Dia's: Part Two.

I didn’t sleep. I watched Josie come out sleepily, she tripped over the pajama pants and hit the door frame. I snickered a little too much at that. Her dark blue hair was every which way when she came into the kitchen and put on a pot of coffee. I glanced at the time on my phone and was surprised by how the hours passed. Looking around the house I could see Graves hadn’t moved from her position until the sun fully rose and breakfast was laid out. Gallows once more walked out in similar attire than last time to grill his long pig outside. But it was November and not the warmest of months, as he found out. We watched him open the door and close it, walking back into the guest room. He came out with a large blanket wrapped around him and went outside, in bare feet, to grill.


“We don’t have one of those.” Graves commented when I looked at her. “I believe he will want one now, if and when we ever return home.”

I took a sip of the coffee Josie generously supplied me with, along with a tired smile. “Are you worried you won’t be able to?”

“I am unwilling to risk it so long as Mister Creevey lives.”

“I’ll go back to Keystone, but I don’t know what good it will do.” I said as she looked away from the window and back at me. “Darklings are, from what Mystery said, alike to hunger spirits. And while they may differ in intelligence levels they aren’t mindless creatures. Mister Creevey is proof of that and we can all see how clever he is as a lone agent. They might be unwilling to share information even if I manage to get them into conversation. That's betting on if they even know anything."

Graves nodded, “The try is worth it, even if no information turns up or you are killed.”

“…Thanks.” I rolled my eyes. “Look, I don’t know what’s up with your freaky city but if you need assistance you have it. A place to stay, while you guys can’t literally pass the wards I can find a location so you aren’t hounded by proxies perhaps? And if you want to assault the city and Mister Creevey… Well, I’m not thrilled with offering but I’m willing.”

“That is a lot to offer without a deal or a price to be named. You could very well die completing such tasks should we ever call on your assistance.”

I shrugged, taking a sip from the mug. “Born to die, just a matter of when. Why should I give a fuck, as long as I’m doing something I see worth dying for I’ll be good.” I grinned teasingly, “Besides, I will come back as a ghost and haunt the shit out of everyone if I died. I won’t stop, ever.”

Gallows opened the door, cocooned in the comforter as he placed the plate down on the table and sat awkwardly. He tried rearranging himself and found no easy way to eat and remain covered; find it a failure he once more awkwardly got back up and waddled into the guest room. Returning with his open jacket, face blanketed in darkness to eat. I chuckled, getting up and grabbing a plate to get breakfast. Dia came out last, giving Josie a bear hug and smiling at the breakfast laid out once more. I watched her behavior as I sat down, as I would the rest of the time there.

“Bacon?” Josie offered Gallows who looked at the plate before back up at her.

He held up his plate, “Bacon?” He jeered, making her shriek. Cackling he placed the plate down and picked up a strip of meat, flicking it into his mouth.

And once more breakfast was us around a table, being as… Hospitable as possible. Which was severely lacking when Gallows kept poking and attempting to cut Josie. Ughs…

I took Josie out once again for training. She was pathetic all over the place, I ended the session when she tripped over air and fell on her face. Gallows in the background laughing hysterically didn’t help. I sat on the porch and cleaned off her face, careful to tend to the piercings and make sure all the dirt was off them. And once more Gallows didn’t help as he walked by, kicking up dirt in her direction. Day cut short of training Josie I turned to Dia who was watching and motioned for her to come down.

Now Dia, she’s a person who really tries to learn. She’s smart and observant as hell. Position her and she’ll learn it pretty fast, takes a couple of tries now and then but she catches on damn quickly. She can mimic moves pretty well too, maintaining a level of self-control as well she balances out. We kept trying to rile one another up which only resulted in us chuckling and smirking at one another. It was amusing. We spent literally all day just rough housing outside, when Josie came for us we were lazily flopped across the lawn. Gallows spent most of his time on the roof, laying under the sun like a cat. A very pale cat. And Graves stared at everyone without uttering a word.

The evening and night was relatively quiet. I slept a couple of hours, Dia had no nightmares, it was somewhat pleasant. Until morning rounded, I sat down when breakfast was already done and everyone else was eating. For only a few minutes until my cellphone began ringing. It was Joshua.

“Hello?”

“Hey.” There was a pause. “I thought about it. We do need to talk.”

“Obviously.” I scowled, shutting the back door behind me and walking towards the woods. “We need to talk about a lot of things. Things you know about me that I don’t remember. You want answers on our friends, right?”

“I want answers on everything, @#$%$%&.”

My lips tugged down further. “Don’t use my real name.”

“Are you that attached to Shady now?” He jeered, it stung.

“Partially, but I don’t know for sure that is my real name. On top of which I can’t risk my identity being known. It’s bad enough a handful know already, I’d rather no one else finds out.”

He snorted, “So what? You’re like a super hero now with a secret identity? Calls being tapped, lone hero that’s gotta save the world? You’re paranoid.”

“This paranoia has kept you alive, don’t fucking forget that.” I scolded, pacing back and forth across the lawn. “And don’t mock me. You know how I feel about heroes. I don’t want to hear that bullshit again.” We both sighed, tension high even on the phone. “And it’s not unheard of. Calls monitored, accounts hacked, emails sent, technology is no barrier. So I’d really rather you used the alias given.” 

"Alright, Shady." He spat the alias. "When are we meeting?"


"I'm not home right now. Not-"

"That's not your home!"


"-sure when I will be either." I glanced at the house, ignoring his interjection despite it hitting a nerve. "So I can't say and plan something right now. But I can tell you when I am home."


"Fine."


"Lovely. Then I'll talk to you soon." I said, he hung up just as I finished the sentence. I slid the phone back into my pocket, glaring into the woods at nothing in particular. Josie backed off from the door as I reentered the house, I shot her a look before sitting back down at the table. Gallows proceeded to get on my case, his head tilting towards the window where they had a nice view of where I was. I ignored him, filling my cup of coffee that had grown cold. The day was spent relatively all the same as the previous. I took on teaching both ladies while Gallows and Graves did their own thing. Which consisted of Gallows making jabs our way or chasing wild life with his scythe when he spotted it.


I spoke with Brood that night on the conditions of the mansion, being updated and updating him on certain things. A brief business call and that was that.



"I'm afraid of my own weaknesses and morality."


Dia admitted as we sat within the grass the next day, taking a break from our session. I looked over to her, told her fear over her own weaknesses only empowers them. Being aware of them is good, but she needed to learn to take advantage of them and tolerate her own weaknesses. We spent time conversing on how she was already doing such. Physically she was learning to protect herself, adapting she was capable of and had incredible potential to do. And with the self-defense she was really showing that ability to do so. When it came to the inner workings of ones brain there are blockades. She was no different. There are things holding her back from seeing what she needs to see, understand, adapt to her fullest. So hopefully some physical training will help her gain some confidence in protecting herself at least and motivate her to do the rest.

A fear of death is understandable to me. I don't share the same worry anymore but I understand it all the same.

Josie does what she can to keep up and understand. I spent the day teaching them both on separate levels and balancing their abilities and behaviors. Heh, it was entertaining to see the different levels and personas come together in a single session. Dia assisted Josie when she noticed something was off, Josie helped Dia in return. I decided, starting that day, they would spar together. Dia came out victor in controlled situations, but riling up Josie was a mistake and she became the victor when there was no leash upon her rage. At least, in most situations. Dia began to adapt to her changed behavior, how her berserk side could mean she was just as sloppy as she was forceful.


Dia would try and provoke Josie into being more capable than she was showing. Enticing her rage seemed to be the only way to do so. Dia wormed into her brain, pulled the strings, and Josie danced to the tune. She came at Dia with such force that Dia had to use all her strength to get Josie away from her. But the twig just came right back at her, I had to step in and tear Josie off of Dia by the end it. She attacked me, which I didn't care much for. By the end of it I had her pinned until she calmed.


"Guys, I know you're trying to help me but you can't do that anymore." Josie had said to us. Dia and I looked at one another before back at her. "I can't do that anymore."


"You just need control over it."


"You don't understand, Shady." She heaved a breath beneath me, her eyes as serious as I've ever seen them. "There is no controlling it. You've said yourself, some things just are and this just is."


That was the first time Josie has ever been straight with me. Her face, smudged with mud that allowed the steel colored eyes to shine against the evening setting around us. I got off her and helped her to a stand, telling her to go clean up. She did so without any argument. Dia called my name and I looked at her sternly, there was more to Josie than she let on. I don't mean background-wise, personality, behavior, and the way her mind works. This was known before and now proven. I kicked a rock at Dia's head, watching her quickly dodge it before I jumped in to attack. Some things are best left to dwell upon later.


The night was filled with Dia in a cold sweat, once more I was awoken by the duo to handle Dia's nightmares. She was crying, clenching the sheets, her breathing labored. She muttered incoherent words under his breath, I called her name quietly. Dia muttered more, shaking violently before she started thrashing. I grabbed her arms, Gallows on her legs along with Graves, trying to prevent her from hurting herself or anyone else. She cried out, screaming nearly for a man I did not know. Collin was his name, and I'd come to learn later just who he was to her.


After a short bit I managed to wake her up, she sat up instantly and clung, a nervous wreck. I nodded for the duo to get out and comforted her as she spoke in short sentences, telling me enough of what I needed to know. I sat cradling her for some time, a faint tune softly coming to play. A lullaby of sorts. I thought maybe it was just in my head but when I glanced down at Dia I could see her eyes wide. To say the least she didn't go back to sleep, instead she typed on her laptop. Which I guess contributes to those posts about her nightmares. I brought in the blanket from the guest bed I was using, the house itself grew cold, which seemed to be an infrequent thing.


The days were spent in a repetitive motion. A week and a half total was spent with that pattern, training, nightmares on and off. A smashed radio in Dia's room, a cackling Gallows. Dia going to work after a few days of being off due to her injuries. Ha, man Dia, I don't know how the fuck you manage to keep a job while dealing with this shit. Let alone when your job is just as fucked up as both your home lives. But hey, sharpens your silver tongue, eh? And all those years at that college helped in dealing with the fucked up folks. Course, experience really teaches you it all the more. It's amazing how you haven't been fired yet, dear.


Gallows decide it would be wonderful to jump into the training. Sent Josie off to the house, limping in fear. Dia and I tag teamed him which did was entertaining until Graves teleported in and grabbed us by the back of our shirts, slamming us into the ground without any effort at all. She looked down upon us with dead eyes before walking back to the porch and sitting down. Gallows cackled t


The next day was spent with us exhausted. We didn't train, Josie cooked (the only perky one). Gallows flipped through the channels over and over again, Graves near the window, Dia and I were on the couch watching him going over and over through the channels. She eventually snatched the remote from him and put on some movies, which we basically watched all day. Hardly eventful. But I did notice Dia and Gallows bickering a lot of the time, with plenty of innuendo layering it. I rolled my eyes at the sexual tension, it was hard to miss. Made Josie squirm awkwardly, and Graves glanced at the two suspiciously before returning to caring less about it.


I'd come to learn the next afternoon this:


"I fucked up big time."


"What?"


"I fucked Gallows."


As Dia would so bluntly put. I stared at her for a long time before my first response would be a sigh. I'd come to learn she enjoyed it and, well, didn't exactly regret it. Just was freaked out about what just occurred and who with. Gallows remarkably said nothing on the matter, at my glare he chuckled. Dia was flushed at first and fled the room to shower. As the day progressed she and Gallows began their bickering once more.

I'd come to learn Gallows informed Ferus during some emails on his and Dia's coupling. Which would result in hell on our end. The next day that is (the same day Dia informed me) when Josie and Dia went out grocery shopping.


Graves and I were sitting at the kitchen table, messing around with cleaning the guns and blades. Gallows was positioned on the couch, laying upside-down as he played with his sickle. That was when the first window shattered, and then a second. Graves and I gazed at one another before we both stood, following to where the noise was. Gallows lifted his head to watch us but did nothing as we investigated the noise.


The windows in Dia's room are smashed, Graves bends down and examines it before lifting her head. Another crash, larger than the last comes from where we were before. There's heavy thuds and a slam. I looked to Graves but find her already gone. Knife in hand I run out of the room and down the hall, I enter the room and am immediately slammed into the wall before I can utter a word. Graves holds a hand against my mouth, keeping me silenced as she watches the intruder, not even paying me mind.


And the intruder? Ferus.


"You FUCKED her, Gallows! You're not supposed to FUCK her! You're supposed to KILL her! What the FUCK is wrong with you?" He yelled at Gallows as he shook him.


The madman threw back his head, despite it hitting the wall, and cackled. His legs swinging in a child-like manner as he dangled a few feet off the ground. "I fucked her, don't mean I ain't gonna kill her." He cackled, tossing the sickle at Graves, purposely trying to initiate trouble no doubt.


Ferus' head followed the sickle and its path as it narrowly flew past Graves and landed beside my head. He was really not happy in the least when we noticed us over there. "YOU PIECE OF SHIT! YOU'RE IN A HOUSE FULL OF THEM! AND THEY'RE STILL ALIVE! AND YOU'RE FUCKING COPULATING WITH ONE OF THEM! THAT'S NOT HOW IT WORK! YOU KILL THEM! NO OTHER PRETENSES!" Ferus screamed, slamming Gallows repeatedly into the wall. I would have found it amusing if it wasn't Ferus in all his fury... And me being the only non-proxy there.

Gallows was no doubt grinning by what he just caused. He doesn't even try to fight back against Ferus, he just cackled as he hits the wall over and over again. It's a loud sort of cackle, as if this moment was the best thing in the world. "I CARVE them, I stab and I cut, I make them bleed and rape their minds. Or bodies." He paused with a snicker. "Though... There was that willing one, what was her name? Dia?" He laughed hysterically all over again, not even trying to get off of square one.

And Ferus is back to screaming mindlessly in rage, shaking Gallows like a ragdoll. When he eventually calmed down he pulled out a machete, planting it into the wall behind Gallows. "Here. When she comes back, I want to see you chop her fucking head off."

The skeleton whined loudly, "But that's so easy. I was thinking next time she's on her back," He broke out into hysterical giggles. "I could cut her open, dissect her, see what fun things are inside~" He practically squealed at the thought, his shoes kicking back and forth like a hyper-active child. "But not yet. I wanna play more. I found good toys out in your world, I wanna break em."

Ferus wasted no time in punching Gallows in the face, blood seeping from the bottom of his mask. "Don't cross me, Gallows. I'll end you. Kill her."

The madman tilted his head, cracking his neck before he straightened back up. "I'm sorry, you're under the impression I give a fuck, boyo." He chuckled, onyx eyes gleaming under the light. "I'm gonna kill her. Like you would, given the chance. But you've got your ways of killing, I got mine." Gallows leaned back against the wall, as casually as someone could be in that position and spoke just the same. "Wanna let me down now, Ferus?"

Ferus tilted his head in turn, lifting Gallows higher off the floor. "You don't understand me, Gallows. No more fucking around. When she gets back, it's her or you."

He giggled, as if that was the funniest thing he's ever heard. "Ho ho ho~ why so intent, Ferus?" He asked, his head tilting to look at how high he was off the floor before turning back onto the masked giant.

 Said giant tossed Gallows across the room. He walked towards where he landed after hitting the opposite wall, "BECAUSE YOU AREN'T DOING YOUR JOB, GALLOWS! I HAVE ROOMS FILLED WITH PROXIES THAT DIDN'T DO THEIR JOBS!"

The skeleton sat himself up, pulling up his knees and propping his arms over them. "What's my job, Ferus?" He asked, tone dropping a few octaves to sound relatively normal.

It was noticed by Graves, I few her flex by the change in tone. I remember on their blog one of her first posts stated that if Gallows wore anything but a smile someone was going to die horribly and swiftly. But I didn't ever remember anything about this. She obviously knew something, I gave a small squirm but she pushed me harder into the wall.

Ferus obviously failed to notice. He looked down at him, his voice showed evident contempt when he spoke. "You kill people, Gallows. Like everyone else worth a damn, you find a Runner, and you slit their fucking throat."

Gallows looked towards us, specifically at Graves, watching her reaction at Ferus' answer. Whatever it was I could not see, but it seemed to tell him enough. His shoulders shook as he snickered, pulling himself to a stand. "Boyo, dontcha think if my purpose was the same as yours I wouldn't have been locked up in a city that don't exist?" He asked, though not really. Madness laced through every vein in his gaze as he laughed it off without a care. "She's gonna die. Can't fail a job ya haven't even started, boyo."

The two of them match stares for several seconds, the tension is building before Ferus states, "Fine." and pulled out the cricket bat from the leg of his cargo pants, he spun around and pointed directly at me. "But her, she's on my list. I'm going to cave her skull in." He declared, striding towards us as the bat swung at his side.

Gallows shrugged, "Ok."


I backhanded Graves' hand aside, "You fucking asshole, I'll slit your throat!" I yelled at Gallows, we locked eyes and his gaze was indifferent. He looked to Graves and I felt myself slam back against the wall, her gloved hand secured around my throat.


The tall woman tilted her head up towards Ferus, who was in turn still quite a bit taller than her. "You're making a mistake." Graves' hollow voice spoke from behind the bandana.

Ferus swung the bat onto his shoulder, stopping in his advance, the mismatched eyes met Graves. "I'm sorry, I don't think I heard you correctly. Hell, if I was out of my damn mind, I'd say you were just telling me not to kill her. Which hardly seems professional."

The hand around my throat tightened, pushing me harder against the wall. "I am." She stated as a matter of fact. Her free hand reached back and grabbed the double barrel shotgun off her back. It rested at her side, as a warning. I was completely and utterly in awe at this display of loyalty to our truce. "She's our bait. Mister Creevey's species was identified because of this female. She can gather further information. My job is to protect Gallows. This falls under that contract." Graves vaguely explained, ignoring me as I held a knife to Graves wrist in my own warning.

Ferus chuckled. "Don't care. My job is to kill for Him. Your job is to protect that worthless piece of shit who's more concerned about fucking the enemy than killing them. My job takes priority. You'd best stand aside." He took a stride forward.

Graves tilted her head to the side, and then we were gone. I found myself thrown onto to the ground like trash, behind Graves on the other side of the room. There was a wall behind me and only Graves in front, her shotgun aimed on Ferus. "You underestimate the job of a guardian." She stated flatly, "One of us at least remembers. You best leave, Ferus." Her gaze flickered to Gallows briefly in acknowledgement as he walked over to us, placing a foot on my side and kicking me back against the wall. Just further out of the way of a brawl that was preparing to break out.

Our intruder turned slowly around, the bat still slung over his shoulder. "Well shoot me, then. Hell, why haven't you already? Gallows is bound to have some bruises, and who knows, maybe I'll come back. Maybe when he's with Dia. Two birds with one stone."

"Bruises are minor and well deserved." Graves stated. I looked up at Gallows as he stared towards Graves, completely unfazed and arms loosely crossed. The serious demeanor was completely unlike him, it was the first time I had seen him so focused and calculating over a situation. Graves turned slightly, shoving the gun into his arms and made sure it was trained on Ferus as she pulled away. "Indirect threatening of Gallows life does not warrant immediate death." She teleported, her person appearing before Ferus, no doubt aware he could strike her. "Offer: We leave to settle matters, or I drag you."

Ferus cocked his head to one side, looking upon her as he contemplated an answer. "Let's go, then."

That was all she needed to hear. Graves didn't spare us a single glance as she placed her hand upon his forearm and teleported them both to who knows where.

I pulled myself off the floor and stood, glancing at Gallows who stood motionlessly. I wondered briefly if he was even concerned for her safety, at the possibility Graves might never come back. That Ferus could use that opportunity to eliminate his guardian. But again, he just looked indifferent, not even acknowledging me for the first few seconds. Then his gaze slid my way, our eyes met before I turned away and began cleaning for the next half hour.


I swept up the glass and taped plastic over all the busted windows for now. It wasn't that difficult of a fix, I'd have to go out and get supplies after the girls came back. Like hell I'd trust Gallows to explain it. Picked the glass up from outside, picked it out of the bushes and grass. Hell, even out of the lamp pot that oddly enough had a gas mask sitting in it. I picked it up briefly and gave it a look over before putting it back, my eyes scanning the area as suspicion took over. Something to bring up on a later date. Everything was taken care of, I wrote out a list of needed supplies in order to fix the windows.


And then Dia came home. Oh man, she put down the groceries and grabbed Gallows by the collar, screaming at the mess he made. Demanding to know what he did and why. I didn't say a thing as he slapped him a few times, and he didn't react a first. The serious demeanor melted away and he chuckled, complimenting her and saying how he didn't do a thing. Graves teleported back in, grabbed Dia's hand as she looked down upon her.


A simple, "It was not him." ceased Dia's movement.


"Then who? Who fucked up my house?"


I was leaning against the counter in the kitchen, next to a window I was surveying and the list. "Ferus."


Bricks were shat and we explained the situation. Dia promptly punched Gallows for telling Ferus and anyone else, her face flushed red before she regained control and left the room. I grabbed the bags of groceries off the floor, glancing at Josie who was paler than usual.


"Ferus was here?" Was the only thing she uttered out, I stared at her suspiciously but she shook her head and began bringing in the rest of the groceries as I put them away.


After an exhausting day the night was spent with Dia's nightmares. I kept her company while she suffered through them and while she was awake afterwards. We spoke on the incident earlier. I comforted her that what she did with Gallows was not as severe as it was made out to be. Especially after what she said to me. How she liked Gallows because she saw him as someone honest. He was honest with himself about who he is, what he does. He murders, he fucks, he doesn't hide what he wants or desires. He says what's on his mind. He wasn't in the business of tricking people about who he is, he didn't care to waste time with that. Despite what he does to people, he's one of the most honest people she knows.


And I respected her for that. Because it's those perspectives that allow humans to evolve beyond slitting each others throats.

When she finally fell asleep I found time to look over something from the corners of my eyes. From under her mattress poked the corner of what looked to be a notebook. I pulled it out and glanced at Dia, who was borderline unconscious by now. I stood up and walked to a window, allowing the moonlight to provide me with light. I examined the notebook slowly, taking in everything I could and memorizing everything. It was... Disturbing. I'm not going into details as of now.






The next morning Dia and I were in the kitchen after breakfast, Josie was cleaning up the dishes while the duo was in the other room. I informed Dia that the splintered wood needed to be stripped, she needed whole new windows which would be easier to get anyways. Simple to pop in. I handed her the list and she took Josie back out with her, throwing the three of us a cautious look after the day before.


Graves and I sat at the table for a short time before she lifted her head and stared out the window. Wordlessly she fired Gallows a glance before disappearing.


I was at the counter, washing the dishes Josie didn't have time to clean herself. Gallows snaked his way behind me, no weapon in hand. At first it was from a distance he spoke in short taunts.


"Gonna slit my throat, eh?" He began with, leaning against the table behind me. "Were ya that upset? Girlie, I keep allies as long as I keep whores. Which ain't long."


I put aside a knife to dry on the counter, my hands dipping back under the water. "We made a deal-"


"Uh, uh, uh, you and Graves made a deal-"


"That consists of you being apart of it because it cut you off from attempting to murder us." I glanced over my shoulder, "And from any of from attempting to murder you."


His eyes narrowed, I could feel the grin beneath the mask. "Ho ho ho~ lookie you, girlie. You're becoming a vicious little minx ain't ya?"


"As vicious as I need to be." I dully replied with a roll of my eyes.


"It ain't got nothin' to do with that birdie ya found?"


I froze--


Rewind!

I was outside, stripping the splintered wood from the window frame. I was out there for about an hour, threw away the useless shit and brought the tools back into the house. I went to go back outside to get a kit from my car when I found it there, a dead mockingbird right there. I looked around before I crouched down to examine the dead animal. The eyes were both scarred, a blade had carefully made X's over both eyes and slit the eyeballs and skin around the eyes open. No doubt while the poor thing was awake. A thing string was coiled around the bird's neck, securely knotted like a noose. A blue feather bound to the bird and secured by the string. I buried the bird near the edge of the woods with a scowl and forgot about it for a bit.

--and turned to Gallows with a scowl. "You know something about that?" 

"Graves wouldn't go rushing off if danger wasn't around." He said cryptically. I shot him a withering look. "Graves is well informed in proxy matters with people we are connected with, just sayin'."


"Do. You. Know. Something."


Gallows planted himself off to the side of me, in close proximity. "I know you're on the verge of cracking. That you're gonna snap if you don't do somethin' about it, girlie. You're gonna end up just like the bitch with the beak you oh so hate."


My fingers curled around the handle of something weighted and metal. "Wrong answer." I said, turning swiftly and pulling a frying pan from the sink. The water splattered everywhere as I hit Gallows in the side of the head with it. He stumbled backwards, wincing and hissing. I advanced, both hands holding the handle as I swung again, hitting him on the other side of the head. It sent him against the kitchen counter. Before he could get a word out I hit him a third time, getting the fucker on the floor and beat him until he was motionless.


I stood over his form, watching his chest rise and fall. Merely unconscious, good. The house was finally fucking quiet. I set the pan down on the table and took a sweat at the kitchen table next to Gallows. His body in my view as I looked at the dented pan and sighed.


Dia came in the door a moment later, wondering what happened as she set the bags down on the table. I didn't even glance at Gallows, flashed a smile and said he hit his head. She looked at me skeptically before shrugging it off, sensing now wasn't the time to discuss it. Josie didn't even bring it up, she looked at the kitchen and went straight to the guest room to read.


I waited there until Gallows woke up, watched as he pulled himself off the floor steadily. His hand on his head as he regained focus and lifted his eyes to meet mine. "So..." I said, the dented frying pan in front of me as I looked at him blankly. Oh, but the smile in my voice I couldn't contain as I looked at him. "Want to try that again?"


He stared a me, his gaze narrowing, brows furrowing, mind working at a response before he stood up straight and settled with an indifferent gaze. "Ask Graves." Was his response before he walked away and left the house.


Graves came back in shortly after, I looked at her as I did him until we both went our separate ways.

I fixed the windows that afternoon for Dia. Josie tried to help. By try I mean nearly break all her fingers with the hammer, heh. Afterwards, with time left in the evening and some tensions high Dia decided we should go to town. Which... Well, turned interesting.


I don't know how it happened exactly. All I know is one moment we were in town with plenty of people around, out and about Christmas shopping and the likes. The next moment there was a bang, mad cackling, and Gallows standing on top of a car with his scythe in hand. Not his sickle, his scythe. Graves next to the car, sirens already heading down the street. The building behind him set aflame, Graves lifted a bag (which was from a weapons store a few buildings down) and he pulled out what looked to be homemade bombs. Another building went up in flames, glass blowing apart everywhere.


Dia was screaming at him to stop, but he didn't. He leaped towards us, I picked up a pole and blocked off the attack against his scythe.


"Get Josie out of here."


"GALLOWS!"


"Get her the fuck out of here!" I yelled, trying to keep the scythe in place where I caught it. Dia hesitated, "Now isn't the time to fight, use your training and get her the fuck out!"


And she did. She grabbed Josie and bolted through the flaming streets for cover. Trying as she did so to rally others to safety as well. Josie was top priority, because I had no idea of the consequences should she die. Outside of a city that doesn't exist, her ties with Mister Creevey, there was a lot that could happen and I've seen dead bodies do plenty of strange things already.


Graves was at my side out of nowhere, a sharp punch knocked me aside and sent the pipe rolling. I narrowly dodged the scythe as it came down, the tip breaking off with the force he use. It flew off into my arm, I pulled it out as I got up, just as he raised the scythe. Uncaring of its condition he was prepared to use it all the same.


Which was when gunfire broke out. He stumbled forward as bullets impaled themselves within his still human body. Graves acted instantly, teleporting him behind a car. But the cops were closing in from all directions. A auburn haired woman with a shotgun nearly blew his head off, the captain radioing for them to surrender. Gallows whispered something to Graves and she did not acknowledge. There were gone, at the Captain's squad car a moment later. Gallows buried his scythe into the man's chest, carving his entire torso open. Launching off the old man he swung his scythe, slicing numerous figures in uniforms apart and tearing others open to bleed out. The woman screamed, firing the gun that almost hit him again. Shrap metal tearing through his clothes, he hunched over coughing. She came close, the butt of her gun cracking him in the head. Graves swung her shovel, hitting the woman in the head. She was down, unconscious with one swing. Gallows was coughing up blood, I could see it soaking through the white skeleton design.


Dia came up behind me, when I threw her a look she told me the others were in safe distance. She helped me up as I applied pressure to the wound, trying to stop the bleeding. Glancing over my shoulder I could see Gallows watching us, the fire dancing in his onyx eyes. Graves bent over him, supporting him as she teleported them out for good. I looked to Dia as she looked forward then down to me. I could see it plain as day written across her face. He tried to kill everyone, he was going to burn down the town.


The three of us returned to her house, I didn't want to bother with the hospital. It wasn't a bad injury, I stitched it shut just fine and made sure it was cleaned and wrapped too. The three of us sat, covered in smoke and other debris on Dia's couch. Completely exhausted after the stunt the duo pulled.


But I couldn't help but look at the positive side of things, "Least the windows look nice."

Dia's: Part One.

Ughs. Ughs. Ughs.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuckity fuck. Fuck fuck fuck.
I'm tired. I haven't written in a bit, sorry guys. Between Dia's house, Josie being... Well, Josie, and Gallows and Graves being insane. Then I left, so that drive was fun with Josie directly next to me. And home, can't forget all that fun and detective work. Just be aware, a lot of posts are going to be showing up
Ughs. Starting from the beginning.

So... Yea, car ride. I guess we'll start there. After, you know, telling the hospital a false story and sleeping around there for a few days. We stopped at a gas station and I checked over blog updates, that is when I found out about Lucas and Joel, as well as Drake. I stopped the car when the two ladies were asleep and kept the radio on as some sort of noise filter to keep them from hearing me. So yea, I screamed for a bit, stabbed a tree, then went back to the car. I didn't even pay the other two any mind, I wasn't thinking at that point. I just got in the car and drove, not wanting a single thought to appear.

I drove us back to Dia's place, flipping on the blinker as I turned into her driveway. Waking their asses up I drove to the end of the driveway, where we caught notice of an unpleasant surprise. Gallows and Graves were sitting on her front porch, he casually lifting a hand to wave Dia's wallet. "Oh fuck." I muttered beneath my breath, knowing what would come as I went to park the car.

Dia didn't wait for it to stop, she got out fuming. "You've got to be fucking kidding me." Pure shock now. "What the fuck are you two doing here?!"

I looked over my shoulder at Josie and said sternly, "Stay put." before grabbing the gun and exiting the car. I followed after Dia, landing next to her. She was red in the face, completely flustered by this unexpected situation.

The duo pulled themselves to a stand, Gallows skipping over to meet Dia less than halfway. He tossed her the wallet, hand propping on his bony hip as the other waggled, tsking her. "Ya should be more careful, girlie. Your wallet coulda landed in someone else's hands. I was just returning it is all."

"Could have fallen into-- you're a real piece of work, ya know that? There's no way it just 'dropped out!'" Dia paused a moment, shoving her wallet in her pocket. She looked to the sky for assistance, taking in a few deep breaths as she calmed some. "Thank you for your 'assistance'. Now, please LEAVE."

Dia and I moved a step in opposite directions as Gallows swung his scythe, purposely coming inches from her arm. It halted against his shoulder, resting there as his head cocked to one side. "But ya offered to take us in, girlie." He motioned between him and Graves.

Our host glared at Gallows and gestured back at Josie in the car. "That was when you were traveling with her. Don't you think you made that null and void when you tried to kill her?"

"Kill her? Please. I knew Shady would move her." He winked in my direction, I wasn't amused.

I glanced at Josie who was poking her head out of the car, squeaking briefly before hiding back inside. "You can't go somewhere else?" I dully asked.

Graves cocked her head as well, "We do not know the world. The time it took you to return home it took us to find the home. We have been waiting for only a few hours."

He shrugged off what Grave said. Not familiar with the world yet he was still trying to be. "Come on, we can have us that good time we talked about!"

My head turned into Dia's direction, deadpanned with a sigh. I could only guess just what Dia said to him. Especially after our conversation in the car. Which I will NOT post.

Dia scoffed and waved him off, storming inside the house and muttering to herself about skeletons and pests that didn't know how to go away.

By this time Josie was out of the car and behind me, watching. I looked to Graves sternly before back at Gallows, punching him without any word of warning. "You horses ass!" I hissed, going to punch him again as Josie grabbed me from behind. I dragged her a few steps until she managed to dig her shoes in halt me. Graves tilted the shovel in front of Gallows, as if to shield him. I glared at her, "Don't you fucking dare." I growled, breaking out of Josie's grasp and shoving aside the shovel. Gallows looked down as I looked up, angry. "Go and sit the fuck down before I end a lot of folks suffering and murder you."

Josie was sitting down on the porch already, despite the comment being directed at Gallows. "C-can we please just get along? Just a b-bit..."

Gallows lifted his hands as if surrendering, his eyes smirking as he walked backwards and sat on the porch as well. Leaning forward as he watched us. I turned to Graves, arms folding loosely as we made eye contact, both annoyed. Well, if she could be annoyed she probably was. Her eyes never changed in their empty display. "We're forming a truce or I'm going to go stab happy on both your faces. Your parents won't even recognize you when in the afterlife."

Graves turned away from Gallows, both our backs to the other two as we stood side by side. "Negotiations are in order. We will not kill you three while we are in your company for this period of time. So long as you provide us with more information on the Darklings."

I looked at her with surprise, "But I don't know much else other than what I told you. And that was a freebie as is."

"Then you will learn more, unless you wish for Dia's home to turn scarlet red?" I glared at her bluff. "It is only a matter of time with Gallows' itch."

"Alright..." I let out an exasperated sigh. "I will figure out a way-"

"You will return to Keystone and speak with those Darklings." I stared pointedly at her. "They spoke of the Executor with knowledgeable information last I heard." Her eyes narrowed by the slightest bit. "They may serve well with gaining more information."

I nodded once, scowling as I did so. "Fine. I return to Keystone, when I have the time required for such a trip. You," I turned halfway pointing at Gallows. "and him won't attack, kill, or do major damage to us while staying here."

"Acceptable terms." Graves replied as I turned, walking up the porch and into the house. Josie scrambled to her feet after me, following in suit as I entered the house.

I found Dia locked in her room, no doubt calming down. It's understandable, she's been through plenty in this short amount of time. I didn't disturb her, merely walked back into where the others were. Graves was seated at the kitchen table, watching Gallows hover around Josie. She was cooking a late dinner which gave me some relief. Unless her cooking was horrible, though somehow I doubt she'd actually cook if it was. She's a bit nicer than that. I glared at Gallows and after a minute or two more of harassing Josie he pulled back, purposely swinging his scythe my way. My eyes rolled in their sockets at his behavior, hoping to whoever that they would leave in due time.

Dia came out a little after Josie finished cooking. We all managed to sit together and eat (awkwardly), Gallows complained it wasn't "long pig" as he would come to do at every meal. Somehow he'd always manage to get what was in his cooler (don't ask) cooked, even after Dia said she wouldn't have that happening in her kitchen. He got violent momentarily, saying how he needed it, which Graves stepped in for to take action against. It was resolved quickly. There isn't much to say about the rest of the night. Dia showed us where to all sleep. Graves stood by a window, Dia went off to the bathroom, and Gallows approached Josie and I. He asked Josie if he could sleep in her bed, she hid under the covers and bawled. He turned and got half the sentence out before I threw my knife into the door as he quickly retreated, cackling madly.

Didn't hear from him the rest of the night. I left the guest room where Josie and I were settled into, she was fast asleep. Gallows wasn't on the couch, Graves was still positioned at the window. I slipped outside with my cellphone and dialed a familiar number. Joshua. I left him a voicemail concerning the ones he left me. He was angry about my no-show. I couldn't really say, "Oh, sorry, I got kidnapped and tortured by this beefy burnt up guy." so I told him it was complicated. Right... I then realized that's the worst thing you can say and told him I'd explain it if he wanted me to. Which then I realized was pretty pathetic. And I cursed on the call, realizing again that I was horrible with these sorts of things. Even worse from lack of contact.

He called back about an hour later.

"Hello?"

"^*%&$^#." He greeted with my name.

"Joshua." I returned.

"I got your message. What's complicated? You ditched our meeting."

He was angry, given the hour on top of the circumstances I wasn't surprised either. "I didn't ditch it. I was sort of dragged off..."

"Your family hasn't been in contact with you for a while now."

"I don't mean my family." I sighed.

Joshua chuckled spitefully. "What was it? A proxy?" I stared into the woods, my breathing stopping all together at that. "Thought I didn't know? I found out."

"...Did something-"

"Not personally. I put two and two together, #$@%$^%. Found your blog too, knew it was you instantly."

"So you know about... Well."

"Ferus? Heh, yea. I know about everything."

"Or close enough." I muttered, he agreed dully. I could faintly hear him tapping the keyboard in the background. "Then you're mad about me not telling you."

"And the funeral." Joshua said flatly. "I can't believe you'd miss Billy's funeral. Then you ran away from me in the store."

I shook my head, "Caught that, eh?"

"You broke your promise. Our family's promise."

"No. Not quite." I leaned back against a tree. "I broke my promise to always be there. I kept my promise to always protect you. I tried to protect Billy, but Prosper-"

"I know."

"And Smiles is just..."

"Gone."

"Yea, Billy said he saw her over seas." Joshua's breath hitched for a second. "What?"

He coughed lightly, "Nothing."

"Tell me."

"Fuck off." He paused, "I mean, just no."

"Joshua. We need to talk anyways. I'm not home yet-"

"You haven't been home in over a year, coming close to two now, we both know this."

I scowled. "Yes... My other home."

"In the woods."

I punched the ground. "Look, when I get home can we just reschedule? We need to talk. We both have answers to give one another."

He paused again. "No."

"Jo-"

"No." He hung up.

I tried calling again, he didn't respond. Great.

I spent my time awake all night, everything I can remember swimming around in my head. Lucas and Joel, Drake, fuck... I didn't even get to see them off. Just more funerals I'd never get to attend. Fuck me.

So to cut it short, yea, I went to breakfast with tired, red eyes the next day. Again, Josie cooked and Gallows complained about not having human flesh to eat. He eventually just cooked it on a grill outside. In his boxers and skeleton jacket, which was unzipped much like how Dia described him to wear it at the warehouse, might I add. I looked at Dia and she just shook her head and walked away stiffly. I suppressed and chuckles.

Graves cleaned up, which was unexpected. Seeing that open window I dragged Josie outside and tossed her for self-defense training. I can't even begin to write how pathetic this experience was. She squeaked and dodged or got hit and sniffled. Josie isn’t out of shape; she’s tiny as hell and is actually a skilled runner (no pun intended). But she lacks training, and while I’m not professionally trained I know the ins and outs. If she is so desperate to live through these times she’ll need to not rely on others. Independence is key; if she learns to take care of herself she can someday hope to take care of others. She needed positioning but caught on quicker than I expected. It was actually attacking and defending that she had trouble with, Josie would flinch when in defensive mode and would miss or use barely any force in attack mode. It’s a shame, she’s trained in cross country running and track, with her figure if she applied those practices in a fight it would do her wonders. Cross country runners have to train for endurance, on top of which it is controlling your speed. Track is similar, depending on how long the race is. Sports are a great way to learn control.

If she could get up that aggression when being attacked, confront her attacker and fight back without concern for risks, things would be far easier. Her figure as is presents a perfect model for using speed to do more damage than her actual strength. Velocity is exactly what Road Runner uses and she’s skinnier than Josie. While Road Runner is inhumanly strong she relies on velocity to impact her foes. Example being against Prosper. She either gained distance depending on the strength of the hit she was going to use and where the hit would land, or propel herself off of things and collide into him. Josie might not be able to do anything as effective (power-wise) since she’s only human, but she could apply alike methods which would be just as harsh when she’s confronted with an opponent she cannot escape from.

Luckily, and unfortunately, she does get riled up at the mention of her parents. While that does assist her strength it also makes her clumsy. Some say a “berserk mode” empowers people. Sure… It boosts hits in a videogame, or to street fighters that get insulted in a fight. But it makes them sloppy, they come at you with sheer force all at once, which means they are going to have to get you down in that time frame before they tire out or fuck up. This applies to Josie as well. She flew into a fit, demanding I don’t mention them, so naturally I pushed further. She because telling me, which escalated into her yelling, and finally screaming until she attacked me. It was a good hit, very forceful, but she was sloppy and those openings were clearly seen. Like any opponent I took advantage and she ended up on her back a few seconds later, panting like a dog that finally learned its place.

I hadn’t notice Dia ran off during that time. Gallows was upon us seeing how Graves disappeared off somewhere. He “nudged” Josie with his boot (now dressed, compared to before) and I swatted at him to go away. He swatted back, which escalated into him mimicking everything I did physically. Hit him in the arm, he hit back. Shove him away, he shoved back. I pulled out the knife in warning; he pulled forward his scythe with an unseen smile glinting within his gaze. Dia came back a bit shaken up, Graves appearing behind Gallows when I looked over. I told Josie to clean herself up while I headed over and walked with Dia back into the house. She was afraid of her own weakness, she ran when she saw us all training apparently. Fearful of her own mortality and unable to face her weaknesses. I offered her assistance physically, and was more than willing to listen and give her any advice I can mentally and emotionally. Something I offer everyone, but it means just a bit more to those I consider friends. Dia is one of the few I can put faith into in these times.

That night I was woken up by Graves who teleported me instantly into Dia’s room. Gallows stepped away from the bed and I rounded on him before he informed me Dia was having nightmares. I skeptically looked over his bed wear before directing them out of the room. I sat on the bed with her until she calmed a long while later. I learned early on you do not wake the restless, so I soothed all I could and when she began to somewhat calm I woke her. She was confused and scared, I told her about what was witnessed and she couldn’t hide it. The terrors her mind brought to her while she slept, and I wasn’t one to judge given my own. Once calm she went back to sleep and I left the room. Gallows stole my bed and Graves was back at the window, staring out at the blackness all around.

I wanted to ask her what she was seeing but I didn’t. I sat at the kitchen table and relaxed, skimming though my phone for saved information and picking up on studying it. It’s mostly why I didn’t post for a while, especially while at Dia’s. I was doing everything from my phone and had no patience to record it all into a blog post. I only took notes to apply to these posts here, among other things.

And that pretty much ends the first night and day at Dia’s house.

Advocate's "Party".

I never really liked parties. If you've been around this blog long enough you'll know I can't dance. The only kind of dancing I know usually involves my life to be on the line, and knives... Guns occasionally, bare hands usually. Anyways, I've never been a party go-er. Not much of a drinker, though Advocate's post would make you think otherwise. If you were around him for the same length of time, day in and day out, you'd want a night to get drunk too. No offense, Advocate, dear. But, you know, awakening to find yourself cuddled up to a man twirling a needle idly really makes you rethink drinking. Sigh...

Advocate: To answer your question: Yes, you do fascinate me. Don't take that for being something else, though. Last I checked it took a lot longer for Stockholm syndrome to take effect, heh. I do appreciate your help and care. You've given me insight into yourself; however I'm not all that easy, precious. It was very interesting to watch you, talk with you, the likes. Impressive your ways to observe and get to know those you're watching with your actions. Yes, you are indeed very fascinating.

You're right, though. About us being alike, about us differing, about what goes on in this head of mine. But unlike you I can't just allow what is up there to let loose. For mostly obvious reasons. If you suspect it is because of fear you're looking in the wrong direction, that's only partial, a minor setback. Fear is a waste of my time; there are more important reasons for me to deny myself anything.

Right. The party, if you could really call it that. It was really... Something else. You want to know who was all there that I actually saw?

Advocate, since he was hosting it. However, he enjoyed watching us from a catwalk up above.

Dia, who I was glad was there. It was pleasant meeting her in person.

Josie Crumin, who is with me now after being shoved around by Gallows.

Speaking of which... Gallows and Graves were there. He's a real dick; Graves was her usual self.

Fawkes, who is one interesting fellow.

And Ferus, who creeped. It was only awkward the first few moments until I remembered it wasn't a murder party without permission. Ha!

It was chaos.

A very, very amusing sort of chaos. Josie doesn't think so, she sat with a look of rage most of the car ride. Poor girl.

Anyways, one moment I was sitting across from the Advocate, he was excited over his little party; the next moment I was waking up in an all-white room. Familiar, much? Well, probably because it reflected an asylum room to a T. It was bright as hell which hurt my eyes, the red in the room the only color. Blood was splattered against the walls, smears as if someone was dragged covered the floor. Realizing something that wasn't mine was covering me I sat up, shoving it off; it was a straight jacket. It too containing stains, handprints across the buckles. I scowled looking around, a lifeless wheelchair left to rust was in the opposite corner of me. The room lived up to its appearance, containing every eerie vibe a regular asylum had, which didn't surprise given who orchestrated this all. So, first room was an asylum, I found myself bitterly laughing at how funny Advocate's sense of humor was.

"Hello kiddies," Speaking of the devil himself. "can I just say I'm delighted to see that you've all decided to attend my night of special fears and fun? Now, if you wouldn't mind smiling for the camera so I can see all of your pretty faces before someone bludgeons them later... Hehe I bet you'll enjoy the special rooms I've designed. Any phobias in the house? Hehe I think yes."

I could feel the Caged One whispering sweet, violent, little nothings. A faint noise catching my attention, the room seeming to take on another vibe. As if it was coming to life. The once quiet noise began to spike, as if it was coming in from a distance and being brought right to my ear. Looking around the room I saw black speakers against the ceiling, off in every corner. The sound of wailing. Screaming, not from a horror movie either. Real screaming, it grew louder and louder and the room seemed to intensify in brightness. The sound of various screaming and brightness was just becoming too much on my head. I did NOT need the Caged One throwing a fit when we've only just begun.

I left that room fast, walked straight into this room that was nothing but papers. Newspapers, the walls, the floor, the ceiling. It was just covered. It wasn't difficult to notice the blood smears. I kneeled down to look over the papers and each one I came to see only contained missing people, bodies found, obituaries. Torn maps were poorly pinned, a few out of place portraits pinned to the wall. Bloody finger prints could be found scattered across the papers, smudged as if someone was just flipping through them at one point in time. I shuddered at the thought of Advocate sitting casually in a house of silence and death reading a family's newspaper. I wouldn't put it past him, honestly.

The walls, the ceiling, the floor, it was all about one thing: Death.

Was all of this his kill count? Or was this just for show? The question still remains open. It's alarming.

I spent a short bit of time there just going over as much as I could, until the ceiling opened up. A few newspapers fell from the opening, I pulled myself to a stand and that's when more began to flood in. A pile forming quickly and spreading through the room, like the flood of water after the dam gates open. I swore and grabbed the nearest door, leaving that room immediately.
New room, it was filled with shouting and other noise. Caged people screaming, shouting, shaking the bars to their cages. Lunatics. My hair was sharply tugged as I stepped further into the room, I broke three of the man's fingers with minor satisfaction. Really, not in the mood. I briefly thought about just how these people came to be here before I pushed that thought from my mind. I really didn't want to know. I walked through the room only to notice someone who wasn't bound to a cage. Female, my height; which for once was nice to see. She was wearing jeans and combat boots, the white tank top giving pervert Shady a pleasant view, heh. From a distance she was already familiar to me, it was strange. Difficult to describe, despite the roaring within the room she seemed to be encased with silence. I was immediately pulled into her direction by an unknown force, something about the vibe she gave off just felt familiar. "Dia?" I called out to the woman, winging the guess. After weighing the other options of who else could be apart of this (that I knew of) this guess seemed the most reasonable.

Her attention turned onto me, long, dark brown hair falling around her face and over her shoulders. She seemed just as surprised as me, a smile plastered to her face. "Shady, thank god it's you. Where's the Advocate?" Definitely Dia, I recognized her voice from our conversations. That put me at some ease, though why she felt familiar to me as a whole was still an open question. I watched her a moment, she flinched as an arm outstretched towards her, brushing her hair just barely.

"Advocate?" I asked, backhanding an outstretched arm from my path and I advanced. "Probably getting off to his guests wandering his maze." I scanned over Dia's body once we were in proximity of one another. Her condition seemed fine which put me at ease, but the physical condition alone didn't satisfy me. "Are you alright?"

Dia laughed and motioned to the room we were in. "As alright as I can be in the situation. I have an idea. Let's get out of here. The last room I stayed in for too long 'punished' me. I don't want to see what this room's punishment would be."

Punishment? I thought, looking back on the first two rooms, made sense. I looked around at the roaring lunatics, curious about what this room's punishment would be; and a second later I realized I didn't want to find out. "I second that motion." I said looking at the other door options before limping forward towards one of them. "Let's just go see what awaits us next, yes?"

I held the door open for her as we went through and entered the pitch black. Dia was shuffling around for a light switch, by my guess. I groaned, not really wanting to do the same. I could only guess what the Advocate had put in there.

A faint glow ignited, it wasn't a light of any kind. The scent of smoke was immediately recognized, the faint glow the cigarette emitted revealed just who the third person in the room was. Ferus. His mask was tilted up just a bit; it didn't falter his stare, though. "Ladies. Nice to see you. Especially you, Dia. It's always fun to meet someone on the List for the first time." Dia and I made eye contact, he interrupted it. "Don't look at her, look at me. The fun thing is, you're the first person to have truly brought this upon yourself. Everyone else is just an innocent bystander, but you, you pushed until something snapped. Which is quite hard for somebody as thoroughly snapped as I. I would go on about a variety of things: The relative nature of self-appraisal, the chaotic forces beyond what we can see that drive us in ways no one can understand, the little things that bring us to the places we go... But that would be silly, because I'm not a philosopher." The conversation, it was heading South as he went on. I went to move closer to where Dia ended up when Ferus raised a machete out of nowhere. My heart stopped, where the fuck did that come from? "I'm a killer." Were his final words, then darkness as he sliced his cigarette.

Silence. I wasn't going to enable Ferus in the pitch black, especially with Dia here. I didn't give any acknowledgment once the cigarette went out. Dia and I were in the dark, across the room from one another last I saw. "Dia, get out through the first door you find." I called to her; her footsteps put me at ease as I went for the closest wall. The door open, letting in some light. She got out and I was able to see my own exit. Ferus hadn't moved from what I saw from the corner of my eye, I wasn't about to engage. I left.

I walked into a familiar setting in the next room. It was a school setting, kindergarten. The bright, sunny room filled with children's toys and the likes. It sparked something, enough to make the Caged One jolt before glowering. I became alert at the sound of my name being called. I looked over to see a blue haired girl bouncing my way. She brushed a few short, blue strands from her face and smiled brightly, the double piercing eyebrow only concluded just who this was. "Josie Crumin." I looked her over; the bridge of her nose was pierced as well as a lip ring pierced into the center of her lower lip. She had a plain black shirt on and jeans, sneakers, a gun on her hip. Her round face, button nose, doe eyes, blue hair cut into a bob style; oh yes, this was Josie. She was as adorable in person as she sounded over our calls. We've been acquainted before, the power of emails and voice chat. A mutual acquaintance suggested we get in touch due to her problems. We've been attempting to resolve her situation in regards to Mister Creevey but it barely has gone anywhere for certain reasons. I looked to see who was accompanying her; it wasn't hard to guess given their attire. Skeleton themed, enablers of death. Gallows and Graves. I considered myself lucky this wasn't a murder party.

"Ho ho ho~ we've got a Shady Lady here?" Gallows sang, I rolled my eyes at the line, it was used way too much. He made his way over and stopped across from me, Josie to my right already, Graves directly behind him. "You're the one that told us about Mister Creevey, ain't ya?"

"Yes." I glanced to Josie who was biting her lip nervously. Looking over her condition I saw she was a bit damaged, torn clothing and some fresh wounds. Yea, fresh, I was definitely suspicious.

Gallows giggled, "Don't worry about her. She just has bad luck, kept walking into Advocate's traps, ya see."

I watched Josie for a reaction to his words, she winced slightly at the reminder. "You sure it was bad luck?" I asked while my gaze turned onto him. "Not just a bad man?"

"What if it was?" He leaned against the farming scythe casually, "Would ya play psychologist with me, Lady? Gotta say, I prefer doctor. I ain't got much time to care about your little strive for world peace."

I felt myself smiling, faint at it was. World peace? Please. That's going a little far, even I won't deny chaos makes the world go round. "I guess that makes two of us that don't give a shit for it." I said carelessly, "I didn't send you that information to try and redeem you, Gallows. I knew a fellow like you once; he couldn't be swayed because he was honestly happy with where he was in life. He was happy with who he was, what he was, and what he did. What do you give someone who is already happy, who has everything they want? There is nothing." I shrugged, "Except death, which he received. Was eaten by a bigger shark, so to speak."

"Your point?" Gallows drawled, his Southern accent weighing in heavily for a moment.

"My point is: I'm not going to waste my time on someone who is happy as is. I don't encourage the fact you murder people, but you're happy doing it. If I interfered with that, well, I can only assume more people would die while you were upset. Yes? No?" I looked at Josie and beckoned her over, "You want to walk with me?"

"Su-"

"Hold up, girlie." He held up a hand, head cocking to the side. "Ya know, ya do what ya can to give options or redeem em proxies. But you ain't happy doing it. Don't that tell ya a little something, something?"

My attention snapped back onto Gallows, eyes narrowed instantly. "Don't. Go. There."

He cackled, "I can read, ya know. I know a killer when I see one."

"And I know a lie when I see one." I hissed, the lighting caught his eyes. Onyx, glaring daggers of death directly upon me. I didn't budge and he stood stiff for a moment before the sound of air whooshing by caught my attention, the hair on the back of my neck being brushed away. I held his gaze as the curve of his scythe faintly pressed to the back of my neck.

"Gallows..." Josie uneasily called.

"It's fine, Josie." I calmly said, attempting to reassure her. The scythe twitch against my skin, I felt it slice into the flesh but blocked out stinging. It was very difficult to not enable Gallows to act on instinct and kill everything. Reassuring her seemed to frustrate him; his type never does like it when a 'victim' is standing strong against their actions. "He just doesn't like hearing the truth."

He scoffed loudly, "You said I was happy."

"And you are, but happiness is only one piece to the puzzle. Pieces that will conflict make you rethink where a piece goes and if it fits right, maybe it's from a different puzzle and just looks the same, etc." I waved it off and let my arm fall. My fingers flexed at my side, the itch for my knife rising. I really did not have any care in talking to him right now, and it no doubt showed. "We're similar there. We're happy doing something, keeping busy, but the moment we've got our own time... Well, we just have a lot to think about by then, no?"

Gallows shoulders shook briefly, small sounds escaping his unseen lips until laughter just echoed through the room. "You're not even trying to hide it but you're gonna deny yourself it. Why do you even try?"

I scowled. "Because trying is all we can do."

"But it doesn't get you anywhere." He chimed as he leaned forward.

"It gets me far enough."

"Nowhere."

My fingers twitched, "Shut up."

"You should probably just give up."

"I said, shut up." Fists formed, I could feel my skin stretching from Ferus's still healing signature. A reminder that only enabled the rising aggression.

"It would be better for everyone if-"

"I said, shut up!" My hand launched out to Josie's side, grasping the firearm and drawing aim onto Gallows face and leveling it between his eyes. Graves swung the double barrel shotgun around and took aim at my stomach from behind Gallows. I paid her only a glance, her onyx eyes staring at me, full of silent intentions.

“Hey, if you’re gonna shoot, shoot.” He provoked, holding an arm invitingly.

“You’re a piece of shit.” I glowered, trying to bite back the rising aggression. The Caged One recoiled, seething against his words within the blackness of my mind, under the only light that shined.

"Shady..." Josie whimpered to my right, the sound of her stepping back put me at ease. The last thing I'd want is someone caught in the crossfire. Especially when I could feel Gallows digging the scythe further into the back of my neck and making a second slice, small trickles running down my spine.

The door opened, a man unfamiliar to me entered the room. He was a fairly tall man, but then again with my height most people are taller than me to begin with. Sigh. He wore robes of white and gold; they seemed to flow around him as he walked. His hair matched his robes, gold and white only it did not flow, was spiky. Against the tanned skin it really seemed to stand out. I looked him over, his body language was composed, calculated.

"Who are you?" I asked interest quirked. Be damned if Gallows would interfere in learning about someone new.

"Fawkes." He said. "Servant of God." I wanted to hit myself, mainly because the last person to claim such broke one too many of my bones. Fucking Thuggee.

"God?" Gallows inquired, his head cocking into Fawkes direction, eyes as well. "God like, thin, tall, faceless God?"

"One of them..." I inwardly sighed.

The man nodded. "Now, you are in conflict."

I could feel Gallows brush the scythe closer to the back of my neck, the blade pressing further in the cut he made. "No." I said, should Gallows wish to play this game of chicken, so be it. "We were just finishing up." The safety clicked. Gallows was back to staring at me, and I him.

Fawkes reached out for the gun. "We don't need to be fighting now. There is one problem tonight, and he isn't in this room." Josie slipped to my side and tugged my sleeve; I looked at her from the corner of my eye before at Graves. Her dead set look wouldn't budge; she would not act until Gallows did. "Come," He said. "Let's move on, no? We should go to the... Dance floor." He left after that.

"Shady, the sooner we get to the dance floor the sooner we can leave..." Josie piped up.

"So you're gonna up and leave us then, girlie?" Gallows looked down at Josie, she slipped closer to my side. "Fine. But ya know what this means?" He asked with a chuckle, "Next time I see you... You're dead. I don't got no reason to let ya live anymore." The scythe pulled away from my neck. Josie hurried to the door while Gallows walked the opposite way.

The moment the safety clicked on Graves was on me. Shotgun slung over her back again. Her hands grabbed both my wrists, pulling me forward to meet face to face. "Shooting you is business, previous assistance to our problem means nothing if you get in the way of my job." Graves scanned to the handgun between us, her eyes trailing back up to my own. "It wouldn't be what you consider fair, and what I'd consider right a long time ago, should you die ahead of your time."

"Ahead of my time?"

"Executor may be the current holder on your life, excluding Ferus's bloodlust; but you should be more worried about his pets." She lowered her head, voice emotionless. "I've heard them speak. Sometimes people cannot do the job, the itch is too much. You should be wary next time your path is crossed."

"He has various pets, who are you speaking about?" I asked.

Graves lifted her head, "All of us. They do not wish to wait any longer." She let me go with a slight push, swinging the shovel she let it lean on her shoulder as she backed away. "Let that make us even now, no longer do we have personal business between us. Therefore shooting you is once more business as usual, should you threaten the life of Gallows." With a tip of her hat she walked over to where he was and I left out the door Josie went through.

I didn't think Graves was informed as much as it seems now. Executor may be their employer, as said previously, but I didn't think he'd be so careless to speak out information like that. Or was she listening another way? Considering things, she said "Us" and not "Them", so perhaps Gallows and Graves are involved in something to come? Or the potential is there that they could be. I've only met a handful of Executor's pets and temporary charges. Was one or all of them going to come with a shitstorm, then? I only have a few guesses at the moment. Didn't care to think on it then, even now. Hands are full elsewhere, but back to the storytelling.

I looked at the door for a moment, it read, "No Bugs Allowed". Sighing, I didn't think much good could come from this. Entering the room and shutting the door behind me I found it crawling with various (harmless, minus biting and what not as I found out later) insects. And Josie in the middle, frozen with a few crawling over her. I flicked off the few that landed on me before trudging over to her and patting them off her, she flailed for a moment before calming down. I stared at her, the look I must have given probably said enough.

"I like bugs. A lot."

"Really." I stated, disbelieving that statement.

"There are SO MANY here. I don't know how he found the time to get them all!" So she was frozen with... Amazement? I like insects but this horde was beginning to bug me (no pun intended). Especially since they were infiltrating my shirt. "This is so awesome! You know, at the library they have so many books about insects. All the venoms and poisons, it's so fun to read! The variations in spiders, cockroaches are so cool."

"Right." I grabbed her arm and began leading her to the door. I didn't want to find out if any of them were venomous or poisonous. "And if we stay in here too long it will probably spray pesticides or something. Then what will happen?"

"We'll die?"

"Slowly but surely." I laughed, we patted down one another before entering the next room. Which... Was unpleasant and made me dizzy. All mirrors, through-out the whole thing. I was walking with Josie one moment and she was gone the next. Bloody handprints were on the mirrors, smudges; a reflection caught my attention and I looked over my shoulder to find a body tied against the ceiling. I moved on, calling to Josie but she sounded far off already. Another reflection caught my attention, another body, I kept walking. A third reflection luring my eyes, but it wasn't a body this time.


"I never tried to steer you wrong. My intentions have always been for the better, after our past." The Caged One spoke, she was younger now. Her hair beginning to turn blonde, like mine used to be in my times of youth. Her steel colored eyes stared up at me, the white gown upon her still. "My actions until now have been questionable-"


"Really?" I leveled with her, glaring at the childhood me. "You egg me on to kill Mystery when we first met, scream no at me when Billy lays dying and I have the chance to kill Prosper, you constantly are going back and forth between trying to make me murder and trying to keep me from it. Make up your fucking mind." I growled, "What do you want me to do?"


"The necessary things at first, the right things second."


I scowled, "And now? What do you want now?"


Her head lowered, tilting to look away, "She's no longer willing to wait for you to come around. Lenore is seeking destruction. Of us, of those you love, of those you do not even know. The world, it shudders from her hate, her madness. She will never stop, none can bind her." The Caged One slid her eyes to look over at me, locking our gaze. "So we must kill her. A means to end her own suffering."


My hands balled into fists, remembering the little message she wrote at the end of my last post. "Who the hell is Lenore?!" I demanded to know.


"The first human to survive us. My mistake." She straightened, regret seeming to cross her face. "I should have killed her, the chance was there. They left her hooked to the machine, she was vulnerable. We should have killed her then."


I shook my head, hand propping on my hip. "We had no idea what would happen back then, we can fix it now. You just have to give me more to go on. What does she want?"


"To silence the world. Every living thing, vanquish it from existance. All you love, have ever known, will ever come to learn she wishes to take away. From you and from the mass. Blind or not, she wants all dead and absolute silence."


"Lenore has the same ideals as..." I narrowed my eyes, "Road Runner was in the asylum while I was there. She's said as much, as has Prosper."


The Caged One's gaze hardened, once more she seethed. Fury building, her image flickering within the mirror. "Kill her."


I heard her crash and whimper somewhere, followed by, "Shady, are you talking to yourself?" She called, I looked into the direction the voice was coming from before back at the mirror. The Caged One was gone. I guess Josie couldn't hear the reflection, only me, predictable enough. Makes me all the more crazy sounding, heh. I sighed, about ready to respond to Josie before I walked into a mirror. "You too?" She asked, another crash followed by a whimper. I rubbed my forehead grumbling.

"That's my girl!" Advocate called from where the hell ever, his usual perfect timing. I raised both my middle fingers into the air and kept walking. We couldn't find one another, and rather than spend too long in the room we agreed, after yelling back and forth to one another, to go out the nearest door.

And I guess I found the winner, it dumped me into the central room. Looking back I could only imagine how many doors were really in that mirrored maze. Josie was no doubt already out of it, there wasn't any sense in trying to call her my way. Swearing beneath my breathe I walked to a vacant spot and sat down against the wall. Relaxing my body, cracking my sore neck, I sat and waited for what was to come next. Like hell I'd participate in any of Advocate's games.

Dia came not too long later, unfortunately accompanied by Gallows and Graves. He was practically skipping and upon seeing me gave an overly friendly wave, as if we weren't about to kill one another before. I sighed, waving back lazily. I was about to call over to Dia, give her some relief from the dangerous duo, but Gallows had other plans. Poor girl. I watched him be kind enough to get her a drink before forcing her to dance with him. It was rather... Amusing. She was not a happy camper but no harm was being done, so I sat around like a lazy fuck and laughed. Graves was standing by the refreshments idly, her head moving only to keep Gallows in her line of sight.

Ferus came soon too. And oddly enough so did Josie, not even a minute afterwards. Her condition was the same so I didn't think much of it. She bum rushed my side, talking too fast for me to understand. Nothing serious from the few words I caught so I just nodded along. She crawled around; fidgeting a moment before saying she was going to get a drink and hurrying off.

I looked to Graves who was standing still, Ferus talking to her, I could tell by the body language. She didn't look very responsive to whatever he was saying. I pulled myself up and stretched, watching as she turned to the table and looked it over. Her head turned back up to Ferus a moment, in a quick moment then she stabbed what looked to be a fork into his hand. She looked him in the face, no idea if anything was said from where I was and because her face is mostly covered. But she casually left to a different part of the room. Gallows I could see was holding Dia, who was slumping against him, gave Ferus a little wave. And Ferus, I guess wasn't really stabbed. His hand lifted, she stabbed in the opening between his fingers instead. For whatever reason he pocketed the fork and left that spot.

Josie poked her head out from under the table a moment later, I tilted my head as she looked around before crawling out and standing up. Grabbing two drinks she scurried back over to my side, a smile plastered on her face. I've come to the conclusion Josie is one strange girl.

I noticed Fawkes enter the room last; he went into his own spot away from everyone. Antisocial much? He had glanced to Gallows I had noticed, eyes barely passing over Dia before he looked away. As if avoiding her entirely. It was curious but I mentally shrugged it off.


"Who were you talking to before?" Josie inquired, both hands wrapped around the plastic cup as she sipped. Those doe eyes watching me from over the rim.


I wanted to hit something. Someone. Instead I leaned further against the wall and folded my arms, tightly, to prevent such. "Caged One."


"She always around?" The girl continued to ask.


I mumbled beneath my breath bringing up the cup, "Yes."


"Huh. Must be awkward getting laid." I choked on my drink, staring at her deadpanned as she innocently continued drinking from the cup. Like fucking hell I didn't see that gleam in her eyes.


Advocate descended while I was making Josie squirm beneath my glare, his voice drawing my attention.

"Welcome to the Dance Floor. And now, Saturday night fever. Actually, it's Friday. Hehehe, TGIF, anybody? I wonder what I'll do with all these matches now that I've quit smoking... Hehehe, guess we'll have to wait and see!" Josie cringed beside me as he went on. "So, now that you're all here, let's party! I sure hope you've enjoyed everything so far. Now something that will really get your heart pumping. Fright Night isn't over yet, kids."

Music turned on. A second later an explosion. Josie screamed, I grabbed her instinctively and bolted towards Dia. Gallows was looking at Graves as she approached him as well. A knowing look crossed her gaze and Gallows let Dia slump to the floor.

"Well, it's been fun." Gallows said, swinging his scythe and slicing open Josie's upper arm. She grabbed the wound with a hiss. "But ya know how it is," His scythe swung again catching her in the leg this time. "got places to go," He turned to leave, swinging the scythe once more. I grabbed Josie's arm, pulling her out of the way as his scythe clipped her waist and cut open her side. Had I not moved her she would have been cleaved in half. "people to slice." His eyes narrowed meeting mine as I shoved Josie behind me protectively. With a perk to his step he turned and started walking, holding out an arm that Graves took willingly. The two disappeared from the warehouse.

I looked at Josie who was bleeding, holding back the tears that were wanting to let loose. She didn't know which wound to hold, all three gashes deep. I wrapped her waist with both hands and applied pressure. I looked at the floor expecting to find Dia but didn't. "Dia?" I called, now I was worried. Especially as smoke began to fill the room. "Do you have a knife?"

Josie nodded. "Switchblade. Front right pocket." She whispered, her knees growing weak as her clothes reddened.


The girl was coughing, I needed to apply pressure to the wounds, tying them off would work fine. I unzipped and tugged off her jacket, covering her head with it as I pull the collar of my shirt over my nose. Scoping the room there wasn't many options to go on that I could see. Except one door, which probably by my guess led to a utility closet. And oddly enough the bottom of it was cleared of smoke, as if none was seeping in. Good e-fucking-nough. I carried Josie as best I could until she collapsed and went unconscious. I dragged her the rest of the way into the closet, a blood trail following us.


The door shut as I laid down Josie, grabbing the jacket and switchblade, shearing off the zipper on either side. "You just can't keep away from me, can you babe?" A voice spoke from behind me, looking over my shoulder I could see a figure in the corner, through the darkness. The lightning reflected off the syringe he caressed, I felt alarmed briefly until Josie coughed. Priorities came first.


"Don't flatter yourself." I muttered, slicing into the jacket and dividing it accordingly. "Only suitable place for this." My eyes skimmed the room, mentally I chuckled; should have figured he'd be monitoring the place from here of all places.


"Really? I didn't notice." Advocate replied nonchalantly, a burning smell spreading through the room. I lifted my head once more and looked his way, a small puddle on the floor of unknown chemicals sizzled. "Hehe, so good with your hands, darling. Such potential wasted..." There was disappointment to his voice, a tinge of disgust too perhaps?


I wrinkled my nose at the smell, eyes turning up to his mask. "Not everyone can be as free as you, Advocate. Some people have responsibilities." I turned back to Josie and knotted off the bandage around her arm.


"Responsibilities? Sounds like someone tool fed you that response along with a side of cake... Speaking of which, how was the cake? Hehehe nevermind, that's not important. As for responsibilities, think about your responsibilities to mankind! We have too many tools and puppets already... Hehehe time to prioritize. If you can't free yourself, maybe it's time someone else did for you..." I didn't even hear him approach, before I knew it the tip of the needle was running through my hair, just barely touching me. I froze, frowning as the needle was too close for comfort. Still silent as ever as he circled me before swooping down and grabbing my hand, squatting down next to me and preventing me from continuing. "Would you like to be my Mona Lisa?"


I shifted my gaze to where our hands connected, head tilting by a fraction as I listened to him. "It sounds nice. Really." I looked back at his mask, "But I won't abandon them." I turned my attention down to Josie, my hand tugging loose from the Advocate's grasp. "My responsibility to mankind is to help teach them the meaning of the damn word." I slid the fabric under Josie and began wrapping, head shaking lightly. "I can't change the world, just influence a few people who will pass it on. Heh, we're a virus race, after-all. Every action as a consequence, Advocate."


His mask invaded my personal space, I could hear his breathing against my ear from within the mask. "I think you're just making excuses. You and I  both know the direction this planet is going. The forward momentum is too much for anyone to stop. So why fight it? You can hop along and try to "help", but in the end gravity will always pull you back down to Earth. Shady, you're on a losing team and you know it. You just choose to ignore it, don't you? You think that bonds of love and friendship will preserve you after the big man takes you? No, in the end, your friends will eagerly run to abandon you. In fact, you are the bait, my darling. They will use you, they will bleed you dry, and then they will leave you." He leaned back from me and punched the wall in frustration, I flinched barely at the switch in moods. "Stupid little girl..." He moved away, grabbing a dismembered arm from the corner of the room and began playing with it like a puppet. Talking to it in a cartoon-ish voice. "Shady doesn't understand, Shady needs to be taught. Maybe Shady needs to be broken before she can be remade. Maybe you should do the breaking. Isn't that why you learned to sow, Black? So that you could learn to make dolls... Hehehe." Advocate rolled giggling, coming back over to me and unexpectedly sitting up, barking. "What do you think, love?"


I tied the wrapping to Josie's waist, she winced and I reached up, petting back Josie's bangs as she began mumbling incoherently. Her head lulled to one side as she settled back down, the pain smoothing out of her face. My eyes were in slits at the mere mentioning of being broken in, mostly influenced by the Caged One seething at the reminder of a past I barely remembered. I glanced to my blood soaked hands, mentally sighing before I relaxed as best I could, returning the indifferent expression. "The bonds of love and friendship are the exact things that will kill me. But I'd rather die for something or someone I care about than be without purpose, mindlessly murdering." I felt my fingers twitch, flexing. "Or to believe I have a purpose by murdering mass numbers, or burning the world, like that fucking bitch." I growled, Road Runner coming to mind. I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck, sharply cracking it as the stress began to build. I didn't notice the blood smearing across my throat at the time, freaked the doctors out later. My attention turned to look Advocate dead in the mask. "And what makes you think you're on the winning team? What is your purpose for what you do, dear? Why don't you go ahead and help me understand."


The Advocate giggled, leaning forward in front of my face. "Purpose? Hehe. Purpose. I am my own purpose. Or am I? To be honest, I can't tell you. That would be spoiling all of the surprises and you know how I feel about spoiling things..." His hand lifted and brushed through my hair, I remained staring at him. "You're sweaty. It's a good look for you. Like I said, darling, I am gravity. Gravity always wins. Try as you may, you are all just kids jumping off of mountains and praying that you'll sprout wings to fly. Even if by some miracle you and the rest of the tools learn to fly, say by building a plane, even a plane requires fuel to stay in the air... And every plane must come to a landing eventually." He hopped up, cracking his neck as he straightened.
Walking away from me I watched at he kicked the dismembered ligament across the room and began looking through a nearby cabinet. "Mass murder, slaughtering innocents, burning the world, what does it achieve? Sure, it's fun at first. Sure, you get the assorted pleasures and such... You get an adrenaline high for sure, but afterwards what do you get? Nothing. No, that's much too dissatisfying for my taste. Waht I do is an art, and everyone else is just drawing doodles and sketching with crayons."
He visibly twitched, throwing something off the shelf from the cabinet. "You've got me talking like I'm sane; hehehe, you work wonders on me, girl." Advocate said with a smirk to his voice, turning back to face me. "Babe, it's not about ending lives. It's about changing them." He sniffed the air. "Hehe, something burning? Can't talk much longer, deary, I've got all of my projects waiting for me and I can't complete them if I go down with this party. As for you, your "bonds" and assorted touchy feely emotional concepts will be the first thing to collapse... Even if I have to do the demolition myself..." Advocate pulled out a key and slid it beneath his momentarily before pulling it out, "Things aren't always as they appear, beautiful. Ask Dia. You're living proof of that, honey."
Turning he ripped a shelf off of the wall and discarded it, dusting his hands off and pulling a bottle of an unknown liquid out of the satchel hanging at his waist. I turned back to Josie, wrapping her leg as he began pouring the substance around the room before the sound of the bottle being thrown was heard. "Help you understand? Hehehe..." He crouched, leaning towards me as his shadow enveloped Josie. Winking behind the mask he said, "Ask me nicely." before the cold, inhumane lips of his mask pressed against mine.


I was prepared to bite out a retort until that happened. My gaze narrowed, not breaking eye contact with his mask. The options weighed in my mind: Punch him in the face and risk losing information or play along and be a champ for future information purposes. Get information or don't. Yes, no, yes, no, yes, no... Fuck it! I pressed my lips back against his mask, glaring as I tied off Josie's leg with a sharp tug. I pulled away, ignoring him taking in a deep breath and savoring whatever he got out of it. "It's not like I'm ignorant on the fact everything will collapse, eventually. Least when it does I can say I tried, and that gets me far enough in all this shit." I said, idly examining Josie's temporarily fixed wounds with a soft sigh. It's a really good thing that I don't have much pride to act on. "Will you..." I tilted my head a fraction, oh no, there was a tiny bit of pride stubbornly beating at my insides. "Help me understand, Advocate?" I slowly finished, biting the inside of my cheek briefly before I looked his way. Pride was a petty thing, it could not stand in the way of knowledge.the


He didn't move for a few moments, and when he did he said, "You're good." Before winking again and pulling away, dropping the key from before into my lap. Picking it up I felt it was a little damp, realizing then the reason he stuck it under his mouth was to lick it. I glowered, wiping it off with my shirt as he went on to speak. "Since you asked nicely, I will oblige." He approached the door which led to a security room with a spring to his step, which made me glower further. His hand dug into his satchel as he pulled something out, "You want to say you tried? Look at it this way: Instead of trying to save a lost cause, why not help give birth to a new cause? Imagine the things we could do together."
The Advocate attached a small cylinder to the wall with a rough swatting motion and pressed a button. A timer popped up on the tiny LED screen. 30 seconds. 29. 28. 27...
"I locked the door when you came in. Use the key. This room will explode in 26 seconds. I suggest you leave quickly." He opened the door to the security room. 25 seconds left. "I'll be seeing you soon, my darling Shady. We're far from done. Oh, and next time we kiss, you'll enjoy it as much as I do." Advocate shut the door behind him, leaving me alone with an unconscious Josie and the small bomb.


"Advocate, you jackass." I snarled, grabbing Josie under her arms and dragging her to the door, unlocking and kicking it open. I continued dragging her, the explosion in the room knocking both of us down. Coughing, I pulled my shirt over my face to try and block out some of the spoke, which doubled now after the explosion. Fire burned everywhere, I began pulling Josie towards the exit but it was a slow process. Barely got anywhere. Until Fawkes came out of nowhere, through the smoke and looked down at the current situation. Nothing needed to be said, I laid down Josie and he picked her up with ease. He offered his arm and I took it, we left the warehouse together. Once outside he put down Josie and left back into the warehouse, he never came back out.

I didn't think on it, I focused on waking Josie back up. She was breathing, which was good. So... I slapped her across the face and woke her ass up. She coughed like crazy and pulled herself together after a minute of panic.

Ferus came walking out and he was dragging Dia without grace, I got up ready to go check on Dia. He promptly dropped her and turned his gaze towards me. It's not something you can see, it's something you can feel. I stared right on back at him, once more indifferent. Any awkwardness felt before was gone, I don't allow people to intimidate me easily. But when he lifted his hand, blade in his grasp, and stabbed himself in the left. The same leg I stabbed not too long ago either, that sent a jolt. My mind reeled at the message sent, he didn't break the eye contact once and neither did I. If he wanted to play chicken too, like Gallows, he would have to try harder than that. I held his stare, I held my indifferent expression. Even as the blade in his leg moved inside the wound, purposely making it worse. "If it doesn't kill you, it makes you stronger." Josie was at my side, tugging my sleeve and whispering about Dia. I lifted my hand, the one that he carved his signature into, and waved casually at Ferus. Sending the same message right on back. "Happy trails, Shady." He said, his head moving by a fraction in Josie's direction. It alarmed me, I grabbed her wrist protectively. He was gone a moment later.

I looked to Josie, "What about Dia?"

She pointed towards the parking lot. "She's crawling to, what I'm guessing, is her car."

I stared at Josie a moment before looking in the direction she was pointing in. I could see Dia next to a car, on the ground not moving. Swearing I ran to the woman and kneeled down, checking her pulse I was glad to know she was alive. Her condition wasn't good, burned from the fire and her breathing was telling me there was more to be concerned with than just that. Josie limped over, looking concerned, "Help me get her in the car." The girl looked at me uneasily. "She's not dead. In our shit conditions, together, we can make at least one semi-normal person. So grab her legs al-fucking-ready." I snapped, she complied as I grabbed the keys from Dia's hand. We put her in the backseat, Josie got in the front and I drove to the hospital.

We spent the weekend there. Josie and I slept on a couch in the room. Well, she slept mostly. I let her stay with it. The windowsill was pretty big, nice and cold too. So I was happy enough once I had a pillow behind my sore back. It was entertaining watching Dia hitting on the doctors then rant about her situation, eventually pass out. It's cute, really. Just like when Josie wakes up and fumes over what happened. She gets so huffy, it's adorable. Really, I can't express enough how adorable it is. I mean, sure, I get that she is angry and I take that seriously... But, she just, that face! Ahahahahahaha! Oh, I can't take it seriously. Her face, it's like a little girl is getting all angry. It's so cute. It's too much; every time she starts to get all huffy I just break and can't stop laughing. And it hurts so badly, because Ferus bruised me to the bone, but it's also so good. Priceless, just priceless.

Anyways, they are all wrapped, stitched, and are healing up. Good news there. We left the hospital and had a pleasant, mostly quiet drive. Except until we got to Dia's house... And found a surprise waiting for us. UGHS. Gallows and Graves were waiting on the porch and just, sigh. He keeps chasing Josie with sharp objects. I can hear them starting up again, I'm going to punch the fuck out of him before Dia begins screaming. It's bad enough he stole her laptop before, which is why all these replies are delayed. I've been typing mine from the cellphone in between Gallows antics. Goddamnit.


Look, I'll post more about what's been going on here at Dia's house. As I'm sure she will post too.
Oh. And from the crazies:
Dia is ranting again in the background.
Josie says hi.
Gallows says he's going to kill you all.
And Graves is just staring and making me feel awkward.
Ok... Right. Where is that frying pan?

Stay safe,

-Shady