EVENT - THE BLACK CITY

[faileas]

Event Log: August, The Black City

A STARLESS SKY You feel like you're floating. Around you, colors and sounds and smells swirl as if trapped in a whirlpool, vibrancy and hue ever shifting. The more you watch them, the less solid they are; they only become clear out of the corner of your eye. The area around you begins to feel more solid as well, until your feet are on the ground, the taste of smog and fog heavy in your lungs - and you know one thing, and one thing alone: this is a dream, and an incredibly realistic one at that. Unlike the last time this shared dream happened, only familiar faces of your fellow mirrorbound appear around you; and unlike the last time that flavor of dream happened, those native to the city of Aefenglom are nowhere to be found. Instead, an impossibly tall wall raises in front of you; along it run small windows with people peering from the edges, arrows shimmering with the tell-tale glitter of magic peeking from the darkness, with more figures standing guard or patrolling the top of it. The wall itself is made of a dark, onyx-like stone - it's reflective in the smoothness of its bricks, painting all who look into it in clear darkness, and the effect is similarly found in the wide moat that surrounds the city, the faint sound of a river feeding into it the only thing to hear in the tense silence. Only one massive door stands as the entrance to the city, chains hanging across it with the protective runes of a barrier some of you might be familiar with by now. With a groan the chains begin to pull away, the door lowering across the moat as a bridge, and a party of Witches - for they must be Witches, the pins on their cloaks the same as those found in the Coven in Aefenglom - urges the group inside. Monsters find it easier to obey the orders - compelled to, even - but perhaps that's the safety of the city calling out to you, and nothing more.

I. THE CITY ITSELF While Aefenglom is known for its dusk-hued skies, made of lustrous pinks and purples and blues, this city is dreary to the core. The streets are covered in a perpetual fog, not unlike the city you hail from, but thicker, denser, tinged with the flavor of industrial smog from the factories whose spires you can see in the distance. Magitech lights - lanterns above doors, street posts, flickering in the windows you pass - illuminate everything throughout the entire day, as if the sunshine can't reach through the foreboding fog nor the onyx walls. Even the windows are barred, offering a paranoid protection against the outside world. Doors seem hardier, and each building is reinforced and protected in a way that may feel familiar to those that have encountered the protective magic wards. They're heavier, leaving an almost ominous presence that causes unease to hang just as heavy in the air as the smog. The people of this city are just as dreary as the streets, though they do mill about with the same frequency as any city. Unlike the citizens of the dead Aefenglom that were encountered just the month before, however, these are real, living people. They can be spoken to. They can be touched. They interact with wariness and caution towards the strangers that have been heralded into their walled in world, especially those that show what they presume to be monstrous traits. Because it becomes quickly obvious that the majority of the citizens that answer a call, a question, a touch to gain their attention... They're human. a. OBEY AND SUBMIT Monsters that can be seen on the streets aren't few and far between, however. Their presence is subtle, in the fog and amidst the passing crowds of passing faces, but they're there. On a surface level, most of them seem to be fairly at ease. Passive and unfazed by anyone that tries to interact with them, as if they're disinterested by their mere presence in a way that isn't reflected by their human counterparts. A closer look shows a strained pinch to their faces, a tenseness to their bodies, a glazed look just at the surface of their eyes. Too many attempts to interact with them will cause some humans to emerge from shops, or ask that you leave their business; these are the ones that are... employed, most often seen in the shopping and industrial districts. But their movements are almost robotic in repetition, and they never speak to anyone even when addressed - even when a keen eye might take note of the sturdy leather collars around their necks, reinforced by metal and with visible places to attach a leash. Some in the industrial district can be seen with these leashes, powerful chains to keep them attached to carts, to keep them from swimming down the river, from flying away and out of the black walls of the city. All Monsters present in the city are clothed, though it's the ones on the clearly decorative leashes with the more delicate collars that are the best dressed. They accompany humans throughout the city, the same placid blankness present much like their busier counterparts. These are the aristocrats and their so-called "Bonded," though implying the same tone one would take in Aefenglom here will net a deep set of disgust. Attempting to rouse these Monsters does very little, and may even result in them jerking away and cowering behind their human company. b. GOING ONCE, GOING TWICE At one end of the city is a massive pavilion, one made of the same stone as the wall, giving off the same oppressive foreboding. Humans come and go from this peculiar town square with a casual air, an intent the same as a stroll through the stalls on the market street. Because that's, essentially, what they're doing. Monsters young and old put on display to show their abilities and strengths, tasks that range from the physically demanding to performances of artistic abilities. Some seem to be just at the surface of awareness, their glazed expressions refocusing at times with a sort of strained fear that's visible even at a glance. Many don't even react outside of doing the tasks they're ordered to do, going through the motions as a barker speaks at length about them, their abilities, how much their labor goes for and what they cost. These Monsters are purchased by the humans of the city at each display, many of them never wearing more than their basic clothes and the customary collar, a chain to keep them tied to their station with a generous enough reach. Most come and go with very little struggle, but some... it becomes obvious that they've broken through the surface and are coming up for air for the first time in a long time. Wooden posts where the chains are connected can be heard splintering with the force of their struggle, metal bending under pressure, the anxious energy of something about to happen. But the fights never last long, as attendants wearing Coven pins on their cloaks swoop in to attend to the situation - and many dreamers might notice a familiar Witch filtering in and out of the events, speaking to the auctioneers before departing for another selling. It's difficult to recall their face later, no matter how clearly one saw it before, but one thing is certain: while not necessarily prim and proper, this person is someone with a steel spine and a sharp eye. And they saw you, just the same as you saw them. c. AT BECK AND CALL With enough observation, or perhaps even experience, it becomes apparently how this is happening: any command or order issued to a Monster is taken to the most literal, and Monsters have no choice but to obey. Many Monsters employed as workers are so deep in the compulsion that they won't obey any additional commands, unless it comes from the person they have this most warped "Bond" with. Others will accept commands from anyone, even the mirrorbound Witches that have come into their city. Even the most asinine command is one that they'd obey, and one that maybe even you'll obey, too. Having a friend playfully tell them to shut up? They're forced into silence until told that they can speak again. Told to jump off a bridge? Best make sure you specify that you don't want them to jump off of a very high one, if you really want them gone that badly. Handstands, cartwheels, jumping jacks - but also, hurting someone, hurting themselves... one has to hope the Monster in question has a strong willpower, or it's a command that goes against one that's already been issued to them. But something of note is that mirrorbound Monsters of Aefenglom will find that they're also effected by this, though they're better able to fight the compulsion. Those with weaker constitutions may need help snapping out of the command, especially as a powerful command will be painful to fight against, and Witches will have to watch their words. Take care that your friends, your peers, the strangers you've arrived with, don't find themselves attending the auction block - it's a very real possibility in this place, with an unknown Monster unattended and uncollared. It should all be harmless, though. After all, this is only a dream... isn't it? No NPCs are available for this log - unlike with the midsummer dream, they're nowhere to be seen. No Nessie, no Mhairi, no one. Which means that there's no one to counsel them as they find themselves exploring the setting, and discovering that they're just as susceptible as the people in the dream...

II. THE COVEN Unlike with Aefenglom, there isn't a proper Parliament. A little investigation will lead to the discovery that the Coven of this city is the main governing body, which may explain a great deal about why there's such a massive presence of magic here. Located at the center of town - all roads lead to the Coven, a massive stone building with sharp looking spires - the grounds are notable in that there's nothing even remotely similar to the Looking-Glass House that everyone has come to know, despite its secrets. Should one gain entry to the main building of the Coven itself, they'll find that all the mirrors are within. Their main focuses of magic, rather than the more broad spectrum/free-to-study policy that Miss Nessie encourages, are enchantment and abjuration - for control, primarily. They're also heavy studiers of runes, visible across the city and with an even heavier influence in the wards of the Coven itself. They are, regardless, fairly welcoming to eager young minds wanting to learn. So long as the Monsters are left behind. But who's to say that you can't disguise a Monster? a. STUDY TIME Those curious about the Coven's library are welcome to investigate it for themselves, the Witches all smiling faces as they usher their visitors in. But they'll soon find that they aren't really left to their own devices; a member of this Coven branch is practically around every corner, and while they try to be subtle about their observation it becomes quickly obvious that they're not there for their own studies. They're stationed around the library to ensure that their guests don't make off with any of their resources, or try to get into any forbidden sections of the expansive library. Where the Coven library of Aefenglom - as well as the Undermael College's library - plays devil's advocate, with accounts and studies conducted from both sides of the anti-Monster sentiment and attempt to expand upon outdated knowledge... these ones have a decidedly anti-Monster lean in every regard. Any attempts to find otherwise will be met with bemused amusement by the Coven members, and a note that they don't carry such things here. After all, they're certainly not Aefenglom. They would never carry anything that could put their citizens at risk in such a way. Nevermind those horrid Bonds that Bell goes on and on about - it's no wonder that they're always at odds with their government. If only they'd wisen up, hm? Perhaps these new arrivals would like to transfer to their branch, instead, to better guarantee their growth. b. THROUGH THESE HALLS If one manages to slip away from the library without having somebody tailing them, they'll soon discover that the chilled atmosphere doesn't simply linger in the city itself. The halls are cold, the runes unwelcoming unlike the homey feel that Nerissa Bell's charms offer. Certainly home isn't perfect - and there's no denying that the sentiment is shared by many - but the smiling faces of the Black City's branch are at odds with the feel of their magic, the caged in weight pressing down on everything, including your shoulders. The halls are dimly lit by flickering lights, enchanted lanterns with a constantly burning yellow-white fire. Plenty of nooks and dark corners afford even large Monsters the ability to sneak through the halls, should they be snuck in for better investigation with their peers. Take care, however; there are Witches coming and going constantly. An empty room might lead to a study, a classroom, a bedroom. Locked doors don't yield easily, even in a dream, and may need to be abandoned. But a terrible, foreboding feeling emanates from large double doors that are rigidly locked. Hushed voices speak from the other side, and it's almost like the cold feeling that spreads throughout the Coven itself finds its source behind those doors. Periodically, sounds of pain escape from within - but they die out to whimpers, then silence, before they can ever get too loud. A crisp voice speaks only one word, clear even through the wood and the magic: "Again."

III. THE DARK UNDERBELLY There's always more to a city than the streets that you can see at the surface level. If you're looking, it's not hard to spot the signs. There are runes that mark walls and cobblestone streets like graffiti, and a studied eye might realize that they're not the same sort that have subjugated the more monstrously inclined of the Black City. These are intended to dispel magic, and the moment that a member of the Coven notices it - it's swept up as soon as possible, scrubbed clean or scorched off with magic. People take to the streets in small groups, standing their ground and raising their voices above the muffled din of a foggy city. They carry chains and collars that have been broken, but many of them are undeniably human as they confront something that has so obviously become the norm. Break the chains! they demand. Break the spell! Monsters go missing from the auctions with a well-placed distraction - perhaps you're one of the individuals being freed from the pavilion, or someone that's realized that there are people coming and going through the crowds, wearing the same cloaks as the Coven but without their iconic pins, dressed as aristocracy, from all walks of life... smuggling the Monsters away at the first chance. a. PARTY TO PROTEST Not every uprising can be swept under the rug at first sign, however. Witches take to the streets, looking surprised to see the mirrorbound arrivals from Aefenglom - and it's not the same wariness that most would give them. This is the calculating eye of someone assessing whether the person they've met will help or hinder, and some of them decided that you're to be help. Enchanted slips of paper are pushed into hands, runes are taught as quickly as possible in a hushed whisper and explanation, locations given out to Witch and Monster alike with a word of caution. Use the paper on a surface, any surface, and you'll see. Use the runes to break the compulsion - you might have to do it twice, thrice, however many times it takes to dispel the magic. Don't be caught. Using the enchantment as instructed - pressing the paper against a wall, the ground, a post, anything - will result in glowing runes overtaking the surface. It's the same as the runes that are taught to Witches, used to ward against the magic in place just as much as it is to create a statement of protest. If one goes to a location that is whispered to them, they'll find that they've joined an organized protest. It's small in size, a mixture of Witches and unleashed Monsters. Due to the size and frequency it's easy enough to find them, but the guards are very quick in putting them down or hiding any traces of them from the public eye, despite the protesters' best attempts. There's nothing amiss in the city, and nothing for citizens to worry about. b. REST AND REGROUP But they can't find every source of the resistance. It isn't hard for dreamgoers to find themselves swept up by these protesters. Any help is welcome, and those that show an inclination towards helping the Monsters of the city - or their Monsters that they know, regardless people that shouldn't suffer this way - will be taken into the fold. Entrances to their secret routes can be found in places that are hidden in plain sight. A storefront tended to by a Monster with eyes in sharp clarity when they look up from their robotic work welcomes a group of people in and behind the counter, to where a hatch door is hidden in the floor. A manhole cover is pried up, where people are smuggled down below. A portal is prepared, a different and darker destination on the other side. They all lead to the same location. The sewers are vast beneath this city. Much like the labyrinth that many faced in the Midsummer nightmare, it almost seems winding, endless, and the water is cold when it's crossed. But even with the stank of the runoff, the musty and moldy air, there's never the sense of dread, of death. Instead, there are signs of when you're going the right way - runes that shimmer only when looking at them out of the corner of your eye, or when you know what to look for. Three stars together - sometimes overlapping, sometimes circling each other, but always three, and always five points. While they appreciate the help, the mirrorbound aren't invited in by the revolutionaries to the main hideout. But it becomes obvious by charm bracelets, necklaces, piercings, tattoos, embroidery and stitching on shirts; this symbol, and its presence, is integral to their world beneath the city. But many are welcome to mingle throughout their circle. In the sewers, the shops, the small park where a rune gives secret announcements to those who know where to look for it on the third bench, even the homes of people that certainly don't look like revolutionaries, let alone anyone that would be a protector.

Welcome to the Black City! As a reminder, this takes place on August 18th - or rather, 3AM on the August 19th, much like the midsummer nightmare. If you have any questions or need any clarifications, you can ask them here! And as always, while we do encourage you to use this log, you can feel free to thread things out on your own log or elsewhere. Characters are allowed to try and start fights in the city, create prompts based on the information given instead of using the ones given exactly, and poke their noses where they don't belong - we encourage it, actually. But regardless of what you choose, we hope you have a good time!

And as a final parting note: If a character dies in the dream, they'll simply reappear at the beginning rather than waking up like normal.

Comments

[beariot]

[ Chariot's hands traced over those marks as she felt them, each one rending her heart, finding herself unable to feel much but shame and guilt in her inability to protect Fang from what had wounded her. They were together now, though... that was what mattered. They could find Kaede and escape this terrible reflection of the city's dark history. They could find some peace for themselves...

Chariot broke the embrace just briefly to pick the collar back up again, carefully using her wand to peel away the silver without touching it or getting any residue on her fingertips. ]

I'm going to have to put this back on you... It's the only way to assure people will think you... belong [ said with a measure of restrained disgust ] to me. That way we can look for Kaede more freely.

She gestured at the handler. By the time he wakes up, he won't even remember you, or me. So we don't have to worry about that, either.

[belligerentwarrior]

[This woman and her unending thoughtfulness. Fang adored it, watching her remove the silver cautiously, and she knew where the Witch was going with the thought before she even said it. It was logical. Smartest move they could make, really. Fang would've suggested it herself, had she been steadier.]

[But Fang was more reactionary beast than she wanted to be in this moment, her ears pinning back and tail lashing. A quiet growl rumbled in her chest; she accepted the idea, but her wounds too fresh to not hate even feigning being collared.]

[But she trusted Chariot, completely. The compulsion left by the handler was quickly fading with his unconsciousness, and Fang lifted her head to offer her neck.]

[beariot]

I... I know... I know... And you know I'd never ask this of you if it wasn't to assure your safety. [ Chariot's hands trembled over the collar, not yet placing it back on Fang's neck. There was also notably hadn't made any commands. But Fang was lifting her head regardless, and the weight of the decision to do this suddenly felt that much heavier. ]

When we're all together again, away from this place... I'll make it up to you. I promise.

[ Slowly, hands still unsteady, she slipped the collar back over her bonded's neck, barely able to look at what she was doing, her guilt pounding in her heart. ]

[belligerentwarrior]

[She hated watching her partner's hands tremble like that. She hated feeling the steady confidence from before crushed by guilt. The collar hurt, where it pressed against that ring of damaged flesh, but it was at least a regular kind of hurt—a tolerable kind of pain, not the agony of silver.]

[Fury still burned in her heart with her hatred of this place, mixing freely with the bloodlust that never subsided. But that was the problem, wasn't it? It was what blew Fang's cover in the first place, forced her to shift, and kept swatting aside any logic that arose in her mind. She'd probably be able to play her part with Chariot there... but for how long, before the rage seized her again? Back in her world, Fang would've been able to keep those roiling emotions in check. But as a Monster under the moons...]

[Fang utterly hated what she was about to suggest, and her tail lashed harder. Her growled rose, then faded, as she tried to speak.]

Or... der, me. Stay calm. [She hoped the mangled sounds were intelligible. If Fang couldn't keep herself in check, Chariot could. They could use the rules of this place against it. Fang needed to play it smart, for both their sakes. She couldn't do that at the beck and call of the moons.]

[beariot]

[ Chariot's eyes widened, unable to do much but stare in shock at the suggestion for a moment before aggressively shaking her head. ]

N-no! I could never do that! [ Even if it was for Fang's own sake, for keeping them both safe, she could never live with herself for taking any advantage of that magic, the very idea of it poison to her, turning her stomach.

Even if... even if she knew Fang was right, and that she may not have a choice... ]

[belligerentwarrior]

[Damn it. She hated asking Chariot to do this, her horror and revulsion clear in the Bond.]

[But they had to find Kaede. She couldn't let Chariot be discovered as a sympathizer. As long as Fang's fury threatened to blaze out of her control, it was almost as much of a threat to her agency as the compulsions were.]

My per... perm—[damn it all, why did all the words she knew for permission have so many syllables?] ...okay. It's, okay. Need clear... [The chuffing noise again, instead of a word. Fang tries again.] head.

[She was so, so sorry.]

Pl...ease. For me.

[beariot]

[ Fang's thoughts and feelings passed through the bond well enough that her words didn't need to be eloquent or well formed. But they were their own form of punctuation, emphasis, the way Fang, with full understanding of Chariot's struggle with the situation, still pleaded with her...

Chariot cupped her hands over Fang's ears, pressing her forehead against hers, just taking a few moments to breath, calm herself, and softly whisper... ]

Be calm. Still your heart. I command you this, and expect obedience...

[ The words felt like bile in her mouth. ]

[belligerentwarrior]

[She hated this. Hurting Chariot was the last thing she wanted.]

[That was something Fang could apologize for when they were safe--and Kaede with them.]

[It almost felt like the startling gravity of free fall, that sudden loss of control; a command from her Bonded felt so much more potent that Fang hadn't realized she'd started to obey until after the fact. Her rage, distress, and bloodlust started to drain away until the roaring in her mind dull baseline. Her eyes drooped closed, the tension melting from her form. The twin moons still howled against her nerves, tugging at the dying storm in her heart.]

[...but it was like sitting in a glass box, the moons muffled and unable to pierce her new limitations. The monstrous impulses suffered that same muffling. It was controllable. She was still angry, she still needed to find Kaede, she still ached from the pain she was causing her partner. But it was quiet, and left room for thought.]

[When Fang opened her eyes again, there was nothing but lucidity, and that hunter's keenness. It was a brief freedom from her nature as a turnskin.]

Thank you, [she muttered back, voice raw with sincerity and affection. Words weren't a struggle anymore, either.]

[She wished she could smile at Chariot, but in this form... Fang would have to settle for nuzzling her, desperately hoping that the woman that held her heart could find some comfort in how much humanity that command restored to her, despite the irony of it all.]

[But as much as she wished she could sit here and soothe Chariot, survival was more pressing. The time would come later.]

We've got to move. Kaede's waiting.

[beariot]

[ Ursula accepted that nuzzling, holding Fang as close as she comfortably could, practically clinging to the turnskin as she fought back tears. She wasn't certain how she was going to look back on this moment when the dream ended. She wasn't sure if she could. It would become just another shame in her past, a guilt she couldn't escape. But... Fang was okay. And that was more important.

As well as Fang's words. Kaede was still out there, still afraid and alone. They had to keep going.

So after a moment, she sucked in a deep breath, trying to calm herself and not become lost dwelling on her guilt again. No, Kaede needed her, for the moment, to be strong. To provide her a home to return to, just as she had promised Fang. ]

Alright... Let's get going.

[belligerentwarrior]

[She ached, knowing those restrained tears were a direct consequence of her actions... but there was no turning back now. There was no time for emotions that could accidentally feed into Chariot's complex. The best Fang could do was to remain steady and determined.]

[Fang reluctantly drew back after Chariot spoke, her gaze chancing over the unconscious handler as she glanced around. There was another pulse of bitter hatred, but it was quiet—a ripple across the Bond instead of the roaring current it had been before.]

I spotted her, a long while ago, in a different market. Did the best I could to get her out, but we got separated. Don't know where she got off to. Guess I could try to get her scent from there.

[It was a slim chance. Fang still wasn't as great with scent trails as something born with a keen nose, and it might be a wash, with so many people and Monsters in the area, but she had no better ideas.]

[beariot]

Between your nose and being able to sense her through the bond... [ Chariot sucked in a deep breath, trying to get herself under control, to calm her heart and let it be a beakon for Kaede to follow. ]

I think... I think we can find her. No, I know we can... [ They had to. She wouldn't accept any other result. She'd made a promise... ]

[belligerentwarrior]

We'll find her. Let's get moving.

[Fang stood again, her posture and head drooping to replicate that of the subservient Monsters of this city. It wasn't a hard act to pull off; with the calm that had settled over her, her adrenaline faded, leaving Fang with the leaden weight of her exhaustion and her wounds.]

[This wasn't an easy task. Once they found their way to where Fang had last seen the chimera, it took her considerable time to find the trail. The sheer foot traffic muddied the scents, and the turnskin ended up retracing her steps back into the city, along the escape route she'd frantically tried to free Kaede along.]

[Focusing was becoming difficult, and raw determination the only thing to carry Fang through. She didn't know how long they'd been meandering along the streets before she caught a relatively fresh trail. The turnskin's ears swiveled forward suddenly, the only visual sign of her sudden attention.]

She's near, [Fang murmured quietly, trying to keep up the charade. She tried to glance around, to look for alleys or roofs or other hiding spots, but such was challenging while keeping her head bowed.]

[long_live_the_queen]

[That market was in a bit of a shambles--Kaede's broken cage had been taken down, some adjoining stalls closed up early for the day. There wasn't anything amiss in the city, of course. There weren't any witnesses to ask about it.

The Chimera's trail had taken a windy path from that rooftop, crossing a side street, diving into back alleyways. From one of those, it led into the back room of some shop--its door strangely ajar, with a lamp lit but no voices inside. The iron scent of blood, fresh-cut bone, and the acrid bitterness of adrenaline leaked from it.

Charming.

Inside, the room was a mess--boxes overturned, chairs thrown about, a crooked saw blade fallen, piles of bone-white dust, strands of red feathers, blood splattered on the cracked floorboards. It wasn't Kaede's, though--its source was crumpled against a wall, a mangled human corpse. Nearby was a battered metal helmet--the same one Kaede had been wearing. Its back had been torn open and mangled by claws, its side crushed and bloody. From the state of the dead man's face, it wasn't hard to guess how it'd been used.

The strand of the Bond wound further into the storeroom's dusty shelves, aflame with the pulse of anger and undercut with pain and misery. The brief spark of recognition there was quickly swamped by a feral animal's wariness.]

[beariot]

[ Just when it felt like their nightmare would end, when Fang had caught the scent and she could feel Kaede's presence in her heart, more horror crept into Chariot's soul as she took witness of what had become of her other bonded, over what she had done. The sight of the man's body had caused her heart to feel like it had stopped, eyes widening and feeling her stomach turn as she clasped her hand over her mouth.

Made worse was the rage and despair flooding over the bond, overwhelming her and causing her legs to give out. She had to reach out with her other hand to hold on to Fang to keep herself steady, but it hardly worked, and it was all she could do to keep herself in the conscious world as everything pushed at her. She wanted to reach out for Kaede, but in that moment, all she could feel was fear and agony... ]

[belligerentwarrior]

[Fang felt Chariot's horror in turn, but it failed to touch on her own emotions, largely in part because of the compulsion she voluntarily shouldered. The turnskin caught Chariot in an instant, fluidly shifting her stance to a bipedal crouch, staying quiet and the Witch's weight fell across her more minor burns.]

[Still supporting her Bonded, Fang quietly pushed the back door shut with her foot. Even through the calm compulsion, concern threaded through the turnskin the moment she laid eyes on Kaede, but other than her ears flattening, she didn't know how much of it showed on this form's face.]

[She wanted to say something, but Fang worried that in her mental state, the chimera might see another Monster as a threat. Fang glanced down to Chariot, the collar pressing against her silver wound, concern for the younger Monster on her side of the Bond; it would probably be best for her to approach the traumatized girl first. Fang did her best to will encouragement and strength through the Bond, to give Chariot something to draw on.]

[She would support the Witch until she could stand again—and then remain close at hand in case she faltered again, but two steps away to hopefully make Kaede feel less cornered.]

[long_live_the_queen]

[There was someone there.

She could smell them there, over the stench of blood and dust and soot. Hear them, footsteps creaking the wooden boards, heartbeats that belonged to other things. She...knew them? As barely-there memories, on the edges of pain-frayed insensibility. More captors? More people like the wretched man with the saw? No—he was dead. She killed him, she was sure—

Horror that wasn't her own crashed against Kaede's thoughts, smashing aside the flimsy reason of a feral mind and turning to her own fear, her own dread. The Chimera stirred from the pile of crates and barrels she had wedged herself behind as her heartrate spiked and bitter dread rose in her throat. This shelter was no longer safe.

The Chimera stood—crawled, into a hunched, quadrupedal crouch of a posture—and her head darted this way and that. Where else was there to run, to hide? The movement was easier—terribly easier. The Chimera's skull was no longer weighed down with antlers, her head no longer burdened with conscious thoughts.]

[beariot]

[ No... no no no no! She could feel it, like sand between her fingers, that Kaede was slipping away. If given the opportunity, she'd dash out, past them, away from them, and they'd likely lose her forever. The thought of that, more than anything, terrified Chariot in a visceral, instinctual way that managed to not freeze her, but instead, inspired something else...

Fang would notice it first. The slate blue starting to peel away from her hair, showing the brilliant vermilion beneath, as she started to rise to her feet. Her voice came clearly from her lungs, even if her body was shaking, adding a tremble to it, despite its clarity and volume. By the time she was fully standing, "Ursula" wasn't there, but it was still a voice that intended to cut through Kaede's mind and heart like a blade, and find the girl within, the girl Chariot was desperately trying to save. ]

Kaede! It's me! Fang and I are here!

[long_live_the_queen]

[These were not Orders. They started that way, like the next words were going to be stay or hold or get in the cage. But they weren't. There was something else, a name—her name—that pierced the frenetic, fearful haze in her mind. It made her pause, mouth pulling into an expression between a beast's grimace and a human frown. No one here would know that.

The Chimera peered between the crates, giving voice to a low, uncertain rumble of a growl. Her muscles were still tense, quivering with energy and the stifled impulse to run. The shapes silhouetted against the open door were strange and unfamiliar; a feline beast, black against the light, and a human—a Witch, whose hair didn't match Kaede's memory.

But someone was calling to her. She didn't have to listen, but it wasn't mere sound—it was more than that. Something that bypassed her mind's crumbling sentience, past the swirling fear and rage, past the ever-lurking despair to the small and soft thing underneath all of that. Kaede shuddered, as if from a touch against delicate skin unused to contact. It always felt that way, and it always felt like Kaede should be nervous, if not frightened, at someone being so close.

But Ursula wasn't going to hurt her. Not then, and not now.

The Chimera shivered again, and slowly, warily, pulled herself forwards a step out of the dusty shadows.]

Urrr... [To call it speech was generous, but the raspy, gravelly growl was the best Kaede's hoarse throat could manage.]

[beariot]

[ Chariot knew the moment her glamour faded, Kaede would have trouble recognizing her. She had to make certain the important things, her sound, her scent, were clear to her, stepping closer and kneeling down, arms open. ]

That's right. Ursula... that's the name I gave you. It's the name in your heart...

I'm here to help. To take you away from this place... to the home I promised you in my vows...

[long_live_the_queen]

[The woman stepped closer, and Kaede wanted to recoil from the movement. Her ears had gone quite stiff, like a deer at nervous alertness even now.

But this was her Bonded. She could feel it tugging her heart with a warm and insistent touch, the way nothing else could—not even the words, slow as they were to filter through a feral mind. This was safe, this was home.

The Chimera crawled forward another step, and—nothing happened. No new sounds, nothing to take fright of—the strange-but-familiar turnskin hadn't budged, and wasn't a threat. Not yet. But there was still one implicit in those claws, that strength, that visage of something predatory part of the Chimera's mind wanted nothing to do with. Kaede's slow advance stopped and she looked at Fang warily, tail swishing in an unsettled motion.

But her suspicions were lessened this time. The only things that hurt her here were far more human in appearance. With a low hiss, the Chimera finally pulled herself into the light, laying her state bare.

The clothes she'd been wearing were stained with soot and torn in places, the tethers binding her wings wrenched loose but many of the feathers cut or pulled out. One chain had been torn away from her long wrist, but the other still dragged heavily against the ground. Her hair was a tangled, matted mess of unbrushed strands and crumpled feather—and worst of all of them, her antlers had been sawed off entirely, leaving cleanly cut stumps behind.

It was the last one that shattered the last fragile tethers of reason in her mind. Even now, barely half a person stared out of Kaede's eyes, fogged as they were with a slow-dying anger.

But the beast didn't know what a Bond was. Kaede did, and it was Kaede forcing her fear-numbed limbs to move until she was within a human's arm reach from Ursula.

Whoever had taken Kaede's antlers must have had assistance. They'd likely be back soon enough.]

[belligerentwarrior]

[Fang's tail twitched, the first motion to break her stillness since catching Chariot. Kaede had always had a skittish quality to her since Fang met her, that first night day they all stumbled out of the mirrors, before the instincts set in. Even in the face of their Bonded's comfort, she looked on the edge of flight.]

[But the miserable sight of her—Fang couldn't keep from reacting, even if it was that one tai lash. A thrum of bitter fury ran through her heart, distant to her currently muted emotions—but strong enough to push against her compulsive calm, prompting a twinge of pain.]

[Fang was still grateful for that order. Kaede's tormented visage probably would have set her off raving and snarling again, otherwise.]

[The turnskin's eyes flickered to the corpse, wondering what order events had happened since Fang broke the chimera out of her cage. Careful to keep her movements smooth and calm, Fang rose to her feet, cautiously wandering out to the front of the store. Night was falling, and it wouldn't be unusual for the shop to close up, she thought. Making sure there were no pedestrians in view of the windows, she flipped the "Open" sign to "Closed", and began shuttering the windows.]

[Chariot was better suited for comfort than she was.]

[beariot]

[ In contrast to Fang, despite how much she wanted to give in to the pain and despair of seeing Kaede in that shape, how much it broke her heart, Chairot kept the warmth that was drawing Kaede back to her within the bond, letting it temper like a fireplace, inviting the girl in to her arms if she chose to do so. Her smile still had a tremendous sadness behind it, and tears welled in her eyes, but she didn't pull her gaze away, or flinch, as much as she might have wanted to. ]

It's okay... it's okay...

[long_live_the_queen]

[Movement caught Kaede's gaze again and the Chimera froze, lowering herself to the ground and her feathers bristling up in equal, conflicting measures. But Fang wasn't moving towards her, and the cold stab of fear soon faded from her mind.

She looked back to Ursula again, maddened eyes meeting anguished ones. And...Kaede blinked, the fear and directionless anger in her mind wavering.

Were those tears for her?

How...strange.

The Chimera could only growl now, but she did so softly; the croon of a beast made for other things. But she could do something that wasn't killing.

She rose at last, enough to slip a long arm under Ursula's and curl it around the Witch's back. The limb was so grotesquely stretched in the dream that the claws curled around Ursula's shoulder instead of settling against her back like Kaede wanted. But energy flowed through her limbs at the touch, fear-numbed nerves coming alive again and warmth flooding to her fingertips. Fresh air, for someone who'd forgotten what it was like to breathe.

Kaede settled her head on Ursula's empty shoulder, letting out a relieved sigh. This was safe. This was home. The horrors of the nightmare around them faded to distant shadows, and the tension and pain in her mind began to drain away at last.]

[belligerentwarrior]

[The jaguar's ears swiveled around at the crooning growl, but... it wasn't an alarming sound. She didn't need to hurry.]

[After the front of the store was secured, Fang returned to the back, glancing over at Kaede. Her ears flattened a little as she wandered over to the back door, the best this form could do to express sorrow; the chimera still had her antlers, the last time Fang had seen her.]

[Poor kid. What happened, in those missing hours? She secured the rear entrance, then made her way to the bloody corpse and began prying open the crates. One of these had to be empty. No sense in leaving him out in the open.]

[beariot]

I've got you... and I won't let anything else hurt you. I promise... [ Chariot's voice shook as she tried to fight back sobbing, pinching her eyes closed as she held Kaede even closer to her, arms trembling but somehow still finding the strength, mostly through the bond, to put her warmth and sincerity into that ethereal connection between them, to surround Kaede with it, to make it like a blanket, and most likely also a shield.

She didn't miss what Fang was doing but she opted to not look at it. She didn't want to. She didn't want any reminders of the horror around them breaking past the aura she was creating for Kaede. ]