Fantasy world may not be paradise, but it's home

So, computer...

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 08:14:05 GMT

Note to self: Learn to back up all your pictures, music, scanlations, word files and the like every few months, and also get the laptop checked over for potential hard drive failure every year, if not more often.

I had tried to do NaNoWriMo this year. I did a little better than last year, but before the hard drive kakked, I only managed to confirm my word count at 27,031 words. ONE WORD more than last year, my first try. This was partially because in the last week, the laptop hard drive crapped out on me, and I couldn't even get the damn thing to start up properly.

Technically, I still have all my things, as my old hard drive was given to me along with the laptop by the nice local computer repair guy. The sad part? I'd have to send it to the mainland and pay a custom estimate (possibly up to $2000 at the upper end, I was told) to have the data salvaged, saved to disk and sent to me. Ah, well.
On the good side, my wireless is finally working again, since I had to generally manually hook up the computer to the modem in order to get internet access since the wireless card got jingled loose in my July con travels. Also, my router was being a bastard and giving me repeated "Limited or no connectivity" messages when I tried to connect to my home wireless network. I got that fixed thanks a wonderful, patient tech support fellow at Linksys helping me out and not making me feel like he was just passing the buck along (like those jerkoffs at Time Warner did to me, three times in two days)
So, all in all, NaNoWriMo will be attempted again next year. I figure "Third time's the charm" might be a way to look at it, and I have a definite idea for the next story. NaNo will be a sci-fi (I think), but I also have ideas for novels in the urban fantasy (not paranormal romance, thanks). One would be rather cynical with a dhampir anti-hero as my main character, while the other would be more in a humorous light poking fun at fandom, tropes and the like. Maybe I'll post excerpts here in the near future, as I'm still inspired.

In other news, if I last until May, I will be working at my job for two years. And I found out I may have fibromyalgia like my mother, which sucks because of the random stabbing pains. On the good side, I'm still more active and younger than my mother, so I'm not howling in agony at weird moments (yet). Started on multi-vitamins to help with my magnesium and vitamin levels a while ago, that seems to be helping quite a bit. Migraines ironically seem to be less frequent now, and I found that Imitrex nasal sprays are wonderful medicine for them, I can get back to my feet in under four hours (the pills make it worse and I feel sick for nine hours instead of six without any medication). So here's hoping that a positive holiday season stays that way, we'll see if I remember to update this before January. Happy Holidays!

A trio of fic-bits, if this cut works...

Fri, 09 Jan 2009 02:43:47 GMT

So, I finished some raw unbeta-ed crap for a character of mine. Most of these are set in the Anita Blake universe (all you need to know is vampires, were-animals, faeries and the like, in the modern world, with the title character AB getting to have sex with all the guys).
The characters of Irving, Anita and Nathaniel belong to the much-maligned Laurell K Hamilton. Cassian and Jizabel belong to me. I write these not as a fan, but as a severely pissed-off ex-'fan', since I wasn't all that crazy about the books in the first place. Even less so when Hamilton called her critical reads ignorant prudes who couldn't understand her DARK PAINED SOUL, then had her character have sex all over the place as a way of flipping off her critics and being totally contrary for the hell of it.
Be warned, the last ficlet has violence and more mature content in it. Don't like it, don't read, okay?

So, here's my meager offering to my LiveJournal for the new year:

The werewolf limped through the streets, trying to flee his pursuer. Adrenaline pushed the pain of his injured leg out of his mind, and he tried to run. There was light ahead, where the street intersected with another. Whoever was after him, he realized, had taken out most of the lights along Calvary Avenue.

If he could reach the residential areas, the werewolf realized, he could possibly be safe. He could get help. With Calvary Cemetery to his right, and Bellefontaine to his left, there were too many dark, small places his assailant could hide and catch him unawares.

Irving hobbled around a pool of light, one of the few, flickering street lamps that still illuminated the terrifyingly black night. He was nearly past it when something impacted his shoulder, and he feel under the force of the blow. Falling back into the spotlight of the street lamp, he looked up and thought he momentarily saw the faint outline of his pursuer against the night sky.

Swinging down the lamp post, the small figure landed in a manner that displayed agility and lightness. A blade gleamed where it was being held by small fingers, while grey eyes looked to the downed werewolf with faint amusement. Irving could see them clearly, despite the mop of red hair that shadowed half of his assailant’s face.

“Don’t take this person’ly, Mess’r Griswold,” the short, young man said, toying with the knife in his small hand. “But one o’ your associates has made ye a real unpopular person right now. And since you’re still associatin’ with her, you have to be…eliminated. It’s for the good o’ your people, y’ see, especially the man I assume t’ be yer Ulfric. This is just me job.”

The small man let Irving get back to his feet, watching him with an expression of boredom. Then, just as Irving staggered to lean against the steel pole, the redhead stepped forward, and thrust a blade between his ribs.

The werewolf gasped as he realized the knife was silver, and started to scream as the metal burned his flesh. The assassin silenced him with another knife that slashed across his throat, a splash of crimson staining the night air as his windpipe was exposed. Irving gurgled as he collapsed to the asphalt, weakly pawing at his chest and neck as his life-blood spilled onto the street under him.

“Don’t worry, Mess’r Griswold,” his killer said, “Ye didn’t know what you were gettin’ into. It’ll be fast.”

Even as he spoke, the werewolf gave a death rattle, and slowly, his breathing stopped. As the chest’s gaping wound stopped opening and closing with breath, the dead man’s eyes quickly lost their light, and a last exhaling whistle was the only clue that he had still lived until that second.

Griswold’s assassin gave a huffing snort, before reaching into a bag he had concealed by the roadside. The redhead pulled out a can of bug spray, and effectively blasted the area with enough insecticide to wipe out a good portion of St. Louis’ insect population. Tossing the empty can to the side of the road, he then pulled out a small box of chalk and another, larger box.

“Are you planning to eat all of that, Cassian?”

The short youth looked into the shadows, rolling his eyes as he saw the faint smile on his friend. “The donuts aren’t for m‘self. Cops are suckers for ‘em, though.”

Setting the larger box down, Cassian opened the chalk and pulled out a stick. He started to outline the dead werewolf’s body, circling the head before he paused to rearrange his arms. Cassian continued down the torso, before he stopped again.

Taking a knife from one of his pockets, the small assassin cut away Griswold’s pants, then shifted his legs as he dragged the body slightly until the corpse’s backside and legs were covered with abrasions. Opening the donut box, he picked out one with frosting, and smeared it across the lower body. Then, in a rather grotesque gesture that amused his watcher, he again adjusted the body until the donut ringed a certain masculine part of Griswold’s anatomy.

That done, Cassian took up the chalk, and finished outlining the body. When he was done, he tucked the chalk into his pocket and dusted off his hands.

“That should do it,” he said, turning to his watcher. “Griswold didn’t put up much of a fight, even when he took off. The poison ye gave me helped out when I got him.”

The vampire in the shadows chuckled as he stepped out into the light. “A merciful death is the least he deserved. He didn’t want to be a part of her madness.” He studied the humiliated corpse. “Though you realize with the donut on his…manhood, that she might eventually decide she needs to have sex with the body, don’t you?”

“Stupid slag would contaminate the crime scene,” Cassian pointed out. “I’d be surprised if she didn’t do that, at least a little bit. Hopefully, the growler doesn’t destroy everything.”

When he put the chalk away and got his small bag, the taller man smiled. Cassian raised an eyebrow at him. “What?”

“I’ll give you a piggyback ride home,” the other man’s smile grew wider. “I know, you’re not a child. But it’s faster than driving from here.”

Cassian gave his friend a huff and made a face, but shrugged. After he secured his bag on his shoulders, he glanced at his friend, who had crouched down to let Cassian climb up.

“A sap, that’s what ye are, cub,” Cassian told the vampire. Still, he wrapped his arms around the other’s neck and shoulders, sneezing when one of the ashy locks tickled his nose.

The vampire chuckled as he reached back to secure the redhead’s legs around his waist, making sure his shorter passenger was secure. When Cassian halfheartedly kicked back at his friend, the nightwalker smiled, crouching for a moment before launching them both into the air, leaving behind the mutilated werewolf.

Cassian propped his feet up on the coffee table before him, remote in hand as he hit the ‘play’ button, and one of his movies started to play on the flat-screen TV he’d staked claim to. Sure, his copy of ‘Ambush at Cimarron Pass’ was a bootleg, but a western was a western, crappy as it was said to be.

He balanced his popcorn bowl on one knee as he adjusted his blanket, and hugged the large teddy bear at his side. After the night he had, the redhead decided that he deserved a day of indulgence like this.

The opening credits had just started rolling when he heard a bit of a commotion in the next room. Since he didn’t hear his name being called, or his friend screaming, he chose to ignore the noise, tossing up a piece of popcorn and catching it in his mouth.

A loud crash from the door being broken down startled Cassian, knocking over his popcorn bowl and he spun around to tear into whoever disturbed him. He was surprised to find a small gun barrel shoved into his face.

“You’re under arrest, you murdering punk.”

Cassian’s eyebrow rose as he looked up to see who was threatening him. He wasn’t impressed by the sight of a short (thought still taller than himself), dark-curly-haired, busty pale woman with frown lines and a scowl plastered to her face.

“On what evidence, slag?” he snorted, moving the gun from his nose with a finger.

“Red hair at the last crime scene! And a string of murders that could have only been done by a lycanthrope or a vampire!”

“Ye do realize yer boyfriend has other redheads in his retinue, don’t you?”

When Anita spun around with the gun still extended, the ash-blond vampire who slipped into the room grabbed her arm, twisted it, and relieved her of her firearm. He looked at it with an air of indifference, tossing it into an umbrella stand by the doorway, and smiled almost wickedly at the animator.

“I’d appreciate it if you didn’t threaten my associate, Ms. Blake,” the vampire smiled, releasing her arm. “My name is Jizabel, by the way. Interesting introduction to the notorious Vampire Hunter.”

“I don’t care who he is to you, Mister Jizabel,” Anita scowled, “He’s under arrest for dozens of murders.”

“Ye said on the basis of red hair, aye?” Cassian rolled his eyes, pulling his blanket around his shoulders. He looked to Jizabel. “Doesn’t that Viking bloodsucker have red hair, too?”

“Hm, yes, Damian, I think.” Jizabel smiled at Anita.

“And ye folk didn’t test to make sure exactly if it was vampire or lycanthrope, did you?” Cassian snorted. “Go back to your forensics, Mess Blake, and get an actual warrant before y’ come bargin’ in with guns a-blazin’ again.”

“I’m a federal marshal, I don’t need a warrant to arrest you or kill you, if you try to attack me.”

“Is that a threat, Mess Blake? I’m sure the federal authorities would love to strip you of your badge, weapon and title.”

The woman in question turned to glare at Jizabel. “You think you can keep your servant safe, pretty boy?” she sneered, “But just wait, I’ll get him for sure. I know he did it, no one else could have.” With that, she turned to stomp out in a huff.

Jizabel watched her stomping out of the next room, as well, snarling to someone and slapping an unfortunate blond vampire hard enough to knock her down. When he had turned back, Cassian returned to the couch, watching his movie and shoveling a small handful of popcorn into his mouth.

“A word of thanks would be appreciated, Cassian,” Jizabel smiled as he rested his chin on top of the smaller man’s head. “I did save you from possibly being raped and brain-washed by our resident Black Hole, after all.”

Cassian held up a DVD case, a faint smile on his face. “Me word o’ thanks would be invitin’ ye to a movie marathon, Jizabel,” he said, “Since Adrian’s back in ye old Cali, I’ve no one t’ share the good times with. And a movie’s always a good remedy to bein’ knackered after a visit from the good wee Mess Blake, eh?”

Jizabel had to laugh at his friend, earning a scowl from the redhead before he smacked the vampire with his stuffed bear. The vampire smiled as Cassian pointed to the couch. “Sit,” the redhead ordered imperiously.

Taking a seat on the couch, Jizabel found part of the blanket tossed around his shoulders, and a red mop of hair resting against his shoulder. “Mind, I’m only doin’ this ‘cos I like the contact. Doesn’t mean ye can get away with playin’ titmickey or something, so don’t be gettin’ any ideas, y’ hear?”

The vampire chuckled as he nodded his understanding. “Of course, Cassian. Your chastity is hardly in danger from me, you know, after a century.”

A snort came from Jizabel’s companion, before Cassian started crunching another handful of popcorn, and the stuffed polar bear was situated on the vampire’s lap for Cassian to lean on. Jizabel just chuckled as he affectionately ruffled the redhead’s mane, before turning his attention to Cassian’s movie. He wasn’t about to make Cassian uncomfortable, so as far as he was concerned, the vampire was content to spend time with the small man. That was enough.

Micah groaned as he regained consciousness. The last thing he remembered was heading to the club, where Anita left him a note saying she wanted to eat and talk to him, away from everyone else who knew them intimately.

It was surprisingly empty, of patrons and employees. He had turned to leave, or find a pay phone to call Anita. Something heavy struck him from behind, and the last thing he remembered seeing was a glint of silver.

“Still alive? Good.”

The wereleopard looked up, squinting slightly against the bright spotlight that shining down on him, and slowly, realization dawned on him. “You.”

A youthful-looking redhead raised an eyebrow at Micah, while he was kneeling by the Nimir-Raj. “Oh, so ye do remember people ye give out stink to. That‘s all well ‘n‘ good, for someone caught rotten with ‘is hand down his pants,” he said. Micah yelped when the young man tightened a chain that bound him to a stripper’s pole, feeling the burn when he realized the chain was silver.

“We can’t have a vampire’s servant in the pard,” the wereleopard hissed, “You’d give him access to all of us, and then Anita would have to kill him, and you’d die, too.”

The redhead, Cassian, Micah recalled, sighed. “Why does everyone think I’m his servant? Especially as ‘servant‘ seems t‘ mean that ‘e‘s kickin‘ me back doors in, to you bombay shitehawks,” he shook his head, locking the silver chain around Micah. He picked up a blade and a cell phone before seating himself next to the wereleopard.

“Now, what was Mess Blake up to when ye last saw the loosebit?” he asked Micah. “And please, don’t lie to me. I can see by yer face when ye do, it’s likely to leave me bein‘ mad ouva.”

Micah strained against the silver chain, only to stop when Cassian pressed a blade to his throat. When he stopped, Cassian pulled back, and the Nimir-Raj glared at him, or tried to. There was only so far down he could glare, after all.

“I left her with Nathaniel and Damien…she was feeding the ardeur.” Cassian snorted.

“The sally‘s gone rootin‘, you mean,” the redhead rolled his eyes. He opened the cell phone and quickly dialed a number, holding it up to his ear with the thumb and index finger of one hand, while the other still pointed a knife at Micah.

“Well, evenin‘ to ye, too. Can ye tell me if she’s still at her house, with the vanilla kitty and the Viking?” Cassian seemed to be listening to the other end. “Good. Try gettin’ her out in a few minutes. Make the cocktrough head out to…Guilty Pleasures. I know, I know, take my time. Mind yourself, I‘m not heading back out if ye get things banjaxed. Aye. See ya after.”

The cell phone was placed on a table near the stage, while Cassian picked up a bag at his feet. Rummaging through it, he pulled out some rope, a scalpel and a tape player. Micah had to wonder what that last one was for.

Cassian’s small hand against his thigh was the first hint to Micah that he was naked. When the darker man moved closer to him, the leopard tried to scoot away. “Stop it. I’m not doing anything with you, Cassian.”

“Oh, for…” the smaller man’s grey eyes rolled, “Do ye seriously think everyone wants to have sex with ya? Get over yourself, the world’s not judging ye on the size of your lad, gobshite.”

So saying, he grabbed Micah’s member in a surprisingly strong grip, making the Nimir-Raj yelp when his nails dug into the skin. “Stop it!” Micah winced, as rope started to wind around his groin. A few times, Cassian pulled it tight, making the leopard whine in pain. When he was done, the rope was knotted at his hip, and Cassian stepped back to appraise his handiwork.

“Fair play to me, wouldn‘t ye say?” Cassian asked. The redhead smiled at the leopard. “You look perfect in the rope briefs. Totally BDSM, isn’t it?” he asked the other man sarcastically.

“I’m not into that,” Micah whined. The rope wrapped around his groin squeezed the base of his monstrous member, and even now, it was digging into his skin painfully. In the light, he could see something gleam in the rope; he suspected the fibers were laced with silver.

The tape player on the table was turned on, and a type of music Micah couldn’t identify filled the area. It was loud and pounding, and Micah winced as the nonsensical lyrics assaulted his eardrums.

Cassian grabbed a rope that was near the stage, and climbed up it with surprising speed. He reached the catwalk closest to the stage, then climbed onto the rail, and sprang, landing on the next row of catwalks. When the small man turned back, the first thing Micah could see was a pair of yellow lights, the stage lights reflecting off inhuman grey eyes.

Micah started struggling to get out of the silver chains, when a ‘bang’ sounded, and he felt something impacting his chest. Looking down when the ringing in his ears stopped, he realized that Cassian had not only bound him with silver chain, but there were silver coins against his skin, too. One of them was dented, and he could feel the silver digging into his flesh.

“What…?” Micah screamed when another shot sounded, this time in his shoulder, where he started bleeding. The silver that was under the chain there was even more dented than the first, and even as he moved a little, the spike of silver tore further into his flesh.

He looked up at Cassian, still on the catwalk, and was surprised to see that the small man didn’t have a gun in his hands. In fact, the only thing vaguely gun-like on his person was his hand gesture, as one of Cassian’s hands was pointing his index finger while the others were curled back, and his thumb simply stood up in the air.

“You’re target practice until Mess Blake gets here,” Cassian shrugged. The music in the tape player was getting louder and heavier, Micah vaguely realized. The redhead pointed his gun-hand at Micah, pulling his thumb down, and the wereleopard saw a flash of light before another impact hit him.

“Why?” Micah tried to ask calmly, but coughed out blood with his words. “Are you…bitter? That we didn’t take you…that we couldn’t take you into the Coalition?”

Cassian jumped from the catwalk, catching a rope and sliding down to the floor, where he landed gracefully. He raked his dark fingers through unruly hair, and raised an eyebrow at Micah. “Bitter? Me?” he said. “Perhaps a little. More than anythin‘, though, I suppose I‘m givin‘ out. Right bloody well pissed off. Angry at the lot o‘ ye.”

Micah tried to say something, but coughed up another mouthful of blood. He hurt so much, and he wasn’t healing fast enough, if at all!

“The Coalition was supposed to protect all lycanthrope groups, wasn’t it?” Cassian tilted his head curiously, giving him a deceptively child-like appearance. “Not just wereleopards, but the wolves, lions, tigers, swans, everyone, aye?” He stopped the tape player, putting it away before removing more sharp implements from his bag. Micah’s eyes went wide when the redhead held up one particularly fearsome-looking blade to his cheek.

“So why is she neglectin’ the wolves, abusin’ her Ulfric, bein’ a very, very bad ‘girl’?” Cassian smiled. “And none of ye put up a fight when she abandoned the lions, just because the Rex wouldn’t commit adultery by ridin’ her. You can’t possibly know what kind of darkness had to lurk in the human soul to be capable of not just that, but murder…I saw when the Cookie Monster killed ‘em. Do ye know what he did?”

Cassian’s blade pressed into his throat. “He murdered the Rex. But not before brutally beating him, raping him, then cutting him open and mutilatin’ his organs, one by one. While the man was still alive, no less.”

The short assassin slid the blade across Micah’s neck lightly, drawing a line of blood before he pointed it to Micah’s cheek. “And remember his brother? And the pregnant Regina?”

“Haven wouldn’t have harmed a pregnant woman. He didn’t kill any of them. He wouldn’t have,” Micah hissed as the tip of the knife started to scratch a line into his cheek.

“You’re either in denial,” Cassian said, “Or you’re arsewise.” He pulled back the blade and smiled with a sinister air, licking the blood from his knife before continuing.

“The Rex’s death was probably the biggest mercy,” the redhead told him. “His brother, the same was done t’ him, but worse. Cookie Monster called up some of his buddies, and they went to town on the poor lad. But that was nothing compared to seein’ the fate o’ that poor wan.”

Cassian’s blade touched Micah’s unwillingly aroused member, the insinuation of intimate injury clear. The wereleopard whimpered and tried to move away before the pygmy punched him in the gut, knocking the wind out of him and stepping back as the Nimir-Raj slumped over, wheezing.

“Are you familiar with the murder of an African-American woman named Mary Turner, Mess’r Callahan?” Cassian asked with a wicked grin, showing off slightly fanged teeth. Micah wheezed again, then shook his head ‘no’.

“No surprise. You only worry about the women who run away screamin’ from yer clackers. I bet ye don’t even know that in the South, African-Americans might still be afraid of bein’ lynched.”

“Lynched?” Micah coughed. “Isn’t that…hanging?” He wondered if Cassian was going to do just that to him.

“Bingo!” the redhead smiled, using an American term for the Nimir-Raj to understand. “Though a simple hanging, it seems, was too good for the abandoned Regina, if your toadies’ confessions under torture are anything t’ go by. Cookie Monster, with his few other remainin’ werelion buddies, they said, and I quote, ‘we wanted to have some fun with a member of the female persuasion, even if it was sloppy seconds.’ So, they raped the poor Regina, more ‘n once. Then they found a tree, tied her by the ankles and hung her upside down. Decided to try and cover up their crime from the authorities by dousin’ the poor lass in gasoline and motor oil, if I smelled them correctly. But if they believed Mess Blake and really thought the police were such eejits, why go through all that trouble?” Cassian’s fingers tapped his chin, looking thoughtful before he shrugged.

Micah was looking a little green around the gills, literally. He swallowed hard, trying not to become sick as the redhead continued.

“But that’s not the best part!” the assassin smirked, “You see, apparently, she was still alive. Well, a corpse can’t scream like the damned, after all. So while they waited for her to burn to death, they cut her open. Apparently, you self-righteous muppets think unborn life from someone ye dislike isn’t up t’ much I went to check their story myself.

“The ants were makin’ life from death, and all I could save were a few bones from the wee cub. Haven and your broke-dick skangers stomped and crushed an innocent baby to death. Then they riddled the Regina with bullets ‘til she was mutilated and dead, before cuttin’ her down. All I found was her skull, lookin’ like a failed lobotomy, which I s’pose she was, to you pussy-whipped cowards.”

At that point, Micah turned away from the redhead, and was inelegantly sick. Cassian hopped up onto the table near the stage as the wereleopard vomited on the floor, keeping his feet away from the bile. Eventually, Micah could only dry-heave, as his stomach emptied itself of its contents.

“Are ye done, now?” Cassian asked him, a hint of curiosity in his voice. His chin rested on one hand, while he crossed his legs at the knees. The dark-skinned man looked almost bored.

“They didn’t…he couldn’t have…no…you lie…” Micah coughed and hacked, trying to straighten up as he glared at Cassian. “Why should I believe a vampire’s whelp of a servant like you?”

The redhead sighed in exasperation. “Again, why does everyone think I’m his servant?” he asked, rhetorically. “Well, ’tis not my problem if ye don’t want to believe me. After all, I’m not the one who’ll probably be kicked out of the town bike’s bed before the night’s out.”

Micah was about to start screaming at the half-breed, when a cell phone went off in the room. The wereleopard recognized it as his, the phone that Anita had gotten him as a Christmas gift. Cassian reached into his pants pocket and pulled out the chocolate-colored device, smiling as he looked at the caller ID window and holding it up to Micah.

“It’s your ‘soulmate’, Nimir-Raj,” he told the brunette. He opened the phone and held it up to Micah’s ear, but didn’t move to untie him in the least.

“Micah?” Anita’s voice screeched through the speaker. “Why did you go, Micah? I didn’t say you could leave, you know. Why are you at Guilty Pleasures? You know I hate going out.”

“Anita…” the wereleopard croaked out. “Anita…help me….” Micah yelped when Cassian struck him on the side of the head with the phone. The redhead brought it up to his own ear.

“Better come save your ‘sweetie’, Mess Blake,” he drawled. “Oh, but you don’t need him, do ye? You’re such a Big Strong Badass Woman.” He hung up the phone before the animator could shriek and rage at him, tossing the cellular into the puddle of vomit on the other side of the stage.

“She should be here shortly.” Cassian smiled at Micah. He turned and half-skipped towards the doorway, with the wereleopard wondering what he was up to.

Despite his relatively diminutive stature, the redhead was surprisingly strong. He pulled a grated fence closed across the doorway, securing a large padlock on the other side, and jamming a small piece of metal into the wall where it was originally stowed away.

Now, Micah didn’t usually get scared. But it was clear to him that Cassian was insane. He was probably going to kill him…yeah, definitely. He was going to torture him, first, though. Everyone who hated Anita, or was an enemy of hers, they tortured and raped and killed people, without mercy. Just because Cassian was small, Micah told himself, that didn’t mean he wasn’t just as inclined to do the same things.

Footsteps sounded outside, the type made by someone who knew they were small, and tried to make up for it by being particularly loud. “MICAH!”

“Ah, and here be our guest o’ honor!” Cassian crowed, picking up the scalpel from the table. He held it in his teeth as he dug around in his bag for something else, coming up with something that looked like a combination of a flamethrower, hookah pipe and teapot. He hefted it up by the handle and sprang up onto the stage, crouching next to the wereleopard.

Anita crashed against the silvery grates, one arm through a hole as she reached out towards Micah. “Micah! I’ll save you!”

Cassian laughed. Micah started to struggle again, but the redhead’s fingers pressed down hard on his groin at uncomfortable pressure points. Standing up and setting the flamethrower-thing down on the stage, the smaller man unwrapped some of the rope around Micah’s torso.

The Nimir-Raj lunged forward, thinking he could free himself while Cassian was untying him, but a sharp pull around his neck jerked him back hard, knocking his head against the pole. Stars flared in his vision, and he could hear Anita screaming again.

When Micah’s vision finally cleared, he realized Cassian had parted his legs, tying his ankles with long rope to the edges of the stage. The leopard was also turned slightly, so his exposed pelvis was directly facing Anita, and the pale woman’s eyes were wide as she stared as his arousal, nearly drooling, Cassian thought.

A snapping sound filled the room, and Micah barely managed to crane his neck to see Cassian pulling on a part of surgical gloves. When he noticed the Nimir-Raj’s chartreuse eyes widening, the redhead shrugged.

“I don’t want to touch something that’s been soakin’ in sex-fluids,” was all he said by way of explanation.

Micah growled and snarled, as his human mind struggled to form a coherent answer. His beast was hearing Anita’s ardeur, and he needed to answer it…

Distantly, he could hear Anita screaming his name. She was in trouble! He had to help her! His muscles flexed and strained against the ropes and chains binding him.

A new, louder scream broke Micah out of his half-daze, only to realize the voice was his own. Sharp pain at his groin, and another shriek from Anita made him look down, like she was telling him to.

Cassian’s gloved hand pulled harshly as the scalpel pressed into his flesh, the pool of crimson on the floor growing as he cut. Micah shrieked in pain as the small fingers dug into the skin under his manhood, and a moment later, two objects splashed dully into the bloody puddle.

“Well, that’s half of it done away with,” Cassian smirked at Micah. Now the blade of the scalpel pressed upward, and the wereleopard screamed until his throat was raw.

Micah was slumped over when Cassian was done, his mind white from the pain and barely aware of his surroundings as it was. He was vaguely aware of the redhead kicking his leg as he got up, only snapping out of his near-comatose state when he heard something being plopped down into liquid.

In a clear jar of strongly-scented liquid, Cassian had dropped Micah’s former genitalia. The redhead twisted a brown cap into the jar, and smiled as he looked back at the Nimir-Raj. “These are going t’ be souvenirs. I’ll give them to Mess Blake when I’m done.” The half-breed turned back to the stage, picking up that strange object he had before. “Now to cauterize the wound. It can’t grow back, but at least ye won’t be bled to death.”

As Cassian picked up the hose for his flamethrower-device, Anita started screaming in the background at him.

“Don’t you dare hurt him, you miserable little brat!” she screeched, uselessly pounding and clawing at the grated fence. “I’ll kill you if you do! No one would miss an evil little monster like you!”

“Monster, am I?” Cassian smiled at her before turning back to Micah, turning on the flamethrower. “Aye, I s’pose I could be that. Never mind the lass went from being human to bein’ some aul devil, herself. Now, Mess’r Callahan, this might hurt for a blink ‘r two. Feel free to scream if ye need be.” The redhead turned the flame onto the Nimir-Raj.

Micah and Anita both started screaming, one in pain, the other in anger and rage. Cassian patted out some of the rope when they started to smolder, but finished up all the same.

When the dark man was done, he pushed the flamethrower aside and withdrew a few smaller things from a pocket. Micah could only whimper and whine at Cassian started sewing his burnt flesh closed over the emasculating wound. A sharp tug earned a gasp from the wereleopard, and he didn’t even notice when Anita’s shrieks of rage changed to drooling, blubbering incoherency as Cassian had to work in close proximity to Micah’s former intimate areas to stitch him closed.

Stepping back when it was finished, Cassian smiled. “Now ye really are a lass, aye, Mess’r Callahan?” he chuckled. Micah flopped to the floor when he was untied, moaning and groaning as Cassian stepped away. The redhead turned and headed for the door.

When Anita was finally able to get inside, she promptly turned to fire her Browning at the short man, but Cassian only laughed as he sprang away, back-flipped and dodged her random firing. Making his way back up to the catwalk, he smiled and waggled his fingers in a faint wave before taking off and disappearing into the shadows.

“Stop it, Micah!” she scowled at his wet eyes. “Stop crying! He won’t get away with it.”

“Do you still love me, Anita?”

The pale woman paused and blinked as she tried to process the question. Micah’s chartreuse eyes were tearing up again, and she quickly nodded.

“Of course I do, Micah,” she smiled, despite the lie behind it. “We’re soulmates, I’ll always love you. Remember?”

The Nimir-Raj sighed as he leaned into her, letting her generous bust pillow his head as shock set in and adrenaline wore off. Anita groaned to herself as she realized Micah was falling asleep. She’d have to leave him to sleep there, then, since she couldn’t move him herself. The ardeur was rising, and Micah was no longer strong enough prey to satisfy it.

Micah started snoring against her chest, and Anita got up, letting her wereleopard lover unceremoniously fall to the floor, where he simply kept snoring. She was about to leave, but thought better of it, and pulled out her cell phone.

Nathaniel could take him to the hospital, she decided. She had to feed the ardeur, but Nathaniel could be trusted to do whatever he was told. She didn’t have much time to take Micah herself; if she didn’t feed the ardeur soon, it would start draining Damien and Nathaniel, and that wasn’t acceptable. Micah would be fine, she decided. But she wouldn’t necessarily be so.

Micah fell into Anita’s arms and sobbed incoherently, while the Executioner grabbed his shoulders and shook him.

Just a check-in, hopefully the first of many

Fri, 09 Jan 2009 01:02:19 GMT

I've been messing a bit with LJ of late. I doubt a lot of my friends still read this thing anymore, but what the heck, I like Livejournal.
So, I'm thinking of using this as a writing blog of sorts. Posting snippets and future rants for story ideas, that sort of thing. I blame taking part in NaNoWriMo 2008 for it :)
I erased a previous posting because, looking back it, it was rather embarrassing. Future posts will be more positive, I hope.

What makes people happy?

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 08:37:25 GMT

A vent posting, since I would usually vent to someone else online, but they're often either not on, or when I vent, they make me feel like a total bitch for wanting to get something off my chest or mention something that I realized. So, it'll go here.
After this latest trip to the mainland U.S., I realized one thing that makes me really unhappy is dealing with my uncle, especially when I end up stuck with him for over two weeks in the middle of nowhere. It wouldn't be so bad if he didn't bitch at me about how I'm 'becoming a zombie' just because I would rather play games and type on my laptop rather than talk to him. Yes, he has his good points, like being much friendlier and saner than my father ever was, but he pisses me off to no end (case in point, stress-triggered migraines five times in two weeks, a new record for someone who averages maybe one every few months). I wonder if you can get a temporary restraining order against someone if you've told them, repeatedly, that you think they're an ass and don't want to talk to them unless absolutely necessary, yet they still keep calling you at stupid hours that no normal human would be awake...
On the other hand, I found things that can make me very happy. I was pleasantly surprised to find Uzumaki, a horror manga that was loosely adapted into a somewhat-campy horror movie I enjoy, translated into English at Barnes and Noble earlier this month. I was also surprised just a few hours ago, as I was channel-surfing and found the Sci-Fi channel showing 'Reincarnation', a J-horror movie I heard about and always wanted to take a peek at. Not only was it on the TV where I could see it for free, but it was also not dubbed into English, but subtitled, with the original Japanese dialogue. Subtitled Japanese movies, dramas and anime make me quite happy, since they tend to sound better in their original language, especially if they were dubbed in English over 10 years ago.
In other news, I also enjoyed Otakon 2007 (I got to Baltimore with a friend of mine), and have plans to go again next year. This year was fun, as I went cosplaying Aya Fujimiya from Weiss Kreuz, and made friends with about a dozen other Weiss cosplayers. Some of us are planning to meet up again next year, so I look forward to that. I'm definitely going as Aya again, if I can get new boots to wear, and my mother has proven quite supportive when I mentioned I'm seriously considering trying a Sanzo cosplay from Saiyuki, especially if I can lose weight. Yes, I'm a stickler for details when it comes to cosplay, but I'm a purist fan, I suppose.
Though I doubt many people read this, if anyone did, are there any suggestions for costume makers out there? I'm pretty certain I'll get my Sanzo costume together in time for the convention season, but it's always good to have a back-up. I'll look into cosplay costume-makers, too.
Well, it's about time for me to try sleep in the islands, and I'm sure later I'll remember something else that annoyed me, and something else that makes me happy. We'll have to see.

Quiz stuff...

Thu, 31 May 2007 08:26:10 GMT

Part of my Death Note fangirl stupidity...

Which Death Note Character are you?

You are L.You love sweet things and are a very sweet person yourself. You are tidy and organized and don't judge people by their appearence. You love your few friends dearly and don't need to dress up smart to impress people. You are very itelligent although you do not appear to be. Overall you are a very caring person.
Take this quiz!

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Maybe this explains why I like this character so much...he reminds me of myself and a number of my fellow Asperger weirdos! *dances like an idiot* XD

Life goes on...

Fri, 25 May 2007 15:03:40 GMT

Feh, I haven't posted to this thing for how long? So, time for an update on my life.
I had a job that lasted for more than three weeks, at least until this past Sunday. I got a job at a veterinary clinic that paid $8 an hour, and I really liked working with the animals there. It was only about three days a week, so it wasn't too bad, except for transportation (sucks when you can't drive, and need to call someone to give you a ride to work because the damn bus doesn't run until AFTER you're supposed to be in for work).

Unfortunately, I found out it was rather stressful at times, especially on Sundays, when the clinic is closed, and I was the only person going in to make sure the animals were okay. I got sick a few times, which I warned my employer about in detail, and told him specifically that I get MAYBE half an hour warning if it's a migraine attack. Unfortunately, the only two people I could contact to take my place in such situations turned out to be quite untrustworthy. Laura, the kennel woman I was supposed to be working in the place of, practically never had her cellphone with her, and it was a miracle the LAST TIME I called her for help, she actually called back the same day I called! Then Amanda, who gave me her number and told me she'd be willing to cover for me, gave me some BS about not having a key to the clinic, then when I asked if she'd like me to go there to let her in, she admitted she didn't want to work that day! WTF was up with that?!
So, I finally got canned after working there for about three months, because when I got sick before, I thought I did everything I was supposed to do, and apparently, I didn't. Well, they forgave me for that faux pas, especially after I explained my disability, which includes a learning curve totally out of whack. But this time, I called someone to cover for me on my sick days, and apparently, the doctor decided I wasn't a good, responsible worker just because I didn't lock the clinic door when I had to go home. Okay, I can see that, but you know, it's damn hard to make sure you did something right when you're in such pain you can't even open your eyes, and thus, can't see. Frankly, I'm surprised I didn't get run over by a car just crossing the parking lot...
So, I'm going in next week to pick up my last paycheck, drop off the clinic key, and tell them good riddance. My mother insists on coming with me to talk to the doctor, too. She tells me the whole situation smacks of discrimination, and last I heard, I don't think employers can discriminate on the basis of disability, and it's not a physical disability, where I'm asking them to install a ramp to get up the stairs, or something. All I was asking was for a bit of mentoring, since I'm new to kennel work in general, and some patience when it comes to getting into the swing of things. Well, I definitely don't want to work for someone who's not willing to make some compromises, anyhow, especially after they were probably BSing me about doing a good job.
But, I take it in stride. It's a learning experience for me, I did get the job in the first place, I have all the information regarding how my disability could affect my work performance ready for the next employer who hires me, and in the meantime, I'll be taking another work sabbatical.
Just as well I'm out of a job at the moment, so I can plan the trips I'll likely be going on the rest of the year. There's a week-long Baltimore trip for Otakon in July, my cousin Roland's wedding in September (we'll be going for a few weeks for that), and then I'm hearing that there's likely another family trip to the northern states for Christmas, especially since some of us want to stop at Yellowstone National Park then. And if I'm still unemployed come New Year's, I'll look into trips to Japan to visit relatives and further explore Akihabara/Shibuya, and Ireland through Trips, Inc., a company that arranges travel tour groups for people with disabilities of all kinds. I'm turning into a regular globe-trotter, I swear XD

Update on life...and insomnia O.O

Thu, 02 Nov 2006 13:50:43 GMT

I should have posted this some time ago, but hell, in Hawaii, we're still kind of feeling the effects of the October 15th earthquake. It doesn't help we're getting some heavy rainy weather, now, too, so I imagine those with property damage will be really unhappy about that. But hey, no one died, or had life-threatening injuries, and most of the structures that were damaged are going to be fixed and such. The only part I didn't like was the fact that Oahu had a blackout right after the quake, AND my area didn't get power back until around 1am the next day. Then my computer turned out to be broken because I happened to be on it when the shaking started, so that took another week to fix.
But, all in all, life's back to normal. After the sun comes up (it's almost 4am right now x_x), I'll be making some calls to see about Medicaid/Medicare (apparently, since I have a lifelong disability, I'm already applicable for such aid at the age of 23), then trying to figure out where the HELL 'Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf' is, since I've never heard of the place before, and I'm supposed to be meeting someone there on Friday. Is Hawaii the only place where you could have a place called 'Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf' in an area known as Puck's alley, which happens to be, what, two blocks away from a campus of the University of Hawaii?
On another note: Naoko-chan! I might not need to go shopping on Friday. My uncle sent us a webcam, which includes a microphone, so I can soon send you my attempt at singing Hiei's part of Wild Wind. Also reminds me, in the anime-related field, I need to shop online for replica katanas for my Otakon Aya Fujimiya costume. ::grins::
Life is okay, aside from listening to my old lady complaining and whining she's going to die soon. I've just been playing Gaia and Runescape a bit, but I'll soon return to my old pixelated eye-candy of MapleStory, and working on assorted original writing projects. Deviantart is a go, so that's where any art I come up with will go. Aside from that, I need to figure out how to make myself sleepy...

Note to self...

Sat, 16 Sep 2006 06:44:42 GMT

Must remember to scan in drawings done on trip when I get home, and finally sign up for a DeviantArt account like I keep promising myself I would do. I have friends on there to help me, if I can just catch them online!

My hell, at present

Sat, 16 Sep 2006 06:42:35 GMT

Stolen from nekohimenaoko ^^

Militant Vegans, Rednecks
Circle I Limbo

computer game hackers
Circle II Whirling in a Dark & Stormy Wind

Parents who bring squalling brats to R-rated movies
Circle III Mud, Rain, Cold, Hail & Snow

General asshats
Circle IV Rolling Weights

Creationists
Circle V Stuck in Mud, Mangled

River Styx

Saddam Hussein
Circle VI Buried for Eternity

River Phlegyas

Osama bin Laden
Circle VII Burning Sands

narrow-minded technophobes
Circle IIX Immersed in Excrement

religious conservatives, George Bush
Circle IX Frozen in Ice

Design your own hell

No,I haven't disappeared off the face of the earth...

Sun, 20 Aug 2006 00:49:16 GMT

Right now, I:m using the computer in the 'business center' of the Tokyo Metropolitan Hotel in Ikebukuro. It of the Tokyo Metropolitan Hotel in Ikebukuro. It's taking some getting used Metropolitan Hotel in Ikebukuro. It's taking some getting used to typing on these computers, since they *are* bilinguial, and have some differences on the keyboards that take getting used to. But, I'm managing.
Chibi, I'm sorry I didn't get to talk to you again before I left, but to make it up to you, I'll have some stuff to send you when I get home! And when I can, I'll be scanning in photos of our wayward trip across just a small portion of Japan. I plan to come back again, it's otaku heaven (yes, I do know what it means). So, tomorrow, we shall be returning home.

I can't seem to get the Japanese characters on this thing...ARGH!

Shameless plug, but I'm bored...

Sat, 17 Jun 2006 01:06:46 GMT

http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/jellicles_nekojin/

For anyone even slightly interested in both the musical 'Cats', and anime/manga. I'll be pitching this at anyone who's interested *grins*

Kawaii Kon! I shall haunt them! XD

Sat, 29 Apr 2006 11:56:55 GMT

Okay, so this is like two weeks late, but whatever...
I LOVED Kawaii Kon this year! Friday the 14th, around mignight, we got to see shounen-ai/yaoi anime (Gravitation, Fake, Level C and Sensitive Pornograph). The last one, especially, made my fangirl heart happy. Uncensored smut, and enough cuteness to balance it out. Fake was interesting...unfortunately, I was halfway distracted by the fact that the two main guys have eyes even more droopy than the guys in Saiyuki >_O
I really enjoyed seeing Vic Mignogna (the guy who does, among other roles, Dark in DNAngel, and presently, Edward Elric in Fullmetal Alchemist). The Q&A panel was amusing, and I think I can safely say that Kawaii Kon is presently the scene of his weirdest fan moment...especially amusing for those few FMA shounen-ai/yaoi fans (which I didn't even know were out there x_x).
When I get my damn scanner up and running, I have to scan in the autographs I got there to send to friends (there was also Seam Schemmel, the English dub voice of Dragonball's Goku).
Now I just have to save up for my August trip to Japan, and Kawaii Kon 2007. I got a lot of doujinshi here, and my poor mother has been enlightened as to exactly what the hell shounen/shoujo-ai and yaoi/yuri are *evil cackles and runs off*

Another quiz, because I'm feeling like shit right now >_>

Tue, 14 Mar 2006 00:36:01 GMT

How to make a Mystoflare

Ingredients:

1 part anger

5 parts brilliance

3 parts empathy

Method:
Add to a cocktail shaker and mix vigorously. Add curiosity to taste! Do not overindulge!

Personality cocktail
From Go-Quiz.com

Uhhh...yeah. Okay. Whatever. I don't care right now. >_O
Little wonder half the time I don't want to talk to people. When I was a kid, I put up with verbal abuse and being ostracized. Now, I struggle trying to get a part-time job (thank you, social security), and having people making me feel shitty because I don't automatically return to talk to them. I just want to be left alone half the time, damnit. I LIKE being alone, by myself. I'm happier than being around a bunch of people I don't know, who make me uncomfortable and could very well be stalkers, psychos, perverts, etc.
If the world ends tomorrow and I go to hell, I'll still be happy to be away from people.

Weird insomnia? O.o

Sun, 05 Mar 2006 11:42:52 GMT

Looking at Yami no Matsuei stuff...and got this result on a quiz...

Tatsumi Seiichirou: The very epitome of efficiency

and economy, you are firm and confident in

your dealings with other people. You're

known for being an enigmatic person and do

not like to let others know about your

personal life. Everything is business to

you, but you do generally care for a few

people. Secretly, you hold a passion for

historical things and often spend your rare

free time studying historical books and

places. Your signs of affection are subtle

and hard to notice unless one really knows

you, and you're generally seen as a

father/mother figure to other people.

Which Yami no Matsuei character are you most like?
brought to you by Quizilla

Uhh....I'm Tatsumi? x_x
Funny, I always pictured myself more likely Hisoka, Tsuzuki or Watari. I'm no tightwad >)P

Quizzes and rants

Fri, 24 Feb 2006 06:44:00 GMT

Mystoflare will have to write:

I will not accidentally light my hair on fire

'What will you have to write on the chalk board?' at QuizGalaxy.com

Is this even possible? I never heard of anyone's hair catching fire (except in really bad B-movies, maybe). Then again, this is from the girl was constantly verbally abused and such by those in her age range...and I know it's possible, from experience, for hair to BURN...but catch fire?
Yes, a quintet of selfish, verbally-abusive, shallow, uncaring 9- to 12-year-old BITCHES once tried to light my hair on fire, after splashing me with some kind of flammable liquid...My hair smelled like smoke for a week, and I cried my eyes out after running home. I hope they burn in whatever hell they believe (unless it's the Nordic one, then they get the pleasure of losing their grubby li'l fingers to frostbite and gangrene). That, or they suffer mange, and have their hair fall out in patches from their scabbed-over, itchy flaky scalps. Would serve them right. Who the HELL does things like that to a supposed 'friend', especially a nine-year-old who doesn't know that her 'friends' could, however unlikely, turn around and stab her in the back?! >_>
Ah, well, on the good side, Kawaii Kon is in two months. Looking forward to it, hope to find more anime fans in Hawaii. April 14, 15 and 16, baby!
And then there's the August trip to Japan to pay our respects to my grandmother's ashes at the family crypt.
Around Labor Day or so, there's a three-week trip back to the mainland. We have to stop in Texas for a few days for a stupid family reunion, on the good side, most of the trip will (if all goes well) be traveling through New York City, Washington D.C. (I might finally get to see the Smithsonian! ^^) and west to Las Vegas. Hmm...maybe we can stop in Arkansas to see my godmother again...
And while I know no fan of the musical CATS will ever find out, being as most of those people hate me for 'ripping off' their favorite artists (you know how people can subconsciously be influenced by pictures and such you've seen before? Yeah, apparently, they don't buy that, and if you tell him such, they'll rip into you like hungry man-eating lions >_>)...I have stories brewing on my chaotic brain for a tribe of Jellicles set in Japan (no, not the Japanese version of musical characters, these are originals, regardless of whether or not you believe me).
I've seen a lot of fic series of CATS-type characters, but they're always set in England! Yeah, I know that English is probably the (primary) author's native tongue, but considering that CATS is played in a number of countries, is it too much to do a bit of cultural research and try for a foreign tribe of felines? It could still be in English, too. Of course, my stuff is totally anime-influenced...bleh. Whatever.
Signing off to write down more ideas. We'll see where this stuff goes, if anywhere.

Stereotypes and trips

Tue, 10 Jan 2006 08:49:56 GMT

Where to start on this...Oh. My. God. My vacation, for the most part, SUCKED.
Most of my relatives at present, who can speak English, happen to live in Texas. Now, I have nothing personally against Mexican-Americans, or those with Mexican ancestry. But there are people you shouldn't have to deal with, ever.
Seriously, a number of aunts, uncles and cousins I have spent time with over there are damn drunks, who'll take the holidays and anyone visiting from out of town as an excuse to party and get blasted. I have nothing against people who drunk occasionally or in moderation, but you seriously have a problem when you drink EVERY DAY, and especially when you're having any kind of celebration. I mean, who wants to spend the day around a bunch of people with hangovers? >_>
Also, these relatives, with a few exceptions, seem to have NO respect for other people. I don't mind that you guys want to drink, but I refuse to. I was willing to try one or two alcoholic beverages (which I now fully believe to be an acquired taste...margueritas are too salty for my liking, and there was also something called Blue Hypnotic, which tasted EXACTLY like Listerine mouthwash, to me). But when you insist on badgering someone for hours and hours on end to drink alcohol at a party, I think that shows you really don't have a damn ounce of respect for the *person*. People could be fully able to socialize with friends and relatives without being pressured constantly to have a few drinks, when they don't like said drinks. I don't care what you want to do, drink, eat and be merry, but if I refuse to drink something with alcohol or some unknown substance in it, you should respect that. Maybe I'm not afraid, maybe I tried it, and I didn't like it. Some people don't think.
Also, there's a LOT of crap among those relatives...I swear, Jerry Springer would have a field day if they called in to his show. They DEFINE 'dysfunctional'. To sample:
1 - Apparently, one of my uncles, known in the family for his newfound zeal for religion (not clear on if he's Christian or Catholic), apparently had a rather...shall we say, sordid, history with one of his cousins (my cousin once removed). Basically, it was something much like rape. My cousin got pregnant (dunno why she didn't get an abortion, but I suspect religion in upbringing had something to do with it), and has a son, who doesn't know who his father is.
But wait! That's not all. From my observations, she's not exactly motherly material for this kid, who's right smack in the middle of his teens. For example, she wants the kid to learn responsibility. Sounds like a good parental thing. Her way to get him to learn? Get the kid a dog. A pet. Make him take care of it. I have nothing against this, but it bothers me that the dog isn't even a 'pet', but more like a 'thing'. They don't give a damn if anything happens to the poor thing. Suppose she gets hit when she gets out of the house and runs into the street. Who gets blamed? The driver, for hitting the dog. NOT the kid, for letting the dog out of his sight. I shudder to imagine the boy having children. I imagine they would not be much better.
Also, she doesn't care what the kid does, really. This is a fifteen-year-old kid, and his mom not only lets him drink, she gives him money to BUY his own liquor with! And apparently, in Texas, they don't ask to see ID when you buy alcoholic beverages in some places. You know, most mothers wouldn't let their kid get away with drinking AND encourage it...you know how many problems that could potentially cause?
2 - My grandparents did not, under any circumstances, like any of their daughters-in-law. After spending three weeks with them, I can see why. The sons all managed to somehow hook these shallow, way-too-pushy, selfish and violent women.
One of my uncles had a very nice wife, once, who died in a car accident. His new wife, however, basically kicked out of the family the three kids from his first wife. Apparently, she felt threatened by them, and wanted her own family with my uncle. Fine, I can understand the family part, but being abusive to and excluding your spouse's children from a previous relationship, when those children *need* a mother figure after the untimely death of their own? I'm sorry, but however you cut it, I can't like someone who does that, someone who alienates not only their step-children, but even their spouse. Little wonder the rest of the family hates her.
However, there were some highlights to this trip. My cousin traveling with us, and his father, my similarly ill-mannered uncle, both died on the road, to the relief of us all. They were horrible people to be around, and even worse to deal with. There was no reasoning that would get through to them, and they always found their amusement and laughs at someone else's expense, painfully. They had no friends, and even their own kin didn't wish to deal with them unless absolutely necessary. My uncle, it seems, passed away due to a heart attack, he would have needed triple by-pass surgery if he'd lived. My cousin, I have no idea, and I don't care. I'm sorry. I never developed any sympathy for either of them, and I'll be damned if I feel at all sorry for those SOBs being dead. All I have seen of them were truly awful people, with no respect for life or limb, no willingness to listen, learn or even try anything new, and the belief that they could hurt anyone who didn't agree with what they said or did. Sounds familiar to anyone?
One of the only relatives I would wish to see again would be my aunt, usually known as 'Margie', who lives in Austin. A nice, even-tempered, wonderfully patient, open-minded and strong woman, I admire her greatly. She's fully capable of supporting herself and her twelve-year-old son, stays in contact with her older daughter and son-in-law, and she's reasonable. She knows what happens in the family, and prefers to stay away from all the 'drama', especially as one of my other aunts (married into the family), can be not only rude, but downright physically violent, to her. There are also the 'elders', my grand-aunts and grand-uncles, their children and grandchildren. They're of a mind like Margie, very nice and helpful, and full of family history and information. If, I reiterate, IF, I ever plan to make a family tree, I intend to consult them for names, dates and assorted stories. They are wonderful people, full of history, and I will definitely mourn their passing when it comes.
My godmother (a friend of my mother's), was also one of the bright spots of the trip. She has nearly two acres of land belonging to her and her husband, they have several cottages they regularly rent out, and a number of animals. The update for her menagerie, at present, is four dogs, 16 cats, a horse, two raccoons, a possum, and a ferret. Her dogs have either passed from old age, or found better homes where they will spend the rest of their days spoiled rotten, the raccoons she saved, one from an attic where her mother abandoned her, and the other, from the road, after being hit by a motor vehicle of some kind. The possum has a similar road history, his mother was killed, and her three babies were saved, of which, one survived. The ferret was the only one to come from a pet store, and she is simply adorable. Possums look like HUGE rats, but ferrets look rather like mice...with bodies like the so-called 'weiner dog'. The ferret was very sweet, she didn't bite, but often spent the day bouncing around the cottage, exploring every nook and cranny of our luggage, and burrowing under the blankets at night. If Hawaii ever legalizes ferrets, I would no doubt be one of the first to get one. They're just that CUTE! XD
If at all possible, thanks to having a digital camera now, I might upload pictures of some of the animals. The people, I feel, would be better off not being shown to the rest of the world, for many reasons.
On another totally off-topic note, I have FINALLY gotten the Petshop of Horrors OVA (very amused that the voice actor for Naruto's Iruka, Saiyuki's Sanzo, and Yami no Matsuei's Watari does Count D). I also have DNAngel, which I will eventually watch, and I'm looking into getting my hands on GetBackers and Cardcaptor Sakura. Also looking forward to Kawaii Kon 2006, which will be in Honolulu, and I definitely plan to go! I might even get to meet a friend or two from online in real life, for once!

Signing off to watch a lent GetBackers DVD

Vacations are supposed to be fun...aren't they?

Thu, 15 Dec 2005 14:10:48 GMT

Okay, so I'm awake at the ungodly hour of, what, four in the morning, Hawaii time? I got some sleep, and am dreading the idea of how busy today will be. Will be finished packing my luggage, and have been told last night that I might be dragged out to go see the Chronicles of Narnia (which is okay, but when you have to buy and pack things last-minute, do you want to be distracted?). Have to go see a doctor for something called skin tag removal...whatever that is, I can't imagine it's pleasant. On the good side, I have a new Sony audio player that doesn't require CDs, and on which I have all my favorite J-pop/rock and English-language songs to torment my travelmates with >)P
From tonight, until the 7th of January, I will be on the Mainland US, and probably not near a computer most of the time, so I'll be amazed if I get a chance to email anyone. Trying to squirrel away what I can for when I get back, and finish up my part on some stories so nekohimenaoko can hold them and work on her guys in there >)P
The only light in this right now is that while I practically hate one of my cousins who's going with us (finally realized he's being verbally abusive, but since I don't even pay attention to or remember half of what he tells me, what do I care?), I will get away for that for a few days towards the end, when I get to stay with my lovely godmother and her menagerie of animals (dogs, cats, a horse, a possum, bird, ferret, and some baby raccoons she rescued XD). Since I'm meeting up with Mum there, and she's bringing along a digital camera, I might be able to upload some pictures of the animals...why do I think anything furry is so cute? >)P
Well, that's about the most of it. I'll get to update my fics when I get back, and there's smut in the wings to be done, so I can happily ignore my idiot cousin and flee to the safety of family insanity with my siblings and other cousins...I will get back to all when I have chased down my sanity :)

Couple of quizzes...because I am bored with MapleStory

Wed, 23 Nov 2005 22:05:26 GMT

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Well, that, or Sanzo's harisen, because there are always idiots in the world >)P

Well, maybe Gojou, or Sanzo, because my classmates always thought I was scary XD

Will probably post stories here soon, if I can get a proofreader/beta reader to tell me if any part of my writing sucks.

Darkness Rising profiles...well, one, anyhow

Fri, 04 Nov 2005 22:48:22 GMT

Since Stormy's the only one who really seems to read these things, I won't bother with a cut to hide them from others. That, and I'm lazy >)P
So, here's the first of several profiles I typed up recently:

Name: Horitamo
Birthdate: 2036 TA
Hair: Dark black-brown
Eyes: Gold
Powers: Transmutation, teleportation, shielding, telepathy
Hobbies: Singing, watching court intrigues, being just a little vain >)P
Skills: Swordplay (as in battle), leadership, diplomacy
Parents: Suzaku, Shang-Ti, Dayana (ad.)
Siblings: Several brothers (ad.)
Spouses: Nariko
Children: Nuriko, Boushin, Gyoushinku, Ayame
Seiyuu: Koyasu Takehito
Image color: Red
Markings: None
Other Forms: None known
Nicknames: Hori-sama, Hori-chan (both by Nariko), Heika-sama
Occupation: Emperor of Ardhann-Shyoko
Race: Demi-god

HISTORY: Born from the mating of the gods Suzaku and Shang-Ti, Horitamo was left in the care of Ardhann-Shyoko miko and houshi as a baby, who later gave him into the care of Dayana, the Queen of Ardhann-Shyoko. Exactly why he was left to be raised in the ‘mortal’ world is initially unclear, but later, during his walking the Winding Way, it’s revealed that his parents knew he would be a major figure in determining the fate of the world.
Despite his divine heritage, Horitamo grew up relatively uneventfully. Raised alongside Dayana’s five blood-sons, he was taught the royal skills he would eventually need, like diplomacy and sword-fighting, as well as typical ‘academic’ skills like reading and writing. He was raised with the understanding that, as the youngest son, he would inherit the throne when he was of age, or if anything happened to Dayana (this typically went to the youngest daughter, but as Dayana had none, it then fell to the youngest son). When he was about fifteen or so, suitors of all genders came from near and far to court him, as is the custom for royalty. This didn’t really help the fact that he grew up with sincere compliments and flattery upon him, but he was comparatively modest, all the same, simply proud of the fact that many considered him beautiful.
Sadly, tragedy reared its ugly head in his life when he was seventeen. A surprise attack on the palace by True Humans left Dayana dead and Horitamo scarred so deeply, that he unconsciously blocked out most of his memories of Dayana, to keep the grief from overwhelming him. This continued for twelve years, until the beginning of what would later be chronicled as the Creation Wars.
That time found him the troubled ruler of Ardhann-Shyoko, with a harem of potential spouses to choose from, and the unknown threat of a genocidal war brewing against not only his kingdom and kind, but the entirety of his world. After taking in some gypsies who had been attacked by True Humans, he went out when the alert came that they were heading for the capital city, followed unknowingly by Nariko, the Faerie Prince, from his harem. While they did manage to temporarily drive the invading force away, Horitamo sustained injuries that the healers could not undo. He decided it would be best to get the population of the country to their neighbors, Kazenokizu and Solaria especially, as True Humans were loathe to directly confront their respective rulers, and took his court and the gypsies to the Lost City of Suijin’noyani, where he heard there was a weapon that could permanently drive the True Human threat from their land. Along the way here, he ended up in a rather interesting alliance with Lucifer, the Prince of Hell, who traveled to the Earth Quadrant on his own quest.
To walk the Winding Way, he had to bring along a companion who could accompany him part of the way, and Nariko volunteered. It was during this spiritual trial period that they bonded, closer than before, and Horitamo was forced to confront not only what troubled him, but also learn the reasons for his past, and make peace with Dayana’s choice to sacrifice herself for him. After completing the trials, he accepted the Sword of Flame, which bonded to him, and remains in his possession to this day.
During the relative chaos of the Creation Wars, he formed an alliance with Lucifer and his family briefly, securing Ardhann-Shyoko a spot in the Juuni Kokki following the Wars. He was also formally courted by Nariko, who was rather upset over an incident where Natsuko forcibly stole Horitamo’s first kiss. The Emperor was eventually won over by the two-spirits’ persistence, among other things, and proposed to Nariko several years into the Creation Wars; they married in TA 2066 with the blessing of Pandala. Horitamo and Nariko’s first child, a son named Boushin, was born two years later, to eventually be followed by another son, Gyoushiku, and two daughters, Nuriko and Ayame.
Since then, Horitamo’s been cautiously ruling his country, with his resurrected adopted mother serving as his most trusted advisor, and Nariko always at his side, ready to mete out retribution for any insult to his mate and family. It’s safe to assume that the Emperor’s life can only get more interesting from here.

Almost the end of training...

Tue, 01 Nov 2005 00:11:33 GMT

A good thing, I say. I should probably get the phone numbers of some of the people here, though, they're quite amusing to talk and listen to. Tomorrow is the last day...after that, comes a month of having to put up with a bloody diet plan (I really need to the lose the weight for my health, if nothing else), then in December, the horror of visiting dysfunctional relatives in Texas...those guys are kinda scary x_x
I *will* be posting fiction of here, soon. So far, I need to finish part of my Darkness Rising story, then I can post the previous chapters of it here. Amusingly, there's also the possibility of Elfquest-inspired elf characters, and also Jellicle characters inspired by CATS. Strange, after the initial fascination wears off, there's still a bit of inspiration that latches on to your brain and refuses to let go.
I also need to get some of my friends on MSN to lemme know what their LJ names are...means I should stop playing that damn MapleStory game for a while, I guess...>)P
Break's over, time to go! *runs*

boredom on break! falls over

Tue, 18 Oct 2005 23:53:21 GMT

Well, it's my break during my work training at Goodwill, and I was bored, so I'm using the computer in the Goodwill computer lab to update this and look at stuff, while I neighbor browses yuri and het fanfiction on adultfanfiction.net...heh. I have a vaguely CATS-related fanfiction boiling in my head, along with a Lucifer story I have to work on, and plans for a mushy Horitamo/Nariko story...boy-love! XD
Well, I should have some story fragment or another to post up here either later today or some time tomorrow (during typing class, if I'm lucky XD). I have lots of ideas and such...I also want to post artwork somewhere, but I don't have a scanner...anyone know a place online that sells good, *cheap* scanners?
*goes back to getting soda and laughing her butt off at her neighbors*

Halloween coming up! Then more holidays! XD

Thu, 13 Oct 2005 03:23:10 GMT

I find I'm liking work training at Goodwill. I've made some interesting friends, and even found a guy there who has Asperger's like me, and enjoys anime and manga (even shounen/shoujo-ai XD). I also suggested everyone coming in on Halloween in costume, which sounded like a good idea, and it was also suggested that we have a potluck (everyone bringing in something), and watch horror flicks. All in all, that would be a nice surprise.
Working on DarkRis and I'll probably be posting some chapters here as I get them. Also have a Lucifer fic-bit and a possible Horitamo/Nariko mushfic in the works. My muse is on a roll.
Unfortunately, while I was typing this, my mother called me and asked me to go with her for shopping. Then I asked why, for no reason, she gets defensive and tells me to forget it. Someone with an older parent...please, tell me, WTF was that about? >_>
Well, I'm still in a relatively good mood, and relaxing to give my feet a break from badly-fitting shoes. This will not get me down! XD

Survivor...no, not the reality TV show x_x

Sat, 08 Oct 2005 03:02:42 GMT

Thus far, I have survived my first week of cashier work training at Goodwill. Actually was quite fun, as we have a nice teacher, and everyone in the class is a bit weird. Especially my neighbor Eric, who enjoys anime/manga more than me, and also has Asperger's Syndrome (a learning disability, more than anything else). Insanely happy because I now how only five more weeks of it, while I'm sure won't be boring.
In other news, working on profiles for Darkness Rising characters (my original fiction), and considering if I should post the chapters here or not. Might get feedback more than once in a blue moon, eh, Naoko-chan? >)P
Anyhoo, might be posting again soon. Depends on my mood. Presently want to put my brain on autopilot by playing MapleStory >)P

Gasoline and news...

Mon, 03 Oct 2005 16:38:42 GMT

You know, I'm already a cynic in regards to the potential of goodness in humankind (which I believe is limited to the few individuals capable of thinking outside the box, or in ways which are not idiotically shallow), but recently, I feel like crying. Not out of sadness for humanity, but for my loss of faith in the human race at times, and also out of shame for having to be born a human. Animals are far easier to understand, and probably a hell of a lot more honest than some people @_@
Everyone knows about the rising prices of gas (I couldn't care less, being as I don't drive), but in local news, it's pathetic how people try to get around this problem. There are people bloody STEALING gas right out of peoples' cars. It's really sad when they decide to take it from small businesses, who NEED gas to run their livelihood, and who are sometimes forced to be frugal out of necessity. They don't have money to spend on getting extra gas! Especially if the gas station's far away, and the idiots who stole their gas didn't have the consideration to leave enough for them to get to there for more. Stealing from the average joe is slightly understandable, they can usually get more gas, not being perpetually nearly broke most of time. Still, it's sad that people decide NOW to steal gas...there's a Hawaii state gas cap law in effect, and these days, gas is the cheapest I've seen in weeks. You'd think this wouldn't be happening...
It's times like this I feel like getting a firearm and going postal on the idiots who do this. Whatever happened to common human decency?? Oh, that's right, that was lost after Bush-monkey coming into office and 9-11, but that's a rant for another time. Well, as long as the world's not blown to space dust within the next three years, I hold on to the slightest shred of hope for improvement, in politics, economics and the general potential of humankind for some common decency towards their fellows.
However, there is a bit news I find cheering. Not related to gas at all, just local news of amusing interest. A massage therapy place made the news, called Nisei Shiatsu (I think), where one of their best is a blind Japanese man, who's in America on a temporary visa. He was discriminated in Japan because of his disability, but apparently, he's much happier in America. I hope he gets to stay, which means he'll need a permanent visa. There's one guy who hasn't let his disability stop him from doing what he enjoys (helping people). We need more people like that in the world.
Meanwhile, today, I start work training with help from Goodwill, and I'll be opening another bank account (since damn American Savings DID NOT tell me that they charge me ten dollars a month for holding my money where there's no activity on my account, so my account there's closed and I owe those fucking morons $25 ><). I decided on Central Pacific Bank (also known locally as the Bank with that dog Alex XD), since even just their customer service line was incredibly helpful, telling me more than I thought to ask about. There's free checking, more branches around than A.S., and longer hours. I will be a happy Mysto after today! *dances*

Looking back...

Fri, 30 Sep 2005 20:38:44 GMT

Looking back on my past interests, it's almost a bit sad to think of how they've changed so fast. Even just a year ago, I would have said I had a particular love for things like CATS (the musical), and the comic ElfQuest. No longer. I don't know why I lost all but the most superficial interest in EQ, but I know for CATS, it was probably due to the fact that it's all but impossible for me to see the show aside from the video, and the occasional once-every-five-or-so-years tour that stops in my state. I guess it's true, a fandom does begin to die out when exposure to it declines or blinks out of existence entirely.
Now, given that I've been exposed to a lot of Japanese programs and such at home (not to mention brushing up on my Japanese language skills in preparation for next year's trip to Japan! XD), I can safely say I've become addicted to anime and manga, like a number of Americans. Though I suppose some of my friends in RL overlook this due to my being half-Japanese...so as ever, I get away with being weird, even among the weirdos!
At the moment, I wish I had a scanner. But, as I don't, I'll stick with writing. I've got an original story in the works, 'Darkness Rising', along with other stories in the same world planned, and all I can say about is, you might wanna stay away from it if
1) you don't like the idea of humans being portrayed as the bad guys (not to mention brutish, unintelligent and unwilling/unable to comprehend alien cultures and races),
2) you can't take someone twisting about stuff about the bible (I have full respect for it, but I don't believe it's literal truth, nor that there's only one way to look at it). Besides, I'm only twisting it for the purpose of story, nothing personal.
or
3) you don't like/can't handle the idea of not just homosexual as well as heterosexual relationships, but also the idea of mixed-gender threesomes (as in a marriage, not orgy or something dumb like that), or even four-ways (Naoko, you know what I'm talking about! XD).

Any of these apply to you, and if you still decide to read, go right ahead. If you then wanna flame, go right ahead. It's no skin off my nose, after all. I'm just a writer trying to tell a story.