Shipping itP II: Scourge of the Seven Seas

[Saurous]

Good god. AMENites/GloGers/HALOites be in your stories, stealin' your ships.
No, I'm not here to supply anything constructive. I just always wanted to say something to that effect.

[Raistlin1040]

Yes, but most S-Canon, particularly the Marvel Star Wars comics, is terrible.

Besides, that's Character Vespe with Character RHL. Much different.

[Vespe Ratavo]

Yes, but most S-Canon, particularly the Marvel Star Wars comics, is terrible.

Besides, that's Character Vespe with Character RHL. Much different.

Oh yeah, well...um...your...mom... is...a...character...

*hides in Raistlin-proof cardboard box*
*gets to writing MC/Magtok*

[Mr. Moon]

Ack! So many people! And none of them girls!

*does a quick Enny-meeny-miney-moe*

Huh. Interesting.

[Raistlin1040]

Interesting? How so?

*Is thinking of his own ship ideas anyway*

[Dallas-Dakota]

Jeez, don't stress out about it... It's not like I set a due date or anything...

I did for myself, because either I did it this weekend or I would´ve never gotten around to it. Sorry.

[Lord Magtok]

No...

Magtok/Darth Vader.

The force is strong in you, Magtok.

Use it's power. Use all your manly might, and the force will grow evermore greater.

... Please excuse me, going to the brain acid lake.

Don't waste it all on yourself, I'll be headed there next.

[PhoeKun]

I did for myself, because either I did it this weekend or I would´ve never gotten around to it. Sorry.

Well, whatever then. I'd rather you didn't do it at all than cause yourself so much needless anxiety.

[Fan]

Well, whatever then. I'd rather you didn't do it at all than cause yourself so much needless anxiety.

Well I'm sorry you didn't get your ship Phoe.
*offers Ice cream*
But, hey look on the bright side Vespe may be taking it up if we can manage to stop bombarding him with requests long enough.

[Mr. Moon]

Interesting? How so?

*Is thinking of his own ship ideas anyway*

*rubs hands together evily* You'll see.

[Thufir]

Ack! So many people! And none of them girls!

And this surprises you? I'm surprised you didn't get more volunteers. I'll grant you the lack of girls is surprising.

[Vespe Ratavo]

Hmm...stupid writer's block. I've got nothing. Anyone have suggestions for MC/Magtok?

[Thufir]

No ideas for you myself, but you could try this I suppose. Of course I can't guarantee it'll give you good ideas...

[Vespe Ratavo]

Moon Called and Lord Magtok avoid rodents while fighting in disguise?

That's...actually...not...bad.

I'm impressed. And now I'm writing.

[Raistlin1040]

Aerosmith!

Oh wait, that's my suggestion for everything...

I'm out of words now to provide URL links to.

[happyturtle]

I don't volunteer anymore because I've been shipped with half the playground, and I figure I should let someone else have a chance. But I wouldn't mind being shipped with the other half too. I'm just that kind of girl.

Hey, someone ship me with Vepse.

[Raistlin1040]

Horse Latitudes: Vespe/HappyTurtle

Spoiler

Show

Vespe sat on the Good League of Good coach, bored. He had rented the Original Star Wars Trilogy to watch with HappyTurtle, who had said that she wanted to watch it with him. Of course, then Fanboy asked her out on a date, and she just couldn't refuse his offer. After all, he's just SO cute.

Vespe rolled his eyes. Fanboy wasn't her type at all. He couldn't think of any major differences the two had off the top of his head, but damn it, he knew there were some! He heard the doorbell ring, but didn't get up to answer it. It rang again, and then a third time.

Alright, jeez, I'm coming. He stood up and opened the door. It was Happyturtle. She blushed.

Sorry Vespe, I forgot my key... She said. Vespe raised an eyebrow.

I thought you weren't supposed to be back for another hour or so? He asked, confused. Happyturtle shrugged.

Yeah, well, turns out he got reservations and apparently my clothes weren't fancy enough. She chuckled slightly, gesturing to her jeans and t-shirt. So we just went on a walk, talked. You know.

Vespe nodded. So, how was it? He said, trying to sound interested, but probably coming across as aloof. She shrugged again.

It was alright. We don't have a lot in common really.

Huh.

So, I saw that you got the movies. Since it's still pretty earlier, you want to watch?

Sure. Vespe popped A New Hope into the DVD player and started it up. They two watched the movie on the couch, huddled together. After it was over, HappyTurtle yawned.

We can watch the other two tomorrow alright? Vespe nodded.

Yeah. Be honest, which was better, your date with Fanboy, or hanging out with me? He asked. She giggled.

You, easily. She smiled and kissed his cheek before heading off into her room. Vespe blinked.

Huh.

So many of my stories have a tendency to get really long and wordy, so I tried to make this one a little shorter.

[happyturtle]

Horse Latitudes: Vespe/HappyTurtle

Spoiler

Show

Vespe sat on the Good League of Good coach, bored. He had rented the Original Star Wars Trilogy to watch with HappyTurtle, who had said that she wanted to watch it with him. Of course, then Fanboy asked her out on a date, and she just couldn't refuse his offer. After all, he's just SO cute.

Vespe rolled his eyes. Fanboy wasn't her type at all. He couldn't think of any major differences the two had off the top of his head, but damn it, he knew there were some! He heard the doorbell ring, but didn't get up to answer it. It rang again, and then a third time.

Alright, jeez, I'm coming. He stood up and opened the door. It was Happyturtle. She blushed.

Sorry Vespe, I forgot my key... She said. Vespe raised an eyebrow.

I thought you weren't supposed to be back for another hour or so? He asked, confused. Happyturtle shrugged.

Yeah, well, turns out he got reservations and apparently my clothes weren't fancy enough. She chuckled slightly, gesturing to her jeans and t-shirt. So we just went on a walk, talked. You know.

Vespe nodded. So, how was it? He said, trying to sound interested, but probably coming across as aloof. She shrugged again.

It was alright. We don't have a lot in common really.

Huh.

So, I saw that you got the movies. Since it's still pretty earlier, you want to watch?

Sure. Vespe popped A New Hope into the DVD player and started it up. They two watched the movie on the couch, huddled together. After it was over, HappyTurtle yawned.

We can watch the other two tomorrow alright? Vespe nodded.

Yeah. Be honest, which was better, your date with Fanboy, or hanging out with me? He asked. She giggled.

You, easily. She smiled and kissed his cheek before heading off into her room. Vespe blinked.

Huh.

So many of my stories have a tendency to get really long and wordy, so I tried to make this one a little shorter.

Awww... that's so sweet.

(Of course I probably told Fan the same thing. Cause I'm fickle that way.)

[Mr. Moon]

Awww, that's sweet.

[CurlyKitGirl]

My heart is in a breaky mood. I'm going for all out heartbreak in this one. Please tell me if I suceed.

Maggy/RHL

Veneers - (song: Tainted Hatred. Recommended listening)

Spoiler

Show

Maggy had been taught from the time he was a small boy to be a mask. He had never been able to relate the emotions he felt to what he wanted to say. He was shamed by his imperfection; his uselessness with words and, and feelings scarred him deep down. His desperate wish to be perfect for his parents. But most especially his father.
His idol.
So he taught himself to be stone. Never changing.
He knew he was the one who ruined their happy family. Mother was beautiful, strong, a warrior; Father was a true leader, compassionate but a magnificent strategist. He was an emotionless doll. Scared his parents because he was unable to spin words together to say how he felt. So he hid them.
Lacquered himself in layer after layer of veneer. Each one thinner than a breath, but they built up so much he almost truly forgot he had ever had emotions.
Then, when he thought he was dead inside, safe from the imperfection that was himself Father had been seen entering back into the compound late at night. And only Maggy knew. He was smart, it didn't take him long to realise his beloved Father was cheating on Mother.
And she knew.
It was all his fault that Mother and Father divorced; he was so flawed and shattered he cracked apart the perfect marriage like a wedge. And father brought his new Woman into the compound, Mother left, he never saw her again. The Woman was already pregnant when she tok over his Mothers' place in their home. His once - home.
The pain hurt so much it cracked through all of his specially laid walls and he had screamed, cried, wished to know why. Why? "TELL ME! WHY DON'T YOU LOVE ME? IS IT BECAUSE I CAN'T SHOW EMOTION LIKE YOU?! SEE ME! SEE ME! I'M EMOTIONAL? WHY DO YOU LOVE HER AND THE UNBORN BRAT MORE THAN ME?! DO YOU WANT A PERFECT HEIR WHO CAN SMILE AND LAUGH?!
"LOVE BREAKS EVERYTHING! I'LL NEVER LOVE! NEVER." And some three months later, when assassins had found the secret place where that Woman was secluded until the Other Child had been born Father - still most loved, and most hated - had died to save them. Truly abandoning his imperfect firstborn son. His broken practice piece.
That Woman died several years later; the Other Child, he didn't care about. Maggy had what he wanted. Barely seventeen, and in control of his own empire; but controlling from the shadows; always absent. But perfect as he knew how. His veneered ice performed well for him. Kept the feelings away from where they could be witnessed in all their writhing wrongness.
And then one day on his travels near AMEN where none knew his lineage he found a girl sitting by the trackside humming.
He had recently lost his arm and his cybernetic implants weren't as sophisticated then. To his embarrassment, left railing against the deepest, darkest stained veneer, one of the vital components had shorted and pretty much exploded in his face. Of course, this was no fairy tale, it had happened when she was almost out of sight. But still she came to help, talking all the while filling his customary silence with the annoying sound of chatter. He learnt that her name was RabbitHoleLost, "But everyone calls me RHL." and she was a new AMENite.
Bemused, when she asked to accompany him wherever he was going, for she knew it must have been to AMEN, he consented; thus breaking his long kept edicts. 'Keep alone; no companions; never show your true feelings, they will only bring harm . . . ' and so on.
Time passes, as it always does. RHL was a constant companion with the solitary ruler in self - imposed exile. He still didn't know why he allowed her to stay, he always left her the option to do as she wished so whatever pain she endured he could say she brought upon herself for not leaving; and she stayed.
She was prone to nightmares, whimpering things of darkness so bleak that even the cruellest of human monsters would quail at her memories; but he found it impossible to compare her old life with the one she showed normally. Happy, laughing and as innocent an AMENite as an AMENite could be. But in the day she never spoke of what stalked her nights. He, unused to comfort - receiving and giving - did his best. At first he left her alone to cope with the Bad Things, but slowly he began to learn the art of easing fears. "Hush, you are safe. Dream can't hurt you. I am here." Short, calm sentences that gently washed away the terrors that kept her imprisoned in their world screaming for help so needed it burned.
Then he would hold her as she twisted and writhed so she wouldn't harm herself in her near convulsions. And he would listen to her half drowsed thanks. "Maggums, thank you." soon became "Maggums . . . love you . . . " and with so few, heart - felt words, spoken unknowingly, and thus more truthful than anything spoken in wakefulness, washed away the stained prison on his feelings. Only a small section was gone, but he allowed himself to feel, especially around her. The one he loved above all others.
She knew him and not his facade of implacability and ice.
But even for her he held back the damn of emotions. He still feared his flaw. Silence was safe for he could not speak the words that were wrong and hurt others. Ice and layers would save face.
He didn't want to break her confidence in him by not being perfect.
She was his love; held his soul. Never wanted to let her go. Even though he knew she would die before her. Cyborgs - even half - human ones - lived far longer than even a mortal touched by the warp in reality that was AMEN. His now home.
That realisation was the one that made him slowly crack. He knew how she felt, she even said it to him. He knew she could read beyond his dead mask, but he was imprisoned in his silence. Unable to speak what he needed to.
Until it was too late.
The Other Child, Father's bastard offspring had tracked him down at AMEN. Wanted something; he never knew what exactly. A haze of uncontrollable anger had descended over his vision. His cyborg eye gleamed a demonic red in the half - light. The watchers of AMEN stood at the windows, gazing eagerly at the scene outside, safe. Wanted to see their sometime leader do something.
For even the newest watcher could see the familial resemblance between their Maggy and this one.
Interloper. Claimant.
Uncouth.
He stood, defensive, protecting his RHL, his AMEN, his friends, for he considered them such even if he never showed it or allowed himself to truly acknowledge them as them. For to love and care was to break things beyond repair.
He wanted this life of his whole.
The glacier that was the Lord Magtok shattered spectacularly under the harsh, accusative words of the Other Child. Wanting the only thing Father had left him. But he had ripped it was Fathers' grasp the night of the confrontation.
No. Not his. Mine! Only this, this and his new life; these were inviolate and he would not suffer them to be taken away even though he knew his new found heart would break as each one died.
He drew his weapon. Aimed at his half - brother.

RHL knew of Maggy's brother before he did. In a way. She had heard of the rumours for a long time and she knew that he did not hate his half - brother. Maggy had even saved his business from being taken over by a rival; protected him from assassins. Always from the shadows.
But still she feared for them both. And always for her Lord who had her heart in his possession.
Seizing the courage she was known for she stepped out between the two brothers. "Stop."

Maggy saw nothing but his brother trying to take away his last memories of happiness.
He fired.

The Other Child saw his hated sibling. Nothing more; though he did glimpse vibrant orange on the periphery once or twice, he had eyes only for the one who had what he wanted.
He fired.

She was hit. Twice. Stomach and chest.
Her small frame crumpled up like an unwanted card and dropped to the ground. Pain twisting her features; tears gathering in her eyes, on the verge of falling.
And she only looked at Maggy.

"R . . . H . . . L . . . " He dropped the weapon. Oh gods. No, not her. No.
No.
No!
They were meant to be forever together! Not this. No! NO! He staggered to her broken body; watchers seeing tears and unbridled emotion raging across Maggy's face.
Just looking at him hurt. All but the other one knew that RHL and Maggy meant more to each other than they wanted to admit.
And now this . . .
Cradling her body he ran desperately to the infirmary. Many had survived wounds deadly here than this. But never outside. inside was safer; more warped. Death was easy to shirk inside.
Noone had ever been injured this badly outside when not on a GodModded Plot.
He didn't want her to die.
He needed her! His mind was chaotic, only one coherent thought raced through it: Don't leave don't leave don'tleavedon'tleavedon'tleave!
No; not now.
By the time he reached the infirmary - it had never felt so far away before - she had lost so much blood. His robes now darker than black with her sticky blood. He had never been repulsed by blood before. He wanted to retch. But RHL.
He knew she was fading. Unconscious, breathing so shallowly he had to stare to even see her chest rise minutely.
His heart broke.
Nothing he could do. Again feeling had broke his family. And he couldn't say anything to her; his throat, chest, heart, all felt to heavy. Barely able to breathe.
No words. He wanted to, but none came. She wouldn't have been able to hear him anyway.

And she died.

He keened; grief echoing wildly through the air, his call.

Outside, AMENites who had been there from the beginning; knew him longest kept their mourning vigil as they murdered the insensitive ones. The veterans knew when decorum was called for. They all missed their insane hatter too.
But to intrude upon his grief. They would not commit such sacrilege.
Damn that intruder.
RHL gone mind and soul and body.
Maggy gone heart and soul.

He would never recover. His veneers grew thicker than ever, the bound grief poisoning him eternally; blaming himself for her death.
His emotions.
He had loved; despite what he promised Father. And every word he had said back then was true, apart from that.
Feelings kill everyone you care about. Best not to care; that way you don't hurt.

EDIT:
!
Holy smeg!
This is my longest single piece to date. 1868 words!

[Vespe Ratavo]

Raistlin: A very sweet and well-written fic.
Curly: You succeeded.

...

Oh, right, that writing thing. I should probably be doing that.

*flees*

[PhoeKun]

My heart is in a breaky mood. I'm going for all out heartbreak in this one. Please tell me if I suceed.

Maggy/RHL

Veneers

Spoiler

Show

Maggy had been taught from the time he was a small boy to be a mask. He had never been able to relate the emtions he felt to what he wanted to say. He was shamed by his imperfection; his uselessness with words and, and feelings scarred him. His desparate wish to be perfect for his parents. But most especially his father.
His idol.
So he taught himself to be stone. Never changing.
He knew he was the one who ruined their happy family. Mother was beautiful, strong, a warrior; Father was a true leader, compassionate but a magnificent strategist. He was an emotionless doll. Scared his parents because he was unable to spin words together to say how he felt. So he hid them.
Lacquered himself in layer after layer of veneer. Each one thinner than a breath, but they built up so much he almost truly forgot he had ever had emotions.
Then, when he thought he was dead inside, safe from the imperfection that was himself Father had been seen entering back into the compound late at night. And only Maggy knew. He was smart, it didn't take him long to realise his beloved Father was cheating on Mother.
And she knew.
It was all his fault that Mother and Father divorced; he was so flawed and shattered he cracked apart the perfect marriage like a wedge. And father brought his new Woman into the compound, Mother left, he never saw her again. The Woman was already pregnant when she tok over his Mothers' place in their home. His once - home.
The pain hurt so much it cracked through all of his specially laid walls and he had screamed, cried, wished to know why. Why? "TELL ME! WHY DON'T YOU LOVE ME? IS IT BECAUSE I CAN'T SHOW EMOTION LIKE YOU?! SEE ME! SEE ME! I'M EMOTIONAL? WHY DO YOU LOVE HER AND THE UNBORN BRAT MORE THAN ME?! DO YOU WANT A PERFECT HEIR WHO CAN SMILE AND LAUGH?!
"LOVE BREAKS EVERYTHING! I'LL NEVER LOVE! NEVER." And some three months later, when assassins had found the secret place where that Woman was secluded until the Other Child had been born Father - still most loved, and most hated - had died to save them. Truly abandoning his imperfect firstborn son. His broken practice piece.
That Woman died several years later; the Other Child, he didn't care about. Maggy had what he wanted. Barely seventeen, and in control of his own empire; but controlling from the shadows; always absent. But perfect as he knew how. His veneered ice performed well for him. Kept the feelings away from where they could be witnessed in all their withing wrongness.
And then one day on his travels near AMEN where none knew his lineage he found a girl sitting by the trackside humming.
He had recently lost his arm and his cybernetic implants weren't as sophisticated then. To his embarrassment, left railing against the deepest, darkest stained veneer, one of the vital components had shorted and pretty much exploded in his face. Of course, this was no fairy tale, it had happened when she was almost out of sight. But still she came to help, talking all the while filling his customary silence with the annoying sound of chatter. He learnt that her name was RabbitHoleLost, "But everyone calls me RHL." and she was a new AMENite.
Bemused, when she asked to accompany him wherever he was going, for she knew it must have been to AMEN, he consented; thus breaking his long kept edicts. 'Keep alone; no companions; never show your true feelings, they will only bring harm . . . ' and so on.
Time passes, as it always does. RHL was a constant companion with the solitary ruler in self - imposed exile. He still didn't know why he allowed her to stay, he always left her the option to do as she wished so whatever pain she endured he could say she brought upon herself for not leaving; and she stayed.
She was prone to nightmares, whimpering things of darkness so bleak that even the cruelest of human monsters would quail at her memories; but he found it impossible to compare her old life with the one she showed normally. HAppy, laughing and as innocent an AMENite as an AMENite could be. But in the day she never spoke of what stalked her nights. He, unused to comfort - receiving and giving - did his best. At first he left her alone to cope with the Bad Things, but slowly he began to learn the art of easing fears. "Hush, you are safe. Dream can't hurt you. I am here." Short, calm sentences that gently washed away the terrors that kept her imprisoned in their world screaming for help so needed it burned.
Then he would hold her as she twisted and writhed so she wouldn't harm herself in her near convulsions. And he would listen to her half drowsed thanks. "Maggums, thank you." soon became "Maggums . . . love you . . . " and with so few, heart - felt words, spoken unknowingly, and thus more truthful than anything spoken in wakefulness, washed away the stained prison on his feelings. Only a small section was gone, but he allowed himself to feel, especially around her. The one he loved above all others.
She knew him and not his facade of implacability and ice.
But even for her he held back the damn of emotions. He still feared his flaw. Silence was safe for he could not speak the words that were wrong and hurt others. Ice and layers would save face.
He didn't want to break her confidence in him by not being perfect.
She was his love; held his soul. Never wanted to let her go. Even though he knew she would die before her. Cyborgs - even half - human ones - lived far longer than even a mortal touched by the warp in relaity that was AMEN. His now home.
That realisation was the one that made him slowly crack. He knew how she felt, she even said it to him. He knew she could read beyond his dead mask, but he was imprisoned in his sielnce. Unable to speak what he needed to.
Until it was too late.
The Other Child, Father's bastard offspring had tracked him down at AMEN. Wanted something; he never knew what exactly. A haze of uncontrollable anger had descended over his vision. His cyborg eye gleamed a demonic red in the half - light. The watchers of AMEN stood at the windows, gazing eagerly at the scene outside, safe. Wanted to see their sometime leader do something.
For even the newest watcher could see the familial resemblance between their Maggy and this one.
Interloper. Claimant.
Uncouth.
He stood, defensive, protecting his RHL, his AMEN, his friends, for he considered them such even if he never showed it or allowed himself to truly acknowledge them as them. For to love and care was to break things beyond repair.
He wanted this lfe of his whole.
The glacier that was the Lord Magtok shattered spectacularly under the harsh, accusative words of the Other Child. Wanting the only thing Father had left him. But he had ripped it was Fathers' grasp the night of the confrontation.
No. Not his. Mine! Only this, this and his new life; these were inviolate and he would not suffer them to be taken away even though he knew his new found heart would break as each one died.
He drew his weapon. Aimed at his half - brother.

RHL knew of Maggy's brother before he did. In a way. She had heard of the rumours for a long time and she knew that he did not hate his half - brother. Maggy had even saved his business from being taken over by a rival; protected him from assassins. Always from the shadows.
But still she feared for them both. And always for her Lord who had her heart in his possession.
Seizing the courage she was known for she stepped out between the two brothers. "Stop."

Maggy saw nothing but his brother trying to take away his last memories of happiness.
He fired.

The Other Child saw his hated sibling. Nothing more; though he did glimpse vibrant orange on the periphary once or twice, he had eyes only for the one who had what he wanted.
He fired.

She was hit. Twice. Stomach and chest.
Her small frame crumpled up like an unwanted card and dropped to the ground. Pain twisting her features; tears gathering in her eys, on the verge of falling.
And she only looked at Maggy.

"R . . . H . . . L . . . " He dropped the weapon. Oh gods. No, not her. No.
No.
No!
They were meant to be forever together! Not this. No! NO! He staggered to her broken body; watchers seeing tears and unbridled emotion raging across Maggy's face.
Just looking at him hurt. All but the other one knew that RHL and Maggy meant more to each other than they wanted to admit.
And now this . . .
Cradling her body he ran desparately to the infirmary. Many had survived wounds deadly here than this. But never outside. inside was safer; more warped. Death was easy to shirk inside.
Noone had ever been injured this badly outside when not on a GodModded Plot.
He didn't want her to die.
He needed her! His mind was chaotic, only one coherent thought raced through it: Don't leave don't leave don'tleavedon'tleavedon'tleave!
No; not now.
By the time he reached the infirmary - it had never felt so far away before - she had lost so much blood. His robes now darker than black with her sticky blood. He had never been replused by blood before. He wanted to retch. But RHL.
He knew she was fading. Unconscious, breathing so shallowly he had to stare to even see her chest rise minutely.
His heart broke.
Nothing he could do. Again feeling had broke his family. And he couldn't say anything to her; his throat, chest, heart, all felt to heavy. Barely able to breathe.
No words. He wanted to, but none came. She wouldn't have been able to hear him anyway.

And she died.

He keened; grief echoing wildly hrough the air, his call.

Outside, AMENites who had been there from the beinginning, knew him longest kept thier mourning vigil as they murdered the insensitive ones. The veterans knew when decorum was called for. They all missed their insane hatter too.
But to intrude upon his grief. They would not commit such sacrilege.
Damn that intruder.
RHL gone mind and soul and body.
Maggy gone heart and soul.

He would never recover. His veneers grew thicker than ever, the bound grief poisoning him eternally; blaming himself for her death.
His emotions.
He had loved; despite what he promised Father. And every word he had said back then was true, apart from that.
Feelings kill everyone you care about. Best not to care; that way you don't hurt.

EDIT:
!
Holy smeg!
This is my longest single piece to date. 1866 words!

I don't really know much about AMEN. No real ties to the characters.

...Still cried.

[Mr. Moon]

That's... Oh man, Curly. That was beautiful. I'm crying.

And I have the perfect back ground music for it.

[Saint Nil]

My heart is in a breaky mood. I'm going for all out heartbreak in this one. Please tell me if I suceed.

Maggy/RHL

Veneers

Spoiler

Show

Maggy had been taught from the time he was a small boy to be a mask. He had never been able to relate the emtions he felt to what he wanted to say. He was shamed by his imperfection; his uselessness with words and, and feelings scarred him. His desparate wish to be perfect for his parents. But most especially his father.
His idol.
So he taught himself to be stone. Never changing.
He knew he was the one who ruined their happy family. Mother was beautiful, strong, a warrior; Father was a true leader, compassionate but a magnificent strategist. He was an emotionless doll. Scared his parents because he was unable to spin words together to say how he felt. So he hid them.
Lacquered himself in layer after layer of veneer. Each one thinner than a breath, but they built up so much he almost truly forgot he had ever had emotions.
Then, when he thought he was dead inside, safe from the imperfection that was himself Father had been seen entering back into the compound late at night. And only Maggy knew. He was smart, it didn't take him long to realise his beloved Father was cheating on Mother.
And she knew.
It was all his fault that Mother and Father divorced; he was so flawed and shattered he cracked apart the perfect marriage like a wedge. And father brought his new Woman into the compound, Mother left, he never saw her again. The Woman was already pregnant when she tok over his Mothers' place in their home. His once - home.
The pain hurt so much it cracked through all of his specially laid walls and he had screamed, cried, wished to know why. Why? "TELL ME! WHY DON'T YOU LOVE ME? IS IT BECAUSE I CAN'T SHOW EMOTION LIKE YOU?! SEE ME! SEE ME! I'M EMOTIONAL? WHY DO YOU LOVE HER AND THE UNBORN BRAT MORE THAN ME?! DO YOU WANT A PERFECT HEIR WHO CAN SMILE AND LAUGH?!
"LOVE BREAKS EVERYTHING! I'LL NEVER LOVE! NEVER." And some three months later, when assassins had found the secret place where that Woman was secluded until the Other Child had been born Father - still most loved, and most hated - had died to save them. Truly abandoning his imperfect firstborn son. His broken practice piece.
That Woman died several years later; the Other Child, he didn't care about. Maggy had what he wanted. Barely seventeen, and in control of his own empire; but controlling from the shadows; always absent. But perfect as he knew how. His veneered ice performed well for him. Kept the feelings away from where they could be witnessed in all their withing wrongness.
And then one day on his travels near AMEN where none knew his lineage he found a girl sitting by the trackside humming.
He had recently lost his arm and his cybernetic implants weren't as sophisticated then. To his embarrassment, left railing against the deepest, darkest stained veneer, one of the vital components had shorted and pretty much exploded in his face. Of course, this was no fairy tale, it had happened when she was almost out of sight. But still she came to help, talking all the while filling his customary silence with the annoying sound of chatter. He learnt that her name was RabbitHoleLost, "But everyone calls me RHL." and she was a new AMENite.
Bemused, when she asked to accompany him wherever he was going, for she knew it must have been to AMEN, he consented; thus breaking his long kept edicts. 'Keep alone; no companions; never show your true feelings, they will only bring harm . . . ' and so on.
Time passes, as it always does. RHL was a constant companion with the solitary ruler in self - imposed exile. He still didn't know why he allowed her to stay, he always left her the option to do as she wished so whatever pain she endured he could say she brought upon herself for not leaving; and she stayed.
She was prone to nightmares, whimpering things of darkness so bleak that even the cruelest of human monsters would quail at her memories; but he found it impossible to compare her old life with the one she showed normally. HAppy, laughing and as innocent an AMENite as an AMENite could be. But in the day she never spoke of what stalked her nights. He, unused to comfort - receiving and giving - did his best. At first he left her alone to cope with the Bad Things, but slowly he began to learn the art of easing fears. "Hush, you are safe. Dream can't hurt you. I am here." Short, calm sentences that gently washed away the terrors that kept her imprisoned in their world screaming for help so needed it burned.
Then he would hold her as she twisted and writhed so she wouldn't harm herself in her near convulsions. And he would listen to her half drowsed thanks. "Maggums, thank you." soon became "Maggums . . . love you . . . " and with so few, heart - felt words, spoken unknowingly, and thus more truthful than anything spoken in wakefulness, washed away the stained prison on his feelings. Only a small section was gone, but he allowed himself to feel, especially around her. The one he loved above all others.
She knew him and not his facade of implacability and ice.
But even for her he held back the damn of emotions. He still feared his flaw. Silence was safe for he could not speak the words that were wrong and hurt others. Ice and layers would save face.
He didn't want to break her confidence in him by not being perfect.
She was his love; held his soul. Never wanted to let her go. Even though he knew she would die before her. Cyborgs - even half - human ones - lived far longer than even a mortal touched by the warp in relaity that was AMEN. His now home.
That realisation was the one that made him slowly crack. He knew how she felt, she even said it to him. He knew she could read beyond his dead mask, but he was imprisoned in his sielnce. Unable to speak what he needed to.
Until it was too late.
The Other Child, Father's bastard offspring had tracked him down at AMEN. Wanted something; he never knew what exactly. A haze of uncontrollable anger had descended over his vision. His cyborg eye gleamed a demonic red in the half - light. The watchers of AMEN stood at the windows, gazing eagerly at the scene outside, safe. Wanted to see their sometime leader do something.
For even the newest watcher could see the familial resemblance between their Maggy and this one.
Interloper. Claimant.
Uncouth.
He stood, defensive, protecting his RHL, his AMEN, his friends, for he considered them such even if he never showed it or allowed himself to truly acknowledge them as them. For to love and care was to break things beyond repair.
He wanted this lfe of his whole.
The glacier that was the Lord Magtok shattered spectacularly under the harsh, accusative words of the Other Child. Wanting the only thing Father had left him. But he had ripped it was Fathers' grasp the night of the confrontation.
No. Not his. Mine! Only this, this and his new life; these were inviolate and he would not suffer them to be taken away even though he knew his new found heart would break as each one died.
He drew his weapon. Aimed at his half - brother.

RHL knew of Maggy's brother before he did. In a way. She had heard of the rumours for a long time and she knew that he did not hate his half - brother. Maggy had even saved his business from being taken over by a rival; protected him from assassins. Always from the shadows.
But still she feared for them both. And always for her Lord who had her heart in his possession.
Seizing the courage she was known for she stepped out between the two brothers. "Stop."

Maggy saw nothing but his brother trying to take away his last memories of happiness.
He fired.

The Other Child saw his hated sibling. Nothing more; though he did glimpse vibrant orange on the periphary once or twice, he had eyes only for the one who had what he wanted.
He fired.

She was hit. Twice. Stomach and chest.
Her small frame crumpled up like an unwanted card and dropped to the ground. Pain twisting her features; tears gathering in her eys, on the verge of falling.
And she only looked at Maggy.

"R . . . H . . . L . . . " He dropped the weapon. Oh gods. No, not her. No.
No.
No!
They were meant to be forever together! Not this. No! NO! He staggered to her broken body; watchers seeing tears and unbridled emotion raging across Maggy's face.
Just looking at him hurt. All but the other one knew that RHL and Maggy meant more to each other than they wanted to admit.
And now this . . .
Cradling her body he ran desparately to the infirmary. Many had survived wounds deadly here than this. But never outside. inside was safer; more warped. Death was easy to shirk inside.
Noone had ever been injured this badly outside when not on a GodModded Plot.
He didn't want her to die.
He needed her! His mind was chaotic, only one coherent thought raced through it: Don't leave don't leave don'tleavedon'tleavedon'tleave!
No; not now.
By the time he reached the infirmary - it had never felt so far away before - she had lost so much blood. His robes now darker than black with her sticky blood. He had never been replused by blood before. He wanted to retch. But RHL.
He knew she was fading. Unconscious, breathing so shallowly he had to stare to even see her chest rise minutely.
His heart broke.
Nothing he could do. Again feeling had broke his family. And he couldn't say anything to her; his throat, chest, heart, all felt to heavy. Barely able to breathe.
No words. He wanted to, but none came. She wouldn't have been able to hear him anyway.

And she died.

He keened; grief echoing wildly hrough the air, his call.

Outside, AMENites who had been there from the beinginning, knew him longest kept thier mourning vigil as they murdered the insensitive ones. The veterans knew when decorum was called for. They all missed their insane hatter too.
But to intrude upon his grief. They would not commit such sacrilege.
Damn that intruder.
RHL gone mind and soul and body.
Maggy gone heart and soul.

He would never recover. His veneers grew thicker than ever, the bound grief poisoning him eternally; blaming himself for her death.
His emotions.
He had loved; despite what he promised Father. And every word he had said back then was true, apart from that.
Feelings kill everyone you care about. Best not to care; that way you don't hurt.

EDIT:
!
Holy smeg!
This is my longest single piece to date. 1866 words!

That, that was amazing Curly.

[CurlyKitGirl]

That's... Oh man, Curly. That was beautiful. I'm crying.

And I have the perfect back ground music for it.

It is. And it's now been edited into the title as a link. I reread it with that music and it's just so much more emotional with that in the background.
Made me cry as well.

[Lyinginbedmon]

The Shaw Series: Chapter 1

Spoiler

Show

His head was pounding, the large lump from the 2x4 still throbbing at the back, hunger stabbing at his stomach, as he came to. He rubbed it gingerly, and sat up in his seat at the table.

His immediate thought was the natural one, standing up, but this quickly proved pointless when he noticed the shackle around his ankles, tethering him to the bolted table.

What was it that he last remembered? Walking through the department store looking for supplies, for a "lost Citadel" it needed a lot of roof and ceiling repair these days. He had decided against sending on the staff, certainly their lack of visible eyes would have impaired consumer purchases. He was understandably questioning that decision now.

Looking around, the room was still dark. He could make out vague details, like the table and the chair, and that it was roughly rectangular. He was sitting approximately in the center of the room, a large object hanging on the wall to his left. He couldn't make out what it was until the dim light glowed into visibility above the table, revealing it to be a mirror. The whole room was plastic, and a sterile white colour. The occasional dark stain lent a sense of darker history to the place.

It also revealed a letter on the table, still sealed in an envelope.

Cautious and suspicious, but with little else to do, he picked it up and began opening it. Having seen the trick played before, he flicked his arcane eyes on and off again, seeing no trace of any mystic runes on the letter.

"Dear Mr Minoblendy" it said, "You don't know me, and with all luck you never will, but you will definitely want to know where you are and what you are doing here, so I suggest strongly that you keep reading."

A frown crested his eyes as he continued, already he disliked this author.

"The room you are in is part of a three-room complex. One of those rooms is identical to the one you are in right now, and inside it is someone else much like yourself. Except, she is here to bring you to your knees, so that she can leave.

You see there is a puzzle Mr Minoblendy that will set you free, and another puzzle that will set her free. But if one is solved, the other is moot.

Your puzzle is simple, Igon. What force in the universe cannot be destroyed or created, but is short lived and fickle?"

He thought for a moment, physics equations racing through his mind, but his concentration was shattered by a loud banging noise as his shackles burst off of his legs in a small explosion of thermite.

"Oh yes, this will hurt." the letter ended. He cringed at his new freedom as his ankles repaired themselves, distant reminders of a past he'd rather forget as the torn and knotted sinews retied themselves.

Freed from his binds, he quickly made for the door.

The next room was semi-circular. There was two chairs and a square table, the same colour as the last, but this room had no stains and the lighting, far from the flickering fluorescent bulb of the last room, was well illuminated like a restaurant kitchen.

On the note of kitchens, he quickly saw the small kitchenette that adorned one side of the area, cold steel and aluminium setting it clearly apart from the rest of the furniture. Almost instantly, it was missing a whole bunch of grapes. He was starving after all.

He swiftly spun on his heels at the sound of a door creaking open. She was stood there in the doorway looking straight at him in a visage that said she was already afraid of him. He had to think that if his mouth wasn't stuffed full of grapes he would have had the same expression.

He choked on them for a brief moment, making her laugh. Freshly cheered up, she made the first move to communication.

"Hi"

I'm kinda busy right now, so if I don't continue this within a week, please kick me.

[RabbitHoleLost]

My heart is in a breaky mood. I'm going for all out heartbreak in this one. Please tell me if I suceed.

Maggy/RHL

Veneers - (song: Tainted Hatred. Recommended listening)

Spoiler

Show

Maggy had been taught from the time he was a small boy to be a mask. He had never been able to relate the emtions he felt to what he wanted to say. He was shamed by his imperfection; his uselessness with words and, and feelings scarred him. His desparate wish to be perfect for his parents. But most especially his father.
His idol.
So he taught himself to be stone. Never changing.
He knew he was the one who ruined their happy family. Mother was beautiful, strong, a warrior; Father was a true leader, compassionate but a magnificent strategist. He was an emotionless doll. Scared his parents because he was unable to spin words together to say how he felt. So he hid them.
Lacquered himself in layer after layer of veneer. Each one thinner than a breath, but they built up so much he almost truly forgot he had ever had emotions.
Then, when he thought he was dead inside, safe from the imperfection that was himself Father had been seen entering back into the compound late at night. And only Maggy knew. He was smart, it didn't take him long to realise his beloved Father was cheating on Mother.
And she knew.
It was all his fault that Mother and Father divorced; he was so flawed and shattered he cracked apart the perfect marriage like a wedge. And father brought his new Woman into the compound, Mother left, he never saw her again. The Woman was already pregnant when she tok over his Mothers' place in their home. His once - home.
The pain hurt so much it cracked through all of his specially laid walls and he had screamed, cried, wished to know why. Why? "TELL ME! WHY DON'T YOU LOVE ME? IS IT BECAUSE I CAN'T SHOW EMOTION LIKE YOU?! SEE ME! SEE ME! I'M EMOTIONAL? WHY DO YOU LOVE HER AND THE UNBORN BRAT MORE THAN ME?! DO YOU WANT A PERFECT HEIR WHO CAN SMILE AND LAUGH?!
"LOVE BREAKS EVERYTHING! I'LL NEVER LOVE! NEVER." And some three months later, when assassins had found the secret place where that Woman was secluded until the Other Child had been born Father - still most loved, and most hated - had died to save them. Truly abandoning his imperfect firstborn son. His broken practice piece.
That Woman died several years later; the Other Child, he didn't care about. Maggy had what he wanted. Barely seventeen, and in control of his own empire; but controlling from the shadows; always absent. But perfect as he knew how. His veneered ice performed well for him. Kept the feelings away from where they could be witnessed in all their withing wrongness.
And then one day on his travels near AMEN where none knew his lineage he found a girl sitting by the trackside humming.
He had recently lost his arm and his cybernetic implants weren't as sophisticated then. To his embarrassment, left railing against the deepest, darkest stained veneer, one of the vital components had shorted and pretty much exploded in his face. Of course, this was no fairy tale, it had happened when she was almost out of sight. But still she came to help, talking all the while filling his customary silence with the annoying sound of chatter. He learnt that her name was RabbitHoleLost, "But everyone calls me RHL." and she was a new AMENite.
Bemused, when she asked to accompany him wherever he was going, for she knew it must have been to AMEN, he consented; thus breaking his long kept edicts. 'Keep alone; no companions; never show your true feelings, they will only bring harm . . . ' and so on.
Time passes, as it always does. RHL was a constant companion with the solitary ruler in self - imposed exile. He still didn't know why he allowed her to stay, he always left her the option to do as she wished so whatever pain she endured he could say she brought upon herself for not leaving; and she stayed.
She was prone to nightmares, whimpering things of darkness so bleak that even the cruelest of human monsters would quail at her memories; but he found it impossible to compare her old life with the one she showed normally. HAppy, laughing and as innocent an AMENite as an AMENite could be. But in the day she never spoke of what stalked her nights. He, unused to comfort - receiving and giving - did his best. At first he left her alone to cope with the Bad Things, but slowly he began to learn the art of easing fears. "Hush, you are safe. Dream can't hurt you. I am here." Short, calm sentences that gently washed away the terrors that kept her imprisoned in their world screaming for help so needed it burned.
Then he would hold her as she twisted and writhed so she wouldn't harm herself in her near convulsions. And he would listen to her half drowsed thanks. "Maggums, thank you." soon became "Maggums . . . love you . . . " and with so few, heart - felt words, spoken unknowingly, and thus more truthful than anything spoken in wakefulness, washed away the stained prison on his feelings. Only a small section was gone, but he allowed himself to feel, especially around her. The one he loved above all others.
She knew him and not his facade of implacability and ice.
But even for her he held back the damn of emotions. He still feared his flaw. Silence was safe for he could not speak the words that were wrong and hurt others. Ice and layers would save face.
He didn't want to break her confidence in him by not being perfect.
She was his love; held his soul. Never wanted to let her go. Even though he knew she would die before her. Cyborgs - even half - human ones - lived far longer than even a mortal touched by the warp in relaity that was AMEN. His now home.
That realisation was the one that made him slowly crack. He knew how she felt, she even said it to him. He knew she could read beyond his dead mask, but he was imprisoned in his sielnce. Unable to speak what he needed to.
Until it was too late.
The Other Child, Father's bastard offspring had tracked him down at AMEN. Wanted something; he never knew what exactly. A haze of uncontrollable anger had descended over his vision. His cyborg eye gleamed a demonic red in the half - light. The watchers of AMEN stood at the windows, gazing eagerly at the scene outside, safe. Wanted to see their sometime leader do something.
For even the newest watcher could see the familial resemblance between their Maggy and this one.
Interloper. Claimant.
Uncouth.
He stood, defensive, protecting his RHL, his AMEN, his friends, for he considered them such even if he never showed it or allowed himself to truly acknowledge them as them. For to love and care was to break things beyond repair.
He wanted this lfe of his whole.
The glacier that was the Lord Magtok shattered spectacularly under the harsh, accusative words of the Other Child. Wanting the only thing Father had left him. But he had ripped it was Fathers' grasp the night of the confrontation.
No. Not his. Mine! Only this, this and his new life; these were inviolate and he would not suffer them to be taken away even though he knew his new found heart would break as each one died.
He drew his weapon. Aimed at his half - brother.

RHL knew of Maggy's brother before he did. In a way. She had heard of the rumours for a long time and she knew that he did not hate his half - brother. Maggy had even saved his business from being taken over by a rival; protected him from assassins. Always from the shadows.
But still she feared for them both. And always for her Lord who had her heart in his possession.
Seizing the courage she was known for she stepped out between the two brothers. "Stop."

Maggy saw nothing but his brother trying to take away his last memories of happiness.
He fired.

The Other Child saw his hated sibling. Nothing more; though he did glimpse vibrant orange on the periphary once or twice, he had eyes only for the one who had what he wanted.
He fired.

She was hit. Twice. Stomach and chest.
Her small frame crumpled up like an unwanted card and dropped to the ground. Pain twisting her features; tears gathering in her eys, on the verge of falling.
And she only looked at Maggy.

"R . . . H . . . L . . . " He dropped the weapon. Oh gods. No, not her. No.
No.
No!
They were meant to be forever together! Not this. No! NO! He staggered to her broken body; watchers seeing tears and unbridled emotion raging across Maggy's face.
Just looking at him hurt. All but the other one knew that RHL and Maggy meant more to each other than they wanted to admit.
And now this . . .
Cradling her body he ran desparately to the infirmary. Many had survived wounds deadly here than this. But never outside. inside was safer; more warped. Death was easy to shirk inside.
Noone had ever been injured this badly outside when not on a GodModded Plot.
He didn't want her to die.
He needed her! His mind was chaotic, only one coherent thought raced through it: Don't leave don't leave don'tleavedon'tleavedon'tleave!
No; not now.
By the time he reached the infirmary - it had never felt so far away before - she had lost so much blood. His robes now darker than black with her sticky blood. He had never been replused by blood before. He wanted to retch. But RHL.
He knew she was fading. Unconscious, breathing so shallowly he had to stare to even see her chest rise minutely.
His heart broke.
Nothing he could do. Again feeling had broke his family. And he couldn't say anything to her; his throat, chest, heart, all felt to heavy. Barely able to breathe.
No words. He wanted to, but none came. She wouldn't have been able to hear him anyway.

And she died.

He keened; grief echoing wildly hrough the air, his call.

Outside, AMENites who had been there from the beinginning, knew him longest kept thier mourning vigil as they murdered the insensitive ones. The veterans knew when decorum was called for. They all missed their insane hatter too.
But to intrude upon his grief. They would not commit such sacrilege.
Damn that intruder.
RHL gone mind and soul and body.
Maggy gone heart and soul.

He would never recover. His veneers grew thicker than ever, the bound grief poisoning him eternally; blaming himself for her death.
His emotions.
He had loved; despite what he promised Father. And every word he had said back then was true, apart from that.
Feelings kill everyone you care about. Best not to care; that way you don't hurt.

EDIT:
!
Holy smeg!
This is my longest single piece to date. 1866 words!

I cried.
A lot.
I think that's all that needs to be said.


Except, Vespe, if it turns out to be a Rai/RHL one, I'll write a Vespe/Rabbit one =P

[Fawkes]

I vote that Vespe and Raistlin are fighting over RHL, and she interrupts and suggests a 'compromise.'

Bow-chikka-wow-wow.

[PhoeKun]

I vote that Vespe and Raistlin are fighting over RHL, and she interrupts and suggests a 'compromise.'

Bow-chikka-wow-wow.

It's like you've been here since day one...

[happyturtle]

I vote that Vespe and Raistlin are fighting over RHL, and she interrupts and suggests a 'compromise.'

Bow-chikka-wow-wow.

If we're doing MFM fics now, then I totally want in.