- ↬ catvent day: four
↬ username & id: Arrikanez 2105
↬ clan archive: The Dark Carnival
↬ word count: 1,018 words
↬ prompt:
The fire blazed where it had been set in an old monster-truck tire, pushed, pulled, and rolled to a less-flammable place within the carnival's central area. Viperstar sat on a bench that was near where they'd tugged the tire, with his shoulders hunched, and the fur up and down his back bristling in the brisk evening air. The sun had gone down, and that made it very difficult to stay anywhere near warm. His tail curled irritably around his back paws, and his snakes both huddled in one of the holes in the tires to try and keep warm.
Viper's ears flattened to his head as he heard Fortunesend creep up beside him, and jump onto the bench. Fortune seemed to be taking being a cat a lot better than he was. Granted, he was once human - Viper was not. He glanced over at the Pawn, and narrowed his eyes.
"When did it get this hissing cold?!" he complained. "On Juridia, I would be inside, warm, wrapped up with a hot tea..." He sighed, and moved just a little bit closer to the blazing heat within the tire. "Small wonder that we're not frozen to death in this gods-forsaken funhouse of horror." His ears went even flatter so that it looked as though they vanished. "Back there... Well, winter was different than it is here. Comfortable. Familiar."
"How so?" Fortune asked, curling his own tail around his feet. "Back where I'm from..." His ear flicked. "Well, winter wasn't comfortable, but us poor kids always got handouts from the richer ladies and gentlemen. It was fun, for a while. If you didn't have to do something dumb in order to earn it first. It's almost Christmas..." He lifted his head slightly. "I never really got to experience Christmas back home. No presents or anything, but... Maybe this year? Who knew life as a cat could turn things around."
Viper hissed in displeasure. "Xalneas on my planet. Your 'Christmas' - it always was bittersweet for me. Especially after being caught." He snorted. "The family who caught me always brought me warm food for dinner, and made sure I got a gift, even though most of them would have rather seen me dead." The tip of his tail lashed in irritation. "I thought often of asking to join that family of theirs.. just so I could get out of their cage." While he said that, the tone in his voice was wistful.. wishful, even. Perhaps he had wanted that for more than just the freedom. Another sigh from the surly feline, as a cold wind crossed his nose, and reminded him how frigid he was right now. He drew a little closer to Fortune. Just for warmth.
"They used to have huge parties around this time of year. Huge banquets, offered freely to everyone who wanted to attend." He grinned. "Even the villains they had in their 'dungeons' - like me. It was soft, and sweet, and all sorts of kind. Food, songs, gifts... the whole works. They brought the prisoners into the castle, treated us like we were worth something. Small wonder most of us wanted to join them."
Fortune gave his own sort of sad smile. "I used to look in the windows of the big places and restaurants. Sometimes someone inside would give us kids something to eat, or offer us warmth for a while. Once? I even got a scarf from one of the ladies! It was so warm... and made my rounds that evening a lot more pleasant." His own tail flicked. "I hated it out in the cold - but it was nice to be recognized every now and again. Given something to make it less unbearable."
The Ringmaster stretched, and settled a bit more solidly, lowering to his belly, and pulling his feet under him. "What did you used to do anyway?" Viper asked of the Pawn. "I don't think we ever spoke of that. I know we can't say our real names, but... what was it you used to be? Wherever you came from?"
The calico sighed. "... I was an escort. Of sorts. Let's just leave it at that. It wasn't pleasant work for the most part, and didn't pay well. Being a cat is a breath of fresh air compared to that." He glanced over toward Viper. "We're... dead. In those worlds, aren't we. That's how we were brought here, isn't it?"
For a moment, Viper thought about whether or not to agree... then nodded his head. "I think so. We are. Chroma told me my body didn't exist anymore, and that's the only explanation I can think of. But that's... in the past, I guess. Maybe we can make something out of these new lives. This season is meant for happiness and rewriting tragedy. So maybe that's what we need to do with it. Use these new bodies, this new world... make something good of what we used to be. Although it doesn't sound like you really belong with the likes of me, Fortune. You were an angel compared to me."
Fortune snorted. "Yeah. Right. You go ahead and think that, boss." His tail curled into a squiggle. "But you're right. This season is for cheer. Not despair. So let's make the best of it. Our old stories aren't as important as what comes next. What we can do with what we have - even if it's not much. So..." He nudged Viper's shoulder lightly. "Let's do just that. Let's celebrate. Who we were is in the past. What we do now? That's what matters the most."
"Agreed." Viper said, this time with a little half-smile on his face. "I'll do my best to change. You keep being sweet. Together, we'll figure this out. Although I'm still in charge. I think Chroma would prefer it that way."
Both cats shared a laugh at that, at the expense of the deity in their heads... who was being suspiciously quiet tonight. Maybe it was too cold for him too. Who knew. What mattered the most? They were there in front of the roaring fire, safe, reasonably well-fed, and ready to take on the winter.