#Cerus wants all the attention

[skiesartsanddoom]

Cerus is done!

“The realm of dreams hungers for your soul”-Cerus

Now to wait for enough money to order lots of him!

Now give this boy a hug @icebrooding and other Cerus lovers!

[eparch]

Akeem and Lonely Tower

I went down a lore rabbit hole again. This is why I love Secrets of the Obscure so much: it's all rabbit holes. Shoutout as usual to @/icebrooding, my partner in crime when it comes to unearthing SotO lore and piecing it all together.

Let's go, another long post.

So. Akeem's tarot card says they will die "bringing together our two worlds".

And we know Akeem died during Eparch's invasion in Lonely Tower, alongside Vass or even trying to protect her.

(This just a guess based on the name of that POI though, since we know Cerus and Deimos killed Vass but Dagda specifies only Vass and not Akeem in the dialogue that names them her killers. It's possible Eparch is the one who killed Akeem.)

You can probably see where I'm going with this: Akeem was experimenting with portals into the Mists and that's what led to Lonely Tower.

One more thing to possibly back this up:

The event chain that unlocks their tarot card has some interesting dialogue about the nature of the rifts between Nayos, but specifically I want to point to the second event in the chain which gives us this little bit:

Eparch notices after some time that we are "peering into his domain". While events in Amnytas take place during the invasion that forms the backbone of base SotO's plot, so he would probably be paying attention to rifts opening from the Tyrian side--what if this is what happened with Akeem too?

Akeem was experimenting with portals into the Mists and then "peered" into Nayos a little too long and a little too often, so Eparch takes the opportunity to invade the Wizard's Tower with Cerus and Deimos and a section of their army.

(ArenaNet Lore-Interview for the German Roleplay Community)

But what if Akeem opening portals into Nayos was one of Eparch's "nefarious tricks"? What if they were being influenced from beyond the Veil? Or was it their natural curiosity and interests into "the obscure" that led to this?

The worst part?

If Lezzi has managed to essentially recreate Akeem's experiments, it's possible there was no way to close the portals or rifts in Lonely Tower either other than using the other wizards' powers.

There is however one difference in this event and what happened in Lonely Tower: we have the Heart of the Obscure to close rifts.

And Waiting Sorrow created the Heart of the Obscure.

Perhaps she did so after Lonely Tower?

The Shield of Tyria

There is one more thing about Akeem piercing the Veil I want to talk about.

(From Hell Breaks Loose)

(Aging Journal Entry)

(Strength of the Unseen)

Isgarren was already building the World Spire when he ascended Mabon, but the incident with Eparch and the centaur village solidified his resolve to keep the barrier between Nayos and Tyria firmly shut. That's what the World Spire is: Tyria's shield.

Now I want to call attention to two things here: that the barrier between realms was "compromised or otherwise weakened" and that "higher kryptis such as Cerus, Peitha, and Deimos had possessed many Tyrians".

So let's put this all together:

Prior to the World Spire's completion, Eparch and his brother are able to physically make the jump from Nayos to Tyria. There was probably some natural barrier that has always existed here which makes it either difficult or dangerous for kryptis to do this en masse, and possibly the elder dragons themselves were part of that defense.

Isgarren completes the World Spire at some point with Mabon's help. This feels likely to me to be after Eparch and the centaur village. The World Spire bolsters Tyria's barrier to the Mists, but specifically against Nayos and other parts of the demon realm.

This may not have been 100% airtight, as kryptis could dream of Tyria and Eparch was possibly able to reach Akeem.

Akeem, whether under Eparch's influence or not, opened portals between Tyria and Nayos, bypassing the World Spire's shield and severely weakening it. Very likely one of their own portals is what Eparch used to invade the Wizard's Tower in the events of Lonely Tower.

After Lonely Tower, Isgarren and the other Wizards tighten the barrier once more, but the damage has been done and kryptis are occasionally able to cross the Veil. This is what allowed Cerus and Peitha to possess Tyrians. This is how Deimos crossed into Tyria to look for other ways to breach the Veil entirely. This is how Kanaxai ended up trapped in the Deep.

And then you get...well, the entire game. Everything from the Personal Story to End of Dragons happens and a metric ton of shenanigans happens with the Mists, all of which likely contributed further to weakening the Veil into Nayos, and each elder dragon's death was another likely defense down, and one of them started eating their way through the Mists and possibly even branded some kryptis along the way.

And then Soo-Won's death breaks it entirely.

[the-starry-seas]

ottaburas crossed my dash again and i couldn't resist making some of my own this time, since i saw the lineart that @sundownsquad provided. i decided to give these guys to the ghost squad in their post-war/sanctuary era!

Chestnut, a young male belonging to Harlow. Harlow's first reaction to seeing ottas was to borrow a local saying and call them 'an odd chestnut'. The name stuck (and became much more affectionate). He's old enough to have finished training but his steady nature is what's really responsible for his 'bombproof' reputation. He has yet to be bothered by anyhting, as far as they can tell, and is far more likely to explore a new thing with his mouth than feel any fear. Patterned after a bay roan with a badger face and I used kumuology on dA's roan brush for his coat.

Ruusaan is a female a few months old that Tally's been hand-raising (aka spoiling her rotten). She's too smart for her own good, which is mostly expressed through her general disinterest in training. Getting her to obey relies heavily on her wanting to go along with the idea, and there's no such thing as making her carry cargo. Despite that, she's generally a very calm individual who reserves trouble-making for when she's bored. I was going to give some spots to Chestnut but then I thought they'd look much better on a dark coat!

Liberty is the sweetest and most affectionate of the bunch. She'd be happy to quite literally be in Boom's pocket, and if not given sufficient attention, will try to put herself there so he has to look at her. He lets her get away with more than he should and they both know it. She was bought to help with plowing the fields and hauling the produce from them, but ended up mostly being there as a companion for Boom. He's trained her to help him get up if his prosthetic leg breaks, and she's happy to fetch him things (even if they all end up with teeth marks). She's also the favourite of Sanctuary's kids, and she's quite happy to let them feed her treats all day long and use her as a jungle gym (as long as they don't pull at her whiskers or ears, and they know to be polite).

Snack, short for Snack Sized, was originally thought to be a baby otta, like Ruusaan. When he didn't grow up any bigger, though, the Ghosts realised that he was fully grown at half the size of the others. One of the shinies quipped that he was snack sized and the name stuck. He decides early on that Cav is his human and they're not to be separated under any circumstances. Cav isn't convinced about that (neither is his wife for that matter) until he realises just how comforting Snack's presence can be, and trains him as a service dog. Taking Snack to the store can be a real adventure due to his size, but he's polite, and the locals are both familiar with ottas and rather fond of Sanctuary's citizens, so he's welcome in most places.

Ceru, short for Cerulean due to his blue colour, is Ray's BFF. She thinks he's the coolest otta ever, and who's to tell her otherwise? They go hiking a lot, exploring the area around Sanctuary, and occasionally fishing, foraging, or packing back hunted meat. Ceru's gotten very good at fishing from the river nearby, and Ray couldn't be prouder of him. The only trouble is getting him out of the water... and keeping him from shaking water all over anybody in the vicinity. They're the unofficial lifeguards when others are at the river, as Ceru is faster and more manuverable in the water than human swimmers or boats. He's got a sixth sense for digging up mushrooms.

Nox never does anything halfway, and that includes their choice (and decoration) of otta, Regina. She's by far the fastest in the area, which combined with an innate surefootedness and responsiveness to scent training, makes them a crack team when it comes to tracking and search-and-rescue. She'll only work with Nox, though, and bites anyone else who touches her without offering a treat first. Nox has done nothing to curb this behaviour. When SAR help isn't needed, she's winning races, being an animal ambassador to people who have never seen an otta before, herding livestock, and generally having the run of the lake in her downtime. She's painted with a mangōpare on her back leg for strength and courage, and a puhoro on her front leg for speed and agility.

Alor is the largest of Sanctuary's ottas, and the most protective. His primary role is a guardian of both livestock and people. Karla takes him on all the long-distance trips the other Ghosts take, and the rest of the time, he wanders about as he pleases between the livestock areas. He learned to open the gates he couldn't jump over, and at least he's polite enough to nudge them closed after he's through. Affectionate bites are nothing out of the ordinary, and tend to draw some blood even when he doesn't mean them to, so it's fortunate that aggressive biting isn't so much a thing - he flings the offender halfway across Sanctuary instead. He's partially deaf so people learn to make sure that he knows they're approaching him.

Quantum was named before she came to them, and nobody's really sure how she got that name. Shay sometimes takes after Nox and paints his own wave-pattern tattoos on her legs, but she does tend to roll in whatever water or mud she comes across, so he reserves the paint for special occasions. She's the strongest otta and also the most stubborn. Shay is the only one who can get her to do anything. He says it's because he's best at scratching her favourite spot under her chin and evidently she agrees. Even though she would do anything for him (and vice versa), other humans are none of her concern. She's a one-guy type of otta. She's got the smallest bit of white around her toes and the edges of her ears, at the tip of her tail, and a heart-shaped spot on her nose.

Ladybird belongs to Cav's wife, Seku. They're a pair of easygoing older ladies who enjoy taking it slow. She's also the otta responsible for guarding the daycare! When she's not napping with her head in Seku's lap, anyway, because they both very much enjoy that. Neither of them would let anyone but Seku ride her, that only occasionally, and they always take it slow. Seku loves her as a companion and needs nothing more from her. I couldn't draw her brindle stripes to my satisfaction so I used a tiger stripe brush from critelli on dA!

[whumpflash]

Penumbra: Undoing

cw: illness, whump aftermath, death/war mentions

previous ///// masterlist ///// next

§•§•§

They were locked in the blacksmith's woodshed; a cold, cramped room made smaller by the logs stacked along the walls. Once securely inside, one of the men loosened the bindings on Tansy's wrists; enough to grant a scrap of comfort, if not freedom of movement. Another fastened what looked like a bridle around Cerus's head, forcing the metal bit into his mouth and pulling the leather tight.

For the hundredth time, Tansy tried to pull at the party's sympathies.

"Sirs, please. I only wanted to—"

And for the hundredth time, they were ignored, this time rewarded not with a blow, but with the slamming of the woodshed door. As the footsteps outside retreated, Tansy tested the door, ignoring the throbbing of their bruised abdomen as they threw their weight against it.

It didn't give, not even a little, and they fell away from it with a wince. Their various injuries were scattered in such a way that while moving wasn't agonizing, anything they did caused some kind of pain. In their face, in their torso, in their knuckles, a flicker or a flare.

With an immediate exit out of the question, Tansy turned their attention to Cerus. They felt a twinge of relief as they watched the shallow rise and fall of his ribcage, and found themselves wondering once again why they'd done it. 

Treating his wounds was one thing, but fighting for him? Hurting fellow villagers in the name of helping the damned Shadow King?

They pushed the prickly thought aside, scanning the cramped room until their eyes landed on a small woodaxe. In their hurry to lock the pair away, the search party hadn't bothered to clear the shed.

Tansy trudged over to where the axe lay, freeing their wrists, then carrying the blade over to where Cerus lay and cutting his bonds.

The man still seemed unconscious, though he was shivering uncontrollably, and after a brief moment's hesitation, Tansy sat against the wall and gently pulled Cerus into their arms, wrapping their cloak around his shuddering form and cradling him against their chest. It was likely they'd be in here for a while, and after all they'd already done, they weren't about to let him freeze to death.

Despite his fever-hot skin, Cerus leaned into them as if seeking warmth. His head lolled back onto their shoulder, eyelids fluttering as he uttered a soft groan. Shadow King or not, warmth was warmth, and Tansy made no effort to create a distance between them, instead setting half-numbed fingers to work on removing Cerus's makeshift muzzle.

They could break out of here. It would be fairly easy with the woodaxe handy, but what then? Would they spend the rest of their lives running? Would they even make it out of the village if they were dragging Cerus along? Abandoning him was no longer an option. They'd made their choice, however stupid, and they'd stick with it.

Still, there were better paths than further ruining their own life. They could wait for the Council to arrive, and explain the situation. They could claim it was a misunderstanding, and distance themselves from the Shadow King. Or maybe they could plead for mercy. For reason. Find a better fate for them both.

They'd managed to undo the first clasp on the bridle when there was a voice at the door, muffled and reedy and familiar.

"Tansy?"

They frowned. "Uncle?" Normally, Aldon would be out on the sea at this hour. Had the news already spread to him?

"So it's true."

They felt their heart sink at his tone, shock ringed with stark disbelief. Tansy wasn't particularly close with the old man, but he was the only family they had left.

"Why?" Aldon said, his voice quieting. "Why would you do such a thing?"

Tansy grimaced, fingers moving to the second clasp. All these whys. "If you'd seen him on the dock… if you could see him now, you wouldn't ask me that," they answered.

"Child—"

"He's suffered enough abuse, Uncle. I don't care who he is. I won't stand for it."

There was silence on the other side of the door, and for a moment they wondered if he'd left. Then,

"The men are saying you've allied yourself with him, Tansy," Aldon said, his tone sharpening. "Allied with the Shadow King. I'd thought them mistaken, but now—"

"Would you have me scorn a wounded man?" they cut him off, unable to keep the anger from their voice. "Leave him to die in the cold? I thought we were better than that. I thought we all were better than that."

Aldon sighed, and the door creaked, as if he were leaning on it. "Is there nothing I can say to sway you from this madness?"

Madness. There it was. Spoken insistence that Tansy really had lost all sense when they'd chosen to hold out their hand. "Nothing," they replied. For a moment, they were resolved to speak no more, to end the conversation there if it would only amount to more accusations, but thought better of it, remembering the healing herbs still tucked into their cloak.

"If you have any love for me… if blood means anything, will you bring me some hot water? And…" they swallowed, their head throbbing. "And some willow bark. For the pain."

"For him?"

"For us. Please, Uncle."

Another long silence, filled in with the slight creak of the woodshed walls and the short breaths of the Shadow King.

"I… I will. For your sake, not his."

And then the silence lingered. Tansy let out a sharp, frustrated sigh, and at last opened the final clasp, gently removing the leather from Cerus's tangled dark hair, and pulling the bit from his mouth. As they did, his body gave a little shudder. A reaction to the touch, they thought at first, but then it came again. And again, accompanied by a small gasp. Cerus was… was he crying?

Of all the things he'd done, from his insults to his wary questioning, this was the thing they'd expected the least. This was the thing they knew how to respond to the least. Even with friends in the battalion, most preferred to hide their tears. What were they to do with an enemy?

They opted for silence, shifting slightly beneath the man, hoping he couldn't sense their discomfort.

"I lost," Cerus said after what felt like forever.

"What?" they replied, wondering if the man was in the grip of a fevered dream.

"I l-lost the war," Cerus continued, his voice laced with a tremor. "The victor chooses the fate of the defeated, and the defeated accepts." The end of his sentence was choked out by a cough, but he pushed on. "I failed, and I'll reap the rewards of that failure. It's what is right."

"Is that what you think?" Tansy said.

"It's—" Another cough, punctuated by a whimper. "It's what I know."

Reaping the rewards. Was that why he seemed so numbed to the world? Had he accepted the Council's drawn-out death sentence, and consequently given up on life? They remembered how confused he'd been when they'd started cleaning his wounds, as if it was the last thing he'd expected to happen. Yet he'd gone with them without a fight, willing to bear whatever horrors a stranger decided to drown him in.

 They didn't expect him to continue, but somehow were still unsurprised when he did.

"Th-thought it was a dream," Cerus said. "When I heard the shout to stop. I thought the fever had my mind, I thought, who would say that? Who would do that? Yet here you are. And I still don't know why."

Tansy opened their mouth, the same explanation they'd given a hundred times—to their uncle, to Cerus, and more than anyone else, to themselves—on their tongue, but the Shadow King spoke again before they had a chance.

"I know, I know, you don't want to see more suffering. Then look away. Or close your damned eyes." He let out a bitter laugh. "I lost. A-and I–gnh—I earned my fate."

"You think you deserve it then? All of…" they gestured aimlessly, "...this?"

He was quiet for a moment, and when he spoke again, his voice was even, devoid of the tearful quiver that had gripped it before, replaced with something hollow. 

"Such a funny word," Cerus murmured. "Deserve. Who is to say what anyone deserves? I suppose the decision falls to whoever is in power. Yet seeing as it was these new powers who chose my fate… perhaps I do deserve this."

Before they'd won the war, before they'd watched the guards drag the Shadow King's broken body into the city square, Tansy might've agreed. A man who ruled with fear should be made to feel that fear himself, shouldn't he? Terror, pain, loss. All the things they'd wished on Cerus when their home burned, when they counted their battalion's casualties, when they raised their sword against an undead soldier.

But now that he'd tasted them all, Tansy felt no closure. They only felt tired. Putting Cerus through misery didn't make anything better. Fighting fire with fire only made more fire.

"What if you hadn't lost?" they asked. "What do you think those of us who rose against you are deserving of?"

"Death," Cerus said plainly. Despite the implications, Tansy felt no fear, nor anger, nor even indignation.

"And what would you have done?" they said.

"I would have the rebel leaders and generals executed," Cerus answered with little hesitation. "Leave their corpses hanging as a warning. Foot soldiers and lower ranks would choose to swear an oath of fealty, or follow their leaders into death." Something almost joyful had crept into his voice, and a sick sense of unease crawled into Tansy's gut in response. Cerus had reason to hate his former subjects, especially after the treatment he'd received from them, but that didn't make it any easier to hear him gleefully speak of murdering them. For a moment, they could remember their determination to see Cerus fall.

"I would double the patrols," Cerus continued. "Enforce a curfew. Set up wards to alert me of any future plots. But that would be all." His voice had grown quiet, the hint of joy swiftly fading. "The deaths of the traitors would be swift. I wouldn't—" his voice broke. "I-I wouldn't have…"

The moment passed. Not knowing what else to do, Tansy wrapped their arms around him, letting him clutch feebly at their shirtsleeves as his body shuddered with suppressed sobs. Another surprise. Even now, after all he'd endured, Cerus seemed opposed to torturing his enemies.

A soft knock came at the door, and Tansy looked up to see an earthenware flagon being passed through a gap in the boards that made up the wall. They gingerly removed themselves from behind Cerus to retrieve it. The water within was not hot, but it was warmer than the surrounding air, and they fished out the pouch of herbs, pinching some between their fingers and dropping it into the water to steep.

A finger's length of willow bark followed the flagon, and they took it with a murmured thanks.

"How long are they to keep us locked in here?" Tansy asked, once they'd repositioned themselves.

"The Council will be notified, but you will not walk free before their arrival," their uncle answered.

Would they be kept here in that time? Freezing in this tiny shed? "And when will they arrive?" they asked.

"With luck, they'll garner transport with a mage's circle and be here within a few days," Aldon replied. "But child, the village will not wait."

Dread curled in their stomach at his words. "Will not wait for what?"

The old man took an audible breath before continuing. "You are both to be punished," he said. "Flogged in the square. I tried to reason with them, but people are afraid. They want to show that the Shadow King, and… and any collaborators, are subdued."

Flogged? Tansy forced themself to take a deep breath, a futile effort to ease the curdling in their gut. 

"Tansy?"

"I heard you, Uncle." They closed their eyes, resting the back of their head on the wall. "It's… it'll be alright."

"I will see if I can bring you a meal," Aldon said. "Please… I ask that you think on this in the meantime. How much are you willing to sacrifice for him?"

As the sound of their uncle's footsteps faded, Tansy placed the willow bark between their teeth, chewing anxiously. A public whipping would be both painful and humiliating for them, but for Cerus it may well be a death sentence. The bandages they'd wrapped around his torso the night before had already darkened with blood from the wounds that covered his back. The thought of layering more on top of those…

They couldn't let it happen. There was one thing they could do, one way to shield Cerus, but it wouldn't be pleasant for them.

A rueful smile crept across Tansy's face.

But what's one more sacrifice?

§•§•§

@whumpwillow @rabbitdrabbles @kixngiggles @honeycollectswhump @chiswhumpcorner @whatwhumpcomments , @dont-look-me-in-the-eye , @turn-the-tables-on-them

[evilcokito]

COCCOOCOCCOCOCOCO HOW ARE YOU??? KEEPING HYDRATED??? LOOKING AFTER YOURSELF???

I SAW THIS LITTLE SIGN IN THE NEW YEAR BACKGROUND AND WHAT??? ITS ACTUALLY SO CUTE!!! THE LITTLE SKILL WITH A LITTLE HAT!!!! Sam make this into marketable merch please, I would buy the hell out of it-

IT CAN BE THOSE LITTLE PLUSHIE KEYCHAINS FOR BAGS!!! But I love love love how the hat dwarfs the skull. It’s so cute!!!

Also Urm ignore the person I have on my Home Screen yeah that’s nobody- don’t worry

*The earth cracks.Appears, relive from the hells, among the flames of what we call... the climate of my country*

CERU CERU CERU HOW ARE YOU???? I hope well, drink lots of water and take good care of yourself! also hope you had a wonderful Christmas and New Year. THE MESSAGE YOU TAG ME on New Year's! IT WAS A VERY FUN YEAR WITH YOU TOOO!!! THANK YOUUU sorry this is too late---

NNoOO i don't need to hydrate! All this holidays I was reading Dracula and my thoughts are on that magenta RED eyes... ok well some water at this moment it would be good thank you.

AAAH YYEESS, SAM STUDY MARKETING!!! Everything he makes... makes you want to buy it. It is a trap? oh well. That design has too much-high Faciler energy...

KEYCHAINS??? incredibly cool and cute, give me 500. It's part of Sam specialty to "force" to buy a product you don't necessarily need... OKKKKKK, probably we do need it now- but bargain, haggle for that thing. Don't let him win it's part of his plan.

THE PERSON IN CERU HOME SCREEN??! You have all my attention... HOW CAN I IGNORE IT NOW???!

Are you giving him kisses?

[befuddled-calico-whump]

for the whump game (under dialogue): 6 or 10 for Cerus? or 5 for Alexei!

"Please punish me."

cw: abuse, broken bones (mentioned)

Penumbra Masterlist

§•§•§

He was almost afraid to breathe.

Pinned between an overturned cart and the unyielding stone of the mountain, unable to free himself with his shaking, useless arms, the only thing Cerus could do was cry for help and hope someone, anyone would answer.

Maybe he shouldn't have.

The men who came to stand around him, cold or impassive or outright gleeful looks on their faces, were not the sort who'd simply lift the thing and send him back to work. The metal lip dug into the soft flesh of his stomach, the thick siding painfully heavy on his legs, but the miners made no move to remove it.

Cerus willed himself not to panic, dredging up the humility for a single, feeble please that the men only laughed at.

"How'd such a thing happen?" one of them queried, arms folded across his chest.

"Shadow's just a shite miner," another replied in the same amused tone.

Cerus knew what had happened. Someone had jammed a rock in one of his cart's wheel wells, and he hadn't noticed until he'd started up the hill. From there, it was just a matter of poor luck, something he had no short supply of.

"Please," he tried again breathlessly. "I must… get back to work… the overseer… demands it." Bare pleas for mercy would do nothing for him, but reminding them why he was here, reminding them it was by order of the Council that he slaved away, might do the trick. And soon, he hoped. The weight of the cart was turning rapidly from discomfort to pain.

In response to his murmurs, one of the men, a broad fellow named Durragan that Cerus knew not to trust, leaned on the overturned cart.

Cerus let out a choked cry as the pressure on his abdomen seemed to double, crooked fingers clawing fruitlessly at the metal siding.

"Please— please—" he gasped, but the weight did not let up.

"What do you think, boys?" Durragan said, not taking his eyes off Cerus. "Shadow dropped a full parcel of coal and wants to be let off the hook. Should we be so kind?"

His question was answered with a chorus of nos and nays, and a smile spread across his face.

"There you have it. As I see the matter, you can either be punished for your carelessness, or you can stay there." He gave the cart a shake for emphasis, and Cerus nearly retched at the shifting weight.

"Punish me then," he wheezed out. If it was the quickest way to have it over with, he'd agree to their barbarism. Staying trapped here was not an option.

"What's that you say?" Durragan held a hand to his ear theatrically, his other arm pressing even more weight into the cart, until Cerus was writhing beneath it, his body looking for reprieve even while his mind knew there was none to be found.

"Punish me," he said again. Oh gods, what if his spine snapped before the man relented? Would the Healer be able to mend such a wound? What would they do with him if he couldn't be healed, if he couldn't walk?

"Please," he added, the word slipping out like a cry, and the weight lessened, just a little.

Durragan's attention was on his compatriots now. "Well lads? What should we do with him?"

"Break his legs," one said.

"Hang 'im by his ankles and burn the skin off his back," another piped up.

"Piss off, Jackie, we all know you don't have the stomach for that."

"Yeah? String him up and we'll see!"

Durragan held up a hand, and the men fell silent. "Healer's not in for another two days. If we kill him, Reacher'll have our heads, not to mention the Council."

"Why not let him choose then?" Jackie replied casually, and Durragan grinned at the notion.

"Good one, that is. What say you, shadow? What punishment do you want?"

Even struggling for breath, Cerus's mind raced as he tried to sort out the tamest path. This was meant to trap him. Anything could be deemed unsatisfactory, any word twisted to bring him more sorrow.

"Well?" The pressure on the cart increased again.

"A w-whipping," Cerus groaned out. It was the simplest thing he could think of that might satiate their bloodlust. He'd taken such wounds before, in the cells of what had been his own castle. The pain would be great, but the Healer would be in soon. No permanent damage, unlike what would happen if he left the miners to their creativity.

"What's that then? You want to be flogged?"

"Yes," Cerus said through clenched teeth.

"Then say it like you mean it," the big man sneered, putting what felt like his full weight on the cart and drawing a strangled gasp from Cerus.

"I want you to whip me," he managed to get out, but Durragan was still unsatisfied, rattling the cart and holding the pressure until tears were streaming down Cerus's face. He swore he felt the edge grinding on his vertebrae as he practically screamed,

"Whip me, whip me, please whip me!"

At last, his begging seemed to be enough for the man, and Durragan let up, nodding to one of the others to come and help before lifting the cart off Cerus.

He lay there for a long moment, gasping like a fish out of water, feeling like his stomach had been crushed. He didn't move when two miners went to his arms and roughly hauled him up, dragging him towards the tunnel's distant exit.

He wondered how many lashes he'd have to endure before they were satisfied, but that worry was distant now that the threat of a severed spine was gone.

Cerus had taken a whipping before. He'd doubtless take one again.

And maybe if he screamed loud enough, this time they'd stop before he was bled unconscious.

§•§•§

@whumpwillow @rabbitdrabbles @kixngiggles @honeycollectswhump @chiswhumpcorner @whatwhumpcomments , @dont-look-me-in-the-eye , @turn-the-tables-on-them , @pigeonwhumps , @itsmyworld23 , @andromeda-liske , @starlit-hopes-and-dreams , @haro-whumps , @kira-the-whump-enthusiast

[skylertheminish]

(Slight content warning for panic attacks and memories of abuse)

Notch tilted his head when Rampart pointed out the signature notch in his ear. Whomever did that wasn't a pleasant or caring individual...

Whomever did that.

"You're talking about Master..." Notch muttered, memories of Udo flashing before his mind. All of the pain and suffering that man put him through started to flood back into his head. "H-He was...he trained me to be strong, b-but...if I wasn't strong enough, he would..."

For a brief moment, Notch swore he could see Udo standing above him, hand raised and ready to strike him down. Tears formed in the knight's eyes as he started to breathe a little too heavy for comfort.

Harper said that none of it was his fault. That he didn't deserve any of it. That he was stronger than Udo. So why was he still so afraid?

He dropped to his knees and cowered, shielding himself from something that wasn't even there. He whimpered and whined loudly.

Placed a keep reading for mild trigger warning and spoilers i guess? Read Forged in Captivity by @the-spam-specialist to learn more about Notch the Ceruledge!

Watching Notch drop to his knees in fear confirmed his suspicions. He glanced around just in case there was a danger Notch could see or sense that he couldn't. Once Rampart established there was no immediate danger he turned his attention back to Notch. Hurting to see him in such pain and fear all of a sudden. Rampart went to hug Notch but hesitated when Notch flinched. Was he now frightened of him? Whether Notch was now scared of Rampart or not wasn't important right now! He was hurting and needed reassurance.

" you are strong Notch. Stronger than this so-called master ever realised. And if they would do such an awful thing" Rampart took an educated guess on what Notch meant when he trailed off, "then they're no master worthy of your loyalty or respect". Rampart gently cupped Notch's chin and lifted his head, wiping away the tears so Notch could see. "You have friends now, friends and family who will help you Notch. We'll all try to protect you and help you get even stronger if that's what you want".

"I have no doubt even little Ceru would try her best to protect you!" Rampart gave a soft chuckle. But he was spot on! She would try to protect Notch. His light chuckle soon faded though as Rampart felt guilty for Notch's hurting. Yes he knew it wasn't his fault. Rampart didn't subject Notch to such awful things! But he did accidentally dredge up painful memories, that much was clear.

"...I'm sorry Notch. For bringing such awful memories up with just my observation. Can you forgive me?".

[the-spam-specialist]

Ceru kept up her weak pouting and poked at the ground while getting pets.

"Cewafedge..."

"I just wanted to pway with you Hawpew. Next time I won't try to wake you gentway"

Ceru turned her attention to Notch. While it wasn't her fault, she felt guilty for him being in time out too.

"I'm sowwy I got you in twouble Notch. Its not fair! You weren't bad!"

Skylertheminish.

Harper, of course, couldn't understand what Ceru was saying. All they heard was adorable babbling. So they just patted her and moved along.

Notch looked completely guilty, "It's not your fault. It's that bottomless pit I call a stomach's fault."

[thatthingcalledfate-phff]

Chapter 9

Revolution

Harry didn’t know what to say to Isabella Clarke.

 A few hours after the Centennial Party of Mary Mediatrix Hospital, Harry found himself sitting in the couch of the VIP waiting room in an airport in South Africa- a newspaper with his and Chelsy Davy’s picture at the front. His hands clenched and he sighed before checking his phone- no messages nor missed calls from Isabella Clarke.

 Surely, she had already seen it you fucking sob. His mind insulted and the prince can only place his phone back on top of the table. Who told you that meeting an ex when you had ditched the recent one as smart?

“I haven’t seen Chelsy in years.” He mumbled trying to reason out his actions. “I thought it was reasonable.”

 But he now realized that it was not reasonable. He ditched an important event for the Clarkes to meet up with an ex. He ditched his girlfriend for an ex. Which part of the earth is that reasonable? And with the tabloids practically rubbing salt on top of Bella’s wound, Harry is quite sure Bella is upset with him. Before Harry can stand from his seat, his phone started ringing and he saw Catherine’s name flashing on the screen.

 “What the bloody hell were you thinking?!” The now Princess of Wales screeched before Harry can even say a hello. ”Seriously? Ditch her and then meet with Chelsy? What in the bloody-“

 But Catherine’s rant was cut off and a bit of commotion can be heard on Catherine’s side before William’s voice came through, “Are you out of your fucking mind, Harry?” he asked and Harry flinched.

 “I thought it was reasonable.”

 “Reasonable?!” Kate screeched from the other line and Harry realized that he had been put on speaker. But Kate didn’t talk for a few seconds before Harry heard a sigh. “That’s not right, Harry. Isabella’s dealing with a lot. She had been dragged through mud for almost a year and kept quiet about it, never saying anything. She’s dealing with the paps hounding her and people telling her how she doesn’t deserve you and here you go proving everyone who dragged her correct.”

 “I realize that now.”

“As you should.” William answered agreeing with Kate. “Harry, I don’t know..” he sighed. “This might be too much for her, you know?”

Harry’s heart started pounding inside his chest; the thought of Bella actually leaving him after this mistake of his hurting him. “I’ll explain it to her. She’ll understand.”

 “Let me tell you something, Harry.” Kate suddenly spoke and Harry can hear the babbling of the baby princess Olivia faintly. “There’s no going back from that one.”

 Isabella, although suffering from a massive hangover, went to the hospital the next day even though she’s not supposed to work. She sat on her table and started sifting through her patient’s records just to distract herself from thinking too much about Harry- or feeling hurt. To say, she doesn’t remember the last parts of the centennial ball last night- she’s also sure that her father had to carry her out of the limo to the inside of her house.

 She doesn’t like it. She doesn’t like how she feels about her relationship with Harry- or she’s just suffering from a bad case of hangover. Bella sighed lightly throwing the folder on her hand onto the table before leaning back and looking outside. It’s a wonderful day in London, the sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and people outside doesn’t have an umbrella on their hands. It made the doctor smile. She’s not this. She used to be fearless. Free. She used to walk along the roads of London loving life- feeling the sun. She used to go to breakfast, grab lunch, or even go on dinners without having to worry of cameras being shoved on her face.

 Being with Harry took that part of her away. Being with him took away her freedom and she’s ok with that; she dealt with it. For almost a year, she kept her mouth shut. She was patient, she was understanding- she had become a wallflower.

 “This has got to change.” She mumbled to herself with a new sense of determination as she pushed herself out of her chair, grabbed her bag, and walked out her office- all the while dialing Abi’s phone number.

 “Why are you even awake?” Abigail Simons answered groggily as Bella stepped inside her car and swiftly closed the door. “Why are you waking me up?”

 Bella chuckled, “Would you like to grab some lunch and do some shopping?”

 “Lunch? Shopping? You?” Abi confirmed and Bella can hear the rustle of her duvet from the other line. “Ok. You got my attention. Why do you want to go have lunch? You said that you’re avoiding the press. Is it about the article still? Have you not talked to him yet?”

 As Abi asked the flow of questions, Bella tried to find the proper answer to everything. Why? Why is she doing this? Why is she baiting herself once again to the press? But as Abi’s end started silencing, Bella finally found the best answer to give her friend.

 “Let’s give them hell.”

 “Who are you and what have you done to Isabella?”

 But Abi met up with Bella in a restaurant named Ceru in South Kensington looking like she is about to walk in a runway. Thankfully, Bella knew how her friend dresses and chose to at least try out something new- meaning, she’s not dressed in her usual sundress or dress pants. “Oh look at you!” Abi gushed as she walked towards Bella who’s sat at the table tapping her fingers idly. “Are you possessed or something?”

 Bella’s insecurity reared its head and she leaned forward to her friend with furrowed eyebrows. “Do I look bad?”

 “Look bad?” Abi scoffed. “You look God damn modern and exciting. It’s a major improvement.” She continued gesturing towards Bella’s outfit. “Whatever it is you’re going through, it did you fucking good.”

 They had lunch just like how they did when they wear still in medical school but now, Bella doesn’t look like some hippie beside her friend. It was apparent that someone had tipped her whereabouts to the press because as they got out of the restaurant, the paps swarmed around them like bees. This time around, she didn’t put her head down- she walked like she owned the place. She’s confident with herself and she’s not going to lose that over her jealousy and disappointment towards Harry and his ex.

 As they shopped around Camden Markets; buying off clothes and organic foods from the street market, Bella’s phone started ringing and she looked at the screen to see an unknown number flashing on it. “I’ll just take this.” She told Abi thinking that a patient must be having an emergency. “Isabella speaking, who’s this?”

 “Ah, you must not remember.”

 Bella furrowed her eyebrows as she heard the voice of an oddly familiar man from the other end of the line. “Henry? Henry Cavill?” she asked and the man from the phone chuckled. “How did you get-?”

 “Before you think that I am a crazy stalker as Abi describes, you gave me your number last night willingly.. While I battled to get both you and Abi in the limo.” He cut Bella off. “I just wanted to ask how you are.”

 With the creases on her forehead deepening while she raked her brain to remember that scene, she took a glance at Abi before saying. “We battled you?”

 “Like normal drunken women.” Henry confirmed.

 “Did I say or do anything embarrassing?”

 “You just cried about the whole being ditched for an ex.” Henry answered straightforwardly and Bella groaned. “While Abi tried to French kiss me.” He continued making Bella scoff. “Don’t worry. All forgotten and never to be told to anyone.”

 Sighing, Bella said, “Thank you. And I’m fine. I am currently with Abi doing shopping.”

 “You two are not drinking again are you?”

 “No. I just recovered from the hangover.” Bella said quickly as if another touch of alcohol to her lips will kill her. “You’re welcome to join us, if you want. As a sort of apology to the trouble we caused you last night.”

 Henry gave out a chuckle, “I’m afraid I cannot take you up on that offer. We’ll have to reschedule it. I’m currently on my way to the airport.” He answered. “Have to go back to L.A.”

 “Oh.” Bella said and she felt Abi tap her on the shoulder. “Have a safe flight then.”

 “See you soon, Doctor Clarke.”

 “Who’s that?” Abi asked as Bella started running through the ignored messages from Harry, William, and Kate on her phone. “Is it a patient?”

 “No.” Bella sighed placing her phone in her bag; not yet ready to face her problems. “Apparently, you tried to French kiss Henry Cavill while I bawled my eyes out.” She continued to answer Abi’s curious look towards her.

 “Did I succeed?” Abi asked curiously and Bella laughed.

 But as she drove home, the happiness that she felt while with Abi started dissipating into loneliness and hurt. She’s angry, she’s jealous, and she’s insecure. She’s angry not just because Harry ditched her to meet up with Chelsy Davy; she’s angry because she feels like she doesn’t deserve being embarrassed like that. Her face is, once again, all over the tabloids. Taunting her. Breaking her little by little that she’s now having a hard time keeping herself together.

 She doesn’t have anyone to voice out her feelings to. Albeit, she had probably told Henry Cavill a lot when she was drunk but when she is sober, she has no other choice but to keep everything in especially since Harry doesn’t seem to realize what she’s going through.

 It didn’t shock her to see a black Range Rover parked inside her gates. “I shouldn’t have given him a spare key.” She mumbled to herself before parking on her usual spot and getting out of the car.

 When she entered her home though, she stopped dead on her tracks to saw Catherine standing inside her living room. “Ta-da!” the former duchess said awkwardly as she saw Bella’s reaction. “I am terribly sorry for my intrusion but I just really need to talk to you.” She said walking over to Bella who’s debating whether she should or shouldn’t curtsy. “Woman to woman.”

 Bella’s mind is going crazy though as she prepared tea for her and Catherine; a woman to woman talk about her own relationship is not something Bella is used to. She’s more used into being the one giving out advices towards Abi, not the other way around.

 “I got your key from Harry’s apartments.” Catherine explained as Bella softly placed a china filled with tea in front of her. “I snooped and rummaged through his drawers because he once mentioned about your keys. I didn’t break in to your home or anything.”

 Bella smiled towards Catherine. No woman in their right mind can think ill of this royal. Surely, she has her quirks but Bella can see good in Catherine Middleton. “It’s ok. You don’t look like the usual pap.”

 By this, the princess can only give the doctor a sympathetic smile. She knows how it feels to be hounded and hunted like Isabella Clarke. Truthfully, Kate knew that Bella must be feeling much worse than former did; reason being because it is obvious that the doctor is being hounded more. “Look, I know what Harry did is absolutely wrong and I understand if you’re really upset with him.”

 Biting her bottom lip and her eyes staring at her cup intensely, Bella could only nod at Kate. She doesn’t know how to respond or if she should say how she felt to the royal before her. “It’s ok.”

 “We both know that it’s not.” Kate said in a matter-of-fact tone that made Bella look up at her. “If this relationship works out, Isabella, I will be the only person who can understand you more that anyone in the family.” She said and Bella nodded realizing that Kate is right given both their circumstances. “I need to know how you feel so I can help you.”

 How do I feel? Bella asked herself as she let her hands wrap around her hot mug. “I feel.. hurt.” She finally blurted out. It won’t hurt if I tell her. “I think I lost myself with everything that’s going on.” She continued giving Kate a small glance to which the latter returned with a comforting smile. “I tried my best to satisfy everyone; I avoided doing things to prevent people from thinking ill of me, I lived for a year in constant fear that I will get caught by the paps doing something so mundane yet it’s twisted into something bad.”

 Kate watched Bella intently; she can see the tension on the woman. She looks so broken. She thought as she watched Bella quickly wipe a tear that’s trailing down her cheeks. “Did you talk to Harry about this?”

 “No.” Bella answered shaking her head with a soft laugh. “We haven’t even talked properly lately. He’s busy and I understand. I guess that’s my job- to always understand. Even him ditching me.” She continued and a hiccup came out of her throat as unwilling tears suddenly started flowing once again. “I’m sorry. I’m too emotional.”

 Harry, you prick. “It’s normal. I know how it feels like.” Kate comforted now standing up from her seat and walking towards Bella. “It’s always difficult with them.” Kate continued as she hugged Bella. “Believe me, I’ve cried bucket loads of tears with William.”

 “Does it ever get better?”

 Does it, Kate? “There will be a time when everything just falls into place.” She answered. “William and I; we have had a lot of times when we needed a break from each other so we can let things fall where they should.”

 Bella chuckled as she wiped the remaining tears off her face, “If it’s meant to be, it will be.”

 “He told me that quite a few times.” Kate giggled. “William, I mean.”

 As Bella watched Kate drive away after their talk, she realized how much she had been holding in. Even if her mouth will say that she understands or that she accepts it, her mind cannot. It’s not because she doesn’t love Harry or that she’s giving up but it’s because she feels so alone in her and Harry’s situation that her mind starts hurting her own heart. And as she said; if it’s meant to be, it will be.

 I think we need a break.

  (AN: I know, I know. I don't have much of Harry/Bella scenes for the last chapters. It's just that I cannot create a story that has a scene between the two all the time in That Thing Called Fate. TTCF is a story of how Bella copes with being involved with a royal and it's hardships. So, yes, this story is not always going to be rainbows and butterflies but I promise that fate will do its trick in the end. Anyway, thank you for reading!)

[the-void-8-my-soul]

*Ceru just.. sorta.. sits there... as all the murder time trio blip into existence, Cross too.

*Night smiles at all his partners, before getting serious

"Underfalling has been corrupted by my brothers magic. We've done this before. It is time to do it again. We have to get down there find the person first infected and detox them. "

"Then we will spread negativity as best we can.. before I will make everyone fall asleep. Once asleep Killer, you will force a reset. That should get my brothers attention, when he comes running I will capture him. I want none of you to have any contact with this extra potent magic. Wear magic resistant cloths.. and I expect everyone to wear full face masks. Make sure there is no way to get direct contact with this magic. NO magic attacks we stick to physical. Once again. NO contact with the magic. That means I will open the portal, this world is so pumped full of the positivity that even breathing unfiltered air could effect you."

*Night says.

"we are in my dungeon dear. I was upping my mental wards on the bastard."

*X-Gaster is peacefully asleep.

*It seems not even night's shouts disturbed his slumber.

*Ceru watches X-Gaster intently.

"S-so theirs no way he could wake up without you getting him out of the coma right?"

*She asked, Cursing herself for stammering.*

*She's just glad she's not panicking anymore..*

*She looks over at X-Gaster and wonder how a horrible person like him could sleep so soundly..*

*Funny.. it was the same question she asked before murdering her father..*

*She's no longer looking at X-Gaster.*

[distantpagesandpapercuts]

SHIPPING INFO // Answer the following for your muse(s) so people know how shipping works on your blog. REPOST. Don’t reblog.

WHAT’S YOUR OTP FOR YOUR MUSE?:   I don’t really have one since no one really ships with me that I’m aware of at this point in time. ^^;;;;

WHAT ARE YOU WILLING TO RP WHEN IT COMES TO SHIPPING?:   I’m good with most anything in all honesty. <3 I’m willing to write fluffy stuff, angst, smut, whatever my partner is also feeling is perfectly fine. Toxic relationships are also very open for me I don’t mind one bit.

HOW LARGE DOES THE AGE GAP HAVE TO BE TO MAKE IT UNCOMFORTABLE?:

No minors bottom line. That is absolute. However, Kira is actually not too terribly picky with ages of her partners. She’s 28 in most verses right now and I usually age her naturally. (Once a year) She doesn’t mind a good sized gap. She’s an adult and can make her own choices. There aren’t many super old rp characters that I’ve noticed, so I feel like I don’t have to say that I’m not talking grandfather age you know?I’d like to keep the highest at around 50, MAYBE. (Chemistry has to REALLY apply)

ARE YOU SELECTIVE WHEN SHIPPING?:   Not too terribly selective I guess. But just because I’m not doesn’t mean she isn’t. I welcome and encourage anyone who wants to, to try and woo the grumpy bird woman. However, she’s a little aloof and will assume you’re just fucking around with her. She won’t take you seriously at first, but if you’re persistent or pretty forward, she’ll get the picture.

It may take effort or a little bit of time, but I’m willing to give anyone fair chances!

HOW FAR DO STEAMY MOMENTS HAVE TO GO BEFORE THEY’RE CONSIDERED NS.FW?: Mmmm, I’d usually go with when they start getting too handsy. When the hands linger and the blushing and tiny gasps start, that’s where I tend to put in read mores or move it to a different place altogether.

WHO ARE OTHER MUSES YOU SHIP YOUR MUSE WITH?:

Ehhhh.... I haven’t had anyone seriously interested lately that I’m aware of. Any male that’s kind to her or has made her blush is always in the back of my mind. But nothing has been made official or anything like that.

EXCEPT FOR RUME @ask-cerus LOL XD

DOES ONE HAVE TO ASK TO SHIP WITH YOU?:  

You don’t have to ask per se. However if you do, I will squeal and make it easier for you to get her down that road. She’s oblivious as hell, so I play her that way sometimes. So it’s going to be easier for you in the long run if you just give me a shout first. If you’d like to swing it without my knowing I applaud your tenaciousness and wish you luck.

HOW OFTEN DO YOU LIKE TO SHIP?:   I enjoy shipping, I’ve never had anything super extensive with Kira before. Cissy has had a wide range of relationships whereas Kira has basically only been in one that wasn’t exactly ‘experience’ for her. ^^;;;; So I’d like to find some shipping partners, but if not, it’s not too big of a deal. Nothing would really be changing for me.

ARE YOU MULTISHIP?: Indeed Kira is multiship!

ARE YOU SHIP OBSESSED OR SHIP MORE-OR-LESS?: I love shipping ngl, however I’ve never done anything super steamy with Kira, so I’m a little nervous about it. But I look forward to becoming obsessed with you!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SHIP IN YOUR CURRENT FANDOM?:   Mmmmmmmmmmm...... You know, I’m not super sure on that one. However one of the favorites that I’ve ever done is Cicero and Cinda. @justasadnerd

FINALLY, HOW DOES ONE SHIP WITH YOU?:   Take your own approach to it. You can be as forward or passive with Kira as you like! But as I said, it’ll go smoother for you if you tell me you’d like to ship first. <3 Be kind and protective of her. Carry her around and she needs lots of attention to get the picture sometimes. Being jealous over her is a very secret turn on. Good luck!

tagged by: @iinxsearchofxisolde Ty for the tag! tagging: @ask-cerus @the-perfect-scientist @cicero-the-assassin @pierssureshotnivans

[whumpflash]

Umbra: Wasted Magic

cw: broken bones, bad healing

previous ///// masterlist

§•§•§

The healer came to his cell after the mockery of a trial, and even through his agony, Cerus could read the distasteful expression on her face. Oh what an insult, to be tasked with healing a fallen ruler. Years ago, before the revolts, it would've been considered an honor.

The woman crouched beside him, poking at a shattered shin with a none-too-gentle hand, and Cerus let out a choked cry of pain, biting down on the gag no one had bothered to remove. Despite the pain caused by the shifting bones in his leg, he did his best to hold still. The guards had returned him to the spread-eagled position on the cell floor after the trial, and the slightest shift caused the shackles to pull at his broken hands; made even worse by the raw, newly tattooed skin; the accursed seals of the priests.

He'd felt the disconnect from his magic when he woke in the cell, muddled underneath the agony radiating from his limbs, but undeniably there. It was like losing a sense; like waking up suddenly unable to smell or taste, and that loss had caused reality to fully sink in. 

He'd lost. His subjects had risen against him, destroyed the armies he'd commanded, and dethroned him. Any hope of reclaiming power had been snuffed with the severing of his magic, and he wouldn't delude himself with the idea that any of his subjects had any loyalty to him. They'd made that clear with the rebellion.

He was nothing now. A king no more, a mage no more. Deemed unworthy to even die.

The faint glow of healing magic began to spread from the healer's fingers and seep into his leg, and he groaned as he felt the shards of bone begin to reform. The feeling it brought was something almost like relief, but even when she removed her hand, the healing complete, a certain wrongness remained.

She repeated the process with his other leg, then each hand, quickly and without care. The worst of the pain dissolved away, but an odd ache was left behind, and when he flexed his fingers, testing them, pain rippled up the joints like a crack of lightning.

Even were the gag not present, Cerus would not have dared to speak of it. It was a miracle they'd sent a healer his way at all, now that the trial was over, but he recalled with a bitter certainty that the traitors who'd appointed themselves as the new Council had sentenced him to service. The healing wasn't given in the name of mercy, but utility. 

The healer stepped back, rapping her knuckles on the heavy door that sealed the cell. A guard answered her summons promptly, and they exchanged words Cerus couldn't quite focus on.

His attention snapped to the armored figure as they stepped inside, taking a key to the chains that held him. Memories hit him like blows, reminding him what had happened the last time his enemies had been kind enough to free him from his shackles.

Strike me down! Will you?

As soon as he was able, Cerus pulled his limbs into his chest, tucking his head into his arms, waiting for the first taunt, the first strike.

Instead, the guard standing over him let out a bawdy laugh.

"Look at him! Sniveling little rat of a man. Ain't even touched him and he's trembling."

The healer seemed less amused, her tone cool and tight. "Do what you need to and chain him back up. I don't want to be in here any longer than I have to."

Cerus wanted to curse them both, but held his tongue, the echoing crunch of his own bones ringing in his ears like a warning. The guard could break him however they wanted and the healer could put him back together like nothing happened.

He tried not to flinch when the guard's boot gave him a nudge. Their short bark of laughter told him he was unsuccessful.

"Alright, shadow rat. On your feet."

They wanted him to stand? Why? Likely only so they could strike him down again and laugh at the pain they caused.

But if he hesitated, they could crush his legs and then make him stand on them anyway. He had no delusions about the depths of the cruelties he could be made to suffer here. These people had no concept of mercy; not for him.

Cerus rolled onto his stomach with a soft hiss, his movement pulling at still-open wounds, jostling still-cracked ribs. He tucked his hands under his chest and gave a tentative push, crumpling back to the ground as pain spiked through the bones of his badly-healed fingers.

"Quit wasting my time. Up." The guard sounded more impatient than amused now. It wouldn't be long before his shouts were punctuated by violence, Cerus knew.

He tried again, getting a knee under him for better support, biting back a yelp as pain crackled through his hands like a spitting fire. Still, he pressed on, encouraged by the fear that whispered what would happen if he didn't.

His legs trembled under his weight, his shins and ankles throbbing like they'd had nails driven into them.

When was the last time he'd stood unassisted? The last time he'd been free of his chains and upright? He did not know, but the weakness in his body insisted it had been ages.

"Take a step forward," the guard said. "Walk to the wall."

Cerus complied. The first step, the first shifting of barely-healed bone, nearly sent him to his knees, but he managed to stay upright, panting heavily as he slowly, slowly crossed the room.

"Bit slow, ain't he? Maybe a little more of your magic," the guard said, their eyes on the sullen healer.

"I won't waste my magic on the likes of him."

The guard made a noise that said they agreed, but continued anyway. "He's s'posed to be able to work. Useless to the whole rebuilding thing if he can't even walk."

The healer let out an irritated sigh. "Very well."

Cerus used the wall to guide himself back to the floor, watching this scornful woman as her eyes followed him hatefully. No matter. He could bear it. He'd borne the hatred of countless others, even before his fall.

"You'll need to chain him," she said.

"Why's that?" the guard murmured, even as they reached for Cerus, seizing him by his hair before he could even try to crawl away. The pain in his skull was immediate, but it was outshone by the sudden chill that washed over him as he caught sight of the woman's face.

Of the small, cold smile she wasn't trying to conceal.

"Before I can try again, you'll need to rebreak his legs."

§•§•§

@whumpwillow @rabbitdrabbles @kixngiggles @honeycollectswhump @chiswhumpcorner @whatwhumpcomments , @dont-look-me-in-the-eye , @turn-the-tables-on-them , @pigeonwhumps , @itsmyworld23 , @andromeda-liske , @starlit-hopes-and-dreams , @haro-whumps , @kira-the-whump-enthusiast , @whumpedydump ,

[cerulaine-blog]

It’s Time To Talk About Darkiplier Part 4

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 |

Today we’re gonna play a game I like to call:

IS IT DARK OR IS IT MARK?

So I saw the “It Was Darkiplier The Whole Time” theory going around for a bit when ADWM was released and I decided to run through the idea to see what I could come up with which is what made me start these posts in the first place.

Now as I ran myself through the theory I found that it became far more complicated than it looked at face value and obviously that’s true because I’ve made 3 posts dedicated to multiple theories that tie into this theory just so I could lead up to this one.

Now we know it wasn’t Darkiplier the whole time.

Come on guys that’s too obvious but you begin to notice some pretty interesting things.

I found myself begin to question certain moments and ask myself “What if in this moment we were with Darkiplier but didn’t know it?”

Then the theory started to twist and turn on its head and I started to creep myself out.

We’re here guys, we’re finally here, I’m finally going to answer the one question I’ve been avoiding.

WHAT HAPPENED TO MARK?!

SO LET’S BEGIN!

So we’ve already established that we are inside of a Video Game playing the character of Chica.

I began to go back through the Darkiplier route and realized some pretty creepy shit.

As we know from my previous installments Darkiplier has the ability to move through the 4th dimension so he can ‘appear’ to teleport but in reality he’s just moving in a way that we can’t comprehend because we’re on the 3rd dimension.

So he’s in one place but then appears in another.

So I didn’t realize this at first but the PAY route is actually much creepier than I had ever realized.

It’s the PAY video that seems to hide a lot of ambiguous tiny things and it’s ONLY in the PAY video that I really started to scratch my head.

The first transition effect is from the diner to the car which is easily explainable because it’s clarifying that you’re moving from one scene to another, simple right?

Exit the diner

New scene in the car, simple right?

But then after watching this a couple of times I realized why it didn’t sit well with me and it actually took me a few re-watches to realize why it had me unsettled.

Now I know that they were rushed on certain bits of filming and I’m fully aware of which transitions are for comedic effect and scene changes.

But it’s this one bit here that really got the wheels turning in my head and it happens so fast you don’t really pay it any attention.

Mark gestures you into the car

In the next breath suddenly Mark is impossibly in the driver’s seat.

Almost as if he has appeared out of thin air.

When I first saw this a few times I actually laughed because it’s funny, it’s comedic and clearly meant to be but then as I watched it more I realized it’s one of the only strange transitions we get without a white out/obvious scene change.

It’s not even indicated as a change in scene, you literally get into the car and he suddenly slips in right beside you.

Almost as if someone has taken his place

So at this point a new possibility became clear to me.

In theory if at any point we end up with Darkiplier THIS would be the moment a switch would have happened.

So let’s run with the theory for a second and play it out.

Let’s say Darkiplier is the one that gets into the car with you instead of Mark.

Things suddenly become really unsettling because if it’s Dark, that means it’s Dark dialogue and we know that Dark WANTS you to be at the theater.

So Dark slips in right beside you and says:

“Oh man, I’ve heard such great things about this play I cannot wait, you’re going to love it, it’s absolutely-”

He gets interrupted by the assistants which is obviously for comedic effect so we’ll ignore trying to talk about the fact that the car was never moving in the first place, we all know that bit was for comedic sake and because they only had a limited number of places to film.

If you really wanna attempt to make it work with the theory then it’s really easy to imply that Dark is the one that moved us from one place to another without even needing to drive the car but that would be too easy so expel that idea from your brains.

Honestly it’s not relevant enough to even matter and there’s too much working against it to even be viable.

Besides you guys may not realize it yet but we have enough to support this theory anyway.

I just want to make sure we cover all of our bases and I’m a firm believer in looking at all of the data.

So you both get out of the car and Dark comes back around to see you and continues his dialogue.

Now Mark has stated that when he brings Dark back he’d like to do things a bit differently and work on his inflection and basically he wants to be able to more effectively act out the scenes in which Dark is trying to emulate Mark.

I personally look forward to seeing what else Mark has in store but I feel like he does a pretty good job.

Anyway moving on.

Now the part that made me look closer at this video than I had before wasn’t even any of the dialogue it was something in the background that you see but don’t really pay attention to because Mark is partially blocking most of it.

As you walk into the building there’s a quote on the wall right as you enter behind Mark.

I actually had to replay the video multiple times so I could see the full quote because they walk past it so fast but it says:

“A vision’s just a vision if it’s only in your head. If no gets to see it. It’s as good as dead.”

As we know Darkiplier is a purely conceptual being so there’s a lot of irony happening right here.

Now it’s actually a quote from a musical called “Sunday in the Park with George”

It’s a pretty interesting musical and I think they meant to add in a bit of homage to the musical in a few different ways on purpose and to describe it would be incredibly tedious but if you’d like a full synopsis you can look here

Now you’re probably asking yourself.

Well ok Ceru, that’s cool but who cares?

What really helps drive this theory home though is that in this particular musical the very final line of the play is:

“White. A blank page or canvas. His favorite. So many possibilities.”

Something else that helps validate the idea that it’s Darkiplier and not the real Mark is the continued dialogue.

A lot of people in the comments of ADWM began to point out that when Darkiplier’s trying to fool you into thinking he’s the real Mark he’s actually a lot nicer.

He says much nicer things than the real Mark does and lures you into a false sense of security with much more fluffed out dialogue.

The other thing that he says is probably one of the most telling things that pertains to his omniscience, he tells you “Thanks so much for coming out with me I mean you’re beautiful, you’re handsome-”

Now many people have stated it’s because Mark didn’t want to alienate the male audience but what if there’s another reason he worded it that way?

What if he also worded it that way because Darkiplier knows that we the audience are playing as Chica.

He breaks the 4th wall and talks directly to us.

After this interaction Dark sees the vending machine and seems to have a moment in which he tries a little too hard to appear human almost as though he’s thinking to himself “Oh yeah, don’t human’s eat snacks when they watch a movie?”

Then it’s almost like he starts to think “What else do human’s do to appear more human?”

He takes the popcorn and then suddenly begins to act a bit different than before.

He suddenly becomes more self centered.

He gives you a piece and then goes “How about some for me?”

But then he does something REALLY interesting.

He turns away and proceeds to groom his hair.

Wow Mark, your Darkiplier is showing.

The attendant greets them, he takes the attendants hand and proceeds to kiss his own hand.

WOW MARK, YOUR DARKIPLIER IS SHOWING.

When we do finally meet Darkiplier face to face he had the same tendency to groom himself, fix his suit, take painstaking care in how he looks, it’s a high form of narcissism he can’t seem to hide mostly due to the fact that he’s trying to appear human.

It doesn’t end there though because he does something else really odd right after.

He spits out his popcorn.

Now for arguments sake let’s imagine it’s because while doing the take Mark was finding it increasingly hard to finish his lines because there was popcorn in his mouth because let’s be honest, sounds like something Mark would do.

But alternatively let’s spin it another way just for fun.

If this is Darkiplier and he’s trying to appear more human he probably thinks to himself “Oh I should eat this human food” but then quickly finds himself regretting his decision.

How sad, I guess multidimensional beings don’t like popcorn.

If you choose the ROMANCE route Darkiplier has some INCREDIBLY telling dialogue.

“I’m so glad you asked me out on this date. Or, was it me that asked you? Ah, I never know”

Again for arguments sake we can assume this line is actually intended as a “Well I get asked out by so many people and go on so many dates I don’t remember”

Wow, pretentious much Mark?

Unless it’s Darkiplier trying to change your image of Mark and how you perceive him.

Now are you seeing where I’m going with this? Well if not that’s fine because you will soon.

Dark continues to be very self absorbed with his popcorn.

THE SAVAGE

You don’t even like popcorn!

He then continues to try way too hard to appear human.

Then we get to the end and you can either go the HORROR route or LEAVE

I’ll run through the option of HORROR with you because it’s quick and easy and we know how it ends so choosing HORROR triggers foreshadow dialogue.

“I’ve never actually seen this play before. I don’t even know who made it”

That’s clearly a lie.

“So, could be a fun adventure”

Again with the use of the word ‘adventure’, Dark ends up using it later when he finally reveals himself to you and calls the date a “little adventure”.

Isn’t it interesting that Darkiplier is the only one who tends towards using the word “adventure” or “little adventure”

How peculiar.

He begins to have some interesting dialogue that implies deeper meaning or some sort of inside joke.

“I certainly love new theaters, new plays, new artists, you know it all just stokes the embers in my soul”

Just the way he says it implies his age, he’s an older creature.

I don’t even want to know how old he actually is so of course he’s a ‘patron of the arts’ and the way he talks about his soul, it’s as if he’s silently telling himself a joke.

Now of course we get to the part in which “Mark disappears” but in reality Darkiplier is finally going to make his grand entrance.

Mark hasn’t been with you for quite a while.

Now you’re probably all wondering how I’m going to explain Dark being the one that you are with in the LEAVE route but don’t worry, I’ve always got something up my sleeve.

So sit back and buckle up and try to keep up.

Now this is the point in which I believe Dark had multiple plans in his head, if you choose to fall into his trap he reveals himself to you, if you choose not to then he tries to mess with your image of Mark and the way you view him to convince you to fall into his trap.

So at this point you begin to LEAVE with him and again we have a strange transition.

He covers your eyes and I think he does this because you can always see when Darkiplier is trying to use his abilities.

The world goes grey, there’s an obvious shift in reality so to keep you from being able to see him take you from one place to another he covers your eyes so you’re still under the illusion that he’s Mark.

Again he tries to act human, catches the frisbee awkwardly, tries to act ‘cool and hip’ and all through this he’s trying to alter the image you have of Mark to mess with you.

If you say YES he tells you he honestly didn’t think you’d say YES and he probably didn’t actually think you’d say yes but now he has to improvise.

He moves in to kiss you and makes you once again close your eyes and shifts you into an alternate reality we know as the ‘meta ending’ and tries to make Mark out to be abrasive, rude, and a complete diva.

If you choose the NO route he makes Mark out to be some guy that changes your last name without your consent, seems to know far more about your life than any normal person should and has everything planned a little too well.

Now I know what you’re all thinking

Cerulaine, you’ve lost me, this is NOT Dark and now you’re just reaching for straws.

Alright that’s fine, think what you want but there’s a REASON he creates these endings for you.

He’s trying to lure you back into the game.

He goes out of his way to make both endings quite honestly unappealing, he wants to leave more to be desired and he tries to make Mark look like a fool so that the player will say to themselves:

“OK so what happens if I go back, can I get a better ending?”

That’s how he traps you in.

No matter what he needed a way without drawing too much attention to himself and giving himself away so that you would somehow end up crossing paths with him and choose the HORROR route.

Not only that but HORROR is the only route that gets thrown back into your face almost like a blaring neon sign that may as well be screaming “CHOOSE ME, YOU CAN STILL CHOOSE ME” at you.

But guys, with all of this being said there’s still something missing.

If Darkiplier is the one who entered the car with you...

WHERE DID MARK GO?!

[evilcokito]

It is also better to be attracted to joking and smiling merchants. Apparently sadistic.

CATER'S SISTERS IN DIVISION 0 ARE VERY REAL - both posing with the Zanpakutos "ARE YOU STILL LAZING? CATER??" with ginger hair and falling waves "WE BROUGHT YOU A GIFT".

My mind thinks in a loop about Cater's sisters, don't know them but I want to marry them, whoever they are.

THAT JUJUTSU GIF MAKE ME EXPLODE JVHNJVKDERNKADKF-

Give me a second Sam, princess, we're talking about women. AAMMMMEEENNNN- We start our battles saying:

WHAT'S YOUR TYPE OF WOMAN???

"WHO IS WEAK NOW STUPID CATER?? LIEUTENANT??? WHERE???" and Cater just let you carry him. WHAT KIND OF ACCUSATION AND CONCERN IS THAT WITH SAM?? HE IS INNOCENT, IS THERE PROOF?? NOO???? Sam just gave him some little advice~~ Cater obviously took it, heh.

He stopped to think and saw... a small cell phone charm. A red diamond? mmmmhhhhh- It was a hunch. You are very bad at hiding secrets. Cater borrow it for a moment. A week or two.

Could this little Diamond be able to form such a strong bond?

Well, now Cater picks up and carries you to thank for all that time spent with him. It's a shame that the bond of that phone charm was so strong that you get tired quickly.

Thank to the Soul King, you can speak. Cater is extremely grateful, loves talking and you answering. But gets worried when doesn't listen your voice.

Ceruu~~ that's bad... why don't you answer mee??

....

...... Cerulean?

Hearing your full name. It felt like the soul of the warm and fun Cater escaped from his body, reminding the sayings of all those people who fought against him. He wouldn't be able to raise his Zanpakuto, right?

Cerulean.

Plushes don't have hearts, and there was a fast, strong heartbeat that came through that cold environment. Adrenaline. The blood rushing through the veins of the ginger haired boy. Looks kill, and Cater began to open his eyes bigger and bigger. Looked at you attentively. In that stuffed body you began to lower your head and curve your body, making yourself smaller and smaller, fleeing from those crushing eyes. And trembled. It wasn't the cold. Chills followed one another in that small body, spasms. Flee or fight? The mind moved incredibly fast but couldn't think anything. Every time you checked, Cater kept looking at you and another cold dagger pierced your body. There was a very tender smile on his face, apparently.

awww~~ Ceru, are you cold??

Cater picked you up again and with a smile spun you around with him. He was so happy that hugged you against his cheek.

ROMANTIC DATE WITH SAM??? NO, WE ARE GOING TO FIGHT UNTIL OUR NAILS FALL OFF, OUR FISTS BLEED, OUR KNEES SQUEAK, STEPS HURT, SHOULDERS CAN BARELY STAY STRAIGHT snake-shaped hair clip...? I'M LIKE SUKUNA SAM, IT'S GOING TO COST YOU A LOT TO KILL ME AND I'M GOING TO TELL boring brat(?).

Calm down Sam, don't ruin the hair or cut it too much. The exact color? how extremely perfectionist interesting.

I have no idea if you’re still receiving asks for the Bleach Au but ok I have two thoughts

Y’know Kisuke Urahara, yeah? Everyone’s favourite hat and clogs man? Sam in his outfit….. look, I was rereading my bleach collection and was like- wait a minute. they both run a store, have that goofy saleman vibe that dips into something so much more mysterious from time to time…..

It’s an idea….. also chest out but let’s not focus on that….

And another idea would be KON. Who’s KON in the beach au? Technically Kon’s a doll with a piece of soul within it, right… so if you’re pissed with any of the soul reapers… could you technically put them in timeout in a plushie? I mean, Gigai work with that logic right….

What’s there to stop someone me from chucking an annoying boy into his respective nui plush…

Yes Ceru, yes you can. HOW???? with the art of "let's arrange this so it works in bleach".

..........................................

[ Report No.665785543 ]

Division 12 - Shinigami Research and Development Institute.

Top Secret Project 6684. [Requested by Central 46].

- K.O.N -

Captain: XXXXXXX Shroud. Lieutenant: XXXXXXX Shroud.

Keywords: Control (suppression and storage) of Reiatsu, Gigai, prison, plushie.

K.O.N General information:

The aim is to create an artificial Gigai that contains the Shinigami in the human world. This Gigai is specially designed to go “unnoticed” by humans but not among Shinigami peers (shape similar to the aspect in question). Its a plushie whithout specific form, until it takes the form of the shinigami. It specifically seeks the creation of a material body capable of existing in the human world and prevent the shinigami from moving freely or use their powers. This Plushie Gigai dont need constant control or supervision, the Shinigami can only escape when the “captor” decides take out of it. In this way, it can be used in cases of rebellious Shinigami. Its main use is as a prison that will keep under control unil put the shinigami on trial in the Sereitei.

Project Status: Canceled

Reason:

The Gigai plushie is taken over by humans and is lost from sight. A number of XxXxxX shinigamis were lost in the human world, their whereabouts unknown.

It was also impossible to prevent Shinigamis with greater spiritual power from remaining immobile with the Gigai.

Although their use was discontinued, these Gigai continue circulate in the Sereitei. Some highly trusted Shinigami have been entrusted with this artifact:

- XXXXXXXX - XXXXXXXX - XXXXXXXX - Cerulean Marple. - XXXXXXXX

Cater moved and Ceru discovered him. Ceru left him in the Human World for 3 days. Trey was in favor of punishment. Even suggested Ceru abandon him in a house in a rural area without communications. Cater begged for mercy but no one takes away all that time that Ceru hugs him.

....................

CERU - I LOVE URAHARA KISUKE.

How dare you suggest this to me??!!! do you want me to die??? Sam being a shinigami isn't enough??? GOING TO PUT THIS AT THE END ON THE CHANCE THAT NO ONE READS IT FROM THE AMOUNT OF TEXT ABOVE! GET BORED OF THE TEXT AND DON'T GET HERE! well let's get to that with two sketches.

5 / 10 -

THERE IS NO FAVORITISM BECAUSE IT'S SAM IN MY DEAR KISUKE'S CLOTHES chest out is not enough.

Ok, you got me here. The moment when they show their true selves and the bitch face got me.

1000 / 10

[skylertheminish]

Ew more dog water writing. Please read tags for credit given :)

A nameless knight no more.

Its been about a month since the infant Ceruledge was rescued. At first I wasn't confident she'd survive the first night. She was dangerously cold, dehydrated, lethargic and underweight. Now here she is, curled up asleep on my lap and has since gained a sibling in the form of a juvenile Armarouge. Taking a break from staring at a monitor and the paperwork it showed, I looked down at the sleeping knight. A soft smile drew itself on my face.

"You've come an awfully long way since we first met wee lass" I spoke in the softest tone I could muster, gently petting the little knight. She gave a soft groan as she stretched before settling down again.

"And we still don't have a name for you or your brother". While a name wasn't necessary. It would make work a little easier, and it just felt right for them both to have a name. The pair of them were special after all! How many trainers can say they've even seen an Armarouge or Ceruledge at such young ages? Let alone have raised one! Before I continued to be distracted by the cute little Pokemon sleeping, and poking me with her tiny blades in her sleep, I returned my attention to my work.

After saving the document, experience has taught me to save regularly, I reached for my mug of tea and woke the sleeping knight. She gave a soft groan, looking about in a mild, sleep induced stupor before giving the biggest yawn she could.

"Did I wake you? Sorry about that wee bairn. Guess I owe you some coco now as an apology huh" this unsurprisingly got some very happy chirping in response. She may have just woken up but she knew what coco meant. This got a chuckle out of me. "Alright then, I'll put the kettle on".

With a groan, and a crack from my knees, I rose from the seat that my backside had undoubtedly taken root to. I put the tiny Ceruledge down on her blanket before heading to the counter and preparing myself another mug of tea and her coco.

"How'd you like a name?" I looked over to her while waiting for the kettle to boil. My question distracted her from beating seven shades of purple out of her Snorlax plush. She looked at me with curiosity. "Would you like a name? Can't be calling you the small Ceruledge all the time now can we?"

I've been hearing another member of staff refer to her as Ceru. It wasn't the most creative name in my opinion, but I can't say I'm better at naming Pokemon. I mean my Gallade is called Bandit for crying out loud! Not exactly original.

" How'd you like to be called... Guinevere?"

The infant Ceruledge shook her head in response.

" no? Alright then how about... Jhona?"

She shook her head again.

"Ok. Then how about..." I had a sneaky feeling no matter what I'd suggest would get her approval. "... how about Ceru?"

This was met with happy chirps. "You'd like that? You want to be called Ceru?" She reaffirmed this with more happy chirping and what I could only describe as her happy dance. She really liked that name.

"Alright then, Ceru it is!" I smiled. And with the click from the kettle her name was settled. Ceru the tiny Ceruledge!

Once prepared, I gave Ceru her coco. "Here ya go, Ceru". This prompted some more happy calls from the little knight as she eagerly took her coco. Returning to my feet to get my tea I caught sight of the other Pokemon in my care and gave a light chuckle.

"Don't worry you lot will get some coco too! Just gotta make some more".

[silver-eyed-victory-blog]

“I’m here- I’m here, now.”

It was a routine mission. 

With the remaining huntsmen forces spread thin, Ruby Rose had taken it upon herself to deal with a horde of Grimm terrorizing a village in southern Vale. Sure, she’d only just reunited with her team, but they had plenty of other things to deal with. She had the chance right now to do some real good in the world. If she didn’t go then and there, then countless lives could be lost. The reports said that the Grimm displayed odd behavior, running away if they were about to be killed, taking prisoners instead of outright killing people. It was strange, as if there was some higher power behind it all. Regardless, those Grimm were threatening good people and she was determined to kick their collective butts.

How was she to know that the very same village she was planning to save would be attacked by bandits while she was out killing the Grimm?

After a hard fought battle, she finally managed to slay the Queen Arachne, a massive spider-like Grimm that used her pheromones to command and control other Grimm. By the looks of it, this creature implanted egg-like sacs in human hosts to feed off their energy, which generated more of the smaller variety of spidery Arachne type Grimm. With her head hung in a solemn low, she returned to the village with the news that she was unable to save the ones who had been kidnapped, but at least the monster behind it was destroyed.

But her news met uncaring ears.

Since the only ones left with ears were the bandits that had raided the village. 

Corpses were piled in the streets, bodies of all the men tossed unceremoniously into piles of sewage and garbage. And were there even some children in there?

The sight alone made Ruby vomit.

Right on the shoes of a man who looked like a cross between Tyrian and a slightly deranged skunk. 

“Take this one too,” he said, voice dripping with disgust, “They like ‘em young.”

And that was all Ruby heard before she saw black. 

She awoke sometime later in some sort of truck, leaning uncomfortably against a wall. She wanted to scream, but found that she couldn’t make a sound, much less string much of a thought together. She barely even perceived that her hands were locked behind her in sturdy cuffs. 

There was little light in the vehicle, just an old light bulb flickering on and off. She found herself looking up at it, blinking lazily, enthralled by the simplicity of the broken fixture. And the light was really pretty...

Some guy snapped in her face.

She nearly jump out of her shoes, but found her shoes to be gone. Normally that would be concerning, but she was far too amused by how her little toesies looked wiggling in the low light. Didn’t even notice that her other clothing items and most importantly her scythe were all replaced by a sackcloth tunic.

Oh, right. That guy snapping.

She directed her attention back to the back, who seemed a bit less annoyed now that she seemed to be listening. He pulled out a notepad and a pen and began asking her some very personal questions that she didn’t want to share with anyone, like some seriously personal questions that she really shouldn’t-

“My name’s Ruby Rose, I’m 16 years old, my cup size is 36B.”

“Are you a virgin?”

There’s the one that should have stopped her. You don’t just ask a girl that! 

But it was like she was compelled to answer him. 

“Yes...”

The line of questioning continued for some time, she really couldn’t tell exactly how long. It was all kinda fuzzy, like she was on the edge of consciousness, like a waking dream. By the end of it, they knew everything about her. Even the fact that the pinky toe on her left foot was slightly smaller than the one on her right. 

The last thing she saw was the man’s vibrant purple eyes before she once again fell into a deep slumber.

***

How long had it been?

It was all some mad blur, a jumble of displaced thoughts and emotions, incomplete memories intermixed with dreams and nightmares. Ruby Rose couldn’t tell what was real and what was fake. He kept coming back. Showing her... visions. Her friends... her mother... People coming to save her. And every time... she would have to watch them die. 

Where had it even started?

Somewhere in the jumble of memories she found one that had taken ages to return, from soon after she arrived... wherever she was.

They had all her stuff lined up on a table. Her boots, her combat skirt. Her cloak, her ammo. And her scythe adorned with her mother’s silver cross. Her beautiful sniper-scythe, Crescent Rose. Her baby girl, the project that had taken her months to complete and even longer to perfect. The weapon she was dedicated to master, the weapon that symbolized her connection to the most important figures in her live, Qrow Branwen and Summer Rose.   

She was still shackled, forced into a chair and tied down. She struggled, tried to break free, but she couldn’t break her bonds. Were they reinforced? Or was something else going on. She felt so exhausted, like every movement was a struggle. Like gravity itself was pushing down on her. 

And she watched. As her precious possessions were destroyed one by one.

First it was her boots. That was fine. She could deal with that.

Then her outfit. Again... that was fine. She could... she could live with that.

They took her ammo. Okay. Makes sense.

They let he keep her cloak. Didn’t want her to die of cold. She was still young and useful to them. Didn’t want to harm the merchandise.

But her baby.

First they took a dust-enhanced saw to it and sheared the thing in half.

One of their men took the shaft and bent it into a corkscrew, then another smashed it with a giant hammer. Another set it ablaze, melting the half in a slow burn that lasted for minutes. The complicated blade section? That was smashed apart piece by piece until they were nearly unrecognizable. The blade was bent and melted, then each piece beaten to smithereens.

And Ruby was forced to watch every second of the torture, her heartstrings breaking one by one as her years of work were shattered bit by bit.

The mangled remains of her weapon was used as a branding poker to burn her number into her neck.

She was dubbed R725.

A weak right hand rubbed against the burn mark on her neck. It wasn’t healing, not properly. Something was stopping it.

Some time after that she had found out what happened to the other villagers. 

And what she was supposed to do. 

Weeks without food and water, not a single cookie in sight. Sometimes she’d get those visions of people coming to rescue her, but that man. The purple eyed man always came forward to show her just how futile it was. They came at random, and with such frequency that... Ruby honestly didn’t know if anyone was left. What if one of those wasn’t an illusion? What if Yang really was gone? What if Weiss was... What if Qrow and her mom had...

it slowly broke her, day by day.

But what hurt the most was what she could no longer remember. Not fully, anyway. It was like they had all gone blurry, face removed, backgrounds darkened. He used his... whatever it was... to take them from her. The day she was accepted to Beacon? Gone. The first bite of her mother’s cookies? Gone. She couldn’t even remember what a cookie tasted like. 

She couldn’t remember Zwei’s face either.

And the beatings. Those memories were always left fresh. He didn’t take those away from her. When she didn’t do what he said, he’d hit her. And she would bleed. She would bruise. She would break. And it wouldn’t heal. Not the way it normally did. It would take days, even months. Less if they medicated her. And sometimes they did. When he beat her too close to death.

All it took was time. To reduce Ruby Rose into a broken heap. The once prideful warrior, a future huntress and leader of her team. Was just R725.

And that was when she was brought into the Room. 

There were... several men there. They looked quite rich. And old. And ugly. And they made her do... things. Like the things she read about in Blake’s books. To them. To herself. To a few of them at once. To all of them at once.

But the worst part?

The time she went into the Room, she remembered locking eyes with him. The purple eyed man. And she felt... compelled. Compelled to listen. To do what they said. Part way through it? She didn’t realize he’d let go of his influence over her. She didn’t realize that when they asked to put it in... that she could have said no.

They took it from her. What she had been saving for someone special.

And they took it again and again.

For she didn’t know how long.

Was it weeks or months? She couldn’t tell. There was no sunlight in here. Just the bleak walls. When she wasn’t in the Room she was in her cell, wrapped up in the sackcloth and her cloak. What was once pristine and white was soon dirtied by soot and dirt, and even then...

She was told to go to the Room wearing it.

And while they were... her. They tore it. Ripped it. They knew that it mattered to her. Even as she struggled to save it. They didn’t stop. They made her bleed. And when they were done with her, they threw the tattered remains on her. Told her to stay warm. That they’d be back to play later.

That was what finally broke her completely. Any time she was sent to the Room, she would still struggle. Even if it did nothing. They were too strong for her. They would pin her down. Take what they want. And leave her to cry. She only found solace in a simple song, a song she ended up singing to herself until she fell asleep every night. Focusing on it was the only way to cope. To keep her hope.

But when the cloak was gone, so was her hope. And with that, her tears.

The purple eyed man stopped showing her visions then.

They weren’t needed.

***

Outside the complex, it was utter chaos. One bandit managed to call up the captain on his radio, but his chest was blown open in the middle of the call.

By the time he got outside, it was utter carnage. Purple eyes scanned the bodies, searching for survivors, and-     

“C-captain... Fuchsia...”

“What’s going on, Ceru?” called out the captain, one hand on his sword, the other supporting his fallen underling. Never before had he seen his men so thoroughly beaten, a great deal mangled beyond recognition. 

As the last lights of life left the wounded grunt’s light blue eyes, all she could manage was a gurgled, “The e-eye... th-those sil-ver eyes...”

***

A figured was approaching the holding cells, only one goal in her mind. Finding the person she cared most about in this world.

And there she was, huddled in the corner of her cell, shivering from the cold. She cradled her bruised and battered left arm, holding it close to her body, be it for warmth or some semblance of comfort. Clothed in nothing but the mangled tatters of an old white cloak and silver shackles around her wrists.

Her voice was low and raspy, as if she had lost it several times over.

Yet she seemed to be singing, a low, haunting melody, like a mantra, as if the song itself was the only thing keeping her sanity. And yet, it seemed routine. Without emotion. Completely dead inside.

“Re-Red like r-roses fills my dreams a-and brings me to the place you r-rest...”

Perhaps she sensed the approaching figure, or maybe it was the creak of a floorboard or a simple drip of water. But it caused her to turn her head towards the noise as she continued.

“W-White is... M....Mom?”

A pause. She dropped her gaze back to the floor.

“N...no... you’re n-not here... it’s a-another... trick...”