Destiny

[thneed_need]

Once-ler sat at his desk, hunched over paperwork.  He hadn't said a word to anyone all day, and downright scared a Blondette with his flat stare.  He had no intention on being hurt or used, and was going to do whatever it took, to ensure he stayed safe.

Comments

[blkmsatraveller]

Whether Once was coming or not, the time to act was now: this injustice had to be corrected by any means necessary. If even Epaphras has started sending them help via belladonna-infused arrows for Wheatley, and the Lorax laying down the law for his animal friends are evidence of a rebellion just waiting to happen, what is?

"Tell Once-ler to stay in the manor tonight," Gordon told Norma in a mechanical tone, "Him and his family." She tried to rush with the angel but was gently pushed back, "Your job's here, Norma; keeping him safe. I won't have any of you hurt." Only in this place has the Patron been so close to actual death, something Wheatley knew by heart. "Luv, you can lead a horse to water..." "I know." It was heart-breaking for Gordon to leave his little brother behind, but he couldn't force him even if he tried. That was the nature of Free Will.

But Free Will was not Selfishness, nor was it Greed...and these two had a devastating effect on Once-ler. A child that was born altruistic had so much emotional abuse that he became his mother's puppet...that became something apart from the wolf and the Seelie. It even fed off this power to block any selflessness whenever he was mad.

But the time to face the demons, be it physical or psychological, was afoot. There would be a war, a conflict to the scale of the Great Wars if the Court managed to put their plans in motions. They really should thank Once-ler and his pack for breaking their own imposed rules and letting the Guardianship be free again...

[thneed_need]

Once hadn't felt this alone in years. He made it through the work day on his own, if a bit miserable and hurt.

"I'm not doing anything wrong, Hilo. I'm not..."

[blkmsatraveller]

"Oh you definitely are," a low but eerily familiar voice echoed in the hall, "But keep doing what you're doing. Good riddance!"

[thneed_need]

Once looked up from his snail tank, but his tone remained flat.

"Go away."

[blkmsatraveller]

The laugh got louder, and more organic, "Oh, I can't exactly do that, man..." Green eyes glowed maliciously.

[thneed_need]

"What are you talking about? I'm busy, work to do...real work, I mean."

Once turned to go back to his desk.

[blkmsatraveller]

"You don't know your own mind? Figures," the entity finally made footfall and it was a solid step. There was a slight swag to his step, like an accomplished CEO had. He smirked, as he fixed his tie.

[thneed_need]

That...gave him pause.

"I don't really have time for a nervous breakdown---Christmas sales and all. Come back in January, things slow down then."

Though, if he did go bat-shit insane, people wouldn't want so much from him.

[blkmsatraveller]

"Like last year?" the doppelganger smirked, stepping out while fixing his tie. "Wasn't that the year you broke the record in sales? Of course it was." The Greed in Once's heart walked over and sat on the chair opposite of him.

"And no, you're not having a mental breakdown. I'm here to repair the damage that thing did to you." The thing in question? Gordon. "Think about it, Once...all this mess came when you met him, ruining your roof! How about we un-meet him? I can take the memories back and lock them away, just like I did all those years."

The true culprit of the memory lockdown is Once-ler himself. Figured.

[thneed_need]

"I don't want to unmeet Gordon. I just want everyone to stop using me. I'm not---I'm not just here for people to get what they want from me. I mean, it's not wrong to want NOT to be used."

Once rested his chin on his hand, slumped at his desk.

[blkmsatraveller]

"Once-ler, look at yourself and then look at me. Which one of us a loser and which one isn't? We use people all the time, and now you're getting a conscience about because he tried to use you into doing what he wanted. It's exactly why I'm offering this! Before that no-good freak came along, we had everything. Money, power, and Mom's approval."

The smirk never left as he carefully drew near. "Now what do we have?"

[thneed_need]

"I thought I had friends...."

Not a one of them had come to see him, to consider his feelings. And now he was having a conversation with...himself. That hadn't happened for years.

"Mom's not as proud. Still have money, though..."

[blkmsatraveller]

A quick glimpse into the alpha bond and he'd hear something disturbing; wet coughing and a struggle to breathe.

Greedler tried to cut that bond off with, "See? They only take, take, take...how's about we start from scratch? Let me take care of you..."

The only reason no one had come was because Greedler locked Norma into sleep through the mate-bond and allowed the angels to go head-on without him.

[thneed_need]

He flinched, feeling that.

"Something's not right....what's going on?"

[blkmsatraveller]

"You wanted to be normal, I am going to give you normal. You don't want to be used...I am gonna make it so." Greedler climbed closer, "And guess what? I started off on the right track." Those eyes had the characteristic glow of his Seelie side. "Let those un-good memories go and make new ones; those aren't your friends. You're going to march up to Norma and take that stupid necklace from her neck, making her normal too."

The shadows started taking over the room, like tentacles all around them. "I'm making things right...no one should use you..."

[thneed_need]

Once shivered and bit his lip. "Norma's happy, though. And...I don't want to forget. They're not all bad memories, and----gnh!"

He wiped at his eyes with his cuff. "I don't want to forget. I just---" He trailed off. "Something's wrong with Gordon."