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songsofacagedbird · 3 years

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you’re something out of a dream

a love letter to luxor’s balo driskell

While I think tissues are needed at this point for all three of these playlists, can I just say with Balo’s I think they’re especially needed? Maybe I’m just extra soft for Balo in general but hers personally made me the most emotional, she definitely went hard with this one. Anyway, it covers the entire Luxor timeline for her just about, major plot points and stuff, but a bit less so the reveal of her main secret that occurred during graduation honestly - as this playlist was made before that and given it took me ages to perfect the end, I’m just going to leave it be.

Again, there’s references to other muses / plot points littered throughout, as well as references to eating disorders and a couple nicer things like her love for art. I’d also like to thank Lex for her help during these playlists, from the idea itself to helping me test listen yet again, this is going to be a pattern in these descriptions and I’m sorry for anyone who like “Katie stfu” already but genuinely it’s really thanks to her that these even exist and honestly they’re actually some of the playlists I am most proud of to date.

Please keep in mind that the standard Balo triggers apply (mental health, eating disorders, abuse / child abuse). Any additional tws will be noted on their sections if they apply.

in dreams you will lose your heartaches. whatever you wish for, you keep | pre-luxor (aka pre-rp):

balo before luxor, navigating her life

Song of the Caged Bird (Lindsey Stirling) [ instrumental ] // Castle On A Cloud (Isabelle Allen) [ I know a place where no ones lost. I know a place where no one cries. Crying at all is not allowed, not in my castle on a cloud. ] // Paint the Pictures (of Verona) [ I paint the picture of the oceans I'll never see. I hold a candle through the darkness so I believe. ] // almost home (mxmtoon) [ No one ever says all the love you give might not be enough. Broke my heart in two a couple times before it hurt too much. ] // A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes (Lily James) [ Have faith in your dreams and someday your rainbow will come smiling through. No matter how your heart is grieving, if you keep on believing the dream that you wish will come true. ]

does it hurt to see how our smiles have changed, my friend? | summer & fall 2019:

the period of time I was playing Balo in Luxor originally, from June 2019 right up until her intervention in October

Friends In The Corner (Foxes) [ Do you need someone? Everybody's looking like they need someone. All of my friends in the corner, everybody's looking like they need someone. Pretending we don't fear the morning. ] // Scars To Your Beautiful (Alessia Cara) [ She says, “beauty is pain and there's beauty in everything. What's a little bit of hunger? I could go a little while longer,” she fades away. ] // Never Gonna Let You Down (Colbie Caillat) [ I'm never gonna let you down, I'm always gonna build you up. When you're feeling lost, I will always find you, love. ] // Running with the Wolves (AURORA) [ There's blood on your lies, the scars open wide. There is nowhere for you to hide, the hunter's moon is shinin'. ] // She Is the Sunlight (Trading Yesterday) [ And it will take this life of regret for my heart to learn to forget. Tomorrow will be as it always has been, and I will fall to her again. ]

you keep trying to get inside my head while i keep trying to lose the words you said | winter 2019 & early Spring 2020:

Balo’s hospitalization, and the time at home following it.

All the King's Horses (Karmina) [ Is it still a home when you're all alone? All the king's horses and all the king's men couldn't put me back together again. ] // Safe (Britt Nicole) [ Oh no, my walls are gonna break. So close, it's more than I can take. I'm so tired of turning and running away. ] // Lost Boy (Ruth B.) [ There was a time when I was alone, no where to go and no place to call home. My only friend was the man in the moon, and even sometimes he would go away too. ] // Keep Your Head Up (Ben Howard) [ 'Cause I'll always remember you the same, eyes like wild flowers with your demons of change. ] // Wake Me Up (Madilyn Bailey) [ They tell me I'm too young to understand. They say I'm caught up in a dream. My life will pass me by if I don't open up my eyes, well that's fine by me. ] // Dance (Foxes) [ I want you, got no shame. This therapy's gone to waste; when the midnight hour comes in vain, you're in my head, you say my name. ]

what the fuck are perfect places anyway? | spring 2020:

Balo’s return to Luxor, leading up to her breakdown at prom additional tws: drugs and alcohol (perfect places)

Good Day for Dreaming (Ruelle) [ There's a hope, there's a spark, there's a fire. There's a light in the dark burning brighter. It's a good day for dreaming. ] // Perfect Places (Lorde) [ All of our heroes fading, now I can't stand to be alone. Let's go to perfect places! ] // prom dress (mxmtoon) [ I'm sitting here, crying in my prom dress. I'd be the prom queen if crying was a contest. Makeup is running down, feelings are all around. How did I get here? I need to know... ]

i would sell my sorry soul if i could have it all | summer 2020:

summer camp adventures, and the starts of questioning who she is

Live Life (Zayde Wølf) [ Sometimes I think that I'm the dreamer, the one that's standing all alone. Sometimes it feels like it's forever since I've truly felt at home. ] // Celeste (Ezra Vine) [ You're something out of a dream, messing with my head and I've been looking for you. Are you hiding? ] // The State of Dreaming (MARINA) [ If only you knew my dear, how I live my life in fear. ] // If Only (Dove Cameron) [ If only I knew what my heart was telling me. Don't know what I'm feeling; is this just a dream? If only I could read the signs in front of me, I could find the way to who I'm meant to be. ]

my heart can't possibly break when it wasn't even whole to start with | fall & winter 2020:

balo’s disownment, her breakup with kitty, and coming to terms with them

raindrops {an angel cried} (Ariana Grande) [ The day you left me, an angel cried. ] // Because of You (Kelly Clarkson) [ I was so young, you should have known better than to lean on me. You never thought of anyone else, you just saw your pain, and now I cry in the middle of the night for the same damn thing. ] // human (Christina Perri) [ Your words in my head, knives in my heart, you build me up and then I fall apart 'cause I'm only human. ] // Illusion (Zedd feat. Echosmith) [ It feels like the fairytale is over. I really wanted these pages to begin with once upon a time like all those lullabies. I should've known better. ] // Cry (Kelly Clarkson) [ Is this as hard as it gets? Is this what it feels like to really cry? ] // drivers license (Olivia Rodrigo) [ Sidewalks we crossed. I still hear your voice in the traffic, we're laughing over all the noise. God, I'm so blue, know we're through, but I still fuckin' love you. ] // Until The Sun Comes Up (Gabrielle Aplin) [ Do you want to get lost? Go waste our time, lose this city skyline. Be so much better if you're by my side, find myself and lose my mind; think I need a moment to re-align. ] // Part Of Me (Katy Perry) [ Throw your sticks and your stones, throw your bombs and your blows but you're not gonna break my soul. ] // Love Not Loving You (Foxes) [ You were always giving me all of your insecurities. How could you do it? You knew what you were doing to me. ] // no tears left to cry (Ariana Grande) [ Right now, I'm in a state of mind I wanna be in like all the time, ain't got no tears left to cry. ]

you forgive, you forget, but you never let it go | spring 2021:

her classmates choice in the gym, and it’s aftermath additional tws: drowning (When the Storm is Over)

Bad Blood (Taylor Swift feat. Kendrick Lamar) [ Remember when you thought I'd take a loss? Don't you remember? You thought that I would need ya, follow procedure, remember? Oh, wait, you got amnesia. ] // Talking to Ghosts (Foxes) [ And I can be your guiding light if you just let me, but I can’t be your guiding light if you have left me. ] // When The Storm Is Over (Sofia Karlberg) [ But when it comes down something in the air says we're 'bout to drown. Baby, we wеren't meant for closure, tеll me when the storm is over. ] // Try (Colbie Caillat) [ You don't have to try so hard, you don't have to give it all away. You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up, you don't have to change a single thing ] // Still Have Me (Demi Lovato) [ So take my faith but 'least I still believe (I still believe, in me), and that's all I need. I don't have much but 'least I still have me. ]

and i don't really care if nobody else believes ‘cause i've still got a lot of fight left in me | early summer 2021:

the story of therapy, the start of recovery, learning to love oneself, and a little bit of romance.

Daisies - Acoustic (Katy Perry) [ They told me I was out there, tried to knock me down. Took those sticks and stones, showed 'em I could build a house. They tell me that I'm crazy, but I'll never let 'em change me 'til they cover me in daisies. ] // Home (Gabrielle Aplin) [ I'm a phoenix in the water, a fish that's learnt to fly. And I've always been a daughter but feathers are meant for the sky. ] // Change (Taylor Swift) [ ’Cause these things will change, can you feel it now? These walls that they put up to hold us back will fall down. ] // Dear Happy (Gabrielle Aplin) [ Don't you worry, oh no, don't be alarmed. I'm just working it out here, working it out here. I'm somebody with a recovering heart, you've waited there for me, keep waiting there for me. ] // Fight Song (Rachel Platten) [ And all those things I didn't say, wrecking balls inside my brain. I will scream them loud tonight, can you hear my voice this time? ] // Catch My Breath (Kelly Clarkson) [ Catching my breath, letting it go, turning my cheek for the sake of the show. Now that you know, this is my life, I won't be told what's supposed to be right. ] // Wildflowers (Elle Fanning) [ Wildflowers you brought me are crumbled in my hands. This love that you taught me, I still don't understand. ] // Begin Again (Taylor Swift) [ And for the first time, what's past is past. 'Cause you throw your head back laughing like a little kid, I think it's strange that you think I'm funny 'cause he never did. ] // Let's Sort The Whole Thing Out (Carly Rae Jepsen) [ I love you, this is a new thing. One more drink, let's get to the bottom of it. I love you, let's sort the whole thing out. ] // Youth (Foxes) [ And as we cross the line, these fading beats have all been severed. Don't tell me our youth is running out, it's only just begun. ] // Soft to Be Strong (MARINA) [ I took my bitterness and made it sweet, I took a broken heart and made it beat. ] // Way Less Sad (AJR) [ Don't you love it? Don't you lovе it? No, I ain't happy yet, but I'm way less sad. ]

#musings ( playlists )#a dream is a wish your heart makes ( musings )#eating disorder tw #abuse tw #child abuse tw #disownment tw #drugs tw #alcohol tw #drowning tw

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tavi-hayes · 4 years

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side fic three ~ lost and found

((hello, i present to you another side fic. i apologize in advance for the quality of this. i had written out almost all the rp on tuesday and i was quite content with the result (which never happens, my writing makes me cringe) but then when i switched my laptop on yesterday, the document hadn’t saved and all was gone, so i had to start all over again and i couldn’t remember what i had written and urgh... i just hope this fic is doing some justice to the rp which was so nice thank you anna @hugo-stanton! anyhow if you decide to read this then enjoy, and maybe ignore all spelling/grammar mistakes. also there are some mentions here of the wonderful rps with itzel, brooke and leana but i still need to write them out i’m sorry))

“What is your photography project about exactly? I know it has something to do with the selection but...” I let my voice trail off a bit, I honestly don’t have any clue what the reason for the photos could be.

A couple of nights ago I was hanging out with Brooke. When I told her I found a friend in Hugo, she began to question his entire existence. Her sceptical attitude made me doubt myself, was he real or a product of my imagination? But when I showed up to dinner the next day, myself still being extremely hungover, my suspicions were confirmed. Hugo was there too, he was real. Thank god, I wasn’t going crazy after all.

He had knocked on my door a good 10 minutes ago, ready to show me some interesting places in this gigantic palace. During the photography thing I had asked if he could show me around. Perhaps it had been a bit bold to ask, but I was just sick of getting lost all the time. I hadn’t expected him to remember the promise of a tour. But here we are, walking in some hallway towards a destination still unknown to me.

My question makes Hugo chuckle a little, “people keep asking me that. But I guess it’s just that this is such a historical moment and at the end of this we’ll welcome someone new into our family.” There is a little silence before he continues speaking, “Arin isn’t the biggest fan of people having such an intimate view of his life. But what I’m doing is really just going to stay in our family.”

“Hm,” I nod my head. I can definitely see why the prince would feel that way. It must be annoying to have an entire country looking at you and judging every move you make. “So it's more like a memory kind of thing?”

“In a way yeah. Hopefully it can be something for Arin to appreciate. But if not then at least I enjoyed myself and made some new friends.”

“I'm sure he will appreciate it, if only for the effort you put into it.” I glance around the hallway, I don’t recognize anything here. Have I even been here before? “Good for you for making friends.”

That makes him chuckle again. “I'm enjoying it so far for sure. It's nice having someone here who has the time to talk to me.”

“Well I'm glad to hear you've found that person.” We’ve reached the end of the hall. There is a set of gigantic double doors in front of us, I don’t think I’ve ever seen them before. Or maybe I have and I just don’t remember.

Hugo points towards the doors, “that's the gallery- we can go in or skip it if you like.”

I nod my head, trying to see if I remember the way we’ve walked to get here. “You don't like the gallery?”

“Oh, it's fine! I just don't know if you're into art.”

“Let’s continue,” I look away from the doors and glance at Hugo instead, “I can always come back another time.”

“Alright,” he turns and motions to some other doors. “These are all empty rooms- there's a lot of those.”

I don’t quite understand the look he’s giving me. There is a hint of embarrassment on his face, “hm, so it's a matter of too many rooms, and not enough stuff to put into them?”

“Or just too many rooms.”

I nod my head as if I understand, but it sounds like a rich people problem to me. The strange expression is still visible on his face, “why that face?”

He shrugs, “I guess maybe I'm just not into the massive home with the servants and everything.”

“Oh I'm sorry, I didn't mean to ...” I clear my throat softly, unsure of how to continue that sentence. “So I'm guessing you don't have a palace of your own?”

His laughter fills the hallway, “I have an apartment- but if you squint enough I guess you can pretend it looks like a palace.”

“And your ‘servants’ probably listen very well to all your needs,” I raise my hands to place some air quotes around servants.

Hugo nods his head, “oh, yes. My manservant is very attentive. Although,” he leans a little closer as if he is going to let me in on a secret. “Between you and I he really could be more neat and better at staying organized. ”

That makes me laugh, “hm maybe you can just tell him? Or does he not take criticism very well?”

“I'm not sure, I've never tried to tell him off too much.” He chuckles a little more as we walk past the doors in this hallway. I can’t help but think about the empty rooms behind them. There’s so many of them, it’s quite sad.

“You know him best of course, just don't be too hard on him, okay?”

“I'll try- but I make no promises.” We reach the end of another corridor. “Okay, so that over there leads to the lower level but there's not too much down there from what I remember.” I look towards the direction he’s pointing in. “But over this way is the music room if you want to go there.”

I glance from one direction to the other, “the music room sounds perfect to me.” I’ve had some nice moments in the music room lately. First Leana and I had a great chat in there. It had made me realize I had been wrong for judging her based on her profession. And more recently Itzel entered the room when I had been playing some guitar. Even though that had been the first time we properly met, I think of her as a friend already. “But you're the tour guide, so it's really your call.”

“Well, you let me take all those photos so I think you've more than earned your say.” A smile appears on his face. “But if you want to go then let's go.”

I have to increase my pace to keep up with him. Why do tall people walk this fast? “Pfft, you were putting all the effort in and taking photos, while all I did was do nothing besides talking to you. Which I quite enjoyed actually, the talking part I mean,” I say, realizing I’m just rambling and it probably doesn’t make that much sense.

“You were patient though. Not everyone can do that.”

I don’t really know what to say to that, his kindness makes me smile. “What's your favourite place in the palace?”

Apparently that’s a hard question because Hugo is silent for another moment. It’s not that difficult for me to pick one favourite place: the music room. But then again there are only a couple of rooms that I frequently visit. And I’ve only been here for a couple of months.

“Promise me you won't laugh?”

I place my right hand right on top of my heart, “I promise I won't laugh.” Unless his answer is going to be extremely ridiculous, like the bathroom or something. But I refrain from saying that.

“Okay,” he says as he’s nodding his head. “It's the stairs.”

Now that is not the answer I was expecting at all, “you may need to explain that.”

“They're just calm- usually. But also they're a good place to see everything that's going on. Also, if you're feeling really brave you can slide down the bannister.”

I can’t stop myself from laughing. There are so many different ways how that can go wrong. “Have you ever done that before? Slide down the bannister?”

Hugo glances around before nodding his head, “I have, yeah.”

My eyebrows raise in curiosity. “How did that go? Did you land on your feet?”

There is a grin on his face. “Yeah, I did.”

“Hm,” I smirk, “I don't think I'll be able to believe you until I've seen some proof of that.”

“Well, only if you're willing to try it out yourself.” He walks over to a door and opens it.

I suddenly realize we’ve reached the music room, I’ve been so distracted by talking with him that I hadn’t noticed. But indeed, there is the weird painting of some creepy male person. The painting was a great orientation point, indicating which door lead to the music room.

“Deal,” I say before walking into the music room, mumbling a thank you to Hugo for holding the door open for me.

It looks exactly the same as the last time I’ve been here. It’s like no one, besides me, uses this room. But I know that’s not true, Leana had been playing her guitar in here not that long before today. Still, it looks abandoned.

“Have you been in here before?”

I hear the door fall shut behind me and turn around, nodding my head. “Yeah I have actually, this is such a great place to be. It's hard to stay away.” The acoustics in this room are close to perfect, of course I would come here all the time.

“You're still practicing then?”

“Yes of course, there are always new things to learn.” I smile a little, “would you like to hear some?”

Hugo nods in return, “I'd love to. If you're willing.”

“Of course.” If there ever comes a day that I’m not willing to play music, someone should probably take me to a doctor or something. I walk over to one of the guitars and pick it up. Normally I would practice on my own bass guitar, but with this tour going on I hadn’t thought about bringing it along with me. I take the guitar with me to one of the sofas and sit down, “any requests?”

He thinks for a moment before saying, “a song you love.”

Hm, that is not a good question to ask someone who loves music as much as I do. “A song I love,” there are so many song titles coming to mind. But after a second I know which one to play. To check if this guitar is even tuned, I play some chords. “Let me just…” my voice trails off as I start loosening and tightening some machine heads. I play a low E2 and a high E4, but it’s still slightly out of tune. I repeat the actions until I’m content with the result. When I look up I find Hugo smiling at me, “ready?”

He nods his head, “ready.”

I’m still watching him as he sits down on the floor a little away from me, the sight of him makes me smile. I shift slightly so I’m a bit more comfortable on the sofa and put my fingers in the right positions. I start playing Under the Bridge by Red Hot Chili Peppers, a song I know by heart. My fingers find the strings automatically, making no mistakes. When I’m done I look back at Hugo again, “tada!” I played the exact same song for Leana the other day and her reaction was nothing but positive. I can’t wait to find out what Hugo thinks.

“Tavi, that was amazing.” He stands up and starts clapping his hands.

There is a bit of an echo in this room, so it actually sounds like at least a dozen people are applauding. I can feel my face heat a little, a smile spreading across my face. “Oh stop, it was nothing.”

He shakes his head as he walks towards me, “it was beautiful.”

His eyes are on the guitar in my hands, my eyes are on him. “I'm glad you think that, thank you.”

I’m still looking at his face when his gaze shifts, meeting mine. “What made you pick it?”

“The song?” The movement of his hand catches my attention and I look down just in time to see him reaching towards the guitar. “I just think it's one of the best songs in the entire history of music.”

“I mean the guitar.” He runs a finger along the neck of the guitar. For some reason that specific action feels strangely intimate to me.

A shiver runs down my spine. “Oh,” I focus back on his face again, “the first instrument I got my hands on when I was a kid, was a guitar. It was like love at first sight.”

Hugo nods his head, “I can tell. I mean how much practice and time you've put in.”

He makes me smile again, “and it was definitely worth all the time and energy.” And by that I mean 15 years of practicing almost every day.

A smile appears on his face as well. “It really was. You're very talented.”

“Oh shush,” I can feel my cheeks heat again. I can’t handle all these kind words. “Do you play any music instruments?”

“I used to play violin but I stopped a long time ago.” The smile has disappeared, now there is a frown on his face.

“The violin is such a beautiful instrument,” both my mom and my brother mastered that skill. I wish I could hear them play again. “Why did you stop?”

He looks at me for a moment without saying anything, before swallowing once. “My mom was the one who kept me going and once she was gone it just didn't have the same appeal.” His eyes meet mine for a moment longer, before his gaze goes back to the guitar.

“Oh Hugo,” I don’t even know what I’m doing but before I know it I reach for his hand. His skin feels very soft, especially compared to my own calloused fingers, the result of playing string instruments for so long. “I'm so sorry.”

“It’s okay. It was a long time ago.”

“But that doesn't mean it's nothing.” I’m debating whether or not to ask what happened. I know how annoying it can be when someone sticks their nose in other people’s business that doesn’t concern them.

“It’s not, but it also isn’t a big deal.” He shrugs, “I don’t mind talking about it. It just usually makes people uncomfortable.”

I suddenly realize the awkwardness of the position we’re in. He’s standing while I’m sitting, not the nicest way to have a conversation. I let go of his hand and scoot over on the sofa, carefully placing the guitar on the floor so that it is sort of leaning against the sofa. There is now a place for him to sit if he would want to. “You wanna talk about it?”

“There isn’t too much left to talk about but sure.” He sits down beside me.

I turn to sit sideways so I can actually face him, “what happened?” So far for not sticking my nose in other people’s business.

“My mom left when I was a kid and I haven’t seen her since. I’m not sure it’s as exciting as you thought it’d be.”

“Oh,” I manage to get out, simply because I wasn’t looking for an exciting story whatsoever. If there is someone who knows what it’s like to have one parent leave your life, it’s me. I don’t know what’s worse, having a parent walk out of your life deliberately or have a parent ripped away from you. Both situations suck. “And she never reached out to you?”

“I think she might have sent a birthday card a few years ago but other than that there’s nothing that I remember.” Hugo shrugs.

I can’t stop looking at his face. “I'm sorry that happened,” I say, unconsciously twirling a curl around my finger.

“Don't be. It's not your fault. And anyway, I have my dad and my family here so it's not like I have too much time to dwell on it.” I can see his gaze shifting slightly, making me aware of what I’m doing with my hair. “What are your parents like?”

I don’t know what kind of an expression I had on my face, but it disappears as quickly as the sad feelings resurface. “Uhm,” I bring my hand away from my hair, scratching the skin around my collarbone instead. “My parents.” There are a billion ways to get that message across, each with their own amount of details. “They're kind people and we're very close.” I close my eyes, I’m debating which strategy to use. I decide to go for the ripping-off-the-bandaid one. “My dad is in prison and my mom has not been the same since he got arrested.” I open my eyes again and find my hands clasped together in my lap.

“Oh, Tavi, I'm so sorry. That must be really difficult.” His hand reaches for mine. I don’t feel his hand on my skin, my feelings are a bit too busy trying to drown me on the inside. But I do see his hand, now covering mine. “We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. But if you do... I'm here for you.”

I force a smile to my face, but it doesn’t stay there. “Thanks, that is very kind of you.” I clasp my hands together more tightly to stop them from shaking. “I just wish I could find a way to help him.”

“Can I ask what happened?”

Maybe it’s the concern in his voice or maybe I just want him to get to know the real me, but I urge myself to start talking. “My dad got called in as a witness for a different court hearing.” The memories of that day all come back to mind. “But then when that was over, and we were about to leave,” I have to pause for a minute to calm myself down, “when the judge called out to him, saying he was accused of murder.” I swallow to get the lump in my throat to go away. “And the judge just gave his verdict, and he got arrested.”

“I'm so sorry, Tavi. That doesn't sound right.”

“It's not,” I shake my head a little. “That's why I applied to this selection,” I make myself look at him again, “to see if I could find a way to give my dad his freedom back.”

“Have you talked to Arin? He might be able to help.”

“He knows about the jail situation and my dad's sentence.” There is so much sadness in Hugo’s eyes and I can’t handle that right now, so I focus back on my hands again. “Do you think he would want to help me?” I honestly doubt it. We hadn’t spoken since that god-awful date, when I had tried to shoot him with a paintball gun.

“I'm sure he'd want to.” Hugo stays silent for a moment. “But sometimes he can't. They sort of keep him on a tight leash.”

“I can imagine,” I say, nodding my head. And besides, the prince is in the middle of a selection, while keeping the country running. I doubt he would have the time or energy to help another charity case. What would he even do? My eyes find Hugo’s again, “but thank you, I'll talk to him.”

His voice is a bit more quiet this time, “how long has it been since you've seen him?”

“6 years,” I have to swallow again. I can’t start crying now, what must Hugo think of me?

His face falls, “that's not fair at all. You should get to see him, Tavi. Especially if he wants to see you.”

I can’t even begin to imagine what I look like right now. “He's being held in a prison in St. George, so it's not exactly around the corner. And we have been saving money to go visit him ever since his arrest, but it never was enough.”

A dash of confusion spreads across his face. “Why is he all the way in St. George?”

“I don’t know.” I shrug. It has never made any sense to me, Denbeigh had a maximum security prison of its own. But no, my dad had to be shipped off to another province. “It's what the judge stated in his verdict.”

“What about lawyers? What did they say?”

“The ones we could afford, didn't want to help us.” Some lawyers had tried to explain why they couldn’t help us, but others hadn’t even allowed us to enter their building. “They said it was a losing game, and that being associated with us would not be good for their reputation.”

“That's not right at all. They should be ashamed.”

“They should,” I press my lips together. I don’t understand the point of lawyers if they don’t want to get their hands dirty. “But there's nothing to do about that.”

Hugo shakes his head. “There has to be. There's always a way.”

It’s that exact thought that has kept me going all these years, I can’t let my dad rot away behind bars. I try to smile, “I'd like to think that, yes.”

He nods his head now. “There is. And I believe it can be found. You were Selected after all. Isn't that a sign?”

“Yeah maybe,” I thought getting access to the palace library would be the key to solve all my problems. But as it turns out, life is never easy. And I still hadn’t found anything that could possibly help my dad.

I’m done feeling like Debbie Downer and pulling Hugo into my bubble of sadness and despair, so I decide to change the topic. “Don't take this the wrong way, but I don't think being a tour guide is your calling.”

The sound of Hugo’s laughter makes my sad feelings go away. “Is this a bad time to tell you that I only invited you to do this because I'm starting a tour guide business and I need a 5 star Yowl review?”

I can still see the concern in his eyes, but I’m glad for the change to a lighter topic. “Aha,” I even have to chuckle, “and here I was thinking we were friends. You just need me to do something.”

“I’m sorry you had to find out this way. I hope you don’t think badly of me.”

“Hm,” I pat his hand twice before getting up from the sofa. I pick up the guitar. “I can't promise a 5-star review now.”

“I can’t believe you just ruined my dreams. We had a deal, Tavi.”

I carry the guitar back to where I got it from and place it onto its stand. “I don't remember making a deal.” I shrug and turn around to face Hugo again, “I'm sorry, for me it's honesty above all else.”

There is a long and dramatic sigh. “Honesty? Even if it breaks my heart?”

It take all of my willpower not to burst into laughter. Instead I gasp, “would you prefer me to lie to your future customers?”

“Isn’t that what a friend would do?”

“Okay,” it takes me a second to come up with the perfect review. “’best tour I've been on in my entire life: the tour takes you to a lot of interesting places, the tour guide himself is very friendly and helpful, you get all the information you could possibly want and more. Easily 5 stars!’” I raise my eyebrows, “how does that sound?”

That makes him chuckle. “You left out the best part. ‘At the end he lets you slide down the bannisters.’”

“Oh right, how can I forget that?”

He shakes his head in disbelief. “I can't believe you didn't remember.”

“I'm sorry okay.” I pull the corners of my lips down to create an extremely sad face. “Can you ever forgive me?”

Another dramatic sigh. “Only because you said you're sorry.” His eyes go to the door. “So- should we continue on or do you want to go straight to me beating you at a race down the bannisters?”

Excuse me? I raise my eyebrows in surprise, “you beating me? We'll see about that.” I flip my hair over my shoulder, “let's go to the bannisters then.”

I can’t quite figure out the look he’s given me, but there is definitely excitement in his eyes. “You're on then. Let's go.”

Before I know it, we’re standing in the entrance hall again with the big staircase leading upwards in front of us. It looks 10 times steeper than all the other times I’ve been here.

“Okay, are you ready? To lose I mean.”

This guy. I poke him with my elbow in response. “You shouldn't say that so often, you might start believing you actually have a chance at winning.”

“I think I know I'll win.” Hugo has a confident smile on his face.

“Of course you do.” Meanwhile, I begin to wonder if I have a death wish or something. I don’t see how this is going to end well for me, especially because I have zero experience. “What will the winner get? What's the prize?”

There is a moment of silence, but then a grin appears on his face. “The loser has to play a song on the guitar?”

I don’t see how that is such a bad thing for me. Either I have to play the guitar again or Hugo will play a song for me. It’s a win-win really. But still I want to beat him of course, if only so I can keep reminding him of it. “Okay fine, deal?” I extend my hand for him to shake.

He shakes my hand. “Boy, I really hope I win now. I can’t play the guitar at all.”

I laugh, “I would love to see that.” I turn to face the stairs again, “do you wanna go first?”

Hugo chuckles in response, “this is a together or not at all thing.” He points to the bannister on the right side. “You take that one and I’ll take the other?”

I nod my head, “okay fine.” I turn back to look at him one final time, “good luck.”

“Thanks, you too.” And with that we start walking up the stairs.

I’m about halfway up when I decide it’s a good moment to turn around and look back down. I’ve never really noticed how far down the floor is. “All the way to the top?”

A chuckle reaches me from the other side of the steps, “all the way to the top.”

It feels like I’m climbing the Mount Everest, but eventually I make it to the top. I dare myself to look over the bannister. Yup there is the floor, all the way down there. If I lose my balance and fall, I have to make sure I fall to the left so the stairs will break my fall. If I fall to the right, the floor will break my bones.

I glance over at Hugo, he’s already in position and looking over at me. “You ready?”

No is what I want to say, but I swing my leg over the bannister instead. It’s a good thing I’m wearing some trousers today, doing this with a dress on would be impossible. When I feel as comfortable as I can be, given the circumstances, I call over, “yeah. You?”

“Yeah. Count to three?”

I nod my head. What am I even doing? “One? Two?”

“Three!”

I start to slide down very very slowly, but carefully. There are no disbalances yet so I allow myself to go a bit faster. This actually going pretty well. Maybe this is one of my undiscovered talents? But then I feel that I’m slightly leaning towards the right, the side with the floor. I hold on to the bannister for the life of me.

That actually helps and I let out a sigh of relief. I’m not dead yet.

I carefully slide onwards without any more troubles until the sliding stops completely, just a couple of steps away from the ground floor level. I jump down from the bannister, glad to have some solid ground under my feet again.

Then I hear a loud thud and I turn around. Someone did not land on his feet.

“I think I lost.”

I hurry to Hugo’s side, “are you okay? Are you in pain?”

He laughs, but I can’t decide if it’s a normal laugh or an omg-I-am-in-so-much-pain one. Maybe I should go get some help.

“I'm okay... I just need a second.” He takes a deep breath but then a frown appears on his face. “What's that?”

“Are you sure you're okay?” My eyebrows knit together in confusion. “What's what?”

“Over there.” I look over in the directions he’s pointing to. All I see is a little sofa, nothing else.

“Did you hit your head?”

Hugo shakes his head in return, “I don't think so.” At that he stands up and starts walking towards the sofa.

I truly wonder what it is he’s seeing. Has he gone delusional? I follow him just in case, perhaps he’s going to fall again. Not that I think I would be able to catch him if he does, but at least I will be nearby.

I watch him push the sofa aside before bending down and picking something up. Okay so he legit saw something, he’s not going crazy.

There is an amused smile on his face when he turns to show me what he has found. “It's an iPod.”

“Oh,” I move a little closer to get a better view. Could this be … ? No. Maybe. It looks like my iPod. But perhaps someone else owns the same one?

Hugo holds it out to me, “see. I wonder how on earth it got there.”

I can’t take my eyes off the silver device in his hand. My heartbeat increases slightly. “I think it might be mine?”

“Really? Wow.” He chuckles a little, “it's a good thing I fell then.”

“Definitely,” this might be one of the best days in my life. “Can I see it?”

“Of course! It's yours.” He holds the iPod out for me. I gladly take it and flip it over in my hand. The scratch on the logo is there, from when it had been in my bag together with my keys. And the little dent in the bottom right corner is present as well. My heartbeat increases even more.

To be 100% sure, I switch it on. It’s a miracle that the battery is still working. The title of the song and the name of the artists appear on the screen: Caspar Hayes & Jimmie Davis. This really is my iPod.

I clutch the little device close to my chest, I will never ever let go of it again. “Thank you! I thought it was lost for good.”

“So, then it looks like you really are the winner.”

I look up at Hugo to find him already looking at me with a huge smile on his face. I can’t help but smile myself, I haven’t felt this happy in a very long time. “And now you owe a song too. This is such a good day for me.”

He sucks in a breath, nodding his head. “I think after you hear me play you'll never want to see me again.”

I shake my head, the smile is still on my face when I’m looking at him. “I don't think I will ever think that.”

The tiniest hint of a blush appears on his cheeks, “really?”

“Yeah, I mean not everyone can be as talented as I am.”

That makes him laugh, “well, you're right. You're really talented.”

I shake my head a little, I was only joking. The smile remains where it is as I turn around to have another look towards the bannisters. “You didn't lose on purpose, did you?”

He shrugs, but his eyes meet mine. “I don't think I did.”

“Okay that's good to hear,” I notice the soft smile on his face. “Otherwise we'd have to do a rematch.”

Another one of his laughs echoes in the hall, it’s such a heart-warming sound. “I think after today I'm going into retirement.”

I can’t hold my own laugh back. “what a shame. The national bannister sliding team will miss its star.”

He shakes his head in return. “After that poor display of sportsmanship? I think they'd be thrilled to get rid of me.”

“One lost game doesn't define your entire career though.”

“Maybe not, but I'm glad that my last hurrah was witnessed by you- even if I fell.”

“I feel honoured.” I bring my hand up to tuck some hair behind my ear. “But are you sure you didn't hurt yourself?” I hadn’t seen the fall itself, but the thud was quite loud and the ground was unforgivingly solid.

He nods his head, “I promise I'm fine. The only thing injured is my is my unbroken winning streak at bannister races. So I think I'll live. And all in all you're not a bad person to lose to.”

I can’t stop myself from snorting, “wow thanks, what a great compliment.”

Last time he said my company was better than that of a garbage bag and now I wasn’t a bad person to lose to. Such considerate and kind words.

“Thank you, I really thought about that one for a long time.”

“I can tell,” I say with a smirk on my face. “Hey do you happen to know what time it is? My maids will scold me if I'm late for dinner preparations again.” Any other day I wouldn’t have cared for their mean words and angry glances, but I don’t want them to bring my mood down after the fun day I’ve had.

Hugo glances down at his watch, “it's 4:47. So there's just a bit over an hour until dinner.”

“Hmm,” I nod my head a little. According to Willa and Carla, they needed at least 50 minutes to make me look somewhat presentable for the royal family. Sigh. “Maybe I should head back to my room then?”

“Of course, I wouldn't want you to get in trouble.” He doesn’t look at me this time, his eyes are focussed on the floor instead. “Would it be okay if I walked you?”

The question surprises me, I’m perfectly capable of walking myself back to my room. And I know which way I have to go: just up the stairs and then to the left. It isn’t that difficult. But the sight of Hugo and the way he asked, I can’t help but smile. “Of course.”

“Then I guess I will lead the way- very carefully though. I think I've embarrassed myself enough for the day.” He offers his arm to me. It reminds me of my date with prince Arin. When he had offered me his arm, I hadn’t wanted to be anywhere near him, let alone touch him.

But this time, I don’t even have to think about it. I gently take his arm, “thank you.” I turn my face a bit so I can look up at him. “What are you talking about? Besides the bannister thing, when did you embarrass yourself?”

“It was mostly that.” He blushes a little bit, but it’s just enough for me to notice it.

I pat his arm a couple of times, hoping to take some of that embarrassment away. I truly don’t think the fall had been that humiliating. “Don't worry about it, that could have happened to anyone.”

When he looks over at me, I suddenly realize I have been staring at his face the entire time. “Hey, Tavi?”

I like the way he says my name. “Yeah?”

“Thank you for doing this with me. I had a lot of fun.” His gaze shifts to the steps, his voice going a bit more quiet, “maybe we can do it again some time?”

The smile on my face keeps growing bigger and bigger. “I would love that.”

His eyes meet mine again, there is a big smile on his face as well. “Okay. Then it's a date.”

My pulse quickens. Did I hear that correctly?

I raise my eyebrows, “a date?”

His face flushes even more now. “As friends I mean. Friends of course.” Hugo’s eyes dart away from mine.

Friends.

Any hope I might have had is immediately crushed by his words.

How can I even think about anything more than friendship?

“Oh,” I have completely misinterpreted the situation. I feel so dumb. “Friends of course.”

I can’t help but feel a little disappointed. But I don’t want Hugo to see any of that in my eyes. As I focus on the wall in front of me, I suddenly realize we’ve already reached the top of the stairs. How did I manage to get up here without paying any attention to the steps?

He must have noticed the disappointment. “We can do whatever you want and I can play my awful song for you.”

Now that I think of it, a friendship with Hugo might be for the best anyway. Today has been one of the nicest days I’ve had here in the palace.

The promise of some music makes me smile again, “yeah sure, that should be interesting.”

“So we have a plan.” There is a short silence before he continues speaking. “I don't actually know which room is yours.” And then he just starts laughing.

I don’t know what to make of this. “Didn't you come to my room before this tour?” I say as I let go of his arm. “Anyway it's the first one on the left here.”

“Yeah, I should have memorized the room number but I think I was a bit distracted by you.”

“Distracted by me?” I don’t remember doing anything that could have distracted him. I’ve reached my door now, but when I place my hand on the doorknob I turn around to face him one more time.

He shakes his head, “I just mean it’s nice talking to you so I wasn’t really paying to where your room is.”

“Oh okay,” I nod my head. “Anyway thanks for today, it was fun.” I smile again.

Hugo returns the smile. “Of course. Any time. Though I think I should consider what you said... I didn’t show you around much for supposedly being your tour guide.”

That is definitely true. We had only been to the music room and I had already known what it looked like. And let’s not forget the stairs, that was a whole different experience. It didn’t even matter, it had been a fun day. “It's okay. Though a 5-star review,” I say as I crunch my face, “I'm not sure.”

I push the door leading to my bedroom open, but the sound of Hugo chuckling makes me turn around again. “There’s always next time I guess. I’m sure my awful guitar playing will automatically make the experience 5 stars.”

“Don't you dare think you can bribe me with music.” I narrow my eyes at him, trying to stay serious. But I fail miserably, I can’t stop the laughter from coming out.

There is a smile on his face again. “I'll find something else to bribe you with.” His gaze shifts to my door, “see you at dinner?”

“Yes,” I nod my head before I turn around. I push my door open a bit more so I can actually walk into my room. Before I close it, I smile at him one more time, “bye.”

He returns the smile, “bye.”

I close the door behind me. A quick scan of the room tells me my maids haven't arrived yet. Good. This gives me a little bit of time to get my head in the right place before I have to face other people again.

I sit down on the floor with my back towards the door. On the other side I hear the sound of retreating footsteps echoing in the hallway. I pull up my legs and lean my elbows on top of them.

Friendship. I need to keep that in mind.

Holy freaking shit.

#selectionoc #side fic #fic

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diveronarpg · 4 years

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Congratulations, BRIDGET! You’ve been accepted for the role of HERMIA. Admin Julie: Bridget, your application for Hazel was, in short, incredible. Nothing felt unfinished out or out of place -- every word you wrote felt as though it just made sense. It was a true, genuinely pleasure to read; your in-character interview was especially heartrending, and honestly, listening to Hazel speak felt quite a lot like coming home and sitting down with an old friend over a nice cup of tea, or coffee, which is a welcome relief from the harshness that Verona can often personify if you let yourself get too drawn in to the chaos and the angst and the pain. Hazel is utterly human in an incredible way, and you hit that nail right on the head. We cannot wait to see her on the dashboard, and we cannot wait to have you with us. Please read over the checklist and send in your blog within 24 hours.

WELCOME TO THE MOB.

OUT OF CHARACTER

Alias | Bridget Age | Twenty-two Preferred Pronouns | She/they Activity Level | I am currently in a fugue state when it comes to both the perception of myself and of time, so while I will intend to be online everyday, sometimes a few days will slip through the cracks of my conscious and then I’ll realize I’ve been MIA and do my best to do about 123432 replies in an hour to play catch-up. That said, I can guarantee at least four days a week being online for at least an hour if not more. Timezone | EST How did you find the rp? | I feel like I’ve known this RP for years but honestly I’ve been capital-I Intimidated by it, but I was talking to Kay and figured I was finally willing to take the plunge Current/Past RP Accounts | https://rvncorns.tumblr.com/ https://birdieklein.tumblr.com/

IN CHARACTER

Character | Hermia ; Hazel Ruth Accardi

Hazel ; english: the hazelnut tree Ruth ; biblical, hebrew: compassionate friend Accardi ; a family who believes in God above all, following his teachings in all motions of their life

What drew you to this character? |

As mentioned above, I’ve seen this roleplay for years, and I have had friends be a part of it. In the depths of my Google Drive, I have half-started apps that I never finished due to the muse never being quite there, or for fear of submitting and facing competition itself. I’ve perused the masterlist every so often, but no one has quite piqued my interest quite like Hazel.

I think I knew I had to app them after reading the line, “ only a foolish saint believed that they could walk through a city of such sin with unblemished hands and clean soles of feet. ” It was so visceral, and it really made me start imagining this character further than what the biography offered. I could only picture her having found this solid identity, certainly marked by the world, but mostly unstained. I couldn’t help but think that this — being in Verona, that is — is going to change her. She might not realize it, She might not want to believe it, but it will happen slowly and surely.

I do love characters that have crises with identity. There is something soothing in being sure of yourself and who you are, and I do believe that fuels Hazel. She fought and struggled to find herself, and now she will begin to struggle and fight to keep herself as she is, as who she knows herself to become.

There’s room for both growth and regression within Hazel, and I genuinely would love to explore it.

I also was captured by her love and fervid passion for religion. As someone who has personally struggled with religion and their own views of it, I think Hazel will be an interesting projection. I want to see her lean into her faith with all that is coming to trouble her because that is who they are. God is her Shepherd and she is his lamb. He is guiding her through all of this, struggles and all.

I don’t think she’ll ever come to have a moment where she will renounce her faith. It is embedded in her. She is solid and unwavering in it — and I desperately believe that that can’t be changed, no matter what the world — Verona, specifically — will throw at them.

What is a future plot idea you have in mind for the character? |

I always fear that I’m not living right: I want to explore how far Hazel falls in with the Montagues. Is it forging only ? Does it stop there ? Or does it slowly become more and more until she realizes she is drowning in sin she could have never imagined ? I want her to have moral conflict. She loves Verona for its beauty and history — but is it worth the sin ? Is it worth the stain on her godly soul no matter how many times she goes to confession ? I gotta say I don’t think she’ll be necessarily cognizant of her doing more. It just seems like she’s paying off their debts. A gun to the face has put the fear of God in her heart ( — which leads me to wonder how much fear did she have of God to begin with, the righteous and Almighty, and I do suppose I could write a whole thesis on this but I’ll refrain ) and to question it seems like the wrong move.

ALSO HAHA I JUST THOUGHT OF THIS RIGHT NOW pt. 2 : what if she started forging for the Capulets too ? Like, to make more money on the side ? The money they’re earning from the Montagues is basically nil, considering it’s all going to debts. If she wants a little money in her pockets, maybe she’ll have to do what she has to. Maybe there’s no choice. It could be dangerous and risky — scratch that. It would definitely be dangerous and risky. But I think a part of Hazel is still somewhat blind to all of the danger. It hasn’t quite touched her yet ( a gun to her face aside ), so it hasn’t quite struck her how much is at play, at least not in a real, physical, palpable way.

I do have to say that I’m pretty sure she will end up more involved within either the Montagues or the Capulets despite what her initial thoughts are ( because that’s the path I’d like to move with her ). Slowly but surely, she’ll end up in deeper water, but I don’t think she’ll want to get out so long as she feels safe. That’s so important, a sense of safety. She has that in her relationship with her parents, and especially her relationship with God. That said, I feel like I need to add that she will stay involved with the gangs so long as she isn’t hurting anyone directly. She’ll have blinders on, specifically rose-colored ones, of her own making. Perhaps it’s naive, perhaps it’s selfish, but to think too long about it is scary. To add on the thought of hurting someone else by her direct action ? Unfathomable. It’s established in the biography that she saw the world in extremes, and I do imagine that, while she has grown, she still sees some things in black and white. I think getting more involved with the Capulets and Montagues will show her that the world isn’t just her version of black and white. What she sees as wrong, someone else might see it as right. I think she’ll be introduced to shades of grey she never quite was able to perceive anymore. I want her to learn more about people as she learns more about the war between the Montagues and Capulets.

I’m still petrified that I’ll die alone: I can’t imagine that leaving Harley didn’t hurt Hazel at least a little bit. It was the right decision surely — she’ll never think or believe otherwise — but now she’s grown up. I think that she wants Harley to be in her life because she loved them once, partly, not wholly, but as the connection says, Hazel doesn’t know where Harley is meant to fit. I think it would be really interesting to have them reunite and discover who she is now. Though Harley knew herself then, I’m sure she’s changed. I want Hazel to learn that, and I want her to reintroduce herself to her. It would start with a “ Hi, I’m Hazel, ” and it’d be a little shy and a little hesitant, but she’s open to possibilities. She isn’t as closed off as she once was. I really think Hazel needs to figure out where Harley fits, or, and hear me out, where she doesn’t fit. I don’t know if Hazel ever felt true closure from where they left each other before, but maybe she can find it. Whether it’s them together or not, it’s something she’ll work to figure out.

Ok I feel the need to say that obviously it would depend on the Harley writer and myself on whether or not they get back together and also their chemistry ???? okay but so: If they get back together, I think Hazel will definitely feel more pulled into the world of the Capulets and Montagues. I feel like I should state that, one, she would be incredibly glad to be with Harley again, and she would fall in love again, which leads to a very happy mindset and lifestyle, but the most heavy impact it would have on her life is for sure the one it would have on her role with the Capulets and Montagues. Honestly, right now, she doesn’t want to be involved. That’s the end goal. The only thing keeping her with the Montagues right now is her debt. Once she has it paid off entirely, there’s really no reason to keep working with them. I mean, besides money, but I digress. She wouldn’t plan to work for either. She could be pressed / convinced into it. However, regarding the Capulets, she wouldn’t want to put Harley in a difficult position were she still working with the Montagues when they got back together. Can she quit ? Probably not ! Would she try ? Yes ! Maybe she’d offer to assist the Capulets in some way to make it equal. In her mind, it would work. Harley: come work for the Capulets. I’m loyal to them. There’s some safety in Verona with an allegiance Hazel: Good point I think if Harley asked her to, she wouldn’t say no, not right away It would take time to make a decision, and she would definitely think about it ( not just an hour, but days, maybe a week ? ) She would be conflicted between her strength and resolve towards herself but also her loyalty towards Harley If they don’t get back together, I do think Hazel will be sad, but not cripplingly so. She would be the first person to say she isn’t the same as she was a year ago, let alone however long it was ago that her and Harley were together. I think it would loosen a tie between her and the Capulets, if there was one, but also loosen the tie between her and Verona. I sort of see it ( them not being together ) as a reason not to stay. It would cement to her that she wasn’t the person who fell in love with Harley. She’s different, she’s someone new. And that’s not a bad thing. I think it would be almost a relief actually, to know that she's changed. I would hope that they’d still be friends and would get to know each other for who they are now. Hazel wants to be excited for who she is now and what all that she believes in.

I’m still petrified of going broke: Hazel never imagined being in crippling debt, not to a college in the United States, and definitely not to a bank controlled by a mob in Italy. But here she is. This is her life. Is it worth it to stay ? What if she ran home to her parents, embracing their help and their charity until she found her footing once again ? She could do it. Would Verona follow ? She doesn’t think so. But guilt would. She made her bed, shouldn’t she lie in it ? Maybe running wouldn’t do any good, so maybe she should find purpose in Verona. It could start with a job. It could continue with getting out of debt and earning her freedom once more. Then, she could further repent beyond confession with charity and good deeds. Maybe she can set themselves on a godly path once more someway somehow.

To stay: I think Hazel wants to stay because it’s new. It’s beautiful and freeing to be so independent. She’s learning about the world, about herself, and, importantly, she feels closer to God here. She’d have more reason to stay if she had Harley, she’d have more reason to stay if she became better friends with those she’s found friendship ( acquaintanceship ? ) with. Felipe: You don’t forge documents for someone without at least feeling a little loyal to them ! I imagine Hazel is keen to remain in touch with them, to know they’re safe. Also, she told her whole life story to him. If that doesn’t add up to friendship ( in her mind, at least ), then what does ? Ajax: Listen. I just have thoughts about these too. They could become BEST FRIENDS. Obviously, that’s Hazel with her rose-colored glasses talking through me. I just imagine she feels close to him ( with him viewing her as a sister-like figure, I imagine it’s reciprocal ). Also please note that above I said Hazel wants to stay. Despite her debt and moral quandaries, she still wants to be in Italy. That’s how she’s feeling right now. I think staying will impact her self-confidence. She is enough. She is strong and brave in ways she never quite imagined. I think she’ll discover more about humans, the longer she stays in Verona ; rather, she’ll learn more about their particularities and peculiarities — who they are, their beliefs, their loyalties. That’s something that struck me particularly about Hazel, she’s always learning and she’s eager to do so, not just about herself but the world and the people in it, too. To not stay, in no particular order: there’s a war between the Capulets and Montagues going on and she’s somehow gotten involved. She’s in debt. Her ex is here. I think if she got hurt, saw someone get hurt, or knew someone closely who got hurt, she might be convinced to leave. Harm isn’t something she wants to be around. She doesn’t want it to happen to her and she doesn’t want to see someone be affected. Ultimately, though, it boils down to fear. If she’s scared of her life being at risk, she might consider it time to flee. I think this would ultimately cause her to shelter herself further. She’ll seek the familiar, her family and childhood home, perhaps, or somewhere with a heavily-religious population. Either way, she’ll fall back on her faith and the familiar, finding comfort in what she already knows, trusts, and believes in.

Are you comfortable with killing off your character? |

What is life without a little risk ? Kill her if you have to. Let’s go for maximum angst and maximum pain. IN DEPTH

What is your favorite place in Verona?

The cathedral and its pews seemed awfully lonely and awfully cold, and Hazel wondered if one without god in their hearts would simply freeze if they stepped inside. It seemed foolish to wonder such a thing, but the cathedral was such a sacred and holy place. What good came to outsiders who stepped inside ? To come there was to seek God. It had to be for that purpose and that only. “ I found the Cathedral in my first days here — but saying it like that makes it seem like I wasn’t aware of it before I moved. ” Her head was tilted askew, her eyes not upon whom she spoke to, instead stuck on the multicolored panes of the stained glass windows. “ It was one of my reasons I chose Verona, actually. I — I needed a place I knew I’d be able to find God. ”

There was something that felt like home in a church. Hazel had never much enjoyed labeling a place as such, but the wooden pews were as familiar as her father, the velvet kneelers soft and comforting as her mother’s hand on her cheek. She’s staring down at her feet now, half-embarrassed and half feeling like she’s revealing her inner soul. “ This — it’s unlike the church I grew up in in a thousand ways, but I still know what to expect here. I know the prayers and the rites, the taste of communion on my tongue. I come here and find the familiar when I’m feeling lost. ”

What does your typical day look like? “ It’s really not that interesting, I’ll have you know. ” She shrugged her shoulders, brows raised, fingers reaching up to push long strands of hair behind her ears. “ I wake up when the sun peeks through my window and I eat breakfast. Usually coffee and a bread of some sort. I’m a real sucker for a good cornetto, honestly. ”

“ I’m a morning person so I try to get as much done before noon, otherwise I consider the day to be a wash. I — I have a lot of papers to work on. ” She doesn’t elaborate, nor does she plan to. The papers, the forgeries, take up so much of her time and effort. She has to be perfect and precise with them, fear of what would happen if she wasn’t has gripped her so strongly that she’s woken in the middle of the night with a cold sweat slicking her body. “ I can get lost in my work. I guess I can be a bit of a perfectionist. ”

She nodded to herself, thinking of what comes next. Her eyes flicked towards the window, towards the people below. For a second, she’s lost in her staring. She couldn’t help but think that people-watching was becoming a lost art. “ I like having my afternoons open to wander and explore. I’m still getting to know the city, and just when I think I’ve got it all figured out, I find something new. It’s beautiful and historic. A marvel. ” Her words had turned airy and distant ; her body was there but her mind was somewhere else. “ I didn’t think moving to Verona would involve me working so much. ” She snorted a laugh despite herself. “ I had to invest in a better pair of sneakers a week in, my old ones were falling apart. ”

“ I usually go to church every day, too, if not every other day. It’s a chance to think and check in with myself. With God.”

Again, she’s shrugging. “ It’s not exciting, okay ? I’m not — exciting. I never have been. I don’t think I’d want to be either ? ”

Silence hung.

“ I call my parents in the evening. It’s afternoon back in Colorado. Usually I can catch them in their free time. Then it’s dinner. Then bed by nine. ”

She feels like she’s being judged. She doesn’t like it.

What has been your biggest mistake thus far?

A loaded question. Does it mean since coming to Verona or within her entire life ? Her mind is reeling with possibilities of answers. She thinks of a beautiful girl she couldn’t give her heart to. She thinks of the Montagues, who she’s ended up helping in return for paid debts. One seems like the obvious answer, bigger than the other.

Her heart says otherwise.

“ I hurt a girl who didn’t deserve it. ” Her lip curls with self-disgust. “ I couldn’t not do what I did, but that doesn’t mean I wanted to hurt her. If I could have done it gentler I would have, but hearts ache. It’s what they’re meant to do. There was no avoiding it. ”

She rests her head in her hands and talk through her fingers.

“ I don’t like hurting people. It doesn’t feel good. ”

What has been the most difficult task asked of you?

This — this — is the easiest question asked. There is no doubt in Hazel’s mind when she answers. “ If there is a gun pointed at me when I’m told to do something, that goes to the top of the list. ” She leans back in her chair, her arms folded across her chest. It’s such a loaded question. How could they expect her to say anything else ? “ It’s like this. I’m good at forging things. I have to do it. This added pressure, though, it makes me feel like I’m drowning, okay ? I’ve never done it where so much was at stake, where it’s been my life on the line. ” Her jaw is clenched, trembling slightly. “ I just feel like I really played myself, you know ? I fell for a trick and into a trap, and the next thing I know is that I’m staring into the mouths of lions. ”

What are your thoughts on the war between the Capulets and the Montagues?

Her face flushes as more time passes. She doesn’t like being considered ignorant, but as time passes and no words spill from parted lips, it’s clear that she doesn’t have much to say. “ I don’t know much about it. ” She speaks slowly and carefully, considering. “ All I know is that it scares me, and I’m on the precipice of falling into it. ” Isn’t she ? She’s forging for the Montagues. That makes her involved with one side of the war, if not both by association. Still, she wants to stay away from most of it, if she can. “ I don’t know what’s started it, and I know that hate and rage has kept it going. I’m scared of being touched by its bloodshed. No good can come from being involved. ”

Extras:

HEADCANONS

001. Of the few things she brought with her to Verona, very likely her dearest possession, is a pearl and crystal Holy Rosary she received after completing her confirmation from her parents.

002. She learned she had a penchant for forgeries in high school. It started with a signature missed from her parents. Her few friends caught on and asked for a few favors. It ended as quickly as it started, guilt eating at her core. But it always seemed to come back. In college, a doctor said they would fax over a note that would grant her an extension for certain assignments. When they didn’t, Hazel did it herself, making a pastiche out of old notes and documents from the practice. That wasn’t lying, was it ? It had meant to be done by the doctor anyway. But she was offered money a few more times when others found out what she could do. She always found herself feeling a pit in her stomach, deciding the possibility of being blackmailed if she said no was worse than the acts of fraud itself. She thought post-college that it would stop. No more trickery and fooling others. And then she ended up in Verona with debt weighing her down, letters sent to her asking for payments nearly everyday. She went to the bank with a letter, signed by the head of the bank itself, saying she had been granted an extension. Most didn’t bat an eye. It looked good, it looked real. Perhaps the extension was too generous because she was caught. Instead of pursuing legal options against her, an offer was laid at her feet. Make some forgeries, lose your debt. How could she say no ?

003. She has a favorite coffee shop just outside of the little apartment she’s living at. She goes there for breakfast. Sometimes she orders extra pastry to have them at home. She’s considered asking for a job there. Something real. Something legal. Something with low risk.

004. She calls her mother frequently. To not worry her, she says everything is fine, just dandy and golden. It’s a white lie, the teensiest of things, but it’s to her parents. Surely God would understand that she wishes to not stress them out.

PINTEREST BOARD

#accepted: hermia #accepted

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decaffinatedvoid · 4 years

Text

An excerpt from my RP character.

She stands there, unmoving as the heat of the sun beats down upon her back. Thick dark hair unusually tied up in a messy bun, strands falling down to delicately tickle the curve of her elegant neck. Solemn gray eyes tracing the words upon the stone, she had lost count how many times now, yet it remained unchanged " Hey Niknak..." Her voice quiet, soft, velvet in nature with a deep timbre that spoke of held back tears. Sneakered feet ground deeper within the broken stones of an often traveled pathway, yet today it seemed she was alone, space to say the things she couldn't the night previously. You see she had traveled to New Orleans in search of family, hopeful, wide eyed and naive to the big open world. However that hopefulness had withered when she had found the tomb. Her Uncles name emblazoned upon it.

Another shuffle of her feet, she hadn't expected her first words to him in so long, to be directed towards an imposing stone facade. But there she stood, she repeated her words, a childhood attempt to pronounce his full name had resulted in the mash up that soon stuck. He had called it adorable " Hey, Niknak.... I miss you." The gravity of those words hit harder, now that there would be no reconciliation. No strong arms to pull her within a hug, or bare knuckles rifling the hair atop of her head whenever he called her a dork. Turning her back to the stone, she lowered and crossed her legs as she settled within the dirt. Leaning back, the warmth the sun had left upon her making the cool stone bite at her as though it bore it's teeth. She sighed, tilting her head back so that she could watch the clouds " I'm glad I found you, just, wish it had been another way." She plucked grass with slim, ringed fingers, only to toss it aside making a small pile as she conversed with the dead. She smiled, one of the clouds taking shape and she rose her right hand towards it " do you see it? The rabbit?" a few beats, then a breath "... of course not, you'd have seen a dragon, or a giant monster bearing it's maw preparing to attack. Then tickled me till I pissed myself....asshole." She chuckled softly at the memory, not of pissing herself, that had been mortifying. But, laying within the long grass as a kid, her head nestled on his stomach as they watched the world go by. More often than not, having to dodge the projectiles that Robert threw their way. However a quick bark from Nicky, and Robert would run off to play in the mud, or poke the lions with sticks. Boys right?. Her hand lowered, her chipped painted nail tracing the step of the mausoleum " I wish you could tell me what happened to Mom, if she's okay, if she was.... with you when it happened." Tilting her head and drawing her eyes from the sky, to move over the other stones around them " at least I know she isn't here, I checked everywhere. Each stone, twice." She could feel the warmth on her cheeks and adjusted her form, pulling the sleeve over her hand and raising it to wipe away the tears that fell. Ah, there they were. Her arms surrounded her legs, pulling them up so that she could rest her chin upon her knees " did I do the right thing coming here? I've already met a couple of people, they're interesting. They would have fit in well at home, one guy, he has this incredible metal hand. Moves, when he moves his muscles and he even said he's able to feel?! Can you imagine that?. Cirion could use something like that, ever since Cuddles had his episode instead of that wooden thing. I'm going to see if I can find out the name of the surgeon, we might be able to get him here!." A brush of her sleeve beneath her nose, the inevitable tap leak that followed the tears " then another woman, I don't know what to make of her yet. She seemed so calculated, so together and precise when we first met. Then, last night she was crushing some guy to her chest. Another one kissing her, then the two guys kissed. Then she left, talking about marshmallows and conspiracies." She couldn't help the gentle snort of laughter, glancing back at the stone " you'd have found the whole thing hilarious, then, then I had to guide some other guy out of the place by throwing leaves and making him follow me. I have a suspicion the wine was spiked, given the guy with the hand, his name is Dr.Crane by the way. Warned me not to drink any."

She fell silent for a while, letting her spill of information sink in, to... well wherever it may go. Then finally she moved, leaning over she pulled close the backpack that she had been wearing. Undoing the zip, she began rustling through the contents till she found what she wanted "I brought something for you, can you remember Mr.Clappy?." From within the bag she brought forth a mechanical monkey sitting on a box, within its hands a pair of symbols and a key at the side to wind. Nicky had brought it as a gift for her on one of his last visits, though at the time she had turned it over within her hands with a frown. Gently pointing out the actual, live monkey that chittered from its perch in the corner of her tent. Nicky had laughed, and simply told her to turn the key. Which she had, large gray eyes and her tongue poking out as she did so. The mechanics within began to click and whir, and after a few moments the arms of the monkey twitched, then clashed the symbols together. She had giggled so loudly till Nicky had told her to hush and listen, and she did. After three clashes of the symbols, there was a crackle and hum from the small speaker at the side. Then clear as day Nicky's voice came from the small toy 'Love you, Luna Moon.' She had then dropped the toy at her side, turning to wrap her arms around him and bury her face into his neck. He always smelled of earth, like dirt and oil with a hint of something else she could never quite ascertain 'I love you too, Niknak.'

The toy was now worn, the key misshapen from the amount of times it had been turned. The fur on the monkey, patchy in parts where she had ran her fingers over it as she fell asleep at night. But everything still worked as it did, she had made sure of it keeping it oiled and somewhere safe. Setting it down upon the stone, she turned it so it was slightly off centre and more balanced in it's new home " I think it's time, he keeps you company for a while. He was getting a little tired of me anyway." One last stroke of her finger, brushing the fur flat that had been disturbed at his temple " isn't that right." Silence. Picking up the backpack, she slid her arms within the straps and settled it in place with a slight bounce of her body. Hooking her thumbs either side, she gazed down at the memorial and it's new decoration " do you mind if I come back again? Just, to tell you about everything here. I'll feel better, knowing I have someone I know to talk about it with." Silence. She nodded her head, a smile tugging softly at the corner of full lips " tough shit buddy, I'm coming whether you like it or not." Poking her tongue out for good measure, she would turn to leave as her sneakers crunched within gravel. A few steps away before she heard it, it causing her to stop dead in her tracks 'clang'. Then again 'clang'. She shook her head, the key most likely was slightly jostled on it's journey within her pack here. So she took another step, 'clang'. The key needed to be fully turned, three times for it to complete it's performance. She could feel her heart take an extra beat in her chest, she knew what would come next and it didn't disappoint " Love you, Luna moon." She tilted her head back, closing her eyes and letting the warmth of the sun capture and heat the fresh tears on her cheeks " I love you too." Then she was gone, wandering back out onto the streets of New Orleans. Perhaps today, she could text the womans friend. The one who seemed to have known Nicky well, she would like that.

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elk-and-thearchivist · 5 years

Text

Chiaroscuro, Chapter 3: Reconnaissance

It’s been a while but we’re still at it! Here’s the third chapter of my RP with @grumpyoldsnake / @justashadetalkative ! For this chapter art, @grumpyoldsnake did the sketch/composition and character lines/flats, while I did the background, shading, and effects. I also did the two other pieces in here.

The streamlined, edited version is on AO3 here.

Elk, Wiki, Linast, and Phosa finally see what they’re up against.

Words: 5385 Characters: Elk and Wiki (mine), Linast and Phosa ( @justashadetalkative ) Indented is me, regular is @justashadetalkative Dashes are POV shifts.

As per usual, Elk guided them expertly through the caverns and back into Greenpath. Hardly a husk noticed them as they went by, even with Phosa's dim glow.

Phosa. An interesting entity, as well - very different in mannerism from her sibling. Perhaps not surprising, given the polarity of their compositions.

And what interesting compositions indeed! Light and darkness. Yet not quite the pale light of soul, or the brilliance of the Old Light. And Linast's darkness was not the same void as they.

Ah, their mind has wandered once more. Already, they approach the area of the rifts.

"We're almost there," Elk called quietly.

“All right,” Phosa replied quietly, staying close behind them. She dimmed still further as the sounds of activity began to reach the group from the cavern ahead, her expression going grim.

Soon they’d drawn close enough to see a stark yellow light shining through the foliage ahead. Carefully, Phosa pushed forward to join the pair and slowly shifted a frond of greenery just far enough to give them a view of the rift area.

The rifts were larger now. One had expanded down to the ground, forming a doorway large enough to fit several people side by side; the others remained as slightly smaller tears in space. They opened into some hazy place that was too brightly lit to focus on; what little could be seen was surreal, seeming to pull and twist without actually moving.

The rift beings seemed to be hunting. Slain husks and Greenpath creatures had been piled haphazardly nearby, orange fluid leaking out across the floor. As the group watched, a group of three rift beings much like the one that had pursued Elk and Linast at the beginning of all this dragged in yet another bug to add to the pile, then departed again. A singular rift being in intricate robes circled slowly around the pile, tracing out glowing sigils in an ever widening arc. Other rift beings roamed the cavern, some apparently on guard, others setting up a sort of camp and talking cheerfully amongst themselves as they carried supplies through the central rift.

Phosa’s expression was tight as she let the greenery fall back into place. “...that is... a pretty big mess,” she whispered. “Shit.”

Wiki's stability within Elk quivered as they observed the the scene, motes and tendrils flicking out. Elk was suddenly anxious as well, taking a few steps back.

Wiki flicked out a tendril, laying it on Phosa's shoulder and giving a questioning prod for entry into her mind. They sensed her surprise, but quick assent. Forgive my intrusion. I don't wish to be overheard.

They could feel both their own and Elk's uneasiness bleeding into the bridge, but they supposed it couldn't be helped. It looks like they're killing and gathering the husks. Yet... I can't help but feel uneasy. I somehow doubt they'll stop at the ones already half-dead. Not to mention, those sigils... What are they for...?

Elk's mental presence echoed their sentiment. It was a much softer presence than theirs - very accommodating towards other entities in their mind. I don't think that they're any good news for Hallownest. Or- this dimension, maybe, if their intent is... larger scale......

I think you’re right, Phosa agreed. On all fronts. I don’t know what the sigils are but... considering corpses seem to be a primary component, I doubt it’s anything good.

Her thoughts flickered rapidly as she compared these beings to similar prior experiences. She seemed to be doing her best to call Wiki’s attention to the relevant ones.

This wasn’t the first time otherworldly beings had interrupted teleportation to and from the Spire, though it wasn’t common, either. ‘Vector wyrms’ seemed to be the most common culprit; they were simple creatures that fed off of the energy of teleportation spells, destabilizing the spell in the process. Hostile individuals had managed it a time or two, but they had usually been specifically searching for the Spire.

And there had once been a realm breach vaguely similar to these rifts in space, though it had been on a much larger scale. The edges of the Spire’s dimension had spilled into some vast, hungering darkness, lit by occasional sparks of lightning. Only Dalgiroth’s intervention and a lot of panicked work on the part of the spellcasters in the Spire had managed to pull them back from that particular incident. At least these rifts seem... stable...? Phosa didn’t seem reassured.

Wiki's thoughts churned as they observed Phosa's. They weren't reassured either.

There are way too many of them for us to confront... I doubt trying to fight them directly would turn out well. Elk gave a mental shudder.

If we could... seal the rifts, somehow. We could cut them off from their base of operations, before they establish themselves here… Rapid thoughts flickered across their mind - old magic, runes, seals, dreams, weavers-

Ah. There is another kingdom by the depths of Hallownest. Deepnest, the land of the Weavers. They are, or were, perhaps, rumored to weave intricate spells. Perhaps we could attempt to learn their magic to seal the rifts.

It's worth a shot. Phosa went distant and unfocused for a moment, her body wavering as she felt through the cavern. It wasn't quite sight, but she seemed to be able to get a general idea of the creature's locations and movements.

...If it worked, we could be sure they wouldn't get reinforcements, and we'd have enough time to be careful about it. If we could pick them off like that, I do think Linast and I could take the ones that are already here, she decided, refocusing. Especially once we're at full strength again.

Phosa looked at them with a serious expression. How long of a journey is it?

Their mind flashed with scenery, flying through various areas - a mental map coalescing in their mind. What would be the best way?

In moments, they traced a path in their mental map. Yes, the best option is most likely... They guided their mental image in a rapid journey, passing through Fog Canyon, the Queen's Station, the Fungal Wastes, before bringing them to a chasm of darkness. Deepnest.

It shall be a bit of a journey. Fog Canyon is dangerous, but not in the usual sense. We can guide you through safely - we are very familiar with it. It's where we met. Elk gave a nod at that.

Deepnest... it is a realm of darkness, we suppose. And not for the faint of heart. Images of parasitized husks and bugs tunneling dirtcarvers flickered across their mind. The Weavers' Den is said to be deep within the kingdom. We'll have to do a bit of exploring.

Phosa leaned forward as if to listen closer, not that it would make much difference. That does seem like quite a ways, she agreed. And those are... certainly some interesting creatures, there in Deepnest. But it seems you know the way pretty well.

She sat back again, smiling weakly. If nothing else, it will be interesting to see where you two met. And Linast is always up for some exploration. I’m sure we’ll manage to find something.

That is indeed the hope. Wiki retreated from the mental bridge, and Elk quietly stepped away from the scene of the rifts, looking around a bit before spotting the path to Fog Canyon. They waved a hand at Phosa, indicating that she follow.

Phosa obediently rose to follow them, picking her way carefully through the foliage. She seemed on higher alert than she had been before observing the rifts, her attention focused as much on their surroundings and on checking for pursuit from behind them as it was focused on following Wiki and Elk.

Soon, the air around them seemed to shift - thicker, almost fluid, and charged with an electrical energy. The bubbles particular to the Canyon began to populate their surroundings, soon giving way to the more hazardous ones, as well.

They paused a moment, warning Phosa: "Don't touch any of the bubbles with nuclei. They'll explode. Same for the larger jellyfish, though you have a chance to avoid them." They peered down the path. "Follow us closely - no harm will come to you here if you know how to avoid everything."

Wiki and Elk were both focused on plotting their pathway through the canyon, so neither were the first to notice, when a group of the creatures emerged from the undergrowth.

Phosa eyed the bubbles warily. “Noted. No touching,” she echoed, picking her way past the ones they’d pointed out to her. She looked up again once she was past them, though, returning to keeping a careful watch on their surroundings, and when the creatures stepped out she froze immediately.

Her warning hand on Elk’s shoulder might have served as warning or might have largely been a distraction, but their situation became clear enough as the quadrupedal creatures at the head of the hunting party spotted them and let out excited cries.

“Shit. Run, I’ll be right behind you—“ Phosa hissed, taking a half step in front of the pair. A blinding wave of light flew forward along the path and collided with the quadrupedal creatures as they started to rush forward. It threw them back to collapse in a heap atop the bipedal creatures behind them, clearing the way to the canyon—for a few moments, at least.

"Ah, Void-" they extended a number of tendrils from Elk and they rapidly scaled the walls of the canyon. Wiki frequently cast their awareness back to make sure Phosa followed - they chose a path relatively easy to navigate, but that meant the creatures were quick gaining on them.

Elk- we need-

A faster path, I know-

One of the creatures came close enough to leap at Phosa - they wrapped a tendril around her and pulled her out of the way, just in time to escape the explosion caused by the creature impacting a nucleated bubble. It let out a pained cry as Elk pulled them away from the blast zone. But the rest of the creatures were undeterred, perhaps more careful now that they were aware of the hazards.

They set Phosa down, but kept the tendril in contact as they continued their escape. Phosa, we're going to change our destination a bit. There's a passage we know by heart, and we might be able to shake them by taking it. It's a slight detour, but-

Phosa had kept up fairly well, right on their heels and nearly mirroring their exact steps at times, though every once in a while they'd leap for a ledge she clearly hadn't expected them to and she'd fall behind for a few moments as she readjusted.

She stumbled a step as they set her down and then caught her rhythm again. She reached up to grip their tendril with one hand, making sure that the contact didn't get interrupted.

Getting there at all sounds good to me, however many detours it takes, she replied. I tried to burn those things when they first showed up but it hardly did anything, shaking them's probably our best shot.

Elk cursed in their joined minds - so they were resilient and relentless. Despite the situation, Wiki felt a bit of amusement Elk's choice of words - giving a mental nudge equivalent to saying language- but the moment washed away quickly as they noticed the creatures gaining on them once more.

We'll do our best. Actually, we might be able to… Letting Elk take care of the navigation, Wiki considered their options. They sent Phosa an image of a cluster of Ooma - a large group typically lingered near where they were going. The Ooma are normally passive, but if their outer body is damaged, the volatile core will immediately fly towards the attacker. They will unleash a powerful explosion on impact.

Elk continued the thought: We might be able to do a little... misdirection. With enough of them, I doubt even these things will be unfazed? Though obviously it'll be pretty dangerous, we're handling explosives after all-

Phosa can do it. It seemed that Linast had woken again. Though with the current pace they were keeping and the explosion earlier, it wasn't surprising. It's a good idea. I can take our core, or you two can carry us, and she can drop back to where the rift people are and attack the Ooma from their direction.

Phosa assented, her mind quickly flicking through the necessary maneuver. She didn't seem concerned about the possibility of getting caught in the blast herself. They yelped at the explosion earlier. The light and heat might not do much but I'm betting the concussive force will. Solid folk tend to squish.

Wiki gave a mental equivalent of a snort. You have a point. Linast, good to see that you're awake. Your plan sounds very efficient. Though…

Will you two be alright? So long as your core is fine? Wiki could feel the concern emanating from Elk. Mirrored in their own self, though perhaps not as intensely.

Yes, and will you need a moment to form and split off? We'd probably be fine distracting them a moment if so.

We’ll be safe from the Ooma, yes.

The light from the explosions might be painful for me, if I’m in line of sight of them, Linast added. But that’s all. It doesn’t actually do me any harm, it’s just—tiring. The concept of ‘tired’ had a heavier mental weight to it than the word itself might suggest.

Guess we’ll find out for the rest. We don’t know what the creatures can do at close range. But they’d have to have some pretty specific abilities to be able to hurt me, and I don’t plan to linger.

Are you sure you could distract them safely? Linast seemed distinctly concerned at the risk, trying to think through alternative options. We won’t need long, I can teleport our core now that we’re healed, but it’ll take me a second to get my feet under me.

Wiki sent them a mental map of the area - there was an open area a little further, where the Ooma swarmed - and just beyond that stood the immense facility of the Archives.

We'll be alright. Good luck. They retracted their tendril. "We'll lead them off!"

“Meet you on the other side!” Phosa returned. Their core unspooled in ribbons of red and then into nothing at all, and moments later Phosa disappeared as well, flickering out of view like she’d never been there to begin with.

As Linast reclaimed their core, Phosa released her concentration on her form and turned her awareness outwards. The creatures were closer behind than she liked, but hopefully she was about to fix that.

Phosa located the Ooma that Wiki had described, glowing cores of orange at their centers making them stand out readily in her awareness. She should be able to target quite a few of them at once, especially since the creatures were even easier for her to feel than the Ooma nuclei.

Phosa lined up the shots, tracing a mental trajectory between each creature and a few Ooma each, then hesitated. She’d lost track of Elk and Wiki in the shuffle, antithetical as their bodies were to her magic. Were they out of the bloom yet? She refocused, looking for the small splotch of void that would mark Elk in her awareness.

It took a moment to pinpoint them - they weren't nearly as far as she'd expect, their emptiness still in the midst of the swarm of lights.

Their splotch expanded and contracted as they extended tendrils to vault themselves over and around the terrain, until it suddenly faltered and stopped.

That was most definitely not out of the bloom. Phosa didn't want to lose track of her sense of the creatures and Ooma, and she didn't want to distract Elk and Wiki at a bad time. But she focused in to take a look at what was going on, hoping to see what had gone wrong.

One of the creatures had managed to nick Elk's leg, causing them to trip. But they were still only for a moment, as tendrils suddenly burst from their body - a blur of motion followed by a yelp from the offending creature.

Elk was hunched over, the tendrils having pulled them back a bit. One tendril hung in the air, wielding some kind of weapon, stained with a liquid light.

The creature that was struck got up, a shallow gash on its face leaking the same fluid. It joined the rest of its pack, crouched a distance away from them - coiled energy about to strike.

Elk suddenly snapped their gaze to Phosa. The tendrils jerkily gestured to the Ooma, as if telling her, Do it now, now-

Phosa hesitated for an instant, the small sphere of light she’d formed to take a look at the situation flickering with stress. They had at least a bit of distance between themselves and the creatures, but it really wasn’t as much distance as she’d hoped. And they were still in the Ooma field. Would it set off a chain reaction, would they have time to get out—?

But Phosa was used to following instructions in combat situations, and Elk and Wiki were far more familiar with the Ooma than she was. An instant was all it took for her to shove her hesitance aside and refocus her attention, turning back to the creatures.

One, two—three. And more than enough Ooma for each. She lashed out from each creature’s position simultaneously, sending out narrow lances of heat and light that were about as close to laser focus as she could manage at such short notice.

As soon as the lances made contact, the soft outer layer of the Ooma burst. The cores were suspended in the air for just a moment, a moment of calm - before they descended upon the creatures.

Elk and Wiki just managed to leap out of the initial blast, ducking behind an outcropping. But as the creatures were caught in the blast, the explosion of heat and light reverberating through the air, they lashed out. The pops of Oomas' outer layers seemed loud in the gap between the first explosion - and the ones thereafter. It seemed as if a chain of at least ten of them were set off, brightness overshadowing the light of anything in the midst of the explosions.

When they finally stopped, the creatures were scattered on the canyon floor, weakly trying to get up. Elk and Wiki were out of Phosa's direct line of sight, but-

A trail of darkness was forming from a ways off from the scene, dripping from an amorphous spot of emptiness as it slowly moved further down the path.

Phosa had tried to keep track of Elk and Wiki through all of the explosions, in the hopes of intercepting the worst of the blasts if she could. But the light of the explosions was so much stronger in her awareness, and the pair blended into their surroundings—indistinguishable from flying debris and the dark interior of the cavern’s floor.

She cursed heartily as she spied the creatures still alive, forming in an amorphous shape and giving them a hard, merciless shove back to the ground. She honestly wasn’t paying much attention as she did so, though, casting about the cavern in search of her allies. She couldn’t burn the creatures, and she’d never been as good as Linast at physical force or cutting edges, and—there.

That was probably Elk, or Wiki, or both; it certainly wasn’t Linast. Stars they seemed in bad shape, though.

Phosa hurriedly formed near them, glancing over their wounds with a wince. At least they were upright. Sort of. “Hey,” she muttered, hovering uncertainly, her hands raised to offer support but not sure if it’d be welcome. “Hey, shit. I’m sorry, that got way more hectic than I expected, lost track of you for a few. Can I touch you? We need to get out of here—they’re not quite dead...”

They twitched, gooey tendrils flicking out. "Phosa...?" came out in a distorted warble. They shifted their head to look at her. "We'll... be alright once Elk wakes up and is able to focus. They're unconscious, they took the worst of it."

They curled their tendrils. "We were close, but- nnh. We got a direct hit from one at the very end. And Elk's shell has never- been very strong."

They glanced back to where the creatures were. "Sorry, we- panicked for a moment back there. Sorry. We thought we could make it." They looked back up to her. "We can't move that well right now... If you could give us a hand, that would... be appreciated. You can touch us, but it may be better for you to avoid our unstable Void. The cloak... should be fine."

“Yeah, that’s—I probably shouldn’t try touching that stuff right now,” Phosa agreed, looking them over. They seemed to be bleeding Void, and floating motes rose from their body as well. But if the cloak worked as a barrier, she could probably manage this; it was close enough to full length.

Phosa sent a wary glance back towards the creatures, which were still struggling to stand, then crouched down. She carefully tugged their cloak forward, wrapping it more securely about them. “I’m just going to pick you up, okay?”

They nodded as she wrapped the cloak around them, the texture under the cloak almost fluid, before it met enough resistance for it to seem solid.

They twitched suddenly, lifting their head a bit. "W... wait. Would it... be possible to capture one of the creatures? We might be able to find out something... now's... a good chance. They're weakened-"

“So are we,” Phosa returned, a bit more sharply than she’d meant to. She finished with the cloak, gently scooped them up, and held them close to her chest as she turned to check on the creatures’ progress.

She watched as a quadrupedal creature nudged at the bipedal one—which hadn’t yet managed to regain its feet—and let out a slow, conflicted hiss.

The problem was that Wiki was right. If the things were this resilient, this may well be their best chance at capturing one safely. Especially if they were going to keep running into them like this, unprepared and far from full strength.

“...I’m not taking you back in there,” Phosa said, slowly. Then, her conviction growing, she added, “And I’m not leaving you here undefended while I try to subdue three of them at once to make it safe enough to approach. We’ll meet back up with Linast. Then I’ll come back on my own and see if I can capture one.”

"...Nnh." They seemed wrought with tension, before they slumped as it drained from them. "I'm in no position to argue."

"We'll be safe in the Archives. We can rest there.... we know all the places to hide...." They slightly turned their head in the direction of her face. "Just... be careful..."

Phosa relaxed a bit as the tension drained from them, and readjusted her grip to keep them from slipping. “I always am,” she said. “Which is why we’re not staying here when Elk’s unconscious and you hardly seem much better off.”

Phosa set off at as smooth a run as she could manage, keeping a sharp eye out for any remnant Ooma or nucleated bubbles. She didn’t want to aggravate their injuries, but she was also intent on getting them out of the way as quickly as possible. She would need to get back before the creatures recovered much further.

It wasn't long until they emerged from a passageway into a large cavern. Ooma floated aimlessly around the expansive space, hovering around a sprawling complex of bronze metal and glass windows that glowed with the same green as the acid lake it was built upon.

Wiki was silent and motionless until they had arrived; as soon as they came into sight of the building, they shifted their gaze to it. "We can go in through the main entrance. No one really alive... stays here." They shifted again, looking around. "Is Linast here already...?"

Phosa frowned a bit, finding their specification of 'really alive' a bit ominous. She set her reservations aside and nodded as they asked after Linast, though, and glanced around for him herself. "Yeah, I can feel us--there he is."

Linast finished his teleportation in from whatever recessed corner of the passageway he’d found, and fell in beside her as she started towards the Archive's entrance. He stared at Elk and Wiki, looking a bit horrified. "Phosa, what--?"

"We fucked up," Phosa interrupted. She caught a cold blankness settling into his expression, and when he began to turn back the way they'd come she reached out with a formless limb to tug him back towards her by the core. His form flickered unsteadily against her light even as he pushed her away with a petulant hiss. "We fucked up, Linast. Don't even think about it. We can't afford more mistakes right now and you have been active way too long."

Linast subsided reluctantly, his attention drifting back towards Wiki. He started to reach towards them, then seemed to have second thoughts and tucked his hand back in against his chest. "Are you two okay..?" he asked, hesitant. "I mean--stable, or... is there anything we can do to help?"

They'd curled into themselves at Phosa's words, as if contrite. "We'll be... fine. Once Elk wakes up. They- they have an ability to heal themself using soul - we still have a lot we absorbed in the spring. I'm just... holding us together until then. Just need to rest for a bit..."

They turned Elk's head to Linast. "Active too long...? Are you alright-hnm." They flinched as more void dripped from the crack in their shell. "Let's- we should get inside- then we can all rest. I can show you where to go."

"Best to get out of sight," Phosa agreed quietly, shifting her hand away from the fresh drip of void before it could make contact. As she approached the entrance to the Archive, she exchanged a brief glance with Linast. He looked painfully worried, and she couldn't quite disagree with him.

Wiki said they'd be fine, and she'd gathered that they weren't exactly your typical biological beings. But they were... oozing quite a lot, and she was used to head wounds and unconsciousness being direly serious, in most physical creatures. 'Holding us together' was equally concerning. It was hard to reconcile all of that with 'fine,' or with a certainty that Elk would wake.

Nothing for it right now, though. As during all the rest of this nonsense, she'd just have to trust them. She nodded Linast towards the door, and he slipped through. He returned a moment later to gesture her in, apparently deeming it safe. She entered and took a look at their new surroundings. "Alright. Where are we heading?"

They took a second to respond - "Down the hallway, second left. There's a hidden door in the room there, you can take the steps to reach the second floor atrium. There are windows to the outside, so we'll be able to see if anything's coming..."

They shifted. "Oh, and... don't worry Uoma, the smaller jellies. They just... linger. Even if they hardly remember why they're here..."

“Okay,” Linast said. He set off ahead down the path they had indicated, continuing the practice of walking ahead of her and keeping an eye out for potential threats. It wasn’t their normal procedure, but then Phosa wasn’t normally the one carrying something vulnerable.

He’d already been looking wan and faintly shaky around the edges outside of the Archive. Phosa frowned as that was replaced with an entirely different sort of shakiness, her sibling twitching at every fresh flash from a nearby Uoma. She couldn’t see his expression from behind, but she could see that their core had disappeared beneath shadows much deeper than Linast would normally bother with even when he wasn’t overtired.

“Are the Uoma safe to touch?” she asked Wiki, as she paused outside the first room they’d described while Linast checked it. “Or are they explosive or aggressive, too?”

They hummed. "I wouldn't recommend touching them, as they can give an electrical discharge. The young ones," they gestured to the small green jellies wiggling about, "are harmless, however. And luckily, they are not explosive. At the slightest damage, they will perish."

"They, with the Ooma... helped keep the Archives running, back then..." They fell silent.

"Yeah, I can... see that." Nice to know they were easy to dispatch and harmless if unbothered, at least. Phosa might... try to shuffle them to other parts of the Archives, if there were any in the atrium. She doubted Linast would agree to rest with them anywhere nearby, and she didn't particularly relish the prospect, herself.

Phosa frowned as Wiki trailed off, and gently thumbed their shoulder beneath their cloak. "Hey. You still with us?" Normally she wouldn't keep bothering them, but... 'holding us together'. She wasn't sure it was entirely safe for Wiki to drift off, right now.

"Mmm..." That was some response, at least. "Still awake. Just... concentrating on.. mm. Might go under for a bit after Elk wakes up... They're... starting to come around. Won't be long, now..."

"Alright. I'm glad to hear it." Phosa looked up as Linast returned and gestured her into the room.

"I found the door," he said, pointing it out to her with a shaky gesture as she entered. "It was closed sso it's—mostly empty up there, at least. "

Phosa started up the stairs, listening as Linast closed the hidden door behind them and started up after her. "I'm going to head back and see if I can safely capture one of the injured creatures," she told him, as they entered the atrium and she began to look around for a good spot to set Elk and Wiki down. "Hopefully they haven't gotten too far. I want you to stay here with them, Wiki says Elk's starting to come around."

The atrium was a large circular room, an array of windows on either side, purple glow of the canyons filtering in. The room had a number of lamps filled with, presumably, acid - emitting a soft, diffuse glow - in between the windows, hanging from the walls. A long bench followed the wall, in addition to the circular ones surrounding an insignia that looked a lot like Wiki's likeness in the middle of the room. A winding staircase went up the side of the room to another platform, which was connected to other platforms by stairways crossing the room. A few of the smaller Uoma milled about aimlessly.

"... This was used as a research area, in the past... They'd call out to each other across the room. The stairs were mostly for the benefit of the bugs that couldn't float."

"There used to be more ways to access it, but they began sealing entrances when the Infection began. The researchers wanted to focus on their work. Or perhaps it was in fear of those already infected..." Wiki sighed, and waved a tendril in the direction of the central benches. "We can sit here."

“I’m going to need one of you to explain this Infection business to me at some point.” Phosa finished looking around and moved into the room to lay Elk’s unconscious form down on one of the benches Wiki had indicated.

She straightened up again afterwards and took a moment to look and feel around the room one last time, checking the entrances, making sure there weren’t any of the adult Uoma hidden in back corners. She knew Linast had already checked, but...

“It’s fine,” Linast muttered, patting her shoulder as he brushed past her to sit next to Elk and Wiki. “Go—get one of the rift folk before we lose track of them, and make sure none of the others were around to follow us. I’ll get your attention if s-ssomething goes wrong.”

“...Okay. I’ll try to be quick.” Without giving herself any more time to hesitate, Phosa let her body fade and turned her attention to finding the creatures they’d left behind.

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paradise-of-guilty-pleasures · 5 years

Text

Shattered Reflections {9}

[Helsa RP- Fanfic]

Fandom: Frozen

Genre: Post-Frozen/ Canon Divergence

- Hurt/Comfort, Drama, Romance

Pairing(s): Hans/Elsa, Kristoff/Anna

Previous Chapter: 8. The Queen’s Fool

A/N:

Oof. Should have posted this sooner, since chapter 10, the next one, is the one I want up for Valentine’s, but got distracted by my V-day drawing instead.

9. Storming the Castle

"Ah, the little snow-prince returns!" Hans greeted Olaf pleasantly the next day, surprised that he saw Olaf without Elsa.

But he was asked for a story, and a story he would give. Without Elsa there, he knew it would be dangerous-- but he wanted to try to tell his story.

"Now here's a story you'll think you know-- but I'm going to turn it on its head for you. The best sorts of stories are the ones that you think you know, until they twist in unexpected directions. Now, this is the story of the Mirror Prince -but not the same one as before,- the Snow Queen, and the kind-hearted Princess..."

He told the story of how he landed in Arendelle, how a mirror saw someone in need of love, and felt it also needed love; how the two mistook it for true love, and so on. He told the story of someone who hardly knew magic meeting it in person, of the mirror meeting the Queen and seeing fear, and all the things Hans had told Elsa, without using their names, leaving out some details --perhaps simply because he didn't know them. He never exchanged words with Kristoff, he knew nothing of the trolls, he only knew bits and pieces.

"And so, to bring back the summer and to end the winter, the Mirror Prince raised his sword--" He stopped. Something sounded wrong.

"Hold that thought." He got up and moved to the door to listen. Commotion in the halls, pounding at far doors.

"Get under the bed, little snow-prince, and hide in silence. There's trouble." He warned. And him without anything he could use as a weapon.

Well, he had a chair. As a last resort, perhaps. He moved to the door and opened it. The guards hadn't locked it, so they could check on him, and he had never tried it. It was surreal to exit his own makeshift cell.

"What's going on?" He asked, hoping the guards had stayed to find out. And if not, at least that meant he could look for a weapon, to help them.

The guards had not bothered to lock the door, leaving in a hurry to address the more pressing matters, instead of worrying about babysitting an injured prince.The hallway was completely deserted. Outside air seemingly more frigid than inside the room.

There was a cacophony of noises resonating through the corridors. The sound of heavy footsteps running. Shouts loud enough to be heard but mostly unintelligible.

Finally after a moment of attentive listening there was echoing voices clear enough to be made out:

"WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!"

"PROTECT THE PRINCESS!"

"What's going on?" Olaf asked himself, ignoring the orders Hans gave and standing right beside him. The little snowman was both naïve and unafraid.

"We're under attack, little snow-prince. Hide under the bed like I told you, and wait, else you'll take your life into your own hands. I've got to find a sword." Hans frowned, especially at the ice. Poor Elsa was afraid-- and where was Anna? He supposed he would figure it out when he got to a crossroads.

"Quick, where's the nearest sword? Something meant for display will do, a rapier hanging on a wall, perhaps? Or a tall candle holder, in a pinch." He needed to move, but he needed a sword before he could be effective. He left the door open and ducked behind the wall to ask Olaf, suspecting the snowman would know the castle better than he would. "Before I was a fool, I was a man of the Navy." It was true. More true than perhaps he wanted to admit. He was a fool now, if not a prisoner. But whether it was the mental fool or the job title of Fool, he couldn't quite decide.

"Under attack? Sword?" Olaf said thinking for moment. "Oh! I know where, follow me!!" said the little snowman running down the hall without a second thought. He wasn't going to tell him, he was going to show him.

Hans sighed, concerned for the little snowman, but glanced out and followed after in a hurry. It seemed Olaf wouldn't be swayed, but Hans had no time to argue. He needed a sword so he could join alongside Arendelle's guards. He just needed something that would hold together under the stress of a sword fight. And if it could do damage, all the better.

All the havoc seemed to be happening further within, making the corridors the fearless little snowman guided the foolish prince through miraculously desolate. Olaf had astonishingly lead the prince to a trophy room, that was more like decorative arsenal, especially in the moment.

Hans was almost perplexed. "Twice now, things I've seen here that simply don't belong."

He mused, briefly. But he shook it off, and found the closest weapon he could grab to his old Bastard sword.

"Traditions will forgive this one breach." He decided. "Please, stay safe, and hide. What would Elsa do if she saw you running about in danger?" He ignored the fact that the same could be said of him. "I'm going to defend Arendelle, as best I can." He tied the display sword to his waist and tested the edge. Not sharp enough to cut through armor, but perhaps enough to out through soft bits. It would have to do.

Without another word, he bounded off, sword in hand. He would repel invaders, advise guards, and defend whichever lady needed him first.

"Press in! Repel them back and hold the line!" He called as he neared the action, looking to see where the danger was-- and where it was going. Listening for any sound that might indicate where the women were.

"Stay back! I got a candle holder and I'm not afraid to use it!"

"Princess, please stand back, let us handle it."

"No! I got to go find Elsa!"

"Oh, if there's a god, forgive me." Hans sighed, and bounded that direction, turning quickly to show he was alongside the Arendelle guards.

"You heard her Highness, let's get her to the Queen!" He called. "Forgive the intrusion, your Highness, throw things at me later." They didn't have time to have old grudges at that moment. "I'll take the left, I can defend it better. Move forward and don't hesitate. Every step we take into their reach is a step they must move backward or be thrown!" He directed to the guards. Hans actually knew how to use a sword. He couldn't be as certain of their guards.

"Wait...what?"

Anna was completely bewildered at who had come to her aid. It was the very man that left her to die, and now he was there to defend her? It was unbelievable.

There were so many questions swirling around in her mind. As if she wasn't already confused enough before his arrival, and now she was absolutely dumbstruck.

Questions crossed her mind like: What was going on? Where's Elsa? Why was he here and why was he helping her? And most importantly, what was he doing out of the dungeon?

But, questions would have to wait, she had to find Elsa. She would disregard those questions and concerns, for the time being, if it meant reaching her sister sooner. She didn't have time to lose.

Anna had been so sidetracked by her confusion she almost lost her grip on her heavy staff-like candle holder, luckily that brief release had snapped out of her daze.

" I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, thank you very much," she assertively said as she swiftly swung the candle holder. She didn't have time to argue or be angry, she had to focus on getting to her sister, but didn't mean she had to hide her annoyance.

Hans ducked out of her way, certainly.

"Well hurry, then! I'm going the same direction, they'll be after the Queen, and you after! These are Weselton men!" He warned. The men had the clarity to separate the two at any given chance, which left a lot of men between them and the Queen, it seemed, and Hans ended up on Anna's side of the separation.

Without worrying about the rest, he turned into the fight, attacking at a man in a full wool coat -for this was no longer the medieval age of full armor- and slicing hard at his calves to make the man buckle in pain. His sword wasn't sharp enough to cut into the wool, but it was heavy and wielded well enough to break the bones and make it too painful for the other man to be a significant hindrance in the fight. He picked up the man's offhand sword instead. Hans wasn't trained in, nor fond of guns. But he could use a cutlass fairly well, and it would at least cut. A better option than the dull one he had borrowed.

There was no time to think about the details of who it came from. They had a lot of people to cut through. He wouldn't think much about the people or the danger, he only had to reach Elsa, and ensure that she was safe. They could sort the rest out, after.

"Stand-down!" Elsa urged. "I don't wish to harm you!"

The invading men did not heed her warning, and continued to press on. Trying their best to enclose her to be able to overpower her.

Elsa was at the epicenter of chaos, in the middle of the grand hall. Scattered across the ground lay the bodies of men (both friend and foe), yet none of her men were left standing alongside her, the Captain had been the last to fall. Her soldiers had fought bravely to try to protect her, but to no avail, they had been outnumbered and overtaken, and now solely Elsa remained.

She stood alone, shielding herself with her ice. Large icicles encompassed her barricade to fend off against the attackers. In fact, frost encased the entire room, causing a light snowfall to occur. Elsa felt completely cornered, very much reminiscent of the attack on the North Mountain, but this time she wasn't alone, there were people she had to protect and other people's lives at risk, making her even more panic-stricken.

She'd mostly been on the defensive rather than the offensive, afraid to lose control, and mortally wound someone by accident. She really didn't wish to harm anyone, especially not her own men, they were already putting their lives on the line in order to protect her. In other words, she'd been holding herself back out of sheer fear. But luckily, aside from just herself, she'd also managed to hold back the assailants as well.

Elsa tried her best to combat intruders, but it felt as if she was fighting against a Hydra, it seemed like for every enemy soldier she hindered two more appeared in their place. She was overwhelmed and outnumbered.

"Elsa?!" Anna cried in search of her, the voice resonating from a nearby corridor.

"Anna..." Elsa murmured at the sound of her younger sister's voice. She had come to look for her, of course she did, it was in her nature. It sounded like she was alive and well, which was a relief, but that may not be the case for long, if proceeded to reach her. If Anna came to Elsa, she would be walking straight into the lion's den. Elsa had to do what she could to prevent her sister from getting into harm's way. To keep her sister safe she would have to start fighting more forcefully against aggressors, drawing their attention and keeping them from going after her sister. Elsa could no longer remain stagnant she had to charge!

Hans hurried through the halls toward the loudest chaos and coldest air, knowing Elsa would be there-- and must still be alive. When he entered, he saw the mess and hesitated-- then got a wonderfully stupid idea.

"Elsa! The floor! ICE THE FLOOR!" He called. Anyone in Arendelle could surely navigate some ice, but it would be much more difficult for attackers.

With that, and no time to waste, he threw himself into the fray, ducking low and cutting at legs, or darting high to slice at a throat, knowing he couldn't trust a stranger's sword any better than a prop.

"Where's your snow monster when you need him, ey Elsa? too warm for the snow cavalry?" He joked in the midst of combat, never minding the blood.

But there were a lot of enemies. He couldn't win a one-man charge against them all-- he just wanted to win enough to distract them.

The sudden ring of Hans voice made her shiver. What was he doing here? Did that really matter right now? No. In fact, his arrival seemed to have swept a sense of calmness over her, making the snowfall suddenly stop.

Elsa instantly trusted his judgement and iced the floor. With the icy ground some men began to lose their footing. The floor had now become her domain, she could now easily shift the ice sheets underneath causing more men to topple over. She began pushing men away from her and pinning them again the walls.

"And where do you suppose I fit them? It's crowded enough in here already, wouldn't you agree?" she answered back, as she continued to shove enemies out of her way, trying to clear a path to reach him.

There were countless reasons she hadn't created a snow monster, aside from its sheer size. She feared she could not control it with her emotions running rampant. She didn't want her own men to incidentally incur it's wrath. But the main reason being she just didn't have time to waste.

Hans laughed a little, taking it a bit like a joke. He ran in, or rather skated, for he knew better than to try to find traction in her domain, using what little traction he could get to press into the fray and continue knocking enemies down.

A bugle called attention from the back, as Kristoff charged in on Sven's back. "Need help?" He proposed, drawing a bow and arrow from his shoulders, to pick off anyone foolish enough to get near his girlfriend. Elsa may have had problems with killing, but to Kristoff, he was just hunting wolves, and put arrows in wherever he needed.

"Who's side is the fox on?" He called.

"Yours!" Hans barked back.

"Good, one more arrow for them!" Kristoff picked off one headed for Hans, and Hans ducked away, making his way through the crowd to get to Elsa's side and block a sword strike there.

"My apologies for picking up a sword, but this seemed like a bad time for sticking to tradition." He quipped, turning to help her. They had bigger problems, Hans just automatically quipped a lot.

"Arendelle will readily grant a sword to anyone bound to protect it." Elsa reassured, as she offered him an ice sword for good measure.

She understood how much sword traditions meant to him and wanted to acknowledge them with a symbolic gesture. She had briskly conjured the ice blade in her right hand as she continued defending with her left. With Hans now supporting her, countering against the raiders had become less rigorous.

Hans hesitated a moment, seeming surprised and taken aback. But they had no time for discussing why. He moved the saber to his off-hand and took the ice blade, ignoring the sting of the chill against his bare skin. Now he could use the saber to defend, and the icy blade to slice through wool and cause real damage.

Kristoff kept to the outskirts of the battle until he could charge through with Sven and scoop Anna up in a hurry.

"Well for once, Princess Fiestypants, I'm the one doing the saving." He joked. He actually did save her fairly often, but he joked because she always seemed to be ready to throw down. "Remind me to teach you how to use a bow and arrow later." For now, she could keep using the candlestick. It seemed to be pretty useful.

Hans stepped into attacks and used a solid thrust any time he could get enough time to use it, pressing back to try and give Elsa more space as the numbers dwindled, and the remaining guards staff collected to help overrun the invaders. Injured as they were, between the Ice Queen and her 'Knight' helping her, to say nothing of Anna and Kristoff pulling enemies from the outskirts, they were able to spread the invaders thin.

"In the name of the Southern Isles, throw down your swords!" He barked over the din, striking out at any enemy close enough and getting blood on both his sword, and his clothes. He looked like a ragged mess, and that was without taking into account the back wounds. He managed to catch the pommel of someone's sword in his face, but when he fell, he lashed out at their thighs and got right back up, ignoring the blood in his teeth. He wasn't missing any teeth, he figured he would be fine.

Elsa had seen Hans get knocked down, she was concerned he had been stuck pretty hard, she knew he'd downplay the pain. Hans was not the only one that wouldn't willingly reveal how worn they actually were at the moment, Elsa was pretty strained herself. Her breath was heavy and there was a slight tremble to her hands. She had never exerted her powers to this extreme before, she had never actually tested the limits of her magic, up until now they've seemed limitless. And maybe her powers were really endless, but the same couldn't be said about her stamina, she was only human after all (even if she kept forgetting), she herself had limits.

Everybody has their breaking point and seems hers was rapidly approaching. She suddenly felt lightheaded causing her to stumble back. Her powers momentarily misfired, leaving her unprotected and giving her opponents the opening they'd been waiting. The remaining men charged at her all at once.

"Elsa!" Anna cried, as two men managed to reach her sister.

She'd regained her stability and raised her hands to shield herself with a wince. There was slight lag in her ice returning, but fortunately she had been able to create an ice shield in time to stop the blades momentum. Unfortunately she had not been unscathed. One sword only managed to graze her cheek, while the other did far more damage. The second blade had cut into her shoulder, it was a pretty deep cut, but not deep enough reached the bone, but was still gushing out a lot of blood. Her struck arm fell limp at her side. It was excruciatingly painful, but she had to endure it, there were still assailants after her. She had to hurry and be ready to defend herself again. She knew she couldn't look at her wound or she'd surely go into shock. Instead, she quickly cauterized the wound with her functional hand.

Hans growled and got up in a hurry to defend Elsa from any further attacks.

"Keep pressure on the wound and take breaths, I've got you." He assured, ignoring his own wounds. In spite of his valiant fight and skills, the blossom of red near his waist didn't look like the spatter of someone else's blood, especially while it was still growing.

But he made a promise that he had her back, therefore he did. They quite literally fought to the last, and Hans made certain to put an end to the swords that had damaged her, first.

Between he and Kristoff's arrows, the end came as quickly as the beginning.

Hans knelt as soon as there were no attackers, and applied pressure to his own wound.

"No injuries, Reindeer man? I'm sorry, I'm not sure I have your name."

"Kristoff. I'm alright."

"Kristoff. Would you be another help and go fetch as many doctors as possible, then? I daresay we need them." Hans tried to keep his tone even, but it was clear he had reached exhaustion.

"I know some healing. Anna, can you get the doctors with Sven? I can help here until more arrive." Kristoff moved to Elsa first.

"Don't you dare do the self-sacrificing thing now, your Majesty, fools do not get treated before the Queen." Hans joked to Elsa privately, with a little amused smile.

Anna had dashed off with a nod, entrusting Elsa in Kristoff's care.

"... You fool," Elsa huffed teary-eyed. She knew he was in far worse condition than her, and yet again he was hiding it behind his smile. Elsa was in so much pain by this one gash, she didn't know how Hans could have so much resolve to continuously hide all his afflictions, that were without a doubt exponentially greater than her own. She couldn't help but cry for the both of them.

Elsa knew she couldn't have argued anyway, Kristoff would have healed her first regardless if she requested else wise. She was his sister as well as the Queen, while Hans was a foolish fox.

"Yes, but the Queen's fool." Hans remarked with an amused smile. He found a place to sit, plopping down heavily on whatever nearest thing was raised, whether that was a short table or a body, with the bloodstained point of his sword at his shoes. He put pressure on his wound and focused on breathing, flexing his sword-hand as he pulled it away from the ice. "I hope the Captain of the Guard is okay, I daresay I owe him my life, I hope this is well enough." He muttered to none in particular.

Kristoff ran for a first-aid kit and some clear spirits.

"This will hurt," he warned, and poured her a shot. "Drink" He ordered, and waited until she had, to clean the wound with some of the rest, apply pressure, and sew it up with sterilized needle and thread, also sterilized in the burning alcohol. He made sure the wound was bleeding -cutting it, if necessary after the cauterizing- and sewed it together so it would heal properly. Then, he bandaged it up and cleaned and bandaged the wound on her cheek, which wasn't so damaging.

"I'll make a salve for these later, so it might leave less scarring." He assured. "Are you feeling okay? Deep breaths, it's all over." He spoke with a calm, soothing voice to make sure she would be well before he could move on to Hans. He could tell he was important there, perhaps more a priority than the guards.

"Anyone still walking? Help me order who needs help first. Our men worse than theirs, our best off then theirs. Leave the dead lay." Kristoff called. "Not you two, you two are done." He added to the royals.

"Gut wounds and hurt necks stay put, everyone breathing will be cared for. Do not remove arrows." He called, in the hopes someone would listen and help out. Kristoff hoped Anna wouldn't take long.

"As good a time as any to start re-training the guard." Hans mused.

"Quiet, you've lost a lot of blood." Kristoff warned.

"Nonsense..." Hans muttered, but quieter. He didn't want to argue too much.

Elsa gazed at Hans from a short distance. She stood before him, her injured arm resting in a sling across her chest. Kristoff had made her a sling to keep the pressure off her shoulder.

"Please...stop," Elsa said softly, as she shot Hans a concerned look. His tough guy act was starting to take a toll on her.

Hans glanced at her with a somewhat apologetic smile, and sighed before scooting back to the floor and lying back, resting the ice sword across his body very casually. It was hard not to-- he didn't have a sheath, just a bloody sword.

She asked him to stop, so he didn't offer any witticisms or an 'as you wish', just let it sit implied while Kristoff stepped over.

"Alright, 'queen's fool', let's see what you've got."

"Oh, don't tell me not to talk then set me up for jokes." Hans laughed a little, then cringed and grunted a bit from the pain.

"Yeah, that's why I told you not to talk. Smartass." Kristoff started cleaning the wound, and grimaced a bit at it. "You're quite a soldier, getting stabbed and still fighting."

"Navy man." Hans reminded, but kept his voice down and didn't fuss while Kristoff looked him over.

"Yeah well, you're about to get stabbed a lot more, with needle and thread, when the doctor gets here. Apply pressure and don't move, I want a real doctor to look at this, not an herbalist." Kristoff provided clean gauze, but checked Hans for other injuries too. A few here and there, bruises and lighter cuts, but the stab wound to the side was the worst of it.

"It doesn't look bad to me, but I'm good for smaller wounds." He managed to see the edge of Hans' scars, though-- and he had certainly noticed the fresh bandages. "What in Hel's name happened to you?"

"Navy man." Hans repeated with a grunt, a little drier.

"Pretend I didn't ask." Kristoff decided he didn't want to know the details. Hans nodded his head just slightly, and stared at the ceiling in silence, instead while they waited for a real doctor.

Kristoff took to helping with triage, but did keep an eye on Hans to make sure he was still breathing and well, while he helped check up on Arendelle soldiers first-- then their enemies. In case there were any left.

Anna and Sven returned with the doctors they set out to find, as well as medical supplies, Aredellean citizen's ready to lend a hand however they can and of course Olaf.

Anna glanced over at Hans for a brief moment as, ran up to Elsa and hugged her around the neck from her non-injured side.

"Elsa! Are you alright? I was so scared, especially when I saw those two men-"

"Shh, it's all over now. I'm fine Anna. It's only a scratch, Kristoff already patched me up, see," Elsa said softly as she stroked her sister's hair. Anna said nothing about Hans, now wasn’t the time, all that mattered was that her sister was okay.

Kristoff sent the closest doctor to Hans, and started taking direction from the castle doctor, to help and offer guidance where it was relevant. Kristoff knew more than most doctors about herbs (and would absolutely defend their use, in medicine or in cooking).

Hans heard Olaf wandering around, and waved that direction without looking up.

"How is the little snow-prince, hm? I'm afraid the rest of the tale will have to wait. Did you figure out the twist ending?" He asked, hoping Olaf would entertain conversation, even while the doctor sewed him up. The adrenaline was wearing off, and the pain well and truly setting in.

"No opiates, doctor, whatever pain there is, I'll chance it." He added as an aside, but he already sounded like he was regretting that as the doctor went about sewing up his insides. He didn't try to look around, just held still and stared up at the ceiling, trying to focus through the pain, occasionally gritting his teeth. Yes, even his pain tolerance had its limits.

" Oh no! You're hurt Hans the Fool," Olaf said with concern as he walked up to him.

"I am, yes. That's what happens when you go swinging swords about." Hans agreed, then paused to deal with a spasm of pain, so as not to react in a bigger way. His tone always seemed so even, but it didn't reflect in his face.

"But you're unhurt? I was worried in the halls. You hid like a good little prince, then?" He proposed. He knew full well that surely the snowman wasn't actually in the line for the crown, but since Elsa had never actually answered him, he couldn't help but find the idea rather cute, and continue using the little nickname in spite of himself.

" Oh, I can't get hurt, melt maybe, but Elsa figured out how to make permafrost so that won't happen anymore, I can reconfigure myself if my head falls off, I got impaled once," Olaf rambled with a laugh. "I wasn't hiding, I went to go get Kristoff and Sven, but they left so fast they forgot to take me with them."

Hans chuckled once, but grunted from the pain that brought, and shifted uncomfortably.

"As have I, it seems." He joked, through pain.

"You're a clever little thing, do you suppose this ice sword will melt? It seems so much more solid than I'd expect." He wanted to know, was this a one-time gesture? Or would it last?

He supposed the answer didn't truly matter, Elsa could wave it away with the brush of her hand. But, he wanted the little bit of hope. He was being sentimental, perhaps.

But, the gift of -not just a sword- but a new sword, better than the one he had been given? That was a statement. He wasn't sure if Elsa had forgotten them, or if she understood the tradition better than he thought.

He supposed he would have to wait until she visited him again.

"More infections to come with this, no doubt." Hans muttered, and closed his eyes to the pain.

"Do you have any stories of your own, Olaf? I should like to hear them over the next few weeks. I imagine I shall need the distraction." His back wounds had been mostly healed when he arrived in Arendelle. a stab wound? Yeah, that would take some time.

" Hmm?" Olaf examined the blade closer. "Hmm," he continued to hum as he looked at it from different angles. "Well, after thoroughly examining the sword" he began. " I can say for certain, " he continued. " That... I have no idea, maybe?" He shrugged. " It is a pretty sword though, I hope it doesn't melt."

Maybe they hadn't noticed, but Elsa had already cleared out all the unnecessary ice from the hall, leaving only what she saw useful, and the sword still remained.

"Boy, do I!" He brightly answered his inquiry about having his own stories. "I'm quite the storyteller myself," he said proudly. He was bound to talk his ear off, which Elsa and even Anna found exhausting at times.

Hans smiled, but forced himself not to chuckle. "Well, you tried." He muttered, tired and quiet. He didn't have the energy to keep fussing or being louder than necessary.

"Make sure it stays near me until it does, then, will you? Visit to tell stories. For right now... I'm very tired." He closed his eyes, and found it too difficult to open them again. He needed to rest and recover.

Still, he kept it across his body while the doctors worked. The scene was rather like a painting, a knight peacefully asleep among the wounded and the dying, wounded himself but still alive. He had lost a fair amount of blood. His eyes hadn't even fluttered when he was moved to a stretcher to be placed elsewhere.

"Your Majesty, where would you have him moved?" Not the first nor the last time Elsa would be asked that on that day, but the only time it was about Hans. "Back to his room?" The impromptu healer's dungeon, far from everywhere else?

~~*~~

She'd been delegating countless tasks, yet this one by far was definitely one of the simplest yet toughest decisions she'd have to make.

'His room?' She thought for a moment. Where that should be? Should just she send him back? She looked at him peacefully asleep with sword still near him and made up her mind.

Well, the cat was already out of the bag, though they (Anna and Elsa) had no time to discuss it yet, due to the chaos of the attack. Dealing with the aftermath of the battle was more important at the moment, than questioning why this imprudent Prince was no longer locked up in the dungeon.

It was a tough call, but she followed her heart. She directed that Hans be taken to one of the guest rooms in the main wing, on a floor below where her own sleeping quarters resided.

Did she make the right choice? She didn't know, but knew one thing for certain: she'd have to deal with the fallout later, regardless. Though she still wasn't sure she was ready to handle what that actually entailed.

#Helsa #Iceburns #Hans x Elsa #Frozen Fanfiction #Frozen #Fanfiction #Shattered Reflections

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365daysofsasuhina · 5 years

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[ 365 Days of SasuHina || Day Three Hundred Twenty-One: Whispering ] [ Uchiha Sasuke, Hyūga Hinata, Uchiha Itachi ] [ SasuHina ] [ Verse: Divine Light ] [ AO3 Link ]

“Did you hear…?”

“They say the princess was kidnapped.”

“By her own servant, no less!”

“I knew it was unwise to have a mage so close to the royal family…”

“There will surely be a ransom!”

“Whatever will the king do?”

“He has another daughter, you know…”

“You don’t mean to suggest…?”

“Shh, you never know who might be listening…!”

Pretending to fiddle the cinch of his horse’s saddle, Sasuke listens to the whispering. Ever since the princess disappeared, there have been all shades of rumors, and there’s no truly knowing just how much is fact, and how much fiction.

But he has a plan…

“Ready to go?”

“Of course. Just sampling the latest gossip.”

“Anything new?”

“No, the same old stories...kidnapping, ransom, magic…”

“Well, if it’s been repeated so often, there may be grains of truth to it.”

“Here’s hoping - I don’t know about you, but I don’t feel like rescuing a princess just for the fun of it. I’d much rather have a sack of gold than a king’s good graces.”

Itachi can’t help a chuckle as he mounts his horse. “In an ideal world, we’ll have both.”

“I prefer to keep my expectations low as not to be disappointed. What about you? Any leads?”

“Potentially. Rumor has it they may be headed northeast. Vaguely-matched descriptions.”

“Hm...makes sense. It’s the nearest border. If the mage wants to drag her out of the country, that would be the way to go. And yet…”

“What?”

Sasuke gathers his reins, the pair of them slowed by city crowds as they head toward the north gate. “...that almost sounds less like a kidnapping, and more like…”

“A getaway?”

“Precisely.”

“My thoughts, as well. Something tells me we may find this tale to be deeper than the tales tell. But there’s only one way to find out: we’ll have to catch them.”

“Then we’ve no time to lose…!”

As soon as they clear the gate, the brothers urge their mounts to a swift lope, wanting to whittle down the miles before sunset.

It’s an odd situation. The eldest daughter of the king Hiashi has been - according to most - kidnapped by her lady-in-waiting. Hinata, the princess, was given a mage a few years her senior as a child to serve as her protector and servant. The elder girl had been a gift: a prize from the conquered lands Hiashi had recently obtained.

Sasuke had always found the notion repellent: the gifting of a human being like an object. It doesn’t help that he and his brother as mages as well, remnants of a kingdom long lost.

Hinata was, for most of her life, kept contained within the castle grounds. But any rare glimpse of her always showed the mage in her shadow, hovering in what did indeed appear to be a defensive, protective manner.

So why, after all this time, would a loyal servant suddenly turn on her mistress, kidnapping her for reasons yet unknown?

...it makes only partial sense. True, she was originally introduced to the princess as a thing, a prize, a slave. Perhaps resentment has only built throughout the years. But something in Sasuke’s gut tells him otherwise.

But for now...the truth doesn’t matter. What does is that the brothers are expert trackers, and like so many, are in pursuit of the pair in hopes of a reward in glory and gold.

“They have a few days on us,” Itachi then offers, breaking Sasuke’s thoughts. “But we can’t assume they have horses - if they’re so sought after, surely they wouldn’t be foolish enough to barter in the open.”

“But we don’t know what arts the mage is learned in - perhaps she can cast illusions as we can. Use that to steal what she needs.”

“It’s possible...but I doubt it. Even that would leave a trail. If she’s truly serious, and at all cunning, she won’t run that risk. We can neither over nor underestimate her.”

“A bit limited then, don’t you think?”

“Precisely. We’ll have to be just as cunning.”

“Did you speak to the ravens?”

“Of course. They’re scouring as we speak. But even then, word will take time to reach us. For now, we keep moving.”

“And if your lead is wrong and we’re headed in the wrong direction?”

“It’s a risk we’ll have to take. Either way, they’ll be getting further from us if we do nothing. And I trust my sources.”

“...very well.”

They ride until sundown, tethering their horses off the road and eating spare rations.

“So if this isn’t kidnapping...what do you think it is?”

“...I can’t afford to make assumptions. We’ll find the truth when we find them.”

“And if she lies?”

“The princess will surely tell us.”

“...unless she’s an accomplice.”

“A possibility, yes...but we’ll have to wait and see. I know patience isn’t always your foremost virtue, but we’re going to need it.”

The next morning, they leave at first light, coming across a simple mining town along the route. Itachi pauses to hear the gossip as Sasuke regathers their supplies.

“Have you had any women traveling alone? A pair of them, likely harried?”

Gathering his requested items, the shopkeep hums in thought. “...that does ring a distant bell, aye.”

“When?”

“Two days hence. Seemed rushed, hoods drawn. We see plenty a’ strange folk ‘round these parts, so I thought nothing of it. Friends of yours?”

“You could say that,” Sasuke mutters, handing over the proper coins with a nod. “My thanks.”

“Learn anything?” Itachi asks as they reunite.

“Sounds like they were here two days ago - the man at the general goods shop remembers a pair of suspicious women.”

“Well then, seems we’re on the right path. If that was only two days ago...they aren’t making good time. They must be on foot - or at least were when they arrived. I checked the livery - no horses have been sold.”

“Then we’ll soon catch them…!”

With a renewed vigor, the pair flee further north, pushing their horses as far as they dare. And then, midafternoon, a raven cries, swooping alongside them.

Sasuke’s heart leaps. “What news?”

“They’ve found them. Holed up in a cave...there’s a barrier at the fore.”

“A barrier…?”

“It’s not far - let’s go!”

Urging his mount, Sasuke keeps on his brother’s heels. They soon abandon the road heading toward a cliffside.

“See it?”

“...I think so. Dismount - we’ll go in on foot.”

They tether their horses, keeping weapons drawn - Itachi his sword, and Sasuke his bow. No matter their hypotheses, they can’t afford to assume anything.

“It’s just there...see it?”

A large crack in the cliff looks dark, but as Sasuke stares, he can see the faint glimmer of a barrier - otherwise unnoticeable. “...how are we going to get in?”

“By making another doorway...be ready. This is going to be loud, but they won’t have anywhere to flee.”

Nodding, Sasuke tightens his grip on the curve of his bow. An arrow rests, nocked and waiting to be drawn.

Sheathing his blade, Itachi presses a hand to the rock and soil near the barrier. Rather than dismantle it...he instead shifts the earth around it to make another entrance. And as promised, it’s loud. Stone grates and a faint rumbling builds.

...but no one comes.

Once there’s a slim but clear path, Itachi leads the way in, summoning a small lick of flame to his palm. The fire dances, casting shifting shadows against the walls of the cavern.

“Stay close…”

They creep forward, tense and ready for anything. It’s utterly silent save for their muted footsteps, leather boots quiet against the stone floor.

“...are you sure they’re here?”

“Yes, I’m s-”

With a flare of energy, another barrier blooms...and this time, it encases them both. Startled to a stop (and unable to flee), the brothers freeze.

Slowly, out of the darkness, comes a woman: hands raised and aglow with magic. Determination shapes her face. “...who are you?”

“I think the better question is who you are, rogue mage. Where is the princess?”

“She’s none of your concern. Did Hiashi send you?”

“No...we’re here of our own volition to get princess Hinata back.”

“She isn’t going anywhere...and certainly not back to that wretched man.”

The brothers exchange a look. “...you haven’t kidnapped her…?”

“No...she didn’t.”

Two pairs of dark eyes shift to look further back into the cave. Hinata emerges from the shadows, looking wary but calm. “...princess?”

“I wasn’t taken from my father. I was saved from him.”

“...well, isn’t that interesting…” Itachi muses.

“If you’re here to take me back...I won’t go. Not unless you force me…!”

“I won’t allow it, my lady,” the mage cuts in. Eyes narrowing, she in turn narrows the barriers around them. “We can’t trust them…”

“Wait! The king didn’t send us - we came seeking a reward!” Sasuke rebukes.

“Then you’re driven by greed rather than blind loyalty? Hardly better.”

“But so too are we guided by our morals,” Itachi offers, giving Sasuke a warning glance. “If you were indeed fleeing for your safety...we won’t usurp that. But that does beg the question of what really happened, my lady. Perhaps we could be of help. We’re trackers by trade...which means we also know how to evade them.”

Sasuke’s brows furrow. ...what are you up to, now…?

“We still have no reason to trust you.”

“Wait…” Hinata cuts in, placing a gentle hand on her companion’s arm. “...perhaps we should explain. If they are men of their word...it would only help us.”

The mage glances to her, clearly torn. “...yes, my lady. As you wish.” Her magic fades, and the barriers fall. “...but if they make one wrong move...I’ll crush them.”

“I know you want only to protect me...but we need allies. Perhaps we’ve found some.”

“As I said,” Itachi offers, gesturing politely to try and ease suspicion. “If returning you would endanger you further, we’ll not do so. We were under the assumption you were taken by force.”

“No...I fled. We both did.”

“But...why?”

“...to escape my father’s plot to have me murdered...and to place the blame on my closest friend.”

.oOo.

Welp, this is...super random, and also has a really evil cliffy, I'm sorry! But it's late and the piece was getting long ;;;;; I'll try to do more soon if y'all enjoy it! But actually, this is based on one of my very earliest RPs...which actually helped me in the early stages of developing my original fantasy verse! It's been...gosh...a looong time since that RP, and a lot has changed, but it was very nostalgic to revisit this old plot. It was VERY extensive, but this is (sorta) how it began! Anyway, I'd say more but I am EXHAUSTED. I DID get another prompt up earlier today since I skipped yesterday and had some time today. So I'm a lil wrote-out, lol - so I'm gonna call it a night. Thanks for reading~

#sasuhina #uchiha sasuke #hyūga hinata #uchiha itachi #divine light [ au ]#365daysofsasuhina

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thornewoodhospitalblog · 5 years

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It can be absolutely daunting to log on and just stare blankly at an empty post. It’s quite a struggle, but have no fear! The Bee Sisters are here! There’s a light at the end of the tunnel and you will come out the other side. Okay, I’ll stop with the cheesy metaphors now. Read on for common causes relating to the loss of muse and how to revive inspiration by falling in love with your character again.

Problem 1: Stressful Personal Life One of the most common factors of lost muse is a stressful personal life. If work or home life has suddenly become unmanageable, it can cause writing to feel like a chore.

Solution: We’ve all been through it and a brief hiatus in this circumstance can actually be pretty useful as they often give you time to take a step back and think about how you want your character to return to the RP. You know what they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder! Take the time to relax, write a list about what you want to bring to the overall plot of the RP and how your character can facilitate that goal and get hyped up about returning.

Problem 2: Loss of Direction Similarly, it can become very easy to lose all sense of direction with your character and get wrapped up in going with the flow with no big development occurring.

Solution: This is a good time to take a step back, reread your character’s bio and reevaluate your character and their existing connections. Tap back into your initial inspiration for where your character came from and think about what may have gotten lost or has been on hold for too long. What were your original aspirations for your character? How does your character specifically fit into the overarching plot of Thornewood? What does this character bring that advances Thornewood’s story?

For instance, if your character’s bio states they’re a go-getter and strive for achievement but haven’t quite achieved anything since arriving at Thornewood, perhaps it’s time for your character to earn a promotion or be downgraded from the red/yellow floor to the yellow/green floor. We know going backwards isn’t intuitive, but sometimes it’s important to look back in order to go forward. Looking back can provide inspiration for a plot revolving around a new characteristic or a developing skill could result in further character development for a more exciting and adventurous route.

Problem 3: Lack of Connections A big issue with writing in a growing group is that as new writers and characters come in, it can feel as though your character is getting lost in the crowd. It’s absolutely essential you continue to put your character out there to be heard! Solution: Open starters (we have a post all about intriguing open starters, posted here) are the best way to do this! Read the other characters bios and if you see one that your character may gel well with (or, it might even be more exciting if they don’t get along) and you have an idea for a plot (this part is really important!! Come to the table with at least some idea!), message them privately and pitch your ideas! We are extremely lucky to have a wonderful and friendly group of writers here so please don’t be worried or afraid to build those connections!

Problem 4: Undeveloped Character Development Bear with me on this one. You applied with a bio that, at the time, felt strong and you had a lot of muse for but as you got to threading and creating connections and plots, your character still feels…the same. Unmoved. Unchanged by their environment. Don’t stress! It happens, I’ve done it!

Solution: Now its pivotal for you to go back to your character bio and pick out one part that you know you’ve lost or would like to improve upon. Now, journal, self-para, create mood boards, take mun/muse quizzes or personality tests for your character, fill in an IC all about me, create a playlist of songs that relate to your character. Work on them from the ground up. Strip them back and find the parts that make them unique. (I will be adding some character development quizzes to the main if you find these helpful.) But, the aim here is for you to basically rebuild your muse from where it first began but with a refreshed perspective.

Problem 5: It’s Been Awhile There are many reasons why you may have taken a hiatus, and rightfully so, but now you’ve been away for so long that jumping back in sort of feels like a huge leap. The dash has moved, events have unfolded and everyone seems to be in the midst of a big plot.

Solution: Before returning, set up a group chat with the mods and we will fill you in on everything that may have occurred in your absence. In the midst of this conversation, you can absolutely plot with us about how your character should return! We enjoy helping when we can and ensure a smooth transition back into Thornewood. Don’t let yourself suffer in silence! Communication is key!

Problem 6: Striving for Perfection I know first hand how it feels to be in the middle of writing an important plot that you are incredibly proud of and want to be good and entertaining enough that the other writers in the group are interested in reading it, buuuuut there’s a fine line between writing well and wanting to write well that your ambition ends up scaring off your muse. Now, to be clear, we’re not saying don’t try to write the absolute best can! Please, do! Push yourself! However, we’d like to caution you that an unhealthy amount of pressure on yourself will kill muse.

Solution: If you’re staring at your reply and pulling your hair out, hit that little “save draft” button and walk away. I’m serious. Close your laptop, make yourself a drink and take a deep breath, or even move onto another thread you have. I’ll often give myself 45 minutes to an hour and then come back to the original thread. At that point, it’s like a fresh pair of eyes going over what you had before and you’ll suddenly see the mistakes and your second draft will be 100% better.

Problem 7: Insufficient Communication Okay, this one here is a biggie and I need you to know one thing before I start, when we say communication is key, we mean it. I can’t tell you the amount of times I have watched people lose all their muse because they are not communicating honestly and effectively with their RP partners.

Solution: If the plot you created isn’t working anymore, tell them. If they’re all over the place and rarely on, meaning you can’t write with them, discuss it with them. If you feel you’re being disrespected or not listened to, talk to them openly and honestly. (If you’ve done this and are still having issues, please report such a thing to the mods as this is something we can deal with). If god-modding (you didn’t previously approve), meta-knowledge or meta-disrespect has taken place, report it to the mods immediately. This destroys all love for writing and your plots and can make for a tense and hostile environment which is not something tolerated here at Thornewood. Communication with your partners and mods is incredibly important.

Conclusion: If you got this far, wow! Thank you! Gold star for you, if there’s one thing this bee does well, it’s ramble. This guide has come from a very honest place because recently I have been struggling with a loss of muse and through writing this, I’ve used my own tips to bring it back. If you take anything away from this, let it be this:

Hiatuses are a-okay and a lot of the time, necessary. Please don’t lose sight of the fact that this is supposed to be a fun and enjoyable space and lastly, the mods are here to help, guide and support you in anyway we can. We are only a message away.

#writing tips #tips

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saphirafoxgirlspost1 · 5 years

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(Open Rp) Bendy and The Ink Machine, Romance, and Drama in "Dreams Of Masterpiece"

Ever Since The Studio was Started Open For Buisness and then 5 years later, Saphira Began to Work as a Maintience. All She do is Cleaning all day and all Night, She thinks of herself as Cinderella and Imagine Dancing with Bendy as Her Prince Charming, She remembered when the Show was First came into her life as her heart was Stolen by Bendy The Little Devil Darling, So She began to Clean and Sweeping in every places. But then She Discovered The Secret place where No one wasn't notice it, So She began to went inside and saw the Empty space and it has a Microphone with a cord attached to it. It Works alot but it has a speakers everywhere, She thought no one was here, So She began to sing her favorite song Beautifully when she close her eyes. Her Voice is Like a Sweet angel, So Sweet Even the Angels of Heaven would be So Jealous But they Will Blessed her For Such a Sweet Voice. Every Day When Everyone was Gone home or so, She'll Sing the same Song every night. But ONE Faithful Night, Joey was So Fustrated that he was trying to make another Character besides bendy, boris, and alice...he needs another character into his "bendy" shows as he was packing stuff and close the door in his office and When She thinks That Joey has Left, Saphira began to head to the Secret room and she change her

Work Clothes into a lovely White Gown with a Shimmering Gold on it.. Then She looked at the empty chairs and stairs as the Spotlight hits. She looked around and then She Close her eyes and began to sing the same Song, then Joey's ears Ringing when he hears saphira's Heavenly voice came from the Old theater.. He sneakly goes on the seat and starts to listens to her..

Saphira: ~Dreams to dream In the dark of the night When the world goes wrong I can still make it right I can see so far in my dreams I'll follow my dreams Until they come true

Come with me You will see what I mean There's a world inside No one else ever sees You will go so far in my dreams Somewhere in my dreams Your dreams will come true

There is a star Waiting to guide us Shining inside us When we close our eyes

Don't let go If you stay close to me In my dreams tonight You will see what I see Dreams to dream As near as can be Inside you and me They always come true~

When after saphira Finished singing, Joey Slowly claps as saphira jumped and gasp softly..and then He said..

Joey Drew: Well well well.. I'm Very Suprised Ms. Fox, You have an angelic Voice from Heavens!

Saphira: *panic tone* OH! MR. DREW! I-i-i Can Explain!

Joey Drew: No Need to explain My Dear Because You! Are Promoted To Become umm... Whats your Nickname My Dear?

Saphira: Saphy Sir..

Joey Drew: *thinking and Nodded* YES! Saphy! The Lovely Kitsune!, Welcome aboard then Saphy! You Are going to be a Star!!

Saphira was Suprised and Excited, She is Now the star of the Show. Years Later, Joey began to Introduce Bendy to Saphira and as Bendy Takes the Good look at Saphira and His Heart was beating. His face turns Grey and he clench on his chest with his hand. His feelings was Like he's going to explode with passion and love. And then He began and said......

#Open rp #Bendy and the Ink Machine #Romance #Drama

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nosgothpillarofdeath · 5 years

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Confession

((This is a re-write of a short scene from my RP with @timedeceiver called The Crossing [Pt one] [Pt two]. I wrote this scene back when Lysander was a fairly new character. This post is my attempt to expand and improve that little scene. It also takes place prior to Moving Forward and this time I’ve included some background to make things easier to understand.

Background: This takes place early in Nosgoth’s history. Moebius has assembled a small army to fight the vampire guardians and they’re currently headed through the mountains toward a town called Helmsburg, where they’re planning to winter before pushing for Willendorf. Months ago Mortanius entered into an ill fated relationship with the current human Mind Guardian, Tove [timedeceiver]. During this time he’s struggled with his sexuality and developed feelings for his close friend, Lysander [my character] a cleric with a troubled past. With Lysander’s help he’s come to terms with his homosexuality and decided to break things off with Tove as soon as they reach the safety of Helmsburg. In this scene he confronts Lysander with his true feelings.))

A shadow cloaked man scurried through the dark camp, invisible boots softly crunching on the snow as he crept toward a particular tent. Puffs of smoky air wafted from his open mouth. This spell allowed Mortanius to travel practically undetected under cover of darkness, However winter exposed a few fatal flaws. Standing outside the entry to Lysander’s tent, he stalled.

They met in late summer, in the apothecary where Lysander worked and lived, stocking inventory and sleeping on a straw mat in the backroom, at a time when Moebius’ small army was desperately in need of healers. The surly cleric joined their cause reluctantly. When he caught up with them on the road, sweating and breathing whiskey fumes, he straightened his back and declared he came for ‘death or redemption.’

Two men could hardly seem more different. Lysander, dogged and cold tempered. Mortanius, faltering and overly sensitive. Yet they found commonalities, namely a mutual compulsion to run head first into danger to protect and lift up the wounded and weak. On somber nights they would sit together under a cloud of unrealized dreams, comfortably sheltered from the rain in each other’s company, even in silence. Lysander understood him on a level he never thought possible.

Even Tove, despite her incredible psychic powers, never understood him. She feared the haunted corridors of other people’s minds. Though only mortal, Lysander did not shrink from knowing him.

But Lysander could also be fickle. He treated most people like opponents in a high stakes game, lying when it suited him, keeping his true intentions close to his chest. Somewhat like Moebius, whom Mortanius felt close to in a brotherly way. There were times - Mortanius felt certain there were times when he saw Lysander’s soul bare before him.

Mortanius entered through the flap in the tent. The shadows retreated from his person, revealing a pale, lanky man midway through his twenties with long dark hair and a well trimmed beard. A grey speck of mage light manifested in his open palm. Just enough light to see inside the dark tent.

He saw Lysander fast asleep in his cot. His dirty blond hair looked like a bird’s nest. Guiltily, Mortanius crouched next to him and whispered, “Lysander, wake up.”

Lysander’s brows pinched as he squirmed. Recognizing Mortanius through squinted eyes, he lifted his head. His breath smelled of the army’s watered down booze. “My Pillar, what’s wrong?”

Shortly after joining the army, Lysander became Mortanius’ disciple when he bore witness to the Death Guardian’s power to ease the tortured souls of the dead. Since then he addressed him as ‘my Pillar’ in public. Over time their private interactions became more familiar, although he still used his personal honorific from time to time.

Even bedraggled and groggy Lysander caused his heart to flutter. “I’m sorry for waking you. It’s all quiet outside, I only need to talk.”

He blinked hazily. “Can it wait until morning?”

“I’m afraid not, if I have to wait another day I think I might burst. It’s important.”

Lysander propped himself up and scratched at his beard as he eyed Mortanius with a knowing, weary look. “Give me a minute… ah, I was having a nice dream. What’s the matter?”

Mortanius clutched the edges of his fur cloak together over his pounding heart and took a deep, chilly breath. He fought the urge to stammer or look away. Sometimes he succeeded. As he ventured forth his anxiety turned to excitement and a timid smile spread across his face.

“Lysander, you… are constantly on my mind. You… are always by my side with encouragement and support. You listen to me - even when I’m being a burden - you understand me and give me courage. You remind me of the noble merits of my Pillar yet never forget that I am human, too. You help me feel human! I… I want to be with you, in Helmsburg after everything is settled. I haven’t forgotten my commitment. Only… I need to know how you feel. That much can’t wait.”

Sitting up wide awake, Lysander listened and stared. The dim light caused his skin to appear ashen. He looked away, strangely sullen. Dread closed around Mortanius’ throat. His voice cracked.

“Please, say something. I need an answer. If you’re going to hurt me, just do it.”

“Stop,” Lysander said curtly, not cruelly. “Just stop and think about what you’re asking.”

Mortanius searched his face. “I have thought about it. How could I come here if I hadn’t thought about it?”

“You know it would be different if you only wanted to sleep with me. You’re asking to love me. That’s not realistic.”

“I don’t understand…”

“Once you’ve been around like I have, you’ll learn. Men don’t want love. They just want to feel special with whoever happens to be there.”

Much of Lysander’s past remained a mystery. He knew that he struggled against the vile Nature Guardian Malanthe in Willendorf, the gruesome slaughter of his comrades hurling him down a pit of drink and self-destruction, then burned ten years on the road to escape his perceived sins. Lysander looked back on those years bitterly. Was this why?

Mortanius blinked and swallowed. No, he would not cry, this was not over yet. He offered, “You’re not like that.”

Lysander sneered. “You are. I may be on your side but I still saw what you did, what you’re doing right now.”

He recoiled, holding the faint mage light close to his chest. The darkness rose around them. Mortanius pleaded, “You’re right, I have made mistakes - I kissed you when I shouldn’t have and I’ve snuck out to see you behind Tove’s back. I should have ended this months ago but I was too afraid. I’m clumsy and naive but I’m trying to do better.”

On that front he did not appear to be off to a good start. He possessed no ill intentions in coming here, he only wanted to express the feelings that had been swelling inside him and learn if they had merit. Regardless, he betrayed Tove’s trust again.

In spite of the indomitable forces Mortanius wielded in battle he remained a coward in private. Of the three human Pillars his resolve was the weakest. He submitted too easily to the authority of others, cringing in the face of his own inexperience. Ordinarily this is where he would have given up. He felt remorseful and pathetic for creeping out in the middle of a cold night to lay his heart at the feet of a cynical tramp.

Mortanius closed his fist around the clasp of his cloak and peered up at Lysander from under his crumpled brow. “I told the truth about my feelings. The day after we kissed you said that had we met sooner you would have gladly stayed the night and more, that you wished to follow me until the end of your days regardless. Is that still how you feel?”

For a moment Lysander simply pressed his lips together, looking vaguely defiant. “I say a lot when I’m shit-faced.”

Mortanius waited. That was not a real answer, it was a misdirection. Lysander could tell flattering lies when he wanted someone to like him, he could lie flawlessly even drunk, but he heard him tell the truth enough to know the difference. Slowly, cracks appeared in Lysander’s armor.

“You still don’t know what you want. The world will have its eyes on you, Mortanius. We could never be together in public, not like you and Tove, I would taint your image.”

“I don’t care about my image, for Nosgoth’s sake! My aspect’s power over life and death is almost as twisted as the vampires themselves.”

“That’s not true!” he blurted. “Your service to the dead is the only real comfort us mortals have.”

Mortanius opened his mouth and smiled, leaning forward with his hand on the side of the cot. “I can always count on you. What more do I need?”

He leaned back and lifted his right arm over his lap dejectedly, away from Mortanius. “It’s not that simple. The people are still skeptical of human Pillars. If you want to establish this order Moebius talks about, you need more than my support.”

That was a valid point. Already their ability to secure funding and men for this army was predicated on reputation.

“I’ll trust my brother to guide Nosgoth’s leaders to our cause, as I always have. If you were such a danger to his plans he would not have allowed you here. You have nothing to fear. Tell me if you want me to leave but I won’t run away for you.”

Rising, Mortanius turned and seated himself on the edge of the cot near Lysander. Lysander’s eyes flickered. He seemed to be out of words now, to his own dismay. Mortanius gently reached out to him. As he closed in Lysander let out a quiet hiss and tried to swat him aside. Mortanius flinched reflexively. However, he failed to commit to the swing and caught the hand instead, holding it by the tips of his fingers as if full contact with Mortanius’ skin would overwhelm him. His fingers trembled.

Lysander shut his eyes, his face lined with dark trenches. He looked older than his thirty years. Although Mortanius remained ignorant of many things in the wider world beyond the vampire’s claustrophobic citadel, he understood loneliness. Out here, on the road, Mortanius saw freedom. Lysander had walked this way before and he saw bleakness. Neither man lived easily. Mortanius tilted his hand and softly caressed his open palm, cooing, “It’s okay, this is what I want.”

His fingers slid into the grooves of Mortanius’ hand. Their palms pressed together and their thumbs stroked one another heavily. Suddenly Lysander arched forward and planted him with a kiss.

Mortanius’ heart thrashed inside its cage. Overwhelmed, he tried to give himself an inch. True to his word Lysander followed his every move, stuck to him like tar. Mortanius’ jittery laughter filled the tiny space between. For once, he was right.

A short time later, Lysander relented from the kiss. His head slumped against Mortanius’ chest. “Forgive me, my dear Pillar. I trust you with my life, with my soul but…”

Mortanius stroked the back of his hand. “Of course I forgive you. Are you all right?”

“I don’t know. You… do things to me. How many days is it again? To Helmsburg, obviously.”

He blinked. “Uh, two days, assuming fair weather. You still haven’t given me a straightforward answer.”

Lysander met his eyes. “Would you stay with me tonight?”

Caught off guard, Mortanius flushed and reluctantly shook his head. “Then I’d be just like those other men, wouldn’t I? I need to settle things with Tove first.”

He looked disappointed. “After all those things you said, if you wanted to, I’d let you use me. Tove would smash my head like a melon over it, I know. At least I’d die happy. That’s the type of man I am.”

Mortanius took back his hand with a sigh. He looked away and rubbed the back of his neck to distract himself from his lustful thoughts. The mage light glowed a little brighter.

Not too long ago he would have taken Lysander up on that. There was a chance Tove might remain oblivious, given her reluctance to know the minds of others, although he would have suffered the guilt regardless. He harbored a lot of regrets. So did Lysander. Since they met he watched Lysander face his vices and fears in pursuit of personal redemption many times, more often than not saw him succeed, at least in a small way. It made him uncomfortable, too complacent in his own self-doubt.

“No, I think we’re both better than that,” said Mortanius. “When I’m ready, I’ll call on you in Helmsburg. All right?”

Although he tried to hide it at first, a lopsided smile graced Lysander’s scruffy face. “You’re a good man. I’ll be waiting for your call.”

“I p-promise I won’t make you wait too long, if I can help it,” Mortanius stammered. A tremendous feeling swelled in his chest. He leaned over impulsively, hesitated, then hastily pecked Lysander on the lips a last time.

Outside, too exuberant to return to his tent, Mortanius paced around the camp pretending to inspect the night guards. He could barely keep a straight face. As he feigned his rounds through the bracing cold he paused to gaze up at the clear starry sky. Two days.

#v:early life #lysander #closed

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dazxian · 5 years

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Aftermath

Central Shroud, In game RP | After a month’s break from spa work...

Aoi Mizu races all the way from the Lavender Beds, her swift chocobo aiding in escape thanks to its quick footwork. After losing the Adders far behind, Aoi did not go straight away to the city; that would be looking for death sentence. Instead, she directed her avian to one of the secluded spots, winding down after what just went down. Never, never again. She murmured, then tries to regulate her breath with the fleet doing the same.

Aria Maeko felt her finger pull away from the trigger. From high up, she witnessed someone racing, but it was not one she knew. Not another one she had to dispose of. The heavy breathing brought the astrologian from her haze. Purpose beyond her called. It was enough to make Aria leave her safety on the rock cliff. She climbed down, landing with hushed steps before turning to the panting person. She gripped the center of the carbine, cautious but distantly caring. When she spoke, it was like warm steel. "What is the matter?"

Aoi Mizu's tail tenses upon sensing a new presence; she is hyper aware of her surroundings thanks to what unfolded. Clumsily she unsheathed her greatsword with her left arm, due to the injury she sustained on her left shoulder, apparent from the open wound revealed through torn layer of armor. Instead of using it to attack the newcomer, she buried it on the ground... Using it as her weight support. There's a soft thud upon impact. The mystery Raen does not reply right away, instead eyeing the Hyuran woman just briefly, before deciding to reply with just one word. "Adders."

Aria Maeko felt her grip on her weapon loosen at seeing the injured Raen. Female, or small male by the looks. Part of her wanted to ask why, the other part knew there was no time, and she wasn't one to talk. She looked in the distance, trying gauging if she saw them in the distance. "They saw you turn this way?"

Aoi Mizu shakes her head, her ragged breath making everything harder to discern. "No... Lost them..." The Raen pats on the chocobo, as if telling that the chocobo did all the running away. The grip on the hilt tightened as she tries to balance herself.

Aria Maeko believed her, especially with the quiet road the woman had ran down. She looked back to her, taking note of any damage to the woman's clothes, weapon, and the Chocobo. Considering all she saw, it was the woman's heavy breathing, or memories of it, that made Aria move. She took out a canteen, drank two gulps of it, before stepping closer to the Raen and offering it to her. With a motion of her writs, she offered it to the shorter one. Aoi Mizu looks at the Hyuran woman approaching, seemingly void of any intent to harm. The Raen blinks, watching what she does all while helping herself, until the moment she offers her flask. She looks at it for a moment... Then eyes her chocobo first. "She needs it more..." She said, with considerably lessened huffing and panting.

Aria Maeko looked to the feathered companion. A quick glance to the container in her hand before she holstered her weapon. She moved closer to the by one step only, pouring water into the palm of a gloved hand and holding it out for her more. "....Not sure if she'll drink this," Aria said in a neutral tone, mindful of both of them still. "There's water, not far. She can drink there," she said with a jut of her head in the direction of the water.

Oddly enough, the lush-feathered chocobo drinks it. It's not so picky, anything goes. Just like how her owner is. As Aoi watched the gargantuan bird drinks it, she mutters in a much more composed voice. "Thank you." Her words are coated with rich Hingan accent, a pleasant ticklish feeling inflicted on listeners. After everything is considerably better, she begins to look at the wounds housed on her body. Her reaction is much more mild than those having many scars and the like...

Aria Maeko considered these things as she poured more water for the Chocobo. Once she was good, to that there was some left, Aria offered it to the Raen "What you did to get like this," she began, amethyst eyes flickering over the womans torn clothes and likely wounds underneath, "was it wrong?" No judgement was in Aria's voice. Right and wrong were in the voice of the speaker after all.

Aoi Mizu reaches out for the flask finally after sliding her mask open, revealing some blood trailing from the forehead and mouth. Parting open her lips, she swallows the refreshing substance in the system. "Not exactly my doing, but I got dragged in to the mess." She explains briefly. "Everyone has left for Shirogane. It's now only me..."

Aria Maeko had her interest piqued. Maybe she assumed the situation wrong. A touch of compassion crossed her features. Noting the bleeding, she glanced over to the side she originally came from. "You need healing," she said beckoning the fighter to come along. She waited to see if the other could actually move. "[What happened?]" She asked in Doman, her tongue easily adjusting back to her original language. The question gave her reason to pause and help the other walk if it was needed.

Aoi Mizu let go of her helmet, revealing long, silky hair that has been dampened by sweat from the vigorous activity. It flows down her shoulders as soon as it comes free. She feels a tad bit freed now that she is away from one piece of her armor, bearing some cuts from then. "It would be much appreciated." She furrows her brows, trying to manage her best in Doman, the language similar yet different from her own. "[A lot. Well... We have been discovered by the local authorities. Some able-bodied people stay behind to buy the rest time to pack and leave,]" She replied.

Aria Maeko felt her brow knit as he lead the woman over to where her pack was. it was a large traveling pack. One could tell Aria had been living off it for a while. "[Where did you come from?Just now, that is,]" She asked, looking back to her as she retrieved a golden Astroglobe. "I assumed, I am sorry," she stated before pulling out her card sleeve. "Whichever way you speak, I'll likely listen. It is good to speak in my native tongue," she admitted, though her voice lacked depth of emotion. She was focused on getting her healing gear together after all.

Aoi Mizu follows suit with heavy steps aided by her trustworthy blade, before they settle upon a corner where a pack lies around. "Ruby Sea. But I never return. Have an apartment and a house in Shirogane that might be collecting dust by now as we speak." She sighed and descends, letting go of the sword as she lays down on the most stone just behind her. "I owe you." She says, still frugal about nicesies and information-giving. "What can I do in return?"

Aria Maeko refrained from speaking at first. 'Live,' and 'Prosper' were surely the words her heart conveyed, but her mouth did not speak it. Instead, she moved her hand around the Astroglobe, bringing it to life with unaspected aether. She closed her eyes as she called on powers to aid the injured Raen. With a gesture of her hand, she motioned towards the woman. Should all go well, the Raen would feel healed and invigorated, though some time and rest would be needed for it to be undoubtedly true.

Aoi Mizu closes her eyes, surrendering to the manipulated aether that seals her wounds, barricading more blood flowing out from her body that sustained so much. She is, however, still fatigued, and it is only natural that the extent of healing can only go as far as such. "Aoi," She says finally, giving her name to the stranger. "Mostly a mercenary." The Raen tries to move her limbs slowly, feeling her body all over again.

Aria Maeko guided the astrogobe closed. "Aria," she replied. Her next response came out with a bitter-sweet laugh that, after a pause, kept going lightly. Aria exhaled, wiping her the corners of her eyes, "Merchant, mostly. I work at a spa though, still, I think," she added, sounding both hopeless and hopeful at the same time. Her eyes turned to the long haired woman. "You've no place to stay here then?" She wondered with more honest concern.

Aoi Mizu shows a simple smile at that, then shakes her head at her question. "Not anymore. I believe the place has been torn down to ground by now, and it would be too dangerous to go back to Gridania by now... Though I doubt they would recognize me." She solemnly thinks. "I think all my belongings have been brought by the others to the new place... So I don't really have anything on me but my wallet and important identifications. I don't even bring change of clothes." A sigh escaped her lips, as she ponders on getting new outfit and look just in case of being known.

Aria Maeko gave a nod before starting to put her healing items back in her pack. "I've residence in the Goblet. In Thanalan," she added. "I can help get you a room at an inn there, if you want. We've not permanent rooms at the Spa," the Midlander explained. "My roommate has clothes to might fit."

Aoi Mizu tilts her head, weighing her options about it. "How much for a night?" She asked. She is not exactly on the higher ground lately, thanks to all she spent for a bidding.

Aria Maeko tugged at the strap of her large pack as she stood up. "Nothing for you to worry about. I'll cover you," she stated as she moved over to offer the other a hand up.

#ffxiv rp #Aria Maeko #Aoi Mizu #stories

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optimismrpt · 5 years

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Hello Rigby. Could I know your opinion as an experiences rp admin? How do you know that your co-admins are ruling you out and what stance do you take? I don´t want to be overly dramatic or arrogant but when do you think you should say STOP THIS IS MY BABY? Also, are limited (aka that you openly say you only accept 9 more people) a good idea or do people consider them arrogant? Thank you! I value your and your followers´ opinions!

ADVICE FROM THE RACCOON :: ALWAYS OPEN

I can’t say that I have too much experience with this anymore. Seeing as I have only had one co-admin over the past thee years. I prefer to work alone for this reason exactly. I tend to be a bit of a control freak and I work a lot faster than most. So it’s been a long time since I’ve had an admin team.

When I co-admin I let the main admin handle the lore out of respect for their vision. I feel like as an admin team it’s really important to make it clear from the start what the co-admins roles are. Are they just there to help promo or are they responsible for writing the plot drops? Clear and respectful boundaries and communication is the key to any good relationship. If you feel like your co-admins are overstepping their roles just ask nicely if you can handle specific types of questions. I probably would phrase it something along the lines of “Hey could you please leave the lore questions to me? I’d be really glad for you help on most wanted questions though!” I find the key is not to focus on what they can’t do, but what they can do to help.

But I think it’s time for a little tough love, nonnie. If you are too attached to a concept and it’s precise execution than that story is probably not right for a roleplay. Roleplays are inherently collaborative. And as I touch on in my rp guide, it’s important to let go of your attachment to your vision and open up to new ideas. If you are dedicated to your rp going a certain way maybe it’s best to write a novel instead.

As for cutoffs, I understand the dilemma. Instead of giving a specific number to make the limit I chose a time frame. Ei. instead of saying “Nine more characters allowed” I opted for “The inbox will close in 48 hours”. Of course I always add the addendum, “If you don’t feel like you can make it in this time but are still enthusiastic about joining, please come to the main off anon and ask for an extension.” Because you want to keep the inbox open for people who are applying out of desire, not out of convenience. Plus, this way if there are ten or eleven people that want to apply they still can.

As for competitive application processes like nine open skeletons I think it’s really important to stop promoting before the amount of apps gets out of hand. I don’t think it’s fair to the applicants, and I actually find it quite greedy when admins of group with a limited number of slots hold the inbox open so long that there are 3 or 4 times as many apps as there are open roles. That feels like the admins are stroking their own ego more than looking for the right member for the role.

I think the important thing is to listen to and value your applicants. After all, they are taking time out of their day to apply for your roleplay. I always try to be gracious and enthusiastic about anyone who wants to join, but also keep the good of the whole at heart.

#rph #rpt #rpc #rpo #rpa #rigby talks !

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selfless1978 · 6 years

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So, occasionally I just sit by myself, and listen to music. All varieties. I think I’ve mentioned before that I have no favorite artist, but favorite songs for certain situations. And I can’t tell you how many times I’ve connected songs to my stories, and RPs. This, is one that hit me deeply when I listened to it.

Now, before I continue with this story, I have to thank @ravenousterrapin for giving me the chance to play this version of Vicky in our RP. But, in order to do that, I had to come up with an origin story for her in this RP, because she gets her wings and water powers from a completely different event in my stories. But, the core concept is going to be the same. Vicky is still a fighter, but for an unimaginable army…..

Here, is how I imagine her ascension to elemental water angle in this particular story.

Refusing to break

Vicky had never been so scared in her life.

It was chaos. The chaos of war.

The battle raged. All around her, gunfire rang out. Mortars struck the ground. There was screaming, cries of the injured, still bodies of the already dead. Her team leader was down below, in the passenger seat as he frantically screamed into the radio for air support. Vicky couldn’t make out the words over the sound of her m249 blasting out the rounds, trying desperately to pin their ambushers down to buy them time. Time, that Vicky and her team finally ran out of.

The mortar came in, she saw it coming, screamed out a warning. But instinctively knew it was over….

Everything was over….

“I love you Mom, Dad. And I’m sorry. And I’m sorry Amy. That I couldn’t do anything to change this world…” A single tear slid down her 21 year old cheek. The last she would ever shed.

Then the round hit, and everything was pain and fire.

I will have to die for this I fear There’s rage and terror and there’s sickness here I fight because I have to I fight for us to know the truth

She wasn’t alone.

Even as she floated in the darkness, she knew she wasn’t alone.

Vicky wasn’t sure what this was, but it was dark, empty. Cold and foreboding.

She didn’t want to be here. It was lonely.

“This is what happens to those who lose all faith in everything.” A gentle woman’s sounded next to her. “They hold no faith, and therefore become restless souls. Peace can be found here, yes, but this is not the kind of peace a tortured soul deserves.”

“Who are you?” Vicky was beyond confused, but, she had to admit, with the voice came a soothing warmth.

“Someone who can offer you a chance to live again. For you to relearn faith and hope. But it comes with conditions.”

“Like what?”

“You may never visit your family. You will not be the same, and your sudden reappearance after your fiery death will only upset them. None of humanity may know of your existence. You must remain hidden from them. But, there is one who strongly feels you can do great good and wonders if you accept. Her faith in you is unwavering.”

The long haired brunette sighed and shook her head. “How do you expect me to accept when you hide behind nothing and talk to me in riddles. I’m to tired of life to deal with more manipulation.”

There was a glow. A golden pinprick of light that reminded her of sunshine. It slowly grew, shifting from an orb of light into a female figure. A woman emerged, a small frame that held Asian features. “I, am Amaterasu, Goddess of the sun. And with the power of sun, I can give you hope. A promise of new beginnings, just as each day is reborn. The sun, is much more than a source of light, child, it’s light give hope to those who fear the dark. It is the base of life, and the reason life flourishes.”

The woman reached out and stroked Vicky’s hair, sympathy and empathy in her expression. “But light can not do it alone. It needs help of the elements. Water to feed life, fire to burn the dead away to clear area for new, earth for the seeds to sprout, and winds to carry the seeds. That is how life is sustained so all may thrive.”

“And what does this have to do with me?”

“Because you have the strength to become a champion of light. To fight against the darkness that consumes everything. I believe in you, and so does Amy. It was her plea that led me to you after your death.”

“A-amy?” Even here, Vicky teared up. Missing her childhood friend so much, and reliving the guilt of her death.

“You can do this Vicky.”

Vicky’s eyes widened as another form appeared. There she was, the friend she had lost and mourned…. A trembling hand covered her stunned mouth before tears over whelmed her. “I am so sorry, I should of said something sooner… I could have stopped him, I could have……”

“Vicky, stop.” Those bright hazel eyes crinkled at the corners with a gentle smile as she cupped Vicky’s chin, lifting it so the woman had to face the child. “You did nothing wrong. So many have tried to tell you that, but you still held that burden tight to your heart. I’m finally figuring out that you’ll never let it go, so, do this for me then if you feel the need to make it up to me.” Amy’s gentle smile turned into a mischievous grin. “I remember how much you wished to be able to fly…. You’ll get that chance.”

And with those cryptic words, Vicky’s friend once more left, and only Amaterasu remained.

Vicky stared long and hard at where Amy had been, taking deep breaths to calm herself, then she looked at the Goddess with calm, determined features. “I accept.”

Amaterasu nodded, her smile wide. “Then let us begin.”

There’s not enough rope to tie me down There’s not enough tape to shut this mouth The stones you throw can make me bleed But I won’t stop until we’re free Wild hearts can’t be broken No, wild hearts can’t be broken

The next sensation she felt was water. Her soul had been gently guided from that black void, and she found herself underneath the gently rippling waves. Watching in awe as the beams of sunlight pierced the depths around her. Fish, large and small, swam. A shark’s appearance scattered them and she could hear the distant cry of a whale.

She was in the vast ocean, seeing it’s true beauty for the first time. Not what was on the surface, but what was underneath.

‘All this beauty is in danger.’ Vicky couldn’t see her, but the voice in her head was Amaterasu’s. ‘Demons of the dark realm, the hells of all religions, begin to stir. Wanting to claim this world as theirs, and destroying it.’

‘I won’t let them.’

“I know. This kind of fight runs deep in you. You have always fought for the reasons you feel right. Your heart loves this world, even if your mind struggles with pain and disappointment. You are much like water. Can be calm and serene, but when given proper reason and abilities, you can unleash a storm. You have always been close to water.’

Vicky smiled, remembering all the times she went swimming, her parents always having to threaten severe punishments to get her out.

‘And now? Now, my new champion, it will be forever bound to you, and be at your beck and call.’

This is my rally cry I know it’s hard, we have to try This is a battle I must win To want my share is not a sin

Vicky could not describe the sensation. There were no words to describe it.

She could feel her body grow more substantial, taking it’s shape again. But also, the water around her began to move. Flowing slowly around her at first, but it ever quickened. A vortex surrounding her. her long hair was swirling around her wildly as the water raged. then, she could feel it merging, becoming a part of her. She could feel the need to breath air as her lungs reformed, change to accepting the water’s own form of nourishment to keep her alive. While under the surface, the water supplied her body with the oxygen it carried in it’s own make up.

Vicky closed her eyes, accepting the transformation. She began to glow, a bright blue beacon under the waves. The aquatic wildlife that had swan calmly before, now fled in fright as her body formed more and more, until, she was once again solid. She was alive.

Still, the goddess wasn’t finished with her.

Suddenly, almost violently, wing bones exploded out of Vicky’s back. Flaring wide as muscles, tendons, and finally skin settled into deep blue feathers rapidly beginning to grow and fill out. Armor forged of water appeared on her body, encasing her body in it’s protection. And a sword formed in her hand, it’s sheath at her waist.

And with them, Vicky was given the knowledge how to use her wings, she was shown how to fly.

She could fly….

A small tear of awe spurned on by Amy’s final statement was lost into the vast pool of fluid around her.

She could fly….

You beat me, betray me You’re losing, we’re winning My spirit above me You cannot deny me My freedom is burning This broken world keeps turning I’ll never surrender There’s nothing, but a victory

She burst through the waves. The glow flaring one bright time before it faded. Water spreading around her in a halo as she emerged, wings wide spread, her new armor glistening in the sun as the water drops fell down her frame. In her right hand, a blade. Blue as the clearest sea, and sharp enough to fell many of the most resistant demon world foes.

Vicky raised her face to the sun as she hovered, eyes closed as she felt the light breeze against her face, stirring her hair. Then she slowly opened them. They flared a brilliant blue for just a moment, before the woman smiled. With a mighty flap of her wings, she shot into the skies. To rejoin her mistress at her mountain home, and await the first call of alarm to be sounded.

Once more the battle would rage.

This time, Vicky welcomed it.

There’s not enough rope to tie me down There’s not enough tape to shut this mouth The stones you throw can make me bleed But I won’t stop until we’re free Wild hearts can’t be broken Wild hearts can’t be broken This wild heart can’t be broken

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voreboy · 6 years

Text

Big Daddy Dominic

[Trigger Warning: Ageplay/Youth Prey]

[Dylan McDermott (left) and Jon Brenthal (right) who serve as inspiration]

So I finally came up with a name for my older (55 year old) Pred character I’ve mentioned previously and who I’ve used as the basis for Ageplay Fantasy 2 and Ageplay Fantasy 4. I’m calling him Dominic Venturi, an Italian-American billionaire corporate tycoon. Like T-Bone, his target prey would be youth and ageplay Littles/Middles.

CHARACTER STATS

Dominic Venturi

Species: Human male

Age: 55

Ethnicity: Italian

Hair color: Black

Eye color: Blue

Height: 6’2

Marital Status: Married

Predator type: Non-Fatal vore, Oral vore, Same-size vore

Recap: Ageplay Fantasy 2 (MID-LIFE CRISIS)

This centers around an older man, someone in his mid-40 to mid-50s but exceptionally good looking for his age. I’d imagine him a wall-street banker or CEO of his own company. He’s someone who’s been obsessed with order, structure and discipline his entire life. Possibly coming from a military family he was pushed to and excelled in academics and athletics from an early age all the way through college. He has a life that is based on appearance rather than substance — wealth, real-estate, industry recognition and a stable, (albeit loveless) marriage.

He’s always been one to shy away from vices. Don’t drink too much, don’t stay out too late, don’t take unnecessary risks, etc. But his one golden rule has always been a strict diet, because his achievements would be nothing if he were to be fat-shamed. However, as the stress and anxiety of maintaining such as life-style has weighed heavily on him, especially over the past decade, and his self-discipline has been steadily waning. He gives himself over to listening to his dick and his stomach over logic and reason. He’s drinking a bit more, staying out a bit later, taking a bit more risk (particularly with extramarital affairs) and most significantly, his once solid abs are rounding out into a firm pot belly. He’d desperate to feel alive at this stage in life and recklessness is the only thing doing it for him.

One day, during a newly proposed “bring your kid to work day” is where I enter the picture. Having a predisposition to wander and explore when no one is looking, I leave my parent’s side and being to explore offices on the varying levels on the building until I make my way to the would-be predator’s executive suite. It turns out I’ve interrupted his lunch as I see him shoveling a fist-full of food into his mouth. Collecting himself, he stands and maneuvers around his desk to greet me and I get a good look as his pot-belly stretching his perfectly tailored suit. I introduce myself as the son of one of his numerous underlings and came across his suite while exploring the building. He chuckles at my wanderlust and invites me to stay and keep him distracted, at least until I’m retrieved by an angry parent.

The Boss and I talk work, school, dreams and life-goals as I flip through channels on his enormous flat-screen TV. I end up settling on some classic Looney Tunes animation, always amused by the various characters being swallowed whole by each other. As we watch, a type of fight or flight instinct is triggered in the pit of the older man’s stomach. A nonsensical daydream of swallowing me in the same way as depicted on screen rapidly becomes an unrelenting obsession. He brings the unusual fantasy up to me and I indulge him since I’ve never been able to discuss it with anyone else up until that point. As recklessness overtakes reason (and his mouth begins to water) he takes of his suite jacket and begins to unbutton his dress shirt before taking me by the crown of my head and single-mindedly trying to wedge it into his open mouth.

Although he considers he could be having a psychotic break with reality, he continues to funnel my upper body into his ever-stretching maw, consuming me slowly. Like an anaconda, his throat, rib-cage and stomach all expand as I descend into the pit of his stomach, which balloons rapidly into an enormous wrecking ball-like shape. The gluttonous predator then clutched the sides of his rotund belly and unleashes a wall-shaking belch.

He now has the dilemma of explaining the situation to his employee and his wife.

Recap: Ageplay Fantasy 4 (DINNER DATE)

The scene opens up with me already in the swollen belly of the studly middle-aged Pred. In an effort to keep our new-found friendship a secret, he helped me orchestrate a way we could spend the weekend together. I tell my parents I’ll be spending the weekend at a friends and will get a ride immediately after school Friday. In reality, the Pred is the one who picked me up and swallowed me whole the second we arrived as his home. The kick is, he made sure to swallow me with my cell phone in hand so we could be able to text each other consistently throughout the weekend.

Part of the reason Pred was sure to swallow me with my phone was because a dinner with my parents and his wife had been prearranged this weekend as well. The thought of a casual dinner with all of them while I stewed in his rotund belly was about as much excitement as he and I could bare.

Once Pred’s wife came home on Friday night, she immediately chastised him for overeating again once she saw the size of his engorged mid-section, oblivious to the fact the son of his employee/neighbor was currently occupying it.

The night of the dinner, Pred and his wife dressed up in their finest attire (with Pred having to use some of his larger sized designer wear for the occasion) as do my parents. The two couples meet at the restaurant and exchange greeting. My parents politely point out Pred’s rapid weight gain over the past few days, which he eagerly plays up as a talking point while his wife fervently but politely rebukes claiming to be concerned for his health. The situation causes a stir in Pred’s pants like no other, a good indication of how the night will continue.

Once seated and having ordered their food, the two couples converse to continue getting to know one another more intimately. My parents discuss both work and hobby related interests as does Pred’s wife. Pred and I send periodic texts to each other throughout the night; Pred gets a tingle in his groin every time he gets a vibration in his stomach from my phone.

At one point one of my parents actually calls me just to check in, not excusing themselves from the table. My heart sinks as does Pred’s when we realize my voice would mostly likely carry at least somewhat from the pit of his stomach. I let it go to voicemail once as my parent lament about how I never answer my phone. Pred takes the opportunity to excuse himself to use the restroom and waddles away from the table as I subtly bounce within his belly.

Once inside the restroom, Pred strokes his stomach while simultaneously texting me how perversely stimulating the entire situation is. My parent calls once again and this time I answer. Pred stands around the stalls straining to hear my muffled voice from the pit of his own stomach.

At the end of the evening, the two couples say their goodbyes. After arriving at home, Pred and his wife have a particularly intense love-making session as a direct result of Pred’s increased libido. Once the wife is asleep, Pred and I continue to text one another as he lounges awake in bed.

This character will be exclusive to the Safe-verse. Feel free to submit questions about him (but observe the rules).

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