The House on the Hill
Interactions: Leon (
@AtomicEmperor), Clancy (
@Zombiedude101), Luca/Linqian (
@FernStone), everyone
It was transfixing to watch, the thickening of fog, until the chaos of the room faded away. All that was left was the three of them. Or, as Alizée could readily tell, the
four of them.
"If anyone dares lay a finger upon this Soul, or the Body meant for her; I will be their retribution."
The twin voices brought relief to Alizée, and a hopeful smile to Layla. Alizée's eyes narrowed to peaceful slits as she felt a comforting apparition around her, very much spectral in nature.
She is the lock…Her eyes opened, and she beheld Layla for what almost felt like the first time.
Could she really…?"Layla... Who needs Void Heart? Look at her, and tell me that you don't feel your soul calling out to host her. For her to expel the demons within you. You both can restart, Layla... Stronger together than ever before. Adjoin with Alizée Vul. Accept her. Forge a new bond, and awaken the Coming of the Dawn."
Layla's jaw dropped as she listened to Leon, eyes blinking rapidly. Before she shot a look to Alizée, and saw the apparition giving her a curious stare back. Layla's gaze snapped to Leon, her mouth parting uselessly, the words refusing to come up, the jumble of emotions, the possibility to be free.
"Body meant for her?!"
Before the illusion of safety, of any semblance of harmony, was destroyed. Layla looked nervously over Leon's side as Clancy came closer through the fog.
"It's not happening. You might not trust me, but you know I'm right, here."
Layla, admittedly, looked fairly dejected at Clancy's statement.
It’s fine. She told herself.
Then we're back to plan A, working towards getting the Void Heart back…”Being like this is pain. You'll lose yourself, and there won't be anything left.”
Layla glanced up at Leon, before her pained face gazed in Clancy's general direction, as he was still somewhat obscured.
“I'm already in pain, I have already lost myself…” She said.
“I've had nightmarish apparitions follow me my whole life. And no way to protect myself. But…” Her eyes slid over to Alizée.
“With a little help…”“If theres anything left of you, Alizee, don't do this to her. Your... friends, said you were suffering. End it. Control yourself. Be better."
Alizée's gaze stared through the fog, desperate to see the apparition speaking to her. He might have denied their ties, but they were from the same place, the same Voidly darkness. That placed his opinion very high, in her books.
When Clancy made it close enough to be seen, Alizée's somber eyes beheld him. She could still hear Lelou's faint chanting in her ear, and feel pressure on her hand and it's weakening, yet took a wistful breath before she addressed the young ‘boy.’
“You're right. You're absolutely right. I have no right to adjoin with her, and I would never force her, or anyone, to adjoin with me.
“But I would never harm her. Connections are not made by harming others.”She took a slow breath, sighing, before continuing.
“And, sorry. For earlier.””It's alright, I can see your sincerity. You have to be loyal to us... But I believe you when you say you will be. We all need someone. Just let that someone be us. I'll gladly be your friend.”
Alizée, despite the weakening effect, perked up a bit when the one in front of her said they'd be her friend. Could it really be true?
”You knew me before, of course I'll be loyal.”Then they released her hand, and she gave it a flex, feeling the numbing weakness remain.
How curious.”The body meant for her? Are you serious? Layla's more than a body. What the fuck, Leon?!”
The mystical atmosphere was shattered once again. Layla watched Luca as he approached, before yelping in surprise as he fell. The scent of rotting flesh caused her eyes to prick, and she involuntarily gagged on the air.
When she looked up, she saw Luca staring furiously at Leon, rotting him away.
“Luca!” She squeeked out, her voice tight with panic.
“You're hurting him!”When she noticed, of all things, Luca was coming to
her defense. Layla's lips parted, unable to speak. She couldn't remember the last time someone came to her defense, save Luna, Leon and Mr. Devola.
It stunned her, and she had to do a double-take of Luca.
When Luca finally removed himself from Leon, he turned to her, and Layla could only watch with awe.
”But maybe this way will be better. I understand... you're haunted by worse Apparitions. Not all of them are bad. Is this what you want? Do you want to adjoin with her?”
He was right. And he was giving her a choice.
”Nobody else can make this decision for you. Only you.”
“You go ahead with this, and I'll make our last moments together the worst you could ever imagine.” Layla stiffened, feeling Mr. Riil's suffocating presence within her engulfing her.
“Not gonna ignore me anymore, you monster?”“For some reason I think you prefer it. If there weren't all these people around I'd make you suffer for every desire I've felt pass through your body to get rid of me and adjoin with her
.”“Then I'll stay here, among friends, you coward.”“Who you calling a coward, you little bitch?”Layla trembled for a moment there, not believing the tone she was taking with Mr. Riil. If he had her alone for just a moment… It made her physically sick to think about. No amount of begging would save her, with the amount of fury she could feel rolling off him.
She gritted her teeth, before her eyes landed on Alizée. Layla didn't know what would become of her if she decided to adjoin with her. It could be worse than Mr. Riil. But, something in her gut told her it would be alright. Looking up at those red eyes, flowing white hair, remembering the defenseless girl on the metal slab…
Maybe Alizée needed a friend as desperately as she did.
Layla's gaze turned to Luca, framed by illuminated fog. Despite the fear she felt, the ominous presence weighing her down, she spoke from her soul.
“Yes… I want this. I want to adjoin with Alizée. Perhaps… With Alizée's help, I can forget about the Void Heart.”Layla looked over at Alizée.
“Only, of course, if that's alright with you, Alizée. I uh, have a lot of baggage.”Alizée stared for a moment, before her red eyes curled upward in happiness.
“We'll be the best of friends, don't you worry.”Layla nodded, before her grimace held Luca.
“Leon's just trying to help… I think it was an accident, but he's injured now. How can we work together as a team if we're always hurting each other?” She said softly, trying to appeal to Luca's good side.
Alizée glanced at Luca, Leon and Clancy, her red eyes tight.
Be better.“You have a serial killer after you, right? I… understand why tensions are so tight among you, and I don't blame you. Death is… a scary experience.
“This serial killer must be the one tormenting you all. I want to help.”She turned to Clancy.
“Even if it's for selfish reasons, I want to prove that I can be better. That I can be a boon in all ways, and not a burden.””Anya works on getting to that rich fuck, Luca and Adora convince some assholes to leave the bigger assholes at 8th and the rest of us… what? Sit around doing fuck all? There must be something we can fucking do.”
It was Luna who spoke up in response.
“I have some ideas for you. Spying, first and foremost.” Her head tilted as she poured herself another drink.
“We pool our ideas and hazard guesses as to where people in the know might be, like Veni. We post someone there to listen, eavesdrop, and we might get something good.”She lifted her glass to her lips, but paused before taking a sip.
“There's one other thing we could do.”She set the glass down, eyes leveling at Linqian.
“Stay in groups, and train. Clancy is evidence for us that we no longer have the luxury of being alone. And whatever happens with 8th Street, I'll bet good money they'll come back swinging. And I'll be damned if we miss an opportunity to combine our talents and push each other.
“‘Course, it's really up to you folks what you wanna do. I gave my two cents already.”
OwO,
Snowdrops,
Irradiant,
Sky Blue,
Ivar,
AtomicEmperor,
Audacious,
Shin Ghost Note,
NoriWasHere,
FernStone
