#add on blistering and maybe some salt in the wounds | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

ambersky0319 · 5 years ago

Note

A sequel idea to the prompt about Res kidnapping Logan! He's now the official local kidnapper as he takes Roman this time, using his own Imagination against him by keeping him in his own castle/fortress. The other Sides try to get in but it's too fortified so they call Remus, who only JUST heard that his brother was kidnapped. They may fight, but it's his brother. No one but him can mess with Roman ❤️💚 Please end it with a happy ending 😅

Pairings: Roman/Patton/Virgil (I don't remember the ship name) and background Loceit - note, no ship is in the spotlight for this

Warnings: Heavy Roman Angst, Embodiment of Repression, knives, torture, blood, injuries, deaths of dragons and guards, lmk if I need to add anything else!

Sidenote: This is mostly angst with like, a tiny bit of fluff at the end. I’ d still count it as a happy end 😅 ... You have been warned tho

Masterpost

------------------------------

Res tilts his head, watching the prince in his slumber. He was surprised by just how easy it was to even capture him. Wasn't he supposed to be a hero, never being the one needing saving? Honestly, Res was a bit disappointed at how easy it was to snatch him away. No struggle, easy to knock out and disappear with. It was even less fun than kidnapping Logan! And no one even noticed Logan was gone until he had sent a note to Deceit!

It was also far too easy to control the prince's section of the Imagination. Just take Roman's sword. Res had assumed that's where Roman's ability had been since the prince always had the sword with him no matter what. But anyone being able to use it? Res hadn't expected that.

Also, Roman was so boring to watch. At least Logan had given him a surprise and woken up early. Roman had exceeded the time that he was supposed to be up by three hours.

Res glanced out the window, into the city beyond. About two dozen dragons were around the castle walls, having already been there when Res had arrived. Res had only made them a bit more... hostile, to any trespassers. And the city remained untouched by him. After all, Res didn't really care about them. Just the castle being fortified.

Which is why the guards were on high alert and created to keep anyone out at any cost. The moat around the prince's castle, originally containing a few dolphins to swim around, was now boiling, hot enough to burn with even a few drops.

There were some more traps inside the castle, some that Roman had already put there for his own protection against his brother. Res didn't bother to look too closely at them.

Res perked up when he heard a small groan, whipping around to face the side currently tied to a chair in chains. The chains were melded together instead of combined with any locks. Mostly so Res could watch as Roman made a futile attempt to struggle.

"Aw, aren't you cute, thinking you can just worm your way out of them?" Res cooed, approaching the side. He watched as Roman was hit with a realization that he couldn't just magic his way out of his restraints.

"Where's-"

"Your sword?" Res gestured to where the sword was, resting against the wall so Res could easily access it but also so Roman had a clear view. "Pretty idiotic to put all control of your kingdom in it, Prince." Res tilted his head, returning his gaze to Roman. "Then again, you were never the brains of Creativity."

Res walked closer to Roman and leaned into the prince's face. He pulled his scarf down to reveal his grin to Roman, before reaching out and gingerly touching Roman's cheek.

Roman flinched away from him, and Res clicked his tongue. "Aren't you such a pretty prince. But as part of our Host's ego... So fragile. I wonder how long it would take, to bring all those insecurities up. Five, ten minutes?"

Roman felt the chains tighten around his hands and feet as he continued to struggle, and it hurt. His eyes widened as pain flooded his wrists and ankles, the chains squeezing. It stopped as soon as Roman stopped struggling, but they remained tight, leaving Roman's bones aching softly.

"But that's not what's gonna be the most fun." Res stated as a knife fizzled into existence in his hand. Res removed his scarf with his free hand, discarding the garment so he wouldn't get any blood on it. "Do you want to know what'll be more fun than watching you sob over every insecurity you have proved to be correct?"

Res used the knife to tilt Roman's chin up, raising a brow and waiting for Roman to answer. Roman clenched his jaw, mouth remaining shut. After a few more beats of silence - though all Roman could hear was his heart racing - Res decided to answer his own question.

"It's going to be watching you experience true pain for the first time. It's going to be thrilling, right, Roman?"

As Res hissed out Roman's name, Roman's chest began to ache horribly and it forced a whimper from Roman. Doubt and fear and guilt and loneliness clouded his mind all at once and his heart felt heavy, as though someone had lodged a rock in its place.

The overwhelming feelings drowned out the pain from the knife, suddenly slicing at Roman's collarbone.

The others had barely noticed Roman was gone until Virgil had mentioned it being quieter than usual. Remus was doing something in his little area of the Imagination, and wouldn't be around for awhile. That everyone knew. But normally Roman would fill the silence in his brother's absence.

He wasn't in his room, either. Patton had checked.

"The Imagination?" Deceit guessed. "I thought he had wanted to spend time with you and Virgil all day, though."

Logan frowned from where he lay curled up in Deceit's side. "You're not suggesting something happened to him?"

"Since when does Roman miss perfect days to cook and cuddle with his boyfriends?" Deceit asked instead, raising a brow. Logan bit his lip.

Virgil set his phone down. "I've gotta agree with Dee. Roman would've told us if he was planning on spending the day in the Imagination."

Patton set down whatever he was doing in the kitchen, wiping his hands off on a towel before entering the living room. "We can always go check. Roman did say we were always welcome!"

Deceit stretched. "I'm down."

Logan sat up, fixing his glasses as he nodded. "Let's just hope that it's nothing but a sudden burst of inspiration."

"You say that like you're thinking it's not."

"Need I remind you the last time one of us disappeared without a word, it was because some side captured them and practically tortured them? Or shall I show the faint scars to prove it." Logan's voice was sharp as he sent a light glare Virgil's way. Virgil flinched.

"Right. My bad."

Deceit took Logan's hand in his and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "I doubt Res got out again. But if he did, I can always cast him back to the Subconscious. With Virgil's help, if he can."

"I would gladly," Virgil said, getting off the couch. "Now, let's go check up on our resident royal."

Let's just say, things didn't go as smoothly as they had all hoped.

Res looked out the window when he heard the dragons, and his grin widened when he saw a few taking flight. "Well, would you look at that!" He leaned forward just a bit more. "They do care for you, just enough to come try and find you after a day. I was wrong, they do like you more than Logic."

Res waved his hand as Roman whimpered. His skin was coated in large amounts of blood, the wounds only stinging more as Res had summoned salt to drizzle into each and every cut. Tears had long since stopped falling down Roman's cheeks, and his mind felt numb. The flashes of hot pain from the bones in his wrists and ankles had stopped after Roman had tried once again to get free, effectively breaking all four of the areas chained.

The chains on his torso had been shifted so Res had better access to more of Roman's flesh, and he marked Roman with each word Roman believed he was. Correction, every negative word Roman was.

"Wonder if the others can even get past the dragons." Res gasped. "Oh! It would be wonderful if Morality was tossed into the moat! Seeing his skin blistering... I doubt the Imagination would just let him die, so he'd be in agony for a long while."

Roman squeezed his eyes shut. "Don't- don't hurt them, p-please," Roman wanted to scream, but his throat felt like it was ripped to shreds and it took so much energy to even croak out that little sentence. "Please, Res-"

"Oh, I'm not the one causing them to be hurt. The dragons are your creations, after all, Roman. I merely gave them... motivation. Their abilities were made with your own hands, so if Anxiety gets a bit scorched or Deceit a bit cut up... Truly your own fault for having dragons as security in the first place."

Res cackled as he left the window, returning to Roman. He tilted his head, bringing a bloodied hand to his chin and humming absentmindedly. Roman wasn't hyperventilating anymore, though his breathing was still shallow as the blood dripped off Roman and onto the floor. Res was glad that the Imagination refused to let Roman die.

"Not gonna fall asleep on me, are you Roman?" Res asked, a light tone to his voice as Roman glared at him halfheartedly. Anytime Res said his name, feeling came flooding back and it made it hard for Roman to breathe or even think at all.

"Good. Though, I think I need to do more. Gotta make sure you're no longer the resident pretty boy. Maybe even get Morality and Anxiety to gag at how you look." Res laughed, picking the knife back up off the floor. He made it dull, and he drove it into Roman's shoulder, earning him a quiet cry. "They'll flinch anytime they even see you, knowing how useless they were in saving you and how pathetic you were in being unable to get free yourself."

The roaring outside from the dragons quieted, and Res dragged the knife down Roman's chest and circled over Roman's heart. He didn't cut deeply, just enough to get the blood to ooze out and slide down Roman's torso. More tears arose in Roman's eyes and started to slip down his cheeks again, just causing more pain as they fell onto open cuts along his chest.

Res waited a moment, before leaning in close to Roman's ear. "Guess they didn't love you as much as they said, huh?"

Even Roman felt the others' leaving the Imagination, and that alone tore another cry up Roman's throat as he bowed his head in defeat.

Remus had finished making himself a snack when the Imagination door opened, and he looked over to it when he heard loud panting and swears. His eyes widened as the others came practically falling out from the fantasy land, out of breath and bloodied.

Wait, bloodied?

"Oh my God." Remus ditched his food and rushed over, the Imagination door slamming closed. "What the fuck happened?!"

Deceit seemed the least injured as he shoved Virgil and Patton into Remus's arms. Both flinched at the contact. "Just heal them, Rem, please." Deceit's voice was strained. It left no room for arguing. Remus frowned but nodded, hastily getting Virgil and Patton to follow him to the couch, and he set to work without asking anything.

Logan and Deceit tended to one another, luckily neither as hurt as Patton or Virgil. Remus was able to heal them up in almost an hour, the mindscape filled with nothing but silence and the occasional whimper.

And Remus didn't miss that his brother was nowhere.

Deceit had fallen asleep after Logan finished bandaging his last wound, as did Virgil and Patton. All three still looked stress even in their sleep. Logan remained awake with Remus, and Remus stared at him intensely.

"What happened, Lo? Because I know this didn't happen on my side of the Imagination!"

Logan swallowed, picking at an old scar on his wrist. "We, um. We went to Roman's castle, to see if he was there. Because we couldn't find him. But, it was heavily guarded. By dragons. They were so hostile, but they've never been like that before and something's wrong, Remus. There's something wrong."

Remus blinked, processing it. Hostile dragons? That didn't sound like Roman, but it did sound like-

"Oh, Res is going to suffer!" Remus bolted from his seat, summoning his morning star. Hope had said something had shifted on Roman's side, but he didn't think it was that kind of shift, but the orange border preventing Remus from entering, it made sense.

Logan caught Remus's arm. "You can't go there alone!"

Remus shrugged Logan off. "I can, and I will! I'm stronger than all of you in there, and besides!" Remus grinned, tilting his head with a sickening crack. "Res has messed with the wrong side of Creativity!"

Logan couldn't grab him quick enough to stop Remus from jumping into the Imagination, and Logan didn't have the energy to race after him either. Instead, Logan collapsed on the couch beside Deceit and hoped Remus would be alright.

Remus took a deep breath as the last dragon was sent hurtling towards the bubbling moat. He felt a bit bad, the creatures didn't do anything to deserve that fate. And Remus knew so as they almost seemed to scream in agony as they boiled alive.

"Okay, which tower?" Remus huffed as he started up at the castle. The guards had also been taken care of, knocked away or burned by the dragons in the confusion of trying to get to Remus. So all that left was trying to actually find Roman.

He could feel Res's power from this distance, the familiar feeling of everything and nothing as Res forced feelings to the surface. Remus nearly swore under his breath, his grip tightening on his morning star. He was going to clobber Res if it was the last thing he ever did.

The silence helped. The Imagination was eerily quiet, not even a single breeze drifted by. But it still wasn't enough for Remus to hear Res's loud, triumphant laughs. Growling in frustration, Remus charged into the castle.

It took Remus longer than he should've to find the right tower, hear the cruel laugh from a particular side. It made Remus grind his teeth that Res had turned Roman's castle into a shifting maze, though he supposed it was a tactic Res used. He ran up the stairs, the taunting voice of Res only growing louder and louder.

Remus knocked the guard standing in the doorway down the stairwell with his already bloodied weapon, and he broke the door down, I'm bothered by it's splintering. Res jumped as Remus cane rushing in, breathing heavily and a crazed look in his eye.

Meeting Remus's eyes, Res knew he was absolutely fucked if he didn't leave right then. Before Remus could even raise his morning star again, Res snapped his fingers and disappeared, presumably to his room back in the Subconscious.

Remus almost tried to follow him, too, his blood still pumping and anger still boiling just as hot as the moat. What stopped him though was seeing all the crimson on a certain princely side.

Remus's morning star clattered to the ground as he rushed in front of Roman. "Oh, fuck- Roman, please, tell me you're not dead, oh God, please." Remus received a small groan from Roman, and Remus felt momentarily relieved.

"I'm going to get you out of here, alright? You're going to be fine, Ro."

Remus set to work at undoing the chains, cringing at the awkward way Roman's limbs were angled. The bones were clearly broken, a few might even be shattered. Remus let Roman fall into him once he undid the last set of chains, catching his twin and holding him close despite Roman's whimpers.

"I'm going to take you to your room, okay?" Roman nodded just barely before he finally lost consciousness. Remus sank out soon after.

Everything hurt. Not terribly. But Roman ached all over. He couldn't remember much, well, aside from lots of orange and silver and red in his vision. And pain. Lots and lots of pain.

He groaned softly, opening his eyes. He was on something soft, and wasn't constricted anymore. Not by chains, at least. The blanket that rested on top of him was fluffy and warm against his skin compared to the metal. And it was dry, not sticky with layers of blood.

Roman's door open, and it was draining to even tilt his head. He squinted when he saw Remus carrying some water on a try, setting it on Roman's nightstand. Remus then moved the blanket, barely even noticing Roman had woken up until Roman had tried getting his attention.

"Remus?"

He felt like he was clawing his own throat as he spoke, and Remus appeared startled as he looked down at Roman. He gasped as he was met with Roman's brown eyes.

"Here! This'll help, sit up carefully though. I did my best to heal you, but you were always better at that than me." Remus held the glass of water to Roman's lips, and Roman did as told. His bones felt like they were on fire from the action, and he winced. "Sorry," Remus mumbled, before helping Roman actually drink the water.

"Your left wrist is still broken... I was too exhausted to heal it, after healing the rest of you and your boyfriends. Oh! They'll be so glad you're awake! Patton and Virgil were so worried and-"

Remus was cut off as Roman lurched forward, enveloping Remus in a hug. Despite his body feeling as though he had taken a tumble down a cliff, Roman hugged Remus tighter. He buried his face in Remus's neck, feeling his eyes water. He remembered hearing Remus, right before he blacked out. And it made sense, that Remus was there. Only Remus could scare off Res.

"Thank you," Roman croaked, starting to tremble slightly. "Thank you, Rem. Thank you."

Remus wrapped his arms gingerly around Roman, pressing a kiss to Roman's temple. "You're safe now, Ro."

Roman cried as he nodded, pressing closer to Remus.

------------------------------

Taglists

Just ask if you wish to be added, removed, or tagged/not tagged in certain content! (Pssst- Make sure to specify!)

TS Taglist

@treasureofpriam @theloveliestsweetspongy @tacochippy @anderswrites @romanknite @0beansprout0 @random-fandom-dragon @daflangstlairde @princerhubarb @that-one-ts-artist @heyitsmeimjustkindahere @aromanticandaromatic @deliciouslycrookedme @batpinkstudentpersona @avocados26 @fandomloverangel @red-eyes88 @adarkgreensoul @analogicallythinking @thatreallyawkwardpotato @insanegoldie2 @gothams-lil-sweet-potato-pie @alexkittycat1 @len-art-trash @faithyfander @an-absolute-failure @lexilucacia @o-hello-its-me @fearthesmolpotato @moxiety-my-love @thatonenerdphotographer @diadems-arewornon-capita @morrogirl9024 @thefandomnerd15 @sulphur-and-honey @aroaceagenderfluid @yalltookmyurlideas @brain-iak @sidesareathing @surohsopsisofclouds @dissappropriation @demigodbookdragon @too-many-fandoms89 @a-soul-among-the-stars @croftersgamer @thenaiads @theyluna-womoon @logic-with-a-pinch-of-deceit @willowaudreykeyes @nafsbluebery @stopitanxiety @deceitnotyeet @underthesea73 @jackscareington @askrae-the-fander @enby-ralsei @stinkyboiremus69 @cas-is-a-hunter @catolicabuena @franthehorsegir

88 notes · View notes

professorpalmarosa · 7 years ago

Text

Lord of Discord (Team Plasma - Ghetsis)

This isn’t just a bath…it’s a Plasbath!

When designing a blend for Ghetsis, my first thought was, “Whatever I do, it needs to have Patchouli in it.” And whenever I think of patchouli, I think of my favorite Lush autumn release: Lord of Misrule!

Lord of Misrule is a dark green bath bomb that is predominantly patchouli and black pepper-based, but it also contains an ingredient that typically tends to give me headaches: Vanilla Absolute. I switched that for Peru Balsam (which has a vanilla-like smell) and added Copaiba Balsam on top of that because I wanted to add some woodsy, masculine undertones to this bomb.

The end result is an aggressively energetic green bomb that refuses to be taken lightly. The Black Pepper in the blend wakes you back up after an exhausting day, the Peru Balsam cleanses your skin, the Copaiba Balsam boosts your confidence, and the Patchouli leaves you feeling like you can conquer the world…or at least Unova.

And fun fact: the white froth this bath bomb makes will hiss at you if you pull it closer to your body!

Now it’s time to talk about the pros and cons of these oils from a safety perspective…

Aromatherapy isn’t just about pretty smells and scented bath water. Essential oils are in such a high concentration that even absorbing them through your skin can leave you with the therapeutic (and potentially toxic) benefits.

If you are allergic to a plant, you are 100% without question going to be super allergic to the essential oil.

There’s also such a thing as contraindications: where some oils may affect you in weird ways if you have a certain medical condition or take certain medications.

The information below is for your safety if you want to attempt to make this blend at home (as a bath bomb, a body spray, or even scented bath salts). And do be sure to wear gloves. Some of these oils have recommended dilution rates as small as 0.4%. You don’t want that to slide on bare skin!

Patchouli Leaf Essential Oil (50% of Synergy)

If you aren’t familiar with the smell of patchouli, stoner shops tend to burn it as incense to hide the smell of cannabis. It’s spicy, smoky, and very distinct. It blends with a lot of different oils and is one of the few that actually grows stronger with age!

Patchouli Essential Oil has a familiar smell. This scent was a favorite among the Hippie Counterculture of the 1960s and we still associate it with stoners and smokers today. It covers the scent of marijuana and blends wonderfully with so many things.

It has a slight peppery aroma and is also the key ingredient in my favorite Lush fragrance (Lord of Misrule).

Pros:

Aside from being the quintessential pot deodorizer, patchouli oil is also used as medicine for colds, tumors, headaches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain.

Also, if you’re an alcoholic and suffer from chronic bad breath, patchouli oil can be used to hide the smell.

I also love the fact it can be used to increase your libido!

Cons:

Patchouli Leaf Essential Oil is generally considered to be safe, but is best avoided if you suffer from asthma. We found that one out the hard way in my family.

Black Pepper Essential Oil (20% of Synergy)

Black Pepper brings to mind the scent of black peppercorns, but without any of the sneeze factor! There are also faint floral undertones to this oil and it works wonders inside a “wake-up” blend. It’s a key ingredient in Plant Therapy’s InvigorAid, which I swear by. That synergy is like liquid brainpower.

However, I’ll be honest with you. I mainly put it in here because in one study, Black Pepper Essential Oil was determined to be a possible anti-smoking aid. You can diffuse it if you’re trying to cut your nicotine addiction!

Pros:

Black Pepper Essential Oil promotes better circulation and can improve aches and pains brought about by exercising or grueling manual labor.

It’s also a boost for blends where you want to stay alert and focused. I recommend diffusing it if you’re studying, because it’s perfect for term paper composition, cram sessions, and annoying piles of homework!

Another neat trick you can do while diffusing Black Pepper Essential Oil (and I’ve done this) is eat your favorite spicy or savory foods. It will taste even more flavorful!

Cons:

If you want to sleep tonight, don’t use Black Pepper Essential Oil before bed. This is a wake-up smell and will keep your brain active!

Keep out of the reach of children. Don’t use with children under the age of 6.

This is not a cat-safe oil.

Copaiba Balsam Oleoresin (15% of Synergy)

Copaiba is an oleoresin taken from the sap of a tree in the Copaifera genus. It’s one of the best anti-inflammatory substances on earth and has a mild, honey-like smell with woody undertones. It’s rather mild, however, so it’s best to mix it with other things and simply reap its benefits.

Pros:

Add it to your skin and hair care regimen! Copaiba Oleoresin’s astringent properties tighten the skin for a more youthful, radiant appearance. It can reduce the intensity of existing wrinkles and strengthen your skin and scalp to reduce risks of lesions with age. It’s also great for eliminating blisters, pimples, and even mild scars.

Decongest with Copaiba! This is an asthma-safe oil and also a good oil to have if you suffer from congenital congestion problems. The anti-inflammatory properties of Copaiba relax the airways and work the knots out of your muscles. Irritation may dramatically reduce.

Having a sore, rough day? Maybe Copaiba can help you! Copaiba’s analgesis properties can help loosen tight muscles, reduce pain, and even ease bad headaches.

Cheer up! Copaiba Oleoresin has often been used to break up the blues and boost your mood. Its sweet, gentle smell can be blended with other soothing oils (like Basil Linalool, Bergamot Mint, or Ho Wood) to put you in a peaceful state of mind.

Boost your immune system! Copaiba Oleoresin has a strong antibacterial nature. It can protect your skin (even if you have mild cuts) from developing an infection. Just be sure to use a carrier if you decide to apply this oil on your skin. Safe dilutions are important!

Lower your blood pressure! Copaiba’s combination of anti-inflammatory and soothing properties can help reduce tension and strain on blood vessels.

Copaiba is an antifungal oil! The terpenes inside Copaiba Oleoresin are super effective against a lot of fungi (including nail fungus and athlete’s foot). If you’ve got one of these types of infections, consider applying Copaiba to the infected area. It should speed up the healing process!

Reduce water weight and detoxify the body! Copaiba is a mild diuretic. It stimulates your kidneys and bladder to expel urine more regularly, which in turn helps your body flush out toxins.

Cons:

Like most other wood-based essential oils, this is not a cat-safe oil. Do not diffuse with a cat in the room.

Excessive use of Copaiba Oleoresin may result in stomach problems.

Essential oils should never be taken internally without first consulting your physician. This oil is for diffusion and application purposes only.

Since this oil lowers blood pressure, exercise caution if you have atherosclerosis, diabetes, low blood pressure, or a history of stroke.

Balsam of Peru Essential Oil (15% of Synergy)

Balsam of Peru is a resinous substance that comes from the Myroxylon balsamum plant. It smell is reminiscent of vanilla with a touch of clove and cinnamon. As a result, it pairs beautifully with those oils–as well as orange oils!

It’s one of the most versatile oils not only with its scent, but with its therapeutic benefits…so long as it’s done in moderation.

Note: Balsam of Peru only makes up about 15% of Lord of Discord, but you can certainly smell it. Please read.

Pros:

Balsam of Peru has been used for centuries to treat tumors, expel intestinal worms, and flush out your kidneys by overstimulating them. It’s a powerful diuretic.

Some people occasionally put Balsam of Peru directly on the skin for infected and slow-healing wounds, burns, scrapes, ulcers, rashes, and itchy areas…though I’d caution against this. Plant Therapy, the company I bought my oil from, recommends 0.4% dilution for Balsam of Peru, so definitely do NOT apply that stuff directly on your skin. Diffusing it in your tub should be OK. Just make sure the bath is full before you go in!

Some dentists use this essential oil to treat dry sockets: a painful condition that occurs when a tooth is extracted and a clot forms in the gums too soon.

It’s an immunity booster! Not only have some studies shown that Balsam of Peru can stimulate the immune system and eliminate free radicals in the body, but it’s also got strong astringent and antimicrobial properties. People can even use it to treat mites and bedbugs!

It fights your anxiety! Balsam of Peru’s calming scent contains a slew of chemicals that promote a peaceful, calm mind. It makes it easier to breathe and brings about a comforting scent.

Breathe more easily! Balsam of Peru has natural expectorant properties, making it easier for you to blow out whatever’s left of your stuffy nose or clogged-up throat. Just be sure to inhale. Don’t swallow!

Pamper your hair and scalp! Balsam of Peru can help you combat dandruff and a dry, itchy scalp.

Cons:

Despite its many benefits, Balsam of Peru is one of the most allergenic substances known to man. If you get headaches over artificial vanilla, strong perfumes, or scented things in general; chances are you’re allergic to Balsam of Peru.

Although Balsam of Peru can be used over short periods of time (never more than 1 week), people can build up a tolerance to it and suffer allergic skin reactions if the substance is abused.

If you use this essential oil, use plenty of sunblock when you go outside: especially if you have light skin. Balsam of Peru increases your sensitivity to the sun.

Do not use this essential oil if you are nursing or pregnant, as not enough is known about Balsam of Peru to say it’s safe. Ere on the side of caution.

Since Balsam of Peru is a powerful diuretic, prolonged usage of the oil may result in kidney damage (even failure). Do not use this oil if you have kidney problems. Period.

#Ghetsis #Team Plasma #Team Plasma Bath Bomb #Pokemon Bath Bomb #Lord of Discord #Skye makes bath bombs #DIY #My Stuff #ProfessorPalmarosa #Professor Palmarosa

30 notes · View notes

the-voice-of-hell · 3 years ago

Text

Rent is Theft, part 25

Read from the beginning here, read the previous chapter here. Note: My MC is a Filipina trans woman and I am not. If you have notes on that or anything else, hit me up.

***

I felt a chill. My body was too beaten to react with a shiver, but there was a chill, like my most exposed flesh was draining of blood, stung by the air with pain. But low key. My eyes stung with the salt of dried sweat as I opened them, and my nostrils burned with lingering smoke.

I forced myself to a sitting position, feeling almost too lightweight and airy, a dried piece of driftwood. My limbs were very stiff. It took a while to figure out what time of day it was - early morning, the light gray and dim, glowing like cathode ray tubes where it peeked through the windows. Smoke hung in the air from the day of burning, but I sensed that nothing was currently in flames. How much of that had I imagined? The apartment hadn’t melted completely into a coal-black abyss, so the worst of it had surely been in my head.

Leimomi. I jolted awake and staggered around the apartment, trying to call to her, my throat too dry to make a sound. She was on the bathroom floor, at first only visible to me as a sprawled mass of dark mangled hair, in parts sunk to deeper black, smoking. How had she gotten in there?

I pulled her head and shoulders up onto my lap. She was easy to slide across the floor because the sweat underneath her body didn’t dry the way it had on top. Something alarmed me badly. As I pulled, her hair was coming out in dramatic clumps. It felt like I was killing her. I gasped, the choke finally bringing enough saliva to my throat to start making sounds again. I used my voice to hyperventilate and make incoherent plaintive noises. I know what they meant. She woke up crying as well, which was a massive relief.

I kissed her mangled salty forehead, pressed my cheek there, tamped down my panic enough to make soothing noises.

“What happened to us? What’s... Am I... Where is..?”

I took the questions seriously, looking over her head and body for answers. “Your hair… You’re OK, you really are, but your hair is burned... Don’t worry, it’s OK.”

She cried and I held her, though my body ached and cramped so badly I almost spasmed with the pain. At last she calmed enough that I felt bold enough to do something, to say something beyond my soothing.

“Hey, when I say your hair is burned, I mean just your hair. It’ll grow back, your head is fine. But we should get this gross stuff off of you, honey. I’m going to run you a bath, OK? You get in and wait for me.” I choked. “I’ll geh- water too.”

I helped her into the bathtub, and she sloughed off almost all of the mass of her hair at once, leaving flimsy thin strands half glued all around her face, head, and neck. Her forehead was knotted from crying and I kissed it, wishing I could smooth it out.

Just as I was leaving to get our water, she cried, “Oh no! It’s your hair too!”

I turned to look at her and felt up my head. Some of my hair was coming loose, and I quick stepped to the mirror in panic. Please don’t be male pattern. It wasn’t as bad as hers, wasn’t bald in the front at all. Tears streaked my face again, this time in relief.

But then I felt it. Just below the crown, there was a bald area, the flesh warped and numb from a burn.

“Courtney, it’s gone. The mouth! And my hair.”

She was right. Our curses had been burned out of us. And the bald spot was low enough I could probably work with it, if it ended up as a permanent thing. “That’s good, I mean... That’s good.” I peeled myself from the mirror and smiled at her one time before going for the water again.

The grey light was already more fully formed than when I first woke, though still weak. Maybe it was an overcast morning out there. I remembered using warm saltwater to gargle when sick, and added some table salt to the first glass I poured. I gargled it, I swallowed some. As my voice healed under the effort, I spoke to Momi through the rooms. “We’re doing good, baby. We got through the worst of it! It’s good...” I trailed off, unsure if she could hear me over running water, realizing I was talking to myself more than her.

I cut off two slices of cheese and tossed them in a bowl with some chips, poured Momi a tall luke-warm glass of water, and went back to the bathroom. She turned off the water as I came in, looked at me with her big eyebrows scrunched up. As long as she still had those, I was in love. I smiled much more easily then, and sat beside the tub.

“Drink this. Kinda gargle it a little too.”

She did. “Bleh. Gross.”

“I think warm water goes down easier when you’re dehydrated like this. At least I didn’t add salt to yours.”

“Ew.”

“Heh.” I gobbled up my share of the cheese and chips, then smiled at her again.

“Why are you smiling at me so much?”

“I’m just so glad we’re done with the curses, that we’re alive. I swear, I’m gonna get more interviews, get something going. If we have to move to Kalamazoo and flip burgers, we’re going to be OK.” I wanted to help wipe away the rest of the loose hairs, but she was eating the food, drinking the water. “When you’re done I just wanna take a super quick shower before we check in on everyone else.”

“Oh god, I hope Marcie is OK.” She hugged herself.

“You can bet she is.” What could possibly be wrong with the world right then?

My gaze drifted through the smoke, took in some details as the weak sun revealed them. There were blisters and warps in every surface. The mirror’s backing was badly oxidized into rusty splotches and speckles. What the hell?

I helped wipe away Momi’s burned hairs and wrapped a scarf around her head, cancer patient style. Then I hopped into the shower and rinsed the salty crud off my bones. I heard voices in my apartment, towel-dried and put on a bathrobe as quick as I could.

There was no bedroom door to obscure me as I hopped around, trying to get ready. Methadone Mike and Deandre glanced at me a few times. At last I slouched against the door frame like Mae West. “Hey boys. How’s everybody doing today?” Momi looked embarrassed.

Deandre said, “Fit to get eaten. We just got slow roasted las’ night.”

Mike said, “That’s ta say, like, why are you in such a good mood?”

I slapped the back of my head with both hands. “Only one mouth today.”

Deandre grabbed his body and started patting himself down. “Huh.”

“I did ask you a question. You talked to anyone else yet?”

Mike said, “Uh, just to check in. Everybody’s alive except... Graeme ain’t answerin’ his door.”

I was startled, then thought better. “Sometimes in crunch time programmers’ll work overnight. Bet he isn’t even home yet. Stayed out on purpose just to beat the heat.”

“Well shit, you think everybody is cured?”

I shrugged.

“Except Graeme,” Mike added.

“Alright,” said Deandre, “Let’s find out. But look at this shit.” He gestured around the place. Every surface was blistered or warped from the heat. The air was hazy from old smoke with no way to vent. “We gotta get out of here. We’re lucky to be alive.”

I nodded eagerly and swept Momi along with us as we stepped into the hall. “This is our chance. We got through it, guys. We can walk away...”

In the hall, the lights were all dim and irregular - the light somehow blotchy. Glancing up, it looked like they had little bubbles in the glass of the fixtures. Heat damage? We went to Olivia and Knobby’s door and knocked.

Suddenly, the elevator softly chimed its presence on the floor. I glanced that way over Momi’s shoulder, expecting Grime to step out of the door looking like a semi-pleasant zombie. Instead, before the door fully slid open, a horrible animal’s head ripped free, thrashing and tossing spittle.

We all leapt at the noise. It was surging, slamming to get into the hall. The scrape and bustle coming from inside the elevator - meaty flanks beating the sides of the box, impatient hooves scratching. It was a wild boar with a head the size of my torso. The bug-sniffing pig?

“No!” I shouted, “You’re supposed to have an appointment!”

Momi dragged me out of the hall as it came in, slamming against a wall in its mad scramble. I was in an apartment, it was out of sight, but I could still hear it, still feel it in the floor - an ogre, a giant. Olivia and Knobby were bedraggled and terrified, looking like twelve year olds in their sweaty underclothes. Deandre was shoving at them, yelling something.

I found Momi’s eyes and hardly had a moment to catch my reeling mind before she was thrown against me. She had been blocking the door, and one bash from the beast sent her crashing. We scrambled to push the door back into place as the monster wound up for another attack.

Momi cried, “We need a gun!”

Deandre might have said something about that, but the pig crashed into the door again like thunder. The door was knocked off the hinges, Momi and I were mashed together under it as the monster barreled past us into the room.

My head was spinning, ears ringing, when I heard the voice of that fucking bug man out in the hall. “What’s that boy? You smell somethin’ good? Get ’em boy, get ’em!”

I tried to tell him to fuck off and die, but couldn’t breathe. I struggled to stand, slipping against the wall. To one side, the boar rampaged through Olivia and Knobby’s apartment. Right in front of me, Momi was pushing the door out into the hall like a massive shield. She smashed it against the wall and I saw a spindly white man’s arm flap behind it like a spider in death throes.

I caught my breath and she was lifting me up by an arm. We faced the living room. The boar had already annihilated the coffee table and upended every piece of furniture that remained. The children were hiding, Deandre and Methadone Mike facing it from either side, armed with stools.

“Hey!” I yelled at the thing. “We didn’t call for you!”

It whipped around to look at me, and the guys charged in. It looked mildly surprised to be stabbed from both sides, and spun in place again. This time, the power of its movement sent the guys down. Deandre was shoved back by his own stool, losing his grip and going end over end. Mike’s stool flipped away and exploded on the ceiling. His body went ragdoll to the floor and bounced.

Before I could even blink, it reached a leg over - with almost no effort at all - and drove it down onto Mike’s back with a horrible noise. He spasmed one time and fell still. It wasn’t even looking at him. It was staring at me.

The thing was so full of power, its barest movement made things explode. I knew if it touched me I’d die badly. The kitchen had a window to the living room and I tried to dive through that, hoping Momi would take the opportunity to shut herself in one of the bedrooms.

I only got my upper body through, snagging my thigh on the wall. My legs were hanging out, wagging as I scrambled to get in. The pig was so fast. I felt it crash into me, into the wall.

I think it had tried to bite my leg but missed, then when it pulled back to bite me again, its tusks flipped me the rest of the way into the kitchen. Lucky, but it still felt like taking a baseball bat to the thighs. I was on a high counter trying to get my balance when sharp hooves kicked me onto the floor - it had reared up to attack me.

Fortunately it knocked me out of its own reach. I yelled, “Momi, hide!” and hoped she’d do the smart thing. I heard it hit the floor again and scrape hooves to come get me. I jumped up on the counter again, planning to go through the kitchen window back to the living room as soon as it got close.

The kitchen had a clear view of the apartment door and as the beast rounded the corner, I saw Richie stepping into the apartment behind it.

“No! Run! It killed Mike!” I screamed.

It whipped around again, crashing into every wall as it went. I tried going through the window, but again got tripped up, falling out headfirst and landing like a pile of bowling pins. I blacked out.

Deandre was pulling me to my feet, Olivia and Knobby were behind him. They were waving for us to come join them in the bedroom, in safety. Deandre looked very frustrated. “Just ’cause I’m gangster doesn’t mean I have a gun.”

My head bobbled in shock. “Uh-huh, hm - fuck. Where’s Leimomi?”

“I’ll go help her. You get in there with the kids, dammit.”

My heart sank and I almost collapsed again, sliding out of his arms. Then I shook my head and steeled myself. “Where did she go?”

He shook his head. “Out there.”

Pretty quickly, we were both out in the hall. Knobby gave me his aluminum bat and Deandre got a knife. I heard the pig in one of the other apartments, heard movement from others as well, heard voices. Olivia and Knobby’s door was where Momi had left it - on top of some unmoving fucko who was dead for all I cared. The pig had also knocked the doors off of Methadone Mike’s apartment and Leimomi’s. I heard a buzzing overhead like moths around an electric lamp. I glanced up and saw the light fixtures were actually full of eyeballs, which obscured the light and bobbed around each other like they were boiling.

Patrick and Marcie came out of Patrick and Perry’s apartment, both carrying short spears made from halves of the same broken mop handle. Marcie said, “Where’s my boy?”

We exchanged very emotional looks in that moment, but the sound of the pig thrashing in Momi’s apartment drew our attention. We all hustled to that broken door, gathered outside it in the hall. I said, “Hey, pig! Suey!”

In response, I heard it wreck some more furniture before storming back into our line of sight. It surged toward us, toward the hall, and we all stepped to the sides of the door. Patrick and Marcie were on one side, Deandre and I on the other. As it came into the hall thrashing - a grey-brown tornado of bristling hair and gleaming tusk - we all did our best to attack it.

Hitting it with the baseball bat was like hitting leather-covered steel. The shock and its thrashing threw me to the ground again. It stomped Deandre’s leg and he collapsed, though he barely managed to escape another stomp by lurching out of the way. His face was completely unrecognizable from the pain, doubled in on itself like a baseball cover.

It jerked back into the apartment, leaving the four of us in the hall, splashed with blood. Another calm before another storm - it would surely come attack us again in less than a minute. Deandre couldn’t get up, Marcie had lost her spear, Patrick’s face was purple and swollen.

To Marcie I said, “Help Deandre get to Olivia and Knobby! I’ll help Richie.”

She shook her head, grabbed Patrick’s spear, and went after the thing in Momi’s apartment. I looked at Patrick in desperation, he shook his head. I knew he had to get back to Perry.

I grabbed Deandre’s shoulders to drag him, but he pushed me away. “Don’t! Find your girl!”

“That thing’ll stomp you dead!”

“Go!” Blood spewed from his leg in time with his pulse.

I took the permission and ran into the apartment.

Richie was dodging it over by the window, bouncing around like a too-tall marionette on a string. The pig had a spear and a knife sticking out of its flanks, but wasn’t slowing at all. Marcie was throwing a stool at it, again to no effect. Where the Hell is Leimomi?

“Come on!,” Marcie yelled. “Suey suey!,” I yelled. That’s a thing they say on farms, right?

The boar was obsessed with Richie in that moment, ignoring anything we threw at it. He was more agile than the thing, like a cowboy at an unusually sadistic rodeo event, but it was so much faster. It whacked him in the shin with its tusks and flipped him off its head. He spiraled in the air like a starfish before hitting the ground.

The beast came rushing at him, and Marcie blocked it with a cushy chair. When it failed to flick the furniture aside quickly enough, it decided to burrow its way through, sending a snow of stuffing and wood chips flying. As it dug, its weight had Marcie and Richie sliding tangled across the carpet.

I pushed a couch upside down, covering the pig and the chair, and I jumped on top. I waved for Marcie and Richie to get away from the chair, and they did. Just in time, the monster ripped out through the chair, out from under the couch. I bucked loose and the couch rolled over me.

When I got loose, I saw it headbutting Marcie full force in the guts, then spinning to face Richie. He kicked it but it just lurched into the foot, pushing the boy on his ass again. Marcie was too winded to help, I was still getting to my feet, and the horrible thing’s massive jaws were perfectly poised to start devouring Richie’s softest parts.

Momi came into the room with a long flat metal rectangle, gripped in two places with rags. She slapped the wall to get its attention. “Hey! Hey!” She waved the metal closer to its face, swooping dangerously close to Richie’s head to do so.

The pig lost interest in Richie and nipped at Momi’s clumsy weapon. Unfortunately for Richie, it was stomping all over him to get to her. He was bloody in a split second. I found my footing and charged in.

I grabbed its tail, jerked with all my strength. It really hated that, bellowed and turned to face me, trampling Richie again. I lost my grip on the tail. It was facing me almost instantly. This was it. Deranged animal fury, blood and bristles, gleaming tusks - and me completely without a weapon.

It hit me with its face, a battering ram of bone and enamel. We went to the floor together, prey and predator, jerking and screaming. I pulled myself out from under it.

Leimomi was coming to help me, Marcie to Richie. The boar was on its side, twitching. Momi had stabbed it from behind with the metal, and deep. She pulled me into her big arms. I gasped as my diaphragm started working again.

“Where did you get that… spear?”

“Bottom of Mikey’s bed. Are you OK?”

“Uh… I think so.” I sat up. “Deandre. Mike. What the fuck is happening here?”

Marcie had Richie sitting up again. “We got it?”

I pulled myself up to my feet on Momi’s shoulders. “Checking for bed bugs. We gotta get Deandre to a hospital. And you.”

“Huh?”

Marcie said, “Hush up, baby. Let’s get you walking, OK?”

I went into the hall. Deandre was gone, a trail of blood leading back to Olivia and Knobby’s place, past the corpse of the bug man. Overhead, the eyeballs in the lighting fixtures were seething, angry.

Momi came into the hall behind me. “What should we do?”

“Get everyone together, down there. Fucking... Hell, I don’t want Marcie to see... Mike like that.”

“Should I tell her..?”

“We should all go down there. Get Patrick and Perry.” I yelled to Marcie, “Hey, we’re going to Olivia and Knobby’s apartment first, OK?” She made some kind of noise back, then we went to work.

***