#azul; so how much would a hat cost?

[dove-da-birb]

You just made me remember a daydream i had about giving jade a knitted scarf but it wasn't a "i made this for you" kinda deal it was a "i made this for me but you just pointed out how it's your dorm colors and what else am i supposed to do than put it on you now? No. Keep it. I can make more. *sigh* and now i have to make one for floyd too so you don't fight over it... And one for azul so he doesn't feel left out..."

P. S. i literally only crocheted two scarfs in my entire life

Love, V <3

POV you turn needle/hook work into your gig at NRC. Charge by the hour ^v^ /j

Also, YOU KNOW HOW TO CROCHET?! GIVE ME YOUR POWER! I WILL GIVE YOU THE GIFT OF KNITTING!

#vio! #you're way too nice i would give him a tired look take my scarf back ; he and the others would get CUSTOM scarves #also hey you made 2 crochet scarves and that counts as something! #i woke up not very long ago so things may not make any sense #i would charge by the hour though; you got any idea how long it does to make a piece? y'all are rich so you can afford it ^v^ #except the not-rich kids; they get yarnwork for free #never will forgive that some crochetters call themselves “hookers” #it's funny but cursed and idk how to feel about it #azul; so how much would a hat cost? #me; takes me 5 hours so $83 #azul; ... do you want to become business partners? #me; no and now its $166

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

For family day interactions, what about meeting Vil’s dad and realizing “oh wow so that’s where Vil gets his looks from?”

[Consider this interaction sort of a follow-up to this one!]

Daddy? Sorry. Daddy? Sorry. Daddy? Sorry/j

Family means Nobody is Left Behind or Forgotten.

"Is that you, Vil-senpai?"

The words had left your mouth before you had the chance to rein them back in.

He, a skilled pretender, kept his head turned away, not reacting the slightest bit to his name. In his cream-colored tracksuit, sneakers, baseball cap, sunglasses, and mask, Vil was just another face in the crowd. A seemingly ordinary boy, even when those around him started shifting, their heads whipping this way and that.

Then came the murmurs: "Vil? As in, Vil Schoenheit? Where?!"

"Oops." You covered your mouth with both hands, realizing your mistake. To speak his name in public was to attract attention--and potential ilk. "False alarm, my bad!!"

The disappointed onlookers retreated, returning to their families. You took the opportunity to elbow your way closer to Vil, cautiously keeping your volume low.

"Senpai...!"

This time, there was a slight incline of his head, the darting of the eyes to the side to meet yours. You couldn't see the shape of his mouth behind the mask, but you wouldn't misplace those striking violet eyes and golden hair anywhere, try as the dark lenses and the hat tried to hide them. He nodded, and you recognized the signal: Follow me.

Vil peeled off from the bustling courtyard and to a quiet corner, the light of the sun hidden by a jutting angle of the school building. You trailed after him obediently, stopping only when an older man surpassed you, his strides long and elegant. He sported the same outfit as Vil, right down to the designer sunglasses. The man seemed to smile at you as your paths crossed, his eyes twinkling.

Who is that...?

You ducked into the meeting place to find Vil and the stranger already waiting for you. In the presence of his severe beauty, the question clung to the roof of your mouth.

"You've picked a rather inopportune time for a social call, potato," Vil sighed, slipping his mask and glasses off. He brushed flaxen locks away from his forehead. slick with sweat.

"Sorry! It was just funny seeing you in the whole 'I'm trying to blend in' get-up," you said sheepishly. "I'm so used to seeing you openly flaunting full glamour."

"As Rook would put it, 'why deprive the world of my beauty?' But deny it I must this time. I would be hounded relentlessly without this disguise."

"Gotcha. I won't make the same mistake again!" Your gaze briefly fell upon the masked man beside Vil. Clearly not a crazed fan or a paparazzo, from how calm Vil was around them. "I'll go--see you around campus then?"

"Ah, this is a friend of yours, Vil?" the stranger finally piped up. "Chasing them off so soon? You haven't even introduced us yet."

"Excuse me. Where are my manners?" Vil cleared his throat. "Potato. This is my father. He goes by the stage name Eric Venue--but to you, 'Mr. Schoenheit' will do. Father, this is a schoolmate of mine."

"Huh, Eric Venue?" Your brows scrunched. You were sure you had heard Cater gushing about an Eric Venue's resume: an extensive filmography, and many lucrative appearances and deals. "The... big star? That's your dad?!"

"The one and only." Vil placed his hands on his hips. "Be honored that you get to meet my father in person, one-on-one. You would not wish to know how much money that would normally cost."

(He didn't have to say it, but you knew in your heart that, whatever the value was, it would make Azul's eyes turn into thaumark signs.)

Eric--no, Mr. Schoenheit--laughed, a pleasantly low rumble. "My reputation precedes me! Don't mind my Vil, he's always been a bit of a proud one.”

Taking your hand in his, he gave it a firm, friendly shake. He lowered his mask and flashed a pearly smile. “Charmed."

“It’s nice to meet you too, Mr. Sch…”

Your brain short circuited when he revealed the entirety of his face. There were no words to describe his beauty.

It was a mirror to Vil’s—or rather, Vil was a mirror of him—the rich colors and symmetrical arrangement similar. Time had allowed his features to deepen and mature, like the aging of a fine cheese or wine, lending him a regal, refined presence. He was like a kindly king that had stepped out of the pages of a storybook or a dream: far too handsome for the real world.

“What’s the matter?” Vil asked, smirking at your silence. “Grim got your tongue?”

“I, uh…” You swallowed, seeking out what few words you had left. “I can see where you get your looks from, Vil-senpai.”

“Hahah, I didn't know your friend was such a comedian, son!” Mr. Schoenheit warmly laid a hand on Vil's shoulder. "No, I'd say my Vil here's the fairest one of them all."

"Please. You flatter me--and you humble yourself." Despite his prickly vocabulary, there was warmth to Vil's tone. A joking sort of energy he didn't typically wear.

You gaped at them in awe. Their combined star power was so raw, so intense, oozing with natural charm. Just standing before them made your legs quake, aching to kneel in a subconscious act of respect. The hand Mr. Schoenheit had shaken still tingled, as though he had touched you with magic.

"I'll never wash this hand again," you muttered, absentmindedly rubbing at your wrist.

"Oh no, you'd better," Vil warned sharply. "What will become of your personal hygiene if you don't?!"

"There are better ways to remember this occasion," Mr. Schoenheit suggested with a grin. He produced a pen from his tracksuit, brandishing it like a sword. "If you'd like, I could give you my autograph. How does that sound?"

"Wow, really, sir!?" You glanced at Vil, who seemed just as shocked.

"... If father offered it, then I don't see why you should turn down his generous offer. Just find something for him to sign that's NOT on your body."

"Uh, okay!! Er... Hold on a sec!!"

You furiously dug around in your pockets, praying that there was something viable there. Your fingers soon came upon a crumpled piece of paper, which you fished out and smoothed to the best of your ability. It was thrusted at Mr. Schoenheit with pleading eyes.

Vil made a face. "Is that a receipt from Mr. S's Mystery Shop?"

"It was the closest thing I had on hand," you mumbled.

"It's not even in good condition..."

"That's quite alright! If it makes my fans happy, then I'm here to oblige."

Mr. Schoenheit gently plucked the paper from your grasp and set to scrawling his signature upon the receipt. Even his signing was beautiful--elegant and flowing, not a single moment wasted.

When the receipt was returned, his name, penned in a flowery cursive script, graced you. Suddenly, the wadded up paper once destined for the trash bin was worth a million thaumarks. You squealed, hugging the signature against yourself.

"Thank you so, so much, Mr. Schoenheit!"

"My pleasure. It's always a joy meeting fans--and, of course, meeting Vil's bosom buddies. Please continue to support him, will you? That would make me the happiest father in the entire world." Mr. Schoenheit smiled at you again, and you felt stars imploding in your vision, your legs going from muscle and bone to jelly again.

"Y-Yessir!!"

"Wonderful! Now that that's settled, you'll have to excuse us." Mr. Schoenheit replaced the elements of his disguise and hooked his arm in Vil's. "I've been looking forward to catching up with my son. We have a big day ahead of us!"

"Y-Yes, I understand! Please enjoy your time together!"

You bowed on instinct--like a subject to their sovereign. Your head raised again only when you were certain the two had passed.

Vil and Mr. Schoenheit's backs were to you, backs that passed for those of ordinary people in those matching cream tracksuits. But there was the unmistakable aura they radiated. Golden as a new dawn, mysterious as a violet-colored sky.

A king, and the prince descended from him.

The autograph burned in your palm. Your new treasure, the result of this memory: a private audience with the king and the prince.

#twst #twisted wonderland #Vil Schoenheit #twst interactions #twisted wonderland interactions #Eric Venue #Reader #spoilers #NRC Family Day #twst imagines #twisted wonderland imagines #twst scenarios #twisted wonderland scenarios #disney twisted wonderland #self insert

[thehollowwriter]

may i req pink petal and grey cloud with the octatrio for the event?

@asterpop Of course! Ooo good of fashioned red string of fate! I will be doing them one at a time tho so it's Azul first for now.

Please do leave reblogs and comments, I would love to hear your feedback! <3

Also no beta we die like robins and Riddle patience

Warnings: Mentions of bullying, flashbacks, slight oocness at the end

(Pls reblog and leave a comment ❤)

One Pink Petal And One Grey Cloud

▪Azul Ashengrotto didn't care about soulmates

▪At least, that's what he tries to tell himself

▪Much to his own chagrin, he would find himself staring at the red string attached to his pinky more often than not, following its length and gazing wordlessly as it stretched into the distance

▪Sometimes Azul doubted there was actually someone on the other end

▪Maybe it was drifting off into nothing

▪Maybe his destiny was loneliness

▪ "No one will ever love you"

▪When the twins arrived in his life, a flicker of hope started up. If they were willing to stick by him (well, as long as he stayed interesting) then just maybe he had a chance

▪However, one Azul began his time at Night Raven College, he banished all thoughts of Soulmates to the back of his mind. This school was competitive, and he needed to focus and make sure everything was business as usual

▪But even then, his eyes would stray from his work to stare at the string, and he would be lost in thought

▪It made him angry at himself for getting distracted so easily

▪He was better than this

▪Chances were he'd never meet his soulmate, so be might as well forget it

▪Then one day the string went taut

▪It took a few seconds for Azul to process, but he quickly realised his soulmate was at Mostro Lounge

▪Fate loved to fool with him, didn't it?

Azul stared at his stiff red string with wide eyes, and his breath hitched. He looked at the at the door, then at the string, and back again.

You were here.

You were at his restaurant being served by his staff in his dorm whole possibly seated right now at one of his tables.

This was... this was... this was perfect.

Azul stood up so abruptly he knocked over his chair. Unbothered, he put on his hat, pulled on his coat, and placed a million madol smile on his face.

He had faced rejection before. When he was worthless. But now he was powerful. Successful. Turning heads on both land and sea. He may he inexperienced romantically (and platonically too to be honest), but Seven be damned if his achievements didn't leave you in awe.

Azul opened his office door and strutted right into the lounge, following his string until it led right to you.

You, seated all by your lonesome, had not seen him yet. You were staring at your string and fidgeting uncomfortably. You looked so nervous. Azul could handle nervous.

By the time he got near your table, you had seemingly decided what to order and pulled out your wallet. This struck Azul as the perfect chance to rope some extra money out of you, but as he was comtemplating how go about it, words from deep in the past rang loud in his mind.

"You. With a soulmate? Nobody would love a stupid, worthless, fat octopus like you !"

A second distant memory, from after he first began his deals, followed after.

"Well even if they DID somehow even remotely like you, you'd scam them out of every penny or make them your slave and they'd hate you forever!"

Azul scowled. He would show them. He looked down at you, gnashing his teeth.

"You don't have to pay for that." He said pleasantly . "It's on the house."

Your eyes widened and you stiffened in surpise. You looked at him to protest, but stopped when you saw his end of the string. "Huh- w-what- you- you're-"

"Your soulmate. Correct. And since I own this place, I feel I should treat you to something. Tell me your order. As I said said, it's on the house." He shook his head when you protested and smiled. "I insist."

You stuttered uselessly before giving up and nodding. "Okay, fine. What's... What's this going to cost me?"

Azul chuckled. "Nothing but your time my dear." It was not a lie. He was not going to scam you. Oh no, he was going to sweep you off your feet.

He may not care about you, but he was going to prove to those bastards that Azul Ashengrotto could win over his soulmate in a heartbeat.

***

A year and a half later, only two words were bouncing around in Azul's mind.

"Oh shit."

Azul never intended to fall truly and utterly head over heels for you. He succeeded in getting you to date him, but he never thought he of all people would succumb to the fluffy, pink lovebug.

He was using your presence to boost his own ego, but now he was greedy for you. Greedy for your love.

However during his first attempt at a proper confession, the fact that he had never truly cared about you before now hit you like a ton of bricks.

Contrary to what he had believed would happen, the only thing Azul got out of that conversation was a slap to the face and a lot of crude curses and bitter insults sent his way

You then proceeded storm off and leave him standing there, holding his cheek in his hand in shock.

At first he was pissed at you. But that faded fast when he realised you wer very much in the right.

Then he got depressed. He smiled a lot less, he was an utter mess on the inside and somewhat unpleasant to be around. But after some self reflection (and a couple of talks with his parents and even the twins), he finally decided to pull his shit together.

Now... Now he has to find a way to make it up to you.

He knew an act a of grandeur would not affect you anymore. You were too distrusting of him. He needed to open up to you. He needed to do something small but heartfelt. He needed to do better. He needed to be better. For you.

He started out by getting your favourite flowers and casting a spell on them to keep them perfect. Then he organised a little picnic for the both of you. He had never done this before. He had refused to have a date with you outside on the ground no matter how much you begged. But that was going to change.

He was nervous when he went to your dorm and knocked at your door. He was sad at how your angry glare pierced his heart. He was emotional when he asked you to give him one more chance. Just one more chance. His voice cracked all the way through.

You had stared him down before reluctantly agreeing, saying you were only doing this because he looked pathetic.

The slight hurt at that jab went away the moment Azul saw how your eyes brightened at the sight of the picnic spread.

When you both sat down to begin your meal, he briefly wondered why he had been so opposed to this. This was pleasant. He enjoyed it. His reasons for not doing this had faded from his memory. Probably proof that they were ridiculous in the first place.

Azul cleared his throat and looked you in the eyes, trying to fight the tears of emotion threatening to build.

"Listen I..." He sucked in a breath. "At first you were a tool to better myself. I am sorry. I am so so sorry. And I know I told you this already, but I didn't finish. S/O I... I love you. I don't know what happened but I have fallen so hopelessly in love with you that there are no words in existence that can describe how I feel. You're so wonderful and smart and unique and and and-"

The urge to insult himself was strong. But this wasn't about him. This was about you.

"I know I don't deserve you. And I understand if you want nothing to do with me. But I promise you this. I will do everything in my power to keep you safe and provide you with anything you could possibly want or need. I... I love you so much that I will give it all to you even if you don't love me back."

Your neutral expression exchanged itself for a surpised widening of the eyes before going back to normal as you considered his words.

Before this, even while you where dating, Azul had been... distant and closed off. Never really outright saying he cared for you or loved you. You had assumed that's just how he was at the time but now... now you could see.

This was the Azul that was in love with you.

This was the Azul that was willing to do the unthinkable (for him) for you.

But while you were grateful, you would not be as naive as you were before.

"Okay." You said, exhaling. "I... won't except your apology unless." You put emphasis on the word at Azul's crestfallen face. "You can prove to me that you mean it." You held up two fingers. "Two months. He can have a test relationship for two months. Then we'll see. Understood?"

Azul's breath hitched and he nodded. "Thank you." He choked out. "Thank you. You have no idea how much this means to me."

You patted him on the shoulder. "I'm sure. Now let's pack up, it's getting cold."

Azul nodded again, but not before squeezing your hand in yours.

"Thank you." He repeated. "For giving me another chance. I swear to the Seven I will be everything you will ever need."

You smiled at him, and his shoulders shook.

This was the first time you had smiled at him in months.

-END

..................................................................................

A/N: Holy carp this took say longer than it should've I'm so sorry. School writer's block and being sick habe decide to triple team me. Anyways here have some angst and fluff(?)

@sanctum-of-ramshackle I think I did good with this one

@honey-milk-depresso your husband has arrived~

#twisted wonderland x reader #octavinelle x reader #azul ashengrotto x reader #200 followers event #twisted wonderland #octavinelle #azul ashengrotto #fluff #angst #soulmates #soulmate au #writing

[honey-milk-depresso]

Meanie (Azul Ashengrotto x Reader)

SORRY TWST COMMUNTITY TRYING TO GET AS MANY DRAFT ELIMINATED AS POSSIBLE SORRY FOR BLASTING SHIT IN YOUR FACE BUT LIKE HOPE YOU ENJOY PLEASE DON’T KILL ME-

Based on a manga I think you know when you read it-

I suck I know-

Warning: Slight under aged drinking but it’s purely fluff, nothing serious.

Part 1

part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Part 8 (END)

“Sevens, y/n. What do you want?”

“A hang out! At the VIP room!”

“You know how much that’s going to cost you right? You don’t have much on you.”

“Yeah, yeah I know but, I spend it on my friend!”

“You’re paying me.”

“Exactly!”

Azul sighed in irritation. He can never get enough of you, can he?

“Fine.”

“YES!! I’ll bring some things along!”

=====================================================

“You got to be kidding me..”

Lying on the table, there were an assortment of chips, soft drinks, sweet snacks and to top it all off, a bottle of plum wine.

“Y/n, you shouldn’t be drinking. You’re under aged.”

You laughed heartily. “Don’t worry! It’s only once in a while! Besides, I really like plum wine! I’m not drinking it for the sake of looking cool! Ahehehe~!”

He sighed, putting his hat and jacket suit by the table and plopping himself on the couch, leaving him with his white collared shirt with his sleeves rolled up and pants.

He cringed slightly as all the snacks were unhealthy.

“Couldn’t you have bring snacks of healthier options?”

“Azul, you should treat yourself every once in a while. Being healthy is good, but you can eat junk just once! Besides, it’s a happy occasion!”

“You do this at least twice a week.”

“Not at night or with snacks.”

“True..”

He saw you stuff chips in your mouth in one goal, like a rapid animal.

“Geez, y/n eat slowly. You might choke.”

“Awww, does Azul care for me~?”

“I don’t want a dead body filled with chips in the VIP lounge.”

“So mean!!”

He smiled a little. Your outgoing and cheerful attitude annoyed him at times, but he still couldn’t help but smile at how endearing you could be.

“Geez, you eat like it’s the end of your world.”

Ah.

You took out a pack of poker cards and slam it on the table.

“LET’S PLAY!”

“SEVENS, Y/N! JUST PUT IT DOWN LIKE A NORMAL HUMAN AND NOT TREAT YOUR CARDS LIKE A HAMMER-”

“Well geez, sorry.”

You took the cards out and began shuffling them, clearing the snacks to one side and spreading the cards in a circle.

“Alright, the rules are simple: You can’t quit in the middle!”

“Well, obviously.”

You had always bring about weird games to play. Like the time you played with 2 chess boards for no reason. One to play chess and one to play checkers, then if you get to take one chess or checker piece away, you had to do math question on your assignment, both of which you lost, and had to do the homework yourself. So this isn’t new to him. Maybe you’ll pull out your magic history homework.

“Alright just pick a card!”

“I got the twelve of spades.”

“HAH! QUEEN OF HEARTS!!”

“You don’t have to yell.”

“Now, since I have the larger number, I’ll ask you truth or dare!”

“So, truth or dare??”

“Truth.”

“So~ Do you think Idia or Jade is more handsome to you?~”

He nearly spit out the canned grape juice he was drinking.

“W-what type of question is that?!”

“Those are the rules! If you don’t want to answer a question you pick “dare”! And with “dare”, I’ll make you do something and you can’t quit or complain!”

This is the game of the devil, he thought. What is worse? Answering your ridiculous question or doing you ridiculous “dare”?

Screw it. Better answer than do it, right?

“I’ll stick with truth...”

“Okay! So.. Idia or Jade is handsome to you??”

“......Idia..?”

“Oooh, really ? I thought Jade was pretty handsome himself though. Ah well!”

For some reason, he felt a little irritated when you said Jade was handsome.

“Moving along!”

You two pick your cards.

“Hmm~ five of diamonds? I got twelve of clovers!~~”

“Oh goodness..”

How is he having this much of bad luck today? He’s thinking you shuffled the cards in your favor.

A little flustered due to the plum wine, you slurred a little with the next question.

“Truth or dare??”

“Truth.”

“If Idia was a girl, and she’d be the prettiest girl in NRC, and everyone else are girls, where would I be ranked in looks?”

“What?”

“ANSWER MEEEE~”

“Second.”

“H-heh???” Now you were very flustered.

“So I am pretty to you??? Aww you’re so sweet, Azul!!”

“That’s because I can never imagine NRC being a girls’ school.”

“I-”

=====================================================

“Huh??? Aw man I got two of spades!”

“Twelve of hearts.”

“Oh no..”

Well looks like the tables have finally turned. 

After answering your many ridiculous dares, it’s finally his turn. By now he can tell you’re very drunk. You weren’t think straight and you were slurring and getting flustered a lot.

“Truth or dare.”

“TRUTH!”

He paused to think for a while on what he wanted to ask you.

“Have you ever had a first kiss?”

“HuH?? WHAT? ”

“Silence fool.”

“MEANIE!!”

“But... No I haven’t. Wonder who would wanna kiss me~~?”

“Your lips would reek plum wine, I don’t think anyone would.”

“HEY AZULLL I THOUGHT WE WERE FREINDSSS!!!”

He smiled.

“I’m just joking.”

=============================================================

“Hehehehe~ Truth or dare??~~”

“...dare.”

He said hesitantly. It’s been what? 9 to 11 rounds already and you only had truths, while you complained all his questions were like job interview questions.

“Ohohoho~ Well then,” you spread your arms open, “carry meee to beddd~~”

He blanked. His face was unreadable.

“Hey! Carry-”

Suddenly, you felt your entire body being lifted from the couch. Azul was carrying you bridal style close to his chest. You felt his steady heartbeat and you couldn’t help but blush at the sudden contact.

He went over to the secret guest bedroom and plopped you down on the bed.

“I’ll make sure you’ll go back to Ramshackle tomorrow. It’s a weekend anyways.”

You buried your face in your hands as you squirmed, giggling.

“Ehehehehe~~ That really surprised me! Thank you, Azul!~~”

“Okay, Azul! Pick a card for me.”

“It’s getting very late.”

“But like what you said tomorrow is the weekend!!!!”

“Still. You should be sleeping.”

“Okay! One last dare! I promise!”

He sighed. “Fine.”

He picked a card.

“What did I get??”

“King of Spades.”

“Oooh~ What did you get???”

He picked a card. “Three clovers.”

“Hmmm~ My turn then! This one would be truth only!”

You paused and he heard the blankets being ruffled as you shifted to a different position.

“If I said.. I was really scared of dying, what would you do?”

He swerved his head to look at you, his eyes scanning you.

You were completely calm that it scared him.

“Nonsense, you aren’t going to die.”

Right?

“Aheheheh~ Well I’m super tired! You should go to sleep too!”

He off the lights, the only light shining now was the lamp beside your bed on the night stand.

“Call me when you wake up. I’ll be in my room.”

“Got it~!”

And he closed the door.

To be continued..

=========================

HEYA FOLKS WANT ME TO DO PART 2??? Just reblog or request I don’t know I-

I died.

#twst #twisted wonderland #twst x reader #azul ashengrotto #azul ashengrotto x reader #twisted wonderland x reader #twisted wonderland azul #twst azul #twst azul x reader #twisted wonderland azul x reader #octavinelle #octavinelle x reader

[twstarchives]

Scary Dress・Voice Lines

● Event: Scary Monsters (October 14 - November 26, 2020) ● Exclusive Cards: Deuce, Kalim, Epel, Idia, Malleus, Lilia, Azul, Jack, Jade, Vil, Cater

Deuce Spade - R

Unlock Card “This school event is meant for everyone to have fun. I’m going to make sure this Halloween’s a success!”

Groovy “You’re not getting away from me... I’ll scare you till you're trembling to the bone!”

Home Setting “I’m a skeleton ghost that’s risen from the grave! BOO!”

Home Transitions “These are our special costumes, so make sure you’re careful with them. Grim, that means don’t claw on the lace.”

“When I was a kid, there were times when I used to start sobbing because I thought there was a monster outside. But it was actually just the laundry drying out there... Oi, stop laughing!”

“I got some treats from Epel. There’s a lot of them, so I thought I’d share with you. You know the secret code, right?”

Home Transition (Login Greeting) “Happy Halloween! You just can’t help but get excited around this time of year.”

Home Taps “I saw Draconia a while ago. Seeing him walk around in that serpentine dragon costume so valiantly made him look cooler than ever.”

“I got a text from my mom—she said she wants to see my costume. I don’t mind sending her one, but I don’t know how I feel about taking a selfie... Prefect, could you take one of me?”

“I’m used to seeing the ghosts on campus, so they’re not that scary. Our terrifying dorm leader Rosehearts, on the other hand...”

“Viper fixed the lace on my hat for me. I feel like the vice leaders in every dorm are really caring.”

“Hey, you! You want me to bury you!? S-Sorry. I was practicing my scares; I didn’t mean to say that to you, Prefect.”

Kalim Al-Asim - R

Unlock Card “Are you all ready to have some fun? Alright! Come on and follow my lead! One, two—Happy Halloween!”

Groovy “Grr... Pain shoots through my body whenever I look at the full moon. You better watch your back if you start to hear some howling.”

Home Setting “Growl! I’m a werewolf now.”

Home Transitions “Rook knows a lot about wildlife, and he told me all kinds of things about wolves. It was really useful.”

“I always carry around candies this time of year. This way anyone can tell me ‘Trick or treat’ anytime!”

“My magic carpet seems pretty excited for Halloween too. I’m competing with it to see who’s the scariest!”

Home Transition (Login Greeting) “A party that everyone’s stoked about—that’s what Halloween is! Let’s have fun together! Growl! Growl!”

Home Taps Whine! Grrrrr! Bark! *cough!* “It’s hard trying to sound like a wolf...”

“I feel like it’d be so much more exciting if Cater, Lilia, and I dressed up for our band performances. Don’t you think so?”

“Jade said his costume is a mummy. If you wore clothes like that in the Scalding Sands, you’d get so hot that you might actually turn into one.”

“I like this costume; its design is really reminiscent of the Scalding Sands. Plus it’s easy to move in. It fits for dressing up as a werewolf.”

“Hm? You want to try scaring me? Spare me from any tricks, though. Ahaha!”

Epel Felmier - R

Unlock Card “Boo! Did I spook you? Hehe. I’ll come scare you again if you let down your guard.”

Groovy “Struggling against me is useless... I think. You won’t get away from me.”

Home Setting “Now, Halloween has begun!”

Home Transitions “Wah! Oh, crap!¹ I stepped all over my cloak. If Vil saw me, he’d get mad and say ‘It’s not proper to run around like that.’”

“I carved some of the pumpkins that are decorating the school. Mine have ghosts and our dorm’s emblem on them. Try to find them, okay?”

“Hey, have you seen the decorations on Main Street? They’re all so pretty, and really marvy².”

Home Transition (Login Greeting) “I think this is the first time I’ve celebrated such a festive Halloween. In my town, the festivals feel a lot more scaled down.”

Home Taps “Halloween celebrations in my hometown are never this big, but I can promise you the food’s always delicious. I want you all to come see it someday.”

“Riddle got really passionate when we were talking about the treats for Halloween earlier. Sweets are just amazing, aren’t they?”

“I’m a first-year just like Deuce and Jack, but I wish I could scare as well as they do. But only practice makes perfect!”

“Tremble in fear! ...No. That’s not menacing enough... Ah! What if I put ketchup around my mouth?”

“Huh!? A treat? Sorry. I finished handing all mine out. But I’ll peel an apple for you later, so don’t give me a trick or anything... Okay?”

Idia Shroud - R

Unlock Card “E-E-Even I get excited for events sometimes... Is that bad!?”

Groovy “Anyone who sees what’s beneath my helmet won’t be leaving here unharmed... Hehehe!”

Home Setting “Wahaha! The Pumpkin Knight has arrived!”

Home Transitions “Every time Ortho tells me ‘Trick or treat,’ I give him some candy, but earlier he got mad and said ‘Let me have a trick too.’”

“You need to know your etiquette to have fun with events. That’s true no matter what world you’re in.”

“This time of year, they’re always having tons of huge events in gacha games. I’ve got an overwhelming lack of free time.”

Home Transition (Login Greeting) “Weheehee~... Happy Halloween. Huh? Why are you making that face? Is it that weird to see me pumped up?”

Home Taps “Hiding my face under a helmet really lets me relax. The downside is it’s a little hard to breathe, though.”

“Wh-What are you dressing up as? Don’t tell me you’re just going to throw on something basic like a headband or a hat and call it a day?”

“They say lions are members of the cat family, but... Sir Leona is not soothing in the slightest. Hah~ I wanna nuzzle a cat...”

“You can say it. There’s no such thing as a nerd that hates Halloween!”

“Weheehee! I made this using a 3D printer, so it’s got really nice durability. ‘How much did it all cost’? Well, if you want to know, it was on sale.”

Malleus Draconia - SR

Unlock Card “Halloween is a festival observed by both the living and the dead, regardless of one’s race. You, too, should enjoy yourself as much as you can.”

Groovy “I’d make anyone tremble in fear with a single breath of fire. Watch me.”

Home Setting “I’m not dressed up as a dragon. It’s a serpentine dragon.”

Home Transitions “The students in our dorm seem very pleased with our costumes. They were all cheering with joy. This was well-worth the trouble.”

“Lilia knows a lot about many nations’ versions of Halloween. He told me stories about them instead of his usual lullabies. That was a long time ago, though.”

“I saw two pumpkin knights around campus. The smaller one was floating, so I’m assuming they were the Shroud brothers.”

Home Transition (Login Greeting) “I’ve experienced many Halloweens, but this year seems especially chaotic.”

Home Transition (Groovy) “Trick or treat!... wasn’t it? If you don’t give me a treat, I’ll have to trick you. What will you do?”

Home Taps “The red serpentine dragons from the Far East, which our costumes were based on, could even play folk instruments. Hm... How very interesting.”

“I caught Asim practicing his wolf howls. He’s lacking on the impact, but it does have a charm to it. Heheh.”

“Halloween in the Valley of Thorns is especially grand. It’s a different take on it than other countries have, but you should come see it someday. It’s beautiful.”

“If you hear a strange noise, don’t automatically assume it’s the work of a ghost. Faeries love playing tricks all year round.”

“This tail? Mine is not an accessory; it’s real. As curious as you might be, don’t get too close. You’d be easily flicked aside if you got hit by it.”

Home Tap (Groovy) “I’ll set fire to anyone that harms your dorm, just like a serpentine dragon would. I’m fond of that place.”

Lilia Vanrouge - SR

Unlock Card “Halloween is my home ground ♪ I can’t wait to see the surprise on everyone’s faces.”

Groovy “Do not underestimate me. You might end up finding yourself trembling and unable to sleep all night long.”

Home Setting “Growl! How was that? Did I sound like a dragon?”

Home Transitions “On Halloween Night, the goblins who served the Fairy of Thorns would gather around a fire and dance all night long. You probably wouldn’t expect them to be party animals!”

“I remember the day I met a real-life serpentine dragon in the East like it was yesterday. Its crimson scales were truly a sight to behold.”

“I like eating most sweets, but marshmallows are the only ones I can’t do. It doesn’t feel like I’m eating anything; they aren’t satisfying.”

Home Transition (Login Greeting) “Trick or treat... What? You’re already used to my tricks? Then I’ll have to bring out my trump card.”

Home Transition (Groovy) “If I were a real dragon, I could give you a ride on my back. But instead, why don’t I give you a piggy back ride?”

Home Taps “Hnn... The decorative horns on my cap are so heavy. Malleus really has these on his head at all times?”

“Aren’t my red nails cute? Vil painted them for me. He told me these were called gel nails—long-lasting nail polish.”

“Silver and Sebek used to be such crybabies. The mornings after Halloween, I’d have to spend the whole day doing laundry.”

“Have you seen Ace anywhere? He’s always eating Trey’s sweets like he really likes them, so I made some for him as well.”

“Oh, oh! It’s dangerous for someone of my stature to have a tail almost touching the ground. Try not to step on it either.”

Home Tap (Groovy) “Achoo! Sorry, sorry. This peacock feather tickled my nose.”

Azul Ashengrotto - SR

Unlock Card “The Mostro Lounge is currently offering a special Halloween menu. You must come and see!”

Groovy “Let’s have all the fun we want tonight. Now, let me hear you scream all the way up to the moon!”

Home Setting “How do I look? It’s very stylish with the way it revisits the old-fashioned sort of mummy, isn’t it?”

Home Transitions “If these were my own tentacles, I could move them freely at will, but that’s not true with these bandage wraps. I have to pay close attention to my movements.”

“Of course we have Halloween celebrations under the sea. Although, unlike on land, merpeople don’t exactly wear costumes.”

“I ran into Silver with this costume on, and he yelled ‘The enemy!’ before pulling out a baton. ...He must’ve been half-asleep.”

Home Transition (Login Greeting) “Halloween only happens once a year. Let’s have the time of our lives together.”

Home Transition (Groovy) “Did I hear you say ‘Trick or treat’ just now? Offering me of all people a deal is quite bold of you.”

Home Taps “I have an affinity for the costumes Jack and the other Savanaclaw students are wearing. They look like ghosts you’d find at sea, don’t they?”

“I referenced dishes that my family serves for the Lounge’s limited edition menu... Oh, my family runs a ristorante.”

“I’ll hold back on the treats, thank you. Accepting more and more of them will only increase my calorie intake for the day.”

“The reason we chose mummies for our costumes? I’m very unfamiliar with them, which made me all the more curious. After all, you can’t have anything dry under the sea.”

“What are you in such a rush for? I understand feeling excited, but you must be discreet when getting ready to scare someone.”

Home Tap (Groovy) “You must come see Halloween under the sea sometime! It’s just as fun as the academy’s.”

Jack Howl - SR

Unlock Card “Dressing up as pirates fits for Savanaclaw, since the guys here are all brutes. When you want something, you take it!”

Groovy “On Halloween, it’s ghost territory. Make sure you be careful when walking around at night. Grr...”

Home Setting “My scares aren’t just for show.”

Home Transitions “Scarabia dressed up as werewolf ghosts. They really nailed the ears and tails.”

“When we were making jack o’ lanterns, Ruggie kept eating the pumpkin seeds. Do those taste good...?”

“The pirate costume fits Leona really well. He’s lazy and vulgar—ahem! He comes off as strong and powerful.”

Home Transition (Login Greeting) “Happy Halloween! It’s nice with all these decorations and festive energy. Wanna walk around together later?”

Home Transition (Groovy) “I was getting tired of all these sweets, so I got some jerky. Want any?”

Home Taps “Ace and the others swear that anything Trey bakes is to die for. I wonder how his pear compote would... N-No, nevermind.”

“I used to want to be a pirate when I was little. I remember making treasure chests by myself and filling them with coins and sparkling jewels. Those were the days.”

“Pirates have to aim their cannons and do a lot of heavy lifting while onboard. They’ve got to train hard.”

“I almost never wear rings, so I’m scared these might fly off at any moment. Plus it’s hard to move my fingers.”

“Oi! Stop prodding at my costume! What’re you going to do if one of the seashells breaks off?”

Home Tap (Groovy) “You haven’t put on your costume yet? The ghosts will come to kidnap you if you don’t hurry and change.”

Jade Leech - SSR

Unlock Card “I’ve been expecting you. Today I have a most wonderful scare prepared for you.”

“We’ve been working hard to ensure that everyone can spend a wonderful Halloween.”

Groovy “The sight of you screaming as you try to hurry away... It’s irresistible. I cannot hold myself back from chasing after you!”

Home Setting “Who would like to be tied up in fear?”

Home Transitions “You want to see me when I’m frightened? Heheh. I wouldn’t mind you scaring me anytime you’d like.”

“There is no such thing as using pumpkins as lanterns under the sea. I was very shocked learning about culture on land when I was a freshman.”

“Have you had a chance to try out the Mostro Lounge’s limited edition Halloween menu? I contributed a recipe to it.”

Home Transition (Login Greeting) “Trick or treat! Heheh. There’s no need to look so frightened; I won’t bite.”

Home Transition (Groovy) “Oh, my. Were you hoping to play a trick on me? I have a treat on hand, so please spare me today.”

Home Taps “I helped Ruggie with making jack o’ lanterns. They’re very quick, cheap, and beautiful. How fitting.”

“Dryness is fatal for merpeople. If we were dried up like a mummy... Just the thought is horrifying.”

“Floyd, don’t eat too many sweets. It’s different while we’re in the water, but here we have a high risk of tooth decay.”

“The draping wraps on our costumes resemble jellyfish tentacles. They’re pretty, aren’t they? I like their asymmetrical design.”

“You seem to have a wish to join the world of mummies. First, I will wrap your whole body in bandages, and then dry you out... I’m only joking.”

Home Tap (Groovy) “Halloween under the sea? If you’re interested, I will show you around one day.”

Duo Magic Jade: Azul, we cannot waste any more time. Azul: Let’s be efficient about this, Jade.

Vil Schoenheit - SSR

Unlock Card “Are you prepared to pledge yourself to me? It’s a great honor to be the sustenance of my beauty.”

“If I’m participating in this, then I’m going to aim for quality that transcends all previous Halloweens. Please keep up with me.”

Groovy “How unfortunate; there’s nowhere left for you to run. Yield yourself to me and become my slave.”

Home Setting “You will be a victim to my fangs.”

Home Transitions “Vampires, who possess eternal beauty... This is a perfect theme for me, isn’t it?”

“It would be difficult to check my appearance if I couldn’t see my reflection in the mirror. Perhaps I’d have to check with Rook between every class.”

“The other day, I was drinking tomato juice in the evening, and Epel screamed at me. How rude.”

Home Transition (Login Greeting) “Trick or treat. Although, I don’t need any sweet treats. I’m sure you can guess what a vampire would want... Heheh.”

Home Transition (Groovy) “Have you flipped your sleep schedule like a vampire’s because it’s Halloween? Make sure you don’t stay up too late.”

Home Taps “I don’t usually carry around treats with me, so last year I fell victim to Lilia’s tricks. That was honestly unpleasant.”

“You should carefully deliberate over your parasol and choose one that has strong protection from the sun. Don’t forget sunblock either.”

“Floyd’s skin is very beautiful. Makeup sits exceptionally well on moisturized skin, too. Always remember to moisturize.”

“My father is an actor, and for every Halloween he would come home in a costume with special effects makeup. I wonder if perfectionism runs in the family.”

“Even a single strand of hair out of place is something to pay mind to. Could you fix my hair for me?”

Home Tap (Groovy) “My cloak has enough cloth to wrap around a person. Should I hide you inside it if any scary ghosts come by?”

Duo Magic Vil: Let’s end this nonsense right here, Lilia. Lilia: Leave it to me to guard you from behind, Vil.

Cater Diamond - SSR

Unlock Card “I’ll fill you all the way to the bone... with fear, of course ♪”

“Aha! Are you surprised with how off things feel now? Let me show you Cay’s charm, now that I’m a touch different for Halloween~”

Groovy “You’re not thinking you’ll be able to get home safely now that you’ve dug me up, are you?”

Home Setting “Don’t you think my costume’s super aesthetic!?”

Home Transitions “The pumpkin pie Trey always makes this time of year... Mm, it’s not too sweet, and it’s sooo good~!”

“Did you see Lucius today!? He was wearing a super adorable pumpkin hat... I can’t believe Professor Trein~!”

“Sebek-kins really loves Malleus~ He’s got a reputation among the third-years for being the passionate Draconian.”

Home Transition (Login Greeting) “Happy Halloween! How about we take a picture to commemorate?”

Home Transition (Groovy) “I have a feeling this year’s going to be the funnest Halloween we’ve ever had. You should be excited too, Prefect!”

Home Taps “I really like how our skeleton-looking laces are so elegant. Our dorm uniforms give off more cutesy vibes; it’s super different.”

“A black veil holds many mysteries... Heheh. You’re always free to lift it up anytime you want, Prefect! Just kidding.”

“Heartslabyul’s costumes last year? We were pirates! Wish you could see Cay as a pirate~?”

“The whole campus gets super festive and exciting around Halloween! And all the decorations are so photogenic.”

“Black makeup smudges easily, so you kind of need to have advanced skills to use it. Does it look okay right now? It’s not smudged?”

Home Tap (Groovy) “What are you dressing up as, Prefect? Come let me know when you have it ready. I wanna take a pic~”

Duo Magic Cater: “Jack, lend me some of your aesthetic support!” Jack: “This’ll be a breeze, Cater!”

#twisted wonderland #scary monsters #events

[blueluneacy]

I got inspired by a vocaloid song I liked when I was 13. Its ok bc Azul :)

It’s demon! Azul! that is probably the most obvious au i can think of, but its okay and I do not feel bad.

Warnings: manipulation, soul stealing, nightmare mention, implied yandere

It was another restless night. You were used to it at that point, looking up at your ceiling and hoping beyond hope that you would fall asleep. And you were tired, no one could deny that. It was just the idea of seeing…

You didn’t want to think about the nightmares that you were having. They were awful. You always found you in such a terrible inky black world, felt as if your heart was being torn from your chest. It would seem your body would rather be asleep than experience that over and over. But it led to your current dilemma.

It had been three days now. You needed to sleep soon, lest you pass out during work or worse. You needed to sleep. This sick cycle had been going on for a month now, getting nightmares then staying up for ages until you passed out and had more nightmares. 

You huffed as your body seemed only to get more restless, pulling you out of your bed. You went over to the window and pulled it open, hoping to get some air. You sighed as you looked up at the moon. The full moon has just passed. Maybe it was the light that was making you so restless. Once the New Moon came, you would be able to sleep with how dark the sky became. You hoped. It seemed that with the month you had been suffering, it was all just terrible hopes and wishes.

“It’s a bit late for stargazing, isn’t it?” You immediately turned to the voice that seemed to creep up out of nowhere, only to see… A man? No, this thing wasn’t a man. Although he had the features of one, there was something off about the look of his eyes. He was beautiful, fancily dressed with a good hat and a freshly pressed shirt. He wore fashionable glasses and had a rather nice coat, to the point where one may suppose that he may be a gentleman of sorts. His silver blue hair fell just past his ears, but you could see them poking out just a little. You noticed a point to them and steeled yourself. Despite his looks, he was no gentleman. You could already tell such a thing.

“I was just going to go to bed. Apologies if I had interrupted your walk.” You said, turning you back immediately and moving to your bed without closing the window. But the man only laughed, choosing to let himself lean against your windowsill and and gently lean into your room.

“You will be? That’s a shame. I had heard you haven’t been able to sleep at all. I was hoping I would have someone to talk to at this late hour.” He said. You flinched, turning your head. You were ready to snap at the being in front of you, but his expression was so gentle. 

“Where did you hear that?” You asked, trying to keep your voice smooth. Who knows what would happen if you made some being at your windowsill angry? But he laughed, leaning his head against his hand.

“You know, usually you ask the name of the person you’re talking to before asking questions.” He told you, as if gently chiding a child. “But I hear most everything. Every crone will gossip about any young person they see. Especially one drifting off at their job.” He said. You pursed your lips, looking away. 

“I… I’m trying my best. I’ll be able to sleep tonight, don’t you worry.” You said, moving over to the window to get ready to shoo away this mysterious stranger.

“You will? With the nightmares you’ve been having? You know, I know just the cure for those sorts of dreams.” The man told you. It was the word cure that made you pause. You wanted to question again how he knew about your nightmares, but you were sure you’d get the same answer as before. Something told you that he wasn’t all that forthcoming. And besides, you had told your coworkers and friends about it. Had he overheard you?

“You can…?” You paused and shook your head. “I’m not interested in any sort of sleep medicine you have. I don’t really have time for a sales pitch, Mr…” You really had never asked his name, had you? He only smiled.

“Azul. Please, it’s no medicine.” Azul hopped through your window as if it were nothing, moving to seat himself in your desk chair as if he owned the place. You were shocked at how absolutely comfortable he was to look around your home, to set himself comfortably. It was if he was able to go and make himself tea as well. He motioned for you to sit, and for whatever reason, you obeyed. You sat down on the edge of your bed across from him, just staring at him wide eyed.

“Have you ever considered magical intervention for this problem?” Azul asked you. You blinked. Magic…? You looked away, almost shuddering at the thought.

“We don’t have magicians and stuff like that around here. It’s looked down upon.” You responded meekly. He only scoffed at the idea.

“Well now, then there’s your problem. You’re not willing to explore ideas outside of your comfort zone.” Azul said in a bit of a harsher tone. You looked away, curling in on yourself. You were doing the best that you could, right? But, as soon as Azul saw it, he smiled. “Ah, but don’t worry. I have the solution here for you.” He told you. You blinked, looking at him before speaking again.

“And… And you really think that this will help me?” You asked. “Do you really think you’ll be able to help me sleep?” You asked. Azul gave you a lovely smile as he held a hand to his chest.

“Of course. I would never lie to you. I will be able to make you sleep, no doubt about it. You’ll just have to pay me back once you do.” You turned pale at the thought of payment, already grabbing your wallet to try and see how much you had. 

“Ah, don’t bother with that. I could never accept a payment up front. After all, what if it doesn't work?” He chuckled. “Of course, it will, but I like to make sure my customers are insured.” 

“W… What exactly is going to be the cost?” He was some sort of demon. You could feel it, see it even. But there was something so inexplicably beautiful about him, from those blue eyes to the mole on his chin like a drop of the most exquisite ink. It comforted you, just a little.

“Oh, nothing much. Don’t worry, I tend to like things humans usually don’t even think about. Things that rarely cross your mind.” He hummed. Well, that would be simple, right? Did he really just like trinkets and such? It might be risky, but… God, you were so tired. No other method had worked, and you knew Azul knew that. It would be fine, right? Something you rarely thought about… Well, it couldn’t be that hard.

“Fine. I accept, please. Just help me.” You said. Azul smiled, standing up as he held up his hand.

“Then it’s a deal. I’ll come back on the New Moon to check on your progress.” He told you, before taking your own hand and raising your pinky up. “Why don’t we make a nice promise? I always think young people like these sorts of things.” Ah, was Azul a lot older than you then? But he looked the same age you did. Still, as he raised your pinky, it seemed as if he wanted to make a promise with you like that. You couldn’t help but laugh as the two of you made your small pinky promise. 

But, your laughter didn’t last long. The moment Azul pulled away from you, you felt an intense drowsiness fall over you as you instinctively crawled into bed. Azul looked over you with a smile, much more satisfied than the last few he’s given you. He walked to your window, ready to leave before calling out to you again. Your eyes were just barely fixed on him, your eyelids feeling oh so heavy.

“Have a pleasant evening, (Y/n).” And with that, you fell into an empty sleep.

When you woke up the next morning, you burst up, looking around. You really… Were able to get a good night’s sleep? Was all of that with Azul just a dream? You got up and saw that your window was still open, a gentle breeze blowing your curtains back. You looked around outside, but there weren’t even footprints. He really was just gone.

“Maybe it was all a dream…” You decided not to worry too much about it. After all, you slept. You felt rested. And that was enough for you.

But, that didn’t last for long. After a few days, it felt as though sleep wasn’t helping at all anymore. Although you could fall asleep now, every time you woke up, you felt just as tired as when you were awake. Your sleeps were empty, like death itself. It was definitely not as troubling as before, but still. You were still exhausted. After a week, you were in the same position you were in before. Falling asleep at work, dozing off left and right. But this time, sleep was just doing nothing for you.

On the night of the New Moon, you stayed up on purpose. If Azul didn’t show up, you had a strange dream, and if he did, you had words. Many, awful words.

But, when your clock had just struck three, there was a gentle knock on your window. You got up, unlatched the window and pursed your lips as you saw Azul. He was as handsome as ever, smiling at you with wonderful kindness. He easily pulled himself through your window.

“You’ve been able to sleep, I see. Are you enjoying it?” Azul asked. You immediately huffed.

“I can sleep, but I’m still tired all the time. It’s like my sleep doesn’t even matter.” You told him. Azul immediately laughed.

“Well, of course. You haven’t been dreaming, after all.” He told you as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. You blinked.

“What are you talking about?” You asked. 

“I suppose that maybe you’re not the type of person to remember your dreams, then? Well, allow me to explain.” He already sat to take his place at your desk, sitting down and leaning back. And, like an obedient student, you were already sitting on the edge of your bed, ready to listen. 

“It’s about the sleep cycle. In the most important step, where you are getting the most rest, you’re dreaming. It’s like a filler portion your brain puts in.” Azul tells you. You felt yourself getting pretty angry at that. Of course you could never trust a demon like that. They always have something to pull.

“Well, then why didn’t you give me dreams? You took away my nightmares, but you didn’t put anything there to replace it?!” You snapped. Azul tilted his head to the side as if he were a confused dog.

“You never asked. I don’t do things that people don’t ask me to do. It always seems to end up terribly.” Azul replied, as if it were the most simple thing.

“Well, now this has turned out terribly too.” You huffed. Azul sighed.

“Well, that’s the reason I take payment afterwards. After all, I can’t take payment from an unhappy customer, can I?” Azul said, standing up. He took your hand and gently pulled you up, using his free gloved hand to run along your cheek. Azul, despite everything, truly was beautiful. Perhaps that was the danger of him, or of demons in general. They were too beautiful. It was as though the tricks that they play weren’t out of malice, but out of pure foolishness on both ends. Foolishness to not assume and foolishness to believe a demon would ever not twist his words.

“How about I make you some dreams then? I’ll make you the most lovely dreams. Sweet stories and savory fantasies. Would you like such a thing? You’ll be able to dream to your heart’s content.” He told you. You should know better than to say yes to such a thing. And yet, you couldn’t help but ask.

“And… And the payment will be the same?” You asked, hoping that he would tell you that it would be awful this time, that he would scare you into refusing. But Azul only smiled. 

“Of course. Like I said, I’ll never take payment from an unhappy customer.” You felt his hand rub against your back as the other held your chin. When… When did you get so close to him? It was dizzying, this whole experience. You blinked up at him, nodding slowly. Azul hummed in delight.

“Then… Shall we seal this promise with a kiss?” He asked, and you couldn’t refuse. As Azul’s lips pressed against yours, you felt your eyelids get heavy once more, whatever magic Azul had activating and starting to lull you to sleep. It was a chaste kiss, but long. It was as if Azul was savoring it, only pulling away when he was satisfied. He easily pulled you up into his arms and placed you on the bed, turning his back to you as he moved back to the window.

“Then, I’ll return on the full moon. I hope to hear about how happy you are then.” He turned to you, looking at your sleepy face once more before smiling.

“Sweet dreams, (Y/n).” 

And you did have sweet dreams. That night, you dreamed of such wonders. Of houses made of sweets, of a prince to sweep you off your feet with silver glasses and a mole on his chin. It was all so wonderful that when you woke up, you wanted to go right back to sleep. You saw your open window and smiled. Finally, things would get better. About time.

And they did get better. For you, at least. Maybe not for the people around you. Because, as you slept more, the more you wanted to sleep. All you wanted to do anymore was sleep, sleep, sleep. You were rested when you were awake, sure, but your dreams were so pleasant. You were so happy being asleep. You continued dreams with your prince, to dream of love and eternal bliss. It was like a paradise you could never escape from. The only anxiety that plagued you was once again, Azul.

What was it exactly that he wanted from you? Soon, he would be coming for his payment. What was it that he wanted? You tried to think of things people didn’t think about often. Maybe cheap things? Or squirrel skin? Or maybe people didn’t think about lost fingernail clippings. But any idea that came to your mind felt stupid. You just had to wait. And the waiting was the most terrible part.

But, the full moon came. Time never slows down, and it moves extra quick for those who are always sleeping. When Azul knocked on your window, you opened it gently. You didn’t want to seem afraid, but you were just unsure of what to even give. But Azul greeted you warmly, coming through your window gently. Really, now that you think about it, he looked a lot like the prince from your dreams. How strange. 

“I see you’re doing very well. That makes me really happy.” Azul told you. You did your best to smile back, nodding.

“Yeah! Of course, now I sleep a bit too much, but that’s more of my own fault than yours.” You replied, trying to keep yourself light. Azul just hummed.

“That’s good. That’s another happy customer I have under my belt then.” Azul told you. Usually, now was the time he would sit down and explain how payment would work, but he simply stood there, smiling at you. You let yourself stand in the silence as it grew awkward, before Azul finally spoke up.

“Well, as for payment… I’m sure you’re already aware, right?” He asked you. You shook your head slowly, trying to figure out what he meant.

“Actually, no. But if you tell me what it is, I’ll get it for you right away, I promise!” You told him. Azul chuckled a bit.

“Ah, but you already have it right here.” Azul told you, pulling you into his embrace. It was tighter, more possessive than you expected it to be. “After all, it’s quite hard to lose your eternal soul, at least for a human.” You went pale, starting to squirm to try and get away from Azul, but his grip was iron tight.

“W-What?! Why didn’t you tell me?! You said it would be something I don’t think about?!” You told him. Azul only laughed.

“Humans don’t think about their eternal souls often, I don’t think. If they did, they wouldn’t do foolish things so often.” Azul replied, touching your cheek gently. “As for not telling you… You never really pressed me on the matter, so I thought it was okay.” He replied. You felt your blood run cold as you turned your head away from Azul, starting to cry. He tutted you gently.

“Oh, why are you giving me such a sad expression? This is reality here. After all, you were only dreaming anyway. What’s the point in dreams if you don’t ever try to put them into action?” he told you. You weren’t listening. You only continued to cry, to cry for yourself. You can never trust a demon, no matter how beautiful they are. And you were learning that far too late.

Azul sighed as he lifted you up, placing you onto your bed. You tried to curl up, but Azul easily climbed on top of you, entwining his hands with yours and letting his nose brush up against yours.

“Don’t worry, darling. It’s not so bad to be with me. Just let yourself fall into one more dream that I’ve made for us.” Azul told you, leaning to let his lips brush gently against yours in a not quite kiss.

“Now. Fulfill your end of the bargain.” And you had no hope of saying no as Azul descended upon you in another kiss. It was rougher this time, with teeth and tongue, but it didn’t matter. All you truly felt was despair as you felt your eyes droop. You felt a sharp pain and the taste of blood as you started to fall asleep, looking up to see Azul pull away from you. The last thing you saw was a satisfied smile on Azul’s face, with blood staining his teeth.

…

Hey, have you heard? It’s about that person who fell into eternal sleep. 

They say that if you go out on the full moon when the clock strikes three, you might be able to see them on the arm of a handsome man. Of course, that’s ridiculous, right? Only a fool would believe such stories. After all, at that late, everyone must be dreaming. But the man always looks so happy as he walks with them, don’t they?

They say at that time, the person sleeping starts to cry.

#azul ashengrotto #azul ashengrotto/reader #twisted wonderland/reader #twisted wonderland #twst/reader #yandere/reader #yandere x reader #My writing #mine #sfw

[abyssal-memories-and-dreams]

AAAhh I'm the anon that requested twst boys meeting their girlfriends family - it was so good and awesome 💕💕💕💕💕 I'm glad you enjoyed writing it. If you don't mind may I request the same for Azul, Rook and Jack please?

Hi, Luv! Likewise, I’m glad you enjoyed the first part, and I’m ecstatic to hear that you want more! Here you go, Anon! Sorry that this took so long!

Part 1 can be found here! https://twisted-wonderland-insanity.tumblr.com/post/620318557803282432/yay-new-tw-blog-can-i-ask-hqs-for-mallets-leona

Meeting their Fem! (S/O)’s Family Pt. 2 (ft. Azul Ashengrotto, Rook Hunt, and Jack Howl)

~Azul Ashengrotto~

Your father is immediately giving Azul the stink eye as soon as he walks through the door and into your home. Given his suit, his cheerful smirk, and the overall devious aura about him, it’s no wonder if any adults in your family think he’s a Mafioso.

However, Azul has a plan ready to act upon just for this occasion - he’s willing to prove to them that he’s the one for you, after all!

Like Vil, his biggest strength is his sharp tongue. Being what some consider a ‘conman,’ Azul knows how to sweeten his words to win anyone over. How do you think he got his contracts, after all?

However, he will show more compassion to your family than any of his clients. He’ll give you mother an endless amount of compliments, and even bring a gift for both of your parents as thanks for inviting him over.

Even if he finds children a bit annoying, he’s willing to play with any younger siblings that you have. Most notably, he could offer his coat and hat to them to dress up in, calling them a ‘young man’ or a ‘little lady’ if they accept. 

If you have any older siblings, he’s adept to strike a civil conversation with them. It doesn’t matter what the topic is about, or his knowledge on it, Azul will listen to whatever they’re interested in if it means that they’ll like him more.

If your father tries to bombard him with questions, he’s not worried - at least, not visibly at least. On the inside, he is DEFINITELY nervous about whether or not he succeeds at winning him over, but he tries to hide it in his facade. Nonetheless, he is still very courteous during his conversation with your parents.

“Thank you Mr. and Mrs. (L/N) for inviting me to this amazing dinner tonight. It was a pleasure getting to know you all, and I hope that I can see you again in the near future. Your daughter is an amazing woman, and I hope that you’ll accept my love and consideration for her just as I do with yours.”

When the night is over, Azul has won over most of your family members. Most of them will set aside his appearance (all accept your father, go figures) and see him as a charming and sweet gentleman. This all comes at a cost of Azul’s stress and adrenaline increasing due to how much he had to do to get their favor. However, no need to worry! Jade and Floyd MAY have been looking over you two from the outside in case something went wrong.

~Rook Hunt~

Ironically enough, Rook is actually pretty excited to meet your family, wanting to know how amazing they are if they were able to bring you into the world. Just make sure that you tell your boyfriend to maybe tone it down a bit.

Spoiler alert, he forgets about this precaution, and your family is put off by his overtly cheerful behavior at first. Your father in particular feels like he’s putting a facade to hide the fact that he might not be worthy of you. 

Don’t worry, though. Rook might not have a strong tongue like Vil, but he does indeed do his best to follow by example. For your sake, he will try his best to tone it down for the remainder of the night.

Yes, Rook might be a bit perturbed if any siblings you have decide to poke fun at his haircut or his personality, but will nonetheless feign ignorance to that kind of behavior. He’s a gentleman, after all, so no ruckus will be made during the dinner table.

Did I forget to mention that Rook took his daily dose of respect women juice before heading to your place? Because if I didn’t, then now you know! Like Vil, he treats all the women in your family with utter respect and compassion, and might even befriend your mother with his wellness tips and compliments.

Your father, unsurprisingly, is the most difficult person for him to please. However, unlike some people who find it annoying, Rook understands where his overprotectiveness comes from. Like himself, your father can’t help but dote on you constantly and make sure you’re alright.

Luckily for Rook, he uses his greatest strength of all to try and persuade your father - his use of pathos.

“Monsieur (L/N), it was an absolute honor meeting you tonight. Before I leave, I would like to leave an appraisal. (S/O) is mon seul vrai amour - my muse and inspiration! Her smile brightens up whatever room she is in, and I am eternally grateful that she has chosen me as her beloved partner. S'il vous plaît, Monsieur (L/N), my only hope is that I’m willing to protect her forevermore just as you have done so your entire life.”

When he leaves, your family is somewhat mixed about him. Some people find his personality as oddly charming and funny. Others, however, find Rook to be sketchy and too outlandish for you hello father dearest. But overall, he is pretty confident about tonight’s encounter and hopes to meet them again.

~Jack Howl~

Ok, let me be frank and say that your family might be intimidated and/or startled by Jack the first time they see him. With his resting scowl and enormous height, don’t be surprised when the first thing they think of him is “delinquent.”

Which is precisely why your father is immediately set on placing you guys on separate sides of the dinner table. This angers Jack to no end, seeing as though he never gave him a chance to prove himself as worthy.

Jack may not be the best for his words, but tonight he will try his best to appease your family through his actions. He has his mind set to one goal, and one goal only - making sure that your family approves of your relationship with him.

Does your mother need help setting up the table to washing the dishes after? He’ll quietly offer to do it, and if she consents, he will do so without any complaints.

With siblings, the best way to win them over is to play games with them. Despite his brute strength, he will try his best to make it easy for them just so that they can have fun. The best part about this? Any young siblings that he can carry on his shoulders will ABSOLUTELY love him if they do that! Albeit, he will have a blushing face afterward...

And then there was... your father. Oh dear King of Beasts, have mercy on his soul. As stated before, Jack’s not exactly the best at conveying his emotions through words as much as through actions, so if your dad starts to bombard him with question after question, chances are he might not even answer them all.

However, annoyed after seemingly being asked a hundred questions, he will stand up for the two of you with annoyance at your father. He can tell that his overprotectiveness is almost suffocating on you, and you deserve better than that! Most of all, he will not hesitate to say that directly at your father’s face.

“Listen, Mr. (L/N), all night long I have tried to prove myself to you because your daughter and I agreed it would be the right thing to do for our relationship. If I didn’t love (S/O), I wouldn’t have gone through this night hoping that it would be a success. Clearly, however, you don’t see that in me. And clearly, you don’t see that I’m good for (S/O)! I understand that you want what’s best for your daughter, but I also want you to see that she doesn’t want you breathing down her neck every five seconds! So please, give us a chance, if not for me, then for her!”

After that speech, all of your family is left in shock. After Jack leaves, he doesn’t know how your father reacts after. Would he be angry at your boyfriend, or unresentful? Would he question his parenting skills, or forbid you from seeing him for the next month? Whatever the case, Jack is content with what he said. Could he have been gentler with his words? Maybe. But he still said what he thought needed to be said, and he hopes that your dad takes his words into considerations.

Besides, chances are he did happen to win someone over that night. If not your mother, then perhaps your siblings.

#twisted wonderland #azul ashengrotto #twisted wonderland request #request #rook hunt #jack howl #twisted wonderland headcanons

[twistedtummies2]

Mia Corazón (Commission)

Another commission I got via my FA page. This is from the same person who commissioned “Tick Tock” and “A Grim Dinner.” It features his OC based on Tick Tock the Crocodile, Tock Crockwork...BUT, more importantly, it also acts as an introduction to his newest OC, Caelyum De Macabre - a character based on Davy Jones (with hints of Tia Dalma) from “Pirates of the Caribbean.”  And it’s NOT A KINK STORY. HERESY, I KNOW. I had a LOT of fun with this one; my only major regret is that I couldn’t make it longer than it already is. XD Also, just for the sake of making sure people know, I did not make up the lyrics to the song featured here. They’re actually fan-made lyrics for Davy Jones’ theme from the movies, originally created by a YouTube artist called Fiajela. I highly recommend looking up the song - it’s been covered by her and Man on the Internet, and they even made a duet version with the two stitched together. Anyway...hopefully you all enjoy. :)

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Valentine’s Day had come to Night Raven College. As you and Grim walked through the halls of the dark castle, you couldn’t help but chuckle at the decorations: pink paper hearts and streamers of white and crimson were everywhere, making it feel almost as if Heartslabyul had somehow managed to take over the entire palatial academy. Grim frowned up at you, trotting at your side, trident tail swishing as he went. “Nya? What’s so funny, Minion?” he demanded to know. “Nothing, nothing,” you responded with a shake of your head. “It’s just…everything looks so different.” Grim sniffed snootily, crinkling his nose at a poster of two young lovers embracing. “I don’t like it,” he remarked. “It’s all…mushy. It just doesn’t feel right for a School of Villains to be so…nya, what’s a good word…?” “Sentimental? Sappy? Saccharine?” “Gross,” was the word Grim chose, sticking out his tongue and shuddering like a small boy afraid of getting the dreaded cooties. You snorted with laughter. “Well, bring it up to the Headmaster,” you smirked, stuffing your hands in your pockets as you went. “I’d rather not,” Grim grumped. “Besides, we all know Crowley would just ramble on about it, or say he’ll get things done and never do…how come he’s Headmaster, anyway? He doesn’t do anything!” “Your guess is as good as mine,” you shrugged. “All I know is the only home I have is thanks to him, as is the only job. I’d like to keep both, thank you.” Grim shrugged back with an accepting sort of rumble as the two of you ascended the spiral staircase that led up to the Headmaster’s Office. Crowley had sent a call that morning; classes were dismissed for the day, so the university was a little quieter than usual: many of the students were off visiting family or loved ones, and those that were hanging around the campus still were largely engaged in…ahem…PRIVATE affairs. You, of course, could not leave; at least for now, Night Raven was your home, and as you were currently not in a relationship, Valentine’s Day wasn’t much different than any other day. Not that you minded much; it was still nice, in your mind, to see others happy and relaxed, and a holiday was a holiday, at any rate…though it seemed even St. Valentine’s holiday would not be saving you from helping clean up whatever mess Crowley needed dealt with this time. As you passed an image of two small, fluffy kittens holding a heart, a random thought came to your head: “Grim?” “Nya?” “Have you ever wanted to be in love?” “Not really,” the cat-like monster said. “Love is all…icky.” You frowned. “Icky?” you repeated. “All the kissing and hugging and…bleh!” Grim shuddered again, then went on: “Besides, it seems awfully difficult; makes you humans and even beast-men all crazy. I’ve got too much to deal with as it is, thank you very much! Nope. The World’s Greatest Mage won’t ever let love make him all soppy.” Grim stuck out his fluffy chest proudly at this, sticking his nose in the air. You smirked, and paused, reaching down to scratch behind his ears. He froze up…then purred and nuzzled into your touch. “Purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr…o-okay…maybe I love some things,” he admitted.

“Good kitty,” you teased, and snickered as Grim growled at you and half-heartedly swiped at your hand with a paw. You retracted it and the two of you kept moving. “Come on. The sooner we deal with Crowley, the faster we can get to our own stuff.” Grim nodded, as the pair of you drew nearer to Crowley’s office. You knocked on the door and waited for the sing-song call of “Come in!” before entering. Inside the office, things looked the same as ever, floating portraits of the Great Seven and all…aside from a vase of roses, plus a couple of heart-shaped ornaments on the desk, as well as the fact the purple-and-green curtains had been exchanged for solid red velvet drapes. Dire Crowley himself was seated behind his desk, sorting through paperwork, dressed in his usual attire. His feathery cloak rustled as he lifted his top-hatted head, and smiled at both yourself and Grim as you shut the door to the office behind you, his yellow eyes sparkling behind his Plague-Doctor-esque Venetian mask. “Ahhh! Prefect of Ramshackle Dorm! And the Little Monster!” he greeted warmly, rising and waving his hands, bidding you closer as he stepped around his desk. “Come, come, you’re right on time!” “On time for what, dare we ask?” Grim meowed. “Aren’t you celebrating Valentine’s Day, too, Headmaster?” you asked, politely. “Later,” Crowley smirked, winking and tapping the side of his mask’s long nose. “I’ll be entertaining a cute little fairy sorceress from the Land of Oz later tonight.” He let out a dreamy sigh, placing a hand to his heart. “Ahhh, Miss Upland…one day, you will be mine…” You and Grim gave each other a look, shrugged, then turned back to Crowley. “What’s the problem, then?” you asked, knowing better than to think this was a social call. By now, Crowley had firmly established yourself and Grim as the chief problem solvers of the Academy, so it stood to reason he had a mission for your both. “Oh! Yes, well,” Crowley muttered, and cleared his throat, adjusting and straightening his stance before going on in a business-like way: “As I’m sure you’ll both know, tonight there’s a special performance, directed by our own Vil Schoenheit, for the holiday.” “Nya? Isn’t it that play about the Sea Witch?” Grim checked, tilting his head. “Correct,” nodded the Headmaster. “And the Little Mermaid she assisted. We have a special guest coming to see the show tonight…” He reached into the folds of his cloak and pulled out a small photograph, handing it over to you. You knelt down to get closer to Grim’s level, and showed him the photo as you both looked it over: the picture was a portrait of a dark-skinned mermaid, with hair black as ebony and scales of red and gold. Her eyes were brown and soft and warm as milk chocolate, and a silver locket in the shape of a heart was clasped about her throat. “Oooh…she’s pretty!” Grim smiled. “Very,” you agreed with a smile of your own. “She,” the Headmaster spoke up, “Is Young Lady Mia Corazón. Her family is one of the richest in the Coral Sea.” “Which is why you invited her,” you guessed, trying not to sound as bored as you were. To your surprise, Crowley answered, “I didn’t invite her! She wanted to see the show on her own…but there is one difficulty: her family insists that she be accompanied by at least two bodyguards at all times. Much like the Al-Asims, they’ve had…ISSUES in the past, and if their daughter is going to be on land for a spell, her parents want to make sure she’s adequately protected.” “That’s fair enough,” you supposed. “Let me guess,” sighed Grim, crossing his arms, “You want us to be the bodyguards then?” “Well, I suppose I COULD hire professionals,” Crowley murmured, scratching his chin in thought. “But they can cost a lot…I’d probably end up having to cut your pay just to-” “Forget it,” you grumbled, while Grim growled and slapped a paw to his forehead. “We’ll do it. But something is worrying me, if you don’t mind my bringing it up.” “What’s that?” “Are you sure WE’RE the right ones for this job?” you pressed, then before Crowley could speak up, you went on quickly: “We’ll do it, like I said, but…are you certain we should?” “How do you mean?” the Headmaster questioned, tilting his head. “Well, we’re not from the Coral Sea,” you explained. “Wouldn’t someone from that area be a better choice? Perhaps Azul could loan out the Leech Twins for a day!” Both Grim and Crowley looked at you as if you had grown a second skull. “…Right,” you sighed, quickly catching on. “Azul. ‘Loan’ us the Leech Twins. And us NOT expect things to go HORRIBLY wrong, one way or another. Yeah, that was a dumb suggestion, sorry.” Crowley chuckled and shook his head. “I have every confidence in you,” he said, with a wide smile. “You’ve solved so many problems in the past! And it’s only for tonight! What could possibly go wrong?” “Well, great, now something will DEFINITELY become a problem,” Grim grumbled. “Look, it’s not that I’m ungrateful,” you pressed on, “Or even that I’ve got a whole lot else to do, just…I’m worried because I don’t have magic. And Grim is…well…Grim.” “Hey!” Grim yapped indignantly. “I could roast any bad guy’s butt if they tried to get to Miss Coronation!” “Corazón,” corrected the Headmaster. “Whatever,” shrugged Grim. Crowley rolled his eyes, then turned his head upward. “You do raise a good point though, Prefect,” he conceded. “I didn’t think of that…at the very least, you two will need some help.” You were just about to agree…when suddenly, you heard Grim shiver. Both you and Crowley looked down as the cat-like demon quivered and hugged himself, the fire in his ears flickering. “Are you okay?” you asked, worriedly. “Y-Yeah,” Grim answered with a slight chattering of his teeth. “But…does anybody else feel like it suddenly got colder in here?” Now that Grim mentioned it, you DID suddenly feel a light chill crawl up and down your back…and it wasn’t too long afterward that the source of the cold made its presence known. With an authoritative BANG, the Headmaster’s office door burst open, causing both yourselves and Crowley to yelp and jump in alarm. You turned around fast, and gulped nervously as you perceived the imposing figure of Chief Jehan – the school’s head of security, garbed as ever in his military style cap and long, black trenchcoat. “Headmaster,” the darkly dressed security chief intoned, bowing his head respectfully to Dire Crowley, “Forgive this intrusion.” “Oh, it’s alright, Claude,” Crowley sighed out, then frowned. “Whatever is the matter?” “I apprehended this rule-breaking scallywag in the school cafeteria,” Jehan stated, indicating a second figure. “Ow! OW! H-Hey, let go of me, you old…! I’ll bite your legs off, you hear me?!” You and Grim were surprised to see the short, thick-hipped, green haired figure struggling in the icy grip of Claude Jehan, trying to pull away as his ear was all but being yanked from the side of his cranium. “Tock?” the two of you chorused. Tock Crockwork just snarled as Jehan glared at him. He tried to return the glower, but it came off more akin to a wounded animal trying to look tough than…well…looking tough. Crowley’s frown deepened, and he stepped past you and Grim – uttering a quiet, “One moment please” – before approaching the chief and the unruly Octavinelle student. “What is the meaning of this?” the Headmaster boomed. The Security Chief pushed Tock forward, releasing his ear. Tock stumbled a bit and caught himself, massaing his sore lobe. “This young ruffian,” Jehan explained, “Started a brawl with Mr. Bucchi over the last Deluxe Menchi Katsu Sandwich. As the latter student was merely defending himself, I felt his punishment should be more lenient; both have been banned from the cafeteria for the rest of the week…but as the one who started the whole affair…” He trailed off as Tock growled rather pathetically, looking down at the floor sullenly. Crowley scowled and hummed thoughtfully, clearly trying to determine a fitting punishment. Your eyes, as well as Grim’s, widened, and you looked to each other. “Grim,” you whispered, “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” “I think so, Minion, but a show about a math teacher who’s also a criminal mastermind? Who’d want to watch that?” You facepalmed. “What are you two whispering about?” Jehan asked, suspiciously, as Tock and Crowley both looked to you as well. “I think I know a way to kill two birds with one stone, so to speak,” you suggested. “You mean, a way to deal with Mr. Crockwork while also dealing with your dilemna?” Crowley guessed. “Exactly.” “Dilemna? What dilemna?” Tock asked. You grinned.

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“Thanks for sticking up for me, snack meat,” Tock groused, petulantly pouting as he walked by your side. “You’re the one who decided to pick a fight with the hyena,” you shrugged. “Honestly, I think I did you a favor.” “Nya…my Minion has a point,” Grim nodded. “Do you really think things would have been better if Crowley had decided to punish you himself?” “Or worse,” you put in, grimly, “Leave you to Chief Jehan?” All three of you shuddered, and Grim even crossed himself at the mention of the security chief. “Fine, I guess that’s fair,” Tock grumbled. “But I don’t like having to protect a fish filet from harm. I eat fish!” “Well, you won’t be eating Mia Corazón,” you sniffed. “Alright…guess I’ll just have to eat YOU instead,” smirked Tock, and licked his sharp teeth. Grim mewed and hid behind your leg. You blushed. “…We’ll worry about that later,” you grumbled, making Crockwork snicker with a wicked smile. “For now, let’s focus on getting you some actual lunch.” “You ARE an actual lunch,” snorted Tock. “I am not on the menu!” you snapped, flushed with embarrassment as Tock gave you a knowing grin. “Well…not till your work is done,” he teased, winking deviously, then smirking down at Grim. “Maybe I’ll have the little hairball for an appetizer, too…” Grim hissed at being referred to as a “hairball,” but said nothing. “Do you always have to be so antagonistic?” you sighed. “It’s what keeps getting you into trouble, you know.” Tock just shrugged carelessly, hips swaying as he walked side by side with you. “So, where are we heading?” he asked. “Can’t go to the cafeteria, and the Mostro Lounge is way too expensive…” “The Mystery Shop,” you answered. “I’m sure Sam’s got something in stock for us all to snack on before we head to the beach to pick up our special guest.” “Nya! Between my fiery awesomeness, my Minion’s brains, and lizard-breath’s strength, we’ll be the best bodyguards ever!” declared Grim. “Call me ‘lizard breath’ again,” Tock warned, “And we’ll be back down to two people, fuzz-face.” “Fuzz-face?!” Grim snapped. “How’d you like to BURN off a few of those calories you’re so proud of, hah?!” “Girls, girls, you’re both pretty,” you droned. The pair glared at you, then each other…then growled in unison as they stopped. “Thank you,” you sighed with relief. “Now, let’s be on our best behavior: I don’t want Sam’s Friends to give us a hard time…” As you spoke, your little trio reached the entrance to Mr. S’s Mystery Shop, and the three of you walked inside. Aside from a simple banner reading “Happy Valentine’s Day!” over the door, the shop was completely as it usually was…at least on the outside. To be fair, once you all entered the building, the store within seemed its usual self, too; no heart-shaped décor here, only the usual assortment of voodoo accessories. The strange part came when you not only realized Sam was nowhere to be seen…but you all also noticed who was tending to the store. Or rather, what. “Crabs?” all three of you gasped in surprise. Sure enough, crawling all over the Mystery Shop was an assortment of strange white sand crabs. Their shells seemed to have been made from smooth, ivory-colored stone…and as if the presence of the pale decapods wasn’t bizarre enough, their activities certainly would have gotten some unusual reactions. A few of the crabs were straightening out and sorting through items on the shelves, making sure everything was in top-notch condition. One crab was holding a miniature broom, while the other held a dustpan, the pair of them sweeping the floor. Still another crab was changing a lightbulb, while two more – clicking their claws encouragingly – were supervising. A bunch of crabs carrying a spray bottle and a wash cloth scuttled past you all, near your feet. Yourself and Croc stepped back, but Grim – with typical feline curiosity – leaned down and actually sniffed at one of the crustaceans… “ME-YOWCH!” he yelped, and jumped back, mewling and covering his muzzle after one of the crabs pinched his nose with their pincer. The crab seemed to strut away importantly afterward. “Heh…guess the crab cake bit back, huh?” teased Tock. Grim just growled and massaged his stinging snout. “This is new,” you muttered. “Where’d all these little guys come from?” “Cruel and cold, like winds on the sea. Will you ever return to me? Hear my voice sing with the tide: My Love Will Never Die…” The melodious voice soon sang into your ears, and you and your companions looked towards the source. In a corner of the shop, a lone figure was quietly mopping, and singing the lonely, haunting sea shanty you had heard. The figure was a young and slender man, dressed in a tan-colored jacket with ruffle-ended sleeves, and a brown hip-skirt. His legs were covered by dark beige trousers, while plain brown boots were on his feet. A fishnet scarf was loosely slung about his shoulders, almost like a shawl, and an orange muscle shirt festooned his abdomen. His hair was a curious pink hue, and done up in dreadlocks. “Ahem!” you coughed, catching the young man’s attention. He froze and looked up to you, blinking his brown eyes. For a moment, you noticed there was a look of pain and something…hollow in his face, as if something inside of him was missing and he longed to get it back. An overwhelming feeling of loneliness and sorrow seemed to wash over you…but it disappeared in an instant when the youth smiled. “Oh! Ahoy there! Didn’t hear you come in,” he greeted, bowing his head respectfully as he put the mop in its bucket and then walked towards you and your group. “Can I help you?” “Well, you can start by telling us who you are, and what happened to Sam,” Grim frowned. The young man chuckled, flipping his fishnet scarf over one shoulder. “Sam is taking the day off for the holiday,” he explained, then slowly added, “I don’t…make merry on Valentine’s Day, so I volunteered to keep the shop open and do some cleaning.” “Well, that answers one question,” Tock snorted, crossing his arms over his chest and lookin the taller youth up and down. “Mind answering the other?” “Oh! Right, right,” the young fellow chuckled, and cleared his throat before giving a mock-salute and answering: “Name’s Caelyum. Caelyum De Macabre. I’m Sam’s new assistant.” “Pleased to meet you,” you smiled, and shook Caelyum’s hand, and tilted your head. “Say…can I call you Cael for short?” The young man’s smile flickered, and he paused before quietly beseeching, “I’d…rather you didn’t, thank you.” “No problem, I’m sorry,” you apologized quickly. “Not at all, not at all,” the young man chuckled, and straightened his stance, recovering quickly. “So! What can I do for you, me hearties? Supplies, clothes?” “Food,” growled Tock. “I’m STARVING.” Caelyum chuckled and jabbed a thumb to one part of the shop. “You’ll find everything you need in that direction.” Tock nodded, and sashayed in the direction De Macabre had indicated. Caelyum smiled back at you and Grim in the meantime. “You’re the Prefect of Ramshackle Dorm, right?” he guessed. “That’s right,” you nodded. “It’s nice to meet you, then,” Caelyum smiled. “Sam’s told me all about you: he says you’re his favorite customer.” “He says that about everyone,” Grim snorted. Caelyum chuckled and knelt down. He extended a hand carefully. Grim sniffed it carefully…then smiled and allowed the shopkeeper’s assistant to pet him softly. “You have a beautiful singing voice,” you couldn’t help but comment. Caelyum looked up in surprise…then blushed a bit. “Oh, uh…you heard a little of that, did you?” he chuckled with embarrassment. “Nya! It sounded really sad, but…it was also really nice,” Grim mewed. “Thanks,” Caelyum said as he stood back up to his full height. “What song was that?” you asked, curiously. “I’ve never heard it before. Is it from your homeland?” Caelyum’s smile fell, and he looked askance. “Not exactly,” he murmured, then informed you aloud, in a matter-of-fact way: “It’s a song from the Coral Sea. I come from the Jubilee Port, near the Swamplands: same place as Sam. A…friend taught the song to me.” Catching the hitch in his voice, you smiled sympathetically. “It sounds like you two were close.” “We were,” Caelyum said softly. “Very.” “Nya…what happened?” Grim asked. Caelyum paused…then shrugged. “They left,” was all he said. Sensing the sensitive subject, you decided to drop the matter; Grim caught on and did the same. “How long have you been working for Sam? I haven’t seen you around before.” “Not long,” shrugged Caelyum, seemingly grateful the subject had changed. “He and I have some similar interests, and when I joined Night Raven, I applied for work.” “Oh, so you’re a first year?” “Yep.” “What house? Octavinelle?” you guessed, wondering why Tock wouldn’t have recognized the youth if so. “Scarabia, actually and weirdly enough,” laughed Caelyum, as if the placement struck him as some sort of very funny joke…he paused then leaned in and whispered: “Um…is it just me, or is the dorm head of that house a little…you know…how would you say it…?” “Too pure and innocent for this cruel, unholy world?” “…Yeah, that.” “Yes. Yes, he very much is.” The two of you were interrupted by the sound of Tock snarling in the food aisles. You all turned to see him trying to pry a bag of chips out of the pincers of one of the crabs, who looked very insulted to be interrupted in his work. “Hey! Can somebody make this crab cake let go?!” he snapped. “Oh, sorry!” Caelyum called out, and then snapped his fingers. Suddenly, every single crab inside the building froze…and then their claws and extremities retracted into their shells, leaving only a series of what looked like smooth, white stones scattered around the shop. With a second snap of his fingers, the stone crabs disappeared; there was no puff of smoke or flash of light. One second they were there…the next, they were not. Grim whistled, impressed. “Nice trick,” he murmured. “Is that your Unique Magic?” you asked. “Yep,” Caelyum nodded. “They’re called Locker Crabs, and you’d be surprised the kinds of things I can do with them…” “Cool!” Grim commented. “Hey, Tock!” you called out, hearing the rustling of snack food bags. “Leave some stuff for the rest of us, and hurry up! We need to get to the beach quickly!” “I’m hurrying, snack meat, I’m hurrying!” Tock called back dismissively. “The beach?” Caelyum spoke up, looking interested. “Why are you three heading there? What’s so important?” “We’re on a mission!” Grim cheered, puffing out his chest once more. “Oh, really?” smirked Caelyum, looking amused, and scoffed as he moved behind the front desk. “What for? Some sort of Valentine’s Day meeting, or something?” You frowned, sensing a bitterness to two particular words. “You mentioned you don’t make merry on Valentine’s Day,” you said slowly, approaching the desk and leaning on it. “What do you…y’know…have against it?” “Hm?” Caelyum murmured, then shrugged as he leaned back against the shelves behind the front desk. “Oh, well, it’s…not the day itself. More what it represents.” “Nya? What do you mean?” Grim asked, tilting his head. A shadow seemed to fall over Caelyum’s face, and he looked askance. Something icy and stormy flickered across his features. “Love,” he said, as if the word were some repellent toxin. You and Grim shared a look, then looked back to Caelyum. “Love is a lie,” Caelyum went on, seemingly talking more to himself than to either of you. “It’s like a parasite that burrows into your chest…and even once the sickness it spreads is cured, something in there remains, keeping you from ever knowing real peace. It pulls you along a blind alley, and just when you feel safe, it stabs you in every place it hurts most, and then leaves you to either heal on your own or die. It weakens your defenses, and confuses your resolve. And yet every year, every time this day comes around…I just see people acting like it’s the best thing in the universe.” He shuddered violently, looking positively ill. Grim meowed almost sadly. “I think love is mushy and gross, but…I don’t think it’s THAT bad,” he mewed. His words seemed to snap Caelyum out of it. The witch doctor’s assistant glanced up at you both…and, with a light chuckle, his helpful, friendly smile returned, the shadows departing in an instant. “Well…being mushy and gross doesn’t help,” he joked. Grim sniggered. Your own expression didn’t change, even as the employee leaned forward again. “Seriously, though, what IS your mission?” “We’re gonna be bodyguards!” Grim announced joyously. “Bodyguards?” “There’s a special guest coming to the show on campus tonight,” you explained. “The Headmaster assigned the three of us to look after her, since she’s a VIP.” “A really RICH VIP,” Grim added. “That’s our Headmaster,” Caelyum scoffed with a roll of his eyes. “So, who is this special guest?” “Mia Corazón.” Caelyum’s smile vanished, as if it had been smacked off his face. “Mia…Corazón?” he repeated. “Nya? Do you know her?” Grim asked. Caelyum didn’t answer, looking away; that hollow, haunted stare came to his face as he seemed lost in another world. “Mia Corazón,” he repeated again, then let out a soft, slightly hysterical laugh. “Of all the cursed days of the year…she chooses now…” Before you could ask what was wrong, Tock came lumbering over, arms loaded with various snacks and drinks. “There! That should be enough for all of us…or at least, for me,” he grinned, flashing you a wink that would have made you blush in an instant if your mind weren’t on other matters. He looked towards the assistant…then frowned, eyes narrowing. “Hey…who are you upset with?” The words once again snapped the brooding Caelyum out of it. He looked at Tock with surprise…then shook his head fast and brushed some of his pink hair away from his face. “No one. Nothing,” he insisted, and forced his smile back onto his face. “Now! Let’s, uh…let’s ring this up, aye?” In casual, business-like fashion, Caelyum charged Tock; you were grateful for the recent raise Crowley had given you as you paid for it all. The three of you then left the shop. Just before you exited, you turned to bid Caelyum one last farewell. He smiled and waved back… …But the moment you left, the darkness flooded his face once more, and he looked away, eyes smoldering like hot coals as he reached into his shirt… …Revealing the silver locket that was around his neck. The same sort in the photo Crowley had given you. The young man’s face became cold as an iceberg once more as he opened the locket…and sang to the tune the music box inside played. “Wild and strong, you can’t be contained. Never bound, nor ever chained. Wounds you caused will never mend, and you will never end…”

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“Why did you ask him that question?” Tock Crockwork belched and grunted as he finished up his lunch, licking and sucking on his fingers before looking to you, cheeks bulging as he still chewed his food. “Whuh queshun?” he mumbled out through a full mouth. “About why he was upset?” Grim spoke up, tilting his head. “I mean, he certainly looked upset, so…” “That wasn’t the question he asked though,” you clarified to Grim, then looked to Tock. “You specifically asked, ‘WHO are you upset WITH?’” Tock swallowed and let out a hiccupping burp before speaking. “Mph…yeah, and?” he grunted, patting his stomach and licking his lips free of any crumbs from the sandwich he had devoured. “Well…why did you assume he was upset with someone?” “I didn’t assume, I knew,” snorted Tock, and slung his arms behind his head as the three of you neared the beach of Sage Island. “That was the same look I saw in the mirror every day when I thought of Leona, or those boys back home.” Knowing what had happened in his conflict with Leona, you gulped at Tock Crockwork’s words. “Well, I hope he wasn’t mad at us,” murmured Grim. You smiled thinly; you had a very good idea you knew who Caelyum was mad at, given the context of things…and you were very much hoping you were wrong. You had the sinking feeling those hopes would be dashed as the three of you drew closer to the beach…and a familiar-sounding song, accompanied by the tinkling notes of a music box, drifted through the greenery and into your ears… “Over waves and deep in the blue; I will give up my heart for you. Ten long years I’ll wait to go by: My Love Will Never Die.” The source of the singing soon became clear as you pushed past the last few bushes of the wilderness and stepped onto the open, sunny beach. There was a single white bench nearby; standing beside the bench was a man in what looked like an almost Spartan uniform…and seated upon it was a young woman, with dark skin and long, black hair, dressed in a red and gold dress. In one of her hands, she lifted the pendant of a locket; the source of the music box tune. The lady snapped the locket shut, and she and her chaperone turned fast when they heard yourself and your companions approaching. She smiled, chocolate-toned eyes lighting up with interest. “Oh, hello!” she chuckled, seemingly a bit embarrassed at being caught in her reverie, and stood up as her suspicious compatriot narrowed his eyes at you. “Are you…my bodyguards?” “Yes, ma’am!” chirruped Grim, proudly. “Mia Corazón, I presume?” you smiled, respectfully. “That is right,” the young woman greeted, bowing her head in matching respect and lowering her locket. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” “Wait a minute…why do you need us to guard you?” Tock spoke up, and pointed to the Spartan-looking fellow. “Wouldn’t he be enough?” “Oh, that’s Firme. He actually has a date with his wife,” Mia answered, giving the man a teasing smile.

The guard blushed. “Miss Corazón, not in front of civlians!” he pleaded. Mia chuckled. “Sorry, Firme,” she apologized. “Now go on; I know she’s waiting for you.” Firme nodded gratefully, then glared at the three of you more seriously. “Protect her at any cost; we’re depending on you,” he ordered. “Aww, don’t worry, we’ll keep the little fishstick safe!” Tock smirked, cracking his knuckles and neck. “You can start by NOT calling her ‘fishstick,’” you droned, noting the nervous look on Mia’s face and the anger on Firme’s. You gave both an apologetic smile. “Sorry. He’s half-crocodile. Trust me, though, he’s a softy when you get to know him.” “HEY! I AM NOT!” snapped Tock, angrily. Grim just giggled. The interaction and your promise seemed to relax both denizens of the Coral Sea. Firme bowed to Mia, and then walked towards the beach…and kept walking, straight into the sea, until his head disappeared under the waves. “Well!” Mia smiled, and cheerily hurried towards your group. “Can we go see the show now? I don’t wanna be late!” “Of course…um…Your Excellency?” “Oh, don’t bother with titles like that,” the girl giggled. “Just call me Mia! Everybody does!” “Okay, Mia,” you chuckled, quite liking her warmth and energy. “Follow us, and stay close.” “I will,” Mia promised as the three of you set off along the beach. “Thank you, by the way; I hope this doesn’t cause you too much trouble.” “Quite the opposite,” grumbled Grim, remembering what Crowley had said earlier. “Why do you wanna see some silly show anyway?” sneered Tock. “Oh, it’s not silly!” exclaimed Mia. “The story of the Sea Witch and the Little Mermaid is important among my people…and besides, I think theater is exciting! I always enjoy seeing it!” “Hopefully our show won’t disappoint,” you smiled. Tock just rolled his eyes and scoffed. “I still think it’s for wimps,” he mumbled…then abruptly froze. The rest of you stopped, too, looking to the croc boy as he sniffed the air and growled. “What is it?” Mia asked. “Something wrong?” “Very,” Tock nodded. “We are being watched.” “How do you know?” you asked. “Instinct? Intuition?” Tock growled and narrowed his eyes, looking at you determinedly. “No, meat. We. Are. Being. Watched.” “By who?” whispered Mia, nervously. “I have an idea,” you murmured with some dread. Before Mia could comment on your remark, all three of you heard a sharp yelp, and turned to see that Grim had inexplicably toppled over. The feline-like creature sat up and massaged his bumped noggin. “Owwww,” he moaned. “What happened?” Mia asked, sounding concerned. “I dunno!” Grim whined out. “Just…s-something seemed to come up from under me and…” “GAHR!” You jumped as, right on cue, Tock toppled over as well. Then it was your turn, as you felt something shift under the sand where you stood, and you dropped to the ground. The wind was knocked out of you for a moment, but you managed to sit up just in time to see three large, round humps in the sand…which seemed to move of their own accord. The three humps began to trace a path, circling Mia, who froze up and squeaked like a mouse, clearly confused and frightened. It only got worse when, suddenly, more and more humps seemed to appear out nowhere: at least a dozen or more, which shot through the sand, burrowing through it with a barely-audible scraping sound… …Then, dust flew up as the shapes burst from the ground. As the dust cleared, you and your friends watched wide-eyed as a consortium of familiar white crabs toppled Mia Corazón, and – working together to lift her, carried her off across the beachside. “HEY! PUT ME DOWN! STOP!” Mia cried out, but the crabs wouldn’t listen, and soon vanished from sight. “Nya…we’re off to a good start with this job,” sighed Grim dismally. “After them!” you barked, and leapt to your feet as you dashed after Mia and her arthropoid captors, Grim hot on your heels. Tock grumbled sourly as he dusted himself off then jogged after you. “Taking orders from my lunch…I’m gonna eat that stupid, mask-wearing, feather-loving…!”

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Mia cried out as the crabs carried her along the sand, her “volunteer” bodyguards soon out of sight. She tried to fight free, but the crabs pinched and held her fast, keeping her in place. She wasn’t sure how far or for how long they carried her…but suddenly they stopped, and she let out an “eep!” as they moved into a pillar, and pushed her up, allowing her to stand. The mermaid-in-disguise turned around, panting for breath as she watched the crabs swarm about each other…then, they seemed to coalesce and mesh together; their pale shells took on more colors; hints of pink, brown, and orange… …Until, finally, standing before her was a familiar young man with dreadlocks and a fishnet scarf. In his hand, he held a heart-shaped silver locket. “Come my love, be one with the sea. Rule with me for eternity. Drown all dreams so mercilessly, and leave their souls to me.” He snapped the locket shut at the end of the verse, and paused before uttering, in a mechanical, robotic tone, two words: “Ahoy, Mia.” Mia blinked slowly, absolutely stunned. “…C-Cael?” Caelyum blinked back and said nothing, his face emotionless and blank. Mia slowly smiled, her eyes lighting up…then squealed with joy and rushed forward, throwing her arms around the young man…who stood stiff and rigid, not even looking at her, as she hugged him close. “CAEL! I…oh, Gods, what do I even say?! It’s…it’s been so long…I’ve missed you so much! Where have you been?! Cael…Cael, I-I’m so happy…!” “Let. Go. Of. Me. You. BITCH.” Mia gasped as Caelyum harshly pushed her back, nearly knocking her over. Her heart sank as she stared at the young man, who glared at her, grinding his teeth and clenching his fists. She looked deeply hurt…and not because of the push. “Cael?” she whispered. “Cael…wh-what’s wrong? Why…why are you upset with me?” Cael’s eyes flashed with anger. “What’s wrong?! Why am I upset?!” he repeated. “What in Hades do you THINK is wrong?!” Mia flinched as the boy from the swamplands’ voice rose to a perfect scream. Cautiously, steadily, she approached. “Cael…please…I-I don’t understand. I…I’ve wanted to see you again for such a long time, and now-” “How DARE you?!” shouted Caelyum, silencing the aristocratic mermaid. “How dare you say something like that to me?! After what you did to me, do you expect to believe you’ve ever cared?!” “I…what…I do care!” Mia pleaded, and tears began to twinkle in her eyes. “Cael, what are you talking about?” Cael laughed; a dangerously unhinged, malicious sound. “Oh-ho-ho, you know EXACTLY what I’m talking about! You should!” he spat…then, the bitterness was replaced by pain as he went on. “Two years, Mia. Two years I waited, and you never returned. You…y-you broke your promise to me…and did you ever think of me in those two years? Did you think of me even once in all the time since, until now?” Cael’s eyes began to brim with tears of his own; he was shaking. Mia felt her heart sinking further in her chest. “Of course I did,” she said, softly. “You’re…you’re my best friend.” One could almost hear Caelyum’s last heartstring break. “Best friend,” he repeated, in a dead, soulless voice…then hung his head. “You still don’t get it, do you, Mia? You broke my heart, Corazón…” Head still hung low, dreadlocks casting shadow over his eyes, Caelyum De Macabre lifted one arm, and snapped his fingers…and Mia nervously stepped back as a swarm of crabs appeared to trail across his arm and mesh together…forming a silver cutlass. “…And now, I’m going to break yours. Literally.” Ominously, Caelyum began to approach. Mia felt panic rise in her, and started to back away…then yiped, almost comically, as she tripped on her own dress and tumbled back. “C-Cael…Cael, PLEASE!” she cried out, as the boy loomed over her, his face twisted in anger as he began to lift the sword above his head… “HEY! BACK OFF!” FWOOSH! A jet of blue flame shot between Mia Corazón and Cael De Macabre; the lad from the swamplands jumped back, then growled angrily, turning to face the source. You had finally arrive, with Grim at your side, both of you glaring at the bokor’s assistant. “That’s enough, Caelyum,” you warned. Cael sneered. “It’s not enough,” he hissed, “Until she endures the same amount of PAIN and AGONY I HAVE!” With a roar, he rounded about to try and strike Mia down…then froze in place when he found she had seemingly disappeared. Startled and caught greatly off guard, he was unable to avoid the green scaled fist that grabbed hold of the back of his jacket, and cried out as, with a roar, the owner of the fist hurled about seven feet away, sending him rolling through the send. His sword spun through the air before stabbing into the ground right at the edge of the shore. Caelyum coughed and snarled and spat as he got onto his hands and knees…then glared as he found Tock Crockwork – now in his full “true form” – glaring at him, fangs and claws bared. “Keep away from the fishstick, swamp meat,” he spat. “Thank you,” Mia whispered. Tock just smirked at her – somewhat cockily but not cruelly – then glarde back at Caelyum as yourself and Grim moved to stand beside him, all of you making sure to create a barrier before poor Mia. Cael rose to his feet shakily. “Leave her alone, Caelyum,” you said. “This is not your fight!” he snapped back. “Uh…yeah, it kinda is,” Grim snorted. “We told you, this is our job today!” “You don’t know who you’re protecting,” Cael viciously sneered, his shoulders trembling with fury, his fingers clenched so tight that his knuckles turned white as the bones under his skin. “She cursed me!” “Cursed you?!” Mia exclaimed. “Caelyum, I never did ANYTHING to you!” “Yes, you did!” Cael answered…and gulped back a sob before explaining: “You made me love you.” All eyes widened; you and your friends looked to Mia, then back at Caelyum. “Ohhhh…now the pieces are coming together,” Grim murmured. “I know the look in your eyes, meat, and it’s not love,” Tock said, darkly. “Not love as it should be, anyway.” “Cael…I-I’m so sorry,” Mia quavered. “Of course you’re sorry,” Cael scoffed. “Everyone’s sorry when it’s too late.” So saying, he lifted his hand…and the sword that had stabbed into the ground “dissolved” into a group of crabs. They scurried across the beach, crawled up his side…and reformed into a cutlass in his grasp once more. “Put the weapon away, Caelyum!” you beseeched. “It doesn’t have to be like this!” “Yes it does!” Cael yelled. “Don’t you get it?! I can’t be free! I’ll always remember! I’ll always feel that pain! Love is a curse; a curse that hurts me, every day of my existence…but after today, I’m going to change that.” He closed his eyes. You had a bad feeling you knew what you’d see when he opened them again…and you were correct. One of his eyes was suddenly surrounded by a fiery aura. “Today, I break the curse.” KA-ZAM! The familiar black cloud of Overblot surrounded the shopkeeper’s boy. Blue and orange light flashed in the gaps between the vapor as it swirled around the fellow from the swamplands…until finally, the mist parted. When it did, you all found that Caelyum De Macabre had gone through an alarming transformation. His brown-tinted clothes had vanished, replaced with a blue-gray uniform like a navy seaman. One of his arms was stuck into the sleeve of a long, tattered cerulean coat with gold lining, which hung about his shoulders almost like a cape. A blood red sash was lashed about his middle. While his left eye was surrounded by orange aura, a tattoo had appeared over his right, in the image of a pirate medallion. His dreadlocks had transformed into a head of writhing, wriggling, pinkish-purple tentacles, like those of a squid; each tendril’s tip was smeared with ink. His left arm had become a white crab claw, ink oozing from its joins; his right leg had become a crab’s leg, too, and was also oozing with Blot. A single black boot covered his one human foot…and he still held his cutlass in his one human hand. Cael grinned viciously, pupils pinpricks as he pointed his sword at you. “Yo-Ho, me hearties!” he bellowed. “Shiver ‘em from stem to stern!” At these words, the ground before his feet seemed to ripple…and then, a swarm of Locker Crabs came scrambling from the ground, racing towards your group. “I’ll take care of this!” Grim pronounced, and summoned a wall of flame. As the fire struck the crabs, they vanished in a cloud of silver smoke…but more just kept coming! Caelyum laughed and began to move towards your group, swaggering as the point of his crab-leg stabbed into the ground repeatedly. Seeing the approaching dark mage, Grim paused to hurl a fireball in his direction…only for Cael to split in half, crab legs showing in the “seam” of his being, as the fireball hurtled past without causing any harm. He stitched himself back together and kept moving forward, as if nothing had happened. Tock Crockwork roared and charged at Cael, swinging a punch at him…but De Macabre simply swept up his crab claw and, in a fluid, wrenching motion, whirled Tock about and flung him to the beach floor. He grinned with deranged excitement as he moved closer to yourself and Mia, leaving Tock to choke in the dust. “Hold them off, Grim!” you called out as he continued to scorch the crabs. “I’ll try!” Grim called back. “Run for it, Minion! RUN NOW!” And you did, holding onto Mia’s arm as you dragged her after yourself. With a wild laugh, Caelyum lifted his sword up…and then “melted” into a swarm of crabs, which scurried after the two of you as you raced along the beach. Behind you, Tock snarled, clutching his banged skull as he watched the horde of crabs vanish. He angrily kicked away a few that Grim didn’t manage to stop, and then charged forward. Grim panted; he was already growing weary. “I…I can’t hold them off!” he meowed. “There’s…there’s too many-EEP!” “Stop whining and shut up,” snarled Tock, whisking Grim up in one arm and sprinting on, the pair pursued by the remaining Locker Crabs. “We’ve got more important things to worry about, come on!” Unaware that your friends were on the chase, you hurried along with Mia Corazón. The crabs that made up Cael’s being clicked and scraped behind you with a deeply unsettling sound, urging you to go faster and faster. “Wait!” Mia gasped. “If…I…can…talk…to him…!” “I don’t think he’s in a mood to talk!” you replied. “Right now, all we can do is…!” You trailed off and stopped short as the crabs suddenly caught up with you…and then moved around you, reforming in front of you into a column. Thinking fast you looked around… …And were just in time to grab hold of sturdy tree branch, as a sword reshaped and then stabbed at you. You barely had a moment to parry the strike, the blade cutting a notch into the wooden limb you held. “Stay behind me!” you hissed to Mia, as Cael reformed fully. “So, it’s a duel then?” Cael cackled. “Alright! EN GARDE!” You yelped, instinctively blocking as the sword slashed at you once more. The slash was followed by a lunge; you jumped back quickly and parried that strike, too. CLING-CLANG-CLING-CLANG! The cutlass and the branch clattered against each other, the sound of the steel against wood that was tougher than it looked ringing out. Each time Cael tried to get around you to lunge at Mia, you blocked his path. You laughed softly, amazed you were holding out; guess one didn’t know how good they’d be at something like a swordfight till they tried! You ducked another slash, and responded by swinging your stick around. WHACK! Caelyum reeled as you managed to smack him across the face…then slowly turned back. He looked…annoyed. “Ow,” was all he said, almost sarcastically, before swinging his blade around again. You quickly lifted your branch… SWACK! And gulped nervously as the cutlass sliced it clean in half. “Oh, boy.” “HA HA!” laughed Cael, and lifted his crab leg, kicking you hard in the stomach. You coughed, dazed and winded as you crumpled to the ground. Now, nothing was standing between the enraged Caelyum and his prey: Mia. The mermaid with legs began to back away in fright…then cried out sharply as Cael thrust out his crab claw and grabbed her by the throat with it. A grin of evil triumph spread across his face as he lifted his weapon above his head. “And here we are at last,” he crooned with twisted delight, and squeezed, making Mia gasp for air. “Any last words, my dear?” Mia gulped…and looked pleadingly into the Swamplander’s eyes as she uttered five simple words. “Cael…please…I love you!” Just before the last three words were uttered, Cael had prepared to attack…but then he froze. The grip of his pincer loosened as she said those three golden words, and the demented smile vanished from his face. He hesitated, as if those words had caused something in his brain to just shut down… Which was all the opportunity you needed. CRACK! “GAH!” exclaimed Caelyum, and dropped Mia, who coughed as she hit the ground. His tentacle hairdo wriggled like a horde of angry snakes as he glared at you in rage: the stone you had thrown at his shoulder had hurt! With a furious roar, he swung his sword around his head three times, trying to cut you into pieces. You ducked and dodged each strike as fast as you could…only to fall back as Cael summoned a horde of sand crabs. You squirmed and grimaced as the crabs pinned you to the ground, acting like organic shackles. You winced as each time you moved, they pinched you hard, making you stay still. Caelyum smirked victoriously, and pointed the tip of his cutlass at your heart. “Tell me, Prefect,” he taunted. “Do you fear death?” “Do you?” CHOMP! Caelyum began to turn around towards the voice, his face etched with surprise…and stayed perfectly still, as if he’d become a statue, paralyzed in shock. The red marking of Tock Crockwork’s unique power – One Minute to Die – was evident on his left arm. “NOW!” the crocodile shouted, as Grim hurried over. The feline-like creature wasted no time: he focused his power, a bright blue aura surrounding him…before, with a spiteful hiss, sending a huge jet of flame towards Caelyum. Caelyum was sent flying through the air, clothing scorched, and rolled across the dirt, still in the position he had been stuck in. Only a few seconds later, he convulsed, and groaned, trying to stand up… …Only to find Tock looming over him. “This,” the crocodile hissed, “Is why I’M top of the food chain, snack meat!” WHAM! He spun around, slapping his tail across Cael’s face…and the Overblotting mage fell still and silent, rendered swiftly unconscious. The sword disappeared without warning from his hand, as if it had never been there. The crabs he had summoned all vanished in the blink of an eye: just like at the shop, one moment they were there, and the next they were not. All four of you – yourself, Mia, and your friends – sighed with relief. “Thanks,” you nodded to Tock as he helped you to your feet. “Hey, I’ve gotta protect my territory; that includes you,” Crockwork shrugged. You decided not to comment on that. “Are you okay, Miss Corazón?” meowed Grim, nuzzling up against the mermaid’s side. She smiled weakly and patted his head before standing. “Physically, yes,” she said. The teenaged girl’s eyes then lit up with concern as she hurried over to Cael’s side. “Cael…Cael, are you okay? S-Speak to me!” she pleaded. “He just tried to kill you!” Grim snapped out. “He wasn’t thinking straight,” Mia defended him. “Just…h-he didn’t understand…” She sniffled and bowed her head. “…C-Caelyum…I’m so sorry…” You and Grim shared a sad sort of look. Tock just looked confused, above all else. “What happened between you two?” the croc grimaced, crossing his scaly arms. “I think we’re about to find out,” you said, and pointed as silver mist began to wisp off of Caelyum De Macabre’s form. A moment later, a blinding white light surrounded the young man…and the mist formed a cloud, inside of which – as always seemed to happen – pictures from the past began to appear… “Tag! You’re it!” “I’ll get you! Ha Ha Ha!” In the swamplands of the Jubilee Port, a small boy with pink dreadlocks giggled and hid behind a tree by the riverbank. For several seconds, he sat anxiously…then yelped when, out of the river burst a familiar, dark face with flowing raven hair. “GOTCHA!” sang out the girl with the gold and ruby tail, and reached out a hand to playfully tap his shoulder. “No fair!” huffed the boy. “I always have to stay near the water; you never let me have an advantage!” The girl giggled and smirked teasingly. “Not my fault you’re a lousy swimmer,” she cooed. The boy grumbled and pouted. She smiled gently. “I’m sorry, Cael; I didn’t mean it,” she said, placing a hand on his leg… “AHA!” the boy laughed, and tapped her hand before jumping away. “You’re it again!” “HEY! THAT’S CHEATING!” The two laughed as the girl swam through the river, chasing the bayou boy up and down the banks…before finally leaping out of the river with a victorious cry. “RAAAAH!” “EEK!” Young Caelyum yelped as he was thrown to the ground. The girl with the fish tail grinned, flippers wagging happily as she kept him pinned. “Gotcha again!” she sang out. Young Cael giggled and wiggled under her. “Hey, lemme go!” he demanded with a slight laugh. “Hmmmm…if I do, will you just tag me again?” “…Maybe?” The mermaid glared…and tickled her friend with her tail. Cael squealed with laughter before flashing an evil smile. “Ohhhhh, you wanna play that way, huh?” He tickled her back and the two rolled across the bank…before yelping and splashing into the river. A moment later, both rose from the depths Caelyum coughing and floundering. “Help! Mia, help! I’m drowning!” “I’ve got you, hold on!” Mia said, and helped Cael back to shore. The boy sighed with relief and began to wring out his clothes. “Thank you,” he gasped out. “No problem,” Mia smiled. “I’m sorry you got all wet…” “It’s okay; I’ve got other clothes,” Cael smiled. Mia nodded, then smiled a bit more sadly. “I still should have been more careful: there may be more clothes, but there’s only one Caelyum.” Cael blushed. “Hush, you’re just teasing me now…” “No. I’m not,” Mia said seriously. “You’re my best friend, Cael.” Cael blinked, pausing in his activities. “…But…don’t you have other mermaid friends?” “I may have OTHER friends, but you’re my BEST friend,” smiled Mia. “And there’s only one of you. I don’t know what I’d do without you.” Cael blinked again…then smiled sentimentally. “Heh…well, um…you’re my best friend, too, Mia. And, uh…a-and I feel the same.” “I’m glad,” Mia smiled. A pause. “You should really suck less at swimming though.” “Oh, hush. Say! Maybe you can teach me?” “Sure!” That word seemed to be a cue, for the scene changed to a few years later; the same river on the bayou, the same boy and girl, just a little older. “MARCO!” “POLO!” The Mermaid floated with her upper half above the water, eyes closed, flapping her tail as she blindly searched for her friend. Cael would pop up now and again with a gleaming, gloating grin as he watched her try to find him: he’d learned to swim VERY well in the years since that time playing tag. “MARCO!” Mia called out again. “POLO!” laughed Cael. “Oh, this is impossible, you’re too fast!” “Suck less at swimming,” teased Caelyum. “I’m a MERMAID, all we DO is swim!” “You can walk!” “I need a potion or a spell for that,” huffed Mia, and turned around, trying to feel about for her friend. Cael smirked and dove under again, swimming cautiously around her in the wide river… …But as he popped up again, he was due for a terrible sight. He gasped as he saw Mia blindly reaching closer to the shore…where a venomous serpent glared at her oncoming form almost hungrily… “MARCO!” “MIA, WATCH OUT!” Confused, Mia opened her eyes…then gasped as she saw the snake rearing back to bite her! She pulled away just in time, and at the same moment, Cael glared and snapped his fingers. The snake heard a clicking noise, and turned its head to find a white crab snapping its pincers. The pincers swung towards its throat… SNICKER-SNACK! And that was the end of the snake. Mia swam back to Caelyum’s side as she snapped his fingers again and the crab disappeared. He hugged her close. “Are you okay?” he whispered, worriedly. “Yeah…i-it didn’t get me,” she panted with relief, and squeezed him tightly. “Thank…th-thank you…” Caelyum smiled warmly and returned the hug…then froze up as Mia leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you,” she said again, and nuzzled against his bare chest. Cael blinked…then blushed red as a tomato and grumbled. “…Hey, what are friends for…? More time passed, and the swamp disappeared. The scene now became a lonely pier. On it sat Caelyum and Mia, who was now in full human form. “Do you really have to go?” he whispered. Mia nodded sadly, hanging her head. Cael bit his lip, and looked away, tragedy in his eyes. “…When…w-when will you be back?” he asked, timidly. “I don’t know,” Mia admitted sadly, then smiled gently up at her friend. “My mother said I need to start learning more about the family business; spending less time on land and…well…with you.” Cael frowned and clenched his fists. “I see.” Mia’s smile fell…and she gave Caelyum a hug. He relaxed. “She’s set in her ways,” she said softly. “But I will never forget you. And I WILL come back.” “Do you promise?” “Of course. You’re my best friend,” smiled Mia…then reached into a bag she had with her, stationed between the two. “Here…I have proof…” Cael tilted his head as out of the bag she pulled two silver necklaces with heart shaped lockets. She gave him one, and clasped the other around her neck. “What is this?” Cael asked, crinkling his nose in confusion. “A sign that we both share the same heart,” Mia said, and giggled. “That’s the really sappy way of saying it, anyway. Put it on and open it!” Cael did, and at the same time he opened the locket, Mia did too…and soft, beautiful melody chimed from the music box contained. Caelyum’s eyes widened. “That’s the song you taught me,” he recognized, and looke dup to Mia. “The one about the pirate and the goddess of the sea?” Mia nodded. “It’s your favorite…my favorite…OUR favorite,” she said gently, and took Cael’s hands in hers, looking into his eyes with deep-rooted affection. “And as long as we share these lockets, share these songs…we’ll never truly be away from each other.” Caelyum smiled weakly. “I don’t know about that,” he chuckled, wryly. “But…thank you, Mia.” He paused. “You…you know I love you…right?” Mia blushed. “Yes. And I love you too.” Cael gaped. “You do?” “Of course, silly! You’re my best friend!” Cael blinked…then smiled and shook his head wearily. “Yeah…I know,” he said softly. “I…I know.” A pause…and the pair began to sing together to the mingled tune on their music boxes as they watched the sun sink on the horizon beyond the sea. “Warm and welcoming as the sea, someday I will return to thee. Hear my voice, sing with the tide: Our Love Will Never Die.” Time passed once more, but the music box still played. The next scene played in silence, as Cael lay on his bed silently one night. He hummed to the tune on the locket, and glanced sorrowfully towards a calendar on his wall. Every date was crossed out with a red X. He sighed…then snapped the locket shut…before a lightbulb seemed to go off over his head, and he reached towards his book case, grabbing a specific spell book… This short tableaux was followed by another as Caelyum was now found…underwater. His lower half had become a white-scaled fish’s tail as he swam through the water, using a spell that would turn him into a merman for a few short hours. He’d taken a boat out to the coordinates where he knew Mia lived. Now, he swam quickly and quietly through the city, looking for Mia. His eyes darted this way and that, seeking some sign of his long lost friend; two years without any sort of contact – never a call, never anything written – and he was now so close to seeing her again! He smiled wider as he moved into one of the higher rent neighborhoods of the underwater area, carefully brushing past other, natural merfolk going about their business. His heart was beating fast in his chest; when he found her, he’d tell her everything. How he felt, how much it hurt to be without her, how much he never wanted to be separated again! Then he found her, as he turned an alley…and that fast beating heart seemed to skip a beat… …As his face filled with sorrow. Only yards away – never noticing he was there, he saw a strong, burly-looking merman with blonde hair…hugging his Mia and kissing her full on the lips. He clamped his eyes shut…and swam away, out of the city and back towards the surface. His tears were lost with the tides. Thus ended the vision, as the blinding light faded, leaving an unconscious Caelyum De Macabre lying on the ground, back to his usual self. “…Prefect?” “Yeah, Grim?” “Is it, like…a requirement that we stand here for several seconds in total silence after we see those?” “No, I think it just happens.” “Ah. Okay then.” Tock Crockwork said nothing. A few moments later, Cael groaned and began to stir. He blinked his eyes and clutched his pink-haired head as he started to sit up. “Ugh…what…wh-what happened?” he slurred out. “You tried to turn my food into shish-kabob,” droned Tock, thumbing towards you. “Shut up,” you grumbled. Confused, Cael turned towards your voices, and looked about to say something…until he heard sniffling and whimpering. He turned…and found the teary-eyed face of Mia staring back at him. “C-Cael,” she whimpered…then let out a squealing cry that caught him off guard as she threw herself upon him and began to cry. “CAEL, I’M SO SORRY! I’m so, so sorry…please…please, I’m sorry, PLEASE…!” Caelyum, as you might imagine, looked beyond uncomfortable…and with a growl, he managed to push Mia off of him. She whimpered like a kicked puppy as, without a word, he got to his feet and turned away from her, one hand on his chest, clutching his silver locket. “Sorry isn’t enough,” he answered, coldly. Mia gulped…and stood up. “Cael…please don’t walk away,” she begged. “Why not?” Caelyum snarled back over his shoulder, and began to stumble away. “Because I love you!” Cael stopped. He didn’t turn around…but he stopped. Mia paused…and took a deep breath. “I love you,” she said, firmly now, not desperately. “I…I always loved you, but…but I was…I don’t know, I…I was worried…” She hung her head and paused before going on. Cael turned his head slightly to show he was listening. “When I returned to the sea, my mother didn’t want me to ever go back to the land. She forbid it. She told me I had to stay under the water, and…and find a proper husband. She told me to forget about you, and…that merman you saw? He was…my betrothed.” Cael growled. “WAS,” Mia pointed out, and then went on quickly: “Cael, I could NEVER forget you, and I could NEVER stop loving you. Those two years…they were agony for me. That time in the alley…I asked him to kiss me because I wanted to show him we WEREN’T right for each other. He agreed; there just…wasn’t a spark. We liked each other, but…we both knew it would be wrong.” She swallowed, and lifted her head. “So…we both spoke to my mother. And…she realized what she’d been doing was wrong. The very next day, I went back to the swamplands; I looked everywhere for you…you weren’t there.” Silence. “I’m so sorry, Caelyum,” she sniffled. “I’m…I’m so-” Cael stopped her with a raised hand…and slowly turned towards her. All of you were surprised to see tears in his eyes. “…I just tried to kill you.” “Yes.” “I ran off over this whole misunderstanding.” “Yes.” “All this pain, all this time…and you really loved me?” “Yes.” “And…you…still love me? After all that?” Mia smiled. “Yes.” Cael blinked…then let out a wet laugh. “Wow,” he chuckled. “I…I guess swimming isn’t the only thing we both suck at. I mean…we’re n-not very good at this whole ‘relationship’ thing, either, are we?” Mia shared a sniffling laugh…and the pair promptly ran into each other’s arms. “I’m so happy I found you,” Mia sobbed with joy. “I’ve missed you so much…” “Not half as much as I’ve missed you,” Cael choked. The pair squeezed each other…then backed up, holding each other’s hands and staring lovingly into each other’s eyes. “Play the song you sang long ago,” Cael began. “And wherever the storm may blow,” Mia continued. “You will find the key to my heart,” both finished. “We’ll never be apart.” “Aaaaand…kiss,” you murmured to yourself with a smile, as the pair did exactly that. Tock snorted, rolling his eyes as Grim stuck out his tongue and grumbled something about “soppy mush.” The two lovebirds parted after a few seconds…then seemed to remember you were all standing nearby, and blushed before backing away from each other like scalded cats. “Um…s-sorry,” Caelyum mumbled. “About trying to destroy us, or for that sappy display?” droned Tock. “Because I can forgive one of those…” “It’s the destroying us part, isn’t it?” you guessed. “Yyyyep.” Cael hung his head and shuffled his feet guiltily. “…I’ve…had a lot of pain bottled up for years,” he said silently. “And…when I heard she was coming here…I…well…” “It’s alright,” you soothed, moving closer. “I can understand. And for the record, we won’t tell the Headmaster.” “Nya…or Chief Jehan,” Grim added. “Claude Jehan?” Mia spoke up, and tilted her head. “Is he really as scary as they say back home? The Ashengrottos and Leeches have a LOT of stories to tell.” “I’d imagine,” you snickered. “And no. He’s not that scary.” “Right. He’s WORSE,” Tock responded. “Amen,” you and Grim chorused. Mia gulped nervously; Cael chuckled softly, smiling at her with puppy-eyed affection. “I…hope he’s not going to be at the play tonight,” she said slowly. “Trust me, you’ll be fine,” you soothed. “Well, we won’t be if we don’t get there on time!” Grim reminded you. “We’re already behind schedule, thanks to all this!” “The hairball has a point,” nodded Tock, stiffly, then grumbled under his breath: “I still say it’s all for pansies, though…” All of you chuckled…except Mia, who took Cael by the hand. “Can…can he come, too?” she asked, shyly. Cael looked shocked, as did Grim and Tock. You just smiled wider. “If he wants to,” you answered. Cael blinked…then grinned so wide his face nearly seemed to split in two. “Please!” he nodded eagerly. “Then come on!” you called, and gestured for the reunited lovers to follow. “Let’s get moving before my pay gets docked! I have a pet to feed, you know!” “I AM NOT YOUR PET!” snapped Grim, while Tock cackled with amusement, snapping his fingers and resuming his humanoid form. Caelyum De Macabre and Mia Corazón just smiled and squeezed each other’s hands, following at a steady pace. It took longer than it should have to reach the theater, in the end, but you still made it in the nick of time. When asked why it took so long, you had an honest answer: Cael and Mia were so busy staring into one another’s eyes with everlasting love, it made getting there quickly difficult. In your mind, and theirs, it was more than worth it.

 The End

#disney #twisted wonderland #fanfic #grim #dire crowley #lots of ocs #caelyum de macabre #davy jones #mia corazon #tia dalma #tock crockwork #tick tock #the crocodile #claude jehan #frollo #non-kink

[qttnmrk]

“The light range was so narrow if you exposed film for a white kid, the black kid sitting next to him would be rendered invisible except for the whites of his eyes and teeth. It was only when Kodak’s two biggest clients—the confectionary and furniture industries— complained that dark chocolate and dark furniture were losing out that it came up with a solution.” —Broomberg and Chanarin “When a contradiction is impossible to resolve except by a lie, then we know it is really a door.” —Simone Weil I keep referring to the cold, as if that were the point. Fact. Not point. Forty-below was a good day. “In short, fine weather,” you wrote once, before cutting out blocks of ice and fashioning another igloo for the whole crew each night. But it isn’t the point, that it was cold, is it? How many days before arriving did you sit on the deck in that chair, staring out to sea, wearing a coarse blue shirt, the lost, well-mannered rhetoric of your day spiraling beneath a blue hat—concertina (at your ankle) outside the placid frame? Thank you, whoever you are, for standing behind the camera and thinking “Matthew Henson” and “photograph” at the same time. * The unanticipated shock: so much believed to be white is actually—strikingly—blue. Endless blueness. White is blue. An ocean wave freezes in place. Blue. Whole glaciers, large as Ohio, floating masses of static water. All of them pale frosted azuls. It makes me wonder—yet again—was there ever such a thing as whiteness? I am beginning to grow suspicious. An open window. I am blue. I am a frozen blue ocean. I am a wave struck cold in midair. The wave is nude beneath her blue dress. Her skin is blue. * To arrive in a place. And this place in which you have arrived finally: a place you have always dreamt of arriving. Perhaps you have tried—for eighteen years—to get there, dreaming of landscapes, people, food. Always repulsed by your effort, unable to attain the trophy. And then finally somehow you arrive one day and are immediately stunned because you realize more than anything, it isn’t the landscape, food, the people. That thing which most astonishes you is the light, the way the air appears, how the sunlight hovers just before your eyes. And you—then—wanting nothing more than to spend the day indoors watching the room. The vast ocean always nothing more than an open window. So you stay inside and choose to watch the same wall turn fifty reds, then later: slow, countless variations of blue. Blues you have never seen. There is a black beam overhead on the ceiling. Without it, the ability to see such light would disappear. The light is toying with you, and you like it. All of this because the darkness is now always overhead. That. That is what arriving means. * I want to say the same thing in a variety of different ways. Or I want to say many different things, but merely one way. Perhaps there is only one word after all. Beneath all languages, beneath all other words: only one. Perhaps whenever we speak we are repeating it. All day long, the same single word over and over again. * Choose something dark. Choose a dark line to hang above you. If you want to see what light can do, always choose the dark. * Out on the ice, the light can blind you. The annals laced with men who set out without the protection of darkness. All finished blind. Blackbirds, black bowhead whales, the raven, the night sky, the body inside, blue ink, pencil lead, chocolate, marzipan. Like us. All water is color. But what does that have to do with you and me, Matthew? * Maybe life is just this: walking with each other from one dark room to another. And looking. Sometimes the paintings come to life. Sometimes you just love the word pewter. Sometimes the ocean waves at you. Sometimes there are goldfish in a jar. A bowl of oranges. Sometimes a woman steps down out of a frame and walks toward you. Sometimes she discards the white scarf, which covers her, and reveals her real body. Sometimes she leaves, moments later, covered in a striped jacket and leather hat. Our lady of the dressing table. Our lady of the rainy day. Our lady of palm leaves, periwinkle, calla lilies. Our lady of acanthus. A garden redone three times. * Sometimes someone you love just falls through. Gone. The blue massive ridges of pressure shift, float away, move. Sometimes the ice breaks open. That’s it. Sledge, dogs and all. * I fell through once. I’d grown cold, so I stood up and walked to get my coat. I was told it was hanging on the far wall of a very dark room. Because it was dark, I could see, really see—for the first time—how a particular gold thread sparkled on the collar. I reached out my hand. But before the wall, there was a large hole where stairs were being built, which I could not see. I walked into air and landed on my head. Underground. Everything then turned a vivid black. * I wonder, Matthew, when you were out on the ice for years, trying very hard not to fall through, I wonder whether—like me—you ever thought of the same woman over and over again, whether you ever imagined her draped in a loose-fitting emerald robe, seated in a pink velvet chair, engulfed by a black so bright it was luminous? I do. Sometimes I lie here in bed before the fire, unable to move—this cane, this hideous cane, this glorious cane, cutting cane—and imagine that one particular curl falling forward toward her forehead. I imagine the same curl at this angle, then that. A recurring dream. When my bed becomes a vast field of frozen ice the color of indigo, and I cannot move, I begin to see her face. Each strand of her hair becomes a radiant small flame, twisting and burning so quietly. Then I look at your picture, you out on the ice, and I wonder if you ever feel like that, Matthew? Like a woman, faceless and flung over a desk, at rest or in tears, exquisite quickly drawn ruffles about your shoulder, halos of wide banana leaves hovering just above your head? Were there images you could not fling from your mind? Events that clung to you, coated you, repeating themselves in a series: movements or instruments in a symphony? Objects that would not let you go: an avocado tree; a certain street at night where someone exceptionally kind once took your arm as the two of you walked along a wet sidewalk; trying to remember the light on that certain gait: your mother twirling a parasol, also walking through a grove of olive trees? Did you begin to find comfort in the serial, the inexplicable and constant reappearance of things, people, sensations, every moment symphonically realized and reentered. The way the days begin to rhyme. Every moment walking into the room again. Sledge after sledge. Matthew? * I fell through, into a hole in the floor. I landed far below, on my head. Sometimes I still forget my name. Sometimes I forget yours. Sometimes I forget how to spell the. Regularly I am unable to remember Adam Clayton Powell. Or how to conjugate exist. Sometimes I lie in bed and cannot feel my legs. It’s like something quietly gnawed them off while I was in the kitchen making tea. From the knees down: this odd sensation, not nothing, but something, just not legs. If ice were not cold perhaps. Or the memory of a leg. I cannot feel my legs, but I can feel their memory. In conversation, my face goes numb. It starts at my mouth and spreads out. When I am quiet it recedes. Why is numbness ascribed the color blue? It’s not. It’s red. By the end of the day, my left hand has disappeared from the end of my arm. I ignore it. Hold my pen. Smile at you. What year is it, darling? I once lived where? With whom? Where is she now? What was her name? * I remember nurses. Their faces. Someone very, very kind—a woman—began to tape a pen inside my hand. I remember being suspended in a harness. Being lowered down into a warm blue pool. All the other patients there were very old. Here is how we all learned to walk properly again. Underwater. Blue. Once I fell through—into the dark. * Braces and casts. Being told not to write. Being told not to read. Forgetting someone I once promised I would never forget. Remembering her finally, one year, then forgetting her again, the next day. Remembering not remembering I’d forgotten. Forgetting them completely. * When I look at photographs of Matisse, unable to walk, drawing on the wall from the bed, his charcoal tied to the end of a very long pole, I stop breathing. Him, I think. Yes. I could marry him. I could slip into his bed. We could talk about real things. I could be his dark line hovering above. We could watch the light turning the room every color.

Robin Coste Lewis, “Using Black to Paint Light: Walking Through a Matisse Exhibit Thinking about the Arctic and Matthew Henson”