Your springs are reacting. You feel...embarassed.
I don't have the time to draw this out in a complete comic like I'd like to, so enjoy the drabble below in its stead! I was inspired from this scene from Hellboy. Also...a mild excuse just to write these two idiots at their peak dynamic.
(to sum up: Pinocchio, a good influence on P? Questionable. A good brother from another reality? Perhaps. The Lampwick they are discussing is not the canon one, but @/wildartsstuff’s)
"Alright, let's see it," Pinocchio waved a hand out as he stepped into the room.
"It is nothing," Pino had insisted yet again. His springs reacted to the lie, he thinks, but he was too distracted by the approaching puppet. “It is just a record.”
“Nothing, huh?” Pinocchio pressed.
“Yes. I enjoy listening to them?”
“Yeah—and you always listen to them downstairs in the lobby, not in one of the furthest rooms away from where everyone else sleeps. You don’t even have Gemini on your belt.”
“He is resting.”
“Right.”
A long silence passed between them.
Wood was lighter than metal—that was just a simple fact. While Pino had become very light on his feet, the weight difference could not be ignored as he tried to keep the record album cover out of reach. Standing up only helped so much, despite the height difference. Instead, Pinocchio simply jumped on the bed, and without hesitation snatched the record album cover from Pino’s hand.
“…’Love Sonnets of Krat”…?” Pinocchio squinted as he read the title out loud.
The two puppets exchanged looks.
“Oh…buddy…” his brows raised as Pino shrunk back a little. “…don’t tell me this is about Lampwick.”
At that, Pino finally slumped back to sit on the bed again. Pinocchio plopped down beside him.
“He…makes me feel. He has been kind…and he teaches me things I never thought I would learn.”
“You really need to get out more,” Pinocchio sighed as he lounged back. He grimaced. “Oh…fuck me, I’m starting to talk like Anthony.” He hung his head back with a groan. “Great…”
Something about the look Pinocchio gave him made his springs and gears tighten. He assumed this was…irritation? “I really care about him.”
They stared at each other.
Pinocchio nodded, sympathetically. He pushed himself off the bed, and Pino watched the puppet rummage through the drawers and cupboards of the extravagant room. He made a satisfied sound at some point, pulling out a bottle of…if he recalled, the old woman by Venigni’s factory called it a ‘tipple’…?
He heard a popping sound, and Pinocchio walked back to sit beside him again.
“You’re in love,” Pinocchio concurred, and he held the bottle in his direction. “—have a drink.”
Pino shook his head.
“Can you drink?”
“Yes—I can drink things, it’s the eating that I can’t really do.”
“Do you wanna try?”
His gaze shifted. “…I don’t think Father would approve,”
“You have to go anywhere?”
“Well…no, Venigni has to decode a—”
“Just take a swig.”
He took the bottle, looking over the label before hesitantly raising the bottle to his lips. The flavor was strong, strong enough to make his joints jolt. He looked at the label again, quietly feeling a warmth fill his stomach. It felt somewhat similar to the warmth that would come when his springs would react to a lie, but…something told him this was different.
“Good, yeah?”
He stared at the bottle in wonder. “An old woman asked me to bring her some, once,” “She said that it was important for her to have.”
Pinocchio snorted. “Oh yeah?
“…Why not talk to your Geppetto about…what you’re feeling?”
“…I…do not think Father would approve…”
“Yeah? That a fact…” Pinocchio watched as he took another sip from the bottle before scooting back to lean against the pillows. Pino mimicked him, and the two sat side by side.
“…Which song was it?”
“The last one, I think.”
Pinocchio flipped the album cover over in his hands, looking through the lists of songs. He looked up at Pino as though he were a sodding wet puppy lost in the storm that currently raged outside the hotel. “…’Aimer’…?” When he got a nod for an answer, Pinocchio heaved a long sigh. “Yeap, I’m gonna need a drink, too.”
“It’s a nice song,” Pino insisted as he watched Pinocchio stand and walk over to the record player to place the needle at the beginning again. “I like it a lot.”
“Ain’t that just the way,” Pinocchio sighed.
“What way?”
“It’s a metaphor, kid. Grimme that bottle.”
Pino silently handed the bottle over to Pinocchio as he plopped back down on the bed. It surprised him, a little, that he could handle such a thing so palatable despite being a puppet. Wasn’t the feeling overwhelming?
The two sat in silence for a while, listening to the music that played while passing the bottle between each other.
By halfway through the second listen-through of the album, only a little less than a third was left.
“Have you ever been in love…?”
“Oh yeah,” Pinocchio scoffed loudly. “Lots’a times.” He took a long drink. “Fuckin’…fuckin’ sucks,” he said as he passed the bottle.
“What did it feel like, for you?”
“Like…like…you’re gonna throw up your insides,” Pinocchio gestured vaguely. “Your insides an’ butterflies an’ flowers…get all…warm ‘n fuzzy—just wanna curl in their arms all the time, feelin’ safe ‘n warm…”
Pino was thoroughly confused, and he frowned. “But that doesn’t sound bad at all…”
“You ever throw up before?”
“No…I don’t think so,”
Pinocchio was insulted. “Oh—oh he jus’ keeps on winnin, don’tcha?!” He said, snatching the bottle when it was held out to him. He glared into it. “Get to look all…human on the outside, like a…perfect pretty-boy,” he turned the bottle end upright when he drank. “—even the people tryin’a kill you think yer…all hot, an’ now he’s sayin’ he never even…puked on the sidewalk,” he slumped back in a huff, and considered. “Well…just wait ‘till mornin’—you’ll change your tune then. Probably, if you actually can,” Pinocchio grumbled, absently tugging at the necklace under his shirt.
“‘Ssat…?” Pino asked, gingerly taking back the bottle.
“Whus what?”
“Ssat—“ Pino poked at Pinocchio’s chest.
“Keep my ‘gagement ring on a necklace,” Pinocchio said, pulling on the chain to hold up the plain gold ring attached to it. “Lose it if I didn’t—doin all…flips an’ stuff fightin…”
“Who is she?”
Pinocchio snorted. “His name is Razel. Think you’re the only gay…puppet twink?” He waved Pino over. “Gimme that, ‘m gettin ‘nother sip,”
Pino pouted as he handed Pinocchio the bottle.
“Don’t gimme that look,”
“You…don’t like me, do you.” It came out more like a statement than a question.
And for what it was worth, it did catch Pinocchio off guard. He stared at the automation for a long while. Eventually, he sighed. “No, I…didn’ ever say that—I don’t…not like you?”
“You get angry at me all the time…and…everything about my…being, seems to upset you,”
Pinocchio hung his head with an even longer sigh. “No, I…fuck, okay, look,” he pacifyingly handed the wine to Pino. “—allathat…it’s…that all ‘cause’of my own problems, got nothing to do with you,” he watched as Pino took a tentative sip before glancing away. “Ah…I dunno…jus’…jealous of you, guess...even if it’s all gone to hell here, you’ve still got it somehow made here!” He gestured widely. “You live in this fancy five-star hotel, you’ve…got friends, and actually manage to keep ‘em, your papa actually seems to like you…you didn’t even really have to learn to fight, allathat came natural!” He grimaced at the ceiling. “Then…there’s me—stuck in this…block’a wood, just about every friend I came across as a kid pretty much died…an’…papa…my papa’s…gone. Not that he liked me much, anyway…”
Pino looked around the extravagant bedroom, his gaze settling on the window. He stared quietly at the raindrops that slid down the glass.
“…You…can feel things,” Pino said, his voice quiet. “You always could have…you never needed to learn. You…can get angry, frown, and smile,”
“You can do that too, though,”
“Not smile. Smiling is…difficult. It looks…’uncanny’, that’s what I heard.” Pino looked down at his legion arm, flexing his fingers. “Appearances only go so far…when people hear my gears…they usually turn. I’m…not a who—I’m a what.”
"'...s'all stuff you can learn, though..."
"You can cry."
"Can't you?"
"I don't think so—I don't think I have tear ducts."
They looked at each other, something in that silence making the two sober up a little.
Pinocchio glanced away. “Right…guess…there’s always gotta be somethin’,” he mumbled.
“I don’t like killing things, all the time…”
“Preachin’ to the choir,” Pinocchio said.
“What do I do after this is done…?”
“Fuck if I know that answer—I barely knew what I was doing when I was actually a human.”
They both grew silent again, somehow feeling drunker in those few minutes than when they had gotten halfway through the wine bottle.
“Bah, that’s it—sober moment over. Where…where is your lover-boat, anyways?” Pinocchio snuck in an extra sip before Pino had clumsily taken the bottle.
“He…he’s…he…” Pino struggled to finish the thought. “Treasure.” He decided on.
Pinocchio hummed. “Right, yeah…s’a…thing here, yeah…”
Pino peeked into the bottle, fascinated by the way the red liquid rolled inside. He swayed side to side. He looked at Pinocchio as though he had suddenly sprouted butterfly wings from his ears.
“…Huh?”
“I said—” Pinocchio stopped, briefly forgetting just what he had said. “I said—what kind of market does this place even have?”
“Oh, it’s…it’s…it’s…” Pino’s brows furled as he absently drank from the bottle. He had downed half of what was left without even realizing he had done it, for he was too focused on thinking.
“Hey, hey—” Pinocchio swatted at his hands, managing to pry the bottle away when they became unsteady. “—you gotta…gotta take it easy, you can’t jus’ go an’—”
“…s’like…jus’ one…”
Pinocchio squinted at Pino as if he had suddenly sprouted the ears of a jackass.
“Huh?”
“Only…really…see one…” Pino motioned vaguely. “’ryone’s…i’side—inside…houses,” he made a box shaped gesture. “Windows’all…shut…’cept for…sometimes,”
“Like tipple lady,” Pinocchio concluded.
“Yes,”
“Yeah,”
“Mmhm.”
“Got it.” Pinocchio took a sip, and then another. “Okay so…treasure…guy…”
“Lam’wick,”
“Yeah, that guy,” Pinocchio passed the bottle back, and heaved a deep sigh. “I wish Anthony were here…he’d know what to do—what to tell ya. He’s’a cricket, so ya know he’s real smart an'all, an’ gives good advice an’ stuff…”
“Cricket…” Pino said, moodily staring down the bottle. “…Glow.”
“Nope, not mine,”
“No glow?”
“No glow. He’s…” Pinocchio gestured high above his head. “..s’all tall an’…an’ he’s a doctor, he's…doctor, so all extra-smart…”
They both grew quiet.
“…I don’t…think he’d…like me,”
“Wick,”
“Mm-mm. Doesn’t like…puppets. Calls Father an me…devil,” Pino frowned. “’M notta devil, m' a…puppet,”
“Preachin’ to the choir,” Pinocchio chorused. “Cross a bingo, take a shot—nobody ever likes us wherever we are,”
Pino turned the empty bottle upside down. “Fox…an’ cat,”
“Oh you got a pair too, huh,”
“Cat…called me…dumbass,”
“’bout right.”
“Wick wouldn’…want a dumbass,”
“Fuck that cat,” Pinocchio slurred aggressively. “You’re not—you’re…smarter n’…probably any version of us out there,” he shook Pino, drawing his attention away when the automation tried to use the wine bottle like a telescope. “’Sides, bein’…bein’ kinda a dumbass is our personal brand’a specialty. If Wick don’t want that then…then…he can…stick…” he squinted, trying to concentrate. “…’m too drunk to think of a insult, but…but that’s what you should think if that’s how he gets,” Pinocchio concluded as he flopped onto his back. He waved a finger in the air, mumbling something, but Pino was having a hard time concentrating on much else, at this point.
He blew into the bottle, the loud sound coming from it startling him.
Polendina knocked before entering the room, Gemini in hand. “Excuse me, but your lantern keeps requesting to be with you, and it is important to not leave your items unattended…” he stopped short, watching the pair of raven-haired puppets snooze away while slumped over one another.
“What the heck happened here?!” Gemini cried as Polendina stepped around to get a closer look.
“Ah.” He picked up the empty bottle, having long since been abandoned at the bedside.
“Ohh, I don’t think Geppetto would like this one bit,” Gemini said.
“There is no need to say anything,” Polendina concluded. He set the empty bottle on the dresser, and placed Gemini at the bedside table. “After all, there are seldom moments of rest.”
“True…I’ll keep an eye on them, regardless.”
“I shall come by later to check in.” Polendina said, leaving for the door. He stopped, thinking for a moment before closing it.
Perhaps he should prepare some hot towels for when they wake.
54 notes
·
View notes
Hi-Fi Rush down No Straight Roads: Fanfic Drabble: Guitar Lessons
So I really like the idea of the crossover of NSR and HFR (As seen from my last post). I wanted to post a quick little fanfic idea for it! So here it is!
Summary: Chai (Post Game) looks up guitar lessons online, so he could be able to practice more professionally. Every lesson he goes to though, each instructor cannot stand listening to his awful tuning and talkative attitude. Feeling hopeless, Chai feels like he’s never going to learn to play. That is, until Peppermint tells him that someone she knows might be able to keep up with his chaos.
“That’s it, that was the 5th one.”
Chai throws himself onto the couch next to 808, who immediately jumps on his chest and lays down purring. Peppermint, whose in the middle of modifying her leg, looks up at him from her desk.
“Another one bailed on you?”
“Geeh, what gave it away this time?”
“You proclaiming ‘that was the 5th one’ to the world and looking like you got hit by a wave of criticism and ridicule. I dunno, I’m just guessing.”
Chai sat up and pouted at her.
“You don’t understand Pep, I’ve now been through five different instructors at this point and all of them say the same thing, it’s-”
“It’s not you, but I feel like we’re on different musical levels here, and I feel like it’d be best for you to find a new instructor.”
She made direct eye contact with him and sighed
“Am I right, or am I right?”
He groaned in frustration and slummed back down into the couch. 808 had to readjust herself once again to be able to lay down properly.
“It’s the same thing over and over, it’s either I’m tone deaf, my tuning isn’t right, I played the wrong note seven times in a row, I’m not shutting up, or I’m not feeling the music correctly. Which, how is that even possible when I literally have a music player in my freaking chest!?”
He groaned again, but then sighed sadly
“Maybe I should give up trying to learn how to play professionally, if this is all I’m gonna hear...”
Peppermint shot him a confused glace
“You? Chai? Giving up?”
“At this point, yeah. What else am I going to do?”
Peppermint got up and made her way over to Chai and grabbed him by the scarf.
“Hey, what are you- WAHH-”
She pulled him up from the couch, causing 808 to fly off him and jump back down on the floor.
“You literally took down a corporate overlord and his goonies from using a mind control program on the public just a few months ago. And now I’m hearing you give up because some music instructors said some mean things to you?”
He looked at her nervously
“I-I umm, not...exactly...M-Maybe I shouldn’t have worded it like that. I’m just being dramatic.”
He awkwardly chuckled, trying to brush off her comment. She looked at him for a second but then quickly let go of his scarf and made her way back to her desk and turned on her computer and quickly starts typing away.
“Umm...what are you doing?”
“I’m gonna help you with this myself. The Chai I know never gives up on something as miniscule as this. Plus, you moping around the hideout for the past 2 weeks is starting to get on my nerves.”
“Y-Yeah? What are you doing exactly? And....why are you pulling up your messages?”
She continued typing
“I’ll tell you in a second. I gotta see if she responds first.”
“Who are you messaging-”
“I said I’ll tell you in a second, hold on.”
Chai sighs and crosses his arms impatiently.
A few minutes later, Peppermint is getting a video call on her computer and she quickly turns on her webcam as she accepts the call. The caller from the other side hasn’t turned on their camera yet, but quickly says
“Oh! Give me a minute to turn on my camera Pep Pep!”
Chai, looking over from the side was very confused
“Pep Pep?”
He then snorts a little and whispers to Peppermint
“You let them call you Pep Pep?”
“I’m about two seconds away from ripping off your arm, then I’ll give you something to cry about.”
“O-Okay...”
The person then turns on their camera, and Chai is met face to face with a girl with blonde hair, tied up in three separate ponytails, two braids on the sides of her head, vibrant purple and violet eyes, and orangish skin.
“Pep Pep!! It’s been so long since we’ve last talked! How’s everything been? How’s your mom doing? How’s the company doing?”
Peppermint laughed a little
“Everything’s fine Mayday. Mom’s doing good too. I’m sorry it took so long to reach back out to you, been working on a bunch of different projects.”
Mayday laughed
“You were always one to throw yourself into your projects, Pep Pep.”
“Same can be said about your music, May. Speaking of which, how’s that going for you?”
“Still decent, me and Zuke just did a gig a few nights back and it went pretty well!”
Mayday then directed her attention to Chai
“By the way, whose that? He’s just kinda standing there.”
Peppermint sighed
“Oh, sorry. This is my friend, Chai. He’s a idiot who can’t introduce himself properly.”
Chai whipped his head towards her
“Rude much!!”
Mayday giggled
“He seems fun! A little awkward, but fun!”
Peppermint sighed
“Yeah, he’s actually the reason why I wanted to call you in the first place.”
“Yeah? Why?”
Mayday then quickly gasped
“Is he your boyfriend, Pep Pep!?!”
Peppermint and Chai gagged and yelled
“NO! HE’S NOT!!”
“SHE’S NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!!”
Mayday laughed
“I’m kidding! He’s not your type anyways, so if you said he was I would’ve been surprised!”
Peppermint laughed awkwardly
“Yeah, if I ever dated someone like him, I must’ve been desperate.”
“HEY!! I’VE BEEN THROUGH ENOUGH TODAY!!”
Mayday then leaned back in her chair
“So, what’s this all gotta do with him?”
Peppermint sighed and looked back up at her
“I need you to teach him to play guitar May.”
Mayday and Chai both looked up at her
“What.”
There u go, idk if I’ll do this again but this is what I got. Hope you all enjoyed!
36 notes
·
View notes
Please enjoy my princess mononoke/the sandman crossover
In a world, far from our own, the gods still roam the earth. Though they live off the offerings and prayers given to them by humans, they turn their eye to their suffering. For you see, the gods had grown lazy and complacent, ignorant to the plight of others.
‘Humans are of no importance,’ one arrogant god stated, 'Why should we waste our time on their petty problems?’
No one had an answer. And that was their downfall. The humans were growing irritated, both with the gods and each other. Every day, more and more humans were succumbing to war. Greed and anger spread like disease; the humans stopped their worshipping. What was the point if no one answered their prayers? Slowly, the power of the gods faded. It went unnoticed at first, until the first change happened.
Destiny, the one who knew all that happened and all that would happen, changed shape. Instead of the hooded figure, forever chained to his book, sat a creature, a creature unlike anything ever seen before. His book and chain fell to the ground, echoing throughout the world. As if protesting the sudden power vacuum, the world raged. Storms decimated villages, diseases wiped out families and famine ruined crops.
What once was Destiny watched the carnage, disinterested. It no longer mattered to him. He was gone, but he was not the last.
Other gods left, seeking refuge amongst the humans who once worshipped them. Their plan failed, for the worshippers had become clouded with hate, fuelled by anger, they attacked the gods. The battle was long and bloody, forcing the gods to retreat. They retreated into the forest, hiding, and secluding themselves from a world that rebelled against them. They still reside there to this day, but time has not been kind. For though they are still gods, their powers have waned and many more have changed shape. Terrible shapes. Humans will no longer venture into the forests, not because of the gods there, no, it is because of the demons.
The sun was shining down, warming all who it embraced. Perched on a mountain top, protected from the world around them, sat a village. Though it was tiny and secluded, its people were sturdy. Generations ago, when the great war started, they fought tooth and nail for peace, and their prize was peace. Peace from war, raiders and a king that sought to wipe them out. The little mountain village was going about its day, finishing chores, harvesting crops. But all was not well. Something was in the air, the buzz of anticipation. Circling the village on his red elk, was the prince of the village, Hob. Broad shouldered and strong, with skin kissed by the sun, he was well educated in the matter of protecting his village. Leader and protector, he was a skilled archer and loyal to his people, ready to lend a helping hand or helpful ear. Prince Hob was known for his easy-going smile, the smile hat lit up his soulful brown eyes. It was nowhere to be found now. His face was set in a deep frown, concern obvious in his eyes. He could also sense it. The strange buzz in the air. It was like electricity flowing through him. Scanning the horizon, he saw something in the distance, amongst the trees that acted as a barrier. Hob narrowed his eyes, there was definitely something there. Shifting in the darkness. Quickly, tying his long brown hair into a bun, he clicked his tongue.
‘Come on, Yakul,’
His red elk heard him and he hurried along the dirt road. As they got closer, he recognised his little sister, Roberta, and her friends, they waved him down,
‘Hob! Quick!’
Spurred on by his sister’s insistence, he stopped alongside them, the girls, thought they tried to hide it, were unnerved by something.
‘There’s something in the forest!’ Roberta pointed behind them, all was still but he didn’t doubt her words.
‘I know, the wise woman wants everyone back to the village,’ he gestured over his shoulder, it had been his job to escort everyone back to the village.
‘Something is wrong,’ the other girl, Maya, added, ‘You can feel it, can’t you?’ she shivered, ‘It feels wrong, and all the birds are gone.’
Hob paused, she was right, the birds had stopped singing, in fact, he couldn’t remember seeing any all day.
‘I’ll check with Billy, see if he’s seen anything,’ he looked directly at his sister,
‘Get you and your friends back safely,’
His sister nodded, her own brown eyes resolute. He made sure they were out of the way before moving himself. He led Yakul to the watchtower, the familiar shape of the old man sat at the top. Hob dismounted before Yakul stopped, patting him in thanks. He climbed the watchtower, his weight sending creaks up the old wood, then, he stopped. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He glanced down, staring deep into the forest. His mother, before she died, had often warned him not to stare into the trees. She always said he’d attract the attention of something unsavoury. As he strained his eyes now, he didn’t doubt his late mother’s words. Though nothing moved, something was there.
Staring back at him.
Gritting his teeth, he looked away. He reached the top and found Billy, his gaze fixed at the dark forest, though time had ravaged the soldier’s body, he still had the sharpest eyesight of entire village. Hob already knew the answer but he had to ask anyway,
‘You saw it, Billy, didn’t you?’
The old man nodded, idly stroking his long, white beard,
‘I did. It isn’t human.’
Hob nodded; he figured as much but hearing it confirmed made a chill go up his spine. He shook it off, his priority had to be the safety of his people.
‘The wise woman wants everyone back at the village,’ he held out his hand to the man, ‘Come on, I’ll help you down,’
‘Wait,’ Billy didn’t look at him, leaning over the wood. His whole body was hanging over the railing, Hob, scared of the old man falling, held onto his shirt,
‘There!’
Hob looked, just in time to see something, something he couldn’t describe. It was as if the darkness itself had taken form. Writhing shadows peeked out of the treeline, like a spreading stain. Hob could feel the malice from his high spot.
‘It’s some kind of demon,’ Billy spat, Hob blinked,
‘A demon? You’re sure?’
As in answer, something crashed through the forest, uprooting the trees, and roaring loud enough for the whole mountain to hear. Billy gasped beside him; Hob couldn’t take his eyes off the creature. It was massive, that much he could tell, with rust coloured skin, that continuously rippled. The sight made him sick.
Shaking off his stupor, he called down to his steed,
‘Run, Yakul! Run!’
The red elk didn’t listen, from where Hob stood, he could see the poor animal trembling. He couldn’t blame him, the monster charged towards him.
‘Yakul!’ he tried again, nothing, seeing no other option, he readied an arrow and shot it down, aiming for the wood beside Yakul’s head. The arrow embedded itself in the wood, startling Yakul out of his trance, he ran off, just as the monster reached the watchtower. Finding itself robbed of its meal, it spun in a slow circle, searching, sniffing at the air. This close, Hob got a closer look at the monster, its skin didn’t just ripple, it wriggled. It was as if the monster was made up of writhing, blood red worms. The worms stretched out, moving separately from the monster’s body, wrapped itself around the watchtower and pushed.
It tilted, creaking loudly as the wood gave way, the ground quickly came up to meet the men.
‘Hang on,’ Hob grabbed the old man and jumped, Billy cried out but Hob knew how to make his landing safe. He aimed his body for the brush, the amount of foliage there would be plenty to break their fall. Hob made sure to cushion Billy’s fall, even so, he wheezed as he sat up. Hob followed, trying to hide how winded he was. Another growl made him look up, the monster was just a tiny dot now, charging again. Panic surged through Hob.
‘It’s headed for the village!’ he exclaimed, he whistled for Yakul, and the pair chased after the monster,
‘Young Prince, wait! Be careful!’ Billy called after him, Hob didn’t turn around, even at the next thing he shouted,
‘That thing is cursed! Don’t touch it!’
Hob didn’t care, he’d tear the demon apart with his own hands if needed. He couldn’t risk any of his people getting hurt. He kept his eyes on the beast, urging Yakul to speed up. Its hulking mass shook the ground, he briefly wondered how Yakul didn’t trip. Hob came up to its side, keeping his distance from the red tendrils, still close enough to shout at it,
‘Please! Whatever you might be, god or demon, please! Calm your fury!’
The beast didn’t listen, it didn’t even slow. Hob tried again, he didn’t shoot yet, he couldn’t risk making it angrier. But then, something caught his eye, in the distance, he saw three small figures, his sister and her friends. The demon was charging towards them.
Panicking, Hob tried again, ‘Please, I beg you! Leave our village alone!’
Hob saw one of the girls fall, he begged her to get up,
‘Keep running please!’ he called out to him, she didn’t. She couldn’t get up, even when his sister tried helping.
‘Pick her up! Carry her back!’
Whether his words were lost on the wind, or his sister wanted to prove herself, he didn’t know. He watched as Roberta stood in front of her friends, her stance firm, like he taught her, and she pulled out her knife, staring at the beast head on. Eyes filled with determination.
‘No!’ Hob cried, he fired an arrow, aiming right where he thought the beast’s heart would be. It sunk into the writhing mass, like a toothpick in cotton, but the creature slowed, Hob cut it off, putting himself between it and the girls. He shouted over his shoulder,
‘Go! Get the wise woman!’
Fortunately, his sister listened, with the other girl, they were able to carry the injured girl back.
Hob’s arm suddenly felt strange. Something hot wrapped him, squeezing hard. Needles of fire stabbed his skin. He looked down, blood red tendrils wrapped around his arm, writhing and bubbling. Hob gritted his teeth, he couldn’t falter now, he had to protect the village. He readied another arrow; each movement sent another wave of pain through his arm. He fired, the arrow struck the demon in the head, disappearing into the writhing mass. The creature halted, it reared up on its back legs and roared. A mighty roar filled with anger and pain; it brought a tear to Hob’s eye. He had to put it out of his misery.
The tendrils around his arm writhed in time with the beast’s cries, trying to stop him. He tried not to look, feeling sick. The worms that made up the beast rippled like water, then receded, revealing parts of the poor creature within. It wasn’t a demon, not originally, a shiny beak emerged, that of a bird, and an emotionless, black eye, directed at him.
It was a raven god. Tainted by something evil. Its wings eaten away by the blood red curse, its feathers mottled and rotted.
Seeing an opening Hob fired another arrow, it hit the raven right in the eye, with another weak cry, it faltered, the worms shuddering like a dying breath. The raven fell, the ground trembled with shock. The worms reached out, towards him, trying to find another host no doubt. It aimed for Hob, moving too fast for him to move. He brought up his arms, a futile attempt to protect himself.
Nothing happened. He risked a glance, the bundle of worms paused in front of his face, no, not his face, his infected arm. The worms on his arm reached out, trying to re-join, but with the death of the god, it faltered. Their colour shifted, all the vibrant red wasted away, until it turned into bubbling tar. It spilled to the ground, lifeless. Once he was sure the battle was over, his adrenaline finally left him, replaced with dizzying exhaustion. He could no longer ignore the pain in his arm. Hob looked down, and gasped.
His sleeve was in tatters, eaten away by whatever those things were, and his skin, the spot where the worms grabbed him was inflamed. His forearm was bright red and itchy. His fingertips grazed the warm skin, the minor contact made him shudder. He hunched over, hiding his sounds of pain, but of course, his sister heard.
‘Hob!’ she came to his side, helping him down from Yakul, she reached out, as if to take his arm, but Hob stopped her,
‘Don’t!’
Even that small movement had his knees trembling, he fell to the soft earth, clutching his hurt arm,
‘It touched me,’ he told his sister, she came to his side, worry evident on her face. Being the older brother, he searched within for any energy left to reassure her,
‘Don’t worry,’ he even managed to plaster on his smile, ‘I’m sure the wise woman will have answers.��
She didn’t look fully convinced, thankfully, she kept silent, ripping up handfuls of dirt and pressing it to his bad arm. Hob sighed, the cold earth offering only minor relief. Footsteps came up behind him, followed by more,
‘The prince has been hurt!’ it was Billy, unharmed, his own face mirroring his Roberta’s, other members of the village reached them, men, women, children, all enquiring what happened. Hob kept his head down, focusing instead on his sister’s hand, trying desperately to soothe his pain. A memory suddenly came to him, unbidden. The pair of them, in their youth, when Roberta fell from a tree, slicing her leg, any other child would have broken into hysterics. Not his sister though. She simply looked at the wound, blinking fast, and controlling her breathing, before turning her head towards Hob, asking, ever so politely, to carry her home. Hob huffed out an amused laugh, gladly carrying her and calling her brave all the way home.
A shout brought him out of his reverie,
‘Where is the wise woman?!’ Billy again, he looked over the crowd and waved to somebody,
‘Lucienne!’
The crowd turned; a young woman rushed towards them. Wearing red robes, the sacred colour of their village,
‘Everybody back!’ she called out, the crowd followed her words, their respect for the woman apparent as they bowed when she passed. She stopped in front of Hob, not even out of breath, and crouched down, fixing her gold rimmed glasses, she frowned as she inspected his wound.
‘What do we do?’ Roberta asked, Lucienne turned to her, offering a quick, gentle smile,
‘Take this,’ she pulled out a waterskin, ‘Pour it over his wound, slowly,’
She nodded and did as she told. Hob wordlessly held up his arm, cringing when the water made contact. His skin sizzled. After Lucienne made sure Hob was taken care of, she straightened up, and made her way to the demon, still motionless. A guard warned her to stay back, Lucienne waved him off. She stood in front of the giant raven, bowing her head in respect. The air was tainted with a foul stench like rot and old meat, Lucienne kept her face neutral.
‘O nameless god of rage and hate,’ Lucienne started, her voice, strong and steady,
‘I bow before you.’ she raised her hands, palms out,
‘A mound will be raised and funeral rites performed on this ground where you have fallen.’ She glanced up, looking into the raven god’s open eye,
‘Please, pass on in peace and bear us no hatred.’
The village people listened, her words sending shivers up those who listened, it wasn’t just a question, it was a prayer. A prayer to a dying god. No doubt something it hadn’t received in generations. All they could do was wait and hope it would answer.
The raven god didn’t even blink, its beak twitched, opening the tiniest bit, then, a new voice, a woman’s voice. Just like the raven’s scream, it was filled with pain and anger.
‘Disgusting little creatures…soon all of you will feel my hate...’ as the god spoke, her words grew fainter, her beak shrinking with every passing second,
‘And you will suffer as I have suffered…’
And with that, she was gone. Her entire body rotting away, a year of decomposition happening within a few seconds. All that was left were bloodstained bones, sticking out of the ground like roots. The sludge that was once the god spread out in a puddle under the body, staining the ground black, like it had been burnt.
Like Hob’s arm.
The heavy silence that followed pressed down on them, like an executioner’s axe, ready to strike. It was only broken by the prince’s pained gasps, clutching again at his throbbing arm.
Later, in the dead of night, all the elders of the village had gathered in the wise woman’s hut. The blessing of the ground had taken the entire day, and even then, the people gave it a wide berth. The bones still lay there, a reminder of the injustice that happened. The poor raven god was benevolent, one of the few left who were, and it was killed by the humans that once worshipped her.
Hob knew all of this from Lucienne, the evidence was in her hands.
‘This was pulled from the god’s wing,’ she placed it on her table, it was metal, warped from hitting bone, just from a glance he could tell it was man made.
Lucienne sat up straighter, she looked the prince in his eyes, her own eyes held wisdom beyond her years, beyond their little village in fact.
‘My prince, are you prepared to hear your fate?’
Hob took a deep breath, ‘I am, the minute I let that arrow fly I was prepared for the consequences,’ it was true. No matter what happened to him, his people were safe.
Lucienne nodded, she glanced down at the metal ball, looking at it like it some foul insect.
‘The raven god came from the west, driven mad by the bullet embedded in its body, a poisonous hatred that consumed her body and soul, turning her into the demon that attacked us today.’ She looked up, catching Hob’s eyes again,
‘Prince Hob, please,’ she gestured to his bandaged arm, ‘Reveal your arm,’
Never blinking or looking away, Hob took his bandages off, at the sight of his wound, the elders gasped, horrified. Under the flickering light of the wise woman’s hearth, the discoloured skin mirrored the scarred earth. Questions began to be thrown at him, too many for him to answer. Lucienne raised her hand; silence fell once again.
‘I am afraid that same poison infects you now…’ she paused, something flickering in her eyes, when Hob tried, she would no longer meet his eyes,
‘Please, Lucienne, let me hear it,’ the anticipation was worse than the pain.
Lucienne took a deep breath, just one, and straightened up,
‘The infection will spread through you in the same way, your body and soul will be tainted, and…,’ she paused, just for a moment,
‘It will cause you great pain, and then, you will die.’
Hob gave a single nod, he already knew it, somehow. Even now, he could feel that same heat spreading through his body, winding, and twisting like the tendrils. His fate was sealed, it didn’t matter if he begged or rebelled, nothing could change it. That fact that he couldn’t change it left stirred the heat.
A voice spoke up, Billy, fighting for his behalf,
‘Surely there must be something that can be done, Prince Hob saved us,’
‘Do we just sit there and let him die?’
Lucienne never turned her gaze away from Hob, not even blinking at the old man’s questioning,
‘You cannot alter your fate, my prince,’ she lowered her voice, ‘Not anymore.’
‘But you can choose to meet it head on, if you so wish.’
Hob frowned slightly, not truly understanding,
‘How do you mean?’
Lucienne gestured once more to the metal ball,
‘This metal came from the West, that is where the god was injured, and that is where you may find your answers.’
‘You must travel there and see with eyes unclouded by hate. It there where you might find a way to lift your curse.’
Hob perked up, finally, something he could do. He could find his answers, even if he died, it would be worth it, just so he could understand why it happened. Right then and there, he made a solemn vow, he would not die in vain, he refused to let this happen to anyone else, god or human.
‘The journey will be treacherous, you must travel beyond the safety of the mountains and into war territory, if you pass through unscathed you may die either way,’
‘Do you understand?’
None of her words disheartened him, in fact, it filled him with a new kind of vigour, new land, new sights, new people. He would meet them all head on.
‘I do.’
Lucienne smiled sadly, she pushed forward a knife,
‘Then you know what you must do.’
Hob slowly nodded, trying not to let his disappointment show. He reached forward with his uninjured arm, grabbed the knife and his bun of hair. His elders watched in pity, even as his vision was obscured with severed strands of hair, he could see their deep frowns. That was worse than the loss of his hair. He passed the knife and his hair to the wise woman. He knew what was next, with the cutting of his hair, in the eyes of his people, he was officially dead. The thought hurt him more than the burning of his arm. Billy, his old mentor, shook his head, looking more lost than Hob had ever seen him,
‘It's been years since the king destroyed our tribe and drove the remnants of our people into the mountains.’
Hob didn’t need him to elaborate, everyone in the village knew their history. King Burgess had grown envious of their health and longevity and attacked with the sole intent on wiping them out. Lucienne was the last refugee, stumbling into their village all those years ago, bloodstained and refusing to talk about what happened.
Billy continued, ‘We have managed to survive here for all these years, but the blood of our tribe has grown thinner and weaker with each generation,’ he shook his head,
‘The king finally got his wish. Now our last prince must cut his hair and leave us, never to return?’
He hid his face in his hands, muffling his next words,
‘Sometimes I think the gods are laughing at us.’
‘Don’t say that, Billy, I’m sure the gods have it just as bad,’ Hob cracked a smile, Billy even managed a weak chuckle. Lucienne cleared her throat, he turned back to her, trying his best to look sheepish,
‘Our laws forbid us from watching you go or even saying our farewell,’ she swallowed, suddenly overcome with emotion,
‘Whatever happens now, you are dead to us. Farewell, prince Hob,’ and with that, she turned her head, the others followed suit, ignoring their prince as he made his way out of the hut. Hob was barely out the door when he heard two small words,
‘Good luck.’
He didn’t know who said it, and he wasn’t going to risk their being punished by asking, so he kept on walking. He made his way to the stable, finding Yakul, saddled and ready. When he approached, he bowed his head, nuzzling into Hob’s cheek. He buried his face in his short fur, just for a moment, breathing in the scent of his village and climbed up. He headed for the trees, passing over the burnt spot, his arm throbbing the entire time. He was about to enter the trees when he heard a voice call out to him, his sister, running as fast as her little legs could carry her.
‘Roberta!’ he quickly dismounted but made no move towards her, remembering the wise woman’s words,
‘What are you doing here? It’s forbidden to see me off,’
She didn’t answer at first, trying to get her breath back,
‘Do you think I care about that?’ before he could stop her, she threw her arms around him, wrapping him in the tightest hug he ever got,
‘I don’t want you to go,’ she whispered, near tears. His sister had never cried before, not when she was hurt, or when they buried their parents. To hear her so close now, it made his heart break.
‘Hey now, you know the law,’ he tried to be reassuring, even as the tears came to his eyes,
‘You’ll be alright, you’re the leader now,’ he pulled back, patting his sister’s head,
‘You’ll love bossing them about,’ he joked. He knew she would be a good leader, better than him. Roberta looked at him, the moonlight glinting on her tear-stained face,
‘I know you aren’t allowed to take anything, but please make an exception for this,’ she held something out, something shiny. It was a tiny dagger, crafted from what looked like crystal, when it caught the moonlight, Hob was startled to see stars glinting back at him. Roberta’s prized possession.
‘Roberta, you shouldn’t have,’ he tried pushing it away, but she forced it back into his hands,
‘Take it, please…so you’ll never forget me,’ she knuckled her eyes, turning away to compose herself. Hob smiled sadly, closing his fist around the dagger. Roberta found it in the forest one day, claiming it fell from the night sky. Hob didn’t believe it, until tonight. He looked down, seeing the stars reflected.
‘Oh, Roberta, how could I forget my brave, little sister?’ Then, breaking his own law, he hugged her back. Both were quiet, basking in the silence, any words would fail them now, catching in their throat, along with their tears. Then, she touched his shortened hair,
‘…Your hair looks stupid now,’
Hob laughed, hiding the sob built up in his throat, ‘Thank you,’
His sister looked at him, tearfully smiling,
‘Goodbye, Hob.’
He got back on Yakul, letting him nuzzle his sister one last time. He turned; darkness fell over him as he entered the forest. He didn’t want to look back, he couldn’t, he shouldn’t. But Hob was never one to listen to his brain, it was what his heart wanted. Risking a glance, he looked at his village for the last time, the tiny lights snuffing out as his people went to bed, safely thanks to him. What would they say when they discover him gone? He hoped they wouldn’t be hard on Lucienne; it wasn’t her fault. He also saw his sister, watching him go, and waving frantically. Hob waved back, even when both her and the village were long gone. Hob sighed; the sound heavy in the dark forest. He urged Yakul to go, if he lingered any longer he might never be able to leave. Stuck between the past and the uncertain future, that was no way to live. No matter what may come Hob would meet it head on, with the same bravery as his little sister.
And with that, the prince was gone, into the unknown.
9 notes
·
View notes