‘Indigo fell to the ground and the white washed from her eyes, swept away by a flood of tears. “Shes… really gone?” Magdalena pulled her into a hug and they cried together. Indigo pushed up the cage holding Ekwuno. It crushed her against the top. They collapsed.

Neither of them saw a pair of eyes that had observed the whole thing burn briefly with hate, then leave.’

Mara slammed her fists on her desk, glaring up at a picture of Indigo. Indigo had killed her mother(Ekwuno in the rps gender is currently unclear bc we havnt gotten that far and first is in a wing it mood, so i figured since in kuros stories ekwuno was a man, i'd switch for balance). It was her fault. And Indigo would pay.

She knew just how to do it.

“Indigo, hey!” she spotted Indigo in the hall and smiled sympathticlly. Indigos hair was faded into a murky color. Normally it was dyed the brightest, most diverse shades possible. The shadows under her eyes had dried tears. Indigo forced a horribly false smile but couldn't muster words.

“I heard about what happened…”

“You know?”

“Yes. I'm gyfted too.”

“Really? What's your name?”

“Mia.” like she would tell Indigo her real name.

“Nice to meet you.” Indigo looked tired and not pleased, butit was easy to understand. If mara was in the understanding mood. But she didn't begrudge it.

“We’ve met- nevermind. You must be lonely…”

“Yes.”

“So am I. Someone I loved recently died.”

“What happened?”

“My mother works with unstable gyfteds… dangerous gyfts some have.”

Indigo finally mustered energy, “I'm sorry… my sister was killed by an evil gyfted. Like Falcon… but worse.” Mara hid her emotions. Besides, the idiot killed herself. And the idiot in front of her killed her mother.

Yes, she had hurt people. But Ekwuno wasn't bad, just misunderstood. 

Now Mara was the bad guy. So what? She would get vengeance, and then live to see her mothers dream fulfilled. Mara conjured an audio illusion, one of her powers, to two of the popular girls voices whispering loudly.

“What's with Indigo?”

“Look at her, shes pathetic.”

“She always was, but now…”

The voices trailed off as if walking away. Indigo flinched but ignored them.

“Weren't they your friends?”

“Kinda.”

“Not anymore?”

“I don't have many more friends.”

“You have me,” Mara smiled. It looked genuine, but hide a burning glare of hate.

“Thank you, Mia.”

“Of course,” anything for you, murderer.

They spent lunch together that day, and the next. Every day. Indigo started smiling again. To brightly. And she stopped talking about Kuro. She took her to a cave system she made, where a blonde girl waited.

“Hey Magdalena, this is Mia, the girl I told you about.”

“Can I speak to you?”

“Sure.”

“Alone.”

“Oh… uh?”

“I don't mind.” Mara spoke up for the first time. Indigo nodded and walked away. Mara followed, silencing her footsteps with her gyft.

“What's wrong with you?”

“Nothing! I'm great!”

“Why are you so happy?”

“Why wouldn't i be?”

“You just lost Kuro.”

“Why shouldnt i be happy?”

“You shouldnt be suppressing things.”

“I’m not suppressing anything!”

“You never say her name or speak of her. You almost always smile ike everythings perfect. It's been just a month but you don't show any signs of morning and you're talking about that girl the way you talked about Kuro. you can't replace her. Thats not fair to you, Mia, or Kuro. and did you see how much white she was wearing? You can't replace Kuro with her literal opposite!”

“I’m not replacing anyone! Why can't i have another sis-friend?”

“Shes not your sister.”

“Of course not!”

“Can you just list-”

“I bet shes bored, we should go back.”

Magdalena sighed, “fine. But theres something about-”. Mara ran back and worked on a music sheet as if she had been doing it.

“Hey Mia!” Indigo said.

“Hi. Hi Magdalena.”

Magdalena just eyed her.

“Ok…”

Indigo glared at Magdalena, “so, what are you working on? Another song?”

“Yeah.”

“Can i hear it?”

“Sure.” she pulled out her violin and played long, mournful notes. Even Magdalena closed her eyes and was lost in the music. The bow sped up into a fast, angry tune. Then abruptly, ended. Indigo and Magdalena gasped in shock as they were snatched from the world of music, then clapped. 

After a while Indigo left. Magdalena eyed Mara, who shrugged innocently. “What?”

“Nothing. Would you back off from Indigo? Shes using you as a crutch for… things,  and she needs to not replace someone.”

“Why should I?”

“For Indigo?”

“No. Why do I trust you?”

“Why should i trust you?”

“Why do i care if you trust me?”

Magdalena glared. Mara glared back. “Fine.”

Mara would answer but she didn't want to give a friend of Indigo the satisfaction. So she just turned and followed Indigo toward her house. She felt eyes on her. Shoot. Now she would be watched. This would be a lot harder. Unless…

She stopped, smiling, and turned to Magdalena who was sullenly following. “You shouldn’t trust me.”

Magdalenas eyes shot to her and she looked confused. Mara just smiled.

“You’re right. I’m up to no good.” Mara wanted to laugh. Magdalena stared.

“Wha… why are you telling me?”

“Why not? You’re on to me.” Good, good. Now, add a threat to make it believable.

“I… am?”

“To bad you can't do a thing about it… it's a shame. A word of advice? Don't cross me. I've killed before and I’ll do it again,” her voice hardend with the threat. It was so hard not to smile as Magdalenas eyes grew wide. She smiled smugly and walked away, telling Indigo she had to go. She had already noticed thin walls and snuck into Kuros old room, now dusty, and listened to footsteps walking into Indigos.

“Indigo! That girl, Mia or whatever her name is!” Magdalenas voice was urgent. Mara silently chuckled.

“Yeah? What about her? Is this more of the replacing… people?”

“No- thats important too, but no! You can't trust her?”

Indigo sighed, “why not?”

“She just threatened me! And shes doing something, i don't know what, but it's bad. She said shes killed people!”

“Mm-hm. I'm sure.”

“I’m serious! I'm telling the truth!”

“Why would she kill someone?”

“I don't know!”

Mara laughed softly and crept away, using her sound illusion to disguise her steps. Magdalena would take herself out of the picture. Why on earth would Indigos trusted friend kill people? And after what Magdalena had been saying earlier… her credibility would vanish. All Mara had to do was sit back and watch, until Magdalena annoyed Indigo so much she snapped.

She would feed her more info, too. Tell Magdalena she was trying to kill Indigo, tell her who her mother was. Be honest, for once, because no one would believe her. And if Magdalena reported her to the CC(magic ppl gov), she would have no evidence. Indigo would vouch for her. And after everything poor, poor Magdalena had been through, she might have gone a little off the edge. 

Mara laughed. Poor Magdalena. She shouldn’t have crossed her. Maybe she would poison one of Magdalenas famliy members, make it look natural. No, that would be to far, and an autopsy might prove more than Mara would like revealed. Besides,words would be more than enough.

Over the next weeks Mara made no move with Indigo, except getting closer, but she watched with relish as Magdalena and Indigo grew apart. Two weeks later, she told her that she was trying to kill Indigo. Later she overheard Indigo snap at Magdalena. About a month later, she almost never saw Magdalena with Indigo. Mother taught her well.

She started to push Indigo into doing risky activities. It was easy. Indigo was naturally interested in exciting- and often questionably safe, activities, and in her grief(which she usually ‘accidentally’ brought up around when she dared Indigo), Indigos reason was hurting. Finally, she dared Indigo to visit the warehouse where Autumn, Bellatrix, Kuro, and Mother had died and many others almost died. Indigo hesitantly accepted.

Indigo was off balance as she walked in. She was emotionally strained and her guard was too low as memories surged. So Mara followed. She flooded the room with light and sound, briefly blinding Indigo and making her ears ring, and tied something to Indigos foot that blocked powers. She had stolen it from Magdalena.

Indigo escaped the stun already tied up. Mara smiled at her, smug, cruel.

“What?! Why?! Mia?” she pleaded.

“No, no. Not Mia. Mara. you should have listened to your friend.” Mara laughed. “What am I saying? There was no way you would have listened to a crazy person. So easy… Gosh that girl has no tact. It was so easy to play her. She did everything i wanted… and you, Indigo, you were wonderful. If only all my enemies were as simple as you. Then again, sometimes I like a challenge.” Her voice hardened, “Not this time. This is revenge.”

“Mia!”

“Oh, hush! Like i care. Like anyone ever did but your stupid sister. And look how long that lasted? To her credit, she was harder than most to crack. So, so loyal. Had to be hypnotized.”

“Are you the one who… but i killed…”

“No. funny, you escaped death here once. Not twice. This time, no sister will save you. And now my mother will rest easy, with you dead.”

“What?”

“Simple, simple Indigo. You killed my mother. I kill you. Easy as that.get ready to join your sister.”

“INDIGO!” Magdalena shouted from the door.

“Right, of course you followed. Didn't I tell you not to cross me?” Mara said.

Magdalena ran in.

“Hmmm how many times did you fail here? You failed for Autumn, you failed for Indigo, you failed for Kuro, and now you fail once more.” Mara threw a knife, which hit Magdalena easily, right through the heart. Before she even fell, Mara turned to Indigo, enjoying the expression as she watched another friend die. “Your turn.”

She walked casually to the body, twitching lightly, and took the blade. Then she slit Indigos throat.

Or- she was going to. Indigo knew she was dead. Mara saw it in her eyes, her countanance. She enjoyed watching victims accept the reality in the final moment. Yet Indigo moved her hand to the hand moving toward her throat and shoved it.

The stab was messy, but it hit mara. Lethally. Blood was streaming down her face as she stabbed the knife forward. Blackness closed her vision, but she felt it penetrate flesh. Then she fell. She kept falling after her body hit the ground, fell all the way to her mothers side. Dead.