jcmcisvu

[jcmcisvu]

        (𝐧.) 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐢𝐩 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐩𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐧, 𝐢𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐧’𝐭 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐭. part one.

        the girl with the iridescent parasol is five years old when she’s found dead in paradise river, golden curls torn out in clumps and chopped to her shoulder, and glossy wings clipped off at the base.

        the girl with the iridescent parasol is five years old when the sky cries for her above all else, drowning maninora forest in it’s crystalline tears.

        the girl with the iridescent parasol is five years old when the spirits of the forest find her and deem her death as unjust and unvirtuous.

        the girl with the iridescent parasol is five years old when she is restored, repaired, replenished, and given a new chance at life.

        the girl with the iridescent parasol is five years old when she gives herself a name and a place in the world.

        he swallows hard, pressing his eyes closed tightly and pulling the blankets up and over his head. he cups his hands over his ears, shakes his head, and shoves his face into his pillow.

        ❝ there’s nothing there ... nothing there ... ghosts aren’t real ... they aren’t real ... ❞

        he keeps his eyes closed, though, keeps his head turned away. he doesn’t want to risk looking, just in case something is there, just in case something is waiting for him at the foot of his bed.

        ❝ you’re not allowed to leave the confines of your chamber, do you understand ?? never are you allowed to leave. ❞

        no. he doesn’t understand. he never had and he probably never will, but he doesn’t question it. he can only assume that it’s because of what is happening outside of his chamber that he isn’t allowed to leave, for he hears the screams and cries, feels the earthquakes and rolling thunder --- his papa must be trying to protect him from the outside.

        never, in a million years, did he think that it’s because of him, because of something as simple as his touch, because his papa was trying to protect everyone else.

        pathetic sobs fall from split, bloody lips as he drags himself across the marble floor in some desperate attempt to get away. it’s harder than it should be, but every ounce of strength he had has been forcefully ripped out of him and magic, even in good condition, has never been his forte.

        ❝ oh, come on !! stop being such a baby and get up !! ❞

        ❝ i -- i ... can’t --- ❞

        all he can do is cry against the beautifully embellished, but now bloodstained floor. his head shakes slowly, fingers grasping at nothing but a futile attempt to escape.

        ❝ oh, my gods !! this is your own fucking fault, you whiny brat !! ❞

        the slightly older boy grasps onto a fistful of his brother’s shirt and yanks him up and off the floor.

        ❝ i said get the fuck up --- ❞

        he’s cut off by an earsplitting scream finally forcing its way passed the smaller boy’s lips, and he just barely manages to gasp out a broken, ❝ c-can’t ... ❞ before he goes limp in his hold.

        odd eyes widen in a fit of shock, his hand unfurls from its previous place grasping at his brother’s shirt, and he winces as the limp body hits the marble floor with a thud.

        ❝ i -- get up ... get up !! i didn’t --- i didn’t mean to !! i didn’t mean to !! get up !! she’s going to hate me !! get up !! get up !! ❞

        a knock on the wooden fence catches the attention of the young boy and he quickly sprints across the yard to poke his head over the fence.

        ❝ oh, hi !! ❞

        ❝ i have a ... uh, extra large fan, battery powered engine, and three shipments of steel pipes and cables to be delivered to this address ?? does that sound ... right ?? ❞

        the confusion in the man’s voice is evident, and all the boy does is smile brightly.

        ❝ yep !! that sounds exactly right !! you can just bring it through the gate !! ❞

        ❝ ... hey, kid, aren’t you a little young to be doing all this ?? ❞

        a soft laugh spills into the warm, summer air. ❝ yes !! yes, i am !! ❞

        he’s sixteen years old and he is the most important thing his world has ever known.

        that’s what he’s told as the silver needle is pressed into his neck, as his veins fill with cold, and as the liquid numbness and induced paralysis set in. it’s what he’s told as he’s lifted from his bed and carried unconsentingly from his chamber, through the crystalline hallways, into the palace’s brightest, most beautifully iridescent room.

        ❝ the security of our world hinges on how perfect you are. ❞

        that’s what he’s told as unfamiliar hands grab him, pet him, touch him all over. as he’s forcefully kept in a state of complete consciousness, and yet as he has no idea what is truly being done to him.

        it’s what he’s told as he’s made out to be the epitome of perfect to benefit everyone, everyone, no matter what it does to him.

        each and every hair is perfectly in place. lips are the perfect shade of honeysuckle pink. porcelain cheeks hold the perfect rosiness. mismatched eyes are so beautifully glossed over. mind is so delightfully blank.

        he is beautifully dressed, and delightfully drugged, and elegantly stripped of all senses.

        he is lifted and contorted and put on display like the utterly captivating, utterly perfect porcelain doll that he is forever made out to be.

        pathetic cries fall from bloody lips as he stares up at the beautiful mix of light and dark that his father holds in his hand. he twirls it around, holds it up, lets it shine like it’s some humane jewel, there to be admired.

        a feeble hand slowly lifts from where it had been previously pawing at the floor, as if reaching out for the mix, as if trying to draw it to him, trying to draw it back to him.

        a foot comes down, crushing his hand against the floor as a sinister laugh spills into the harsh, cold air.

        ❝ it’s such a pity that such magic has been going to complete and total waste for so many years. i know it’s been used in ... small incriminates, but ... this is far more efficient. ❞

        ❝ pl -- please... please, that --- i-i'll --- ❞

        a loud sob escapes his lips, his eyes press tightly shut, his head lolls limply against the floor as he tries so desperately to tear his attention away from the scene. all too abruptly, though, a hand grasps at his jaw, cruel fingertips pressing purple bruises into his skin, and his eyes are forced open, forced to watch, to stare so intently as his own magic, as such an important piece of him, is fed so eagerly, so maliciously into his cruel, sinister reflection.

        he wants to cry, wants to plead for it back, for them to just give him his pieces back. he feels empty, broken, completely incomplete. not a word, not a sound leaves his lips, though. silent tears simply fall down his cheeks, mixing with the blood that’s pooled beneath his head.

        it’s a silent eight months that follow.

        a loud, pained screech sounds throughout the manor, awakening everyone within as images flash across his mind at a speed faster than light. he stumbles from his bed, one hand pressing at his eyes as the other grasps at his nightstand in some desperate attempt to hold himself steady.

        he sounds like he’s being murdered and soon there’s familiar hands on him, all trying to gently guide him back to bed, to make sure he’s alright. he’s stiff, though, clutching the nightstand like it’s his lifeline and pressing his eyes closed so tightly they seem glued shut.

        when he finally settles down, when the strange images slow and come to a stop, he’s breathing heavily and there’s a dull ache in his head. the feeling isn’t foreign, but it’s also not entirely familiar.

        ❝ ... it was only a night terror. go back to bed. i -- i’ll tell you all about it in the morning if i must. ❞

        ❝ in the coming years  ... this ceremony will begin fall upon your shoulders, dearest. it may seem like an abundance to take on --- our kingdom depends on it, after all --- but i already trust that you hold shall magnificent festivals in the years when it is finally your time. ❞

        the shrill screams and earsplitting shrieks, the loud cries and harsh sobs, the terror-filled ambiance fills her ears as her pastel pink eyes meet her father’s own silver ones. she searches such eyes for love, for adoration, for anything at all, but all she finds is a sinister pride hiding away in his crystalline irises. she forces a smile to come to her rose petal pink lips.

        ❝ ... i promise i won’t let you down, daddy. ❞

        she stands under the old oak tree, hand gently placed on its trunk as she glances around, evidently waiting for someone. it’s been hours since she’d arrived. her long, pure white dress is getting drenched, soiled in the rain. her curls are falling quickly and her mascara is sure to be running down her cheeks. yet she continues to wait, perfectly manicured hands gently clutching the bag of jewels she’d managed to steal from her mother’s jewelry box.

        the tall clocktower in town square chimes three times, signalling that it’s three in the morning, and he still hasn’t shown. she’s starting to lose hope, and a soft sigh leaves her lips as she drags her hand down the rough trunk of the old tree and turns to leave.

        and her ice blue eyes meet a dark silhouette of a man. her heart beats fast and loud, her hands clutch the velvet bag in a vice grip, a smile comes to her cherry red lips, and ---

        a loud shriek is the final noise she makes. crimson blood slips with ease from her neck and spills through the grass. she awakes in an unfamiliar world with her jewels missing, but with a new cold and lonely feeling hanging over her.

        she walks through the front door with her head hung low, ribbons in her hair torn and tattered, and skin covered in scratches and bruises. she drags her backpack behind her on the floor as she makes a beeline for her bedroom.

        ❝ baby sis ?? is that you ?? i was waiting ‘til you got home to film my new --- oh, my god, what happened to you ?? ❞

        she bats worried hands away as they reach out to touch her, to see if she’s okay.

        ❝ i’m fine. just leave it alone, okay ?? and please, just ... don’t tell mom and dad. ❞

        ❝ don’t tell mom and dad ?? you’re --- you’re a wreck, of course i’m gonna tell mom and dad !! if i don’t, you’ll probably get yourself killed next time you --- ❞

        ❝ maybe that’s what i’m trying to do !! ❞ it’s loud and abrupt, and she hadn’t intended to say it. ❝ ... maybe --- maybe if i get hurt, if ... if he somehow hears that --- that something happened --- maybe he’ll finally just come home !! ❞

        his face falls and his heart drops to his stomach. he steps toward his sister, a soft, ❝ baby sis ... that --- that’s not the way to get him to come home ... ❞ spilling into the air.

        ❝ than how ?! ❞ she screams as loud as her lungs will allow. ❝ than --- than how ... ❞

        he pulls her into a hug, her face pressed against his chest as broken sobs spill from her lips. he’s never seen her so upset, didn’t know that she’d been so affected by something that had happened years ago. perhaps he’d been too focused on himself all this time, on trying to forget it all, on trying to pretend it had never happened.

        ❝ i ... i don’t know ... ❞ he admits, ❝ i don’t know. ❞

        the whisperings are louder than intended as she passes them by, but what they whisper of is no secret at all. in fact, it’s something she’s always known, something she’s been aware of all along.

        ❝ her magic is nowhere near as powerful as her sisters’ ... i mean, does she even practise her magic ?? ❞

        she doesn’t.

        ❝ i don’t think so. and she’s not very social ... i guess it’s a good thing she’s not the heir. ❞

        she’s not.

        ❝ yeah. or even just an ambassador. i’m not sure that would be good for anyone involved. ❞

        it wouldn’t.

        she knows all this. she knows that she’s the middle child. she knows that she got the short end of the stick in regards to just about everything. she knows that she’s not exactly good enough and probably never will be, but she’s long since accepted it.

        she holds the necklace up to the light, head tilting slightly to one side as it glimmers in the bright lights of her dressing room. she knows her accessories backwards and forwards, but this piece ... this necklace is far too unfamiliar. she doesn’t recall purchasing it, she’s not sure she’s ever even seen it before, and yet ... it feels so right as she clasps it around her neck; it feels like it belongs with her.

        he’s frozen in place as he stares into the room, unable to even scream in a fit of terror as he watches the scene unfold in front of him. the screams of his parents fill his ears, but they dull in comparison to the sound of flesh tearing and fire blazing.

        he manages to look away from the scene, his own eyes accidentally meeting a familiar pair of golden and red ones.

        ❝ find your sister and run. ❞

        the words aren’t uttered aloud, just mouthed to him from equally familiar bloodstained lips, but he makes them out all the same. yet he doesn’t run, doesn’t move an inch as he’s too utterly mortified to so much as even think properly.

        ❝ i said run !! ❞

        the door slams in front of him and, for the first time in that moment, he’s forced into a state of acceptance. a heavy breath escapes his lips, his heart pounds in his chest; he takes off, abandoning his childhood home and the people who raised him in it, his sole focus on doing exactly as he was told before it’s far too late.

        the typically soft and smooth fabric feels rough against her skin and she winces at its touch, but that doesn’t stop her from twisting it around herself, from twirling herself into a cocoon, a prison of red fabric.

        when she was young, she’d loved the feel of it against her skin, she’d loved practising and competing, loved simply doing it for fun. it was silly of her to think that it would always be fun, though, that she would always enjoy it without so much as a care in the world.

        perhaps that was why she’d run away, why she’d disappeared without so much as a word, abandoned the only home she’d ever known, stolen a daughter, a sister from her own family like a thief in the night. perhaps she was trying to find a love for her art again, trying to find the love that had been stripped away from her by the very people who were supposed to do nothing but love and support her.

        it doesn’t matter now, she tells herself as the tent to the bigtop opens for general admission, right now, only tonight’s performance matters.

        the earth shakes with cosmic proportions, the ground cracking open, splitting apart, and crumbling beneath such epic power. dark, pitch black clouds form like puffs of sinister smoke in the ash grey sky, furling tragically and rolling with ease across it like some wicked blanket from hell. bloody tears fall from such clouds, hitting against the ground like sharp pins, drowning the earth in the messy, red liquid.

        the lightning flashes, the thunder crashes, a wildfire blazes in the distance, terrorising and burning down small populations and civilizations in their entirety.

        ❝ ... the be all, end all ... ❞

        divine screams spill into the air.

        ❝ ... the perfect weapon ... ❞

        bloody fingers claw at the marble floor.

        ❝ ... the end of times ... ❞

        a loud snap is heard as an invisible weight comes down against his spine, as invisible claws tear his chest open, as the dam opens and blood fills his lungs, floods his throat, and spills, like velvet ribbon, from plush lips.

        ❝ n-noire !! hes -- ‘estia !! dea -- ros --- ❞ he tries to scream, calling out for help for the first time in his life, between gushes of blood.

        ❝ ... all you were intended to be ... and all i have is this ... pathetic. ❞

        a scream louder than any crash of thunder, sharper than any bolt of lightning, more sinister than any dark cloud, more searing than any wildfire, more epic than any earthquake imaginable sounds throughout earth and the lands above and below as another harsh snap sounds, as an endless river of red spills from his lips and pools beneath his head, and as golden and red eyes gloss over and stare blankly into an empty nothingness.

        she stares at her phone, an amused smile coming to her lips as she admires her own image on the screen. she doesn’t bother reading the words that accompany it. she already knows what they say. they just flash across her mind effortlessly at the human of it all.

        world-class con artist. grand heist. shot and killed. vatician museum.

        a soft laugh bubbles from her lips as she shakes her head, tucks her phone into the pocket of her jeans, and leaps off of the roof of the building. she disappears into the night.

        she’s far too used to the murmured arguments that fall through the thin walls of her bedroom at night when they think she’s not listening. she’s far too used to the topic of conversation being herself. she’s far to used to having to pretend that she didn’t hear them the next day when they ask how she slept the night before.

        ❝ nothing she does ... ever ends in anything good. ❞

        ❝ i know, i ... we were doing some healing earlier and she --- it was my mistake of letting her even try ... ❞

        ❝ we have to do something about her before she --- before she does too much bad. ❞

        ❝ ... she’s only sixteen. she has ... a few more years. we’ll give her a few more years. ❞

        ❝ two more years. when she’s eighteen. ❞

        ❝ when she’s eighteen. ❞

        she doesn’t know what they mean, doesn’t know what her age has to do with anything, but ... she tries to ignore it. she trusts her parents, trusts the people around her. so, she simply turns over, pulls her pillow over her head, and forces herself to sleep.

        skilled feet glide across the glossy, wooden floor that has somehow become her god. toes are perfectly pointed, arms are excellently bent. tangled locks of brown hair scatter across her face as she twirls, twirls, twirls.

        she takes a leap, momentarily falls to the floor, keeps twirling.

        bloody footprints scatter beautifully across the floor.

        stop, stop, stop. but she can’t. she will keep twirling. she must keep twirling.

        a ballerina in a music box, twirling endlessly upon command.

        a fit of sobs escapes from her lips and spills into the air as she’s dragged by her hair across the cement. she kicks her feet and thrashes her head back and forth, screaming at the very top of her lungs for help as she tries so, so desperately to get away.

        ❝ no !! no, please !! please !! just let me go !! just let me go !! please !! please just let me go !! ❞

        ❝ just shut the fuck up, brat !! it’ll be over the sooner you shut up !! ❞

        ❝ no !! just let me go !! let me go !! ❞

        a burst of light escapes her. his grip on her hair loosens and he falls to the ground.

        when she opens her eyes again, all she sees is stars.

        ❝ come on !! come on !! let’s go play, we --- we have to go play !! ❞

        his words appear to fall on deaf ears, and he stares up at his only companion, his only friend before he tries again.

        ❝ we haven’t played in forever !! can we please go play now ?? ❞

        he’s met with an annoyed sigh and an irritated. ❝ you’re not real. fuck off and go play by yourself. ❞

        ❝ will you marry me ?? ❞

        the question falls from her glossy lips with such hope laced with each word. her eyes sparkle as if they had stolen a million stars from the sky.

        ❝ what ?? ❞

        this question comes out fast, hard and cold.

        ❝ will you --- ❞

        ❝ no, i heard you the first time. are you fucking insane ?? we just met, like, two days ago. you were a good fuck and all, but ... seriously, the fuck ?? ❞

        this time, her eyes sparkle with tears, glossy lip quivering as she tries not to cry.

        you’re worthless if you’re not married. you’re life is meaningless if you never marry. marriage is the only way. it’s the only way.

        ❝ but ... but you have to marry me. you --- you have to !! you have to !! ❞

        ❝ i can put his spirit in the lantern. as long as the flame stays lit, he will live on inside. take on the task of lantern bearer… or watch your brother perish. come here. ❞

        ❝ there has to be another way ... there has to be some other way. ❞

        ❝ no. there is only me, there is only my way, there is only the forest, and there is only surrender. ❞

        the mirror must be warped, she tells herself. she stares into the reflective glass and she swears she sees her naturally green eyes flicker red, then black, before settling back to green. the mirror must be warped.

        something touches her shoulder and she spins around to face it, but her eyes fall upon nothing more than the lonely emptiness of her bedroom.

        ❝ memento mori, secundarum, memento mori. ❞

        the words are far too familiar. she screams as she stares down at her hands, now covered in what she can tell is her own blood.

        ❝ not again, not again !! please, please, not again !! ❞

        they all think she’s going crazy, but she knows what she sees.

        ❝ i’m sorry ... but it has to be done. for the sake of all of these people. you understand. ❞

        no. they don’t, they never do, but they’re not meant to. not really.

        ❝ your sacrifice is keeping an entire population alive and well. you are doing good. ❞

        she lies through her teeth, she knows better, and yet she can’t stop. she knows what will happen if she does.

        ❝ it’ll all be over soon. just ... close your eyes and try to be very still. ❞

        you’re too much of a burden. too much of a burden.

        she messily shoves as many of her clothes as she can fit into her backpack, followed by a few necessities --- a toothbrush, a hairbrush, her phone.

        you have to do this for her. you have to.

        she sniffles, brings her hair around to tie it into a loose ponytail, and slings her backpack over her shoulder.

        it’ll be better this way. she won’t be so sad all the time.

        she closes her eyes and, with a deep breath, leaps from the window, running as fast as her short legs will carry her across the sidewalk and down the street.

        shaky hands hold the gold tray carefully, balancing the delicate china tea set as she walks slowly down the golden hallway. she’s not typically so nervous, far too accustomed to the life that she was condemned to from the time she was born to fear anything within the palace any longer. she supposes that’s it’s not truly anything within the palace that she fears, though. she supposes that it’s the words that had fallen into her ears upon her visit with her parents that scar her.

        she doesn’t really love you. she never will. you’re not even meant to pay any attention to her. she doesn’t hold your soul. he does. him. stop being so silly all the time. forget about her.

        a soft sigh escapes her lips as she reaches the door to her chamber. she takes a deep breath, puts on a smile, and gently knocks, knocks, knocks away at the door.

        there’s blood everywhere --- on the bed, on the floor, all over her skin. every breath she takes she feels like her lungs are on fire, and she’s surprised that they’re not when every couple minutes she leans over the side of her bed and coughs and retches endlessly as thick, red liquid pours from her lips.

        everyone is rushing around, yelling at each other. she thinks they’re trying to help, trying to think of some way to help her, but --- she doesn’t want them to worry. she didn’t mean to cause them so much stress and pain. this had only happened because she’d wanted to help. she’d wanted to help and she didn’t even think of the dangers that she knew came with outside world as of late.

        a soft sob leaves her lips as she tries to speak, tries to tell everyone that it’s okay, that she’s okay, and that she’s sorry.

        she’s silenced before she can say anything, though, as an all too familiar hand gently touches her shoulder and an equally familiar voice murmurs something to her, something that she can’t quite make out, before her hair is ruffled and the familiar presence disappears.

        the last thing she remembers is being told to stay awake.

        brown eyes stare at the golden flames that dance across the skin of the hand that’s outstretched in front of him.

        ❝ oh, come on !! it won’t hurt !! it’s just to seal the deal !! for official purposes !! ❞

        ❝ ... you swear this will bring her back ?? ❞

        ❝ you have my word !! i would never tell a lie from the tip of a golden tongue !! ❞

        whatever that’s supposed to mean. still, he reaches out, allowing his own hand to meet with the flame-covered hand of his companion.

        ❝ thank you for shopping with zazzy universal !! no refunds, exchanges, or returns !! i’ll be back in a year to drag you to the pit !! ❞

        a cloud of golden smoke is all that remains, and that’s when such words finally set in.

        he’s eighteen years old and he has one year left to live.

        ❝ i will get to the bottom of this ... i promise. ❞

        bruised and bloody hands hit against the cold floor. the room is silent saved for the pit, pit, pit as stray teardrops hit the cement.

        why wouldn’t they listen ?? why wouldn’t anyone just listen to him ?? he’s not just some crazy kid. he knows what he’s talking about. if they had all just listened, maybe they would have been able to stop it. maybe none of this would be happening right now.

        his woodland companion cowers in a small fit of fear beneath a nearby table.

        ❝ i swear ... no matter what comes of me, anybody who stands or has took in my path ... ❞

        they are going to pay.

        ACTION: POWER         >MODE         >>ON

        SUBJECT: IDENTIFY         >INHUMAN         >>ALIEN         >>>ARGENTI

        TASK         >ERROR         >>ERROR         >>>DESTROY         >>>>ERROR

        TASK CANNOT BE COMPLETED

        she runs. she shoots. she slices. she kills.

        the adrenaline that rushes through her on the battlefield is nothing in comparison to the absolute adoration that floods her upon laying her eyes on the one that she loves.

        so long that you are alive, i will fight to keep you safe. i won’t let anything touch you. i won’t ever let harm come your way.

        ❝ star light, star bright ... first star i see tonight ... i wish i may, i wish i might ... have this wish i wish tonight ... ❞

        a soft gasp escapes glossy lips, sparkling with stardust as she rushes to her balcony, fingertips reaching out to gently run over her crystal ball. shining, silver eyes peer into the crystalline glass, black locks falling over her face as her head tilts to one side.

        a face appears in the glass, a smile comes to her lips.

        ❝ ... i wish to be put out of my suffering ... i wish to die in my sleep tonight ... ❞

        silver eyes widen in shock and a horrified scream falls from her sparkly lips and into the air. she clutches the moon-shaped pendant that hangs from her neck, head shaking in a fit of absolute panic as she steps back from her crystal ball.

        you’re the princess. you have a duty. you must grant every wish that comes to you. the words of her parents come to her, and a soft sob leaves her lips as she sinks to the floor, stardust falling from pale skin and sparkly tears spilling down rosy cheeks.

        ❝ whoa !! this shit is funny looking !! ❞

        ❝ oh, yeah !! he’s kind of ugly ... lets take him to the science lab and cut him open !! ❞

        ❝ yeah !! see if we can figure out what he --- shit !! ❞

        quick hands grab the small creature from the desk of her classmates and hold it safely in her grasp.

        ❝ you so much as lay a hand on him and i’ll cut you open !! ❞

        the threat is probably too loud for a classroom setting, but in that moment, she doesn’t care. she simply turns away from her classmates and holds the creature up to her face, murmuring a soft, ❝ hey, little guy ... i won’t let them get you, okay ?? you’re safe with me. i’ll take you home later and feed you and everything ... i won’t let anyone hurt you again. i promise. ❞

        ❝ the ringing of the bell commands you ... kill him. ❞

        ❝ yes, master. ❞

        a smile comes with ease to her bubblegum pink lips as beautiful pink shimmers and sparkles fill the tent, causing absolute but such ethereal distortion in the eyes of all who watch. it takes no effort at this point. it’s second nature to her, giving such entranced people such magnificent illusions.

        her routine comes to an end. the audience’s applause only makes her feel stronger. she blows a kiss out to them, leaving a sparkly, bubblegum kiss mark on everyone’s cheek before she smirks and turns away, disappearing in a cloud of pink smoke.

        she’s met offstage with a familiar hand grasping her shoulder and a comfortable face smiling down at her. ❝ that’s my star. ❞

        he watches from a distance, always from a distance. it’s all he can do in the state that he’s in. he’s tried interacting with them before, tried speaking to them once or twice, but ... they never seem to hear him, or if they do, they’ve chosen to ignore him, which he would understand entirely, considering all things.

        so, he continues to watch, occasionally blocking a window from being broken or catching a vase that’s been knocked over before it breaks. he’ll sometimes find missing objects or finish odd chores for them. but, mostly, he watches.

        he watches and wishes to, someday, be a part of their family, too.

        ❝ you’re not one of us. you’re ... human. what are you doing all the way out here ?? these woods aren’t a place for humans like you. they aren’t kind to humans like you. ❞

        ❝ i know. i’ve ... i’ve learned that, but --- i’m trying to find my brother. i’m trying to get us home. ❞

        ❝ well, you’re a long way from home now, kid. probably even more lost than you started. ❞

        ❝ ... yeah, actually, but i --- i can’t go home until i have him with me, so ... i just have to keep wandering. ❞

        ❝ wandering, huh ?? what do you say, wanderer ?? how do you even know that this brother of yours is even alive anymore ?? what with the argenti out there and all --- ❞

        ❝ he’s alive. i know he is. ❞

        ❝ but how do you --- ❞

        ❝ he has to be. ❞

        she sniffles, wiping at her eyes with the too long sleeves of her sweater as the deerfox snuggles up against her side. it was silly of her to think she was big enough to stop something so much bigger than she was, so much stronger, so much more powerful.

        ❝ i should have listened to you, mum. all i did was fail. i should have known. ❞

        ❝ you tried, though, sweetheart. that’s far more than most people would have done. ❞

        another sniffle. ❝ i -- i just didn’t want to have to leave home, that’s all ... ❞

        ❝ i know, but ... look at it this way: some day your home may be somewhere else, but that doesn’t mean you have to leave your other homes behind. ❞

        a hand touches her shoulder, her small woodland companion slowly climbs onto her lap. she looks up and is met with a warm, perfectly familiar smile.

        ❝ the wilderness will always be a part of who you are. ❞

        she twirls through the field of wildflowers and thorny weeds, soft strings of giggles spilling from her glossy pink lips as vibrant butterflies and delicate ladybugs land in her hair, decorating her so elegantly. she feels free for the first time in her entire life.

        for once, there aren’t guards watching over her shoulder or spying on her from within the tall branches of the trees. for once in her life, she doesn’t feel like she’s being watched; she feels like she finally has a foreign moment of privacy.

        ❝ princess !! ❞

        she sighs. she spoke too soon.

        ❝ you’re not allowed beyond the garden !! ❞

        ❝ ... right !! silly me. i’m coming !! ❞

#◤♛◢ — jcmcisvu. ✧ 「 paras. 」 #this is BAD n only half of my muses but u know WHAT #.................. i jus' wanna do repliesKJHDKS #also ! some people ? share one ? #n some people hav two ! or like ... one in a half moreso ? #yeahkshdkjs

[jcmcisvu]

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓-𝐁𝐀𝐋𝐋 && 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐋𝐃.

THE EIGHT BALL ( seen in the first image ) had its grand opening in zeta city about one year ago, during the summer of 2018. owned by a mysterious, unknown-to-most entrepreneur, the night club and bar became an ideal new hangout for anyone eighteen and older. the club is open dusk til dawn.

the nightclub technically only has one floor ( the ground floor ) which is open to creatures of all sorts, including ( but not excluded to ) humans.

this floor has its own bar, dinner tables, a dancefloor, a lounging area ( which contains: tvs, pool tables, poker tables and equipment, and a minibar ), an indoor pool and jacuzzi, a small staircase leading to an outdoor balcony, and a couple of private areas which people can rent for a night.

the main structure of the club is constructed from blue and purple crystal, and the interior of the club is kept in neon blue and purple light; the dining, lounging, and private being slightly darker than the majority of the floor.

a late dinner is served for the first two hours of the club being open every night, after which the kitchens will close and only the bars will remain open.

per the owners request, even despite frequent complaints, the bouncers and bartenders will not turn a blind eye to anyone below the age of eighteen ( they’ll simply know and are entirely immune to tricks, charms, and magic in general, per courtesy of the owner ).

the bouncers, bartenders, waiters, and guards are all magical creatures of some sort ( unless the owner made an explicit exception ), all with the same immunity to magic that lasts so long as they are within one hundred feet of the building’s main structure.

all acts of violence and destruction, and magic is generally banned from this floor, though the guards were told to turn a blind eye to small doses of magic being used. however, if magic use gets out of hand, the users will promptly be thrown out of the establishment.

THE UNDERWORLD ( seen in the second and third images ) is what is presumed to be the basement level of the eight-ball. under the ownership of the same mysterious entrepreneur as the upper level, the underworld is an extension of the former nightclub. this new level opened fall of 2018 to any magical creatures who are eighteen or older. this level is open from three am til dawn.

in the eyes of the owner, the underworld is an entirely separate establishment from its upper level companion. this establishment is comprised of two levels: the in between and the underworld.

both the in between and the underland are only available to magical creatures; humans are simply prohibited from entering, even if they are of age. again, the bouncers and guards simply know and are immune to charms and magic.

the in between is the level between the eight-ball and the underworld, caught between two crystalline staircases which both only appear as the clock strikes exactly three am. there is no bar, nor dancefloor, nor anything of the sort on this level. this level is near entirely bare aside from the crystalline maze that guests are lead into directly from the last step of the first staircase. the maze is not too entirely difficult, though guests are warned to not so much as lay so much as a finger on the walls of the maze, per the owner’s request. using magic to get out of the maze is considered to be cheating cheating. the bouncers and guards at each end of the maze can sense magic within the crystalline level and will promptly throw magic-using guests out of the establishment altogether. upon coming to the end of the maze, guests will be enveloped in a crimson red light before being lead down a second crystalline staircase, which then leads to the actual second floor of the establishment.

as guests descend the second crystalline staircase, they are ( unknowingly to guests who are not demons ) descending into a private and secluded area in the underland which has become the level of the club known as the underworld.

this establishment has its own bar, a large dancefloor, and a small lounging area for people simply to rest.

the main structure of this level is constructed from black crystal, and the interior is kept in near total darkness save for the new neon red and purple lights that allow people a small window of vision through the gray smoke that clouds the air.

upon entering this level, to the left of the room, the very entrances of five tunnels glow a neon blue, standing out against the other wise dimly lit room. aside from the light at the entrance of the tunnels, they are pitch black, though it is said that subtle trails of what has been describe as golden smoke can be seen when occasionally when venturing through the tunnels.

these five tunnels serve as a game of sorts for the guests to play. upon entering, each guest is offered the opportunity to receive everything they’ve ever desired in life; all they have to do is choose the right tunnel. if they don’t, their soul will belong to owner of the establishment. of course, these conditions are read to them before they agree to play the game; even mysterious entrepreneurs have to be fair, after all.

three of the tunnels obtain all that the guests have ever desired, while the other two hold an irrevocably terrible fate for the player of the game.

upon reaching the end of their chosen tunnel, if they find themselves in a golden room, they’ve lost the game and their soul now belongs to the owner of the establishment. if they find themselves in a pitch black room with nothing more but a gold crystal on display in the center, they’ve won the game and the crystal provides them one free-of-charge wish from the owner of the establishment.

if a guest happens to win and receive the golden crystal, they may wish for anything they please by simply speaking it into the crystal amidst the hour of three am ( then, you must wait three to five business days for your wish to be processed ).

evidently, the main purpose of the underworld is for these tunnels to be used by the guests, but the bar, dancefloor, and lounge area do provide a sort of safe haven for magical creatures who prefer to spend their time not around humans.

however, it is in the underworld that violence and magic is not prohibited, so any trouble that occurs will not be restricted nor monitored. it is advised to spend one’s time here with caution, as any deaths that occur on this level will simply be disregarded, the body will be turned to dust, and the soul of the victim will most likely be taken into the possession of the owner.

#◤♛◢ — jcmcisvu. ✧ 「 worldbuilding. 」 #◤♛◢ — zarin seasonaire. ✧ 「 misc. 」 #this is ... long but u know what #read mores r for suckers #skeet skeet mfs

[jcmcisvu]

◤♛◢ — ICARUS ! ✧

EVER SINCE ICARUS BOUGHT HIS own freedom ( which hurt more than it liberated, as his owner laughed in his face and told him that he thought his freedom was too high of a price but accepted the entire sum anyways ), he was traveling with the circus. He was a strongman, putting on shows of grandeur by lifting impossible things. Still, he was as fascinated as the audience when it came to magical performances. He made a light rapping noise on the pole to Velvet’s tent, smiling sheepishly. ❝ Do you think you have time to practice ?? I really want to see it again. I-If you’re too busy, I understand. In fact, you don’t have to— ❞ He backed up, suddenly becoming too shy, not realizing his error as he backed into the other pole. The tent shook, threatening to collapse. Icarus gasped, trying to stabilize the pole he unbalanced.

— °❖｡× ⌜ @jcmcisvu icarus & velvet ❛ error ❜⌟

        ◤♛◢ — VELVET HAD BEEN WITH THE circus for years now, ever since she had summoned the strange demon prince and traded him her soul for inexplicably powerful magic ( not as powerful as mine, of course, ‘ she heard the prince’s words echoing in her ears ). she’d become one of the main acts, she was practically the ringmaster’s daughter at this point; the circus was her HOME. it was from her home that she had grown a love of being adored --- thus, it wasn’t surprising that a small smile came to her lips when she heard icarus’ voice, asking to admire her magic. a soft, bubbly laugh escaped her sparkly pink lips as she turns away from her mirror and toward her newfound companion. ❝ for you, icarus ?? oh, i always have time to --- ❞ she cut herself off with a soft gasp as the tent began shaking, instantly swiping her hand and causing for a pastel pink force field of sorts to encase her momentarily, just in case the tent decided to collapse. she didn’t remove it, nor SPEAK again, until the tent had stilled. ❝ i ... always have time to practise, “ she said, slower this time, before conjuring up a small, sparkly pink heart and sending it his way. “ come on in !! you don’t have to be nervous, silly. ❞ ✧

#◤♛◢ — velvet vionnet. ✧ 「 interactions. 」 #◤♛◢ — velvet && icarus. ✧ 「 interactions. 」 #◤♛◢ — quvsvrs. ✧ 「 interactions. 」

[jcmcisvu]

◤♛◢ — AMELIE. ✧

AMELIE HAD A ROUGH DAY— though, the fruits of her labour paid off beautifully. She had a scratch across the apple of her cheek that was given to her by a silver knife, it’d take a couple of days for it to heal properly. The fire that was burning inside her otherwise empty chest was satisfied with her haul. She liked distributing the vile criminal’s loot between all the sugar babies under her care. There was a specific jewel that made Amelie think of one, in particular. The vampire was quick to saunter up to Nova, quick to nuzzle up against the ghoul to pay attention to whatever she was doing. ❝ I got you a present, darling, ❞ she crooned, holding up the magnificent sapphire pendant from her gloved hands. ❝ A jewel for my brightest baby. Do you like it ?? ❞

— °❖｡× ⌜ @jcmcisvu amelie & zenovia ‘ jewel ‘⌟

        ◤♛◢ — ZENOVIA SAT AT A DESK, EYES fixated on her glimmering, freshly painted, rose gold nails. the nail polish bottles were still scattered around her as she gently blew on the paint, growing all too impatient with how slowly it was drying on her fingers. she was quickly distracted from her predicament, though, when she felt amelie nuzzling up against her, and a soft gasp left her lips. ❝ a present ?? oh, what kind of --- ❞ before she could finish her sentence, the sapphire pendant was held out in front of her and yet another gasp fell from her sparkly, pink lips. ❝ oh, it’s MAGNIFICENT !! ❞ she cried, reaching out to take the jewel from amelie’s gloved hands. ❝ it’s absolutely marvelous !! oh, i adore it with my whole heart !! thank you, ‘melie, oh --- ❞ she cut herself off as she turned to look at the vampire. ❝ oh, what happened to your cheek ?? did someone hurt you ?? oh, do tell me who it was !! i’ll go feed on them promptly !! ❞ ✧

#◤♛◢ — zenovia pavla. ✧ 「 interactions. 」 #◤♛◢ — zenovia && amelie. ✧ 「 interactions. 」 #◤♛◢ — quvsvrs. ✧ 「 interactions. 」

[jcmcisvu]

◤♛◢ — XANTHOS. ✧

IMMORTALS WEREN’T INTRIGUING ENOUGH FOR Xanthos to care about. He left them to their own devices. If they couldn’t die, they couldn’t entertain him. They were of no use to him. However, the ego and power of a particular immortal pumped electricity through Xanthos’ veins. The Underland prince, a half-demon with insurmountable capabilities, was entertaining. Xanthos pressed a hand against the trunk of a tree, rot and decay setting into the bark as he lifted his hand. The decay ate through the tree, causing it to topple and consequently knock other trees in its downfall. An orchestra to announce his arrival. ❝ You’re hard to find, ❞ Xanthos chimed as if talking to an old friend ( like he knew what that was ), ❝ If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were hiding from me. I’m bored. I want a challenge. Have fun with me for a while, why don’t you ?? What can you possibly lose ?? ❞

— °❖｡× ⌜ @jcmcisvu xanthos & zarin ❛ power ❜⌟

        ◤♛◢ — AGAIN, ELYTHE WAS SLEEPING AND, despite being quite tired himself, the golden prince wasn’t quite in the mood to endure his usual sleep terrors and nightmares. thus, he’d gone wandering out in the forest, fighting off the ever-increasing need to sleep by spinning miniature fire-infused whirlwinds through and between the trunks of the trees. he was blowing a cloud of GOLDEN smoke into the air when the trees came crashing to the ground behind him, and an enchanted, yet all too vexatious smile came to his lips. twirling around with the utmost grace, his bright golden and red eyes fell upon the man before him and a string of GIGGLES bubbled from his lips. ❝ aha !! xanny !! oh, my most dearest xanny, i’m not hard to find, you were just looking for me in all the wrong places !! ❞ he exclaimed, twirling toward the other boy, sparkly, golden smoke trailing in swirls behind him with every movement. coming to a stop in front of him, he poked his bottom lip out into a POUT and peered up at him from beneath dark lashes. ❝ xanny, why would i EVER hide from you ?? why would i ever hide from my xanny ?? ❞ he hummed, then broke out into another smile and chirped out a whimsical, ❝ buuut it’s cute that you came all this way to look for me, so i’ll play with you !! what kind of FUN are we going to have ?? ❞ such a seemingly innocent question coming from a boy with such a childlike sense of curiosity; it was a PITY that the boy, and, in turn, the question, was warped beyond belief. ❝ oh, oh !! before we start our fun little playdate --- i liked that cute trick of yours with the trees !! i wanna do it, too !! ❞ he exclaimed, and with no more than a snap of his fingers, dozens of trees went crashing to the ground around them. ✧

#◤♛◢ — zarin seasonaire. ✧ 「 interactions. 」 #◤♛◢ — zarin && xanthos. ✧ 「 interactions. 」 #◤♛◢ — quvsvrs. ✧ 「 interactions. 」

[jcmcisvu]

◤♛◢ — EUPHEMIA. ✧

FOR EUPHEMIA, VISARA’S TOUCH WAS electric and a feeling deep from the back of her mind told her that it was her own twisted, romantic heart that had produced the sparks. That the way Visara displayed almost nothing was telling. But, some people had louder strings in their hearts than drums in their mind; Euphemia was definitely one of them. She wasn’t deterred and took her hand, twirling herself around once she had intertwined their fingers together. ❝ You think I’m lovely ?? ~ ❞ she chimed whimsically, not bothering to listen to the unspoken words. ❝ What’s so fun about being dragged through hell, anyway ?? Or is it because of me ?? Oh, tell me it’s because of me !! ~ ❞

        ◤♛◢ — VISARA HAD NEVER BEEN AN ALL too affectionate nor romantic person, especially not with someone whom she felt little to nothing for. the witch saw euphemia as a FRIEND, at most, for her heartstrings weren’t tugged at whenever she saw the other girl, her mind didn’t race with thought of adoration. she didn’t feel a single spark between the two of them, and yet ... she seemingly allowed euphemia to adore her. she hummed, allowed the slightest of smiles to come to her crimson lips as the other girl twirled herself around. ❝ anyone would be silly not to think you’re lovely, dearest, ❞ she hummed. she didn’t mean it in a flirtatious way, she saw it simply saw a fact. objectively, euphemia was exquisitely beautiful; she was LOVELY, whether visara truly cared for her or not. ❝ being a necromancer and all, i’ve heard some INTRIGUING stories about hell ... though i suppose that so long as you were the one dragging me through it, there is no reason for it not to be you. though a lovely thing like you has no place in such a desolate chamber of death. ❞ ✧

#◤♛◢ — visara ula. ✧ 「 interactions. 」 #◤♛◢ — visara && euphemia. ✧ 「 interactions. 」 #◤♛◢ — quvsvrs. ✧ 「 interactions. 」

[jcmcisvu]

◤♛◢ — LOVECRAFT. ✧

ANNOYING. THERE WAS A LOT of words to describe Zazzy, but Lovecraft’s favourite was always ❛ annoying ❜. Even while being forced to listen to what went on in the throne room, a promise of what was to come ( and it always came but the horseman didn’t care to share ), he could feel his teeth grate against each other, annoyed that out of all the examples in the Underland, it always had to be the golden prince. ❝ You really like taking the fun out of things, don’t you, my dearest prince ?? ❞ His voice was snide and one could even call it condescending. Lovecraft felt like he could get away with it because Zazzy didn’t care about the horseman so why should he care about his opinion ?? ❝ That’s what separates death and oblivion, though I’m sure you can’t think about much else than what your father, His Majesty, is capable of, so you wouldn’t look at it like that. They get second chances, we don’t, and that’s why we can’t die. You really like to think you’re a special case, don’t you, my prince ?? I mean— you have all the reason to, I understand. Forgive my insolence. ❞ His tone was anything other than apologetic. 

        ◤♛◢ — THE GOLDEN PRINCE, IN ALL his warped and distorted glory, had always been put on some high and mighty pedestal. he was the JEWEL of the underland, the beloved crown prince chosen to become a shining replica of his father. he was the treasure. he was untouchable by everyone but his father, himself. he was a glimmering GOD who, quite literally, turned to gold with absolute ease. even when he was getting beaten and branded and bruised, even when he was getting tortured, when he was toeing the line between life and DEATH, he was still expected ( by his father, by his people, by himself ) to be ... oh, so GOLDEN.

        ❝ this is MY playground, dearest crafty, only i’m allowed to have fun here. ❞ his words were so simple, so casual as if such a thing was a well-known fact ( because, in the underland, it was ), and yet they were laced with such sinister undertones, as anyone who lived in the underland knew all too well that the prince’s idea ❛ fun ❜ never ended well for anyone but himself. an utterly amused smile, a bit of a smirk, took place upon zazzy’s bloodstained lips at the horseman’s condescending tone, and he hummed a soft tune before lifting his hand. golden dust fell from his fingertips as he said, ❝ correction, dearest crafty !! for you are all too wrong. that is what separates the afterlife and oblivion, for no matter which one you are to receive, you shall still experience the GRAND adventure that is death. death is explicitly the end of a LIFE, after all, and whether or not you are to reside in the afterlife or your sentience is simply to cease --- you shall still DIE. silly crafty, i preside over death. i’m the prince of it !! someday, the GOD of it. no one knows more about death and dying than i do, dearest --- well, other than my father, of course, but we’re not talking about him right now. we’re talking about you and i. ❞ he pointed between them. ❝ and that is precisely the reason that i am so SPECIAL. unless you think ... that you’re just as special as i ?? that seems to be what you’re implying, so perhaps you’d like to challenge me on that ?? though i don’t see much of a challenge before me. ❞ his tone was bored, dull, as opposed to the usual bright and bubbly tone that he tended to carry. it carried an utterly rare condescension of it’s own, as opposed to the expected amusement that he typically would have portrayed. ❝ i mean, i’m a prince. a god. the boy king of DEATH. dearest crafty, i’m GOLDEN ... ❞ he breathed out a soft sigh, blowing a small cloud of gold dust toward the horseman. ❝ ... and you’re nothing more than a pile of stitches. ❞ ✧

#◤♛◢ — zarin seasonaire. ✧ 「 interactions. 」 #◤♛◢ — zarin && lovecraft. ✧ 「 interactions. 」 #◤♛◢ — quvsvrs. ✧ 「 interactions. 」 #this ... turned a completely different direction than expected i am so sorry #it also got rly long i am so sorryskjhkdjs #also the way that i didnt hav a gif that properly fits this reply is a humiliation

[jcmcisvu]

◤♛◢ — CORENTIN. ✧

SEEING PERSEPHONE’S BRIGHT DEMEANOUR WAS enough to make the sulky prince… not sulk as much. He didn’t get as animated as she did, of course, but he didn’t immediately recoil at her touch. He didn’t jump into the air with her but still got up from his seat, letting her pull him every which way she chose. He eventually broke into a small laugh, ❝ Leaves aren’t all that grim, you know !! Hey, hey— ❞ He paused to crinkle his nose, trying to not let her pout get to him. ❝ Hey. I don’t think that’s fair, I don’t deserve that pout !! I’m up, we’re going !! Put the pout away, Percy, or else I’m going to have to buy a whole bakery for you and I’m not sure that’s what anyone wants. ❞ Despite his attempt at a huffy expression, it was quick to dissipate into laughter as he started walking towards the pantry, still holding Persephone’s hand. 

        ◤♛◢ — THE FAERIE PRINCESS, IN ALL her bright and bubbly glory, only brightened even more as soon as she heard cori’s laugh and saw the smile on his face. the faerie prince’s smile was just about percy’s most FAVOURED thing. she interlaced her fingers with his and tugged on his hand, sparkly, rose-gold wings fluttering excitedly behind her back. ❝ oh, leaves are the GRIMMEST, my lovely cori !! nothing has ever been more grim than leaves !! ❞ she whined, the perfect picture of her poutiest face remaining upon her features up until she burst into a fit of giggles. ❝ oh, i think it’s a little bit fair, my dearest cori !! you deserve it just a teeny bit. --- oh, well, if my pout will make you want to buy me a whole entire bakery, i think i should pout FOREVER !! because i think everyone wants percy to have her very own bakery to munch on the yummiest of cupcakes whenever she so pleases !! ❞ still, her pout didn’t return, for she couldn’t bring her bring her bright smile to leave her lips as she followed cori to the pantry, her own fingers absentmindedly playing with his. ✧

#◤♛◢ — persephone epirus. ✧ 「 interactions. 」 #◤♛◢ — persephone && corentin. ✧ 「 interactions. 」 #◤♛◢ — quvsvrs. ✧ 「 interactions. 」

[jcmcisvu]

◤♛◢ — HERO. ✧

GROUND ZERO CLENCHED HIS JAW, looking towards all the woods. Unmarked territory, magical territory, the territory that was set in its old ways. The hero knew a thing or two about stubbornness, so all he could do was growl defeatedly. ❝ You know how much I fucking hate to admit it when you’re right. You should stop it, ❞ he chided, though it was teasing ( even if the only indicator was the way his lips barely tugged upward ). He turned towards Vulpix before sighing. Planning the next move could wait. ❝ Power incites challenge. Challenge creates conflict. Conflict breeds catastrophe. Never really understood it when my shitty old man said it, but now, out here, I fucking get it. Power isn’t innocent because there’s always going to be someone who wants to challenge that power. You can have the purest intentions in the fucking world, Vulpix, but there are people who want to beat the shit out of you, no matter what. Entertain me: can that be innocent ?? Can challenge ever end with nothing lost ?? ❞

        ◤♛◢ — VULPIX FOLLOWED GROUND ZERO’S GAZE, peering out over the forests, the wilds. she had never truly ventured out into them, but she’d heard the tales; she’d of the fae courts, of the wanderers, of the beasts that supposedly resided within, but she had never witnessed any of it for herself. she was no stranger to magic, but such magical territory still seemed so FOREIGN to her. a soft laugh left her lips when ground zero spoke, for she knew that he was only teasing, even if it wasn’t entirely evident --- she’d learned to pick up on it after some time. ❝ oh, i know, and that’s exactly why i’m not going to stop it. you’re cute when you’re all grumbly. ❞ her voice held a teasing lilt and an amused smile came to her bubblegum pink lips. the smile fell when he sighed, and she turned to face him properly, looking up at him from beneath her mask. the weight of his words was heavy, and she understood where he was coming from, but such an understanding didn’t stop her from disagreeing. ❝ ... that doesn’t make power, in and of only itself, any less innocent. power is nothing more than a concept. it’s nothing more than what it is. it’s the PEOPLE who allow power to incite challenge, it’s the people who create the conflict and breed the catastrophe. it’s the people who aren’t innocent, ground zero. it’s ALWAYS the people. ❞ ✧

#◤♛◢ — mirvae omyra. ✧ 「 interactions. 」 #◤♛◢ — mirvae && hero. ✧ 「 interactions. 」 #◤♛◢ — quvsvrs. ✧ 「 interactions. 」

[jcmcisvu]

        ◤♛◢ — ❛ candle ❜ ✧ LORCAN | @stcllac​​​​​​​.

        ◤♛◢ — THE NIGHT WAS DARK WITH the new moon sitting high in the sky, providing not so much as an ounce of light to the vampire as she chased one of the argenti’s monsters. the flame of the candle that flickered in her lantern was quickly dwindling, growing duller and duller by the second. her enhanced senses only did so much, especially when the monsters were so ENHANCED themselves.

        she knew she had lost the monster when she found herself a particular and familiar graveyard. so, she sighed and sheathed her dagger, lowered her bow, and ventured further into the cemetery, peering around in a fit of wonder as to whether her friend was around at such an hour or not. ✧

#◤♛◢ — gwyneria vaughn. ✧ 「 interactions. 」 #◤♛◢ — gwyneria && lorcan. ✧ 「 interactions. 」 #◤♛◢ — stcllac. ✧ 「 interactions. 」

[jcmcisvu]

        ◤♛◢ — ❛ night ❜ ✧ IRISIE | @stcllac​​​​​​​.

        ◤♛◢ — TRULY, OCTAVIAN WASN’T SUPPOSED TO be away from his place stationed outside of the crown prince’s tower, ensuring that he was undisturbed during the night ( which was quite ironic, truly, considering octavian helped astraeus to escape the hidden world entirely nearly every day ). alas, though, the prince had never returned home from his day’s journey, so once he had deemed it late enough for most people to be fast asleep, he’d sneaked away from his station to venture out into the gardens.

        what he hadn’t expected to find in the gardens was the priestess. his eyebrows rose in a fit of shock at the sight of her and he was quick to splutter out a: ❝ irisie , i --- my apologies, excuse the informalities --- what are you doing out here at such a late hour ? ❞ ✧

#◤♛◢ — octavian pearce. ✧ 「 interactions. 」 #◤♛◢ — octavian && irisie. ✧ 「 interactions. 」 #◤♛◢ — stcllac. ✧ 「 interactions. 」

[jcmcisvu]

        ◤♛◢ — ❛ monster ❜ ✧ VISTA | @stcllac​​​​​​.

        ◤♛◢ — IT WASN’T UNUSUAL FOR VISTA to go out and collect resources on her own. it had become slightly more unusual ever since she’d nearly died upon the argenti’s initial arrival, but she knew to be more careful now than she did back then. besides, it wasn’t as though she was HELPLESS. she’d grown up under the influence of finny since she was five-years-old. she’d learned from the best, she thought, she’d be fine.

        of course, even if she did know to be more careful now, she still never expected to run into any TROUBLE. thus, it was needless to say that she was caught off guard when the monster jumped out at her, and she let out a loud SHRIEK as she was knocked to the ground. ✧

#◤♛◢ — vista nutari. ✧ 「 interactions. 」 #◤♛◢ — vista && illumia. ✧ 「 interactions. 」 #◤♛◢ — stcllac. ✧ 「 interactions. 」

[jcmcisvu]

        ◤♛◢ — ❛ fear ❜ ✧ BIANCA | @stcllac​​​​​.

        ◤♛◢ — ❝ I’M TELLING YOU !! ❞ AURI EXCLAIMED, from his place on the floor, where he was gluing together the broken pieces of a china bowl he’d dropped. ❝ the only things i fear are levi if he ever gets mad --- which is NEVER going to happen --- and getting my face eaten off by a demon, which is more likely to happen than the first thing, but is still never going to happen !! ❞ he made a face at the stickiness of his fingers, which were now covered in tacky glue. ❝ besides, i’m, like, nearing eighteen, so they’ll probably kick me out soon, anyway !! if i happen to speed up the process, so be it !! either way, i can already see my future: get kicked out, live on the streets, get killed by the argenti within a week !! NO ONE can take that from me. not them, not you, and not this piece of junk !! ❞ he held up the poorly glued together bowl and scrunched up his nose at the sight of it. ���

#◤♛◢ — auri coen. ✧ 「 interactions. 」 #◤♛◢ — auri && bianca. ✧ 「 interactions. 」 #◤♛◢ — stcllac. ✧ 「 interactions. 」

[jcmcisvu]

        ◤♛◢ — ❛ music ❜ ✧ DELTA | @stcllac​​​​​.

        ◤♛◢ — OLIVIA SIGHED AND SLID THE WOODEN cover over the piano’s keys before leaning over and propping her head in her hands. ❝ oh, play me a song, dearest delly !! ❞ the tiny naiad cried softly, peering up at her friend from beneath long lashes. ❝ i do love when you play me music. oh, i do think it may be a CRIME if you don’t play me a song, especially since i am asking oh, so politely. play me the loveliest song you have ever planed, and then we can go out for a coffee break !! because, truly, dearest delly, i am quite sleepy and in the need of a lullaby and then just a bit of the most scrumptious coffee to awaken myself. oh, so DO play me a lullaby, dearest !! oh, please do !! ❞ ✧

#◤♛◢ — olivia briley. ✧ 「 interactions. 」 #◤♛◢ — olivia && delta. ✧ 「 interactions. 」 #◤♛◢ — stcllac. ✧ 「 interactions. 」

[jcmcisvu]

        ◤♛◢ — ❛ garden ❜ ✧ VALICE | @stcllac​​​​.

        ◤♛◢ — ELORA TWIRLED BETWEEN THE TREES, ducking under branches and slipping through bushes, sprinkling shimmering bits of her magic over the flora in question. her secret garden had become her most favoured place ever since she had found it in herself to leave home, to create a new home for herself in a distant and far off forest, and to become some sort of myth, some sort of LEGEND that people sought out when they were in need of help.

        she took a seat amidst her small meadow of wildflowers, making herself comfortable before waving her hand to reveal some sort of magic looking glass. it had been a while since she had spoken to her twin sister, and she wasn’t too particularly busy at the moment, so she’d decided to make a call to her sister. she simply hoped that valice would actually answer. ✧

#◤♛◢ — elora raynor. ✧ 「 interactions. 」 #◤♛◢ — elora && valice. ✧ 「 interactions. 」 #◤♛◢ — stcllac. ✧ 「 interactions. 」

[jcmcisvu]

◤♛◢ — CASTANEA. ✧

( @jcmcisvu – castanea & marceline ; money )

          CASTANEA SIGHED AS she flopped down on the couch, covering her eyes as though the sunlight could blind her even while she was indoors and nowhere near the windows. ❝ do you think someone would take me on as a sugar baby ?? and what do you think the chances are that emmy would notice ?? he’d have a fit if he knew. i need a cover story. ❞ she punctuated her mini-rant with another sigh. ❝ i’m a succubus, i may as well use the power i was given. ❞

        ◤♛◢ — MARCELINE HUMMED, STRIPPING OFF HER coat, as she hadn’t had time to change after coming back from her photoshoot just hours prior. she draped it across the back of the sofa, ensuring that it wouldn’t get dirty nor damaged, before walking around to the other side and taking a seat beside her friend. ❝ i think someone might, but since you’re a minor it’d, like, probably be someone really SKETCHY. someone with some wackass kinks and fetishes. ❞ she made a face of absolute distaste at the mere thought. ❝ and i think emmy might notice. he seems pretty perceptive when it comes to you. ❞ she shrugged, leaning against the arm of the sofa before speaking up again: ❝ oh !! idea !! you could be MY sugar baby. i don’t want sex or anything in return, don’t worry. maybe, like, for you to snapchat me when i’m at a shoot and i get bored, but that’s about it. oh !! you’d even get to attend all the movie premieres you want !! i’d be the BEST sugar bestie there is, if i do say so myself !! ❞ ✧

#◤♛◢ — marceline ebele. ✧ 「 interactions. 」 #◤♛◢ — marceline && castanea. ✧ 「 interactions. 」 #◤♛◢ — stcllac. ✧ 「 interactions. 」

[jcmcisvu]

◤♛◢ — MARGARET. ✧

( @jcmcisvu – margaret & genesis ; whisper )

          MARGARET HAD SPENT an unhealthy amount of time deciphering the code to the building. she’d studied the routes the watchmen took as well as the best path towards the main office where the safe was hidden. it was a lot of work for what might potentially be a dead end, but it also might not be, and she couldn’t take the risk that there was something crucial hidden inside that could show her where her parents were.

          when she’d mapped out her route, camera blind spots and all, she hadn’t anticipated that her efforts might be compromised by the clumsy security guard dropping his flashlight and letting it roll towards her. it stopped just short of illuminating her hiding spot behind a large pillar, and she had to refrain from letting out a sigh of relief until they were gone, upon which she whispered a small, ❝ fucking hell, ❞ under her breath.

        ◤♛◢ — BEING BOTH A TABAXI AND an experience and skilled con artist made it incredibly easy for genesis to sneak into places, especially place she wasn’t supposed to be anywhere near. the ease of it all kind of took the fun out of the experience, if you asked her, but it also meant that she could get her hands on that many more priceless artifacts with absolute EASE.

        thus, upon slipping into the building, which she had sneaked into MANY times prior to this night, she made her way, with an UNBELIEVABLE casualness, to where she’d decided the specific vase that she was looking for would be. she hadn’t even noticed the security man, nor the dropping of his flashlight, but she did hear the small swear that had seemingly come from just a few feet away from her.

        ❝ ... what the fuck ?? ❞ she murmured, probably slightly too loud. ❝ who the fuck are you ?? you’re not the security guard, i can tell that much --- even so, i have dibs on this place, so BEAT IT. ❞ ✧

#◤♛◢ — genesis muir. ✧ 「 interactions. 」 #◤♛◢ — genesis && margaret. ✧ 「 interactions. 」 #◤♛◢ — stcllac. ✧ 「 interactions. 」