NOTE: THIS IS QUEERPLATONIC! I WROTE THIS ABOUT QUEERPLATONIC LOVE!
second note: this is also based on a minecraft smp. I'm sorry. Hearth duo has consumed my soul.
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JohnShi first time wip I practically abandoned. I'll get back to it eventually. I love trans Kenshi. Love Johnshi. I want to contribute more than just art!!
Violet is no longer human, or, me rewriting Violet's turning scene from the perspective of their friends back in New York, and a deeper look into her mind at the point of no return.
(Mandatory "this the textverse and not the mc server I make videos about!)
When Marvel heard a frantic pounding on her door, she knew who it was. She pulled it open. "You too?"
Felix looked at her, a miserable acceptance in his eyes. "So I wasn't imagining it."
"No." Marvel rubbed her eyes, trying to still her tears. "Come in."
—
Violet never knew what it meant to have her life flash before her eyes until this moment.
Death had never been quick for Violet. When they faced it before, it was slow, playing a funeral knell of beeping monitors and muffled voices. Violet thought it would stop for her, but it passed their door in the night.
Not this time.
—
Holding a mug of boiling water (the teabag still steeping), Marvel sat on the couch, ignoring the heat burning her palms.
Amy was standing in the bathroom doorway, in case she threw up again. "Their number still doesn't work."
"We know," Felix snapped, wiped tears out of his eyes. After a moment, he softened. "Sorry, Amy."
Marvel patted him on the back, the only thing she could do.
—
Memories played for Violet. A reminder.
She held her sister for the first time. They met Marvel at the playground, catching fish together. They were making dinner for the first time, burning herself on the hot pan. She was convincing Felix, then a stranger, to join a capture the flag game. She was watching her younger siblings play, making sure they were safe. They were staring at another failed assignment, feeling useless. They were being dragged to doctors and psychologists, tuning out worried conversations with the scratching of a pen on paper. She was sitting outside the principal's office with Amy, laughing with her, even though they were fighting moments earlier. They were crying alone in their room, not wanting to bother their parents again.
It was painful.
—
Marvel had never been religious (another thing passed on from Violet), but she prayed that night. For what, she didn't know. It wasn't like this could be undone.
She sipped her hot water. The tea hadn't steeped for long enough. It didn't matter.
"She'll come back." Felix said what they all hoped but didn't dare believe.
Amy nodded. A lie. They were all lying to each other tonight.
—
Violet had just finished the first chapter of her story, drawn over twenty-six pages. She was playing music louder than they were comfortable with to block out the yelling. They were painting Amy's nails at a sleepover. They were helping their siblings with homework, helping her friends with relationships. She was always on her feet, keeping crises managed. They were submitting an application, typing and retyping the same sentences. She was calling Amy and Marvel, screaming over the phone, jumping up and down. They were staring at a doctor, face blank, not understanding the words that were being said.
"Can you stop that?" Violet wasn't talking to anyone, but they still heard her.
No. The word echoed through Violet's subconcious, not quite real, but too loud to be a regular thought. Not until you understand.
—
"I just wish we knew what was happening." Marvel was mostly talking to herself at this point. Felix hadn't spoke for almost ten minutes now, and Amy had taken the too-weak tea and was not drinking it.
Checking the clock, she noticed that it was past midnight. Everyone was sitting in the living room, wrapped in blankets. It felt like the aftermath of some tragedy. Marvel didn't let herself think anything without prefacing it with "it felt" or "if" or "possibly".
Amy clutched the mug closer to her chest. No words were needed. They all felt it, after all.
—
"It's not over." Violet tried to make out who was talking to them, but it was still all black. Maybe it didn't matter.
It is. Unfortunate, but inevitable. the voice didn't sound unkind, but Violet hated it all the same.
"It's not!" She needed to escape, to go back to the tower, to tell Mana that everything was okay, and that she (mostly) trusted them. "We're still here, right?"
Huh. I guess we are. The voice paused for a second, each space amplifying the horrifying quiet Violet's system was producing. Even if our lungs have stopped, we live on.
"Our lungs are what?" Violet was pretty sure they needed those.
Doesn't matter. What matters is that we have a chance.
—
"There's still a chance." Numbness had faded, and now everyone was in denial. Amy was the one speaking, a false cheer in her voice. "We could be wrong."
"Maybe!" Marvel was forcing herself to smile. She wasn't panicking. Whatever they all felt might've not even been related to Violet. None of them had said her name yet, so she shouldn't be focused on Violet right now.
Felix crossed his arms. "Yeah, that's probably it. Just a weird coincidence." His voice trembled as he spoke. "Nothing more."
—
You have to wake up. The voice was insistent, passionate. I can see something. Go to it.
"Why?" Violet did want to go, but not without asking first. "I can't see anything."
Always curious, huh? Those words were almost affectionate. You still have something to finish. A life to live.
"So, like, a purpose?" That's how it usually went, right?
No. That sounds far too grand. We aren't some hero. We're just a person.
—
Mana stared at the corpse they were cradling. Violet's face was stained with the blood that fell from Mana's eyes, but she didn't wake. The little warmth left in her body quickly faded, Mana's cold embrace failing to shield them from the cold night.
It was supposed to end with them. Mana never wanted to hurt Violet. They promised that she'd be okay. How could they be so stupid?
Violet stirred in their arms, and Mana's heart sank. Part of them had hoped that Violet was truly dead, that she wouldn't open her eyes into a fresh hell. Death was the closest thing to peace in this cursed town, and Violet deserved it more than this fate.
If only anything went as planned.
—
Open your eyes, the voice urged. We need to keep going.
"For what?" Waking up felt like a lot of effort, and Violet was so tired. Did she not deserve rest?
Because we're still here. Because we exist, and we live, and we can do whatever we want with that life.
—
Something was wrong. Marvel felt the something awful that had gripped her suddenly fade. Looking up at her friends, she saw her own confusion and fear reflected back at her.
"Does that mean it's okay?" Amy asked.
No response. Marvel wanted to step in, to comfort, but she was no Violet. None of them were.
—
Atop a tower, far away from where they needed to be, Violet died. Her lungs quit drawing in air, her heart stopped beating. But they lived on.
This was the result of me going insane after recording session 4! Mostly a character study (I think that's the right term?) of Violet's relationship with love, but that does involve Mana and Violet's people back home, Marvel and Amy.
Violet didn’t like the word love.
It was one of those words that was simple in concept, but when you spoke it aloud, you found yourself saddled with expectations and labels.
When Violet was younger, love was a trap. It was a way to pull her heartstrings, a method of convincing them that all sacrifices were worth it. After all, she loved her family, right?
Once they moved past that, love was a goalpost Violet could never quite reach. What is a woman (another word Violet hated) without a man? She must be so sad, so lonely, not finding anyone to date. Maybe she should meet someone a friend knows, or try putting herself out there, or go to the club and have fun for once in her life. You know, like a normal person.
Finally, love was two ends of an extreme, not accounting for the space between. Violet remembered being snuggled up on the couch with Amy and Marvel, wanting to say those three terrible words, but scared of what they would hear.
I love you. You're my best friends. I love spending time with you, and you're like my sisters. You'll always be second to true love, the love everyone lives to find.
I love you. I want to be with you. I want to go on dates, and take long walks on the
beach, and kiss under the New Year's fireworks. I'm in love with both of you.
What if Violet didn't want either of those meanings to be reality? What if they wanted to hold their friends close and move in with them and spend their lives together, but without roses and kisses and marriage?
What if she wanted to protect them and make
them laugh and share secrets under the stars without the responsibility of being an older sister? Would love allow for that?
It had taken courage to explain how she felt to their friends. God, "friends" wasn't enough to describe what Violet had with Marvel and Amy. "Lovers" felt too shallow and too deep all at the same time, like wearing a mitten as a sock. Nothing ever seemed to fit right. But when Violet was with them, things didn't have to make sense. They could just exist. Together.
Violet came to Oakhurst looking for a home. She found Mana. The grumpy, lovable bartender.
Violet didn't like the word love.
Mana's pink streaks reminded Violet of dying Amy's hair with some excess purple. The way Mana rolled their eyes while hiding a smile brought back an image of Marvel doing the same thing at Violet's antics.
But Mana was more than a memory. Mana was real, with rough edges and kind eyes and a strange affection in their voice as they called Violet by her full name.
Violet sat at the bar, teasing Mana about how difficult it was to get in their chairs. They groaned and complained, telling her to figure something out. However, the next day, there were footholds attached to the stools.
Mana opened up to Violet, baring the deepest recesses of their soul. Violet held them close. She believed them. How could they not? Mana wasn't crazy. Everything they'd told Violet turned out to be true. They trusted Violet with the truth. How could Violet do anything against that?
Maybe love could be something else. Violet could make it something else. Something the two of them shared.
Violet picked up her phone, thinking about calling Amy, but their hand stilled. They stood up, walking out of their door and towards the Tavern.
Mana was wrong. There was something in Oakhurst worth staying for.
This is a rewrite of a scene in the textverse, where Violet and Surya have a scrap that ends in Violet playing possum.
Trigger warnings: Minor gore, violence, and self-deprecation
Violet was alive.
The sword was silver. It burned her from the inside out, pain crawling through her ribs.
It wasn't enough.
Why were they doing this? Violet hadn't wanted to fight Surya. He'd forced their hand by stabbing them with that fucking sword, but even then, they couldn't bring themself to actually finish the job.
Violet was paying for that now.
She could hear Surya panting. His weight was pinning the blade through her chest, not letting her move.
What was Violet supposed to do? Even if they struggled, Surya had the upper hand, his sword was still piercing her heart, and they could barely think through the pain.
They weren't planning on playing dead. Violet just couldn't move. Apparently, "can only die from a stake to the heart" didn't mean "can't get critically injured." None of her limbs wanted to cooperate, and Violet just didn't have the energy.
I guess this is it, Violet thought. I can't fight back anymore.
It was ironic. Vampires were supposed to be stronger, faster, more endurant, better. Makes sense that I would still be weak and pathetic. He was right, after all. All I'm good at is running.
The blade twisted. Violet had to stop herself from screaming. Was that not enough? Does he have to rub it in?
There was an awful sound as the sword slid out of Violet's flesh. She didn't open her eyes. She didn't want to see the smug look on Surya's face when he realized they were helpless.
"Nothing?" Surya didn't sound smug, or gleeful. He sounded… shocked? What was that for? Was he expecting Violet to tank a sword through the heart? I must've really hit rock bottom if I'm even disappointing him.
"F-Fuck." Shock turned to something else. Violet wasn't good at reading emotions, especially when every muscle and sinew in their body was burning with pain, but Surya seemed scared. What's he afraid of? I'm the one who's going to die.
"Little shit actually kicked the bucket." The laughter finally began a little too late, a little too broken.
He thinks I'm dead. A sudden burst of adrenaline hit Violet, and she almost tried to sit up before realizing how stupid that would be. He thinks I'm dead. Holy shit.
Hope, something Violet had long since killed, began to stubbornly bloom again. I can survive this. I just have to hold still. Hopefully he doesn't check. Wait, even if he does check, I don't have a heartbeat. I don't have to breathe. Holy shit. I can do this.
Surya's laughter finally faded out.
"She actually kicked the bucket," he wheezed. "Another. Ahah, that's another one!"
What was left of Violet's blood ran cold. What does he mean, "another one"? Oh God, am I not the first? Who has he killed before?
"Shit." Whatever burst of hilarity that Surya experienced, it seemed to have given way to the reality of the situation.
Violet was beginning to heal, torn skin and muscle threading itself back together. No. No. NO. Not now. Please, just wait until he's gone. If Surya realized that she was not, in fact, dead, she wouldn't be alive for long. And knowing Surya, he wouldn't make it quick for them.
"Can't- Can't leave this…" Thankfully, Surya seemed to be distracted. Leaves crunched beneath heavy boots. Violet could hear him pacing.
A hand roughly shoved at her in an aimless manner. Violet did their best to not resist the movement, imitating a corpse.
"Serves you fuckin' right." Those were the hateful words they expected from Surya. Despite herself, Violet had to fight down the angry response she wanted to fling right back. Just wait. Don't fuck this up.
A shower of cool dirt almost makes Violet flinch. Rude. Was he burying her? Shit. He better not bury her. Violet had no idea if they could dig themself out of the ground, and they didn't want to find out the hard way.
There are a few seconds of silence. Violet could feel some of their minor injuries close. Please don't take a closer look. I'm dead. I'm dead and gone.
Then, more footsteps, these ones rushed. As Violet listened, she could hear them getting quieter. Please be leaving. Please go away. Please.
And then it was quiet. Violet felt minutes tick away, her watch still running when everything else failed them.
Surya didn't come back.
Violet should probably stand up. Her body disagreed.
What if they just stayed here forever? What if they didn't get back up? What if they didn't have to explain what happened to everyone? What if she didn't have to argue her side to everyone just for most people to not believe her anyways?
It wasn't a pleasant resting place, in a puddle of her own blood. Violet could feel her sweater sticking to her skin in a way that would probably hurt when they did try to get up. Typical.
They groaned, pulling a weak hand over their forehead. The sun was too bright, burning holes in Violet's eyes as she wrenched them open.
Laughter bubbled up in Violet's throat, coming out raspy and choked as blood dribbled out of her mouth. I'm a fucking mess.
In a few hours, Violet would sit up (fabric peeling away from flesh), message the coven, and figure out what to do now that she was "dead". They'd force themself to stand, hobbling on half-healed legs, feeling like a reanimated corpse. She'd alter her plan to account for this new development and move on with what she had to do.
But for now, with pain blurring what little vision the sun spared, with some of her wounds still oozing, with an uncomfortable heat torching their skin, Violet did the only thing they were capable of.
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For the past half year, I have been part of a roleplay on Discord, playing as a character in a VSMP AU where a new set of travelers come across Oakhursr 200 years after canon, in 2006. I play Violet Isabella Pines, an artist who is trying to begin a new life after waking up to the reality of their situation.
This is a novelization of their POV, slightly edited to account for my own narrative failures as well as a few characters who haven't been roleplaying for months.
I'm making this mostly for my own benefit, to have a record of everything that has happened to Violet, but I'm also posting it here for both ease of access to my other server members (especially the ones who aren't in the textverse), as well as my moots, who haven't been able to read the full story yet.
(Mandatory "this is different from WSMP" disclaimer)
Violet had been walking for days. Where the hell was this town?
The winter air was chilly, biting at every sliver of exposed skin. Violet was glad she packed so heavily, having even more winter clothes in their bag that they weren't wearing.
It's actually been quite nice lately. Violet noticed a lack of the feet upon feet of ice and snow that she had been slogging through a few days ago. Must've melted. It does feel a bit warmer than usual.
As Violet thought, she noticed a break in the trees, a shape beyond the dark stripes that had practically burned their way into Violet's brain. Holding up a gloved hand, she saw rocky walls, a defnite sign of civilization.
"FINALLY!" Violet couldn't help but pump a fist. Their leg was close to calling it quits with the strain put on it while traveling, and they were ready to finally sleep in a real bed.
Summoning a fresh burst of energy now that her destination was in sight, Violet limped to the closest wall. Should I look for an entrance? Eh, seems like more walking.
There was a loud thump against the stones as Violet heaved her bag up, back aching from carrying the pack for so long. Violet followed after, scuffing the wall with her boots as she scrambled to the top.
"Huh."
Was Violet in the wrong place? The town before them was not the small but lively town that she'd expected, but a collection of empty buildings. No lights were visible in any of the houses except for one. I guess I know where I'm headed.
Confused, Violet let themself drop to the ground, looking around. Was anyone even here? "Hello?"
"Hey!" A voice behind Violet makes her jump. She saw a young woman, a little taller than her, with brown hair dropping past her shoulder, standing by an opening in the wall. She looked just about as bewildered as Violet.
"Is this Oakhurst?" Violet gestures at the surrounding town. Most of it was covered in ice and debris, the only clear path being to Violet's destination.
The woman shrugged. "Dunno. I'm not from here."
Okay, great. Violet turned towards the illuminated building. Now that she was closer, she noticed a sign on the front. "THE TAVERN". Maybe it was somewhere she could stay for the night?
As if on cue, the door to the tavern swung open, revealing a person wearing a white button-up shirt. Their bangs were dyed a bright pink, matching their sash that was tied in a bow around their waist. Gold glinted in their ears, reflecting warm firelight from inside the tavern.
There was a pause as all three strangers stared at each other. None of them seemed very pleased with the situation at hand.
"Hello?" The tavern person spoke first, large brown eyes shooting Violet and the other new arrival an askance look. "Who are you all?"
Violet glanced around. The brown-haired woman didn't look eager to talk. As Violet took stock of the situation, she noticed another new arrival; a person with a cane strapped to his wrist standing with their back against the wall, looking slightly panicked. Jeez. What did I walk into?
"Hello! Do you live here?" Violet thought that was a good place to start.
"Yes." The tavern person repeated their question. "Who are you? Why are you here?"
Pondering the question for a moment, Violet came up with an answer that was both simple and sufficient. "I heard that this was a nice small town. Was kind of hoping to live here." But this place doesn't seem to be habitable was left unsaid. "I'm Violet, to answer your earlier question. Violet Isabella Pines."
"Not much to live in, is there?" The brown-haired stranger finally entered the conversation, pulling her coat a little tighter around herself. "I'm Caoimhe."
"So, um, how many people are in this town?" Violet looked around again, but no other townsfolk made themselves visible. "I see the two of us, the person who lives here, and that one random guy hanging out by the wall."
The person in question, who was still halfway across the town, jumped when Violet mentioned xem. "Oh. Hi?"
Violet waved him over. "Hey! Creepy person! Mind coming over here?" It'll be easier to figure out what's going on if we can all talk to each other face to face.
Leaning on his cane, the person limped over to the group, eyes wide and anxious. "I'm Ezra…"
"Do they live here too?" Caoimhe (baffingly) addressed that question to Violet.
They just shrugged. "I don't know."
Turning to Ezra, they then asked, "Do you live here?"
Before Ezra could answer, the tavern person called out to the three of them. "Uhh… Do you guys want to come in? It's a bit cold." Their outfit, which had short sleeves, did seem to be more geared towards the indoors.
"Sure, thank you." It was probably better to continue the conversation somewhere a little warmer.
Wordlessly, Caoimhe brushed by Violet and Ezra to enter first. Okay. Kind of rude, but whatever.
The inside of the Tavern was warm and inviting, lights brightening every corner, and the counters were clean and shining. There was a bar at the front, as well as shelves of all sorts of alcohol Violet didn't recognize. However, just like the rest of the town, it was empty, save for the single resident.
Walking behind the bar, the person (who seemed to be the bartender) smiled shyly at the newcomers. "So. Uh. Can I help you folks?"
Violet perched atop a barstool, dropping their backpack next to the seat. "Yes, actually. Are you the only person living here?"
"Yeah," Caoimhe piped up from the back corner. "I thought there would be more people. Whole point of a town, y'know."
The bartender looked away from them, picking up a cocktail shaker and wiping it with a cloth. "Uh, there are a few folks who live around." They gestured vaguely.
Not wanting to drop it so quickly, Violet leaned forward to better speak with them. "By the way, what's your name? I don't think you introduced yourself."
Frowning, the bartender cast a pair of suspicious eyes on her. "Refer to me as you will. If you guys stick around long enough, I guess I can reveal more about myself."
Violet tapped her fingers on the bar. "Is "Bartender" okay? You're the bartender, right?"
The bartender nodded. "Bartender works."
The door creaked and a gust of cold air rushed in as a new person entered. He was tall, probably a foot higher than Violet's five feet and two inches. Amber eyes scanned the room, partially obscured by the blue hair that fell across his face.
"Hello, new person!" Violet was starting to find a rhythym. "I'm Violet. Violet Isabella Pines." Might as well introduce myself.
The new person froze, bemused. "Hello…?"
"What's your name, and do you live here?" Get the important stuff out of the way.
"Jeez." Whoever he was, the stranger didn't seem to enjoy questions. "Name's… Uh, Surya. And, definitely not here."
Caoimhe sighed, looking quite exasperated already. "So what I'm getting is that only the bartender and some others who we haven't met live here. Brilliant."
That statement was met with silence. There's a clink as the Ezra fellow helped themself to a glass of water, but no one spoke.
This is getting awkward. Violet slid off of her stool. "I'm actually going to go set up camp now. Yep. It's starting to get dark, so it's probably better to do sooner rather than later." There might be rooms here, but there won't be enough for everyone, and besides, I don't trust the sketchy nameless bartender.
Without waiting for a response, Violet heaved their backpack over their shoulder and rushed out of the Tavern.
Setting up camp was second nature to Violet after their days of traveling. It wasn't long before the tent was up, with Violet's backpack and sleeping bag tucked inside. She'd set up inside the town walls, not wanting to be too far from the only sign of civilization for miles.
It took a bit more effort to get the fire going. Violet was still scared of burning herself, despite never doing it before. I wish Marvel was here. She was always better at this sort of thing than me.
Sparks flew as Violet clicked the lighter. Smoke rose from the damp wood, but it reluctantly caught flame.
Violet picked up her kettle, which was filled with water, and set it up over the campfire. I really need this tea right now.
They didn't know what was happening in this town, but they had a feeling that no one lived there besides the bartender, who didn't seem to be the most stable person. So much for putting down roots. Once I rest my leg, I'm out of here.
Humming to themself, Violet sat down on the ground, taking weight off of her bad leg. She fiddled with her brace, tightening it in an attempt to soothe her sore muscles.
Footsteps drew Violet's attention, coming from somewhere behind them. Turning around, Violet found herself making eye contact with Ezra, who seemed a bit lost in the middle of town. He awkwardly waved, taking a few hesitant steps towards Violet's campsite.
"You're Violet, right?" They seemed nervous, fidgeting with their crutch. "Mind if I sit?"
Violet blinked. She knew nothing about Ezra besides xer name, but she was good-natured enough for that to not matter. "Oh, um, hey, Ezra! That was your name, right? Yeah, you can sit."
Ezra nodded, creeping closer. Xe didn't sit down immediately, instead staring at Violet.
"Did you need something, or were you just saying hi?" Violet wasn't sure how to talk to this strange person.
"Just some warmth. My shack doesn't have heat."
No heat? Violet felt pity for Ezra, who was in short sleeves, despite the cold. "I see. Fancy a cup of tea? I was just making some for myself." And you probably need all the heat you can get.
"Oh? Sure." Ezra seemed to doubt himself right after accepting. "If you don't mind."
Rummaging through her things, Violet searched for her mugs. The only one they uncovered was their own, a lavender mug with llamas printed across. Their two spares were nowhere to be found. Oh no. I must've put the extra ones at the bottom of the pack. "Um… I only have one cup."
Ezra's eyes widened. "Oh, wait, give me a second."
Without another word, xey scampered off, crutch ringing out against the stones. Violet watched them go, somewhat bewildered. A few minutes passed, the sun's last rays bleeding out over the horizon.
When Ezra returned, out of breath, he had an ornately carved wooden mug in his hands. The craftmanship was incredible, and Violet couldn't help but wonder where he got it.
Pouring both of them tea, Violet decided to ask about it. "Nice cup. Did you make it?"
"No, my friend made it for me before he sent me here." Ezra took a sip, both hands wrapped around the steaming mug. "This is really good."
"Thank you!" Violet didn't make the blend, but they appreciated Ezra's approval of their taste in tea. "It's a roobis chai (so it doesn't keep me up at night). I brought it from my hometown."
"Where is that?" Ezra was drinking like he'd never had tea before. "'Cause this is great."
"A small town called Corvid. You probably wouldn't have heard of it, it's a few days' walk from here." Corvid was in the sticks, without even a post office. Violet had never met anyone outside of the area that knew it.
"That's neat!" The drained mug was placed on the ground, and Ezra sat up a bit straighter. "It must be nice."
Violet hesitates. She always hated lying. "Yeah, lovely. The woods are nice, at least." They swallowed any other thoughts with the piping hot tea. "Where are you from?"
"I wish I remembered." Ezra's gaze dropped to their shoes. "I've been travelling for so long."
What the hell. Violet wasn't sure how to respond to that. Is everyone in this town insane? How do you forget where you're from? How long do you have to be travelling to lose track of where you are?
Maybe it was better to just ignore whatever that meant. "How'd you end up here?"
Ezra perked up at that. "I was sent by a friend. What about you?"
The same friend that made the mug, or someone else? Violet wondered. "Well, I thought this place was a town. Figured I could set up in a quiet place, and maybe do some art. You know, Oakhurst has a very interesting history, even if most of it is myth."
"Oh? I haven't learned the history yet."
Violet felt a mischievous smile tug at their lips. This will be fun. She loved telling stories, and the "curse" of Oakhurst was her new favorite. "Do you believe in vampires?"
"Uh, maybe?" Ezra shrugged. "I've not seen much about them."
Leaning in, Violet takes on a tone reserved for campires and bedsides. "Legend has it that Oahurst is where the last vampires alive take refuge. However, they live under a curse, one that puts them into a deep slumber for centuries.
"But the curse is flawed. Once every two hundred years, it breaks, and the vampires rise from their coffins, descending upon Oakhurst.
"No man, woman, or child is ever spared from their wrath. And once they're all dead, and once the ground bleeds and the walls smoke, the vampires return to their sleep for another two hundred years."
Story over, Violet took a smug sip of her tea. Nailed it.
Ezra was captivated. "Is that why this place is so destroyed?"
"Who knows?" She wanted to preserve the spooky, mysterious air, so she kept up the act. "But, now that I think about it, the last sighting of vampires was... hold on..."
They pretend to think about it, tapping the side of their head. "Two hundred years ago. The anniversary might even be this very night."
"Did they- Did they ever leave Oakhurst?" Violet's scary story must've been working on Ezra, since xe looked a deer in the headlights.
"Not that I heard of." None of the stories I read mentioned anything about the aftermath of the massacres. Probably because none of it is real.
Ezra shifted in his seat. "It's just- well- I might've met one."
The smile drops off of Violet's face. Uh oh. Maybe that story was a little too good. "Oh. Um, really?"
Rolling up his sleeve, Ezra showed off two small scars on their wrist. If Violet didn't known better, she'd think it was some kind of bite mark. "I wasn't sure, though. I just woke up with it one night after my friend left."
What is wrong with his friend? First sending him to this place, and also giving him weird scars? If it was the friend. For all I know, it could be some weird birthmark.
"Interesting." Violet tilted their head. "Um, Ezra, you know vampires aren't real, right? Like, that was just a scary story. It's not fact."
Ezra blushed. "Oh. Sorry. But- what did the vampires look like? Was it told?"
"Hmm." Violet tried to recall the details. "Well, they're not real, so there's a lot of differing accounts. Some people say they look just like humans, but with fangs. Other accounts mention red eyes and pale skin. Even more tell of beasts with sharp claws, white skin, and white hair."
It was all very unclear. Myth tended to be like that, with different cultures having different ideas of the same creatures
"That… He looked like that." Eyes widening, Ezra leaned towards Violet. "White hair, thin and pale, and red eyes."
Is xe pulling my leg? If this is a practical joke, I swear… "Interesting."
"Anyways!" Ezra snapped out of his near-trance. "Sorry about that. Uh, what's your home like?"
That was a difficult one. "It was… fine. I have five siblings. They were fine. My parents were also fine. Nothing special." Violet's response was clumsy and rushed. "You?"
They also seemed uncomfortable with that topic. "I- I don't exactly have one."
Narrowing her eyes, Violet put down her (empty) cup. "Huh." Some of Ezra's earlier statements were starting to make sense. "So, you're a wanderer of sorts, yeah?"
"Yeah, I am," Ezra nodded.
"With your friend, or was that a more temporary thing?" Violet pried, curious.
"He saved me," Ezra nonchalantly shared. "Just twice, though! Haven't seen him since then."
Violet raised an eyebrow. I don't understand a single thing that Ezra is saying. "From what? If you don't mind me asking."
"I almost fell off a cliff. And starved." Their tone is far too casual for what they're saying.
Is that really true? Is Ezra okay? "Is the cliff thing related to-" Violet gestured at Ezra's crutch "-that?"
Ezra shook their head. "No, I was born needing that."
"I see." In an attempt to relieve the tension that had joined them around the campfire, Violet extends her bad leg, which was still trapped in its Velcro prison of a brace. "I have a mobility aid too. Got this after breaking my leg as a kid."
Somehow, it worked. Lightening up, Ezra was quick to ask, "How'd it happen?"
Another tough one. Violet needed to stop setting themself up for questions they hate answering. "Tree."
And just like that, the mood was killed. Ezra stood up, clearly feeling awkward from whatever the hell that was. "Ah! Well, it was nice talking to you! I- I'm going back to my shack.
Deperately trying to salvage the conversation, Violet reluctantly added more context. "I fell out of a tree." I am an idiot.
"Yeah, uh, that happens." Ezra started backing away.
"Good night?" It was probably better to let him go. Violet waved, dying on the inside.
Waving back, Ezra retreats from the campfire.
Once they were out of sight, Violet buried her head in her hands. Why am I so bad at this? I completely fumbled. It was going… well, it was going before I said that.
They stared at the flames, wishing they could be anywhere else. This was supposed to be Violet's new start. This was supposed to be when Violet's life truly began. So why was everything falling apart?
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Pronouns list:
Violet: she/they
Bartender: they/them
Caoimhe: she/her
Ezra: he/they/xe
Surya: he/him
This is a very very long-term project, especially since the roleplay is still ongoing. Other character's dialogue is not written by me, I copied it from the original roleplay.
For the past half year, I have been part of a roleplay on Discord, playing as a character in a VSMP AU where a new set of travelers come across Oakhurst 200 years after canon, in 2006. I play Violet Isabella Pines, an artist who is trying to begin a new life after waking up to the reality of their situation.
This is a novelization of their POV, slightly edited to account for my own narrative failures as well as a few characters who haven't been roleplaying for months.
We're heading into the second act! If you haven't read the first act, you can find it here
Last on the Wokehurst Violet Archive: Violet Isabella Pines arrived at Oakhurst hoping to find a bustling town, but instead found a lone bartender and a group of other travelers. After an inconclusive visit to the Tavern, Violet set up camp near the town wall. While she was making tea, a person called Ezra joined her, making good (if odd) company. Finally, they went to bed, knowing that they'd be stuck in Oakhurst until their bad leg recovered from the trip.
When Violet woke up the next morning, she was cold and hungry. Probably should've eaten more than a granola bar last night.
Thankfully, the dampness of the ground hadn't seeped through the tent, so Violet was at least dry.
Groaning, they extracted themself from their sleeping bag, reaching for her bag. Grabbing whatever clothes were on top to get dressed. Violet had never really cared about her appearance, especially with her current predicament, so they didn't bother to check if their outfit made sense.
Violet decided to see of the Taven had breakfast. Although she absolutely was hungry, there were also ulterior motives. The bartender might know more about what's going on.
As Violet limped through the streets, she couldn't help but notice that the town was just as empty as the day before. The bartender's claims that other people lived in Oakhurst were looking more and more false with every step Violet took.
The Tavern sounded empty. No voices sounded from within, no talking or laughing that one expected from a public place. That whole town was empty. Violet hated it.
Violet swung the door open. As expected, the Tavern was almost completely devoid of people. It was brighter than the previous night, light pouring in though the windows, letting Violet see with more clarity the unnerving lifelessness of the building. The bar was a little too pristine, the shelves a little too well-stocked. The chairs and stools seemed to be in the same positions they were the previous night.
However, the Tavern wasn't uninhabited. The enigmatic bartender was behind the bar, staring off into space. If Violet didn't know better, she would've thought they never moved from the previous night.
Upon seeing Violet, the bartender pulled themself back to Earth and smiled politely. "Good morning! Can I help?"
"I know you're a bar, but do you sell food by any chance?" Violet was starved, but they still felt nervous asking. Maybe this was the one tavern in the world that didn't sell food.
"Oh yeah. Always good to have some food, right. I have plenty of pies, sandwiches, potatoes, puddings, snacks…" the bartender ticks each item off on their fingers. "Just your typical pub grub. What can I get you?"
Violet's face probably scrunched up a bit at "pudding". I would not call pudding "typical pub grub", but to each their own, I guess.
Rummaging through her pockets, Violet fished out a beaten-up wallet. "A sandwich'll do, Bartender."
The bartender left the room for a moment, reappearing with a sandwich in hand. "Don't worry about money. Just pay whatever you can."
As they handed the sandwich to Violet, they asked, "Say, how did you sleep last night? I heard you leave early last night. It was pretty snowy, though it looks like it's relaxed by now."
"Oh, great! I set up a tarp, so nothing fell on my tent. A bit cold, but nothing a nice cup of tea can't fix." Violet grinned reassuringly. Her aching back was nothing the bartender needed to hear about.
"That's good to hear. What brings you here anyway? Most people stay here a few nights and then go to the big city.. I take it you're the same?" The bartender seemed better with people now that morning had come. Most of the tension from the previous night had faded, and Violet felt herself relax a little bit.
Before answering, Violet took an experimental bite of the sandwich. It was fine, but that was all they really needed from it. They were just grateful for the meal.
"Well," Violet responded once she had a moment to think, "This wasn't a temporary stop at all. I was planning to move to Oakhurst to, you know, settle down. Get away from it all."
Suddenly, the bartender turned away, grabbing a bottle of liquor off the wall and pouring themself a shot. Violet could've sworn she heard mumbling from their direction. However, when they turned around, they were all smiles. "Ah! Really! Well, you don't hear that every day."
They lifted the shotglass to their mouth, downing it with the mannerisms of someone who could hold their alcohol. "Maybe you should, uh, try another town? There's many with more to do than Oakhurst.. We just have graffiti on buildings with middle fingers, and vulgar language.."
Violet didn't know about middle fingers, but they did know how much courage it took to finally start over. Did she have the strength to do it all over again? "Hmm. I was definitely expecting it to be more populated than this, but..." Where else would I even go? "I don't know."
"Fair enough. To each their own." Raising their empty glass, the bartender pulled a face that looked closer to a grimace than a grin. "Welcome to Oakhurst, in any case."
"Thank you." Violet accepted the lukewarm welcome. At least this probably meant she could stay if she wanted. "By the way, is "Bartender" still good, or is there anything else I can call you?" If I'm stuck here for the time being, I at least want to know their name.
"The name's Mana. But Bartender works just fine. I prefer it." They -Mana- avoided eye contact as they said that. Violet had the feeling that this was a personal moment between the two of them. "And yours? What can I call you?"
Didn't I introduce myself like four times last night? Trying to not be annoyed, Violet repeated their name. "I'm Violet. Violet Isabella Pines. Mana's a pretty name, I like it."
"Yeah, well, it's quite the common name around these parts." Mana dodged the compliment with ease. Just as easily, something seemed to soften within the bartender's eyes as they spoke. "Nice to meet you, Violet Isabella Pines."
Violet wanted to learn more about Mana besides their name and occupation. Maybe… "Do you have Twitter? Just, out of curiosity."
While it was a strange question on the surface, Violet had a good reason to ask. For some reason, the internet in Oakhurst seemed strangely regional, and they were trying to identify who was who. So far, she'd seen tweets from @ravenst33th, @Ehart_hi, and @lambhearted. From what she'd seen, @lambhearted's screen name was Mana, so that was probably the bartender's account.
What would Violet gain from knowing Mana's Twitter? Not much, most of what they posted was just complaining, but she liked knowing things.
That was the wrong question, apparently. Mana slunk away from the bar, rearranging some of the bottles of alcohol, then returning them to their original positions. "Uhhh,,, yeahhhh, but plenty round these parts have twitter! The Oakhurst region charm.. And say, isn't the internet amazing?"
A frenzied laugh escaped them, and their eyes darted around. Violet asked the wrong question.
"Are you also Mana on there?" Now that Violet had started, she had to see it through, even if it was a mistake.
"Yeah, but who isn't, right!! El-Oh-El!" Mana blurted out, fidgeting with their sash. "World wide web and all!"
People say "lol" unironically? Violet tried to not get distracted. They sensed a lie. "You're lambhearted, right? I thought I saw some of your posts last night."
Mana froze. "Oh, you- you saw those?"
"Yeah, tweets are public. That is a big part of Twitter. Also, you mentioned Oakhurst by name." Not what Violet would've done, putting their address out for the entire world to see.
"Huh. Yeah, that makes sense," Mana admits. Their eye was twitching. "Must've been the wind…. haha…"
Violet was very confused. Did Mana post something terrible that Violet didn't see? Were they just that private of a person? "Yeah, sure. I mean, I don't really care what you post." She felt like she was fumbling, but had no idea how.
Mana nodded. "Good, good." They open their mouth as if to say more, but close it silently.
It was up to Violet to save this. "I guess… Nice to meet you, Mx. Lambhearted?"
"This does not happen every day," Mana noted. "Or often. Or at all."
That explains a lot of things. Violet had deduced that Mana was lying about any other residents. I guess it makes sense that they're not good with people. How long have they been here?
Laughing quietly, Mana continues. "It's nice to meet you as well, Violet Isabella Pines! We have to be Twitter mutuals at this point."
Damn, they really just full-named me. Violet didn't mind it, but it wasn't a form of address they were used to. "Oh, of course. If we're being reasonable."
Mana smiled, and it's soft and kind. "Well, yes, I'm far too old to be too bothered about the happenings of the digital world." Despite those words, they do seem immensely relived by that outcome.
Wait a second… Violet couldn't help but grin. "Far too old?" No way they're not still in their twenties.
"WAIT! Wait…" That got them to giggle. Violet felt a small burst of pride for that. "I'm not that old. I'm in my mid twenties. See, not that old!"
Violet held up her hands, surrendering. "Okay, okay!" They said it, not me.
"But even then-" -Mana took on a more serious tone- "-The internet… it's like this whole web, right? There's no need to get too wound up on things. Just, like, switch the device off. Go outside. Play in the grass. You get me?"
"Oh, 100%." Not having much to add, Violet simply agreed.
Reaching for their sandwich, Violet realized that they had finished it. Oh. Didn't even notice.
She picked up her wallet, pulling out a few bills. Mana had given them no reference for prices, but they still tried their best to estemate how much it would've cost (plus tip). "Thanks for the sandwich! Have a good day!"
Mana waved goodbye, offering one last smile as Violet left.
Once they returned to their campsite, Violet decided to poke around the town a little bit more. Although her leg limited her mobility, she knew she would probably be fine if she stuck around Oakhurst.
There weren't a lot of paths, only the main street being shoveled out, so Violet stuck near the center of town. Ice crunched beneath her boots, leaving imprints in the mud that designated the footpath.
The first thing Violet noticed was that the walls were shorter than she remembered. While they were still high above Violet's head, they didn't seem nearly as intimidating than they had the previous day. As a matter of fact, the worn-down wood and creeping moss (covered with a generous helping of snow) appeared almost cozy. Although anything looks more welcoming when it's not in your way.
She also noticed an absence of any people, not just the town residents. Violet had seen three others in the bar besides Mana, yet there was not a single soul visible or audible in the lonely streets. Ezra mentioned having a shack out of town, so maybe xe's there? I don't know about the other two… Surya and Caoimhe, was it? Could they have already left?
Violet paused in front of one of the houses that lined the main road. For being so empty, it seemed well-maintained. The windows were clean and shining, and a peek through one showed a cozy interior lacking dust and cobwebs one would expect from abandonment. Who cleaned this place? It would have to be Mana, right? What did they gain from keeping this house functional? They didn't live there, Violet was pretty sure the Tavern had rooms to sleep in, and the house didn't look like anyone was actually staying inside. It was more of a dollhouse, or one of those historical houses that were set up so people could see what life was like back then. Although it was set up all pretty, it was too clean, too perfect. No keys strewn across the mantle, no cups left on the table, no shoes by the door. None of those little messes that made a house feel like home.
Being nosy was something Violet had always excelled in, so she climbed the front steps, hand resting on the doorknob. They looked behind them, just to make sure no one was watching what they were about to do. As before, nobody made themselves visible. Guess I should just go for it, then. It'll probably be locked anyways.
Violet stepped back as she swung the door open, almost hitting herself with it. Okay, no security in this town. Well, if no one wanted me snooping, they should've locked it. Taking that as a sign to proceed, they planted two feet in the doorway, hesitating before entering.
A breath of stale air wafted out of the building, adding to Violet's suspicions. There was an electrical hum from somewhere, perhaps the clock over the mantle. Dimly lit from the windows, Violet could see the basic amenities for human life inside, but not much else.
Shivers ran down their spine as they kept looking. It felt wrong. Violet was no stranger to fear, but this was something worse. Something so lonely and half-alive, something that called itself a house out of habit rather than actual use as one. She tried to take another step forwards, but her feet failed her.
You know what? No thanks. I've seen enough. With a little less dignity than intended, Violet retreated, gently shutting the door behind them. There was something so terribly wrong with this place.
In an attempt to forget everything they just felt, Violet rushed back to their campsite, sitting down in the safety of her tent.
Digging through her backpack, she uncovered her sketchbook and iPod, flipping the book open to the first blank page. The sound of pen scratching paper always soothed them, and it was easy to loose themself in art and music.
Despite everything, Violet smiled. It had been a while since they last had time to sit down and draw. Their pen traced lines onto the page, and Violet bent them to her will, like her drawing utensil was merely an extension of the thoughts and images she conjured in her mind.
In a few minutes, they'd successfully tuned out the rest of the world.
As the sunlight began to dim, Violet was rudely yanked back to reality by a commotion in the center of the town. There was shouting, loud and panicked. I guess the peace was nice while it lasted, they thought (a tad resentfully) before crawling out of their tent to see what was going on.
Standing in the center of town was what Violet could only describe as a clown. He was wearing a cream-and-yellow-colored shirt with blue and red accents, and pants that looked like a child of suspenders and overalls colored the same shade as roasted chestnuts (a treat Violet had only eaten a couple times). On his head, there was a small round hat that reminded Violet of a beret, although she wasn't sure if it technically qualified as one. Regardless of the name it went by, the hat wasn't enough to restrain the waves of fluffy brown hair that cascaded down the clown's shoulders. His face was covered in white foundation, decorated with a traditional red nose, blue eyeliner, and crimson triangles above and below his eyes.
However, this clown lacked a cheery, painted-on smile. As a matter of fact, he seemed pretty upset, eyes brimming with tears, and he was still speaking in a raised voice.
When Violet approached, she began to hear what exactly he was yelling.
"-We are physically trapped here! I tried to leave and couldn't... I was stopped by… something invisible! Do you guys not know this?!"
What the hell is he on about? Violet noticed that the clown wasn't wearing a winter coat. Did he come from out of town? That has to be cold, right?
Limping over, Violet tried to get some answers. "Excuse me? What are you talking about?"
His wild eyes locked on her, and he quickly walked over, frantically gesturing as he spoke. "You've got to believe me, it sounds crazy, but I swear I haven't lost my mind just yet! I went to the woods to get a train and all of a sudden I was pulled back. I physically couldn't walk further! I guess I don't know if its just me but I think we are stuck here! I don't know what to do..."
Violet didn't know what to do. He's obviously hallucinating. Could it be hypothermia? Oh God, I don't know how to deal with hypothermia. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, let's slow down." I need to get him to calm down before he starts really panicking. "First off, who are you? I don't think I've seen you around before." If I can distract him, he might come back to his senses. "I'm Violet, Violet Isabella Pines. Are you okay? Are you hurt? Are you cold?"
While the stranger took a few deep breaths, Violet desperately opened her messages, looking for a contact that could help her. Before they could even begin scrolling, a groupchat they had never seen before caught their eye. Opening it up, it seemed to include everyone Violet had met the previous day, as well as some people they'd never seen before.
On an impulse, Violet sent an SOS in the groupchat. Hopefully someone else would come help her.
The clown started rambling again. ""I am tired but I am almost certain it was real! It's not so clear what is real now, I don't even know how that's possible! I could show you, maybe it is just me.. but I am so cold now I need to sit down and dry my coat. It's soaking. Shit, I don't know what to do... It's nice to meet you, I guess, Violet. I'm... Corrie"
A loud creak accompanied the opening of the Tavern door, and Mana poked their head out. "Violet Isabella Pines. I saw your message. What's happening?"
Violet pointed at the clown.
Mana's eyes widened as they landed on Corrie, who looked as sad and scared as a kitten that was left out in the rain.
Thank goodness they're open, the Tavern's a nice, warm place. Violet turned back to Corrie, coaxing him. "Come into the tavern. Mana can get you something warm to drink. You can tell us more in there."
"Okay." He seemed hesitant, but he agreed.
Violet cautiously reached out, placing a gentle hand on Corrie's arm and guiding him towards the Tavern. What were the signs of hypothermia? Confusion, drowsiness, slurred speech, what were the rest? Was Corrie shivering? Oh no. Oh no. I'm not ready for this.
The warmth inside the building was a wonderful relief compared to the chill outside, but Violet didn't really notice it. They were too busy guiding Corrie to a seat at the bar, close to the fireplace.
Mana walked back behind the bar, pulling a hat and scarf off themself and throwing it on the counter a little harder than necessary. "Can I get you, uh, Sad Clown, anything to drink?" Their voice held an irritated tone.
Violet raised an eyebrow. Now's not really the time to try out nicknames… "His name is Corrie."
The sad clown in question gave Violet a surprised glance as she corrected the bartender. "Thank you."
Mana wordlessly poured Corrie a pint, sliding it over to him. He took several swings before setting it back down.
Is that okay? Violet wondered. I read somewhere that alcohol can cause your body to lose heat faster… not really good for hypothermia.
"Uhhhh…" Gaze awkwardly darting around the room, Mana broke the silence. "So, like, what's your deal? Not in, like, a rude way, Just, uh, Hello?"
Violet decided to step in. Mana didn't seem equipped to deal with the situation at hand. They lean across the counter to quietly whisper, "He says that he 'can't leave', that 'something pushed him.' Probably a hallucination. Don't feed into it, it might make it worse."
Somehow, Corrie picked up her words, indignantly responding, "I am not that unwell. I know what's real!" He sighed. "I wanted to leave because I'm lost. But every time I tried I got stuck. I wasn't even tired the first time I tried! I just kept trying to figure it out, I don't know how this is even possible!"
Poor guy, he's completely out of it. She reached over, patting the dejected clown's back in what they hoped was a comforting gesture. "Hey, it's okay. We'll figure it out. How are you feeling? Are you tired?"
There was a sharp gasp from behind the bar. Violet looked over to see Mana pour themselves a drink and down it just as fast. They suddenly didn't look much better than Corrie. "You... you got stuck..? Did it... Did it feel like you were pushed back by forces you couldn't really explain..?"
For fuck's sake. Violet was going to have to do double therapy now. Reaching over, they attempted to pat the bartender's back as well, but they flinched away. "Hey. Why don't we all take a breather? We can check this out when it's not snowing and cold and dark-"
"YES! YES EXACTLY. Did it happen to you too?! I was being pushed back by something physical but not tangible. It felt like the town wanted to keep me here or something. I tried like half the perimeter and gave up. See! it did happen, we are trapped! I know when something is real!" Corrie burst out, talking right over Violet's final sentence. There was an exhilarated little smile on his face.
"Guys-" This was getting out of hand, and Violet felt incapable of stopping the spiral. And I just told Mana to not encourage him! Were they even listening?
Before Violet could attempt to run damage control, the door to the Tavern swung open again. A tall, slender figure walked in, boots sounding against the floor. Their hair, which was a grayish purple, was swept into a messy bun, stray hair spilling over the silver chains on their square glasses. Behind the lenses were two shockingly blue eyes. Their clothes were quite the statement, swaths of fabric and links of metal attached to everything. On their own, none of their features were particularly unusual, but all of them on one person made for quite the striking image, and if Violet wasn't freaking out, they might've been intimidated by them.
"How's- Hm…" Upon seeing the scene Corrie and Mana were causing, the unusual person stopped in their tracks, shooting a questioning glance in Violet's direction.
"Please don't say anything," Violet mouthed at them. She probably looked crazy as she did that, but they already had enough to deal with. They only had two hands, and if the stranger started freaking out, there wouldn't be anything Violet could do about it.
The stranger blinked. "…Bad time?"
"Yes," Corrie snapped. "I think its evident from my face how I'm doing."
Violet took a deep breath. You're an adult. You can handle this. You've handled things like this before. Smiling widely, she gestured to a nearby seat. If this person had to be here, they could sit their ass down and listen. "We're just dealing with a bit of a 'wandering in the cold woods' situation! He'll be fine!"
Surprisingly, the stranger listened, perching themself upon the offered stool. "Just wanted to check in after all that stuff in the… forum? Groupchat? Thing?"
"It happens to me too. The… getting pushed back." Mana snapped out of whatever trance they were in, speaking in a hoarse voice. They point at Violet and the stranger, suddenly accusatory. "You. You both. Have you tried this too? If you haven't, we need to go to the outskirts right. Now."
This had gone too far. Violet put their foot down. "Okay, no. Corrie might have hypothermia, it's snowing, it's dark outside, and none of us fucking know each other. We can check this out in the morning, but no one should leave town tonight. Corrie should lie down. If he isn't already sick, he will catch something if he wanders back out."
Leaning around Violet to look at the bartender, the stranger responded, "I haven't tried to leave? I haven't even done what I came here for, I got a little distracted. I can go check?"
Violet pointed an aggressive finger at the stranger. "NO. You stay right there."
They raised their hands. "Okay, nevermind! Damn!"
Draining his glass, Corrie seemed resigned to whatever happened next. "Thank god it's not just me. I'm not going to go with you, I think I need some time. I doubt I can get any sleep, but I can stay here at least if you do go."
However, Mana wasn't so quick to drop it, setting beseeching eyes upon the group. "We have to check now. Please."
Puppy-dog eyes long ceased to have an effect on Violet, and they planted both hands on the counter, leaning forward. "Listen, Mana, I know this is important to you, but think about your safety. We can check in the morning. If there's something there, it'll be there tomorrow. And if it isn't, well, that wouldn't be a bad thing. Please, just, listen."
“I was out there at night twice and I was fine. But if this is real, I don’t know what else could be.. But I don’t think theres much more to lose at this point…” Corrie offered.
Violet glared at him. "I'm not worried about whatever you guys think is out there, I'm worried about nature. The cold. The creatures of the woods. Getting lost."
"I think there's wolves this time of year," the stranger piped up.
Shaking their head, Mana refused Violet's logic. "No. I have to go- we, we have to go-" They turned their desperate gaze to CC. "Please. Please come with me. We have to see for ourselves. I know this path, I know this whole land like the back of my hand. I know it. I can draw maps of it with my eyes closed. I need to see for myself. We have to see. Please."
At that, Violet sighed. "I can't stop you, but if you want me with you, we can do it in the morning. But I will tell you, especially in your current state, it's a bad idea to do it now." They're clearly panicking, it's not safe to wander about in the dark.
Corrie interjected again. “I want to know if they both get blocked too. I know I'm hardly trustworthy with such an act on the surface, but I assure you there’s nothing more behind it. Even in my state right now, I know what I felt out there.”
Oh, for fuck's sake. "I want to know that too. In the morning. You could have hypothermia. Do you know how bad that is?" Violet wasn't going to be responsible for someone getting sick.
“Not really, I’ve been through worse. I feel great with this drink in me now.” Corrie held up his empty glass.
The stranger leaned forward a little, meeting Mana's intense stare. "If... if you insist we do this now, I'll go with. Safer with two of us, right?"
Mana nodded rapidly. "We have to. We have to go. Look, I know the land, I know the place, all of Oakhurst- We need to check." They glanced back at the clown. "You- Clown- Sorry, Uh, Corrie. You'll be fine. It's warm in here, you can take the last room key if you need-" -they grabbed a silver key off of a hook and toss it in his general direction- "Violet. And, uh, you." They pointed at the stranger, who was yet to introduce themself. "We have to check this- we, we have to."
“I’m CC. Let’s get this over with before it gets too cold.” The stranger -CC- wrapped a scarf over their face, only adding to the picture they already were.
Violet dropped her smile. No one here was listening to her anyways. Still… "Fine. I'm coming with you. To make sure you don't die."
Once they saw that Violet and CC were coming along, the bartender disappeared into the back. When they emerged, they had a small shield with a yellow sun painted on the front and a wickedly sharp dagger in their hands. "Great. Let's get going."
Violet backed away slightly at the sight of the weapon. What the hell are they gearing up for? What is out in those woods?
Still, when Mana exited the Tavern, Violet still followed them. Someone with common sense needed to accompany the group.
Outside, the sunset painted the clouds a deep red, and the snow was covered in a golden wash by the dying rays. Violet pulled out the cheap flashlight they always carried, smacking it a few times to get it working.
Once Violet was done messing with the flashlight, they noticed that Mana was impatiently waiting for them and CC to catch up, having already reached the town gates. Oops.
"It's this way." Mana beckoned them both, their mouth set into a hard line.
As the three of them began the long trek towards the words, the bartender continued talking. "How long have you guys been in Oakhurst for?"
"The town itself? Only since you saw me at the tavern last night." Violet decided to take her Swiss Army knife out of her pocket, holding it in her left hand. They weren't sure why Mana brought a dagger, but they figured better safe than sorry.
CC's demeanor was a lot more unbothered, hands shoved into their pockets as they walked. “I’ve been here… maybe a day or so? I stopped by the tavern when I arrived.”
Mana's pace quickened at that response, making it even more difficult for Violet to keep up. "Barely even a few days.... It doesn't make sense.. It doesn't make any sense..." they muttered. "You.. You can't be stuck here. People have been able to leave before- Hell, I saw people leave so recently-"
"Exactly," Violet huffed, trying to keep weight off of her already exhausted leg. "Which is why it's most likely Corrie was hallucinating due to cold. I'm not sure how insulated a clown costume is, but I can guess that it isn't the warmest, especially in the snow."
"Have you seen people get stuck here before?" CC asked.
"No!" Mana stopped in their tracks, looking back at CC. "Everyone else leaves freely through this place- I thought it was only me stuck here-"
CRACK!!! Before the bartender could finish their thought, the sound of a gunshot rang out through the night. It sounded close.
Mana slapped their hands over their ears. "Aw, shit."
"Gah!" CC stumbled back a few steps, alarmed. "Are there hunters out here? The hell was that??"
Violet couldn't help but shoot a confused glance at Mana and CC. Sure, a gunshot wasn't the best thing to hear in that moment, but it wasn't like it was a big deal either. Back home, they would hear gunshots all the time, especially around fall and winter.
As if to answer Violet's unasked question, Mana elaborated. "You don't hear that around these parts often. Or ever." They frowned, as if contemplating something. "People who hunt in these parts tend to use bows and arrows. It's old fashioned, sure, but it doesn't startle the livestock." Under their breath, they added, "It must have come from one of you lot…"
Closing their eyes tightly, CC seemed ready to leave. "Must be... must be one of the other travelers, yeah. Ow. You- you find anything yet?"
They must have really sensitive ears, Violet noticed. Must be rough.
"There." Mana pointed towards a spot a couple yards away from where the group was standing. Shining her flashlight on the spot, Violet noticed a bunch of footprints around one area, but they stopped rather abruptly. "Try leaving."
Since CC was still recovering, Violet decided to step forward. Nothing happened. They took another step. And another. "I'm not sure what you're talking about, it seems normal to-"
At that exact moment, Violet hit a wall. A wall? She was in the middle of the woods. Still, they staggered back, pain flaring through their head. After a couple of steps, they lost the fight with gravity and fell into the snow, flashlight flickering out as it hit the ground.
Ow. Violet put a hand over their eyes to shield them from the bright moonlight, filtering out the crimson light. Wait. Why is is the moon red?
Removing her hand so she could see again, Violet confirmed that the moon was, in fact, blood red. Is this a blood moon? I don't think I've seen one before. I didn't realize they were actually red..
CC's laughter made its way down to Violet. "Haha, good prank, very funny- oh. Shit!”
There was the sound of someone hitting something. Squinting, Violet saw CC holding their hand out in front of them, slowing walking away, as if measuring the circumference of some invisible wall.
Oh. That's what that was.
Violet would've laughed if she wasn't so immensely screwed. Picking up their flashlight, they whack it a few times, trying to get it working again. For a second, it looked like it was glowing, but it faded out just as quickly. Looks like it's finally kicked the bucket. Of course it would die when I'm out in the middle of the woods.
They stood up slowly, brushing snow and ice off of their clothes. The cold was beginning to get to them, especially since they hadn't had the time to put on snow pants.
Mana was standing in the same spot Violet had last seen them, staring straight ahead in silence.
They knew about this, Violet remembered. What else do they know? She decided to ask. "What is this? How is it here? What do you know about it?"
There are two soft thumps as Mana's dagger and shield hit the ground. Otherwise, there's no sign that they even heard Violet.
“It’s a barrier. Something’s keeping us here. Someone," CC called through the trees, somewhere out of Violet's line of sight.
Violet clenched their fists, heart pounding. It was too much all at once. Following the sound of CC's voice, she shifted her focus to them. "And how do you know that?"
“It’s an immovable, impenetrable wall? Clearly this doesn’t just happen, so something obviously put it here. No clue what or why. God forbid I extrapolate.” CC had stopped, perhaps realizing that there wasn't an end to the border. "I read about this sort of thing."
"But what makes you think someone? What if it's a one-way wall, and it was here before we walked in? What if it's due to the so-called "curse" on this place? God, what am I saying? Fucking curses???" The more Violet talked, the more they began retreating into their own mind. This can't be real. Why me? Why now? Are we just stuck here forever? No, there has to be a way out. There has to be.
CC shoved at the border, forcing themself back a few steps. Crashing into a tree, they were quickly covered in a shower of snow. “I don’t know! Stuff like this has to come from somewhere, I guess? They said people have left here before, so it must’ve just happened recently. Right?”
A shout echoed from farther away. "WHAT THE-!"
Violet jumped as they recognized the voice it belonged to. "EZRA?" she cried out, trying to spot them amidst the dark woods.
"Violet?" Leaves rustled as Ezra emerged, looking like he'd rolled around in the snow for a bit. “What’s- Uh- What’s happened?”
On instinct, Violet reached for xer, but pulled away before making contact. They were barely acquaintances, after all. "We can't leave. There's some sort of "border" blocking this place." The information just spilled out. They were desperate to confide in anyone they barely knew. "And they-" -Violet pointed at Mana- "-know something about it, but they've just been standing there for like, multiple minutes."
“We can’t.. we can’t leave?” Ezra's eyes widened, peering at the bartender. He took a few steps away from them, reaching out. Like CC, they hit something solid, hand flattening against the invisible surface. “It feels- It feels solid.”
"I think they're processing the whole 'everyone is trapped here' situation. Give 'em a second," CC chided.
They returned to Mana, bending down to get eye level with them. "You doin' alright? Maybe we should get back to town and uh... fill the others in? Make a plan?"
“I uh- I second that.” Ezra had xer crutch with xem, and was heavily leaning on it, clearly worn out. “We- Uhm- We all need a sit down.“
Violet nodded empathetically. I'm not sure how much longer I can stand.
Mana finally spoke, voice dull and emotionless. "Let's go back."
While everyone else prepared to return to town, Violet noticed the cracking of sticks in the woods. Could be ice breaking in the wind. Or wild animals.
Ezra also seemed to pick up on the sounds, because they suddenly tensed., whipping out a knife. “Yep, nope, fuck. That’s what we in the mountains call a fuck ton of danger!”
Without another word, he sprinted off, disappearing into the trees.
Before Violet could question what the hell xe was doing, CC tried to calm the group. "What we don't need right now is a mass pan - eek!"
An arrow flew out of the dark, missing CC by an inch. They yelped, quickly racing after Ezra.
"What- Is someone shooting at us?" Violet brandished her Swiss Army knife, unsheathing the blade. She couldn't see what shot the arrow, but there was motion in the woods before them. They weren't alone.
Seeing everyone else fleeing gave Violet a similar idea. They did their best to follow, but their leg significantly slowed them down, and Ezra and CC were soon out of sight.
Looking back, Violet realized that Mana was still with them, dragging their feet. There were a million questions Violet needed to ask, but they didn't seem to be in the space to answer any of them.
Whatever (or whoever) shot at CC didn't follow the group, and it wasn't long before they were back at town. That means whatever barricade was out there is small. Shit. We really have nowhere to go.
Before Violet could try and question the bartender in a safer enviorment, they silently walked away, returning to the Tavern. Violet decided following them into their home was a little too much after everything that happened, and Ezra and CC were nowhere to be seen, so they decided to just go to bed. Or, at least, back to the tent.
Since Violet had been holed up in her tent for most of the day, they had let their fire go out hours ago. Probably a good thing, seeing as she got roped into the night exploration unexpectedly.
However, Violet wasn't paying much attention to the lack of fire or the cold that crept into the tent in its absence. They gave their flashlight another smack, just to see if it changed its mind. It hadn't.
They cursed, reaching in their pocket for their phone. They had been trying to save the battery (since she wasn't quite sure where to charge it) but they were beyond caring. Opening their flashlight app, they pointed the light at the "ground".
There wasn't much reason for Violet to have the flash on, they were too anxious to sketch or read or really do anything. Still, she left it on, the circle of light shaking with each frantic breath.
What am I going to do? Violet didn't even have a room to stay in. They remembered the bartender saying something about there being space in the Tavern, but she didn't have the money to pay for a room. Hell, Violet barely had enough to get to Oakhurst in the first place. I'm going to die here. I'm trapped in a cage with things that have bows and arrows that want to kill me. I don't know anything.
Wind whistled around the tent, the polyester walls quivering. The tent was scared, too. Violet felt like a kid hiding under the covers, cowering from imaginary monsters. But they're not imaginary. Gunshots and arrows aren't fired by air.
They brought their knees up to their chest, noticing their teeth chattering. It was freezing. Violet crawled into their sleeping bag, only shedding their (now wet) coat in exchange for another sweater. I guess all that time in thrift stores wasn't for nothing. At least I won't get frostbite on top of everything else.
Violet took a deep breath, trying to remember what Marvel has taught her all those years ago. Deep breath in. One, two, three. I'm going to die. Deep breath out. This will only get worse. One, two three. It's my fault for thinking this was over. Deep breath- Why do I even bother with this? It's not like it's ever worked.
I can't just sit here with my thoughts, Violet realized. This isn't doing anything except losing me sleep.
Fumbling in the limited light from the flash, Violet uncovered their Ipod again. Its battery indicator was at full, but that didn't mean anything since it hadn't been accurate for over a year. Hopefully it doesn't die on me.
She scrolled through the menus, searching for her favorite album. Only Rush blasted into their ears at an above-comfortable volume could fix them.
Only once "The Color of Right" was well into the first verse could Violet turn off the flashlight. By the time the last notes of the song plucked their ways out, they were asleep.
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Pronouns list:
Violet: she/they
Mana: they/them
CC: they/them
Ezra: he/they/xe
Corrie: he/him
This is a very very long-term project, especially since the roleplay is still ongoing. Other character's dialogue is not written by me, I copied it from the original roleplay.
