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 Posted: Thu Apr 13, 2023 9:16 pm
A burning boy flashed into existence in a great, wide hall. He was the light in the room – something orange, brilliant, furious in a guttering glow as it sputtered and licked across solid stone. He fell when he appeared, collapsed onto hands and knees as he heaved for oxygen. He drew heavy, labored breaths as the fire inside him ate air and energy. Then he raked out a raw, violent sound – something spat in the language of pain.
Before he stood, he collapsed again. He curled in on himself with another strangled cry. He'd always been burning, but now, he realized, he was burning to death. When he tore away his sleeve, he watched the black walk up to his elbow, spitting steam, hissing like hot oil in the pan as his skin bubbled up and split. He smelled the char.
The youth clawed his way across the floor. His nails grew before his eyes, sharpening to points that he dug into the grout between stones. Soon, he was on his knees. Soon, he dragged his wearied, burned-out body to its feet, throwing himself into the nearest wall with a hiss of char and cinder. A spray of still-burning coal scattered across the ground where it fizzled out with a few wisps of black smoke. While his teeth were grit against the pain, guarding his flame-raw throat from another wordless wail, he felt a tooth split. It hardly registered.
The Hall was long, and the way far. Stairs awaited him – not that he could think that far beyond the state of being cooked alive. Each breath, fought back from the flame, came painted with a stuttering sound. He pushed his way through the great, groaning doors and they bade him entry.
It would be the last time he would face that Hall without the shadows dragging him back, he knew. He would enter the Rift and there he would stay, until one of those flashbang portals opened up to admit him to the austere lands above. Until a General-Sovereign saw fit to call youma to their aid and he was one of the many to answer that call. His life would be simpler, then. He would hunt for energy, for starseeds, and claim them from anyone that his amorphous flame could reach. He would wander those endless plains with no purpose nor reason in mind. He would meet his many boys, perhaps time and again, though only on the battlefield. He would just be Faustite.
Just Faustite. A being of fire that belonged to the Rift.
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Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2023 6:35 am
Eternal KamaciteKamacite felt that, of all people, he would know where Faustite was going, even without being told beforehand.
It was the same place Faustite had been lost in before. Except this time he would be more than just physically lost.
They had a chance. A chance to help him. A chance to save him. Youmafication was not death, no. Others had been youmafied. But it was a hollow existence, and one that Faustite had been so desperate to avoid that he risked putting his life in the hands of the White Moon.
And they failed him. They all did. White Moon and Negaverse alike.
The brightness of Faustite made even Kamacite wince and shield his eyes when he appeared not too far behind his friend. Tears were still in his eyes and he choked back a sob as he rushed to Faustite’s side so he would not have to cross the threshold alone.
Kamacite let out a shriek of panic as his silk robes caught the fire from Faustite’s body, and let out a cry from the pain of fire biting at his skin as he struggled to rip the robes off and toss them to the side. He hissed and whimpered at his blistered arms and hands, but still watched with agonizing despair, knowing how much Faustite was struggling.
This shouldn’t be happening. They had everything planned. They were supposed to wait until the youma had been removed from Faustite before rushing forward--
But no… everything they’d planned for, everything they’d worked to set up had been for nothing.
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Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2023 7:06 am
General King JetJet had promised Faustite he would help him. As tempting as it was to see to it that traitors and Princesses were brought before the Queen, his loyalty was to the Negaverse. And that included everyone in the Negaverse.
He was still breathless from the attack. Their hope in what the White Moon claimed to offer turned out to be nothing. Instead, they decided to attack and then claim that the Negaverse was at fault for everything. Maybe he should have unleashed an army of youma on them…
Wouldn’t that be ironic…? Trying to purify a youma only to be attacked by them.
“Don’t get too close,” Jet warned both Aquamarine and Cymophane, holding out his arm to make sure Aquamarine in particular didn’t move towards the flame, although he suspected it would be out of curiosity rather than sympathy. Cymophane, he expected, would want to assist Kamacite, so he didn’t stop the Senshi from tending to his still smoking and newly injured friend.
There was a pain in his heart at the unfairness of everything. For Faustite to be suffering, to know that he was going to be turning into a youma.
The doors of the Hall were open. It was too late for him to offer starseeds for some last minute relief. If Faustite even wanted that.
There were too many Senshi that wanted to be with Faustite in his final moments of being a human, even if it was only partially. Jet wouldn’t abandon him now, and he would ensure safe passage for those who wanted to go with him.
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Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2023 10:10 am
Super TaeniteThey knew this day might come. They’d prepared for it. They tried finding alternatives. They went to the White Moon for help even. But this obviously wasn’t the outcome they wanted.
The pages Taenite had typed up for Faustite to start relearning about his life might as well be deleted from his computer, because once he was a youma, well… Youma didn’t exactly get along with Senshi. Albite might be reckless enough to put himself in front of a youma, but Taenite actually enjoyed being alive.
Maybe they could fit a muzzle onto Faustite…
He just wished he could have done something more to make sure Faustite got to live his life how he wanted. To get another chance as a human again.
It was weird. Taenite didn’t like feeling selfless about anything. He was generous, sure. But he wasn’t used to actually caring. The Negaverse wasn’t supposed to make him care, it was just supposed to be a means to an end. A chance at being on the right side of a magical war that he’d heard whispers about.
Kamacite’s clothing didn’t fare well against the heat that Faustite’s body gave off, and even the General King was suggesting people stay back.
But Taenite wouldn’t. If this was the last chance he had with Faustite not trying to rip his starseed out, then he was going to take advantage of it for as long as he could.
He made his way past the others and Kamacite, reaching down to gather up flame and light and charred flesh and growing nails into his arms. The charm he’d fashioned from the crystals he and Faustite had blown up together shimmered and swirled in its taenite setting, absorbing the heat instead of burning him. He could offer Faustite some relief with the charm’s magic, but he knew it wouldn’t be enough.
It wouldn’t be nearly enough.
“I’ve got you. I know where to go,” he quietly promised as he maybe more recklessly than he would care to admit held the mutating half-youma in his arms.
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Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2023 1:53 pm
General AquamarineJet could be protective all he wanted, but Aquamarine had no intention of approaching. He didn’t have a death wish; he had no desire to play with fire. It was enough that he was there at all.
Rapier temporarily sheathed, Aquamarine curled his hands into fists, nails just overgrown enough to offer a subtle p***k of pain against his palms. Fury still churned in him. Eyes narrowed, teeth clenched, daring any of them to speak to him, to offer whatever pathetic excuses they could come up with.
It wasn’t even that he cared what became of Faustite beyond the loss of familiarity; it was that he despised failure. He despised incompetence. They went with a plan — one that, despite the unknown variables, hadn’t even been all that complicated — yet they returned now in defeat.
It was galling — to make the effort, to give his time and sweat and blood to a cause, and this was the result.
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Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2023 1:55 pm
Eternal Cymophane It was simple enough to reach safety, to power down long enough to lose the youma illusion, then rush after Kamacite as a Senshi once again.
Cymophane took him by the shoulders and urged him back.
“Careful,” he said, quiet, somber for Kamacite’s sake.
He’d bundled up his own anger, forced it back under control. There would be time for it later, maybe, if he felt like dealing with it. Now was the time to ignore it, to pretend it didn’t exist, to offer Kamacite all the things no one else would offer him — because they couldn’t, or didn’t want to.
Cymophane checked him over, looked at his blistered skin, frowned in concern but offered no criticism. Kamacite was understandably upset. Of course he would want to help Faustite. Of course he wouldn’t think about his own safety in the process.
Taenite had Faustite instead, could bear the fire, somehow. Cymophane put an arm around Kamacite, took as much of Kamacite’s weight as Kamacite needed him to take. Anything else Cymophane might have felt had already given way to resignation.
This was not the outcome they’d wanted, but it was what they got. Now they had to deal with it.
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Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2023 1:56 pm
Captain RoseliteWith his heart in his throat, Roselite drifted after the others. He could barely think, could barely breathe.
How could this be happening?
The tears came quickly. Perhaps he’d begun shedding them before they even arrived, in that split second between leaving the park and arriving within the Dark Kingdom. He hadn’t been much use, hadn’t contributed anything except concern — a kind face within the misery. Bloodstone would say he should have stayed behind. Maybe Bloodstone would be right. Roselite could do nothing. What did kindness grant anyone in this war?
He brushed the tears away, thought to himself that the others had more of a right to sadness than he did, but more tears followed, and he let them be.
Roselite felt lost. Did he even belong there, with friends and husbands and oft called upon peers? What could he do? What could he say? Nothing about this situation was fair. It was awful. After all that Faustite had been through, after everything he’d given to the Negaverse, to go out like this… to try and fail, and suffer so much for it…
Why did it have to end this way?
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Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2023 1:59 pm
Super Sailor Heliodor, Corrupt Senshi of Ryuto Helio was in shock. None of this was what was supposed to happen. They should have been celebrating Faustite’s retrieval. Corrupting him. Bringing him back into the fold and back to the chosen family he had. All of these people were here to do that. That wasn’t what was happening. Instead, they were watching the last dregs of Faustite’s ability to retain his humanity. All because he, Helio, had ******** up. Royally and utterly ******** up.
Kamacite was the first to approach and pay for his concern with burns and seared clothing. Others kept their distance with Jet voicing caution. Taenite threw caution to the wind and approached anyway. Another person immune to the raging heat that emanated from the burning boy as his body slowly changed and transitioned even closer to a full youma.
He took a step and stopped in uncertainty. The desire to run and help was practically screaming at him but the shame and guilt held him in place. He couldn’t help like Taenite was now, like he didn’t help out on that battlefield.
This was it. Their last time together. Was he going to just stand here and watch it all play out like some sorry spectator?
Licking dry lips, Helio forced himself forward again. Even if he couldn’t help, he’d at least be there for Faustite. “You’re not going to go through this alone.” He said softly to the General, uncaring if others heard. He’d do whatever he could.
He’d atone in whatever way possible. Though he wasn’t sure he could ever truly atone for sending his husband to a life in the rift as a youma.
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Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2023 2:22 pm
Corrupt Super FafnirAs always, the dark purple corrupt was close behind his brother, still the shadow to his bright impulsiveness. But his presence was not entirely a protection this time.
Fafnir seethed with rage, his vision darkening at the edges. Now that they were safely off the battlefield and the plan was well and truly <********>, he was free to let his anger run rampant. Perhaps he should be glad there was a group here to dampen his outward reactions, or he might have taken hold of Helio and shaken him violently, or slapped him down… He’d never raised a hand to his brother before, but now… the little idiot had ruined so much, and risked even more. He’d put everything Fafnir had worked so hard for into jeopardy.
What if the sovereigns reprimanded him for following Helio? He couldn’t have just… let him go, but there were consequences for ill-conceived actions. He’d still done it, even if there had been no other course of action for him. It risked his long-sought-after promotion… he’d have to work twice as hard to earn it now. All that time and effort wasted… And then on top of it all, Faustite. The general he had chosen, purely for himself. Someone he dared to think of as a friend and a lover he hadn’t needed to hide anything from. He’d trusted him like no one other than Helio, and now he was losing him. That anger mixed uneasily with the other anger and left him a tangle of heated emotions, ready to explode.
A senshi he didn’t really know had the burning thing that was Faustite now, a strange thing with the flames licking his skin, but unburning. No one else seemed to have that ability… even Helio shied away from the heat.
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Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2023 2:27 pm
Eternal Widow Albite, Corrupt Senshi of Retribution
Albite couldn’t breathe, didn’t deserve to, he’d failed — even if they’d ultimately gotten Faustite home? It wasn’t supposed to have been like this!
It wasn’t fair—
And everything was happening too fast and too slow all at once. A rapid blur of shifting figures, all-consuming fire, people moving in and back, screaming— and if he realized he was crying? He did nothing for it just then. Couldn’t have brought himself to try and hide his own pain for the way the scene felt like it was dragging out for a terribly long time, yet ending in an agonizing instant. He wanted several hours more just as badly as he wanted it to be already over!!
[iIt wasn't like this in the Scar— Albite thought back to that one little moment, a memory frozen in time. The way Faustite had appeared from atop a cliff side: beautiful, faceless, on fire, free. It was the happiest he thought his husband had ever appeared, completely and utterly unburdened by everything. The aftermath to which had seemed like the lowest of lows…
Still, it was something that had become just one more trial to overcome. Another feat to manage as a team!
This wasn’t like that at all.
This was cruel. A painful crawl of cruelty; for Faustite, for everyone involved.
For himself.
Albite did eventually remember to breathe— to choke for the smell he thought he’d grown used to, to wince for the way the sounds he associated with his love were so twisted into the new and strange. Albite hitched an ugly, wet, exhausted noise. Wiped at his stupid eyes with shaking hands; too drained of magic to call on it even as a comfort — for all that he would’ve liked to drag Faustite back and away from where he was trying to go.
To rip him out of Taenites arms and take him the ******** home! The home they’d built —- the way it’d never be too warm and just right ever again — the way even if it was full to the brim it’d still have a gaping center of emptiness without faustite in it!! Helio was right though, a bright spot of a reminder that Faustite was not and would not go through this alone.
It wasn’t over. It wasn’t the end. They had pendants, powers, sovereigns! M e t a l l i a!
He had a ring. Hand carved, hand painted, more precious to him than the life given to make the bones it was etched from. That ring meant eternity, remembered or not, and it meant something to him even if his beloved would lose the ability to parse such a foreign human concept. It meant for better or worse, and today, right now? That ‘worse’ simply took the form of his husband changing into flames; losing form, gaining claws, entering a new zip code with a higher level of security clearance than Albite was used to dealing with. It sure as ******** wasn’t an end though. Not for him. Not ever.
He scrubbed the mess of his face back into his dreads, got the bulk of their blanketing weight the ******** out of his way; just enough so he could see to take a heavy step forwards, another. To make himself a solid, available weight at Faustites side, testing Almadels collar against the flames of his heart's desire one more time.
“Y’r not alone, Ei. S’okay. We’ve all got you—we’re not going anywhere—n’you don’t have to fight it…” the words barely choked out, as if fighting were such a thing that could’ve been done at this point. He just, he wanted Eion to be at ease, needed it — the same way he needed Jet and Aqua and Rosie to have their backs, a bunch of bait Senshi wandering into the Rift for love.
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Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2023 2:46 pm
Guardian Haymitch
Haymitch had held back in the offices until the mission was over. He hadn't wanted to, but someone had to hold down the fort... and of the two cats of the team, Tama was the stronger one. The one with thumbs. The one who actually seemed to do his work, where as Haymitch just... existed. He perched on Faustite's desk, waiting with anxiety and worry for them to return with a newly recorrupted Faustite.
The fur on his neck stood on end, pupils narrowing to slits.
Something was wrong. Something was very wrong.
The crash of emotions from his bond with Albite sent the cat reeling, tumbling off the desk he'd been perched on. Panic surged in his chest, and he scrambled to his feet towards his senshi.
No.
No no.
Oh no no no no no!
The kitten skidded to a stop as he watched Faustite limp and morph down the hallway towards the Rift. Taenite was helping him, no matter the burns to his body. Jet and Aqua were trying to keep people back as their general went through the youmafication process.
Albite stepped up to his husband and Haymitch pushed reassurance and what ever comfort he could give through the bond. His fur would catch if he got closer, and it pained him that he couldn't go to his bonded, couldn't climb up his dreadlocks and nuzzle his cheek.
They failed.
They failed... and Faustite reaped the consequences.
Whether he wanted to or not.
Shiningamisgirl Bonded support kinda!! HES TRYING
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Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2023 3:19 pm
The burning boy that Taenite held in his arms shrieked in pain, unable to escape the blaze that consumed him from within. He writhed and clawed at his own vest, desperate to wrench it off his skin for a faint chance at relief. But regardless of what raw sounds wrested themselves from the boy's mouth, they offered no relief. What crawled up Faustite's arms, like the deep glow of a cigarette, was the black that had once only painted his hands.
He'd heard the others. He knew that Kamacite had set himself ablaze, though Faustite could do nothing for it. Taenite had swept him off his feet. Carried him like something valuable.
Even if the pain was unbearable, Faustite knew it would not last for long. And with it came a relief that he had long been awaiting — even if he was to become a youma, even if it was against most of his boys' best wishes, there was no longer a chance of surrendering himself to the White Moon. No longer would it be a concern that he might purify and be whisked away from the boys to whom he wanted to return. He would live in the Rift, where he had a few kindred spirits, where he knew the haunts and the vistas and the valleys, where his boys could visit him as long as they had a chaperone. With Jet there, he expected that no harm would come of any of them — even Taenite, who had daringly held him now.
Becoming a youma meant that his boys had far more time to pore over texts and tomes and tech for some solution to reverse his youmafication. He trusted each of them, knew they all had their strengths that they would pool together for a common cause.
Albite had the optimism to keep them all going after the idea of reverting Faustite back to his old self, Taenite had the funds, Kamacite had the unwavering dedication. Jet may spare them what resources he had. Alkmene, Heliodor, and the others each had their magic and their wits and experiences. As long as Faustite didn't eat any one of them, as long as he didn't encounter the same fate that Squiddy suffered, there was a chance —
Faustite sunk his claws into the sheer sleeve of Taenite's uniform and Albite's bare arm as his skin began to sizzle and pop around the grate. The heat grew thicker, the smoke more opaque and obfuscating. He whined something parched as his agony grew to unconscionable levels. Had he any words left to speak, he would have told that boy to hurry.
Even if he could accept what was happening to him, Faustite didn't know that there would be anything of him to salvage if he turned youma in the Hall of Shadows.
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Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2023 5:51 pm
Eternal Kamacite“Éloignez-vous de lui!” Kamacite hissed with growing rage as Heliodor approached Faustite like it wasn’t his fault that they were there in the first place. Cymophane had him by his shoulders, was looking at the damage Faustite’s fire had caused, and it was likely the only reason why Kamacite didn’t lunge forward at Heliodor now. How dare he act as though he had any right to be by Faustite’s side??
“Get away from him!” he translated himself after a moment, realizing he’d slipped into something that felt more natural to him than any other language.
His head was throbbing, his arms stung from the burns. Tears fell down his face so he could barely even see.
But he could hear.
And with each agonizing cry from Faustite, Kamacite sobbed as well.
The horror of what was happening now forced every awful thought to the surface. The months of loneliness and uncertainty and fear turned into years -- and then relief when Faustite had finally made it out of the Rift.
But now he was going there to stay and it broke Kamacite’s heart in ways he didn’t know how it could be pieced back together.
It wasn’t fair. He had good friends. Cymophane had rescued him in ways that he could never explain, but was so grateful for. But watching this happen to Faustite--
Kamacite followed as best he could, but if it weren’t for Cymophane helping him, he likely would have collapsed there in the Hall of Shadows to succumb to his despair.
It would have been different if they’d had a chance to try finishing the mission. At least that way they could have said they did their best. But because of Heliodor they didn’t even get to see if the White Moon could have helped.
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Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2023 5:56 pm
General King JetWith the others not in immediate risk of being hurt by accident, Jet summoned his weapon. Not to threaten any of the Officers or Senshi there, but to remind the youma and shadows that everyone with him was under his protection.
Which meant that, unfortunately, if it came down to it… once Faustite youmafied, if he tried taking a starseed of one of those there… as Jet had promised, he would put an end to Faustite before he could.
Albite had been there when he’d made that promise, all those months ago when Faustite had to work out his starseed addiction in the Rift.
This time, at least, Faustite would eventually return once the dust settled and he recovered.
“There was no guarantee it would have worked,” he said in response to Kamacite’s sobs, and maybe to reassure Heliodor that they just didn’t know. The mission as planned had failed, but they had no way of knowing what the outcome would have been.
“For all we know, he could have died on the spot once the youma was removed. I could have returned his Chaos to him, but there was no telling what the result would have been.”
Faustite’s youma was fire. There might just be an empty void where it existed. How could they expect to be replaced so easily? Of course they needed to try everything, including the White Moon’s methods, since youmafication was not what Faustite wanted. And neither was death.
He felt sick to his stomach. He didn’t want this to happen, but he would at least keep those Faustite cared for protected while they were in the Rift.
At least for a moment, Jet reached out beside him without looking to take hold of Aquamarine’s hand and give it a squeeze. They’d both been in situations where they didn’t know if the other would survive. He couldn’t fault anyone here for being as upset as they were.
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Posted: Fri Apr 14, 2023 6:08 pm
Super TaeniteTaenite could see it in Albite’s expression. His desire to take Faustite and run. Which was why Taenite wanted to be the first to scoop up the burning boy because as much as he absolutely hated what was happening, he still knew what had to be done. He knew he had to get Faustite somewhere safe so that the youmfication could take place and maybe the less trauma there was, the more he would retain of himself.
“Now’s not the time,” he snapped over his shoulder at anyone trying to give well wishes or throw accusations or give reassurance. Maybe once they reached the place in the Rift for Faustite to settle, but right now? They needed to hurry. Run while they could.
Taenite felt Albite at his side, could see the Proven Liability as well. He didn’t want to see if they could catch up. He ran. As fast as he could without jostling Faustite too much. He didn’t care if he had blood running down his arms by the time this was over, from claws or anything else.
Out of the Hall he had to pause to get his bearings, trying to decide what had shifted from the last time he’d been there. And once he figured out the best path, he started moving again.
He didn’t have to offer Faustite words of encouragement or permission to do anything. There was no stopping it, and the only thing he could do was offer his presence and knowledge that this was the best way they could help Faustite now.
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