Alright, so:
Did anyone who grew up in the 2000s know a certain Disney movie called The Thirteenth Year? The 13-year-old swimmer who was turning into a merman after his birthday? Well, the actor (Chez Starbuck) is the boy who played him in the movie. So, I looked up what he looks like today. And I request you all do the same because from now on, he's the face claim of...JONATHAN COVE!
ENJOY!
At Valencia High...
3rd POV
It was a stampede of screams, sirens, terror, and car alarms blaring as the civilians and EMTs carried the injured and possibly drowned victims out of the auditorium into various vehicles and ambulances, getting ready to rush to the nearest hospitals.
Annette was torn between helping Alaine and Riley go to the hospital or following the Coves to wherever she believed they knew Charlotte might be. However, Jonathan (barely) managed to convince her not to follow them before they started their pursuit for Marana, who must've escaped by car, ignoring all the mayhem she left behind.
Jonathan was only thankful she ended up following the young teenagers, especially because he no longer needed Karen to use the moon ring's power to knock her out if Annette still had been determined to come with them. But Laguna on the other hand...
Flashback...
"You are taking me to Charlotte NOW!" Annette screamed, the wind howling as chaos erupted throughout the parking lot.
Jonathan internally groaned as it rained heavily throughout the night.
Here she goes again, he thought, partially realizing where Charlotte got her stubbornness from.
Luckily, Laguna, having recovered enough strength from the intended flooding, spoke up first. She stood before her and placed a hand on her shoulder sternly, forcing the woman to lock eyes with hers.
"Look, Annette, I need you to listen to me: I swear on my life that I will find Charlotte and return her to you safely," Laguna declared, seeping in her own Siren Voice.
It had been years since she last used that voice, and she wasn't proud of it, but if it could be used for the greater good for once in her long life, then so be it.
Laguna watched as Annette's eyes glazed over and continued, "You will leave with one of the ambulances handling Mr. Byrnes and remain at the hospital until we call you."
It wasn't a lie. She and Karen made sure to have the woman's number just in case of emergencies. So, she wasn't lying.
Seeing Annette nod her in agreement, Laguna let go of her shoulders and walked away, leaving the old mermaid and her son-in-law to watch in surprise as the mother did just as she was commanded to do.
Jonathan looked towards his mother-in-law and said, "You do realize what you've just done, right?"
Laguna shrugged. "The way I see it: What Charlotte doesn't know won't hurt her."
Flashback ends...
The voice did the job, and he knew it would hold assuming Annette had the common sense to believe get there on her own. Whatever Laguna and Marana were doing before flooding that auditorium nearly wiped out everyone's - sans the Coves and a few others- electronic devices and the thunderstorm was in no way going to allow any more ambulances to travel to nor from the school.
Not like it could.
The thunderstorm was blinding and deafening, storm drains were overwhelmed as it coursed down the streets, the winds were powerful enough that trees were falling in some parts of the county, and the heavy rain was pelting the cars like bullets raining down from machine guns in the sky. The vehicles that managed to leave the school were in danger of getting stuck in the storm had any chance to advance. But as it progressed at its pace, civilians that were told to stay indoors took a hint that this was no ordinary storm and started getting in their cars and heading into the road, not knowing whether or not something would be blacking their paths or trapped regardless.
The news team started gathering reports that the storm was turning from a Category 3 storm to a Category 4, a hurricane following through, that not even the meteorologist caught ahead of time.
It was dangerous.
It was ruthless.
It had Marana's work written all over it.
The Coves, however, were not amongst them.
Where were they? They were speeding as much as the car would take them to a marina in Inglewood called Paradise Bound (Laguna swears she has no claims to it) to meet up with Karen and Brendan. It was an hour's drive, which was heavily delayed by the confusion and wreckage of the school, and the storm was no help at all.
The Perfect Chaos.
Luckily, Jonathan was no stranger to running red lights and breaking the speed limit when it demanded.
"Alright, so let's discuss how we go at this," Jonathan started, being mindful while pushing the speed limits. "You said that Marana got away, right? Just lay it out for me."
Laguna just sighed. "At first, we were at a standstill. She had caused the water to came rushing in the room with the full intent of drowning everybody in it. I managed to stop her and - well, imagine all the water in an aquarium with more continuously adding and that's just how much we were holding between us!"
Jonathan puffed air into his cheeks as they made a swerve around a car, just bearly missing it. It helped to hide his shock.
"I was trying to dispel it, evaporate it and she just kept on taunting me, belittling me. Basically like a typical villain from those children cartoons-"
"The one where they spill their whole plans?" he quickly interrupted.
"Might as well have," Laguna continued. "We were at the thickest of it and I was pushing it onto her when she did something to the water. It was so subtle at first, I didn't notice, but it all felt wrong. Typically, you can feel water when you're manipulating it, rather it's the rushing waters of a river or the blood flow of a human body. But she somehow...tainted it. Negated it. Turned something pure into something dark and vile to use against me...the next thing I knew, she regained full control and, well, you saw what the outcome was. It was basically as if the water mimicked itself into her personality and intentions."
"If I didn't know any better, it sounds like she had cast a spell in the water, making it somehow favor her over you," Jonathan suggested, making another sharp turn.
"No, no, this felt different," Laguna said, " I think it's coming back to me...Yes, she canceled out my powers. For any mermaid with enough training, especially against one another, they can stop attacks when they happen. But to do so, they'd need to have a good amount of control over their powers, first off, and they need to know how to measure it. Think about how we typically use the furnace to get to the cave using the flame. You think any typical merperson can do?"
"You and Karen can do that. And so can Brendan with a little practice," he insisted.
"And so can Charlotte."
Without warning, Jonathan flew and hit a speedbump that caused him to fly up and Laguna to hit the glass.
"OUCH!" Laguna hissed, rubbing her head where she could feel a bruise forming.
"SORRY!" Jonathan yelled, regaining control of the wheel. "And you would know this how?"
Still rubbing her head, Laguna explained, "From watching her and her memories. When I first had her unluck the furnace, I assumed she wouldn't be able to do it. At least on the first try, but she did so anyway. I might've assumed beginner's luck if she hadn't been able to do it more and more at ease later on. Some with go with those beach balls in the pool. She has tremendous control, so I looked back into her memories and saw her do use it before. She was capable of starting a fire and putting it out with ease, hold enough focus to mold and freeze water to the likeliness of someone's face- even to the point a mirage of a said person appeared- and though she had the help of the full moon, she was able to create a creature made from water and when attacked, it completely ignored the effects meant to demobilize it."
"And what does that translate to? She has good focus?" he demanded.
"No, she's just always been powerful," Laguna said regretfully. "She may have never meant to be, intentionally, and she may have not had the best intentions behind her emotions to get there, but she's always been best intuned with her powers, regardless of how long she's had them. And perhaps that's why she had to be alone that year: Regardless of how it played out, nobody likes people who are better than them. And if she had more time, if she had been under Marana's influence back then, she would have proved too easily that this was true."
Jonathan turned his head to see regret and shame fill Laguna's eyes as she bowed her head. Shaking his head, he took one hand off the wheel and whacked her on the side. It did the trick because she looked up at him, undignified.
"Look, I don't know about you, but you seem to be comparing Charlotte to Ane'lie, and like my wife, I share a different view: They are two different people," he remarked. "I don't honestly care for whatever pettiness ensued in Australia, but I know this: Those girls changed her fate. Whether you call it Divine Intervention or whatnot, the girls came into Charlotte's life and altered a cycle that has long been beyond her control, and left it in a place so she could change the narrative. Have the time, certain people don't enter your life to be your friend, Laguna. They enter it to bring change. And look at what happened, Charlotte had more time. More time to grow, more time to mature and more time to- DAMMIT!"
Jonathan missed his exit and now had to take a longer route.
"And more time to be a girl. I don't think she truly realized what she'd given up the first time, but now she does. Out of all her previous lives, she's the only one to get a second chance. She's come so far, I don't think even she's realized it yet. But she'll get to be happy this time. If I didn't know any better, Laguna, she might be the one to break this endless cycle and you giving up on her doesn't help. Well, granted letting Marana control her doesn't help either, but it's far too late to dwell on that. So tell me, someone is going to have to help her learn to face the outcomes of her actions, so are you going to be it? "Cause she can't be left alone. Not again."
Despite the pouring rain and deafening storm they drove under, Laguna now looked at her son-in-law with new eyes. This has officially been the most passionate he's been about the girl, and the most praise he's given her, and of course, he wouldn't let her know that. Since he's met Karen, she'd believe he'd resign himself to being only what she and Brendan needed.
Now, in her darkest hours, he was what she needed too.
And then, she felt it. It was an unexpected throbbing short of where her bruise was formed.
"Uh, I don't feel so good," Laguna murmured as she held her head. It was more than a sudden ache at the moment and she knew it wasn't from stress.
"Just hang on soon, Laguna. We're getting there," Jonathan assured, keeping his eyes ahead through the torrential rain. He wasn't sure he believed himself though.
Laguna knew he was just trying to reassure her before midnight, but she knew it was not going to work. When the voices come out, it just spelled a tragedy.
"Just like me, Ms. Laguna?"
Sitting straight up in her seat, Laguna covered her mouth to stop a croak from erupting. She could have sworn that she felt her heart halt.
"Ms. Laguna, why did you let me die? I did everything you told me to, I listened to you, and you let me die? You promised me I'd see Grandmother again. That this summer wouldn't be so horrid if I helped you? Why did I die? Did you kill me?"
Laguna sat back in her seat, mouth still covered, using the sound of the rain to calm her nerves. She focused on the pounding, seeking to synchronize her heart rate with its timing.
And it was starting now. The ghosts are coming back to haunt her.
Said ghosts were Marana's victims of the past. Whenever Ane'lie's reincarnations were found ahead of time, Laguna took the time to explain everything that was, can, and will happen to them, whether they're ready for it or not. But as fate would have it, Marana soon got control over them and they created terrible storms and other natural disasters, leaving Laguna to deal with the guilt and aftermath of the deaths and destruction left behind.
And with those deaths were vengeful spirits that refused to crossover, and happened to be the loved ones of the reincarnations' families who'd perished as well. Specifically, mothers to the lost daughters. They blamed Laguna for their deaths, their children's deaths, and Halloween was, unfortunately, the one night where they could voice their otherworldly despair in the best way they knew how:
Haunting Laguna.
"It's starting," she mumbled.
"Just hang in there!" Jonathan pleaded through his teeth. It was just their luck that after nearly being drowned, the Dead start waking up. One would think that with Charlotte being stuck in a reincarnation cycle, there would be no reason her past lives to haunt Laguna.
But that's where her many "families" come in. Marana's destruction about always affected the families that raised Ane'lie over the years and extensively got caught in the crossfire, dying horrific deaths either quickly following Ane'lie's deaths or years later spent grieving or blaming Laguna for her/their demises.
But when it comes to Laguna hearing the voices of the past incarnations, while Karen believed that it's her mothers guilty subconscious taking form, Jonathan held some believe that some of those lives left a piece of themselves attached to her. Maybe it was because of the Vow that kept them reunited or maybe it was because of their bond in their first lives. Whatever played a role, Laguna was always paying for it.
Always.
Meanwhile, Laguna was hit a sudden headache that sent her reeling as a barrage of screams and shouts filled her mind.
"AHHH!" Laguna screamed, clenching her head in pain.
"¿Cómo dejaste a mi preciosa hija para desaparecer en esa tormenta? ¿Donde esta ella? ¿Dónde está mi Carmenta, mi niña?"
"L'hai lasciata, Laguna. Hai lasciato Caprice! Hai detto che l'avresti portata a casa. Ma hai mentito. Hai mentito e lei morirà di nuovo."
"U t-tifla tiegħi, Firenze? Rajt tagħha għarqa, Laguna. Għeruq fl-oċean u anke ssieħbu fl-tfajla, tilfu ħafna minnu wkoll!"
"Shut up!" Laguna screamed, clenching her head in her hands. Jonathan spared her a worried glance.
This was not good!
"Wǒ zhīdào wǒ gěile tā "fěnsī" shì yǒu yuányīn de. Zhòng shén yǒu tā de jìhuà, jìhuà tā bùpèi, nǐ bèipànle tā. Nǐ bèipànle tā. Nǐ shāle tā!"
"Sabihin ang kanyang pangalan, Laguna. Sabihin ang pangalan ng Aking Puso! Ang kinuha mo sa isang mababaw na libingan! Sabihin ang kanyang pangalan! Sabihin ang kanyang pangalan!"
"SKOTIZETE TI DAUTILIA MOU!"
"Hozon shite kudasai. Hozon shite kudasai. Sore wa watashi ga motometa mono subete to nozonda mono subete de, anata wa kanojo o koroshimashita! Naze! Naze! Naze! Mu ̄ tan!"
"FONISSA! FONISSA! Pou eínai to moró mou?! TI TON KANETE STIN EINAI TOU !?"
"Vous nous avez brûlés! Vous nous avez laissé brûler! Moi mon mari ma fille! BRÛLÉS DANS LES 9 CERCLES DE L'ENFER! CATELINE BRÛLÉE PARCE QUE VOUS! BURNT STRAIGHT TO MER! NE JAMAIS ARRÊTER DE MARCHER, LA BELLE FACE À BRILLER À L'INTÉRIEUR! Elle ne verra jamais le ciel parce que toi! Vous avez brûlé son âme au diable!"
"YOU LET US DIE!"
"SHUT UP!" Laguna roared, sending the equivalent of a shockwave through the car. Windows shattered. The tires blew out with a force. And it was loud enough that it sent Jonathan's ears ringing, causing him to swirl them off the road and...
CRASH!
Marana's POV
I kept my eyes on the road as I drove the getaway car Ms. Anelies acquired for me during my singing so I could get a quick escape. As the pouring rain came pounding down against windshield and wipers swiped furiously to give me a view.
I smirked.
The look on Laguna's face as I turned the tide of our struggle couldn't bring me more satisfaction if it tried. She was always so weak. Feeble in stature and physical strength, I highly doubt she's spent time in her tail recently. She may look old, but I remember what her tail looks like.
Such a pretty thing. Lost to her stubbornness throughout the years.
As I was making my way to the rendezvous point, I decide to turn on the radio to the forecast, to what I created along the way, and instantly helped me to the weather report:
"This is Radio KWO37, helping and reporting tonight's weather and we've got a nasty one out here folks! Looking out here tonight, this unexpected storm has graced our skies with storm clouds I think they're getting darker- and the increasing level of heavy winds and severe thunderstorms has the State calling for a Category 4 storm warning and a Flash Flood warning in most of the local areas of Los Angeles and cities, even Malibu, are being encouraged to evacuate the cities. If you're stuck at home, it is heavily advised to get the highest point of your home as the storm presides. And in case you are stuck in traffic, we have roads starting to be blocked because of storm-related accidents, especially on the highway, so if you-"
I chuckled to myself as I listened to the reports. The moon is at its peak and my work is barely just beginning with so much accomplished already. Thank you, My Sister, for your wonderous cooperation.
As the grin grew on my face, I heard ringing right next to me. I turned to the passenger side to see the light of my burner phone (not my idea). Picking it up with one hand while the other remained on the wheel, I answered.
"Yes?"
"She's still alive."
I didn't say anything for a few minutes.
"Hello?"
...
"She's still alive?" I asked. A hint of irritation rising in my head.
"Yes. You did some damage, but I was forced to resuscitate some of the victims to keep up my appearance and am at the hospital," Ms. Anelies whispered, loud background noises leading me to realize she wasn't alone.
I growled internally. Laguna just won't die, can she!? But I couldn't fault the woman. She still had her end of the stick her deal with.
"Alright, just keep doing...whatever it is your doing over there," I spoke. "My storm is already causing problems with traffic, and thanks to you, I was provided with a head start. Once I get to my location, you'll know when it's happening."
"And what about the hospital attendees?" she asked worriedly. "I can't keep up the pretense forever!"
"Don't worry," I said stoically. "I did the spell so well that no one will notice the difference between you and everyone else."
Before she could get a word in, I hung u the phone, rolled down the window and threw it out into the street, Knowing the rain and wet terrain would render it useless.
In all honesty, I should have known she'd keep fighting. We've played this game before and usually by this time, she'd still be kicking. You'd think after centuries, I'd grow bored, and in some ways, I have. Perhaps I'm a bit vexed by now considering this time, I did all the work myself.
But I had something she didn't and she wouldn't dare to hurt her, even if she tried.
But for now, I still have the upper hand and my sister is oblivious to everything that's happening.
Looking to my right, I see two blue and green signs in the heavy weather and smiled as I make out the words.
MALIBU CITY LIMITS
POP 13.000 ELEV 16
OFFICIAL SANCTUARY CITY
"Cheap Nannies and Gardeners Make Malibu Great! (Boyle Heights Not So Much)"
It's all going plan. And nothing can ruin that!
Charlotte's POV
The full moon wasn't out yet, but by the time Lewis and I got the waterfall, I could feel the energy buzzing throughout the island, buzzing in a way I couldn't identify but I felt like the island always had.
Like it was sentient.
Lewis pulled out a long piece of rope from between some stones (placed there to make getting there easier) and tied them around to a nearby tree before handing the other end to me.
"Ladies first?" he offered chivalrously.
"Every man for himself," I smirked. He made a fake pout before tugging on it and made his way down the hole. As soon as I heard a thump and "ALL CLEAR" from the bottom, I grabbed the rope and shimmed down as best as I could.
The drop never gets any easier. Perhaps that's why the girls always take the underwater entrance. I could have done the same, too, but I guess since it was Lewis's date, I'd follow his path this time.
Once I unceremonially dropped in, I felt a pair of hands, easily recognizable to be Lewis's, help me up and dust me off. He had a wide smirk on his face and I rolled my eyes.
"Not a word," I said. He raised his hands in his defense.
"I have nothing worth saying," he started, "C'mon, the others are waiting!"
Grabbing my hand in his, we started walking rather hastily into the cave entrance where I saw something I never expected.
The entire cave was filled in decorations! Streamers and candles filled in careful areas so water could run through the cave walls, balloons were placed on the ground, where I spied the girls, dressed in party clothes, sitting on top of a large blanket surrounded by food and in the center, a projector.
"HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!" they screamed. I covered my mouth in shock as I cried and rushed over, engulfing them into one, big hug. I couldn't help but notice that true to Lewis's words, Cleo was wearing a locket with a purple gem on it.
"You guys!" I chocked as I pulled back. "You didn't have to go all the way out!"
"Technically, Cleo did this for our last anniversary, so you have her to thank," Rikki quipped. Emma shoved her.
"Even if it's true, she enlisted your help and you did, so you're as much to thank as I am," Emma retorted before turning back to me. "It may be 2 years for us, but it's your first, so it made sense to go all out for you!"
I turned to Lewis, who was leaning against the cave entrance with his arms folded, giving me a fond smile.
"Did you know about this!?" I exclaimed.
"Pretty much, but with the dangers of having 3 pissed off mermaids on my case, I decided to keep my mouth shut," he joked. Getting up, I went and hugged him, which he happily returned.
"I love you, Charlotte," he whispered into my ear.
I froze. This had to be a dream. An everloving dream I never wanted to wake up from. Is he serious?
I slowly pulled away and looked at him carefully.
"I thought you weren't going to say it unless the timing felt right?" I asked, feeling a little uncertain.
"Yes," he admitted, "I did say that. But I also promised I would when I got there. And watching the look on your face did it for me. You're loved, Charlotte, and you deserve to know that. No matter what."
Feeling tears fill in my eyes, I grasped his face and planted one on him and hugged him again. That was the most precious thing anyone has ever said to me...
But for all my elation...it didn't feel right.
Pulling back again, I grabbed his hand and pulled him to sit with me and the girls. I gave them my best smile, but I had a feeling they weren't buying it.
"So, what's with the projector?" I asked.
"Well, we're starting a little tradition of sorts. Last year, I made a video - mainly photographs taken during the year- to commemorate our times together. This time, with Rikki and Lewis's help, I changed it up. Still photographs, but we got a little underwater video footage to boot," Cleo explained, smiling.
"But wouldn't our tails get caught on film?" I asked.
Emma shook her head. "We had a lot of time to edit, just in case someone did get their hands on it. Now relax, this is our party, so let's celebrate!"
I watched them turn on some music and turn on the projector and suddenly, our best moments projected themselves above the moon pool. I leaned against Lewis and snuggled up next to him as we watched.
The girls weren't lying: The footage did look well edited to keep the Secret. And I should feel content with it, I DID feel content! I had a good day, a great date, the girls threw a fantastic party, and Lewis told me he loved me!
So why did it feel so wrong?
3rd POV
When Laguna's first awoke to consciousness, the first thing she noticed was that it was dark.
For a moment, she was worried that she was dead. To be fair, it wouldn't be so surprising since she should have been dead years ago. And definitely, considering she's lived for more than one lifetime.
But the timing was regrettably, for lack of better words, crappy, and honestly felt the irony that the one moment she needed, time, she was out of it!
Then, she remembered that Jonathan was with her and felt dread building up in her. Oh, she hoped he survived. She'll admit for taking a lot of things for granted during her quest for Ane'lie, and it hurt painfully so, but for all its purposes, he needed to live.
If she was leaving her daughter behind, she did not want to leave her with a widow and her children fatherless. It wasn't right to put her through that as a child and they didn't deserve it too! Not her grandson nor her unborn granddaughter!
And what happens with her gone? Will Charlotte ever regain control in time? What if she never does? Once again, Laguna found herself hoping that Jonathan lived, even if it was the end of the world, or at least California to start with, perhaps he can get to Karen in time and they somehow survive this.
That was an actual somewhat flattering thought.
She would stay here, waiting for HIM. The Reaper, the one figure that would take her to the afterlife, where she knew, without a doubt, there was a vacant spot long waiting for her.
"Wake up..."
...
Or perhaps he got here sooner than she thought.
...
"Wake up..."
...
And why did he sound so much like Jonathan? She highly hoped he wasn't the one to help her cross over. But then again, given their initial dislike for each other at first, the irony wouldn't be lost on her if he did.
...
"WAKE UP LAGUNA!"
I jolted at the booming voice, this time, actually opening my eyes, realizing they had been closed this whole time. the first thing she notices was the pouring rain. She looks around to see she was sitting outside the car, sirens blaring around her as she saw two other cars and an ambulance, the passengers looking worse for wear.
And then, to her biggest relief, she saw Jonathan standing in front of the car, swearing like a sailor.
It only took a moment's notice for him to see that she was awake and quickly rushed to help her up.
The first thing Laguna said to him was, "I thought we died."
Jonathan snorted bitterly. "I almost wish we had, given the newest inconvenience now."
Giving him a confused look, he led her to the front of the car that had him cursing and swore herself.
The van was completely wrecked! From the engine to the side of the car, where Laguna sat, the exterior was scratched up and torn off, a wheel was missing and the engine itself looks like it had been hit head-on with no future repairs able to bring it back to life.
She dropped my head into her hands. This could not be happening.
"We're cursed," Laguna groaned miserably. "We are officially cursed."
"Not going to lie: This car is done for. Luckily, I have insurance for a new one, if we survive the night," he bemoaned. "There's no way we can make it to the boat. And there's absolutely no way in the 9 Circles of Hell that Karen is sailing off without us. Not with the baby due, assuming she's been a trooper for her mother, and especially with Brendan as her only company. I don't care if I have to hotwire and steal, we are getting to that boat!"
I turned to him. "And how will we do that!? We have no car, and the roads are shutting down due to the storm. Marana almost always ensures that a large population is at her mercy! We literally need a miracle to happen as we speak!"
Drenched from head to toe, watching the ambulances leave with the other victims of the crash (Jonathan assured them that they would be fine), it was as if one obstacle to the next was hindering them from any actual progress to be made.
But Laguna wasn't going to give up. She needed to get to Charlotte, be there whether she wakes up or she dies trying, she would NEVER leave her alone again.
That was a promise.
But when all seemed lost, in the darkness of the night, a light flickered behind them. Laguna looked up and thought it was a flicker of her imagination.
But then the light appeared again, and as it got brighter and brighter, the light turned into two, and before the old mermaid and her son-in-law realized it, a bus rolled up in front of them. And once the bus opens its doors, there were greeted by an unfamiliar sight.
There, standing in front of the driver, equally soaked to the bone as they were, was the familiar light brown coat of a very distinguished pit bull.
"Thomas?" they asked simultaneously.
WOOF!
There was a snort behind him and they looked up to the driver behind the wheel.
"Ah, great! You know this damn mutt too!" the driver said, smiling. "Well, dare I say it, you fellows seem to be in a bit of a pickle here. So, I guess I should introduce myself. My name's Phil and I'm glad to make your acquaintance!"
A/N: The languages that are spoken in Laguna's head were French, Spanish, Italian, Greek, Japanese, and more. Essentially, they're calling Laguna a murderer responsible for their deaths, families' deaths, as well as their daughters' deaths, who were Anelie reincarnations at the time!