Board Thread:Short Stories and Fanfictions/@comment-44907704-20200125171838

KEEFE SWEARING FEALTY FOR THE BLACK SWAN

"I will. Do. Anything. In my power. To help. My. World!" The mnemonic-looking gadget did nothing but stall as he anxiously awaited a response. All he could do was stare and ponder as The Thing seemed to blink back, and...

Didn't open up. Or explode in place. Or trigger a chain action. Or reveal anything.

Gritting his teeth, he fidgeted with the device and spun it around in a full circle. "I WILL DO EVERYTHING IN MY POWER TO HELP MY WORLD!" He anticipated what would be made of his attempt and smirked, tricking his mind to believe that the simple-minded gadget was, as Dex would put it, "alive." "Agghhhhh." How many tries did it take his friends? He'd bet one for the Mysterious Miss F. His mind drifted off to Sophie's battle with the Neverseen, how she'd been hoisted midair by an ogre... And clenched his jaw, his body somehow being compacted.

When the words left his mouth this time, it was barely a whisper. "I will do everything in my power to help my world."

And right after: Foster feels like home.

Home.

Candleshade... Maybe it was exactly what he needed. He badly wanted to sort through all his memories of his mom - definitely his dad too, but she was a priority - and color them different hues. Decide which ones he'd want to keep and lose, which ones would eventually be triggered, and maybe relive another livid memory. Maybe he could ask Sophie to clear them for him...

He knew the words were true when he said them aloud.

Pronouncing each syllable felt like something being lifted off his shoulders, "I will do anything - everything - in my power to help my world." Holding his breath, his trademark smirk wiped his other emotions blank as...

Nothing. Happened. "AUGHGHHHH!!!"

The words were *permanently* etched into his memory now, almost as if the Black Swan *made it* so the vow would be remembered forever. He could see them sprawled across a page, strewn across the walls and floor, written with sanguine blood seeping into his palm. But no matter now hard he thrashed and screamed and tried to fight the invisible pain, some part of him still sought it... That's when he knew there was no backing out of this. *Ever.* He was *really* here. With his friends. And his best friends. And his... well, he didn't know what to call them. Thinking of defending his allies from the Neverseen, dodging and attacking and hurling and really *fighting* for his life, knowing that his actions would have real consequences.... He would finally be on the offensive. *And this would all be real.* If only the Black Swan agreed with his plans, maybe sent out reinforcements... But he needed their trust first. He was going to be working with them. His voice got caught on the next word as he tried to drag it out. "*My* world." "Ours?" He felt like he was exploring a room that was both light and dark at the same time... and younger. Definitely much younger and much more imaginative. The contraption latched open as he momentarily froze- but because he wanted to. *It really was happening.* The note read: 
 * Her.*
 * Take that, Mom,* his thought whispered as his voice echoed throughout the room: "I *will* do *everything* in my power to help..."
 * Mine.*
 * But wasn't it...*