Alright, so! If you donât know, Iâve posted (part of) the 4th Chapter of Redemptale on @redemptale just yesterdayâŚ
Iâm not going to be posting any more Chapters⌠however!
I am (once the computer gets fixed) going to start drawing out the comic for the blog!
(Heads up, itâs probably going to be crappy because *wheeze* I have horrid background skills.)
Until then, Iâll probably be uploading chara designs for those Iâve introduced in the Chapters- and possibly a preview of the comic (which Iâm looking into calling the HP: Tale comic (if available))!
The journey to Mount Ebott took several hours. The girl tread to the end of her town, and into the forest surrounding the peak. Wildlife was scarce, save for the birds that fluttered above, nesting in the trees. As the girl neared the range, strange things began to occurâŚ
âHello?â a voice called. Luna turned her eyes away from the gravel underfoot. Did someone just-
âHellooo?â It sounded like a young boy, farther up the mountain.
âHiâŚ?â Luna called back. A few moments pass, thereâs no response. You must be hearing things⌠She continues forward.
âWho are you?â The voice calls back, much closer this time. The girl jumps back.
âI⌠Iâm Luna,â she answers cautiously. âWhere- who are you?â
âLuna, donât you remember?â a familiar voice calls back. Her eyes widen with sudden realization.
âD-delâŚâ Luna is shaken- tears begin to form in the girlâs eyes.
âWhere are you?!â
âWeâre at the mountain- come on!â
And with that, Luna bursts into a run up to the mountain. Theyâre okay⌠theyâre okay! As she closes in on the mountain, something felt⌠off⌠to Luna. She stops for a moment.
âHow long have you all been here?â she asks, concern in her voice. No answer.
â...hello?â She jogs farther along the mountain, up to the mouth of a cave.
âHellooo?â she asks again. Her voice echoes throughout the chasm, causing some creatures to stir. Faint whispering came from the hush darkness of the cave.
âAre yâall in here?â She stepped inside, feeling a shift of some sort... No one was there. She looked around at the rough formations of the walls. Some stalactites hang from the ceiling, seemingly fragile needles of dirt ready to fall onto the earth, or into the large pit that lie in front of the girl. Holes in the ceiling gave somewhat of an illusion of stars speckling the dark ceiling of a sky.
Luna looked down at the gaping chasm, and kicks in a rock. A few minutes pass, no sound of the rock hitting the bottom resonates whatsoever. Luna shivers, trying not to imagine the fate that would meet her, if she were to fall in. She takes a few steps back, stumbling backwards on one of the many vines and plant-life scattered along the floor.
Whispering echoes from the chasm in the floor. Itâs very barely audible, yet the owners of the voices seemed excited, frantic almost. Luna creeps carefully to the edge of the crevice and peered down.
âHello?â She called down to the voices. It was too dark to see in its depths, making out only the faint outlines of what appeared to be rather long stalagmites. They had an unnatural quality to them, as if they were the ruins of something once beautiful. Carefully, Luna began to inch closer to get a better look at whatever the structure was, and perhaps get a better listen at the voices that resonated within this giant fissure. On all fours, she crept to the very edge, the soft earth crumbling under her delicate hands...
âIs someone do- OH!!!â Before she realized what was happening, the earth gave way under the girlâs legs, forcing her off the ledge. She managed to grab some of the more stable parts of the crevice. Gasping for air, she looks down at the darkness just below her feet.
âHeh... holy crap,â are the words that escape her quivering lips as she stares down into the abyss. She takes in a deep breath, trying her best to calm herself. Her attempt is futile, yet sheâs a little calmer now. She brings her eyes back upwards and tries to hoist herself back onto the edge. Her weight is a bit too much for the soft dirt to handle; it crumbles under her hands with each claw. The girl finds it a little peculiar that thereâs no sort of rocks to use as leverage as she continues to struggle upon the ledge. After a few moments, Luna gives up trying to pull herself up and hangs half-heartedly off the rim. She lets out a frustrated sigh as she slowly slides further into the hole.
âBoy, oh boyâŚâ she groans to herself. âLooks like Iâve... dug myself into a hole, eheh.â The girl laughed to herself, slowly losing motivation.
âAll of this feels so idioticâŚâ She shakes her head.
âIf it feels idiotic, then why get involved?â Luna jumps a bit, slipping further into the hole. She looked at the source of the voice with a stunning sight- it was right in front of her; small, golden, and grinning right in her face.
âHowdy!~â
â......â She stares in awkward silence at the golden flower, awestruck and confused.
âHah, what a face! I thought you liked flowers!â
This is it. Iâve finally snapped. She tried to crawl back onto the ledge, only to be stopped by a vine in her face.
âDonât even try, buddy.â The flower sneered at the girl. The vine in her face slithered down to her arms. Lunaâs eyes widened with fear.
âWh-what are you doing?!â she began to panic, trying to scramble onto the edge frantically. All her struggling caused the earth around her to crumble and fall into the depths of the crevice that seemed to be sucking her inside like a hungry lion pouncing on its prey.
âGolly, how pathetic!â The flower grimaces momentarily, soon being replaced with a smirk. The flower glares down at the girl, who watches in discomfort as the vine wind tighter and tighter around her hands, restraining them. She felt herself slip further in the hole. Her legs flailed, trying to find anything to gain footing on. Each strike of her foot only made her slip deeper into the hole, until she was dangling from her vine-bound hands, helpless and inches away from a plummet to an imminent, painful death. Luna tries to pull herself up in an attempt to climb back; the little flower giggled.
âOh dear me,â it said sadistically. âDid you want me to loosen my hold?â Before the girl could respond, the vine loosened itself quite a bit, dropping Luna further into the depths. She yelped in surprise, and scrambled desperately to get a hold of the vine. Breathing heavily, she met the flowerâs empty gaze with her own terror-filled eyes.
âD-d-donât do thisâŚâ she rasped out.
âDo what?~â it asked playfully, a twisted smile lighting its face as it stared down at its victim. It perks up cheerily with realization.
âOh! You mean this?â The vine tightened itself around the girlâs hands, and winding itself around her arms. She felt herself being lifted off the edge of the crevice and ascending higher into the cave. Now bound by her arms, Luna stared down into the depths of the chasm, fear rising from the bottom of her spine as she dangles from her doom. She looked back at the flower, who seemed to stare right into her very soul. The flower jeered at her pointless struggles.
âWell, this was fun,â it began, âbut my vine is getting tiredâŚâ
Lunaâs eyes widened in terror. No⌠itâs not gonnaâŚÂ
It smiled at her reaction.
âMaybe you arenât an idiotâŚâ a chittery laugh escaped its mouth.
Wow, rude. She felt the vine loosen from her arms, her body slipping down quickly. She let out a yelp of fear as her hands were caught in a slipknot. Her mind began to race in panic- No no no no nO NO NO-
âSee you on the other side, Luna~!â
She was whipped back into the moment by the mention of her name.
âW-wait, how-â
Her question was cut short with the final release of her hands. The last thing she saw as she descended was the smug face of that golden flower, sadistically watching the girl screech in terror as she fell. Desperately, the girl tried to claw for something- anything- that could at least keep her from falling for a few seconds, but there was nothing to grab a hold of. The chasm was too wide- there was no way she could even reach the walls...
Is this really it? Is this really how Iâm going to die? Luna began to imagine her death; sheâd fall to the bottom of this tunnel and suddenly get impaled by one of the many stalagmites that lay there, or sheâd drown in the depths of the water that fills the cavern. The possibilities were quite endless in her head...
A few minutes of falling had passed. Lunaâs voice had grown hoarse with screaming, and she was on the edge of consciousness. Dissociation finally claimed the girlâs mind. It felt as if hours had passed since she was dropped by that golden flower. What a peculiar flower...
Vines began to appear along Lunaâs plummet. They snapped under the force of the girlâs fall, at first not phasing the girl. After a few more vines snapping against the girlâs body, she finally realized- she could grab these! She scrambled to grab some of the broken parts of the vine, but they were too slick to hold on to for long. The had, however, slowed the girl a deal down. That was short lived, as the girl resumed her plummet for several moments more before landing hard on the bottom of the cavern, the force knocking the girl out cold.
Her breathing slows down to a single shallow huff, as she rests on a bed of golden flowersâŚ
Deterioration had claimed the once-pristine orphanage, now under Deloraâs rule. The sign, barely legible, stood out most over the chipped and faded paint of the buildingâs exterior.
There was practically no one, and nothing, left⌠except for one child, and a teen who managed a garden concealed within the deteriorating home she had known every waking moment.
The small child had been known to be a little bit of a trouble-maker; whether it was the fact that they were new to the orphanage, or if it was something else, was unknownâŚ
...but that child would be the one who would save Luna from a prison that she was blind to.
Jan. 20, 201X
âMiss Luna, whatâs this?â the child looked out from the back doors that led to a forest of colors.
âOh?â Luna diverted her attention to the child and where they pointed. She met their eyes and smiled.
âThatâs my garden. Do you like it?â
The child nodded vigorously, a wide grin on their face.
âCan I go out there?â
The question surprised Luna. She looked outside at the pool of water that lay at the gardenâs core. She looked back at the child and gave a look of worry.
âIâm sorry, but not right now. I have to finish making the beds. Iâll let you out in a little bit, okay?â
The child frowned, slightly crestfallen. Reluctantly, they nodded.
âCan I wait here?â
âAlright, but donât go out, okay? I want you to stay safe.â
They nod, and continue looking outside at the swaying rainbow of petals that lay between them and the white door. Luna leaves into the bedroom hall with a sigh.
âIt makes me sad how much this place has crumbledâŚâ Luna stares into the empty hall of beds, all but one left pristine and untouched. The girl walks over to the single used bed and begins to straighten out its sheets. The girlâs mind wanders off as she fluffs the pillows.
âI have to leave this place⌠all the others have.â Her mind returns to the children who left to Mount Ebott long ago... the only friends she had in this place.
âI just hope theyâve gotten what they wantedâŚâ
âAAAAUUUGH!!!â A yelp of pain resonated through the empty orphanage, snapping Luna out of her trance. Startled, she runs back downstairs to be met with a terrifying sightâŚ
A dark-haired woman looms over the only child left, who lays limp on the floor.
âWHAT ARE YOU DOING?!!â Luna screeched at Delora. The woman turned her head towards the girl, a glare in her eyes and a disturbing smile on her face.
âIsnât it obvious, stupid girl?â She said smugly.
âIâm getting rid of the last orphanâŚ~â She turns her head back towards the child, and readies a kick.
âNO!!!â Suddenly, a wall of spiked vines intercepted Deloraâs kick. A spike punctured her foot, sending pain throughout her leg. She screamed in agony, then ripped her foot out of the spike. Delora turns toward Luna, fury in her eyes. Unexpectedly, she gives a laugh.
âSo now youâre fighting back?~â The woman gave a sly grin.
âI wouldâve thought youâd try a little harder beforehandâŚâ
âYouâre horrible, you know?â Luna responded, her heart burning with anger. Vines began breaking the floorboards and crawling towards Luna.
âYouâve made this place a graveyard of broken dreams, of lost hopes!â she clenches her fists.
âEverything youâve done⌠everything youâve SAID!â The vines rippled around the girl, as something supernatural resonated from then. Delora remains unmoved.
âYouâve destroyed their lives,â she pointed to the front door. âYouâve destroyed MY LIFE!â Her eyes began to burn with magic.
âI HATE YOU!!!â The girl sent a fist towards the wretched woman. Luna was slow enough for Delora to evade her punch. The woman elbows her down hard, and kicks the girl in the side.
âHow pitifulâŚâ Delora sneers. âGuess thereâs nothing to expect from a girl who doesnât even know how to use her magic!~â
Luna turns over to face the woman looming over her.
âYouâre a monsterâŚâ she spits.
âAnd youâre an abomination~â The woman counters. She puts her foot over the girlâs throat.
âYouâve never had a clue from the beginning, idiot girl," She glares into Lunaâs eyes as she begins to press her foot onto the girlâs throat.
âA⌠about what?â she manages to gasp out.
âThat I killed them both~â Lunaâs eyes widen, and Delora gives a dark laugh at Lunaâs expression of pain.
âN...no! No! NO!!â Luna screams out with her remaining strength, causing the vines on the floor to thrash violently about. She tries to push Deloraâs foot off of her, but itâs no use. Suddenly, she lifts her foot off.
âGoodbye, freak!~â The woman laughs, and plunges it back down towards her neck.
*CRACK*
The sound of crushing bone echoed in Lunaâs ears. After a few moments the girl looks up to see the limp body of the wretch of a woman, impaled with many vines, and dripping with crimson blood that stained each otherâs clothing. Luna claws her way out from under the body, and stares in horror.
âWhat have I doneâŚ?â She whispers to herself only to quickly remember the child. She runs to the wall of vines. She puts her hands on it, and the wall recedes to the girlâs surprise. There, behind it, lay the child. They were still alive, yet their breathing was quite shallow. Luna picks the child up, and opens the door to the garden. Roses began to follow her footsteps into the center of the garden. The girl looked down with mournful eyes at the child. She leaned them up against one of the white rose bushes, and sat at the other, her knees hugged against her chest. Luna began to sob loudly.
âHow could I let them both DIE?!â she blamed herself, throwing a fist at the ground in disgust.
âWhyâŚâ She looked up at the sky. âWhy am I such a foolâŚ?â
Unexpectedly, the child gave a soft groan. The girl scoots back a little.
âOh my god- are you alright?â She asks hurriedly. Thereâs no response. Luna gives the child a gentle shake on the shoulder. Once again, she gets no response. Her mind races with fear.
âN⌠no! Youâre going to be okay! I have faith in that!!!â She says, partially to herself.
â...I have hope in you.â
Out of the earth unexpectedly bloomed several yellow-green roses around the child. They give off a soothing aura. Within seconds the child shifted once again. They looked at Luna a tiny smile on their face.
âThank youâŚâ they say weakly. They gave Luna a hug. Luna, slightly confused and awestruck, gave the child a gentle squeeze back.
âYouâre safe now," She whispered.
~~~
The body of the dead woman was catapulted by the mass of bloodied vines into the far forest, never to be seen again by anyone, before they receded back into the cool earth that they spawned. Luna felt relief pour over her like a waterfall.
âIâm finally freeâŚâ she whispered to herself, and turned back to the child.
âIâm⌠sorry you had to see that," She points the direction that the body was flung, but the child shakes their head.
âSo uhâŚâ Luna tries to change the subject. âDo you like the garden?â
âOh- yeah!â The child nods, taking in the colors of the environment briefly before looking at Luna with inquisitive eyes.
âHowâd you do that thing with the plants and the vines and stuff?â
The  question caught Luna off-guard.
âOh- uhâŚâ she stares blankly at the earth, then back at the child.
âI⌠I donât know.â She looked inside the orphanage at the large holes that the vines made⌠that she made. She meets the childâs gaze again and gives a nervous smile.
âAll I knew at that moment was that I had to protect you. I guess the flora of the garden agreed, and decided to helpâŚâ
âCan you speak to them?â
âYes, why?â
The child walks towards the center of the garden, and points to the circle of roses.
âDid you ever ask why your rose bushes changed color when others were leaving?â they ask.
âNo, I-â Luna stops, then looks at the child with slightly narrowed eyes.
â...how do you know they did that?â
The child only smiles. They beckon the girl to them.
âThereâs something you need to see.â They continue to the center of the garden, Luna promptly follows. The child stops in front of one of the still white rose bushes, next to the one bearing orange roses. Amongst the other white roses, a single crimson red rose blooms.
âMaybe you should ask it a question?â The child looks up at Luna.
â...â She looks at the child, then back at the rose.
âWhere did you come from?â she utters.
The flower looks at the child, then in the direction of the infamous mountain, Mount Ebott. Vines protrude from the ground, forming arrows at both. She looks at both, confused.
âWhat do you mean?â
A small hole formed between the child and Luna. The earth rippled near the hole, and a small grass figure grew. It pointed at the child before jumping into the hole which immediately closed up. The earth rippled once again, forming the outline of Mount Ebott. After a few moments, a heart-like shape appeared, shown breaking. The earth returned back to its original state, albeit a bit churned. She looks at the child, then at Mount Ebott again.
âIs there something important about Mount Ebott?â Luna asked, still confused.
The flowers of the bushes shuffled momentarily, to soon reveal âperfectâ roses. Each resonated with some supernatural aura, yet they were unique to each bloom. The roses came to the center and weaved themselves together to form a sort of garland. Unexpectedly, a vine came from the large central lily. The vine wrapped around the formed garland and gave it to Luna.
âWhat is this?â Not knowing what else to do, she puts the flower-crown on.
âIt is the willpower of your friends before you,' a voice resonated from the garden. Luna stumbled back, shaken. The child stares at Luna, watching as carefully as possible.
âWh-what?!â
âWe know you are confused, child, but there is nothing to worry about,' The central lily shifted, the bud blooming a little.
âThere is much for you to learn.â
The girl shakes her head.
âWhat do you mean? Whatâs happening?!â
âYou are descendant of a line of humans who bore the blessings of various kinds of magic,' The central lily spoke.
âHumans today still bear a sort of energy known as Determination. It varies from one human to the other, seven being known as common.
âThere are, however, a group of individuals who have a rare, and very powerful, form of this Determination.
âYou are of this group, young one. Because of this, we are able to speak to you through the magic that courses through your veins.
âHumans like you are very rare, yet they are a blessing upon this world you live. Those like you are not traditionally able to speak to florakind. Those like you generally have different variations of magic, such as pyromancy, the destructive use of fire magic.
âYet their initiative is the same: it is to restore Determination in others.â
Luna takes a moment to absorb this. Determination? Florakind? ...Magic??
âIâm not sure I understand- thereâs others like me?â
âBefore your time, there was only one: your deceased mother,' The lily echoed.
âThere is not much known about any others like you existing currently.â
âIâŚâ Luna thinks for a moment.
âWhat do you mean âthe willpower of my friends before meâ?â
âThe item on your head contains six of the seven known forms of willpower. This energy was absorbed from each of the children that left here upon the several years of whom you gave the first of the new colored roses that appeared on my guardians.
âThe children went to Mount Ebott and discovered their potential through their respected forms of willpower, and my guardians received the energy. This caused their white blooms to change permanently.
âThe first children, if you recall, were given a cyan and an indigo bloom before their departure.â
Luna thought back, and nodded.
âYes, that was Delilah and Laila," She gave a smile, for it to fade away.
âAre they alright?â
âWe are not allowed to tell you this information, young one. You must find it for yourself, in the mountain,' the central lily responded.
â...I see...â Luna felt her heart sadden. She looks at the child, then looks back at the crimson rose, remembering.
âSo, the red rose⌠where did it come from? I mean, why is it here?â
The lily shook itself a little, scattering water droplets about.
âYou will need to sit for this one, young one.â
Luna obeys and sits down. The rose bushes suddenly lowered themselves to the ground, and lily opened itself. Pink energy began to flow out of it, shaping itself into a scene.
âThe red rose you ask of is a new beacon for the final form of willpower. Furthermore, the child that accompanies you is made purely out of Determination, the willpower you must find the holder of. They are a page, a messenger, that it is time to find them.â
âPardon?â
âYoung one, you must go to Mount Ebott to find out the truths of another world that exists under the surface of the one you know. The holder of Determination will help you when it is time, but this will be at your journeyâs ending.â
Before Luna could respond, the scene shifted. It showed a child journeying to Mount Ebott. They find the entrance into a cavern and fall. It fast forwards through many events, yet the girl can make out a few individuals. Strangely, a short figure catches their attention.
âWait- go back!â Luna bursts out.
The scene halts, and then goes backwards.
âThere!â She stops the plant. She points to the figure.
âWho⌠who is that? I think I recognize them.â
âWe are not allowed to tell you who this is, child. Yet we must prompt you to be very wary of him.â
The projection goes to a new scene, in a new setting.
âHis power exceeds that of almost all you meet,' The lily shows a moment: the silhouette seems to have a single glowing eye on his left, that flickers between cyan and yellow.
âHe will be the magistrate of your actions in this world you will discover.â
â...â
âWe know of your premonitions, child,' The lily added, catching Luna off-guard.
âI-â She shakes her head, looking at the figure.
âMagistrate?â
âA judge, essentially, yet they bear magic.â
âOh- eheh....â Luna shrugged off the pun.
âWhatâs the point of the scene, if I may ask?â
The scene changes back, then fast-forwards upon this question. It slows back down to show a scene of the child fighting what appears to be some sort of horned, trident-wielding giant. The child is slain, yet the creature responsible seems to express great remorse. Out of the child floats a red heart, which is then captured in a sort of capsule, ending the scene. The energy fades, and the flower closes itself once more. Luna stares at the bloom.
âIâŚâ Luna looks down. This all seems surreal to the girl.
âThat heart you saw is known as as soul in the place you will find,' The lily vocalizes.
â......â The girl is in deep thought.
âI canât go,â She finally verbalizes. âThereâs too much Iâm going to leave behind, and⌠I wonât last a second past those doors.â
âDo not worry, child. We will protect you wherever you go,' The bloom reassured the girl.
âYour mother left you an heirloom that will help us find you, and guide you as well.â
Luna seems confused.
âWhere?â
âLook in the room of the eldest sister. It will resonate with something familiar to you, something that only you bear. It will protect you,' It finished.
âThank you.â Luna said. She turned to look at the child, but they were gone. Luna became frantic.
âDo not worry, they have only ascended. Youâll see them again,â The lily reassured her.
âGo find the heirloom, and then return. We will wait.â
Luna nodded, and ran back into the orphanage, the crown slipping off her head. She ran upstairs and into the hallway that the sistersâ rooms reside. She stays still for a moment, sorrow filling her heart. She remembers that horrible day that she found one of the three sistersâŚ
...An energy resonates from Phoebeâs room. The girl tries the door.
Itâs locked. Perturbed, she wonders how to get in. She takes a breath and calms herself. She feels an energy channel through her as she tries the knob once again.
It opens.
Cautiously, the girl enters the room. Itâs a normal bedroom; its bed had been made a long time ago. The curtains were drawn, leaving the room in near-darkness. Luna walks over to the window and draws them. Light floods in and she looks out. The window was set in a fashion where one would catch the perfect view of the garden. Luna turns back to her task. She scans the room, finally approaching the wardrobe. Opening it, she finds garbs of exquisite shirts. She picks out a striped shirt and a new pair of jeans, then closes the wardrobe. She closes her eyes, sighing.
The energy resonates once more. It seems to be coming from the nightstand next to Phoebeâs bed. Luna approaches it, pulling open the drawer.
Inside lies a small package, and a letter attached to it. She picks them both up and inspects them. Theyâre both addressed to her. She opens the letter first.
To my rosebud, Luna,
I hope this letter finds you well. If youâre reading this now, it means that your father and I have left you in the care of someone who had helped you form into the beautiful rose we know youâll become.
I would like to first apologize for abandoning you. Your father and I had to give you up. We did not want to endanger you in any way, or meet the fates that we were destined to meet. It gives us both great sorrow that we could not be a part of your life, but we know that even without us, you will find a great purpose, like many before us. If you ever need guidance, Chloris will be there.
We love you Luna, and we know that there is something greater out there for you, even if it means we are not a part of it.
There is no signature, but there is a photo of a handsome man and a beautiful woman, smiling happily. A tear falls onto the picture from the girlâs face.
âI wish I could have met youâŚâ Luna whispers before hugging the photo in her arms, letting out a sob. Shaking her head, she puts the letter and the photo back in the envelope. She then takes the small package and unwraps it.
Inside was concealed a small metallic rose pin. Itâs roughly the size of her palm, with beautiful hues of blue, violet and magenta decorating the petals. Luna stares at the beautiful item before setting it back inside the paper it was held in. She took the parcels and the clothing with her, and decided to go clean up, grabbing a leather bag on her way exiting Phoebeâs room. It had been a long dayâŚ
~~~
âYou have found the heirloom, correct?â
It had been about fifteen minutes but Luna finally returned to the garden, having cleaned herself up. She now wears the new shirt and jeans, accompanied by a pair of worn sneakers. The rose pin now serves as a beacon of communication like the garland prior to it.
âYes,â Luna responds. She points to the pin on her left side.
âGood,â the lily echoed.
âI apologize, I never got to properly introduce myself, young one. I am Chloris, a spirit of nature. Your mother knew me as her aid at one point, and I have given her my word to aid and protect you as I have many along your lineage.â
âItâs very nice to formally meet you, Chloris,â Luna gives a small curtsy to the large lily.
âIt is time to begin your journey, young one,â the plant bellowed majestically.
âCome here, you must take the new colored blooms.â
Luna approached the ring of bushes, and came upon the crimson rose. She delicately put a hand under it, and it detached itself from the bush. It closed itself back into a small bud, which Luna put in one of the pockets of the leather bag. She turns to leave, but is almost immediately stopped by the final white rose bush, which bears a single magenta rose. Luna turns to the lily, with a slight knowing.
âI should take this rose with me as well, shouldnât I Chloris?â
The lily expelled a little bit of magic that forms the word âYesâ momentarily.
âIt will keep you safe and guide you.â
With a nod, Luna takes the magenta rose as well. Instead of pocketing it, the girl adorns her hair with it, and it gently wraps its stem around her ear for leverage.
âYouâll keep the garden safe while Iâm gone, right?â
âOf course, child. We will use magic to guard your home and ours.â
âThank youâŚâ Luna walks out of the garden and through the house towards the front door. She lets out a nervous sigh.
âHere we go to Mount Ebott, LunaâŚ!â she said in a lackluster tone.
â...?â It didnât catch her eye until now, but there was a golden rose in front of her. Above it hovered some sort of energy. She put her hand up to it.
*The daunting journey ahead of you has left you in fear, yet you are filled with HOPE.*
âHave you heard the legend of Mount Ebott?â Beatrice whispered to the children. It was nightfall, and her turn to tell the children a bedtime story tonight.
âMount Ebott?â A child questioned. âWeâve heard of that place, butâŚâ
âThereâs a legend about it? What is it?â Another asked. Beatrice gave a soft smile.
âWellâŚâ She continued. âMany, many years ago, human beings, us, were not the only ones living on this planet.â
âWell, yeah! Thereâs animals and plants and...!â Delilah interjected.
Beatrice giggled a little.
âOkay, okay, besides those," Her tone turned wispy. âLong ago, humans and other beings lived on this Earth, together. Letâs just call the other beings âmonsters.ââ
âHumans and monsters lived together in peace and harmony for many years, until a war suddenly broke out between the two species. After a long battle, humans were victorious, and they sealed the monsters underground with magic," She looks around at the children.
âThey say that those who go to the mountain never returnâŚâ
âWhat do the monsters looks like?â Luna suddenly asked. This surprised Beatrice.
âOh, uh, no one has seen a monster on the surface everâŚâ Beatrice scratches her head.
âBut you have to remember⌠itâs just a legend.â Beatrice lets out a sigh.
âBut if it helps, think of... spooky scary skeletons and ghosts!â Beatrice gave a little chuckle, then stands up.
âOkay everyone, sleep well!â She leaves the room as the children lay down to sleep.
âMonsters in Mount EbottâŚâ Luna quietly thinks to herself as she slowly drifts to sleep.
Snow.
Thatâs all the little girl could see for yards in front of her, in a forest of pine and spruce. She looks behind her, only to see a large door, with some sort of rune at the top. She looks up to see an illusion of stars covering the ceiling of a very large chasm. The girl then looks back down at the snow.
âHmmâŚâ the girl picks up a handful of the snow and balls it up, only to place it back down on the snow. She gets another handful, a bit less than before, balls it up and places it on top of the other. She grabs a couple of nearby stones and places them on the front of the first ball. She smiles at it with tired eyes.
âWhat elseâŚ?â The girl looks around at the bottom of the pine trees.
âAhâŚ!â She spots a couple of twigs and walks towards them.
*swshhh*
â...?â The girl looks at the spot where her little snowman stood. It had been knocked down; Luna stares at the small pile of snow. She frowns at the small pile of snow, and decides to continue along the snowy path. A tune pops into her head, and she walks to its pace, a small grin forming on her face.
*swsh swsh*
â...â The girl comes across a large branch upon the path. She simply hops over it, and continues on, walking to the music.
*CRACK*
â!!!â She spirals back in the direction of the branch⌠which had broke. Wide eyed, she turned back towards the path and continued again, her pace quickened. Eventually, she slowed back down a little. She seemed like she had calmed down a little. She looks back at the trail behind her uneasily.
âHuhâŚ?â It seems a trail of roses are following the girl. She kneels to the level of one of them. Itâs covered in snow, yet its white and cyan colors seem to compliment its surroundings. Her eyes light up a little with curiosity, but she shakes her head and continues down the trail instead.
*crch crch*
â?â the girl looks back, but she sees nothing. She continues forward, again quickening her pace.
*crch crch crch*
â?!â She whips back, catching a glimpse of a silhouette of⌠something, only for it to disappear with a flash of cyan. Only one thing pops into her mindâŚ
...run.
The girl bursts forward into a sprint, her fear building with each step. Soon, she sees a distant gate; she pushes her tired body forward. Her breathing gets heavier as the gate gets closer.
âAlmost⌠there-â she manages to huff out before tripping on the massive amount of snow.
âAUGH-!â She lands hard on the icy mass, her arm breaking her fall. She scrambles up, only to fall back down.
âIt... hurts...!â The girl struggles up, pain shooting throughout her arm. She looks in front of her to see the gate, several feet in front of her. Holding her arm, she limps over, only to suddenly stop. She tries to move, but her feet feel too heavy to even liftâŚ
The crunch of snow under feet returns, but the girl looks as if sheâs given up. She collapses onto her legs, shivering at the pain and the cold. As the footsteps close in, she feels her body weaken more and more.
The footsteps stopâŚ
* H u m a n . . .
* D o n â t  y o u  k n o w -
The pain is too much⌠Luna collapses onto her side.
* ?!
* k-kid, you okay?
* ...kid...?!
A few years passed. The orphanage saw children come and go. Luna grew like a blossom, though she never saw past the doors of the orphanage. Her beautiful garden of flowers and vegetation, used by the orphanage, kept her happy and at peace. Strangely, however, a peculiar ring of rose bushes lies at the core of the garden. Though they were colorless, there was something mystic about their presence, as if they were meant to be there for some greater reasonâŚ
Those years were quite active for the orphanage, for not only business, but for the sisters who facilitated it⌠and the tragedies that would befall them.
The first tragedy fell upon the eldest sister, Phoebe, on a Sunday morningâŚ
May 17, 2009, 10:59 AM
âOH MY GOD!â Beatrice shrieked. She was loud enough for some of the children to hear. They rushed to the source from the dining hall to the source of the sound.
On the floor was the body of a woman. She had fallen from her chair at a table that supported a plate of scrambled eggs, bacon and a single pancake. There lay a fork on the floor, and stray chunks of egg around the face of the woman. Beatrice frantically shook the still-warm body, hoping for a response.
âDELORA, CALL 9-1-1 â PHOEBEâS NOT BREATHING!!!â
The body was rushed to the hospital, where the eldest sister was declared a lifeless shell of a woman, who bore integrity and kindness, because of cardiac arrest.
Her funeral was held the following week, where sorrowful hearts stand as flowers amongst the plains.
The following months saw deterioration in the orphanage. Beatrice assumed the roles of her sister, despite it being Deloraâs new responsibilities. The youngest sister tried to keep optimism for the children, though it was quite clearly visible that she was not okay herself.
âMiss BeatriceâŚâ Luna confronted her one day.
âYes, my little Luna?â The woman looked at the young girlâs distraught face with weary eyes. Suddenly, the girl hugged Beatrice, surprising both of them.
âI know everything has been hardâŚâ Luna murmured, looking up at the sister.
â...but I want to help you.â
Beatrice frowned at the girl. âLuna, no, you donât-â
âPlease!â The girl interrupted. âYouâve been doing too much, and- and-â She shakes her head, tears starting to form.
âI donât want you to be the next to goâŚ!â
There was sorrow in the womanâs eyes. With a shake of her head, she reluctantly agreed.
âOkay⌠but I will have to teach you quite a bit...â
For the following month, Luna learned basic housekeeping skills, from dusting the fans and furniture to cooking simple foods like pastas.
For a small amount of time, it seemed as if the orphanage was improving once again...
...until Luna found Beatrice hung from the ceiling fan in the ladyâs room.
Jan 9, 2010, 8:30 PM
The eleven-year-old experienced more trauma than the woman who had found her sister on the floor⌠as if she was having a nightmare sheâd never awaken from.
Like her sister, the woman was rushed to the hospital, to have been confirmed dead, like her sister, by asphyxiationâŚ
She was buried next to her sister the following week, a smaller group of children mourning the loss of the enthusiastic ray of sunshine that had been snuffed out of their lives.
With the death of Beatrice came a downward spiral into chaos, run by Delora.
The children were suffering under her oppression. Some ran away, never to return, others sought foster-care, where at least they would live better lives than the hell they were suffering through for several yearsâŚ
...yet a select few sought to disappear to Mount Ebott.
June 5, 201X, 9:50 PM
âMount Ebott? Why?â Luna asked the two girls, Laila and Delilah.
âLuna, you know we canât stay here anymoreâŚâ Delilah answered. âEspecially when SHE is running this hell-hole.â Laila nodded.
âBut what about-â Delilah stopped her, the girlâs light blue eyes staring at Lunaâs heterochromic ones.
âThereâs nothing here for us," Delilah said, sorrow in her eyes. âPlease⌠donât try to stop usâŚâ
â...â Luna looked crestfallen. But she shook her head and forced a smile on her face.
âOkay. I just hope you guys will be alright.â The two girls nodded, and turned towards their escape route, when suddenly Luna stopped them.
âWAIT! I need to give you guys something, what here!â The girl rushed outside to her garden, grabbing a pair of pruners. She looked for some flowers to give them, but found none, until she passed by her rose bushes at the gardenâs core. On two of the bushes, amongst the white roses, were a single rose of a different color. On one grew a cyan rose, whereas the other grew an indigo rose. The girl took her pruners and snipped off the roses and ran back to the awaiting others.
âHereâŚ!â Luna handed Delilah the cyan rose and Laila the indigo one. They both stared into their roses, then looked back at Luna with thankful smiles.
âThank you!â The girls whispered, and gave Luna a hug.
âBe safe, okay?â Luna whispered back once she was released. The girls gave a curt nod, and turned to leave. Delilah adorned her hair with the rose, which accompanied her red ribbon, while Laila tucked hers in the loop of her tutu.
âSee you on the other side!â The two girls bid farewell.
Having escaped, Laila and Delilah were never seen againâŚ
Others followed them as the months passed. A pair of boys bearing fake pistols and a frying pan left 3 weeks later, who received a yellow and, strangely, an olive-green rose, respectively.
âGood luck to you!â They bid adieu.
And finally, a girl wearing cloudy glasses, and a boy, named Cameron, who wore gloves, were the last to leave. Violet and orange were the roses that found them that day.
âStay safe yourself, k?â Cameron saluted as the other waved.
âI willâŚ!â Luna responded.
A few years passed, and few children were left in the orphanage.
Delora neglected the children most of the time, leaving the responsibility of caring for and feeding them to Luna.
The only thing that kept the girl happiness at this point was her garden, with its multicolored center of rose bushes, save for two that continued to bear pure white roses.
August 17, 201X, 3:30 PM
Luna had wandered into the forest just beyond her garden. This was the day that she decided that itâs time to stop staying cooped up in that damned orphanage, and actually see whatâs outside for once. The girl was gleeful with the things she saw: bluebirds hopping from branch to branch in spruce and oak trees, where small squirrels skitter up and down the trees in happy playing on the beautiful day.
The girl happens upon a stream, its bank holding sands and gravel. She nears the stream and sits down, resting her bare feet in the cool currents. She sighs with pleasure as she watches the flow.
*shff swff*
â?â The girl looks downstream, where a small object floated near her. It appeared to be a rather large bulb of some kind of flower⌠She reaches out and manages to catch the bulb in her hands. It was the size of her palm, soft and delicate. Gingerly, she steps out of the stream and treads back to her garden, the bulb cupped in her fragile hands.
âIâll find you a homeâŚâ Luna looks for a suitable planting space for the bulb, and her eyes fall to the ring of rose bushes. She pads over to it, and steps to the center. She stares at the bulb again, then places it in the spot.
âLet me get you a trowel, and then I can plant you hereâŚâ She said to it briefly before pacing over to the shed.
âOkay letâs seeâŚâ she opens the shed and immediately darts for the drawer of trowels and pruners. She grabs one and exits to find a peculiar sight.
It seems that, while she was gone, a sort of pond had formed. It began from the center, and created a ring around the rose bushes. And at its center was a large unbloomed lily, rotating indefinitely as if there was a current. Luna simply stared in awe. To her, it seemed as if the garden was completed a little bit more⌠She checked the rose bushes, making sure none of them were submerged. The formation was so perfect that none of them were submerged. In fact, it had not only created a ring around the rose bushes, but the bushes themselves were set on a dry ring of dirt themselves.
âWowâŚâ Luna stared in disbelief once more before returning back inside the orphanage.
â...?â For a brief moment, she felt the earth under her feet vibrate, though it felt⌠unnatural. The feeling felt as if there was some sort of otherworldly force at work⌠or quite possiblyâŚ
...magic.
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2 (You are here)
Chapter 3
Reports in 201X displayed one of the largest tremors originating from Mount Ebott. The seemingly unnatural occurrence broke tremor records, reported to be Magnitude 12. Though nothing was destroyed significantly, the event seemed⌠unnatural to the humans...
In a small town at the edge of Oklahoma, a cloaked figure appeared on the corner of two streets: Maine and Goldenrod. They edged through the shadows of the night, carefully guarding the bundle held closely and carefully in their arms.
As the figure edged through the darkness, they came upon what appeared to be an orphanage; the structure seemed nearly as large as a mansion, and appeared to be rather well-kept, save for some dead plants, an unkept and dead lawn, and parts of the structure slowly deteriorating.
One window appeared to have the soft glow of a light, emanating from a distance away from the actual window.
This will have to do...
The figure sighed, slowly approaching the door. The surrounding plants on the path slowly regained life as they passed by, almost as if by magic.
The figureâs hood fell to reveal the face of a woman. Her hair was as black as the night, seeming to have white streaks throughout, glimmering with small specks that seemed to be a part of her hair⌠her eyes were like beautiful emeralds in the moonlight. Yet her face was grim, her heart filled with sadness.
She looked at the bundle, the face of a small baby being revealed. It was sleeping peacefully in its swaddled state. It looked to be about a year old. The woman gives a faint smile as she approaches the door.
âI wish that things didnât have to be this wayâŚâ She said, with as voice as smooth as silk, and as beautiful as a dream.
She set the bundle near the door, sitting near it for a few seconds. She took off a small heart-locket with a tiny crescent moon engraved on its front, hidden under her cloak, and a rose pin. She put the items in a small parcel near the child, putting a letter near it as well:
âPlease... take good care of my little Luna... she has so much unknown potential, and we are unable to take care of her... Please, do the best that you can to raise her up to be as extravagant as I believe that she can be...â
After she left the items, she hastily kissed the child on the forehead, and whispered âI love you⌠always and foreverâŚâ to her child. She pulled the hood up, rang the doorbell, and ran away.
That was the last that she would ever be seenâŚ
It was discovered the following morning that there was a body at the edge of the forest near the town, shrouded in a black cloak.
The cause of death, it has been discovered, was many wounds through the chest, specifically where the heart wasâŚ
...she had been found impaled in the heart by a thick vine, covered in poisonous red needlesâŚ
â?!â A young woman awoke with a start to the sound of the doorbell.
âWho could be up this lateâŚ?â She looks at the nearby clock.
12:15 A.M.
âUuuuughâŚâ she groaned groggily. She fumbled for the light switch and turned it on, lighting the whole room, making her strawberry hair and caramel eyes, which began adjusting to the light, visible. The young woman cringed momentarily at the brightness, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. As she got up, she grabbed a flashlight, slipping on slippers under her white nightgown. Slowly, she made her way to the bedroom door, the floorboards squeaking with every step. She tried to make an attempt to be quieter, but it was in vain, seeming to make the floorboards squeak longer. As she opened the door she turned on her flashlight, providing enough light to see.
Carefully, she closed the door and made her walk down the steps and to the front door of the orphanage. She turned off the light to see who was outside, only being met with the porch and the path outwards, which strangely seemed to have some life on its rims. Eventually, she opened the door.
âHello?â she whispered to no one in particular. She looked down, and jumped back a bit. A baby was peacefully sleeping on the porch, babbling occasionally. The woman crouched down, leaving the flashlight on a small table, and picked up the bundle carefully. It stirred in her arms, but slept peacefully. The woman gave a small smile.
âWhere might you have come from?â she whispered quietly. Despite how many times this has happened, she still isnât used to the sight of small children ending up at her footsteps in the dark of nightâŚ
âHuh?â she notices the parcel and letter near where the child was. Slowly and carefully she picked up the items, putting them near the flashlight. She looked back at the baby, who had begun to stir once again.
âDonât you worry, liâl youngân, youâll be safe hereâŚâ she said, quietly closing and locking the door.
Picking up the flashlight once again, she held the bundle close to her, making a path to another room. Inside, several children slept in some rather nice beds. Near the end of the room, a few cribs were seen, a few of them occupied. The woman slowly approached one of the unoccupied ones, placing the bundle on the soft padding inside the crib.
âNow... you sleep tight,â the young lady whispered. âWeâll see whatâll happen in the morningâŚâ
She left the room, quietly closing the door. She went back to the parcel and letter she left at the front door. Upon grabbing them, she immediately made her way back to her room. She carefully examined the parcel and letter, noticing a name on the parcel:
To my little rosebud, Luna.
And on the letter:
To whomever it may concernâŚ
The woman put the items in a small drawer on the nightstand, resolving to wait until the morning hours to open the letter.
Her sisters would need to see this tooâŚ
âAww, itâs so cute!!!â a spunky young girl said. She seemed rather hyper⌠(a little too hyper for her own goodâŚ) She had caramel-blonde hair and green eyes, and was still wearing her pajamas.
âCalm down, BeatriceâŚâ a black haired girl said. She stared coldly at Beatrice with icy blue eyes.
âI canât!!! The baby is so cute, Delora!!!â Beatrice said to the older girl. The baby, as well as the other children, were fully awake now. They were all looking at the newcomer in their crib, who had long since been un-swaddled by the woman, who had to tend to it through the night, and was now sleeping upstairs. The baby stared back at most of them with its brown and blue eyes.
âIs it a girl?â a small girl with ponytails said.
âNo way! Itâs definitely a guyâŚâ an older boy with black hair said.
âWell, whatever it is, itâs super cute!!!â a young blonde girl said with a smile.
After a bit, the baby began to be a bit overwhelmed by the stares of the children, especially from Delora. It began to whimper. Beatrice notices this, and carefully picked up the child, cradling it in the crook of her arm.
âShh, donât you fussâŚâ She said, much calmer than before. She looked at the children surrounding them.
âUm⌠could you all maybe⌠back up a little?â she said quietly. They did not respond.
âHEY!!! BACK OFF!!!â Delora suddenly yelled at the children, causing the baby to wail. They immediately recoiled, walking back a few feet, seeming like they were about to cry as well. Beatrice tried her best to stop the child from crying; making silly faces and sounds, singing a little to it⌠eventually, the baby calmed down, listening to Beatriceâs voice. It reached up to her nose, attempting to touch it. Beatrice lets it, and it coos with happiness.
âAww⌠what a sweetheartâŚâ Beatrice said. She seems to be enjoying thisâŚ
âI see youâve found our little newcomer,â yawned the woman.
âPhoebe!!!â Beatrice said excitedly. âDid you find this little one?â
Phoebe nods, still half asleep.
âIâve got to show you two somethingâŚâ
âOOH!!! What is it?â Beatrice said, slightly confused.
âSomething to do with the babyâŚâ Phoebe said as she approached the two. She looked out at the children, then at Delora.
âI thought I told you not to yell at them, Lora,â she said sternly to her sister.
âSorryâŚâ Delora said, rolling her eyes. She didnât seem to care. âI didnât mean toâŚâ
Phoebe narrowed her eyes at her sister. She sighed and looked at the children.
âItâs alright, yâall⌠no need to be scared,â she said. They slowly began to calm down. Phoebe looked back at the baby, giving a little laugh at Beatrice, who made a silly face at it.
âI see that sheâs awakeâŚâ Phoebe said.
âDarnâŚâ the little boy with the back hair whispered.
âOh, would you like to hold her, Phoebe?â Beatrice asks. After a few moments, Phoebe nods.
âI wouldnât mindâŚâ she responds. Beatrice hands over the baby girl to Phoebe, who handles her carefully. The child stares at Phoebe, as if it knew her. Phoebe smiled at her.
âHi thereâŚâ Phoebe whispers to the baby girl. âThis is your new home nowâŚâ Phoebe showed the child the surrounding area, while holding her in the crook of her arm. The baby looked back at Phoebe and cooed again. Phoebe put the child back in the crib.
âNow you stay there, little ladyâŚâ Phoebe whispered. âMe and my sisters are gonna talk for a bit.â
She turned to the other children.
âNow, you all play nice,â she said. âMe and my sisters are going to talk for a bit, then prepare breakfast for you all. Okay?â
âYes, Miss Phoebe!!!â they responded. Some of the children began to play while a few played with the baby girl. The sisters left to discuss whatever was necessary.
âDonât have too much fun without me!!!!â Beatrice said before walking out with her sisters.
âSo, her name is LunaâŚâ Delora said. Phoebe nods.
âWhoever left her to us, they left a letter too,â she responded, holding the letter.
âDidâya happen to see what it said?â Beatrice asked, staring at the letter. Phoebe shook her head.
âThatâs why I asked you all here,â Phoebe said. âI felt that it was necessary that all three of us see what it says.â She began to open the letter, and read it aloud. What it read seemed much different than what was originally written:
Please, take care of my little rosebud, Luna⌠I fear that you three are our only hope to preserve our daughterâs life. She has much hidden potential, but that is nothing that either of you should be worried about⌠We believe that you can raise our child to be the extravagant little rose that we know she isâŚ
Whoever wrote the letter, they also seemed to have included the childâs birth certificate.
Name: Luna Sylverose Clearwaters
D.O.B: October 5, 1998 in Stillwater, Oklahoma
Gender: Female
Allergies: No
Special Conditions: No
The names for Mother and Doctor are scratched out, but the first names are legible:
âHow... strange,â Beatrice said. âWhy wouldnât they want us knowing who they were?â
âThey usually never doâŚâ Delora said melancholily. âBut how did they know that there were three of us?â
âTheyâve probably been here before and we didnât notice?â Phoebe questioned, though she was still just as confused. She shook it off after a few seconds.
âWell, at least we know a little more about the baby!â Beatrice said optimistically.
âOnly time will tell what other things we may learn!â
The sisters went back downstairs into the orphanage bedroom, and were immediately met with an extraordinary sight.
All of the other children, excluding the other babies, were huddled away from Lunaâs crib, which had plants from one of the nearby vases inside of it. Somehow, they were playing with and tickling the baby, their stems elongated to reach her. The perennials and lavender were tickling the babyâs feet like feathers, while the roses and carnations tickled her nose, stomach, and under her arms. She seemed to be not only enjoying it, but laughing up a storm.
âWhatâs going on?â Phoebe asked the children.
âWe- we donât knowâŚâ one little girl with freckles said. âOne minute, we were admiring the new baby and kind of letting it grab our fingers, and the nextâŚâ she gulped. â...the plants came to life again and started playing with her!â
âOoooh, magic plants!!!â Beatrice said. She tried touching one of them, who recoiled at her touch. It seemed surprised and scared. Somehow, this caused not only the one plant, but all of the others to recoil, returning to their original positions, as they shivered for a few moments before returning to their semi-lifeless states. However, before all of the plants receded, one of the roses gave what appeared to be a small kiss to the childâs cheek, causing her to giggle. Startled, they all stared in simultaneous fear and awe at the child.
âWell,â Phoebe said. âThat was⌠interestingâŚâ Phoebe thought for a moment.
âOh! The breakfast-â Phoebe remembered. She turned to her sisters.
âCould you two start preparing breakfast?â She asked. âIâll take care of the children, then join youâŚâ
âOkie Dokie!!!â Beatrice said, prancing to the kitchen. Delora followed, shooting a glare at the children, then leaving with an evil smirk across her face. She knew that they flinched, they always do; theyâre terrified of herâŚ
Phoebe gently picked up the baby girl, looking at the children with gentle eyes.
âThereâs nothing to worry about⌠everything is alrightâŚâ she reassured them. Slowly, they began to calm down, approaching the baby.
âSo, does she have a name?â a little black girl with a tutu asked. Phoebe nods.
âWe found out that her name is Luna,â Phoebe said quietly. Baby Luna tried to grab Phoebeâs nose, revealing a very small crescent moon on her right hand.
âI can see whyâŚâ she said, looking at the birthmark.
Suddenly, Beatrice peeked her head in the room.
âHey everyone, breakfast is gonna be ready in a few minutes!!!â She said enthusiastically. âWhat do yâall think of blueberry pancakes?â
Some of the children gasped with joy.
âCan some of us help?â A girl with a faded ribbon in her hair asks Beatrice.
âOh, sorry Delilah, me and Delora have the mix all prepared,â she said sadly. âBut maybe another time, okay?â
The little girl sighed. âOkay, Miss BeatriceâŚâ
Beatrice left the room to continue preparing the pancakes.
âOkay kids, letâs go wash our hands for breakfast!â Phoebe said. All of the children rushed over to the bathrooms to wash up upon hearing her. Phoebe monitored them, making sure nothing bad happens. She looks at the baby girl cradled in arms, smiling.
âI know that youâre going to like it here,â she said. âItâll be more fun when youâre a little older, thoughâŚâ she gave a small laugh.
After a few minutes, the children finished washing their hands and began heading to the dining area. It was a rather large area, with several circular polished wood tables. In a nearby room was the kitchen. Though there was only eight children, the sisters had made enough to feed a family of 15. From the kitchen, the sweet scent of vanilla and blueberries wafts through, a faint scent of bacon following.
âOoooh!!! That smells nice!â a little boy said. A little blonde haired girl nearby nodded.
âToday is gonna be great!!!â The little girl said.
â...this orphanage on Goldenrod and Lanester, known as âAllendaleâs Orphanage,â is very well known for the two sisters Phoebe and Beatrice, or Trishie, as some call her. These sisters have a special quality; Beatriceâs hyper and optimistic aura, and Phoebeâs hard-working nature. Though their other sister Delora is a bit outspoken, she seems to have a friendly nature similar to the other Allendale sisters. If any children had to be left in someoneâs hands, let it be these sisters.â An interview from the Allendale Sisters of the Orphanage read.
ââWe wanted to give a home to children without a familyâŚâ One of the Allendale sisters, Phoebe, mentioned. âBut, itâs only temporary; sometimes, couples happen to come across our orphanage, and find a child they really like!â Beatrice states. âAfter that, they ask us about the child, allergies, et ceteraâŚâ Delora states nonchalantly. âAfter that, they ask, or not, if they can adopt the child. Itâs not a very long process,â She finishes. âBut itâs always hard to say goodbye!!!â Beatrice added.
âThroughout what I have seen in this place, the children are happy, taken care of, and healthy. I personally would rate this orphanage as a 4.5 out of 5 stars if it were a hotel⌠but I know that, with the help of the Allendale sisters, these children will be well taken care of before they get adopted!â -by Sandra Sylverbaque, Reporter for the Dept. of Oklahoma-
This report was released on April 15, 2009
It had been seven years since Luna had appeared on the Allendaleâs doorstep. Some children had been adopted since then, and some had mysteriously disappearedâŚ
Since then, the child had blossomed from the one year old she was found as to an extraordinary 8 year oldâŚ
The child was rather polite, yet shy⌠others wouldnât usually interact with her. She didnât mind⌠her time was often absorbed in the beautiful art of gardening. Naturally, she had a sort of green thumb; the plants in the front garden seemed to flourish only after a few day of being planted, instead of the weeks it would take for any normal plant, even a sapling, to grow.
It almost seemed as if magic had blessed these plantsâŚ
Of course, these plants had attracted more couples, often asking about the beautiful bluebonnets, forget-me-nots, and the vibrant roses, which seemed to occur more than the others.
Phoebe often helped the child garden, as well as a few other children and Beatrice. They seemed to enjoy the presence of such vibrant flowers and the flower child herself. Yet the strange thing is⌠no one introduced Luna to gardeningâŚ
March 15, 2007
âOkay everyone!â Phoebe said to a group of children.
âYou have all noticed that every once in awhile, it gets warm and cool outside, right?â
âYeah!â the children responded. They all seemed old enough to talk.
âAnd, you all have noticed that when this happens, the leaves change on some trees and the flowers also bloom, right?â
The children all nod. But they donât know why Phoebe is mentioning this.
âWell, this happens when the seasons change!â Beatrice adds. One of the children raises their hands.
âYes, Luna?â Phoebe calls the child.
âWhatâs a season?â Her bi-colored eyes glisten with curiosity. Phoebe smiles at the child.
âA season is something that happens every year; every three months, the weather will begin to change, and the plants and animals change the ways they act at a certain time. There are four seasons,â Phoebe holds up four of her fingers.
âEach of these seasons have a different effect on the planet,â Phoebe puts three fingers down.
âThe first season is Spring. This is when all of the flowers and trees blossom with new leaves or flowers, and when animals awaken from a deep sleep called hibernation," She puts up another finger.
âThe next season is Summer. Itâs a bit like Spring, but much warmer, and the plants stop blooming for a while," She puts up a third finger.
âAfter Summer is Fall, or Autumn. In this season, it begins to get cooler outside as leaves change color and fall off trees, which are slowly going to a sort of sleep that animals prepare for, which leads me to the last season, Winter," Phoebe holds up four fingers.
âWinter is a time when all the animals and plants are not active, and are in a sleep of sorts. It gets so cold outside that snow can sometimes fall outside. This is the season we are in, but itâs slowly warming up outside. Do you know what that means?â she asks the small group of children. A hand shoots up into the air. Phoebe stifles a snicker at who it was.
âYes, Trishie?â The group of children turned to look at her, not realizing that she had appeared.
âWhen it begins to warm up outside during winter, that means that spring is coming soon!â Beatrice says enthusiastically.
âYes, thatâs right,â Phoebe adds. âAll the animals will be awakening soon, leaves will grow back on trees, and flowers will bloom once again. This happens every year, and we call this a cycle.â
The children gave a soft âoooâ after the conversation. They seemed enthralled in what Phoebe has said.
âThatâs all for today everyone!â Phoebe said, and almost instantly, the children rushed out of the room, happy screams and cheers following their path.
Luna stayed behind, however.
âYou okay, Luna?â Beatrice asked, surprising the child.
âO-oh, I am okayâŚâ the little girl said. She got up and approached the back door.
âMay I please go outside to look at the plants?â Luna asked.
âOh, of course, sweetheart, but someone must go with you, okay?â Phoebe said. Beatrice smiled at her sister.
âOH! OH!! Can I go with her?â the giddy sister said. Phoebe sighed.
âIâm sorry, Trish, but youâve got some work to do, and so do I,â she said sadly. She looked at Delora.
âYou donât mind goinâ with her, do you?â
â......â Delora thought for a moment. She absolutely hates the kids, especially Luna⌠but maybe she could âstage a little accidentâ for the kid.
âAlrightâŚâ the middle sister said flatly. She looked at Luna, sending a shiver down the girlâs spine. Luna shook it off and excitedly hurried to the small garden outside.
It was a little chilly outside, but the eight-year-old didnât mindâŚ
âItâs gonna be Spring guys!!!â she yelled excitedly to her garden. The plants perked up, as if looking at the girl.
âDo you guys know what that means? Youâre all gonna be really pretty again!!!â
The blue-bonnets wriggled in their place, while the forget-me-nots clapped their leaves the best they could. Seems like the garden was excited for spring as much as any plant would be-
âWhat in the-â
Luna forgot that the woman was supposed to be watching her⌠the flowers stood as deathly still as the girl, save for a light breeze that made the plants sway...
âI-Iâm sorry. W-whatâre you talking aboutâŚ?â
The girl turns her head slowly, and looks at the middle sister with a wide eye. Delora narrows her eyes.
âWerenât you just talking to the plants?â Her tone was harsher than a blizzard.
âNoâŚ! I was talking to, uh... myself! About how Spring is coming, you know.â She turns to face the woman. Luna shivers a little as she stares into the womanâs piercing eyes with her own wide eyes. Thereâs a long moment of silence as Delora just stares at what she sees as the runt of the orphanage litter. Delora just walks off, dismissing the little girlâs supposed shenanigans. Luna breathes a sigh of relief. She heads to the tool shed at the far right of the garden, takes the lock off and opens it up.
Inside, various gardening tools are concealed: watering cans, a lantern, a pair of shears out of reach of the girl, a long, pointed shovel, a large rake, a drawer of trowels and some pruners, a lawn mower too big for her to move, a rolled up garden hose, a pair of loppers, a hatchet, and an edger. She gets out one of the trowels, and dives into the drawer of seed packages.
âNow, letâs seeâŚâ The girl browsed the various seed packages of many fruits, vegetables, flowers, and a few tree seed packets.
âCarrots, no⌠daffodils, maybe summer- huh?â Luna found a single packet of seeds buried amongst the others that she hadnât seen before.
âRosesâŚ?â The girl picks up the package. It seemed warm, strangely. She stares for a long time at the package. It seemed out of place among the others, which were all the same brand. This one, however, didnât even have a brand. In fact, it was just a small parcel that said, in flowing cursive, âRoses.â She felt that these were the right ones to plant today. With a smile, the girl turns towards the exit of the-
*SLAM*
â?!!!?!â Luna yelps in alarm as she is shut inside the shed, in near-complete darkness. A womanâs laugh can be heard, with the clanking of metals at the door. Luna runs towards the doors and bangs desperately.
âLET ME OUT!!!â The girl barks. Tears begin to well up in her eyes as she bangs her hands against the door.
âPLEASEâŚ!â she sobs out. Over the slamming, the crunch of dirt fades away. Lunaâs slamming becomes more desperate. After a few minutes, the girl weakens, and slides to the floor, whimpering.
âI⌠I didnât do a-anything wrongâŚâ She says to herself, sniffling. âSo why⌠why me?â She bursts into tears once more.
* hey. hey kid. you okay?
* i know you can hear me. i wouldnât be here if you couldnât.
* thereâs somethinâ special âbout you, something that could be life-changing.
* but you have to do one thing, no matter what.
* yâknow what that isâŚ?
* youâve gotta have HOPE.
* understand?
* everythingâll be alright as long as youâve got that with yaâŚ
* i promise, kiddo. everythingâll be alright...
âLuna?â A soft voice called out from outside the shed.
*knock knock knock*
âHnnghm?â Luna seemed to have fallen asleep a while ago⌠she lets out a yawn.
âHello?â The voice echoes.
âHuh? Is someone there-â Luna remembers sheâs in a shed.
âHey! Can you help me?â
âIs that you, Luna?â
âYeah, whoâs this?â she asks.
âItâs me, Laila!â the girl replied.
âLaila, hi-â Luna looks around, then pushes on the door. It doesnât budge.
âLaila, I think Iâm stuck in here- can you go get help, please?!â Luna is a little frantic now.
âYeah, hold on-â Thereâs clinking of metal at the door, and in a few moments, the door is opened to reveal a girl in a tutu. Luna immediately hugs her.
âOh my goodness- thank you Laila!â Luna sobbed a little.
âOh, no problem!â Laila smiles, and pats the little girl on the head with her free arm.
âPhoebe and Beatrice were worried, so I thought Iâd help look for you- I love your garden by the way!â
âLuna lets go of the girl. âThank you- OH YEAH-â The girl runs back into the shed and grabs the trowel and package of rose seeds.
âI was gonna plant these, did you wanna help?â
âUm, I think we should actually go in and tell them youâre okay. They were pretty worriedâŚâ Laila suggested.
Luna looks a little disappointed. âYeah, youâre rightâŚâ She sets the trowel and package on the ground and heads back inside the orphanage with Laila. She quietly wonders how long she was in that shed, and how she fell asleep in the moment.
Who was that in her dream, anyways�
âYou were locked in the shed?!â Phoebe looks down at the two girls, and Luna nods.
âI was getting out one of the little shovels and a package of seeds, and when I turned to leave, the doors were shut in my face!â Luna sighed.
âI didnât see who it was, thoughâŚâ
From the hallway, Delora stares at the scene, a smug look on her face.
âThe kid doesnât have a clue. Sheâll be easy to-â
âHey whatcha talkinâ âbout?!â Delora jumps away from the wall and stares at her little sister, wide-eyed.
âTrishie, donât do that!â Delora scolded, but Beatrice only smiled.
âSo, whatcha talking about?â She asked again. Delora looks away.
âNothin. Just worried about the kids," She lied.
âEheh, yeahâŚâ Beatrice laughed, a slight hint of nervousness could be heard. âThey found Luna, right? I wonder what happenedâŚâ
Many years ago, two races ruled over the surface: Humans and Monsters
One day, war broke out between the two races...
After a long battle, the humans were victorious.
They sealed the monsters underground with a magic spell.
âŚ
Flowey: Wait a minute⌠you already know this story, donâtcha?
Sans: huh⌠word really gets around, doesnât it?
Papyrus: (I REALLY WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT THE HUMANS WOULD AT LEAST KNOW ABOUT MEâŚ)
Toriel: But you do not know her story⌠do you?
Undyne: The story of a different human.
Alphys: With HOPE for a better future...
Asgore: ...It all begins with an ending.
After a long battle between the final human, Asgore was finally, and unfortunately, victoriousâŚ
The humanâs SOUL was taken from their body, and encapsulated in the final capsule, with the six other SOULs.
It was later announced, that day, that the final SOUL was taken, and that Asgore would use them to shatter the barrier and wreak havoc on the human race.
It was a grim day for several monsters, who had befriended the human, upon hearing this newsâŚ
That day, all of the monsters came to the capital to watch Asgore shatter the barrier.
Toriel, disguised in a cloak, unlocked the door to the Ruins that day, to see if Asgore would accomplish his horrid goalâŚ
âThe time has finally comeâŚâ he said. âLet us free ourselves from this prison!â
Monsters cheered the brief statement from their ruler.
âDr. Alphys, if you willâŚ?â
âY-yes sirâŚ!â
With the press of a button, The SOUL capsules appeared on the area, and were released. Every monster gazed in awe as their king, Asgore Dreemurr, absorbed the SOULsâŚ
...and transformed into a godlike being.
With his newfound powers, he made a brilliant strike upon the barrier, making the whole mountain quiver momentarily, as if an earthquake occurred. The cave ceiling gave way some debris that could have killed a portion of the crowd, if they had not moved in timeâŚ
They all stared at the Barrier.
It had cracked, still quivering at the force of the blowâŚ
...only to reinforce itself in seconds.
They all were stunned⌠it seems that not even the power of all 7 SOULs was enough to shatter the barrierâŚ
...but it was enough to crack it; a major achievement in the eyes of manyâŚ
Moments later, the godlike figure that Asgore had weakened, and collapsed. The SOULs separated themselves from him, and before they could dissipate, were recaptured and returned to their respectful capsules.
âHow could this beâŚ?â one monster said.
âIt wasnât enough to free us?â said another.
âThe prophecy wasnât fulfilled!!!â
âWeâre going to be trapped here forever!!!â
Like a wildfire, murmurs in the crowd began to become more and more distressed. After a few moments, King Asgore had regained enough strength to stand once again.
âPlease, everyoneâŚâ He said quietly, at first. He then cleared his throat.
âEveryone calm down!!!â He bellowed. It was enough to silence the crowd, save for a few whimpers from a WhimsunâŚ
The king gave a sigh. He seemed to have lost almost all hope.
âIâm very sorry everyoneâŚâ he simply stated. âYou may all return to your respected homesâŚâ
Pity. That was what every monster felt for the king. It filled the chasm, infecting everyone and everything that could feel it. Slowly, monsters began to file out of the area. The hooded figure that Toriel had disguised herself as stayed for a few moments. The king and the former queen made eye-contact for a brief moment, for it to be broken by her leave.
âToriâŚâ the king thought.
At this moment⌠he felt as if his heart were to shatter completelyâŚ
The monumental event seemed to steal away the HOPE of the UndergroundâŚ
This blog is an Undertale AU blog (creator is @starphox-art )
The story, so far, has been drafted, and the creator is focusing (or trying to focus) on finishing the actual written story.
After that, she will try and make the story into a comic. This is where the blog comes into play.
This blog is related to the story, comic (when it starts), and art made by the creator (letâs just call the creator âSkelliemunâ or âStarrâ to make it easier). If by any chance the AU (UT: Re or Redemptale as it is known now) does gain any notice or popularity, it will also serve as a medium where any art can be reblogged to.
There may be some controversial subjects in the AU that some may find... unpleasing, but Starr is trying to work around it and make an actual story that revolves around the AUâs fallen human, rather than the subject(s) that might stick out a little... but as a side warning there will be shipping happening (mainly just one (1)).
There are two more blogs connected to the AU:
@of-puns-and-pasta (Post-Pacifist Skelebros Blog)
@soul-full-of-hope (Post-Pacifist Blog for SOUL!Luna)
Either way, uh... hereâs the blog! Weâll post as often as we can (itâs gonna be art for the first few weeks (probably.)
Hope you enjoy?
discoholicmusic
stormborns
annaxmalina
baratheonpilled
ellievsbear
titsay
pixelskylines
izzy806
blakekathryn
gummygunk
