be who you want to be

indie freddie facilier please read the rules before following!

[facilixr-blog]

sorry for the brief absence! there was a family emergency in which we thought my mom was having a heart attack and they kept her for like three days just to make sure everything was alright. so last week was exhausting. but i’m here now!

[facilixr-blog]

voocioo:

          admittedly, this girl was smart. quite intelligent compared to her father. not only was she taking the chance to back away and heed their warnings ( unlike what her father would typically do ) ,  she was trying to pull at their minds. to manipulate them and have them sway in her favor. and though it would normally strike an irritated string in their web, they didn’t react as such. for a moment or so, they simply stared at her. their pink and purple eyes pulsing with every little movement. it was as if each eye on every mask was glued to her. her soul, her body, her being.

          shining iris’ followed her steps even before she made them.

          getting disinterested, the mask that took charge huffed. frown was present on his face as she backed away. and what a shame! what a terrible, terrible ending! the friend was so excited to see another one squirming and writhing on the floor. its eyes dimmed tremendously. and just like it got there, it bounced through a rip in space itself. it was in front of the young woman one second, and then up on the wall the next. it was back inside its chains, locked in place.

          all of the masks were cross. the tiny ones were frowning, the wood on their faces bending like cheeks. some were pouting, all expressions leaving. the chanting and the drumming had depleted, and the sensation of terror had left the room. they weren’t as jovial, weren’t as expressive and excited as they had been. they were too anxious to see the daughter of the shadow man suffer the same fate. to get tortured by being sucked of breath. and what’s better – the friends wouldn’t have to fake it! they were bending facilier’s reality, making him believe he had air. but in all actuality, he was just fine. his mind was attacking itself.

          but with freddie, they wouldn’t have to do anything but watch.

          for now, there was silence. dr. facilier’s screams were becoming hoarse wheezes. they happened every other second, and they were getting weaker as time slipped by. his chest heaved. grip against the mask had become nothing. digits would grab and slip, palms would shake and nerves would seize at the idea of grabbing at something. his body had no oxygen, and the friends had ripped him of his sensation of life.

          the biggest mask, the boss, as the others had called him, took this as an opportunity. wood creaked as a big, wild grin came on his face. it was so massive that his eyes had become slits by the movement of his surreal cheeks. eyes pulsed continuously, two hearts beating in either pupil. flashes of purple came at tremendous speeds. teeth, as sharp as knives, dripped darkness and dashes of green fog.

     —   Y̲͎̱̩̣͚̗̔̇̀O̧̘̲͕̝͈̜̜͎͓͊̍͞U̧̥̬͑͑ͮ̑͗ͥ͢͝ ̴̜̺͈̣̝̑̈̂̃ͫͬͧͭ͝͡B̷̘̲̗̞̌E̶̛͈͇̙̘̪ͭ͐ͩ̃͒̂̓͜Țͣ͊ͩͤ̅̇ͫ͊͟͞T̛͎̭̰͙̼͓̙̾̍͊̈̾͋̑ͯ͟ͅE̵̤̮̠̼͒͋̐̑͆̌̊͢͝R̥̗͓͓ͭ͂͋ͥ͢ ̍̎ͬ̔̌̂҉̟̟̗̳̥͢͟Hͬ̈́̈͛ͧ͆͘͏̘̳̪U̅ͥ̿͌̂ͣ͋͢͏͍̤͔̕R̨̧͕̰̭ͣ̄͛̊̅̅́Ř̷̛̪̭̘̽́̌̆͘Y̝̮̭͕̠ͮ̉͊͑͢͞ͅ.̊͌ͬ̾̓҉̡͇

     —   D̜̫͖̻̱̱̗̙͚̀̀̋̆̋̌̽ͮ̅́Ąͮ̊̂̿͝҉̺̯ͅD̴̬̗̯̲̖ͯ̽̀̑ͩ̅͛̍́D̂̔̓̔́̆̑ͧ͡͏̭̲͝ͅYͩ҉̟̲̩̰ͅ ̢͍̞̟̩͙̂ͩ̂ͦ͠ͅI̪̘̞̣͋̐͐ͤͭ͋̔̉͢S̘͌̇̾́͌͆ͤͯN̻̠̬̳͉͈̗͍̽ͣ̊̉ͣ̅ͥ̀'̟͔̫̱̫ͥͨ̐̚ͅT̿ͩ͗ͣ̒̔͊͝҉̫̟͍͇̮̻̬̀ ̗͎͔͕͓̺̩ͪ͛̆ͥ́̓ͪͨĢ͖̠͉̍͐̿O͓̟̥ͨ̈́͋ͫ̇ͤ̌̽Ǐ҉̡͙͖̲͙̻̰̣N̸̼͙͍̤͈̔ͪ̈́ͯ̔͘Ǧ̨̛̙̩͚͈ͩ͐̇̓̃̍̇͘ͅ ̨̤͇̖͍͚̗̟̯͂ͧ̉ͦ͌̅͝͡T̨̖̥͔̞̰̰̪̣̈́̇͂̇̔͊ͥ͘Ŏ̹̳̰̺̥̟̲͎̲̏ͯ͛̽ ͋̿̿̍͜͏͚̘̬̙̹̲͙L̮͚͍̓̅̉ͦͭ͊ͨ̚͢͠A͙̯̗̝̙̝̫ͭ͌̓ͦ̒͡S̸̅͊̒͂͋̈̍͌̓҉̛̤̖̱T̻ͫͥ͑͊͠ͅ.̞̼̬̥͍̹̣̺̻̆͗

     —   C̰̬̈́ͣ̏͌ͭ͑͂ͥ̅H̥̹͉̪̫̣͉ͣͭŌ̗̰̪̞̰̭̭̘̎ͤ̓͐ͬ͒̈́̀ͅO͙͙͉ͥ͗͐̀́̚S̞̳̙̠̻̭̜̳̃̓͝͝Ë̠̩͓̱͕͈ͅ.̴͐ͤͨ́̃̂̋̂҉̞̩̬̣͎͔̦

                                                    —   Oͪͭͩ̏͏͎̺̥͇̜̣̗̜̟̟̝͘̕͡ ͍̞̗͓͉̀̀́ͭ̐͐͊ͦ͊ͪͧ͆ͫ̃̏̀̀͘͡͡R̸̴̛̜̱̝̩̠̣͔͙̖͊͂̆͘͜ ͛̾͛̑̿͐͑ͤͮ͗̾ͬ͂͗̿҉̷̵̧̱̗͓͔̻͍̪̼̦̳̤͎͚̪̤̭ ̛̣̺̻͔̫̘̲͕̻ͣ̾̅ͧͮ̈ͪ̊ͅIͦͤ̒ͣͧ̅ͤ̓ͫ̂ͩ̚͠҉̞̟̹͎͕̬̞̼̥͔̠̦̘͇͙͈̘̀͘͢ ̛͇̖̲̟̏ͯ́͐ͥ̓̏̿̇ͫ̎̿̋̓̚ ̴̷̤̱̖͓̫͖̏́͊̃͑͛͐͟K̸̻̟̠̪͔̙̰̳̖̰͂̃̅ͭ̌̏ͩ͒̋ͯͨ̐̉ ̵̛̣̞̗͈͉͉͔̯͈ͮͤͥ͂̑͋I̦̣̝̖͖ͬ͒̆͌ͯ̽̾̑̇̀ͨ̏̃́ͨ̈́̓͢͠ ̧̰̳̰̹̠̞̮͖͚̟̯̳̥̱̝͔ͩ̏̿̇̊̌ͫ͢L̴̮̺̪̱ͯ̋͆͛ͮ̅̉̎ͣͥ̕͢͜ ̶̴̛̹̮͕͈̒̓ͭ̾̌̌̓ͭ̊̐̏̎ͯ̈́̿̃̔͠͝L̈́ͥ͌̉ͯ͆̓̅̆̈́̋ͥ҉̢͔̫͔̩̭̹̩̗̗̯̪̘͕͜ ̴̡̖͚̮̱̦̯̳͎̮̪̹̜̯͖̊ͫ͐̒ͥͪͮ̎ͪ̀̉̄ͮ̀̚̕͜ ͍̪̬͍͚͇̟̻ͩͬ̓ͤ̍ͣ͗̉ͦ̚͘͡͡H̡̛̥̰̙̠͈͉̤̯͎ͬͪ̒͋̑̊͂̀͢͢ ̸̡̗̰͍͔̇̇͐̀Ǐ̷͚̻͉͖̫ͦ̀̅ͅ ̷̷̤̝̅͆͛͑̑́̀͜ͅM̶̡͈͚͔̹͊̽̾ͧͯ̊ͭͤ̇ͨ̅̏ͬ͛͜ ̛͙̮̝̦͙̻̠̖̗̝͖̮͎̣͇̘͉̘̓̂͐̽̆͐̀ ̛̪̟̥͚̘̜̙̹̺̣̬͌̎̎̑̉̍̂̉̾͒͆͊ͤ̄ͯ̅̔ͧ̀̀͜͠N̴̡͙̩̣̙̗̹̳̼̪ͯ̑̐͊̅ͣͬ̂̓͛͋ͦ͑̀͑͘͜ ̶ͪͦ͊ͧ͊͊̈̐ͨ̽ͩ͋͆ͩ̀̊ͧ҉̡̡̣̟̖̙̼̙̼̦̠̰̝̳̜͙̩O̵̷̒̍ͭ̎̏͂̇́ͭ͘҉͖̖͎̭̼͇͔͕̞̻̠̟̦͉ ̜̞̬͎̞̖̮̗͈̙ͨ̉͗̔̄ͣͨ̃̀͠͞Wͨ̌́ͭ͋̚҉̸̡̦̹͎̜̞̕ ̸̧̖̞͈͓͔͊̏̅̏ͥ͗ͮͥ̔͢.̓̓̋̂ͣ̋̄̎ͥ̓̿͌҉̢̞̼̘͉̰̣͈̼̦̞̱̯̺͈̦̻̲̹͔͜

No reaction to that, huh...Figures. Freddie inwardly cursed her luck, wishing she actually cared enough to learn how to play chess. That’s what it felt like. A cursed chess game with no proper way out. At least, not the ideal solution it seemed. 

But for whatever reason, perhaps for the fact she had backed away, they seemed to become disinterested...but at least they weren’t in her face anymore. She could breathe a little easier knowing that. But there was still a sharp pang of guilt in her chest at the sound of her father’s wheezing. 

How cruel his friends were, and they knew they were in charge, that there was no way she or her father could oppose them. But if she didn’t watch out, she’d end up in just the same spot as her father. It was a cruel game they were playing, forcing her to choose herself over him. Of course, no one would fault her for it. He was a terrible father. Why shouldn’t she put herself first? At least, that was how anyone else might think of it. 

But he was the only father she had. The only family she had, even if it was far from conventional. Even so, in the face of his so-called friends, there was nothing she could do. Just a powerless little girl who could only watch. Not that he’d thank her, even if she did save him. He’d probably just ignore her, as per usual. 

Still, Freddie flinched as the large mask spoke up again, the booming force, even more intense than the last seeming to rattle her bones. For a moment, she even thought she felt her teeth chattering. She wrapped her arms around herself, a scowl forming on her face, in spite of her fear. Or maybe it was an attempt to at least seem brave, defiant against them. 

If she stayed, it would be bad. If she left, it would be bad. At least, that’s how her mind was processing it. She pressed her hands to her face, trying to force herself to calm down. But it seemed like the only choice she could make, the safest choice, would be to leave, to wait it out, to see if her father would even emerge safely. 

She certainly didn’t want to give them the satisfaction of having another toy to play with, especially if it was herself. 

“Fine,” she began, her voice finally sounding a little more courageous than she felt. “I’ll choose.” She’d just have to hope for the best, she supposed. “I’ll leave, if that’s what ya’ll want so badly.” She knew it was the opposite though, at least, given from the way they acted. They wanted her to stay, wanted her to experience the same thing. It was no use trying to plead with them, to try and win any sympathy from them. As long as it meant they wouldn’t kill him. She’d just have to hope for that. 

Though it begged the question...had this happened to him before, when she wasn’t around to witness?

[facilixr-blog]

voocioo:

          that tiny mask, shaped almost like her father, had jumped forward to take responsibility. but just as it opened its mouth to speak, teeth bared and white noise spilling from his exposed hole, a new sound erupted from the back. the mask turned quickly, revealing its empty inside. strangely though, it was bare, gone, as if nothing was on the other side. though hovering in front of the girl, slowly lifting itself up and down, it appeared lifeless. but when it noticed who was now speaking, it jumped for joy. tilting back, the mask grinned and squinted its purple eyes.

         creaking echoed throughout the room. it bounced off the walls and made their presence twice as powerful. as all the masks turned, they all positioned their focused on the giant one. its mouth had grown three times as wide as it was originally. mouth now displayed a frown, and its purple eyes, brighter than any mask’s combined, shrunk to two slits. the eyes made their presence known. the hidden god looked through her, and he wanted freddie to know. so long as he could pierce through her, break her open and display her out on the table, he could do whatever he wanted with her. permission or not. they had more power than them. the friends all had more power than anything their ridiculous “follower” had any faith in.

                                             — T̷̡͈͇͎̘̦̎ͥͥͭ̈́̂̃̈́̿̎́̄̚͟ ͭ̅͂͜͡҉҉͕̰͙͈̤̫̺͍ ̘̖̟̟̭̫̫̖̯̮̭ͣ̽̾̿̓̽̿ͥ̈̌̕͢W̧͉̗͓̗̞̮̘̌̿̎̾̾͐͢͜͢ͅͅ ̵͍̖̰̼̬͇̤̬͎͉̝͓̲͔ͯͩ̎̌̕ͅ ̆ͣͧͣ̄̏҉̷̟̘͈̮̮͉̜̯̗̼̝͖̮Ǫ̿ͯ̋͌͌̎ͮ͡҉̶̛͈̭̩͍ ̭͕̘̥̣̮̦̠͚̣͕̭͈̥̪̃̍̃ͭ̍̚̕̕ͅͅ ̶͈͙̖̥̯̝͎̪̲̼̯̯̠̾̑̎ͥͪͣ̿̔̅̀͗̃͢ͅ ̶̶̘͙̜̹͎͍̪͉̙̖̦̼̟̪̻̯͙̦̾́ͭ̐ͅ ̵̵̃͐̃ͩ҉̷̧̞̱͎̪̠̥̮͎̟͉Ċͮͬͮ͆ͧ̌̒̄͂̈̇̊ͤ͗͏̷̝̼͚̞̥͔̮̖̀ͅ ̵ͬ͊ͦͣͣ͏̪̩̞̝̭̲͔̙̟̹̹̰͓́̕̕ͅ ̋̈́̒̂ͪ̃͑̇ͣͤͩ̋̾͐ͯ̂͠҉͎͚̞̪̝̙͇̗̪͈̹̰͍͘͜͡Ḩ̬̙͓̖͙͉̞̱̦͔̣̦͙͚̻̭ͨͬͯ̀ͩ̌̈́ ͆̈́ͥ́̃̐ͪ͊ͦͨ͋̂̄͘҉͕̣͇̮͎ ̇̃̽̍ͤ̃̑ͯͮͧ҉̸͈̯͙̪͔͍̠͚̭́O̪̟̯̮̩ͣͭͨͭ̔̌̊́̕͠ ͪ̋̋͒̎͏̘͕̣̗̮͉͚̖͓̼́ ̴̳̫͙͕̱̤͙͕̲̳͙̰̠̖͖̺̼͈͇̂ͩ̊ͦ̾ͩ̾ͬ̆ͤ̓̐Į̸̷̗̝͕͉͗͐̿͗ͪ͐͛̉̃ͥ̿͌ͦͬ̿ͨ̽͜ ̢̧̗̲̞̯̤̱̫͙ͫ̿͋ͬ͂̌͆̀̅̚͘͠ ̸̢̢̺̳̭̠̞̭̯̙̹̰̪̼͍ͯ̿̈́̉ͮͧ͊͘͢Cͮ̓ͧ̑̊̅̊ͩ͗ͮ̿̽͗͐̊̋̚҉̡̛͖̺̖̞̼̺͈ ̛ͨ̽ͯ̅̏͗͆̑̋̓̒͏̶̛̥̜̘̟̼̰̻̖͓̻̲̫̹̠̩ ̨̫͚͍̼̥͈̦͚̫̘̜̳̊́ͯ͆̇̃̍ͭ̐ͦͯ͊̀̀̚͟E̶̸ͩ̿̋̅ͭ̾͐ͣͧͦ̂́͏̸̮͇̤ ̷̣̼̖̮͈͚̖͙͕̩̘̫̻̜̰̆ͮ̎̓͞ ̄̿͒̓̿҉҉̣̪͚͚͓̞͈̳̟̦͞ͅͅͅS̷̷̲̲̫͇̙̼̰̓̅ͨ̅͋ͤ͆ͤ̿̂̇͐̀̏ͬͤͤ͛́̚͜͠ ̴̸̧̫̳̤͔̖̙͚̖̙̺̭̤̪̮̎͒̿̉͋̎ͮ͋ͣͪ̎̒ͮ̒̒̒̄͞ͅ ̪͉͍̙͍̻̜͉̎̍̆̊̽̅ͦ̇͜.̸̨̹̱̪͇͌͐̋́ͮ͋͒̉͆ͫ͒̓̈̏͗̚

          almost as if the masks knew, they began to chant after him.   TWO CHOICES!   they’d scream.     TWO, TWO, TWO! ONLY TWO! NOTHING MORE! ONE, AND ONE, PICK ONE, OR YOU’LL HAVE NONE!     they were chanting after their leader, having fun while they relished their delicious bloodshed. the one that bounced in front of freddie had bounced around now. it spun around erratically, and made several rotations around the girl. eyes would flicker from green, to yellow, to purple, a cycle, all flashing different when his face would appear in front of the girl again.

          the giant mask let them have their fun – he was thankful for their support and their guidance. their trust within one another was great, far higher than any modern day human they could possibly reckon with. and their trust only grew greater when spending time with facilier and his snotty, little family. once the king lifted his lids, and knew he caught the girl’s attention, the other masks went eerily quiet. all listened in as their boss spoke.

     —   L̶̡̮̞̞͚̤̈́ͧ̊ͣ̄̔E̵̴̸̗͕̻̝̙͎͗̓ͫͬ̇Å̮̪̹̙͙̤͌ͨ͠͝V̐̆ͮ̇ͥ̎҉̵͈̹͓̜̳̲E͖̩͚͕̬͓̪̤͆͆̈ͮ̓̆ͮͅ.̹͍̠̠͓͎̀͑͘

     —   Ǒ̇͗̋̓̌̎̈́̇͟҉̤̣͔̭R̵ͯ̉͏̞̹̭̟̯͎̝̮̖ ̴̲̳͕̥̞̩̣ͭ͊͐̍S̴̞̠̗̦̖͗̂͒͐̕T͌̇̿̂́ͭͭ̚͏̷̞̺͙̮A̓ͤ̔̏ͯͣͧ͠͏̖͕͙͚̮Ÿ̸̷̵̖̝̱̞̭́.̨̡̼̱̪̣̏̍

          the mask in front of freddie had been listening to his leader. his attention was focused solely on him. he was enthralled in him, amazed by his power. but in an instant, he came over. just like he did when he jumped to freddie. almost like the mask could skip time itself, it bounced from the girl, back to its chain. it was latched onto it in a blink of an eye, as if it never moved. and yet it did, cutting through all fabrics of existence known to man.

          and it was in that moment, the mask began to talk to his leader. it flickered its purple eyes over to him. a grin was apparent on its face. the others watched with amusement, but with an anxious curiosity. more times than not, their leader was very, very helpful and understanding. but when he’s angry, oh, it’s never telling! but, the mask took the risk. the leader’s eyes flickered over, and their attention was on one another.

        facilier’s muffled screams could still be heard in the background.

     —   Y̧OU K͘N͢OW,̧ ͝BO̢S͝S͜!̵ ̸Į DO̴Ņ'͜T THI͟N̡K̵ ͢S̢H͡E̵ ͢G̛E̶T̛S̡ ̡I̕T̀!̛

     —   I̢ THINK̴ W͟E͞ S͢HO͡U̸L͟D̡ ̛S͟H̨O͜W ̧H͞E̸R ̶WHA̢T͡ ̨Y̸O͢U ̧M͘E̛A͟N,̷ ͢HŲH?

     —   O̶PE͝N Y̶O͡UR ̡MO͏UTH̶,҉ B̕OS͡S!

          the little mask’s voice sounded now like music drifting in the wind. it was like a soft, soothing melody when compared to the big mask’s voice. it was now humbled, belittled, realizing its place when stood up to its supreme being. though all related in some way, they all had learned who was boss, and they all respected him. and with pleasure they did it too, with grins and satisfaction. the boss was silent though, as he listened to its underlings. eyes pulsed, and mouth went cross. for a few moments, there was nothing but silence and muffled screams.

                                   silence…                                          screams….

           silence…                                     screams….

                                   screams….                                      silence…

           screams….                                 silence…

          after giving it some thought, the mask accepted the other’s offer. it faced straight, and for a moment, it looked as if whatever had possessed it had died off. it went deathly still, gathering the power to open its mouth. but the eyes dimmed, and the teeth went straight for the slight few seconds it had gone away. but it came back just as, and its mouth parted, only to reveal another mask that wasn’t much different than the one that freddie’s very father was wearing.

          with a chilling laugh, cutting anyone right through their skin and bruising the bone, the mask bounced off again. albeit it didn’t break through reality. it just danced its way back over to the girl. it just bounced, chanting somewhat, as it made its way over. its eyes flickered over to the witchdoctor, who was now lying on the floor. his screams were growing quiet, more dull and less powerful. the man was beginning to run out of this “air” they had given him. and it was hilarious to see him die without death gripping him.

          soon though, the mask’s attention was on freddie. its grin was back, teeth exposed and wide as ever. its own eyes pulsed, and every other mask was back on her. she had a very important decision to make. let them go on with their business, or keep interrupting? and the masks hoped she choose wisely. because they would love to see another person trembling and screaming in their once quiet, little room.

     —   S̷O͘ W̡H̛AT'S͞ T҉HE C̡H́O͠I̧CE,͘ ̕FREDD͠I̕E͟??̕?͝ ̶ ̨HE̸H̸E҉HE̴HEH҉!͏!!!

It was terrifying. 

She was face to face with an otherworldly force she had no idea how to combat. There likely was no way to fight back against them. She saw what was happening to her father. She doubted she’d ever forget the sound of his screams. 

Between the cacophony of sound and the sheer magnitude of their power, it was no wonder a chill had run up her spine, the hair on the back of her neck standing on end as she tried to think of a way out of this. At least, a way to get them both out of this situation, but it was like her mind had gone blank. 

Was it the fear? Or was it something they were doing? 

But then everything went quiet. Too still. The eerie silence unsettled her even more as she watched the largest of the masks come to life, chilling her to her core. She swallowed hard, her body tensing at its commanding words. How could she just leave her father though? Suffering and screaming as he was...but it seemed like she was just going to get in more trouble if she kept at it. 

Even if he wasn’t the best dad (he was unarguably the worst), she’d still feel bad if she left him behind, left him to suffer. But why were they giving her this choice in the first place? Surely it had gone on long enough. 

“H-hold on, now, just what are you talkin’ about?” she asked as the other mask spoke up, but the answer came soon enough. The silence seemed to drag on, until the large mask opened its mouth and Freddie instantly recoiled. She got the message...or at least, she thought she got what they were trying to tell her. 

Depending on what choice she made, she could end up suffering the same hell her father was going through. “Y-you gotta be kidding..” she murmured under her breath, feeling her stomach twist uncomfortably. She felt sick. They were toying with them. They were nothing more than playthings to these beings, were they?

“L-let me...Let me have a minute to think it over.” What was there to think over? She didn’t want to experience the same thing her father was, and if she stepped wrong, she wouldn’t have a choice in the matter. Still, subconsciously, she found herself stepping backwards, as if she was trying to put more distance between herself and the masks. 

“You’re not...gonna kill him if I leave, are you? I mean, how are ya’ll gonna get what you want if you do that?” She was bluffing, mostly, figuring there had to be a reason for this madness.

[facilixr-blog]

@ninjabruced

“---you know, it works better if you make sure the plastic wrap is smoothed out so it’s not as noticeable.” Hey, she may have turned good but she still enjoyed a good prank. Especially one of the classics.

[facilixr-blog]

voocioo:

          his screams were so vast, and his thoughts so rapid, the girl was the last thing on his mind. barely had he considered her a worry, and in this moment, she wasn’t even alive. she had no business getting in the middle of a discussion that was meant to be private. furthermore, facilier currently only had any care about himself right now. mental state falling apart, the witchdoctor wondered if he was the one causing his loss of breath, or if it was the masks playing tricks on him. in this state, as confused and terrified as he was, reality twisted in ways even the most skilled of his kind never thought possible.

          the friends’ eyes lifted from the man, and they quickly darted over to the young woman walking up. ahhh, the offspring of their newfound worshiper. the one they created, just for him, and him only. with just a piece of his hair, and their powerful, unimaginable magic, she was created. she had a beating human heart, and would live like a regular girl, until she passes in the future. as the masks moved their purple and green gazes toward her, they growled. a reverbial growl that seemed to crawl off the walls itself. it echoed behind wood, and cracked along with the pulling of their mouths.

          and they were not happy when they saw her. and who could blame them? they were promised, upon entering the man’s beliefs, privacy. seeing someone else, especially the shadow man’s daughter, within their business matters, made them absolutely furious! the growl got louder, and their noises became distorted, just like the reality around the room itself. it was dark, deep, and eerie. much like a tornado ripping through the night, much like an unexpected, sudden hailstorm. bits and pieces of icy force smashing into everything. their voices roared, and when the girl got close, a mask jumped off its chain.

          as if defying the laws of physics, it bent through time and space. in one second, the mask was hanging off its bounds. then, it was right in front of the girl. protruding teeth nearly bit into her face and chomped right off. and how delicious would that be! power would fulfill them, and a lovely taste of human flesh would course through their otherwordly veins. they hadn’t had a bite of human since the ancient times, when people would give them bodies to chow on at the darkest hours. now all they have is blood, and even then, that was rare. their only worshiper left, though technically a sin to them, wouldn’t even give them what they rightfully deserved.

          by an unknown force, the mask pushed the girl back. purple eyes glow bright as it stared right through the girl’s soul. he could see everything. every last inch of her future, every secret crowded around her little head. he could see her terror, he could smell her worries. if the mask had a tongue, it would be lapping its lips, its teeth, even the mouth. somehow, though made of wood and paint, the wood moved as the mask began to speak.

    —  Y̵̨OU̢͝ ҉C̸̶͞A̸N͝'̀̀͜T҉ ̶͘S̛͜ŢOP̷͟ ̸T̡̀͝H͏Ì͝S̵̡̛,̀͢ ̧͘F̶̨R̡̛E͝D̕D̢͞I̵͢E͜!̷̵ ͘͜HEHE̶͟͞H̕ÈH̡E̡͜!̕͢!͏̛!

          its voice is louder than the concept of sound.

     —  Y̶̴͜O͠U̢͟R͜ ̶҉D͡A̵̴͜D͝DY'̢͟S̕҉ ͜͞G͘͟Ò͏T́͟T̢A ͜͜͞G͟E͘҉T ̸̷WH̨͡ĄT̢́'Ş̸ ̶͝Ç̕OM҉͏I̴͘N͜'̢ ̸͘͢T͜O̧̧ ͜HI̛͝M̸̨!

          its voice is overpowering, higher than a man of the highest authority.

                                                       —  S̻̯̼̣ͥ͂͞͡ ͓̯ͦͭ̌͠O̸͔̝ͯ̔̽͐ͬ̔͜ ̡̣͚̯̻͎̱̠ͣ͛ͯ̄ͬ͢ͅ ̰̤̼̳͚͊̀͞͠S̳͉͚̞ͦ̑̍̄͠ ̵̛̪͊ͮ̍T̵͎̠̰̯͉͈̟̅̇ͧ͒ͬ̉̆̏̚ ͙̟͉̖̦̙͙̞͙̓ͧ̄̉̈͡E̵͔̪̘̔͑́͐͌́ ̞͉̘̩̰ͪͪ͘͟͡P̢̟̗̠̫̙ͧ̃̋ ̶̦̣̳̻̦̟͒̍̇ͧ͋͑͗ͩ ̥̞ͭ͌ͥB̬̗͈̹̙̠͂ ̵̭̰̝̘̬̫̤͐Ạ̠͙̗̳̋̔ͥͯͦ̉͘̕͢ͅ ̵͉̲̣͎ͩ̔̒̆ͮ̄C̴̘̰̪̼̮͐̿̊̐ ̶̖͍͓͕̣̆ͬ͗̋́ͧ͡K̶̴̲̲͙̖̬͉ͩ ͇̬̜̫̳̘ͪ͆͗͂͜.͔͙̪̹̣̀̀

He didn’t seem to notice her, or even hear her voice--not that that was even remotely unusual in normal circumstances, but there was usually some acknowledgement, even if it was just rolling his eyes at her. She couldn’t help but be unnerved, especially when she didn’t know what to do to help him. If she could even help him. 

All hell seemed to break loose at her entry, however. The growling, so inhuman. It was enough to rattle her, but she wouldn’t be deterred. Her dad was in trouble. Even if he was a terrible father, how was she supposed to sit there while he was experiencing whatever hell they were putting him through? 

They didn’t take kindly to her being there, and a small gasp left her as the mask moved, suddenly right in front of her, so close she could feel the vibration of the booming voice reverberating in her chest. She wasn’t even sure if it was actually speaking, or if it was something she was hearing in her head--extremely loud, and extremely overpowering. 

The mere presence of the mask alone was overwhelming, as if she could feel the power it held radiating out of it. Even as she staggered backwards, pushed away from her terrified father, she could feel how strong this presence was.

“W-what are you doing to him?” she asked, though she knew it was probably better not to, she couldn’t get the sound of her father screaming out of her head, even with the rush of noise that came from the mask. It wasn’t wise to go mouthing off to something much stronger than her, she knew that. But what could she do? How could she negotiate this? 

She was so far out of her element here, dealing with this. “With all due respect,” she began carefully, “I wouldn’t have woken up if he hadn’t been screamin’.” True enough. If they were that mad about her finding out, it really couldn’t be helped with him screaming like that. 

Freddie glanced at her father out of the corner of her eye, knowing better than to take her eyes completely off the mask before her. She bit her lip, drawing in a nervous breath. “It sounds to me like he’s...gotten the point...” 

There had to be something she could do. He might have been terrible, but she didn’t want him to die.

[voocioo-blog]

@facilixr  |  PLOTTED STARTER.

          was it all a dream? or was reality bending on its edges? had it snapped? was there any future or time left? the world, the perspective in all its glory, had began to become fuzzy. the masks who watched him in smug ecstasy had become nothing but blurred faces. glowing purple and green mists, surrounded by wood morphed by the fabric of deities themselves. lips opened their part as far as possible, stretched as wide as they could, yet there was nothing there. no air to suck, no air to live with. and yet, why would he need it? there was no sense in breathing, for he had no heart to beat and no lungs to breathe.

          the idea of the fabric of existence bending around made him queasy and sick in the mind. thoughts cluttered his paranoid brain as thoughts began to wrap around his being. what were the friends doing to him? punishment or not, they would know he was undead. they would know that breath is not needed for their now disloyal witchdoctor. and yet here they were, feeding dr. facilier a mask that sapped him of one of the essential necessities of life. mind-boggling and thought provoking, the man pulled back.

          though nothing helped. all he could feel was his hat flying off his head, and his necklace bouncing on his neck. the teeth jumped around like crazy before they settled back down. the mask had no straps, no binds or locks. it had no chains to keep him ensnared. but that powerful thrust wasn’t enough to cock it off of his face. he just wanted his reality back! facilier just wanted to know that he wasn’t going to die right there, right now.

          the masks faces were growing twice as blurry. now he couldn’t tell the difference between purple, pink, or green – all he could see was a mesh of brown and an assortment of hues. he wasn’t sure. his thoughts were dying and his lungs were growing exhausted. gasps turned to squeals and whines; throat raspy as it struggled to gather air it didn’t need. the man tried to breathe calmly, if only for another second, but nothing came. no matter how hard he tried. the witchdoctor could get nothing.

          his hands shook violently. for a moment, the man was silent. silent as the night itself, silent as the darkness he so adored worshiping. no mice were heard, no crickets chirped. for no one was there when his reality was bent, thoughts forcing his mind to shutdown as panic ran through him.

                                                               — and then he screamed.

                                                                                                  — loudly.

          louder than any other time he’s screamed in his life. it was eruptive, sudden, flying out of his mouth and stripping him of no air. he wouldn’t know if this would harm him or help him, for the friends had twisted his fate, his opinions, his being. but no matter how loud his scream was, no matter how powerful or alarming, no matter who much air those undead lungs shoved out of their tissue, dr. facilier’s pleas were only turned into eerie and terrifying muffles.

[facilixr-blog]

She had just dozed off, a dreamless sleep that would surely leave her feeling even more tired when she woke--except it wasn’t the peaceful awakening she expected at all. 

No, a scream tore through the air, startling her so badly she immediately sat upright, eyes wide. Of course, she was no stranger to spooky things that went bump in the night, especially considering just who her father was. But this was different. That was his voice. That was her father. 

Freddie was on her feet in minutes, tossing back her blanket and sprinting out of her room--the tiny room that was just barely big enough for her. 

“Dad?” she called uncertainly, wondering what was going on. Could it have been a burglar? But who in their right mind would rob him? It didn’t make any sense. Perhaps she should have been more cautious. But what if he was in trouble? 

He was still her father after all. The only father she had, even if he was a terrible one.

When she reached him, she felt herself freeze, her eyes widening in panic as she took in his situation. “Dad!” What was happening to him? He seemed...scared...and it unsettled her. 

More unsettling than the mask. Sure, she’d seen glimpses of him dealing with his friends, but this was....this was different. She swallowed hard and forced herself to move, gingerly placing her hands on his arms, unsure if that would help ground him or send him further into his frenzy. 

“Dad! Dad, it’s me, what’s going on?” she asked, her voice reflecting her own fear, her worry seeping in. Was he dying? Was he going to die? If that happened, what would happen to her? It had to be something about the mask, seeing as how he was trying so hard to pry it away from him, though it didn’t seem to be working.

                               “It’s okay, dad, I’m here now, I’ll help you!” 

Somehow. Even though she’d spoken those words, she had no idea how to go about it.

[wickedoceana]

                          indie ★ semi-selective ★ multifandom + oc friendly

THE WORST IS NOW THE BEST                              AND LEAVING US HERE WILL BE THEIR LAST REGRET

[facilixr-blog]

voocioo:

          she wouldn’t do it again – she wouldn’t, she says. she promises. familiar words cloud his mind. he would have said the exact same pleas to his previous owners. he remembers them towering over him, whip ready and knuckles cracking at the sight. they would yell at him, accuse him of everything they didn’t agree with. there were times where facilier got punishments when there was no reason he should have gotten them. back was covered from head to toe in scars he would never show anyone. never would he stoop that low again.

          but seeing freddie reach this newfound valley of darkness – it was intense. the witchdoctor couldn’t tell what he felt. was it superiority? was it satisfaction? was it perhaps the fact that he could finally understand where his previous owners came from? it must have been so annoying, having people step out of line no matter how many times they’ve been told to listen. to be obedient. to follow others with no ifs, and, or buts.

          she was trying to find solace. to try and compromise with him. and the thought was reassuring. at least she wasn’t arguing with him and pricking at every part of him. a heavy, elongated sun left his lips. eyes roll and he lifts his towering domineer. fists squeezed in rhythms, fingers digging into his square palms, only to release tension again. lids close over his eyes and facilier’s anger drifted away. it was a good thing she was trying to make up for her mistakes. arguing with him would have caused a strewn of events. a catalyst that would have eventually led to the man smacking her across the face. maybe even punching her in the neck.

          the the lanky witchdoctor’s fit of capricious rage was over, he was still irate as ever. man’s hands tapped together. fingers dabbed their tips. elbows expanded outward before he lifted a hand and gestured out in the air. body language present, it was obvious that this man was far from over with her. despite the fact that she was searching for reconcile, she would still get a punishment.

          ‘ — the fact that you   n e e d   to go out shouldn’t happen! you should have kept the ten and returned it to me, ‘  thankfully he was spitting again, and thankfully facilier’s words weren’t nearly as heavy as when he first began his spiels. albeit his tone was still stern, strict, and important. eventually, that hand became pointed, and it was straight at her face.  ‘ sorry won’t cut it next time. you go out there, you get me double, and you better know that you   ain’t   gettin’   a n y   money this time. ‘

She shut her eyes tight, digging her fingernails into her palms as she waited, bracing herself for the blow she knew had to be coming. But her words must have done some amount of good. It felt like hours had dragged by when she finally mustered the courage to open her eyes again, to watch his movements.

He was still angry, clearly, but it didn’t seem like he was going to hit her--but she also knew it was too early to be relieved. She couldn’t relax until she was out of the emporium, until she was away from him. It was only once she’d put enough distance between the two of them that she would let her shoulders sag in relief.

For now, she was still as tense as she’d gone when he’d first started, despite the fact her joints were beginning to ache, especially her fingers, pressed tightly in her palms. 

“I-I will, next time,” she promised. “I won’t...I won’t do that again.” She wouldn’t even think about it. She wouldn’t even ask permission to. Her heart was still pounding against her rib cage, still too scared to even attempt to calm herself down. 

Again, she flinched when he pointed at her, expect the movement to be a slap or a punch--but it wasn’t. She’d seemingly escaped it this time. “Of course, you got it,” she managed, her voice wavering, betraying her fear even if she’d managed to regain just a minuscule amount of her composure.

To think she’d been so happy when she waltzed into his shop, only for it to come crashing down around her. 

She began to back up then, increasing the distance between them--just to be safe. “I’ll, uh, I’ll be back later, then..” 

[facilixr-blog]

voocioo:

          as each day passed, the undead man was discovering more and more how ridiculous it was to make this deal. not only did he expand the amount he needed to give to his friends ( he figured that it would be easy; what with a loyal companion to help him with ) ,  but he got the worst parasite that drains a wallet: a child. here she was, stealing his money and using it for her own gain. did she ask permission? no, absolutely not! and did she think about him? didn’t seem like it. all she thought about was herself, not gaining money or profit, and most certainly not helping her poor daddy out where he so desperately needed it.

          it was a mistake to make this deal.

          when she began to cry, facilier let go of her jaw. digits were digging into her skin, nails burying themselves into her line. with a quick flick of the rest, she shoved her cranium aside. yet those piercing, purple eyes, as dark as the fresh dusk itself, did not leave her own. the witchdoctor wanted her to know he was angry. he wanted her to know she was in big, deep trouble. and she would be punished in the most vicious of ways.

          growls slipped past his big lips. her excuses were pitiful. thinking she did a good job? had she not listened to herself just now? jaw dropped at her desperate need for mercy, and her crackling demeanor. she was stumbling around, just trying to keep herself up in his fiery outburst. and it disgusted the lanky man that she would further her lies, and further her pleas. fists clench at his sides, and he stands tall as freddie’s words process in his head. teeth grit as he readied his next retort back at her.

          ‘ — YOUR REWARD? ‘  his voice is louder than even he expected, but facilier didn’t mind. he kept going, head bobbing and jaw smacking against his teeth. body was flying, arms jumping and words digging into the air.  ‘ your reward is what i give ya at the end of the day. whatever i feel like givin’ up to you.   THAT’S   what you get when ya done.

          ‘ — i’ve been teachin’ ya since you was about yay high, ‘  he pauses his lecture. a lanky hand is raised, flat, about two or three feet above the ground. his other hand is clenched up tightly. within a few seconds, he is back to letting off steam and rage at not only her, but at himself for stooping as low as making a deal to make her.  ‘ that your minimum amount was ten to fifteen dollars. three abe’s cabes!   THREE !   and you think coming back home with less is gon’ make your daddy  HAPPY ?  ‘

She drew in a shaky breath, almost taking a step back once he finally released his hold on her. She tried to wipe her eyes but her arms didn’t want to move, still tucked close to her chest. She tried to keep her breathing steady, but her vision was getting blurry and it was hard to even stay on her feet as much as her legs were shaking. 

“I-I just...I thought..” Her voice had grown quieter in the face of his fury, trying to make herself as small as possible. She couldn’t wait for this to be done, for him to stop yelling. “I’m sorry..” It was the only thing left that she could say. The only thing left that could maybe spare her from his anger.

“I won’t do it again, I won’t, I promise.” It was all she could do, hoping that it was enough to placate him, enough to get him to let her leave. “I’ll go back out, I’ll go get double this time..!” 

Was that enough? Would that calm him down? There were loads of people out there with loaded pockets, right? Even those that weren’t, she’d pull out all the stops if it meant saving her own skin, if it calmed him down. 

Surely he’d be happy to get double her usual amount, right? If she could pull it off, that is. Money was the only thing that made him happy, after all. 

              So wouldn’t that be her saving grace?

[facilixr-blog]

voocioo:

          oh, the man wanted to hit her. to clench his fist and knock her right in the eye! to smack her face and leave her a bruise for weeks. to grab at her neck and squeeze it with every muscle in his limb. a growl left his throat as the card flipped. though facilier had already seen it, seeing it in her hands, and seeing her on the verge of tears made everything twice as infuriating. it was clear that he had confidence in his abilities, but even then, figuring out that he was correct made him that much more angry, as well.

          in order to stop himself from practically asphyxiating the girl, the man’s hands are brought up in fists. he throws himself at the girl, getting right up in her face. their eyes are no more than three inches apart. skeletal digits press against each other as he gestures toward her. they pinch at the air, and pull it down as he speaks. breath is hot, and words are twice as heavy as before. the witchdoctor’s scowls and raised voices linger on the situation. they bleed through to the other side.

          ‘ — YOU   took it for   YOURSELF ,   and you was gonna   LIE   to me about it?! ‘  the undead man’s voice is powerful, demeaning, condescending. never will he allow freddie to take his money again. and he will teach her that lesson.  ‘ didn’t know daughters grew sweet-teeth overnight. ones that tell her to break the rules, no less!

          ‘ — i’ve told you before – if someone shorts you,   YOU   go to   THEM !   you call them over, and   MAKE   them give you the correct amount of change! ‘  he is screaming at her now. spit flies and his veins pop in his neck. brows knit tightly and the lanky, undead man grabs her jaw. fingers snatch at it and he forces his seed to stare at him. straight in the eyes.  ‘ you’re lucky i ain’t smackin’ ya… ‘

She flinched--she couldn’t help it--as he intruded upon her space, his fury evident on his face. She was trapped now, and there was really no way out of it, though that didn’t stop her from trying. Freddie wanted to hide away until she could calm down. There wasn’t really much that scared her, but seeing him like this?

                          She couldn’t think of anything more terrifying.

The young girl drew her hands to her chest, almost releasing her hold on the card in her fright as she struggled to find her voice, to protest against his words. “I-I thought it was enough,” she stammered, almost choking on her own words as she spoke. Her throat felt tight, and she knew the tears would be coming soon, whether she wanted them to or not. “I just...I thought I could...just a little...enough to treat myself...” 

Clearly that had been a mistake, however. She should have gotten more money if she was going to do that, at least cover her bases. But she wouldn’t be doing that again. Oh no, not after seeing this. 

Her eyes stinging, she blinked away tears, willing them not to fall just yet, even as he continued his tirade, forcing her to look him in the eye. “S-should have...” she agreed, wondering if the blonde really had short-changed her and she just hadn’t noticed.

A stupid mistake. Seemed like today was full of those. 

Freddie wanted to shut her eyes tightly and run away--and she likely would once he was done yelling. She would stay away as long as she could. That was how it always went. A never ending cycle it seemed.

                  “I just thought...I could reward myself for a g-good job..” 

But she wouldn’t make that mistake again, not when he so meticulously counted out his money. 

[facilixr-blog]

voocioo:

                                                               ‘ — you’re lyin’ to me. ‘

          his voice is deep, slow, and quiet. but boy, was it heavy. it sat on the air right after it left his lips, and his emotions were just as dignified and exaggerated as his voice was. they poured out all over the situation, and stained it horribly. he could see right through her. it was her quirks, her actions – she was acting just like he would. a very, very intelligent girl. there wasn’t another man around in new orleans who was as clever and conniving as he is. at least, not any who were as poor as he was.

          the friends just enjoy having too much fun. because though the man could tell she was fibbing by the way she tried so hard to scour the floor with her eyes, he knew she was lying. shadows had appeared around him, little invisible spirits that whispers sweet nothings into his ears. though they were nothing but thickness to the girl before them, they were easily visible to the witchdoctor. he spent years in faithful practice, trying to see them. and here there are, glancing between him and his daughter. they told him everything.

          the pastry, the scheming, the lying. retractable clothes pulled on his ear lobe, dragging the truth closer to his brain. his otherwordly buddies enjoyed seeing their fights. they enjoyed seeing the man scream and yell, and they enjoyed watching the girl cry and suffer. games like these were the best to play with. but, dr. facilier didn’t think any of this. the shadows were on his side, most of the time. or so he thought. especially during situations like these. they were always there for him during card readings.

          out of his pockets came his tarot cards. with a glare, he stormed up to the girl. frown deepened as he plucked at one of the cards in the deck. he glanced at it, back exposed to his seed. he was viewing a pastry, a danish that looked absolutely delicious. it was tempting himself, and had it not been for a lack of a working digestive system, he would have bought it himself. middle and pointer finger hug the card tightly. he tilts it toward him once before flicking it downward. the pastry was still hidden to freddie.

          ‘ — take a look at this card here. ‘  his voice is chilling now. it is covered with an edge, sharper than a sword and more blunt than a spear.  ‘ tell me what your  p a s t  says for me. ‘

If there was ever a phrase or tone of voice that could chill her to her core, it was the one her father just spoke. Her eyes widened, lips parting slightly as she tried to protest. “What are you talkin’ about?” she managed to say. “I don’t have a reason to lie.” 

Her excuse had failed, hadn’t it? But she’d planned so carefully. She’d been so ready to weasel her way out of any trouble--but trouble always found her anyway, didn’t it? How very lucky for her. Her good mood from earlier had evaporated, replaced with cold fear settling in the pit of her stomach. 

She knew what ever was coming was not going to be good. Truth be told, it scared her to see him angry--anyone in their right mind would fear him when he was angry. How was she supposed to keep her cool when he’d chilled her right to the bone with one sentence? 

Freddie swallowed hard when she saw him draw the cards, and she knew in that moment, she was about to be sunk. She should have known better than to lie to him, her mind whispered. Just a stupid girl who thought she was just slick enough to slide by with no trouble. Of course she should have known better. He always seemed to know, no matter what, especially when it came to other people. 

The girl knew what would be on that card the moment he held it out to her. Her stomach twisted and she faltered. She felt like a mouse, shaking and cornered by the cat about to pounce. 

“I-it’s not a big deal...I can always go get more, extra. There’s plenty of chums with loaded pockets out there,” she began, fighting to keep her voice level. She didn’t want to cry--not now. She didn’t want to give him, or the friends, the satisfaction of that. That was probably her undoing in the first place, expecting that they wouldn’t know what she’d been up to from the very beginning. 

She cursed her luck, but there was no way out of the situation now. At least she had the decency to look guilty--like a kid that had been caught with their hand in the cookie jar after they’d already been told no. 

Hesitantly, her hand reached out, figuring there was only so much running she could do. It was best to get it over with. Her slender fingers plucked the card from his hand and turned it over, confirming her suspicions. 

                       “---Of course, you already knew,” nothing more than a quiet murmur left her lips, barely above a whisper. That’s how it always went, with her luck.

[voocioo-blog]

                        YOU CAN’T CHOOSE YOUR FAMILY.

                 written by hannah.                                             written by kayla.                        ind. sel. semi-exc.                                                             ind.      semi-sel.

[facilixr-blog]

do you ever just see an icon of your muse and you’re like “holy heck what a cute” bECAUSE 

[facilixr-blog]

voocioo:

          it would be a lie to say that the witchdoctor was listening to freddie at all. he was too enthralled in his newfound green. his lanky, skeletal fingers went right through all of it. and, when he finished counting the bills, he immediately went to the coins. slicks of cash would ball up and crinkle in his fist. he would use two fingers to count the bronze and nickle in his other hand. but, the further and further he counted it, the more and more disturbed and confused he became. he was okay at first – face was smooth, albeit cross. facilier was just satisfied he was getting more cash.

          but then, he began to go further and further. no, no, this couldn’t have been all of it. could it have been? even if she didn’t get more than she was supposed to, it was a rule in his house. freddie was not allowed to go home until she got at least ten to fifteen dollars. but here, here he was only counting a little more than nine. about $9.85. no, no, this can’t be right. she would know better than to return home with less than ten dollars.

          the man shot her a quick glance. it was crude, belittling. the undead man almost looked disgusted at her presence. but, he wouldn’t blow up just yet. instead, facilier decided to recount the money. uncrumpling the bills in his hand, he counted them again. and again, his fingers ran over the change. though the man wasn’t good at saving money, he did know how to count it properly. and he knew that this definitely wasn’t enough.

          but again, the witchdoctor held back his temper. there was a chuckle. a forced one. it was rough, hoarse, pushed through irritated bags of lungs. he continued to count the money. it was three times now, that the undead man was counting it. even his shadow got curious. it spread out on the wall, arms lifted and fingers curled curiously. the mouth curled downward, and forehead was scrunched. the shadow was just as suspicious about the amount.

          ‘ — yeah, yeah, whatever honey. ‘  he didn’t pay attention to anything she said. dr. facilier was much too focused on making sure he got what he wanted. and he would until his seed got it right to a t.  ‘ now hand me the   r e s t   of it. ‘

He wasn’t even listening. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from scowling as she watched him count the money. That was normal. He never listened, not really. There was no point in going on, so she fell silent and let him focus on the money--not that he had any trouble with that, even if she had continued speaking.

It only became more apparent that he’d noticed something was missing after she watched him count and recount. Just her luck. The one day she decided to sneak a little for herself--but then again, didn’t he always count so thoroughly and obsessively? A lesson for next time she supposed.

But that only meant that she was about to be in a sticky situation, if she didn’t keep her wits about her and put on a convincing act. Lying through her teeth was a good skill to have, and honestly, she’d learned by watching the best in the business. 

“The rest of it?” she repeated, blinking curiously. “What d’you mean? It’s not all there?” She furrowed her brows, a frown tugging at her lips as she looked down, as if she was recalling the earlier events. At least, before her pastry. 

Her look of confusion gave way to one of indignation as she suddenly gasped. “That blondie I cornered earlier! She must have short-changed me! I knew there was somethin’ suspicious about how she was acting...” Freddie grit her teeth, clenching her fist. “Guess I shoulda double checked first...” 

She probably could have said that there was a possibility that she had dropped it when she was dodging the bag lady, but she needed something solid--something better than that. Of course, she was likely to get lectured on not being smart enough to double check before hand if she was lucky, but it seemed like her best bet.

And if it came down to it, she could always go right back out and scam someone else out of their money just to cover it. Hell, she probably should have done that in the first place.

[facilixr-blog]

voocioo:

          an eyebrow quirks in curiosity.   oh?   was she stooping as low as stealing from others now? facilier had never gone out of his way to do that. to him, it was too risky. though he has thought about snatching a couple of dollars from someone’s wallet, he would rather much keep in the darkness than get locked up behind bars. lips purse together at the thought. and in a second, both brows squint again. it meant that she didn’t do that good of a job at her offers, and she didn’t that well in selling her wares.

          the witchdoctor was realizing how much he never really gave her any attention otherwise, she would have known what kind of trouble she would have been getting into. yet, she doesn’t speak to him and nobody comes around to tell him a single problem about her. then again, he could care less. far as the undead man was concerned – she was no longer his child. more of an associate.

          that smile was fading now, obviously looking more forced. he pulled it back again, but his brows were now uplifted. forehead wrinkles scrunch together as his expression deepens. though he was impressed she could think of new ways to obtain money, he was upset that she had to do it by stealing.

          ‘ — ya’ll need to try   harder   next time, ‘  his first words were stern. they were brutally honest, with a harsh breath and a low tone. dr. facilier shakes his head, if only for a moment.  ‘ stealing’s only gonna get your poor, ol’ daddy in trouble. and if  you  had worked better at your job, ya’ll wouldn’t  need  to steal. what would have happened if you had been caught? daddy would’ve had to spend his hard-earned green on bailin’ ya out of juvi. ‘

          no point in keeping it anymore. the smile drops. his act drops completely. it was like a switch being flicked off. the man huffed and his countenance appeared as cross as it ever had been. another shake of the head. the lanky witchedoctor now steps on his soles, his spatted boots tapping against the wooden flooring. his feather follows his movements as he gave his seed the cold shoulder. quite literally.

          now focused, facilier began to count the money, one bill at a time.

And there it goes. Just like that, she knocked the smile off of his face, watching it slowly morph into something more disappointed. A bitter feeling settled in the pit of her stomach, but that was nothing knew when it came to interacting with her father. Perhaps calling him her father wasn’t even remotely right. After all, he was hardly a father to her.

Most fathers didn’t let their children roam around with no supervision, getting into whatever trouble they pleased. Most fathers loved and cherished their children. Sometimes, Freddie wondered if he even knew what it meant to be a father. 

Not like it was any of her business. As long as she had a place to sleep and a roof over her head and food, well, she couldn’t complain that much. Any of that and he would surely be rid of her. 

The bitter feeling only intensified as he began to speak, pursing her lips at his words. “Right,” she drawled, “trying harder is my main focus when dodging some crazy lady’s bag.” That part wasn’t a lie at least. The last woman she’d spoken to had swung a bag at her--but she was sure it was more of an accident than on purpose. Or maybe she just wanted an excuse to leave and feigned the bug excuse. Freddie didn’t care. 

“--Oh, please,” she almost snorted. “Who says I’d get caught?” She knew better than that. A person needed to be quick to be a pickpocket--light and fast, enough to snatch the wallet and get away. If someone was particularly skilled, they could even take the bills right out and slip the wallet back in as if nothing had happened. Sure, she probably wasn’t that good, but she could always pretend that she’d found a dropped wallet and tried to return it. “I didn’t do it though, only thought about it. Woulda been a little extra for ya.” 

But she supposed she’d just have to do what he said and try harder. Of course, her best effort was never enough. When was it ever? Still, she remained casual as he began to count the money. So particular...if it was her, she would have been happy with whatever amount it was. 

She was sure he wouldn’t notice, but even if he did, she had already readied her excuse. She’d had plenty of time to think about it on the way back, after all. 

           Any child or associate of his needed to be a smooth talker anyway.

[facilixr-blog]

voocioo:

          having no bell, alarm, or any other way of being notified someone was coming, facilier knew exactly who would come home whenever someone didn’t knock. though the man had the ability to sense supernatural beings, he had no ability to sense regular humans. and since his daughter was a spawn of himself, it should have been twice as difficult to sense her presence. and yet, as the door opened and that familiar voice filled the shadows, he knew exactly who came home.

          perhaps it was subconsciously, but a quiet sigh escaped his lips. though being around freddie wasn’t the worst compared to other business associates and clients, she wasn’t the person he would have liked to be around. back to the young woman, the man rolled his eyes. his seed had come home. hopefully she had the money she needed to give him. and then, he would send her on her way again. dr. facilier would force her to be quiet, to not bother him unless it was important, and to leave his potions alone. that is, if she even wanted to sit at home after that.

          every time her presence is around, the man is reminded of how he drains her of everything. if she isn’t stripping him of the cash he rightfully deserved, she is begging for his attention. and it gets on the witchdoctor’s neves that she can’t understand that he can’t always be there. she’s old enough to be on her own, now. she can walk, talk, think for herself. all she needed was a small bit of cash. she could buy what she wanted, and do whatever she wanted. apathy was the base of his vision of her; she was no true daughter. a trick on him played by the friends. a woman raised to be nothing but a coworker.

           at least he would collect her money. that’s the only plus of having her back inside the emporium. ever since she came back, profits were raising tremendously. it wouldn’t be long before he could use her for his debt. luring people inside so he can take their soul, their blood. the deal with the friends was bittersweet: he might have gotten a daughter, but at least he was reaching his dream twice as quickly.

          with a turn of the heel, the man met his offspring with a smile. it was stretched across his face, pulling the skin of his cheeks back. it was practically impossible to tell of it was fake or not. with a more audible sigh, though more relieving than irritating, he began to step closer. one hand behind his back, and the other outward, he began to speak to her.

          ‘ — freddie! my precious, beautiful child. ‘  dr. facilier spoke to her just like he would a client. he was smooth, and his voice was littered with layers and layers of manipulation.  ‘ i missed ya just enough, sunshine. heh. did’ya get a lotta clients and deals today? ‘

Ah, yes, the smile that left a sour taste in her mouth. Not knowing whether it was real or fake, genuine happiness at seeing her? Unlikely. If it was a genuine smile, it was more for the money he was about to receive, rather than the sight of his own child. 

That’s how it always was. He only cared when she had his money, when she was helping him do business. She wasn’t a child to him, no, more like a worker. Only there to help make him richer, more powerful. 

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes, though it was a considerable effort. Part of her hoped, oh yes, always hoped, that maybe one day she’d make him proud--gain some semblance of fatherly affection. But Freddie also knew that was a lost cause. There was no use hoping for something like that when it never came. 

Already, he was extending his hand, not to greet her, but to take the money she’d procured on her outing. It was frequent--now that she was old enough she only stayed as much as she needed to and then she was gone again, off to cause trouble elsewhere. After all, even acting out as a child hadn’t gotten his attention. 

   ---But that was life. What else was she supposed to do? 

It wasn’t like she had any other home. Or any other father. She just had to endure, same as always. 

“Almost,” she answered smoothly, handing over his precious cash. That was the only thing precious to him. She knew every word out of his mouth, especially in regards to her was a lie--and she hated herself for wanting to hear it, for any hint of him acting like a father. She’d seen other kids with their fathers--she knew things were different in her so-called “family”.

       “--People start getting antsy if I talk to ‘em too long, but I got close. Thought about liberating a couple touristy types from their wallets on the way back though.” 

[facilixr-blog]

@voocioo

Sometimes it got annoying, but what could a girl do? It was something she had to do...after all, earning her keep was very important. That was what she was meant for. Bring in more money, help dear old dad out. After all that was her job, wasn’t it? 

Surely there was nothing wrong with taking a little off the top just to get a little treat for herself. She worked so hard after all. What difference did taking a couple for herself make? It was a reward. She deserved it for everything she put up with, right? Of course she did. As long as he didn’t find out, of course. 

Her reward to herself had been just a little pastry--cheap enough that no one would notice anything missing from the money she was supposed to give him. After all, she’d destroyed the evidence that she’d even bought and eaten the pastry in the first place. 

       So of course, she sauntered back into her father’s shop, money in hand as she sang a little tune to herself.

“I’m baaaack,” she announced, half singing the words as she stepped into the doorway. She was in a good mood, really. But who wouldn’t be after getting to indulge themselves with a sweet treat? “Did ya miss me?” She already knew the answer would likely be no. After all, he barely noticed her unless she was actively bringing in money.

But nothing could ruin her day...or so she thought.