Trapped In the Nightosphere

[-.-.Lucifer.-.-]

A glance behind his shoulder said everything. His black eyebrows were turned up in the middle, grief or something unpleasent settling in his forehead. Marshall's dark grey eyes were consumed by confusion and discomfort, one hand pressed tightly to his bear chest. It had been almost five minutes since he'd felt the one pump of his heart, and now panic was rising in him. He kept pressing his index and middle finger to his jugular checking for a pulse. "I'm not sick." He said bluntly, but the thick cotton of uneasiness in his throat made his words sand papery.


"I don't know. I could be." He hung his head low, but had continued to walk through the clouds of red dust his converse would kick up. He glanced in front of them, seeing nothing but a vast red desert, and a wall of fire to their left. It seemed the flame deamons' domaine spanned miles beyond his comprehention.


They could be traveling for months.


"You keep doing this to me." He said, but his voice wasn't harsh, it was weak.

 

[Captainsassypants]

PB quickened her pace so that she was now walking along next to him. She was becoming increasingly worried about him. Looking him over she frowned he looked normal, apart from the blush, but he was acting so strangely. She had never seen him like that, he seemed genuinely scared. Reaching out she grabbed his wrist forcing him to stop walking. "Just stop for a second, tell me what's going on. Why do you look so terrified?" She demanded. If he was sick maybe she could help? Could vampires even get sick? It was just a blush anyway even if it wasn't supposed to happen it wouldn't kill him... At least she was pretty sure it wouldn't.


"What do you mean I keep doing it to you? I haven't done anything, don't blame your issues on me" She said becoming defensive her arms crossing over her chest. Despite her defensive stance her eyes were still full of worry. The tone of his voice was so unlike him, maybe there was something seriously wrong.

 

[-.-.Lucifer.-.-]

The sharpness of her voice sliced into his chest like a thick knife, making him recoil into himself for a brief


moment. "I'm over a thousand years old, PB. If ,y heart starts up now I could turn into dust!" He growled, his sudden window of weakness slamming shut. His hands fell from his body, not finding a pulse. For now.


He glanced down at her pink fingers wrapped around his wrist tightly. He pursed his lips, teeth threatening to break through the delicate flesh along his mouth. "You keep doing this." He said, gesturing around him, his body filling with anxiety and anger. "It's not something you do. It's just you in general." He explained, and moved his wrist sharply, only to wrap his fingers around hers.

 

[Captainsassypants]

"Really?" She asked cocking her head to the side. Scientifically speaking, she didn't think his heart staring up again would turn him to dust, rapid aging maybe but not dust. Either way it was a issue that perplexed her, she wished she had her lab so that she could investigate the issue further, but seeing as they were in the middle of a desert in the Nightosphere there really wasn't much she could do.


Him explaining her presence in gerneral was what had brought on the strange behaviour caused her to frown. It didn't make sense to her, how was her just being around him causing him health problems? "That doesn't make any sense" She argued. A small look of surprise showing has he moved his wrist to wrap his fingers around her.

 

[-.-.Lucifer.-.-]

He pushed her hand away, letting his arms cross over his grey bare chest once more. The red sand that lay at their feet had begun to become a real eyesore, reminding him of the past few months he'd gone without feeding.


"Yeah a lot of stuff doesn't make sense Peebs." He growled, and then recoiled the thought with a soft sigh.


"Just keep moving." He ordered and brushed past her, stuffing his hands in his pockets, taking the way on foot. His mind continued to swim, the complexity of his own existence bringing his mood down. He shook his head, trying to clear his brain. "Hurry up Princess, we haven't got all eternity..." he let a forced laugh escape his teeth "... At least you don't."

 

[Captainsassypants]

She couldn't help the sigh from escaping her lips when pushed her away again throwing up walls around himself to keep her out. Sometimes she wondered why she even bothered trying to help him or be close when all he ever did was shove her away. All she had ever wanted was just to be his friend and if he wasn't careful he wasn't going to have any friends He's just scared, and frustrated. The princess told herself in order to keep from snapping back at him. Obviously something was wrong, even if he didn't want to talk about it, he was going to have to face it sooner or later. She just hoped that he didn't wait until it got too bad before finally facing it.


"Fine.." She mumbled standing completely still as he walked past and continued further into the desert. She watched him take a few steps while she was still trying to figure out why now of all times was his heart finally deciding to start up again? She wished he'd let her investigate further but she knew that was like hoping for a miracle so she dropped the ideas completely and slowly followed suit, walking a few paces behind him. "Yeah but I still have a good chunk of time left and I sure as heck don't want to spend it here"

 

[-.-.Lucifer.-.-]

They trudged through the sand for what felt like hours, the heat coming from the flames that licked the ceiling causing Marshall to become grumpy and distant. Without the ability to sweat, the heat was becoming unbearable, and the constant ringing of the Daemon's laughter was starting to twist his arm. After a while, the vampire had plugged his ears with his fingers, brow furrowed.


"For fuck's sake..." he breathed, dropping his hands to his sides. He lifted his head, trying to peer over the Daemon's territory.


"I don't know where we are..." he admitted, slinking away from the princess for fear of being hit. He'd gotten them lost, and the tower of Abadeer's domain was no where in sight.


But that hum...


The familiar vibrations of something very far off was starting to tug on his mind.

 

[Captainsassypants]

PB let hours pass in relative silence. Tensions were high between them and it was probably better if they both had a little space to cool down. Of course it would be better if they weren't in that situation to begin with but they were and they couldn't change it. They would just have to figure out how to get through this mess and they weren't going to be able to do that if all they did was fight. And while The candy princess was doing a better job of keeping a level head the sweltering heat and sand that was collecting in her shoes was beginning to get on her nerves as well. The only thing keeping her from going completely crazy was by thinking about all the things she'd have to do when they made it back to Ooo. It might not have been the most pleasurable thing to think about it but it did give her a sense or normalcy and that was really all she needed.


However the vampires sudden outburst surprised her making her jump slightly as the silence between them was suddenly broken and she was torn away from her thoughts. "What is it?" She asked suddenly looking around half expecting there to be another demon or abyss they would have to face but there was nothing, just an endless expanse of red sand and fire, that was it. Realizing how isolated they were was a little unnerving. How long had they been walking anyway?


"Marshall.. what do you mean you don't know where we are? We've been walking for hours don't tell me we're even more lost" She spoke a slight hint of panic in her voice. She wasn't even sure how long they had been in the nightosphere days maybe even a week or more and she was starting to get really scared they might never get out. They were going to be stuck wandering this barren wasteland forever or until some demon came along and ate them.


"Okay, what are we going to do? We have to do something.." She said her pace slowing to a stop and her hands going up to grab her head as she looked around looking for any sort of answer. "What are we going to do, what are we going to do, what are we going to do" She continued to mumble to herself wishing a solution would come to her but their future was looking pretty bleak.

 

[-.-.Lucifer.-.-]

Her constant murmuring was starting to worry the vampire, and the sound of her distress caused something in his stomach to flip.


Her hands went to her head, most likely to grasp handfuls, of soft pink hair. He glided towards her, grasping her wrists and prying them from her skull. "Calm down." He breathed, his voice soft and gentle. Marshall refused to allow the princess to lose her cool... because if she had... who the fuck would have a level head?


He sure as hell wasn't capable of keeping himself intact. How could he keep them both together?


"I'll figure it out." His grey eyes pinned themselves to her gaze, almost as if he was staring into her soul.


He glanced up at the fire that licked the ceiling, even watching as it allowed shadows to dance and tremble from the thick stalagmites hanging above them. Small holes in the foundation showed where the lesser Daemons had burrowed deep in the rock, sending a lightbulb to go off in his mind.


"I have an idea." He murmured and pushed off the ground, floating up to fit the pieces together in his mind.

 

[Captainsassypants]

The princess continued her mumbling as she continued to search the red dust for something, anything really. If they were back in Ooo she would have known exactly what to do. She was always in control there but here she was totally out of her element and she hated how little control she had over the situation and how helpless she was beginning to feel. "Just have to think of something..." She murmured her mind racing. "I- wha-" She stuttered as her hands were pulled away from her head. Her eyes focused back in on the vampire as she came back to reality. Surprise washed over her features for a moment as if she had forgotten he was even there . Right keep it together Bubblegum! you can't lose it now. She told herself in her head and then gave the boy a reassuring nod. "Okay, I'm okay. Everything is fine." She said but not sure if she totally believed it.


"Are you sure you can figure this one out?" She asked her eyes locking on his. She wanted to put her faith in him and believe he could get them out of this but given his previous track record it was a little hard to do. He kept saying he was going to figure it out and yet it seemed like they were getting no where. She really wanted to know how he planned on 'figuring it out' but before she could ask he was already floating away from her. "Hey! where are you going? I swear to glob Marshall you better not just leave me here!" She warned and cast another look around just to make sure there were still no creatures around.

 

[-.-.Lucifer.-.-]

"Keep your pants on, Princess!" He yelled down to her, with a soft chuckle.


Just enough to put her at ease.


The vampire raked his fingers against the ceiling, pressing his body against it as if it were a floor, and squinting through the flames. There was a gap, a small one, but a gap nonetheless.


He then pokes his head into one of the holes, barely even large enough for his skull to fit.


"I think.... no no... I know I have a plan." He said into the echoing burrow, the sound waves coming out louder then expected. A clutter of almost bat-like creatures fled from the scene, swarming around PB before taking off towards the abyss.


Marshall lowered himself once more, making it so his eyes were level with the princess's.


"You have to trust me though." He murmured, placing his hand on her head. "Do you trust me?'

 

[Captainsassypants]

"Fine" The princess grumbled crossing her arms over her chest and squinting up at him until he all but disappeared. She then bussied herself with kicking the dust around under her feet making patterns in sand until she heard a few strange sounds coming from above her. "What are you doing up there anyway?" She asked having no idea why going up there was at all helpful to their cause, but she let him do whatever he was doing none the less.


"What's y- ahhh" She shrieked as bats swarmed her, their talons lightly scratching against her pink toned flesh. She brought her arms up partially in defense as well as to swat them away as she ran in the opposite direction from them, an obviously annoyed look settling on her face when they finally did leave her alone.


She was still fixing her clothes and putting her hair back in its proper place when the Vampire Prince finally decided to float back down. "Well that depends what are you planning?" She questioned while shrugging him off, hating his incessant need to use her as an armrest

 

[-.-.Lucifer.-.-]

"Good enough." He mumbled and wrapped his arms around her quickly. He didn't take a second to explain himself, knowing that if he even uttered a word of his plan she would instantaneously protest against it.


So... he took matters into his own hands. He sucked in his stomach, wrapping his arms around her exposed flesh and hovering towards the ceiling. He pressed their bodies hard against the surface, making sure his skin made contact with the rock before hers could.


Then, he took a leap of faith, and began to glide across the top of the nightosphere, quickly closing the gap between them and the towering flames. He closed his eyes tightly, allowing his arms to be scraped by the jagged stones.


The heat was becoming increasingly uncomfortable, and as soon as they flitted over the wall of orange and red, his back began to sting.


The flames licked his spine, sending trembles of unbearable pain shooting through him. However... he bit down on his lip. Hard. To stifle the growing whimpers that built up in his throat.


The smell of his own flesh scorching made his head swim, and he cocked his head back, just enough to see the other side. The last few feet he picked up speed, his forearms beginning to tear at the skin as he pushed the last few second.


Finally he was on the other side, and as soon as cold air hit his shoulders, he flipped around, sending them to the ground. He tumbled, allowing himself to fly into the ground first, before rolling and letting the princess go.


He landed a few feet away from her, his face buried in the sand. He let go of the sounds he'd been biting back, a loud yell escaping his teeth as he tried to move into a sitting position, his skin bubbling.


"Fuck!" He hissed, sucking air between his fangs fast. "Shit... goddamn!" He continued, teeth gritting.

 

[Captainsassypants]

" stop it! Put me down right now! I'm not just some toy you can pick up and do whatever with" She protested pushing against his chest but it was no use. So eventually gave up and relaxed letting him pull her closer. He was going to do whatever he wanted to do and she was just going to have to go along for the ride.


"Marshall.. I don't think this is a very good idea" She said her eyes widening in fear as she notice them coming dangerously close to the wall of flames. Her hand instinctively clutched on to him. She was terrified that he was going to kill them both, she was almost sure of it. As they came even closer to the flames she couldn't bring herself to look anymore and had to close her eyes.


She could feel the heat building, becoming almost unbearable. The flames nipped at her burning holes in her clothes here and there and leaving her skin raw. Soon the smell of burnt hair filled her nostrils as a few strands of pink hair fell down and were scorched by the fire. All she could do while all that was happening was grit her teeth and hiss until it was over. And when it finally was over she could finally let out the breath she was holding.


The rest happened in a blur one second she was being burned by the fire and the next she was tumbling along the ground a small groan escaping her lips.


She let herself lay on the ground for a few moments longer before finally pushing herself up to rest on her hands. "If you ever pull something like that again without warning me I'm going to kick the snot out of you, do you hear me?" She started prepared to give him a whole rant but the sound of pain in his voice stopped her short. He must have taken a lot more of the damage she realized.


"Hey.." Her voice was gentler now as she crawled over to where he was lying on the ground and she could see the full extent of his wounds. The sheer sight of them made her cringe imagining how much they must hurt. "Stop hurting yourself okay? There has to be a better way other than you having to almost kill yourself. " She said placing her hand on his. Even if he was to one to get them into this mess she was beginning to feel like a burden on him. This was the second time he had to seriously injure himself just to make sure they both were safe and could get out of this mess.

 

[-.-.Lucifer.-.-]

Glancing up at her, he took a deep breath, red dirt coating his face.


He brushed the back of his hand against his cheek, rubbing some grime away. "I'll try and make a note of that." He murmured, and tried to stand.


Agony gripped him, his back feeling as if the skin would tear. He quickly slumped back to his knees, palms dug in the sand. "Fuck." He hissed, again, and gazed at the fire daemon's domain with sheer rage.


"I got you into this--" he started, meeting PB's gaze "--And I'm getting you out."


Marshall mustered up enough strength to finally push himself to his feet, his skin beginning to scab over. He may have been able to heal quicker then the average human, but it certainly wasn't fast enough for his liking.


"You're welcome."

 

[Captainsassypants]

"Just wait a sec okay? You're hurt you need to wait to heal first" She said grabbing his hand to keep him from trying to get up again. If she could do anything else for him she would have but the most she could do was force him to rest.


"Look, I'm sorry. I know I've been giving you a really hard time and I keep making things harder for you. I just wish I could be more helpful." She admitted with a frown as she let go of his hand and looked down, idly fingering the burns that formed along her legs leaving holes in her jeans. Luckily her shirt still seemed relatively untouched.


"Thank you for everything but you don't have to try so hard to keep me from getting hurt, not if it means hurting yourself so much in the process. I can handle a little pain." She said looking up to his face again.


"Are you okay? Is there anything I can do?"

 

[-.-.Lucifer.-.-]

"I heal quickly." He said simply, running his scraped fingers through his hair. He glanced around them, eyes falling on the tower in the distance.... way in the distance.


"I should have done that a while ago." He murmured to himself before prying his mind back to the conversation.


"Bubblegum." He breathed, swiping locks from her face. "You keep my head on straight. I couldn't ask for more."

 

[Captainsassypants]

"I know but still... I feel bad" She mumbled looking back at the ground her fingertip drawing patterns in the dirt some more not looking up again until he said her name. "Yeah, well someone's got to do it" She tried to laugh blood rushing to her cheeks and becoming red as he brushed the hair from her face.


"Anyway" she coughed looking away again "It's obvious you're not going to rest so I guess we should keep moving then shouldn't we?" She suggested pushing herself up to her feet again brushing the dust off her clothes.


"So do you know where we are now? what's our next plan of action? we're eventually going to have to eat and rest again."

 

[-.-.Lucifer.-.-]

Marshall nods repeatedly, taking in a sharp breath as he straightens his spine. "I see Abadeer's tower." He grunts, pointing to the thick spike in the distance, lit by a ring of flames. "There should be a town up ahead" he breaths, walking forward along side the princess. "We can rest and eat there. Maybe get directions." The last part is said with annoyance, hating the fact that he had gotten them into the mess in the first place.


He mentally kicked himself, movements slow as they trudge on.

 

[Captainsassypants]

The princess squinted into the distance where He had pointed out the tower just barely being able to make it out. "That still looks really far away" She noted with a sigh. At least they had some clue of where they were now but she would have felt better knowing this whole ordeal was going to be over soon but instead it seemed to be never ending. "A town? I didn't know there were town here. Are you sure we won't be attacked?" She asked seeing as the Nightosphere didn't appear to be the friendliest of places. She wouldn't be surprised if they were driven out the moment they stepped foot in the town. However the idea of finally making it to someplace that wasn't a completely barren wasteland was appealing. What was even more appealing was that she may even have a chance of sleeping on an actual bed. So she picked up her pace hoping to get there a little sooner. "So I know it's a little late to ask now but out of all the jokes you could have come up with, why was bringing us here the one you went with? I mean it seems a little strange, especially for you if you are the great practical joke player you say you are." She ask partially because she was curious but also she was just trying to make conversation in order to pass the time.

 

[-.-.Lucifer.-.-]

Marshell glanced down at her out of the corner of his eyes. Hues void of emotions. He didn't speak, but instead shrugged his shoulders and continued on for a long while. Staring at his shoes.


"I didn't think it would backfire." He said finally, swiping black locks away from his brows. "And..." he lets out a soft sigh. "There's something here that my dad wants...and I thought you should know about it." The vampire scratches the back of his head, knowing he should have told her sooner. "I was trying to make light of a situation and get you here at the same time....and if the candy-people had any idea of what was going on there would be mass panic."

 

[Captainsassypants]

"Well that's your problem you never think things through enough" She commented not really meaning it to be mean but was more just pointing out the obvious.But when he mentioned he had another motive for bringing them to the Nightosphere her interest peaked. "What do you mean there's something here that your dad wants. Like what? Doesn't he already own everything around here- not that there's very much here anyway " She mumbled the last part under her breath but still she was curious to know what was so important that he had to bring them both all the way there. In the distance she could make out the faint shapes of buildings slowly growing in size and they continued on. "Well it doesn't take much to get those pattoots in a panic" She laughed glancing over at him. "I'm sure they're already having a melt down since I've been gone so long"

 

[-.-.Lucifer.-.-]

At first, Marshal growled at the pointed fact, his teeth grinding together. He knew he hadn't thought everything through, knew he'd messed up big.


But she didn't have to rub salt in the wound.


He sighed, walking past her. "He owns everything within the Nightosphere." Repeating the obvious, " That doesn't mean he knows where everything is." He added, stretching his arm over his head only to get a shot of pain through his shoulder.


The skin threatening to split.


"It's a big place."


The small town was coming into view now, jagged red and black buildings cluttered in flames and barbed wire. Almost all the windows were simple holes in the abstract foundation. Daemons and creatures of the nightosphere crawled, clamberer, limped, and flew around the ominous neighborhood.


Some of them would bow their heads, or what seemed like their heads, to the prince.


While others gawked and sneered at the sweet-smelling pink girl that walked by his side.


"If my father gets his hands on it, Ooo won't be such a sweet place." He kept his voice down. Shady looking characters peering at them from every corner.

 

[Captainsassypants]

"A little too big for my liking" The princess replied under her breath when he mentioned the vastness of the nightosphere. If it were only a little bit smaller they could be back in Ooo already but that didn't seem so important now that he was mentioning his father may have the ability to destroy not only her kingdom but the entire world it existed in.


That bit of information along with the fact they were now entering the 'town' as he had called it was making her none too at ease. The town itself was no where near as nice as her kingdom, not that she was really expecting much. It was just nice to see some form of civilization even if a bit primitive. Groups of demons passed all snarling at her and looking her up and down like a piece of meat causing her skin to crawl. In response she moved closer to Marshall's side her arm just barely brushing his as they walked.


"What actually is this thing anyway and why does Abadeer want it?" She asked but then realized how stupid the second part was. Abadeer would take any chance he could to wreak havoc and and cause as much destruction possible just because he could.


"I think we should find somewhere to rest because there's obviously some things we need to talk about."