| CG5 - Lonely King [Dream SMP original song]= “Cheshire” theme

Once again she found herself looking at a familiar scene.

“Oh~ she’s back already~!” <”Navy”>

“As expected.” <”Doji”>

In front of her lay a simple non-magical fire, severed logs sat around it to serve as seating for those who were there, as the two most important men in her life sat across from one another.

On one side was the father whose beliefs & lack of belief led to the demon. Meanwhile her brother who preached her potential yet recently saw to her downfall sat on the other side of the flame. Both people she had sought validation in but, in the end, both ended up betraying her. Even if doing so aeons apart.

Looking upon them - shrouded in a darkness that surpassed mere night - she couldn’t even find the wrath that always simmered within her. She only wondered why. Why could they never just accept her for who she was and trust her that she could become greater than any before her.

She believed in them so why couldn’t they do the same?

Obviously she was neurodivergent from birth so understanding people already was difficult for her. Though she could acknowledge she at least had it easier than “Mother” who went one step beyond that and was a straight up sociopath. Still she struggled to relate to others who thought so differently to her.

Her beliefs that they simply didn’t understand that she could grow stronger led to her desperately training her demonic power before realising how attuned it was to her own life force. Ironically leading to her father believing she was sick & thus getting weaker. Completely turning his back on her in favour of them.

Meanwhile the two girls who were meant to be one with her - the ultimate team called Violet - looked at her as a mere tagalong. The weakest link that kept them from being absolute. Something her father took to reinforcing till they didn’t even see her as a head; that was why Violet didn’t appear in the first war.

They never agreed that she could be strong.

To some races that may just come across as just a minor setback; believing there were other things that she’d be able to do to gain respect. However that would show a direct lack of understanding about what strength meant to an oni. There were more forms of strength than just being able to physically kill.

An oni & demon’s version of strength was something far greater than they were given credit for. They believed strength was found in what you could do - whether “strength” came through one's ability to bench press a mountain or build a house. Although they certainly were more open about their love of violence.

As a result weakness was therefore equated to being completely unable to do anything; a person who is completely useless. Eventually (obviously) she did figure out her demonic energy’s requirements. In turn her brother came into her life despite having abandoned them before she was even born.

He brought with her something no one else other than a certain little black cat did - he deduced that she could become just as powerful if not more powerful than her so-called sisters. So did the cat as she helped her learn about her abilities. Still that cat was an outsider who she couldn’t understand.

Certainly a figure who she looked up to but not family.

Navy was the first figure that truly believed in her even if it was to further his own techniques. Even then she didn’t care that he used her to make his “Heavenly Demon Techniques” since she could understand such a motive. Plus it even helped her achieve the strength she wanted to.

Allowing her to develop a fearsome form of “magic” that even the gods had to fear, one built through her demonic power’s traits, curses. Corrupting the ability to grant buffs into something malevolent. She thus expected that her family would now accept her as strong and thus finally give her acknowledgement.

Certainly her older sister did (while her brother obviously did) once she came back to them alive yet the other parts of herself didn’t even seem to care or even looked down on her more!

Then there was her father.

“It makes sense that one who can only take away the strength of others would meet the end of those she trusts the most; truly a failure.” <”Doji”>

Even if this version was just a figment of her imagination… The reaction wasn’t wrong. Despite him pushing her to gain strength, reminding her how useless she was compared to her sisters, even putting fucking bells on her in order to know where she was like she was some kind of dog…

He despised her power.

“Well she was kind of stupid to trust me despite betraying her own soul-bound sisters~.” <”Navy”>

Of course she still had her precious brother’s support so why not help support his goals. She didn’t need those silly oni anyway, she was her own person, more than willing to throw away her identity as an oni to become the demon she was always meant to be. Syphoning off souls into her realm in order to help him.

So what if she betrayed Violent & Vibrant by taking away everything they ever loved; both of them deserved it for denying her first. They had everything she wanted but shared none of it.  Only when it mattered to them were they united as “Violet” thus she owed it to them to help.

How could what she do be called “betrayal” when they had betrayed her first?

Hearing it from the face of navy, especially, caused her knuckles to crack as she clenched her fists while approaching the fireplace once more.

The first time she approached she did so as a snivelling brat who still desired their acceptance - now other figures even decided to join the two men. Her other selves being among them. Each speaking nonsense that caused a shiver to travel up her spine only for that cold feeling to be converted to heat.

“She never was any good.”

“Always the slowest.”

“As well as the weakest.”

“To think she has the bloodline of the Adjudicator.”

“I gave her so many chances but she could only accomplish this…”

“Not even worthy of her surname of Shuten.”

“Born from the oldest oni yet caused the downfall of her own race.”

She didn’t even notice as the shadows around her developed unsettling crimson eyes, thick black circles encasing the crimson light, with slit pupils. Those countless eyes viewing the scene with amusement. Red threads dancing between the various branches that peaked out the abyss.

Tendrils of darkness lurching out the black with desire to consume her fear but unable to do so before her hair converted into a crimson mane of cursed flame.

“SHUT UP; I AM THE ONE WHO WILL CONQUER ALL UNDER THE HEAVENS SINCE I CAN AND NONE OF YOU CAN STOP ME!” <Victory>

Her roar caused those figures to go still as she raised her finger up to point toward them.

“I know you are my imagination so I will be gracious and give those I like with the honour of basking in my glory while punishing the others by forcing you to bask in all my glory!” <Victory>

Throwing her arms out with the arrogance of an empress and the determination of a warrior - her resentment so strong that it forced her wings out. The area filled with the violet petals as her 12 wings flared up menacingly. She wasn’t taller than a lot of them yet she certainly had more presence.

*SCRRRR*

Abruptly the sound of scraping metal echoed through the darkness as Victory hurried to meet that figure with her wrath having not faded even a bit. Strangely though… She felt something she hadn’t ever felt before when witnessing the figure. A sinister emotion that caused her to shake as if she was cold.

It caused her body to feel clammy while her muscles tensed; she didn’t like this feeling but quickly figured out why she was having this “dream” now.

“SHOW YOURSELF AND WHY YOU UPSET THIS MONARCH!” <Victory>

“My~ my~ it was only some light teasing, darlin’~!” <??????????>

A deranged constantly shifting laugh that made it impossible to guess what was next.

It was only then that the cause of the nightmares made herself present, joined by a wicked laughter as her figure appeared behind Victory, somehow her silhouette darker than the abyss itself.

A five foot entity with familiar feline features that brought one cat to memory.

“... Cheshire?” <Victory>

Her question because her instincts disagreed with her assessment for once; though her mind was also not confident in its thoughts. Those crimson eyes were far more playfully cruel than any of Cheshire’s. In addition the red strings of fate seemed to have gruesomely developed a cross stitch smile across her face.

Those glowing strings formed a “cheshire grin” even without her lips being visible - what was visible was her teeth which were pure white while her gums were a bloody red. Both on display due to the tautness of the stitching on her face. A truly insane laugh echoed out the figure as received that question.

Plus… She was pretty sure Cheshire wasn’t black.

“Oh~ I do wonder~.” <”Cheshire”>

That unique pair of eyes practically formed crescents as they creased up. Her voice constantly shifts between quick & high to slow & low, keeping one from ever shifting their attention, but also being oddly hypnotic with the level of charisma shown. Unlike Cheshire it was unfettered by the ravages of time.

“Nn?” <Victory>

“Ah yes~ a lady of business, quite alike we are, both up ‘n’ comin’ divas that need to stretch out her legs a tad bit are we not~?” <”Cheshire”>

The world itself, one that even Victory believed was under her own control as a part of her mind, shifted without a single ounce of resistance. Shock was visible on Victory’s face. That forest was converted into a simple casino. Far more similar to where they fought Cheshire than the operations under the yakuza.

Filled with tables & machines with those figures elongated claws scratching the metal rim of a roulette table as she lifted her fingers up to flick the device. Causing the ball inside to be sent hurtling due to the centrifugal forces of the spinning roulette. Though things only got stranger.

All around were still those red threads while the whole room was both dark yet not; able to see through the dark but only certain things actually popped out. Like being in a video game where only random textures actually spawned in. The cat being one of those things still garbed in the abyss.

“As you have rightly pointed out; I want you to help me but I am not like your brother~. That boy, he wronged the both of us due to his ego not being able to trust others, since he can’t trust himself. What I offer is a simple beneficial pact between two believers of the same belief~....” <”Cheshire”>

Vanishing from where she stood only for Victory to feel the cold breath on her ear.

“A belief that fear and suffering make for such a beautiful display~.” <”Cheshire”>

Immediately turning around to swing her fist at the entity who dared sneak up on her yet ending up with nothing to show for it. That cat already sat atop a slot machine. Her legs crossed with her hands childishly resting on her knees as she practically screamed out “I’m an innocent girl” with her eyes.

Though hard to believe with that literally forced smile.

“Me and you, two peas in a po~d~, I think we can agree that there are no stakes in this gamble that Navy has made on the mortal realm… But he tried to cut us out of the next hand. Rather rude of that boy, don’t you agree~?” <”Cheshire”>

Victory narrowed her eyes as she tried to keep her eyes on that figure to see how she was managing to travel about so abruptly. Her instincts suddenly screaming out to her as she stepped back due to her complete trust in them. Good thing as the cat's fingers shot up only to press a single digit against her lips.

An innocent action as long as one didn’t acknowledge that… Anyone else, maybe even Victory herself if she was slightly slower, would have died then & there without knowing how. That sharp claw piercing right through their softest part to end up severing their brain from their body.

“Shhh~ you don’t need to say a thing - I understand you agree completely - we may as well be mother & daughter with how well we get along with each other~!” <”Cheshire”>

This eccentric making of the Cheshire that Victory remembered… Look normal in comparison. The only person she could begin to compare the nutcase to was obviously only Chaos. Chaos who was the mysterious child of-

Victory’s eyes widened but felt the finger press against her lips with ever so slightly more weight.

“You really were the clever one; only that scaredy snake can really compare~.” <”Cheshire”>

A weight suddenly rested on Victory’s shoulders as she saw the claws of that girl resting on her shoulders while the cat’s ears touched the top of her scalp. It didn’t take a genius to figure out she was now doing a headstand on top of her. Still Victory didn’t move anymore as she closed her eyes.

“Nn.” <Victory>

“Now - just like you pointed out - I find myself trapped in hell while you are soon to join me if that prickly bastard gets his way… Pardon my german~.” <”Cheshire”>

Once again that figure vanished only for the room to also do the same; now Victory found herself stood in some form of a vault. Treasures littered as far as the eye could see. Most notable were the hundreds of thousands of crowns & halo’s that littered the ground. Above it all was a simple throne.

Just basic wood with a set of cushions that seemed black with mould.

However it was this, not all the fanciful ones, that the little abyssal monster had decided to sit upon with her presence truly releasing the aura of a being above all wants.

This time her physical body revealed itself as she indeed shared a lot with Cheshire but lacked the most noticeable thing. All the scars were gone. She didn’t even have the unnaturally white skin but instead had a far darker complexion; not a major surprise since Cheshire had said she suffered from a skin condition.

Everyone thought Cheshire was a liar when she said her natural skin tone was black but it seemed she had been telling the truth. But in front sat the figure of an unwounded Cheshire. As long as one didn’t include the red strings of fate that pierced through her flesh to create precise stitches.

With her outfit of choice being that of a tailored suit with scrunched up arms it was possible to see some string travelling up her arms yet that was hardly the most noticeable example. Her entire mouth was truly contorted by those strings into a smile. One that always revealed her teeth & gums.

Covering each of her fingers were long metallic black claws that were held in place by connecting with the strings that travelled up her arms.

Upon one of which she slung a crown around in a circle as she slovenly leaned to one side with only her elbow (resting on her thrones armrest) to support her. Atop her black hair was a bowler hat that was kept on her lopsided head due to being caught on one of her ears. Her other ear… Lacked that iconic bite.

“Are you really her?” <Victory>

“I wonder~ what do you think~?” <”Cheshire”>

Seemingly amused by the worried doubts rather than offended; something that only made Victory feel even more of that uncomfortable feeling.

She likely would have broken out into a violent rampage if not for her instincts.

It was in her best interest… Plus she needed friends more than ever.

“Listen up kiddo~ I have some plans that I want you for; everyone is stacking the deck without caring about our thoughts so us two just have to sneak each other into the game~!” <”Cheshire”>

Throwing her arms out which resulted in that crown being tossed across the room.

“Obviously those goodie two shoes will try to stop that rogue so they’ll approach you since you’re the only one who knows the deets~. With their help it’ll be easy to get through the front door. All you need to do is act like you give a hoot and we commence the greatest prison break of all time~!” <”Cheshire”>

That girl threw herself back into her chair, cackling madly, which made her precariously balanced throne begin to rock. Literally having it balanced upon the tip of a pile of treasure. She seemed to love living on the edge - though - since that only made her inclined to swing herself back & forth more.

“Even the End has fears so they’ll come begging us to help them but we’ll let that dog get away with his plan at which point we strike; nothing is more exciting than betting on the last hand~!” <”Cheshire”>

Victory tilted her head but admitted that the cat likely had even more resentment than her so there was nothing wrong with trusting her plan.

It was a motive she could understand.

“All you need to remember… Victory is about winning the war not the battle.” <”Cheshire”>

Swiftly her voice went serious as her crimson eyes filled the entirety of Victoy’s vision; making that proud demoness step back only for “Cheshire” to not even be in front of her once she did.

Returning back to the forest except everyone Victory knew was hanging from the trees with red string.

That cat now holding a handkerchief made from the strings of fate - using it to wave Victory away like a wife bidding her husband farewell. Her eyes showed she was sad… But that eerie smile literally couldn’t be wiped off her face so the whole scene became more spine tingling than funny.