“Echoes Through the Pipes”

@askvincent1234567890

Maeve folded her hands together, watching quietly. There was something almost peaceful about it - the sound of laughter, the illusion of normalcy. It tugged at something deep in her chest. Something old. Something aching.

Then-

Movement.

Her eyes shifted sharply.

The air around her sharpened, that quiet, mournful presence tightening into something far more alert.

“A stake…?” she murmured, her Irish lilt dropping low, uneasy. “Ah, now that’s not the sort o’ thing ye bring for friendly company…”

Walls, doors, corridors—none of them slowed her. She slipped through them like wind through cracked stone, her urgency bleeding into the building itself. Lights flickered as she passed. A door down the hall creaked open on its own.

“Katherine…” Maeve called, her voice threading through the halls before her form fully followed. “Katherine, love-where are ye?”

She found her near the stairwell, midway through gathering linens, the soft rustle of fabric the only sound in the quiet corridor.

Maeve appeared just beside her- too quickly, too suddenly.

“Katherine.”

@askvincent1234567890

Maeve folded her hands together, watching quietly. There was something almost peaceful about it - the sound of laughter, the illusion of normalcy. It tugged at something deep in her chest. Something old. Something aching.

Then-

Movement.

Her eyes shifted sharply.

The air around her sharpened, that quiet, mournful presence tightening into something far more alert.

“A stake…?” she murmured, her Irish lilt dropping low, uneasy. “Ah, now that’s not the sort o’ thing ye bring for friendly company…”

@stupid-apothecary

"wait you're Ḛ̸̢̢̜̺͇̜̭͈̉͌̔͜ͅz̸̖̱̬͒͒̓͊̑̌͊͂̎͝█̶̧̛̰̣͖̩̤̲̻͓̹̈́́̅́̕█̶̧̛̰̣͖̩̤̲̻͓̹̈́́̅́̕ì̷̗̘̬̓̾̂́ę̷̡̛̩̗̮̝̼̲̮̻̀̄͑̿̊͋̒͘█̶̧̛̰̣͖̩̤̲̻͓̹̈́́̅́̕- I remember! █̸̢̢̰̜̺͇̜̭͈̉͌̔͜ͅ█̸̖̱̬͒͒̓͊̑̌͊͂̎͝████̵̣͇̹̖̗̞͈̺̻͍͛̊̔̈́̋█̶̧̛̰̣͖̩̤̲̻͓̹̈́́̅́̕█̷̗̘̬̀̓̾̂́█̷̨̡̛̩̗̮̝̼̲̮̻̀̄͑̿̊͋̒͘█̸̡̳̻̖̯̣̜͍̖̣̣̭͑̾̋͜ͅ"

Maeve stiffened, like one trying to pit the pieces together.

"oh dear..."

@stupid-apothecary

“Oh hun! I just don’t know! Maddie is always so so closed off! She never wants to be on the camera either!”

Mathew said

“OH WE’LL GET TA HER HEART EVENTUALLY! SHE’LL BE A STAR IN NO TIME! OVERCOMING ADVERTISES! ITS GONNA MAKE US LOOK WONDERFUL! POLISHED!”

Jess replied

Madison was used to these conversations. They weren’t good at hiding their true intentions. It didn’t matter. Not anymore. She hates being the muse for the camera. Not after… the incident. She would rather stay behind the camera. She wants to be the artist. The person behind everything. Never in the spotlight. The girl quietly walked away like she was never there in the first place. Going back to her room and holding her stuffed raven, Circe.

//boo! Hi! Once again! You don’t have to answer if you don’t wanna!!

@madisonravenlee

At the foot of her bed stood a ghostly figure- a woman with gentle eyes and sorrowful softness to her edges, like she was made of moonlight.

Maeve.

She took a small step forward, hands folded politely as if afraid to startle the girl.

“I didn’t mean to frighten ye,” Maeve murmured. “But I could feel yer heart ache clear down the hall. Thought maybe ye shouldn’t sit in it alone.”

The lamp flickered again, steadying as Maeve’s form became a little clearer.

“Yes, you may sit.”

Circe the stuffed raven rested between them, its button eyes catching just a hint of Maeve’s light.

Maeve tilted her head, studying Madison with quiet care. “Ye look exhausted, poor thing. Not the sort o’ tired sleep fixes, either.”

@stupid-apothecary

Hope you like!!

Maeve and her son ( Abaddon vessel )

@askvincent1234567890

Maeve’s face brightened, touched by that wistful gleam that always came when someone asked about before. Her form shimmered faintly as she leaned against the wall... or rather, hovered just close enough to suggest leaning.

There were many tales. Some tragic, others horrific.

She drifted closer, her presence faintly stirring the air, like a cool draft brushing past him. “I imagine you sitting by a hearth somewhere… wide-eyed, listening to old fishermen or washerwomen whisper about the creatures in the woods.” Her tone gentled further. “You must’ve been such a curious child.”

A faint pause. “It’s rather funny, isn’t it? The way stories always come back around. You once listened to people tell vampire tales, and now—” she gave him a knowing smile, “—the vampire’s the one listening.”

Naphula came through the window, again. She always did this, every night. In her mouth, she held a deer leg, dry blood staining her mouth and hands. Blood slowly dripped onto the carpet and floor.

''God damnit, Naphula!''

Naphula hissed, before skittering into the vents to enjoy her meal. Kathrine followed after, reaching into the vent to grab the demon. Only to feel nothing, she pulled her arm out, walking away.

In the kitchen, Abaddon sat, looking at the blender he had. Watching as the different items in it slashed and were torn apart in it. ''Abaddon.'' The demon looked over, staring at Katherine. ''Can you please talk to Naphula about hunting, she got blood over the carpet...again.''

Maeve drifted into the kitchen - or rather, through the kitchen- phasing in with a faint static pop of ghostly energy. She glanced between them, then at the blender full of shredded… something.

''I'M STANDING RIGHT HERE!'' A angry stomp was heard from the demon, clearly being upset that he was being ignored now. ''I am a fully grown demon! Such human things will not work on me!'' He hissed, before stopping. ''Weeell, maybe if I have extra allowanc-''

Abaddon walked to a vent, he opened it and entered. Causing Katherine and Maeve to be alone in the kitchen. Katherine looked at Maeve, before speaking. ''Can you follow him, to make sure he actually does talk to her?''

Naphula tore at the deer flesh, ignoring fur that got into her mouth. Blood had started staining her overalls, but nevertheless, she kept digging in. She heard the sound of crawling, turning her head over. ''...Abaddon?''

“Of course,” she replied with a gentle dip of her head. “I’ll be subtle. Like a draft on a winter night.” She drifted after him, her form phasing upward through the ceiling rather than climbing into the vent like a mortal would. The metal hummed faintly as she passed through, following the echo of his muttered complaints and the wet rip of Naphula’s meal.

Naphula came through the window, again. She always did this, every night. In her mouth, she held a deer leg, dry blood staining her mouth and hands. Blood slowly dripped onto the carpet and floor.

''God damnit, Naphula!''

Naphula hissed, before skittering into the vents to enjoy her meal. Kathrine followed after, reaching into the vent to grab the demon. Only to feel nothing, she pulled her arm out, walking away.

In the kitchen, Abaddon sat, looking at the blender he had. Watching as the different items in it slashed and were torn apart in it. ''Abaddon.'' The demon looked over, staring at Katherine. ''Can you please talk to Naphula about hunting, she got blood over the carpet...again.''

Maeve drifted into the kitchen - or rather, through the kitchen- phasing in with a faint static pop of ghostly energy. She glanced between them, then at the blender full of shredded… something.

''I'M STANDING RIGHT HERE!'' A angry stomp was heard from the demon, clearly being upset that he was being ignored now. ''I am a fully grown demon! Such human things will not work on me!'' He hissed, before stopping. ''Weeell, maybe if I have extra allowanc-''