ll kill again and he asked me to. I’m too scared to tell them the truth because what they’ll think of me or to see the look on their faces when they know that it was me and not Manticore. I know they are my family but I don’t know if they’ll understand. Anyway, now it’s just a few of my siblings out there and I hope they are living their lives like some of my siblings I’ve meet. Jace is one. She didn’t leave with us in 09 but she is free now. With her unborn baby she promises to call Max, living in Mexico. Syl and Krit, who helped me and Zach blew up the lab are living who ever know somewhere. Zach still incises we keep a low profile and minimal communication so we won’t get caught. Since Lydecker is no long after us there still other people out there who want us for our DNA and other Manticore. Which Lydecker inform us that there indeed are other Manticores. Which lead us to another event last year.
Before Syl and Krit left us to go live their lives in the world, we got together to destroy another facility, this one here in Seattle. It was kind of ironic to have another facility so close to home but why am I not surprise. Anyway we were planning on just blowing up the lab again but Lydecker say it would be best to blow the whole facility, or else resulting in more Manticore and more running. This plan left us with a problem in our hands. This facility was filled with transgenics, people like us, who will die if we choose to blow up the entire facility. These are our kind who are living in hell and is trap in that place and killing them is not an option. But it left us with an alternative. A choice of letting them out of the hell they are living in, therefore resulting in a whole lot of us out in the world. Roaming free like us and living normal lives. So it was ride or die at this point and no one was dying. The choice was made and now thousand of us are out there. A choice with consequences.
I did think about the consequences and some of the problems the ones that got out would face. What if they get caught, what if they don’t know how to live in this world, what if they turn out like Ben? As harsh as it may sound, I had to think about it. Yeah it’s been a year since we blew up the DNA lab and blew up the Seattle’s facility but it’s been a year of fighting for acceptance. I should have known this would happen and Zach did his part of letting me not forget it. But all the same he known it would happen to and he knew it would be our responsibility. It was only twelve of who escape back in 09 and we were young and new to the world. But we learn to adapt to it as well. Just like the others have to. But they stayed longer then we did in Manticore and all they know is Manticore, which makes it hard for them to adapt. Of course some, like the X’s, relied on their training and stay low and blend in but the ones who aren’t like us can’t do that. The anomalies were too let out and it’s hard for them to adapt to a world that sees them as freaks or monsters. People are scared of what they don’t understand and with news about our kinds out there, people are even more scared of us. Disliking us because we were made in a lab and train to kill and they only see us as killing machines. No thanks to a guy name Ames White who want to see my kind wipe from the world, with his help the people are killing and fearing my kind. And since it was me and my siblings who let them out, it was me and my sibling responsibility to keep them alive.
We rescued a lot these couple of months but that didn’t deter the killings. Being that most of the anomalies are the one who being killed, me and Zach had to put aside out difference against them and save them. They deserve to live too, just like the X’s. I never realize how many different kinds of X’s there were until seeing the ones we saved. Even the experimental ones was a surprise to me. It makes me think how much I miss over the ten years being away from Manticore and how much I miss being with my own kind. It seems like its easier being with them then with the ordinary they say. We have the same past beside the ten years the others have on me and my siblings, the same fear, and the same problem, well some of have the same problem. It kind of gets me thinking about my relationship with Logan. Of course he knows about me, what I am, and he loves me but can he really understand me. Zach says we can’t be together. Heck the world and even the other transgenic say we can’t be together but I still love him. But I don’t think he will understand all of me. The 452 side of me which is all Manticore, the side of me I wish to erase from my DNA. And I think he knows that. We hardly spin time together since I am busy saving my people from the world and he is busy with his Eyes Only deal and the S1W projects. He have a woman in the S1W name Asha that works with him and I can sort see the tension between them when she’s around. They belong together just like I belong with mines. Not that I’m thrilled about this because I still love the man but with all that is going on, it’s nice for him to have someone else in his life. I just hope there is someone for me as well. To make me feel like Logan and I use to or at least makes me feel like I’m loved. I have Zach and Syl and Krit but they are my siblings.
Anyway, it’s been a year and we are still fighting for acceptance in this world. We have a home now, well sort of a home for my kind to stay. It’s an old bio-toxic place where humans can’t live in or else they die. It’s not much but its all we got. It’s looking homey now that we’re working together to make it a home. I have to say with all that is going on, the X’s and anomalies are getting along great. I think Zach and I are even moving away from our fear of the anomalies. I met Joshua, an anomaly with too much canine in his thingytail, who I consider as a brother to me. He’s really nice, a heart of a child but with the way he looks no one will ever see him for that. Yeah life has change for me since the blow out of Manticore. I don’t live with OC any more because I always out or at Terminal City, but I do snick out and see her. I don’t work at Jam Pony any more either due to the same reason why I don’t live with OC. I snick out sometime to hang a little but that’s it. I can’t risks getting caught by White’s men or any other people who is after me and my kind. To hang around Logan I do some Eyes Only work for him. The only thing that helps is letting me know how much I can’t be with him. Zach stay at TC also and he helps out with EO’s project as well but his main focus is TC, trying to help out as much as he can there. The people there don’t see him as much of a leader as I see him. He does a good job giving orders and stuff but they still see him as a 09er like me. They don’t trust us yet for that but they are getting to trust us. It’s hard to believe it’s been a year, give or take a month or two. So much has happened. But it’s my life and what can I do but to live it.
My Friend, My Enemy « Result #8 on Nov 25, 2006, 8:56pm »
Summary: An old friend of Alec bring up old memories and trouble starts to occur in Terminal City. A MA fanfic. First DA fanfic so be kind.
Chapter 1- The New Arrival
“What have I gotten myself into?”
Alec asked himself, leaning back in the chair he is sitting in his office. He crossed his hands together behind his head as he ponders on about the question. Three months have passed since the whole Jam Pony event and now he sit here in his small office asking himself the same question he asked himself three months ago. 2IC of a city full with transgenics, transhuman, and even anomalies who use to resident in a military/government facility called Manticore. A squad of X6s he could handle but a city was…
At least in Manticore they didn’t have to worry about people holding up sign that say “Go Home Freaks,” or a sadistic cult wanting them dead. Or living in a bio-toxic city, where the buildings are falling apart and nothing in the place works. At least at Manticore they had livable sleeping quarters and working electricity and actual good food to eat. But one thing Manticore didn’t provide for the now Terminal City residents was freedom.
Life in Manticore was a prison and if living under this condition mean freedom then so be it. Anything was better then months of training and living in the dark room where you’ll be sent to Psy-ops for failing a mission. Yeah Terminal City was the home sweet home for all the Freaks of the "genetically empowered" and test tube born by the hand of Manticore.
So again he asked himself the question, “What have I gotten myself into?” Simple really. Only one word come to mind and that is …Max. The raven hair beauty with a major attitude… well use too. She may still have her bad girl, independent side to her but she also have the leader and caring for a city of transgenics side also. If it wasn’t for her, none of the residents here wouldn’t have a clue where to go out here in the real world nor would they know how to survive. Also if it wasn’t for her he would be dead by now. The new life Alec and Max have now have change a lot in them. They grew a little these pass few months but not completely. They just grew a little serious. A responsibility like theirs would do that to you.
Alec turned in his chair to face the window behind him. Standing up, he looked out the window to see the active transies walking about doing there own thing. Most, thanks to the inner circle, are doing their job to make Terminal City a better place. Thanks to that they have working electricity, running water, food, weapons just in case a seige, and security. So Max may have gotten him into this jam but at least he is helping her helping the transgenics live.
And speaking of the raven beauty, here she comes now. Alec watched as Max makes her way up the stair towards their office. Well his office to be exact since she just busted into it.
“Alec do you have the list of the newcomers that arrived from last week,” Max yelled at him from the door once she closed it.
“Hey Max, nice to see you, I’m good by the way,” he said sarcastically.
“Sorry Alec but I really need that list.”
“Yeah yeah,” he whispered rolling his eyes.
He went back to his desk and rampage through his desk filled with paper. Quickly scanning the papers, he finally found the list and handed it to Max.
“Thanks.”
“So what’s the verdict this time?”
“It’s not much but we’re good. We went up on the amount of newcomers from last month so that’s telling you something. They’re all not dying out there. At least they’re making it through here.”
“And that’s good news; soon we’ll have a whole city full of our kind in here.”
“Yeah which remind me that we have a meeting today about stocking up for more supplies. Since we’re getting new people here we need to stock more on what we need. So I asked Joshua and Biggs to go around and see what we needed and what we already have.”
“Uhm…any chance on asking Logan for…”
“No I wasn’t planning on it,” Max interrupted.
Alec studied his still friend and watched her fidget with the paper in her hands. She may be putting her mask up but Alec could tell she wasn’t comfortable with the question. Any question or anything dealing with Logan. Every since she told Logan that she is with Alec, she been avoiding Logan. And Logan constantly keep trying to reach her in anyway he can, to talk to her. Leaving Alec in the middle of their “not like that” relationship. Personally he wants out of it. It don’t feel right and he's not the type of guy to steal other men women.
“Max when will you tell Logan that we’re not together? The guy calls practically everyday and I’m tired of talking to him for you. I’m tired of being in the middle of this when I shouldn’t have been in it at all.”
“I know and I’m sorry but it’s the only way I could get Logan to understand that he’s not safe with me or at least out of danger.”
“Danger or not Max, we need his help and you’re the only person he’ll talk to.”
Silence engulfs the room before someone knocked at the door. In peeked a young X6 with dark brown hair and blue eyes.
“Sorry to interrupt sir but there’s a guy here to see you Alec. He says he is a friend of yours.”
Alec frowned when Max turned from the X6 to look back at Alec. Not sure who it could be, personally Alec has lot of friends or people who he considers to be friend, he nodded for the X6 to let who ever it to come in. The boy left only to come back in with a male X5 with black hair and green eyes behind him.
“Hey how’s it going,” the guy waved and smiled at the two confuse transgenic before him.
“Do…do I know you,” Alec asked looking the guy up and down, trying to scan his mind for anyone back in Manticore to fit the guy description. The guy was practically huge, bulk with muscles with an Italian look to him. The face looked kind of familiar but Alec couldn’t quite put his finger on it.
“You might not remember me; I’ve change since home was destroyed. But my designation is 568.”
Alec frown relaxed until it turns into a shock expression. Max looked at Alec confuse at the change of expression. The guy just smiled at Alec as he sucks his hands in his pocket.
It Lies In You « Result #9 on Nov 25, 2006, 8:52pm »
Summary: After becoming the red ranger, Sky think about his role as a hero but Z comes along to tell him what really makes a hero.
There’s a hero If you look inside your heart You don’t have to be afraid Of what you are
Sky sat in an empty-dark room, seating on the floor near a window that opened a moon and a couple of scattered stars in the night sky. A picture he held tight in his hand, revealing an image of a man in a red uniform and his son who stood next to him. Both were smiling, happy to be at each others side.
“What I wouldn’t give to be…”
Suddenly the doors slid open and in walked Z in her yellow pajamas. She stepped back a little, startled that someone was in her so-called secret place, a room, hidden near the top of the SPD headquarter. Taking a closer step she noticed something red.
“Sky, is that you.” She asked.
There’s an answer If you reach into your soul And the sorrow that you know Will melt away
“Yeah,” he answered.
“What are you doing in the dark,” she sat next to him, tucking her legs Indian style.
There was a pause between them. Eyeing his father’s picture much tighter then before, he thought of his reason for being in the dark room. He knew why he came here, to think, to make sense of things, but mostly to be alone and wonder.
“Just thinking,” he answered.
“About what?”
And then a hero comes along With the strength to carry on And you cast your fears aside And you know you can survive
“My father,” he answered. Z looked at the picture in his hand and leaned back against the wall and sighed. She knew that with him, becoming a red ranger would one day affect him, personally, maybe emotionally.
“He was a great man,” she told him.
“He was more than great, he was a hero.”
So when you feel like hope is gone Look inside you and be strong And you’ll finally see the truth That a hero lies in you
He stopped to look at his picture, his blue eyes glistened…only a little.
“I thought becoming a red ranger would make a difference, but I feel like I let him down somehow,” he continued.
“Why you say that,” she asked sliding a little closer to him.
“He was a great red ranger…”
“So will you.”
It’s a long road When you face the world alone No one reaches out a hand For you to hold
“No, I won’t.”
Z almost laughed, she known Sky for almost a year now and he started out rough on her, getting-to-know-a-criminal-before-judging-them, book to know that Sky must not be thinking straight to have those words come out his mouth.
“What are you talking about,” she half asked, half argued.
“I mean…I don’t know,” he sighed.
You can find love If you search within yourself And the emptiness you felt Will disappear
“You want to know what I think,” she inquired
And then a hero comes along With the strength to carry on And you cast your fears aside And you know you can survive
“What,” his eyes left the picture to look at her.
So when you feel like hope is gone Look inside you and be strong And you’ll finally see the truth That a hero lies in you
“You are afraid.”
“What,” he cynically blurted out.
“Yeah, you finally became something you wanted for, however long, and now you’re just afraid that you’re not good enough.”
She didn’t mean for it to come out as harsh as it sounded, but she wanted it to be clear for him. “All your life, you had to live up to his good name and now you have to prove to them, to everyone that you are just as good,” she continued.
Sky just shook his head, not wanting to believe everything that she was saying, even if her words were true.
Lord knows Dreams are hard to follow But don’t let anyone Tear them away, hey yeah
“Well, I’m telling you this, Sky. You are great. You have the most determined admiration and the bravest of hearts than any one I’ve seen. You had that as a Blue ranger and you will most surely have it as a Red ranger.”
Hold on There will be tomorrow In time You’ll find the way
“You just have to find it again. In a new color,” she pointed at his red SPD t-shirt. “In a new hope,” she placed her hand over the picture of his father. “And here, you will have to find in here, Sky,” she placed her hand over his heart.
And then a hero comes along With the strength to carry on And you cast your fears aside And you know you can survive
“It really doesn’t matter, if your dad saved lives, got rewards, or is known as the greatest ranger ever lived. All that matters is that you are a hero and it lies right here,” she pressed her hand harder on his chest where his heart lies. “It lies right here, in you.”
So when you feel like hope is gone Look inside you and be strong And you’ll finally see the truth That a hero lies in you
Sky placed his hand over hers and he just looked at her for a moment. Unconsciously, he leaned in towards her, feeling all kinds of emotions, sadness, hope, strength…passion. They all mixed together, confusing him, but one by one, they all ended into his heart which both covered with their hands. He was inches away from her, when suddenly, she pulled away.
There was a faint smile tugging at her lips, but it soon disappeared when she got up and dust herself off.
“It’s late, we should go to bed.”
She walked to the door, it slid open, and she hesitated for a moment. Sky looked up, as he was still seating on the floor, watching her stand there.
She turned around to face him, “Heroes aren’t hard to find, Sky, they just choose to hind behind shadows of others. You have come out and you have shined with such a small glow that soon everyone will see.” She smiled at him, “It just takes time to brighten it, but someday, you will be seen and everyone will see you, even your father, even if he isn’t here,” after saying that she walked out the door, leaving it to close behind her.
That a hero lies in you
Sky gradually smiled and looked at his father’s picture again.
The Secret Surprise « Result #10 on Nov 25, 2006, 8:45pm »
Summary: It's Tori's birthday and Dustin gives her a big surprise.
Prologue
He couldn’t work.
He couldn’t concentrate.
There was something on his mind that provoke any other thoughts from coming through. He knew what was the cause, he just couldn’t think of a solution for the problem. And it was her who made him this way. She was the person who stayed on his mind from morning to night, from a second to an hour, and from one thought to another. It was Tori, his best friend and the one that he admire. But he wasn’t suppose to feel this way about her, not for his best friend. And the worst thing about having a crush on your best friend was the fact that she might not like you more than just a friend and nothing more. If he ask her and she says no…he just know that it will kill him inside. But if she says yes then where do they go from there. It would feel awkward but it would make most of his agonizing thoughts go away and he could probably get some work done.
He just had to tell her, but how and when?
Would she feel the same? God…he hoped so!
Wait what day is this…yes, this is perfect. The day before her birthday. It couldn’t hurt to ask her on her birthday, it would be perfect because if she says yes that she feels the same way then she would always remember that day and it would mean so much to the both of them. Tomorrow would be the day he would ask her and he would make it special so that she would always remember.
The Day…Her Birthday
The day before he asked her to meet him at Storm Charger. He also included to tell her to wear something nice and importantly to wear a swimsuit under it. She of course asked him why and he playfully told her not to worry, it’s a surprise. Not asking another question she agreed and walked out of the store. He therefore felt relieved that she agreed.
Now he waits for her at the entrance of the store, checking his watch constantly. Nervous wasn’t in his vocabulary but what he had planned couldn’t describe what he felt.
He hoped she loves it?
He hoped she don’t have other plans.
All he hoped was that when he asked her she would say yes. It seem that every minute passed like an hour and he grew impatient. Just when he thought that she wasn’t going to make it, she appeared around the corner. Her hair hung down on her shoulders and the dress she wore fitted perfectly on her. The sun even shined brightly on her making her glow like an angel.
He looked at himself, he wore a nice button down shirt of his favorite color and his pants were baggy but fitted perfectly with what he was wearing, especially for a perfect evening.
She gave him a content smile and he did the same. He took her hand and they walked down to the park. There in the park way an old swing set.
“Why are we here, Dustin,” she asked.
He squeezed her hand and lead her to the old swing. He carefully and tenderly instructed her to seat down in the swing. He ambled his way behind her and gave her a little push.
She didn’t protest, just sat there as he pushed her. The wind softly blowing in her hair.
“Tori, remember the day when we were little and we played house and we pretend that the swing was our car and every time we went high, we would say that we were speeding down the highway.”
She didn’t say anything at first but she replied a curious yes.
“Remembered that same day we said that we would always be friends.”
“Yes….why.”
He didn’t answer her just pushed her a little bit, making her think of their childhood. Few more moments of pushing her softly, he stopped the swing by the chains and took her hand again. They walked out the park and to a hill that had the whole view of Blue Bay Harbor‘s beach. Behind them was a tall thick tree, that must have been there for generations. The grass under them was full and green, a perfect color for the perfect evening. After looking over Blue Bay Harbor‘s beach, he took her hand again and took her behind the tree.
“Tori remember when we were twelve, and we found this spot and called it our secret place. That if we ever felt like we had a bad day or something we would come here?”
“Yes,” she replied.
“And remember, one day we was feeling bad on the same day and we came here together?”
“Yes.”
“Remember we carved our names in this tree and the date, and we said that we would always remember this place and this day?”
“Yes….Dustin, what’s going on,” she asked.
He once again didn’t answer her, just let her remember another day of their childhood.
He took her hand in his and took her down to the beach. There on the sand was a table for two that he and his friend, Shane put there earlier today… this special day. Candles were lit in the middle and two plates were on the table cover with metal container covers. The whole table was shaded with a beach umbrella. The setting sun shined on it perfectly. He squeezed her hand and lead her to the table. He sat her down first and push the chair under her. He then uncovered the plates on the table revealing a nice dinner of her favorite foods that he learned to make with a little help from a chef at her favorite restaurant. She smiled contently and he did the same as he sat down.
“Tori, remember the first time we ate out here and soon after we went into the water and caught a cramp that lasted for hours?”
She laughed a little but then answered, “Yes… it was so funny, we vowed to never do that again.”
“Remember, we wrote our names in the sand in this same spot, right next to the sand dunes.”
She looked at the sand dunes next to them and smiled brightly.
“Yes, Dustin…I remember, but why are you telling me all this?”
He didn’t answer but gestured for her to eat.
After they ate, he took her hand again and they walked on the beach for a while. The wind blowing at their hair. The sun still out but barely.
He lead her to a surfboard that was standing out of the sand. He let go of her hand and started taking off his evening wear, down to his swim shorts. She took the hint and took her dress off, down to her swim suit. He then took her hand and grabbed the surfboard and lead her into the waters. He was on the board first and he instructed her to get on too. There he pushed himself and her out to the deepest part of the ocean and faced the setting sun. Being that it was late in the afternoon, the sun shine a pattern of magenta, orange, yellow and white in the sky. It was perfect, just how he planned it. The perfect time for the perfect question.
He maneuvered him on the board to face Tori. At the same time the wind caught her hair, swaying it all kinds of direction. He took a deep breath and covered her hands in his own trembling ones.
“Dustin, what’s wrong.”
“Tor…We’ve been friends for a very, very, long time and they have been great. There were times when all I could think about was you and how and what we might do to make this friendship more memorable. And there were times when all I could think about was making you smile and better yet, make you laugh. But Tor…(breath)…I think I’m starting….no…I know I’m starting to feel more than just friendship. And it’s starting to get to the point where all I can think about is you and I can’t concentrate, I can’t work, and I can’t see myself without you. Believe me it’s a good thing…with me not concentrating, but you are all I’m thinking about. So, Tori if you feel the same way? I was thinking can we be more than friends and become something more, like girlfriend and boyfriend.”
She didn’t say anything at first. Her face was twisted up with confusion and surprise. He couldn’t feel his hands or his body and for some reason he couldn’t breath. She’s not answering and he didn’t know if that was a good thing or a bad thing.
“Dustin, you did all this for me. This evening was for me… the swing, the hill, the tree, the dinner, and this. You did this so you can tell me that you want to be more than friends.”
Finally taking in air he answered, “Yes.”
“And this was for my birthday?”
“More like a birthday gift to you and something that you would remember.”
He couldn’t believe that this was what the ending surprise was leading to. He saw it playing differently in his mind, but he guessed it answered his question as well. She doesn’t want to be more than just friends, she just wants to be friends. But before he could apologies, he felt her hands surround his face and her lips press against his. The kiss came as a surprise to him because he almost jumped from her hands and the kiss. He closed his eyes to get a better feel of the kiss.
The kiss became passionate and he found himself moving much closer to her than before. The sun set completely around them as they finished the kiss with the sky full of stars and a full moon.
“Yes,” she said after the kiss.
“Yes…what?”
“I do want to be more than friends… Yes, Dustin, I do want to be your girlfriend…And thank you for saving the best birthday gift for last.”
He smiled. Finally he knew, she felt the same way and he feels relieved, like a weight of motor bikes has just been lifted and he could breath. And best of all his secret surprise was perfect.
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