Quackery, Just Without The Tea To Wash it Down (Witch)
Content Warnings:
SpoilerTalk of past of being a Dreamy wibbler then being broken into a blade THEN woops here now and time for LORe because WOWOWOWWOwwowowowo hi hallo.
[collapse]
While I dance anxiously over all the possibilities… Lynette went quiet.
Not absent of thought but… Well, like we always did when tits deep in a project. Only differentiated by the near manic fury that seems to radiate off her like a blaze from a roaring flame.
Leaving me to… to wait within the calm to manage the without, while Lynette prepares for this meeting with Augusta.
What is she? A Nightmare infesting a Doll or… or just a Nightmare shaped like a Doll? And… But she, like Krelliva, seemed to find the term I was taught for her kind a touch insulting. And she called her goals here her duty… which implies a greater purpose to her kind. Which… I’m not sure if it's comforting to discover one of the more horrifying things this Estate loves to eat is intelligent or…
“Moonshite.” I sigh, still hovering outside Sikkina’s Sanctuary. “Why is everything turning sideways? All the monsters turning out to be agreeable sorts. The Sun-Blessed, at least, made sense. But this…”
Eyes roll to regard the vibrant room Lynette’s built for her daughter.
“Eyes forward, Stupid Half-Knit.” I murmur, take a deep breath, and move toward my Xafra and Lynette’s Doll.
Even use the memories of what this Dämmerung told me to mantle the smile we want to give her as we settle to sit next to the purring Grakler Frame and the little Snek shaped Doll.
“Hello, my Xafra.” I whisper, laying a hand to gently stroke her spine.
Lynette’s Doll wakes just enough to give me a nuzzle before gathering up herself and slithering back below to her favorite sleeping spot.
Xafra purrs louder at my touch, murmuring through the bond [Mmmm Elevar? How was it?]
"Terrifying, a touch maddening, and..." I sigh, then glance down at her and lose nothing of my grin. "They remember you. Well. And adore you. Seemed as frustrated as I am that you were disallowed from speaking with them in ages past."
She cants ::Surprise/Worry/Confusion:: as she stretches out [Ah. The... Weave prevented it? That's distressing.]
I nod. "It is, but... We know why. And knowing will help us untangle things. Free you sooner. Today is..."
Augusta's words ring through my mind. Her warnings cutting at such a deep fear of mine. That... that I would hurt my Xafra. Wound her rather than soothe her. Despite my desires to the opposite.
"... Good. Distresses and revelations both worth knowing. Like after our talks with the Sun-Blessed, my perspectives have shifted. I suspect things will change quite a lot when you're free to regard the world without bindings." I continue. "But... I'd recommend holding off on your meeting with them though, wait till you're free to listen."
[That makes sense. I... heh. It's weird to say that I'm not particularly devout considering the circumstances, but it's hard to deny that getting the opportunity to hear and remember their words means a lot to me. I will wait.]
"I think that's healthy and... I don't think that's what this one wants that from you." I consider, fingers moving up to her ears and gently rubbing and scratching behind them. "It's... odd. But despite it all you've learned from them. They got so very angry at the Garrotes within us. Had to tell them of our plans to remove our own Garrote before they seemed to calm. Which..." I huff. "Guess I didn't mention that to you. What I promised Lynette the other day. I... I'd like you and Adaline to unweave the one I made on my shoulder before we try for yours. It... I... When I wove it I wasn't just using my memory of the Old Cunt's Makellose Garrote, I stole some inspiration from the little you showed me of yours. Don't remember why, just... Well, everything was horrible and I was so scared of what it was putting in me. And if I could weave something even half as nasty as yours I... I was sure it would hold. The notes and shared memories will give us valuable insight on how to deconstruct yours. Or... will be at least good practice if nothing else."
The bond vibrates with pride and delight. [Proud of you. It's a terrifying thing, both to give up control and to admit mistakes.]
I adjust to lay beside her, nuzzle close as I whisper. "You've no idea. Without that Binding she... She'll have access to everything. My body, my magic, my... but not my worst lessons. The things that broke me. And I can't even communicate them to her, since the Estate's bond robs her of it. She... she's starting to puzzle things out. But only because I'm too stubborn to let us move forward about them. I'm terrified, Xafra. So worried the bond will slip away and..."
I wince as Lynette's threats bubble up. Words she'd howled as I destroyed the Gemstone's Archives and begun to stalk to Yselda's Spire. Such... such hissing spiteful things I can't even recall the full of but... Know they were perfectly tuned for me. Days of slowly letting her see me as we entwined in purpose twisted to fester. Threats designed to unmake me, and might have done, were I not distracted and consumed with wroth and bitter desire to unmake everything remaining of a woman I loved.
Xafra manifests her Doll form and wraps around me, whispering in turn, "Then we have to alter it too, so she can be properly free to exert her own actions. Right now, she too has more than one set of chains on her. It's like... She's only allowed to grow in ways the Estate permits, Cultivated free will within strict limits. If I need to make her another body to be comfortable so you two can coexist, I'm more than willing to do so. Neither of you are expendable."
"Thank you." I sigh, clinging and pulling her close. "I've no idea what to expect after she's free but... thank you. I... how was..." Pulling back I wipe away the bits of moisture that formed in my eyes, smile at her. "How's your daughter? What do you think of this place? I... Lynette's tits deep in an Estate thing and pretty oblivious to us right now but... when she's free she'd love to know your thoughts and... and if she needs to adjust anything?"
"Good, really good. She seems to be growing well. It's a gorgeous place. I'm not sure if anything really needs to be adjusted, you know?" Xafra answers with a big smile of her own.
“That’ll mean a lot for her to hear. She’s spent a lot of time fiddling with it. And… I take it you found and memorized the Tune of this place?”
"Yes, it took a while but I am confident I can utilize the Wurzelriss to return here."
I rise and offer her my hand. "Wonderful. That... will be perfect to have for when you decide to leave the grounds again. A quick, albeit a touch expensive, method of return. Now, let's go see about getting Krahe's Frame properly adjusted."
She takes my hand and rises as well, excitement evident in every movement, "Definitely. It will be great to have her properly embodied so she can enjoy the world freely again."
As I lead her from the Sanctuary and through the tunnels the symmetry between this and Xafra's own binding and crafting prickling in my mind. "Do you have installation procedures mapped out for her? Anchoring to the Frame and yourselves should be more than enough, I suspect, but... Dollcraft and the nature of the Ontological aren't my specialties. We could use a Chamber down here for the process. Keep a... Oh what was the thing Lynette mentioned the other night... a Threaded weave of netting that each has to keep anyone from slipping and falling off her Path? Or some such."
"My plan is to mold the flesh out of my own Ousia and Physis resonating to match Krahe's similar to how a Doll would be made with a subject's, then let her slide inside the space left for her ego. The Chambers... scare me. I would worry for Krahe's mental integrity, especially with the possibility that my own fears could interfere with the process."
Nodding, I sigh and murmur. "That makes sense to me, and Lynette defers to your expertise here. We're... We're actually quite curious at the possibility of leaving the Estate itself for the removal of both your and Lynette's Garrotes. We're quite conflicted. Part of us wants to insist we use a Chamber to ensure we can track and observe anything and everything, while the other thinks the jungles would offer not just a more peaceful environment for you and Adaline but... also a budding supply of Ousia if it is needed."
"We can do Lynette's wherever she would prefer but.... No. for me, I won't ever use one of those torture cells." Xafra's voice goes cold and haunted, clearly still traumatized from her experience.
"I thought not. But... The offer needed to be made." I assure Xafra while squeezing her hand. "And... I think I'd prefer the jungles myself. With Warden and yours and Adaline's eyes I doubt anything will be missed. Lynette will probably ask for ours or your Spire but... we'll see."
I pause as I hear voices ahead, recognizing them right away as Adaline and Schatzi, then turn to face Xafra. "I know we spoke a bit about it before but... I wanted to apologize again. For what happened. How I didn't tell you what this place was before bringing you here. It was stupid and cowardly and... you deserved better. And had every right to come down here and no reason to think it could be as horrible as it is. I'm not... entirely sure what I could or should or would do differently now other than tell you. Let you help me figure this place out before everything got so... so complicated. Before it could hurt you."
"Thank you. I... Mistress, I'm afraid. I think... I could have gotten out. I could have butchered myself until I could slip free but... Whatever got free wouldn't be me anymore, and... That scares me more than the thought of being trapped. I finally have a name. I have a family. A daughter even. I don't want to stop being me."
"Never, love." I murmur softly, stepping forward to gently cup her cheek while pulling her other up to brush against my lips. "You're free. You're safe. And we will never let this place, nor anything like it, take you from yourself. Lynette ensured that. Even more than I demanded or thought she would. And after this Garrote is removed... things are going to change. A lot. For you."
"I trust you." She takes a breath, shakes herself off and smiles again. "Let's get this cutie a booty."
I smirk and pull us forward, "You've been just... waiting to say that this entire time haven't you?"
"Mmhm, I spent like an hour working on a good pun while I waited for you."
Still chuckling, we find the other members of Xafra's Pack waiting for us. Both Adaline and Schatzi standing in a chamber that is dominated by a large loom knitted and wrapped about and through a stone slab twice the size of even the largest Doll.
"I hope we didn't keep either of you waiting." I speak as we enter.
"Not really? Got here a short while ago and Schatzi just arrived. Rufus and Calix are flirting." Adaline responds casually, hefting a large canvas bag back over her shoulder. "Where does Lynette need the parts?"
"Well, isn't that a delight? Too early to know if it's a thing of Passing Flames but... Well, Rufus always was the attachable sort. Loyal to a fault and endlessly looking for companionship. Let's hope he doesn't prove overmuch for Calix's flights and distractible whims." I smirk while releasing Xafra's hand and stepping up to the stone slap, then hefting myself up to stand atop it, calling up a flicker of Wisplight to illuminate the subtle patterns etched across the thing.
"He got all panicked and confused when Calix asked him about the missing collar. Was apparently so overwhelmed he didn't realize until then that he was no longer restricted from his Ousia and Physis, Mistress." Schatzi adds.
I kneel while chuckling. "He knows how foolish it would be to Weave irresponsibly on these grounds, and... he is soft beneath the hooks and spiked bits the Threshers knit into him. At worst he's playing at silent information gathering in the event we give him the chance for an eventual escape. But between Calix, you both, Xafra, Adaline and..."
Augusta. She was there too.
That causes me to pause as fingers touch the grooves of the stone. "Well, isn't that odd."
"Hmm? Something wrong with the Loom?" Xafra asks.
I shake myself and turn back to the task at hand, refusing to let that errant thought over worry me. "It's as perfect as I remember. Is Krahe's Frame together or in segmented pieces?"
"In pieces. Warden suggested keeping the parts seperate so we could check them again afterwards before I clade them."
"Alright, pass them up and let's fit them into these circles." I nod and tip-tap the six primary etchings. "Warden, if you could please send Lynette and I the information? From there we'll see about tying the right values and such."
Once all the parts are set within and tied, I move away and let this Loom do its task. Nudging Lynette from her furious work to activate and calibrate the process. It doesn’t take long for the Estate to shove Empty Nomos laced with Ousia through the wood, leaving behind a thin layer of almost... barky scaled chaff when it's done. So brittle it would fall to pieces if touched, and definitely when I begin regathering the parts.
“Should all be set and rewoven to specifications.” I murmur to Adaline, whose eyes are still dancing over the slab and remade Frame. Then use a subtle weaving to clean and brush away the leftover mess before passing each piece to her. “But… let me know if anything could be adjusted. It's a simple enough thing, if you don't mind the walk down here.”
"Of course" She responds as she checks and repacks each part.
"If they're all good, we can have Krahe fully embodied tomorrow. Probably best for us all to get a good sleep after triple checking the designs and the material properties of the modified wood." Xafra announces as Adaline hands an odd spherical piece to her.
"Of Course. We'll go talk to Hyacinth and get it to look over the numbers again, and see you both in the morning?" Xafra suggests.
"I..."
Lynette seems to be hissing, almost more to herself than me.
Quackery, Just Without The Tea To Wash it Down (Witch)
Content Warnings:
SpoilerTalk of past of being a Dreamy wibbler then being broken into a blade THEN woops here now and time for LORe because WOWOWOWWOwwowowowo hi hallo.
[collapse]
While I dance anxiously over all the possibilities… Lynette went quiet.
Not absent of thought but… Well, like we always did when tits deep in a project. Only differentiated by the near manic fury that seems to radiate off her like a blaze from a roaring flame.
Leaving me to… to wait within the calm to manage the without, while Lynette prepares for this meeting with Augusta.
What is she? A Nightmare infesting a Doll or… or just a Nightmare shaped like a Doll? And… But she, like Krelliva, seemed to find the term I was taught for her kind a touch insulting. And she called her goals here her duty… which implies a greater purpose to her kind. Which… I’m not sure if it's comforting to discover one of the more horrifying things this Estate loves to eat is intelligent or…
“Moonshite.” I sigh, still hovering outside Sikkina’s Sanctuary. “Why is everything turning sideways? All the monsters turning out to be agreeable sorts. The Sun-Blessed, at least, made sense. But this…”
Eyes roll to regard the vibrant room Lynette’s built for her daughter.
“Eyes forward, Stupid Half-Knit.” I murmur, take a deep breath, and move toward my Xafra and Lynette’s Doll.
Even use the memories of what this Dämmerung told me to mantle the smile we want to give her as we settle to sit next to the purring Grakler Frame and the little Snek shaped Doll.
“Hello, my Xafra.” I whisper, laying a hand to gently stroke her spine.
Lynette’s Doll wakes just enough to give me a nuzzle before gathering up herself and slithering back below to her favorite sleeping spot.
Xafra purrs louder at my touch, murmuring through the bond [Mmmm Elevar? How was it?]
"Terrifying, a touch maddening, and..." I sigh, then glance down at her and lose nothing of my grin. "They remember you. Well. And adore you. Seemed as frustrated as I am that you were disallowed from speaking with them in ages past."
She cants ::Surprise/Worry/Confusion:: as she stretches out [Ah. The... Weave prevented it? That's distressing.]
I nod. "It is, but... We know why. And knowing will help us untangle things. Free you sooner. Today is..."
Augusta's words ring through my mind. Her warnings cutting at such a deep fear of mine. That... that I would hurt my Xafra. Wound her rather than soothe her. Despite my desires to the opposite.
"... Good. Distresses and revelations both worth knowing. Like after our talks with the Sun-Blessed, my perspectives have shifted. I suspect things will change quite a lot when you're free to regard the world without bindings." I continue. "But... I'd recommend holding off on your meeting with them though, wait till you're free to listen."
[That makes sense. I... heh. It's weird to say that I'm not particularly devout considering the circumstances, but it's hard to deny that getting the opportunity to hear and remember their words means a lot to me. I will wait.]
"I think that's healthy and... I don't think that's what this one wants that from you." I consider, fingers moving up to her ears and gently rubbing and scratching behind them. "It's... odd. But despite it all you've learned from them. They got so very angry at the Garrotes within us. Had to tell them of our plans to remove our own Garrote before they seemed to calm. Which..." I huff. "Guess I didn't mention that to you. What I promised Lynette the other day. I... I'd like you and Adaline to unweave the one I made on my shoulder before we try for yours. It... I... When I wove it I wasn't just using my memory of the Old Cunt's Makellose Garrote, I stole some inspiration from the little you showed me of yours. Don't remember why, just... Well, everything was horrible and I was so scared of what it was putting in me. And if I could weave something even half as nasty as yours I... I was sure it would hold. The notes and shared memories will give us valuable insight on how to deconstruct yours. Or... will be at least good practice if nothing else."
The bond vibrates with pride and delight. [Proud of you. It's a terrifying thing, both to give up control and to admit mistakes.]
I adjust to lay beside her, nuzzle close as I whisper. "You've no idea. Without that Binding she... She'll have access to everything. My body, my magic, my... but not my worst lessons. The things that broke me. And I can't even communicate them to her, since the Estate's bond robs her of it. She... she's starting to puzzle things out. But only because I'm too stubborn to let us move forward about them. I'm terrified, Xafra. So worried the bond will slip away and..."
I wince as Lynette's threats bubble up. Words she'd howled as I destroyed the Gemstone's Archives and begun to stalk to Yselda's Spire. Such... such hissing spiteful things I can't even recall the full of but... Know they were perfectly tuned for me. Days of slowly letting her see me as we entwined in purpose twisted to fester. Threats designed to unmake me, and might have done, were I not distracted and consumed with wroth and bitter desire to unmake everything remaining of a woman I loved.
Xafra manifests her Doll form and wraps around me, whispering in turn, "Then we have to alter it too, so she can be properly free to exert her own actions. Right now, she too has more than one set of chains on her. It's like... She's only allowed to grow in ways the Estate permits, Cultivated free will within strict limits. If I need to make her another body to be comfortable so you two can coexist, I'm more than willing to do so. Neither of you are expendable."
"Thank you." I sigh, clinging and pulling her close. "I've no idea what to expect after she's free but... thank you. I... how was..." Pulling back I wipe away the bits of moisture that formed in my eyes, smile at her. "How's your daughter? What do you think of this place? I... Lynette's tits deep in an Estate thing and pretty oblivious to us right now but... when she's free she'd love to know your thoughts and... and if she needs to adjust anything?"
"Good, really good. She seems to be growing well. It's a gorgeous place. I'm not sure if anything really needs to be adjusted, you know?" Xafra answers with a big smile of her own.
“That’ll mean a lot for her to hear. She’s spent a lot of time fiddling with it. And… I take it you found and memorized the Tune of this place?”
"Yes, it took a while but I am confident I can utilize the Wurzelriss to return here."
I rise and offer her my hand. "Wonderful. That... will be perfect to have for when you decide to leave the grounds again. A quick, albeit a touch expensive, method of return. Now, let's go see about getting Krahe's Frame properly adjusted."
She takes my hand and rises as well, excitement evident in every movement, "Definitely. It will be great to have her properly embodied so she can enjoy the world freely again."
As I lead her from the Sanctuary and through the tunnels the symmetry between this and Xafra's own binding and crafting prickling in my mind. "Do you have installation procedures mapped out for her? Anchoring to the Frame and yourselves should be more than enough, I suspect, but... Dollcraft and the nature of the Ontological aren't my specialties. We could use a Chamber down here for the process. Keep a... Oh what was the thing Lynette mentioned the other night... a Threaded weave of netting that each has to keep anyone from slipping and falling off her Path? Or some such."
"My plan is to mold the flesh out of my own Ousia and Physis resonating to match Krahe's similar to how a Doll would be made with a subject's, then let her slide inside the space left for her ego. The Chambers... scare me. I would worry for Krahe's mental integrity, especially with the possibility that my own fears could interfere with the process."
Nodding, I sigh and murmur. "That makes sense to me, and Lynette defers to your expertise here. We're... We're actually quite curious at the possibility of leaving the Estate itself for the removal of both your and Lynette's Garrotes. We're quite conflicted. Part of us wants to insist we use a Chamber to ensure we can track and observe anything and everything, while the other thinks the jungles would offer not just a more peaceful environment for you and Adaline but... also a budding supply of Ousia if it is needed."
"We can do Lynette's wherever she would prefer but.... No. for me, I won't ever use one of those torture cells." Xafra's voice goes cold and haunted, clearly still traumatized from her experience.
"I thought not. But... The offer needed to be made." I assure Xafra while squeezing her hand. "And... I think I'd prefer the jungles myself. With Warden and yours and Adaline's eyes I doubt anything will be missed. Lynette will probably ask for ours or your Spire but... we'll see."
I pause as I hear voices ahead, recognizing them right away as Adaline and Schatzi, then turn to face Xafra. "I know we spoke a bit about it before but... I wanted to apologize again. For what happened. How I didn't tell you what this place was before bringing you here. It was stupid and cowardly and... you deserved better. And had every right to come down here and no reason to think it could be as horrible as it is. I'm not... entirely sure what I could or should or would do differently now other than tell you. Let you help me figure this place out before everything got so... so complicated. Before it could hurt you."
"Thank you. I... Mistress, I'm afraid. I think... I could have gotten out. I could have butchered myself until I could slip free but... Whatever got free wouldn't be me anymore, and... That scares me more than the thought of being trapped. I finally have a name. I have a family. A daughter even. I don't want to stop being me."
"Never, love." I murmur softly, stepping forward to gently cup her cheek while pulling her other up to brush against my lips. "You're free. You're safe. And we will never let this place, nor anything like it, take you from yourself. Lynette ensured that. Even more than I demanded or thought she would. And after this Garrote is removed... things are going to change. A lot. For you."
"I trust you." She takes a breath, shakes herself off and smiles again. "Let's get this cutie a booty."
I smirk and pull us forward, "You've been just... waiting to say that this entire time haven't you?"
"Mmhm, I spent like an hour working on a good pun while I waited for you."
Still chuckling, we find the other members of Xafra's Pack waiting for us. Both Adaline and Schatzi standing in a chamber that is dominated by a large loom knitted and wrapped about and through a stone slab twice the size of even the largest Doll.
"I hope we didn't keep either of you waiting." I speak as we enter.
"Not really? Got here a short while ago and Schatzi just arrived. Rufus and Calix are flirting." Adaline responds casually, hefting a large canvas bag back over her shoulder. "Where does Lynette need the parts?"
"Well, isn't that a delight? Too early to know if it's a thing of Passing Flames but... Well, Rufus always was the attachable sort. Loyal to a fault and endlessly looking for companionship. Let's hope he doesn't prove overmuch for Calix's flights and distractible whims." I smirk while releasing Xafra's hand and stepping up to the stone slap, then hefting myself up to stand atop it, calling up a flicker of Wisplight to illuminate the subtle patterns etched across the thing.
"He got all panicked and confused when Calix asked him about the missing collar. Was apparently so overwhelmed he didn't realize until then that he was no longer restricted from his Ousia and Physis, Mistress." Schatzi adds.
I kneel while chuckling. "He knows how foolish it would be to Weave irresponsibly on these grounds, and... he is soft beneath the hooks and spiked bits the Threshers knit into him. At worst he's playing at silent information gathering in the event we give him the chance for an eventual escape. But between Calix, you both, Xafra, Adaline and..."
Augusta. She was there too.
That causes me to pause as fingers touch the grooves of the stone. "Well, isn't that odd."
"Hmm? Something wrong with the Loom?" Xafra asks.
I shake myself and turn back to the task at hand, refusing to let that errant thought over worry me. "It's as perfect as I remember. Is Krahe's Frame together or in segmented pieces?"
"In pieces. Warden suggested keeping the parts seperate so we could check them again afterwards before I clade them."
"Alright, pass them up and let's fit them into these circles." I nod and tip-tap the six primary etchings. "Warden, if you could please send Lynette and I the information? From there we'll see about tying the right values and such."
Once all the parts are set within and tied, I move away and let this Loom do its task. Nudging Lynette from her furious work to activate and calibrate the process. It doesn’t take long for the Estate to shove Empty Nomos laced with Ousia through the wood, leaving behind a thin layer of almost... barky scaled chaff when it's done. So brittle it would fall to pieces if touched, and definitely when I begin regathering the parts.
“Should all be set and rewoven to specifications.” I murmur to Adaline, whose eyes are still dancing over the slab and remade Frame. Then use a subtle weaving to clean and brush away the leftover mess before passing each piece to her. “But… let me know if anything could be adjusted. It's a simple enough thing, if you don't mind the walk down here.”
"Of course" She responds as she checks and repacks each part.
"If they're all good, we can have Krahe fully embodied tomorrow. Probably best for us all to get a good sleep after triple checking the designs and the material properties of the modified wood." Xafra announces as Adaline hands an odd spherical piece to her.
"Of Course. We'll go talk to Hyacinth and get it to look over the numbers again, and see you both in the morning?" Xafra suggests.
"I..."
Lynette seems to be hissing, almost more to herself than me.
