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 Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2015 1:37 am
 There were loose ends to tie up. Cirrus had known his decision would turn his life upside down, but he hadn’t factored in all of the changes he would have to make. His house had been invaded and the comfort he had felt there was long gone. His trinkets put away, his toys stashed away in the cupboard where hopefully they wouldn’t be found. (Sometimes he walked past and thought he heard Baskerville laughing.) But then there were the other things, the connections he’d made. Cirrus didn’t have many friends but he had acquaintances, he had Footnote and Jolly Rancher, who deserved to know who and why. There was also Paper Lantern. The only person he actually called his friend. Someone he saw on a semi-regular basis, whether it was for tea or just a chance meeting at the store. He would need to be informed, if only to know why he couldn’t visit the cottage anymore. Speaking of which, Cirrus has just put up a notice on his door and it broke his heart more than anything else. Happy Cup Fortunes
Closed for business
Sincerest apologies,
Cirrus
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Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2015 2:18 am
Paper woke up that morning with a bad feeling. He couldn't put his hoof on it, but for some reason, there was a strange, heavy feeling in the pit of his stomach. He mulled around his apartment a bit, having morning tea to test if he was feeling ill, hoping for the anxiety to ease. But even after tea and toast, the feeling didn't pass, and the more he waited, the worse the feeling got. He ran a brush through his hair, gathered up a couple muffins into a small box, tied closed with a ribbon, and headed to the only place he felt he could get relief, Happy Cup Fortunes.
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Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2015 2:25 am
He went inside and shut the door, then stood in the dim room, the windows partially covered by the thick curtains. It was quiet, with only the soft ticking of a clock to break through the dread silence. The only relief was that La Llorona had gone out. Where to? He hadn’t asked. He’d only reminded her of the promise and then watched as she sauntered away. Cirrus settled down on his couch- or was it hers now? She seemed to have claimed it, or maybe she just knew it had once been his favourite seat. There was a next step, he told himself, people to see and things to do. It was just so hard to gather the energy to move.
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Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2015 2:33 am
Paper rather unceremoniously burst through Cirrus's front door, cheeks flush. He couldn't help it. Arriving at shop to find that sign on the door made the flutter's stomach drop and his mind race. Why was this happening? Was Cirrus ok? WAS HE OK? The panic from the idea that the pegasus might be hurt or sick made Paper loose all sense of decorum and politeness. "CIRRUS!" he stopped short, seeing the other on his couch. "Are you ok?! What..why.." he mind sputtered. "Why are you closing the shop? Is there something wrong?"
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Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2015 2:58 am
Cirrus looked up, pale and drawn; looking as if the all the worlds’ problems had been dumped on his shoulders. “Paper,” he said solemnly. One of those problems had just crashed through the door and he didn’t know if he was ready to deal with it yet. No choice, it had to be done. The Flutter deserved to know everything. “I’m sorry,” he didn’t move, just sat like a limp doll and watched his friend through very sad eyes. “It’s necessary. I-I’ve made a decision and I will explain it, I just… I need you to know that I value your friendship but that we can’t… you can’t come around anymore. It’s too dangerous.”
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Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2015 3:05 am
Paper's large golden eyes felt like they were spinning in his skull and he buzzed forward quickly. "What? Why!? I don't understand." he frowned, looking his friend over. "You look sick. Is that it? Is that why you're closing cause you're really sick? I'll stay! I'll take care of you! I..I don't care if it's something I might catch too!" he said firmly, a tone he didn't often take. But he needed Cirrus to understand he was serious. "I'll stay here and take care of you forever if I have too!"
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Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2015 3:16 am
"N-no, I’m sorry, no I’m not sick. Don’t panic. Please, hush." It reminded him again how kind Paper was and it made his heart ache even more that he had to push his only true friend away. But he had to be strong, for Paper’ sake. "I’ve chosen myself a dark fate. The creature that drowned me as a child needs to be stopped. I’ve worked so hard, so very hard, so that nobody else has to suffer," he sat forward, willing Paper to listen and understand. "We’ve made a deal. A terrible deal but it is done and I refuse to put you in danger. Your presence would only anger her."
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Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2015 3:25 am
"What.." he was totally uncomprehending of what he just heard. He landed onto his hooves and stared at Cirrus with a completely blank look. A deal? A dark fate? The creature....? The words penetrated slowly, and as his brain started making the connections, his stomach felt like he'd retch and a tightness in his chest got sharper. "W..hat? Are you talking about..La Llorona? What? I don't understand.." his voice started to quiver and he said even softer. "I don't understand Cirrus. What have you done?"
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Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2015 3:39 am
"It’s a deal. Just a deal," he sunk back again, his words dropping to a whisper. "Please understand. If I marry her, no others have to suffer. She’s promised. Promised she’ll give up drowning children. My life is…" he paused for a moment, sucking his breath in with a harsh rattling sound. "My life is already miserable. It‘s not so great a sacrifice."
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Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2015 3:56 am
He would later wonder if the sound was audible to Cirrus as it was to him. But in that moment, his heart was a pane of glass and the word marriage shot through it like a bullet. "What.." the hole began to fracture. "I don't.." cracks spider webbed at an alarming rate. "Marriage.." his voice cracked, as did his heart, shattering. Tears welled up inside his golden eyes and his whole body quivered. "You can't. Y..you can't. YOU CAN'T!!!" he shouted at the other. "YOU CAN'T DO THAT BECAUSE I LOVE YOU!" A sob finally worked it's way from his gut. "I've loved you since the day I've met you." His long black locks fell into his face and tears trickled down his cheeks, pit pattering on seat of the couch. "You can't." he squeaked quietly. "Please..don't. Please."
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Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2015 4:06 am
Cirrus made a sound. It was a long-drawn out whine, a pitiful sound of someone who had just been shown a future he could have had and in the same instant had it shattered into a million pieces. Paper loved him? Loved. This pathetic little fortune teller with his tea and his clouds, loved him despite his vacant stares and paranoia. It seemed impossible but he couldn’t deny the others pain in Paper’s eyes. “I’m so sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry,” he repeated the words over and over. At least he could take some solace that he could never have belonged with anyone so sweet and lovely as Paper Lantern. One day the Flutter would find happiness with someone else and Cirrus would be happy for him. “I can’t take it back.” The deal was struck and Cirrus was a Phony of his word. Even if it felt as though the last shred of self was being torn apart and destroyed. After this he would be only a shell. The remnants of the one called Cirrus. “I’m so sorry.” He wanted to reach out, embrace the younger Phony but he couldn’t because he might never let go.
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Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2015 4:36 am
No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. Please. No Even though his vision was clouded with tears, he saw the look on Cirrus's face. His decision was set, even though he thought he saw a flash of grief across his eyes. He knew that there was no bargaining, no begging, these were the cards dealt and this was how it was going to be. Paper wasn't a spiteful phony. He wasn't the type to hurt anyone purposefully. But if he was going to go away, if Cirrus was going to do this to him, to himself, to what they COULD have been, Paper was going to, if nothing else, give himself at least one thing he'd always wanted and in that moment, he didn't care who it hurt. The smaller, faster stallion darted forward suddenly. He pressed his forehead to Cirrus's forehead, Paper's nose brushed his nose, and he kissed the pegasus. The flutter had dreamed of kissing Cirrus for so long and now this was going to be the only dream involving the pair of them that would come true. Time seemed to slow down. In that moment Paper tasted Chamomile tea on the other's lips and smelled it on his fur. He was going to hate that flavor forever now. He noticed how soft Cirrus's curly mane was when he pulled his face away. He committed these small things to memory even as he pushed away from the stallion, turning and blindly running out of the cottage, the muffin box forgotten on the porch. He kept going and going, faster and faster, until he could no longer pull air into his lungs. In a corner, behind some building, Paper fell on his knees and threw up his tea and toast. His retching turned into sobbing, and the tiny phony curled into a small ball where he fell and cried.
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Posted: Sun Jun 07, 2015 8:14 pm
Cirrus accepted the kiss as one would a death sentence. This was the tragic end to every hope and dream, to happiness itself. Paper would take it all with him when he left. He closed his eyes and cherished the soft touch, the gentle sweetness that was the Flutter. In that brief moment he imagined what could have been; marriage, children, a warm smile and body next to him every morning. Then before he had even opened his eyes, Paper Lantern was gone. Like a doll without strings, he slumped back in his chair. “Goodbye,” he whispered and it wasn’t just his last farewell to his friend but to his happy ending. Now that he knew his last hope was gone, he could face the rest of his life as being no life at all, just a hollow shell for La Llorona to use up and discard when she was finished. It was foolish really, to think he'd ever had hope at all. Astraea Pandora and done! that was beautiful
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