[2259] We're All Mad Here

Klaus:

((Watch it!))

I swat the crude device away from him.

((Are you trying to give away our position?))

My stich work was half assed. I didn't bloody know what I was doing.

((We must get his head in place so that he can be used to distract Boren while we get Meredith and get out of here!))

I exclaim and switch positions to his other side.

(To Tully) ((Quiet!))

I compel him.

Meredith:

My eyes well up with tears at Sebastian's touching sentiment and romantic gesture.

We were both currently going through so much, both together and alone, that no one else could ever truly understand and I hoped ever have to.

I look deep into Sebastian's eyes throughout the ceremony just as smitten.

Responding with, "I do" when appropriate and following along in accordance with the wrest of the ceremony.

**William tries reading his own costume at several points to know when he is ALOUD TO CRY.**

Desmond:

The words said between the two are deep and sweet. It's such a beautiful, heartfelt moment. Not only to listen to as an observer but to feel.

I smile, watching my best friend finally getting married to her true love.

Bash's words really sink in and Meredith's feelings are unquestionable.

Like Bash said, in a perfect world, they really should have been free to be together this whole time. Instead, I think everything for all three of us before had been... a mixture of choices based on a manner of expectations of the world and the belief that we couldn't actually be with the ones we really wanted... So instead of admitting real feelings, it all ended up being a mess of... societal pressure and self-doubt.

But now they found their way to each other after all this time.

I think I can only hope I can do the same one day... But there's that doubt and worry...

Mer and Bash were so brave to fight for what they wanted and won out in the end.

Meanwhile, Cole is relieved about all the instructions.

Zeek glances around for his Mom and Dad briefly but then pays attention to the wedding and cue cards and follows the suit's instructions.

Beolan:

I watch Klaus, his ..plan was... just THAT? We've been trying to get out and it wouldn't be any different...this time..

He really thinks we can just. grab her... so pregenet like that, under guard and on everyone's mind.

He had nothing.. did he? Nothing but another sad try and this time.. he was.. just playing with a body.. in desperation...

It would be the same as before... he was grasping.. 

The wedding threw him over the edge, hes ignoring it, hes not going to stop it.

I leave him FEELING all the LOVE and even Desmond was BRAINWASHED by it all. Disgusting LOVE

How can he think this is real? How can he think it?! He was HERE with her all these years longer then me. 

You can clearly tell what a true Meridith reaction would be. TO LEAVE, the clone did. She wouldn't take Boren's insanity for that stupid pretty face full of air.

He cant compete what WE have...he cant. 

She loved ME and she loved Desmond..... and he was never a calculation till her whole species changed and she was imprisoned! 

HOW CAN DESMOND BE SO BLIND!!!!!!!! OH MY DANE.

*Sends out so much HOT HATE AND ANGER AND DENIAL TO ALL THE LOVE*

But its not hot at all, its cold, deep deep cold sorrow. *tries frozen tears as I scrap my hand on he wall, clawing it struggling with ..everything..*

Morgain:

No one objects. Funny..

Didn't everyone WANT the king before?? Like some sexualized icon, now no one was throwing themselves down screaming nooo.

I take a nice drag of smoke and keep going. This was all Brewcaslte level funky I tell you..

"This marriage unites not just Sebastian and Meredith but all of the subjects sitting here today, to all souls baring witness a new King and Queen. Your monarchs and your future monarchs, ask now for your blessing. To support Meredith and Sebastian in their marriage, to honor and serve, to keep them in your prayers, to hold them up with love and loyalty.."

I announce them all as legal witnesses and carry on.

"By the power vested in me in Dane, I now pronounce you husband and wife...you may now kiss the bride!"

I take a nice long drag and wait, Bash hesitates to do it feeling GUILTY I smell. Is that a hint of unworthiness? 
Hmm I wonder why?

I see if Meridieth will make the move to seal the deal.

Meredith:

I understand Sebastian's hesitation.

Morgan turns to me next and I can't bring myself to do it either.

Suddenly I am hit by a wave of emotion so strong, so heart wrenching that it could have only come from Beolan at this moment.

I look down feeling guilty.

But I made my choice, couldn't he respect that?

I glance back up at Bash again, tuning back into our moment.

((Would you like to kiss the babies instead?))

I offer with an innocent sort of smile.

Dora:

I glance around warily, wondering if the tree man is going to attack while we're all grouped together or if we're safer in numbers and he'd rather pick us off one by one...

He sure didn't mind killing though with a group of us in the room with him though so... I'm not keeping my hopes up...

Yeah.. We're sitting turtles.

I glance back at the wedding.

Did I miss the kiss? No one made any noises... and the signs haven't changed... Maybe no one is kissing...?

I hear Zeek whisper.

(Zeek): "Are they objecting to themselves?"

 

Klaus:

Things go from bad to worse within a blink of an eye and rash decisions needed to be made.

Tully was no longer tasked with being a distraction but now solely responsible for my sister's escape.

Her screams rang horribly in my ears but there was no time to lose!

Something was happening, Beolan was doing something to the walls and surrounding area, making it cold, ice cold.

I try to touch him but even against my lifeless dead skin it was still too much.

In a split second I decide to leave him and flash to the entranceway.

How I was going to get through the shield I did not know.

I swing open the front doors and to my surprise the shield was glitching.

Whatever Beolan was doing seemed to be having a greater impact than I thought.

I flash through the shield immediately and head straight for the bomb.

Desmond:

I'm suddenly overwhelmed with sharp horrid pain that pulsates through my no Mer's body I realize as her screams hurt my ears with her so close.

Oh! Oh! It's! It's time! The babies!

Despite this turn of events, Beo's sadness claws into my brain.

Then along with the pain and screams my eyes are drawn to movement. Zeek gets up and runs with his siblings.

I squint as the dim walls grow brighter and drop the parsol seeing it useless now, so I can try to cover both sets of ears trying to drown out at least one sense with everything so overwhelming. The ear covering doesn't help and now my skin prickles with heat.

Tully is.. here. Back from the dead. But I'm too emotionally defeated and checked out, as well as overwhelmed on the feeling of pain building like something is trying to burst out of the stomach to do something or even think about that for once.

Meredith:

Urrrghh the PAIN!

So much cursed pressure and sharp, stabbing, seering.. CLAWING!

I gasp before grinding my teeth in agony.

The nurses around me I could hardly focus on, save for one.. Blythe.

Oh good, now she's being nice!

I choke up some blood, pretty sure I was experiencing some pretty severe organ failure from the babies abrupt exit.

Ugh, am I dying?

Probably.

The pain is too much and I begin screaming, relentless, unending, blood curdling screams just longing for the moment I either die or pass out.

Needless to say I did not hear a word of Boron's horrble speech.

Desmond:

Stares at Bash shocked.

He's going by the Overlord now???

Was that bastard Klaus was right all along!? All this time!?

I knew Ettie had good instincts! She knew there was somehow some smidge of rightness or something in him to have freed him!

My shock is abruptly shattered as I lower my head, hunkering down my shoulders tensing with more pain.

Ethan:

My head lulls to the side and I gaze on with pupil-blown eyes from the tainted waters having been emotionally invested in the wedding due to its effects.

The kiss was to the babies! I tear up. How adorable!

Claps enthusiastically for my cousin Sebastian along with the rest of the water-influenced.

What a wedding! So beautiful!

There's a speech and a squid posse shows up. Smiles at them, unbothered by their appearance, as they pass through the aisles.

I then look back to my cousin and stare and listen intently to his speech but as I do I feel so many fearful emotions in the room! I feel a sense of dread, confusion and fear and have to tear my eyes away to look around warily, wide-eyed in shock finally noticing everyone held down.

A nearby squid-armed woman in a dress (Gale) hisses, gazing at them paranoid and gets up protectively over her cub, she get strong-armed from a squid from behind and lifted up slightly in its strength as she kicks her feet back. Her son looks at her in shock alarmed.

(Cole): "Mom!"

He gets up and tries to shove the squid off her but gets grabbed by the squid in their own isle. He tries in vein to flutter his trapped insect wings against the squid's chest.

Suddenly there are chemicals in the air and I wrinkle my nose. Then wince back startled as flowers start exploding and rotting.

Gale's big flower decoration explodes and she lets out a short shriek of startled alarm.
 
Ooze splatters on me.

Juliet:

With a head tilt, I stare adoringly at his eyes when he looks my way and I can't help but beam a smile and shiver, ear wings a flutter.

He said it! He said it! I AM his other bride!

He continues on with his announcement and I gaze doe-eyed, hanging on every word!

I jump a little startled as stuff starts happening with the plants, but no matter. I gaze enraptured at 'The Overlord'! What a controlling, manly title! I love it!

I clap at the announcement, grinning despite all the other stuff going on. I will support my man in his moment!

Suddenly, Desmond's wings extended out, knocking me down into the melted gunk of the rotting flowers. A strange ash starts to pulsate out of him with a strange reverberating terrible sound I can only describe as whales of the damned. The ash looks like gusts of snow and each plant it touches starts to regrow for a brief moment only to rot and wilt again due to the chemicals in the air.

Then suddenly a dark hole encircled in swirling light appears in front of him at torso level. Then BAM!  A quasar burst of blue energy, like a flowing guizer or blue flames, flares out with the sound even louder and blue demons shoot out forth.

Dora:

The chill and the feel of outside cool breeze was actually really nice after so long indoors.

Zeek looks back at Ezra's gaze thinking the vampire must have triggered her and she was still there. Lost in the memories.

I gaze around as Greg points out about the castle.

"Oh, that's great."

The Kingdom wins in the end! Triumphant!

Zeek frowns and looks grim but doesn't say anything to spoil the mood when his brother gets exited about the moon. And his sister is already traumatized.

Zeek ponders what could have gotten the castle down? The colonies? Did other the vampires get 'em? Whatever or whoever it was must have been stronger than The Overlord.

He glances around as if he could find the answers that way and we both see there was a floating man in a snow sphere.

"Woah." Tilts head peering at him. "Is he... Hybernating?" Is this normal cool cold alien stuff?

Zeek peers at the bubble wondering how that happened and when. Then looks up at Ezra's point of the moon.

(Zeek): "You weren't kidding. It is big!" He lifts his face up smiling in the glow of the moon and closes his eyes just to feel.

I light up at Greg's words.

"Yeah! Oh and the ice theme would have gone great with the moon too! Blue and silvery!"

Instead of all those reds.

"And the stars!"

I look to Tilly at the tugging.

My stomach drops at her words.

I think of the Colonies almost always floating about avoiding this fate.

I swallow.

"Maybe..." I pause then give a weary smile. "Or it could just be a season... Let's just take the happiness in this moment and look at the moon and feel the fresh air for now, yeah?"

What else could we do until we heard the all clear that the vampire was deat with?

Abhiram: 

I listen worried. Was this stuff radioactive or toxic or?

The girl was shaking it up in a jar awhile while another kid was making crowns with it on the floor.

I decide to try to get some intel from the boy who looked grim - Zeek earlier. 

He might know whats up more then the girl.

"Do you have any idea where we are? Or what direction we should head too?" I ask him as I listen to the sound of the rocks hailing down above our cave.

Zeek:

Dora sat on the ground next to Greg and looked over the rocks and sparkles trying to think of something to do with them.

I looked from them to the soldier.

"Um..."

What about mom and dad?...

I have a wary feeling if their disappearance was vampire and squid related... It makes a sinking sensation in my stomach and I shiver and feel nauseated.

I sniffle some blood and swallow it and the bile in y throat down but I can feel the need to hurl lingering in the throat. I keep my mouth shut and force myself to think of his questions. It's not like I know for certain their... They could be kicking ass... Dad would have sensed... the vampire... at least...

I blink in thought and turn my attention to outside the cave.

The cave... Yeah. Why was there a cave here?... What was this?

Not that I knew much about the city by any stretch of the imagination.

The question though makes me think of the view of the outside of the castle through the energy walls. How everything changed from how it was at the time of the ride to the castle. The Overlord's terraformed horrors, right?

Would Snarel town even still be there?... It had to be right?... Even though some had even come back to the castle... That just shows it had been around even then... And there were plenty of hunters there to keep everyone safe.

"Um, I don't know. There's Snarel town." I think about the train and the car ship ride. "But it's pretty far..."

I look to Ettie and her jar.

"My sister managed to make the trip on foot though."

Would asking her help add more distance from everything or just make everything worse for her?..

I guess either way, I should be the one, before the soldier asks.

"Ettie? Do you..." I tilt my head. "know a shortcut to town from here?..."

I glance around the cave.

"Wherever here is."

Cole:

Everything had happened so fast! There were so many sounds, movements, and strange blue creatures, but all I could focus on was mom held against her will.

Then suddenly the roof came down and I found myself pelted and pushed down under the weight of rubble and the squid that had been holding me. I heard crackles of energy and felt a great trembling and shaking underneath and around me and I gasp as more weight shifts on top of me, then I go into a coughing fit at all the chemicals, dust, dirt, and pollen.

I scrunch my face in concentration as I try to push up.

"Ahhh!" I grimace, and grit my teeth, as another blast of electricity sounds off and everything shutters and rocks once more.

Rising up, dust tumbles over the edges of the squashed squid draped over my back, their particles glinting in blue illuminated light. I hear gurgle sounds above me from it.

"Uggh!" I heave one side up and lower the other. The squid and roof bits slide off my back.

I squint in pollinated and dust-laden air against the illuminated dark that is neither complete darkness nor brightness but some misty twilight. Flashes of blue shocks like the occasions zap of electricity or lightning reflect off dark purple black sludged walls that were no longer illuminated with the blue energy shielding that had protected us from Boren and the dangers of the outside world.


There was presumably blood gurgling out from... well under those tentacles on the face of the squid who had been on top of me.

Its eyes glaze and then nothing. No sound. No gurgles. Just... Dead.

I hear coughs and sounds of moving rubble.

I crawl forward towards where mom had been. Now there was a large chunk of fallen ceiling.

My eyes widen and I'm hit with a dense of wrongness and dread as I see some of mom's foot among the wreckage, not covered by the large chunk.

"Mom!" I cough on the chemicals in the air. "Mom!"

I tug and pull at the concrete, grunting as I trying to get it off.

My ears twitched with the creaks and groans of the wrecked environment and the rain of rubble.

But what I didn't hear was mom...

"Mom, are you okay!? I'm here! Don't worry! I'll get you out!"

I looked around desperately for help as I pulled.

I start to feel things smack and fall into me As I gaze around I realize it was raining stones and what started as a trickle becomes a downpour.

I can't think about what that means for now. I raise up my layered shell hood. Rocks bonce off it as I look for something to help me prop up the slab upon her.

A chill runs down my spine as between the sounds of pouring rock rain, I suddenly hear demon shrieks and screams.

My eyes widen, a sick feeling in my gut and I can't force myself to look in the direction of those things Desmond had birthed. I couldn't. I feared if I did I wouldn't be able to move again.

I force myself to help mother.

I keep my gaze low. I see some scattering flashes of dusty and goo-drenched flesh among the rubble.

I grab pieces of broken chairs and some of those glowing rocks and try to see-saw the chair pieces until the slab and hold them up with the weight of the rocks and prop the piece up with more. Maybe if I can raise it enough I can pull her out.

Zeek:

I had started to think that maybe we were in a tunnel system that ran from the city to the cemetery and lab. But then we reached... Whatever this is?...

"Um...?" I tilt my head looking over it all. I had no idea where to start.

My eyes roam around the ring. Then take in the whole organic technology nature of it all.

So... Strange...

I take a step forward, then hesitate and try to see if the other stuff gave some sort of clue to what it all might be about. Or from what...

"Feathers?... What would have feathers down here? Underground?..." I whisper.

Dora looks it all over too and hazards a guess.

(Dora): "Bur-burrower.. Owls?"

She guesses since... Owl kingdom and all.

I.. doubt it...

But I do have to think it must be Owl Kingdom-related. Since when did the Overlord have feather stuff?... At least... I don't think he did?

Wasn't all his stuff primarily orcs and turtles and just recently mantises?

"Maybe... Maybe it's a secret Starker lab?... Maybe even Prin-" I cut myself off from calling Jean a Princess. She was a Starker but a fallen one right?

"Maybe one of Jean Starkers?... She did weird stuff right? And the old King was obsessed with her, I think? Maybe he settled on the planet because she um... Had set this up on?" I shrug.

That was my best guess at least.

....

Dora glances around and picks up a gear. I wince thinking that could be irradiated.

She throws at the wall and I wince at the noise.

I glare at her. Like what the Dane!?

"What was that for??"

(Dora): "Testing for boobietraps." She hisses at me in a whisper.

"And what if that gassed the tunnel!"

(Dora): ".... ooh."

Cole:

I shoot a glare at the search and rescue-suited person.

He's asking that??? Seriously???

I'm trying to save my mom here! AHHH!

"What do you think??"

Though I guess he doesn't think!

"It's an attack!"

There's the continued sounds of rocks pelting but that could be also other noises of attack weapons, who knows? Either way, rock rain isn't natural. Maybe they were a weapon or this is a magic users doing.

I wince at the screams.

"Lasha?? Leithe?? Juliet??? Teagin??" I call out.

Was everyone....

My stomach drops and I feel sick at the word 'dead'.

No.. Just knocked out and gonna wake up... Like the screaming girl, I assume.

I manage to pull my mother out.

She stirs with a groan. "C-cole?" She coughs and there's a splattering of blood that comes out as she does.

"Mom!" I gaze at her overwhelmed in relief and the sudden weight of everything.

I kneel down into the goo puddling rubble, that streams down from above, around us and scoup her into an embrace.

She hisses in an intake of breath.

My eyes widen in alarm. "Sorry, sorry." I glance around desperately.

(("Please! Help!")) I mentally call out. (("My mom needs help!"))

She slowly and delicately wraps her arms around me. Her forehead on my shoulder.

"I love you, mom. Are you okay?" I snifle as tears gather at my eyes.

I know she isn't. I feel her body shake as she coughs blood between us.

There's a loud sound as the wreckage above groans and buckles under the piling weight of the moon rock.

(Gale): "I-"

Then there's a snap sound. A structural beam stabs through the top of my skull.

Zeek:

My eyes widen when a muffled voice is heard.

Woah! Someone was in there!

"Well... I- I don't think that would... Make sense? Why couldn't she get out on her own if they were clones in there?..."

Dora cups a hand around the side of her mouth and shouts at the door.

(Dora): "DON'T WORRY! WE'LL FREE YOU!"

I step up to the light thing and look up at it.

"I mean I guess they could be blank slates for her to inhabit?..."

Dora palms her fist looking determined.

(Dora): "She could be anything! It doesn't matter! We gotta help her!"

She goes up to the light thing.

(Dora): "Green means go! Lets make it green again!"

"But we didn't-"

Dora picks up another gear and chucks it at the thing thinking that's what made it green the first time.

...

"There had been gear noises when Greg turned it blue."

I go over and grab the two gears off the floor that Dora had thrown and start looking over the wall.

"Maybe there's places to slot them in?"

Such weird organic mixed tech...

(Dora): "There!" She points to the very top of the arch. The circle thing that could have been a design... Yeah... It did look gear-y.

I fly up and give it a try slotting one in.

 

Zeek:

Ezra warns of the bleaching. Eshh...

Breaths in and holds breath in case bleach fumes come out through the door.

I raise an eyebrow at the girl on the other side.

Okay, maybe no fumes... Or bleach... Being... All black feathered and not wearing a mask...

(Dora): "You did it!"

I take in the room she had been in as she runs back in. So much mystery equipment...

Dora takes in the blonde's feathers wondering if she was wearing an alien bird hide or if the feathers were put together into the outfit some other way.

She tears her eyes away at Gregory's mention of video games and looks around as the ground shakes.

I listen to the others as I just gaze around. The insect soldier was right... It was bigger on the inside... How?? This... Had to be some sort of optical illusion right?

As I look inside and outside and around the entrance trying to make sense of it, the woman addresses me.

"Flyboy?" I mutter to myself.

I guess she had to call me something. Better than some other alternatives that come to mind..

I pick up the strange horn thing she pointed to.

"This?"

Zeek:

"Aftershocks in tunnels, let alone after a Boren terraforming, doesn't sound good..." I admit.

Dora and I follow inside.

(Dora): "How long have you been down here?" She glances around to see if there was something big enough to hold her. Like a stasis pod if that was an actual thing. Or perhaps a cloning pod or some sort of hydroponics or pizza lab equipment among the video gamey stuff.

I listen to Ezra and my gaze flicks back to it.

The horn was black... The color reminded me of mom's coal ones.

(("If it is, guess she couldn't bleach it, unless she's fine with black... or.. Maybe its Boren 'bleached'."))

Him and his black goo and all...

... Ew.. Hopefully not... If it is at least I'm not a human since I touched it... Er...

I glance to Dora.

Maybe its... Really dry, old, and dormant... It's not like... Gooey... It was stone-like.

Hmmm...

I glance away and look at the lab girl.

If it was Boren bleached what colour might it have been before?...

I think of the pink theme of the Search and Rescue guide.

Could have been pink like her powers. Though there could have been no colour coordination there.