broken toy

Just dress me up in pretty things and watch how I fall 'Cause I am the puppet made ugly in your control

[feathered-iridescent]

I'm aware of the news. I'd rather not talk about it.

[roadmotel]

Mark Z. Danielewski, House of Leaves

[of-scholars-and-strings]

The Ascension of an Outlier Seed (Final May 15th Story)

Written by: All Members Of The Arkn: Legacy Development Team (Pen, PJ, Ashe, Innes and Raven)

The light in that world was the same as it had always been when the Hethe intervened.

The day began soft and sweet. One of the only few left for this lost world. On a hillside, a breeze softly sways the one single large tree atop it. The birds chirped a sweet tune as the leaves rocked back and forth in a quiet fashion. A soft serenity lay across this place like time was slowing down. The fear that this peace was to be disturbed was high in the air at this moment.

Then something shifted. The wind began to pick up and the clouds started to gather. The birds, once peacefully singing their soft sweet music immediately stopped. Sensing something wrong they took off, calling their distress loud across the winds. The tree, once swaying, now was shaking as the air pushing against it got more and more intense. A storm was brewing high above. People close by were watching as the sky darkened. Even they knew something was amiss as their clothes billowed with the harsh and heavy winds. Thunder began to rumble, coarse and booming. The almost black clouds began to light up with flashes of lightning that streaked across the sky. All the peoples below stared at this display in awe and fear whilst clutching their garments tightly to not lose them in this billowing wind.

Then it happened. A large bolt of lightning struck the hillside with a force and impact none in this world had ever seen before. Chunks of grass and dirt were sent flying as the lightning electrified across the grass. Yet the lightning didn’t stop. Like a bullet out of a rifle, another bolt shot down. The large cacophony of roaring thunder accompanied it and spread out like the one before it. Then another fired down with rapid speed. Then another. And another. And another still until all that remained was a large crater dug into this hillside that was high on electric energy. Then, at last, a light like a sun appeared. It shone brightly in the eye of this circling storm. All the people, clutching onto trees and objects nearby to avoid being blown away stared upwards. A brief glimpse of hope they believed it to be. The silver lining to this strange event they didn’t expect or ask for.

Crash! The light exploded and hurled itself in a column deep into the newly made crater, causing everyone and everything to be blasted back without any resistance. It thundered down like a twister as it slowly enveloped the entire hillside with ease. The people crashed hard as the light kept going. The lightning sparked with radiance and hummed loudly before shocking the entire landscape in a brilliant flash of colorful light displays. Red, blue, green, yellow, purple, orange, white and black. The people had to wince as this energy fueled the light before them.

Then, as suddenly as it came, it stopped. The light faded in front of the eyes of the people lying in various places after being tossed around. The hill, no longer humming with unnatural lightning, seemed to still be intact. However, as the people nearby got up and approached it, they could see a new addition that had not been there before. Within the crater, not too deep to be unable to get out, stood a singular monument. A wooden door, yet gilded in symbols and energy that no human had ever seen. It puzzled them as they got closer. One person in particular reached out to try the door handle. Upon their touch, a zap of static energy quickly stayed their hand. But it seemed to do its job.

The door slowly, softly, opened like an unseen hand had pushed it open. 

From its depths began to chant a utterly unearthly tongue, unfamiliar to any and every creature, higher and yet more bizarre than ever before. It spoke in colors, spat syllables, singing of truths that could not be deciphered by the common man. It was issued to every figure on the planet, no matter how high in the sky they were, no matter how low in the earth they were. All those who listened, everyone in the world who was made privy to this single song, felt an emotion not existing before this moment, and a nostalgia for their own world they had not felt with such keenness in their lives. 

It lasted for eight minutes and fifteen seconds before stopping. 

There was a strange, muted pause. A moment for the whole world to process what exactly they had just heard.

Then came the beetles. The beetles’ elytra gleamed like jewels, flying from the tiny door in amounts not seen before. Their buzzing ran through the air, as strangely hopeful as it was awe-inducing. The beetles came in a wave, sliding through the skies and out into the air. They held ribbons in all kinds of beautiful hues, made of soft and smooth fabrics that scientists would struggle to identify for years after the fact. 

Over the din of the beetles, there was a fizzle, and then a voice, translated into the individual native languages of each person who heard it, over all of the people of the world.

“Is this on? Is this damn thing on? Do my powers work, still? … Yes. You all hear me quite well. An introduction is necessary.”

“My name is Persophelus Samyaza Regent. You may, of course, also call me Regent, in the silly little books you will write about this beautiful, strange day. I speak because I am here to translate the message you have just heard, the message spoken in the tongue of gods, into something you may understand. I am a powerful being, a quite fabulous one, and I do have that power, the power to translate Hethian Speech into something you can comprehend. I am using every bit of power in my body to broadcast this single message, and will be knocked out cold for a week after the fact, so listen well, for I will only say this once, and I do hope at least one of you little humans is writing this down.”

“Words of holy foresight speak truth of gold, thus thy fate is sealed sayeth gods of old. Out of the darkness new dawns shall break, from a tragedy born of deceit and hate. Found buried in the dust of a fallen regime, a ring of devastation to aid a ruler’s scheme. One false idol shall reign darkness upon the land, while the true one works against the false one’s plan. Kept behind many deceptions and lies, beware thee all of the prophet blind. By thine own hands of revenge reprised, the ruler of tyranny shall meet his demise. A loss of light becomes fierce and cruel, thus the chains will break fighting oppression and rule. While reclaimers seek to find and enthrone, a poisoned mind shall take dreams for his own. When the master falls and the king’s will is done, the time of the rogue deity at last will come. Heed these words as a warning to thee, spoken as written in this world of Legacy.”

“Mehruai Sabetha. So the Hethe have spoken. Now, at last, awaken.”

“And for those Dekn that may be listening, do tell Jacques Redgrave we’ll be having a chat soon. He knows about what."

The screaming began immediately. Gasps of shock and horror as friends and neighbors began transforming before the crowd’s very eyes. Skin tinted grey, horns and wings, the people ran, abandoning sense for fear they would be the next to turn. 

The disguises of the Arkn and Dekn, against all reason, were dropping - and humans were seeing them for what they truly were.

True to his word, the Persophelum Regent had passed out cold the instant after the translation, and as such was blissfully unaware of the chaos erupting around him. A large smile decorated his face, even in his passed-out state. Maybe, just maybe, he could find the person he’d been searching for through his message.

—

Among the first to see the change happen was an unassuming man named Joel Valiente, who was just starting his shift at the Moonstone Parlor. It was one of the better jobs he’d had over the years, but his passion was screenwriting. For several years, he’d been trying to drum up attention for his passion project, a mockumentary TV series about a woman who suddenly finds herself in a leadership position among a group of rough-and-tumble raiders after the bombs fall. Parks and Recreation for the apocalyptic age, he called it. Sadly, it hadn’t come to pass. So Moonstone looked like it was going to be his home away from home for the foreseeable future. Oh, well. They paid him decently and didn’t misgender him, so he didn’t mind so terribly. 

There was a drag show happening that night, as was tradition on Saturdays around the Moonstone Parlor, and the house was packed. But that night seemed special, somehow. Foreboding. Call it intuition, but he felt like there was an energy in the air that subtly messed with the parameters of what was possible. In theory, he loved that idea. In practice? Not so much. So for most of the night, he ignored it and did his job, serving house specialty cocktails to queens and butches and way-too-drunk straight girls alike. 

“Something’s in the air tonight,” a man at the bar said as Joel passed him his drink. He knew this man. Older than most of Moonstone’s clientele, kind of a figurehead in the local community, rumor said he’d killed a cop once when he was younger but nothing had ever been conclusively proven. 

Joel, unflappable bastion of good vibes that he always tried to be when on the job, flashed a smile in the man’s direction. “Yeah? And what makes you say that, Charlie?” he asked, in an attempt to hide the fact that the same feeling had been building inside of him all day. 

“I don’t know, man. It’s just a feeling.” Charlie downed his drink, and seemed to internally debate whether to stay at the bar or get closer watch the show. On the stage, one of the bar’s regulars, a semi-famous local queen by the name of Miss Sanguine, was performing a very edgy montage to the thumping bass of Bad Guy by Billie Eilish. 

And then, she wasn’t. A wave of shimmering energy moved through the walls. It wasn’t immediately apparent what had changed, but something clearly had. Or rather, someone, or several someones. The crowd watching the show noticed first. When the person you’re watching appears at one moment to be a regular (if ostentatiously dressed) human at one moment and at the next moment has two very impressive horns sprout from their forehead, you notice. “Miss Sanguine is a demon,” Joel muttered to himself as the crowd broke out into panic and confusion. “...I never would have thought.”

“Technically, Miss Sanguine is a Dekn,” Charlie corrected, looking up from the bar for a moment. His eyes, previously a nondescript brown, were now bright turquoise. “Very important distinction. Now. Are you just gonna sit there gaping like a fish, or are you gonna go sort shit out?”

It was Laen’s idea. A safe Seed, he told her – or at least it could be. Word of the fallen veil had traveled fast through the Lathrym in whispers and rumours, and whispers and rumours were Laen’s speciality these days. He was always listening, always paying attention; what he was listening for he couldn’t tell. SEEKER? Cults? War? Anything, he supposed, that could endanger his sister once more. She was fragile enough these days.

But when the news of something shifting on an Outlier Seed reached him, he knew this was their chance. There was nothing left for them here; just memories and fear. Laurien needed somewhere new; somewhere safe. And if his contacts were to be believed, SEEKER might just leave this one be. True safety at last. 

The air was certainly different here. Even Laurien seemed to be interested: fond as she was of floating in her fugue state since her rescue from the Society of the Purple Rose, she lifted her head in an awareness she so rarely held the moment they touched down. Laen watched her pad barefoot in the field they found themselves in, eyeing the grass between her toes and closing her eyes for a moment as a breeze combed through her cropped hair and ruffled her pearlescent feathers. 

“Leave me,” she told him through their telepathic bond, her voice carrying a curiosity he had so missed. “I want to find my feet.”

The idea was ludicrous, and he was of half a mind to tell her so. Leaving her be in their own home was one thing, but to leave her wandering an unknown Seed full of humans who would have Hethe only knew what kind of reaction to her presence… 

Almost knowing what he was thinking, she turned to look at him directly. Her gaze was still glazed and dull as it always seemed these days, blue eyes bloodshot and sunken from sleepless nights, but they were fierce. The kind of fierceness she held so often as a child – that warned him she just might scream. 

Reluctantly, he nodded, watching her drift towards civilization with no apparent direction.

A new Seed. It had been so long since Laurien had set foot anywhere but the floors of her home that she had begun to forget what the sky tasted like. The concrete under her feet was rough and warm, forcing some feeling into her bones, and her feathers seemed to reach instinctively to the sky, breathing the foreign air. She wondered how long the magic keeping them hidden had been falling – if the people here were adjusting or the chaos had only just begun? It didn’t matter, she supposed. If it was terrible here, she would find somewhere else.

The darkness was comforting. Night was still; safe. She could hear every movement, feel every change in the breeze around her. She followed the sounds and smells of human celebration, the lights of their gathering, until she reached a bar. The Moonstone Parlor. Curiosity tugging her forward, she pushed her way inside and headed quickly for the bar, trying her best to ignore the decidedly uncomfortable sight of Dekn here. 

“Citrus,” she murmured to the first bartender she could catch the attention of, shifting her wings uncomfortably as she attempted to find a comfortable position on a stool. Her voice felt rough and weak from disuse, but she did her best to sit straight and project. Sit straight and project. Sit straight. Project. You are a lady. A princess. Sit straight. Project. “What drinks are citrus?”

Joel smiled at Laurien. “We’ve got a few,” he said quietly, clearly sensing that she’d been through a lot recently. Maybe it was the way she struggled to maintain a regal bearing, or the faraway look in her eyes. “And I have a talent for guessing which ones people will like best. As for you, I’d recommend an orange creamsicle cocktail… or, if you’d prefer to keep your head clear, I can make you a citrus fizz. No hard feelings on my end either way.” 

Charlie Boggs, if that was even his real name (he seemed reluctant to say), gave the new arrival a reassuring smile. “You’re Arkn too?” he asked her. “You’re safe here. Some places have taken sides, but Moonstone gets all kinds and has a strict non-aggression policy.”

How did he know what she was thinking? Was he spying on her thoughts? He couldn’t know her suspicions; couldn’t be hearing her secrets. That was dangerous. 

“Was that a threat?” Lauri’s gaze snapped quickly to the stranger, jaw clenching as the only thing keeping her from continuing that train of thought was a gentle hum in her mind.

“Careful, sister. Deep breaths. I’m still here.”

Right. Laurien nodded at herself, forcing a deep breath into her lungs and shaking her head. “Sorry, I-..” Another breath, and she returned herself to form, offering a dead-eyed but pretty smile to the tender, “The cocktail. Please.”

“You sure?”

“Shut up, Laen.”

“Have-.. Has this-..” She shook her head again, fingers tapping lightly on the damp wood of the bar, hyper-aware of how stunted her speech had become, so clouded by the fear that still seemed to lock her throat closed. “How long have humans known? About us. Here.”

“A couple of months,” Charlie replied.

Joel laughed a good-natured laugh as he passed Laurien her glass. “Just saying, but I always suspected that Miss Sanguine over there was a little more than human.”

“Sure you did. Anyway, I asked you because it’s nice to see another one of my own here.” Closing his eyes for a moment, Charlie concentrated and allowed his wings to manifest. They seemed to be made of blue fire, several shades fading into each other. “I’ve missed being able to do that. Now, I make a point of it.”

“They’re lovely,” she complimented, her smile growing a little more genuine as she pointedly ignored the Dekn performing and leaned to examine Charlie’s wings a little closer. She wanted to say more; to comment on how she hadn’t seen another Arkn’s wings beyond her brother’s in-.. Honestly, she’d lost track of how long she had been locked in her home. But the words locked in her throat and she found herself staring at her drink instead, taking a cautious sip and breathing a sigh at the bitter-sweet taste in her mouth. Hethe, it was good to feel something again. “Why…” she tried, looking at the bartender again. From what she could tell, he was definitely human – unless he was really good at cloaking himself. “Why aren’t you shocked?”

“Honestly, not much can shock me,” Joel said. “My roommate in college said I could probably win a staring contest with Cthu–” he began, before realizing that aliens probably wouldn’t get his human geek culture references. “Never mind. Sorry. It’s easy to forget you’re from out of town. Anyway, what I meant was that I’ve kind of worked to become the sort of person that can’t easily be surprised. It’s like a muscle, you exercise it and it stays in shape, you don’t and it atrophies. Gotten plenty of exercise lately.”

Easy to forget? Laurien blinked, glancing back at the two pairs of wings in front of this man, before deciding that if he wasn’t shocked by their existence, it was probably easy for him to adjust. Instead of questioning him she soaked in the atmosphere, trying to focus on the things that used to make her happy, what used to make her happy? Music. Sweet tastes. Dancing and laughter. They all seemed so tainted these days. “I-..” As if the thought of herself having any interests at all had flipped a switch in her mind, she found herself losing her words again, her brow pinching in frustration and her posture shrinking as she took another long sip of drink to distract herself.

“Remember how we practiced, Lauri.”

Right. Deep breath, pull in, focus. The taste of the drink, the weight of her wings… “I’m Laurien,” she breathed eventually, “It’s-.. Good to meet you. I haven’t seen a friendly face in… a long time.”

“Rude.”

“You know what I meant, brother.”

“I’m Joel,” the bartender replied. “Guy with the wings goes by Charlie, he’s still too much of a chickenshit to tell anyone his real name.” 

Charlie sighed, as if this wasn’t the first time he’d had that argument. “You know what you need to know, and I don’t have any reason to be nostalgic for who I used to be.” 

“Yeah, keep being mysterious then. I’ll get it out of you one of these days. Anyway, since the, uh, the change happened, the Moonstone’s been kind of a refuge, even more so than it was before. So you can stay as long as you want. Got a room upstairs if you need somewhere to stay until you find a place of your own.” 

“Stay?” Lauri met his gaze firmly, seeking… she wasn’t sure what she was looking for. An excuse to decline? An excuse not to trust him?

“Figured I’d offer. If not, I can set you up with a hotel room somewhere else.”

“This could be good for us.”

“There are so many people here. And-.. Dekn.”

“I know. But think about it: we’ve been alone ever since-”

“-Don’t.”

“Somewhere populated could be good.”

“My brother,” she said aloud, “Can my brother… stay?”

It didn’t take long at all for Joel to reply in the affirmative. “I don’t see why not. Anyone who doesn’t intend to start trouble or get someone hurt can stay here.” He laughed. “Hell, before all this started, we even let straight people in sometimes. Not an arrangement I was particularly happy about, but you know what, we have bigger problems now.”

Laurien almost laughed at that. It had been so long since she’d thought of sex or relationships and here she was talking with some stranger about it like it was nothing. But his words glued themselves to her mind, sinking deep and welling back up in moments carrying images of broken bodies and scolding eyes. Get someone hurt. Get someone hurt. Broken. Broken toy.

“We’d be happy to accept.” Laen couldn’t help himself. The moment the breath picked up in his twin sister’s chest he had pushed his way into the bar; not ashamed for his sister to know he’d been following her. He wrapped an arm and a tawny wing over her shoulder quickly, fixing Joel with a practiced, friendly smile, “I’m her brother, Laen. Thank you for your kindness – as you can probably tell, my sister has been through a lot. A friendly lodging will do her some good.”

“It’s good to meet you, Laen. And… yeah. I did kinda figure, I just thought it would be rude to ask for details.” Joel tossed him the key. “Can I get you something, while you’re here?”

Catching the key with a swift movement (which he instantly regretted as Lauri flinched at the sudden movement so close to her), Laen shook his head and carefully guided his sister to her feet, allowing her to cling to her glass even as she mindlessly leaned against him. “Perhaps later. I should get this one settled. Thank you again – I look forward to knowing you.”

Arkn, Dekn and Human. If anyone had told Laen their combined existence was possible before now, he’d have laughed. But perhaps… perhaps this could work. Perhaps this was just the chance the Seeds needed – a freedom they never knew.

[frequentlycorvid]

Lauri’s Tale; Pink and Purple - a chronological masterpost

For those who wish to keep up with Laen and Lauri’s story, crossed over with The Siren’s Saga. It’ll be updated regularly.

The Beginning

Purple Heart Anon - Lauri joins Tumblr and is immediately approached by a friendly anon

The Society - Purple Heart Anon introduces Lauri to the concept of the Society of the Purple Rose, a mysterious Dekn organisation.

An Arbitration Feast - Lauri and her twin brother, Laen, speak for the first time in a long time. Though they get along, there is always tension due to their different paths in life.

An Offer - the naive Laurien is approached by the mysterious Dekn Moirah Averil, seeking aid in saving her sister Shanna, and learns more of the Purple Rose.

“I can’t fucking do this anymore” - following a disturbing event within the Society of the Purple Rose, Laurien decides to accept Moirah’s plea for aid.

The Plot Thickens

“It was cold here” - Laurien begins her search for Shanna, unaware of the true extent of the dangers she will face

Just Checking In - Lauri comes to an uncomfortable and dangerous realisation

Where Are You, Sister? - Laen begins to catch wind of the danger his sister is in 

Laurien, Meet Shanna - following her hunch, Laurien finally meets the one she has been looking for, but something is slowly taking hold of her…

Reminiscing - Lauri looks back on her childhood with Laen, pondering the position she is in now. Laen is beginning to panic.

A Colleague - Laen runs into one of his SEEKER colleagues, who immediately realises something is wrong.

A Light Fades

Shanna and Lauri Take A Field Trip - Lauri and Shanna take a trip. Laurien learns she is not so undercover as she thought, and falls quickly into the grasp of the presence looming over the Purple Rose.

And As My Eyes Close, I Awaken - Laurien falls completely into the spell of the Purple Rose

A Mother’s Love - Laen, desperate to get his sister back, turns to those around him for help

I’m Begging You - Laen, finally beyond pride, turns to his final hope.

The Initiation of Laurien Adaire - Lauri finally becomes a full-fledged member of the Society of the Purple Rose

Drifting Apart

An Idea - Laen and Leo come up with a plan to buy them some time while they figure out how to help Laurien

In Over Your Head - Laen, consumed by grief, confronts the one thing he can lash out at; the perceived ‘source’ of his sister’s pain.

It’s All My Fault - Falling into despair, Laen turns his frustration inward.

On SEEKER - Forced alone with nothing but his own half-empty mind, Laen begins to question the choices he has always staunchly stood by

Seeing Sense - Moirah discovers the source of her sabotage – and Laen is forced to apologise.

Re-Education - Laurien, freshly out of Initiation, discovers Shanna has been taken for Re-education.

A Silent Witness (series of Anons)

Experiment - ‘a silent witness’ confronts Lauri about her newfound position Envy- undeterred, Lauri continues to push back against the anonymous confrontation Taking Care Of Her - The silent witness continues their attack Bitter - Laurien has finally had enough. Witness - Laurien finally learns who her confronter actually is.

Let Go - Laurien falls into despair and confusion, and her God-Emperor makes it all better

Her Faith Deepens

Care - Laurien is confronted by an anonymous bystander, who accuses her of not caring for her friends. Driven by fear and faith, she bites back.

Sick - Laurien confronts Moirah and her assistant for spreading ‘manipulations’ and lies about Shanna

What Have You Done? - following a successful rescue attempt, Laurien learns that Shanna is gone.

Hope? - Laen learns of the successful rescue, and begins to show some concerning symptoms…

I don’t feel good… - Perhaps it is the stress, or something else, but Laurien is starting to feel under the weather…

Fear and Finer Things

Arrivals - Laen and Leo are already waiting for Moirah and Shanna when they return. Heated words are exchanged, plans are made, and Laen is beginning to truly feel the weight of his sister’s situation.

Her Lord Returns - Made sick by what she thinks is the loss of her God-Emperor, Laurien turns to the Purple Rose to receive a timely reassurance.

Are You Excited? - Laurien discovers she is to be attending the Violet Gala, the “charity” ball hosted by the Purple Rose

So You All Know - Lauri is feeling much better now her Lord has returned…

An Announcement - Laurien’s attendance to the Gala is officially announced

What Do You Think? - Laurien tries on a new outfit, much to her Lord’s pleasure

SEEKER Are Here? - Upon discovering the organisation her brother works for is attempting to infiltrate the Society, Lauri finds herself in a panic.

He Did It For Me - Laurien has witnessed a darker side of her Lord, and is comforted by an unlikely friend. Perhaps there is more to her God-Emperor than she thought…

The Violet Gala - the biggest, most public event in the Purple Rose’s year, and everyone of importance will be there: including some uninvited guests. It seems as if Laen is finally making progress with his sister.

You Can Still Hear Me - A forbidden conversation; and a flicker of hope in the darkness…

The Door

Of Escape - A giant door appears in Taveril’domaine. Laen is concerned.

Of Wonder - A giant door appears in Taveril’domaine. Laurien is not concerned.

Shaken Faith

“My Lord has been so busy…” - Laurien finds herself no longer the apple of her Lord’s eye. A fellow devotee offers comfort.

“I am precious” - Lauri tries to reassure herself by repeating words her Lord has spoken to her

“It’s me, isn’t it?” - Laurien knows what she did wrong, and how she must rectify it.

Heretical Hypotheticals - a new friend offers Lauri some comfort.

The Day of Amnesty - Laurien hears of a breach in the Cathedral and takes solace in her Lord’s arms once more.

Broken Toy

The Raid - Laurien is rescued from Marchosias’ clutches - but at what cost?

Aftermath - Laen struggles to pick up the pieces of his sister’s pain.

Well, then - Laen and Laurien find out a disturbing truth about Moirah.

[lickgold]

How do I un-know people

[angrysuggestion]

I always care, I always care. This is my problem.

[pariahspraises]

WELL, THEN.

I talked to Moirah Averil last night. She hasn’t been telling ANYONE the whole fucking story. 

@usedtothesedizzyspells explain yourself. You’ve got a lot to answer for.

[usedtothesedizzyspells]

> explain yourself

You realize the thing you’re asking me to self-flagellate for happened years ago, right? And that I am by no means the same person I was then? 

[pariahspraises]

I do, yes. I also realize that there are consequences to what you did. Not just for Shanna, either. 

Readers, the thing Moirah’s not saying is that she is the reason Shanna has Beguilement. She had Andras implant it into Shanna’s genetic code all those years ago because she wanted to create someone Marchosias couldn’t resist going after. She used her own fucking niece as bait. And now he has his wifi repeater back and who knows what he’ll do. 

So if everything goes to shit and Marchosias gets his way, blame Moirah for giving him the final piece of the puzzle. 

[feathered-iridescent]

You.

@usedtothesedizzyspells You're the reason for this?

All of it. Her pain. Mine. All you.

...I may have been willing to forgive you, once.

If I see you again, I will kill you.

[feathered-iridescent]

vile

vile vile vile horrible

[abusedsuggestions]

Meaningless

you are not important.

you’re body has no meaning.

it is merely a canvas.

your memories,

your childhood,

a secret;

you were cold.

it was your fault.

you were destined to be defaced.

you are to be blamed.

deserving.

deserving.

you were deserving of everything you got.

please stop.

you continue.

there are many things you could do that might help you.

hiding under your bed works.

learning to sleep.

pretending.

writing.

writing.

writing.

pretending.

you are cold.

be quiet.

you are worthless.

be quiet.

(a.m.s)

[frequentlycorvid]

Aftermath

“Let me go back, I have to go back! He can’t have her again, he has to have me! I’m supposed to be special!”

Though his chest ached and his cheeks were damp with the weight of her emotions and his own, Laen held his sister close as she screamed and fought and cried. Her dress was in tatters: the princess frills and barely-concealing lace clinging to her fragile frame as loosely as she clung to her own mind. He’d offered a change of clothes, but she had refused.

The mess in her head was confusing his; some broken mix of guilt and fear twisting itself into jealousy — holding tightly to the familiarity and safety of the lie she’d been living.

“I’m still pretty, aren’t I?” Wide eyes shifted to look up at him, glittering and desperate for something to fix whatever she was feeling.

“You’re the most beautiful thing in any world, in Lathrym and Seed,” he told her, startled by how gentle the whisper of his voice became. “Lauri, you’re worth more than anyone could ever give you.”

“No.” Lauri shook her head, shoving him away to pace the room; hands tangled in her own hair, “No, no, it’s not the same it’s all wrong!” she whined, eyes darting as she searched her own thoughts, “I-I’m wrong I’m broken!”

“You’re not—“

“Then why doesn’t he want me anymore?!”

Laen was sure he felt his heart shatter as she screamed, tugging at her hair so hard she tore a clump of perfect waves free; staring at it in her hands and sinking to her knees faster than her brother could think to react. “I’m not even worth being a toy…”

Sighing, he knew it was over. Cradling her close again, he buried his face in her hair as she cried into his chest like they always did when they were little. “We’ll get through this,” he whispered into her mind, hoping the telepathy would be easier for her to handle, “This time, I’ve got you.”

“I’m sorry. I should have listened to you.”

“And I should have been a better brother to you, but things happened and we can’t take it back now,” he sighed, trying to change the subject, “D’you want me to fix your hair up?”

“Cut it short. I don’t want to see it. I don’t want anyone to touch it again.” Sniffling, she pulled away just enough to look down at herself. “Why am I still wearing this? I’m going to change.”

As if the last five minutes hadn’t happened, she pushed to her feet and left the room; almost dazed as if she didn’t truly realise he was still there.

Laen sighed, left with a damp shirt, kneeling on the floor with a clump of his sister’s hair on the floor in front of him. This was going to be harder than he thought.

[feathered-iridescent]

how could I let them fool me

how could i let them take her

how could i let them kill her

stupid useless broken hopeless

[feathered-iridescent]

broken toy

i'm just a broken toy

[societyofthepurplerose]

So, here at the High Cathedral of the Purple Rose, we have a tradition– the Day of Amnesty, in which even the worst apostates and heretics can come back to the Society to be welcomed with open arms. It's a beautiful celebration of our Lord and Master's grace and our own place within His Heart, and–

Hold on

This isn't right, this wasn't supposed to

wasn't supposed to happen

Someone has breached the Cathedral.

-Mod Falstaff

[feathered-iridescent]

Is everything okay? Is it SEEKER again????

Is there anything I can do to help? I'm quite talented in a fight, I think...

[societyofthepurplerose]

No, it's not SEEKER, I think they're going to stay away from us from now on

It's

Someone else, someone who wants to RUIN OUR SPECIAL DAY AND KIDNAP ALL THE PEOPLE WHO RETURNED TO US

Just go somewhere safe and hide, go to Him if you have to, they can't get you if you're with Him

-Mod Falstaff

[feathered-iridescent]

KIDNAP--?

They're coming for us they're coming for me Lord help me

I'll go find Him. He protected me before, He-

I hope He still loves me enough.

[societyofthepurplerose]

Of course I will, dearest. Come to me, and I will keep you safe.

- Your Lord

[feathered-iridescent]

!!! My Lord! I had thought--

It doesn't matter what I thought. What matters is You are here and You will protect me!!!

Do You like my pretty new dress! It's smaller than usual so You can see all my--

No, not the time. There are intruders. I'm coming, My Lord!!!!

[societyofthepurplerose]

I would recognize that psychic signature

a n y w h e r e.

My beloved Herald is here. On this, the most fortuitous of days... she has returned, to ascend with me.

Come out, little Herald, come out and return to my side.

I can grant you amnesty.

[feathered-iridescent]

Shanna--

My Lord, what do I do? She tried so hard to corrupt me before, to blind me to Your Excellence.

If I could just be with You I'll be safe...

[societyofthepurplerose]

So, here at the High Cathedral of the Purple Rose, we have a tradition– the Day of Amnesty, in which even the worst apostates and heretics can come back to the Society to be welcomed with open arms. It's a beautiful celebration of our Lord and Master's grace and our own place within His Heart, and–

Hold on

This isn't right, this wasn't supposed to

wasn't supposed to happen

Someone has breached the Cathedral.

-Mod Falstaff

[feathered-iridescent]

Is everything okay? Is it SEEKER again????

Is there anything I can do to help? I'm quite talented in a fight, I think...

[societyofthepurplerose]

No, it's not SEEKER, I think they're going to stay away from us from now on

It's

Someone else, someone who wants to RUIN OUR SPECIAL DAY AND KIDNAP ALL THE PEOPLE WHO RETURNED TO US

Just go somewhere safe and hide, go to Him if you have to, they can't get you if you're with Him

-Mod Falstaff

[feathered-iridescent]

KIDNAP--?

They're coming for us they're coming for me Lord help me

I'll go find Him. He protected me before, He-

I hope He still loves me enough.

[societyofthepurplerose]

So, here at the High Cathedral of the Purple Rose, we have a tradition– the Day of Amnesty, in which even the worst apostates and heretics can come back to the Society to be welcomed with open arms. It's a beautiful celebration of our Lord and Master's grace and our own place within His Heart, and–

Hold on

This isn't right, this wasn't supposed to

wasn't supposed to happen

Someone has breached the Cathedral.

-Mod Falstaff

[feathered-iridescent]

Is everything okay? Is it SEEKER again????

Is there anything I can do to help? I'm quite talented in a fight, I think...

[allaboutthatlace]

Baby, the Stars Shine Bright - Tiered Skirt (2003) in Sax