Sapphire

The shadowy figures at the corner of your vision, the reflection in the mirror, and lightbulbs that flicker and dimly light long hospital hallways. A spider built its web on a shattered windowpane, and scuttled away from its perch as feet crunched in the broken glass on the floor. The 'doctor' was here. It was time to start operating.

When you look at it logically, there was no way that she was going to survive. The gembond infection had already spread to her brain, and was festering around her eyes. Her entire face was trapped in bright yellow crystal. She was unable to scream when it was removed. Nor was she able to beg for mercy as the mirror grew closer and closer, reflecting the bloodied mess her beauty had once been. She tried to escape it, writhing on the operating table, trying to avoid it. But strong claws held her still.

It was done.



Sapphire's claws held onto the edge of her mask, trembling slightly. Should she take it off? Did she dare show this mirror her face?

Or lace of thereof?

It was true, she did want to be accepted, to be told that she was fine despite what she was. But should she even risk the chance of disgust and horror? Indecisiveness was eating away at her insides.

Styx waited, tail wrapped around her talons in patience. The leader would wait as long as it took.

The mask was removed.

Beneath it, was no face. No, instead of a normal head, at the end of her neck there was only a small round mirror. Blood crusted scars surrounded it, and her horns were cracked at their bases.

She knew she was a monster.

But Styx seemed... uninterested. As if she had known long ago that Sapphire was mangled beyond belief under her mask. And as the skydancer recovered her face with the mask, Styx yawned.

She asked if that was all, and Sapphire nodded anxiously. An apology was given. Styx rolled her eyes.

She spoke of her oracle, a pearlcatcher who could peer into the future. And of how he knew long ago of the fate that would befall on the dragoness.

Sapphire had already been accepted, long ago.