MICKEY MANTLE HAD LEFT ON A SUNDAY / birthday

[bubblegum]

DEAR FRIEND as you know,  your flowers are withering
your mother's gone insane, your leaves have drifted away.
    but the clouds are clearing up
        and i've come reveling, burning incandescently,
                                              like a bastard on the burning sea.

YOU'RE JUST LIKE YOUR FATHER,
BURIED DEEP UNDER THE WATER.

/after being rescued at the raid, goldie is temporarily staying in tangle for safety while she heals

It was funny, thinking on it; she'd not celebrated her birthday before. This one, whether there was room for celebration or not, would remain characteristic to her past two ones. The first, being just as the Typhoon's volcano had erupted, soon after her stepping up to her position, to burn and be reborn into her current body, and the second, just after the large raid against the Pitt, her temporarily ascending as their ardent until she may find one suitable for their terms of surrender. Her life was far too busy, held too many responsibilities to think of such trivial things. She'd been the dealer before, so she knew how to celebrate, throw parties. That was good enough. Throwing things for everyone else was plenty for her. This year was still quite odd in the circumstances. Still half-dead, far too many things going on to think of such a trivial thing, but the responsibilities were not so much her own this time - not to her choice. And here she was, stuck, until it was time to move once more. Soon, but not yet.

And the injured once-captain rests in the town, body against a tree. She'd walked with only two legs before, but that was two years ago, and the legs had still been attached. This was something still new for her. And the weakness of her sick body was not helping. But still, she tried here and there, stepping up for a few moments, going to the nearest structure, before resting for several more minutes again. And the process would repeat. For now, she only sits, breaths slightly struggled as she works through her shaking body. She eyes the tavern, hoping maybe being in such a building could help relieve some of the feeling, emotion running through her body. There was a lot to take in still, and she isn't sure she'll be able to process it all for a while.

But, she was alive. She had been around much longer than she would have ever expected. And that was quite alright. And she still had her family, even if different, they still remained. And soon, her home, too. So, a silent celebration through her head. Happy birthday, a cheers to life, to family, and to eventual victory. It was better to be grateful, than to try and think of anything else. And so she would be, no matter the pain, the thread that still pulled. She still had this. Three years worth of it.

[Grimm]

To exist is deceptively simple, yet to live a hardship unadorned by frivolous lies.

A dream, twisted and warped beneath the harsh edge only reality may bare with any dignity, that she had gone through, remnants spat back to the world left to pick up those few pieces left. Yet not truly forgein those struggles, simply different their cast. It seemed none may depart this life unscathed, about such hung the moniker of growth.

Yet how might one grow from this, held in chest a pain that consumes, clean picked the heart until it became a husk of stone. How might this be living, each day grown a conquest, surviving a daunting task displacing all else. Might growing numb be truly deemed life, even simply existence, or is one simply made a suitable coffin of their body until the worms may do as they wish with the flesh.

Even behind iron bars she may not be diminished, focal point present for all to look upon, the cruelty faux monarch enacted with careless abandon on show. Yet never had he crossed that distance, averted attention as though ignorance may make him blind to that which befouled the beyond,a simple and childish want. Nothing but sorrow had derived from such action, silent his observation of her staggering movement, thought budding behind worry worn upon gentle visage. Still there was no hurry, rather he seemed adamant on hesitating, each step slow as traversed the town.

"Do you need some help…" Clumsy his tongue as forced the words forth, assessment of her condition making apparent such was a rather useless query. It was all Salvia may offer all the same, uneasy as he plucked a few fallen leaves up, cracking as he worked them between his claws. "Not to say you aren't doing well just it seemed you might need it, or, uh, well not need it but might make it easier. I-I'm sorry, I uh…" His voice finally trailed into silence and his gaze shifted towards a far off point, grown unwilling to address the other any further as self directed reprimands filled his head.

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But I wish I could I could show you more of yourself, I wish I could make you somebody else but I left it way too late, are you stuck in your own ways? you only look at me properly now when you're drunk watching movies. where are you? what happened? I want what we had

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code by Wisker

[Ares]

LET'S START A WAR!

Ares. Female. Tanglewood. Child.

If Ares could remember the threat she was under before being dropped at Tanglewood, she probably would have been too scared to leave. And too thankful to forget it. She never knew of the subjugation she would have faced, the path fate put for the war-child. But she was alive, even if she would never know how it happened, or who placed her in the swamps. She was alive, and she was happy for it.

Sore shoulders rolled softly as she walked tanglewood, covered in her golden little blanket. It was only recently that she discovered the tiger that resided as a prisoner, even if she didn't know it. Seeing her in such a state, and still going, put a spark of inspiration in her. If the tiger could make it with a missing leg and weak body, the small kitten could push past anything.

Gently she padded to GoldenLuxury and Salvia, a hesitation in her step. The backwards memory of Dazir was still there, and would probably stay. The kitten looked at the tigress, ear twitching for a moment, before she smiled gently and looked up at her. "Hi.. I'm... Ares."

"Speech"

#psychosocial.

[bubblegum]

DEAR FRIEND as you know,  your flowers are withering
your mother's gone insane, your leaves have drifted away.
    but the clouds are clearing up
        and i've come reveling, burning incandescently,
                                              like a bastard on the burning sea.

YOU'RE JUST LIKE YOUR FATHER,
BURIED DEEP UNDER THE WATER.

She'd turn her gaze upwards for a moment, taking in the last of the quiet moment. Though it was not very loud, still, afterwards, it was an interruption. Not one she was too upset by, however. She'd been, for the most part, alone with only her captors, Eternal, and their own dying breaths for a few weeks. This would be a change of pace. To be approached by two children would cause the tigress to pause briefly, displeased by the thought of the children affected by the war. They need not be a part of this. They need not witness such acts. It was not their time to, and far beyond any history they could understand or dare to hold responsibilities with. Her gaze looks over the first to approach with a soft expression, despite the struggled look in her tired eyes. She would listen quietly as he spoke up, a clear hesitance from his words. He would soon come to find, however, from his position, the golden tigress was not one to fear.

"Oh, is' okay. I've been through this before, kind of. Somethin' similar. Gotta figure this part out m'self." She'd respond in a gentle voice, weak but determined. Different, but still the same, that's what she'd come to find herself thinking so often, and it still rang true now. She's sure she would have an easier time, soon, once she could get home, get her old walking stick. Perhaps Roan or Rosemary could help her attach it somehow. Nonetheless, for now, she'd simply work through the off-balance movement as her body regained strength and energy, moved out from its infected wounds. Her ear would twitch at Ares' introduction, offering a nod herself. "Oi, 'm Goldenluxury Roux, or Goldie. 'm a pirate, from the Typhoon."

That was really all she had to say at first. Her mind was not much for conversation right now. But, in a moment, a thought came to mind. She was not one to bring such kinds of attention to herself, throwing parties in celebration of herself, only doing so for the achievements of others, but she thought, perhaps, this would be a good time to. They were in need on celebration, after chasing out the Coalition snakes. "Well, maybe I could use some help," she'd pipe up in an almost playful tone, tail tip twitching. "Y'see, is' m' birthday, but 've no one t' have a party wit'. D'ya know anyone who'd like t' have a lil' fun?" How exactly she'd go about throwing some sort of fun party, she didn't really have a plan for. But, she thought, maybe this could help liven things up. Maybe getting the attention for it alone would cause further help to figure out the predicament.

[ROXANNE R.]

The raid within Tanglewood had been easy enough though Roxanne felt some unease knowing that she had left the rest of her crewmates behind within the Typhoon but she knew that they would return once Goldie had enough strength to make the trip back and for now, they would have to lay low within the swamps of their ally, Tanglewood. Her mind was buzzing with several thoughts as she sat at the edge of the town with a frown on his maw, she closed her eyes as a soft breath left her slightly parted maw. She bit down on her forked tongue, Roxie would rise to her paws making her way over to the small group having noticed that Goldie was surrounded by two kids. The Quartermaster couldn't help but feel a smile creep onto her maw as her fangs stuck out of her maw though she would speak with a nod of her head "The Queen of pirates, mind you." Her ears twitched for a moment though her gaze was gentle even if her expression showed signs of exhaustion, she had to remind herself that it would be over soon and Goldie would lead the Typhoon once again. She decided that she should introduce herself too "And I'm Roxanne... I'm her aunt and a pirate from the Typhoon,"

The small feline would stretch out her wings before adjusting them comfortably at her side, it took her a moment to realize that it was her niece's birthday and she couldn't help but frown at the fact that they weren't able to celebrate it properly because of all the bullshit that had been occurring around them. When Goldie asked the cubs if they knew anyone who would like to party with her, a smile soon found itself on her face once more. But she remained silent as she walked a bit closer to Goldie and pressed close to her niece, her eyes shining with concern and she would say out loud with a small shake of her head "Let's make it one hell of a birthday party,"

[wormwood.]

NOTHING BESIDE REMAINS — Having Goldie around once again... it caused a mix of joy and grief to constantly be running through Aurum, nearly driving the lion mad. On one hand, he was overjoyed to have his old friend back, and although the Typhoon captain clearly had some adjusting to do, at least she was alive. However, he also felt grief and guilt whenever he looked at her, a heavy feeling settling in his chest and weighing him down. It was partially his fault that she was like that, even if he had been trying to help her at the time. If only he had been a bit more careful, and a bit less reckless... perhaps she would still have her leg. Despite this, he knew that he couldn't avoid her forever, nor did he have much of a want to do so. No matter what, Goldie was his friend. She was perhaps one of his oldest, at least of those that were still alive and kicking. He knew he wouldn't have grown into who he was today, without her as a role model to constantly look up to. It had always brought a smile to his face whenever she had come to visit, and although he had every intention of helping her and every other Typhooner fight to get their own home back, he couldn't deny it was nice to have her around.

So, naturally, when the male had heard that it was her birthday, he had immediately known that they had to do something. Pushing through his initial reluctance as he made his way over, the angel let his tail flick from side to side before he spoke up, "Hey, Goldie. If you're looking for a party... well, we've got a tavern with plenty of booze, food, and games. Might not be as fancy as the one back home, but I like to think that it's pretty decent. I might even be able to scrap together a halfway decent cake, as long as Roxie helps out." He looked towards Roxie, flashing a bit of a smile in her direction. Although he knew that she didn't entirely appreciate his stubborn or foolhardy nature, he couldn't deny that he thought of her as a friend as well. Besides, without her help, whatever cake he made would probably come out tasting rather bland. Even if Aurum wasn't quite as bad at cooking as some around Tanglewood were, he still wasn't much of a baker. He was sure that Rox would have more of an understanding on how to make a decent cake – and better know what flavor Goldie would like. Thankfully, despite the recent infestation of Wanderers, Tanglewood still had plenty of supplies, and food. It seemed as though the Coalition hadn't been trying to bleed them dry, or entirely kill them. Instead, Stryker had just been looking to be a dictator. Of course, it was easy to see where that had gotten him. — OF THE MAN WHO WAS BORN AND DIED A KING.