It starts off quietly at first. A single, tinkling sound that starts at the back of mind. You think it’s nothing. Ringing in the ears isn’t anything new. But soon enough it rings and rings and rings, to the point where you simply know it’s something more than simple tinnitus. It grows so loudly, developing into a sound beyond the confines of your home.
A mighty urge overtakes you, forcing you out of wherever you are and filling you with a desperate need to locate that awful ringing.
For some, it feels like you walk for hours and hours, for others, mere moments, but either way, you find yourself before a shimmering, frosted archway blocking your path into what seems to be the woods.It seems almost like fogged glass fills it, but you can clearly feel a breeze through it, and when you push your hand through, it gives no resistance.
You choose to...
Walk through the arch Walk around the arch Turn around to leave
Option 1: As you brave your way through the arch, a blinding light catches your eye, and you squeeze them shut for just a moment.
When you open them once again, your skin is shimmering, touched by frost and glistening with what rings in your mind as ‘winter’s blessing’ You feel neither warm or cold, a perfect balance of temperature touches you, where you cannot tell where the air ends and your skin begins. It’s strange and unsettling, but you do not feel unsafe.
A pair of voices ring out at the same time within your head. “You’re just in time, Welcome!” Though you look around, you find no one.
Option 2: Rather than immediately go through this gate, you peek around behind it. From the opposite side, it seems rather normal. No fogged lights, no breeze, it’s as if you’re looking through an open window.
You choose to walk through it from behind, just out of curiosity, then suddenly find yourself being dragged backwards into the fogged gateway, landing hard in a puff of snow. It leaves you thoroughly soaked with melted snow clinging to you, and quickly feel yourself shivering, but otherwise unharmed. You hear a soft voice, like a whisper in your ear.
“Better tread more carefully. You nearly came in the wrong way!” Though you look around, you find no one.
Option 3: While it feels as if the arch is calling you forward, beckoning you to enter through it, you refuse. You’ve had enough of these nightly shenanigans that seemed to happen during the holidays.
As you turn away and start going back the way you came, you feel something wrap around your arms and legs, dragging you backwards.
“Don’t be rude. You’ll be late for the ceremony.” You struggle against what seems to be red ribbons, and end up tossed through the Arch. Luckily, you land only somewhat hard on a cleared path, but your body seems to be quickly heating up. Even with all the snow surrounding you, you begin to sweat. Any snow that might have surrounded you before melts away, leaving you in a small circle of steam.
You look around to see if you can find that voice that yelled at you, or any evidence of the ribbons, but you find no one.
Seasonal patrols had been somewhat successful this year; having found a healthy balance between hunting youma and protecting the unsuspecting from seasonal mischief, Adorea had done far more this month than she had over the last several. A tiny part of her had begun to feel particularly proud of herself and it was almost as though she had found her flow. The senshi had been told it would come, she'd been told that in the end it would make more sense, but she hadn't believed in until everything had clicked in to place.
This evening her routine had been much the same, following her evening meal she had left her home and equipped herself as normal. Fuku adorned and visor carefully positioned, she was ready for another night of patrols and paranormal activity. Strangely enough this hadn't been the worst of the seasons, if anything it had been similar to the star festival... There hadn't been much to cause harm and it was more about causing alarm.
Alas it seemed that while she had avoided much of the drama that had plagued her in previous festivities, her luck had now run dry. No sooner had she stepped out into the dimly lit streets than she heard it.
A dull ringing.
She thought nothing off it at first, assuming that it was coming from one of the homes nearby, and yet as she continued on her way the sound became so loud that she couldn't ignore it. Exasperated, the senshi could do nothing more than at least look round in an attempt to identify which house it might be emanating from. Finding nothing however, she soon came to realise that it wasn't coming from a house and it was emanating from somewhere else.
An overwhelming sense of deja-vu overcame her and her lips pursed into a thin line; hadn't this been what had happened with the monstrous plant? Given the circumstances she had little choice to find the noise then, if it was a similar event to that plant then it was vital that it was found by her and other senshi first. Civilians could suffer legitimate harm from those things and it was her job to stop it...
She pressed on, striding through the streets with gritted teeth and a sense of purpose. Each building was assessed, each park land glanced into and slowly but surely she moved further away from the city until she found herself at a...forest?
Her eyebrow raised and she glanced over her shoulder to regard the juxtaposition between the woodland and the city, was this meant to be here?
She was greeted by an archway though, as though something had been expecting her and perhaps others like her. Almost mirror-like in quality (though in dire need of a clean), it seemed almost alive.
It was also a mirror.
Certain individuals used mirrors.
"I am not that foolish," she murmured, electing instead to walk around the arch to get beyond it.
What awaited her was something she couldn't quite describe, the breeze had gone and there didn't seem to be any signs of life, but it seemed it was still something she could walk through. Her brows furrowed and her lips pursed more thinly; it was at this point that she walked nearer as if she were about to wander through it.
Whomever waited for her had other ideas though and while she had intended to go her own way, she was grasped firmly and dragged through the 'correct' way...an action that saw her hurled into a world she didn't quite recognise. Whatever or whomever had grabbed her had done only that, electing not to catch her as she was deposited without grace into the powdered snow. One thing was for certain, the place was cold and she released a disgruntled groan of discomfort.
Oh, but the mirror!
Her hand rushed up to clap at her chest but nothing felt out of sorts, she was still herself wasn't she?
She scarcely heard the voice, it was the breath of the whisper that gave it away and with a start she flung herself round to see who might have been there. What she was greeted with, was nothing.
"Oh boy..." she uttered, decidedly unimpressed with her current set of circumstances.
Word Count (Prompt 1): 713
Posted: Sat Jan 11, 2020 3:44 am
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Prompt 2: The Pathway
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No matter how you arrived there, you see a path before you cleared of snow and made of crystalline bricks, all paved out neat and tidy. Along the path are bright lanterns, alternating with cool blue and warm red colors. Between each lantern is a garland of icy white and fiery orange ranunculus flowers, draping downward but still just barely out of reach.
You’re sensing a pattern here, but you only have a moment to focus on it before a building begins to glow in the distance. A more focused look reveals what seems to be a cathedral, glowing with an unnatural light. Even from here you can see its massive stained glass windows with images of a dancing flames, icicles dangling off a wintery landscape, and a single star between them surround an intricate gate, covered in those same ranunculus blooms.
And again, the bells ring. Loud and clear and echoing throughout the iced woods that surrounds you and your path.
Whether or not you are soaked, melting, or feeling quite comfortable, you have a choice.
You choose to...
Head towards the cathedral Head back through the arch Wander off the Pathway to explore the area further.
Option 1: Despite the ominous feeling of being in this strange place, you do not feel unwelcome… And despite that your entrance may not have been so peaceful, you head forward. If you were hot or cold earlier, you began to even out to that same, blissful balance between the air and your skin.
Every step seems to be in time with a bell chime, and somewhere along the line you look down to find that your clothing has changed. Powered or no, your outfit reflects something far more formal, and in your grasp you find a small coin: an invitation token. It appears out of nowhere, but you feel very comfortable with your new appearance. It feels… Natural.
Right.
Simply made for you. A pleased sound could be heard from the woods around you as you go about your way.
Option 2: Whatever this place was, or is, you just don’t wish to be here. You decide to head back through the gate from which you came.
Only… It’s not there. Sometime during the brief distraction from the flowers and the path and the constant ringing, you took your eyes off the arch, and it vanished from sight.
Whether you like it or not, you’re stuck here.
And so, you head forward. Nothing changes, after all, you didn’t really want to be here in the first place, so your state remains the same as before.
Oh well, you don’t feel like you’re in any more danger, so you keep heading towards the cathedral.
Option 3: As pretty as the pathway is, your eyes wander to the surrounding woods. It seems the snow ends exactly where the garlands lie, and stepping under them to the snow beyond hits you with immense cold.
So cold, you fall forward. So frigid that you fall to your knees, sinking deeper into the snowbank that seems endless.
Further and further you slip, the surrounding winds blurring your vision, covering you in sheet upon sheet of whipping ice and sleet, until a pair of red ribbons wrap snugly around your waist, and hoist you free from the snow.
It takes a moment, but eventually you are sat down gently on your feet. As long as you don’t struggle, the ribbons brush off the snowflakes that cling to you, before fading away.
You are warm, dry, and seem to be clean as well, though your clothes remain the same. Now that you’ve learned from your mistakes, you head towards the cathedral.
She knew how these things were supposed to go and to resist was often to be met with further derision. Up until a certain point, whomever lay behind these machinations would only 'release' an individual after they had done something specific. Having risen to her feet it hadn't surprised her as much as it should have to find that beyond her lay a path.
Pristine, tidy and otherwise well tended to it was clear that it had been carefully laid out. Something akin to Alice in Wonderland, or at least some sort of fairy tale, she would have even gone so far to imply she'd entered Narnia. However if one thing was for certain she didn't have the childlike wonder or the preparedness to let her guard down that might have been required of her in such stories. Instead, the senshi had seen too many of these to walk forward immediately and she'd chosen to regard her surroundings a little more closely.
Everything had been prepared and while it had a pattern she couldn't quite put her finger on what it was.
Mayhaps she wasn't meant to know, to piece a puzzle together too quickly would have shown that the machinations of whatever creature had drawn her here were lacking. As if responding to this subconcious musing, her eyes caught sight of something in the distance. As the light intensified within it, it came into greater focus and revealed itself for what it was.
A cathedral.
Was it that cathedral?
Even from here she could make out the stained glass windows, a clear focal point of this winter wonderland and whatever might have lay within it. Taking in the scene, she wasn't quite sure what to make of scene depicted just yet, but with the ringing of the bell she wasn't afforded the opportunity to follow her train of thought. It was disruptive to say the least, 'shattering' her concentration as it rang out and rippled across the surrounding wood.
When bells rang within these buildings it usually meant a celebration, a mourning, or depending on the time of day...a summoning.
In those moments she had a choice and she afforded a quick look behind her as she considered whether or not to return through the mirror (if she even could), or if she should continue forward. In the end, if she didn't move forward then there was every chance she would regret it. Someone else might be in there, someone else might be enthralled, and with no one to get them out of there they would succumb to whatever was inside. The senshi had a duty and it would have been remiss of her to ignore it.
She steeled herself against the cold as the snow had already begun to melt on her fuku and began to move towards the cathedral. It might have been ominous, but at least she had felt this sensation before. This was the same strange and haunting sensation she'd on each night time had stopped and she had found herself caught within those peculiar bubbles of stillness. Perhaps in heeding this call she might yet find her answers to what the source of those things were.
As she progressed forward, the discomfort she had felt from the cold water upon her fuku began to fade. The heat settled in and bizarrely, it was as though equilibrium had fallen over her. The closer she drew, the less unwelcome she felt, the ominous sensation fading with each step.
It was perhaps coincidence that her steps were timed with each bell toll, but she kept moving towards the cathedral in search of whatever might await her... and somewhere along the line she felt something shift. She thought nothing of it at first of course, too focused on making her way towards her destination. It was only when extra weight fell into her hand that she paused momentarily and glanced down, opening her palm to see the peculiar token within it.
"An invitation?" she murmured and turned it over, only then noticing that something had happened to her as well. The jumpsuit she was now so used to had transformed itself into something more princess-like. Not fully of course, it still had quite a few features of her standard uniform, but she was certainly smarter. A dress uniform perhaps, one for special occasions, did they even have those?
It fit perfectly and the ice water had been swept off, if anything it felt normal and more interestingly it suited her.
However her transformation had come to pass, she chose not to dwell on it for too long and continued on her way, affording a quick glance towards the woodland as she heard what seemed to be a pleased or admiring murmur from nearby.
...The same creature that had grabbed her before, or something else perhaps?
Word Count (Prompt 2): 807
Epine de Rose
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Epine de Rose
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Posted: Sat Jan 11, 2020 4:12 am
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Prompt 3: The Cathedral
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The closer you get to the looming cathedral, the heavier the flowers’ scent becomes. The garlands soon become wreaths, then become rows and rows of woven treillage, finally meeting at a point right before a pair of great mahogany doors.
In front of these massive doors stands a man draped in red and blue robes, embroidered with fine golden trim. The most striking thing about him is his hat, rising nearly a foot off his head and covered in jewels that you aren’t quite sure are real. It is magnificent, nonetheless.
Nothing seems out of the ordinary, simply a man with a long list that runs onto the floor. Nothing out of the ordinary at all, except there feels to be something magical about him. If you are powered, you feel the energy from him, though it is neither Chaos nor Order. He is simply there and feels powerful.
Eventually, he looks away from his list, and looks down at you over a pair of frameless glasses.
“Hmm… Are you here for the flames, or the ice?” His voice is monotone, as if he’s asked this time and time again, and the longer you wait, the more annoyed he seems to become.
After careful consideration, you answer that you’re here for…
The Flames The Ice That Funny hat of his. You demand he hand it over.
Option 1: He nods, scratching something on his list, before offering you a ranunculus bloom, bright white like the fallen snow all around, and kissed by bluish frost. You take it, and immediately your hands feel freezing cold. The touch of it stings your palms, and though you try to shake it off, it remains. The man seems unconcerned, and ushers you inside those doors.
It’s clear that to the right are a bunch of other shadowy figures, all with the same white flower as you. The guests here seem to not mind your presence, and there’s a seat right at the end of the last row for you. You take your seat, then the chill in your hands slowly eases into a comfortable warmth.
Those bells begin to ring again, and soon enough, all heads turn towards the doors behind you.
Option 2: He nods, scratching something on his list, before offering you a ranunculus bloom, the colors of an autumn sunset, the edges of it seemingly scorched by flames. You take it, and immediately your hands feel as if they are being burned by fire. The touch of it feels hotter and hotter, and yet you do not burn, your flesh does not sear, and you cannot drop it.. The man seems unconcerned, and ushers you inside those doors.
It’s clear that to the right are a bunch of other shadowy figures, all with the same reddish flower as you. The guests here seem to not mind your presence, and there’s a seat right at the end of the last row for you. You take your seat, then the burning sensation in your hands dull down into the cool feeling of being doused in water.
Those bells begin to ring again, and soon enough, all heads turn towards the doors behind you.
Option 3: At first he doesn’t react, as if he wasn’t quite paying attention. And then you repeat yourself, and he finally looks up from his list.
He blinks once. Then again, confused eyes looking up at his hat, then down at you in quiet contemplation.
“... You are serious.” The man seems almost suddenly flustered at the very implication that someone was here for someone other than the flames or the ice.
Someone was here for him, or rather, his hat, which was entirely part of him. Not really, but certainly something he treasured.
After a moment, he manages to break his gaze, cheeks reddened, and simply nods.
“You may have the hat later, if you so choose. But… Ahem. For now, you must enter in. I’ll put you down as ‘honored guest’. Please, come this way.” The large door opens behind you, and he comes from around his pedestal, gently placing a hand on your shoulders and guiding you inside. The other ‘guests’, shadowy figures, either holding a ranunculus bloom of red or white turn to see you, but then go about their own chatter as the officiator sits you down near the front. There are others here who bear no bloom, but they do not mind you. In fact, a basket gets passed to you after they seem to accept you, and from it you take a ranunculus bloom of any color of your choosing.
“Stay here, I will see you soon enough.” The officiator whispers softly to you, before heading back to the entrance, leaving you to sit there on your own for a short time.
Those bells begin to ring again, and soon enough, all heads turn towards the doors behind you.
Similar to a large perfume outlet, that was how she would have described this as she wandered into the depths of the woods and continued down the path. With each passing moment that she drew closer to the cathedral the very area around her began to transform. What had once been delicate garlands changed into wreaths and from their, wove themselves into extravagant decorations until she eventually reached what she could only assume was the entrance of the Cathedral; mahogany doors that loomed above her, arguably impressive and ornate.
The doors themselves were something she had no doubt she could open, in a world like this where it was clear she was meant to be here, one thing was for certain and that was that she would get access to wherever she needed to go.
However, before she could take any further steps forward the voice interrupted her focus and she quickly looked to her left to be greeted by someone. She didn't know him, there was even a shred of recognition, but if there was one thing for certain he radiated with power. Oddly though, whatever she was sensing wasn't the normal power she was used to and she had to wonder if perhaps this wonderland was of his doing.
...Or she would have done if it hadn't been for the fact that he seemed to be some sort of clerk.
With an absolutely phenomenal hat.
The unfortunate man would have to wait for her immediate response as she, at first, acknowledged what he had even asked to begin with and then she became intrigued by what he was wearing. Oh sure the robes were fine, nothing extraordinary but that hat, it wasn't as if it fit in. The more she looked at it the more she did begin to wonder if perhaps he was the source she was looking for.
His irritation at her failure to respond was soon apparent though, he might not have said anything but the expression and overall demeanour.
Flames... Ice...
Wasn't there a neutral party she could adopt instead? It wasn't as though she had actively gone out of her way to be invited to this place, she'd simply shown up to make sure no one got stuck (ironic to say the least).
"Can I have one of your hats instead?" she ask curiously. "Or can I just borrow yours temporarily?" she added. When it came to making decisions she wasn't generally inclined towards selecting a side immediately, or at least she wasn't when she had no idea what it was for... after all that would be a recipe for total disaster.
The response she got hadn't been the one she was expecting though. At first the gentleman didn't even seem to hear her, a reaction she no doubt deserved given her own behaviour, but when she did elect to press him on it he didn't seem to know quite how to process that she might not necessarily be partial to either side. More importantly, that she may not necessarily have been there for the intended reason either! She never did get her hat.
She got a promise of sorts though?
She was soon to find herself guided in to the cathedral regardless and no sooner had she entered than she was led to her seat, one that placed her firmly at the front of the procession. Not exactly the ideal outcome, but if the layout was anything to go by she appeared to be at a wedding of sorts.
With a basket soon upon her lap she gazed down towards the blooms within and after a small amount of time she selected the fire bloom. Autumnal and tinted blue at the edges, she brought it into her hands and very abruptly winced at the result. Eventually it would fade, but for now, all she could think was 'ow'.
Whatever the event might be she didn't have much time to wait as the bells rang out and the doors began to open behind her...
Word Count (Prompt 3): 671
Posted: Sat Jan 11, 2020 4:12 am
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Prompt 4: The Wedding
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When the bells began to ring before, it was short and brief, loud enough to echo throughout the land as a sign and a summoned. Now they ring lightly, a happy cheery sound that announced the coming of the couple.
Somehow you now know exactly why you are here. It pops into your mind like you’ve known this for months that you had an invite. The joining of the fire and the ice, the marriage of two spirits who had been fluttering around with their romance and their teasing for nearly a millennium. A story long told about how dearly they loved one another but could never be with one another.
They were far too different, too likely to hurt one another.
And yet through everything they made their love work, and decided to share that love with all who could hear their sweet summons with a bell ring.
The Flower you once held suddenly rises from your cupped hands and joins all the others that reach high above your heads, joining in a dance of swirls and dips before coming together in a single giant flower, then bursts into a rain of petals.
The moment the petals rain down upon the guest, the doors come open, and two bright lights, one a bluish white, another an orangish red, float in slowly.
They dance around one another, entranced, as if any other glimmer or soul in the room never existed.
And you feel that.
You feel the love and the warmth and sweetness all wrapped up into one. No matter who you are, what side of the War you find yourself on, in this moment, a pure, kind, and genuine happiness comes over you.
Eventually the light comes to the front of this cathedral, twisting around until two beings come forth from the light.
Draped in beautiful robes and gleaming gems, they come forth, speaking in a language that no one can really understand, not even the other guests.
One thing is for certain though, they are happy. And you can feel that as well. Even the Officiator who allowed you in can be seen smiling and enjoying the playful words between the couple.
And you…
You can’t help but feel moved.
You…
Enjoy the wedding and scoop up more flower petals, adding them to endless shower of them. Cross your arms and wait. No amount of good feelings will make up for forcing you to be here and sit through this. Focus on the nearest exit. The moment it’s over, you’re outta here.
Option 1: The wedding is beautiful. Every moment is glorious and you dance and sing and enjoy every single moment of it.
After the Officiant says that they are wed, the two beautiful beings snap their fingers. All the guests stand up, and the pews disappear, only to reveal beautifully decorated tables, and a giant feast on a table that stretches all the way to the door.
And you, decide to indulge.
The food is glorious, the dancing, singing, merriment, all of it is a spectacular display that your imagination could hardly come up with on your own. Whatever tales that tell you not to give into such suspicious activities escapes you, and you allow yourself to be swept away by everything.
But as with all good times, it must end. The party winds down after hours and hours of entertainment, and the couple finally says their goodbyes to all of their guests. They approach you specifically, and bow, thanking you for coming, and send you on your way.
You walk in a daze back down the cleared pathway where, right over the horizon, you see the sun begin to rise. And there it is, the arch once again, glowing before you.
Option 2: You were forced to this event, and you know it. No amount of laughter and dancing can make you feel comfortable.
And no one forces you to play along either. Even after the Officiant says that they are wed, the two beautiful beings snap their fingers and the feast begins, you remain there, disinterested.
A kindly butler who had been going around checking on the guests comes up to you and offers to walk you back to the exit of this party, if you so choose.
And accepting, he leads you all the way back to that arch from which you came.
“I apologize that this was not to your liking, but we truly, and deeply appreciate your decision to stay as long as you did. Please, take this token to mark our meeting, and… Perhaps next time, we can host something far more to your liking.” while he snaps his own fingers, and seems satisfied, you feel no different.
In the next instant he is gone, leaving you alone before the arch.
Option 3: The moment the ceremony is over, and all of the figures seem distracted with showering the couple in petals, you bolt out of the cathedral!
A guard tries to stop you, scolding you for your disrespect, but you push past them, and you run and run and run. Past the garlands and the lanterns. Slipping and sliding on patches of ice on your way back to the arc that seems to have started glowing again. There is a sad sound, a whine in the back of your head as you come into range of the arch.
“It’s a shame to see you go so soon… Thanks for coming anyway.”
It was a wedding!
Something seemed to click, in the back of her mind her subconcious seemed to come to the realisation that this all made sense. Perhaps later she might question how that was possible but for now, right in this very moment, it was undeniable that she was exactly where she was supposed to be.
She had come to bear witness to something that many would have deemed impossible, something that many would have scoffed at and more importantly, something that many would have spoken against. Despite being polar opposites these mythical elements had managed to come together and find a way to make things work. To the young senshi who sought to find a means to save those from the Negaverse from enslavement...and even found friendship for some of them, it spoke to her on a deeper level than she might have thought possible.
They were so happy.
A smile sprung on to her lips and she turned her gaze upwards to regard the flower petals with admiration. Where there was a will there was a way, those on either side just needed to find that way...and they needed to do it together. Perhaps for now such a method was out of their reach but in the future with enough effort and with people who genuinely wanted to see peace, it wouldn't be outside the realms of possibility.
She chose in those moments to simply enjoy her time here, enjoy the message she received from such a joyous union. She couldn't do much of course, not really, but she did what little she could. Leaning down she scooped the flower petals from the ground and cast them back upwards into the sky to rejoin the chorus.
Regardless of whether she had been dragged here somewhat unwillingly.
Regardless of whether or not she had come here to make sure people wouldn't be hurt.
Now more than ever it seemed appropriate to simply appreciate why she was here. The method of drawing her here might have been questionable but it had been for a genuine reason and in the given circumstances even she knew that at times people had to be forced to see the possibilities. Adorea might have been open to opportunities, to moments that could inspire hope, but for others...
Her enjoyment was to continue, for in the moments she settled into the festivities, she was to be treated to song, dance and food.
Too swiftly it was over though. As the hours dwindled on the guests began to thin and eventually it seemed like even she would have to leave. She'd forgotten her duties but in this particular instance she didn't mind. She'd seen something tonight, she'd seen something important and it would stay with her.
Soon sent on her way she had wandered idly back towards the archway; one that greeted her with a peaking sun just behind it.
"Morning already, eh?" she murmured, her smile still lingering.
Ah, but with her suspicions placed to the wayside this evening she chose instead to walk through the archway properly this time. It really was time to go home...
Word Count (Prompt 4): 522
Epine de Rose
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Epine de Rose
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Posted: Sat Jan 11, 2020 4:13 am
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Prompt 5: The Night’s End
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When all is said and done, you find yourself at that very same arch you first came through.
No matter how you feel towards the end, you know that the night is over, and that it was finally time to leave (or you were finally allowed to leave).
The moment you pass through the arch again, you feel yourself start to fall. You are surrounded completely by an endless blizzard, the same you may have encountered had you wandered off the pathway earlier. Only this time, there are no ribbons to save you.
You black out, and when you next open your eyes, you’re near where you first arrived in the park, face down in the snow.
Your body aches as you drag yourself up, a hard night of partying (or not) has taken its toll, but as you head back home, you learn that no time has passed at all.
Whether or not this was real, or a strange hallucination caused by stress from just living in this city, you do not know… But you head home all the same, exhausted and pondering just what was it that you saw.
When you wake up the next morning, you find something on or near you that most certainly wasn’t there when you went to bed.
Perhaps, in hindsight, she should have attempted to go through the archway the wrong way again (hey, it had worked before). It was with a gasp that she felt herself fall, hurtling into oblivion. What greeted her however was not darkness, instead the wind whipped against her cheeks and tore through her thin clothing. A blizzard unlike any other assailed her and it appeared to give no indication that it would be abating soon.
She fell, and fell... and when the cold became too much she simply blacked out.
She didn't even feel herself 'land'.
Fortunately whatever magic had transported her to and from the wedding had elected not to kill her this evening and eventually her eyes did crack open again. Ice cold, she found herself face down the snow as one might have done if they had fallen or tripped unceremoniously into a ditch. Not one of her finest moments, but with no one around, she was afforded a measure of dignity!
It was with a groan that she heaved herself up, sitting for a short while longer to gain her bearings and account for all parts of her. She was unharmed, cold and utterly exhausted. However, when she had finally regained her bearings she became acutely aware of the fact that the sun she had been greeted with as she moved towards the archway was no longer present. For all intents and purposes the woodlands she had been in, the park she had wandered through, they were all exactly as they had been when she had stepped along that path.
Was this what happened when the bells tolled, was this why everything became still?
She shook her head, there were simply too many thoughts running through her mind at the moment for her to be able to process even a fraction of them. In the end, rather than express herself in an incoherent fashion, the young senshi thought it best to retire. Nothing may have changed here, but given she was fairly certain she had just socialised for a considerable number of hours, she'd be of no further use to anyone this evening. Suffice to say if a youma jumped out at her now the most she might be able to do is bop it on the nose and hobble away... No, on this occasion, it was most assuredly bed time.
With this in mind the senshi pulled herself up and walked towards one of the more dark regions of the park. A few moments later when she was certain that no one was around (and she couldn't sense anyone) she powered down into her civilian clothes. To say she was much warmer was an under statement and that was just what she needed. Sufficiently equipped to 'survive' the cold weather she then headed home.
She managed a quiet re-entry into her house...and then unceremoniously crawled into bed fully clothed.
She'd been in for a surprise the next morning to be sure, but for now she'd let herself relive the peculiar winterscape in her dreams. She'd had fun, she'd seen something that inspired her and right now, even if it wasn't real it still meant something to her.
