How long? How long had it been? She couldn't remember. She couldn't tell. She couldn't care. All she could do was wait for nothing, wait for the pain to end, for the world to stop. Why couldn't she die? She smelled it just beyond, she tasted it on her tongue. But the pain persisted, tearing apart her skin and closing it together. Stabbing through her stomach and healing the wound it made. The universe stared her in the eye, unseeing, uncaring, as it tore her body and soul apart, piece by piece and then mercilessly shoved it back together, only to to it again.

She wished she could scream. She wished she could move. Do anything. Fight back. Yell, kick, destroy the darkness and the pain. But there was nothing she could do. Only wait.

It was a ways into her journey into utter hell that she first heard the cawing laughter. She wanted to look and see, but she could not move her head. A strangely deformed head appeared in her vision, giggling and snapping with its sharp beak. The fear that was ever present in her stomach lurched to her throat as it tore into her wing. It was suddenly replaced by a cat, then a snake, then another bird, then a large white wolf, then a gray wolf, then a bear, and another cat, and another and another and another

when would it end?

It was forever. Every second was a lifetime. She wished she could die. But the voices and the faces kept her alive. They pushed her away, they kept her up. And she hated them for it. But she could not think straight beyond the pain. It needed to end. It had to end. WHEN WOULD IT END?!

And then, suddenly, it stopped and her eyes saw nothing but red and blue. She blinked with surprise and suddenly realized she could move. But she could barely remember how and her muscles felt so weak. Her body felt strange, tingling and still throbbing with pain from the claws of everyone.

Without thinking, she furiously struck out with her wings and feet which shattered the shell instantly and she tumbled out of it, onto the rocky earth.

For a moment, she lay there, stunned, her brain still registering everything. But it couldn't, it couldn't think beyond the pain. The world felt empty and barren, too gentle now that it was gone. It felt like her whole life had been torn from her body, slowly, each drop of her soul taking years to disappear. And now she was empty, filled with nothing but pain and even that was gone.

She trembled on the ground, her red-tinted eyes misty and unseeing. Everything was strange, everything was different. She hated it. She wanted to go back, back to the darkness, and curl into herself until there was nothing left.

But she was here now, alive. She had made it through. And she was different.

The wings that Kera had mercilessly destroyed where now covered with rough quills while her tail had grown long and firm. Her destroyed feet had lost their webbing and become huge, sharp prey talons. Her beak had become curved and pointed, extended into her body, down her back in serrated spikes. Worst of all, there was a row of...things lining her stomach. Huge claw-like growths that were sealed tight together, protecting her soft stomach.

And her eyes; blank, red, and dull. She stared into the darkness, unseeing, unmoving, thinking of nothing but the pain.


___________________________________________________________

"Heroes always get remembered."
But you know legends never die.

tags: @Blueberry
notes: here

Blueberry had slowly lost his mind over the last two weeks. No one to talk to. No one to spar with. And Blackberry was still in that chrysalis. His sanity had slowly faded, voices now appearing in his head. Small and weak, but still there.

And then, while the now almost full grown moose laid by the chrysalis, there was a crack. And another, And then spmething emerged. Blackberry was back! Shooting up like a sprout, the moose stared at the creature. This wasn't Blackberry. No, it couldn't be her. It had spikes and claws and hard wings.

And yet, it was the same size. The same shape. It was Blackberry, but different.

"Blackberry?" Blue whispered, his voice faint. Two weeks, she had been gone. Two weeks, he had been alone. And it was over. He was overjoyed.


___________________________________________________________

"Can’t you tell?"
We’re all mad here.

tags: @Blackberry
notes: here

Beyond the confusion and beyond the fear, reaching through the memories that were clouding her eyes, she heard a distant voice. A voice that was so familiar, reaching through time, through the lingering hell, and touching her ears. She blinked as she began to sink into reality. Feeling was returning to her body, sight returning to her eyes. Strength was flooding into her muscles and she shivered as she tried staggering to her feet. She stumbled forward, not used to the huge talons that had replaced the webbing.

She opened her mouth as her voice tried to force itself through her throat. Bl...ue...berr...y...? Her voice was hoarse and scratchy, quiet and quivering. Unlike her honking tone that had always been there before. But it was still hers, underneath it all.

She finally managed to push herself onto her feet, feeling the change in the shape of her body instantly. The quills on her wings were unnatural and the beak was...strange, to say the least. She took a moment to steady herself before she turned to the moose.

She opened her mouth to speak, but there was only a strangled sound. She quickly snapped it shut before taking a deep breath. The second try, she managed to get out something understandable. "You...waited...for me..."


___________________________________________________________

"Heroes always get remembered."
But you know legends never die.

tags: @Blueberry
notes: here

Blueberry smiled like a fool, she faced him, and used his name. His actual real name. She remembered him, and she showed him kindness. Still, after he hadn't protected her. Still, after he had stood by frozen in fear.

"Blackberry... I would always wait for you. From now til' the end of time." The moose whispered softly, studying Miss Blackberry's new features. She now had taloned feet instead of webbed ones, and spikes ran along her neck and back. Her wings were covered in spiky quills, and she looked like a beautiful and fierce warrior. At least in Blue's mind.

Bluberry took a tenative step forward, dipping his head down respectfully. He was dead calm, but inside a whirlwind of feelings raged. He could barely breathe he was so overjoyed. But he couldn't let his beloved know that. He wasn't ready to completely confess.

___________________________________________________________

"Can’t you tell?"
We’re all mad here.

tags: @Blackberry
notes: here

At first, Blackberry just stared, suddenly forgetting who she was looking at. There were so many faces, so many things passing before her eyes. Who was this? Why had they waited for her? It was as if the words had tumbled from her mouth, as if there was something else in control of her body. She didn't like it, the gentleness, the weakness. She shook out her head, a strange gurgling sound coming from her throat - what remained of her hiss.

But the dip of his head, the respect, it petted something within her that was slowly moving, shifting, remembering. This was Blueberry, the moose she had called Moose. A devoted servant, a loyal follower. They had waited with her while she was pulled through Hell and here they were, when she had emerged, victorious.

The world was strange, now. It didn't feel right. Something was missing, something that pressed deep in her gut. She opened her mouth to ask Blueberry, but a sudden bought of coughing cut off her words and she staggered to the ground, hacking and honking. Anger surged through her veins, an emotion that was familiar in her body. Every bone had become accustomed to it, addicted to the fiery rage. So she trembled with fury as her weakness clenched at her throat. Fluid from her chrysalis spat onto the ground, an ominous blood-like color as, finally, the coughing stopped. She was lost, weak, a pathetic mess. And it infuriated her.


___________________________________________________________

"Heroes always get remembered."
But you know legends never die.

tags:
notes: here

Alan stepped joyously through the tunnel, excitement and anticipation driving his feet forward with haste. His eyes were shining and he imagined, imagined how the other caves would look, what gembounds he would meet, and, most importantly, if he could find his friends again. Fira, Kera, Calliope, and the ones he hadn't really talked to, but still cared for nonetheless. He wanted to see them, talk to them, ask them how they'd been.

He needed to find a new purpose now that the lights were on. His magic didn't feel as special when it couldn't help as much as before. Perhaps outside of Polaris was were he would find that purpose.

Then he heard a strange noise from up ahead, a retching and horrible noise. He sped up until he was nearly running until he came upon a strange scene. A moose and...a bird? No, that couldn't be a bird. It looked horrible, covered in red fluid and just...terrifying. He froze for a second before he realized that the bird thing was in pain. All concerns for what it looked like was shoved aside. He pattered up to them, worried and wanting to help. "Are you okay? What's wrong? Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Hear my voice"
Listen to my thoughts

Tag:
Notes:

Warning: there's some gore in this post

Blackberry heard the pattering of feet from far down the tunnel and looked up as the blue bird approached. Suddenly, something seared through her mind. A flashing beak. Blue feathers. HIM.

It was an instinct. A reaction. She saw the bird, he was asking if he could help. She was on the ground. And, suddenly, she wasn't. She dug her talons into the dirt and shot forward. She didn't know where she was aiming, she didn't know why she was doing it. Before she knew anything, her new, sharp beak was digging deep into his throat.

It was as if she was reborn, awakened again. The instant the blood touched her tongue, her eyes flew wide and she remembered, she remembered everything as clear as day. The fights, the snake, the cat, the moose, the wolf, and her. Kera. The one that had killed her. Every second rushed through her brain and, suddenly, she knew exactly what was going on and the rage filled her stomach. Kera had killed her and everyone else had kept her from death. But it was not for mercy, no, they had tormented her. They had suspended her in her pain for what seemed like a lifetime. They had not allowed her to fall into the blackness that she so desired to fall into. They would pay. They would die. They would taste blood, their blood, her blood, and they would feel her pain before the end.

She dug her beak in deep, feeling it penetrate his throat and she twisted, feeling a splatter of blood spray across her face. She swung her neck, tossing him away, just as Kera had tossed her away during their fight. She released him, throwing him against the wall while she stood there, heaving, covered in blood, and her eyes more alive then they had ever been.


___________________________________________________________

"Heroes always get remembered."
But you know legends never die.

tags:
notes: here

Warning: blood and death

Alan squawked with surprise when the bird lurched forward, but the sound was cut off when her sharp beak pierced his throat. Shock and fear slammed into his body as pain erupted in his neck. He opened his mouth to scream, but only a gurgling and a spray of blood came out of his beak.

This couldn't be happening. This wasn't how it was supposed to end! Why? Why was this happening?!

And then he was being flung towards the wall, flying before he slammed heavily against the rock, breaking his spine instantly. He crumpled to the ground, blood spilling out of his torn throat, his consciousness rapidly receding.

He stared at the terrible bird thing with shock and sorrow and confusion. He had never left Polaris. He had lived there his whole life. If he had left, if he had left with Kera, this wouldn't have happened. He would have seen so much. He would have discovered his purpose. But his care, his love, had gotten him here. Why? Why?

Why? What had he ever done to her to make her hate him so?

The world was going dark. The pain was overtaking him and the regret weighing down his soul. He was dizzy and distant, but still, he lamented. He should have left, he should have left. He shouldn't have let his light come here. Why was he dying? Why did he have to die? Hadn't he been kind? Hadn't he been good? Was this what love was worth? Care and kindness to one wrong bird and he was dead? Killed? Mercilessly torn apart?

He couldn't think anymore. With one last moan of sorrow, his eyes, confused and hurt, softened as he stared into nothing and his consciousness faded away. He convulsed once and was still.

The soft glow in his feathers faded.

*exit Alan
he is ded

"Hear my voice"
Listen to my thoughts

Tag:
Notes:

Warning: there's even more gore in this post

Blackberry stared coldly at the dying bird and moved closer as it took its last breaths. When it finally went still the the glow in its feathers went out, she didn't make a sound. An emotion, unlike anything she had ever felt before rushed through her, setting alight all of her cells, very vessel, every vein, every single nerve danced as she laid a claw on the gem below his eye.

With one, strong, fluid motion, she dug her talons into the soft flesh and ripped the gem right out of his head. Blood surged from the still-warm body of the bird, but she didn't bother to step away. The warm liquid against her legs only served the ignite the emotion, as if it had only been the fuel. She swung her wing forward and placed the gem in the curve. She stared at it hungrily. Her first kill. She had finally done it, taken a gembound's life.

Making a quick decision, she leaned down and nipped one of the bird's tail feathers off with her sharp beak before turning to Blueberry.

"Get me something so I can hang this around my neck," she snapped before turning back to her gem and feather. A trophy, a piece of her fallen enemy. Yes, this was her vengeance. This was the first one to fall.


___________________________________________________________

"Heroes always get remembered."
But you know legends never die.

tags: @Blueberry
notes: here

Warning: bit of gore
Berry thought that watching one kill another Gembound would make him sick. He thought it would scare him, that it would make him feel horrid. But he surprised himself. Instead, the moose watched Blackberry with amazement and intrigue. The way she bit into the pretty bird's neck, the way she carelesslessy threw him aside. The spray of blood. The smell of it.

It was intoxicating. The moose's breath came heavy, his eyes sparkling, adrenaline rushing through his veins. Miss Blackberry was a fierce warrior, a beautiful predator in a world of weakness. He was so lost in his mind, in his thoughts, in the thrill of death that he almost didn't hear the command she gave him.

But he did, and the moose nodded quickly. Blue looked arund. Moss coated the walls of the tunnel, but he soon spotted a group of vines piled against a wall, slowly beggining to slither from the sweet soil and up the wall. These were perfect. Berry picked up the vined gently in his jaws and brought them back the Miss Blackberry.

"That was beautiful." Berry breathed out, smiling at Miss Blackberry. Death, it was beautiful. More so than the once innocent Gembound though it could ever be. Yes, death was beautiful. And together, he and Blackberry would spread beauty through the caves.


___________________________________________________________

"Can’t you tell?"
We’re all mad here.

tags: @Blackberry
notes: here