#also i have finally stepped away from pixel pieces hopefully this translates well now

[venlazlo]

now if you will excuse me, i will need to take a vacation where i am forced to hug myself in a padded room

[sunshineandfangs]

Saudade, Retrouvailles

Day Seven (October 13th - Sunday): Canon-ish

Still annoyed by all the mess that was made in TVD/TO? Well, this is the day for you to write your own version of the events. TO’s ending fix-its, canon divergences throughout the show(s), future moments… It’s all fair game! So explore all the unexplored potential of Klaroline in this day and share the goodness with us all!

I didn’t manage trope x trope, but I finally decided to work on the canon fix-it I’ve been meaning to write for months...Although I guess one can argue there are at least two tropes in this.

The words are inspired by this post by @labime.

Saudade:

The feeling of longing for someone that you love and is lost.

“Vague and constant desire for something that does not and probably cannot exist.”

Retrouvailles:

The happiness of meeting again after a long time.

“…in French, we say ‘les retrouvailles sont hors du temps’ which poorly translates to ‘there are moments that don’t fit time.’”

---

The Unmaking

She felt it.

Sitting in her car just outside the city limits of New Orleans, her head tipped back against the seat.

He was gone.

A tiny, hysterical giggle (sob) caught in her throat. Surely, it couldn’t just be her that felt the change of his absence? The most powerful creature in the world, as he once said.

And all those years and miles between them: twisting and turning and slowly, elegantly going to twine their lives together.

All of that, so it could end like this.

Her fingers curled, white-knuckled around the steering wheel, her head tilting forward.

No.

She wouldn’t let it.

---

For a woman that planned out the vast majority of her life, there was a distinct lack of such as she rushed to fix this-this travesty. It was a desperate, selfish feeling that swelled and consumed her from the inside-out. A feeling she couldn’t call anything but love. Ironic considering how long she spent running from such a label.

But she knew with a deep, long buried instinct exactly what she could do, as though through a veil of dreams old knowledge and memories resurfaced. They had been lost to her for a long time. Not blackened and suppressed like compulsion, but rather dimmed to something forgettable and unimportant.

See, on her dresser there was a beautiful music box. She had carried it with her from her childhood home to her dorm and on and on to each place she lived. Subconsciously, she had held it close even when she had forgotten its meaning.

And while hers was white and gold and sleek lines, delicately painted and carved with flowers and butterflies, her father’s had been a small, intricate thing. Burnished gold filigree and encrusted with tiny emeralds. It had led his heart to Steven, granted courage when he would have been cowed by small town judgement. Granted knowledge of how to protect all that he held most precious to him.

A vague niggling in her brain reminded her too of her grandmother’s, her father’s mother. How Nana’s had been deceptively plain, though sturdily made of a handsome wood. Whatever gift it had granted to her, Caroline could not recall, but she knew each of the Forbes line, back and back across countless generations carried one with them until they needed it most.

Once more the irony was near overwhelming. It had not been the innumerable disasters and dramas of Mystic Falls that triggered her remembrance, but Klaus. Klaus and the wild, powerful emotions that dwelled in her heart.

The drive from NOLA back to Mystic Falls was a blur, a blitz down the highway that she could barely recall. And as if on autopilot, Caroline stepped purposefully toward her room once she arrived. To where the music box sat, as it always had.

With delicate fingers, she cracked open the lid and slowly wound its key. Listened to the clicks of the gears. And when she released it, magic sung through the air. It wound itself around her figure, the sheer force unmistakable for all that its touch was gentle. The world shuddered and shrunk around her. Time and space and reality itself unwoven. Threads pulled loose and returned to the ether, ready to be twined together once more.

---

The Reforging

When the world came back into focus, Caroline found herself stalking away from the school. The transition was extremely disorienting, expecting it or not, and she was thankful that the current (past?) version’s memories were at the forefront of her mind.

Her eyes widened as she processed them, her body blurring into motion, a thousand thoughts whirling in her head. The cancellation of the 1980s Decade Dance, for all that it vexed this Caroline, would have been a mere blip on her radar. However, there was a different set of events that happened today. Events that she recalled far, far move vividly.

As she raced across town toward the Gilbert’s house part of her was thankful for the essence of world altering magic that lingered within her. Not only did it grant her memories of The-Future-That-Never-Was (now at least, and hopefully never will be), but also her strength. And sure a decade or two extra meant little in the grand scheme of vampire strength, but right now any advantage helped.

Splitting her attention, Caroline fumbled for a moment to grab her phone as she ran, hesitated a split second before settling on texting Klaus. (Ignored what it meant that she had his old number memorized). She was fairly certain she could get the jump on her friends, considering this would be an utterly unexpected and seemingly out of character move. Still, it wouldn’t do to accidentally alert more people’s suspicions than she had to with a call. Klaus would certainly be challenge enough.

---

Said Hybrid was fuming in the cellar of the Salvatore’s basement, only a fraction of his attention paid to snark at the elder Salvatore of all people. He was far more restless than he let on, sensing something was wrong, but not knowing what. Having long learned to trust his instincts, it was frustrating to be uncertain where to point them.

When his phone vibrated in his hand, he looked down eager for news, and saw the last person he expected to be texting him.

[Caroline Forbes] 4:12 PM: klaus this is caroline

[Caroline Forbes] 4:12 PM: get to the gilberts house

[Caroline Forbes] 4:12 PM: NOW

[Caroline Forbes] 4:12 PM: trust me pls!

He abruptly stopped talking as he peered down at his phone, wondering when Caroline learned his number, wondering if he could trust her as she requested. As she near begged him to really. And it was that note of pleading, present even through the pixels of his phone that settled the matter for him. Without so much as an acknowledgement or good-bye, unless one counted snapped necks, Klaus sped up the stairs.

---

Halfway to his destination, Klaus’ phone rang, Kol’s name on the caller ID. His eyes narrowed, instincts flaring, and he moved even faster as he answered the call.

“Well, if it isn’t the happy homicidal maniac,” he taunted, digging for the truth as he riled his brother.

His brother that was certainly not abiding by their normal script as he snarled back, “Did you know that your darling former blood bag and her brother are trying to kill me?”

“What?” He growled, the pieces easily falling into place with Caroline’s own texts from mere moments before.

“Don't pretend like you're not in on it. Your obsession to find the cure clearly trumps any sibling loyalty you once felt.”

There’s so much Klaus wished to say, most of which he swallowed to save for their upcoming confrontation.

“You are an utterly reckless fool, Kol, but you are my brother first.”

His words seemed to fall on deaf ears. “I'm going to rip off Jeremy's arm and kill Elena just for sport. Then I'm coming for you.”

The call ended before Klaus can retort. Though with the house mere streets away he could hear the fighting. Once this little problem was dealt with, he and his brother could have a proper chat.

---

Caroline came disastrously close to colliding into Bonnie in her rush. Though it took little time to turn it into something fortuitous, memories of a spelled cage and a furious Hybrid in her mind. Offering up a mental apology, Caroline gently knocked the witch out, setting her down swiftly, but carefully on the Gilbert’s front porch when she reached it.

Even from outside, Elena’s, Jeremey’s, and Kol’s fighting was glaringly obvious. Sounds of their shouts and the destruction of furniture carried down from the upstairs. Caroline rushed in, all but flying towards the sounds of their conflict.

It was sheer luck that had her appearing as Kol vanished to chase Jeremey, Elena’s head conveniently bowed as she struggled with the stake in her leg. Another mental apology and another unconscious friend later, and Caroline’s obstacles were dropping by the second.

Thankfully, her luck continued to hold as she flashed after Kol and Jeremey .And when she came upon them Jeremy was still dazed as he was dragged upright by Kol. Being a Hunter and in an Original’s grasp, Caroline couldn’t afford to be as delicate as she was with Bonnie. She slammed the poor boy out of Kol’s arms and used the momentum to smack his head onto the counter, being extremely careful not to kill him, though she feared he’d likely need some blood when he came to.

She then rapidly backpedaled as Kol snarled at her, confusion slightly softening his otherwise fierce expression.

“What is this?” He hissed. “Here to protect him? I’m afraid I can’t allow that, Darlin’.”

He took a menacing step towards her as she raised her arms in placation, even as she prepared to dodge his blow.

“Take another step and I’ll tear out your liver.”

Caroline didn’t allow the sound of Klaus’ voice to soften the wariness in her spine, no matter how much she longed to. She also didn’t take her eyes off Kol, even as he turned to sneer at his brother in the doorway.

“Don’t you have any original threats, brother. First daggers now my liver. Besides-” his slight pause was all the warning she had, and thankfully all the warning she needed. She just managed to dodge his blow, though he was uncomfortably close as he snarled, “you’re not invited in.”

Flashing closer to the entrance, she was able to hear every bit of menace in Klaus’ voice. (If both monster and woman were a bit flattered by his protectiveness... well she ignored that for now too).

“Do you think I’ve forgotten how to dismantle a house until ownership means nothing, because I assure you, Kol, I have not.”

Kol chuckled darkly. “And in the time it takes you to do so? What do you think shall happen to this tasty little thing, hm?”

Caroline still wasn’t looking at Klaus, but she felt the way the air shifted. Suspected that his eyes were burning Wolf gold behind her.

“Nothing,” he uttered with a frightening matter-of-factness, “if you don’t wish to be begging for a dagger by the time I am through with you.”

Something hateful shifted on Kol’s face and despite how all her instincts screamed at her to stay silent, Caroline knew she could not. Not when they were on the verge of dangerous escalation.

“Enough!” She yelled, startling both brothers, for all that they were partially arguing about her. Steadied herself as both their regard shifted. “There are far more important things we should be discussing.”

“Oh? And what things are those, Darlin’.”

It was obvious Kol wasn’t taking her seriously in the slightest. Irritating though unsurprising. That quickly changed when she uttered her next words.

“Things such as Silas.”

There was a moment of stunned silence before both Mikaelson’s spoke. Kol now serious and mildly suspicious. Klaus incredulous.

“However did a baby vampire from Mystic Falls learn anything of Silas?”

“Sweetheart, you can’t believe such utter rot.”

With both Originals now clearly hungry for answers and the mounting list of things Caroline knew she must do, she almost regretted stepping in to save Kol. 

Almost.

For all that she had never met the man prior, despite the apparent witchy shenanigans involved in his resurrection, most people agreed that he was a bit of a psycho. And this demonstration certainly did nothing to help his case. However, he was also Klaus’ brother, and Caroline well remembered the devastation on his face when Kol had died. How Klaus lashed out. How she was honestly stunned in retrospect that he hadn’t massacred the town in vengeance. And more than that it was the right thing to do. If not for Kol than for the thousands of uninvolved vampires that would have dropped dead with him.

Still, all that didn’t make what she needed to say, eventually needed believed any bit easier.

Caroline took a breath, dearly wishing to rub at the tension in her face, but knowing better than to drop her guard.

“Look, it’s a long story and I’d rather not be here when my friends wake up. There’ll be enough yelling as is, so if we could maybe move this little powwow elsewhere that would be great.”

---

So I still have more ideas for this, but my muse is flagging so I’m stopping here before it becomes crappy. May add more later

[the-game-to-solve-string-theory]

The Big Bang of My Idea...so basically get ready for a lotta hot crazy nonsense over here all exploding out in one big infinitly expanding mess

During this thread, I will continue to apply some “rules” but remember that the only real rule here that matters, is that you simply give this little experiment an honest read and to give it’s ideas at least a real good ponder before moving on, thank you.

Let me begin with a small, sidenote (I know, STARTING with a sidenote...weird).

Time Travel is simply not possible. Many may dream it might be, in that deep rooted dream carried by all man as a species like our dream of survival and happiness, but it simply is not. Einstein did, however, pull back a bit of the curtain of the ultimate mystery of life, the universe, and everything with his so...so very simple equation E=mc2.And this little experiment is to try and explain just how insane that tiny little equation really is.

I’d like to start by asking you, how limited is your imagination? At what point do you sit and reach a point at which you cannot simply grasp the thing you are piecing together in your mind? This happens to me a lot. Let me continue.

[Imagine actually being able to follow this thread] [justimagine][infinity]

Time is...everything. Space...and time. The two do go together, but I’ve been going over these thoughts enough that using the same name for these two ideas seems so proper now because the two ARE the same. I AM the ground under my feet. I AM the bird sleeping in the tree outside. I AM the clouds in the sky. But it’s not just me, YOU are these things. YOU are the desk in front of you. YOU are the metal spoon in the kitchen down the hall. And it’s not just objects. WE are the sadness felt in the pit of your neighbors stomach. WE are the thoughts and prayers sent around the world by caring, well intentioned believers. WE are the energy heating your coffee in the pot in the morning. The gravitational pull on your fat sister (weight) IS the cute dog outback yapping at the neighbors. The perfectly tuned piano note playing through your speakers IS the stale hotdog finally being thrown away four days late in the 7-11 down the street, yeah i know, got a little carried away there. You get the idea. Well, probably not, that’s the point. I’ll explain.

If I didn’t weird you out enough yet, that is. But imagine having actually giving this a real try to understand and follow throught, just how much better you would have felt? I have a little thought experiment.

Picture a string, pulled taught between two fixed surfaces two points in time. Remind myself how to change tumblr font from black to red later. Eh, nevermind.

Did I get you in a time loop yet? Just imagine though.

[with a pause at “two fixed surfaces flashing on the screen. And me crossing out two fixed surfaces in a red line. (We don’t know why yet, but we will…)

Did I get you in a time loop yet?

“What?” you ask.

I know what you’re thinking, and indeed yes, the string is made out of a specific substance. This string is made out of your very imagination, i mean...what exactly would we call that? Imagination...sensory energy? I dunno, somewhere in your brain you have the ability to form invisible, matterless, massless, timeless (?) pictures and “things” so just do that real quick and imagine a simple black line on a white scree. Easier than all that nonsense sounded huh? 

No, I’m being serious, for this to work I need you to actually do your best to not apply any kind of known material to this string and just know that it is simply...incapable of being broken in any way... It is simply an infinitely more dense screen of pixels on your mind’s own eye in the shape of a simple horizontal line. If a situation were to arise during the course of our experimentation when a normal string would have been broken such as too much force (whether tensile, normal, heat, potential, pressure, etc.) in the space between that normal strings two ends after breaking simply imagine a new segment of string simply already existing exactly where those breaks start. As I said, this string is not able to be broken even by your own imagination. Easy right?

Ok. I’m not sure how to explain this but I am very much typing these things sort of ... “outside” time, if that makes sense, which will make sense if you bare with my problem here and follow me on this journey, and so much might be revealed.

Just imagine though. Just imagine if you’d finished. And you could understand the mind of someone mentally impaired but knew this much.

This imaginary string also kinda...breaks my first rule right from the get go, I’m not gonna lie. It does actual travel through time. But that too shall be explained away in brilliant and clever fashion that will make complete sense, trust me, thanks. No, you’re not using too many commas, calm down. This string does, indeed, travel through time. Imagine now, that string has been plucked. When was this string plucked? That is an interesting question, this string was plucked forever and for always ago...take a deep breath, you can do this, OK. That sentence couldn’t make sense could it? Did I get you in a time loop yet? 

It might sound annoying as all hell, but it will definitely help, I promise. Just start back over at the beginning and slowly read through again, but ignore some of the stuff you know now is kinda nonsense and meet me back here...I promise, it’ll help.

Ok, if you really did do it, let’s continue.

Certainly it does not make sense, but yeah it does. Cuz that string has too always had done been plucked. Always had been plucked. Always...will have been plucked. Will always..will always been (no certainly not...), will always...have been...and is to always be plucked!!! Wooooo! I figured it out. Did i get you in a time loop yet?

Remember the first time you read this and it didn’t really make much sense, but as you’ve taken the time to skim a bit and skip ahead maybe, and try reading parts or even the whole thing again it’s kind of started to maybe make a bit of sense once you learn to filter the nonsense and approach it again? See how’ve Weeeeeeird huh? Anyway…that’s how my brain works. Let’s continue.

It’s all about time traveling strings and randomness. Except the string is made of a definitive amount of imagination pixels at any given moment, how can motion possibly be translated on such a device? 

Ya know what? Ya got me, beats me, really, it really does I just need to continue with the experiment and if you got a better idea, go ahead, I’m just trying to explain the nature of reality and all things here, don’t mind me.

Right, what I mean is that simply because this imaginary string only and. i hate thinking this way, sometimes, please help meeeee. exclusively exists...inside YOUR mind, your own private little universe within you (whatever you wanna call “you”, like your brain...the collection of your body and soul, whatever you consider to actually be “you” etc.) where nobody else can possibly access, it ALSO just happens to have the ability to have always been in what will always be its state of matter and being and amount of energy whether it be potential, real or imaginary because it’s just that special. And the state of this string that it has always existed in and will always exist in is...yeah, that’s right, is an imaginary horizontal line that has been plucked and is therefore vibrating, you’re catching on. Just imagine huh? 

If you’re having trouble keeping up, I highly suggest just stepping away for a little bit and coming back and skimming back through this mess of a thought and you should be able to filter out some of the nonsense better now and my thoughts will be a littler clearer, and hopefully I am making myself understood as best I can.

Just imagine if you finished though.

Next rule about this string is that it needs to appear to you as a flat, perfectly smooth horizontal black line on a white field at all times no matter how far away you are from it, or how close you are to it. Quite the mental feat, this one here. No time to rest, let’s move on.

I don’t enjoy this all the time, sometimes it’s pretty cool tho, ya know- being special, I mean.

EDITOR NOTE: I’m using too many commas.

Ok and now one more complication. I actually lied in the beginning and the string ISN’T being held at each end by a firm point (Or did I say, solid point? Or a fixed point?...)

[insert clip of rewinding footage to the part where I say “pulled taught between two fixed surfaces” with a pause at “two fixed surfaces flashing on the screen. And me crossing out two fixed surfaces in a red line. Then I say:

Wait..did I just witness myself time travel to the beginning of this video? Am I caught in a time loop? I mean, I’m kind of time traveling in my imagination...ah well, let’s move on, I mean just imagine if you finished. 

Nah, nah we’re all good...but ponder whether I’m lying or not while I distract you from the fact that I need to change this one thing I said earlier to better explain my point and get you thinking...thanks. 

Do yourself a favor and write down the rules for the string, it’ll definitely help you stay on track while I can’t. i’m sorry. really.

Remember the first time you read this and it didn’t really make much sense, but as you’ve taken the time to skim a bit and skip ahead maybe, and try reading parts or even the whole thing again it’s kind of started to maybe make a bit of sense? See how’ve you now experienced somehow the same emotion over again as that first time yet also a new one at the same time like on top of that old emotion? is that deja vu? That’s emotional energy traveling through time. Did I get you in a time loop yet?

“Uh...what?” Is what you want to ask me right now. And I know, I know. Did I get you in a time loop yet? Weeeeeeird huh? Anyway…

Rememeber when this paper made sense? It will

back to the line.

If you’re having trouble keeping up, I highly suggest just stepping away for a little bit and coming back and skimming back through this mess of a thought and you should be able to filter out some of the nonsense better now

back to the line.

See how that line, while simple and not the same, kinda reminded you of the first time you read that line way up above about if you remember when this idea made any sense. Except it’s not quite the same feeling or reaction, kinda layered on top of it. I guess I’m trying to explain how my mind works sometimes?

But also this one, thing I’m trying to say.

thank you for trying.

Where were we...Oh yeah. This string is not being held by two fixed points, and I know what you’re thinking and no, it’s also not being held at one by a fixed point and free at the other. I actually kinda thought i was gonna go down that direction for a few minutes there but nah, I - Oh right right right right right...So no, this string is not even connected at just one end and free at the other, it’s much simpler than all that and the string is connected at both ends too….itself? But again, be careful and don’t violate any of the rules mentioned in my rant before. Feel free to review it, don’t worry I’m not going anywhere. Meet me back here.

How limited is your imagination? Just imagine. 

Remember the first time you read this and it didn’t really make much sense, but as you’ve taken the time to skim a bit and skip ahead maybe, and try reading parts or even the whole thing again it’s kind of started to maybe make a bit of sense? See how’ve Weeeeeeird huh? Did you Did I get you in a in a time loop yeeeeeeyyet? you read this paper when it still made sense and remember thinking...wow I thought that paper was gonna actually say something good...anywaaaaaay.

Cool.

What?

This is how my brain works sometimes...I honestly don’t know how I feel about it “I said cool”

...what do you mean, cool?

“I mean...that’s it right? I’ve imagined your string

There’s no way you’ve imagined my string.

“Sure I have, I mean some of it is...well, yeah a little out there, but not all together unable to be imagined on the minds eye the way you said. Just a simple, flat horizontal line on a white background.”

That can also be observed from any distance as to appear the same relative size and shape’-

“yeah yeah yeah, that stuff too, what’s that mean.”

Ugh...that means that no matter how far away that string is from the lens of your mind’s eye, the string simply becomes more clearly resolved on the screen of your minds eye by...by those infinitly more and more dense pixels, yeah i know this is getting out of hand. I almost used two extra commas in that sentence. 

“...right... i think i got it? Maybe.”

Uh...You don’t understand. I’ve described something that you could simply zoom in on...FOREVER...and it stayed the same relative size and shape to your eye because it also becomes an infinitely growing clearer resolution on the monitor of your mind’s eye and being forever filled in by an infinite more ever spawning pixels. Which is possible only because all of this exists inside your imagination? And your imagination is limitless?

“Ok ok ok, you got me, this is just a metaphor? Or a parable on the dangers of hubris?”

No, I...don’t think so. Oh...it IS limited? Ok...makes sense. Anywaaaaaaay let’s continue anyway, for those whose imagination is NOT limited and have stayed with me so far.