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jack-the-dm · 5 years

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Pathfinder: Untold Wonders!

Chapter 2: A bird, a fish, and a demon

Avogragan wasn’t a good man. He was rarely considered a man over a monster. Few could argue it, of course, as he wasn’t the easiest to look at. Among his people, the Strix, he’d been considered on the upper side of average. Here, however, wandering through the human city of New Vander, he was a freak.

He’d kept a hood and cloak drawn tight around him, but his wings would occasionally droop and peek out the bottom. It was a constant hassle to keep them up and very tiring. He usually played them off as part of his getup so people wouldn’t trouble him, but lately that caught the attention of hunters. They always hound him for where on this earth he found giant ravens, but it wasn’t hard to dissuade them. Even so, it wasn’t attention he needed. Now they were folded around his shoulders within his cloak, a rather claustrophobic solution, but one that let him pass as a Tiefling. He had skin on the same level as ash with bright yellow eyes and a set of sharp teeth. It really wasn’t hard to play to that strength. As long as Tieflings were allowed, so was he.

As he walked down one of the less crowded streets in what he could only assume was the crafting district, he spied many things. Despite the Human majority in the city, he saw plenty of Dwarves, the occasional Elf, and even what seemed to be a sleeping Merfolk sitting by the wayside with a pan sparse with copper and silver coins. A sign written in common sat propped against her knees as she slept, “Will perform for food.”

He paused by her, ignoring the leering glances in his direction. He could only imagine what they saw, a tall hooded man standing in front of a passed out woman. She had icy coloured skin with long straight hair that was only a shade or two darker. A set of finned ears protruded from either side and through the gaps of her sandals he could see webbing. Her body was that of an acrobat, toned and firm with curves in all the right places with maybe a little extra up top straining her ragged shirt. She was unbearably attractive. Under normal circumstances, he might have cared more than a little. To him, she might as well have been a flowerbed, or more aptly a still river. Still, he couldn’t help but notice how thin she was. Her shirt had ridden up enough where he could see her ribs beneath the skin and her sunken stomach. How long had it been since he was in the same position? How long since he’d been on the street with a mound of dirt for a pillow and an empty belly for days at a time? With a deep breath, he retrieved a gold piece from his coin pouch within his duffle bag and dropped it into the pan.

It wouldn’t be enough for lodging, definitely not around here, but it would get some food for her. Besides, he had more than enough from his last job. With a sharp jerk of his neck that sent a cascade of snaps through his spine and several street goers giving him concerned looks, he made his way forward.

He’d asked his long time ally Umu to scout around for the town’s inns and bars, hopefully with decent pricing and a lack of racism. Those two didn’t always go hand in hand, sadly. Either way, he’d make due. If anything he was just biding his time until her return. The city being the bustling den of activity it was meant that there was always something going on. Avo must have wandered past at least three street fights, a handful of professional hustlers, and two brothels. It hadn’t been the best time. One of the more enthusiastic girls, some Elf or maybe even a halfbreed, tried to lure him inside. Being one of the few completely clothed and even hooded had drawn her eye. She’d been taller than him, but that didn’t mean much when she saw the arcane yellow glow of his eyes. To the girl’s merit, she didn’t scream or freak out in any sense. She simply stepped back and let him pass. Nothing says leave-me-alone better than a little flash of magic.

His arcane abilities were immense, but he had yet to really master it. Oh how he longed to skywrite again, twirling through the air while leaving mystical wisps of energy in the form of words or the rare picture. It could even be considered a form of dance. He briefly let himself glance skyward, reviling in the memories of he and his sisters soaring through the night sky in intricate patterns and movements.

‘One day I’ll see them again.’

With his thoughts in the clouds, Avo felt the comforting pinch of talons on his shoulder. His raven had returned. He gave it a glancing smile, “Umu, welcome back. Find anything?”

The raven let out a coo and jerked its head to the side. She was a smart little bird. “Found a lovely little place about a mile down. Can we stay there? The skies don’t look too friendly today.”

Avo looked up. True enough there were clouds above, but on the horizon was nothing but sun. He couldn’t quite reason that the bird’s concern was founded, but he could feel her hesitation and reluctance. The benefits of a familiar like her were plenty, a natural sense of danger to name one. Umu could feel a storm coming, violent and angry, and their supernatural tether ensured they both felt it. “Sounds fine to me. I’ll get you some bread in a bit.”

“Bread!” The raven squawked right next to his skull, causing him to flinch.

Not a few seconds later, someone stumbled into his path. They were barely over three foot with large pointed ears and bright green skin. Strands of black hair were slicked back, but did nothing to hide the bald head. A pointed toothy grin met him. Avo was pretty thrown off. He’d seen Orcs, but this? He had no idea what in the six hells it was. No one seemed to react to its presence, but this thing stood out more than he did. “You! You, hooded man.”

It’s Common was atrocious with a kind of snarling accent that the words just weren’t meant to endure, but he could understand to a degree as the creature hobbled up to him. The poor thing gestured to the ground, “Boot shine?”

Avo looked to his bare three toed feet, each digit extending into a talon. The creature also noticed and tapped its chin as thoughts ran through its mind. “Hmm... nail shine?”

It had been longer than he’d liked since the last time he took proper care of himself. Avo looked down to his exposed talon-like nails that topped each of his toes. They were well kept, but covered with dirt and lacked a shine they once had. The raven at his shoulder nudged him with her beak, “You should, you know.”

The odd little Dwarf-Orc motioned to a chair, it’s crooked teeth twisted into a smile. It was wearing some weathered clothing, but the heaviest damage sit on the knees of the pant legs and on the creature’s upturned palms where plenty of dirt and what looked like soot had been rubbed in. A hard worker, this one. He’d already given a gold to some weird homeless fish girl, why not give some business to a proper worker too? “Sure. Thank you, uh...”

“Gums! Humans call me Gums, best shoe shine.”

“Right...Gums. Uh, thanks.”

Avogrogan sat down, trying to keep a gap between his folded wings and the back of the chair. They were pretty uncomfortable as it was, but this was grating. He’d endure. Had it not been a human majority city, he’d have let his pride and joy unfurl to their full majesty. He missed home. He missed his old life with his family and his tribe.

Humans were heavily responsible for his races destruction as they expanded their territory and believing them to be devils, began a war that wiped out generations from both sides. The war was over, but dried blood was still blood spilled for the greed and foolishness of humans. Avo hated them to his very core. He’d met some nice ones of course, forced to converse with them while under the guise of a Tiefling, but a handful of good souls didn’t redeem a species. He knew that much. Likewise though, it took far more than a few bad eggs to condemn them.

“All done!”

Avo glanced down to admire the little thing’s handiwork. There was a shine to his black nails that hadn’t been there in years. He could almost see himself in their curve. Very interesting. “Hmm. Not bad, Gums. Not bad at all. What do I owe you?”

The little creature stood as tall as it could and brought a fist to its chest with a toothy smile. “Three silver! Gums is best shine!”

“Definitely a good one. I’ll give you five for a good job.”

“Generous bird man!”

Avo stiffened as a fake smile crossed his face, “Tiefling man.”

Gums pointed to the hem of his cloak with a gnarled finger, “But bird wings, there.”

“A trophy I assure you.”

“They just moved.”

Umu nudged him again, “Idiot, they’re moving when you do!”

Avo stiffened further and realised his mistake as Gums pointed again, “Ah, see? Bird man.”

Avo was about to respond, but Gums stood up and dusted his hands on the front of his tunic, “Bah, Gums don’t care. Hard to work honest in human towns. Gums has to work hard to be here. First Goblin in years!”

Goblin?! Was that what they looked like? Gods above, it looks like some horrid crossbreed that should never see the light of day! Avo managed to keep his screams internal and leaned forward, “Ah, a fine Goblin you are. You should be proud. Took me a week of camping outside the walls to get in.”

Umu flapped her wings and perched herself on the back of his chair shaking uncontrollably with a laughter the bird just couldn’t voice. Clearly she’d detected his surprise, “What the fuck did you think he was?! A midget Orc?”

Avo peeked over his shoulder, “Would you be surprised if I said yes?”

The raven fell to the stone laid ground twitching with soundless laughter the species just wasn’t capable of. Gums cocked his head, “Is your bird okay?”

Avo took that as his cue and got up, thankful that no one could understand the words he spoke to his familiar, and was sure to collect Umu from the ground, “She’s fine. Thank you for your work Gums.”

He held out a fistful of six shining silver coins which the Goblin happily accepted. As Avo strode on with a powerful gait, he tucked the raven into his coat where an inner pocket became her resting place. He could still feel her spasms of laughter as her beak rubbed against his padded shirt. He felt a roll of the eyes wasn’t quite enough for something of her caliber. Honestly, what an overreaction. Again, Avo glanced skyward. The clouds were slowly getting darker as time went on. The raven was right. A storm was coming the likes of which were reserved for the highest mountains.

A few minutes and a brisk walk later found them cozy in the very Inn Umu had mentioned. The bird was perched on the edge of a pan, pecking at the cut of bread Avo had given her while he worked slowly at some dried meat he’d gotten. They’d secured a room easily enough and now they were alone. A bed and a table with two chairs were all that decorated the room, but for two gold a day it was rather fair. It was well kept and made sure he was warm as the brisk evening wind began to blow through the streets. His cloak lay on the bed with one of the chairs jammed into the locked door. In utter privacy, he let his wings unfurl.

The black feathers shined dimly in the candle light as both eight foot appendages extended behind him. Avo was stood at the window, shirtless and munching away with a hand on his hip.

“Thinking about where he could be?” Umu chirped.

The Strix only nodded. His prey was here somewhere. If he were a lecherous old fool with a fetish for necromancy, where would he hide?

__________________________

Allisia wandered through the streets of New Vander with a smile on her face and a mission in her mind. She was to go and fetch a few supplies for a mission that would take them into the mountains. It was a simple escort job that had them and two others from the Adventurer’s guild guiding five merchant folk to the Dwarven city of Urven. She didn’t like Dwarves. She didn’t hate them by any means, but she was always subject to their jokes and drunken advances.

Speaking of...

She gave a middle aged man a sharp glare as his eyes roamed where they really shouldn’t. She was still in her armor, refusing to leave it for this very reason, but the man simply smiled like he could see right through it. She gave a huff and picked up the pace, tucking a few strands of hair behind her horns to keep it out of the way.

“You’d think the demon with a greatsword would deter those pervs.”

Allisia shivered and looked down to her side. Walking beside her was Marii, a friend she was quick to make. When she’s first mover to New Vander with her father, Marii had been the town’s main attraction. She was a performer, dancing and singing for the entertainment of others. She’d been the one to make a tavern’s profits triple in one night. That was until she made powerful enemies. A politician here, a few uppity businessmen there, all turned down by her. They hadn’t taken it well. They blacklisted her, paid thugs to rob her, had arsonists burn her home. In two short years she’d lost it all. No one could even arrest them due to the extreme funding they put towards the city guard. She was left helpless. Alissia had asked why she never joined the Adventurer’s Guild like them, but apparently one of the people she turned down was the Guild Master. She was still somehow looking after herself, but it pained her and her father to see their friend in such a predicament. Von even forced her to stay with them for two weeks before Marii had refused to burden them longer.

Marii Selvic was, from what she’d told them, an Undine. She was from another plane of existence entirely! She never mentioned how she’d arrived in the Material plane. With ice coloured blue skin and long voluptuous hair of a deep ocean shade, she stood out as much as Ali did. The finlike ears protruding from her head reminded the Tiefling of her own horns, the currently unused gills in her neck reminiscent of Ali’s tail. Sure they weren’t the same by a long shot, but outcasts bonded over similarities. The tattered clothes the Undine wore were much more loose than Ali thought was really healthy, but the chest of the top and the hips of the trousers were still drawn relatively tight. She was still flaunting her near perfect hourglass figure, but it had been stupidly exaggerated back in her successful days. It was as if she’d been blessed by every fertility goddess that ever existed at the same time. At least now it was more manageable.

Ali gave her an honest smile, “Hey Marii! Where’re you off to?”

“Oh, just doing a bit of altering for the girls down at the Rose Bud. They’ve got a big crowd tonight and their performers aren’t looking their best right now.”

The Rose Bud. Ali shuddered at the name. It was one of the three brothels in town and the cheapest by far. The girls that worked there were either down of their luck or condemned to slavery. There’s been nasty rumours spreading around about the management too, talk of abusing their workers and skimming off their pay. The Tiefling’s stomach flipped at the thought of her friend going there, especially alone. The sun was gone, but her father wouldn’t worry too much. He’d probably go himself if he knew and their mission wasn’t until noon tomorrow. Yeah, plenty of time to do it tomorrow.

“Hey Marii?”

The Undine’s long lashes fluttered in the evening light, “Yes?”

“I know you can handle yourself, but I really don’t like you going alone. Would you mind if-”

Maria’s hands flew to Ali’s shoulder, the highest point she could reach with a hop, “I’m so glad you offered! I was actually going to ask if you’d tag along.”

Ali felt the warmth spread from her friend’s palms into her tightly knotted shoulders. Gods above she needed a massage, preferably by this master of the body. Even with the pleasant distraction, she couldn’t help but stumble over her words, “Y-you were? Well, sure, I mean I can’t just let you go alone. You’re my best friend after all.”

“Aww! You’re sweet, Ali. Makes me wish I had a sweet tooth.”

What exactly she meant by sweet tooth, Ali didn’t want to assume. She folded up her list of supplies and began following Marii’s lead, doing her best to put her hiking face on. According to her father, she had a grand total of three specific expressions. There was the social face, which she usually wore. The hiking face, reserved only for long walks that make her hate anything and everything until she could sit and rest. And finally, her killing face. She never got the chance to see it herself and Von never described it, but he didn’t like it. She couldn’t even try to get near it. It was very situational.

There wasn’t much she had to do in regards to Marii. The girl was a pro at anything arcane. She could seduce a man with her voice and make windows shatter with a shake of the hips. She was still as much the performer as she once was. Plenty of people gave her lecherous looks and a few went to Ali as well, but apparently looking angry did the trick.

‘Yeah, because a seven and a half foot tall, two-hundred pound devil girl with a slab of steel on her back wasn’t enough.’ She thought with a tired sigh.

At least one of them enjoyed the attention.

——————-—————————————————

So how I usually do these is I get with the player who’s perspective the chapter takes and work with them to see how they would think. Again, sorry for the format.

#pathfinder #rpg #homebrew

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vriskaserbet · 6 years

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Far In Time.

Summary: Smack was once Victor and once, he was someone completely else, though the whole story is hard and long to track. Through three small parts, plus a bonus, one can get a glimpse into the life he (had) has lived through and begin to understand the bigger picture.

Rating: General audience.

Warnings: N/A.

Characters: Smack, Shelby, Pent, Gino, plus some OCs that are smacks family + shelbys parents!

Tags: Fluff, angst, humor, weddings, unrequited love (seemingly), polyamory, etc

Ao3 link: Right here!

From the very beginning of existence, his Desire had always existed.

He never pushed nor shoved, he simply gave a gentle, guiding hand upon the beings of Earth; regardless of their species or their makeup. Soon, he could see the effect of his presence upon Life’s creations. Curiosity began to make the foundation of each creature, as they explored the world They had all created.

When the humans began to flourish upon the Earth, that is when his Desire truly flourished. From the beginning, the humans were some of the most curious of all animals. Even at their earliest states, they had found unique ways to change their existence, to building, to invention, to experimentation, and shared it all with their peers.

He became quite famed among the intellectuals, those who debated in public, the scientists who tested abstract concepts, those who wrote books filled with all sorts of complex and detailed theories. They always looked upon him with great pleasure, even insisting he was the true measurement of a man, of an intelligent man; to have Knowledge.

October 25th, 1996.

After a final push, Victor Alifrazier is born into the world. Almost immediately, he let out a fierce wail, letting the entire cramped delivery room know of his arrival. The nurses and doctors laughed gently, placing him upon his mother’s bare chest. Margaret Alifrazier smiled, tears in her eyes, feeling his small hands move against her chest, still crying as the doctors began to quickly dry off his body with a towel.

She reached her hand out, giving just a small comforting rub to his head, mumbling absolute nonsense at her baby boy. It was only for a moment though, as they cut his umbilical cord, then took him off for quick tests. She rested, sighing with relief that it was finally over.

“I’m so proud of you honey, he’s beautiful,” her husband, Joseph “Joe” Alifrazier, gave her a kiss against her damp cheek. She lazily smiled back, simply waiting for when her son would finally be returned to her.

When he was brought back, he began breastfeeding, eagerly drinking his first meal. It was here she gasped, for when he opened his eyes for the first time, she saw a right eye of vibrant blue and a left eye of stunning green.

March 5th, 2014.

The Sonic he was going against was a tough one, playing an aggressive game. It was hard to fight back from how fast he was going, quickly attacking his character, then retreating back to go on the defense. Though, Smack wasn’t just any beginner Smash player. He spent hours training his game on Lucario, his current main. He stayed focus on the match, rapidly tapping the buttons of his 3DS as he continued the brawl.

“Y’know, Smack,” Gino began, adjusting his seat so he could recline back better. He had his window open, so he could blow out his cigar smoke easily. Their usual getaway driver handled the wheel, blending into traffic perfectly. “You did a good ass job today. But, I really wanna say, I like the way your brain works. I mean, who else can break into a building, sneak through that fuckin’ maze of air ducts, take out those guards, keep the ball rolling for an important heist… then immediately go to his video game without even breaking a sweat? A genius like you, no one else.”

Smack grinned. He had cracked the predictability of the Sonics’ movements and the flaws of his approach. Now, he had the upper hand in the fight, countering his attacks easily. It wasn’t long before he made Sonic lose one of his three stocks. “Thanks, Uncle Gino. But, it’s really all about experience and practice.”

“Though, you ARE a genius. Einstein is rolling in his dusty ass grave.” Pent said. As always, he had taken the right seat, Shelby taking the middle seat. They held hands, their engagement rings shining from the passing by street lights.

“I’m not a genius, guys.” He insisted.

Everyone objected to that, even the driver. Smack snorted, taking down another stock. He rolled his eyes, despite how his hair completely covered them from view.

“Alright, alright, I’ll stop protesting. Thanks, means a lot.”

“No problem! You don’t need to be so humble, y’know! You really are smart.” Shelby said, reaching to his shoulder to pull him closer. It was an awkward position, his seat belt pressing into his chest and stomach, but he kept steady in Shelby’s hold as he finished up the match. Lucario posed dramatically, as the announcer declared Smack’s victory.

Winning another match, getting to practice more on his Lucario game, stealing an incredibly valuable set of jewels, practically cuddling with his best friends… now, that was Smack’s favorite kind of day.

December 5th, 1996.

In the weeks to come, Victor stayed surprisingly quiet. After his initial cry, he had barely cried again, especially at such a loud volume. Perhaps, Margaret was simply just experienced after raising twins. She just understood what he needed or wanted faster, this time. Her friends had theorized the second go at parenting always seemed to be easier and the parenting books seemed to agree with them. Of course, she wasn’t complaining, just curious of the way he never seemed to burst into tears like either of her twins had at the smallest of problems.

On the subject of the two, both had reacted well to Victor. Janya, the elder one, enjoyed talking and playing with her baby brother. Though, she was always more interested in his future, of finally getting to teach him all she knew or showing him her favorite movies. Johnny, the younger one, was the one who found joy in the quieter moments of Victor. He enjoyed rocking him to sleep, just getting to hold him, even reading stories to him. He was just like his father, who similarly loved every part of Victor’s development, every hard part of raising a little baby.

As the winter months came, the parents wrapped their baby boy in a blanket and held him close, as love filled the house.

February 14th, 2015.

The spotlight followed the newlyweds, as they made their way to the dance floor together, hand in hand. Everyone’s cheers and claps silenced, replaced by the speakers playing a soft, slow love song. Shelby and Pent danced like no one else were in the world, their gaze only on each other. Pent’s wedding dress seemed to sparkle in the light, with the long tails of Shelby’s tuxedo twirling around as she moved. It was only when Shelby dipped Pent downwards that they even looked at anyone else, managing to find Smack in the crowd.

They eagerly waved at Smack like the dorks they were. Smack waved back, hoping the lack of lights ensured they couldn’t see the thick tears on his face. Shelby brought Pent back up, continuing on their dance.

Gino, who sat to his left, offered him a tissue. Smack eagerly took it, wiping his eyes and blowing his nose as quiet as he could make it.

“…They look so perfect together…” Gino whispered out, a proud smile on his face. “I still remember when you were all little kids… playing your GameCube… drawing your little weird stories…”

“So, you mean we haven’t changed one bit?” They laughed quietly, silent again until the dance was finished. The venue erupted into loud cheers and cries, the spotlight shutting off as the lights all came back on.

Pent and Shelby walked, holding hands again, to the same row of seats where Smack was. It was where their immediate family members and close friends had been grouped together. As one would expect, Smack was placed right next to them.

“So! How’d we do?” Shelby asked, with a hopeful smile.

“Hmm… well, you finally didn’t step on Pent’s foot, so- “ Shelby gave an offended gasp, making all three of them burst into loud laughter. Nearby, he could hear Gino and Shelby’s parents laughing amongst themselves as well.

“I am SO kicking you out of our house, I swear to God,” she said it with a smile, well aware he was there to stay.

“You’re not going to move out?” Shelby’s mother asked, though her tone didn’t seem to be negative, only surprised. “Aww, I just knew it! Y’know, he,” she gestured at her husband, “was saying that you might move out after the marriage. And I said no, they’re too close! They’ve always been together! They wouldn’t let anything like this come in between their friendship. And look, I was right!”

Her father spoke next, with a sheepish look on his face. “Ah, I never said it to be rude, by the way. I was merely saying my concerns to her. Smack, you’re already aware of how close I view you. You’ve always been a wonderful part of my family, especially with how happy you make my little princess.”

Smack shrugged his shoulders. “It’s no big deal. Unless you have the strength of a hundred men, there’s no way you’re dragging me away from my best friends.”

His parents, who took the place Pent’s parents could’ve sat at, spoke up next. “And Smack can win any fight!”

“Hey, this is their day!” Smack replied, making the row burst into laughter. It was then for the couple to make a toast, so the conversation ended there, as they gathered everyone’s attention. Smack stared up at his best friends with a smile, his hidden eyes shining with love.

For as happy the day was, Smack felt a sense of guilt building up in his stomach. He kept everything hidden as always, under his usual smiles and attitude as he had been for countless years.

For he loved them so, so much.

However, it was an incredibly foolish act to view his Desire as only a part of those groups of people. The snobbish perception that true Knowledge only existed within academia, with those of a certain “class” was a false one. He was in all humans, who uniquely used him as they saw fit.

The warriors drafted battle plans, engineered new weapons, hid in plain sight to gain secrets, they fought with everything they had learned until they were left dead on the ground.

The everyday workers, those who cleaned, who sold things, who greeted customers, who put away packages and everything in between; they found every little way to work faster.

Children explored their world, slowly learning their language and the motions to walking.

Mammals, reptiles, birds, all sorts of animals, while Life’s own creation, inevitably flocked towards him. Most with born with everything they needed to know, some even able to take care of themselves fully from the moment they emerged.

To every living being, he influenced.

October 25th, 1997.

“Happy Birthday, dear Victor!” his family sang to him, as Joseph presented a small cupcake towards him. He sat in his chair, his eyes focused solely on the single candle, the flame flickering.

“Happy birthday to youuu!” Everyone cheered, Janya blowing on her party horn loudly. Yet, Victor stared at the flame, uncaring of the cupcake.

“C’mon, blow it out! Like this,” Joseph blew softly, careful not to hit the flame. He still didn’t move.

Johnny snickered. “Dad, I don’t think he can do it. Maybe we should blow it out for him.”

Margaret nodded. “I think so too.”

“No way! He can do it! C’mon, like this Victor,” he blew again, frowning when Victor didn’t even move an inch. “Maybe he’s just stubborn.”

Victor started to move, raising his hand in the air. “Oh! See! I think he’s got it— “ Joseph went silent when, with all of his strength, he smacked the flame. It disappeared in an instant, causing him to look at his hand and the cupcake with a curious expression. Everyone blinked.

“My baby!” Margaret ran to him in fear, uncaring that the crowd around them began to laugh.

“Is he okay?” Joseph asked, while Janya and Johnny snickered to themselves.

“He’s a little smacker, isn’t he?” Janya said.

“Smacker sounds like a cute nickname.” Johnny said.

From that moment on, Victor began to be jokingly called ‘Smacker’ by his siblings. Within a week, it was shortened to Smack. His parents joined in on the joke, to the point where it ceased to be a joke, simply just Victor’s official nickname.

(Though, later on in life, especially in his early years of school, Smack had practically forgotten his legal name; confusing those around him as he introduced himself as Smack and wrote Smack on any drawing or piece of classwork or homework he did. His parents sighed, his siblings laughed, but in the end, Smack winded up becoming what he identified better with.)

October 31st, 2015.

“Have a Happy Halloween!” The trick-or-treaters thanked her as they returned to their parents and siblings, rejoining with the crowd of children across the street. Shelby rocked in her chair, smiling to herself. She rested a hand on her growing stomach, rubbing it gently. The three of them sat in chairs just outside their front door, so they could greet the incoming trick-or-treaters easily, especially for Shelby.

Like every Halloween between the trio of dorks and nerds, it was an excuse to cosplay. This year, they had chosen a theme, of Super Smash Brothers characters. Shelby went for Rosalina, Pent went for King Dedede, while Smack went for Ness. They kept their hair the same, keeping it somewhat casual for a simple Halloween night.

Though, their house didn’t exactly scream casual. The entire house was completely decked out with Halloween decorations, along with the front yard. One could only imagine the amount of pumpkins and ghosts inside, as well.

“Hey, Shelby,” Smack spoke up, twirling his baseball bat as he waited.

“Yeah, Smack?”

“So, I’m curious. When the kid is born, are ya gonna take them trick-or-treating or are ya gonna wait ‘till they can walk?” Currently, Shelby was five months pregnant, thus the trio had plenty of time to think of the future.

“Oh, I’m definitely taking them trick-or-treating! It’ll be so much fun! …Plus, I finally have an excuse to trick-or-treat again! Now no one can judge me!”

Pent snickered to himself. “I’m just imagining us fully decked in cosplay with this little baby in our arms, they might not even have teeth yet, and we’re just like, GIVE US CANDY NOW.”

Laughing, Smack added onto it, “And we’re just like, what? A small ass bag of M&Ms? THIS IS THEIR FIRST HALLOWEEN BRENDA, BE GENEROUS!”

“Don’t be rude, Brenda! They needs them king sized candy bars!” Shelby finished, causing all three of them to break into a fit of laughter.

Once it died down, Shelby spoke warmly. “Though… I really am looking forward to it. Having a Halloween with my little baby in my arms… showing them my favorite Halloween movies… making Jack-o’-Lantern’s for the first time with them…” she sighed happily. “It’ll be amazing. I can’t wait for it.”

Pent reached for Shelby’s hand, holding it gently. “Me to.”

Smack stretched out his arm, resting it on their hands. “I will personally make sure they watch Scooby Doo’s Night of Hundred Frights.”

“Hey! Stop using your powers in public, jackass!” Pent cursed, though Shelby just laughed in response. Smack pulled his arm back, with his usual grin.

“But, to be serious. I’m really happy I get to be a part of their life. I promise, I’ll always protect them.”

Shelby smiled sweetly. “You’re the best, Smack. Thank you for always being there for me. That’s why I’m always here for you to!”

“Of course! What are best friends for?”

Another group of kids started to head their way, so the conversation stopped there.

Through his smile, he wondered if his time to confess was slowly slipping away.

He was running out of time. They all were.

His head was bleeding. His future vision wasn’t working. Everything hurt.

But he had to keep running.

They only had one shot at escaping.

He could see it so clearly, especially when he used his future vision. The unlimited possibilities were quite overwhelming at times, but it always made him so joyful to see how far-reaching his Desire had become.

“You make me incredibly proud,” Life would coo to him.

“You’re so amazing,” Death would lovingly say.

Over and over, they would compliment him. He would wrap his first pair of arms around his lovers, using his second pair to hold their hands and typically, he would bring his third pair to his mouth to cover his embarrassed smile.

“It’s only because of your work, that mine can travel so hard.”

“You always say that.” One of them would complain, but enjoyed his close affection anyways, typically taking a break for quite some time from their jobs.

#Khonjin House #Supermental #KH #Smack #Pent #Shelby #Shelby Uavou #UWA HERE COMES ANOTHER FIC #ANYONE ELSE STAN SMACK?? ME TO #TY FOR READING IF YA DID #LOV U

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throwbacknotup · 7 years

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//UnWired//

Esme wasn't always the girl who seemed a little unwired. She was a girl with darkness resting upon her pale shoulders with satire etched upon her skin. Her eyes electrocuted another with a fear of fear itself, but the girl wasn't dangerous. The girl was just scared. Light was what she craved. Yet, bad blood wired itself around her heart. A heart that was still beating.

Present

His nails were gnawed down to stubs. His mat of hair obscured his bloodshot eyes from his mother's harsh stare. This was his fault.

"Noah...," his mother desperately tried to wake him, "Noah! Get UP! Get out of bed! You need to start to get ready for today." She screamed at his desolate frame of meat and bones. Her frustration was turning to anger, and that anger was turning into her son's self-loathing. This wasn't his fault.

Rewind One Week

Noah Thomas never really discovered what it was like to be risky. He never understood the point of his friends going out on the weekend to drink, when those drinks could potentially make them sick or even kill them. He never understood the need for speed, as he read about disgusting car crashes involving adrenaline junkies befriending the accelerator. He never understood what he was missing beyond his five foot eleven walls of caution. But one day, those walls had a chance of being shattered.

Friday. Early Autumn. The New York air was brisk. A torn piece of copybook paper was shoved between his lunch and his Psychology textbook in his locker with a message reading, “Meet me in the middle of the Brooklyn Bridge at dusk." Start living or keep surviving? Hours of intense pacing later, he stood in the middle of Brooklyn Bridge at approximately 7 o’clock waiting for his nameless host. Rumors and stories about this notorious bridge flooded his memory. Fear wrapped her icy fingers around his wrists trying to pull him from the grasp of another girl.

Present

Noah stepped into the steaming shower. The water hit the back of his neck and crawled down his spine. No amount of soap was going to wash away what happened, but nevertheless, he lathered, rinsed and repeated. Lather, Rinse, Repeat. Lather, Rinse, Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

"Wait, wait. Wait. Repeat, please? Sorry, I'm having a hard time focusing today... A lot on my mind," Noah's mom, Steph Thomas, said to her own mother, Margaret Thomas.

"I said, 'You should think about gettin’ Noah checked out.' Like, by a psychiatrist or someone, Stephanie. Honey, listen. Listen, you can't try to straighten him out all by yaself. Ya need help. He needs help." Ms. Thomas sighed and said goodbye to her mother. She didn't want to admit her son's brain might've gone unwired into a catatonic state. She had too much pride to give up. She had raised him by herself all these years, and she wasn't going to let anyone barge in now.

Rewind

“Huh, so you showed up,” her voice was cool and slightly surprised.

Noah fidgeted away from the voice that came out of the dead air. He caught sight of dark flowing hair, gaunt features, and ashen skin coming out of the shadows. It was that girl, Esme. He never spoke to her in the past four years of high school. There were only whispers he knew about her. Her eyes daunted him. All he could see through the dark were two gray rings that had a look of hysterical panic and desperation. It was like she was trying to convince him of something, even though she hadn't said anything yet.

She ignored the lack of conversation, “I invited you out to this splendid e-ve-ning to tell you My life story. The crazy tale about a screwed up girl. Almost was a spin-off series from those books about unfortunate events... and the old guy or whatever.”

“I...um.. Uh, I don't understand,” he replied slowly as he scratched the back of his neck. He didn't want to admit it, but she was scaring him. “Why me?”

“You don't know me. I need an audience. That audience needs to watch and listen without knowing who I am...or who they think I am. It just ruins any plot twists. Standard protocol,” she paused, “What do you think when you think about this bridge?"

Was this a trick question? He felt uneasy, but answered anyway, "I think of cars. Like, transportation across a body of water. Heights? I dunno.. It's a bridge."

“See. There it is. The first difference between you and me. You are black and white. Conventional. You see this bridge used for only it's initial purposes. To me? This bridge? This bridge is an adrenaline goldmine,” she smirked. No drumroll, she hoisted herself up onto the diagonal bars using the steel suspension crosspieces. Trying to keep her balance, she motioned for Noah to repeat her actions. He got a firm grip on the frigid bars and used his limited upper body strength to pull himself up onto the ultimate balancing beam. He gaped up at Esme seven bars up from the ground. His breath split once his brain caught up to his body, but he felt it. The rush. Was this what it felt like to be alive?

Present

He felt dead. He slowly buttoned up the freshly pressed, starched white shirt, and tied and untied his tie seven times. Noah couldn't focus. He kept fumbling around trying to dress. A look in the mirror made him cringe back. Noah pitied him. When did this coward start looking back at him through the looking glass?

Ms. Thomas was in the other room deliberating what to do about her current predicament. Should she take her mother's advice, or should she not give up on herself and Noah? How could she admit to herself that her pride and joy has a problem?

Rewind

“I have a problem,” she stated. Finally, the adrenaline was running its last laps through his body. Esme continued, “I hunger for these unseen 180°s in life...Ya know what it's like..like when your life gives you like a little dose of turmoil to remind what it’s like to be alive. I’ve been waiting for a disaster to strike me so I could feel something, anything again.” She waited for his answer, but he didn’t have one, so she went on. “I am tired of not feeling.."

“ Uh, um," he interrupted, “Can I ask… what happened to you?" She sat up abruptly turning away facing the dim lamps. The golden-toned light silhouetted her body revealing there was something tense about how she held herself.

“It was September. Perfect weather. Still warm outside, but a lil bit of chill, ya know? I was four… Still had to sleep with my blankie at that time.. My parents already had left for work that day. Mom was the secretary for dad’s office… Family business, ya know. But, that day had a very important meeting scheduled on it, so they, like, had left me in the care of my neighbor to get me to school..."She exhaled and laughed. "I don’t think I’ll ever forget the look on my neighbor’s face, when she picked me up early that day,” she took a deep breath and continued, “If you’ve ever seen any footage or documentary of 9/11, you’d know of the people, who jumped while holding hands. I don’t know whether my parents were those people, but I like to dream they were.”

Noah could hear silence. It cut into his ears. She looked up to the sky, "I haven't had a family for over 14 years of my life. My foster homes took out more of my soul than my parents leaving initially did. I've learned to just not feel. You sort of get used to the numbness. It's like a drug."

He was confused. What was he going to do with this information? Noah sighed and shook his head, "I….I don’t know what to say. I want to say sorry, but a thousand sorries could never replace your parents. But, well... I just don't understand why I’m here, Esme. You need an audience. I get that. But I just don't get what I’m supposed to do as an audience member."

Esme snickered, "You're trying to skip to the ending when what you seek was really in the beginning."

"What? You don't know me I get it but-"

"Not there. I didn't bring you here to help myself. I brought you here because there is a lesson you can learn from me too. Bridges have another meaning, as well." She grabbed his hand, "you'll understand sooner than you expect. Goodbye, Noah." And with that, she disappeared into the shadows. He wondered if Esme, herself, was a shadow.

Present

There was a slight chill in the air as strangers processed from the burial site at St. Paul's Cemetery. Noah stood staring blank-faced at the roses scattered on top of the casket. Words, words, words. Unspoken words. He should've known this was going to happen. This was not the ending that he expected. A hand softly pulled back his shoulder, and a voice asked, "Are you, Noah? Hello, hi. I was.. I am. Esme's foster-mom, sorry... Sorry, She left this for you on her bedside table, here." The woman handed him a letter that read:

Noah,

Don’t hold this little thing like death over your head. Please. It's something that needed to happen, and it's happening had nothing to do with you. I’m assuming you’re probably still confused on why you were even there that night. I need my story to be told. I trust a stranger more than someone I know. Knew… I’m not really sure what tense to write this in to be honest. That aside, Noah, you were affected (whether you like to admit it or not) by not having a father. (Yes, I did research on the stranger I was going to tell my story.) You aren't able to trust, to risk, to do anything at all... I want you to tell my story, because it's the right thing to do, but live your life, because you have to. You have seen first hand what not feeling does to a person. It caused me to do life-threatening risky things. It caused me to do one final risk to risk to try to help you. You went to the bridge that night. You climbed the bars. You listened to an insane girl. You have it in you to live a life worth living. Stop surviving. Stop going from day to day. Unwire yourself, because I know you have it in you to rewire. Create your 180°...for me.

-Esme

"Noah. Noah, I need to talk to you," Ms. Thomas shook her son for his attention, "I've thought a lot about it. Everything. I think it's best to get you some help. You need to work out some issues about what has happened, and I hate to admit it, but I just don't think I'm enough."

He ignored her comment, "I need a pen and a piece of paper."

Esme wasn't always the girl who seemed a little unwired. Loose ends must’ve given her the rush that she craved, but she wasn’t heartless. She wanted the loose ends to be tied up for those she cared about. She just couldn’t do it herself. Life had wired her to have a completely normal life, but life made an 180° turn. She had been cutting her wires ever since trying to create that next disaster to put her back on track. The last wire she had to cut was telling someone her story before she ended it.

Author: Noah Thomas

#mine #writing #writer #story #stories #unwired #words #word #angst #teen angst

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