Niccolo Croatoan: Home, part 2

The moment Alastair dragged me back into my body, I felt all of my senses had accentuated themselves to the point where I could hardly bear it. I was simply too exhausted to rein them in. The daylight was blinding, and each smell was amplified until I felt surrounded by rancid odor. Everything I felt, down to the familiar sensation of my coat rubbing against me as I moved, became overwhelming. I could feel each of my internal organs individually, and had I not known better I would have guessed they were on fire. The sounds in my head... I would like to say I had learned to filter them out or even become accustomed to them, but I had done neither, and each name was in even more agony than normal. 

I quickly found myself a captive once more of the most powerful name I had stolen. Somehow- mostly through sheer willpower, I would imagine- I found the energy to twist the strands of time once more, and I appeared suddenly in Blogland. My legs gave out almost instantly and I stumbled forward, leaning heavily on a conveniently located chair for support. I could actually feel my body tearing itself apart, and I realized why that sadistic part of me would want me back just as I took control of myself again. Aretha was here- mere feet away from me, in fact- and it would kill her to see me finally come back only to die.

"I-" A violent fit of coughing interrupted my apology, but I had not the energy to speak in anyone's mind and it had to be said, so I tried again. "My apologies... For this..." I was immediately shaken by more coughing, rife with blood, and I lost my grip on the chair, collapsing on the ground. 

"Oh, God, I... I was not expecting this at all... That- that's not Alastair..." Aretha's voice. I decided I was more fortunate than I had ever anticipated if her voice was the last thing I heard. But she was in pain. I tried to speak again- to say something, anything, if only to assure her that I could- but no sooner had I opened my mouth than I found myself hacking up even more blood. I felt as though I might drown between the voices in my head and the unrelenting onslaught of external activity.

"Ok, this is insane," Aretha spoke again, and I wondered how it could be that her voice was like some sort of balm when every other sound drove me mad, "But Alastair must have gone back in time and done exactly what he claimed he would never do. Which is completely mad, because going back in time is hard, but... This is Niccolo. Oh, God." Even though I had my eyes tightly shut against the colors and light of the outside world, I could practically see her digging her fingernails into her arm. "He knew it wouldn't bother us to watch him dying, so..."

More sounds assaulted my senses- people talking urgently, running about, yelling to one another... Someone helped me off of the ground and leaned me against a tree, and I could feel its life force pulsing under my back, its typically gentle aura amplified until I felt as though it was thrashing wildly. And then they gave me RedRays, and I lost all hope of coherent thought. I can barely remember anything beyond screaming, blurred intrusions from the outside world, and sharp, enduring, absolute agony.

Javier Fyreheart: Being Insane

ISetting: I just know it was during Em and E I believe...

Javier stood watching Alexis play, something annoyed him. It was her mother, Zafira Kerias who annoyed him. She was so annoying and he couldn't believe he had actually fallen for her. Smiling to himself he began to plot her death. He would kill her and make it worth the hell he would get. 

Javier attacked the knife plunging into Zafira. He felt satisfaction in hurting her. Nobody really registered in his muddled head except Niccolo Croatoan speaking,

"If you try that again I will kill you." Niccolo told him. Javier simply did not care. He had a purpose and that purpose would be to kill Zafira. Niccolo was in his way and he did not like that. Javier waited a while longer. He crept into the shadows watching Niccolo heal Zafira. Adra was lecturing Zafira too. Typical. Then Javier smiled. Alexis was a way to get to Alexis. He had never felt more alive then today and he did not mind the prospect of possibly dying. 

Javier waited as Alexis and the Cleaver were alone. The Cleaver suddenly was blinded and Javier stabbed him multiple times. He soon took Alexis and began hurting her. Javier soon found himself pinned down. Zafira was angered. Javier took the oppurtunity to torment Zafira. She began screaming and he continued. The enjoyment of watching Zafira in pain was intoxicating. So very intoxicating. He let go of her and soon found out what it was like to be killed. Niccolo came out of nowhere and slit is throat. Javier fell to his knees holding his throat,

"Niccolo watch... Her....she...likes you keep Zafira safe." Javier stammered. He could feel the blood trickling down his throat. He couldn't. He failed his mission to kill. To kill Zafira. Niccolo's voice was quiet and fading to him,

"I never understood her." He had said and Javier formed a smirk before everything went black. Death as it was, was black. 

I tried to kill her, the Grand Mage of America and yet I failed. I never will have the opurtunity again. This is it. Blackness, darkness. I deserved to have Niccolo take my true name. But he would never. Maybe he'll watch Zafira maybe he won't. My life is over. I never can go back. Javier was still in the darkness. Sitting here dead was helping. His mind had become clearer.  He was a fool to have tried to kill his wife. If only he could have realized. He was a fool. 

Javier opened his eyes. He was seeing his wife. Zafira was laying on the ground very weak,

"Zaf! Zafira wake up!" He said panicing. She was pale and weak. He called to everyone and Adra and Niccolo came. Javier watched as everyone was helping her. He was safe and so was she. His wish to see Zafira was granted. 

Niccolo Croatoan: Home, part 1

Everything in italics is set during RedRays and the Almost-Death of Alastair Cruciatus, the rest is from a conversation I had with Adra in between plots much later on.

"So you've always been moving? Have you ever thought about getting a permanent place? I don't know, maybe something on the mundane British countryside?"

"I've never actually considered it. I make an effort not to return to the same place more than once- with the exception of Aretha's place. And I never actually stay there, it's just our meeting point."

"Hm... I can't really see you doing the whole domestic thing. At least, not right now." She shrugged. "I've bought a few houses over the years... One in America, a beautiful island in Greece, in Russia... And one in Ireland. Of course, work was always calling so I only stayed in a certain house for five years, tops, but it wasn't too shoddy."

"I can see the advantage of having places like that. If nothing else, it must me nice to have somewhere you know you'll be safe if you need it. I would even go so far as to say that having your own place contributes to the feeling of having a steady life. At the very least it's a constant. But I've never had any real need for constants. Not the way I live."

She got up to make herself some tea. "Just because it's where you live doesn't mean it's home. And just because it's home doesn't mean it's safe."

"That's true. I suppose some part of me is still stuck on memories from over 500 years ago. It's different for everyone, I'm sure. Aretha certainly views her place as home, but many people don't. What is your definition of home, then?"

She never answered, but the question made me think. It seemed obvious the moment I realized it. But to explain how I came to that realization, I'll tell you the tale of how I came back.

127 years in the past

There is a certain kind of peace that comes from being trapped in time; a kind of deep serenity you feel when you realize that, for you, one moment has become forever, and nothing in that moment will ever change or end, grow old or wither and die. Time, arguably one of the most persistent forces in the universe, has forever come to a halt. I have found, however, that such pleasant feelings begin to fade once you realize that while nothing will ever die in that moment, nothing will ever life either. 

Once I came to understand that, I felt much more like a prisoner than I ever had. At least in that form of entrapment, I was incapable of harming anyone, and free from the influence of my other names. Once I thought about it, I realized that was the first time I had been able to think without them. The lack of endless screaming and murmurs was certainly a welcome relief. All things considered, I would have willingly stayed in that moment, unchanging, for the rest of eternity. I had only one reason not to- Aretha. 

I had instructed her to kill my body before Alastair woke and began to wreak havoc on the world, which was inevitable, yet I knew full well that she would not do so. I had hidden a message in my letter to her that I was certain she would find, however I doubted she would be able to discover it and then follow through before Alastair awoke, which meant the only way for me to stop him from killing her and countless other innocents- not that I had ever been able to spare their lives anyway- was to somehow return. But such a feat is quite impossible for a consciousness trapped in time and unwilling to harm another human. Then again, impossible never stopped Aretha.

Alexis: Stuck Inside Alastair's Head

(Setting: it is whenever the moment of Alastair taking Alexis captive to the moment where Niccolo frees Alexis from being a tree for a few minutes cuz I thought it was funny

I was just with Mommy and now suddenly I'm stuck inside this prison! I keep seeing my family dead and I want our! I just want my Mommy...No but now she's dead and Daddy too and Miss Aretha and everyone else I love! Even my puppy Coco...and now I feel someone trying to kill me and they're suceeding!!! i want out of here I really really really do. JUST LET ME OUT!!!! PLEASE!!! But Alastair won't let me out- NOOO NOOO STOP KILLING MOMMY PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE...Suddenly I'm free Alastair let me go. But I'm a tree. Okay. Trees are booring. Stupid tree. Why of all things did Alastair make me a tree? Weirdo. At least I'm free....for now. Yeah for now. Wait okay who is here it looks like Alastair but...sounds like Niccolo! 

"Who are you?!" I ask but Alastair or Niccolo doesn't respond. Then suddenly I am home. I rush to Mommy shaking and she holds me close. I love her and now my memories of the past in Alastair's mind are gone! Only Niccolo would do that,

"Niccolo's back." I whisper to Mommy.

"Yes he is and he got you my baby." She murmurs and keeps me close.

Fabi: Six Feet Under Screams

Behind the basement door. Set during to after The Terrorist Group

"So," Dean began. "You've got friends. Don't worry, though. I'm capable of breaking both your legs without help." Behind him, something in the shadows moved, something eerily familiar.

Fabi gasped in shock as she remembered where she'd seen something similar. "There's a--"

Dean growled. "I'm not an idiot. There's no one there!"

He picked Fabi up as if she weighed nothing and threw her to the ground. She felt something crack, probably a rib, and hissed in the pain. The shadows moved again. 

"No! You can't--" Fabi's cry was cut off as Dean hit her across the face, worsening the already bad bruises from Glow's organ. Now her nose was bleeding, too. How dignified. 

Whatever, Fabi had never been a graceful fighter, always messing things up horribly. She blocked the next strike with her elbow, and tried to get back up again, but Dean forced her down again and it was as if it began raining punches. Fabi resisted as long as she could, but eventually lost her nerve and scooted backwards, into the shadows.

The first time she'd been possessed by a ghost/shadow/thing, it had taken her memories first. This wasn't like that at all, but the same chilling feeling was there, and the same shadows in her eyes.

Lilac Solo had been not unlike herself, a young woman who'd gotten too close to the truth and had been taken down here to die. Dean had killed her. Now she spoke again, through Fabi, but with her own voice. 

"Dean Tristan."

"Y-your dead!" The transformation was almost immediate. The tough burly man who loved nothing more than tormenting people was gone, replaced by a scared fool who'd just realized that his actions had consequences and was trying to run away from them. 

Lilac and Fabi had a shared goal in that moment, and they sealed the door as one, feeding off each others' energy. Shadows tore off the doorknob, and the metal door fused to the doorframe. They let him pummel at it so that it bent horribly, Dean screeching in a voice higher than they thought possible, but before he had even a hope of breaking through, Fabi-Lilac influenced the metal in the door and he stuck. There was a muffled gasp as the door covered his face, and then the screaming stopped.

Fabi felt the wounds on her head, torso and just about everywhere start to heal, but at the same time, she was losing control. She and Lilac had achieved some sort of unison, both angry, both wanting revenge, but when Fabi's anger faded, Lilac's did not, and the latter was stronger. 

The way Fabi understood it, the shadow things were leftover hatred and anger, belonging to the dead. Lilac had to have been a good person, right? So many of her memories were similar to Fabi's own, memories of being forgotten, left out, left behind. Like here. 

Fabi knew better, she thought. Adra and Saph had battles of their own, there was no reason for them to come after her. At the same time, though, another tiny part of Fabi was insisting they'd forgotten, and Lilac was feeding that thought with memories of her own. The poor woman hadn't had many good friends. Fabi would have been sorry for her, except that she was doing the wrong thing with her anger.

"Adra, Fabi, are you alright?" Saph called from outside. 

"No, I'm dead." Lilac used Fabi's voice, but Fabi hoped Saph hadn't heard. Lilac was starting to get angry now, and she was sending shadows spilling out of Fabi's eyes at an insane speed. The shadows on the doorknob twisted off, and it was all Fabi could do to keep her discipline out of Lilac's reach. 

Giving up on that method out, for now, Lilac shadow-walked Fabi upwards and out into the light.

Summary 17: Most Recent Goings-On (to be sorted into individual plots later)

Short version: After Deacon Returns, the group skips ahead 4 weeks till Em is recovering in a medical area, but still has shadow-infected wounds, so Aretha, Adra, Trip, and Drew work together to try to figure out how to either kill Deacon or force him to release Em.

Later in the night Fabi appeared, and revealed that she had been partially taken over by a girl named Lilac who wants to use Fabi to get revenge on the terrorist group (see The Terrorist Group). She sent a package into Blogland containing the head of one of the terrorists.

Meanwhile, Niccolo changed Adra's siblings back from flowers into humans, and they told Adra she was having problems with alchemy because she opened too many portals without closing them. Adra, Aretha, and Niccolo are now attempting to find and close all the portals that Adra opened.

Long version: This section will wait until each plot is finished and has its own post.

Alastair Cruciatus: Names

Set during Ruining the Moment. Don't get excited, this is barely a taste of what goes on inside my head, and it doesn't show much else.


they're happy they feel like they've just won something perfect time to strike screaming leave those children alone screaming let me out let me out let me out screaming would you just shut up and kill them all nobody cares about your sick desire for pain screaming kill screaming Aretha good Lord my dear what have I done to you now screaming where am I screaming shh don't let them hear you screaming the girl she's back grab her screaming hey stop what I can't move my screaming shut up screaming stop it screaming pull her in screaming oh, that scream screaming exquisite screaming crazy twisted freak screaming just kill her put her lights out now screaming Alastair if this is you I swear screaming shut up and back off all of you screaming let me out let me out let me out screaming kill her screaming feed her fear screaming screw you screaming I'll bite her let me have a go screaming darling you had best run while you can screaming no I will get out of this box you can't keep me in here you can't scare me anymore screaming try me screaming you have such beautiful eyes when you're scared screaming rip them out screaming I just want my momma screaming shut up you little screaming you know you're only mad screaming everybody dies screaming you can't screaming no stop screaming me next screaming get in line screaming take her too screaming what's your fear screaming I'll just break you screaming here they come screaming kill them all screaming my God you have no heart screaming then  neither do you screaming just let me out screaming let me die screaming quit whining screaming stop screaming but I'll do anything screaming not enough screaming what did they do to you screaming look at them scramble around screaming let me out let me out let me out let me out screaming die screaming this is nothing compared to what I deal with every day

Who am I kidding to try and write a piece like this? The screaming never stops, the voices all talk at once, and they're all louder. There are more of them. But you wanted me to try, so here you go. My thoughts in the span of one second.