premise of the au is that pix is very. how to put this. open to being possessed. and a couple old, old, emperors figure that they might want to use this to their advantage.
its not ALL the emperors, of course - joel is still very much alive and very much forgetful, and the first pixl is waiting by a worn away vigil. But the others? They watch over him, and sometimes, they possess him. It's kind, and when he is near others, they are nice enough to pretend to be him, but still, being possessed is a fairly uncomfortable experience.
On one hand, he understands that it's the only way they can communicate with him and with those that could use their experience. On the other hand, he feels almost nauseous, moving when his brain isn't telling him to.
He can't talk to them. Ever, really. He can't see or hear them when they're ghosts and he can only think when he's being possessed, while they talk for him. So they write him notes, if they need to. Tell him how something used to look by drawing it on paper. They help him.
Pearl is different though. He can see her. He can hear her. She kicks her feet as he works, and disappears for hours to go watch Sausage, and talks through building ideas for him as if he's going to build his own empire instead of remake an old one. He knows her better than any of the others, but she's mischievous and careful, and she doesn't dare tell him more than he can figure out on his own.
He knows she keeps things from him. He's learned to let her.
Still, she's a good companion. It's impossible to be lonely, when she's around. When any of them are with him, really!
So, he's not sure he'd get rid of them. No matter how much they haunt him. No matter how terrified he's becoming of the lives they led before they died.
kianamaiart
2087
pixelskylines
areudirty
turnnoffyourmind
prguitarman
