Tourn RP Archive

Once everything was chopped and served, Sovran was more than content to take a seat with his own plate of sliced mangoes. He let out a hissed breath as he eased himself onto the floor. It felt nice to give his arms a rest from being on the crutches for so long. It felt even nicer to give his remaining leg a little break. Everything was aching. Either he truly was getting old, or the single leg thing was truly taking a toll on him. Zora, on the other hand, was completely dozing off with Nora. The girl had deep bags under her eyes and seemed shaky from how much had happened. Over use of her healing, one crisis after another, etc etc. Zora needed a nap. The girl had cozied up with Nora and was fast asleep in a few short moments. sleepy5

@Sauce | Nora🧶+Lykos🐺

Nora had taken only a few more bites of mango before leaning into Zora and drifting off. Her body and mind were exhausted, both working overtime to keep the girl together. …. Nora was.. back in the house. The was a girl here that looked just like her. Her outfit was torn, and stained with blood and mold. She looked scared. Nora tilted her head and stepped towards the girl. She stepped back. This felt familiar. Nora wasn’t sure why. “Um… a-are you.. okay?” She shook her head no. “Oh, um.. wh-what’s wrong?” ”….m-my.. my mom.. sh-she’s gone.” Nora frowned sadly. “Mm, that’s sad.. wh-where did.. she go?” ”….I don’t.. know. It’s- it’s my ffault. Everyone… th-they know I did it..” “What h-happened..?” Nora stepped towards the girl again. She stepped back. Just like- ”I- I had to f-fight her- I didn’t w-want to! Th-then she- she turned into… into mmold and- and I don’t..” The girl was crying. “I don’t.. I dunno what to do… th-they’re gonna hate me…” Nora stared, what happened?? Why couldn’t she remember? All she could remember- “It’s.. it’s okay. Th-they said… it’s okay. It’s- it’s okay now.. th-they said it’s over!” ….. Nora was mumbling something in her sleep. @Vanessa| Sovran+Zora+Cansu (edited)

(Try to hear what she’s saying, Sov)

Vanessa| Sovran+Zora+Cansu

used /r

# 17
Details:[d20 (17)]

Straining his ears slightly, Sovran tried to make out what Nora was saying. @Sauce | Nora🧶+Lykos🐺

…. The girl’s body was trembling. She continued to mirror Nora. She wailed. ”No! It’s- it’s not okay!! I- I want her back!! I w-want my mom!!” Nora stepped towards her again, her back met the wall. Nora reached out her hand, and the other mirrored it with her trembling one. … ”….wan.. mmom....” @Vanessa| Sovran+Zora+Cansu

Sovran’s face fell as he made out what she was saying. His heart broke for the kid. To have to go through a match like that with someone she viewed as a parental figure was too much to endure. His heart broke for her. “.. Kid?” Sovran cautiously called out. He wanted to shake her awake from whatever dream she was having, but he knew better than to risk physical contact. It was better to simply call out to her. “Nora? Wake up, kiddo.” @Sauce | Nora🧶+Lykos🐺

As he said her name, Nora opened her eyes with a small gasp. Her eyes darted around, like she was looking for someone. “…wwh.. mm, what.. happened?” @Vanessa| Sovran+Zora+Cansu

“Easy, easy there, kid,” Sovran gently soothed. “You were havin’ a rough dream, is all. I just wanted to make sure you were alright.” @Sauce | Nora🧶+Lykos🐺

Rough dream.. when would she ever have a good one? “mm… I was.. t-talking to ssomeone..” She rubbed at her eye a little. @Vanessa| Sovran+Zora+Cansu

Zora stirred slightly as Nora woke up more, but she remained fast asleep. “Gotcha, I understand,” Sovran nodded with a small smile. “I have dreams like that, too, where I’m talkin’ to someone. Bet it felt pretty realistic, huh?” @Sauce | Nora🧶+Lykos🐺

Nora quieted down for her sister, but nodded. “Mm.. th-there was.. a girl. Sh-she was.. sad. A-and scared.” @Vanessa| Sovran+Zora+Cansu (edited)

“Was she?” Sovran asked. “I bet you were doin’ your best to take care of that girl and help her, right? You seem like you got a good head on your shoulders and a good heart in your chest.” @Sauce | Nora🧶+Lykos🐺

Nora frowned a little. She wasn’t able to do anything for her. What was she supposed to do? “….said it was okay..” She was mumbling again. @Vanessa| Sovran+Zora+Cansu (edited)

“Sometimes, just hearin’ that from someone can do a lot for the soul,” Sovran nodded. “Reassurin’ someone can mean a lot to them.” @Sauce | Nora🧶+Lykos🐺

…It didn’t feel like enough, coming from her. “Sh-she was.. still sad though.. mm..” @Vanessa| Sovran+Zora+Cansu

As Nathan’s volume increased, Zora’s eyebrows furrowed in her sleep. She began to curl up slightly, wanting the safety and warmth that the fetal position provided. “I’m sure that it still meant a lot to hear, even if she was still sad. Sometimes, it takes quite a bit of reassurin’ and comfort to make someone feel a bit better.” Sovran scratched the back of his head. “I’m sure that you would’ve been able to help her if I didn’t wake you, I’m sorry ‘bout that. I just got a bit worried ‘bout you, is all.” @Sauce | Nora🧶+Lykos🐺

Nora huddled a little closer to Zora. She very gently set her hat on Zora’s head so it would help block the lights for her sister. “Um.. sh-she was…. was looking ffor.. her mom..” @Vanessa| Sovran+Zora+Cansu

Zora visibly relaxed as Nora grew near. She mumbled something in her sleep and unconsciously snuggled a bit closer to her sister. The hat upon her head assisted in blocking out the light, which helped the other girl feel more secure. She didn’t stir again. Sovran smiled fondly at the pair. “If you ever doubt your comfortin’ abilities, think back to this lil’ moment; you definitely know how to make your sister feel safe.” As Sovran listened, his expression grew solemn. “I see.. And she couldn’t find her, right?” @Sauce | Nora🧶+Lykos🐺

Being by Zora did make her feel better. Zora must’ve felt the same. “No.. sh-she said.. it- it was her fault, and… and everyone was mad.” @Vanessa| Sovran+Zora+Cansu

“I’m sure that you would’ve tried to convince her of the truth; that it’s not her fault, and that no one’s mad at her,” Sovran spoke softly. “She’s just a kid, she’s doing the best she can given the circumstances. No one’s mad at her. In fact, I can bet you that that girl is loved by her close ones.” @Sauce | Nora🧶+Lykos🐺

….she felt like she was missing something. “….um.. Mister Sovran.. if- if I ask you.. um, w-will you be… tell me the truth?” @Vanessa| Sovran+Zora+Cansu

“Of course, Nora,” Sovran smiled. “What’s your question?” @Sauce | Nora🧶+Lykos🐺

She frowned with worry, fidgeting with a fraying sleeve. “I… mm.. I don’t.. remember wh-what.. happened before.. um, I- I can’t- what.. happened before.. we went here..?” Her voice was much quieter now. “And- and where… where’s m-my mmom..?” @Vanessa| Sovran+Zora+Cansu

Sovran tried to keep his expression steady. With a deep breath, he scooted closer to Nora and did his best to kneel before her on one leg. “Can I ask, what’s the last thing you remember, so that way I know where to start?” Sovran asked softly. “I’ll be honest, kid, there’s some parts you might have to ask Nathan and Zora for, since I wasn’t there for a portion of it, but- I’ll do my best to answer.” @Sauce | Nora🧶+Lykos🐺

She scrunched her face as she tried to remember. “Um….mm…. I- I was… w-with Zzora and Nathan.. um, h-he just.. got back and- and then….” Her face scrunched more, almost to painful degree as she tried to remember. Trying to think about it… it made her breath shallow out. “I- I don’t know… w-we were…. were w-walking hhere..? Mmm..” She sounded distraught as her breathing turned harsh. @Vanessa| Sovran+Zora+Cansu

“Hey, hey, easy, kiddo, how ‘bout we take some deep breaths?” Sovran took in a deep breath, and then slowly released it. “Just like that. Let’s do it together a few times to steady ourselves, alright? In, and out..” @Sauce | Nora🧶+Lykos🐺

Nora was always good with instructions. She followed along dutifully. …It took a bit, but she didn’t seem to be panicking as much. @Vanessa| Sovran+Zora+Cansu

“Good, real good,” Sovran praised. “How’re you feelin’?” @Sauce | Nora🧶+Lykos🐺

“..mm… I-I’m okay..” She still looked worried. @Vanessa| Sovran+Zora+Cansu

Sovran gave her a fond, small smile. “Y’know, kid, it’s alright to be honest if you’re not feelin’ okay. If you’re scared or feelin’ worried, we’ll always be eager to lend a hand to help you on out. That’s what we do for the people we care for.” @Sauce | Nora🧶+Lykos🐺

“Mm..mhm. ….’m scared. I- I don’t.. l-like forgetting…” @Vanessa| Sovran+Zora+Cansu (edited)

“I know, sometimes it’s scary forgetting,” Sovran tapped his temple, giving the girl a sad smile. “That’s somethin’ I find myself havin’ trouble with, even to this day, but it does get better. You’ll be able to remember things better.” He paused for a moment before he continued speaking. “It took me a moment to realize it, but- When we forget so soon after somethin’ bad’s happened, it’s our brain tryin’ to protect us, love us, and block out the bad memory. Sometimes, it’s good, other times, it’s scary. I understand that, kid. One hundred percent, I understand.” As he spoke to Nora, he listened in to what Yeonaixho and Nathan were discussing. Big fucking yikes.

@Sauce | Nora🧶+Lykos🐺

Nora didn’t hear a thing, she was too busy trying to remember what she forgot. “mm… it- it is scary…” She was thinking hard again. @Vanessa| Sovran+Zora+Cansu

“It is scary,” Sovran agreed. Okay, things were heating up with Nathan and Yeonaixho. Giving Nora a small smile, he nodded his head apologetically. “Y’know, Nora, I might- Ask your pops if he could heal my leg a bit, it’s really startin’ to hurt me again. I’ll send Nathan over here, and when I’m done with Yeonaixho, I’ll come back over. Does that sound alright?” @Sauce | Nora🧶+Lykos🐺

"Norrra, I got more mangoes for ya," Nathan called, sitting down in front of her to block her view of the little duo. Sovran and Yeonaixho were talking now. Surely nothing'll go wrong. Their attention shifted to a sleeping Zora, and their once forced smile immediately softened into something softer. "Were you two sleeping before I got here?" @Sauce | Nora🧶+Lykos🐺

Zora:

Nora nodded, looking worried for him. “Mm, o-okay.. ffeel better, mmister Sovran.” Nora was lightly knocking her knuckles to her forehead as Nathan walked over. Quietly mumbling, ”think, think, thhink….” She paused as he joined her, eying the mangos he brought. “Oh, umm- th-thank you.” As he looked to Zora, she turned to her sister as well. She still seemed to be sleeping fine.. “Mhm.. but- um, I had a… a dream..” @Kipology | Nathan 🏺 + Connie ⚡ (edited)

"A dream, y'say?" they hummed, shifting into a slightly comfier position. The plate of mangoes was set down between the two. Three, counting Zora. Nathan offered Nora a little mango slice, wobbling it slightly. "A good one or a bad one?" @Sauce | Nora🧶+Lykos🐺

Nora took the mango, despite not finishing her other one yet. It made her feel good, though. “Um… I- mm.. bad.. um, th-there was.. another girl and.. and she was sad, a-and scared.” @Kipology | Nathan 🏺 + Connie ⚡

Nathan's brows pinched together slightly as she spoke. "...she was sad 'n scared, huh?" "...was there anything else about her?" @Sauce | Nora🧶+Lykos🐺

Nora set down the mango, picking at the skin of her hands with a frown. “Um… s-she said… her mom w-was gone.. a-and it was h-her fault.. M-Mister Sovran ssaid it- it wasn’t but… I-I dunno…” @Kipology | Nathan 🏺 + Connie ⚡

Ah, so that's what they were probably talking about before. Their gaze darted down to her hands for a split second. "And what did this girl look like?" @Sauce | Nora🧶+Lykos🐺

She thought for a moment. “Umm…… s-she had a.. a red dr-dress and.. um, it was.. th-there was mmold and- and blood o-on it…” She cringed as she described the girl. @Kipology | Nathan 🏺 + Connie ⚡

A pause. "Would you say she...kinda looked like. You, maybe?" they slowly said, trying not to be too harsh about all this. @Sauce | Nora🧶+Lykos🐺

Her face scrunched as she thought, she continued to pick at her skin. “N-no, I… um….mm?” …what did she look like? What did she sound like either.. Dark skin, dark hair, amber eyes… her dress was red too… But the blood and mold… that was different right? Right? Her breath was shallowing again. She pulled at her clothes, finding the bits of dark fuzz her siblings missed. Mold. There was mold on her. Why was there mold- Nora looked scared. @Kipology | Nathan 🏺 + Connie ⚡ (edited)

Zora remained fast asleep. Damn, this girl was deep in sleepy town. Unconsciously, Zora’s hand grasped Nora’s top, almost as if she was trying to soothe her sister in her sleep. With her expression mostly hidden beneath the hat, she frowned slightly and looked uneasy. Maybe she was beginning to have a not so good dream of her own..

It was straight from one fumble to the next. Nathan blinked, a little alarmed at Nora's sudden reaction, and they carefully extended their hand for her to take if she wanted to. (Right at Nora's side, Zora was starting to shift, too.) "Hey, uh...Nora? Y'doin' good?" Mold and fuzz and fog again. @Sauce | Nora🧶+Lykos🐺

She was not doing good at all. Her eyes were wide with fear, and she seemed to be hyperventilating. ”M-mold- wh-“ She was frantically scratching at her clothes, the threads unraveling at her touch. She needed to get it off get it off get it off get it off get it off- @Kipology | Nathan 🏺 + Connie ⚡

Oh. Oh. "Hey- hey, Nora," Nathan slowly said, trying not to startle her even worse. There was still a persistent hint of urgency to his voice however. "Nora, it's alri-" No, no, it wasn't alright. "I'm here, just- just take deep breaths, alright?" Fuck. Fuck, he really wasn't good at this comforting stuff. "Focus on me- it's alright, o-okay?" @Sauce | Nora🧶+Lykos🐺

Her hands stopped scratching as she listened, forcing herself to breathe. Breathing hurt. Her hands tightened around her sleeve. ”Wh-why.. is- is there m-mold?? Why?” Her voice cracked as she forced herself to talk. @Kipology | Nathan 🏺 + Connie ⚡

"Deep breaths," Nathan quietly said, trying to keep his breathing even for her to follow. "Deep breath in, and deep breath out. I'm here, just take it easy." "...Back at the farmlands, uh- you had...Jymaiyri's powers were acting up." A pause. "And her powers kind of made a lot of mold around us- you- Zora and I were there, too. But it was her powers just acting up." @Sauce | Nora🧶+Lykos🐺

Once Yeonaixho walked out, Sovran grabbed his crutches and headed back to the kids. His happiness was short lived when he saw that Nora looked to be in rough shape, and that Nathan was doing his best to help. “Whoa whoa whoa- What’s goin’ on over here?” Sovran asked. He crouched back down to one knee and set his crutches on the floor. @Kipology | Nathan 🏺 + Connie ⚡ @Sauce | Nora🧶+Lykos🐺

Nora emulated him as best as she could, her nails digging into her arms to try and push away the awful feelings. Nora shook her head, she didn’t understand. Jymaiyri didn’t do that. She didn’t make mold, she made nice plants, mold was bad mom never did bad things she was good. ”n-no… mmom.. w-wouldn’t…” @Kipology | Nathan 🏺 + Connie ⚡ @Vanessa| Sovran+Zora+Cansu (edited)

"It wasn't on purpose," Nathan quickly reassured, flexing and unflexing his hands in the hopes Nora would follow. "Y- y'know how, like, Zora's powers were really strong during her fight? It wasn't on purpose, yeah? Our powers are kinda like- tied to our emotions, y'know? It wasn't on- on purpose or anythin'." Nathan's gaze shifted to Sovran as he approached again, guilt twisting in the pit of their stomach. 'I messed up,' they wanted to say, but they held their tongue instead. They were big and grown. Yeah. Big 'n grown. "Nora was asking about the mold," they quietly said, trying not to look at Sovran too much. @Vanessa| Sovran+Zora+Cansu @Sauce | Nora🧶+Lykos🐺

Sovran quickly understood the situation. He flashed Nathan a smile and gave him a small pat on the back, hoping he could get across that the kid did a good job, as good as he could’ve. Emotions were very tough things. “He’s right,” Sovran spoke softly. “Sometimes, our emotions can affect our powers. It doesn’t mean that we got bad intentions, or that we wanna hurt someone, or that we’re bad. It’s just somethin’ that happens, and it’s okay. It’s an accident, and accidents happen, it’s okay.” @Kipology | Nathan 🏺 + Connie ⚡ @Sauce | Nora🧶+Lykos🐺

Nora curled in on herself, her body tense as she tried to think. Why couldn’t she remember? What was she forgetting? Why? ”mmrm… w-why… whhy was.. mom.. where’s my mmom?” @Kipology | Nathan 🏺 + Connie ⚡ @Vanessa| Sovran+Zora+Cansu

Nathan tried not to grimace at Sovran's reassurances, but that pit in their stomach only grew. And when Nora spoke... 'where's my mmom?' Man. Man. "Um." They licked their lips anxiously, trying not to look away from her too much. Could she tell they were hesitating? Could she tell they knew the truth? "W..well...do you? Remember anything? Back when we were in the farmlands place?" @Sauce | Nora🧶+Lykos🐺 @Vanessa| Sovran+Zora+Cansu

“Oh, baby girl,” Sovran spoke softly. He gave the girl an apologetic look. “You want your mom, huh?” In his pocket, the orb weighed heavily. There definitely wouldn’t be an easy way to break this to the kid, especially when she was already so shaky. All Sovran wanted to do was give her a hug to help steady the kid and help her feel a little bit safer, a little bit cozier, a little bit less alone in this world. .. He had already promised to tell her moments ago, but he still waited to hear her reply to Nathan. @Kipology | Nathan 🏺 + Connie ⚡ @Sauce | Nora🧶+Lykos🐺 (Replies might be a bit sparse from me fjdodjdkf sorry the icky still got me)

The farmlands? When- oh, but that was… “um…. Wh-when your sshirt… y-you just got- got back..? Um and- and then we… w-we went to the big p-place.. th-the building..?” She didn’t get why he was asking about it. Why weren’t they telling her about mom? She looked to Sovran, nodding shakily. “Mhm…. wh-where is mmom..?” @Kipology | Nathan 🏺 + Connie ⚡ @Vanessa| Sovran+Zora+Cansu

Before her fight. "I..." The words died on their tongue. They didn't how to tell her- or even what to tell her. Their fingers dug into the knees of their pants, their squinted gaze focusing on some point behind Nora. Think. Think. Think. What the Hell could they say? 'Your mom's gone. I'm sorry.' There had to be something better than just that. Nathan looked to Sovran, something distant rising in the back of their throat. @Kipology | Nathan 🏺 + Connie ⚡ @Vanessa| Sovran+Zora+Cansu

11:56 PM

@Sauce | Nora🧶+Lykos🐺

“Kiddo, I promised that I’d answer your questions, and I’m going to, but you have to promise me that you’ll come to understand that nothin’ is anyone’s fault, okay?” He spoke softly to Nora. His hand remained on Nathan’s back before he lowered it to properly adjust his sitting position. “We’re in a horrible situation right now, with people having their matches. It hurts to know, but Jymaiyri had her match.” Sovran kept his gaze firm and steady, yet kindly, on Nora. He needed her to know that he was there for her, that it’d be alright. “She had her match, and lost, but I swear it when I say that we’ll get her back. We were able to get your pops back, and Nathan over here back, Jymaiyri is the very next one we’ll get back, I swear it, some way, somehow. I’ll make sure they give her back to us.” @Kipology | Nathan 🏺 + Connie ⚡ @Sauce | Nora🧶+Lykos🐺

Nora looked absolutely heartbroken. She stared at the two in silent shock, before her tears broke through the silence. Mom couldn’t be gone, they were all supposed to be together again, like a real family. ’When we forget so soon after somethin’ bad’s happened, it’s our brain tryin’ to protect us, love us-‘ She didn’t want to forget, she had to be there, hold on as long as she could- why wouldn’t it let her remember her mom? Nora curled in further and just sobbed. @Kipology | Nathan 🏺 + Connie ⚡ @Vanessa| Sovran+Zora+Cansu

That was...probably the best way to go about it. She had her match, and lost. Yes. That was all there was to it. This was for the best. It felt wrong to think that. "Oh, Nora," Nathan softly said, their chest twisting painfully. They reached out for Nora- yet hesitated, their hand curling back into their lap. "Nora, m'sorry." "We're gonna get her back- like Sovran said. We're gonna do everything we can to make sure she gets to come back to us. They- they just brought us back, yeah? And we're gonna make them bring your mom back, too." "We're here, just...take it easy. M'sorry, Nora." @Vanessa| Sovran+Zora+Cansu @Sauce | Nora🧶+Lykos🐺

“Oh, sweetheart,” Sovran wanted to hug the girl, but he wasn’t sure if he was the one she’d want reassurance from him of all people. She wasn’t all too familiar with him yet. “It’s okay, let it out, kid, it’s okay to miss your mom,” Sovran soothed. “We’re gonna do everythin’ we can to have her come back. We’ll bring her back.” @Sauce | Nora🧶+Lykos🐺 @Kipology | Nathan 🏺 + Connie ⚡

Nora continued to sob. Her throat hurts, it hurts to breathe, it hurts to think about mom, it hurt it hurts it hurts it hurts everything hurts. She wanted to stop hurting, she wanted to go home. She wanted to live with her family and go to libraries and see castles like they promised her. She wanted to be safe. The promises, to get her back, to stay together, it all felt impossible. Awful, awful promises that always fell apart. What did she do wrong, to hurt like this? Nora wailed, the miserable cry echoing through the room. @Kipology | Nathan 🏺 + Connie ⚡ @Vanessa| Sovran+Zora+Cansu @innsjo | juno🌻/jymaiyri🌿/minnie🌺 (baby hear)

Nora's crying spurred Minerva awake, and, being so harshly awoken, the little baby began to cry, too. @cult family

2

"It's alright," Nathan murmured, knowing very well it was not alright. "It's gonna be alright, Nora. We're here, just let it all out. I'm sorry, Nora." Sorry they coudln't help her more- sorry she had to endure this on her own. Vaguely, Nathan could pick up baby Minnie crying as well. They winced, glancing briefly behind them. Where did Juno go. "Uh." @cult family

—— Her lungs felt as though they were on fire with how hard and fast she was breathing. Her legs were pushing themselves far past her limit, to the point where she felt as though she was going to collapse at any second. Yet, Zora needed to run, she needed to escape. If she didn’t, she’d get hurt. No, it’d be worse- She’d die. The point was made incredibly clear that she was a dead girl running for her life. Tears streamed down her cheeks as each ragged breath tore through her throat. Her right hand was grasping onto her left bicep where a wound was gushing out blood. She needed to keep running, keep running, keep runni- A root sticking out of the ground caught her foot, causing the thirteen year old to hit the dirt harshly. Zora let out a cry of pain before it became a sob of desperation. She tried to push herself back up to her feet, but shaking legs didn’t allow her to. The girl kept falling, over and over again. It got to the point where she was desperate enough to drag herself through leaves and dirt. Her yellow gi was ruined and stained, but still, she kept dragging herself through the forest. She froze, however, at the rustling of bushes a few feet behind her. There stood Cole, the last of her family, her beloved primo, the big cousin she adored with all of her heart. He had tears in his eyes as his hands grasped his scythe tightly. “C-Cole-” Zora choked out. “St-stop, please, please- Just let me go, please- We don’t h-have to do this!” “Z, come on,” Cole begged, which made Zora wince. She had never heard her big cousin beg before. “Just come back with me, I don’t- I’m sure Sensei will reconsider-“ “He gave his order, Cole! He’s firm on it- I tried to talk him out of it, and all he did was yell at me!” Zora sobbed out. She attempted to push herself up to her feet once more, only to fall. She needed to run. “If I- If I go back, he’ll just k-kill me himself. I did something bad, Cole- I did what he considers to be a taboo!” “He doesn’t know what he’s talking about, he’s just- I’m sure we can talk him out of this.” Cole stepped towards her. “Just please, come with me, please.” Zora flinched as he outstretched his hand to her. Her own hands illuminated with her light. “C-Cole, you either have to l-let me go, or- Or kill me,” The girl whispered. “I c-can’t go back. Please, just l-let me go.” “I can’t, Z,” Cole’s voice cracked. “You know I can’t.” “Th-then-” Then kill me. She couldn’t get the words out. The cousins stood in silence, the rustling of the leaves the only sound between them. Zora’s hands reached for her golden sais as Cole’s grasp on his scythe tightened. Across his eyes, however, purple began to infiltrate his irises. A smile spread across his face, one that outstretched his features unnaturally. In the back of her mind, a headache began to form, the same kind of headache that occurred the moment she cast the reverse-time spell. She wouldn’t know it then, but it was the void calling for her soul to join it. "Cole, Cole please," Zora whimpered, dragging herself away from her big cousin. "Calm down- Snap out of it- Come on primo..."

1:43 PM

He didn't respond. His smile remained on his face as he marched towards her. Zora scrambled away with wide eyes and shaking hands as she finally grasped her sais. She felt her back hit a wall and whimpered, unable to move. Cole's scythe swung at her direction and she ducked to the side. It cut the wall in half and Zora choked back a scream as debris hit her. She stumbled and looked back at Cole, who was busy getting his scythe out of the remaining wall. She considered running away, but he had already abandoned his weapon and was charging at her with the cold look still in his eyes. "Cole, snap out of it!" Zora pushed herself onto shaky legs and lunged to the side, grasping her weapons in tight fists. "I don't wanna have to hurt you..." The ninja of earth made no motion of stopping and Zora quickly flicked off the golden tip of her sai. She knew that, if she was going to face Cole, she was going to use the blunt ends of her weapons. If any harm came to Cole, especially when he seemed to be controlled by some- Some force that felt different from the Overlord, this- This wasn’t him- This wasn’t him- Zora quickly ducked the swipe of his weapon and drove the blunt end of her sai into his stomach. She shot her foot out and kicked his legs out from under him. When she went to strike him in the head to knock him out, he reached out for her wrist and gripped it tightly, making Zora wince. “C-Cole- Stop!” She hissed and tried to fight against his tight hold. He just squeezed it tighter and slowly got up, using that to bring Zora to her knees. She eventually dropped her sai and let out a scream the moment her wrist snapped. He released her and she immediately doubled over in pain, cradling her damaged arm close to her chest. Hot tears rolled down her cheeks as she gazed up upon her cousin. The girl was going to die here- He had fetched his weapon and she was going to die here- She was going to die she was going to die she was going to die- The void screamed. Reality shifted around her just before his scythe removed her head from her shoulders. Time reversed. She found herself sitting at a table with the ninja, who were all laughing and cracking jokes. Before Zora could speak, time reversed again. And again. And again. It didn’t stop. It didn’t end until Zora was the only thing in existence. She was all that remained in the dark depths of space, floating, suffocating, sobbing as she begged for the end to come. It never did. Her tears glimmered in the dark, and became stars. She couldn’t scream, couldn’t speak- All she could do was cry as she was forced to live on, and on, and on. The years passed, blurring into decades, into centuries, until life itself began to regrow and become anew. She continued to float. Her lungs ached for air, she couldn’t breathe, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t breathe- —— Zora’s eyes shot open. She could breathe, she could breathe. The dark of Nora’s hat caused momentarily panic- Dark, dark, too dark- .. Why was she wearing Nora’s hat? Why- Nora? Who was- It took her a second to recollect herself. There was crying? And there- They were in a kitchen- Right, murder planet. Right. Right. Taking in a deep breath, Zora shifted into a sitting position. “N-Nora?” Zora croaked, her voice still heavy with sleep and confusion. All she needed to know was that her sister was crying. She was upset. “N-Nora- Sh, sh-shh, it’s okay, it’s okay-” She immediately put her arms around the other girl and pulled her sister in for a hug.

1:44 PM

The baby was awake and crying. Sovran quickly looked over to the crib. He wanted to scramble over to Minnie and make sure that she was alright, but he knew he'd be a bit slower in getting to her side compared to Nathan. "Nathan, bud, are you familiar with babies?" He asked quietly as Zora embraced her sister. "Could you do me a favor and check up on her? She wants to be held, if you know how to carry babies." @cult family

Letting it out didn’t make her feel better. Letting it out just made her feel tired. She was so tired. She wanted to close her eyes and let it all be over. Her eyes snapped open at the touch, first flinching before realizing it was Zora. Nora looked terrible. Her eyes were all puffy and shiny from crying. One of the sleeves of her dress was a ribbony mess. She stared a Zora for a moment, before hiccuping and throwing herself into her sister’s arms to cry. Nora said nothing as she hugged her tightly and continued to cry. @cult family

Minerva is still crying and wailing. She hoped if she cried enough, someone might get the picture and hold her. It's no fun to be suddenly woken up. @cult family

Zora was awake. Thank Athena. Athena bless. Nathan was vaguely aware of Sovran talking to them as he watched the sisters embrace, and nodded a little at Sovran's request. "I'm not great with them, I- I'll let you know," Nathan quietly responded, getting to their feet. "But I can hold her- I've held them before." Zora could help Nora a lot more than they could, that was for sure- after all, they weren't exactly the most...awake or responsive for a good bit. (Space mention.) ...And in general. They weren't the best with helping people. "Hey, Minerva, hi," they cooed, gently reaching into the crib as she cried and cried her tiny heart out. "Aw, did the cryin' wake you up?" They could just pick her up, but they didn't entirely trust themself with her. So tiny. So fragile. Baby sling. There. After a moment of wrangling with the damn thing (it looked a lot easier as it...y'know was laying there), Nathan had Minerva secure, and was trying their best to calm her down. They swayed a bit in place, humming quietly as they kept a careful hand on her back. "Bnhgf bnf bnf...jump up, kick back...um...s-spin." @cult family

“There you go, Nathan,” Sovran beamed at them with a bright smile. “You’re a natural, you’re doin’ great.” Zora squeezed her sister a bit tighter, doing her absolute best to comfort her. Hugging her sister made Zora’s own heart rate start to calm down slightly. This was as beneficial for Nora as it was for her. So, she continued to hug her sister, whispering words of comfort to her over and over again. God, all she wanted to do was ease her sister’s pain, that’s all Zora wanted to do. She didn’t mind how long she’d have to hold her, she’d spend the rest of her life holding her if she had to. That’s what you do for the people you love. And Zora, god, Zora loved her sister with all of her heart. @cult family

Minerva seemed to calm down in Nathan's arms, soothed by the gentle rocking and the song. She still wasn't necessarily happy, but she was calmer. @Kipology | Nathan 🏺 + Connie ⚡

Nora clung to Zora like a lifeline, her hands balled tightly around the fabric of her cardigan. ”Zora…. hhh- I- I wanna go h-home… wanna g-go home…” @cult family

"Ninja...g-go. Ninja Go. Jump." Nathan couldn't help but overhear Nora's wails, and they held Minera slightly closer to their chest. They couldn't help Nora- they could try, at the end, but by then, all would be resolved. Home. Like that in the mirror. She hadn't known her parents before, only Salvatore. They wanted nothing more than to be able to help; to ease her fears away, reassure her all would be well, and they could go home together. They wanted nothing more than to comfort his little sister, make little Zanates with her, hug her and make blankets and clothing with her. She flinched, badly, when they had first met. She had cried, and they were the cause of it. He didn't want to scare her, and so they stayed by the crib, soothing Minerva. @cult family

Sovran had smiled at Nathan, proud of them, before he turned his gaze back to the girls. He then ducked his head, allowing the sisters to have their little moment together. “W-we can go home,” Zora spoke in a whisper. She was blinking back tears as she thought about it. Home. “It’s safe, a-and warm there, and has lots of books a-and lots of space for us to play board games if we wanted t-to. I have a b-big garden, we can- W-we can grow our own fruits, and it’ll be delicious, and we can m-make nice fruit salads and eat them o-outside on a nice day and have l-little picnics together. It’ll be all of us, it’ll be our little family a-able to enjoy moments like that.. W-we’ll be able to go home, s-soon, I hope, and d-do all the things we w-wanna do together..” @cult family

Nora’s sobs began to calm as Zora spoke to her. It sounded so nice. She wanted that home more than anything. She sniffled a bit, her harsh breathing slowing. ”mm… mhm.. I- I want h-home.. w-with you, a-and Nathan… papa and Minnie a-and mmom..” @cult family

Vanessa| Sovran+Zora+Cansu changed the channel name: Fruit Salad 4/26/2024 6:02 PM

Nathan lingered at the crib for a moment longer before eventually making his way over. They ruffled Sovran's bowed head lightly, corner of his mouth quirked up in a little half smile, before turning their attention back to the sisters. He did good. Home. She wanted to go home with them, with everyone. "We can go home together," Nathan softly said, kneeling verrry carefully. He was still cradling the back of Minerva's head and back. "We can go home, and we can go to Zora's garden and plant some mangoes and strawberries 'n peaches. We can make jams outta them, you ever have jam before? I think you'd love them. They're sweet 'n tangy, and taste great." "And maybe, we can get bubble tea. There's a mango one I think you might like, and these nice mango cubes too. We can all go out one day, get some stuff and go home- maybe play board games and read some books while we have a good day, yeah?" They extended their free hand to Nora. @cult family

“Bubble tea sounds really good- You might like it, Nora! And if you don’t, that’s okay! There’s plenty of other things we can try together, all of us,” Zora reassured her sister. She couldn’t help but smile a little as Nathan got closer. “And jams- Jams are super good! We can bake some fresh bread to go with it, it’ll be super tasty.” @cult family

Minerva's doing about the same as she was before- not crying, but not happy. She is enjoying the close proximity to Nathan, though, as he still smells like petrichor and kind of like momma. @Kipology | Nathan 🏺 + Connie ⚡

Nora reached out for Nathan’s hand, holding it tightly. ”mm.. j-jam.. wh-what’s… bubbly tea?” @cult family

"Bubble tea is like, this drink that's made up of tea and milk, and tastes like fruits- so like, mango, strawberries, y'know?" Nathan squeezed Nora's hand tightly, smiling brightly at her. "And there's these nice, chewy jellies at the bottom of the drink, and it's like a surprise." Talking about the future, their future, together, all of them. "But if y'don't like that, that's alright- we can bake some fresh bread together, put some jam on 'em. You like sweet or salty bread?" @cult family

"It's okay if you don't like it, there's always a ton of other types of drinks that you can have instead, and all different kinds of flavors, too," Zora hummed. "We'll try all different kinds of snacks and drinks and we'll see which ones we like." @cult family

Nora seemed to have calmed down a bit. ”it.. ssounds nice.. mm, b-bread can… there’s ssweet?” Snacks and tea… ”mm, c-can we h.. have a t-tea party?” @cult family @Gab | Ip🪩 + Subaru

Just as the calm finally hit, Subaru burst into the room. Oh... There's actually people in here. "So this is where everyone else went-" @cult family

"We can try a buncha stuff together- together, all of us," they smiled. "We can have a little tea party together with sweet breads 'n snacks- and Kitty's invited too, they'll get the seat of honor." "We're here for you Nora, and we care about you so much. I know things seem rough and awful right now, but trust me when we say we are going to get your mom back. We love you, adelphē, more than anything." They were about to say something else- reminisce on their bracelets, something else, but the sound of the door opening caught them off guard. Nathan warily shifted to their feet, still cradling Minerva's head carefully to their chest. "...Who are you?" Nathan asked, watching the newcomer carefully. Another kid? "And what do you mean, 'everyone else'?" @cult family @Gab | Ip🪩 + Subaru (edited)

“Mmhm, we can have tea- They also have different kinds of fruit tea! Tea made out of fruit! We can try all of them and you can have your favorites and-” The entry of the newcomer alarmed Zora, which made her hug Nora protectively. Sovran even looked to be on guard when he saw- Just how little the newcomer was. His guard was still up, but it had decreased. “What’cha talkin’ ‘bout, kiddo?” Sovran asked with a raised eyebrow. He reached for his crutches and pushed himself up to one foot. “Were you lookin’ for us?” @Gab | Ip🪩 + Subaru @cult family

Nora gave a little smile back. It all sounded so nice.. She squeezed Nathan’s hand as he spoke, their words making her heart feel lighter. “…..I love you.. t-too.” Adelphē, hermana. Her heart felt warm again. Nora jumped as the door slammed open, but she stayed with Zora. Being with her felt safer than anything. Nora watched the new person quietly, bundling up a bit of string into her hand just in case. @Gab | Ip🪩 + Subaru @cult family (edited)

"Did it?" Subaru looked around as she realized the video stopped when she ushered Kian to the dining hall, she opened it up again before continuing. "There we go." "Okay so uhh amphibs are starting to disappear and everyone is saying that the ritual to bring back the Pilarians is starting, whatever that means. I'm not that sorry that I interrupted you guys, but I need all of you to come with me to the dining hall." Subaru paused for a minute so the information can sink in. "We're trying to form a plan to figure out what to do. None of you know me, but I'm pretty sure at least some of you know Dr. Lykos. If you don't trust me, trust Lykos." @cult family

Nathan was put slightly more on edge as the kid started to use her powers, their free arm starting to drip ever slightly with clay. Pilarians? "...Rakin's trying to bring back his 'god' again?" Nathan snickered, raising an eyebrow. Pathetic, tiny, writhing little guy wants to bring back his god. But the disappearance of the other amphibians were pretty concerning. Was Itsuki gone, too? Rakin talked about that...ritual, back when they first got here. Maybe they should have paid more attention instead of thrashing about. "Doctor Lykos...oh." Lykos. Nathan turned to his family (plus Sovran), their powers letting up slightly more. "Lykos is uh, pretty reliable. Sciencey, transformation wolf guy. If there's someone who wants to overthrow the government, or uh, this, it's probably gonna be him." They turned back to the newcomer, carefully readjusting Minerva. The kid didn't seem...much of a threat. Just a messenger? "...How many people are part of this? The more the merrier, I guess." @cult family @Gab | Ip🪩 + Subaru

“I’m familiar with Lykos,” As much as Lykos threw him for a loop, he was reliable. “I’m willin’ to trust this. If Amphibs are startin’ to disappear, then that means that the big guy’s readyin’ up some sort of plan. The sooner we meet up, the better.” Hesitating, Zora gave a small nod in agreement. She wasn’t familiar with Lykos or this kid, but she knew that if Sovran trusted someone, then so could she. Still, she remained close to her siblings. @cult family @Gab | Ip🪩 + Subaru

Nora didn’t know any of these people, but Zora seemed to trust them. She didn’t have anything to add. @cult family @Gab | Ip🪩 + Subaru

"Well, there aren't a lot of people left, but we're trying to gather everyone. You guys seem to be the last big group we missed. A pretty important one, too." Subaru mentioned this, itching to leave already. "I'm Subaru, by the way. I fought Miss Calamity. If we're all on the same page, we need to leave. Like... now." @cult family

Miss Calamity, that pink flying narc who nearly killed his sister, right! Yeah, he remembered her verrry well. "Let's get going, then," Nathan said, keeping his voice painfully even. Hopefully baby Minnie wasn't too startled by more people. @cult family @Gab | Ip🪩 + Subaru [ #dining-hall ehe ]

“Come on, Nora, it’ll be okay,” Zora shakily got up to her feet. She took off the hat that was on her head and placed it back on Nora’s head. She held onto her sister’s hand. Off to the dining hall!! @Sauce | Nora🧶+Lykos🐺

Nora smiled as Zora placed her hat back, holding her hand tight and following along. @Vanessa| Sovran+Zora+Cansu

Sovran and the Girlies naptime

Fruit Time

Hey Gang want to help with an abortion