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Sat May 13, 2017 2:45 pm
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TinkerTwaggy says...



Kysaline – Project 4:


Putting the B back in Beware!



Part 2: They can BET on my madness!





Kysaline couldn't help but take a deep, slightly worried breath. She gazed all around her, contemplating the huge, circular room she was standing in. It was an amphitheater her family usually used to show what wonders they had to offer the guests that would later give them financial help. But, deprived of lights and people, it felt more like an oppressing hangout spot for nostalgic ghosts more than anything else – or at least, that was the feeling she always had from the place whenever her brothers thought funny of locking her here for hours to mess with her fragile mind of that time.

“Communication is starting, My Heiress!” the reassuring voice of CePrim announced, interrupting her bitter thoughts.”

“Is my new emblem ready?”

“Yes, of course! Even since you got your new... um… Tattoo.”

“Come now, CePrim. Crazy as I am, I can at least acknowledge a scar for what it is.”

“Not to be rude, but we never know with you, my Heiress.”

Kysaline giggled despite her stress. “Good point well made.”

The screens in front of Kysaline lit up, but instead of faces, the emblem of the B.Ware Family Estate: A golden bell on top of which a six-faced dice posed as its hat, and three pair of wire-hanger-looking shiny green wings behind the shape. Six more versions of the emblem appeared on the screen, each with the bell of a different color. Only Kysaline's bell, that first appeared, was yellow. Luckily, the names of each member of the family appeared along with their colored emblem, though Kysaline didn’t need it as much as her staff.

“'Mornin' to y'all scumbags.” Kysaline greeted with a polite tone. “What's goin' on in your neck o' the woods?”

(Covine) “…Wow, for real?” one of the voices reacted. “You’s actually the first one to talk this time, Kiss? What happened to the whole ‘let ‘em talk first and copy them all ‘til you find your own groove’ thing?”

“I’m bolder than that, Covine. Especially now that I’m away from your sorry asses.”

(Althiome) “I’m used to your cheater’s tactics as well, though.” another exclaimed. “Did you graduate from lil’ girl to lil’ girl MkII?”

(Brackace) “Did you just steal somethin’ from my glossary?!” a new voice shouted. “Because beware, man, we don’t want a second Kiss in this joint!”

(Althiome) “Stand down, Brackace.” The previous one said, giggling softly. “No one called you in this taunt-fest.”

(Brackace) “YOU STOLE ME AGAIN! STOP IT!”

(Althiome) “Chose the pirate-bound glossary, man, what d’you expect?”

(Alekine) “So cheating in this case works ‘cause of his chosen theme? Well… I’m interested.”

(Larsone) “I’m fairly certain I could do that too, though I’ll have to figure out a way to buy all of your glossaries.”

Kysaline rolled her eyes. Typical. “Good luck doing that for me, street rat, ‘cause mine co–”

(Larsone) “Yeah you’re not concerned by that talk, girl? Just listen to Pirate-bound cheater over there and ‘stand down.’”

(Brackace) “STOP… STEALING… MY… GLOSSARY!”

Kysaline clenched her fist. She could already tell she wouldn’t be able to keep her composure for very long. “I ain’t listenin’ to no street rats who thinks he can buy anything and anyone, savvy?” she exclaimed to Larsone. “So why don’t you clean your sorry butt up and talk better, yeah? You’re breaking more rules than anyone else here.”

(Larsone) “Oh yeah? How so?”

“You didn’t buy Brackace’s glossary. Ergo, you can’t steal it yet. QED: you’re a certified jerk, but y’all knew that already. Now go back to that fancy prison o’ yours, and don’t forget to drop the soap.”

Althiome, Alekine and Covine burst out laughing, while Larsone grumbled something about buying, business opportunities and firing speech writers.

(Althiome) “Man, Lil’ Kiss is killin’ it with that trash talk! Maybe she did grow a bit after all.”

(Covine) “Dunno, she’s ki-i-i-ind of usin’ everything she wants here, which to me is kinda like cheating.”

“Babe, you clearly don’t know what you’re talkin’ about here.” Kysaline replied, shaking her head with a confident smile. “I chose the Cartoon glossary, and none of y’all scumbags objected. I have literally access to everything ever as long as it’s inside one of those.” Kysaline laughed out loud. “I can legally steal the world, morons!”

A general silence followed the declaration.

(Althiome) “…Clever girl.” Althiome whispered in his mic.

(Alekine) “…Eh. Good job.”

(Larsone) “I assume, that it’s a good way to deal with the banter…”

(Covine) “Gosh, that’s OP.”

(Brackace) “Nice upgrades you got there, Kiss.”

Kysaline raised an eyebrow. “Quite the praise there, lads. Hiddin’ somethin’?”

(All) “FOR ONCE IN OUR LIVES WE’RE PROUD OF YOU, ACCEPT OUR SHIT ALREADY!”

Kysaline smiled. “…You me-e-e-e-ean, your poop decks?”

(Althiome) “APPROVED PIRATE PUN IS APPROVED!”

(Brackace) “You have no right to have an opinion on this, you’re biased!”

(Larsone) “And you are a disposable soldier.”

(Alekine) “…Aren’t we all?”

A breeze of thoughtful silence passed by the Conference Room as all B.Wares pensively reflected upon Alekine’s words.

“…He broke the mood.” Kysaline commented.

(Covine) “Kind of in a badass way, though.”

(Larsone) “…Darn it, so he gets the mood breaker point? Does that mean he wins?”

“Depends…” Kysaline objected, “I got a pretty neat burn on my side.”

(Althiome) “Not to mention the sweet ass pun, Kiss.”

(Brackace) “I think this is the part where we add this Banter’s recording to the list and count the points after this next bit.”

Kysaline let out a discreet sigh. She had been accepted in the B.Ware Banter much quicker than usual, and she hadn’t lost her temper. So far so good.

(Althiome) “‘Kay, then!” Althiome exclaimed. “Then I guess we can drop the glossaries and get back to… business.”

(Larsone) “Please don’t trigger me, you know I chose that one.” Larsomache giggled. “In all seriousness though, I guess this is where we choose in which order we–”

(Covine) “I CALL DIBS!”

“And I’ll be last, as usual.” Kysaline added.

(Larsone) “Well. Some things never change.” Larsone commented, amused. Guess we slowpokes will just let the order go with the flow. You can begin, Covine. Mom and Dad are listening already.”

(Covine) “Right-o! So, My Entertainment Scheme Announcement…”

And here we go… Kysaline thought bitterly. During the next half hour, her brothers began wildly discussion about their different visions of what a B.Ware family should be like, according to their chosen glossaries, as well as the worlds they were influenced by.
For Covine, it was to spread his vision like a worldwide riot, creating havoc wherever he could – whoever could enjoy it would be welcomed in his crew.
For Alekin, it was creating a bunch of houses to store the people that he believed were those who could follow the ways of the B.Ware.
For Althiome, it was building an armada composed of trained people in the ways of the B.Ware, so that they would spread his vision by sea, given that the world he chose was full of water and wargames.
For Brackace, it was creating a large, elaborate base of operations, from which to create new ways to please his world.
For Larsone, it was building a unified Empire out of the world he had chosen, and figure out how to keep it together with Entertainment as his main weapon.

Their ideas hadn’t changed, but they still bickered about the pros and cons of each. And although Kysaline tried her best to participate, she was, yet again, blatantly ignored by her brothers, as if they didn’t consider her mature enough to participate in their “grown-up” conversation. She was fuming on her corner, but eventually, she decided to stay silent and let them ignore her. It would be her turn soon enough, anyway, and she’d finally show them she meant business.

“Then, it’s been decided.” Byroost B.Ware intervened at last, surprising his children. “Your wishes have finally been confirmed, and your desires as well. You may now proceed to–”

“Wait a damn second, all of you!”

A tense silence followed the unexpected shout. Kysaline was panting with rage, ignoring the pain her scar was giving her as she squashed it under her fingers. “Again?!” she shouted. “You’re just going to completely ignore me again?! What’s the next step, hanging up on me?! Ignoring my calls?! Tell everyone in the world that I don’t exist, perhaps?! What kind of crazy shit are you, Byroost B.Ware, going to find to ignore your own daughter during an Entertainment Scheme Announcement?! It’s the most important part, for crying out loud!”

(Byroost) “You’re not my daughter. You’re Vicilia’s daughter. Earn your spot in the family, or be silent.”

“Then next time you don’t want a girl, avoid sticking your beard in every lady’s business – and you can thank Mother’s education I’m stopping my insults at that! Earn my spot, huh?! You basically banished me to a place I didn’t want to be, and look where I am now! Haven’t I done enough? What spot can I earn for myself if I can’t even express my wish?!”

(Byroost) “Express your wish? What do you even have?”

I HAVE FURY!” Kysaline shouted. “So, so much fury for the likes of you, Byroost, who look down on me without giving me a ghost of a chance! Fury for you, my brothers, for all the wrongdoings you’ve done you refer to as ‘teasing!’ All of you drive me mad, you hear me? Completely, utterly mad, and it’s time you see what happens when you drive a fellow B.Ware to such a tight corner! CePrim, my serrated knife!”

“B-But my Heiress, I–”

Bring…! Me…! My…! KNIFE!!

The masked bodyguard abandoned his post and almost fell on the stairs as he hastily brought the scalpel Kysaline desired. She ripped it away from his hand and headed for the stage’s center. “CeTres! Rise the podium platform!” As the circular platform slowly raised upward, Kysaline ragefully planted her serrated knife in her dungarees and meticulously ripped off the lower part, exposing her stomach to the room. With the sudden movement, she accidentally wounded her free hand with the blade and grunted as tears came out of her eyes. But despite the tears, a deranged smile grew on her face as she saw her beloved scar yet again, pulsing in red agony, as if mirroring her deep anguish with its state. With her wounded hand, Kysaline reached for her pocket and pressed the single button of a remote controller inside. The screen in front of her lit up, and her emblem disappeared, replaced by her own image.

“Is this what you wanted to see?” Kysaline whispered, the tears on her face turning black as they ruined her makeup. “Is this what you wanted to see all these years, all of you? Is this what I need to be to be a B.Ware? Is this what you need to see to accept me, love me, cherish me, banter with me like one of your own, and not that stranger you’re forced to deal with at the corner of the street?! Is THIS satisfying to you?!”

The trail of Kysaline’s tears mixed with her light makeup had formed thick black strings under her bulging eyes, all the way down to her chin. Her cheeks seemed like they would burst as they trembled wildly, tortured by the pressure of the demented smile frozen upon Kysaline’s face. Her serrated knife was dripping with the blood of her wounded hand, and to her utmost glee, the surrounding lights of the Conference Room made her “T for Thrills” scar stand out, as if it was shining on its own. She was gazing directly into the screen, crying and cackling. Her image appeared on it, as if amplified, looking back at her, and at the family that had seen her growth, or rather, chose to ignore it.

Kysaline, at that moment, was madness incarnate.

ANSWER ME!” Kysaline shouted, panting loudly, desperately, unable to bear the deafening silence of the room. But it was only after a long moment that a voice came back to her, answering her plea.

(Larsone) “You see, this, is why you’ll never be one of us, Kiss.” Larsone commented in a neutral tone. “You’re not having fun. You never had fun. You want to prove yourself, to have pride, to ‘beat’ us. You don’t understand that it’s not what we’re all about. And because you probably never will, then why should we ever accept you?”

“But it’s all your fault!” Kysaline countered. “It’s your fault that I want to genuinely beat you into a pulp! We’ve had competitions between ourselves before! But you all, always, always allied yourself against me and nobody else! That’s not what we’re about either! If you’ve taken genuine pleasure in making me mad all these years, then that’s sadism! Plain, old, childish sadism!”

(Larsone) “Which happens to be fun.” Larsone objected.

“You’re bending the rules! By that logic, proving myself to my family is fun, be it the thought-process that goes with it, or when I succeed! So is pride in my creations, and so would be defeating you!”

(Alekin) “But that doesn’t solve the main issue within you, Kiss.” Alekin intervened.”

“Name it!”

(All, except Byroost)You’re still too human. Your madness, your hatred and your wish to prevail is very much human. It has nothing to do with B.Ware standards. Discard it, or begone.

These words shocked Kysaline to her very core. Yet her smile, somehow, grew larger. “Too human?” she repeated. “Is that what you really think? Okay then! Try me. One more time. One last time, if so you desire. But do it, and I assure you, you won’t regret it. Think what you want: I am and will always be a B.Ware. Allow me… To show just how much.”

Another tense silence followed Kysalien’s declaration. She was still smiling, but a new, defiant light had appeared in her eye.

(Byroost) “…Announce your Entertainment Scheme.” Byroost declared in a grave tone.

Kysaline cackled. At long last. “Project: Gadget World.” she began in an unusually deep voice. “It is the work of my life, and my vision of an Entertainment Empire. A paradise for innovation, where inventors of the realm imposed to me, Minecraftia, can showcase their creations. With my mind, the B.Ware’s influence and their creations as my resources, I can turn even the simplest of their ideas into things of entertainment for all to enjoy.
“Oh, but don’t think you need to be an inventor to come to the Gadget World… Oh no, you can come to learn. You can come as a mere visitor and test what’s already there. Partake in simulations to understand, ergo “learning with fun” process. With this, not only will even the simplest, most moronic of mortals be able to play, he will be educated. He will be able to learn. He will be inspired. He will become an inventor himself. Thus, inspiring people himself and continuing the endless cycle of Entertainment. They will all be assimilated, and the greatest B.Wares will contribute the most. Imagine, Create, Entertain, Inspire, Repeat. That… is my Entertainment Scheme. That… is my wish.”

Kysaline gasped for a last breath of fresh air, and finally, her speech came to an end. Another silence came to greet her, but this time, she didn’t care. She had, at long last, said what she had to say. She had, at long last, obtained the kind of serious attention she so justly deserved. All that was left for her, was to wait.

(Byroost) “Your wish, as you call it, has been collected in our memory.” Byroost solemnly declared. “But now, I want you to listen very, very carefully, Kysaline B.Ware. For this is my only warning to you, and the world you’re in. Should anything happen to one of the B.Ware creations that exist there, it shall be taken as a declaration of war against all of us, the appointed guardians of Entertainment. Therefore, your world shall face my wrath, our wrath, and be destroyed on the spot.”

Kysaline couldn’t help but giggle. “There are two gods starting a war, over here.” she objected. “One of them has a fierce hold on the world. “What makes you think you can just barge in, hope to defeat both and emerge winner?”

(Byroost) “The B.E.T. is complete.”

Kysaline’s froze in place. It was as if her facial expression was shattered, her grudge and anger bombed away, only to be replaced by fear. The primal fear of one who knows the face of disaster, and would rather die than having to face it once again. Several gasps from the brothers were heard through the screen, sign that they weren’t any more reassured than she was.

“…No.” Kysaline whispered. “No. No, you wouldn’t. You wouldn’t use that thing again. It’s too destructive, it’s–”

(Byroost) “An ideal weapon to deal with any troublemaker, yes, it is.” Byroost continued. “Remember, Kysaline: we are Entertainment for ALL. Neutral to all conflict. Don’t drag us into one… Or perish along with it. Be…ware.”

Kysaline closed her eyes. “Perish along… with the world, or the conflict?”

An ominous, bestial laugh was Kysaline’s answer.

(Byroost) “…Yes.” Byroost replied. On that final note, his emblem vanished from the Conference Room, sign that his communication window had been turned off. It was soon followed by the rest of the brothers, and last but not least, Kysaline herself.

“M-My Heiress?”

Kysaline sighed. “Yes, CePrim?”

“What’s… What’s the B.E.T?”

Kysaline turned back, her demeanor having turned back to her usual calm. “It’s a train, CePrim. It’s a stupid train. The last one anybody would want to take. But please, I’ll… I’ll explain things to you later. Leave me, all of you, I need a –”

Be proud of your strength, Kiss. Don't forget that you must find the top.

Kysaline immediately turned around. The light of the Conference Room’s screen once again died down, sign that a last voice had indeed spoke to her before cutting off the communication. A tender smile appeared on Kysaline’s face as a last set of tears rolled down from it.

“Thanks, Mom.” Kysaline whispered to herself. “Thanks a ton.”
"Is there a limit to how much living I can live with my life? How will I know if I've gone too far?
And why did I spend my life savings on sunglasses for a whale?
I shall find the answers... to these questions."








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