[PRP] Pie Any Means Necessary (Horace/The Fabrics)

[shibrogane]

"No," said Felt. "It's the usual passage of time. Things fail to adapt, and they go extinct. Or someone decides they don't like a certain species of bird and hunts them down like a ******** psychopath."

Silk nodded. "Yes, we don't die. We're already dead. We persist as long as we like, and when we're ready to pass from this life we do."

She finished writing her letter.

The Semblance of Unity

To Ms. Preacher Maria,

It is not rude to be in animal form in many situations, but a formal occasion of great import is one where it is extremely rude indeed. Much in the otherworld is malleable, and should not be trusted. To show one's true, human face to a group is considered a polite, and the situation in which you were invited it was certainly obligate. It was not only you who misstepped in this way.

You are welcome to visit the Court to draw, paint, or whatever strikes your fancy. I cannot guarantee you will be allowed access to noble domains, but we do not lock the doors to the public spaces.

Silk

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"Oh," he said. "That makes sense - sometimes I forget that it's been a very, very long time." For Horace, everything had begun twenty-four and a half years ago, presumably. He was neither noble nor fetch and so was doomed to repeat. It was kind of comforting, though, in a weird way. He was a series of ******** but maybe, in one cycle, he wouldn't be. The point was moot, however, since everyone was trying to stop on this particular cycle.

And Horace was okay with that, actually. It kind of surprised him to realize that.

"You stay for your family." It wasn't really a question. "If the cycles stop, do you know if you'll still persist in the same state?" s**t, was that insensitive to ask? He almost winced.

"Oh, should I take that letter back to her?"

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

"If you would like," said Silk, sealing it. "We have methods of getting mail out. You might inform your compatriots that simply putting a letter addressed to the court in their mailbox will end up here by hook or by crook."

She smiled, a little sadly. "For my daughter," she said. "Melany. I'll stay as long as she needs me."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"I told her I'd take it back to her." Horace shrugged. It counted as a promise, so he'd do so. "That's neat about the mail, though. Now if only there was cell service here."

The news that Silk was Melany's mother made his eyes widened. "Melany is nice, she-" He stopped. The court was the domain of the Spinel Lady and he still didn't know if the Lady would work against them, or if silk would pass information to her. "I like her a lot; we hang out. Does she know you're her mother? I mean, I guess she would, but."

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

"I'm not the mother of the girl that you know," said Silk, a little stiffly. "My daughter was ripped to pieces before my eyes and turned into a monster. But..." She smiled. "They're very much alike, my girl and this new one."

She sighed. "I don't know who her mother is in this new world we're anchored to. Your world, I suppose. She likely has a mother already, and has no need for me if this attempt to remake the Charter is successful... It might be nice, to rest..."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

That was what Shiloh had been talking about, he thought. Those in the court were outside the cycles. But so was Melany, in a way - or the original Melany. It honestly made so little sense to him, except these meant Silk was an alien, and presumably everyone in the otherworld was.... right? But he knew one thing, he was tired of everyone talking about dying like it would be the best thing to happen. He'd thought like that for a long, long time and had to beat it out of his head. It was always there, though, read to creep back and wrap tendrils around him again.

He swallowed heavily. "It seems like everyone wants to die. This world is so heavy." He rubbed his nose. "I didn't know fetches could die, really - though existing forever is kind of a cruelty in its own way."

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

"I hardly want to die," said Silk, laughing now. "There's so much left for me to learn and to discover. It's only that... it's tiring, watching people you love become monsters. Knowing that it was your involvement that predisposed them to becoming one."

Felt said, "Everything can die. Fetches aren't susceptible to disease or poison or old age. Just, you know, violence? And losing the will to live. That's how most of us pass on. We just decide it's not worth it anymore to persist."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

"Your involvement? But I thought you were opposed to Melany's forced change?" He was a little happier that Silk had said she didn't really want to die. "I gotta say I'm happy you don't really want to die." He laughed a little, too.

"I feel like death is a theme I can't get away from. I hope the whole charter change thing can... I dunno improve you guys' quality of life? Or like.. I don't know." He shrugged ruefully. "It's selfish, but I'd rather like it if you guys stuck around."

shibrogane

 

[shibrogane]

"I was pregnant with her when I changed," said Silk. The laughter had been wiped from her face like rain off a windshield. "It changed her, too. It made her the only person alive who could be what she was." Felt was quiet, his hands folded behind his back. "I would have killed them to stop them, if I could. But I wasn't strong enough."

Felt looked away.

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

Horace was almost sad he'd brought it up. "We're gonna fix what was done to her. I'm gonna make it better this time, Silk. I promise." He had to believe in himself because that was how magic worked. He'd believe, and it'd be true, and Melany would be okay.

"It wasn't your fault." He worried about people - they always took the blame on themselves and it tore into the heart of them...

shlbrogane

 

[shibrogane]

"I believe you," said Silk. "The freedom to move between worlds, the deaths in the Purge, they all must mean something..."

She smiled, a little sad. "Well, you're welcome to stay as long as you like, but I should get back to work."

The Semblance of Unity

 

[The Semblance of Unity]

Horace wished he could reach out a comforting hand or something. But then the moment passed. With so many who believed in him, how could he fail?

"It means something," he repeated, because Silk was right. They had to mean something. "Nah, I'll get out of your hair, Silk. I'd like to visit again sometimes, even if it's to drop something off while you're drowning in work. Things for you, too, Felt."

shibrogane