The Stage is Set

Where are they? My siblings? pt.3

Blue stops; their names sit in his mind like a prayer. Jiejie, Sunbeam, Moonlight- He glances around once more. PJ, Didi, Ru- His siblings. Their names were Jasmine, Palette, and Amaris- Ink had other kids. He has siblings. PaperJam, Stain, and Ruby- He's had them. Jiejie, Jasmine- He has them. Sunbeam, Palette- Where are they? Ruby, Amaris- What happened to them after they disappeared? Jasmine, Palette- After the rewrites took them. PaperJam, Stain- What happened to them? Amaris- Where did they go? Ruby- What did Ink do with their memories? Where are their bodies? His Didi is alone- Is he there with them? Soldier Child- Is he there to protect them? Sunbeam stands alone- What if that's what Swap is looking for? A soldier child is holding something in his hands; Ink is terrified of anyone getting his hands on Blue. Jiejie is holding that sword- He said that someone had taken his kids. Sunbeam, Didi, PJ; who took you away-

Swap was after him. A Soldier Child trembles in his casket, no one can help him- What happened? Why isn't Ru and Moonlight there; where did they go- Where are his siblings? Jiejie and PJ are in stone; the others are trees- Who took them? He needs names, was it Swap- Who is protecting them? Jiejie holds their sword, Sunbeam acts as a shield, and Soldier Child lies there with something in his hands-

He runs after the boy he saw. He runs and catches him. He grabs his hand and-

Blue sits up and looks around. Everything around him is now so big. So real. Would the bodies be here? Are we all decomposed or does our dust still linger there- Would Ink tell him where his siblings are? Frozen, hidden away like he was supposed to be; is that too dangerous to ask about? Why isn't he with them anymore? Why can't he feel his siblings anymore, something has ripped him away-

What is this, put him back. PUT HIM BACK. THIS ISN'T WHAT HE WANTED-

Dream and Lust stare at him with concern. What is going on in that mind of his? They both feel him trembling in their hold. Lust's mouth thins as he prepares in case Blue starts to run. What could he be planning? What has happened in those few moments? Lust hopes Blue's dissociation isn't a sign of something bigger.

Dream squeezes Blue's shoulder to get his attention. "Blue?" Dream's voice is gentle and soft. He doesn't want to disrupt the peace that has settled around them. "What's going on in that mind of yours?"

Blue looks around. When his pips first settle on Dream, he flinches before looking away. Skeletons? What is his friend a skeleton? Weren't they human in his lifetime? "Where are we?" He turns to Dream with fresh tears, why can't he feel his siblings? Why is he all alone with these skeletons? Is he now one too? "Where are they?" He whimpers and wipes his face. He feels so small, young, so new in this harsh world. Why does everything hurt? He's never known pain like this. He wants his Jiejie.

Lust looks around. He looks back at Blue with concern, "What do you mean? Who are you talking about?"

Dream asks a silent question, holding eye contact with Blue when he gets no response. Something has just changed. Dream doesn't know if it is for the better. "Them?" Dream feels his soul beat with concern. Blue's pips showed no recognition. Who is he talking to? He gently guides those hands away from Blue's face.

Blue moves to hold Dream's hand. "Jiejie," The sound is soft and heartbreaking. He looks over at Lust, a pout and a threat of more tears written on his face for everyone to see. "My siblings." Lust's face drops, "Where are they? Why can't I feel them anymore? Where are we?" He sniffles, and his face scrunches like he's trying not to cry. He hasn't been alone for a long time. He wants his Dad to hold him. He wants his older sister. "Jiejie." The cry is a little louder. He wants his siblings. He needs to cradle them, to feel them again. "Where are they? My Jiejie!" He turns toward Dream, sockets wide and desperate; "My Sunbeam? PJ? Didi?" He grabs onto Dream as if he is a lifeline, "Where did Maman hide them? Where is Ru? Moonlight?"

Dream sucks in a breath through his teeth. The different languages, the nicknames. He doesn't know how to respond. It's not his Blue, but it is Blue. He grips Blue's hand tighter as he brings their hands down towards Blue's lap. Whatever version of Blue, does he know? Ink's kids are gone by now. He wonders how to break the news. They all know Ink's kids are dead; seen it. Heard it. Blue knows this. He smiles tightly and Dream wonders if this is too much for Blue's mind to handle. He wonders if they pushed too far and Blue's mind broke. He pushes a small wave of calmness to Blue. He rubs Blue's knuckles with a tired sigh. He looks at Blue's expression.

Blue winces. He takes a hand from Dream's and rubs his chest over his soul. Why does his soul hurt so much right now? Dream's attempt to calm him only hurt. Why? Why is his soul hurting like this? What is hurting his soul like this? Is it what Dream did or something else? He gently pries his other hand out of Dream's to press harder on the chest plate that sits on his ribs. He grimaces, why is it burning now? He tunes out his friends as he bends over a little. What is going on? Why is his soul burning? It's burning and it's like he can smell his bones burning. He can smell burning oil paint. Is that him? Is that what he is made of? Oil paint? What about his siblings? He feels like his bones are melting, running down each other, down his spine, and soaking into his shirt. They're fusing, fusing to his shirt; fusing him to the armor he wears. Off! He needs to get it off!

Blue cries out in pain as he rips away his armor. The straps of leather yield under his hands, and he pulls off his torso armor. He strains with effort as he reaches into those small crevices to pull it all apart. First goes his neck bracers. Finding the seams and prying the metal apart. It bends as if it were liquid metal. From there, his shoulder guards are next; torn and then thrown across the floor. The royal insignia from his AU is warped under his hands. Black paint smears over it. Finally, with one last shout, his front chest plate is torn from his body. The back piece clatters behind him as he gasps for air. He clutches at his chest through his shirt and he can vaguely feel Dream and Lust holding him up. He can't feel his legs. Why can't he feel his legs? He cries out as someone wrestles his hands away from his chest. He shakes his skull, please, please. Let him claw it out! It's burning! It's burning! It hurts so much! Let him claw out what is hurting! He needs it out of him! He needs to get it out! He cries out as he feels something burning beneath his ribs. He lurches forward as he feels something rip away from him.

Find them.

Find them. Find his siblings. Find Ink's kids. Find Him. He needs to find them. He needs to protect his siblings. He needs to find them. He knows in his soul that they hide something that Swap should not get his hands on. He needs to find them first. He needs them to be safe too. Protect his son. Protect his kids. Blue will keep his siblings and himself safe. He promises.

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Dad, He scares me.

Agnatic Primogeniture, I know. I won't let him do anything to my kids.

Dad, I think it is too late for that. I feel him in my mind. I'm sorry.