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Post by Pink Moon Wolf on Nov 9, 2015 0:04:52 GMT -5
After tossing Jack's prison into the abyss, Ace smiled down at the boys, giving Patrick and Evan the time they needed to recuperate. She understood Evan's overly emotional reaction to his horns, to say the least, but she had to step in before he ripped his own skin off.
"Evan! Evan, calm down!" She knelt down in front of him, yanking his arms away and staring deeply into his brown eyes. "Just relax. Let me."
Calmly and gently, Ace grabbed ahold of the crystal horns, breaking them apart molecule by molecule. Soon they were completely disintegrated, allowing Ace to brush away any remaining bits of crimson dust and heal the remaining wounds in Evan's forehead.
"There. Like they were never..." She trailed off, narrowing her eyes at the trilby Evan was still wearing. He spontaneously hit it upside the brim, knocking it off of Evan's head. "Like they were never there!"
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Post by ParamountKeymaster on Nov 9, 2015 0:14:34 GMT -5
Evan remained stiff as Ace reduced the horns to dust, never really relaxing until she knocked the trilby away. "Eheh... Thanks, Ace. Th-Thanks for everything."
Patrick nestled between Evan and Ace, smiling at both of them. "So... Is it over?"
"It's over," Evan breathed. "Another Dimensional Island Halloween curse come and gone. And... boy, if it doesn't make a great case for staying home next year."
"Yeah, I hear that..." Patrick snickered.
"Here's to hoping that's the last we see of Jack, too."
"I hear that too."
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Post by Pink Moon Wolf on Nov 9, 2015 0:19:19 GMT -5
Ace giggled a little at the guys' banter, but what little cheer she had to her demeanor quickly dropped at the mention of Jack. She sunk quite a bit, looking away from the duo in shame. "Yeah... I... I'm sorry I let that happen, guys. I-I'm sorry you had to go through that, Evan. A-And you too, Pat. It was my fault Jack got out this time around. I... I-I swear I never meant for this..."
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Post by ParamountKeymaster on Nov 9, 2015 0:26:57 GMT -5
"Hey... Hey, Ace, it's alright," Patrick crooned, leaning against Ace in a comforting gesture. "It's like I said before, the curse took control of you. We know you wouldn't willingly let all that stuff happen."
"Yeah, it's not your fault," Evan agreed. "I mean, I act like a rabid dog when that fog touches down. It's not like I'm doing that of my own accord! We all go pretty crazy when all of this goes down. So... don't be too hard on yourself for something you honestly couldn't control. And don't you dare go beating yourself up about it, because without you, Patrick would be Jack right now."
"See? There ya go." Patrick smiled up at Ace. "It doesn't matter who did what. Nothing was anyone's fault. All that matters is that we're safe. Okay?"
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Post by Pink Moon Wolf on Nov 9, 2015 0:33:12 GMT -5
Ace didn't respond for a while. She wanted to argue that she could've controlled her temper; she never would've snapped and set Jack loose if she had just kept her anger under control. But the fact of the matter was that neither of them cared about that. If they weren't going to be upset with her, the least Ace could do was be happy right along with them. Patrick was right. They were safe. All of that curse nonsense was behind them now.
"Thanks, guys. Glad to see us all intact. Now whadya say we get outta here? I think we all need a good rest."
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Post by ParamountKeymaster on Nov 9, 2015 0:42:06 GMT -5
"Good call. This place gives me the jibblies," Patrick agreed as he stood up on wobbly legs.
Evan stood up with him; despite his own weariness, he mustered up enough strength to support Patrick, knowing that the mage needed it more than him. "Whew... Great job, guys. I think I'm ready to call it a day and get a solid... I dunno, ten, fifteen hours of sleep?"
"At the very least," Patrick chuckled as he and Evan started making their way towards the castle doors arm-in-arm. As they stumbled along, something else crossed Patrick's mind. "Um... Evan? We don't need to... tell anyone... about... you and me... y-y'know... when we... twice..."
"Oh! No! No one needs to know!" Evan hastily agreed.
"Right. Just between the three of us."
"Totally."
"We don't need to go spreading this around."
"Not at all."
"No homo."
"Absolutely no homo."
The duo stared at each other awkwardly. Then they burst out into laughter. Sure, things were weird. Sure, things were scary. But these two friends wouldn't have expected any different.
Best friends. No matter what. Evan and Patrick wouldn't have had it any other way.
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Post by Pink Moon Wolf on Nov 9, 2015 0:53:08 GMT -5
Ace snickered at their banter, but for a moment, she stayed standing where she was, not quite ready to follow them out.
She turned and looked down at the discarded trilby and walking stick that once adorned Evan and belonged to Jack. Two items that had been a constant throughout Jack's life. Items that Ace would always associate with her demon ex-boyfriend. She scowled at them and the aura that they still seemed to possess. As if seeking closure, Ace picked up the cane, preparing to snap it in half on her knee.
But... she didn't. Not because she didn't want to, but because she felt no need to. Why would she need closure? Jack was imprisoned and Ace was living contently with the sweetest boy she had ever met and the best friends she had ever had. That was all the closure she needed. Even if these mementos remained, as far as she was concerned, Jack was a thing of the past.
Instead, she propped the cane up on a railing and hung the trilby on its handle. Dark, dusty relics to be left in a dark, dusty crypt. It felt appropriate.
The time for being sad was over.
And Ace wouldn't miss it.
Her smile resurfacing, Ace turned back around and followed Evan and Patrick out, an upbeat wag to her hips and black-feathered wings. All was as it should be. A new day approached.
"Tonight we are victorious Champagne pouring over us All my friends were glorious Tonight we are victorious"
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