#Boniface grabbing his arm

[wendigoruble]

Playtime: Oneshot

[This is like softcore af.. Like more than I intended it to be]

Franco had dressed himself in his freshly cleaned white pinstripe suit for tonight. No blood stains or dirt stains, fresh pressed and no wrinkles. On any other man it would look impeccable but it hangs loose against Franco's body. The sleeves and pant legs are just slightly too long, over hanging with lightly bunched fabric. For once he has the pristine coat buttoned up but only to hide the pacifier he keeps around neck at all times. It's pressed to his chest and he can feel the dull plastic edge rub against his purple dress shirt every time he moves his arms. It's a small discomfort but he'd found it a touch easier to pick up women with it concealed. He could never understand why that would turn someone off.

His gaze sweeps the area as he brings the glass of whiskey to his lips. The drink makes him internally cringe like a spoonful of medicine had been forced into his mouth. Even with its smoothness he doesn't like it, but the boniface refused to make him a wolf's milk and it's not like he can unstrap lupara from her holster and make the demand. Not tonight. He has personal business to attend to.

The club is packed with people wall to wall dancing to the soft jazz and murmuring among each other. Groups of friends chatter away close by and the odd couple are necking here and there.

Franco had himself seated at the bar. No one sits by him, no one attempts to go near him but he isn't concerned over that. People must really fear him. After all, he’s the button man for one of the largest mobs in the area (and he has his gun holstered across his back). Who would ever try to approach him unless they're looking to make a payment or there to gravel at his feet?

He takes another sip from his glass and holds it in his mouth before spitting it back out. How do people drink this stuff? It never feels right or tastes right, it's far too fluid. He turns to the bartender, about to complain, when someone catches his eye.

A woman is walking up to the bar and the very sight of her makes Franco feel warm. She has shoulder length black hair, long eyelashes, and a stern look about her smooth round face which is accented by pouty red lips. The black dress she wears shows off her shoulders and hugs her curves and well endowed chest. The fabric stops mid thigh and Franco's gaze travels all the way down to her shoes. Those black stiletto heels that click against the wooden floor really seals the deal. They make her at least three inches taller than him at that.

His heart is already thudding in excitement the closer she gets. He can barely hide his anticipation.

Before she even has a chance to talk to the bartender Franco is slipping off the barstool and placing his gloved hand on the counter in front of her. He stands too close and she seems little more than annoyed at him. Glaring down with the smallest hint of a sneer.

“Whatever the lady buys is on me.” He says while smiling up at her.

“Really?” She puts a hand on her hip before her sneer turns into a sly smirk,”Whatever I want?”

“Anything for a lady as beautiful as yourself.”

She seems to think for a moment, tilting her head up with judgment clear as day in her eyes. This little deformed looking man is offering to buy her drinks and she can see his plan from a mile away. It's pathetic in a very endearing way and she can read the glittery look in his pale blue eyes. A want, a joy barely contained with a crooked buck-toothed grin.

“Mmhm. What do you really want, kid?” She mocks.

Franco can feel that warmth growing inside when she spits at him like that. A coiling heat in his lower stomach springs to life. He has to swallow so he doesn't make a sound he'd regret. With a smooth exhale he tucks his hand into his jacket, ready to grab the money from the inside pocket. He never takes his eyes off her.

“Ain't yous a forward woman. I was just wonderin’ how much it'd cost to have an evening with ya.”

She very nearly laughs at him before seeing the thick stack of bills he's got pulled halfway out. She smiles, steps closer, grabs his wrist, and takes the money right out of his hand. She can hear an audible shaky exhale then and looks down to see him staring directly at her chest which is about as close to his face now as she can get without touching him.

“I think this should be enough.” She pushes him back by his shoulder.

“Wwhh.. Say, what's ya name?” Franco bites his bottom lip as he resteadies himself and rolls his shoulder. Normally he'd be pissed off should anyone touch him but he can make an exception this time.

“What would you like it to be?”

_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_

“Ohhhh mutha!!” Franco cries out into the cold air of the motel room,”Baby's been bad!”

Tears are welling up in his eyes, his face is flushed and he holds his hands together tightly. Biting onto one of his thumbs in anticipation of the next firm smack against his bare skin. He jumps when that sweet sting of pain radiates out followed by a soothing rub. Oh his ass has to be red raw at this point. She's been at it so long he's bound to be bruised. Probably wont sit right for a week.

He dares pass a look back at his dear mommy for the evening. That sadistic joy glimmering in her eyes damn near makes him fawn all over again. What a good mommy she is. Breaking him down and making him cry, making him feel small and insignificant. Before he can even open his mouth to shower her with compliments he's spanked one last time. Tears slip over his cheeks as he moans and grinds against her thigh. Rolling his hips with a high pitched whine as his cock twitches and leaks pre that smears against her skin.

“Awhh is my baby boy having a good time?” She coos.

Franco can do little more than huff in response while he steadies himself.

She smooths over the bright red irritation with her palm. His skin is hot to the touch and she makes it a point to drag her nails across it before placing her other hand around his neck. Squeezing ever so slightly, urging him back and making him stand up so she can so delicately kiss his cheek. A red lipstick print is left behind. A mark he'd wear with pride should it never be washed away.

Her fingers curl around his throat and it's a welcome restraint. Franco leans into her hand enough to make his breathing hitch. She leads him down onto his knees. He stares at her with such adoration as she slots her leg between his. Pushing the point of her heel into his groin makes him visibly tremble. She applies further pressure with the toe of her shoe, pressing against his cock as he wraps both arms around her leg.

“You like that? Like playing with mommies shoes?”

Franco nods as he rests his cheek against her thigh and begins to rut on the sole of her stiletto. Pressing into it hard enough that it actually hurts. He gives her the most innocent look he can muster before faltering into a series of loud huffs and high pitched groans. He turns his head slightly and drags his tongue along her smooth skin before biting down hard enough to leave a bruise.

With an airy moan she rests back on her palms and watches with amusement as he pleasures himself with such vigor. She's happy his desperation is so evident because it makes it all the better when he pulls her leg away just before he cums. He's left on all fours just trembling and blushing with those big glassy eyes. Whimpering as precum drips from the tip of his irritated prick. He makes a move to grab her leg again but she leans up and smacks his hand away.

“Please..”

Again Franco reaches out to touch her only to be swatted back once more. She looks at him through half lidded eyes and with a firm tone she says,”Lay down.”

He obeys implicitly. Laying back on the floor despite any discomfort it gives him because it's worth it. It's worth it when she stands up and presses that heel into his chest. His gaze rolls up to see her dragging her hand up between her legs. His lips part with his tongue between his teeth only to have that heel then moved up to his neck, then his cheek. Forcing his head to the side so he can't look at her.

“Filthy baby boy aren't you?” She muses.

She doesn't get a response, she doesn't expect one. Especially not when she notices him beginning to stroke himself rapidly. For a moment she does consider stopping him again but he's so eager she allows him to finish. He cums on his lower stomach in thin white ropes before dragging his hand up through the mess.

“Guess you really are a filthy baby boy, hm?”

[cyten0]

A Symphony in Crimson

Act 1: A Movement in Black

Chapter 19

Ah!

You… can move?

You can… see?

The king. And.

Everyone?

◉ “Okay, unfroze Siffrin! Or, at least, the main part?”

✸ “Yes, that’s good enough!”

▲ “Good job Mira!”

You feel your human body. Break off from the monstrous part you made. As you fall to the floor.

✿ “Frin! You okay?!”

◆ “Eyes on the enemy, Boniface! Siffrin will be fine!”

◉ “Loop caught us up, Siffrin! We can take the king from here!”

You…. Why… why would they….

✦ “why…. why did you... come here?”

▲ “We weren’t just gonna leave you to this alone!”

◉ “I still have a billion questions, but right now, we have a king’s butt to kick!”

They… They came for…. You?….

♔ “Stand aside…................ whatever your thoughts on me….............. That THING must die!”

The king. Brings down the fist of the arm he still has, and swings.

▲ “Oh no you DON’T!!!!”

Isabeau counters the kings blow with one of his own. Holding back the king's might with his bare hands. You smell… some sugar? From him?

▲ “YOU!!!! WILL NOT!!!! HURT THEM!!!!”

The king keeps pressing, as Isa’s feet slowly give way.

BANG

The king stumbles back, struck in the eye.

✿ “Now Dile!”

Odile throws a craft at the king, and despite no damage, he seems to crumple.

◆ “Feeling a little weak? Calming crafts aren’t normally good in battle, but it does slow ones heart-rate! Thanks for that tip, Loop.”

✸ “Of course! And with that opening~”

A portal appears above the king, dropping the boulder from the first floor trap. The king dives out of the way, but their leg is crushed.

♔ “No.............…. NO!!!! I will NOT let you all.......................…. Ruin this chance!!!!!”

The king fills their hand with craft, and prepares to launch it at you at you all! This will wipe them out, but you're too weak still!!!

Wait… You feel something…. Familiar?

◉ “I WON’T LET YOU!!!! You won’t end us that easily!!! TAKE THIS!!!!!”

Mira crafts something.

And. A sound. Like metal rebounding. Like a mirror breaking.

A single. Perfect note. The reverberates even in the sounds of stars.

♔ “What?…................My attack…..........…. No…..... I’m…... being….. frozen?............ But….... I can’t……. Not now!!!….......… I still…..........… can’t.... remember……….”

You watch the curse slowly progress across their body… as it starts to fade from around you…

You hear. Loop sing? No. Not Loop. Something that…. Sounds like them….

♔ “…...................... Ah!…............. Of course…............. now of all times…......… do I get to remember……................ The lightless sands….. the streets….............… the people...........…… the mountains….......… I….... R e m e m b e r”

… The king. Is frozen.

◉ “….. Did we… do it?”

▲ “...We did it!”

✿ “CRAB YEAH!!!!!!”

▲ “But you!”

Ah.

◉ “What were you thinking, charging in like that?!? You could have gotten yourself killed!”

They… are worrying…. About that?

◆ “Regardless of all this business with… Well, a lot of things, still processing it all... Regardless, you shouldn’t have gone in without us!”

Couldn’t….. Risk it…

✦ “keep… you.. safe…”

you fall.

✸ “Stars!”

▲ “Crab, we can talk later, you need help!”

Isa. Picks you up. Comfy.

▲ “They're burning up!”

✿ “Is Frin sick!?”

✸ “They havn’t eaten anything for a while. They were pushing themselves badly.”

◆ “Alright, let’s address the fever first.”

◉ “The head housemaiden should be up ahead! She should have something, lets go!”

Isa. Holds you up. And starts. Walking you over. You-

Oh. Right, High up. Odile-

◆ “Oh! Uh. T-Thank you, Loop.”

✸ “Of course.”

oh…. thank stars…. Loop did it for you...

You keep moving.

Your music…. Still rings…. The sadnesses..... You’d better….. Quiet them.....

You… sing….

And cough up blood.

✿ “FRIN?!?”

✦ “stopped….. sadness….”

▲ “That’s good, but please don’t push yourself, you need help!”

It’s….. fine….. As long as…. No one is hurt…..

oh. Bonnie. Grabbed your hand…. You hold it tight.

… it’s nice. Having them here….

✦ “...sorry”

▲ “It’s okay Sif. Don’t worry, we’ve got you.”

...you…. want him to…. never let you go…..

...you don't want... any of them to...

….

You see. Euphrasie.

◉ “EUPHRASIE!!!!!”

◎ “Mirabelle! There you are! I… Something feels. Off.”

◉ “We can worry about that in a bit! Our friend needs help! They're really sick!”

◎ “Right, we can-!”

They… look at you strange.

◎ “I-I know you?! We… We met. Here? Did we? You-”

Reality stutters around them.

◎ “I-I-I would like to thAAAAAnk you you you you for accompanying Mirabelle! -belle! -belle!”

◎̵͔̔ “What’s happening, why am I-”

◎ “Something’s broken, rottttting! It’s too late to-”

Her eyes start to glow red.

▲ “What’s happening to her?”

◆ “That shade… Step back, everyone.”

Something dark creeps into her eye. Your fragment.

◎̵͔̔ “I can’t think! It hu̴r̴ts!!!”

◎ “Wonderful! Wonderful!Wonderful!Wonderful!Wonderful!”

◉ “Euphrasie! Snap out of it!”

She stutters more, andd rapidly. Her body and posture varying wildly. Some normal. Some repeating the old lines. Some… Some where the infection is much worse.

◉ “Change!!!"

Why. Why why why it’s all still wrong, and she’s suffering worse, and it’s all going to go away!!!!

◎ “… Soon, everything will be back to normal. Soon, You’ll all be able to go home!”

….

go?

They’ll go?

They’ll GO?!?!!!!

You can't lose them no you can't lose them not again never again you can't afford to lose anyone you can't lose them you can't lose them YOU CAN'T LOSE THEM!!!!!

✦̵ ̵̘̒̉“̷͉͖͋N̶̨̬͐́O!̸͔̊!!!̶̢̯͍̿́”̶̘̳̏

▲ “Huh?”

✿ “Frin?”

◆ “Siffrin?”

You bring your parts together. The house trembles. You can’t lose them. You won’t lose them!!!!

◉ “Change! Siffrin!!!”

▲ “Sif!!”

◆ “Careful everyone!”

▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲

You watch as the growths throughout the house start to flow into Siffrin like living water. As they grow bigger and bigger. Towering over you as a mass of dark flesh, hands, eyes and tendrils. Their face stretched thin over their hulking body as it blots out the morning sun.

✦̵ “Ĩ̶̡ ẁ̴̦oņ̴̚’t ̶̺͘lo̴̼͘se ̵̡̾y̶̯̍ou.̶̛̼...̸̢͠”

Sif!

▲ “What’s happening?!”

✸ “Stars, they're losing it! They aren't thinking clearly, They’ll break the whole house as this rate!…. Stars- Blind it all, here goes nothing!!!”

Loop claps their hands, and the sky darkens. The house and… WORLD seem to vanish away, leaving a realm filled with darkness and lights of that strange shade.

Loop calls out, audibly strained.

✸ “I’ve displaced us in my realm, but I’ll need to focus! Stardust is on you!”

You nod. You watch as Siffrin starts to rip themselves apart!!!

◉ “Siffrin!!! We just want to help!!! Please!!!!!”

Mirabelle heals Siffrin back up. Okay, that’s good, can't let Sif get hurt. Need to calm them somehow!

̸̲̩͔̘͉̑͛̀̓̈́̿̕̚͜✦̵̛̹͖̑͌́̓̕ “No, you’ll leave, they all leave, everything I love goes away!!!! You'll get hurt unless I keep you safe, I can make it safe, I have to make sure you're safe or I'll never see you all again!!!!”

✿ “Stop being a DUMMY!!!!”

▲ “We aren’t going anywhere!!”

̷͔͂̆✦̴͓̖̏̀ “You Don’t get it, I have to keep you safe, I have to keep you safe or I'll lose you again, I have to keep you safe, I have to keep you safe, I-”

◆ “We already know! About the timeloop, about the island, so just!”

̷͈̐͐✦̶̭̓ “You know? YOU KNOW?!? You know what I- Nononononono!!!!!”

You feel the space around you shift-

◆ “OH NO YOU DON’T!!!!”

Odile let’s out a potent craft, that surrounds Sif. The thing shifting their air lets go, and the painful energy subsides. You feel nauseous.

◆ “You aren’t going anywhere until we’re done talking!!!”

◉ “Ugh, was that timecraft?”

✿ “Felt BAD!!!”

▲ “Agreed. Think I have a headache.”

Yep, Okay. Good catch on Odile.

Siffrin let's lose a roar and starts to flail about, you knock a bladed limb from hitting the others. You have got to do something!

Alright, screw it, time to be smart Isa a little.

▲ “Sif, You’ve been stuck here because of a wish, right?”

✦̵ “No please don't talk about it, I won't talk about it, It doesn’t matter, it will never come true!!!!”

They claw themselves apart even more! Mira struggles to keep them healed.

◆ “We’ll be the judges of that! Tell us!”

̸͝��̞✦̶͈͇̪͚͍̔̾͌͘͠͠ “Nonononononono!!!! I don’t want to think about it I don’t want to hope!!! If I hope, If I say it, something will take you all away again! I can't lose anyone again!!!!!”

✿ “Stop being a crab already!!! Let us Help!!!”

̷̻͛✦̷͙̆ “No No you can’t make me tell you, I can’t say it, I can’t let it get taken from me!! EVERYTHING gets taken from me!!!!! I lost my home, the ones who loved me, I can't lose you too I can't-”

Another limb flies at you, and you block the blow before it can hit Odile. It then goes right back to clawing at themselves.

You have to get him to open about this….

▲ “I-… I Wished to Save you, Sif!!!”

◉ “H-huh?”

Siffrin trembles hearing that. Tears of blood start to pour down their body. You wished for it, with all your heart. And You WILL make it come true.

▲ “That’s what I wished for!!! I wished that we would be able to save you!”

◉ “I.. I wished for Vaugarde to be saved.”

✿ “I wished for my sister to be saved!”

◆ “I wished to win a stupid coin flip!”

▲ “So tell us!!! What did you wish for?!”

̵͍͑̒✦̴̩͇̙́̀͝ “STOP!!! I CAN’T!!!!”

You have to press him!! You WILL save them!!!!

▲ “Please! Tell us!!”

◉ “Tell us!”

✿ “Tell us!!!!”

◆ “Just tell us!”

They're trying to ignore you! No! Enough of this! You grab the bits of floor you're standing on, and use craft to launch it into the sky, up towards him. As soon as you get close, you Leap!

▲✿◉◆ “TELL US WHAT YOU WISHED FOR!!!!!”

…. The titanic body dissolves, leaving just. Siffrin. Their eyes are still odd, there’s a little horn poking out their head but… They look at you. On the edge of tears.

You hold him close as you all start to drift downwards, craft- filled mist slowing your descent…

✦̵ “I… I’m scared.”

✿ “Scared? Of what?”

✦̵ “That… If I tell you… something bad will happen….”

▲ “We’re right here. It’s okay.”

◆ “I’m half tempted to fight you to get you to say it”

◉ “We are not doing that. But it is REALLY tempting.”

Sif lets out a little chuckle.

✦̵ "... You... You promise, it'll be okay? I... I'm still scared."

You nod. You won't let anything happen to them.

✦̵ “I um…. I wished to wear clothes Isa made.”

Oh! That. That makes you feel really happy.

▲ “Oh Sif! I’d love to-!”

✦̵ “...But… there was more to it….”

Huh?

✦̵ “I… I…."

They struggle to say it. You hold their hand tighter….

✦̵ “I.. I wished I could just stay with you all!!!”

◆ “What…?”

▲ “Sif…”

He cared so much….

✦̵ “It’s just… I didn’t know if I could be a person after. After all this… I wouldn’t look the same and… I couldn’t show myself again."

✦̵ “Not… not as me… If I did, then you’d find out what I was…. And It'd be scary, and you might... might find out what I did, what I could do and.…"

✦̵ “T-that means…. This had to be the end, right? Everyone goes their separate ways, and… I couldn't risk showing myself.... I’d never get to see you all again….”

They… But...

◉ “Siffrin….”

✦̵ “I’m sorry!!! I know it’s not fair!!! I don’t want to hurt you, and I know you have lives to go off and do!!!"

✦̵ “And it’s not fair to play human when I’m not, and you’d all have been better off if I just wasn’t here but I just!!!"

✦̵ “I didn’t want to be alone again!!! I’m so sorry!!!! I didn’t mean to trap everyone here and-”

◉ “SIFFRIN!!!”

✦̵ “Ah!”

◉ “Don’t talk about yourself like that! Whatever happened before, I don’t care, because You’re one of us! I don’t want to lose you! Change, I don’t want to lose anyone here! Honestly, I’d keep traveling with you all, if that was on the table!”

✿ “Wait can we? I wanna see Nille soon but… I don’t wanna leave you all! Travelin’s fun! Plus I need to get Belle to finish reading me that story, Prank Za more, and Dile teach me more recipes! And I wanna see what kinda cool monster stuff you can do! Plus I need to make you those fritters!”

◆ “Hah! I’m a little curious myself about the monster stuff, but maybe later. Still… I did already sort of have this mindset. I was hoping to see if I could convince some of you after, to keep traveling around. It’d be nice, traveling without the king around, wouldn’t it? Just didn’t have the courage to ask!”

▲ “I get that! But, yeah, I want to stay with all of you! Even if it’s just for a bit, traveling sounds fun! And Even after, I want to at least stay in contact! I want to learn more about all of you, who you become and.. And that goes extra for you Sif!”

You’ve just seen a new side of them. Even if it seems scary, you want to know all about it. You’ve always wanted to know more about them!

◉ “We want to stay with you too.”

✿ “So don’t be dumb and beat yourself up over stuff that don’t matter!”

◆ “Even after we’re done traveling, we won’t be done with each other. And it goes without saying at this point that We aren’t deterred by the new developments.”

▲ “None of us are leaving any of us any time soon! We care about you!”

You watch as Siffrin stares at you all, stunned. As you start to land back on solid ground. Their eyes start to tear up.

You give them a hug. Sif’s needed one for a while. The others join in, even Odile for once. And Sif. Starts to cry.

You hold them tighter. Because what else would you do?

[cosmic-consumption-au]

Chapter 2 - Lost In Your Own Head

You awaken from your uneventful sleep, the light of the morning sun blinds you slightly.

You shield your eye as you sit up and stretch.

(Thank the stars, I didn’t have another weird dream.)

(Less to unpack, the better.)

You get up, and see the others getting ready for the day.

Odile is fixing up her hair, Nille is trying to wake up Bonnie, Bonnie is trying to ignore Nille waking them up, and Mirabelle and Isabeau are in the bathroom washing their faces.

Grab your clothes and find a spacious closet to change in, out of view of your friends.

As you put on your cloak, you pause to feel the material and look at your pins.

You don’t want to dwell on your cloak any longer, so you simply ignore whatever feelings or memories you were about to experience.

Exiting the closet, you see Bonnie has finally given up, sitting upright still half asleep.

“Can’t I sleep in a little more?” They grumble with closed eyes.

“Nope,” Nille answers, “we gotta get up early if we want to make it to the next town before sunset. Or do you want to sleep outside again?”

“HEY, I CAN SLEEP OUTSIDE JUST FINE!” Bonnie yells to Nille, finally awake. “I’M A BIG, TOUGH KID!!!”

Bonnie stands on the bed, trying to look bigger and imposing with their hands on their hips.

You chuckle. If anything it makes them look even cuter.

Nille laughs, “You can’t make yourself look bigger by standing on the bed! You look like you’re about to fall over.”

Sure enough, Bonnie is shaking as they’re standing on their tip toes too. They wobble and start to fall down off the bed.

Before they hit the floor, Nille grabs them and sticks them under her arm.

“HEY!” Bonnie tries to break out of her grasp.

“Come on, Boniface. Let’s go eat breakfast.” She takes the now defeated Bonnie out of the room.

Odile is chuckling to herself and shaking her head.

You enter the bathroom around the same time Isa and Mira are done with washing their faces.

“Goodmorning, Siffrin!” Mirabelle smiles at you kindly.

“Morning, if” Isabeau says as he starts brushing his teeth.

You trade places with Mira, and start to wash your own face.

It feels good, like you're cleaning away the tears from last night.

(New day, new me!)

You smile to yourself in the mirror, trying to put on a brave face before unpacking yesterday’s dream with your family members.

“Did you sleep well?” Isabeau asks you.

“Better than that nap I took!” You respond. “Cause you could say…”

Isabeau looks excited for the incoming pun.

“…it was lakeing comfort.”

Isabeau howls with laughter, and you’re glad you get to have a moment of levity before you talk to them.

Isa wipes a tear away. “Aaah…lakeing…”

Suddenly he looks a little more serious.

“But…seriously Sif. I swear I heard you crying last night.”

You feel your stomach drop.

(But…I kept myself quiet! How could he have…)

“Oh…really?” You ask with minimal breathing.

“Yeah, but I was like…half asleep, so maybe I was just hearing things?” Isabeau says questioningly.

“Well…” You’re going to tell them in a minute. “I do need to talk to guys about something…about that nap I took.” 

Isabeau nods understandingly. “Ok. How about over breakfast? Would that be ok?”

You nod silently, tucking your face into your cloak a little.

The two of you leave to join the others downstairs.

The Innkeeper has made you all a complimentary breakfast, complete with eggs, bacon, and buttered toast.

You didn’t eat a lot last night, and you can feel your stomach grumbling. But…you still can’t bring yourself to eat much. Not yet.

(You have to tell them.)

Isa is looking at you with concern, and you look intently at your bacon as if it will give you the confidence you need to proceed.

“E-everyone?” You say meekly.

Your party looks at you almost instantly.

“I…I need to tell you…about a dream I had…when I took that nap…”

Everyone looks to you with worry and attention, but Nille looks a little uncomfortable. Makes sense; it’s not like she’s super invested in your life.

“I fell asleep, and woke up in a strange blurry dream. I could only make out shades, it wasn’t very visually interesting. But…I could…feel things. I was smaller, sitting in someone’s lap like a child. I think we were on a beach or something. I could hear water, and felt a cool breeze. But then…I heard a song. The other person was humming, and…it sounded so familiar…I swear I know the song even now! It…made me feel sad. Like, I missed something. Someone! But…”

Your voice cracks, your fists clenched tightly beside your plate.

Your vision blurs again, and tears land on your food.

Isabeau gingerly puts a hand on your shoulder.

You’ve gotten used to being touched, but your friends…even Isabeau…aren't quite used to it yet.

Can you blame them?

Comforting someone can be difficult to do if you aren’t sure what to do.

But this was what you needed.

You lean into him for support, and he hugs you from your shoulder.

You unclench your fists, and take this moment to ground yourself.

“…I haven’t been able to remember this much before. I…even in the loops, I couldn’t remember this much.” 

“Are you saying…you're remembering your past?” Odile asks with an invested look.

“Maybe?” You don’t seem to have headaches as often as before.

Maybe it’s something to do with the loops? But even then…

You suddenly have an idea.

“Wait!! Does this have anything to do with everyone’s memory or just me specifically?”

Mirabelle tilts her head to the side in thought. “Maybe if you try humming it to us, we can see if it gives us a headache?”

“Yeah! Let’s try it, Siffrin!” Bonnie actually looks excited, leaning over the table.

Nille just looks even more lost than before, and much more uncomfortable.

“Don’t worry,” Siffrin tells the poor young woman. “I’ll explain…everything to you after this.”

She looks a bit more eased at this, and gives you a firm nod.

You take a deep breath in and out, close your eyes, and…

…

You start to hum.

The song comes out of your throat without much thought or concentration. It almost feels freeing, like you’re letting something from deep inside you out. You feel warm tears again, accompanied with the bittersweet pang in your heart.

When the song is completed to the best of your ability, you open your eyes again.

Everyone looks a little worried, likely because your face is running with tears. But you aren’t really that sad anymore.

It’s like an automatic response to the tune now.

“Well, it sounded lovely and clear as day!” Mira breaks the silence.

Odile nods, “It’s got to be the first time something from your past didn’t give us headaches.”

“Sif…you’re crying…” Isa looks worried about you.

“O-oh? Yeah, I guess I am…” You wipe away the tears before they drip onto your already cried-on food.

Odile thinks for a moment. “So, whatever is preventing us from remembering your country seems to be…wearing off?”

You nod slightly. “…that’s my current theory.”

Bonnie gasps, “Does that mean we can remember its name now?!”

Bonnie makes a face of deep concentration for a few moments before looking a little disappointed.

“…Nope. I guess not.”

Nille looks over at you with a rather unbothered expression. “So, your country…no one can remember it? And whatever is keeping everyone from remembering it is…wearing off? When did this start happening, recently?”

You feel a little awkward. “…It might be easier to explain it all later to you. You're kinda behind on the whole…situation…”

She lets out a long breath and leans back into her chair without another word, clearly feeling out of place in the conversation.

“…Sorry,” you say, trying to ease the tension.

Nille just closes her eyes.

“Well, this is definitely a development,” Odile steers the conversation back to the matter at hand.

“I do have a question…” Isabeau asks seriously. “How do you feel about this…development?”

You don’t really know yet.

On one hand, you can finally learn about your past and your culture!

…But on the other hand…do you really want to remember what was stolen from you?

Perhaps ignorance is bliss.

“…don’t know…” You tuck your face into your cloak a little, looking away from everyone.

You start to eat your food, which isn’t warm anymore, to signal the end of the discussion.

You don’t want to keep talking anymore. You just want to eat.

The rest of the meal is awkward, and you start to realize it was a mistake to do this over breakfast and not afterwards.

(Well, too late now.)

You look up at the ceiling, wishing you could see the stars.

(Loop…I wish you were here. You would understand more…maybe even help me out again…)

But you have no idea where they are.

Are they dead? Under the Favor Tree? Back in their own timeline?

You wish the hand sign still worked, so you could ask them these questions and get an answer.

You sigh, and go back to your tear-salted meal.

-

Walking to the next town was going to take a while, but it was possible. According to Mira, you should make it there in the afternoon.

Along the road, you pass by a few people as usual, but one group sticks out to you.

They’re running away toward your direction, and they look rather beaten up.

“AHHHHHHH!!!!”

“RUN!!!”

“WHAT EVEN IS THAT?!?!!!”

You have a strong feeling you know what they’re running from, and your party draws their weapons.

Sure enough, a rather big Sadness starts to pull itself along the road after you. Its cries sound all too familiar at this point.

Luckily, this one seems to be a paper type, so you’ll be able to handle this quickly and easily.

You slice the enemy, bringing it to its knees…supposedly…or whatever its knees are now.

But part of you can’t help but wonder…if they’re connected somehow?

The King was able to recall your country at the end…maybe this affected the Sadnesses?

You have no idea.

But someone might!

You yell at Odile, “Examine it!”

She looks surprised, but does so anyway. “…It’s…Well, it’s clearly a paper type. Seems like a normal Sadness, nothing out of the ordinary.”

She readies her book, and casts Scissors IV. The Sadness is defeated quicker than it arrived.

You feel a slight bit of disappointment, hoping more could’ve been gleaned from the encounter.

You breathe in and out. Or more, sigh out.

“We should ask the next town about Sadnesses,” you suggest. “Maybe they have more information about how many are around?”

“Yeah. That could be useful.” Isa nods in agreement.

You eventually make it to the new town, the sign looking worn stating “Revery”. It’s rather empty and looks like it used to have many more people. You all wander further in, and notice there’s a quarry nearby.

“Ok everyone, let’s go ask around!” Mirabelle claps and readies to go.

You feel a hand on your shoulder, and look back to see Nille giving you a serious look.

“You,” she says in a commanding voice. “I have questions you need to answer.”

“O-oh, right!” You had almost forgotten. “Actually, I’m going to catch Nille up. You all go on ahead!”

Bonnie looks up at Odile. “Let’s go in-tera-gate some people!”

“It’s interrogate, and we’re not doing that. We’re just going to ask some questions.” Odile corrects Bonnie with a little smirk.

“INTERROGATE!!!” Bonnie yells before running ahead, Odile walking in pursuit.

Mirabelle and Isabeau smile at each other. “Look like the old alliances are back, huh?” Isabeau bumps his fists together.

Mirabelle nods, “It appears so. Beauty Team-”

“Unite!” The two say in unison before running off.

Now it’s just you and Nille.

She points to the quarry. “Over there. It looks inactive, so there shouldn’t be any easedropers.”

You head over and find a small ledge to sit on.

“Ok…” You sigh out, realizing just how much you’ll have to tell her.

End of Chapter 2

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Previous - Masterpost - Next

[beantothemax]

“...Hey, is it just me, or are the Sadnesses being really weird?” 

Isabeau glances back at Bonbon, who shuffles their feet across the stone floors. They look almost... nervous- not that Isa blames them. Something seems horrifically off about this whole thing to him, too. 

Ever since encountering that one Sadness, Sif’s been acting as odd as the Sadnesses. 

The blobs run at the sight of him, cowering into corners when they pass, sometimes running right into them in their haste to escape. 

Sif seems different too. There’s a wild look in their eyes whenever the group fights a Sadness, undercut only by a bone-deep tiredness. 

It’s worrying to Isa. But there’s nothing he could do. 

“I agree, Boniface. The Sadnesses are acting oddly. They seem to be scared of something... Or someone,” M’dame says, and even Isa can feel the pointedness of her stare- directed at Sif. 

Sif says nothing, but their hand drifts to the dagger belted at his waist. The other shoves itself into one of his many pockets, no doubt to squeeze at the silver coin tucked away there. 

(. . .) 

Distracted, he runs right into a fleeing Sadness. He curses, drawing his dagger. The others fall suit as the Sadness shifts and bubbles, changing into its ‘true’ form. 

Isa curses the crabs as he catches sight of what it is. One of the ones that can stop time, it is. Good thing they have Mirabelle. 

The fight drags on, painfully long. The stupid Sadness turned to be stronger than they thought, and they’re starting to run low on tonics. 

And at one horrific, terrifying point, the Sadness cries out, and Sif goes still. 

Isa’s blood turns to ice as he cries out. Sif has been frozen, oh crab oh stars Mirabelle is unconcious and they don’t have any sweet tonics what the crab are they supposed to do Sif has been frozen

In a moment of delirious clarity, Isa realises how peaceful Sif looks. Like he’s sleeping. If not for one hand slightly outstretched, as though to grab something, Isa might have thought they fell asleep standing up again. 

No. They look too washed out, too pale and death-like to be asleep. His hair floats around him, and the Craft Spell placed on him shines like crystals in their hair. 

They look peaceful. They look like they’re resting. They look more serene and calm than Isa remembers seeing him in a long while- even last night in the Clocktower, there was an air of unease to him that Isa prays wasn’t because of him. 

...What would happen, Isa wonders, if he got frozen too? If right here, in this moment, they were frozen together? 

He immediately feels sick towards himself for thinking that way. What a stupid, selfish desire. What would Sif say, if he could speak now? 

Could Sif even see him? Could he hear, could he... 

Isa steps back, hearing that heart-stopping cry again. One of them is about to be frozen, and he’d sooner carve out his own heart than let Bonnie or M’dame take the hit when he’s right there, perfectly able to take the brunt of it all. 

He shields M’dame with his body, and the world goes dark. 

(. . . No.) 

(No, you won’t let it end this way. No, your friends won’t die. Mirabelle, Odile, Bonnie. . .) 

(Isa. Stars, Isa.) 

(He got himself frozen in time because he didn’t want anyone else getting hurt. He’s kind and brave and-) 

(If you could loop back just a minute or two, force yourself to right before you were frozen and Mirabelle was knocked unconscious...) 

(. . .) 

(You feel a tugging in your gut.) 

(You close your eyes, focusing on healing Mirabelle up. You pour every ounce of energy into it.) 

(As a result, you stumble a bit. Isabeau’s strong arm catches you, then immediately... He moves.) 

(You don’t think about it. You don’t think about how warm he is compared to how freezing you are. You don’t think about how his first instinct was to catch you. You don’t think about how things might change if you were just a little closer to him in the Clocktower, if you were just a little more insistent.) 

“SIFFRIN!”

(Isa tries to warn you, his hand outstretched to grab you. Your stomach drops at the memory. You’ve been here before you’ve tried this before it didn’t work before-) 

(You’re back in the field with everyone. The stars above twinkle, like they’re all smiling down on you.) 

(You look away.) 

(Meanwhile, everyone else is laughing and smiling and passing food around. Occasionally, they smile at you, ask you what you think in a conversation.) 

(Isabeau looks at you. He has that bright smile on his face, his eyes soft and sparkly. He’s thanking you, and you can feel your heartbeat stutter in your chest. This is different. You didn’t have this reaction the first time.) 

(Is this a memory, or did you loop? Will you wake up from this moment back in the King’s Castle, forced to continue on?) 

(. . .) 

(Do. . . You even want to leave. . .?) 

(Do you really want to leave this moment with all your friends, knowing they love you in this time, this place?) 

(You don’t answer yourself. The air around you shifts, and Isabeau looks panicked, reaching out for you again.) 

(You don’t know how much longer you can keep grabbing at empty air.) 

. . .

“SIFFRIN!” 

Isa wants to sob. He wants to scream and cry and and and and 

. . . 

Siffrin won't tell them anything. He’s suffering in silence. Isa knows something is happening and Siffrin won’t say a crabbing word- 

Nothing about the House feels new anymore. He follows the weird feeling of being on a script, saying the same things- whatever that means. It seems to comfort Siffrin. That’s what’s important. 

Even those Tears Bonnie tells the group about doesn’t surprise him anymore. He almost died, big woop. 

They continue on through the House, following their own scripts and saying their own lines. It feels unnatural. It feels weird. 

It feels like something needs to be changed. 

. . . 

“SIFFRIN!” 

He reaches, desperate, frantic. Please please please let him reach them in time please let him save them this time please he can’t lose them again please please please- 

. . . 

Isabeau doesn’t know how much longer he can keep grabbing at empty air. 

maverick. whatever do you mean that isabeau also feels like he’s following a script. mav. mav are you making isa loop

[quietparanoiac]

— I'd say he's positively ancient. — How ancient? — Well, that's a question for an archaeologist. — So, not our problem then. Excellent!

Sister Boniface Mysteries (2022–), 1x07

[dyns33]

Old and stupid

Little Henry x Reader 

... No idea why I was afraid of posting it, it was ready for a week !

As they had promised, the vampires hadn't killed Sebastian and they had given him time to think about their proposal. They had answered all his questions, they had repeated that he could leave if he didn't want to become one of them, and they had been very nice.

No one had ever been that nice to Sebastian. If he forgot that they had wanted to eat it a few nights ago.

It took him some time to weigh the pros and cons. Being a vampire didn't seem easy. He didn't want to kill people. He was going to miss the sun. He might feel a little lonely.

But immortality ! He could feed on animals. Henry and Angel promised him that he could stay with them as long as he wanted, until he felt ready to go on an adventure, knowing how to move around avoiding the light. They would give him money, that was not a  problem. They were a family after all.

A family. Sebastian had never had a family. It wouldn't be the same without Vanessa, of course. He hadn't known her long, but he had really loved her. She probably would have liked him to stay with the others.

So Sebastian became a vampire.

With his damn luck, the very next day they were attacked, both by Vatican soldiers and by guys paid for by a weird cosmetic company who wanted more blood for a stupid serum.

The group was separated and Sebastian found himself alone, having to run to avoid being reduced to dust or captured to serve as a guinea pig.

He was unlucky and at the same time he was the luckiest guy in the world, because he ran into another vampire, Y/N, older and more experienced, who got rid of his pursuers in seconds.

           "You could have disappeared into the shadows, you know, instead of running around like a fool. Fly away. Charm them. Slaughter them like a big boy."

           "... We can do all that ?"

           "... What ? How old are you ?!"

           "Uh… I'm twenty four, but… If we're talking vampire age, if that's a thing, I have one day."

           "Oh shit, seriously ?! Who made you ?! They didn't teach you anything ? They abandoned you without telling you how to survive ?!"

           "No no ! Angel wanted to teach me, but we were separated ! I don't know how to find the others at all, Boniface had mentioned a cemetery, but..."

           "Boniface ? Peter Boniface ? You know Peter ?"

It turned out that Y/N had been one of the Eight. She didn't give many details, but she had heard about the attack on the farm, she was worried, she wanted to know who was dead.

The news Sebastian gave her seemed to satisfy her, although she was still sad for the Duke, Alice and Vanessa. She didn't know Chen, or Angel, or Thomas whose place Sebastian had taken. She had left before they arrived.

Since the cemetery Boniface had spoken of was not far away, Y/N took him there by car, but she did not accompany him inside. Before he left, she grabbed him by the arm making him swear not to tell the others he had seen her. She was in good standing, the Council was aware of her presence, she was not eating humans, so there was no problem.

Sebastian sneered, noting that she had the same diet as Henry. She only smiled sadly.

Seeing him arrive, the others were as surprised as they were happy. They thought he had been caught. Angel and Henry hugged him, and Boniface patted him on the shoulder, visibly impressed, but too snobby to say anything.

They set off again. Henry's territory being the closest, they went to one of his properties, to rest safely, to eat and to contact the Council to find out what they should do next. They had to become Eight again.

While touring the house, Sebastian came across an old black and white photo. Henry and Y/N. He couldn't suppress a sound of astonishment, and seeing what he was holding, Henry smiled. The same sad smile as Y/N.

           "Ah. You met my wife."

           "... What?  Met, what ? No !" Sebastian stammered, remembering his promise.

           "Relax, Seba. She's very beautiful, isn't she ? I understand that you're dazzled. I'm really happy to have this memory of her, before she disappears. With the mirrors... We didn't know if we could have our picture taken. But we tried anyway, we were young and crazy."

           "You were already 500 years old in this photo." Peter growled as he passed behind them. "A boring old man. And she didn't disappear, she left, precisely because you were boring."

Henry said nothing, putting the picture down with a grimace before excusing himself to go to his room. Sighing, Angel glared at Boniface, who just shrugged.

So Y/N was Henry's wife, and she was gone. Sebastian was very curious to know if it was really because she was bored.

He asked Angel but she didn't know, she had never met Y/N. From what she knew heard, everyone liked Y/N very much, she was very close to Henry. No one had understood the reasons for her departure.

           "She just didn't love me anymore." sighed Henry, coming to sit next to Sebastian, who felt very bad about meddling in things that were none of his business. "It's fine, Seba. I understand why you're curious."

           "... Why does everyone think she left, if no one really knows why ?"

           "I prefer to believe that she just left me. The other option... I don't want to think about the other option."

           "But you don't want to find her ? You don't care ?"

           "Oh, Seba. I'll turn heaven and earth to see her again, but it's her decision, I have to respect it. If you love her, let her go. And I love her more than anything. I just want Y/N be happy. I hope she is."

Sebastian wanted to tell Henry that his wife was alive, and that she didn't look too happy, but he had promised.

So he decided to find her, to talk to her. It took some time. Several months, during which he learned to become a good vampire, in order to be able to move on his own.

It wasn't easy to find Y/N, and in truth it was she who found him, startling him as he looked for her in a bar, appearing behind him.

Bringing up the subject of her break-up with her husband was tricky, but he dared. Sebastian dared everything.

           "It's simple, he didn't love me anymore."

Wow, wait a minute, he felt like he was hearing an echo, it was weird.

           "... He didn't love you anymore ?"

           "No. He had become colder, more distant. Of course, he had obligations as a member of the Eight, but... He was very nice with other young fellows. Vanessa for example. They were very close. I'll admit, I was jealous. She was so... You know, when we got married, I was hoping we'd love each other forever, but that was stupid. I don't blame Henry. He got bored, that's normal."

When Sebastian asked Henry if he had been Vanessa's lover, the old vampire was terribly offended. To him, Nessa had been like a sister, nothing more. To tell the whole truth, he hadn't been with anyone since he got married, even after Y/N left. He sometimes wondered if she had someone now. Henry wouldn't be angry, he wanted her to be loved as she deserved, and above all not to be alone.

Y/N told Sebastian that she had never had anyone, neither before nor after Henry.

Really, he couldn't believe it. They were two idiots in love, who hadn't spoken to each other for almost a hundred years because of a misunderstanding, but they were deeply sad because of this separation. They clearly missed each other.

Sebastian had to bring them together !

Still couldn't say anything to Henry, he gave his word, and besides being a Romani who always kept his word, vampires had a goddamn code of honour that meant he had no right to betray Y/N's confidence, he decided to try to talk to her.

           "You know... I think you're wrong. I mean, about Henry. He told me a bit about you..."

           "Did you tell him you saw me ?" Y/N asked, her eyes flashing dangerously.

           "No ! I swear! Not a word ! But there was this picture of you..."

           "Ah. Yes, our stay in Paris. I remember."

           "Like you, he's still wearing his wedding ring. He smiles when he says your name. I can't tell if it's true, but he swore to me that he hadn't done anything with Vanessa, ever. With anyone. What I mean, it might be cool to go talk to him. Have a romantic dinner around a cow, all that."

           "... I see what you're trying to do, Seba. That's nice. But useless."

           "He still loves you !"

           "No, that's what you think. Henry just feels responsible. He was very scared of turning me, and now he's definitely worried about me. But he must also be mad inside, which is perfectly normal. I can't bear to see him after all this time, let alone if you're right and I hurt him."

           "But... But that's stupid !" he cried, jumping in place. "I'm sorry, but I can't believe you're 400 and so stupid !"

           "Ah ! One can be old and stupid. You should know that, you met Boniface."

           "... Maybe, but that's no excuse !"

It seemed impossible to convince Y/N. But Sebastian could understand. She was afraid. To hope and be disappointed if her husband really didn't love her anymore. To be insulted, rejected, humiliated. He had to prove to her that Henry really still loved her.

New plan then, and with the help of the fabulous technology, he recorded them both.

Because if she couldn't believe Sebastian, she would have to believe Henry. And just in case, so he knew it wasn't a cruel joke, so the old vampire knew his wife hadn't left for the reasons he believed.

           "I mean, why do you think she's gone ? Why don't you think she got abducted ? Maybe she's been stuck somewhere all this time, waiting for you, and you're not looking for her, like you don't care. I'm just saying..."

           "Seba. Stop it."

           "Some might think you don't love her."

           "I love her more than my life !" Henry said as he kicked the table, sending it crashing against the wall. "As soon as I saw her, I knew there would be only her. She was... She is the light of my life. I had never wanted to turn anyone before, and I hesitated, because it's a curse, but I couldn't live without her, it was impossible. I was selfish. I felt alive when she looked at me. I was so scared that she would regret this decision, that she would hate me for what I did to her. I wasn't surprised when that day came. I know she left, Y/N was strong, smart, no one would have I couldn't take her. I didn't take her, you understand ? She took me, she accepted me. I'm hers, forever."

After just chatting about everything and nothing with Y/N ​​in a small village near Henry's house, he had given her the recording, as she got into her car.

Then he ran to join the others. Angel and Peter were on the go, always looking for replacements for the Eight. The selections was taking time, the candidates had to be perfect.

Still being a complete asshole, Boniface grabbed the disc before Sebastian could discreetly give it to Henry. He sneered, asking if they were love songs, mimicking kissing sounds as he put it in the player despite the young vampire's protests.

Y/N's voice echoed through the room. Everyone froze, Henry the first.

           "How did you know you loved Henry ? Was it before or after you found out he was a vampire ?"

           "It's very insulting Seba. You know, even if he hadn't turned me, I would have stayed with him until the end."

           "Even if he didn't change ?"

           "Hmm. It would have been mostly hard on him I think."

           "So why did you love him ?" Sebastian insisted.

           "I still love him. I will always love him. How not to love him ? He is so charming, so sweet. Just his smile... You know he's a good man when you see him smiling. The most human to all of us. I remember our wedding night. He hadn't transformed me yet. We danced, over and over. He's a great dancer. I was very happy with him. Now... This endless life is meaningless without him. I know he never did anything with Vanessa, I think I knew it back then. He would never, not to me. But I was stupid. He had lovers before me, when he was my first, and only. He deserves the best, better than me, and I thought he understood that, that he just didn't know how to tell me. Because he's way too nice. You'll take care of him for me ?"

           "Henry ! Henry, wait !"

No longer able to bear to listen, Henry had run out of the living room, out of the house. He must have thought that the others would laugh if he cried.

Yet Angel and Peter mostly looked sorry. They left Sebastian running after him, trying to fix the situation, shouting at him that he knew where his wife was, he could contact her, he would soon be able to see her again, he...

A car quickly came towards them, braking in the middle of the road upon seeing them, and Y/N got out of it. Her eyes were wet. She must have listened the recording.

She and Henry stood motionless, staring at each other, for a long moment, before running towards each other to hug.

           "Iubirea mea ! Lumina mea ! Mi-ai fost atât de dor de tine, nu puteam respira fără tine. Am simțit că mor puțin mai mult în fiecare zi. Te iubesc doar pe tine."

           "I'm sorry ! So sorry ! I didn't think about it, I thought... Henry, I don't hate you, I love you more than anything, you are my light too, forgive me."

Standing on the sidelines, Sebastian was sobbing, tears of joy, trying to keep himself dignified when Angel arrived with a big smile, seeming to find the scene both touching and ridiculous.

Boniface thought that was simply ridiculous. He made a sound of disgust, saying he felt like throwing up.

The couple ignored them as they continued to kiss, until it was almost morning and they had to go home. Henry took Sebastian in his arms for a long time, thanking him, before going to join Y/N in their room.

Yeah, Vanessa had done well to choose him. There were five of them now, and even though he was the youngest, he was obviously the most reasonable of this weird family.

[tinybibmpreg]

finally. i finish the next chapter 👏

Bed of Thorns: Creature (Part 4)

Empty display windows and dark alleyways and locked shop doors were a blur going past as Destiny ran. Terrified of what horror she could hear and feel hard on her heels, she didn’t dare look over her shoulder. Loud footfalls followed no matter how many corners she turned. Where in the city she was she couldn’t possibly say. Her usual territory had vanished a few blocks back, the area she and her friend had spent the past year marking out as safe. Outside of the area they’d mapped out in their heads and in paint on a brick wall were known dangers and unknown risks. Places even her friend, inhuman and powerful as he was, didn’t want to hang around for longer than absolutely necessary. He wouldn’t be too thrilled she had to seek refuge in them now, but Destiny knew Moira would understand.

After rounding yet another corner and finding herself in an old parking lot, Destiny realized she had, at last, hit a dead end. Desperately, she searched the fence surrounding the lot for any holes she could squeeze through, but everything was patched up with plywood and plastic and sheets of metal. She ran for one particularly managed piece of plywood and hoped she could use it as a step to boost herself over the fence and keep running. Surely her pursuer would give up on her soon. It couldn’t be her the creature really wanted- she was only human. It wanted Moira or Moira’s father. Once it realized she wouldn’t be leading it to them, it would go.

She hoped so, anyway.

Still, she’d never had much luck before.

Destiny slipped when she tried to use the plywood as a step. When she hit the ground, she was facing behind her, where the heavy steps skidded to a halt. Golden eyes framed by jet black hair stared down at her, and she covered her face with her arms and cried out as the creature lunged.

It didn’t make contact with her, cut off by a snarl and a loud crash. She looked to see a second creature had arrived, with the same golden eyes. The rest of the two creatures was a blur of black and feathers and sharp teeth and flashes of vicious gold as they fought. Destiny took the chance to get up and escape. Before she could make it more than two steps, however, something wrapped around her ankle and she was flipped upside down as one of the creatures shot straight up into the air. Destiny screamed, and the creature left on the ground screamed in tandem with a voice that was oddly familiar.

For a moment Destiny thought the creature on the ground looked more like a man than a monster, but her eyes blurred with tears before she could make sense of what it actually was.

Humans didn’t have such golden eyes. The parking lot grew small below her as the creature holding her went up and up and up. The wind whipped around her and her hair blew in front of her face, further obscuring her vision. The creature suddenly dropped and spun, catching her in its arms. Whatever was holding onto her released her, and the creature held her tight and dove straight down. Destiny squeezed her eyes shut. A burst of light burned her eyes despite them being closed, and she choked on warm, stale air.

They landed hard on rough terrain, and Destiny’s head slammed against the ground. She could feel her heartbeat pounding in her skull and her vision was blurred as she opened her eyes to dim lighting. She thought she could see a few figures approaching, but couldn’t make out who or what they were. If they were speaking, she couldn’t hear them.

The creature stood, lifting her up. A hand touched her face, and everything went dark.

-

“Tell me why you love me, Bonnie,” Devon said, not even looking up from the intricate runes he was tracing from a large book. He wasn’t even aware he’d spoken out loud, too absorbed in his work. So he didn’t even notice as Boniface wrapped his arms around him and told him all the reasons he still loved him, even though so many horrible things had happened.

His hand started to shake. Before he could ruin his work, he set down his pencil and took a deep breath. Exhaling slowly, he looked around the room. It was light outside, and the radio on his kitchen counter was playing some soft guitar. There was a half-empty glass of water next to his work, and a bowl of pretzels, untouched. Gradually he became aware of the burning pain in his wrist. He winced and clenched and unclenched his fist. His fingers were an angry red where he’d been holding his pencil, blisters getting ready to form.

He held his hand off to the side. Boniface took it in his own and pressed a kiss to his knuckles. The red faded and the pain vanished. “Thanks, Bonnie.”

“You were talkative today,” the angel said. Boniface was behind him, one arm wrapped loosely around him.

“Was I?” he asked, genuine. “I didn’t notice.”

“You told me all sorts of things. Asked me all sorts of things. I do wish you could have remembered the answers.”

“Oh.” Devon leaned back against Boniface. “What kinds of things?”

Boniface shrugged. “Pleasant things, wretched things. Why I love you and what happened to our family.”

“I know those things, though. Did the answers change?”

“Everything changes, love.”

Devon grabbed the bowl of pretzels. Just lifting the small bowl made him feel exhausted. He put one in his mouth. The taste was familiar, though he was certain he’d never eaten one of this brand before. They didn’t look like the kind he usually bought. He must have eaten some while working. Another side effect of his infection, he supposed. For a moment he wondered if he was wrong to take on his curse when it meant he lost so much time, so much energy.

But his work was too important and his curse was necessary. Even if it sapped so much of him, stole so much time.

“Bonnie?” he asked, in spite of himself.

“Yes, love?”

“Do you hate me?”

“Of course not, darling.” Boniface nuzzled him. “I love you dearly.”

“And my deal with the scrollmaster?”

“I understand why you took on that curse, Devon. Your work is important to you.”

“But not to you.”

“That infection makes you so distant… I do get lonely. You aren’t there when I need you. When…” Boniface cut himself off. He looked away, ashamed.

Devon sighed. “When our family needed me. I know. I’m sorry.”

“The sooner you finish your work, the sooner we can work past this little rough patch and save our family.”

As the scrollmaster worked through him, with him, he thought to himself that his family couldn’t be saved. The faery lord ate that thought. Regrets would make Devon difficult, make the work take longer. They wished Boniface would go back home. Neither man nor faery could be bothered if Boniface was in the angelic realm. Sure Boniface was useful, could keep Devon physically healthy with just a touch. But he made Devon feel whole, and that wasn’t part of their agreement.

Devon was to be a piece, a vessel. Incomplete, to be granted fulfillment only when their work was done.

The scrollmaster ate more memories in their fury. Images of children, beloved and lost. Intimate moments.

But Devon needed rest from the work, and their connection grew weak. The memories were just out of reach now, half-eaten and lingering.

In another realm entirely, a little faery approached the scrollmaster and sheepishly informed the lord that there was something that required their attention. A message from an informant in another realm. They greedily snatched the scroll from the little assistant’s many hands and devoured the words.

A princess of the house of Loralei was plotting outside of her father’s will. A child from the human realm with kaleidoscope eyes had been brought to the demon realm. Interesting. They reached into their coat and pulled out a rolled-up contract. The letters on it glowed gold and set the informant on discovering why exactly the princess would steal a street child she couldn’t possibly know the true origin of.

A man of the Setole clan, travelling with his family, had passed through a portal and triggered one of the scrollmaster’s detection spells. He had been casting an illusionary spell for far too long, a spell he resented. Delightful. The scrollmaster almost set Devon on it, before remembering Boniface, the wretched angelic creature, didn’t talk much about extended family when Devon could remember, so using Devon to seek more information would be too difficult. Boniface didn’t know the true extent of the contract, would just seek to break it if he ever found out just how much his beloved had signed away to a faery lord.

The scrollmaster rapped their fingers on their desk, huffing. Difficult, difficult, the work was always difficult.

Well, they thought, while Devon got some rest, they could get some fresh air and pursue things on their own. They stood and looked at their coatrack. Picking one of their overcoats, the scrollmaster decided they would go with a masculine form. He buttoned the coat and then strolled out of his office. A few assistants dodged out of his way, squeaking in surprise. They weren’t used to their employer ever leaving his desk.

-

Destiny woke slowly. Everything was dark and blurry as she blinked and rubbed her eyes. Her arms were heavy and she felt exhausted. When she could finally make out her surroundings, a large, dark bedroom, she remembered what had happened and shot up to her feet.

The bedroom door creaked open and a person stepped in. As they did, lanterns turned on, illuminating the room. Destiny darted behind the bed to put something physical between her and the stranger.

“Do not be afraid, little one,” the stranger told her. “I won’t hurt you.”

“Are you the one who took me?” Destiny demanded.

The stranger nodded. They were a woman, of average height. She had a pair of black wings that reminded her of Moira’s father, and ten horns that resembled a crown that reminded her of Moira’s mother. Her eyes were gold, with slit pupils, burning into her. “I’m sorry if I scared you. I just needed to bring you here. You were in terrible danger.”

“Me? It was my friend who was being stalked by that man you fought with.”

The woman who could have an angel, could have been a demon, shook her head sadly. “Poor little thing. You have no idea what’s happening.” She walked closer, the door shutting behind her. Destiny shrunk back against the wall, but the woman came even closer. The woman knelt down on one knee and held out a hand to Destiny as one would to a nervous dog. “You’ll be safe here with me. Your… ‘friend…’ will join you here soon. Then I can protect you both.”

“From who?”

She ignored her question. “Welcome to the house of Loralei, little one. I am the princess here. No one can lay a well-intentioned hand on you now.”

“A princess?” Destiny echoed.

“Yes. There are terrible monsters scattered across the realms, monsters that would stop at nothing to get their hands on you and your friend.”

“How do I know you’re a princess? Maybe you’re just the monster that got me first.”

The princess smiled at her, sadness in her eyes. The gold looked more familiar now. Destiny wasn’t sure why. She had certainly never met this woman before. “I am a monster, I suppose. My family certainly thought so. But you’re a monster to them as well, little one, even if you don’t know it yet. You, your friend, and I… We need to keep each other safe.”

Destiny realized what the princess was. “Oh. You’re like Moira. Half and half.”

“Yes,” the princess replied. “And this house is my prison, which I’ve made my own. Which we’ll all make our own until we’re strong enough to find our own way.”

“Are there any monsters here?”

“Just one. A dragon. I’ll make sure he doesn’t find you, don’t worry.”

Moira had told her dragons weren’t real. Destiny had no reason to believe he was wrong. Maybe the princess was really lying about being a princess after all, playing a game of fantasy with her. If this was the woman’s prison, and someone was keeping her captive, had stolen her like she’d stolen Destiny, then perhaps it was like a dragon capturing a princess.

There was a knock on the door, barely audible. The princess spread her wings as she turned to shield Destiny from view, calling for whoever it was to enter. Destiny heard the door open and light footsteps entering the room.

“Princess,” a meek voice said, “-Master Loralei is waiting in the dining room for you.”

“Alright. Let me attend to a matter and then I’ll join him.”

“Of course. Ah- were you able to complete your errand, Princess?”

“Yes. I found what I wanted.”

“Do you- is there anything you need help with, Princess? Now that your errand is complete.” Destiny was immediately suspicious. Their tone of voice sounded like they were prying, not offering help.

The princess noticed it as well, feathers bristling. “No, that will be all. You’re dismissed.” The person must have hesitated because it took a while before the door clicked shut. Sighing, the princess lowered her wings and turned back to Destiny. She was thoughtful for a moment before saying, “I do believe there may be more monsters than I thought, pursuing us three. That servant was always so loyal to me, but quiet- they’ve never been so talkative. But an angel or demon can’t control someone like that…”

Remembering something Moira had told her while explaining the beings of the other realms, Destiny said, “Don’t faeries control people? With contracts, right? Traps?”

“I suppose that could have happened. But everyone here is taught never to negotiate with faeries. What could a faery have offered that I couldn’t give them?” the princess asked, not looking at her. “And what would a faery want with us? This is a matter between my fathers. No one else.”

She didn’t have any answer or reply to that.

[izzy-b-hands]

Dancer Chapter Seven

Oh shit, could sum up this chapter. Aka, Eggsy and crew are in a lot of it, and it’s going to take some doing to get out of it. Per the usual, really, but even so, easier said than done.

TW for general violence, and mentions of sexual violence and suicide by...well. I can’t say exactly what, or I’ll give away plot. But a warning for it, so if it isn’t something you’re comfortable reading about, I’d say give this one a skip!

My love to all who read/like/reblog!

He woke with a headache so painful he wanted to weep, and light-headed enough he feared he’d fall as Tony and another henchman half-led, half-dragged him into a clean white room.

“Look at that, he’s back,” Tony smirked. “Welcome back to the land of the living. You won’t be in it long, so enjoy what time you have left.” 

“Think you ought to be the one doing that,” Eggsy spat. 

Tony rolled his eyes, and motioned for the other henchman to follow him out of the room. 

He sat for a moment, trying to ignore the nausea roiling in his stomach, when there was a bang on the wall. 

“Hey!” Evan’s voice was just loud enough to be heard through the wall. “Are you okay?” 

“I will be, I think,” Eggsy mumbled. “Are you okay?” 

“As okay as I can be,” Evan muttered. “But I have no idea what they’re going to do to us, suddenly Barrett came thundering into the club with all these men while I was finishing cleaning up, and then-” 

“Chloroform?” 

“I figured,” Evan replied. “Why are they doing this?” 

“There’s a lot to explain,” Eggsy admitted. “That you should have known from the start. But first, I’m going to get us all out of here. Ainsley is here as well, right?” 

“Who?” Evan asked. 

“...shit,” Eggsy muttered. “Boniface. Is he here?” 

“He is,” Evan replied, but his tone belied his suspicion. “A pet name?” 

“Something like that,” Eggsy said. “I can tell you later, along with everything else. For now, I’m going to get us all out of here.” 

“How on earth are you plotting to do that from a cell?” 

“You let me worry about that,” Eggsy said. “Just try and rest, and I’ll be back for you as soon as I can be.” 

He sighed dramatically a few times, then pouted, and called out through the door. “Oh, please, I really don’t feel well. I think you hit me with too much.” 

He gagged, not entirely faking it, and moaned as miserably as he could manage. “Please, have mercy on me.” 

The door opened so fast he didn’t have a chance to back away from it. 

“God,” Tony grimaced. “Come on, Barrett wants you anyway. We’ll get you water, and some new clothes.” 

“Oh thank you,” Eggsy whimpered, but Tony only rolled his eyes. 

“Shut the fuck up, and come on.” 

Tony led him by the arm down a hall, just as disturbingly minimalist and clean and white, then down another until they reached a small room. 

The water Tony gave him seemed safe enough, and tasted a dream compared to the taste in his mouth. 

The clothing, however, he wanted to rip into shreds. 

A lacy white cut out body suit, just barely big enough in the right areas to cover him, and white plastic platforms. The robe that came with followed theme, white mesh with feathers all along the hems. 

“Hold still,” Tony barked after he’d dressed, and approached him with an eye shadow palette, a make up bag tucked under his arm. “Should just let you do this, but I don’t trust you not to try and kill me with this eyeliner or some shit.” 

Eggsy caught sight of himself in the mirror while Tony put away the make up, and winced. The make up job was too quick, but even care and time wouldn’t have saved the white eye shadow, highlighted with a baby blue that honestly didn’t seem to go with it, white eyeliner around his eyes, and an almost clear shimmery white-ish lip gloss. The clothing looked cheap, and made him feel it. 

“This way,” Tony grumbled, and again took him by the arm. “Wait.” 

He handed Eggsy a pair of elbow-length satin gloves. “These too.” 

Eggsy glared, but shoved them on, yanking his arm away from Tony as he led down yet another clinical-looking hallway, into another room. 

Inside, Barrett was lounged on a heart-shaped bed, with all black satin sheets. The rest of the room had been done up in similar fashion, and a stripper pole had been erected in the little bit of space before the windows of the room that allowed one to look down on what the scientists on the main floor of the lab were doing. 

“Nice Vegas aesthetic,” Eggsy sniffed. “Not what I’d choose for a negotiation room, but then again-” 

He turned around once. “Look how you dressed me for it.”

Barrett snickered. “You think I’m negotiating? Oh, that’s adorable.” 

He looked to Tony, still stood in the doorway, and waved him away.

“No, you’re going to be with me while we start the end,” Barrett said. “I’ve already figured plenty of ways I could use the formula, and would you believe how willing people are to think up even more if you dangle millions of dollars in their face, and swear you’ll ensure the weapon doesn’t kill them?” 

“That isn’t true though, is it?” Eggsy asked, walking to the windows and peering down at the scientists, scurrying about the lab floor. “You don’t care who it kills, as long as it isn’t you.” 

Barrett giggled sickeningly. “I love them when they’re just the littlest bit naive and stupid, you know? Why I loved your Bo-oh, I suppose he’s told you by now, hasn’t he? Your Ainsley, I should say. He would fall for anything so long as you promised him it wouldn’t hurt anyone.” 

Barrett stood up from the bed, and joined him at the window, yanking Eggsy so he was facing him, running his hands over Eggsy’s body, toying with the edges of the body suit. “I hope it does kill me. I don’t really care if it does, frankly. I’m bored. That’s why I’m doing this, after all.” 

“You’re joking,” Eggsy said, resisting the urge to jerk away from Barrett’s touch. 

“I am not. I’ve seen this world. It’s cruel and harsh and scary, and people are scum.” 

“You’d know something about that,” Eggsy spat.

In a flash, Barrett’s hand was around his throat, squeezing tight. “Say whatever you like, it doesn’t change what’s going to happen. We’re all going to die tonight, all of us here, including your little agent friends that I’m sure are on the way, along with millions of people worldwide. And in particular, you’re going to die with my cock buried so far up your arse that you’re choking on it.” 

“I don’t fucking think so,” Eggsy muttered as best he good as he fought for air.

“Like I said,” Barrett said, releasing his throat and letting him drop to the floor. “Say whatever you like, it makes no difference. I always get my way, one way or another.” 

He settled back on the bed, and pointed to the pole. “Go on. Make yourself useful. There’s still some time before my chosen weapon is ready; I want to be entertained until then.” 

Eggsy glowered at him, but stood back up slowly, then stomped over to the pole. 

Barrett grabbed a remote from the end table near the bed, and clicked a button on it. The strains of Marilyn Manson’s ‘The Reflecting God’ started to play, and Barrett nodded. 

Eggsy reached for the pole, going into a sloppy sort of dance, his mind too busy working overtime to figure out the checklist of what he had to do, and how he could do it.

To do: kill Barrett, disable and destroy the weapon, find and destroy all research and paperwork regarding the formula (including frying any electronics that contained research information), kill Tony, rescue Evan, then find and rescue Ainsley. 

Easy enough, if he wouldn’t be on his own. But he had no idea where any of the other agents might be, or if they had even figured out where he was. Sure, Merlin could track him, but it would still take some time to get out to him. 

Until then, he couldn’t let the worst happen. 

‘Man That You Fear’ followed on the playlist, and he tried to let his dancing reflect it. Slower, softer, making as much eye contact with Barrett as he could. There was nothing human there to reach, that much he knew, but there was a bit of an animal in everyone. In this case, all animal, and he could appeal to that. 

He dropped to his knees, and crawled over to the bed as sexily as he could manage even as his head still swam with the aftereffects of the chloroform. “If we’re going to die, you can tell me more about you then, surely.” 

Barrett scoffed. “Shut up and take your clothes off. I know what you’re trying to do.” 

Eggsy tossed off the robe, and stretched his arms out, flexing just a bit as he did. “Maybe. But what can it hurt? Like you said, I can’t stop what you’re doing now.” 

Barrett shrugged. “True. What are you so eager to know?” 

“How you got into this,” Eggsy said as he turned and dropped back on the bed, kicking his legs up in a quick stretch, trying to appear as though he was lounging erotically against the bed rather than trying not to slip off the edge of the satin sheets. “You were so eager for me to know about Ainsley and his past. What of yours?” 

Barrett grinned, and crooked a finger, motioning him up the bed.

He took a quick breath as he undid the platforms, then crawled his way up sheets to lay by Barrett.

Barrett’s kiss was harsh, breath-taking in the same way one might drown, and it left him wanting to cough and to wipe at his mouth, but he resisted the urge. The more he could make Barrett believe he wanted this, the better. 

“How I got into this?” Barrett said after he finally released Eggsy. “I bet you’re expecting some sob story, some long tale?” 

His smile was hollow and predatory, not even beginning to reach his eyes. It made Eggsy feel sick to his stomach. 

“Well, learn to love disappointment. I knew that what I wanted wasn’t often found in polite circles, so I found it wherever I could. And I’ve loved every minute of it, relished every second. They say pain and trauma linger, you know? And they usually mean it in regards to survivors, but they should talk about how it lingers for the one behind it all,” Barrett’s voice slithered soft, his breathe warm on Eggsy’s neck. “How sweet a taste it is for someone like me. How the memories stay so vibrant.” 

Everything in him was screaming to just do whatever he could to take down Barrett and run, as fast as he could. 

But he couldn’t, not just yet. He needed some sign there was back-up, or it would be for nothing. 

As Barrett’s hand crept down his chest, under the lace, down his stomach, nearly to his hip, when he saw it.

Just barely visible from the angle he was at on the bed, Agent Tequila bursting into the lab. The shots from his shotgun rang out, and the horrible spell was broken. 

Barrett jerked away from him, but only for a second, his face twisted into an angry grimace. 

“You fucking filthy whore,” Barrett screamed, rolling over to straddle him, hands again around Eggsy’s neck. “You want it to end like this? Hm? I could have made it easier for you, given you just a touch of pain. I could have been kind!” 

Eggsy writhed beneath him, working to break free, but Barrett was stronger than he looked, his nails digging into Eggsy’s neck with every slight movement. The playlist had shifted to something slightly more energetic, and he tried to focus on it as he fought back. 

Finally, he managed to wrench Barrett’s hands off of his neck, and kicked him away as hard as he could manage. A quick rustle through the end table revealed a pistol with an ivory grip, thankfully already loaded. He pointed it in Barrett’s direction, only to find him still struggling to get up off of the floor. 

He crawled as quickly as he could out of the bed and raced to the door, shoving it open, ready to take on Tony.

Who was dead on the floor, another cyanide pill still in his hand. 

“Fucking coward,” Eggsy spat, and shut the door behind him, shoving Tony’s corpse in front of it, ignoring Barrett’s shouting and swearing. It wouldn’t hold him forever, but it might give him just enough time to catch up with the rest of the agents and formulate something. 

He crept down the halls, figuring there would be more henchman to run into. But all that met him were their corpses, none of them apparently eager to go out via Barrett’s chemical weapon. 

It made finding Tequila easy. He was still on the main lab floor, raising his shotgun whenever a scientist so much as twitched towards the weapon, apparently nearly finished. 

“That our new uniform? I can try it, I won’t say no, but I don’t know if that’s really my color, or yours for that matter,” Tequila said as he burst into the lab. 

“A nice blue on you, maybe?” Eggsy smiled. 

Tequila nodded. “I could see that.” 

“You alone?” 

Tequila shook his head. “Galahad is supposed to be finding your man, and Roxy is on the back end helping Merlin keep track of us, and to see what they can do on their end to burn some of the information on the formula, and now these weapon plans.” 

“Any news on their progress?” Eggsy said as he looked over the weapon. It seemed harmless where it was; it looked as though it would need to be shot off into the atmosphere in order to do anything to anyone. 

“Sounds good so far, from what Roxy’s been chattering about in my ear,” Tequila replied. “Also, she wants me to tell you she thinks that oughta be your permanent uniform. Frankly, I agree, you pull it off, even if one of your balls is definitely about to fall out.” 

Eggsy laughed and shook his head. “We can talk about that later; you two hang onto that proposal.” 

“Don’t gotta tell me twice,” Tequila chuckled. “Where you going now? We’ve almost got this under control. Soon as Galahad checks in to say he’s got your man and anyone else that’s captive-” 

The lab door swung open with a bang against the interior lab wall, and Barrett strode in, leading a stumbling Ainsley with one hand, and nearly dragging Evan with the other. 

“Shit,” they muttered in unison, Tequila turning his weapon on Barrett. 

The scientists started to scrabble for the door, but stopped as Barrett roared. 

“NO ONE GOES ANYWHERE!” his face was red, his breath short as he tossed Evan to the floor. 

Eggsy started to go to him, but Barrett spat at him. “Don’t bother. He’ll be dead soon. That formula doesn’t require a weapon to be used when it’s in liquid form. I don’t know the dose I gave him or how it will affect him, but I know he’ll be dead, and that’s what matters.”

Evan muttered something weakly, and waved Eggsy away. 

As hard as it was to step back, he did, training his gun on Barrett. “Let them go.” 

Barrett smiled wide. “No. I’m not going to do that. No, since you ruined my original game, we’re going to play another. After all, I’m still bored.” 

Barrett downed a small vial in the hand not holding onto Ainsley, shook his head, and grimaced. “Not exactly bubble gum flavored.” 

“You fucker,” Eggsy murmured. “You just killed yourself.” 

Barrett shrugged. “Give or take a few minutes to maybe an hour. I don’t know how this formula works, I pay these assholes to know that.” 

A few of the scientists looked towards them at that, but shuddered and huddled down again as Barrett gave another wordless roar.

“Now. In the amount of time I have left, we’re going to play a game. If you win, you get your precious slut here, safe and sound, though why you’d want him I simply cannot fathom. If you lose-” 

Barrett held up another small vial. “Bye bye pretty boy.” 

Eggsy looked to Tequila, who tilted his head just barely to the windows of the bedroom above and across from them. 

There was Harry, sniper rifle in hand, trained on Barrett. 

He tried to ask Tequila with his eyes what possible good that would do. The time frame in which Harry would be able to get a shot off and not hit anyone else would be minute, minuscule. And until he could be sure he had it-

That was it. He once again, had to stall Barrett.

Before he could say a word, Ainsley cleared his throat. 

“Eggsy, don’t worry about it. Just make sure the weapon can’t go out.” 

“The fuck are you on about,” Eggsy replied. “I’m not letting him kill you.” 

Ainsley smiled. “I love you too. But I’m not that important. There are thousands like me out there. I was just lucky, or maybe stupid enough, to end up where I am. If you save the world now, you save a bunch of kids just like me, who aren’t at any point like this yet. You give them a chance to live, and to make it to a better situation. You could even start the Home without me. Put it in my name.”

“Can’t do that,” Eggsy said softly. “I’m going to have to save you too. I’m too stubborn to let anything else happen.” 

“God, shut the fuck up!” Barrett’s yell echoed around the room. “Making fucking lovey-dovey stupid eyes at each other, now?! Of all times?! Christ, I’d hate to see how the two of you act at a funeral.” 

His gaze turned happy, and his eyes glittered as he lifted his other hand. “Oh right. He won’t be able to do much of anything, it being his funeral and all.” 

It all happened in a flash: the flash of Barrett’s hand as it moved towards Ainsley’s mouth, the flash of the bullet as it left the sniper rifle in Harry’s hands, and the flash of the weapon near them as something on it popped and sparked and lit on fire, and they all hit the floor in a resounding thud.

Through the smoke, Eggsy found Barrett first, with a pool of blood quickly growing around his head. Beside him, Ainsley.

“I’m alright,” he coughed. “Help me get Evan.” 

“I got him!” Tequila shouted, and through the darkening smoke Eggsy could make out the outline of Evan on Tequila’s shoulders. “We gotta go, now! No idea what’ll happen with that thing now.” 

“We can’t just go!” Eggsy yelled back. “What if it spreads it through the smoke, or something?” 

A scientist on the floor shook her head. “It won’t! We sabotaged it so it shouldn’t hurt anyone as it burns up. But the fire, on the other hand..” 

Ainsley’s hand was warm in his. “We’ve got to go. What happens to it all here-” 

He looked around the lab, what little could be seen as the flames started to spread around them. “We were going to destroy this place, anyway, right?” 

Eggsy nodded. 

“What are you two waiting for?,” Harry’s voice had joined them, his shape just visible near the door. “Get moving!” 

They let the scientists out first, and Eggsy breathed a sigh of relief at knowing they were as decent as he’d been hoping, and had done their part to make sure Barrett didn’t succeed. Creating the formula to begin with wasn’t great of course, but at least they’d managed to help destroy it as well. 

“What about an antidote?” Tequila asked, gesturing to the unsettlingly still form of Evan as they started down the halls. 

The same scientist as before, the hood of her PPE suit now pulled down and safety goggles tossed away to reveal auburn hair and light brown eyes, held up a small white first aid kit box. “Got everything we need in here. We just need to get somewhere safe and I can administer it.” 

“You ever had to use it before?” Tequila asked as they started to run now, the heat from the flames encroaching on them too quickly. 

She looked ready to respond, but instead pointed to the exit door, so close yet so far away. 

He felt the incredible heat somehow grow even hotter as they reached the door, then the horrible impact of the blast wave. 

Then nothing. 

[myselfinserts]

“More like stress season am I right?”

Dinner had been doing incredibly well. Marianne had finished the physical in no time flat, making sure to schedule an appointment to get blood work done later at the proper facilities. Sam and Chris were organizing paperwork, while Ceri and Étienne were finishing serving the main course. They’d never seen their apartment so lively. 

They could definitely get used to this. 

“I hope the meal is to everyone’s liking,” Ceri said. 

Luci nodded excitedly, waiting until they finished their bite before speaking. “I’ve had five star restaurant food that pales in comparison to your cooking, Mr. Aylward. I could eat this every day.”

Ceri blushed. “Just Ceri is fine. And thank you, but I’m sure it isn’t that high quality.”

“You need to stop that,” Étienne chided, smiling fondly. “You’re a wizard in the kitchen. Stop talking yourself down.”

Luci took note of the look. They had feeling they were watching something special between the two. Or something rather aggravating, if the unnoticed eye-roll from the others was anything to go by. 

Knock! Knock! Knock!

Everyone looked at Luci, who seemed just as confused. “What?” they asked. 

Marianne stared at them. “Are you expecting anyone?”

“No.”

Knock! Knock! Knock!

“Sounds like you are,” Sam said.

Hesitantly, Luci went over and looked through the peep hole. They hoped it was just a mistake. That someone had knocked on the wrong door. It happened often enough. 

But the face on the other side sent a chill down their spine. Reluctantly, Luci opened the door and let him in. “Hello, Mr. Maddox.”

“Hello Adaire,” Maddox greeted, waltzing in with a slight bump. “Didn’t hear from you, so I thought I’d come by and check up. See how you’re doing.”

“I was just...uh...” Luci followed after him, their stomach twisting when Maddox saw the guests. “I-”

Maddox raised a hand in greeting, his presence filling the entire room. “Hello. I wasn’t aware Adaire had guests over.”

“Mr. Maddox, this-”

“No need to introduce all of them, my boy, I recognize a few of them.” His black eyes looked over to Marianne, going too low for her comfort. “Dr. Gladstone has quite the...reputation on and off the stage.” He ignored Marianne’s incredulous look, moving on to the blond. “And of course, who doesn’t know the great Étienne Allard.” He looked over at Ceri, a smirk growing on his smug face. “And Ceri Aylward? No one’s seen you since just before the accident. I didn’t know you were still involved in dancing.”

Ceri looked away, jaw clenched tightly. “I prefer to work behind the scenes now.”

“I can see why. If I looked as wrinkled and messed up as that, I wouldn’t want to be on stage either. Not a good look for a dance star, right?” 

“...right.” Ceri looked on the verge of tears, but remained calm and composed. Étienne wasted no time it jumping to his feet however, placing a reassuring hand on Ceri’s right shoulder and shooting a spiteful look at the intruder. Lucien was certain that if he could get away with it, Allard would have disposed of Boniface Maddox right then and there. 

Maddox looked at Luci, smiling sweetly. “My oh my, dear boy. You didn’t tell me you knew a ballroom dance legend.”

Luci winced, shoulders hunching. “Not a boy, Mr. Maddox.”

“Right, right, of course.” Maddox started looking around the apartment, hands dancing over the furniture. “So what brings all your friends over?”

Étienne stood tall, slowly following behind Maddox in an attempt to minimize his presence. “We were just discussing dancing over dinner. Nothing more.”

Maddox nodded. “I see. I came at a good time then.” He lingered over by a stack of mail, picking up one of the envelopes, one with a rather nice stamp and seal. “I actually wanted to discuss the same with Adaire.”

Luci snatched the envelope, shoving it into a nearby drawer. “Discuss what?”

Maddox was a little surprised, but didn’t waver. He simply shrugged, walking over to admire a piece of wall art. “India ink?”

“Yes. Mr. Maddox, what is it you need to talk about?”

“Such a hard material to work with. But this is a splendid piece, my boy. You have good taste.”

Chris glared at Maddox, clearly getting pissed off. “What is it you want to discuss with Adaire? We’re in the middle of something and you’re intruding.”

Luci looked at them in shocked. On the one hand, they were glad someone said something when they couldn’t. But this was their boss, and they still hadn’t finished the switch over to Mirage. If Maddox found out...

Oh god, did the thought make them sick. 

Maddox seemed to take no notice of Chris’s anger.��“Oh, yes. We have a private parting coming that want a dancer like you to perform. It’s an all day thing, and you’d be performing every other hour. I want you to bring a new routine to show off, with a lot of flips and with your fancy aerial acrobatic ribbon stuff. It’s carnival season, but it’s more like stress season, am I right?” He laughed. “Anyway, dress rehearsal starts tomorrow morning at six. Check in is at 5:30am.”

Luci stared at him. “But that’s not a lot of time to get a new routine together.”

“You sure?” Maddox pouted. “I was so sure you could do it. You’ve managed in the past. And besides-” he walked right up to them, lightly holding up their chin with the tips of his fingers, his other hand resting on their shoulder “-I currently don’t have a headliner. Our last one just quit on me. I could really use. Your. Help.”

Stop touching me. You’re too close. Please stop touching me. Back off please. Get out of my house. I’m leaving the casino. I’m going somewhere I’m wanted and can be an actual lead act. An equal. I’m not staying Maddox. I...I’m going to...to...

“Check in is at 5:30. I expect you there.”

...dammit. 

“I...I’ll be there early, sir. I’ll get started on the new routine right away.”

"Splendid.” He stepped back, walking towards the exit. “I'll see you at work for the dress rehearsal then. Good night, Adaire."

Maddox gave everyone else in the room a polite nod before heading out the door. As soon as it closed with a click, everyone immediately turned their attention to Luci. They were shuffling on their feet, arms hugging themself tightly. Their eyes seemed faded somehow.

Ceri step forward slowly. "Luci? Are you-"

"I have to see about booking a room at the studio," Luci interrupted, hurrying over to the phone. "I don't have much time to put together a new routine. If I don't get a space to practice-"

Étienne shook his head. "Lucien, you only have twelve hours. That's an unreasonable amount of time to put something that complex together. You'll exhaust yourself."

"Golden Boy's right," Marianne said. "You don't have enough time. Trying to do this could put yourself at far too great a risk-"

"It's fine," they insisted. "It's not like I haven't done it before. I'll be fine. What's one more twisted ankle?"

Étienne and Marianne exchanged a look before storming over and unplugging the phone. "No."

"Yes. I have to. Now gimme back the phone."

Marianne looked at Étienne, quickly tying her hair back. "You're the gentler one, so you're on arms."

"Very well." Étienne rolled up his sleeves, quickly walking behind Lucien with a firm step.

Luci looked between them. "What? What do you mean by-HEY!"

They felt their arms being pulled behind them as the doctor grabbed their legs. They lifted them off the ground, easily holding off Luci's attempts to kick and swat them off. They set them back in their seat at the table, quickly gesturing to the others. 

“Alright, get the contract ready,” Marianne said. “Lucien, do you have a copy of the one Maddox has you signed on?”

“Yeah, it’s in my room in the top drawer. I keep all my papers in a lock box there.”

“Good,”  Étienne said. “Then after dinner you’ll go get it. And you’ll pack enough clothes for a week. You’ll be staying at the country house while I work on finding you a new place.”

“Wait, what?!”

“Did Maddox know how to find where you live? Did he ever come over before?”

“N-no, he’s never been over. And he’s never made it known he knew how to find me, but it’s not like it’s that hard-”

Chris put a hand on their shoulder. “Mx. Adaire, it’s pretty clear what’s going on here. Don’t try and make excuses for what we just saw.”

Luci wanted to argue. They wanted to say otherwise. That they were just jumping the gun. But with a sigh of defeat, they resigned themself to their requests. They finished dinner in silence, and once Ceri and Marianne started in on dishes, they all made their way to the bedroom. Luci got the lock box out, unlocking it and swiftly getting the contract out, making sure not to let them see anything else in it. Chris made a call to someone asking for a lift back to their place. Luci would stay the night at the theater’s living area, and come morning head to the country house with Chris and Ceri. 

Étienne folded the clothes Luci pulled out from the closet, setting them in the suitcase carefully. “How long have you been working for Maddox?”

“Long enough to know saying ‘no’ to him is a bad idea,” they mumbled. “...I gotta say, when I set out on my own, I never expected my dance career to take such...turns...”

“It happens. I honestly didn’t expect to be part of a troupe like this myself. Sometimes life happens for the better.”

“I suppose.” Luci paused. “ Étienne, can I ask you something a little personal?”

“I’d prefer you don’t.”

“...Right.”

He let out a disgruntled sigh. “Fine. One question only.”

Luci smiled a little. “How long have you and Ceri been dating?”

Étienne blinked. “We’re not. What made you think we were dating?”

“You’re not? I mean...it seems kind of obvious there’s something going on. Unless I’m mistaken.” 

“Regardless if there was anything, what made you want to ask that of all things?” He continued helping with packing. “I half expected a ‘how did you get into Mirage?’ type question.”

That isn’t a no, so he probably feels something. “Well,” Luci chuckled. “Figured I’d hear that story eventually from everyone anyway, and you’ve probably gotten that before, so might as well change it up? And besides, the way you jumped to your feet after what Maddox said, I just assumed you were protecting your boyfriend.”

“...I suppose that’s a valid assumption. But no. We’re not dating.” 

Luci shrugged. “Too bad. You’d make a cute couple.” 

“Why the sudden interest in my love life?” Étienne asked. “Are you genuinely interested or are you just trying to distract yourself from what happened?”

“I suppose a little of both really. Is that bad?”

“No, I guess that’s fair. Just don’t expect any more answers on the subject. I’m not interested in continuing this conversation.”

“Fair enough.” Luci smiled. “And Étienne?”

“Yes?”

“Thank you. For coming to scout me in the first place. You and the others are my heroes.”

Étienne rolled his eyes, but a soft smile graced him. “Be sure to say that to the others.”

They finished packing the suitcase, double checking to make sure they had everything else they’d need before locking the apartment and heading back to the van. The ride to the theater was uncomfortably quiet, with everyone who wasn’t driving keeping their eyes glued to the windows. 

The arrival to the theater was even more awkward. Marianne headed in first, carrying the suitcase while Sam and Chris bolted for the offices to tear apart the old contract. Ceri hurried off to the showers.

“Is he going to be okay?” Luci asked. 

“I don’t know,”  Étienne admitted. “But I’ll talk to him in a bit. Let’s get you settled.”

Luci followed him and Marianne to the living quarters, but their mind kept wandering back to Ceri. They weren’t sure why, but they had a feeling that talk wouldn’t happen tonight.

[ladyofthecastleproject]

[Angel of Miracle] 306 - What Gives You Energy?

“Your majesty, I came to offer a deal. It had been a while since the fiasco of the Dusktella family, and you being the first non-Duskstella ruler caught the world’s attention.”

Diomedes sounded boring. Helios couldn’t keep awake while listening to that, heck he was an action man!! He’s honest, loyal, charming and humble.

“... And my parents think this is an opportunity to restore alliances between our lands.”

His eyelids were pretty heavy…

“A-are you… listening to?”

“Ah!!” - crap!! - “I’m listening to you, d-don’t worry!! So, you want to be partners with Duskstella now that the scandals were over? Uh… I think that’s okay. I’m still trying to… fix former queen Lia’s mistakes. It’s not like she will do something again, she was pretty depressed since Lance’s--”

Jason entered in the room, running with Lia and Miyako coming behind him. Hawkmon had been in Miyako’s arms, pretending to be a plush.

“Your Majesty!” - Jason stopped in front the two monarchs - “the princess and this milady said they have something important to tell you.”

“Huh?!” - Helios blinked.

“We don’t have time for this now…!” - Diomedes seemed a little impatient.

“No, let them talk… Lia wouldn’t come here if it weren’t important. And I assure you, she changed since Lance’s--”

“It’s about my brother, Helios” - Lia interrupted him - “Warlock told me to bring you to his castle, there’s an important announcement to be done. You and Jason are important. As well prince Diomedes.”

“Uh… About Lance?” - and the king of Duskstella was still trying to understand the message. If Lia is saying it’s about her brother… This means it must be important.

“He really looks like Taichi-san” - Miyako thought - “Even his aura. Is he really a king? Well, knowing Daisuke was actually a prince brother of a girl that looks like Hikari-chan… O-oh wait, that redhead one looks like Izumi-senpai…!! Is he…!!”

“Your majesty” - Miyako was really determined yet nervous to talk to someone who looked like a friend of hers - “Please, come with us. It’s urgent…! Warlock-san said we need your and Jason-san’s help…!”

“Warlock again…” - Diomedes sighed - “He called me a few minutes later, said to come see him as soon as possible. I wonder what is he plotting...”

“You know Warlock-san?” - the Chosen Child frowned.

“He’s Warlock’s big brother” - Lia whispered to Miyako - “But they don’t talk too much. Prince Diomedes is always busy with royal affairs while Warlock dedicates his life to wizardry.”

“Warlock-san’s big brother?!”

“Yes,” - Diomedes answered, a little confused with that girl’s reaction - “Warlock is my little sibling. Our paths had made us be a bit distant from each other, but we still find some time to discuss about crucial details of Scentia Terra.”

“Warlock-san is a prince?!” - Miyako was completely blushing hard, imagining Warlock with a crown, cape and prince attire - “Oh my… If Ken-kun were a prince, I... !!!”

“Milady? Are you okay?” - Jason seemed concerned with Miyako’s state.

“Psst, Miyako-san” - Hawkmon whispered, and gently poked her with his elbow… Without letting anyone realize it - “This is not the right time to daydream…!!”

“Eh?!” - Miyako blinked, once realized that she had been watched by the other four… - “A-ah, I’m fine! Just overthinking, hahaha!!” - that was a nervous laugh.

“That doll looks too realistic too…” - Jason commented - “Looks like that blue monster...”

“Well, since we’re going to Scentia Terra,” - Helios was now talking to Diomedes - “What if we talk about it when we’re there? Lia says there’s something about Lance to be said…”

“I assume Warlock wouldn’t want to wait for much time” - he mused - “Since he also requires your presence…”

“That’s it, we’re going” - the king announced - “Jason, let the council know I’m doing an emergency visit to Scientia Terra. Lia, I know you know some way to go there as far as possible, right? And I believe this girl with you comes from Daisuke’s world and her plush is… a monster?”

“H-how do you know?!” - Miyako and Hawkmon gasped.

“I’m not that dumb like I look!” - he chuckled - “And your clothing is different from this world’s.”

“A-ah…” - they blinked.

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“Sienna, I’m back” - Boniface announced, the other two coming right after him - “I brought two friends I made in the way. They-- We want to talk to you.”

A lady was cleaning the house. She put the broom aside and looked directly at the boys. The youngest of them was Ken, and she was wearing a red medieval dress. Ken realized her eyes were odd… Different from Sora’s. Was it what Warlock and Dai had told about corruption?

He noticed she grabbed something… a knife? And approached from them with a smile. The Chosen Child was sure she was about to try to kill him, since he was full of light and the darkness hated it. Wormmon silently, left the scene, making no one see where he was going, but Ken knew what he was about to try.

“You’re back, Boniface” - she smiled - “Have you finished your job? What does these two wanderers want with me?”

“You must be Sienna-san” - Ken began talking to her - “I’m from another world, and we came to ask for your help to save this world. My name’s Ken, and this is…”

“I’m Amis Lupe, nice to meet you… I guess” - Amis was blushing, and Ken was sure he hadn’t noticed the knife - “I’m a servant from Master Warlock from Scientia Terra. He told me to guide you to his castle because he’d like to talk about Lance.”

Then she stopped, Wormmon was right behind her now, still not visible because he was on the ceiling. Only Ken saw him there and him did the classic “shh” signal. Ken decided to engage the conversation a little more.

“Actually, Warlock-san would like to reveal you something about Lance-san. You know Lance-san, right?”

“Lance… He’s dead” - she looked down for a moment - “What would this Warlock want to reveal to me?! Lance… He was a good child, he didn’t deserve this end…!!”

“Lance’s alive, Sienna” - Boniface interrupted them all - “And he needs your help to save this world.”

“This is the stupidest lie you can tell me!” - she pointed the knife to the boys - “I saw Lance’s execution, I was there…!! He died in front my eyes! In front of everyone’s eyes!”

“H-hold on, milady!” - Amis felt completely scared of her change of mood - “We’re not lying, Lance is alive. He’s in the castle, waiting for you…!!”

“Liar!”

“Now!” - Ken yelled, and Wormmon disarmed Sienna with his silk, stealing the knife from her hand. She looked behind her and saw the digimon.

“W-what?!”

Amis then switched to his Black Weregarurumon form and immobilized Sienna while she was distracted. Ken thought they could’ve been able to convince her to cooperate without brute force…

“L-Let me go!!” - she shouted - “I knew you two weren’t good people!”

“Kenchan is a good person!” – shouted Wormmon - “He tried to talk to you! You decided to not believe him!” - and he was in the ground all again, pointing the knife at Sienna - “You evil human!!”

“She’s not evil” - Ken corrected him - “She’s corrupted, just like it was said.”

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“Hello!!” - Patamon stopped in front Zuzen, who got surprised with a monster around the village - “Are you scared? You seem like Iori! A-ah… Can we talk, please?”

“I’m not Iori-- Wait… Wasn’t that name that wanderer with his monster called me before?” - he asked himself - “Do you know them? A kid named Daisuke and a monster named V-mon?”

“Patamon!!” - Takeru stopped behind the flying digimon - “Don’t chase people like that! You might scare them!” – and Patamon fled directly to Takeru’s arms - “Did you find him?”

“Y-you…!” - Zuzen was surprised - “You don’t look like from here…!”

“We’re not from this world” - Hikari approached - “I’m not Lia-san, don’t worry. We need you to come with us, please.”

“Come with you…? Why?” - He didn’t trust them.

“My master would like to talk about an important subject, my child” - Flannery replied - “You’re like me, aren’t you?”

“You smell like a hybrid” - Zuzen commented - “... Fine, I’ll go with you, but I’m not Iori!”

“We know that” - Tailmon smiled - “I’m Tailmon, my partner is Hikari. These two are Takeru, Patamon and she’s Flannery.”

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They were all moving directly to the portal, but a dark digimon stood in front of them. Miyako decided she and Hawkmon had to do something. She got up from the horse carriage and went directly against the digimon.

“W-what is she doing?!” - Jason gasped in terror - “She’s going to die!!”

“I assume she won’t” - Lia tried to calm him down - “She came from another world where she and that monster fight evil monsters together.”

“Time to shine, Hawkmon!” - Miyako told her partner, then she looked at the others - “I’ll distract it, you go without us!!”

“She’s pretty brave” - Helios grinned - “OK, ready? Go!!”

Hawkmon evolved to Aquilamon in time and grabbed the Fangmon -- a wolf-like digimon with a long muzzle, red fur, scary fangs and claws -- with his claws and opened the way to the horse carriage pass. Yes, they passed at full speed and left Miyako behind.

“They’re gone, Aquilamon!” - she shouted at the majestic bird - “You can let them go now!”

Fangmon wouldn’t let Aquilamon win, so it attacked him with its claws. Aquilamon let it go and the digimon fell on the ground. Fangmon then shot a blast of dark energy at Aquilamon, but the bird-like monster dodged. Miyako grabbed a few rocks from the ground and started throwing them at the enemy.

“Leave. Him. Alone. NOW!”

Fangmon glanced at her and went in her direction, with those dangerous claws ready to tear the insolent human girl into pieces. Aquilamon dived in and hit the digimon with its horns, lifting Fangmon by its back.

“You didn’t need to do that, Miyako-san!” - Aquilamon wasn’t happy.

“I’m sorry sorry…!!” - She gave herself a light punch in the head - “Aaah, watch out!!”

Fangmon returned attacked them with the dark wave, but… A light came from Miyako, a heliotrope lavender light. It absorbed the dark energy and transformed it into pure, white aether. Miyako felt more livid and energetic enough to lift a giant rock! But she wouldn’t do that. The symbol in front her looked like the one from the manuscripts…!

“Is that… My crest?” - She questioned herself - “What’s the meaning of this one?”

“Energy” - Aquilamon’s eyes were reflecting that crest and glowing in lavender - “The energetic soul that keeps us moving forward.”

“A-Aquilamon?!” – she gasped, then she pointed directly to Fangmon - “Aquilamon, let’s solve this, right now!!”

Aquilamon nodded and then fired ring-shaped beams from his mouth against Fangmon, but the difference was that the color of those were just like the same lavender color from the light. The waves didn’t kill Fangmon, it actually purified the foe, who seemed less violent later. Their opponent left, and they were alone in the dirt road again.

“We did it…!!” - Miyako smiled, but then the light disappeared and Aquilamon devolved to Hawkmon - “Oh Hawkmon, you were great!!” - she grabbed the digimon and gave him a hug - “My wonderful knight! We did it…!!”

“M-Miyako-san…!!” - Hawkmon blushed.

“Miyako-san!” - Ken was coming in their direction, Amis still holding Sienna and Boniface right behind Ken - “Are you okay??”

“I was in battle but…” - she answered - “... I did it. I discovered my crest!”

“Did you?!” - he opened a grin, then dropped it immediately - “Where’s the others?”

“They went ahead” - Hawkmon explained - “A wild corrupted Fangmon tried to stop us.”

“Oh...We had a little trouble to deal with Sienna-san” - Ken looked directly to the woman still fighting to escape from Amis’ arms - “She’s still resisting.”

“Who are you?!” - Sienna roared - “Let me go! I’m not going to Scientia Terra with you! Boniface, how could you betray me?!”

“She’s still… Corrupted” - Ken told Miyako and Hawkmon.

“Maybe we can purify her like we did with Fangmon!” - Miyako smiled, then grabbed her D-3 and pointed it directly to Sienna - “Go go, purification power!!”

The symbol appeared again in the screen and the same light from behind was released in Sienna. The corrupted rebel lady stopped trying to free herself from Amis’ arms and her eyes changed, becoming more lively and full of light.

“Why… Why do you want to lie to me?” - Sienna was sobbing now - “Lance was everything to me, he was like my little brother… I don’t want to go to Scientia Terra, I don’t want to help strangers. Leave me alone--”

“Lance is alive, Sienna” - Boniface tried to talk with her again - “At least trust me. He’s alive and wants to see you. Wouldn’t want to see him again?”

“If he’s alive… Then… Why didn’t he come back?”

“Because your people hated him, remember?”

“Ah… I forgot they believed in Lance’s lie…”

“Did you tell--” - Miyako was about to say something, but Ken covered her mouth.

“Don’t,” - he whispered to her.

“Let’s go, they’re waiting for us” - Boniface told the others.

“Hikari-chan and Takeru-kun are coming, did they get it?” - Miyako wondered.

“Seems likely” - Hawkmon said, glancing at the horizon, with Pegasmon and Nefertimon coming in their direction.

“Miyako-san, Ken-kun!!” - Hikari waved at them. They approached and stopped in front the group - “Huh, where’s Lia-san and Helios-san?”

“They went ahead because we had to distract a digimon” - Miyako said - “So did you…”

“Yes, we did it” - Pegasmon responded - “This kid here is Zuzen, he’s a little different from what we thought.”

“He’s a hybrid like me and Amis” - Flannery added - “But, not an hybrid who can hide its other form that well… Or completely transform.”

“W-wait, you can transform too?!” - Miyako babbled.

“This is not time for that. We need to go back as fast as we can.”

[readbookywooks]

Albert strutted along the row, poking the occasional paunch with his staff. His mind danced and sang. Go back? Never! This was power, this was living; he'd challenge old boniface and spit in his empty eye. 'By the Smoking Mirror of Grism, there's going to be a few changes around here!' Those wizards who had studied history nodded uncomfortably. It would be back to the stone floors and getting up when it was still dark and no alcohol under any circumstances and memorising the true names of everything until the brain squeaked. 'What's that man doing!' A wizard who had absent-mindedly reached for his tobacco pouch let the half-formed cigarette fall from his trembling fingers. It bounced when it hit the floor and all the wizards watched it roll with longing eyes until Albert stepped forward smartly and squashed it. Albert spun round. Rincewind, who had been following him as a sort of unofficial adjutant, nearly walked into him. 'You! Rincething! D'yer smoke?' 'No, sir! Filthy habit!' Rincewind avoided the gaze of his superiors. He was suddenly aware that he had made some lifelong enemies, and it was no consolation to know that he probably wouldn't have them for very long. 'Right! Hold my staff. Now, you bunch of miserable back-sliders, this is going to stop, d'yer hear? First thing tomorrow, up at dawn, three times round the quadrangle and back here for physical jerks! Balanced meals! Study! Healthy exercise! And that bloody monkey goes to a circus, first thing!' 'Oook?' Several of the older wizards shut their eyes. 'But first,' said Albert, lowering his voice, 'you'll oblige me by setting up the Rite of AshkEnte.' 'I have some unfinished business,' he added. Mort strode through the cat-black corridors of the pyramid, with Ysabell hurrying along behind him. The faint glow from his sword illuminated unpleasant things; Offler the Crocodile God was a cosmetics advert compared to some of the things the people of Tsort worshipped. In alcoves along the way were statues of creatures apparently built of all the bits God had left over. 'What are they here for?' whispered Ysabell. 'The Tsortean priests say they come alive when the pyramid is sealed and prowl the corridors to protect the body of the king from tomb robbers,' said Mort. 'What a horrible superstition.' 'Who said anything about superstition?' said Mort absently. 'They really come alive?' 'All I'll say is that when the Tsorteans put a curse on a place, they don't mess about.' Mort turned a corner and Ysabell lost sight of him for a heart-stopping moment. She scurried through the darkness and cannoned into him. He was examining a dog-headed bird. 'Urgh,' she said. 'Doesn't it send shivers up your spine?' 'No,' said Mort flatly. 'Why not?' BECAUSE I AM MORT. He turned, and she saw his eyes glow like blue pinpoints. 'Stop it!' I – CAN'T. She tried to laugh. It didn't work. 'You're not Death,' she said. 'You're only doing his job.' DEATH is WHOEVER DOES DEATH'S JOB. The shocked pause that followed this was broken by a groan from further along the dark passage. Mort turned on his heel and hurried towards it. He's right, thought Ysabell. Even the way he moves. . . . But the fear of the darkness that the light was dragging towards her overcame any other doubts and she crept after him, around another corner and into what appeared, in the fitful glow from the sword, to be a cross between a treasury and a very cluttered attic. 'What's this place?' she whispered. 'I've never seen so much stuff!' THE KING TAKES IT WITH HIM INTO THE NEXT WORLD, said Mort. 'He certainly doesn't believe in travelling light. Look, there's a whole boat. And a gold bathtub!' DOUBTLESS HE WILL WISH TO KEEP CLEAN WHEN HE GETS THERE. 'And all those statues!' THOSE STATUES, I'M SORRY TO SAY, WERE PEOPLE. SERVANTS FOR THE KING, YOU UNDERSTAND. Ysabell's face set grimly. THE PRIESTS GIVE THEM POISON. There was another groan, from the other side of the cluttered room. Mort followed it to its source, stepping awkwardly over rolls of carpet, bunches of dates, crates of crockery and piles of gems. The long obviously hadn't been able to decide what he was going to leave behind on his journey, so had decided to play safe and take everything. ONLY IT DOESNT ALWAYS WORK QUICKLY, Mort added sombrely. Ysabell clambered gamely after him, and peered over a canoe at a young girl sprawled across a pile of rugs. She was wearing gauze trousers, a waistcoat cut from not enough material, and enough bangles to moor a decent-sized ship. There was a green stain around her mouth. 'Does it hurt?' said Ysabell quietly. No. THEY THINK IT TAKES THEM TO PARADISE. 'Does it?' MAYBE. WHO KNOWS? Mort took the hourglass out of an inner pocket and inspected it by the gleam of the sword. He seemed to be counting to himself, and then with a sudden movement tossed the glass over his shoulder and brought the sword down with his other hand. The girl's shade sat up and stretched, with a clink of ghostly jewellery. She caught sight of Mort, and bowed her head. 'My lord!' NO-ONE'S LORD, said Mort. NOW RUN ALONG TO WHEREVER YOU BELIEVE YOU'RE GOING. 'I shall be a concubine at the heavenly court of King Zetesphut, who will dwell among the stars forever,' she said firmly. 'You don't have to be,' said Ysabell sharply. The girl turned to her, wide-eyed. 'Oh, but I must. I've been training for it,' she said, as she faded from view. 'I've only managed to be a handmaiden up till now.' She vanished. Ysabell stared with dark disapproval at the space she had occupied. 'Well!' she said, and, 'Did you see what she had on?' LET'S GET OUT OF HERE. 'But it can't be true about King Whosis dwelling among the stars,' she grumbled as they found their way out of the crowded room. 'There's nothing but empty space up there.' IT'S HARD TO EXPLAIN, said Mort. HE'LL DWELL AMONG THE STARS IN HIS OWN MIND. 'With slaves?' IF THAT'S WHAT THEY THINK THEY ARE. That's not very fair.' THERE'S NO JUSTICE, said Mort. JUST us. They hurried back along the avenues of waiting ghouls and were nearly running when they burst out into the desert night air. Ysabell leaned against the rough stonework and panted for breath. Mort wasn't out of breath. He wasn't breathing. I WILL TAKE YOU WHEREVER YOU WANT, he said, AND THEN I MUST LEAVE YOU. 'But I thought you wanted to rescue the princess!' Mort shook his head. I HAVE NO CHOICE. THERE ARE NO CHOICES. She ran forward and grabbed his arm as he turned towards the waiting Binky. He removed her hand gently. I HAVE FINISHED MY APPRENTICESHIP. 'It's all in your own mind!' yelled Ysabell. 'You're whatever you think you are!' She stopped and looked down. The sand around Mort's feet was beginning to whip up in little spurts and twirling dust devils. There was a crackle in the air, and a greasy feel. Mort looked uneasy. SOMEONE is PERFORMING THE RITE OF ASH — It hit like a hammer, a force from out of the sky that blew the sand into a crater. There was a low buzzing and the smell of hot tin. Mort looked around himself in the gale of rushing sand, turning as if in a dream, alone in the calm centre of the gale. Lightning flashed in the whirling cloud. Deep inside his own mind he struggled to break free, but something had him in its grip and he could no more resist than a compass needle can ignore the compulsion to point towards the Hub. At last he found what he was searching for. It was a doorway edged in octarine light, leading to a short tunnel. There were figures at the other end, beckoning to him. I COME, he said, and then turned as he heard the sudden noise behind him. Eleven stone of young womanhood hit him squarely in the chest, lifting him off the ground. Mort landed with Ysabell kneeling on him, holding on grimly to his arms. LET ME GO, he intoned. I HAVE BEEN SUMMONED. 'Not you, idiot!' She stared into the blue, pupil-less pools of his eyes. It was like looking down a rushing tunnel. Mort arched his back and screamed a curse so ancient and virulent that in the strong magical field it actually took on a form, flapped its leathery wings and slunk away. A private thunderstorm crashed around the sand dunes. His eyes drew her again. She looked away before she dropped like a stone down a well made of blue light. I COMMAND YOU. Mort's voice could have cut holes in rock. 'Father tried that tone on me for years,' she said calmly. 'Generally when he wanted me to clean my bedroom. It didn't work then, either.' Mort screamed another curse, which flopped out of the air and tried to bury itself in the sand. THE PAIN — 'It's all in your head,' she said, bracing herself against the force that wanted to drag them towards that flickering doorway. 'You're not Death. You're just Mort. You're whatever I think you are.' In the centre of the blurred blueness of his eyes were two tiny brown dots, rising at the speed of sight. The storm around them rose and wailed. Mort screamed. The Rite of AshkEnte, quite simply, summons and binds Death. Students of the occult will be aware that it can be performed with a simple incantation, three small bits of wood and 4cc of mouse blood, but no wizard worth his pointy hat would dream of doing anything so unimpressive; they knew in their hearts that if a spell didn't involve big yellow candles, lots of rare incense, circles drawn on the floor with eight different colours of chalk and a few cauldrons around the place then it simply wasn't worth contemplating. The eight wizards at their stations on the points of the great ceremonial octogram swayed and chanted, their arms held out sideways so they were just touching the fingertips of the mages on either side. But something was going wrong. True, a mist had formed in the very centre of the living octogram, but it was writhing and turning in on itself, refusing to focus. 'More power!' shouted Albert. 'Give it more power!' A figure appeared momentarily in the smoke, black-robed and holding a glittering sword. Albert swore as he caught a glimpse of the pale face under the cowl; it wasn't pale enough. 'No!' Albert yelled, ducking into the octogram and flailing at the flickering shape with his hands. 'Not you, not you. . . .' And, in faraway Tsort, Ysabell forgot she was a lady, bunched her fist, narrowed her eyes and caught Mort squarely on the jaw. The world around her exploded. . . . In the kitchen of Harga's House of Ribs the frying pan crashed to the floor, sending the cats scurrying out of the door. . . . In the great hall of the Unseen University everything happened at once.[9] The tremendous force the wizards had been exerting on the shadow realm suddenly had one focus. Like a reluctant cork from a bottle, like a dollop of fiery ketchup from the upturned sauce bottle of Infinity, Death landed in the octogram and swore. Albert realised just too late that he was inside the charmed ring and made a dive for the edge. But skeletal fingers caught him by the hem of his robe. The wizards, such of them who were still on their feet and conscious, were rather surprised to see that Death was wearing an apron and holding a small kitten. 'Why did you have' TO SPOIL IT ALL? 'Spoil it all? Have you seen what the lad has done?' snapped Albert, still trying to reach the edge of the ring. Death raised his skull and sniffed the air. The sound cut through all the other noises in the hall and forced them into silence. It was the kind of noise that is heard on the twilight edges of dreams, the sort that you wake from in a cold sweat of mortal horror. It was the snuffling under the door of dread. It was like the snuffling of a hedgehog, but if so then it was the kind of hedgehog that crashes out of the verges and flattens lorries. It was the kind of noise you wouldn't want to hear twice; you wouldn't want to hear it once.