Ty @cloudofbutterflies92 And @islandtarochips For The Tags 🤍🤍🤍

Was randomly talking to my mom about the Maui fires a bit back and everything going on in Maui now, post fire, and it really got me thinking.

Growing up, I adored mountain fires. Being a kid in West side Waianae, mountain fires were a yearly thing since our mountains were so dry. Since Waianae is so dark(bc it's not a city like in the Windward side) you can't even see the mountains at night, making them blend in with the pitch black sky.

My living room had 2 wide sliding doors looking towards the mountains and whenever the fires came around, it would illuminate the fine mountain ridges. It was beautiful. I'd find myself sitting by that patio door every night just to see the dancing lines of blaze drawing the outlines of the almost invisible mountains, paired with the soft smell of smoke. The slight smoke filtered by the distance was one of my most pleasant and also memorable scents of my childhood.

I think it must have been weird for my parents then. Imagine seeing your child ritualistically sit by the open patio screen, staring out into the night in an entranced state? Plus the fact that it would be like that for a full month. Creepy...I'd even run out to see the fires the moment I woke up.

Another thing is a more cultural aspect. Pele. The Hawaiian goddess of fire and lava. Also my favorite Hawaiian Goddess growing up. Sometimes I'd find myself talking to the flames, miles away from my patio door as if it were Pele herself. I'd thank her for the beauty her flames provided as well as the beauty it would soon bring for these mountains.

Like I said, Waianae mountains are dry. Dry mountain = dirt colored, crusty grass aka brown mountains. Not your typical luscious green mountain full of life and care that you'd see on Hawai'is touristy ads and commercials. No. We don't have that in the Leeward. Thats why after the fires, our mountains would turn into a beautiful green, full of life and just beautiful.

This isn't really a comment on the Maui fires bc I have a lot to say about that, but with how nice a day I had, I kind of wanted to share a piece of my childhood.

I do have other stories of personal encounters with local legends and myths from family, but I wrote too much in one sitting and is probably gonna sleep.

[Sniper(F-0-Z)]

Oswald, Mana and Dice: *Clearing an enemy building*

Oswald: *Swiftly checking each room with precision*

Dice: Left clear

Mana: Back clear

Oswald: *On coms* 5th floor clear. Advancing 6th

Laswell: Proceed with caution, we don't know what's up there

Oswald: Copy *Advances to 6th floor, clearing rooms and eliminating hostiles*

Dice: *Checking one final time* Looks like this place is a bust...

Mana: What now? Target's not here and we have no leads-

Gunman: *Comes out of nowhere, randomly firing at their direction*

Oswald, Mana, and Dice: *Quickly ducking behind a desk*

Oswald: Shoot-! We missed a guy!

Gunman: I-I have a bomb! *Lifts up detonator* dont move, and I won't push it!

Dice: *Whispers on coms* Theres a hostile with a detonator. We need-

Gunman: *Looks at Dice's direction* Y-you! What did you say? Who were you talking to?! I'll press it! *Pushes finger on the button slowly* I'll-!

Shot fires through window:

Gunman: *Falls to the ground*

Smokes: *Radioing Oswald* hostile down. Clear the building fast and get out of there

Dice: *Sighing while smirking bitterly* Saved again...

Smokes: *Still on coms* You owe me, Sarg. You too, Capt

Oswald: *Rolls eyes* Yeh, yeh. Just focus on keeping us alive

Smokes: Already am, Capt

Y/n: you know what concerns me?

Soap: what?

Y/n: the fact that me, you and Gaz can go around doing really stupid shit, and no one will question it or even be slightly concerned by it, but it's when we aren't doing stupid shit that they get worried about us

Soap:

Soap: that is concerning

Ghost: Aren't we training the recruits today?

Price: *Yawns*

Price: Oh, right. Today we're gonna- *Yawns*

Price:

Price: You know what? Screw it. Go play with your knives or whatever. I don't care, I'm going to bed

Quick Oswald info sheet

Original template:

Willow "Oswald" Pelekai

A few Oswald sketches I drew a while back.

(I didn't have a set tattoo made for her then, so my past sketches changes her tatts a bit.)

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Some random FunFacts since i'm here:

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- Oswald dosen't have the best eyesight so she typically wears contacts.

- She wears sunglasses to help block out the sun while also covering up any eyebags due to her terrible sleep schedule during missions.

- A big coffee enthusiast. She adores all kinds, but she has a huge sweet tooth so she loves her coffee sweet.

- Her pidgin isn't usually as prominent, especially during missions, but when annoyed or excited her pidgin becomes super thick and fast, making it hard to understand her.

- Her hair is super long, its part of her culture. But, due to military code she trims it down. Though her hair regrows back to its original length in a few months.

- Oswald adores her family. She especially adores her two brothers in which she talks a lot about during missions, though its only to people she trusts. The rest of her homelife is kept off for privacy reasons.

- She listens to A LOT of Hawaiian Reggae. Humming to a few local Hawaiian songs as a sort of coping mechanism during stress.

A visit to the UK

Gaz: Now, please try to speak normally and not try to do a "british accent"

Oswald: You go'i'mate

Mana: Woh bri'ish accent?

Gaz: That...that accent

Soap: Oh Pish Posh

Gaz: DONT ENCOURAGE THEM SOAP

Uno!

F-0-Z playing Uno after a mission to pass time and de-stress

Being a Captain

Price: *Sipping a morning tea because Oswald drank the rest of the coffee* Just calm down Oz

Oswald: *Drinking her 8th cup of coffee* I can't calm down Price! I have a whole squad to lead into a suicide mission next week and I don't know what to tell my men!

Price: Ah...guess old 2-Bit left that bit of training out for you

Oswald: Ya think?

Price: *Patting Oz's shoulder* You know, most take their captains for granted, never fully knowing the weight they bare for the team. 2-Bit probably felt the same everyday leading you

Oswald: *Sighs* I...I just don't know what to do...

Price: *Smiles reassuringly* You'll figure it out kid

Secret lunch spot

Ghost: *Sitting at the table, sipping tea* Whats a 5 letter word used to insult someone?

Oswald: *Cooking in the communal kitchen* Irraz?

Soap: *Running through the door*

Soap: *Stops and looks up* L.T? Bonnie? Why are ye here and not in the mess hall?

Oswald: I can't stand the bland food, especially since I'll be stationed here for the next few months

Soap: *looks at Ghost then to Oswald* So ye both been here the whole time?! Is that why I never see you two? Ye both been sneaking off without me!

Oswald: *Shrugs* Si caught me a few weeks ago. I knew you'd find out sooner or later

Ghost: She promised me free lunch if I kept shut

Soap: *dumbfounded*

Oswald: *Brings a plate to Soap* Just keep your mouth shut for me. Shoots?

Soap: *Takes the plate, grinning* Ye strike a good deal Bonnie