#Philip the Wax Artist

[pseudovillain]

Is this a fucking archetype or what? Like why are there so many tall twinks with a dead sister and a weird obsession with "human beauty"?

note: I am not implying in any way that Philip or Arthuro are incestuous like Korekiyo. Please don't interpret it like that.

[otakusparkle]

Only 5 days left until the 6th anniversary of Identity V!

The past is colored in pictures. With despair and burning desire in his heart, the Hunter wields his blade today as well!

Thank you mono96ism (Twitter) for the wonderful illustration!

[theprinceandthewitch]

I don't think I mentioned this... but in Ashes of Memory, Alice receives a letter from Orpheus addressed as "Eury Lamb"

Lamb is the last name of the man who adopted her and experimented on her. It also serves as a reference to Little Girl's "Source of Evil" cosmetic, which is lamb themed.

"Eury" is a reference to Eurydice. People have theorized "Eury Lamb" is the name her adoptive father, Villhelm Lamb gave to her to keep her true identity a secret. But that's not rlly relevant...

What is relevant is that this makes Orpheus' alias choice even MORE obvious he loves Alice... this mans got romantic interest in her...

People who use that adoption letter as proof that the writers want you to view their relationship as sibling-like are so cringe. That letter is literally the direct opposite of "sibling-like".

Folks missed the part called "context": Orpheus [who was 17 at the time] knew she was being abused at the orphanage and tried to get her out in the least stressful way possible... and he couldn't even adopt her to begin with because the orphanage thought it would be best for her to be taken in by a blood relative. Which was a lie, because they ended up giving her to Villhelm Lamb to be used as his lab rat.

Like idk man... the writers have made it so abundantly clear Orpheus doesn't see her as a sister. That One letter doesn't prove he sees her as a sibling because if they wanted to make them siblings... then.... they would have... ya know, made them siblings... but they don't because.... they're not siblings and they're writing a tragic romance LMAO.

As for Alice, in AoM she calls him a playmate... granted she doesn't know Orpheus and her playmate are the same person, but she remembers him as her friend and not her brother... because.... they were never adopted siblings...

But yeah It's so crazy to think Orpheus doesn't love her... I'm over here losing my mind at That Scene in AoM where Orpheus asks Alice if she could play a song for him on her father's favorite piano.

What gets me is that this scene shows how much Orpheus missed her. He buys everything her relatives sold off so he can rebuild the mansions' interior to how it was when they were children. He also goes out of his way to fix her father's favorite piano. The piano didn't just need fine tuning - it was straight up destroyed during the raid. It was a really, really expensive thing to repair. Even though Alice's father had other pianos, some of which could have survived the raid, he rebuilds the one which holds alot of sentimental value to her... LIKE???

REALLY... You guys really want me to think Orpheus did all this JUST out of a sense of guilt for unintentionally causing the raid? You are rlly gonna look me in the eyes and tell me Orpheus using "Orpheus" as his alias while addressing Alice as "Eury" is totally platonic?

Are u rlly gonna say that to me knowing this official artwork made Norton and Melly wear their Pluto and Proserpina/Persephone outfits while Frederick, Orpheus, and Alice are dressed normally? My brother in Christ... will you rlly look me in the eyes and tell me Orpheus [AND THE BIRDS] holding flowers is platonic symbolism...

THIS ISN'T EVEN SUBTLE LOOOOL

How much more evidence do people need that these two aren't siblings AND they're on a whole romantic journey together...

[kekeiraa]

"I'll believe it all, I won't let go of your hand"

[chemenhoe]

Do you remember that i'm philitonio fan? I tried to draw fanskins with them, maybe i will do more sketches with these skins

[skylarsblue]

✦Who I Write For✦

Rules

(This will be added too over time)

SLASHERS

⭑Bo Sinclair ⭑Vincent Sinclair ⭑Lester Sinclair ⭑Michael Myers (OG, 2007, & Gramps) ⭑Thomas Hewitt ⭑Bubba Sawyer ⭑Jason Voorhees ⭑Ghostface (Billy & Stu) ⭑Tiffany Valentine ⭑Brahms Heelshire ⭑Billy Lenz ⭑Carrie White ⭑Baby Driftwood ⭑Otis Driftwood ⭑Pyramid Head ⭑Herbert West (if a male/masc reader) -Bonus- ⭑Carly & Nick; House of Wax ⭑Sydney; Scream

Dead By Daylight

♢Evan MacMillan - The Trapper ♢Anna - The Huntress ♢Max Thompson Jr. - The Hillbilly ♢Sally Smithson - The Nurse ♢Herman Carter - The Doctor ♢Ji Woon Hak - The Trickster ♢Danny Johnson - The Ghostface ♢Philip Ojomo - The Wraith ♢Amanda Young - The Pig ♢Rin Yamaoka - The Spirit (only SFW) ♢Kazan Yamaoka - The Oni ♢Frank Morrison - The Legion ♢Susie Lavoie - The Legion (only SFW) ♢Julie Kostenko - The Legion ♢Joey - The Legion ♢Adiris - The Plague ♢Caleb Quinn - The Deathslinger ♢Carmina Mora - The Artist ♢Sadako Yamamura - The Onryo (only SFW) ♢Tarhos Kovacs - The Knight ♢Adriana Imai - The Skullmerchant ♢Nemesis - The Nemesis -Bonus- ♢Jill Valentine ♢Leon Kennedy ♢Cheryl Mason ♢Carlos Oliveria ♢Claudette Morel ♢Bill Overbeck ♢Vittorio Toscano

Our Life; Beginnings & Always

❧Cove Holden ❧Derek Suarez ❧Baxter Ward ❧Elizabeth Last (x readers for non-sibling characters) ❧Kyra Preece ❧Tamarack Baumann ❧Qui "Autumn" Lin

Beetlejuice

⚂Lawrence Beetlegeuse Shoggoth ⚂Lydia Deetz (only SFW) ⚂Adam Maitland ⚂Barbara Maitland ⚂Ms.Argentina

Call of Duty; Modern Warfare

✚Simon "Ghost" Riley ✚Johnny "Soap" MacTavish ✚John Price ✚Kyle "Gaz" Garrick ✚Alejandro Vargas ✚Rodolfo "Rudy" Parra ✚Valeria Garza ✚Alex Keller ✚Farah Karim ✚Nikolai ✚Konig ✚Horangi

Random

❦Eddie Brock & Venom (2015) ❦Frankenstein's Monster - Mary SHelly ❦Classic Monsters; Dracula, Werewolves, etc. ❦Krampus(yes you read me) ❦Y/N from Stuck on A Childhood Crush/Friend & Killer (aka Cordelia)

Yes that's write. You can have your Y/N x Reader fics now.

[longlistshort]

Mark Georgiades, “Ghost of the Abandoned Bride”, Metal Steel and copper

Shelly Steck Reale, “The Fate You Choose”, Ceramic, wood, moss

Spooky season has begun and Florida CraftArt’s current exhibition Ghost Stories, curated by Catherine Bergmann (Curatorial Director of Dunedin Fine Art Center), is a perfect way to start celebrating.

The following artists are featured in the exhibition: Alegrobot, Demeree Barth, Karen Brown, Wendy Bruce, Joyce Curvin, Creative Clay, Coralette Damme, Katie Deits, Ed Derkevics, LA Finfinger, Eric Folsom, Janet Folsom, Mark Georgiades, Kristina Gintautiene, Erin Griffin, Cort Hartle, Judy Heady, Emma Hobbs, Pam Jones, Polly Johnson, Tyler Jones, Janna Kennedy, Traci Kegerreis, Betsy Lester, Cindy Linville, Richard Logan, Trent Manning, Francine Michel, Elizabeth Neily, Jacqueline Philip, Nick Reale, Shelly Steck Reale, Christine Renc-Carter, Jennifer Rosseter, Addie Rodriguez, Cooky Schock, Donna Slawsky, and Brandy Stark.

On Thursday, 10/5/23, in partnership with Keep St. Pete Lit, a group of local writers will be telling ghost stories at the gallery inspired by pieces from the exhibition. The reading will take place at 6pm.

Below are a few more selections-

Work by Alegrobot, Hand sculpted paper clay, acrylic paint

Janet Folsom, “Apparitions”, Mixed media (top left); Eric Folsom, Gravestone, bronze on marble; Donna Slawsky, (top right) “The Devil’s Work”, Stained glass, beads, and Creative Clay, Stephanie,(bottom right) “Monkey Dreams”, Mixed Media

About Creative Clay, who contributed several works to the exhibition-

“Creative Clay achieves its mission by providing ongoing studio arts workshops for individuals with disabilities five days per week. Creative Clay teaching artists provide students with education and experience in artistic techniques, as well as vocational skills related to the display, promotion, and sale or their expressive work.”

Katie Deits, “Haunted by the Past”, Ceramic, cotton, pencil, acrylic paint (left) and Nick Reale, “Out of the Wood” wood sculpture

Francine Michel “Mysteries of Urraca Mesa”, Water mixable oil, collage

Ed Derkevics, “Burnt Offerings”- “3 Potions” and “Jagged”- Mixed Media, recycled found objects

Janna Kennedy, “Souls and Pharmaseuticles”, 1800s Cabinet Cards, 1902 Pharmacy Ledger & Medical Ads, 19th Century Medicine Bottles

Kristina Gintautiene, “Slava”, Birch cradle board, Tissue paper, wax, oil pigments

LA Finfinger, Ghost Ceramic work (bottom left); Alegrobot, “(For the Record) he ordered the special”, Vinyl record, paper clay; Traci Kegerreis, “The Lost Lenore”, Mixed media (center top); Demeree Barth, “Remembering Sedlec Ossuary”, Clay, bullet casings, wood display stand, found objects (bottom right)

[g0blintears]

Request Rules

Salutations my little night horrors! I am Captain, and I am here to introduce to all of you to my oneshot requests! Now before we go into the requests, I would like to address a couple of rules and notes:

♡ I only write reader inserts

♡ Please specify if you want a oneshot, headcanon, or an imagine

♡ Please be specific on which characters you want me to write for (I have a list at the bottom) and if you see a character is not on the list, please don’t take it personally. I most likely have the character not on the list because I don’t think I can do them justice ;-; that’s really it lol

♡ I do write NSFW but nothing too hardcore (check list below)

♡ Most of my stories the reader is gender neutral, however, I can still write for either a f!reader or m!reader. This also includes fxf pairings and mxm pairings. Also, if a character is canonically LGBTQ+ Then I’m writing them as so 

♡ All romantic plotted characters will always be 18+ 

♡ I mostly write in second person P.O.V (you/your) but sometimes I will do third person P.O.V (she/her/him/he/they/them/etc) however, I will not write in first person (I/me/my/etc) because that just isn’t my usual style lmao

♡ I do take plot requests, however, I may tweak it a bit depending on how specific you are with the details so if you want something specific, please, be specific 😭

♡ AU's are also accepted. So fantasy AU, Soulmate AU, modern day AU, etc are fine by me

♡ I will possibly take only 10 requests at a time, but I can't promise I'll write them all since I do have other stories I’m working on :’) Writing oneshots is honestly just more for practice and to satisfy any story idea I probably can’t turn into a full chapter book lmao 

♡ When it comes to my yandere stories, I want to be clear that I am extremely against the romanticization of toxic relationship and mental health. So please remember not to seek out these kind of relationships in real life or show some of these ‘yandere’ tendencies to your significant other. The stories I write are just that: stories. Fiction. These relationships are toxic and not healthy. If you do find yourself in these kind of relationships, please seek out a domestic abuse hotline near you

♡ I also don’t just write yandere stories. I am down for a normal healthy relationship and platonic friendships/found family and fluff

I Will Write

Yandere (stalking, pervy, obsessive, possessive, the whole sha-bang)

Pegging | femdom

BDSM: Knife play | wax play | bondage | marking (scratching, biting)

I Won’t Write

Watersports | vomit | scat

Pedophilia

Incest

Mental illnesses

Vore

Beastiality

Fandoms/Characters I Write For:

Games

₊˚⊹ Dead By Daylight

Killers: Trapper/Evan MacMillan | Hillbilly/Max Thompson Jr. | Wraith/Philip Ojomo | Doctor/Herman Carter | Shape/Michael Myers | Huntress/Anna | Cannibal/Bubba Sawyer | Pig/Amanda Young | Legion/Susie,Julie,Frank,Joey | Plague/Adiris | Ghostface/Danny Johnson | Oni/Kazan Yamaoka | Deathslinger/Caleb Quinn | Executioner/Pyramid Head | Trickster/Ji-Woon Hak | Artist/Carmina Mora |

Survivors: Dwight Fairfield | Meg Thomas | Claudette Morel | David King | Jake Park | Feng Min | Nea Karlsson | Laurie Strode | Ace Visconti | Quentin Smith | Kate Denson | Adam Francis | Jeff Johansen | Jane Romero | Steve Harrington | Yui Kimura | Zarina Kassir | Felix Richter | Élodie Rakoto | Yun-Jin Lee | Jill Valentine | Leon Kennedy | Mikaela Reid | Yoichi Asakawa | Haddie Kaur | Vittorio Toscano | Thalita Lyra | Renato Lyra | Gabriel Soma | Sable Ward

₊˚⊹ Mortal Kombat

Kung Lao | Sub-Zero | Raiden | Liu Kang | Johnny Cage | Mileena | Reptile | Smoke | Kenshi | Scorpion |

Shows/Movies

₊˚⊹ Slashers

Scream: Ghostface [Stu, Billy] | Texas Chainsaw Massacre: Leatherface | Child’s Play [Charles Lee Ray] |

Animes

₊˚⊹

Other

₊˚⊹

With all of that said, I hope you enjoy my stories :)

[mywifeleftme]

282: Entourage Music and Theatre Ensemble // Ceremony of Dreams: Studio Sessions & Outtakes 1972–1977

Ceremony of Dreams: Studio Sessions & Outtakes 1972–1977 Entourage Music and Theatre Ensemble 2018, Tompkins Square (Bandcamp)

Still wildly underknown given the transporting beauty of their compositions, there is a world next door to this one where Baltimore’s Entourage Music and Theatre Ensemble is as popular a soundtrack for meditation and study as Steve Reich or Philip Glass are in our own. Their music lies somewhere between modern chamber music and progressive folk, with a dash of jazz, and it was often used to score experimental dance and theatre productions. The band released two albums in the 1970s on Folkways before dissolving following the death of bandleader Joe Clark in 1983. Most probably their obscurity came from practicing their craft outside a major cultural centre; if anything, the 1,600 monthly listeners they command on Spotify represents wider exposure than they enjoyed in their prime.

Ceremony of Dreams, available in a three-hour digital format or an abridged ten-track vinyl, collects material that didn’t make it onto either of their Folkways records. Compared to Entourage and The Neptune Collection, these tracks are a little less playful, less overtly experimental in their production; they weren’t after all recorded specifically for release as an LP. But even in its condensed wax form, I can speak to the quality of Ceremony’s sober reveries, the lot of it grey or ghost-haloed yet coruscating, like black and white footage of waves crashing at night. Rather than a mere trove of demos, it meaningfully expands on their discography.

The Pitchfork review does a better job of namedropping comparable artists than I have the chutzpah for today (Arvo Pärt, Bert Jansch, La Monte Young, John Cale, Sandy Bull, raga like in general), but if you have a taste for open-concept acoustic music, Ceremony of Dreams is a sure shot.

(As an aside though: It's either endearing or grownworthy that the Entourage boys still have the classic doofy musician dude sense of humour that compels them to give these ethereal compositions "Lick My Lovepump"-ass names like "Sleazy Sue" and "Necrophelia.")

282/365

[idv-hc-center]

Yandere Philippe x reader hcs

Guess who wrote yandere Philippe hcs bc idk i felt like it

also i have no idea whether you spell it Phillip or Philip

warnings: yandere behavior, mention of kidnaping and murder, mention of the lost of the loved one, manipulation

Philippe would be one of the most dangerous yanderes in the manor

Probably even more dangerous than Wu chang

Yes, he would be extremely loving and affectionate, but he wouldn't stop himself from using every method to make you, his

First, he would begin to manipulate you, saying how others could easily hurt you and you are safe only when he is nearby

Though in his mind, it wouldn't be really a manipulation. He would genuinely believe that

Every person that wanted to take you away would be on the same level as a criminal who could hurt you

and he couldn't let that happen

Philip would be more concerned about others hurting you than trying to steal you away

Well, of course, he would be furious if he learned someone had fallen for you and actively tries to take you away

but still, the first thing he would be worried about is that they will for sure hurt you

Jealousy is in the second place for him

He would hundred percent kidnap you to "keep you safe"

The world outside is so dangerous, and he already lost someone so close to him

He can't let that happen again

He would guilt trip you pointing at his sister

"See! I've already made one mistake, so don't let me do another one and stay with me."

"Look what happened to her! I can't let that happen to you too."

Sometimes you swore he looked like he was about to cry

Although you wouldn't be ever sure if it was genuine or another manipulation tactic

Even if you accepted his feelings without him needing to kidnap you or manipulate you, he would still become obsessed with you and would find any reason to kidnap you

"Other will only hurt you. You are only safe with me."

"Why are you looking at me like that? I'm just making sure I won't do the same mistake again."

He would surely kill for you

He sees anyone that threatens his relationship with you as a wolf who could hurt his innocent lamb

and he would do anything to stop that from happening

I see him doing a mold of their deceased face to show you, in hopes, you would be proud of him for keeping you safe

"See? I took care of them! Now they won't be a problem, darling."

Whenever you would cry, he would try to calm you down with kisses and loving words saying he only wants your safety

If you tried to run away, he would beg you not to do that ever again

"You need to understand how dangerous are people out there! I saw them! I studied them! You should listen to me!"

He actually wouldn't be able to hurt you in a physical way. He can't be on the same level as those wolves he is trying to protect you from

but if you were good and wouldn't try to escape, he would shower you with affection and love

Finally, you understand him and that he has only good intentions!

He knew you would understand!

Now you can be happily ever after

[otakusparkle]

The official Global X account has over 250K followers! 🎉

Thank you everyone for your continued support!

Official art by heewon2123 (Twitter)

[amebelladonna]

I like how the French ppl in IDV aren't even really French in some ways

Joseph moved to England as a child and pretty much stayed there growing up.

Mary's born Austrian.

Galatea's name is Greek (tbh, it caught a lot of ppl off guard that she's even french tbh, nothing mentioned it right until her deductions came out)

Vera is probs the only exception to this. (Girl looks way too French)

There's also Philip, and while we have yet to determine his origins, I think it's safe to assume that he's French for the meantime, based on his trailer (although the person he's seemingly based upon was Swiss.)

In conclusion, Baguette Mary jokes aren't funny unless it's Stageplay Mary /j

[karrokake]

Ah shoot! I forgot to post this, well here it is now!

[chemenhoe]

So so, i want to ask, what do you think about ship... Antonio x Philip? Phitonio, HEHE. Just i'm writing fanfic about them and want end art with them. Maybe you will see final result

[waxxingpoetics]

Catalyst.

cat·a·lyst /ˈkad(ə)ləst/

noun a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without itself undergoing any permanent chemical change. "chlorine acts as a catalyst promoting the breakdown of ozone" a person or thing that precipitates an event. "the governor's speech acted as a catalyst for debate"

The strings of cooling wax pull at their newly joined frame, and across from their view is what once held the corpse of her delicate frame; he committed to his words, and by giving his life, they both yet live as one.

A smile like sunshine, and eyes to warm the cold from one's heart; what motive would drive someone to take a person like that out of this already cruel world?

If he hadn't left her, maybe then he could have done something, anything- or if he invited her to travel with him, she wouldn't have been able to dedicate herself to the art, but she would have been safe. She could have been safe.

Though he wasn't as knowledgeable on Alchemic research, their late father left more than a few simple books of his private research behind; an unlicensed doctor, though he'd simply call himself a man-with-a-few-tricks-up-his-sleeves. Saying so could only keep him out of trouble for so long.

He'll never be able to live to become what their mother would have wanted for them, that much is obvious to him.

The weight of his choices that led to this - to her end - how peaceful she looked, but knowing she endured more pain in death. Whether she found peace, or her killer decided to change her expression, he'll never truly know. All he's known is his own selfish convictions that, as much as he'd have argued back then could save lives, he's realized it will only continue to take lives.

🕯️

As she lies there in the center, she can feel the burning erupt from her chest like the butterflies she'd get as a child; she could breathe back then, but any attempt to breathe now felt hollowed from her dull lungs. There is a taste of blood rushing down her tongue and throat, and a familiar hum reaches her ears, and a familiar hand pets her cheek.

"Did you bite your tongue again, Marie? Poor thing," the voice of her mother like a low cooing as she runs fingers through her hair, "We'll get you something cold to drink on the way home, alright? Your brother should be getting off the train with your Uncle any minute now."

The butterflies in her chest... It’s because she’s excited to see her brother. That must be it, right?

🕯️

Whatever it was latched to his throat, gulping and lapping at his throat, drinking the life from him - though it was using his sister's body - it wasn't her. He knew that when arranging the circle it wouldn't be her, but maybe - just maybe - it could be.

He'd use himself as a catalyst to give her that chance to live again. To find the culprits who wronged her and know they will meet a swift justice.

The whistling of a steam train lulls him into the darkness.

🕯️

"Pip, my boy! You look well, your mother and sister are waiting, where's your luggage?" A rough pat on the back as his gaze greets his Uncle’s, though he looked younger than when he last saw him. "Uncle?" He nearly hugs the man, but the sharp sting on his neck reminds him something's wrong. He's here for something else, but he's starting to struggle to remember. It would be easier to give up, wouldn't it?

"What's 'at goin' on with your neck, son?" He didn't feel his Uncle's hand touch his neck, but the glove he's wearing is covered in blood, and they're both alarmed.

The creature that had been drinking him down in reality shrieked in horror, only to be muffled by the gargling and coughing of wax pouring from its throat. It sounded so far away now.

His mother and sister are here too? They could all go home? Was everything else just a fading nightmare?

If that were the case, then.. He wants that terribly.

And just as he thinks to reach for his Uncle's hand, it's instead taken by a stranger. A woman presumably of age with dark hair and green eyes just like his.

The grip on his hand she has hurts, and he thinks to fight back, but when their eyes meet, he remembers a face he’s not properly met.

"Pip!"

Their family sounds so far away too now, but he recognizes the woman before him, even as her youth tries to run up behind her. When they were younger, things were so much simpler. Happier. The carefree smile, like sunlight, so very unlike the callous sneer her burnt face at her time of passing offers now.

"Do you realize what you've done, Phillipe?" the woman's voice a harsh whisper, "Even now you're so selfish- I was fine, but you had to pull me back out."

The scenery around them feels as though it's fading, and instead of gripping his hand, she's got both hands on his throat, "I couldn't stand that you were alone when you left too. So, fine. Have it your way, but we have to be quick. They don't have extra tickets for where we're going, and if you bleed out, there will be nothing left for us to return to both ways."

And like that, the train station scenery returns, and just as the ghost of their Uncle tries to stop them, they're running off, hopping into an elevator to escape.

🕯️

"How far does the elevator go, uhh.. Down? Up?" Phillipe's gaze is pensive, watching as the scenery changes multi-directional up, down, side to side, but there's not necessarily a sense of gravity to indicate whether they genuinely going one direct or another.

"Forever," his sister replies simply, and he echoes it with shock, but she doesn't say anything in reassurance. Her voice is even and colder than he's ever heard it, even moreso when she speaks again, "By the way, you won't need that where we're going."

Of course, he blinks dumbly, "... Won't need what?"

"Our childhood. It will do nothing for what we're about to do, and it's bothering me you're clinging to it."

Only then does he realize that he's shorter than usual, and he's wearing the boys' school uniform and a knitted jumper.

"I.. I don't know what you mean. I don't know how to let that go."

She grimaces at his answer, "Fine... If you're going this far, I guess you might as well take it with you, but if it drags us down, I'll rip it from you myself."

He knows she has every right to be enraged, particularly with him too, but her fury is so much more than he recalls her ever being. She always cried when she was angry, but there are no tears now.

Has he underestimated her? Or have her scars changed her even in death?

The rest of their trip on the elevator is silent.

🕯️

Finally reaching their destination, the two arrive upon the same train station scene, but their parents no longer in sight.

"It should be safe to board a train now," his sister leads the way, holding the car door open for her brother who tentatively considers for, only a moment, running from her and going back to that dream.

"I wanted to stay too," her voices slices through his thoughts as if she knows exactly what he's thinking, "but.. I can't be her anymore, as much as I wish I could be. This place is just eternity, neither heaven nor hell, and though I have only been deceased for a short while, I feel like I have lived as many fulfilling lifetimes as I can here."

And as she speaks, he's watching the burnt scars on her face recede for a moment, but it returns in an instance.

And he can't help but feel selfish in this endeavour.

But to stop here-

"There's no turning back the moment you set foot on this train, Phillipe, but your body won't survive much longer either. I need you to tell me right now that this is really what you want. I've made my choice, but I can't get on this train with you unless I know for absolute certainty that you have no regrets."

To stop here would be even more selfish; even if he's burnt out and hollowed, "I feel.. Ashamed. Incredibly selfish- you've said it twice now that you had left me alone, but I'm the one who left you behind, on your own, Marie. I'm the one who did that to you. If you say you've made your choice, then to turn around on you now, I... I can't do that. Not again."

He steps onto the train, and holds out a hand, "Watch your step when boarding the train, miss." She scoffs, but follows suit, hand in his.

"Good sir gentleman, you are too kind," she says in a delicate tone, but the force of her hands when she shoves him aside to get ahead of him is enough to startle him. But at least he recognized her as his sister in that moment.

Behaviour like that made it hard for her to find anyone suitable to stand next to her as a partner, and just the same for him. It was difficult to find a woman who could speak their minds like his mother, like his sister.

She can still be herself.

But can he say he's still himself?

"This one's free of people, come on."

🕯️

"... You know, I'm surprised I haven't seen anyone come 'round askin' to see tickets- I know this train isn't really, uhh... It's not a conventional train, but I was expecting we'd have to hide until they passed us or something."

The unimpressed look on his sister's face is enough to shut him up, but she grumbles, "You're right, but I already have that covered."

"You do?"

"Yea, they only ask about tickets if unauthorized passengers have boarded, but it doesn't seem like any have- which is surprising, there are plenty of nefarious entities that will sneak aboard the trains to escape one direction or another."

"Happens regularly?"

He's too busy looking out the window into a fogged over scenery; places he sometimes thinks he recognizes, and others that delight the senses.

"Phillipe," her voice is shaken when she speaks, pulling his gaze from the window only to notice that, right next to her is-

Well, it's herself, but in her youth. The very same one he briefly saw at the train station.

Before he has a chance to process what's happening, or ask why her youth has suddenly appeared on the train, seated neatly next to her, he's met with the horror of watching her grab herself by the throat and pin her to the seat.

"No! How dare you," she reels back a fist, "I left you there! I left you there for your own safety, I left you!" He can't recognize her in her fury anymore, lunging forward to take the blow instead.

"Phillipe, get out of the way!"

"No."

"Phillipe, I said move!"

"Only if you let her go-... I'm not going to let you do this, I don't know what's happening, but I can't let you do this to yourself!"

"This has nothing to do with you!"

"What's happened to you? Why can't I recognize my sister?"

She punches him again.

"I wasn't there, I know, I can't change that, but I'm here now! I won't imagine what you've gone through, but I want to be here for you! Even if it's selfish- I realize everything I've done since arriving here has been selfish, but please-!"

That one actually hurt, she may have even fractured his jaw, but the adrenaline has numbed him

"Why are you so angry right now??"

"You could never understand!"

"Tell me, and let me try!"

"I.." Her voice breaks, "I don't want to!" The grip on her youth loosens, retreating from the both of them to curl in on herself in the booth corner, "I can never have it back, Phillipe. She is everything good, and I want that part of me to be able to... I don't know- I don't know," she's coming undone, reduced to sobs.

He turns his attention to her youth instead, who is also balled up, sobbing, ".. You're both crying, and I still don't get it, but... Marie, I don't know why you tried to leave her behind, but, well...

"Actually, I think I do get it, just a little bit. Self-preservation of a sort. If you had to go back into that ugly world, the very same world that killed you, the very same ugly world where you were left on your own, you...

"You'd want to cut the part of you that felt good in life from experiencing hurt ever again."

Gingerly at first, he reaches for her, and holds her close.

"Getting over trauma doesn't happen over night, but I promise I'm not going anywhere. And I'll be here with every step you take the same way you'll be with me every step I take. Together."

The sobbing coming from behind him ends, leaving his sister's sobs to remain the only noise among his shushing.

She starts to hum the familiar tune their mother sang to them until they fell asleep, and he joins to harmonize.

"Passengers are recommended to remain seated in their booths as we head into the mountains."

The both of them continue humming in the dark of the mountain tunnel, until it's one voice.

The lighting returns, and seated there with burn scars is a lone figure resembling both of the siblings one way or another.

"Ticket please?" A coach attendant stands at their booth door, and without missing a beat, they remove the single ticket from a pocket.

"Looks good. Yers is the next to go, but don't feel shy about headin' off early."

"Early?"

"Aye, I mean... There's no real stops on 'ere, mate, ye' leave when ye've got yerself sorted. S'a bit confusin' affirst, but don' go worryin' yer head over it. S'not like ye'll be here much longer."

"Oh..." They blink a bit dumbly.

"Anywhat'sits, thank ye' fer ridin' the Ferry with us today. Good luck out there. I think ye'll be needin' it."

And just like that, they wake up in the room the original ritual took place in, sickly and worn out from the blood loss.

The strings of cooling wax pull at their newly joined frame, and across from their view is what once held the corpse of her delicate frame; he committed to his words, and by giving his life, they both yet live as one.

[sofiaazbravo]

Bueno gente no sé si está bueno pero cuando el canal oficial de Identity V saque sus habilidades veré si vale la pena comprarlo y si lo valle pues Wu Chang tendrá que esperarse otros dos meses 😓👌