May 13, 2022

Melody lays on the grass, looking at the lilies that grew from her tears.

Ociela rolls out of the tree she was hiding in. “Honk.”

"Honk!!" Melody responds.

Ociela stands up. "You.”

"Me?"

Honk wanders over to Melody and pulls a clown nose out of their pocket. "You." She puts it on Melody's nose.

Melody giggles and pokes it. "Heheheheheh-”

It honks!

Melody giggles more. "I think... I'm not supposed to trust you..."

"Makes sense, I put you into mortal danger that one time, wouldn't blame you,” Ociela says.

"I tried healing Spider and it happened again.... she almost ate me..." Melody says.

"Shit. My fault," Ociela sighs, sitting down. "... you try healing her? Not Spider, I mean Sondar"

"What? The monster?"

"Yeah. She's Impure. Pretty sure she'd change her attitude if you healed her." Ociela says.

"Really? I can try- what if it doesn't work?"

"Then run like your life depends on it, because it probably does!" She honks.

"True!" Melody honks her own nose and smiles. "You're silly.”

"You're pretty silly too," Ociela smiles, honking theirs back.

"Really!"

"Yeah!"

"Hehehehe," Melody giggles. "Why are you here?" She asks curiously.

"Had a delivery to make," a clipboard appears in her hands with a puff of purple smoke and confetti, "Two Morbius t-shirts!"

Melody giggles. "That's so fun!"

"You think so? I can do lots of cool, fun things.” Ociela says.

"Like what?!"

"Liiiiiiike..." She stands up, and some bowling pins appear! She starts juggling them for Melody

"WOAHHH THAT'S SO COOL!!"

"Yeah?" The pins fall back into place on the ground and vanish in a puff of purple smoke.

"Woah!!" Melody exclaims.

"I'm super cool.”

"You are!! What else can you do?" Melody asks.

A balloon appears! Ociela hands it to Melody

Melody's eyes widen as she takes it. "What is this!!"

"A balloon! Keep it close and don't let go, but don't hug it too tight or let it catch onto anything sharp, it'll pop. Actually..." She takes the string and ties it gently around Melody's wrist. “There we go!"

"Okie!!" Melody giggles, looking up at it. "So cool!!"

"Glad you like it!" Ociela smiles, sitting back down next to Melody.

Melody yawns and lays her head on Ociela.

"You sleepy?"

Melody nods.

"You can fall asleep. I'll watch over you.” Ociela assures her.

"Okie!" Melody soon does, laying on Ociela.

Ociela pulls out honks phone and tries to connect back to the Catacombis Instagram. She’s successful.

---

A few hours later, Melody stirs, yawning.

Ociela looks down at her, petting her a lil bit.

Melody purrs. "You're so nice..."

"Uhh. Thanks-"

Melody nuzzles honk.

Ociela holds Melody, petting her. She stares into the distance, slightly dazed.

"Are u okay?" Melody asks.

Ociela smiles, looking back at Melody. "Yeah, just remembering something. Don't worry your pretty lil head about me."

"Okie, what are you remembering?" Melody asks.

"An old friend, I guess. Don't exactly know what to call her."

"What's her name?"

"...Lupine."

"That's a pretty name!"

"Heh, yeah, she's definitely very pretty," Ociela says.

"Really!! I'd love to meet her!"

Ociela smiles with a chuckle, a tear running down her face. "Maybe one day. You'd love her."

"Yeah?!" Melody asks, looking up and gently wiping the tear. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, just the wind blowing on my eyes," Ociela smiles.

"Okie! You're so comfy...."

"Aw, thanks! You're a good hugger." Ociela says.

"Hehe, really!!"

"Yeah!"

Melody giggles and nuzzles her more. "I should go home probably..."

"If you wanna. We've been hanging out for a bit now, lol."

"True..." Melody nuzzles.

"Want me to take you home?"

"I suppose..."

Ociela stands up, helping Melody get up.

Melody gets up with her.

Ociela holds Melody's hand and starts walking to Harmonia's house!

---

Ociela and Melody step into the backyard.

Ociela, now with her MTF armor off, is a 6'5 (not including horns) clown with shoulder-length black hair and long, glowing purple horns that are slightly curved inwards.

She's wearing a baggy lavender t-shirt with her bra strap visible on one shoulder. She's also got some black and purple polka-dotted leggings and black boots.

Melody boops her before starting to head inside.

"Bye now," Ociela vanishes in a puff of purple smoke.

"Bye!!" Melody smiles.

Lock steps out of the house with a bottle of lemon juice. "Melody!"

Melody steps back. "What?"

"Melody, buddypalfriend! We started off on the wrong foot" Lock takes a step forward.

Melody steps back. "H-how so?"

Cerberus watches.

Lock holds out a hand "I just wanted to say I'm sorry for how I acted that other time and I will strive for better behavior from now on!"

"B-but the last two times you took my hand you hurt me...."

"Come onnnn, you wouldn't leave a pal hangin would ya?" Lock asks.

"I don't trust you..." Melody steps back from her.

"Why would you think that? I am your friend!" Lock reaches to grab her by the wrist.

It works and Melody squeaks fearfully.

Lock goes to pull her face-first into the ground.

It works and Melody screams.

Lock puts one foot on her back and grabs Melody’s wrist with both hands and starts pulling.

Melody screams in pain, trying to squirm.

Lock pulls as hard as she can trying to dislocate it. Her wrist dislocates and Melody screams more, crying.

A large paw now swats at Lock, in the direction of the house.

Lock lets go as she gets hit and tumbles.

Melody tries to crawl away, sobbing her eyes out.

Melody is picked up by the jaws of one of Cerberus’s heads, gently.

Her wrist dangles as she sobs.

Lock scrambles to her feet and looks over. "The fuck are you?"

A head nuzzles Melody, the main head peering at Lock. "Cerberus."

"So what’re your thoughts on violence?" Lock giggles some.

Melody is safe in dog jaws but is still sobbing in pain.

"Invigorating." Replies Cerberus.

"What you say we do a little bit of violence, ya know, for the fun of it hehe." Lock nods toward Melody.

Luna and Knight appear! "Yo Lock. What the fuck."

Knight walks over to Melody. Cerberus lowers Melody and Knight heals her.

Melody thanks Knight then clings to Cerberus, sobbing into him.

"Thank you, Cerberus for protecting her," Luna says.

"Cool thanks bud.” Lock starts walking to Melody.

Melody is clinging to Cerberus. "Get away from me!" She yells at Lock.

"Heyheyhey relaaaxxx I just wanna have a little fun.” Lock smiles with a hint of a snarl.

"Don't touch me!" Melody exclaims.

Luna watches from afar.

Knight falls onto the ground and passes out.

Lock walks closer to Melody with a hand out. “Come onnnnn, we can just hang out for a little bit~”

Melody shakes her head, crying and hiding behind Cerberus. "You'll hurt me-"

Cerb lifts Melody so she can be on top of one of the heads.

She clings to his head!

The sky begins to grow darker, as does the darkness from the woods. Lock feels a familiar feeling. Two glowing, swirly orange eyes can be seen in the distance.

Maiden appears in a burst of Hellfire as she holds a sword up to Lock's neck

Luna pulls out her sword and watches Maiden closely.

“Ehhehehehhahahahha you think I'm scared of that???" Lock laughs at Maiden.

Maiden grins and tries to strike diligently at Lock’s heart.

Asphodel tilts her head. A little jealous. She runs over to Lock, most of her body still coated in shadow. Maiden feels unsafe. Fear flows through her bones.

"𝕎𝕙𝕪 𝕕𝕠𝕟'𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕘𝕖𝕥 𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕝𝕖𝕥 𝕞𝕖 𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕕𝕝𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤, 𝕤𝕦𝕟𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕖."

Lock brings her arm up to deflect it as they can hear the fabric on the fake arm tear and the scraping of metal.

Maiden looks to Asphodel. "I'm good sweet cheeks.” Maiden looks to Lock. "What a coward you are, hiding your wounds. COME ON! Show them out and proud!" Maiden strikes again trying to cut off the arm.

There's a flash of green distortion as Spider appears, she stands near the porch, watching the fight.

The arm is on tight as Lock steps back. "We have nothing but egomaniacs here, huh?"

Asphodel attempts to just kinda knock Lock over to the side of the yard with her paw.

Lock gets hit by the paw and tumbles but gets to her feet again and starts to giggle.

Maiden looks over to Lock. "Well you hurt poor sweet Melody here and I can't have that happing, no no NO! WE CAN'T HAVE THAT HAPPENING NOW CAN WE?!" Maiden slashes violently at Lock.

Cole lands in front of Maiden's slash while covered in a thick cloud of smoke.

Asphodel knocks Maiden down and stares at her. Asphodel is around 30' rn? She's sitting down, too. "𝕎𝕙𝕠 𝕕𝕠 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕜 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕒𝕣𝕖? 𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕟𝕠 𝕓𝕦𝕤𝕚𝕟𝕖𝕤𝕤 𝕓𝕖𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖. 𝕀'𝕧𝕖 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕦𝕡 𝕠𝕟 𝕨𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦'𝕧𝕖 𝕕𝕠𝕟𝕖, 𝕓𝕖𝕥𝕣𝕒𝕪𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕗𝕒𝕞𝕚𝕝𝕪. 𝕀 𝕞𝕒𝕪 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕓𝕖𝕖𝕟 𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖 𝕧𝕖𝕣𝕪 𝕝𝕠𝕟𝕘, 𝕓𝕦𝕥 𝕀 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕫𝕖𝕣𝕠 𝕥𝕠𝕝𝕖𝕣𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕖 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕤 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕔𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕪." She leans over Maiden, her eyes swirling.

Cerberus is just watching.

"Is this who you're dating Spider? Not gonna lie, kinda hot." Luna chuckles.

Melody is also watching and clinging to Cerberus’s head.

"Is this who you're dating Spider? Not gonna lie, kinda hot." Luna chuckles.

“No comment.” Spider chuckles.

"Fine fine fine! Be like that! I'll just... go." Maiden looks at Melody, and snaps as she disappears into hellfire.

The smoke falls away from Cole, revealing that he has grown to 8ft tall and his green and black corruption tissue has returned to his left arm and left side of his face as his bone wings unfurl, his metal wings form from his jacket, placed beneath his bone wings. Then his frost wings form beneath the metal wings, and black smoke wings form beneath the frost wings as he sighs angrily.

Melody looks back and wipes her eyes as Maiden disappears.

Asphodel retreats into the darkness, which begins to fade. Asphodel walks back out of the woods in her normal form.

Knight is just passed out on the ground.

Melody is staring at Lock fearfully.

Cole's voice is deep and gravely almost sounding exactly like Death as he growls. "I can fucking smell her retched soul for miles.”

Asphodel walks over to Melody with her arms out. "C'mere baby girl.”

"Are you sure that's not B.O., Cole?" Luna jokes.

The head with Melody is lowered towards Asphodel.

"I'm positive, i can fucking smell tyrants for miles,” Cole says.

Melody pats Cerberus’s head again before going and hugging Asphodel.

"Can we have fun now?" Lock asks.

"What would like to do Lock?" Luna asks.

Asphodel picks up Melody, putting her on her back in a fireman carry.

Chris comes out to the patio and watches the proceedings.

Cole snaps and Lock's arm appears next to Lock as he leans down and growls. “Put your goddamn arm on, Lock."

Melody pokes Asphodel.

"Wanna go inside, darling?" Asphodel asks, patting Mel's back.

Melody nods, watching Lock.

Asphodel carries Melody inside,

“Sureee." Lock picks her arm up and puts it on and giggles. "Happy??"

Cole tries to press the on button on the arm.

Lock pulls her arm away. "Slow your roll there, buckaroo.”

Luna continues to watch in silence.

Cole backhands Lock with a growl that radiates anger and tries to turn the arm on again.

Lock gets hit and puts a hand to her face as the watch says it's booting up and may take a moment.

Cole leans in close to Lock and whispers, “You will fucking listen to me next time I say that something is a bad idea, got it?"

"You think this was a bad idea?" Lock still has a smug smile "What was a bad idea was trusting your ass to not see that this arm is a bad thing. You think I like being locked away by this thing. Having emotion suppressed in favor of good behavior. Hypocrite.”

Drew appears in the gazebo, just observing.

Cole closes his eyes and exhales angrily. "Lock before you go running your mouth about suppressing emotions why don't you fucking think about who you're talking to. If I could turn Max off like you turn your arm off, ohh there would be a lot fewer problems in this fucking group."

"Then why are you over here saying I have to keep my arm on when you know for yourself how much better I could be?" Lock asks.

"Because I know that when that arm is off people get hurt. When my suppression is off people get hurt, it's for our and the group's safety.” Cole is still leaning in close angrily breathing.

Drew starts munching a tin of caramel and cheddar popcorn.

“…kick their ass……” Knight mumbles while asleep.

"And what about when it's on? What do you think is happening then? It sure as fuck isn't no one gett...g..." The arm powers on as Lock shakes her head.

"I prefer when you’re silent," Cole growls and leans away from Lock.

Drew gets a slight whiff of white cheddar popcorn for a brief moment.

"Heh?" Lock looks over at Cole.

Drew shrugs and keeps munching.

“Don't worry about it.” Cole snarls and leans against the house.

"Are we having a party?" Lock looks around at everyone outside.

"Maybe, maybe not. Are you done with your senseless violence?"

"My what now?" Lock asks.

"Uhhhh you attacked Melody again," Luna says.

“She won't remember.” Spider sighs.

"Right. What a pain." Luna says.

Cole rolls his eyes and inspects his left arm as the rest of his skin returns to normal.

Chris heads back inside.

“Damn. I was really hoping to fight something." Luna mutters and sighs.

Cole disappears leaving a small pool of boiling tar.

Luna notices the black whatever the fuck that's boiling. "What?"

“That's new.” Spider comments.

"Indeed. Normally he leaves poppies." Luna says.

Lock is already distracted and is playing with the zipper on her jacket.

"What's with your zipper Lock? I noticed you keep messing with it..." Luna says.

“Hm? Oh, it’s just fun, look." Lock zips it over and over.

"Oh ok." Luna does the same with her jacket. Up and down and up and down.

Spider sighs and disappears.

"Have a good ni-- i wish you would let me say goodnight for once." Luna complains.