Hello, everyone! after dealing with real life and the other nonsense of living, panny and i have decided to bring back war of change. give a round of applause. we’ve worked through all of the information and hopefully improved coherency and cohesion; however, tell us if we missed something. eventually, we’ll announce an event to celebrate the re-opening, so look out for information on that. -RAIDNE, THE HEAD ADMIN
From the moonless night, screams of terror and fear resound, spreading across the world and infecting the masses; however, those sleepless nights occurred years ago. A new era began with the fires of war, and with no end in sight, the residents of Selene Isle trudge through life, basking in the momentary peace. Despite their prayers for continued monotony and peace, a storm brews, stirred to life by the continued presence of Rapture and Wraith. And as we set our sights on the seemingly peace laden isle, we must ask: how shall this tale end?
As the years passed, the number of true pairs increased; however, they continued to live in the shadows, catering to the whims of the mundane. Seven Moons kept watch over them all, instructing them and assisting them, but for many, the attitudes and ideals of the organization were smoldering, suffocating. With Seven Moons and the mundanes, they could not grasp the freedom, the power dangling before their eyes. In the beginning, rebellion was a dream, a fantasy, a figment—developed by the repressed and carried forward due to the nature of humanity. No one expected the call to sound, and no one expected the call to be answered. However, it happened.
I'M FALLING APART AGAIN AND I CAN'T FIND A WAY TO MAKE AMENDS
pale fingers caressed the silky petals lovingly, treating each with love and handling each fragile creature with care. the kaleidoscope of colors surrounding him hinted toward his expertise, displaying the fruits of his labor and providing an insight into his mind. callisto—the pastel haired shop owner—believed himself to be inferior to the flowers, which he so lovingly assisted and sold. for him, life revolved around the shop, and he rarely left the establishment. his social skills lacked finesse, and human contact left him feeling awkward and uncertain. his flowers would never judge him, and he would cherish them. yes, their thorns might prick his fingers, and they may wilt on him despite his efforts. yet in the end, they would never judge him. each one represented a portion of his soul, cultivated and nurtured to maturity. with a despondent sigh, the florist removed his hand from the petals of the white rose, lightly brushing the tips of his fingers against the flower before withdrawing. in one hand, he carried the hose, which he had used to water the various flowers, and after finishing the task, he simply meandered through the rows of flowers, observing them and wasting precious seconds with each different breed. the early morning sun spilled in through the windows and illuminated the building as he resumed walking toward the counter.
the soft jingling of the bell garnered his attention as he turned to exit the maze of flowers. petal pink lips shifted into a timid smile while callisto continued walking toward the counter, setting the hose down on the marble surface and then turning to face his first visitor. the nervous youth kept glancing around the shop, searching for something specific, and when his gaze landed on the counter, a delighted and dangerous gleam appeared in his eyes. gloved hands clutched at his apron while the fair haired shop owner observed his guest. he feared the look that surfaced in the youth’s eyes and mentally prayed for emil to avoid the shop. his teenaged assistant worked diligently and often reported early for his shift, and the brunette held so much promise and potential that the hopeless sacrifice worried about him. the timid smile gained a melancholy cast as the florist shifted to stand between his supposed customer and the counter. ex—excuse me. cah—can i help you? he inquired while squaring his shoulders and puffing out his chest—a vain attempt to appear more threatening. his effeminate features and quivering voice eliminated any success that his actions might have garnered; however, he refused to allow the leering man to succeed with his plans.
no, i just want to look. the visitor replied, which caused callisto to deflate—suddenly unsure of his original assumptions. a weak nod followed the man’s words, and after studying him for a moment longer, the lilac haired man pivoted to face the counter, reaching out to snag the hose and walking unsteadily toward the back room. before he vanished into the supply room, he paused and called out, puh—please ring the bell if you reh—require assistance. with a faint upward shift of his lips, the florist disappeared into the supply room, carefully packing the hose away and then double checking the equipment. he lingered next to the door upon finishing his rounds, and after forcing himself to take a deep breath, he peeked around the door frame and frantically searched for the stranger. amethyst hued eyes roved over the displays as his ears strained for the sound of the man’s voice. when he heard nothing but silence, he crouched down and crept over to the counter, using the object as a shield until the familiar ring of the bells sounded through the shop. the purplette jumped to his feat, banging his elbow against the counter and connecting his frightened gaze with wide emerald eyes, and in an automatic response to emil’s presence, a sheepish smile appeared across his pallid visage. so much for a peaceful day, a voice grumbled in the back of his mind.
He felt so tired, he should have been sleeping still but no he offered the night before to come into work early. All because they needed the help and Emil could use the extra hours. He liked to make his friend happen. Plus lately he was a bit worried about Cali though he didn't say it often. After all he covered up a lot of those strange feelings. His worry would only stress the owner of this shop out more then he wanted. He just slipped into the store wearing his apron and his work clothes as he dropped his jacket down behind the front counter. His cell phone was tucked into it, he didn't need that phone while he was here after all. "Cali~ where ya at man?" Then he saw the boy, was he working early again? Really.
That man needed to learn such a of a thing known as time off. It'd be so useful for him really. Even if he might not like it, this was still how things would go. He'd not end up changing his mind either. Since it wasn't likely to do him any good, or well any of them any good at this point. He wondered just how his friend was handling the day. Not like he wanted to bother him, Just Cali worried him sometimes. So he was a bit more protective then he needed to be. So far it only seemed to be the two of them at work. So at least that was okay? A start, something. Emil didn't feel so pressured or awkward. But he had no idea how Cali felt right now with him even being here. Today was one of those days he couldn't judge his friend's mood by looking at him.
"You have work for me to do?" He asked as he tilted his head. He was concerned once again but for now he didn't push it. Pushing things wouldn't get him anywhere, and he already knew that. So for now he'd let this go, at least as long as he possibly could. There might be a chance it wouldn't end up well, but who cared. Cali was here, and he seemed to be in a phase. So let him have his phase. They'd figure it out later. Right now he needed to get to work. He needed to at least find something to do. He leaned over to Cali but not so close to push him further. "You okay, you seem jumpy today?" He asked in a quiet voice so no one around him could hear it either.
He always came to work too early. Not like he had anything else to do when he didn't have school and today was one of those days anyway.
Tear down the prison walls Don’t start the curtain call Your chains will never fall until you do
I'M FALLING APART AGAIN AND I CAN'T FIND A WAY TO MAKE AMENDS
pale hands fluttered uselessly in the air as emil’s voice reached his ears. part of his mind sighed in relief due to the brunette’s presence while the other raced with worried thoughts, depicting impossible scenes of violence and blood. a shiver wracked his thin frame as he dropped his hands to rest on the counter, pressing the appendages against the marble surface and slowly curling his fingers until the nails bit into his palm. strands of lilac colored hair drifted into his eyes while his smile gained a sincere edge, his frantic energy dwindling with each passing second. white teeth flashed as he pressed them against his bottom lip, contemplating the brunette’s question and then casting his gaze around the shop. colorful petals met his worried eyes. his customer had disappeared into the maze of flowers, and he would never be able to pinpoint his location without slipping into the labyrinth himself. a relieved sigh forced him to cease his abuse of his bottom lip while his eyes landed on his employee, shoulders slumping in visible relief. a portion of his mind wondered why the brunette continued to cater to his ineptitude and disorganized manner. pale brows furrowed as he lifted a hand away from the counter, uncurling his fingers and wincing as his palm stretched.
with his newly freed appendage, he beckoned emil closer. ah— i’m fine, callisto began, tone earnest and desperate, for he hated to worry people. just… a bit… sta—startled. his shoulders rose in a helpless shrug while his eyes flickered back toward the flowers. he could not forget the dangerous gleam that characterized his visitor’s eyes, and he still believed that the man did not venture into the shop for a simple perusal of the flowers. however, when he opened his mouth to inform the dark haired teen of their visitor, the words died upon his tongue. his mind argued against increasing emil’s worry, which translated into his inability to vocalize his fears. plus he loathed forcing others to deal with his problems and with his fears. but… ah… yes, i cah—could use your assistance. a new shi—shipment of flowers arrived la—last night, so we neh—need to bring them in—inside. after casting one final glance toward the flowers, he bent down, fishing out the shipment order and then placing it on the counter, turning the paper to face the brunette and allowing emil to glance over the order. he kept no secrets from the youth, knowing that he managed to keep going due to his assistance.
hopefully, their prowling visitor would not act during emil’s shift, and maybe his fear would vanish with the afternoon light, driven away by the bright sunlight and happy smiles of the passing strangers. he needed to maintain a firm grip upon that conviction and trudge through the day with his usual enthusiasm. callisto silently promised himself to uphold that notion and dream… for his own mental health and for emil—whose mind should not be troubled by his petty fears and worries.
Emil hadn't planned to scare him or anything but it wasn't like he just couldn't come into work or something. It never worked that easily basically. Or so he thought. But what was he going to say? He hoped Cali wasn't that angry with him right now. Right? Hopefully. He didn't think much about the apparent creepy guest they had. After all customers were customers, he couldn't exactly shove them out. Which might be why Cali hadn't done anything. If they were both here perhaps that jerk would go away. It was all he could think of right now. Since Emil didn't want to deal with people other then Cali, he hoped work would be an easy day. So far however today it wasn't. Something else was up. That he didn't get. Perhaps it was just something he felt from this room. That could explain most of what was going on.
Of course Emil was worried, he cared a lot about Cali though he kept that to himself right now. Since it was probably for the best, either way he might not end up getting anywhere if he wasn't careful. Right? Perhaps he needed to pause, scope out the guest or something. That sounded almost like it should be part of the plan. Yet he wasn't entirely certain. Maybe there was something else his darling friend and boss was scared of? But he'd ask later. When he was sure they were alone and no one would bother them. Possibly. But he still had a feeling this might not be so good for him. For both of them. The flowers all over had blocked anyone out. This place was organized but that did not mean it made it easier to find them.
So for now all they could was wait. More and more waiting, unwanted but it had to be done. So he would focus back on his friend. Back on the work they needed to do right now. Sorting flowers, cutting them, making sure everything was put in it's right place. And also make sure they had things they ordered. They couldn't have the order all put away then realize they didn't get the right flowers, or get what was needed either right? He tried to pretend the customer wasn't there hiding and making him feel awkward. For now at least.
"If you say so, but you know you can ask if you need anything." He played this off as if they were talking about something else. Just in case that guy was eavesdropping. People who listened in on conversations were so annoying it seemed. Why did they have to bother them? Not that he was against all people just some of them who did things they shouldn't. Like listening into conversations that had basically nothing to do with them. Which happened more often then not in this place. "Oh okay so what all were we supposed to get?" He leaned over and looked at the paper in his friend's hand. So they had it all written out this time. At least it was better then leaving him guessing. Right?
He just reached over and ruffled his friends hair before peeking back at the list. He was pretty much lost in the list, and wondering about Cali.
Tear down the prison walls Don’t start the curtain call Your chains will never fall until you do
I'M FALLING APART AGAIN AND I CAN'T FIND A WAY TO MAKE AMENDS
apprehension riddled the pastel haired florist’s petite frame, and due to his overwhelming sense of terror and unease, he kept his shoulders slightly hunched forward, subconsciously attempting to appear smaller and less threatening. he remembered his mother’s rage and the throbbing pain of her hand connecting with his cheek. the woman rarely lowered herself to touching him, and when she did, she only utilized her right hand, covering the appendage in a black glove and aiming a heavy handed blow upon the child’s cheek. however, in the minutes between the connection of cloth and flesh, an electric tension filled the air, eliciting a surge of fear from the lilac haired youth. the current running through sweet briar reminded him of those brief moments, producing vivid recollections of his mother’s righteous furry and her bitter retorts. a shiver wracked his frame—a byproduct of his wandering thoughts and the oppressing atmosphere. callisto hovered on the edge of a breakdown, worn thin by the endless days and the unexpected situation.
for him, the dragging in of the boxes of flowers and seeds morphed into a high priority job. it would grant him a respite from the store and presented an opportunity for him to reestablish control over his wayward emotions. violet hued eyes shifted away from the document, roving over emil’s features in blatant worry. ah… tha—thank you, emil, callisto murmured, pale pink staining his pallid features while his fingers twisted the fabric of the apron further, wrinkling the material and providing him with an anchor. we ordered mah—more daffodil, amaryllis, gardenia, and jasmine seeds. tha—there are also several species of ferns that nah—need to be carted inside and ah—arranged on the display. a trembling hand rose from his apron, one finger pointing toward the barren circular display. the hopeless sacrifice believed in caring and offering a varied selection of fauna, which meant catering to the gardening needs of the selene isle residents.
his hand slowly lowered, falling to rest on the shipment form and tapping on the specified items. a few miscellaneous items succeeded the mentioned flowers—gardening tools meant to be arranged in the back of the store; however, callisto feared entering the labyrinth of flowers without affirmation of their visitor’s location. wah—we can sta—start with the ferns. they need to be wah—watered and replanted, he added as his hand returned to his side, fingers instantly latching onto the pale green material of his apron. perhaps he could survive the day. emil had arrived, and the brunette would assist if a situation arose. pale purple tinted eyes drifted away from emil, staring at the back door and then slowly shifting back to the teen. shall wah—we get started? his head tipped to the side, bangs sliding into his jewel toned eyes and expression gaining an underlying trace of tranquility—which sharply contrasted with the tense set of his shoulders.
Emil did almost feel bad but he needed to focus on work, and keeping Cali safe at the same time. It was just some form of a task he gave to himself. Even if there wasn't a need for it. Right? So for a moment he wondered just what he'd get into. More so how he'd manage to handle all of this. It might only be one customer but something about him wasn't right. And no doubt both of the males in this room could sense it even if they didn't say anything. It wasn't that awkward for those things to happen. But still, he felt uncertain even more so now. Which was not something he wanted to deal with. He just tried to comfort Cali without touching him. After all making him stressed worse was never a good idea. And he didn't want to do that to him anyway.
Not now. It just sounded too harsh even by his standards honestly. But did it matter, would it improve matters? Probably not. This seemed to be one of those things he'd never be able to escape from. Basically. So for now he just tried to keep focused, try to make work of the tasks. And keep Cali close to his side, no matter what. Even if it looked suspicious he was not going to end up letting him go. This person was too important for that. He'd have to keep him safe, no matter what other people thought. Pretty much. Emil wished he could squeeze his hand. But for Cali he didn't think it was a good idea.
He just wished this day would end. Or something would end so they could go on with life. And try to somehow make the best of it. Since he didn't know what else to honestly do. This made him feel awkward but he gave a small nod. He was mentally taking notes about what they had. And what needed to be ordered, also what needed to be done later. Not that he knew much about the life Cali had before this. That was not something he thought about or tried to force his way into either basically. One couldn't blame him for that. He didn't want to push people if it hurt them.
"Oh okay. hm let's get the harder jobs done first." He said as he checked his list again, making sure he was checking it properly this time. He was not so worn out or distracted. Nope he had something to focus on instead. "Yes let's get to work!" He was ready for today, he was ready for all of this. It'd be just fine or so he thought. Not that Emil knew what the future held. But he was already more then prepared for it the way things seemed.
Tear down the prison walls Don’t start the curtain call Your chains will never fall until you do
I'M FALLING APART AGAIN AND I CAN'T FIND A WAY TO MAKE AMENDS
pale lips quirked into a tentative smile in response to the brunette’s enthusiasm for their assigned task. due to his social awkwardness, the pastel haired florist refused to hire an excessive number of employees, preferring to work with two or three people. emil and miel kept him grounded, and he adored both of them. in his heart, he recognized that he would trade places with each in a heartbeat if they landed in the path of danger. callisto understood that they had been lifted onto a towering pedestal, which he could never hope to reach. their patience and cheerful countenances assisted in helping him maintain a tentative connection with life. for him, they transformed into physical manifestations of the stars, which twinkled overhead and illuminated the night sky. life—to him—was a chore that constantly repeated, and his nightmares haunted him in his sleep and in his conscious hours. reprieve eluded him, which translated into his dependence upon miel and emil.
yes, his subconscious voice hummed in his mind, your attachment to them keeps you tethered to reality. a faint grimace stole across his effeminate features while his fingers twisted the fabric of his apron further, pressing a clump of the slightly scratchy material against his palms. his eyes blinked rapidly as he fought against tears, but he refused to increase the dark haired teen’s appallingly apparent worry for him. callisto loathed the idea of imposing upon the youth and refused to continue forcing his worries onto the other. he did not comprehend that emil wanted to assist him. the purplette merely shoved his worries aside and sketched a smile onto his features. the strained expression displayed the truth behind the situation, but the brunette humored him, allowing him to believe in a lie. ah… yah—yes, he stuttered while carefully detaching his hands from his apron.
trembling hands grabbed the shipment statement, carefully folding the object and placing it in the pocket of his apron. with the item secured, he slowly approached the swinging door that granted employees access to the main area of the shop and hindered visitors from entering the back of the building. slender fingers clumsily unlocked the barrier while amethyst hued eyes watched the wooden material swing back and forth upon being released from its bindings. his expression softened while soft chuckles escaped him. joy flooded his heart as he carefully stepped out from behind the counter, shutting and locking the door with ease. sha—shall we head out? callisto queried while traversing the short distance between himself and emil. the aforementioned door rested on the other side of the front desk, and upon opening the white washed object, they would find a patio, which contained the boxes of seeds and materials and the ferns mentioned in the statement. the lilac haired youth prayed that the sun did not destroy the plants.