“Chaos, Chaos!!!”

Valentine (ENH Associated)

[hxpelessfate-blog]

questioningcataclysmic‌:

When Val pulled away, Ellie was able to get a better look at her old friend. Her heart was slowly settling down, now that she could tell that this wasn’t HER Val, per se. It was obvious, of course, from their older age. Slowly, she reached up and brushed a strand of hair off of Val’s face. 

“I know that,” she said softly. “But…I don’t think you’re a stranger to me. I just…missed you.”

Fool. What right did she have to hold the actions of another timeline’s Valentine against this one? And if their relationship had been anything like it was in HER timeline, Val needed her more than she needed to be free of them.

“Idiot,” she murmured, her hand still hovering over their hair. “When was the last time you brushed this?”

Ah. She stepped quickly back and reached down, tearing a long, thin strip off the already tattered golden fabric of her skirt. As good a makeshift ribbon as any, she supposed. She reached up as though to use it to tie their hair back, then paused inches away.

“May I?”

Her comfort was everything, quelling the darkest thoughts in their mind with a small smile and comforting words. Ellie had that power over them, for whatever reason. Especially now with how much more.. innocent she seemed to be. Ellie was the older one, always trying to take care of them, but now that she was the younger one... 

Adopt her, probably. No choice but to get a parenting book, she’s a baby.

It was almost embarrassing, showing up as the mess that they were. As much as Val loved the chaotic mess of hair they possessed, they were far too aware of Ellie’s desire to chop it all off before. It was nice seeing that the same feeling somewhat carried over.

With a nod, their face a bit red, they lean down for her.

“ ...I stopped taking care of it around the ship ride at some point, it got too long and hard to manage. With all the chaos that happened, I didn’t really think it mattered much. ”

[hxpelessfate-blog]

brxkenanima‌:

Ian had gone through an endless suffering, the last thing he had experience his life became his never ending nightmare. The screams and voices taunted him and nearly drove him mad. Yet here he was now, able to hug his sibling once more. It made him forget about all that suffering. It was too good to be true.

And indeed it was…

Their voice, their height and even their hair, it was clear to him this wasn’t the Val he knew. He remembers Kathy explained to him once about different timelines and about how some had the horrible luck to be doomed timelines.

So their Val must still be…

“Ah…sorry…I guess you really are older than the Val I knew it makes sense now…”

They pull away and he almost doesn’t want to let go, but does so in the end.

“…I only made it as far as our trip in the ship. There was a fight I tried to stop and then…” He stops, a knot in his throat prevents him from saying more. He physically winces before continuing.

“No one made it so that’s why I thought…What about you? How did you end up here Val?”

He died on the three year journey, some point on the way. A twisting knot in their throat told them when, just knowing the exact point, but they chose to ignore it. No, no it couldn’t be related to that. Surely. 

This was a sad reunion surely, tragic deaths bringing family together that hardly knew each other. This wasn’t their Ian, and they weren’t his Val. Their heart sunk, and they felt all the more lonely.

His question caught them off guard, and they go rigid. Like a deer caught in the headlights, they stared up at him, speechless. They were dead for a reason, they did bad things. How could they tell their own brother that they’ve grown up so wrong?

Then again, how could they lie to him?

Val lets out a sigh, before finally answering him.

“ Ah.... I... ”

“ .... I did some... bad things. Things didn’t go well when we reached the new session, and I made some bad choices. I was a threat, so Brad just... y’know... ”

Shot a laser from a planet away like a coward, not daring to even face his actions. A bastard, a rotten leader, a coward.

“ ... Did what was right. ”

[hxpelessfate-blog]

questioningcataclysmic‌:

Elodie hadn’t seen their old friend coming- if she had, she might have stepped out of their way, or found a way to gently ward off their hug. As it was, though, she had no time to react. Her arms were pinned to her side by the tight embrace, and when she realized just who it was who was squeezing her, whatever was running through her veins nowadays ran freezing cold. She was sure they could feel her heart rate pick up.

“Ah-”

She hated herself for being nervous. For feeling scared. But she was hardly able to help it. The speech in her ear- too close to her ear- undeniably belonged to Val. Her best friend. The person she cared for most in the world.

The person who’d killed her.

The memories from her time as Imogen were crystal clear, but abstract. And why wouldn’t they be? Witches weren’t creatures of perception and objectivity, not the way a human was. She remembered her death in shapes and smells and colors. In the earth-shattering sound of gunfire. The warm, wet feel- corrupted with something sharp and metallic- of blood on needles. The familiar, warm smell of burning wood, or perhaps a campfire, punctuated by the screeching-static-strobe-light panic that was the closest thing a witch felt to pain. And a deafening noise like a handful of coins being tossed down a garbage disposal. Then…well. waking up in the haze with a head full of human thoughts.

Ellie inhaled through her nose, proximity having buried her face in Val’s shoulder. Of course. Campfire smoke..

“Val…god, you- you got so OLD.”

It was meant to come out as playfully teasing, but honestly these days, if Elodie can gauge her own tone it’s a goddamn miracle.

Clinging tight to the smaller form of their friend, it didn’t take long for Val to realize that this wasn’t quite the Ellie that they knew. This was a younger one, much to young to end up in a place such as this-- not that Ellie would deserve it at all--

Pulling away, after a few moments against her, they look into her eyes with desperate confusion and still trying to make sense of it. Where had she come from? What could have happened where she ended up like this? They felt... lost.

“ I’m not... I’m not used to seeing you so small... anyone younger than me. That’s not right. ”

Thinking over their appearance, they probably looked like a dumpster fire mess compared to what they once were. Small and energetic, a sheltered middle class child had turned into a monster. What would she think? What would she say?

Was she scared?

“ I’m sorry... for bombarding you like this. I’m not your Val, I’m from a far different timeline than where you came from. I’m practically a stranger, yeah? ”

[hxpelessfate-blog]

brxkenanima‌:

He hears them stop behind them. Did knowing he had noticed them made them hesitate? All of the sudden the dash towards him. Ian stands still almost as if waiting for them to…hug them?

Their force is enough to have him almost lose his footing. He feels them cling tightly to him and as a nostalgic memory crosses his mind the sound of sobbing more than enough confirms who this person was.

As they spoke his hand reached to return the embrace with equal tightness. Their voice sounded much older but their actions spoke louder and he knew this was none other than his sibling. His face looks down with a soft smile despite his eyes seemingly looking right through her.

“Hey Val…long time no see…”

His hand reaches slowly to pet their hair surprised to find it quite messy.

“Have you gotten taller all of the sudden? And when was the last time you’ve seen a comb?”

It was Ian, it was the brother they cared for and knew for years now. Through thick and thin, pain and laughter, any other cheesy thing, he was there to give his comfort and support. No matter what sin they’ve committed to anyone, all their wrongs, he saw deep beyond that and saw Val as good. They could do no wrong in his eyes, and neither could he. 

But this wasn’t the Ian that knew their sins, that cast those aside. His chilling questions made them realize this fact, and looking up to his face showed he was younger... they think. It was another timeline, another place in space where Val hadn’t committed their terrible deeds. Should that matter at all?

They didn’t know what to think, they were shaking and they couldn’t even feel it.

“ You’re... you’re not from my timeline... yeah. You didn’t die anywhere near that I can remember... ”

Their head pulls away, not realizing his hand was there. The resistance was confusing, but their thoughts couldn’t put two-and-two together. 

“ I... what do you remember..? You don’t recognize me? How could you die.?? ”

[hxpelessfate-blog]

odietamc‌:

What a curious individual.  Not to say that Korekiyo didn’t have several large bruises currently, but they were quite unintentional.  And had involved quite a lot of almost-swearing when they had seen the injuries.

“I can’t feel anything either, tho no matter how much I would like to punch you, I have the feeling I would regret it afterwardth.”  

Not that Korekiyo particularly wanted to hit them in the first place.

Wow, lame. 

What once was enthusiasm turned to disappointment, their arms sadly falling to their sides. How could they turn down a free punch? A nice good sock to the jaw? Surely they wouldn’t, especially if the punch-ee wouldn’t feel a thing.

“ You’re turning it down, even when you can’t feel anything either?? That’s a bummer... ”

“ Don’t you wanna take advantage of this? I mean, you can’t feel nothin’ that happens. We could totally beat each other up and it’d be nothing more than punchin’ a dummy!! ”

[hxpelessfate-blog]

-- @odietamc​

No touch? Now, that was something new.

To have no real sense of where their limbs were or how to control them, it was something they’d naturally play with. What started as accidentally banging their foot, their mind got curious as to what they could get away with. An hour alone brought them a cluster of bruises up their arms and legs, and a strange high.

At the first poor individual they came across, Val throws open their arms towards them.

“ Smack me!! Gimme a good punch-- I can’t feel anything!! “

[hxpelessfate-blog]

brxkenanima‌:

A promise he’s never been able to keep – @hxpelessfate

After the announcement and a brief moment to take it all in, Ian now wanders aimlessly through the Haze. Completely blind and with no previous references about the place he certainly will be lucky not to stumble upon a hole and fall to his second death.

Trying his best to keep close to a wall and moving carefully as to not trip over anything  he continues on his way with no destination.

Suddenly the sound of footsteps bring him to a halt. Were there other unfortunate souls trapped in this hell with him? He had managed to briefly eye something about roommates and wards but he didn’t have enough time to memorize any of it. Were they one of his captors? A phrase echoes in the back of his head.

If you wish for this to end, commit murder first

“…Who’s there?”

The footsteps stop when he calls out, immediately ceasing just a short distance behind him. The person hasn’t been there long at all, not that he’s aware of, but didn’t expect to be called out as they were. There’s silence for a time, as if unsure of what to do now that they were noticed. Run? Follow through?

Then, all at once, they pick up again in a run, practically ramming into him. 

Rather than any weapon or bloodthirsty hands to end his life, the figure holds him in a tight grasp around his torso, shaking weakly from their sobbing. This figure meant no harm, and he surely knew that.  If not their actions, maybe their voice. It was much more mature than he’d know, yes, but it was familiar.

“ I-Ian... Ian i-it’s me...”

Any anger or malice melted from them, looking up at their confused brother. They forgot about the snakes, the queen, this hell-- they knew Ian. All over again, they were the scared, pathetic child they once were because they could see their brother again. They clung to him like he was their final hope, as if letting go would have them fall.

Though, they couldn’t feel any of it. No comfort, no touch or sense of his clothes’ fabric, the warmth he always gave. It was gone.

[hxpelessfate-blog]

-- @questioningcataclysmic

Ah.

Death was a strange thing indeed, they were still getting used to it. Betrayed by what was their permanent family, slaughtered by a coward’s decision. They still had that to cope with, along with being thrust into such an odd situation-- with the snakes and purgatory stuff...

But her?

Val looked dumbfounded, staring at what looked like a younger version of their best friend. Was it her? Or a cruel vision? 

They weren’t quite sure, not before running full speed to embrace her. There weren’t any thoughts, no real questions or second-guessing, sprouting on instinct.

“ Ellie-- Ellie you shouldn’t be here...! What are you doing here..!? ”

[hxpelessfate-blog]

STARTER CALL