themaidsheir-archive

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DON’T WORRY CONNWAER, YOUR LOCUS STONE WILL DEFINITELY BE IN THE CITY YOU’LL BE ABLE TO PRETTY MUCH WALK OUTSIDE, PICK IT UP, THEN COME BACK.

TRACKING BEAM OF MAGIC SHOOTS OFF INTO THE FAR DISTANCE, PAST CITY LIMITS, PAST THE MOUNTAINS IN THE FAR DISTANCE.

...

OPENS THE DOOR.

YOU BETTER RUN BOY.

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I’M GOING TO BACK TO MY FUCKING BOOK, THIS IS RIDICULOUS. 

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*DON’T YOU DARE GET THAT SONG STUCK IN MY HEAD AGAIN HE DID THAT WITH THE SAME FORGE DAMNED SONG YESTERDAY I HATE YOU*

someone had a salt burger from the sea salt diner in saltopia today

also i cant do that its grown on me

i know all the lyrics by heart

its part of me now

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OH SHUT THE FUCK UP DAVE.

JUST TURN THE MUSIC OFF, HE WON’T WAKE UP.

also knight on the subject of love being pain

i would like you to know that your moirail came over earlier and decided to listen to a single song

let me repeat

a single song

a single song of a melancholy flavor that sounds like its from the soundtrack to a movie with a lower budget than miss frizzles magic school bus field trips

which im still not convinced werent mass acid trips

on repeat

let me clarify

your moirail came over and played a single song of a melancholy flavor that sounds like it belongs on the soundtrack to the eventual knock off movie of the knock off movie of the knock off movie of fifty shades of grey (also a knock off) on repeat

while sprawled all over my body like a hapless marionette with broken strings

and he fell asleep

and i have not moved him nor have i made to wake him up or turn off his singular shitty song in the two hours he has been here

this

this love is pain my friend

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KING FELL ASLEEP ON MY LEGS AND I LOVE HIM TOO MUCH TO KICK HIM OFF. ALSO MY LEGS ARE FALLING ASLEEP.

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I JUST SNEEZED SO HARD I NEARLY BRAINED MYSELF ON MY HEADBOARD.

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IT’S AN UNFORTUNATE IMPLICATION THAT ANYONE EMBROILED IN AN ARGUMENT THAT IS EVEN THE SLIGHTEST BIT CONTROVERSIAL THAT THE PEOPLE INVOLVED ARE ANGRY BY DEFAULT.

IT REALLY DOESN’T HELP WHEN YOUR QUIRK IS ALL CAPS, WHICH I KNOW FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. EVERYONE ALWAYS THINKS YOU’RE SHOUTING.

ARGUMENTATI0N IS NOT NECESSARILY H0STILE OR EVEN ANGRY

D0 YOU GUYS THINK IM MAD WHEN I ARGUE? I RARELY EVER AM

LIKE TRUST ME WHEN IM MAD AB0UT A SUBJECT YOU WILL FUCKING KN0W IT, IT W0NT BE EVEN A LITTLE BIT OF A MYSTERY

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“Dad is the one who fixed all of Dar’s system’s,” AR states blandly, running a few system scans as he talks. “And basically rebuilt his robotic half from scratch after the barbarians at council labs fucked it up so bad. Any system you’ve seen inside Dar was carefully crafted by our father. And...”

He hesitates, falling silent for a few minutes. Knight, meanwhile, sits back and sighs deeply, one of his hands still loosely tangled with Blukat’s. He looks at Blukat and at Dar and for once, he thinks he knows what Tarkat feels like. Knowing something bad is coming and wanting so much to stop it, to take away the pain it causes the people he loves, but being utterly... and completely... helpless.

It’s not a feeling he likes.

He grits his teeth and waits for AR to stop whirring around Dar’s systems and finish talking. Whatever he’s about to say he knows he won’t like.

“...and the circuit that fried was our direct link to him. He’s been keeping an eye on Dar since Dar left Alternia. Our systems were damaged during the escape and it’s caused a lot of Dar’s memory degradation -- Blukat stopped most of it, but some of Dar’s memory files are corrupted. I’ve been slowly working on fixing them, and Dad had intended on contacting Dar once he’d remembered him. Until then, he was content to let Dar live happily here, where he was safe. But. With the circuit gone... if we can’t get it back online, he’s going to think Dar isn’t safe -- he’s going to come looking for him.”

“Oh. Oh no no no, Blukat, sir, you’re feelings are. Completely valid. You have every right to be worried and angry. This is a very stressful situation that was never even mean’t to happen. AR was just. Worried. Because the circuit that fried is important. Not to Dar’s health! I promise. It is nothing that can harm him or cause him any problems. It’s. More of something important to AR and I.” Hal says quickly, the slightest bit of panic in his voice. “We. Are just not very good at conversation. We’ve only ever spoken with our self.”

Dar swallows heavily, reaching over and gently pulling one of Blukat’s hands from his face. He brings it close, nuzzling the fingers and kissing the back of his hand. “B-Blukat…Lusus…It’s. It’s going to be okay…” he whispers softly, slowly looking up as if doing so mean’t looking up at the two voices.

“You do…? I’m..I’m sorry I forgot who you are…” he says softly, squeezing Blukat’s hand.

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Knight is beginning to feel a little stressed out, but he clamps down on it. Everyone around him is freaking out, so he needs to stay calm somehow. 

“Everyone... alright. Everyone calm down. Please. We need to figure out what’s going on,” he says softly, reaching up to gently caress Blukat’s cheek. “You have every right to be upset, love. But this isn’t helping Dar right now. Please, let’s... just breath for a moment.”

He glances at Dar uncertainly. “Listen. You’re stressing my matesprits out, and I’d appreciate it if you just. Stopped, and thought about how the fuck your words make people feel. This situation isn’t fucking normal -- and you just. You’re not helping.”

“Look. I don’t exactly appreciate being threatened. If he turns me off, there’s no guarantee I can turn back on. I don’t want to not exist.” He hesitates, then huffs. “Look, Hal and I will answer any of your questions. We’re not here to hurt anyone -- and it’s not like Dar didn’t know about us. He wanted us installed, he asked Dad to install us when Dad saved him, back on Alternia. He fixed him. It’s not our fault he forgot us --” He breaks off suddenly, then lowers his voice to an electronic croon. “It’s not your fault either, Dar. Trauma does that to living organisms. We remember everything for you, don’t worry.”

“I…Apologize so very much for his behavior. And if it helps at all I do turn off our sensors enough that we don’t see anything we shouldn’t. We just. Exist to keep Dar safe.” Hal adds quickly, before going quiet to focus on trying to repair the circuit.

Dar is shaking, more and more. There are two voices in his head. Two. Neither of them are Signless. And only one is slightly familiar. He whimpers, loudly, and closes his eyes as tight as he can. This is not. What he expected from his quiet little walk to breathe. 

“…W-Wait…Dad? Who…Who is your dad?” he finally asks, voice cracking and quivering.

“Excuse the interruption but. AR. The circuit is completely fried. There is no repairing it.”

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“Wait. Let’s get one thing straight, Blukat. You’re not my lusus, you’re Dar’s lusus, so you can’t tell me what to do with my mouth -- which means you’re not touching my circuitry. If you even try, I’m programmed to fry the skin off your hands,” AR snaps defensively. “Besides, I wasn’t talking to you. I was talking to Hal. Speaking of, Hal, guess what, I can’t fucking fix those circuits. You try. It’s my turn to talk now.”

Knight clenches his jaw tightly, keeping his hands on Dar’s cheeks. He runs his thumb along his jaw gently, trying to calm him. He lets Blukat handle talking to the strange AI’s.

“Starting off the conversation with, you really need to calm down. If I could have warned you about all this, I would have -- don’t blame me for you just now figuring this out. And there aren’t two. I’m A.R. He’s H.A.L. We’re one and the same. You can’t turn off one of us without turning off the other. Now really, please, calm down. You Vantii always jump straight to threats -- it’s awful. And to answer your unspoken questions, yes, we are always active. It’s our job to monitor Dar’s health, wellbeing, and safety -- and report back to Dad, so he always knows Dar is okay.”

“AR. Do not speak unless spoken to. Please keep in mind this is new for them and act accordingly. I apologize. To all three of you. I do my very best to stay quiet and unnoticed. It is not my place to speak to any of you unless addressed. I am sure this must be very shocki-…AR I can not repair the communication circuit. Please try yourself. I. Am not far from panic. Anyway. We are H.A.L.A.R. The AI system that protects and repairs Dar’s circuits when possible.”

Dar is close to hyperventilating. But. He tries his very best to catch his and calm down. Especially with something being slipped into his mouth. His eyes dart to Knight, terrified and confused. Though he does manage to chew it up and swallow it.

He grabs and grips one of Knight’s hands and one of Blukat’s. This is new. This is all new. And it terrifies him.

“Normally. You wouldn’t be able to hear AR. For obvious reasons. Only I am supposed to hear him. And I myself choose not to interfere with Dar’s personal life. When he hit his head it fried two circuits. One, a communication one that I PRAY we can fix. And the other one that keeps AR quiet to everyone else.” 

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I’M NOT SURPRISED. LUSII ARE HUGE, AND WITH THE ADDED STRENGTH OF BEING A BLUEBLOOD... I DON’T ENVY YOUR SITUATION. IT’S GOOD THAT YOU’RE WITH A PATIENT COMPANION, THOUGH! I’M GLAD.

I’M... TIRED, BUT I CAN’T SLEEP. MY MATESPRIT HAD A BAD FALL EARLIER, SO I’M SITTING WITH HIM AND KEEPING WATCH FOR CONCUSSION. KEEPING MYSELF ENTERTAINED WITH A BOOK OR TWO.

I AM CLUMSIER AND MORE DANGEROUS THAN BEFORE HOWEVER, MY COMPANION IS PATIENT SO ITS NOT SO BAD

HOW ARE YOU THOUGH

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“You wouldn’t have. Hal is a goody two nonexistant shoes,” the voice repeats, obviously irritated. “And it’s about fucking time someone besides you heard me. I was getting tired of your Pavlovian algorithms.”

Knight has absolutely no idea what’s going on. He’s never heard Dar’s repair voice, or this voice, and -- and how many damn voices even are there in his matesprit’s head? How many people is he actually with when he’s with Dar? What the fuck.

He bites down on his lip, obviously lost, and shoots Blukat a look of frustrated concern. He’s not sure if he should speak, so, instead he gently takes Dar by his arm and presses his thumb to his mouth to pull it open. He slips the little blue leaf between his lips and gives him what he hopes is a meaningful look.

“Chew on this, baby, please. It’ll make your head feel better. It’s one of Jane’s numb flowers. It’s used for alleviating pain.”

He slowly sits up, holding his head as his breath hitches on cries that want to come out. He doesn’t want to bawl though. That might make Blukat and Knight upset…And he definitely doesn’t want that, no matter how bad that hurt. The tears though, he can’t help. They bubble up heavy and warm and roll down his freckled cheeks.

“Hh-hhh….” he whines aloud, rubbing at his eyes so he can MAYBE get a clear view of what Knight is holding out to him. “Th-…..” he starts but. He abruptly stops when he hears that unknown voice…coming…from his head.

“Yes yes, I am very much aware. I am trying to remedy the situation but I can not focus with you screaming profanities at the top of you nonexistent lungs. I-…Oh. AR, I do believe I am not the only one who can hear you.”

And Dar just. Screeches.

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HOW’S THE LUSUSTHING WORKING OUT FOR YOU?

ANYWAY

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Knight barely has time to react to anything that just happened. “Forge on fire, Hanali!” he shouts, dropping down on one knee next to Dar and Blukat. He let’s Blukat handle Dar, knowing he knows best, and focuses on Hanali for the moment. “Why the fuck were you running?”

Hanali is staring at them from his spot the ground, stammering out apologies as he shakily collects the supplies off the floor. “Sorry, Captain, I-I was, in a hurry, I-I-I...” He shakes the bandages in his arms. “Ma’am Peixes needed these right away, I--”

Knight narrows his eyes. “Is anyone hurt?”

He shakes his head quickly. “No sir, I -- I, ah, well, Aviva --”

Knight shakes his head firmly. “Go, hurry. I’ll get your report later.”

Hanali nods and jumps to his feet, stammering out a few more apologies before taking off. He leaves behind a blue leaf, which Knight picks up before turning to Dar.

“Hey, love,” he croons softly. “Chew on this, it’ll help with the pa--”

He doesn’t get to finish his sentence, as he’s cut off quite abruptly by a loud, angry voice breaking out of nowhere -- no -- out of Dar.

“MotherFUCKER! THAT IGNORANT SAVAGE FRIED AN ENTIRE COMMUNICATION CIRCUIT! HAL! HAAAAL!!!!”

What.

Dar is in his own little world. A part of him just feels…so so horrid for forgetting where this flute came from. His fingers brush over the inscription, a soft sigh escaping his lips. Karkat Vantas. It had been so long since he’d been addressed by that name…It didn’t even feel like his anymore. And honestly, he was okay with that.

His name was Dar. A gift from his family and his new life. A sign that he was happy and loved. And he wouldn’t go back to being Karkat even if someone payed him. Karkat was sad. Karkat was all alone. But not Dar. Dar was happy, all the time. He was surrounded by people who adored him. Karkat never had that.

…Did he…?

He swallows lightly, turning his head to say something to his lusus and matesprit when BAM. He feels something hit him like a truck and he goes crashing backwards. His head whacks the ground with a smack and he swears everything goes black for a split second or two. As his vision clears, he can see stars and. Shit fuck that hurt. And he swears he heard that voice in his head say something along the lines of ‘Uh oh’.

“O-oww….” he whines softly. Yeah. Yeaaah he’s tearing up. 

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Knight shoots Blukat a worried look, squeezing his hand a little tighter. He herds Dar in front of the both of them so they can watch him carefully as he walks. He turns his head slightly, running the bridge of his nose along Blukat’s jaw, humming softly.

“It’ll be okay,” he murmurs. “You’re his lusus. You’re the one who’s been there for him for the past two years. Nothing can change that, and nothing will change that.” He glances at Dar, still so focused on his flute, and lower his voice a little more. “....And even if he remembers that there’s someone else from his past that used to mean something to him... it doesn’t change how much you mean to him now. Okay?”

He  glances away from Dar just a moment to look at Blukat -- and that’s when it happens. One of his soldiers, Hanali Barnet, comes barreling around the corner with an armful of medical supplies. His eyes light on Dar and he tries to stop, but it’s too late -- 

Crash.

When the flute is back in his hands he clutches it. Tight and close to his chest. He. Almost would swear he heard that robotic voice in his head say something like…’Finally.’ or something of the like but. No. No that isn’t possible. That voice only ever spoke when running diagnostics on his systems or scanning an area. He must have been hearing things.

When he’s lifted he gasps softly, blinking quite a few times before trying his very best to smile at them both.

“That…sounds really good…I like that idea…” he mutters softly. He tries to add his usual enthusiasm to his voice but…No. It’s just not there. His voice is quiet and distant.

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Knight nods quickly, his expression growing more worried by the moment. He holds out his arms and gently scoops Dar up, twirling him around a bit in an attempt to somehow shake off the unease that has so tightly gripped him. He sets him down by the door and hums softly, reaching back to lace his fingers with Blukat’s and dragging him forward. 

“Come on, guys,” he says, forcing some cheer into his tone. “Let’s go outside and take a walk around the palace. I think my troops are out during laps, we can jeer at them as they pass.”

His eyes immediately dart up to follow the flute, hands almost reaching back out to nab at it. But he doesn’t. The reassurance warming through the link is another to stop him from snatching at it. Though…He doesn’t tear his gaze from it. He feels as if he can’t. Like…it’s been missing all this time. And he shouldn’t let it from his sight again.

“I..I don’t…I can’t remember…But it…it feels important…” he finally says softly, teeth biting down on his bottom lip. “Can…Can we uhm. Can we go outside? I…I suddenly feel really…I don’t know…I. I just need some fresh air and movement.” As if on queue, his knees quiver.

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Knight looks at Dar worriedly, reaching out to touch his arm gently, giving it a reassuring squeeze. He lets his gaze trail over to Blukat and the flute. He reaches out to run his finger along the crest of it.

“Yeah, that’s... that’s what that is,” he murmurs nervously. “Dar, do you remember where you got this?”

He doesn’t speak in reply to either of their words. In fact, he doesn’t even look away from the flute. He slowly turns it over in his fingers, brows furrowed deeply as his fingertips brush along its length. It makes him feel…a sense of loss. Deep in his gut. But…also a warmth bubbling up in his chest.

He…feels like there is something. Something very very important about it that he…can’t remember. And it hurts. It’s like a stinging in the back of his mind and in his heart.

This flute is important…It is. Very very important. But…why? He can’t figure it out for the life of him. No matter how much he tenses or how hard he squints. 

“I…I don’t. I’m…” he stammers out, swallowing at the small lump forming in his throat.