#i was going to fix loop's hands but eh. it's going to be 4 soon ish and i have class soon so Explore tagged Tumblr posts

[sifarooni]

I was persuaded into drawing this (No I wasn't. this is all me /silly)

it's funny because while finishing the last bit of this quick drawing I came to the realization that I literally have a human loop design and just didn't use it, next time I post (whenever that'll be.) and it has human loop, I'll actually use it, I promise! I super promise! I super duper promise!

[whatdoesshedotothem]

Tuesday.. 22 May 1838

7 40/..

12 ¼

found my cousin come gently half hour preparing one good proper motion much better this morning – Packing – 1st made up the fire – had the washerwoman – très contente d’elle .:. gave her 1/. over which pleased her much – Spa bien tombi – petite peuple here now, pas les grandes comme autrefois – when her mother and she (she aetatis 75) used to wash for the Lady Spencer before she was duchess of Devonshire – for ‘Lady Foster’ Lady Elizabeth afterwards duchess of Devonshire and for the present Duke – for the duchess of Cumberland princess of Orange etc. etc. – the old duke of D- talked to her as I did – ‘les grandes toujours les plus bons’ ........ really a very good woman an excellent washerwoman and very reasonable – breakfast about 10 – and then till 12 10 wrote out the last 8 lines of Sunday the whole of yesterday and so far of today – the garçon said that to make the tour of the 4 sources, would take an hour en voiture and the same à pied as we must make un grand detour en voiture – eh bien! – sent for Henri, and A- and I out 1 20 – 1st tasted the water of the Pouhon spring, crapped with its awkward monument building to the memory of Peter the great – the water a strong chalybeate – then to the hotel des bains, to the bathing establishment the only one in the place – well enough – 12 bains 2 ditto plongeants  (like very little swimming baths 4 or 5 yards x 2 or 3 yards?) 4 douches, and 4 bains-chaises (chain baths – large deep-copper or natural basins fixed in an arm-chair that one sits in – immersed about ½ way down to the knees and up to the navel) much recommended now for weakness in the loins – for fames enceintes, begin with the water just warm and soon get to use it cold – the bains ½ on one side, ½ on the other side the quadrant court  -nice enough rooms in the hotel part at 2/. per room per day – 2/. a bath including linen – and par abonnement   12 baths for 20/. – Lady --- Wood took a bath here (one of the plongeants) every day from the baths to the Geronstère spring – a very nice about ½ hours’ walk – but A- tired before we had gone far – however we got on – passed the Waux hall – what we had guessed to be the house the King had for 8 days last year – no! he was at the Belle vue left en entering Spa from Liège – warmish – great part of the way latterly thro’ a wood – nice situation on the hill – could have lived here but no accommodation save drinking and walking – a brisk chalybeate – much more agreeable or much less disagreeable water than the Pouhon – no time for the walks – gave our dix sols as at the Pouhon for each tasting and spitting out again the water and came away – Henri Bête had let us pass the Sauvenière spring (close) on Saturday in going to the cascade on Saturday the fellow would worse than ever this morning – he had just dined – and tormented me with his talking – seems to have waited at table on all great people here and elsewhere – and when he went on before us kept a very slightly wavy line path – of course I made no observation on the subject to him, but complained to the mistress of the house on paying the bill – sick of Spa altogether, tho’ it is a very picturesque pretty little well-built ville in a lovely valley, and the hotel de l’ orange very good and comfortable very good cuisine and la blanchisseuse parfait – did not go into on Spa-box shop – contented ourselves with looking in at the windows – bought ½ lb. macaroons for 8 sols French – inquired the price of the description de la grotte de Remouchamps with few lithographs – 10/. too dear – should have had to wait for it (the people little grocers etc. not yet gone to their dress booksellers’ shop as we had heard at the confectioners) – so went to the bank – Mr. Wilten a nice little civil person – exchange 25/35 the season does not in fact commence till June – and Spa (as the washerwoman said and the demoiselle de librairie owned this evening) is much tombé – not the place it used to be du temps de la famille d’Orange – home at 3 ¼ or [and] found I had put my watch ¼ too late - .:. home at 3 ½ - Paid all, and off from the hotel de l’Orange at 4 10 –

at the hotel des bains a nice English shower bath such as Mrs. Sutherland had paid £6 for bought 2nd hand of an English gentleman who brought it to Spa for 80fr. had on it the address of ‘J. Benham 19 Wigmore street Cavendish square London’

Received at the bank for n°     633.75

our old lady of the hotel offered me her torn dirty description of the grotte for 9/. civilly declined this offer saying I could get the work at Paris, and copied the title p. as follows ‘Description de la grotte de Remouchamps située à deux lieues à l’ouest de Spa. Par M. Schols, ancien capitaine d’état-major. Imprimerie de Demanet Rue de L’Evêque, n°19 à Bruxelles’ – off from Spa at 4 10 – at 4 40 fine view of the chateau of Franchimont – and descend and cross the river and drive along it but leave on the other side the pretty village of Franchimont lying at the foot of its castle and enter Theux at 4 ¾ picturesque little town – drive thro’ it in 5 minutes, and just out of it re-cross the river by good wooden bridge and have a few drops of rain – the valley opens about Theux (on both sides of Theux) then narrows again and wooded and well villaged and several good houses with lodges and pretty! factories – the neat church of [?] very striking and picturesque perched on the top of a hill right – a red-painted neat thatched house (near a larger good house) with chimney lower than the rest covered over the top and the sides open in 2 tiers of 3 loop-holes each on every side the chimney might serve as a model for the red room chimney at home – at 5 10 cross the 2 little rivers?  at 5 ¼ (regular rain) pass the card-house chateau – the situation very beautiful – wood, rock, river, beautifully grouped hills – the Swiss cottage very pretty – more and more dislike the absurdity of the architecture are of the chateau – immediately about here very beautiful – then the valley opens a little – then closes again – less taken with Chaufontaine [Chaudfontaine] now than as we went – a little place of trade as well as baths – the railroad all along here to Verviers will sadly spoil this lovely valley – at 7 a 2 horse diligence trys [tries] to pass us – a race – our postboy beats then lifts his jacket lap in exultation as if to say kiss my ---- at 7 5 cross bridge over Ourté [Ourthe] and Vesdre? – abundance of

SH:7/ML/E/21/0106

 orchards all the way from Spa – but from Chaufontaine [Chaudfontaine] to Liège one continued orchard – well may apples be so plentiful – why not make cider? a good deal of vine-ground about Liège – and a great many little hop-gardens – at 7 10 fine opening upon Liège thro’ the village of ......... pass the ½ finished Casino and bridge over river ------- Ourte [Ourthe]? and pass the barrier gateway and at 7 ½ enter La ville de Liège – full of people as if a market day – but always the same they say – alight at 7 ¾ au Pavillion anglais – M. and Madame M- there to greet us – order dinner – then to the booksellers, Place Saint Lambert – ½ hour there till 8 ¾ - A- had left me there – not interested .:. tired – dinner at 8 55 to 9 40 demie bouteille bad champagne – bad dinner – A- wrong at my having kept her waiting for dinner what a temper and what a pother but I kept silence and let her go off to bed taking very little notice – fine day till rain about 5pm for a couple of hours – F64 ½° now at 9 ¾ pm A- went soon to bed – I stood reading in my room the treatise on Spa and its water (bought this evening and published at Liège last year) till 11 ½ pm at which hour F64 1/2° as before –

A. Groffroi Langevn n°328 Paris numeros 46. 45. 38 and 39 Carte de Ferraris 1fr. per n° carte of Belgium

[ella-se-vuelve-loca]

Chapter 18

Grand Masterlist

Series Masterlist

I wrote this chapter a little while back and I’m pretty sure it needs some editing, but here you guys go! This is kind of a short chapter though I’m ngl 

Previous Chapter

~~

~ 4 months later ~

Joel’s P.O.V.

“We’re so happy to have you boys here with us today!” The interviewer spoke into the microphone. “How are you guys? How’s the tour going so far?”

“Aahh it’s been great! We love being able to travel again and seeing our amazing fans.” Richard smiled. “We’ve missed being on the road.”

“I just saw you guys last night.” The other interviewer said. “You guys were amazing!”

“Aye thank you bro! We hoped you enjoyed the performance.” Chris chuckled. “I did! I mean you guys give 110% every single time in these performances. My daughter loved you and hopes to see you again in concert.”

“Thank you so much, man.” I smiled and reached for my cup of coffee that was on the table. “Think you can give us a little performance one of your songs for all those cncowners listening in on the radio right now?”

“Yeah no problem. Let’s do it..” Richard spoke as he started off on our single ‘De Cero’. It’s been a couple of months, but I still miss her. I eventually told my group that we weren’t seeing each other anymore. I thought it was time that I came clean to everyone and told them everything and not hold anything back. My relationship with the boys changed a bit, I guess I’m lucky that they don’t hold grudges.

Richard told me that it was the right thing to do, with coming clean to everyone, so we can work on where we go from here. I feel out of the loop these days because I feel like everyone is judging me, but at least they know now and I don’t have to carry that secret with me anymore. I just have to carry the guilt of me hurting someone I love and doesn’t want to see me.

“Wow. Beautiful voices.” The interviewer clapped. “No wonder you boys won La Banda. You guys have a gift.” I looked at all the boys as they smiled at the compliments we were getting. “Aye thank you man.” Richard chuckled. “Let’s get into the more juicy stuff while we got you here…”

~~

After the interview, it’s off to sound check we go. We walked on stage and our crew handed us our microphones. “Okay, just do a rerun of ‘Pretend’ and let’s see how that works.” I held the mic up to my lips as I started off the song.

“I only love you in the middle of the night

That's when you're on my mind

Every time I get the feeling I can't fight

And I know it just ain't right”

Maybe this is a sign that I should just leave (Y/N) alone, considering the fact that I can’t ever really talk to her again because of Johann. I don’t want to leave her in the hands of him though. If I can’t be with her, then I want someone who’s gonna love her like I should’ve to be in her life. I want her to be happy, even if it’s not with me… I just can’t stop thinking about her though.

“Al borde de perderte otra vez

Ahora que estás tan dentro de mi piel

No sé qué puedo hacer si estás con él

But for now we just pretend”

I looked around and saw Zabdiel sitting down on one of the steps, patiently waiting for his part to come on as Christopher was now singing his verse. Not trying to make a high school musical reference here, but I need to get my head in the game.

She will randomly just pop up in my mind and make me miss her when I shouldn’t. I can’t be looking like a lost puppy up on stage while having our cncowners glance my way and wonder if I’m okay. I need to just focus on giving out an amazing performance for our fans.

We continued singing and practicing our dance routines until we were granted some time to ourselves. I walked around the stage as I could hear the rest of my bandmates talking and Christopher laughing up a storm. I have an idea of how I can somehow apologize to her without mentioning her name through the power of music. I just have to go over this with the guys first and really talk about how I can do this. “Hey, Richard?” I called out as he turned around to look at me. “Yeah?”

“Can I talk to you about something?” He nodded and walked my way. “Sure, what’s up?”

~~

(Y/N)’s P.O.V.

“So, what do you think?” Johann asked me. “I.. I really don’t know about this.” I wrapped my arms around myself as I thought about his idea. “My acting skills are not the best.” I chuckled as he took my hands into his own and smiled. “Oh c’mon.” He laughed. “I’m not gonna judge you. Just think of this as like… a fun activity for us to do together that will just so happen to be posted on my YouTube channel.”

“With this song that you picked?” I asked. “It’s just a song, (Y/N). I’m not asking you to sing, just act..” I sighed and looked at anywhere but him. I still think about what could’ve happened if I had made it just in time before Joel left. Johann told me that he couldn’t wait for me and left without another word, but somehow I don’t fully believe him.

I saw how Joel was days before he left – he was begging on his knees… and Johann told me that he didn’t want much to do with me anymore when we ate breakfast together that morning. I wondered why he was there, but I guess it made sense as the two of them are friends and he wanted to see him one last time before he left.

“Please? It’s so difficult to find somebody else on a short notice and you’re already here..” He smiled once more as I thought about it. It shouldn’t be all that  bad, right? This could maybe be fun, considering what the song he’s singing is all about. Being with him has helped a little with forgetting about my broken heart, but it’s time to finally forget about him. I can’t stay stuck on Joel forever.

“Okay..” I nodded my head. “I’ll do it. It’s just acting, right?” He clapped his hands and smiled at me. “Of course. Alright, let’s get this started. I owe you so much for this!”

~~

“Wow, look at you.” I chuckled as Johann came out with a jacket on and spun around, showing off the article of clothing. “Ah, muy guapo, eh?” He smiled as we stood in a hot pink LED lit room as we waited for instructions for the video.

“Again, thank you so much for this. It means a lot.” He said. “Hey, it’s no problem. I’m just happy to help out a friend.” I gave him a side smile as I fixed my hair. “We’ve already run through with you what we’re gonna do, it’s really simple.” I nodded at the cameraman and moved my hair off to the side, clearing my throat. “I got it.”

Soon after a couple of minutes, the music started playing and we both got into character. I turned around to look at him as he smiled at me, slowly walking my way. There’s 3 different scenes that have to be done and I’m in only 2 of them. This is a whole new territory for me because I’ve personally have never been in a music video before. He continued lip syncing to me as we got closer and closer.

“Great, now bring your hand up and – that’s it!” I brought my hand up and slowly slid my fingers down his chest, slightly opening up his jacket, revealing his skin to me as I slowly looked up at him. This actually became a lot more sensual than I thought it would just looking up at him. It’s been a few months and it hurts a little less whenever I think about Joel, but it’s not completely gone. I guess Johann is doing a pretty good job at keeping my thoughts occupied with something else.

“Spin her around.” The director yelled over the music as Johann took my hand in his and slowly twirled me around. I laughed and tried to keep my mind off of the last time I danced with Joel. Stop thinking about him, (Y/N), It’s over.

He stood behind me and brought his hands down to my waist, keeping me there as he buried his face in my hair. I leaned my head slightly to the side and smiled. It’s a little awkward just having people off to the side just watching us, but at the same time, it was pretty fun and interesting to see a little side of his world.

I was pushed up against a wall, my left arm in the air as he brought his head down close to my neck as I chuckled. His breath against me tickled as I looked off to the side. I know it’s been a couple of months, but every once in a while, I’ll hear Joel’s song on the radio or on my playlist pop up and all those memories will come rushing back into my mind as I thought about what if.

Before I knew it, we were finished with the first scenes of the video and had to get started on part two. It’s time I start to get over Joel, it’s been a little while now.

~~

I leaned against the brick wall as Johann stood a couple of feet ahead of me. I’m still not quite sure how I feel about him lip syncing this song to me, but it’s too late now to back out of it. I soon heard the music playing and immediately got into character. I walked past him on the concrete street, pretending to mind my own business as he walked closer to me with a cocky smirk on his face.

He grabbed onto my hand as I pulled away, moving a strand of hair away from my face as I looked at him. He kept his gaze on mine as he slowly walked closer to me until my back was against the brick wall before I pushed him away from me. This is a slight contrast to how the first scenes with him went.

We stood next to each other as I pretended to be hurt as he raised his eyebrow and smirked, following me as I slowly walked in front of him. I don’t quiet know why he chose me to be in this video with him, the song is literally kind of throwing Joel under the bus.

I turned to face him as he held reached for my hand and led us into a slow dance as I smiled at him. I’ve never been apart of a music video before, but so far this is actually pretty fun. He’s not that bad looking, now that I’m actually really looking at him, but I don’t think I see him as anything other than a friend.

My back was against the brick wall as he leaned one of his arms above my head and looked down at me. He continued lip syncing the lyrics to me until he slowly brought his head down. I could feel his breath against my lips and wondered if he was actually gonna go through with it until I heard someone yell cut. Johann pulled away and gave me a smile, taking my hands in his. “All that’s left is my part.” He chuckled as my face must’ve been a little red.

I know we’re not together anymore, but it just felt like I was cheating or something. Like I was cheating on my heart, on my feelings I still have for him. “Come on, let’s go get a bite to eat. We won’t start on my little scene until later on. So in the meantime..” He fixed his hair and turned to me. “Let’s go pick up pizza for everyone. Don’t worry, someone already called it in. It’s our job to bring it back here.”

He held out his arm for me to take before I linked us together. “We’ll be back in 15.” Johann yelled out as we walked down the street to find a place to pick up some food. “What did you think?” He asked me. “Did you have fun?”

I chuckled and slowly nodded my head. “I have to say, it was more fun than I thought it would be.”

“I told you it wouldn’t be so bad.” We walked into a pizza restaurant that was close by and told them that we had already called in an order and were here to pick it up. “I know a lot of people think I’m not a good guy.” He spoke. “What do you mean?” I asked.

“What I mean is that all of Joel’s fans don’t think I’m good enough for him. They think that I’m riding on the back of his fame and that I’m not.. genuine or something.” He said. “Joel is my friend and I would never do anything to hurt him. Sure, being with him is starting to give myself a name, but not the one I’m hoping for.” I frowned as he continued. “I know you don’t really wanna talk about him, but I don’t want you to think the same thing they do. Am I a bad person for wanting to hang out with my friend?”

I shook my head. “No, of course not. Joel... is your friend who just so happens to be a celebrity. It’s not your fault for wanting to be with him and not get judged.”

“I guess being with him comes with some sort of price now, does it?” I slowly nodded. “I guess it does..” We waited a few more minutes until they handed us the box as I took out my wallet. “Nu – uh – uh, (Y/N). I got this.” Johann said as I shook my head.

“It’s fine, really. This is the least I could do since you let me be in your little music project. This is me saying thank you.” He smiled and pulled away. “If you insist.”

After we had brought the pizza back to the rest of Johann’s crew and ate, I decided that it was time for me to go on home and get some rest. “The video will be posted up soon, we just have to edit and fix some scenes but I’ll let you know when it’s up.” He smiled at me as he walked me to my car. “Okay, great. Thanks for letting me be a part of this project.”

“No, thank you  for agreeing to do this with me last minute.” He chuckled as I got to my car door. “Well, I uh guess I’ll see you later.” I said. He nodded and lifted one of my hands up to his lips and planted a small kiss on top. “I’ll see you later.” He smiled and backed away, letting me open up my door and getting inside. I strapped on my seatbelt and started my car.

Why did he do that? Where did that little kiss come from? I turned my head and waved bye to him through the window as I drove off. I had fun doing this, I’m not gonna lie, but being that close with him brought up a lot of confused feelings.

Next Chapter

~~

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[curiosity-killed]

a bow for the bad decisions

canon-divergent AU from ep. 24 (on ao3)

part 1| part 2 | part 3 | part 4 | part 5 | part 6 | part 7 | part 8 | part 9 | part 10 | part 11 |  part 12  | part 13 | part 14 | part 15 | part 16 | part 17 | part 18

“Shut up,” he hisses, wet. “Shut up.” Wei Wuxian falls silent and somehow that’s worse. His brother is silent, tears slipping down his cheeks, and it is worse than anything he could say aloud. “A-Cheng? Xianxian?” Swallowing, he unclenches his fingers from around Wei Wuxian’s collar and sinks back onto his heels. Released, Wei Wuxian sways and stutters back down, his eyes downcast. “What’s wrong?” a-jie asks, worry thrumming through her voice. Wei Wuxian bows his head still, leaving this confession for Jiang Cheng. Anger echoes through Jiang Cheng’s chest at the way he presents himself as if waiting for punishment. It’s what he deserves; it hurts that he thinks it’s coming.

He hesitates for a moment. As much as he scolded Wei Wuxian for the same thing, he doesn’t want to worry jiejie more than necessary. If she knows Wei Wuxian’s core is gone, she’ll not only have all that backed up worry from the war but also fresh worry every time he wanders off without one of them. She fusses over the both of them enough as is; she shouldn’t strain herself so much for them. 

On the other hand, there’s no one able to persuade Wei Wuxian like a-jie. And — and he’s not sure he can keep it a secret from her. He didn’t know Wei Wuxian could; Jiang Cheng is used to being in on his pranks and lies, not kept out by them. He swallows. “Wei Wuxian’s core is gone,” he says. Distantly, he’s a little proud how steadily he says it. His voice comes out a little inflectionless, but it doesn’t shake or, gods forbid, break in a sob. Wei Wuxian’s head dips lower. His hands still hang at his sides, shoulders curved forward. He hears the hitch in jiejie’s breath, the quiet gasp, before he forces himself to look up. One hand covers her lips, the other pressed to her stomach, and she stares wide-eyed at Wei Wuxian. “A-Xian,” she breathes out. He swallows, draws his hands over his knees so that they’re both tight around the stupid flute. Jiang Cheng’s teeth grit, jaw clenching in useless anger. What right does he have to look so browbeaten, so defeated? He’s kept up this lie for years — so successfully that the whole cultivation world has no idea. Of course he would. Even mediocre, even without the golden core that impressed everyone up to Lan Qiren himself, he can bend the world to his wishes. What is impossible for Wei Wuxian? “Wei Wuxian, don’t you have anything to say?” he snaps.  His throat bobs as he swallows before he shifts, straightening up on his knees so that he’s facing both of them equally. Folding his hands before him, he stretches them out and bows his forehead flat to the floor. “I am sorry, shijie, Jiang Cheng,” he says quietly. Horror shoots through Jiang Cheng’s chest at the sight. This isn’t— he didn’t— This isn’t what he wanted. “A-Xian,” a-jie says over the rustle of her skirts as she crosses the room and tugs up on his elbows. “A-Xian, stop that. You don’t need to — to apologize like that.” He rises only reluctantly and keeps his gaze down. “I can’t fulfill my duties as Head Disciple of Yunmeng Jiang,” he says, evenly like he’s reciting facts. “I am no longer fit for the title or — or position. I can leave.” “Shut up,” Jiang Cheng snaps. “Shut up. You’re not going anywhere. What the hell are you thinking? You’re our brother. Did I stop being your brother when Wen Zhulio got me?” His eyes flick to Jiang Cheng, something almost fearful in the way they dart sideways to him. He hates that as much as he hates this awful, complacent self-sacrifice. “A-Cheng’s right, Wuxian,” jiejie says. She reaches out for his wrist, giving it a squeeze. “You’re our brother no matter what. You shouldn’t have kept this from us but now that we know, we can figure it out together. We can help you.” For all that she’s never been very strong at cultivation, Jiang Cheng privately thinks a-jie knows a whole different form of magic with her words and voice. She could calm a typhoon with only the right words. Now, Wei Wuxian doesn’t look wholly convinced, but he gives a trembling nod. It’s something, at least. It’s not like Jiang Cheng knows how they’re going to fix this, either, what help they can give. A-jie’s right: they’ll figure it out together. “It’s late,” a-jie says. “Why don’t we all go to bed and we’ll figure things out in the morning?” It feels like they’re little kids again, caught throwing tantrums because they missed a nap. Still, they both rise and let a-jie guide them out of the hall, one on either side of her like overgrown guard dogs. They escort her to her rooms first, like good brothers, and she pauses at the door to reach up and cradle Wei Wuxian’s damp cheek. “A-Xian,” she says softly, “we’ll get through this. No matter what, we three will solve it together. Alright?” He gives an obedient nod, and she smiles, smoothing back his hair absently. She looks over to include Jiang Cheng in her smile and reaches out to squeeze his wrist once. He summons up an answering smile and gives her a nod. He feels heartened somehow, impossibly, by her steady calm. After saying their goodnights, he and Wei Wuxian turn back to walk to their own rooms. “In the morning, Healer Xiong should look you over,” he says a few steps in. “See if your demonic cultivation has affected your meridians or if there’s anything she can do.” He remembers, still, the burning hollow after. How it felt like emptiness was a physical thing chewing away at the stem of his heart, the fine thread of his veins. He thinks of Wen Qing, her brusque manners and stubborn care. He brushes the thought away. It’s not like she could fix his core in the end anyway. “Ai, no, there’s no need for that,” Wei Wuxian says. “I’m fine, really. There’s no sense troubling Healer Xiong, and anyway, who knows my body better than me? I can tell you my meridians are fine.” The deflection is too similar to what he said back when they first found him over Wen Chao’s wailing form. It’s said more lightly this time, but it still echoes that same words he used against Lan Wangji, and Jiang Cheng shoots him a sharp look. “Don’t be stupid,” he says. “If you actually want any chance of figuring this out, we need the best help we can get. It’s not like Healer Xiong will tell anyone anyway. She’s been with us since a-jie was born.” Wei Wuxian grimaces slightly, looking away. He worries at his bottom lip for a second, as if chewing on his words, and Jiang Cheng frowns, waiting. At last he sighs. “It’s just — I uh I used resentful energy to heal some injuries,” he admits. “Nothing bad! Just — you know Healer Xiong will see that and then give me that sad look she has like I just ran over all her herbs—” “She didn’t even yell at you when you ruined her herbs, you baby.” “—and you know how awful that look is,” Wei Wuxian continues. “It’s like she’s sad she’s somehow failed you and then you just feel terrible. It’s the worst.” Glaring at him, Jiang Cheng crosses his arms. It’s true that Xiong Chunfeng has perfected the art of looking disappointed to the point that he thinks she might have been able to stop the war if they only got her in front of Wen Ruohan at the start. Her whole face goes soft and sad, dark eyes searching like she’s trying to understand how she could have done better in order to prevent their mistakes. Just thinking about it makes his skin itch with old shame. “Fine,” he relents, dropping his arms. “But as soon as it’s cleared up, you go see her.” “Of course. Right away,” Wei Wuxian agrees readily. They continue a few steps in silence, Jiang Cheng casting searching looks out of the corner of his eye. He doesn’t remember Wei Wuxian getting hurt recently. In the war, they weren’t often fighting too close to each other, but Wei Wuxian always had his corpses and ghouls and spirits spiraling out from him like the branches of a hurricane. He frowns. “How bad?” he asks. “Eh? Oh.” Wei Wuxian’s smile falters a moment, just a flicker, before he grins and waves it off. “It’s nothing. Stop worrying, Jiang Cheng, your face is going to stick like that and then who’ll ever marry you?” Jiang Cheng jerks away as Wei Wuxian loops his arm around his shoulders, cheeks heating red. He’s a sect leader, fought in a war — he shouldn’t still be flustered by something so stupid, but he can’t help the flush that burns his ears. “Shut up. I wouldn’t have to worry if you weren’t such an idiot,” he mutters. When he elbows Wei Wuxian this time, it’s gentle, barely a nudge. Wei Wuxian is silent a moment before his arm slips off Jiang Cheng’s back. He misses the familiar warmth immediately. “Jiang Cheng, don’t do that,” he says quietly.

“Do what?” Jiang Cheng snaps back. He can already feel the shame creeping up as quickly as his brief embarrassment. All their lives they’ve roughhoused and shoved each other recklessly, using their strength because they knew each other could match it. They hadn’t during the war, but Wei Wuxian had been cold and closed off, and the distance had felt wrong. It had felt like he didn’t remember how to hug the one time Jiang Cheng had embraced him, before he was scared off by Wei Wuxian’s sharp new edges. Now — now he isn’t sure how to close that distance without hurting his brother. When they were younger, he could shove Wei Wuxian because he knew he was strong enough to shove back harder. Without his core, though, he’s missing that power. It’s what started all this in the first place. “Acting like I’m going to fall apart at any second,” Wei Wuxian says. “I meant what I said. I’m not fragile or — or broken. You don’t have to act any differently. We could just — forget all this. Go back to normal.” He doesn’t sound particularly hopeful, and Jiang Cheng swallows. They can’t go back, no matter what either of them say. They can’t go back to any of it — to before Lotus Pier burned, before his parents died, before the war and Wei Wuxian’s ghostly path. Even if he never found out about Wei Wuxian’s core, they can never go back to the way it was.

[proxylynn]

UNDERFELL: FILE NAME NOT EDGY ENOUGH part #2

Chapter 2: Flowey

WARNING: I WANT NO RESPONSIBILITY OVER SPOILING THINGS FOR OTHERS. THAT BEING SAID, THIS HOW FILE NAME NOT FOUND WOULD FUNCTION IN THE AU OF UNDERFELL. BEFORE YOU READ THIS, UNLIKE THE NICE TIME OF UNDERTALE, THIS WORLD IS KILL OR BE KILLED. THIS STORY WILL BE GRAPHIC, GORY, USE SWEARS LIKE NOBODY'S BUSINESS, AND DEAL WITH SENSITIVE SUBJECT MATTERS. FOR EXAMPLE, THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE READ THE FILE NAME RELOCATED SPOOF WILL KNOW HOW I PICTURE THIS VERSION OF LYNSIE COMING TO THE UNDERGROUND. IT IS NOT AN ACCIDENT. IT IS NOT BECAUSE OF SOMETHING DUMB. IT IS BECAUSE SHE CHOOSES TO END HER LIFE. AGAIN, THIS IS A BETA AND THIS OPENING CHAPTER IS LIABLE TO CHANGE TO BETTER FIT THE STORY AND MY NEWEST WRITING ABILITIES. SO TAKE THIS DEMO WITH A GRAIN OF SALT. I MADE IT BECAUSE I NEEDED TO LET SOME OF THIS EDGINESS OUT OF MYSELF. WHICH I GUESS MAKES UNDERFELL LYNSIE EVEN MORE TRUE TO WHO I REALLY AM. ANYWAY, ENJOY. ^_^

Darkness...everything is so dark, I can't see anything, I can't hear anything, I can't feel anything...there is nothing, nothing but darkness...dark, darker, yet darker...the darkness keeps growing, the shadows cutting deeper...wow...dying is very bleak...why does everyone think something incredible is supposed to happen...all there is, is the empty nothingness of the void and the deafening silence of nonexistence...

"🕈✌😐 🕆🏱 🕆💣✌ ✏" (WAKE UP HUMAN!)

"*gasp*!"

My eyes shoot open painfully, I feel as if I had just come back to life. My lungs feel empty and crave oxygen greedily, and my entire body aches...especially my left arm. Great. Just fucking great. Fuck you fate! Fuck you death! You could've at least do me a solid and finish the job or not damage me at all!

I lay where I am for awhile, letting my body adjust to what had happened and waiting for the pain to numb. I seem to have landed awkwardly. My lower body feels like its aimed to the ground while my top-half is clearly looking up at the hole I just fell into. Something's broken, I just know it.

"Well, this sucks. *groan* Fuck you, universe! Once again, you fail to get rid of me! *long sigh* Even when I give you control, you won't let me die. *pause* I wonder...Do they even notice I'm gone? Better question...Will they care? God! Was it too fucking hard just to be told 'I love you' before heading out that damn door?! Would it really be so bad to feel like I matter all?! *sadness* Is it really so wrong to know someone cares?"

I can feel the urge to cry coming but bite my tongue. I don't have time to pity myself.

"Okay...What's the damage?"

After about 20 minutes of laying like a lump, I force my body to move and straighten while sitting up. My joints pop multiple times and I see why my arm is now so messed up. It would appear my earlier prediction was true, I landed on a fallen crystal shard that had the luck to be jabbed into my shoulder.

"Whelp...This is gonna sting like the dickens."

I take a cautious grasp of the crystal that's protruding in the front and take a few deep breathes before holding it. That's when I grit my teeth and yank it out hard as the crystal is tossed across the room.

"*wincing* Yep...That hurts...Oooh, that hurts...How bad is...Huh...Not bleeding as bad as it feels...I call that a win."

I try to put some weight on it and it folds like an origami swan. I try moving my fingers but they don't respond. Damn it. The whole thing is dislocated. I know I'm a sucker for pain, but even I need help fixing this thing. Looking back up, I can see the mouth of the hole I fell from. That has to be a good 50-60 feet from the top to the bottom, definitely no way to climb out even if I had both arms. Nope. I'm stuck down here. My eyes wander around my landing place, I've landed on a small bed of yellow flowers that are now stained red with my blood, there are about 4 large marble pillars that I can barely see, stalactites coat the walls, and of course the dead vines that somehow creep their way out of this pit. Suddenly something shiny gets my attention.

"Heh...Glad to see someone made it here in one piece."

My iPod managed to bounce its way over to what looks like the only exit I can see in this place.

"Well, as long as I'm stuck here..."

I move to get up and immediately drop again.

"God damn it..."

My right leg doesn't want to work with me either. At least it has feeling and I can move it, so I know it still functions.

"Sprain? Broken bone? Geez...I can't get a break. *snicker* Or can I?"

Lame jokes at my own expense aside, I try once more to stand and this time not put as much weight on it. This thankfully works and I'm able to limp my over to my lonesome device. I'll check if it works later. Right now, my goals are to first find someone or something that I can use to heal. Damn myself for not going to medical school when I had the chance. I slowly begin to follow the only path that is given to me, oddly enough there's a door-less archway. Yeah, like this isn't foreboding at all.

Entering this room, I find it's completely empty except for a single flower. It's a golden flower, with a white androecium, six yellow petals, and a green stem. You know, a typical looking flower if ever there was one. It is odd how flowers of any kind are able to grow down here without sunlight. They should be as dead as those vines.

"H-Howdy!"

A sudden voice freaks the crap out of me, but what really is freaking me out is the fact that the flower has a face and is now nervously smiling at me.

"I...I'm FLOWEY. FLOWEY the FLOWER!"

A talking flower? A real talking flower complete with a name? My mind makes no sense of this.

"Uh...S'up?"

It seems surprised to see me, looking me over like I'm some sort of new type of animal. Has he never seen a human before? Of course not, dummy, it lives in a freaking cave! Wake up, idiot. I know I fell down and hit a lot of shit, but I can't be so stupid. I've had worse head trauma than this. Still...Am I really that weird looking?

At least I think I'm normal enough. I'm 5'8'' tall, got a decent body type, long brown hair I let loose that reaches my ass but is currently curtaining my face, pale white skin, got 2 surgical stainless steel captive earrings in each earlobe, dressed in a red blood stained long sleeved t-shirt and now ripped black dungarees with that have chains hooked on each belt-loop, some black combat boots...Okay, yeah, I take it back. I'm fucking freaky looking.

"S-Say...You're n-new to the UNDERGROUND, aren'tcha?"

Why do I have the sudden urge to be a huge dick?

"Heh...Yeah. You could say I just dropped in."

It gulps, I believe out of intimidation.

"G-Golly, y-you must be so c-confused."

"Look, flower-boy, there's no need to sound so scared. I ain't gonna mess with you."

It tilts its head.

"Huh? You...You're not?"

My right leg fidgets before I buckle to it again. This seems to worry the flower.

"W-Whoa! Are you okay?"

"*grunt* The fall messed me up...My leg isn't wanting to move so well. It's not as bad as the arm though."

"Your arm...?"

Now it seems to take notice of the limb appendage dangling at my side.

"You're bleeding!"

"Dislocated...Can't move it. Not so bad, really. I'm right-handed."

"H-How are you able to make jokes at when you're so hurt?"

"Eh...It distracts from the pain. *wince* Doesn't stop the pain though. Y-You wouldn't happen to know if there's somewhere I can get patched up? Maybe someone else down here that's a doctor or something? Hell, I'll take a creepy old witch covered in warts and wreaking of cat piss if they'll fix me."

It looks around, like an animal knowing a predator is nearby.

"I...I know we just met, but...You seem...Well...Honestly, you seem like a weirdo. B-B-But a decent weirdo that hasn't tried to kill me!"

"Why would I...? Whatever. You were saying?"

"R-Right...Do you think you can trust me?"

"Flowey, was it? I don't know how much you know about humans, but if this wound isn't sealed, I will die. So I'd like to skip the 'do you trust me' cliché and get to the part where you help me so I can help you."

Its eyes widen.

"W-Why do you think I..."

"You're acting as nervous as a cat in a dog pound. Flowers aren't really high on the big bad scale. I can put two and two together enough to know you're in a bind just talking to me this long. So again, I say let's skip to the part where you help me so I can help you...Please?"

It gives me a sad but understanding look before nodding a tad more confidently.

"Alright. Put that arm on the ground in front of me."

I crawl over to Flowey and do as it asked. I lurch down and plop this hunk of dead weight onto the dirt. Flowey looks at it and then me before looking at my hand. I start to question so much, like my sanity, at this point till these little vines begin creeping out of the soil and make their way up my arm. I bet this would feel strange if I had the nerve connection. With the vines scaling up my arm, Flowey's body follows suit and soon enough its reached my shoulder.

"Now this might sting a little."

"Probably not as bad as yanking the rock out of their in the first place."

Still, I brace myself for whatever is to come. It feels like time stops till my eyes widen in intense pain.

"*roar*!"

A vine quickly wraps around my mouth to muffle my loud sounds of pain as Flowey shifts his roots to enter the wound, filling it. Other vines snake their way downward, wrapping around my torso and curling around my bad leg. Please say this is hell! Please say I'm in hell and this is my punishment for trying to die! Because if I really am alive this is fucked up!

"Shhhhh! You really don't want the guardian to find you here. If we're lucky, she'll think that roar was from another monster."

Monster? Guardian? Again, please tell me this is hell!

"I know it hurts. Just bear with me a little longer. Ow! No biting!"

"*muffled whimpering*"

"Almost...and..."

*clack*

"*muffled roaring*"

"There. I managed to pull the bone back into place. You should be able to move it again...I hope. I'm not a doctor after all."

"*muffled whimpering*"

"Oh! And I'm helping to brace your leg too. Just try not to do anything reckless. Okay? I'm just acting as a temporary band-aid. Now, I'm going to remove the gag. Can you promise to not scream or...roar?"

I nod slowly. Cautiously, the vines leave my mouth and I make little whimper sounds.

"That bad?"

"My life flashed before my eyes..."

"And?"

"...It was disappointing."

Flowey pouts but gasps when I move my left arm to move the hair out of my face so I can wipe the tears from my heavily bagged hazel eyes.

"Whoa...You have a face."

I roll my eyes.

"What? You thought there was nothing here?"

"Well, no. I just thought...well...You looked so creepy with your hair like that."

"I can see that. So...You're rooted around the bones?"

"Just till you can heal."

"Neat."

"So...Do all humans roar?"

"Nope. I'm just weird like that."

"Why?"

"I don't know how to scream."

"...Really?"

"Yep. I roar instead. It's just how I am."

"I'm not sure if that's cool or not."

"Whatever floats your boat. But, uh...As a flower, don't you need dirt?"

"Uh...Maybe?"

"...What do you mean maybe? Are you really fine being in my blood?"

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm not really a normal flower."

"So there aren't other talking flowers down here?"

"Nope. ...Just me."

Seems I've touched a sore spot. Best move on to something else. I push myself up and stretch to a stand. It feels so bizarre, yet, not in a bad way.

"You mentioned a 'guardian'...Mind telling me more?"

"Oh! Her name is Toriel. She patrols the Ruins looking for fallen humans to take their souls."

That gets to me.

"So the legends are true? The monsters are really down here?"

"You know about that?"

"Only what is in old folklore books. Humanity has moved on since the old days. Gone is the way of magic. Modern man is the master of technology now. It's actually really sad to find out this is real...No one believes the old stories were true. Monster kind is nothing more than myth up there now."

Flowey looks hurt and I don't like it. I pat his petal head.

"Don't be sad."

"Huh?"

"The world may forget you down here, but I won't. So buck up my friend."

Its eyes widen.

"F-Friend?"

I rub the back of my head bashfully.

"Look at me. What kind of friend doesn't even tell the other their name. Man, I suck at this. Hi Flowey, I'm Lynsie. But you can call me Lynn for short. Nice to meet you."

It smiles.

"It's nice to meet you too."

[You've made your very first friend. It fills you with an oddly warm fuzzy feeling...and DETERMINATION.]

Uh...What?

"You okay?"

"Did you just hear something?"

"No? Did you?"

I shake it off.

"Probably just my imagination."

"Okay...We should get going anyway. The longer we stay in one place, the worse our odds of safety are."

"Alright. *pose* Come with me, Flowey! We shall now travel down the only road given to us!"

Flowey looks at me funny.

"Oh my god, I'm attached to a huge dork."

"You'll get used to it."

"I highly doubt that."

And off we go. Adventure and probably more bullshit await us. We walk through another archway and into a dreary looking space. The walls are layered in red brick, dry red leaves sit at the base of the duel stairway while some leaves make a square in the center of the room. Up the stairs and through another archway we enter a room that actually has a door in it, but it also has six raised stones on the floor and a yellow switch by the door...what's this about?

"Hey, you need to press the buttons in the right order and then flip the switch to get through the door. The RUINS are full of puzzles. Ancient fusions between diversions and door keys. If you want to make it out of here you'll need to do these things."

"Seems a bit dumb."

"I know this one. Just walk where I point."

Taking directions from a flower...never saw this coming in my life. I move where Flowey guides me to and then flip the switch, the door opens.

"Seems easy enough."

"They'll get trickier the farther we go."

"Of course they will."

I go to walk into the next room but pause for a moment, a plaque by the door has my attention.

[Only the fearless may proceed. Brave ones, foolish ones. Both walk not the middle road.]

What is doing that?!

Feeling weird I enter the next room and Flowey proceeds to teach me even more about puzzles.

"So...What can you tell me about the 'underground'?"

"Yeah, you really don't know what to do, do you? Someone ought to teach you how things work around here! I guess little old me will have to do."

"That's why I asked."

"Alright. Just don't freak out about this."

A strange energy is felt and a red heart appears on my chest. This makes me feel awkward and vulnerable. I don't like it.

"See that heart? That is your SOUL, the very culmination of your being!"

"Interesting..."

I do feel a sense of power, not sure what it means, but I like it.

"Your SOUL starts out weak, but can grow strong if you gain a lot of LV."

"LV? Like as in Level?"

He snickers and shakes his head.

"No, silly. LV doesn't mean level. Well, not quite really. What do you think this is? A video game or something?"

"It's just the first thing to pop up in my head. I play a ton of video games and LV usually stands for Level."

"No harm done, Human. Anyway...What LV stands for is Level of Violence."

"Ah, an acronym. Very clever."

"LV is a way of measuring someone's capacity to hurt. The more you kill, the easier it becomes to distance yourself. The more you distance yourself, the less you will hurt. The more easily you can bring yourself to hurt others. To increase your LV, you need to gain EXP."

"I'm wrong for thinking that's Experience Points, aren't I?"

"You really are a big nerd."

I shrug.

"EXP is also an acronym. It stands for Execution Points. A way of quantifying the pain you have inflicted on others. When you kill someone, your EXP increases. When you have enough EXP, your LV increases."

"I don't mean to interrupt, but...Why would I need to be killing down here?"

"Since the War, monsters have taken to a darker side of thinking. In this world, it's kill or BE killed. Humans that fall down here are to be killed and have their souls taken to King Asgore so that the barrier can finally be broken."

I give this some thought.

"Flowey...How many souls are needed to break the barrier?"

"Seven."

"And...How many does the King have?"

"Flowey?"

"...Six."

A sudden sense of weight hits my soul.

"So...I'd be the last one needed. The final soul to free all monsters."

"Yeah."

[You asked the universe if it would hurt to be someone that mattered...It answered back with a YES.]

Seriously, what the fuck is that?!

"I know that's a lot to drop on you, but you need to know this stuff. Monsters will be trying to kill you left and right to get a hold of that soul. You need to be ready to take a life to save your own."

I stop and cup my soul in my right hand. So much fuss over this thing? So much riding on it. So fate, you've decided to finally give me an answer to all the times I've asked why you made me ignored. What a sick sense of humor you have. At least death has better jokes.

"*giggles*"

"Um...Why are you laughing?"

"*chuckles* Because life is funny sometimes."

Pressing my soul inward to return to my body, I can't help but smile at such universal irony. Okay world, you kept me alive this long. Guess this was what you were waiting for my sorry ass to do all these years.

"Flowey..."

"Yeah?"

"I'm not going to kill anyone."

It looks at me in disbelief as I start walking again.

"Wha...What do you mean you're not going to kill anyone?! There's no other option!"

"You'd be surprised by the weird and random choices one can make when given a chance."

"I'm telling you, there is NO choice! If you don't fight, you WILL die!"

"Oh, I never said I wasn't going to fight."

Now it's confused.

"I...I don't understand?"

"I mean it when I say I'm not killing anyone. Hell, I can't even get myself to die. I doubt the reaper wants what I send its way either."

It looks concerned.

"Human..."

"So if death doesn't want me, then I sure as hell ain't wasting this second chance. I will not kill. But I will defend myself."

"...You're going to get us both killed."

"No...Just myself. I'm the one with the soul needed to free everyone. The moment shit starts going south, I won't hold it against you if you leave me."

Flowey just stares at me. What thoughts run through your head little flower-boy?

"*scoff* Like I can really leave you, idiot. You're a sitting duck without me."

I see this as Flowey's tough guy act and simply smile.

"Glad to know I have a partner that's got my back...among other body parts."

It flinches.

"Was that suppose to be a joke?"

"Why are you flustered, flower-boy? Did that get under your skin?"

"Stop it."

"Why? Do you have a bone to pick with me?"

"Stop it! You're not funny."

"Ow. And here I thought you were rooting for me."

"*growl* I said...SHUT UP!"

I merely laugh as we enter the room after this. But this is when things get weird. There's a training dummy in it.

"Well, Ms. NoKill, time to show me what you got. As a human living in the UNDERGROUND, monsters WILL attack you. Even if you don't do anything to justify the attack. Just being human is warrant enough. When you encounter a monster, you will enter a FIGHT. Let me see how you handle the Dummy."

I go up to the dummy and check it out. The Dummy's appearance is that of most dummies. Structured with a head, body, stand and no arms. It looks to be made a cloth-like material, probably stuffed with cotton, has one button eye and has visible stitches. It won't take much effort to break it. But...

"Yo, what's up?"

Flowey's eye twitches.

"What are you doing?"

"Can't you see? I'm talking to it."

"Why?! It's a freaking dummy!"

"No need to be so rude. Please forgive my friend here, I think it woke up on the wrong side of the flowerbed."

"Argh! Stop making those stupid jokes."

"I will when they stop being funny."

"Look, just hit the dummy. At least once. It's not like it can harm you if you do and desire revenge."

"You don't know that."

"*annoyed* Fine! Do whatever you want!"

Flowey's so cute when ticked off. But this doesn't feel so weird to me. Having no one to talk to makes you talk to yourself and objects a lot more than others would care to know. A familiar energy tugs at me and my SOUL reappears...it's green now. Very strange.

"You look like a nice guy. Just because you're a dummy, doesn't mean you deserve to be hit. In fact..."

Out of all the random things I tend to do, this one goes up on my list. I hug the dummy. I'm not expecting much to happen from this, other than Flowey to go nuts, so imagine my shock when a black box pops up beside me and the dummy.

[You hug the DUMMY.]

[It seem really uncomfortable about this and tires of your shenanigans.]

I suddenly feel movement and let the dummy go. Upon doing so, the dummy floats away into another room. Leaving me and Flowey to share the same dumbfounded look.

[YOU WON!]

[You earned 0 XP and 0 gold.]

The FIGHT seemingly over, everything reverts to normal. My soul returns to me and I am very confused.

"Uh...What?!"

"What just happened here? What was that box? Can I really earn money this way? Did I really just hug a living dummy? So many questions!"

Flowey seems a bit startled by my sudden flip into rapid questions, but its leaf slapping my cheek shuts me up quick.

"Snap out of it! I'll explain everything. The box is a magic used by none speaking monsters so that they can communicate with others. It can even translate body movements and hand signals."

"That...makes some sense, I guess. So wait, the dummy was a monster?"

"Probably a ghost possessing the dummy. If a ghost finds a suitable body and their soul connects right, they can become corporeal like a living being."

"Oh my god, this place is fucking nuts!"

"What's nuts is YOU. I said FIGHT and you hugged it. If that were a real fight you'd so be dead."

"But it wasn't a real fight. So there was no need to attack."

"*grumbles* As for gold, most monsters will pay you depending on how you handle the FIGHT. And every FIGHT gives you experience. Whether it's good or bad, that is up to you. But judging by how you handle things, that's going to be experience in stupidity."

"Hey, it's like the sign said...Only the fearless may proceed. Brave ones, foolish ones. Both walk not the middle road. I choose to take the road less traveled."

"You really are an idiot."

"You know you love me."

"*scoff* There is another puzzle in this next room...I wonder if you can solve it?"

"Is that a challenge?"

I go into the next room and look around for the puzzle or its possible solution. The only thing I can see is this odd pattern on the floor. Definitely not a walkway. Could mean something else. The puzzle maybe?

"Ribbit! Ribbit!"

"Huh?"

"Look out!"

[Froggit attacks you!]

I feel something leap at my back and knock me down as my soul emerges. Then hops off to be in front of me.

[HP ████████ 8/20]

"Oh come on...Well, I can't really bitch about that. I did get fucked up in a fall and all."

"Focus, human. The Froggit already had its turn to attack. Now it's your move."

"Turn-based fighting and I have HP? Are you sure I'm not in a video game?"

"I don't even know anymore. Just do something."

I take a moment to at least get a look at my 'opponent'. Froggit's overall appearance is that of a large frog. I say large as this thing stands almost to my knees in terms of size. Only its two front feet are visible from this forward facing view, it's eyes are red, for some reason it has fangs, and has three black marks on its chest. Between its two front feet is what appears to be some small creature with red eyes that excessively blink and has a frowning mouth. I have no clue what strange ass frog this is, but if I were to make a guess, I'd think this is it's baby, attached mate, or just maybe attached sibling. I don't know. That's all I can think of at least. Because I really don't want to think of it as a mutant with two heads. I've seen enough weird mutant frogs online. Just when I'm about to think of something, more magic boxes appear before me.

[FIGHT]

[ACT]

[ITEM]

[MERCY]

"Hmmm...Let's try this one."

[ACT selected.]

[New options available.]

[CHECK]

[THREATEN]

[COMPLIMENT]

"I'll check."

[Froggit – HP: 20 ATK: 4 DEF: 5 - Life is difficult for this enemy.]

Well, that sucks. Maybe I can try something to make this easier.

[COMPLIMENT selected.]

"You know, I don't think I've ever seen a more awesome looking monster in my life."

I hold a thumb up to really sell it.

[You are intimidated by Froggit's raw strength. Only kidding.]

"*whisper* You look like a huge jackass right now."

"*whisper* Not now, Flowey."

[Froggit didn't understand what you said, but knew it was nice and was flattered anyway.]

Flowey is so confused right now but I go over and give the Froggit a little petting on its head.

"There, there, buddy. Heh...Adorable looking fella you are really."

[Froggit is grateful and feels bad for attack you.]

"Awww..."

"Really? All that over a compliment?"

"This world might be kill or be killed, but a little kindness can go a heck of a long way. Ain't that right, buddy?"

[Froggit feels happy and seems reluctant to fight you.]

"Thanks, buddy."

[MERCY selected.]

[New options available.]

[FLEE]

[SPARE]

[SPARE selected.]

[YOU WON!]

[You earned 0 XP and 2 gold.]

"Did...You really just win?"

"I call that checkmate, Mr. YesKill."

I let Flowey processes that for a moment, poor flower-boy looks as though I've blown his mind. After a bit more petting, the Foggit leaves and we head into the next area. Now I'm halted by a bridge that is covered in spikes.

"So is this the puzzle?"

"This is the puzzle, but..."

"Yes?

"I forgot how it goes."

"Eh...It doesn't look too bad. I mean, these things are pretty short. Plus I saw that weird pattern on the floor."

Just to be sure, I double back and check the pattern again.

"Got it?"

"Got it."

We go back to the 'puzzle' and walk through the spikes safely before making it to the other side.

"Tah-dah! Teamwork power!"

"Just how old are you?"

"You won't believe me if I told you."

"Try me."

"Twenty eight."

"Told you so."

"You're either lying or you're suffering from massive head trauma."

"Believe what you will, flower-boy. It doesn't bother me in the slightest."

We travel into the next room but for some reason my right leg stiffens up. I look at Flowey with concern, as it is the one helping to move that leg.

"What's wrong?"

"Shhh...Do you hear that?"

I listen for anything odd but quickly force myself to jump backward due to something I see. No more than a second later does a ball of fire suddenly hit the ground where we just were. Seeing this makes Flowey gulp in fright.

"Talk to me, Flowey. What is this thing?"

It's shaking like a leaf in a hurricane.

"I-I-It's...It's...HER."

All the way at the far end of the room, stands an ominous silhouette. I can't make out much, but what I do see is horns, glowing eyes, and fists of fire. This is not going to end well.

[trans-peridot]

Scratched (Fluorite chapter 4)

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 (AO3 link) | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter Index

It’s that time again. All aboard the feels train!

As usual, reblogs are appreciated. They help my writing reach more people. Thanks for reading!

The bell rang as Steven entered the big donut with his “serious” face on. He walked up to Sadie with importance in his stride and slapped a twenty on the counter. “Give me as many donuts as this can buy. I’m about to be on a very important mission and I need enough to last me and Amethyst a pretty long time.” He glanced away. “Assuming I find her, of course.”

Sadie started to load up several bags with donuts. “Are you sure you’ll need this many? I’ve seen Amethyst eat, but this could still last you days.”

“That’s the plan.” Steven piled the bags into his arms and left without saying anything else.

Sadie stared at the door. “Thank you for your business?” After all the time she’d known Steven, she still had trouble understanding his life sometimes.

---

“Lapis. Lapis, wake up!” Amethyst was shaking Lapis awake, and the intrusion was not appreciated. “Lapis, it’s Peridot!”

This worked. Lapis bolted awake and started looking around everywhere. “She’s back? Where?”

“She’s not back yet, but look.” Amethyst held up the gem, which had started to glow and flicker. “That means she’s only a day away, tops.”

Lapis smiled. From all the stories Amethyst had heard, Lapis wasn’t a huge smiler, but in the past day Amethyst had seen a very different side of her. Lapis looked like a sunrise when she smiled, or something cheesy like that. It was one of those perfect smiles that could only be described through tired cliches. “Amethyst, thanks for telling me about Peridot. I’m glad I didn’t stay mad at her forever.”

“Yeah, everything’s working out just fine now.” A few minutes passed. “Okay, I'm bored. Wanna show me how your farm works?”

---

Steven came back into his empty house. On the table was still the note he had found that morning. “Steven, Garnet and I have left to look ahead for Halfidot. If we’re not back by the time you wake up, don’t follow us.” On the opposite side, it said in Garnet’s handwriting, “Please.”

Steven loaded all of the donuts into his cheeseburger backpack and looked at the warp pad. Before he left, he would need to know where he was going. If he went after Amethyst, what would he do? It's not like he could heal Peridot or convince her himself to come back. But if he went after Halfidot, Garnet and Pearl would know he'd disobeyed them. Steven sighed. “Why does everyone make it so hard for me to help them?”

Nobody answered.

Steven sighed and slung the backpack over his shoulder. He walked onto the warp pad and flashed himself away.

---

Pearl inspected the claw marks in the canyon wall. “Well, she's definitely been through here, but I think she's left since then. Where should we look next?”

“My future vision is struggling to see anything.” She took off her glasses, as if that would let her see any better. “It's almost like, if time were a book, the author is making it up as they go along. We'll just need to keep guessing.”

“I don't understand how she can keep controlling the warp pads if she can't even control her other half.”

“I think it's because both sides of her want the same thing right now. They want to live.”

“What if Steven is right? What if we should just let her do that?”

Garnet’s voice grew stern. “Pearl, that can’t happen. The monster will grow until it envelops her and she will die. That’s why we need to poof and bubble her now, before Steven tries to save her and before Amethyst tries to shatter her.”

“You don’t really think she would try that, do you?”

“You weren’t there when we were confronting Halfidot. Amethyst truly hates her. She’s still feeling pains where Fluorite was bitten, and she thinks it’s her fault that Peridot was scratched.”

“She wants revenge?”

“As far as I can tell, she’s absolutely furious right now.”

---

“Lapis, this is the coolest!” Amethyst was clinging to Lapis’ back as they flew over the cornfield together. “Let’s look at the cabbage next!”

“I can’t hear you over the wind! Did you say ‘do a barrel roll?’”

Lapis picked up speed and began to loop through the air. Both gems were giggling, their hair flying everywhere.

After a while, Amethyst tried shouting over the wind again. “Wait, Lapis!”

“What?”

“I think I saw the warp pad go off down the hill! We should get back to the barn!”

Lapis landed and brought Amethyst inside. “Who do you think it is?”

Amethyst scowled. “Probably Garnet and Pearl trying to bring me back with Peridot. They won’t just get off my case!”

“There, there, buddy.” Lapis gave Amethyst a somewhat awkward pat on the back.

At that moment, the door opened and Steven walked in. “Guys! Stop fighting!” He yanked Amethyst away from Lapis. “Why, oh why, can’t we all just get along!?”

Lapis and Amethyst shared a look. “Steven, we’re not fighting.”

Steven dropped Amethyst. “You’re not?”

“Nah, Lapis and I worked out our differences. We’re pretty much best friends now.”

Lapis blushed. “Well, I wouldn’t say best friends, right?”

Amethyst shrugged. “Eh, whatever.”

“Guys, you need to come back with me. There's a monster who can use warp pads jumping all over the planet and she's probably looking for Peridot. It's safer for everyone if we take her home now.”

“You're talking about Halfidot.” Amethyst scowled. “Aren't you?”

“Yeah. That's her.”

---

“Yeah. That's her.” Garnet examined the mismatched footprints trailing across the mud. “She's been through here.”

“Does that mean we're getting close? I'm starting to worry about leaving Steven home alone.”

“Pearl, it's been a few hours. There's no way he's still in the house. He's probably looking for Amethyst right now.”

Pearl's eyes darted around. “That makes it worse. What if he gets hurt?”

Garnet smiled. “He'll be fine. The worst that can happen now is if Amethyst runs off to find Halfidot.”

Pearl thought for a moment. “And what are the chances of that?”

---

“We need to go looking for her. As long as she's out, she's dangerous.” Amethyst grabbed the flickering gem from the floor. “But you're right. First we should get Peridot home safe.”

Lapis frowned. “What are you talking about? This is her home. She's safer here than she would be in your house.”

As Lapis glared at Amethyst, Steven realized things might not be as good between them as Amethyst had claimed. “Um, Amethyst? I think she does have a point. There's a warp pad that leads right through our front door.”

“Oh, so you're taking her side? Obviously we won’t just leave her lying around on the floor. Are you forgetting the temple we have devoted to keeping gems safe? Just bubble her and send her off.”

Lapis snatched Peridot from Amethyst’s hand. “You can’t bubble her! She’s finally about to reform. You’ll ruin it if you stuff her in a bubble.”

Steven looked at the gem. “About to reform? I think it’s already happening.”

In Lapis’ hand, a tendril of light was making its way out of Peridot’s gem. It shaped itself into the vague shape of an arm, before flickering and inching back into the gem.

Amethyst grinned. “Come on, P. You can do it.”

The first arm stopped shrinking and another rudimentary limb came out. Lapis placed the gem carefully onto the floor as a torso and two legs also slipped out.

Steven frowned. “Guys, is it supposed to take this long? Shouldn’t her head be the first thing to appear?”

Right on cue, Peridot’s head popped up and the gem positioned itself on her forehead. Color returned to her body. Her form was the same, but where there had been diamonds on her clothes, there were now gouges in the fabric the same shape as her scratch. She opened her eyes and looked around.

All three people watching this ran forward and took her into a massive hug.

“Let’s all have donuts to celebrate! I have more than enough.”

Amethyst ignored Steven’s tempting offer of food and kissed Peridot’s nose. “Don’t you ever do that again, okay?”

Peridot touched her nose and looked at Amethyst confused. “Do... what?”

“What do you think she means?” asked Lapis, “Don’t get poofed again. Duh.”

“When did I get poofed? I was just telling Garnet a hilarious story, and then...” Peridot scrunched up her face, deep in thought. “And then I was here. What happened?”

Amethyst took Peridot’s hand. “Wait, so you don’t remember anything? Lapis, and me, and...” Her hand fell slack. “You don’t remember Fluorite.”

“What’s a Fluorite?”

Amethyst sighed. “Nobody.”

---

Three and a half gems beamed into Steven’s home. Steven had insisted that they wait there until Garnet and Pearl got home. One of them was bound to know what to do.

Steven opened the bathroom door. “Peridot, your room is just as you left it. You can settle down here while we wait.”

“Thanks, Steven, but why are we here again?”

“Just. Don't worry. We'll fix everything soon.” Steven closed the bathroom door and ran to the living room where Amethyst and Lapis were already talking.

“What do we tell her?” Amethyst gestured towards the bathroom. “I mean, would she even believe us if we told her the things that happened?”

“Maybe we shouldn’t tell her anything.” Lapis looked at Amethyst. “I mean, we both did things we regret during the time she doesn’t remember. Maybe we’ll be better off if we get to start over.”

“Maybe you’ll be better off! I’m sure you haven’t forgotten she was already in love with you before all of this happened. If she doesn’t remember, though, I don’t think we’ll ever see Fluorite again.”

“Even better. I don’t hate you anymore, but I’m still not exactly thrilled that you just stole her from me.”

“Stole her from you?” Amethyst laughed, but not in a happy way. “You rejected her! You kicked her out of the barn and she came to me. Like in that one episode of Camp Pining Hearts--”

“What? CPH was our thing! When did you even find time to watch it?”

“It’s Peridot’s thing. What, do you think I stole that from you too? Sorry to deprive you of your personal soap opera that belonged solely to you!”

“Guys, stop!” Steven yanked Amethyst away from Lapis again, but this time from an actual fight. “You shouldn’t be fighting over her! Why does your love need to lead to hate?” Tears sprung to his eyes in his usual fashion. “Besides, if Camp Pining hearts is anyone’s ‘thing,’ it’s mine. I’m the one who showed it to her.”

Amethyst looked at Lapis and softly sighed. “Maybe Steven has a point. We’re not making anything better by doing this.”

“You’re right. I’m sorry I’ve been doing all this. Steven, you can drop her again.” Lapis smiled, but Steven took it literally and dumped Amethyst onto the floor. “Let’s not tell her anything and wait for her scratch to heal. Her memories will come back then and she can choose for herself what she wants, right?”

Steven shrugged. “You guys know I have no idea. Let’s just hope Garnet and Pearl get back soon.”

---

“We need to get back soon.” Pearl was utterly frazzled. After a full twelve hours of looking nonstop, she was more than ready to go home and see Steven.

“I agree. Even with my future vision clouded, I can clearly see that we won’t be finding her today.” Garnet frowned. “Besides, I think we’ll have other problems to attend to soon.”

Pearl stepped onto the warp pad. “Like what?”

“Trust me, you don’t want to know.”

---

“Trust me, you don’t want to know.” Steven was telling Peridot about what had lapsed from her memory. “Really just a lot of boring stuff, and then some exciting stuff, and then you were poofed.”

Peridot reached up and touched her gem. “And scratched?”

“Don’t worry about that. We’ve just gotta fix mom’s fountain and we’ll heal you right up, good as new.”

Peridot frowned. “And you expect me to know how to fix this fountain even though I don’t know what happened in the past month?”

Steven smiled. “Someone once told me that you can fix anything.”

“That was a cheeky reference to something I don’t remember, wasn’t it?”

“Well...”

“Listen, Steven. Could you not make jokes about that? I don’t remember what, but there’s definitely something important that I’ve forgotten. It’s really bothering me.”

“Sorry. I’ll leave you alone for a while.”

“Why am I even here? My home is at the barn.”

“Some complications came up. You won’t be totally safe there.”

Just then, the warp pad went off.

“Steven, we’re home!” Pearl looked into the bathroom. “Oh, and Peridot! It’s good to see you again. I see your outfit changed.” She noticed the tension in the air. “Oh dear, something bad happened, didn’t it?”

Garnet stepped in. “Everyone, let’s just give her some space.” She patted Peridot on the shoulder. “But if you’re interested, my offer is still up to teach you calming meditation.”

Peridot cocked an eyebrow. “What offer?”

Steven leaned over to Garnet to whisper. “She doesn’t remember anything.”

“Oh. Yikes.”

---

Peridot sat in the comfortable chair and thought. Whatever she was forgetting, it was putting everyone on edge around her. All of the gems had gone into the temple for the night, and Steven was sleeping. Pearl had explained, somewhat impatiently, that Peridot “still” couldn’t do anything that would disturb him. Instead Peridot decided to try this mysterious “sleeping” thing. She closed her eyes and tried to distract herself from the constant ache in her gem.

She fell asleep pretty quickly. It was almost like she'd done it before.

Next

AND THEN SHE’S HEALED AND EVEREYONE;S JHALPPY HTE NEND