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A Queen's Nightmare
((Interested in the villain showcased here? Go check her out at @LadyBlackVeil!))
XXXXX
“Yeah, I’m out the door now.” Wanda’s phone was pressed between her shoulder and ear as she locked the door and put the house key into her purse. “I’ll see you soon. Love you, Don.”
She hung up the phone and slid it into her pocket. Fishing her car keys from where they crept to the bottom of her bag, she unlocked it and got in. The first thing she did was crank up the air; it was a particularly hot summer day and while it didn't bother her too much, she wanted the car cool for when she’d pick up her husband on his lunch break.
She pulled out of the driveway and started towards his office. The traffic was clear until she reached the freeway when the car in front of her came to a sudden stop, causing her to slam on the brakes and swerve out of the way.
Taking a deep breath, she placed a hand on her forehead, leaning her head back against the headrest. Her heart was racing. She then looked at the pile-up in front of her, trying to peer between the cars to see what was wrong. Reaching for her phone, she sent Donovan a text saying there was an accident, she’d be late and to go ahead and have lunch without her.
People were stepping out of their cars. She reached down and slipped an ID from out of her boot before getting out, as well. Pushing through the growing crowd, she reached where there was police tape. She frowned, showing her Avengers credentials to a SHIELD officer that tried to come to shoo everyone away. Ducking under the tape, she stepped forward.
There were /skeletons/ in the road, bones scattered across all lanes of traffic. They had a mystic aura to them. A necromancer, obviously, but was this magical user also a witch? It felt like that.
“Wanda?” Rose came up to her. “What are you doing here?”
“I was going to pick up Don from work, take him to the shop so he could get the Cadillac back. Came across this.” Wanda turned to her friend. “What are you doing here?”
“Well, this is the fifth call this week of bones being found in a state like this. But this time we had witness reports; they were moving. So a necromancer.”
“Makes sense.” She looked at a skull, kneeling in front of it. “You could sense the magic from a mile away. But I’m not aware of any necromancers in the area.”
“There’s one who’s been getting bolder with her actions as of late. She’s been giving DEFEND a hell of a headache.” Rose sighed. “Heard of the legend of Lady Black Veil?”
“Queen of Mina Tansmar, I know of her. Thought it was just that: a legend.” She stood back up. “If this is her, why?”
“Who knows? I was talking with Cecil about wanting to draw someone out in the open. Nothing to pr-”
Wanda didn’t hear the rest of what Rose said; all she saw was a blur and was airborne before hitting the ground several feet away. She groaned as she pushed herself to her knees before seeing blue again and was on the ground again.
No, it couldn’t be. How could-?
“Constance,” she growled, scrambling to her feet. She pushed her hands in front of her to form a shield around her, just in time to see the blue blur ricochet off of it and fall back.
His skin was pale, eyes glowing a deeper blue than usual, dirt and scratches covering his body. Their eyes met for a moment and while he looked like Pietro Maximoff, his eyes told a different story.
“Pietro…” she whispered, holding back tears. It had almost been a decade since his death. She felt a dull ache in her heart, tearing at her, starting to travel through her entire body. Pain caused her body to shake. All she could think was how it felt to have his mind ripped from hers, hearing her name faintly before everything was silent.
Pietro rose to his feet, glaring at his younger sister.
Rose shot out an arm as the SHIELD agents in the area pulled out their guns, taking a step forward. “Hold fire! Hold fire. This has just shifted from SHIELD to Avenger business.”
“I thought he was dead,” Cecil whispered to her.
“He /was/,” responded Rose. “This is the necromancer.”
Wanda held her hands in front of her, a hex bolt glowing in her hands. “Pietro, please. Whatever spell this is, fight it!”
He didn’t respond as he sped past her, knocking her to the ground. As she rolled onto her back, he got on top of her, a hand gripping her neck.
“P-Pietro!” she gasped, grabbing his wrist, trying to pull him away.
“Let go of her!” Rose ran forward, a sidekick slamming into his chest and causing him to stagger back. She stood in front of Wanda as she recovered, gasping in air. “I don’t know what the hell kind of spell Constance put you under but you need to snap out of it. Or I’ll make you.”
“I’m under no spell.” It was the first time Pietro spoke, his tone bitter. “Where were you when I died? Where was my sister? I called out to her, and that call was left unanswered. Because she didn’t /care./”
“I was trying to help you. And Wanda? She was nowhere near you. She couldn’t reach you in time.” She walked forward, grabbing his arm. “What she did instead? While her heart grieved and her mind was left empty? She went after Ultron. The person that had killed you. Ripped his heart from his chest. And she was ready to let death take her as Sokovia fell had Vision not saved her! To be with /you/, Pietro. To be with her brother.”
Wanda shrugged away Cecil’s help as he reached for her arm to help her to her feet. She coughed a couple of times, her neck sore. “I mourned for you for months, dear brother. I had /nightmares/ of you dying over and over again every single night. Sometimes more than once a night. And I still do from time to time. Don’t /ever/ say I didn’t care about you.” She stepped forward. “This isn’t you. I know it isn’t. This is Constance’s words coloring yours.”
“Constance /saved/ me,” Pietro growled.
“She’s poisoning you! Listen to yourself!” Rose glared at him.
“He won’t listen, Rosalina,” Wanda responded. Her next sentence was sent mentally to Rose and her partner. /“Hold him still.”/
Rose glanced at Cecil and nodded her head. When he returned her nod, they sprang forward only for Pietro to have sped off again.
The three formed a circle going back-to-back-to-back.
“How do we hit something that moves faster than we can hit?” Cecil asked.
“We freeze time.” Rose snapped her fingers twice and then placed a hand on the others’ shoulders as time froze. A bird was caught in mid-flap above them, a SHIELD agent was in frozen in the middle of falling, and Pietro was solid after knocking him down. She could already feel the strain of stopping the whole world, giving her labored breathing.
She and Cecil darted forward, looping their arms around him and grabbing his shoulders to hold him in place. She waited until they had him before letting time move again. “Hurry, Wanda!”
Wanda was a step behind them, raising a hand and flicking her wrist. “I’m sorry, Pietro. I need to do this.” Red tendrils shot from her fingers, seeping into his temples and causing his eyes to glow red for a moment. She grew still as she closed her eyes, entering his mind.
When she opened them, she was in a field. Her brother’s mental palace was the same as it had been before he died: someplace open where he could run as fast and as far as he’d want. Only thing was it wasn’t Pietro standing in front of her.
Constance shot a punch out, striking her face and causing her to stumble back. “You think you can compete against /me/, Witch? Your decade’s worth of study of the mystic arts compares to nothing of my millennium!”
Wanda slid into a fighting stance, holding her hands up in front of her. “Who do I think I am?” Her eyes and hands glowed red. “I am the Scarlet Witch!” She sent a hex bolt at the other woman.
She crossed her arms in front of her, a shield springing up to take most of the blast. The force still caused her to skid back a few feet. Breaking the cross, she sent an energy wave at the younger witch, throwing her back. She approached her as she struggled to regain her balance. “Even your chaos magic is nothing compared to /my/ witchcraft.” Her foot connected with Wanda’s side, sprawling her out on her back while coughing. She stepped on her chest, leaning over her. “Seems you’re in quite a predicament, darling. Your pathetic plan to save your brother, while very noble, has you under me. Quite literally.”
She gasped as the witch’s heel dug into her chest, gritting her teeth. “I’m not done fighting yet. You want to play this game? Let’s see what nightmares keep you up at night, /your highness./” She pushed herself up and grabbed Constance’s head, red tendrils snaking through her skull and into her mind.
Constance in a large stone courtyard. There were cobwebs and ruins scattering the edges, an aged castle with crumbling towers behind her.
Gasping, the Dark Queen stumbled back, clutching her head. After a moment, she raised her head, breath catching as she saw the state of her courtyard. Hearing cracking stone, she turned just in time to see the tallest of the spirals crashing down with a deafening crash.
“My kingdom,” she whispered. “My beautiful kingdom!”
“Constance Hecate!” a male voice boomed.
Constance flinched, her entire demeanor crumpled. Tears were glistening in her eyes as she turned to face the ghostly figure of the Awakener of the Dead, Cyrus Hecate, his eyes glowing red. “F-Father, I-”
“I left you Mina Tansmar with the knowledge that you would cause it to prosper and grow! Not be its demise! Have my teachings proven inadequate? Or have you lied and cheated your way through my studies!”
The queen retreated a step. “I-I just wanted to talk to you and Mother one last time. I wanted to make you proud.”
“Proud? You wanted to make me /proud/? You have done nothing but disappoint me! I hereby strip you of your crown and title and banish you from what remains of my once beautiful nation.” Cyrus' voice was stone-cold. “Effective immediately.”
The color drained from her face. She sucked in air, the whole world spinning around her. Dread’s icy claws tore her aged heart to ribbons. “Banished,” she breathed, knees buckling under her. Around her, the castle and courtyard started to crumble. The cobblestone below her gave way and she started to free fall.
Speaking in an archaic tongue, she pushed her hands out in front of her. There was a moment where they glowed blue before it shattered, doing nothing to stop her descent. She passed through corrupted memories: wielding a sword for the first time before facing a band of pirates, practicing magic and putting a curse on her mother, her coronation where everyone was skeletons. Every single person she saw had glowing red eyes.
The empty field came up all too quickly, her body slamming against the hard ground. Gasping for breath, she raised her head to where Wanda stood. “You witch,” she growled. “What did you do to me?”
Wanda took a step forward, lifting her head. “I just showed you your nightmares, /witch./ And if you don’t leave my brother alone, I’ll make them a reality.”
“Your mind games won’t work on me.” Constance pushed herself up, glaring daggers.
“Seems like they already did, /your highness./” Pulling back from Pietro’s mind, Wanda returned to reality with a gasp. She stumbled against a car.
“Wanda!” Rose exclaimed, rushing to her side. “Are you alright?”
Cecil turned to Pietro as he dropped to the ground with a groan. “Is he okay?”
“Let me...look at him,” Wanda answered, pushing herself upright. She walked over to her brother, kneeling in front of him. Cupping his face with a hand, she lifted his head to look at his eyes. “Brother?” Her voice was soft.
“Sis...ter,” he mumbled, his eyes turning back to normal. He reached his hand to her before collapsing.
Her heart sank by the way he dropped, shaking him. “Pietro! Wake up! Please!”
The android agent bolted to Pietro’s side, placing two fingers on his neck for a pulse. Her breath hitched as she shook her head. Looking over at her friend, she said, “Wanda. I’m sorry. He’s gone.”
Swallowing hard, Wanda’s heart felt like it was shattering all over again. Blinking away tears, she nodded. “I knew it was too good to be true.” She sniffed, squeezing his hand. “For once I just thought the nightmare was over. That I could have my brother around to be the uncle he always talked about being. But I guess that was wishful thinking.”
She doubled over, her forehead pressed on his back. “I just want my brother.” A sob shook her body, one that impacted Rose and Cecil.
Rose felt the sting of tears as she rubbed her back comfortingly. With her free hand, she wiped her eyes before placing it on her arm. Behind her, Cecil reached into his pocket to pull out a flask. He took a heavy swig of it before stoppering it and hiding it back away.
Wanda refused to be pulled away from Pietro. Last time, she couldn’t see the body before it disappeared. If she left this time, what would happen?
Despite how she showed Constance her greatest nightmare, the Dark Queen had made hers a reality yet again.
And she wasn’t going to forgive her for that.
XXXXX
“Yeah, I’m out the door now.” Wanda’s phone was pressed between her shoulder and ear as she locked the door and put the house key into her purse. “I’ll see you soon. Love you, Don.”
She hung up the phone and slid it into her pocket. Fishing her car keys from where they crept to the bottom of her bag, she unlocked it and got in. The first thing she did was crank up the air; it was a particularly hot summer day and while it didn't bother her too much, she wanted the car cool for when she’d pick up her husband on his lunch break.
She pulled out of the driveway and started towards his office. The traffic was clear until she reached the freeway when the car in front of her came to a sudden stop, causing her to slam on the brakes and swerve out of the way.
Taking a deep breath, she placed a hand on her forehead, leaning her head back against the headrest. Her heart was racing. She then looked at the pile-up in front of her, trying to peer between the cars to see what was wrong. Reaching for her phone, she sent Donovan a text saying there was an accident, she’d be late and to go ahead and have lunch without her.
People were stepping out of their cars. She reached down and slipped an ID from out of her boot before getting out, as well. Pushing through the growing crowd, she reached where there was police tape. She frowned, showing her Avengers credentials to a SHIELD officer that tried to come to shoo everyone away. Ducking under the tape, she stepped forward.
There were /skeletons/ in the road, bones scattered across all lanes of traffic. They had a mystic aura to them. A necromancer, obviously, but was this magical user also a witch? It felt like that.
“Wanda?” Rose came up to her. “What are you doing here?”
“I was going to pick up Don from work, take him to the shop so he could get the Cadillac back. Came across this.” Wanda turned to her friend. “What are you doing here?”
“Well, this is the fifth call this week of bones being found in a state like this. But this time we had witness reports; they were moving. So a necromancer.”
“Makes sense.” She looked at a skull, kneeling in front of it. “You could sense the magic from a mile away. But I’m not aware of any necromancers in the area.”
“There’s one who’s been getting bolder with her actions as of late. She’s been giving DEFEND a hell of a headache.” Rose sighed. “Heard of the legend of Lady Black Veil?”
“Queen of Mina Tansmar, I know of her. Thought it was just that: a legend.” She stood back up. “If this is her, why?”
“Who knows? I was talking with Cecil about wanting to draw someone out in the open. Nothing to pr-”
Wanda didn’t hear the rest of what Rose said; all she saw was a blur and was airborne before hitting the ground several feet away. She groaned as she pushed herself to her knees before seeing blue again and was on the ground again.
No, it couldn’t be. How could-?
“Constance,” she growled, scrambling to her feet. She pushed her hands in front of her to form a shield around her, just in time to see the blue blur ricochet off of it and fall back.
His skin was pale, eyes glowing a deeper blue than usual, dirt and scratches covering his body. Their eyes met for a moment and while he looked like Pietro Maximoff, his eyes told a different story.
“Pietro…” she whispered, holding back tears. It had almost been a decade since his death. She felt a dull ache in her heart, tearing at her, starting to travel through her entire body. Pain caused her body to shake. All she could think was how it felt to have his mind ripped from hers, hearing her name faintly before everything was silent.
Pietro rose to his feet, glaring at his younger sister.
Rose shot out an arm as the SHIELD agents in the area pulled out their guns, taking a step forward. “Hold fire! Hold fire. This has just shifted from SHIELD to Avenger business.”
“I thought he was dead,” Cecil whispered to her.
“He /was/,” responded Rose. “This is the necromancer.”
Wanda held her hands in front of her, a hex bolt glowing in her hands. “Pietro, please. Whatever spell this is, fight it!”
He didn’t respond as he sped past her, knocking her to the ground. As she rolled onto her back, he got on top of her, a hand gripping her neck.
“P-Pietro!” she gasped, grabbing his wrist, trying to pull him away.
“Let go of her!” Rose ran forward, a sidekick slamming into his chest and causing him to stagger back. She stood in front of Wanda as she recovered, gasping in air. “I don’t know what the hell kind of spell Constance put you under but you need to snap out of it. Or I’ll make you.”
“I’m under no spell.” It was the first time Pietro spoke, his tone bitter. “Where were you when I died? Where was my sister? I called out to her, and that call was left unanswered. Because she didn’t /care./”
“I was trying to help you. And Wanda? She was nowhere near you. She couldn’t reach you in time.” She walked forward, grabbing his arm. “What she did instead? While her heart grieved and her mind was left empty? She went after Ultron. The person that had killed you. Ripped his heart from his chest. And she was ready to let death take her as Sokovia fell had Vision not saved her! To be with /you/, Pietro. To be with her brother.”
Wanda shrugged away Cecil’s help as he reached for her arm to help her to her feet. She coughed a couple of times, her neck sore. “I mourned for you for months, dear brother. I had /nightmares/ of you dying over and over again every single night. Sometimes more than once a night. And I still do from time to time. Don’t /ever/ say I didn’t care about you.” She stepped forward. “This isn’t you. I know it isn’t. This is Constance’s words coloring yours.”
“Constance /saved/ me,” Pietro growled.
“She’s poisoning you! Listen to yourself!” Rose glared at him.
“He won’t listen, Rosalina,” Wanda responded. Her next sentence was sent mentally to Rose and her partner. /“Hold him still.”/
Rose glanced at Cecil and nodded her head. When he returned her nod, they sprang forward only for Pietro to have sped off again.
The three formed a circle going back-to-back-to-back.
“How do we hit something that moves faster than we can hit?” Cecil asked.
“We freeze time.” Rose snapped her fingers twice and then placed a hand on the others’ shoulders as time froze. A bird was caught in mid-flap above them, a SHIELD agent was in frozen in the middle of falling, and Pietro was solid after knocking him down. She could already feel the strain of stopping the whole world, giving her labored breathing.
She and Cecil darted forward, looping their arms around him and grabbing his shoulders to hold him in place. She waited until they had him before letting time move again. “Hurry, Wanda!”
Wanda was a step behind them, raising a hand and flicking her wrist. “I’m sorry, Pietro. I need to do this.” Red tendrils shot from her fingers, seeping into his temples and causing his eyes to glow red for a moment. She grew still as she closed her eyes, entering his mind.
When she opened them, she was in a field. Her brother’s mental palace was the same as it had been before he died: someplace open where he could run as fast and as far as he’d want. Only thing was it wasn’t Pietro standing in front of her.
Constance shot a punch out, striking her face and causing her to stumble back. “You think you can compete against /me/, Witch? Your decade’s worth of study of the mystic arts compares to nothing of my millennium!”
Wanda slid into a fighting stance, holding her hands up in front of her. “Who do I think I am?” Her eyes and hands glowed red. “I am the Scarlet Witch!” She sent a hex bolt at the other woman.
She crossed her arms in front of her, a shield springing up to take most of the blast. The force still caused her to skid back a few feet. Breaking the cross, she sent an energy wave at the younger witch, throwing her back. She approached her as she struggled to regain her balance. “Even your chaos magic is nothing compared to /my/ witchcraft.” Her foot connected with Wanda’s side, sprawling her out on her back while coughing. She stepped on her chest, leaning over her. “Seems you’re in quite a predicament, darling. Your pathetic plan to save your brother, while very noble, has you under me. Quite literally.”
She gasped as the witch’s heel dug into her chest, gritting her teeth. “I’m not done fighting yet. You want to play this game? Let’s see what nightmares keep you up at night, /your highness./” She pushed herself up and grabbed Constance’s head, red tendrils snaking through her skull and into her mind.
Constance in a large stone courtyard. There were cobwebs and ruins scattering the edges, an aged castle with crumbling towers behind her.
Gasping, the Dark Queen stumbled back, clutching her head. After a moment, she raised her head, breath catching as she saw the state of her courtyard. Hearing cracking stone, she turned just in time to see the tallest of the spirals crashing down with a deafening crash.
“My kingdom,” she whispered. “My beautiful kingdom!”
“Constance Hecate!” a male voice boomed.
Constance flinched, her entire demeanor crumpled. Tears were glistening in her eyes as she turned to face the ghostly figure of the Awakener of the Dead, Cyrus Hecate, his eyes glowing red. “F-Father, I-”
“I left you Mina Tansmar with the knowledge that you would cause it to prosper and grow! Not be its demise! Have my teachings proven inadequate? Or have you lied and cheated your way through my studies!”
The queen retreated a step. “I-I just wanted to talk to you and Mother one last time. I wanted to make you proud.”
“Proud? You wanted to make me /proud/? You have done nothing but disappoint me! I hereby strip you of your crown and title and banish you from what remains of my once beautiful nation.” Cyrus' voice was stone-cold. “Effective immediately.”
The color drained from her face. She sucked in air, the whole world spinning around her. Dread’s icy claws tore her aged heart to ribbons. “Banished,” she breathed, knees buckling under her. Around her, the castle and courtyard started to crumble. The cobblestone below her gave way and she started to free fall.
Speaking in an archaic tongue, she pushed her hands out in front of her. There was a moment where they glowed blue before it shattered, doing nothing to stop her descent. She passed through corrupted memories: wielding a sword for the first time before facing a band of pirates, practicing magic and putting a curse on her mother, her coronation where everyone was skeletons. Every single person she saw had glowing red eyes.
The empty field came up all too quickly, her body slamming against the hard ground. Gasping for breath, she raised her head to where Wanda stood. “You witch,” she growled. “What did you do to me?”
Wanda took a step forward, lifting her head. “I just showed you your nightmares, /witch./ And if you don’t leave my brother alone, I’ll make them a reality.”
“Your mind games won’t work on me.” Constance pushed herself up, glaring daggers.
“Seems like they already did, /your highness./” Pulling back from Pietro’s mind, Wanda returned to reality with a gasp. She stumbled against a car.
“Wanda!” Rose exclaimed, rushing to her side. “Are you alright?”
Cecil turned to Pietro as he dropped to the ground with a groan. “Is he okay?”
“Let me...look at him,” Wanda answered, pushing herself upright. She walked over to her brother, kneeling in front of him. Cupping his face with a hand, she lifted his head to look at his eyes. “Brother?” Her voice was soft.
“Sis...ter,” he mumbled, his eyes turning back to normal. He reached his hand to her before collapsing.
Her heart sank by the way he dropped, shaking him. “Pietro! Wake up! Please!”
The android agent bolted to Pietro’s side, placing two fingers on his neck for a pulse. Her breath hitched as she shook her head. Looking over at her friend, she said, “Wanda. I’m sorry. He’s gone.”
Swallowing hard, Wanda’s heart felt like it was shattering all over again. Blinking away tears, she nodded. “I knew it was too good to be true.” She sniffed, squeezing his hand. “For once I just thought the nightmare was over. That I could have my brother around to be the uncle he always talked about being. But I guess that was wishful thinking.”
She doubled over, her forehead pressed on his back. “I just want my brother.” A sob shook her body, one that impacted Rose and Cecil.
Rose felt the sting of tears as she rubbed her back comfortingly. With her free hand, she wiped her eyes before placing it on her arm. Behind her, Cecil reached into his pocket to pull out a flask. He took a heavy swig of it before stoppering it and hiding it back away.
Wanda refused to be pulled away from Pietro. Last time, she couldn’t see the body before it disappeared. If she left this time, what would happen?
Despite how she showed Constance her greatest nightmare, the Dark Queen had made hers a reality yet again.
And she wasn’t going to forgive her for that.
OOC: Thank You
Hey y'all. I don't normally talk OOC like this but I wanted to just share something, an explanation for why I've been quiet lately and a promise to make.
I know I haven't been the most active as of late. For awhile. There's been a lot of stuff going on both in real life and on the site that's been a real stress for me. I recently lost my paternal grandfather and even though we weren't close at all, his death still took an incredible toll on me, especially since I was unable to attend his funeral because I go out of state for college. It has been something we have seen coming for a while now but the shock of it still struck us hard.
Additionally, this is my senior year of college. I graduate in a month. That means things this entire school year has been hectic and chaotic for me. So I know I haven't talked a lot with new people I have added. In addition to school, I have founded and am running my own improv club on campus, which also takes up a lot of my free time. Also, I am in my school's theater production and recently, we've been having full tech rehearsals on top of my normal school workload and extracurriculars that wear me out, but it's worth it. And on top of that, as an English major, I have a lot of reading and writing I must do for classes. To be honest, there are times when I'm so exhausted from doing that that by the time I get a moment to be on the site, I don't feel like doing it some more.
I have gone through a huge self-discovery period that's been going on basically since fall of 2017. I've lost people who, at one point in time, I have considered friends. I realize now that maybe that wasn't the best way to describe things. My mental health has been a roller coaster lately and that also means my activity on the site is not as high. I've made changes to myself, some that I know not everyone is happy about. But it's made /me/ happier. And that's what matters.
For those of you who have stuck by my side through thick and thin, who have helped me realized my place on the site again -- even in an unconscious way -- and have built me up instead of trying to tear me down, thank you. Thank you so much, from the bottom of my heart. There was a point recently I thought about leaving. Now, that's not even on my mind. And that's in part thanks to you, my friends, no, my family. My writing family here.
As for my promise: I still will be on the site. I still will write. Just at the moment, I am crazy busy with my show opening tomorrow, a research paper due Friday, and getting my club situated so that after I'm gone, they will still have a structure to build upon. I will become a lot more available starting the 15th of this month but my full return will not be until after the 11th of May when I graduate college and start a new part of my life.
If you don't want to wait that long to start to write, I understand. Unfriend me and we can go our separate ways. However, if you wanna write and plot something, I'd love some kind of message. Just to let me know you're interested.
Thank you for reading everyone. I love you all and hope to hear from you soon. ❤
I know I haven't been the most active as of late. For awhile. There's been a lot of stuff going on both in real life and on the site that's been a real stress for me. I recently lost my paternal grandfather and even though we weren't close at all, his death still took an incredible toll on me, especially since I was unable to attend his funeral because I go out of state for college. It has been something we have seen coming for a while now but the shock of it still struck us hard.
Additionally, this is my senior year of college. I graduate in a month. That means things this entire school year has been hectic and chaotic for me. So I know I haven't talked a lot with new people I have added. In addition to school, I have founded and am running my own improv club on campus, which also takes up a lot of my free time. Also, I am in my school's theater production and recently, we've been having full tech rehearsals on top of my normal school workload and extracurriculars that wear me out, but it's worth it. And on top of that, as an English major, I have a lot of reading and writing I must do for classes. To be honest, there are times when I'm so exhausted from doing that that by the time I get a moment to be on the site, I don't feel like doing it some more.
I have gone through a huge self-discovery period that's been going on basically since fall of 2017. I've lost people who, at one point in time, I have considered friends. I realize now that maybe that wasn't the best way to describe things. My mental health has been a roller coaster lately and that also means my activity on the site is not as high. I've made changes to myself, some that I know not everyone is happy about. But it's made /me/ happier. And that's what matters.
For those of you who have stuck by my side through thick and thin, who have helped me realized my place on the site again -- even in an unconscious way -- and have built me up instead of trying to tear me down, thank you. Thank you so much, from the bottom of my heart. There was a point recently I thought about leaving. Now, that's not even on my mind. And that's in part thanks to you, my friends, no, my family. My writing family here.
As for my promise: I still will be on the site. I still will write. Just at the moment, I am crazy busy with my show opening tomorrow, a research paper due Friday, and getting my club situated so that after I'm gone, they will still have a structure to build upon. I will become a lot more available starting the 15th of this month but my full return will not be until after the 11th of May when I graduate college and start a new part of my life.
If you don't want to wait that long to start to write, I understand. Unfriend me and we can go our separate ways. However, if you wanna write and plot something, I'd love some kind of message. Just to let me know you're interested.
Thank you for reading everyone. I love you all and hope to hear from you soon. ❤
The Slate Race (Feat. @Photokinetic and @Magemance
@ScarletWarrior
*Wanda could sense that Donovan was starting to feel unwell even before he said anything to her or showed external symptoms. She did little things at first, adding a tiny bit of extra lemon to his tea in the evenings, letting him take longer naps, making sure his water glass was always full.*
*She knew it wasn't enough to strike down his cold entirely but it would at least make the worst of it much more bearable.*
*When it did start to show, she was much more adamant about making sure he got as much rest as possible.*
*Today she was up before him, silently slipping out of his arms and pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead. She pulled the blankets up around him and padded out, softly closing the door behind her. She descended the stairs towards the kitchen, pulling out some leftover chicken from last night.*
*She got to work making a meal for him, making sure that every measurement was precise and had an extra dash of her love.*
*Everything tasted better when it was made with love.*
*Once that and a cup of tea were made, she placed it on a tray and carried it upstairs. She flicked her fingers, causing the door the open on its own. She set the tray down on his bedside table before sitting on the edge of the bed, shaking him gently.*
"Good morning, my love. I brought you something."
*She kissed his forehead again before grabbing the tray. She waited until he was awake before setting it on his lap.*
"My mother's old recipe. There's a lot more where this came from. After having this a few times, it'll work its magic."
---
@Photokinetic
Donovan’s skin was becoming hard and brittle. Gray as concrete as it had been since he and Wanda spent three days subduing King Namor over the the Black Sea.
In the time they spent convincing the Atlantean King--through gaining his respect from physical violence--not to invade New York, Donovan came into contact with mosses and fungi that left him feeling sickly taking the barge back to shore.
Two nights later, his legs were beginning to stiffen. His back and shoulders cracked with loud announcement whenever he moved longer than five minutes. The other night getting ready before bed, skin cracked like paint chips off his arm into the sink.
The light of dawn put orange in his eyes past the slightly parted red curtains. Donovan looked mummified in the bedsheets. Sweated profusely along his forehead and cold, grey, discolored skin.
“…Wanda. Angel.”
"Good morning, my love. I brought you something."
His cough was weak. Like he had a punctured lung. “Dear, you don’t—“ Kaff. “—You don’t have to do anything special for m—“ Kaff, kaff, kaff, kaff.
Felt her arms secure themselves around his body. The kiss to his forehead. Returned her kiss and sat up. “Christ’s wounds. I’m becoming something that should have bolts in its neck.”
Speaking while his gaze lingered on the full glass of water from the tray. Reaching for it with trembling fingers. That, he indicated. Need /that/.
What ultimately stirred him, though, was the scent of the soup she had on the tray for him. Seasoned, cut-up chicken. Cilantro. Tomatoes and broccoli. It made his mouth water.
“I think I may be very well sick a little longer if you intend to cook for me like this.” His gaze moving from Wanda to the soup. “Looks delightful.”
"My mother's old recipe. There's a lot more where this came from. After having this a few times, it'll work its magic."
Probably literally so, given its chef.
Donovan picked up the spoon and smiled for her.
“I’m going to drink the bowlful down,” he sweated. “And enjoy every drop.”
The spoon out of his grip, crashing into the bowl.
He collapsed on the pillow, unconscious. Steady heartbeat, but weaker than the day before.
---
@ScarletWarrior
*With her now being able to see him more clearly in the sun, she saw the changes that had happened to him in the night. It scared her. No. It /terrified/ her. She didn't know what was going on and she didn't enjoy it one bit.*
*She didn't show him her fear, though, putting on a nurturing mask as she woke him. Her voice was gentle, much like how she'd wake up the kids every morning.*
*A frown touched her lips as he started to cough, hearing how it sounded, seeing the way his body shook. She rubbed his back, lips pressing to his forehead.*
*She managed a weak smile when he made reference to Frankenstein and saw the way he looked at the water. She grabbed it, handing it to him to take a sip from it before placing the tray onto his lap.*
*She smiled a genuine smile when his eyes gleamed when he saw the soup.* "Eat as much as you want."
*She rose to her feet.* "I'll be right back. I'm going to get a washcloth, see if I can do something about your fever."
*She patted his arm and started towards the door when she heard the spoon crash into the bowl. She spun around and shot out her hands, red tendrils keeping everything from spilling as she saw him knocked out.*
"Donovan!" *She rushed to his side, first checking for his pulse with shaking fingers. Panic was flooding through her veins when she first couldn't find it, but that was due to her own nerves.*
*When she found it, she let out a soft sigh of relief, knowing that they still had time. She grabbed her comm from her bedside table and put it in her ear as she tried to make him as comfortable as possible, readjusting the pillows and blankets around him.*
"Rose, come in."
*She waited for a response, fingers still trembling from the initial shock as she put everything on the tray, moving it out of the way.*
"I need your help. It's Donovan. It can't wait."
*Wanda could sense that Donovan was starting to feel unwell even before he said anything to her or showed external symptoms. She did little things at first, adding a tiny bit of extra lemon to his tea in the evenings, letting him take longer naps, making sure his water glass was always full.*
*She knew it wasn't enough to strike down his cold entirely but it would at least make the worst of it much more bearable.*
*When it did start to show, she was much more adamant about making sure he got as much rest as possible.*
*Today she was up before him, silently slipping out of his arms and pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead. She pulled the blankets up around him and padded out, softly closing the door behind her. She descended the stairs towards the kitchen, pulling out some leftover chicken from last night.*
*She got to work making a meal for him, making sure that every measurement was precise and had an extra dash of her love.*
*Everything tasted better when it was made with love.*
*Once that and a cup of tea were made, she placed it on a tray and carried it upstairs. She flicked her fingers, causing the door the open on its own. She set the tray down on his bedside table before sitting on the edge of the bed, shaking him gently.*
"Good morning, my love. I brought you something."
*She kissed his forehead again before grabbing the tray. She waited until he was awake before setting it on his lap.*
"My mother's old recipe. There's a lot more where this came from. After having this a few times, it'll work its magic."
---
@Photokinetic
Donovan’s skin was becoming hard and brittle. Gray as concrete as it had been since he and Wanda spent three days subduing King Namor over the the Black Sea.
In the time they spent convincing the Atlantean King--through gaining his respect from physical violence--not to invade New York, Donovan came into contact with mosses and fungi that left him feeling sickly taking the barge back to shore.
Two nights later, his legs were beginning to stiffen. His back and shoulders cracked with loud announcement whenever he moved longer than five minutes. The other night getting ready before bed, skin cracked like paint chips off his arm into the sink.
The light of dawn put orange in his eyes past the slightly parted red curtains. Donovan looked mummified in the bedsheets. Sweated profusely along his forehead and cold, grey, discolored skin.
“…Wanda. Angel.”
"Good morning, my love. I brought you something."
His cough was weak. Like he had a punctured lung. “Dear, you don’t—“ Kaff. “—You don’t have to do anything special for m—“ Kaff, kaff, kaff, kaff.
Felt her arms secure themselves around his body. The kiss to his forehead. Returned her kiss and sat up. “Christ’s wounds. I’m becoming something that should have bolts in its neck.”
Speaking while his gaze lingered on the full glass of water from the tray. Reaching for it with trembling fingers. That, he indicated. Need /that/.
What ultimately stirred him, though, was the scent of the soup she had on the tray for him. Seasoned, cut-up chicken. Cilantro. Tomatoes and broccoli. It made his mouth water.
“I think I may be very well sick a little longer if you intend to cook for me like this.” His gaze moving from Wanda to the soup. “Looks delightful.”
"My mother's old recipe. There's a lot more where this came from. After having this a few times, it'll work its magic."
Probably literally so, given its chef.
Donovan picked up the spoon and smiled for her.
“I’m going to drink the bowlful down,” he sweated. “And enjoy every drop.”
The spoon out of his grip, crashing into the bowl.
He collapsed on the pillow, unconscious. Steady heartbeat, but weaker than the day before.
---
@ScarletWarrior
*With her now being able to see him more clearly in the sun, she saw the changes that had happened to him in the night. It scared her. No. It /terrified/ her. She didn't know what was going on and she didn't enjoy it one bit.*
*She didn't show him her fear, though, putting on a nurturing mask as she woke him. Her voice was gentle, much like how she'd wake up the kids every morning.*
*A frown touched her lips as he started to cough, hearing how it sounded, seeing the way his body shook. She rubbed his back, lips pressing to his forehead.*
*She managed a weak smile when he made reference to Frankenstein and saw the way he looked at the water. She grabbed it, handing it to him to take a sip from it before placing the tray onto his lap.*
*She smiled a genuine smile when his eyes gleamed when he saw the soup.* "Eat as much as you want."
*She rose to her feet.* "I'll be right back. I'm going to get a washcloth, see if I can do something about your fever."
*She patted his arm and started towards the door when she heard the spoon crash into the bowl. She spun around and shot out her hands, red tendrils keeping everything from spilling as she saw him knocked out.*
"Donovan!" *She rushed to his side, first checking for his pulse with shaking fingers. Panic was flooding through her veins when she first couldn't find it, but that was due to her own nerves.*
*When she found it, she let out a soft sigh of relief, knowing that they still had time. She grabbed her comm from her bedside table and put it in her ear as she tried to make him as comfortable as possible, readjusting the pillows and blankets around him.*
"Rose, come in."
*She waited for a response, fingers still trembling from the initial shock as she put everything on the tray, moving it out of the way.*
"I need your help. It's Donovan. It can't wait."
Welcome Home (Feat. @Warp, @Photokinetic)
*Wanda had wanted to make sure everything was perfect for tonight. And it seemed like everything was: the twins were miraculously behaving like angels--no doubt planning to cause mischief later when everyone's backs were turned--she was going through all her housework with ease, and dinner had been placed in the oven long ago, ready to be taken out any minute now.*
*She and Donovan had been discussing the newest student she had started to mentor: Zach. She had told him she was concerned about him and how things would be handled if and when the government found out that not only was he a powerful ex-HYDRA experiment, he was also not a citizen. So they came up with a plan that was being set in place at this very moment.*
*She had given Zach her home address and invited him over to dinner. Any minute now she was expecting a knock on the door to let her know he was here. She was in the process of setting the table when she heard a knock on the door. She looked up, a grin on her face, as she called out* "Dear, can you come finish setting the table, please? I'll get the door."
*She placed a kiss on his cheek as he walked by her.* "We're doing a good thing here. I really do hope he says yes." *Then she went to the door and opened it, first greeting Zach with a hug.* "Zach, it's so good to see you again. Come in, dinner's almost ready!"
*She and Donovan had been discussing the newest student she had started to mentor: Zach. She had told him she was concerned about him and how things would be handled if and when the government found out that not only was he a powerful ex-HYDRA experiment, he was also not a citizen. So they came up with a plan that was being set in place at this very moment.*
*She had given Zach her home address and invited him over to dinner. Any minute now she was expecting a knock on the door to let her know he was here. She was in the process of setting the table when she heard a knock on the door. She looked up, a grin on her face, as she called out* "Dear, can you come finish setting the table, please? I'll get the door."
*She placed a kiss on his cheek as he walked by her.* "We're doing a good thing here. I really do hope he says yes." *Then she went to the door and opened it, first greeting Zach with a hug.* "Zach, it's so good to see you again. Come in, dinner's almost ready!"
The Good, the Bad, and the Demonic (Feat. @Photoki
*Wanda could sense that this had been coming for a while now. It had been months since the last episode, a time where she was fine and was able to live and enjoy her life while in it was lurking in the shadows, waiting for the right time to strike, slowly weakening her, grinding down until she was using every bit of energy just to keep her from sinking into its murky claws.*
*When Donovan had left for work, she was in a semi-decent shape but she knew sooner or later she'd have another internal battle with Chthon. It was the one thing that terrified her above everything else: over losing family, over people dying, over her powers causing harm. Because those things she had control over. That control was what she always fought over with him, trying desperately not to lose what little bit she had left.*
*She had wanted to ask him to stay him, wanted to beg him to stay with her while she fought but this was always something that needed to face alone. She didn't bring it up to someone unless she needed them to know she needed space. This always kept her bedridden for days, the longest being a week.*
*After she had the house to herself--the kids with the babysitter because she had talked to her ahead of time about this--she worked like normal, hoping that if she ignored it, it would go away (it never did). She was walking into the bedroom with a basket of clean laundry when she felt the familiar tug from inside, causing her to gasp and stumble, leaning against the wall for support.*
*The basket fell from her hands as she collapsed to her knees. She buried her face in her hands, her body trembling and in a cold sweat. Her eyes glowed red as she could hear the laughing in her head, taunting her, challenging her to the fight.*
*She slowly raised her head, her vision blurry. She needed to reach the nightstand on her side of the bed. There, she could access a bracelet she had enchanted that made this easier. She attempted to crawl there before that became too much energy to waste and she ended up curling up into a tight ball.*
"L-leave me alone." *Her voice trembled as she managed to whisper out the single sentence hoarsely. She could feel her powers crawling down her arms, inching towards her fingers at Chthon's command. She fought to suppress them, to keep them back.*
*With how still and pale she was, someone who glanced at her might assume she was dead. And if she lost this fight, she might as well be.*
*When Donovan had left for work, she was in a semi-decent shape but she knew sooner or later she'd have another internal battle with Chthon. It was the one thing that terrified her above everything else: over losing family, over people dying, over her powers causing harm. Because those things she had control over. That control was what she always fought over with him, trying desperately not to lose what little bit she had left.*
*She had wanted to ask him to stay him, wanted to beg him to stay with her while she fought but this was always something that needed to face alone. She didn't bring it up to someone unless she needed them to know she needed space. This always kept her bedridden for days, the longest being a week.*
*After she had the house to herself--the kids with the babysitter because she had talked to her ahead of time about this--she worked like normal, hoping that if she ignored it, it would go away (it never did). She was walking into the bedroom with a basket of clean laundry when she felt the familiar tug from inside, causing her to gasp and stumble, leaning against the wall for support.*
*The basket fell from her hands as she collapsed to her knees. She buried her face in her hands, her body trembling and in a cold sweat. Her eyes glowed red as she could hear the laughing in her head, taunting her, challenging her to the fight.*
*She slowly raised her head, her vision blurry. She needed to reach the nightstand on her side of the bed. There, she could access a bracelet she had enchanted that made this easier. She attempted to crawl there before that became too much energy to waste and she ended up curling up into a tight ball.*
"L-leave me alone." *Her voice trembled as she managed to whisper out the single sentence hoarsely. She could feel her powers crawling down her arms, inching towards her fingers at Chthon's command. She fought to suppress them, to keep them back.*
*With how still and pale she was, someone who glanced at her might assume she was dead. And if she lost this fight, she might as well be.*