Forum Thread

Darkness. It was dark. Very dark. Like, dark, dark. No lights, no fire, no nothin. The only sound was the dripping of water from the ceiling. It seemed it was some sort of cell. Surprisingly spacious for a single-person cell. There was a bed which looked like it was bought 90 years ago, then promptly forgotten about, was in the back corner of the room.

---

She looked around. Horrible eyesight, so she couldn't see anything. Not even her own hands in front of her. So she did what she always does when she's lost.

Walk in circles and call out the names of the people she knew. "Jack...? Kendo...?"

---

Dead silence.

At least, until

"Sera? Whadda f*ck are you doin' here?"

Ope. There was Kendo, popping out of the shadows like the gremlin he was. He looked slightly more disheveled, his usually messy robes singed and cut, but he looked fine. Except for the black eye, of course.

---

She didn't respond for a moment. Then walked towards the direction she heard his voice. "Kendo... I missed you... Jack misses you..." She raised her arms when she thought she was close enough to him.

---

Cuteness overload. He lifted her up, so that they were eye-to-eye.

"How did you get here?"

---

"Um... The... The magic... Party people. Magic party people." She meant to say the masquerade, or the mages. But she forgot what they were called. Only that they liked to party. "I was fighting one, and- and then I fell asleep... And Jack was really far away, and I could feel the presence of other people trying to help me, but they couldn't, and I ended up here."

---

Andrea hums to herself. “You’re not wrong about my sister. But there’s something so special about the bond between us that refrains her from telling you everything. Deeper than anything, than flesh, than blood or bone. We swore an oath when we were young. Breaking it would result in her death so I wouldn’t be surprised that she can’t tell you too much. But I agree, she’s quite stupid.” Tapping her chin thoughtfully, she rocks herself on the balls of her feet, bouncing to some rhythm. “I honestly don’t give a damn whether you trust me or my sister. But I will admit, that dimwit’s more observant than I thought. I never knew she had noticed the similarities between the symbols on the uniforms of the Masquerade and the necklace I gave her. A mistake on my part, I suppose.” She pauses, throws the lollipop stick away and continues. “But no matter. That was me in the past. The young me thought the Masquerade was pretty cool, that’s all.” Her lie was smooth, reassuring and almost believable, honeyed words rolling off her tongue in a faux warm voice.

Backing away slightly, she fixes Jack with a curious gaze. “You know, you and Jasmine aren’t all that different, really. You may mot like it, but you two share a lot in common. Seraphiel is useless and pathetic, and Kendo is nothing more than a distraction. And you are no better. You’re worthless, unable to help them. How could you let Kendo lead you astray? I saw you two in the garden, you make me SICK. And because you’re so ridiculously incompetent and misty eyed, you failed to protect Sera. Didn’t you?” Her voice grows more and more venomous, and a snap of her fingers tells them both the Andrea had realised and removed the distortion.

She gets on her knees in front of Jack, palms up in surrender. Like Jack, she too bore a face of insanity. Looking up through her raven black hair, her face splits into her grin. “Kill me then Jack. What use do I have to resist? Naturally, you, like you’ve already so kindly told me, are more powerful than I ever will be. Though I will not go down easily. I prefer a cowardly act of running and hiding. You know, cat and mouse, playing with your prey and things like that? But before you kill me, I would like to say this. Jasmine cannot break her oath, therefore the only information you will get from the Masquerade is from me. Kill me, and that chance is gone. Yes, sure; find another solution elsewhere! Go hunt them down! But I assure you, it will be too late. By then everyone and everything you’ve ever held dear will perish, and I sure as hell will be there to laugh at you when that happens, even if I have no more physical body.”


“So princess. Are you really willing to gamble the love of your life and the cloud girl? To be sold at a slave auction?I’ll tell you honestly, the best life to live is with no attachment. Life is nothing more than a game of chess, whereby you are the queen and everyone else is your pawn. No one else should matter apart from you. I learnt that the hard way. Oh, and be prepared. Truth serums won’t work on me, neither will mind reading. Unfortunately for you, I predicted this all too well.” She holds up a small picture, which clearly displayed some sort of device embedded behind her eyeball. “Should you try to probe into my mind, this will completely fry and wipe my mind of anything you could ever need. Granted it comes at the cost of my life and others, but I’m more than happy to drag as many people down as I can.”

---

"...you are a selfish [redacted] [redacted] [redacted]. I need information, not a life story. Are you so incompetent that you didn't understand the question? Do I need to switch to cave man words and hand gestures to communicate with you?"

Jack laughed, if anyone sane could call it that. "Yes. I [redacted] failed. There's only one way to make it right. I know that. I, unlike you, take responsibility for my actions, and try to fix them." She felt empty. She would right her wrongs, and disappear. Because Andrea had a point.

"But you... you are pathetic. You are afraid. You are stupid. You've made me realize that killing you would be a waste of my time. Because you are right about one thing: your sister is useless to me. I've half a mind to kill her instead."

"What I don't understand is why you won't help. Either you are still loyal to them, and then killing you becomes an appealing option, they have some hold over you, which you have my word I'd destroy, or you like human suffering. It better not be the third option." The shadows swirled around Jack's fingers, consuming her. They enveloped her arm, tendrils twisting menacingly. Her eyes glinted with a hard edge. She would out-psychopath the psychopath.

---

Andrea’s laugh tinkled through the singularity “Thank you! I’ve been waiting for someone that wasn’t my sister to compliment me like that. Oh and I’m not sure how to break it to you sweetheart, but I do understand the question? You wanna know about the Masquerade.” Her head cocks to one side, her face morphing into one of faux hurt. “You know, if you want information, you really shouldn’t be insulting people. Calling me all those things really isn’t nice of you. Hey wait- didja say you’re willing to kill my sister for free? Really? Well, then thank you!!” Andrea giggles, smiling from ear to ear. She claps her hands, seemingly delighted by the thought. “I’m not loyal to anyone…so that’s wrong! They have no hold over me….so that’s wrong too! Oh how wonderfully funny you are! You suck at this game!” Like a little girl at her birthday party, Andrea giggles and claps, swaying from side to side. Upon hearing the third possibility, she drops her act, replying in a silky voice “Bravo! You’ve got a part of me figured out. Granted, I do enjoy seeing people suffer, but that’s not why I’m not telling you anything, silly! If I’m the villain, I wouldn’t give these things away willingly, would I? Or should I wrap a full video recording of my confession in a pretty box with pretty packaging, tie it up and hand it to you as a present?”

Leaning close to Jack, Andrea spat out “I sold my own sister in the auction, what makes you think I would want to help stop your beloveds from being sold in the auction? You’re such a fool, Jackery Soot. Destined for greatness but yet….heh. Never mind.”

Her voice changes from venomous to taunting, as she continues “Go ahead and attack then, if it makes you feel better about what you did- or rather failed to do. Whatever you do to me, deep down you know it’s all your fault. You couldn’t protect them, you couldn’t be there for them, and at this rate we’re going….I don’t think you can save them. Tsk tsk Prefect Soot, what would poor little Sera say if she saw you this crazy? Dear me, she would be terrified to bits! Poor little cloud girl Sera. Her role model and mother figure became a pathetic twisted psychopath just like me!”

She pauses for a moment, as if in contemplation. “I will tell you that Sera, Kendo and whoever else the Masquerade has kidnapped will be on the auction list by now. In a while’s time they’ll be sold. If you can do something for me……then I’ll take you to where you need to go. But only you, and one other person can do this task for me. And I will only bring you, and that person to where you so desire. Come on Jack. You’re smart. Truth or lie is up for you to decide. Whether you want to take up my offer- the best bet now by the way, is your gamble. So….what will it be? Time’s ticking~”

---

"magic party people? So they're mean magic party people :("

Kendo was trying to be as nice as possible. he set her down.

"So, we're going to be going to a party, okay, Sera? Don't worry."

---

"It.. It sounded beautiful.." Shieta whispered, out of breath, as if all the air was sucked out of her.

At this point, all thought of going to class has disappeared into dust inside Shieta's mind. Sheita didn't understand music, as even the most simplest music score looks like a child's scribble under her scrutiny eyes. Perhaps, it was better to say, that she has zero talent in music.

It was strange, Sheita could understand eldritch language for all she cares, but when it comes to music, the intelligent part of her brain just somehow shuts down.

Perhaps, it was for the better, because if she had understood music, instead of enjoying the chaotic beauty of it, she would be carefully pointing out the flaws.

Truly, ignorance is bliss when the time is right.

The chaotic melody of each notes some how resonates with her as it harmonize and creates a beautiful piece that none can recreate. Each notes is just like flame against ice, flickering, persevering, keen on breaking down its cold walls, in order for the two to fuse, to create something new entirely.

Shieta was tongue tied, is was hard to describe everything and anything, that she could only say beautiful repetitively. Afraid that the other would deem her insincere, Shieta became flustered.

"I can't really describe it as I don't have any musical talents, but it really is beautiful..!"

Shieta rested one of her hand on her neck awkwardly, and looked away embarrassed that she has nothing better to say and was tongue tied.

---

"But I don't like parties... They're too loud and bright..." She frowned lightly, turning away. Her hands played with the fabric of her school uniform, trying to see in the dark.

---

"Don't be so modest, Shietacik!" Elvira said, smiling. She likes the nickname, it made her sound more adorable! It wasn't really like Elvira understood the "deep and intricate workings of music" either. She just went with it. Played what she felt.

"I played what my heart wanted me to play. And it wanted a duet between us." She smiles, looking down at her weird instrument. "Not every heart has the same medium. Some do it by art, others by music, some by witchcraft, others through sorcery. But all of them..."

She plays a little major chord, a high one.

"Speak the language of emotions. As long as you understood those, I am happy!" Elvira smiles, her face a little more red than before. It's... still unclear if it was blushing or just exhaustion.


"I think I'll write it down though. Maybe call it something... fire and ice? No..."

---

"Hm... What to do..."

he pat Sera on the head. On the cloud???

"What do you want me to do, Sera?"

He was being nice.

---

"I wanna go back... Jack is waiting for us..." She placed her hand on top of his on her head. His hand was warm. And big.

---

"We can't go back right now. Magic doesn't work in here. If it did, I'd take you and go back right away."

he was literally dying of cuteness.

---

"But I miss Jack- and, and I want to start class..." She looked at the ground, dejected. "What are they gonna do to us...?"

---

Shieta sat down on the grass and quietly listened to Elvira rambled on, on what she should name the song. Shieta, experimentally hummed a few extremely out of tune notes out of curiosity, but the results was that it just somehow sounded like sandpaper scratching against each other, and just giving up embarrassingly.

Clearly, they are both human beings, but why does hers sound so.. what is the right word..?

Horrendous?

Shieta grimaced, she now knows one thing she is never trying again.

---

Shieta was deep enough in thought that she probably did not notice...

Elvira stopped listing names a minute ago. She was just listening to Shieta's own tunes, her piercing orange eyes staring at the cold witch. She was... very curious.

"Is this your inner voice? Your heart's voice? It's lovely." She didn't really lie. It was the sound of a hand scraping on a chalkboard but it was her honest voice. Not some playback or changing their voice.

---

"!!!"

If it weren't for Shieta's amazing sense of self-control, she would have already jumped five feet into the air.

"...You heard all that..?"

..Perhaps that was over dramatising it. But either way, in stiff movements, Shieta rotated her head to the redhead who was smiling brightly at her.

Shieta's face went from pale white, to blue, to green, to red, and finally back to normal all in just a moment. Unresponsive, she was frozen in shock.

Why does it seem that, it is always Elvira who manage to somehow see the most embarrassing, unkempt sides of her?

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