Do you mean my actual family or the sons of bitches that think they’re my family?
…Which one is which?
The Crux is my real family.
You can imagine who’s the latter.
…
Let’s go down the list.
(Top to bottom, left to right)
Well we can’t start out without mentioning the ringmaster. My mother. If you could even call her that. Alice Ripper. Who knows why she does what she does.
Next are the twins, David and Douglas, if you’d really like to piss them off, you can call them by their original last names, which is Graves as opposed to Ripper.
David and Douglas are responsible for kidnapping people to get information out of them, they have a general disdain for most women, they’re bigoted as all hell, and generally they’re my mom’s attack dogs.
It’s a shame, considering they were basically brainwashed into becoming some of the worst people you’ll ever meet. Although they’re too far gone for my liking.
Next, “Sergeant” Boris Abir. Huge egotistical ass. He used to be a sergeant in Morgana’s military. He was dishonorably discharged after he attempted to murder one of his superiors. He was broken out of prison by my mom, and is so bitter about his discharge that he still goes by the stupid title of sergeant.
He’s an attack dog for my mother, and pretty sadistic. He’s a big guy, and wants to be like Owen so badly apparently. Even copied Owen’s hammer. Thinks of himself as “the better Owen”.
As I said. Egotistical ass.
Let’s see, oh, right. Lorraine Russel. She’s responsible for checking in on my mother’s “business partner’s” to ensure they’re “doing their jobs” aka doing what she wants or else they get murdered or tortured.
She’s given permission to do anything she sees fit to keep people in line. Tch, another sadistic one. Her and Abir are two peas in a pod, almost “father-daughter” type shit. Gross.
[ sighs ] speaking of sadistic, sensing a theme? Clarence Chemivolt. He used to study at the Morgana University of Magics and Mana. Was promptly thrown out due to his unethical treatment of experiments.
My mom told him he’d be allowed to do whatever he wanted and would be supplied with everything he needed if he joined her.
I have far too many mental scars from that son of a bitch. He never saw me as a person, not that the others did either. Well. Except one.
Evelyn Tisdale.
She didn’t like me per se.
But she didn’t necessarily like my mom either.
I remember her and my mom bitching at each other all the time. She didn’t like how I was treated, said I’d do better as a weapon if my mom actually treated me the way she treated the twins.
She always repaired me after my mom would injure me. Always told me that I stayed in my lane, she’d stay in hers.
She was responsible for tracking people down. She knows everything about everyone. I’m sure she knows about who I hang around with these days.
But she never was the type to always give up where people were, which pissed my mom off to no end.
She never gave up to my mom where I went. That I know for sure. Mainly because my mom was bitching about having to find me on her own when she did eventually find me.
She’s… okay.
I don’t have any plans to get rid of her. Just to put her in prison.
She’s still responsible for assisting in the murders of several dozen people.
Is Noah the only one of his kind? Did Alice make more of him, or others like him?
Alice only made Noah. Noah, as he ran away, took his blueprints and scanned them, so that he’d have the blueprints in his memory.
He then proceeded to burn the blueprints.
Alice hasn’t been able to replicate Noah since. Mainly because she had someone’s help to make him and that someone wants nothing to do with her anymore.
She doesn’t have the time, resources, or money anymore to try and make him again.
I’ll only be doing a few prompts from OC week, due to school finishing up here soon for the semester, along with workload and just my own personal spoons :)
But as an apology for that, this will be more of an intricate piece from me! :D
The Characters Depicted Here:
(Background/The Eyes) -> Alice Ripper (61)
(Top Left) -> David Graves/Ripper (25)
(Top Right) -> Douglas Graves/Ripper (25)
(Middle Left) -> “Sergeant” Boris Abir (65)
(Middle Right) -> Lorraine Russel (46)
(Bottom Left) -> Clarence Chemivolt (29)
(Bottom Right) -> Shenita Tisdale (63)
(True Middle) -> Noah Ripper (24)
If you’re curious about any of these fellas, then feel free to ask about them! :)
Also, fun fact! This is the first time I’ve ever depicted the six associates of Alice Ripper!
[ Alice is on her knees in the snow, injured from the fight with Noah. Who seems, surprisingly, all too calm for this fight ]
[ Noah steps in front of her, the rest of The Crux & The De La Dáinn family stand a ways away, behind Alice ]
Alice: You bastard… it doesn’t matter if I’m arrested or die. I will ALWAYS have control over you!
Noah: [ Quietly ] …I’m the only thing you have left, aren’t I?
Alice: ?!!
Noah: To answer your statement, you don’t. Not anymore. Because of one thing. [ He holds up one finger ]
[ Using that finger, he points to Pandora and the rest of the group. ]
Noah: I love them, I love HER, more than I’m scared of you.
[ Alice’s eyes widen ]
Alice: …what?
Noah: I’m the only thing you have left. That’s why you hold on so bad. Everything I’ve done that you’ve seen, up until now, is something you’ve wanted to see from me.
Anger, rage, sadness.
But I have become the one thing you NEVER wanted to see from me.
Alice: [ Bitterly ] and that is?
Noah: …I’m happy.
Alice: !
Noah: I’m the happiest I’ve ever been. I found my real creator, met my actual family, and left you behind.
You ever seen me smile genuinely? In a happy way?
[ He smiles genuinely ]
[ Alice gains a look of fear, Noah shakes his head ]
Noah: every time I show any positive emotion, it… disturbs or enrages you.
And I’m not sure why. But, honestly? I think I’m better off not knowing. Because then I don’t have to obsess over your feelings.
Alice: you can’t do this to me.
Noah: why? Because I’m the only thing you have left? Not how that works.
Alice: YOU CAN’T DO THIS TO ME!
Noah: if you wanted me to stay so bad, maybe you should’ve thought about being a better “mother” to me. But I’ll tell you this,
[ Noah pulls out a glowing, golden knife. ]
Noah: this thing is single use only. The previous champion of death gave it to me, told me to use it when I absolutely, 100%, needed it.
And I think I need it right now.
Alice: …just kill me…
Noah: no.
Alice: what?!
Noah: that’s too easy. Too… nice. I’m going to do something so much worse.
[ He “taps” the space in front of him. And a golden thread appears in front of him and Alice, connecting the two to each other ]
Noah: do you know what this is?
Alice: …
Noah: it’s a string of fate.
[ Noah takes the knife and in one simple motion, slices the thread, disconnecting the two. Alice stares in horror as the string disintegrates into nothing ]
[ Alice looks up at Noah, eyes wide, crying ]
[ Noah stares back blankly. ]
Noah: you will never hurt me, or anyone I love, ever again.
[ He walks past Alice and over to the group, as two Morganian guards pick Alice up out of the snow. Alice begins screaming for Noah. He keeps his back turned to her. ]
Noah: Hey Pan,
Pandora: ?
Noah: [ Smiles ] Let’s go back, I’m sure the chef’s have made a nice meal for everyone.
[ Pandora smiles and nods, and the group leaves, heading back to the De La Dáinn Mansion. ]
You’re still getting technically Noah. But it’s also not Noah so it’s FINE.
I need to start doing this to you, dropping prompts that you aren’t expecting and then scurrying away 👀
/lh /j
Two Sides of the Creation Coin
Owen Cogwright, just like his forefathers and their forefathers, is cursed. A terrible curse, truly. He asks for help, and gets much more than he bargains for.
He will never ask for help again.
Or will he?
Owen Cogwright, just like his forefathers and their forefathers, is cursed.
An heirloom curse, they call it.
Akwan’s curse.
It doesn’t even have a name.
All he knows, is that his body begins to ever so slowly shut down on its own, sending him into increasingly more excruciating pain until he eventually dies.
Make artificial life that is identical to organic life.
All of that if he doesn’t work on this stupid project for this stupid god.
If he works on it, he’s given healing and relief as a reward.
But it’s ripped from him the second he stops.
So he’s had to get creative.
“What are you working on?” A snarky voice questions.
And Owen, age 34, looks up and smiles. The love of his life is standing there, hands on her hips.
“Just a little something for a bigger project.”
She smirks, “You gonna tell me what it actually is?”
Owen thinks for a minute with a solemn look on his face.
Alice notices, and worry crosses her face. “What’s wrong Owen?”
He thinks, then stands “follow me, I think there’s something I should tell you.”
And that’s where it started. The majority of the work on the project. He explained to her his entire life story, everything, every little detail.
And she comforted him, and made a promise.
“I will help you make this project. And I will do whatever it takes to make it perfect. It must be perfect.”
She helped him, they bonded over the project, talking about the days where once this being was done being made, they’d have a family.
It would’ve stayed that way forever, and they would’ve lived happily ever after with one another. And Owen would be free.
Until they showed up.
“You two are incredibly talented, highly intelligent, and my husband and I believe that nobody is giving you two your due.” She said.
Valerie…
The Lockwoods.
Before he knew it, he was watching an entire family of nobles being murdered right before his eyes. Alice, the love of his life, smiling all the while. Looking freer than she ever had when working on the project with him.
Gods he couldn’t sleep after hearing their screams. Every time he’d close his eyes he’d see them. See the two survivors, staring in fear at him.
Why did he do this? For some sense of stupid justice for his parents? For himself?
Why did he join this?
“What’s your problem?!” Alice roars
“I was just—“
“Those two got away you moron! I couldn’t catch them!”
“I’m sorry…”
“Sorry won’t cut it when the Lockwoods hear about this.” She sneers.
What?
She’d never spoken to him like that before.
But before he knew it, it became common, this became a common song and dance. He’d come back, apologize, and get screamed at.
Soon it became more than that. Soon it became violent. She’d throw things at him, hurl hurtful things, all of it.
And he couldn’t even leave. He’d die if he did. Thanks to the Lockwoods.
But he didn’t regret what he did. He was happy those girls got away.
And maybe Alice still cared, because she didn’t ever tell them about his “mess up”.
And eventually, the gods would give him a way out. Those two would come back, Elizabeth and Diana, part of the Illusionary Kindred. A very strong adventuring party, who would kill the Lockwoods.
He didn’t get to see it, Alice grabbed him and ran with him and their stuff before he could.
They retreated to a cabin in the woods. And continued to work on the project, the only thing keeping them together.
Except…
“Keep working on it you asshole, it’s the only thing you’re good for. It must be perfect.”
Those words cut like a razor. All he was good for… maybe she was right.
He was tired, tired of trying to fight her, so he started agreeing with her. Because what kind of man helps to murder a giant family of people?
And then the night came.
She had gone out, and come back with something in a pouch.
Before he knew it, he had a gun in his face.
“Get out.” She sneered.
“W-“
“Get. Out. And you leave the project with me. Pack your shit. And get out.”
Leave the project. He didn’t get a choice.
He had to leave it there.
He had to leave him there.
He was almost done, too.
So he did, with a broken heart, and a realization that she probably never loved him back, he left.
“I’m sorry, my boy.”
But all the while, Alice stares out the window. How could she have just done that, she just chased the last person who cared out of her life.
Idiot.
She collapses to the floor, crying.
And then it occurs to her.
She walks back to their workshop and turns the android on.
It opens its golden eyes, and looks up at her.
Mascara running down her face, she stares at the young Android.
“You must be perfect. You are going to be perfect.”
The Android stares curiously at her and tilts its head, those loving eyes. And she wants to rip its head off.
It looks just like him.
She punches it. It holds its eye and cowers in the corner, crying for the first time.
“Don’t ever look at me like that again.”
And it wouldn’t. It wouldn’t ever look at her like that again.
Year later, Owen stands in a tavern, now 61, cleaning a glass.
He sees a particularly rowdy group, the center of it all, a young man with freakishly golden eyes and what looks like a metal seam down the right side of his face. He looked, familiar.
He hears a young female voice yelling at all of them to stop, and the young man immediately looks guilty. The voice belongs to a young girl, white hair, tarnished gold eyes. She also looked familiar…
She walks up to him.
“I’m so sorry, I… here.” She hands him a small pouch of several platinum coins.
His eyes widen. Oh. That’s who she is. Accent, eyes, money, she’s a De La Dáinn.
“You don’t have to—“
“Take the gold, Owen.” His boss calls from behind him. A tiefling woman, who had taken him in.
He sighs and thanks the girl, putting the coins in his pocket. The two get to talking, and he slowly becomes more invested in this girl.
He was seeing what the aftermath was of his actions. A pang of hurt shoots through him. He didn’t have the heart to tell her.
“So, you said this is all you have?” The girl, Pandora, asks.
“Yeah.”
She thinks, with a hand on her chin, similar to that of her mother, Diana.
“What about traveling with us?”
“Don’t you think I’m a little old for that?”
“Nope! I think there’s no such thing as too old to see the world!” She smiles
“I’ll think about it. Be right back.” He takes the cleaned glasses and takes them to the back where the shelf is.
“You should go.” His boss says with a smile.
“You think so?”
“It’d be good for you. See some good in the world before you die from being a nihilistic old man.”
“Ha-ha” he says deadpanned.
“I’m serious, you’ve only seen the worst in people. What if these kids show you the good in the world? It’s worth a shot, right? Maybe they could help you.”
She was right.
Maybe it was worth taking a chance on these kids.
Maybe he could prevent them from making the same mistakes.
He walks back out.
“I think I’ll join your little group.”
“That didn’t take long!” She laughs.
“Nah. I think I need to see the good in the world. I’ve seen nothing but bad.”
“At least you’ve seen the world, I haven’t seen any of it.”
He snorts, “there’s a lot to see, Pandora. I’d be happy to show you and your friends.”
She grins, “sounds like a plan. Welcome to The Crux, Mr. Cogwright.” She holds out her hand.
