Chapter Text
˗ˏˋ ☆ ― TO HELL WITH THE WORLD...
Whether it shall burn from the fires from the underworld, drown under the raging seven seas, or suffocate under the weight of its own monolithic sins, you could not find it within you to spare even an ounce of care. Truth be told, if such events were to occur, you would maybe raise a brow. But even then, you were sure the feeling would last a mere moment.
Yes, thus is the curse. The worst of them all.
Immortality.
You have lived for over a thousand measly human years. The real count has been lost on you. You've watched the rise and fall of civilizations. The atrocities of war and of hate, and really, every breathing modern invention to date. Nothing fascinates you anymore.
There was a point you considered pain as a viable source of entertainment. But even pain, you eventually realized, could only quench your thirst for so long. It gets boring having nobody to accompany you. None could withstand the pain you could endure, everyone ultimately dying in the process.
Ruling, you learned only later in life, became incredibly boring once others worshiped you instead of entertaining you. When devotion is no longer fullhearted and instead becomes delusion, one becomes nonsensical and heretic. You would know. Even delusion had become a safe haven for you at one point in your lifespan. It kept you from completely losing your mind and destroying the planet completely. And that delusion still lingers in your life today.
You could tell. That even if the world disappeared, you would be left, drifting through space. But this time, completely alone. So, with nothing more, you decided to fall into an everlasting sleep. But even that could only last so long. You had purposefully buried yourself deep within a mountain where no one could disturb you.
But of course, civilizations evolved and eventually drove their contraptions into the slopes, effectively shaking you from your slumber. A human, the poor unfortunate soul, was the one to find your body. With (h/c)-colored hair that glistened with an otherworldly sparkle and skin far too pristine for somebody buried deep in the dirt, it was only plausible for them to assume you had been recently buried alive. Imagine the fright that gave way when you opened your eyes and spoke.
It had been several days since then, and you found that the world had progressed some two hundred years. The flutter of excitement died immediately after the first day. Humans, in all their years of evolution, were still... incredibly boring.
The society still ran on mineral currencies, they all were glued to their electrical contraptions, and none had the compassion to care for others outside of themselves. Perhaps the humans were the problem.
No, that wasn't right.
You were certainly the problem. You were the variable that threw the balance of this otherwise perfect world. Perhaps you ought to have some sympathy. Unlike you, they lived once and died. Unlike you, they experienced temporary emotions; their anger, their happiness, and even their desires lasted for sparse intervals. Unlike you, their lives were ephemeral.
So, you decided, you would try to live amongst them. Perhaps then you'll finally feel how they have felt all this time.
So what was it you felt at this very moment? Was it... anger? Hatred towards the world for your eternal suffering? Or was it something else entirely? You have saved countless human lives, and destroyed just as many. So why was it that you decided to intervene and grab hold of this man's hand?
You could easily have walked on your way, ignoring the man who had spewed profanities and garnered a crowd. He was nothing special, no, not at all. So if it wasn't him that caught your attention, then was it perhaps the figure that lay crumpled on the ground? The colors they wore were bright, and perhaps that was what caught your eye. Seeing the figure was like seeing a bright red apple, glistening under the sun's rays.
"Ever since you guys showed up, people have been disappearing! Go back to whatever hell hole you crawled out of!!"
Those words. You had heard them all before.
"I'm talking to you, you freak! Get out of our town!!"
Witch. Old Hag. Evil. Monster. Freak.
These words weren't directed at you this time. How silly that such words from mere humans would bring up such memories.
Yes, how silly indeed...
"That's enough," You grip the man's arm, pulling him back with just enough strength to throw him off balance, "He is simply doing his job."
"Working for the devil, maybe," the man scoffed, swinging his arm out of your grasp, "You'll go missing next, you stupid woman. You and your stupid getup can disappear."
You watched as the man stormed off.
Go missing? You blinked owlishly, that might be fun.
"..."
You almost forgot about the crumpled figure below you until you heard them move their leg. Turning to face them, you hold your hand out, expression blank as you finally get a good look at the figure dressed in red.
As for the devil, you blinked slowly, if that were the case he would've been working for me.
“Are you hurt?”
As the figure accepted your hand, you noticed something. Their hand was long, or perhaps it was their nails that were long. Either way, you commend them for sticking with their clown act. The sight of this human was something out of the ordinary. It was... something you found yourself being somewhat interested in.
They didn't speak, the only sound being their bells jingling as they stood up. The white mask they donned, or what you had originally assumed was a mask, changed into a wide smile.
Your eyes trailed down their body, the reds and blacks of their outfit reminding you of a poppy. It was then you noticed there was a scratch on their leg. You were by no means short, but the figure before you was extraordinarily tall.
A part of the circus act, perhaps.
Without sparing the crowd a glance, you reach into your purse and pull out a bandage.
"Some humans are more fit for natural selection than others," you mutter, casually handing them the white lace bandage, "Life is fleeting. It's so unbearably boring to just simply sit there and watch it happen."
You didn't know whether they were actually listening, but their seemingly attentive gaze made you think otherwise. You didn't have some grand plan to save them, nor were your words specifically intended for them. It was more that you felt the need to chastise yourself, to remind yourself to feel sympathy for the normal humans that walked beside you in this world.
The red figure walks up to you, accepting the bandage before tilting their head to continue watching you. There appeared to be a reddish hue blooming across their face– or mask. The person seemed excited. For what reason, you did not understand. They were incredibly silent, but for some reason, the thought did not bother you one bit. It was better than the countless others that continued to whisper and gossip all around you, making incessant noise.
(﹙˓ Ring Ring ˒﹚)
Speaking of noise , you reach into your bag and pull out the metal contraption you managed to get your hands on. The caller ID was your boss's name, though you resigned to call him Old Man, much to his displeasure. He was gruff yet there belied a sort of kindness in his features that allowed for your monotonous demeanor.
Right, you blink slowly, I have work today.
A way you decided to 'fit in' to this society was to get a job working at a flower shop. Valentines was just around the corner so the business had been needing employees to come in for extra work hours. You didn't mind, like with everything, the colors of the flowers at least... dulled your sense of boredom. And dealing with clients was sometimes... interesting.
You give the red jester one last glance.
"In the event your wound begins to hurt more, you should see a doctor."
The masked figure nodded, their expression resembling a lost puppy, in your opinion.
"Unless you're a masochist."
"..."
Not that you expected a verbal response, you're surprised to see the figure's expression change into a gleeful smile. It was meant to be a joke– a dark one of course, but with your dry execution it probably would've come off as deadly serious. Either way, it seemed like the red jester had gotten the gist of your message.
"Well, take care."
What a terribly dry response to the situation. Could you have been a little more friendly? Yes, just as you could've stayed to see if the jester needed anything else. And the old you would've cared to check, the you who lived a thousand and some years ago. But the you of today— she was tired.
And so you walked.
You walked to the flower shop you happened to find on the brink of closure. Whether it was your insistence on working with little to no pay or your odd way of speech, the owner allowed you to stay. Your appearance had attracted numerous new customers, which you were sure were due to the fact that you were a new face. The excitement would soon dissipate, like everything in the world did. You were sure of it.
“Ah, (Y/n)! You've arrived.”
"Hello to you too, Old Man."
─ ⊹ ⊱ ♤ ♡ ♧ ♢ ⊰ ⊹ ─
"Why, hello, dear."
You lifted your head from the flowerbed to see the figure of a man in a blue and gold tuxedo. They, too, donned a mask but it was of a half black half white design. It was another member of the traveling circus that had come into the town. Your mind momentarily drifted to the red jester from earlier.
"Hello Sir," you replied, "Do you need something?"
The male paused, his mask's smile widening ever so slightly.
"Indeed," he replied, "I am from the circus that has arrived in town. We seek flowers for our next act."
You nod knowingly, "We have many ranging from roses, carnations, daisies. Or if you prefer faux, we have spring flowers, feather flowers, and even purposeful wilting flowers. They're clean and won't ever die so you kill two birds with one stone."
The male simply hummed, noting the way you ignored any of his small talk. You were direct. It only added to the appeal of your otherwise... alternative fashion statement. Not that he was in any state to judge himself, though.
He kept such inquiries to himself.
"Then I shall take the wilting flowers," he answered, leaning forwards ever so slightly, "Ah, I see you've received several flyers."
You followed his line of sight to the windows that had several flyers for the circus he had mentioned.
"Oh," you murmur, "Indeed. I hadn't noticed."
Once again, the male didn't know whether the human in front of him was careless or just blissfully ignorant, or perhaps a mix of both. He surmised it must've been the latter. A little oddity never hurt anyone... except for when they caught the eyes of people like them.
"Might I interest you in a showing at the circus?" he offered, his eyes cresting as he handed you a pink ticket, "It would most certainly provide you with an amusing night."
"Do you promise?"
The male paused, confusion evident in his posture.
"...Pardon?"
You merely tilted your head, "Do you promise me an amusing night?"
"..."
The male blinked slowly before letting out a light snicker.
"Oh of course, Dear. I assure you we take great pride in our circus," his eyes crested as he adjusted his tie, "Do be sure to bring your ticket with you or you won't be allowed entry."
You gave a subtle nod, taking hold of the ticket.
"I shall hold you to it, then."
─ ⊹ ⊱ ♤ ♡ ♧ ♢ ⊰ ⊹ ─
It was closing hours. Today you were tasked with closing the flower shop. As you tied the last bouquet for the night, you were suddenly met with the lights going out. Rather than feeling scared or annoyed, you simply let out a sigh before walking towards the light switch and flipping it on.
The lights did not turn on.
"Humans and their contraptions," you remark blandly, "Whatever shall I do?"
You sauntered towards the backroom, opening the breaker door and flipping all the switches to reset them. As expected, all the lights came back on. It was then that you heard the sound of bells, which you noted was unusual since the shop lacked bells on its doors.
You walk towards the front of the shop, curiously opening the door of the backroom, only to see a familiar figure standing in the shop's doorway.
"Oh it's you, Poppy," you say, recognizing the red jester from earlier, "Your head.. it's bleeding."
Without missing a beat, the figure walks towards you and leans over the counter, holding their hand out. In their hand was a dark red poppy. How ironic that they, who reminded you of a poppy, were now holding one in their hands.
"Thank you," you say, mustering up a smile in return, "Do I take this in exchange for the bandage?"
You were mostly joking of course, but the red jester ended up nodding in return. As you felt the flower in your hand, you quickly realized it was made of paper.
How endearing, you hummed, it was recently made as well. Even the blood on it is still wet.
You were desensitized to such trivial matters. But seeing as it was most likely this person's own blood, you felt indebted to at least help them with their injury. This situation was the most intriguing thing you had seen since waking up from your slumber, so you were grateful in that sense.
"Humans are ever so violent," you murmur, mostly to yourself, "Sit down on the bench there, Poppy. I have alcohol and a wash cloth. Fair warning, it will sting."
Poppy followed suit, quickly taking a seat on the wooden bench as you walked over to them. With the towel in hand, you began to gently clean the blood off of their mask– or what you realized was in fact their face, until all the blood was cleaned off. Poppy did not flinch, not even the slightest bit. You noticed the bandage you had given them had been placed along their cheek.
Hm?
You noted such a detail but simply waved the thought away and stepped back once you were done.
"I appreciate your silence, Poppy," you comment before tilting your head, "But I'm curious, is it part of the circus act?"
The red jester quickly glanced around the two of you, making sure you weren't being listened in on, before leaning ever so closely to you.
"I can't be seen talking."
Ah, so that's it.
You gave a subtle nod, "I see. How darling."
You noticed the reddish hue spread over his face once again.
"Thank you, my lady. I sincerely appreciate all your help."
He has quite the charming voice.
"I'm the Pierrot, nice to meet you!"
"Pierrot?" you repeat, "Nice to meet you, I am (Y/n)."
"ᵢ ₖₙₒw"
You raised a brow but said nothing. A little mumbling never hurt anyone.
"This town has been.. quite the unruly type," you remark, the bitterness of the day's earlier event still lingering in your mind, "They make it clear when they really don't like you."
"I suppose we, the circus, may appear a touch.. uncanny to some onlookers," Pierrot answered truthfully, "It may be offputting to some. Have they acted the same towards you, my lady?"
"I have experienced my fair share," you shrug, "Not enough to make me break over it. Do the Pierrots out on the street with flyers perform too?"
"Indeed. The circus has but a small cast, we both perform and hand out flyers."
You hum.
"Though I must say, I am the only Pierrot, my lady. The others are jesters and... harlequins."
He pauses at the last part, eyes rolling slightly as though they had done some sort of injustice to him.
Hm.. internal turmoil?
"Are the others quiet like you too?"
"I am the only one who remains silent," he answers, only to lean ever so closer, "Though I do make the exception when it is just the two of us ."
For the first time, you felt something tick from deep within you. It was like an old clock had begun to start time after centuries of catching dust.
It couldn't be... were you being entertained?
You blink slowly, "Is that so? I suppose I must keep the secret with me until the end of time."
Or until I finally die. Hah.
It was then that you noticed the bandage you had given him had begun to fall off of his face. Without saying a word, you reach over and lift it off of his face. He seemed surprised at first before his face bloomed crimson once again.
"It was deeply distressing to see it falling."
"Thank you, my lady," he smiled with a small giggle, "I've actually brought you another token of appreciation."
He holds his hand out, handing you a red ticket to the same circus.
"Oh another ticket," you answer simply, "Thank you, Pierrot."
"You... obtained a ticket already?" He frowned, "May I see it, my lady?"
You nodded, handing him the pink ticket. His expression immediately darkened upon seeing it, as though he saw something he shouldn't have. However, the next moment he held the ticket out in front of you for you to see.
He then swiped his hand over it, turning the pink ticket into a red one. His red one.
"How fun," you remark with a mild smile, "Was there something wrong with the other ticket?"
"This ticket is incorrect. You wouldn't be allowed in with it. Please, take mine instead."
Lies, you smiled wider, "Incorrect? So it's a fake?"
"Indeed, counterfeit," Pierrot answered, "Do not accept tickets from strangers, my lady. I would not want you to encounter trouble at the entrance."
Oh now... what is this?
You felt your insides turning.
"I assure you, I'll make you smile during my performance."
Oh my.
You grinned at the thought of it.
"Alright, Pierrot. I do hope you won't disappoint."
─ ⊹ ⊱ ♤ ♡ ♧ ♢ ⊰ ⊹ ─
You promised Pierrot that you'd attend the circus the next night since you didn't have to close shop that day. Pierrot appeared excited at the fact and promised over and over again that you'd enjoy it. It was cute, you had to admit. He reminded you of a puppy wagging its tail over and over. He seemed like he would've rolled over and held out his hand if you so asked him to.
He's so fragile. It's only a matter of time before he gets hurt again.
With a click of the lock, you finished closing the shop for the night. The sun had fully set and the only lights were the dingy lamp posts that ran along the sidewalk. You had bid Pierrot good night before completely closing up shop, so you were alone now.
You grabbed your purse and your other belongings before stepping into the cool night. Now that night had fallen, you had to pass the time in your newfound apartment. You didn't need sleep, but you did enjoy it as a way to pass the time.
So you left.
Perhaps I'll finally be entertained.
The thought quickly faded into grim obscurity.
Or perhaps it'll all be in vain.
Ah, such pessimistic thoughts you had. You were deep in your thoughts, as was a side effect of having lived for so long. You often found yourself dancing through delusions for hours on end before returning to the present and realizing you were in a totally different place. This time though, you failed to notice the figure trailing you.
That was, until it was too late.
˗ˏˋ THWACK! ˎˊ˗
You felt a blow to your head, your body quickly falling to the ground with a loud thud. Before your vision completely blacked out, you heard the sound of a metal crowbar falling to the ground. With a tired sigh, you let your vision fade completely, along with your consciousness itself.
And then, you died.