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radiant-flutterbun · 4 years

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Pixel and the Shapeshifter

(Some context because it’s been Awhile. In my lore I have gods from another world who can visit Sornieth if my shapeshifting shadeling, Inkdrop allows them to. These gods have a mostly human appearance, but a few animal characteristics too. Think of Catra’s design from the new She-Ra show)

Queen Sagacious wasn’t around anymore. One day she just left her queendom and never returned. She didn’t leave a note. She didn’t leave anything behind to tell her subjects what to do in her absence. It was unusual for her. Normally every move she made was carefully planned and organized. She scheduled her life out years ahead of time. And now she was just. Gone.

There were rumors that she went to live on the Dragon Planet, that the gods have started to hear so much about. The was a land dominated by dragons. It was a land of magic. When gods entered the land, they too turned into dragons, but with a price. They lost their immortality.

Ever since Sagacious’s disappearence, Pixel looked for a way to escape. But no matter what they did, they couldn’t seem to get the ankle bracelet that Sagacious placed on them off. It was ironic, considering that Pixel’s own creation was being used against them. As the God of Technology, that had made the parts possible to create the bracelet, and yet Sagacious outsmarted them with their own craft. None of Pixel’s tools could pry the thing off of them. They suspected that Sagacious mixed their tech with her magic, meaning that if they had any hope of removing it they would need to either remove their own leg, or beg Sagacious for forgiveness.

Pixel was considering cutting off their leg when they spotted someone move past their house. They lived in a pretty busy section of the queendom, so the movement wasn’t that unusual, but the look of the being certainly was.

She looked like a young girl with jet black skin, neon green hair, and bright yellow eyes. Immediately Pixel stepped outside for the first time in years.

“HEY SHAPESHIFTER! OW!” Their anklet bracelet zapped them “HEY WAIT!” Zap “OW! PLEASE-” Zap. They could hardly speak with the ankle bracelet continually pumping electricity into them the longer they were out of their house.

The strange girl stopped and turned around. She watched Pixel with a wary expression. Pixel trotted closer to her, but with another good zap collapsed on the ground beside her.

“Um,” The girl said “Are you ok?”

“No,” Pixel admitted as they yet again felt the pain of electricity coursing through them “But I will be if you can take me to the Dragon Planet.”

The girl clicked her tongue “Hmm I don’t know, the last god who convinced me to take him there turned out to be a no good meanie.”

“Hey- OW! I promise I’m not a no good meanie,” Pixel winced. The voltage was increasing the longer they were outside of their house.

“Why do you have a shocky thing on you?”

“Hey uh, I’ll be happy to discuss this with you in my house where I’m NOT constantly getting electrocuted.”

The girl watched as Pixel was shocked yet again and then looked at their open door. She shrugged “Ok, sounds safe enough to me.”

The girl followed Pixel into their little home. Inside wires and glowing machinery lay across everything in a seemingly unorganized mess. There was only a small path to walk without stepping on something. Pixel gestured to a spot on the sofa with no machines lying on it.

“Please, you’re my guest so you can sit on the couch. I’ll just slump on the ground and catch my breath from being repeatedly electrocuted.”

“Ok,” The girl sat on the couch as was requested “You have a lot of… stuff.”

“Yeah, I have a lot of on going projects. I’m Pixel by the way. Pixel Pronoia, the God of Technology. And I only know of you as the Shapeshifter, but I’m guessing you have a name right?”

“Yeah it’s Inkdrop!”

“Alright cool! Nice to meet you! Now about the Dragon Planet…”

“Why do you have the shock bracelet?”

“Oh. Because I’m under house arrest.”

Inkdrop cocked her head “Why?”

“Because Saga is a bitch.”

“You mean Sagacious?”

“Yep. That’s Queen Bitchface.”

“My brother says she’s a bit mean, but all I’ve ever seen her do is read.”

“So you know where she is?”

“Yeah. At Clan Ton Theon.”

“That wouldn’t happen to be on the Dragon Planet, would it?”

“Yeah. Queen Virtuous asked me to take her there.”

“I fucking knew it! It has something to do with the Demon King’s growing power, doesn’t it?”

“Uh. Maybe? Sorry it’s hard to keep track of the politics that happen in every single world I visit.”

“Right. Must be nice being able to travel between worlds AND shapeshift.”

“You’re right it is pretty nice!” In an instant Inkdrop’s hair changed into long thick locks that matched Pixels “I like your hair by the way.”

“Thanks, that’s a good look for you. Anyway, I guess if you’re going to trust me I owe you the truth. Sagacious put me under house arrest because I befriended some mortals, which we gods aren't supposed to do.”

“Really? My brother has lots of mortal friends! And so do I! That’s such a dumb rule!”

“Wait. But you’re not a god.”

Inkdrop shot Pixel a chilly glare that sent a shiver up their spine.

“I mean yeah, it’s a fucking dumb as fuck rule. So as you can see I’m innocent. So can you please take me to the Dragon Planet?”

“Hmm… I still don’t know…”

"Who was the god you let in that you regretted?"

Inkdrop's face further soured "Naperone."

"Why in the Spirits' names would you ever think trusting him was a good idea?!"

"Hey I was new to this world and he seemed nice! How was I to know? Just like how am I to know that I can trust you?"

"Ok, fair. What can I do to get you to trust me?"

Inkdrop scratched her chin "Oh! I know!" She snapped her fingers and suddenly there was a swirling black void in the middle of Pixel's living room.

"Is that a portal?!"

"Yep! But it's not to the Dragon Planet. Hop on in. I want you to meet someone."

Pixel backed away from the portal "Hold up. Where are you taking me?"

Inkdrop held out her hand "Do you want to go to the Dragon Planet or not?"

Pixel thought for a moment and then took a deep breath, stood up and grabbed her hand.

With a giggle Inkdrop jumped into the portal with Pixel in tow.

For a moment everything was black, and then for a split second Pixel saw a flash of white light, causing them to instinctively close their eyes. When their eyes opened again they were in what appeared to be some sort of massive, dim lighted cave. There were several buildings constructed in this cave and the one closest to Pixel was one they recognized. It was a massive black Victorian style mansion, except this version of the building wasn’t dusty or falling apart. It looked formidable and elegant.

“Am I… Am I in the Underworld?”

Inkdrop nodded.

“But didn’t it get overtaken by demons?”

Inkdrop didn’t answer, a tall winged man was approaching her.

Pixel instinctively took their phone out of their pocket and it transformed into a knife with electricity sparking off of it.

Inkdrop smiled and tackled the man in a hug.

“Inky! Wasn’t expecting you to be here. Are you visiting Saph?” the man asked, returning the hug.

“Uh huh! Is she around?”

“Yes she’s in her room.”

Pixel squinted at the man. There was only one person that this could be, but something was off about him “Sepulchral Solstice?”

The man turned to Pixel. He was wearing a blindfold over his eyes, so he must not have noticed Pixel until they spoke.

“Yes that’s me,” The man answered “but I have a feeling that I’m not the Sepulchral you’re familiar with.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Oh!” Inkdrop spun back around to Pixel “Yeah this is a different universe. It’s pretty similar to yours accept not quite. Like the Underworld is fine here, and Sepulchral is older and Saph exists! That’s who I need you to see so come on!”

Inkdrop grabbed Pixel’s empty hand and with a strength Pixel couldn’t believe such a little thing could have, she began to drag them away from Sepulchral and into the mansion. Pixel quickly turned their weapon back into a phone before they could accidentally shock anyone.

Pixel watched as Gods of Death walked by and ignored them and Inkdrop. Some of them looked familiar to Pixel, but like Sepulchral there was something off about each one.

“Is Arkina here?” Pixel asked as Inkdrop led them up a staircase.

“Who?”

“Arkina, the Goddess of Animal Souls? She’s my sister.”

“Oh. I didn’t know she existed. But if she is here, you know she’s not really your sister right? She’s another Pixel’s sister.”

Pixel rolled their eyes “I know that. I’m just curious is all.”

“Oh well, we’re here now,” Inkdrop knocked on a door painted a dark purple with crayon doodles tapped on it. It was hard to make out what some of the drawings were depicting, but they thought some of them were supposed to be Inkdrop. Others showed a girl with black wings, and more showed another kid with orange eyes and who always seemed to have a dragon nearby.

The door opened and there was a girl with brown skin, black feathered wings and a frilly purple dress. Her face lit up when she saw Inkdrop and the two kids squealed and hugged each other.

“Inky!!!” the winged girl shouted at the top of her lungs.

“Saphy!!!” Inkdrop returned the shouting energy.

“I LOVE your hair!”

Inkdrop giggled and twirled one of her new dreadlocks “Thanks, I thought Pixel’s hair was neat so I decided to sport a new look!” As she said this she gestured to Pixel who was standing awkwardly behind her.

Pixel gave a little wave to Saph “Er, hello?”

“Oh! Hello! I’m Saprophyte Solstice! And who might you be?”

“Oh. Uh Pixel Pronoia.”

“Pronoia? Oh! Are you Arkina’s little sibling?”

At the sound of their sister’s name Pixel’s ears perked up “Yes! But uh-”

“Oh this isn’t your world’s Pixel!’ Inkdrop interrupted “This is a Pixel from another world.”

“Oh, okie dokie.” Saph said.

“And I actually came here because I’m not sure if I should trust them.”

“Ah gotcha,” Saph gestured for Inkdrop and Pixel to enter her room.

Her room was black with splashes of purple and pink. More doodles were taped all over the walls.

“I was kinda hoping you were here to play,” Saph said as she sat on the side of her bed.

“I know I’m sorry.”

“Next time you visit you should bring Cassia and we can have another adventure together!”

“Ok, ok I promise. Next time I visit we’ll do that.”

“Yay!” Saph turned to Pixel “Now I’m going to have to look into your Soul.”

She reached out toward Pixel’s chest and they took a step back “Whoa, whoa, whoa. What the fuck are you doing?”

“I have to touch your chest to see into your Soul.”

Pixel scowled “Oh fuck no.”

Saph rolled her eyes “Relax, it's not like I’m asking you to lift your shirt or anything. I just have to touch the spot where your heart is. That’s where the Soul is. Don’t make it weird.”

“Uh, how about no?”

“Then I'm not taking you to the Dragon Planet.” Inkdrop crossed her arms.

Pixel clenched their fists “Fine. Read my Soul or whatever the fuck.”

They winced as Saph placed her hand over their chest and closed her eyes. An uncomfortable silence followed, and then Saph gasped and yanked her hand back. Her eyes were wet with tears and she began to sob.

“Uh… Are you ok?” Pixel asked. In response Saph hugged them.

“You… You’re in so much pain.”

“Uh…”

“SHE KILLED YOUR GIRLFRIEND.” Saph shouted it at the top of her lungs, a combination of rage and sorrow.

“Y-yeah…” Saph’s reaction brought back a wave of emotion that Pixel thought they had buried. They crumpled to their knees and were now at the perfect level for Saph to wrap her arms around their shoulders. Tears now fell down Pixel’s own cheeks “Her… her name was Dana.”

Saph sniffled “That’s a beautiful name! I bet she was beautiful.”

“Y-yeah… She was. But she was more than just looks,” Pixel clutched their chest “She was the only one who ever saw anything in me.”

“W-well I just saw into your Soul, and I think you’re pretty great too,” Saph wiped away her tears and nodded to Inkdrop.

“Alright, if Saph trusts you, then so do I,” Inkdrop snapped her fingers creating another portal “Let’s take you to the dragon planet.”

#tcotg

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swapfell-haven · 6 years

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Haven

It was always cold in Snowdin, eternally winterlocked as it was, but the temperature in the furthest reaches of the surrounding forest was downright brutal. While the town in which the majority of the area’s population resided was located in one of the highest points, the stretch of woods over which Jo currently soared was one of the lowest. Lightly clad in a leather jacket and loose pants as she was, however, the intense cold barely registered for the winged monster, leaving her ideally suited for patrolling the area around the home she and her sister had built for themselves.

Well, not just themselves. Not these days. Their little hideaway in the deepest reaches of Snowdin forest had blossomed into a thriving community over the last seven years, and it was Jo’s job to make sure it remained a closely guarded secret from outside forces that could never approve of the pacifistic lifestyle they had chosen.

(More under the cut)

One of the very few who could navigate the ever-shifting forest without trouble, Jo turned on wingtip and made for the familiar waterfall that disguised the entrance to the series of side caverns she and Nox had claimed for their own. Rather than landing and navigating the somewhat treacherous and difficult to locate path that lead to the secret entrance, Jo tucked her wings and allowed momentum to carry her through the narrow opening behind the waterfall.

Once on the other side, the monster flared her wings and landed neatly on both feet, then gave herself a solid shake to dislodge the water that clung to her fur and feathers.

The path before her was narrow and difficult to distinguish in the dark, but once Jo had taken a moment to shrink her wings to a more manageable size, she was able to navigate it easily. Years of doing so without a light allowed her to memorize every twist and turn until light returned, pouring into the narrow space from the open one beyond.

The cavern into which she stepped was immense, and significantly warmer than the greater chamber from which she had travelled. If it was the darkest depths of a brutal winter night out in Snowdin proper, within Haven it was a mild spring day, and the surrounding flora had responded accordingly.

Silver barked birch trees, barren in the world outside were in full leaf here in Haven. Grass flourished, flowers bloomed...it was quite the lovely sight; a riot of color after an endless expanse of white and gray and blue.

It was all her sister Nox’s doing of course. Her unique magic allowed her to manipulate the seasons to her whim there within the place where she had sunk so much magic deep into the earth over the years. She was also the one responsible for the constant, disorienting shifting of the forest outside that deterred outsiders from finding their way to the hidden entrance of their home. Together they had made their home an impenetrable fortress that had yet to be discovered, let alone breached.

Jo stretched her wings briefly and smiled to herself before she started walking down the path between the trees, enjoying the sweet scent of the warm air after so long in the cold. Overhead, the massive collection of glowing crystals she had amassed with some difficulty from Waterfall glowed brightly, much like she’d always imagined the sun would, which had been her goal in designing the thing. It hung hundreds of feet in the air over the center of the village towards which she now walked, wondering absently just where it was her sister had gotten to.

------

The fire crackled softly in front of Nox, purple and dancing brightly like the flames of the fire elemental girl that had donated it. It swirled around the large harvested crystal that served as its magical anchor, secured as the centerpiece above a simply designed but intricately carved stone fountain. It was only two tiers, but the lower of the tiers had two opposite spots in which the water gently flowed over the side and into a glowing cyan creek that ran through the town center from the fountain's base.

The fountain itself had been a joint effort several years back involving a particularly troubled newcomer and some of the long-term residents. The newcomer had been one who, even a few months in, had barely opened up in spite of their obvious desire for a peaceful life. Nox had been worried about them and their mental state - everyone here had their baggage, of course, but some found it hard to bear, and harder yet to release it enough to stay… stable. In the end, she had asked around and conveniently decided that perhaps their village needed a fountain in the center, surrounded by a new lush garden filled with the villagers’ favorite flowers. A fountain that could surely only be completed with the help of the reticent monster.

It had been a form of art therapy, in the end; working with other monsters had warmed the troubled newcomer’s soul and helped them find a place in their little community.

Now Nox was working on a fresh addition to the natural garden in the cobbled town center, aiming to better foster the feeling of the spring season she was keeping up currently. Her magic was working to form a cherry blossom tree that curved half over the fountain; the usual lush grass she was fond of at its base for the villagers to be able to relax on and watch the petals drift.

She crouched while she worked, two of her hands splayed against the soft grass, the third gently rising above the tree to coax its progress as it grew and twisted and broadened, branches swirling and veining outwards like an inkdrop in water. Petals unfurled slowly at first, as if waking up from a deep slumber and stretching, fanning into their blossoms, and then developed quickly from there. Nox smiled softly to herself as the tree’s growth slowed at last, now nearly at its traditional full height of 25 feet.

She'd have to check on it daily and coax it along for a while, but it was worth the extra time investment with how much the villagers had liked it last year.

Nox made a sound of approval as she nodded her head, then drew her hands back to herself and stood, shaking out the leaves that formed her hair. They were a soft, light green right now for the season, one of her favorites.

Waving at a passing villager who had apparently stopped to watch her work, Nox then grinned brightly when she received a pleased thumbs up from the monster - a stone-based woman who had lost the ability to speak in a terrible battle long before she had become a part of the village. The woman continued on her way, clearly making her way towards the main dining hall that was one of the focal points of the buildings curving around the town center.

Before she could decide whether to try to squeeze in some time working with the echoflower cavern before dinner or not, she felt the slightest tell of the shifting of air behind her and immediately ducked.

She sprang up and turned around just as quickly, a crafty grin on her face as she looked up at her sister, who was pulling a wing back from having almost playfully bowled her over with a sweep of it.

"C'mon Jo, I just grew these leaves," she said and laughed, shaking her head with a fluff of her leaf-comprised hair to free it from the tangle of her horns. "Not all of us can have moss-soft fur that looks flawless when you wake up like some people.” She perked then, stepping slightly to the side as her hands shifted. “But hey, whaddya think-?"

She gestured behind her to the cherry blossoms in full bloom, a few petals drifting serenely from its branches. The sparkle to the green of her eyes' focus was bright, her excitement to reveal one of her sister's favorite trees poorly, if at all, hidden.

Jo just snorted at her sister’s antics and glanced up at the tree in question. She admired it for a moment with a half-smile lighting her pale features. Cherry trees really were her favorite. They seemed to breathe serenity into the very air around them, and the carpet of pink petals they left behind always brought back fond memories of outings to the park at the heart of the capital. Nox was too young to remember them, but despite the sorry end their family had met, Jo treasured the memory of those happy days before things had gone to hell.

The monster turned back to her little sister and quirked a brow, smile widening enough to flash a few of the longer fangs in her double-hinged jaw. “You been in the anime again or something?”

Nox made an offended noise and swatted at Jo, who fended it off with the deft sweep of a wing and a merry laugh. “It’s very pretty!” the older monster said when her sister made to hit her again, only to relent at the admission.

“Damn right!” the tree monster grumbled, making Jo chuckle again.

“C’mon, let’s hit up the dining hall and see what’s for dinner.”

((Excerpt written collaboratively by @jolie-in-the-underground and @nighttimepixels ))

#swapfell: haven #haven archive #excerpts from haven

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