#((not viewable ic))

[jujulebee]

((god shes just sooooooooo shaped

[emberoops]

Ember sighs, and sits, and looks out the window.

He lies so easily, these days. I don't know what I want, he'd said, just moments before. Ember wants to know everything, explore everywhere, be himself. She has the barest of notions of who that self is, and it becomes ever more shifting with each passing day.

And yet...

They want to carve a path through the world, burn through the cobwebs of the status quo until something new can be born. Ember knows this is impossible to do - you cannot have birth out of death, not in the traditional sense. You cannot set a path for peace through violence, or love through hate.

Ember also just wants to retreat back into the warm solace of mundanity. To return to paperwork, or house cleaning even. To work through poverty and make things work.

Out in the backyard, the dragon lifts his head, and looks directly in Ember's eyes.

Stop playing helpless, he says.

[acolytesinvocations]

Sable wakes up. More missed calls. The phone rings again and she groans. She can't keep ignoring forever. They will resort to more serious measures if she doesn't reply eventually. And while she probably could deal with it, she really doesn't want to.

Fine, fine. She picks up the phone.

"Hey, mom."

"Sable! Why haven't you been answering your phone? We were worried sick!" Her mother's voice is shrill on the other end of the line.

Sable flinches.

"I'm doing fine," she replies passively, "I didn't realize there was something to worry about."

"The fact that your school burned down and we haven't been able to get a hold of you for weeks isn't 'something to worry about'!?"

"Oh, right, that." Sable's eyes trail to the floor, wanting to shrink away from the conversation even when there's no one physically to shrink away from. Don't tell them what happened. You can't tell them what happened. "It's okay. No one was hurt. Just some faulty wiring I guess."

"And faulty wiring is what made you not tell us you were okay for weeks?"

Sable hesitates. Her silence is enough of an answer. Her mother's tone shifts. Something softer, something pleading.

"Sable, honey, if something's wrong you can tell us. Something like that is scary-"

"I'm fine-"

"And what if you weren't?" Her mother starts to raise her voice again, "You were getting sicker before you left, what if something happened to you-" She stops. Sable hears a breath over the phone.

"Your father and I want you home for a little while," her mother finally says. "Just for a bit. Just to make sure you're okay. We'll come get you; I presume your classes are suspended for the time being?"

It wouldn't matter if they were. "But-"

"No buts. Get your things together. We'll be there in a couple days."

There's an electric blip as the phone hangs up, and Sable just groans. She wishes that she could just go back to bed.

[midnight-blue-blood]

Eavesdrop?

A conversation lost in the soft chimes of a purple house made store front.

"...The first time you've approached me in nearly three months and it's to ask after some random child, Regent? I wasn't aware your people had such interest in the local sewers."

"Well, of course he is from the sewers! What else could he be? My, is there something you haven't told us? A secret, perhaps? If you doubt my word so, please feel free to meet with Jericho."

"Why, he is already engaged! He looks after signorina Vicario's rather extensive library. It does keep him busy. I'm afraid you wouldn't be able to find a free spot in his schedule..."

"He's a sweet boy. I'm not certain how I feel about these accusations, given how he assisted in pulling our friends out of a literal fire. You should perhaps be more careful..."

[smoulderingember]

Ember enters the room five times, then locks the door.

He hadn't been joking about forming an orgy of just himself, but now that they're all in a room, they stand there awkwardly.

"I. We - fuck. How does the pronoun game work here?" The one speaking has white hair, flashing eyes, and an androgynous frame.

"No idea," a more male figure speaks. His hair is flame. "This obviously isn't going to work, though. We're all just - I'm not going to do this. Which of me had this idea?"

A large, beefy, golden Ember points at a frailer-looking Nafar.

"I thought it would be a good exercise in self-love," she says. "I - ok. We - I am not ready for this."

"Obviously." He says. "I need to ease into it. Start, like, doubling up with Fex, or someone."

"Right." The golden one gestures. "Unlock the door. Amichai won't sleep long. Let's all go home."

Ember unlocks the door and files out.

[interdimensionalburnout]

>>but the mirror HASN'T spit you back out. The lights WERE on earlier.

[sir-moss]

🕯️

🐉 Never got to do any space adventures... Part of me wants to ask her if she'll take me on any, but, I'm worried I'll care too much and get grumpy. She probably doesn't need a big sad lug like me slowing her down.

[subjectivemortality]

Eavesdrop?

Highway is...do you know personal security details, how they're always looking out for danger even when they seem relaxed? I don't think I've ever seen him truly let down his guard, but it's not necessarily...hm. Not closed off either? He's not unfriendly, quite the opposite in my experience - Oh! Have I shown you his puppets? They're delightful little things, it irritates me that he gets made fun of for them sometimes. Do you know how rare it is to find someone with such a serious deportment and past, someone nearly as old as I am, who still has whimsy?? Anyway. I call him Caretaker because that's what he does, he takes care of people. Often, I think, at the expense of letting those people very close to him. It's deeply relatable.

[djsangos]

your family misses you.

The message shoots you straight through the chest and leaves you frozen, staring at your phone for several minutes. You don't have the words or will to respond.

How the fuck would they know? For all this asshole knows, you don't even have a family to miss you at all. They're just trolling you, trying to get a reaction, trying to upset you--

Hands shaking, gritting your beak, trying to blink away the tears, trying to sob quietly so you don't wake Eight, your finger hovers over the screen for a long moment before finally pressing down on a button.

[This ask has been deleted.]

[the-road-from-calvary]

📝

I do not know if it is my imagination, but I do feel like Prince Lehmann has softened somewhat. While I do not imagine he will ever stop admonishing the fledglings about the perils of entanglements - nor should he, given. The Perils. - he has seemed less fatalistic and more tolerant of my antics.

How much is an indulgence of me, and how much some softening due to Mr Herrington's situation? Or some other angle I cannot yet discern?

Not that I would say such, either way. I am sure if I made a public note, it would be a prompt to remedy it. Especially if it is a softening on behalf of his childe, it would be a pity to be the cause of said softening ending.

[jujulebee]

[emberoops]

>> [Your cookie arrives nearby! It's a large gingersnap glittery with red and orange sugar, shaped like a heart, and tastes slightly spicier than average. It appears with a glowing purple feather and a scribbled post-it note: "I couldn't figure out how to make a fire-themed cookie but this 1 caramelizes in a very pretty way if that sounds fun. Enjoy! -Mads"]

Ember takes the cookie up immediately and clones it twice, pushing it halfway through reality and then severing it from itself, allowing reality to flood into it to fill the void. Three cookies now stand before them.

Ember claps and wiggles their fingers in delight before taking one, stacking the other two on thin air (which somehow holds them) and taking a big bite of their own. The other two will be for their live-in partners in this particular home.

[acolytesinvocations]

Sable never could've expected the subject of the ritual to be herself.

One of the Magisters holds her as the horrific mix of ingredients is forced down her throat, containing just enough blood for her to keep it down. Her sire and Regent then takes six long golden needles, the one ingredient Sable didn't collect herself, and places them in pressure points across the Acolyte's body.

"If this succeeds," her sire says, "Mastery of thaumaturgy should come easier to you. I will be here keeping you held until you finish moving the mixture throughout your body. You're already showing promise... don't disappoint me."

Sable is kept in the air under her sire's watchful eye as the ritual progresses. While she may not be the caster, the grand majority of the work must be done on her own.

[midnight-blue-blood]

😌 eavesdrop women's wrongs?

A conversation lost to the roar of an indoor waterfall.

"My dear, why are you asking me about signorina Bloem? We are not exactly friends-...."

"...Ah. She did well at the salon, I take it? Very well. I suppose sharing her love of flowers is not untoward. And angels, as you may have guessed from her alterations. Ehy not gather and press flowers as a gift for hee next visit?"

"...I suppose you could say her sire was... hm. Unduly harsh with her in her nascent years. Yes, tragic. She is only just now coming into proper society..."

"Ah... the Prince told you? Signora Alvera is... hm. Yes. Very different, you observed well. I don't know how far we can trust her..."

"Oh, on that matter? We can trust to an extent. I think they wronged her somehow on a personal level. But I do not claim to know her mind. I don't think anyone could."

"I- her aura what? I have no idea- No- Harpy Bravinski, please- Just a moment-"

[therealslimstrider]

==> You're definitely clued into some shit happening.

==> Unfortunately, you have your own shit happening and you can't help anyway.

[bromineiscandy]

CkJsw7PDsGZsdXRuaW5ndXIg5a+m6amX5LiJ5Y2B5LqM

[Video Attachment:

The video starts blurred, slowly focusing on the pale, ghoulish face of Null as they fiddle with the front, muttering to themself and someone off camera about the state of technology and how difficult it is to manage these things. Their face is partially obscured by a black gas mask, hair pulled back into a short ponytail, and their eyes do most of their emoting for them. Once the view is focused there's a monotone voice of confirmation off camera and Null's brows raise, looking and sounding content with an, "Excellent!"

They take a few steps away from the camera, clapping gloved hands together as they begin to speak, a young woman standing towards the back revealed by their movement. "Recording for purposes of scientific study in the event that subject Honey Bonnie Azrael should perish before being able to recall and detail her experience in inbibing my vitae. The purpose of this experiment is to engage in a low level bond with the young..."

They pause to look down at the girl, her hands fidgeting as she looks up at them. The juxtaposition of them side by side is very strange, Null looking almost completely greyscale next to Honey's pastel rainbows and glitter. She raises a hand and whispers something that isn't audible, and they nod in response before returning their attention to the camera.

"This young woman, to provide, to lend, to grant some semblance of my ability in the powers of vicissitude! An honorable desire to follow in the footsteps of my Delilah, to seek out an alternative method of learning the fine and intriguing art of flesh crafting! Ha ha ha. Ms. Azrael," They look back down and she meets their eyes again, "Are you aware of the potential consequences of these actions?"

"Yes."

"And you're a willing participant in this experiment?"

"I am. It was my idea."

"Excellent! That's my part done, no one can yell at me this time! Ha ha ha!"

Null tugs off one of their gloves as they walk off view, Honey left standing politely with her hands folded. She gives a bright, somewhat nervous smile to the camera and raises a hand to wave. After about ten seconds pass, the methuselah walks back onscreen, holding a glass beaker filled with a deep, off-color red. It emits a strange, heavy, orange gas.

"Now would you like to be strapped in for this or would you rather stay standing Ms. Azrael?"

"Oh uhhh I'll go with like, just standing, t'be honest."

Null stares at her for a full couple seconds before laughing once, handing over the beaker. "You are incomprehensible! Ha ha ha!"

Once Honey takes vitae(?)'s container, her host pulls their glove back on, leaning back against a nearby examination table and taking out a small notepad and pen. "Whenever you're ready Ms. Azrael."

Honey nods and gives one last, almost apologetic, smile to the camera before taking a deep breath, steeling herself. She raises the glass to her lips and drinks down the blood quickly, an immediate reaction almost making her choke it back up.

Null begins writing casually, not so much as flinching as Honey stumbles in place, every muscle in her body tensed and flexing as she forces herself to survive this ordeal. It's not as bad as it could be, she'd made sure of it.

She fumbles with the glass as she struggles to set it down without breaking it, falling to her knees and digging her nails against the tiles as she hoarsely gasps. The camera stays focused on her as she shakes, blood droplets misting the ground in front of her when she coughs. She's surviving, though.

The video continues for another five minutes, remaining focused on Honey as she experiences the agony of this exchange. After a full minute of no movement, Null sets down their notepad and walks over to where she's crumpled on the ground, poking her idly with their pen.

After a few seconds examination, Null laughs, standing straight and whirling around to face the camera.

"SHE'S STILL ALIVE! HA!"

They begin raving about being an extremely helpful person as they walk towards the camera, picking it up to turn it off, Honey in the background still in a heap.

Video ends.]