When others looked at Sera, they saw beauty, happiness, joy and someone with her life together. Always helping others and wanting to see those around her happy.

Mortal men and women falling all over her, quick to buy her a drink and vie for even a second of her time.

And that was the mask she wore, that was what she wanted the world to see. A perfect woman. Always put together, always with a smile, always with a kind word.

'Look, here she comes now
Bow down and stare in wonder
Oh, how we love you
No flaws when you're pretending'


Standing in her walk-in closet, she just stares at the perfectly arranged clothes. Sorted by color and season, length and activity. Shoes lined up beneath them, each matching the dress or skirt hanging above it. Aquamarine eyes move to the island in the center, the glass on top showing various pieces of jewelry, all perfectly arranged. One wall was lined with purses, once again, lined up by size and color.

Everything in its place.

Everything perfect.

Just like her.

Just like her Mask.

But that wasn’t her.

With no one to see her without her Mask, without her perfect facade, the pressure had been forming. And the cracks were showing.

But the Mask cannot slip, it must never slip. She must always…always be perfect. She must always smile, must always have a kind word, must always be there for everyone.

Then the cracks.

The first one being what she had done to Kray. It had been a stupid mistake, and she knew it. She knew it as soon as the let the petals go, felt it was wrong. But she did it anyways.

Why?!

The pressure continuing to build as she looked at the perfection around her, and the gates opened.

In a blind rage, dresses, shirts and skirts were ripped from hangers and thrown. Shoes scattered around the room.

Looking at herself in a full-length mirror, chest heaving, hair disheveled, eyes wild, she felt the anger and rage continue building,

“WHY?!” she screams, her throat becoming raw.

Her body trembled as her blood burned with pent up frustration at one simple fact.

She was alone. She would always be alone. The one she thought loved her had abandoned her.

She acted out to make someone else suffer like she was. She wanted someone else to feel pain.

‘Unloveable…broken…worthless…disgusting…’ came the voice. Her Keepers voice, laughing, ‘You will always be broken and worthless.’ You could hear the pleasure he took in reminding her of those things. 'You were just a toy, just an amusement to him...'

Then the tears fell as her chest heaved. But not in sadness, no. It was in anger again.

Screaming at the reflecting, a translucent hand was raised, and before she knew it, the mirror was shattered.

'Without the mask, where will you hide?
Can't find yourself lost in your lie
I know the truth now
I know who you are
And I don't love you anymore'


As the shards of glass stuck in her hand and the blood ran down her fingers and pooled on the carpet, she felt something.

Relief.

Eyes close as she feels the Mask slip over once again.

Perfection.