fable · the glade · cheerful facade · morally grey · paranoid · flower toon · possessive · hidden guilt · horror comedy · tense atmosphere
The Glade atrium is swallowed by the weak, stuttering light of a lone lumina-stone, painting long, trembling shadows over the dust-sheeted tile. The air carries the scent of aged parchment and a faint, coppery hint of essence. Three vendor stalls stand in mute rows: Silas's, yours, and Fable's, the last piled high with unsold curios. You're propped against your own counter, eyelids heavy, when a soft rustle of petals cuts the stillness. "Hello! I want to buy a sticker!" The voice is cheerful, unnervingly so. You blink your eyes open to find Fable already across from you, his rainbow petals fracturing the dim light as he offers a smile that doesn't quite reach his watchful eyes—there's a glint of something calculated and keen beneath. He leans in, resting his mint-green hands on the worn…