December 25, 2022
Ivy appears in the living room.
"...uhhh hello?" Luna is still on the ground trying to regain focus.
"What's good?"
Lock walks in, "hi I did drugs."
"Not much I guess. Got knocked out by a loud explosion," Luna says.
"Yo, sweet." Ivy doesn't notice Lock entering as she lights a joint.
Luna hops to the top bunk and cuddles with her plushie harem. It's not weird.
"You guys get a ton of explosions around here don't you? Tad bit weird. You should get that checked," Ivy jokes.
"Not our fault we attract assholes wanting to traumatize us," Luna grumbles.
Cole snorts as he jolts awake, "Explosion?"
Lock sits down by the wall. She moves as if being cautious "I didn’t see anything destroyed I don’t think."
Ivy continues smoking.
"..." Cole is tempted to spray her with the water gun but resists it.
Ivy looks over at Lock, "Oh. It's the manic pixie dog. Hm. Eh. It's christmas. Fuck grudges."
Lock scoffs, "Says the lazy smoker"
"Mmmmmlosersayswhat?" Ivy says quickly.
"You said it," Lock states.
"I wasn't born yesterday," Ivy summons another joint.
"You already said it," Lock explains.
"You're not gonna make me say it again in this case, girl," Ivy continues.
Luna sighs. Cole grumbles and shakes his head. Lock folds her arms quietly.
Ivy is smoking and doesn’t seem to care, "Oh, Luna, how you liking the gift?"
Luna summons a small water ball that floats there, "It's very wet."
Cole ignores Ivy's fire hazard and opens the Christmas present that's still in front of him. It’s a booze bottle in the shape of a shotgun.
Ivy snorts. "Like-" Ivy coughs out some smoke. "Nevermind."
"And with my psychic powers, I can do this,"Luna says as the small water ball floats around the room.
Oleander zones back in, noticing Ivy and shifting a bit, looking between her and Lock nervously. Lock is staying a bit too calm.
"Nice, nice." Ivy looks over at Oleander. "What's up purple hair and pronouns. You liking the gift?"
Cole stares at it, then at Isaac who is still asleep, then back at the gift as he mutters, "It’s fuckin chrimis bitch, can't tell me what to do." He snaps as the booze bottle is filled with whiskey and pours himself a shot. The water ball floats precariously over Ivy.
Oleander chuckles and nods, "Yeah, it's good. Fits my sword so I can be armed at all times now." His nose shrivels at the smell of the weed.
"Damn, what? I thought that shit couldn't fit a couple of books and whatever. Good to hear it's useful," Ivy shrugs.
"Just like why are you smoking in the house? That's just a red flag all over," Luna asks, still keeping her focus on the ball of water. Lock continues to quietly watch in Ivy's direction, especially watching movements.
"Ari wasn't home, and I felt lonely. And hey, I wanted to wish you guys a merry crisis or whatever," Ivy shrugs.
"Yes, by making the house smell like weed. And insulting my friends," Luna takes her focus off the ball and as it falls on Ivy. "Oops."
Cole laughs as whiskey comes out of his nose, "fuck-"
"I am really clumsy tonight, so sorry," Luna lies.
Ivy is soaked and his joint is put out. “Hmm…” She lights another.
"Can you just not smoke in this room? I don't want any second hand," Lock
"Sorry about that."
Cole snickers and pours himself more whiskey "crimis...."
"Can you please stop smoking in the house though? Like it smells really fucking bad." Luna complains.
"It's fine. Always got like 50 of these rolled at home." Ivy takes a deep hit, clearly thinking. "I mean, I could go outside, I guess." She... never exhaled-
Lock grumbles. Luna summons another water ball. "Please go outside Ivory. It's a fire hazard." Her tone is serious.
"Never seen a house burn down over a joint, but sure." Ivy walks out.
"Yeah and Cole is drinking whiskey ya goof!"
Lock growls things under her breath.
Sluurrrrppp "Crimis..."
Ari stands and leaves for the kitchen, having watched things silently.
Lock sounds mad "OK what the hell is her issue?"
Cole drinks the rest of his whiskey and sighs as he walks into the kitchen.
"What a mess." Luna sighs and lays down. "At least the chaos was mitigated." Oh she is jinxing shit proactively.
"Mitigated? You heard what she called me"
"Manic pixie dog and attempted to call you a loser."
"If any shes losing..losing uhhh" Lock pauses as she thinks "uh losing bitches" she devilishly smiles for the sick burn
Luna chuckles. "Sick burn Lock."
"Eveerything in me want to walk out there and kick the can but i know better"
Luna nods. "yeah, probably for the best we don't incite any actual violence. Not to mention, shes a dromen now and I really don't feel like dealing with Sickness."
"Yeah well I’m hadal. I’ll turn off the arm myself if it means not feeling rage burning in me every hour."
She blinks. "Yeah uhh I see. Um, okay, let's not be the first to attack then?" Luna is listening into the kitchen right now.
"Easy for you to say, you dont have a nonferal soul" Lock grumbles as she paces
"...right, I uh see. The whole revenge thing I guess?"
Oleander zones in again and looks up at Lock. "Whats up?"
"I want to ggrrrrr" She makes angry hands while pacing
Luna is just trying to stall things out before shit blows up. Its not really working.
"Want to go for a walk?" Oleander asks Lock, getting up
"NO."
Oleander nods. "Alright." He pauses, trying to think of something they could do that doesnt lead to fighting
"Accursed revenge plots." she mutters.
"I’m one away, just one away" Lock mumbles
"One away from what?"
Luna just closes her eyes.
"One second away-" Lock storms to the door
"Shit."
Oleander follows her, gently grabbinf her arm.
Lock runs through.
In the front yard, Ivy summoned a Gameboy and is now playing Tetris while smoking. She needs a tentacle to hold her joint. She lets out a faint yippeee. New highscore. After a bit she pulls out her phone and scrolls through twitter.
Lock swings the door open. "What's your issue huh?"
"Heh?" Ivy doesn't look away from her phone.
Oleanders behind Lock, grabbing her arm. "Lock no-"
"You heard me. What's your issue??? You show up after trying to kill me and then instead of trying to fix things you call me names?" Locks arm feels tense
Oleander’s ready to try and hold Lock back if a fight breaks out.
"Ay dude, I just fuck around. Didn't mean shit with that. I mean I called that one... fucking... that dude I gave the ring to- I called him purple hair and pronouns or whatever. Did he get mad? Doesn't look like it." Ivy is still looking at her phone.
Luna teleports to the front yard prepared to protect Ivory in case.
Cole's slightly glowing purple eyes can be seen from the roof, staring at Lock.
"OH YEAH? And then when someone is actually upset over something you stare into your phone all glazy eyed pretending like no one in the world matters? How the hell do you think thats going to go if you keep passively brushing off others feelings like youre some queen that can do no wrong? I've fucking done it before and its ganna take a major slap to the face before you atuatlly take something seriously for once in your life"
Ivy just itches her nose. "Giving a shit got me here, not giving a shit feels like the only solution. Apathetically ruining my life, y'know? I don't want any hard feelings between me or anyone at all girl. I've seen how people take advantage of being in the heat of the moment and will make you act up when you're at your worst. I just don't want to cause anything else. I've already hurt too many people and, hey, with the whole dromen thing, I don't wanna hurt anyone else. Stop thinking I'm pretending to not care for no reason, if I care, I won't let go, and it'll hurt not only myself but the people I care for. Mkay?" Ivy keeps staring at her phone.
"You think not giving a shit is going to make people like you? You're blind. Can you atleast have the common decency to look at me while having a serious conversation? You've already trashed any respect to me"
"With all due respect, which at this point I'm giving to you out of sympathy, you beat me up over a plushie that got ripped not even cuz of me. I didn't do that shit on purpose and I apologized for it and paid purple hair whatsyaname back already. Took a while but, hey, null manipulation takes a while. All I did was self defense, and I'll admit! I went overboard. But at the end of the day, who dealt the first blow was you. You didn't try to talk, you didn't try to solve it in any civil way, you just grabbed me and slammed me against a wall. What makes you think you've earned any respect from me with an attitude like that? But, like I said when I got here, grudges are stupid. I don't hate you; fuck, I don't hate anyone really, even Lucille! Because hate just doesn't work nor does it pay off in the long run. I'm giving you more respect than you gave me when we first met, because you barely even talked to me at all. I'd appreciate it if you left me alone now." Ivy swaps the phone for a Gameboy again.
"Oh but me getting upset about something and throwing you is grounds for cold blooded murder? Things only escalated becuase you fed into it. Things only even got to that point to begin with becuase your lazy ass couldnt move an inch weather you meant it or not, and im not that one who started throwing insults to someone i didnt know well and expecting them to MAGICALLY be taken as a joke. You know very well just not looking at me right now is your way of being a passive aggressive pansy wanting me to make the first move just you can gloat about it when your the one adding gasoline to fire. But at this rate it looks like you're refusing to be the bigger man in this situation. Not like there's a way to. But don't be ashamed of yourself, thats your parent's job." Lock says coldly.
Oleander’s hand tightens slightly on Lock’s arm. Cole's eyes glow brighter. Luna continues to watch.
Ivy seems to tear up a bit due to the final sentence of that. "Do I look like I want to murder you right now? No. I don't. I was out of myself dude. Like I said, heat of the moment. I'm not trying to be passive aggressive or anything. I just don't want to hate anyone. You can say whatever you'd like, but it doesn't change the fact that I'm really not trying to make this go on. I don't want an argument. I just came here to be near my friends and smoke cuz it's christmas, but instead I got treated like... eh. It's whatever." She's a bit shaky now.
"THEN WHY WON'T YOU LOOK AT ME AND WE RESOLVE THIS?!?! WHY DID YOU CALL ME NAMES!?!?"
Ivy is clearly startled. She starts to sit down on the ground, focusing even more on the Gameboy. "Please... just... stop screaming..."
"PLEASE JUST LOOK AT ME" Locks yelling sounds on the verge of tears. Her fists are clenched and shaking
"I don't FUCKING WANT TO, OKAY?!" Ivy doesn't sound mad. She sounds scared. "I... I don't fucking- Just stop, please- fuck- I don't-" She curls up.
"Lock- Lock stop-" Oleander says, trying to pull her away.
"Please Lock, it's enough." Luna pleads.
Cole's barely visible figure shifts around on the roof, as if grabbing something
"YOU NEVER FUCKING LISTEN" Lock yanks as her fake arm is pulled off. Oleander is left holding the fake arm as Lock runs back in the house.
Ivy is left curled up in the front porch. She's crying.
Oleander holds her fake arm and looks to Ivy. "I’m sorry-" He says, not sure if he should go after Lock or try to help Ivy. Cole disappears from the roof. Ivy is frozen solid. She doesn't look up to anyone or say anything. She's just crying.
Oleander pauses, they decide to go find Ari because they can probably help Ivy more than he can. And they head inside. Luna stays outside with Ivory. It's probably the best thing she can do.
Lock runsinto the kitchen. Her face is hard to see under the hair as she runs by to the backdoor, SHOVING Orpheus out of the way. Orpheus is shoved to the side and nearly falls over but puts some new claw holes in the kitchen's wall to prevent that! "WH-?"
Lock sprints outside.
Cole sprints after Lock and quickly says to Orpheus, "I'm sorry-"
Orpheus kind of just stares. "Glad to know whatever was happening outside ended badly."
Ari watches everything happening, “Shit really went down huh-“
Oleander walks in and looks to Ari. "I’m sorry Lock got upset at Ivy for some things and said something about Ivy’s parents which she shouldn’t have- Ivy’s crying and I don't know how to help but I figured you'd be able to help more than I can." He says to Ari. "I’m sorry again-"
Orpheus looks to Ari, sighs disappointedly, and runs off to the front yard.
“Shit uh- god damn” She follows.
Oleander heads to the backyard, still holding Lock’s fake arm.
Cole sprints outside and grabs Lock's real arm, "waitwaitwait, are you okay?"
Lock tugs the arm with no regard as there's a pop "LET GO OF ME"
"LOCK TELL ME YOU’RE OKAY FIRST"
"I’M NOT! I’M FUCKING NOT OKAY???"
"FUCKING TELL ME ABOUT IT"
Lock stops pulling and is shaking. Her ears are back as ashe shakes her head "i-i can't I cant I cant"
Oleander walks out and just. awkwardly watches. "Let go of her please-" He says
Cole sighs and lets go of her arm "fine...i'm sorry Lock." Cole steps away from Lock to give her some space
Lock falls over in the snow and is sitting up. She hangs her head and cries while gritting her teeth
Oleander approaches, sitting next to her and opening his arms for a hug. Lock leans towards Oleander while starting to hyperventilate. Oleander envelopes her in a hug and grabs some snow. "Eat the snow."
"I-I-I hhhh" she doesn't get much of a sentence out and shakily holds out an arm. He brings it to her mouth.
She gets some snow and eats it. "w-why hhh why doe-does it n-n-not bohhh bother you???"
"Why does what not bother me?"
"a-a-all of t-this hhh ccrying- an-n myarm"
"Because I love you." He says softly, hugging her and softly rubbing her back. The hyperventilating eventually calms down.
Oleander waits, shivering a tiny bit. "Do you want to talk about what happened?"
"I- I dont know how to explain"
Oleander nods. "When she wouldnt look at you, how did that mske you feel?"
"i-ignored. Lied to"
"Lied to about what?"
"Ivy didn’t lie- I mispoke im sorry" She shakes her head
"No, it's okay. I’m trying to figure out why this upset you so bad. Can you tell me who did lie to you?"
Lock sniffs "Uhm...Blair...as fucking aalways, i’m sorry, i know she lies, i know, i’m not getting any better."
"No- no you’re okay. You are getting better, it takes time, okay? Why did Ivy remind you of Blair?"
"S-she wouldn't look at me or listen, or even try. I just wanted answers"
"When was this?"
"I don’t know, a long time ago? I can’t"
Oleander nods. "You’re doing good- I understand you don't like Ivy but I think she's just gone through some stuff and is trying her best... obviously it might not excuse some things but I just mean to say that I don't think she’s trying to hurt anyone."
"I can’t just let things go- I just can’t"
"Can I ask why?" He says, still speaking gently.
"I’m a nonferal- nonferal souls cant fucking let things go"
Oleander nods. "I see. And you cant forgive?"
"I would if I could, but the moment I consider it everything spirals"
"I see. I can explain that to her. Lets just focus on calming down right now, okay?"
Lock nods "Im so sorry you have to deal with this all the fucking time- its just everything is new, its all jarring"
"Its alright. I don't mind." Oleander smiles at her.
"Im sorry , what can I do? Is there anything I can do to make up for it? Anything? I dont know" Lock sounds a bit out of it but no longer crying.
"Just be yourself." He says, still hugging her. "I'll try to talk to Ivy and explain what happened and that you would try forgiving if you could but you can't. We'll figure it out, okay?"
"Do you want me to have my arm back yet?"
"Oh! Yeah sorry-" He takes it out of the snow and hands it to her. "I'm never going to keep.your arm from you"
She shakes her head, "No that's not the one I meant."
"Uh.. what do you mean?"
"This one. Do you need it back yet? Assuming its over?" She puts a hand to the spot where her right arm is missing. He still can't see her expression well at all. He tries to move tje hair away from her face. Her eyes are half open and she's looking ahead with dull eyes. She's definitely out of it right now. She waits for an answer.
"What's over?" He asks, trying to pick her up if possible.
She goes limp and is a bit easier to carry without the other arm "The testing. It didn't work again."
Oleander grabs her other arm and heads inside. "What testing? What didn't work?"
"It didn't fix itself this time, do I need to bring it back myself?"
Oleander walks in, setting Lock on her bed and the arm by it. "How would you fix it yourself?"
A corner of the room is stained and soaked in dry blood from floor to ceiling but weirdly contained. She stays laying face up and lays her real arm face up, "I can warp it back like always Blair. It's another reroll."
"Warp your arm back?"
"Ok" Lock misinterpreted it as a demand as she winces some. Before Oleander's eyes he sees bone, tissue, and fur painfully forming out of thin air. Lock's breathing speeds up as she clenches the bed with her other arm. The arm forming twists with loud crackling into place as she has her whole arm recreated. She stops gritting her teeth and relaxes as she catches her breath.
Oleander blinks and stares, "Oh. I. I didn't. Uh."
Lock stays quiet as she gently rests the arm lying face up as well. He can see she has a set of claws on the new arm.
Oleander doesn't know what to say, "I think you should get some sleep..."
"Ok," Lock goes quiet.
Oleander sits on the floor and waits overnight. In the morning Lock stirs. She wakes up and immediately sits up as she looks over at Oleander.
"Hey-" Oleander wages
"Uhm hey...you ok?"
He nods, "Are you?"
"Yeah..." She pauses before looking down as her new arm "-oh uhhhh."
"You did it while kind of out of it."
"I- ummmm I can explain- I'm not like a demon or anything."
"Is it a hadal thing?"
"Yeah, im uh...you already know about hadals?"
Oleander shrugs, "Kind of. I know you are one and your blood is special. That's kind of it."
"Well how would you feel if I told you I'm technically not real?"
"Uh... what do you mean by that?" He tilts his head.
"I’m not like the other hadals. Basically I was nothing but a splotch of blood on a Petri dish for the longest."
"I see.. How did you become a nonferal?"
"Well Blair couldn't have a monster without drawing attention so she put the phone parts in me that made me blend in. Keeps things calm and keeps me under the radar."
"Monster? What do you mean? How were you a monster?"
"Hadals aren't naturally cute and cuddly. Trust me," Lock sighs.
"How did you become more than a blood drop?"
"I'm not the scientist, I'm the lab rat. So I'm not all that sure. But I'm here," Lock shrugs.
Oleander nods, "Were you like, a baby?"
"Yeah. She told me when the phone parts were added to make me blend in, I looked like a normal nonferal child. Even resembling her, then again the coding was to make me look like I was naturally theirs and not some stranger's kid."
Oleander nods, "Do you know what you looked like before the coding?" He asks curiously.
Lock glances at the blood stained wall, "Well...yeah. It eventually comes back out when the systems overheat and have to shut down."
Oleander nods, "I dont think you're a monster. Even if your hadal form is different."
"Thanks," She gets up, "Sorry to keep you in here all day."
"I don't mind,” He shrugs. "So your arm’s back.'
"It won't be for long. Anyways I'll be back in a bit," She says quickly as Lock straightens her hoodie and walks near the door.
"Wait- what do you mean it won't be for long?” He gets up to follow.
"I can't keep the arm" Lock heads out into the hall.
"Why not?" He follows.
"It's the one thing I promised myself, and I'm not giving up so easily," She heads to the living room.
"Oh hey Lock," Luna waves and looks up from her laptop.
Oleander walks into the living room, "Why can't you keep it? Why did you promise yourself?"
"Hey, bye" Lock waves quickly at Luna. She stands near the front door with a hand on the handle, "I keep it and I've proven Blair right. I refuse to let that happen."
Luna goes silent as she watches.
"How would that prove her right? What are you planning on doing?" Oleander looks really concerned.
Lock opens the door and gets out her hatchet with her other hand, "I'll be back before a moose can climb a tree."
"..." Luna looks worried.
Oleander shakes his head. "Look- you shouldn't have to do it yourself. Ill... I'll help, okay?"
Lock scoffs "heh, no." She steps out and closes the door behind her.
Luna resumes typing. Oleander pauses, not sure if he should follow. By the time he decides, Locks long gone and he sits down.
Later that day Lock enters from the front door. She is only half wearing her hoodie. Her hatchet is put away on her back and she's missing an arm again. She smells strongly of fruit punch. She sits down by the wall with a tired huff and a slight shiver.
"Do you want me to grab your other arm?" Oleander asks, worried.
"If you want," Lock sounds very hollow.
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