shiftingdani

[shiftingdani]

every road you take will always lead you home // self para

WHO: Dani Harper

WHEN: November 10th, 2019;

WHERE: Campus, Dani´s Room ( Sciron Square ), Outside of NYADA

WHAT: Dani makes a decision. Or maybe she´s made it a long time ago.

WARNING(S): mentions of depression and death.

Dani had thought about doing this for a long time, but there had always been something holding her back just that tiny bit.

Her friends.

She had come to this, admittedly, horrible place not wanting to be close to anyone, and yet there had been people who´d found their way into her heart, intertwining their own paths with hers. It was hard to leave them behind, but if there was the slightest chance that Marley was alive and out there, then she´d have to go looking for.

For a moment she had thought that it was silly to seem so dependent on a person. To fall into a depression because the person you loved was gone. But the truth was: Marley had come into her life, catching her off guard and turned everything upside down, in the best way possible.

Dani had never thought she´d be able to love someone again, let alone plan a future with them, but Marley was different, Marley was part of her life and they had promised each other they´d find the other, however far they would have to go.

And this was the time. NYADA was falling apart, and as much as it pained her to leave her friends behind, she knew they could take care of themselves, and if she was being honest then there wasn´t much she could contribute without her powers.

The funny thing about all of this, however, was realizing just how easy it was to get rid of that stupid collar. She couldn´t have done it if she would have stayed, but she wasn´t staying. There wasn´t much she was taking, everything that belonged to Marley still packed in boxes, her own things where they belonged, on the bedside table, in the drawers and cupboards.

Fiyero was sitting on the bed, watching her with curious eyes.

“So we´re really doing this, hm?” It wasn´t really a question, he knew that there was no going back from this point on. Dani had made her decision, and everything was done. She´d been talking to people from her past, making sure she´d have a couple of new IDs and identities to choose from.

She´d never actually thought she´d go back to a life of running around, but then again settling down had never really been in the cards for her until she had met Marley. And Marley was the person she had to find.

Home, Dani had learned, wasn´t a place. It was two eyes and a heartbeat.

The knock on the door pulled her from her thoughts and she opened, letting the hooded figure slip inside the room. She´d never actually dealt with people from the black market. She´d heard about it, of course, but there had never actually been the need to get something.

Not that she was getting something now.

Nodding, the figure pulled out a device that Dani eyes for a moment, before she lifted her hair up. It only took a moment before the collar clicked, falling away and into the hands of the hooded figure. It felt…strange, to not have it. Not that she was complaining, but to her it had become part of her life, as horrible as it had been.

When she found Marley, she´d have to make sure the other Shapeshifters would get rid of this thing, too. Dani had no idea how to do that, but then again she´d never really been someone who´d gone for long term planning.

The hooded figure nodded before it slipped back out of the room, leaving Dani to herself. The collar around her neck got replaced with the ring Marley had given her, tied to a necklace.

And for a moment, Dani felt as if there was nothing she couldn´t do. She hadn´t felt like this ever since coming to this God forsaken place, but now the world was wide open, and there was no way she was going to make the same mistake again and get caught.

She knew where to go. Who to look out for.

And she was going to find Marley.

She had left all of the pictures she had drawn of their encounters with monsters and dragons to Elliott. On top of those drawings was one of the two of them she had done, sitting outside Sciron Square with Fiyero and Ziggy.

She had left drawings to the rest of their friends, too. A drawing of a picture Kurt and her had taken backstage at the New York Fashion Week. Santana and her in their Snowball dresses, Matt and her at last year’s Christmas Party, Tina and her at the beach. No notes, simply because the less they knew, the better. These drawings, however, they were proof that she had existed. That she had made an impact on people´s lives.

There had never been anything like that in her old lives. No actual prove of her existence, just faces she changed and left behind like masks dropped. But Dani Harper? She had lived, and she had made friends that she loved.

Maybe, just maybe, they had loved her too.

Sam was the only one who got an actual note along with his picture. She felt as if that was something she owed him. Dani´s never had a best friend before, but Sam had been there for her from the start, and they had just grown closer and closer.

Dear Sam,

I know you might not understand why I´m doing this, or worse: You do and you´re asking yourself why I didn´t ask you to come along. You know I couldn’t have, and I wouldn´t have, asked that of you. You´ll go on to do great things, and know that, wherever I am, I will always be immensely proud of you.

I´ll never forget what you´ve done for me. I´ll never forget crying over Endgame, or your honest attempts at trying to catch me before dropping me to the floor. ;)

I can´t begin to tell you how much I love you. I´ve never had someone to call a best friend before, but you´ll always be remembered as that, and more.

I know it´s never been easy, and it probably won´t be for a while, but I know that you can do this. You´re so much better, kinder, and more wonderful than you believe.

Always remember: You can do this.

I love you 3000,

Dani.

She had attached the note to a bag full of items she was going to leave him. She wasn´t going to need most of them anyway, and whatever was coming their way, her friends would need them more.

Turning to look at the makeshift mirror she had pieced back together, the face looking back at Dani wasn´t one anyone would recognize. Her hair was black, still, but it was short and easily hide able beneath the black hoodie she was wearing. Her jeans were just as dark as she picked up her things, nodding for Fiyero to return to the tattoo, which she had hidden beneath a glamour.

All the drawings were quickly distributed, the only place she lingered for a moment was Sam´s door. It was the dead of the night, the corridors were quiet and dark as she leaned her forehead against the door for a moment.

She´d have to go. The person taking her off campus wasn´t going to wait forever, but for a moment Dani simply closed her eyes, taking a moment to just…take it all in.

She´d left her phone on the nightstand, not wanting anyone to trace her. She´d get a new one once she was safe and sound away from this place. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out the necklace, that Sam and her shared, hanging it onto the door, too.

The final thing she pulled from her pocket was another small note, which she trusted Sam to burn as soon as he´d read it.

When you get out of this place, come find me here.

Scribbled underneath was the address of a small coffee shop in downtown New York, where Dani had worked. She had no idea if either of them would survive this ordeal, or if she´d find Marley, but if she did, and got out of all of this alive, that would be where she´d be waiting.

Pushing the note beneath the door she whispered, “I love you 3000,” Again, before pulling up the hood over her head and heading down the corridor. For once, however, she wasn´t heading into the darkness, but towards the light.

It's been a long day without you, my friend And I'll tell you all about it when I see you again We've come a long way from where we began Oh I'll tell you all about it when I see you again When I see you again

Dani immediately noticed the way everything changed as she came out the other side, away from Campus and away from NYADA. The person who had taken her had stayed behind, happy with their payment.

Dani found, however, that her lips curved into a slight smile, and as she walked, long strands of pink hair peeking out from under the black hood.

[shiftingdani]

It's been a long day without you, my friend And I'll tell you all about it when I see you again We've come a long way from where we began Oh I'll tell you all about it when I see you again When I see you again

[shiftingdani]

#WeStandWithTaylor

[shiftingdani]

[shiftingdani]

[ Dani vaguely remembered touching Blaine´s and Kurt´s shoulder in an attempt to show her happiness about Blaine not having died. She had no idea how this had even happened, and what had gone on before they had gotten to the cave.

But part of her didn´t really want to know either.

She passed Matt on the way out, squeezing his hand as a sort of...almost automatic motion.

For a moment Dani had thought she was going home. But her room didn´t feel like home anymore. So she found herself in the next best place.

Sam´s room.

He was as...distraught as she was. Or maybe even more. Dani just...felt empty. There was an empty room she knew had once belonged to Mike Chang there, but she felt like the dead had been disturbed enough.

She somehow managed to wash most of the make up off her hands and face, not because she cared, but because she didn´t want to ruin Sam´s things.

She didn´t quite remember how she eventually ended up on the floor, but Fiyero was pushing his head against hers, as if to ask Need me? But she just shook her head, nodding at the bed inside.

So Fiyero climbed up to settle against, while Dani curled up on the floor.]

[shiftingdani]

strange things did happen here,

no stranger would it be

if we met up at midnight in the

h a n g i n g   t r e e 

[shiftingdani]

[shiftingdani]

I love sleep. My life has the tendency to fall apart when I’m awake, you know?

Ernest Hemingway (via sunsetquotes)

[shiftingdani]

Thanks again for saving me. Someday, I’ll save you too.

Zelda Fitzgerald (via sunsetquotes)

[shiftingdani]

hautekurture‌:

Kurt left his room dressed impeccably. Recon work didn’t mean he had to look like an extra from the set of Alias. He had on a clean white Sunspel Riviera polo shirt, skinny Amiri patchwork jeans, a black Prada notched blazer, and Alexander McQueen flame ankle boots. Since it was cold, Kurt layered on his Thom Browne coat, and affixed a JW Anderson striped knitted neckband. He arrived on time to see Dani standing there. She definitely doesn’t look her best. Can’t blame her. Kurt chose to keep the comment to himself and went straight to work.

“Do you have a key to her dorm, or are we getting a locksmith?” Kurt asked.

Kurt looked every bit as stunning as Dani had remembered him, which didn´t come as a surprise. She probably looked about as awful as she felt, but considering the situation she figured she was allowed to. At least for today. Giving him a nod as he approached, she eventually reached into the pocket of her hoodie. She hadn´t been to Marley´s room in a long time, and she wasn´t sure about Marley, but the key had still been in their bedside table where Marley had placed him a while ago. 

“Got the key,” She then said, pulling it out and pushing it into the lock. “I took pictures of all her things in our...my room, too. If you want to have a look, later.” Dani then added before turning the key in the lock and pushing the door open.

f2f //Kurt&Dani

[shiftingdani]

f2f //Kurt&Dani

@hautekurture

Dani hadn´t left her room in for what felt like weeks. It had only been a couple of days, really, but still. She felt torn about it though, because while she knew she´d have to eventually leave and get out, before she actually decided to take the way out the window, she also didn´t want to run into anyone and talk. Sighing she pulled the hood of her sweater up to over her face a little more. The last thing she needed was to be recognized by someone other than Kurt. 

She hadn´t talked to him in months. Had barely seen him other than in class or field missions, but somehow he was the only person she felt like she could stand being around. Walking the familiar way towards Marley´s old room Dani could feel the cold again, threatening to spread through her system. Huffing slightly, she shook her head and eventually stopped in front of the door, waiting for Kurt to join her. She was a little early, but they absolutely had bigger problems than that.

[shiftingdani]

[pm] kurt/dani

Kurt: I'll wait outside tomorrow at noon.

Kurt: I thought Quinn was rooming with Brittany? Whatever. We can hit up their room later in the week?

Kurt: The fae, if there are any left, will probably not talk to me if they know who I am, so we could try looking for Marley's friends?

Kurt: What are you saying, Dani? You're the one who's helping me.

Kurt: So. Thanks.

Kurt: I'll see you tomorrow.

Dani: I´ll see you there, then.

Dani: Is she? I thought it was Quinn. Well, we´ll find a way nonetheless.

Dani: They probably might not talk to me either, but looking for her friends might be a good idea.

Dani: See you tomorrow!

[shiftingdani]

[pm] kurt/dani

Kurt: We shouldn't waste time. How about tomorrow?

Kurt: You were panicking. You don't need to explain yourself.

Kurt: Then that makes it same for the both of us. Quinn isn't the type to go knocking. However, she won't be able to ignore us if we camp out her room. We'll get her to talk to us about those two weeks.

Kurt: Brittany is the least one on my list.

Kurt: Did Marley have any enemies?

Dani: Tomorrow is good. I´ll have to leave this room eventually. Preferably through the door. Walking.

Dani: Isn´t Quinn sharing a room with Lauren? I´m sure Lauren will let us in, and then it´ll be harder for Quinn to ignore us.

Dani: Only the fae we encountered during the faepocalypse, I guess? If they survived. Or their leader more so. Marley turned against them, so they tried to kill her. But I didn´t hear about any of them ever turning up after it all happened.

Dani: ...

Dani: Thank you for helping me with this.

[shiftingdani]

[pm] kurt/dani

Kurt: Can I come with you to check through her old room?

Kurt: Medium? She's a total fake. There's no such things as ghosts. I don't even want to ask what you had to pay for.

Kurt: I know Quinn and Joe were there when we returned to the clearing, as well as that girl Brittany. Santana too. Maybe one of them knows what could have happened, or got their memories back. I still haven't.

Kurt: Blaine explained the same thing. I believed him. It would be an awful joke to pretend we've been missing for two weeks and he isn't the type to pull pranks like that.

Kurt: So, after the room, we should question Quinn, Joe, or Brittany first. Santana wouldn't do something like that without making a huge story about it beforehand.

Dani: Of course.

Dani: Yeah...I figured, but it was the only thing I could do other than running around like a headless chicken.

Dani: Oh trust me, you really don´t want to know.

Dani: Santana is the only person I really talk to. She had no idea what was going on. And she wanted to find out, too.

Dani: I don´t think I have spoken to Quinn in...months. Longer maybe.

Dani: Brittany seems pretty outgoing, so she´d probably talk to us easily.

[shiftingdani]

[pm] kurt/dani

Kurt: Ok, I get a fuller picture. Marley also told me a few things however not in detail. Truth be told, she probably doesn't know much about me either.

Kurt: Has the school come to get her belongings? They might. Let's take pictures of everything we can.

Kurt: I don't think she would have committed suicide either.

Kurt: There's one incident I shared with Marley and some other people that I don't remember. Do you remember in the summer how we all apparently went missing for two weeks? Did Marley say anything about that?

Kurt: Because I wonder if that had to do with anything. I wonder if she remembered what all of us forgot.

Dani: No...they didn´t come to get her things. But truth be told: We never actually told them we lived together. She just moved in with me. So we might have to check her initial room. But...most of her belongings are here.

Dani: I do remember. But...she seemed honestly confused about it. I went ballistic when she went missing, even tried to work with that medium, Lauren? See if you guys were in some other world and if she could find you. The payment scarred me for life.

Dani: Nothing came of it though, you guys came back just a day later. When she was back I told her that everyone was gone for two weeks, but she just said that she wasn´t gone at all. That it felt like not even a day had passed. She said that it had to be a curse of some sort. But more like we were cursed into thinking that you guys were gone for so long?

[shiftingdani]

[pm] kurt/dani

Kurt: First, we need to retrace Marley's steps. I can't believe I'm asking this, however can you tell me everything you know about her?

Dani: She used to be part of a fae circle, obviously. Her mother ( not really mother, but you know, a mother figure ) eventually fell in love with a human and was banished from the circle. Marley went looking for her and found out that she was dead. The man hadn´t ever cared about Millie ( that was her name ) and he had even been married. So she was angry...and tried to attack him.

Dani: Which was why she eventually ended up at NYADA. The whole thing about the prophecy, they made her believe she was the flowerchild of the prophecy, that she was the only one who could stop the apocalypse, even though they never meant to stop it.

Dani: She was never the same after that. But she wouldn´t have just left. Not without a word. She wasn´t the type to just disappear. It would have been hard for her to leave her friends and family behind. She would have at least left a letter of some sort...but there was nothing.

Dani: We were living together, I searched the whole place upside down. Put all of her things in boxes. No letter, no note.

Dani: She wouldn´t have gone to the river, either. She liked water, sure. But she loved the forest more. If she should have somehow thought about...ending her own life, she wouldn´t have jumped from a bridge.

[shiftingdani]

[pm] Hey. You can reply to this or ignore this, however I'm going to get to the bottom of the article. If you want answers too, message me.

[ Dani stares at the message for a long time. She closes the laptop. Opens it again. Her phone is still turned off. She knows there´s messages asking how she´s doing. But Kurt isn´t like that. Kurt is safe. ]

[ pm ] I want answers.

[ pm ] What should we do?