corpious wrote on 2022-03-31 07:39:22:
may i claim fantasia?
Sure!
Your cat's base coat is Grey with Sooty. It's magic is Faunal / Arcane . Their extra traits are Claw Edits and Heterochromia.
Your points have been removed.
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TOPIC | A Kingdom of Roses [Cat Dicelocke ]
[quote name="corpious" date="2022-03-31 07:39:22" ]
may i claim fantasia?
[/quote]
Sure!
Your cat's base coat is Grey with Sooty. It's magic is Faunal / Arcane . Their extra traits are Claw Edits and Heterochromia.
Your points have been removed.
Sure!
Your cat's base coat is Grey with Sooty. It's magic is Faunal / Arcane . Their extra traits are Claw Edits and Heterochromia.
Your points have been removed.
Moon 93
Recruitment
Your cat's base coat is Dark Grey with Brindle (Canine) and Tobiano. It's magic is Plants. Their extra trait is Whiskers
Starvation
No starvation.
Drama
2. There's a scandal (or romance) afoot. Pick two of your cats. Roll a d4 to see how many kittens they have. Roll that many cats in your generator (genetics are weird). Assign their levels to 5.
Marlow and Hamlet will have some kittens uwu
4 of them bc why not
Your cat's base coat is Tan with Splash and Jackal-Themed Markings. It's magic is Air. Their extra trait is Accessories
Your cat's base coat is Smoky Black with Badger-Themed Markings and Unnatural Coat Marking. It's magic is Water
Your cat's base coat is Brown Dun with Candleflame Tabby and Brindle (Canine). It's magic is Water
Your cat's base coat is Pearl (Horse) with Med White, Lacing, and Tobiano. It's magic is Faunal. Their extra traits are Accessories and Scars
Lore
"And that's how possession works basically! It's done a lot easier when you're alive!" Mort is helpfully telling this tiny little kit. "It's important that if you meet a possessed cat, you don't touch them, so they don't steal your body!"
"Oh yeah, that's super important." The kit nods, listening to him intently. "Thanks so much, Mister!"
"You're welcome, young man. Now, what did you say your name was?"
"Well, my dad calls me Void, but I prefer the name Poisonheart. But don't tell anyone!" The kit pleads.
"Don't you worry, my lips are sealed." Mort hums, making a little motion across his mouth to signify he won't tell this kit's secrets to anyone.
"Thanks! Now, I have to go now, but it's been nice chatting with you! You're really cool!" Poisonheart squeaks, dashing off to meet his friend.
"You take care now, young kit!"
"You too, Mort!"
With that strange interaction out of the way, Zeus and Amaranth got back on track to trek through this strange new Kingdom. They passed by a strange sight; a blood red lake that was almost see-through.
"What is this?" Zeus asks, albeit nervously.
"Oh, those are the Crimson Pits!" The cats say cheerfully. "It's where our King sends the Unworthy!" They look back at Zeus. "It's an honor to be buried there."
"Even though you're Unworthy?" Zeus asks, tilting his head.
"Oh, yes!" One cat chitters excitedly. "The blood of the Unworthy builds up the Chosen, after all!"
He glances over at Amaranth with a look that absolutely screams, I'm starting to think coming here was a mistake.
He gets hit with a, No kidding, in sign.
Alright, that's fair.
Recruitment
Your cat's base coat is Dark Grey with Brindle (Canine) and Tobiano. It's magic is Plants. Their extra trait is Whiskers
Starvation
No starvation.
Drama
2. There's a scandal (or romance) afoot. Pick two of your cats. Roll a d4 to see how many kittens they have. Roll that many cats in your generator (genetics are weird). Assign their levels to 5.
Marlow and Hamlet will have some kittens uwu
4 of them bc why not
Your cat's base coat is Tan with Splash and Jackal-Themed Markings. It's magic is Air. Their extra trait is Accessories
Your cat's base coat is Smoky Black with Badger-Themed Markings and Unnatural Coat Marking. It's magic is Water
Your cat's base coat is Brown Dun with Candleflame Tabby and Brindle (Canine). It's magic is Water
Your cat's base coat is Pearl (Horse) with Med White, Lacing, and Tobiano. It's magic is Faunal. Their extra traits are Accessories and Scars
Lore
"And that's how possession works basically! It's done a lot easier when you're alive!" Mort is helpfully telling this tiny little kit. "It's important that if you meet a possessed cat, you don't touch them, so they don't steal your body!"
"Oh yeah, that's super important." The kit nods, listening to him intently. "Thanks so much, Mister!"
"You're welcome, young man. Now, what did you say your name was?"
"Well, my dad calls me Void, but I prefer the name Poisonheart. But don't tell anyone!" The kit pleads.
"Don't you worry, my lips are sealed." Mort hums, making a little motion across his mouth to signify he won't tell this kit's secrets to anyone.
"Thanks! Now, I have to go now, but it's been nice chatting with you! You're really cool!" Poisonheart squeaks, dashing off to meet his friend.
"You take care now, young kit!"
"You too, Mort!"
With that strange interaction out of the way, Zeus and Amaranth got back on track to trek through this strange new Kingdom. They passed by a strange sight; a blood red lake that was almost see-through.
"What is this?" Zeus asks, albeit nervously.
"Oh, those are the Crimson Pits!" The cats say cheerfully. "It's where our King sends the Unworthy!" They look back at Zeus. "It's an honor to be buried there."
"Even though you're Unworthy?" Zeus asks, tilting his head.
"Oh, yes!" One cat chitters excitedly. "The blood of the Unworthy builds up the Chosen, after all!"
He glances over at Amaranth with a look that absolutely screams, I'm starting to think coming here was a mistake.
He gets hit with a, No kidding, in sign.
Alright, that's fair.
Moon 93
Recruitment
Your cat's base coat is Dark Grey with Brindle (Canine) and Tobiano. It's magic is Plants. Their extra trait is Whiskers
Starvation
No starvation.
Drama
2. There's a scandal (or romance) afoot. Pick two of your cats. Roll a d4 to see how many kittens they have. Roll that many cats in your generator (genetics are weird). Assign their levels to 5.
Marlow and Hamlet will have some kittens uwu
4 of them bc why not
Your cat's base coat is Tan with Splash and Jackal-Themed Markings. It's magic is Air. Their extra trait is Accessories
Your cat's base coat is Smoky Black with Badger-Themed Markings and Unnatural Coat Marking. It's magic is Water
Your cat's base coat is Brown Dun with Candleflame Tabby and Brindle (Canine). It's magic is Water
Your cat's base coat is Pearl (Horse) with Med White, Lacing, and Tobiano. It's magic is Faunal. Their extra traits are Accessories and Scars
Lore
"And that's how possession works basically! It's done a lot easier when you're alive!" Mort is helpfully telling this tiny little kit. "It's important that if you meet a possessed cat, you don't touch them, so they don't steal your body!"
"Oh yeah, that's super important." The kit nods, listening to him intently. "Thanks so much, Mister!"
"You're welcome, young man. Now, what did you say your name was?"
"Well, my dad calls me Void, but I prefer the name Poisonheart. But don't tell anyone!" The kit pleads.
"Don't you worry, my lips are sealed." Mort hums, making a little motion across his mouth to signify he won't tell this kit's secrets to anyone.
"Thanks! Now, I have to go now, but it's been nice chatting with you! You're really cool!" Poisonheart squeaks, dashing off to meet his friend.
"You take care now, young kit!"
"You too, Mort!"
With that strange interaction out of the way, Zeus and Amaranth got back on track to trek through this strange new Kingdom. They passed by a strange sight; a blood red lake that was almost see-through.
"What is this?" Zeus asks, albeit nervously.
"Oh, those are the Crimson Pits!" The cats say cheerfully. "It's where our King sends the Unworthy!" They look back at Zeus. "It's an honor to be buried there."
"Even though you're Unworthy?" Zeus asks, tilting his head.
"Oh, yes!" One cat chitters excitedly. "The blood of the Unworthy builds up the Chosen, after all!"
He glances over at Amaranth with a look that absolutely screams, I'm starting to think coming here was a mistake.
He gets hit with a, No kidding, in sign.
Alright, that's fair.
Recruitment
Your cat's base coat is Dark Grey with Brindle (Canine) and Tobiano. It's magic is Plants. Their extra trait is Whiskers
Starvation
No starvation.
Drama
2. There's a scandal (or romance) afoot. Pick two of your cats. Roll a d4 to see how many kittens they have. Roll that many cats in your generator (genetics are weird). Assign their levels to 5.
Marlow and Hamlet will have some kittens uwu
4 of them bc why not
Your cat's base coat is Tan with Splash and Jackal-Themed Markings. It's magic is Air. Their extra trait is Accessories
Your cat's base coat is Smoky Black with Badger-Themed Markings and Unnatural Coat Marking. It's magic is Water
Your cat's base coat is Brown Dun with Candleflame Tabby and Brindle (Canine). It's magic is Water
Your cat's base coat is Pearl (Horse) with Med White, Lacing, and Tobiano. It's magic is Faunal. Their extra traits are Accessories and Scars
Lore
"And that's how possession works basically! It's done a lot easier when you're alive!" Mort is helpfully telling this tiny little kit. "It's important that if you meet a possessed cat, you don't touch them, so they don't steal your body!"
"Oh yeah, that's super important." The kit nods, listening to him intently. "Thanks so much, Mister!"
"You're welcome, young man. Now, what did you say your name was?"
"Well, my dad calls me Void, but I prefer the name Poisonheart. But don't tell anyone!" The kit pleads.
"Don't you worry, my lips are sealed." Mort hums, making a little motion across his mouth to signify he won't tell this kit's secrets to anyone.
"Thanks! Now, I have to go now, but it's been nice chatting with you! You're really cool!" Poisonheart squeaks, dashing off to meet his friend.
"You take care now, young kit!"
"You too, Mort!"
With that strange interaction out of the way, Zeus and Amaranth got back on track to trek through this strange new Kingdom. They passed by a strange sight; a blood red lake that was almost see-through.
"What is this?" Zeus asks, albeit nervously.
"Oh, those are the Crimson Pits!" The cats say cheerfully. "It's where our King sends the Unworthy!" They look back at Zeus. "It's an honor to be buried there."
"Even though you're Unworthy?" Zeus asks, tilting his head.
"Oh, yes!" One cat chitters excitedly. "The blood of the Unworthy builds up the Chosen, after all!"
He glances over at Amaranth with a look that absolutely screams, I'm starting to think coming here was a mistake.
He gets hit with a, No kidding, in sign.
Alright, that's fair.
[center][b] Moon 94 [/b]
[b] Recruitment; [/b]
Skipped.
[b] Starvation [/b]
2 hits.
2 cats die of starvation.
Tiana loses a life, Noros perishes of starvation, Phoebe perishes.
[b] Drama [/b]
13. A coup! Exalt your leader. They have been dramatically betrayed by the others a la the ides of march.
Sadly, Prince Poisonheart is a time traveling cheater, and he prevents this assassination attempt. The head of the coup this time was Marlow, and he is gotten rid of for his crimes.
[b] Lore [/b]
They finally reach the center of this strange Kingdom, that has no name as of yet; and they see a city crafted of bone. It's not marble, it's bone; shining white bone that's been molded and manipulated to resemble marble. The massive castle waiting just beyond is also built of bone, yes; but it's also gilded and has elaborate, lush plant life growing around it.
It's strange. It feels out of place, and yet right where it belongs, and Zeus is a little more than nervous. Amaranth appears to be plotting just how to escape this place, but if they're going down, they're both going down. Zeus nudges her with a growl, and they go inside the castle.
Inside, it is immaculate. Crimson-stained bone floors are polished until they shine and Zeus can see his and Amaranth's faces reflected in them. They both look tired and worse for wear.
When they look up, they see a cat sitting atop a throne of cat skulls, polishing his claws. On either side of him sit a variety of cats. One is holding a mage's wand with a blackened cat skull holding a crimson orb. He's standing closest to the King; followed by a white and ginger cat, who's also sitting pretty close. On the opposite side to the white and ginger cat, there's a grey appaloosa cat, wearing an elaborate and twisted metal crown.
And then there's the King himself.
[img]https://f2.toyhou.se/file/f2-toyhou-se/images/46420376_V2wUE43xx4OW86T.png[/img]
His visage is terrifying. Monochrome, save for only red. Red wings, red horns, red eyes, red claws... He regards them all with a calm demeanor, however.
"Greetings, travelers, and welcome to my Kingdom. It's not very often I get visitors in the Sanguine Empire."
[img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/921801325967196211/959171193804570704/SPOILER_theyregonnakillu.png[/img]
[/center]
Moon 94
Recruitment;
Skipped.
Starvation
2 hits.
2 cats die of starvation.
Tiana loses a life, Noros perishes of starvation, Phoebe perishes.
Drama
13. A coup! Exalt your leader. They have been dramatically betrayed by the others a la the ides of march.
Sadly, Prince Poisonheart is a time traveling cheater, and he prevents this assassination attempt. The head of the coup this time was Marlow, and he is gotten rid of for his crimes.
Lore
They finally reach the center of this strange Kingdom, that has no name as of yet; and they see a city crafted of bone. It's not marble, it's bone; shining white bone that's been molded and manipulated to resemble marble. The massive castle waiting just beyond is also built of bone, yes; but it's also gilded and has elaborate, lush plant life growing around it.
It's strange. It feels out of place, and yet right where it belongs, and Zeus is a little more than nervous. Amaranth appears to be plotting just how to escape this place, but if they're going down, they're both going down. Zeus nudges her with a growl, and they go inside the castle.
Inside, it is immaculate. Crimson-stained bone floors are polished until they shine and Zeus can see his and Amaranth's faces reflected in them. They both look tired and worse for wear.
When they look up, they see a cat sitting atop a throne of cat skulls, polishing his claws. On either side of him sit a variety of cats. One is holding a mage's wand with a blackened cat skull holding a crimson orb. He's standing closest to the King; followed by a white and ginger cat, who's also sitting pretty close. On the opposite side to the white and ginger cat, there's a grey appaloosa cat, wearing an elaborate and twisted metal crown.
And then there's the King himself.
His visage is terrifying. Monochrome, save for only red. Red wings, red horns, red eyes, red claws... He regards them all with a calm demeanor, however.
"Greetings, travelers, and welcome to my Kingdom. It's not very often I get visitors in the Sanguine Empire."
Recruitment;
Skipped.
Starvation
2 hits.
2 cats die of starvation.
Tiana loses a life, Noros perishes of starvation, Phoebe perishes.
Drama
13. A coup! Exalt your leader. They have been dramatically betrayed by the others a la the ides of march.
Sadly, Prince Poisonheart is a time traveling cheater, and he prevents this assassination attempt. The head of the coup this time was Marlow, and he is gotten rid of for his crimes.
Lore
They finally reach the center of this strange Kingdom, that has no name as of yet; and they see a city crafted of bone. It's not marble, it's bone; shining white bone that's been molded and manipulated to resemble marble. The massive castle waiting just beyond is also built of bone, yes; but it's also gilded and has elaborate, lush plant life growing around it.
It's strange. It feels out of place, and yet right where it belongs, and Zeus is a little more than nervous. Amaranth appears to be plotting just how to escape this place, but if they're going down, they're both going down. Zeus nudges her with a growl, and they go inside the castle.
Inside, it is immaculate. Crimson-stained bone floors are polished until they shine and Zeus can see his and Amaranth's faces reflected in them. They both look tired and worse for wear.
When they look up, they see a cat sitting atop a throne of cat skulls, polishing his claws. On either side of him sit a variety of cats. One is holding a mage's wand with a blackened cat skull holding a crimson orb. He's standing closest to the King; followed by a white and ginger cat, who's also sitting pretty close. On the opposite side to the white and ginger cat, there's a grey appaloosa cat, wearing an elaborate and twisted metal crown.
And then there's the King himself.
His visage is terrifying. Monochrome, save for only red. Red wings, red horns, red eyes, red claws... He regards them all with a calm demeanor, however.
"Greetings, travelers, and welcome to my Kingdom. It's not very often I get visitors in the Sanguine Empire."
Moon 95
Recruitment
Skipped
Drama
17. Ambushed! Another crew has cornered your soldiers and has attacked! Flip a coin. If heads, most of them manage to escape; exalt one random cat. If tails, two random cats fall during the escape and must be exalted.
Decree: Roll a d8. If you roll higher than X, cats die - flip the ambush coin like normal. If you roll at or lower to X, the Ambush coin doesn't get flipped and everyone is saved. X is equivalent to your Colony's number of Plant Storkies.
Heads - just one random cat.
A random kit from Marlow and Hamlet's list. Oh well.
Lore
"You know, uh, the anniversary of the castle's building is coming up soon." Teo says, walking through the halls with Ether. He's working up the nerve to ask something important, and he's doing his best to settle his stomach. The mouse he ate earlier certainly isn't settling well with his nerves.
"Oh yeah?" Ether asks, tilting her head over to him. "You gonna do anything big to celebrate it, Priiiince?"
"Oh, uh, you know." He stammers, feeling his pelt grow just slightly warmer at the inquiry. "Hopefully, um..." He stops at the end of the hall, opening the door for her as he asks this next bit. "Dance with a pretty lady?"
"Is that so?" Ether quirks an eyebrow, glancing over at him. "Promise no tricks this time?"
"I promise." Teo sighs, looking up at her exasperatedly.
"....Alright. I accept your dance invitation then."
"This is my son, Prince Bloodthorn, and my daughter, Princess Emergence."
Emergence looked familiar to Zeus in ways he couldn't quite describe, but he nods, bowing respectfully anyway.
"Thank you for having us in your Kingdom, your Highness. We are from ---"
"The sorry attempt at reviving the Crystalheart and Enrosian kingdoms? Yes, I'm aware." He hummed, sniffing the air. "I could taste Crystalheart and Enrose blood in the air when you stepped paw in my Kingdom. You're the first in several moons that dare encroach so openly on my territory." He looks down at his claws. "It's been about.... nearly 200 moons, actually. We're not too far long from the anniversary of the main event."
"The what?" Zeus croaks out, doing his best to keep his cool. Instinctively, he shuffles closer to Amaranth. She's the only thing he's got, right now.
"Oh! The anniversary of the day the Crystalheart and Enrosian rulers decided to... no longer be a Bloodthorn in my side." He cackles, like he's just told a joke, as he nudges his son - Bloodthorn - who chuckles a bit at his dad's dad joke.
"Huh? Eh... not everyone appreciates a good dad joke." King Crimson groans. "So, why don't you tell me why you're here, hm?"
"We're simply traveling." Zeus remarks. "Looking for a new home."
"Well," King Crimson hums. "If you've somehow survived the Thorny Gauntlet and the Statue Gardens, you've found the only home left in these forsaken lands. Least, if you wanna stay a cat."
"Huh?"
Recruitment
Skipped
Drama
17. Ambushed! Another crew has cornered your soldiers and has attacked! Flip a coin. If heads, most of them manage to escape; exalt one random cat. If tails, two random cats fall during the escape and must be exalted.
Decree: Roll a d8. If you roll higher than X, cats die - flip the ambush coin like normal. If you roll at or lower to X, the Ambush coin doesn't get flipped and everyone is saved. X is equivalent to your Colony's number of Plant Storkies.
Heads - just one random cat.
A random kit from Marlow and Hamlet's list. Oh well.
Lore
"You know, uh, the anniversary of the castle's building is coming up soon." Teo says, walking through the halls with Ether. He's working up the nerve to ask something important, and he's doing his best to settle his stomach. The mouse he ate earlier certainly isn't settling well with his nerves.
"Oh yeah?" Ether asks, tilting her head over to him. "You gonna do anything big to celebrate it, Priiiince?"
"Oh, uh, you know." He stammers, feeling his pelt grow just slightly warmer at the inquiry. "Hopefully, um..." He stops at the end of the hall, opening the door for her as he asks this next bit. "Dance with a pretty lady?"
"Is that so?" Ether quirks an eyebrow, glancing over at him. "Promise no tricks this time?"
"I promise." Teo sighs, looking up at her exasperatedly.
"....Alright. I accept your dance invitation then."
"This is my son, Prince Bloodthorn, and my daughter, Princess Emergence."
Emergence looked familiar to Zeus in ways he couldn't quite describe, but he nods, bowing respectfully anyway.
"Thank you for having us in your Kingdom, your Highness. We are from ---"
"The sorry attempt at reviving the Crystalheart and Enrosian kingdoms? Yes, I'm aware." He hummed, sniffing the air. "I could taste Crystalheart and Enrose blood in the air when you stepped paw in my Kingdom. You're the first in several moons that dare encroach so openly on my territory." He looks down at his claws. "It's been about.... nearly 200 moons, actually. We're not too far long from the anniversary of the main event."
"The what?" Zeus croaks out, doing his best to keep his cool. Instinctively, he shuffles closer to Amaranth. She's the only thing he's got, right now.
"Oh! The anniversary of the day the Crystalheart and Enrosian rulers decided to... no longer be a Bloodthorn in my side." He cackles, like he's just told a joke, as he nudges his son - Bloodthorn - who chuckles a bit at his dad's dad joke.
"Huh? Eh... not everyone appreciates a good dad joke." King Crimson groans. "So, why don't you tell me why you're here, hm?"
"We're simply traveling." Zeus remarks. "Looking for a new home."
"Well," King Crimson hums. "If you've somehow survived the Thorny Gauntlet and the Statue Gardens, you've found the only home left in these forsaken lands. Least, if you wanna stay a cat."
"Huh?"
Moon 95
Recruitment
Skipped
Drama
17. Ambushed! Another crew has cornered your soldiers and has attacked! Flip a coin. If heads, most of them manage to escape; exalt one random cat. If tails, two random cats fall during the escape and must be exalted.
Decree: Roll a d8. If you roll higher than X, cats die - flip the ambush coin like normal. If you roll at or lower to X, the Ambush coin doesn't get flipped and everyone is saved. X is equivalent to your Colony's number of Plant Storkies.
Heads - just one random cat.
A random kit from Marlow and Hamlet's list. Oh well.
Lore
"You know, uh, the anniversary of the castle's building is coming up soon." Teo says, walking through the halls with Ether. He's working up the nerve to ask something important, and he's doing his best to settle his stomach. The mouse he ate earlier certainly isn't settling well with his nerves.
"Oh yeah?" Ether asks, tilting her head over to him. "You gonna do anything big to celebrate it, Priiiince?"
"Oh, uh, you know." He stammers, feeling his pelt grow just slightly warmer at the inquiry. "Hopefully, um..." He stops at the end of the hall, opening the door for her as he asks this next bit. "Dance with a pretty lady?"
"Is that so?" Ether quirks an eyebrow, glancing over at him. "Promise no tricks this time?"
"I promise." Teo sighs, looking up at her exasperatedly.
"....Alright. I accept your dance invitation then."
"This is my son, Prince Bloodthorn, and my daughter, Princess Emergence."
Emergence looked familiar to Zeus in ways he couldn't quite describe, but he nods, bowing respectfully anyway.
"Thank you for having us in your Kingdom, your Highness. We are from ---"
"The sorry attempt at reviving the Crystalheart and Enrosian kingdoms? Yes, I'm aware." He hummed, sniffing the air. "I could taste Crystalheart and Enrose blood in the air when you stepped paw in my Kingdom. You're the first in several moons that dare encroach so openly on my territory." He looks down at his claws. "It's been about.... nearly 200 moons, actually. We're not too far long from the anniversary of the main event."
"The what?" Zeus croaks out, doing his best to keep his cool. Instinctively, he shuffles closer to Amaranth. She's the only thing he's got, right now.
"Oh! The anniversary of the day the Crystalheart and Enrosian rulers decided to... no longer be a Bloodthorn in my side." He cackles, like he's just told a joke, as he nudges his son - Bloodthorn - who chuckles a bit at his dad's dad joke.
"Huh? Eh... not everyone appreciates a good dad joke." King Crimson groans. "So, why don't you tell me why you're here, hm?"
"We're simply traveling." Zeus remarks. "Looking for a new home."
"Well," King Crimson hums. "If you've somehow survived the Thorny Gauntlet and the Statue Gardens, you've found the only home left in these forsaken lands. Least, if you wanna stay a cat."
"Huh?"
Recruitment
Skipped
Drama
17. Ambushed! Another crew has cornered your soldiers and has attacked! Flip a coin. If heads, most of them manage to escape; exalt one random cat. If tails, two random cats fall during the escape and must be exalted.
Decree: Roll a d8. If you roll higher than X, cats die - flip the ambush coin like normal. If you roll at or lower to X, the Ambush coin doesn't get flipped and everyone is saved. X is equivalent to your Colony's number of Plant Storkies.
Heads - just one random cat.
A random kit from Marlow and Hamlet's list. Oh well.
Lore
"You know, uh, the anniversary of the castle's building is coming up soon." Teo says, walking through the halls with Ether. He's working up the nerve to ask something important, and he's doing his best to settle his stomach. The mouse he ate earlier certainly isn't settling well with his nerves.
"Oh yeah?" Ether asks, tilting her head over to him. "You gonna do anything big to celebrate it, Priiiince?"
"Oh, uh, you know." He stammers, feeling his pelt grow just slightly warmer at the inquiry. "Hopefully, um..." He stops at the end of the hall, opening the door for her as he asks this next bit. "Dance with a pretty lady?"
"Is that so?" Ether quirks an eyebrow, glancing over at him. "Promise no tricks this time?"
"I promise." Teo sighs, looking up at her exasperatedly.
"....Alright. I accept your dance invitation then."
"This is my son, Prince Bloodthorn, and my daughter, Princess Emergence."
Emergence looked familiar to Zeus in ways he couldn't quite describe, but he nods, bowing respectfully anyway.
"Thank you for having us in your Kingdom, your Highness. We are from ---"
"The sorry attempt at reviving the Crystalheart and Enrosian kingdoms? Yes, I'm aware." He hummed, sniffing the air. "I could taste Crystalheart and Enrose blood in the air when you stepped paw in my Kingdom. You're the first in several moons that dare encroach so openly on my territory." He looks down at his claws. "It's been about.... nearly 200 moons, actually. We're not too far long from the anniversary of the main event."
"The what?" Zeus croaks out, doing his best to keep his cool. Instinctively, he shuffles closer to Amaranth. She's the only thing he's got, right now.
"Oh! The anniversary of the day the Crystalheart and Enrosian rulers decided to... no longer be a Bloodthorn in my side." He cackles, like he's just told a joke, as he nudges his son - Bloodthorn - who chuckles a bit at his dad's dad joke.
"Huh? Eh... not everyone appreciates a good dad joke." King Crimson groans. "So, why don't you tell me why you're here, hm?"
"We're simply traveling." Zeus remarks. "Looking for a new home."
"Well," King Crimson hums. "If you've somehow survived the Thorny Gauntlet and the Statue Gardens, you've found the only home left in these forsaken lands. Least, if you wanna stay a cat."
"Huh?"
Moon 96
Recruitment
Skipped.
Drama
11. Test the newbies. Roll a d10 for each of your lowest-level cats. If it's higher than their level, exalt them. They were not good enough. Raise the remaining low-level cats by one level.
That's like,,, kits but okay.
Only like one cat died, we're fine.
Lore
Another mild content warning that this deals with some heavy stuff, tread with caution.
"Since you've obviously worked so hard to get here, this calls for a celebration, does it not? If you've got nowhere left to go, then I would be more than happy to shelter you all in my domain. As long as you'd need." Scarlet offers. "Today is an extra special today; today we are having a Trial of the Bloodheart today."
"A what?" Zeus looks up at him. "Look, I'm not interested in...."
"Two of my newest recruits are looking to prove themselves to me in battle, and it is time to have their mettle tested."
"What does it entail?" Zeus asks.
"Well, that's something you can only really know if you agree to watch. And you agree to not tell a single soul what you see. Can you agree to that?"
Zeus glances at Amaranth, who looks like she wants to say something, but he clamps his paws over her mouth.
"Of course, your Highness. I'd be happy to simply be an observer....and nothing more."
"Wonderful. Thank you ever so much for complying."
And so, that is how Zeus and Amaranth find themselves sitting next to the King himself as they stand next to the edge of the Crimson Lake, and two of King Crimson's finest recruits are brought forward. Both cats are immaculate, strong, and look like they're battle-hardened warriors.
They're close, tails twined together, chatting about how excited they are to graduate and what their plans are for the future. One is promising the other that, no matter what happens, they've got their back.
King Crimson approaches them both, commends them for their work, and then tells them the deal.
The Trial takes place nowhere but here; and the orders are simple. There can only be one survivor from this, and the two are to battle to determine who is the strongest. It is a battle to the bitter end.
Zeus thinks he's going to be sick.
Recruitment
Skipped.
Drama
11. Test the newbies. Roll a d10 for each of your lowest-level cats. If it's higher than their level, exalt them. They were not good enough. Raise the remaining low-level cats by one level.
That's like,,, kits but okay.
Only like one cat died, we're fine.
Lore
Another mild content warning that this deals with some heavy stuff, tread with caution.
"Since you've obviously worked so hard to get here, this calls for a celebration, does it not? If you've got nowhere left to go, then I would be more than happy to shelter you all in my domain. As long as you'd need." Scarlet offers. "Today is an extra special today; today we are having a Trial of the Bloodheart today."
"A what?" Zeus looks up at him. "Look, I'm not interested in...."
"Two of my newest recruits are looking to prove themselves to me in battle, and it is time to have their mettle tested."
"What does it entail?" Zeus asks.
"Well, that's something you can only really know if you agree to watch. And you agree to not tell a single soul what you see. Can you agree to that?"
Zeus glances at Amaranth, who looks like she wants to say something, but he clamps his paws over her mouth.
"Of course, your Highness. I'd be happy to simply be an observer....and nothing more."
"Wonderful. Thank you ever so much for complying."
And so, that is how Zeus and Amaranth find themselves sitting next to the King himself as they stand next to the edge of the Crimson Lake, and two of King Crimson's finest recruits are brought forward. Both cats are immaculate, strong, and look like they're battle-hardened warriors.
They're close, tails twined together, chatting about how excited they are to graduate and what their plans are for the future. One is promising the other that, no matter what happens, they've got their back.
King Crimson approaches them both, commends them for their work, and then tells them the deal.
The Trial takes place nowhere but here; and the orders are simple. There can only be one survivor from this, and the two are to battle to determine who is the strongest. It is a battle to the bitter end.
Zeus thinks he's going to be sick.
Moon 96
Recruitment
Skipped.
Drama
11. Test the newbies. Roll a d10 for each of your lowest-level cats. If it's higher than their level, exalt them. They were not good enough. Raise the remaining low-level cats by one level.
That's like,,, kits but okay.
Only like one cat died, we're fine.
Lore
Another mild content warning that this deals with some heavy stuff, tread with caution.
"Since you've obviously worked so hard to get here, this calls for a celebration, does it not? If you've got nowhere left to go, then I would be more than happy to shelter you all in my domain. As long as you'd need." Scarlet offers. "Today is an extra special today; today we are having a Trial of the Bloodheart today."
"A what?" Zeus looks up at him. "Look, I'm not interested in...."
"Two of my newest recruits are looking to prove themselves to me in battle, and it is time to have their mettle tested."
"What does it entail?" Zeus asks.
"Well, that's something you can only really know if you agree to watch. And you agree to not tell a single soul what you see. Can you agree to that?"
Zeus glances at Amaranth, who looks like she wants to say something, but he clamps his paws over her mouth.
"Of course, your Highness. I'd be happy to simply be an observer....and nothing more."
"Wonderful. Thank you ever so much for complying."
And so, that is how Zeus and Amaranth find themselves sitting next to the King himself as they stand next to the edge of the Crimson Lake, and two of King Crimson's finest recruits are brought forward. Both cats are immaculate, strong, and look like they're battle-hardened warriors.
They're close, tails twined together, chatting about how excited they are to graduate and what their plans are for the future. One is promising the other that, no matter what happens, they've got their back.
King Crimson approaches them both, commends them for their work, and then tells them the deal.
The Trial takes place nowhere but here; and the orders are simple. There can only be one survivor from this, and the two are to battle to determine who is the strongest. It is a battle to the bitter end.
Zeus thinks he's going to be sick.
Recruitment
Skipped.
Drama
11. Test the newbies. Roll a d10 for each of your lowest-level cats. If it's higher than their level, exalt them. They were not good enough. Raise the remaining low-level cats by one level.
That's like,,, kits but okay.
Only like one cat died, we're fine.
Lore
Another mild content warning that this deals with some heavy stuff, tread with caution.
"Since you've obviously worked so hard to get here, this calls for a celebration, does it not? If you've got nowhere left to go, then I would be more than happy to shelter you all in my domain. As long as you'd need." Scarlet offers. "Today is an extra special today; today we are having a Trial of the Bloodheart today."
"A what?" Zeus looks up at him. "Look, I'm not interested in...."
"Two of my newest recruits are looking to prove themselves to me in battle, and it is time to have their mettle tested."
"What does it entail?" Zeus asks.
"Well, that's something you can only really know if you agree to watch. And you agree to not tell a single soul what you see. Can you agree to that?"
Zeus glances at Amaranth, who looks like she wants to say something, but he clamps his paws over her mouth.
"Of course, your Highness. I'd be happy to simply be an observer....and nothing more."
"Wonderful. Thank you ever so much for complying."
And so, that is how Zeus and Amaranth find themselves sitting next to the King himself as they stand next to the edge of the Crimson Lake, and two of King Crimson's finest recruits are brought forward. Both cats are immaculate, strong, and look like they're battle-hardened warriors.
They're close, tails twined together, chatting about how excited they are to graduate and what their plans are for the future. One is promising the other that, no matter what happens, they've got their back.
King Crimson approaches them both, commends them for their work, and then tells them the deal.
The Trial takes place nowhere but here; and the orders are simple. There can only be one survivor from this, and the two are to battle to determine who is the strongest. It is a battle to the bitter end.
Zeus thinks he's going to be sick.
Moon 97
Recruitment
Skipped because orteil hates me.
Drama
15. Bad weather. It's raining lightly outside, and the Monarch isn't entirely cruel. They're too upset about it to assign missions, so everyone is spared and can go on about their business. Nothing happens.
Lore
Zeus and Amaranth, despite their best efforts, watched in agony as these two cats went through several stages of grief, before eventually doing what was asked of them. The fight went as well as you'd expect, starting with bargaining, pleading, mostly with each other. Neither cat dared beg King Crimson to change the rules for them.
In the end, one of them had to want to live and serve King Crimson more than the other, even a little, and thus it came down to one. A triumphant black and white tom, though there was very little feeling of victory on his features. Tired and battered, he approached King Crimson, who touched his nose to his forehead and healed his wounds.
"Well done, soldier. You are now among the highest ranks of my esteemed soldiers. The love you have found - and the relationship you have severed - will be your strength. Never forget that."
The cat seemed to gain something from that, and he is sworn to secrecy as are the others here, and then the cat returns to camp, saying goodbye to his trainee friends before joining the soldiers. Several of them get the cat some meals, as they've all been there.
Zeus is already thinking things are better back in the camp. He doesn't think he could do that to Vienna, after all. Poor, poor Vienna...as he sits and thinks, for several moments, on the love he felt for her, he is approached by King Crimson.
"My dear visitor friend, I can't help but notice that your heart is radiating sorrow and hurt. Would you like to discuss this connection, severed by fate, over dinner?"
Not really. "Sure. Yeah. Why not?"
Amaranth is giving Zeus death dagger looks, but neither cat seems to notice.
Recruitment
Skipped because orteil hates me.
Drama
15. Bad weather. It's raining lightly outside, and the Monarch isn't entirely cruel. They're too upset about it to assign missions, so everyone is spared and can go on about their business. Nothing happens.
Lore
Zeus and Amaranth, despite their best efforts, watched in agony as these two cats went through several stages of grief, before eventually doing what was asked of them. The fight went as well as you'd expect, starting with bargaining, pleading, mostly with each other. Neither cat dared beg King Crimson to change the rules for them.
In the end, one of them had to want to live and serve King Crimson more than the other, even a little, and thus it came down to one. A triumphant black and white tom, though there was very little feeling of victory on his features. Tired and battered, he approached King Crimson, who touched his nose to his forehead and healed his wounds.
"Well done, soldier. You are now among the highest ranks of my esteemed soldiers. The love you have found - and the relationship you have severed - will be your strength. Never forget that."
The cat seemed to gain something from that, and he is sworn to secrecy as are the others here, and then the cat returns to camp, saying goodbye to his trainee friends before joining the soldiers. Several of them get the cat some meals, as they've all been there.
Zeus is already thinking things are better back in the camp. He doesn't think he could do that to Vienna, after all. Poor, poor Vienna...as he sits and thinks, for several moments, on the love he felt for her, he is approached by King Crimson.
"My dear visitor friend, I can't help but notice that your heart is radiating sorrow and hurt. Would you like to discuss this connection, severed by fate, over dinner?"
Not really. "Sure. Yeah. Why not?"
Amaranth is giving Zeus death dagger looks, but neither cat seems to notice.
Moon 97
Recruitment
Skipped because orteil hates me.
Drama
15. Bad weather. It's raining lightly outside, and the Monarch isn't entirely cruel. They're too upset about it to assign missions, so everyone is spared and can go on about their business. Nothing happens.
Lore
Zeus and Amaranth, despite their best efforts, watched in agony as these two cats went through several stages of grief, before eventually doing what was asked of them. The fight went as well as you'd expect, starting with bargaining, pleading, mostly with each other. Neither cat dared beg King Crimson to change the rules for them.
In the end, one of them had to want to live and serve King Crimson more than the other, even a little, and thus it came down to one. A triumphant black and white tom, though there was very little feeling of victory on his features. Tired and battered, he approached King Crimson, who touched his nose to his forehead and healed his wounds.
"Well done, soldier. You are now among the highest ranks of my esteemed soldiers. The love you have found - and the relationship you have severed - will be your strength. Never forget that."
The cat seemed to gain something from that, and he is sworn to secrecy as are the others here, and then the cat returns to camp, saying goodbye to his trainee friends before joining the soldiers. Several of them get the cat some meals, as they've all been there.
Zeus is already thinking things are better back in the camp. He doesn't think he could do that to Vienna, after all. Poor, poor Vienna...as he sits and thinks, for several moments, on the love he felt for her, he is approached by King Crimson.
"My dear visitor friend, I can't help but notice that your heart is radiating sorrow and hurt. Would you like to discuss this connection, severed by fate, over dinner?"
Not really. "Sure. Yeah. Why not?"
Amaranth is giving Zeus death dagger looks, but neither cat seems to notice.
Recruitment
Skipped because orteil hates me.
Drama
15. Bad weather. It's raining lightly outside, and the Monarch isn't entirely cruel. They're too upset about it to assign missions, so everyone is spared and can go on about their business. Nothing happens.
Lore
Zeus and Amaranth, despite their best efforts, watched in agony as these two cats went through several stages of grief, before eventually doing what was asked of them. The fight went as well as you'd expect, starting with bargaining, pleading, mostly with each other. Neither cat dared beg King Crimson to change the rules for them.
In the end, one of them had to want to live and serve King Crimson more than the other, even a little, and thus it came down to one. A triumphant black and white tom, though there was very little feeling of victory on his features. Tired and battered, he approached King Crimson, who touched his nose to his forehead and healed his wounds.
"Well done, soldier. You are now among the highest ranks of my esteemed soldiers. The love you have found - and the relationship you have severed - will be your strength. Never forget that."
The cat seemed to gain something from that, and he is sworn to secrecy as are the others here, and then the cat returns to camp, saying goodbye to his trainee friends before joining the soldiers. Several of them get the cat some meals, as they've all been there.
Zeus is already thinking things are better back in the camp. He doesn't think he could do that to Vienna, after all. Poor, poor Vienna...as he sits and thinks, for several moments, on the love he felt for her, he is approached by King Crimson.
"My dear visitor friend, I can't help but notice that your heart is radiating sorrow and hurt. Would you like to discuss this connection, severed by fate, over dinner?"
Not really. "Sure. Yeah. Why not?"
Amaranth is giving Zeus death dagger looks, but neither cat seems to notice.
Moon 98
You know the drill, no recruitment.
Drama
10. Backstabbing. Choose a cat at random who is not the leader. Exalt them. Bye.
An attempt was made on Mort's life. Let's see if he can figure outwhodunit;
He cannot. Poor guy. He has lives to spare though, he's fine.
Lore
"Her name was...Vienna. I cared about her an awful lot. She was the most beautiful cat you'd ever seen and.... I really miss her. I miss her so much." He curls in on himself slightly, clutching his chest.
"I see. I'm so very sorry for your loss." King Crimson sips from a massive silver goblet that is refilled as soon as it leaves his lips. "You must miss her terribly."
"I do." Zeus responds, glancing over at Amaranth. "It doesn't help when I was...accused of ending her life by my own two paws."
Amaranth narrows her eyes and turns her head away.
It was a reasonable suspicion.
"You didn't have to POISON me. I was telling the truth!"
Sure, sure. The Poison just helped ensure you were.
The King is giving the two of them a peculiar look. It conveys an emotion that Zeus isn't sure he can put his paw on, but then he speaks.
"My oh my. How long have you two been mates, then?"
"Mates? I don't think so." Zeus scoffs, pushing her away slightly.
I would never, Amaranth confirms, shaking her head.
"Are you sure? I definitely see a string of fate combining you two.... are you sure that you're not mates, and you're just being shy?"
"Like I said, not her mate. I'll take her truth poison if I must." Zeus snorts.
I can make more to poison you, that's fine.
"You'll have to excuse me - but - you're absolutely adorable!" King Crimson gushes. "Are you SURE you're not a couple - should I, should I leave? Would you two like to have dinner together, so you know, you two can bond?"
"What?! No, we're fine, I swear -- I, where are you going?" Zeus calls desperately.
"Have fuuun you two!" King Crimson and his two children are gone, leaving the two awkwardly alone at the dinner table.
And the door definitely locks behind him.
You know the drill, no recruitment.
Drama
10. Backstabbing. Choose a cat at random who is not the leader. Exalt them. Bye.
An attempt was made on Mort's life. Let's see if he can figure outwhodunit;
He cannot. Poor guy. He has lives to spare though, he's fine.
Lore
"Her name was...Vienna. I cared about her an awful lot. She was the most beautiful cat you'd ever seen and.... I really miss her. I miss her so much." He curls in on himself slightly, clutching his chest.
"I see. I'm so very sorry for your loss." King Crimson sips from a massive silver goblet that is refilled as soon as it leaves his lips. "You must miss her terribly."
"I do." Zeus responds, glancing over at Amaranth. "It doesn't help when I was...accused of ending her life by my own two paws."
Amaranth narrows her eyes and turns her head away.
It was a reasonable suspicion.
"You didn't have to POISON me. I was telling the truth!"
Sure, sure. The Poison just helped ensure you were.
The King is giving the two of them a peculiar look. It conveys an emotion that Zeus isn't sure he can put his paw on, but then he speaks.
"My oh my. How long have you two been mates, then?"
"Mates? I don't think so." Zeus scoffs, pushing her away slightly.
I would never, Amaranth confirms, shaking her head.
"Are you sure? I definitely see a string of fate combining you two.... are you sure that you're not mates, and you're just being shy?"
"Like I said, not her mate. I'll take her truth poison if I must." Zeus snorts.
I can make more to poison you, that's fine.
"You'll have to excuse me - but - you're absolutely adorable!" King Crimson gushes. "Are you SURE you're not a couple - should I, should I leave? Would you two like to have dinner together, so you know, you two can bond?"
"What?! No, we're fine, I swear -- I, where are you going?" Zeus calls desperately.
"Have fuuun you two!" King Crimson and his two children are gone, leaving the two awkwardly alone at the dinner table.
And the door definitely locks behind him.
Moon 98
You know the drill, no recruitment.
Drama
10. Backstabbing. Choose a cat at random who is not the leader. Exalt them. Bye.
An attempt was made on Mort's life. Let's see if he can figure outwhodunit;
He cannot. Poor guy. He has lives to spare though, he's fine.
Lore
"Her name was...Vienna. I cared about her an awful lot. She was the most beautiful cat you'd ever seen and.... I really miss her. I miss her so much." He curls in on himself slightly, clutching his chest.
"I see. I'm so very sorry for your loss." King Crimson sips from a massive silver goblet that is refilled as soon as it leaves his lips. "You must miss her terribly."
"I do." Zeus responds, glancing over at Amaranth. "It doesn't help when I was...accused of ending her life by my own two paws."
Amaranth narrows her eyes and turns her head away.
It was a reasonable suspicion.
"You didn't have to POISON me. I was telling the truth!"
Sure, sure. The Poison just helped ensure you were.
The King is giving the two of them a peculiar look. It conveys an emotion that Zeus isn't sure he can put his paw on, but then he speaks.
"My oh my. How long have you two been mates, then?"
"Mates? I don't think so." Zeus scoffs, pushing her away slightly.
I would never, Amaranth confirms, shaking her head.
"Are you sure? I definitely see a string of fate combining you two.... are you sure that you're not mates, and you're just being shy?"
"Like I said, not her mate. I'll take her truth poison if I must." Zeus snorts.
I can make more to poison you, that's fine.
"You'll have to excuse me - but - you're absolutely adorable!" King Crimson gushes. "Are you SURE you're not a couple - should I, should I leave? Would you two like to have dinner together, so you know, you two can bond?"
"What?! No, we're fine, I swear -- I, where are you going?" Zeus calls desperately.
"Have fuuun you two!" King Crimson and his two children are gone, leaving the two awkwardly alone at the dinner table.
And the door definitely locks behind him.
You know the drill, no recruitment.
Drama
10. Backstabbing. Choose a cat at random who is not the leader. Exalt them. Bye.
An attempt was made on Mort's life. Let's see if he can figure outwhodunit;
He cannot. Poor guy. He has lives to spare though, he's fine.
Lore
"Her name was...Vienna. I cared about her an awful lot. She was the most beautiful cat you'd ever seen and.... I really miss her. I miss her so much." He curls in on himself slightly, clutching his chest.
"I see. I'm so very sorry for your loss." King Crimson sips from a massive silver goblet that is refilled as soon as it leaves his lips. "You must miss her terribly."
"I do." Zeus responds, glancing over at Amaranth. "It doesn't help when I was...accused of ending her life by my own two paws."
Amaranth narrows her eyes and turns her head away.
It was a reasonable suspicion.
"You didn't have to POISON me. I was telling the truth!"
Sure, sure. The Poison just helped ensure you were.
The King is giving the two of them a peculiar look. It conveys an emotion that Zeus isn't sure he can put his paw on, but then he speaks.
"My oh my. How long have you two been mates, then?"
"Mates? I don't think so." Zeus scoffs, pushing her away slightly.
I would never, Amaranth confirms, shaking her head.
"Are you sure? I definitely see a string of fate combining you two.... are you sure that you're not mates, and you're just being shy?"
"Like I said, not her mate. I'll take her truth poison if I must." Zeus snorts.
I can make more to poison you, that's fine.
"You'll have to excuse me - but - you're absolutely adorable!" King Crimson gushes. "Are you SURE you're not a couple - should I, should I leave? Would you two like to have dinner together, so you know, you two can bond?"
"What?! No, we're fine, I swear -- I, where are you going?" Zeus calls desperately.
"Have fuuun you two!" King Crimson and his two children are gone, leaving the two awkwardly alone at the dinner table.
And the door definitely locks behind him.
Moon 99
We're approaching major lore things, so I'm no longer rolling. These posts are a courtesy as an attempt to break apart major events.
Lore
"Get away from me!"
As if I'd want to be near you in the first place, ugh. We should have left ages ago, Zeus.
"You're telling me, but look, now we're here, having a godsforsaken Dinner Date hosted by a...whatever you wanna call that guy out there?"
A murderer?
"Yes. A murderer Amaranth. Among other things."
Better than being your mate IMO.
"Ugh. Whatever. I couldn't agree more about YOU. I don't know how future me is even gonna remotely tolerate you to have kits with you."
You're telling me.
"Will you two cut it out already?"
The voice startles both Zeus and Amaranth, as neither of them particularly remember either of them having such a harsh feminine voice, but as they turn, they see a cat they weren't expecting to see in ages.
Vienna.
"Vienna? Is it...really you?" Zeus is approaching, and Amaranth is returning the favor by grabbing his tail by the teeth and pulling him back. Zeus hisses, unsheaths his claws, and goes to attack her, but his paw is stopped by the familiar feeling of Vienna's holding his.
"Enough. You both need to quit this fighting at once." Vienna says sternly. "Zeus, yes, you miss me, but that doesn't give you an excuse to raise your claw to your fellow cat. Amaranth, your biases against Zeus and all those that go against 'the natural way' is going to continue to get you into trouble if you don't learn to re-evaluate what the natural order is. Magic *is* natural. We are given gifts for a reason, to use them."
Amaranth huffs, looking skeptical, especially considering a considered-dead cat is talking to her, but it is what it is.
"How...are you here?" Zeus asks, looking up at her with concern.
"That, I'm not sure of...but I'm here now, though." She hums. "And I'm here to stay."
She's tangible; she's not see-through. Somehow, someway, she's really here. Hopefully to stay.
Outside he hears an ominous horn ring, and the sounds of hundreds of pawsteps marching in line.
We're approaching major lore things, so I'm no longer rolling. These posts are a courtesy as an attempt to break apart major events.
Lore
"Get away from me!"
As if I'd want to be near you in the first place, ugh. We should have left ages ago, Zeus.
"You're telling me, but look, now we're here, having a godsforsaken Dinner Date hosted by a...whatever you wanna call that guy out there?"
A murderer?
"Yes. A murderer Amaranth. Among other things."
Better than being your mate IMO.
"Ugh. Whatever. I couldn't agree more about YOU. I don't know how future me is even gonna remotely tolerate you to have kits with you."
You're telling me.
"Will you two cut it out already?"
The voice startles both Zeus and Amaranth, as neither of them particularly remember either of them having such a harsh feminine voice, but as they turn, they see a cat they weren't expecting to see in ages.
Vienna.
"Vienna? Is it...really you?" Zeus is approaching, and Amaranth is returning the favor by grabbing his tail by the teeth and pulling him back. Zeus hisses, unsheaths his claws, and goes to attack her, but his paw is stopped by the familiar feeling of Vienna's holding his.
"Enough. You both need to quit this fighting at once." Vienna says sternly. "Zeus, yes, you miss me, but that doesn't give you an excuse to raise your claw to your fellow cat. Amaranth, your biases against Zeus and all those that go against 'the natural way' is going to continue to get you into trouble if you don't learn to re-evaluate what the natural order is. Magic *is* natural. We are given gifts for a reason, to use them."
Amaranth huffs, looking skeptical, especially considering a considered-dead cat is talking to her, but it is what it is.
"How...are you here?" Zeus asks, looking up at her with concern.
"That, I'm not sure of...but I'm here now, though." She hums. "And I'm here to stay."
She's tangible; she's not see-through. Somehow, someway, she's really here. Hopefully to stay.
Outside he hears an ominous horn ring, and the sounds of hundreds of pawsteps marching in line.
Moon 99
We're approaching major lore things, so I'm no longer rolling. These posts are a courtesy as an attempt to break apart major events.
Lore
"Get away from me!"
As if I'd want to be near you in the first place, ugh. We should have left ages ago, Zeus.
"You're telling me, but look, now we're here, having a godsforsaken Dinner Date hosted by a...whatever you wanna call that guy out there?"
A murderer?
"Yes. A murderer Amaranth. Among other things."
Better than being your mate IMO.
"Ugh. Whatever. I couldn't agree more about YOU. I don't know how future me is even gonna remotely tolerate you to have kits with you."
You're telling me.
"Will you two cut it out already?"
The voice startles both Zeus and Amaranth, as neither of them particularly remember either of them having such a harsh feminine voice, but as they turn, they see a cat they weren't expecting to see in ages.
Vienna.
"Vienna? Is it...really you?" Zeus is approaching, and Amaranth is returning the favor by grabbing his tail by the teeth and pulling him back. Zeus hisses, unsheaths his claws, and goes to attack her, but his paw is stopped by the familiar feeling of Vienna's holding his.
"Enough. You both need to quit this fighting at once." Vienna says sternly. "Zeus, yes, you miss me, but that doesn't give you an excuse to raise your claw to your fellow cat. Amaranth, your biases against Zeus and all those that go against 'the natural way' is going to continue to get you into trouble if you don't learn to re-evaluate what the natural order is. Magic *is* natural. We are given gifts for a reason, to use them."
Amaranth huffs, looking skeptical, especially considering a considered-dead cat is talking to her, but it is what it is.
"How...are you here?" Zeus asks, looking up at her with concern.
"That, I'm not sure of...but I'm here now, though." She hums. "And I'm here to stay."
She's tangible; she's not see-through. Somehow, someway, she's really here. Hopefully to stay.
Outside he hears an ominous horn ring, and the sounds of hundreds of pawsteps marching in line.
We're approaching major lore things, so I'm no longer rolling. These posts are a courtesy as an attempt to break apart major events.
Lore
"Get away from me!"
As if I'd want to be near you in the first place, ugh. We should have left ages ago, Zeus.
"You're telling me, but look, now we're here, having a godsforsaken Dinner Date hosted by a...whatever you wanna call that guy out there?"
A murderer?
"Yes. A murderer Amaranth. Among other things."
Better than being your mate IMO.
"Ugh. Whatever. I couldn't agree more about YOU. I don't know how future me is even gonna remotely tolerate you to have kits with you."
You're telling me.
"Will you two cut it out already?"
The voice startles both Zeus and Amaranth, as neither of them particularly remember either of them having such a harsh feminine voice, but as they turn, they see a cat they weren't expecting to see in ages.
Vienna.
"Vienna? Is it...really you?" Zeus is approaching, and Amaranth is returning the favor by grabbing his tail by the teeth and pulling him back. Zeus hisses, unsheaths his claws, and goes to attack her, but his paw is stopped by the familiar feeling of Vienna's holding his.
"Enough. You both need to quit this fighting at once." Vienna says sternly. "Zeus, yes, you miss me, but that doesn't give you an excuse to raise your claw to your fellow cat. Amaranth, your biases against Zeus and all those that go against 'the natural way' is going to continue to get you into trouble if you don't learn to re-evaluate what the natural order is. Magic *is* natural. We are given gifts for a reason, to use them."
Amaranth huffs, looking skeptical, especially considering a considered-dead cat is talking to her, but it is what it is.
"How...are you here?" Zeus asks, looking up at her with concern.
"That, I'm not sure of...but I'm here now, though." She hums. "And I'm here to stay."
She's tangible; she's not see-through. Somehow, someway, she's really here. Hopefully to stay.
Outside he hears an ominous horn ring, and the sounds of hundreds of pawsteps marching in line.
Moon 100
This episode deals with a wide variety of topics, including a cat suffering a traumatic flashback, two cats working through a rivalry to relationship, a mention of a cat going into labor (nothing graphic), a cat recalling his death (nothing graphic), possession, exorcism, two cats who are in love fighting, attempted drowning (nothing too graphic), magical warfare, and more.
"Hey.....uh, dad."
Teo looks up at Jeremy / Poisonheart, still feeling weird about calling him dad. That being said, his relationship with the cat, all things considered, wasn't...awful? Like yes, he possessed his friends and is responsible for all the people he loves' deaths - however, in day to day activities, Poisonheart hasn't made any move to ruin Teo's life. He's been oddly supportive of every of Teo's pursuits, honestly. There's also been no attempts to possess him, which is surprising, but, again, Teo's fine with it.
"Hm? What is it, Teo?" Poisonheart turns from looking out at the sky, pulled out of his thoughts.
"I was .... uh, wondering, if it would be okay, if you know...we had a ball tonight?"
"You want a ball tonight?" Poisonheart tilts his head. "Hmm...alright. We can have a ball tonight."
"Really?" Teo asks. "No bargaining, no strings attached?"
"No, no, a ball is just fine for me." Poisonheart turns his head to the sky. "It's an important day today.... not sure a ball is the right celebration for it, but today is indeed an important day."
"What day is it?" Teo asks, mostly curious.
"It is the day I died."
"Hey! King dude, you can let us out!" Zeus calls, pounding on the locked door. Vienna stands behind him, and Amaranth stands a distance away from them both, still pondering what Vienna said. This isn't natural, after all. She's still feeling a little uncertain about all of this, but Vienna is, honestly, being the most stable guide they've got.
"I don't think he's going to hear us." Vienna hums, fluttering her wings. "Sounds like whatever's happening out there, it's loud."
"Is there a window?" Zeus asks, panic rising up in his chest, and he looks around, trying to find something - anything - to look outside with. Finally, he finds a window, and Vienna uses her wings to lift him and Amaranth up onto the windowsill.
Outside, he sees King Crimson, his children, and following in line are his soldiers. King Crimson is leading as they are all marching in order lines, and it seems they're exiting the Kingdom.
But where on earth are they going?
"Do you trust me?" Vienna asks, putting a paw on Zeus's back.
"With my life." Zeus responds.
"Great!" Vienna's going to grab him in her paws and launch him through the window, using her magic to summon a fine layer of rock to protect him.
"VIennnnaaaaaaa!" Zeus screams as he's flying through the air, but before he lands Vienna's catching him, Amaranth in her jaws [she's holding her by her scruff] and the two are landing safely outside. King Crimson perks up, looking over, and he grins.
"Oh wow you're a trio? Isn't that the cutest! You'll have to excuse me, I have pressing matters to tend to - but my Kingdom is yours to play in, or, you know, feel free to come along!"
"Where are you going?" Zeus asks, dusting himself off.
"I'm going to see what's become of my old stomping grounds; if there's new toys worth playing with again." He hums. "And, perhaps, letting my children play with them."
Zeus thinks something about this feels off, but he can't entirely place what and why.
"Oh, right. I almost forgot." The King approaches, and hands Zeus a small talisman. Before Zeus can accept or reject it, it's around his neck.
"Here you are, my friend. A final gift from me to you." King Crimson hums. "Use it well."
"What does it do?" Zeus holds it in his paws.
"Grants you the power that you hold inside, afraid of it's power."
Well, that's ominous.
"How....did you die?" Teo asks cautiously, sitting next to his father and tucking his own paws under his own tail.
"Oh, you know...." He draws a line across his throat, and Teo can see the purple scars peeking through the black fur. "Enrose had a nasty set of thorns."
"Oh." Teo's own throat closes up slightly and he paws at it, trying not to think too hard on that one. Does he say I'm sorry?
The Prince seems unbothered, though, as he guides Teo to come stand with him on the balcony, overlooking the Kingdom.
"Where we're standing now.... it's technically my father's kingdom. Crystalheart territory.... but in the final days of our kingdoms, King Enrose claimed this land as his own - forcefully - with plant magic." He points off to the west, where both cats can see plants and vines already rising from the earth and waving. Not an unusual sight when the plants are feeling finicky.
"Those were his original lands," He hummed. "Though I died, here." He points down, to where the statue cat is residing. An Earth cat is tending to them.
"Died in my dad's statue garden. Thought I could run there for safety, since my dad couldn't turn me to stone... but Enrose's plants got me anyway." He sighs.
"Turn you to...stone?" Teo asks. "Was he..."
"He was a Metal Storkatten with mastery of both Metal Magic and Earth Magic." He hums, looking out onto the world. "Honestly, he could have been a Paragon, he was a king for several hundred years and.... well. When things got dicey, his response to the Crimson menace was to turn his citizens to stone. Every single one of them."
"All of them?"
"All of them." Poisonheart confirmed. "Well, save for me. He didn't consider me a citizen. Didn't consider me anything. I was Nothing to him, and he liked to remind me of that fact."
Teo couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy towards this cat, and he awkwardly puts a paw on his dad's shoulder, trying to comfort him. Surprisingly, no possessions took place, and he puts his paw down safely.
"'Course, that didn't mean much to me." He hums. "I just kept doing my own thing. When you're viewed as Nothing, you can get away with a lot under the radar. Met a good cat, jumped around in time a bit.... The usual." He sighs. "Couldn't stop me from my own demise though. When King Crimson came down upon us, I time traveled here, as I wanted the satisfaction of killing my father with my own two claws. That uh...that turned out to be a bad call."
"Yeah," Teo agrees, kinda absentmindedly.
"Right! But, my death." He hums. "I died right there, thorns and vines got me."
"Right there right there?" Teo confirms, pointing.
"Yep."
"So like...where are the plants now?"
"Oh, they're long dead." Poisonheart laughs. "They might have killed me, but I killed them too. By the time I reached adulthood, I had all but mastered my magic; not even plants could resist me."
"But here I am, bringing down the atmosphere." Poisonheart laughs, and turns to Teo. "Go, get yourself ready for your ball. You have a lady to dance with, I assume."
"Uh...yeah." Teo stammers, taking a few steps back. "I do."
"Then you best get ready for the ball." Poisonheart hums, leaping down from the balcony edge. "I'll make the announcement."
"Uh..... thanks," Teo glances over at him. "Thanks, dad?"
Poisonheart glances back at him, and there's an emotion that crosses his features that look foreign, and then he turns and disappears into the castle.
So....are we just going to stay here forever or are we getting out of this forsaken Kingdom? I don't like it here. Amaranth bristles as Vienna, Zeus, and herself convene. King Crimson and his army have left.
"Where are we going to go to, pray tell, Amaranth? The world where we disappear if we cross over?"
I think we're gonna disappear if we stay here regardless. Ammy huffs.
"We could go back to the Kingdom," Vienna hums.
"You want to go back there? After all they've done? To you? To us?"
They didn't really do anything to me, Amaranth adds.
"I know." Zeus groans. "You're the problem."
I mean I didn't kill Vienna so....
"Guys, behave." Vienna huffs. "Yes I was killed. Yes the Kingdom is a problem. But it's either here, or there. There are no safe lands for us that aren't those two things....so take your pick."
Zeus sighs. He knows Vienna's right.
"Are you excited, Nikolai?"
The cat carrying the large skull staff uses his magic to carry it rather than his mouth, in order to answer the question. His time-worn black coat was graying along the edges, tired pink eyes regarding King Crimson with kindness and respect.
"Whatever for?" He hums.
"To see your old lands again; to see how the sands of time have treated them. It's been a while since you've been in Enrose. Don't you miss it?"
"...." The cat turns, looking out at the land ahead of them. It's been far too long since he'd seen his family, and he knows from King Crimson that their deaths were not his fault. He watched what King Enrose did to his family. There were no good, no evil cats in these lands. However, there were cats that did him wrong, and cats who didn't, and King Crimson has never gone back on a promise that he could keep.
"I miss my family." Nikolai responds. "I do not miss the lands. I don't even know if they're still there."
"That's understandable, my dear Nikolai." King Crimson dips his nose to touch it to Nikolai's shoulder in comfort, and the black tabby cat lightly purrs in gratitude. The comfort of another cat was always welcome to him. "Let it be known, if nothing is to your standard, I will raze it to the ground for you."
"Aye, as will I!" Bloodthorn pipes up. "I'll do anything ye ask of me! Pops or you included."
"Thank you, you're far too kind." Nikolai hums, looking at the ginger and white cat with a mixture of admiration, longing, and sadness. He wonders if his son might look like that, had he got to see him grow up. King Crimson frowns, and he puts his tails around Nikolai, sheltering him the best he can.
"I'm sorry, my friend." He sighs. "I know you miss them, and I'm sorry I was not there to save them."
"It's not your fault," Nikolai sighs, and King Crimson nods. "I'll be happy to share your pain with you." The King murmurs, and he looks over at Nikolai's staff. The Pink orbs inside it glow, and both cats glow, as King Crimson indeed shares in the intense emotional pain Nikolai's going through.
He'll always be there for his good friend.
"Can you see them anywhere? Because I can't!" Vienna calls, before realizing what the heck she just said, and added, "Or hear them. You know what I mean."
No kidding, Amaranth signs as Zeus comes down from the summoned cliff that Vienna made for him.
"Nope. They move fast." Zeus shakes his head. "Even faster than we can fly, I think."
"Strange," Vienna hums. "But it's probably got something to do with his strange blood magic."
"How did you come back, anyway?" Zeus asks, looking over at her.
"Dunno." Vienna hums. "Just came back. Wasn't Mort, wasn't King Crimson, just.... suddenly was here." She muses. "Suppose your love for me had something ta do with it, huh Zeusy?"
"Ughh..." Zeus blushes, shaking his head. "Don't call me that."
Zeusy, huh. Amaranth muses.
"You be quiet >:("
I'm not saying anything.
"You know what I mean." Zeus groans, and Vienna laughs.
"You know, I see what the King was seeing." She shakes her head affectionately, pulling these two into a giant group hug. "Ammy, you're more than welcome and more than loved with me, regardless of this idiot."
"Hey, I'm not an idiot." Zeus grumbles. "But you can have her."
I don't want him, Amaranth argues.
"Sure,. sure, I'm just saying...what is a rivalry if not romantic in nature?" Vienna laughs.
Thanks to the help of Poisonheart, there was even a live band to play music at this ball. Apollo, the young Bardic cat, was more than happy to play for everyone. He mostly sat on his throne, though, while he watched everyone dance around and have a good time.
Of course, his vessel wasn't super happy with him, and on this melodramatic evening, he contemplated listening to him.
Jeremy had many things to say, of course, but the pressing one was just, checking on Joy. Making sure she was okay. Longing for a dance with her.
"She tried to kill us, you know." Poisonheart remarks.
"I know, but just...please. I want to make sure she's okay. I want to hold her in my paws. I want to make sure she's fed and taken care of. Please."
"You're very attached to her."
"She's the closest thing I have to a life partner, I beg of you."
Poisonheart glances out among the hall, and sighs. Fine. He'll allow this dramatic old cat a dance with his partner, for old time's sake.
"May I have this dance?"
Teo's whiskers twitched nervously as he bowed to Ether, asking for her dance. He is offering her a paw. He's fastened a flower to his wrist of his paw, tucked a few into his chest fluff, and he's living on a prayer and a dream. She already said yes, and still, he's nervous.
"You absolutely may." She hums, taking his paw. Her own whiskers twitch in amusement.
"Thanks," Teo all but releases the breath of air he was holding as he stands up straight, holding her paw to dance with her. His heart's racing, and though she's see-through, he can't help but think she looks really beautiful tonight. It's been forty long moons, several possessions, and two deaths, but finally, he can have this dance with her.
He throws his heart in it, letting his paws follow the music as tries to express what words can't. What he couldn't for so long. He might only have her for tonight, but he'll make it the dance of an afterlifetime.
He presses his forehead to hers as the night dwindles, dipping her to the music, and he murmurs it.
"I love you, Ether.. Even when you died I....I still loved you. I think I have loved you for a long time, honestly."
He's met with her muzzle touching his in kindness.
"Love you too, Teo." He feels her tail drape around him.
"May I have this dance?"
The Prince puts his paw out for Joy, who stares at him. Tired, dirty, and miserable from her little jail pit adventure.
"You aren't my Jeremy." She croaks, unsheathing her claws. "Get away from me."
"I'm not here for you, I'm here for him." Poisonheart hums, sitting down and gathering his tail around his paws. "He requested I dance with you. Longs to touch you again." He looks at his claws, and then at her. "I have no use for you, but the vessel wants you."
"So you admit it then, you're a fake?" She growls.
"I never said I wasn't," Poisonheart glances down at her. "But the reality is I'm the King now, and I'm offering you a chance to dance with your mate. Will you accept?"
"I'll accept when you leave him be." She hisses, swatting at him. He takes a few steps back, and gives a nod.
"Understood." He climbs out of the pit, and when he turns his back, he feels her leap at him, grasping at his hind claws and dragging him back into the pit.
"Get. Out!" She growls, and she summons water, flooding the hole in the ground for the both of them. He gasps as he tries to jump out again, slips, and lands in water. She's shoving his head under the water, and he panics. Not like this, he was taken entirely off guard. The water keeps rising, and she's unphased, she can breathe just fine.
"Hold your breath. Stop moving. Let her think she's killed you." Jeremy's voice in Poisonheart's head murmurs, and Poisonheart closes his eyes, going limp. His shared heart with Jeremy pumps hard as he panics, but he trusts him. What choice does he have? He's never learned how to swim.
"I won't let us die," Jeremy reassures, and Poisonheart nods. As soon as the pressure is off, Poisonheart wants to jump, but Jeremy is the one who holds them down. They stay floating for a moment, their lungs screaming for air, and then Jeremy moves them out of the water, dragging Joy out of the pit by her scruff.
Both cats go flying as she launches him off of her, spitting mad. She prepares a bolt of water magic, and Poisonheart prepares a bolt of mixed Poison and Healing magic, green and purples swirling angrily with one another.
"Get out!" Joy screams, launching a typhoon against Poisonheart. He jumps instinctually, coasting along it like it was the most natural thing he's ever done. Does Jeremy know water magic?
"She's hurting, but I don't want to kill her," Jeremy pleads, and he coasts alongside the water, landing on top of Joy. They tumble, rolling in the grass and dirt. With the kingdom all attending the ball, it was just Joy vs Jeremy; or rather, Joy vs. Poisonheart in Jeremy's body.
"You're hurting yourself more than you're hurting me." Poisonheart scoffs, throwing himself away from her and drawing a line in the dirt with his claw.
"Get out!" She yells at him again, using the water she just summoned, manipulating it, and turning them all into pinpoint raindrops before assaulting him with them. Poisonheart curled around himself, grimacing. At the velocity they were being thrown at him, they reminded him of the time his father's court did the very same thing to him; instead of rain it was pebbles.
"Let me take over, please. I promise I'll give it back." Jeremy pleads, and Poisonheart, being thrown into a bad flashback, gives Jeremy control of his own body back.
Their journey just got a bit more complicated, as Vienna stops to pause and take a break. Her stomach hurts, and things are feeling uncomfortable for her. Of course, Amaranth and Zeus stop, as what else would they do? She's a blind cat who just came back from the dead.
What they weren't anticipating was her going into active labor.
Zeus and Amaranth give each other a shared look of 'oh gods' as they realize they're going to have to work together to help out Vienna.
Fortunately, their white-haired friend returns, this time with a small black cat, who's more than happy to help out with the birthing process. They have the prettiest, most startling pink eyes and pink spots on their coat.
"Joy, listen, it's me - I don't want to do this." Jeremy is pleading, tears flowing freely down his face as he's using his healing magic for, perhaps the worst thing he's ever wanting to do - forcing Joy to stop summoning her magic. It's taking a massive amount of energy, as he's had to use master-level magic without much time to practice it.
"I don't believe you! That demon's inside you Jeremy, he's going to kill you! He's going to kill us all!" Joy wails.
"Joy, no, listen to me, please.... listen, he's not ... the best, but he's here, and he's.... look, he wants me to be with you. I know it's hard, but please, just...center yourself on me."
"But you're not you,"
"I'm still me," He assures. "Just sometimes you gotta share me with the Prince."
"I don't like him," She growls.
"I know." He sighs. "I know...but it is what it is."
Joy weeps, and Jeremy offers his paws to hold her, and she allows him the courtesy. She falls into him, sobbing, and he wraps himself around her.
"Thanks, Poisonheart," Jeremy hums in his head. Poisonheart is silent.
What isn't silent, however, is the sound of thunder in the distance. Jeremy holds Joy a little longer, before standing up and motioning to her.
"Love, why don't we go have a little dance inside?" He asks. "It seems like it might storm."
"Alright." Joy sniffles. "As you wish, Jeremy."
As he's escorting her to the castle, the thunder gets louder - and he realizes what he's hearing isn't thunder, but the sound of many somethings approaching. He looks around wildly, and then he spots it. On the horizon. A mass that's approaching, at a rapid rate.
And then just like that, Poisonheart's back to controlling them both.
"What is that?" Jeremy asks.
"That's.... oh, god." Poisonheart's panicking, trembling even as he stares at it approaching. "No, no, no, not tonight. Please not tonight."
"What's wrong?"
"That's.... King Crimson." Poisonheart croaks. "Everyone needs to evacuate, but....no, Teo, his dance, his date, his...." He trembles. "I don't know what to do. I just hid when this happened."
"Don't panic, maybe we can talk things out?" Jeremy proposes.
"Talking things with him is like talking to a crystal wall. I would know, I've tried. The crystal wall thing."
"Well, if we can't evacuate, sounds like our only option is talking things out, hm?"
"I guess you're right." Poisonheart is trembling. "Do you mind doing it?"
"I don't mind." Jeremy hums.
As the massive wall of soldiers approach, one cat among them all sticks out like a sore thumb; a pitch black cat, long fur and hair, and massive red and black bat wings. His multiple pairs of red horns glow with some unseen magic, and by his side, a cat that Poisonheart thought he would never see again.
The Seer.
"Run. Get me out of here. Go. He will see me. He hates me. Get. Me. Out. I don't care who you put me in just." Poisonheart forcibly takes control of Jeremy again as he bursts into the halls of the doors, barrels into Teo, and screams into his face,
"Let me in!"
"What?!" Teo stammers, looking up at him.
"Let me in right now. I need somewhere to go."
"Uh....absolutely not?" Teo asks. "Don't you have, you know....?" Teo looks up at him.
"Yes, but...also no. If, god. Please, Teo, my son, I'm begging you."
"...Absolutely not, dude."
Poisonheart whines, but he steps off of his son, looking around at the few cats that are staring at him. He looks back at the doors. There's a chance that Jeremy can handle this on his own...but as long as Poisonheart stays in this body, the Seer will see him, and there's no way that this vessel - Jeremy - won't be killed. His own body notwithstanding, Poisonheart....doesn't want Jeremy to perish.
So he goes to the next best cat, and begs him for an exorcism. Mort is more than happy to acquiesce, and Poisonheart forcibly gets ripped out of Jeremy.
Jeremy returns to the front of his castle, in time for the Crimson Army to knock on the door and open the doors to the castle. There's King Crimson, and next to him, Nikolai the Seer; following them both are two cats Jeremy doesn't recognize, and neither did Poisonheart.
"Good...evening?" Jeremy breaks the ice.
This episode deals with a wide variety of topics, including a cat suffering a traumatic flashback, two cats working through a rivalry to relationship, a mention of a cat going into labor (nothing graphic), a cat recalling his death (nothing graphic), possession, exorcism, two cats who are in love fighting, attempted drowning (nothing too graphic), magical warfare, and more.
"Hey.....uh, dad."
Teo looks up at Jeremy / Poisonheart, still feeling weird about calling him dad. That being said, his relationship with the cat, all things considered, wasn't...awful? Like yes, he possessed his friends and is responsible for all the people he loves' deaths - however, in day to day activities, Poisonheart hasn't made any move to ruin Teo's life. He's been oddly supportive of every of Teo's pursuits, honestly. There's also been no attempts to possess him, which is surprising, but, again, Teo's fine with it.
"Hm? What is it, Teo?" Poisonheart turns from looking out at the sky, pulled out of his thoughts.
"I was .... uh, wondering, if it would be okay, if you know...we had a ball tonight?"
"You want a ball tonight?" Poisonheart tilts his head. "Hmm...alright. We can have a ball tonight."
"Really?" Teo asks. "No bargaining, no strings attached?"
"No, no, a ball is just fine for me." Poisonheart turns his head to the sky. "It's an important day today.... not sure a ball is the right celebration for it, but today is indeed an important day."
"What day is it?" Teo asks, mostly curious.
"It is the day I died."
"Hey! King dude, you can let us out!" Zeus calls, pounding on the locked door. Vienna stands behind him, and Amaranth stands a distance away from them both, still pondering what Vienna said. This isn't natural, after all. She's still feeling a little uncertain about all of this, but Vienna is, honestly, being the most stable guide they've got.
"I don't think he's going to hear us." Vienna hums, fluttering her wings. "Sounds like whatever's happening out there, it's loud."
"Is there a window?" Zeus asks, panic rising up in his chest, and he looks around, trying to find something - anything - to look outside with. Finally, he finds a window, and Vienna uses her wings to lift him and Amaranth up onto the windowsill.
Outside, he sees King Crimson, his children, and following in line are his soldiers. King Crimson is leading as they are all marching in order lines, and it seems they're exiting the Kingdom.
But where on earth are they going?
"Do you trust me?" Vienna asks, putting a paw on Zeus's back.
"With my life." Zeus responds.
"Great!" Vienna's going to grab him in her paws and launch him through the window, using her magic to summon a fine layer of rock to protect him.
"VIennnnaaaaaaa!" Zeus screams as he's flying through the air, but before he lands Vienna's catching him, Amaranth in her jaws [she's holding her by her scruff] and the two are landing safely outside. King Crimson perks up, looking over, and he grins.
"Oh wow you're a trio? Isn't that the cutest! You'll have to excuse me, I have pressing matters to tend to - but my Kingdom is yours to play in, or, you know, feel free to come along!"
"Where are you going?" Zeus asks, dusting himself off.
"I'm going to see what's become of my old stomping grounds; if there's new toys worth playing with again." He hums. "And, perhaps, letting my children play with them."
Zeus thinks something about this feels off, but he can't entirely place what and why.
"Oh, right. I almost forgot." The King approaches, and hands Zeus a small talisman. Before Zeus can accept or reject it, it's around his neck.
"Here you are, my friend. A final gift from me to you." King Crimson hums. "Use it well."
"What does it do?" Zeus holds it in his paws.
"Grants you the power that you hold inside, afraid of it's power."
Well, that's ominous.
"How....did you die?" Teo asks cautiously, sitting next to his father and tucking his own paws under his own tail.
"Oh, you know...." He draws a line across his throat, and Teo can see the purple scars peeking through the black fur. "Enrose had a nasty set of thorns."
"Oh." Teo's own throat closes up slightly and he paws at it, trying not to think too hard on that one. Does he say I'm sorry?
The Prince seems unbothered, though, as he guides Teo to come stand with him on the balcony, overlooking the Kingdom.
"Where we're standing now.... it's technically my father's kingdom. Crystalheart territory.... but in the final days of our kingdoms, King Enrose claimed this land as his own - forcefully - with plant magic." He points off to the west, where both cats can see plants and vines already rising from the earth and waving. Not an unusual sight when the plants are feeling finicky.
"Those were his original lands," He hummed. "Though I died, here." He points down, to where the statue cat is residing. An Earth cat is tending to them.
"Died in my dad's statue garden. Thought I could run there for safety, since my dad couldn't turn me to stone... but Enrose's plants got me anyway." He sighs.
"Turn you to...stone?" Teo asks. "Was he..."
"He was a Metal Storkatten with mastery of both Metal Magic and Earth Magic." He hums, looking out onto the world. "Honestly, he could have been a Paragon, he was a king for several hundred years and.... well. When things got dicey, his response to the Crimson menace was to turn his citizens to stone. Every single one of them."
"All of them?"
"All of them." Poisonheart confirmed. "Well, save for me. He didn't consider me a citizen. Didn't consider me anything. I was Nothing to him, and he liked to remind me of that fact."
Teo couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy towards this cat, and he awkwardly puts a paw on his dad's shoulder, trying to comfort him. Surprisingly, no possessions took place, and he puts his paw down safely.
"'Course, that didn't mean much to me." He hums. "I just kept doing my own thing. When you're viewed as Nothing, you can get away with a lot under the radar. Met a good cat, jumped around in time a bit.... The usual." He sighs. "Couldn't stop me from my own demise though. When King Crimson came down upon us, I time traveled here, as I wanted the satisfaction of killing my father with my own two claws. That uh...that turned out to be a bad call."
"Yeah," Teo agrees, kinda absentmindedly.
"Right! But, my death." He hums. "I died right there, thorns and vines got me."
"Right there right there?" Teo confirms, pointing.
"Yep."
"So like...where are the plants now?"
"Oh, they're long dead." Poisonheart laughs. "They might have killed me, but I killed them too. By the time I reached adulthood, I had all but mastered my magic; not even plants could resist me."
"But here I am, bringing down the atmosphere." Poisonheart laughs, and turns to Teo. "Go, get yourself ready for your ball. You have a lady to dance with, I assume."
"Uh...yeah." Teo stammers, taking a few steps back. "I do."
"Then you best get ready for the ball." Poisonheart hums, leaping down from the balcony edge. "I'll make the announcement."
"Uh..... thanks," Teo glances over at him. "Thanks, dad?"
Poisonheart glances back at him, and there's an emotion that crosses his features that look foreign, and then he turns and disappears into the castle.
So....are we just going to stay here forever or are we getting out of this forsaken Kingdom? I don't like it here. Amaranth bristles as Vienna, Zeus, and herself convene. King Crimson and his army have left.
"Where are we going to go to, pray tell, Amaranth? The world where we disappear if we cross over?"
I think we're gonna disappear if we stay here regardless. Ammy huffs.
"We could go back to the Kingdom," Vienna hums.
"You want to go back there? After all they've done? To you? To us?"
They didn't really do anything to me, Amaranth adds.
"I know." Zeus groans. "You're the problem."
I mean I didn't kill Vienna so....
"Guys, behave." Vienna huffs. "Yes I was killed. Yes the Kingdom is a problem. But it's either here, or there. There are no safe lands for us that aren't those two things....so take your pick."
Zeus sighs. He knows Vienna's right.
"Are you excited, Nikolai?"
The cat carrying the large skull staff uses his magic to carry it rather than his mouth, in order to answer the question. His time-worn black coat was graying along the edges, tired pink eyes regarding King Crimson with kindness and respect.
"Whatever for?" He hums.
"To see your old lands again; to see how the sands of time have treated them. It's been a while since you've been in Enrose. Don't you miss it?"
"...." The cat turns, looking out at the land ahead of them. It's been far too long since he'd seen his family, and he knows from King Crimson that their deaths were not his fault. He watched what King Enrose did to his family. There were no good, no evil cats in these lands. However, there were cats that did him wrong, and cats who didn't, and King Crimson has never gone back on a promise that he could keep.
"I miss my family." Nikolai responds. "I do not miss the lands. I don't even know if they're still there."
"That's understandable, my dear Nikolai." King Crimson dips his nose to touch it to Nikolai's shoulder in comfort, and the black tabby cat lightly purrs in gratitude. The comfort of another cat was always welcome to him. "Let it be known, if nothing is to your standard, I will raze it to the ground for you."
"Aye, as will I!" Bloodthorn pipes up. "I'll do anything ye ask of me! Pops or you included."
"Thank you, you're far too kind." Nikolai hums, looking at the ginger and white cat with a mixture of admiration, longing, and sadness. He wonders if his son might look like that, had he got to see him grow up. King Crimson frowns, and he puts his tails around Nikolai, sheltering him the best he can.
"I'm sorry, my friend." He sighs. "I know you miss them, and I'm sorry I was not there to save them."
"It's not your fault," Nikolai sighs, and King Crimson nods. "I'll be happy to share your pain with you." The King murmurs, and he looks over at Nikolai's staff. The Pink orbs inside it glow, and both cats glow, as King Crimson indeed shares in the intense emotional pain Nikolai's going through.
He'll always be there for his good friend.
"Can you see them anywhere? Because I can't!" Vienna calls, before realizing what the heck she just said, and added, "Or hear them. You know what I mean."
No kidding, Amaranth signs as Zeus comes down from the summoned cliff that Vienna made for him.
"Nope. They move fast." Zeus shakes his head. "Even faster than we can fly, I think."
"Strange," Vienna hums. "But it's probably got something to do with his strange blood magic."
"How did you come back, anyway?" Zeus asks, looking over at her.
"Dunno." Vienna hums. "Just came back. Wasn't Mort, wasn't King Crimson, just.... suddenly was here." She muses. "Suppose your love for me had something ta do with it, huh Zeusy?"
"Ughh..." Zeus blushes, shaking his head. "Don't call me that."
Zeusy, huh. Amaranth muses.
"You be quiet >:("
I'm not saying anything.
"You know what I mean." Zeus groans, and Vienna laughs.
"You know, I see what the King was seeing." She shakes her head affectionately, pulling these two into a giant group hug. "Ammy, you're more than welcome and more than loved with me, regardless of this idiot."
"Hey, I'm not an idiot." Zeus grumbles. "But you can have her."
I don't want him, Amaranth argues.
"Sure,. sure, I'm just saying...what is a rivalry if not romantic in nature?" Vienna laughs.
Thanks to the help of Poisonheart, there was even a live band to play music at this ball. Apollo, the young Bardic cat, was more than happy to play for everyone. He mostly sat on his throne, though, while he watched everyone dance around and have a good time.
Of course, his vessel wasn't super happy with him, and on this melodramatic evening, he contemplated listening to him.
Jeremy had many things to say, of course, but the pressing one was just, checking on Joy. Making sure she was okay. Longing for a dance with her.
"She tried to kill us, you know." Poisonheart remarks.
"I know, but just...please. I want to make sure she's okay. I want to hold her in my paws. I want to make sure she's fed and taken care of. Please."
"You're very attached to her."
"She's the closest thing I have to a life partner, I beg of you."
Poisonheart glances out among the hall, and sighs. Fine. He'll allow this dramatic old cat a dance with his partner, for old time's sake.
"May I have this dance?"
Teo's whiskers twitched nervously as he bowed to Ether, asking for her dance. He is offering her a paw. He's fastened a flower to his wrist of his paw, tucked a few into his chest fluff, and he's living on a prayer and a dream. She already said yes, and still, he's nervous.
"You absolutely may." She hums, taking his paw. Her own whiskers twitch in amusement.
"Thanks," Teo all but releases the breath of air he was holding as he stands up straight, holding her paw to dance with her. His heart's racing, and though she's see-through, he can't help but think she looks really beautiful tonight. It's been forty long moons, several possessions, and two deaths, but finally, he can have this dance with her.
He throws his heart in it, letting his paws follow the music as tries to express what words can't. What he couldn't for so long. He might only have her for tonight, but he'll make it the dance of an afterlifetime.
He presses his forehead to hers as the night dwindles, dipping her to the music, and he murmurs it.
"I love you, Ether.. Even when you died I....I still loved you. I think I have loved you for a long time, honestly."
He's met with her muzzle touching his in kindness.
"Love you too, Teo." He feels her tail drape around him.
"May I have this dance?"
The Prince puts his paw out for Joy, who stares at him. Tired, dirty, and miserable from her little jail pit adventure.
"You aren't my Jeremy." She croaks, unsheathing her claws. "Get away from me."
"I'm not here for you, I'm here for him." Poisonheart hums, sitting down and gathering his tail around his paws. "He requested I dance with you. Longs to touch you again." He looks at his claws, and then at her. "I have no use for you, but the vessel wants you."
"So you admit it then, you're a fake?" She growls.
"I never said I wasn't," Poisonheart glances down at her. "But the reality is I'm the King now, and I'm offering you a chance to dance with your mate. Will you accept?"
"I'll accept when you leave him be." She hisses, swatting at him. He takes a few steps back, and gives a nod.
"Understood." He climbs out of the pit, and when he turns his back, he feels her leap at him, grasping at his hind claws and dragging him back into the pit.
"Get. Out!" She growls, and she summons water, flooding the hole in the ground for the both of them. He gasps as he tries to jump out again, slips, and lands in water. She's shoving his head under the water, and he panics. Not like this, he was taken entirely off guard. The water keeps rising, and she's unphased, she can breathe just fine.
"Hold your breath. Stop moving. Let her think she's killed you." Jeremy's voice in Poisonheart's head murmurs, and Poisonheart closes his eyes, going limp. His shared heart with Jeremy pumps hard as he panics, but he trusts him. What choice does he have? He's never learned how to swim.
"I won't let us die," Jeremy reassures, and Poisonheart nods. As soon as the pressure is off, Poisonheart wants to jump, but Jeremy is the one who holds them down. They stay floating for a moment, their lungs screaming for air, and then Jeremy moves them out of the water, dragging Joy out of the pit by her scruff.
Both cats go flying as she launches him off of her, spitting mad. She prepares a bolt of water magic, and Poisonheart prepares a bolt of mixed Poison and Healing magic, green and purples swirling angrily with one another.
"Get out!" Joy screams, launching a typhoon against Poisonheart. He jumps instinctually, coasting along it like it was the most natural thing he's ever done. Does Jeremy know water magic?
"She's hurting, but I don't want to kill her," Jeremy pleads, and he coasts alongside the water, landing on top of Joy. They tumble, rolling in the grass and dirt. With the kingdom all attending the ball, it was just Joy vs Jeremy; or rather, Joy vs. Poisonheart in Jeremy's body.
"You're hurting yourself more than you're hurting me." Poisonheart scoffs, throwing himself away from her and drawing a line in the dirt with his claw.
"Get out!" She yells at him again, using the water she just summoned, manipulating it, and turning them all into pinpoint raindrops before assaulting him with them. Poisonheart curled around himself, grimacing. At the velocity they were being thrown at him, they reminded him of the time his father's court did the very same thing to him; instead of rain it was pebbles.
"Let me take over, please. I promise I'll give it back." Jeremy pleads, and Poisonheart, being thrown into a bad flashback, gives Jeremy control of his own body back.
Their journey just got a bit more complicated, as Vienna stops to pause and take a break. Her stomach hurts, and things are feeling uncomfortable for her. Of course, Amaranth and Zeus stop, as what else would they do? She's a blind cat who just came back from the dead.
What they weren't anticipating was her going into active labor.
Zeus and Amaranth give each other a shared look of 'oh gods' as they realize they're going to have to work together to help out Vienna.
Fortunately, their white-haired friend returns, this time with a small black cat, who's more than happy to help out with the birthing process. They have the prettiest, most startling pink eyes and pink spots on their coat.
"Joy, listen, it's me - I don't want to do this." Jeremy is pleading, tears flowing freely down his face as he's using his healing magic for, perhaps the worst thing he's ever wanting to do - forcing Joy to stop summoning her magic. It's taking a massive amount of energy, as he's had to use master-level magic without much time to practice it.
"I don't believe you! That demon's inside you Jeremy, he's going to kill you! He's going to kill us all!" Joy wails.
"Joy, no, listen to me, please.... listen, he's not ... the best, but he's here, and he's.... look, he wants me to be with you. I know it's hard, but please, just...center yourself on me."
"But you're not you,"
"I'm still me," He assures. "Just sometimes you gotta share me with the Prince."
"I don't like him," She growls.
"I know." He sighs. "I know...but it is what it is."
Joy weeps, and Jeremy offers his paws to hold her, and she allows him the courtesy. She falls into him, sobbing, and he wraps himself around her.
"Thanks, Poisonheart," Jeremy hums in his head. Poisonheart is silent.
What isn't silent, however, is the sound of thunder in the distance. Jeremy holds Joy a little longer, before standing up and motioning to her.
"Love, why don't we go have a little dance inside?" He asks. "It seems like it might storm."
"Alright." Joy sniffles. "As you wish, Jeremy."
As he's escorting her to the castle, the thunder gets louder - and he realizes what he's hearing isn't thunder, but the sound of many somethings approaching. He looks around wildly, and then he spots it. On the horizon. A mass that's approaching, at a rapid rate.
And then just like that, Poisonheart's back to controlling them both.
"What is that?" Jeremy asks.
"That's.... oh, god." Poisonheart's panicking, trembling even as he stares at it approaching. "No, no, no, not tonight. Please not tonight."
"What's wrong?"
"That's.... King Crimson." Poisonheart croaks. "Everyone needs to evacuate, but....no, Teo, his dance, his date, his...." He trembles. "I don't know what to do. I just hid when this happened."
"Don't panic, maybe we can talk things out?" Jeremy proposes.
"Talking things with him is like talking to a crystal wall. I would know, I've tried. The crystal wall thing."
"Well, if we can't evacuate, sounds like our only option is talking things out, hm?"
"I guess you're right." Poisonheart is trembling. "Do you mind doing it?"
"I don't mind." Jeremy hums.
As the massive wall of soldiers approach, one cat among them all sticks out like a sore thumb; a pitch black cat, long fur and hair, and massive red and black bat wings. His multiple pairs of red horns glow with some unseen magic, and by his side, a cat that Poisonheart thought he would never see again.
The Seer.
"Run. Get me out of here. Go. He will see me. He hates me. Get. Me. Out. I don't care who you put me in just." Poisonheart forcibly takes control of Jeremy again as he bursts into the halls of the doors, barrels into Teo, and screams into his face,
"Let me in!"
"What?!" Teo stammers, looking up at him.
"Let me in right now. I need somewhere to go."
"Uh....absolutely not?" Teo asks. "Don't you have, you know....?" Teo looks up at him.
"Yes, but...also no. If, god. Please, Teo, my son, I'm begging you."
"...Absolutely not, dude."
Poisonheart whines, but he steps off of his son, looking around at the few cats that are staring at him. He looks back at the doors. There's a chance that Jeremy can handle this on his own...but as long as Poisonheart stays in this body, the Seer will see him, and there's no way that this vessel - Jeremy - won't be killed. His own body notwithstanding, Poisonheart....doesn't want Jeremy to perish.
So he goes to the next best cat, and begs him for an exorcism. Mort is more than happy to acquiesce, and Poisonheart forcibly gets ripped out of Jeremy.
Jeremy returns to the front of his castle, in time for the Crimson Army to knock on the door and open the doors to the castle. There's King Crimson, and next to him, Nikolai the Seer; following them both are two cats Jeremy doesn't recognize, and neither did Poisonheart.
"Good...evening?" Jeremy breaks the ice.
Moon 100
This episode deals with a wide variety of topics, including a cat suffering a traumatic flashback, two cats working through a rivalry to relationship, a mention of a cat going into labor (nothing graphic), a cat recalling his death (nothing graphic), possession, exorcism, two cats who are in love fighting, attempted drowning (nothing too graphic), magical warfare, and more.
"Hey.....uh, dad."
Teo looks up at Jeremy / Poisonheart, still feeling weird about calling him dad. That being said, his relationship with the cat, all things considered, wasn't...awful? Like yes, he possessed his friends and is responsible for all the people he loves' deaths - however, in day to day activities, Poisonheart hasn't made any move to ruin Teo's life. He's been oddly supportive of every of Teo's pursuits, honestly. There's also been no attempts to possess him, which is surprising, but, again, Teo's fine with it.
"Hm? What is it, Teo?" Poisonheart turns from looking out at the sky, pulled out of his thoughts.
"I was .... uh, wondering, if it would be okay, if you know...we had a ball tonight?"
"You want a ball tonight?" Poisonheart tilts his head. "Hmm...alright. We can have a ball tonight."
"Really?" Teo asks. "No bargaining, no strings attached?"
"No, no, a ball is just fine for me." Poisonheart turns his head to the sky. "It's an important day today.... not sure a ball is the right celebration for it, but today is indeed an important day."
"What day is it?" Teo asks, mostly curious.
"It is the day I died."
"Hey! King dude, you can let us out!" Zeus calls, pounding on the locked door. Vienna stands behind him, and Amaranth stands a distance away from them both, still pondering what Vienna said. This isn't natural, after all. She's still feeling a little uncertain about all of this, but Vienna is, honestly, being the most stable guide they've got.
"I don't think he's going to hear us." Vienna hums, fluttering her wings. "Sounds like whatever's happening out there, it's loud."
"Is there a window?" Zeus asks, panic rising up in his chest, and he looks around, trying to find something - anything - to look outside with. Finally, he finds a window, and Vienna uses her wings to lift him and Amaranth up onto the windowsill.
Outside, he sees King Crimson, his children, and following in line are his soldiers. King Crimson is leading as they are all marching in order lines, and it seems they're exiting the Kingdom.
But where on earth are they going?
"Do you trust me?" Vienna asks, putting a paw on Zeus's back.
"With my life." Zeus responds.
"Great!" Vienna's going to grab him in her paws and launch him through the window, using her magic to summon a fine layer of rock to protect him.
"VIennnnaaaaaaa!" Zeus screams as he's flying through the air, but before he lands Vienna's catching him, Amaranth in her jaws [she's holding her by her scruff] and the two are landing safely outside. King Crimson perks up, looking over, and he grins.
"Oh wow you're a trio? Isn't that the cutest! You'll have to excuse me, I have pressing matters to tend to - but my Kingdom is yours to play in, or, you know, feel free to come along!"
"Where are you going?" Zeus asks, dusting himself off.
"I'm going to see what's become of my old stomping grounds; if there's new toys worth playing with again." He hums. "And, perhaps, letting my children play with them."
Zeus thinks something about this feels off, but he can't entirely place what and why.
"Oh, right. I almost forgot." The King approaches, and hands Zeus a small talisman. Before Zeus can accept or reject it, it's around his neck.
"Here you are, my friend. A final gift from me to you." King Crimson hums. "Use it well."
"What does it do?" Zeus holds it in his paws.
"Grants you the power that you hold inside, afraid of it's power."
Well, that's ominous.
"How....did you die?" Teo asks cautiously, sitting next to his father and tucking his own paws under his own tail.
"Oh, you know...." He draws a line across his throat, and Teo can see the purple scars peeking through the black fur. "Enrose had a nasty set of thorns."
"Oh." Teo's own throat closes up slightly and he paws at it, trying not to think too hard on that one. Does he say I'm sorry?
The Prince seems unbothered, though, as he guides Teo to come stand with him on the balcony, overlooking the Kingdom.
"Where we're standing now.... it's technically my father's kingdom. Crystalheart territory.... but in the final days of our kingdoms, King Enrose claimed this land as his own - forcefully - with plant magic." He points off to the west, where both cats can see plants and vines already rising from the earth and waving. Not an unusual sight when the plants are feeling finicky.
"Those were his original lands," He hummed. "Though I died, here." He points down, to where the statue cat is residing. An Earth cat is tending to them.
"Died in my dad's statue garden. Thought I could run there for safety, since my dad couldn't turn me to stone... but Enrose's plants got me anyway." He sighs.
"Turn you to...stone?" Teo asks. "Was he..."
"He was a Metal Storkatten with mastery of both Metal Magic and Earth Magic." He hums, looking out onto the world. "Honestly, he could have been a Paragon, he was a king for several hundred years and.... well. When things got dicey, his response to the Crimson menace was to turn his citizens to stone. Every single one of them."
"All of them?"
"All of them." Poisonheart confirmed. "Well, save for me. He didn't consider me a citizen. Didn't consider me anything. I was Nothing to him, and he liked to remind me of that fact."
Teo couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy towards this cat, and he awkwardly puts a paw on his dad's shoulder, trying to comfort him. Surprisingly, no possessions took place, and he puts his paw down safely.
"'Course, that didn't mean much to me." He hums. "I just kept doing my own thing. When you're viewed as Nothing, you can get away with a lot under the radar. Met a good cat, jumped around in time a bit.... The usual." He sighs. "Couldn't stop me from my own demise though. When King Crimson came down upon us, I time traveled here, as I wanted the satisfaction of killing my father with my own two claws. That uh...that turned out to be a bad call."
"Yeah," Teo agrees, kinda absentmindedly.
"Right! But, my death." He hums. "I died right there, thorns and vines got me."
"Right there right there?" Teo confirms, pointing.
"Yep."
"So like...where are the plants now?"
"Oh, they're long dead." Poisonheart laughs. "They might have killed me, but I killed them too. By the time I reached adulthood, I had all but mastered my magic; not even plants could resist me."
"But here I am, bringing down the atmosphere." Poisonheart laughs, and turns to Teo. "Go, get yourself ready for your ball. You have a lady to dance with, I assume."
"Uh...yeah." Teo stammers, taking a few steps back. "I do."
"Then you best get ready for the ball." Poisonheart hums, leaping down from the balcony edge. "I'll make the announcement."
"Uh..... thanks," Teo glances over at him. "Thanks, dad?"
Poisonheart glances back at him, and there's an emotion that crosses his features that look foreign, and then he turns and disappears into the castle.
So....are we just going to stay here forever or are we getting out of this forsaken Kingdom? I don't like it here. Amaranth bristles as Vienna, Zeus, and herself convene. King Crimson and his army have left.
"Where are we going to go to, pray tell, Amaranth? The world where we disappear if we cross over?"
I think we're gonna disappear if we stay here regardless. Ammy huffs.
"We could go back to the Kingdom," Vienna hums.
"You want to go back there? After all they've done? To you? To us?"
They didn't really do anything to me, Amaranth adds.
"I know." Zeus groans. "You're the problem."
I mean I didn't kill Vienna so....
"Guys, behave." Vienna huffs. "Yes I was killed. Yes the Kingdom is a problem. But it's either here, or there. There are no safe lands for us that aren't those two things....so take your pick."
Zeus sighs. He knows Vienna's right.
"Are you excited, Nikolai?"
The cat carrying the large skull staff uses his magic to carry it rather than his mouth, in order to answer the question. His time-worn black coat was graying along the edges, tired pink eyes regarding King Crimson with kindness and respect.
"Whatever for?" He hums.
"To see your old lands again; to see how the sands of time have treated them. It's been a while since you've been in Enrose. Don't you miss it?"
"...." The cat turns, looking out at the land ahead of them. It's been far too long since he'd seen his family, and he knows from King Crimson that their deaths were not his fault. He watched what King Enrose did to his family. There were no good, no evil cats in these lands. However, there were cats that did him wrong, and cats who didn't, and King Crimson has never gone back on a promise that he could keep.
"I miss my family." Nikolai responds. "I do not miss the lands. I don't even know if they're still there."
"That's understandable, my dear Nikolai." King Crimson dips his nose to touch it to Nikolai's shoulder in comfort, and the black tabby cat lightly purrs in gratitude. The comfort of another cat was always welcome to him. "Let it be known, if nothing is to your standard, I will raze it to the ground for you."
"Aye, as will I!" Bloodthorn pipes up. "I'll do anything ye ask of me! Pops or you included."
"Thank you, you're far too kind." Nikolai hums, looking at the ginger and white cat with a mixture of admiration, longing, and sadness. He wonders if his son might look like that, had he got to see him grow up. King Crimson frowns, and he puts his tails around Nikolai, sheltering him the best he can.
"I'm sorry, my friend." He sighs. "I know you miss them, and I'm sorry I was not there to save them."
"It's not your fault," Nikolai sighs, and King Crimson nods. "I'll be happy to share your pain with you." The King murmurs, and he looks over at Nikolai's staff. The Pink orbs inside it glow, and both cats glow, as King Crimson indeed shares in the intense emotional pain Nikolai's going through.
He'll always be there for his good friend.
"Can you see them anywhere? Because I can't!" Vienna calls, before realizing what the heck she just said, and added, "Or hear them. You know what I mean."
No kidding, Amaranth signs as Zeus comes down from the summoned cliff that Vienna made for him.
"Nope. They move fast." Zeus shakes his head. "Even faster than we can fly, I think."
"Strange," Vienna hums. "But it's probably got something to do with his strange blood magic."
"How did you come back, anyway?" Zeus asks, looking over at her.
"Dunno." Vienna hums. "Just came back. Wasn't Mort, wasn't King Crimson, just.... suddenly was here." She muses. "Suppose your love for me had something ta do with it, huh Zeusy?"
"Ughh..." Zeus blushes, shaking his head. "Don't call me that."
Zeusy, huh. Amaranth muses.
"You be quiet >:("
I'm not saying anything.
"You know what I mean." Zeus groans, and Vienna laughs.
"You know, I see what the King was seeing." She shakes her head affectionately, pulling these two into a giant group hug. "Ammy, you're more than welcome and more than loved with me, regardless of this idiot."
"Hey, I'm not an idiot." Zeus grumbles. "But you can have her."
I don't want him, Amaranth argues.
"Sure,. sure, I'm just saying...what is a rivalry if not romantic in nature?" Vienna laughs.
Thanks to the help of Poisonheart, there was even a live band to play music at this ball. Apollo, the young Bardic cat, was more than happy to play for everyone. He mostly sat on his throne, though, while he watched everyone dance around and have a good time.
Of course, his vessel wasn't super happy with him, and on this melodramatic evening, he contemplated listening to him.
Jeremy had many things to say, of course, but the pressing one was just, checking on Joy. Making sure she was okay. Longing for a dance with her.
"She tried to kill us, you know." Poisonheart remarks.
"I know, but just...please. I want to make sure she's okay. I want to hold her in my paws. I want to make sure she's fed and taken care of. Please."
"You're very attached to her."
"She's the closest thing I have to a life partner, I beg of you."
Poisonheart glances out among the hall, and sighs. Fine. He'll allow this dramatic old cat a dance with his partner, for old time's sake.
"May I have this dance?"
Teo's whiskers twitched nervously as he bowed to Ether, asking for her dance. He is offering her a paw. He's fastened a flower to his wrist of his paw, tucked a few into his chest fluff, and he's living on a prayer and a dream. She already said yes, and still, he's nervous.
"You absolutely may." She hums, taking his paw. Her own whiskers twitch in amusement.
"Thanks," Teo all but releases the breath of air he was holding as he stands up straight, holding her paw to dance with her. His heart's racing, and though she's see-through, he can't help but think she looks really beautiful tonight. It's been forty long moons, several possessions, and two deaths, but finally, he can have this dance with her.
He throws his heart in it, letting his paws follow the music as tries to express what words can't. What he couldn't for so long. He might only have her for tonight, but he'll make it the dance of an afterlifetime.
He presses his forehead to hers as the night dwindles, dipping her to the music, and he murmurs it.
"I love you, Ether.. Even when you died I....I still loved you. I think I have loved you for a long time, honestly."
He's met with her muzzle touching his in kindness.
"Love you too, Teo." He feels her tail drape around him.
"May I have this dance?"
The Prince puts his paw out for Joy, who stares at him. Tired, dirty, and miserable from her little jail pit adventure.
"You aren't my Jeremy." She croaks, unsheathing her claws. "Get away from me."
"I'm not here for you, I'm here for him." Poisonheart hums, sitting down and gathering his tail around his paws. "He requested I dance with you. Longs to touch you again." He looks at his claws, and then at her. "I have no use for you, but the vessel wants you."
"So you admit it then, you're a fake?" She growls.
"I never said I wasn't," Poisonheart glances down at her. "But the reality is I'm the King now, and I'm offering you a chance to dance with your mate. Will you accept?"
"I'll accept when you leave him be." She hisses, swatting at him. He takes a few steps back, and gives a nod.
"Understood." He climbs out of the pit, and when he turns his back, he feels her leap at him, grasping at his hind claws and dragging him back into the pit.
"Get. Out!" She growls, and she summons water, flooding the hole in the ground for the both of them. He gasps as he tries to jump out again, slips, and lands in water. She's shoving his head under the water, and he panics. Not like this, he was taken entirely off guard. The water keeps rising, and she's unphased, she can breathe just fine.
"Hold your breath. Stop moving. Let her think she's killed you." Jeremy's voice in Poisonheart's head murmurs, and Poisonheart closes his eyes, going limp. His shared heart with Jeremy pumps hard as he panics, but he trusts him. What choice does he have? He's never learned how to swim.
"I won't let us die," Jeremy reassures, and Poisonheart nods. As soon as the pressure is off, Poisonheart wants to jump, but Jeremy is the one who holds them down. They stay floating for a moment, their lungs screaming for air, and then Jeremy moves them out of the water, dragging Joy out of the pit by her scruff.
Both cats go flying as she launches him off of her, spitting mad. She prepares a bolt of water magic, and Poisonheart prepares a bolt of mixed Poison and Healing magic, green and purples swirling angrily with one another.
"Get out!" Joy screams, launching a typhoon against Poisonheart. He jumps instinctually, coasting along it like it was the most natural thing he's ever done. Does Jeremy know water magic?
"She's hurting, but I don't want to kill her," Jeremy pleads, and he coasts alongside the water, landing on top of Joy. They tumble, rolling in the grass and dirt. With the kingdom all attending the ball, it was just Joy vs Jeremy; or rather, Joy vs. Poisonheart in Jeremy's body.
"You're hurting yourself more than you're hurting me." Poisonheart scoffs, throwing himself away from her and drawing a line in the dirt with his claw.
"Get out!" She yells at him again, using the water she just summoned, manipulating it, and turning them all into pinpoint raindrops before assaulting him with them. Poisonheart curled around himself, grimacing. At the velocity they were being thrown at him, they reminded him of the time his father's court did the very same thing to him; instead of rain it was pebbles.
"Let me take over, please. I promise I'll give it back." Jeremy pleads, and Poisonheart, being thrown into a bad flashback, gives Jeremy control of his own body back.
Their journey just got a bit more complicated, as Vienna stops to pause and take a break. Her stomach hurts, and things are feeling uncomfortable for her. Of course, Amaranth and Zeus stop, as what else would they do? She's a blind cat who just came back from the dead.
What they weren't anticipating was her going into active labor.
Zeus and Amaranth give each other a shared look of 'oh gods' as they realize they're going to have to work together to help out Vienna.
Fortunately, their white-haired friend returns, this time with a small black cat, who's more than happy to help out with the birthing process. They have the prettiest, most startling pink eyes and pink spots on their coat.
"Joy, listen, it's me - I don't want to do this." Jeremy is pleading, tears flowing freely down his face as he's using his healing magic for, perhaps the worst thing he's ever wanting to do - forcing Joy to stop summoning her magic. It's taking a massive amount of energy, as he's had to use master-level magic without much time to practice it.
"I don't believe you! That demon's inside you Jeremy, he's going to kill you! He's going to kill us all!" Joy wails.
"Joy, no, listen to me, please.... listen, he's not ... the best, but he's here, and he's.... look, he wants me to be with you. I know it's hard, but please, just...center yourself on me."
"But you're not you,"
"I'm still me," He assures. "Just sometimes you gotta share me with the Prince."
"I don't like him," She growls.
"I know." He sighs. "I know...but it is what it is."
Joy weeps, and Jeremy offers his paws to hold her, and she allows him the courtesy. She falls into him, sobbing, and he wraps himself around her.
"Thanks, Poisonheart," Jeremy hums in his head. Poisonheart is silent.
What isn't silent, however, is the sound of thunder in the distance. Jeremy holds Joy a little longer, before standing up and motioning to her.
"Love, why don't we go have a little dance inside?" He asks. "It seems like it might storm."
"Alright." Joy sniffles. "As you wish, Jeremy."
As he's escorting her to the castle, the thunder gets louder - and he realizes what he's hearing isn't thunder, but the sound of many somethings approaching. He looks around wildly, and then he spots it. On the horizon. A mass that's approaching, at a rapid rate.
And then just like that, Poisonheart's back to controlling them both.
"What is that?" Jeremy asks.
"That's.... oh, god." Poisonheart's panicking, trembling even as he stares at it approaching. "No, no, no, not tonight. Please not tonight."
"What's wrong?"
"That's.... King Crimson." Poisonheart croaks. "Everyone needs to evacuate, but....no, Teo, his dance, his date, his...." He trembles. "I don't know what to do. I just hid when this happened."
"Don't panic, maybe we can talk things out?" Jeremy proposes.
"Talking things with him is like talking to a crystal wall. I would know, I've tried. The crystal wall thing."
"Well, if we can't evacuate, sounds like our only option is talking things out, hm?"
"I guess you're right." Poisonheart is trembling. "Do you mind doing it?"
"I don't mind." Jeremy hums.
As the massive wall of soldiers approach, one cat among them all sticks out like a sore thumb; a pitch black cat, long fur and hair, and massive red and black bat wings. His multiple pairs of red horns glow with some unseen magic, and by his side, a cat that Poisonheart thought he would never see again.
The Seer.
"Run. Get me out of here. Go. He will see me. He hates me. Get. Me. Out. I don't care who you put me in just." Poisonheart forcibly takes control of Jeremy again as he bursts into the halls of the doors, barrels into Teo, and screams into his face,
"Let me in!"
"What?!" Teo stammers, looking up at him.
"Let me in right now. I need somewhere to go."
"Uh....absolutely not?" Teo asks. "Don't you have, you know....?" Teo looks up at him.
"Yes, but...also no. If, god. Please, Teo, my son, I'm begging you."
"...Absolutely not, dude."
Poisonheart whines, but he steps off of his son, looking around at the few cats that are staring at him. He looks back at the doors. There's a chance that Jeremy can handle this on his own...but as long as Poisonheart stays in this body, the Seer will see him, and there's no way that this vessel - Jeremy - won't be killed. His own body notwithstanding, Poisonheart....doesn't want Jeremy to perish.
So he goes to the next best cat, and begs him for an exorcism. Mort is more than happy to acquiesce, and Poisonheart forcibly gets ripped out of Jeremy.
Jeremy returns to the front of his castle, in time for the Crimson Army to knock on the door and open the doors to the castle. There's King Crimson, and next to him, Nikolai the Seer; following them both are two cats Jeremy doesn't recognize, and neither did Poisonheart.
"Good...evening?" Jeremy breaks the ice.
This episode deals with a wide variety of topics, including a cat suffering a traumatic flashback, two cats working through a rivalry to relationship, a mention of a cat going into labor (nothing graphic), a cat recalling his death (nothing graphic), possession, exorcism, two cats who are in love fighting, attempted drowning (nothing too graphic), magical warfare, and more.
"Hey.....uh, dad."
Teo looks up at Jeremy / Poisonheart, still feeling weird about calling him dad. That being said, his relationship with the cat, all things considered, wasn't...awful? Like yes, he possessed his friends and is responsible for all the people he loves' deaths - however, in day to day activities, Poisonheart hasn't made any move to ruin Teo's life. He's been oddly supportive of every of Teo's pursuits, honestly. There's also been no attempts to possess him, which is surprising, but, again, Teo's fine with it.
"Hm? What is it, Teo?" Poisonheart turns from looking out at the sky, pulled out of his thoughts.
"I was .... uh, wondering, if it would be okay, if you know...we had a ball tonight?"
"You want a ball tonight?" Poisonheart tilts his head. "Hmm...alright. We can have a ball tonight."
"Really?" Teo asks. "No bargaining, no strings attached?"
"No, no, a ball is just fine for me." Poisonheart turns his head to the sky. "It's an important day today.... not sure a ball is the right celebration for it, but today is indeed an important day."
"What day is it?" Teo asks, mostly curious.
"It is the day I died."
"Hey! King dude, you can let us out!" Zeus calls, pounding on the locked door. Vienna stands behind him, and Amaranth stands a distance away from them both, still pondering what Vienna said. This isn't natural, after all. She's still feeling a little uncertain about all of this, but Vienna is, honestly, being the most stable guide they've got.
"I don't think he's going to hear us." Vienna hums, fluttering her wings. "Sounds like whatever's happening out there, it's loud."
"Is there a window?" Zeus asks, panic rising up in his chest, and he looks around, trying to find something - anything - to look outside with. Finally, he finds a window, and Vienna uses her wings to lift him and Amaranth up onto the windowsill.
Outside, he sees King Crimson, his children, and following in line are his soldiers. King Crimson is leading as they are all marching in order lines, and it seems they're exiting the Kingdom.
But where on earth are they going?
"Do you trust me?" Vienna asks, putting a paw on Zeus's back.
"With my life." Zeus responds.
"Great!" Vienna's going to grab him in her paws and launch him through the window, using her magic to summon a fine layer of rock to protect him.
"VIennnnaaaaaaa!" Zeus screams as he's flying through the air, but before he lands Vienna's catching him, Amaranth in her jaws [she's holding her by her scruff] and the two are landing safely outside. King Crimson perks up, looking over, and he grins.
"Oh wow you're a trio? Isn't that the cutest! You'll have to excuse me, I have pressing matters to tend to - but my Kingdom is yours to play in, or, you know, feel free to come along!"
"Where are you going?" Zeus asks, dusting himself off.
"I'm going to see what's become of my old stomping grounds; if there's new toys worth playing with again." He hums. "And, perhaps, letting my children play with them."
Zeus thinks something about this feels off, but he can't entirely place what and why.
"Oh, right. I almost forgot." The King approaches, and hands Zeus a small talisman. Before Zeus can accept or reject it, it's around his neck.
"Here you are, my friend. A final gift from me to you." King Crimson hums. "Use it well."
"What does it do?" Zeus holds it in his paws.
"Grants you the power that you hold inside, afraid of it's power."
Well, that's ominous.
"How....did you die?" Teo asks cautiously, sitting next to his father and tucking his own paws under his own tail.
"Oh, you know...." He draws a line across his throat, and Teo can see the purple scars peeking through the black fur. "Enrose had a nasty set of thorns."
"Oh." Teo's own throat closes up slightly and he paws at it, trying not to think too hard on that one. Does he say I'm sorry?
The Prince seems unbothered, though, as he guides Teo to come stand with him on the balcony, overlooking the Kingdom.
"Where we're standing now.... it's technically my father's kingdom. Crystalheart territory.... but in the final days of our kingdoms, King Enrose claimed this land as his own - forcefully - with plant magic." He points off to the west, where both cats can see plants and vines already rising from the earth and waving. Not an unusual sight when the plants are feeling finicky.
"Those were his original lands," He hummed. "Though I died, here." He points down, to where the statue cat is residing. An Earth cat is tending to them.
"Died in my dad's statue garden. Thought I could run there for safety, since my dad couldn't turn me to stone... but Enrose's plants got me anyway." He sighs.
"Turn you to...stone?" Teo asks. "Was he..."
"He was a Metal Storkatten with mastery of both Metal Magic and Earth Magic." He hums, looking out onto the world. "Honestly, he could have been a Paragon, he was a king for several hundred years and.... well. When things got dicey, his response to the Crimson menace was to turn his citizens to stone. Every single one of them."
"All of them?"
"All of them." Poisonheart confirmed. "Well, save for me. He didn't consider me a citizen. Didn't consider me anything. I was Nothing to him, and he liked to remind me of that fact."
Teo couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy towards this cat, and he awkwardly puts a paw on his dad's shoulder, trying to comfort him. Surprisingly, no possessions took place, and he puts his paw down safely.
"'Course, that didn't mean much to me." He hums. "I just kept doing my own thing. When you're viewed as Nothing, you can get away with a lot under the radar. Met a good cat, jumped around in time a bit.... The usual." He sighs. "Couldn't stop me from my own demise though. When King Crimson came down upon us, I time traveled here, as I wanted the satisfaction of killing my father with my own two claws. That uh...that turned out to be a bad call."
"Yeah," Teo agrees, kinda absentmindedly.
"Right! But, my death." He hums. "I died right there, thorns and vines got me."
"Right there right there?" Teo confirms, pointing.
"Yep."
"So like...where are the plants now?"
"Oh, they're long dead." Poisonheart laughs. "They might have killed me, but I killed them too. By the time I reached adulthood, I had all but mastered my magic; not even plants could resist me."
"But here I am, bringing down the atmosphere." Poisonheart laughs, and turns to Teo. "Go, get yourself ready for your ball. You have a lady to dance with, I assume."
"Uh...yeah." Teo stammers, taking a few steps back. "I do."
"Then you best get ready for the ball." Poisonheart hums, leaping down from the balcony edge. "I'll make the announcement."
"Uh..... thanks," Teo glances over at him. "Thanks, dad?"
Poisonheart glances back at him, and there's an emotion that crosses his features that look foreign, and then he turns and disappears into the castle.
So....are we just going to stay here forever or are we getting out of this forsaken Kingdom? I don't like it here. Amaranth bristles as Vienna, Zeus, and herself convene. King Crimson and his army have left.
"Where are we going to go to, pray tell, Amaranth? The world where we disappear if we cross over?"
I think we're gonna disappear if we stay here regardless. Ammy huffs.
"We could go back to the Kingdom," Vienna hums.
"You want to go back there? After all they've done? To you? To us?"
They didn't really do anything to me, Amaranth adds.
"I know." Zeus groans. "You're the problem."
I mean I didn't kill Vienna so....
"Guys, behave." Vienna huffs. "Yes I was killed. Yes the Kingdom is a problem. But it's either here, or there. There are no safe lands for us that aren't those two things....so take your pick."
Zeus sighs. He knows Vienna's right.
"Are you excited, Nikolai?"
The cat carrying the large skull staff uses his magic to carry it rather than his mouth, in order to answer the question. His time-worn black coat was graying along the edges, tired pink eyes regarding King Crimson with kindness and respect.
"Whatever for?" He hums.
"To see your old lands again; to see how the sands of time have treated them. It's been a while since you've been in Enrose. Don't you miss it?"
"...." The cat turns, looking out at the land ahead of them. It's been far too long since he'd seen his family, and he knows from King Crimson that their deaths were not his fault. He watched what King Enrose did to his family. There were no good, no evil cats in these lands. However, there were cats that did him wrong, and cats who didn't, and King Crimson has never gone back on a promise that he could keep.
"I miss my family." Nikolai responds. "I do not miss the lands. I don't even know if they're still there."
"That's understandable, my dear Nikolai." King Crimson dips his nose to touch it to Nikolai's shoulder in comfort, and the black tabby cat lightly purrs in gratitude. The comfort of another cat was always welcome to him. "Let it be known, if nothing is to your standard, I will raze it to the ground for you."
"Aye, as will I!" Bloodthorn pipes up. "I'll do anything ye ask of me! Pops or you included."
"Thank you, you're far too kind." Nikolai hums, looking at the ginger and white cat with a mixture of admiration, longing, and sadness. He wonders if his son might look like that, had he got to see him grow up. King Crimson frowns, and he puts his tails around Nikolai, sheltering him the best he can.
"I'm sorry, my friend." He sighs. "I know you miss them, and I'm sorry I was not there to save them."
"It's not your fault," Nikolai sighs, and King Crimson nods. "I'll be happy to share your pain with you." The King murmurs, and he looks over at Nikolai's staff. The Pink orbs inside it glow, and both cats glow, as King Crimson indeed shares in the intense emotional pain Nikolai's going through.
He'll always be there for his good friend.
"Can you see them anywhere? Because I can't!" Vienna calls, before realizing what the heck she just said, and added, "Or hear them. You know what I mean."
No kidding, Amaranth signs as Zeus comes down from the summoned cliff that Vienna made for him.
"Nope. They move fast." Zeus shakes his head. "Even faster than we can fly, I think."
"Strange," Vienna hums. "But it's probably got something to do with his strange blood magic."
"How did you come back, anyway?" Zeus asks, looking over at her.
"Dunno." Vienna hums. "Just came back. Wasn't Mort, wasn't King Crimson, just.... suddenly was here." She muses. "Suppose your love for me had something ta do with it, huh Zeusy?"
"Ughh..." Zeus blushes, shaking his head. "Don't call me that."
Zeusy, huh. Amaranth muses.
"You be quiet >:("
I'm not saying anything.
"You know what I mean." Zeus groans, and Vienna laughs.
"You know, I see what the King was seeing." She shakes her head affectionately, pulling these two into a giant group hug. "Ammy, you're more than welcome and more than loved with me, regardless of this idiot."
"Hey, I'm not an idiot." Zeus grumbles. "But you can have her."
I don't want him, Amaranth argues.
"Sure,. sure, I'm just saying...what is a rivalry if not romantic in nature?" Vienna laughs.
Thanks to the help of Poisonheart, there was even a live band to play music at this ball. Apollo, the young Bardic cat, was more than happy to play for everyone. He mostly sat on his throne, though, while he watched everyone dance around and have a good time.
Of course, his vessel wasn't super happy with him, and on this melodramatic evening, he contemplated listening to him.
Jeremy had many things to say, of course, but the pressing one was just, checking on Joy. Making sure she was okay. Longing for a dance with her.
"She tried to kill us, you know." Poisonheart remarks.
"I know, but just...please. I want to make sure she's okay. I want to hold her in my paws. I want to make sure she's fed and taken care of. Please."
"You're very attached to her."
"She's the closest thing I have to a life partner, I beg of you."
Poisonheart glances out among the hall, and sighs. Fine. He'll allow this dramatic old cat a dance with his partner, for old time's sake.
"May I have this dance?"
Teo's whiskers twitched nervously as he bowed to Ether, asking for her dance. He is offering her a paw. He's fastened a flower to his wrist of his paw, tucked a few into his chest fluff, and he's living on a prayer and a dream. She already said yes, and still, he's nervous.
"You absolutely may." She hums, taking his paw. Her own whiskers twitch in amusement.
"Thanks," Teo all but releases the breath of air he was holding as he stands up straight, holding her paw to dance with her. His heart's racing, and though she's see-through, he can't help but think she looks really beautiful tonight. It's been forty long moons, several possessions, and two deaths, but finally, he can have this dance with her.
He throws his heart in it, letting his paws follow the music as tries to express what words can't. What he couldn't for so long. He might only have her for tonight, but he'll make it the dance of an afterlifetime.
He presses his forehead to hers as the night dwindles, dipping her to the music, and he murmurs it.
"I love you, Ether.. Even when you died I....I still loved you. I think I have loved you for a long time, honestly."
He's met with her muzzle touching his in kindness.
"Love you too, Teo." He feels her tail drape around him.
"May I have this dance?"
The Prince puts his paw out for Joy, who stares at him. Tired, dirty, and miserable from her little jail pit adventure.
"You aren't my Jeremy." She croaks, unsheathing her claws. "Get away from me."
"I'm not here for you, I'm here for him." Poisonheart hums, sitting down and gathering his tail around his paws. "He requested I dance with you. Longs to touch you again." He looks at his claws, and then at her. "I have no use for you, but the vessel wants you."
"So you admit it then, you're a fake?" She growls.
"I never said I wasn't," Poisonheart glances down at her. "But the reality is I'm the King now, and I'm offering you a chance to dance with your mate. Will you accept?"
"I'll accept when you leave him be." She hisses, swatting at him. He takes a few steps back, and gives a nod.
"Understood." He climbs out of the pit, and when he turns his back, he feels her leap at him, grasping at his hind claws and dragging him back into the pit.
"Get. Out!" She growls, and she summons water, flooding the hole in the ground for the both of them. He gasps as he tries to jump out again, slips, and lands in water. She's shoving his head under the water, and he panics. Not like this, he was taken entirely off guard. The water keeps rising, and she's unphased, she can breathe just fine.
"Hold your breath. Stop moving. Let her think she's killed you." Jeremy's voice in Poisonheart's head murmurs, and Poisonheart closes his eyes, going limp. His shared heart with Jeremy pumps hard as he panics, but he trusts him. What choice does he have? He's never learned how to swim.
"I won't let us die," Jeremy reassures, and Poisonheart nods. As soon as the pressure is off, Poisonheart wants to jump, but Jeremy is the one who holds them down. They stay floating for a moment, their lungs screaming for air, and then Jeremy moves them out of the water, dragging Joy out of the pit by her scruff.
Both cats go flying as she launches him off of her, spitting mad. She prepares a bolt of water magic, and Poisonheart prepares a bolt of mixed Poison and Healing magic, green and purples swirling angrily with one another.
"Get out!" Joy screams, launching a typhoon against Poisonheart. He jumps instinctually, coasting along it like it was the most natural thing he's ever done. Does Jeremy know water magic?
"She's hurting, but I don't want to kill her," Jeremy pleads, and he coasts alongside the water, landing on top of Joy. They tumble, rolling in the grass and dirt. With the kingdom all attending the ball, it was just Joy vs Jeremy; or rather, Joy vs. Poisonheart in Jeremy's body.
"You're hurting yourself more than you're hurting me." Poisonheart scoffs, throwing himself away from her and drawing a line in the dirt with his claw.
"Get out!" She yells at him again, using the water she just summoned, manipulating it, and turning them all into pinpoint raindrops before assaulting him with them. Poisonheart curled around himself, grimacing. At the velocity they were being thrown at him, they reminded him of the time his father's court did the very same thing to him; instead of rain it was pebbles.
"Let me take over, please. I promise I'll give it back." Jeremy pleads, and Poisonheart, being thrown into a bad flashback, gives Jeremy control of his own body back.
Their journey just got a bit more complicated, as Vienna stops to pause and take a break. Her stomach hurts, and things are feeling uncomfortable for her. Of course, Amaranth and Zeus stop, as what else would they do? She's a blind cat who just came back from the dead.
What they weren't anticipating was her going into active labor.
Zeus and Amaranth give each other a shared look of 'oh gods' as they realize they're going to have to work together to help out Vienna.
Fortunately, their white-haired friend returns, this time with a small black cat, who's more than happy to help out with the birthing process. They have the prettiest, most startling pink eyes and pink spots on their coat.
"Joy, listen, it's me - I don't want to do this." Jeremy is pleading, tears flowing freely down his face as he's using his healing magic for, perhaps the worst thing he's ever wanting to do - forcing Joy to stop summoning her magic. It's taking a massive amount of energy, as he's had to use master-level magic without much time to practice it.
"I don't believe you! That demon's inside you Jeremy, he's going to kill you! He's going to kill us all!" Joy wails.
"Joy, no, listen to me, please.... listen, he's not ... the best, but he's here, and he's.... look, he wants me to be with you. I know it's hard, but please, just...center yourself on me."
"But you're not you,"
"I'm still me," He assures. "Just sometimes you gotta share me with the Prince."
"I don't like him," She growls.
"I know." He sighs. "I know...but it is what it is."
Joy weeps, and Jeremy offers his paws to hold her, and she allows him the courtesy. She falls into him, sobbing, and he wraps himself around her.
"Thanks, Poisonheart," Jeremy hums in his head. Poisonheart is silent.
What isn't silent, however, is the sound of thunder in the distance. Jeremy holds Joy a little longer, before standing up and motioning to her.
"Love, why don't we go have a little dance inside?" He asks. "It seems like it might storm."
"Alright." Joy sniffles. "As you wish, Jeremy."
As he's escorting her to the castle, the thunder gets louder - and he realizes what he's hearing isn't thunder, but the sound of many somethings approaching. He looks around wildly, and then he spots it. On the horizon. A mass that's approaching, at a rapid rate.
And then just like that, Poisonheart's back to controlling them both.
"What is that?" Jeremy asks.
"That's.... oh, god." Poisonheart's panicking, trembling even as he stares at it approaching. "No, no, no, not tonight. Please not tonight."
"What's wrong?"
"That's.... King Crimson." Poisonheart croaks. "Everyone needs to evacuate, but....no, Teo, his dance, his date, his...." He trembles. "I don't know what to do. I just hid when this happened."
"Don't panic, maybe we can talk things out?" Jeremy proposes.
"Talking things with him is like talking to a crystal wall. I would know, I've tried. The crystal wall thing."
"Well, if we can't evacuate, sounds like our only option is talking things out, hm?"
"I guess you're right." Poisonheart is trembling. "Do you mind doing it?"
"I don't mind." Jeremy hums.
As the massive wall of soldiers approach, one cat among them all sticks out like a sore thumb; a pitch black cat, long fur and hair, and massive red and black bat wings. His multiple pairs of red horns glow with some unseen magic, and by his side, a cat that Poisonheart thought he would never see again.
The Seer.
"Run. Get me out of here. Go. He will see me. He hates me. Get. Me. Out. I don't care who you put me in just." Poisonheart forcibly takes control of Jeremy again as he bursts into the halls of the doors, barrels into Teo, and screams into his face,
"Let me in!"
"What?!" Teo stammers, looking up at him.
"Let me in right now. I need somewhere to go."
"Uh....absolutely not?" Teo asks. "Don't you have, you know....?" Teo looks up at him.
"Yes, but...also no. If, god. Please, Teo, my son, I'm begging you."
"...Absolutely not, dude."
Poisonheart whines, but he steps off of his son, looking around at the few cats that are staring at him. He looks back at the doors. There's a chance that Jeremy can handle this on his own...but as long as Poisonheart stays in this body, the Seer will see him, and there's no way that this vessel - Jeremy - won't be killed. His own body notwithstanding, Poisonheart....doesn't want Jeremy to perish.
So he goes to the next best cat, and begs him for an exorcism. Mort is more than happy to acquiesce, and Poisonheart forcibly gets ripped out of Jeremy.
Jeremy returns to the front of his castle, in time for the Crimson Army to knock on the door and open the doors to the castle. There's King Crimson, and next to him, Nikolai the Seer; following them both are two cats Jeremy doesn't recognize, and neither did Poisonheart.
"Good...evening?" Jeremy breaks the ice.
