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A Perfect Finale…

(Ummm hi hi, so a lot has been going on and I kinda wrote this just because I got a moment of writing mentality throughout all of this… chaos I’ve been in recently. I haven’t even gone through to edit it, honestly I’m a bit of a mess but hopefully this isn’t terrible. I do hope whoever reads this can enjoy a bit of it! And that you’re doing better than I am! Have a good day and enjoy some time with your family. It’ll be worth it. I think without including this small passage in parentheses this is about 4.7k words? Hopefully it’s not too long… I haven’t written in forever. Sheesh. Umm bye hope you enjoy your day.)

A bright sunny day shines down upon the city. Not a cloud to be seen in the sky and people are walking to work while the arcades and parks are full of small kids having fun. For once a normal day is all today was, not even criminals seemed to be doing anything today. A perfect day like this is rare to come by. 

“Soooooo what’s your plan today Atlas?” 

“I’m just going to get something for lunch and head back home. Nothing big, today's nice and all but you know I’m not really a social butterfly. I’m only out here cause she wants to be here. And once I’m done watching her I’m heading home.” 

“Big brotherrrrrrr~! Come on! I wanna use the swing!” 

And with that Neera came over and grabbed my arm dragging me away from my friend who only chuckled as he watched her. Eventually I gave in and followed her to the swing set with no resistance. 

“Ok ok we’re here, come on let’s get you up.”

I lifted her up and planted her on the set. 

“Hold on tightly now.” 

“I know I know! Come on! Push me already!” 

She was always so hyper. And a bit bossy but I’m glad she gets some enjoyment out of today, she needs the sunshine more often. As I began to push her and slow her descent each time. She would of course complain a little with annoyed sighs as I slowed her descent. But, by now she had gotten used to my tendencies to be a bit too safe sometimes. She still got to feel the wind fly by her and mess with her hair. 

And after about five minutes she hopped off after I slowed her down and smiled and jumped onto my leg refusing to let go of me.

“…. So can I have my leg back orrrr?”

“Nope.”

And now here I am lifting one leg at a time before I gave in and just slid my right leg along the ground to get anywhere.

“A little help? Hector? Come on please?”

“Nope, sorry bro. She owns that leg now. Shouldn’t have let her latch on.” 

“I swear…. I’m going to throw a rock at you one of these days and laugh over the body on the ground.”

“Oh come now! You know you’d never do it. You’re too soft, you’d probably rush over and bandage my head with the first aid kit you carry in your backpack all the time. You’re basically prepared for my arm to be cut off or something if it happens.”

“Hey! You won’t be laughing when I save your life when that happens!” 

And he proceeded to blow me off and laugh as he walked off towards some small gathering of kids. Seems there were a few people in the center and I could see some birds fly away from the center…. Odd.

“Hey Neera? Wanna go and join your friends for a minute please? I’ll be right back. Just have to grab some water for you and me.”

She groaned but released my leg and ran off. I could still see her and then as they began to set up some kind of game. Probably tag. Maybe hide and seek. But, I made my way over towards the crowd of kids before someone put their arm in front of me.

“You’re new. Never seen you at the park before.”

You’d think that there’d be a nicer way to stop someone, but of course not. Some people these days.

“I only come out maybe twice or three times a week. Maybe the days never line up. I’m a SC caretaker.”

“Mhmmmm sure you are, you don’t have that aura around you. Something about your aura seems a bit darker. Whatcha hiding hm? What do you think makes me believe it, got an Id?” 

Are you serious? You know this is why I don’t talk to people on the regular. And I reached for my wallet before noticing it wasn’t in my pocket.

“Atlas Kolt. SC specialist. Guess you weren’t lying.” 

I snapped up and reached to snap my wallet back from them. Only for them to toss it into the air and for it to turn into cards.

“You missed. Check your pocket again~” 

I reached in and my wallet was there… 

“Oh what, are you a magician? Trying to play some tricks on me? Come on petty theft tricks and regular magic tricks aren’t gonna impress me. Sleight of hand can be taught to anyone who’s willing to work hard enough-“

“A MAGICIAN!” 

Dammit… Neera came running over and while she hid behind my leg she was looking at the person in front of me with star shot eyes.

“Is she yours?”

“I’m her caretaker, yes, well are you a magician? You have an Audience don't you? Don’t want to let her down do you now?” 

The man in front of me gave me an annoyed stare, it seemed I had won our little conversation as they smiled looked down at her and even pat her head.

“Oh? What’s this doing in your hair, huh?” 

He pulled a Camellia flower from behind her ear and looked at me to smirk as Neera seemed amazed and she let go of my leg and gently grabbed it from them. 

“Pretty…” 

“But wait~ there’s more!” 

He proceeded to flip his hand revealing the doll she had strapped to my backpack in his hand as she looked a small bit worried.

“How’d you get Terry!? Woah… big brother never lets anyone take Terry from us.”

“If I told you that it wouldn’t be magic now would it?”

And with another flick of his wrist Terry was gone and for a moment she was terrified as she looked around for Terry. Seeing petals fall from the air where Terry was before she felt a weight on her head and she reached up to grab Terry her little plush animal doll.

  And her face was amazed as she hugged Terry but now then she noticed it now had a Carmella on his clover as well. 

“You gave him a new outfit! Awesome! Thank you!”

“Of course anything for a new fan~ by any chance would you and your caretaker maybe come to our show tonight? It’s being hosted in the school auditorium. Shouldn’t be too much to ask right”

And Neera gave me this helpless puppy dog look and stared me down as if I didn’t say eyes she would die on the spot.

“I’ll…. Fine fine we can go stop giving me that look please?!” 

“Perfect! Here you two go,  Zephyr and Zinni’s magic show! Here’s a poster for it.”

They flipped their hat and out popped a small… cat with a top hat on? Holding a piece of paper. While it didn’t surprise me greatly, the look on Neera’s face as she took the paper was perfect. Before she scampered off to tell her friends about it. While I had some questions that needed an answer now.

“And who are you then? Cause you’re neither of the two main magicians. Who is hosting that show and yet you’re advertising for them?”

“Oh me? I’m a cousin of theirs. And tonight I’ll be a special guest performing my own little stunt, maybe you’ll be picked to help if you do show up with her~. Surely you’re not afraid of a little magic right?” 

“I-Shut up I’ll be there ok? Only because she wants to go. I don’t have any other things to do today anyways.” 

“See you then Atlas~”

And they walked away and left me with my wallet thankfully.

“I hate magicians.”

“Bro you just got played by a magician. That was sad to watch.” 

“Shut up Hector.” 

All I wanted was a normal day with Neera in the park… Why was that impossible to ever have? Someone always had to ruin it. The next two hours in the park were honestly normal. Although the crowd of kids always seemed to just change with kids leaving and others taking their place. It couldn’t be that interesting. Something was wrong… maybe I’m just reading too much into it. 

I picked Neera up and planted her on my shoulders and we went back to the shelter she lives at for lunch. I had forgotten to buy something and by now everywhere would be swarmed with people. I’m not gonna make her wait that long to eat something.

Soon after we just spent the day relaxing together in an arcade. Playing mostly games she liked but I always felt like we were being watched for some reason. I chalked it up to me being paranoid when I was with her. I was always overprotective so it made sense that I could imagine danger that isn’t even there. 

Then she made me go on the dance dance revolution machine…. Of course she did. I never got away with avoiding it when I was with her. And today she decided I’d do a new pop song option added to the machine. New song meant new moves and new lyrics to listen to when I got home so I wouldn’t disappoint her. 

But as it started I could already feel a groove form in my head as I tapped each step in pace and got the rhythm down quickly. It was satisfying. I began to toss and turn with a purpose and even took a look or two back at her-… which I regretted instantly as I saw that damn magician laughing at me from a seat as he made eye contact with me and my step was thrown off as I frowned. I hadn't even noticed but that was the last few steps to… throwing off my perfect score. 

Did he follow us? No way, he just happened to be there. That’s surely all it was. He just happened to show up at the arcade and see me and watch me on that damn machine.  At least this time he didn’t walk over and talk to me or Neera. My social battery was drained already today, save for Neera.  I did scoop her up and leave early though and had her take an early nap today so I could relax by myself for a little bit before that show. It was annoying checking over my shoulder every so often… I was definitely paranoid now. 

And as the next few hours passed I would wake her up, give her a few snacks and be forced to take her and a few other kids who wanted to go to the show along with me. Would rather it have only been us. But, what’s a guy to do when you have too many people yelling orders at you? So taking the group into the large auditorium and seeing the place had recently been renovated. There were still some signs of new expansion to the stage including the shiny new wood stairs to get up on the new ends of it. It looked nice, even had a… catwalk now. Or that could have been there for a while and I may never have noticed it. Oh well, time for a show to begin.

Seeing the two magicians on stage was great, they were doing a good job at keeping the kids entertained. Swapping places with each other, disappearing in smoke only to appear behind the crowd, even shrinking themselves in the palm of one of their hands and then enlarging as if nothing had changed. It was nice and all, but as I looked to my left he was there looking at me again. And he winked this time… that bastard what was he going to do-I was blinded as a stage light landed dead on me.

“Congratulations! You’ve been chosen to be our assistant if you wouldn’t mind participating in our next trick! Come on now! The kids will surely be excited if you participate. Wouldn’t want to let them down now would you!?” 

I was trapped as Neera grabbed my hand and squeezed a bit tightly… but she smiled so brightly for me. 

“Alright alright I’ll go for the trick ok? Just make sure to smile widely when I get back.”

“Perfect, our volunteer tonight is ready and willing to go! Just come up to the stage using the left stairway and then meet our special guest tonight! Venus! He’ll be your partner for this!” 

Briar? Oh you’ve gotta be…. I walked to the stage and looked up the stairs to see him standing in front of me with his hand outstretched. My face contorted for a moment in slight annoyance… but I gave him a pass. It’s for Neera only for her. As I grabbed his hand and felt him pull me into him and then spin me into the stage. The stage felt like ice, almost as if I had ice skates on. And I heard Briar talk to me again.

“Careful now! You gotta relax, if you aren’t relaxed this stage will draw you around everywhere on it! Watch and learn!” 

I saw him zoom by me as if we were actually on ice and on ice skates. I took a second and tried to follow but landed on my but instead. Soon after he slid over to me I could hear some of the laughs from the kids in the crowd before he offered a hand. 

“Oh come on now, don’t tell me you need some lessons on how to ice skate now do you~?”

“Well I’ve never done it before.”

“Oh, a first timer?! Perfect! Couldn’t have been better for this trick then! Zephyr! Coming right to you!”

“Hold on what do you mean by th-WOAHHHHH!” 

He had grabbed me and lifted me up and proceeded to slingshot me across thankfully I didn’t land on my but again sliding over but it was clear I had no balance or ability to hold myself up until I felt another hand grip onto me. 

“Why hello there my honored guest! Do be careful the ice is especially light tonight. Fall one too many times and it might just break!” 

He emphasized this by dragging me along and then you could hear a crack form in the ground behind us. This is wood! Not actual ICE! WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?! He kept me close as he helped balance out my poor skills as we zoomed around the stage and the crack following us.

“Zephyr! It’s right behind us-!”

I heard the splashing noise before I had even fallen in, I saw Zephyr look back afraid as he reached his arm in to catch me before he smiled and stood up.

I had fallen and was drowning underwater? That was under wood? No no what was going on I couldn’t breathe and I couldn’t hear anything other than the echoes of Zephyr saying something to the crowd before I saw Briar hop in after me. That damn smile he had plastered on him was something else but he had something in his hand? He reached me and opened my mouth and placed a vial in there before closing it and forcing me to drink it. I went unconscious soon afterwards…

Hours later

I awoke to the sound of a voice around me. I couldn’t see, it was pitch black wherever I was…

“Yeah yeah I’ll handle him, my responsibility to everyone and the business blah blah blah it’ll be fineeeeeeeee you know I wouldn’t fail something so important~ I just wanna have my fun first there’s nothing wrong with that now is there~?” 

It was Briar’s voice…. Had I been kidnapped? Where was I? Wait, where's Neera!? What happened after the show!? I kicked and punched whoever I was, I felt like I was in a bag of some kind and it kept closing back in on me when I pulled my limbs back. I tried gripping it to climb it and the material felt oddly familiar. 

“Oh? Hold on, it seems he’s awake. I’ll call you back later take care boss~” 

Soon a light shined down on me but then it was blocked out by what seemed like giant fingers?! I tried to move away but there was nowhere I could go… damn it! I felt them grab me like one of those goddamn claw machine games and then I was lifted up. There wasn’t a thing I could do and soon after I was brought out of what looked like pants… I was in his pocket?! That doesn’t make any sense! As I looked around and my eyes adjusted to the light something was off… very very off. I was in a room that looked humongous. 

But, before I could comment more on it in my head, the grip changed to be from the collar of my shirt, and I was turned to face him. Briar, and then I saw it. The badge of Fatui on his uniform… 

“You’ve gotta be kidding me.”

“Well well well good evening my dear little visitor how was your nap~? Hopefully it was comfy, you were out for quite a while it’s… maybe 10? Maybe 11pm now? I do hope the ride wasn’t too bumpy on our way here. But, considering you slept so long I think you were absolutely fine weren’t you?” 

“What did you do to me?! No forget that! Who are you! And why am I like this! What do you people want with me!? I haven’t been working for you all for months! It’s been maybe half a year! I turned in everything! Bleached my work! Did everything I was required to do to get out of it! I destroyed every link I had and got approval from one of the head harbingers! Why are you here?”

“Oh come now, why spoil the fun and reasons now? It’ll be so much more fun if you have to trouble your… little… mind about it every waking second you’re here with me~” 

“No no no it won’t be fun! I had a job! I had a stable life finally! It was going-Gah!”

He had used his free hand to flick me in the stomach, knocking the wind out of me.

“You know, you could learn to not yell at me all the time, maybe even learn a little respect when I could just crush you in my hand like a doll. If you’re gonna be boring I really won’t have a reason to keep you around now will I? Are you gonna be boring?” 

I would answer… if he didn’t just blow up my stomach!

“Ah oops may have been a little much. My sincerest apologies~” 

He sent me down on a table where I was stuck laying down while I regained my breath and slowly pulled myself up. He was sitting in front of me now.

“Fi-fine… can you at least answer me one question then? Only one… ok maybe two if you’re feeling generous.”

“Hmmmm I’ll answer them if you’ll willingly do two things for me afterwards~ do we have a deal?”

I already felt the feeling of damnation if I do, and damned if I don’t situation here but I had to know.

“Deal… where is Neera? And is there a chance I’ll be let go?”

“Hmmm well they were all taken back to where they needed to be after the show, you escorted them back yourself after all. Such a brave protector, making sure they got back safe and sound even though you were sure something might happen to one of them.” 

That doesn’t make any sense. I was unconscious for the last couple hours. You can’t control my body… that wasn’t a thing they were or should be capable of till today. I tried to see if there were any other features or items I could find on him and I saw the blue glint off of his damn vision off his hanging hip. It was a hydro one… of course it freaken was. But creating an illusion of someone? It wouldn’t work right? Unless you maybe had a-

He flicked me again a lot lighter this time though in the head only making me fall over.

“Hey are you paying attention to me? Come on I’m answering your question, if you’ll ever have a chance at being let go. Well, that depends entirely on me~. I decided to handle you and investigate you, and additionally if the need arises be the one who takes your life!” 

The smile he wore when he said that gave me the creeps and I gulped nervously…

“Wh-why is this even happening to me?!”

“Hey hey no no no! No more questions until after my two things! We made a deal, remember?” 

I could feel tears welling up in my eyes but I shook my head yes. Soon after I felt my head be lifted by his finger under my chin.

“Good boy, now then the first thing, you’ll refer to me as one of three options. Briar, master, or B. Nothing else. Anything else and maybe I’ll break an arm or make your ‘home’ less comfortable from now on. Got it?”

“Yes…”

He was waiting for something.

“B… I understand.”

“Good thought I might have to break an arm already.”

He smirked as he got to the next part.

“Second, well you’ll tell me how someone got their hands on the same project you were working on with our blueprints. And if you’re lying well you won’t like where you end up.”

I-The project?! The one I was testing?

“Wait wait wait this is about the project?! I was a tester! I was never anywhere near the development teams-This is… this is why I’m under suspicion?! I can’t believe it! You all really came and ruined my life! Because you all think I sold out a project that I was only a tester for?!”

Briar gave me a look that showed complete disbelief. He didn’t believe a word I said.

“You’re lying, and I know you are. And since you’re lying I think it’s time for a punishment.”

He picked me up by the collar again and then wrapped his hand around me and squeezed. I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t scream after the first time. He kept going at it. I swear I could feel my body aching and screaming to be free…

Eventually he stopped and set me down on the table.

“That jog your memory perhaps?”

I took a few minutes to respond in which when I looked at him I noticed he had his phone out… and was playing some game on it.

“I didn’t tell anyone about that stupid project… nor did I ever do anything more than just test it. You’re wrong to think I did anything more…” 

“Uh huh, we’ll see what happens over the course of your time with me. Eventually if things go well for you maybe just maybe I’ll let you go, or I’ll consider you a pest and just…”

He’d put his hands up and then clap together, having killed a bug surprisingly.

“That bug will be an accurate representation of you. Or maybe I’ll find a better way to torture you and have some fun after all, you’re mine for the foreseeable lifespan you have.” 

He’d go silent for a short while…  and they smirk before he looked at me.

“You know… l since you’re still sticking to that story where you didn’t tell anyone… I guess I could maybe give you a peak at another possible ending instead of the bug one. BUT, FIRST! Are you by any chance a bit peckish at the moment? Maybe want nothing to snack on?”

“I… umm no I’m ok I think… I don’t really feel hungry even though I skipped dinner I guess.”.

“Good that works out perfectly then, I’ll just help myself then~”

And he picked me up, lifted me into the air and tossed me into the air and as I screamed and shouted I could feel the air flying by me and then I was falling and could see my life flashing before my eyes. And then I closed and opened them as time around me started to slow down. Looking down I saw something worse than the floor or table below me. A tongue waiting for me to land on it. And a wicked grin as I approached. I tried to I don’t even know swim?! Maybe move myself out of the way using the air?! And time started to speed up as I shouted hoping he’d move or catch me… and he did.

I fell face first onto his tongue and it wrapped around me and dragged me into his mouth as my arm was free and I reached out trying to grab onto anything. The light being condensed into a gap that would be easily closed if he shut his mouth. And he started to. I was crying as the tears streamed down my face and I was terrified. Then he closed his mouth and my arm was still outside. I thought he was going to bite it off but I felt his tongue unravel and then pull my arm in as I was soon stuck in his mouth completely and then he began to taste and tease me. 

I felt him wrap and tighten it around me drowning me in saliva that was accumulating before he swallowed once and I felt my legs get dragged back and I tried to grab his tongue and he pulled it away and then started to poke me with it. I could hear him murmur from my taste before he gulped again and pulled me back. I barely managed to grab a tooth and he brought his teeth together and lightly bit into my hand… 

I pulled my hand back thinking it was bleeding as I felt the pain big mistake… I felt him gulp me down again… and then one more time and I was dragged back and surrounded. I could feel a pressure pressing on my chest before he gulped again and again. Soon enough I fell into his stomach as I tried to run and slipped once or twice before reaching my goal and hit and kicked the stomach wall around me. He wouldn't, right? 

No no no one would ever digest another person… he this is all a nightmare. It has to be a nightmare. I could feel a pressure push back on me knocking me back down and then felt the movement around me and I heard the slightly loud groans around me… even hearing a heartbeat. Perhaps the only calm noise was the heartbeat I could hear. I curled up this time instead of kicking again and held my legs close. It’s a dream… it has to be. What a terrible finale to the only magic show I’ve ever gone to…

Briar’s pov.

He couldn’t have been better, he tasted just like chocolate~ I almost took a bite out of him to see if he actually was chocolate heh. He was so adorable sitting there I just had to eat him once he gave me another chance to. I should have done that from the beginning. He’ll tell me everything when I let him out tomorrow. I bet he was terrified when I nibbled in his little hand.

I’d sigh as I rested a hand on my stomach and walked to my room. I did make a little bed area for him, but oh well~ I’d say he got a better place to sleep. I’m sure he feels at least somewhat honored to be so close to my heart~ 

It felt a little nice to have him there, such a shame he wasn’t trying to struggle or anything, it wouldn’t do him any good, but it is a little boring. Laying down leaving my hand where it was I went to sleep and smiled. He was all mine to do whatever I wanted no matter what he said. What a perfect finale to end my day with. 

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