plot The Cosmic Battle to Save the Thread

[BringerofShadows she/her]

“What if I were to literally rip into that universe?” BoS was losing her patience. 

[xinoehp512 he/him]

Tom's frown deepened. "What do you mean?"

[BringerofShadows she/her]

“With the power of Ruin, I would rip through to the other universe. I’ve done before, that’s how I got to TLT.” 

[xinoehp512 he/him]

Tom raised an eyebrow. "The bounds of Reality are stronger than the powers of a Shard, Shadow..."

[BringerofShadows she/her]

Quote

Xino, my plans revolve around me being able to travel between universes. Please let me be able to rip through Reality.

“Is it? Why don’t we test that theory?” 

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

1 hour ago, xinoehp512 said:

Tom held her in his embrace, just a hair away from tears.

"I'm so sorry," he murmured. "So sorry..."

"It's okay," Tamika muttered, voice muffled. She held him a little tighter. His warmth made her forget about AJ. How could she have been thinking about him when she had Tom? It made her feel guilty. "I'm sorry," she said, "for all that happened with AJ. I didn't think... I didn't know... I'm sorry."

Quote

Picturing this is making me so emotional. 

 

[xinoehp512 he/him]

On 10/2/2019 at 10:49 AM, BringerofShadows said:

Xino, my plans revolve around me being able to travel between universes. Please let me be able to rip through Reality.

Quote

Don't worry, there are other ways to travel between realities.

On 10/2/2019 at 10:49 AM, BringerofShadows said:

“Is it? Why don’t we test that theory?” 

"It's been tested," said Tom. "You need Narrative energy to edit reality."

Edited October 7, 2019 by xinoehp512

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

On 9/30/2019 at 4:54 PM, Shard of Thought said:

Star met Pheonix's eyes. "I don't... deserve... to love anyone like this again, because… Because it’s what I want most. I’m done with plot. I’m tired. I wanna stop. And now… I finally have a reason to. But what happens to them when I stop?" She gestured to Shadow.

 

Quote

Star needs love!

 

[xinoehp512 he/him]

On 9/30/2019 at 5:54 PM, Shard of Thought said:

Star met Pheonix's eyes. "I don't... deserve... to love anyone like this again, because… Because it’s what I want most. I’m done with plot. I’m tired. I wanna stop. And now… I finally have a reason to. But what happens to them when I stop?" She gestured to Shadow.

 

"You don't have to do this alone, Star," said Pheonix, eyes compassionate.

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Star felt tears rise up. Maybe it was just her exhaustion, but she felt like her heart was about to burst. Finally! her entire body seemed to sing. What if's swayed darkly in the back of her mind, but she pushed them away. Those never helped anybody. She felt like she should do something - pull him close and kiss him, hug him tight - but she wasn't quite certain of anything at the moment, so she just shivered. "Thank you. Thank you so much."

[BringerofShadows she/her]

2 hours ago, xinoehp512 said:

"It's been tested," said Tom. "You need Narrative energy to edit reality."

“How much of it?”

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Quote

TOMIKA. 

 

[BringerofShadows she/her]

@xinoehp512

@xinoehp512

@xinoehp512

Edited October 5, 2019 by BringerofShadows

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Quote

Just finished this for my room. The part above the signatures is a way I've devised to separate the "Eras" of CBST. 

Spoiler

Era 1: Marsh
Star and Marsh are happy.

Era 2: Revenger
Star begins to be pushed around and becomes broken

Era 3: Queen of Shadows
Star turns into Astral

Era 4: Wretch
Star becomes evil and insane

Era 5: Identity
Star struggles with who she is and her place in the story

Era 6: Hero
Star saves the thread and places herself as a hero

Era 7: Silence
Star has to face her first real threat

Era 8: Astral
Star has to face herself

 

 

[BringerofShadows she/her]

Quote

That looks really good! 

@xinoehp512

[xinoehp512 he/him]

On 10/3/2019 at 1:10 PM, BringerofShadows said:

“How much of it?”

"It depends..." said Tom slowly. "Different tasks require different amounts."

[BringerofShadows she/her]

“Where can I get it?”

@xinoehp512

Edited October 6, 2019 by BringerofShadows

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Quote

May a propose a Phar theme song?

Spoiler

I was a stranger to myself
A flicker, a memory
I was a fragment, an empty shell
'Til you got a hold of me

Stretch it over me
The sky of your affection
It's the wild I need tonight

Love me like you mean it
Hold me like the moon holds onto the tide
Love me like you mean it
Keep me 'cause your fire keeps me alive
Love me like you mean it

On a train somewhere in Italy
Your fingers laced with mine
I see the world racing next to me
But we're frozen, lost in time

Stretch it over me
The miles of your affection
It's the wild I need tonight

Love me like you mean it
Hold me like the moon holds onto the tide
Love me like you mean it
Keep me 'cause your fire keeps me alive

I'll say it once
I'll say it twice
You are the halo that covers the night
Love me like you mean it

Stretch it over me
The sky of your affection
It's the wild I need
Tonight, tonight

Love me like you mean it
Hold me like the moon holds onto the tide
Love me like you mean it
Keep me 'cause your fire keeps me alive

Love me like you mean it
Hold me like the moon holds onto the tide
Love me like you mean it
Keep me 'cause your fire keeps me alive

I'll say it once
I'll say it twice
You are the halo that covers the night
Love me like you mean it

 

 

 

Edited October 7, 2019 by Shard of Thought

[BringerofShadows she/her]

@xinoehp512

[xinoehp512 he/him]

On 10/5/2019 at 9:46 PM, BringerofShadows said:

“Where can I get it?”

@xinoehp512

Tom spread his hands helplessly. "I don't know. I would think that Narrators would have an unlimited amount, but... Star wasn't able to do it, and neither was your twin." He sighed. "Just another of Silence's many tricks, I guess..."

Edited October 7, 2019 by xinoehp512

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Quote

I exist too...  I get the sense you don't love writing the lovey dovey stuff, but if we don't do it now, we won't get to the plot. You can't just go half hearted on this one 'cause I know I've put my whole heart into it. They're more than just characters to me, they're people. Why do you think I spend so much time making art? My doc of plans is almost 30 pages long now. It just seems unfair that I've been left in the dust. And I know you're tryin', but I just need a little more from ya. Please?

Here's some of the things I wrote, but won't be able to post. Read it only if you want to, the whole point is that it is long.

Spoiler

A thick, steaming, red liquid poured from the place on Ember’s torso where she had been stabbed through. She made little gasping noises, her eyes seemed  unfocused despite their lack of pupils. Star knelt down beside her, careful to avoid the spots of boiling, magma blood. Ember found Star with her eyes and seemed to shudder. “I… have failed you, my… queen.” She reached up with one hand and touched Star’s cheek. “You… are my… my Courage.” She brought her hand down, laying in on her wound. She seemed to nod a farewell and closed her large eyes.

Star didn’t even know what to do. Ember had been nothing but selfless while she was alive. A little confused and scared, maybe, but her innocence was special. She gave a shaky sigh, loathe to lose another friend, but what could she do? She leaned down to kiss her on the forehead before…. Light began to shine from the wound in Ember’s stomach, brightening to a near blinding luminance. And then, with a flash, it faded. But her ashen skin beneath began to peel off, seeming to burn away… revealing darkly tanned, almost metallic skin beneath. Star’s eyes widened and she stepped back, allowing the transformation to run its course. As it spread, the process sped up, her ashen outer layer melting away. When the wave reached her hair line, her deep brown locks lightened slightly to auburn. Her eyes were notably smaller and her face was splattered by light colored freckles. 

 

Star shot Astral a virulent glare. "Ember, they're just mind games."

"Yes, yes, Ember," Astral said, looking at her nails. "Listen to your elder sister who knows so much. But did you forget? We're sisters too. And you and I could be so much more together."

Ember set her jaw and cussed Astral out.

"Oh, my," the Queen said, eyes widening in mock surprise. "I didn't know Star would teach you those words. I'm impressed."

"Words," Ember said curtly, "are often more powerful when expressing intent."

Astral screeched with laughter. "Who said that? TVG? HA! But that still doesn't convince me. You're just Star's pet. Unable to act for yourself. Heather has to die; you know that. But Star will stop you."

"That is because it is wrong to kill someone who has not done anything to hurt you. It is you who should die."

Astral's face went serious and she poured her memories into Ember's head. "She. Killed. Marsh," she said, gritting her teeth. 

Ember doubled over as the memories came upon her like lava down a hill. The pain, the guilt and regret inside those moments was potent. She wrapped an arm around her waist, using the other one to support her. "No!" she cried as she vicariously remembered pulling Marsh's dead body onto her lap, the characters of TLT around her. Ember screamed, feeling Astral's tears on her cheeks, like a whisper of the past. Heather... Shadow... she had done this. She had taken him to that place, she had driven him to kill himself. She could only barely make out Star's voice.

"Astral!" Star yelled, frantic. "What are you doing to her, let her go!"

"You've forgotten him..." Astral muttered quietly, eyes unfocused. "Forgotten every terrible thing they did to you. And you've decided to help them. You're disgusting. Teaching your own blood to love them when we should rule over them." Astral stood, her black aura rippling off of her skirt in waves. The shadows in the room seemed to darken. "Go on and hate me. I am here to save you." 

Ember's arm gave and she collapsed to the ground, falling face first onto the marble ground. She had never felt so weak.

 

Star’s face fell. No. It was a larger change than that. Her shoulders slumped, the corners of her mouth turned down, and a light in her eyes simply died. She blinked, looking down as her entire form seemed to shrink. She started to take a shaky breath, but then bit her lip and started to cry silently. “No,” she muttered quietly to herself. “No, no, no, no, no…” She continued to repeat the word. 

Ember walked toward her master and carefully put an arm around her waist to lead her away. “Come,” she said. “You should sit.” At this, Star burst into full sobs. Each tear that fell onto Ember’s body sizzled and turned to steam. But Star allowed Ember to walk her to her room and help her sit on the bed. Ember cocked her head, watching Star cry, outwardly emotionless. “You are… emotionally compromised,” Ember said. Star nodded helplessly. Ember walked a bit closer, then sat on her knees in front of the blonde woman. “Are you… in pain?”

“Yes,” Star cried, her back shaking with emotion. 

“Can I heal you?”

“Oh, Ember,” Star said, as she continued to ugly cry. “Some things… you can’t just… heal.” 

“Oh.” Ember looked down as Star slumped into the pillows, her arms wrapped tightly around her waist. “I am sorry.”

“It’s... okay…”

“But you are not.” Star had nothing to say to that.

 

“Star,” Ember said. “You appear fatigued. Perhaps you should rest.”

Star shook her head solemnly. She did look tired. It was dark under her eyes and her shoulders seemed to sag. “No. I can’t. I won’t. Not until… not until Pheonix is here to rest with me.”

“Pheonix is your true love.”

Star sighed. “TVG seems to think so. And the more I wonder if she’s right, the more correct it seems.”

“Why… why do you… love him?”

“Because he makes me feel like a hero. He… he snuffed out the darkness inside of me. And he loves me despite every terrible thing I’ve done…” Star trailed off as memories bled into her thoughts. 

“You have done terrible things?” Ember asked, surprised.
“Yes. I was evil to the core, once. Or maybe just… lonely.” 

 

Tamika glared up at Tom, a flash of purple in her eyes. “So, I don’t know if you knew this,” she started off, voice packed with angry satire, “but this morning, I had to watch AJ die.” She paused for a moment, her face reddening and her bottom lip quivering. “I’m going to be honest here; I know you hated him, but he was still a dear friend to me and you never…” Tamika sighed, trying to calm herself. “Look. This morning was… it was traumatizing. And the second I came down to ask you for some comfort and closeness I find that you’ve decided to help Star. I don’t even know who she is! All I know was that she was directly responsible for the death of the man I love and-” Tamika paled, the purple glint vanishing as she caught herself. “Loved. I didn’t mean to…” She closed her mouth, shrinking before Tom’s gaze. “Tom, I…”

 

 

Edited October 7, 2019 by Shard of Thought

[xinoehp512 he/him]

Quote

I know...  I wish I were better at this sort of thing...

 

On 10/2/2019 at 10:51 AM, Shard of Thought said:

"It's okay," Tamika muttered, voice muffled. She held him a little tighter. His warmth made her forget about AJ. How could she have been thinking about him when she had Tom? It made her feel guilty. "I'm sorry," she said, "for all that happened with AJ. I didn't think... I didn't know... I'm sorry."

 

"Oh, Tamika..." whispered Tom, holding her tight to him. "You don't need to be sorry for anything."

On 10/3/2019 at 11:59 AM, Shard of Thought said:

Star felt tears rise up. Maybe it was just her exhaustion, but she felt like her heart was about to burst. Finally! her entire body seemed to sing. What if's swayed darkly in the back of her mind, but she pushed them away. Those never helped anybody. She felt like she should do something - pull him close and kiss him, hug him tight - but she wasn't quite certain of anything at the moment, so she just shivered. "Thank you. Thank you so much."

"Anything for you," said Pheonix, squeezing her hands. "Anything."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Quote

S'okay. 

But I do, Tami wanted to say. But she didn't. It was no good to say something like that in front of Tom. No matter how much guilt she was feeling, there was something about him that banished it all. And more than that, loved her despite it. Deep gratitude and love in her heart, she kissed him deeply. It had been too long. 
-----------
Star stared lovingly at him a little longer before yawning. "Well," she said. "I really ought to get going. I have no energy anymore and I've ignored by body's pleas for rest for too long. I'm sorry I have to leave you."

[xinoehp512 he/him]

7 minutes ago, Shard of Thought said:

Star stared lovingly at him a little longer before yawning. "Well," she said. "I really ought to get going. I have no energy anymore and I've ignored by body's pleas for rest for too long. I'm sorry I have to leave you."

Pheonix sighed regretfully, releasing her hands. "It always seems strange to me that we have to sleep.", he mused, letting out a laugh that turned into a yawn halfway through. "But now that you mention it, I'm tired too. I guess escaping prison can do that to you."

[Zephrun’s Imperium they/he]

Star smiled. "I suppose that goes for both of us, doesn't it? Though... burns..." She chuckled awkwardly. "Well anyway, I'd love to snuggle with you if... you'd... like to." She swallowed, blushing. "Or not. I'm sorry. I really just..." She looked at him helplessly.

Edited October 7, 2019 by Shard of Thought