@just-horrible-things / just-horrible-things.tumblr.com
Story: Jo and Ari Timeline: Simultaneous to these pieces Jo belongs to @khalwrites
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Alarm
Ariadne sits on her bunk and stares at the opposite wall.
She doesn’t touch any of Jo’s things.
That would be tampering with evidence. It would make her look even more guilty than she already does.
Than she already is.
Jo is a traitor -- no, Jo was a spy, and Ariadne is a traitor.
Traitor Verse: Jo and Ari @just-horrible-things @whump-sprite Timeline: Directly after being exposed as a witch, follow up to the reveal Ari and Jay (mentioned only) belong to @just-horrible-things
~~~
They cauterize the gunshot wound, hands and chains holding her still as the hot iron is pressed to the open wound. Her back arches against unforgiving hands, and she bites her lip on a choked cry as her leg is held down for the so-called treatment. An antibiotic is stabbed into her arm, and then she’s yanked to her feet again and ordered to move. Orders only. She’s not a person anymore, just a filthy witch. Why would they bother talking to her? She can feel the hate rolling off of them. Her hands are wrenched and cuffed behind her back, one guard on each side, with one leading the way and another trailing behind. Taking every precaution to ensure she won’t escape. They’re half-dragging her, and half-demanding that she walk. She can’t put weight on her leg, stumbling and practically hopping as she’s shoved roughly down towards the cells. Everything feels like a dream, still having trouble connecting the truth of what happens next.
A whumpee is caught trying to escape or fomenting rebellion. They are dragged out into a public place and bound kneeling with their hands cuffed to the ground in front of them. The ritual number of lashes is given, furrowing their back and flicking around the edges of their shoulders, their arms, the bare soles of their feet.
When the whip stills for the last time, they sag forwards, hardly able to believe they survived. But they are not released, and dimly they hear the number of hours they must wait under the sun before they will be released.
They took a whipping. They can survive the waiting.
They can’t muster the energy to flinch when something weighted thunks down near their slumped body, but it doesn’t inflict more pain on them, and they ignore it in favor of making sure they manage to take one breath, and then another.
They can hear people passing by. They’ll be a spectacle, a lesson, a witness to the folly of resistance.
They’ll be a symbol, a sign, a marker that there are still those who dream of freedom.
Footsteps pass closer. It’s fine, they have to get through the square somehow. But then they pause, and the whumpee cracks tear-crusted eyes open to see an arm dipping into the bucket that’s been left next to them.
They catch, briefly, the look of regret on the civilian’s face – and behind them the watchful guards – before they toss the handful of salt across the whumpee’s torn-open back.
When awareness fades back in from the white-hot spike that pierced them, the whumpee cowers from the sounds of more people passing through the busy square. Each one slows, as they must, to dip their hand into the bucket and offer tribute to the spectre of order propped up by looming guards and the vice of collective fear.
Verse: Unlikely Salvation (@whump-sprite) Timeline: Jo is 18 and undercover in the feds, Ari is around 20, and they’re nearing the end of their year of training. Both Ariadne who-trusts-authority-way too-much Milonas and Riven dickhead Mclauren belong to @just-horrible-things
The Reveal
“Let go, you little bitch.” Sneered derisively as he twists her arm more. Yeah, right. Jo tightens her own grip, trying to shove him back, get him out of her space. Another escalation: Confronting him after he crossed a line with Ariadne the other day. He was furious at her insubordination, grabbed at her, and Jo fought back. Riven uses his greater weight to knock them both sideways before a hit to her gut leaves her doubled over. She manages to aim a punch at his face, pleased to nail him good enough to leave a black eye— it’ll match his bruised jaw well. A retaliating kick to her shins and she stumbles. Her arm is twisted again when she goes for another hit and she’s shoved back against the wall, pinned a second later. A flash of panic rushes through her, red-hot anger and bone-chilling fear mixing as she struggles to get away from him when he leans in close. “Get the hell off.” Jo snarls, hands finding his shoulders, shoving with all of her might.
The blast shouldn’t be as loud as it is, the sound echoing through the room as pure force flies through her hands, colliding with his shoulders.
Riven goes flying nearly twenty feet backwards, hitting the far wall with a loud thud as her magic bursts loose. Her anger, her fear, the build-up from containing it— and she loses control. She almost lashes out again as the silence spreads over the room, all eyes flickering to Riven against the wall. They turn back to her slowly, taking in the sparks that are dancing on her hands. Then it hits. Where she’s at, what they’ll do… No. Her secret is out.
Verse: Unlikely Salvation (@whump-sprite) Timeline: Jo is 18 and undercover in the feds, a trainee with Ariadne. Ari is around 19 and also in training
Cowritten with @just-horrible-things, Ariadne and Jay both belong to JC
Two Shots 5/5
~~~
“Entering.” “Clear.” “Clear. Go.” Jo listens carefully as they sweep through the building, not saying a word in response. Her heart is racing again when she can hear them- not just over the phone, but off in the distance, getting closer. Her hand is still raised defensively at the door, not bothering to hide her magic. “Clear.” It sounds closer again, but somehow farther away at the same time. Just an echo, hearing the voices from underwater again, like when she clawed out from the shock of her first kill. The world has shrunk to her and Ariadne: She will defend her friend, no matter who comes through that door. No one will hurt them. Jo will make damn sure of that. Sparks dance on her hands, the magic that she loves. She missed it: Missed using it, playing with it, exploring what she could do. They hate the unnatural powers that warlocks have, all of her friends do. Ari hates it especially, she’s voiced her opinions on it enough. But now it’s protecting them, keeping them safe, a power that is nearly too strong to be contained. The sparks that leap and twist around her hands are mesmerizing almost, and it feels good- freeing- not hiding who she is. Why can’t she use her magic all the time? Why can’t people see how good it can be? It can help and it can save, it doesn’t have to just be equated with destruction and fear and death.
