STORY

STORY

LONELINESS RETURNS
[An Open Door - Slay the Princess]
People passed Lulove by as she curled up on the floor of the village. She shivered as if cold, but even when a kindly person wrapped a blanket around her, she did not stop.
"She was fine just yesterday, and then it was like the world collapsed on her." One passerby says.
Following the fight, both they and Rat_king didn't hesitate to go looking for LuLove. After camping down for a day and tending to burns and wounds, they decided to go looking for their Dragonkin friend after skulking around into a village.
It was a relief to finally remember her name.
RUM
2025-10-28 17:49:26
RUM Profile
Posted by ID #39
Last edit: 2025-10-28 17:49:48
Finally making their way through and asking nearby villagers, they paused as the passerby commented on it.
They turned their head towards 'King before truly approaching and gave a worried look. "There she is, and by gods does she... she looks like a mess."
Rat_King gives a solumn nod. "Certainly seen better days, aye. Though so have we." He clenches his fist slightly, feeling the creeping wood of the infection in his body stretch and ache.
"Best not to keep her waiting though." He carefully approaches LuLove, crouching down by the dragonkin's curled form, gesturing for Rum to follow suit.
Lulove
2025-10-28 17:54:50
Lulove Profile
Posted by ID #276
Last edit: 2025-11-17 12:53:58
Lulove, spotting her friends, grabs the leg of the Rat_King. She pleads to him. "I felt fine! I felt....free! I forgot that Raloud was dead, I forgot the pain of my dragon, I forgot that Comet was murdered!"
Rum gently walks forward and kneels as she speaks.
"And then......and then suddenly I remembered EVERYTHING again. I felt like I could take it but....."
"I don't think I can! It feels like my mind is on fire! Why did this all happen to me?"
They place a hand on her shoulder and gently squeeze as she lets her emotions out. "Lu, breathe. Breathe. Give yourself a moment."
Rat_King
2025-10-28 17:58:25
Rat_King Profile
Posted by ID #276
Last edit: 2025-11-17 12:58:33
Rat_King recoils slightly at the grasp at his leg, a sinking pit gnawing at his insides, knowing her renewed grief and remembrance was in part due to her regaining her name once more. A feat that both of them had accomplished.
Rat_King
2025-10-28 18:03:05
Rat_King Profile
Posted by ID #12
Last edit: 2025-10-28 18:03:34
He holds still, daring not to deny Lulove at least some small comfort in this moment as she clings to him. "We can recount what has happened in your absence, but yes. Please, do take a moment to breathe if you can..."
RUM
2025-10-28 18:04:51
RUM Profile
Posted by ID #39
Last edit: 2025-10-28 18:05:26
"We promised we'd be here for you as much as we can be. We're here now, you have us to cry on, yeah?" Her hand rubs gently against Lu's back.
Lulove pulls on her own horns, as if she could gain any relief from doing so. "I just don't get it! I remember being so angry about everything, but then I left that weird lab and I felt.....free?"
"And for a day, everything was great compared to this last month, but that dream got taken away from me! I only had a day where I could forget all my worries."
"When I could forget how lonely I was...."
Seizing Bird
2025-10-28 18:13:08
Seizing Bird Profile
Posted by ID #2
Last edit: 2025-10-28 18:33:51
A group of seizing birds eat from trash left out. One squawks at the group, feeling more like a laugh than a bird call.
Rat_King's eyes shoot daggers in the bird's direction, as if it would know his intentions, before turning his focus back to LuLove.
"Well," Rum sighs, glaring at the seizing bird. "Would you like to know the truth of what happened?"
"-and, I'll say this, just for once, before I say anything else. I've had to face the past of the awful shit I did before I was who I was. Those sins are on my back every day. But I have 'king. I got you, I got other idiots we meet and pets that we gather on these blessed journeys."
RUM
2025-10-28 18:20:20
RUM Profile
Posted by ID #276
Last edit: 2025-11-17 13:01:49
"I'm not going to tell you that you need to move on past it. But evolve from it, in a way, you know? It's not easy. It sure as fuck isn't and wasn't easy for me either."
"Just know there's others around you, yeah?"
"I....get what you're saying but....."
Lulove
2025-10-28 18:22:46
Lulove Profile
Posted by ID #276
Last edit: 2025-11-17 13:01:22
"You're you! I'm a dragonkin without a dragon! I'll continue falling apart! I'm....I'm going to hurt people if I stay, but..."
"I feel too weak. Dragonkins get their powers from their dragon. It's why they need to stay close to them, but, while the screaming in my head has stopped, it's been replaced by something worse. A whimper."
"I think the drakkens are killing my dragon, and....and when that happens, I'll be dead too!"
Rat_King
2025-10-28 18:26:12
Rat_King Profile
Posted by ID #276
Last edit: 2025-11-17 13:01:59
"...My condolences for your dragon. I can only hope it does not suffer much under their watchful eye."
Rat_King
2025-10-28 18:28:53
Rat_King Profile
Posted by ID #12
Last edit: 2025-10-28 18:29:28
Rat_King kneels slightly, getting a little bit closer to Lulove's height as best as he can. "My... apologizes if my asking seems cold, but is there anyway to survive under another dragon, or similar creature? Or are you bound to yours til death?"
Rat_King
2025-10-28 18:30:37
Rat_King Profile
Posted by ID #276
Last edit: 2025-11-17 13:03:11
"If the Drakkens are truly killing your dragon, I would hope to at least see to it that you might live as well, but I know not what that would mean to you besides further heartbreak.."
"What am I supposed to do? Forget about my dragon?! A dragonkin is bonded to their dragon, and nothing can break that bond!" Lulove snaps.
The bird flutters to the top of a shack to look down at the trio. "I am sure you regret your actions now. Squawk!"
"I'm going to strangle that fucking bird..." She hisses.
"The fey of loneliness preys on those who are lonely. Stealing the loneliness all for himself! Only he can feel terrible in this world!"
The bird shifts into the form of Lumii. "You've given your friend her memories back, but also her pain!"
"I stole all of her connections! She had a fresh start ahead of her to find a new dragon, a new lover, a new friend!"
"But you've given it all back to her!"
"Mind you....I didn't do this from the kindness of my heart...."
"But it worked out for the better. Well, until you wanted her name back."
RUM
2025-10-28 18:38:11
RUM Profile
Posted by ID #276
Last edit: 2025-11-17 13:04:30
"You twist your fucking words! We beat your ass and gave her name back because she's our friend, Fey of loneliness!"
"She won't be your friend for long. It's those connections to her past that rip her apart. The loneliness that eats at her."
"I have freed many from their loneliness. Freed to be new, better people without the past dragging them by."
Lumii
2025-10-28 18:40:20
Lumii Profile
Posted by ID #2
Last edit: 2025-10-28 18:40:50
"It is the way of the fey to leave pain in the grave."
"Is that why I....felt free for that day?"
"It is."
RUM
2025-10-28 18:41:09
RUM Profile
Posted by ID #276
Last edit: 2025-11-17 13:05:24
"We can't run from our fucking PAST. I want to help her be better as a person as she was and is. Something you won't understand."
"Your name was taken from you, and we had fought to reclaim it on your behalf."
"NO! DON'T LISTEN TO HER! I DON'T WANT MY NAME. PLEASE TAKE IT. I AM LULOVE. PLEASE TAKE THIS NAME AWAY FROM ME!"
"Lu. Please."
"I can't see anyway out. I felt amazing when I lost my name. I don't want to remember everything that happened. I just want to be happy like I used to be. Before I realized the universe was so fucked up...."
"Oh, I would love to take your name......"
"But a fey cannot take a name it has given back, those are the rules. Those who do so risk falling into decay."
"Oh, but don't think I only came here to rub this into your face....."
Rat_King
2025-10-28 18:44:40
Rat_King Profile
Posted by ID #12
Last edit: 2025-10-28 18:45:07
"Sure feels like it." He interjects, dryly.
"I mean, maybe a little, but that's the evil part of my brain, the impulsive side that thinks that. We all have such terrible thoughts sometimes."
Lumii
2025-10-28 18:46:41
Lumii Profile
Posted by ID #276
Last edit: 2025-11-17 13:07:05
"I am only here to tell you there are surely a few feys who might take your name. Granted, if they see your history, maybe they'd reject it, so try to hide that your name has so many burdens, you know? Walk into the woods and prance and smile, and you'll trick a fey to take such an awful name."
"Where other feys reject a name, the fey of loneliness claims them!"
"-and unfortunately for you, I reject loneliness because it is what I CHOOSE to reject."
"You should do the same, Lu."
RUM
2025-10-28 18:49:41
RUM Profile
Posted by ID #276
Last edit: 2025-11-17 13:07:33
"We did what we did because we love you as a friend. It won't come without consequences, and I'm sorry for the headache it caused, but I want you to grow from this."
"Rum. Listen to me. I. CANNOT. REJECT. LONELINESS. Maybe you can but I CAN'T! I was BORN to be attached to my dragon and that cannot just pretend it doesn't affect me!"
Lulove
2025-10-28 18:51:40
Lulove Profile
Posted by ID #276
Last edit: 2025-11-17 13:08:06
"Just.....SHUT UP PLEASE! I'm NEVER going to GROW. I'm....going to die alongside my dragon. It's the dragonkin way. If I could choose not to die, I would! I saw this monster in the woods, and I just wanted to be killed by it, and I only survived because I realized I actually wanted to live. I WANT to survive, but I CAN'T if my dragon is dying! It won't be able to feed me power, and then I'm just going to fall apart."
"If I find a fey to take my name, maybe I can attach to another dragon."
"I don't blame you guys for getting my name back, especially from this ANIMAL that killed Comet."
"But I worry that forgetting is going to be the only way to be free."
Rat_King glances between the Fey of Loneliness and LuLove.
Rat_King
2025-10-28 18:55:42
Rat_King Profile
Posted by ID #276
Last edit: 2025-11-17 13:08:27
"...Are you certain it is the only way for you to live?"
"Unless you're going to storm the Drakken castle and get my dragon back, this is the only way!"
"Sorry for snapping at you."
"And I apologize for bringing those painful memories back to the surface for you."
RUM
2025-10-28 18:57:19
RUM Profile
Posted by ID #276
Last edit: 2025-11-17 13:09:34
Rum nods to Rat_King. "And I'm sorry for being insensitive towards you, I just... I hate that motherfucker." Their gaze goes towards the fey, and back at Lu.
"But I don't want you guys to do that. You'll die, and then I'll have to die knowing I caused two people who have done nothing but look out for me to die as well. Just like...Raloud....."
"Glad we can all agree the Fey of Loneliness is a piece of shit at least. Point or no point to be made." He chuckles awkwardly, as if it would do anything to relieve the tension.
Rat_King
2025-10-28 18:59:49
Rat_King Profile
Posted by ID #12
Last edit: 2025-10-28 19:00:07
"If only we could accomplish more...but I would not wish to burden that upon you either."
"It's, hah - it's tricky, for sure. Fuckin' vampwelfs." She takes a deep breath herself, trying to fight the urge to slaughter the fey that only kicked up the dust. "We can... see if we can find something, anything. But, uh..."
"Before we ponder on solutions, uh...It's not... much, but it's something, we wanted to give you this little guy we found on our travels. In our absence. Kinda looks like... a duck dragon, reminded us of you. Just something to help protect you." Rum briefly wanders off, and comes back quickly with said 'duck dragon'.
"Oh this is a draufganser!"
"IT'S UH, ACTUALLY A FALSE DRAGON THAT LEADS PEOPLE AWAY FROM DRAGONS, AND REMOVES THEIR FEAR OF THE DRAGON SO THEY CAN WEAKEN THE DRAGON ENOUGH TO KILL AND EAT IT."
"But I understand the sentiment. I wish my attachment to my dragon was fear based.....then a draufganser would have eaten my fear and taken me away...."
"WAIT WHAT? Shit, shit, I'm so sorry!"
"Did you know? If a draufganser eats a dragon, it becomes a dragon!"
"SHUT UP!"
"Wait say that again."
"I don't know if I want to anymore."
"Okay, actually, on second thought - uh, I'll take it back-!" Rum swoops up the duck and holds it.
Rat_King
2025-10-28 19:14:28
Rat_King Profile
Posted by ID #276
Last edit: 2025-11-17 13:10:56
"...Wouldn't your dragon being eaten kill you? Or does the draufganser become a dragon before you would die?"
"If you're trying to pull another trick on us, Fey of Loneliness, I would advise against it."
"You know what? I'm done being insulted."
"I rather be alone than feel unwelcomed!"
"Find your own fey of tips!" Lumii opens his wings and flies away.
".................Give me the draufganser. It might hate me, but you never know. It could come in handy."
Rum stares at the draufganser and looks back at Lulove. "Are... are you sure? I don't want you hurt."
Rat_King turns to Rum. "Your call. Wasn't my duck anyways, but if she wants it, I don't see why not to proceed with the gift giving."
"Things can't get worse. I hope."
"Even if it's not a real dragon, it'd be nice to die with something like a dragon....."
"Who knows, maybe a dragon of spiders might crawl out of a wall and it'll eat it!"
"Sadly I don't think a dragon can take over another dragon's dragonkin unless it's a REALLY powerful dragon....."
"I'll put it down and see if it'll try to bite you first, before anything." Rum SLOWLY puts it down, hand ready to grab it by its neck like an unruly goose...just in case.
The draufganser quacks but doesn't bite Lulove.
"On one hand, it's sad that my power from my dragon is so low that it doesn't even recognize me as an enemy....but, I guess it's ok. It's nice to have something to care about."
Lulove flips a 2 sided coin. A 1 is flipped.
The draufganser suddenly springs into action, taking away Lulove's blanket before snapping at her arms.
Lulove
2025-10-28 19:31:23
Lulove Profile
Posted by ID #276
Last edit: 2025-11-17 13:27:26
"OUCH OUCH OUCH!" Lulove is too weak to flee very far. As she drags herself across the floor, the draufganser runs circles around her, honking and hissing.
Rum IMMEDIATELY tries to rustle the goose back, and looks towards Ratking for assistance "OKAY, okay, fucking abyss- Guess you're more powerful than you think Lu!"
"Friends....I'm starting to think I'm the unluckiest person in the universe right now."
Rat_King
2025-10-28 19:32:56
Rat_King Profile
Posted by ID #12
Last edit: 2025-10-28 19:33:11
"Sorry about the draufganser..." Rat_King lends Rum a hand in wrangling an unruly duck.
"I wouldn't take it as a bad sign, annoying as fuck- AUGH--But it at least means, maybe, you still have power--OW-"
"Or it just means your duck won't stop biting our FRESHLY BURNED HANDS!"
RUM
2025-10-28 19:36:07
RUM Profile
Posted by ID #39
Last edit: 2025-10-28 19:36:28
"I JUST fed him, man! This is an act of VIOLENCE!" She starts laughing a bit.
Lulove leans against a building. She's about to complain once again, but stops- "Burned hands? Oh...I...didn't notice you guys were so hurt. I've been thinking about myself so much I.....Did you guys get hurt trying to get my name back?"
The comment gives Rat_King pause amongst the goose wrangling, though between the two of them, they eventually retain the menace.
Rat_King
2025-10-28 19:41:28
Rat_King Profile
Posted by ID #276
Last edit: 2025-11-17 13:28:14
"...Just a bit of flames. Nothing that won't heal with time." It's clear he is undercutting the severity of their wounds, and the wood that threatens to break the surface, but he does not wish to burden LuLove further.
Rat_King
2025-10-28 19:42:18
Rat_King Profile
Posted by ID #12
Last edit: 2025-10-28 19:44:35
"At least they cauterized the points of entry from the lonely fey's weapon."
Rum chuckles lightly. "What he said. Needless to say, we've been banned from the woods - not that we planned going back anyways."
"I hate the fey."
"...Well, just HIM, at least."
RUM
2025-10-28 19:46:06
RUM Profile
Posted by ID #276
Last edit: 2025-11-17 13:28:39
"But, ah, um, nothing that won't heal in time. Just a pain in the ass." She gives a small smile.
Lulove gives a rare smile. "I want to tell you guys, thank you for getting my name back. While I might not want it anymore, I think it's nice knowing that people out there care for me."
Rat_King gives a rare smile back. "It's the least we can do for a friend."
"Hey. It's what friends do. I said I'd fucking fight someone for you, and we did. And won. I love you as a friend, for the few friends we do have in this shithole." Rum gives a very, very light mock punch.
"I'm sorry you folks went through so much trouble for me. I promise I want to survive...."
".....But I don't think that's going to happen unless a really big dragon comes around."
No one is typing.