#even if it meant he'll be the creator of that very dream

[zaphiyy207]

Literally just put insane!Kirby but I wouldn't say he is insane. Delusional maybe?

This is an AU!! Will post it in ao3 if I find the time as a one-shot. This was drawn in the midst of me writing a report (as seen from the numbers at the edge). Yes hello, i know i suck at character designs-

(rambles of au will be in tags. Not going to spoil as it'll be in the one-shot itself. Just a premise)

#kirby #kirby au #its everyone dies except kirby and he went insane #thats..thats literally the whole plot of this character #he went far just to see his friends again #even if it meant he'll be the creator of that very dream #always changing always manipulating always smiling #everything is fine in that dream #kirby is in control #he'll do anything he wants as long as 'everyone' is happy #“ Welcome to Dream Land ” #Greeted by the Sole Ruler of the False Dreams #you'll forever be a part of that dream and never wake up if you fail to not realise the dark truth

[kaida-beifong]

Lucius Morningstar: Son of Pride

Everyone, I have been dying to share this boy, mostly because he has become my newest obsession. Everyone, Meet Lucius Morningstar. Twin brother to Charlie, why. Because she needs more support and I love the twin trope.

It kinda sucks that for a good chunk of Charlie's life she basically had to deal with a lot of the hard stuff on her own. Up until meeting Vaggie that is, so I figured why not give her someone who can be with her during it all even when going through his own trauma.

I did sadly delete his bio which annoys me because I put a lot of work into it and have no idea how to get it back.

Name: Lucius Morningstar

Gender: Male

Parents: Lucifer & Lilith

Sibling/s: Charlie Morningstar

Friends: Rogue (Deceased), Magnum & Glock (Both be deceased), Jewel (Deceased) Clara and Odette

Personality: All in Lucius is one with a bit of a temper, he's bullheaded but has a great amount of love and dedication for his sister. In his eyes, she's the only person that matters. Hurting her means going toe to toe with him. He has a dark sense of humor, and perhaps very little filter. Which can sadly be a horrible mix if he crosses the wrong demon/overlord and he has a few times. Due to some issues in his past, he kinda keeps to himself and his sister. He has a great sense of loyalty and will defend you to hell and back. (Pun intended)

Sexuality: Demisexual

I will give a small summary of his history and say this. For most of his life he genuinely takes the big brother role as a whole life style. He took a while to make friends and form his own bonds because he wanted to constantly make sure his sister was safe and happy, the friends he did make he sadly does lose through the exterminations. One hitting him the hardest is his first love interest, a young female demon by the name of Jewel. It hits him fairly hard and he does close himself off and like their folks, nearly leaves in the process.

He does manage to snap out of it enough to stick around but he made a rule to only keep himself close to Charlie basically closing any connection with the last two friends he had which he did feel bad for but told himself it was for the best. He can't risk the pain of losing anyone else and so he becomes far more protective then usual and as Charlie's dream slowly starts to build and she slowly forms her own friends amongst the staff and of course a girlfriend, he slowly loses his place in where he thinks he's meant to be. All in all he's still trying to find his purpose in but whose to say when and if he'll find it.

NOTE: I did have three love interests in mind for him and while I was stuck on one I am now unsure. If people would like to help throw in their opinions I'd be more then willing to hear them out.

My original idea was Clara as the two have a lot of history and know each other pretty well.

Second idea was Emily because I feel like she could balance out his more.. frustrating tendencies.

And last to my shock is Lute. Why, because I kinda find the whole enemies to lovers trope both while sickeningly cliche, also very very entertaining.

Been dying to share this boy for a while. Only had to wait to get art from an artist who was okay with me reposting on other sites. The person who made Lucius did not want their art reposted, which I completely understand. So I got this done instead, the ref was done by WolfaSketch on DeviantART.

Lucius's design was done by the creator korosusadopts on DeviantART.

#hazbin hotel fandom #Hazbin Hotel #charlie morningstar #hazbin hotel charlie #Hazbin Oc #Hazbin Hotel Oc #Fan Character

[msanonymous]

“What do you do about your future husband?” my cousin asked me the other night.

“What can I do about him,” I answer, chuckling, at the absurdity of the question, and when she stays quiet, “I pray for him, I think that's what I can do the most." I add.

“I meant other than praying, obviously.” she says.

“I don't know what else is there?” I ask. “I wonder about him...” I add later in a quiet voice.

“Like what? Please enlighten me.” She turns to me eager to hear what I'd say next. 

I shift my gaze to the moon, sigh and let it all out, not caring about the fact that she'll call me an idiot after hearing the words that I'll utter next.

“I wonder if he likes to read, like me, if yes then what kind of books he likes. What are his favourite books? Favourite author? I wonder if he has a favourite spot at the masjid, where he likes to pray. What Quranic verses are his favourite and which ones give him strength every day. How does he prefer his coffee hot or cold, or not at all. If he ever takes a long way home just to appreciate the creations of the creator. If he smiles at strangers, on the streets. If he takes pictures of the sky. I wonder who he wonders about when looks at the moon. What kind of dreams he sees, while gazing at the stars. If he likes rain and goes outside to play in it like a little kid or just likes to stay inside his room and read while sitting by his window, like me. If he likes reading poetry, if he ever writes them. I wonder what his voice sounds like and what accent he has. I wonder what his laugh sounds like, or if he ruffles his hair often. What is the colour of his irises? What will his eyes do when they'll take me in for the first time, will they avert like every other soul or he'll be different. If he dreads social gatherings, just like me or enjoys spending time with people. Like I tap my fingers on surfaces and crack my knuckles, what does he do when he is anxious and overwhelmed. I wonder what calms him after that. I wonder if he has someone he can go to when he feels like that, I hope he does. I wonder if he was ever brave enough to fall in love with someone. I wonder if I'll ever get the chance to meet him in this world. I wonder if I'm even the last person on his mind, while he somehow never leaves mine. I wonder if he is looking for me, at the end of his story…”

“Oh my, that's a very poetic way to love the love of your life who still belongs in the future.” She says, chuckling. Making me surprised about the fact how she didn't think it was funny and absurd.

“How did you even form that sentence sitting here on the rooftop at 4am very very sleep deprived?” I ask her.

“The same way you could write an entire poem sitting here on the rooftop at 4am very very sleep deprived, darling. Well, you are my favourite poet for a reason so I shouldn't be surprised of course.” she finishes, smiling at me.

“First of all, don't tell me you didn't ever wonder about yours, before meeting him. Secondly, why did you even ask that & thirdly, I'm not a poet, let alone your favourite one” I mumble the last part, staring at my empty coffee cup.

“I did, but not like you. And I asked that because I wondered if people can love despite the distance in time, I guess we can. And I get to decide who's my favourite poet and who's not. You don't appreciate yourself enough, you know. You're always writing poetries without realising, you write poetry even when at times when you think you don't, you speak poetry, as if you're the poem itself. But don't worry he'll let you know, once he'll meet you.” she replies, taking the empty cup from my hand, getting up from her chair.

“And you should write it in your diary, the poem, it was worth it. And come down.” she yells, before descending the stairs.

#scattered pages of my diary

[yandere--stuck]

Putty with a pregnant s/o? The baby could either be his or reader was already pregnant when they met him

💙 Oh, Rod is over the moon! He's really getting everything he's ever wanted. He had waited so patiently and had prayed every day for this. A lover. A family. Oh, he's so excited and grateful. He's gonna be a dad! Again! And Stephanie gets to be a big sister! Putty gets really emotional at points, tearing up a bit as he talks about how excited he is and how happy he is to start a family with you. As glad as he is that Stephanie is in his life now, he can't help but feel an ache for things to have been different, for Rod to have always been present in his daughter's life. In a way, the Reverend thinks this child can "make up" for what he missed out on with Stephanie.

🛐 Though, as much as he was genuinely excited that you were starting a family together, the Reverend also knew that this could also be used as a tool, a further way to trap you with him. You and he will have another thing to bond over, to work together for… And just another reason for you to need to stay with him. You couldn't escape him or Moralton even if you tried, but just in case, it'd be awfully hard to raise a child by yourself. It'd be in your interest to stay with the man you were meant to be with, who'd love and take care of you and your family.

💙 With you, Putty's normally a pretty frisky guy already (says that he's "making up for lost time"), but it's hard for him to even keep his hands off you during the pregnancy. Seeing the way your body changes, the way your stomach swells with life, it drives him wild. Constantly clinging to you, holding you, peppering you with kisses, or just having the urge to just touch if only for the feel of your skin against his. You were already gorgeous, but this…? Oh, you were perfection.

🛐 Is probably the most excited about doing stuff like buying baby clothes and choosing decorations and wall colors for the room, or setting up the crib. It's stuff he's always wanted to do, and now it's actually happening! Oh, it's a dream come true. If you try to help, though, he'll probably get all fussy and worry you'll strain yourself. He does, however, really wanna hear suggestions for the kid's room, especially in terms of decorations and pictures and toys and will hang onto every word of your plans and ideas like an attentive hound.

💙 Prays every day for the pregnancy to go smoothly, hoping beyond all hope that everything would work out okay. The idea of losing you or your child was terrifying. He couldn't lose you! He loved you, God, he loved you so much. You were everything! You were the one he'd been waiting for, the two of you perfectly crafted for each other, your existence in itself proof of a divine creator - your brilliance, inside and out, was clear proof of intelligent design. The fact that he existed at the very same time as you and met you and were here, with you, right now… It meant everything. Fate was real, and this was yours and… God, if he lost you. Lost the chance at a family. He'd break. He'd have nothing left. Putty needed you.

🛐 Whether the baby is biologically his or not, it doesn't. This is his baby. His and your baby, and for that, they were a gift from God. You were a family. He'd be the perfect dad, or he'd at least try his damndest. Couldn't be too hard to be better than Clay, at least. While you're recovering, Rod will take almost full responsibility of your child. Not to the point of refusing to let you see or interact with them, just enough to have some weight off your shoulders. But it is to the point of Rod bringing the kid along to sermons, and at some point stopping mid-sermon to make everybody pay attention to your kid - obviously much more important than the lesson he'd been preaching. Pride may be a sin, but in Rod's opinion, the pride he felt for his and your little one was one of the holiest things he'd ever experienced.

#yandere x reader #moral orel x reader #yandere moral orel #yandere reverend putty #reverend putty x reader #rod putty x reader #yandere rod putty #putty x reader #yandere #suggestive #pregnancy mention #pregnancy tw #pregnant reader #afab reader #fem reader

[xxtha-blog]

Hhhm, let's say Killer, Horror, Dust and Cross working for Nightmare BUT canon wise. Like, they all fighting each other daily every minute and every hour to prove their loyalty and use to Nightmare. Because they know, that if Nightmare feels like one of them is not up to his standards, they will be discarded in the worst possible way. So they're cruel to anyone including each other, so Nightmare doesn't kill them. Is that even close to an example of what you meant about something canon about them? I'm curious.

See, saying all of those characters working for Nightmare but canon is kind of contradiction for many many many reasons:

Nightmare would never put a team like that together. Despite the fact he doesn't engage in direct conflict much, he doesn't need a specific group doing work for him. Everyone in that group is practically useless except maybe Killer.

Cross is not a bad guy, he only agreed to do what Nightmare asked in Underverse under very specific circumstances that have now long since passed. He wouldn't do it again willingly, he CANT do it again unwillingly (he lost his overwrite ability) and again, going for my point that when Nightmare wants a specific person to do something he thinks will help him, he can just get almost ANY person to do that based on the situation.

Horror is unstable and useless. Of all the people in the multiverse to bring out of their universe why choose Horror? He literally fucked up his own au enough to make it one of the worst in the multiverse, one Dream doesn’t try to enter. As it is, that au practically needs him there to stay negative. And why would he work for Nightmare anyways? What’s Nightmare going to bargain for? The AU is negative, he wouldn’t want to kill everyone. Horror doesn’t seem to have self preservation. He wouldn’t leave his AU without his brother. He’d have to be held against his will and I’m not convinced there’s much that would make him stay there for long. 

Dust wouldn't work willingly, he only cares about HIS au. he has no business with any other au or any other timeline. One of the creators has gone on record to say though Dust could conceivably work with Nightmare, but he'd only do it to go back to his au. If that wasn't happening, there'd be no point in working for Nightmare, and he'd rather just off himself. Like, this character would rather DIE than work with Nightmare. You can't look me in the eyes and tell me we could do this canonly unless they are being held at gunpoint. https://ask-dusttale.tumblr.com/post/645181783573446656/indeed-i-like-asking-a-lot-of-question-about-this

Killer is the only person who has any inclination toward helping Nightmare because once he takes control of his au, his main goal is just staying emotionless. Extreme negativity drives his soul to change stages, Nightmare gives that negativity, killer has no gripes doing what is asked.

The only downside to Killer is dead people do not help Nightmare. And Killer isn't exactly a man of non-lethal tactics. None of them can travel AUs either, if you’re going to make a team of negative creating evil guys why choose a bunch of unstable murderous shits that can’t even jump a timeline by themselves, that’s so much more work.

But back to the other ones, Nightmare's aura would destroy Horror and Dust. They would not be able to handle it. Do you really think putting 2 emotionally unstable people next to the man who EMITS INTENSE NEGATIVITY is a recipe for a good team? When Nightmare is around them they'd both lose their shit.

What about interrelationships? Well, Dust and Killer certainly wouldn't like each other. Dust's entire au centres around him trying to get rid of the human for good, trusting them so little he'll still ruin their 'murder route' when they do pacifist. Killer is a different timeline of Dust (alternate timelines and all) that JOINED the human. He wouldn't attack him directly because, well it's Killer and that probably wouldn't end well, but he'd fight him if Killer attacked him first.  https://ask-dusttale.tumblr.com/post/645177670348472321/what-would-be-murdersanss-opinion-and-reaction He would hate Killer if he found out who he is and what he did, and Killer would probably taunt him for being a failure at getting rid of his own human.  Cross wouldn’t like any of them. Again, he’s not a bad guy, why would he want to be lumped with the murder gang here, the man only killed his au to try to save everyone from XGaster, he’s literally just traumatized. He wants to do better, he wants his old au back, but it’s not like Nightmare can bring the au back. What would Nightmare want from him and what would Nightmare be able to give him that would make Cross actually work for him other than threatening his life? 

Killer, let's talk Killer. The man can go into stage 4 from strong reminders of his past. What's stage 4 you ask? Oh, just him losing mind and trying to kill everything and everyone in sight brutally. So don't ever leave him in a room with the others I guess. He’s certainly not stable enough for that one. I don’t even know what to say about Horror, a lot of people think he shouldn’t be in it because ‘he’s not evil’ which just obviously isn’t true, the man straight up murdered a guard and then doomed the entire underground lmao. I guess he’d be more useful than Dust over there, but none of his goals really align with any of the others and I can’t see him giving a shit about any one of them. 

The entire group is just a bunch of not-really-that-useful-to-Nightmare murderers (or just Cross? for some reason) that can’t jump timelines by themselves, that wouldn’t want to work for Nightmare and would have to be severely threatened to do it, one of which may just off themselves if their end of the deal isn’t coming through, one of which can and will try to kill all of them if he’s randomly set off, one of which causes negativity ALREADY and does a damn good job of it, and one of which ISN’T EVIL??? all most whom are emotionally unstable being headed up by a man who radiates emotional instability from his very being. And no, Nightmare doesn’t really have reason kill any of them, even if he did ‘threaten it’. He’d only do it as a last last resort, it’s so much better to make people suffer. But this team is such a god damn disaster that the ONLY way people make it work is by throwing out EVERY SINGLE TEAM MEMBER’S MOTIVES, PERSONALITY, AND POWERS out a window. And I get that people love their found family villains turned good trope, I’m not saying it’s bad.

I’m saying good god good lord is it overdone, I would love it if someone could actually give me something that’s vaguely canon ever. Someone needs to be more creative here 

#nightmare gang #bad sanses

[talesofsonicasura]

Thief's Ambition

Velvet Dilemma

Every thief needs the right tool for any sort of job. But what would happen if one of your resources isn't what they seem to be? Long post. Warning: Suicide Attempt, and mentions of abuse

They say reality and imagination are two sides of the same coin. Reality being ruled by laws and sciences to present what one calls 'normal', a limited perspective. Imagination however, is without restrictions if someone has the willpower to create or dream, limitless potential.

Information or to be specific, Digital Code' held both treats of reality and imagination. Rules to stabilize the unlimited potential of someone's creativity and what could be created is endless. Sometimes, one's design could break those boundaries. The results are determined by the creator. Whether it will lead to paradise or pure ruin. Only they can decide.

Le Blanc, a small but humble shop located in Yogenjaya, Japan. This cafe owned by Sojiro Sakura, is quite famous for their delicious curry, extraordinary coffee and friendly atmosphere. It is also the temporary home of a specific teenager. A young man whose choices can affect the world around him in large ripples. His name was Ren Amamiya.

The boy was around 15 years old, hair was a pitch black nest of curls, eyes a mysterious obsidian that shone brighter through the lens of his false glasses, a soft balance built with some growing muscle to his form, and stood about 5'7 in height. A pure black gakuran fitting snugly on the young man's body paired alongside black pants and nicely made boots as he carried his slightly large gray school bag over his shoulders.

His destination was Le Blanc, taking his time by walking down the sidewalk and glanced around to take in any important details. It didn't seem that anything would catch the boy's eyes since Yogenjaya was more of a rural area. That was until an abnormally tall structure crossed his line of sight.

Not too far from where he was, Ren could make what had to be a hotel. Around 5 stories in height and from how clean it seemed, the place was obviously new. Halfway down the large infrastructure was a soft magenta sign that read: Hotel Nexus. The name rings some bells in his head.

It was a new hotel that recently opened up before he came. Great service, fair prices and quite a selection of accommodations for anyone's price range. He heard some of the teachers and even students at his school raving about it.

Ren didn't really notice that he entered his destination until his nose was greeted to the bitter scent of coffee beans and spice of curry. His caretaker Sojiro Sakura, a rough looking older man with dark brown eyes, black hair in a man bun and beard, was in the middle of serving a few customers. Thus, the teen walked up to his room which was in actuality, a spacy attic.

Placing his bag on the bed, the raven was about to start on his homework when a voice spoke out. "Thy trickster." A soft, suave yet slightly distorted male's nearly made the boy jump if he didn't know who this voice belonged to. Not even the first few days in Tokyo did the teen come across the path of the supernatural.

"We need to have a discussion. Thee might have a problem." The voice explained much to Ren's utter confusion. If by instinct, the raven took off his glasses and held it out. Blue flames suddenly manifested on the frames, sparks spewing out to the attic floor in 5 different spots before the fire extinguished.

Each spark burned brighter as they grew in size but didn't spread across the wood surface like any normal fire. The smallest stood barely a foot in size while the largest being a shocking 15 ft all around. Suddenly, the fire sputtered out as five different creatures now sat before the young boy.

A large black horse that had two long teal horns, crimson eyes and white mane, a small brown haired pixie with butterfly wings wearing a blue one-piece and gloves, pink skinned imp with small wings and wore a belt with a large stinger positioned at an inappropriate place, and a jack-o-lantern headed creature wearing a dark blue robe, witch's hat, and white gloves holding a lantern.

The last being was not only large but vastly different from the others. Sitting slightly uncomfortable on the floor was a dapper gentleman-esque black and crimson demon.

Black leathery hide, pitch black mask for a face as fire highlighted the long spindly devil horns than just painting fiery eyes or the wicked smile, razor sharp black claws and angelic ebony wings that spawn from his lower back. The demon's clothing consisted of a black corset tuxedo held tight by red strings, white fancy cravat, a short crimson coat with long sleeves, collar and coattails, red armor mimicking dress pants covered the legs which ended with knife blade heels, and a tall black top hat stitched at the back with red strings.

Despite the five demons sitting before him, Ren wasn't afraid of their presence. After all, why would he be scared of his own Persona and one of the reasons he is still alive? From the information given by various sources, these beings were born from thoughts of man and assist those who awaken or earn their power.

His current Persona team consisted of Bicorn, Pixie, Incubus and Jack-o-Lantern. Ren couldn't forget his main Persona either, the one who answered his call and shared the same rebellion in his soul, Arsene. Seeing all five here meant there was something going on especially from the looks on their face.

Bicorn looked very irate, well, more than he usually was, Pixie was a mixture of concern and worry, Incubus had his arms crossed alongside a large scowl on his face and Jack-o-Lantern looked like he wanted to disappear. The only one who didn't seem upset was Ren's dapper devil, the flames of the mask were in a soft simmer, almost if he was sheepish. Things had to be wrong if the Legendary Phantom Thief didn't have his signature grin.

"Is everything ok? Arsene said you guys wanted to talk about something." The raven politely asked, it may not look like it but Ren did care for his Persona. Although, not all of them were on the same level as his rebel heart but… Out of the bunch, it was Incubus who spoke up.

"Here's the problem boss, none of us are getting fused!" And the teen's train of thought came to a stop like a broken record. "What?" The word just came out of his mouth as if he was on autopilot. Quite a reasonable reaction for when you considered Ren's current situation in full.

Stuck on probation in a foreign place, his future walking towards a foretold path of ruin, the twisted desires of his gym teacher manifesting as a cognitive place and these very creatures before him holding a key to his salvation. That also included fusing them to create a more powerful Persona.

"Normally we don't have any opinions when it comes to fusion. Previous Wild Cards before you had done the process thousands of times. However, this time there's two issues that we cannot accept! And no amount of bribery will change our opinion!" Bicorn huffed, scraping a hoof across the ground.

That actually convinced Ren even more to listen to their problem, especially when he considered the new information given. If there had been others like him, why wasn't he notified? And what was different about the process of Fusion if Persona used to not have an issue?

"Alright. Can you tell me these reasons for omitting fusion from the Velvet Room?" His inquiry seemed to relieve some of the tension for the group of Persona. The teen could only guess it must be rare for Wildcards to tend to their needs. Or it must have been quite a long time since a Persona User like him appeared.

"Sure dee-doo, bossman! First off is the Fusion Methods! Persona are fused in many different ways, some by dancing or even tarot cards. Executions aren't one of them. Despite some Persona being created from evil legends, the fusion tools were always humane and fair for all participants." Jack-o-Lantern spoke up, the fire in his lantern burning brighter with each word.

Ren easily agreed with that reason. His first time actually being able to use the Fusion was a very unsavory experience. At that time, he only had just Arsene and Pixie. To see Igor and his assistants unveil those large guillotines made him feel like he was back at that Palace thing.

Seeing shadows of people being tortured like slaves already made him a bit uncomfortable but the 'Fusion Tools' were enough to leave the room with a poker face just to hide a grimace. "Yeah, I can see your point. Don't know how a guillotine isn't even supposed to do that."

That also raised another question as he had a feeling what the second reason really was. Pixie only solidified that very thought. "Our second reason is the Velvet Room itself, to be precise, Igor himself. You see, out of many Personas, I am usually the one Wildcards tend to acquire first." A look of nostalgia sparked in her eyes.

"This means that I am often fused quite a lot so I've been around Igor. Despite looking a bit crooked, the man has an aura of a gentleman and has this mischievous but kind air around him. Something that makes the Velvet Room comfortable for both Persona and Wildcards but…" A nervous and saddened look was quick to mark the fairy's face.

"...that isn't the Igor we know. This one is cold and has this aura of cruelty hidden underneath. And it's not just him but both Velvet Room attendants feel off too. It's almost if both girls are like broken dolls, scraps of a toy remade into two different copies."

The room went silent for a bit as Ren processed all this information. Persona who's been summoned or recruited a lot, Veteran he'll call it, could feel when something is off with the Velvet Room. It would explain why Arsene didn't seem that bothered unlike the others, since he was new to the whole thing.

Now that the teen thought about it, Igor and his attendants seemed very quick to introduce the Fusion mechanic… too quick. If something was indeed wrong with the Velvet Room, then it would be best to limit his usage. Ren couldn't just stop using it altogether and none of them had issues with the Register/Summon option.

"Alright. I won't use the Velvet Room for fusion. If you guys think the place is off and Igor can't be trusted, then I'll trust your judgement. Problem is, how can I perform Fusions now?" The Persona he had now, excluding Arsene, can't really grow powerful enough to deal with any future Palaces.

Stronger Personas were needed if he was going to avoid this 'ruin'. His main Persona then spoke up. "How about you search for a mage? Thou passed one earlier today." Wait what? Ren looked at the Curse Type with a mixture of disbelief and surprise.

There's a mage, someone who practices actual magic, in bloody Tokyo. Pixie spoke upon her User's look of befuddlement. "Practicers of magic do exist, master Ren. They are rare and tend to stay hidden amongst the locals. You can easily guess why. Some even treat Fusing or Summoning Persona like an exam to know if one is ready for the next level of magic."

The raven haired teen let out an intrigue hum from the explanation. If he can find the mage Arsene sensed earlier then they should be able to help with his Fusion problem. "Where did you sense them anyway?"

Ren couldn't believe the stroke of luck he got. Apparently the person he was looking for happened to be in Yogenjaya, specifically the new Nexus Hotel. Once school was over for the day, he quickly made his way towards the place. It was honestly bigger in person than seeing it from Le Blanc.

Various trees with interwoven branches formed a path to the hotel similar to a green red carpet, two fountains paired with benches on each side of the fountain and the centerpiece was a peculiar statue. An 8 meter giant of scrap metal carefully melded together to form a lizardman wielding a large microphone stand like it was a guitar and on the plaque it stood on read: Welcome to Hotel Nexus.

There are even a few stalls set up for local vendors to rent and sell merchandise. 'This hotel feels like a homey place to stay in. No wonder a lot of people Shujin talk about it.' Ren thought while looking at the large statue with intrigue. He could see a lot of work was put into it from the V shape horns, beak like snout and even intricate design on the stand.

Even a non-artist can see all the work, effort and dedication put into it. "What do you mean it ain't for sale?!" A brutish shout immediately ripped the boy's attention. Obsidian eyes soon look at a scene forming to his side between a large portly man and someone around his age.

The girl had cyan hair with a silver frohawk at center, emerald green eyes bearing black v shaped marks underneath, and a thin elegantly curved body around 5'6 in height. Her clothing consisted of a black shirt, short red long sleeved jacket, dark blue cargo pants and white high tops.

What got Rens attention was the peculiar device hanging around her neck, it looked like one of those pocket pet toys but merged with a walkie talkie. Pure silver with red buttons and a black strap for string. She honestly looked very annoyed.

"It's like I said to your boss a million times before. Hotel Nexus isn't for sale! My family and I worked hard to make this place so no way in hell we're giving it up. I don't give a damn how high the food chain your boss is, the answer will be no!" Ren could practically feel the venom in her words from the fifteen distance.

Something that amused Arsene since the Curse Persona was laughing. 'It seems that fiery young lady is the mage that thou been looking for. Such strong rebellion radiating brilliantly alongside her magic.' The raven continued watching the scene unfold.

He had to agree with Arsene on the fiery term since the girl literally growled at the man before her. "Get outta here and tell your boss he can choke on his own balls!" The poor employee went running off in seconds with his tail between his legs. Adjusting his fake glasses, Ren decided to approach the cyanette once she took a few deep breaths.

Now that he was closer, the young man could see flecks of gold and silver in those emerald eyes as the girl saw him. "Hey there. Sorry if ya saw the commotion. I'm usually more professional but guys like that tend to grind my gears." She then put on a polite smile.

"My name is Hokuto...Shoutmon! One of the owners of Hotel Nexus. What can I do for you?" Ren couldn't lie, that was the oddest last name he heard in his life. Or the fact that her teeth were razor sharp just from the smile given. Knowing it was rude to stare, the raven haired teen spoke.

"My name is Ren and I happen to be new in the area. I was hoping you can answer a few questions for me." Best to have some honesty if he was going to even get the cyanette's trust. Hokuto merely kept a polite look on her face and stayed professional to even her posture.

"Sure, what questions do you have? Need any help finding a room or are you interested in renting a stand? Or is it more personal?" Childlike curiosity brimmed in the emerald eyes of the Nexus' heiress that made Arsene laugh in his human partner's head. 'Might as well answer her, dear Trickster. Can't keep a young lady waiting~'

Ignoring the obvious flirt, Ren decided to be a bit straight forward in his response. "Can you help me with a little school project of mine? I'm supposed to ask people a set of words and how they felt about each one for my psychology class." He even pulled up a pen and paper to make it more convincing.

If she was really a mage, then he had a feeling Hokuto would be more comfortable with masking a risky topic such as this. Plus one class did ask for a Do-Your-Own assignment for homework today. The Shoutmon woman tilted her head a bit, mild confusion crossed her face before shrugging. Didn't seem that bad to her so why not oblige the boy?

"Sure, I don't mind. It's honestly a bit refreshing but I get to choose a few words too. That way it'll be more like a game, and who knows, ya might get some extra credit." Ren nodded his head and had a smirk on his face from Hokuto's unexpected reply. He even had a good word to start with.

"Alright. My first word or to be precise, words is 'Velvet Room'." The cyanette hummed a bit hearing the word. An inquisitive look on her face as she mulled the two words over in her head a bit. It took a few more seconds before she gave an answer.

"Intrigue and wonderment comes to mind but oddly also caution. Something as fancy as 'Velvet Room' has to have something dark or sinister in the undertone. Kinda like the story of Hansel and Gretel with the witch's house being made of sweets." The teen and Persona understood the reason behind that, even if the 'caution' part sounded more instinctual.

Not everything that glitters gold meant was good. "Alright, my turn. The word I choose is Tamer." Hokuto said with a cheery tone. It was his turn to tilt his head at the suspicious pick. Being a Wildcard did fit with the word since Ren had to befriend or 'tame' multiple Persona than just one.

"Adventurous, enlightening and carefulness. Being a tamer means you are potentially risking your life at befriending a living creature that can do harm if you aren't careful. Achieving a bond is also a reward in itself from how much you learn and grow with the experience." The raven haired teen could feel the warmth of his Persona's happiness and admiration blanket his heart.

Hokuto also seemed really happy about his response too, almost if checking something off in her head. "That's one way to say it. Now it's your turn again." Ren already knew what he was going to ask for this round. "Okay. My next word is Persona with a capital P." The cyanette mulled over the peculiar word in her head.

Something about it felt odd, like a primal instinct of sorts but she couldn't really guess why. Placing a hand on her chin, the young woman gave the boy an answer. "Since it sounds like a living creature, I would say wonder and bewilderment. Unknown life tends to bring tons of questions alongside the possibilities of their uniqueness."

Ren hummed at the answer while writing it down on paper. He would admit that he didn't see the next word coming though. "Your next word is Digimon!" Confusion immediately covered the raven haired teen's face. Did he hear that right? Digimon? Was it short for something like 'Digital Monster'?

"Taking a random guess here but the only thing that comes to mind is curiosity. I've never heard of a term like Digimon before and it makes me wonder what the concept truly is. A game or maybe a brand series that's focus is around collectible creatures under the same name."

It was the only reasonable Ren could actually think of. He'd never heard of 'Digimon' before and would have done some research later on. The teen was ready to ask his final question when the sound of a ringtone went off. Hokuto had pulled out her phone, a look of mild horror crossing her face in seconds.

"Seriously?! I'm sorry but I have to cut this conversation short. Got to close off one of the guest bathrooms and call for a repairman!" She quickly turned on the heel of her feet before taking off into the hotel. All Ren could do was blink as his objective was now out of reach.

'An unfortunate setback. However, thou at least have the mademoiselle's location. We would just need to visit another time.' Arsene whispered in the raven's head, the young man let out a sigh. He'll have to make do with the Persona he had for now.

The next day… Ren was sitting in his seat like usual. Getting stared at by most of his classmates and teacher with the appeal of a convict. An irritating normal when you had your criminal record and reason for being transferred thrown out to the entire school as if it was a newspaper.

It also sucked that his teacher, Mr Uchimaru, was an asshole who likes to harass others when they answer one of his surprise questions wrong. Ryuji texting him in the middle of the class and Morgana talking in his bag either. Even if no one could understand the not-cat, they could still hear his meows.

His mind however went to a grinding halt upon the words of his classmates. "There's someone on the roof! Is she going to jump? Suzui Shiho?" Dread immediately filled his heart upon the name. Suzui Shiho was one of the upperclassmen who was being sexually harassed by his current target, the gym teacher Kamoshida.

He was out of his seat in seconds and ran straight for the hallway window for a better look. A better view was needed to see if it really was Shiho. Obsidian eyes widen in absolute horror upon the sight of the brown haired teenager standing at the ledge of the building.

'No… Dear god, please don't…!' The girl jumped off the roof, Ren's heart dropped to his stomach while his classmates screamed. Shiho was about to hit the ground when familiar light blue hair came into sight as someone caught her falling body in time. Ren immediately ran down the halls of the school, to get outside and see if his senpai was alright.

The teen caught sight of Hokuto Shoutmon holding the girl tight to her chest, Shiho was nuzzled into the hotel manager's neck in tears. "Shh. It's alright. Just let it all out. I don't know who hurt you but there are people in this world that still care about ya. Think about them, not ya tormentors."

Hokuto's strong upbeat voice was now a soft comforting whisper while she rubbed the suicidal girl's back gently. Emerald eyes looked into Ren's obsidian ones with mild surprise. It was probably the fact she didn't know he went to school here either.

"Shiho." The raven turned his head to see one of his classmates running towards the two girls. Ann Tamanaki, the platinum blonde girl with green eyes and her hair in two ponytails who was also Shiho's best friend by what he saw from their interactions. The hotel manager turned her head over to the blonde.

"I'm guessing you are a friend of hers? Do you know her parents' numbers? This poor girl needs all the support she can get right now and I need to call the suicide hotline. We were lucky enough that I was able to catch her in time." Hokuto let Ann hold Shiho but not before the pigtailed girl said a grateful teary 'Thank You'.

The cyanette then looked at Ren. "I don't know who broke that poor girl's will but I do know one thing. If that fucker shows their face, I'll do everything in my power to knock em off their pedestal. No one deserves this for another bastard's sick pleasure. They say eyes are the window to one's soul, her eyes are that of a victim on their last string."

Shiho's parents immediately came over along with an ambulance and a few cop cars to check on the frazzled brunette. Hokuto had left after they questioned her on how she even found Shiho. Apparently the hotel manager was heading towards one of the markets nearby, a coincidence that managed to save his classmate's life.

It also meant that Kamoshida needed to be dealt with before someone else breaks. There is the expulsion deadline too, since confronting the man in righteous anger was a dumb idea. Whatever the case, the perverted PE teacher needed his heart changed. And the only solution was the man's castle, nestled in the school's Metaverse.

The Metaverse was a physical plane created through the unconscious cognition of people, a place between reality and imagination. Palaces were an area created from the large distortion in a person's heart, something that reflected a dark mindset. Kamoshida's Palace was that of pure unadulterated lust.

A medieval castle filled with statues of himself or various girls around the skin that displayed their innocence in a perverse manner, echoes of male students were seen as slaves that were beaten meticulously, and the distorted version of Kamoshida flaunt through the castle as it's disgusting lustful king in nothing but a crown, heart shaped boxers and a fluffy red cape.

Through these halls was the key to stopping this man's twisted heart and the consequences to follow if they failed. Within one of the hallways, a large cluster of knights were gathered in a tizzy. Empty blue masks staring at a pile of molten gold, various statues of the Palace's Ruler melting into a golden soup in front of the culprit.

The suspect's body was shadowed by the large blaze behind them. "How dare you destroy the visage of our King Kamoshida?! You'll pay with your life wench!" One of the knights howled as all brandished their large blades. Feminine laughter came out of the figure alongside their appearance, emerald eyes glared down at the mass.

Ren was running as fast as he could, the teen helping a tired Ann with assistance from two others. The clothes the four of them wore were very different from what they wore in the real world, an attire created through the power of their Persona and rebellious souls.

The raven had a white domino mask bearing a black flare around the eyes, long black leather jacket paired alongside a bulletproof black vest, crimson gloves, black Italian leather pants, and black leather boots. Ann's entire was a full red leather blend suit that displayed her elegant lithe form, a red mask with cat ears, red stilettos and even a fake cat tail that seemed to move on its own.

Then there was Ryuji Sakamoto, a spiky blonde with brown eyes and Ren's first ally he made. His outfit was a metal skull shaped mask, a black suit bearing a metal spine plate along his back, red tie to a black bulletproof vest, black Italian leather boots and red gloves bearing metal knuckles.

Ren couldn't forget their odd party member Morgana either. A 1'6 ft tuxedo cat-like being with a form comparable to a bobblehead. Slightly large head with black fur on the top half of the head imitating a mask to the white bottom part, a yellow bandana scarf around the neck, a black body with white paws, white feet and white tip tail, and a brown fanny pack around the waist.

The two males were helping keep Ann steady, the platinum blonde was exhausted from summoning her main Persona. "We're almost at the exit, just need to go past this hanger." Morgana stated, his childlike male voice stern and strong. Smell of burning metal hit everyone's nose, all eyes were on the growing smoke that began to seep from an adjacent hallway.

"What the hell? Is someone else here because I don't think Kamoshida's knights are stupid to burn the castle to the ground?" The blonde was right but who was it. Getting into the Metaverse, much less a Palace, required the Metanav app. Without the mysterious phone app, no one could enter this place unless brought here by accident.

A familiar voice then reached Ren's ears. 'Thy Joker, that sounds like young Hokuto. It appears our acquaintance is making good on her threat to Madame Shiho's abuser.' Arsene spoke within the raven's head. It was an odd coincidence that the hotel manager was in the same corridor leading to the exit.

The group of four turned into the hall to see an army of Kamoshida's knights cornering Hokuto. None of them were blind to the gold statues of the Palace ruler burning behind the young woman, a sight that made Ren's main Persona purr in delight.

"Ain't that Shoutmon-san?! Did she get dragged in by accident like I did?!" Ann couldn't help the worried tone within her own voice. The not-cat of the group whistled at the destruction. "That girl isn't normal. It takes extreme heat to melt solid gold like that."

Ryuji guffawed at the amount of damage that the cyanette did by herself. "Talk about a one woman demolition crew! Maybe she can help us after we help her." The group was taken aback when Hokuto began to laugh at a guard's execution threat.

"A King you say?" The cyanette scoffed, her hand grasping the device around her neck. Morgana quickly notices the peculiar device. "I'm getting weird vibes from that gadget. Whatever it is, that thing is letting out a lot of power!" All three humans looked at their smaller teammate in surprise before facing Hokuto.

Something big was about to happen. "All I see is the evidence of a pervert who loves to harass those more innocent than him. It's time these trophies of sin burn and I'll light them ablaze with the fire of my soul!" A light purple aura circled around Hokuto's opposite hand.

The peculiar sparkled and moved in an inhuman but familiar to digital code if given a physical shape. The next words Hokuto said proved to Ren and his friends just how unique she was. "Let's do this Shoutmon! Biomerge!" Pure gold fire burst forth upon Hokuto swiping her hand across the device.

All of the guards had to jump back upon the massive blaze that now engulfed the teenage girl, her shadow growing amongst the wall of flame. For a second, the masked raven saw something familiar move within the fire. The visage of the Hotel Nexus Statue crossed Ren's mind.

"Hope you're ready!" Hokuto's voice boomed from the blaze but it was very off. There was a mechanical tone to it and all of Ren swore he heard another voice overlap, a scratchy, growlish young male one. A large gold armor leg and boot with a silver stripe going down the center alongside a back spike heel stepped out from the blaze.

What followed was a giant 16 ft armored beast, a golden dragon man that looked vaguely similar to the statue back at the hotel. Giant V shaped horns adorn the head alongside the golden tusk on the cheeks to form a pseudo helmet to the silver beak like muzzle of the dragon, a rounded chest plate that held two holes on opposite sides of the flat front, curved pauldrons leading to black wire hose that connected the slimmer arms bearing three fingered hands.

On the upper back was a helm very similar to the statue and that gold alloy went down the slim waist except for the silver circle on the stomach. And the part that showed this was once Hokuto was the bright emerald eyes burning with righteous fury.

"Cause OmniShoutmon is going to bring the house down!" Hokuto or OmniShoutmon bared her two fists in a boxer's stance as she let out a battlecry. Her eyes then flitted over the group of four, a look of surprise crossing the dragon's beakish muzzle. Something one of the guards noticed as he turned around to see the small group.

"The intruders are still here?! This rebellion will be squashed before it can grow!" Every knight began to shudder in an unnatural manner, their bodies immediately collapsing into streams of black and crimson shadow. The shadowy streams immediately rose up to form various Jack o' Lanterns, Incubus, Bicorn except for one.

One had transformed into a large knight in silver armor, ruby red angelic wings sprout from the back, their red skin face held a solemn stare as they held a large broadsword in front of them in a religious manner. Ren recognized that type of Shadow from a previous encounter, it was an Archangel.

"Mona and Skull, protect Ann!" With a flair, Ren pulled off his mask as blue flames swallowed it and Arsene materialized from the fire. The sight of the Curse Persona made a wild smirk run across OmniShoutmon's muzzle. "Knew there was something special about ya! Let's get to know each other after we toast these suckers with the melody of our burning souls!"

Orbs of pure sun yellow flame ignited the draconic being's claws, emerald eyes burning bright with something akin to passion. "Hard Rock Soul!" Both small suns doubled in size and with a howl OmniShoutmon tossed them with incredible force as if they were baseballs.

A large blast of fire exploded forth upon the two projectiles hitting one of the smaller Shadows, the intense heat burning groups of the ones that held no resistance to ash. Ren took the opportunity to strike the twisted monsters with their guard dropped by the blast.

His boot struck an Incubus from a high jump kick, he used the Shadow to spring towards a Jack O' Lantern stabbing his razor sharp straight into the pumpkin demon's skull. The raven then spun midair to send his hooked opponent straight into a small cluster of Pixies and quickly turned to a group of Bicorn.

"Eiha!" Red tinted black energy manifest between Arsene's claws, the Curse Persona morphing it into a short lance. The personification of the gentleman thief quickly threw into the head of one of the black stallions. The beast let out a painful neigh in response before exploding into a redfish black bonfire that grasped a few other Bicorns.

Some enemy Jack o' Lanterns lob multiple fireballs with a swing of lanterns, Pixies shot out bolts of lightning from their fingers and a herd of Bicorn went into a stampede covered in harsh wind magic. All of them were aiming for OmniShoutmon, who smiled maliciously at the attack.

"I am an inferno born of passion, baby!! You can't extinguish my soul that easily!" The draconic being leapt off the ground, arms spread out whilst her golden body flew through the air almost if riding on an invisible current. Hokuto swept past the lightning in a barrel roll, weaved through the onslaught of fireballs before going into a condor dive whilst bearing her horns.

"Mach Rush IV!" She picked up more speed as OmniShoutmon went straight to the herd of Bicorn with the intent to run them down. Looks of shock crossed the horn horses as every single one quickly found themselves bouncing off of the dragonoid then crash disgracefully to pieces. What was worse were their green horns easily shattered then sent off into rapid fire sharpnel, whatever wind magic on them now struck down multiple allies.

The only three non-combatants watched the scene in utter shock. "Holy shit! Hok- I mean OmniShoutmon completely wrecked that stampede like it was nothing!" Ryuji remembered how much of a pain those specific Shadows were but to see them being wiped out so quickly was insane.

"I think it's because of that weird armor all over her body. Doesn't seem like any kind of material that can be found in the Real World or even the Metaverse." The not-cat has seen very peculiar things in the metaphysical plane before but he didn't think whatever material that armor was made from one of them.

"It's not just that. Before she changed, she said 'Let's do this, Shoutmon.' What if Hokuto-san wasn't saying her last name but someone else's?" Ann's words hit her two companions like a truck. Joker had also caught what the platinum blonde and things started to click in his mind.

The thought swirled in his mind whilst sliding under the large blade aimed for his head from the boss Archangel. She wasn't really alone when they had conversed earlier. Hokuto had someone or something alongside her, a Persona perhaps? Could it be…?

Joker glanced at the once human, his eyes widened in mild horror when he saw the Archangel spread out their wings. A warning signal for a powerful attack. "Look out OmniShoutmon!" The dragonoid immediately spotted the aforementioned threat and her response was surprising.

OmniShoutmon stood her ground, a burning yellow aura burst from the brilliant gold armor. "Hamaon!" The angelic shadow pointed his blade at OmniShoutmon, a large blast of bright light erupted the steel straight at her. It was at this point that the observers realized an important detail about the former human's armor.

There was a purpose to those two holes on the chest. "Flamethrower, yeaah!!" Fire burst forth from the chest holes alongside OmniShoutmon's war cry, large golden streams that clashed with the blast of light. Both attacks struggled to swallow the other, a battle of attrition in physical form. Letting out a loud roar, the fire from OmniShoutmon doubled in size as she put more power into the attack.

In seconds did the two blazing streams engulf the light in its entirety before swallowing up the Archangel and their allies in a massive bonfire. With the last bits of fire out of her chest, OmniShoutmon fell to her knee panting roughly.

"*pant* Damn did that asshole have some power. Using Flamethrower like that just takes the air out of your lungs. *whistles*" The dragonoid pants, her eyes now settled on the group of familiar faces. Ren had run up to the former human with Arsene offering his hand so the Persona could help her up.

OmniShoutmon took the assistance without hesitation, a smile on her beak like muzzle. "Thanks big guy. I have a feeling you aren't a Digimon, but I do know that I like those knife heels." The Curse Persona raised a non-existent eyebrow before letting out a hearty laugh.

Ren couldn't help shaking his head albeit agreeing with the statement. That definitely solidified this was indeed Hokuto among some other things. "As much I love to continue this chat, I believe it's best to move it to outside the confines of this castle." Arsene's suggestion didn't go unnoticed to everyone.

It made no sense to stay any further in their current state, plus there were a lot of questions that needed to be answered about their draconic ally rather than just their next possible move. Ren did know one thing, he had a feeling his life was about to get flipped over once more. For good or bad was up to debate.

And that's it. Felt Digimon would suit more into this considering DNA Digivolution, Biomerge and Spirit Evolution is a thing. Hokuto's last name isn't Shoutmon if you hadn't noticed. Last name is undecided at the moment. I did add some personal headcanons than just giving the Persona actual personalities. Persona is in personality after all.

Until next time folks!

#crossover #fanfic #au #oc #digimon #omnishoutmon #persona 5 #persona series #persona #persona 5 royal #digimon oc #ren amamiya #p5 arsene #persona 5 joker #digimon digital monsters #tales of sonicasura #sonicasura #long reads #arsene (persona 5) #arsene

[c-and-c-archives]

Book / Album :The Afterman: Acension

Creator / Author(s): Claudio Sanchez/Coheed and Cambria

Chapter 2 / Song: Key Entity Extraction I: Domino the Destitute

"It's incredible", Sirius can't help but say aloud into his helmet, as he floats about in the wonderous blue, noting the shades shifting and swirling from navy to the lightest of aquamarine. He fumbles for a suction container from a compartment in his suit, to begin collecting samples. He considers whether the color changes are a result of energy shifts - - possibly the molecules circulating to maintain equilibrium - -; then he does something completely new to him; Sirius puts the container back and allows himself a few profound moments of enjoyment. He is the very first person who has been to this place, the first man to ever question information known to be true about the haze although it had surrounded every world the same the the beginning of existance. Seventy-eight planets filled with beings who accepted what they'd been though about the blue without hesitation. But not Sirius.

A sense of accomplishment rushes through him. Pur adrenaline. That persecution by his scientist peers seems worth it now that he is here. Then... something...

Sirius bewildered, as from out the silence, tiny scattered noises begin to fill in the space around him, leaking into his helmet.

La la la la la la la

The eerie whispers grow. Louder still, the sneak into his consciousness, as the glow of the Keywork begins to pulse and move, ever subtly, like a million maggots weaving within it. The haze densities from transparent to translucent. The micro-movments to strengthen, gaining more definition until Sirius can make out human shapes and heads squirming to get out, as if endless sheer blue veil was pulled over them and they could not get out. All Mother cannot identify the composition of what they are seeing through scientific classification of any sort. She scans all of her databases and comes up with over 100 words, borrowed from every dialect within Heavens Fence, and though Sirius cannot make sense of it, the words all have nearly the same translation: Souls.

Without warning, one entity forcefully makes his way through the mass of entities, pushing them aside with pure muscle. This is the soul of Domino, who busts from the mass into Sirius, overcoming and possessing him, his essence churning through every organic fiber in his body. He struggles desperately for control..

"I am unable to process your brainwave function, Sirius. Troubleshooting now", drones All Mother. However, Sirius cannot respond. He cannot move to check whether the electrodes secured at the base of his skull have come lose. He is with Domino, viewing him through the eyes of a voyeur. He is domino, sharing the entity's every emotion, most intense of these being the feeling of complete hopelessness. Sirius' possession by the entity gives him a dual perspective, a perfectly clear view of the impact of another person's choices in life, juxtaposed with the reasons and traits that drove the choices in the first place. Domino hasn't learned much in his afterlife and feels that this human, the only one ever to enter the Keywork, could be a conduit to return to the living world.

Sisius find himself in a vast maze, constructed of the memories that torture Dominos conscienceness, the blurred images dripping down the walls like liquid holograms and solidifying before him. He's unsure how to navigate the maze on his own, but Dominos soul shows him where to begin...

In Dominos living body, he was a boxer with incredible potential. His biggest supporter and trainer was his younger, newly married brother, Chess. The brothers were a great team, but as Domino ran up the ranks undefeated, he demanded more os Chess' attention and time. Domino had begun to feel slightly envious of his brothers newfound happiness-like a third wheel- when his flawless record began to attract the attention of a local organized crime boss, Kriptor Noncruss. Kriptor saw potential in Domino, showing up at the gym and at his fights, planting dreams of big, beautiful things in his mind, promising Dkmjno money and fame while he reaped the payout on Dominos fights. Chess disapproved of his brothers involvement with such a seedy character, even as Kriptor continued to wedge chess out from Dominos life.

Giving way to Kriptor's allure, Domino became increasingly willing to do anything to get to the top, doping himself up to win fights as his talents started slipping. Eventually he became so addicted to the drugs, money and fame that he started taking bigger risks for his “friend,” dependent on a man who took advantage of him in every way possible.

Sirius navigates each phase of Domino's life as if here were a train on a pre-determined path, leading up to an eventual destination, though he has no idea what that might be or how long he'll be forced to travel for it. He fights against the desires of Domino, trying to extract the entity from his mind. He reaches into the morphing walls of the maze, trying to find a way out, but his manipulation does nothing. Intuition pushes him forward, promising a release if he can just keep going...

A memory begins to coagulate, thickening and darkening just before a new scene bubbles up inside, bursting from within the gelatinous exterior of the wall and flooding the maze with images of the interior of a packed stadium of screaming fans. It is here Domino was pitted up against the reigning champion of the ring, Saul “the Ghostmaker”Maven in what was meant to be the fight of the century. The damage to his body and lack of focus was too much and he lost the fight in a stunning knockout, unlocking the floodgate to his complete decline. At his lowest—Krip offered him a quick solution: If Domino would help him out with an armored car heist, he's share the big payout. Domino saw this as his chance at redemption. Trying to mend the relationship with Chess, Domino offered him a role in the plan—knowing he could've used the money, after all and would to anything to help his older brother. The heist went horribly wrong, with Chess getting shot.

Sirius watches all of this happen, as if it were occuring in real time, feeling all the pain and desperation of Domino as the final scene begins to play. All Mother continues her attempts to communicate, but her voice remains white noise to Sirius, Domino is lying propped up against the wall on teh street, helpless as his brother slumps to the cobblestone and takes his last breath.

Completely devastated, he realizes what he's done. Domino puts the gun in his mouth and suddenly, the perspective changes and Sirius is Domino, holding the gun.

"Let go of me, Domino."

"Not a chance, man. You're gonna take me back down there."

Sirius is acutely aware that this is a definitive moment; the single most regretted event in Domino's life. This must be the destination the maze has been easing him toward; the exact moment of Domino's complete and utter destitution.

Suddenly, he understands. This is the way out.

Sirius pulls the trigger, severing the posession Domino has on him. Domino screams, a hair-raising, unearthly sound that, in turn, resonates a destructive frequency through the All Mother, who transmits the tone through her hard connection to Sirius' ship, causing it to explode in the quiet of space.