#;;intermission

[cosmosfated]

@madomadotsuki

It feels, has felt different in the timeline that Fleur calls HOME.

A hush among crowds, people purposefully keeping away from darkened places.  A weight on one’s chest, anxiety and fear given mass.  A touch of death amidst so much life, the changing of seasons being the only reliable tell of time passing.  A shudder down the spine, passable to the blind as simply the chill of Autumn air but recognizable to wizened as the feeling of something lurking in the shadows.  Something lurking, something watching.  Something waiting...

Things feel different. And perhaps not in a good way.

Fleur has been seated on the ground of the inlet of Kala’e Bay, staring out into the open and calm ocean.  The deep blue waves that hide such terrifying, intriguing horrors of the beautiful waters.  The gentle winds of a place that lives up to its name, the softness and the tranquility.  Something hard pressed to find in a world that creates so much noise and gives off so much light that it is a beacon... not only for those shipwrecked, but for that of which shipwrecked them.  Not only for the damned, but for that of which is damning.  The haunted, and the haunting.

Two sides of the same coin. It’s not a matter of existence, it’s a matter of acceptance.

He had invited Madotsuki  (and by default, Golden Freddy)  here as a means of being able to speak without worry of choking on the truth he wishes so desperately to speak.  The truths he’s been terribly denied of, the truth that he tried to deny so the curse would be easier to bear.

Now all that’s left to do is wait.

[cosmosfated]

The Color of the Sky

It's always fun to show someone something you love, something you believe in.  It's even more fun to show someone you love those self same things.  Why?  Well, you don't have to worry about the looks of boredom, or of judgement for your interests or what makes you happy.  It's...a nice change of pace, for Fleur.

So of course he had to tug Lost into the timeline as soon as possible after the whole MEETING thing.  Yanno.  Meeting the wascally wabbit who got the huntew's heawt.  Kidding, he's KIDDING.  ...mostly.  He whined, and got a whine back.  The deal was sealed and Lost had no say in the matter.  That's just how it is.

"aight papá,"  Fleur chirps as he lets go of the old bones' coat, nearly vibrating with excitement...and a touch of hope that wasn't there before.  "myyy timeline! my real timeline that is. where i grew up. whatcha think?"

@voidedfate

[cosmosfated]

Return to (Ab)Normalcy

   “Shaney-Waney~!”

   “Zephyr, don’t you dare--”  The Immortal grunts a bit as the sudden weight of a Elven Mage is suddenly collapsed atop him.  He’s grown used to this even though he’s spent decades, maybe centuries, without this comfort of someone living to drag him out of his usually unintended isolation.  “Ugh, you’re heavy.”

   The youngest of them all - in terms of physical appearance - just hums playfully and nuzzles against the elder’s upper back.  They haven’t quite reached the height that the others told them that they’d reach, but they’re holding out hope that they get to be as tall as they were told!  Maybe even taller so that they can tick off Shane.

   “Shaneeeeyyy, you need to give Lost a break! Go out and have fun with him... I’m sure your kiddo would be all too thrilled to know that Daddy Dearest was finally starting to enjoy his life again.”

   “I don’t need a lecture in irresponsibility from you, Zephyr...but I’ll keep it in mind.”

   “Give my regards to Emrys and Lost for keeping Fleur out of trouble, will you? I never got a chance to talk to the not-so-living legend myself due to our work being so tangled this past month. Never heard of someone getting the kid to listen to them so quickly, heheh.”

   “I’m certain I’ll be running into those idiots again sometime...”

   “... Take care, Your Highness. Don’t make us come back here to smack some sense into your thick skull.”

   “I thought it was supposed to be the other way around... nonetheless, don’t be so dramatic. We’ll see each other sooner than you think. I’m not the one who made the deal, remember?”

   Shane turns around and pours them all a glass of whiskey -- Kilbeggan, actually -- in order to hold up for a toast.  The other three take up their glasses with varying degrees of enthusiasm, and clink glasses together...

                  “To love.”

                               “And all that comes with.”

   It’s a feeling of having closed your eyes for a little too long.

   When exhaustion takes over long enough to just feel like you need to rest your eyes, and you just can’t keep your eyes open for a short time.  Nothing unnatural, nothing amiss.  Just a natural process of knowing your limits, knowing when you just need to relax for a short time.

   But in the meanwhile, all that glitters and shines - all that jumps and bounces - all that was once so energetic and eccentric is now duller, darker, damning.  In comparison to what was experienced for so long, to what was once lived and beloved, of course it would seem all too depressing.  It doesn’t feel right anymore.  Well perhaps the proper term is that it doesn’t feel like it belongs.  Certainly, it’s still right, but not the sort of right that belongs in a world such as this.

   People flitting about the dark streets in dark clothing, no runes painted on windows, and most certainly no bells or whistles hung at convenient and easy to reach places for people to reach.  But then again, why would they need to have reason to call for anyone?

                       After all, everything is normal as always.

   A tired Immortal slouches down in his seat and hangs his head.  An empty shot glass in one hand, while there’s three others around him - two half full and another empty and knocked over.

   Back to dancing.  Back to the reminder that Fate plays unfortunate favorites.  Back to damnation... back to everything cursed and fallen and dreary.  Back to the glitches, to the aches, to the painful reminders of a time long before, to everything that was once but shouldn’t repeat again.

                             ...a knowing smile is hidden behind his sleeve.

   There’s a fracture in a place that doesn’t quite belong.  A place that glitters to the keener eyes, a place that feels truly and wholly right.  There’s a loophole in a deal made long ago... if only for those not a part of it.

[cosmosfated]

So if Zephyr is the good mage and Levi is the bad knight, would that make Dinah the neutral hunter?

   A brief snort of amusement.  “You think I’m the good Mage?”  Zephyr leans against his staff and smiles brightly.  “You must’ve gotten something mixed up somewhere, but ooh, where could you have misconstrued me being the good one…”  Tap, tap, tap goes a finger again their chin.

   They shake their head, only to wave their hand dismissively.  “…Anyways! Nope, none of us should be considered “good”. Not in the sense that you’re thinking of, at least~… I’m certainly better than most, but better doesn’t mean good! You can be better than the worst and still be terrible! As for Vi-Vi, he’s a bit of a stick in the mud but he’s a good Knight! He’s in fact one of the best. He’s just a little tough to get onto the good side of, I’m afraid. And Dinah is our timeline’s soul of determination- do you REALLY think she’s neutral?”

   Their head cants in thoughts for a few moments.  “If you’re looking for someone truly neutral, you’re better off talking to Shaney! He’s the truest of truly neutral that you’ll get! A bit hurt over stuff, yeah, but still. But none of the rest of us are neutral. Why do you think we needed him to figure out what to do from here on out? Hehehe~♥”

   The Mage hops to a proper standing position and twirls their staff.  Winking as it’s rested calmly across their shoulders and having their arms rest on each side of it.  “But you lot don’t pay attention much to that, now do ya? Nope, doesn’t seem like it. After all, you still think the skies look like a rainbow, don’t’cha? You still think everything’s peachy keen and magic and parties from sun up to sun down, don’t’cha? ‘Course ya do, ‘course.”

   Their boots seem to snap against the wind as they turn to walk away, making a peace sign as they do.  “Have fun sitting in your bubble of blissful ignorance! The rest of us will take care of the baddies so you can sleep easy at night~”  Are they humming a little jovial tune as they walk, maybe.

[cosmosfated]

[... Well alright.] Time to kidnap a rustbucket. He's just going to lean down enough to get Shane into a fireman's carry. His now. Nothing to be done about it. Just listen to the shanty he's starting to hum under his breath as he entirely ignores any mention of sleep. Actually coffee sounds great right about now.

   Metal Gear Solid alert noise here.  Did Lost ask for swearing in ancient Egyptian, no probably not.  Is he getting ancient Egyptian swears that are quickly becoming rather colorful and incredibly detailed, yes he is.

   There’s a few odd looks being cast their way, but ultimately no one bats an eye at what’s going on with the two.  No, they know full and well not to mess with a Lich when one has stolen a person.  Are people curious as to why he’s stealing a “Witch” with no true foothold in the world around them, maybe a little, but they don’t particularly care right now.

   He really doesn’t like this situation.  He’s fairly determined to get out of it, one way or another.  He’d try teleporting, but that’d give him away.  He’d try overpowering the old bones, but again that’d give him away.  Anything he could try would give him away in some way shape or form.

   … Was that “you cheating son of a rotten fowl’s intestines” in ancient Egyptian, maybe.

[cosmosfated]

Tether

   The ground seems to shudder beneath your feet.  The color in the skies seems to fade and disappear.  There’s a sound like a rubber band breaking, like harp strings snapping.  There’s a rumble, something not of nature but something far past unnatural.  But then again, was that all in your head?  Because no one else seems to feel it.

   Something is tugging at the seams, pulling at the threads that bind.

   The trees start to shudder instead of sway.  The animals start to cower and then run from something they cannot see.  The Pokemon, even the Dark types, scoot backwards a few steps behind turning and running off to try and hide from that of which sees all it wants to see and more.  The lights in front of each and every house in the world start to flicker and dim.  But then again, are you just seeing things?  Because no one else seems to acknowledge any difference.

   Something desires for that which it will retrieve, aches for it.

   Footsteps pound the pavement without a sound.  An old cloak discarded in favor for rune sewn sash and engraved bracers, enchanted bangles chiming a desperate melody and an old staff allowing for splashes of light with each footfall as if the caster is running not on asphalt but on water.  A temple passing by a mind’s eye, a surge of power being blessed upon the running Mage and bringing them to a quick halt, forcing a small wake of light to curl around them not like water but like wind.  The wind around them gets faster, faster, faster---  

                                ---until it becomes a whirlwind.

   Something HUNGERS.

   The top of the staff drops to brush against the ground, casting a sigil around them in a fifty foot radius and spanning upwards.  A sphere of spell circles surrounding them as they summon more magic, the whirlwind of light and magic becoming somehow just a touch faster.  Head tilts backwards and the grin of a mad Mage - or perhaps even a wild dog without their leash - is cast upwards towards the heavens.

               --- and a large black lioness snickers in the distance.  ‘This should be fun.’

[cosmosfated]

   A series of wheezing coughs.  The old "Witch" sighs as the coughing stops, laying his head down on the tray he's using in the backroom to catch up on paperwork and organizing.  Trying to make this place look a touch neater now that people are going to be visiting back here more often.  He supposes he's been doing too much- it's similar to having been taking a drug for too long and then trying to quit on the spot.  It hurts and it's awful and more than likely you're going to stop trying to quit.  Alas for him, it's not stopping that's the issue.  It's getting started.

   Dizziness assails him as he stands.  He stumbles a bit before catching himself on the tray, waiting until it goes away in order to roll his shoulders and right himself.  He's not in the best of shape.  The rust bucket being clad in the very thing that defines him.  Rust.  He's rusty at all of this.  Rusty at being helpful.  Rusty at being kind.  Rusty at being there for people.  Rusty, at it all...  Blasted family, blasted kid, eugh---

   He reaches into the coat he's wearing and takes out that same snowflake obsidian pendant.  Looks at the deep fractures and the wiring in silver around it beginning to turn to gold.  For once, gold is a terrible sign.  For once, gold is the color of disaster, not of wealth.

   ... There's only so much he can do in this state...