An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
A fairytale retelling of Rapunzel, told by Sophie while making use of handmade paper puppets to Eva who, at first, listened and asked a few questions before joining in and adding to the story.
The fic is written in a style that utilizes some text formatting, there is no descriptors and dialogue tags used as the entire format can be easily read without it.
A very merry happy holidays to @amonen ! I was your secret santa for @mhykchristmas ! :D
I decided to write for Eva and Sophie <3 Cuz I love them so much too and my heart breaks for the two I need to see them happy as well.
Forced to write a fic in 10 minutes playing Truth or Dare for the first time... here you go
The topic I was given is Forest Bathing (whatever that means)
#
It was just too freakin cold. Beau stomped through the woods, boots crunching in the snow and swearing at the career path that had led to her walking through the snowy woods in -20 celsius weather.
Did she love living in the woods and chopping down trees and taking care of Cadecueus’s grove? Yes.
Could she appreciate that when her nose was freezing off? No.
“Go into the woods Beauregard,” she muttered, “See how frozen the river is, Beauregard. I need data for my stupid science project, Beauregard and I’m a frail weak ginger boy who would die in the snow.” She shoved a tree out of the way and it snapped back, catching her in the shoulder and dumping a pile of snow on her head. “For fucks! sake!” Cold slid down her back as the snow found an impossible gap between her thick scarf and jacket.
She hopped farther down the path, scrabbling to shake the snow off her spine.
Rounding the bend, she came to the small river and the wooden bridge that topped it. The river was covered in ice, but flowing underneath. If she was quick, she could probably get Caleb’s sensor out of the water and-
“Oh. Hello?”
Beau froze. Mittens on her head as she tried to brush the last of the snow off. There shouldn’t have been anyone else in the woods today. Too cold. Too far away from anything but their research cabin.
But there was.
And that person wasn’t just out in the snow. They were fully in the cold cold water up to their armpits, arms spread out on the ice to keep them from sinking.
“Holy shit,” Beau sprinted towards the bank, “Hold on. Let me help you!” It was a woman. Broad shouldered as the trees and strikingly beautiful, with eyes of two colours and long black hair streaked through with white. No coat. Shirt soaked through, “Were you walking on the ice? It looks thick but it’s easy to fall.”
The women shook her head, lips blue, as she deadpanned, “No. I was taking a bath.”
Beau froze, shocked.
“That was a joke,” the woman said, “I’m sorry. I don’t know why I thought to try when I had fallen through the ice. I’m not even normally good at jokes.”
Beau reached to her hip and grabbed her safety rope, “No. No. It was. Great. We’ll work on the timing when you’re not dying.”
Odile stared up at the ceiling, her vision blurry with the other eye obscured by a light coming from her face, or rather, the cracks forming on her body. It's just about what she expected, really. Taking on the entire House, not allowing even a single break during any battle, pushing and pushing far past the limits of what one body could take, all by herself… She did it all by herself. She was at her wit's end, anyone would be, with the very situation she found herself in, anyone would be. To be stuck in a timeloop, to witness the people you care about get hurt over and over again, to witness the victory of a battle hard won only to start over again and again, to witness the end of the journey and listen to the broken record that is the Headhouse Maiden over and over again.
She never really understood Why? Why are they stuck in a timeloop? Why is she the only one that remembers? Even after going through so many loops, finding out more about the secrets of the world, wish craft, the island north of Vaugarde, the King, Siffrin… Right, Siffrin, the most suspicious one of all, to be able to read that strange script in some loops. Some. Some… Odile didn't like the prerequisite for it. To die to the King's strange attack, it seems to have a next loop effect on Siffrin, she didn't like it. Not one bit. But it did tell her something, that whatever is happening right now is connected to him in one way or another.
Not like it matters now though, her vision on her other eye is completely obscured by a blinding white light. And her hearing, has gotten muffled, she can feel her… family members, by her side. They seem to be speaking, shouting as well maybe.
I wonder if they're calling me stupid…
She'd chuckle if she could. After all the hurtful things she had told them prior to… this. She wouldn't even mind if they start cursing at her. She deserves it. Odile moved her one somewhat good eye to see who was beside her. It was Siffrin, she thinks, and someone else, Boniface, maybe. Are they crying? Out of anger or worry? Is the one blurring her vision death… or tears? She doesn't know anymore. She can see the silhouette of an arm moving, hers maybe, she can't feel it, but maybe it is. There are numerous cracks on it, a blinding light seeping through. That's hers alright.
The King is gone, right? She wanted to confirm. Vaugarde will be saved, right? She wanted to ask them. Everything will be alright now? She didn't want to die with any regrets.
Well, at the very least, the funeral ceremony of Ka Bue was fulfilled in a way, not in a traditional sense and definitely not what she expected to happen either. With a body seemingly made of gems, to shatter upon death. It's hauntingly beautiful. At the very least… She won't have to burden them in her death…
[You…
Closed…
Yo u yyyyooo u u u uuu u rrrrrrrr r r eeeyy
e ee e ee
sss
s s
ss s
.
.
.
]
[.. . . . . .. . Yoouu u uuu rr eyeeeee e ee esss s s s…
o
p
e
n
e
d
.
.
.
once more.]
Odile flinched, an electrifying jolt seemingly passed by her body, beads of sweat immediately formed on her forehead, with eyes blown wide, she quickly scanned her surroundings. She's back… at the shop in… Dormont…??? How…? WHY?!
Her gaze darted to the sound of the door opening, it was Siffrin with Mirabelle seemingly following behind him. And he…
looks
like
he's
seen
a
ghost…
Amy and Bibi stared at the horizon, the sun slowly lowering itself below it, painting the world amidst its rays a warm glow of the mixture of yellow, orange, and everything in between, to create a breathtaking view every afternoon. The two simply watched the setting sun in silence, sitting beside each other on a thin yet comfortable fabric keeping the sand away from their skins.
Amy was the first one to tear her gaze away from the sunset to glance at Bibi, the love of her life. Sitting on the beach like this reminded her of when they were younger, when everything felt harsh, and when the world was a fragile glass cage she was trapped in, hanging above a dark abyss waiting to swallow her whole. With one wrong move, the cage would break, leaving her at the mercy of an endless chasm, never to be seen again. A small part of her was still rather guilty of what happened that time on the beach in the past, seeing a vision of her mother's figure reflected on Bibi's eye and turning away from her like that. And another part of her was still embarrassed thinking back to what would've happened during then had she not covered Bibi's mouth.
“Amy~~~” Bibi's playful voice snapped her back to reality. She had been far too distracted by her thoughts that she hadn't realized just how close Bibi is to her now. Their noses were nearly touching.
The sudden closeness made Amy jump a bit, moving backwards with a flinch and the sensation of her face burning was very noticeable.
“Y-yes, Bibi?” She stuttered out.
Bibi looked at her, with a smile as dazzling as the view behind her and eyes as warm as the sun itself. Bibi herself, could rival the sun. The very thought of that made Amy dizzy. Was it because of the heat or something else?
“What were you thinking about while staring at me?” Bibi moved closer.
“O-oh… I was just… reminiscing…” Amy moved away.
“Reminiscing what?” Bibi moved closer once more, her arms trapping Amy between them.
“About the past…” Amy moved away again, she can feel the sand on her elbows.
“Liiike~~~?” Bibi moved closer still, with her body on top of Amy, her smile grew more teasing.
“Y-you know! That… that time! W-when we were at the beach…!” Amy moved away yet to no avail, she was successfully pinned down by Bibi, her face feels hotter than the sand below her head, all she could do now is merely cover her face with her hands.
“Oh~~~! Yes, I remember that! It was when you so rudely~! Covered my mouth!” Bibi spoke with a voice that changed from playfully teasing to angrily pouting. One of her many skills, Amy is still impressed at how easily her wife can switch her tone of voice like that.
Although, now isn't exactly the time to be impressed by that, “Ah— That time— You see— I— !” Amy scrambled to find words to explain herself, flailing her arms in a rather frantic manner as she tried to gather herself, “That time… I was—” However, just as she found the right words, Bibi put an index finger to her lips, cutting her off.
Her smile was different this time, as if reflecting the time of the day, it felt cold yet comforting, a type of cold as cozy as the winter night spent by the fireplace with the person you love, her smile perfectly encapsulated the dusk blanketing the sky around them.
She let out a soft giggle before placing a gentle kiss by the corner of her mouth, just shy of Amy's lips. The delicate touch of Bibi's lips just centimeters away from her own made her breath hitch and heart skip a beat.
The two stared at one another, Amy's gaze never leaving Bibi's as the love of her life does the same. It felt like an eternity ever so comfortable that Amy wouldn't mind staying like that forever. Yet that eternity was broken when Bibi's smile as lovely as the dusk morphed to one as mischievous as the approaching night. It was a slight change yet Amy noticed it, just like she always had with Bibi. Unfortunately, she didn't notice it fast enough, Bibi already lifted her off the ground in a princess carry, she was walking towards…
Uh oh…
“Uhhh!!! Bibi! Wait a second!” Amy clung to Bibi's neck, staring at the ocean below them, about to be brightly lit by the rising moon.
“Why??? You felt very hot so it should cool you right down!” Bibi spoke with a voice dripping in mischief.
“N-no! But the water is—” Amy couldn't even finish what she's saying when Bibi had already let go. All that Amy could muster then was a scream as she shivered upon the cold waters of the beach at night.
It wasn't a surprise when she came down with a fever after that. Although, Amy wasn't entirely sure if it was a loss or a win.
“Say aaahhh~” Bibi sat on the bed beside her as she held a bowl of soup on her hand while the other holds up a spoonful of it by Amy's mouth.
“B-bibi I can—”
She tried to protest.
“Say aaaaahhhh~~~!”
Yet failed.
“A-aaaahhh.”
In the end she yielded.
It wasn't so bad to be doted on by her wife like this, but it was kinda embarrassing.
“Hehe~ Now I can spend as much time as I want with you!” Bibi giggled.
“But what if you catch my fever too…”
“Then it'd just be like that day, right?” Bibi smiled, as dazzling as the sunset and as lovely as the dusk, it was a smile of twilight, with her eyes reflecting Amy's figure, it was enough for Amy's heart to feel so full, she doesn't even know what else to do with herself but tightly clutch the blanket on her legs.
She loves her, she loves Bibi so much it still feels like a dream how someone like her could be loved by someone like Bibi. But this is her reality, their reality. And Bibi… is her wife, the love of her life that she never thought she could have.
I love Bibi….
Amy leaned closer to Bibi, placing a tender kiss by the corners of her mouth just shy of her lips. She pulled away with a warm smile of her own, although she doesn't know how to describe it herself, she can only hope it's worthy of a smile to stand beside Bibi's own.
“I love you…” She whispered, for Bibi and the universe itself to hear, the words of her heart to its other half beating right beside them.
A person with bright hair stood blankly in front of the shelves, they held an open book, one that they wanted to read through for a bit before deciding to buy. But somehow, like a lightbulb going out, its mind was plunge into the depths of an eternal darkness. It felt as though their entire identity was slipping, memories they knew was just there moments ago were fading far too fast for them to grasp. What was it doing here again?
“Hey…?”
Someone tapped its shoulder, causing them to flinch, the eye on its back opened just as they turned around to face the person beside them. It was a lady with silver hair.
“You okay? You've been standing there for awhile.”
It stared at her for a few moments and then looked back at the book it was holding, then back to the lady, its mind feels so empty but it can somewhat remember that they went to this store to buy a book. Right, they traveled to Ka Bue for a visit, then they went to this store to buy a book.
“Ah… yes! Thank you for asking, m'lady!” It made a small bow as they smiled at her. That's what Lord Joséphandre would do, right? But why did it think like that?
Something is missing… And that needs to be filled.
“M-m'lady huh…?” The lady chuckled, a bit awkwardly with a mixture of amusement too, “There's no need to be THAT polite. You can call me Odette! And you?”
“I'm—” . . .
. . .
What is… their name?
. . .
I can't… remember my name…
Why can't I… remember… my name…?
. . .
It looked around, to the shelves lined with books, to the book they held on its hands, and yet no matter what they do, they can't remember its own name. With furrowed eyebrows and a slight frown on their lips, they looked back to Odette who now wore a confused and concerned expression on her face.
“Ah… Apologies Lady Odette but I can't seem to remember my name after all…”
“Is… is that so? Are you really okay?” She seemed to be taken aback by the title again.
They closed their eyes, although the eyes on its chest and back stayed open. It was an action to mimic thinking deeply, something they used to be able to do before adding another pair of eyes to its body.
When was that however?
They can't remember.
“Hmm…” They opened their eyes again, they don't need to as the eyes on their face are blind, perhaps they wanted to appear as friendly as possible, or as polite as can be, or perhaps… something is wrong… It doesn't know what, it feels as though their identity is being rewritten the more the seconds pass. “I might still be sleepy after all… Well, nothing to be too concerned about Lady Odette!”
“Ahaha… You sure are polite, aren't you?”
“Thank you! Ah! Right, are you here for something by these shelves too? My sincerest apologies if I were on your way.”
“Oh no, it's just, I noticed you pick up that book. It's one of the best philosophy books there is, in fact, a certain friend of mine and I are still on opposing debates about its topics.” Odette spoke with a slight glimmer to her eyes before she paused, “…And also, your hair… somehow reminded me of something… I can't seem to remember what it is now though.”
The person with bright hair looked back to the book again, they remember reading this moment's ago, a philosophy book in regards to Craft, written in Ka Bue's language. They studied a bit of its language before coming here yet it seemed that there are still many unfamiliar words written on the book. Right… they remembered seeing such words and wanted to study some more of the language with the help of this book as motivation.
“This book… Truth be told, Lady Odette… I can't actually understand it!” They chuckled, “I was hoping to study more until I could, although it appears that you know quite a lot about it, if it isn't too much of a bother, may I borrow some more of your time for a chat about the topics of this book accompanied with some snacks and tea on the side perhaps? My treat of course!”
“Well, I can't possibly turn down a free meal! Although…” Odette smiled and turned to the shelves beside them, “How about I pick up some more books for you too, I know some interesting books here! As payment for the meal.”
“Hahaha! So long as I pay for it! It wouldn't be a free meal then if something of monetary value is exchanged!”
“Hah! That's fair. Alright, I'll just choose then.”
The person with bright hair smiled, they'd worry about its blank mind later. It'll be alright, the ________ leads, we follow... What was it that leads though...? Where did I get that saying from again...? . . . Well! Whatever! It'll be fine!
Soleil snippet during that time The Country disappeared ft. Odette by @gilfodile !
Whumptober day 4 prompts: Hallucinations | "You're still alive in my head." (Billy Lockett, More)
Character: Hero (OMORI)
Time is a cruel weight that one who grieves shoulders, it marches on mercilessly with no regard to those stuck in a time that leaves someone's chest hollow. It was an experience Hero didn't want to have, but it barged into his young 15 year old life, as harsh as a storm, Hero couldn't do anything but be swept away by its winds.
One day turned to one week, one week turned to one month, one month turned to one year. And before Hero knew it, one year turned to two, yet he lay frozen in the past that haunts him in his every waking hour.
But lets none of it show.
Hero spent one year grieving in his room he refused to leave, mourning a love he never thought he'd lose so soon.
He should've seen the signs,
How can I be so blind?
He was closest to her,
Why didn't I notice anything?
He should've asked how she was doing,
Where did everything go wrong?
Hero continues to spend this year grieving in his heart he buried deep down, replacing it with a mechanical heart to beat in its place as a machine that wakes only to study, that sleeps only to repeat an endless cycle. He never once felt whole again.
In every corner he feels her presence, in every shadow he feels her gaze, in the silence he hears her voice, and in the light he sees her smile. Mari still lives in his head.
[Wanted to write a loose retelling of Swan Lake with gemtale! Odette belongs to @gilfodile ! Also, for the dialogue parts, the first dialogue always belongs to Odile while the second always belongs to Odette!]
Fairytales are straightforward stories. It begins, once upon a time, there lived a princess cursed by another or trapped in a tower, then came a prince on a white horse or a knight in shining armour, and so it ends, a happily ever after.
And thus, we start again. Once upon a time, there lived a lone white swan.
“I must say, your understanding of that subject is greatly lacking.”
Then the lone white swan met a black swan.
“Ohhh? Enlighten me then, O' great philosopher.”
The two were like oil and water.
“You should brush up on the basics.”
“Perhaps you'd like to join me then, what with your lacking of the fundamentals after all.”
Like the mountains and the oceans.
“HAH! I never took you for one to consider Clement's model on Craft Theory.”
“I just so happen to have a strict critic with questionable tastes.”
The sun and the moon.
“What outdated articles… You are aware there are newer articles in regards to such theories with deeper understanding of them now, right?”
“Well, now I do! Care to impart such enlightenment to me?”
Yet the two grew closer with one another.
“You're quite lacking on the understanding of that subject, aren't you? O' great philosopher.”
“What thievery to use my own nickname for you towards me, haha!”
With the harmony of balance between the oil that sits atop the water, of the boundary between the ocean and the shore, of the night and the day. The white swan was lonely no more with the black swan to accompany her. Until…
“I'll be leaving tomorrow.”
“That's rather abrupt, where are you going?”
“Just… anywhere. I've been thinking about it for a few days now. I'd like to travel, outside of Ka Bue.”
“Haha! How kind of you to give me your farewells in advance then!”
“Hm, wouldn't want you feeling lost without me. HAH! Do take care not to miss me so much.”
“Ohhh really now? Shouldn't that be my line, O' great philosopher? I wouldn't want you feeling so lonely without my company.”
The black swan left the next day, without much of a farewell nor a look back. It wasn't at all necessary anymore when her farewells were spoken a day before, it wasn't at all needed to look back on a country she will one day return to. It wasn't at all required of her, when no one will be there to receive her farewells or to see her wave goodbye. The white swan wasn't around to watch her leave.
The white swan was busy, the white swan was lonely. The white swan was cursed, condemned to the lake that is Ka Bue. She was missing something, a piece of her identity, a section of her memory. She looked down one day and saw white feathers on the hands that can vaguely remember the warmth of a father. Her wings were clipped and she can no longer fly unless she regains what she lost.
And so she searched and searched and searched. The lone white swan with wings clipped and feathers in disarray, could only grasp sand slipping through her hold. Until she met her other half, a black swan meant to only rival her. It was annoying, it was frustrating, it was irritating, and yet above all, it was comforting. The comfort of a companion, the safety of a friend, the warmth of a rival. The black swan was her polar opposite and yet they were in harmony. They were in harmony, and yet without the other, it had grown dissonant.
Fairytales are straightforward stories. It begins, once upon a time, there lived a lone white swan condemned to a lake. Nary a prince nor a knight came, and so it ends. However, the lone white swan still had someone else, her rival with the darkness of the night painting her feathers. The black swan meant to only rival her, became her companion, and her friend. And it was enough for the white swan.
The lone white swan had someone to accompany her.
The white swan had someone to share her warmth with.
The princess had someone to call her friend.
The young lady had someone to care for.
Odette had someone to be with.
She had someone.
And yet, Odette was left behind.
And yet, the young lady walked the familiar paths alone.
And yet, the princess' heart aches from a vacant space.
And yet, the white swan's side lacked a familiar warmth.
And yet, the lone white swan had no one else to accompany her again.
O' white swan, where have your other half gone?
“It's okay.”
O' princess, what have your crown become?
“I'm sure she's having fun.”
O' young lady, why have you spent your days alone?
“I can always send her a letter anyway.”
O' Odette, where have your Odile gone?
“…But where is she right now?”
Fairytales are straightforward stories. This begins, once upon a time,
a lone white swan,
flew too close to the sun,
her wings that had found its will to fly,
flew up, up, and up, towards a bright light,
it was annoying, it was frustrating, it was irritating, and yet above all, it was comforting.
The comfort of a companion, the warmth of a rival, and the danger of wanting more.
She looked down one day and saw her white feathers scorched black.
