[FRAG] House of Liars

"And I don't want you talking, okay? I'll handle Chrysis."

Morning Star nodded, smiling at Hour Star's narrowed eyes and near-snarl. Though it was tense, he knew the other meant no ill will. This was just deathly serious, and he understood that. Maybe it was naive (or stupid) of him to be so accepting, especially considering Hour's previous behavior...

...but he was just glad he had his sibling again, at all. Was there something really wrong with that?

Hour waved a hand in front of his face. "No, Morning Star, you don't get it. This is really important that you stay silent, got it?"

"Yes, I got it," he said, unable to pry the smile from his face. "You handle Chrysis."

Hour put his hands on his hips, narrowing his eyes briefly. For a split second, Morning Star feared that a scowl would emerge on the other's features, but his brother merely huffed and spun around, arms crossed as he continued down the path. He quickly set off after Hour, unable to fully keep the bounce out of his step. Granted, he knew it was likely annoying, but was it a crime to express his excitement? 

The way Hour Star was taking them was rather unfamiliar. Then again, as far as Morning Star was concerned, he didn't know of another settlement in AAA-100. When they'd teleported back in, documents tucked under Hour's arm, they'd instantly set off down the other side of the hill where their house was. Behind it had laid a massive forest, illuminated only dimly by tall lamp posts. The foliage was dense enough that the hill wasn't visible anymore, a mere memory.

Under their feet, the path was worn and tired, as if it weren't walked often. He could make out the remains of cobblestones, weathered by rain and sleet, grooves carved into their depths. Hour had been muttering about Chrysis and "Vaulis" ever since they'd set off on the path. Morning Star was perceptive enough to notice, at least, that apparently relations between the two cities were tense.

He remembered Chrysis. Not perfectly, and only faintly, but just enough. They'd dated Hour Star, right? He swore he remembered them at the house sometimes. But, he'd blocked out so much of his memory of home... it was a miracle the name even dredged anything out of his mind. If only he could recall some of their demeanor, or their attitude.

Hour seemed to detest them. And, well, if they had made an offshoot colony, he couldn't say he was surprised. He loved his brother, sure, but Hour was... well, he had a few control issues. Morning Star internally winced. He hated admitting it, hating noticing others' flaws. If it helped his conscious, he didn't think any less of Hour for it. Everyone had a vice.

He stared at the back of Hour's head as they continued through the winding forest. Some animals skittered about, peeking at them from behind bushes and trees, shy and nervous. Morning Star tried to give them all a warm smile. He understood that feeling more than intimately.

But, surprisingly, he wasn't nervous right now. For whatever reason, the anxiety had faded. Honestly, he was glad - glad and terrified, at the same time, that he just needed to make one misstep and he'd fall back into the canyon of panic. A massive clock hung over his head, ticking away at the time he'd get free from his illness. For now, elation had stilled its hands. But how long would that last?

Would one snap from Hour be enough to send him careening over the edge? If this meeting went poorly and they had to slink home, would he slip and fall? Maybe it was all a trick, and his brain was just pretending he wasn't anxious, and he'd let off the blinders at the worst possible moment. 

It would probably do him good to not think about that.

"Hour?" he asked, suddenly grateful to hear his voice and not his thoughts for a split second.

Hour glanced over his shoulder, still warily. He hadn't fully let down his walls yet, but that was understandable. It would take time and care to polish up their relationship. Thank the stars that Hour had given him a chance.

"What... do you want to talk about what happened between you and Chrysis?"

Hour's eyes narrowed. "No."

"Alright..." Morning Star bit his lip. "But if you want to talk, I'm here. Okay?"

"Whatever," came the gruff reply, and Hour turned back around. "Look - you saw Trivea. My town. Bright, perfect, you know. Chrysis' town - Vaulis - it's not like that."

Morning Star nodded, then realized Hour couldn't see. He supplemented with "Oh?", trying not to duck his head in embarrassment. 

"Yeah. Vaulis is..." Hour paused to rub his chin, mulling over his words. "It's not bad, I guess. It's not like a dictatorship, or anything like that. And... Chrysis doesn't abuse his people or anything. Don't get the wrong idea. But it's not like Trivea. It's... well, I mean, look around us."

Morning Star obeyed, glancing at the sullen trees. Their dark purple leaves swayed slightly in the wind. It was, admittedly, haunting, dreary - though not in a way that was familiar to him. Most Frag-made forests tended towards Autumn colors, brilliant reds and oranges against deep browns. This seemed more... night-themed. He had no idea if it was day or not. 

"The atmosphere is totally different," Hour continued. "And its people are... well, they take themselves a little too seriously, for my tastes. I mean, they're not bad people. I'd totally take them back into Trivea if they wanted to come. But..." he sighed, "they want to be here. So we'd be at peace, you know, except...."

He fell silent. Only the crunching of leaves underfoot filled the silence.

"Except?" Morning Star prompted, after a few minutes.

Hour gave an aggressive shrug. "They're the ones who stage attacks. I don't know what they're pretending to do. Or what they think they'll accomplish. Is scaring Triveans really going to encourage tourism to their place?" he snorted. "Whatever. This is just to, like, give you an idea of how they act."

"They stage attacks on your town? Why?"

"Stupid, right? That's why all those guards were milling about. To protect from Vaulis attacks. They weren't prepared for Coalition lackeys, of course... but whatever. I don't know why they do it. I don't listen to the complaints of people attacking my town. I defend it."

Morning Star blinked. The image of Hour Star, on the frontlines of a battle, weapon in hands, splattered with blood, cuts scattered on his face and arms... it was unfamiliar. Despite his brothers' attitude, he had a similar fashion style to Morning Star - formal, with ties and high-collared dress shirts. Picturing Hour at war was... strange. 

But there were many things strange about his home, he had learned. It wasn't out of the question, and really, he was foolish for not trying to connect sooner. The face of the guard he'd healed rose in his head right, the echoed "That's Morning Star?" joining it. And, really, there was a lot about him that his home didn't know.

But maybe that could change. He'd sign the Timeline out of the Coalition, but that didn't mean he couldn't visit. It would be nice to visit, between Overseer duties. It would be nice to enjoy a change of pace, rebuilding bridges with his siblings, exploring the boundaries of the world he'd rejected for so long. For once, his home didn't feel like a sore thumb, a little mistake he had to hide when questioned.

To think, that a war had been raging in AAA-100 right under his nose. To think of the skirmishes that Hour and Neb must've both seen, maybe both participated in. Maybe he could help end this one, too. He had a penchant for peace and compromise. 

Morning Star picked up pace, flanking Hour. The other glanced at him as he spoke, "Have there been a lot of skirmishes?"

"Oh, yeah, you'd be surprised," Hour said. He spoke so casually. It was... reassuring. Like they were finally able to connect. "About one every month if we're unlucky during a year."

Year. Month. "You keep track of time?"

After a pause, Hour gave him a confused look. "Yes?"

They were inside of a Timeline. It flowed naturally here, giving them a chart to mark progress and innovation on. Considering that few people of the Timeline ever left, he wondered if they thought unmoving time was a novelty. Picture that: a Fragment confused by timelessness.

"Oh, I suppose that makes sense," Morning Star muttered. "We don't have time in the Coalition."

"How do you guys keep track of anything? Meetings?"

Morning Star gave a smile and a shrug. "You guess! There's usually enough ambient magic that you both happen to show up at the right place and the right time, at least."

Hour rolled his eyes, but there was no exasperation. "See, no wonder the place gave me the creeps. I had no idea how long I was stuck in that hotel. It felt like a week, but Chrysis said I was gone a month. A month!"

"Yeah, time can behave very strangely," Morning Star said, chipper, "You have to be careful not to show up earlier in a Timeline than your previous manifestation."

"...You mean I could've shown up.... earlier than I left?" Hour asked, brow furrowing.

Morning Star smiled. "Sometimes you can! But generally you kind of have to be thinking you want to go back in time to achieve it. Otherwise you pop in at the... "right" time. It's hard to explain. A lot of it is intuition."

"I don't think my head can wrap around that weird shit."

"It took me a while to get it, honestly! It's complex and weird." Morning Star let out a little laugh. It felt good, to be laughing along with his sibling.

Hour cracked a weak smile. "Yeah, I guess that's why you're the Coalition lapdog and I'm in here, huh?"

"I suppose so!" Morning Star smiled. "I think I'd like to visit. Not too often, not often enough to annoy you - and not as a Coalition representative, either. But as your brother... if that sounds okay with you? Like, to - you know. B-bond."

Hour paused to peer at the cobblestone for a few seconds. He gave a light, rolling shrug, before breaking another small smile. "Okay. But not TOO often. You and Neb have been gangin' up on me way too often. And I need some recoup time after... all this. I'll be happy to get a break."

"Of course!" Morning Star nodded. "I want to work with your schedule."

"Don't you have uh... Overseer duties or whatever?"

"Those are pretty easy to put on standby, I've learned." Morning Star hummed. "And people don't seem to mind if I bow out for a bit, considering...." he held out a hand. Primordial energy rose through his arm and rose in his palm, crackling purple.

"Right." Hour eyed it with apprehension. "Your weird gold-healing shit. I remember. It gives you privileges?"

"Sort of! It's more like... well, it's a Blessing. That means a Magnitude Fragment gave me a tiny little bit of their power. And they don't just hand it out willy-nilly - or, well, the one that Blessed me doesn't. H-he's only given it to one other person so far, so it's... been kinda a big deal. And people have been very, um, accommodating about it." despite the pride in his voice that he spoke with, Morning Star still ducked his head, as if that imitation of bragging was embarrassing.

Hour nodded. Some rush of excitement hit Morning Star again. His brother believed him. His brother trusted him. They'd finally gotten onto the right foot with one another. Thank the stars.

"Remind me again who the Magnitude Fragments are," Hour said. 

Morning Star smiled, lifting his head again. "Right! They're the most ancient beings in existence, basically. There's - um," he paused to count under his breath, "twenty-five. They're very very powerful, and they're as old as Genesis and Bereave themselves. They help watch over the world and protect it from dangers, and assist the Coalition sometimes. It's rare to meet one, though."

Though speaking of Bereave gave him pause. It was almost like a shot of fear directly into his heart, spreading throughout his body like the blood his veins carried. He still spoke of the god like Bereave was... alive. It was still haunting to think about, even though time had managed to soften the wounds. And he himself had played a part in that death.

Would he ever forgive himself for committing murder?

Hour gave a mild half-nod. "I think I remember you telling me about that creation myth."

"Right, yes," Morning Star said, adjusting his shoulders. Why was he thinking about that right now? Focus on spending time with his brother. They'd get Chrysis' signature and then leave. It'd be fine. Breathe.

"I still think it's a load of shit," Hour added, unhelpfully.

How strange, to think that someone could consider Bereave a fairy tale, when his blood was stained on Morning Star's hands. Magnotris hadn't exactly been a believer either, had he...? But Magnotris had gotten quite the rude awakening. Haha.

The fear had finally left his bones, at least. It wouldn't rule him, not tonight, when he was with his brother and on a mission. He wouldn't let silly anxieties and regrets pull him down, into immobility. His fear had ruled him when Bereave had died; and he hadn't the chance to interfere, to change the course of what Jubilee had been planning.

So he'd change. He'd try to cling to his good mood, and hopefully he could start making a proper difference. He could grow and change and be better, without that worry masking his determination. He'd be able to stop any other disasters from happening. And, that all began here, with Hour, as they trotted towards Vaulis together.

Talking. Like they were old friends. Like siblings. 

It was magical.

"Isn't this nice?" Morning Star suddenly asked, voice light.

"Huh?"

"Just talking," he continued, with a warm smile towards Hour. "Isn't it nice to just talk? Without getting angry at each other for once?"

Hour hummed. "I... I guess it is."

Morning Star beamed, shoulders lifting and ears perking up. He just couldn't help it. For once he felt centered, happy, like it all was going to be okay, no matter what. He knew that, of course, it wasn't always going to be okay, that things would eventually slip up. But it made him happy to think that, even for a little bit, it could be.

Wrought-iron gates cut off the forest ahead of them. The trees near them had been cleared away, ages-old stumps marking once-great trunks. The lampposts had become proper torches, small flames in dishes perched on long sticks. They flanked two towers that rose above the gates.

So they were here. This was Vaulis. Hour stopped short of the gates, glaring up at the towers, and Morning Star appropriately shifted to stand behind him. It'd be best if he followed his brother's lead.

There was a shuffle from the lookouts, and a Frag leaned over the edge of the railing. They squinted down at the duo, a crossbow clutched tightly in their hands. "Hour Star? State your purpose for being here."

Morning Star watched as Hour set his jaw and stance, as if bracing himself for being tackled. "I'm here to speak - to peaceably speak with Chrysis."

The guard glanced at their partner, in the other tower, before glaring back down to Hour. "Fat chance."

"This is important," Hour stated, through gritted teeth, carefully picking through his words. Morning Star knew enough of his anger to tell he was currently leashing it with all self-control he had. "It is regarding the future of our Timeline as a whole. I humbly request an audience with him."

After a few more seconds of narrowed glares, the guard leaned back. A burst of telepathy filled the air, but it was gone as quickly as it began. They leaned forwards, training their crossbow on Hour's chest. "Fine. Stay still, then, Mayor. He'll be at the gates."

Mayor. He spat the word like it was a slur. Morning Star's eyes flicked to Hour, who remained standing steadfast despite the slight shake in his knees. Triveans had seemed so happy that Hour was their mayor, fawning over the title, always bright smiles when he came around. What had happened, to cause such divisions in the populace? To make Vaulis hate Hour as intensely as Trivea loved him?

So much. It was like he'd been thrown into the middle of some sort of story, where he wasn't the main character anymore. There was an entire history's worth of drama, tension, and bad blood between these cities that he could only scratch at the surface of. Though curiosity burned, he knew better than to pry hard after everything he and Hour had just gone through.

And, really, he knew deeper - that the reason he wanted to pry was that he wanted to fix it. He wanted to be the therapist, he wanted to be the doctor. The person who could sweep in and make it all better... but this wasn't his rodeo. He didn't get to call the shots. He didn't get to dictate anything about these people, and if he tried, he'd be woefully misinterpreting the situation and imposing his own will and morals on it all.

So, he simply wouldn't. If they wanted his help, they'd ask for it, and he'd give it his all then. But until that came to pass - if it ever - he'd keep being a background character. It was a nice change of pace, anyways, being in the backseat for once. His life had been a roller coaster for far too long.

Footsteps announced Chrysis' arrival. Morning Star looked him up and down, frowning slightly. He was tall, for one - tall and orange, donning a formal suit. He certainly looked the part of a town leader, though he didn't have the mystical, magical quality most Overseers seemed to ooze. Everything seemed so much more grounded, in a Timeline. 

Chrysis paced up to the gate, frown deepening to a scowl as he fully registered Hour Star's presence. "Well, well. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Important decision-making, regarding my Timeline," Hour retorted. "Preferably discussed in private." he shot a hard look to the guards.

"Our Timeline," Chrysis corrected. 

Hour merely stared at him, gaze level, though his mouth was upturned in a near-snarl.

"But very well," Chrysis continued, crossing his arms over his lap. "Open the gates, please, Allmadia."

The guard disappeared from view for a few seconds. Silently, the gates cracked open, then slid outwards. Hour and Morning Star both paced back to allow it room to swing before heading into the town, Morning Star only a step behind his brother. As the iron closed behind them, he cast one final glance towards the forest. There was no going back now.

Vaulis' atmosphere seemed quiet, in stark contrast to Trivea's. Where Trivea had bustling roads full of residents, the fewer houses scattered in the community seemed to house almost the entire population, with a few peeking out of windows towards them. All the lights were on indoors, as far as Morning Star could see, lighting up the night with bright artificial lights. He tried to ignore the whispers of the residents - accusatory, fearful, confused.

The lampposts had returned, lining the main street - still made of cobblestone. Chrysis led them up it, towards a large building that seemed even more akin to a mansion than a town hall. Or, maybe, it was both? Two formally-dressed Frags in front of the entrance moved to pull the large doors open, and Chrysis ushered the other two in.

"First door on the left," he said, a little sharply. "Go no further."

Hour obeyed, still wordless. Morning Star reached forwards to put a comforting hand on the other's arm, letting his fingers ghost over. He didn't know what Hour was feeling at the moment, but he knew it couldn't be anywhere near positive. After a pause, Hour shot a look to Morning Star, mostly unreadable. He smiled back.

The room they entered was clearly an office, and a well-used one at that - with shelves lining the walls, covered in a mixture of paperwork and various knick-knacks, most carved wood or porcelain figurines. The chairs were well-worn, but still high-quality - likely velvet, if the texture was anything to go by. Morning Star slowly perched on one, feeling rather unsettled, like he was a collectable that didn't quite belong.

"So, Hour Star," Chrysis began, as he lowered himself into his own chair. "You have... quite the courage to show up to Vaulis unannounced. You're lucky it was Allmadia. Nervis would've shot you on sight."

"That's irrelevant," Hour said, hefting up the papers. 

Chrysis peered down the rims of his glasses at the stack. "What is that?"

"I plan to sign my - our Timeline out of the Coalition," Hour said, shaking the papers, "this is the paperwork for clearing the request."

"Oh?" Chrysis raised an eyebrow, but his tone was anything but questioning. 

Hour gave a jerked nod. "It requires the signatures of all "guardians" on-file to clear. That would be... myself, Morning Star, and... you."

"Oh, yes, I remember signing these," Chrysis loftily said, plucking the top sheet to peer at it. "So you are here to request my signature."

"Yes."

There was a long pause. Morning Star watched, blinking, as Chrysis scanned the document, eyes flicking over every paragraph so quickly. He wondered, briefly, what was going on in the other's head, what questions may have arisen. His eyes flicked to Hour. And how was his brother doing? Hour was tense, hands balled into fists in his lap, clutching the papers tightly enough to wrinkle. Not well, apparently.

He reached over to touch Hour's hand again. The other didn't react this time.

"I see," Chrysis continued, disapprovingly. "Well, I regret to inform you that I will not sign."

There was a long pause. Hour blinked, then tensed, baring his teeth in a snarl, "What."

"I will not sign."

"Why NOT? You always told me to keep Coalition noses out of our business!"

"You did not consult me before collecting this paperwork," Chrysis said, dropping the sheet back in Hour's lap. "You constantly make decisions for the Timeline without considering any citizen who doesn't belong to Trivea. And while I dislike the Coalition's meddling, I see no reason to back out of the arrangement entirely. After all-" his smile suddenly had far too many teeth, "-would they not send military assistance, Morning Star, if, say... a rebellion within the Timeline were to start?"

"You leave Morning Star out of this," Hour hissed, jumping to his feet.

Chrysis' stare bored into Morning Star, and he shrunk under its intensity. "I was speaking to your brother, Hour Star."

"T-technically yes, but it would require approval by an Overseer first," Morning Star rattled off, "a-and, well, I'm an Overseer, and I would investigate the situation first before sending in military...."

Chrysis peered down at him, gaze focused. "You are an Overseer now?"

"Y-yes...."

"I see." his eyes flicked to Hour's enraged expression, and he smiled. "Well, congratulations then. I'm glad to hear you're moving up in the Coalition ranks, Morning St-"

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?" Hour exploded, throwing his hands up, "you fucking two-faced, snotty bitch!"

Uh oh.

"Hour Star, whatever are you-"

"-So you'll shittalk Morning Star to me all the fucking time, but you'll act like you're all proud of him to his face?" Hour barked, jabbing a finger into the desk repeatedly, "what kind of fucking awful snake are you!?"

"A snake? I'm no snake, Hour Star." Chrysis placed a hand on his chest, in mock hurt. "If anyone in this room is a snake, it's you - slippery, slimy, and never willing to take responsibility for your actions."

Uh oh. Again.

Hour's expression had melted into pure, unadulterated rage. "You were the one who blamed me for everything gone wrong! You're the one who TOLD ME to keep Morning Star in line and out of our noses! YOU were the one who ALWAYS found fault in EVERYTHING I did!"

"Because you were WRONG," Chrysis shouted right back, suddenly incensed, "You never took responsibility for the mistakes you actually made, and you pushed them off on everyone else! And he was an easy scapegoat for you!"

"I didn't start blaming Morning Star until YOU decided he was at fault for everything! You planted the idea in my head! And it was easy to just agree with you so you wouldn't cuss me out for everything instead!"

"You said it yourself - if he hadn't left, we wouldn't be having these problems! And now look at where you are, begging for scraps right out of the Coalition's hands? You haven't changed at all - you're still the control-obsessed, bootlicking parasite that you always were!"

Morning Star lowered himself in the chair slightly, ears pinned back to his head.

"Morning Star, I will have you know-" Chrysis yelled, over whatever Hour was attempting to say, pointing accusatory at him, "-that your so-called brother is an abusive, selfish victimizer and I left him because he couldn't stand not having full control over me and my life!" 

Morning Star opened his mouth.

"Those are WILD accusations, coming from you!" Hour screamed back. "Did all the times you hit me not count as 'abuse'? What about all the insults you slung my way any chance you could get?"

"Retaliatory!" came the sharp retort, "A defense mechanism, caused by your constant meddling in my affairs, telling me who I could befriend, demanding to know where I was at all times, breaking me emotionally every time I denied one of your asinine rules, you control freak!"

Wow, he really didn't want to be here right now. Morning Star tapped his fingers together, suddenly unsure of what to say. He didn't have enough context to actually start giving compromises, and it almost didn't feel like his place, anyways. These two had history together - a failed romantic relationship, at that - and he was an awkward third wheel at the moment.

So what did he have? Well, experience. Magnotris.

"My rules are in place to keep people safe, and they certainly didn't justify you smacking me around like your personal punching bag! You could've treated me far better than you did!"

He could still clearly recall Magnotris' conversation with him, about Cynosure - about the abuse they'd both inflicted on each other, on the cycle they'd locked themselves into. But Magnotris had grown. He'd developed, he'd changed. He was determined to break the abuse. But that didn't lessen the fact that he had abused Cy, and Cy had abused him back. They had victimized each other. And who was anyone, to say one abused worse than the other?

"Stars hope that you treat Marion better, considering that they're far more than you deserve!"

From the snippets of the argument, he could fathom that it was something similar. The depth he couldn't fathom, but the degree he could try to understand - it sounded like a toxic dynamic, perpetuated between the two of them. Sickly and rotten, it had worn down both of them until they'd had no choice but break up. And then they seemingly had gone a step further, with Chrysis building his own community, free of the "rules" and abuse he associated with Hour Star.

In simpler terms: a mess.

"DON'T you dare bring Marion into this!"

And, inexplicably, an overwhelming sense of dread began to fill him. A horrible, churning miasma of sudden anxiety and terror, like lightning was crackling just above him and it had honed in on his body to strike. In the split second before impact, the weight of the world clung to his shoulders and whispered that he was going to die.

"Oh? Upset that I'm rightfully worried for their well-being? I reached out to them only a month after I'd left and they told me that you instructed them not to talk to me!" 

Morning Star blinked away the tears that had started to form. What the fuck? His anxiety never manifested like that. Granted, it particularly enjoyed rambling and screaming, tearing at the back of his mind like a rabid cat - but this deep-rooted, unsettled decay that had taken up residence in his chest was abruptly foreign. 

"Are you conveniently forgetting the time when YOU had hit them? They were nursing the slap mark for weeks! I told them to stay away from you for their own protection!" 

He glanced around the room, frowning abjectly. Chrysis' office was just as quiet and chic as ever, the various knick-knacks scattered about staring back harmlessly. Though he couldn't hear anything coming from Vaulis itself, he was sure it was fine - someone would've gotten Chrysis' attention if not, right? They'd get their mayor. What was wrong, then?

"Funny that you say that, considering that the only reason I got physical with them was trying to convince them that they were worth so much more than settling for you, you maggot!"

It was so hard to concentrate while the other two were bickering. The sensation hadn't faded, still overwhelmly choking Morning Star, but he just couldn't think over the arguing, the yelling. It made his head swirl, Chrysis and Hour's voices, both hissing insults and little jabs towards each other - jabs he had no context for, jabs he had no understanding of. It wasn't like he could make an assumption about either's character.

But he did need them both to shut up for, like, five minutes. 

"Hang on," Morning Star cut in, over the din of the argument. Neither of the two stopped bickering. "Hang on. Guys! HOUR!"

That was enough to wrench his brother from Chrysis' desk, swinging around in a blend of fury and frustration. "WHAT, MORNING STAR?"

Suddenly lashed by the other's anger, Morning Star couldn't help but flinch. He bit back the rise of panic and looked around the room nervously again. There was still nothing that would suggest anything was wrong, but the unsettlement hadn't left. "Do you... do either of you feel that?"

"Feel what?" Hour asked, exasperated. 

"Well..." that was a good question. "It's like, how your fur sometimes feels tingly during a thunderstorm? It's sort of like that, but it's... nausea, too."

Hour glanced to Chrysis, who had stopped to peer at Morning Star. He huffed and crossed his arms. "No, I don't feel that."

"I do," Chrysis said, abruptly. "Hour, what is the meaning of this?"

"Who said I had anything to do with it!?" came the explosion.

"This feeling didn't start until you walked into my town, you moron!" Chrysis snapped back.

Morning Star frowned at them, but they were once more too caught up in hissing insults back and forth. A strange sensation of near-free-falling had settled over his skin, like he was dropping through layers upon layers of existence, a rock hurtling through space. And yet, his body didn't feel moved at all - he was still, after all, just sitting in the chair. The distinct taste of blood - magic - was acrid in his mouth.

He looked around the office, eyes gliding over anything and everything. There was nothing in the room that seemed to imply a magical energy was brimming in the air, but that was what it was, wasn't it? It was magic, pure and simple. A lot of it. In fact, it was somewhat familiar - but he couldn't put his finger on it.

"Hang on," he said, again, lifting a hand. Thankfully, the argument died down quickly, Hour redirecting his attention almost instantaneously. "I don't - it's not Hour Star."

"Thank you," Hour huffed, crossing his arms.

Chrysis gave Morning Star a bitter look, but he ignored it as he continued, "Can we check on the window?"

"What about these?" Hour asked, tapping the papers. 

Morning Star stood easily, in a fluid motion as a sudden wave of calmness took over him. "We can come back for those, alright? But we're all a little heated right now, and... well, I-I just don't think it's a good idea to try to discuss further. Some fresh air would help, too."

"Fine," Hour grumbled. 

Chrysis rose from his chair, dusting off his pants and giving Hour a disdainful look. "He's right. If you had remained calmer, perhaps I would've signed your precious papers."

Hour opened his mouth, but Morning Star's hand clamped down on his shoulder. He flinched slightly, glancing down quickly at the other's shaking, firm grip, before looking to Morning Star's face.

His expression had tightened into a smile as he stared at Chrysis, trembling slightly. His voice was firmer than he thought it'd be. "Enough of that."

"Hah!" Hour barked, whipping around to Chrysis to catch the other's shocked face. "See, if you-"

"-You too," Morning Star clarified, squeezing Hour's shoulder again. His brother fell silent. "Arguing like that is, f-frankly, excuse my bluntness... stupid. What are you accomplishing? You aren't listening to what each other is saying. You're just trying to fuck each other up more."

"And who are you to preach to us?" Chrysis cut in. "You have no understanding of the dynamics you've walked into."

Morning Star spread his arms, adrenaline making his arms shake, "Maybe not, but I've seen enough in my life to know when something's toxic for b-both parties, and I just think you two need space. No more poking each other, n-no more contact after this. You two c-can't stand each other's presence, so why do you want to willingly interact?"

"They abandoned my town, there's people in Trivea that miss their partners, their friends," Hour said, rapidfire.

"It's my obligation to save people from an abuser and warn them of the dangers they face," Chrysis fired off, at the same time.

"So?" Morning Star challenged.

Both blinked at him.

"F-first of all," he said, pointing at Hour and then Chrysis, "Neither of those issues have anything to do with your relationship. You don't know Hour Star anymore - you don't know how much he might've changed or not. What if he's not an abuser anymore? And Hour, what does t-talking to Chrysis like this accomplish for the people you're looking out for? You're b-both just making tensions worse for both yourselves and y-your towns. And I know you both hold your cities in v-very high esteem."

"You're so preachy," Hour muttered. "Whatever, let's go check on the window."

That stung a little, but Morning Star dropped the line of conversation. He wasn't expecting to magically bestow a trillion life lessons on his brother - especially considering he wasn't confident he'd given good advice anyways. It wasn't like he was stupid enough to think that the other two had never thought of what he'd just blabbered. He trusted in his instinct, but he didn't want to spout off something senseless that would only make the situation worse. At least Chrysis looked thoughtful at his words.

Regardless of his personal thoughts, Chrysis turned around, throwing open the window. A chill ran through the air as a gust of wind interrupted everything, and Morning Star shivered slightly. The sensation had come back with that breeze, in full force. 

"Okay, I do feel it actually," Hour grumbled, tensing slightly. "Wow, um. How long has that been there?"

"Not too long, I don't think," Morning Star said, picking his way over to the window and peering out of it. Vaulis splayed out before him, the winding streets enclosed in the gates, still no citizens visible. Everything seemed normal. "I don't know what's giving it off, but I think it's magical in origin. Y-yeah?"

"Certainly," Chrysis replied, dryly.

"Can we go outside and ch-check?"

Chrysis glanced to Hour, who stared at Morning Star for a few seconds before giving an affirming nod. With a loud, annoyed sigh, Chrysis headed towards the door, pulling it open. "Directly out the front, then. No nonsense, no bullshit."

"Of course," Morning Star said, quickly, as he hurried out the doors and out onto the mansion's landing. 

Out in the air, it was worse. More of a deafening blanket overtop everything else, rather than just a prickling on his fur. If he craned his ears, he could catch... no, it wasn't a sound. It was more of a sensation, that his ears were picking up on? But it clearly wasn't noise, but it did sound like words....

Wait... wait. This was familiar. That was familiar. His eyes widened in realization just as the full brunt of the pseudo-telepathy hit him.

I KNOW YOU'RE HERE SOMEWHERE, MORNING STAR!

He stood, stiffly, frozen in his tracks, eyes wide. Hour's hand came down on his shoulder, but it wasn't enough to jolt him out of the abject fear and shock that immobilized his system. This wasn't really happening, was it?

"Did you hear that?" he could hear Hour's voice, but just barely. "Morning Star? It said your name!"

"Did your cursed brother bring a threat to Vaulis?!" Chrysis demanded, from behind them both.

Morning Star could only stare forwards.

DID YOU THINK I WOULDN'T FIND OUT? ABOUT BEREAVE?

YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU FUCKED WITH - WITH THE INFORMATION I COULD GATHER. WHAT, DID YOU AND PYATIUGOLNIK NOT REALIZE YOUR LITTLE MUTINY WAS OBVIOUS? HE ASCENDS A LITTLE FRAG, AND THEN HIS MAGIC IS FOUND AT THE DEATH SITE OF MY BELOVED?

"Morning Star, what the fuck?!" Hour hissed, tone increasing in desperation.

Morning Star have a half-gasp for air, turning around to grab both of his brother's shoulders. "We have to go. NOW."

"What?"

"We have to go. NOW! RIGHT NOW!" Morning Star snapped his fingers, but to no avail - the teleport didn't catch. He tried again, this time with the primordial Blessing magic. Nothing.

Chrysis leaned over Hour's shoulder, concern on his face, "I don't understand - are you trying to teleport? Do you not know how?"

If only he fucking remembered Pyatiugolnik's invocation. Starsdamnit, if only he remembered ANY of their invocations! Why did he have to be so completely and utterly useless at a time like this? Morning Star stared at his fingers, stared as the spark of magic died every time he snapped them. Why, why, why?

"Morning Star?" Hour asked, shaking him slightly, "what's going on?"

AHA.

FOUND YOU.

Morning Star scrambled back, eyes wide in fear as he whipped his head around - only to catch a barely-visible glance of a glowing white hand, scooping up Hour, who appropriately shrieked.

Hour. Oh god. Oh no.

DID YOU THINK YOU COULD HIDE FOREVER? THAT I WOULDN'T FIND OUT WHAT YOU USURPERS DID?!

Morning Star scrambled forwards, voice still stuck in his throat as he grabbed onto Hour's ankle, just tight enough to hold-

WELL, WE'LL BE HAVING A LITTLE CHAT. AND I'LL GET MY ANSWERS - AND MY REVENGE FOR YOUR DISGUSTING MUTINY!

And before he could even hope to explain, alien and unfamiliar teleportation enveloped them both.