#her interacting politely with people not cursing being patient taking everything without complaining all the typical Dulcie-isms

[ciderjacks]

should I draw Dulcie (reluctantly) wearing this

[elsewhereuniversity]

Names have power and meaning, and what you pick says something about you. People tended to avoid commenting on Pandora’s name, as they only understood the surface of the myth and only knew that because of Pandora’s curiosity she unleashed suffering on humans. Fae however, as well as some more historically knowledgeable humans, knew a different myth.

Pandora- the myth- had been explicitly created to open the box and unleash the contents within. Given to the god of hindsight as a gift after the whole fire incident with Prometheus, she had been designed to be a beautiful and cunning opposite to man- Zeus’s revenge. Judgment for the wrongs. She was never curious, she was a weapon.

Fae initially avoided Pandora the student because of the myth, and because they sensed she knew full well what she had picked. But Pandora proved to be a magnet for the strange, and was open to the deals that came with it.

She was better at making deals than initially given credit for. Fae who thought they were clever usually got manipulated out of what they really wanted while Pandora walked away with everything she’d set out for.

What Pandora traded for was considered erratic at best, if you didn’t know her or were unobservant as to what she was currently doing with her time. Large amounts of metals traded at times she was doing large smithing projects, lots of plastic reels for the 3d printers, designs for projects made of wood, hair dye, gems, and at once point just a touch of Sight were known things she’d traded for. (Just a touch, wouldn’t want to see too much)

Pandora liked knowledge best of all, but you’d only know that if you were a fae trading or were someone very very close to her. She came to the school knowing how to 3d print, shape metal, and create wooden projects. She did not come to the school knowing how to conjure items, enchant items, or how to cook. She rarely traded for all desired knowledge to be given in one fell swoop though. She knew better than to lock herself into a path she might find out she doesn’t actually want.

On the side of personality, she was undoubtedly kind, giving luck charms out freely, and giving iron rings out freely like they were candy, but wouldn’t hesitate to throw you to the wolves if you proved dishonest. Understandingly patient, but unabashedly persistent. It was often joked that if you owed her something she would haunt you after her death to get it from you. Nobody was actually certain if she would. Nobody wanted to find out. Even less appealing was to find out was what she’d do to you if you broke a deal. (“Where did she get the knife who’s cuts burn for days after?” “I don’t know, and I don’t want to find out.”)

Her deals slowly went from normal(ish) to what one may expect when someone mentions deals with fae, though they were still largely related to her hobbies and interests. For a hammer who’s strike would never miss, she gave a luck charm specifically enchanted to help prevent injury. For a drill who’s bits would never snap or dull and who would always drill straight she gave a tube of hand cream that would temporarily enhance natural beauty and health. She’s not sure where the gloves that aided in cleaning but would force one to finish the task before anything else no matter what came from. It helps with dishes though.

For all her all her trading and all her cunning and all her skill, what made her powerful was her kindness. The unspoken debts she was owed ranged from her having lent notes on a difficult test to leaving the crows fresh muffins every morning to all the useful gifts she gave. Everyone knew her name and knew that she’d at least listen to a request if you needed to make one. Whether or not she’d do it was determined by her capacity to, and her availability. To a lesser extent what you could do in return was also a factor.

The debts added, and added, and added. It seemed everyone owed her something unspoken because of her kindness, and to other students she seemed oddly content to leave it unspoken and unpaid. She cursed her own kind nature, and knew she was walking a dangerous line. She just didn’t know what line.

And she knew when gifts started appearing that she was stepping over that line into a new realm. A hairbrush that would help keep the color of her hairdye, pretty stones, pretty pins, a new pair of shoes when she’d offhandedly complained about hers being on the way out, the crows bringing her a magic focus as an unsaid thank you for the fresh muffins she gave them every morning, the crows bringing her lots of things in general because they liked her, and so many other things. All non-crow gifts given with a post-it note attached saying “For your kindness”

Her kindness didn’t end, and neither did the gifts. It reached a tipping point when she saw a creature in danger.

A frame made of iron had mysteriously dislodged, onto a fae creature. Its pitiful screams didn’t go unnoticed and she tore it off the form. This was not a debt that would or ever could be politely overlooked. She’ll never admit she immediately regretted lifting the frame if only because that meant she must be paid.

“What would you like? I cannot promise I can give it, but request and we’ll see.” The fae asked, looking at her anxiously. She knew better than to say ‘nothing’, but she couldn’t think of anything appropriate to ask for. So with hesitation she said “I don’t know what to ask for. I’m not even sure what could be considered equal.”

Her hesitation read relatively clear to the fae, a boon for that situation. The fae agreed that it required thought and sat with her for a few minutes, trying to think of a gift to clear the debt.

It looked up at her with a grin. “To clear the scars of past and to prevent scars anew.” It declared. It’s lucky she held no ill feelings towards that gift as it went ahead without further warning. A bright flash, and the fae was gone, as well as every scare, big or small, on her skin.

With hesitation she rubbed a ridge right under her chin. Or at least, there was supposed to be a ridge right under her chin. The slightly puckered flesh from when she’d split it open was flat.

She stood there for a while after, considering the implications. To prevent scars anew…

She didn’t pretend the implications were anything grand. Days later it was proven that her skin could be pierced, confirming that she could be injured. It just wouldn’t scar.

It was a gateway to many other favors. It was like the school sensed it could trust her with such things now, as fae in need of a hand appeared in droves. Fae tangled in vines, fae trapped by cruel students with salt circles, and many others.

Gift after gift after gift. Always glad to save a creature but despising each gift that took her a little further from ‘human’.

Radiant beauty, straightened and whitened teeth, silent footfalls, improved literal eyesight (she admits she needed that one), and far more magic items than she would ever need. And that was on top of the gifts from the unspoken debts.

She would walk and heads would turn. Hushed voices would explain to the newbies who she was. Hushed voices would ask back why she was… like that. Nobody human knew why she radiated beauty, nobody human knew why she could only be detected if she didn’t care enough to hide, and everybody human knew there was something unnatural about her and all the items she carried with. But her name preceded her, and nobody was scared of her. Just cautious. Careful to never be ungrateful or rude, but willing to ask and give.

Isolated in the sea of humans, a goddess among mortals. Nobody dared get too close to her. Even friends kept their distance, leaving only a couple of people who ever knew what was really going on in her head.

There wasn’t one mysterious day where she snapped. It was many days where she was slightly father gone than the previous days. She probably wouldn’t have even started the path if students hadn’t been so cautious to interact with her.

Slowly even her last two friends drifted away. And slowly it was only ever the changelings, the fae-touched, and the outright fae who would interact with her on a level beyond “Do you have notes for the homework?”

These were who she hung around. They’d laugh they’d joke they’d play and they’d watch the newest episodes together. What humanity she’d held tight in spirit only by this point started to unravel.

She was still kind and would help, but cold calculation lay in her eyes. Rumor had it she was rationalizing the value of you and your offer and comparing it to how much she cared, like one calculates a budget. She would disappear and return at random. Taken and Returned at her command, for far too many owed her to Take without permission and to not Return her once she desired to leave. (One brave student asked what fae parties were like. Beyond onlookers amazement that she didn’t smite them right there, they were stunned to hear her laugh and say “Wilder than you can imagine!”)

The final tipping point in the line of dominoes was passing by an argument about a deal. Curious, and having nothing better to do, she got involved. The sides were explained and she came to a decision about the situation. They asked for her opinion, and she gave it.

The argument was immediately resolved. She was right, or at least had a point, and nobody was brave enough to argue anyways. A small enough event, or should have been assuming it had remained isolated.

This time it was the students who decided it. One with such power and outright knowledge was better suited to call the shots. She would hear the argument and her diction was law. Even with her humanity left in shreds she had enough kindness to remain fair. The students knew this too whenever they heard her verdict. Even if they were bitter about how it turned out for them, the could feel it in their bones that this was what was deserved.

A few questioned if it was right, or healthy, to rely on her words. They were ignored. Complicated problems were set before her and then were solved. The gifts never stopped, as it was just common sense to pay the she who solved your problems and came to your aid.

None of the students realized 'it’ until someone finally snapped at her. Her call was very lopsided to one person, though that was for the person being innocent and actually trying to be a kind and understanding person while the other had played an unfair game.

The other had lunged for her, their scream of profanity drowned out by the gasping and then screaming students. Any further words were stopped before they even started as almost every student in sight went to pry the bastard off of her. Days later he would be Taken, but for right then her response shook the school.

She laughed. “You think you can take down Judgment!?” She’d hollered. And as one every heart in the area skipped a beat.

“To tip the scales, to say you’re better than rationality? To attack the one in charge of the outcome? By all means, once they release you, I dare you to attack me again and see how long you survive. See just how many people will pry you off once more!” She shouted, twirling as she motioned to those surrounding her.

“I am but a creature of flesh, this is undeniable, but I hold more power than you ever will because I earned it through my deeds. And through my reason, the students have deemed me their Judge! I am the hammer calling for order, I am the scales of which the values are weighed, I am the Judge who decides!” She screeched.

“I saw your lies all through your Case, and each and every one of them was tallied against you and used to determine the Truth! Your life is ultimately not my business; but I pity those who’d call you 'friend’, for you twist your narrative until you are the victim, knowing you are the culprit.”

“We’re done here. Whatever comes next isn’t my doing, but I’m certain that you’ll deserve it.” She said, turning away and simply walking off with confidence in her step.

And the students watched their Judge walk away in silence, and even the animals had stopped making noise in the presence of her power and truth.

Later that night the one who’d attacked her sat in his dorm, waiting in terror for the invariable Pandora’s Box of horrors he’d unleashed upon himself for challenging powers greater than himself.

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