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ladyshandioftheendless · 5 years

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Shandi’s Tales from Sphynxia 13!

Working on the Rose of Hanoi series has reignited my imagination! This will be the last part of this story but it will continue partially in Make Me Feel Again! Enjoy~! <3

~Shandi

Seeing an opportunity, Nicholas asks Hanoi’s ‘guests’ a favor.

THE LOTUS BLOOMS Part 6

The enjoyment of exploring the vast beautiful forests of Hanoi was easily spoiled by the presence of the King’s guards. They surrounded Brian and John very closely, making sure to keep them distant from their guide. John was slowly becoming more irritated by their attempts to intimidate. He could tell Nicholas was too. “Give them at least a little more open space will you?” the Dryad asked with a glare. The guards didn’t budge, and unfortunately Nicholas knew why. None of them wanted to willingly defy their King’s orders. If he was going to get rid of them he would have to use force. He only hoped his body wouldn’t give out on him. Not now though. He’d have to wait for the right time.

In a forest clearing lied a vast lake. It was truly a sight to behold. Clear water that shimmered in the sunlight, reflecting off the many glittery gemstones that had settled at the bottom. Watching the crystalline flowers float lazily across the water’s surface, John’s eyes widened. They looked almost exactly like lotus blossoms. “They’re perfect~” Nicholas blinked curiously. “Oh, the Crystal Blossoms? Lovely aren’t they? And fragile as glass. When they catch the light just right they can reflect rainbows anywhere~” While Brian wrote more notes in the last few pages of his journal, John waded into the water, picking up a blossom and holding it close. “Dalila will love this~” Now that they were both a good distance away from the guards it was the perfect time to strike. He focused his power to bring the trees around them to life. They moved about wildly, knocking the guards away. During the confusion Nicholas grabbed Brian and John’s hands, transporting them to his private glade. Panting heavily, Nicholas collapsed into Brian’s arms. As he feared, expending all that power had seriously exhausted him. “Y-yes, I know..I..owe you...an explanation..but..let me catch my...breath first..” Brian helped him to sit on top of a large tree root. “Please take your time.”

“I’m afraid time is something we don’t have. When they wake up they’re going to come looking for us..and they’re going to kill you. I have to get you out of here before then.” John was still reeling from what had happened. He’d never seen trees do anything like that before. What kind of powers did this man have? In all that scuffle at least the blossom hadn’t shattered. He sighed in relief. “Are you..in some kind of trouble? Are you a prisoner here?” Nicholas stared down at the ground. “I guess you could..say that I am. That’s why I need your help. I swear to you that Michael is not normally the horrible person you encountered. He was kind once. He was gentle. He was loving. He was truly beautiful. But now..he is bitter and hateful..focused only on revenge..” Brian frowned. “Revenge on whom?”

“Anarkia..”

“What did they do?”

“Michael once allowed them to take refuge here as a gesture of friendship, but the Anarkians’ enemies found them here. They fought. They were just ‘having fun,’ they said. They destroyed the Palace. Destroyed my meadow..parts of my forest. They killed Michael’s parents..they nearly killed me.. Even after I was revived from my injuries Michael was never the same. He grew overprotective of me, obsessive over destroying Anarkia. I fear that his darkness will soon utterly consume him..” John rolled his eyes. All those Anarkians excelled at was destroying things it seemed. “How can we help you?”

“Are you..familiar with the Sisterhood of the Natural Order?”

“We do know of them, yes.” Brian replied. “Rhye is closely allied with KISSteria.” The Dryad’s eyes sparkled with hope. “Do you think you could contact them? Ask them to come here? The Sisterhood helped me, maybe they can help Michael too! I beg you..please help me. I...I just..want my Golden Prince back..” Brian held Nicholas close when he started to cry. “Of course. We’ll do whatever we can to help. You have my word. But..we need to get back to our portal. Can you take us there?” Nicholas sighed. He wasn’t sure if he should use his power again so soon. But if he didn’t.. He could hear the forest whispering warnings to him. “Curse them..I didn’t expect them to recover so soon. I have no choice now.” Taking their hands again he used all the energy he had left in his body to transport them back to the portal. “Go..go quickly..” he said, releasing their hands to sit in the meadow. John nodded and went through but Brian hesitated. “What about--?”

“I appreciate your concern but you mustn’t stay. Michael will come for me soon and he will kill you if he sees you here! Go now!!”

“NICHOLAS!!!”

Their eyes widened in fear as a stream of dark energy burst from the Palace tower. “Please go, my friend. Give the Sisterhood my message. Time is running out for him..” Brian took the Dryad’s hand. He squeezed it one last time before going through the portal, narrowly escaping a large clawed hand formed from dark energy that grabbed for him.

“Michael..why must you do this..?”

“You see why strangers are no longer welcome here, my darling. If they return, they will die.”

Back in Brian’s laboratory he quickly shut down the machine causing the portal to collapse. “I think..it’s safe to say that we can never go back there..” John sighed. “Terrible how such a beautiful place can house such ugliness.”

“And that’s exactly why I need to contact KISSteria right away.”

“Yes that’s a good idea. I’ll join you soon. But right now..” John held up the Crystal Blossom so it could catch the light. “..I have a gift for someone special~”

Dalila stared out at his lotus pool solemnly. It had been hours since John had left. He was constantly fighting awful thoughts that something had happened. “No..I mustn’t think like that! I--”

“Dalila?”

“John!! Oh, thank the Gods!!” He ran to embrace his lover but he was stopped. “W-why are you--?” The sight of the Crystal Blossom made him gasp.

“Sorry, Lovely..I didn’t want to risk it getting shattered. It’s very fragile~”

“It’s so very beautiful~ Where did you find it?”

“Turns out the portal Brian created led to an entirely new Realm. It was a paradise. A land of magic and Fae folk.” He decided it best to leave out their capture. It didn’t make any sense to worry his lover unnecessarily. “I found this in a lake with many others. I hoped you would like it~”

“I do, my love~ I shall treasure it~”

John smiled, placing his hands under Dalila’s to lift the delicate Blossom higher to catch the sun’s rays. They laughed as they watched rainbows dance all over the room.

“John, It’s wonderful!!”

“It’s how my heart feels whenever I am with you~”

“I love you too~”

~END~

#Shandi's drabbles #Shandi's KISSteriaverse #tales from Sphynxia #Razzle is desperate to help his Golden Prince #John finally has his perfect gift~#I GAVE MYSELF BEETUS AND IT'S PERFECT

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mxliv-oftheendless · 5 years

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What Happened

We watched The Crucible in History Club today (jeez that movie... that shit was intense man...), so in the spirit of witches and Halloween I decided I’d post my latest story in the Black Dahlia series! I was going to post it on Halloween, but you know what? The witchy mood is high this evening.

Speaking of The Crucible, in the spirit of intensity, hateful bitches, and devastating endings, be warned: this story is not a happy one. Why, you ask? Well, read on to find out. Hope you enjoy!

Today on the Black Dahlia series, it is Halloween night, and what happens tonight will change the course of Black Dahlia’s life forever.

1982

When Black Dahlia accepted Starchild’s invitation to join KISS on Earth, it had only been a moment’s hesitation before she agreed. She missed her best friend, and he missed her too. She knew how to play electric guitar anyway—had gotten quite good at it, in fact. So she’d agreed.

And for a while it was incredible. She’d given herself a new identity—Heather McMann—and KISS had introduced her as their new fifth member, the Black Dahlia, their “harmony guitarist.”

“I’m not sure that’s a thing,” she remembered saying to Starchild, to which he simply replied, “It is now!”

There were some fans of the band who were angry at the new addition, particularly because Black Dahlia was a female. Apparently there was a thing on Earth called “sexism”—it was all bullshit, according to the boys. Besides, she quickly won over most fans when they heard her guitar playing.

Of all the things she thought she would do in her life, she’d never expected it to be this—living on Earth, playing in a band as a harmony guitarist with her betrothed-turned-best-friend and his friends. But it was everything Starchild had said it would be—amazing—and she was loving this new change.

And then, one night, the other shoe dropped.

What happened shouldn’t have happened at all; but then again, things on this particular night never went right, no matter what the year. It was not just any night; it was the night KISS had to be the most vigilant in their guardianship of the Rock of KISSteria. Coincidentally, it was the same day as an Earth tradition called Halloween, but all they knew it as was the night when cosmic circumstances would influence a certain someone to steal the Rock.

They had a fairly easy job; all they had to do was keep the Crimson Witch away from the Rock until dawn. Then the night would be over, her window would be closed, and she would flee. And this time, as Ace so enthusiastically put it, they had the added advantage of her magic.

So when the Crimson Witch inevitably showed up, they were all ready for her. But Black Dahlia couldn’t remember much from before what happened. Her clearer memories began when Starchild and Fox were suddenly on the ground screaming in pain as the Crimson Witch sent red lightning bolts at them. Black Dahlia’s face twisted in rage and she charged forward. A blast of her magic forced the Crimson Witch back, her lightning bolts thankfully disappearing.

The ensuing battle was a blur in her memories. But she remembered the Crimson Witch snarling at her. “You think you can possibly stop me?”

“I can and I will,” Black Dahlia retorted, then spat, “Sister.”

That was her first mistake. The Crimson Witch’s eyes narrowed in rage. “Insolent witch!”

“Pathetic scum!” she shot back, pushing the woman back further with her magic.

That was her second mistake.

“Not even the united powers of the Sisterhood could stop me. And neither will you! I will take the Rock and the Destroyer will feast on your blood!”

Balls of black and purple flames flared up her hands. “I’d like to see you try, Crimson Bitch.”

That was her third mistake.

The Crimson Witch suddenly smiled—it was a wicked, feral grin. “If you insist,”

She suddenly brought her hands up into the air and clenched her fists.

The flames in Black Dahlia’s hands immediately went out. Black Dahlia only had a moment of confusion before she was forced to her knees. There were shouts of surprise behind her, and she was able to momentarily glance over her shoulder. KISS had been forced to groveling on their hands and knees. Once they were down, the Crimson Witch took out a small crystal orb glowing red, and raised it up.

Starchild forced his head up, though the action looked to be paining him. For one fleeting moment, their eyes locked.

Then crimson energy surrounded Black Dahlia’s body, and she was forced up into the air as immense pain shot through her body. Her limbs and body were forced into bending in ways they weren’t supposed to, seizing up. Black Dahlia couldn’t stop the screams of agony from escaping as more and more pain took over her.

Then she felt something happen… something very, very wrong. The magic she normally felt flowing through her was burning, as if someone had set it on fire within her. Her eyes rolled back in her head as the pain turned white-hot. Through it all, the pain and her screaming, she thought she heard Starchild’s voice and the Crimson Witch laughing. Laughing at her torment.

The magic kept burning, but now something else was happening… it was burning away. Leaving her. Terror jolted through her—that wasn’t supposed to happen. Her magic was natural magic, woven into her very essence. It was a part of her, a necessary part of her, without which she couldn’t survive.

She was going to die.

The pain became too much way beforehand, but just when she was sure she wouldn’t be able to hold on much longer, the Crimson Witch released her. She fell to the ground, shockwaves of pain still rolling through her. Her ears were ringing, and she felt a metallic taste in her mouth. Blood. She couldn’t move; she was too weak to move. Her vision was swimming, slowly going dark.

She suddenly heard someone’s voice—was it Starchild’s? “What did you do to her?!”

Faintly, she heard the Crimson Witch. “Enjoy your temporary victory, KISS. This pathetic flower has died!”

The last thing Black Dahlia heard was the sound of the Crimson Witch’s cackle. Then the world went black.

-KISSTERIA-

She was falling. Falling through nothing with no beginning and no end. A dark, cold void. She tried to scream, scream for help, but no sound came out of her mouth.

Why even bother? What the point anymore?

Something appeared before her eyes. A stem with a bud on the tip. The bud grew larger, then it opened. Black petals with tinges of purple and flecks of red burst forth, and before her eyes was a blooming black dahlia.

Then slowly, the tips of the petals began to droop, and the flower began to wilt. The shriveled petals broke off and began to drift away. She reached out, clawing at them, desperate to catch at least one, but they all floated out of her reach, eventually disappearing into the dark nothingness.

She slowly brought her hands down. What the point of trying to catch them? Why did she try? What was the point of trying anymore? Her eyes began to grow heavy. She didn’t want to try, didn’t want to do anything anymore. She just wanted to sleep.

Just before her eyes drifted shut, a faint glint of light broke through the void. A weak, pulsing purple light.

Dahlia…

A voice. It was faint, so quiet she almost didn’t hear it. Did she know that voice?

The purple light grew stronger, breaking through the darkness.

Hold on, Dahlia…

The light became purple ribbons, pulsing with energy. It chased away the cold, encasing her in warmth. The ribbons of energy meshed together, forming a bright purple star.

She lifted her hands and reached for the star, though a part of her was still saying it was pointless, that it would just fade away like the flower petals.

But when her hands cupped the star, she felt it. It was real. She could feel the star pulsing, like a warm heartbeat. Her fingers curled tightly around the star, and she brought it to her chest.

The purple light surrounded her, a warm, comforting light.

Please hold on…

-KISSTERIA-

Warm… she felt warm… there was something covering her… blankets? Blankets.

She no longer felt like she was falling… instead she was lying in a bed. How had she never noticed how soft beds were?

Black Dahlia’s eyes lifted open, and she was staring up at a ceiling.

Immediately, she felt something was wrong. She didn’t feel any more pain, save a pounding in her head, but something felt… off. Not right. Very very wrong.

“D-Dahlia?”

It was a quiet voice, but it still felt like a sword cutting through her head. Black Dahlia hissed in pain and turned her head.

Sitting on the floor against the wall was Starchild. He looked like he had been sitting there for a while. He was staring at her with wide eyes.

“… Hi,” she said quietly, unsure of what else to say.

Within seconds Starchild was on his feet and hugging her tightly. “I can’t believe it,” she heard him say. “We thought—I thought—but then I—”

Dread began to creep through her. “Thought what?”

“We… for a while, we thought you were dead, but… I don’t know what happened, but one day you almost dead, and then the next morning you were well again.” He pulled away. “Do you remember anything?”

“I… I remember the Crimson Witch, and…” The feeling that something was wrong was still nagging her. “Something’s wrong,” she mumbled. “What happened?”

Starchild got a funny look on his face—a look that did nothing to ease Black Dahlia’s uneasiness. “What did she do?” she asked quietly. When he didn’t reply, she repeated, an edge of hysteria to her voice. “Starchild, what did she do?!”

“I don’t know!” Starchild finally burst out. “I truly don’t know, but whatever she did, you nearly died.”

Black Dahlia ran her hands over her face as she tried to remember what happened. “I remember she forced me to my knees,” she said quietly, “then held up a glowing red orb. And then…”

Echoes of her own screams floated into her ears and the memory of the burning sensation passed through her. Burning… Her magic was burning… burning away.

Sheer horror overtook her. No, she had been wrong. Something wasn’t wrong... Something was missing.

“M-My magic…” Tears began to prick at her eyes. “She took my magic…”

Starchild looked horrified. “How could she have taken your magic?”

“Th-The, the orb, sh-she must have cast a spell on the orb and…” Black Dahlia’s throat tightened and she sobbed. “My magic is gone—all of it’s gone!”

She hunched over and began to cry, burying her face in her hands. This couldn’t be happening. She couldn’t be powerless. This had to be a nightmare.

And yet, she knew it was no dream. It was really happening… and it was her fault. If she hadn’t been so stupid as to goad the Crimson Witch, she would still have her magic. But no…

She suddenly felt Starchild’s hands on her shoulders, pulling her close with the intent to hug her. Her hands shot out and shoved him away. “Don’t touch me!” she screamed hysterically. She buried her face in her hands again and cried, curling in on herself.

She had nothing now. She had no magic… and without her magic she was no longer a Sister. The whole point of being a Sister was having natural magic; but it was gone now, which meant she couldn’t be part of the Sisterhood anymore. She had no magic, no Sisterhood—no family—Black Dahlia had nothing.

No—not Black Dahlia. Without her magic, she couldn’t in good conscience be Black Dahlia anymore. She was Heather McMann now. That name was all she had left.

And it was no one’s fault but her own.

You should have let me die…

#black dahlia series #black dahlia #yeesh...#it hurt to write this out #but I wanted to write out What Happened to give a better picture of how heather lost her magic #I tried to set things up so her self-blame is at least a little reasonable #like obviously it's not her fault and everyone knows it's not #but since this is in heather's pov I tried to set up events so that heather would have some reason to blame herself #bc heather's a pretty rational person so I feel she maybe wouldn't blame herself if events didn't happen a certain way #but yeah anyway... that happened #black dahlia loses her magic thanks to the crimson bitch I mean witch #she almost dies; like she seriously almost dies #like she couldn't have gotten any closer to death #thankfully starchild saves her #oh yeah if you couldn't figure it out that's what happened #starchild saves her with the power of FRIENDSHIP #from here on out she's no longer black dahlia #she is now heather mcmann #ALL ABOARD THE ANGST TRAIN BITCHES #kiss au writing #my writing #hope you enjoyed!

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mxliv-oftheendless · 5 years

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Missing You

Riddle me this: Who has two thumbs, is KISS trash, and just got a new phone today? Answer: THIS GIRL! So, logically, there’s only one way to celebrate: writing angst, of course!

Lol but in all seriousness, this is pretty angsty. I actually made myself a little sad writing this. This is the latest installment of the Black Dahlia series, and ties in to @cosmicrealmofkissteria‘s most recent KISSteriaverse drabble Tearful Departure. This features Black Dahlia bonding with Vinneketh, and... well, read on to see what happens. Enjoy!

Black Dahlia never had to deal with scandal before.

Before shipping her off to the Sisterhood, her old family had been perfectly ordinary—at least, from what she remembered they were. And the Sisterhood had only the Crimson Witch tarnishing their otherwise stellar reputation, and even then not many people blamed the Sisterhood for the Crimson Witch anyway. So she had never in her life been forced to deal with scandal.

Until now.

With Starchild leaving for Earth, it obviously meant that their betrothal had to be called off. Naturally, this got the attention of the KISSterian court, and soon pretty much all of KISSteria had heard about it. Not many people cared for very long, thankfully, but the KISSterian court did. The Elder had done a good job of quieting the court, but whenever Black Dahlia was running errands for the Sisterhood and ran into a member of court, they never failed to look haughtily down their nose at her.

So until the rumors went away and people stopped caring, Black Dahlia had decided to stay in the temple as much as possible. Her Sisters reported people were claiming it was because she needed time to move on from her fiancé, which she had a good laugh over. She did miss Starchild, but not that much.

One day, Black Dahlia was carrying a heavy stack of books to return to the library. The stack was so heavy she couldn’t see in front of her very well, and so she was taken by surprise when she suddenly crashed into someone, and the books fell out her hands and crashed to the floor. She swore under her breath and bent down to pick them up.

“Oh gods, I’m so sorry!” she heard a male voice say. “Let me help you,”

She looked up just in time to see a slender young man with black hair bend down to gather books into his arms. “Vinneketh?” she asked in surprise.

Vinneketh looked up, and his own face contorted in surprise. “Black Dahlia! I didn’t expect to see you.”

“Well, I do live here,”

“Well, yes, but… it doesn’t matter. Let me help you with these.”

“It’s all right,” she said as they picked up the books. “Just give me those and I’ll be on my way.”

“Oh no, I couldn’t do that,” he insisted. “There’s so many, you might fall again. I am to blame for it, anyway, I wasn’t looking where I was going.”

Black Dahlia shrugged. “Well, if you insist.”

They stood up and continued on their way to the library, making light conversation as they went. Black Dahlia was pleasantly surprised; she had only met Vinneketh a few times, once when Starchild introduced her to him and Demon, and had been immediately been struck by how serene he seemed compared to Demon. He and Demon were clearly meant for each other, they fit together so beautifully. She even thought once she saw the High Priestess smile and nod in approval when she saw the two of them together.

But when Black Dahlia looked at Vinneketh again, she realized he no longer looked so serene. Instead he looked… troubled. Sad. Even depressed. Was it perhaps because Demon had left with Starchild?

Once they had returned the books, Black Dahlia invited him back to her chambers to have tea. She perhaps shouldn’t be prying, but Vinneketh looked so out of sorts that she couldn’t help but be concerned for him.

“I don’t wish to impose on you—” he began.

“You wouldn’t be imposing,” she immediately said. “I insist.”

Vinneketh bit his lip, but nodded all the same. “All right. Lead the way.”

Black Dahlia smiled and linked her arm through his. “Right this way, good sir.”

She waited until the tea was prepared to say anything. “So what do you think of the temple?” she asked.

“It’s… very imposing from the outside,” said Vinneketh after some thought.

“It is,” Black Dahlia agreed, smiling proudly. “We strike fear into anyone who dares challenge our way of life.”

Vinneketh chuckled quietly and sipped his tea.

“Speaking of the temple,” Black Dahlia began, hoping she sounded casual enough, “why have you come here?”

Instantly Vinneketh froze. “I—uh, I-I was…” The teacup in his hands began to shake. He brought it to his lips and took a long sip.

“You don’t have to answer,” Black Dahlia said, regretting her decision to ask.

Vinneketh lowered his cup, and when Black Dahlia glanced at it she realized it was empty. “N-No, I ought to. I—I came to see if—if a Sister could recommend something for sleeping.”

“Are you having trouble sleeping?” Black Dahlia asked. Vinneketh nodded. “Why?”

She immediately regretted the question, because a look of despair flashed across Vinneketh’s face. “Do… Do you miss Starchild, Black Dahlia?” he asked, looking as though he was struggling to keep it together.

The question caught Black Dahlia off guard, and she had to think for a moment before answering. “Well, yes, I do. He was a wonderful friend and I enjoyed spending time with him.”

“Do you ever… w-worry about him?”

Black Dahlia furrowed her brow, but shrugged. “Sometimes, I suppose. But he can handle himself. Why?”

Vinneketh didn’t reply. His teacup shook even more violently, and he was gripping it so hard his knuckles were turning white. He was no longer looking at Black Dahlia, either, instead down at his cup. As she watched him, she saw a tear fall from his eyes into his teacup.

And Black Dahlia suddenly understood. “Oh, Vinneketh, do you worry about Demon?”

The teacup slipped out of Vinneketh’s hands and fell to the ground, fortunately not shattering. He curled in on himself and began to cry, all the while nodding his head.

Black Dahlia quickly got up and moved to sit beside him, wrapping her arms around him tightly. “It’s all right, Vinneketh…”

“Why?” Vinneketh sobbed. “Why did he have to leave? Why couldn’t he stay?”

“It’s all right, Vinneketh, I’m sure he’s fine—”

“I know that! I know he can take care of himself and the others, but… I just miss him so much, and it hurts!” Vinneketh buried his face in her shoulder and cried. Black Dahlia felt tears of her own gather in her eyes, because Vinneketh’s misery was so heartbreaking.

“I’m sure he misses you too,”

“How can I know that for certain? What if he doesn’t? What if he is out there, having the time of his life, and has f-forgotten all about me?!”

Privately, Black Dahlia highly doubted that, but she didn’t dare say that aloud. Instead she kept her arms around Vinneketh, letting him sob into her shoulder.

“It hurts, Black Dahlia,” he wailed. “It hurts so much!”

“I know,” she soothed. “I know it hurts.”

“Why does it hurt so much?”

“I… I don’t know. I wish I knew.”

Vinneketh just cried even harder, no longer able to form words. Black Dahlia let him cling to her and cry.

It seemed as though they remained like that for ages, but eventually, Vinneketh’s sobs died down to sniffling, and he lifted his head off her shoulder. His face was streaked with tears and his eyes were bloodshot, and he still looked miserable.

Black Dahlia turned to look at the abandoned, and now cold, teapot. Her eyes glowed briefly, and the bottom of the pot turned red as the tea inside heated up again. She reached down to pick up Vinneketh’s teacup, then filled it up with fresh tea. She gave it to Vinneketh. “Here,”

Vinneketh raised the cup to his lips and drank deeply. When he lowered his cup, Black Dahlia rubbed his shoulder. “How are you feeling?”

All Vinneketh could do was shrug. Black Dahlia didn’t press further; instead, she looked down at her shoulder at her now tear-stained robes.

“A-Apologies,” Vinneketh said shakily.

Black Dahlia waved a hand. “It’s all right. Watch this.” She put her hand over the wet spot, and her eyes glowed again. She slowly brought her hand away, bringing with her a stream of water droplets that formed a huge sphere of water. Vinneketh watched in amazement as she flicked her hand, and the huge drop flew over to the huge plant in the corner of her chambers.

“How did you do that?” he asked, voice still shaky.

Black Dahlia smiled. “Magic,” she replied, winking at him.

Vinneketh managed a wet laugh. He took another sip of tea and set his cup aside to wipe the tears off his face. Once he finished, Black Dahlia hugged him again. “I know it’s difficult, and you miss Demon, but it’ll be all right. And I’m sure he misses you every day, just as you do. Until they return, you have me as a friend.”

Vinneketh sniffled and hugged her back. “Th-Thank you,”

“Anytime,”

When he pulled away, Black Dahlia took his hand. “Do you still wish to see about something to help you sleep?”

Vinneketh thought for a moment, then nodded. Black Dahlia stood up, helping him to stand. “Let’s go. I know just who to ask.”

#black dahlia series #Shandi's KISSteriaverse #black dahlia #vinneketh #Demon x Ankh Warrior #black dahlia comforts vinneketh #also it's not stated but she's definitely going to have words with starchild for making demon leave #vinneketh is miserable and needs a good cry #demon and vinneketh are so adorable even the high priestess ships it #maybe someday i'll write something where vinneketh and black dahlia do something fun #but for now they're doing this #ALL ABOARD THE ANGST TRAIN BITCHES #kiss au writing #my writing #once again credit goes to shandi and her KISSteriaverse #hope you enjoyed!

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mxliv-oftheendless · 5 years

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Visitation

Back at it again with Black Dahlia! I just love writing her and Vinneketh. They’re an awesome broship and I love them <3. Just a brief warning, this story is long. Like, really long. Like over 2000 words long. I got kinda carried away. But, y’know, business as usual.

Anyway, today on the Black Dahlia series, Black Dahlia visits Vinneketh in Sphynxia, following @cosmicrealmofkissteria‘s Tales of Spynxia story where Vinneketh goes home to get friend support after Demon leaves, and she ends up fixing the loose ends of an old conflict. I also reference a couple of her KISSteria drabbles, and my own story Intervention, all of which you can read in your own time. Enjoy!

Black Dahlia felt the strange vibrating feeling leave her body as she landed in Sphynxia. Vinneketh was there at the moment, had actually been there for a month now, and the Elder had allowed her to use the Star Portal so she could drop off more sleeping potions for him.

Immediately upon appearing in Sphynxia, she was hit by a blast of heat. The sun beat down, and she immediately wondered how Vinneketh was able to stand the heat all his life.

“Black Dahlia!” Speaking of Vinneketh, there he was, waiting for her, along with an older man she didn’t recognize. He was wearing a clean set of black and gold clothing and was smiling brightly. “It is so wonderful to see you again!”

Black Dahlia smiled back and went to embrace her friend, being careful not to jostle her bag of vials. She was happy to see Vinneketh looking so much better—it seemed going home for a while was definitely the right choice. KISSteria simply held too many memories of his beloved husband. “It’s wonderful to see you as well, Vinneketh. You look radiant.”

Vinneketh lightly pushed her shoulder teasingly. “Oh, hush, you.” He turned to the unknown man. “Master, this is Black Dahlia, of the Sisterhood of the Natural Order. Black Dahlia, this is my Master, Radames Fertari.”

Master Radames came forward, dipping his head and smiling at her. “Greetings, Black Dahlia. It is a privilege to meet a Sister of the Natural Order—I have heard many great things about the Sisterhood. It is also a pleasure to meet you at last; Vinneketh has told us much about you.”

Black Dahlia bowed respectfully. “Please, Master Radames, the pleasure is mine.” She smiled. “And I hope Vinneketh has only told you good things.”

Vinneketh looked mildly insulted. “Of course I have!”

Black Dahlia laughed and gave him the small bag. “Good. Anyway, here are your sleeping potions,”

Vinneketh took the bag and looked inside. “Thank you,”

“Remember,” she said, growing serious, “take only a quarter of each vial per night. A quarter. And don’t drink all of it at once.”

“It was only one time, and to be fair, you never told me I was not supposed to drink it all,” Vinneketh pointed out.

Black Dahlia glared at him. Vinneketh sighed. “I won’t forget. Thank you.”

Black Dahlia nodded in satisfaction, and began to turn around. “It was good to see you again, Vinneketh.”

“Wait,” When Black Dahlia turned around, Vinneketh was frowning at her. “You’re leaving already? You just got here!”

“I have duties to perform at the temple, Vinneketh,” Black Dahlia reminded him. “I can’t just stay for a visit.”

“Who says?” Vinneketh challenged. “I’m sure if you asked the High Priestess, she would allow it.”

“You would be welcome to visit for a while, Black Dahlia,” Master Radames added.

Vinneketh grasped her hand. “Please say you will ask, my friend.”

Black Dahlia wanted to refuse… but she couldn’t say no to that face. Gods dammit. “…Fine. I suppose I can ask Red Lotus if I can stay.”

Briefly, she wondered if she was doing the right thing. But then Vinneketh beamed in delight, and she decided the answer was yes.

-SPYNIXIA-

To Black Dahlia’s delight, the High Priestess gave her permission to stay for ten days. She was even gladder to see Vinneketh’s bright smile when she told him.

Master Radames showed her to her guest chambers, and she thanked him before looking around. They were spacious and rather lavish, designed in light colors, mostly white and gold. They were a bit ostentatious for Black Dahlia, who had spent years living the simple culture of the Sisterhood, but they fit the feel of Sphynxia well. After settling in, Black Dahlia decided to change her clothes, mostly because it was hot—she was sweltering in her black robes.

When she left her chambers to meet Vinneketh for dinner, she was dressed in a white sleeveless dress that fell past her knees with black and gold borders on the hems, and had put her hair in a braided updo to keep it off her neck. As an unintended side effect, her hairstyle left the small black flowers on the right side of her face more visible, but she didn’t mind. And as always, her black dahlia pendant was around her neck, glittering in the Sphynxia sunlight for all to see.

Vinneketh looked at her outfit. “I’ve never seen you in anything that isn’t black,” he remarked. “You look very nice.”

Black Dahlia smiled slightly at her friend, knowing he meant it. “Thank you. Shall we?”

When they entered the dining area, there were already three other people there. They had to be the Warrior Troupe Vinneketh was always talking about. They all looked up when Vinneketh and Black Dahlia entered, and their eyes turned interestedly to Black Dahlia.

“My friends,” Vinneketh said to them all, looking very eager to make the introduction, “may I introduce Black Dahlia of the Sisterhood of the Natural Order.”

One of them, a warrior with wild light brown hair, looked from Vinneketh back to Black Dahlia with an eager look on his face. “This is Black Dahlia?” He grinned. “I was beginning to think she was a myth!”

“Masika,” another one with blond hair with lotus blossoms woven into it said sternly. He turned and inclined his head respectfully to Black Dahlia. “Ignore him. It is an honor to meet the woman Vinneketh has talked about so often, Black Dahlia.”

Black Dahlia bowed her head in return. “The honor is mine—Vinneketh has told me many times of his friends. Vinneketh, won’t you introduce me?”

Vinneketh nodded and led Black Dahlia to the table to introduce her to them. “This is Masika,” the light-brown haired one grinned and waved, “this is Dalila,” the blond one smiled, “and this is Bomani.” Bomani was a muscular warrior with dark brown hair, who nodded respectfully.

Black Dahlia frowned slightly at the name. “Bomani… your name sounds familiar. Have we ever met?”

“I am sure we haven’t,” Bomani responded.

Black Dahlia continued to frown, but shrugged all the same. “Oh well. Perhaps I heard Vinneketh say your name once.”

They all sat down and the meal began. Black Dahlia found herself between Vinneketh and Masika, answering Masika’s extensive questions about the Sisterhood. Dalila occasionally asked a question of his own, while Bomani threw in comments about her answers. When she wasn’t answering questions, she was listening to the four Warriors banter with each other. She was very glad to see Vinneketh smiling and laughing—it was a welcome change.

But she was still having a bit of trouble remembering where she had heard Bomani’s name. Had she heard Vinneketh mention it before? Perhaps he did, and she simply forgot.

“How do you get your names?” he asked. “Surely you aren’t born with names like ‘Black Dahlia’ or ‘Blue Lion.’”

“No, we aren’t,” Black Dahlia replied easily. “Before our initiation, we undergo a Selection, during which we are chosen by a color and either an animal or flower spirit. In my case, for example, I was chosen by the color black and the dahlia flower. The color and the spirit become our name.”

“What about the name you were born with?” Bomani asked, the first time he asked a question of his own.

“We give it up,” Black Dahlia answered simply. “The name we were born with suggests an identity, a life, that we can no longer have. We must give up our given name, and in doing so give up our former life and identity, so that we may take on our new one.”

“You sound very proud to be part of the Sisterhood,” Dalila commented.

Black Dahlia smiled proudly. “Yes, I am. The Sisterhood is my family.”

Vinneketh spoke up. “The Sisterhood also trains its sisters in combat,”

The three Warriors turned to Black Dahlia, all of them looking interested. “Really?” Dalila asked.

Black Dahlia nodded in confirmation. “That is true. It is part of learning discipline.”

“Do you consider yourself a good fighter, Black Dahlia?” Masika asked.

She had to think for a moment before answering, shrugging her shoulders. “I mean, I suppose…”

“You sparred with me once, remember?” Vinneketh reminded her. “You were incredible.” He said to the other three, “I have seen Black Dahlia’s fighting; she was not using her magic, but I am sure if she was, I wouldn’t have stood a chance.”

“Well now, that’s a bit of an exaggeration—”

Masika smacked his hand down on the table. “It’s settled then. Tomorrow, I challenge you to a duel!” he proclaimed dramatically to Black Dahlia.

Black Dahlia raised an eyebrow at him, then broke into a smile and laughed. “Challenge accepted, good sir!”

-SPHYNXIA-

Over the next few days, Black Dahlia had quite an enjoyable visit. She dueled with Masika, and although he won, he did admit her skills were impressive. After some pleading (mainly from Masika), she showed the Warrior Troupe a bit of what she could do with her magic by regrowing dead plants around the temple garden, and standing in one place as she did so. The looks of stunned amazement on their faces were just a little gratifying. She also spent time with Vinneketh as they had done in KISSteria, having tea and talking.

“Are you sure you never tire of this?” she asked once.

Vinneketh shook his head. “Of course not! I enjoy talking to you.”

Black Dahlia smiled. “Well, I enjoy talking to you, too,”

Another thing she did was spend some time with Master Radames, who showed her the magic they used in Sphynxia. It was rather different from the Sisterhood’s, as while the Sisterhood drew from the power of nature, Sphynxia drew power with help from their gods. It was interesting, but Black Dahlia preferred her own magic.

She also spent time with Dalila in his admittedly-impressive lotus garden. He had grown them all himself and took very good care of them all. It was very peaceful to sit in the garden and have tea, so she and Vinneketh often had their talks there.

Once again, she was happy to see her friend doing so well. He had come so far from the day he burst into tears in her chambers at the temple. It was clear he still missed his dear husband every day, but the hurting feeling was beginning to lessen.

The only person she didn’t spend time with was Bomani. For some reason unknown to her, he kept his distance from her. And she certainly tried to engage him; she offered to spar with him, asked if he wished to have tea with her, ever asked him if he had any questions about the Sisterhood. But every time, he declined.

Black Dahlia wasn’t sure why he was doing it, but she knew when it had begun: it had begun the evening after her duel with Masika. She was dining with the troupe, and they were asking her about her life in KISSteria.

“Vinneketh told us you almost married the Prince,” Dalila said at one point. “Is that true?”

Black Dahlia nodded, smiling at the thought of her friend. “Yes, it is. Truth be told, I am glad marriage never happened. I adore Starchild, but simply as a good friend, and nothing else.”

Bomani suddenly looked up at the mention of Starchild’s name. “Did you say ‘Starchild’?”

Black Dahlia furrowed her brow in confusion. “Yes. Why?”

“… No reason. I apologize.” Then he looked back down at his plate.

From that moment on, Bomani kept his distance. Black Dahlia was just as confused about that as she was about where she had heard his name.

On the fifth day of her visit, Black Dahlia decided to bring it up to Vinneketh when they were having tea together in Dalila’s garden. “Vinneketh…”

“Yes?”

“Why has Bomani been avoiding me?”

Vinneketh blinked in surprise. “I am not sure. Do you know when it began?”

“It began on my first full day when I was having dinner with you all, I think. Dalila asked if it was true that I almost married Starchild, and…”

Understanding suddenly dawned on Vinneketh’s face, and he nodded. “Ah. I remember that. I understand, now.”

“What does it mean?”

Vinneketh set down his teacup. “Did Starchild ever tell you of the time Demon and I were arguing?”

Black Dahlia thought back to that. “Yes. He told me you smashed two perfectly nice vases while you were at it.”

Vinneketh rolled his eyes at that, but continued. “Well, did he tell you how it began?”

“I… do not think so. He said it wasn’t his business to tell me—so I do not think he knew.”

“He must have told you before we told him, then. It all began because… well, here.”

Vinneketh took Black Dahlia’s hand and guided it up to his forehead. Black Dahlia realized what he was doing—it was a memory-viewing tactic taught to her by the Sisters that allowed them to see the memories of others.

Black Dahlia’s eyes glowed black, red, and purple, while Vinneketh’s glowed gold, and suddenly they were both in Vinneketh’s memories. His astral form, a beautiful golden one, took the hand of hers, which was swirling black, red, and purple, and guided her as they flew through the memories.

And Black Dahlia saw everything.

“One of the reasons I came here was to bring you back to Sphynxia so we could be wed!”

“BUT I LOVE YOU!”

“TAKE YOU FILTHY HANDS OFF OF HIM BEFORE I INCINERATE YOU!!”

“I will not allow you to spill each other’s blood just to gain my favor!”

“Treasure… I…”

“DO NOT SPEAK! WHATEVER CONFLICT THAT HAS TAKEN PLACE HERE IS NOW OVER!”

“He has his own bed!”

“Can you not see that I am healing him? He cannot be moved!”

“What were you two fighting about?”

“It’s… simply rather… upsetting.”

“What happened?”

“A piece of filth called Bomani,”

“Starchild, what did you do?”

“Nothing. I had a talk with him, is all.”

Black Dahlia blinked, and she was back in her chair in Dalila’s garden. Her eyes were wide in shock from what she just witnessed. Vinneketh was gazing at her with a rather sad look on his face.

Bomani… she at least understood the part he had to play in all of that. She wondered what Starchild had done to shut him up like that. But even so… that still didn’t excuse what he had done.

“… Do you want me to kill him for you?”

Vinneketh immediately huffed and rolled his eyes in annoyance. “Again? Why are you two so—never mind. No, you do not need to kill him. If you must know, Starchild convinced him to end his attempt at a betrothal.”

“How?”

Vinneketh shrugged. “He wouldn’t tell me,”

“I’m not so sure,” Black Dahlia said, thinking back to how Bomani had been avoiding her. “If it has all been resolved, why has Bomani been avoiding me?”

Vinneketh did not have an answer for that.

-SPHYNXIA-

The next day, Black Dahlia was back in Dalila’s garden, waiting for Bomani. She knew he would pass the garden, because according to Masika, he always went this way on his way to the training hall.

She glanced over at the teapot. In order to throw off suspicion, she had poured a cup for herself, but in the teapot was not just tea. There was also a potion in there that had been taught to her by one of her teachers: it was a form of a truth potion, but it didn’t force its victims to tell the truth. Instead, it merely exerted a strong influence over them, convincing them they should tell the truth. She had brewed it last night, deciding if she was going to settle this, she needed extra insurance that Bomani would tell her the truth and not lie.

Sure enough, just as Masika said, Black Dahlia heard footsteps and saw Bomani pass the entrance to the garden, weapon in hand. She straightened up and put on a smile. “Bomani!”

Bomani froze and turned to her. She continued to smile pleasantly. “Good morning. I just made a pot of tea, and I insist that you join me.”

Bomani glanced around awkwardly. “I… I would love to, but I must go train…”

Black Dahlia scoffed lightly. “Oh, come on, I’m sure it can wait. Vinneketh says you are always training.”

At the mention of Vinneketh, Bomani was hooked. “Does he?”

“He does. He cares about all his friends. Come, please join me.”

“I… I suppose,”

Black Dahlia smiled victoriously and poured out a cup for him as he came and sat down, gently placing his weapon beside his seat. She pushed the cup towards him, smiling eagerly. “Take a sip. It’s a special brew I learned from the Sisters.”

Bomani gingerly picked up the cup and took a sip, and Black Dahlia watched him swallow. She hid her smile in her own cup. “Well, what do you think?”

Bomani put down his cup and thought for a moment. “It is… good. The Sisters taught you well.”

Black Dahlia’s smile turned a tad genuine at the mention of her family. “I know,”

There was a beat of silence, then Bomani asked, “Does Vinneketh say… anything else about me?”

Black Dahlia had to hide some of her surprise when she heard how he sounded rather hopeful. She didn’t think the potion would take effect that quickly. “Only to say he is glad to have you as a friend. He thinks of you as a brother-in-arms.” At Bomani’s visible disappointment, she decided to take a chance. “Why? What else would he say?”

“I… I do not know… I apologize, I do not know why I asked that…”

“I think I know.” When Bomani looked up at her she continued. “I think you asked because you still love him.”

In the pause that followed, Bomani looked reminiscent of a trapped animal. Hoping the potion would work, Black Dahlia asked, “Do you?”

Bomani’s mouth opened and closed a few times before he answered, looking rather ashamed of himself. “I… yes, I do.”

Black Dahlia set down her cup and leaned forward, deciding that even if the potion was working she still had to be honest with him. “Bomani, I will be honest with you, as long as you will be honest with me. I asked you to have tea with me because I have noticed you’ve been avoiding me. I think it has to do with the fact that I know Starchild, and Starchild told you to end your pursuit of Vinneketh. Is that right?”

Bomani still looked ashamed, but nodded all the same. “Yes… it is.”

“What did he say to you, if I may ask?”

“He threatened to do worse than what he already done, and that he would not hold back… Vinneketh’s mate… either.”

Black Dahlia nodded in understanding. “I see. Well, I know Starchild, and I can tell you that he makes good on his threats. He’s not someone who makes threats lightly, and besides, you did threaten the happiness of his closest friend. Well, closest friend besides me.”

“But I can’t help it!” Bomani burst out. “I… I can’t help how I feel for Vinneketh. It… It isn’t something I can simply wish away.”

“Bomani… you do know neither of you would be happy?” When Bomani looked at her she continued. “I have seen Vinneketh’s memories of your pursuit of him. What you want from him would not be a meaningful relationship. And Vinneketh, as much as he cares for you, would not be happy in a relationship with you. Besides, Vinneketh is married now, and would never betray Demon. Ultimately, you would both be miserable.”

Bomani looked to be contemplating her words. “Then… what do you suggest I do?”

“My advice? Try to move on. There are plenty of other people in Sphynxia. If you spend so much time agonizing over why it isn’t working with Vinneketh, you are keeping yourself from finding someone you truly connect with and love. I think you will find that person.”

Bomani’s face turned hopeful. “You do?”

Black Dahlia nodded, and this time she was genuine. “I do,”

“But… what about Vinneketh? I cannot change what I did for all those years.”

“Ask his forgiveness. I am certain he will forgive you if he sees that you are truly sorry, which I think you are. In fact, I think he’s down at the training hall if you want to apologize to him now.

“I… I think I will do that. Thank you, Black Dahlia.” Bomani looked down at his teacup rather sheepishly. “Also, I never told you why I was avoiding you, which I do apologize for. I… I thought you were spying on me for Starchild.”

Black Dahlia raised an eyebrow at him, then started to laugh. “That’s… That’s kind of funny, actually.”

Bomani started to smile. “I suppose it is silly,”

Laughing, Black Dahlia set down her teacup and got to her feet. “Come on. Let’s go find Vinneketh.”

-SPHYNXIA-

Vinneketh was indeed at the training hall. Black Dahlia allowed Bomani to go in first, and patiently waited until she heard silence. Smiling, she entered the chamber, and found the two Warriors embracing each other.

Over Bomani’s shoulder, Vinneketh saw Black Dahlia, and broke away. “Black Dahlia, I did not see you there.” He smiled. “Bomani was just—”

“I know,” she interrupted. “Did you accept his apology?”

Vinneketh glanced at Bomani and smiled. “Yes, I have.” Then he went over to her, and hugged her tightly.

Black Dahlia tensed, then hugged him back. “You really must stop hugging me unexpectedly,” she said aloud.

“That’s not going to happen anytime soon,” Vinneketh said cheerfully. Then Black Dahlia heard him whisper into her ear, “I don’t know what you said to him, but thank you.”

Black Dahlia smiled. “You’re welcome. I simply… helped him to see the truth.”

“Black Dahlia,” said Bomani when they stepped away from each other, “your fighting the other day was very impressive. But Masika is more suited for hand-to-hand combat. I wonder… how would you do with a weapon?”

Black Dahlia smiled hopefully. “Is that an invitation?”

Bomani twirled his double-bladed fan axe and smiled at her. “It is a challenge,”

Black Dahlia’s smile widened. “Well, challenge accepted, good sir. Let me go fetch my staff.”

#black dahlia series #black dahlia's in Sphynxia cuz she can't say no to vinneketh #she also meets the wonderful warrior troupe #lol i'm just gonna start calling them that because it sounds so funny XD #I know the conflict was mostly settled #but bomani still possibly has feelings for vinneketh and i just like to be thorough #black dahlia will kill a bitch if they threaten her friends’ happiness #so you can see why she gets along so well with starchild #black dahlia’s going to fix all the problems and NO ONE CAN STOP HER #lol #truth potions; works every time #a moment of silence for the vases #Shandi's KISSteriaverse #kiss au writing #hope you enjoyed!

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mxliv-oftheendless · 5 years

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Black Dahlia

So I actually had ideas for the world of KISSteria before @cosmicrealmofkissteria‘s KISSteriaverse, but never had the courage to write them up until now. So this is my attempt to bridge the gap between my ideas and Shandi’s; hopefully it works!

This is the first part of what I’m calling the Black Dahlia series, and it follows my OC. I’ll probably post a biography of her later, but for now enjoy this!

Today was the day. The day She had been waiting for her entire life.

Today She was to officially join the Sisterhood of the Natural Order as a witch.

The Sisterhood of the Natural Order was the official order of witches of KISSteria. To join you must have not just an affinity for magic, but also the discipline and the drive to endure the powers you possessed. And She had demonstrated all of those qualities. After years of learning and honing her abilities, She was finally going to join the Sisterhood.

Joining the Sisterhood was an indescribable honor. It was said that the Elder herself was taught by the Sisterhood, but of course the High Priestesses never confirmed or denied that.

She was bristling with anticipation for the Sister to come through the doors and escort the new initiates into the hall. She had waited the past ten years of her life to join the Sisterhood, so theoretically she could wait a few more moments. But in reality… it wasn’t so simple.

She looked down at her clothes. They were all wearing simple hooded robes of white with a brown cord tied around the waist. The cord was held together by a brooch that showed their symbol, whether it be a flower or an animal. They had all been chosen by some flower or animal, and the thing that had chosen them was to be their name from now on. They also wore silver circlets around their heads, that also showed off their chosen symbol.

She fingered the brooch thoughtfully. Hers was a black dahlia, which according to the Sisters was a flower that hardly ever chose an initiate. It was something she felt rather proud of, that the black dahlia had chosen her.

The doors opening made her look up, and she and the rest of the girls in the room stood as a Sister entered. “Come, ladies. It is time,”

They followed the Sister into the ceremony hall. It was a large hall with statues of the KISSterian gods lining the walls. At the end of the hall were the High Priestesses, sitting on stools dressed in their ceremonial robes. Above all the High Priestesses were indentations in the stone wall. It was said that those indentations were where the KISSteria Crystals had been, before they were used to form the Rock of KISSteria.

Beside the High Priestesses sat the Elder. There had been a rumor that she would attend the ceremony today, but She hadn’t believed it. Then She noticed that sitting beside the Elder was Prince Starchild, who was watching interestedly as the initiates approached. She wasn’t expecting him.

The High Priestesses rose from their stools as the Sister led the initiates to their assigned places. The Elder and the prince rose as well. “Today marks a new beginning for all of you,” the first began.

“Today we welcome you into the Sisterhood of the Natural Order.”

“You all have shown great promise, and we could not be prouder of who you have all become.”

“Now by the grace of the gods of KISSteria and of the Natural World, the time has come for you to join us as Sisters of the order.”

The girls all knelt before the High Priestesses, bowing their heads.

“Do you swear to uphold the good laws and teachings of the Sisterhood?”

“I swear,” the girls replied.

“Do you swear to follow the path of light, and to never allow your hearts to be blackened?”

“I swear,”

“Do you swear to use your gifts for the good of the Sisterhood and KISSteria?”

“I swear,”

The High Priestesses all raised their staffs. They were staffs made of polished wood with intricate designs carved into them, and on the ends were crystal orbs. Their orbs glowed their respective colors, and waves of colored mist were sent out to envelope the new initiates. Immediately She felt a strange feeling envelope her. All part of the ceremony.

“Now you must abandon what you were before coming to us,”

“You must leave behind your families, your loved ones, even your names,”

“Do this, and you will be ready for all you still have to learn,”

The new initiates took this as their cue to speak. “I abandon my past life, so I may begin anew. I leave behind my family, my loved ones, and my name so I may adopt my new identity. I do this to be ready for all I have yet to learn.”

The symbols on their circlets began to glow their chosen colors, and the colors surrounded them all. Out of the multicolored mist rose calling animals and blooming flowers. The calls of the animals filled the hall, while petals broke off the flowers and swirled around their chosen ones.

Then memories began to flash through her mind. All of them were memories of the life she had known before… of the people she thought had been her family. The so-called family that had cast her aside to the Sisterhood, just so she could be out of their lives.

Well, they hardly mattered now. Now, she could be a new person, with a new life, and a new family.

The mist began to clear. The animals and the flowers sank back down into their chosen initiates, and She felt the strange feeling leave her body. The memories faded as well.

“You have willingly left behind your lives to begin new ones,” said the head of the High Priestesses. She could hear the smile she had. “You have knelt before us today as students, who still have much to learn. Arise now, as Sisters of the Natural Order.”

As Black Dahlia rose with her new Sisters, she let a smile come to her face. This was her new beginning, her new life.

And this time, she wasn’t going to waste it.

#Shandi's KISSteriaverse #black dahlia series #*jazz hands*#ta daaaa #hope y'all enjoyed #i'll probably write more in my spare time #but for now enjoy this #kiss au writing #my writing

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