#blanco things

[JovialUndertaker began trolling blackCaricature] JU: Really? BC: Good evening, Blanco.

The hall was dark as Blanco began to walk its unknowable length. His every step seemed to echo back to him, riding on the quiet tones of the eerie carnival music. he looked around, only able to see a few feet in front or behind himself, enough to dimly see the walls of the seemingly endless hall. The garish wallpaper was pealing, revealing the rotting walls beneath. After what felt like sweeps of walking he heard a click, and saw a light in the distance. A door was illuminated, and on it was the symbol of an all to familiar wicked sister. He flinched back, wanting to step away but he was drawn, his hand raising to turn the knob, and walk through the door. What he found on the other side was confusing. It was a field of flowers. Purple and red roses bloomed along the floor, crunching under foot and releasing a sweet smell as he walked. Looking up, the night sky was painted far overhead, unreal clouds billowing, with the twin moons hanging from fishing wire and glowing in the dark. Looking around, he wasn't surprised to see Trixie standing there. She looked beautiful, more beautiful than he had remembered her to be as she smiled back at him, walking through the roses. His eyebrows knit together. There was something wrong, her face… Looking closer, he realized she wore a mask, several more hung at her hips, next to her bottle of flammables. As she got closer he took a step back. The flowers underfoot felt strange, and looking down he realized they were made of plastic. From under the mask came a rasp that could have been a laugh, and he realized that her shirt wast stained purple. He tried to run but something was around his neck and he was tugged back. "Don't run Blanco, you belong to me, you're mine…" The voice was a rasp, and he looked back to find her much closer. She held a chain now, rattling it's length, and he realized it was around his neck. He grasped at the chain even as the tall clown yanked him back again, dragging him through the fake flowers. The mask was slipping and he could see her face, her smile wasn't sweet, but possessive, frightening. "Be a good barkbeast and come to your master. HAHA!" Again she shook the chain, dragging him closer. His nose was full of the cloying sweetness of the flowers as he grabbed at the chain. She was dragging him closer and closer, and the smell grew stronger and stronger. His eyes went wide as he saw himself next to her, not his real self but a puppet Blanco. His strings were tucked into her pocket, and he was tugging on the chain too, bemused smile on his face. His lips contorted Into a grimace, and with a honk he broke the chains. He was feet from Trixie and the moment the chains broke, she fell to the floor with the Blanco puppet. Her mask fell off to reveal that even this was another puppet, monstrous face painted on so lifelike. "Game's over. Go hive…" The voice boomed all around him, and he looked up. The clouds brushed aside to see a giant Trixie looking down at him. Her face looked tired, and next to her was an equally as giant, and as tired Firago. "I said it's over. Time to put away the toys blanco. Go hive. I don't want to play anymore." Before he could say a word she scooped up the blanco and trixie puppets and carried them off. He looked around at the empty field before heading back to the door and the hall. Blanco closed the Trixie door behind him with a frown. He hadn't liked the way that room had made him feel. He was done with trixie but… he never felt like that about it before. He had always thought there was something real there, could have been something. But it wasn't he standing next to the Trixie in the sky, working the strings. He looked down the hall and flinched. The pealing walls ware painted now, in various shades, and he was sure it wasn't grub sauce. He looked back to the entrance, the clean walls, then forward, into the painted gloom. He had to go forward. As he walked the blood painted walls grew wetter, and the smell of troll blood and faygo filled his nostrils. His echoing steps seemed to cary words with them. His name echoed through the halls in an increasing cacophony of voices. Old voices long gone. He began to run, there was light in the distance. His feet slipped in the blood, skidding at times across the rainbow soaked floors. At last,though, he reached the door. The symbol was painted in teal, a symbol he knew. He didn't stop to wonder why as he fled the echoes of his past into Decimas room. The space was covered in books, warm and inviting with soft light. "Blanco!" He looked towards the familiar sound and let out a relieved sigh. Decima stood a little ways into the room, a warm smile on her face. She was just like he remembered her, smiling like old times. "Oh my god, you look so scared… come here, it's ok. Your moirail's here." He let out a sigh and smiled, walking towards her. There was a light on the table next to her, and in its glow, he suddenly realized she wasn't alone. There were many trolls behind her. All staring at him, milling about. "She looked back then shrugged. "Don't worry about them. Their fine. Just com here." She held out her hands to him, taking his face gently as he reached her, bushing his tear stained cheek as he stood in front of her. No touch had ever felt so nice. It was the touch that had always calmed him, made him feel safe and in control. He smiled down at her, and saw she had something behind her. Looking past, he could see she cast a long, dark shadow. Her hands turned his gaze back to her smiling face. "Don't worry about that Blanco. You're safe now. We're all safe. You're with me…" He wanted to nod and agree. "I'm sorry Decima, all the things I did I… I hurt you, and I lied and I'm so sorry. I wish I could take it back." She stroked his cheek, smiling and shaking her head. "No no it's ok. I knew what you were. I chose that life. I kept you safe Blanco…." He let out a sight, breathing in deeply. Breathing in the scent of blood. He looked confused, back at the shadow. There were things in the shadow. Things with horns, and arms, things all too still. "Don't look Blanco. You don't need to see that. No one needs to see that." Her voice was sharp, but still warm. "They cant hurt you anymore Blanco. No one will ever know about them. And so long as you're with me, there wont be anymore. No be a good moirail and put this on." She smiled up at him, and placed something in his hands. The leather was soft, very quality, the buckle made of gold. But the chain attached to the collar was all to familiar. She smiled up at him. "It's ok, I'll make you safe, I'll keep it secret. I'll take the pain Blanco. No one but us needs to know what kind of monster you are. I'll take the pain, I'll hide it all. Just do what I say and put the collar on." He took a step back, eyes flicking from her, the the shadow, full of corpses. As he stepped back the trolls behind her began to whisper, to frown, to stare at him. "Blanco stop, they'll know. Only I can save you Blanco. Stay with me, hurt only me, they never need to know, you don't have to be the monster anymore. We'll keep it all locked up where no one will know, come back Blanco!" He was steping back further now. He knew the chain was the same, it was nicer, softer, the motivations were different but the chain was the same. He bolted for the door, taking one last look back to see Decimas disappointed and disapproving face. Out in the hall, he couldn't stop the tears from flowing. He had never seen her like that. To him she had always been his friend. But the Decima in there. She wasn't a friend. She was something else. Hiding his crimes, taking his cruel acts not for him, but to protect others from him. She offered him happiness, safety from the truth of what he was, all he had to do was submit, do as she said. That wasn't what friends were. For the first time he realized that all she had done never changed a thing. She had shown him what a monster he was, made him want to change, but never showed him how. All the warm moments they had shared, that had seemed so heavy and important now felt like ash. What had they meant. Was he ever really important to her? Or just some project. Why was he here? why did he have to see this? Avrisa claimed that this place would show him the truth, that he might find hope, but all he felt was pain, foolishness, and despair. He sat for what felt like ages, wallowing in the despair of his revelations. It took him some time to realize he wasn't back in the hall. The floor was nothing more than a field of corpses. Somehow he knew they were his fault, the trolls he had killed. He had never counted, but there were so many. He stood at last, beginning to walk. He had to get out of this nightmare place, find his way out of the horror of his failures. Avrisa had lead him to believe that this place would show him the way. So far all it showed wis regret, had taken the few things he could believe in, and showed them to be empty and hollow. In the distance, he could see a hive, it look vaguely familiar, a fact that put him on edge as he approached. The inside was a surprise. It was a warm inviting place, a lot like Ethano's hive. A small group of trolls was standing there, laughing, messing around. It seemed so normal. There was something familiar about one of them, a blue blood. He thought he had seen her around the hive before. He moved to talk to her, when a loud honk shattered the peace. The window shattered as a shadow jumped through, striking down two of the trolls. Another shadow moved, so fast and silent, clubbing another in the head. He wanted to cry out but his lungs seemed to be frozen. His eyes went wide with horror as she turned, not seeing the cleaver that split the back of her skull. His eyes were wide with horror. He could feel her blood on his hands, the wood of the cleaver clenched tight in his grey knuckled hands. He was running again. Was no where in this hell safe, There was no hope here, only emptiness, only pain. He crashed through the door and fall to the floor sobbing. He didn't want to get up, didn't want to see anymore. No more, no more, NO MORE. Hi paused as the sound of laughter reached his ears. He looked up and his eyes widened. He stood in Ethano's hive, he looked the same as now, but… happy. Thedia and Hybris were there, they were talking with him, laughing. The happy Blanco perked up and waved, Calise walking through the door. When she did he pulled from his sylladex a potion bottle full of what seemed to be his work. She seemed interested, and he passed the substance between the group, all seeming to enjoy it. The scene was so strange, everyone seemed ok and happy. The scene was in such strong contrast to the rest of what he had seen that he was shocked. He watched the scene for hours, seeing trolls come and go. But his concentration was broken by the sound of a door opening. He wanted to see more of this. This was so different, he looked so happy, he wanted to see more. It was different from the life he had lived but he wanted it, wanted to know how he could have it. He walked towards the door and through. He was surprised how eager he felt. Would there be more like in the last room? More scenes of happiness? He was surprised that he could want that so strongly, he thought such wants were beyond him now. What he found though, was not hope. It was a chair. IT was distinctive, rainbow colored, covered in straps and chains. His eyes went wide as he looked at it. "No…. please no…"