Work Text:
"D-death?!"
-The cup in her hands fell and shattered.
"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to--"
"There is no need to apologize. I understand that that word can startle many".
Yeah, no kidding.
The mess cleaned up itself. . . . .with a little help from some magic.
Magic so close.....
"I......wha.....how....?"
A smile.
"Truly worthy. Those who have not shied away from seeing my power up close are very good candidates for becoming an archiver".
"A.....what?"
"Someone who would be working closely with me and venture with me in finding new artifacts. Someone who will help organize the museum and use their power to help me expand purgatory.
Just think of it; you would be able to travel across all of time and space. Explore so many places and cultures. See so much beauty.
And the treasure you shall find on the explorations will be worth more than you can even imagine".
"Um.....well, I'm not really interested in gold or anything--"
But the brand change.
No more feeling left out-
"No, child. Gold, jewelry, amulets. They are all worthless compared to the true treasure. And deep down, you know what I mean".
Not really.
"Just search inside yourself, Delta....."
She closed her eyes.
I don't know! I don't know! I don't--!
"Knowledge and wisdom".
"Exactly".
She continued. . .
"You would no longer be left out of the knowledge, because you would possess the knowledge.
And you need knowledge to tell great stories. Of course, Mystic may be the star attraction and a storyteller, but you and I would be the masterminds of this place.
All of the exhibits must answer to us. We would be the creators".
She added the Final Nail.
"Think of it this way, you can refuse, but you would return to feeling left out, invisible, ignored, be stuck in what you call 'your brand.'
Or you can accept, and move forward, achieving power beyond your wildest dreams.
All the world's knowledge, all of the knowledge of time and space, it would all be right at your finger tips".
"Right at.....my finger tips...."
Scr* it! I'm gonna be a time lady.
"Okay, I accept".
"Excellent".
She took her hand, having gotten everything she wanted.
"Now follow me, and we shall get you started".
*
"What's.....what's in that box?"
In the Soul Jar room.
Alice was still standing to attention-
"Oh, no, no, no!"
There were tentacles.
"H* no! Not today, Satan! We are not doing this. Not a chance. No thank you, ma'am. Not in this lifetime. Count me out. I’m going to have to exert my NO muscle on this one.
I’m marathoning a whole season of NO. I'd like to get myself a one-way ticket on the Nope Train to No-Way-in-Heckville in the country of Flip-That-I'm-Out".
"You would refuse something so beautiful?"
She calmed her down with a hand.
"Imagine what secrets it holds, what power! It transforms people into their true nature".
Gee, where've I heard that one before.
S4.
Cassidy the Gorgon, and Joey the Lost-In-Dimensional-Prison.
But. . .
Easy, Delta.....Pandora opened a box, and look at what happened.....
The answer?
We got knowledge......
She touched the lid.
She lifted it, and inhaled the smoke.
A demon's soft cackling in her ears. . . . . .
No one familiar....
"Oh my...."
The Collector looked on (in satisfaction).
"It looks like there's a little bit of evil inside of you....."
Oh no.....
"You.....you tricked me....!"
Her head-
Long, black hair.
Bat-winged dress.
Enter a new soul, easily overpowering the one that had once been.
"Why in the name of Lucifer am I on the floor?"
She stood, took her Staff-
"I shall have to execute whoever is responsible".
"NO!"
Earthquake.
"Oh my.....it seems that one of the exhibits is....acting up".
"Indeed", the Collector agreed, "And I know who is responsible for it. Please.....follow me......"
Rose Black.