seasonsrpg | Tears from a stone.

Entry tags:

Tears from a stone.

WHO: Emeth and her not!Dads and then emeth and whoever visits
WHAT: Event 14 fallout
WHEN: Latter half of May
WHERE: Izzy and Wukong’s Castle
WARNINGS: Vampire attacking a child, blood, and the emotional fall out of that

[Vampire attack] (Closed to Mike and Wukong)
Emeth shouldn’t be up this late, but Wukong had already seen her on the network and Rinku had suggested she get candles for light. Since there was no way Emeth was going to be able to go to sleep while the Moon was missing she decided to go looking for candles. At least she had her phone to light the hallway.

Tiny of course was tagging along, there was no way he would leave her side when she was clearly shaken by the moon’s vanishing not to mention the rest of the light disappearing right along with her.

So when Tiny started growling Emeth froze, quickly putting her hand over the phone to try and hide the light.

Only to realise Tiny had been growling at something behind her.

“Tooooooo late~”

Tiny lunged, growing bigger as he attacked the vampire, only for him to rip off one of the toy dog’s legs. That didn’t stop the dog from snapping at the intruder though. One of them at least.

“Awww no blood?” The first vampire taunted.

“What’s taking you so long,” A second scolded.“Shut that thing up and the snack before they-”

Emeth screamed, once, the female vampire had thrown her against the wall before she could draw breath for a second one.

“Shut. Up.”

“I don’t know, maybe we should let her scream, she could call our dinner to us.”

Emeth flailed panicking, not because she couldn’t breath, but at the thought of anyone coming to help only to get hurt too. Everyone had been so kind, they couldn’t get her because of her! They couldn’t!

It would be even worse than when her mother-

The incomplete thought sent such a jolt of terror though her that the seal on her fear shattered and Emeth acted without thinking. Her body turning into a ball to protect her crystal heart and the clay surfacing hardening.

“What the hell…”

The second vampire touched the apparent stone ball Emeth had turned into. At feeling the cold hand on her sharp spikes stabbed out, cutting through the vampire in several places. Wounding it and trapping I at the same time.

“Argh… pull me free…” The second vampire begged her ally.

[Might as well be talking to a rock.] (OPEN)
After Wukong and Mike had found Emeth and Tiny, they had cleaned her up and sewed Tiny back together.

Emeth however was still a spiky ball still too shaken by the attack and the shattering of yet another seal on her heart.

Wukong and Mike of course had done everything they could to make her feel safe, eventually they decided maybe hearing more friendly voices might help and asked friends to visit her for a little bit.

She was placed in the downstairs living room for visitors, candles sitting on top of the TV and table casting a warm glow despite the darkness outside.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Mike was also making candles and torches for the castle. As in actually making them. Using his magic to place candles down and create more torches on the walls and lighting them on fire. That's when he hears the scream.

"EMETH!" He ran toward the source, only to find Tiny hurt, two strangers in the house, and a ball of spiky clay. He could see that was Emeth and oh boy was the woman stuck on her spikes the least of her worries.

"Alright ass hats. You get one chance. Surrender and get the fuck out or you're leaving in pieces!"

Emeth could hear Mike yelling and panicked more spikes growing on the already existing one, causing the woman to let out a disturbingly wet cry of pain.

The man took one step back from Emeth and the trapped vampire, well he couldn't free here with this guy yelling at him.

The vampire hiss and ran to attack Mike, trying to land a hit before the off-worlder could pull some season power bs on him.

[Ever since he had been turned into a vampire, Katsuki had been feeling pretty damn shitty about himself. He's been feeling like he's no longer allowed to be a Hero, because of the fact that he's now an evil monster and has to feed off of humans to survive.

Because of his new insecurities and worries, Mike had been trying to do what he could to help Katsuki feel like a Hero again and that's why Katsuki ends up being asked to check on Emeth. The two have only met a couple of times in passing, so they weren't the most familiar with each other. But Katsuki promised himself that he'd accept any request for help, and even in his depressed state he can't refuse. So he decides to come visit and see what he can do for the little girl. Even if he's not the best at comfort.

He shows up with a bouquet of flowers in hand (he has them for a reason), and enters the livingroom where he sees the little ball of spikes. Quietly, he'll walk over and kneel down in front of Emeth.]

Hey, Emeth.

[He sets the flowers down for now, and rests his one hand on his knees.]

I know we ain't the closest, but Mike wanted me to check in on 'ya. How's being a ball?

[Katsuki won't expect an answer right away. Having had gone through what she had, he understands that the trauma from a vampire attack could have her in this state for days.]

[Rinku heard something was wrong and Emeth was sick... and then that she was a ball??? Maybe it's one of those magic illnesses. But that's no excuse not to treat it like a regular one!

Which is why she's shown up with a basket full of fruit and candy and set it in front of Ball Child.]

Emeth-chan, are you feeling any better?

Macaque has kids, but they're teenagers. And he barely knows Emeth. But she's important to Wukong, and also to Mike who is important to Cole, and also she's an adorable child who Macaque would not personally like to see stuck as a ball, so here he is, settling down beside her.

"Hey, little one. I know things are scary out here, but I know a lot of people would like the chance to make you smile again. So we should probably do something about your situation. So you feel safe enough to let them try."

Emeth doesn't quite realise just how important she is to Wukong and Mike, but she knows Macaque is important to Wukong, so there is a small reaction to Macaque setting beside her. The spikes on the side facing him shrunk the points becoming blunt.

It's not a reaction to what Macaque said, but it is proof that Emeth is aware of her surroundings at least.

The spikes shrinking he takes as a good sign. Though he doesn't quite know why, so he keeps talking like that matters.

"We'll make this city safe again for you and everyone else, and we'll get the moon back too. Will that help you feel any better?"

[Katsuki was right not to expect an answer, but if he waits there was a very small reaction, the spikes nearest Katsuki would lose their point becoming blunt.]

[She's still reeling from the attack, but she likes Katsuki and is aware enough that she wants to make sure she can't hurt him by accident.]

Edited 2025-05-22 12:04 (UTC)

[Katsuki does notice when her spikes near him soften. Good, he thinks. She recognizes his voice, and that's a good start at trying to help her feel safe.]

I heard those gross vampires got to 'ya. They got me, too.

[He'll start with letting her know that she's not alone. That her "big brother" was hurt the same way as she.]

Dad showed up at the right time, though. He kicked it's butt real good, and then he saved me when I was just inches away from death.

Just like a real Hero.

[Well, he didn't exactly save Katsuki. Katsuki had been turned because by the time Mike arrived he'd already been bitten for far too long to stay human... but he'll fudge the story a little bit for Emeth. Because he also has a direction to go with this, and he hopes he can get her to open up at least a little more.]

I think I gotta do somethin' really big for him in return. But I don't think I can do it myself. I mean... I've only got one arm. I can't even write in a card on my own.

[He's actually pretty capable with his one arm (his right had been removed weeks ago--) but that's another thing he'll lie about for Emeth's sake.]

D'you think you could help me, Emeth? I'm pretty sure Dad's Day is next month. We could make somethin' for him together to thank him for helping both of us.

Edited 2025-05-24 03:00 (UTC)

[The monsters hurt Katsuki too? But he was much stronger and braver than her! The stone around the spikes start to crack as Emeth is caught between making more of them to protect herself and getting rid of them to keep Katsuki safe. ]

[But as Katsuki continued, bringing Mike up, reminding her that he was strong enough to save both of them. But her

Spikes might get in the way of that.

And so, the all crumbled away the dust they left behind shifting to form words]

‘What is Dad’s Day?’

[Seeing how her stone cracks, and she softens around Katsuki gets a small smile from the blonde. Feeling victorious in his attempt to get the little girl to feel safe around him.]

It's a holiday. It's a day where you're s'posed to appreciate your dad and grandpa and stuff.

[Katsuki never really celebrated father's day OR mother's day, though... his parents didn't connect with him very easily, so he never really felt like he should bother. His mom probably would find a reason to complain about whatever it is he ended up doing for her.]

There's a day for moms too, but I'm pretty sure it passed already.

[Normally the candy would be enough to tempt Emeth into interacting. Unfortunately however Ball Child doesn't react to the basket.

So the answer is probably no she's not feeling any better.]

Oh... Hmm. There's gotta be a way to help you out. [She rocks from side to side.] What kinda stuff would make you feel better?

There is silence for a moment. Then Macaque might hear small movements from inside the ball before his phone beeps.

"I hurt someone. Are you sure everyone would still want to keep me safe after that."

Hm? His phone? Oh, okay.

He talks out loud to Emeth, and also texts the exact same words: "I'm as sure as anyone can be. I've known Wukong a long time so I'm certain about him, and Mike doesn't seem at all like the type who would turn his back on you for any reason. Who did you hurt and why did you hurt them?"

Emeth takes a while to respond. Unsure what to share or how much. For now she just admits what Mike already knows.

"Vampires got into the castle. They found me looking for candles."

A second text follows a moment later.

"I think"

Emeth instantly regrets sending that, but it's too late to take it back. Still it's a bit of a wait before she finishes that sentence.

"I think I hurt someone back home too."

She thinks? Well, fine. Macaque is used to people with memory issues or different identities or whatever this is, so he takes it in stride.

"The vampires were going to hurt you or someone else. Protecting yourself is normal and okay, even if it hurts the person who was trying to hurt you. Did the person in your home world get hurt because you were scared or protecting yourself or someone else?"

"He was fighting with my mother."

"There was a lot of yelling."

More of Emeth's spikes start to crumble away as Emeth starts feeling more reassured.

Edited 2025-05-29 18:03 (UTC)

He takes the spikes crumbling as a good sign. And thinks through how he's learned to talk to his kids when they're having a trauma episode.

"It sounds scary. I can understand why you reacted the way you did."

[There's more silence for a while before Rinku's phone suddenly beeps.]

Did you get attacked by vampires too?

[The dust shifts.]

'Mother said I don't have a dad.'

[Someone hasn't quite put it together that she's been adopted.]

'But can I still help?'

[Katsuki is quiet for a second, a little shocked that Emeth doesn't seem to consider Mike as her dad like he does. Hell, Katsuki actually has a dad at home and Mike's becoming more of one to him than Masaru (sorry dad)!]

'course you can. Maybe you don't have a biological dad, but Mike still considers you one of his kids you know?

[Katsuki will shift from kneeling next to her to sitting down, getting comfy.]

You ever heard of a "foster family"?

Eh?

[Rinku blinks and checks her phone. She slowly tilts her head and then puts it down.]

Kinda. My friend did, and I came to try and save her. I talked them into a deal. If they drank some from me too, they wouldn't drain Frieda-chan. ...But they did anyway.

'Mike likes a lot of people.'

[Emeth's mother has put a lot of work, with both manipulation and magic, into making sure Emeth is totally loyal to her and her alone. That work is slowly unravelling thanks to Sun Wukong and Mike, but it is slow going.]

'No?'

[What is with this found family and all of their awful mothers....]

A foster family is a family that takes in kids who need a break from their biological one. It's a family that's s'posed to be nicer than your own, who can teach you what it's like to be loved by good parents and have siblings to mess around with.

[This is how Katsuki's been rationalizing his newfound family in Ellipsa, for himself. It felt weird to call someone not related to him "dad" at first. But after thinking about it like a foster situation, it feels more natural and makes sense even.]

My mom and dad back home aren't the best at being parents. And because of that I was growing up to be a bad person. That's why I need to take a break from them, and let someone nice and cool like Mike be my dad for a little while. So I can grow into a better person instead. And so I can learn stuff that my dad won't teach me.

[In this case, his teachers back home were the ones who "fostered" him from his parents and helped him grow into a good person for real. Mike's just the cherry on top-- teaching him what he has left to learn that his teachers didn't touch on. (like how romance is okay, actually)]

Does that make sense? Mike's not trying to replace my dad for real. He's just looking after me during this break away from home, and the same goes for you.

You're his foster kid. Just like me.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Tears from a stone.

Vampire Attack

Re: Vampire Attack

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject