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I was never created to... what could you call it?

There is a word I'm grasping for... I'm not sure what it is. Perhaps the word is... kill? Ah, yes, that's a brilliant choice. I haven't heard that word in... quite a while actually. I am part of the Tribe of Darkness. We are... beings, that thrive on the outskirts of life. Not heard, not seen. We just lived. Creatures of the Dark, yes?

My mother passed away precisely six-hundred and sixty six minutes after I was born. Incredible, right? Some called me the devil-child. Haha... how right they were.

My father just so happened to be the leader of the tribe. He refused to hear me go by such names... and executed anyone on the spot that dared try to ridicule me. I was in... a safe position, so to speak. I stayed in the spacious hut my family called home. The loss of my mother deeply affected my father... but he never took it out on me. How strange. He cared for me and watched over me dearly. He got me an education in the tribe, and signed me up to become a warrior.

I grew up to be a nice young Tribeman. And when I reached the ripe age of eighteen, all of that schooling and warrior technique really worked out. I joined the legion of the Tribe of Darkness, an honour not many got to achieve. In fact, I was the youngest Tribeman to join the legion. Impressive, no?

What did I (or perhaps we is a better word) do in the legion? Well, there was always guarding the barriers which concealed us from mortal sight, or patrolling the Tribe grounds, but there was something much more exciting, oh yes. You see, magic is such a wonderful thing. But magic as strong as a dark barrier that was as strong as titanium and could render all inside it invisible? Some sacrifices obviously had to be made.

In your mortal world, perhaps you have heard of one named "brandobrawl." (What a queer name, yet mine is as well) He enjoys many animations (perhaps you would call them "animes"), indeed he does. And there is this one quote from his favourite one that I do love so dearly... "To obtain, one must give up something in return." What a beautiful statement.

Oh, you challenge this? Well let's think. For example, Johnny's mother made him breakfast in the morning. He didn't have to give up anything to obtain it, right? Ah, young person, here is where things turn. Johnny sacrificed his mother's energy. Isn't that beautiful? His poor mother had to make everything for him while he perhaps slept. A sacrifice had been made.

So now, before I digress about mothers, let's snap back on topic, shall we? Ah, the barrier. Something so strong, so dark, so energetic. What thing could be so powerful and have such a sacrificial value that could power this? It's a... heheh... soulful question to think about, right? I bet your...heh... DYING to know the answer?

Yes, ladies and gentlemen! The power of the magnificent Darke Barrier! Human flesh and bones!

Ah, what a scary prospect isn't it? How can you not tell standing right behind you know is someone from my tribe... murky purple hands with elongated fingers, stretching out oh so quietly, oh so painfully as he sneaks towards you... He can SMELL the vibrant life running through your veins, your soul's power radiating as strongly as the rays of the sun on a hot, summer day. Take a good look behind yourself right now. Are there any ways someone could sneak in? No? Good. Carrying on...

I was, admittedly, the best at this job. Are you disgusted yet? Oh, how I just loved the thrill of the kill! How my ink blood roars through my ears, searing them with unforgivable heat, as I wring my strong hands around the human's throat! And as he whimpers in surprise and makes that delectable choking sound, as the colour drains out of his face... and the life which once gushed throughout his frame... leaves. Just like that.

I do hope you aren't reading this at some late time of day. We Tribesmen... tend to like the later times of the day to attack, so if you're going to pass, perhaps passing not in fear would be better, mm? Heheh... don't shrug me off lightly... I mean every word I say.

So how did we do it? Oh, we aren't stupid! We weren't like that idiotic Koopa King... what was his name again? Bowser... was it...? I think so. Either way, no, we didn't just march into the human dimension, declaring our presence in utmost triumphancy. No... we were cunning. And stealthy. There was a saying once... for every Tribesman, ten fold humans were killed annually. Seems like much, doesn't it?

So how did we sneak in? We disguised ourselves... as one of you! No, we didn't have that much time to, say, pretend to be your dad and then kill you after a while. No, that would take far too long... We became anyone we wanted. Think. Was that nice new boy at school one of us? Perhaps that poor-looking old lady crossing the street the other day. Were we that old hobo eying you with utmost intensity, but instead of change, we sought your blood? Think hard... I am giving you life advice.

And, let me guess your next question, how did we transform into a human? Ah, excellent question. Our elders invented a room... they called it... the Burner Room. (It would become something called Dimension D in the future, used for multiplying power instead of transfomation, but that's another story...) The burner room was filled with flame towers. Hence the name, obviously. All one had to do to transform was get from one side of the room... to the other. It was filled with flame towers just in case any... unwanted specimens got in, heheh.

Okay, let's keep this guessing game going, how do us Tribesmen get from one side of the room to the other? Ah, we were all gifted something from factorypeople at the Tribe. (To each person their job, you know!) It's called a Cloak of Protectione. With it... we are completely invulnerable! Do you see how uncomprimisable your situation is! You can't even lay a finger on is, even with your guns and your technology! We are invincible!

Until that one day.

That one, short day, where EVERYTHING went upside-down. It was... all her fault.

But I shall not bore you with the details. Here ends my incredibly short monologue. And, ah, I found the word...

I was never created to love.

-Blumiere

Were you reffing Paper Mario when you said "Blumiere"?

Master1.0 wrote:Were you reffing Paper Mario when you said "Blumiere"?

I forgot to say, this is the intro to my 20th LDC series~

This was really well thought out. I actually found it from the 20th LDC (doing recon...), and I found it very interesting.

I woke up, bleary-eyed but surprisingly... fine? I got up, sitting on the sheets of a... bed? There was a fire crackling nearby, a couple of chair and a table set in front of it. Where was I? All I remember was passing out at the bridge... and then seemingly falling... falling into an endless void. And then I realized.

I was in a human home.

"So you've awakened?" called a shy, female voice.

My gaze snapped to a young girl, probably about the same age as I was, peering, her head jutting out from a hallway concealed by the house's walls. My every instinct was to run. Get out of there, you've been healed, go back to the tribe. But why didn't I? No, why couldn't I? My gaze was just fixated on this young girl, luscious shoulder-length brown hair resting on her petite shoulders. I just looked into her electric blue eyes, in confusion.

I remember that I wasn't human. Wait a minute... I was still concealed as a human form, wasn't I. She didn't know I was a... different... person. Perhaps I could take this opportunity to kill her as well and feed the Barrier. I pondered it for a minute, but then I was cut-off by her.

"Well if you're not going to say anything at least say thank you!" she pouted.

She marched out of the concealed corridor, walked over to the bed and plopped right next to me on the sheets.

"Wh-what are you doing?" I managed to splutter out, confusion knowingly evident on my face.

She had completely broken my train of thought. I was, going to kill her, right? I nervously tapped my foot on the wooden floor, making soft thuds. The fire seemed to burn brighter. My vision seemed blurrier. Wait a minute, did I just say I was nervous? No, I was the one in control here! I was the one who was going to feed this girl to the Barrier! But why was she so, approachable? Why was she so nice to me?

"Well," she said, pondering, her eyes gazing briefly up to the ceiling, "I'm saving your life, remember? You passed out at the bridge. I was coming home from my daily nature walk and I found you! I used some healing herbs to cover your flesh wounds, but why were you burned?"

She looked at me. I refused to stare back. Instead, I locked into a staring contest with my hands, rested in the crease of my two legs.

"I... um... I-"
"No matter! We'll just patch you up even further! You can talk when you want to," she declared, and scuttled off, tending to the fire.

There was this emotion I was feeling. It wasn't nervousness. It wasn't fear. What was this feeling that made my heart pound and this blooming of warmth in my body? I've never felt it, I've never experienced it! Is this woman perhaps a witch, controlling my body to cause these feelings? I looked at her, setting the table for a meal. I felt a warmth in my cheeks. Oh dear god, was the very sight of her causing me to spontaneously combust? There was a mirror hanging on the wall above my pillow. Peering into it, my cheeks were red. But, it didn't hurt! Why? Why?!

Could it be that emotion my dad talked about?

The reason why I was born?

Could it be... love?

I was going to find out soon enough, but little did anyone know, today was the start of the end of all worlds.

---

Weeks passed while I was in her care. Slowly, my wounds healed. I was a bit annoyed it wasn't going faster. But I had to find out why I couldn't kill this girl. She always seemed so light-hearted, so calm, so... happy.

One day, I would find the answers to all my questions.

"Well, your wounds are healed enough. I want to take you to a special place!" she exclaimed, blushing a bit.

I blushed back. Why?

"I'll go ahead! It's this really neat place called Gossamer Pond. There's a secret place of mine there! Come on! I'll go ahead, you... catch up!" she decided, running out the door.

I could only follow.

I'd just like to point out that these tribal people are Christian.


Wat.

My. Name. Is. Not. Queer.

Oh brndn you silly willy schnuckums you. Having your jimmies rustled a bit, eh?

---

"There you are!" I heard a voice call out from the opposite end of the small island.

I observed my surroundings. It was a sandy shoal that rose up above the ground. Nothing too interesting about it. There were two palm trees and two bushes, thriving in the sand. They were... symmetrical in terms of the island's horizontal axis... that's a bit... sketchy. In the middle there was a twisted tree that looked like it was reaching for the heavens. Its twisted trunk curled and cracked and it was a wonder it managed to stay upright. Oddly, it too, was symmetrical. There was a small hole that pierced itself through the trunk of the tree, but oddly... it looked natural as well.

"I was waiting for SUCH a long time! Where have you been?" she demanded, none too kindly.

"If you must know," I replied hotly, marching towards the centre of the small island, "I went through a maze of water, crushing traps, about one hundred locked doors and to top it off a giant squid! Where were you, daintily floating around the pond?!"

I managed to meet her at the centre of the island, right on front of the mangled tree.

"Oh..." she said quietly, glancing to the side and looking down. She rubbed her left arm nervously.

"I'm... I'm sorry," I said softly, trying to condole her by removing her nervous right arm from her left.

"No no, it's my fault," she said, looking up at me again. "There was a secret pipe right next to my house, I paid some spongey-looking man to do it. It takes you directly here! I'm sorry I put you so much trouble... If I'd just been, maybe slower, then you wouldn't look..."

She gestured to my clothing.

"Soaked."

We cracked up. It was spontaneous, and neither of us new why. We were happy with each other. I made up my mind, as we collapsed into the sand. I loved her, whoever this crazy woman was.

"What's your name?" I asked, sitting down right next to her, legs outstretched.

She looked surprised. "You forgot already? Hm, you must've been half-asleep. Oh well, we can introduce ourselves to each other officially today! My name is Timpani. And yours?"

"My name is Blumiere," I responded.

"What a wonderful name!" she declared.

I had never been flattered before. I was only praised for my achievements back home. There was a warm feeling inside me, which filled every empty crevice and crack in my heart, and it threatened to make it explode. Then she swayed to the side, and rested her head on my shoulder. I did the natural thing, and leaned my head on hers.

"This place was man-made, you know," she told me as we just sat there, staring into the vast expanse of blue which was the sky. "It was created by a woman named Merluvlee. She was said to be an Ancient who was a lover of all. She said that one day, a prophecy of love and sadness would start here, at this place. She said if the wrong choices were made, the end of all worlds would being, and a dark Void would reign across the sky. So she said her and the other Ancients wrote a prophecy that only served to counteract this dark one. They had to make something good, whole and pure. The Pure Heart.

"It is said the creation of this Pure Heart shall only fully happen with true love. And it is also said the original Pure Heart was created at this place, in Gossamer Pond. The various traps and the giant squid are the guardians of this sacred spot, only the truly strong shall get through. But that's just a silly little legend my dad told me!" she announced.

"True love, huh?" I said sideways to her.

"Uh-huh!" she replied, snuggling closer to me.

"Well then," I said softly.

I picked her head up off of my shoulder, and brown eyes met electric blue one. Her long, luscious brown hair flew out in the breeze. Then I leaned closer. And I did something, something I never should've. I kissed her.

And then my disguise wore off.

>jimmies
>rustled

Gtf back to 9fag.

She stared at me. I stared back. I noticed her expression, moments ago bursting with life and happiness, contorted into a face of surprise and horror. Quickly, I turned in the opposite direction.

"I'm sorry," was all I could muster as I prepared to sink into the shadows.

"No, wait! Blumiere wait!" she cried.

The sheer intensity of how she spoke those words stopped me cold in my tracks. I refused to turn around and look back at her. My Cloak hung limp around my back, my blue-tinged skin concealed by it and a hat I wore. I knew the mechanical red eye I had was concealed by my gold monocle. I was a beast; a horrid, disgusting, ugly, beast. I could never turn back to her now, now that she knew I was... this.

"Humans and my kind... were not meant to linger together," I spoke softly, still refusing, to look back at her. "Goodbye Timpani," I managed to utter while a lone tear somehow made itself apparent in my eye, and as it ran down my cheek I remembered the weeks we'd spent together. Eating meals together, living together, smiling with each other, being friends. I sniffed. My father was right. I shall never show compassion to these humans again. The new moon refused to offer me any light under the stars. The shadows were in reach.

Two arms thrust around my neck, almost sending me sprawling into the sand. I slightly crumpled, and then she spoke.

"I do not care what you are, what you look like, or who you are," she sobbed as she buried her face into the cloak strapped around my slim back. "All I know is that you are the man that I fell for, I did not fall for your outside looks, I fell for the person inside you. I fell in love with Blumiere."

And at that moment, I truly knew what it felt like.

This was that feeling my father warned me, again and again, to avoid, for it only caused suffering. But in this moment it cause sheer, pure bliss, as I turned around, and held her close.

This was love.

---

"Look Timpani, the stars are beautiful, aren't they?"

"...There's a tradition in my village, Blumiere. We believe that wishes on stars come true."

"Oh, is that so? In that case we'd better get wishing, don't you think?"

"I don't need to wish anymore."

"Mmm?"

"I already got my wish. Now... I have everything I need right here."

"Timpani... aren't you cold?"

"Not at all. I'm very warm... Can we stay like this? Just a little longer?"

---

It was the apple of Adam and Eve, or so religious mortals said. Forbidden love, the worst sin ever to be committed... yet repeated time after time in history... throughout all dimensions. Timpani and I kept our love secret from our villages and tribes, sneaking out every once in a while to Gossamer Pond, where we snuggled and gazed at the stars...

Oh yes, that's right. My tribe. I finally made it back home. I managed to persuade my dad into taking me off the guard for a while to "recuperate." It meant I didn't have to kill any more humans for the Barrier, and since I met Timpani, I was thankful I didn't have to get any blood on my hands from humans. I had guaranteed her safety, however. I put a Hide charm on her village.

My father said he'd been worried sick about me, and forced me to tell him all of the details. I shivered when he said only a pure force as strong as true love could break through Cloaks of Protectione. The woman I'd attacked must've found the one for her, and her desperation not to leave the world so she could still be with him... was the only thing that kept her a few metres away from the hands of cold Death.

Timpani and I visited each other less and less frequently. No matter how hard I tried to stop my dad from putting me back on the guard, I was to resume status and work next week. Timpani's father had grown suspicious from her time away, and he confronted her with the fact that he knew she hadn't been over to the cottage (where she healed me) to perform "medical duties" like she claimed she had been. The smooth gears of our situations were beginning to slip.

Who knew it'd be such a short time until the snapped out of sync.

Timpani's father had unknowingly attached a hidden camera to the front of her shirt. And as we lay next to each other on the sandy shoal of Gossamer Pond, he saw it. He saw it all.

Upon Timpani's return home, he lashed out at her, calling her various vulgarities and above all a disgrace to her family. He questioned her about who I was, what I was, and there was no end to the torrent of tears that poured down her face as he stormed on about her as if she was a revolting pile of uselessness.

He tied her up, apprehended her, and threw her into an old Castle far far away that he owned (her family was unbelievably rich...), and looked her up on the top floor of the castle.

"You will never find true love ever again, you mutt," he snarled as he locked her in her brick prison.

I knew something was wrong. She wouldn't respond to any messages I sent to her in secret. I had no contact with her at all. So I snooped around a bit, and found out the awful truth. I raced over to that castle faster than a cheetah. And as I stood there at the steps leading up to the front door, I looked up, staring at the sheer massiveness of it. And at the very top, a narrow, octagonal tower reached high into the sky, and I knew at the top was my beloved Timpani.

The thunder roared, and lightning flashed as I pushed, and the door to the castle creaked open.

Too bad I didn't notice my father watching my every move from afar.